Heating Oil Prices: Rural Areas Debate
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Paula Barker
Main Page: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)Department Debates - View all Paula Barker's debates with the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero
Heating Oil Prices: Rural Areas
Paula Barker Excerpts(2 days, 12 hours ago)
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Ashley Dalton (West Lancashire) (Lab)
I agree with the hon. Member that households reliant on heating oil, including those in my constituency of West Lancashire, face particular issues, especially around price volatility and the absence of the consumer protections that users of electricity and gas might have. But does he not welcome the Government’s previous £50 million investment in supporting the sector, including working with Ofgem, the industry and consumers to bring forward consumer protections? [Interruption.]
Jamie Stone
Thank you very much, Mrs Barker; aren’t these Divisions annoying things?
The hon. Member for West Lancashire (Ashley Dalton) made an extremely fair point in her intervention. I have previously welcomed the Government’s commitment of £53 million, which she mentioned, to help households struggling with soaring heating oil prices. That was a move in the right direction, and I give credit where it is due. The support was well meant, but the trouble is that, balanced against the 1.5 million homes that use heating oil, it is only about £35 per household.
Several hon. Members rose—
Paula Barker (in the Chair)
Order. I will be imposing an immediate two-minute limit on speeches.
Several hon. Members rose—
Paula Barker (in the Chair)
Order. I remind Members that we are on a tight timeline. It is up to colleagues if they wish to accept interventions, but they may want to be mindful of that.