Heating Oil Support

Terry Jermy Excerpts

Monday 16th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Martin McCluskey]

Our priority has been to ensure that support reaches people as quickly as possible. That is why we have come forward with this proposal today. As I said in response to previous questions, we will keep the situation under review as the situation in the middle east progresses. The CMA is looking at a number of areas before it makes recommendations that might lead to regulation, and we will study those carefully. One of those is whether the issue of minimum orders needs to be examined more closely. The hon. Lady has my reassurance that we are looking at this issue, and the CMA will come forward with proposals.

[Terry Jermy (South West Norfolk) (Lab)]

More than 22,000 households in my constituency rely on heating oil. Dozens of constituents have contacted me over the last week, and they are worried sick, so I very much welcome this announcement and the speed with which the Government have made it. This situation has exposed the fact that rural communities are uniquely vulnerable to global energy shocks. May I urge the Minister to do all he can to prioritise better regulation and to look at how rural communities can benefit from the warm homes plan and transition to better insulation and renewable technology in a way that they were not able to do under the previous Government?

[Martin McCluskey]

I thank my hon. Friend for his comments and for everything that he is doing to advocate for the many constituents he has who use heating oil. As he said, we need to move forward with the CMA to examine what regulation might be required. He will have seen that the warm homes plan highlights rural households and low-income households as an area of priority. He may be interested to know that around 50% of grants from the boiler upgrade scheme are going to rural homes, showing the demand that exists in constituencies such as his.