Economic Responsibility and a Plan for Growth Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: HM Treasury

Economic Responsibility and a Plan for Growth

Brendan O'Hara Excerpts
Wednesday 19th October 2022

(2 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Brendan O'Hara Portrait Brendan O'Hara (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)
- Hansard - -

My hon. Friend will be aware that even on the Government’s own estimates heating oil has gone up by 147% since January, and in constituencies such as ours it is costing more than £1,200 to fill a tank, and sometimes this is with a minimum delivery of 500 litres. Does he share my concern that in these colder, rural and more economically fragile areas of the UK not everyone has £500 to replenish their oil tank? This will not be a choice of turning their heating on or not; they simply will not have the choice, because they will not have the oil or the means to replenish the tank when they need it. This is a crisis.

Drew Hendry Portrait Drew Hendry
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

My hon. Friend is completely right and he represents a constituency with many off gas grid constituents, as I do. He makes a telling point about the cost of that. What support are the UK Government giving to these people who face twice the bills that other people will? They are giving a measly £100.