Oral Answers to Questions

John Lamont Excerpts

Wednesday 11th November 2026 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I would love to do so, when my diary allows. SEND reform is coming through. It is part of what we need to do in response to the Milburn report, to rethink how we support young people growing up, and how we have the right experts on site in our schools to give children the speech and language therapy, and other support that they need, so that they do not fall behind and they do not miss out. I would love to come to see the school at some point, as a beacon of best practice in supporting young people with additional needs.

[John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con)]

Q9. The price of heating oil has doubled in the last year, and more than 9,000 households in the Scottish borders rely on it to heat their homes. Many are vulnerable people; many are pensioners, like Kate from Cockburnspath who told me that she will be sitting at home freezing this winter because she cannot afford to heat her home. She says that support from the Government does not go far enough to help her, so what more will the Prime Minister do to help people who are struggling to pay their heating bills because they are relying on heating oil this winter?

[The Prime Minister]

We have provided extra funding to local authorities to help with precisely the situation that the hon. Gentleman’s constituent is in. We have also provided funding through the Barnett consequentials in relation to VAT on electricity—[Interruption.] If I could just finish the point. We have given extra support to the devolved Administrations—sorry, not in relation to VAT, but in relation to the support we have provided in the Budget. There is extra help that the Scottish Government can use alongside what we have already done, and we will ensure everybody is supported this winter.