Heating Oil Prices: Rural Areas Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Energy Security & Net Zero
Noah Law
Main Page: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)Department Debates - View all Noah Law's debates with the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero
Heating Oil Prices: Rural Areas
Noah Law Excerpts(2 days, 12 hours ago)
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Noah Law (St Austell and Newquay) (Lab)
My constituency covers St Austell bay, the clay country and Newquay, and it contains many households who are not connected to the gas grid and remain heavily reliant on heating oil. For those families, fluctuations such as those we have seen in oil prices can have a very stark impact on household budgets, particularly through the winter months. We need a practical solution and a transition towards cleaner heating.
I know that switching to a heat pump like the one I have in my home will not be right for everyone, but for those who do wish to go down that route, substantial support is available, including the £7,500 boiler upgrade scheme and the warm homes loans, which should go some way to dealing with what is sometimes, but certainly not always, a significant up-front cost. For now, there is of course the 4% tariff abolition. I will follow the lead of my hon. Friend the Member for North Northumberland (David Smith) and ensure, with local companies, that those savings are passed through to the consumer. We will need to push the Minister for crucial industry reforms, such as a reduction in minimum order volumes.
I would like to hear whether the much-needed Government crisis and resilience fund, which previously gave £53 million to users of heating oil, can be extended, and whether more similar support can be given to councils. If so, I would like to see our local council in Cornwall ensure it reaches a broader base of users.
I know there is more to do, such as greater support for insulation and solutions that work for off-grid homes. Clean liquid fuel such as HVO can play a huge role, as we have heard. I am interested to hear the Minister’s view on how to support those fuels and what steps the Government can take to provide additional support for heating oil users right now.