Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason Northern Ireland has been allocated £17 million of the £53 million home heating oil support package announced on 16 March 2026; and if she will publish the methodology used to determine that figure.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The government has acted quickly to provide timely, targeted support to low-income households struggling with the rising price of heating oils, based on the latest census data.
This means the funding is distributed in line with where the most vulnerable oil-heated homes are concentrated. It is for the Northern Ireland Executive to allocate the funding in Northern Ireland as they see fit.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of whether the current ownership structure of Royal Mail is compatible with the effective delivery of the Universal Service Obligation.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The universal service obligation is a statutory requirement placed on the designated universal service provider and applies irrespective of the company’s ownership structure.
Royal Mail has been a fully independent business since its privatisation was completed in 2015.
It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator, to determine whether regulatory or enforcement action is required to ensure the effective delivery of the universal service.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with Royal Mail on its planned timeline for publishing the improvement plan requested by Ofcom.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Royal Mail has publicly committed to publishing a detailed deployment and quality of service improvement plan as soon as possible after its discussions with the Communication Workers Union conclude.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions his Department has had with Ofcom on whether additional regulatory powers are required to enforce Royal Mail’s Universal Service Obligation.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ministers have regular discussions with Ofcom. The government does not have a role in Ofcom’s individual regulatory decisions.
I met Ofcom on 11 March. They confirmed that they are monitoring Quality of Service data closely and will take regulatory action, if required, to hold Royal Mail to account for improving Quality of Service standards once agreement has been reached between Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union on implementation of Universal Service Obligation reforms.