MP questions government

after discussions with ACRE

As the current energy crisis continues to hit rural households, the government has been pressed on what more can be done for families finding it tough.

Samantha Niblett, MP for South Derbyshire, asked the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero about future protections for heating oil users.

The question followed an earlier discussion that ACRE had with her team, in which they were told how thousands of rural heating oil users have seen bills rise since the start of the Middle East conflict.

For most households, the price of heating oil more than doubled at the start of the crisis, putting greater financial strain on families already feeling the pinch.

After falling briefly over the early summer, the last two weeks have seen prices rise again in response to renewed conflict in the Middle East.

In a written response, Martin McCluskey MP, Minister for Energy Consumers, said regulatory protections may be introduced for off-grid homeowners, if a case for doing so was made by the Competition and Markets Authority, which is currently investigating the wider heating oil market.

He also highlighted the government’s Crisis and Resilience Fund, which previously put aside £27 million to support eligible customers in England with the rising cost of fuel, including heating oil.

At the time, ACRE described this offer as too small, too difficult to access and targeted solely at the most vulnerable users.

A second question, asking for mandatory community benefits in rural areas impacted by large-scale green energy developments, was also put forward.

The response read: “Last year, the government published a working paper setting out proposals for mandatory community benefits for low-carbon energy infrastructure projects.

“We are in the process of reviewing responses and intend to publish a response setting out our next steps in due course.”

While ACRE has been following this matter closely for many years, it has become a more pressing concern in recent times.

As such, ACRE will continue to argue for a long-term solution that gives rural households effective support that is comparable to the energy price cap enjoyed by households on the grid.

The war in Iran has made fossil fuels more expensive, leading many to call on the government to prioritise plans for domestic renewable energy.

A full transcript of the Q&A can be viewed online at hansard.parliament.uk.