Dr Neil Hudson, MP for England’s largest and most rural constituency, Penrith and The Border, has spoken up in a Parliamentary debate calling for more energy support so those living in remote communities are not left behind when trying to keep warm this winter.
Throughout the cost of living crisis, Dr Hudson has pushed for more action for those in rural areas who are not on the gas grid and use heating oil, LPG or alternatives to heat their homes and businesses. Currently being offered £100 to go towards their energy costs, Dr Hudson has called for this to increase immediately to support rural people currently falling through the cracks of energy support legislation.
This has included writing to the Government consistently since the lead up to the Spring Budget, meeting Ministers over recent weeks, and asking the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy if it would consider publishing an assessment on the potential merits of introducing an energy price cap on heating oil.
The debate was brought forward by Dr Hudson’s Conservative Party colleague Fay Jones, who is MP for the rural constituency of Brecon and Radnorshire. She thanked Dr Hudson for his intervention and mirrored his wish to see the Government look into the amount of support offered for rural areas.
Speaking afterwards, Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, said:
“The Government needs to do more to look after those of us in rural areas who use heating oil, LPG, or alternative fuels. The £100 currently being offered to heating oil and other off grid users urgently needs to be increased, it's as simple as that. As I’ve repeatedly said, it simply doesn’t reflect the hardship faced by people having to fill their tanks at hugely inflated costs, often with crippling minimum orders of 500 litres. I use heating oil at home in Brampton, as do so many people in our rural communities, so I'm acutely aware that this problem is only worsening and needs immediate action.
“I thank my friend and Conservative colleague Fay Jones for bringing forward this vital debate and for the opportunity to raise this issue again in Parliament for rural Cumbria. I've repeatedly brought this issue to the Government's attention, and I sincerely hope we see action urgently.”
In addition, Dr Hudson has repeatedly urged those in Government to act urgently on fuel costs through VAT action and fuel duty cuts; gas and oil costs; fertiliser costs; as well as action on VAT for the tourism and hospitality sector.
