With the dramatic rise in the cost of heating oil placing a financial strain on household across North Wales, Mark Isherwood MS has today called for targeted support from the Welsh Government for those most in need.
In this afternoon's meeting of the Welsh Parliament, Mr Isherwood asked the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates MS, what discussions he has had with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning to coordinate support for households affected by increased energy prices across North Wales.
In his supplementary question, he referred to the escalating heating oil costs, providing examples from households in North Wales, and questioned the Cabinet Secretary over Welsh Government support for those most in need.
He said:
"Last week, I was contacted on behalf of pensioners and low-income families in Trelawnyd and surrounding areas in Flintshire, whose heating oil price had risen from £300 to almost £800 for 500 litres, and who are struggling to fill their tanks.
"In Ynys Môn, 53 per cent of households, and in Gwynedd 49 per cent of households, are not connected to mains gas, many reliant on heating oil for warmth and hot water.
"Citizens Advice Cymru reports that one local resident in Ynys Môn was quoted £1,000 to fill their heating oil tank, up from £370 just two months previously. This is an overnight crisis for rural families.
"The Welsh Government is now set to receive £3.8 million from the UK Government's new heating oil support package, and the Scottish Government has said it will ‘more than double’ the £4.6 million offered to Scotland.
"Yet the Social Justice Secretary here, in the Statement you referred to, has stated only that the Welsh Government will develop options for deployment of this.
"How, therefore, will the Welsh Government target that support to reach those most in need? In what form? And will this be limited to those already receiving benefits, which may exclude people on similarly low incomes such as ill health pensions?"
In his response, the Cabinet Secretary said:
"My friend and colleague Jane Hutt will be answering questions shortly, but I can say that this was a subject of discussion at Cabinet on Monday.
"Jane Hutt is doing all she can to support households that rely on oil for heating and hot water, utilising the money that the UK Government has made available, but also utilising some of our existing funds, which have proven so vital over the years."
