Ceredigion is the constituency most reliant on heating oil or LPG as a source of energy on mainland Britain.
Plaid Cymru MP for Ceredigion, Ben Lake, has criticised the UK Government’s “bring forward a clear and adequate package” for off-grid households and businesses.
This week the UK Government said households who cannot benefit from the £2,500-a-year Energy Price Guarantee will instead get “an additional payment of £100 to households across the UK”. The Government have also said that “equivalent support” will be provided for non-domestic consumers who use heating oil or alternative fuels instead of gas, but have not provided any details.
Mr Lake said that he feared that a one-off payment of £100 would “leave many households struggling to make ends meet, while businesses wait anxiously for details”. He added that had wished to ask questions to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Jacob Rees-Mogg MP, today but was “denied” the chance, due to Mr Rees-Mogg making a statement to the press, rather than to Parliament.
Ceredigion MP Ben Lake said:
“The UK Government have failed to bring forward a clear and adequate package today, particularly for off-grid households and businesses.
“According the Government’s own statistics, Ceredigion is the most reliant on heating oil or LPG as a source of energy on mainland Britain – at 74 per cent. Dozens of businesses and households have written to me asking for details about today’s announcement. Sadly, due to this Government’s disregard for scrutiny, I was denied a chance to ask these questions to the Minister today.
“I fear that Jacob Rees-Mogg’s offer of an additional £100 will leave leave many households struggling to make ends meet, while businesses wait anxiously for details.”
Plaid Cymru's Westminster leader and Energy spokesperson, Liz Saville Roberts MP added:
“Almost one in five households in Wales are not connected to the gas grid, rising to almost half in Gwynedd and almost three-quarters in Ceredigion. These households are once again an afterthought for the Tory government in Westminster.
“Rees-Mogg’s £100 for households unable to receive support through the Energy Price Guarantee with their gas bills is too little too late. Between May 2020 and May 2022 the average price of heating oil rose almost 250% - so Plaid Cymru are again urging the UK Government to provide the same level of support for off-grid users as is offered to those connected to the mains gas grid.”
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