Carmichael to meet Treasury minister on heating oil price hike response

Orkney and Shetland MP, Alistair Carmichael, has today written to the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Lord Livermore, after it was announced that he would be leading the government’s response to rapidly rising heating oil prices. During a statement by the Chancellor in the House of Commons on Monday afternoon it was confirmed that the Financial Secretary would meet with MPs on Wednesday to discuss the issues involved.

In his letter Mr Carmichael highlighted the previous government’s Alternative Fuel Payment, which provided a support payment for off-grid households in the wake of major price increases for heating oil after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and asked what consideration was being given to a similar scheme, should it prove necessary.

Mr Carmichael said:

“In just a few days since I first wrote to the Chancellor about rising heating oil and red diesel prices, the number of comments and messages I have had about this concern has skyrocketed. I am glad that the government has acknowledged this as an issue – what remains to be seen is what concrete action they are going to take.

“In 2022 the previous government brought forward the Alternative Fuel Payment to support families who were not on the gas grid, like those in the isles. To say that the AFP was flawed in its implementation would be generous, but even a flawed scheme was better than nothing. If we are going to protect people from the worst harms of rising fuel prices then the government needs to keep all options on the table – I look forward to raising these issues at the meeting on Wednesday.”