Meeting of the Parliament 25 March 2026 [Draft]
I express the Government’s sympathy with those who are wrestling with dramatically increased oil prices, which will have come as a very unwelcome shock to households. Rona Mackay is absolutely right that the £4.6 million that the United Kingdom Government has allocated is absolutely inadequate, especially when one considers how much money has gone from Scotland’s North Sea to the UK Treasury since the 1970s. However, we have acted quickly to complement the fund with £5.4 million, bringing the total funding to £10 million—with £300 being offered to eligible households, which, we think, equates to about 200 litres of heating oil—to directly support those in need. That simple process is administered through trusted partners and is open to those in need.