To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail (i) any assessment her Department has carried out of energy support schemes used elsewhere in the UK; and (ii) whether any UK schemes could be applied in Northern Ireland, especially for households that rely on home heating oil.

When the conflict in the Middle East, began, the reduction in electricity bills of around £30 per year had already been announced and delivery was being progressed by my Department.

Many of our households and businesses are already under pressure from the cost‑of‑living crisis, and this new energy shock is compounding those pressures. I am particularly concerned about the impact on low‑income and vulnerable households.

I have pressed the British government for support and I continue to do so. I spoke to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Energy Minister, Michael Shanks on 4th March to highlight the impact of the immediate rise in heating oil costs here.

I subsequently spoke and wrote to Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Energy Consumers Minister, Martin McCluskey about the urgent need for support.

The £17 million announced by the British government is clearly inadequate, therefore, it is important that whatever support is available, or becomes available going forward, is targeted at those in most need.

I am meeting regularly with the Ministers from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Michael Shanks and Martin McCluskey, and I will continue to argue for additional support.