Speaking in the House of Commons during Treasury Questions, Mrs Lockhart urged the Chancellor to cut fuel duty, remove VAT on domestic heating oil and rethink the decision to block further oil and gas licensing in the North Sea.

Her intervention follows her call yesterday for practical measures to protect families from the impact of sharply rising global oil prices.

Mrs Lockhart said that families across the United Kingdom are already struggling with the cost of living and warned that Northern Ireland households are particularly exposed due to their reliance on home heating oil.

Mrs Lockhart said:

“Oil prices are rising sharply, fuel prices at the pumps are rocketing and families are already struggling with the cost of living.

In Northern Ireland, more than 60 per cent of homes rely on heating oil to keep warm. That means global oil price spikes are felt immediately in household budgets.

Many families simply do not have the option of switching to alternative heating systems overnight. For thousands of households, heating oil is not a luxury but a necessity during the colder months.

That is why I took the opportunity in the Commons to press the Chancellor on practical steps that could ease the pressure on families.

My proposals are clear. Cut fuel duty, remove VAT on domestic heating oil and rethink the damaging decision to block further oil and gas licensing in the North Sea.

Reducing fuel duty would help motorists and businesses who are already dealing with rising transport costs. Removing VAT on domestic heating oil would provide direct relief to households who rely on it to heat their homes.

At the same time, we should be strengthening our domestic energy security. Continuing to develop our own oil and gas resources in the North Sea helps support jobs, improves energy security and reduces reliance on imported energy.

Families want to see practical action from government that recognises the pressures they are facing every day. Policies should focus on keeping energy affordable and ensuring households are protected from the impact of rising global prices.”