Thursday November 12th 2026
John Lamont MP
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham was today urged to do more for a Scottish Borders pensioner who faces “sitting at home freezing” this winter due to the soaring cost of heating oil.
The energy costs plight of an older constituent in a Berwickshire village was raised during Prime Ministers Questions (PMQs) in the UK Parliament today. (Wednesday, November 11).
Posing his question, Borders MP John Lamont said: “The price of heating oil has doubled in the last year and over nine thousand households in the Scottish Borders rely on it to heat their homes.
“Many are vulnerable people, many are pensioners like Kate from Cockburnspath, who told me she will be sitting at home freezing this winter because she can’t afford to heat her home.
“She says support from the Government does not go far enough to help her. So, Prime Minister, what more will you do to help people struggling to pay their heating bills because they are relying on heating oil this winter?”
In response, Mr Burnham said extra funding had been provided to local authorities to “help with precisely the situation his constituent is in”.
He added: “We have given extra support to the devolved administration in the Budget. There is extra help there that the Scottish Government can use.”
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