(Lichfield)
(Con): When my right hon. Friend meets my friend the Mayor of
the West Midlands, , will she discuss the
possibility of opening a giga factory in Birmingham or the
immediate area for the production of electric vehicles?
The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial
Strategy (): My hon. Friend
is well aware of the Government’s ambitions to have a giga
factory in the UK. It is vital for the success of our economy
that we are able to find these new areas of technological growth
that can support the uptake of ultra-low and zero-emission
vehicles.
(Cheltenham)
(Con): Decarbonising transport will be crucial if we are to
meet our net-zero targets, but the cost of electric vehicles
remains high. What more can be done to ensure that that cost
comes down and is within reach for the majority of people in our
country?
The Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth (): Plenty has been done, and I commend my hon.
Friend and welcome him back to his seat after a hard-fought
campaign. He will know that through the Treasury and the £400
million fund, we are extending the provision of charging
facilities for electric vehicles—that issue is the single reason
that prevents people from buying EVs. Manufacturers are clear
about our intentions and our 2040 target for the full roll-out of
EVs. We are looking to bring that target forward, and the cost
curve is coming down.
(Rugby) (Con)
8. What steps she is taking to help deliver new jobs in clean
growth.
The Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth (): My hon. Friend will be pleased to hear that
we are determined to seize the economic opportunities of the net
zero transition. We hope to create 2 million green jobs across
the UK by 2030. He will also know that just last week the Office
for National Statistics announced that, under this Government,
466,000 people in this country are employed in low-carbon
businesses and their supply chains.
: The electrification
of vehicles is an important area of clean growth, and the London
Electric Vehicle Company, which is based in my constituency, is
manufacturing the new electric taxi. It has created 500 new jobs,
with 3,000 taxis now on London roads. The Prime Minister visited
very recently and managed to drive one of the taxis without
knocking down a wall. Does the Minister agree that if we are to
make the switch to electric affordable for taxi drivers, thereby
making a major contribution to reducing CO2 emissions and
improving air quality, the current plug-in taxi grant is a vital
incentive?
: I agree with my hon. Friend. I am delighted to
hear that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister drove the car
without any incident or untoward events happening. The fact that
more than 3,000 of LEVC’s Coventry-made electric taxis are in
London is a fantastic milestone. I also agree that the
Government’s plug-in taxi grant is vital to the uptake and
roll-out of these vehicles.
