Extract from Transport Questions: Zero Emission Vehicles - June 24
Friday, 25 June 2021 08:24
Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab):...As the Climate Change
Committee made clear this morning, the Government are not
delivering on the policies needed to meet their climate targets. As
well as incentivising EV purchases and improving EV charging
infrastructure, we need EVs to be built in Britain. What
conversations has the Secretary of State had with the Business
Secretary about Government support for EV manufacturing at the Ford
Halewood plant, which is crucial if we are to secure the...Request free trial
(Bristol
East) (Lab):...As the Climate Change Committee made
clear this morning, the Government are not delivering on the
policies needed to meet their climate targets. As well as
incentivising EV purchases and improving EV charging
infrastructure, we need EVs to be built in Britain. What
conversations has the Secretary of State had with the Business
Secretary about Government support for EV manufacturing at the Ford
Halewood plant, which is crucial if we are to secure the future
viability of the site, and about saving jobs making vehicle
components at the GKN plant in
Birmingham?
The Secretary of State for Transport ():
The hon. Lady will know that the Government have pledged half
a billion pounds towards creating factories to produce batteries,
which is a very important part of the development of electric cars.
I often hear people say that we are somehow falling behind. In
fact, we had the second highest sales of electric vehicles in
Europe in the first quarter of this year; one in seven cars sold
now has plug-in. I cannot comment directly on the discussions that
my right hon. Friend the Business Secretary has had about those
specific plants, but I can tell the hon. Lady that discussions are
ongoing in order to achieve the infrastructure delivery in this
country, including the manufacturing base, which will continue to
ensure that we lead Europe when it comes to electric car
provision.
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