Extract from Wales Assembly: Questions to the Minister for Economy and Transport - Mar 20

Mohammad Asghar (Oscar) AM: Minister, an inquiry conducted by the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee has shown that Wales could greatly benefit from the increased use of electric cars. However, the committee expressed concerns that the Welsh Government has been slow in showing leadership in this issue. They went on to say—or, the question, rather, is whether the £2 million recently announced to improve infrastructure for electric car charging points was a large enough funding boost. What is your response to these concerns, Minister, raised by the committee? And what assurances can you give that the Welsh Government’s support is adequate to promote this part of our automotive sectors?

Ken Skates AM (Minister for Economy and Transport): Well, we’ve got a duty to ensure that the public purse only invests in areas where there is not market failure in this regard and that we invest in proper infrastructure. Now, it’s highly likely in the years to come that we will see the roll-out of induction charging, which would, of course, provide the solution for many streets where there are terraced houses. Therefore, it’s essential that we look at what the problem is today, in areas where the market won’t respond, and then we intervene, and that’s exactly what our deal with Plaid Cymru is striving to do.