(Bath) (LD)
I am grateful to the right hon. and learned Gentleman for
mentioning road surface transport and the fact that our emissions
are still increasing. He is absolutely right that we need the
right infrastructure. Does he agree that what does not work is,
for example, Highways England, in its recent consultation not
even considering that is its responsibility to provide the
electricity grid needed to power electric cars? It is important
that Departments work together and that Highways England takes
responsibility for ensuring that we have the right electricity
infrastructure.
Sir (North East Hertfordshire)
(Con)
I agree that co-ordination is crucial. The hon. Lady makes a good
point about infrastructure...
(Chichester) (Con)
Yes. Last year I went to the Nucleus conference at Goodwood and
saw one of the world’s leading electric car manufacturers, NIO—a
Chinese company—which is solving the problem in a different way.
Instead of creating lots of charging points, they had changeable
units that people could pick up and drop off in a garage, like we
do with Calor gas on the continent. We need to consider all the
best practice, because we do not want to get policy wrong again.
The hon. Lady is right; we need to get this right and take people
with us. Is it not also true that we are up against some strong
vested interests? We should not underestimate how much those with
strong vested interests in the fossil fuel industry and the car
industry would like to continue as before, because that would be
easiest for them. They are going to push back, and that is the
challenge we face in this House...
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