Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made on the introduction of a standardised battery health certification scheme for used electric vehicles.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport has worked with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) to develop a Global Technical Regulation on electric vehicle batteries (GTR 22). If implemented, the regulation would set standards for the lifespan of a battery and its minimum durability. It will also ensure that information about electric vehicle batteries is easily accessible, accurate and comparable. The Government is currently considering options for the implementation of GTR 22 battery regulations in the UK.

In the meantime, the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate requires all new electric vehicles to be sold with a warranty that includes battery replacement if capacity falls below 70% in the first 8 years or 100,000 miles, whichever is sooner.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government which unit or team in the Department for Transport is responsible for policy relating to self-driving delivery robots that operate primarily on pavements.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Department has a team that is responsible for micromobility policy which includes self-driving delivery robots. That team works with a wide range of other teams on the opportunities and risks they present, including the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans the Regulatory Innovation Office has for regulating self-driving delivery robots that operate primarily on pavements, alongside regulation of airborne drones.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO) is not a regulator. Responsibility for regulating pavement robots and drones lies with the Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority, respectively. One of the RIO’s current focuses is 'drones & other autonomous technology', which includes pavement robots, a promising technology for the UK. The RIO is working with the Department for Transport to understand the regulatory interventions the government could take to stimulate their rollout in the UK.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to continue the door-to-door Luggage Buddy scheme currently operated by South Western Railway after the rail service comes under public ownership in May.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

South Western Railway (SWR) expects to continue to run the Luggage Buddy scheme that is currently operated, after the move to public ownership in May.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made to the UK Battery Strategy Taskforce.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

• The UK Battery Strategy taskforce continues to meet regularly, bringing together officials, key industry stakeholders and academia to ensure that the UK battery ecosystem delivers prosperity, growth and economic security.
• Engagement with the UK sector through the taskforce has informed DBT’s approach to the Industrial Strategy.
• Advanced Manufacturing is one of the 8 key growth driving sectors at the heart of the Industrial Strategy. This will be an opportunity to signal our commitment to driving investment into the UK battery sector.
• Our sector plan will take advantage of the UK’s strengths, including our high-quality research institutions and innovative firms, in order to drive sustainable economic growth.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide a catering trolley on the London Waterloo to Exeter line after South Western Railway comes under public ownership in May.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

One of the tasks of the new management of South Western Railways (SWR) after train operations come into public ownership will be to pay close attention to the needs of the travelling public. As I know that a long held desire of travellers on this line is the reinstatement of refreshments, this will be examined afresh to see if a positive financial case can be made for it.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will make an assessment of the implementation of a standardised battery health certification scheme for electric vehicles; and its impact on (1) consumer confidence and (2) growth in the second-hand electric vehicle market.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The battery forms a large part of an electric vehicle’s (EV) value and performance. Information about EV battery health could help consumers in the used vehicle market to make informed comparisons between vehicles and alleviate concerns about battery durability, supporting the growth of the used EV market.

The UK has worked with international partners at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe to develop a Global Technical Regulation on EV batteries (GTR No.22). If implemented, this regulation would ensure that EVs provide easily accessible, accurate, and comparable information on the battery’s state of health. The Government is analysing options for the implementation of GTR No.22 regulations in the UK.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they are giving to implementing UN Global Technical Regulation 22 on electric vehicle batteries in the UK; and what is their timeline for implementation.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Government is currently considering options for the implementation of UN Global Technical Regulation No. 22 in the UK, taking into account the implementation timelines of other key markets, such as the EU. The Government aims to consult on these plans later this year.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will make an assessment of the potential of garage and repair networks to offer accessible and affordable MOT and maintenance services for electric vehicles, including battery health testing.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles has endorsed the Institute of the Motor Industry’s (IMI) TechSafe scheme, which helps to ensure technicians have the skills they need to safely repair an electric vehicle (EV) and allows consumers to access a register to find their nearest EV competent technician. According to the IMI, 64,700 technicians are already qualified to work on an EV. This represents 26% of all technicians in the UK.

At MOT vehicles are tested for safety critical components, such as tyres and brakes. The Government has not seen any evidence to suggest that EV battery health impacts road worthiness and therefore the need for testing during the MOT. In 2023, the Department for Transport published a call for evidence, which included questions related to EV testing. The Department continues to consider EV-specific items to improve the MOT test and expects to consult on these changes in the near future.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the report of the Climate Change Committee Progress in adapting to climate change: 2025 report to Parliament, published on 30 April, what infrastructure investment and resilience planning it is undertaking.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We welcome the Climate Change Committee’s constructive assessment, recognising the progress that has been made in planning for climate change across our transport system and the economy, as well as areas for improvement.

As part of our Plan for Change we are investing a record £2.65 billion to repair and build flood defences, protecting tens of thousands of homes and businesses and helping local communities become more resilient to the effects of climate change such as overheating and drought.

One of the core objectives of the government’s forthcoming 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy is enabling resilient growth. This includes ensuring that growth is resilient to climate change. The 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy will set out how flood risk management infrastructure, and other actions to increase resilience to the physical effects of climate change, can protect existing, and enable new, economic activity.

We are considering the Climate Change Committee’s Progress Report and will respond to its recommendations in October as required by the Climate Change Act.

Found: Lord Bradley; Lord Carter of Coles; Baroness Cass; Baroness Coffey; Lord Laming; Lord Mott; Baroness Pidgeon

Found: At second reading on 8 January 2025, the Liberal Democrats’ Lords transport spokesperson, Baroness Pidgeon

Found: At second reading on 8 January 2025, the Liberal Democrats’ Lords transport spokesperson, Baroness Pidgeon

Found: Letter dated 01/04/2025 from Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill to Baroness Pidgeon regarding the European Union