Vehicles: Purchase Price and Running Costs Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Vehicles: Purchase Price and Running Costs

Lord Forsyth of Drumlean Excerpts
Monday 24th October 2022

(2 years, 2 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Forsyth of Drumlean Portrait Lord Forsyth of Drumlean (Con)
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My Lords, I declare my interest as an owner of an electric Mini and a diesel car. The electric Mini is one of the best cars I have ever had. It costs nothing to run because I charge it from sunlight from my solar panels. What on earth are the Government doing by allowing this icon of British industry to be changed and moved to China?

Baroness Vere of Norbiton Portrait Baroness Vere of Norbiton (Con)
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Of course, a lot of the design and innovation that went into the Mini did come from the UK, but the Government are clearly not going to get involved in some decisions by private companies as to where they do their manufacturing. However, we can provide support to companies to make sure that they do manufacture in the UK and that is why we have the automotive transformation fund.