Oral Answers to Questions

Alex Barros-Curtis Excerpts

Thursday 29th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Heidi Alexander]

I say gently to the right hon. Gentleman that the ZEV mandate is the rarest of things: a policy brought in by his Government that I agree with. Sadly, after a good start, even they managed to mess that up. When we came into office, we had to reinstate the 2030 phase-out date for petrol and diesel cars. It is important that we provide certainty to consumers and industry. I believe that approach is working: nearly a third of new cars sold are electric vehicles, up from around a quarter a year ago.

[Mr Alex Barros-Curtis (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

T4. The recent announcement that 7 Steel will supply Heathrow expansion with low-carbon steel production will be essential both to decarbonise our transport infrastructure and to protect Welsh workers. What steps are the Government taking to ensure that lower-carbon Welsh steel is used in all major rail and transport infrastructure projects?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Keir Mather)]

Welsh steelmaking remains a key part of the UK Government’s steel strategy, with Wales expected to account for around half of future UK steelmaking capacity. We are committed to a sustainable UK steel sector and encourage the use of lower-carbon materials, recognising that electric arc furnace steel can provide a lower-carbon alternative in infrastructure projects across the country.