Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to extend funding for the (a) rapid charging fund and (b) Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund beyond April 2025.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund is providing £381 million funding to support local authorities in England to work with industry and transform the availability of electric vehicle (EV) charging for drivers without off-street parking.

On the 6 December, a £70m pilot for the Rapid Charging Fund opened for applications, focused on motorway service areas in England. Alongside the pilot, a consultation on the main fund was also launched. Evidence gathered from the consultation will be used alongside the learning from the RCF pilot in the development of the RCF main fund. The RCF main fund will open in due course.

Government will continue to assess whether further support is required to ensure the continued rollout of EV infrastructure.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to publish the report on the study commissioned his Department on the inclusion of electrification in the renewable transport fuel obligation.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Last year the Department commissioned independent research into potential regulation-based options that may be required to support the continued rollout of public electric vehicle chargepoints from mid-2020s, including their opportunities, risks and likely impact. This research is still in progress.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether annual funding for the plug-in grant for cars has been reallocated to other funding pots since its expiry.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

This grant closed in 2022, there has been no allocated funding since that point.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 6 March 2024 to 16465 on Driving Tests: Waiting Lists, what the average waiting time for DVSA driving tests was across Great Britain as of 6 March 2024.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s main priority is to reduce car practical driving test waiting times, whilst upholding road safety standards.

As of 8 April 2024, there were 510,385 car practical driving tests booked, and 119,545 driving tests available within the 24-week booking window.

The average waiting time for a car practical driving test in Great Britain, in March 2024, was 17.1 weeks.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will extend the Automotive Transformation Fund (a) into and (b) beyond the 2025-26 financial year; and whether any contracts with suppliers to deliver the Automotive Transformation Fund extend (i) into and (ii) beyond the 2025-26 financial year.

Answered by Alan Mak - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)

As part of the Advanced Manufacturing Plan, we have announced over £2bn of capital and R&D funding over five years to 2030, boosting the UK’s competitiveness and unlocking strategic investments in our automotive industry.

This funding will be delivered via Auto2030, an ambitious programme building on the work of the Automotive Transformation Fund and the Advanced Propulsion Centre R&D programmes, ensuring continuity in HMG support.

This programme will leverage the UK’s unique innovation ecosystem, building on its strengths as a global centre of automotive R&D. Details of funding opportunities under Auto2030, including delivery mechanisms, will be set out in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in which financial year funding allocated through (a) the rapid charging fund, (b) the local electric vehicle infrastructure capability fund and (c) other electric vehicle charging funds will expire.

Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Rapid Charging Fund is a complex, long-term project. In December 2023, a £70m pilot for the Rapid Charging Fund opened for applications, which are now being assessed.

The £381 million Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund, including capital and capability funding is available over the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 financial years. This follows the LEVI Pilot and initial LEVI capability funding for local authorities in 2022/2023.

The Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant, Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Grant, and Workplace Charging Scheme are also currently available. These grants are kept under continual review.

Found: Letter dated 15/04/2024 from Anthony Browne MP to Bill Esterson MP regarding 'pavement bots' [Micro Vehicles