Bridget Phillipson
Main Page: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Bridget Phillipson (Houghton and Sunderland South) (Lab)
12. Whether he has made an assessment of the potential effects of the outcome of the 2011 Budget on the development of low-carbon technologies.
The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Gregory Barker)
The Budget announced several new policies which will support the development of low-carbon technologies including £2 billion of additional capital for the green investment bank, a carbon floor price to provide a stronger, more stable signal to investment in low-carbon generation, and preferential company car tax treatment for low-carbon vehicles. All that is in addition to the creation of 21 enterprise zones and a £100-million boost for science that will further drive green growth.
Bridget Phillipson
The north-east has led the way with the development of low-carbon electric vehicles, as the Minister will know, and with the network of charging points. He will be aware that if those vehicles are to have mass-market appeal there needs to be a comprehensive network of charging points. What further action will the Government take to support a nationwide roll-out of such charging points?
Gregory Barker
We are working closely with our colleagues in the Department for Transport because—the hon. Lady is absolutely right—there needs to be a concerted, joined-up strategy if we are to realise the potential of electric vehicles. There will be more details on that, but I assure her that a lot of work is going on in Government and that the Departments are working effectively together.