Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy Debate

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Department: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy

David Johnston Excerpts
Monday 1st March 2021

(3 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Kwasi Kwarteng Portrait Kwasi Kwarteng
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Clearly, the right hon. Gentleman and I may have a different view on the threat of climate change, including, in particular, the drive to net zero. I suggest to him that the Prime Minister’s 10-point plan has been well received. There has been huge support across the United Kingdom to see cleaner technology and electric vehicles and many people are very supportive of the Government’s measures in this regard.

David Johnston Portrait David Johnston (Wantage) (Con) [V]
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Last month, I met representatives from Johnson Matthey, which is opening a new flagship site at Milton Park in my constituency, where it will develop and test advance batches, working both to lengthen the driving distances and shorten the charging times. Does my right hon. Friend agree that this is a very welcome development that supports the Government’s ambition to transition us to electric vehicles as well as to help us meet our 2050 net zero goal?

Kwasi Kwarteng Portrait Kwasi Kwarteng
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I am delighted to answer that question, because it relates to an earlier answer that I gave. There are new jobs and opportunities in this push towards net zero. I would be very pleased to visit the Johnson Matthey site in Wantage and I think that it is an excellent development that we are all extremely pleased about.