Oral Answers to Questions

Euan Stainbank Excerpts

Thursday 12th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Heidi Alexander]

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that this Government take our national security duties very seriously. We are taking significant steps to support the UK car manufacturing sector, and we are also supporting consumers to make the transition to EVs, with over 44 models now available for the electric car grant that we announced last year, but we will continue to ensure that all the security issues to which he refers are front and centre of our minds.

[Euan Stainbank (Falkirk) (Lab)]

I declare an interest as chair of the British buses APPG.

The previous Government’s failure to provide any certainty on the ZEV mandate was not good for British industry or the environment, and I welcome this Government’s progress. We must acknowledge that the ZEV mandate must retain a degree of flexibility, as the Secretary of State described, to enable the transition of our domestic bus manufacturing sector. Prior to the imminent publication of the 10-year bus plan, can the Minister outline what further measures the Government are considering to support the transition of our domestic bus manufacturers?

[Heidi Alexander]

I know that my hon. Friend takes an active interest in this issue, given the importance of bus manufacturing to his constituents in Falkirk. We are backing Britain’s bus manufacturers with long-term certainty through the 10-year zero emission bus pipeline and the work of the bus manufacturing expert panel. We have also legislated through the Bus Services Act 2025 to set a date after which no new non-zero emission buses can be used, and we will set that date in due course.