Oral Answers to Questions

Greg Smith Excerpts

Thursday 2nd July 2020 Commons Chamber

[Rachel Maclean]

The hon. Gentleman touches on an important point that I as a Minister and my Department as a whole are focusing on. We are working through detailed plans to ensure that traffic flows smoothly through Kent, so that goods and services can continue to flow to the EU and elsewhere, as they do at the moment.

[Greg Smith (Buckingham) (Con)]

What steps he is taking to increase the use of hydrogen vehicles.

[George Freeman (Mid Norfolk) (Con)]

Whether the transport decarbonisation plan will support the UK to become a world leader in hydrogen technology.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Rachel Maclean)]

We are accelerating the use of hydrogen vehicles through demonstration and R&D projects to fulfil our ambitions for greener transport and to level up the country. Decarbonising transport requires the sector and users to embrace new technology and innovations such as hydrogen like never before.

[Greg Smith]

I welcome the Minister’s answer. Given that hydrogen technology presents such an enormous opportunity for clean UK-made transport of the future, will she ensure that hydrogen gets an equal billing in that R&D in future as we deliver the green revolution in transport?

[Rachel Maclean]

I entirely agree with my hon. Friend’s comments. We are totally well placed to be a leader in clean hydrogen and fuel cell technology, and that is down to our high-quality engineering and manufacturing capability. This Government, I as a Minister and the whole Department are working at pace to develop our green recovery plan, and hydrogen will form a key part of that.