Oral Answers to Questions

Katherine Fletcher Excerpts

Thursday 9th September 2021 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Katherine Fletcher (South Ribble) (Con)]

1. What steps he is taking to support the roll-out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

[Stephen Metcalfe (South Basildon and East Thurrock) (Con)]

4. What steps he is taking to support the roll-out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

--- Later in debate ---

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

It is very appropriate that my hon. Friend the Member for South Ribble (Katherine Fletcher) has asked this question because today is World EV Day. We are investing £1.3 billion in accelerating the roll-out of charging infrastructure over the next four years. On average, over 500 new chargers are added each month.

[Katherine Fletcher]

When I speak to the people of South Ribble, they are keen to do their bit to cut carbon emissions and also to get the benefits of cheaper travel from electric vehicles, but the thing that is constraining us and the problem we face is a lack of accessible charging points, not only commercially in the centre of town but in order to charge at home, across pavements and so on. Given that today is World EV Day, will my hon. Friend assure me that the Department will do everything it can to put the infrastructure in place to encourage more electric vehicle use?