Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the economic effect on the UK oil refining sector of the ban on new petrol and diesel vehicle sales from 2030.

The Department has regular contact with the UK Petroleum Industry Association and individual refineries on the role of the downstream oil sector in meeting the UK’s target of net zero emissions by 2050. Most recently discussions focused on the UK Petroleum Industry Association’s October report “Transition, Transformation and Innovation: Our Role in the Net-Zero Challenge”, including the potential for the sector to make a contribution in the areas of low carbon liquid fuels, hydrogen, CCUS, and other innovative technologies.

As regards the Government’s announcement to end the sale of new diesel and petrol cars in the UK by 2030, all sectors had the opportunity to make representations in the consultation led by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles.