Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to support the development of hydrogen vehicles in the UK.

We have one of the most comprehensive packages of support for ultra low emission vehicles in the world out to 2020, which includes grants for vehicles and infrastructure as well as for Research & Development. We are investing £600m announced in the spending review 2015 plus £270m announced in the 2016 Autumn Statement to ensure we stay on track of almost all cars and vans being zero emission by 2050. We have also proposed new powers to improve the provision of electric vehicle infrastructure for inclusion in the forthcoming Modern Transport Bill to regulate technical standards of infrastructure to ensure easy compatibility with vehicles, and to require clear and consistent pricing information.

Government recognises that hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) have the potential to play a significant role, in decarbonising road transport. We are helping initiate the hydrogen for transport market in the UK by providing £5m for an initial network of 12 hydrogen refuelling stations, the majority of which are now complete and publically accessible and enabling vehicle manufacturers to deploy FCEVs. In addition the Government has a £2m programme to support both public and private sector fleets to become early adopters of FCEVs.