Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an assessment of the potential (a) merits of introducing a standing charge relief for electric vehicle charge point operators and (b) impact of such a relief on the deployment of electric vehicle charge points in rural areas.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The setting of standing charges associated with tariffs is a commercial matter for suppliers, and suppliers have the flexibility in how they structure their tariffs. Ofgem regulates standing charges, as they do with other elements of billing.
The Government is pleased that Ofgem is considering the issue of standing charges through their recent Call for Input and looks forward to hearing its findings and future proposals. The Government expects bills to be fair and affordable for all consumers (including for electric vehicle charging), that standing charges are kept as low as possible, and that the right costs are recovered.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the deployment of electric vehicle charge points in rural areas.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government wants people across the country to have the opportunity to make the move to electric vehicles wherever they live and work.
Our £381 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund aims to address regional charging inequality and transform the availability of EV charging for drivers. The data-led allocation model to award funding considers the level of rurality with local authorities in rural areas allocated additional funding compared to urban ones.
In addition, the Workplace Charging Scheme supports businesses including charities, small accommodation businesses, public sector organisations, and state-funded education institutions with grants for chargepoints.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Ofgem Targeted Charging Review on the rollout of electric vehicle charge points.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Targeted Charging Review is a matter for Ofgem. The 2019 Targeted Charging Review reviewed network charging arrangements, including the allocation of standing charges.
Ofgem is considering the issue of standing charges through their recent Call for Input and we look forward to hearing its findings and future proposals. We expect bills to be fair and affordable for all consumers (including for electric vehicle charging), that standing charges are kept as low as possible, and that the right costs are recovered.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the levels of standing charges for electric vehicle chargers.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The setting of standing charges is a commercial matter for suppliers, and suppliers have the flexibility in how they structure their tariffs. Ofgem regulates standing charges, as they do with other elements of billing.
The Government is pleased that Ofgem is considering the issue of standing charges through their recent Call for Input and looks forward to hearing its findings and future proposals. The Government expects bills to be fair and affordable for all consumers (including for electric vehicle charging), that standing charges are kept as low as possible, and that the right costs are recovered.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will introduce emergency tariffs against Chinese-manufactured electrical motorised vehicles.
Answered by Alan Mak - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)
It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt Hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps her Department is taking to support the automotive industry's transition to electric vehicles in the West Midlands.
Answered by Alan Mak - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)
We continue to work with industry via the Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF) to support the creation of an internationally competitive zero emission vehicle supply chain in the UK, including gigafactories.
There are substantial opportunities for R&D and capital investment across the supply chain and the West Midlands is well-placed to benefit.
As part of the Advanced Manufacturing Plan, we have announced over £2bn of capital and R&D funding over five years to 2030 in zero emission vehicles, batteries and the wider supply chain, boosting the UK’s competitiveness and unlocking strategic investments in our automotive industry.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to regulating the sale of electric bike converter kits rated at over 250 watts, given that a vehicle with this rating would no longer be classed as an electric bike, but rather a moped or motorcycle.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Various vehicles which are not legal to use on UK roads can be legally imported into the UK for off-road use. E-bikes which do not comply with Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles (EAPC) regulations would fall into this category.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps his Department has taken to help increase the adoption of electric vehicles.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Government grants have been in place for over a decade to help reduce the up-front purchase price of electric vehicles, with over £1.8 billion in grant funding provided since 2011. Grants remain available for vans, trucks, wheelchair accessible vehicles and taxis. Favourable tax benefits also remain in place to support the transition to EVs.
These policies are working. March 2024 saw the highest ever recorded volume of monthly battery electric vehicle registrations in the UK, with manufacturers reporting over 48,000 vehicles sold.
As stated in the Plan for Drivers, the Government will also continue to support the uptake of zero emission vehicles, by addressing common misconceptions and showing how they can be a practical option for most drivers.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department (a) is taking and (b) plans to take steps to increase the provision of fast chargers for electric vehicles.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government and industry have supported the installation of over 61,000 publicly available charging devices. This is a 44% increase on last year. There are now more than 10,000 rapid charge points available.
ChargeUK members have committed to investing more than £6 billion in developing and operating charging infrastructure before 2030.
Going forward, the Government’s £381 million Local EV Infrastructure Fund is already supporting local authorities to deliver tens of thousands of local chargepoints and the £70 million Rapid Charging Fund pilot will future-proof electrical capacity at strategic locations
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the number of electric vehicle charging points in Stockport constituency.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As of 1st April 2024, there were 34 total public electric vehicle charging devices in the Stockport constituency, 18 of which were rated 50kW or above, according to the electric vehicle charging platform Zapmap.
The £381 million Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund will support local authorities such as Stockport Council in England to work with industry and transform the availability of EV charging for drivers without off-street parking.