Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has had discussions with car manufacturers on levels of disruption to supply chains for (a) temperature sensors and (b) other spare parts for electric vehicles since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Answered by Alan Mak - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)
HMG understands the concerns of the Automotive industry regarding the potential impact of the invasion on its business operations and supply chains worldwide. The Department for Business and Trade ministers regularly meet with sector bodies and auto manufacturers to discuss a variety of automotive related trade issues, including an understanding of any direct and indirect impacts on UK operations.
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to postpone the introduction of tariffs for electric vehicles traded between the UK and Europe; and when they expect to be able to announce the outcome of their discussions on this issue.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We know a key concern for both UK and EU automotive industries is the 2024 change in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement’s Rules of Origin for Electric Vehicles and batteries. We have listened to the concerns of the sector on both sides and made it a priority to find a joint solution. The UK and the EU have a shared ambition to grow domestic Electric Vehicle manufacturing and battery supply chains. The European Commission’s 6th December proposal to extend the current rules for 3-years is a positive step towards providing long term certainty to industry, ensuring it remains globally competitive.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to mitigate the effects of impending export regulations as a result of the UK's departure from the EU on the manufacturing costs of electric vehicles and their market accessibility in the EU.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Due to unforeseen shared external shocks, carmakers across Europe have said they cannot meet the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement’s rules from 2024 and could face tariffs. This is a shared problem and the Government is determined to work with the EU to fix the specific issue faced from 2024. We want to reach a joint solution with the EU, but our priority is to support our automotive sector and we will be considering all scenarios. Government continues to support the UK automotive industry through the Automotive Transformation Fund, facilitating the creation of an internationally competitive UK electric vehicle supply chain.
Asked by: Lord Rogan (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have held with manufacturers about providing support for opening electric vehicle factories in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My officials regularly engage with the automotive industry to discuss manufacturing opportunities in the UK, including in Devolved Administrations.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have for phasing cobalt out of electric car production and for supporting the manufacture of high purity spherical graphite in the UK.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Government is aware of the social, environmental and supply concerns surrounding the mining of raw materials, including cobalt, for battery electric vehicles. We expect UK companies to adhere fully with UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and the FCDO works on strengthening transparency, improving governance, and finding solutions to the complex challenges of extracting cobalt from artisanal mines.
We continue to work with industry via the Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF) and the Faraday Battery Challenge to support the creation of an internationally competitive electric vehicle supply chain in the UK. Anode Active Material is a strategic priority in scope of the ATF, as part of the upstream supply chain for batteries.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much funding the UK Government have allocated to the electric car industry between 2023 and 2030.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
In the 2021 Net Zero Strategy, the Government announced £350m for the Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF). This is in addition to the £500m for this programme announced in the 2020 Ten Point Plan.
Government and industry have jointly committed approximately £1.4bn in innovative projects through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), to accelerate the development and commercialisation of strategically important vehicle technologies, strengthening our competitive edge internationally.
In the coming months, after engagement with industry, the Government will build on the APC and ATF to take decisive action to ensure future investment in the manufacturing of zero emission vehicles in the UK.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much (a) public and (b) private sector funding for (i) battery and (ii) electric vehicle manufacturing has been announced since July 2022.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Since July 2022, we have seen Tata Group announce an investment of over £4bn in a UK gigafactory. JLR have also announced plans to accelerate their shift to electric vehicles and have committed to a £15bn investment in their industrial footprint, vehicle programmes, autonomous, AI and digital technologies and people skills. In addition, in the wider electric vehicle manufacturing supply chain, we have seen Johnson Matthey announce an investment of over £60m in Hertfordshire to develop hydrogen technologies, Pensana announce an investment of £145m in a rare Earth metal refinery, and Ford announce a further £150m investment in Halewood to manufacture Electric Drive Units, in addition to their £227m investment announced in October 2021.
Details of our support to companies will be published in due course as part of our regular transparency data.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking in response to the US Inflation Reduction Act to safeguard UK electric vehicle and battery manufacturing industries; and whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of that Act on the motor industry in the North East.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
As automotive manufacturing is vital in delivering the Government’s agendas including levelling up in regions such as the North East, we are determined to ensure the UK remains one of the best locations in the world for the sector.
The Government continues to work both internationally and domestically to understand and minimise the impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act on British business. Building on existing interventions we will take decisive action in the coming months to ensure future investment in zero emission vehicle manufacturing.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
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 electric vehicle manufacturing.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF) aims to support the creation of an internationally competitive electric vehicle supply chain in the UK. The Government continues to work with industry via the ATF to unlock strategic investments in gigafactories, motors and drives, power electronics, and fuel cell systems.
In the coming months, after engagement with industry, the Government will build on the ATF and the long-term Advanced Propulsion Centre R&D programme to take decisive action to ensure future investment in the manufacturing of zero emission vehicles.
Asked by: Andrew Selous (Conservative - South West Bedfordshire)
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 electric vehicle manufacturing in the UK.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF) aims to support the creation of an internationally competitive electric vehicle supply chain in the UK. The government continues to work with industry via the ATF to unlock strategic investments in gigafactories, motors and drives, power electronics, and fuel cell systems.
In the coming months, after engagement with industry, the government will build on the ATF and the long-term Advanced Propulsion Centre R&D programme to take decisive action to ensure future investment in the manufacturing of zero emission vehicles.