Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Government’s Joint Action Plan for powered light vehicles, whether he plans to take steps to simplify the licensing regime for mopeds and motorcycles.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
I chaired a motorcycle roundtable on 8 May with several key stakeholders from the motorcycle industry and we are working with them to bring together evidence to consider any future measures for licensing.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to announce a timetable for a licencing review of (a) mopeds, (b) motorcycles and (c) other powered light vehicles.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
I chaired a motorcycle roundtable on 8 May with several key stakeholders from the motorcycle industry and we are working with them to bring together evidence to consider any future measures for licensing.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of simplifying the licensing regime for powered light vehicles.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
I chaired a motorcycle roundtable on 8 May with several key stakeholders from the motorcycle industry and we are working with them to bring together evidence to consider any future measures for licensing.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 March 2024 to Question HL3418 on Motorcycles: Licensing, if he will publish an assessment of the potential impact of simplifying the licensing regime for mopeds and motorcycles on road safety.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
I chaired a motorcycle roundtable on 8 May with several key stakeholders from the motorcycle industry and we are working with them to bring together evidence to consider any future measures for licensing.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish a timeline for plans to reform the licensing regime for L-Category Vehicles.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
I chaired a motorcycle roundtable on 8 May with several key stakeholders from the motorcycle industry and we are working with them to bring together evidence to consider any future measures for licensing.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to include renewable electricity within the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is currently supporting the rollout of public electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure through targeted grants, the Local EV Infrastructure Fund and the Rapid Charging Fund. However, the Government continues to review all options to support the continued rollout of public EV chargepoints.
Last year, the Department commissioned independent research into potential regulation-based options that may be required to support the continued rollout of public EV chargepoints from mid-2020s, including their opportunities, risks and likely impact. Options under consideration include the potential merits of including renewable electricity in the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation. This research is still in progress.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to extend funding for the (a) rapid charging fund and (b) Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund beyond April 2025.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund is providing £381 million funding to support local authorities in England to work with industry and transform the availability of electric vehicle (EV) charging for drivers without off-street parking.
On the 6 December, a £70m pilot for the Rapid Charging Fund opened for applications, focused on motorway service areas in England. Alongside the pilot, a consultation on the main fund was also launched. Evidence gathered from the consultation will be used alongside the learning from the RCF pilot in the development of the RCF main fund. The RCF main fund will open in due course.
Government will continue to assess whether further support is required to ensure the continued rollout of EV infrastructure.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to publish the report on the study commissioned his Department on the inclusion of electrification in the renewable transport fuel obligation.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Last year the Department commissioned independent research into potential regulation-based options that may be required to support the continued rollout of public electric vehicle chargepoints from mid-2020s, including their opportunities, risks and likely impact. This research is still in progress.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether annual funding for the plug-in grant for cars has been reallocated to other funding pots since its expiry.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This grant closed in 2022, there has been no allocated funding since that point.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will extend the Automotive Transformation Fund (a) into and (b) beyond the 2025-26 financial year; and whether any contracts with suppliers to deliver the Automotive Transformation Fund extend (i) into and (ii) beyond the 2025-26 financial year.
Answered by Alan Mak - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)
As part of the Advanced Manufacturing Plan, we have announced over £2bn of capital and R&D funding over five years to 2030, boosting the UK’s competitiveness and unlocking strategic investments in our automotive industry.
This funding will be delivered via Auto2030, an ambitious programme building on the work of the Automotive Transformation Fund and the Advanced Propulsion Centre R&D programmes, ensuring continuity in HMG support.
This programme will leverage the UK’s unique innovation ecosystem, building on its strengths as a global centre of automotive R&D. Details of funding opportunities under Auto2030, including delivery mechanisms, will be set out in due course.