Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the HGV road tax holiday will commence and finish; what the eligibility criteria are for that scheme; and how the application process will work.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government will introduce a 12-month holiday from Vehicle Excise Duty (VED, also known as road tax). This will apply to the majority of HGVs renewing their VED between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027. Eligible vehicles will pay just £1 for their annual VED, saving £600 for a typical heavy lorry. Tax classes eligible include: standard HGV (tax class 1); trailer HGV (tax class 2); special types (tax class 57); combined transport (tax class 23); and island goods vehicles (tax class 16). If a vehicle is liable for the HGV levy, it will continue to be charged at the existing rate.
This temporary reduction in VED is in recognition of the key role the road haulage sector plays in transporting goods, including food, across the UK and its disproportionate exposure to fuel costs. Fuel costs make up a substantial proportion of HGV operating costs, and this action will help prevent cost pressures from the Iran conflict spreading across the economy.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has been made of the role that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles could play alongside electric vehicles in achieving net zero transport, particularly in light of vehicle weight, raw material availability and grid capacity constraints.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is technology neutral in its approach to road decarbonisation. Road transport accounts for 90% of domestic transport greenhouse gas emissions, making the transition to zero emission vehicles essential to achieving our climate obligations.
The market will decide which zero emission technologies are ultimately successful, and it is likely that battery electric vehicles will be the most cost effective and practical in the majority of applications. Battery electric vehicles with vehicle to grid capability are likely to play an important role in managing grid capacity, providing grid flexibility. However, hydrogen technology may be adopted in some cases where it makes sense to do so.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment has been made of the opportunity for the UK to develop domestic hydrogen fuel cell supply chains.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Hydrogen is an Industrial Strategy frontier industry, assessed as one of the sectors with the greatest growth potential over the next decade. As we set out in the Clean Industries Sector Plan, the hydrogen industry will create investment and jobs across the UK’s industrial heartlands, and the UK is well placed to be a global leader in hydrogen supply chains, including for fuel cells.
We are working closely with UK companies to highlight the UK’s strengths, attract investment, support scale‑up, and boost domestic hydrogen production, helping grow fuel cell supply chains both in the UK and overseas.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to strengthen domestic supply chains for steel, following the publication of the Defence Industrial Strategy.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
This Government is committed to creating the right conditions in the UK for a competitive and sustainable steel industry. The sector provides vital support to the UK’s defence capabilities, including specialist cast and forged steel components for a range of defence programmes. The department publishes its future pipeline for steel requirements, enabling UK steel manufacturers to better plan and bid for upcoming contracts.
The National Security Strategy, Strategic Defence Review, and Defence Industrial Strategy set out how a strong industrial base is critical for maintaining our national security infrastructure. While steel used in our major Defence programmes is generally sourced by our prime contractors from a range of UK and international suppliers, MOD procurement activity will continue to apply PPN 022, a policy aimed at increasing the use of British-produced steel in public contracts. The MOD also supports the recently published UK Steel Strategy which sets out a long-term plan to revitalise the UK steel sector and restore domestic production to sustainable levels.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will consider expanding of the use of further equipment in MOT tests to accurately assess the noise level of motorcycles and their silencers.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Exhaust noise is currently tested subjectively during the MOT test. The tester must consider if exhaust noise from the vehicle is unreasonably above the noise level you’d expect from a similar vehicle with a standard silencer in average condition. If they believe it is unreasonably above the expected decibel level the vehicle should be failed.
In 2023 the Department published a call for evidence about potential updates to the MOT test including the use of a decibel meter to measure exhaust noise. Although there was some support for introducing such a test a number of issues were also raised. These included the cost of additional testing machines, identifying the appropriate noise level for each vehicle, and the difficulty of testing consistently in a noisy garage.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment (a) his Department and (b) GB Energy has made of the capability and capacity of the UK steel industry to provide products for the UK’s renewable energy transition.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government commissioned a report on the UK steel demand forecast to 2050, to inform the UK steel strategy. The strategy highlights the importance of steel in the clean energy transition.
Great British Energy (GBE) is committed to growing the UK’s manufacturing base and delivering enduring, sovereign capabilities in the clean energy technologies of the future. The Energy, Engineered in the UK (EEUK) programme is designed to unlock industrial opportunities from the energy transition and support GBE’s overall ambition to support at least 10,000 jobs through projects funded by 2030.
As part of delivering EEUK, GBE are working closely with Make UK and their membership to assess opportunities for UK steel within the energy transition and are actively engaging with the sector. This has included presenting on the EEUK programme to the UK steel committee in March.
More information about future funding opportunities will be available to the market in due course.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will consider bringing the Contracts for Difference Scheme under the remit of the Procurement Policy Note for Steel, and the national security clauses of the Procurement Act 2023.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As set out in the recent UK Steel Strategy, the Clean Industry Bonus element of the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme rewards offshore wind developers if they use UK steel in their projects. There are currently no plans to bring the CfD scheme under the remit of the Procurement policy note for steel, and the National clauses of the Procurement Act 2023.
The department is committed to working closely across Government and industry stakeholders to take forward the actions needed to develop supply chains that are resilient, sustainable, innovative and secure.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to take further steps to reduce UK electricity prices compared with those in France and Germany.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is actively working to lower electricity prices by addressing the root causes of high costs. We are reversing years of underinvestment and implementing the largest upgrade to Great Britain’s electricity network in decades, reducing constraint costs and making greater use of affordable renewable energy. Through our Clean Power mission, we are accelerating renewable deployment to lessen the frequency with which gas determines electricity prices. Additionally, Reformed National Pricing will reshape investment decisions and improve system operations. Altogether, these initiatives aim to create a fair, affordable, secure and efficient electricity system, ultimately driving down bills for good.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential biosecurity risk of illegal meat seized in the first four months of 2025; and whether any of this meat tested positive for (a) African Swine Fever and (b) other notifiable diseases.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Protecting UK biosecurity remains paramount, and this Government will do whatever it takes to protect farmers.
Defra does not require port health authorities to routinely test or analyse samples of illegally imported meat seized at the UK border for notifiable animal diseases, including African swine fever or foot-and-mouth disease. Negative results would not guarantee the absence of risk. That is why illegal meat imports, intercepted by Border Force and local authorities are all safely disposed in accordance with animal by-products rules.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency publishes assessments of the potential risk of animal disease incursions via animals and animal products, including illegal meat imports on gov.uk https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/animal-diseases-international-monitoring.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to expand the Energy Supercharger package to include a larger proportion of the steel industry and related sectors including scrap.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department for Business and Trade will conduct its review of the British Industry Supercharger this year, which will include a review of eligibility criteria. Any changes to eligibility criteria, or other parts of the policy, are subject to public consultation and ministerial approval. I encourage all stakeholders, including those in the steel and scrap sectors, to engage with this review when the opportunity arises and present all relevant evidence.