Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the (1) number of charging points, and (2) supply of electricity, are sufficient to support any increase in the number of electric vehicles in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Government and industry have supported the installation of over 17,000 devices, providing over 24,000 publicly available chargepoints, of which over 2,400 are rapid chargepoints. We will invest £1 billion in completing a fast-charging network to ensure that everyone is within 30 miles of a rapid electric vehicle charging station. We will set out a vision by Spring 2020 for a core rapid charger network on England’s strategic road network. We will also consult on the earliest date we can phase out the sale of new conventional petrol and diesel cars, while minimising the impact on drivers and businesses. As detailed in our Manifesto last year, this Government’s first Budget will prioritise the environment, including electric vehicle infrastructure.
Our various grant schemes and the £400m Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund will see the installation of thousands more public chargepoints, with the first £70 million of investment adding 3,000 additional rapid chargepoints by 2024. On 21 January, we announced that Government has doubled the value of the On-street Residential Charging Scheme for 2020-2021 to £10 million to support the provision of up to 3,600 chargepoints for those that don’t have off-street parking.
We are confident that the grid will be able to cope with increased demand from electric vehicles. The electricity market is already set up to bring forward investment in generation capacity to meet demand. Ofgem, the independent energy regulator, ensures – through the RIIO regulatory framework – that there is sufficient investment in electricity networks to deliver our net zero target and enable the transition to electric vehicles. This is alongside numerous measures to ensure a smarter, more flexible energy system, to help increase the efficiency of the system to prepare for new sources of demand, including electric vehicles. For example, Government consulted last year on mandating that all chargepoints sold or installed in the UK have smart functionality. Smart charging during off-peak periods, when electricity demand is low, can help reduce electricity network constraints.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to promote the (1) production, and (2) use, of electric cars in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is supporting the automotive industry in the switch to ultra-low emission vehicles. The Office for Low Emission Vehicles has awarded over £300m in grants, via Innovate UK, into ultra-low emission technologies to support vehicle manufacturers, technology companies and academia in delivering a major programme of R&D into cleaner vehicle technologies. The Government and industry have also committed around £1bn over 10 years to 2023 through the Advanced Propulsion Centre, to research, develop and commercialise the next generation of low carbon technologies, and to keep the UK at the cutting edge of low carbon automotive innovations.
The £274m Faraday Battery Challenge will ensure the UK builds on its strengths and leads the world in the design, development and manufacture of electric batteries. The £80m Driving the Electric Revolution Challenge provides support for innovation in electric motor technology.
The Government has recently also announced up to £1bn of additional funding to develop UK supply chains for the large-scale production of electric vehicles, and for further EV research and development.
Alongside these supply-side measures, we are investing nearly £1.5bn between April 2015 and March 2021, via grants available for plug in cars, vans, lorries, buses, taxis and motorcycles, and schemes to support chargepoint infrastructure at homes, workplaces and on residential streets. These subsidies are designed to support the early market and achieve a competitive, self-sustaining market.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce deaths and injuries (1) caused by driving under the influence of alcohol, and (2) where driving under the influence of alcohol was a contributing factor.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
In 2017, an estimated 250 people were killed in accidents where at least one driver or rider was above the drink-drive limit. Drink driving is involved in around 5% of reported road casualties and 14% of fatalities.
The Government is committed to tackling drivers under the influence of alcohol and all dangerous drivers and is determined that all such drivers are caught and punished. We employ a combined approach of tough penalties and rigorous enforcement along with our highly respected and effective THINK! campaigns to reinforce the social unacceptability of drink driving, and to remind people of the serious ramifications that drinking and driving can have on themselves and others.
The Department has also taken some important steps to tighten drink driving legislation. We have made it a requirement for high risk offenders to undertake medical tests before they are allowed to drive again, and we have also made sure that drivers over the breath limit cannot escape a conviction by demanding a further blood or urine test.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the shooting down of flight MH17, what they are doing to ensure the safety of long haul flights between the United Kingdom and the Far East.
Answered by Baroness Kramer - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Treasury and Economy)
The safety of our aviation industry is of paramount importance to the Government.
We are actively participating in the Dutch led investigation into MH17. We are also working very closely with our airline community to ensure that decisions on routings and operations are informed by relevant information.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they are doing to promote effective security on flights to and from the United Kingdom.
Answered by Baroness Kramer - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Treasury and Economy)
The Department for Transport has announced that some of the aviation security measures on flights to and from the UK are being stepped up in response to potential threats to aviation from terrorist organisations.
As a result of the changes we are implementing, some passengers may notice additional security measures on some routes – both to and from the UK. Passengers on some routes may also be required to show that electronic devices in their hand luggage can be powered up or face not being allowed to bring the device onto the aircraft. Passengers are therefore advised to make sure electronic devices being carried in their hand luggage are charged before they travel.
The safety and security of the public is a paramount concern and the UK government keeps aviation security under constant review.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what other high speed rail links they are planning in addition to HS2.
Answered by Baroness Kramer - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Treasury and Economy)
The Government's goal for high speed rail is for a truly national network that will bring the UK and its cities closer together. We are clear that the benefits of high speed rail should extend as widely as possible, and we will continue to explore options for future links to achieve this.