Matt Western
Main Page: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)(1 year, 3 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
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Graham Stuart
I entirely agree with my hon. Friend on the importance of the site, and we are absolutely committed to working with potential investors to ensure that it is developed.
Matt Western (Warwick and Leamington) (Lab)
The Minister will know that many in the industry have never actually taken Britishvolt as a serious proposition. The fact is that the Advanced Propulsion Centre has forecast that we need 90 GWh to 100 GWh production by 2030; we stand at 2% to 2.5% currently. Without UK battery manufacture, we do not have an automotive manufacturing industry supporting 180,000 employees. The UK is way behind France, Germany and other countries, and we are in danger of missing out. He will know that, under rules of origin changes, without those batteries, our products will not be competitive. What are the Government going to do?
Graham Stuart
The hon. Gentleman is right to highlight the importance of this and of ensuring that we get policies that put us on track for that kind of transformative change; we are not currently on that track. I look forward to myself and colleagues coming back to the House to talk about that because we have to get it right. He is right to highlight that it is an important strategic interest for the UK.