Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her EU counterparts on regulatory convergence regarding EV battery traceability, performance and carbon footprint reporting requirements.

I have not had discussions with my EU counterparts on regulatory convergence regarding EV battery traceability, performance and carbon footprint reporting requirements.

Working alongside the Devolved Governments, we are reviewing the UK's producer responsibility legislation for batteries. As part of this review, we are considering aligning with the requirements of the EU Batteries Regulation which includes provisions on traceability, performance and carbon footprint. My officials held a series of workshops with industry earlier this year to explore this further.

The EU Batteries Regulation already applies directly in Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework.