Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what actions they are taking to assess and meet the needs of the logistics industry as an integral part of the UK economy to ensure that the sector is able to grow to meet the demands of the broader economy.

This government is implementing plans and policies targeted at the needs of and raising the status of the UK freight and logistics sector. The 2022 ‘Future of Freight: A long-term plan’ was developed in close collaboration with industry and sets out a cross-modal approach towards a freight and logistics sector that is cost efficient, reliable, resilient, environmentally sustainable and valued by society.

Implementing the Future of Freight plan is ongoing, and we are determined to deliver favourable results to our long-term growth plans by encouraging technological innovation, strengthening the skills pipeline, enabling the transition to Net Zero, improving the planning system, and increasing visibility through a National Freight Network. My department continuously engages with the Freight Council and the broader freight industry to accomplish this. We have made significant investments including £7million through the Freight Innovation Fund, £645,000 through the Generation Logistics campaign, as well as a joint investment of up to £100 million from the freight and logistics industry and government to enhance roadside facilities and safer rest areas for HGV drivers.

We also recognise the scale of the ambitions held by the logistics industry to meet the demands of a decarbonised economy and are working in partnership with them through the jointly developed Freight Energy Forum to address the provision of the energy and fuel infrastructure that will support the transition of the logistics sector to net zero by 2050.