Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations they have received from (a) Hitachi and (b) Alstom on their redundancy consultations.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
My Department has been in intensive discussion with Alstom since the company announced a consultation on potential redundancies at its train manufacturing site in Derby in November 2023. Hitachi is not currently consulting on redundancies at its train manufacturing site in Newton Aycliffe, but my Department has met Hitachi Rail’s UK management team several times in recent months to discuss workload at the company’s Newton Aycliffe site.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with Hitachi on the job security of the staff at its rail plant in Newton Aycliffe.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Hitachi is not currently consulting on any workforce changes at its train manufacturing site in Newton Aycliffe. Ministers and officials in my Department have met Hitachi Rail’s UK management team several times in recent months and have had several exchanges of correspondence to discuss workload and job security at the company’s Newton Aycliffe site.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent representation he has received on the future of UK rail manufacturing capability.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
My Department has engaged extensively with the four train manufacturers with facilities in the UK, train operators and rolling stock owners to ensure a sustainable future for UK rail manufacturing. Rail manufacturing plays an important role in growing the UK economy and there is now a strong pipeline of future orders. In January 2024, I wrote to train manufacturers with details of planned and expected procurements, which include upcoming competitions being run by Northern, Southeastern, TransPennine and Chiltern. These contracts are worth an estimated £3.6 billion alongside significant maintenance and refurbishment opportunities.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department (a) is taking and (b) plans to take to (i) support and (ii) enhance the domestic solar manufacturing sector.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Solar is a mature technology with established global supply chains. Whilst we have no plans for the UK to become self-sufficient in the manufacture of solar panels, supply chain development is a government priority.
Government encourages renewable developers accessing its Contracts for Difference scheme to grow the supply chain through the Supply Chain Plan process and supports supply chain innovation through the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund and initiatives funded by UK Research and Innovation.
Further actions needed to develop resilient, sustainable and innovative supply chains, as identified by the UK Solar Taskforce, will be outlined in the forthcoming Solar Roadmap.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will extend the Automotive Transformation Fund (a) into and (b) beyond the 2025-26 financial year; and whether any contracts with suppliers to deliver the Automotive Transformation Fund extend (i) into and (ii) beyond the 2025-26 financial year.
Answered by Alan Mak - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)
As part of the Advanced Manufacturing Plan, we have announced over £2bn of capital and R&D funding over five years to 2030, boosting the UK’s competitiveness and unlocking strategic investments in our automotive industry.
This funding will be delivered via Auto2030, an ambitious programme building on the work of the Automotive Transformation Fund and the Advanced Propulsion Centre R&D programmes, ensuring continuity in HMG support.
This programme will leverage the UK’s unique innovation ecosystem, building on its strengths as a global centre of automotive R&D. Details of funding opportunities under Auto2030, including delivery mechanisms, will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with Hitachi on its rail plant in Newton Aycliffe.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
My Department has met Hitachi Rail’s UK management team several times in recent months to discuss workload at the company’s Newton Aycliffe site. We remain keen to discuss options with Hitachi for ensuring a sustainable future for their site.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring manufacturers to provide information to consumers of (a) cars and (b) other high value products on the extent to which repairs for those products are reliant on critical metals that are affected by supply-side disruption as a result of the war in Ukraine.
Answered by Alan Mak - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)
Currently manufacturers are only legally required to provide consumers with information on fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, for new cars and vans at the point of sale. There are no obligations on manufacturers to provide information on where the materials are sourced and no assessment has been made of the potential merits of doing so. The UK Critical Minerals Strategy, published in July 2022, sets out steps for ensuring the long-term security of critical minerals like those needed for electric vehicle batteries.
The Government understands the concerns of the automotive industry regarding the potential impact of the invasion on its business operations and supply chains worldwide. We are in regular dialogue with UK auto manufacturers and business representative bodies to understand any direct and indirect impacts on UK operations, including trade related issues.
Asked by: Stephen Hammond (Conservative - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to implement the National Semiconductor Strategy.
Answered by Saqib Bhatti - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Since publishing our strategy, we have made excellent progress to grow our domestic sector, improve our supply chain resilience and protect our national security.
We have launched the Semiconductor Advisory Panel, an incubator pilot programme, ChipStart UK, joined the EU Chips Joint Undertaking, agreed an ambitious partnership with Japan and secured commitments to work more closely with the US and the Republic of Korea.
We are on track to invest £240 million by April 2025.
It should be further noted that this government has invested more into priority technologies like semiconductors than any government in history.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the possible involvement of EVE Energy in the West Midlands Gigafactory and of the criteria that were used in the selection process.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Lainston - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We are determined to ensure the UK remains one of the best locations in the world for automotive manufacturing as we transition to electric vehicles, while ensuring taxpayer money is used responsibly and provides best-value. It would not be appropriate to comment on speculation or the commercial affairs of private companies.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Somerton and Frome)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to tackle shortages of (a) methylphenidate and (b) other ADHD medications.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Disruptions to the supply of medicines used for the management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have been primarily driven by issues which have resulted in capacity constraints at key manufacturing sites. The Department has been working hard with industry to help resolve those issues and expedite deliveries to boost supplies of these medicines, as quickly as possible. As a result of our ongoing activity and intensive work, some issues have been resolved. Many strengths of lisdexamphetamine, and all strengths of atomoxetine capsules, are now available. Medicine supply issues remain for some strengths of guanfacine, lisdexamphetamine, and methylphenidate. However, we continue to escalate these issues with the manufacturers to ensure that action is taken to resolve regulatory issues and expedite deliveries. We have been informed that these disruptions should largely be resolved by April or May 2024.