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Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
07 March 2023
Lead MP
Stephen Hammond
Wimbledon
Con
Responding Minister
Jesse Norman
Tags
TaxationHousingTransportClimateWomen & EqualitiesLocal Government
Word Count: 3711
Other Contributors: 3
At a Glance
Stephen Hammond raised concerns about electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
Mr Hammond asked the Government to equalise VAT rates between home and away-from-home charging, change planning presumptions to ensure new developments include EV infrastructure, encourage local authorities to have EV charging strategies, and consider changing byelaws to allow for safer cable runs for home chargers. He also urged the government to review its target of 300,000 public charge points.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Mr Hammond highlighted significant regional disparities in the number of charging points per 1,000 people across the UK. He mentioned that transport accounts for 27% of the UK's greenhouse gas emissions and road transport constitutes over 85% of this total. With 39,000 charging points currently available, achieving the target of 300,000 by 2030 presents a challenge due to current progress being slower than anticipated. He also pointed out that there is a lack of accessibility for on-street charging points and highlighted discrepancies in home versus public charging costs.
Alan Mak
Con
Havant
He agrees that local authorities play a key role in expanding EV charging infrastructure. Havant Borough Council has installed several fast electric vehicle charging points with a private sector contractor, setting an example for other councils to follow. Alan Mak inquired whether greater interoperability, common standards and open protocols are important aspects for accelerating the deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
He supports the importance of home charging solutions for rural areas where access to public charging stations is limited. He suggests making home charging economically viable as a solution in remote and rural parts of the UK.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
There are not enough electric charging points across the UK, leading to reluctance among constituents to purchase electric vehicles. With over 90 vehicles per rapid charging point and an eight-hour charge time for full batteries, he calls for discussions with devolved governments and other countries to align EV charging infrastructure.
Government Response
Jesse Norman
Government Response
It is a delight to see you in the Chair, Mr Pritchard, not least because you are a man educated in Hereford. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Wimbledon on his indefatigable way of pressing this issue over the years. The Government is committed to achieving climate change obligations and decarbonising transport, aiming to phase out petrol and diesel car sales by 2030 and ensure all new cars are zero emission by 2035. We have invested approximately £2 billion towards transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) and published a strategy that sets an expectation of around 300,000 public charge points. The Government announced an additional £56 million in February for the local EV infrastructure programme to improve local authorities' capacity to implement necessary changes. Legislation will be laid to reduce charging anxiety by ensuring 99% reliability across rapid charging networks and implementing open data standards. We are also addressing planning permissions, requiring new builds and renovations to install charging points for domestic and non-domestic vehicles during construction.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.