Thursday Volume 666 24 October 2019 No. 9 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 24 October 2019 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2019 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 1103 24 OCTOBER 2019 1104 owning one. Electric cars are fantastic, and for that House of Commons reason we are about to see a big increase in the number of them on the road. There are already more public Thursday 24 October 2019 charging locations than there are petrol stations, and we will be doing a whole host of things—40 or 50 different measures—that I will describe in the decarbonisation The House met at half-past Nine o’clock plan. I think the hon. Lady will be pleased with a lot of the things that she sees coming along. PRAYERS Stuart C. McDonald: On aircraft emissions, will the Government agree to incentivise the use of aviation [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] biofuels? Does the Secretary of State have ambitions similar to those of the Scottish Government, who are seeking to introduce electric aircraft in the highlands Oral Answers to Questions and islands? Grant Shapps: The hon. Gentleman will be interested to know that just the other day I went to see the aircraft TRANSPORT that is being developed at Cranfield University by Britten- Norman for electric flights in the highlands and islands. The day before yesterday I had a meeting about biofuels, The Secretary of State was asked— which are very important for meeting our commitment Transport Sustainability to net zero emissions by 2050 in aviation. 1. Deidre Brock (Edinburgh North and Leith) (SNP): Derek Thomas (St Ives) (Con): Road improvements What steps he is taking to improve transport sustainability. are a key part of making transport sustainable for the [900108] future. The A30 goes all the way from London to my home town of Penzance, and part of it runs through 9. Stuart C. McDonald (Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and villages and has traffic lights. Will the Minister meet me Kirkintilloch East) (SNP): What steps he is taking to to ensure that improvements to the A30 are included in improve transport sustainability. [900116] road investment strategy 2? The Secretary of State for Transport (Grant Shapps): Grant Shapps: My hon. Friend has been fighting hard I want to echo the sentiments expressed yesterday by on this issue, and I would be more than happy to meet my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister regarding the him, with the Minister of State, Department for Transport, awful events in Grays, Essex. Inquiries are ongoing, but, my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Norfolk (George having worked with the haulage industry over the past Freeman), who has responsibility for roads. few months, I feel keenly the tragedy that has taken place, and the Department stands ready to assist in any Dr Matthew Offord (Hendon) (Con): Sustainability way we can. also includes safety. Last November, my constituent On 15 October, I announced that the Government Priscilla Tropp suffered a fatal fall at Mill Hill Broadway would develop a world-leading transport decarbonisation station. Staff did not follow the emergency plans, and plan. That will bring together the bold and ambitious people walked over her as she lay dying. At her inquest, programme of action across transport that is needed to Govia Thameslink said it would introduce a new local achieve our net zero target by 2050. incident response plan, but that has not been introduced. Can the Secretary of State advise whether that is the Deidre Brock: I associate myself with the remarks of responsibility of the Office of Rail and Road, or some the Secretary of State about the terrible tragedy yesterday. other organisation, because sustainability and safety at The Scottish National party and Members across the stations is not happening? House have been deeply shocked by it, and we hope that matters will be investigated thoroughly so that those Grant Shapps: I am very concerned to hear about my who are guilty of this terrible crime are brought to justice hon. Friend’s constituent Priscilla and the way that that as quickly as possible. incident unfolded. Rail safety, in all its forms, is clearly The Government’s electric car strategy is obviously a big concern to Members across the House, and I not working, with sales still only at approximately 2%. propose a meeting between my hon. Friend and the Transport for London figures confirm that any successful Minister of State, Department for Transport, my hon. scrappage scheme requires central Government support. Friend the Member for Daventry (Chris Heaton-Harris), The SNP has been calling for such support for years. on this issue. When will the UK Government invest in a proper diesel scrappage scheme? Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): More than half of total carbon emissions in the UK come Grant Shapps: The figure is 2.6% for low emission from cars on our roads, yet so far the UK Government and electric cars, and the hon. Lady will be aware that have refused to introduce mandatory E10 fuel, which there has been an 122% increase in sales of electric cars would reduce emissions. Unlike in Scotland, the UK this year compared with last year—indeed, I am proud Government remain wedded to cars that use fossil fuels to make up one small percentage of that percentage by until 2040. Will the Secretary of State heed the assertion 1105 Oral Answers 24 OCTOBER 2019 Oral Answers 1106 by the Committee on Climate Change that action is cars are fantastic. They are available new and on the required if the UK is to meet its targets for 2025 and second-hand market. The cost of ownership overall, 2030, let alone have zero emissions by 2050? What because it costs £5 or £6 to drive from here to Manchester corrective measures will he take, and will he tell us and refuelling with those charge stations is much easier, about the exiting new measures that he spoke about is something that everybody can invest in now. earlier? Andy McDonald: I am afraid the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps: For the record, let me correct the figures ignores my warnings, but will he listen to the Government’s given inadvertently by the hon. Gentleman. About a own advisers when they say the UK is way off track to third of emissions come from transport, and about meet their climate targets? Labour would invest £3.6 billion 90% of those are from vehicles. On the specifics, and in charging networks, introduce 2.5 million interest-free E10 in particular, yes, I intend to move on the issue loans for the purchase of electric vehicles, and target a very soon. 2030 phase-out for the sale of new diesel and petrol cars. The Government are attempting to disguise their Alan Brown: Norway has the highest per capita sales lack of action on the climate crisis with a lick of green of electric vehicles in the world, and an average of paint. Is the Secretary of State not embarrassed at his 50% of new cars sold there in the first half of this year poverty of ambition? were electric vehicles. Second and third in the world are Iceland and Sweden. The UK still hovers at an average Grant Shapps: As I have already said, I passionately of about 2%, although the Secretary of State said believe in bringing this forward. I have already said that 2.6% earlier. Is it not the case that Scotland could fulfil I am going to investigate moving forward from 2040 to its ambitions and commitments like those Scandinavian 2035 a commitment given before the 2050 net zero, and countries if it was only independent? I have a package of measures, which I was referring to before, that will be in the decarbonisation plan to ensure Grant Shapps: The interesting thing about the countries we meet all those targets. the hon. Gentleman cites is that largely they do not produce cars. It is very, very easy if you are not a car Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency: Industrial Action manufacturer to introduce all sorts of measures that essentially mean that only electric cars will be favoured and sold. In this country, we have a big car manufacturing 2. Alex Norris (Nottingham North) (Lab/Co-op): sector and we export 80% of the cars we produce. I am What recent discussions he has had with the Driver and very anxious to move the sector to a faster timetable, Vehicle Standards Agency on industrial action by its but to protect jobs as well as the environment it is a staff. [900109] question of doing that at a programmed pace. We have managed to do that so far. The Minister of State, Department for Transport (George Freeman): May I say, Mr Speaker, what a pleasure it is Andy McDonald (Middlesbrough) (Lab): May I associate to be back under your chairmanship in this new role as myself with the Secretary of State’s remarks concerning Minister of State for the future of transport? the terrible tragedy in Essex? The nation is reeling from On 7 October, the Driver and Vehicle Standards that abject horror. We send our sympathies to all the Agency entered into talks with the Public and Commercial families of the deceased, wherever they may be across Services Union. They have met three times. The DVSA the world. I reassure the Secretary of State that Her is expecting to continue the talks, which are supported Majesty’s loyal Opposition will want to co-operate and by ACAS, at the start of November.