Question
Meur ras ha myttin da, Mr Speaker. I declare an interest as the chair of the electric vehicle APPG. After more record EV sales, the Government’s consultation on the zero-emission vehicles mandate closed last Friday. The mandate affects only 8% of all registrations of new cars manufactured in the UK. Has the consultation considered the billions of pounds in private sector investment in domestic lithium extraction, battery manufacturing and charge point infrastructure?
Answer
I can assure my hon. Friend that we look at these issues in the round. He mentions charge point infrastructure. Only this week, I had a roundtable with the main operators of charge point infrastructure, as well as a meeting with the car manufacturers. We have held a review of the ZEV mandate, on which we consulted this summer. The Chancellor has set out the Government’s intention to respond to that by Christmas, so that we can provide certainty to everyone who is contributing to the EV transition.14% vibes
Verdict: RED (20/100)
The reply points to the ZEV mandate review consultation and mentions discussions with charge point operators and car manufacturers, so it touches on charging infrastructure investment. It does not address private investment in domestic lithium extraction or battery manufacturing, which was the core of the question. Its wording is hedged throughout, with issues described as being considered 'in the round' and no clear statement on whether the consultation weighed private investment, so the person who asked would likely need to submit a follow-up.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether the consultation on the zero-emission vehicles mandate considered private sector investment in domestic lithium extraction, battery manufacturing and charge point infrastructure. | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply refers to the ZEV mandate review consultation and says issues are considered 'in the round', and it cites a roundtable with charge point operators and meetings with car manufacturers, which touches on charge point infrastructure investment. However, it never addresses private investment in domestic lithium extraction or battery manufacturing, and it does not say whether the consultation itself weighed private investment. |