PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Motor Vehicles: Sales (17 May 2018)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of ending the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles in 2030 as opposed to 2040 in order to meet the Government's commitments under the Paris Agreement.

Asked by:
Anna McMorrin (Labour)

The Government’s ambition is for almost every car and van to be zero emission by 2050. In order to achieve this, we have said we will end the sale of new conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2040. This level of ambition will help ensure we deliver our air quality and greenhouse gas reduction ambitions, including our commitment to the Paris Agreement. It will also put the UK at the forefront of the global transition to cleaner road transport and help ensure our automotive sector continues to thrive and create good jobs across the country.

We are due to publish the Road to Zero strategy shortly which will set out further detail on the Government’s ambition and plans for the transition to zero emission road transport. This will draw on a wide range of evidence including the work of the Committee on Climate Change (CCC).

We expect the transition to zero emission vehicles to be industry and consumer-led, with Government monitoring developments closely. Against a rapidly evolving international context, we will seek to maintain ambitious targets and our leadership position, intervening firmly if not enough progress is being made.

Answered by:
Jesse Norman (Conservative)
22 May 2018