Select committee: Science and Technology Committee
Conclusion 15
1st report - Battery strategy goes flat: Net-zero target at risk
Published 27 Jul 2021
Paragraph 114
Science and Technology Committee Role of batteries and fuel cells in achieving Net Zero All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
The UK’s current investments in battery research and development are welcome, but need to be increased and put on a longer-term footing if the UK is to compete internationally. Proposals for additional funding for research and development in the UK should be seen in the context of the Government’s ambition for the UK to be a ‘science superpower’. The Government has made clear spending commitments for research and development: public funding is to reach £22 billion per year by 2024–25 (up from around £15 billion in 2021–22); and total annual UK spending on research and development is to reach 2.4% of GDP by 2027.
From: Science and Technology Committee, 1st report - Battery strategy goes flat: Net-zero target at risk, paragraph 114, 27 July 2021
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 27 September 2021 (deadline 27 September 2021).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government sets out support already in place or planned across batteries, charging, freight and hydrogen, and ties future battery research funding to the Spending Review 2021.
- On supply chains, it states it is "committed to supporting the automotive sector", with £500m of the Automotive Transformation Fund available over four years as the first part of "up to £1 billion".
- On charging, it says it "recognise[s] the need to accelerate" the public network, will provide £1.3 billion over four years, and will publish an EV Infrastructure Strategy "later this year".
- On HGVs, the consultation closed on 3 September and it is analysing responses; it "intend[s] to announce phase out dates as soon as possible".
- On fuel cells, it says technology development is "at an earlier stage than in batteries" and that intervention to date has focused on supporting earlier development.