This House of Lords Library Briefing has been prepared in advance of the second reading in the House of Lords of the Laser Misuse (Vehicles) Bill [HL] on 9 January 2018.

This House of Lords Library Briefing has been prepared in advance of the second reading in the House of Lords of the Laser Misuse (Vehicles) Bill [HL] on 9 January 2018.

A simple introduction to the front-line equipment of the UK armed forces. The Government is reviewing its defence capabilities.

A simple introduction to the front-line equipment of the UK armed forces. The Government is reviewing its defence capabilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to audit deactivated (a) vehicles and (b) military hardware.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to audit deactivated (a) vehicles and (b) military hardware.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of reported thefts of tools from trades vehicles has resulted in a prosecution in each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of reported thefts of tools from trades vehicles has resulted in a prosecution in each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many firefighting-rescue platforms that can ascend to 90 metres in height are in service with fire services (a) in London and (b) elsewhere.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many firefighting-rescue platforms that can ascend to 90 metres in height are in service with fire services (a) in London and (b) elsewhere.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations she has received on the availability of lock-picking equipment on the internet; and what assessment she has made of the effect of its availability on thefts from trades vehicles.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations she has received on the availability of lock-picking equipment on the internet; and what assessment she has made of the effect of its availability on thefts from trades vehicles.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many emergency ambulances the East of England Ambulance Service has in its fleet; and how many of those ambulances are normally based in Essex.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many emergency ambulances the East of England Ambulance Service has in its fleet; and how many of those ambulances are normally based in Essex.

This House of Lords Library briefing provides a summary of recent developments on the subject of air pollution in England, including the Government’s plan published on 5 May 2017, on the instruction of the High Court.

This House of Lords Library briefing provides a summary of recent developments on the subject of air pollution in England, including the Government’s plan published on 5 May 2017, on the instruction of the High Court.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what powers local authorities have to prevent vehicles parking on pavements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what powers local authorities have to prevent vehicles parking on pavements.

I thank the Secretary of State for giving way so soon in his speech. Is he aware of a company called Dearman, which produces clean engines for use on refrigeration units? I am a bit disappointed there is nothing in the Bill that relates to that. The engines on these...

I thank the Secretary of State for giving way so soon in his speech. Is he aware of a company called Dearman, which produces clean engines for use on refrigeration units? I am a bit disappointed there is nothing in the Bill that relates to that. The engines on these...

I am not aware of the technology the right hon. Gentleman refers to, but we are very interested in seeing this country be a real success in developing new technologies. The issues of clean-engine technology affect not just this country but many countries around the world, and any country that...

I am not aware of the technology the right hon. Gentleman refers to, but we are very interested in seeing this country be a real success in developing new technologies. The issues of clean-engine technology affect not just this country but many countries around the world, and any country that...

Will the Secretary of State tell us what progress has been made on batteries for electric cars and on any infrastructure those batteries might need?

Will the Secretary of State tell us what progress has been made on batteries for electric cars and on any infrastructure those batteries might need?

I will talk in a moment about electric vehicle technology. We are certainly seeing a transformation in battery technology. I expect the new generation of battery vehicles—we expect a new model of the Nissan LEAF to be selling in this country over the coming months —to take a real step...

I will talk in a moment about electric vehicle technology. We are certainly seeing a transformation in battery technology. I expect the new generation of battery vehicles—we expect a new model of the Nissan LEAF to be selling in this country over the coming months —to take a real step...

I am delighted to hear what my right hon. Friend is saying, and I fully support the Bill he has brought before the House. In Norway, around a quarter of all vehicles are electric or hybrid electric. On maintaining our leadership position, by what date does he think the United...

I am delighted to hear what my right hon. Friend is saying, and I fully support the Bill he has brought before the House. In Norway, around a quarter of all vehicles are electric or hybrid electric. On maintaining our leadership position, by what date does he think the United...

Well, I would not put a forecast on it. Suffice it to say to my hon. Friend—he has been a diligent follower of this issue and is keen to pursue it, and he has been engaged in discussions with my Department about it—that our ambitions remain strong. We have good...

Well, I would not put a forecast on it. Suffice it to say to my hon. Friend—he has been a diligent follower of this issue and is keen to pursue it, and he has been engaged in discussions with my Department about it—that our ambitions remain strong. We have good...

Car sales are projected to rise from somewhere in the region of 74 million today to 100 million in 2030, helped not least by the launch of the fourth-generation Range Rover, the Velar, which my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department for Transport, saw with me last week....

Car sales are projected to rise from somewhere in the region of 74 million today to 100 million in 2030, helped not least by the launch of the fourth-generation Range Rover, the Velar, which my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department for Transport, saw with me last week....

Indeed, we do need that infrastructure. As I have said, I am excited about what JLR is doing in the field of electric vehicles. The Government car service is already a customer of the company, but I look forward to it also becoming an early customer of those electric vehicles...

Indeed, we do need that infrastructure. As I have said, I am excited about what JLR is doing in the field of electric vehicles. The Government car service is already a customer of the company, but I look forward to it also becoming an early customer of those electric vehicles...

This is not only about electric vehicles and almost zero emissions. There is an interim stage: in some places, we could convert lorries and diesel vans to liquid petroleum gas to get those NOx levels down in the hot spots quicker than if we tried to convert everything to electricity...

This is not only about electric vehicles and almost zero emissions. There is an interim stage: in some places, we could convert lorries and diesel vans to liquid petroleum gas to get those NOx levels down in the hot spots quicker than if we tried to convert everything to electricity...