AQW 22588/22-27

Mr John Blair
Alliance Party
South Antrim

Tabled Date: 14/02/2025
Answered On Date: 03/03/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail any plans (i) his Department; and (ii) its arm's-length bodies has to change its vehicles to electric vehicles.

Answer:

My Department owns 1 motor vehicle- the Ministerial car. This is a hybrid vehicle which is powered by an internal combustion engine and an electric motor.

My Department has asked its Arm’s-Length Bodies to develop an approach to enable the phasing out of fossil-fuel vehicles in health and social care fleets. This includes consideration of alternative fuels such as Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO) as an interim lower carbon fuel and electricity. Any change to electric vehicles will be part of the organization’s fleet asset management plan taking account of the vehicle type and age, affordability, installed charging infrastructure for fleet and suitable electric vehicle availability.