To ask the Minister for Infrastructure for an update on the work undertaken to arrange a concessionary agreement with infrastructure providers for Electric Vehicle Chargepoints.

The British Government has made £20 million in grant funding available to local authorities in GB-NI for 2021/22 to provide charge points for residents without off-street parking. My Department has been engaging with the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and with the Energy Saving Trust (EST), who administer the On-street Residential Charge Point Scheme (ORCS) to ensure the scheme can be accessed by councils in the North. Concession agreements may form part of the arrangements between local councils and charge point operators. The EST held a workshop last year with local councils here to provide information about the ORCS scheme and has indicated its intention to hold further events to support councils in Northern Ireland interested in applying to the scheme. My Department will also work with councils who wish to apply.

In addition, my Department has been supporting the development of a separate potential EV charging infrastructure pilot project. The role of my Department in any future arrangements is currently being considered.

I remain committed to working in partnership with Executive colleagues and others across our islands to help deliver a change in the way we travel that also helps us to tackle the climate crisis.