Response to Chancellor’s statement

Thursday 24 September, 2020 

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said:

The Chancellor’s Job Support Scheme is welcome and should provide temporary relief for the automotive sector, which has been so badly hit by the pandemic, as too will the flexibilities on the loan schemes and tax deferrals.

We must make sure it’s more than just a short-term lifeline, however, and, like schemes elsewhere, ensure it supports jobs for the duration of the pandemic and recovery.

We need every manufacturer to hold on to skilled, viable jobs, and government and business must do everything to improve competitiveness and demand. Business remains fragile as we head into a winter of uncertainty, and a 2021 recovery is immensely challenging and far from guaranteed.