Response to Spending Review

Wednesday 25 October, 2020 

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said:

The additional £3.6 billion to safeguard and create jobs is to be heralded, and ‘building back better’ means planning for long-term job security beyond the immediate Covid crisis. With welcome initial funding for a significant rollout of electric buses, vehicle charging points and consumer incentives, the Chancellor has rightly recognised that the Road to Zero is a long-term aspiration. Likewise, delivering a green industrial revolution for all will need a long-term investment plan, so we look forward to working with government on its Industrial Strategy refresh early next year. UK Automotive can help every region across Britain to level up – but this hinges on keeping auto retail open in any future lockdown scenario, securing a tariff-free trade deal with the EU, and delivering on the scale of investment needed to achieve net-zero ambitions. Together, these will result in far greater long-term prosperity and security than today’s announcements alone.