Commenting on news that the British automotive industry has not yet benefited from one penny of the £2.3 billion assistance scheme announced by Lord Mandelson in January, Liberal Democrats Business spokesperson, Lorely Burt, said:
"The Government announced a £2.3 billion support scheme for the car industry in January[1] and yet five months later not one British company has received so much as a penny of aid. Since the start of this year we have discovered that nearly 10,000 automotive jobs have been lost or are at risk[2].
"The automotive industry has been knocked for six by the recession and it sticks in the gall to think that livelihoods have been lost whilst a much trumpeted assistance scheme remains unused.
"Lord Mandelson needs to make an urgent statement - preferably in the House of Commons - to explain the lack of action from the government and to set out clear steps as how this aid will be delivered to those most in need."
"At a time when unemployment is at its highest level for 12 years[3], it is imperative that the Government does everything it can to help people at risk of losing their jobs."
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