Hawes said the industry was still affected by Brexit problems. War in Ukraine, lockdowns in China and chip shortages among factors slowing recovery in sector already hit by Covid
The UK car industry has said it will not be able to produce a million vehicles a year until 2025, two years later than expected, after the global sector was hit by a string of crises.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Covid-19 lockdowns in China and continued shortages of computer chips have all combined to stall the recovery in car-making, leaving manufacturers unable to supply enough cars to willing buyers.