MPs warn of risk to thousands of car jobs

CYBER ATTACK SHUTDOWN COULD CRIPPLE JLR AND SUPPLIERS, BUSINESS SECRETARY TOLD

- By LIAM THORP

THERE are fears that hundreds of thousands of jobs - including many in Merseyside - could be lost in the crisis at Jaguar Land Rover.

The car giant was hit by a cyber attack at the start of this month, with production shut down across all its sites since then.

JLR, which has a plant at Halewood, told staff this week that they will be away from work until at least next Wednesday, but there are growing fears that the problems could persist for a prolonged period.

The company, which is owned by India's Tata Motors, also has a car plant in Solihull, as well as an engine facility in Wolverhampton.

Reports suggest the firm could be losing as much as £50m per week during the shutdown.

While JLR employees are being told to bank their hours while they are not at work, there are growing fears that hundreds of thousands of jobs in the company's extensive supply chain could be lost before the crisis is solved.