Moving electric Mini production to China unfortunate, minister says

Baroness Vere said BMW's decision to move production of electric cars from Oxford to China was "very unfortunate"

A transport minister has said BMW's decision to move production of electric Minis to China was "very unfortunate".

Baroness Vere told the House of Lords that the carmaker had not consulted her department before announcing manufacturing of the models would soon end at its plant in Cowley, Oxford.

However, she said she was "not concerned" about the future of electric car production in the UK.

BMW said Oxford would remain the "home of the Mini" and no jobs would be lost.

It added that the plant would make the Mini Cooper three-door and five-door Hatch models, as well as the Mini Convertible from 2025.

New cars and vans powered wholly by petrol and diesel will not be sold in the UK from 2030.

Electric Minis had started to be built at the plant in Cowley

Asked about the changes in the Lords, Baroness Vere said: "As far as I am aware, the Department for Transport has not had any discussions with BMW about this very unfortunate decision... none of us wants the Mini to be produced in China."

She said she accepted "that some companies will come into the market and some will leave".

"There will be some flux but at the moment we are not concerned," she added.

A Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy spokesperson said: "We are determined to ensure the UK remains one of the best locations in the world for automotive manufacturing as we transition to electric vehicles.

"We do not comment on speculation or the commercial affairs of private companies. We engage with a range of manufacturers in the auto sector on a regular and ongoing basis."