Despite Gordon Brown’s best efforts, the car industry workers continue to worry about the safety of their jobs – and understandably so.

We were watching a programme this week which gave a mention to the German plan of the Government paying a sum to owners of cars older than ten years, to take the car off the road and scrap it. I didn’t hear the full details, but enough to make me think it sounded totally sensible.

It seems a sound plan. It would help the whole market – from the bottom upwards. Drivers changing from a real old banger to something a bit newer and so on. It would get rid of a lot of rubbish from the roads and increase safety.

A modest amount of finance could result in people upgrading to something more economical and reliable, therefore saving money on running costs. Car insurance would probably be cheaper too.

The second hand car forecourts are full to overflowing with lower to middle end of the range cars, which people with a healthy deposit (provided by the Government) would surely snap up.

Come on Mr Brown – how about it? Give everyone a bit of a leg up.