Volkswagen boss admits fewer than half UK vehicles have been fixed

Fewer than half of the UK vehicles caught up in the Volkswagen emissions scandal have been fixed, the company’s boss has said.

Around 470,000 of the 1.2 million vehicles fitted with software to cheat environmental tests have been dealt with, according to Paul Willis.

He told MPS some “small issues” that were “very problematic to fix” had caused delays but the rest should be done by autumn.

In the US, Volkswagen has agreed a £12.3 billion settlement, but the company’s UK boss repeatedly said the com- 0 Paul Willis says small issues have caused delays pany in Europe did nothing wrong and “misled nobody”.

During a combative session of the Transport select committee, he insisted there was “no legal basis” for compensa- tion claims because there was “no degradation” to the vehicles.

“At no time were any vehicles sold to anyone in Europe based on nitrogen oxide levels,” he said.

In a fractious hearing, MPS attacked VW’S UK boss for failing to give straight answers.

“You come before us and your mouth opens and words cascade out and then the next time you come before us those words have changed in meaning,” Conservative MP Mark Menzies said. Around 20,000 cars a week are being fixed by VW, Mr Willis told MPS.