BUSINESS Secretary Lord Mandelson last night urged the parent company of beleaguered car maker Jaguar Land Rover to respond to an offer of Government assistance.

Lord Mandelson urged the firm’s Indian owners, Tata Motors, to “quicken the pace” of negotiations over a package of support for JLR.

In April, Tata received agreement for a £340m loan from the European Investment Bank.

But the company is currently in talks with the Government over the terms for guaranteeing this loan, as well as other financial support for the group.

Speaking yesterday, Lord Mandelson said: “Jaguar Land Rover is a good, first- rate company with many strengths and a good future.

“I’m waiting for owners, Tata Motors, to come back and make their response to the offer of financial support the Government has made to them.”

He added: “Having been told that there was great urgency in responding to the needs of Jaguar Land Rover, we have made our proposals, we have made our offers and now we are waiting for a response.

“I am simply saying that, if this situation is so urgent, I think that Tata need to quicken the pace of their response.”

Gordon Brown previously revealed that he had personally intervened to try to break the impasse holding up the loan being handed over.

The Prime Minister spoke on the telephone to Ratan Tata.