Car figures on move; Inbrief.

CAR sales figures have risen for the first time since April last year. A total of 157,149 new cars were registered in July - an increase of 2.4% on the July 2008 figure, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said. The SMMT said the rise was due to the Government's "cash for bangers" car-scrappage scheme, which was introduced in May. Despite the rise in July, the new car sales figures for the year so far are down 22.8% compared with the January-July 2008 total.