scrappage scheme : cause and effect

On the 5th of November the BBC had an article titled "Scrappage sees UK car sales surge"

New car sales recorded their biggest increase so far this year in October, helped by the scrappage scheme. "Encouragingly, there has also been an increase in demand in the fleet and business sectors, which will be critical in sustaining recovery next year," said SMMT chief executive Paul Everitt.

Which seems a very positive story about the success of the government scheme to stimulate the motor industry.

Today the BBC have an article "UK trade gap widens in September"

The UK trade deficit widened more than expected in September, led by a jump in car imports as Britain's scrappage scheme helped foreign carmakers. The difference between what the UK exports and what it imports was £7.2bn in September, well above analyst expectations of a £6.1bn deficit. September's overall trade deficit was the biggest since January.

Who'd have thunk that one might cause the other?