CPA issues plea to Treasury
17 February 2023
Ahead of the Spring Budget taking place next month, the CPA has written to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to urge the Treasury to work with the construction plant-hire sector to address concerns and focus on urgent issues.
In its letter, the association states that it “continues to have very real concerns over the challenges facing our members which have continued to mount over the course of the last year. The removal of the red diesel rebate in April last year coincided with the unprecedented rise in fuel prices due in part, to the war in Ukraine. While prices have stabilised to a degree, high levels of inflation and wider economic uncertainty have all contributed to a challenging year for our members.”
The government has recently formed three new departments: the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero; the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology; and the Department for Business and Trade. CPA Chief Executive Kevin Minton believes this provides a fresh opportunity to focus on key hire industry issues.
“With the economy narrowly avoiding recession according to the latest figures, it is vital the government works with our members and the wider construction industry to create the conditions needed to drive growth and secure our economic future,” he said.
The CPA is asking the Treasury to consider five key areas ahead of the Spring Budget on 15 March 2023. These include the introduction of a similar scheme to the Super Deduction Allowance (SDA), due to expire at the end of March, but making plant hirers eligible, and a rebate for HVO fuel in the construction sector.
The association requests that the Treasury keeps in place the 2022 cut in fuel duty and resist calls to raise it back to its previous level, and urges the Government to maintain its commitment to infrastructure projects such as HS2 (pictured above) and Hinkley Point C.
The CPA also says that the government should publish its response and act on the findings of former Energy Minister Chris Skidmore’s Net-Zero review as soon as possible to build the green economy of the future.
● Don’t forget to explore the Site-Eco area of the blog for news of sustainable products and developments relevant to the world of hire.
