The Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) has written to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to urge the Treasury to work with the construction plant-hire sector to address the areas of greatest concern to the industry.
In the letter to Mr Hunt, the CPA presses the Treasury to consider four key areas ahead of the Spring Budget:
- Commit to extending the now permanent Full Expensing Allowance.
- Extend the 2022 cut in fuel duty for a further two years.
- Reintroduce the rebate for HVO for a further two years.
- Explore the feasibility of a trial scrappage scheme for NRMM (Non-Road Mobile Machinery) operators operating in Freeport zones, with a view to widening the scheme on a national basis.
CPA President Brian Jones said: “The Spring Budget provides the ideal opportunity for the Chancellor to provide clear leadership and engagement with our industry. Since the last Budget, the CPA has worked closely with the Treasury and the HMRC to explore ways to extend the Full Expensing Allowance to the plant-hire industry. Whilst these meetings have been constructive, our members still remain unable to apply for the allowance and we hope this will be addressed, as well as other areas of key concern, such as an extension of a cut in fuel duty, rebates for HVO and a trial scrappage scheme for NRMM (Non-Road Mobile Machinery) operators.
“Since the Autumn Statement in November last year, the wider backdrop of continued economic uncertainty, and the cancellation of large infrastructure projects such as Phase 2 of HS2, CPA members have continued to demonstrate their professionalism and resilience in delivering for the wider construction industry. The plant-hire industry continues to work for its clients, adding value and building the houses, workplaces, schools, hospitals and infrastructure of a modern, dynamic economy.”
Editor’s Note: The Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) is the largest trade association for the plant-hire sector in the UK. The CPA has circa 1,900 members, who supply 85% of hired plant to the construction industry. The organisation is the UK’s principal point of contact for all issues relating to the use of construction plant.
The CPA works with government departments and agencies, local authorities, construction clients, private companies, other trade associations, and third sector organisations, on issues including employee health and safety, machinery standards, decarbonisation and emissions control, public safety and road transport, skills and employment. The CPA publishes a wide range of guidance documents which are distributed widely throughout the construction industry and many are available for immediate free download from the CPA website at www.cpa.uk.net. The CPA supports a number of Special Interest Groups, which tackle issues within specialist sectors.
Read the full story and letter to the Chancellor here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KMZUv9FlHo02ElwpzjLy0mipHNK6UEeb/view?usp=sharing
