Following Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s statement this morning, Kevin Minton, Chief Executive of the Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) said:
“We welcome the government’s renewed focus and commitment to growth. The Chancellor has provided a framework for the construction industry to work with in the interim. Setting the Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) at a permanent level of £1m is a welcome step in boosting business investment and echoes our calls for certainty and consistency in the tax system.
“The creation of investment zones is a promising step in looking to spread economic growth across the country and we are keen to see further details on how this takes shape in the coming months. The government’s commitment to deliver high quality infrastructure and reform via the Planning and Infrastructure Bill has the potential to boost construction, however, we need to see these steps become a reality. Successive governments have tried to reform the planning system, with limited success.
“Following our calls for the Super Deduction Allowance (SDA) to be kept on a temporary basis, we are keen to see what further plans the Treasury has for the SDA and any potential successor – the Growth Plan in its current guise, does not cover additional ideas or information on business investment incentives following the Treasury’s own consultation this Summer.
“With the announcement earlier this week from the Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg on the six month energy support package for business, it is good to see the government start to tackle the concerns of the construction industry. It is important we have further clarity and consultation with government to ensure the construction industry remains at the forefront of the government’s focus and drive for sustained growth.”
