Seven Associations Submit Budget Requests

The BPF - led Seven Association Alliance has submitted its requirements of the forthcoming Budget to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
 
Top of the list is the Alliance's need for measures designed to ensure security of energy supplies at affordable prices. The Associations are concerned that 20% of power generation plants are being taken out of service by 2010 and quotes the CEO of OFGEM saying that the UK is heading towards a 'near crisis' between 2015-18. 'The Alliance wants clear progress on the provision of 16GW of new nuclear capacity and the removal of uncertainties', said BPF's Peter Davis. 'It also wants the proposal to consult on tax incentives to support shale gas exploration but we recognise that this is no easy-fix solution'.
 
The Alliance has also added its  weight to the call for more to be done to stimulate new house construction. It wants the government to follow up on its 'First Buy' and 'New Buy' mortgage incentives with a lower 5% rate of VAT on all products that meet the Green Deal energy saving criteria.
 
With markets flat in the UK and wider EU the Alliance also urged the government to press for an 'EU-US Free Trade Pact' which could add some 0.5% to the EU's economy annually.
 
Mindful of the industry's critical dependence on road vehicle transport and the fact that UK companies are exposed to the second highest diesel prices in the UK , the Alliance has asked the Chancellor not to implement the Fuel Duty increase planned for September 1st.
 
The industry is particularly concerned at the shortage of technical management personnel throughout the sector and it urged the government to maintain its support for more apprenticeships.
 
The Seven Association Alliance is supported by the BPF, PAFA, SPRA, NIPA, BCF, BRPPA and GTMA.
 
ENDS

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Please see letter to Chancellor below.

Notes for editors:

British Plastics Federation (BPF) is the UK trade association for the plastics industry – representing the whole supply chain including polymer producers, distributors, additives suppliers, machinery manufacturers, processors and recyclers.