BWF President tells Ed Davey that lack of joined up thinking “a nonsense”

The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Davey, received a direct broadside at an event this morning taking place at the Building Centre on engaging in the Green Deal.  BWF President, Roy Wakeman, in the opening question, described the lack of joined up thinking “a nonsense”.

Mr Wakeman expressed the BWF’s support for the Green Deal initiative, but pointed out that whilst the benefit at the low income end was clear, the incentives, as they stand for middle-earners, hard hit by austerity measures were insufficient.  Policy should be joined up and Treasury must look at the benefit of reducing VAT to 5% on Green Deal projects he advised.  He also criticised the relatively high rate of interest.  At the event the lack of joining up with the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) was also flagged as a concern that will limit take-up in the commercial sector.

BWF Chief Executive Iain McIlwee commented,

“BWF will be writing to the Chancellor ahead of the budget to make this point again.  Reducing VAT on construction work, particularly those which have broader environmental benefit, will not only have the desired incentive, but without doubt provide fiscal advantage and help improve further the professionalism of the UK Building Sector.”