Response to the spring statement

Responding to the spring statement CITB’s Strategy and Policy Director Steve Radley said:

“The inclusion of insulation in the statement today is of real interest for us and industry. Meeting Net Zero in construction is demand-led and the removal of VAT on energy saving materials is likely to cause a significant increase in the need for low-carbon skills.

“This tax cut will help to create the confidence industry needs to invest in retrofit training.

“The Chancellor said the government will be looking at the issue of employment training in the private sector, which will be reviewed as part of the government's new tax plan, including assessing whether the Apprenticeship Levy is "doing enough".

“CITB will continue to work with the government on apprenticeship levy reform as apprenticeships are the main route for employers in our industry to get the skilled workforce they need in recovery. Apprenticeship starts are recovering but it’s vital that we continue to drive numbers up. Critical to this will be building on recent reforms of the Apprenticeship Levy Pledge Service to ensure unspent levy funds from larger companies can be accessed by small employers to provide more apprenticeships.”