BAA urges Chancellor to axe the tax
British Aggregates Association repeats call for repeal of the Aggregates Levy in the March Budget
BRITISH Aggregates Association (BAA) director Robert Durward has written again to the Chancellor, the Rt. Hon George Osborne MP, urging him to use this month’s Budget as an opportunity to give a boost to the construction industry and the Government’s growth agenda by axing the Aggregates Levy.
Repeating calls for the repeal of the Levy made in a letter to the Chancellor in June 2010, the BAA says independent UK quarry operators are currently experiencing an unprecedented drop in sales coupled with surging fuel and energy costs, and a number of the Association’s members are in financial trouble.
In his letter, Mr Durward argues that the Aggregates Levy brings little, if any, net benefit to the public purse, and that its removal would protect jobs in the quarry sector, provide a welcome boost to the construction sector and send a strong signal that the Coalition Government is actively helping to get building and construction under way once more.
‘While I am sure Treasury officials have considered various other options, we are convinced that the simplest and most effective solution is a straight removal of this hugely complex bureaucratic measure with its endless exemptions, reliefs and market distortions – not least to UK competitiveness in concrete products,’ said Mr Durward.
He added that repealing the Levy would also help resolve potential issues arising from the European Court of Justice’s judgement against the Levy, and would end the severe problems currently being experienced in Northern Ireland.
BRITISH Aggregates Association (BAA) director Robert Durward has written again to the Chancellor, the Rt. Hon George Osborne MP, urging him to use this month’s Budget as an opportunity to give a boost to the construction industry and the Government’s growth agenda by axing the Aggregates Levy.
Repeating calls for the repeal of the Levy made in a letter to the Chancellor in June 2010, the BAA says independent UK quarry operators are currently experiencing an unprecedented drop in sales coupled with surging fuel and energy costs, and a number of the Association’s members are in financial trouble.
In his letter, Mr Durward argues that the Aggregates Levy brings little, if any, net benefit to the public purse, and that its removal would protect jobs in the quarry sector, provide a welcome boost to the construction sector and send a strong signal that the Coalition Government is actively helping to get building and construction under way once more.
‘While I am sure Treasury officials have considered various other options, we are convinced that the simplest and most effective solution is a straight removal of this hugely complex bureaucratic measure with its endless exemptions, reliefs and market distortions – not least to UK competitiveness in concrete products,’ said Mr Durward.
He added that repealing the Levy would also help resolve potential issues arising from the European Court of Justice’s judgement against the Levy, and would end the severe problems currently being experienced in Northern Ireland.
