INDUSTRY VOICE
BMF calls on new PM to back national retrofit strategy
The BMF has called on the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, to support a national retrofit strategy that would create 500,000 new jobs across the UK and help achieve the country’s Net Zero ambitions by 2050.
Over 120 people attended the BMF’s Annual Parliamentary Reception at the House of Commons (on 26 October), which took the theme Levelling up towards Net Zero. The event enabled BMF members to meet with MPs, and members of the House of Lords to demonstrate the value of the building materials supply chain within the economy. In particular, the reception focused on the benefits afforded by the Construction Leadership Council’s National Retrofit Strategy, which the BMF has supported since its inception. BMF CEO, John Newcomb said:
“Soaring energy bills have focused attention on the need to insulate our homes and the National Retrofit Strategy is a 20- year programme to upgrade 29 million to make them warmer, greener and cheaper to run. “Its success will require long-term cross-party commitment, but it sits well with the Conservative’s Levelling Up agenda, and with Labour’s aim for a fairer, greener future.
“Retrofitting is labour intensive. As well as reducing CO2 emissions and improving our housing stock, a National Retrofit programme would promote levelling up by creating 500,000 new and meaningful, local jobs throughout the UK. One of our key asks of Government is to commit to a properly-funded national training plan to boost the number of competent, qualified
people to undertake this work. The impact would be especially beneficial in areas where unemployment is high, and there is a large proportion of homes rated EPC Band C or below. “Our new PM can also help by providing a simple financial incentive, such as a cut in the rate of VAT on retrofit work, to provide the vital kick-start which will unlock business confidence and private investment, and secure consumer support for the programme.
“Modelling shows that if the current Government invested just over £5 billion by the end of this Parliament, it would unlock £11.4 billion in private capital investment over this period, and the programme would more than pay for itself.“
The BMF, along with the whole construction industry, stands
ready to work with Rishi Sunak’s Government to reduce embodied carbon our buildings and to make retrofit a success, thereby contributing to the levelling up agenda and improving living standards in every region of the UK.”BMF members are already providing the materials, products and solutions required to create low carbon homes, and fourteen manufacturers took part in an exhibition of the latest product developments at the Parliamentary Reception. The BMF Reception was hosted by Andrew Lewer, MP for Northampton South, and the Chairman of the APPG for SME House-Builders. The BMF would like to thank our guest speaker, Bill Esterson MP, the Shadow Construction Minister, and the headline sponsor for the event, UK Construction Week.
Alan Johnson to speak at BMF All Industry Conference
The BMF has announced Alan Johnson, the former Labour MP and Cabinet Minister, as the first keynote speaker at the BMF All Industry Conference 2023, which takes place in Istanbul next June.
Alan Johnson was General Secretary of the Communication Workers Union before entering Parliament as Labour MP for Hull West and Hessle in 1997. He served as Home Secretary from June 2009 to May 2010, having previously filled a wide variety of cabinet positions in both the Blair and Brown governments, including Health Secretary and Education Secretary. Following the 2010 election, he was Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer until January 2011. Alan retired as an MP before the 2017
general election after 20 years as an MP. In addition to regular TV appearances as a political commentator, he has published three award-winning memoirs covering his childhood, early working life as a postman, and his time in parliament. Following a fourth memoir about his love of music, he turned his attention to writing novels, the first published in September 2021, with a second, a thriller entitled “One of our Ministers is Missing”, due for publication in September 2022.
John Newcomb, BMF CEO said: “We are delighted to welcome someone as insightful and as eloquent as Alan as our political keynote speaker in Istanbul, where we will explore our Conference theme of Creating Connections. “This session always draws a full house,
and Alan follows in the footsteps of fellow political heavyweights including Michael Portillo (2013), Alistair
Campbell (2015), Paddy Ashdown (2017), John Prescott (2019) and John Bercow (2021). I have no doubt that Alan’s address will once again be one of the highlights of our Conference.”
The BMF All Industry Conference 2023 takes place in Istanbul 15-18 June, with the support of our headline sponsor Knauf UK. The final merchant places and supplier packages are selling out fast. Book yours at
www.bmfconference.co.uk or contact
june.upton@bmf.org.uk
The BMF welcome the following new members: BMF DIARY DATES
Please check the BMF website at
www.bmf.org.uk for all the latest news and events updates in this ever-changing environment.
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www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net November 2022
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