Budget 2006: no relief for products firms

The Construction Products Association has slammed yesterday’s budget, claiming it will damage UK competitiveness.

The association warned products manufacturers will continue to face high overheads.

It complained UK businesses are hit by the EU Emissions Trading Scheme and the UK-based Climate Change Levy (CCL). Chancellor Gordon Brown yesterday raised the CCL in line with inflation from 1 April 2007.

The association welcomed incentives to insulate 250,000 homes and £50m for small-scale energy generation. However, it called for a long-term strategy to improve energy efficiency in existing stock.