Materials producers have written to the Commons Trade and Industry Committee to ask for support in their battle against the proposed Climate Change Levy.
Building Materials Producers chief executive Michael Ankers says that the government should rethink its strategy. Labour plans to reduce CO2 emissions by 1.5 million tonnes to comply with the Kyoto agreement by charging industry a £1.75bn levy. But materials producers believe that, instead, it should be trying to persuade industry to cut emissions by helping to fund energy-saving measures.
The BMP fears that its members, which employ 400 000 people and produce £20bn of construction products a year, will be hit hard.
In his letter, Ankers asks to give evidence at the committee’s next hearing on 6 July. The committee is expected to play a major role in influencing the climate change legislation in the 2000 Finance Bill.
