'Green' Budget Pale but Must Start Somewhere, says BMA

The Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA) is disappointed by the 'paleness' of Alistair Darling's so-called Green Budget.

Although there was plenty in last week's budget for the built environment including increased spend on health, education and housing, the Chancellor failed to offer any fiscal incentive to encourage energy or water efficient improvements to the existing housing stock, or indeed a reduction in the rate of VAT for energy and water efficient products.

Commenting on the 2008 Budget, BMA Chief Executive Yvonne Orgill says: 'We were disappointed that Alistair Darling didn't offer incentives to encourage energy and water efficient improvements to existing housing stock, or incentives for energy and water efficient products, so we'll have to keep on campaigning.

'Both of these measures would have had a bigger impact on carbon reduction than the measures announced last week. This budget was heralded as a 'green budget', but actually the Chancellor could and should have done more to address the climate change agenda.'

Last week's budget set the target for non-domestic buildings to be zero-carbon by 2019 although no details were given of how this was to be achieved and promised £26 million in funding for the Green Homes Service to advise consumers on how to reduce carbon emissions, waste and water consumption.

'We'd like to draw the Chancellor's attention to the fact that the existing housing stock of 26 million homes contributes to 40% of the UK's total carbon emissions and if the Government wants to achieve its aim of cutting carbon emissions by 60% by 2050 then we need to improve existing housing stock,' continues Orgill.

'We firmly believe a reduction in VAT on repair, maintenance and improvement from 17.5% to 5% would do more than any other policy to motivate homeowners to make their homes greener. That's why we agreed to form part of the coalition currently campaigning for exactly that.'

To find out more about the Cut the VAT campaign and help the BMA lobby Government for a reduction in VAT log on to www.bathroom-association.org and click on the Cut the VAT banner.

Together we will do it.

Web: www.bathroom-association.org