The CIOB Policy Team Newsletter - January 2023

January with the CIOB Policy tea

Welcome to this edition of CIOB’s policy team newsletter.

This edition includes an introduction to our first blog of 2023 (The Levelling Up Opportunity in 2023), a run down of some upcoming consultations that you should be aware of, our regional overviews as well as a link to Build UK’s Construction Routes to Entry guide.

If you have anything you would like to share, we would love to hear from you, so please do get in touch at [email protected]

The Levelling Up Opportunity in 2023

As the political chaos that was 2022 fades slowly into memory those working in the built environment, including the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), wait with bated breath to see how the levelling up agenda will progress and evolve into 2023.

Levelling up presents a unique opportunity for the construction sector, one that could not only cement a pipeline of consistent projects to drive growth in the sector, but also ensure that current and future routes for employment in construction are clear. However, without the right impetus from government, this opportunity could be missed.

CIOB’s policy and public affairs team has looking into what levelling up could mean in 2023 as well as the opportunities that the UK Government must capitalise on to ensure that levelling up is not just a pipe dream. 

You can read our full blog here.

Consultations into 2023

As we jump headfirst into 2023 it is worth reflecting on the many upcoming consultations that those in the built environment should be paying close attention to in the first few months of the year.

The first of these has already been submitted as CIOB’s Policy & Public Affairs Officer – Wales, David Kirby, who has submitted a response to the Welsh Government Building Inspector Competence Framework (BICoF) consultation which closed on 5 January 2023. We submitted a similar response to the BICoF consultation for England in late 2022.

Next on the list is HM Revenue & Customs’ consultation on draft guidance for research and development tax reliefs. This consultation, published in December 2022, is seeking views on HMRC’s published draft guidance ahead of the implementation of planned tax relief reforms in April 2023. Any consultation responses for this will need to be submitted by 28 February 2023.

Before we move into March we have one more consultation to make you aware of. The consultation, launched by the Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education which is consulting on how qualifications work within apprenticeships, will be open until 17 February. The aim of the proposals is to make sure mandatory qualifications work seamlessly with all apprenticeships.

Moving onto March we have quite a few interesting consultation deadlines to meet. The first of these is DLUHC’s consultation on the proposed reforms to the planning system included in the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill. The consultation seeks views on the proposed approach to updating the National Planning Policy Framework which has been the subject to much debate and controversy over the past year. All views on this need to be submitted by 2 March 2023. The second, and more publicised consultation released by DLUHC is the recently released ‘Sprinklers in care homes, removal of a national classes, and staircases in residential buildings’ that was published on 23 December 2022. The deadline for responses has been set for 17 March 2023. The last of the consultations relating to the UK in March is the BEIS consultation on improving boiler standards and efficiency which seeks views in response to government proposals on domestic gas boiler efficiency, hydrogen-ready boilers and hybrid heating systems. The due date for this one is 21 March 2023.

In the devolved nations we have two consultations of particular interest to the built environment. These are the Welsh Government consultation on a just transition to net zero in Wales which seeks evidence to inform the development of Wales’ decarbonisation pathway to net zero, due on 15 March 2023, and the Scottish Government’s consultation on the target numbers for heat to be supplied by heat networks. This consultation, launched by the Heat Networks Team within the Scottish Government closes on 11 March 2023.

Regional Overviews

• Ireland & Northern Ireland

The new year kicked off with the continued dissemination of the policy paper ‘Flipping the Green Switch Deferring Stamp Duty on Residential Retrofit in Ireland’. In Ireland the proposal was presented to a group of TDs in Leinster house in mid-January, and Joe guest edited ‘the Week in Housing’ newsletter last week, leading with the paper’s proposal. In Northern Ireland, events-wise, the CIOB has agreed to rekindle its partnership with the Construction IT Alliance (CITA) on a series of events considering the state of play for construction SMEs when it comes to digital adoption.

• Scotland

Things are off to a positive start in Scotland. Our discussion paper ‘Levelling the playing field, not Scotland’s built environment’ continues to gain momentum and cross-party support.  Late last year, Paul McLennan, MSP raised a motion to Scottish Parliament to recognise the paper. Nineteen MSPs supported the motion.

On 11th January, Labour MSP Paul Sweeney mentioned both the report and the CIOB during the parliamentary debate on the National Planning Framework 4, encouraging officials to examine the demolition levy proposals and the value they could bring to preserving Scotland’s building stock.  

We have recently submitted responses to two Scottish Government Consultations. Our Scotland’s Skills Delivery Landscape response highlighted the ongoing challenges of ensuring the construction industry has a steady supply of labour with the necessary skills. We encouraged the Scottish Government to take a comprehensive stock check of the current skills systems.

In our response to Developing a Scottish tax to replace the UK Aggregates Levy, we supported, in principle, the Government’s aim to implement an aggregates tax to support circular economy ambitions. We highlighted case studies where, in other policy contexts, the tax system has been used to achieve similar policy outcomes in the built environment. However, we noted that an aggregate levy it is not a panacea and that addressing the sustainability of the built environment will require coordinated long-term action.  

Looking ahead, we are in the early stages of framing out a Retrofit Roundtable event at Scottish Parliament this May. The event will be sponsored by Paul McLennan MSP and will focus on issues surrounding retrofit and repair.  

• Wales

It’s been a busy start to the year, and David Kirby (Policy and Public Affairs Officer – Wales) has attended a number of Welsh Government workshops with officials and key stakeholders to discuss the forthcoming Welsh Heat Strategy. The first session discussed networks and infrastructure, and the second discussed domestic buildings and how to ensure parity in decarbonised heat networks and strategies across Wales and urban and rural areas. Further discussions on the Heat Strategy are ongoing, but these workshops are a great way to introduce CIOB’s work to wider Welsh Government and feed into policy development. The strategy is likely to be published in early-late spring, at which time we will engage with members to publish a consultation response.

We also attended an event, entitled Decarbonising the Welsh Economy on 18th January. This event was organised by the Wales Centre for Public Policy, and was a good opportunity to meet likeminded organisations and policy professionals and make introductions, as well as identify areas of potential collaboration.

Build UK's Routes to Entry into Construction Guide

Build UK has published a guide setting out the most common Routes of Entry into Construction for young people in England leaving school; including apprenticeships, traineeships, T Levels and degrees.

The guide looks at the various ways young people can enter the industry and how these might suit different employers and young people, and it has been endorsed by the CLC, CITB, and the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP). The routes of entry into the industry can be complex and confusing, and the guide has been designed to demystify them and help employers better understand which options best fit.

Construction needs to recruit over 53,000 new entrants each year to maintain output and employers that understand the many routes into the industry will be well placed to offer opportunities and recruit their future pipeline of skills. We know not all businesses can take on an apprentice but there are many other ways to reach out to the next generation and every employer can play their part by providing a work placement, sponsorship or employment to those still in education or looking to secure their first job.

CIOB and the Media 

December saw the publication of several CIOB articles, the most notable of which was an opinion column on the Government’s ECO+ scheme in Building Magazine by Policy Director, Eddie Tuttle. A column updating on the Building Safety Act by David Barnes was published in Health and Safety Practitioner Magazine, while our monthly column on the Scottish Construction Now website looked at Scotland’s circular economy.

In January a column on mental health provision in construction was written by Daisie Rees-Evans for PBC Today’s February magazine and press releases announcing the opening of the CIOB Awards, the Global Student Challenge, the Corporate Plan launch and the Art of Building vote, were shared with industry media. Caroline Gumble took part in an interview about the corporate plan with Building Magazine, and our January Scottish Construction Now column, written by CIOB member, Kevin Gibb, focused on quality and safety. The final 12 photos in the Art of Building competition were featured on the website of The Times.

Coming up in February 

February always tends to be a tricky month on the parliamentary agenda. With the Christmas break out of the way the Government is keen to get underway with its legislative agenda but then the weeklong recess in February just gets in the way and disrupts the flow of parliament.

However, this is not to say that nothing happens in February. In fact there are a raft of activities lined up that those working in the built environment should be aware of. To start off the month the House of Lords will be meeting to discuss the energy bill relief scheme led by Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at BEIS Lord Callanan. Simultaneously in Westminster Hall, MPs will be gathering to debate the Government’s progress towards its levelling up missions in the east of England.

Later on in February MPs will meet to progress through the remaining stages of the UK Infrastructure Bank Bill which originated in the House of Lords. This Bill will then be queued up for Royal Assent. Throughout the month the Environment and Climate Change Committee will meet to continue to discuss the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. This is the continuation of an inquiry that has been running for some months now into the operation of the scheme.

For those less fortunate ministers in DLUHC the February break wont be much of a break as the Department will face questions from MPs in the House on the day that parliament returns (20 February) from its break.

Lastly for this month, Jerome Mayhew MP will host a debate on his adjourned private members bill on the carbon emission on buildings on 24 February.

If you made it this far...join us for the West Midlands Great Debate 

The West Midlands Great Debate is back! New for 2023 the Great Debate will focus on ‘Making the Most of What We've Got; How to Improve the Existing Built Environment’. This cross-institute panel event will see experts from six institutes, chaired by Professor Carl Chinn MBE, examine key themes including regional and socio-economic inequality, inclusive design and development, ongoing building and planning reform and climate resilience and adaptation.

CIOB, ICE, LI, RIBA, RICS and RTPI represent a combined membership of over 360,000 skilled professionals. Come along and support your institute, your region, and your professional development. The event will take place at The Studio, Cannon Street, Birmingham on Wednesday 22 March at 6pm. We look forward to seeing you there!  To register please go to the website https://www.ciob.org/events or contact [email protected]

Staying in Touch

Thank you for reading this month’s update from the CIOB policy team. We will be back in your inbox next month with more information about what the team is up to, what is going on in Parliament and built environment news to look out for.

All the best,

The CIOB policy team