Responding to the Government’s ten-point plan for a Green Industrial Revolution creating 250,000 jobs, FSB National Chair Mike Cherry:
“Small firms want to play their part in the UK’s move towards Net Zero. Particularly with COP26 on the horizon, which will be led by the UK, all eyes are on government and businesses to up their environmental game so this latest announcement and its ambition is a positive blueprint for post-pandemic recovery.
“Businesses want to work with the Government to deliver this, and that is why in recent days FSB forces with the UK’s top five business groups, the CBI, Make UK, BCC, and IoD, in committing to creating a Net Zero UK by 2050 – underpinned by five core principles.
“A bold, long term plan of this nature will inevitably require some nuts and bolts policies in order to realise its ambition. There needs to be strategic incentives, giving businesses the right motivational tools to help them make necessary, long term changes and plan budgets appropriately.
“Electric vehicle technology is developing at pace and it is good to see the Government committing to increasing electric car and van charging points, but there needs to be some clarity as to how the grants will be delivered and whether they will be allocated to small businesses or the customer.
“However, gaps remain. There is currently no proposed solution for supporting the affordable development and roll out of more environmentally friendly HGVs. And we would also continue to urge the Government to explore the benefits of a targeted scrappage scheme for petrol cars and vans, something which would level out the playing field, acting as another incentive.”
Notes to Editors
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