Our Response to the King’s Speech

Following the King’s Speech, Ceramics UK and the Brick Development Association (BDA) welcome much of the new government’s plans.

We cautiously welcome the news that there will be greater investment in renewable energy through Great British Energy and a plan to decarbonise the energy grid by 2030 but are concerned that the government may achieve decarbonisation by deindustrialising. The UK ceramics industry is a critical enabler of the UK economy and yet despite substantial investment by UK manufacturers it remains the hardest of the UK’s energy-intensive industries to decarbonise.

We are also pleased to hear of the plans to get Britain building again with planning reforms and high-quality infrastructure and housing. Again, the government needs to be careful that measures to speed up the planning process don’t inadvertently impact UK quarries and factories due to inappropriate development close to existing manufacturing sites. Specifying bricks, clay pipes and roof tiles manufactured in the UK should be part of the government’s plans.

We welcome the plans announced in the King’s Speech to make the apprenticeship levy more flexible, but this was tinged with concerns around employment law reforms. While we commend the need to make work pay, government must consider the needs of industry and the impact on price inflation of employment law proposals. Increasing industry’s costs risks offshoring jobs to countries with poor records on employment and health and safety regulations.

The absence of detail on energy security or clear plans on encouraging more production in the UK was also disappointing.

We will continue to raise awareness of the needs of the UK’s ceramic industries and encourage our new Government to recognise the critical significance of the UK ceramic sector to our daily lives and economy.