News
Calls for Budget to Prioritise Homebuilding and Infrastructure
14 - 03 - 2013
Business lobby groups are calling on the government to put homebuilding and infrastructure at the top of its agenda for the 2013 Budget.
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) is urging Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne to spend £1.25bn on building 50,000 new homes to stimulate the economy.
The British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) supports the CBI’s plea to promote infrastructure and is advocating that the government and housing associations build 100,000 new homes by 2013.
The BCC supports the deficit reduction plan but it advises that the government should borrow more if there is no growth within six months.
‘If within the next six months there is no prospect of growth...you might have to consider actually borrowing more money but you should only do it to fund areas that the market would forgive,’ said the director general of the BCC, John Longworth.
Director general of the CBI, John Cridland, claims that prioritising homebuilding would solve a range of problems.
‘If we want nurses and firemen to be able to live in London we need to build these homes. You create construction jobs - and jobs for young people because these are entry-level jobs - and you build confidence.’
George Osborne will deliver the budget on 20 March.