Hudson welcomes Government’s Plan for Jobs

Hudson Contract welcomed the Government’s ambition to protect, support and create jobs and apprenticeships as Britain’s building sites get back to work.

Our family-owned company is calling for ministers to follow up with more targeted intervention to help boost construction SMEs and revive local communities.

In last week’s summer statement, the Chancellor set out a plan focusing on skills and young people, investment in shovel-ready projects and greening our infrastructure.

Hudson believes the major contractors are likely to be the industry’s main beneficiaries of the Government’s £9.4bn Job Retention Bonus scheme.

The Treasury has announced proposals to pay employers a £1,000 bonus for every furloughed worker who remains continuously employed through to January.

Ian Anfield, managing director, said: “In construction, most of that money will flow to major contractors which will have retained their key staff anyway.

“This taxpayer funding will be a handsome reward for the plcs but will not be enough to encourage smaller firms to keep on even the lowest paid workers.

“If the Government wants to retain skills in the sector and boost local economies, there should be more targeted intervention at local authority level.

“We would like to see ring-fenced funding for municipal engineers to revitalise local procurement and rebuild local supply chains.

Create new apprenticeship opportunities

“This would support the growth of construction SMEs and create new employment and apprenticeships opportunities in towns and cities across the UK and reduce the reliance on failing frameworks.”

Ian set out his vision for improved local procurement in this well-read article for The Yorkshire Post.