Responding to the Budget, CLA President Mark
Bridgeman said:
On Coronavirus response
“This was a budget that backed small businesses through
difficult times. We welcome the measures set out by the
Chancellor to extend the retail discount to the hospitality and
leisure sector, as well abolishing business rates altogether for
one year for firms with a rateable value below £51,000. This
provides businesses not just with the opportunity to survive the
Coronavirus scare, but to properly plan for the future and grow
their enterprises.
On R&D funding
“Technology can help ease some of the biggest challenges we
face, not least in feeding the world, mitigating climate change
and the loss of biodiversity. Yet Government currently
spends far too little on Research and Development in the
agri-tech sector. This needs to change. The Chancellor’s
announcement that R&D spend will increase to £22bn is welcome
– so long as an appropriate share of it is used to ensure the
rural economy reaches its economic and environmental
potential.
At present, unincorporated rural businesses do not qualify
for R&D tax relief, which puts a break on the development of
the rural economy. This needs to change if the Chancellor is
serious about ensuring R&D funding can best be distributed
across the country to help level up every region and nation of
the country.
On the environment
“The confirmed allocation of £640m for a ‘Nature
for Climate Fund’ for peatland restoration and tree planting
is warmly welcomed. Landowners want to support the
Government’s efforts, but Ministers must work with them to ensure
they are fairly compensated. The system needs to take into
account the loss of agricultural land, the cost associated with
the planting and management of trees and to ensure the tax system
doesn’t act as a barrier.
On IHT and Red Diesel
Rumours that Agricultural Property Relief, Business
Property Relief and the Red Diesel Rebate might be scrapped
caused significant concern among farmers, and the CLA lobbied the
Treasury, DEFRA, MPs and officials intensively as a
result. However, the fact we had to make the argument in the
first place shows we must continue to fight for family
businesses.”
