Budget: Chancellor should lend a hand
As an Apprentice Ambassador, Mr Harpin is keen to see the Government take positive steps to boost the number of apprenticeship vacancies as a way of closing the skills gap in British industry. “Ten years ago, there were 59,000 formal apprenticeships in this country; now, there are more than 190,000,” he said.
“The aim of the Apprentice Ambassadors Network is to push this to well over 200,000 in 2009 and we value government help in achieving this,” he said.
“We have been encouraging youngsters to go into higher education but some people are bright without being academically inclined and many would fare better outside a university environment. At Homeserve, we are really committed to recruiting and training a growing number of apprentices.”
Chris Sharpley, partner and head of tax at Ernst & Young in Birmingham, said: “Entrepreneurial companies are in need of measures that will help them to retain and recruit employees, such as a reduction in national insurance contributions.
“Learning from previous recessions, businesses will need to be resourced and ready for the upturn to capitalise on opportunities. Tax relief, encouraging entrepreneurs to invest despite adverse conditions, will be welcomed. The Chancellor could extend capital allowances or reconsider the abolition of industrial building allowances, which has hit West Midlands manufacturers hard.
“Overall, the business community would benefit from announcements that give consumers a real incentive to spend again, as this would incite confidence back into the market.”
