As England and Wales emerged from Covid-19 restrictions and started the journey to economic recovery, the CLA delivered a series of wins ranging from rural business support measures and input into tree planting funding, to extensions to planning regulations
THE CLA LOBBIED FOR URGENT SUPPORT MEASURES FOR THE WEDDING INDUSTRY
10
CLA ANNUAL 2022
10-16 YearReview-CLA Annual Review 2022_Land & Business.indd 10
The CLA briefed all rural MPs on the economic impact felt by the wedding sector ahead of a debate in Parliament about the impact Covid-19 had on hospitality. The sector, which is worth £14.7bn a year, racked up losses of at least £6.4bn due to delayed or cancelled weddings. Following CLA lobbying, several MPs sent a joint letter to the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets calling for urgent support measures for the wedding industry. Ahead of the Budget in March, the CLA called for the 5% VAT rate for rural tourism business to be made permanent. CLA analysis shows that it would add £4.5bn to the economy over 10 years. We also called for the tapering off of Covid-19 support measures such as the furlough scheme, business interruption loans, business rates and payment holidays. It was announced that the first stage of the £1bn Shared Rural Network would be delivered following an agreement between three mobile operators to build 222 mobile masts to boost 4G rural coverage. The government also launched a consultation on whether reforms to the Electronic Communications Code were needed. The CLA wrote to ask the housing minister to delay the April 2021 implementation of the Electrical Safety Regulations for one year. We also asked for an assurance that enforcement of the obligations already applied to new tenancies will be similarly postponed.
IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK, ALAMY
The CLA working for you in 2021
JANUARY
cla.org.uk
09/11/2021 09:32
