The Mineral Products Association has called out the government for “glaring gaps” between strategies
The MPA criticism targets plans on certain construction materials including aggregates, cement, and concrete, while other materials also needed to build sustainable homes and infrastructure are seemingly left out.
The plans come as part of the Plan for Change and are intended to support the 1.5m new homes target.
The MPA criticism concerns too much focus on certain materials
One of the strategies under fire from the MPA is the DBT’s Steel Strategy, which is currently under consultation, which they say is seeing many of the issues that the cement industry is facing.
These issues include high energy costs reducing competitiveness, and carbon leakage threats bringing about deindustrialisation. The MPA has written to business secretary Jonathan Reynolds MP to give the same considerations to the cement industry before it collapses.
Another strategy mentioned is the recently published Timber in Construction Roadmap, which affords too much importance on construction using timber in spite of the known shortcomings.
The MPA calls the belief in the abilities of timber construction ‘over-optimistic’, and has re-highlighted the drawbacks that are already discussed in the roadmap, including its combustibility, its vulnerability to moisture, the lack of environmental data, and scepticism from insurers due to doubts about its durability.
The MPA has therefore further responded to the upcoming Industrial Strategy expected to come with the Comprehensive Spending Review, calling for UK minerals and mineral products to receive more focus and be an included as an essential foundation sector.
“The Government should be aiming to reach 2050 with a stronger, decarbonised industrial base”
Dr Diana Casey, MPA executive director for energy and climate change, said: “Cement was recently identified as the UK’s most vulnerable sector to carbon leakage, which effectively shifts emissions to countries with weaker climate policies. We’re not in the same position as steel, yet, but we’re on the same trajectory, with the same uncompetitive industrial energy costs. The Government should be aiming to reach 2050 with a stronger, decarbonised industrial base taking advantage of our natural strengths such as engineering expertise, mineral resources and carbon storage capacity. But instead they risk killing off another foundation sector as other countries support their own industries to a greater degree than we do here.”
Chris Leese, chair of the MPA executive management committee, said: “Given that the timber roadmap plainly states that timber is combustible and can contribute to the spread of fire, it’s frustrating and perplexing that Government seems so keen to support using more of it. Even more so with unresolved questions around how to prevent further global deforestation, when the UK is already the third largest timber importer in the world, and how to tackle the problems of water damage and durability that have deterred insurers. And that’s before we get into things like the monoculture within managed forests or the cocktail of chemicals needed to try to overcome timber’s deficiencies. However, we welcome the report’s recognition of the limited environmental data the timber sector provides compared to concrete’s extensive Environmental Product Declarations.”
Robert McIlveen, MPA senior director for communications and public affairs, said: “The Industrial Strategy picked strategic sectors with high growth potential, and the UK mineral products sector has a key role to play in those sectors. But that seems at odds with the lack of Government support for UK cement producers as they continue to decarbonise, certainly compared to steel, whilst support is offered by the Government for timber in construction when the UK is already a huge net importer and any growth would take decades to realise.
“Not for the first time, the Government appears to be overlooking an essential £22bn turnover domestic industry that supports 80,000 regional jobs and is foundational to the whole of the UK economy. All parts of the mineral products sector are working hard to decarbonise while supporting delivery of the Government’s hugely ambitious targets on housing and infrastructure. All we are asking is recognition of the industry’s role and a level playing field with other countries and industry sectors.”
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