AXA CEO comments on government budget and spending review

Authored by AXA

Following the government’s Budget and Spending Review announcements, Claudio Gienal, Chief Executive Officer of AXA UK & Ireland commented:

Planning/Housing

“We welcome the government’s multi-year housing settlement, including its commitment to building new homes by regenerating brownfield sites across the UK. As we enter a new and exciting phase of building, which will include more focus on sustainability and greater use of modern methods of construction, it is imperative that the planning system and building regulations are redesigned to place safety and resilience of UK housing front and centre.

“Failing to do so risks repeating the mistakes of the post-war era: building homes and infrastructure unfit for future generations which must be pulled down or adapted decades later. This should include putting in place a legal duty for all developers to consider the insurability of buildings at all stages of the planning process.”

More on AXA’s asks of the government for a safer and more sustainable planning and housing policy can be found here: Building for the Future_ Recommendations for safe and sustainable planning

Skills

“We welcome the government’s commitment to skills provisions and education funding as part of levelling-up opportunities across the country. However, the government must go further and faster in identifying and solving the specific skills shortages the UK faces.

“Achieving the government’s objectives on key policy areas such as net-zero, housing and the future of transport relies on rapidly developing a versatile workforce with the right skills. The government should create and implement comprehensive skills strategies in each of these areas to ensure there is the expert capacity necessary to deliver real progress in the years ahead.”