BIFA reaction to the 2015 Budget

Responding to today’s UK Budget, Robert Keen, Director General of the British International Freight Association (BIFA) said: “Following last year’s announcement to double export lending from £1.5 billion to £3.0 billion, the government pledged a continued commitment to improving economic ties in emerging markets in the 2015 Budget report.

“BIFA welcomes Mr Osborne’s plans to nearly double funding for UK Trade and Investment activities in China to £15 million as well as funding for a series of trade missions with a focus on regional strengths.

“While the announcement was fairly modest, if it helps to get more people exporting, that will be good news for BIFA members, which facilitate the delivery of those exports.”

BIFA also welcomed the freeze in fuel duty with the increase planned for September this year not now going ahead.

Keen added: “This is the fourth postponement of fuel duty increases in two years, but it doesn¹t mean that we will stop asking for an outright cut, the introduction of an essential user rebate and some form of fuel duty stabilisation mechanism.”