Brian Binley MP for Northampton South and Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Freelancers, Chaired a roundtable discussion in the House of Commons yesterday on the effects of Freelancers in the UK economy and in particular the building trade.
Brian said: “Freelancers do a tremendous job for the UK economy, creating a flexible workforce which can provide specialist expertise at short notice and they are often over looked by policy makers and the current IR 35 taxation system is a prime example of that.”
“For too long now Government has focussed exclusively on the traditional models of employers and employees and that must change as figures show us that freelancers are playing an increasingly more important role in our economy.”
“The building trade relies heavily on them and they are instrumental in completing many building projects in a cost effective fashion.”
“A number of my constituents have contacted me over the issue of taxation for freelancers and I am fighting a number of cases with the Treasury on this issue.”
Other speakers at yesterday’s roundtable included John Brazier, Managing Director of PCG Professor Andrew Burke, founding Director of the Bettany Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies, David Jackson, Managing Director of Hudson Contract Services, Patricia Leighton, Proffessor of Law and Kevin Green, CEO of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation.
I'm not sure if foreign immigrants play a part in the above discussions, but I feel East European freelancers working in the UK would benefit from perhaps a compulsory one day seminar on casual building site work, health and safety etc which they pay for, in installments pehaps. Their skilled freelancers could even take a fast track conversion course to attain NVQ or HNC or similar British qualifications. It would just give insurers more ease of mind if these people are health and safety trained not just in terms of their profession but of working in the UK and our different procedures. Also, when they return home with their new skills, as they get involved in more modern work, they may choose to call upon UK fims to advise or complete international jobs, not just in this century but for generations to come. Surely the Treasury would see the benefit in that.
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