Responding to the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement today ( 29 November 2011) Steve Elliott, Chief Executive of the UK Chemical Industries Association, said this afternoon that Government rhetoric on rebalancing the economy and committing to manufacturing has at last been converted into much-needed action.

Elliott stated “I am very relieved that Government has eventually listened to industry on how sectors such as chemicals play a key role in delivering green economic growth. The supportive measures around the Climate Change Levy,  European Union Emissions Trading Scheme and the UK Carbon Price Support mechanism in particular will give some much needed reassurance to sectors such as chemicals who are ideally placed to not only deliver economic growth but also our green future.

Whilst much of the detail still needs clarifying - including the extent of support for operators of combined heat and power plants and, most crucially, the need for longer term sensitivity on the impact of the government's Electricity Market Reform proposals on UK chemical businesses - I do acknowledge the positive cross-Government response to our concerns.  This is a very encouraging start and I am hopeful we can build on this over the coming months and years as we in the UK strive to ensure secure energy supplies and establish a leading global position on the green economy.”