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Former Clancy chief commercial officer Jon Loveday has been appointed new Director of Infrastructure, Enterprise and Growth at the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA).
He will oversee project delivery on major projects like HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail.

Loveday’s previous role was at Clancy where he led a tw0-year turnaround project to create a new strategy and operating model.

He will start his new government job next month leading the team that supports the delivery of government’s major projects by “helping to set them up for success and building delivery capability in departments”.

Nick Smallwood, IPA Chief Executive and Head of the Project Delivery Function, said: “We must consistently deliver our major projects successfully to help rebuild our economy and transform our infrastructure.

“I’m pleased to welcome Jon to the IPA, who brings with him a wealth of experience from the infrastructure sector. I’m sure Jon will play a major role as we move forward supporting the government’s ambitious agenda.”

Loveday said: “I am delighted to be joining the IPA at such an important time. Our ability to deliver world leading infrastructure is at the heart of the UK government’s planned infrastructure revolution and we have a lead role to play in kick starting the economy.”

Chancellor Rishi Sunak continued to put construction at the heart of the coronavirus recovery with a £3bn green investment package to support around 140,000 jobs.

A £1 billion programme will improve the energy efficiency of public sector buildings while £2bn will go towards Green Homes Grants for homeowners and landlords to insulate properties.

Sunak also raised the Stamp Duty threshold on house sales to £500,000 from £125,000 until next March to boost the housing market.

He said: “One of the most important sectors for job creation is housing.

“The construction sector adds £39 billion a year to the UK economy.

“House building alone supports nearly three quarter of a million jobs, with millions more relying on the availability of housing to find work.

“But property transactions fell by 50% in May. House prices have fallen for the first time in eight years.

“And uncertainty abounds in the market – a market we need to be thriving.

“We need people feeling confident – confident to buy, sell, renovate, move and improve.

“That will drive growth. That will create jobs.

“So to catalyse the housing market and boost confidence, I have decided today to cut stamp duty.”

Construction Products Association’s Economics Director, Professor Noble Francis said: “The £2 billion funding towards energy-efficient retrofit of the existing housing stock is potentially very promising; but the devil is in the detail, as government has previously demonstrated on energy-efficient retrofit programmes, in particular given the very poor experience of the Green Deal policy.

“In addition, £1 billion for insulating public buildings sounds very good but given this is only for one year, it raises the key question of whether government departments and local authorities have the time or resource to spend this effectively.

“The main risks are that the majority of this money ends up not getting used or that it gets wasted in a rush to spend it. ”

Matthew Pratt, Chief Executive at Redrow, said: “We welcome today’s stamp duty holiday as a positive step to stimulate the housing market and wider economy.

“The measures will have a much-needed domino effect, also supporting suppliers, subcontractors and consultants to the house building industry.”

The government has postponed the introduction of the planned changes to the controversial IR35 legislation, which implements heavier tax burdens on freelancers and the self-employed. The new rules will now come into force on 6 April 2021, as opposed to the same date in 2020.

Speaking to the House of Commons on the evening of 17 March, chief secretary to the Treasury Steve Barclay (pictured) said: “The government is postponing the reforms to the off-payroll working rules, IR35, from 6 April 2020 to 6 April 2021.”

Addressing the Commons, Barclay said the suspension is in response to the ongoing spread of Covid19 to help businesses and individuals. He said: “This is a deferral, not a cancellation, and the government remains committed to reintroducing this policy to ensure people working like employees but through their own limited company, pay broadly the same tax as those employed directly,” he added.

Andy Chamberlain, director of policy at the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE) said the government has done “the sensible thing” by delaying the changes to IR35 in the private sector.

In a statement released late Tuesday evening, Chamberlain said: “These changes have already undermined the incomes of many self-employed businesses across the UK. However, they would have done even more serious damage if they had gone ahead as planned.

“It is right and responsible to delay the changes to IR35 for at least a year during the coronavirus [Covid19] crisis, to reduce the strain and income loss for self-employed businesses.

However, Chamberlain has reaffirmed that more needs to be done to support self-employed businesses and has called for an emergency Income Protection Fund. He said: “This is a sensible step to limit the damage to self-employed businesses in this grave and unprecedented situation, but we also urge the government to do more. It must create an emergency Income Protection Fund to keep the UK’s crucial self-employed businesses afloat.”

Looming changes to IR35 rules are causing widespread concern in construction.

HMRC rules are due to change from April 6 making contractors liable for determining the tax status of off-payroll professionals.

Major contractors have been auditing freelancers employed via personal service companies as thousands of professionals are braced for a move back to PAYE.

The government is now calling for evidence from affected individuals and businesses to ensure “smooth implementation of the reforms.”

Financial Secretary to the Treasury Jesse Norman said: “We recognise that concerns have been raised about the forthcoming reforms to the off-payroll working rules.

“The purpose of this consultation is to make sure that the implementation of these changes in April is as smooth as possible.”

Current rules allow workers to be employed via a personal service company (PSC) which determines whether IR35 tax rules should apply.

That responsibility is due to shift from April to contractors who will determine employment status.

Freelance workers fear they will lose out through higher tax payments while contractors will also face bigger bills from direct employment.

The government is also reviewing its Check Employment Status for Tax (CEST) online tool which has attracted widespread criticism.

Chancellor Sajid Javid is promising to review looming freelance tax rule changes which are causing widespread concern in construction.

HMRC IR35 rules are due to change next April making contractors liable for determining the tax status of off-payroll professionals.

Major contractors have been auditing freelancers employed via personal service companies as thousands of professionals are braced for a move back to PAYE.

But Javid told the BBC Radio 4’s Money Box programme “We’ve already said that we’re on the side of self-employed people.

‘We will be having a review and I think it makes sense to include IR35 in that review.”

Current rules allow workers to be employed via a personal service company (PSC) which determines whether IR35 tax rules should apply.

That responsibility is due to shift from April to contractors who will determine employment status.

Freelance workers fear they will lose out through higher tax payments while contractors will also face bigger bills from direct employment.

One industry expert said: “They are desperate for any vote they can get so alienating a million freelancers is not a good idea.”