During the year, ACID (AntiCopying In Design) and LOFA (the Leisure & Outdoor Furniture Association) also became associate and full members respectively of the BFC, further strengthening its representation of the industry and its position in the eyes of government and the civil service.
The rise of Parliament for the summer recess in July marked the end of the first year of Stephen McPartland MP’s chairmanship of the All Party Parliamentary Furniture Group (APPFG).
“The BFC continues to make progress as an effective voice for the British furniture industry to government,” said BFC chairman Martin Jourdan. “We’re very pleased with the work undertaken by the APPFG, and the understanding and interest shown by MPs on the Group. I would like to express our thanks to Stephen McPartland MP for the support he has shown to the British furniture industry.”
A summary of the BFC’s main areas of activity September 2010 – July 2011 follows:-
Flammability: BFC representatives have been involved throughout the year attending meetings organised by BIS (Department of Business, Innovation & Skills) to inform its review of the regulations. Members of the BFC board and the APPFG chairman met the Consumer Affairs Minister Ed Davey MP in July to discuss the importance of retaining flammability regulations whilst ensuring the review clarifies the grey areas of detail in the current legislation and resists any EU pressure to dilute the British standard. We understand the results of the review will be published by BIS at the end of the year.
Biofuels: Subsidies to encourage Biofuel production are doubling the cost of chipboard and the problem is expected to get worse. The BFC has conducted a consultation within the industry and the chairman of the APPFG has corresponded with DECC (Department of Energy and Climate Change). In the autumn, a detailed report will be published, commissioned by FIRA on behalf of the BFC, that will examine the problems faced by the industry and offer policy recommendations.
Intellectual Property Rights (IP): The BFC has actively supported ACID in its lobbying of government for unregistered design right reform and other IP issues which affect the sector. The APPFG wrote to the Minister expressing support for the Hargreaves report on intellectual property and asking that design rights be given proper consideration. Government has now issued its response and it is concerning that it wants yet further research on whether to eliminate national unregistered design rights and bring UK unregistered rights in line with EU – which would actually dilute unregistered design right protection for majority of the UK’s designers and manufacturers. One of the other key areas will be to ensure the creation of clear IP policy in design, which the Hargreaves report said had thus far been neglected.
Bribery Act: The BFC raised concerns that the Act would catch practices not intended to be legislated against. Thankfully, comfort has since been provided in the published guidelines to the new Act.
Furniture Exports: The BFC wrote to the BIS Minister, Mark Prisk MP, to complain about approaches made by UKT& I to UK designers to work for overseas companies importing into the UK and to point out that UKT & I spends little time on the export requirements of British furniture manufacturers. The BFC continues to offer to work more closely with UKT & I to deliver the type of support the industry would like.
The BFC has also maintained an input to the Creative Industries Marketing Board in an effort to ensure furniture remains part of its agenda. BFC director Colin Watson has been asked by Lord Green to sit on the Creative Panel to advise on the content and overlay for the London 2012 business programme to be held at Lancaster House. This will be an opportune time to spotlight UK furniture making and encourage exports.
Late Payment: The APPFG wrote to the Minster asking that local government pay on time and do not hold up payment when just one item is in dispute. The reply confirmed that the matter would be placed on the agenda of the Local Government Group.
Furniture Consumer Code: The BFC met with Ed Davey MP, the Minister responsible, who agreed to unblock the impasse in his department which has been holding up progress on this issue.
Finance: The BFC lobbied successfully to increase the insurance cover available following insolvency. It will continue to lobby to prevent banks from requiring personal guarantees from directors for extensions to overdraft facilities.
Procurement: The BFC was successful, with others, in persuading government to eliminate Pre-Qualification Questionnaires for all central government contracts under £100,000.
Fair Fuel campaign: The BFC’s voice was added to those addressing the rise in petrol and diesel duty.
Default Retirement Age: The BFC expressed concern at the difficulties this will impose on smaller furniture manufacturing companies.
The first meetings following the summer recess in Parliament will take place on 7 September for the BFC Board; and on 17 October for the APPFG.