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16 Spring 2021 CORONAVIRUS HAE EHA provides weekly, and for a time, more frequent, updates for members. These have focused on important UK and Nations announcements, guidance and business support measures. We have also kept a watching brief on measures in the Republic of Ireland. Details can be found at: www.hae.org.uk/covid19-member-advice The UK government Roadmap (applicable to England) and similar documents in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland give a clearer and more structured framework for the gradual sequenced removal of lockdown restrictions. Mostly during the Pandemic, the construction-related hire sector has been able to continue trading, although HAE has secured helpful clari cation fromministers about the sector’s inclusion in the permitted businesses classi cations issued and updated for each lockdown by the governments. However, the event hire sector has been massively a ected by the public health measures and EHA has maintained pressure on ministers to target support at this vital component of the event supply chain. Much has depended on the interpretation of individual councils regarding eligibility for business rate relief and grants. Sadly, the majority of councils have not viewed event hire businesses as part of retail or hospitality. More recently, EHA has again written to the Culture Secretary about lack of nancial support and the event pilots. CITB 2021 LEVY CONSENSUS HAE is a prescribed organisation for the purposes of the Consensus, which seeks to gauge industry views on latest levy proposals and the priorities for how the levy is spent by CITB. HAE has set out an engagement plan for how we will work with members to capture views from the hire sector. The 2021 Consensus begins in early June and HAE will raise awareness about the proposals, discuss them with HiretTrain colleagues and survey those member businesses who are eligible to pay the levy. The HAE Board will decide on our nal recommendation to CITB. More detail can be found at: www.citb.co.uk/levy-grants-and-funding/ industry-consultation-consensus PUBLIC AFFAIRS UPDATE

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