Homes for Scotland has revealed Scottish builders could face to paying a double levy on supporting apprenticeships unless funds are ring-fenced to support the sector.

From 06 April, all employers with an annual pay bill of over £3 million will pay 0.5% towards the new Levy.

Around £221m in Levy funding will be given to the Scottish Government by UK Ministers in 2017/18, with this amount expected to increase to £239m by 2019/20.

However, Nicola Barclay, Chief Executive of HfS, said home builders face the prospect of paying a double levy due to existing arrangements with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) on training, qualifications and apprenticeships.

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"We are therefore extremely disappointed that the Scottish Government has chosen not to address this matter in the form of direct support for our industry by channelling funds back, ignoring the concerns raised by HFS and other stakeholders.

"It is also surprising that the Scottish Government does not view home building as a priority sector for skills support, given the current housing crisis and the ambitious target for delivering 50,000 new affordable homes by the end of this parliament.

"HFS would advocate that the Levy funds be ring-fenced to support the sector, with access made simple, business-led and driven by the shared objectives that support the delivery of the Scottish Government’s key priorities of supporting economic growth and strengthening productivity."

(LM)