Doubts over future of construction

Friday, 1 February 2008 12:00 AM

The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has attacked the government following the downgrading of the rank of the construction minister from minister of state, to parliamentary under secretary of state.

Shriti Vadera, who has been appointed to the post of business and competitiveness minister, will cover construction as part of her portfolio.

The appointment of Baroness Vadera forms part of a wider reshuffle following the resignation of Peter Hain from the Department of Work and Pensions last week.

However, the FMB has attacked the government's decision to downgrade the role - noting Baroness Vadera is the seventh person in ten years to hold the position.

"The government says it wants new homes, better infrastructure, new schools and new hospitals, as well as delivery of prestige projects such as the Olympics, and then they downgrade the ministerial rank of the construction minister from minister of state, to parliamentary under secretary of state," said Brian Berry, FMB director of external affairs.

The government has recently announced plans to build two million new homes by 2016, with three million complete by 2020 - as part of a plan to reduce chronic housing shortages in parts of the country.

However, the decision to alter the role forms part of a wider incoherence at the centre of the government, according to the FMB.

"This is indicative of the government's inability to comprehend the centrality of the industry to the successful delivery of its public service programme," continued Mr Berry.

"As a result, responsibility for the construction industry is spread across Whitehall with little or no effective co-ordination."

The change is likely to prove detrimental to the implementation of government housing policy, according to the FMB.

"The inevitable result is ineffective policies backed by often counterproductive policy drivers that more often hinder than help the industry in its attempts to deliver government priorities.

"It is time construction took its rightful place at the core of government policy," concluded Mr Berry.

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