Migrant labour 'beneficial' to construction industry

Thursday, 1 May 2008 12:00 AM

The arrival of eastern European migrants has been "largely positive" to the construction industry, argues the Home Builders Federation (HBF).

Controversy has consistently surrounded international migration to the UK - controversy which erupted earlier this month when a House of Lords report - The Economic Impact of Immigration - found "no evidence" of the cash benefits of immigration to Britain.

However, the HBF argues the arrival of labour from overseas has been a boon to the economy.

"There has been a lot of labour coming in from eastern Europe to work in the construction industry, particularly in the last two or three years," said John Slaughter, director of external affairs at the HBF.

"The overall view of the industry over the last few years with the migrant labour coming in from the new European Union countries has been largely positive."

However, eastern Europeans - especially Poles - could be heading home, according to a new report.

A study by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), found earlier this week, the rate of immigration to Britain from the most recent EU member states is slowing.

Workers from Poland, who are now the largest foreign national group in the UK, are also the most likely to return to their homeland, the report says.

Seventy per cent of Poles told IPPR they held the UK in a more positive light than they expected, but two-thirds said they had made the right decision to return home.

Yet, while they migrants remained in the economy, they were beneficial according to the HBF.

"We have had quite a lot of workers who perhaps initially came in to help with the skills shortage so it's been beneficial in terms of effective operation in the industry," continued Mr Slaughter.

"Although, that's not to downgrade the importance of the development of the indigenous workforce, but it does help to bring new people in the workforce who are already trained, skilled and qualified."

Indeed, migrant labour may have filled criteria UK workers were unable to meet, finds the HBF.

"The availability of migrant labour to meet the shortfall in the short-term is something that can't be matched by joining the workforce through the college system as that does take time," said Mr Slaughter.

"I don't think there's any evidence that the influx has been unhelpful to bringing forward new recruits into the industry from the indigenous population. It hasn't harmed the possibilities for the indigenous population to develop skills."

Chris O'Toole

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