Government unveils construction strategy

In a partnership between the UK government and the construction industry, a new report has been launched which has set out plans for the future.

It is hoped that the 'Construction 2025' strategy will help to solve problems and future concerns in the industry, as well as encouraging the take-up of overseas contracts for UK construction businesses.

Not only could the report help to create a number of construction jobs for people in the UK, it would also open up opportunities for UK workers to move abroad.

A statement from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has suggested that the action plan includes ten joint commitments to provide the industry with the confidence to achieve its ambitions by 2025.

Some of the factors include a reduction of growth barriers for businesses and sole traders, a reduction in carbon emissions produced on site, and the speeding-up of delivery times.

Small construction business in particular could benefit from this strategy, with these firms expected to be provided with greater opportunities to access trade credit. Under the scheme, encouragement is to be given for suppliers to offer more opportunities for small firms to access vital funding.

The revelation of the new strategy has come shortly after an announcement from the government that over £100 billion in public investment is to be committed to infrastructure projects up to 2020.

Vince Cable, business secretary, said: ”I want to make sure we maximise our return on this money. Today’s industrial strategy will help firms innovate and export more. It will also help train a next generation of construction workers and look at what skills gaps we need to fill."

Business and energy minister Michael Fallon has said that construction provides the UK economy with a noticeable boost and has helped to employ approximately three million people.

“With the global construction market forecasted to grow by 70 per cent by 2025, Britain is now in a global race for growth and jobs, and we can’t afford to be left behind. Growth requires joint action, which is why industry and the government have come together to create this vision for the future of the construction sector,” he said.