Construction Council to represent industry

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has announced the creation of the Construction Council, a body to represent the industry.

It will become a unified voice on issues such as skills shortages, climate change and planning reforms, bringing together all sectors of the construction industry which are currently represented by 42 trade associations.

The council will be chaired by Carillion chief executive John McDonough, who said the setting up of the council is particularly timely.

He told aboutproperty.co.uk: "The council's new strategic role at the heart of the CBI will enable the whole sector to benefit from the CBI's unrivalled access at the highest levels in Whitehall, Westminster and Brussels."

The UK's construction industry employs some 2.1 million people across 250,000 businesses.

Government spending in the sector amounts to £130 billion a year, almost nine per cent of gross domestic product.

The CBI helps to create and sustain conditions in which UK businesses can compete and prosper.

It lobbies on national and international issues and has offices throughout the UK and in Beijing, Brussels and Washington.

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