There are now only 2.1m employed in the UK construction industry according to new data

Construction saw another dip in jobs and pay in the last quarter as the industry continued to feel the affects of the tough market conditions.

The industry shed 17,000 jobs from June to September 2010 and 27,000 since September last year. The industry now only employs 2.1m workers, according to the Office of National Statistics

Average pay for the construction sector fell to £529 per week in October. The three-month rolling average of wage increase dropped to -1.3%, the lowest growth rate since records began in 2001 and the third consecutive fall. Average weekly wages have dropped £12 since October last year, when the figure was £541.

However, there was evidence the contraction in jobs is slowing as the industry lost relatively fewer jobs last quarter. 18,000 jobs were lost from July to September, down 20% on 2009. 1,000 additional vacancies were advertised from July to September.