Contractors will have to pay separate fees to join vetting schemes Constructionline and the quality mark after it was decided last week the two would not merge.
Constructionline officials presented a business case to the quality mark shadow ownership body last week, but the group has decided there will not be a link-up.

A Whitehall source said it was no secret that the two schemes were targeted at different sectors and therefore there would be no merger.

He said: "After the presentation, the ownership body was negative about any tie-up."

The DTI confirmed that the shadow ownership body had met but said the group had not reported on the meeting yet.

A Constructionline spokesperson said: "The ownership group are reviewing procedures to see if there are areas where processes can be streamlined to reduce bureaucracy."