DTI figures released this week show that new orders in the building industry have fallen from last year's levels.
The department's quarterly figures reveal that orders fell 12% for the second quarter of 2001 compared with the same quarter last year. Only £5.4bn of new work was recorded in the second quarter of 2001 against £6.2bn recorded for the second quarter of 2000.

The figures show that private housing orders fell 9% to £1bn in the second quarter of 2001 from £1.1bn in the second quarter of last year.

Infrastructure orders and public non-housing orders dropped 22% and 3% respectively in the same period.

Infrastructure orders fell from £1.1bn in 2000 to £923m in 2001 and public non-housing dropped from £988m to £958m.

Private industrial orders rose 2% from £552m to £564m in the second quarter of 2001, but private commercial orders were 20% lower, falling from £2.2bn to £1.7bn.

The figures did not disappoint the Construction Confederation. A spokesperson said there were many variables that may affect the figures from quarter to quarter, but generally work was holding up well and contractors were optimistic about the future.

Other figures released this week from the DTLR revealed that housing starts have fallen 5%.

In June 2001 it is provisionally estimated that housebuilders started to build 16,900 dwellings in the UK, compared with 17,800 in June 2000.

Housing completions numbered 13,600 in June 2001, compared with 15,900 the previous year. Over the last three months, total completions were down 8%.