Opinion – Page 473
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CommentTaxing times for all
You’ve had a year of respite, but now the excuses must stop. From tomorrow, the government’s shake-up of the construction industry tax scheme (CIS) comes into force – after much heated debate, a few tears and a whole lot of confusion.
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CommentAs near as dammit
The Major Contractors Group’s strategy for giving the British construction industry a properly trained and regulated workforce has been achieved. Well, almost ...
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CommentKermit’s revenge
The latest news from the tourist hotspots of Kazakhstan, Arizona and St Helena this week, all deftly mixed in with Gyles Brandreth, Kermit the Frog and the opening of Wembley stadium
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CommentSecrets and lies
Building’s feedback section reflects its readers: well-informed with balanced views. Unless you count the scurrilous slurs and innuendoes that English law requires Alex Smith to delete ...
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CommentHow to fund a revolution
Last year, I proposed the formation of construction city academies to combat the lack of basic skills in young people. Now, here’s how we should finance them ...
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Comment
Shark-infested contracts
Artworks often provide the centrepiece for a development. No problem, you might say. Until you know that Damien Hirst’s shark was commissioned for £50,000 and sold for £7m. There’s a lot of room for negligence writs there …
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CommentSeconds out
The second adjudication in HG vs Ashwell demonstrates exactly what’s wrong with adjudication: the people who dispense it must be better regulated.
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The underbelly of construction
The government will never cut out fraudulent self-employment claims in construction. Most take place in the domestic market where CIS cards are not an issue.
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Cash-in-hand culture
Why does the construction industry always get hammered about tax avoidance?
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Comment
What do you get for 880bn?
One factor that is contributing to German growth (16 March) is the increasing self-confidence of the Germans.
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Flatpack living
The emperor’s new clothes comes to mind when viewing the Ikea flatpack homes.
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Cashing in on the green pound
Building’s “green gurus” raised some timely points on the commercial reality of building sustainably (16 March). On the one hand, we recognise that this is a thriving industry with great potential; on the other, housing developers see upfront costs and little hope of recovering them.
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CommentCIOB is better than the rest
I was intrigued by the “head to head” with the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), but noted a few matters that weren’t addressed (16 March).
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RICS fees aren’t ‘dirt cheap’
A great idea for new members of professional institutions to interview the leaders, but your interviewer of the future RICS president was too easily fobbed off with trite answers (9 March).
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