Whitehall 'construction chief' mooted

The Select Committee for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform's (BERR) strategic review into the sector, published on Wednesday, made the recommendation, which would see the chief construction officer provide the industry with a significant voice in parliament.

Building magazine reported the positive response from industry to the news. Rudi Klein, chief executive of the Specialist Engineering Contractors Group, told the magazine: 'We like the proposal for a chief construction officer. We'd like somebody with a high profile.' Richard Diment, director general of the Federation of Master Builders said the proposal was 'encouraging, but said he was disappointed the committee had not called for a ministerial-level post.

Construction News quoted industry experts who warned that the post would fail unless it has industry backing. The Construction Industry Council (CIC) and Constructing Excellence said the appointed person would need to sit within the Treasury or within a strengthened Office of Government Commerce dealing mainly with public sector procurement. 'If [the officer] sits within BERR, they won't have much clout. If they sat in the Treasury, however, they would have a lot of clout,' said Graham Watts, chief executive of CIC.

Peter Luff, chairman of the select committee, told Contract Journal: 'What is important is to get some continuity in the bureaucracy that supports ministers. I'm not talking about some jobsworth. It will be someone quite senior - a distinguished engineer probably.'

The 125-page report made a number of other obeservations. The committee said it was 'seriously concerned' that the Office of Government Commerce does not have enough resources to implement best practice regarding procurement. It said it was 'shocked' that site deaths had risen to 77 in 2006/2007 and called for the HSE to increase inspections. And it said it was a 'disgrace' that just 25% of firms offered apprenticeships.