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- Hips delayed, minister announces
Regulations/legislation: The government has further delayed the mandatory implementation of the new home information packs (Hips), it has been announced. Housing minister Caroline Flint today (May 9th) said that Hips will not be legally necessary until December 31st 2008, a.....
09/05/2008 - Small sites 'may be exempt from carbon reductions'
Environment: A task group is to argue that small building sites may be unable to significantly reduce their carbon emissions in line with government targets, Building magazine has revealed. The Zero Carbon Task Group is to recommend that the government should co.....
09/05/2008 - Energy-saving plumbing 'could sell houses'
Business: A spokesperson from the Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering has said that housebuilders may want to incorporate energy-saving systems into new builds if they want to appeal to environmentally-conscious buyers. Senior technical engineer Dan.....
09/05/2008 - CPRE campaigns against loss of green belt
Environment: The Campaign to Protect Rural England has called on the government to renew its emphasis on the importance of green belt land and has released new figures to illustrate how much of this land is being lost to housing. According to the organisation, 4.....
08/05/2008 - CIS ratings a "national scandal"
Regulations/legislation: The Trade Unions Congress (TUC) has called for a shake-up of the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) following the release of its Vulnerable Employment report yesterday (May 7th). According to the research, people on the scheme are suffering because .....
08/05/2008 - Three days of events showcase H&S practices
Health & safety: Workplace transport safety will be promoted at a conference to be held by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) next week. The event, to be held at the NEC in Birmingham on May 14th, will feature expert speakers and advice on iss.....
07/05/2008 - Demand for construction workers 'still high'
Business: The credit crunch does not appear to have hit demand for workers in the construction sector, Contract Journal reports. According to research published by NTC Economics and KPMG on the labour market, demand for construction and engineering workers re.....
07/05/2008 - Eco-towns "unsustainable"
Environment: A spokesperson for the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has said that the proposed eco-towns which will be built in Britain are "unsustainable". Director of external affairs Brian Berry said that he believes the proposed new towns which.....
07/05/2008 - Price of construction work rises
Business: New figures released today (May 6th) by the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS) have revealed that the price of construction work rose sharply at the end of 2007. The organisation's Tender Price Index also said that there should be enough work .....
06/05/2008 - Planning system is 'holding developers back'
Regulations/legislation: The government's target of two million new homes by 2016 will not be met unless changes are made to the planning application process, it has been said. According to Brian Berry, director of external affairs at the Federation of Master Builders, the .....
06/05/2008 - WEEE ignorance 'could mean prosecution'
Regulations/legislation: Many businesses could be risking prosecution by failing to comply with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations, the Environment Agency has warned. According to new research published by the organisation, 24 per cent of compa.....
02/05/2008 - False claims costing SMEs dearly
Business: A spokesperson for the Federation of Small Businesses has warned that companies should ensure that they operate exact expense procedures in order to avoid losing money. Recent research from Travelodge found that unscrupulous employees are taking mor.....
02/05/2008 - EPC estimations slammed by assessors
Regulations/legislation: Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) will cost much more money and take more time than the government has allowed for, Building Magazine reports. The government's communities department had estimated that the process would cost £1.5 billion b.....
02/05/2008 - Construction industry safety threat
Health & safety: The construction industry could face major repercussions if a recruitment crisis within the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is not addressed, it has been reported. According to Construction News, a report by human resources director Gaynor Coldric.....
01/05/2008 - No let-up for construction misery
Business: New figures released by the government today (May 1st) have shown a further downturn in activity within the construction industry. According to the Office for National Statistics, construction orders fell by eight per cent in the first three months .....
01/05/2008 - Memorial speakers campaign for better safety
Health & safety: A rally in aid of Workers Memorial Day on Monday (April 28th) was held in Manchester's Peace Gardens, aiming to educate the public about the importance of health and safety at work, the Manchester Evening News (MEN) reports. The message behind the e.....
30/04/2008 - 'More construction firms face insolvency'
Business: More construction companies than ever before are facing crippling debt problems in the face of the credit crunch, it has been found. According to insolvency specialist Begbies Taylor, 565 UK construction companies are facing either county court judg.....
30/04/2008 - SME owners 'are not alone'
Business: The National Federation of Enterprise Agencies has launched a week of events to offer advice to small business owners in the wake of the credit crunch, reports SME Web. Entitled Credit Crunch Week, the programme will aim to provide entrepreneurs wit.....
29/04/2008 - Skills shortage 'could put heritage at risk'
Environment: A new report has highlighted increasing concern about the shortage of UK construction professionals. According to the National Heritage Training Group (NHTG), many buildings that date from before 1919 are at risk because of a lack of skilled workers.....
29/04/2008 - New guide for health and safety
Health & safety: A new educational guide has been launched to stress the need for better healthcare practices in the workplace. The workbook, entitled Occupational Health: Dealing with the Issues, was unveiled by the Trades Union Congress on Workers' Memorial Day ye.....
29/04/2008 - Anti-theft campaign launched
Business: Kent police have launched a campaign to promote the prevention of machinery theft in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics. The force has warned that the theft of heavy machinery, such as mechanical diggers, is growing as gangs are stealing the valuable e.....
28/04/2008 - 'Cowboy builders should be ousted'
Regulations/legislation: More should be done to combat the practices of "disreputable" construction firms, it has been claimed. Mark Pritchard, Conservative MP for the Wrekin constituency in Shropshire, raised the issue in the House of Commons, saying that the act.....
28/04/2008