§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many deaths were recorded in the United Kingdom construction industry in the last 12 months. [107291]
§ Mr. MeacherThe table shows the provisional figures for fatalities in the construction industry for 1998–99. Final figures, which should be available in May 2000, may be slightly higher because fatalities include deaths up to a year after the date of an accident.
HSE is working with the construction industry, trade unions, clients and other stakeholders to reduce the toll of accidents and ill-health through a wide range of initiatives, in particular the "Working Well Together" Campaign.
Fatalities in construction as reported to HSE and Local Authorities, 1998–99 1 Number Employees2 48 Self-employed 18 Members of the public 4 Total 70 1 Provisional 2Including trainees
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the effect of Government policies on the long-term performance and profitability of the construction industry since May 1997; and if he will make a statement. [107847]
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§ Ms Beverley HughesSteadier growth in the economy and the introduction of expenditure plans that cover a full three years will free the construction industry from the damaging stop-go cycle that has so constrained its performance in the past. It will also provide a more secure base for innovation and improved profitability in the future. The Government are also encouraging the industry to radically improve its performance through implementing the recommendations of the Construction Task Force as set out in "Rethinking Construction".
It is too soon to assess what impact these initiatives are having on the long term performance and profitability of the industry. However, as a part of our drive to encourage radical change, we published last April the first set of standard, industry wide, key performance indicators (KPIs). If, as we intend, these are widely adopted by the industry they will provide an effective means of measuring progress in future.
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what gross construction output as a proportion of gross domestic product was during 1998–99; and what the average was for European Union member states. [107849]
§ Ms Beverley HughesIn England in 1996 (the latest year available for England), gross construction output was about 8 per cent. of gross domestic product. Comparable figures for the EU as a whole show that construction made up about 12 per cent. of gross domestic product in that year.
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what has been the annual growth of the construction industry in each of the last 10 years. [107850]
§ Ms Beverley HughesAnnual growth of the construction industry in England in each of the last 10 years has been as follows:
Percentage 1988 21.5 1989 17.5 1990 5.0 1991 -8.6 1992 -9.3 1993 -2.1 1994 7.3 1995 6.1 1996 6.8 1997 6.4 1998 7.5 Source:
Housing and Construction Statistics, DETR