§ Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domerasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action they have taken in response to the Rethinking Construction report of the Construction Task Force that reported to the Deputy Prime Minister in July 1998. [HL1035]
§ Lord WhittyMy right honourable friend the Deputy Prime Minister launched a "Movement for Innovation" to implementRethinking Construction in November 1998. We established four task forces or boards made up of leading representatives of clients and the supply side: they are the M4I Board, covering 25WA non-housing construction; the Housing Forum; the Treasury-led Central Government Task Force covering central government departments and agencies; and the Local Government Task Force. Their role is to promote innovation and the sharing of innovations and best practice and to raise awareness and improve practice among public sector clients with a view to delivering the targets set out in Rethinking Construction. Co-ordination of these four strands is overseen by a steering group chaired by my honourable friend Nick Raynsford MP, which includes my right honourable friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury; Sir John Egan; the chairs of each of the four strands; and the chairman of the Construction Industry Board.
The Construction Best Practice Programme, launched in November 1998, promotes dissemination of best practice and provides advice and support. Innovation and sharing of experiences are encouraged through demonstration projects: there are now more than 230 projects worth perhaps around £3.5 billion (figures are still being collected from the latest projects). This compares with the target in Rethinking Construction of £500 million). Projects are assessed and supported by teams of industry and client secondees.
Measurement of performance is being promoted. We published in May 1999 the first industry-wide key performance indicators, each of which relates to one of the targets in Rethinking Constructionthese are being trialled by the demonstration projects and will be refined and extended to cover "respect for people" and "sustainability" issues. In time they will be spread through the wider industry through a "clients charter" which is currently being drawn up.
Successful national conferences have been held to help promote Rethinking Construction among clients and the wider industry; and numerous seminars, "cluster group" meetings and other occasions have been organised by the "movement"; presentations have been given by board or task force members at a whole range of occasions organised by client, industry and related bodies. Events organised by the Construction Best Practice Programme have been attended by over 13,000 people. The Construction Industry Board and the industry "umbrella" bodies have also played an important role in promoting change.