Government

The government has announced billions in new funding for green energy projects next year, but experts have raised concerns over grid connections. In early October, the government announced a £21.7bn investment over 25 years in carbon capture projects based in Teesside and Merseyside. Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Budget today (30 October)…

HS2 will run to Euston Station, the Labour government confirmed today, but it remained tight-lipped on any plans to pay for the London high-speed rail terminus with public money. In her first budget since becoming chancellor of the exchequer, Rachel Reeves confirmed on Wednesday (30 October) that HS2 will run…

The government has announced a 1.2 percentage point rise in employers’ national insurance (NI) contributions, but has taken measures to protect small businesses from the rise. In today’s Budget, chancellor Rachel Reeves said that the employers’ NI rate will increase to 15 per cent from April next year. In addition,…

The government has been warned that homes built under its plans to encourage greybelt development will be a “drop in the ocean” compared with the numbers needed to address chronic housing shortages. Wrangles over the definition of greybelt land – parts of the green belt including wastelands and disused car…

The government has announced an investment of £1bn to top up next year’s capital budgets for schools and housing. Ahead of this week’s Budget, chancellor Rachel Reeves (pictured) said that it would add £500m to the final year of the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme. In addition, planned investment in the…

Minister Rushanara Ali has relinquished her building safety responsibilities due to “perceptions” about her regular attendance at conferences co-chaired by a boss at the parent firm of Grenfell insulation manufacturer Celotex. The Times last month reported that on 10 occasions over the past 12 years Ali had attended the Franco-British…

The British Infrastructure Taskforce is about to start work with the chancellor of the exchequer. Chancellor Rachel Reeves (pictured) is meeting finance leaders today (18 October) to discuss how to enable funding and speed up delivery of major projects across the UK. It is the group’s first official meeting since…

Slow homebuilding output means the government is unlikely to meet its targets, an industry expert has warned. Market data and subdued financial results from housebuilder Bellway have led to concerns that 1.5 million new homes are unlikely to be built by the next election. Dr David Crosthwaite, chief economist at…

Greater use of technology in the construction sector could boost the UK economy by £417bn within two and a half decades, according to a study by Costain. The UK’s 16th biggest contractor found that extensive use of connected and autonomous plant (CAP) in the industry could bring £356bn worth of…

The construction industry’s appetite to invest has not risen following July’s general election, according to three-quarters of firms surveyed on the government’s first 100 days in office. Ministers were warned that bleak statements about the government’s finances had made bosses uncertain about committing to major investment plans. An exclusive survey…