MCG down to 20 as Alfred McAlpine quits

The Major Contractors Group (MCG) has hit back at suggestions that it is on the decline after Alfred McAlpine decided not to renew its membership.

With only 20 contractors left on board after a similar withdrawal by Birse in April, the MCG said its "finances remain in a healthy state". Laing and Balfour Beatty withdrew from the group last year.

McAlpine told the MCG in a letter last week that membership was "no longer right for the group".

In a statement, the company said that following the acquisition of both facilities management and utility services, "McAlpine is a far broader company than just a contractor".

It added: "The MCG is therefore no longer the right industry group for McAlpine."

However, it stressed its continuing support for the MCG's drive towards a qualified workforce and improved health and safety and environmental services.

An MCG spokesman responded: "While we have lost one member, the MCG has received a number of applications from other companies wishing to join. We understand that the balance of McAlpine's business has changed."