Suppliers miss monthly stats

Suppliers' ability to forecast housebuilders' demand for their products will be hamstrung by a change in the reporting of housing statistics.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) will switch from monthly to quarterly reporting of housing starts and completions in April.

The Brick Development Association chief executive Con Lenan said: "The brick industry has adapted to the system of waiting six weeks for monthly figures. The six-week time lag added to the quarter period could result in a delay of 18 weeks before significant developments come to light. "This could hamper the ability to accurately predict trends at an early stage and so have serious consequences for an industry which is characterised by long lead times," he added.

Marshalls contract trading director Glen Sabin told CJ the switch to quarterly reports "calls into question the usefulness of such data".

The ODPM's figures are generally regarded as the best barometer of the sector, covering both private and social housing. The most recent figures state that quarterly reports are "better for assessing trends as the monthly figures are very variable".

Construction Products Association economics director Allan Wil'n said: "The switch is all the more puzzling given the increased political importance being given to new housing provision in the Communities Plan."