Use VAT to kickstart licensing says CIOB

Contractors' VAT details could be used to kickstart the development of a register of licensed contractors, according to Stuart Henderson, the outgoing president of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).

In a CIOB publication, Improving Site Conditions, published as part of its Change in Our Sites campaign, Henderson suggests that as most companies and self-employed tradesmen are VAT-registered, this could be an administrative starting point for setting up a register of those working in the industry.

The licensing of individuals, companies and sites would prevent cowboys from operating, as all licensed individuals would be contactable and all unlicensed individuals would be trading illegally. Employees could also be registered, as all sites would have to keep an up-to-date record of every member of the workforce and the CSCS qualifications they hold.

"We would like to see the Health & Safety Executive police sites," said Henderson.

"Staff could go to the site, take a picture of an offence and hand out instant fines to both the employee and employer," he added.

"However, there could be mitigation for a first offence, and possibly just a warning. We want to educate rather than punish."

* Outgoing Major Contractors Group chairman and Kier Group boss Colin Busby has replaced Henderson as CIOB president.