O'Neill joins SEC Group board

Martin O'Neill, the former senior Labour MP who was created a life peer in the dissolution honours, has joined the board of the Specialist Engineering Contractors' (SEC) Group.

Lord O'Neill of Clackmannan - as he now is - was chairman of the House of Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee until earlier this year. It was in this capacity that he was instrumental in bringing about two public enquiries into the use of retention clauses in public sector construction contracts.

"While chairman of the select committee, I recognised the valuable work which SEC Group was doing in promoting the interests of engineering in construction," Lord O'Neill said.

He added that he had been particularly impressed by the group's efforts to improve the position of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in construction through the removal of "outdated payment practices, such as retentions".

Lord O'Neill's principal role within SEC will be to assist the group in its dialogue with ministers, MPs and other decision makers on issues including payment security, corporate qualification, best procurement practice and health and safety. 

"I am confident that Martin's vast experience of Parliament in general and trade and industry issues in particular has equipped him to assist greatly in taking forward the specialist engineering agenda, and in providing our sector with enhanced leadership," said SEC group chairman Trevor Hursthouse.