Construction orders down 3%

Construction orders fell 3% in the three months to October compared with the same period a year earlier thanks to a fall inthe private and public housing sectors, according to the latest government figures.

The Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform's quarterly survey revealed that despite growth in the private commercial, infrastructure and public non-housing sectors, it was not enough to prevent an overall fall in orders.

Private sector housing orders plummeted 12% in the three months to October compared with the same period a 12 months ago.

Meanwhile public housing and housing association orders in the three months to October fell 27% compared to the same period a year earlier.

And private industrial also had a tough quarter - with orders in the three months to October down 11% compared with the same period a year earlier.

But it was a better story for infrastructure orders in the three months to October, which rose 1% compared with the same period a year earlier. Meanwhile public non-housing was unchanged on the same criteria, and private commercial orders were up 6%.