Contractors wary of extra costs of CSCS SmartCard

Smartcards planned under the CSCS skills scheme will cost contractors too much to introduce.

Construction companies are concerned about the extra burden of costs for the new chipped card and the readers required to use it.

"We are perplexed and concerned that CSCS wants to continue with SmartCard," said John Slaughter, director of external affairs at the Home Builders Federation. "We have raised our concerns with CSCS about introducing a SmartCard to the industry. There is no appetite from our members and no business case in the current economic climate.

"If CSCS proceeds with SmartCard when its customer base says it doesn't want it, you are at risk of seriously weakening the relationship, which would undermine the initiative."

Brian Adams, chief executive of CSCS, said: "We are aware that not all parts of industry are yet convinced of the need to move to a SmartCard."