Queen's Speech should 'help, not hinder' construction

The Queen's Speech should "help, not hinder" the construction industry, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has warned.

The Queen will give her speech later today, in which she will outline the Prime Minister's agenda for the coming year, as part of the state opening of Parliament.

FMB director of external affairs Brian Berry called on the government to ensure that the construction industry remained competitive and was not saddled with yet more legislation and regulation.

He said the Queen's Speech was “an opportunity to treat legislation as a last resort, not a first option, and to focus instead on simplifying the existing regulatory burden."

“The government says it wants to help the construction industry, but restrains it by constantly introducing new regulations or changing the existing ones, thus increasing the size and complexity of business obligations.

"This drains business resources, disproportionately impacts on SMEs and increases the competitive advantage of the informal economy. All of this impacts on the overall competitiveness of the construction sector,” he added.