Leaders from across the UK construction industry came together with parliamentarians at the Labour Party Conference today (30 September) for The Big Construction Debate.

The high-profile discussion looked at how the sector can deliver the skills, homes and infrastructure needed to support growth and net zero.

The speakers included:

• Chris McDonald MP, MP Stockton North and minister for industry in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT)
• Tan Dhesi MP for Slough
• Graham Morgan, Leader of Knowsley Council
• Mike Reader MP for Northampton South
• Jim Dickson MP for Dartford

The debate addressed two of the biggest challenges facing the sector - skills shortages and low productivity. Both threaten the delivery of the government’s ambitions to build 1.5 million new homes, retrofit five million properties and invest in vital national infrastructure. Ahead of the debate, industry leaders set out five policy asks for the UK government:

1. Improve pipeline visibility - support industry-wide workload forecasting to align training and recruitment with future demand
2. Remove the age cap on Level 7 apprenticeships - enable lifelong learning and stronger university–industry collaboration
3. Hold government accountable for housing delivery – ensure transparent accountability for delivering new homes and improving existing housing stock
4. Mandate equal visibility in schools – give vocational and apprenticeship pathways equal prominence to university routes
5. Strengthen infrastructure resilience – embed resilience in physical infrastructure and the skills system to meet future economic, climate, and supply chain challenges

The Big Construction Debate was chaired by Chloe McCulloch of  Building magazine and also featured representatives of number of key industry organisations including the  Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) and the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA).

Lead organiser and director of policy for the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE), Marie-Claude Hemming, said: “The Big Construction Debate is about bringing industry and policymakers together to face up to the real challenges and opportunities ahead. Our sector is central to achieving the government’s ambitions on housing, infrastructure and net zero - but skills shortages and low productivity continue to hold us back.

“That’s why we are calling for action in five critical areas: better visibility of the project pipeline to give confidence to employers and educators; the removal of the age cap on higher-level apprenticeships so people can retrain and upskill throughout their careers; stronger accountability on housing delivery; equal visibility for vocational routes in schools; and embedding resilience across infrastructure and the skills system.

“If government works with industry to deliver on these asks, we can create high-quality jobs across the country, drive innovation and sustainability, and secure the resilient, productive economy that businesses and communities across the UK deserve.”