Chief construction adviser: industry was guilty of 鈥渋rrational exuberance鈥�

Paul Morrell, the government鈥檚 chief construction adviser, is working on simplifying the pre-qualification process and improving payment times.

He is working on the initiatives within the department of Business Innovation and Skills as part of a plan to create a more restrained and efficient approach to design and building. 

Speaking last night at a reception at the House of Commons held by the Joint Contracts Tribunal Morrell said: 鈥淲hether we are talking about cash or carbon, irrational exuberance has affected the building industry as much as any other.鈥�

He called for a number of 鈥渉abits鈥� to achieve the new approach, including more standardisation. He said: 鈥淥ff site manufacturing and repetition will bring economies of scale and need not stifle creativity.鈥�

Morrell also advocated more efficient use of IT, simplifying the prequalification process and improving payment times. He said: 鈥淲ithin BIS we are simplifying the pre-qualification process so that SMEs don鈥檛 have to restate their sustainability policy hundreds of times every time they bid for a job. BIS will also push the timescale for payments.鈥�

Morrell said clients must play a key role in achieving the new approach and called on the government to keep delivery agencies. He said: 鈥淭he first condition of good building is good clients, so do not get rid of delivery agencies. The first thing clients must know is what constitutes a good enough building and the second is what they should be paying for it.鈥�

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