As an ex-specialist subcontractor, now practising project planning and delay analysis, I wanted to thank Tony Bingham for his article on subcontractors' delivery (24 October, page 61).
For all the great reforms planned for construction, I find little has changed at a grassroots level. In fact what I do find regularly is that the most Egan/Lathamesque contractors (with their clients) are the most venal with their subcontractors.

I have little doubt that the five Ps could help: Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance. However, while major international contractors continue to (try to) build 拢100m-plus prestige developments in central London with one planner, a 拢300 software package and no contemporary, co-ordinated design, procurement and construction programme (their only clear plan being to blame their subcontractors when things go wrong), I don't hold out much hope.

Postscript

Simon Wrightson, via email.