Construction professionals make a greater contribution to Britain's national wealth than all its publishers, pop groups, television stations and film companies put together, according to a report to be published by the Construction Industry Council.
The CIC found that consultants are making a growing contribution to the UK's national wealth. Total output was worth 拢12bn in 2001/2, or 1.4% of GNP. The only other such survey, published six years ago, found that consultants contributed 1% to GNP.

Another finding 鈥� and one that consultants will stress when lobbying government 鈥� is their contribution to British exports at a time when the trade deficit is worsening. Consultants raised 拢1.5bn in overseas revenue last year. By comparison, radio and TV earn a total of 拢700m and music and the visual arts a total of 拢300m.

The report found that fee income for consultants had risen by 22% since 1996, and that individuals were 19% more productive.

CIC chief executive Graham Watts said the report underlined the mismatch between consultants' true value and how society perceived them.

Watts said: "It's a significant income that is completely underestimated by the government and society. We laud the music and entertainment industries for their contributions to the UK economy 鈥� but our architects, engineers and surveyors do so much more."

The survey, called Survey UK: Construction Professional Services 2001/2, also revealed increasing consolidation in the sector, with 3% of firms generating 60% of fee income. And those generating the income are increasingly multidisciplinary firms, which made up 5% of the industry in 1995/6 and 18% in 2001/2.

The report underlined the extent to which the sector is becoming integrated into the European Union's single market. This accounted for 拢800m of earnings last year.

The report was written by Davis Langdon Consultancy for the CIC and funded by the DTI.