The announcement that Paul Morrell has been appointed to the position of Chief Construction Advisor (CCA), by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) has been welcomed.

ConstructionSkills' Chief Executive Mark Farrar said: "The decision to have a dedicated construction representative in Whitehall is excellent news for the entire industry, and I'm delighted that the position has been filled by such a robust candidate.

"Mr. Morrell's solid background in construction and his vast experience of both the private and public sector will, I hope, provide us with a strong and passionate representative in Government, who will act as one, united voice for an industry that is crucial to the entire UK economy."

Mr Morrell's role as CCA will include the following:

• chairing a new Construction Collaborative Category Board, which will build on the existing Public Sector Construction Clients Forum (PSCCF), to drive the implementation and further development of best value Government construction procurement.
• Chairing an enhanced sustainable construction strategy delivery board to help ensure policy regarding the industry is effectively co-ordinated.
• Assessing the key barriers to growth in the UK's Low Carbon construction sector to ensure the UK industry is well placed toserve developing needs and markets.
• Working with the industry, through the Strategic Forum for Construction, to deliver the industry improvement agenda, including the Construction Commitments.
• Promoting innovation in the sector, working closely with the Technology Strategy Board and other funding bodies.
• Co-ordinating the Whitehall response to reports featuring construction.

Mark Farrar continues: "The remit for our new CCA is wide-ranging, but there are certain key areas that we would like him to champion from day one, such as the ongoing need to up-skill the industry and put training at the heart of any present and future plans for the sector.


"As Paul Morrell will now be leading on the assessment of the industry’s readiness for addressing the low carbon agenda, we are looking forward to working closely with him to determine how methods of construction will need to change and the impact this will have on skills and training."

Paul Morrell was previously senior partner of construction consultants Davis Langdon, and also former deputy chair of CABE and he is a Fellow of the RICS, an Honorary Fellow of the RIBA.

(GK/BMcC)