Lords committee to ask if recent technological advances in the construction products and materials sector help to address construction skills shortages?

On Tuesday 30 June, the House of Lords Built Environment Committee will hear evidence from two panels of witnesses.

At 10:45am, the committee will hear evidence from:

• Jonathan Mitchell, Deputy Director, Skills England
• Simon Rawlinson, Deputy Chair, Construction Industry Council.

At 11:45am, the committee will hear evidence from:

• Richard Cook, Chief Development Officer, Clarion Housing
• Alison Crofton, Chief Regional Delivery Officer, Homes England.

These evidence sessions are for the third and final module of the committee's inquiry into new towns and expanded settlements.

This third module is focusing on construction and development and seeks to answer a fundamental question: what are the factors limiting the construction of new towns? Or put another way, what might be stopping us from getting spades in the ground and having new towns built quickly and to a high standard?

These evidence sessions, which are open to the public, will be held in Committee Room 1 of the House of Lords and streamed live on Parliament TV.  

Topics likely to be covered in these sessions include:

• How the shortage of construction skills will impact the successful delivery of new towns and expanded settlements in the short and long term.
• Where shortages are felt most acutely in the sector.
• Whether the next generation of new towns and expanded settlements should embed training and apprenticeship opportunities into their development.
• Steps the Government and industry should take to make careers in the construction sector more appealing.
• How housebuilders of different scales can ensure that a high quality of design and finish is maintained whilst ensuring delivery at pace.