Safety campaigners welcome Queen’s Speech – but renew call for licensing
15th October 2019

The Queen’s Speech at the opening of parliament has earned a guarded welcome from industry bodies – and also sparked a renewed plea for mandatory licensing for construction companies.

The proposed new safety legislation was praised by the British Woodworking Federation, whose CEO Helen Hewitt who urged the government to deliver on its pledges on safety and to incorporate the need for third party certification of vital fire safety measures.

“The Government must implement the new laws as soon as possible, ideally with support from opposition parties to ensure broad agreement, so that all residents can feel safe in their homes and to prevent further delays that could cost lives.” She said.

The British Safety Council applauded the measures to improve air quality but its head of campaigns Matthew Holder added: “I hope that the government will respond to the British Safety Council’s Time to Breathe campaign and include measures that protect outdoor workers. We want policy makers to accept that breathing clean air is not a privilege but a basic human right for the thousands of people who are undertaking vital work outdoors.”

Federation of Master Builders said that new legislation regarding the implementation of building safety standards needs to be underpinned by a mandatory licensing scheme for all UK construction companies. 

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “The Queen’s announcement that the Government will bring forward new rigorous laws forcing compliance with building safety standards is an important and essential step in improving safety and confidence in our built environment.

“After the Grenfell fire tragedy it’s essential that we raise the bar in construction. However, the Government must go further still and publicly consult on a mandatory licensing scheme for all UK construction companies. This would serve to remove from the industry any firm that ignores health and safety procedure and risks safety in and around the built environment. Licensing would also remove rogue traders that bring the image of builders into disrepute, whether they are operating in the private domestic sector or in the supply chain on a large commercial site.”