Migrant workers 'benefit' construction industry

The UK construction industry has been boosted by the arrival of migrant workers in recent years, trade association the Home Builders Federation (HBF) has claimed.

Skilled and experienced foreign workers have been a benefit to the sector, Director of External Affairs at the HBF, John Slaughter, said.

Furthermore, the arrival of such skills has not hindered the progress of the skills development of the UK workforce, he stated.

Mr Slaughter remarked: 'The availability of migrant labour to meet the shortfall in the short-term is something that can't be matched by joining the workforce through the college system as that does take time.'

In fact, 'effective operation in the industry' has been achieved through the flood of foreign workers, he added.

However, the HBF has noted that although the household formation target is 223,000 a year, only 160,000 residential properties were built in 2007.