The House of Lords will tomorrow, Wednesday 12th December, debate the Science and Technology Committee’s report “Off-site manufacture for construction: building for change.
Among those listed to speak are several members of the Committee including Lord Fox, Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), and Lord Mair, Past President of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
The debate is being moved by Lord Patel, Chair of the Science and Technology Committee and Lord Henley, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, will respond on behalf of the Government.
The debate is expected to start after 3:30pm.
In its report published in July 2018, the Committee warned that the construction sector as it currently operates cannot meet the UK’s need for housing and may struggle to meet the need for infrastructure. Given that the UK already lags behind other countries in construction productivity, and is facing a labour shortage, the Government and the construction sector must urgently find solutions.
The Committee said that off-site manufacture (OSM) can help to increase productivity in the construction sector while reducing labour demands, improving the quality and efficiency of buildings, and reducing the environmental impacts associated with traditional construction.
The report and the Government’s response is available on the Committee’s website.