黑洞社区

鈥業 saw the photograph of Tony [Blair] in 黑洞社区 when he was interviewed,鈥� says Baroness Vadera with half a smile. 鈥淚t was very close-up, wasn鈥檛 it? I am a bit worried about mine. You will pick a nice one, won鈥檛 you? Ooh, I like your shoes!鈥�

You鈥檇 be forgiven for thinking the new construction minister brings an air of femininity to the role. She is softly spoken, polite and has expertly accessorised her black suit with a fabulous scarf. But don鈥檛 let that fool you. This former investment banker is well known for her direct approach and ferocious manner.

She has already got some of the construction industry greats well and truly under the thumb. 鈥淪he鈥檚 quite forceful,鈥� says one chief executive. 鈥淎 few of us are pretty scared of her, actually.鈥� Another senior industry figure adds: 鈥淪he reminds me of a female Keith Clarke [the Atkins chief executive]. That鈥檚 quite terrifying.鈥�

Though she clearly knows how to put the fear of God into construction鈥檚 key figures, the industry鈥檚 reaction to Vadera since she took over as construction minister in January has been mixed. There have been mutterings that she has not met enough industry figures and, in short, that she鈥檚 been a little on the quiet side, particularly as her housing counterpart Caroline Flint as barely been out of the headlines since her appointment.

So, in a rare gap in her Monday morning schedule, the seventh construction minister in as many years takes some time to give the industry her explanation: 鈥淨uiet? I have never been accused of being that before! I have been very busy over the past three months putting things in place ready for implementation 鈥� I think I would argue that I have been busy, not quiet.鈥�

When asked about the issue of the moment for construction, the Office of Fair Trading鈥檚 bid-rigging inquiry, a glimpse of Vadera the feared politician is revealed, albeit disguised by a smile: 鈥淚 am sure that you know already that there is absolutely no way I can comment on that at this stage.鈥� Understood.

Born in Uganda, Shriti Vadera鈥檚 education was split between Africa and India before she arrived in the UK when she was 15. After taking politics, philosophy and economics at Oxford, she went to work for investment bank SG Warburg, where she became executive director of corporate finance. From there she went to the Treasury in 1999 where she became one of Gordon Brown鈥檚 inner circle. She was appointed junior international development minister by Brown when he became prime minister last June and was made a life peer the following month.

It鈥檚 an impressive CV, if one that hasn鈥檛 had much added to it since January. She remains unfazed by the criticism, insisting she has been laying foundations: 鈥淚 know I am under pressure to start to deliver. But the most important thing is to have the mechanisms in place to do that well and get to know the industry.鈥� She goes on to say she has met key contractors, including the aforementioned Clarke, Ray O鈥橰ourke, and James Wates, as well as representatives from the Construction Confederation and the Construction Products Association (CPA).

She adds that, since January, she has been focusing on a sustainable construction strategy, which she will launch on 11 June and aims to establish a single plan of action across industry and government 鈥� a joint venture that she describes as 鈥渦nique鈥�.

This industry is world class in its own way, but it has a problematic reputation.

She continues: 鈥淲e are also working on making sure the government improves as a client by signing up to the 2012 Construction Commitments [also by June].鈥� She hopes that this broadening of the much-publicised Olympic targets will ensure that the government procures more effectively and sets an example of how a successful client鈥揷ontractor relationship can work.

鈥淚 have also made steps to address planning regulations and we are in talks with the Health and Safety Executive 鈥� we are very present in that sector,鈥� she adds.

But perhaps the single most useful thing about having Vadera as construction鈥檚 mouthpiece in parliament is her connections 鈥� particularly that all-important chap in Number 10. Michael Ankers, chief executive of the CPA, has high hopes for construction policy with Vadera at the helm: 鈥淪he鈥檚 got that connection to the prime minister. She鈥檚 in a fantastic position to support the industry. If we give her the ammunition we鈥檙e hoping she will fire the bullets.鈥�

Another of Vadera鈥檚 supporters is a former construction minister himself, Nick Raynsford: 鈥淪hriti is a very, very bright woman, with a shining track record in economics. The industry should expect a high level of engagement from her.鈥�

One thing it can expect her to engage with sooner rather than later is UK construction鈥檚 somewhat battered reputation for delivering on time and on budget. 鈥淭his industry is world class in its own way, but it has a problematic reputation and we have to focus on project evaluation to improve delivery.

鈥淲e have to fix this 鈥� it鈥檚 vital. We have to deliver the Olympics! But I would like to assure the industry that I think this problem is certainly fixable.鈥�

As Vadera straightens the fabulous scarf and laughs along with her PR officer, it is hard to imagine the ferocious political beast that people so often describe.

But it only takes one sentence written by her former speech writer, Martin Vander Weyer, to prove the point: 鈥淭he serious minded but likeable thirtysomething I knew has transmuted into the assassin of Railtrack, the ass-kicker of Transport for London, the axe-wielder from the Treasury whom ministers fear as acutely as they fear Gordon himself, with whose total authority she speaks.鈥�

Dear construction industry: you have been warned.