黑洞社区

Construction is well used to the ministers appearing and disappearing through a revolving door. Nine of these government middle managers have had construction as a (steadily diminishing) part of their brief since 2001. But that is nothing compared with housing, where they have a life expectancy of four and a half months (there have been four in the past year and a half). This has meant an endless, and endlessly infuriating, round of introductory handshakes and pauses while the new boy/girl gets up to speed and is then inevitably replaced.

But there is an added twist in the latest reshuffle: at the time when construction is most in need of political champions, the ministers at four departments dealing with it have changed. Not only that, but they鈥檒l be in place for at most 10 months before the general election next May. And as two and a half of those months will be spent in summer recess, and a further month and a half in pre-election purdah, that is actually just six months to help the industry out.

So who are the new men in charge 鈥� and is there anything they can actually achieve? Here is our guide to who is in, and what they 鈥� and you 鈥� say they can do over the time available.

Construction minister Ian Lucas

Where鈥檚 he from?

Lucas is a solicitor by profession, and after the death of Princess Diana he represented Trevor Rees-Jones, her bodyguard and crash survivor, in a legal battle with Mohamed al-Fayed. He was elected in 2001 as MP for Wrexham. Has been an assistant whip since 2008.

What does he want to do?

鈥淢y priority is to support and listen to the needs of companies in this tough economic climate. In Monday鈥檚 announcement by the prime minister, he announced target investment worth 拢1.5bn over the next two years to create 45,000 jobs in the construction and related sectors.鈥�

What does the industry want him to do?

鈥淎ppoint a chief construction officer 鈥� it鈥檚 a no-brainer.鈥� Michael Ankers, Construction Products Association 鈥淓nsure the government does not return to lowest cost, single-stage tendering on its own contracts.鈥� Stephen Ratcliffe, UK Contractors Group

Expenses claim to fame

Made a 拢45,000 profit after selling a London flat designated as his second home

Housing minster John Healey

Where鈥檚 he from?

Since his election in 1997, Healey has been parliamentary private secretary to Gordon Brown, undersecretary of state for education and skills, financial secretary to the Treasury and minister for local government at the communities department.

What does he want to do?

鈥淢y first priority is to continue the real help we are offering to people struggling with their mortgage as well as first-time buyers trying to get a foot on the housing ladder. Equally clear action is needed now to make sure all parts of the country have the high quality and energy-efficient homes needed in the years to come.鈥�

What does the industry want him to do?

鈥淭he priorities have to be the delivery of the HomeBuy Direct and Kickstart schemes and to address the impact of regulations such as the community infrastructure levy and zero carbon regulation.鈥� Stewart Baseley, Home Builders Federation

Expenses claim to fame

Claimed 拢1,172 for a new front door for his Lambeth flat

Schools minister Vernon Coaker

Where鈥檚 he from?

Before becoming an MP in 1997, Coaker worked as a teacher in Nottingham, and remains a member of the National Union of Teachers. Before the reshuffle he was a minister in the Home Office.

What does he want to do?

鈥淐ompleted 黑洞社区 Schools for the Future projects have almost doubled in the past six months and momentum is building fast. We want to keep up that progress and make sure new schools are linking up with health, social and children鈥檚 services so families and young people get the support they need through our new co-location fund.鈥�

What does the industry want him to do?

鈥淢ake sure that bringing primary schools under Partnerships for Schools doesn鈥檛 slow down the building programme. And continue to improve procurement.鈥� Stephen Ratcliffe, UKCG

鈥淚t鈥檚 important that he helps protect existing spending commitments. We also hope schools are first in line to benefit from an upturn.鈥� John Frankiewicz, chief executive, Willmott Dixon

Expenses claim to fame

Claimed 拢400 a month for food and bills

Skills minister Kevin Brennan

Where鈥檚 he from?

The son of a steelworker, Brennan was elected in 2001 and was made assistant whip in 2005. He was an undersecretary in the Department for Schools, Children and Families from 2007 to 2008, when he moved to the Cabinet Office as parliamentary secretary. He is also a guitarist in the band MP4, a little-known rock group made up entirely of MPs.

What does he want to do?

鈥淲e鈥檙e putting more than 拢1bn into apprenticeships next year. We鈥檙e also looking to exploit the potential of the government鈥檚 拢175bn spending a year, so that our buying power promotes training and apprenticeships.鈥�

What does the industry want him to do?

鈥淗e has to help displaced apprentices 鈥� we鈥檒l lose them if nothing is done to encourage employers to take them on.鈥� Geoff Lister, Construction Apprenticeship Taskforce

鈥淚n the last recession 500,000 people left the sector resulting in the skills gap of the late nineties. One way to get employers to train this time would be to require councils to work only with firms that have apprentices.鈥� Brian Berry, Federation of Master Builders

Expenses claim to fame

Had a 拢450 television delivered to his family home in Cardiff but claimed the money back on his London second home allowance