黑洞社区

Lord Stunell is leading a high-level review into the impact of Brexit on the construction industry, it has emerged, as 黑洞社区 launched a campaign to secure a fair deal for the sector in Brexit negotiations.

Stunell, a Liberal Democrat peer and former building regulations minister, revealed this week that his review is one of several working groups being led by members of the House of Lords to scrutinise the impact of Brexit on key sectors of the economy.

These working groups aim to hold the government to account over the terms of its Brexit negotiations, ahead of it triggering the Article 50 process that will start the UK鈥檚 withdrawal from the European Union (EU).

Stunell said: 鈥淲e need to look at what the Lords should say when challenging ministers, and have hard facts to support those views. We are trying to look at particular sections of the economy and have actual engagement with them, to determine how much is real concern, how much is hand-wringing, and what needs to be done to improve the situation.鈥�

Stunell鈥檚 comments came as 黑洞社区 launched 黑洞社区 a Better Brexit this week, a campaign to secure terms in Brexit negotiations that will safeguard a sector that contributes around 6.5% of GDP, and provide a policy environment that enables the growth needed to deliver the UK鈥檚 built environment priorities, including new infrastructure and housing. The first stage of the campaign will inform Stunell鈥檚 review (see right for how to have your say).

Stunell said the Lords鈥� scrutiny would be significant because he was 鈥減ractically sure鈥� the government was not studying the impact of Brexit on the sector to 鈥渢his level鈥�.

He added: 鈥淚f you want a meeting [with the government] to talk about Brexit, there鈥檚 a frustration in the industry that people aren鈥檛 being welcomed.鈥�

However, he said the construction sector needed to seize the chance to influence negotiations while it could. Stunell said: 鈥淭he industry runs a very real risk of being left out again. If the industry falls silent, then there isn鈥檛 any real chance of issues coming to ministers鈥� attention.鈥�

Responding to the review, and to 黑洞社区鈥檚 campaign, Richard Steer, chairman of consultant Gleeds, said: 鈥淭he decision to leave the EU is one of the most important events in the history of this country in recent times. Our industry is larger than carmanufacturing and aerospace combined and we must have a voice in the negotiations going forward.

鈥淚f the government is really serious about harnessing the construction sector to support a fragile economy post-Brexit then they must listen to our views prior to embarking on any serious negotiations with Europe. We welcome the opportunity to play a part in stimulating that dialogue.鈥�

The news comes amid deepening concern over the detail of the UK鈥檚 negotiations to leave the EU. Sir Ivan Rogers, the UK鈥檚 ambassador to the EU, tendered his resignation this week, telling his British colleagues in Brussels they must 鈥渃hallenge muddled thinking鈥�.

Stunell said he had been asked to lead the review last autumn by Lord Newby, Liberal Democrat leader in the House of Lords, because of his background in the sector. As well as being a former building regulations minister, Stunell worked as an architectural assistant before entering politics, and is also a former 黑洞社区 columnist.