黑洞社区

Mace chief executive Mark Reynolds has said the government has completely ignored industry worries over access to labour once the UK leaves the EU next March.

The 拢2bn turnover firm is working on a string of blue riband projects including the late-running Spurs stadium, the first three phases of the Chelsea Barracks scheme and AstraZeneca鈥檚 new headquarters building in Cambridge.

Reynolds鈥� intervention is the most high-profile on the issue yet by a senior figure in the industry and comes after prime minister Theresa May said earlier today the UK鈥檚 immigration plan after Brexit would focus on high-skilled workers and that no priority would be given to people from the EU.

She added that free movement of workers between UK and the EU would end 鈥渙nce and for all鈥� after Brexit.

But Reynolds (pictured) said: 鈥淭he government has failed to listen to industry on the importance of maintaining access to a broad mix of labour after Brexit.

鈥淭he future of the UK鈥檚 construction and engineering sectors relies on the availability of both highly skilled specialists and so-called 鈥榣ow skilled鈥� labour. I believe that the policy should be urgently reviewed and business consulted once again; as without access to the right mix of skills we will be unable to deliver sustainable construction growth after Brexit.鈥�

He also took aim at the apprenticeship levy which he said was 鈥減reventing us investing effectively in the skills of our people and our supply chain. Any changes to migration rules that will limit the availability of so-called 鈥榣ow skilled鈥� labour will exacerbate the problem.鈥�

London is expected to be hit hardest by the planned restrictions on EU labour following Brexit. In the summer, Skanska鈥檚 UK chief executive Greg Craig said the amount of EU labour on some of the firm鈥檚 sites in the capital was as high as 70%.

And in June, Rob Perrins, the chief executive of housebuilder Berkeley, said: 鈥淚t is a fact that over half of London鈥檚 site labour comes from the EU. This needs to be addressed by a combination of continued access to EU labour, skills training and innovation.鈥�

Liz Jenkins, projects & construction partner at law firm Clyde & Co, said the government鈥檚 strategy could help send more EU workers heading for the exit door.

She added: 鈥淭he focus on highly skilled workers might make sense if the country鈥檚 skills shortage was not also affecting the sectors that rely heavily on lower skilled labour. It鈥檚 well documented that the construction industry is facing a chronic skills shortage and currently heavily relies on EU labourers that are quickly leaving the country due to Brexit uncertainty.鈥�

Figures released by the Office of National Statistics over the summer showed that one third of workers on London sites were from overseas with 28% coming from the EU.