To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy that the Office of Government Commerce ensure that the public sector procurers recognise any pre-qualification scheme that conforms to the core criteria in the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations; and whether he intends to bring forward proposals for a specific scheme. (246866)

It is already policy that Government clients involved in the procurement of built environments should ensure that their pre-qualification and tendering processes are appropriate for the project, meet legal obligations and avoid unnecessary bureaucracy and costs for suppliers. This requirement is made mandatory in the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) ‘Common Minimum Standards for the procurement of built environments’.

The OGC recommends that government construction clients make use of ‘Constructionline’, a Government-owned pre-qualification tool that aligns with the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations, when carrying out their pre-qualification procedures. However, clients may use an alternative mechanism if that is considered appropriate. It is not planned to restrict registration to a specific scheme.

The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations legislate the approach required to health and safety on construction sites. The Health and Safety Executive is responsible for any enforcement of those regulations.