Tackling Rogue Builders

Giles Watling Excerpts

Tuesday 13th June 2023 Westminster Hall

[Mark Garnier]

I am grateful for the intervention. To a certain extent, local authorities can step in where builders fail to meet building standards, but the problem is that that does not work. That is what I am worried about. As I unwind my speech, the hon. Member will be able to understand a little of what I am proposing, which may be a solution to the problems in his constituency.

Of course, highly qualified and professional firms are not the target of any control that we may want to bring in, but a lot of those very good quality firms would benefit from a simple regime that demonstrates beyond any doubt that a builder firm is legitimate and that the workers within it are both honest and qualified. Repeated surveys from organisations within the sector reinforce that consumers are put off by stories of rogue builders. The FMB estimated a few years ago that up to £3 billion a year is wiped off building activity by consumers fearful of falling victims to rogues.

More recently, the HomeOwners Alliance conducted a survey of consumer worries: 79% of those surveyed reported obstacles in the way of their project, including 42% reporting that it was difficult to find a reliable builder, 29% a lack of available builders, and 15% a lack of confidence in the system. The problem that I am trying to address, working with the FMB, is that of rogue builders who prey on clients who are wholly inexperienced in this area. The vast majority of people who employ a builder have no idea how to manage them. Most of us will only infrequently need the work of a builder or tradesman.

[Giles Watling (Clacton) (Con)]

I have a constituent, Michelle Thomas, who paid £70,000 for some restoration work to her house, and the house was left untenable. Building regulators said it should be destroyed. She has paid a further £70,000 and had a very honourable builder come and put it all right.

I am amazed that the Government are not minded to regulate the issue, because, as my hon. Friend says, it would be to the benefit of legitimate good builders who work hard and do good work. One of the issues is that we get repeat offenders, who offend time and again. In the case of my constituent, the rogue builder had been involved in six liquidations. That must be addressed in legislation.

[Sir Mark Hendrick (in the Chair)]

Order. Could I ask for interventions to be a bit briefer?

--- Later in debate ---

[Giles Watling]

rose—

[Sir Mark Hendrick (in the Chair)]

Just before the Minister takes an intervention, I remind Members that this is supposed to be a short debate. I understand that we are possibly going to have as many as five votes, when the votes are called. In the short time we have available, I would be grateful if we could minimise interventions.

[Giles Watling]

I am very grateful to the Minister for giving way. Is it not the case that historically we have relied on the cry of caveat emptor so much that we have not regulated, but that the time has come to regulate now?

[Nigel Huddleston]

I am sure the appropriate Minister has heard my hon. Friend’s appeals, and I promise to pass on those comments. The key thing is to get the right balance. If things work, we have got the balance right, but if they do not work properly, we need to reassess the balance. I assure him that on an ongoing basis, officials and Ministers pay close attention to what is going on in the sector. Many of the things that my hon. Friend and colleagues have appealed for today have been asked for by many people, but there is also some quite strong opposition, for good reason, so it is a matter of balance.

I will bring my comments to a close shortly, Sir Mark. On decarbonisation, the Government are working with the industry to ensure that high standards of consumer protection are embedded in our domestic household decarbonisation retrofit programmes. Government-funded schemes require installers to hold appropriate certifications. The Government are also seeking to increase the number of qualified and competent tradespeople and to ensure that they have the skills to deliver the quality of work required. We have already provided nearly £7 million to fund 8,000 training opportunities for the energy efficiency and low-carbon heating supply chains. We are considering options to work with the industry to support further training in key skills shortage areas and new routes of entry to increase capacity. My Department is also working closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to strengthen the consumer protections available through competent person schemes.

In conclusion, I would like to thank my neighbour, my hon. Friend the Member for Wyre Forest, for securing a debate on this important issue. I hope that I have been able to reassure hon. Members that the Government are not only committed to, but taking action to ensure that high standards of consumer protection exist and to tackle the problem of rogue builders and tradespeople.

Question put and agreed to.

Oral Answers to Questions

Giles Watling Excerpts

Thursday 9th February 2023 Commons Chamber

[Ms Ghani]

In my previous role I was dealing with the impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act, and I hope I will continue to do so, because so many business representatives whom I have met have raised it as a concern. The hon. Lady has referred to green technology. A great deal of work has already been done to promote all our expertise, especially in relation to hydrogen, but there is a huge amount of investment in the UK’s green technology sector and technology in general, and we are also a leading light when it comes to lithium. I was recently in Cape Town with our Green Lithium firm, which wanted to negotiate on how it could do more work in the United States. That is exactly what we are here to do—to facilitate collaboration of that kind.

[Giles Watling (Clacton) (Con)]

9. What assessment she has made of the potential merits of establishing a trade envoy for the Commonwealth.

[The Minister of State, Department for Business and Trade (Nigel Huddleston)]

The countries of the Commonwealth are important trading partners. Our total trading relationship was worth more than £146 billion in the 12 months to September 2022, which is why my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has already appointed trade envoys to 15 Commonwealth nations. We have trade agreements with 33 Commonwealth members, and five of the 11 members of the comprehensive and progressive agreement for trans-Pacific partnership are in the Commonwealth as well.

[Giles Watling]

As chairman of the 1922 committee’s Back-Bench foreign affairs policy committee, I recently shared our report with ministerial colleagues. One of its recommendations was the creation of a Commonwealth-specific trade envoy post. Does my hon. Friend agree that in this post-Brexit era, increasing trade and movement between the Commonwealth and the UK should be a top priority to foster economic growth? By the way, this is not a pitch for that job.

[Nigel Huddleston]

Yes, I am afraid that those jobs are at the discretion of the Prime Minister.

I hear what my hon. Friend is saying. We already have extensive coverage through the existing network, but we review the network regularly because we are committed to working with our allies in the Commonwealth to remove the barriers to trade and strengthen trading relationships to foster economic growth. Growing exports to Commonwealth countries is a priority, and trade increased by 25% in the year to September 2022. As for movement, we have a new global immigration system which is vital in supporting trade and economic growth, and the movement of business people on a temporary basis promotes and supports trade in services and goods and investment activities. Recognition of professional qualifications and business travel are always an important part of our trade deals.