Scotland’s builders only ones in UK to see growth

In Insider today:

Scotland was the only UK nation to see growth among builders accelerate in the last three months, with an increase in both workloads and enquiries, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) Scotland. The trade association’s State of Trade Survey for the second quarter of 2019, which assesses the SME construction sector, found that in Scotland in terms of the overall score for workloads, expected workloads and enquiries, had an increase of 23 percentage points compared to the previous quarter.

https://www.insider.co.uk/news/scotlands-construction-sector-outperforms-rest-18800558

The above report does not mention the part played in this by Scottish government funding of new public housing, though a previous one (22^nd July) did:

Growth in Scotland’s construction sector has accelerated as businesses become “fed-up” waiting for Brexit, according to new figures. The Q2 2019 RICS Construction and Infrastructure Market Survey also shows workload and employment expectations are gathering pace for the year ahead. Workloads in public housing grew at the fastest pace, with a net balance of 52% more respondents reporting an increase in activity – up from -30% in Q1. This was closely followed by growth in private housing workloads.

https://www.insider.co.uk/news/fed-up-waiting-construction-industry-18333455

This contrasts with decline in the UK. From Insider on 2^nd July:

The UK’s construction output has plummeted at its steepest rate since 2009, as Brexit uncertainty and weaker demand hit all major areas of the industry. The Markit/CIPS UK Construction purchasing managers’ index (PMI) recorded a reading of 43.1 for June, down from 48.6 in May.

https://www.insider.co.uk/news/construction-output-drops-sharpest-rate-17327838

Earlier reports of health in Scottish economy:

Reporting Scotland fish for problems to deflate confidence in the economy by avoiding doing any research!

Scottish economy grows for ninth quarter in row

Yet more objective evidence Scotland’s economy healthy in SNP care

Scottish labour market outperforms UK revealing more evidence of health in economy

Umpteenth post on underlying strength in Scottish economy: Property investment up 19.8%!

Scottish business confidence well above UK average

SNP blamed as private businesses experience too much demand and overcrowding with new staff second only to Labour-mayored London.

Scottish business confidence stays high…Ah but!..Oh shut up Revoking Scotland!

63% fall in large business insolvencies as Scottish economy reveals strength

See this Douglas? Business investment in Scotland up 250%!

Scottish Business Strength No.77: Small Scottish construction firms’ growth up 17%

Scottish small businesses still more confident than those in non-Scottish parts

Business activity soars to four-year high across manufacturing and service

Business confidence in Scotland soars by 24% while it sinks 29% in non-Scottish parts of UK

Scottish businesses more likely to be stable than those in rest of UK: News from a parallel universe unknown to our mainstream media

Scottish Government supports economy with new business rates unique in UK

Legerwood July 31, 2019 / 9:14 am

CH4 tonight at 9pm, if I remember correctly, there is a programme about council housing. I think it is the first in a short series. It will be interesting to see if it makes any mention of the situation in Scotland or will the situation in England be taken as applying across the UK?

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- johnrobertson834 July 31, 2019 / 1:51 pm
  
  Thanks for the alert.
  
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  - Legerwood July 31, 2019 / 10:25 pm
    
    Well looks like I was right. Situation in England but discussed/described as if it applied to the whole of the UK. Plenty of talk about right to buy and need to remove it but no mention that it has already been removed in Scotland for new build social housing.
    
    I do not have a problem with a programme or programmes being made about the situation in England so long as it is upfront about being about England otherwise it is deceiving people when it uses terms like ‘UK’ and ‘Britain’. It is deceiving the people of England by allowing them to think the situation applies across the UK. It is deceiving the people of Scotland, many of whom may be unaware what the SG is achieving with regard to housing, by making it seem the situation pertains across the UK.
    
    People in England have a right to know that different approaches have been made in different parts of the UK and the people in Scotland need to know that things are being done differently in Scotland. For sure they wont find it out from the MSM in Scotland
    
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