Development of construction statistics

Abstract

In March 2008, responsibility for the collection and publication of construction statistics passed to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (now Department for Business, Innovation and Skills). A Construction Development Project was set up to develop new methods and processes for the transferred surveys, so as to bring them into line with existing ONS practise.This article outlines the progress made and key changes to the future publication of construction output and new orders statistics. Construction output estimates will now be produced monthly, and by feeding into the National Accounts, will enable more robust Gross domestic product (GDP) estimates of construction activity. New orders in the construction industry will change from a monthly to a quarterly survey to reduce the administrative burden on businesses and government.