In Great Britain, the construction industry output volume in non-seasonally adjusted, constant (2005) prices is estimated to have decreased seven percent in February this year compared to the same month of 2012, according to a report released by the UK-based Office for National Statistics (ONS). The total volume of construction output rose by 5.5 percent in February as compared to January. According to the ONS, there were increases in output for nearly all sectors in February, with the exception of private commercial other new work which showed a fall of 0.5 percent.
Comparing the three months from December 2012 to February 2013 with the same period one year earlier, the volume of construction output decreased by 8.9 percent, and was down 16 percent compared to the previous three months.
The UK-based Construction Products Association (CPA) said that the latest figures indicated a pickup in February as the industry recovered from the poor weather experienced in January. Commenting on the figures, CPA economics director Noble Francis said, "‘The three months to February represent the worst quarter of construction output since the first quarter of 1987 and indicate that construction output is likely to fall this year. The association forecasts that output in the industry will fall two percent in 2013 and this will inevitably impact on the wider economy. If the government's announcements to boost housing and infrastructure over the past 18 months are delivered, this could provide some much needed activity on the ground."
