Paul Morrell to lead review of CITB

Former chief construction adviser Paul Morrell has been appointed to review the CITB as part of a wider assessment of the future for the UK’s industry training boards.

The government said it was launching the review after digesting the recommendations from Mark Farmer’s stinging review into construction efficiency, Modernise or Die, which was published last week and recommended reform of the CITB.

Morrell’s review will assess whether or not the CITB’s levy on employers should continue, alongside the government’s all-sector apprenticeship levy on large employers that is rolling out from next April.

The other industry training body coming under scrutiny is the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), which is also funded by a statutory training levy.

Morrell is credited with pushing through big reforms in public sector construction as chief construction adviser from 2009 to 2012, including the roll-out of building infromation modelling and billions of pounds of cost-savings.

He is a former senior partner of Davis Langdon, now part of global construction group Aecom.

Skills minister Robert Halfon said: “The government’s ambitious infrastructure and housing plans require a step up in capability and capacity in the construction sector.

“Training boards can help deliver the skills we desperately need and I look forward to seeing some real recommendations from this review.”

The CITB said it would work closely with Morrell on the review. Steve Radley, director of policy at CITB, said: “The Farmer report and this review raise a number of important questions about how to transform the performance and productivity of construction, and how CITB needs to reform to support this.

“It’s excellent news that Paul Morrell has been appointed to advise, as he knows the industry inside and out.”

Trade body Build UK also welcomed the review. Suzannah Nichol, the organisation’s chief executive, said: “This review must lead to a step change in CITB’s performance to ensure that it is equipped to support and enable construction employers to recruit, train and retain an appropriately skilled workforce, now and in the future.”

The news came after the government tweaked its proposals for the all-sector apprenticeship levy, in changes welcomed by industry.

Extra funding was provided to train 16 to 18 year olds and to train apprentices in the poorest parts of England, while longer tranisition periods were proposed to give employers more time to adapt.

The levy will be paid by employers in any sector with a pay bill over £3m.