The construction industry output of the UK in January this year fell by 12.3 percent compared to December 2011 and was down 2.3 percent year on year, while for the three-month period ending January 2012, output was 10.6 percent down compared to the previous three months, according to a report released by the UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Commenting on the figures, UK-based Construction Products Association's (CPA) economics director Noble Francis said, "Overall, we are not particularly surprised that construction output has continued to decline, due to the effect of the public sector cuts. The government has made much play on private sector construction leading the recovery, as the public sector cuts begin to bite. Unfortunately from the ONS data out today, this recovery is just not happening and even commercial activity, usually the largest private construction sector, is showing a fall of 11 percent."