Construction experts: 'We don't trust ONS output data'

摘要

Construction output statistics from the Office for National Statistics are misleading and becoming increasingly irrelevant, according to leading figures from the industry-Many economists believe data collection problems have led the ONS to release inaccurate construction output figures. For the six months to September 2010, for example, construction output was estimated to have risen 13.5% at a time when the market was deemed flat. Paul Sheffield, chief executive of Kier, believes the data is "misleading." He said: "I wouldn't run our business based on construction output figures. For example, the ONS figures for last year were baloney."