AUDIO NEWS: Government abandons plan for forensic marking for power tools

The Home Office abandons plan for mandatory forensic marking for power tools, government outlines initiative to add 400,000 green energy jobs and construction workers worry about AI

The Home Office has decided it won’t be including power tools or plant machinery in secondary legislation for the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act.

It was hoped that legislation would make forensic marketing mandatory for expensive power tools and establish a national database to track tools.

Sarah Jones, minister of state policing and crime confirmed that the law would now be limited to removable GPS units and all-terrain vehicles.

The Construction Equipment Association (CEA) told the Construction Index that “for many manufacturers the decision to narrow the focus will come as welcome news.”

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The government has unveiled ambitious plans to add another 400,000 energy jobs — including both plumbers and electricians — by 2030.

In plans set out earlier this week, Pat McFadden, the work and pensions secretary promised to add five new ‘clean energy’ technical excellence colleges and harness transferable skills of veterans in an effort to create more skilled tradespeople.

He also pledged tailored training schemes for ex-offenders, school leavers and the unemployed.

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Three in five construction professionals are concerned they’re not adopting technology fast enough – that’s according to a report from NBS.

The survey of 550 people in the industry also estimates that two in five construction workers use AI tools in their daily work.

Dr Stephen Hamil, innovation director at NBS said the data indicated a pivotal moment in the industry.

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