What assessment he has made of the contribution of the civil engineering industry to the development of UK infrastructure.

Civil engineering and the construction of highways and water projects account for nearly 13 per cent. of construction output, which stood at more than £113 billion in 2006. The total market value of UK financial and non-financial assets in the same year was £6.5 trillion. Of that, civil engineering works accounted for just over 11 per cent.

I do not think that that reply was terribly helpful. Has the Minister seen the briefing from the Institution of Civil Engineers, "The State of the Nation"? I am sure that he was sent it. It states:

"Unpredictable, stop-start procurement by government is having a damaging effect on the civil engineering industry and holding back development of UK infrastructure.

Poor planning means public sector projects often have to compete with each other for resources, increasing the cost to the taxpayer."

Is the ICE right or wrong?

In his foreword to the report, the president of the ICE stated:

"There has rarely been a better time to be a civil engineer. The UK is entering one of its strongest periods of infrastructure investment, and the civil engineering industry is experiencing one of its busiest times."

I suggest that the hon. Gentleman read the whole report.

Given that, as the Minister has just mentioned, civil engineering and construction are so important, it is vital that the relationship between the Government and the industry should be close and trusting. Yet Baroness Vadera, the current ministerial incumbent, has a record on Metronet and on Network Rail that leads many people in the industry simply not to trust her. Given the industry's importance, to which the Minister has just alluded, does it not deserve better than a Minister who is neither suitable for the job nor accountable to this House?

With the greatest respect to the hon. Gentleman, the line of people from industry queuing up to see Baroness Vadera and, indeed, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, suggests that the industry continues to have considerable confidence in this Government. Perhaps that explains this further comment by the ICE:

"The outlook for the"— civil engineering—

"industry has rarely been more buoyant and exciting".

Has the Minister seen the report that was published last year by the Royal Academy of Engineering, entitled "Educating Engineers for the 21st Century"? One of its main conclusions was that in 10 years' time we will need far more high-calibre engineers than we are producing at the moment. Will the Minister meet me and members of the Royal Academy of Engineering to address those issues and to explore further what is in the report?

I would be very happy to meet my hon. Friend and anybody he wishes to bring with him to discuss that. Significant work is already being done to increase the opportunity for young people to go into civil engineering. I am sure that he will be aware of the establishment of the national skills academy for construction and of the programme that the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills has under way to invest in modern apprenticeships and a new diploma course. Of course we cannot be complacent about the skills that we need for this country's economy in future; on that basis, I would be happy to meet him and those whom he wants to bring with him.