<p><span>Good quality can no longer be a “nice to have” aspect of construction, according to Eddie Hughes MP.</span></p> <p><span>Speaking at the Chartered Institute of Building’s (CIOB) parliamentary reception, the MP for Walsall North said that, after various improvements over the past 30 years, health and safety standards were now interwoven into the construction industry’s psyche. </span></p> <p><span>“Health and safety is the way we work, but we haven’t made the shift with quality. It’s seen as a ‘nice to have’”. </span></p> <p><span>Hughes spoke as the CIOB launched its report<i>, Improving Quality in the Built Environment</i>,<i> </i>which revealed an underlying cultural issue in the sector regarding quality. The report identified wide-ranging issues to be addressed, including education, inspections and co-operation with government.</span></p> <p><span>CIOB also gave details of the outcome of its Construction Quality Commission, established to identify what promotes or prevents delivery of quality and the steps needed to trigger change.</span></p> <p><span>Speaking at the reception, Paul Nash, chairman of the Commission and CIOB past president, said the organisation’s research showed that “quality was being sacrificed to achieve targets, whether that be cost or time. What was needed was a complete change in the way that our industry approaches the delivery of quality …