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Government plans to create 150,000 construction jobs

David Cameron and George Osborne are due to appear in Nottingham today to promote the Government's national infrastructure plan, which they claim will create 150,000 jobs.

The pair will appear at the site of the Nottingham tram extension, one of the 200 construction projects due for completion by 2015. It is the first time the prime minister and chancellor have appeared together since 2010. 

Osborne will pledge £36 billion for the 200 construction projects, along with 200 more that are due to start this year.

The flagship projects include the upgrade of Heathrow's Terminal 2 and Gwynt y Môr offshore wind farm. Cameron recently said that infrastructure was a crucial part of the Government's long-term economic plan.

The announcement comes on the back of continuing improvement in employment figures. However, there are signs that productivity is not keeping pace with recovery. A report released by the Centre for Policy Studies, based on figures from the Office of National Statistics, shows that productivity is still 4.3% down on this time in 2008. 

The report suggests that if productivity had remained on course at its 2008 year-on-year growth of 1.16%, it would be 30% higher than it is today. Some construction and infrastructure sectors have contracted in the previous year. Mining (-3.2%) and energy (-1.7%) have been the worst affected areas. 

Alasdair Reisner, chief executive of the Civil Engineering Contractors Association, said the Government's plans should help invigorate construction and increase productivity.

"Our research indicates that every job created maintaining and improving our transport and utility networks supports a total of three new jobs across the economy as a whole," he said.