In November, he warned that he would big companies that did not sign up to the code.
In the three months since then, Interserve, Carillion, Kier听and Laing O鈥橰ourke have signed the code, joining earlier signatories such as Balfour Beatty, Skanska, Willmott Dixon and Morgan Sindall (signed up as Morgan Lovell in 2010).
Housebuilder Berkeley has also added its name, as have consulting engineer Atkins and builders鈥� merchants SIG and Wolseley.
Major names from contracting that have not expressed this commitment to pay their suppliers on time include: Costain, Galliford Try,听BAM, Vinci, Wates, Amec听and ISG.
This means that more major contractors are ignoring the minister than have responded to his call for action.
Also notable by their absence are housebuilders Barratt,听Bovis Homes, Persimmon, Redrow and Taylor Wimpey.
From the builders鈥� merchant side, neither Howden nor Travis Perkins has signed up.
CBI director Matthew Fell said: 鈥淕ood relationships between purchasers and their suppliers are critical to growth and jobs, especially in smaller and medium-sized firms, and this includes ensuring timely payment. The government鈥檚 voluntary code is an important way to promote healthy supply chains but there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Some businesses will choose to support suppliers in other ways, like providing supply chain finance or training 辫谤辞驳谤补尘尘别蝉.鈥�
Forum of Private Business chief executivePhil Orford said: "The Prompt Payment Code is a kitemark for treating suppliers fairly. Companies that have chosen to sign up must understand that it is not just a token gesture, but a sizeable responsibility against which their payment practices can and will be judged."
Interestingly, publishing giant UBM, a FTSE 350 company听whose construction magazines write听much about the damage caused by the late payment of bills,听has also chosen not to sign the Prompt Payment Code.
听
Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk
