'Payslips seen by the Guardian show that one man worked a 39-hour week and took home just £8.80 after his entire monthly rent was deducted in one week, in breach of the law. A second worker was paid £79.20 for a 63-hour week and a third worked 70 hours a week for just £66. As they were registered as self-employed they did not receive holiday or sick pay. One man had £228 taken from his pay in one week for tools. The men each had a further £76.80 deducted weekly as their payment to the "construction industry scheme", which technically registers them as self-employed, meaning their employers have no requirement to pay national insurance.'

'A spokesman for the department for business said that the construction industry was covered by the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate. "The reason we have not extended the GLA [Gangmasters Licensing Act] into construction is because there has been no consensus to do so and we have felt there are more effective ways to tackle abuses in the sector."'

Well no, Mr. Spokesman, it seems there aren't. Another worthless voluntary code that's good for a laugh down at the lodge or the golf club. No consensus means "The construction industry bosses wouldn't wear it".