The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) has been called into question after an investigation revealed people were fraudulently obtaining construction qualifications.

Hidden cameras during a joint BBC London/Newsnight investigation caught test centres rigging construction health and safety exams.

Construction workers in the UK are now required to hold a CSCS skills card to prove their qualifications and knowledge of health and safety.

However, the investigation revealed organised and widespread cheating across a string of the 544 testing centres certified for the scheme.

In some cases, for a fee, applicants would have the answers to multiple choice questions read out for them, while in others training centre operators would take tests for them.

In a statement, the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) said: "CITB is fully aware of the problem card fraud poses to the UK construction industry, which is why we have taken a series of measures to tackle this head-on.


"In 2014, CITB's Executive Team doubled our spend on fraud investigations in July 2014, which has led to five internet testing centres being shut down – with eight other centres under investigation.

"We suspended the contract for WEP Testing Centre, which featured on Newsnight tonight in August 2015 and further to subsequent investigations, we have suspended another centre that we believe to be connected today.

"We actively work with CSCS to revoke fraudulent cards wherever they are found, which has in some cases helped trigger investigations into suspect testing centres.

"In addition, we are accelerating our plans to install mandatory CCTV in all testing centres to monitor footage for signs of fraudulent activity, and have launched a series of spot-checks on test centres to act as a deterrent.

"Our intelligence suggests card fraud is focussed in a small minority of the 544 testing centres across the country – and we are working hard alongside partners including the Health and Safety Executive and the National Crime Agency to help stamp out this problem."

A CSCS statement added: "CSCS takes the issue of fraudulent activity extremely seriously and it is essential that steps are taken to prevent it.

"It is important to note that CSCS is not responsible for developing qualifications or delivering construction industry training.

"CSCS relies on the Awarding Organisations (approved by qualifications regulator OFQUAL) to monitor the performance of their approved training providers and to verify that an individual has achieved the required qualifications before CSCS issues a card.

"CSCS works closely with the Awarding Organisations, CITB, HMRC, the Police, Trading Standards and other agencies to identify and take action against those attempting to deceive construction employers."

(LM/MH)