The Government has missed a series of public-sector construction targets in areas such as housing, education and health, according to a damning report to be released this week by the Construction Products Association.

The plan to upgrade 95% of social housing to acceptable standards by 2010 is well behind schedule, says the CPA, a building sector trade body. More than 700,000 social homes, about 18% of the stock, are not up to scratch.

Plans to rebuild or improve the country's 3,500 secondary schools by 2023 are also at risk after one-tenth of the project was not completed by 2008, as originally intended. However, a revised target of 41 schools to open in 2008-09 has been exceeded by 13.

Independent On Sunday