SMALL and medium-sized construction firms in Scotland enjoyed a sharper acceleration in growth of activity than their peers anywhere else in the UK, a survey signals.

The Federation of Master Builders’ latest report shows a weighted net balance of 35 per cent of small and medium-sized construction firms in Scotland were in the first quarter positive overall about recent and expected movements in workloads and levels of inquiries from customers.

This was an improvement of 25 percentage points on the weighted net balance recorded for the fourth quarter of last year. The FMB noted this was the greatest rise in this indicator seen in any nation or region of the UK in the first quarter.

The weighted net balance is calculated by subtracting the proportion of companies making negative responses from that declaring a positive picture, after weighting firms by size.

A weighted net balance of 26 per cent of small and medium-sized construction companies across the UK were positive about workloads and inquiry levels. However, firms highlighted expectations of rises in the cost of materials.

FMB chief executive Brian Berry said: “Workloads rose in every part of the UK, with particularly positive results in the devolved nations. Given the concerns wider consumer confidence might be weakening, it’s encouraging that smaller construction firms aren’t sensing any drop-off in demand for their services.”