THE pace of growth in the UK construction sector picked up slightly in May but was the second-weakest in any month since June 2013, a survey has shown.

The report, published by the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS), raises further questions about the momentum of expansion in the sector, in spite of UK Government measures to fuel the housing market.

CIPS's purchasing managers' index for construction, which measures activity in the sector, rose from 54.2 in April to 55.9 in May on a seasonally-adjusted basis.

While remaining above the level of 50 deemed to separate expansion from contraction, the survey points to significantly weaker growth in the sector than that over much of the past two years.

CIPS noted that the modest rebound in the sector's growth rate from the pace to which it had slowed sharply in April had resulted from a faster increase in residential building activity.

It highlighted the survey's finding that the civil engineering sub-sector had returned to growth in May.

However, commercial property construction activity grew last month at its weakest pace since August 2013.

The UK construction sector workforce grew in May at its fastest pace in five months. Meanwhile, the construction sector saw the first acceleration in the pace of new business growth in three months, according to the survey.

The survey also signals an increase in confidence among construction firms, in terms of their expectations of business activity over the next 12 months.

CIPS noted that firms' confidence about the year-ahead outlook was at its strongest since February 2006.

But Tim Moore, senior economist at Markit and author of the construction PMI report, said: "It is far from certain whether the relief rally in construction confidence will usher in a lasting turnaround in output volumes on the ground.

"Despite a client spending rebound in May, all three key areas of construction activity have lost considerable momentum over the past 12 months. The scale of the construction slowdown since 2014 is such that it will not be fully reversed through the release of pent-up demand after the election alone."

He added: "Moreover, substantial supply-chain pressures and acute sub-contractor shortages persisted during May, especially across the UK housebuilding sector, in turn driving up operating costs and hampering productivity gains at construction firms."