Mandatory sharing of ground investigation data under the proposed Geotechnical Data Sharing Bill is “critical” to cutting project cost and risk, AtkinsRéalis geotechnical engineer and Engineering Geology chair Dr Jacqueline Skipper told NCE. Skipper argues that making borehole logs, in situ test results and laboratory data publicly accessible would reduce duplicated site investigations, improve desk studies and help identify legacy hazards earlier in design. For contractors and consultants, she says the Bill could materially change tender pricing, contingency allowances and early-stage geotechnical risk allocation.

The Federation of Master Builders is urging the UK government to introduce mandatory licensing for all building trades as part of reforms to create a Single Construction Regulator, arguing current “halfway house” measures leave “vast gaps of no regulation”. Chief executive Brian Berry says responsible SMEs are being undercut by rogue traders operating with little oversight, causing serious financial and emotional harm to homeowners. The FMB wants the new regulator’s scope expanded to administer a state‑controlled licensing scheme that sets a clear competence baseline and strengthens enforcement.

Members of the Institution of Civil Engineers can now apply for the Kenneth Watson Travel Award and the Queen’s Jubilee Scholarship Trust (Quest) Travel Award to fund overseas study of infrastructure and engineering practice. Both schemes support early-career and mid-career engineers to investigate specific technical themes abroad, such as major bridge projects, geotechnical innovations or climate-resilient flood defences, and bring findings back to UK practice. Applicants must propose a structured travel plan with clear learning objectives and dissemination routes, making these grants useful for targeted technical upskilling rather than general travel.