Housebuilding activity proved to be the one positive note last month across a construction sector struggling to deal with Brexit uncertainty, according to new data published this week.

The IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction PMI reported that residential work in February was the best performing area of construction work, posting the 13^th successive month of growth.

But expansion was said to be “far below” the peaks seen last year and could not offset declines reported in construction and civil engineering activity that were the steepest for a year.