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Home maintenance group Homeserve said Ian Carlisle, CEO of Emergency Services, is to quit the company next year.

The Emergency Services division will focus on responding to insurance claims and commercial partnerships. The management of claims and service delivery will switch to the UK Membership business.

Carlisle leaves the company on 31 January 2009.

www.homeserve.co.uk

Ailing house builder Persimmon has announced that its profits for the first half of 2008 have fallen by 87% or over £244 million compared with 2007. The York-based business saw sales fall by 31% with house price drops and falling demand for new builds further eating into its numbers.

The building and construction sector has been hit by the highest increase in insolvencies of any industry sector - a jump of 35% in the past 12 months. A total of 449 building and construction campanies became insolvent between April and June 2008 according the PWC, whose spokesperson cited a drying up of work as a result of falling housing prices as the main cause of the rise.

Building materials group Saint Gobain has announced that it will cut 4,000 jobs worldwide, including 1,100 in the UK.

One of the leading Scottish home builders, Homes for Scotland, was called for action from the Scottish parliament as it faces the highest volume of job losses "since Ravenscraig in 1992." Chief executive for the Edinburgh-based form, Jonathan Fair was quoted in the Scotsman s

Government proposals published today (25 February) would require Lifetime Homes for all new homes by 2013 to “future proof” them and meet the needs and aspirations of Britain’s ageing population.

But professionals from HBF’s Retirement Housing Group (RHG) say that this exclusive focus on a “bricks and mortar” solution is misconceived.

The provision of support and companionship is a critical element in the quality of life of many older people.