Contractors must be paid, says British trade minister

British contractors and suppliers in Dubai that are owed money “need to be paid”, the British trade minister, Lord Davies, said during a visit to Abu Dhabi.

Several reports have emerged in recent months of foreign companies working in Dubai’s flagging construction industry being asked to accept only partial payment for work that has been completed.

In other cases, a range of consultants, suppliers and other firms lower down the property development ladder are struggling to stay in business as they wait to be paid.