Mace has come under attack for considering plans to charge subcontractors for a place on its supply chain.

Mace has now dropped the proposals to charge an “annual incentive” payment following furious feedback from suppliers.

Details of the idea emerged as leaders of the Specialist Engineering Contractors Group wrote to cabinet minister Francis Maude about Carillion’s behaviour towards suppliers.

The firm has been renegotiating existing contracts with suppliers in the wake of Government spending cuts.