In response to the Chancellor's speech on 29 January, the Institution of Civil Engineers director general, Dr Janet Young, said:
“In the speech, Chancellor Rachel Reeves shared some positive updates about how the government will support economic growth through infrastructure.
She outlined some clear objectives for the UK and announced that the Green Book, the government’s guidance on appraising projects, will be updated to better support decisions on public investment.
Investors and the construction supply chain need certainty so that they are confident that the UK is an attractive place to deliver infrastructure and updating the Green Book could help address regional imbalances in investment.
While more detail is needed on how the government will support growth and meet its net zero ambitions, delivering infrastructure and meeting the country’s climate objectives shouldn’t be seen as an either/or choice.
Planning and delivering the right infrastructure can go hand in hand with achieving the country’s net zero ambitions.
The ICE hopes to see an even more defined vision for the country in the forthcoming Planning & Infrastructure Bill and the 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy.”
Notes to editors
Please contact [email protected] for more information.
You may also be interested in
- Type
- Infrastructure blog
Can the UK’s infrastructure strategy survive political upheaval?
A year on from the UK’s 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy, ICE policy director Sam Gould reflects on its future.
- Type
- Infrastructure blog
Another report? Does the civil engineering market study simply state what we already know?
ICE Policy Fellow Paul Mullett takes a critical look at the Competition and Markets Authority's findings and wonders, “are we brave enough?”
- Type
- Infrastructure blog
Has the UK government done enough to get HS2 back on track?
New project cost and schedule figures have been released for the UK’s largest construction project.