It's time to turn policy goals into reality, says government advisor

The National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) has called for clear plans with policy levers, appropriate budgets and milestones to ensure government departments, industry and regulators are working effectively towards the government’s stated infrastructure goals.

In its Annual Monitoring Report 2021, published last week, the NIC has proposed a ten-point plan for accelerating action to turn government ambitions into reality. As well as priority action on decarbonisation, broadband and transport, its plan included:

• establishment of an infrastructure bank in an interim form by spring 2021, so it can support infrastructure projects to help meet the objectives of economic recovery, net zero and levelling up;

• update economic regulation – develop a road map enabling regulators to legislate for net zero and collaboration duties, creating mechanisms to introduce more competition to facilitate strategic investment and innovation in water and energy; and

• set out how infrastructure systems should cope with shocks and stresses by responding to the NIC’s resilience recommendations, including the resilience duties originally recommended in Strategic investment and public confidence.

The report charts progress and highlights how “government has set clear, measurable and timebound targets to phase-out new sales of petrol and diesel cars and vans, increase solid waste recycling rates, rollout gigabit capable broadband, reduce water leakage, carry out trials of hydrogen production, implement low carbon heating and deploy offshore wind.” But adds: "The next step is for government to set out clear plans to deliver these goals.”

NIC chair, Sir John Armitt, concluded: “2020’s policy statements set the bar high: 2021 must be a year of turning policy goals into delivery.”