Infrastructure is more than concrete and steel, it’s the connective tissue of our communities

Last week, I had the honour of addressing infrastructure leaders, technical experts, and fellow parliamentarians at the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Infrastructure (APPGI) annual reception.

Alongside Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the Rt Hon Darren Jones MP, and Dr Janet Young, director general of the ICE, I was genuinely heartened by the impressive turnout.

It reflected the critical importance infrastructure holds in transforming our economy, strengthening our society, and safeguarding our environment.

More than concrete and steel

In my opening remarks, I emphasised that infrastructure is not merely concrete and steel.

It represents the connective tissue of our communities, the catalyst for investment, and our promise to future generations to build resilience into the world they will inherit.

We stand at a critical juncture of policy reform. Indeed, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill was published by the government on the same day as our reception.

There has never been a more pertinent time for government and industry to unite and make decisions that will deliver a prosperous and sustainable future for the whole of the UK.

Preparing for upcoming changes

The timing of our event could not have been more significant.

This summer, the government will unveil its decade-spanning national infrastructure strategy. It will chart a comprehensive course for investment alongside the forthcoming spending review.

This strategy signals a defining moment for UK infrastructure. One where strategic, long-term vision will supersede the limitations of political cycles and nimbyism.

The government has also provided further information on the creation of the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA), merging the National Infrastructure Commission and Infrastructure and Projects Authority.

This represents a paradigm shift towards more efficient delivery in this sector and demonstrates just how important infrastructure is to the government's growth agenda.

It was particularly positive to hear the chief secretary to the Treasury's view on the importance of this change, and the value of interdepartmental work when unblocking infrastructure.

Confronting the challenges ahead

While government commitments are promising, and these changes are long overdue, we must confront the magnitude of challenges before us.

The National Infrastructure Commission's second assessment conveyed with stark clarity that the UK must speed up its infrastructure renewal to achieve economic prosperity and environmental sustainability.

Our transport networks, water security, energy resilience, and comprehensive decarbonisation are all critical areas demanding immediate focus.

This is precisely where the APPGI proves its value in ensuring infrastructure policy remains at the forefront of Parliament's agenda.

From championing transformative projects to engaging ministers on strategic decisions, we provide the platform where expert voices can help shape effective policy.

The APPGI and our three core priorities

As chair of the APPGI, and alongside the ICE as our secretariat, I've established three core priorities for our group.

1. Establishing certainty and stability

The UK must transcend the damaging stop-start approach that has plagued infrastructure projects for decades. Private sector confidence in infrastructure investment has wavered due to political turbulence.

To attract substantial long-term capital, we need transparent, consistent policy frameworks that instil confidence in businesses and investors alike.

The APPGI will seek to ensure that establishing certainty and stability remains at the top of Parliament’s agenda.

2. Embedding sustainability and resilience

Our infrastructure must be engineered not just for today, but for future generations.

The UK's net zero commitment by 2050 demands bold, decisive action across energy systems, transport networks, and our built environment.

From zero-emission mobility to climate-adaptive infrastructure, we must embrace smarter, more sustainable working practices that guarantee longevity and environmental responsibility.

The APPGI will work to ensure that sustainability gets its fair hearing and is delivered in a way that does not block the infrastructure our country desperately needs for growth. We will work to find that balance.

3. Fostering genuine public engagement

Infrastructure decisions must be transparent, inclusive, and democratically sound.

Recent polling from the ICE revealed that two thirds of Britons feel that major infrastructure projects are poorly communicated to them.

We have a responsibility to articulate the benefits, costs, and necessity of transformative projects so that communities become partners in progress, rather than feeling that infrastructure is imposed upon them.

It was clear from the audience questions at the reception that industry and experts are so enthusiastic to support government on this mission. The APPGI will provide that platform.

Treasury support for our infrastructure vision

Given that it was a theme of the speeches during the evening, it was my particular pleasure to welcome Darren Jones MP to our reception.

His stewardship of public spending and oversight of infrastructure investment is fundamental to translating our infrastructure vision into tangible reality.

As ministers finalise the spending review, our collective task is to ensure that infrastructure investment continues to be prioritised, strategically targeted, and efficiently deployed.

We need a funding model that drives sustainable growth while maintaining fiscal discipline. With the UK facing a substantial infrastructure funding gap, we must explore innovative mechanisms to mobilise private capital alongside public investment.

I was pleased that after the event I had a number of senior industry colleagues express their enthusiasm for the government’s growth plans. They also expressed how refreshed they were at the chief secretary’s candid answers to their questions.

This government’s genuine commitment to delivery cut through across the evening.

Seizing opportunities and addressing obstacles

Despite speaking frankly on the challenges we face, the reception wasn't merely about addressing challenges, it was about seizing opportunities.

Infrastructure forms the bedrock of our economic prosperity. When executed with vision and precision, it unlocks growth, creates skilled employment, and fundamentally enhances quality of life across our nation.

To achieve this, we must be ambitious, collaborative, and forward-thinking in our approach.

The path ahead will require dedication, innovation, and cross-sector collaboration. I am confident that together, we can build the infrastructure that the UK needs to thrive in the 21st century and beyond.

In the coming months, I look forward to navigating the crucial decisions that will shape our infrastructure landscape for decades to come.

Learn about the APPGI's work