The ICE brought together MPs and industry leaders to discuss regulation, pipelines, skills, and more.
The ICE welcomed industry leaders and government figures to discuss the delivery of the UK's infrastructure plans.
The UK government has a hugely ambitious infrastructure agenda. As the home of infrastructure, the ICE brings together parliamentarians and industry leaders to discuss how we can best deliver it.
The ICE started 2026 by hosting two private roundtables: the first with James Murray MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury; the second with Minister for Industry Chris McDonald.
Chaired by ICE director general Janet Young, the discussions focused on strengthening the delivery system at a moment of significant institutional change.
Strategic foundations
Participants welcomed the establishment of the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) and the government’s renewed emphasis on long-term planning. Across both engagements, they highlighted the need to build on these foundations.
Discussions covered:
- The importance of clear and realistic pipelines
- A coordinated and better-resourced consenting and regulatory system
- The need for stable, multiyear funding
- Strengthening client capability across central, local, and devolved bodies
These themes closely mirror two recent pieces of ICE work:
- Our “pinch points” analysis of the systemic barriers slowing delivery
- Our work on assessment and assurance processes in the paper Why Do Major Projects Take So Long and Cost So Much?
Skills, culture, and system alignment
Skills shortages and leadership capacity were major themes at both sessions. Leaders called for a clearer long-term skills plan and more diverse expertise to meet future digital and technical demands.
Discussions highlighted emerging challenges to workforce planning, including AI-driven changes to professional roles and the need for deeper and more diverse expertise to strengthen decision-making.
Participants also reflected on the need for a culture shift across government and delivery bodies: one towards collaboration, innovation, and stronger alignment between policy design and practical delivery.
Strengthening market confidence and investment readiness
Stable policy, predictable processes, and clear investment incentives are necessary to attract private capital. Proposals included developing new domestic investment vehicles and improving project readiness through better digital adoption and more standardised approaches.
NISTA is valuable as a central coordinating institution, with a key role in reducing fragmentation, improving regulation, and embedding systems thinking across major programmes.
The ICE’s ongoing role
The ICE continues to support these discussions with evidence drawn from its policy programme, including:
- Pinch Points to Delivering on the UK’s Infrastructure Ambitions (2026)
- Why Do Major Projects Take So Long and Cost So Much? (2025)
- State of the Nation: Infrastructure in 2026
Turning strategy into delivery will require sustained collaboration, clear prioritisation, and a strong delivery culture across government and industry.
The ICE stands ready to help develop the practical steps needed to accelerate delivery and unlock the UK’s long-term infrastructure ambitions.
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