The ICE’s response to the Public Accounts Committee’s inquiry into major project governance and decision making lays out the challenges associated with delivering major infrastructure, and the existing literature that the committee may want to consider.
The ICE has responded to the Public Accounts Committee’s inquiry on major project decision making and governance.
There is a strong case for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of major infrastructure delivery. Trust in governments worldwide is in decline, and the UK is no exception. One of the central ingredients to rebuilding that trust will be the successful delivery of infrastructure projects up and down the country.
But, as in other jurisdictions, the government’s ability to deliver major, and mega, projects has failed to meet expectations over many years.
Unless delivery issues are addressed, the public are likely to lose faith that they will get the infrastructure they have been promised. Ongoing delivery challenges would also jeopardise the net zero transition, which needs to progress at pace.
Equally, the opportunity cost of the added cost to each individual project comes at the expense of other infrastructure investments that could deliver substantial benefits and an improved quality of life for the public. Non-delivery and the stop-start nature of project prioritisation also further discourages private investment – or costs the public more as private sector players price additional risk.
This inquiry is far from the first to focus on these issues. There is plenty the PAC can learn from the failures and successes of domestic and international projects, including High Speed 2, which the ICE has produced a review of.
The infrastructure sector, and government’s own recommendations for change have, for many years, been relatively consistent, and are numerous. The questions the inquiry might focus on include how existing and new structures in the government advisory and assurance system (including the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority) might help embed these learnings across major public projects.
The ICE explores some of the existing literature and lessons from best practice project delivery, and where things haven’t gone to plan in the submission linked below.
ICE responds to PAC major project governance and decision-making consultation
Content type: Policy
Last updated: 14 April 2025
You may also be interested in
- Type
- Webinar
Geo-data management in an AI world: why does it matter?
This webinar explores why trusted geo-data matters in an AI-enabled world. It will consider data quality, validation and verification, tools, data specification, close-out, consistency across datasets, and the value of sharing data with the British Geological Survey.
- Type
- Webinar
The Haverfordwest Signature Footbridge and Western Quayside regeneration project
A presentation from the architect, structural designers, fabricators and the principal contractor that delivered this unique structure. The discussion details how the bridge developed from concept design through to installation including the use of one of the largest cranes in the UK for the bridge …
- Type
- Infrastructure blog
How much is climate resilience truly worth?
A new ICE report calls for a review into the value of infrastructure adaptation and climate resilience in order to boost investment.