2.20 Critical infrastructure programmes and projects will typically involve major investment decisions and multiple stakeholders. The issues affecting delivery of the investment include those of a systemic nature such as planning and the wider consents regime, economic regulation and pricing policy, which affect the programmes as a whole, and project specific issues, such as the commercial arrangements between stakeholders.
2.21 Government action can help to remove barriers and open the way for the necessary investments to be made, whether projects or programmes are being delivered by the public or private sectors. Large and complex programmes and projects require a multi-faceted and sustained focus to resolve issues over the lifetime of the project to ensure that they can be delivered on time.
2.22 The Government is committed to ensuring that priority programmes and projects deliver their outcomes as effectively as possible and that any emerging issues are dealt with rapidly. To support this, the Treasury will work with Departments to:
• review and challenge progress on delivery – so that vital projects are suitably prioritised, and time, cost and performance targets are maintained;
• facilitate the relationships between the Government and private investors, developers and contractors to increase the understanding of the road blocks to delivery;
• identify and address key areas of Government policy that need to be resolved, developed and/or clarified to support the delivery of the priority investment including those between different parts of the public sector; and
• improve conditions for private investment in growth supporting projects, recognising the trade-offs between affordability, value for money and risk allocation.
2.23 Different approaches will be needed from project to project, reflecting public or private sector leadership and the programme or project's stage of development. This will include using the commercial expertise across Government to support this work. This is not about removing the rule book, but rather about identifying and resolving issues as quickly and efficiently as possible. There are some constraints on the Government's ability to act:
• statutory processes must still be applied (e.g. planning);
• existing funding allocation routes will continue and individual Departments will remain accountable for spending;
• devolved or local decisions where the Government may be able to influence outcomes but does not take final decisions;
• the need to maintain strong public spending controls including ensuring value for money and that assurance processes are followed;
• purely private investment on a commercial basis where the key issue for investors will be the commercial proposition and the Government will have more limited influence; and
• decisions taken by Ministers in a quasi-judicial capacity must follow the appropriate legal process.
2.24 Action on priority infrastructure investment will be closely coordinated with the Major Projects Authority in the Cabinet Office for the projects they monitor.
2.25 The Government intends to match its enhanced ministerial oversight of infrastructure with enhanced business engagement in taking this plan forward to ensure the plan continues to focus on the right priorities to support growth.