3.10 In the public sector Infrastructure UK will report by autumn 2011 on new programme delivery funding and approval models to be developed in collaboration with the Highways Agency and Environment Agency programmes and their respective sponsor departments.
3.11 In the regulated utilities sectors the Government will work with regulators and providers to align work planning and regulatory funding cycles or identify other means to ensure regulatory frameworks support longer-term planning and investment. In the electricity sector Ofgem has already announced plans to extend price control periods from five to eight years. In the water industry the Government will report on alternative approaches as part of the review of the water industry regulatory framework in spring/summer 2011. Infrastructure UK will work with Defra, Ofwat and the water industry in considering alternative approaches to smooth out the stop-start cycle effect.
3.12 In the rail sector the Government will work with the regulator and delivery bodies to consider the basis on which forward contract certainty and planning can be improved in response to the McNulty Rail Value for Money Study and as part of the wider reviews on rail franchising and the rail strategy paper to be published in autumn 2011.
3.13 The Government has set out in the Budget a new system to allow a limited amount of inter-year spending flexibility as a means of incentivising the improved planning of works.
3.14 The Government is prioritising investment pipeline visibility through the publication of the UK's long term forward view of projects and programmes in autumn 2011 as part of the National Infrastructure Plan 2011. This will provide long-term visibility across public, regulated and private investment in infrastructure.
3.15 The Government will, in addition, publish quarterly from autumn 2011 a rolling 2 year forward programme of public infrastructure and construction projects (workbanks) where funding has been agreed, providing improved supply chain certainty within spending review periods.