The Government’s management of its major projects

Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 3 Feb 2020 Closed: 29 Jul 2020 Parliament page
The Government’s Major Projects Portfolio (MPP) has 133 projects with a value of £423 billion, and these are only a fraction of the projects delivered by Government. Major projects are the main mechanism by which the government invests in infrastructure, transforms services, and improves IT. The MPP includes high-profile projects … Read more
23 Recommendations
10 Conclusions
1 Report
2 Oral sessions
4 Letters
3 Events
Activity timeline 9 events
8 Dec
2020
Correspondence
17 Nov
2020
Correspondence
14 Oct
2020
Report published
14 Oct
2020
Correspondence
28 Jul
2020
Report published
7 Jul
2020
Oral evidence
9 Jun
2020
Oral evidence
5 May
2020
Formal meeting · Virtual meeting
29 Apr
2020
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 2 sessions
7 Jul 2020
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The Government's Management of its Major Projects
Nick Smallwood · Infrastructure and Projects Authority Rt Hon Jesse Norman MP · Department for Transport The Lord Agnew of Oulton DL
9 Jun 2020
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The Government’s management of its major projects
James Heath · National Infrastructure Commission Professor Henry Overman Sir John Armitt · National Infrastructure Commission Tom Thackray · CBI
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Third Report - Delivering the Government’s infrastructure commit… HC 125 28 Jul 2020 33 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
6 results
Clear
1 Conclusion Deferred
Third Report - Delivering the Gove…
The Government has committed to the largest investment in infrastructure in decades, which it believes...
The Government has committed to the largest investment in infrastructure in decades, which it believes has the potential to support a fairer and more equitable national economy. However, there is also great potential to waste this money on “white elephant” … Read more
Government Response
The government reiterates its commitment to the "levelling up" agenda to spread opportunity across the UK and will provide further details on its long-term infrastructure ambitions and their role in this agenda at the upcoming Spending Review and in the National Infrastructure Strategy.
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2 Recommendation Deferred
Third Report - Delivering the Gove…
The overall framework for this investment should be provided by the National Infrastructure Strategy, but...
The overall framework for this investment should be provided by the National Infrastructure Strategy, but this is significantly delayed and has yet to be published. The Government is keen to spend money quickly as part of the Coronavirus “bounce back” … Read more
Government Response
The government indicates that further details about its long-term infrastructure ambitions and the National Infrastructure Strategy will be set out at the Spending Review and in the NIS 'this autumn', deferring the publication requested by the committee.
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8 Recommendation Deferred
Third Report - Delivering the Gove…
Government should prioritise understanding local needs.
Government should prioritise understanding local needs. Fully populated local needs assessments should be published when projects are announced to demonstrate the purpose of such projects. The IPA should require these assessments as part of the documentation for projects in the … Read more
Government Response
The government states that its Green Book methodology already identifies social value and is currently being reviewed to enhance assessment of local impacts. It doesn't commit to requiring or publishing local needs assessments, only noting that departments 'may' include them.
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14 Recommendation Deferred
Third Report - Delivering the Gove…
If the Government is serious about its levelling up agenda, it should consider how it...
If the Government is serious about its levelling up agenda, it should consider how it takes into account local needs when determining infrastructure projects. The Committee would like the Cabinet Office to respond to this report outlining whether it intends … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the important role of local areas and existing devolved funding but defers full details of infrastructure funding and devolution plans to future publications like the NIS and a Devolution and Local Recovery White Paper.
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24 Recommendation Deferred
Third Report - Delivering the Gove…
All projects should include proper public consultation as part of the early decision making phase.
All projects should include proper public consultation as part of the early decision making phase. Projects should consider setting up an independent arm to lead on public engagement that is proportionate to the scale and profile of the project. Projects … Read more
Government Response
The government states that the IPA's Get to Green programme will explore the possibility of reviewing how projects undertake public consultation as part of early decision-making and demonstrating engagement, within a broader project delivery framework.
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31 Recommendation Deferred
Third Report - Delivering the Gove…
The IPA should review the data that it publishes in its Major Project Annual Report,...
The IPA should review the data that it publishes in its Major Project Annual Report, and this should be extended at least to add timelines of project approvals and estimates.
Government Response
The government acknowledges that increased transparency would be beneficial and states the IPA will review the proposal to consider whether project approval timelines and estimates can be added to the annual report.
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Government Response AI assessment · 33 of 23 classified
Accepted 16
Accepted in Part 2
Acknowledged 9
Deferred 6
Total 23 recs + 10 conclusions
Correspondence 4 letters
8 Dec 2020 To committee Letter from Nic Smallwood, CEO Infrastructure and Projects Authority on National Infrastructure Strategy, dated 4.12.20
Parliament page
17 Nov 2020 To committee Letter from Lord Agnew, Minister of State HM Treasury and Cabinet Office on Major projects, dated 6.11.20
Parliament page
14 Oct 2020 From committee Letter to Lord Agnew on Government Response to Committee's third Report dated 13 Oct 2020
Parliament page
29 Apr 2020 To committee Letter from Gareth Davies, Comptroller and Auditor General, response to PACAC major projects inquiry, dated 24.4.20
Parliament page