Ben Wilson
Commission welcomes UK Infrastructure Bank appointment
The National Infrastructure Commission has welcomed the appointment of Chris Grigg CBE as Chair of the UK Infrastructure Bank, announced today by HM Treasury. Sir John Armitt, Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission, said: “I am pleased to congratulate Chris Grigg on his appointment as Chair of the UK Infrastructure Bank. “This is a key milestone...
Timeline for second National Infrastructure Assessment announced
The UK’s second National Infrastructure Assessment will be published in the second half of 2023 and consultation and analysis to inform its recommendations will commence this autumn, the National Infrastructure Commission has confirmed. The Commission’s Corporate Plan for the next three years, published today, sets out the process it will follow to develop a comprehensive...
Policy roadmap needed to achieve “important signal of intent”: Armitt on revised emissions target
The National Infrastructure Commission has welcomed today’s announcement by government that it will introduce a legally binding target to reduce emissions by 78% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels, in line with recommendations from the Climate Change Committee. Sir John Armitt, Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission, said: “This ambitious target provides an important signal...
Bridget Rosewell speech to Westminster Social Policy Forum: Next steps for the Oxford-Cambridge Arc
The following is an edited transcript of remarks given by Bridget Rosewell, National Infrastructure Commissioner, at a virtual conference held on 26 March 2021 to discuss progress on the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Arc. “As we gather again to discuss progress on the Oxford-Cambridge arc, it is perhaps helpful to remember the exam question the Commission was...
Commission welcomes next steps on UK infrastructure bank
The National Infrastructure Commission has welcomed the announcement in today’s Budget on next steps for the creation of a UK infrastructure bank, based in Leeds. Julia Prescot, Commissioner, said: “We welcome the progress towards establishing an infrastructure bank, as recommended by the Commission. The bank can play a key role in catalysing the investment needed...
Commission welcomes next steps on Oxford-Cambridge Arc
The National Infrastructure Commission has welcomed government’s announcement of next steps in developing a spatial framework for the Oxford-Cambridge Arc. The Commission explored the potential of the Arc and made recommendations for how to maximise the economic opportunities for local communities and businesses in a major study published in 2017. This week, government set out...
Plans of action needed next to deliver strategic goals, says Commission
Detailed plans for decarbonising energy supply, accelerating the roll out of electric vehicle charge points and connecting hard to reach areas with high capacity broadband are among the next steps needed to ensure government can deliver its aims for levelling up and meeting the net zero target, according to the National Infrastructure Commission. The Commission’s...
“A vital step and important signal”: Armitt responds to government plans for ‘green industrial revolution’
Responding to today’s announcement by the Prime Minister on government plans for a ‘green industrial revolution’, Sir John Armitt, Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission, said: “A 2030 deadline for the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans is a vital step to help the UK meet our net zero target. It’s an...
James Heath: Getting the evidence in place for key decisions on low carbon heat
James Heath, Chief Executive of the National Infrastructure Commission, addressed Utility Week’s ‘Build Back Better’ Forum today (21 October 2020). His speech explored the policy decisions and investment needed to harness the full potential of low carbon heat, setting out the range of evidence that will be required to ensure effective decisions to address the...
Armitt speech on principles for urban infrastructure
Sir John Armitt, Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission, delivered a speech today (7 October 2020) at the launch of the Commission’s report, Principles for effective urban infrastructure. The launch event was co-hosted with Centre for Cities. The text of Sir John’s speech can be found below. Before I begin let me thank our...
Armitt: A clear infrastructure policy is more vital than ever
In a comment piece published in the Sunday Telegraph on 4 October 2020, Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission, Sir John Armitt, reflects on the importance of a National Infrastructure Strategy for setting out the role of infrastructure in economic recovery, meeting the net zero target and ‘levelling up’. An edited version of the article...
James Heath speech to Infrastructure Forum Annual Policy Summit
James Heath, Chief Executive of the National Infrastructure Commission, addressed the Infrastructure Forum Annual Policy Summit yesterday (29 September 2020). His speech explored the importance of a long term strategy for infrastructure planning, the tests which the Commission will apply to the government’s forthcoming National Infrastructure Strategy, and the key policies the Commission recommends is...
Letter to the Chancellor on four tests for a successful National Infrastructure Strategy
National Infrastructure Commission Chair Sir John Armitt has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to set out four tests which the forthcoming National Infrastructure Strategy will need to meet, in order to deliver the ambitious, long-term vision for the UK’s infrastructure set out in the National Infrastructure Assessment. These are: A long term perspective – the...
Letter to BEIS Select Committee Chair Rachel Reeves MP on energy efficiency
Following an evidence session to the BEIS Select Committee inquiry on energy efficiency in April 2019, National Infrastructure Commission chief executive Phil Graham wrote to committee chair Rachel Reeves MP to clarify the Commission’s position on energy efficiency and correct two errors in chapter two of the National Infrastructure Assessment which were identified during the session. The...
Sir John Armitt speech to Global Engineering Congress
We meet just a matter of weeks after the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change gave one of its starkest-ever warnings of what could happen if we don’t act now to protect our planet for the future. Its report warned that, far from keeping global temperature increases below 1.5 degrees, we’re heading for a possible rise...