A new All Party Parliamentary Group on Infrastructure was launched last week – former Transport Minister and new member of the Treasury Select Committee Stephen Hammond MP will be the Group’s Chair.
Speaking at a reception at the Institution of Civil Engineers attended by over 100 parliamentarians and representatives from the infrastructure and tunnelling sectors to launch the Group, Stephen Hammond commented:
“Infrastructure covers a wide range of areas such as housing, broadband, energy and water. Infrastructure should be at the heart of any economic and productivity plan.”
“The Government has got the message about the need to invest in the UK’s infrastructure and welcome progress is being made.”
“However, I remain concerned that the framework to allow coordinated and strategic infrastructure decision making to be made needs to be put at the forefront of government. A robust decision making framework is required to provide a clear outline of how projects in the National Infrastructure Plan will contribute to achieving specific economic and social objectives – helping focus policy makers as they implement future plans.”
He described the new Group as “crucial to raising the awareness of these important issues and maintaining future consensus on the importance of infrastructure. “
They should also act as champions on behalf of the sector, and show policy makers why and how we should invest in, plan and deliver the infrastructure and underground structures that Britain requires, he added.
The Group intends to examine a wide range of issues which impact the infrastructure and tunnelling sector, and also plan to visit a number of civil engineering sites throughout the year.