Southern Water has welcomed the latest National Infrastructure Assessment from the Government’s independent advisers, the National Infrastructure Commission, setting out its latest review of the UK’s water, energy, transport and other key networks over the next 30 years – the National Infrastructure Assessment (NIA).

A new policy paper from the leading professional body for civil engineers is calling on the government to accept in full the recommendations made in the National Infrastructure Assessment.

National Infrastructure Commission Chair Sir John Armitt has warned the Chancellor of the Exchequer that this autumn’s Spending Review must not deliver a weak National Infrastructure Strategy that “pays only lip service” to the recommendations set out in the NIC’s National Infrastructure Assessment.

The Environment Agency is warning that the UK needs to spend £1 billion to tackle the growing risk of flooding due to climate change which could see some UK towns ultimately abandoned.

The National Infrastructure Commission has today launched an inquiry into what future changes may be needed to ensure regulation of the energy, telecoms and water sectors supports investment and innovation while at the same time keeping costs down for consumers.

The National Infrastructure Commission has reiterated its call for the Government to set a target for the water industry to halve leakages by 2050.

Ofwat is calling for clarification from the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) on its reference to “changes to regulatory or market structure’ as possible options for cost-effective infrastructure in its consultation on the National Infrastructure Assessment.

The Cabinet Office has published the 2015 to 2016 summary of sector resilience plans setting out the current level of resilience to risks for the UK’s critical infrastructure, including water - owing to their sensitive nature, the individual plans are classified documents.

The National Infrastructure Commission has launched a consultation as part of its responsibility under Government terms of reference to produce a National Infrastructure Assessment (NIA) once every Parliament.