Chancellor announces commission will become an executive agency with own budget and 鈥渇reedom鈥�

Andrew Adonis

The National Infrastructure Commission is to be put on a permanent footing, the chancellor has announced.

Philip Hammond said the commission will become an executive agency which will 鈥渉elp plan, prioritise and ensure efficient investment鈥� in infrastructure.

The commission will be given its own budget, 鈥渇reedom鈥� and 鈥渁utonomy鈥�, set out in a charter detailing the government鈥檚 鈥渃lear commitment鈥� to its independence, according to the Treasury.

The commission will come into force in January 2017 and Sir John Armitt has also agreed to be interim Deputy Chair of the commission with immediate effect.

A call for ideas has been launched to inform the commission鈥檚 next study, following reports which identified the benefits of Crossrail 2, and looked into Northern transport connectivity and smart power. The next study is set to be announced later this year.

An open competition will also be held to find the commission鈥檚 first permanent chair and new additional commissioners will also be sought to add to the current panel members.

The chancellor said: 鈥淭oday I have set out how we are putting the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) at the very heart of our plans to ensure Britain鈥檚 infrastructure is fit for the future.

鈥淚t will independently define our long-term infrastructure needs and help prioritise, plan and ensure value for money as this investment creates a modern Britain - fit to take on the world.鈥�

Lord Adonis (pictured), interim chair of the commission, said: 鈥淭oday鈥檚 announcement is a big step towards providing the commission with the independence it needs to do the work.

鈥淣ow it is vital that we get the details right to ensure that the [National Infrastructure Commission] has everything it needs to get on with the job.鈥庘��

Earlier this week, business leaders called on the government to reverse its decision to axe plans to establish the NIC in law.

In an open letter to Hammond, signatories, including CBI director-general Carolyn Fairbairn and British Chambers of Commerce acting director-general Dr Adam Marshall, urged the government to reconsider its 鈥渟urprise decision鈥� and 鈥渋ntroduce the Bill promised in the Queen鈥檚 Speech in the next Parliamentary Session鈥�.

 

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