Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 28
28
Accepted
The 10-year strategy enhances project visibility and accountability; independent oversight is recommended.
Recommendation
NISTA told us that the aim of the strategy is to improve project delivery by bringing government thinking into what it is going to do and fund over a 10-year period. NISTA said previous strategies were over a shorter five-year period, which was not long enough to improve project delivery. NISTA said the strategy is the first step in enabling a clearer picture, where everything is far more visible and organisations and people can be held to account much more clearly.52 In written evidence submitted to us, the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) recommended that independent oversight of government delivery should be part of NISTA’s governance structure, so that it has a clear role to proactively challenge the government and not shy away from difficult conversations. ICE also recommends that NISTA holds government accountable for developing and committing to a prioritised, stable pipeline of investible projects aligned with society’s needs.53
Government Response Summary
The government agrees that NISTA should outline milestones for achieving its strategic objectives, including how it will allocate its resources, with a target implementation date of Summer 2026.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
5. PAC conclusion: NISTA has a broad and stretching range of responsibilities, which will require it to juggle many competing demands on its resources. 5a. PAC recommendation: NISTA should outline milestones for achieving its strategic objectives, including how it will allocate its resources to deliver its objectives, and ensure it retains a focus on priority areas such as digital and transformation projects. 5.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Summer 2026 5.2 NISTA was launched earlier this year to bring together the strategic expertise of the National Infrastructure Commission and the project delivery expertise of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority, creating a new single centre of expertise in relation to the planning for and delivery of major government projects and programmes. NISTA is a joint unit of HM Treasury and Cabinet Office, it will play a crucial role in advising ministers on major projects and infrastructure and will support departments in the planning, development and delivery phases of major projects in the contexts of defence, infrastructure and service transformation. Alongside this advisory role, it will set standards and improve the government’s project capabilities, by continuing to develop guidance and tools, delivering leadership and learning programmes, and effectively communicating lessons learned in relation to both best practice and challenges experienced across the government portfolio. 5.3 Drawing on the principles set out in the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy, NISTA will progress strategic thinking in relation to social infrastructure needs and spatial planning at a national level. In relation to the Government Major Projects Portfolio, and in some other distinct instances, NISTA will continue to facilitate independent assurance reviews, as well as providing a route to specialist support. NISTA will seek to draw in industry expertise and best practice in the UK and internationally in delivering its remit, as well as making appropriate use of the Expert Advisory Chair and Membership to inform and critically challenge work as it is progressed.