UK government backs new industry forum

A new industry forum aimed at bringing together the UK government and UK construction industry to help deliver the country’s National Infrastructure Plan (NIP), is to be launched this autumn.

Announced by the chief secretary to the treasury, Danny Alexander, on September 23, the new National Infrastructure Plan Strategic Engagement Forum (NIPSEF) will be co-chaired by Mr Alexander on behalf of government and Dr Nelson Ogunshakin from the Infrastructure Alliance on behalf of industry.

Dr Nelson Ogunshakin said, “The NIP is the government’s most important strategic programme to deliver infrastructure, the core driver to UK economic growth. Delivering such an ambitious programme of infrastructure expansion on this scale means bringing government and industry together to successfully achieve this goal. This new NIPSEF will place the expertise of industry at the heart of government to make that happen.”

NIPSEF will be formally launched on October 29. It is hoped the new forum will facilitate continuous strategic dialogue as well as monitor the progress of infrastructure delivery, and suggest remedial action if and when required.

The forum will bring together key representatives from the infrastructure delivery supply chain, the infrastructure investment and advisory community, infrastructure asset owners, asset managers and regulators, and representatives of the business end users of infrastructure.