Association for Consultancy and Engineering calls for new Government department for Infrastructure

A new Department for Infrastructure is among three key priorities recommended by the Association For Consultancy and Engineering (ACE), as it looks to support a closer partnership between industry experts in the built environment and the government.
ACE, a proud champion of infrastructure for more than 110 years, has been working with its 400 members, government, and the opposition throughout 2023, ensuring all political parties understand the opportunities and challenges facing the built environment sector.
As a result, it is calling for greater collaboration between the industry and government, with three key recommendations including the creation of a new Department for Infrastructure, working on a new Industrial and Infrastructure Strategy – as well as a “paradigm shift” in the way the industry considers risk, to drive competitiveness and unlock innovation.
Stephen Marcos Jones, chief executive of ACE said it had “become clear” a “new and purposeful partnership” between industry and government was needed.
“That is why we are outlining what we believe to be the foundations required for that partnership, with the publication of our three core recommendations that represent the bedrock of our vision and commitment to transformative change,” he said.
“These recommendations, developed following extensive engagement with our members, serve as the start of a comprehensive partnership strategy.”
ACE believes this strategy should serve as a definitive guide for industry, offering clear directives for achieving sustainable development and net-zero, including an ambitious procurement pipeline.

Decisions could be made faster and more effectively, according to ACE, through a new Department of Infrastructure, streamlining decision-making processes, inter-departmental collaboration, and ensuring a coherent and unified approach to the delivery and maintenance of the UK’s infrastructure strategy.

Under ACE’s plan, the department would be the hub for strategic planning and policy implementation, fostering efficiency and accountability with external organisations and delivery bodies, including the IPA and the National Infrastructure Commission.

“It’s also absolutely fundamental that we create a paradigm shift in how the industry considers risk,” added Jones.

ACE is calling for the implementation of a fair and proportionate approach to public works contracts and the standard conditions of engagement for consultants.

It believes in the current economic climate, the focus on initiatives to deliver a fair and proportionate approach to risk will bring greater certainty to the businesses that deliver essential public infrastructure.

Jones, who addressed a packed house of members at the ACE Parliamentary Reception, sponsored by Brightly, a Siemens Company, added ACE’s three recommendations “don’t sit in isolation” but are core components of a “transformative vision for our industry”.

“These three recommendations, when developed and implemented together, will ensure the industry can deliver a safe, innovative, resilient and globally competitive future,” Jones said.

“By sharing a strategic vision, bolstering infrastructure governance through a dedicated department and considering risk as an enabler, we pave the way for a more efficient, accountable and transformative landscape, where industry can deliver economic growth.”

“Now more than ever, we need a collaborative relationship between experts in the built environment and policymakers across government.”

Dr Sarah Prichard, Chair of ACE and managing director of longstanding ACE member Buro Happold, added: “A week on since the Government’s Autumn Statement, I think it is essential to reflect on where we are as an industry.
“After a period of significant uncertainty for the built environment, particularly after recent announcements on net zero and transport infrastructure, we would have liked to see more from government on a clear pathway for the future.
“In the evolving landscape of the built environment, the involvement of our industry in shaping policies and strategies is pivotal.”