A group of tier one firms have called for the creation of a Cabinet role responsible for infrastructure, alongside a suite of recommendations for the next government.
The group’s Blueprint for Growth, which outlines 12 recommendations in total, includes calls to transform the apprenticeship levy, simplify judicial review for major planning decisions and make the immigration system more flexible.
In all, the blueprint was co-signed by 12 contractors and consultants, collectively employing nearly 100,000 people and representing £25bn of UK revenue.
The signatories were Atkins Realis, Balfour Beatty, BAM, Costain, Galliford Try, Laing O’Rourke, Mace, Morgan Sindall, Mott MacDonald, Vinci, Volker Wessels and WSP.
“All of our businesses are deeply invested in supporting the UK’s sustainable growth and prosperity,” the blueprint report said.
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“As a group, we actively encourage, foster, and support many tier two and tier three entities and start-ups, with increasing digitalisation and an unrelenting pursuit of greater environmental acceptability.
“This document sets out our collective view of some of the key measures which, if implemented, would result in a significant boost to the UK’s growth and productivity.”
Full list of demands
- De-politicise infrastructure.
- Appoint a Cabinet minister responsible for infrastructure.
- Increase private investment in public infrastructure.
- Timely, holistic decision-making on key areas.
- Improve budget setting for infrastructure schemes.
- Efficient risk allocation.
- Investment continuity.
- Simplify the judicial review process to avoid project delays.
- Mandate consideration of the national interest.
- Self-certification system to accelerate delivery of infrastructure projects.
- Transform the Apprenticeship Levy.
- A flexible immigration system.