Commenting on the government’s response to the National Infrastructure Commission Consultation, Dr Nelson Ogunshakin, Chief Executive Officer of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) has made the following immediate statement:

"ACE is pleased to see that its comments and engagement with the government on the new National Infrastructure Commission have borne fruit and it will soon be established as an independent body, providing expert guidance and recommendations on the future needs of the UK. Even though great strides have been made, too often infrastructure remains a political football, with supporters and opponents resorting to spurious arguments for and against, undermining public confidence in the UK’s ability to deliver projects.

"We will now look to the detail that the government will include in the Neighbourhood Planning and Infrastructure Bill to ensure the commitments are lived up to, and that the interests of our members, the wider infrastructure sector, and ultimately UK Plc are safeguarded. The country faces significant challenges with a growing and ageing population, a productivity gap, emerging global economic competitors, for which we must be ready to meet these head on. The new National Infrastructure Commission has the potential to help us do just that and we must not lose this opportunity."

ENDS