ACE has welcomed the focus on nationally strategic sectors, including energy, water and rail, in today's King's Speech describing the proposed programme of legislation as a significant step in streamlining regulation and prioritising delivery.

Milda Manomaityte, Chief Executive of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE), said: “This year’s King’s Speech has been delivered against a politically difficult backdrop for the Labour Government: tight fiscal headroom, weak growth and rising expectations for visible delivery before the next general election, and a difficult set of local elections for the government.

“Against that context, it is welcome that the legislative programme tightly focuses on accelerating infrastructure and housing delivery, unlocking private investment, and streamlining regulation and planning to prioritise delivery.

“The Energy Independence Bill in particular sends a strong signal of long-term commitment to building a secure, homegrown energy supply, unlocking a significant pipeline of projects across renewables, grid infrastructure, storage and low-carbon technologies for ACE members. A resilient domestic energy supply cannot rest on renewables alone though. It requires a clean, mixed energy portfolio built for long-term security.

“We also welcome plans to overhaul the water sector. The Clean Water Bill should drive demand for specialist expertise in areas such as wastewater treatment, nature-based solutions, flood resilience and catchment management, areas where UK consultancies are globally recognised leaders.

“Finally, the absence of new transport announcements should not overshadow the sustained commitment to Northern Powerhouse Rail, the Lower Thames Crossing, and airport expansion. For industry, continuity is confidence, and confidence drives delivery. The task now is to translate that backing into action, breaking the cycle of delay that has hindered major infrastructure in Britain.”