ICE calls for independent Infrastructure UK

In its response to Sir John Armitt’s review, which was carried out on behalf of the Labour Party, the ICE backed his proposals for an independent body that could prioritise the country’s long-term infrastructure needs without political interference.

However, rather than creating a completely new body, the ICE argued that IUK could be restructured as a non-government body to undertake that function.

Simon Grubb, ICE’s funding spokesperson, said a restructured IUK “could be operational more quickly than an entirely new body, avoiding loss of the hard won momentum behind infrastructure delivery secured in the last five to 10 years”.

IUK was created in 2010, when the existing non-government organisation Partnerships UK was reconfigured and brought into Treasury.