Rishi Sunak has confirmed that the government will press ahead with the publication of its long- delayed National Infrastructure Strategy (NIS) this autumn even though the Budget has been delayed.
The chancellor of the exchequer announced today that the Budget, which was due to take place in the autumn, has been pushed back due to the wider uncertainties surrounding the economy.
The publication of the NIS, which will outline the government’s blueprint for the nation’s future infrastructure needs, was postponed from March when it was originally due to appear alongside Sunak’s first Budget.
After unveiling the Treasury’s latest package of economic measures to arrest the slump triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, Sunak was pressed on the timing of the NIS by his predecessor Sajid Javid.
Pointing out that the strategy had been delayed “again and again”, the ex-chancellor urged Sunak to publish the strategy “as soon as he possibly can so that we can get on with levelling up across our great country.”
Javid added: “I know also that he values infrastructure investment. He knows it’s going to form a very important part of our recovery.”
Responding to Javid, Sunak expressed his commitment to delivery of the NIS.
He said: “He was one of the first people to talk very passionately about the need to significantly increase the amount of money that the government invests in the UK’s infrastructure.
“I can commit to him I will absolutely deliver, and he is right we must publish the national infrastructure strategy and we will do so this autumn.”
The NIS is the government’s response to advice submitted to the Treasury by the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) in July 2018.
Amongst its recommendations, the NIC advised that the plunging cost of renewable energy means that only one more new nuclear power station should be ordered before 2025.