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| Infrastructure and Projects Authority (UK) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Infrastructure and Projects Authority |
| Formation | 2016 |
| Predecessor | Infrastructure UK, Major Projects Authority |
| Type | Executive agency |
| Jurisdiction | United Kingdom |
| Headquarters | London |
| Parent organization | HM Treasury, Cabinet Office |
| Chief1 name | Sir John Manzoni |
Infrastructure and Projects Authority (UK)
The Infrastructure and Projects Authority is the United Kingdom executive agency responsible for oversight of large-scale public sector programmes and major projects, combining delivery assurance, investment appraisal and project capability building across HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office. Established through a merger of two predecessor bodies, it operates at the intersection of policy implementation, capital programmes and delivery assurance for national initiatives such as transport, energy, defence and digital transformation. The Authority works with public bodies, state-owned enterprises and private-sector delivery partners to improve outcomes for high-value programmes and projects.
The organisational antecedents include Infrastructure UK, formed to provide strategic advice on national capital investment, and the Major Projects Authority, created to strengthen assurance of major programmes across the Civil Service after high-profile delivery failures. In 2016 the two organisations were merged to form a single executive agency under the joint oversight of HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office to streamline assurance and investment decision-making. The creation followed reviews and reports by commentators and inquiries into programmes such as Crossrail (London), HS2, and large defence procurement projects, which highlighted issues of programme governance, capacity and risk. Over subsequent years the Authority’s remit expanded to include capability development initiatives, publication of the annual Major Projects Portfolio and advice on National Infrastructure Commission priorities.
The Authority is an executive agency accountable to the UK Parliament through ministers in HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office. Its governance structure includes a board composed of senior civil servants and external appointees, operating alongside specialist delivery teams focused on sectors such as Department for Transport (UK), Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom). It maintains formal assurance frameworks and escalation pathways aligned with public finance rules and the Public Accounts Committee. The Authority uses institutional partnerships with bodies such as the National Audit Office and the Infrastructure Client Group to harmonise standards for project delivery and investment appraisal.
The Authority provides independent delivery assurance across the Major Projects Portfolio, offering gateway reviews, stage-gate assessments and remedial action plans for programmes in transport, energy, defence, justice and digital services. It supports appraisal of business cases and capital spending proposals in line with Treasury Green Book principles, working with sponsoring departments including Department for Education (UK), Home Office, and Department of Health and Social Care. The agency develops capability through professionalising project delivery, running training and accreditation programmes with partners such as the Association for Project Management and industry bodies. It also publishes the Annual Report and Accounts and the Major Projects Portfolio to inform scrutiny by the Public Accounts Committee and policy debates in Westminster.
The Authority oversees assurance and delivery advice for high-value national programmes including Crossrail (London), High Speed 2, national energy projects such as Hinkley Point C, defence procurements like the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier programme, and digital transformation initiatives for departments including DVLA and the Companies House. It has provided structured reviews for transport investments such as Road Investment Strategy projects and airport infrastructure expansions, and for regional schemes tied to Northern Powerhouse objectives and Leeds City Region regeneration programmes. The Authority’s published Major Projects Portfolio lists scores of projects across sectors, reflecting the capital-intensive nature of modern public infrastructure.
Through its assurance role and advice on business cases, the Authority influences national investment priorities and the sequencing of capital programmes, affecting strategic initiatives such as Net Zero 2050 targets, resilience planning after events like Storm Eunice, and industrial strategy objectives aligned with UK Research and Innovation. Its capability-building work shapes the professional norms used by departments to manage complex procurements, contracting strategies and risk transfer approaches. The Authority’s outputs feed into cross-government frameworks including spending review cycles and decisions at 10 Downing Street and No. 11 Downing Street, shaping how public funds are allocated to strategic priorities.
Critics have argued that assurance processes can be bureaucratic and slow project delivery, citing tensions between assurance and delivery teams in programmes like Crossrail (London) and High Speed 2. Parliamentary scrutiny, including by the Public Accounts Committee and National Audit Office, has highlighted cases where early-stage oversight did not prevent cost overruns or timetable slippage. There have been debates over the Authority’s independence given its joint placement within HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office, and over the transparency of red/amber/green ratings in the Major Projects Portfolio. Industry stakeholders have at times questioned the balance between central control and departmental autonomy, and the practical impact of capability interventions on entrenched procurement cultures.
National Infrastructure Commission Major Projects Portfolio HM Treasury Cabinet Office Public Accounts Committee National Audit Office Crossrail (London) High Speed 2 Hinkley Point C Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier Association for Project Management Infrastructure UK Major Projects Authority Northern Powerhouse Department for Transport (UK) Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) Department of Health and Social Care Spending review Net Zero 2050 10 Downing Street No. 11 Downing Street DVLA Companies House UK Research and Innovation Public service transformation Infrastructure Client Group
Category:United Kingdom public bodies Category:Infrastructure in the United Kingdom