National Infrastructure Commission was not given statutory independence

Andrew Adonis

The government has confirmed that the National Infrastructure Commission has been made an executive agency of the Treasury.

A corporate plan for the commission, chaired by Lord Adonis (pictured), for 2017-18 and 2019-20 and a framework document have also been published.

It comes after Chancellor Philip Hammond announced last October that the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) will be made an executive agency with its own budget, freedom and autonomy.

But many in the industry were disappointed the government didn’t put the NIC’s independence on a statutory footing.

A written ministerial statement at the time from economic secretary to the Treasury, Simon Kirby, said: “The government consulted earlier this year on establishing the [National Infrastructure Commission] using primary legislation.

“The government considers that the commission can achieve the same objectives without legislation.”

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