Page 22 - October 2019

setting the priorities

Infrastructure
Deliver on the recommendations
4 of the National Infrastructure
Assessment or set out alternative
plans to meet the UK’s long-term
infrastructure needs.

Maintain, as a minimum, the current
level of funding for economic
infrastructure and ring-fence funding
packages for rail and roads.
Why? A sustained investment in
infrastructure of 0.5 per cent of GDP is
estimated to lead to long-term growth
of 0.5 per cent to 2.0 per cent of GDP in
large advanced economies.

Demand all public bodies publish
forecast costs and benefits of their
major infrastructure projects at each
appraisal stage and at a suitable point
after completion.
Why? Highways England routinely
publishes project evaluations of major
investments, leading to more accurate
3 estimates of future projects, reducing
the average error in forecast costs by 20
per cent between 2000 and 2009.
Digital and there is potential to develop a Include airport capacity in future
Deliver fast and resilient digital strong and vibrant market. National Infrastructure Assessments
3 infrastructure, a thriving business Why? Organisations in many sectors and devolve powers and funding to
environment, excellent digital skills are unclear about the benefits of digital cities to pursue ambitious, integrated
and a diverse pipeline of workers to technologies for their businesses and strategies for transport, employment
create a world-leading digital economy. how to adopt them. Digital sectors and housing and to create thriving
are estimated to create jobs two times areas and communities.
Drive the establishment of world-class faster than the rest of the economy. Why? To promote growth that is felt in all
digital connectivity and infrastructure parts of the country, these strategies must
that is fast, secure and resilient across Make computing courses appealing be delivered by local areas and integrated
both urban and rural areas of the to a wider range of young people across air, road and rail to ensure
UK, through investments such as the in school to attract a more diverse efficient investment. However, airport
National Productivity Investment Fund. cohort of workers. capacity needs to be included in the
Why? Connectivity is an essential Why? Women only make up 15 per National Infrastructure Commission’s
prerequisite for an advanced cent of the technology workforce. remit for this to be achieved.
digital economy and ensuring UK
competitiveness, since the fast,
resilient and secure transfer of data is 4
required for many data-driven systems.
Conversely, broadband outages are
estimated to cost business over £12
billion per year.

Ensure that funding for new digital
technologies and processes includes
requirements to address cybersecurity
to enable safety, resilience and trust in
their adoption.
Why? Twenty-eight per cent of
manufacturers across 13 countries
reported revenue losses due to
cyberattacks in 2017.

Provide targeted support for the
development, commercialisation and
adoption of digital technologies where
the value can be clearly demonstrated

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