The government is claiming an improvement in its delivery of major projects, with the number of those at risk reducing from 44 to 38 in the past year and six out of 10 procured on the basis of whole-life costs.
The statistics are highlighted in the fifth annual report on major projects 2016 to 2017 from the Infrastructure Projects Authority.
The report says that there are 143 major projects on the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP), worth £455.5bn and spread across 17 government departments.
The data shows a steady improvement in the way that government is delivering major projects:
- More than 60% of projects by whole-life cost are likely to be successfully delivered;
- Since last year’s report, the number of at risk projects has reduced from 44 to 38, which continues to be an improvement from 48 the previous year;
- Transformation projects continue to make up the largest category of the GMPP with 40 projects;
- The infrastructure and construction sector is the largest area of growth on the GMPP, reaching a record value of £222.5bn.
The government has successfully completed a number of projects during the last year, such as the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport’s Super Connected Cities Programme, which enabled an extra 42,500 small businesses across the UK to have access to faster broadband.
John Manzoni, chief executive of the Civil Service, said: “This year’s report continues to reflect a broad and ambitious government agenda with transformation and infrastructure and construction remaining key priorities.
“The data shows signs of steady improvement in the way government is delivering major projects. All government projects are designed to improve the lives of our citizens. As we continue to deliver, the benefits of these projects will be felt by the public.”
Tony Meggs, chief executive of the IPA, said: “We know that success or failure of a project is often determined in its earliest phases. That is why the IPA is focusing its efforts on engaging and supporting specific projects in the early stages of their development.
“We will continue to work with departments and industry as early as possible on their projects, so we can help ensure they are set up for success.”
