Government must be mindful of ‘reinvention of the wheel’ on future project delivery, Matt Hancock tells APM

Lessons from the past must be learned if the upcoming merger of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority and National Infrastructure Commission is to be successful, according to former Secretary of State, the Rt Hon Matt Hancock. 

In October, the Government set out its vision for the future of the country’s infrastructure, with a proposed new National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, which will combine the functions of the National Infrastructure Commission and the Infrastructure and Projects Authority – with the aim to help improve major infrastructure project delivery. 

Speaking ahead of APM’s webinar on 5 February, Lessons from Major Transformation Projects: Unlocking Success in Government and Corporate projects, Mr Hancock drew on his experience from the merger of Infrastructure UK and the Major Projects Authority (MPA), commenting “Government must be mindful of a ‘reinvention of the wheel’, which could risk good work being lost. 

"The IPA has successfully delivered a range of major projects over the years, including infrastructure, construction, military, and ICT programmes, helping ensure they are set up for success from the start, and providing real benefits to society. 

"However, there is an enormous opportunity for NISTA in driving better delivery of major projects, and the whole system is a lot more mature than it was before, but we must learn the lessons of transformation projects of the past for it to be a real success."

'Lessons from Major Transformation Projects: Unlocking Success in Government and Corporate projects’ takes place on Wednesday 5 February, 17:00-18:00 GMT and is open to all.

This webinar, chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at Institute for Government and UK in a Changing Europe, will discuss the planning and execution of large-scale projects to achieve value, against the backdrop of an evolving project delivery landscape. Attendees will hear from professionals with experience in real world transformation projects, including case studies on the integration of Infrastructure UK and the Major Projects Authority, the Geological Disposal Facility Programme, and National Highways. 

The panel includes: 

• The Rt Hon Matt Hancock, Former MP and Secretary of State for Health and Social Care 

• Steph Illingworth, Group Head of PMO at Rolls-Royce 

• James White, Programme Manager at AWE and APM Board Trustee 

Register your place