Building confidence in infrastructure

Major policy conference

Association of British Insurers, 51 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7HQ

Please find here the brochure to accompany the conference, which includes articles from speakers and an outline of the day.

Please find here the presentation slides to accompany the day.

We know that infrastructure is important for growth and it is firmly on the Government’s agenda. Two “National Infrastructure Plans” have been published and both the Chancellor and the Deputy Prime Minister have proposed bringing forward spending to stimulate the economy.

Yet the challenge is vast. All sectors and regions of the UK require unprecedented levels of investment, and international lessons show that it is dangerous to assume that simply spending more on infrastructure is a magic bullet. Not all infrastructure projects are good for growth. The focus must be on building the right infrastructure and, indeed, also on improving how projects are funded, managed and regulated.

This conference will bring together a strong group of leaders in the infrastructure debate to discuss the challenges the UK faces in creating world class infrastructure.

Speakers include:

Rt Hon Vince Cable MP, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills

Professor Dieter Helm CBE, Official Fellow in Economics, New College, Oxford University

Kwasi Kwarteng MP, Member, Transport Select Committee

John Woodcock MP, Shadow Minister for Transport

Anthony Hilton, Financial Editor, The Evening Standard

Andrew Meaney, Managing Consultant, Oxera

Full programme details:

08.30 – 09.00 Registration

09.00 – 09.10 Welcome and introduction

Dr Patrick Nolan, Chief Economist, Reform

09.10 – 10.00 Panel session: what the infrastructure vision should be

The 2011 National Infrastructure Plan stated that Britain would not be able to compete in the modern world unless infrastructure is improved. The challenge is vast. All sectors and regions of the UK require unprecedented levels of investment. This session will invite panellists to set out their vision for the role that infrastructure should play in the UK’s future economy and society.

Panellists:

John Woodcock MP, Shadow Minister for Transport

Anthony Hilton, Financial Editor, Evening Standard

Andrew Meaney, Managing Consultant, Oxera

Professor Neil Hoose, Chairman, Infrastructure Policy Unit, Federation of Small Businesses

Chair: Kimberley Trewhitt, Researcher, Reform

10.00 – 10.40 Keynote speech

Rt Hon Vince Cable MP, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, will set out his thinking on “an integrated vision for infrastructure.” He will be asked to outline his thoughts on the links between infrastructure and industrial policy and the priorities for government action.

This will be followed by a question and answer session with the audience, chaired by Dr Patrick Nolan, Chief Economist, Reform.

10.40 – 11.10 Tea and coffee 

11.10 – 12.00 Keynote speech

Professor Dieter Helm CBE, Official Fellow in Economics, New College, Oxford University, will set out his thinking on how the vision for future infrastructure could be translated into action. He will be asked to comment on the size of the challenge and specific measures required to deliver on infrastructure opportunities.

This will be followed by a question and answer session with the audience, chaired by Dr Patrick Nolan, Chief Economist, Reform.

12.00 – 12.50 Panel session: delivering the vision

Delivering the vision for infrastructure will pose challenges on a number of levels. On funding, the large price tag of future infrastructure will require new sources of private funding. On building, the relatively high construction costs in the UK, the planning process and role of UK firms in procurement all create considerable debate. On delivery, the Government’s regulatory role needs to balance environmental and consumer objectives with the need to ensure that businesses do not face excessive project risks. This session will invite panellists to set out their thoughts on the key barriers to delivering the vision for UK infrastructure and how these barriers could be reduced.

Panellists:

Dr Kwasi Kwarteng MP, Member, Transport Select Committee

John Pelton, Director of Government Facilities and Infrastructure, CH2M Hill

Alan Rubenstein, Chief Executive, Pension Protection Fund

Ian Tyler, Chief Executive, Balfour Beatty

Peter Atherton, Head of European Utility Sector and Climate Change Research, Citigroup Global Markets

Chair: Lauren Thorpe, Research and Corporate Partnership Director, Reform

12.50 – 13.00 Close

Dr Patrick Nolan, Chief Economist, Reform

13.00 – 13.45 Lunch

This conference is kindly sponsored by: