Call for chief to deliver £50bn plans

David Cameron must give a senior member of his Cabinet oversight of the £50 billion national infrastructure project if Britain is not to fall behind the rest of the world, a new report suggests.

A ministerial champion with the power to cut across Government departments and local councils is vital if the planned infrastructure projects are to be cheap and on time.

The minister would have the power to co-ordinate major projects, like the Thames Estuary airport or the Severn Barrier, to ensure they are completed efficiently and with minimum disruption, the report by the Management Consultancies Association says.

An infrastructure supremo would also ensure exactly what has been paid for by the taxpayer or private finance initiatives has been delivered.