Fast-tracking critical national infrastructure projects
The Chancellor adopted a key CBI recommendation to fast-track critical national infrastructure projects and reduce delays caused by judicial review challenges. Businesses had reported factoring in up to a year of delay for major projects. This is a significant step towards faster investment decisions, improved resilience, and accelerated infrastructure delivery across the UK.
Driving action on energy and business cost pressures
The CBI continued pressing the government to address business cost pressures intensified by the Middle East conflict, securing wins including the extension of the 5p fuel duty freeze and changes to mileage rates that better reflect firms’ operating costs.
Turning member insight into government action
The CBI’s live business pressures heatmap is now used by more than 400 government stakeholders and officials to monitor real-time pressures facing firms across the UK. This insight has informed resilience planning and strengthened the evidence behind government decisions on energy, supply chains, growth and competitiveness.
Shaping economic priorities across Scotland and Wales
Following elections in Scotland and Wales, the CBI engaged both new governments to advance key growth priorities. At the CBI Scotland Annual Lunch – in his first major speech of the new term – the First Minister committed to action on planning reform, business rates and skills. In Wales, leading parties reflected CBI calls on industrial strategy and economic development in their election platforms.
Unlocking infrastructure investment through modern public-private partnerships
At UKREiiF, the CBI launched a major new report setting out how modern public-private partnerships can unlock investment and accelerate infrastructure delivery. Reports that the Chancellor is considering private finance to deliver new towns reflect growing momentum behind the CBI’s recommendations to attract greater private capital and support long-term growth.
Launching a project to scale and retain frontier UK businesses
The CBI has launched a new project focused on how the UK can better scale and retain high-growth businesses, with a kick-off meeting joined by Business Secretary Peter Kyle. Bringing together business and government, this work will identify barriers to scaling in the UK and develop practical recommendations to strengthen investment and competitiveness.
Shaping the national debate on growth and competitiveness
The CBI continued shaping the public debate on growth and competitiveness through high-profile media engagement across national and political press, including The Times, Politico London Playbook and front-page coverage in The Herald. This helped reinforce business priorities with ministers, parliamentarians and policymakers during a period of heightened political uncertainty.
