The National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) has published the Major Projects Annual Report 2025 to 2026
Most projects within the Major Projects Portfolio have been given a green or amber rating, meaning they are likely to be delivered or it is feasible.
Red-targeted projects, meanwhile, are set to received targeted support to help deliver some of the most complex infrastructure projects.
Read the full NISTA report here.
A year of progress for the portfolio
The Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP) keeps track of the largest, highest-value, and most innovative projects in the country.
Delivery confidence, according to NISTA analysis, is high across most of the projects. During the review period, 42 projects left the portfolio, 26 of which were successfully delivered against their objectives, including DEFRA’s Biosecurity, Borders and Trade Programme, the DHSC’s Digitising Social Care, and the MOJ’s Drug Testing Services.
Another eight projects left the portfolio due to no longer meeting reporting criteria, and one was replaced by a successor project. Seven were closed early.
Even the projects that left the portfolio had a high delivery confidence, as 17 had a green rating, and 21 had an amber rating.
Since the previous report in August 2025, 18 projects have improved from an amber rating to green, and one improved from red straight to green.
Becky Wood, chief executive of NISTA, said: “Delivering some of the government’s most ambitious and complex programmes is never easy, so it is expected that projects will face different challenges and perform differently at various stages of delivery. These assessments should not be seen as a definitive judgement on whether a project will ultimately succeed or fail. Instead, they provide an early warning, helping us identify risks sooner, understand where pressures are emerging, and work with departments to address issues before they become more serious.
“By making better use of performance data, strengthening independent assurance, and providing access to expert advice, NISTA can help ensure that project teams receive the right support at the right time – improving the likelihood that major government programmes are delivered successfully for the public.”
The portfolio received a massive cut in April
Reforms to the GMPP were delivered earlier this year, as the list was cut from more than 200 projects down to around 80.
This came from a change to the criteria for inclusion in the portfolio, both within the Treasury Approval Process and outside, such as supporting a top government priority, having whole-life costs exceeding £1bn, and being a project that would benefit most from focused central support and scrutiny.
Chief secretary to the Treasury, James Murray, said: “For too long, projects have been run through overly complex systems that slow decisions down and blur accountability.
“Refocusing the GMPP means we can direct specialist expertise to the most complex, high-risk and strategically relevant projects – so that we deliver faster, improve value for money, and strengthen public services in ways people will feel.
“Our Plan for Growth is about building a stronger UK – unlocking investment and opportunity across every nation and region and delivering modern infrastructure and better public services.”
Read more, including the new definition of Mega Projects, here.
CECA responds to the update
CECA director of policy & public affairs, Ben Goodwin, said: “The progress identified by NISTA is welcome and demonstrates the value of stronger oversight and earlier intervention to get projects moving when they encounter hold-ups.
“At the same time, NISTA’s report underlines the scale of the delivery challenge. An ‘Amber’ rating means that successful delivery is feasible, but that significant issues remain to be addressed, while the number of ‘Red’-rated schemes shows that work still needs to be done to address the substantial risks that remain across the portfolio.
“Better data and improved early-warning systems can help identify problems sooner, but they must be matched by swift and decisive action to turn planned projects into investable, deliverable opportunities.
“This will mean the Government needs to redouble its commitment to a credible and funded project pipeline, and leaves no stone unturned in ensuring schemes are delivered via procurement models that engage contractors early in the process and allocate risk fairly.
“We particularly welcome NISTA’s focus on providing more targeted support to projects facing delivery challenges. Ratings should be used as an early warning and management tool, rather than simply as a retrospective judgement of performance. The creation of a more focused portfolio and a dedicated classification for mega-projects is also a positive step. These schemes require long-term political commitment, institutional capability, and close collaboration with the supply chain over multiple parliaments to succeed.
“CECA is strongly supportive of NISTA and believes it has a pivotal role to play in connecting the Government’s long-term infrastructure strategy with delivery on the ground.
“Today’s publication demonstrates not only that major-project delivery must always be undertaken as a process of continual improvement, but that there is more work to be done to ensure 21st century UK infrastructure meets the needs of our businesses and communities.
“That is why CECA joined other leading industry voices just last week to call for the next Prime Minister to re-commit to the infrastructure ambitions of their predecessor and to ensure that industry confidence is bolstered, not undermined, by any changing policy landscape.
“CECA stands ready to work with our members, NISTA, and all other stakeholders to realise the ambitious vision of delivering world-class infrastructure across the UK, by ensuring the projects our economy relies upon are brought forward to market at pace.”
