News
Government strengthens project delivery and accountability
The changes give departments and project teams clearer accountability and space to deliver, reducing central government controls.
What these reforms will do
The reforms will create a more focussed, streamlined approach to managing major programmes and projects. They focus on:
- delegating decisions to the lowest appropriate level
- making sure the centre only gets involved in high-risk projects
- embedding functional expertise in departments, helping teams make decisions early
- making sure approvals are simpler, so they are done well and only once
- strengthening trust, openness and working together, allowing for early problem-solving.
These changes include giving departments’ greater control over spending and reducing many functional controls to one approval point in HM Treasury.
Programmes and projects wanting or being asked to join the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP) must first conduct an initial feasibility study. This helps teams assess early whether proposals are realistic and achievable.
A more focused Government Major Projects Portfolio
The National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) will also refocus the GMPP to make sure central support has the most impact. This will reduce the number of programmes and projects on the GMPP from over 200 to around 80-100. The focus will be on programmes and projects that support government priorities, cost over £1 billion, and would benefit from central support.
A new early development portfolio will help identify future programmes and projects for the GMPP. There will also be a new support offer for the limited number of Mega Projects, the programmes and projects costing over £10 billion and having a transformational national impact.
Becky Wood, Chief Executive of NISTA and Head of the Government Project Delivery Function said:
“Delivering the government’s priorities is underpinned by maintaining strong delivery right across the project system. These reforms simplify oversight, sharpen responsibility in departments, and focus expert support where it will have the greatest impact. Refocusing our GMPP means that NISTA can provide more targeted and agile support as national priorities evolve and risks change.”
What departments will need to do differently
From 1 April 2026, programmes and projects will:
- share information on all GMPP and Departmental Major Projects through the Government Reporting Integration Platform (GRIP) to create a unified data source
- conduct an initial feasibility study for new programmes and projects expecting to join the GMPP
- prepare strategy and delivery plans for all Mega Projects, reflecting their size and complexity
- engage with HM Treasury and NISTA earlier in the project set up cycle
- issue updated senior responsible owner letters to strengthen internal assurance arrangements, including revised integrated assurance and approval plans and risk assessments.
Additional resources
To help teams prepare for these reforms, project delivery professionals should consider HM Treasury’s refreshed ‘Treasury approvals process for projects and programmes’ guidance published on 1 April 2026.
A new edition of The Teal Book, the government’s definitive guide to project delivery in government is also being published in April 2026. It has been updated based on feedback received over the last year and includes references to these reforms. You can buy a printed copy of the new version of The Teal Book until 20 April 2026 and access the online up-to-date version on projectdelivery.gov.uk.