The Spring Statement has been announced by chancellor Rachel Reeves. Kate Jennings, chief executive officer of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) and the Environmental Industries Commission (EIC), has issued the following statement:

"The chancellor’s Spring Statement reaffirmed the Government's commitment to investment and its determination to remove barriers to infrastructure delivery. 

"We welcome the continued focus on both housing and infrastructure, including the third runway at Heathrow. Commitment to capital spending for defence, including associated infrastructure and homes, is also positive. We look forward to hearing further details in the Spending Review.

"The establishment of NISTA – the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority – will be critical to ensuring the pace of decision making and delivery.

"We are pleased to see Government recognises the critical importance of creating a skilled workforce to meet its ambition to get Britain building. The establishment of the Construction Skills Mission Board and the commitment of £600m to train new workers, including engineers, are a positive first step.

"There is an opportunity to connect these plans to the green transition, ensuring workers are equipped to support not just the Government’s ambition to build – but also its aim to create a nature-positive, climate-resilient, circular economy."