Infrastructure: Investment
The question
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the impact of the revised Green Book guidance on infrastructure investment decisions affecting rural communities.
Answered by Lucy Rigby
The new Green Book ensures that investment decisions are no longer based solely on single metrics, such as benefit-cost ratios, and that decisions instead take into account the full range of impacts on people and places.
This new approach will shape important decisions, such as on Northern Powerhouse Rail, and ensure that government investment brings about higher living standards in every part of the country. This includes urban, rural and coastal communities.
HM Treasury has published a report on its progress in implementing the conclusions of the Green Book Review in 2025. The report can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/green-book-review-2025-one-year-on
HM Treasury regularly publishes data on spending in the nations and regions. The latest edition, published in November 2025, can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/country-and-regional-analysis-2025/country-and-regional-analysis-november-2025
The Government is delivering on its commitment to publish business cases for government projects. The first set of published business cases can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/business-case-publications-collection
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