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.
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