National Underground Asset Register (NUAR)

Rating: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the Infrastructure Project Authority's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 24/25-Q4 remained at AMBER. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ The SRO's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 24/25-Q4 remains Amber due to delays in securing Parliamentary time to progress necessary legislative reforms to fully operationalise the service and realise the envisaged benefits of over 400m pa. The required legislative updates are now being progressed through the Data (Use and Access) Bill, which has passed both houses and is currently in consideration of amendments. As such, pending agreement between the houses Royal Assent is on track for summer 2025. Alongside the progress of the legislation, the programme has completed the development and roll out of the service across England, Wales and Northern Ireland and transitioned it to the long-term operator, Ordnance Survey. The requirements to move to Public Beta have been met, and the service is on track to be fully operational by the end of 2025. Engagement has focused on those asset owners whose assets are more critical to planning and executing excavations, as identified by asset owners, with data from over 300 of these organisations now available.

Schedule: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the project's end-date at 24/25-Q4 increased from 31/03/2025 to 31/03/2026. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ The programme competed the development of the NUAR service and transitioned it to the appointed long-term operator by 31/03/25, within the approved schedule. Commitments to move to Public Beta by spring 2025, and to be fully operational by the end of 2025 remain on schedule. The programme has received approval to extend by an additional 12 months to oversee the delivery of Public Beta and Fully Operational commitments, the progression of legislative measures, and to explore, through extensive stakeholder engagement and robust testing, if and how additional benefits could be delivered by increasing access to NUAR data. This funding extension has, in part, been necessitated by fall of the Data Protection and Digital Identity Bill after the general election was called in May 2024. This meant a new Bill was required to pass the NUAR measures through parliament, extending timelines, which is required to full operationalise the service and fully realise the envisaged benefits.

Cost: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the project's departmentally agreed Whole Life Cost at 24/25-Q4 (measured in £m) increased from 35 to 42. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ Funding the continuation of the programme team through the extension period to oversee the delivery of Public Beta and Fully Operational commitments, the progression of legislative measures, and to explore, through extensive stakeholder engagement and robust testing, if and how additional benefits could be delivered by increasing access to NUAR data. The WLC includes a total of £3.3m of contingency funding, secured to protect the service from any disruption or delay to the transition to its long-term operator. The intent remains that these funds will be returned by Q2 if they are not required.

Source: NISTA Annual Report 2024-25 (data)

Rating: Compared to financial year 22/23-Q4, the Senior Responsible Owner's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 23/24-Q4 remained at Amber. This is primarily due to the following factors. The SRO's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 23/24-Q4 remains Amber due to delays in securing Parliamentary time to progress necessary legislative reforms to operationalise the service and realise the envisaged 490m pa benefits. The required legislative updates are now being progressed through the Data Protection & Digital Information Bill, and Royal Assent is expected in summer 2024. _x000D_ _x000D_ Despite this, overall development and roll out of the NUAR MVP is progressing, with it now live across England and Wales, and on track to be live in Northern Ireland by spring 2024, and meeting all service standards in a recent Private Beta service assessment. Engagement has focused on those asset owners whose assets are more critical to planning and executing excavations, as identified by asset owners. Requirements gathering and transitional arrangements for the programme are progressing well.

Schedule: Compared to financial year 22/23-Q4, the project's end-date at 23/24-Q4 remained schedule to finish on 2024-09-30. This is primarily due to the following factors. The programme has previously reported against completion of the build phase, which is on track to complete by 30/09/24 as per the previously reported end date. The programme is now reporting it's end date as 31/03/25, which is the point by which activities to transfer the day to day running of the service from the existing commercial supplier to the long-term operator are expected to be complete. _x000D_ _x000D_ The development and roll out of the NUAR MVP remains on schedule and now provides access to data from almost 200 organisations across the whole of England and Wales, including all of the major energy and water providers, several major telecommunications companies, as well as smaller providers of these services, transport organisations and local authorities. _x000D_ _x000D_ The NUAR MVP now covers England and Wales, and is on track to complete coverage with the inclusion of Northern Ireland by spring 2024.

Cost: Compared to financial year 22/23-Q4, the project's departmental-agree Whole Life Cost at 23/24-Q4 remained at 33m. This is primarily due to the following factors. During the Supplementary Estimates process the programme reprofiled budget and costs from 23/24 to 24/25. Forecast expenditure has been reprofiled into Q4 to support the transitional activities of the 'Run phase' of the programme between October 24 and March 25.

Source: IPA Annual Report 2023-24 (data)