Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 2
2
Government is not doing enough to ensure businesses and citizens will be ready for the...
Conclusion
Government is not doing enough to ensure businesses and citizens will be ready for the end of the transition period, and it is unclear what has been learnt from the previous ‘Get ready for Brexit’ campaign. The Cabinet Office launched a new communications campaign, ‘The UK’s new start: let’s get going’, in July. Its aim is to inform businesses and the public about what actions they need to take to be ready for the end of the transition period. Government survey data suggests that 36% of SMEs still believe the transition period will be extended, and the Cabinet Office does not know whether the remaining 64% have taken action to be ready. The Cabinet Office acknowledges the key lesson from its ‘Get ready for Brexit’ campaign is that it should track actions taken in response, rather than just measuring public awareness. The Cabinet Office plans to intensify communications as the deadline approaches but it is unclear if it has the necessary information on levels of readiness among businesses and individuals to successfully target this campaign. Current levels of readiness and a decrease in travel due to the Covid-19 pandemic mean some businesses and members of the public may not look for help or guidance until they plan to travel or import/export goods, which could be some time after the transition period has passed. Recommendation: Government must maximise all remaining opportunities for getting businesses and individuals to act in the time remaining to January 2021. It must ensure it has adequate information on what third parties are doing to take action, not just relying on surveys of awareness. Government needs to ensure ongoing communications and support for businesses and individuals who may only consider taking action well after 1 January 2021, such as when Covid-19 travel restrictions are eased. 6 Whitehall preparations for EU Exit
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
2.1 The government agrees with this recommendation. Recommendation implemented 2.2 The government had been preparing extensively for all negotiation outcomes, and that included preparing third parties for the changes that would occur at the end of the Transition Period. The government’s approach was three-fold, and consisted of: ● a major national Public Information Campaign (PIC) clearly communicating to businesses and citizens what they need to do to prepare for the end of the Transition Period. ● the drive to GOV.UK where businesses and citizens were encouraged to use the ‘Check, Change, Go’ checker tool which provided users with a personalised list of actions based on their individual circumstances; and ● a programme of intensive business engagement events involving roundtables, email bulletins, sector panels and webinars, as well as direct contact with businesses and Business Representative Organisations. 2.3 The UK Transition PIC draws on recommendations from a comprehensive internal evaluation and summary report produced in January 2020 on the ‘Get Ready for Brexit’ (GRFB) campaign, and the NAO report. For example: ● Recommendation 1: Internal lessons learned showed communication activity should prioritise those audiences where a lack of action will lead to the greatest disruption, and where action can be taken on a ‘no regrets’ basis (it will be required regardless of the outcome of negotiations). Action: The Transition Communication Centre in the Cabinet Office built on and applied the successful prioritisation criteria for GRFB. This has been implemented throughout the PIC; in Phase 3, ‘no regrets’ actions for borders and business audiences, particularly SMEs, were broadcast through peer-to-peer messaging which showed other like-for-like businesses getting ready. ● Recommendation 2: NAO recommendations included developing a consistent way of measuring impact during the initial period of the campaign, in order to track value delivered throughout. Action: The Cabinet Office developed and collated a full range of measures to gauge third-party awareness and preparedness for the end of Transition, and consequently campaign impact, at the launch of the PIC. This includes intention to act and actions taken by audiences. Data has been continuously sourced from the Devolved Administrations, GOV.UK traffic, call centre incoming call volumes and qualitative engagement insights. It is then collated and tracked by the Transition Communication Centre on a weekly basis and is used to review and inform decisions on campaign activity and spend. 2.4 Government surveys cover not just awareness of the issues involved, but a full range of measures including intention to act and actions taken. The surveys are conducted by independent market research agencies and the Office for National Statistics (ONS). They are a vital means by which the government can estimate expected preparedness along with a range of measures that could only be gathered through a representative survey. Following the Permanent Secretary’s letter to the Committee in October 2020, survey data from the ONS has been published and can be found online with the latest relevant ONS release available via the link in the footnote1. 2.5 The government is continuously looking for new opportunities to encourage business preparedness; be it for example, through new partnerships or champions. In December 2020, the government intensified its extensive engagement with business by establishing the Brexit Business Task Force, which met weekly to discuss the practical steps businesses needed to get ready by the end of the year.