Recommendation 3

The Department for International Trade’s contribution to export performance is unclear because of a lack of robust metrics. It is important for any public body to be clear about and accountable for what it is trying to achieve, and the criteria it will use to judge whether it is being successful, including performance information that allows Parliament and the taxpayer to understand how effective they are and what impact they are having. However, the government has not set a timescale for achieving its export growth ambition to increase from 30% to 35% of GDP, and the target is dependent on multiple factors such as economic conditions and contributions from other parties including independent efforts by UK industry. The Department measures its annual exports performance through its ‘export wins’ measure but this target does not encourage it to focus on longer-term export growth. The Department was unable to provide us with details of other measures that cover the broad scope of its role in supporting exports, such as removing market access barriers. The Department says that it aims to develop better measures for understanding the impact of FTAs and to help it target specific markets. Recommendation: By the end of 2020, the Department should set out longer- term outcome measures that enable us, Parliament and the taxpayer to hold it to account for its impact on exports, and which capture the full range of its activities to support exports. Measures should include supporting exports, such as removing market access barriers, including better international comparators, the impact of free trade agreements and the number of exporters. DIT’s performance against all measures, existing and new, should be reported transparently.