Source · Select Committees · Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Recommendation 21
21
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 89
We are deeply concerned about how long VisitBritain must wait for confirmation of its Comprehensive...
Conclusion
We are deeply concerned about how long VisitBritain must wait for confirmation of its Comprehensive Spending Review funding and, particularly, its marketing spend approval. This year’s delays in the Professional Assurance approval process meant VisitBritain was unable to undertake critical work in international markets and so damaged the recovery of the inbound tourism sector as a whole. We welcome the fact that the Cabinet Office responded more quickly during lockdown, but this highlights not only the necessity of acting swiftly but also the Cabinet Office’s ability to do so. All marketing campaigns generate significant costs and so VisitBritain hits the threshold of £100,000 on most, if not all, of its work. Given that the Government established VisitBritain to promote Britain abroad, it is nonsensical that approval processes are directly limiting its ability to do so. We recognise that £100,000 may be a useful threshold for non-marketing organisations but the nature of VisitBritain’s work means that it should have a much higher threshold for its campaign spend.
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges concerns about delays in VisitBritain's marketing spend approval and states that as part of wider reforms of Cabinet Office controls, the AMC spend control will adopt a more streamlined and agile approach.
Paragraph Reference:
89
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The Cabinet Office advertising, marketing and communication (AMC) spending control plays a crucial role in safeguarding public money. It assures the efficiency and effectiveness of government communications and reduces duplication between central government organisations. However, we also recognise the importance of proportionality and look to continuously improve our processes. As part of wider reforms of Cabinet Office controls, the AMC spend control will adopt a more streamlined and agile approach, with assurance targeted to where it is needed the most. This will mean that fewer cases will need to be submitted to the Cabinet Office and faster decisions on those that do. Cabinet Office will also apply earned autonomy principles, including increased thresholds for high-performing organisations. As such, the Government will continue to evaluate the case for a rise in VisitBritain’s PASS approval threshold as part of future operational planning.