British Tourist Authority framework document 2024-2027

Q: Signatures

Ruth Hannant & Polly Payne Directors-General, Policy, DCMS Patricia Yates Chief Executive, BTA

Question 1

Introduction and background

Accepted Answer

1. Purpose of document

1.1. This framework document has been agreed between the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS or the department) and the British Tourist Authority (BTA) in accordance with HM Treasury’s handbook Managing Public Money^{[footnote 1]}(“MPM”) (as updated from time to time) and has been approved by HM Treasury.

1.2. The framework document sets out the broad governance framework within which the BTA and DCMS operate. It sets out the BTA’s core responsibilities, describes the governance and accountability framework that applies between the roles of DCMS, BTA, and other relevant parties, and sets out how the day-to-day relationship works in practice, including in relation to governance and financial matters.

1.3. The document does not convey any legal powers or responsibilities but both parties agree to operate within its terms.

1.4. References to the BTA include all its subsidiaries and joint ventures that are classified to the public sector and central government for national accounts purposes. If the BTA establishes a subsidiary or joint venture, there shall be a document setting out the arrangements between it and the BTA, agreed with DCMS.

1.5. Copies of the document and any subsequent amendments have been placed in the libraries of both Houses of Parliament and made available to members of the public on GOV.UK.

1.6. This framework document should be reviewed and updated at least every 3 years unless there are exceptional reasons that render this inappropriate that have been agreed with HM Treasury and the Principal Accounting Officer of the sponsor department. The latest date for review and updating of this document is Thursday 12 August 2027.

2. Objectives

2.1. The statutory functions of the BTA are set out in Section 2 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969, and are as follows:.

i. To encourage people to visit Great Britain and people living in Great Britain to take their holidays there;

ii. To encourage the provision and improvement of tourist amenities and facilities in Great Britain;

The BTA also has a statutory duty to advise any minister or public body on matters relating to tourism in Great Britain as a whole.

2.2. In pursuit of these functions, DCMS and the BTA share the common objective of delivering the sector vision set out in the Government’s Tourism Recovery Plan. This includes the delivery of a swift recovery back to 2019 levels of tourism volume, visitor expenditure as well as building back a more resilient, sustainable, accessible and inclusive sector which benefits every part of the United Kingdom. To achieve this, the BTA and DCMS will work together in recognition of each other’s roles and areas of expertise, providing an effective environment for the BTA to achieve its objectives through the promotion of partnership and trust and ensuring that the BTA also supports the strategic aims and objective of the department and wider government as a whole.

2.3. Within that context, the Secretary of State will agree the specific priorities of the BTA within a Chair’s Letter, issued to the BTA on an annual basis.

3. Classification

3.1. The BTA has been classified as a central government organisation by the HM Treasury Classifications Team.

3.2. The Development of Tourism Act 1969 established the BTA, which currently trades as both VisitEngland and VisitBritain. These have been administratively classified by the Cabinet Office as separate non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) of DCMS.

3.3. VisitEngland is responsible for supporting the visitor economy within England, whereas VisitBritain works on behalf of Great Britain to promote the UK as a destination to potential visitors from overseas.

3.4. Both VisitEngland and VisitBritain, as separate NDPBs, have separate Chairs and non-Executive Boards, but are supported by the same Executive team within the BTA. As such, they share the same Chief Executive Officer, and Accounting Officer. VisitEngland and VisitBritain are not legal subsidiaries - they are divisions of the one legal entity (the BTA). As such, both divisions are guided by a single Framework Document.

Question 2

Purposes, aims and duties

Accepted Answer

4. Purposes

4.1. The BTA was established under the Development of Tourism Act 1969. Its purposes are set out in section 2 of that Act. Its main aim is to support the development of Great Britain’s tourism industry.

5. Powers and duties

5.1. The BTA’s powers and duties stem from sections 2 and 5 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969.

5.2. The BTA’s statutory duties and functions are to: - Encourage people to visit Great Britain and people living in Great Britain to take their holidays there; - Encourage the provision and improvement of tourist amenities and facilities in Great Britain.

5.3. The BTA also has a statutory duty to advise any minister or public body on matters relating to tourism in Great Britain as a whole.

6. Aims

6.1. The BTA’s strategic aims for the term of this document, listed in their Three Year Vision (2022 - 2025), are to:

6.1.1. Rebuild international visitor value;

6.1.1.1. Position Britain as a dynamic, diverse, sustainable and inclusive destination, prioritising regional and season dispersion and improved productivity

6.1.2. Build their future;

6.1.2.1. Transform the way they work to compete in a digital world, build on their strengths in data and consider opportunities to diversify their funding

6.1.3. Build the English Visitor Economy;

6.1.3.1. Lead and enable a sustainable and resilient visitor economy in England;

6.1.4. Build their influence;

6.1.4.1. Be the trusted voice in tourism. Support growth by shaping policy and providing insights.

6.1.5. Build their team;

6.1.5.1. Work as a global team to ensure their structure and skills best deliver on the strategy

6.2. The strategic aims listed may change with approval and agreement of the BTA Board and with support from DCMS.

Question 3

Governance and accountability

Accepted Answer

7. Governance and accountability

7.1. The BTA shall operate corporate governance arrangements that, so far as practicable and in the light of the other provisions of this framework document or as otherwise may be mutually agreed, accord with good corporate governance practice and applicable regulatory requirements and expectations.

7.2. In particular (but without limitation), the BTA should:

comply with the principles and provisions of the Corporate Governance in Central Government Departments Code of Good Practice^{[footnote 2]} (as amended and updated from time to time) to the extent appropriate and in line with their statutory duties or specify and explain any non-compliance in its annual report
comply with MPM
in line with MPM have regard to the relevant Functional Standards^{[footnote 3]} as appropriate and in particular those concerning Finance, Commercial and Counter Fraud
take into account the codes of good practice and guidance set out in Annex A of this framework document, as they apply to ALBs

7.3. In line with MPM Annex 3.1 the BTA shall provide an account of corporate governance in its annual governance statement including the Board’s assessment of its compliance with the Code with explanations of any material departures. To the extent that the BTA does intend to materially depart from the Code, the sponsor should be notified in advance.

Question 4

Role of the department

Accepted Answer

8. The responsible Minister

8.1. The Secretary of State and other members of the DCMS ministerial team are accountable to Parliament for all matters concerning the BTA.

8.2. The Ministers’ statutory powers in respect of the BTA are set out in The Development of Tourism Act 1969.

8.3. These are:

s3(2): power to confirm general schemes providing for a Tourist Board’s giving of financial assistance for the carrying out of tourist projects specified in the schemes (i.e. power to approve general schemes of assistance for tourist projects)
s4(1)(b): power to approve a Tourist Board’s giving of financial assistance for any project which will provide or improve tourist amenities and facilities (i.e. power to approve financial assistance for particular tourist projects)
s4(4)(b): power to approve a Tourist Board’s disposal of any shares or stock acquired by it by virtue of s 4 of the Act

Appointments to the Board

8.4. The Chief Executive of the BTA is appointed by the BTA Board, in consultation with the responsible Minister and Principal Accounting Officer (PAO), as required. A DCMS representative should sit on the appointments panel.

8.5. The respective responsibilities of the PAO and Accounting Officers are set out in Chapter 3 of Managing Public Money, which is sent separately to Chief Executives by the DCMS Permanent Secretary on their appointment as Accounting Officer.

8.6. Appointments to the BTA Board are made in accordance with the Development of Tourism Act 1969. This legislation allows the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to appoint a chair and not more than five other members.

8.7. In addition to these appointments, the chair of the VisitEngland Advisory Board, the chair of VisitScotland and an individual nominated by the Welsh Assembly also sit on the board.

Other Ministerial powers and responsibilities

8.8. The Minister is also responsible for:

the policy framework within which the BTA operates;
setting the performance framework within which the BTA will operate, including approving the BTA’s Strategy and Annual Plan;
matters regarding spending approvals, acquisitions, disposals, and joint ventures in line with delegations as set out in the delegation letter;
such other matters as may be appropriate and proportionate.

9. The Principal Accounting Officer

9.1. The Principal Accounting Officer (PAO) is the Permanent Secretary of the department.

PAO’s specific accountabilities and responsibilities

9.2. The PAO of DCMS designates the Chief Executive as the BTA’s Accounting Officer (AO) and ensures that they are fully aware of their responsibilities. The PAO issues a letter appointing the AO, setting out their responsibilities and delegated authorities.

9.3. The respective responsibilities of the PAO and AOs for ALBs are set out in Chapter 3 of MPM.

9.4. The PAO is accountable to Parliament for the issue of any grant-in-aid to the BTA.

9.5. The PAO is also responsible, usually via the sponsorship team, for advising the responsible Minister on:

an appropriate framework of objectives and targets for the BTA in the light of the department’s wider strategic aims and priorities;
an appropriate budget for the BTA in the light of the sponsor department’s overall public expenditure priorities;
how well the BTA is achieving its strategic objectives and whether it is delivering value for money;
the exercise of the Ministers’ statutory responsibilities concerning the BTA as outlined above.

9.6. The PAO via the sponsorship team is also responsible for ensuring arrangements are in place in order to:

monitor the BTA’s activities and performance;
address any significant problems that may arise in the BTA, making such interventions as are judged necessary;
periodically and at such frequency as is proportionate to the level of risk carry out an assessment of the risks both to the department and the BTA’s objectives and activities in line with the wider departmental risk assessment process;
inform the BTA of relevant government policy in a timely manner;
bring ministerial or departmental concerns about the activities of the BTA to the full BTA board, and, as appropriate to the departmental Board, requiring explanations and assurances that appropriate action has been taken.

10. The role of the sponsorship team

10.1. The Tourism Team in the department is the primary contact for the BTA. The responsible senior civil servant for this relationship is the Deputy Director for Tourism. They are the main source of advice to the responsible Minister on the discharge of their responsibilities in respect of the BTA. They also support the PAO on their responsibilities toward the BTA.

10.2. Officials of the Tourism team in DCMS will liaise regularly with the BTA officials to review performance against plans, achievement against targets and expenditure against its DEL and AME allocations. The Tourism team will also take the opportunity to explain wider policy developments that might have an impact on the BTA.

10.3. Performance, issues and risks will be discussed regularly between DCMS Sponsorship Teams and BTA staff. Relevant officials from the DCMS Finance, Human Resources, Commercial and/or Public Bodies teams may attend accountability meetings as necessary.

10.4. The mechanisms for the working relationship between DCMS and the BTA can be found in Annex B.

11. Resolution of disputes between the BTA and DCMS

11.1. Any disputes between the department and the BTA will be resolved in as timely a manner as possible. The department and the BTA will seek to resolve any disputes through an informal process in the first instance. If this is not possible, then a formal process, overseen by the senior sponsor, will be used to resolve the issue. Failing this, the senior sponsor will ask the relevant policy Director General to oversee the dispute. They may then choose to ask the Permanent Secretary to nominate a non-executive member of the department’s Board to review the dispute, mediate with both sides and reach an outcome, in consultation with the Secretary of State.

12. Freedom of Information and Other Data Requests

12.1. Where a request for information is received by either party under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, or the Data Protection Act 1998 or 2018, the party receiving the request will consult with the other party prior to any disclosure of information that may affect the other party’s responsibilities.

13. Reporting on legal risk and litigation

13.1. The BTA shall provide a quarterly update to the sponsors in the Tourism Team, who then liaise with DCMS legal team, on the existence of any active litigation and any threatened or reasonably anticipated litigation. The parties acknowledge the importance of ensuring that legal risks are communicated appropriately to the sponsor in a timely manner.

13.2. In respect of each substantial piece of litigation involving the BTA, the parties will agree to a litigation protocol which will include specific provisions to ensure appropriate and timely reporting on the status of the litigation and the protection of legally privileged information transmitted to the sponsor to facilitate this. Until such time as a protocol is agreed, the parties will ensure that:

material developments in the litigation are communicated to the sponsor in an appropriate and timely manner
legally privileged documents and information are clearly marked as such
individual employees handling the legally privileged documents are familiar with principles to which they must adhere to protect legal privilege
circulation of privileged information within government occurs only as necessary

Question 5

British Tourist Authority governance structure

Accepted Answer

14. The Chief Executive

Responsibilities of the BTA’s chief executive as accounting officer

14.1. The Chief Executive as AO is personally responsible for safeguarding the public funds for which they have charge; for ensuring propriety, regularity, value for money and feasibility in the handling of those public funds; and for the day-to-day operations and management of the BTA. In addition, they should ensure that the BTA as a whole is run on the basis of the standards, in terms of governance, decision-making and financial management, that are set out in Box 3.1 of MPM. These responsibilities include the below and those that are set in the AO appointment letter issued by the PAO of the sponsor department.

Responsibilities for accounting to Parliament and the public

14.2. Responsibilities to Parliament and the public include:

Responsibilities to DCMS

14.3. Responsibilities to DCMS include:

establishing, in agreement with the department, the BTA’s corporate and business plans in the light of the department’s wider strategic aims and agreed priorities
informing the department of progress in helping to achieve the department’s policy objectives and in demonstrating how resources are being used to achieve those objectives
ensuring that timely forecasts and monitoring information on performance and finance are provided to the department; that the department is notified promptly if over or under spends are likely and that corrective action is taken; and that any significant problems whether financial or otherwise, and whether detected by internal audit or by other means, are notified to the department in a timely fashion
working collectively with the department and other members of the DCMS group of Public Bodies in support of each other and the group as a whole

Responsibilities to the board

14.4. The Chief Executive is responsible for:

advising the BTA Board on the discharge of their responsibilities as set out in this document, in the founding legislation and in any other relevant instructions and guidance that may be issued from time to time
advising the BTA Board on the BTA’s performance compared with its aim[s] and objectives
ensuring that financial considerations are taken fully into account by the BTA Board at all stages in reaching and executing its decisions, and that financial appraisal techniques are followed

Managing conflicts

14.5. The Chief Executive should follow the advice and direction of the BTA Board, except in very exceptional circumstances with a clear cut and transparent rationale for not doing so.

14.6. If the BTA Board, or its chairperson, is contemplating a course of action involving a transaction which the Chief Executive considers would infringe the requirements of propriety or regularity or does not represent prudent or economical administration, efficiency or effectiveness, is of questionable feasibility, or is unethical the chief executive in their role as AO should reject that course of action and ensure that the BTA Board have a full opportunity to discuss the rationale for that rejection.

14.7. Such conflicts should be brought to the attention of the PAO and the responsible Minister as soon as possible.

14.8. Furthermore, and if agreed with the responsible Minister, the AO must write a letter of justification to the chair of the BTA Board setting out the rationale for not following the advice and recommendation of the board and copy that letter to the Treasury Officer of Accounts.

14.9. If the responsible Minister agrees with the proposed course of action of the BTA Board it may be appropriate for the Minister to direct the AO in the manner as set out in MPM paragraph 3.6.6 onwards.

15. The Boards

Composition of the BTA Board

15.1. The BTA will have a board in line with good standards of corporate governance and as set out in its establishing statute and in guidance as set out in Annex A. The role of the Board shall be to act as the principal governing body of the BTA, as set out in greater detail in this section,and to deliver the objectives, in accordance with the purposes as set out above, their statutory, regulatory, common law duties and their responsibilities under this framework document. Remuneration of the Board is determined by the sponsor and will be disclosed in line with the guidance in the Government Financial Reporting manual (FReM).

15.2. As is set out in the Development of Tourism Act 1969 (“the Act”), the Board will consist of a chairperson, and not more than five members (plus the Chairs of VisitScotland and VisitEnglandAdvisory Board and a person appointed by the National Assembly for Wales). Members should have a balance of skills and experience appropriate and relevant to the BTA’s business. This would include experience of the tourism sector, and related operational delivery and corporate services such as HR, technology, communications and performance management. The Board should support and constructively challenge the executive team. The Act does not require either the BTA’s Chief Executive or Finance Director to be a member of the Board. However, they are both expected to attend all BTA Board meetings.

Composition of the VisitEngland Advisory Board

15.3. Additionally, the VisitEngland Advisory Board advises on the development and implementation of an England Action Plan. With a chairperson, not more than five members and one observer from DCMS, their overall direction is decided in consultation with the BTA Board. This board meets four times a year, whereas the BTA board meets five times per year.

Board Committees

15.4. The BTA Board may set up such committees as necessary for it to fulfil its functions. As is detailed below at a minimum this should include an Audit and Risk Committee chaired by an independent and appropriately qualified non-executive member of the Board.

15.5. While the BTA Board may make use of committees to assist its consideration of appointments, succession, audit, risk and remuneration it retains responsibility for, and endorses, final decisions in all of these areas. The Chair should ensure that sufficient time is allowed at the board for committees to report on the nature and content of discussion, on recommendations, and on actions to be taken.

15.6. Where there is disagreement between the relevant committee and the Board, adequate time should be made available for discussion of the issue with a view to resolving the disagreement. Where any such disagreement cannot be resolved, the committee concerned should have the right to report the issue to the sponsor team, PAO and responsible Minister. They may also seek to ensure the disagreement or concern is reflected as part of the report on its activities in the annual report.

15.7. The Chair should ensure board committees are properly structured with appropriate terms of reference. The terms of each committee should set out its responsibilities and the authority delegated to it by the Board. The Chair should ensure that committee membership is periodically refreshed and that individual independent non-executive directors are not overburdened when deciding the chairs and membership of committees.

Duties of the BTA Board

15.8. The Board is specifically responsible for:

establishing and taking forward the strategic aims and objectives of the BTA, consistent with its overall strategic direction and within the policy and resources framework determined by the Secretary of State
providing effective leadership of the BTA within a framework of prudent and effective controls which enables risk to be assessed and managed
ensuring the financial and human resources have the capacity to enable the BTA to meet its objectives
reviewing management performance
ensuring that the Board receives and reviews regular financial and management information concerning the management of the BTA
ensuring that it is kept informed of any changes which are likely to impact on the strategic direction of the BTA Board or on the attainability of its targets, and determining the steps needed to deal with such changes and where appropriate bringing such matters to the attention of the responsible Minister and PAO via the executive team, sponsorship team or directly
ensuring that any statutory or administrative requirements for the use of public funds are complied with; that the Board operates within the limits of its statutory authority and any delegated authority agreed with the sponsor department, and in accordance with any other conditions relating to the use of public funds
ensuring that in reaching decisions, the BTA Board takes into account guidance issued by the sponsor department
ensuring that as part of the above compliance they are familiar with: - this framework document, - any delegation letter issued to body - any elements of any Chair’s letter issued to the sponsor department that is relevant to the operation of the BTA - any separate Chair’s letter that is issued to the BTA from the sponsor department - that they have appropriate internal mechanisms for the monitoring, governance and external reporting regarding any conditions arising from the above documents and ensure that the chief executive and the BTA as a whole act in accordance with their obligations under the above documents
demonstrating high standards of corporate governance at all times, including by using the independent audit committee to help the board to address key financial and other risks
appointing [with the responsible Minister’s approval] a Chief Executive and, in consultation with the department, set performance objectives and remuneration terms linked to these objectives for the Chief Executive which give due weight to the proper management and use and utilisation of public resources
The Board should review its own effectiveness annually through an appraisal process. To note, Chairs Performance will be reviewed annually and is conducted by DCMS.
determining all such other things which the Board considers ancillary or conducive to the attainment or fulfilment by the BTA of its objectives

15.9. The BTA Board should ensure that effective arrangements are in place to provide assurance on risk management, governance and internal control.

15.10. The BTA Board should make a strategic choice about the style, shape and quality of risk management and should lead the assessment and management of opportunity and risk. The Board should ensure that effective arrangements are in place to provide assurance over the design and operation of risk management, governance and internal control in line with the Management of Risk – Principles and Concepts (The Orange Book)^{[footnote 4]}. The Board must set up an Audit and Risk Assurance Committee chaired by an independent and appropriately qualified non-executive member to provide independent advice and ensure that the department’s Audit and Risk Assurance Committee are provided with routine assurances with escalation of any significant limitations or concerns. The Board is expected to assure itself of the adequacy and effectiveness of the risk management framework and the operation of internal control.

16. The Chair’s role and responsibilities

16.1. The Chair is responsible for leading the board in the delivery of its responsibilities. Such responsibility should be exercised in the light of their duties and responsibilities as set out in their appointment letter, the priorities in the Chair’s letter issued to them by the sponsor department, the statutory authority governing the BTA, this document and the documents and guidance referred to within this document.

16.2. Communications between the BTA’s Board and the responsible Minister should normally be through the Chair.

16.3. The chair is bound by the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies^{[footnote 5]}, which covers conduct in the role and includes the Nolan Principles of Public Life^{[footnote 6]}.

16.4. In addition, the Chair is responsible for:

ensuring inclusion by monitoring and engaging with appropriate governance arrangements that the BTA’s affairs are conducted with probity
ensuring that policies and actions support the responsible Ministers’ [and where relevant other Ministers’] wider strategic policies and where appropriate, these policies and actions should be clearly communicated and disseminated throughout the ALB.

16.5. The Chair has the following leadership responsibilities:

formulating the BTA Board’s strategy
ensuring that the Board, in reaching decisions, takes proper account of guidance provided by the responsible Minister or the department
promoting the efficient and effective use of staff and other resources
delivering high standards of regularity and propriety
representing the views of the board to the general public

16.6. The Chair also has an obligation to ensure that:

the work of the BTA Board and its members are reviewed and are working effectively including ongoing assessment of the performance of individual board members with a formal annual evaluation and more in-depth assessments of the performance of individual board members when being considered for re-appointment
that in conducting assessments that the view of relevant stakeholders including employees and the sponsorship team are sought and considered
that the Board has a balance of skills appropriate to directing the BTA’s business, and that all directors including the Chair and Chief Executive continually update their skills, knowledge and familiarity with the BTA to fulfil their role both on the Board and committees. This will include but not be limited to skills and training in relation to financial management and reporting requirements, risk management and the requirements of board membership within the public sector
board members are fully briefed on terms of appointment, duties, rights and responsibilities
they, together with the other board members, receives appropriate training on financial management and reporting requirements and on any differences that may exist between private and public sector practice
the responsible Minister is advised of the BTA’s needs when board vacancies arise
there is a Board Operating Framework in place setting out the role and responsibilities of the board consistent with the Government Code of Good Practice for Corporate Governance
there is a code of practice for board members in place, consistent with the Cabinet Office Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies
the Board considers, once during the term of this framework document, the effectiveness of the organisation’s governance in light of the Government Code of Good Practice for Corporate Governance
To note, the bespoke responsibilities of the Chair of the VisitEngland Advisory Board are set out in a separate appointment letter issued by DCMS.

17. Individual board members’ responsibilities

17.1. Individual members of the BTA board and VisitEngland Advisory Board should:

comply at all times with the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies, which covers conduct in the role and includes the Nolan Principles of Public Life as well as rules relating to the use of public funds and to conflicts of interest
demonstrate adherence to the 12 Principles of Governance for all Public Body Non-Executive Directors as appropriate^{[footnote 7]}
not misuse information gained in the course of their public service for personal gain or for political profit, nor seek to use the opportunity of public service to promote their private interests or those of connected persons or organisations
comply with the Board’s rules on the acceptance of gifts and hospitality, and of business appointments
act in good faith and in the best interests of the BTA
ensure they are familiar with any applicable guidance on the role of public sector non-executive directors and boards that may be issued from time to time by the Cabinet Office, HM Treasury or wider government

Question 6

Management and financial responsibilities and controls

Accepted Answer

18. Delegated authorities

18.1. The BTA’s delegated authorities are set out in the delegation letter issued once a year. This delegation letter may be updated and superseded by later versions which may be issued by the sponsor department in agreement with HM Treasury. In line with MPM Annex 2.2 these delegations will be reviewed on an annual basis.

18.2. The BTA shall obtain the department’s and where appropriate HM Treasury’s prior written approval before:

entering into any undertaking to incur any expenditure that falls outside the delegations or which is not provided for in the BTA’s annual budget as approved by the department
incurring expenditure for any purpose that is or might be considered novel or contentious, or which has or could have significant future cost implications
making any significant change in the scale of operation or funding of any initiative or particular scheme previously approved by the department
making any change of policy or practice which has wider financial implications that might prove repercussive or which might significantly affect the future level of resources required
carrying out policies that go against the principles, rules, guidance and advice in MPM

19. Spending authority

19.1. Once the budget has been approved by the sponsor department, the BTA shall have authority to incur expenditure approved in the budget without further reference to the sponsor department, on the following conditions:

the BTA shall comply with the delegations set out in the delegation letter. These delegations shall not be altered without the prior agreement of the sponsor department and as agreed by HM Treasury and Cabinet Office as appropriate
the BTA shall comply with MPM regarding novel, contentious or repercussive proposals
inclusion of any planned and approved expenditure in the budget shall not remove the need to seek formal departmental approval where any proposed expenditure is outside the delegated limits or is for new schemes not previously agreed
the BTA shall provide the sponsor department with such information about its operations, performance, individual projects or other expenditure as the sponsor department may reasonably require.

20. Banking and managing cash

20.1. The BTA must maximise the use of publicly procured banking services (accounts with central government commercial banks managed centrally by Government Banking).

20.2. The BTA should only hold money outside Government Banking Service accounts where a good business case can be made for doing so and HM Treasury consent is required for each account to be established. Only commercial banks which are members of relevant UK clearing bodies may be considered for this purpose.

20.3. Commercial accounts where approved should be operated in line with the principles as set out in MPM.

20.4. The AO is responsible for ensuring the BTA has a banking policy as set out in MPM and ensuring that policy is complied with.

21. Procurement

21.1. The British Tourist Authority will ensure that its procurement policies are aligned with and comply with any relevant UK or other international procurement rules and in particular the current Public Procurement Regulations (For Example but not exclusive to Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and Procurement Act 2023).

21.2. The BTA shall establish its procurement policies and document these in a Procurement Policy and Procedures Manual.

21.3. In procurement cases where the BTA is likely to exceed its delegated authority limit, procurement strategy approval for the specific planned purchase must be sought from the department’s sponsor team.

21.4. Goods, services, and works should be acquired by competition. Proposals to let single-tender or restricted contracts shall be limited and exceptional, and a quarterly report explaining those exceptions should be sent to the department.

21.5. Procurement by the BTA of works, equipment, goods, and services shall be based on, a full option appraisal and value for money (VfM), i.e. the optimum combination and whole life costs and quality (fitness for purpose).

21.6. The BTA shall:

engage fully with department and government wide procurement initiatives that seek to achieve VfM from collaborative projects
comply with all relevant Procurement Policy Notes issued by Cabinet Office
cooperate fully with initiatives to improve the availability of procurement data to facilitate the achievement of VfM

21.7. The BTA shall comply with the commercial^{[footnote 8]} and grants standards^{[footnote 9]}. These standards apply to the planning, delivery, and management of government commercial activity, including management of grants in all departments and ALBs, regardless of commercial approach used and form part of a suite of functional standards that set expectations for management within government.

21.8. The delegated limit for direct award contracts (where no competition has taken place to select a supplier) is set at £100,000 (ex VAT) for each contract or requirement.

21.9. The BTA shall comply with the requirements set out in Annex C.

22. Risk management

22.1. The BTA shall ensure that the risks that it faces are dealt with in an appropriate manner, in accordance with relevant aspects of best practice in corporate governance, and develop a risk management strategy, in accordance with the Treasury guidance Management of Risk: Principles and Concepts^{[footnote 10]}.

22.2. Overall responsibility for managing risks lies with the BTA Board. The Board should take into account any risk appetite directions given by DCMS. Recognising that DCMS Ministers are ultimately accountable to Parliament for issues that crystallise, the Board should share its assessment of risk regularly with DCMS, and explicitly escalate risks that are beyond the BTA’s risk appetite or ability to effectively mitigate.

22.3. The BTA should also take all reasonable steps to appraise the financial standing of any firm or other body with which it intends to enter into a contract, or to which it will give grant or grant-in-aid.

22.4. DCMS has oversight of risks in each arms length body and across the portfolio by collating information provided by them and assessing the degree of risk and appropriateness of mitigating actions planned or taken.

24. Counter fraud and theft

23.1. The BTA should adopt and implement policies and practices to safeguard itself against fraud and theft.

23.2. The BTA should act in line with guidance as issued by the Counter Fraud Function and in compliance with the procedures and considerations as set in in MPM Annex 4.9 and the Counter Fraud Functional Standard^{[footnote 11]}. It should also take all reasonable steps to appraise the financial standing of any firm or other body with which it intends to enter a contract or to provide grant or grant-in-aid.

23.3. The BTA should keep records of and prepare and forward to the department an annual report on fraud and theft suffered by the BTA and notify the sponsor department of any unusual or major incidents as soon as possible. The BTA should also report detected loss from fraud, bribery, corruption and error, alongside associated recoveries and prevented losses, to the counter fraud centre of expertise in line with the agreed government definitions as set out in Counter Fraud Functional Standard.

24. BTA Staff

Broad responsibilities for staff

24.1. Within the arrangements approved by the responsible Minister [and the Treasury], the BTA will have responsibility for the recruitment, retention and motivation of its staff. The broad responsibilities toward its staff are to ensure that:

the rules for recruitment and management of staff create an inclusive culture in which diversity is fully valued; appointment and advancement is based on merit; there is no discrimination against employees with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010
the level and structure of its staffing, including grading and staff numbers, are appropriate to its functions and the requirements of economy, efficiency and effectiveness
the performance of its staff at all levels is satisfactorily appraised and the ALB performance measurement systems are reviewed from time to time
its staff are encouraged to acquire the appropriate professional, management and other expertise necessary to achieve the ALB’s objectives
proper consultation with staff takes place on key issues affecting them
adequate grievance and disciplinary procedures are in place
whistle-blowing procedures consistent with the Public Interest Disclosure Act are in place
A code of conduct for staff is in place based on the Cabinet Office’s Model Code for Staff of Executive Non-departmental Public Bodies^{[footnote 12]}.

Staff costs

24.2. Subject to its delegated authorities, the BTA shall ensure that the creation of any additional posts does not incur forward commitments that will exceed its ability to pay for them.

Pay and conditions of service

24.3. The BTA staff are subject to levels of remuneration and terms and conditions of service (including pensions) within the general pay structure approved by the sponsor department and the Treasury. The BTA has no delegated power to amend these terms and conditions.

24.4. As a separate employer, the BTA have their own terms and conditions for staff. The BTA must align their pay awards in accordance with the annual Civil Service Pay Remit Guidance, except where prior approval has been given by CO/HMT to vary such rates.

24.5. Staff terms and conditions should be set out in an Employee Handbook, which should be provided to the department together with subsequent amendments.

24.6. The BTA shall abide by public sector pay controls, including the relevant approvals process dependent on the organisations classification as detailed in the Senior Pay Guidance^{[footnote 13]} and the Public Sector Pay and Terms Guidance^{[footnote 14]}.

24.7. The BTA shall operate a performance-related pay scheme that shall form part of the annual aggregate pay budget approved by the department, general pay structure approved by the department, where relevant with due regard to the Senior Pay Guidance.

24.8. The travel expenses of board members shall be tied to the rates allowed to senior staff of the BTA / departmental rates. Reasonable actual costs shall be reimbursed.

Pensions, redundancy and compensation

24.9. Compensation scheme rules and pension scheme rules should reflect legislative and HM Treasury guidance requirements regarding exit payments.

24.10. The BTA staff shall normally be eligible for a pension provided by its own scheme. Staff may opt out of the occupational pension scheme provided by the BTA, but that employers’ contribution to any personal pension arrangement, including stakeholder pension, shall normally be limited to the national insurance rebate level.

24.11. Any proposal by the BTA to move from the existing pension arrangements requires the prior approval of the department. There is no delegation for severance payments (payments made to the employee outside their statutory or contractual entitlement upon termination of their employment). Proposals on severance must comply with the rules in chapter 4 of MPM and require HMT approval.

Question 7

Business plans, financial reporting and management information

Accepted Answer

25. Corporate and business plans

25.1. The BTA shall submit to the sponsor department a draft of the corporate plan, known as the Three Year Vision, following approval by the BTA Board. The BTA shall agree with the department the issues to be addressed in the plan and the timetable for its preparation. The plan shall reflect the BTA’s statutory and/or other duties and, within those duties, the priorities set from time to time by the responsible Minister (including decisions taken on policy and resources in the light of wider public expenditure decisions). The plan shall demonstrate how the BTA contributes to the achievement of the department’s medium-term plan and priorities and aligned performance metrics and milestones.

25.2. The first year of the corporate plan, amplified as necessary, shall form the business plan, known as Corporate Priorities. The business plan shall be updated to include key targets and milestones for the year immediately ahead and shall be linked to budgeting information so that resources allocated to achieve specific objectives can readily be identified by the department. Subject to any commercial considerations, the corporate and business plans should be published by the BTA on its website and separately be made available to staff.

25.3. The following key matters should be included in the plans:

key objectives and associated key performance targets for the forward years, and the strategy for achieving those objectives
key non-financial performance targets
a review of performance in the preceding financial year, together with comparable outturns for the previous 2-5 years, and an estimate of performance in the current year in the BTA’s Annual Report and Accounts
alternative scenarios and an assessment of the risk factors that may significantly affect the execution of the plan but that cannot be accurately forecast in the BTA’s risk register
other matters as agreed between the department and the BTA

26. Budgeting procedures

26.1. Each year, in the light of decisions by the department on the updated draft corporate plan, the department will send to the BTA:

a formal statement of the annual budgetary provision (delegation letter) allocated by the department in the light of competing priorities across the department and of any forecast income approved by the department
a statement of any planned change in policies affecting the BTA

26.2. The approved annual business plan will take account both of approved funding provision and any forecast receipts. It will include a budget of estimated payments and receipts together with a profile of expected expenditure and of draw-down of any departmental funding and/or other income. These elements form part of the approved business plan for the year in question.

27. Grant-in-aid and any ring-fenced grants

27.1. Any grant-in-aid provided by the department for the year in question will be voted in the department’s Supply Estimate and be subject to parliamentary control.

27.2. The grant-in-aid will normally be paid in monthly instalments on the basis of written applications showing evidence of need. The BTA will comply with the general principle, that there is no payment in advance of need. Cash balances accumulated during the course of the year from grant-in-aid or other Exchequer funds shall be kept to a minimum level consistent with the efficient operation of the BTA. Grant-in-aid not drawn down by the end of the financial year shall lapse. Subject to approval by Parliament of the relevant Estimates provision, where grant-in-aid is delayed to avoid excess cash balances at the year-end, the department will make available in the next financial year any such grant-in-aid that is required to meet any liabilities at the year end, such as creditors.

27.3. In the event that the department provides the ALB separate grants for specific (ring-fenced) purposes, it would issue the grant as and when the BTA needed it on the basis of a written request. The BTA would provide evidence that the grant was used for the purposes authorised by the department. The BTA shall not have uncommitted grant funds in hand, nor carry grant funds over to another financial year.

28. Annual report and accounts

28.1. The BTA Board must publish an annual report of its activities together with its audited accounts after the end of each financial year. The BTA shall provide the department its finalised (audited) accounts at a time mutually agreed within the accounts laying timetable as part of year end process in order for the accounts to be consolidated within DCMS’. A draft of the report should be submitted to the department two weeks before the proposed ministerial approval date set out in the accounts laying timetable. The accounts should be prepared in accordance with the relevant statutes and specific accounts direction issued by the department as well as the Treasury’s Financial Reporting Manual (FReM).

28.2. The annual report must:

cover any corporate, subsidiary or joint ventures under its control
comply with the FreM and in particular have regard to the illustrative statements for an NDPB^{[footnote 15]}
outline main activities and performance during the previous financial year and set out in summary form forward plans.

28.3. Information on performance against key financial targets is included within the annual report and subject to the auditor’s consistency opinion. The report and accounts shall be laid in Parliament and made available on the BTA’s website, in accordance with the guidance in the FReM.

29. Reporting performance to the department

29.1. The BTA shall operate management, information and accounting systems that enable it to review in a timely and effective manner its financial and non-financial performance against the budgets and targets set out in the corporate and business plans.

29.2. The BTA shall inform the sponsor department of any changes that make achievement of objectives more or less difficult. It shall report financial and non-financial performance, including performance in helping to deliver Ministers’ policies, and the achievement of key objectives at least quarterly

29.3. The BTA’s performance shall be formally reviewed by the department four times a year through the Quarterly Partnership Meetings.

29.4. The responsible Minister will meet the BTA Board once a year.

29.5. The PAO will meet the Chief Executive at least once a year.

30.1. Insofar as not prohibited by law, the department has the right of access to all the BTA’s records and personnel for any purpose including, for example, sponsorship audits and operational investigations.

30.2. The BTA shall provide the sponsor department with such information about its operations, performance, individual projects or other expenditure as the sponsor department may reasonably require.

30.3. The department and HM Treasury may request the sharing of data held by the BTA in such a manner as set out in central guidance except insofar as it is prohibited by law. This may include requiring the appointment of a senior official to be responsible for the data sharing relationship.

30.4. As a minimum, the BTA shall provide the department with information monthly that will enable the department satisfactorily to monitor:

the BTA’s cash management
its draw-down of grant-in-aid
forecast outturn by resource headings
other data required for the Online System for Central Accounting and Reporting (OSCAR)
data as required in respect of its compliance with any Cabinet Office Controls pipelines or required in order to meet any condition as set out in any Chair’sletter

Question 8

Audit

Accepted Answer

31. Internal audit

31.1. The BTA shall:

establish and maintain arrangements for internal audit
ensure that any arrangements for internal audit are in accordance with the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards (PSIAS) as adopted by HM Treasury^{[footnote 16]}.
Ensure the sponsor department is satisfied with the competence and qualifications of the Head of Internal Audit and the requirements for approving appointments in accordance with PSIAS
Set up an audit committee of its board in accordance with the Code of Good Practice for Corporate Governance and the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee Handbook
Forward the audit strategy, periodic audit plans and annual audit report, including the BTA Head of Internal Audit opinion on risk management, control and governance as soon as possible to the sponsor department
keep records of and prepare and forward to the department an annual report on fraud and theft suffered by the BTA and notify as possible
will share with the sponsor department information the Head of Internal Annual Audit Opinion Report at the end of the financial year.

32. External audit

32.1. The Comptroller & Auditor General (C&AG) audits the BTA’s annual accounts and lays them before Parliament, together with their report.

32.2. In the event that the BTA has set up and controls subsidiary companies, the BTA will [in the light of the provisions in the Companies Act 2006] ensure that the C&AG has the option to be appointed auditor of those company subsidiaries that it controls and/or whose accounts are consolidated within its own accounts. The BTA shall discuss with the sponsor department the procedures for appointing the C&AG as auditor of the companies.

32.3. The C&AG:

will consult the department and the ALB on whom – the NAO or a commercial auditor – shall undertake the audit(s) on his behalf, though the final decision rests with the C&AG;
has a statutory right of access to relevant documents, including by virtue of section 25(8) of the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000, held by another party in receipt of payments or grants from the BTA;
will share with the sponsor department information identified during the audit process and the audit report (together with any other outputs) at the end of the audit, in particular on issues impacting on the Department’s responsibilities in relation to financial systems within the BTA;
will consider requests from departments and other relevant bodies to provide regulatory compliance reports and other similar reports at the commencement of the audit. Consistent with the C&AG’s independent status, the provision of such reports is entirely at the C&AG’s discretion.

32.4 The C&AG may carry out examinations into the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which the ALB has used its resources in discharging its functions. For the purpose of these examinations the C&AG has statutory access to documents as provided for under section 8 of the National Audit Act 1983. In addition, the BTA shall provide, in conditions to grants and contracts, for the C&AG to exercise such access to documents held by grant recipients and contractors and sub-contractors as may be required for these examinations; and shall use its best endeavours to secure access for the C&AG to any other documents required by the C&AG which are held by other bodies.

Question 9

Reviews and winding up arrangements

Accepted Answer

33. Review of ALB’s status

33.1. The BTA will be reviewed as part of the wider Public Bodies Reviews programme, at a time determined by the department’s ministers and their PAO. The date of the next review will be this financial year (22/23). This document shall be reviewed, and, if necessary, redrafted to reflect the outcome of the review.

34. Arrangements in the event that the ALB is wound up

34.1. The sponsor department shall put in place arrangements to ensure the orderly winding up of the BTA. In particular it should ensure that the assets and liabilities of the BTA are passed to any successor organisation and accounted for properly. (In the event that there is no successor organisation, the assets and liabilities should revert to the sponsor department.) To this end, the department shall:

have regard to Cabinet Office guidance on winding up of ALBs^{[footnote 17]}
ensure that procedures are in place in the BTA to gain independent assurance on key transactions, financial commitments, cash flows and other information needed to handle the wind-up effectively and to maintain the momentum of work inherited by any residuary body
specify the basis for the valuation and accounting treatment of the BTA’s assets and liabilities
ensure that arrangements are in place to prepare closing accounts and pass to the C&AG for external audit, and that, for non-Crown bodies funds are in place to pay for such audits. It shall be for the C&AG to lay the final accounts in Parliament, together with his report on the accounts
arrange for the most appropriate person to sign the closing accounts. In the event that another ALB takes on the role, responsibilities, assets and liabilities, the succeeding ALB AO should sign the closing accounts. In the event that the department inherits the role, responsibilities, assets and liabilities, the sponsor department’s AO should sign

34.2. The BTA shall provide the department with full details of all agreements where the BTA or its successors have a right to share in the financial gains of developers. It should also pass to the department details of any other forms of claw-back due to the BTA.

Question 10

Signatures

Accepted Answer

Ruth Hannant & Polly Payne

Directors-General, Policy, DCMS

Patricia Yates

Chief Executive, BTA

Question 11

Annex A: Guidance

Accepted Answer

The BTA shall comply with the following guidance, documents and instructions:

Corporate governance

Financial management and reporting

Management of risk

Management of Risk: Orange Book and Management of risk in government: framework
Public Sector Internal Audit Standards
HM Treasury approval processes for Major Projects above delegated limits
The government cyber-security strategy and cyber security guidance: National Cyber Strategy 2022 and Cyber security guidance for business

Commercial management

Public appointments

The following are relevant where public bodies participate in public appointments processes.

Staff and remuneration

General

Question 12

Annex B: Working-level relationship

Accepted Answer

Board Meetings

	Frequency	Attended By
BTA Board	Quarterly	DCMS Deputy Director (DD) for Tourism. Tourism Minister to join once a year
Visit England Advisory Board (VEAB)	Quarterly	DCMS Head of Tourism (Observer)
A&RC	Quarterly	DCMS Finance Business Partner (FBP)

Ministerial Engagement

	Frequency	Attended By
Corporate - transformation corporate and stakeholder feedback	Quarterly	BTA CEO, BTA Chair, DCMS Tourism Minister
Global perceptions - feedback on international markets	Quarterly	BTA CEO, BTA Regional Directors
England update - progress on English tourism	Quarterly	BTA CEO, BTA England Director, VEAB Chair

Sponsorship

	Frequency	Attended By
Partnership Meeting	Quarterly	BTA CEO, BTA Chief Financial Officer, DCMS DD for Tourism, DCMS Head of Sponsorship, DCMS Finance Business Partner. DCMS Director for Arts, Heritage and Tourism attend alternate meetings.
Policy discussion	Weekly	BTA Policy Lead and DCMS Head of Sponsorship
Governance discussion	Fortnightly	BTA CEO and DCMS Tourism DD
Finance meeting	Fortnightly	DCMS Head of Sponsorship, DCMS FBP and BTA Finance Director

Other

	Frequency	Attended By
GREAT Programme Boards	Quarterly	DCMS Secretary of State, DCMS Tourism Minister, DCMS Director for Arts, Heritage and Tourism, BTA CEO
Corporate partners		BTA corporate partners, DCMS Tourism Minister

Question 13

Annex C: Commercial Requirements

Accepted Answer

The following outlines in full the commercial requirements of DCMS Public Bodies, as well as a list of mandated reporting requirements. This document provides additional detail to PBs’ Framework Documents, in order to support their full compliance with commercial and procurement requirements.

Public Contracts Regulations:

The British Tourist Authority will ensure that its procurement policies are aligned with and comply with any relevant UK or other international procurement rules and in particular the current Public Procurement Regulations (For Example but not exclusive to Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and Procurement Act 2023).As a Central Government Authority / Sub-Central Contracting Authority, The BTA shall comply with the relevant thresholds for procurement activity that apply.”

Central government policy and processes:

The BTA shall acquire goods and services through fair and open competition, in accordance with the Government Commercial Operating Standards (including the Outsourcing Playbook), delivering value for money through procurement, and operating in line with UK and other international law, including restrictions on state aid/subsidy controls.

The BTA shall comply with current and future requirements on additional spend controls, delegated authorities and authorisations on procurement and leases as notified to them by the Department.

Where possible and appropriate, the PB shall utilise whichever Crown Commercial Services frameworks are relevant to its needs.

The BTA must support the wider Government Commercial Function’s strategies and programmes in their design, implementation and sustained application.

The BTA must embed all applicable current and future Procurement Policy Notes into its commercial operations. In particular, the PB must:

Support the Government’s SME agenda through appropriate procurement activity where this does not conflict with the PB’s charitable status.
Promote the inclusion of the Social Value Act and its associated principles in procurement activity wherever possible.
Comply with Government transparency policies and commitments.

Support Commercial Procurement and Contract Management improvement and oversight initiatives including:

Contract Classification for all contracts
Internal spend control assurance & governance processes, aligned to the Department and Cabinet Office Commercial Spend Control approval processes.
GCOS Implementation and Reporting
Pipeline reporting
Assurance and audit implementation and reporting
Contracts Finder compliance reporting
Contract KPI reporting for external public publication
Commercial Systems and Data improvement initiatives eg. CASIE

Attend Cabinet Office training programmes designed to raise commercial awareness and improve commercial capability, including Playbook and GCOS masterclasses, and Contract Management Capability Training.

Departmental policy and processes

The British Tourist Authority must comply with departmental spend controls as set by DCMS Commercial.

In procurement cases where the BTA is likely to exceed its delegated authority limit, procurement strategy approval for the specific planned purchase must be sought from the DCMS Commercial Director.

The British Tourist Authority must comply with the direct award process as outlined here and as otherwise communicated to them by the Department.

The DCMS Commercial Director will consider the delegated limit for direct award contracts annually each March and may adjust as appropriate.

Collaborative initiatives

The BTA shall:

Support all Commercial Procurement and Contract Management improvement and oversight initiatives from DCMS and the Cabinet Office.
Support collaborative procurement and commercial efforts across the Department and its Public Bodies (PBs). This will include supporting the establishment of a DCMS Commercial Council or similar body, where such a group has been instituted, and wider commitments to support knowledge-sharing and training for staff involved in Commercial and Procurement activity across DCMS PBs.
Support the formation and ongoing activities of a commercial function across the DCMS family of public bodies, through engagement with the DCMS Commercial team.
Engage fully with Department and Government wide procurement initiatives that seek to achieve VfM from collaborative projects.

Grants and other bodies

The BTA shall comply with the Commercial and Grants Standards. These standards apply to the planning, delivery, and management of government commercial activity, including management of grants in all departments and arm’s length bodies, regardless of commercial approach used and form part of a suite of functional standards that set expectations for management within government.

In circumstances where the BTA finds itself having oversight and assurance of other public bodies or the procurement activities of private bodies spending public money the BTA shall ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, and in so far as it has legal authority to do so, that all such parties adhere to the principles of Managing Public Money including the encouragement of transparent and robust practices and compliance with any applicable law.

Management Information and Compliance

The Department and the BTA are committed to sharing information to ensure transparency and alignment.

The BTA recognises that the Department will at times need to request information on an ad hoc basis and/or with a short time frame as required. The BTA must (and within any reasonable timescale required by DCMS) supply any information requested by DCMS, and should proactively seek to provide DCMS with advanced sight of events and publications which the Government would take an interest in.

In addition to this ad hoc information and open lines of communication, DCMS expects the BTA to provide regular information on Commercial and Procurement. A list of this information can be found below. The list is intended to enable advanced planning for periodic Departmental commissions; it is not exhaustive and may be subject to change.

Commission title	Timescale	DCMS lead team	Purpose
Consultancy Spend Control pipeline and compliance return (including nil returns)	Quarterly	Commercial	For DCMS and the Cabinet Office to plan and keep track of the public sector consultancy contracts and approvals
Commercial Spend Control Pipeline return (including nil returns)	Quarterly	Commercial	For the submission of the Departments quarterly Commercial Spend Control pipeline to Cabinet Office in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines
Contract register	Quarterly	Commercial	For oversight of commercial liability and risk across sectors, categories and suppliers, if a contract register is available..
Government Commercial Operating Standards (GCOS) return	Six months	Commercial	For the submission of the Departments annual Government Commercial Operating Standards (GCOS) return and six month update against improvement plans.
Contracts finder compliance report	Six months	Commercial	Transparency policy compliance reporting
Submission of procurement spend transactions to Bravo	Annually	Commercial	To comply with Cabinet Office spend reporting requirements
Government Key Contracts Public KPIs return	Quarterly	Commercial	For the submission of the Department’s quarterly Key Contracts Public KPIs return to the Cabinet Office
Procurement pipeline for publication return	Quarterly	Commercial	For the submission of the Departments quarterly pipeline return for publication on .Gov.uk
Social Value reporting return	Quarterly	Commercial	To comply with Cabinet Office policy on Social Value reporting. Specifically at (a) pipeline (b) procurement strategy (c) Contract award (d) contract close subject to PPN06/2020
Prompt Payment reporting for contracts	Quarterly	Commercial	To ensure accurate reporting to Cabinet Office of in-scope contracts including any exclusions and exemptions requested
Return for the review of key metrics, targets and reports related to procurement, contract management and commercial resourcing	Quarterly	Commercial	To benchmark procurement spend, compliance assessment to policy and provide data on economic effect of spend by Departments and PBs including 3rd party spend and commercial risk reporting.
Direct and Indirect SME spend	Quarterly and Annually	Commercial	To support the Government’s SME Agenda and the DCMS SME Action Plan

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