British Tourist Authority (Hansard, 25 July 2000)

§ Janet Anderson

I am pleased to announce that, as part of a regular programme of reviews of non-departmental public bodies, my Department is commencing a review of the British Tourist Authority.

The terms of reference for the review, which will be conducted in two stages, are as follows: To review the continuing need for the services and functions carried out by the British Tourist Authority (BTA) and consider how they can be provided more effectively in the future.

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Stage One: Getting the organisation right To determine whether there is a continuing need for the services provided by the BTA and to assess whether these services are best delivered by an NDPB.

To consider specifically: the role and functions of the BTA, how its role has been affected by devolution and how and to what extent its functions contribute to the delivery of wider DCMS and governmental objectives; the links BTA has or should have with other parts of the public sector and with private and voluntary sectors; BTA's past performance against its aims, objectives, key targets and quality standards; what BTA's customers and other interested parties (including their staff and trade unions) think about its role, performance and responsiveness to their needs; and whether there are any groups whose needs should be, but are not being addressed; how the BTA should be organised to deliver responsive, efficient and quality services in future, and whether there is scope for other organisational options, such as abolition, market testing, merger, rationalisation, privatisation or strategic contracting out; and examples of good practice in how BTA has delivered its services.

Stage Two: Improving performance Taking account of the Stage One report, to consider how the BTA might make improvements in efficient, effective and responsive service delivery. To consider specifically:

the BTA's aims and objectives and the part they play in delivering wider DCMS and governmental objectives;
performance targets and whether they are sufficiently comprehensive and stretching, and properly reflect the BTA's aims and objectives;
the structure and effectiveness of BTA's organisation and how it involves staff, including those at the front line, and their trade unions in the way it works;
partnership arrangements and opportunities for joint working with other bodies to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery;
how the BTA can make better use of new technology to improve the delivery of its services and functions;
the BTA's relationship with its stakeholders and the stakeholders' views on how it can best meet their needs, and the way BTA could improve its responsiveness;
whether the BTA needs different freedoms and flexibilities to improve the delivery of its services;
the scope for increasing the current level of efficiency savings and income and to improve the utilisation of assets; and
whether the roles and reporting arrangements of the BTA, the Department and Ministers need clearer definition and whether they provide proper support for operational and policy work.

The aim is to complete the review in six months.