Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, when and for what reason her responsibilities for chairing the Ministerial Committee on the Government’s GREAT campaign were transferred to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

Policy responsibility for the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign (GREAT) transferred from the Department for International Trade (DIT) to the Cabinet Office via a Written Ministerial Statement laid in Parliament on 20 April. The Prime Minister requested that GREAT was moved to the Cabinet Office. GREAT can play an enhanced role at the heart of government rather than within a specific department.

The headcount of 13.5 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) employees has been transferred from DIT to the Cabinet Office. The total GREAT campaign budget agreed at the 2020 Spending Review for FY21/22 is £60 million. £30 million of this budget was transferred from DIT to Cabinet Office in Main Supply Estimates. The remaining £30 million will remain with the other contributing government departments until Supplementary Estimates. At this point, the necessary transfers to other government departments for the funding allocations agreed by the GREAT Programme Board will be made. No other resources are being transferred.

The GREAT team’s line management structures have transferred over to the Cabinet Office, and all of the team continue to report into the Director of the GREAT Britain campaign. No commercial contracts are being transferred.