Triennial Review of the British Council

On 16 July 2013, Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire announced the first Triennial Review of the British Council.

The Review is part of the Government’s rolling programme of Triennial Review of public bodies to consider whether the functions carried out by the body are still required and whether the delivery model is appropriate and offers value for money. For further information, please see Cabinet Office guidance on Triennial Reviews.

The British Council was established in 1934 and incorporated by Royal Charter in 1940. It is registered as a charity in England, Wales and Scotland and governed by a Board of Trustees. It is an executive non-departmental public body (NDPB) sponsored by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO), and is classified as a public corporation for budgetary and national accounts purposes. It operates globally with its status varying in different jurisdictions.

The Review is being conducted by FCO officials, with support from other government departments. An independent Challenge Group has been set up to provide robust challenge of the Review Team’s methods, assumptions and conclusions.

The Review Team invites all interested parties to contribute views on the purpose, functions, effectiveness, cost effectiveness, status and business model of the British Council. The Discussion Paper provides information on the British Council’s programmes and activities. The Review Team will report to the Government on their findings before the end of the year.