British Council statement:
The British Council accepts the National Audit Office’s qualified opinion on these matters. We have also reviewed our recruitment and remuneration processes to ensure that Cabinet Office and HM Treasury requirements are adhered to in future.
About the British Council
The British Council’s annual report for 2014-15 is available here. More information about the British Council is available here
Over 75 per cent of the British Council’s turnover is earned through teaching and exams, tendered contracts and partnerships.
The British Council also receives grant-in-aid funding from the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO). This makes up less than 20 per cent of our total income but enables us to represent the UK’s long term interest in countries where we cannot rely on earned income alone.
The British Council was founded to create ‘a friendly knowledge and understanding’ between the people of the UK and the wider world. We do this by making a positive contribution to the countries we work with, using the cultural resources of the UK such as art, sport, education, science, culture, language, innovation, creativity and the sharing of the UK’s values and ways of living.
Our work makes a lasting difference to the UK’s international standing by increasing the country’s influence and networks with key decision makers, influencers and the wider public globally. It increases UK prosperity by encouraging more trade, investment and tourism. It helps to keep the UK safe and secure by reducing extremism and improving stability and security in strategically important countries. It also increases influence by growing the number of people who know and trust the UK.
We work in over 100 countries worldwide. These include all of the places of major importance for UK trade and security, from India, China, Brazil and Russia, to North America and the EU, to the Commonwealth, to the Middle East and North Africa. We are at the forefront of the UK’s international networks and soft power. Each year we reach over 20 million people face to face and through our events, and more than 500 million online and via broadcasts and publications.
For More Information please contact the British Council press office on 0207 389 4889 or sao.bui-van@britishcouncil.org