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Written Question
BBC Arabic Service: Development Aid
Monday 24th November 2025

Asked by: Lord Walney (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what criteria and standards BBC Arabic is subject to for its receipt of (1) Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office grant funding, and (2) World2020 programme funding.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

All BBC World Service language services are governed by the standards set in the BBC Charter, the Framework Agreement with HMG, and the World Service licence. The licence states that all BBC World Service output must meet the BBC's editorial standards as set out in the Editorial Guidelines agreed by the BBC Board. As part of the grant funding made to the World Service through the World2025 programme, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office agrees Objectives, Priorities and Targets for the World Service, covering audience reach, quality, impact, and value for money.

Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 01 Nov 2022
Ukraine

"Further to that question, what discussions are the Government having with allies on what comes next? Specifically, there can be no return to normal international relations, with Russia in a position of leadership, given the flagrant way in which Putin is systematically breaking humanitarian law and all the rules of …..."
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 07 Jun 2022
Food Insecurity: England

"Further to that, what are the Government doing to increase the number of people from the UK who are potentially available to work? Welfare-to-work schemes to bring people off inactive benefits in circumstances such as these have always been important to reduce poverty in this country. It is of particular …..."
Lord Walney - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 04 Apr 2022
Ukraine: War Crimes Allegations

"My Lords, does not the evidence that a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council is using the massacre and torture of civilians as a considered military strategy potentially fundamentally undermine that security apparatus? Will the UK work with allies to radically rethink what we can do about our …..."
Lord Walney - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 07 Feb 2022
Oil Tanker “FSO Safer”

"To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with international partners about the condition of the oil tanker FSO Safer moored in the Red Sea north of the Yemeni city of Al Hudaydah, and the risks it poses to the environment...."
Lord Walney - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 07 Feb 2022
Oil Tanker “FSO Safer”

"I thank the Minister for that Answer. We have been talking about the principle that the polluter must pay. Does he agree with the assessment from environmentalists that, should this ship degrade further, we could be looking at a disaster greater even than “Exxon Valdez”? Will the Government put pressure …..."
Lord Walney - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 01 Feb 2022
Russia: Sanctions

"My Lords, the House will understand when the Minister says that it is not in the Government’s gift alone to remove Russia from the SWIFT financial system, but he can say, can he not, if they believe it would be a proportionate measure, if the invasion of Ukraine goes ahead?..."
Lord Walney - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 19 Oct 2021
Iran

"My Lords, this has been a fascinating debate, but it has often seemed as if there have been two separate, entirely different countries that were being discussed. One showed Iran as a potential partner for peace, a potential future trading ally that has been wronged by the West and President …..."
Lord Walney - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 28 Jun 2021
Arctic: Security and Co-operation

"My Lords, it was good to see the recent defence Command Paper commit the UK to funding the next generation of nuclear submarines, which will give the Royal Navy vital capability in this region into the latter half of the century. Is the Minister in a position to confirm, as …..."
Lord Walney - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 26 May 2021
Overseas Development Assistance

"Setting aside the long-term benefit of development spending, does the Minister recognise that these cuts are having an immediate impact on vital research projects that the Medical Research Council is having to cut back on in-year, in areas such as genomic research involving UK institutions? Will he undertake to work …..."
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