Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what projects his Department is supporting to promote free media in Burma.

On 7 May, the British Ambassador hosted a reception for members of the Burmese media to mark World Press Freedom Day. He welcomed widening freedom for media to operate in the country in the past few years, but expressed our serious concerns over the detention of several journalists in recent months.

The UK also funds several projects to support the development and professionalisation of the media in Burma. For example, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is funding a project that promotes responsible media coverage of religious freedom and conflict. Through the Department for International Development we provide a global grant to BBC Media Action that supports work in Burma, such as training for local journalists and the launch of new programmes featuring opposition voices and the views of ordinary Burmese people. Through the British Council, we have funded workshops for photographers and filmmakers, and supported weekly radio broadcasts reaching millions of listeners across the country.

Through the EU, the UK also funds two projects providing training and capacity building for members of the Burmese media, especially those reporting on the peace process and democratic reforms. Supported activities include roundtable discussions between media, government and civil society; training of young journalists; courses in investigative reporting; and training for civil society organisations.