Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the future earnings of the British Council after the sale of its IELTS business in India.

The FCDO worked closely with the British Council, UK Government Investments, Ernst & Young, and Lazard to assess the sale of the IELTS business in India. The offer was fair and reasonable, and the proceeds from the sale will strengthen the British Council's financial position and support its modernisation process.