Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will have discussions with the BBC on the proposed redundancies in (a) the BBC World Service and (b) BBC Local Radio.

The BBC is a great national institution that has made a unique contribution to our cultural heritage in the UK. It is also respected globally, and reaches hundreds of millions of people across the world every week. However, the BBC is operationally and editorially independent from the government, and decisions over its spending and how its services are delivered are a matter for the BBC.

At the global level, the BBC World Service plays a vital role in delivering high quality, accurate and impartial broadcasting around the world. The FCDO is continuing to provide the BBC World Service over £94 million annually for the next three years, supporting services in 12 languages and improving key services in Arabic, Russian and English. This is in addition to nearly £470 million FCDO have already provided through the World2020 programme since 2016.

At the local level, the government recognises the important role radio plays in terms of the provision of local news and information and community engagement, and is disappointed that the BBC is planning to reduce parts of its local radio output.

Again, the BBC’s independence from the government is set out in its Royal Charter, and decisions on its service delivery are a matter for the BBC. However, my officials engage the BBC and Ofcom on these issues. I have also raised them, including reflections on recent parliamentary discussions, with the BBC.