Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what account they take of the requirement, under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to assist in the dissemination of news and information to citizens denied access to free media in their homelands when determining BBC and FCDO priorities for the World Service and other related spending.

The FCDO strongly values the BBC World Service's role in bringing high-quality and impartial broadcasting to audiences in need, particularly where free speech is limited.

The BBC has provided assurance that it will continue to serve audiences in countries lacking media freedom and a free press, such as North Korea. Through the World 2020 programme, the FCDO provides support to the BBC Korean service which is aimed at audiences across the Korean Peninsula, including inside North Korea where access to international media sources is extremely limited.

The UK is committed to media freedom, and to championing democracy and human rights around the world.