Committees

The future of the BBC World Service

Inquiry

BBC World Service provides trusted news to radio, TV and digital audiences around the world in 42 languages including English, reaching a global audience of 318 million. It is chiefly funded by the UK Licence Fee with additional grant funding of £104.4mn [FY 23/24 and 24/25 respectively] from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Under this arrangement, the BBC World Service has agreed not to close any language services – but this condition set to be lifted in 2025.

BBC Director General, Tim Davie, made it clear in a speech in March 2024 that "we cannot keep asking UK Licence Fee payers to invest in (the World Service) when we face cuts to UK services. We will need to discuss a long-term funding solution for the World Service that comes from central government budgets."

Given its impact on the UK’s development goals, and the projection of the UK’s values across the world, the International Development Committee launched a short inquiry to establish the case for increased Government support and make recommendations beyond the current support package finishing in 2025.

The inquiry focused on the BBC’s offering to ODA eligible countries and the positive influence of the service as part of the UK’s Soft Power.

Read the joint statement with the Foreign Affairs and Culture, Media and Sport Committees following the conclusion of this inquiry. 

Reports, special reports and government responses

No reports or special reports published.

Correspondence

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Letter from Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, Chair, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Rt Hon Dame Emily Thornberry MP, Chair, Foreign Affairs Committee, and Sarah Champion MP, Chair, International Development Committee, to Baroness Chapman of Darlington, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Latin America and Caribbean), Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and Stephanie Peacock MP, Minister for Sport, Media, Civil Society and Youth, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, regarding the future of the BBC World Service - 30 January 2025
Inquiry The future of the BBC World Service
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Correspondence

Oral evidence transcripts

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17 December 2024
Inquiries The future of the BBC World Service, and The future of the BBC World Service
Witnesses Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
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Oral Evidence
17 December 2024
Inquiries The future of the BBC World Service, and The future of the BBC World Service
Witnesses BBC, and BBC
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Oral Evidence

Written evidence

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Professor Simon Potter (Professor of Modern History at University of Bristol) (BBC0002)
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Professor Robert Beveridge (Professor at University of Sassari, Sardinia, Italy) (BBC0003)
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Mr Simon Dalley (CEO at GrowTraffic Ltd) (BBC0004)
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Other publications

No other publications published.

Contact us

  • Email: indcom@parliament.uk
  • Phone: 020 7219 1223 (general enquiries) |0207 219 8969 (media enquiries)
  • Address: International Development Committee, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA