§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals are before him at present to reduce the grant-in-aid to the BBC external services; what cuts have been made in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EnnalsThere are no such proposals before me.
As regards the last 12 months, the BBC was asked to reduce its request for a supplementary grant in aid in 1973–74 by £57,000. The grant-in-aid figure in the Supply Estimates for 1974–75 takes into account a reduction of £390,000 in recurrent expenditure, together with one of £340,000 in broadcasting capital expenditure, of which £260,000 is part of the grant-in-aid. These reductions were agreed under the last administration.
The Government have, of course, to keep under review the cost of the BBC external services, like all other items of public expenditure. I am very conscious of the importance of the BBC external services, and this will be borne in mind in considering any savings which may be thought necessary in the overall expenditure under my control.