BBC World Service

HC Deb 09 June 1989 vol 154 c261W

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what level of funding the British Broadcasting Corporation world service has received in real terms in each of the last 15 years.

Mr. Eggar

The total grants-in-aid of the BBC world service in the last 15 years, expressed in cash terms and at 1988–89 prices were as follows:

	Cash terms	1988–89 prices
	£ million	£ million
1975–76	27.1	84.9
1976–77	30.8	85.1
1977–78	34.0	82.7
1978–79	37.2	81.4
1979–80	42.9	80.7
1980–81	54.9	87.1
1981–82	62.8	90.7
1982–83	70.9	95.5
1983–84	77.6	100.0
1984–85	81.0	99.5
1985–86	90.0	104.8
1986–87	98.9	111.4
1987–88	97.9	105.0
1988–89	114.5	114.5
1989–90	1120.1	1113.9
1 Estimate.

Note: Figures for 1988–89 and 1989–90 exclude provision for FCO-BBC relay stations contract previously funded separately from grants-in-aid: £5.6 million in 1988–89, £5.9 million in 1989–90.