§ Sir Thomas ArnoldTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy towards the BBC World Service with particular reference to funding the balance of broadcasts in different languages 745W and the relationship between his Department and the service; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BaldryAs stated in the White Paper on "The Future of the BBC" Cm 2.621 of July 1994, the World Service will in future operate to targets and performance indicators agreed with FCO, instead of a detailed prescription of languages and hours of broadcasts. Priorities for the allocation of resources are discussed regularly between the World Service and the FCO.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Mr. Lester) on 9 December 1994, Official Report, columns 425–26, which gave details of some of the targets agreed for the current triennium.