Afghanistan

HC Deb 05 December 2001 vol 376 cc316-7W

Dr. Kumar

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the importance of the BBC World Service during the conflict in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [19975]

Mr. MacShane

Public service broadcasting is important at a time of international tension when millions of people around the world rely on the BBC's objective reporting. In response to the events of 11 September the BBC World Service has increased output in Persian, Pashto, Urdu and Arabic and mounted its longest-ever continuous news transmission in English. I welcome these enhancements. A survey carried out among Pashto and Persian-speaking male heads of household in Afghanistan before the crisis indicated that 71 per cent. of Pashto speakers and 62 per cent. of Persian speakers listened to the World Service weekly.