§ Mr. BarkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives from the World Service to discuss its plans for the future. [54428]
§ Mr. MacShaneFCO Ministers meet the director of the BBC World Service formally every year to discuss World Service plans. The next such meeting will be in June. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary last met Mr. Byford on 11 October 2001. I last met Mr. Byford on 3 October 2001. The last meeting between an FCO Minister and the World Service was on 10 January 2002, when my noble Friend Baroness Symons met Mr. Byford on 10 January 2002. I am scheduled to meet with him on 13 May 2002 in a formal meeting but there are other occasions for informal meetings with Mr. Byford at which we discuss the excellent work of the World Service.