To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Syria: Armed Conflict
Tuesday 19th June 2018

Asked by: Lord Dobbs (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the total number of deaths as a result of the civil war in Syria since 2011.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

​The United Nations have estimated that over 400,000 people have been killed as a result of the civil war in Syria since the start of the conflict in 2011: we have not made our own estimate.


Written Question
British Council: Finance
Monday 13th November 2017

Asked by: Lord Dobbs (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the operational budget for the British Council in each of the last ten years.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The British Council has provided the following figures from their Annual Reports which reflect the total resources expended for each of the last ten years.

2007-08

2008-09

2009-10

2010-11

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

Total resources expended (£'000)

557,402

621,579

708,083

665,321

720,413

785,333

880,410

975,880

971,363

1,085,934

Further information on the British Council’s finances are available from their Annual Reports which are online and in the parliamentary library. ​


Written Question
BBC World Service: Finance
Monday 13th November 2017

Asked by: Lord Dobbs (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the BBC World Service received in government subsidy in each of the last ten years.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Prior to 2013/14 the Government provided the BBC World Service with Grant-in-Aid funding through the Foreign and ​​Commonwealth Office. From 2014/15 onwards core World Service activity was funded through the Licence Fee. In 2015 the Government announced additional funding for the World Service for the BBC World 2020 programme. £291 million will be invested from 2016/17 to 2019/20 to expand provision, including the creation of 12 new language services. New and enhanced services for BBC World Service will provide more people around the world with access to accurate, impartial and independent information.

The published BBC figures for government funding to the World Service, including Grant-in-Aid prior to 2014/15 and BBC World 2020 funding from 2016/17, are therefore as follows:

Financial Year

£m

2008/09

265.0

2009/10

268.0

2010/11

265.5

2011/12

255.2

2012/13

244.2

2013/14

238.5

2014/15

0

2015/16

0

2016/17

34.0

2017/18

85.0


Written Question
Syria: Politics and Government
Monday 14th December 2015

Asked by: Lord Dobbs (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the political objectives of the Free Syrian Army.

Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The Free Syrian Army is a collective term used by a range of moderate opposition groups in Syria who are fighting the regime and Daesh. The Free Syrian Army are fighting to change the regime in Syria; they call for a pluralistic system that respects the rights of all Syrians. They reject terrorism and terrorist tactics, and have condemned Islamic extremism. They have been fighting both the regime and Daesh in Syria for over two years with success in a number of areas, in particular in Idlib and Aleppo in Northwest Syria and in Dera'a Province in the South.