Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Foreign Secretary announces free speech funding, published on 2 November 2017, how many applications for the funding announced in that press release have been (a) received and (b) decided on.

On 2 November 2017, the former Foreign Secretary announced that the UK would spend £1m "over the next financial year" on projects to support media freedom, in countries where it is under significant pressure. The FCO issued a call for bids for projects on Media Freedom through the Magna Carta Fund on www.Gov.uk in May 2018. Selected Posts around the network have also put out separate, country-specific calls for bids.

The criteria was for projects which addressed restrictions on media freedom, for example through legislation or policy, and/or supported the training and protection of journalists. Projects needed to offer good value for money and demonstrate potential for impact, sustainability and replication. Posts also took into account specific local criteria. Decisions on funding were made by officials within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and by officers at Posts around the network.

30 applications were received in relation to the call for bids on www.Gov.uk. A number of other bids have been received directly by our network of Posts. We have allocated over£1.5m for media freedom and freedom of expression projects this financial year under the Magna Carta Fund. We are funding 15 projects in 14 countries. Expenditure is ongoing as we have not reached the end of this financial year. Further programme funding is available for press freedom work through the Good Governance Fund which covers Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine, and through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF).