Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many jobs he expects to be lost at the British Council due to the recent announcements of reduced staffing levels; and if he will publish the (a) roles and (b) locations of those jobs.

The UK Government remains committed to the British Council. As the Integrated Review made clear, the Council is one of the vital instruments of our influence overseas. It will continue to operate in over 100 countries promoting the English language, UK arts and culture and education, and continue to promote Global Britain. Questions about staffing levels are operational matters for the British Council.