Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 29 January (HL4288), what discussions they have had with the BBC regarding the announcement on 29 January to make redundancies in the World Service.

The BBC are operationally, editorially independent and decide the most effective and efficient way to deliver the World Service, this includes staffing matters.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Ministers engage routinely with the BBC on the World Service. The BBC discussed their plans for the World Service in 2025/26 with the FCDO, as part of the Spending Review process.