17
Rejected
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) have provided around a quarter of the BBC...
Conclusion
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) have provided around a quarter of the BBC World Service’s funding since it restarted funding in 2016–17. In return for this funding, the BBC must ensure that the World Service meets certain requirements including being unable to close entire language services without agreement from the Foreign Secretary and the agreement of annual objectives, priorities and targets against which the BBC must report each year.35
Government Response Summary
The government disagrees with maintaining the existing funding model for BBC World Service as described, stating it would be premature to commit to a specific long-term funding model before the BBC Charter Review, where it will explore bespoke long-term funding arrangements, though interim funding is confirmed.
Government Response
Rejected
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. The government set out its ambition in the BBC Charter Review to establish a long-term, sustainable funding model for the BBC World Service that delivers stable and predictable funding for the BBC World Service. Funding models for the BBC’s international work will be reviewed alongside consideration of funding options for the BBC as a whole. The current Charter ends on 31 December 2027, and a DCMS White Paper is due later this year. It would be premature to commit now to a specific long-term funding model, including changes to how funding is presented in Spending Reviews, ahead of the Charter Review. As part of the Charter Review, the government will explore options for bespoke arrangements that could provide multi-year budgets for the BBC World Service. In the interim, the FCDO has confirmed grant-in-aid funding of £148 million per year for 2026–27 to 2028–29.
Source
Committee
Public Accounts Committee
Inquiry
BBC World Service 2024-25
Report
72nd Report - BBC World Service
13 Mar 2026
HC 1299
Addressee Bodies
HM Treasury
Timeline
Recommendation age
0.4 yrs
Report published
13 Mar 2026