The chair of the BBC, Samir Shah, has welcomed the new funding for the BBC World Service.
We welcome the UK Government’s increased contribution of £137 million to the World Service budget for 2025/26 — a 31% rise from the previous year — which has helped mitigate deeper cuts and allows us to maintain our global presence and impact. We are also acutely aware of the difficult decisions faced by the FCDO and HM Treasury, and are grateful for our ongoing constructive relationships. Their support will be essential in the months and years ahead.
This is the full statement, which has received little attention.
Martin Plaut 