We are aware that the FCO is having to address a potential shortfall in its 2010–11 budget because of the
decline in value of GB Sterling and the World Service is facing similar foreign exchange problems for the
same reason. To date the FCO has not approached BBC World Service for more 2010–11 savings over and
above the 3% committed to in the last CSR agreement, and its £3.3 million share of the additional target
announced by the Treasury in 2009, which World Service is budgeting to find through a combination of cost
control and reprioritisation. Any request for further savings would need to be discussed in the context of
the ring-fencing put in place by HMT some years ago.
No firm decisions have been made yet about strategic priorities for the future, and we don’t expect to
announce any major changes to the overall shape of BBC World Service, including its language portfolio,
prior to the general election.
11 January 2010
Further written evidence from BBC World Service
BBC World Service programming on FM to Sri Lanka has not yet resumed. However, the cabinet