Committee publication · Correspondence · 11 December 2025

Correspondence with the Permanent Under-Secretary at the FCDO, relating to the work of the FCDO, dated 27 and 21 November

Inquiry: Work of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Summary

The Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Emily Thornberry requests evidence from the FCDO's Permanent Under-Secretary Sir Oliver Robbins on the department's 2024-25 Annual Report and Accounts, with particular focus on forward budgets and the financial sustainability of the British Council and BBC World Service. The PUS confirms attendance on 9 December, declines to provide classified staffing data by post, and commits to discussing budget allocation decisions before finalisation in the new year.

Key findings

The British Council has made annual losses of around £50m for five years; FCDO acknowledges this is unsustainable and will be part of budget discussions
BBC World Service is expected to derive 62% of income from the licence fee; British Council generates 84% of revenue from sources outside FCDO Grant-in-Aid
Committee seeks to influence internal budget decisions before they are finalised, requesting evidence before the new year
PUS declines to provide overseas staffing numbers by post for security reasons but offers to discuss other government departments' staffing plans and accommodation in FCDO network planning
FCDO final overall allocations will be made in the new year before the 2025-26 financial year begins

Tone

Procedural

Topics

public-financeforeign-aidbroadcastingsoft-power

Key actors

Sir Oliver Robbins, Emily Thornberry MP, Nick Dyer, Foreign Affairs Committee, British Council, BBC World Service, International Development Committee, FCDO

Notable line

“… the Council has made a loss of around £50m a year for the last fi ve years and this cannot continue.”

Key Quotes

“We understand and share the Committee's concern to reach a more sustainable financial position for the British Council: as you know from previous evidence the Council has made a loss of around £50m a year for the last fi ve years and this cannot continue.”
— Sir Oliver Robbins · Addressing British Council's financial sustainability

“… the Committee feels we really should take evidence from you in public at a time when we can influence your decisions about the internal budgets before they are final, but when all information is available.”
— Emily Thornberry MP · Explaining the Committee's desire to give evidence before budget decisions are made

“I apologise that I cannot meet your request for overseas staffing numbers broken down by post, for security reasons.”
— Sir Oliver Robbins · Declining to provide classified staffing data

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Source · parliament.uk record ↗