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BBC World Service: National Security

Asked by Sir Julian SmithConservativeForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled Answered 10 September 2025UIN 70440

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of funding reductions to the BBC World Service on the UK's ability to counter foreign threats.

Answered by Seema Malhotra

Through high quality and investigative journalism, the BBC exposes and debunks the misinformation, disinformation and harmful narratives that malign actors, hostile states and others produce internationally. The World Service remains the world's most trusted international news service. That is why this Government has given the World Service a funding uplift in 2025/26.

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