Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office written question – answered at on 17 December 2024.
Helen Grant
Shadow Solicitor General
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of British Council's repayment of its pandemic loan on its ability to promote UK soft power.
Hamish Falconer
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government is committed to a successful British Council that is financially stable. The Government recognises the value of the British Council as a UK soft power asset through its important work in promoting the English language, UK arts and culture and education. The Government remains committed to recovering the loan as soon as the British Council's finances allow. We are working closely with the British Council and HM Treasury on this issue. FCDO will provide the British Council with £162.5 million Grant-in-Aid in 2024/25. Funding for 2025/26 will be announced in due course.
Yes2 people think so
No1 person thinks not
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Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
