Government has increased the World Service's funding by over 40 per cent in real terms over the last 10 years. We are providing further increases in each of the three years o the current Triennium funding period (1991-94), and this has already enabled the World Service to expand significantly the overall total of hours broadcast, including the introduction of a Ukrainian Service in July last year, and Albanian which was reintroduced after a 25 year absence last month.
Government support and funding for the World Service will be maintained in the next Triennium, though I cannot make any commitment now about the precise level of funding. We have told the BBC that we shall have to take into account the overall cuts in FCO resources resulting from the severe restrictions now being placed on public expenditure
generally. We are nonetheless determined that the BBC should be able to maintain the quality of the World Service and its reputation around the world.
Alistair Goodlad