John Baron MP content with British Council funding settlement

MP: No closures in overseas network

The British Council All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) has been campaigning for a funding settlement which ensured no further closures to the organisation’s overseas network. Yesterday the Foreign Secretary wrote to John Baron MP, the Chair of the British Council APPG, with details of the British Council’s budget over the next three years. The good news is that there is an increase of £13 million on what was expected, which means there will be no further closures to the network and two closures (Australia and New Zealand) will be reversed.

John said,

“The British Council APPG is content with this outcome. Reducing the British Council’s overseas network at a time when building bridges with other countries has rarely been so important would have been the wrong decision, and it is good news that this will not be the case. It is even better news that the Australian and New Zealand closures will be reversed.”

“There may be more funds available in due course once the Government returns to 0.7% of GNI in international aid spending, as the British Council may well win contracts given its reputation.”

Notes to Editors:

• Total grant funding of £511 million across the three-year period of the Spending Review. This will include the £13 million mentioned above.

• For more information, please refer to the British Council’s website.