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British Council
08 June 2021
Lead MP
Nigel Adams
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
EconomyEmployment
Other Contributors: 18
At a Glance
Nigel Adams raised concerns about british council in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Government Statement
The British Council is a critical component of the UK's overseas presence and a key asset for soft power. The Government remains committed to supporting the organisation with an increased funding settlement of £189 million in 2021-22, representing a 26% increase from 2020-21. Despite financial constraints due to the pandemic, which has led to the worst economic contraction in over 300 years and a budget deficit close to £400 billion, the Government provided an additional support package including a loan facility of up to £145 million and a further £100 million loan for restructuring. Additionally, a letter of comfort was issued to ensure that the council can meet its financial obligations. The Government also aim to modernise the British Council's governance through updates to charitable objects, streamlining of structures, and alignment with strategic priorities. Physical presence in-country is being re-evaluated for digital age operations, focusing on operational presence and regional hubs rather than solely physical offices. A new evaluation mechanism will be implemented for assessing value for money during ministerial visits.
John Baron
Con
Basildon and Billericay
Question
The British Council is facing planned office closures due to a £10 million funding shortfall despite an increased settlement. This undermines its global presence, commercial activities affected by the pandemic, and its role in promoting UK culture and education abroad.
Minister reply
Acknowledging the financial challenges, the Government provided a significant 26% increase in funding for the British Council. Final decisions on office closures are yet to be made, allowing necessary consultations with stakeholders before final communication.
Stephen Kinnock
Lab
Aberavon Maesteg
Question
I would first like to pay tribute to the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay (Mr Baron) for his tireless work as chair of the APPG. Secondly, I declare an interest: I worked for the British Council from 1996 until 2008, during which time I was posted to Brussels, St Petersburg and Sierra Leone.
Minister reply
May I praise the hon. Gentleman for the work he has done with the British Council— 12 years is a very long stint working for a fantastic organisation—but also prod him gently for talking about our “ambivalence” towards the British Council? I politely remind him that we will be providing £149 million in grant in aid this year and £189 million in grant in aid next year. That is an increase of 26%. We have provided the British Council with a £145 million covid loan and are providing a £100 million loan to help it to restructure. In March 2020, we provided £26 million. Madam Deputy Speaker, £609 million of British taxpayers’ money since the pandemic hit does not sound like ambivalence to me.
Thomas Tugendhat
Con
Tonbridge
Question
It was very welcome to hear the Minister’s defence of the spending going towards the British Council and the way in which the Department and the Government have supported this essential service of Britain’s presence overseas. Perhaps my hon. Friend the Minister would also like to set out not just how we defend such a fantastic institution, but how we improve it and increase its reach.
Minister reply
I thank the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee for his remarks. We will be supporting the British Council going forward. It has undoubtedly gone through a torrid time: the covid pandemic has hit the British Council’s commercial activities incredibly hard.
Chris Law
SNP
Dundee Central
Question
The decision by the UK Government to refuse to support the British Council in its hour of need is further evidence of the “little Britain” attitude at the heart of this Government. Indeed, this new little Britain approach is so small that the Scottish Tory party wrote to the UK Tory party to question why the Scottish Government have the temerity to pursue links abroad.
Minister reply
I have a lot of time for the hon. Gentleman, but references to little Britain are frankly nonsensical. I am not entirely sure whether he listened to my statement, but we are increasing funding to the British Council next year by 26%. That is not abandoning the British Council. We value the work of the British Council.
Question
The British Council gives extraordinarily good value for money, as the Minister knows. He will also be aware that taxpayer support for the British Council is significantly less than that provided by their counterparts—and, dare I say it, our commercial competitors?—in France, Germany and Japan.
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is spot on, and that is exactly where we are on this. As the integrated review made clear, we value the influence of the British Council globally, and we will continue to support it in playing a leading role.
Question
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his encouraging remarks, because as the former chair of the British Council all-party parliamentary group I saw at first hand just how the council works across the globe as the engine room of UK soft power.
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. This is the first time I have seen him in a very long time; may I congratulate him on how magnificent a specimen he looks these days? He raises an important point: it is absolutely essential that we continue to promote the United Kingdom, and the British Council does exactly that.
Christine Jardine
Lib Dem
Edinburgh West
Question
It is clear from Members’ contributions that there is absolute unanimity about the importance of the British Council in promoting Britain’s interests and soft power across the globe. Indeed, the Minister himself has emphasised that.
Minister reply
I assure the hon. Lady that it is absolutely our intent to support the British Council—that is why we have increased its funding. As I have said, since the pandemic hit, this Government have committed to providing £609 million, which is a considerable increase.
Question
In 2019-20, there were six schools in my constituency that benefited from excellent British Council programmes. Five were twinned with schools elsewhere in the world, and one—Ysgol Llywelyn in Rhyl—received an international school award.
Minister reply
I think my hon. Friend is referring to the Connecting Classrooms through Global Learning schools programme, which builds long-term relationships between schools, communities in the UK and developing countries. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will continue to fund that programme for 2021-22.
Tony Lloyd
Lab
Rochdale
Question
There is unanimity across the House on the values of the British Council, which go beyond narrow commercial ones. The British Council pays back to this nation what it costs and more. What consultation is there with other Government Departments for issues related to up to 20 British Council posts worldwide?
Minister reply
May I correct the record? Scott McDonald will be the new chief executive of the British Council. We talk across Government, including BEIS employees working in places where there are British Council employees around the country. The Government support the British Council's role in enhancing UK soft power overseas.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Question
Will the Minister identify which other body promotes British language, arts, the global economy, Climate Connection and more? Does he acknowledge the work done by the British Council so far?
Minister reply
Absolutely; we value the influence of the British Council. We will continue to support it in its leading role enhancing UK soft power overseas. The Prime Minister’s foreword to the Integrated Review policy paper referred to the British Council as one of the “vital instruments” of our influence.
Karen Bradley
Con
Staffordshire Moorlands
Question
My right hon. Friend will soon be able to travel the world and find that the presence of the British Council is the best embodiment of global soft power. The British Council has a funding shortfall due to its inability to operate commercially. Can my right hon. Friend please provide additional support to ensure that this on-site presence remains?
Minister reply
I thank my right hon. Friend for her question and correct the record - I am an hon. Member rather than a right hon. Member. Plans for the global presence of the British Council are still being finalised, but we have provided a package of support including increased funding which many arm’s length bodies would be envious of.
Patrick Grady
SNP
Glasgow Cathcart
Question
Does the Minister not understand that funding for next year is no remedy for cuts, decisions and closures taking place now? There will be long-term consequences as a result of short-term funding shortfalls.
Minister reply
I disagree with the hon. Gentleman’s assumptions. Despite the economic climate during the pandemic, we have managed to protect and increase grant in aid funding for the British Council this year. We provided £26 million immediately when the pandemic first hit, plus another restructuring facility of £100 million.
Edward Leigh
Con
Gainsborough
Question
The French and Germans are steadily increasing their efforts through the Goethe-Institut and the French Institute. Meanwhile, we have been closing British Council libraries which are often the only places where people can get free access to English literature. Will the Minister go back to his officials and insist that there must be no diminution in our efforts to expand and promote English literature worldwide?
Minister reply
My right hon. Friend is correct; the British Council reaches 100 million learners and teachers of English annually across more than 100 countries. It has been shown that increased levels of English language speaking benefits the United Kingdom.
Clive Betts
Lab
Sheffield South East
Question
The Minister has heard from colleagues about the great support for the British Council, its incredible work and value. In 2018-19, Germany's funding for their soft power agencies was three times that of the UK, and France’s was twice. Is the Minister concerned that cuts will undermine our influence compared with major European neighbours?
Minister reply
Other countries have various programmes; the British Council operates differently with more commercial operations relying on less government funding. The determination to work as a force for good in the world is an important part of soft power, and the British Council provides outstanding education which will continue.
Gareth Thomas
Lab Co-op
Harrow West
Question
I share concern about the British Council’s funding settlement and potential office closures. Will the Minister assure me that there will be no cuts to the council’s presence in India, Pakistan and other countries of the Indian subcontinent?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman understands I am not in a position to announce any arrangements at this point as plans for global presence are still being finalised by the British Council.
Jerome Mayhew
Con
Broadland and Fakenham
Question
While it is agreed that soft power applied on behalf of UK by the British Council has been enormous, surely we must take account of businesses adjusting to financial disaster caused by covid. The British Council should adjust as well despite having hundreds of millions in support from Government.
Minister reply
My hon. Friend makes a fair point; these are extraordinary times with a shock wave on world economies due to the pandemic. We have backed and supported the British Council, ensuring it has an increase in funding for next year.
Question
I remember the importance of local offices during post-war activities with British Council in Balkans and Mexico, connecting with people. Young people are already using online activities but person-to-person contact builds trust and culture better than online does. If this were a reduction in UK export support for manufacturing, the Government would be outraged reversing cuts. Will the Minister look again at in-person support to ensure offices where needed and that the British Council can grow during pandemic?
Minister reply
It is good to hear about his experience benefiting from work done by British Council overseas. I am confident in its ability to grow, not just survive under leadership of Scott McDonald and Stevie Spring.
Shadow Comment
John Baron
Shadow Comment
The British Council is a key asset for the UK's soft power, promoting culture, education, and the English language globally. Despite an increased funding settlement of £189 million, there remains a £10 million shortfall impacting the council’s international network and programming. The planned closures of five to 20 offices are unprecedented in the British Council’s history and a direct result of these cuts rather than the organisation's choice. Ground presence is irreplaceable, and redundancies among country directors highlight the strategic shortsightedness of such decisions. These closures contradict the principle of global Britain and jeopardise the UK's soft power influence.
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