Select Committee on Foreign Affairs Minutes of Evidence


PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Letter to the Chairman of the Committee from the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, 16 December 2004

REVIEW OF PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

  I am writing to let the Committee know that following discussions with the Chief Secretary, I have commissioned a review of Public Diplomacy, which will start shortly and report next summer.

  I have today published a Written Statement on the Review, and I enclose a copy.

Rt Hon Jack Straw MP

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

16 December 2004

Annex 1

  As part of Spending Review 2004, I agreed with my Right Honourable Friend, the Chief Secretary, to undertake a review of the effectiveness of our public diplomacy work. Lord Carter of Coles has agreed to lead this review. He will be supported by a small team based within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and an advisory panel of experts. The review is due to start immediately and Lord Carter of Coles will report his findings by summer 2005. The terms of reference are as follows:

    —  To examine the effectiveness of current Public Diplomacy activities in delivering outcomes which contribute to the achievement of HMG objectives.

    —  To take stock of progress in implementing the Wilton Review (2002) through the work of the PD Strategy Board.

    —  To consider the scope for improving PD activities, both in London and overseas, to maximise their effectiveness and value for money.

    —  And to that end to consider the scope for increased joint PD activity and enhanced co-ordination taking account of experience with the PD Campaigns Fund and the PD Challenge Fund.

    —  To make recommendations as appropriate.

  The review team will undertake a short consultation exercise. If honourable Members/noble Lords would like to feed in comments they should send them to Public Diplomacy Review team, Room WHS52, FCO, King Charles Street, London SW1A 2AH.

Letter to the Director, BBC World Service, from the Chairman of the Committee, 25 January 2005

  I recently met Lord Carter, to discuss his review of public diplomacy, in which the Foreign Affairs Committee is taking a close interest. The work of the BBC World Service is of course highly relevant to that inquiry.

  I and my colleagues on the Committee would be very interested to learn of your views both on the inquiry itself, including the manner in which it was set up and resourced, and on the issues it is considering. Copies of any papers submitted to the inquiry would be of particular interest to us.

  I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Rt Hon Donald Anderson MP

Chairman of the Committee

25 January 2005

Letter to the Chairman of the Committee from the Director, BBC World Service, 21 February 2005

  Thank you for your letter of 25 January asking for my views on the Public Diplomacy Review.

  The World Service had its first meeting with Lord Carter and his team on Friday 4th February when they visited Bush House. The team was given an extensive briefing on the activities of the World Service and the Global News Division from Richard Sambrook, Director of World Service and Global News, and myself, before moving on to a presentation on our online services by Myra Hunt, Head of New Media.

  The Review team requested visits to some of our overseas offices, and suggested another meeting here at Bush House in two months time. Lord Carter and his team had some searching questions for us, but I felt it was a constructive meeting, and it did not trigger any immediate alarm bells.

  I appreciate the Committee's interest and concern for the future of the World Service, and will certainly keep you informed as the inquiry progresses. In the meantime, I enclose a copy of the presentation I gave to the Review team for your perusal (although not for publication).

  On a separate issue, could I just accentuate to you that the World Service will be submitting a response to some of the criticisms that were directed towards its operations in Algeria and Morocco by witnesses at a recent evidence session with the Foreign Affairs Committee. Some of the statements made were inaccurate and we would, of course, like the opportunity to correct these comments.

Nigel Chapman

Director

BBC World Service

21 February 2005





 
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