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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