The BBC World Service’s budget has unexpectedly been cut by more than £2m by the government.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office will reduce the service’s funding by around 1% from £240.2m to £238.5m in its 2013-14 financial year, but World Service director Peter Horrocks has insisted it will not affect output.

He said: “The World Service is determined that this unexpected cut should not damage existing services to audiences so there will be no cuts to output nor reductions to staff or headcount as a result. We will not be able to invest in new programmes and platforms as planned.”

The World Service will fall under licence fee control in April 2014 and yesterday, the BBC Trust pledged to set its budget at £245m. This is £6.5m more than the £238.5m the government is currently providing.

“The BBC Trust will be able to give the World Service a far greater degree of financial security, from which it can continue to provide its much-needed and valued services for audiences around the world,” Trust chairman Lord Patten said in a statement.

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