Reports of funding for performance poetry workshops in Colombian prisons

That this House expresses serious concern at reports in The Telegraph that the British Council, a charity receiving £162.5 million in overseas development aid from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office this year, is using public funds to run performance poetry workshops in Colombian prisons and Bangkok shopping malls; believes that such activities do not represent a responsible or effective use of taxpayers’ money; and calls on the Government to urgently review funding criteria to ensure that future allocations deliver measurable value and reflect the priorities of UK taxpayers.