World weary

The Public Accounts Committee might not be as mordantly lacerating under Meg Hillier as it was under Margaret Hodge - but the MPs are pretty sniffy about elements of BBC World Service arrangements in their assessment out today.

First (and the BBC will be pleased) they want clarity from the Government about extending their funding of additional services, which needs to come within 18 months. Eyebrows remain up about the lack of a public detailed agreement between the BBC and The World Service about what precisely "success" for this new funding will look like - more than six months after the money was announced.

It wants better, up-to-date audience information made public, better target setting, and a drive to more commercial income.