HC Deb 01 March 1951 vol 484 cc2277-8
25. Mr. Wyatt

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has any statement to make on the new arrangements proposed by the Film Finance Corporation.

Mr. H. Wilson

I take it that my hon. Friend is referring to the plans recently announced by the National Film Finance Corporation for the use of a portion of the funds still available to them by three new production groups. These proposals are described in an exchange of letters between the right hon. Lord Reith, Chairman of the Corporation and myself, which were published by the Corporation on 25th January; copies are available in the Library of the House. As I said in my letter to Lord Reith, these proposals were approved by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and myself.

Mr. Wyatt

In view of the fact that these new arrangements are a disguised subsidy for the Rank organisation and the A.B.C. organisation, could my right hon. Friend say how independent producers who do not wish to be forced to make their films in studios belonging to those organisations can be helped from the funds of the Corporation?

Mr. Wilson

I do not accept in the slightest the suggestion that this is a dis- guised subsidy to either of those organisations. My hon. Friend will be aware of the third group scheme, which is specifically designed for independent producers. In any event, these arrangements do not prevent the Corporation from lending direct to independent producers outside the three group scheme.

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