§ 34. Dr. A. D. D. Broughtonasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the estimate of revenue expected to be derived from the new charges imposed on the hire of films which are loaned by the Central Film Library of the Central Office of Information.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterTen thousand pounds from the hire of films, and a further £5,000 from the sale of films and library catalogues.
§ Dr. BroughtonIs the Financial Secretary aware that this mean policy will deprive a number of voluntary lecturers of the opportunity of using these films; and that it will rob many people of the chance of seeing useful and informative pictures?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI do not accept that suggestion. The charge for the hire of these films is not only moderate, but it is a good deal less than the hire charge of private film libraries.
§ Dr. BroughtonIs the hon. Gentle. man aware that I have in my hand a letter from a constituent in which he states that for the past 10 years he has received regular monthly supplies of these films; that he has found them most helpful and instructive in his voluntary work amongst children; and that now, when he is called upon to pay a charge of 30s. for a programme lasting one hour, he will be no longer able to use the Central Film Library?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI am sorry if the hon. Gentleman's constituent is inconvenienced, but the charges are less than those of commercial film libraries, and I do not think it is unreasonable, in present circumstances, to ask those who hire these films to make some contribution to their cost.