HC Deb 07 July 1953 vol 517 cc1052-3
56. Mr. G. R. Strauss

asked the Minister of Works what financial arrangements were made with the two companies that were given concessions to film the Coronation ceremony.

Sir D. Eccles

The Earl Marshal granted facilities to three companies to make colour films of the Coronation ceremony. He also granted facilities for a black and white film record which was pooled by the five main newsreel companies. My Department will recover from the film companies the cost of all work carried out on their behalf. This will include the cost of building camera boxes in Westminster Abbey and the cost of providing the extra lighting required for colour filming.

Mr. Strauss

But might I ask the Minister of Works this question: As in those films no payment was made by the companies for actors, sets or script writers, and they were bound to be exceedingly profitable, and as I understand one company has sent out a thousand copies, surely it would be reasonable to ask that the companies should pay, either to the Government or to the Westminster Abbey Restoration Fund, some considerable part of the profits they make?

Sir D. Eccles

Our chief concern was to see that the film was the best possible film, and to my knowledge those companies invested large sums in the preparations for the film. If there is a profit made, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will get a good slice of it.

Mr. Gaitskell

While recognising the excellent quality of the films made of the Coronation, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the Treasury were consulted before this arrangement was made?

Sir D. Eccles

I am not sure of the answer to that, but I know that it was difficult to select only a small number of the companies who asked to make the film, since the space in the Abbey was not sufficient to give a camera box to everybody. It would have been difficult to put this sort of thing out to tender.

Mr. Strauss

Surely the capital invested was tiny compared to the investment involved in the making of any ordinary film. In view of the fact that it was almost inevitable that there should be substantial profits from this film, it would have been reasonable to ask the companies, who were selected, to agree to some profit-sharing basis with the Government, or particularly, as I suggest, to pay some part of their profits to Westminster Abbey to help its restoration fund.

Sir D. Eccles

I think that the Earl Marshal was right in what he did. He had to make these arrangements very early, and so far as I know it is not the custom of the Government to ask for cash payments down for the film rights of religious ceremonies.

Mr. Gaitskell

Would the right hon. Gentleman consider approaching the film companies concerned and asking them whether they would not care to adopt the suggestion by my right hon. Friend that at least a proportion of these profits should go to the Westminster Abbey Fund?

Sir D. Eccles

I will take note of the right hon. Gentleman's suggestion and look into it.

Mr. J. Hudson

Most unbusinesslike.