HC Deb 11 February 1954 vol 523 cc1336-8
5. Mr. Swingler

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of prosecutions against film quota defaulters as a percentage of the number of defaults in each of the years 1950, 1951, 1952 and 1953.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

For the quota year October, 1949, to September, 1950, no proceedings were instituted. For the 1950–51 quota year, prosecutions were 1.29 per cent. and 0.42 per cent. of the total number of theatres which failed to achieve the prescribed quota for first features and supporting programmes respectively. For the 1951–52 quota year, proceedings will be instituted shortly in a number of appropriate cases of failure to achieve the prescribed quotas. As regards the 1952–53 quota year, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Aston (Mr. Wyatt) on 28th January.

Mr. Swingler

Would the Minister not agree that these figures are fantastically small? Is he not aware that, in the opinion of many people, this system has become almost farcical because the degree of enforcement is so small that it brings the system into disrepute?

Mr. Thorneycroft

I think the hon. Gentleman falls into the error of assuming that if a cinema fails to achieve the quota it is thereby necessarily committing an offence.

28. Mr. Wyatt

asked the President of the Board of Trade why the news films, "A Queen is Crowned," and "Elizabeth is Queen," were allowed to be registered under the Films Act, 1948, although they consisted mainly of newsreel material and did not employ professional actors or actresses.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

As the right hon. Member for Leeds, South (Mr. Gaitskell) was informed on 14th July, these two films are films to which the Cinematograph Films Acts apply and were registered as British and as exhibitors' quota films in accordance with the requirements of Sections 25 and 26 of the Cinematograph Films Act, 1938.

Mr. Wyatt

Can the President say how that was, when the Films Act specifically says that films which consist wholly or mainly of news should not be registered in this way? As neither actors nor actresses were employed but news reels only, was this not a device by the companies concerned to gain a substantial part of the Eady Fund, which ought to be allotted to independent producers?

Mr. Thorneycroft

I think that those films contained much more than news.

10. Mr. Swingler

asked the President of the Board of Trade his estimates of the numbers of British first-feature films available, or likely to be available, in each of the quota years 1953–54 and 1954–55; and what quota he will fix for the year 1954–55.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

As the hon. Member was informed on 24rh February, 1953, the producers did not provide any estimates of the likely production of films for the quota year 1st October, 1953, to 30th September, 1954. I have, however, no reason to suppose the number of films of 6,500 ft. and over to be registered during the current quota year will be less than in the preceding year. For the 1954–55 quota year the producers estimate that there will probably be available about 78 British films which are likely to secure first-feature showing.

As regards the last part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Cheadle (Mr. Shepherd) on 5th February.

Mr. Swingler

As the last figure which the Minister gave showed an increase on the previous year, and as the right hon. Gentleman believes in the quota system and the importance of promoting the British film producing industry, should he not reconsider his decision? Is there not a case for a small increase in the quota next year, when more films will be available?

Mr. Thorneycroft

The figures for future production are, I think, a little uncertain, but, as far as I can judge, production is running at about the same rate and we have kept the quota at the same rate, also.