§ LORD ARCHIBALDasked Her Majesty's Government whether the decision to admit the two feature length films of the Coronation as eligible for registration for British quota also means that these films will qualify for participation in the British Film Production Fund, and if so, whether this is in keeping with the purposes for which this Fund was instituted.
§ LORD MANCROFTThe question whether any particular film is eligible for registration as a British quota film depends on whether the film satisfies the conditions laid down in Section 25 of the Cinematograph Films Act, 1938, as amended by the Cinematograph Films Act, 1948. If a film satisfies these conditions—and the films to which the noble Lord refers do so—the Board of Trade have no discretion whether or not to1270WA register the films as British quota films; they are bound by the Act to do so.
Eligibility for participation in the British Film Production Fund is determined by the rules of the Fund. I understand that registration as a British quota film is one of the qualifications for this purpose, but not the only one; in other words, no films which are not British quota films qualify, but not all British quota films qualify. Her Majesty's Government are not responsible for the administration of the British Film Production Fund; but I understand that the films in question did, in fact, qualify for participation in the Fund. My right honourable friend, the President of the Board of Trade, sees no reason why this should conflict with the purpose—i.e., the encouragement of British film production—for which the Fund was instituted.
House adjourned at ten minutes past four o'clock