§ Mrs. Ewingasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total amount of public money spent on the National Film Theatres in the past two years; and what proportion of this expenditure relates to Scotland.
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§ Miss Jennie LeeI assume that the hon. Member is referring to the development of regional film theatres outside London. The British Film Institute has powers to make capital grants to these on condition that the grants are at least equally matched by local contributions. Grants towards recurrent expenditure are also made, though in the case of Scottish schemes these will in future be made not by the British Film Institute but by the Scottish Films Council. Assistance is not given on any per capita basis but in response to local initiative.
By the end of March, 1969, the Institute will have made capital grants totalling £103,000 and will have spent about £80,000 in recurrent grants and in the provision of relevant services. These figures include a capital grant of £900 and associated recurrent expenditure of £1,100 for the Edinburgh Film Theatre. No other Scottish scheme is at present sufficiently far advanced to qualify for assistance.