Film Industry (Hansard, 22 July 1976)

§ Mr. Dell

As stated by the then Prime Minister on 29th March in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, South-East (Mr. Cohen), although action is already being taken under existing legislation to release £2.37 million available for assistance through the NFFC, long term financial assistance and the establishment of a British Film Authority would both require fresh legislation. There is unlikely to be time in the next parliamentary Session for a substantial measure of this kind, but the Government intend to prepare a short financial Bill to permit the creation of the basic working fund referred to by my 539W right hon. Friend in his previous statement for introduction as soon as parliamentary time permits. It had also been our intention to advance an initial sum of up to £5 million to the fund without delay once the necessary legislative approval had been given. I regret that in the light of the decision on public expenditure announced today by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, it is now necessary to defer this step until 1978. The release of the £2.37 million through the NFFC will, however, be unaffected and will enable some further if limited measure of encouragement to be given to the industry and to the private sources of investment on which it is crucially dependent.

In the meantime, there is much that can be done, and my right hon. Friend the Member for Huyton (Sir H. Wilson), has accepted my invitation to chair an interim action committee to carry forward progress made by the Terry Working Party. If he is to have a compact team to assist him, membership cannot be representational; but the committee will have a duty to consult widely with the industry in advising the Secretary of State, as will be seen from the following terms of reference: Having regard to the Government's announcement to Parliament on 29th March 1976, following the Report of the Prime Minister's Working Party on the future of the film industry, accepting the need to strengthen the industry's financial position and the case for a British Film Authority, and to its decision to set up a preparatory committee, the Committee (to be known as the interim Action Committee) shall consult with the industry through its representative bodies and associations and advise the Secretary of State for Trade and other Ministers and public bodies as appropriate on the achievement of a viable and prosperous British film industry over the next decade.