HC Deb 11 June 1984 vol 61 cc330-1W
Mr. Michael Forsyth

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available the number of cinemas from which the film levy was collected, the number of cinema screens they had and the amount of the levy.

Mr. Kenneth Baker

The available information is as follows:

Financial year Number of cinemas subject to levy Number of screens registered for payment of levy Amount of levy collected
£'000
1974–75 n/a n/a 4,503
1975–76 n/a n/a 5,374
1976–77 n/a n/a 4,836
1977–78 n/a n/a 5,624
1978–79 n/a n/a 7,384
1979–80 n/a n/a 7,301
1980–81 721 1,553 5,668
1981–82 691 1,548 5,645
1982–83 713 1,488 4,275
1983–84 639 1,346 4,501

Figures for cinemas subject to levy and screens registered for payment of levy are not available before 1980–81. Figures for cinemas from which levy was actually collected would be available only at disproportionate cost. Figures are based on peak viewing months. Figures for the full year would be available only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will list for the financial year 1983–84 the payments made from the film levy by the British Film Fund Agency;

(2) if he will list for the financial year 1983–84 the operating costs of the British Film Fund broken down into convenient categories; and if he will express the total as a percentage of film fund expenditure.

Mr. Kenneth Baker

The British Film Fund Agency operates to statutorily defined levy years. Its most recent published annual report and statement of accounts relates to the year ended 16 October 1982. The report was laid before Parliament in October 1983 and a copy is available in the Library. The report provides information on the agency's operating costs and on distributions from the levy. Details of provisional distributions to or on behalf of producers of British films for the levy year ended 15 October 1983 were published on 3 February 1984 inBritish Business, a copy of which is available in the Library.