HC Deb 18 January 1999 vol 323 cc320-1W
Mr. Hoyle

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what grants are provided by his Department to aid development of the British film industry. [65989]

Janet Anderson

In December my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced an increase in film support of at least £5.5 million over the next three years. The breakdown for 1999–2000 is as follows:

£000
British Film Institute 16,910
British Screen Finance Ltd. 2,000
European Co-production Fund 2,000
British Film Commission 850
National Film and Television School 2,100
Audiovisual Eureka Secretariat and Audiovisual Observatory 393
European Media II 6,200
Other support to the film industry 556

My right hon. Friend also announced the creation of a new strategic body, British Film, which will be a Lottery distributor with its own percentage stream of Lottery money from the arts good cause—guaranteeing, for the first time, a dedicated share of Lottery resources for film. The percentage will be set to ensure British Film receives at least £27,000,000 each year from the Lottery; the figure may well be higher if the numbers playing the Lottery continue as at present.