HC Deb 26 June 2002 vol 387 cc935-7W
Mr. Yeo

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what were the total employment costs of staff employed by the Film Council in each year of its operation; [64572]

(2) how many staff are employed in each department of the Film Council. [64573]

Dr. Howells

The total employment costs of staff employed by the Film Council for each full year of the Film Council's existence, building up from its foundation as a new organisation, are:

  • 2000–01: £2,461,000
  • 2001–02: £3,739,000.

There are 83 people employed at the Film Council. These include staff transferred from the British Film Institute, the Arts Council of England, the British Film Commission and the British Screen Finance group of companies, all previously employed using public subsidy.

In addition, the Film Council has taken on extra work such as statistical evidence gathering, called for by the Government's Film Policy Review, and the UK Media Desk.

This can be broken down as:

  • Strategy—15
  • Funding—28
  • Resources—24
  • British Film Commission—12
  • Business Affairs—4.

Mr. Yeo

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how many consultants were employed by the Film Council in each year of its operation, stating for each consultant(a) the purpose of their employment arid (b) the number of hours they were employed for; [64574]

(2) what the total employment costs were of consultants employed by the Film Council in each year of its operation. [64571]

Dr. Howells

In 2000–01, the Film Council's first full year of operation, £526,289.55p or 0.8 per cent. of turnover was spent on employing consultants. In 2001–02, £897,423.18p or 1.4 per cent. of turnover was spent on consultants. In 2000–01, 30 consultants were employed. Of the 30 consultants in total employed, 17 were paid less than £10,000 and 22 were paid less than £20,000.

In 2001–02, the Film Council employed 46 consultants. Of the 47 consultants in total employed, 25 were paid less than £10,000 and 29 were paid less than £20,000.

The consultants were employed to help set up the new organisation's infrastructure and to inform the development of its new strategy. They worked on a wide range of specific projects, including areas of strategic development, training, monitoring, cultural diversity and development of European policy.

It is not possible to state the number of hours for which the consultants were employed.

These figures exclude the cost of legal advice, corporate print and design, and internal and external auditing advice.

Mr. Yeo

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the films for which it has been a condition of a grant made by the Film Council that a member of their staff receive a personal credit on the film. [64581]

Dr. Howells

The list of films for which it has been a condition of a grant made by the Film Council that a member of their staff receive a personal credit on the film is shown in the following list. This list comprises feature film projects where an offer has been accepted and has not lapsed. The credits reflect the roles played by Film Council staff in creative development, structuring of finance (in addition to Film Council investment) safeguarding finance, creative roles undertaken during production and post-production and advice given during the marketing and distribution processes.

New Cinema Fund titles:

  • Anita and Me
  • Ape
  • Bloody Sunday
  • Body Song
  • Emotional Backgammon
  • Entering Blue Zone
  • Helen of Peckham
  • Hoover Street Revival
  • Live Forever
  • Magdalene
  • Noi the Albino
  • Once upon a Time in the Midlands
  • 937W
  • Revengers Tragedy
  • Tomorrow La Scala (aka Sweeney)
  • The Wooden Camera
  • This is Not a Love Song

Premiere Fund titles:

  • Braids, Twists and Tales
  • Five Children and It
  • Gosford Park
  • L'Homme du Train
  • Miranda
  • Mike Bassett. England Manager
  • The Importance of Being Earnest
  • Water Warriors
  • Young Adam.