Mr. SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the Film Council will publish its strategy for ensuring diversity in film employment, following the publication of the British Screen Advisory Council's report, Achieving Diversity in Film in January 2001. [107672]
§ Tessa JowellThe Film Council intends to publish its draft diversity and inclusion strategies in July 2003 and will consult with key stakeholders about its proposals over the summer. As well as aiming to increase diversity in film employment, the Film Council wants every UK citizen to have access to film culture.
It has appointed a Head of Diversity and is working to ensure that the range of diversity and social inclusion issues is prominent when developing new policies and programmes. Meanwhile, a Cultural Diversity Group of industry practitioners is considering a range of practical measures to ensure that the UK's cultural and ethnic diversity is fully reflected both behind and in front of the screen.