Films (Definition of “British Film”) Order 2015

Debate between Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury and Lord Grantchester

Thursday 22nd January 2015 Grand Committee

[Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury (LD)]

My Lords, I echo what the Minister said in congratulating the previous Government on introducing tax breaks for British films. Of course, since then the coalition Government have extended that to animation, high-end TV, video games and, most recently, regional theatre and live-action children’s TV, all of which have contributed enormously to the creative industries and their success. Tax breaks for the British film industry have paved the way and brought huge inward investment into the industry: millions of pounds of private funds to the independent sector and, from the private sector, millions more pounds spent on infrastructure. I am told that next week’s British film industry figures will be very positive, so the industry is happy.

We obviously support this order, particularly the extra points for production activity undertaken in the UK as that gives even greater incentive to bring work into the country. I have what is not really a question but more an observation. It is something I have picked up from talking to people in the industry: things are working well. The Minister has probably answered this already, but too many tweaks and changes should on the whole be avoided. I think I am right in saying that there is another order in the pipeline. The observation is to leave things that are working so well as they are.

[Lord Grantchester (Lab)]

My Lords, I enjoyed the Minister’s explanation of the order before us today. If a film that has been supported by the Government and the taxpayer in this way should be very successful—he mentioned “Paddington”—and especially profitable, is some element of the profits returned to the pot, if that is the right expression, for further use by British films to encourage the British film industry or does it escape from the system? Is it in some way self-fulfilling that the profits of a publicly supported film go back into making more British films?