7 CONCLUSIONS
152. This inquiry has looked in some detail at the
British film industry and the challenges it faces within a highly
competitive global industry. We commend our recommendations made
throughout this Report (see also Summary of Conclusions and Recommendations
below) and draw attention to those that follow as tackling the
over-arching themes we have identified.
Government
a) The Government's key priority should
be the speedy and positive resolution of debate over the future
of the Section 48 tax relief.
b) The UK Film Council has made a very positive
start and must be supported by the Department for Culture, Media
and Sport, and the Government as a whole, so that impetus is not
lost. This includes adequate funding for the wide range of tasks
with which the Council is charged.
c) A cohesive approach is needed between those
parts of Government that have interests in, or responsibilities
for, promoting the British film industry in both its impact as
a magnet for inward investment and its role as an important window
on Britain and British culture, history and society for the British
people and the wider world.
The UK Film Council
d) We welcome the positive start made
by the UK Film Council to its various tasks. It has a wide range
of responsibilities and must balance carefully the need to make
progress in each area with the risk of spreading its limited funding
too thinly.
e) The UK Film Council has made a convincing
case for its approach to revitalising the British film industry
in terms of the need for continued but evolving film tax reliefs,
including a new focus on distribution.
f) We also accept that the role of the public
service broadcasters in relation to investment in British films
and their exhibition should be tackled as a priority.
g) We recommend that the UK Film Council engage
actively with the bfi to clarify the most effective
working relationship for meeting their objectives; both shared
and complementary.
The bfi
h) The bfi set out its dual role
as guardian of a physical collection of, in our view, unparalleled
importance and as a motivator of new and demanding audiences for
the films that the UK Film Council is determined to encourage
in the future. These are both crucial tasks which merit adequate
resources and commensurate scrutiny to ensure that effective progress
is being made.
i) The bfi should take the
lead within the UK film and TV archive community and champion
the whole sector, particularly the regional archives, alongside
safeguarding its exemplary reputation amongst international peers.
An over-arching national strategy promoting both good curatorship
and increasing accessibility should be vigorously pursued.
| 
