MPs call for film industry tax support
November 15, 2023
By Colin Mann
The Culture, Media and Sport Committee of the UK House of Commons has written to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt ahead of the forthcoming Autumn Statement to call for targeted tax support and changes to regulations impacting the British film industry.
The letter highlights some of the most common and urgent issues affecting the UK’s production sector raised in more than 130 written submissions to the Committee’s British Film and High-End Television inquiry.
The Committee calls for targeted tax support to ensure more visual effects work takes place across the whole of the UK along with reform of the apprenticeship levy. The letter also says that there needs to be further consideration given to the planned new rules around connected party transactions and the definition of documentary programming.
The inquiry has received written evidence from across the sector, including from large production companies such as Amazon, Warner Bros and Paramount. Industry bodies such as ScreenSkills, British Film Institute and the UK Cinema Association have also submitted evidence.
UK Screen Alliance wrote that the UK is at risk of losing its position as a world leader in visual effects and that targeted tax relief would be a big opportunity for levelling up. The Motion Picture Association was critical of the speed of changes to the apprenticeship levy, while the British Film Commission warned that draft legislation on connected party transactions “would make the UK significantly less competitive globally”.
The Committee will start taking oral evidence in the New Year.
“The UK is a hugely important destination for film and high-end television production, but we can’t afford to rest on our laurels if we are to retain our competitive edge with the major players from around the world,” warned Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, Chair of the CMS Committee.
“As the many responses to our inquiry from across the industry have highlighted, there are some urgent issues the Government can address right away as a first step to boosting the UK’s competitiveness and ensuring the sector has the skilled workers it needs.”
“We hope that next week the Chancellor will show he’s a friend of British film and give the sector the certainty and stability it needs to retain the UK’s excellent standing on the world stage.”