The BBC should invest more inBritish film production and in showcasing UK films on its television channels,says an influential report drafted by Members of Parliament.

The House of Commons CultureCommittee investigation into the BBC is published today as part of the processleading up to the corporation's Charter renewal at the end of 2006. The Committeewas chaired by Sir Gerald Kaufman.

One of its many key findings isthat the BBC should do more to support British film.

"We recommend the BBC publish astrategy for promoting UK films, and should do so in concert with the UK FilmCouncil. We further believe there is a strong case for a substantial increasein BBC funding for both feature films and short films and in the exhibition ofmodern UK films," says the report, called A Public BBC.

The committee heard evidencefrom both the UK Film Council and from BBC director general Mark Thompsonbefore coming to its conclusions.

It noted that following hisappearance in front of the committee, Thompson wrote back "undertaking toinvestigate the pros and cons of an increased investment into original UKfeature film production."

The BBC currently investsaround £10m a year in the production of British films through its BBC Filmsarm.

The UK Film Council welcomed the report. CEO John Woodward commented: "Sir Gerald Kaufman and his colleagues on the Select Committee have produced a report which shows the vital importance of increased involvement by the BBC in the British film industry."

He added: "People clearly want to see more recent British films on television. A survey earlier this year found that a massive 81% of the British public believe that TV companies should support the British film industry by showing more new UK-made films. As the prime public service broadcaster, the BBC should obviously lead the way in giving audiences access to new British films on television and investing in UK film talent."

The Committee investigated thefull range of the BBC's activities and made a series of recommendations. Itcalled for the BBC to be placed on a statutory basis by an Act of Parliament,for the BBC Governors to be reconstituted completely independently of thedirector general and for the licence fee to remain in place.

In terms of programming, itrecommended that BBC Three and BBC Four should be kept as targeted channels andnot 'recast as clones of BBC One and Two. It also said it should consider thecase for a television version of the radio World Service and said that arts andreligious programmes should not be shunted into digital ghettos.

Topics