Newly-appointed UK film minister Kim Howells will launch a $8.4m (£6m) National Lottery fund for regional investment in England later this month.

Howells, who took over from Janet Anderson as minister for tourism, film and broadcasting after this month's UK general election, will unveil the fund in Cambridge on Wednesday June 27. The initiative comes under the auspices of British film support body the Film Council, whose chief executive John Woodward will be speaking at the launch.

Targeted at stimulating film in the English regions, the fund will cover production, exhibition, training, archives and education. Screen East, one of the first new regional agencies to receive funding under the new initiative, will be launched at the same time.

Separately, the Film Council has earmarked $1.4m for a lottery fund aimed at helping children and young people make short digital films. Titled First Light, the fund is to finance no less than 200 films during the next 12 months.

"First Light represents the biggest push in the UK today to help young people get their first shot at making a short film on digital," said Woodward.