As of today, the certification unit for the new Cultural Test for British Film introduced as part of the UK 's new film tax relief will be based at the UK Film Council, moving from its previous home at the Department of Culture, Media & Sport.

The UKFC is currently in the final stages of recruiting a certification manger, a role to be filled in the interim by Stephen Bristow. The department also includes Anna Mansi and Chantel Burrell, who moved from DCMS. The former head of certification at DCMS, Colin Green, will not move to the UK Film Council.

The Certification Unit, which to avoid conflict of interest with various UKFC funds will operate as a stand-alone unit within the Film Council, will report to UKFC chief operating officer Alan Bushell.

Tessa Jowell, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport will still have final decision and sign off as she currently does, but will be guided by the certification recommendations from the Film Council unit.

To qualify for the new tax relief, films will have to qualify under the new Cultural Test, which judges a production based on cultural criteria - including characters, subject, setting and cast/crew. Films have to score 16 out of a possible 31 points.

In related news, HM Revenue & Customs is now paying out on films covered under the transitional rules of the tax credit, after the regulations came into effect on March 28. That means that unfinished films that started shooting before January 1, 2007 can be certified under the new cultural test and cleared for potential eligibility for film tax relief.

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