TUESDAY 6 MARCH 2001

MR ROGER JONES OBE, MS MENNA RICHARDS AND MR MICHAEL HASTINGS

  380. Do you think the Government could do more to assist the film industry in Wales?
  (Mr Jones) Again, without being drawn into the taxation issues, I note that the Irish film industry has developed very strongly, probably as a direct result of some taxation benefits. I think in Ireland they called it the Section 35 Relief Scheme. That has made a big difference to Irish film making. I do not know whether we could envisage something like that in Wales. Would it not be wonderful if the Treasury would implement something like that in Wales? I am not holding my breath.

  381. Post-devolution, do you think it makes more sense for Welsh bodies to have a greater role in promoting Wales abroad, or would that cause confusion?
  (Mr Jones) I think that we all have our part to play here, particularly one of the major British institutions like the BBC. The BBC does promote Wales abroad. We would not have a platform were it not for the access and the coverage that something like the BBC gives us. We are there. How do we improve on this image? The ethos and the change in thinking within the BBC will encourage more of this in the future.
  (Ms Richards) Clearly the BBC's principal role is to make programmes. Our understanding of the audience and our close relationship with it does put us in a very strong position, if not to act as a catalyst for a number of organisations in bringing this sense of partnership together, then certainly to have a real understanding of what it is that Wales can offer.

  Chairman: Thank you very much indeed for coming this morning.