Government discards plans for BFI and UK Film Council merger

Culture minister Ed Vaizey has confirmed that plans formed by the previous government to merge BFI and the UK Film Council have been abandoned.

As previously reported, Vaizey announced he intends “to reassess fundamentally how the government supports film in this country... to make sure every pound of public money we spend gives maximum benefit."

John Woodward, CEO of the UK Film Council, was pleased that the emergency Budget this week made no mention of cuts to film funding, but said, “only when we get past October's public spending review will we know the full picture for public funding for film over the next few years."

The DCMS is to reduce spending by 25% or more over the next four years, which could mean cuts to the UKFC's Grant-in-Aid funding. About 60% of its Grant-in-Aid funding goes to the BFI.

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