Archive

1979 Jul 19 - 1984 Dec 13
Prime Ministerial Private Office files

PREM19/1202
Economic policy (Review of policy on film finance; taxation of film industry; films policy review) (Part 1)

Source: TNA, PREM19 series
Release date: 2014 Jan 3
Classification: Confidential
Page count: 247
Any docs withheld?

PREM19/1202 - download whole file (PDF, 43.48 MB)

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Date Value Title
79 Jul 19 Th Major Economic policy: Nott letter to Chancellor of the Exchequer ("Policy on Film Finance") ["The interest in this subject, and the potential political difficulty if we mishandle it, is disproportionate to the amounts of money involved... I enclose the text of a statement which I should like to make"] [declassified Jan 2014]
79 Jul 25 We Major Economic policy: Chancellor of the Exchequer letter to Nott ("Policy on Film Finance") ["As regards... your announcement... a slight change of emphasis... to make it clearer that your future consultations will be directed towards finding alternative sources of finance in the private sector"] [declassified Jan 2014]
80 Mar 13 Th Major Economic policy: Nott letter to St John-Stevas (Films Bill) ["it might be helpful to explain in some detail why the Bill is needed this session"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 May 24 Th Major Economic policy: Chancellor of the Exchequer letter to Tebbit ("Film Industry") ["whatever tax treatment we apply to films must be consistent with the corporate tax policy we introduced in the Budget... [I propose] other ways of helping... which would be consistent"; MT requests further information on the background to the DTI/Treasury dispute] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jun 5 Tu Major Economic policy: Howe minute to Chancellor of the Exchequer ("The Film Industry") ["I was responsible... for introducing the 100% tax allowance... I would like to see our film industry capable of taking the fullest advantage of overseas opportunities"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jun 12 Tu Major Economic policy: Chancellor of the Exchequer minute to MT ("Film Industry Taxation") ["The Equipment Leasing Association... have accepted the change in the capital allowance regime... if any special treatment is provided for films, they will withdraw... [support for] the Budget strategy... I should be most concerned if that support were jeopardised"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jun 18 Mo Major Economic policy: Tebbit minute to MT ("Film Industry") ["whether we can make a concession without undermining the Budget strategy on capital allowances... the industry now accept the loss of capital allowances... by operating on Section 72 of the 1981 Finance Act, we can avoid this problem... Treasury claims that Section 72 as it stands is an appropriate basis to apply to the UK film industry, while the industry argue... that Section 72 is based on US accounting practices"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jun 21 Th Major Economic policy: No.10 minute (internal): Policy Unit to Turnbull ("Taxing the Film Industry") ["The film industry is now crying foul at the loss of a perk it should never have enjoyed... [and] lobbying instead for a fixed and generous regime of write-offs which have nearly the same effect"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jun 21 Th Major Economic policy: Lord Gowrie minute to MT ("Film Industry Taxation") ["the industry has suffered a body blow with the budget changes to capital allowances... a concession on the lines sought by Norman Tebbit would be of enormous value"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jun 25 Mo Major Economic policy: Brittan minute to MT ("Film Industry") [cable & satellite broadcasting; taxation of television companies; levy on films shown on TV] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jul 2 Mo Major Economic policy: Tebbit minute to MT ("The Film Industry: Taxation") ["time is now very tight... If it is not possible [for the Chancellor and I] to reach agreement by close of play on Monday... I will have to bring the issue to you"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jul 2 Mo Major Economic policy: Chancellor of the Exchequer letter to Tebbit ("Taxation of the Film Industry") ["that the industry should be permitted to write off part of the expenditure on a film before receipts started to come in... I am afraid that I cannot agree to such a concession... I am [however] offering three concessions to the industry"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jul 3 Tu Major Economic policy: Tebbit minute to MT ("The Film Industry: Taxation") ["to contrive our escape from the cobwebs of quango and levy system which enmesh Government in the film industry... need not damage the Budget. The Chancellor is not willing to take the risk"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jul 3 Tu Major Economic policy: No.10 minute to MT (taxation of the film industry) ["The way this is being handled is ridiculous... you do not know the costs of Mr. Tebbit's new option... You may wish to decide now that the Treasury position is correct"; MT requests further clarification of options] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jul 5 Th Major Economic policy: No.10 minute to MT ("Taxation of the Film Industry") ["A decision is needed tonight"; MT requests further information in order to decide on the options] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jul 6 Fr Major Economic policy: No.10 record of conversation (MT, Lawson, Tebbit, John Moore, Kenneth Baker) ["Taxation of the Film Industry"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jul 11 We Major Economic policy: Tebbit PS letter to No.10 ("Film Industry White Paper") [draft for clearance] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jul 11 We Major Economic policy: Tebbit PS letter to Chancellor of the Exchequer PS ("Film Industry White Paper") ["proposed allocation of £2 million a year for five years to the film industry... In order to keep to the timetable for publication... unless he hears to the contrary by the close tomorrow... [Tebbit will] assume that the Chancellor does not wish to object to the proposals in the attached draft"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jul 12 Th Major Economic policy: No.10 minute to MT (film industry White Paper) ["Agreement has now been reached on the outstanding issues"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jul 19 Th Major Economic policy: Chancellor of the Exchequer PS letter to Kenneth Baker PS ("Films Policy Review: Statement") [Lawson request for amendments] [declassified Jan 2014]