Scotland’s
Culture Minister Allan Wilson has intervened in
the row over alleged cronyism at Scottish Screen.
Mr Wilson said he would be contacting the movie
quango after it was stated in the press that £1.5
million of lottery money had been put into films
made by its committee members.
Scottish Screen, with an annual lottery budget
of £3 million to support Scotland’s film
industry, denies any bias.
A spokesman for Mr Wilson’s office said:
"Scottish Screen’s procedures should ensure
those with an interest in a particular application
do not participate in any discussion or decision
over its funding. These procedures were strengthened
following the transfer of lottery funding from
the Scottish Arts Council last year.
"The minister is seeking assurances that these
procedures are followed in all cases."
The Scotsman newspaper revealed six film-makers
closely linked with Scottish Screen have had their
productions financed with lottery cash.
The SNP’s culture spokesman Mike Russell
said he believed the quango should make sure it
is "completely transparent" when handing out lottery
grants to film-makers.
Mr Russell called on Scottish Screen to publish
details of any possible conflicts of interest
on the internet to prevent accusations of cronyism.
Scottish Screen’s counterpart in England,
the Film Council, administers £20 million a year
in lottery grants and loans.
It has attempted to counter charges of cronyism
by removing independent film producers from its
decision-making process.
Three former producers have been hired as full-time
members of staff who manage the lottery funds
available. A spokesman said: "Decisions are made
by a production fund manager who is not an independent
film producer in his own right. We don’t
have committees. There is no foolproof system
but we believe ours is a lot safer in many ways."
Film producer Peter Broughan, whose £5 million
movie The Flying Scotsman has received a £500,000
lottery grant from Scottish Screen, said: "In
the film industry, Scotland is a village and Glasgow
is a street.
"There are only two or three degrees of separation
and Scottish Screen has been at pains to be transparent.
I don’t think there is any conflict of interest."
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Scotland’s
Culture Minister Allan Wilson has intervened in
the row over alleged cronyism at Scottish Screen.
