Scotland's culture secretary, Fiona Hyslop, has pledged that the Scottish Government will improve and make more direct its links with the film industry.

 

The government is to form an expert group of "film industry leaders" to "support the government and its creative and enterprise agencies to better understand and respond to the needs of the sector."

It has also been announced that the 'due diligence' period on the proposed project to build a film studio in Cumbernauld is over and further negotiations are now taking place.

Setting up the group is one of several actions the Scottish Government will take following a recent inquiry by the Scottish Parliament's Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee into the economic impact of the creative industries in Scotland.

Reviews of Scotland's animation and video games sectors will also be undertaken.

Creative Scotland and Scottish Enterprise will produce a Memorandum of Understanding to clarify respective roles and "support effective joint working" she said.

Ms Hyslop said: "This inquiry provided a valuable opportunity to look in depth at our creative industries - a sector worth more than £5bn to Scotland, which employs more people than the oil and gas industry and has a higher GVA than the life sciences sector.

"We are determined to maximise the economic, social and cultural benefits our creative industries can deliver."

"The measures we are announcing today will help us to better understand and respond to the needs of the creative industries in Scotland and ensure the government and its agencies are working more effectively and collaboratively for their benefit.

In regards to a the prospect of a film studio, which is rumoured to be sited in or near Cumbernauld in North Lanarkshire, a formal response from the government to the Economy, Energy and Tourism report into film says the "due diligence process" has been completed.

It adds: "the Film Studio Delivery Group (Creative Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Government) is working hard to conclude the negotiations which are now taking place.

"This is, understandably, taking time given the complexities and technicalities involved and it is not possible to

provide further details at present.

"However, the Scottish Government and its agencies remain committed to developing suitable studio facilities in Scotland that fall within State Aid rules and intend to make an announcement on the proposal as soon as feasibly possible."

Murdo Fraser, Convener of the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee, said: "Through the course of our inquiry, the Committee found that the Government and its agencies needed to work together to co-ordinate the support provided, by listening and speaking directly to those working in the creative industries.

"This dialogue appeared to have broken down so it's heartening to see that as a result of the Committee's inquiry, the Government is taking action to address this."