A comprehensive 247-page audit of the screen industries in Scotland, supported by HIE, was completed in September 2003. It covers an £4.8 billion industry, of which Scotland (with 9% of the population) accounts for 5%. Proportionate to UK wide statistics, Scotland's share of the market lags by some £200 million. Issues covered in the research include licensing, intellectual rights, costs, profitability, development and potential market growth. Something to keep an eye on would be the audit's findings that indicates Scotland under performs in the quality and profitability benchmarks relative to the UK. This raises some questions about a real structural competitiveness challenge, part of which may be circumnavigated by tapping more specialised niche markets.

In the words of PACT, 'The audit will establish the scale and nature of content creators in Film, Television, Radio, Video, Corporate and Commercial Production, Digital and Interactive content, and their impact on the home economy and culture. It will also explore the potential demand for programming at UK level and Scotland's ability to supply it. Further afield it will assess the potential for production exports, additional revenues, and for inward investment.'

To download a copy of the document, visit the member-only part of the site and click on Summer Reading.