The UK Film Council and the museums, libraries and archives council have been abolished as part of a series of cuts by the culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt.

Hunt told MPs that the film council also spent £3m a year on administration and the money would be better used going directly to film-makers. The question remains however: how will the cash be distributed? The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said work would be done in the next few weeks to answer the many questions thrown up by the council’s abolition.

Since it was created in 2000 the UKFC has been responsible for handing out more than $200million of lottery money to over 900 films. Some major films include Gosford Park and Bend it Like Beckham.