Gillian Anderson came to Glasgow to film

"By encouraging more companies to make movies in Scotland we will not only raise the profile of our country abroad, but boost tourism, create employment and generate income for our economy.

So-called "creative industries", such as film, television and radio, music, and advertising, contributed about �5bn to the Scottish economy in 1999 and support more than 70,000 jobs.

The brochure adds to a website for the sector launched recently, called creativescotland.com.

Among the film made in Scotland last year were the Edith Wharton adaptation "House of Mirth", starring Gillian Anderson, and Robert Duvall's football film "The Cup".

Film Charter

Mr McLeish said: "This brochure represents a very impressive collaboration between Scottish Screen, the Scottish Tourist Board and Historic Scotland.

"Glasgow and Edinburgh already have a Film Charter, and I believe that this has helped them attract and provide suitable services to film-makers.

"A Film Charter for Scotland would set out clearly both what a film-maker coming to Scotland can expect, but also what local authorities and other public bodies here might expect of the film-maker.

Scottish Screen is now the lottery distributor

"I hope that Scottish Screen will be working with public and private bodies in Scotland over the next few months to work up proposals for a Film Charter."

Deputy Culture Minister, Rhona Brankin, announced that Scottish Screen was now the lottery distributor for film production in Scotland.

"Scottish Screen has developed a strategy for the use of the lottery funds for film," she said.

"While the decisions on individual projects will be the responsibility of a committee, the strategic direction resulting from the board will make a difference."

The amount of money spent in Scotland by film-makers reached a high last year, outstripping even the 1995 peak when Braveheart and Rob Roy were both being filmed.