TIGA, the trade association representing the UK video games industry, welcomed the commitment by the Government yesterday to the long-term success of the UK video games industry.
Margot James MP, Minister for Digital and Creative Industries, stated that the Government is “committed to supporting the video games industry so that it can continue to recruit and retain top talent, both from the UK and internationally”.
She was responding to questions by Virendra Sharma, a London Labour MP, on what the Government was doing to ensure that the video games industry has access to people with the right skills after Brexit.
As part of the Government’s efforts to support the industry, Ms James confirmed that she is speaking to the sector and its key trade bodies on issues such as the tier 2 visa regulations.
TIGA has consistently called on the Government to ensure that the video games industry has access to the right talent.[1]
TIGA CEO Dr Richard Wilson OBE, said:
“Access to highly skilled people is critical to the success of the UK video games industry. Many UK universities – particularly TIGA Accredited universities – do a good job educating and preparing the next generation of game developers to work in our studios. However, there is great demand for highly skilled people and so our industry has to recruit from abroad as well as from the UK the labour market. 15 per cent of our workforce come from the EU. Following Brexit it is critically important that our creative and high technology sectors can continue to recruit the best people from the EU and beyond.”
The full exchange between Margot James MP and Virendra Sharma MP is available to view below:
Leaving the EU: Computer Games Industry Recruitment and Retention
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
8 February 2017
Mr Virendra Sharma (Ealing, Southall) (Lab): What assessment he has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on the recruitment and retention of skilled workers in the computer games industry. [903837]
The Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Margot James): The games industry makes a crucial economic and cultural contribution to the UK’s games market, which in 2016 was the fifth largest in the world. We are committed to supporting the video games industry so that it can continue to recruit and retain top talent, both from the UK and internationally. We are working closely with the sector to understand the impacts on and opportunities for it as we prepare to leave the EU.
Mr Sharma: What representations has the Minister made to the Home Office about the effect on the UK tech sector of the tightening of the tier 2 visa regulations?
Margot James: I can reassure the hon. Gentleman. We have asked the independent Migration Advisory Committee to advise on the economic and social impacts of our exit from the EU. We are also speaking to the sector and its key trade bodies, such as Ukie and TIGA, as well as individual businesses such as Ubisoft and CE Europe, to ensure that top talent continues to be available to the sector.