TIGA, the trade association representing the UK games
industry, said today that the Government should develop a growth strategy for
sectors where the UK has a competitive advantage, including manufacturing, the
creative industries and education. TIGA made the comments following the
publication of a report compiled by Sir Anthony Bamford, Chairman of JCB, the
construction company, which called for a nine point plan to boost manufacturing,
including tax incentives to increase capital investment and tax breaks for
R&D.
Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO, said:
“We need to rebalance the UK economy away from an over-dependence on
financial services towards those industries which provide high skilled
employment, are export focused and where we have competitive strengths. This
new report is a timely reminder of the importance and potential of British
manufacturing.
“UK manufacturing is clearly one area which the Government should support.
However, the Government must also support the growth of other sectors where we
have competitive advantages, in particular, the creative industries and
education. Many of the UK’s creative industries, including video games
development, are world leading. Similarly, the UK higher education sector is a
success story: we are second only to the USA in the market share of overseas
students.
“Sir Anthony’s report rightly notes that tax incentives and tax breaks can
power growth in manufacturing. The UK Coalition Government should apply the
same principles to the video games development sector. TIGA’s new Games Tax Relief
would effectively lower the cost of games production in the UK and power
economic growth in the sector; it would attract inward investment and also help
smaller British owned and controlled studios. Similarly, TIGA has proposed that
the Government should improve the existing R&D tax credits by widening the
scope of the tax relief to incorporate the cost of premises, design costs and
IP protection costs. TIGA will be campaigning for these and other measures in
the run up to the March 2012 Budget.”
Notes to
editors:
About TIGA:
TIGA is the trade association representing the
UK’s games industry. The majority of our members are either independent games
developers or in-house publisher owned developers. We also have games
publishers, outsourcing companies, technology businesses and universities
amongst our membership. TIGA won 10 business awards and
was nominated a finalist for 9 other awards during 2010 and 2011. In 2010
TIGA won two business awards including ‘Trade Association of the Year’ from the
Trade Association Forum.
In 2011, TIGA won eight business awards including
‘Trade Association of the Year’ from the Trade Association Forum, ‘Outstanding
Organisation’ from the Chartered Management Institute and two Global Business
Excellence Awards, including ‘Outstanding Marketing Campaign’. Richard Wilson won the ‘Leadership Award’ from
the Trade Association Forum and the ‘Outstanding Leader’ award from the
Chartered Management Institute. TIGA is an Investors in People organisation.
TIGA's vision is to make the UK the best place
in the world to do games business.
We focus on three sets of activities:
political representation, generating media coverage and developing services
that enhance the competitiveness of our members. This means that TIGA
members are effectively represented in the corridors of power, their voice is
heard in the media and they receive benefits that make a material difference to
their businesses, including a reduction in costs and improved commercial
opportunities.
For further information, please contact Dr
Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO on: 07875 939 643, or email richard.wilson@tiga.org.