TIGA, the network for games developers and digital publishers, said today that as the UK begins the process of leaving the EU it is imperative that the Government strengthens the successful industries of today so that they can continue to be successful tomorrow. TIGA made the comments in response to today’s Queen’s Speech.
Measures announced in the Queen’s Speech include the following:
- Eight of the 27 Bills and draft Bills in the Queen’s Speech relate to Brexit.
- The Great Repeal Bill, which will repeal the 1972 European Communities Act and end the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. It will also copy existing EU legislation into the UK statute book, leaving Parliament to decide later which elements to retain.
- Other Brexit legislation covering issues including customs, immigration, trade and civil nuclear power.
- Bills to support new industries, including the Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill and the Space Industry Bill.
- A Digital Charter to ensure that children are protected online.
- An Armed Forces Bill and a continuing commitment to spending 2 per cent of GDP on defence.
- A review of counter-terrorism strategy, covering the powers available to address extremism, sentences and the availability of extremist material online.
Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO, said:
“As we begin the process of leaving the EU we need to strengthen the successful industries of today so that they can continue to be successful tomorrow. The UK’s creative industries contribute £87 billion in Gross Value Added to our economy and include a range of successful sectors with great potential for the UK. For example, the UK video games industry is the largest in Europe and is expanding at 7.5 per cent per annum.
“If we are to ensure the continued success of creative industries like the video games sector, then we must retain and enhance tax incentives such as Games Tax Relief; improve access to finance via a Games Investment Fund; enable employers to access highly skilled people from the EU and beyond; protect the rights of existing EU workers in the UK (with reciprocal rights protection for UK citizens in the EU); and increase the supply of talented developers within the UK labour market.”
About TIGA
TIGA is the network for games developers and digital publishers and the trade association representing the video games industry. Since 2010, TIGA has won 24 business awards and commendations and has been successfully accredited as an Investors in People organisation three times. TIGA focuses on three sets of activities:
- political representation;
- profile raising; and
- business services.
This means that TIGA members’ voices are heard in the corridors of power and positively represented in the international, national, regional and trade media. TIGA’s activities also serve to enhance the competitiveness of our members by providing benefits that make a material difference to their businesses, including a reduction in costs and improved commercial opportunities.
Get in touch:
- Tel: 0845 468 2330
- Email: info@tiga.org
- Web: www.tiga.org