The Conservative party has published its 2019 manifesto in the run up to the General Election next month. The manifesto pledges to invest in the education and immigration system in order to create a highly skilled workforce, and to support small to medium businesses by removing financial barriers.
On online harms and monetisation within video games, the Conservatives have pledged the following:
- Provisions to protect the most vulnerable from accessing harmful content.
- A review of the Gambling Act, with particular focus on tackling issues around loot boxes and credit card misuse.
On investing in skills and education, the Conservatives have pledged:
- The creation of a new National Skills Fund worth £3 billion over the next Parliament. This fund will provide matching funding for individuals and SMEs for high-quality education and training.
- An investment of almost £2 billion to upgrade the entire further education college estate.
- To look at ways to improve the working of the Apprenticeship Levy.
On visas for skilled migrants:
- The introduction of an Australian-style points-based system which will prioritise those who: have a good grasp of English, have been law-abiding citizens in their own countries and have good education and qualifications. The manifesto also states that most people will need a clear job offer.
- Maintaining the start-up visa for early-stage, high potential entrepreneurs starting a business in Britain for the first time.
- Fast-track entry for highly-qualified technology and science graduates.
On improving accessibility to finance for SMEs:
- The reduction of business rates.
- An increase of Employment Allowance for small businesses.
- The expansion of start-up loans.
The full manifesto can be found here.