TIGA, the trade associationrepresenting the UK video games industry, today called on the games industry to
contact their MPs to sign an Early Day Motion (EDM) in Parliament, calling for
the scope of the Research and Development (R&D) tax credits to be widened.
TIGA lobbied the UK
Government in the run up to the March Budget to enhance the R&D Tax Credits
by raising the level of qualifying relief to 200 per cent. TIGA published Powering a high technology recovery:
Improving R&D Tax to highlight necessary changes the Government needed
to make to support the video games industry.
Dr. Richard Wilson, TIGA
CEO, stated:
“The
Government was right to raise the level of qualifying relief in respect of the R&D
Tax Credit in the March Budget. Yet the Government should go further. It should
now extend the scope of R&D tax credits to include costs incurred in
development including premises costs and the cost of applying for intellectual
property protection and design. TIGA’s proposals for the R&D tax credits
will deliver 60%-75% more value to games studios than the current R&D tax
credit regime. This will enable studios to invest more in R&D, generate and
retain new IP, and hire more development staff
“John Whittingdale OBE MP and Tom Watson MP
are well known advocates of the video games industry whose opinions hold
serious weight. Their decision to table
an EDM calling for the Government to back TIGA’s proposals in respect of the
R&D Tax Credit is excellent news.
“The
EDM published today can be signed by other MPs and we strongly encourage
everyone within the games industry to lobby their Member of Parliament to add
their signature.””
Jason Kingsley, TIGA
Chairman and CEO and Creative Director of Rebellion, said:
“Games
Tax Relief, a sector specific tax break, would have the most beneficial impact
on the UK games industry and TIGA will continue to make the case for this
crucial measure.
“In
the meantime, TIGA’s proposals to improve the small firms R&D tax credit
would have a positive impact on our sector. TIGA will continue to work with Tom
Watson MP and John Whittingdale OBE MP in making the argument to the Government
to support the video games industry.””
-Ends-
Notes to Editor:
1) You
can search for your local MP by typing in your postcode at the following link:
http://findyourmp.parliament.uk/
2) The Early Day Motion published
today:
1781
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TAX CREDITS FOR
THE VIDEO GAMES INDUSTRY
9:5:11
Mr Tom Watson
Mr John Whittingdale
*2
That this House welcomes the reforms
to the Research and Development (R&D) tax credits announced in
theBudget; further welcomes the research and analysis by TIGA, the UK
video games trade association, in its publication, prior to the Budget,
Powering a high technology recovery: Improving R&D Tax, which called for
the level of R&D tax credits to rise from 175 per cent. of qualifying
expenditure to at least 200 per cent.; notes that these changes will be of
significant value to the video games industry; calls on the Government to
extend the scope of R&D tax credits to include costs incurred in
development including premises costs and the cost of applying for
intellectual property protection and design; and further calls on the
Government to ensure it pursues a policy of supporting the video games
industry to increase employment in this highly-skilled, export-orientated,
low carbon industry.
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
was awarded ‘Trade Association of the Year’ and the ‘Member Recruitment Award’
at the Trade Association Forum Best Practice Awards 2010. TIGA has also been
named as a finalist in the 2010 Chartered Management Institute (CMI) National
Management and Leadership Awards in the category of ‘The Outstanding
Organisation of the Year Award (SME)’. 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 07875939643:
or email richard.wilson@tiga.org; or contact David Hodges on
02070911653