TIGA, the trade association
representing the UK games industry, said today that if the UK video games
industry was to fulfil its economic potential then Games Tax Relief should be
introduced and access to finance for
games businesses should be improved. TIGA made the comments following the
Labour Party’s launch of its new Creative Industries Network and in advance of
the publication of the initial conclusions of the Labour Party’s Creative
Industries Policy Review in London on Wednesday 7th September. The Creative
Industries Network was launched by Labour Leader Ed Miliband, Shadow Culture
Secretary Ivan Lewis and Christine Payne, General Secretary of Equity and Chair
of the Creative Coalition Campaign.
Dr Richard Wilson, CEO of TIGA, said:
“The UK economy has experienced
anaemic growth over the last year. If we are to rebalance the economy away from
an over dependence upon financial services and to power economic growth then we
must support the industries of the future where the UK has a competitive
advantage.
“The creative industries
account for more than 7 per cent of UK GDP compared to a European average of 2
per cent. The UK has advantages in creative industries including film, fashion,
music and video games. The UK video games development sector is still the
largest in Europe and the global market for video games is growing. However,
while other governments in countries including Canada and the USA support their
video games industries with sector specific tax breaks, the UK does not. As a
result, employment in the UK games development sector shrunk by 9 per cent
between 2008 and 2010.
“Just as the UK film
industry has prospered as a result of the Film Tax Credit, so investment and
employment in the UK video games industry would increase with the introduction
of Games Tax Relief. The Labour Party, the SNP, the Conservatives and the
Liberal Democrats all publicly supported Games Tax Relief before the last general
election. It made economic sense then; it continues to make economic sense now.
TIGA will continue to refine the case for Games Tax Relief and other
measures to enhance access to finance for games businesses, for example, the
establishment of TIGA’s Creative Content Fund.”
We look forward to feeding our research into the Labour Party’s Creative Industries
Policy Review.
Ends
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. In 2011, TIGA won
a further four awards at the Trade Association Forum Best Practice Awards,
including ‘Trade Association of the Year’ for the second consecutive year. TIGA has been voted a finalist in the CMI
Management and Leadership Awards 2011 in the ‘Outstanding Organisation (SME)’
category. Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO, has been voted a finalist in the
‘Outstanding Leader’ category.
TIGA was
also 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’
accredited organisation.
TIGA
is the trade association representing the UK’s games industry. Our vision is to make the UK the best place
in the world to do games business. Our mission is to fight for the interests of
game developers.
To achieve our vision and mission we focus on the delivery of
three strategic objectives: effective political representation, profile raising
and helping our members commercially. 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.