TIGA, the trade association representing the
UK games industry, today welcomed comments by Jim McGovern, MP for Dundee West,
implicitly supporting TIGA’s proposals for improving the Small Firms R&D
Tax Credit. TIGA also backed the suggestion by the Leader of the House of
Commons, Sir George Young, that Mr McGovern should ask for a Westminster Hall
or adjournment debate. Jim McGovern previously secured a Westminster Hall debate
on June 29th 2011.
Jim McGovern said in a press release issued
on September 8th that:
“There is a great
deal the government could do that would better support the computer games
industry. The most recent suggestion is to improve the Small Firm Research and
Development tax credits scheme to include helping to offset the cost of
premises, testing new products and Intellectual Property protection. This would
better target support and tailor it to the needs of this industry.”
Dr Richard Wilson, CEO of TIGA, said:
“TIGA proposed to the
Government at the end of August that the scope of the R&D tax credits
should be expanded to include the following associated costs: premises costs;
design costs, including building a user interface; artistic work involved in
game development; and user testing; and IP protection
costs, including the
costs of patent registration, legal costs incurred in defending copyright and
costs incurred in trying to prevent privacy. It is excellent that Jim McGovern
MP has proposed some of these suggestions on the floor of the House of Commons.
“TIGA hopes that the
House of Commons will proceed to have an adjournment debate on the UK video
games industry. Our industry is export focused, R&D intensive, provides
high skilled employment and is environmentally friendly. With the right fiscal
environment in place, the UK games industry could provide more high skilled
jobs and investment.”
Colin
Anderson, MD of games developer Denki, based in Dundee, said:
“The UK’s computer games sector
is already a success story. Yet the industry
could
create more jobs and contribute more substantially to long-term economic growth
if three further measures were adopted to help UK businesses create and retain
intellectual property. Specifically
these are: improvements to the Small Firms R&D Tax Credit; the introduction
of a tax break for games production; and the establishment of a Creative
Content Fund, to improve access to finance.”
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.