UK Gaming Industry receives boost with new Parliamentary Group

Valerie | 12 Jun 2009, 12:32

The UK Government has announced it will form the first ever cross-party group dedicated to raising the profile of the burgeoning video games industry.

The news comes as the new Culture Secretary, Ben Bradshaw confirmed the Government’s recognition of the importance of the video games industry to the economy at a House of Commons debate earlier this week.

The remit for the All Party Parliamentary Group will be to “provide a forum to discuss business issues affecting video games software developers, to develop policies to enhance the sector and to champion an industry that responsibly creates content for an audience ranging from children to adults.”

To be chaired by Labour MP Bill Olner and MP John Whittingdale with Tiga, the national trade association for games developers in the UK as secretariat, its membership stretches beyond 20 MPs, Lords and industry representatives, including Lord Puttnam of Queensgate and MP Philip Davies.

Tiga CEO, Richard Wilson welcomed the announcement:

“The establishment of the All-Party Group on the Computer and Video Games industry will ensure that issues affecting the sector, including the tax system, skill needs and industry academia links are raised still more effectively in Parliament and Government.”

As c&binet recently reported, the video games industry currently contributes more that than £1 billion to Britain’s gross domestic product.  The future success of the video games industry will be a key theme for the forthcoming c&binet forum, which will consider the creative and regulatory structure that will help the sector to thrive beyond the recession.