UK Gov Plans Games Committee
Games industry needs to provide evidence for tax breaks
Michael Rawlinson
The British government is set to form a cross-departmental games committee tasked with investigating policy changes to help the industry.
The committee will be made up of representatives from the Department Of Culture, Media and Sport, the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, the Department of Health, the Home Office and the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
The new committee is the upshot of ELSPA’s first meeting with the new Minister for Creative Industries, Siôn Simon. According to MCV, the new minister and ELSPA's director general, Mike Rawlinson, discussed the new PEGI system, tax breaks and more.
The government is reportedly confident that it can introduce new PEGI legislation before the next election. Simon also reiterated something the government's Digital Britain report stated - it's open to tax breaks for the industry.
The government won't just be serving up tax relief at the drop of a hat, however. Rawlinson said that "...endlessly calling for tax breaks is not enough. What is obvious is that hard evidence has so far been very lacking so the Minister has now asked ELSPA to help further the debate by furnishing that evidence. This, of course, we are happy to do.”
Rawlinson's comments mirror assertions made in Siôn Simon's earlier letter to both Rawlinson and Tiga's CEO, Richard Wilson. The letter told the two organisations that "How far we can now take this proposal is dependent on the evidence the industry is able to produce to clearly demonstrate how and if this potential measure may work for the UK games sector. Although Government would like to move quickly to ascertain if a case for support can be made, the speed with which we can make progress is therefore reliant upon the quality and timeliness of evidence the industry can provide."
Source: MCV
The committee will be made up of representatives from the Department Of Culture, Media and Sport, the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, the Department of Health, the Home Office and the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
The new committee is the upshot of ELSPA’s first meeting with the new Minister for Creative Industries, Siôn Simon. According to MCV, the new minister and ELSPA's director general, Mike Rawlinson, discussed the new PEGI system, tax breaks and more.
The government is reportedly confident that it can introduce new PEGI legislation before the next election. Simon also reiterated something the government's Digital Britain report stated - it's open to tax breaks for the industry.
The government won't just be serving up tax relief at the drop of a hat, however. Rawlinson said that "...endlessly calling for tax breaks is not enough. What is obvious is that hard evidence has so far been very lacking so the Minister has now asked ELSPA to help further the debate by furnishing that evidence. This, of course, we are happy to do.”
Rawlinson's comments mirror assertions made in Siôn Simon's earlier letter to both Rawlinson and Tiga's CEO, Richard Wilson. The letter told the two organisations that "How far we can now take this proposal is dependent on the evidence the industry is able to produce to clearly demonstrate how and if this potential measure may work for the UK games sector. Although Government would like to move quickly to ascertain if a case for support can be made, the speed with which we can make progress is therefore reliant upon the quality and timeliness of evidence the industry can provide."
Source: MCV
Companies:
ELSPA
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