MSP ‘DISAPPOINTED’ BY PM’S REJECTION OF COMPUTER GAMES TAX BREAKS

For Immediate Release – Wednesday 27 October 2010


Attn: NEWS DESKS


POLITICAL CORRESPONDENTS


Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick today expressed his ‘disappointment’ that the Tory/LibDem government have failed to take the opportunity to do something constructive for the computer games industry.


The MSP was commenting after Prime Minister David Cameron refused to reconsider the decision not to introduce tax breaks for the industry during today’s Prime Minister’s Questions at Westminster.


Commenting, Joe FitzPatrick said:



“When the Scottish Secretary visited Dundee earlier this month I felt that he was open to the merits of the case and of course the Lib Dems had pledged support to the idea of tax relief for research & development in the computer games industry before the election

“There was also the consultation with business to review the support R&D tax credits provide for innovation which the Treasury had promised they were to hold – this gave us some grounds for optimism. This seems to have come to nothing, so I am disappointed but not entirely surprised.


“I previously welcomed the positive progress before the election where the previous Chancellor, Alistair Darling, gave support to the idea, although he did not allocate any money in Labour’s final budget for it.


“The games industry body, TIGA, has produced figures to show that tax breaks would pay for themselves. They estimated it would cost £195 million but would deliver £415 in tax receipts

“So the games industry has had promises from Labour but nothing at all from the Con Dem Coalition.


“Yet virtually every industry expert has agreed that tax relief for research & development for computer games would create jobs and boost revenue.”