To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment was made in developing the 2050 Energy Pathways calculator tool of the merits of making it operate using Open Source software; what factors underpinned the choice of Microsoft Excel for PCs 2007 and 2010 for the tool;...

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment was made in developing the 2050 Energy Pathways calculator tool of the merits of making it operate using Open Source software; what factors underpinned the choice of Microsoft Excel for PCs 2007 and 2010 for the tool;...

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on the UK computer software industry.

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on the UK computer software industry.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Environment Agency will reconsider their policy restricting the use of flood mapping modelling methods and software in relation to non-commercial interests researching flood plain mapping.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Environment Agency will reconsider their policy restricting the use of flood mapping modelling methods and software in relation to non-commercial interests researching flood plain mapping.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether collaborative agreements between the Environment Agency (EA) and non-commercial researchers on the use of flood plain data relating to flooding in Cumbria will be drawn up to exclude EA restrictions on the use of modelling methods and software.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether collaborative agreements between the Environment Agency (EA) and non-commercial researchers on the use of flood plain data relating to flooding in Cumbria will be drawn up to exclude EA restrictions on the use of modelling methods and software.

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that we should introduce some kind of domestic tax incentives and support not only to boost the industry, but so that we can compete on an equal playing field? Other countries across the world that produce software and video games have additional incentives for the...

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that we should introduce some kind of domestic tax incentives and support not only to boost the industry, but so that we can compete on an equal playing field? Other countries across the world that produce software and video games have additional incentives for the...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship for the first time, Mr Weir. I am grateful for the opportunity to hold the debate. I take a keen interest in the UK software industry, and I am proud that Sunderland Software City, which is a centre of excellence, covers...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship for the first time, Mr Weir. I am grateful for the opportunity to hold the debate. I take a keen interest in the UK software industry, and I am proud that Sunderland Software City, which is a centre of excellence, covers...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Weir. I congratulate the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South (Bridget Phillipson) on having started an important debate on an important theme. She will understand that I cannot comment on the situation in the north-east, so I shall concentrate...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Weir. I congratulate the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South (Bridget Phillipson) on having started an important debate on an important theme. She will understand that I cannot comment on the situation in the north-east, so I shall concentrate...

Speeds of 10 megabits-plus are commonly perceived as high speed, although figures of up to 50 megabits are valued in some areas of the computer industry. Those are the sorts of speed that I would like to see. The problem is that there are many parts of the country—rural areas,...

Speeds of 10 megabits-plus are commonly perceived as high speed, although figures of up to 50 megabits are valued in some areas of the computer industry. Those are the sorts of speed that I would like to see. The problem is that there are many parts of the country—rural areas,...

The second answer that the hon. Gentleman was provided with seems to possess greater clarity than the first, because the first is, I guess, contestable. We can have a long discussion about how we can and cannot target breaks. A rational argument can quite decently be made that the software...

The second answer that the hon. Gentleman was provided with seems to possess greater clarity than the first, because the first is, I guess, contestable. We can have a long discussion about how we can and cannot target breaks. A rational argument can quite decently be made that the software...

Before the general election, the Conservative and Lib Dem spokesmen on this subject both said unequivocally that they would support tax breaks for the video games industry. Why has that changed?

Before the general election, the Conservative and Lib Dem spokesmen on this subject both said unequivocally that they would support tax breaks for the video games industry. Why has that changed?

I am not party to the discussions that have led to that change. Clearly, there were opportunities for previous Governments to do precisely that. The opportunities for the British software industry are huge. The Government just need to make the right move. Some of the right moves are plain and...

I am not party to the discussions that have led to that change. Clearly, there were opportunities for previous Governments to do precisely that. The opportunities for the British software industry are huge. The Government just need to make the right move. Some of the right moves are plain and...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South (Bridget Phillipson) on securing this debate. The Government have made a number of announcements in the past weeks emphasising the importance of innovation to the UK economy. In particular, I welcome the Prime Minister's ““Blueprint for Technology”” and the specific...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South (Bridget Phillipson) on securing this debate. The Government have made a number of announcements in the past weeks emphasising the importance of innovation to the UK economy. In particular, I welcome the Prime Minister's ““Blueprint for Technology”” and the specific...

I am not sure that the causal chain is as emphatic and clear-cut as the hon. Lady represents it, but later I shall come to the business of a level playing field. It could be argued, could it not, that the indicators for what the industry offers and its potential...

I am not sure that the causal chain is as emphatic and clear-cut as the hon. Lady represents it, but later I shall come to the business of a level playing field. It could be argued, could it not, that the indicators for what the industry offers and its potential...

I think the Chancellor actually said that the tax breaks were poorly targeted, rather than not well targeted. I have since had meetings with Ministers who have said that it is Government policy no longer to target any industry for tax breaks. Does the hon. Gentleman have a view on...

I think the Chancellor actually said that the tax breaks were poorly targeted, rather than not well targeted. I have since had meetings with Ministers who have said that it is Government policy no longer to target any industry for tax breaks. Does the hon. Gentleman have a view on...

Does the Minister accept that ““video games”” is perhaps the wrong title for the subject? Anyone who has visited Abertay university would see that what are called video or computer games can be applied to construction, architecture or medical science. It is wrong to say that ““video games”” just involve...

Does the Minister accept that ““video games”” is perhaps the wrong title for the subject? Anyone who has visited Abertay university would see that what are called video or computer games can be applied to construction, architecture or medical science. It is wrong to say that ““video games”” just involve...

Obviously, the software industry is far wider than simply video games. We tend to call it the video games industry in the vernacular, although some people call it the interactive entertainment industry. However, I have said consistently over many years that what one loosely calls the video games industry is...

Obviously, the software industry is far wider than simply video games. We tend to call it the video games industry in the vernacular, although some people call it the interactive entertainment industry. However, I have said consistently over many years that what one loosely calls the video games industry is...

I would be delighted to intervene. I made it absolutely clear to the Minister, who clearly was not listening to my speech, that a commitment to the regions, which is so important to the future of the software industry across the UK, is lacking. I am sorry that Her Majesty's...

I would be delighted to intervene. I made it absolutely clear to the Minister, who clearly was not listening to my speech, that a commitment to the regions, which is so important to the future of the software industry across the UK, is lacking. I am sorry that Her Majesty's...

The hon. Gentleman might as well say that the fact that we are having this debate in Westminster indicates that the Opposition's priorities are focused on the south-east, rather than on Sunderland. It is slightly crass to rubbish the technology blueprint on the basis of where it was launched. It...

The hon. Gentleman might as well say that the fact that we are having this debate in Westminster indicates that the Opposition's priorities are focused on the south-east, rather than on Sunderland. It is slightly crass to rubbish the technology blueprint on the basis of where it was launched. It...

Let me say in response that I might be the first, but I will certainly not be the last, to split this coalition.

Let me say in response that I might be the first, but I will certainly not be the last, to split this coalition.

The Minister may be aware that the Select Committee on Home Affairs, of which I am a member, gave careful consideration to the immigration cap. Some of the concerns that were raised, particularly from ICT companies, were about how it would work and whether it would be a deterrent for...

The Minister may be aware that the Select Committee on Home Affairs, of which I am a member, gave careful consideration to the immigration cap. Some of the concerns that were raised, particularly from ICT companies, were about how it would work and whether it would be a deterrent for...