Westminster Hall adjournment debate on the computer games industry.

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on the computer games industry.

There has been an estimate. TIGA reckons that tax breaks would help 2,500 new jobs to be created and would maintain and protect 3,000 current jobs.

There has been an estimate. TIGA reckons that tax breaks would help 2,500 new jobs to be created and would maintain and protect 3,000 current jobs.

The Minister said that I should ask my Front-Bench colleagues to sign up to this. Obviously, they have: they made a commitment prior to the general election that they would give tax breaks to the computer games industry. The Minister's party also supported that, as did the Liberal Democrats and...

The Minister said that I should ask my Front-Bench colleagues to sign up to this. Obviously, they have: they made a commitment prior to the general election that they would give tax breaks to the computer games industry. The Minister's party also supported that, as did the Liberal Democrats and...

I certainly would not disagree. As I said earlier, the Government could do much more. The hon. Gentleman makes a valid and important point. I sincerely fear that we have an overly simplistic one-size-fits-all solution that does not address the differing needs of UK businesses. Economic growth is stagnating, inward...

I certainly would not disagree. As I said earlier, the Government could do much more. The hon. Gentleman makes a valid and important point. I sincerely fear that we have an overly simplistic one-size-fits-all solution that does not address the differing needs of UK businesses. Economic growth is stagnating, inward...

I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. He is absolutely correct. When we took evidence at Abertay university, we were told that, every day, students there who are studying the computer games industry and will graduate in that subject are receiving phone calls from France, Ireland and Canada saying...

I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. He is absolutely correct. When we took evidence at Abertay university, we were told that, every day, students there who are studying the computer games industry and will graduate in that subject are receiving phone calls from France, Ireland and Canada saying...

I certainly do agree. We do need a long-term strategy. Everyone involved with the computer games industry—it is a big thing in my constituency of Dundee West—agrees that a long-term strategy is required, but in the short term, to prevent companies from going bust or moving to Ireland or Canada,...

I certainly do agree. We do need a long-term strategy. Everyone involved with the computer games industry—it is a big thing in my constituency of Dundee West—agrees that a long-term strategy is required, but in the short term, to prevent companies from going bust or moving to Ireland or Canada,...

I thank the Minister for giving way. The figures given to the Scottish Affairs Committee during its inquiry suggest that the tax breaks received by the film industry cost in the region of £110 million a year. The previous Government committed themselves to tax breaks for the computer games industry...

I thank the Minister for giving way. The figures given to the Scottish Affairs Committee during its inquiry suggest that the tax breaks received by the film industry cost in the region of £110 million a year. The previous Government committed themselves to tax breaks for the computer games industry...

I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. I can quote from the evidence taken by the Select Committee on Scottish Affairs, which conducted an inquiry into this subject. It was said in that Committee that on 29 March—just five weeks before the general election—the then shadow Minister said that...

I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. I can quote from the evidence taken by the Select Committee on Scottish Affairs, which conducted an inquiry into this subject. It was said in that Committee that on 29 March—just five weeks before the general election—the then shadow Minister said that...

I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. The Government seem to be saying that differences in corporation tax and research and development tax credits are good enough to support the computer games industry. My view and that of TIGA, the association that represents the computer games industry, is that...

I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. The Government seem to be saying that differences in corporation tax and research and development tax credits are good enough to support the computer games industry. My view and that of TIGA, the association that represents the computer games industry, is that...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Howarth, and I thank the House and the Speaker's Office for giving me the opportunity to raise an issue of great importance to my constituency: the computer games industry. As hon. Members will be aware, calls for the Government to...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Howarth, and I thank the House and the Speaker's Office for giving me the opportunity to raise an issue of great importance to my constituency: the computer games industry. As hon. Members will be aware, calls for the Government to...

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 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...

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.

I thank my hon. Friend for giving way; I went to my usual seat in the Chamber over here, so I seem to have split from the Opposition. On the subject of access to MPs, prior to the previous Labour Government's March Budget statement, numerous Ministers—the Chancellor, the Secretary of...

I thank my hon. Friend for giving way; I went to my usual seat in the Chamber over here, so I seem to have split from the Opposition. On the subject of access to MPs, prior to the previous Labour Government's March Budget statement, numerous Ministers—the Chancellor, the Secretary of...

Prior to the withdrawal of tax breaks for the computer games industry, not one Minister visited Dundee. Does my hon. Friend the Member for Wrexham (Ian Lucas) agree that that was unfair, at the very least?

Prior to the withdrawal of tax breaks for the computer games industry, not one Minister visited Dundee. Does my hon. Friend the Member for Wrexham (Ian Lucas) agree that that was unfair, at the very least?

When will a member of the coalition Government visit Abertay university?

When will a member of the coalition Government visit Abertay university?

The Secretary of State for Scotland has visited, but no Conservative Member has done so.

The Secretary of State for Scotland has visited, but no Conservative Member has done so.

Will the Minister give way?

Will the Minister give way?

On the subject of promises, prior to the general election, the Minister was quoted—I shall have to paraphrase—as saying that his party unequivocally supported tax breaks for the computer games industry. What has changed his and the Chancellor's mind?

On the subject of promises, prior to the general election, the Minister was quoted—I shall have to paraphrase—as saying that his party unequivocally supported tax breaks for the computer games industry. What has changed his and the Chancellor's mind?