Tiga calls on industry to lobby government

Tiga has called on the games industry to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Secretary for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, as well as the Secretary for Culture, Media and Sport, to urge them to introduce a tax break for the videogames business.

The UK developer's trade body has advised that all letters be sent to MPs Andy Burnham and Alistair Darling well in advance of the budget, which is currently scheduled for April 22.

According to Tiga, 85 per cent of surveyed developers support tax breaks, and the UK could face greater job losses to overseas competitors if action isn't taken.

"In the run up to the Budget on April 22, the games industry needs to emphasise to the Government how vital it is to introduce a tax break for games production," said Richard Wilson, CEO of Tiga.

"With a 20 per cent tax break for games production in place, similar to the European Union approved scheme in France, the UK games industry can expect to remain one of the leading centres for games development in the world."

He warned: "If the Government fails to adopt this measure one of the UK’s critical knowledge economy sectors will contract, more creative jobs will be lost overseas, and our leading position in the global games development industry could be lost."

"So today Tiga is encouraging all games developers and other businesses involved in the games industry to write to Alistair Darling MP, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Mandelson, the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and Andy Burnham MP, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, to urge them to introduce a tax break for games production in the April Budget," Wilson said.

Wilson's letter to Peter Mandelson, can be read in full here