UK development tax breaks

Tuesday 30th June/... Michael Rawlinson, Director General of the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association, today responded to a letter from the new Minister for Creative Industries, Sion Simon MP. The letter refers to the government’s commitment to explore the issue of tax breaks for the games industry and calls on the publishers and developers to work with government to gather the required evidence and demonstrate its case.

Michael Rawlinson responded swiftly to the Minister’s letter, saying; “We were naturally delighted to see that the games industry feature so prominently in the Digital Britain report. In addition to games classification, IP theft and necessary skills for our industry, we were especially pleased to see the government taking the issue of tax breaks so seriously.

“This is the culmination of a long campaign to get games recognised alongside film as a major contributor to the UK’s economy and culture. However, this is no time for self praise, we have merely turned the Government’s head. The challenge is to capitalise on this opportunity while we have their attention.

“The positive outcome for the PEGI classification system, announced in the same report, showed what the industry can do when we come together and present solutions to government which benefit our industry. Likewise, the Government’s promise to look at the evidence for tax breaks provides us with a rare opportunity to show the true value of software-led cultural tax breaks and their positive impact on the industry and economy.”

ELSPA will be looking to developers and publishers, large and small, to help us to gather the information required to create the most convincing argument possible in the hope of once again turning a ‘consultation’ into government commitment.”