City Council should make voice heard over Video Games

Today I wrote to Dundee City Council Chief Executive David Dorward asking that Dundee City Council makes a response to the House of Commons Scottish Affairs Select Committee inquiry into the Video Games Industry in Scotland.


This inquiry by the Scottish Affairs Select Committee is an opportunity for the council to state how important this industry is to the city of Dundee. The Games Industry makes a major contribution to the economy of the city and it is important that the City Council does all that it can to support this industry. In the current economic climate the City Council should have protecting jobs as its top priority.


The inquiry will look at the contribution made by Games Industry to the Scottish and UK economy, I think that we should be stressing the contribution to the Dundee economy. The inquiry will also look at the decision of the new UK Government to scrap Labour's plans to implement Tax Relief for the Games Industry. I think that the City Council should make clear its views on this issue.

I think that the City Council will recognise the importance of this industry to the city of Dundee. It makes an important contribution in terms of jobs and in terms of education, at the University of Abertay Dundee in particular. I would hope that the council would be able to speak with one voice in the best interests of the city and acknowledge the need for policies to assist the industry.'

I think that this inquiry by the Scottish Affairs Select Committee is to be welcomed and I am sure that Dundee West MP Jim McGovern, who is a member of the committee, will be making a strong case for the importance of this industry to Dundee, to Scotland and to the UK.