Scottish finance secretary John Swinney has pledged to press the UK Government to think again about abandoning plans for tax relief for the video games industry.
There was anger in Dundee, Scotland’s leading centre for video games development, when the Chancellor dropped tax relief plans in his emergency Budget this week.
The move, to have cost around £50 million a year, was promised by Labour chancellor Alistair Darling and would have put British games developers on a level playing field with overseas competitors who already enjoy state support.
At Holyrood, Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick raised the issue in the chamber with Mr Swinney.
The cabinet secretary told MSPs he had impressed the importance of tax breaks on Chancellor George Osborne in talks before the Budget.
“One of the issues that I raised with the Chancellor in advance of the Budget was the very point Mr FitzPatrick makes…
“I think it would have been preferable if those tax incentives had been able to be undertaken.
“Quite clearly I will be happy to make representations to the United Kingdom Government on this question because we have to ensure that we find adequate opportunities to encourage the development of an industry which is very much at the heart of this government’s agenda.”