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Written Question
Video Games: Research
Monday 12th December 2022

Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what grants for research and development are available to video game developers in the UK.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology

The Government is committed to supporting the growth of the UK’s video games sector which brings economic, cultural and social benefits across the UK.

This Government is investing over £100 million to support research and development across the creative industries, which video games developers are able to apply for. This funding supports groundbreaking programmes including Innovate UK’s £30 million for the Creative Catalyst Programme and the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s £75.6 million CoSTAR programme. Video games developers are able to apply for funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) via Innovate UK competitions, and through the upcoming digital twinning research investments from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

The Government’s Export Strategy sets out financial support for exporters, including video games developers. The Internationalisation Fund provides co-investment to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with high international growth potential. The Government also provides support at two leading global video games trade shows, Gamescom in Cologne and Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, which enables UK games exporters to engage with potential investors. Financial support is also available to eligible businesses wishing to attend or exhibit at trade shows through the UK Tradeshow Programme pilot.

This Government is working with industry to deliver a new generation of highly skilled workers, and will articulate these plans as part of the upcoming Creative Industries Sector Vision. For video games, the £8 million expansion of the UK Games Fund is providing valuable support to early stage games development businesses and talented graduates throughout the UK. This includes its Tranzfuser programme which mentors teams of talented and entrepreneurial graduates in regional hubs across the UK.

Written Question
Video Games: Investment
Monday 24th October 2022

Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of a video games investment fund.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology

The Government is committed to supporting the growth of the UK’s games sector. As part of a wider package to support the growth of the creative industries, the Government has committed to an £8 million expansion of the UK Games Fund. The UK Games Fund will continue to provide valuable support to early-stage games development and talented graduates throughout the UK. In addition, the Video Games Tax Relief continues to make the UK one of the leading destinations in the world for making video games.

We are not seeking to take forward a proposal for a new Video Games Investment Fund. We welcome continued discussions with the games industry on how best to support a thriving UK games sector.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 27 Apr 2022
Channel 4 Privatisation

"I may have my facts wrong, but as I understand it, Channel 4 is phenomenally successful. Its subscription service levels are something like a third higher than Netflix’s in the UK, and All 4 is the largest subscription service in this country. Channel 4 does not cost the taxpayer anything, …..."
Matt Western - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 17 Jan 2022
BBC Funding

"I am very proud of the BBC—it is the best of British, and it is recognised and respected around the world. It is also the best of value. Its fee works out as two thirds of the price of a pink of milk per day—I happen to know the price …..."
Matt Western - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 06 Jan 2022
Oral Answers to Questions

"5. What steps she has taken to increase the number of successful prosecutions relating to (a) violence against women and girls and (b) hate crimes. [R]..."
Matt Western - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 06 Jan 2022
Oral Answers to Questions

"Clearly not that seriously, certainly in Warwickshire; according to the CPS data, Warwickshire has the lowest conviction rate—47% conviction against prosecution—at 1.3%. Dame Vera Baird, the Victims’ Commissioner, criticised that as the “effective decriminalisation of rape”. She is right, is she not?..."
Matt Western - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 13 Jul 2021
Randolph Turpin

"Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for granting this significant debate. It may seem that to talk about Randolph Turpin is to talk about a parochial sporting hero, but I hope to demonstrate just how much he helped to transform British sport.

Seventy years ago this week, Randolph Turpin took the …..."
Matt Western - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 13 Jul 2021
Randolph Turpin

"Lionel was indeed courageous fighting in the battle of the Somme, but sadly he died some years later having sustained permanent damage to his lungs. Together with hundreds of others, he had been the victim of a gas attack. As is so often the case, his sacrifice is barely recognised, …..."
Matt Western - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 13 Jul 2021
Randolph Turpin

"I totally agree; I will come to that shortly.

Despite Randy’s momentous accomplishments during his sporting career, his troubled personal life and at times flawed character would lead to violence against some of those closest to him and others. He was financially cheated by those he trusted, his debts mounted …..."
Matt Western - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 13 Jul 2021
Randolph Turpin

"I understand and appreciate that. I just want to stress the point that Randolph Turpin had many battles, as the Minister has mentioned, but he was the first British world champion of the 20th century, he fought through the bar on colour and he beat one of the finest boxers …..."
Matt Western - View Speech

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