Mark Androvich 17:35 (BST)
26/02/2008

ELSPA has welcomed the UK government's launch of its new apprenticeship strategy paper "Creative Britain: New Talents for a New Economy."

In partnership with BERR and DIUS, the Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP, Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport, has begun moves to support the creative economy.

ELSPA, in a press release, said that it was "particularly delighted" to see the games industry singled out to benefit from such government commitments as increased awareness of the current R&D tax credit scheme, a commitment to identify barriers to investment in next generation broadband, and research to better quantify the economic benefits of the creative industries.

ELSPA commented that it was also pleased with the government's commitment to take the lead in opposing practices that unfairly distort competition, such as working with Europe to determine whether the incentives offered by Canada to video games companies contravene WTO rules.

"The government's commitment to bring creative industries from the margins to the mainstream of the economy and policy thinking shows a marked change to the government's attitude towards creative industries which can only be good for the games sector," said ELSPA director general Paul Jackson.

"We are very pleased Andy Burnham linked the idea of film credits to support for the videogames development community. Whilst we are very different in terms of content we face many of the same issues.

"We are also glad to see Margaret Hodge looking into whether the Canadians have been anti-competitive. Going to the WTO is the modern equivalent of 'sending a gunboat'...unfortunately this gunboat takes a decade to arrive!"