Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure the curriculum is encouraging young people to consider careers in the video games sector.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

To ensure that children and young people are equipped with the essential knowledge and skills required for the future, this government is taking decisive action to modernise digital education.

Following the final report of the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, we are reforming the computing curriculum to strengthen digital literacy and digital creativity, including the creation of digital media. The report is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/curriculum-and-assessment-review-final-report-government-response.

Furthermore, we are considering where digital literacy can be incorporated within other relevant subjects such as Art and Design.

These reforms are intended to help ensure that more young people develop the capabilities needed for careers across the digital economy. There will be opportunity to provide views on draft proposals for curriculum and GCSE subject content (those in the first phase) during the public consultation this September.

The National Centre for Computing Education also facilitates industry-led events for pupils, to raise awareness of digital careers, including within the video game sector.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help expand access to work experience placements for young people interested in careers in the video games industry.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

This government is working with industry to deliver a UK-wide £9 million creative careers initiative, to equip young people with the ambition and knowledge to work in the creative industries. This includes ‘Into Games’ workshops in schools led by trained industry professionals, and ‘Get into Games’ regional careers festivals.

The department funds the Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC) to support schools and colleges to deliver high-quality careers education, including work experience. The CEC supports the science, technology, engineering and mathematics sector to raise awareness of the opportunities and pathways available. This includes ‘Tech She Can’, which encourages girls and young women to explore gaming and wider technology careers through initiatives such as a Virtual Employability Week.

There are also local programmes across the CEC careers hub network, for example Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, which works with leading gaming employers to strengthen the talent pipeline and deliver the Mayor’s pledge to support this key growth industry.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help ensure that careers guidance in schools promotes video‑games careers to girls and young women.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

This government is working with industry to deliver a UK-wide £9 million creative careers initiative, to equip young people with the ambition and knowledge to work in the creative industries. This includes ‘Into Games’ workshops in schools led by trained industry professionals, and ‘Get into Games’ regional careers festivals.

The department funds the Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC) to support schools and colleges to deliver high-quality careers education, including work experience. The CEC supports the science, technology, engineering and mathematics sector to raise awareness of the opportunities and pathways available. This includes ‘Tech She Can’, which encourages girls and young women to explore gaming and wider technology careers through initiatives such as a Virtual Employability Week.

There are also local programmes across the CEC careers hub network, for example Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, which works with leading gaming employers to strengthen the talent pipeline and deliver the Mayor’s pledge to support this key growth industry.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of trends in the levels of video games studio closures, and what steps she is taking to support the long‑term sustainability of the UK video games development sector.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

This Government has committed to supporting the video games sector as part of the Creative Industries Sector Plan, published last year, which sets out support for the industry in order to address the challenges it faces.

In April, we launched the £30 million Games Growth Package, which included a substantial uplift to the UK Games Fund to support growth of UK games studios and talent from all regions of the UK, as well as new funding for London Games Festival to promote inward investment into the sector. This was informed by previous positive evaluation findings on the UK Games Fund, and our work with industry to understand investment gaps and opportunities for growth.

As part of that expansion, the new ‘Entry Track’ is focused on newly formed games development studios and graduates with limited experience, providing grants of up to £20,000 to support development of their first title.

The UK also offers competitive tax relief via the Video Games Expenditure Credit, which continues to make the UK one of the leading destinations in the world for making video games.

Making creative careers accessible for everyone is a key priority for the Government, and we welcome the sector-led work to improve diversity through initiatives such as Women in Games. However, we understand that more work is needed to improve diversity and representation in the creative industries, so we are also encouraged by the creation of the UK Games Industry Shadow Council to oversee equality, diversity and inclusion in the industry until the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority expands its remit to cover the video games sector.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to hep support the establishment and growth of video games studios in South Norfolk.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

This Government has committed to supporting the video games sector as part of the Creative Industries Sector Plan, published last year, which sets out support for the industry in order to address the challenges it faces.

In April, we launched the £30 million Games Growth Package, which included a substantial uplift to the UK Games Fund to support growth of UK games studios and talent from all regions of the UK, as well as new funding for London Games Festival to promote inward investment into the sector. This was informed by previous positive evaluation findings on the UK Games Fund, and our work with industry to understand investment gaps and opportunities for growth.

As part of that expansion, the new ‘Entry Track’ is focused on newly formed games development studios and graduates with limited experience, providing grants of up to £20,000 to support development of their first title.

The UK also offers competitive tax relief via the Video Games Expenditure Credit, which continues to make the UK one of the leading destinations in the world for making video games.

Making creative careers accessible for everyone is a key priority for the Government, and we welcome the sector-led work to improve diversity through initiatives such as Women in Games. However, we understand that more work is needed to improve diversity and representation in the creative industries, so we are also encouraged by the creation of the UK Games Industry Shadow Council to oversee equality, diversity and inclusion in the industry until the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority expands its remit to cover the video games sector.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her department will review the effectiveness of the updated Standard Industrial Classification codes for the video games industry following their implementation.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The new 2026 UK Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) framework will introduce a new dedicated 4-digit code for video games development, alongside the existing 4-digit code for video games publishing and new activity such as esports.

My department will continue to work with the sector, including with the Video Games Council, to understand the impacts of these changes, and monitor data from official statistics published as part of our Sector Economic Estimates series.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help ensure the long-term presence of video game studios in a) the UK b) the East of England.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

This Government has committed to supporting the video games sector as part of the Creative Industries Sector Plan, published last year, which sets out support for the industry in order to address the challenges it faces.

In April, we launched the £30 million Games Growth Package, which included a substantial uplift to the UK Games Fund to support growth of UK games studios and talent from all regions of the UK, as well as new funding for London Games Festival to promote inward investment into the sector. This was informed by previous positive evaluation findings on the UK Games Fund, and our work with industry to understand investment gaps and opportunities for growth.

As part of that expansion, the new ‘Entry Track’ is focused on newly formed games development studios and graduates with limited experience, providing grants of up to £20,000 to support development of their first title.

The UK also offers competitive tax relief via the Video Games Expenditure Credit, which continues to make the UK one of the leading destinations in the world for making video games.

Making creative careers accessible for everyone is a key priority for the Government, and we welcome the sector-led work to improve diversity through initiatives such as Women in Games. However, we understand that more work is needed to improve diversity and representation in the creative industries, so we are also encouraged by the creation of the UK Games Industry Shadow Council to oversee equality, diversity and inclusion in the industry until the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority expands its remit to cover the video games sector.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the Entry Track grant of the UK Games Fund.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

This Government has committed to supporting the video games sector as part of the Creative Industries Sector Plan, published last year, which sets out support for the industry in order to address the challenges it faces.

In April, we launched the £30 million Games Growth Package, which included a substantial uplift to the UK Games Fund to support growth of UK games studios and talent from all regions of the UK, as well as new funding for London Games Festival to promote inward investment into the sector. This was informed by previous positive evaluation findings on the UK Games Fund, and our work with industry to understand investment gaps and opportunities for growth.

As part of that expansion, the new ‘Entry Track’ is focused on newly formed games development studios and graduates with limited experience, providing grants of up to £20,000 to support development of their first title.

The UK also offers competitive tax relief via the Video Games Expenditure Credit, which continues to make the UK one of the leading destinations in the world for making video games.

Making creative careers accessible for everyone is a key priority for the Government, and we welcome the sector-led work to improve diversity through initiatives such as Women in Games. However, we understand that more work is needed to improve diversity and representation in the creative industries, so we are also encouraged by the creation of the UK Games Industry Shadow Council to oversee equality, diversity and inclusion in the industry until the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority expands its remit to cover the video games sector.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her department is taking to help improve gender diversity within the video-games sector.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

This Government has committed to supporting the video games sector as part of the Creative Industries Sector Plan, published last year, which sets out support for the industry in order to address the challenges it faces.

In April, we launched the £30 million Games Growth Package, which included a substantial uplift to the UK Games Fund to support growth of UK games studios and talent from all regions of the UK, as well as new funding for London Games Festival to promote inward investment into the sector. This was informed by previous positive evaluation findings on the UK Games Fund, and our work with industry to understand investment gaps and opportunities for growth.

As part of that expansion, the new ‘Entry Track’ is focused on newly formed games development studios and graduates with limited experience, providing grants of up to £20,000 to support development of their first title.

The UK also offers competitive tax relief via the Video Games Expenditure Credit, which continues to make the UK one of the leading destinations in the world for making video games.

Making creative careers accessible for everyone is a key priority for the Government, and we welcome the sector-led work to improve diversity through initiatives such as Women in Games. However, we understand that more work is needed to improve diversity and representation in the creative industries, so we are also encouraged by the creation of the UK Games Industry Shadow Council to oversee equality, diversity and inclusion in the industry until the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority expands its remit to cover the video games sector.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how the UK Games Fund will be targeted to support early-stage video game studios.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

This Government has committed to supporting the video games sector as part of the Creative Industries Sector Plan, published last year, which sets out support for the industry in order to address the challenges it faces.

In April, we launched the £30 million Games Growth Package, which included a substantial uplift to the UK Games Fund to support growth of UK games studios and talent from all regions of the UK, as well as new funding for London Games Festival to promote inward investment into the sector. This was informed by previous positive evaluation findings on the UK Games Fund, and our work with industry to understand investment gaps and opportunities for growth.

As part of that expansion, the new ‘Entry Track’ is focused on newly formed games development studios and graduates with limited experience, providing grants of up to £20,000 to support development of their first title.

The UK also offers competitive tax relief via the Video Games Expenditure Credit, which continues to make the UK one of the leading destinations in the world for making video games.

Making creative careers accessible for everyone is a key priority for the Government, and we welcome the sector-led work to improve diversity through initiatives such as Women in Games. However, we understand that more work is needed to improve diversity and representation in the creative industries, so we are also encouraged by the creation of the UK Games Industry Shadow Council to oversee equality, diversity and inclusion in the industry until the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority expands its remit to cover the video games sector.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to encourage banks to provide financial support to video games developers at all stages of the development process.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government has reaffirmed its support for SME growth and the startup ecosystem, extending both the Enterprise Investment Scheme and Venture Capital Trust scheme to 2035. Our 10-year Industrial Strategy and Creative Industries Sector Plan set out how we are driving targeted investment into the creative industries, including into video games.

The British Business Bank has received a record Spending Review settlement, increasing its financial capacity to £25.6 billion to support firms through programmes such as the Growth guarantee Scheme and Start Up Loans, particularly those in underserved, high growth sectors. As part of the Sector Plan’s commitment to increase private investment available to scaling creative businesses across the UK the Bank is significantly increasing its support for the creative industries with debt and equity finance. This includes a £32 million investment in a partnership with Haatch to fund diverse angel syndicates such as the UK Games Angels, and co-investment, alongside the Games Angels, in JECO: a toolset provider for games developers.

At the London Games Festival in April, we also announced the launch of a £30 million Games Growth Package, another commitment from the Sector Plan, which includes a substantial uplift to the UK Games Fund offering grants for games companies from £20,000 to £250,000 to help UK games studios create new IP and attract private investment.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the proportion of qualifying expenditure for Video Games Expenditure Credit (VGEC) from 80 per cent to 100 per cent.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the importance of the creative industries, including the contribution made by the UK’s video games sector to growth and innovation.

Video games companies already benefit from a generous Video Games Expenditure Credit (VGEC) of 34%. In 2023-24, £327 million of Corporation Tax was relieved through video game tax relief. This generous tax support sits alongside the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s new £30 million Games Growth package, designed to back the next generation of start‑up studios and talent and attract further inward investment.

The Government is not currently considering increasing either the rate of relief or the qualifying expenditure limits for VGEC.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the Video Games Expenditure Credit (VGEC) to 53%.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the importance of the creative industries, including the contribution made by the UK’s video games sector to growth and innovation.

Video games companies already benefit from a generous Video Games Expenditure Credit (VGEC) of 34%. In 2023-24, £327 million of Corporation Tax was relieved through video game tax relief. This generous tax support sits alongside the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s new £30 million Games Growth package, designed to back the next generation of start‑up studios and talent and attract further inward investment.

The Government is not currently considering increasing either the rate of relief or the qualifying expenditure limits for VGEC.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 15 June 2026 to Question 7262, what proportion of taxpayers reporting a gross property income greater than £1,000 claimed property allowance, and at what cost to the treasury.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)

The proportion of taxpayers reporting a gross property income greater than £1,000 that claimed property allowance in the latest available financial year (2023/24) is estimated to be 8%.

An estimate of the Exchequer cost is not readily available as Landlords are not required to submit data on the expenses that would otherwise have been claimed as an alternative to using the property allowance.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to high-quality green spaces across the UK.

Answered by Nesil Caliskan

The government is committed to ensuring everyone lives within a 15-minute walk of a green or blue space. In response to this commitment, earlier this year Defra published official statistics in development showing that 80% of people are within this range, in urban areas the figure is 78%.ith this figure at 78% in urban areas. Progress towards meeting the commitment is being made through work happening across government to both increase available natural space and make it more accessible, such as the MHCLG's National Planning Policy Framework reform and the Green Flag Award scheme, Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Framework and Defra’s Accessibility funding.

Found: Conservative; Bridlington and The Wolds) Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat; Glastonbury and Somerton) Ben Goldsborough

Found: Members present: Mr Alistair Carmichael (Chair); Sarah Bool; Charlie Dewhirst; Sarah Dyke; Ben Goldsborough