Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Margot James and Virendra Sharma

Thursday 8th February 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Virendra Sharma (Ealing, Southall) (Lab)]

15. What assessment he has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on the recruitment and retention of skilled workers in the computer games industry.

[The Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Margot James)]

The games industry makes a crucial economic and cultural contribution to the UK’s games market, which in 2016 was the fifth largest in the world. We are committed to supporting the video games industry so that it can continue to recruit and retain top talent, both from the UK and internationally. We are working closely with the sector to understand the impacts on and opportunities for it as we prepare to leave the EU.

[Mr Sharma]

What representations has the Minister made to the Home Office about the effect on the UK tech sector of the tightening of the tier 2 visa regulations?

[Margot James]

I can reassure the hon. Gentleman. We have asked the independent Migration Advisory Committee to advise on the economic and social impacts of our exit from the EU. We are also speaking to the sector and its key trade bodies, such as Ukie and TIGA, as well as individual businesses such as Ubisoft and CE Europe, to ensure that top talent continues to be available to the sector.