Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will estimate the contribution that the video games industry made to UK exports as a proportion of GDP in (a) 2010 and (b) 2013.

There are many difficulties in calculating the contribution that the video games industry makes to UK exports but the latest available DCMS Economic Estimates published in January 2014 show that exports of services from the group ‘IT, Software and Computer Services’ contributed less than 1% to UK GDP in 2010 and 2011 (approximately 0.42% in 2010 and 0.45% in 2011). It is not possible to disaggregate exports of computer services from the wider group. Estimates for exports of services from the Creative Industries in 2013 will not be available for some time but 2012 data are expected to be published early in the New Year.