• MSP WELCOMES TOP BROADCASTERS SUPPORT FOR SCOTTISH GAMES INDUSTRY

    21Dec

    SECTOR CAN PROVIDE HUGE JOBS GROWTH FOR SCOTTISH ECONOMY

    Dundee West SNP MSP Joe FitzPatrick has welcomed comments made by Stuart Cosgrove, Channel 4’s director of nations and regions and the chairman of the digital industries advisory group to the Scottish Government, supporting the need for tax incentives so that Scotland can maintain its top-ranking status in a field in which it excels.

    Mr FitzPatrick has been critical of the failure of the UK Chancellor to bring forward tax incentives for the industry in his latest pre-Budget Report. Tax breaks could deliver 700 new jobs in Scotland’s Games industry.

    In an article on TimesOnLine sub headlined “With big ambitions and tax incentives Scotland must maintain its top-ranking status in a field in which it excels”, Mr Cosgrove highlights the international gap that has developed because of a lack of incentives. He wrote:

    “Since 1975, Britain has had the third-largest video games industry in the world, behind the United States and Japan. But tax incentives in other countries have seen the UK slip down the rankings behind Canada and South Korea, and possibly France. Richard Wilson, CEO of the games industry body Tiga claims that tax incentives would be a net benefit to Britain. “Our proposals would cost the Treasury £192m over a five-year period … and generate or safeguard £415m in tax receipts.”

    “Last week, the UK government rejected tax benefits for animation and computer games. The Scottish government has yet to respond but is aware of
    the advantages to Scotland. Although taxation is notoriously tricky and highly sensitive with an election approaching, effective fiscal stimulation of the games sector in Scotland is achievable.”

    Mr FitzPatrick, who has campaigned for Scotland and Dundee’s computer games industry for upfront tax breaks for Research and Development, said:

    “Stuart Cosgrove’s intervention is welcome. His comments not only show how the games industry is vitally important to Scotland’s economy but also
    that it offers the country a means to create jobs and build up an even better reputation than we have now.

    “Scotland’s Games industry is a key growth area for our future. We are world leaders in the games industry but our position and our jobs are under threat if tax incentives are not brought forward. Even the proposed cut in tax on profits from patents is of little use as games do not often get patents. Recent UK announcements of investment in life sciences and computer games are welcome, but they look increasingly like they have been timed to hide Labour’s failure to fix the tax system to favour these industries as soon as possible.”

  • CashBack From Crime Money for Dundee Announced

    18Dec

     

     Dundee’s politicians today welcomed the announcement by Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill that more than a million pounds of money seized from criminal activity will be distributed between more that 230 youth projects across Scotland.

     Dundee East MSP Shona Robison said today: “I’m very pleased to see that more than £27,400 will be coming to Dundee to youth organisations including Fairbridge in Dundee, The Shore, Grey Lodge Settlement and Dundee West Youth Work Team.

     “This will help them to promote diversionary activities, to allow youth organisations to purchase equipment and to enable events both indoor and outdoor for youth people in the city.”

    Joe FitzPatrick, Dundee West MSP said: “CashBack for Communities enables young people to develop their interests and skills in an enjoyable, fulfilling and supported way, using funds recovered from criminals.

    “I’d like to congratulate the successful organisations which have received the cash, which are doing such a great job to get young people occupied in healthy activities.”

    “Organised crime brings misery to individuals and communities. It is only right that their ill-gotten gains are put to use in improving lives.”

    Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie said: “I welcome the expansion of CashBack for Communities which allows local youth groups to promote an ever-widening range of productive activities.

    “Thanks to this new funding, Dundee young people will enjoy more opportunities to get off street corners and into enjoyable, healthy activities.

    “I’m pleased that criminal’s cash will be put to good use in outdoor and indoor events, including residential weekends which will help to demonstrate to young people that there is more to life than petty crime and getting out of your head on drink and drugs. The benefits to young people themselves are clear – and the benefits are felt in the wider community.”

    In his announcement today in Edinburgh, Mr MacAskill said: “CashBack for Communities has opened doors to programme expansion for so many groups who were operating on a shoe string, the enthusiasm shown by young people and those who work with them who have received funding is infectious and refreshing.

    “This round of CashBack has seen so many new groups apply and we are delighted to see the money spread right across the country. We hope this funding stream has more than proved its worth over the past two years.”

    YouthLink Scotland, through CashBack for Communities, has been tasked with leading a £4 million grants programme, which supports a range of activities for young people. The previous two rounds have distributed £3 million to successful projects, and this third round distributes a further £1 million with the maximum grant capped at £10,000 to maximise the number of projects which can benefit.

    CashBack for Communities is a programme of diversionary activities for young people to increase the opportunities they have to develop their interests and skills in an enjoyable, fulfilling and supported way. Using funds recovered from the proceeds of crime, the Scottish Government has committed to investing over £13 million in a range of CashBack projects for young people.

    ENDS

    Notes:

    A range of free activities for young people can be found at www.youngscotwow.org

    Link to the CashBack for Communities site:

    http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/public-safety/17141/cashback

     

     

     

  • Blueprint Published for Dundee’s Creative Sector

    15Dec

    Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick today welcomed the launch of Digital Inspiration, a new strategy document for Scotland’s digital media sector. Published by the Scottish Digital Media Industry Advisory Group, the report suggests that the value of Scotland’s digital media sector revenue should be doubled to £6.3billion by 2012. 


    Mr FitzPatrick said: “This report is good news for the industry. It recommends a pilot programme of tax and fiscal benefits to support the Dundee games sector in 2010 to increase its competitiveness – something I have been lobbying the UK Government alfor many times over the past few years. 

    “The Chancellor missed an opportunity with his Pre-Budget Report, which was criticised by Tiga (the trade association for the UK games industry). They called it a ’serious mistake’ that showed a ‘failure of imagination’. But it’s never too late to make a real difference to Dundee’s, and Scotland’s economy, by implementing the proposals in this report.”

    Stuart Cosgrove, Chairman of the group said: “To achieve a step-change in Scotland’s global reputation in digital media, we need to increase the number of companies, encourage them to leverage, own and exploit the platforms on which they operate, and extract more value from the intellectual property rights.”

    The vision of the group is to create a high-growth, world-class cluster of content, platform and technology providers, developing and distributing innovative digital content and technologies to global markets. There are more than 500 digital media companies and 800 information and communications technology companies in Scotland.

  • NHS Tayside will be hit by Labour’s N.I. ‘Double Whammy’

    11Dec

    The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s rise in National Insurance is set to take £44 million out of Scotland’s NHS budget as frontline services are hit to bankroll the Treasury.

    Not only does NHS Tayside stand to lose 8% of its entire budget, equal to the pay of over 2000 nurses in Scotland’s hospitals, the salaries of staff members will be affected too as their spending power will be reduced. 

    In contrast the SNP Government has protected the NHS budget for the coming year as the party has prioritised frontline services.

    Dundee West SNP MSP Joe FitzPatrick said: “The Chancellor’s rise in National Insurance will hit Scotland’s health service with a double whammy.

    “This will be, in effect, a £44 million cut for Scotland’s NHS budgets. Here in Tayside the budget for 2010-2011 will be reduced by £3.51m, a reduction of 8% just from this NI increase announced in the Pre-Budget Report.

    “Scotland’s NHS is already set to feel the heat of the UK’s spending squeeze on the Scottish budget and now Labour have used sleight of hand to cut a further £44 million from Scotland’s Health service.

    “Not only will NHS Tayside’s budget be cut, the salaries of thousands of health service staff in the region will be affected as well. An increase of this nature – 1% next April and another 1% in 2011 –  is a tax on jobs for employers and a tax on work for the rest of us.”

  • Tax Breaks For Computer Games Industry Must Be in Budget, says MSP

    09Dec

    Dundee West SNP MSP Joe FitzPatrick today made one last effort to secure vital tax breaks for Dundee’s gaming industry.  Mr FitzPatrick has been in touch with both the Chancellor, Alastair Darling, and the Secretary of State for Scotland, Jim Murphy, to highlight the need for tax relief for the Computer Games sector. 

    Mr FitzPatrick has raised this issue previously with UK Ministers and held a members’ debate in the Scottish Parliament earlier this year on tax breaks for the UK gaming sector.

    A recent report by the games industry body TIGA (attached as pdf) shows that unless a similar tax regime to Canada and France is introduced in the UK it could lead to a decline in the industry.

    The report shows that could lose 200 jobs – failure by the UK Government to implement the tax breaks could lead to the loss of 200 Jobs in Dundee over the next 5 years.

    Tax incentives would create 350 Jobs in Dundee introducing tax incentives for would create 350 Graduate level Jobs and £45 million of extra investment in Dundee over the next 5 years. 

    Games Tax Relief would pay for itself -  Over five years the tax measure would cost an estimated £192 million but would deliver £415 million in tax receipts.

    Commenting, Mr FitzPatrick said: ‘‘I am confident that the Chancellor recognises the importance of tax breaks for the games industry and companies across the city will be looking forward to what the pre budget report has in store for them.

    ‘‘Over the last 12 months virtually every industry expert has championed tax relief on research and development for computer games with the recent report produced by the games industry body shows that tax relief would create jobs and boost revenue.

    ‘‘Tax relief measures for research and development to support the computer games industry are vital and I look forward to welcoming any proposals in this week’s pre budget report’’

  • Computer Games Tax Breaks Must Not Be Left Out of Budget

    08Dec

    Dundee West SNP MSP Joe FitzPatrick has today made one last effort to secure vital tax breaks for Dundee’s gaming industry.  Mr Fitzpatrick has been in touch with both the Chancellor, Alastair Darling, and the Secretary of State for Scotland, Jim Murphy, to highlight the need for tax relief for the Computer Games sector.  

     Mr FitzPatrick has raised this issue previously with UK Ministers and held a members debate in the Scottish Parliament earlier this year on tax breaks for the UK gaming sector.

     A recent report by the games industry body TIGA shows that unless a similar tax regime to Canada and France is introduced in the UK it could lead to a decline in the industry.

    The report shows that: Dundee could lose 200 jobs – failure by the UK Government to implement the tax breaks could lead to the loss of 200 Jobs in Dundee over the next 5 years.

    Tax incentives would create 350 Jobs in Dundee – introducing tax incentives for would create 350 Graduate level Jobs and £45 million of extra investment in Dundee over the next 5 years.

     Games Tax Relief would pay for itself -  Over five years the tax measure would cost an estimated £192 million but would deliver £415 million in tax receipts.

    Commenting Mr FitzPatrick said: ‘‘I am confident that the Chancellor recognises the importance of tax breaks for the games industry and companies across the city will be looking forward to what the pre budget report has in store for them.

    ‘‘Over the last 12 months virtually every industry expert has championed tax relief on research and development for computer games with the recent report produced by the games industry body shows that tax relief would create jobs and boost revenue.

    ‘‘Tax relief measures for research and development to support the computer games industry are vital and I look forward to welcoming any proposals in this week’s pre budget report’’

  • MSP Thanks the Postal Delivery Staff of Dundee

    04Dec

    Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick made his annual Christmas visit to the Dundee West delivery office today at 8am to give his Seasons Greetings to sorting office and postal staff dealing with the Christmas mail. JOe was shown around by the Manager, Claire McCulloch, and introduced to staff at the Baird Avenue premises.

  • Dundee MSP’s Congratulate Winners of Christmas Cards Competition

    04Dec

    ShonaChristmasCard09Dundee’s two constituency MSPs were in Dundee Primary Schools today to congratulate their winners in the annual Christmas Card designing competition organised by Dundee City Council Education Department.

    Shona Robison went to St Luke’s & St Matthew’s RC Primary School in Longhaugh Road to congratulate P3A  pupil Nathan Harwood, whose collage design of a Christmas tree in snow against a blue night sky, JOeChristmasCard09was her winner. On the day, Nathan was ill, so that his older sister Kate-Lynne, collected his prize for him. The prize was sponsored by ASDA and gift vouchers were handed-over by ASDA’s Kate MacPherson. Also in the picture is Headteacher Kathleen Quinn.

    Over at Park Place Primary, Ruth Walton, of P6, was Joe FitzPatrick’s winner for her design of two teddy-bears unwrapping presents in front of a decorated Christmas tree. Joe said: “I was delighted with Ruth’s drawing and very happy to hand over several dozen copies of the final printed card to her and gift vouchers from Tesco.” The prize was sponsored by Tesco Extra. Joe is pictured with Ruth and her card and Headteacher Alison Starke in front of the school asssembly.

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