BIS: Treasury wonâ??t ignore games industry

The Department for Business is not neglecting the games industry despite relinquishing its duties to the sector, a spokesperson has claimed.

Yesterday it emerged that the Culture Department will take full responsibilities to monitor and manage Britain’s lucrative games industry – meaning that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) will be freed from the duties.

The fear is that ties between the games industry and Treasury – which are already faint – will be weakened.

A BIS spokesperson said however the move will not break links.

“This isn’t a move that ignores the games industry’s business potential – I think we all still recognise that very much,” the spokesperson told Develop.

The government’s level of engagement with the industry “will remain the same, just from different people in a different building”, he said.

“The games industry is one of the key sectors that is being looked at as part of the Growth Review – which is a process being led by this department and the Treasury.”

Culture minister Ed Vaizey – a keen supporter of the games business – is said will still engage with the government’s economic departments.

“Prior to this Ed Vaizey was technically split between the BIS and the DCMS,” the spokesperson said.

“So there will still be engagement between Vince Cable, Gorge Osborne and Ed Vaizey. That’s core to what we’re doing, so I don’t think there will be any loss of recognition or importance at all.

“This is purely a responsibility issue. Ed Vaizey’s work was split between two departments, and his work could have been signed of by two ministers. Now it’s just one.”