Dundee’s status as a world leader in video games could be under threat unless the Government steps up investment, it has been claimed.
Jim McGovern demanded that the digital economy minister, Ed Vaizey, press ahead with extra funding for the video games industry, claiming “much more needs to be done”.
The Dundee West MP suggested that more than half of job vacancies in some companies are proving impossible to fill because of a dearth of skilled employees.
The Conservative minister insisted he was investing heavily in the digital economy and that he “often prays” for the video games industry in Dundee.
During minister’s parliamenty questions, Mr McGovern said: “Dundee is the birthplace of Scotland’s game industry as many world leading titles started their life in Dundee, and the digital economy minister praised it as a leader in the industry.
“However, despite many jobs in the creative industry relying on being digitally skilled, there are 15 million people in the UK who lack basic digital skills.
“Consequently, 30% of companies in the games industry have a skills gap in their workforce. 31% of companies also have vacancies and 53% of these vacancies are proving hard to fill.
“The Skills Investment Fund has done excellent work in combating the lack of digital skills and educating the UK’s digital workforce, but much more needs to be done to ensure that Dundee and the UK maintain their strong positions in the games industry.
“I therefore welcome the minister’s comments on seeking to extend the fund and I will be pressing him and his department closely to ensure he does so.”
Mr Vaizey, who is also minister of culture, replied: “I hope that the honourable gentleman does not mind that I often pray in aid (of) Dundee as a brilliant example of a city that supports the video games industry.
“I am happy to tell him that the Skills Investment Fund that we set up has put millions of pounds into skills training. Yesterday I attended the opening of the Industrial Light and Magic headquarters in London, which will employ 200 people in the visual effects industry, and we will certainly consider whether it is possible to extend the scheme.”