UK Film Council remains tight-lipped

The UK Film Council is staying silent on the possibility of incorporating video games into its remit.

The notion of games being integrated into the Council’s responsibilities was suggested last month by Shadow Culture Secretary Ed Vaizey.

In his address at this year’s London Games Conference, he described the Film Council as the obvious body to give video games the national voice they need and deserve”.

He said: The video games industry needs a place at the top table. Some people have suggested we need a Video Games Council, akin the UK Film Council.”

However, a spokesperson for the organisation told MCV this week: The UK Film Council is aware of the ongoing debate currently surrounding but we have no official comment to make at this time.”

The spokesperson went on to explain that the decision ultimately lies with the Government, rather than the organisation itself.

During the conference, Vaizey emphasised that while a separate, Government-backed organisation to represent games may be appealing, the creation of one should not be not be necessary.

He dismissed the creation of a standalone ‘Games Council’ claiming the Conservative Party had no appetite” to create new Governmental bodies – in the interest of cutting back on beauracracy.

There is a discussion worth having: Namely, to see whether there is any scope to extend the remit of the UK Film Council to cover video games,” he said.

That is certainly something that [The Conservative Party] will look at actively if we are voted into power.”
The general election is due to take place before May 2010.