In a written response regarding a recent meeting of the Education, Youth and Culture Council, The Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport - Margaret Hodge - has reported strong backing for the PEGI video game rating system.

Hodge states, "The Commission summarised their communication on video games and pushed member states to implement the voluntary Pan European Game Information (PEGI) system for age rating of video games."

This will cheer one of the UK's video game industry trade bodies, ELSPA, which recently sponsored a survey from the online YouGov portal. The report, according to ELSPA, states:

* 67% of British adults believe it is important to have a single age-ratings system which would be consistent across Europe.

ELSPA also states that the "Total sample size of YouGov research was 1,990 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 5th and 9th June. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+)."

Former Eastenders star and now MEP, Michael Cashman (a senior member of the European Parliament’s Justice, Home Affairs and Civil Liberties Committee) is quoted as saying, "I am not surprised that most Brits believe it is vital that we are signed-up to a pan-European rating system.

"Many buy their games when they are away, and others download content from European games companies. These are trends which will inevitably continue. PEGI and PEGI Online offer security when UK residents buy games from the continent – and when visiting Europeans buy games from us during their visits."

We have contacted ELSPA's representatives for clarification on the questions asked in the survey.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080618/wmstext/80618m0001.htm#08061893000087