Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Oral Answers to Questions

Owen Thompson Excerpts
Monday 18th May 2020

(3 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Rishi Sunak Portrait Rishi Sunak
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We have discussed these things before, but I do not believe that removing the cap would be the right or socially just thing to do. The average income of those above the cap is £200,000, and 95% of those who are self-employed fall underneath the cap.

Owen Thompson Portrait Owen Thompson (Midlothian) (SNP)
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What steps he is taking to support the economy during the covid-19 outbreak.

Amy Callaghan Portrait Amy Callaghan (East Dunbartonshire) (SNP)
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What steps he is taking to support the economy during the covid-19 outbreak.

Rishi Sunak Portrait The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Rishi Sunak)
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Our plan to support businesses and individuals is one of the most comprehensive in the world. We have provided tens of billions of pounds in cash grants, tax cuts and discounted loans for businesses; deferred taxes for those who are self-employed, employed and in business; a world-leading job retention scheme to keep as many people in employment as possible; income protection for the self-employed; and a strengthened safety net to protect the most vulnerable in our society.

Owen Thompson Portrait Owen Thompson [V]
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Successful businesses in the tourism and hospitality industries before the lockdown will face a very different reality at the end of it, with overseas visitors gone for the foreseeable future and social distancing in place. These businesses need time to reinvent themselves for the new post-covid environment. What measures will the Chancellor introduce to enable much greater flexibility in the furlough scheme to support them as they prepare for this new reality?

Rishi Sunak Portrait Rishi Sunak
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It is precisely because of the time it takes for businesses to ramp up that last week, I announced an extension to the furlough scheme all the way through to October, to provide that runway for growth—in particular, for those who will open later in tourism and hospitality. As I said, we will introduce flexible furloughing in the extension period of that scheme.