Oral Answers to Questions

Rosie Cooper Excerpts

Tuesday 7th July 2020 Commons Chamber

[Ms Angela Eagle (Wallasey) (Lab)]

What fiscal steps he is taking to tackle unemployment as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

[Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire) (Lab)]

What fiscal steps he is taking to support people unable to return to work as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

[The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Rishi Sunak)]

Through the coronavirus job retention scheme and the self-employment income support scheme, the Government have protected 9.4 million jobs and supported the incomes of 2.7 million self-employed. I remain committed to helping the unemployed return to work and supporting those who are most vulnerable to job loss. We will continue to monitor economic conditions to ensure our labour market policy response is both appropriate and effective.

--- Later in debate ---

[Rishi Sunak]

The interventions in France and Germany related to specific companies, so it obviously would not be appropriate for me to comment on those in this place at this time. The support put in place in the US was primarily to support domestic connectivity. This Government have done that by subsidising considerably our bus network and our rail network to make sure that intra-Union connectivity remains through this crisis.

[Rosie Cooper [V]]

Will the Government abandon their one-size-fits-all wind-down of the furlough and self-employed schemes and adopt a targeted strategy that acknowledges that hotel workers, chefs and self-employed lighting technicians cannot and should not be treated in the same way as workers in sectors that are already back at full capacity?

[Rishi Sunak]

The most important thing for all these sectors is for them to be safely reopened. That is why I am delighted that last weekend we were able to meet the target set out in our reopening plan. The Prime Minister has spoken about reopening our remaining closed sectors in the coming weeks, which is welcome news. The hon. Lady is right that these sectors have faced hardship. That is why, as I said, they have received considerable extra support from the Government in the form of business rates holidays and cash grants.