Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the extension of the paid benefits of the Job Retention Scheme following the announcement of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No.4) Regulations 2020, will be fully backdated to 23 October for Wales.

The CJRS has been available in Wales throughout the pandemic. Eligible employers in Wales would have been able to furlough their employees in October and furloughed employees will have received at least 80% of their wages. The CJRS, which was recently extended to the end of March 2021, has always been available UK-wide and all changes to the scheme apply UK-wide, as they have done throughout the pandemic.

To further support the whole UK, the Chancellor recently announced an increase of £2 billion to the upfront guaranteed funding for the devolved administrations. For Wales, this means an increase to £5 billion of support on top of their Spring Budget funding.