- Chancellor launches Plan for Jobs – supporting, creating and protecting jobs across the country as we emerge from the coronavirus outbreak.
- More than 13,000 jobs have been supported in Leigh, which will now benefit from further measures as part of the Government’s plan to support businesses, create jobs and give young people the opportunity of a better start.
Local MP James Grundy has welcomed the Plan for Jobs set out by Chancellor Rishi Sunak on Wednesday (8 July), saying it provides much-needed support to businesses across Leigh.
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the Government has said it will do whatever it takes to protect people and businesses from the immediate economic crisis. As part of this, more than 13,000 jobs have been supported through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, allowing employers to put workers on furlough while the Government supports their wages, in Leigh.
The Chancellor has now set out the second phase of the Government’s response, focusing on jobs: supporting people to find the jobs that are out there, creating new jobs through investing in infrastructure, and protecting jobs by revitalising the hard-hit sectors upon which many jobs depend.
As part of this, employers will be encouraged to retain staff who have been on the furlough scheme, with the Government paying a one-off bonus of £1,000 for every employee who was furloughed and who is kept on until January.
Also included in the Government’s £30 billion Plan for Jobs:
- A temporary cut in VAT for the tourism and hospitality sectors, to give a much-needed boost to some of the industries hardest hit by coronavirus.
- A new Eat Out to Help Out Scheme, giving people up to 50 per cent off meals out at restaurants, pubs and cafes on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays in August.
- The temporary removal of stamp duty on all homes under £500,000 until the end of March 2021, to catalyse the housing market.
- A new Kickstart Scheme, which will create hundreds of thousands of new, fully-subsidised jobs for young people.
The Chancellor’s Summer Economic Update, along with the New Deal for Britain announced by the Prime Minister last week, will benefit people and businesses across the North West. This includes:
- £126 million through the Brownfield Fund to deliver homes, part of a move to unlock up to 11,500 in the Greater Manchester Combined Authority Area and Liverpool City Region.
- £16.75 million accelerated funding from the Towns Fund to kickstart activity in towns and high streets.
- £10 million to develop plans for unblocking the bottlenecks in the Manchester Rail network.
- A share of £250 million investment to make progress on replacing out-dated mental health dormitories with single-bed accommodation, allowing Lancashire Care, Pennine Care and Mersey Care NHS trusts to improve their mental health inpatient wards.
- A share of £170 million of new funding to accelerate delivery of flood and coastal defence schemes across England.
Following our Plan for Jobs, the Government will soon turn its attention to a third phase – a moment for rebuilding. The Chancellor will produce a Budget and a Spending Review in the autumn.
Commenting, James Grundy MP said:
“Throughout the coronavirus crisis, the Conservative Government has stood squarely behind people and businesses with one of the largest and most comprehensive packages of support anywhere in the world.
“As we turn our attention to carefully reopening our economy, it is right that the Chancellor is doing everything in his power to support, protect and create jobs. Our plan will be a lifeline for countless people and businesses across Leigh.
“By levelling up the whole country, we will give businesses the confidence to retain and hire, create jobs in every region and ensure young people have the opportunity of a better start.”
For more information please contact James Grundy MP at james.grundy.mp@parliament.uk or by phone on 01942 857326.