Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP Sue Webber for the Lothian Region has welcomed the continued amount of jobs being supported by the UK Government’s furlough scheme.
With the scheme set to end at the end of September, there was once again a fall in the number of workers still furloughed across Scotland at the end of June.
A total of 141,500 workers in Scotland were estimated to still being supported by the scheme, a fall from the 175,300 at the end of May.
Sue Webber MSP says it is welcome so many employees have returned to work as restrictions have eased, while in turn critical furlough support is still in place from the UK Government.
The latest statistics show that at the end of June, the UK Treasury were still protecting 16,200 jobs in the City of Edinburgh local authority through the furlough scheme, while a total of 87,200 have been protected since March 2020 in the City of Edinburgh.
Sue Webber MSP says the UK Government have stepped up at every turn to support vital jobs and livelihoods in the Lothian Region throughout the crisis. By contrast, SNP Ministers have failed to engage with businesses and been slow to get funding out the door to them.
Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP Sue Webber said: “As we continue to ease restrictions, it is welcome to see more employees in the Lothian Region returning to work.
“Ever since the pandemic began, the UK Government have stepped up to protect vital jobs and livelihoods in the Lothian Region through the furlough scheme and that will continue until the end of September.
“The crisis has shown the economic strength of the United Kingdom. As well as the furlough scheme, the UK Government have also provided support for the self-employed and billions in business loans. The furlough scheme is still protecting 16,200 jobs in the City of Edinburgh local authority.
“That is in contrast to SNP Ministers who have failed to engage with businesses throughout the pandemic and been slow to get funding out the door to them.
“It is now imperative that they ramp up the vaccination programme so that we can ease restrictions as planned on 9 August which will help more and more employees in the Lothian Region safely return to work in the coming weeks.”
