This morning, the Chancellor outlined the government's plans to protect jobs over the winter. With restrictions staying in place for the foreseeable future and demand still lower relative to pre-Covid levels in key sectors, it is right that the government continues to step in to look after the economy.
The Job Support Scheme will boost workers, helping businesses to keep staff on reduced hours rather than laying them off. This will kick off straight after the furlough scheme to support workers and employers.
On top of this, I am happy to see more time given for businesses to pay back their loans, more time for self-assessment businesses to pay their taxes, and an additional grant for self-employed small businesses.
I am particularly pleased to see that the government has extended the VAT cut for tourism and hospitality from January until the end of March. This is a policy that I put forward to the Chancellor in the Commons last week, which you can watch here, so I am glad that they have taken on my proposal!