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4 November, 2020 Open access

Scottish Government seeks clarification of whether furlough payments can continue in Scotland after the extended Job Retention Scheme comes to an end

Repeated requests for clarification since Prime Minister’s announcement last weekend have not received a response, Finance Minister says

The Scottish Government has sought clarification from the UK Government of whether furlough payments can continue in Scotland after the extended Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) comes to an end.

Responding to a question in Holyrood yesterday, on what discussions the Scottish Government has had with the United Kingdom Government regarding the conditions under which furlough payments under the extended CJRS will continue to be paid in Scotland after the 2 December end date linked to the lockdown in England announced by the Prime Minister last weekend, Cabinet Secretary for Finance Kate Forbes said -

‘The UK Government would not budge when we asked for furlough to be extended, when the Welsh Government asked for that to happen or when the Northern Ireland Executive did so, but at the 11th hour, just before it was due to end, furlough was extended. Why? Because England was going into lockdown.’

Having informed the House that repeated requests made to the UK Government since the weekend - for clarification of whether furlough payments will continue to apply in Scotland where infection rates justify future lockdowns in the region after the four-week lockdown in England comes to an end - have not been answered, Ms Forbes said -

‘… if businesses are required to close or if they see their operations impacted, they need as much support as possible, because of the sacrifices that they have already made. That is why, if furlough has been extended when businesses in England are locked down, it makes sense and is entirely reasonable to argue that the same support and extension of furlough and the self-employed income support scheme should be made available to Scottish businesses that find themselves in that position.’

Ms Forbes’ response is available from the Scottish Parliament Official Report.