Covid 19: Darren Jones, Business Committee Chair comments on Government’s measures to support workers & businesses

• Correspondence from Alok Sharma, Secretary of State for Business, energy and Industrial Strategy
• Inquiry: The impact of Coronavirus on businesses and workers
• Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee

Chair's comment

Darren Jones, Chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee said:

“The package of measures announced by the Chancellor yesterday is welcome. The job support scheme, the measures on VAT, on loans, and the other help to businesses with cashflow are a step in the right direction. However, this must not be the end of the story. As a country we face the chilling prospect of severe job losses as business restrictions continue to bite. Given the devastating impact which long-term unemployment has on individuals, on communities, and on the wider economy, I hope the Government will come forward with its plans to help individuals to move into new employment, by acting on skills & training and looking at the further stimulus which will be necessary to help businesses create new jobs in the future”.

The correspondence from Secretary of State Alok Sharma, responded to a previous letter from Darren Jones, BEIS Chair, in July which highlighted a number of issues, including gaps in support for workers, consumer protection, treatment of pregnant workers, and late payments and the impact on small businesses.

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