MONTGOMERYSHIRE'S MP has welcomed the 'Plan for Jobs' set out by Chancellor Rishi Sunak today saying it provides much-needed support to businesses across the county.

As part of the UK Government response to the coronavirus pandemic, more than 6,800 jobs have been supported through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, allowing employers to put workers on furlough while the UK Government supports their wages, in Montgomeryshire

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 UK Government paying a one-off bonus of £1,000 for every employee who was furloughed and who is kept on until January.

Further measures which apply in Wales include:

- 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.

- A new Kickstart Scheme, which will create hundreds of thousands of new, fully-subsidised jobs for young people.

- Introducing a Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund – Providing £50 million to pilot new approaches for retrofitting social housing – meaning warmer and more energy efficient homes

- Supporting Decarbonisation – a £1 billion fund to improve the energy efficiency of public sector buildings, helping to deliver on our ambitious climate change targets.

The package will also support the Welsh Government, which is receiving £2.8 billion of extra support during coronavirus on top of the measures which apply in both Wales and England. Wales will also receive additional Barnett consequentials so that the Welsh Government can follow the innovative schemes introduced by the UK Government.

Montgomeryshire MP Craig Williams said: “Throughout the coronavirus crisis, the UK Government has stood squarely behind people and businesses with one of the largest and most comprehensive packages of support anywhere in the world. The Chancellor’s Plan for Jobs brings more huge investment of up to £30 billion across the whole of the UK.

“I am very pleased that Wales will also benefit greatly from this package, and measures such as the temporary VAT cut for the tourism and hospitality sectors will provide welcome relief to many businesses across Mid Wales.

“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 Montgomeryshire, which has already saved nearly 7,000 jobs within the constituency and brought in over £10,500,000 of support for the self-employed.

“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.”