MSP praises UK Government for protecting 8,300 jobs in Aberdeenshire through job retention scheme
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Scottish Conservative MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Alexander Burnett, has praised the UK Government for continuing to protect jobs in the north-east through the job retention scheme.
He has highlighted the latest statistics from HMRC which show 8,300 employees in Aberdeenshire were furloughed at the end of October.
It comes after Chancellor Rishi Sunak has now extended the scheme again until the end of April 2021.
Coupled alongside the self-employed income support scheme, business loans, increases to universal credit and almost £10billion worth of Covid support to the Scottish Government, it is the UK Government who are continuing to protect jobs and livelihoods in the north-east, says Mr Burnett.
He said: “The UK Government’s job retention scheme continues to be a major success in protecting jobs and livelihoods right across Aberdeenshire.
“At a time when employees needed it most, it was the UK Government who stepped in to help pay their wages.
"Rishi Sunak has guaranteed that support will continue until the end of April.
“Alongside many other schemes, the UK Government’s support for employees and businesses across Scotland during the Covid pandemic has been unprecedented.
“In Aberdeenshire, more than 8,000 are continuing to have their jobs protected thanks to the UK Government.
“As we recover from the Covid pandemic, the UK Government will continue to support the efforts to rebuild communities across the north-east in every way possible.”
