Wednesday Volume 681 7 October 2020 No. 115 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 7 October 2020 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2020 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 885 7 OCTOBER 2020 886 Ruth Jones [V]: I note that the Government’s latest House of Commons package of measures for the self-employed slashes their support from 70% of income to just 20%. And that is only for those who are eligible—many self-employed Wednesday 7 October 2020 people have not received any help at all from the Chancellor. How many self-employed people in Scotland have fallen The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock through the financial safety net, and what is the Secretary of State doing to help them? PRAYERS Mr Jack: The hon. Lady will know that we have brought in a new set of measures, as she said. There is the self-employed support scheme and the new job [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] retention scheme. We have made a cut in VAT for the Virtual participation in proceedings commenced tourism and hospitality sector,and introduced the kickstart (Order, 4 June). scheme. The self-employed income support scheme was [NB: [V] denotes a Member participating virtually.] a broad scheme. By definition, in a broad scheme it is inevitable that some people will sadly miss out, but I would say that in Scotland 283,000 grants were given, which came to some £777 million of support. The Oral Answers to Questions scheme now continues for another six months. Julie Marson: Many hard-working people in Hertford and Stortford are set to benefit from the introduction of SCOTLAND the job support scheme, offering employers and workers a transition from furlough. Will my right hon. Friend confirm that this job-saving measure will have the same The Secretary of State was asked— impact north of the border, and that Scotland shares in this Government’s focus on jobs, jobs, jobs? Coronavirus: Employment Mr Jack: Yes. The whole United Kingdom will benefit Mark Pawsey (Rugby) (Con): What discussions he from all the measures put in place by the Chancellor. has had with Cabinet colleagues on supporting job retention in Scotland during the covid-19 outbreak. Ian Murray (Edinburgh South) (Lab) [V]: Businesses [906960] across Scotland, particularly in the hospitality, tourism and culture sectors, are still closed or nowhere near Ruth Jones (Newport West) (Lab): What estimate he back to any sort of normality.With additional restrictions has made of the number of self-employed people in being reintroduced as cases have rocketed in Scotland, Scotland who have not received support from the things are only going to get worse for those sectors. The Government’s covid-19 financial support schemes. high-profile case of Cineworld is the latest in a very [906961] large number of hammer blows to Scottish jobs. The Government do not seem to see that the health and Julie Marson (Hertford and Stortford) (Con): What economic responses to covid are one and the same discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on thing. What message does the Secretary of State have supporting job retention in Scotland during the covid-19 for workers on the precipice of losing their jobs and outbreak. [906972] business owners on the verge of losing their viable businesses, or is it simply the flippant response, as the The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr Alister Jack): Chancellor said yesterday to the culture sector, that I have regular discussions with my Cabinet colleagues, they simply have to retrain and get new jobs? including the Chancellor, on all aspects of how the UK Government continue to support Scotland’s economy. Mr Jack: In this pandemic, the Chancellor has been The Chancellor recently announced a package of measures very clear that he cannot save every business and every that will continue to support jobs and help businesses job.The hon. Gentleman mentions Cineworld. Independent through the uncertain months ahead. cinemas were supported through the culture fund to the tune of £97 million in Barnett money. As I said, sadly Mark Pawsey: At the height of the biggest economic we know we cannot save every business. Retraining downturn this country has seen in our lifetime, the UK programmes and the kickstart scheme are being put in Government stepped up and protected nearly 1 million place, and we have reduced VAT for hospitality, leisure Scottish jobs through the job retention scheme and the and tourism to 5%. To protect the Scottish economy, I self-employment income support scheme. Does the encourage the Scottish Government to make the restrictions Secretary of State agree that those measures show that coming forward as local as possible. the UK Government have done everything possible to support people’s livelihoods across the entirety of the Ian Murray [V]: I am grateful to the Secretary of United Kingdom? State, but the reality on the ground is that the Chancellor’s measures simply do not go far enough to protect jobs. Mr Jack: Yes, I do. The might of the UK Treasury The employees and businesses in the sectors hardest hit has supported all parts of the United Kingdom, including will need more support, and what they are getting from Scotland. the Chancellor’s announcement is less support. 887 Oral Answers 7 OCTOBER 2020 Oral Answers 888 Another area critical for jobs is the Scotch whisky as it did then: if she has any problems setting her industry. This week marks one year since the United budget, Kate Forbes should come forward and talk States announced a 25% tariff on Scotch whisky. Figures to us. from the Scotch Whisky Association show that that has led to a devastating 32% drop in US Scotch whisky Mhairi Black: Just to ask the Secretary of State exports,costing a massive £360 million. Given the thousands again, because I did not hear an answer in there: can he of jobs in the industry that this supports, rather than tell us if he made his Cabinet colleagues aware of the the Secretary of State just telling us that he will raise the negative consequences that would happen, and what issue again with the International Trade Secretary, what was the result of these conversations? is he actually going to do to encourage the US to lift the tariffs on Scotch whisky, or is this just another example Mr Jack: I say to the hon. Lady that I do not agree of what his new Scottish Conservative leader describes that there are negative consequences. The Chancellor as the Tories not caring about Scotland? and I have had discussions on this matter. I make it quite clear that if Kate Forbes has any questions on Mr Jack: The hon. Gentleman raises a very serious setting her budget, she should come forward and ask us. issue not just for the whisky industry, but for biscuits The offer was made to Derek Mackay when he made and cashmere. I am pleased that biscuits are now off the similar cry-wolf stories back in March, when there was tariff carousel. The Boeing-Airbus dispute has been a delay, but no questions were asked and nothing came many years in the making. It is unfair. It is harmful to forward because they had all the information they both industry and consumers. However, in the trade needed to set their budget. talks that have opened up with the US, we have now got agreement to have a bilateral discussion—in other words, Douglas Ross (Moray) (Con): The Union connectivity not using the EU negotiators anymore—with the US. review announced by the Prime Minister will improve The good news I can tell him is that we have moved to a transport infrastructure across the country and bring new phase. The Secretary of State for International jobs and investment to Scotland. I assume that Scotland’s Trade this week is starting discussions to try to resolve two Governments will work together on this ambitious this problem. programme, so will the Secretary of State outline what response there has been from the Scottish Government David Mundell (Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and so that the two Governments work together to deliver Tweeddale) (Con): I very much welcome the fact that jobs and progress right across the country? 11,000 or more of my constituents have benefited from the furlough scheme. Covid is changing our economy. Mr Jack: The Union connectivity review, which is We therefore need to focus on creating new sustainable being led by Sir Peter Hendy, who I met yesterday, is a jobs. That is why it is even more important that we press really important initiative for Scotland and the whole ahead in the south of Scotland with the borderlands United Kingdom, and it will create very exciting growth deal. Will my right hon. Friend agree that we opportunities. However, I am concerned that Transport need renewed impetus into the deal, in particular into Scotland has been told by the Cabinet Secretary for delivering the mountain bike innovation centre of Scotland Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Michael in Innerleithen? Matheson, not to engage with the review, and I urge Mr Matheson to think again and to ensure that his Mr Jack: I thank my right hon. Friend for the invaluable officials take part. It cannot be in Scotland’s interest for work that he did in bringing the borderlands growth the SNP to play politics with an issue that is so important deal to fruition. I am also delighted to inform him that to our economic future.