Boris Johnson has dropped hints over further support for struggling sectors of the economy and tax reforms to help smaller airports.
The Prime Minister told MPs the Government would act with “maximum creativity” to support jobs, when pressed by Labour MP Rachael Maskell (York Central) to extend the furlough scheme in a reformed and targeted way to help thousands of workers.
Mr Johnson told the Commons: “We need to get people off furlough and into work and that is what this Government is doing.”
He listed schemes to help keep people in work, adding: “We will continue to apply the maximum creativity as we have in putting our arms around the workforce of the UK.”
The Prime Minister also said he would “certainly look at” air passenger duty reforms, but added it would be wrong of him to “make any fiscal commitment at this stage”.
His remarks came after Conservative Steve Double (St Austell and Newquay) warned smaller airports face closure unless they receive support.
Mr Double asked: “Could (Mr Johnson) please ensure our regional airports get all the help that they need, whether that’s through grants, the Government backing more public service obligation routes, and would he carefully look at reducing air passenger duty – particularly on domestic flights?”
The Prime Minister replied: “Yes, I can tell (Mr Double)… we will continue to consider applications for public service obligations on routes such as into Newquay and elsewhere, and we will certainly look at air passenger duty though it’d be wrong of me to make any fiscal commitment at this stage.”
Source: Press Association
Pic Credit: PA
