Oral Answers to Questions

Anna McMorrin Excerpts

Tuesday 7th July 2020 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Champion (Rotherham) (Lab)]

What assessment he has made of the potential effect on levels of unemployment of withdrawing the (a) coronavirus job retention scheme and (b) self-employment income support schemes.

[Anna McMorrin (Cardiff North) (Lab)]

If he will develop a scheme based on the future jobs fund to support young unemployed people into work.

[Lee Anderson (Ashfield) (Con)]

What support the Government are providing to self-employed workers affected by the covid-19 outbreak.

--- Later in debate ---

[Rishi Sunak]

Some 95% of those who are majority self-employed are able to benefit from the self-employment scheme. In its design, its duration, the breadth of its coverage and the generosity of its support, the scheme remains the most generous and comprehensive self-employment support scheme in the world.

[Anna McMorrin]

We are facing the worst economic recession in history and a climate crisis. Despite the warm words yesterday, the green finance announcement does not go far enough. Germany is investing between £40 billion and £50 billion, France £13.5 billion and South Korea £11.5 billion, so £3 billion just does not cut it. Given that half a million 16 to 24-year-olds are currently unemployed, will the Chancellor commit to properly financing a green jobs guarantee to give our young people a future?

[Rishi Sunak]

The hon. Lady mentioned plans from other countries. It is worth bearing in mind that those plans relate to spending commitments over many years and are actually better compared with what we outlined at Budget, where we set out a £600 billion investment programme over the remainder of this Parliament, including many initiatives such as carbon capture and storage, the nature for climate fund and improvements in air quality. Conservative Members wholeheartedly believe in a green revolution, and we will provide the capital to make that happen.