Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will extend the furlough scheme for (a) the exhibition and conference sector and (b) other sectors which require long lead-in times to re-establish operations.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has said there will be no further extensions or changes to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS).

After eight months of the CJRS, the scheme will close at the end of October.

The introduction of flexible furloughing further ensures that firms can adjust how they furlough to match their speed of reopening. Firms will be able to claim flexibly under the CJRS until October.

It would be challenging to target the CJRS to specific sectors in a fair and deliverable way, and it may not be the case that this is the most effective or sensible way to provide longer term support for those sectors who may not yet be reopening.

The Government will continue to engage with businesses and sectors with the aim of ensuring that the support provided is right for those sectors and for the economy as a whole.