Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 20 May (HL4003), whether "until July" indicates that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will be in place in its current form up to and including 30 June; and whether "after July" indicates that they will introduce more flexibility to the furlough scheme from 1 July.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will remain in its current form until 30 June, with flexible furloughing introduced from 1 July.

From 1 July, employers can bring back to work employees that have previously been furloughed for any amount of time and any shift pattern, while still being able to claim a CJRS grant for their normal hours not worked. From 1 July, employers will also be able to agree any working arrangements with previously furloughed employees.

The scheme will close to new entrants from 30 June, and from 1 July the scheme will only be available to employers that have previously used the scheme in respect of employees they have previously furloughed. From this point onwards, employers will only be able to furlough employees that they have furloughed for a full three-week period prior to 30 June. This means that the final date by which an employer can furlough an employee for the first time was 10 June, in order for the current three-week furlough period to be completed by 30 June.