Rutland and Melton MP Alicia Kearns has welcomed the Chancellor's new Plan for Jobs, saying it provides much-needed support to businesses across Rutland and Melton.

Yesterday, the Chancellor set out the second phase of the Government's economic response to the pandemic, highlighting their focus on jobs: supporting people to find the jobs that are out there, creating new jobs through investing in infrastructure, and protecting jobs by revitalising the hard-hit sectors upon which many jobs depend.

As part of this, employers will be encouraged to retain staff who have been on the furlough scheme, with the Government paying a one-off bonus of £1,000 for every employee who was furloughed and who is kept on until January.

This could see a massive injection of £12,400,00 for Rutland and Melton businesses if all the 12,400 furloughed employees in the area remain in work until January.

The tourism and hospitality sector will benefit from a temporary cut in Vat to 5%, alongside a new Eat Out to Help Out Scheme, giving people up to 50 per cent off meals out at restaurants, pubs and cafes on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays in August to give a much-needed boost to the industry.

Ms Kearns has also welcomed the temporary removal of stamp duty on all main homes under £500,000 until the end of March 2021 and the new Kickstart Scheme, which will create hundreds of thousands of new, fully subsidised jobs for young people.

Rutland and Melton MP, Alicia Kearns, said: "The Government has stood squarely behind Rutland and Melton residents and businesses throughout the pandemic and it is right that this support continues as we turn our attention to carefully reopening our economy.

"I welcome that the Chancellor is doing everything in his power to support, protect and create jobs and to support out vital hospitality industry with the enormous cuts to VAT. This remarkable and unprecedented package of measures will be a lifeline to for countless residents and businesses across Rutland and Melton."

The Chancellor's Summer Economic Update, along with the New Deal for Britain announced by the Prime Minister last week, will benefit people and businesses across the East Midlands.

This includes £10.25 million accelerated funding from the Towns Fund to kickstart activity in highstreets and towns, a share of £250 million investment to make progress on replacing outdated mental-health dormitories with single bed accommodation alongside an additional £8 million of transport funding to support two new local roads projects, including new footways and cycleways for major roads in South Leicestershire.

Alicia Kearns MP says she continues to work closely with Rutland and Melton residents and businesses to ensure they are receiving all the support they are entitled to to bolster them through the pandemic.