MPs urge Chancellor to extend furlough for aviation, travel and tourism workers

A group of cross-party MPs have joined forces to write a letter to the Chancellor urging him to agree a customised and flexible extension to the furlough scheme for the aviation, travel and tourism industries.

The letter has been organised by Henry Smith MP and the Future of Aviation Group. It has also been signed by former Brexit Minister Steve Baker MP, former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Harriet Harman QC MP and the Westminster Leader of the DUP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP.

In the letter, the parliamentarians call on the Chancellor to consider the exceptional circumstances facing these sectors. They emphasise that these sectors will take significantly longer than other industries to recover and specifically call on the Chancellor to agree an extension to the furlough scheme to support the millions of jobs involved.

Commenting Henry Smith MP, Chairman of the Future of Aviation Group said “Our aviation, travel and tourism industries have been amongst the worst affected by the coronavirus and will take far longer to recover than most sectors.

“Aviation is an economic enabler and it will be central to rebuilding our economy. The Government must extend the coronavirus job retention scheme beyond October to support the millions of jobs in these sectors and to allow them to play their full role in our economic recovery.

“The Government deserve huge credit for the bold action they have taken to protect jobs. But we cannot have a truly global Britain without helping those working in the aviation, travel and tourism sectors. Cutting off this support before these sectors have been able to recover will have disastrous consequences for everyone in the country.”