Urgent need for financial support because of “local lockdown”

WARRINGTON has an urgent need for additional financial support as a result of the “local lockdown” MP Charlotte Nichols said in Parliament today.

The Warrington North MP asked chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak about the provision of additional financial support for areas, like Warrington, that are under local lockdown.
She said: “Large parts of the North, including my constituency of Warrington North, are under extra restrictions but are not being given additional support from the Treasury, whether for our local authorities or our businesses.If this government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda is to mean anything this must be urgently addressed. Today’s statement is a change of direction from ‘whatever it takes.’ So what extra measures will the chancellor provide to constituencies like mine to ensure that we are not ‘levelled down’ as a result of this pandemic?”
The Minister responded: “There is support in place, through the NHS, for local authorities for any response in areas of tightened restrictions. Whether that’s through community information or enhanced testing and lately we outlined self-isolation incentive payments of up to £500.
“And also a business grant support scheme for businesses that have been ordered to close. This government remains committed to levelling up in every part of our country, as outlined in our ambitious plan to invest in infrastructure in every part of the country.”
Afterwards, Ms Nichols said: “I welcome many of the measures announced by the chancellor in his economic statement today, but I am concerned at the lack of measures announced so far to give additional support to areas facing extra restrictions or local lockdowns like ours. Our public sector and council will be put under extra strain, our businesses will face increased difficulty and our charities and community groups will be stretched more so than areas of the country where this more general support will be enough.
“In Warrington North, we have over 14,000 people on furlough, almost 3,000 people in receipt of self employed income support claims and many more who have not been eligible for any support up until this point.
“The ONS estimate 6,300 jobs in Warrington North are at risk, and many of these are viable jobs and businesses were it not for the restrictions required by the government to curb the spread of the virus. Sunak and Johnson can talk about ‘levelling up’, but unless this is addressed, this agenda is dead in the water before it’s even begun.”