Scottish Secretary comments on July GDP figures

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said:

Today’s figures underline that there are challenges ahead, and that our focus must remain on a sustainable recovery.

Our Plan For Jobs is helping people in all parts of the United Kingdom get back to work and we’ve invested £1.5 billion in growth deals across Scotland, while communities all over the country will see great benefits from our new Levelling Up and Community Renewal Funds.

This all comes on top of the UK Government’s unprecedented package of support which has seen an additional £14.5billion funding provided to the Scottish Government.

Thanks to the UK Government funded vaccine programme, including the new booster vaccine and rollout of jabs for 12-15 year olds, we will build back better, stronger and greener for the benefit of generations to come.

Background:

• The UK Government’s furlough scheme, extended until the end of September 2021, paid up to 80 percent of wages. The self-employed support scheme, was also extended to the end of September 2021. The furlough scheme in Scotland supported cumulatively more than 900,000 jobs alone.
• More than 100,000 businesses in Scotland have been supported from UK Government business loans worth £4 billion.
• The UK Government has provided billions in extra funding for the welfare system for those unable to access other forms of support.
• This direct support is on top of the additional £14.5 billion provided to the Government since the start of the pandemic.
• Our new Health and Social Care Levy will help provide the Scottish Government with up to £1 billion a year in additional funding for health from 2022-23
• The UK Government is investing billions to help people of all ages back into work, including our £2 billion Kickstart scheme for young people, sector work programmes and recruitment of thousands of additional Work Coaches.
• The UK Government continues to provide the bulk of Covid testing in Scotland and has moved quickly to buy vaccines for distribution across all parts of the UK. The UK Government is providing all Covid testing in Scotland outside of the NHS.