With furlough support set to end next month, two North Lanarkshire parliamentarians have clashed over whether or not to extend the scheme.
With the scheme set to end at the end of September, there was once again a fall in the number of workers still furloughed across Scotland in the most recent figures published by the UK Government.
A total of 141,500 workers in Scotland were estimated to still being supported by the scheme, a fall from the 175,300 at the end of May.
Scottish Conservatives MSP Meghan Gallacher said: “As we continue to ease restrictions, it is welcome to see more employees in Central Scotland returning to work.
“Ever since the pandemic began, the UK Government have stepped up to protect vital jobs and livelihoods in Central Scotland through the furlough scheme and that will continue until the end of September.
“The crisis has shown the economic strength of the United Kingdom. As well as the furlough scheme, the UK Government have also provided support for the self-employed and billions in business loans. The furlough scheme is still protecting 20,800 jobs in Central Scotland.
“That is contrast to SNP Ministers who have failed to engage with businesses throughout the pandemic and been slow to get funding out the door to them.
“It is now imperative that they ramp up the vaccination programme which will help more and more employees in Central Scotland safely return to work in the coming weeks.”
However, Scotland’s Finance Secretary Kate Forbes called on the UK Government to extend the furlough scheme beyond its September deadline.
Motherwell and Wishaw MP Marion Fellows agrees and believes winding back support now could put jobs and businesses at risk.
She added: “How many warnings do the Tories need before they wake up to the reality of the impact of their damaging plans?
“We have had fresh warnings that hundreds of thousands of jobs are in danger as a result of the Tory government’s decision to prematurely wind back support schemes - how many warnings do the Tories need before they wake up to the reality that their plans will cause devastation?
“The UK Government’s support measures must be strengthened not wound down - including fully extending provision to the three million who have been excluded from Treasury support.
“It’s clear beyond any doubt that Scotland is vulnerable under Westminster control. The only way to properly protect jobs and to secure a strong and fair recovery from the pandemic is to become an independent country.”
