NI can access furlough scheme if lockdown needed, says PM

by PA Media

Northern Ireland can access the Government’s furlough scheme if it has to introduce lockdown measures at a different time from England, Boris Johnson said.

The Prime Minister told MPs the NHS faced an “existential threat” from Covid-19.

The South Eastern Health Trust, which includes the Ulster Hospital, said it had the highest number of Covid positive patients to date and was operating at 111% capacity.

SNP MP Drew Hendry asked the Prime Minister: “So can he sort that now – if Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland needs to introduce lockdown measures at different times to England, will the Chancellor be there to support us with furlough?”

Mr Johnson replied: “I really think… yes… I really think… I don’t know how to exhaust my affirmative vocabulary any further.

“They won’t take yes for an answer.”

Furlough is the UK Government’s jobs support scheme and means the Treasury paying 80% of employee salaries, up to a maximum of £2,500 a month.

England has entered a four-week lockdown with people being told to stay at home.

The Stormont Executive will meet on Thursday to consider how effective the latest restrictions have been on suppressing the virus.

A shut down of the hospitality sector and close-contact services are due to end on Friday November 13.

Junior ministers Declan Kearney and Gordon Lyons have said the Executive “cannot legislate its way out of the Covid-19 pandemic”.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak MP

Instead, they called for a “wider societal effort” so that everyone follows the public health advice .

Hospitals continue to be under pressure across Northern Ireland, with a 101% occupancy rate reported on Wednesday.

Some 418 patients with Covid-19 were being treated in hospitals, with 50 in intensive care units.

The Ulster Hospital emergency department on the outskirts of Belfast was described as “extremely busy” on Tuesday.

A South Eastern Trust spokeswoman said across their sites they were operating at 111% capacity with the highest number of Covid positive patients to date in our hospitals and increasing numbers of staff absent, due to self isolating.

The Southern Health Trust confirmed that elective surgery at Craigavon Hospital has been cancelled this week as it expands its intensive care capacity following a “significant surge” in Covid-19 cases.

Ten further Covid-19-linked deaths in Northern Ireland and 679 new cases of the virus, the Department of Health said on Wednesday.

There have been 40,858 confirmed cases, including 4,498 in the last seven days.

There are 120 active outbreaks at care homes.