COWDENBEATH MSP Annabelle Ewing is backing the move by the Holyrood Finance Secretary for a range of new measures from Westminster to support Scotland's response to economic crisis brought on by the Coved-19 pandemic.

Ms Ewing has welcomed the letter sent by the Scottish Government’s Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, urging the UK Government to introduce a range of vital new measures to support Scotland’s response to the current economic problems brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ms Ewing said: “I am delighted to learn that the Scottish Government’s Finance Secretary has called on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to include a National Debt Plan when he announces his Economic Update this week.

“A National Debt Plan would help households experiencing financial hardship to cope with loan, mortgage and rent payments".

She added: “I also support Kate Forbes in calling for the UK Government to introduce a jobs guarantee for young people, to ensure they have access to work, an apprenticeship or training.

“There is absolutely no doubt that the necessary measures brought in to tackle the spread of the coronavirus have had a massive economic impact and the UK Government needs to step in and use all the economic levers it has at its disposal to address that.

“The Scottish Government also needs to be given more powers and flexibility to address the specific needs of the Scottish economy and the impact that this pandemic has had on our people.”