Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael.

The UK government has continued to ignore the ailing tourism and hospitality sectors as it begins running the vacation program, according to an island politician.

Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael said that while the vacation protected many workers’ wages through the pandemic, targeted assistance is now needed to help industries that cannot yet fully reopen.

Mr Carmichael commented on the beginning of the process of winding down the vacation plan – with companies now having to pay more.

“We all know that the level of economic support that closed-end companies have received over the past year and a half cannot last forever, and gradual wind-down is better than a cliff,” he said.

“What is worrying, however, is that the government continues to ignore those of us who have advocated targeted support for industries that cannot reopen at the same pace as others.

“Tourism and hospitality are not yet back to normal and they will not return to normal anytime soon. If we let these companies down – caught between an economic reality they cannot operate at full throttle and the expectation that they will have to stand on their own two feet – then we should not be surprised if there are unnecessary losses.

“It will be hard to understand the logic of the vacation program if, after supporting them for over a year, we fail to adequately support workers to get back into business.”