Government promises support for Thomas Cook staff
A cross-government taskforce is to be convened to support Thomas Cook employees.
It will ‘consider existing support schemes and will also monitor the impact on local businesses’.
However, what this means in real terms for Thomas Cook’s 9,000 staff who have been made redundant remains unclear.
In the meantime, they are being directed to the Jobcentre Plus Rapid Response Service for advice.
The government said the Insolvency Service is taking steps to prepare for payment of redundancy to Thomas Cook’s employees, many of whom have continued to turn up for work without pay to help their customers following the company’s collapse in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom revealed yesterday that she will write to the Insolvency Service to ask them to prioritise and fast-track their investigation into the circumstances surrounding Thomas Cook going into liquidation.
The investigation will also consider the conduct of the directors, who received millions of pounds in pay and bonuses while preciding over the company’s demise.
Leadsom said: "This will be a hugely worrying time for employees of Thomas Cook, as well as their customers. Government will do all it can to support them.
"I will be setting up a cross-government taskforce to monitor local impacts, will write to insurance companies to ask them to process claims quickly, and stand ready to provide assistance and advice.
"I will also be writing to the Insolvency Service to ask them to prioritise and fast-track their investigation into the circumstances surrounding Thomas Cook going into liquidation."
Meanwhile several travel companies and airlines have come forward to give Thomas Cook staff the opportunity to apply for vacancies.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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