Rishi Sunak has been urged to extend a massive cut to VAT for pubs and restaurants to cover alcoholic drinks and keep it in place for another year in order to rescue the ailing hospitality industry.
The chancellor lowered the rate to 5 per cent last year for food and soft drinks and is planning to keep it in place until at least June, when it is hoped Britain will return to something approaching normal life.
But MPs and business leaders are demanding the rate stay in place for another 12 months, saying a return to the 20 per cent standard rate would strangle the sector s recovery.
The data showed that each of the regions of the United Kingdom has been hit comparatively equally - with each seeing between 14 and 17 per cent of jobs laid off under the JRS.
More than 712,000 jobs (17%) in the capital were furloughed as of January 31
South East was just behind on 633,200, 16% of all jobs, HMRC data reveals
All UK regions have seen between 14% and 17% of jobs covered by scheme
But nine of 20 worst hit council areas are in London, while worst two in Cumbria