THE Welsh Government's lockdown will ultimately be funded by "the UK government and UK taxpayer", the chancellor has said.

The chancellor has responded to requests for extra support for Welsh businesses during lockdown by saying that his government are making decisions on a "UK wide basis".

First minister Mark Drakeford wrote to the Chancellor last week following the announcement of a two week national lockdown in Wales.

Mr Drakeford asked for businesses in Wales to be given early access to the Job Support Scheme.

Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, refused the request, prompting the first minister to ask for rules on the Job Retention Scheme to be relaxed - which would have allowed businesses in Wales to get support in the first week of the lockdown.

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Responding to a question on the matter from Gerald Jones, MP for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, Mr Sunak said that the government was approaching the issue on a "UK wide basis".

He said: "We have tried to reduce the bureaucracy by making sure we do not have overlapping schemes at the moment. That would have increased complexity for businesses.

"We have endeavoured always to provide support on a UK wide basis.

"We are doing this on that basis in the knowledge that the devolved nations are making individual decisions that ultimately the UK government and UK taxpayer will be funding."