Did the Welsh Government have the ability to opt out of the UK Government's eat out to help out scheme in August 2020, and if so what was the rationale for not deciding to exercise this power?
The Eat Out to Help Out Scheme was one of the UK Government’s economic policy measures aimed to support businesses reopening after the first Covid-19 lockdown period. The subsidy element was fully funded by the UK Government and formed part of the Chancellor’s summer economic update on 8 July 2020 (the Plan for Jobs). The then Chancellor of the Exchequer directed the Accounting Officer of the HM Treasury to take forward the scheme with immediate effect. Under that scheme the UK Government provided 50% off the cost of food and/or non-alcoholic drinks eaten in at participating businesses UK-wide from 3 to 31 August 2020.
The scheme was UK-wide. The scheme was implemented under powers held by UK Ministers to provide direct business support and the Welsh Government was not involved in the design of the scheme or in its implementation.