Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether eat in food business that are restricted to providing take away services due to covid-19 social distancing guidance are eligible for the Eat Out to Help Out scheme.

Eat Out to Help Out is designed to encourage people to return to eating out to support restaurants, pub, cafes and other dine-in establishments, which have been severely affected by COVID-19 due to closures and the impact of social distancing. In doing so, it will help support 1.8 million jobs disproportionately occupied by young, female, part-time workers, in the bottom half of incomes.

Hot takeaway food and drinks will benefit from the temporary VAT reduced rate for hospitality from 15 July 2020 to 12 January 2021.