Russell George: 1. Will the Minister provide an update on the University Hospital of Wales issuing a black alert regarding a significant and sustained adverse demand on services? TQ902
Julie Morgan: ...appropriate rigour and oversight, the amendments had built-in safeguards or were aligned with existing obligations to ensure safe provision of care and support. Revocation of these amendments on 31 October is supported by a clear and significant majority of respondents to our recent consultation. I'm grateful to those who acknowledged their limited use in practice, demonstrating the...
Russell George: 1. Will the Minister make a statement on the Grange University Hospital’s declaration of a black alert last night? TQ615
Mick Antoniw: ...The response has been received, I believe, positively. In respect of the voter ID issue itself, you know that our view and our difference on this is that we see voter ID as essentially two things: (1) it doesn't have an evidential base to justify it, but, secondly, it is more about voter suppression than it is about robustness of elections. And if that were not the case, there would be an...
Amendment 1—Lesley Griffiths Delete point 3 and replace with: Welcomes the Welsh Government’s decision to: a) ease restrictions from 15 January so that outdoor events involving up to 500 people or spectators can take place; b) remove wider protections for outdoor events from 21 January, if conditions allow; c) complete the move to alert level zero from 28 January, if conditions allow; and...
Motion NDM7891 as amended: To propose that the Senedd: 1. Believes that sport, recreation and exercise are essential for people’s physical and mental health. 2. Recognises the impact on the Welsh hospitality industry of the latest COVID-19 restrictions. 3. Welcomes the Welsh Government’s decision to: a) ease restrictions from 15 January so that outdoor events involving up to 500 people or...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: ...out the legislative framework for four warning levels that are outlined in the coronavirus control plan. As noted in the regulations, a review must be undertaken every three weeks. In the review on 14 July, it was noted that cases of the coronavirus were increasing in the community, primarily as a result of the Delta variant, but the high vaccination rates meant that the number of those...
James Evans: First Minister, I welcome your announcement today, and I particularly welcome the move into alert level 1, moving to alert level 0 for outdoors. So, it gives things like the Green Man Festival in my constituency the confidence now to go ahead and that gives people a real boost in their mental health as well—they can actually physically go somewhere and have a good time. And I also welcome...
Samuel Kurtz: ...has been described by some operators as the 'forgotten sector', that being Wales's residential outdoor education centres. The industry is worth roughly £40 million to the economy, with more than 1,700 people employed. Pre-COVID, there were 44 centres in Wales, and figures in March showed that at least five have closed over the last 12 months. In my constituency of Carmarthen West and...
Rebecca Evans: ...recently announced an additional £2.5 million being made available to compensate those businesses, such as indoor attractions and wedding venues, who are still affected by the staged transition to alert level 1. The supplementary budget sets out the allocations which have been made to date. However, you'll be aware that, in the final budget, I did earmark up to £200 million of additional...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: ...north and south-east Wales into our communities in every part of Wales. Over the last fortnight, the coronavirus case rate and the positivity rate have more than doubled. Today, the case rate is 31.3 cases per 100,000 people. Cases are rising in almost every local authority area in Wales, driven by this fast-moving, highly transmissible variant. In Conwy, the rates are now approaching 100...
David Rees: ...amendments to the principal Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No.5) (Wales) Regulations 2020. Members will be aware, and will have heard this afternoon from the Minister, that the No.11 amendment regulations moved the whole of Wales to alert level 1 on 7 June. Our report on the No.11 amendment regulations contains three merits points, and Members who sat through similar debates...
Vaughan Gething: ...has to take account of the position we find ourselves in, both with the path of easements that are being unlocked—and we're in a good position, having announced the phased move to go fully into alert level 1 over the next few weeks. That still means there will be some restrictions in place. We then need to think about the next stage of support for businesses, as I indicated in my first...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: ...in Wales, the delta variant brings a new level of uncertainty. It was in this context that the most recent review of the coronavirus restrictions took place, on 3 June. Whilst Wales is moving to alert level 1, as previously signalled, we will now do this in a phased way. Changes to the regulations from 7 June therefore focused on easing restriction on outdoor events and activities. The...
Huw Irranca-Davies: ..., I would suggest. [Laughter.] But we really need clarity. At this moment in time, is live performance allowed in licensed venues in any shape or form? And if not, at what point will it be? Is it alert level 1, for example? That clarity would really help. Even though they want to perform now, if they're told it's not now but it will be if and when we can move to alert level 1, that will be...
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, as I explained in answer to an earlier question, if we are able—and it's an 'if', isn't it—if we are able to move to alert level 1 at the end of this three-week review, then that will come with new possibilities for events to resume indoors and outdoors across Wales. When that happens, they will still necessarily have to observe the protections that we have against the...
Mark Drakeford: ...from this three-week review, and the next three-week review cycle will culminate at the start of June. Then, if the public health position remains positive, we will consider whether we can move to alert level 1. That would mean relaxing the rules further around people meeting in their own homes, increasing the number of people able to attend wedding receptions, and restarting larger...
Julie Morgan: We published revised care home visiting guidance on 1 February, which is consistent with the overarching guidance on alert levels for social care services. We are acutely aware of the impact on people’s well-being of prolonged separation from loved ones while visiting restrictions are in place. We will continue to keep the approach under close review.
Motion NNDM7523 as amended: To propose that the Senedd: 1. Notes the Written Statement issued by the First Minister on 11 December 2020 about new levels of restrictions to respond to the coronavirus pandemic in Wales. 2. Welcomes the announcement of new alert levels in Wales that allow for the regional and local application of restrictions in response to the scientific evidence and...
Adam Price: ...example, released on 24 April, one of the key metrics that has been set for evaluating relaxation measures is 'evidence that we can cope with the expected increase in healthcare needs for at least 14 days if the infection rate goes above 1 and the virus is spreading widely once again.' That sounds more as if it's pointing in the direction of managing the spread of the disease below a...
