Government ministers accused of disregarding Welsh democracy
Leader of the Opposition, Paul Davies MS (Con, Preseli Pembs.), wasn’t happy with the number of important government statements issued to the media before the Senedd.
Members of the Welsh cabinet decided to remain at Cathays Park today instead of going to to the Senedd, with Paul Davies calling for future statements to be made in the chamber in the spirit of openness and transparency.
The First Minister put it down to a case of practising what they preach (the additional context here being that Cardiff is in a local lockdown, though the rules are that travel for work is allowed if you’re otherwise unable to work from home):
“I say to people in Wales all the time that they should avoid unnecessary journeys, and I believe that I’m equally able to answer questions in the way that we are doing now as I would be if I were in the Chamber. It is entirely wrong for the Government to ask people in Wales to take action in one direction and then not to behave in the same way ourselves.”
– First Minister, Mark Drakeford (Lab, Cardiff West)
In response to other questions, the First Minister added that reducing loneliness amongst single-person households is a key consideration ahead of the next review of coronavirus restrictions. Also, there’s an assurance from the UK’s Lighthouse labs that there’ll be capacity for 19,000 tests a day (presumably in Wales) by the start of November.
No plans for “border controls” to stem tourism
Adam Price MS (Plaid, Carms. E. & Dinefwr) raised the recent “alarming” pictures from the summit of Snowdon where scores of tourists were seen queuing with seeming disregard for social distancing rules.
Many will have likely travelled to Wales from Covid-19 hotspots elsewhere in the UK: “Why is it the case, First Minister, that you can’t travel from Aberafan to Abergavenny but you can travel from Manchester to Mynytho?”
Expressing his own alarm at the pictures, the First Minister said there was evidence that the virus didn’t go out of control in holiday areas over the summer. That said, there was a need for common sense and clear advice in England.
“I don’t think it is right for us to institute a set of border controls trying to prevent people….visiting Wales….but I do think that as we act to prevent people who live in hotspots in Wales from travelling to England….so the Prime Minister….ought to do the same to prevent people from English hotspots travelling elsewhere in England or other parts of the UK because of the risk that that undoubtedly poses.”
– First Minister, Mark Drakeford
On other matters, the First Minister said rules for students – for whom it’s suggested may have to remain on campus over Christmas – are the same as those for anyone else in Wales. He also defended the testing service and outbreak strategy for universities, quoting figures which showed high proportions of successful track and trace contacts.
