The Bill has five main areas of action to support the response across the UK and devolved national Governments. Firstly, it will help to increase the available health and social care workforce. This will be achieved through, for example, the removal of barriers to allow recently retired NHS staff and social workers to return to work.

Secondly, it will ease the burden on front-line staff. The proposals in the Bill will streamline paperwork and administrative requirements to help discharge patients more quickly. We need to free up hospital beds for those who are very ill to help clinicians to focus on front-line care. It will also make changes to councils' social care duties. This will allow them to prioritise people with the greatest care needs and make the best use of the adult social care workforce.

The third set of proposals aim to contain and slow the virus by reducing unnecessary social contact. The powers here focus on restricting events and gatherings and strengthening the quarantine powers of police and immigration officers. This will include the power to detain people and put them in appropriate isolation facilities if necessary to protect public health.

Management of the deceased with respect and dignity is of huge importance at all times, but of particular prominence now. The steps we are taking to respond to this pandemic will save lives. However, sadly, as we've already seen, people will lose loved ones as a result of this disease. The Bill will help the death management system to deal with increased demand for its services. It will enable deaths to be registered when people may not be able to attend the registrar's office in person. It will extend the list of persons who may make the registration and the operating times of crematoria may also be extended. 

The final suite of measures aim to support people generally by allowing them to claim statutory sick pay from day one, even if they're self-isolating without symptoms. The measures also seek to support the food industry to maintain supplies. 

Some of the changes proposed in this Bill deal with easing the burden on front-line NHS and adult social care staff. Some of the measures will help staff to return to work in health and social care. Some will support people in communities in taking care of themselves, their families, their loved ones and the wider community.

Members will also be aware the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Wales) Regulations 2020 were laid on 17 March and came into force the next day. These regulations match regulations made in England to reduce the public health risks arising from the transmission of coronavirus. The Welsh regulations were made under an emergency procedure set out in the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984. The coronavirus Bill, when enacted, will revoke the England and Wales regulations and replace them with similar provisions. The regulations are therefore in place as a temporary measure until the Bill comes into force.

But this Bill is just one part of the overall solution. Not each and every one of the tools or powers needed to address the COVID-19 pandemic are covered in the Bill. Some already exist in statute. Some exist in some parts of the UK but not others. This Bill aims to ensure that the action to tackle this threat can be carried out effectively across all four UK nations. The aim is for the Bill to reach the statute book this week. However, the provisions relating to statutory sick pay are intended to have a retrospective effect, going back to 13 March.

The Welsh Government, together with the other three national Governments in the UK, have resolved to review and, where necessary, amend legislation. My aim is to ensure that the response in Wales is consistent and effective. These are extraordinary measures for the extraordinary times that we face. The legislation will be time-limited for two years and not all of those measures will come into force immediately.

The Bill allows the four UK Governments to switch on these new powers when they're needed. Many of the measures in the Bill can be commenced as and where necessary, and I recognise the need to balance my duty to protect the public's health against my duty to respect individual rights. Crucially, the Bill provides for each of the four Governments in the UK to end powers when they are no longer necessary, and that decision will be based on the advice of the chief medical officers of the four nations.

The Bill is a transparent choice to take account of our devolution settlement in a way that enables swift action to be taken by Welsh Ministers when and where it is needed. We find ourselves in unprecedented times in the midst of a public health emergency. I know that I will continue to face your scrutiny, as I should do. However, I ask Members and the public for your continuing trust and support to take these new powers. I ask for that support to take action to save as many lives as possible here in Wales. I ask Members to support the motion before us.