14. Debate: Legislative Consent Motion on the Coronavirus Bill

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 1:43 pm on 24 March 2020.

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Photo of Vaughan Gething Vaughan Gething Labour 1:43, 24 March 2020

Well, if you're talking about further additions to workers' rights, then that may be difficult. However, we do potentially have—particularly if this Bill is passed and becomes an Act—further and clearer powers to close down additional undertakings, and that would give those members some of the protections. The Sports Direct example and the commentary circulating around the Wetherspoon chain and the message they've given to their trade union and their workers are good examples of exactly what we do not want to see. So, yes, there are powers that are on their way in this Bill that will give us a firmer footing. The Welsh Government will act and do what we think is appropriate at that time. We would rather have an agreed four nations position on almost everything that we're doing, but where we think there's a need to act, then we'll do so anyway. So the measures that we took on caravans and beauty spots, for example, yesterday, were in advance of the UK Government making announcements and, indeed, in advance of Scotland and Northern Ireland, because we had powers available to us that they currently don't have as well. 

On a range of the comments that were made by Suzy Davies on the workforce shortage around mental health assessments, it's important to recognise that we may not have a ready supply of doctors at some point in the future and, actually, we may not be properly safeguarding people who need to be in a different place for their care if we don't change, or have the ability to change, the way those assessments are provided.

In terms of essential work, I recognise that we'll need to finesse the guidance—there have been questions about it—to provide answers and to have consistent answers for people in both businesses and the workforce. I can also confirm the eviction protection does cover Wales as well—Julie James has been very clear about that and I'm very clear about that as the Minister in charge of the Bill from this point of view—and it is, of course, possible there will be further measures.

In terms of Joyce's points about people on the front line, I think it's worth reminding that this Bill is about protecting people on the front line. We think of the front line in a different way now—people who drive distribution trucks, people who work in food retail, they're very much on the front line, just as much as community pharmacy and health and social care workers are as well. 

I want to thank Members for their questions and for their support for the ability of this place to agree that this Bill should be passed to give Welsh Ministers the power to protect the public. With that, I'll close and ask Members to formally support the legislative consent motion before us.