Llywydd, in Wales, the Cabinet COVID group meets each Wednesday morning. It receives reports of the latest developments from the chief medical officer, the chief executive of NHS Wales, the emergency co-ordinating centre and the Welsh Local Government Association. In recognition of the uniquely serious position we face, I have invited the leaders of the Welsh Conservatives and Plaid Cymru to join that group. I'm very grateful to both Paul Davies and Adam Price for accepting that invitation. 

Cross-administration working has, this week, also resulted in a formal agreement through the military assistance to civilian authorities mechanism for logistic planning support to be provided in Wales. As a result, armed forces assistance is now available to our emergency co-ordinating centre and to public services in their efforts to combat the disease. I'm very grateful for the speed and scale of assistance from the military that is now being afforded.

Llywydd, when we last met, the Senedd provided legislative consent to the emergency Coronavirus Bill. It has since completed its passage through the Houses of Parliament and received Royal Assent on 25 March. We drew attention in our legislative consent memorandum to amendments that we anticipated would be laid. I can confirm that these amendments were included in the final Bill. 

On Sunday last, on the advice of the chief medical officer that coronavirus represents a serious and imminent threat to public health in Wales, I made a formal declaration to that effect in order to trigger powers under Schedule 22 of the Coronavirus Act. Those powers allow directions to be issued to restrict events, gatherings and the location of people and the use of powers to close premises or limit access by directions. The making of a direction does not require the use of its powers, but it ensures that, if the need arises to do so, we will already have taken the preliminary steps required to enable that to take place. I have made the declaration on that precautionary basis. 

Llywydd, the powers of the Act allow normal decision-making systems to be adapted to meet the current circumstances. On Friday of last week, I approved the practice direction, since issued jointly by the president of Welsh Tribunals and the president of the Mental Health Review Tribunal for Wales. A practice direction allows that tribunal to continue its work even when it is not possible to hold face-to-face hearings or where there is a shortage of available members. Over the past week, regulations have been passed in Wales to give legal force to decisions made to close holiday and camping sites, public rights of way and access to land. We have also given full effect to the full measures announced on Monday, 23 March.

Across the Welsh Government, my colleagues continue to take the decisions and to provide the advice necessary to assist our fellow citizens at this most difficult of times. On 26 March, Eluned Morgan wrote to all Members outlining the actions taken by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to assist UK nationals still abroad. We continue to highlight the cases of Welsh citizens in such challenging circumstances.

On Friday of last week, Julie Morgan issued new guidance to those providing Families First and Flying Start services during the pandemic. Even in the circumstances we face, our aim remains to support those at greatest risk and vulnerability through whatever safe means can be deployed. Also on Friday, Jane Hutt announced new funding to support volunteers and third sector groups. That includes £24 million for Wales's voluntary sector and £50 million for a direct delivery food scheme in Wales for Wales's most vulnerable people. COVID-19 volunteer numbers have passed 30,000 in Wales and I'm immensely grateful to the Wales Council for Voluntary Action and the county voluntary councils for everything they are doing in their partnership with our local authorities to match together the huge upswell of volunteers with the tasks that need to be carried out.

In relation to education, since the decision to close schools and cancel this summer's examinations, we have worked quickly to provide information students may need. Last week, Kirsty Williams announced that year 10 and 12 students, who were due to sit examinations this summer, will not be required to sit those examinations at a later date and that their full qualifications will be provided in 2021. Over 800 schools across Wales have remained open to support our most vulnerable learners and the children of critical workers. I thank school staff for the work they have done so far and for the fact that the majority of these schools will remain open over the Easter holidays. 

Llywydd, the demands being made of our public services, businesses and Welsh citizens are enormous. The common task on which we are all engaged, however, is to save lives. We publish figures every day now of deaths from coronavirus in Wales, but each one of those figures is somebody's son or daughter, somebody's parent or grandparent. It is to reduce that loss and that suffering that we are all asked to do what we do, and the Welsh Government remains fully and single-mindedly focused on that task.