Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:00 pm on 29 April 2020.
Well, I hope that the measures that you've now introduced will be sufficiently robust enough, because it is important that accurate information is published in order to maintain that public confidence.
Now, last week, as you said in your statement today, the Welsh Government published its COVID-19 exit strategy, 'A framework for recovery', which makes it clear that, to further understand the level of infection present in Wales, the Welsh Government is stepping up its testing capacity and capability. However, we know that there have been several significant issues with the testing programme in Wales and yet the Welsh Government's recovery framework offers no detail on how capacity and capability are actually being accelerated.
The framework also states that the Welsh Government needs to be able to track and trace future outbreaks both now, in the summer, and when the real pressure comes in the winter months, so that we do not have to reinstate restrictions once a decision has been made to lift them. It's absolutely essential that we have comprehensive community testing taking place across Wales to defeat this virus, and so it's disappointing to hear that the Welsh Government is choosing not to test all care home residents and staff.
So, First Minister, perhaps you could tell us in your response how the Welsh Government will be stepping up its testing capacity and capability, as well as telling us a bit more about how the Welsh Government intends to track and trace any future outbreaks. Surely, by not choosing to test all care home staff and residents across Wales, the Welsh Government is sending the message that community testing isn't that important in the first place.
Now, the framework for recovery also states that one of the factors to consider in lifting restrictions will be that there needs to be evidence that the Welsh NHS can cope with the expected increase in healthcare needs for at least 14 days if the infection rate goes above 1. So, in light of the Government's framework for recovery, can you tell us how the Welsh Government will actually be able to demonstrate that the health service could cope with any increase in the infection rate in future?