6. Statement by the Counsel General and Minister for European Transition: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:22 pm on 6 May 2020.

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Photo of Jeremy Miles Jeremy Miles Labour 5:22, 6 May 2020

I thank him for that. On the question of the approach to easing he lockdown, as he will know, the First Minister has published his framework for how those decisions will be taken. With regard to discussions with other Governments, on the future focused work, I haven't engaged in discussions with other Governments on that. I think we've been very quick to move on that, and I think many of the participants in the round-tables have said, 'It's commendable that you're moving so quickly. Some things are still emerging, but it's very good that you've started so soon'. But I think we will see other Governments, obviously, doing that; I'm sure they're doing it internally already.

Plainly, there are discussions going on between Governments around the issue of how lockdown is lifted. The First Minister has been very clear about his preference, as I mentioned in my statement, for a four-nations approach. That is much the best way, if we can achieve that. But there have obviously been along the way points at which Governments have acted in ways that are slightly different from each other. The UK Government has sometimes chosen to move first. The Welsh Government on other occasions has moved first, just because the circumstances and perhaps sometimes the advice and the balance of judgment in countries has been slightly different. But the point that he raises in his question is important, about the geographic distribution of the rate of transmission. There is a degree of variation in that, and that's obviously a judgment that will need to be taken in the round. But I think the key point is to focus on the seven tests that the First Minister has laid out, and, as I said earlier, one of the dimensions to that is that dimension of equality, which will be important.