Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 1:47 pm on 17 June 2020.
Diolch, Llywydd. I formally and briefly move the regulations and ask Members to support them. The regulations are further amendments to the coronavirus restrictions' stipulations. They return freedoms to people where the state of the virus has allowed us to do so. They increase penalties on those who repeatedly fail to observe the rules that so many have worked so hard to observe. Llywydd, the system we have quite rightly makes it clear that whenever a restriction is unnecessary to protect public health, it must be removed. The amendment No. 5 regulations make good on that commitment. As we have made progress in reducing the prevalence of coronavirus in the community, so those No. 5 regulations allow people much greater freedom within their local area. They also crucially allow people to gather outdoors with members of one other household, although, of course, with social distancing remaining. These are loosenings of the coronavirus restrictions and they have been made possible because of the reduction in the circulation of the virus in the community.
Llywydd, throughout the lockdown we have seen a high level of compliance with our regulations, and there are thanks due to people throughout Wales for that. By sticking to the rules, we have helped to control the spread of the virus. However, evidence from four police forces show a small minority of people repeatedly breaking the restrictions, and the changes made by the No. 4 regulations before Members this afternoon have allowed our police forces to respond more vigorously to that challenge. I ask Members to support both sets of amendments.