Llywydd, the law requires the Welsh Ministers to review the coronavirus regulations every three weeks. This afternoon, I will set out for Members the public health context within which that review took place and summarise the key changes made to regulations.

The review process always begins by drawing together the latest evidence of the state of COVID-19 in Wales. Since the first tentative lifting of coronavirus restrictions in May, I have been able to report a continuing decline in the prevalence of the virus and the resulting ability further to ease restrictions. I'm pleased to report that this pattern was again apparent last week. The number of people in hospital as a result of the disease fell below 200 for the first time. No deaths were reported on five consecutive days. The number of daily infections and the positivity rate remained low in Wales.

However, as Members will know, the wider UK context has been more challenging, with rising numbers and reimposed restrictions across the island of Ireland and in both Scotland and England. Beyond the United Kingdom, the Welsh Government brought forward regulations to require quarantining for individuals returning to Wales from Croatia, Austria, and Trinidad and Tobago from 4.00 a.m. on Saturday 22 August. Since the Senedd last met, the same requirements have been applied to those returning from France and the Netherlands from Saturday 15 August.

The purpose of all this, Llywydd, is simply to be clear that the position we faced in Wales last week cannot be taken for granted. Wales is quite certainly not immune from the causes of difficulty elsewhere. Indeed, we have already faced spikes in infection in different parts of Wales since lockdown measures have been eased. To date, these have been effectively suppressed through the success of our test, trace, protect system. Members will have seen the most recent figures published on Thursday last. They confirm that, since the programme began, 90 per cent of all eligible cases have been contacted in Wales, with 90 per cent of their contacts, in turn, being successfully traced. Last week, the health Minister announced an additional £32 million to strengthen our testing system still further to address the additional demands we know will come with the winter.

Llywydd, all of this gives us confidence that local action can be taken effectively to respond to outbreaks of the virus in Wales. The coronavirus control plan, published on Tuesday of last week, sets out the practical ways in which that can go on being achieved. The contribution of local government to the plan is pivotal, and, on 10 August, my colleague Julie James agreed a further additional sum of £264 million for local authorities in Wales over the remainder of this financial year. This will provide the certainty needed for them to plan for the future.

From all of this, I hope colleagues will have a sense of the balancing act that underlies the decisions made at the end of the last three-week period. This was summed up by the chief medical officer in the advice he provides to the Government and which we publish as part of that process. Dr Atherton said:

'Viral transmission appears to remain low and stable in Wales but I remain concerned about the increase in cases in other UK nations, in Europe and in other parts of the world.'

This leads me

'to believe that we have very little headroom for further easement at the present time' and

'this is important given our imminent plans to reopen schools; a move which should be a very high priority for Wales.'

Well, Llywydd, in the light of that advice from the chief medical officer, the Cabinet decided last week to reserve the bulk of the headroom we have available to assist in the safe and successful reopening of schools in Wales as from 1 September, building on our successful experience of having schools open in Wales in June and July. Members will have seen the subsequent joint statement between—[Inaudible.]