4. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Update on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:14 pm on 22 September 2020.

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Photo of Vaughan Gething Vaughan Gething Labour 4:14, 22 September 2020

Thank you for the comments and questions. I think the education Minister has indicated that some of the point of the Estyn inspections was actually about addressing local authority plans to safeguard the interests of learners during this particular time in the pandemic. But I of course take on board the point that the Member makes about whether the balance is the right one, as we're moving into a different phase, so I'll happily discuss that with both the Deputy Minister, who's going to be up next, about CIW, but also with the education Minister about the pattern for inspections taking place, and the point and the purpose of those, because not having an inspection regime is something that is not consequence free. It's part of what we do to help keep people safe in all those institutions, but I think the Member raises a fair point about the current balance.

On home visits where that is someone's workplace, either their own home or if they're visiting someone else's home for work, at present that is permitted, even within the local restrictions, but reasonable measures must be taken, and so will differ for people depending on the task they're undertaking. The measures may be different, for example, for a music teacher, where social distancing should be possible, typically, compared to someone who is a mobile hairdresser. And we do recognise that, if we need to move to a phase where that can no longer take place, that would have a significant economic consequence for those people and they may not have easy recourse to alternative sources of income themselves. So, we recognise there's a real impact in every choice that we make.

When it comes to the lack of co-operation with the contact tracing service, I think whilst it's disappointing, obviously, that people aren't co-operating, I understand people's frustration. We have to consider the challenge of both, I think, the carrot, and I think the welcome ability to provide people with financial support, if the UK Treasury are clear and rapid in confirming that there are funds available to not just Wales, but Scotland and Northern Ireland too, to introduce a support scheme. That should help with co-operation, but also just the message that the primary point of this is to keep people safe.

We're not looking to catch people out so we can fine them, we're looking to understand information to keep them, their family and their community safe. And you will know, from clusters taking place within your own constituency, that the mixing, where that hasn't been properly disclosed, has gone into that wider family group, with partners, parents and others then being at risk of having coronavirus, and the risk profile changes as the age profile changes as well. So, our preference is to get the right sort of co-operation with people right across Wales, but, if not, we are considering options about whether enforcement and changing the rules around that is something that we could and should do. But all of this must come back to the primary purpose: what do we all need to do to help keep Wales safe?