15. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Update on Local Coronavirus Restrictions

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 7:04 pm on 29 September 2020.

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Photo of Vaughan Gething Vaughan Gething Labour 7:04, 29 September 2020

Thank you for the questions, which I'll deal with in turn. In terms of lone adult households, we have to consider the balance of harm and benefit, and I've answered two questions in this set of questions already on exactly that point, and the First Minister answered questions as well, so the Member will be familiar with the fact that it's a whole-Government consideration, it's under active consideration, and we want to be able to make a decision within this week, and we'll be clear with people whatever that choice is. It's worth pointing out, of course, that it's not only older adults who sometimes live as lone-adult households; there are individual young and middle-aged adults who live on their own; there are individual parents who live with dependent children who we know have also had some challenges in terms of the loneliness and isolation they have felt. So, we recognise this is a wider challenge. 

It's interesting to hear Janet Finch-Saunders talk about human rights and the European convention. The impact on human rights is recognised within the explanatory memorandum for all the regulations that we publish, and it is a recognition that this is an intrusion into a range of rights. And it's the balance in rights and it's recognising that there is a balanced approach to be taken. It's the same challenge that we face every time we introduce regulations in this pandemic, just as every other Government, whether in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, has to do as well. 

In terms of your broader calls for spending, I simply don't accept the characterisation the Member tries to paint of funding support for local government. It isn't just that, frankly, local government in Wales has a better funding deal overall than colleagues in England; we have provided a significant upfront funding for local government that was welcomed across the political spectrum within local government. And I think that her comments simply don't reflect the people actually doing the job in local government and the very constructive relationship that we have with them. The meetings that we have had for every set of local restrictions have involved political leaders, regardless of what party they represent. It is a deliberate attempt to work in a very grown-up, mature and constructive way, and the tone of the Member's comments don't really follow the actual business that we're doing with people in positions of responsibility in local government across Wales. 

In terms of money for businesses, I think I've dealt with that previously, and Ken Skates has already indicated where we are in terms of support, and of course we want to be able to do more, but the reality of our budget is that, whilst we have powers to do a range of things, we need more money to be able to do so. We're not the only Government in that position and I think there'll be a demand from businesses in every part of the UK for more support, because the pandemic is far from over. 

On regular testing, we are providing a regular testing service for staff within the residential care sector. The Member will notice that we have regularly reported on that. I assume that may have slipped attention, in the comments that have been made, but that programme continues—regular testing for our care home staff. There are challenges in the turnaround that are affected by the lighthouse lab testing programme, but we've been more successful than other countries, including England, in delivering a whole-country testing programme. That's been recognised within the sector itself, and we certainly aim to continue that as we move into this next and very difficult phase in the pandemic.