6., 7., 8. & 9. The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 2) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 12) Regulations 2020, The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 2) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 13) (Llanelli etc.) Regulations 2020, The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 2) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 14) (Cardiff and Swansea) Regulations 2020 and The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 2) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 15) (Neath Port Talbot, Torfaen and Vale of Glamorgan) Regulations 2020

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:27 pm on 6 October 2020.

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Photo of Rhun ap Iorwerth Rhun ap Iorwerth Plaid Cymru 5:27, 6 October 2020

(Translated)

There's a series of regulations before us again today. We will be supporting the No. 12 amendment, which is agendum 6, because we generally agree with the benefit that accrues from closing licensed premises earlier, although we feel that we could go further. We will also be supporting the No. 13 amendments, namely Llanelli, where the Government demonstrated that they were able to operate on a hyperlocal level.

We're still considering our position on amendments 14 and 15, depending on what the Minister tells us this afternoon. The reason for that, in accordance with what the Chair of the legislation committee said, is that I do believe that it's crucially important, if truth be told, for the legislation committee, and through that the Senedd, to see the data that clearly demonstrates why action at a local authority area level is required. Now, that may be true, the data may be entirely convincing, but, in order to support regulations, we need to see that data, and I was pleased to hear Mick Antoniw making that very point. The restrictions imposed are significant and substantial—not as substantial as at the time of lockdown in April and May, but they are still significant, and we need to be sure that people aren't suffering more than is necessary in terms of their well-being, and also economically. So, we need that data in order to decide whether the restrictions are proportionate. And, in the case of amendment 13, namely Llanelli, the Government proved that they could do that, but that wasn't the case with amendment 14 and amendment 15. And, of course, the restrictions introduced in north Wales will be before us in a week's time, I would hope.

The other element that causes a great deal of concern is the anomaly where there is a restriction on people from restricted areas in Wales going to other areas, but no such restriction on people from high-risk areas in England travelling to those very same areas. That anomaly makes these regulations, in turn, appear to some as being unfair and disproportionate, and treating the people of Wales in an unfair manner. In reality, it's the inconsistency that's unfair, so when will the Welsh Government act in order to deal with that inconsistency and to ensure that the same restrictions are applied to people from outwith Wales as are applied to citizens in Wales?