2. What discussions has the Minister had with supermarkets to ensure that they are COVID-19 compliant? OQ55678

I've had regular discussions with all the major retailers throughout the course of the pandemic and discuss the matters relating to social distancing regularly. The supermarkets are well aware of the regulations that apply here in Wales and that local authorities will take enforcement action if necessary.

After I initially wrote to you on behalf of constituents about this, you stated that you do have regular meetings and you have been reassured that their policies continue to maintain social distancing in all stores in line with Welsh Government policy. Constituents responded to your letter, stating that wasn't the case in the three stores they had visited in Mold, and it wasn't the case in their local store in Buckley, in this case. When they asked the staff about it, they were told that they were not required or that they weren't allowed to say anything to non-wearers. Another said they'd had a letter from a supermarket head office, which clearly stated that they've advised staff not to challenge people for not wearing masks, which didn't agree or tally with the correspondence you had sent. In your reply yesterday, you said staff should ask people not wearing a mask to do so, whilst acknowledging those who have an exemption, adding that if the public have any concerns, they should report that to their local authority. How, therefore, do you respond to information that there is a convoluted mechanism for local authorities to report concerns, with various trading standards across the UK tasked with liaising with different particular store chains, and local trading standards therefore feeding back to the relevant trading standard for that store's head office, and head offices dealing with four country variations of the legislation?

Thank you. I continue to meet regularly with the major retailers; I'm due to meet them again next week. In relation to face coverings and social distancing, the measures are still in all the stores—in different forms, but they are all certainly still there. It is, as you know, mandatory for the public and shop workers to wear face coverings in shops and enclosed public spaces, and the guidance is available on the Welsh Government website. There is obviously a public responsibility as well in relation to social distancing, and we would encourage the public to co-operate as much as possible in relation to that. And even while you're wearing a face covering, it's really important that you maintain the 2m social distancing as much as possible.

In relation to your question around convoluted ways of reporting it, I certainly have not received any complaints around that. I know of local authorities that have brought forward enforcement notices in a variety of supermarkets across Wales. And, again, I've found it to be very straightforward. I've not had any complaints about that. If you want to write to me specifically in relation to the supermarkets you referred to, I'd be very happy to look into it.

Minister, a number of weeks ago we were getting concerned about supermarkets in the Rhondda Cynon Taf area because standards were dropping. Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, who've taken on, I think, 20 enforcement officers, or so, have been meeting with and have gone round the supermarkets. And I can say, in the Rhondda Cynon Taf area and the Pontypridd area, that the standards of discipline within the supermarkets is very, very high. And I think we've all been very impressed, and by the fact that the supermarkets are even now very safely administering flu vaccines. What I'd like to ask, though, is about the maintenance of the resources that local government need to actually keep this level of enforcement and monitoring going, all the way through to the next couple of months, which I think is going to be necessary. Has there been any discussion between you and the Minister for Finance over the resources that are going to be required by local government to ensure that we don't slip back and that we maintain the level of monitoring and enforcement that is being maintained at the present time?

Thank you. I am aware of the proactive role that Rhondda Cynon Taf have taken in relation to this issue. I haven't had any direct discussions with the Minister for Finance in relation to this, but I'm sure my colleague Julie James has certainly done that, because it is, as you say, very important that they are able to maintain this level of enforcement. You'll be aware of the significant funding that Welsh Government has given to local authorities, for a variety of reasons, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minister, just like in RCT, Torfaen environmental health department and public protection staff have been working incredibly hard, undertaking spot checks on supermarkets in the borough. Will you join me in congratulating and commending the public protection team for their hard work? But will you redouble your efforts to emphasise to supermarkets, at a senior management level, that they have an absolute responsibility to keep shoppers and their staff safe, and to do everything that they can to recognise and enforce social distancing requirements?

Thank you. Around the first point of your question, I think it's excellent that Torfaen County Borough Council have been undertaking the spot checks. I think we've asked a huge amount of our environmental health officers right across Wales during the pandemic, and I think it's fair to say local authorities have really stepped up to the plate in relation to that.

In my regular meetings with the supermarkets, I certainly always re-emphasise the need for them to take responsibility for the shoppers, and they're very happy to do that. As I said in a previous answer, the social distancing is still there now, face masks are obviously mandatory, and I think we all have to accept there's a shared responsibility for us all to act and modify our behaviour and responsibility to shopping in supermarkets.

I've also unfortunately had quite a bit of correspondence about an increase in the abuse that shopkeepers and shop assistants have been receiving as well, which, obviously, we don't want to see. I've been in correspondence with the police around this issue also.