Travel Restrictions

Part of 3. Topical Questions – in the Senedd at 3:14 pm on 14 October 2020.

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Photo of Paul Davies Paul Davies Conservative 3:14, 14 October 2020

Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, if the Welsh Government introduces a travel ban on English people entering Wales, then it's absolutely essential that it publishes the data it has to prove that transmission rates are accelerating due to travel. Now, as I said in my questions to you yesterday afternoon, the people of Wales deserve to have sight of the data that underpins the Welsh Government's position on this matter so that they can be confident that the Government's actions are proportionate to the threat of the virus in their area. Therefore, will you now publish the data outlining the causes of virus transmission so that we can see for ourselves whether a travel ban is necessary?

Now, I've read the paper that accompanied your letter to the Prime Minister yesterday, and that paper confirms that the data does not constitute definitive proof in favour of a travel ban. In fact, that paper goes one step further and suggests that it should be considered alongside a range of other factors before a conclusion is reached. And it also shows that transmission rates in relation to travel have already peaked in August into September. So, do you believe that this paper constitutes enough evidence when, by its own words, it implores you to consider it alongside other data to justify a travel ban?

Finally, on 23 September, First Minister, you said that the Welsh Government wasn't seeing any spikes at all in infection due to travel and tourism, so perhaps you can tell Members when exactly did the Welsh Government start seeing spikes in transmission as a direct result of travel and tourism?