12. The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 3) (Wales) Regulations 2020

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:03 pm on 3 November 2020.

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Photo of Andrew RT Davies Andrew RT Davies Conservative 6:03, 3 November 2020

Thank you, Presiding Officer. Thank you, Minister, for your remarks. I do think the last statement that you made was slightly distasteful to say the least, by calling to support your country, as if by voting against these regulations you were some form of traitor. I do think that's a particularly distasteful way to end your opening remarks. There are different views to be dealt with. We have put forward our views. You have the votes in this Senedd to carry the day, but to actually question people's loyalty to their country is a particularly distasteful way of reaching out and trying to form consensus going forward once we come out from the firebreak. 

And I would make a couple of points on the issues. Some areas in the local measures have been under those local measures for five or six weeks. They've had serious issues in relation to, obviously, economic activity, and other things that have been going on in their area, despite the two-week lockdown that you've inflicted on them, and that has been emphasised by the lack of business support. After 24 hours, the Government's business support was exhausted last week, and that shows the level of harm that's going on to the economy out there.

We all stand shoulder to shoulder when it comes to making sure public health is protected, and we all want to make sure that the virus is suppressed, but the comms around the firebreak, lockdown—call it what you will—have not been particularly successful, in particular when it comes to the essential shopping regulations that were put out that have seen the Assembly, or, should I say, the Welsh Parliament, receive its largest petition to date, with nearly 70,000 signatures. And the news today about hospital-acquired infections and the number of deaths associated with hospital-acquired infections is a matter of deep concern, I would suggest, for all Members. And the one figure that has stood out to me, more than any other figure, I would suggest, is a figure that touches on the suicide rates, which have gone through the roof. In certain areas, they've spiked—nearly two thirds more suicides on a daily basis have been dealt with by the ambulance services in parts of the country. I haven't seen the Welsh figures yet. But those are the real harms that are going on out there. And to question people's loyalty to their country because they don't vote for your colour Government's regulations because they don't necessarily agree with them is I think below you, Minister, it really is, and I think you should reflect on that this evening. We will not be voting on these regulations, for the arguments we've put forward before. I respect your position, I respect that you have the votes, but you don't have my respect when it comes to the remarks that you've made this afternoon.