8. Statement by the First Minister: Coronavirus — December Restrictions

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:26 pm on 1 December 2020.

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Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 5:26, 1 December 2020

Llywydd, can I thank Hefin David for his contribution? I thought he very fairly and cogently summarised the SAGE advice. Only level 3 restrictions in England have been found to be effective. It's another reason why I'm not prepared to have less than level 3 restrictions in any part of Wales. Why would I be willing to do something that is known to be ineffective when I can do something that is effective and will protect people's lives? 

I understand the anger and frustration that he reports. None of us are immune from feeling that, and it's no wonder, is it? Everybody is fatigued, everybody is frustrated, everybody wishes that we didn't have to do the things that we have to do to cope with the virus. It's just the sad fact that, unless we are prepared to act, many of those people who are angry and frustrated at us will find even worse causes for frustration and upset in their lives as people they know, people who are close to them, people who matter to them the most, find themselves caught up in an ever-escalating number of people falling ill, and for some people, not ever recovering from it.

But can I thank him for everything that I know he does? Because I know that he provides a fantastic service to the people of his constituency in answering their questions, in putting arguments to them, in sometimes having to deal with people who take a different view. I think it's a fantastic service that he provides. 

On the TAC advice, we will do our best to expedite it, but just to make the point to Members, this is not the Government advice, this is TAC's advice. They are responsible for it. They provide it when they are confident that they've got it ready for publication, and it's very important that I do not attempt to try to influence them in the work that they do. They independently provide their advice to the Welsh Government and then we publish that advice so that everybody else can see the advice that has been given to us.

Then, on Hefin David's final point, Llywydd, the Cabinet will meet tomorrow again. One of the items on our agenda will be travel advice and travel arrangements in the post-lockdown period in England.