The residents of Aberconwy are right to query how it is fair that Conwy county, with a rate per 100,000 almost nine times lower than Neath Port Talbot, is being subjected to exactly the same prohibitive restrictions. In fact, Darren Millar's amendment, highlighting that a Wales-wide approach is not reasonable or proportionate given that COVID is circulating at different rates in different parts of Wales, is spot on.  

Now, there have been requests for evidence, and I have to endorse the comments about how rude, aggressive and defensive I found the First Minister in his response to Laura Anne Jones yesterday. Now, the evidence we've all been asking for, we've been pointed to the TAC, the technical advisory cell. This informs you that high numbers of incidents continue to be reported mainly in residential care homes and school settings.

Councillor Sam Rowlands, who has his finger on the pulse as the leader of Conwy County Borough Council, wrote to the Welsh Government, explaining that the:

'spread of the virus we are currently seeing is through household transmission,'

—the very same household transmission that you are now seeking to increase because of you driving people away from COVID-compliant and regulated hospitality businesses. Neither the local authority nor the advisory cell have pointed to any evidence that high numbers of incidents continue to spread because of the hospitality and leisure sector. In fact, what these regulations have succeeded to do is to drive some of my constituents and other Welsh residents to use public transport to cross the border to England simply to enjoy a glass of wine or a beer with their meal. Your steps are lining the pockets of hospitality businesses across the border and leaving ours facing serious economic uncertainty, and potential mental health concerns. Yesterday, the First Minister argued in his defence that the health and well-being and livelihoods of my business owners were to be considered unimportant and peripheral. Well, I reject those sentiments.

This week, Lee Waters MS has commented that the Cabinet had debated a regional approach—so, there’s some sense there—taking into account lower levels in north-west Wales and counties like Pembrokeshire. According to him even, a regional approach remains on the table. He’s also quoted in the media as stating that north Wales Labour Members Ken Skates, Lesley Griffiths and Hannah Blythyn are asking questions about a north Wales regional approach all the time. So, apparently the Welsh Government is not deaf. So, is it the case that your three north Wales regional Members are potentially supporting a regional tiered approach, or will they be voting against these regulations today?

An unprecedented letter has been signed by more than 150 businesses from across north Wales, highlighting that their businesses across the region have invested considerable time and money to make their venues and businesses COVID safe. The letter is clear that there are serious problems with the package of financial support being offered. Then we had the timing trouble, with Business Wales stating that businesses will not start to receive payments through the ERF restrictions fund until January, and applications cannot be made for ERF sector-specific support until mid January. My businesses and other businesses across Wales are losing money as we speak, facing the brink of uncertainty and potential bankruptcy.

I know one hotel in Aberconwy that has seen a net loss of turnover of £490,000 since 1 October. Clearly, we should all be supporting the calls for you to make sufficient financial support available to businesses in a timely manner. So, will you provide a heads up to our businesses so that they know what they can and cannot do over the Christmas period? I have hotels at the moment where guests are ringing up, saying, 'Can I have a glass of wine with my Christmas dinner?', and because of the uncertainty, they’re just cancelling their bookings now. Please provide us with some advice, so that at least they can make those plans. Please clarify why you are honing in on hospitality, when the advice you were provided with highlighted residential care homes and hospitals as being where high numbers of incidents continue to be reported.

We need a localised approach that reflects the huge differences in rates in local authority areas. I implore all Members to be reasonable and to vote against these regulations today. I would just ask the Minister on behalf of the Welsh Government: how confident are you in using taxpayers’ money to defend your actions in relation to my local authority should a judicial review be forthcoming? Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Diolch.