Thank you. Item 6 on the agenda is a debate on the petitions concerning access to facilities for sport and physical activity during lockdowns, and I call on the Chair of the committee to move the motion, Janet Finch-Saunders. 

Motion NDM7543 Janet Finch-Saunders

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the following petitions concerning access to facilities for sport and physical activity during lockdowns:

a) Petition ‘P-05-1053 Keep gyms open and consider them as important as shops should another national lockdown take place’ which received 20,616 signatures;

b) Petition ‘P-05-1063 Open golf courses as it plays an integral part to the improvement of both physical and mental health’ which received 6,317 signatures; and

c) Petition ‘P-05-1074 Raise the number of people allowed in outdoor spaces so football can restart for all teams in Wales’ which received 5,330 signatures.

Motion moved.

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Now, this debate is going to cover three large petitions referred to the Petitions Committee at the end of last year. The committee has asked for them to be debated together because they all concern the impact that lockdown, and other coronavirus restrictions have had on people's ability to be able to train and take part in sport and physical activities.

The first and largest petition concerns access to gyms. This is one of a number of petitions which have been submitted to the Senedd on this subject since the beginning of the pandemic. In addition to more than 20,000 signatures gathered by the petitioner, this serves to demonstrate the strong desire many people have for gyms to remain open due to the important benefits that they can bring to both physical and mental health. This petition, which was submitted by Michelle Adams, calls for gyms to be considered essential services, and as a result, for them to be able to remain open even during lockdowns. As Members will know, this is not currently the case, with gyms being required to close during the current lockdown, as well as during other previous national and local restrictions. 

In her evidence to our committee, the petitioner highlighted the impact of gym closures on the people who use them to attend classes, work on their physical fitness, and potentially, as a place to unwind or escape from other stresses in their lives. She also highlighted the financial cost of closures to our gym owners, personal trainers, and others who use them to make a living.

Now, a common question raised by people who have created petitions on this subject is the scientific evidence behind the closures. Many have expressed a view, often quoting statistics, that gyms have been linked to fewer proven transmissions of the virus than other venues even, such as shops, cafes and restaurants. Of course, the committee also notes that even if this is the case, it is only one of a number of factors guiding the Welsh Government's decisions. Nevertheless, I hope the Minister will be able to say something about this when responding to the debate. 

We also note that, under the alert levels published by the Government late last year, gyms, golf courses and other leisure facilities can now remain open at all levels except in level 4. I believe that this clarity is welcomed by many users and operators, though, of course, it comes as scant consolation at the present time with alert level 4 measures in place in all of Wales.

Now, the second petition we are discussing today concerns golf courses, and also stresses the benefits to both physical and mental well-being that golf can provide to people who play. This petition was submitted by Sam Evans, and received more than 6,300 signatures. Again, it is one of a number of petitions submitted to the Senedd on this particular subject throughout the pandemic. This petition argues that the outdoor nature and natural social distancing of golf mitigates the case for closing golf courses. However, as with gyms, golf courses are required to close during level 4 restrictions, such as those currently enforced. 

A separate petition referred to the committee on this subject made the point that golf is a form of exercise and social interaction, enjoyed by many older people for whom other forms of outdoor exercise may just not be possible. This is potentially significant, given the impact that the pandemic has had on this group, including through shielding requirements and acute social isolation. More generally, whilst they are very different types of sporting activity, it is clear that playing golf can bring similar benefits to mental health and well-being as using the gym or participating in other sports. 

And I want to turn now to the position of team sports. The third petition being debated today relates to amateur football. It was created by Mark Morgans and signed by more than 5,300 people. However, I have no doubt that many of the points it makes would apply equally to other team sports and, in part, the committee has agreed to bring this petition forward on that basis. The position of team sports is potentially more complex than the other issues I have raised so far. They are played in a far wider variety of settings, from small stadia to local parks, and under rules overseen by a range of different governing bodies. And, of course, the virus transmission risk may be affected by other factors, such as whether the particular sport is played indoors or outdoors and the level of physical contact between participants and by the size of teams that compete. 

Team sports are also impacted by a number of the measures in place. However, the specific issue raised by this petition is the so-called 'rule of 30'—the number of participants allowed to take part in an outdoor organised activity. This petition was submitted prior to the introduction of level 4 restrictions, under which most organised activity is prohibited. However, at some point, and we all hope and pray, Wales will be in a position to return to a lower level of restrictions and the limit on 30 participants in outdoor activities or 15 for indoor activities will likely, once again, happen. So, the petition makes the point that this makes it difficult for competitive amateur matches to be held, given that it includes officials and staff as well as the players themselves. 

Now, the committee has recently considered evidence from the Football Association of Wales in relation to another petition. In this, they stated their support for an increase in the number of people permitted in organised outdoor sport, and proposed that the Welsh Government should consider increasing the limit to 50 people under alert level 2 restrictions in order to create a more staggered approach through these tiers.

Now, I recognise that this would not have an immediate effect and that level 2 restrictions currently seem somewhat distant. However, this may just be the type of positive message that could help more teams and their players to plan for a fuller resumption later in the spring and summer, when I'm sure we all hope that the darkest days of this pandemic will be behind us.

In concluding these opening remarks, Deputy Presiding Officer, I want to acknowledge that each of these petitions does raise different issues and they do relate to a different set of restrictions and circumstances. It is our intention, as a committee, that debating them together should enhance rather than diminish the significance of the issues raised. We believe that it simply amplifies the importance of sport and physical activity to the many people who participate in it and indeed those who observe. We look forward to the contributions today of other Members during the debate and I thank you all for the opportunity to discuss these important matters today. Diolch yn fawr. Thank you.

Thank you very much for introducing these petitions. I fully appreciate, because I've had lots of constituents contributing to the discussion before this debate about the way in which gyms can really be a lifesaver for some, literally as a way of overcoming, or working through, traumatic experiences. So, I completely acknowledge the important role of that sort of intense exercise to work through the tensions—both physical and mental tensions—that many people are having to overcome.

Whilst I would urge anybody who currently cannot use a gym, because we have to have them closed, to ensure they exercise outdoors while we cannot do that, I appreciate, however, that, for some people, to exercise outdoors, particularly in winter, would be very, very challenging, either because of their frailty or their physical disability, which prevents them walking very far. For example, if you're blind, walking or running outdoors can be very hazardous because of the pavement furniture that could actually cause them really serious injury if they're not doing it with somebody else.

And for many with a disability—maybe a back problem—swimming really is the best form of exercise. For example, for women in the late stages of pregnancy. Giving birth is not a sprint, it's a marathon, and the fitter you are the more prepared you are for this, the most wonderful, but most demanding physical, mental and emotional challenge they're ever likely to face. Unfortunately, the swimming pool in my constituency, Pentwyn Leisure Centre, has been closed since March and there's no end in sight at the moment as to when it may reopen, even though it's located in one of the most disadvantaged communities in the whole of Wales, in a super-output area of deprivation, where over half the residents have no access to a car and they certainly won't have had any other holiday or leisure experience beyond walking in the last 10 months.

Turning to golf, it doesn't have a great image, even before Donald Trump came on the scene, because it is very much the image of a sport that is only for the well endowed. But I appreciate that being in the outdoors and walking around a specific course is a fantastic outdoor opportunity, and it is very disappointing that we have had to close golf courses at the moment, because, whilst they were allowed to reopen, they did implement some serious messages in terms of one-way systems, booking in advance, and not allowing people to go into the club to socialise. So, once again, I hope that we will be able to reopen golf courses again in the future.

In terms of football, I'm afraid that the professionals in football do no favours to encouraging us to think that football is something that we can do safely, because we've all seen on the television the way in which footballers embrace each other every time they get a goal. So, this is absolutely not permitted at this time. But, nevertheless, it ought to be possible to very soon envisage ways in which we can reopen small-scale amateur clubs—five-a-side, seven-a-side young groups involved in that—and I very much hope that soon we'll be able to be sufficiently confident about the extent of this new variant to enable us to do that. But, for now, I completely support the Welsh Government's position that, at this very moment, with hospitals on the brink of collapsing, we cannot allow any additional activities such as these really excellent ones in and of themselves. So, I do look forward to the day when we can make all three of these activities a priority for reopening.

The benefits of physical activity to health and well-being are well known, and many will be well used to me highlighting these throughout both my terms of office, as a big advocate for all the physical and mental benefits that physical activity and sport brings. But its importance during this pandemic has increased dramatically, as a way for people, young and old, to cope during lockdowns. Physical activity is key and a critical way of managing mental health and well-being. Studies have shown that enforced sedentary behaviour has led to depressive feelings and low moods in healthy people. Taking consideration of the current situation, with enforced periods of lockdowns and isolation, this could potentially have, and is having, a huge impact on the mental health and well-being of many people, even more so if they do not engage in any form of physical activity.

This has been very noticeable in children who are used to more physical activity during and after their school day. My own son, who's 10, is sporty and partakes in many after-school activities, as well as thrives on doing the sport and physical activity during his school day. The physical benefits are obvious, but now too are the negative mental impacts of having these activities stripped away from him and other children. People may say, 'Well, walk outside near your home or something', but there's no substitute for the amount of exercise that they would normally have, due to parents working also during the day, at home or whatever, during daylight, and, in the current state of the time of year, it's dark when they finish work, and so physical activity is one of those things that will not be happening after school days now.

So, many people aren't getting the level of physical activity that they need, whilst screen time, as we're seeing, is increasing. And a walk with your household is no substitute for the much-needed social interaction that our children need, and adults. We all understand the severity and risk of COVID and the new strain, but the importance of sport and physical exercise cannot be overlooked, which is why we need a commitment from the Welsh Government that outdoor non-contact sport will be the first thing permitted when the COVID figures improve, as it is paramount for the health and well-being of many throughout our country, followed as quickly as possible by all outdoor sports and indoor sports and gyms. As we know, scientifically, the outdoor risk is so low—negligible, as you know, Minister—as it's no different to walking or cycling, which is permitted, which we can do currently from our homes.

As Wales has recently been moved into tier 4 restrictions, unfortunately, once again, children are not permitted to take part in organised sport activities—although we understand why—even if they are outdoor activities. This differs considerably from the position in England, where tier 4 areas—where outdoor sport activities for under-18s and people with disabilities are allowed to continue, despite the restrictions. Throughout the pandemic, the Welsh Government has distinguished between indoor and outdoor activities, and it may make sense to do so again with regard to children's activities now, as the UK Government has done with tier 4 areas in England. Whilst I remain hopeful that the Welsh Government will phase back the return of sport as soon as possible, may I ask that it does differentiate between outdoor and indoor activities, contact and non-contact sports, so that we can at least get some sporting activities back, if not all?

But, Welsh Government, please take into account how COVID-safe our clubs now are and the level of risk involved in starting them again. I have an enormous amount of sympathy for clubs that are losing so much money, and share their frustrations in many ways, which have already been highlighted today. In the current climate, I think many understand the Welsh Government's concern, and the concerns of us all, with this new COVID strain particularly, but there needs to be a balance struck between safety and other health concerns as soon as we are able to do so. Thank you.

Thank you. Rhun ap Iorwerth.

Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer; thank you for the opportunity to participate in this debate. I've raised a number of times in the virtual Chamber, and in correspondence with Government over the past few months, the need to do everything possible through the difficult days of the pandemic to ensure that people do receive support and encouragement to exercise, to access fresh air, not only because of the physical benefits, but also because of the benefits in terms of mental health and well-being too.

I'm very fortunate that I can exercise regularly from home, and do so with company. Since the beginning of the first lockdown, some five days a week, around 7 in the morning, my wife and I go running. It varies from around 2.5 miles to 6 miles, and both of us are entirely convinced that the fact that we've been able to do that, and to do that regularly, which has benefitted us physically—the fact that we're starting the day in such a positive way, even if it is dark, cold and wet—has helped us through this period. But not everybody can do that. There are all sorts of reasons why people need something else, something more structured, in terms of maintaining their physical fitness—reasons of access, as Jenny Rathbone mentioned. There may be specific reasons why people can't access the open air; there are reasons of isolation and loneliness. And losing gyms has been a grave blow to many people. Michelle Adams—the petitioner behind the petition on keeping gyms open—is a constituent of mine, a member of CrossFit Place in Gaerwen. And in addition to the owner, Phil Brown, I've heard from a number of members of that gym about their heartbreak—and that isn't an over statement—when the gym has had to close at various points during the past 12 months, in terms of camaraderie and physical and mental health and well-being.

Now, in a letter to the Minister for health back in the autumn I suggested that gyms should be allowed to make the case to open safely—let them demonstrate that they can do so. I know in CrossFit Place there is a huge roller shutter from floor to ceiling in order to ensure air circulation. There may be other gyms that can't put safe arrangements in place, but allow them to try. The attitude when it comes to physical exercise should be that it should be allowed if that is possible. And yes, there will be occasions where the case numbers are at their highest, as we are currently experiencing, or in certain areas where that is the case, where perhaps it won't be possible for any gym to be opened, but we are talking about dynamic risk assessments here in order to encourage that kind of physical exercise, and I would urge the Government to think in that way.

The same is true of the other petitions. Can you imagine a safer sport than golf? It's played in the open air, people can maintain great social distance. And we're not talking about opening the clubhouse here—although, at the moment, you can go to the clubhouse to access a takeaway, but you can't actually play golf in the open air.

And I've pursued the issue of team sports to be allowed and viewed over the past few months. I have a great love for football, which is the focus of this petition—rugby too. I've coached a number of youth teams over the years, and encouraging team sports is so important again to physical and mental health, but it's also important in a community sense. It's been very frustrating in Anglesey that the coastal rowing team hasn't been able to get out there to train over the past few months, and my appeal is the same: will the Government think of themselves as facilitators, as enablers, if you like? They need to think that what needs to be done is to encourage and allow physical activity wherever that is possible. I support the all-Wales restrictions that we currently have—things are moving in the right direction, hopefully, yes, but the situation is still very grave indeed—but whilst there are things that can't be considered as being necessary at the moment, encouraging physical fitness and mental health and well-being has to be a priority, so do everything that you can.

Can I say how much I strongly support the principles behind each one of these petitions? We're all aware of the very serious situation with the coronavirus at the moment, and I think everybody is aware that we can't do things that we would choose to do and we can't do and behave in the way that we might do so normally, and that is understandable. But we're also aware that, as the Government establishes restrictions and regulations, there are things that we are still able to do and things that are more restrictive, but even the most restrictive regulations that the Government have laid have recognised the place and the importance of physical recreation and physical exercise. At every time when we've been through a period of restrictions in Wales and elsewhere in not just the United Kingdom, but elsewhere around the world, every Government has recognised the importance of physical exercise, almost without exception, and that is an important principle, because we recognise, therefore, that physical exercise and sport are important to us wherever we may be.

Now, it may well be that I can, for example, walk around a lake, but the Festival Angling Club in Ebbw Vale, for example, would like to fish it as well, and it does seem to be a very curious example to use, in that I could potentially even jog around the lake, but I couldn't stop and fish there. I think there are areas where the regulations become difficult to sustain. Now, we understand that the overriding objective of policy has to be to suppress and eradicate the virus. There's no argument there. It's a matter of how we do that and how we protect people as we do that and when we're doing it.

I've used the example of Festival Angling Club in Ebbw Vale; I could use also the example of West Monmouthshire Golf Club in Nantyglo, one of the most beautiful locations for a golf club—I'm sure the Minister knows it very well. I've never played a round of golf there, I must admit; I've walked the golf course, and as you walk across the course, you can see from the Sugar Loaf across to the Brecon Beacons, across the whole of the Heads of the Valleys, a beautiful location and a place where you can exercise and do so safely. The committee of the golf club understand completely the need to ensure safety for people in doing so, and they've already put in place a number of measures to ensure that people are able to do that safely.

At the same time, we have the whole situation with gyms. I can think easily of a number of really well-run gyms here—here in Tredegar, but right across Blaenau Gwent and elsewhere. The gym I'm a member of here in Tredegar, Fresh Active, is exceptionally well run, where they've taken the highest possible precautions to ensure the safety of all of us who will use that facility, and that's important, not just important for physical health, but for the mental health of people as well. I'm particularly concerned, Minister, and I'd be grateful for your observations on this, about the mental health of young men, because I was talking to a constituent before Christmas in the Ebbw Fach valley, who was telling me that there are tens and perhaps even hundreds of young men who were profoundly affected by the closure of gyms as a consequence of our regulations.

The final point I'd make, Deputy Presiding Officer, is this: Laura Jones spoke about her 10-year-old son, well, I have a 10-year-old son as well, and I'm sure we are not alone in having the most effective lobbyist we've ever come across sitting opposite us every so often. And it is important—the petition talks about football, but as Rhun ap Iorwerth said, it could be rugby or any other team sport—that we're able to ensure that our children particularly, and I'm thinking particularly of age-group sports, are able to maintain that social contact. We spoke in education questions earlier about the importance of socialisation in terms of school and education. And, of course, my son, and I'm sure Laura's and other people's children as well, socialises not only in the classroom, but more so, really, essentially through sport and exercise. And I know the excitement that my son feels; he tells me at a very high volume on a Saturday morning when he's off to football practice. And it's an important part of who we are and, of course, that is setting the foundation for a lifetime of health and activity.

So, Minister, in responding to this debate, I don't think there's anybody arguing that change can come immediately and everybody, I think, understands the importance of eradicating and suppressing the virus today. But we also understand that we're going to travel along a road, a pathway, over the next few months, and I think what we are seeking to argue is that the beginning of the relaxation of these restrictions should be with those activities that can be conducted safely outdoors, largely, but not only, and those activities that contribute to the health and well-being of people in our communities. So, I hope that we will be able to recognise that gyms are essential to our fitness and our health and well-being; that whether it's fishing or golfing, we are able to do that safely in the future; and also then that the sporting life and sporting activities that drive health and fitness and well-being in a community are also able to restart right at the beginning of this process of relaxation. Thank you very much.

I wish to deal primarily with the first petition mentioned in this debate, which is on the closing of gyms. It is an undisputed fact that a person's overall health condition is one of the most important factors in their being able to deal with infections of all kinds, including COVID-19. We have been told for many years to keep fit and exercise in order to ward off ill health. It is an undeniable fact that the fitness centres and gyms contribute hugely to the general health of the nation. We're also constantly being told that our health service is under severe, if not critical, strain, yet here we have a facility that has a proven beneficial effect on health and therefore a considerable mitigating effect on the COVID virus for those who contract it, which should of course mean that they will have little or no need to use healthcare facilities, whether it be primary care services or our hospital facilities. This will, of course, have the effect of easing the pressure on all health services. One would have thought that the Government would have considered the very positive effects associated with gyms and exercise facilities before forcing them to shut down. Why is it that the Welsh Government seems to have ignored their own COVID infection figures, which show that gyms have just a 1.7 per cent contamination rate?

As for the other two petitions, golf would be one of the easiest sports to exercise Government guidelines with regard to distancing. And, if limited to two players per game, there would be almost no possibility of cross-transfer of the virus. Indeed, much less chance than in any supermarket.

With regard to the third petition, I believe that football and other field games are always well organised under the association rules, and therefore would almost certainly be safe environments for people to congregate. Again, we cannot overemphasise the value of physical fitness in making people far more resilient to the COVID virus and neither can we ignore the effect that physical well-being has on mental health. 

To conclude, Dirprwy Lywydd, it is hugely important that any restrictions are thought to be valid and proportionate by the population as a whole in order for them to be willing participants in lockdown measures. The restrictions mentioned in these petitions do not appear appropriate or, indeed, sensible, given that they have the potential to cause many more people to be seriously ill with COVID, rather than protect people from the consequences of contracting COVID-19. Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd.

It's certainly the case, isn't it, during the pandemic, that many people have come to have a fresh appreciation and understanding of the value of physical activity and sport? Yes, for physical health, but, as people have said, also for mental health, for just quality of life and enjoyment, and I've had very many e-mails from constituents particularly concerned about their children. Their children's activities outside school in terms of physical activity and sport are very important to them as families, very important to the growing experience that these young people have, and, yes, they do instil good habits for life when they get involved in football, tennis, cricket, gymnastics, dance or whatever it might be. So, it's very valuable indeed to keep good health and enjoyable pastimes throughout lifetimes.

Locally for me, there are so many grass-roots clubs in football, in rugby, in cricket, who run activities for the whole range of ages, from young tots right through to older people, and it's very valuable to all of them. Newport Cricket Club is a very good example where they have some really good girls' teams and a women's team that's been very successful. They've built their activities and their facilities over a period of time and, of course, it's really difficult for them now to have a hiatus and, in some respects, to even have a reversal of the progress that they've made over very many years.

I had, for example, in terms of athletics and young people, an e-mail from Wendy in respect of her daughter Anya Brady, who is a very talented junior middle-distance runner, and Anya absolutely loves to run at the Spytty stadium where the Newport Harriers Athletic Club operates. She loves the social side of it, meeting her friends, she loves the track, the floodlights and the facilities there, and, to her, it's very, very important indeed. What her mother said in an e-mail to me was that these are fit children who regularly exercise, they need to carry on exercising for their physical well-being, but also their mental well-being in these difficult times.

That reflects many e-mails and telephone calls that I've had from constituents since the spring of last year. I've been very, very impressed at the way many of these grass-roots clubs have taken great steps to make sure that they operate safely. They really have taken the guidance very seriously indeed and put their houses in order, as it were, and that's even more the case, I guess, for the more professional operations such as Newport Live. Newport Live is the leisure trust in Newport and they have some wonderful facilities, some of which they've made available for long-COVID rehabilitation, that being the Geraint Thomas velodrome, where in conjunction with the health board, they've provided their facilities to enable people struggling with long COVID to accelerate their rehabilitation process. That's a great example, I think, of what we need to see more of: very close collaboration between our health sector and our sport and physical activity operators.

Their facilities and classes have been so important to so many people through COVID-19. We know that 60 per cent of adults and two thirds of young people say that their mental health has suffered during the pandemic. We know that sport and physical activity have played a very valuable part in lessening depression and anxiety. So, I think one of the lessons—you know, we talk so often of building back better—one of the examples that we really need to draw from our experience during COVID-19 is the importance of sport and physical activity to physical and mental health. We need much closer collaboration and integration between our policies and strategies for health and for sports and recreation, and I think we've got an example of that locally in Newport between Newport Live and the health sector, not just around COVID-19, but far predating that, where I've been involved in many meetings to try and ensure closer working, better integration.

So, what I'd like to say in conclusion, Deputy Presiding Officer, is that I do think that when there is some leeway to relax the restrictions that we currently have, those sport and activity classes for our young people should be towards the head of that queue, and just behind that should be a much more general opening up of sport and leisure for all ages. I hope very much that the Welsh Government will give that plea and that call very serious consideration.

Can I now call the Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Dafydd Elis-Thomas?

Thank you very much, Presiding Officer, and thank you to the Chair of the Petitions Committee, Janet Finch-Saunders, for taking this through the petitions process and bringing forward this debate today. My feeling is that, although this debate comes through a parliamentary process, it's a debate that's perhaps happened too early. But having said that, it is an opportunity to respond on behalf of Government in a way that will be entirely clear, hopefully.

As you know, public health is the main consideration in the situation that we currently face, and indeed, the situation has deteriorated significantly since these petitions were originally introduced. I have a responsibility, of course, in having an overview of physical activity as Minister for sport within Government, but I must act within the context of public health, and the alert level that we have been in since 20 December, namely level 4, does reflect the gravity of the situation.

All of the policy and the actions undertaken by Welsh Government, which don't differ greatly from what has happened in England, in Northern Ireland and in Scotland, although there is that exception on golf in Scotland—the policies generally speaking have been similar. They are similar because they have been put in place in all of those nations on the basis of public health advice that is agreed between the chief medical officers of those nations. If some of you, as I did, at lunchtime today, saw the chief medical officers in Wales, you will have heard the latest evidence about the situation.

Whilst the medical advice tells us to remain at home, and to be cautious, and not to allow physical activities within buildings such as gymnasiums, then balancing public opinion and specialist advice received by Government does emphasise the importance that we do safeguard the people of Wales, provide clear and unambiguous advice to them, and safeguard and protect our NHS. That does mean that we continue to keep indoor facilities closed. Although, as I said earlier, outdoor activities such as golf and football do appear safer, the public health advice is that the risk posed by these activities in terms of supporters and participants is greater than we can allow.

The development of the virus has been unexpected to some people, but not for anyone who has been studying public health and other pandemics and plagues, as we are currently experiencing. That is why we cannot allow exceptions or concessions at the moment. So, we remain firm on that 'stay at home' message. The decisions of the Welsh Government have to be based on the reality of the situation in Wales and public health priorities.

That doesn't mean that I don't agree with everything that's been said about the importance of physical exercise. I'm fortunate, because of where I live in north Wales—and also now here most of the time, if not all of the time, in Cardiff, because I'm not able to travel because of my age—but continuing to exercise outdoors, running and so on, is what I've continued to do, and it's not only pleasurable but a necessity for me. So, it's not like I don't understand the arguments being put forward, but I have to say unambiguously that we at the moment must ensure that we support the sports sector. We have allocated £23 million to assist the sport and leisure sector during this pandemic, but this is not the time for us to open the doors or go through those doors if that is not safe.

I am very grateful for the developments in terms of vaccines, but it's important that we don't undermine the effectiveness of vaccines in terms of public health by allowing the opening of activities that aren't safe at the moment. This is not a party political issue, of course; it's too important for that—it's a matter of life and death. 

The Llywydd took the Chair.

I now call on the committee Chair to reply to the debate—Janet Finch-Saunders.  

Diolch, Llywydd. Can I firstly thank all the Members who've participated today, all excellent contributions acknowledging the principle and the merit of these petitions? In conclusion, the size and breadth of the petitions we have received on the subject of sports and physical activity have left our committee, the Petitions Committee, in no doubt of the importance of such activities for so many people in Wales. I am sure that few people doubt the importance of the sacrifices that we all are making and that are required to tackle this virus, and to protect the people of Wales and the NHS from its very worst effects. 

It is also the case that opportunities to improve and maintain physical fitness also have a vital role in helping to protect people from serious illness and, indeed, other health conditions. Many have been touched on today by those fantastic contributions made, and, indeed, by the Minister; thank you for your response also. And, as has been expressed strongly through the petitions we have received, they also play a crucial role in supporting mental health and well-being, something that has possibly never been more important and never been more tested than now during these times. 

I wish to place on record on behalf of me and the committee and our clerking team our thanks to the petitioners, and any other individuals who have allowed their personal experiences to be shared. I think we all look forward to the day where we can see our gyms, our golf courses, our swimming pools, our amateur football teams out there, but, at the moment, I'd just like to thank everybody, really—the Members—for their interest in this subject. Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Thank you.  

The proposal is to note the petitions. Does any Member object? Are there any objections? No. I see no objections, and therefore the motion is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36. 

Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.