Pilot Test Events

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:11 pm on 26 May 2021.

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Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 2:11, 26 May 2021

Well, Llywydd, as I explained in answer to an earlier question, if we are able—and it's an 'if', isn't it—if we are able to move to alert level 1 at the end of this three-week review, then that will come with new possibilities for events to resume indoors and outdoors across Wales. When that happens, they will still necessarily have to observe the protections that we have against the resumption of coronavirus. And that is where the guidance always begins, and that is where this Government has often taken a different view to the Member, I believe.

Our starting point always is: how can we keep people safe in these events? How can we make sure that they are run in a way that does not create avoidable risks of coronavirus beginning to circulate again? That's why the guidance is provided; that's why it differentiates between what can be done in one context and another. It is always carefully drawn up, it is always based on the best advice that we have. And while it may appear—[Interruption.] While it may sometimes appear to be inconsistent, that is because the context will be different in a way that leads to that different advice. Where people ask us to explain more why the restrictions are necessary, then of course we try to do that, but the restrictions are never intentionally perverse, and they always start from that question: what can be done safely here in the context that coronavirus poses for us at any one time?

My hope, and I know it's the hope that the Member has, is that circumstances continue to improve, and as they continue to improve, so more will be able to be restored in terms of outdoor events, and the performance, singing, musical instruments indoors as well. But the limiting factor always has to be doing things in a way that does not put Wales and people at risk.