4. Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Renew and reform: Supporting learners' well-being and progression

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:52 pm on 26 May 2021.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Jeremy Miles Jeremy Miles Labour 3:52, 26 May 2021

I thank Darren Millar for that important question. The point in his question that I think struck me as essential is to listen to the voices of children and young people who are affected by this, and I met with the children's commissioner recently, and, obviously, this was one of the issues that we discussed. A recent focus group of learners held on our behalf by Children in Wales gave their views about wearing face masks or face coverings, which were mixed views, I think, and some of it reflects what the Member describes, some of it reflected concerns about wanting to continue wearing them. So, I think it's a mixed picture.

In terms of the comparison with England, as the Member will know, we look at these questions in the three-weekly cycle that we have set. The Government needs to look at all interventions on that basis; that's what the law tells us to do, and that is what we do. Whilst we know that the numbers of transmission in Wales are better than they have been for a long time and are in a good place, we also know about the impact of the variant of concern that we've been talking about earlier in this session. And so, we have to look at the picture, I think, in the round. But the assurance that I can give to the Member is that we do look at it in the round, we are conscious of the adverse impacts that this has as well as the precautionary impact that it has, and that we will work with the technical advisory group and their expertise, the public health advice that we get, to make sure that the judgments we make in this area are robust and, we think, reflect the risk analysis as it is. As I say, it's something we keep entirely under review, and we will work with the profession, local authorities and listen to the voices of young people in making those decisions.