5. & 6. The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 5) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 11) Regulations 2021 and The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 5) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 12) Regulations 2021

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:05 pm on 15 June 2021.

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Photo of Rhun ap Iorwerth Rhun ap Iorwerth Plaid Cymru 5:05, 15 June 2021

(Translated)

We will be supporting these regulations. We’re clearly in a place where the number of restrictions is relatively low, so now we are asking the Government to continue to push the boundaries as to what can be done in terms of lifting these restrictions, but we of course support the principle of only doing those things that we know are safe. There are two or three questions that I wish to raise.

I note the great pride that we as a nation can come together in gardens and pubs to watch Welsh football matches in the Euros. There is, of course, a restriction on what people can do in expressing their support for the team in terms of restrictions on singing when people are indoors and so on. Can I ask, in a different context, what steps the Government is considering at the moment to lift the restrictions on congregational singing in places of worship, which is so very important to many people?

I note the deep frustration felt by many people the length and breadth of Wales in terms of the situation related to weddings. Of course, people naturally look across the border to England in terms of raising restrictions on the numbers attending weddings, so I wonder whether the Minister can give us guidance that is as clear as possible this afternoon in terms of what the Government is considering in terms of allowing higher numbers to attend weddings over the next weeks and months. That, I know, would be welcomed by hotels that are wedding venues, but also by those individuals who really want to make their arrangements. What’s most likely to happen according to the information that you have before you at the moment?

We of course all look at what happens in Downing Street in terms of the Prime Minister’s ambition of lifting all restrictions by 21 June. I never understood how he could make such an announcement months before hand, but he has now decided that that will not be possible for some weeks. But, what’s happening in England, whenever it happens, will have an impact on us here in Wales. So, if we reach a point where England removes all restrictions, what plans in terms of intensive communication will the Welsh Government have ready in order to educate and share information with people visiting Wales, for example, that the situation is different here if restrictions remain in place in Wales at that point? We know what the difficulties are in terms of preventing people from travelling and of course we want economic activity and tourism and other industries as long as that can happen safely, but we will need to communicate clearly to people that the situation may be different here in Wales.