Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Economy – in the Senedd at 1:45 pm on 7 July 2021.
Thank you for that answer. Unfortunately, there's still a bit of inconsistency when it comes to the return of spectators to sporting events and sports clubs across Wales. So, as fans return to stadia in smaller numbers, it's also been raised with me some of the inconsistencies of the COVID regulations surrounding sport. Whilst it's a welcome sight to see some Wales fans returning to support the Welsh rugby team at the Principality stadium for the most recent set of internationals, as well as some fans returning to other sporting events, the rules around them remain unclear. So, for example, at the Principality stadium, fans are being asked to wear masks around the venue but they can be removed in their seat. Meanwhile, the Football Association of Wales has announced that up to 100 fans can return to the Welsh Premier League fixtures. They have also said that masks must be worn at all times, as well as a temperature check and a medical questionnaire upon entry, none of which the Welsh Rugby Union deems are requirements for its fixtures. Glamorgan Cricket have said that masks do not need to be worn whilst seated but, like the WRU, do need to be worn whilst walking around the stadium, whilst temperature checks are being undertaken upon entry, like the FAW but unlike the WRU. So, there's also an issue of a clear inconsistency there.
There's also an issue around household bubbles. The FAW in its Welsh Premier League guidance and Glamorgan Cricket have both said that those not living in the same household cannot sit together, whereas the WRU website for ticketholders for Saturday's game says, 'As per Welsh Government guidelines, there is no restriction on who you can attend with', which is different again from the rule of six, for example, in pubs and restaurants. Whilst I understand the designing of the COVID regulations are the responsibility of the health Minister, your role as the Deputy Minister responsible for sport is to ensure that sporting organisations have a consistent understanding of Welsh Government regulations and, at the moment, some of our biggest sporting organisations in Wales have vastly different interpretations of Welsh Government regulations in this area. So, can I ask: what action are you taking to ensure not only a consistent understanding of the regulations by all sporting bodies, but also that fans attending sporting events are treated equitably as people attending other venues, such as pubs and restaurants?