8. The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 5) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 5) Regulations 2022

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:16 pm on 1 March 2022.

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Photo of Russell George Russell George Conservative 5:16, 1 March 2022

Minister, can I associate myself with the comments you made on the successful roll-out of vaccinations, and all those who have worked so hard in delivering those vaccinations to allow us to get to the stage that we've got to now in relaxing restrictions on our everyday lives? This is after, of course, two years of a very difficult time for communities and people across Wales. So, I do welcome a large part of the regulations today.

You'll know, of course, Minister, of my and the Welsh Conservatives' opposition to COVID passes; they were the wrong decision and we haven't seen the evidence that they've been effective. It is, however, the right decision that the Welsh Government is now scrapping COVID passes, so that, of course, I welcome. You mentioned in your remarks, Minister, that there'll still be a voluntary element to COVID passes, so I would be interested in what level of resource is required from the Welsh Government to service that on a voluntary basis for those who are taking that option up.

Minister, you often mention that England is an outlier. Well, of course, Wales is an outlier now with regard to the ending of COVID restrictions. We've had a date from the Scottish Government; we know the date has passed for England after the UK Government announced the ending of COVID laws for that part of the UK. So, Wales is now an outlier. Can I ask, in the next set of regulations, can we now expect you to provide us with that date when all remaining COVID laws will come to an end?

Earlier this afternoon, Minister, I and other Members of this Chamber met with groups from the COVID bereavement families group. It's always very emotional for those people who are relaying their stories of family members who've sadly passed away, but what they do expect is a Wales-specific inquiry. So, can I ask again, Minister, for you to address this very point? They want an inquiry and we know that many health bodies across Wales want a Wales-wide inquiry. You have said and the First Minister has repeatedly said that Wales does things differently. We are doing things differently, so I would question why you'd want to hide from that scrutiny that a Wales-wide specific inquiry would bring. So, at this late stage now, Minister, I hope that you can bring some positive confirmation to those families today who are again asking for that Wales-wide specific inquiry.