10., 11. & 12. The Coronavirus Act 2020 (Alteration of Expiry Date) (Wales) Regulations 2022, The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 5) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 7) Regulations 2022 and The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 5) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 8) Regulations 2022

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:38 pm on 29 March 2022.

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Photo of Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan Labour 5:38, 29 March 2022

(Translated)

Rhun, the situation is challenging, and that is why we have extended the regulations, to a certain extent. As I explained to Russell, it's been a tough call, and it is a matter of balance. We had a plan. We set out that plan, and what we've done is compromise, to an extent, in this scenario, because the numbers are still high. We are shifting responsibility from Government to the individual, and the balance—. I think it's important that we understand that there is legislation, but just because it's moving to guidance, it doesn't mean that you don't have to do it.

Now, it is different, and the question that you raised on self-isolation—. As you know, in Scotland it's never been entrenched in law that you should self-isolate, but people have been following the guidance, and we do hope that that will happen here in Wales. We are entirely clear in the guidance: if you do get COVID, then you should self-isolate. And that's one of the reasons why, for example, we have continued to ensure that there is a responsibility on people in the workplace to carry out those risk assessments. If those risk assessments do allow people to come in with COVID, well, there's something wrong with the risk assessment then. It's important that the guidance—that you're aware that those have to be published. People can see those, and that's why we think that that safeguard is in place for people. But it is a judgment call, and that's the judgment that we have come to as a Government.