CORONAVIRUS: FIRST MINISTER BACKS INQUIRY
FIRST Minister Mark Drakeford said yesterday he would support the setting up of a public inquiry into the coronavirus crisis.
He is the first leader of any of the devolved nations to support the idea and confirmed Welsh Government records were being “meticulously” kept in preparation for it.
Responding to a question from Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price in the Senedd, Mr Drakeford said: “I have no doubt that an independent inquiry will be required at the right point in that process and the documents that are kept by the Welsh Government are kept meticulously and I’m sure that they will be available for that inquiry when the time for it comes.”
He would not be drawn into saying when that would be.
He told Plenary: “I’m not able to anticipate when that will be, but the principle that Mr Price has outlined, I’m very happy to confirm my support for that principle.”
Responding to the announcement, Mr Price called for any inquiry to begin this year.
He said: “The First Minister’s agreement to a future inquiry into government handling of the coronavirus crisis must be welcomed – indeed, the Welsh Government is now the first government within the UK to agree to such an inquiry.
“Disappointingly, however, the First Minister failed to give any details on when that inquiry will begin.
“The process of setting up an inquiry should begin now so it can start taking evidence this year. Work could then begin while memories are fresh, and interim findings could be ready by spring of next year.
“Learning lessons to better inform future responses and improve decision-making is crucial and such an inquiry should leave no stone unturned in answering difficult questions fully and frankly.”
It came as the number of people who have died with coronavirus in Wales has reached 1,238 after 14 more were announced yesterday.
Public Health Wales also said the number of positive cases of Covid-19 has increased by 110, bringing the total to 12,680 since the outbreak began.
The number of deaths involving Covid-19 in the UK has passed
44,500, according to the latest available data.
The NHS trust added that 1,565 tests were carried out on Tuesday, with 63,387 conducted overall in Wales to date.
The latest figures were announced following a press conference led by Education Minister Kirsty Williams, who outlined the Welsh Government’s plan to get post-16 education back up and running over three phases which run until March 2021.
When asked about when schools would reopen, she said it would happen “only when I am assured it is the right time and it is the right thing to do”.
“I will not set an arbitrary date for when more children will go back into Welsh schools,” she stressed.
“We need more evidence about the progression of the disease, we need more confidence and we need more control over the disease.
“We also need to see the development of the test, trace and protect regime as well. That’s a crucial key part of enabling children to go back to school.”
She said unions were “closely attuned” to the work the Welsh Government is doing on when schools can be reopened.
She also said teachers across Wales had been “coming forward with ideas for what we do next, ensuring that they can get back to do what they do best when it is safe to do so”.
From June 1, children in Reception, Year One and Year Six in England will be able to return to school if infection rates and the UK Government’s other tests at the time allow it.
However, the Welsh Government has ruled out this date for its own pupils.
Ms Williams said the health and emotional wellbeing of staff and children will be at the “forefront of my mind” when they return to school.
“We will have to recognise that, in any environment, it is impossible to give 100% guarantees,” the Welsh Government Education Minister said.
“What is incumbent upon me is that we manage those risks as much as possible and we create an environment that is as safe as it possibly can be, so that we can allow more children to go back to school.
“We can’t eliminate all risk but we can do our very best to minimise that risk to provide confidence and infrastructure to manage risk.”
Asked whether teachers will be given PPE in the classroom, Ms Williams said the Welsh Government will be setting out requirements regarding this.
She said this will be done with local authorities to ensure it is implemented.
With respect to children travelling to school, she said this will be an exemption under stay at home rules.
Furthermore, Ms Williams said she was “concerned” about the potential impact of Covid-19 on Wales’ ability to recruit international students.
She added the issue of visas is an important one but highlighted it was not a devolved matter.
The Minister said Wales continues to make representations to Westminster to ensure there are no barriers in place to stop the recruitment of these students. “The government is working with the Higher Education Funding Council and has taken immediate steps to respond to immediate pressure of the higher education sector,” she said.
When asked whether any higher education institutes could go bankrupt, Ms Williams said she had not heard of any facing “immediate crisis”.
However, she said it was fair to say the sector is facing significant challenges, just like every part of the economy and public sector.
Meanwhile, the Minister announced an additional £1.3m of capital funding as part of the Sêr Cymru programme.
She said this will support research which could contribute to or boost the advancement of research related to Covid-19.
“This could cover areas such as virology and immunology, as well as behavioural science, and the wider impact of the pandemic,” she said.
Ms Williams said colleges, universities and training providers were “critical to our national response to the coronavirus, the rebuilding of the economy, and continuing to play an essential role in their host communities”.