With the UK Government allowing people to hold responsibly organized outdoor receptions in private gardens, North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has challenged the First Minister today over why he “remains determined to do things differently.”
Mr Isherwood has been contacted by constituents who are frustrated that in Wales organised activities, including wedding receptions, can only take place in regulated premises, compared to England where receptions have been allowed in private gardens since Monday.
Raising the matter in today’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament, he said:
“Your Government stated last Friday that “organized activities, including wedding receptions can be arranged for up to 30 people indoors and 50 people outdoors”, but added that “Outdoor receptions cannot take place in private gardens” – and your Written Statement on these Coronavirus Regulations last Friday stated that these can only take place in regulated premises.
“How do you therefore respond to the constituents who contacted me stating: ‘The UK Government are to allow responsibly organized outdoor receptions in private gardens to go ahead from 17 May. Please let us in Wales do the same’ , adding ‘we have already lost a lot of money having to rearrange as Covid is not covered by insurance and I fear for mine and my daughters mental health if we have to re-arrange yet again”?”
In his response the First Minister said “I make no apologies at all for having those receptions in regulated premises. That is for a reason. It is because regulated premises are able to take all the necessary actions to safeguard the health of people who mingle together in those circumstances.”
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Isherwood added:
“The UK Government Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance on Wedding and civil partnership ceremonies, receptions and celebrations in England states that ‘Although there is no requirement to be COVID-secure in a private garden, the organiser should take all reasonable steps to limit the risks of transmission and must adhere to the gathering limit’, but rather than trust people in Wales to do the same, this First Minister remains determined to do things differently in Wales, as if the scientific and medical advice wasn’t the same on both sides of the border, and regardless of the damage this is causing to families and businesses in Wales, as weddings are cancelled here and many are re-booked a few miles away in England.”