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Scottish Government mulling Wales-style travel ban on Covid-19 hotspots, Sturgeon says

15 Oct 2020 4 minute read
Mark Drakeford. Picture by CPMR – Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CC BY-SA 2.0) Nicola Sturgeon picture by Arctic Circle (CC BY 2.0).

The Scottish First Minister has said that she is considering following in Wales’ footsteps by introducing a ban on travel from Covid-19 hotspots elsewhere in the UK.

Nicola Sturgeon said the approach to travel being put forward by the Welsh government needed to be considered and was.

“Although we have ruled out tough measures we cannot rule out having to go further in the future,” she said.

“For example, the approach to travel being adopted by the Welsh Government mitigates the spread of the virus from high to low prevalence areas.

“Not just within the four UK nations but also where necessary between the UK nations, needs to be considered here too, and is being considered here too.

“As we consider these decisions, plan future steps and where necessary take action, we will seek to ensure that Parliament is fully informed and involved in these decisions.”

Yesterday she had tweeted that she “fully supported” the Welsh First Minister on his moves to stop the spread of Covid-19.

“These are public health decisions, and nothing to do with constitutional or political debates,” she said.

“The Scottish Government will also take whatever action we consider necessary to control COVID.”

 

‘Keep Wales safe’

The Welsh Government announced yesterday that they were preparing urgent action to prevent people who live in areas with high coronavirus infection rates across the UK from travelling to Wales, First Minister Mark Drakeford today confirmed.

The new restrictions are planned to come into force on Friday, October 16 at 6pm.

The action is being taken after the Prime Minister did not respond to the First Minister’s requests to make advisory travel guidance in English coronavirus hotspots mandatory.

Under new regulations being prepared by Welsh Ministers, people living in areas with a high-prevalence of coronavirus in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland won’t be able to travel to Wales.

The move will help prevent the virus moving from such high-prevalence areas to lower-prevalence communities, the Welsh Government said.

“Evidence from public health professionals suggests coronavirus is moving from east to west across the UK and across Wales,” First Minister Mark Drakeford said.

“As a general rule, it is concentrating in urban areas and then spreading to more sparsely populated areas as a result of people travelling.

“Much of Wales is now subject to local restriction measures because levels of the virus have risen and people living in those areas are not able to travel beyond their county boundary without a reasonable excuse. This is designed to prevent the spread of infection within Wales and to other areas of the UK.

“We are preparing to take this action to prevent people who live in areas where there are higher covid infection rates across the UK from travelling to Wales and bringing the virus with them.

“I am determined to keep Wales safe.”

The Welsh Government is finalising its regulatory approach to the travel restrictions.

Conservative Health Spokesman Andrew RT Davies accused the Welsh Government of “banning the English”.

“The Welsh Government’s unhealthy obsession with travel restrictions and ‘banning the English’ flies in the face of all the evidence,” he said.

“Last month’s SAGE advice said such a move would have a ‘low impact’ and would be ‘complicated’ to enforce.”

Plaid Cymru meanwhile said that the restrictions were “long overdue”.

“This announcement is long overdue and I’m pleased to see the Welsh Government finally taking this necessary course of action to protect the people of Wales,” leader Adam Price said. 

“We now need a clear timetable for exactly when the draft legislation will be ready to publish, the proposed timescales and plans for implementation and how this is to be communicated across the UK. With half-term arriving for much of England next week, timing is now critical.”

“Let this be a lesson to Welsh Government. Continued correspondence with Downing Street will not get us the answers we want. We should have learnt our lessons from the first wave: depending on Westminster does not work for Wales.”

Jacob Rees-Mogg speaking in the House of Commons

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