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Tory MP asks for reassurance that UK Government ‘back to office’ guidance for civil servants will overrule that of Wales

25 Feb 2022 2 minute read
Robin Millar picture by Richard Townsend (CC BY 3.0).

A Conservative MP has asked for reassurance that the UK Government’s instruction for civil servants to get back to the office will overrule that of Wales, where the Welsh Government continues to advise people to work from home if possible.

Aberconwy MP Robin Millar was responding to new Downing Street Chief of Staff Steve Barclay who said that UK Government guidance was that “all our buildings return to the maximum available capacity as soon as possible now that new restrictions have lifted”.

Robin Millar then asked him to clarify “that any UK Government instruction to civil servants will also apply in Wales, where Welsh Government guidance remains to work at home?”

Steve Barclay responded to say: “We are clear, in relation to areas of reserved authority, that we are a UK Government—indeed, the Prime Minister is the Minister for the Union—and we have been clear on that in our messaging with Departments.”

When asked whether their work at home guidance applied to UK Government civil servants, the Welsh Government confirmed to Nation.Cymru that the guidance applied to all people and employers residing in Wales.

The Welsh Government’s guidance at the moment is that “those who can work from home to do so as part of Wales’ overall efforts to control the spread of the virus. It is the most effective way to minimise exposure to coronavirus at the workplace.

“If you cannot work from home, it is strongly recommended that you take regular lateral flow tests if you don’t have any symptoms.”

A legal restriction imposed in December to work from home unless unavoidable – with £60 fines for anyone who did not comply – has now been scrapped.

Since 27 January people in England are no longer be advised to work from home and were advised to discuss their return to offices with employers.


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hdavies15
hdavies15
2 years ago

Yet another pedantic little squirt out to earn brown nose points from his master. Give up Millar and start doing your job properly.

Mark
Mark
2 years ago

Nice to see that while most politicians are voicing solidarity with Ukraine and its right to exist, the same curtesy is not given to Wales and its devolved government.

Cynan
Cynan
2 years ago
Reply to  Mark

The jumped up little Putins never miss an opportunity to undermine our democratic referendum in favour of self rule do they?

Gareth
Gareth
2 years ago

This odious, Russian funded party, little tick, should concentrate on representing constituents, not trying to overrule our democratically elected gov. How many referendums do we need to have, for these people to respect devolution. As usual, if the vote is not to their liking, they do not respect the outcome, unlike Brexit, where one vote was enough.

G Horton-Jones
G Horton-Jones
2 years ago

The Borosites have joined forces with the Putinistas

Quornby
Quornby
2 years ago

Another trecherous pile of bilge from the Westminster lickspittals.

Ed Jones
Ed Jones
2 years ago

Nasty man, nasty views, nasty party. Anyone found out exactly when and where this Mr Millar worked when in Russia? I have tried my best to, but as yet, nothing has come to light. Odd…

Llyn
Llyn
2 years ago

As survey after survey indicates that the vast majority of workers want to continue working from home when possible, I’m sure Welsh civil servants will be overjoyed to be dragooned into workplaces simply to fulfill the wishes of a few as part of an infantile power play.

Rhosddu
Rhosddu
2 years ago

There seems to be a new tactic in the weekly Tory anti-devolution propaganda rota, namely, to undermine the Welsh Government’s anti-covid regulations.
The regulations are there for a reason, Millar!

Kerry Davies
Kerry Davies
2 years ago

It has just been leaked that Sunak and Johnson have overriden SAGE advice to keep testing those they insist go back to their offices. They would rather have superspreader events and more deaths than divert some of the money they are stealing to line the pockets of their donors.
Just how much Covid money has gone to Russia

Artem Terzyan, 38, from Russia and Deivis Grochiatskij, 44, from Lithuania have been jailed for a total of 33 years for running a £70m money laundering scheme, £10m of which came from fraudulent Covid loans.

Pete
Pete
2 years ago
Reply to  Kerry Davies

How much more money will go to buy Russian bombs, if we have to but petrol to go to work or to heat offices. I see no reason to travel to work, if we choose not to. And we can support businesses in the communities we live in, instead of the big towns and cities and help level up. It also helps the environment and cuts down on urban congestion and pollution. Technology has moved on, about time the Tories did to and stopped telling us how we live and work. If they want to do that I suggest they… Read more »

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