UK Government has shifted to Wales’ position on working from home says Health Minister

The Welsh Health Minister Vaughan Gething has said that the UK Government has now shifted closer to Wales’ position on working from home during the pandemic.

Vaughan Gething was responding to news that Cabinet minister Michael Gove had called for people to work at home if they can.

“The Welsh Government has continued to advise people to work from home if you can,” Vaughan Gething said.

He added that it was “a welcome shift from the UK Government that matches our position”.

Michael Gove took to Sky News this morning to say that “If you can work from home, you should do so”.

Calling it a “shift in emphasis” he also said that plans to get 80% of Whitehall staff back by the end of the month had been abandoned.

‘Roles’

Michael Gove’s comments came ahead of an address from Boris Johnson this evening, which will set out tough new restrictions in England in a bid to stop the spread of the virus.

“If it is possible for people to work from home then we would encourage them to do so,” Michael Gove told Sky News.

“It’s important to stress that there are many, many, many roles that can’t be performed from home… there are people in manufacturing, construction, retail and other roles… we recognise it is simply impossible.

“That’s why we have worked to ensure you can have Covid-secure workplaces.

“We need to balance the need for people to work and continue to go to school against taking steps to try and reduce the virus.

“If we can encourage people to work from home, we will, but if people need to be in the office, we will work to make it as safe as possible.”