Coronavirus: England schools plan falling apart, says Welsh FM
- Published
While England has a possible date for a return for some classes, one has not been given in Wales
The plan to begin reopening schools from 1 June in England is "falling apart", the Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford has claimed.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said some primary schools could reopen to some year groups from that date.
But his UK government is under pressure from councils and unions over safety and timing.
Mr Drakeford used the issue to defend the lack of a timetable in his own lockdown exit plans.
On Wednesday, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said No 10 was taking all concerns "very seriously".
The Welsh Government last week set out a plan for how Wales could exit lockdown, through a system of phases where restrictions could be gradually lifted.
No date has been given for the reopening of schools in Wales, or any other part of lockdown.
In a virtual session of the Welsh Parliament on Wednesday, Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Paul Davies criticised Mr Drakeford for not setting out "timescales" in that roadmap.
Mr Drakeford said his ministers thought that would have been "more of a distraction than a concentration on the matters that really deserve our attention".
Wales was doing the same as "many other countries across the globe", including New Zealand and Northern Ireland, he said.
"Timescales are no guarantee are they, as Mr Davies will well know.
"Look how the first of June timetable for opening schools in England is falling apart in the hands of the government of England, how Downing Street last night had to say that the first of June was an aspiration, not a deadline, not a timescale after all.
"I'm not sure that timescales are an answer to everything."
Most children in the UK have not been going to school for eight weeks
Earlier Education Minister Kirsty Williams said she would not set an "arbitrary date" for when children could return to school in Wales.
"I have been as clear as I can be that at this stage we need more evidence about the progression of the pandemic and the disease," she told the daily Welsh Government press conference.
"We need more confidence around some of that evidence and to build confidence amongst key stakeholders."
Ms Williams said the government would also need to see the development of the test, trace and protect regime before enabling children to return to the classroom.
At the virtual Senedd Mr Drakeford said the Welsh Government budget has increased by more than 10% for the current financial year, 2020-21.
He said £2.4bn will be allocated "in support of our COVID-19 efforts" in a supplementary budget to be published next week.
- Published7 May 2020
