Covid pass plans agreed in knife-edge Senedd vote

Mandatory Covid passes in nightclubs and large events will be introduced in Wales as planned on 11 October after Welsh ministers won a knife-edge Senedd vote.

The measures were agreed with 28 politicians voting for and 27 voting against.

It came despite politicians in the opposition uniting against the plans.

The public will be expected to show evidence of being fully vaccinated or having a recent negative Covid test.

Conservative Vale of Clwyd Member of the Senedd (MS) Gareth Davies did not take part in the vote, with the Tories citing "technical difficulties" for what happened.

Nightclub industry representatives said it was a "shambles".

If all opposition MSs had taken part the government would have lost in a tie, with the Tories, Lib Dems and Plaid opposed to the scheme.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan told MSs not supporting the law "will be an act of gross irresponsibility", but Plaid Cymru had said it was open to exploitation.

Protesters had gathered outside the Senedd's buildings on Tuesday evening, chanting "shame on you", following the result.

Ahead of the vote, Conservative MS Darren Millar could be heard telling Presiding Officer Elin Jones: "I'm sorry we still have a member who is desperately trying to get into Zoom."

Ms Jones replied that she would still hold the vote: "We have made every opportunity possible for that named member to get in, including sharing my personal phone."

Conservative Senedd leader Andrew RT Davies, who is ill, was also not present but Labour had agreed for one of their MSs not to vote in return.

The Senedd is sitting in a hybrid format - with some MSs attending in person in the 60-person chamber and some joining via Zoom.

The Welsh Conservatives said: "A number of members across political groups experienced technical difficulties with the voting system this evening, which demonstrates why the hybrid Parliament in Wales must come to an end.

"We reaffirm our view that such significant votes should be held in person on the floor of the Senedd and Welsh Conservatives remain steadfastly opposed to the introduction of Covid passports."

However Plaid Cymru's Rhun ap Iorwerth in a tweet defended the hybrid system: "Unless there's very good reason and/or with advance approval... I think you should be able to vote only from your offices at home/Senedd/constituency."

"Not e.g. party conference," he added.

Night Time Industries Association Wales, which represents 100 venues in Wales and is opposed to the plans, called for an "urgent revote".

It said it was a "democratic outrage that one MS who wanted to vote, and who would've voted against the proposals, could not, due to a mere technical error. This shambles will cause even more uncertainty for our businesses."

Presiding Officer, Elin Jones, later said in a statement: "I gave every opportunity for the member to be present - including providing ICT support - but the member was unable to be contacted.

"For members to vote in the Senedd, they must be present, either in the chamber or on Zoom.

"It is a member's responsibility to give themselves sufficient time to secure their Zoom connection in time for voting, just as it is for any member travelling to the Senedd to vote."

Hundreds gathered on the Senedd steps on Tuesday to protest against the measures.

Following the decision protests moved to the front of Senedd office building Tŷ Hywel, and near the complex's car park exit, with security personnel and two armed police officers deployed on the other side of the barrier.

Tory MS Sam Kurtz said he was "stuck in my Tŷ Hywel office as protestors shout 'shame on you' and block us from leaving. To be fair, I'm as frustrated as them".

Plaid revealed in a Senedd debate on Tuesday afternoon that it would vote against the government.

Rhun ap Iorwerth said the regulations proposed by the Welsh government had raised "more questions than they provide answers".

"There is insufficient evidence and little detail on how it will work in practice. In particular, the rapid test loophole, which represents a fudge on the part of the government, makes the system open to exploitation.

"We've asked many questions and haven't been given the assurances we've sought. And it's for that reason that we feel unable to support these regulations today."

Plaid called for ministers to withdraw the vote and said it would "contribute to discussions on how something more robust could be brought forward, better evidenced, and with clarity on implication".

Welsh Lib Dem Jane Dodds said: "Today's vote sets a dangerous precedent for bad law-making here in Wales and an unnecessary government overreach into our civil liberties without any evidence they will make us all safer."

During the debate on Tuesday Eluned Morgan said the Welsh government had not taken the decision to introduce such measures "lightly".

"We are taking these measures to support venues to stay open and enable events to continue taking place through a potentially very difficult and challenging autumn and winter," she said.

The Welsh government is using a web-based system, rather than an app.

Ms Morgan said she was currently aware that the Covid pass shows it is valid in England.

"This is unfortunate and reflects the fact that we share the infrastructure with the UK government."

She said the wording will change before it becomes mandatory, and promised an app which will include a pass would be available "early in 2022".

Welsh Conservative health spokesman Russell George said the implementation of Covid passes had been a "complete disaster" in Scotland.

He said the use of them at the Labour Party conference in Brighton had also been "plagued with problems".

He warned bringing in Covid passes in Wales risked turning the nation into a "two-tiered society" and "undermines freedom of choice".

Mr George told the Senedd the Welsh government's own technical advisory cell had warned such a policy could "backfire".

But the Welsh government hopes the passes will help prevent super-spreader events.

Deputy chief medical officer Chris Jones said officials are "keen to try to minimise the risk of these events while enabling them to continue so life can return to normal with some degree of protection".

Anyone who is over 16 and has been fully vaccinated in Wales or England, or has had a negative lateral flow test result within the past 48 hours, can get a pass.

Under the Welsh government plan they would be compulsory for anyone over 18 to enter:

Users who want to show a negative test will have to self-certify their result - leading to concerns they could be faked.

To prevent this, the Welsh government plans to make it illegal to fake a negative test.

Large events could also be allowed to check passes at random, rather than check every person who attends.