mark drakeford, the was first minister, — coronavirus.ord, the was first minister, with the _ coronavirus. mark drakeford, the was first minister, with the latest - first minister, with the latest situation in that country. the r number has been released for england and remains unchanged. it is not going up. last time i made this announcement it had gone up but it stays between i.2—i.1i. the r number is the rate at which infections can multiply. so the fact that it remains the same means that overall the pattern of the virus and the spread means that it is not growing, which is a sign of good news. so, 1.24.4, the r numberfor england. nicola sturgeon has announced resrictions on travel between scotland and manchester and birmingham due to the high levels of covid in the cities. the first minister made the announcement at a coronavirus briefing in holyrood. we continue to keep travel restrictions under review and i can confirm some changes that come into effect over the weekend. from today current restrictions on travel between scotland an

mark drakeford had never said that monday _ minister?ord had never said that monday the 21st _ minister? mark drakeford had never said that monday the 21st of - minister? mark drakeford had never said that monday the 21st ofjune i said that monday the 21st ofjune would be the end of restrictions in wales, but he had planned to ease some measures. what had been discussed in six people from six different households could mix in homes from monday and there could be an easing on indoor events. but those are injeopardy an easing on indoor events. but those are in jeopardy because of the delta variant, despite the fact in wales covid rates remained the lowest in all four home nations and wales is leading the way in second dose vaccination is out of all the home nations as well. at the welsh government have the concern about the delta variant and will delay some of the measures that had planned to be ease. it looks like any significant changes to the rules here will have to wait until at leastjuly. here will have to wait until at least july-— h

. _ tomorrow, the first minister of wales, mark drakeford, is expected to announce an easing of covidas giving further details about the weeks ahead. let's talk now to our wales correspondent tomos morgan in cardiff. what sort of detail i likely to get? tomorrow is the latest three weekly review by mark drakeford and i think what will be clear, does the first minister said throughout this pandemic, that the 21st ofjune will not be the end of restrictions in wales, as is planned in england. there are still some concerns over at the delta variant here but there will be some easing of mixing restrictions tomorrow. it will be a phased return and move down to alert level. from monday groups of up to 30 can meet outdoors in private gardens or in hospitality settings and also for the first time since the pandemic began crowds of 4000 standing at 10,000 seated and go to outdoor football sports matches and concepts. social distancing will still need to be maintained in both those scenarios. and if things go the right way the 21st ofjune, groups of six can meet indoors, as is already the case i

mark drakeford.personal email addresses, saying he was "absolutely rigorous" in making sure that government business was carried out through the "correct formal channels". lord bethell is under pressure over claims that he used personal emails inappropriately. the good law project today have published e—mails using the noble lord's private e—mail address. and ijust would say i think transparency is the word i'm looking for here. because the spotlight has been turned on the noble lord in recent days, including a formal complaint to the lord commissions about the issuing of patters. and she recommended transparency. because i suppose it is not the original scandal that gets people into the trouble, it is the attempted cover up or actually the chance there might be one. lady brinton asked if his position was �*tenable�*. yesterday, a number ten spokesperson explicitly denied that government ministers have used private e—mail addresses. they said both the former health secretary and lord bethell understa

vaccinations and the lowest covid transmission rate of all the uk nations but the first minister mark drakefordis progressing with certain easings of mixing restrictions, some of those coming into force on monday. so, from monday, the biggest thing i suppose, up to 30 people can meet in private gardens outdoors or in outdoor hospitality settings. and also from monday, stadiums like this one, the cricket stadium in cardiff, will be able to welcome crowds again, up to 10,000 seating, as long as they are socially distanced, or 4000 standing. and also if things keep progressing in the right manner, vaccination rates remain high and transmission rates and hospitalisations remain low, then on zist hospitalisations remain low, then on 21stjune it looks likely that the rule of six will come into force here, six can meet indoors and an easing of restrictions for indoor events as well. however the first minister did say in his press conference earlier and here this morning that he is concerned about the influx of the delta variant from hotspot areas in england. the fact that the delta variant is now spre

so, in this programme for government, mark drakeford is setting out the direction of travel, what itwere diamonds. it happened in an open field in a remote village in the heart of kwazulu—natal province, where there is now a strong police presence due to an influx of people. the bbc�*s nomsa maseko has been there and joined the fortune seekers. hundreds of people armed with pick and shovels have been thinking day and night for what they hope our findings. digging day and night for what they hope our findings. —— diamonds. this discovery has exposed the frustrations from communities desperate to find a way out of poverty. thousands of people have been flocking here since the discovery of what they believe could be diamonds. a smile village here there is not much infrastructure in jobs and they are very scarce. people are hoping this discovery could change their fortunes. about 15, 20 grams now. i would just become rich and take my family for the holidays. i'm planning to buy cars. today has not got anything yet. but i'm hoping for my luck and if these are real diamonds able to help me

the first minister here at mark drakeford has never said that there will be a freedom day, and he hasoups of six could meet indoors in wales and there might be another freezing of restrictions when it comes to indoor organisations in wales. from the 7th ofjune, outdoor events such as crowds of 4000 will go ahead again, so sporting events are being allowed to go ahead again. as i say the difference here between wales and all the other nations is the timetables are moving at different paces. walesjust like northern ireland and scotland have been more cautious than england when it comes to easing restrictions and on friday we may get a heads up on some of the future plans but certainly there will be no doubt in the diary for the end of the restrictions for the foreseeable in wales. the original ho -e in foreseeable in wales. the original hope in scotland _ foreseeable in wales. the original hope in scotland was _ foreseeable in wales. the original hope in scotland was the - foreseeable in wales. the original hope in scotland was the whole i foreseeable in wales. the original hope in scot

to wales now, where the first minister, mark drakeford, has unveiled his "programme for government" afterthe programme promises a living wage for care workers, who'll be paid £9.50 an hour, and jobs and training for young people. the first minister, who doesn't have an overall majority, also offered to work with his political opponents. where there are others in this chamber who have an appetite to work constructively, to pursue and indeed approve the proposals we have put forward, they will find this government keen to engage positively with them. these actions then set out in the programme prioritise kindness and collaboration of the division and competition. the conservatives wanted more detailed plans to grow the economy. were you advised that the first labour government did put targets there so that we as an opposition could scrutinise the progress of that government? i note from this programme for government that targets are missing, and it would be beneficial to understand, especially when it comes to the economy, how much ambition you have for the economy in wales. it is up to thi

to wales now, where the first minister, mark drakeford, has unveiled his "programme for government" afteriving wage for care workers, who'll be paid £9.50 an hour, and jobs and training for young people. the first minister, who doesn't have an overall majority, also offered to work with his political opponents. where there are others in this chamber who have an appetite to work constructively to pursue and indeed improve the proposals we have put forward, they will find this government keen to engage positively with them. these actions, then, set out in the programme, prioritise kindness and collaboration over division and competition. the conservatives wanted more detailed plans to grow the economy. were you adviser to the welsh government and the then first minister, the first labour government did put tva targets there so that we as an opposition could scrutinise the progress of that particular government. i note from this particular programme for government, targets are sorely missing, and it would be beneficial to understand, especially when it comes to the economy, how much ambition

mark drakeford.isjohnson remains under pressure over the government's decision to cut overseas aid, despite the failure of an attempt to force a vote on the issue. theresa may was among conservative mps to criticise the cut which her former cabinet colleague, andrew mitchell said would lead to hundreds of thousands of avoidable deaths. the law currently sets out of the share of national income to be spent on aid — 0.7% but ministers say the pandemic means they can only afford to spend 0.5%. that's still more than £10 billion a year but that's a cut of £4 billion. the speaker, sir lindsay hoyle, said an attempt to force a vote on the issue via a different law was out of order but made clear his unhappiness in response to the leader of the tory rebels. mr speaker, in the week of the british chairmanship of the g7, the government's failure to address this issue will indisputably mean that hundreds of thousands of avoidable deaths will ensue. it is already attracting criticism from all around the other m

mark drakeford., the uk is to get a new nationalflagship. it'll host trade fairs, ministerial summits and diplomacy. it comes with a hefty price tag and there's been a bit of an argument within government over who should pay the bill. in the lords, peers were told that the ministry of defence will have to get its chequebook out. what does the minister make of the proposals to have a new royal yacht, which for whatever benefits it might bring to trade or global britain, would appear to bring very little to defence? why should the mod be funding it? laughter. well, what i would say to the noble lady is this, it is not a new royal yacht, it's a new national flagship. in my book, that, i think that is a very good thing, if i must make my opinion clear. and the noble lady is correct, the mod will be responsible for the initial cost of taking the flagship through the procurement process, but the source of government funding for the rest of the project is still to be determined. but to the cynics i would sa

the wales first minister mark drakeford has confirmed wales will move to alert level1 from monday allowingo this latest review was the rise of the delta strain of coronavirus in other parts of the uk. from monday of next week, therefore, up to 30 people will be able to meet indoors and that includes indoor hospitality, public spaces and private gardens. outdoor events and organise activities will be able to take place with a maximum number of 4,000 people in a standing venue and 10,000 people when they are seated. but i must make this very clear — those are maximum numbers. all organisations arranging such events must carry out a risk assessment of the specific venue to make sure that it is meeting the requirements set out in regulations to take the measures necessary to prevent the spread of the virus. over and above the easements that we can offer from monday for activities outdoors, we will also be able, from monday, to increase and above households who can come together to form an extended household and support bubble up until now, only to households of been able to come together. from

mark drakeford.t has admitted there are problems with the army's new fleet of armoured vehicles, including excessive vibration and noise. a leaked government report has also raised doubts as to whether the £5.5 billion ajax armoured vehicle programme will be delivered on time and on budget. called to the commons to answer an urgent question, a defence minister said the vehicles received so far were intended for training. and as with all such phases, issues have emerged with the vehicle that we need to resolve. we were very concerned by reports of noise issues in the vehicle. all personnel who may have been exposed to excessive noise have been tested and training was paused. it now continues with mitigations in place, as we pursue resolution. we've also commissioned independent vibration trials from world—class specialists at millbrook proving ground which should conclude next month. i can assure the house that we will not accept a vehicle that falls short of our requirements. the ministry of defence

mark drakeford.the lifting of covid restrictions there will be delayed by three weeks to allow more time for people to be vaccinated. nicola sturgeon said increasing case numbers were behind the delay. at the moment, the high number of new covid case being recorded is a significant consideration. to use the race analogy that many have used before, we must not allow the virus to get too far ahead of the vaccines. therefore, as indicated last week, we intend to maintain the current restrictions applicable in each part of scotland for the next three weeks. she hoped the remaining legal restrictions would be removed in early august. will social distancing remain in place under these basic mitigations in hospitality venues? will there be ongoing limits on indoor social gatherings? and finally, will the mitigations after the 9th of august conclude the wearing of masks in offices and in schools? if we go beyond level zero by the 9th of august — we hope, but we must assess the data — that the legal requireme

in wales, the first minister mark drakeford has said everyone over the age of 18 will be able to bookination from next week — the first home nation to achieve that level of cover. and from tomorrow, anyone aged between 25 and 29 in england will be able to book a vaccination. our health editor, hugh pym, has more details. the welsh government says it'll be the first to reach an important milestone — offering all aged 18 and over a first coronavirus vaccine dose, and that's the aim by next monday. the target for the uk as a whole is for all adults to be offered a firstjab by the end ofjuly. by any standards, this is a remarkable achievement and a tribute to the hard work of all those involved in the programme, to all of those doing the complex work of planning behind the scenes, and to the thousands of people vaccinating and helping to run the clinics across our country. it was welcome news for those in cardiff we spoke to today. the fact it's opened up to everyone i thinkjust means we can get to a state of normality quicker. i mean, i think that's a good thing, yeah. i imean, there's..

the first minister for wales, mark drakeford, has set up his government's plans for the next five yearses say the proposals do not go far enough. the first minister says his programme for government is about translating the manifesto promises that one welsh labour at the welsh parliament elections into a statement of the actions that the new government will take to achieve those promises. some of them are measurable commitments, so paying workers in care homes the real living wage, for example, or 20,000 new social homes for rent. others are less easily measured. recovering from covid—19 for example, tackling charm —— climate change, prioritising mental health. the document doesn't spell out the details of how those things will be achieved or what success will look like. the opposition parties say that this document is pretty thin considering the challenges that wales faces over the next five years. you do have to remember that although welsh labour secured an impressive set of results back in the elections in may, they didn't win a majority of seats, so mark dreyfus will have to reach

the first minister of wales, mark drakeford, has confirmed that his government is postponing any furtheralled a "serious public health situation". the welsh government hopes to dispense another half a million doses of vaccine during the pause. the husband, 33—year—old helicopter pilot, confessed to murdering carolyn crouch last month at home in a suburb of the capital, athens. here is our correspondent, nick peake. consoling his british mother—in—law in the graveyard yesterday, babis anagnostopoulos had led the family in mourning for his wife, caroline. brutally murdered by burglars, he said. but he had killed her. loving birthday messages on instagram now a lie. just like his account of what happened in the family home last month. caroline was just 20 years old. she'd moved to a greek island as a child, and she was now a young mum herself. translation: he confirmed his culinary evidence _ translation: he confirmed his culinary evidence that _ translation: he confirmed his culinary evidence that he - translation: he confirmed his culinary evidence that he killed i translation: he confirm

first minister mark drakeford says he's taking a cautious approach to opening up. to first dose of vaccinations, the first minister today in his three—weekly review will be easing some mixing restrictions in wales. so, from monday, up to 30 people can meet outside in private gardens or in outdoor hospitality settings. and then as well from monday, for the first time since the pandemic began, crowds of up to 4,000 standing and 10,000 seated can go and watch outdoor events such as sporting events, concerts and can also partake in park runs. however, social distancing, two metres will need to be enforced in both those environments. there are less than 100 cases of the delta variant in wales at the moment. however, the first minister and the welsh government were concerned about the potential influx of cases from hotspots area in the north of england. we've always taken in wales, a careful, cautious step—by—step approach. lifting restrictions when we think it's safe to do so, but not putting at risk everything that we've managed to achieve together over the last four o

first minister mark drakeford will be holding a covid briefing at 12:15 — we'll bring you that live here saying was one of these is they have fought, it looked like a safe seat on paper for the conservatives, 16,000 majority, it has been conservatives since its inception, since 1974, so some conservative activists are worried perhaps are not enough resources were put in, although borisjohnson did visit the constituency. there is that concern, and the defeated conservative candidate did say that the liberal democrats did say everything at this, notjust the liberal democrats did say everything at this, not just the kitchen sink, microwave, the caps, the dining table, everything! planning in another sense, this was another big local issue here, government changes the planning laws. this liberal democrat argued, to just speed laws. this liberal democrat argued, tojust speed up laws. this liberal democrat argued, to just speed up the appropriate development that local people did not want. —— inappropriate element. the isle of wight mp in the last ten minutes has been critical of saying that t

the wales first minister mark drakeford has confirmed wales will move to alert level one from mondaybe able to meet indoors, and that includes indoor hospitality, public spaces and private gardens. 0utdoor events and organised activities will be able to take place with a maximum number of 4000 people in a standing venue, and 10,000 people when they are seated. but i must make this very clear, those are maximum numbers. all organisations arranging such events must carry out a risk assessment of the specific venue to make sure that it is meeting the requirements set out in regulations to take the measures necessary to prevent the spread of the virus. 0ver measures necessary to prevent the spread of the virus. over and above what we have offered in terms of easing restrictions outdoors from monday, we will also be able from monday, we will also be able from monday to increase the number of households who can come together to form an extended household and support bubble. until now only two households have been able to come together, but from monday that number will increase to three. i

we're joined now by the first minister of wales, mark drakeford. monday? from monday, what we will be - ease in effect from monday? f'f7�*fl monday, what we will be able to do is ease the restrictions for gatherings outdoors. whether that is unorganised gatherings of individuals or organised events in sports stadiums, arts venues and so on. we are doing that because those are the safest things we can do. we know it is safer for people to meet outdoors rather than indoors and then provided that things remain as they are today in wales, then in two weeks' time, we will need a further set of restrictions and theirs will be on meeting people indoors. what be on meeting people indoors. what else will change _ be on meeting people indoors. what else will change if _ be on meeting people indoors. what else will change if things stay as they are in two weeks' time, what else will change other than indoors meeting? we else will change other than indoors meetin: ? ~ ., ,., else will change other than indoors meetinr? ., , ., , meeting? we will also liberalise

the first minister of wales mark drakeford.tween scotland and cities in england, manchester and salford have currently high levels of coronavirus, so nonessential travel between scotland and those cities will not be permitted from monday. it is already prohibited between scotland and bolton and blackpool in darwin. the greater lancashire and manchester area —— greater manchester area —— greater manchester and lancashire area, i urge you to rethink the journeys. anyone simply planning a visit, this is disappointing, but rates of covidien 19 in these cities are particularly high at the moment, and these restrictions are intended to minimise the risk of exacerbation there are indeed allowing more virus to come back here to scotland. the third point i want to highlight is about the main talking point for most people over the talk of today i would imagine. the football later this evening. scotland — england game this evening will be a great occasion or at least we hope so, and let me briefly take this opportunity to wish steve clark

the first minister here mark drakeford has never said there will be a freedom day, he has never put ao go ahead again, sporting events have been allowed to go ahead again. the difference here between wales and the other nations is the timetables are moving at different paces. wheels like northern ireland and scotland have been more cautious than england when it comes to easing lockdown restrictions and on friday we may get a heads up on some of the future plans, but there will be no day in the diary for the end of restrictions in the foreseeable in wales. in scotland the original hope and been that the entire scotland could been that the entire scotland could be in level 02 weeks today, due the 28, that is now looking unlikely. in scotland there is in effect a system of regional tears and the northern islands, most of the ends of the west coast of scotland, are already down to level zero, but it is important to say that level zero is not complete normality, there are still rules about how many can gather at any time, you still need to be a facemask on the bus or in the shops, and nigh