The Welsh response to Covid-19 shows the benefits of devolution

Since the creation of the National Assembly for Wales in 1999, no Welsh government has faced a challenge like Covid-19. What’s more, no other issue has established the realities of

devolution more clearly in the public mind, either in Wales or the UK as a whole. On Monday, Mark Drakeford, the First Minister, announced a 17-day “firebreak”, starting this Friday. It

hardly came as a shock. The Welsh Government has been consulting on this in recent days and clear indications were given to the public that a “firebreak” lockdown was imminent. Organisations

as disparate as the CBI and the teaching unions have welcomed the government’s level of engagement.

This is in sharp contrast to the stand-off between the Johnson government and local politicians elsewhere in England, particularly in the North-West.

The strictures are similar to the full lockdown that occurred back in March. People are to stay at home and work from there if possible. We are not allowed to meet people from other

households either indoors or out, and all non-essential shops will be shut.

He also made it clear that the lockdown period would be used “purposefully” to recruit more contact-tracers and to press ahead with current contact tracing work. Over the weekend, the Welsh

Government revealed that Welsh contact tracers had reached 85 per cent of all cases and 89 per cent of contacts of cases. The Welsh system is run jointly by local authorities, local health

boards and Public Health Wales. It’s a complete contrast to the centralised English system, which has combined public health resources and outsourced — hugely expensive — private sector

operations. The biggest problem the Welsh system has suffered is the delay in processing tests through the UK Government’s Lighthouse Labs.

Devolution is making a real difference. BBC Wales figures showed that more people in Wales (525,000) tuned in to the broadcast from the First Minister (525,000) than watched the appearance

by the Prime Minister (482,000).

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