Continuity plan for Welsh Government explained – Prime Minister Johnson remains hospitalised with coronavirus

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This article is old - Published: Monday, Apr 6th, 2020

The Minister for Housing and Local Government Julie James AM would take over the ‘responsibilities’ of the First Minister if Mark Drakeford were to fall ill.

Last night Prime Minister Boris Johnson was ‘admitted to hospital for tests‘, and today remains in hospital.

This afternoon his personal twitter account has published: “I’m in good spirits and keeping in touch with my team, as we work together to fight this virus and keep everyone safe.”

Due to events last night we asked the First Minister: “A week ago Downing Street stated Dominic Raab would take up Prime Ministerial responsibilities if Boris Johnson was incapacitated. Can you give clear information about the leadership structure of Welsh Government in a similar scenario?”

The First Minister replied: “The answer is that we have arrangements in place for all Welsh Ministers.

“If anybody falls ill, there’s a nominated person to step in for them.

“If Vaughan Gething was unable to be acting as Health Secretary for a few days, I am the nominated person to step in there. If I were to be ill, then Julie James will chair the Cabinet and would take over those responsibilities.

“I wrote to the Prime Minister on Thursday of the week before last as soon as he fell in wishing him a speedy recovery, and want to repeat that today. I hope that the stay in hospital will be as short as necessary and that he will soon be on the road to recovery.”

The First Minister was asked a followup on if he agreed with the view of some that the Prime Minister should step back from leading the government.

Mr Drakeford added: “I’m sure the Prime Minister will be following medical advice. If the advice he has from his doctors is that he needs to change his working pattern in order to get better, I’m sure he will do that.

“So far, he has been working as we know he has, over the last 10 days he will have been doing that with the advice of his clinician, so I’m sure that he will follow the best advice he has.”

Today we also asked about a new data release and the validity of what it shows – more on that here.

We also asked “Will Welsh Government release anonymised data of those who have been hospitalised and since recovered from COVID-19, and where possible the previous seriousness of their condition?“ however it did not get put forward to the podium.

You can view today’s brief & question and answer session in full on the video below: