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The health secretary has said the government hopes to implement measures “across the UK” to allow people to see some family members from different households over Christmas “but still keep the virus under control.”
Matt Hancock, who described Christmas as “the most important holiday for the people in this country,” said the government was in talks with leaders in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to agree on a united front that would allow holiday cross-border travel within from United Kingdom.
Welsh Prime Minister Mark Drakeford said he had held talks with Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove and the other prime ministers of delegated administrations on Wednesday about a UK-wide approach to Christmas restrictions, with another meeting scheduled for next week.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today program. “We agreed on some general parameters on Wednesday and referred officials from all four administrations to work on the details now, so I am hopeful that a four-nation approach will be possible. for Christmas”.
Drakeford said that an agreement on allowing travel through the UK during the Christmas season was “first on the list of things to agree on”, even if a broader agreement was not possible.
“It is very important to the people of Wales, so many families here will have families in England and elsewhere and look forward to visits from relatives who live outside of Wales. In travel, I am more hopeful than in other aspects of our discussion, ”he said.
Speaking to Times Radio, Hancock said, “I think it’s important that we have an agreed set of rules over Christmas. It is the most important festival for the people of this country. What we are trying to do over Christmas is to make sure we have one set of rules across the UK, so there are also discussions with the delegated authorities to try and agree on a common set of rules over Christmas. I think people would appreciate it. “
He told Sky News: “Of course it won’t be like a normal Christmas, there will have to be rules in place, but we hope they allow a little more of that normal Christmas that people really expect. “
He added that he hoped the rules would allow people to see “some of their loved ones, but still keep the virus under control.”
