Welsh Government criticised for 'scandal' of dropped covid testing targets

The Welsh Government is being heavily criticised by opposition parties for its decision to abandon targets for the numbers of coronavirus tests it aims to carry out.

Plaid Cymru said the move was a 'scandal' while the Welsh Conservatives said they were 'concerned' about the 'disorganisation' behind the move.

First Minister Mark Drakeford apologised yesterday after acknowledging that his government won't be able to fulfil its promise of 5,000 tests a day by the end of the third week of April.

He said that setting a target was a mistake and instead pledged to increase the number of tests with regular updates on the numbers carried out.

Speaking at the Welsh Government's daily press conference today he added that 'I am not going to do that again but we will report every week giving people the actual numbers so people can see the pattern for themselves as we increase the numbers of tests and the numbers of tests that are being used for the right people and the right purpose.'

At the press conference I asked him why the target had been set in the first place. This is his answer:

Plaid Cymru's health spokesperson Rhun ap Iorwerth said the decision was a 'scandal' and part of a 'track record of dropping targets that it fails to achieve.'

That was echoed by the Welsh Conservatives' health spokesperson Angela Burns.