he is very sorry for his insensitive comments, he has apologised to everyone involved and said he will cooperate fully with the investigation. the labour chair of the home affairs committee said it was also important these allegations were investigated and it was correct to withdraw the whip while that was taking place. to withdraw the whip while that was taking place- taking place. thanks for that, ian. iain watson taking place. thanks for that, ian. iain watson there. remaining covid laws in wales including face coverings and self isolation could be scrapped by the end of march. the welsh government also says covid pass rules will be axed from february 18th. our wales correspondent hywel griffith has the full details. the welsh government is sticking to its ultra cautious approach in terms of relaxing restrictions, certainly not in any rush regardless of what happens in other parts of the uk. so the covid pass scheme will stay in place for one more week which means people go
been tested for covid or what any such tests have indicated. all the palace will say is that the situation is being monitored. nicholas witchell, bbc news. the first minister of wales, mark drakeford, has also tested postive. it comes a day before he was due to announce the latest review of covid legislation. wales is to scrap its covid pass scheme in just over a week s time, but masks will be mandatory in shops until the end of march. there are currently no plans to change self isolation rules. new figures show a record number of patients were facing long waiting times for hospital beds last month. nhs england says 122,000 people, a third of those visiting a&e who were unwell enough to need a hospital stay, waited over four hours injanuary. it s the latest sign of the strain on the health service this winter. last month bbc news revealed
axed from february 18th. our wales correspondent hywel griffith is in cardiff. whatmore has been said? the welsh government whatmore has been said? the welsh government is whatmore has been said? the welsh government is sticking government is sticking to its ultra cautious approach in terms of relaxing restrictions, certainly not in any rush, regardless of what happens in other parts of the uk. the covid pass scheme will stay in place for another week which means people going to tomorrow s big rugby international between wales and scotland will still need to show their covid pass. at the end of february, the facemask rules will relax but it won t be until the end of much that you no longer need a face covering to go into a shop or on public transport. in terms of self isolation, regardless of what borisjohnson may or may not do in england, the welsh government says that, for now, is a rule that needs to remain in place and so somebody who tests positive in wales will keep on havi
covid pass scheme might give people more confidence about going to big, busy places over the next few weeks. after months with almost no income, many were relying on a bumper christmas, and say more government help could be needed. brute christmas, and say more government help could be needed. help could be needed. we have got the vat relief help could be needed. we have got the vat relief extended help could be needed. we have got the vat relief extended until- help could be needed. we have got the vat relief extended until aprill the vat relief extended until april 2022, where it is at 12.5%, at which point it goes back up to 20%. we would ask that that is extended. checking covid pass is now the norm for many venues, hoping it is enough to keep people coming in. andrew plant, bbc news. the cost of living has risen at its fastest rate for ten years with inflation at 5.1% last month. the office for national statistics says a surge in transport and energy costs drove the increase.
concerns here, though, that some will find the new entry rules confusing. i think a lot of people will be unaware that they need to show anything, or perhaps they haven t got the right format in which to show it. what about people who do not have a mobile phone? access the nhs app? what do we do? do we turn them away because they do not have access to that technology? some entertainment venues have recently reported sharp drops in their bookings, blaming people s fears over the omicron variant and not wanting to have their christmas plans disrupted. many, though, are hoping the new covid pass scheme might give people more confidence about going to big, busy places over the next few weeks. after months with almost no income, many were relying on a bumper christmas and say more government help could be needed. we have got the vat relief extended until april 2022, where it is at 12.5%, at which point, it goes back up to 20%. we would ask that that is extended.