WIREDGOV

Wales will not tolerate assaults on emergency workers – this is the message from Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services, Vaughan Gething, ahead of a Senedd debate on new UK legislation to better protect emergency workers

The Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Bill was introduced in UK Parliament to provide additional protection to emergency workers. In its current draft it will apply to both England and Wales. 

The Bill will strengthen the current law by deeming assaults on emergency workers while carrying out their duty an aggravated assault, with the maximum penalty for this offence increasing from six months to 12. 

Speaking ahead of the Senedd debate the Cabinet Secretary said:

“It is shocking to hear continued reports of emergency workers being attacked both physically and verbally while simply doing their jobs, trying to keep us all safe and well. This Bill is part of dealing with this.   

“We want emergency service workers in Wales to have the same protection as those in England and on the same timescales. We are happy to support Chris Bryant MP’s Bill and confirm  that Wales will not tolerate assaults on our emergency workers.”

The Bill will also extend police powers to take blood samples with consent, and non-intimate samples without consent, from individuals who assault emergency workers where Inspectors have sufficient grounds to believe an emergency worker has been exposed to risk of an infectious disease. 

Assembly Members will need to agree for a Legislative Consent Memorandum to be laid in the Senedd.