Paul Davies MS – the Leader of the Opposition in the Welsh Parliament – questioned the First Minister over the latest of several data breaches and mismanagement under the Welsh Labour-led Government.

His line of questioning came during First Minister’s Questions a day after the admission by Public Health Wales that it had posted on a public server the personal details of more than 18,000 people who tested positive for Covid-19. In almost 2,000 cases, the name of the care home or residential setting where the person lives was also published.

Speaking later, Mr Davies said: “By the First Minister’s own admission, he was made aware of the breach only yesterday despite suggestions that this took place weeks ago, and described as ‘… luck, rather than anything else…’ that so far the leaked data does not appear to have been misused.

“We don’t know when the Health Minister was told about the breach, but it is beyond inconceivable that he was not informed until yesterday, and so these questions must be asked:

• When did the Health Minister learn of the breach?
• How quickly did he tell the First Minister?

“The litany of data breaches and mismanagement under the First Minister’s watch is growing, and the reassurance we in Wales need is not forthcoming.

“It’s extremely disappointing that the First Minister did not take the opportunity to apologise for this very serious breach. This is the very least he should do to the people recently affected.”