Vaughan Gething, Wales’ health minister during Covid, says missing WhatsApps from the period are “embarrassing”.

He said the messaging app “essentially became a substitute for conversations you had in the corridor” and that he was in several group chats with other ministers.

When being quizzed about missing WhatsApp messages from during the pandemic period, he explained that he handed in his Senedd mobile phone in 2022 for maintenance, which was when the messages were wiped.

“I certainly do regret that all these messages are not available to you,” he said, adding it was “a point of embarrassment”.