03/02/2013 Sunday Politics Wales

I have been talking to the First Minister about the future of

Cardiff airport, the economy and the reorganisation of the health

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 2419 seconds

Hello, and on the Sunday Politics Wales: We'll hear from the First

Minister on the economy and the NHS. And is the Welsh newspaper industry

dying? Joining me throughout today's

programme are Labour's Julie Morgan and the Conservative Angela Burns.

Good morning to you both. Let's start with this news that 25 --

that the Conservative chairman it is asking the Prime Minister to

delay any vote on gay marriage until after the election. Why would

they want to do that? They are so divided within the Conservative

Party. The vast majority of Labour MPs will vote for gay marriage. I

support gay marriage. A lot of progress was made in the last

Labour government. I think we should move ahead. In some papers

this morning, there was a suggestion that some Cabinet

members and whips would vote against gay marriage. We have heard

in a split in your party over Europe, and they are split over

this, aren't they? Communications about this have been so poor. I

support gay marriage, but I do not support any church been forced to

alter the fundamental, religious beliefs. There has been confusion

as to what this act is doing and how far it is going. The state

should never interfere in church. That is only becoming clear now.

Many people may have been opposed because they are not clear about

what it is all about. Now, the First Minister Carwyn

Jones has probably spent more time than he expected to in airports

this year. He's been on trade missions to Turkey and Ireland in

January as well as being involved in discussions for his government

to buy Cardiff Airport. At the same time, his government's decision to

go ahead with big changes the health service are proving

controversial in many parts of the country. Plenty for us to discuss,

then, as we met up earlier this week.

He offered me a seat around the Cabinet table, and I asked him if

the deal would go through. We can't be certain because we are still

going through the accounts. In terms of price, there was a

valuation, agreed by both parties. If that deal does break down, I

Euclid in discussions with the operators of the airport what the

future will be? There are no suggestions it will break down. We

are in the same position, both parties, and we have to good

through the accounts to make sure all is well. There is no reason why

we cannot proceed. You have had the opportunity to use the airport. In

the last week, you went to Dublin from Cardiff. How did you find the

airport? It is fine. A few things need to be changed - the entrance,

and the fact people have to pay to be dropped off, issues such as

having staff in the catering facilities, these are things not

difficult to resolve. But the important thing is people have a

very good impression of Wales when they arrive at the airport. We can

follow the airport to the theme. Over the course of the year, they

are trade missions in place. You are off to Dubai, San Francisco,

Barcelona. The Conservatives have described these trade missions as

vanity projects. They never described the Prime Minister's

trade missions as vanity projects! Some of them are headed by

ministers, some take businesses with them, some of the March trade

missions that only have businesses going. If you do not cut out there

and soya softer the world, the world will not come to you.

Scotland and Northern Ireland are there all the time. -- if you do

not get out there and sell yourself to the world's. We went India, came

back, and so tartare made the commitment to invest �500 million

in the steel industry in Wales. you think talking to them face-to-

face made a difference? It in India, we were hosting events where we

expected 60 people and two large and 50 turned up. -- 250. It is a

bit like being a market trader and going into the market, not having a

sign, not advertising, and expecting people to come to you. We

have to target where we go very effectively. Whenever I go

somewhere, I want there to be something tangible so people can

see results. As far as California is concerned, there will be an

announcement made there. You talk about selling the message abroad.

You have a difficult message to sell about health reorganisation.

Do you think you're government's decision to reorganise the health

service could cost two seeds? would collapse otherwise. In

England, there are no plans, and it is collapsing all over the place.

But we know that argument. I am wondering about the political side

of it. People want to seek a safe and sustainable health service. The

worst thing is that nothing happens and services to disappear at random.

People would say, you knew this would happen, or why did you not do

anything? People will see that what we're trying to do is make a save,

sustainable health service. The local health boards have submitted

plans, there is a stage where those plans will be submitted to

ministers, and the Government looks at the plans in detail. But there

has to be changed in the health service. I am not going to say,

let's do nothing at all. I will not do that. In North Wales, the most

controversial plan, perhaps, is a plan to move out intensive care for

babies. What you think that says about devolution? 14 years after

the assembly was established, the situation is arising where services

are being sent to England because, potentially, they are not able to

be delivered in England. I will not comment on any individual case. It

would not be right for me to comment now wants something I want

to look at further on down the line. Generally, there are services in

England that will be available to people and Wales. Bristol, for

example, takes services for children and provides phone for

South Wales. The NHS is important in Wales, but we are not going to

create a self-contained NHS in Wales. It is about ensuring we have

a safe and sustainable NHS with services available.

Robust defence of the Government's decision to reorganise. He said the

health service would collapse. thought to was a masterclass in how

to avoid responsibility! That this is what the Labour government have

done all along. The Government will not discuss any of it, I felt it

was interesting he said that he might look at it. We have this

endless hiding behind blame. At what point or we treat the

population of Wales like the mature individuals they are? Everybody

recognises the NHS has to change. Nobody disputes that, but where we

have not had a proper debate is about what are deemed essential

services. At the moment, we have health boards saying, we cannot get

these kinds of people, so you can only have this and that. That is

not acceptable. We need to talk about what we need locally. And

please, remember, an awful lot of us living very rural communities

where getting to any hospital is a trek. If one hospital is devoid of

services, it made sure live very difficult indeed. Are you part of

this conspiracy?! My constituency is in Cardiff, so my constituents

are concerned about the brief figuration, But we are affected

less. The message is clear - there have been independent reports.

There has to be changed, and we want save, sustainable services.

Any person we spoke to in Wales would want the best for their

family and for themselves, and it wanted to be safe and have the

highest quality. There are such huge challenges facing us -

technology, the ageing population - so people need to get access.

Hospitals will specialise. That seems to me to make sense. They can

specialise in a network of hospitals. I do understand how

people feel. It is difficult to grasp that maybe your hospital may

not give up the service that has given in the past, but as

politicians, we have to discuss that and give the message. And the

Welsh Government will be the final port of call. The First Minister

does not think Labour will lose out in the polls. Some Assembly Members

could potentially lose out. Is he right? This is a difficult subject

to tackle. It is brave and right we are doing it. What we have to do is

go out, explain, understand and try to take on board people's fears and

explain what we can do. It is up to us to make sure we do not lose our

seats. The economy - trade missions abroad, at your party leader has

been very critical of the First Minister as vanity projects. We saw

the interview. Is he a salesman? I don't think so! When you go abroad,

you need to do a number of things. If you want to win business, you

have to go out with a really positive story, talk about your

training and education, which is not in the healthiest of places in

Wales. You need to go out with packages to entice people, you need

the whole gamut. You need to have persuasive personality. I have not

seen the results, have you? I would like to comment! To use it at home

and hope something will come, or her will do you go out there with

the rest of the country's? -- do you sit at home and hope something

will come, or do you go at there with the rest of the country? To

call it a vanity project, I mean, these missions are so hard - long

hours, long flights, you would not want to go unless you really wanted

to sell something and improve things for Wales. It is an issue of

whether you sit on the sidelines or would you go with the traders and

try and bring something back. That is a very important part of his job.

Are we seeing the "death throes" of the press industry in Wales? The

media expert from Cardiff University, Dr John Jewell, thought

so when Trinity Mirror announced more job cuts this week across

their Welsh titles, including 16 at the Western Mail South Wales Echo.

Newspapers are going through tough times. The Labour Assembly Member

says papers must change. They need to have a new unique selling point.

I believe that is based on a more local news, more exclusive regional

and local features, and on better quality journalism, not fewer

journalists, not taking copy from news agencies. Reports suggest the

Western Mail is preparing to give away thousands of copies for three

in Swansea as a way to tackle the Evening Post dominance. At some

editors say the changes in the industry are providing

opportunities. What is happening is that people are less reliant on

newspapers to communicate their messages. You can almost bypass the

journalists now to get your message directly to your consumers. That is

where social media is playing a huge role - she can speak directly

to consumers. The social importance of the newspaper industry is

clashing with the economics of changing demand and technology. You

lead a debate in the assembly. This news probably only exacerbates

those concerns. It is very worrying. This industry employers an awful

lot of people. But above all, we want that industry to reflect, or

whether it is BBC or ITV, to reflect things of interest for the

people and Wales. I do understand how a bunch a feature writers in

Liverpool can write articles of interest to people in Wales. I was

talking to an editor of a local newspaper about how they can grow.

You have people wanting then use now and not tomorrow. The other big

problem with having a very weak media in Wales is how all politics

grew? How well the assembly develop as a political institution? They

can watch this programme! The companies would say they are able

to cut a Welsh efforts. -- to cover. You ask some reporters, they are

not entirely clear where Wales Ayres! The. Angela makes about

Assembly Members being -- the point Angela makes. It is so important.

For me, in Cardiff, people say, we saw you in the Echo! People need to

see me in the Echo. It is very worrying, about what is happening

with regional press. It is important that the point of view of

the assembly there we are building a new institution. There is an

issue as well, that newspapers a breeding grounds for journalists.

It is bringing people through as well. Yes, and the other important

thing about the regional press, it does a pretty straight job. It is a

huge loss. I watched a debate in the assembly. We have lost very

good programmes since then. Here we are, with the news about the

Western Mail. Local newspapers are struggling to make ends meet. All I

would say to those barons at there, and to the taxpayer, we need to

have a vibrant press that is honest and true, whether it is based in

Westminster in England, all in Cardiff. Otherwise, how all our

society be able to understand what politics is all about?

Time now for a quick look back at some of the political stories of

the week in 60 seconds. David Cameron's plans to redraw

constituency boundaries and cut the number of MPs were rejected by MPs.

The Liberal Democrats withdrew their support. It now means Wales

will not lose 10 of its 40 seats. Miss Moon called for an ombudsman

to improve military justice. David Jones described the

relationship of the new broadcasters as historic.

The Newport MP was told off for calling a minister and a

preposterous buffoon. John burkas said he could not use the phrase,

but could call be energy minister incompetent.

Let us look ahead this week - there is a debate in the Assembly, where

politicians will be urging local councils to install speed limits.

Yes, where they have been installed, there have been very successful. To

me, commonsense this should be outside all schools. And it is

happening in some local authorities but not all. Yes, but we would like

it to happen every were. Angela, we heard from Paul Flynn and there,

calling the end load -- the energy minister a bathroom! Have you ever

been tempted to call a minister a bathroom? I don't think so. I think

that his disrespectful. What I worry about is more about the

combative nature of dealing with the educational environment, and

also, you look at some ministers and think, you have really missed a