Browse content similar to 01/11/2011. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!
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Welcome to the programme. We will see how refreshed our politicians | :00:25. | :00:30. | |
are after a week away from Cardiff Bay in a moment. We will take our | :00:30. | :00:38. | |
usual look at Prime Minister -- a First Minister's questions. Feel | :00:38. | :00:43. | |
free to get in touch with us while we are on air. You can do that by a | :00:43. | :00:53. | |
:00:53. | :00:54. | ||
Business in the Chamber is already underway it so we will take away at | :00:54. | :01:02. | |
today's questions to the First Minister. | :01:02. | :01:05. | |
Will the First Minister make a statement on training doctors in | :01:05. | :01:14. | |
the NHS? Medical education Wales ensures that doctors are | :01:14. | :01:21. | |
appropriately trained to deliver services in the future. Wales has a | :01:21. | :01:28. | |
1.5 medical colleges in Cardiff and Swansea. There is quite a difficult | :01:28. | :01:36. | |
recruitment problem in parts of Wales. North Wales Health Board has | :01:36. | :01:41. | |
the intention of creating a Medical College in north Wales with links | :01:42. | :01:45. | |
with the University of Bangor. The education minister and former | :01:46. | :01:49. | |
health minister has declared support for that intention in the | :01:49. | :01:55. | |
past. Is that still part of the current government's policy? | :01:55. | :02:01. | |
Meetings have been held to discuss the proposals on the table in terms | :02:01. | :02:06. | |
of Bangor. There was a meeting in September on this and there will be | :02:06. | :02:13. | |
another meeting at the start of next month. You will know the | :02:13. | :02:18. | |
report from the British Medical Association that there are some 400 | :02:18. | :02:23. | |
vacant doctor posts in Wales. That is of great concern. I also note | :02:23. | :02:29. | |
that there is an increase in waiting times for patients. We are | :02:29. | :02:32. | |
going to launch a recruitment campaign for doctors in Wales. It | :02:32. | :02:37. | |
is clear through meeting -- speaking to members of the Medical | :02:37. | :02:40. | |
profession that preconceptions need to be addressed. We want to ensure | :02:40. | :02:43. | |
that Wales is seen as the right place to come for doctors to | :02:43. | :02:48. | |
develop their careers. More details regarding that campaign will be | :02:48. | :02:57. | |
made known in the very near future. The Royal Glamorgan Hospital in my | :02:57. | :03:00. | |
constituency has experienced many of these recruitment difficulties | :03:00. | :03:05. | |
and have attempted to adopt a global approach to recruit doctors. | :03:05. | :03:10. | |
They are also changing the mixed economy mode of middle-ranking | :03:10. | :03:14. | |
doctors and more skilled nurse practitioners. Could you issue a | :03:14. | :03:20. | |
statement as to how the Welsh Government will ensure that Welsh | :03:20. | :03:22. | |
accident and emergency departments will be supported in recruitment | :03:22. | :03:28. | |
training? You make an important point. It is not just about doctors, | :03:29. | :03:38. | |
:03:39. | :03:39. | ||
it is about the wider workforce. It is important that A&E services are | :03:39. | :03:48. | |
configured properly. But it is also important that those services will | :03:48. | :03:55. | |
only be attended during emergency services rather than the out-of- | :03:55. | :04:04. | |
hours services of local GP offices. Will be First Minister have a | :04:04. | :04:08. | |
discussion with the Wales Deanery about his proposal to close in | :04:08. | :04:12. | |
March next year be generic curriculum training programme for | :04:12. | :04:16. | |
doctors' training and Wales? This training includes of Medical Ethics, | :04:16. | :04:22. | |
communication, which is essential for all doctors, and the law. | :04:22. | :04:26. | |
Doctors' training in Wales we lose the expertise they will gain from | :04:26. | :04:33. | |
that course. We are currently looking and reviewing all of the | :04:33. | :04:36. | |
course's the deanery of funds from our budget allocation. We are | :04:36. | :04:45. | |
looking at other options. Will be First Minister outlined the Welsh | :04:45. | :04:50. | |
Government's plans for regenerating towns in North Wales? The work on | :04:50. | :04:54. | |
regenerating towns on -- in North Wales is undertaken by the Welsh | :04:54. | :04:58. | |
Government through the strategically focused multi-million | :04:58. | :05:06. | |
pound North Wales Regeneration Area Programme. Thank you. You will be | :05:06. | :05:13. | |
aware that there are a number of experience -- examples were | :05:13. | :05:17. | |
indigenous families have suffered and had to close as a result of the | :05:17. | :05:20. | |
development of supermarkets on the outskirts of the towns. There are a | :05:20. | :05:25. | |
number of other towns facing possible planning applications in | :05:25. | :05:28. | |
the near future. Could I ask whether the Welsh Government will | :05:28. | :05:33. | |
be willing to consider introducing ways of safeguarding the interests | :05:33. | :05:38. | |
of those businesses in town centres in the face of out-of-town | :05:38. | :05:44. | |
developments and bringing forward the Planning Bill? Of course we | :05:44. | :05:51. | |
will be carrying out an assessment on the impact of any large | :05:51. | :05:54. | |
supermarket out soured the town at all in the centre of the town | :05:54. | :05:59. | |
itself. I would wait for any local -- expect any local authority to | :05:59. | :06:04. | |
look at that first before allowing supermarkets to be built on the | :06:04. | :06:11. | |
outskirts of town. The concept of a knowledge corridor along the A 55 | :06:11. | :06:14. | |
is something that politicians in the private and public sectors have | :06:14. | :06:19. | |
long been working to achieve. What methods are the Welsh Government | :06:19. | :06:23. | |
making to realise this and to boost value-added industries in North | :06:23. | :06:30. | |
Wales? There will be two enterprise zones in the north that will | :06:30. | :06:36. | |
concentrate on energy related industries. We remained open to | :06:36. | :06:40. | |
other proposals for enterprise zones as well. There are other | :06:40. | :06:45. | |
projects being developed with institutions such as universities, | :06:45. | :06:54. | |
and of course we are supporting a college to deliver a training | :06:54. | :07:02. | |
centre. Latest research from the Forum of Private businesses, | :07:02. | :07:05. | |
members will know that more needs to be done to help small firms to | :07:05. | :07:11. | |
tackle high business costs. How do you respond to the report they came | :07:11. | :07:14. | |
out last tee -- last week which says that new shops on our high | :07:14. | :07:18. | |
streets should receive the same business rates treatments as | :07:18. | :07:22. | |
charity shops? We know there is a cost to any change in the business | :07:22. | :07:27. | |
rate regime. It is absolutely crucial that when the retail | :07:27. | :07:33. | |
businesses begin, they are viable. That is the test of ensuring that | :07:33. | :07:39. | |
that business has a future. We already have a scheme for small | :07:39. | :07:42. | |
businesses. We are committed to continuing that until September | :07:42. | :07:52. | |
:07:52. | :07:53. | ||
next year. A review is taking place with regards to that. May I endorse | :07:53. | :07:56. | |
the statement that there are a number of towns in North Wales at | :07:56. | :08:01. | |
present that are under siege by supermarkets and I believe that you | :08:01. | :08:04. | |
as a government should consider whether it is possible to | :08:04. | :08:08. | |
strengthen the present situation as regards the Planning Bill that will | :08:08. | :08:14. | |
be coming before us next year? Built isn't the appropriate tool | :08:14. | :08:20. | |
here, but planned guidance. I have to say that this is a decision for | :08:20. | :08:25. | |
local authorities and it is up to them to give permission for any | :08:25. | :08:33. | |
supermarket. Now questions from the party leaders. We have agreed | :08:33. | :08:37. | |
across this Tabor about bringing forward capital spending is one way | :08:37. | :08:42. | |
that we can stimulate the economy. -- across this Chamber. Given that | :08:42. | :08:47. | |
we have dire economic news, particularly with GDP figures being | :08:47. | :08:51. | |
published today, it is about time that we had some capital projects | :08:51. | :08:55. | |
on this government. Why is it that in the three areas, health, | :08:55. | :09:01. | |
education and transport, all capital projects are on hold? | :09:01. | :09:06. | |
capital projects are not on hold. There are many health capital | :09:06. | :09:11. | |
projects that are still moving forward. It is also the case that | :09:11. | :09:17. | |
discussions are taking place between the parties as to how the | :09:17. | :09:21. | |
�38.9 million project might be used to stimulate the economy in the | :09:21. | :09:26. | |
future. It is obvious that you have not read the evidence given by your | :09:26. | :09:29. | |
own ministers to each committee in the last few weeks. Let me tell you | :09:29. | :09:34. | |
what the health minister said. He said, decisions on the strategic | :09:34. | :09:39. | |
health care, capital expenditure, are on hold. Her words, while | :09:39. | :09:42. | |
health care service plans are being developed. The Transport Minister | :09:42. | :09:47. | |
told his committee that there will be no transport projects announced | :09:47. | :09:51. | |
because he is we prioritising all the schemes. The Education Minister | :09:51. | :09:55. | |
appeared before his committee and the early announcement he made were | :09:55. | :09:59. | |
the announcements made by the previous government in March 2011. | :09:59. | :10:06. | |
Can you point out to me since your election, name me one capital | :10:06. | :10:13. | |
project that started from you? There are substantial capital | :10:13. | :10:16. | |
projects continuing in the field of health particularly. We have | :10:16. | :10:20. | |
committed to continuing with substantial capital projects even | :10:20. | :10:25. | |
as we see our budgets squeezed by 40 % over the course of the next | :10:25. | :10:30. | |
three years. That much is correct. Suggesting that all cattle products | :10:30. | :10:37. | |
are on hold is simply not true. -- capital projects. The question I | :10:37. | :10:41. | |
asked to was are they new capital projects being brought forward? You | :10:41. | :10:45. | |
have been unable to give me a single example of one capital | :10:45. | :10:50. | |
project that your government has announced since May. Not a single | :10:50. | :10:54. | |
one. I challenge you to tell me whether there has been one. Going | :10:54. | :10:59. | |
to accept that your delay in bringing forward capital projects | :10:59. | :11:03. | |
is undermining your case in discussing this with the UK | :11:03. | :11:06. | |
government? If you are asking them to bring forward capital | :11:06. | :11:10. | |
expenditure, they can save you have not started a single capital | :11:10. | :11:14. | |
project since you have been re- elected? Isn't it time that you got | :11:14. | :11:19. | |
a grip? There are plenty of capital projects we would like to take | :11:20. | :11:24. | |
forward if we have the money. As the leader of Plaid Cymru nose, I | :11:24. | :11:30. | |
will repeat this again, the money I mentioned, the �39 million, can be | :11:30. | :11:35. | |
used for capital projects. We are discussing this on a cross-party | :11:35. | :11:40. | |
basis. There are so scared -- suggestions as to how that money | :11:40. | :11:46. | |
can be used and he will discover that in time. Leader of the | :11:46. | :11:52. | |
opposition. One of the things that the government is able to help | :11:52. | :11:56. | |
economic activity is at the its pure current -- procurement | :11:56. | :12:02. | |
processes. There is nothing in the economic renewal programme to | :12:02. | :12:06. | |
assist economic development and also procurement from the | :12:06. | :12:11. | |
government via the public procurement process. Given their | :12:11. | :12:16. | |
figures and your figures about say that it costs �20 million for many | :12:16. | :12:20. | |
businesses just to get on the starting blocks for the public | :12:20. | :12:22. | |
sector procurement process, don't you think there is much more that | :12:22. | :12:26. | |
can be done by the government to assist companies to be able to be | :12:26. | :12:32. | |
in Labour's to bid for contracts? The �20 million is your figure that | :12:32. | :12:37. | |
it costs businesses to get in the qualification round. I'm not sure | :12:37. | :12:42. | |
where the figure for �20 million per business comes from in terms of | :12:42. | :12:45. | |
getting into pre-qualification contracts. It is right to say that | :12:45. | :12:49. | |
we will continue to help small businesses to be in a position | :12:49. | :12:53. | |
where they can bid for contracts. If you look at the procurement that | :12:53. | :12:56. | |
is taking place of many small businesses, the bid for the larger | :12:56. | :13:02. | |
contracts, given the fact that they were too small to bid for, was | :13:02. | :13:12. | |
:13:12. | :13:16. | ||
particularly true in the food industry. I did not say per | :13:16. | :13:21. | |
businesses -- pro-business, I said businesses. If you look at the | :13:21. | :13:25. | |
Institute of Directors, there is an intense frustration around the | :13:25. | :13:29. | |
aspect of procurement. If you look at the CBI Commons, Wells has a | :13:29. | :13:34. | |
growing reputation as one of the most difficult places in the United | :13:34. | :13:38. | |
Kingdom for public procurement so. Your own document says, with some | :13:38. | :13:42. | |
exceptions, the Welsh public sector does not engage particularly well | :13:42. | :13:46. | |
with the supply base. That is your own government document. The not | :13:46. | :13:51. | |
think that in these times of economic worries, but there is more | :13:51. | :13:55. | |
that the government can be doing to facilitate greater access to public | :13:55. | :14:00. | |
procurement for many small and medium-sized businesses in Wales | :14:00. | :14:06. | |
when you look at the pre-qualifying costs to businesses and the quotes | :14:06. | :14:09. | |
from business representatives across Wales, and indeed your own | :14:09. | :14:12. | |
government's observations on the initiatives that you have brought | :14:12. | :14:16. | |
forward. There are many good examples of how procurement has | :14:16. | :14:21. | |
been improved in terms of the access small and medium-sized | :14:21. | :14:23. | |
enterprises have to those contracts. We continue to work with all parts | :14:23. | :14:28. | |
of the public sector to make sure that that access improves. It is | :14:28. | :14:32. | |
right to say that local authorities have a very good record indeed in | :14:32. | :14:36. | |
terms of procuring locally. It is important that the other local | :14:36. | :14:45. | |
authorities learn from them. Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats. | :14:45. | :14:48. | |
Last week, at the health committee, the Health Minister did state that | :14:48. | :14:53. | |
a whole series of investment projects which were announced just | :14:53. | :14:57. | |
before May's elections were now on stop. There could you tell us which | :14:57. | :15:02. | |
one of those projects are at risk? Non-. The projects that have been | :15:02. | :15:06. | |
announced are being taken for. There are some that will need to be | :15:06. | :15:09. | |
re-examined, but most of the products have that have been | :15:09. | :15:14. | |
announced will be taken forward. would be interested to hear which | :15:14. | :15:19. | |
ones of those projects announced just prior to that election your | :15:19. | :15:24. | |
government now intends to re- examine? Will then health minister, | :15:25. | :15:29. | |
making the announcement of an extra �2 million in capital funding, said | :15:29. | :15:33. | |
but you were maintaining your investment over the next three | :15:33. | :15:37. | |
years despite the impact of the UK government's caps to the Welsh | :15:37. | :15:43. | |
budget. What she misleading the public, all we have guaranteed | :15:43. | :15:46. | |
today that every one of those projects announced just weeks | :15:46. | :15:56. | |
before the Assembly elections will It is not our intention to stop any | :15:56. | :16:00. | |
projects in the health service. As I have said several times, we are | :16:00. | :16:03. | |
committed to continuing with the programme because we know how | :16:03. | :16:08. | |
important that is. Contrast that, for example, with the substantial | :16:08. | :16:13. | |
reduction in funding securing under the Conservatives and Lib Dems | :16:13. | :16:17. | |
across the border. The reality is, First Minister, and I would urge | :16:17. | :16:20. | |
you to read the transcript of the health committee meeting to find | :16:20. | :16:24. | |
out exactly what your Health Minister said, you would also note | :16:24. | :16:27. | |
that a senior official in the health department said, and I quote, | :16:27. | :16:33. | |
I suspect it is very unlikely that the whole plan is to be torn up. | :16:33. | :16:37. | |
Many people will not find that very reassuring. Which part of the plan | :16:37. | :16:46. | |
is not going to be torn up? E Investment in Newport? The | :16:46. | :16:51. | |
Investment announced just before the election in Morriston or the | :16:51. | :16:57. | |
Investment elsewhere announced just before the election? The Labour | :16:57. | :17:00. | |
Party promised that they would get a delivery on those projects. Will | :17:01. | :17:05. | |
you commit here and now that it one of them will go ahead? None of | :17:05. | :17:09. | |
those projects are scheduled to be stopped in any way. We recognise | :17:09. | :17:13. | |
how important it is that week seek capital investment in the health | :17:13. | :17:18. | |
service. We stand by what we said before the election, unlike your | :17:18. | :17:21. | |
party, who before the general election promised all manner of | :17:21. | :17:27. | |
things and then completely caved in. Question 3. For the First Minister | :17:27. | :17:30. | |
make a statement on the encouragement provided by public | :17:30. | :17:35. | |
sector bodies for the expansion of credit union membership in Wales? | :17:35. | :17:39. | |
Public sector organisations in Wales, including the Government, | :17:39. | :17:43. | |
support was credit unions. We know mostly they provide a tremendous | :17:43. | :17:46. | |
service for many individuals and communities who otherwise would | :17:46. | :17:55. | |
have no access to formal credit. Since you last answered questions | :17:55. | :17:58. | |
here, international creditDay has been celebrated in many different | :17:58. | :18:04. | |
parts of Wales and part of that celebration is to draw more people | :18:04. | :18:08. | |
into credit unions, especially at a time when fair and affordable | :18:08. | :18:11. | |
credit is ever more important. Public sector organisations have a | :18:11. | :18:16. | |
leading role to play in extending that opportunity to their workers, | :18:16. | :18:23. | |
and as well as encouraging them to Lough Erne -- offer that the | :18:23. | :18:26. | |
facility, where the also encourage them to do those small but | :18:26. | :18:29. | |
important things they are able to do to advertise, encourage and | :18:29. | :18:33. | |
promote credit union membership amongst their employees? Yes, we | :18:33. | :18:39. | |
know that, for example, trade unions are excellent Net works. We | :18:39. | :18:43. | |
know there are many employers moving forward with increasing | :18:43. | :18:48. | |
credit union membership among their employees. We have looked to | :18:48. | :18:52. | |
support those initiatives. We have worked, for example, with the TUC, | :18:52. | :18:57. | |
to promote credit unions through training events and their networks | :18:57. | :19:05. | |
and reps. First Minister, I would concur with many comments made | :19:05. | :19:09. | |
about the positive aspects of credit unions. I did not know it | :19:09. | :19:14. | |
was national year in rent -- national credit union day. My party, | :19:14. | :19:18. | |
in advance of the elections, said that we wanted to support credit | :19:18. | :19:25. | |
unions through post offices, to get a far greater link fostered between | :19:25. | :19:28. | |
post offices and credit unions, which would be retreat beneficial | :19:28. | :19:37. | |
to both. Casti, -- can I asked you, what your Government is doing not | :19:37. | :19:42. | |
just to promote credit unions but to ensure that in rural communities, | :19:42. | :19:44. | |
particularly post offices are playing a far bigger role in | :19:44. | :19:48. | |
supporting them? We have taken forward a number of initiatives to | :19:48. | :19:54. | |
support credit unions, for example, the Minister for Local Government | :19:54. | :19:59. | |
and communities is promoting credit union membership using pay roll | :19:59. | :20:03. | |
deduction. We have actively supported credit unions to broaden | :20:03. | :20:06. | |
their membership base by helping them to develop a range of services | :20:06. | :20:10. | |
they can offer, such as basic bank accounts and pre-payment debit | :20:10. | :20:17. | |
cards. With the greatest of respect, I do not accept that. The three- | :20:17. | :20:22. | |
year action plan was launched in December 2010, that said the credit | :20:22. | :20:26. | |
unions will achieve some sustainability by the year 2013, | :20:26. | :20:29. | |
but how will these actually be achieved, because as in most | :20:29. | :20:32. | |
policies from this Government, you have not actually spelled it out. | :20:32. | :20:38. | |
It is fine talk but it is all talk and no action. Direct financial | :20:38. | :20:40. | |
support from the Welsh Government and European Regional Development | :20:40. | :20:44. | |
Fund to improve the longer term sustainability and financial | :20:44. | :20:51. | |
viability of credit unions, amounting to a substantial | :20:51. | :20:57. | |
investment and action over the next few years. The Swansea credit union | :20:57. | :21:02. | |
are currently working on developing a sure-fire loan product, or an | :21:02. | :21:07. | |
ethical loan product, which they are hoping to introduce in their | :21:07. | :21:10. | |
area, but to do that they will need direct Government support in terms | :21:10. | :21:14. | |
of actually developing that product and getting it to the state where | :21:14. | :21:19. | |
they can actually introduce it. Can I ask whether you would consider a | :21:19. | :21:23. | |
request from the credit union to provide funding to get his product | :21:23. | :21:28. | |
onto the market? I will consider any such request. I will give it | :21:28. | :21:33. | |
due consideration when it is received. Cardiff credit union is | :21:33. | :21:37. | |
experiencing difficulty recruiting companies and individuals from the | :21:37. | :21:41. | |
private sector, amongst whom there will be some of the very lowest | :21:41. | :21:46. | |
paid in the country. I wondered what the Welsh Government can do to | :21:46. | :21:50. | |
ensure that credit unions are are offered to people who most need | :21:50. | :21:55. | |
them, so they are not falling into the hands of loan sharks. | :21:55. | :21:58. | |
provide business support to budge credit unions through the Social | :21:58. | :22:01. | |
Investment business and a key action for that over the next few | :22:01. | :22:04. | |
years will be to raise the profile of credit unions so more people are | :22:04. | :22:10. | |
made aware there are alternatives, to high-caste lenders and the legal | :22:10. | :22:16. | |
and registered many lenders they sometimes see in their communities. | :22:16. | :22:20. | |
What is the worst Government doing to improve the lives of people in | :22:20. | :22:25. | |
Aberavon? We are acting to make a real difference. As set out in our | :22:25. | :22:31. | |
programme for Government. I should point out there are many facets to | :22:31. | :22:36. | |
this but on this occasion I want to focus on just jobs and the economy. | :22:36. | :22:41. | |
Particularly in light of the reason UK Growth figures of 0.3 %, I am | :22:41. | :22:46. | |
sure you will agree that is important that as well as creating | :22:46. | :22:48. | |
new jobs we support existing businesses to maintain their jobs | :22:48. | :22:54. | |
and therefore, can you tell me whether you will be meeting with | :22:54. | :22:59. | |
the Chancellor and the UK -- the other UK ministers to discuss the | :22:59. | :23:03. | |
carbon tax, as we know it, and do you agree with the CBI that it | :23:03. | :23:08. | |
should be exempt for energy heavy industries such as Tata Steel, so | :23:08. | :23:15. | |
that the advantages are taken away? There is no doubt whatsoever that | :23:15. | :23:19. | |
the high costs are a deterrent to investment. We are finding this | :23:19. | :23:23. | |
time and time again when we are looking for investment | :23:23. | :23:28. | |
opportunities from abroad. Energy is an expensive here. I can say | :23:28. | :23:32. | |
that following an announcement on 23rd March of a unilateral carbon | :23:32. | :23:36. | |
floor price, I wrote to the Secretary of State for Business | :23:36. | :23:41. | |
innovation and stills, that letter was copied, in his response, the | :23:41. | :23:43. | |
business, innovation and skills Secretary stated that the UK | :23:43. | :23:48. | |
Government would consider a package of measures to reduce the impact of | :23:48. | :23:52. | |
energy and climate change policies on these industries that are energy | :23:52. | :23:55. | |
intensive, including the steel industry, and now we wait to see | :23:55. | :24:03. | |
what happens. Good local transport links would help the economy in | :24:03. | :24:07. | |
Aberavon so I wondered, are you able to give us an update on a | :24:07. | :24:16. | |
current project, namely the M4 relief road in Port Talbot? These | :24:16. | :24:22. | |
road is -- of the road is not really describe as that. There are | :24:22. | :24:28. | |
no reasons to believe that that project is not following its | :24:28. | :24:30. | |
timetable but the other point is that there is substantial | :24:31. | :24:36. | |
investments now that is going to be made in Port Talbot Parkway station | :24:36. | :24:40. | |
which is no less than the people of Port Talbot deserve. | :24:40. | :24:44. | |
TRANSLATION: thank you. Following on from that question, as the | :24:44. | :24:51. | |
Government considered developing businesses around the road for the | :24:51. | :24:55. | |
future, as Port Talbot is not part of the enterprise of initiative put | :24:55. | :24:58. | |
forward by the Government. I wonder if there are any other plans to | :24:58. | :25:03. | |
bring additional jobs to the industrialised areas which has a | :25:03. | :25:12. | |
great deal of expertise contained within it? Of course we want to see | :25:12. | :25:14. | |
the new road giving the local economy a boost and assisting in | :25:15. | :25:19. | |
bringing in more businesses into the industrial estate close to that | :25:19. | :25:25. | |
road. Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh | :25:25. | :25:28. | |
Government's powers of compulsory purchase and also on have | :25:28. | :25:31. | |
frequently those powers have been exercised in the last few years? | :25:31. | :25:35. | |
Yes, we have the power to compulsorily purchase land or | :25:35. | :25:39. | |
property necessary for proposed development which is considered to | :25:39. | :25:43. | |
provide public better it. In the last four years these powers have | :25:43. | :25:49. | |
been exercised on 18 occasions. Since the Welsh Government acquired | :25:49. | :25:53. | |
its compulsory purchase powers, following the demise of the Land | :25:53. | :25:56. | |
Authority, and subsequently the Welsh Development Agency, there has | :25:56. | :26:01. | |
been a growing perception that compulsory purchase orders to have | :26:01. | :26:04. | |
been under-exploited. This, combined with the relative risk | :26:04. | :26:07. | |
aversion of local authorities in Wales, has had unfortunate | :26:07. | :26:11. | |
consequences for many of our communities. Well the First | :26:11. | :26:14. | |
Minister please confirm the readiness of the Government to work | :26:14. | :26:17. | |
in partnership with local authorities to progress compulsory | :26:17. | :26:22. | |
purchase where it is necessary to combat dereliction and to promote | :26:22. | :26:26. | |
regeneration across Wales? Absolute. I am not sure of any evidence that | :26:26. | :26:30. | |
the powers are being and used in any way. The powers exist for a | :26:30. | :26:34. | |
reason, to ensure the land is brought into public use fully | :26:34. | :26:42. | |
benefit of the community. These powers are indeed a useful tool in | :26:42. | :26:48. | |
the box for local authorities to be able to take over dilapidated | :26:48. | :26:51. | |
properties and various areas of land. Is it not a fact that his | :26:51. | :26:56. | |
power actually did play better with the Welsh Development Agency at the | :26:56. | :26:59. | |
time and that you have failed to actually NPower authorities to use | :26:59. | :27:04. | |
his power? Would you not agree that there is no use having the stool | :27:04. | :27:08. | |
without the resources to implement these purchases, and what steps are | :27:08. | :27:11. | |
you taking to ensure that these powers can and will be used | :27:11. | :27:15. | |
effectively? Given by you have produced no evidence at all to | :27:15. | :27:25. | |
:27:25. | :27:27. | ||
support your argument, I have to agree -- disagree with you. | :27:27. | :27:30. | |
Question six, Christine Chapman. What is the worst Government doing | :27:31. | :27:36. | |
to improve opportunities for people in the Cynon Valley. As in the rest | :27:36. | :27:43. | |
of Wales, we have implemented are employability programme in August. | :27:43. | :27:48. | |
I know you will share my concern at the continuing bad news regarding | :27:48. | :27:51. | |
youth unemployment and its practical and psychological effects. | :27:51. | :27:56. | |
I do welcome the creation of jobs growth Wales and the end as much of | :27:56. | :27:59. | |
the other measures recently outlined by your Government. Do you | :27:59. | :28:02. | |
agree with me that they will go some way to repairing the damage | :28:02. | :28:07. | |
done by the UK Government's callous axing of the Future Jobs Fund, | :28:07. | :28:13. | |
which seems intent on condemning a generation of our young people? | :28:13. | :28:19. | |
Youth unemployment is a price work -- worth paying. A price worth | :28:19. | :28:24. | |
paying for the party opposite. We saw that in the 1980s. We have | :28:24. | :28:28. | |
introduced programmes for 16 to 18 and euros steps to implement for | :28:28. | :28:34. | |
adults who are $18. Presiding Officer, First Minister, | :28:34. | :28:39. | |
unemployment is a major concern for many people and as we look forward, | :28:39. | :28:42. | |
there are many initiatives that have been taught about in the South | :28:42. | :28:46. | |
Wales economy, one of them being the South Wales met Christine. What | :28:46. | :28:49. | |
assistance has the Welsh -- is the worst Government giving to | :28:49. | :28:53. | |
developing the business case for this metro scheme so that it can be | :28:53. | :29:00. | |
either taken forward ball rolled out? -- the Welsh Government. | :29:00. | :29:04. | |
a matter for the Department of Transport, not the Welsh Government. | :29:04. | :29:08. | |
But we will assist the Department of Transport to ensure the case is | :29:08. | :29:15. | |
taken for would favourably. constituency has one of the lowest | :29:15. | :29:19. | |
rates of economic activity in the whole of Wales and this problem is | :29:19. | :29:23. | |
more acute for all young people. Lack of jobs and apprenticeships is | :29:23. | :29:29. | |
making the situation many -- a very gloomy for many school leavers in | :29:29. | :29:33. | |
the Cynon Valley and it will become more acute if the recommendations | :29:33. | :29:38. | |
are implemented and support for a re employ factories is withdrawn | :29:38. | :29:45. | |
throughout Wales. Around 50 people are employed in that factory. Do | :29:45. | :29:50. | |
you support the principle of Supported Employment, and of what | :29:50. | :29:55. | |
are you in a position to offer those workers, not just in my | :29:55. | :29:58. | |
constituency but across the whole of Wales, who are extremely worried | :29:58. | :30:01. | |
for the future of their livelihoods? The answer to your | :30:01. | :30:05. | |
question is yes, of course. I have raised the issue with the Secretary | :30:05. | :30:09. | |
of State as I said I would. I have raised the issue of whether the | :30:09. | :30:16. | |
Budget should be devolved to, as I explained I would do. The education | :30:16. | :30:19. | |
minister is at present looking at the issue of re-employ. He will | :30:19. | :30:25. | |
issue a statement in the near future. | :30:25. | :30:31. | |
TRANSLATION: Will the First Minister outline his priorities, | :30:31. | :30:34. | |
please, for improving transport infrastructure in Wales? Yes, they | :30:35. | :30:40. | |
will be contained in the national transport plan. First Minister, I | :30:40. | :30:43. | |
visited the Community Transport Association at their base in | :30:43. | :30:46. | |
Swansea this week and saw first- hand the excellent work that they | :30:46. | :30:51. | |
do and the essential services they provide. The Community Transport | :30:51. | :30:54. | |
Association and their partners are essential to plug the gaps in | :30:54. | :30:59. | |
public transport and deliver for the most vulnerable in society. | :30:59. | :31:03. | |
When you committed to ensure this sector is recognised in any future | :31:03. | :31:05. | |
plans for borough transport in Wales, because without it we will | :31:05. | :31:14. | |
never have a fully integrated transport system? Yes, and I spoke | :31:15. | :31:24. | |
:31:25. | :31:27. | ||
TRANSLATION: De you think that it is acceptable but ministers in your | :31:27. | :31:36. | |
transport department abolished the to the 10 daily services between | :31:36. | :31:41. | |
villages, and to do that without any consultation without anyone in | :31:41. | :31:45. | |
either of those villages? TRANSLATION: If that has happened, | :31:45. | :31:53. | |
write to me and I will look at it. You will be aware of the long- | :31:53. | :31:58. | |
running history of traffic congestion which is making life | :31:58. | :32:02. | |
difficult for residents. It is a stumbling block for the further | :32:02. | :32:06. | |
economic generation of the area. Will the world government consider | :32:06. | :32:10. | |
revising plans for the second phase of the distributor road? What is | :32:11. | :32:15. | |
needed is for the transport consortium are switched to identify | :32:15. | :32:18. | |
a face two of the distributor road as their priority and to include it | :32:18. | :32:27. | |
in their bid. I am sure that the First Minister is aware that many | :32:27. | :32:31. | |
members agree with and identified the economic, social and | :32:31. | :32:34. | |
environmental benefits of delivering high quality and high | :32:34. | :32:38. | |
capacity transport in Wales. Can he provide an update on where the | :32:38. | :32:43. | |
Welsh Government it with its proposal to secure the necessary | :32:43. | :32:46. | |
investment for the Department of Transport to deliver a | :32:46. | :32:52. | |
electrification? As I mentioned earlier, we hope that a business | :32:52. | :33:02. | |
:33:02. | :33:03. | ||
case will be prepared by the end of I would like the opportunity to | :33:03. | :33:12. | |
show you the extent to which the its -- Glamorgan's position as an | :33:12. | :33:21. | |
economic hub is hampered by the transport. The year and be | :33:21. | :33:28. | |
responsible ministers want to take me up on the offer? I am grateful | :33:28. | :33:33. | |
for the offer, but I know that my friend and colleague has showed me | :33:33. | :33:40. | |
around many parts of the veil over the years. It is an area very well. | :33:40. | :33:44. | |
I was at the airport on Sunday, picking my family up, and I know | :33:44. | :33:49. | |
the roads very well. We are looking at the access issues, but bear in | :33:49. | :33:56. | |
mind that the Glamorgan railway was approved by a Labour minister. It | :33:56. | :34:00. | |
is exceptionally important and effective. We look forward to a | :34:00. | :34:04. | |
time when those trains can be made more frequent as they travel to | :34:04. | :34:11. | |
Bridgend and Cardiff. Will the First Minister outlined the was | :34:11. | :34:17. | |
government's policy on effective waste management? Our policies are | :34:18. | :34:24. | |
set out to zero waste. You will note the decision not to proceed | :34:24. | :34:27. | |
with the waste scheme, but what has -- what progress has your | :34:27. | :34:33. | |
government made to effectively give instructions for recommendations to | :34:33. | :34:37. | |
local authorities regarding similar schemes? The reality is that | :34:37. | :34:43. | |
residual waste has to be dealt with somehow. Landfill sites are now | :34:43. | :34:48. | |
becoming more and more difficult to use, and difficult to open in the | :34:48. | :34:55. | |
future. We have committed to 70 % recycling by 2025. We wish to be a | :34:55. | :34:59. | |
zero waste nation by 2050, but in the meantime, there will need to be | :34:59. | :35:05. | |
ways of dealing with waste. That is for local authorities to consider | :35:05. | :35:11. | |
what the defective weights -- ways of. Cardiff council has improved | :35:11. | :35:15. | |
recycling levels this year, but it still has a way to go to reach the | :35:15. | :35:19. | |
Wales average. What can the Welsh Government do to support local | :35:19. | :35:22. | |
authorities and held them to learn from each other in terms of | :35:22. | :35:27. | |
improving recycling? I mentioned the target early on, but to help | :35:27. | :35:31. | |
local authorities achieve them, we provide a sustainable waste | :35:31. | :35:34. | |
management grant on an annual basis to local authorities in Wales. This | :35:34. | :35:44. | |
:35:44. | :35:54. | ||
year, we provided over �71 million. Brecon and Radnorshire finds itself | :35:55. | :36:01. | |
jammed between the West Wales and the Valleys Initiative and the | :36:01. | :36:07. | |
newly announced enterprise zone in Herefordshire and the Herefordshire | :36:07. | :36:11. | |
and Shropshire European Business Enterprise Fund. Your government | :36:11. | :36:17. | |
has announced no intention to develop an enterprise zone in the | :36:17. | :36:21. | |
county of powers to help support the development of the economy | :36:21. | :36:27. | |
there. Could you look again at your decision, not to put an enterprise | :36:27. | :36:32. | |
zone there and what you can do to assist local businesses in this | :36:32. | :36:37. | |
most raw of counties to survive and thrive during this difficult time? | :36:37. | :36:42. | |
As I said many times before in the Chamber, we have made announcements | :36:42. | :36:45. | |
on five enterprise zones, but we have also said that we will | :36:45. | :36:50. | |
consider other areas as well. We are actively looking at all parts | :36:50. | :36:55. | |
of Wales to see whether there is a merit in announcing further | :36:55. | :36:58. | |
enterprise zones in those areas where announcements have not been | :36:58. | :37:06. | |
made. First Minister, for the economy of Mid Wales, it is vital | :37:06. | :37:09. | |
that there is a robust infrastructure they might in place, | :37:09. | :37:14. | |
particularly in excellent road infrastructure. I have concerns | :37:14. | :37:18. | |
about the new bypass project. I have written to the minister at | :37:18. | :37:21. | |
several times expressing my concerns, but businesses and | :37:21. | :37:24. | |
residents are frustrated about the lack of progress and the accuracy | :37:24. | :37:28. | |
of information that is being conveyed about where the project | :37:28. | :37:32. | |
will actually start. Can you reassure the people of Mid Wales | :37:32. | :37:36. | |
that this project has not slipped down the government's priority list | :37:36. | :37:40. | |
and the scheme will start as detailed in the national transport | :37:40. | :37:44. | |
plan and as per the dates given to many constituents by letters from | :37:44. | :37:49. | |
the Welsh Government earlier this year? Work is under way to | :37:49. | :37:53. | |
prioritise the work in the national transport plan. I can say that | :37:53. | :37:58. | |
preparatory work is continuing in the meantime. We will soon invite | :37:58. | :38:04. | |
tenders for a design contract. TRANSLATION: The First Minister | :38:05. | :38:11. | |
will be aware that many residents of Mid Wales are concerned about | :38:11. | :38:14. | |
renewable energy developments, but some of us see an opportunity to | :38:14. | :38:20. | |
improve and develop the Mid Wales economy through using renewable | :38:20. | :38:23. | |
energy technology, specifically by doing two things: Ensuring that | :38:23. | :38:28. | |
local people do get the electricity and the benefits from those | :38:28. | :38:31. | |
developments, and secondly by establishing a wealth fund to | :38:31. | :38:40. | |
distribute funds through -- a crude through these processes. What steps | :38:40. | :38:48. | |
the taking to ensuring that these steps are cheap? We do promote | :38:48. | :38:51. | |
local authorities to use the law to ensure that community fund is | :38:51. | :38:57. | |
created for renewable energy projects under 50 megawatts. Over | :38:57. | :39:01. | |
that, that is a matter for the United Kingdom government. But we | :39:01. | :39:06. | |
do have a number of opportunities in Wales as regards a renewable | :39:06. | :39:14. | |
energy. In order to create future jobs. What criteria up will be what | :39:14. | :39:19. | |
criteria -- government used when deciding whether to produce White | :39:19. | :39:23. | |
or Green papers prior to legislation? We will consult on all | :39:23. | :39:28. | |
legislation prior to introduction. We would decide what method to use | :39:28. | :39:32. | |
on a case-by-case basis. Let me welcome the fact that the | :39:32. | :39:35. | |
government now publishes a legislative programme for the | :39:35. | :39:38. | |
horror of the Assembly's life, which could be up to five years in | :39:38. | :39:42. | |
this case. That is very welcome for the major pieces of legislation | :39:42. | :39:47. | |
that can be anticipated. Obviously, other things will occur as need | :39:47. | :39:52. | |
necessitates. Given that we are a small legislator dealing with a | :39:52. | :39:56. | |
relatively small output because of the capacity issues we have, we can | :39:56. | :40:00. | |
at least aim to get best practice into the way we deliver that | :40:00. | :40:05. | |
legislation by allowing for planned better consultation. I wonder if | :40:05. | :40:09. | |
publishing legislation in draft will be part of that as well as | :40:09. | :40:13. | |
publishing White papers, or even Green papers, I think it is a good | :40:13. | :40:16. | |
sign when a government has the confidence to say it is not quite | :40:16. | :40:21. | |
sure, it knows it is important, but wants to examine some of the | :40:21. | :40:26. | |
possibilities by a Green paper's first. We have made a commitment to | :40:26. | :40:30. | |
consult prior to legislation, whether it is at the policy, why | :40:30. | :40:36. | |
people or draft paper stage. Will be First Minister explain why out | :40:36. | :40:39. | |
of the 20 proposed Bills to be introduced during the life of this | :40:39. | :40:44. | |
Assembly, 13 have no specified date for a White Paper, 13 have no | :40:44. | :40:48. | |
specified date for consultation and seven had no indication of the | :40:48. | :40:52. | |
timescale in which the Bill will be introduced? Is this another example | :40:52. | :40:57. | |
of the government's indecision to match intention with action? | :40:57. | :41:00. | |
clearly has no understanding of how Westminster works because that is | :41:00. | :41:05. | |
what happens there. We have prioritised a number of bills and | :41:05. | :41:09. | |
given timetables. They are not yet timetabled in detail. That will be | :41:09. | :41:14. | |
taken forward during the course of this Assembly. That is the normal | :41:14. | :41:18. | |
practice in almost every legislator in the world. | :41:18. | :41:22. | |
Don't forget that you can see more action from the National Assembly | :41:22. | :41:31. | |
on BBC Wales democracy live online coverage. Just go to the website. | :41:31. | :41:38. | |
Out of Welsh Affairs Editor is the here with us. Let's deal firstly | :41:38. | :41:42. | |
with readers' questions. Every week, the three opposition party leaders | :41:43. | :41:52. | |
:41:53. | :41:53. | ||
put their questions to Carwyn Jones. I first bought Carwyn Jones and | :41:53. | :41:58. | |
Kirsty Williams landed a few blows. They were talking about coming -- | :41:58. | :42:01. | |
the same thing but from different directions. That was the decision | :42:01. | :42:07. | |
of the Health Department. It is to postpone a number of capital | :42:07. | :42:13. | |
projects that had been Green light just before the election just | :42:13. | :42:17. | |
because of the health service and policies being reviewed. Carwyn | :42:17. | :42:20. | |
Jones attack that from the point of view of economic development, | :42:20. | :42:25. | |
saying you are the man saying that UK government should bring forward | :42:25. | :42:31. | |
cattle prod is. Here is your own health secretary puts burning | :42:31. | :42:35. | |
capital projects that had been announced. Colin Jones's body- | :42:35. | :42:38. | |
language looked as if he was disconcerted by that question. | :42:38. | :42:42. | |
Kirsty Williams came from another angle, asking which of those | :42:42. | :42:48. | |
projects which Labour had announced before the election, were in danger | :42:48. | :42:53. | |
of being ditched. Carwyn Jones looked a bit unsteady on his feet | :42:53. | :42:59. | |
in responding. I felt that when he answered Kirsty Williams, he did | :42:59. | :43:03. | |
what he could, but then he turned it back on her by suggesting that | :43:03. | :43:07. | |
these products might be difficult to deliver because of a cut in the | :43:07. | :43:13. | |
capital budget. This is a consistent tactic by Carwyn Jones. | :43:13. | :43:18. | |
He is consistently, whenever the Lib Dems speak, turning the flak | :43:18. | :43:21. | |
back on to them and the UK government. You have to look at | :43:21. | :43:25. | |
that in the contents of the local elections approaching. The Lib Dems | :43:26. | :43:29. | |
have a number of seats in Wales and Labour are eyeing a lot of them. To | :43:29. | :43:32. | |
try to box them in with the Conservatives is a consistently | :43:32. | :43:37. | |
good... On the health theme, I mentioned earlier that the health | :43:37. | :43:41. | |
minister is going to make a statement on how the government | :43:41. | :43:44. | |
aims to tackle the challenge has made by the NHS in Wales later. | :43:44. | :43:48. | |
What can you tell us about that? don't know what she will say, but I | :43:48. | :43:52. | |
don't think it will be anything revolutionary. We know that money | :43:53. | :43:57. | |
is tight and been cut, so some things have to change. We know that | :43:57. | :44:00. | |
the existing government policy, including doing less in the | :44:00. | :44:05. | |
hospital, doing more at home and in district health centres, it is most | :44:05. | :44:10. | |
likely to be a continuation of that policy. Once again, but emphasis | :44:10. | :44:14. | |
will be on preventive health. was a suggestion from the chair of | :44:14. | :44:18. | |
the NHS Confederation that may be we look at treating people | :44:18. | :44:23. | |
differently, which means closing down bedsit hospitals. The number | :44:23. | :44:28. | |
of bedsit hospitals has dropped, and that is because not as many are | :44:28. | :44:32. | |
needed. I don't think people worry about losing beds in hospitals, | :44:32. | :44:36. | |
they worry about losing services from their particular district | :44:36. | :44:40. |