:00:27. > :00:32.Good afternoon. Welcome to the programme. As usual, we have
:00:32. > :00:36.coverage of questions for the First Minister. We kick off the afternoon
:00:36. > :00:40.with the publishing of the draft budget. The Finance Minister will
:00:40. > :00:44.make a statement setting out the spending plans for the next year.
:00:44. > :00:47.The opposition will set out there bargaining positions as the
:00:47. > :00:53.minority Labour but government looks for support from one of them
:00:53. > :00:58.to get the budget passed later in the year. That will be all coming
:00:58. > :01:04.up here on the programme. Firstly, you can get in touch with us if you
:01:04. > :01:14.want to comment on are anything on the programme. -- comment on
:01:14. > :01:17.
:01:17. > :01:23.Let's have a look at the questions now to the First Minister.
:01:23. > :01:27.The National Assembly for Wales is now in session, questions for the
:01:27. > :01:33.First Minister, question number born, George Watson. What is the
:01:33. > :01:36.Welsh government doing to make the community safer? We and our working
:01:36. > :01:42.as with the police, the foreign trustee services and others to make
:01:42. > :01:48.sure that people feel safe on the streets. -- the Fire and rescue
:01:48. > :01:52.services. It is nearly one years since we decided to switch off
:01:52. > :01:57.street lights in residential street areas to save money. There were
:01:57. > :02:00.several concerns about the implication for personal safety.
:02:00. > :02:04.Has the Government had any discussion with the Local
:02:04. > :02:09.Government Association or the police on the impact of that
:02:09. > :02:14.decision? It is for each locality to decide whether or not to switch
:02:14. > :02:19.on or off the street lighting. They have to take into account section
:02:19. > :02:26.17 of the crime and disorder Act which makes sure that they take
:02:26. > :02:30.this into account when did making the decision process. Safe
:02:30. > :02:34.communities surely include safe transport to school. He will surely
:02:34. > :02:38.be aware of the incident in Carmarthenshire a better place in
:02:38. > :02:48.an underpass on the way to school identified by a local authority as
:02:48. > :02:49.
:02:49. > :02:55.safe. -- income are to ensure that took place. What about people that
:02:56. > :03:01.walk or cycle to work? It is important to make sure that the
:03:01. > :03:08.route is saved. Nothing can be 100 % say for the time. The incident
:03:08. > :03:11.that you refer to is very distressing. I would assume that
:03:11. > :03:21.they will examine that route to make sure that it remains, or that
:03:21. > :03:22.
:03:23. > :03:26.it is a safe route to school in the future. The police severity have
:03:26. > :03:32.expressed concern once more about the future of the helicopter
:03:32. > :03:40.service. -- the Police Authority. There was a fatal accident to my
:03:40. > :03:43.constituency where a young boy of 14 died recently. The police
:03:43. > :03:51.helicopter had to attend the incident because the air ambulance
:03:51. > :03:56.had been called to another accident. The support the police force that
:03:56. > :04:06.charities that the helicopter service is completely crucial
:04:06. > :04:07.
:04:07. > :04:11.regarding the landscape that they cover? In looking at this, the
:04:11. > :04:17.police do need helicopters wherever they may be working. More
:04:17. > :04:21.importantly, in certain areas, so much of this is rural, and in order
:04:21. > :04:26.to travel from one place to another in a speedy manner, you need a
:04:26. > :04:30.helicopter to achieve this. I would be very supportive of making sure
:04:30. > :04:38.there is adequate access by the police force to helicopters and the
:04:38. > :04:42.future. Prior to the 2010 general election, Nick Clegg promised 3,000
:04:42. > :04:46.extra frontline police officers. David Cameron promised that if any
:04:46. > :04:54.Minister came to him if he won the election, he would send away with
:04:54. > :05:01.it the end area if they reduced frontline policing. -- sent them
:05:01. > :05:05.away with a flea end at their year. Do you think that the situation
:05:05. > :05:10.will deteriorate as a result of these cuts? I hear the benches
:05:10. > :05:13.opposite saying we cannot afford them. We cannot afford crime, from
:05:14. > :05:18.my point of view. As a government we have appointed 300 community
:05:18. > :05:23.support officers that we promised we would in this assembly. The
:05:23. > :05:32.remainder will be in place by the end of September next year. That is
:05:32. > :05:40.community safety in action. Quest into is now a written answer. --
:05:40. > :05:43.question two. Before my questions, I would like to put on record, and
:05:43. > :05:50.I am sure that I speak for all members here when I say that her
:05:50. > :05:57.thoughts go out to the family of April Jones and we hope that she is
:05:57. > :06:03.the found safe and well quickly. -- she is found. At a fringe meeting
:06:03. > :06:06.at the party conference tonight, Hilary Benn will be joined by the
:06:06. > :06:16.leaders of Islington and burns the councils where they plan to attack
:06:16. > :06:22.what they are calling the new poll tax. -- Barnsley council's. There
:06:22. > :06:26.talking about the transfer of local authorities. This was announced in
:06:26. > :06:30.20th June 10. More than two years later, we are still awaiting a
:06:30. > :06:37.serious proposition from your government about how we in Wales
:06:37. > :06:43.will assist with the 330,000 households across Wales that will
:06:43. > :06:49.be affected by this cost. When can we expect a detailed announcement
:06:49. > :06:57.of the council tax support scheme? Can I thank her for her comments, I
:06:57. > :07:02.am sure all members agree with this in relation to this situation that
:07:02. > :07:07.existed with regard to young April Jones. In rep at the council tax
:07:08. > :07:12.benefit, it has been devolved. -- in regard to the council tax. This
:07:12. > :07:16.is not money that could be made up very easily. Particularly with the
:07:16. > :07:20.current financial situation. We are examining what we can do to help
:07:20. > :07:24.people affected by best. Unlike the Scottish government, this
:07:24. > :07:28.government has confirmed that the local government sector would bear
:07:28. > :07:36.the full brunt of these cuts. The party of Wales would argue that
:07:36. > :07:44.there is no need to pass this cot onto the most poorest people of the
:07:44. > :07:49.community. -- this cut. We could use part of next year's Barnett
:07:49. > :07:54.formula consequences that had been confirmed by the Treasury. This
:07:54. > :07:59.would mean that in one year's time, if it was fair and sustainable, the
:07:59. > :08:03.Wells council tax support scheme could be designed. -- Welsh council
:08:03. > :08:06.tax. Will you support the commitment to cancel out these cuts
:08:06. > :08:10.for next year. Is she saying that the money we may have next year
:08:10. > :08:14.could be brought forward to this financial year to cover
:08:14. > :08:21.expenditure? The reality is, Scotland is lavishly funded through
:08:21. > :08:25.the Barnett formula and it is a different situation. I take account
:08:25. > :08:30.which he says, and this is the opening gambit on the budget
:08:31. > :08:34.discussions of the next few weeks. Do any Alexander has confirmed that
:08:34. > :08:38.�80.6 million is due to come to Wales next year and we have said
:08:38. > :08:43.that we were depicted those funds as an emergency. -- Danny Alexander.
:08:43. > :08:47.This will be an example of this intervention to buy some breathing
:08:47. > :08:51.space and to protect the incomes of the living standards of the people
:08:51. > :08:55.in Wales. You have spoke about offering a fairer society than the
:08:55. > :08:59.UK government can offer, but when it comes to action, you words do
:09:00. > :09:04.not stack up. Which you reconsider their refusal to protect the people
:09:04. > :09:09.of Wales from these savage cuts? She seems to think we can get money
:09:09. > :09:14.from next year's budget to get to pay for this year's Budget. She
:09:14. > :09:19.does that realise how this works. We do not get money to put in the
:09:19. > :09:23.bank in a financial year, it is drawn down over time. We have the
:09:23. > :09:26.honesty the people of Wales, we do not put a imaginary stories in
:09:26. > :09:32.front of them at that say that money can be found at the top of
:09:32. > :09:36.the trees to cover for cuts by the UK government. We will help people
:09:36. > :09:46.as best recant, but we have to realise the financial situation is
:09:46. > :09:51.tight. The rare, the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats. A can I
:09:51. > :09:56.associate myself with the comments regarding April Jones and the very
:09:56. > :10:00.real trauma that is being felt by the people of the community. The
:10:01. > :10:06.link between poor education outcomes and deprivation is all too
:10:06. > :10:12.evident, and in Wales, just one in five children that Taran received a
:10:12. > :10:21.free school meals go on to get five good GCSEs. -- that are in receipt
:10:21. > :10:28.of free school meals. Low skills are often a lead to -- lead to low
:10:28. > :10:34.wages. The Te mid at school should affect their ability and not their
:10:35. > :10:38.background. -- be achievement at school. At Budget time we spend
:10:38. > :10:43.lots of time looking out which lights have gone up and which lines
:10:43. > :10:49.have come down. The pupil premium is about art comes, outcomes for
:10:49. > :10:53.pupils and their families. -- about outcomes. As a result of the
:10:53. > :10:57.investment last year, the school in Wrexham has used the deprivation
:10:57. > :11:03.grant to help children with behavioural issues to succeed.
:11:03. > :11:07.Other schools are using to teach in small groups and in Flintshire they
:11:07. > :11:12.have increased one-on-one tuition for some pupils. This is a budget
:11:13. > :11:17.priority that can make a real difference to this country. The Tas
:11:17. > :11:22.made a difference and it emerged as a result of negotiations last year.
:11:22. > :11:26.-- it has made a difference. said of that pupil premiums that
:11:26. > :11:30.this new money is a major boost for the schools and has one clear aim,
:11:30. > :11:35.to reduce the link between deprivation and educational
:11:35. > :11:40.achievement. I agreed with you then, do you agree now that it is time
:11:40. > :11:49.for another major boost for the poorest children? This will form
:11:49. > :11:53.part of the other negotiations for the Budget this afternoon. The
:11:53. > :11:59.could I also join in the sentiments around April Jones and in
:11:59. > :12:03.particular, the search going on. hope that this is fruitful and that
:12:03. > :12:08.the distress that has been caused to their parents and relations,
:12:08. > :12:12.that it is resolved quickly. I also spare a thought for absent
:12:12. > :12:21.colleagues in the chamber and wish them as speedy recovery to good
:12:21. > :12:27.health. -- a speedy recovery. First Minister, Welsh Conservatives
:12:27. > :12:32.undertook a survey of how teachers in primary schools and it indicated
:12:32. > :12:37.that 97 % of head teachers had no confidence in the banding system
:12:37. > :12:41.that Europe government is proposing for primary schools in Wales. Do
:12:41. > :12:45.you that believe that such a scheme that only has a 3% level of support
:12:45. > :12:55.is not worthy of progression? opinion poll that shows something
:12:55. > :12:55.
:12:55. > :12:58.in 90s is about to be suspect. I do not know responded to this question
:12:59. > :13:02.there and we have no details on this and the Education Minister has
:13:02. > :13:08.taken the concerns into account which is why he has delayed issues
:13:08. > :13:13.until 2014. But policy is for league tables in his party, and he
:13:13. > :13:16.issues league tables on best. have respect, it is your policies
:13:16. > :13:20.that are forward at the moment because you are in government, and
:13:20. > :13:25.those are not our policy for League tables in Wales and the survey
:13:25. > :13:31.sample was of all 1400 primary schools in Wales that had a
:13:31. > :13:36.response rate of some 650 responses. That, by any measure, is a
:13:36. > :13:40.comprehensive sample of opinion of headteachers across Wales. The
:13:40. > :13:46.survey also indicated that are not just headteachers, but governors
:13:46. > :13:51.and parents who also did not understand or have confidence in
:13:51. > :13:55.those proposals. Does it not show that every turn better Education
:13:55. > :13:58.Minister is taking, he lacks support from the profession,
:13:59. > :14:03.support from students and the support from their parents? Is it
:14:03. > :14:06.not about time that he started actually delivering policy that
:14:06. > :14:12.closes the attainment gap that currently exists between us and
:14:12. > :14:17.other parts of the United Kingdom? I am astonished at what he is
:14:17. > :14:22.saying. He does not believe in league tables, now. That is news to
:14:22. > :14:25.me, but it is something he has committed his party with today. I
:14:25. > :14:30.wonder if they were asked if the agreed that the education budget
:14:30. > :14:35.should be cut by 12 %? That is something that the party opposite
:14:35. > :14:39.has wanted to do. If he thinks that some how teachers are getting ready
:14:39. > :14:45.to support his party with these policies and in particular, his
:14:45. > :14:48.failure, despite getting the opportunity many times to support
:14:48. > :14:52.what the Education Minister has done with a prior GCSE English
:14:52. > :15:02.language regrading, and I have to take this with a large pinch of
:15:02. > :15:07.No answer to the specific question, and going up a cul-de-sac, no
:15:07. > :15:13.wonder he is embarrassed by the education table levels in Wales
:15:13. > :15:20.under successive Labour governments. He says these listings to people
:15:20. > :15:27.and talking to people, and he's shaping policies that will improve
:15:27. > :15:32.the lives of people in Wales. His own Education Minister has written
:15:33. > :15:38.off by generation, because those results will come too soon. How
:15:38. > :15:45.much longer have we got to wait for Welsh Labour to get a grip, start
:15:45. > :15:50.closing the attainment gap, and delivering for the children and a -
:15:50. > :15:55.- and the people of Wales? I think he must get out in his armchair and
:15:55. > :15:59.talk to people. At the end of the day, let's examine the situation,
:16:00. > :16:07.we have not said we will cut spending by 12%, he has. He has
:16:07. > :16:13.made a virtue of it. We have said we will increase spending. We have
:16:13. > :16:16.not said it that we will support regional pay for teachers. His
:16:16. > :16:22.party in Westminster think it is a good thing, they make a virtue of
:16:22. > :16:27.it. If you look at what he has done, he has not said whether he supports
:16:27. > :16:33.the idea of justice for those candidates for Wales who sat GCSE
:16:33. > :16:37.English language, he will not support them, what hope have the
:16:37. > :16:45.people of Wales got to that they will get support from him in the
:16:45. > :16:49.future. We move back to the questions on the paper. Will the
:16:49. > :16:59.first minister outline the Welsh government's plans to boost tourism
:16:59. > :17:04.
:17:04. > :17:09.in Wales? Yes. We have seen a the completion of a landscape
:17:09. > :17:14.partnership project in Wales. That has been achieved through the
:17:14. > :17:20.Forestry Commission in Wales, we examine how we can use this as a
:17:20. > :17:25.focal point it to increase tourism in North Wales, including the
:17:25. > :17:35.possibility of one day is becoming Wales''s 4th national park?
:17:35. > :17:37.
:17:37. > :17:44.number of initiatives have been co- ordinated. They had been using the
:17:44. > :17:49.sustainable development fund to develop tourism activity. That
:17:49. > :17:58.range of mountains will be a greater benefit to many people for
:17:58. > :18:02.years to come. -- will be of great benefit. I understand that the
:18:02. > :18:11.Welsh government has had a working group in place for 20 months
:18:11. > :18:14.looking at how to maximise the potential for the Heritage Site.
:18:14. > :18:19.There is an agenda in Scotland which has developed at the
:18:19. > :18:27.waterways there, and it noting that the railway is going ahead with the
:18:27. > :18:33.steam train extension, despite losing funding. What action is the
:18:33. > :18:39.Welsh government proposing, and when we learn what the working
:18:39. > :18:43.group is proposing? I can say that the Tourism Partnership in North
:18:43. > :18:53.Wales, and the local authority is have been working closely on a new
:18:53. > :18:55.
:18:55. > :19:02.brand for the three counties of Wrexham, Denbighshire and
:19:02. > :19:12.Flintshire. I know they are working on things such as a walking
:19:12. > :19:26.
:19:26. > :19:31.campaign for Wales, golf, in terms of clubs like Denby and Port Last.
:19:31. > :19:41.I'm sure that the tourism minister is aware that tourism contributes
:19:41. > :19:44.
:19:44. > :19:53.1.8 billion to be economy. It is extremely important to the economy.
:19:53. > :19:57.The strategy calls for increasing co-ordination, having a diverse
:19:57. > :20:07.attractions, what assistance can the government feared to improve
:20:07. > :20:13.
:20:13. > :20:20.and enhance this, and to improve the economy? The funds that have
:20:20. > :20:27.been spent their had been implemented up to March of this
:20:27. > :20:37.year, 34 grants have been offered, they had been received, and they
:20:37. > :20:37.
:20:37. > :20:47.have raised standards in terms of accommodation. Will the first
:20:47. > :20:52.minister provide an update on the domestic fire safety regulations?
:20:52. > :20:56.They will be made by September of next year. I thank you for that
:20:56. > :21:02.answer, and will continue the bishop on that issue. I have said
:21:02. > :21:04.many times in this chamber, and will repeat this again, Wales is
:21:05. > :21:08.leading the way in implementing this ground-breaking legislation
:21:08. > :21:13.designed to save lives, property and money, and to create safer
:21:13. > :21:17.communities. I have taken that message across the UK and Europe,
:21:17. > :21:22.add your leadership has received a huge praise. I think you should
:21:22. > :21:26.recognise that. I look forward to being with you at one of the first
:21:26. > :21:31.houses to have sprinklers fitted under these regulations. Do you
:21:31. > :21:38.agree a me that this encapsulates everything that is good about
:21:38. > :21:47.devolution? I thank her for had kind words, but she underestimates
:21:47. > :21:52.her contribution. -- I thank her for her kind words. I pay tribute
:21:52. > :21:58.to the word that she has done, and I look forward to this measure
:21:58. > :22:08.becoming law. I know that no one will have greater pleasure of
:22:08. > :22:12.seeing that than the member herself. Go I understand that one of the
:22:12. > :22:21.delays was caused by the Welsh government of commissioning a
:22:21. > :22:26.report. That report meant that the UK government rejected the similar
:22:26. > :22:29.legislation. We accepted this because the organisation have led
:22:29. > :22:36.us to understand that a second report would have found real
:22:36. > :22:41.efficiency gains and benefits to life saving. You have received the
:22:41. > :22:46.report that does not say that, and there are far better ways of saving
:22:46. > :22:56.more lives in our homes. How will your regulations reflect that
:22:56. > :22:59.
:22:59. > :23:07.report, a -- if at all? Over the last ten years 17 people have died
:23:07. > :23:12.in a residential properties, if these regulations have -- had been
:23:12. > :23:16.in place I suspect that would not have happened. It is our view that
:23:16. > :23:24.fire safety is important, and saving lives is important. That is
:23:24. > :23:32.why this measure is being taken board. First Minister, what work is
:23:32. > :23:40.the Welsh government undertaking to ensure that training for doctors is
:23:40. > :23:50.adequate? We are trying to ensure the sustainability of the medical
:23:50. > :23:51.
:23:51. > :23:57.training. In both North and West Wales medical students are moving
:23:57. > :24:06.to hospitals as part of their course. Has the government any
:24:06. > :24:11.scheme to ensure that position is improved, because at present many
:24:11. > :24:18.students are endeavouring to stay in this part of Wales, and those
:24:18. > :24:25.hospitals are suffering? We are working with local organisations to
:24:25. > :24:35.try and trained doctors in the West and Wales. Vacancies have gone down
:24:35. > :24:48.
:24:48. > :24:54.by 3% in Wales, that is better than the rest of the UK. First Minister,
:24:54. > :24:57.the GMC had identified problems right across the board in Welsh
:24:57. > :25:02.hospitals, in terms of internet access for doctors to research and
:25:02. > :25:09.study, how is the Welsh government addressing this simple problem?
:25:09. > :25:14.They all have access to the internet via the NHS Network, that
:25:14. > :25:19.his eye over the network, so it is subject to security rules. If there
:25:19. > :25:29.wry examples of those rules hindering doctors from carrying out
:25:29. > :25:30.
:25:30. > :25:33.proper research, certainly we would look to see what could be done.
:25:33. > :25:40.wonder how might the Welsh government be able to ensure that
:25:40. > :25:44.it is not be Deanery he were driving local health board brother
:25:44. > :25:52.-- who are driving local health board policies are? They are saying
:25:52. > :25:57.it is difficult to recruit paediatricians, so they cannot have
:25:57. > :26:01.special baby-care units, that is what is being said. The deanery is
:26:01. > :26:06.actually controlling how we develop health provision here in Wales,
:26:06. > :26:11.that cannot be bright. What action will your government aid to ensure
:26:11. > :26:15.that we have the health service we need for the people of Wales, and
:26:15. > :26:24.we try it to find the right consultants and junior doctors in
:26:24. > :26:31.order to sustain the service we need, and we are not to -- and we
:26:31. > :26:36.are not dictated to by a training board. They are governed by a safe
:26:37. > :26:43.patient care. The danger being put forward by the member is that
:26:43. > :26:51.hospital services should not take into account whether they are safe
:26:51. > :27:01.or not. The clearly I cannot agree with that. It is not property
:27:01. > :27:03.
:27:03. > :27:06.discount the abuse of the Deanery in terms of delivering safe policy.
:27:06. > :27:09.That's it for First Minister's Questions this week. I promised you
:27:09. > :27:12.could see coverage of the Finance Minister's statement on the
:27:12. > :27:15.government's draft budget - it's spending plans for the next year -
:27:15. > :27:17.you can watch it online - just go to BBC Wales's Democracy Live page
:27:17. > :27:27.at BBC.co.uk/Walespoltics. I'm reliably informed that Jane Hutt
:27:27. > :27:30.