02/10/2012 am.pm

Good afternoon. Welcome to the programme. As usual, we have

coverage of questions for the First Minister. We kick off the afternoon

with the publishing of the draft budget. The Finance Minister will

make a statement setting out the spending plans for the next year.

The opposition will set out there bargaining positions as the

minority Labour but government looks for support from one of them

to get the budget passed later in the year. That will be all coming

up here on the programme. Firstly, you can get in touch with us if you

want to comment on are anything on the programme. -- comment on

Let's have a look at the questions now to the First Minister.

The National Assembly for Wales is now in session, questions for the

First Minister, question number born, George Watson. What is the

Welsh government doing to make the community safer? We and our working

as with the police, the foreign trustee services and others to make

sure that people feel safe on the streets. -- the Fire and rescue

services. It is nearly one years since we decided to switch off

street lights in residential street areas to save money. There were

several concerns about the implication for personal safety.

Has the Government had any discussion with the Local

Government Association or the police on the impact of that

decision? It is for each locality to decide whether or not to switch

on or off the street lighting. They have to take into account section

17 of the crime and disorder Act which makes sure that they take

this into account when did making the decision process. Safe

communities surely include safe transport to school. He will surely

be aware of the incident in Carmarthenshire a better place in

an underpass on the way to school identified by a local authority as

safe. -- income are to ensure that took place. What about people that

walk or cycle to work? It is important to make sure that the

route is saved. Nothing can be 100 % say for the time. The incident

that you refer to is very distressing. I would assume that

they will examine that route to make sure that it remains, or that

it is a safe route to school in the future. The police severity have

expressed concern once more about the future of the helicopter

service. -- the Police Authority. There was a fatal accident to my

constituency where a young boy of 14 died recently. The police

helicopter had to attend the incident because the air ambulance

had been called to another accident. The support the police force that

charities that the helicopter service is completely crucial

regarding the landscape that they cover? In looking at this, the

police do need helicopters wherever they may be working. More

importantly, in certain areas, so much of this is rural, and in order

to travel from one place to another in a speedy manner, you need a

helicopter to achieve this. I would be very supportive of making sure

there is adequate access by the police force to helicopters and the

future. Prior to the 2010 general election, Nick Clegg promised 3,000

extra frontline police officers. David Cameron promised that if any

Minister came to him if he won the election, he would send away with

it the end area if they reduced frontline policing. -- sent them

away with a flea end at their year. Do you think that the situation

will deteriorate as a result of these cuts? I hear the benches

opposite saying we cannot afford them. We cannot afford crime, from

my point of view. As a government we have appointed 300 community

support officers that we promised we would in this assembly. The

remainder will be in place by the end of September next year. That is

community safety in action. Quest into is now a written answer. --

question two. Before my questions, I would like to put on record, and

I am sure that I speak for all members here when I say that her

thoughts go out to the family of April Jones and we hope that she is

the found safe and well quickly. -- she is found. At a fringe meeting

at the party conference tonight, Hilary Benn will be joined by the

leaders of Islington and burns the councils where they plan to attack

what they are calling the new poll tax. -- Barnsley council's. There

talking about the transfer of local authorities. This was announced in

20th June 10. More than two years later, we are still awaiting a

serious proposition from your government about how we in Wales

will assist with the 330,000 households across Wales that will

be affected by this cost. When can we expect a detailed announcement

of the council tax support scheme? Can I thank her for her comments, I

am sure all members agree with this in relation to this situation that

existed with regard to young April Jones. In rep at the council tax

benefit, it has been devolved. -- in regard to the council tax. This

is not money that could be made up very easily. Particularly with the

current financial situation. We are examining what we can do to help

people affected by best. Unlike the Scottish government, this

government has confirmed that the local government sector would bear

the full brunt of these cuts. The party of Wales would argue that

there is no need to pass this cot onto the most poorest people of the

community. -- this cut. We could use part of next year's Barnett

formula consequences that had been confirmed by the Treasury. This

would mean that in one year's time, if it was fair and sustainable, the

Wells council tax support scheme could be designed. -- Welsh council

tax. Will you support the commitment to cancel out these cuts

for next year. Is she saying that the money we may have next year

could be brought forward to this financial year to cover

expenditure? The reality is, Scotland is lavishly funded through

the Barnett formula and it is a different situation. I take account

which he says, and this is the opening gambit on the budget

discussions of the next few weeks. Do any Alexander has confirmed that

�80.6 million is due to come to Wales next year and we have said

that we were depicted those funds as an emergency. -- Danny Alexander.

This will be an example of this intervention to buy some breathing

space and to protect the incomes of the living standards of the people

in Wales. You have spoke about offering a fairer society than the

UK government can offer, but when it comes to action, you words do

not stack up. Which you reconsider their refusal to protect the people

of Wales from these savage cuts? She seems to think we can get money

from next year's budget to get to pay for this year's Budget. She

does that realise how this works. We do not get money to put in the

bank in a financial year, it is drawn down over time. We have the

honesty the people of Wales, we do not put a imaginary stories in

front of them at that say that money can be found at the top of

the trees to cover for cuts by the UK government. We will help people

as best recant, but we have to realise the financial situation is

tight. The rare, the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats. A can I

associate myself with the comments regarding April Jones and the very

real trauma that is being felt by the people of the community. The

link between poor education outcomes and deprivation is all too

evident, and in Wales, just one in five children that Taran received a

free school meals go on to get five good GCSEs. -- that are in receipt

of free school meals. Low skills are often a lead to -- lead to low

wages. The Te mid at school should affect their ability and not their

background. -- be achievement at school. At Budget time we spend

lots of time looking out which lights have gone up and which lines

have come down. The pupil premium is about art comes, outcomes for

pupils and their families. -- about outcomes. As a result of the

investment last year, the school in Wrexham has used the deprivation

grant to help children with behavioural issues to succeed.

Other schools are using to teach in small groups and in Flintshire they

have increased one-on-one tuition for some pupils. This is a budget

priority that can make a real difference to this country. The Tas

made a difference and it emerged as a result of negotiations last year.

-- it has made a difference. said of that pupil premiums that

this new money is a major boost for the schools and has one clear aim,

to reduce the link between deprivation and educational

achievement. I agreed with you then, do you agree now that it is time

for another major boost for the poorest children? This will form

part of the other negotiations for the Budget this afternoon. The

could I also join in the sentiments around April Jones and in

particular, the search going on. hope that this is fruitful and that

the distress that has been caused to their parents and relations,

that it is resolved quickly. I also spare a thought for absent

colleagues in the chamber and wish them as speedy recovery to good

health. -- a speedy recovery. First Minister, Welsh Conservatives

undertook a survey of how teachers in primary schools and it indicated

that 97 % of head teachers had no confidence in the banding system

that Europe government is proposing for primary schools in Wales. Do

you that believe that such a scheme that only has a 3% level of support

is not worthy of progression? opinion poll that shows something

in 90s is about to be suspect. I do not know responded to this question

there and we have no details on this and the Education Minister has

taken the concerns into account which is why he has delayed issues

until 2014. But policy is for league tables in his party, and he

issues league tables on best. have respect, it is your policies

that are forward at the moment because you are in government, and

those are not our policy for League tables in Wales and the survey

sample was of all 1400 primary schools in Wales that had a

response rate of some 650 responses. That, by any measure, is a

comprehensive sample of opinion of headteachers across Wales. The

survey also indicated that are not just headteachers, but governors

and parents who also did not understand or have confidence in

those proposals. Does it not show that every turn better Education

Minister is taking, he lacks support from the profession,

support from students and the support from their parents? Is it

not about time that he started actually delivering policy that

closes the attainment gap that currently exists between us and

other parts of the United Kingdom? I am astonished at what he is

saying. He does not believe in league tables, now. That is news to

me, but it is something he has committed his party with today. I

wonder if they were asked if the agreed that the education budget

should be cut by 12 %? That is something that the party opposite

has wanted to do. If he thinks that some how teachers are getting ready

to support his party with these policies and in particular, his

failure, despite getting the opportunity many times to support

what the Education Minister has done with a prior GCSE English

language regrading, and I have to take this with a large pinch of

No answer to the specific question, and going up a cul-de-sac, no

wonder he is embarrassed by the education table levels in Wales

under successive Labour governments. He says these listings to people

and talking to people, and he's shaping policies that will improve

the lives of people in Wales. His own Education Minister has written

off by generation, because those results will come too soon. How

much longer have we got to wait for Welsh Labour to get a grip, start

closing the attainment gap, and delivering for the children and a -

- and the people of Wales? I think he must get out in his armchair and

talk to people. At the end of the day, let's examine the situation,

we have not said we will cut spending by 12%, he has. He has

made a virtue of it. We have said we will increase spending. We have

not said it that we will support regional pay for teachers. His

party in Westminster think it is a good thing, they make a virtue of

it. If you look at what he has done, he has not said whether he supports

the idea of justice for those candidates for Wales who sat GCSE

English language, he will not support them, what hope have the

people of Wales got to that they will get support from him in the

future. We move back to the questions on the paper. Will the

first minister outline the Welsh government's plans to boost tourism

in Wales? Yes. We have seen a the completion of a landscape

partnership project in Wales. That has been achieved through the

Forestry Commission in Wales, we examine how we can use this as a

focal point it to increase tourism in North Wales, including the

possibility of one day is becoming Wales''s 4th national park?

number of initiatives have been co- ordinated. They had been using the

sustainable development fund to develop tourism activity. That

range of mountains will be a greater benefit to many people for

years to come. -- will be of great benefit. I understand that the

Welsh government has had a working group in place for 20 months

looking at how to maximise the potential for the Heritage Site.

There is an agenda in Scotland which has developed at the

waterways there, and it noting that the railway is going ahead with the

steam train extension, despite losing funding. What action is the

Welsh government proposing, and when we learn what the working

group is proposing? I can say that the Tourism Partnership in North

Wales, and the local authority is have been working closely on a new

brand for the three counties of Wrexham, Denbighshire and

Flintshire. I know they are working on things such as a walking

campaign for Wales, golf, in terms of clubs like Denby and Port Last.

I'm sure that the tourism minister is aware that tourism contributes

1.8 billion to be economy. It is extremely important to the economy.

The strategy calls for increasing co-ordination, having a diverse

attractions, what assistance can the government feared to improve

and enhance this, and to improve the economy? The funds that have

been spent their had been implemented up to March of this

year, 34 grants have been offered, they had been received, and they

have raised standards in terms of accommodation. Will the first

minister provide an update on the domestic fire safety regulations?

They will be made by September of next year. I thank you for that

answer, and will continue the bishop on that issue. I have said

many times in this chamber, and will repeat this again, Wales is

leading the way in implementing this ground-breaking legislation

designed to save lives, property and money, and to create safer

communities. I have taken that message across the UK and Europe,

add your leadership has received a huge praise. I think you should

recognise that. I look forward to being with you at one of the first

houses to have sprinklers fitted under these regulations. Do you

agree a me that this encapsulates everything that is good about

devolution? I thank her for had kind words, but she underestimates

her contribution. -- I thank her for her kind words. I pay tribute

to the word that she has done, and I look forward to this measure

becoming law. I know that no one will have greater pleasure of

seeing that than the member herself. Go I understand that one of the

delays was caused by the Welsh government of commissioning a

report. That report meant that the UK government rejected the similar

legislation. We accepted this because the organisation have led

us to understand that a second report would have found real

efficiency gains and benefits to life saving. You have received the

report that does not say that, and there are far better ways of saving

more lives in our homes. How will your regulations reflect that

report, a -- if at all? Over the last ten years 17 people have died

in a residential properties, if these regulations have -- had been

in place I suspect that would not have happened. It is our view that

fire safety is important, and saving lives is important. That is

why this measure is being taken board. First Minister, what work is

the Welsh government undertaking to ensure that training for doctors is

adequate? We are trying to ensure the sustainability of the medical

training. In both North and West Wales medical students are moving

to hospitals as part of their course. Has the government any

scheme to ensure that position is improved, because at present many

students are endeavouring to stay in this part of Wales, and those

hospitals are suffering? We are working with local organisations to

try and trained doctors in the West and Wales. Vacancies have gone down

by 3% in Wales, that is better than the rest of the UK. First Minister,

the GMC had identified problems right across the board in Welsh

hospitals, in terms of internet access for doctors to research and

study, how is the Welsh government addressing this simple problem?

They all have access to the internet via the NHS Network, that

his eye over the network, so it is subject to security rules. If there

wry examples of those rules hindering doctors from carrying out

proper research, certainly we would look to see what could be done.

wonder how might the Welsh government be able to ensure that

it is not be Deanery he were driving local health board brother

-- who are driving local health board policies are? They are saying

it is difficult to recruit paediatricians, so they cannot have

special baby-care units, that is what is being said. The deanery is

actually controlling how we develop health provision here in Wales,

that cannot be bright. What action will your government aid to ensure

that we have the health service we need for the people of Wales, and

we try it to find the right consultants and junior doctors in

order to sustain the service we need, and we are not to -- and we

are not dictated to by a training board. They are governed by a safe

patient care. The danger being put forward by the member is that

hospital services should not take into account whether they are safe

or not. The clearly I cannot agree with that. It is not property

discount the abuse of the Deanery in terms of delivering safe policy.

That's it for First Minister's Questions this week. I promised you

could see coverage of the Finance Minister's statement on the

government's draft budget - it's spending plans for the next year -

you can watch it online - just go to BBC Wales's Democracy Live page

at BBC.co.uk/Walespoltics. I'm reliably informed that Jane Hutt