:00:22. > :00:26.Good morning and welcome to am.pm, our twice weekly look at what is
:00:26. > :00:30.going on in politics in Wales, the UK and beyond. On today's programme
:00:30. > :00:34.- Will the health minister's five- year plan be the right medicine for
:00:34. > :00:38.the health of the nation? And will temperatures be rising when we
:00:39. > :00:42.visit Prime Minister's Questions at midday?
:00:42. > :00:52.And to keep with the health theme, I will be discussing how your local
:00:52. > :00:52.
:00:52. > :00:56.pharmacist could cut waste and also Good morning and welcome to am.pm.
:00:56. > :00:58.As ever I am joined by two AMs. Today I've got two newcomers to our
:00:58. > :01:02.sofa. Labour's Jenny Rathbone and Conservative, Janet Finch-Saunders.
:01:02. > :01:04.Good morning to you. We will have a proper chat in a moment. First of
:01:04. > :01:08.all, the health minister Lesley Griffiths says leaving the NHS in
:01:08. > :01:11.Wales as it is is not an option. She has asked the local health
:01:11. > :01:15.boards to come up with plans for reorganisation. Yesterday, she
:01:15. > :01:17.outlined her vision for the health service over the next five years.
:01:17. > :01:26.She says overhaul would involve centralising some specialist
:01:26. > :01:30.services and treating more patients at home. We have to make sure all
:01:30. > :01:36.services are safe, sustainable and effective. Our services are
:01:36. > :01:42.stretched. We know our services are stretched. When those plans come
:01:42. > :01:46.forward we will look at those plans and take it forward. No District
:01:46. > :01:55.General Hospital will close. Let's find out what is happening in the
:01:55. > :02:00.She issued a five-year plan yesterday. But she does not know
:02:00. > :02:04.what local health boards are going to come up with. It is up to the
:02:04. > :02:12.local health boards to cricket. The circumstances will be different in
:02:12. > :02:16.each one. They clears a really important agenda. We need to our
:02:16. > :02:21.hospitals with all the hi-tech bells and whistles there for people
:02:21. > :02:23.who need that medical help. We need to have measures in place to
:02:23. > :02:29.prevent people ending up in hospital who do not need to be
:02:29. > :02:32.there. There is a focus on treating patients at home. It seems to me
:02:32. > :02:39.that if you treat patients at home they're not going to be treated in
:02:39. > :02:44.hospital. Hospitals will become smaller as a matter of course. The
:02:44. > :02:46.opposition seems to be calling that downgrading. The opposite -- the
:02:46. > :02:52.minister does not what people to think hospitals are being
:02:52. > :02:57.downgraded. That is missing the point completely. We need to have
:02:57. > :03:01.an NHS that is fit for the 21st century. One of the biggest
:03:01. > :03:06.problems we have his bed blocking. People are remaining in hospital
:03:06. > :03:10.far longer than they should do. These services aren't properly in
:03:10. > :03:16.place for them to go home. Elderly people do not want to be in
:03:16. > :03:21.hospital less the need to be. Because the accident and Emergency
:03:21. > :03:26.is the only 24 hour service that is where they end up. All they needed
:03:26. > :03:34.was some decent nursing care. We need to change that. There is a
:03:34. > :03:37.challenge here. I was looking at something about the figures on that
:03:37. > :03:41.recently and one health board had one person in hospital for 22
:03:42. > :03:45.months after they should have gone home. What an indictment that is
:03:45. > :03:50.for the way we are not joining up our health and social services.
:03:50. > :03:53.That is one issue. Janet, the opposition parties yesterday have
:03:53. > :03:58.been accused of scaremongering by the minister because they have been
:03:58. > :04:04.talking about the threat to hospitals and concerns the services
:04:04. > :04:08.will be downgraded. Are you scaremongering? I have evidence
:04:08. > :04:12.where it downgrading has taken place under the Welsh Labour
:04:12. > :04:17.government. None more so than a mile constituency. I read the
:04:17. > :04:20.document yesterday with caution. It is very aspirational and the third
:04:20. > :04:28.document that has been written since the Assembly has come into
:04:28. > :04:32.being. What people want his actions not words. How would you vote all
:04:32. > :04:39.the outcomes are, the outcomes are very vague in the document. We have
:04:39. > :04:45.not had the details yet. Exactly. We don't have the funding. Well as
:04:45. > :04:49.Labour not committed to funding health as we would. -- Welsh Labour.
:04:49. > :04:54.That is debated by the government. That is a figure your party says
:04:54. > :04:58.will come out of the health budget. Your party does not agree. If you
:04:58. > :05:02.pick up on the point of is being aspirational. If we look at the
:05:02. > :05:06.name of it, a five-year vision is call together for health. What does
:05:06. > :05:12.that mean? What the minister is doing is laying out some of the
:05:12. > :05:18.challenges ahead. Nobody would disagree with what is in there. We
:05:18. > :05:25.know we have to... People want better services closer to where
:05:25. > :05:31.they live. We do not want people ending up in hospital which is a
:05:31. > :05:40.far more expensive option when they don't need to be there. Nobody
:05:40. > :05:46.would disagree with that. We need to do a lot more about it. In
:05:46. > :05:52.Cardiff, on any given day, we will have 120 beds occupied by people
:05:52. > :05:56.who do not need to be there. We need to have care planning for
:05:56. > :06:01.people going home the day they arrive. At the moment the Vale of
:06:01. > :06:05.Glamorgan in particular is refusing to engage on that. That is a
:06:05. > :06:09.specific issue. I have been doing this job for longer than I would
:06:09. > :06:15.like to remember, I had hair whenever met -- when I started, we
:06:15. > :06:19.have been talking about bed blocking four years and years. What
:06:19. > :06:23.does that say to you? Health and social care has been devolved for
:06:23. > :06:29.some time yet here we are in a situation where the a lot of times
:06:30. > :06:32.that is no joined up thinking. I know several cases where people are
:06:32. > :06:37.remaining in hospital because the care plan for when they leave
:06:37. > :06:43.hospital, it shouldn't be a closed door policy when you leave hospital,
:06:43. > :06:47.that is whether care stops. I have to turn you there are many examples
:06:47. > :06:52.of where there is no joined up thinking. I have raised it hears is
:06:52. > :07:01.I have been an Assembly Member. That is what you are saying should
:07:01. > :07:04.happen. It should have happened before now. There is no change. We
:07:05. > :07:11.have less resources, we are getting less money coming in from the UK
:07:11. > :07:17.Government. The bankers have run off with a lot of the many. We have
:07:17. > :07:23.to engage better, working better partnerships. It is no use blaming
:07:23. > :07:33.Welsh Labour for this. A lot of our local authorities and not run by a
:07:33. > :07:38.
:07:38. > :07:43.Welsh Labour. We will come back to Another busy day here. Let's look
:07:43. > :07:48.at this afternoon's agenda. We have the usual questions to the
:07:48. > :07:53.ministers, it is the environment minister today. Also the housing
:07:53. > :07:57.minister. Moving on to the debates. The Conservatives have nominated a
:07:57. > :08:02.debate on the economy. They are interested in what they are seen as
:08:02. > :08:05.a red tape in the way of private companies growing. They want to see
:08:05. > :08:10.greater opportunities to facilitate training for people. That will be
:08:10. > :08:14.the substance of their debate. Then there is the Plaid Cymru nominated
:08:14. > :08:18.debate which is about the dairy industry. They believe there that
:08:18. > :08:22.unfair commercial practices in the daily supply chain. They will be
:08:22. > :08:25.calling on the government to introduce a draft action plan for a
:08:25. > :08:33.code of practice to regulate the relationships between farmers and
:08:33. > :08:39.dairy companies. A story we have covered on Dragon's
:08:39. > :08:43.Eye. It is related European funding. The Liberal Democrats are focusing
:08:43. > :08:47.on European funding this afternoon. Dragon's Eye broke the story a few
:08:47. > :08:52.weeks back. European funding has not delivered what it should have
:08:52. > :08:58.done in Wales. What we were not aware of was that in most regions
:08:58. > :09:02.of Europe it has produced some kind of growth in GDP. In west Wales and
:09:02. > :09:08.the Valleys which have received billions of pounds in European aid,
:09:08. > :09:13.that has not happened. GDP has gone down. We know the other areas of
:09:13. > :09:19.Europe where that has happened, a decreasing GDP, there is only a
:09:19. > :09:24.handful of them. We're talking about regions in Portugal, southern
:09:24. > :09:32.Italy, mortar. And the vast majority of places at the many has
:09:32. > :09:40.don't what it is supposed to do. Best line in the vast majority of
:09:40. > :09:46.places. We are expecting that where will that Wales will have a third
:09:46. > :09:51.tranche of money in 2014. This is not a bad job one of our country.
:09:51. > :09:54.We still have these poorer regions. Assembly Members are aware of this
:09:55. > :09:58.and the finance committee has instigated an inquiry into how
:09:58. > :10:05.European funding is fend. A debate that should be interesting this
:10:06. > :10:12.afternoon. We were lookout for that one. He
:10:12. > :10:15.filled the same on about what is going on today. -- filled us in.
:10:15. > :10:18.You can find out even more on what is happening in the National
:10:18. > :10:28.Assembly on BBC Wales's Democracy Live online coverage. Just go to
:10:28. > :10:29.
:10:29. > :10:34.bbc.co.uk/walespolitics. Paul Flynn has been talking to our reporter
:10:34. > :10:40.today. It is no secret that lobbyists work
:10:40. > :10:44.tirelessly to secure a meeting with ministers and MPs. Some will meet
:10:44. > :10:47.here. There is one man who has always campaigned for more
:10:47. > :10:54.transparency when it comes to the relationship between politicians
:10:54. > :11:02.and lobbyists and that is the MP for Newport West, Paul Flynn. You
:11:02. > :11:06.are not a fan of lobbyists. Lobbying is fine. Good lobbying for
:11:06. > :11:13.good causes, MPs lobby people. The problem is secrecy and the lack of
:11:13. > :11:20.any transparency. Usually, lobbyists who are successful who
:11:20. > :11:26.were working for a rich, privileged organisations tried to gain extra
:11:27. > :11:31.advantages for those people who has -- who have a great many advantages.
:11:31. > :11:36.All governments have failed to control lobbyists and make sure it
:11:37. > :11:42.was all out in the open and we knew what was going on. The great danger
:11:42. > :11:48.is that a group are wishes to buy access to government often to
:11:48. > :11:54.advance their commercial needs, to make money, will spend a lot of
:11:54. > :12:04.many and get a skilled lobbyist to get them in the corridors of power.
:12:04. > :12:05.
:12:05. > :12:09.Governments spend far more time on the bad causes than the good causes.
:12:09. > :12:19.You want a stricter regulation of lobbyists and their work. Is it
:12:19. > :12:21.
:12:21. > :12:26.realistic? And MPs swayed with their interests? Many lobbyists are
:12:26. > :12:35.MPs and many MPs hope to be lobbyists in the future. The 10-
:12:35. > :12:41.kills of lobbying go deep into the body politic. -- the tentacles. We
:12:41. > :12:45.asked for transparency in 2009 come up for meetings to be recorded.
:12:45. > :12:50.Unfortunately it has not happened. What happened that the lobbyists
:12:50. > :12:53.lobby the last government and persuaded them they did not need to
:12:54. > :13:00.have strict control for a compulsory will -- compulsory
:13:00. > :13:05.register. The last government, I am sorry to say, accepted what the
:13:05. > :13:09.lobbying business had to save. this government be any different?
:13:09. > :13:13.We have the Prime Minister who said before he came to power this is the
:13:13. > :13:18.new scandal and this was going to be as bad as the expenses scandal.
:13:18. > :13:22.This was the cancer that was eating away at the body politic and he was
:13:22. > :13:27.fully enthusiastic to have a compulsory register when he was
:13:27. > :13:31.opposition. Coming into government, this government has been lobbied by
:13:31. > :13:37.the lobbyists who don't want to bother with theirs. They appear to
:13:37. > :13:43.have won that they until the Adam where it the case other Liam Fox
:13:43. > :13:50.case. What was were -- happening here, people advocating certain
:13:50. > :13:55.political lines, arguing against global warming, arguing in favour
:13:55. > :14:01.of American politics and the number of other subjects have paid many in
:14:01. > :14:06.order to secretly lobby a Secretary of State. That shock has got
:14:06. > :14:11.through. People see that as wrong. Am I right in thinking you have a
:14:11. > :14:16.stop lesson that you sent to lobbyists who tried to contact you?
:14:16. > :14:21.I have a standard abusive letter to lobbyist that point out to them
:14:21. > :14:26.then is no advantage in using their services to contact me. The people
:14:26. > :14:30.who are paying their many should contact me directly. They confuse
:14:30. > :14:35.the message and use up the many, if it is a good cause it is wrong, if
:14:35. > :14:41.it is a bad cause it does not matter. They are there as a
:14:41. > :14:46.professional advisers, professional persuaders. They are often
:14:46. > :14:52.professional deceivers. It is their version of the truth. That comes
:14:52. > :14:55.from people who are trying to gain advantages to make money and then
:14:55. > :15:00.people who lose out other people with the small voices you can't
:15:00. > :15:05.afford to pay lobbyists. But it has always been thus, when it changed?
:15:05. > :15:10.It will now. We have tries as the scandals that took place 20 years
:15:10. > :15:14.ago when MPs were taking cash for questions, taking many and Brown
:15:14. > :15:24.notes. We have advance from that time better we are far from having
:15:24. > :15:29.
:15:29. > :15:36.a system where it is fair and open Let's head back over to Westminster
:15:36. > :15:45.to our political Correspondent. If you switched on the radio, or read
:15:45. > :15:51.a paper, the eurozone crisis rumbles on. There is some news
:15:51. > :15:54.about the economy in the United Kingdom.
:15:54. > :16:04.It will be a lively Prime Minister's Questions today. Events
:16:04. > :16:10.
:16:10. > :16:14.in Greece will dominate I think. Also the G20 summit in Cannes. The
:16:14. > :16:23.money that is going to Greece is not the problem, but the strings
:16:23. > :16:28.attached, the austerity measures. They are very unpopular. The G20
:16:28. > :16:38.summit, world leaders will be discussing whether it is time it to
:16:38. > :16:39.
:16:39. > :16:43.leave base -- to cut Greece a loose. France is very reluctant to let
:16:43. > :16:50.that happen because a lot of the Greek debt is owned by French banks.
:16:50. > :16:55.In Britain, it is a tricky balancing act. Most of Britain's
:16:55. > :17:03.trade is done with the eurozone. So it is important that the eurozone
:17:03. > :17:09.economies are growing. The problem for David Cameron is that he is
:17:09. > :17:17.trying to influence events without committing any taxpayers' money. It
:17:17. > :17:22.is a difficult balancing act. He has also been told by Nicholas
:17:22. > :17:31.Sarkozy to keep his nose out as well. We are expecting public
:17:31. > :17:35.sector strikes at the end of this month over changes to pensions.
:17:35. > :17:40.The government in Britain is trying to save money as well and pensions
:17:40. > :17:45.cost a lot of money. The Government wants to raise the retirement age
:17:45. > :17:53.for people working in their public sector to 66 and it wants to
:17:53. > :17:59.increase of the contributions at that workers make to those pensions.
:17:59. > :18:06.If you earn at under �15,000, you will not have to pay anymore. A
:18:06. > :18:14.sliding scale thereafter. The unions are not happy about this.
:18:14. > :18:20.There is a strike pencilled in for November 30th. Today, there have
:18:20. > :18:24.been at meetings between union leaders and government ministers.
:18:24. > :18:28.The union leaders are saying there are new things on the table. There
:18:28. > :18:34.will be a statement from Danny Alexander after Prime Minister's
:18:34. > :18:44.Questions. As we understand it, the government will offer some
:18:44. > :18:53.concessions. These changes might not affect those who are just 10
:18:53. > :19:03.years away from retirement. Thank you. We will catch up with
:19:03. > :19:12.you later. Time to talk about investment now.
:19:12. > :19:17.Yes, talking about investment. You have a lot of concerns about
:19:17. > :19:24.capital spending. The economy is in a very weak state, especially in
:19:24. > :19:34.Wales. We believe that capital spending can introduce some vigour
:19:34. > :19:41.into the economy. What is happening at the moment, the fault lies at
:19:41. > :19:46.the Westminster end, but there is not drive of end of the government
:19:46. > :19:52.in Wales to get some of these capital projects out of through the
:19:52. > :20:01.door. The Health Minister said that all capital spending is being
:20:01. > :20:04.postponed until next year. There is ongoing work, of course. But these
:20:04. > :20:12.projects were announced prior to the last election and are ready to
:20:12. > :20:22.go. They should be out in order to stimulate the economy. Your party
:20:22. > :20:23.
:20:23. > :20:32.was making a point in the Senedd yesterday. The government has
:20:32. > :20:40.talked about renal services, construction on health parks,
:20:40. > :20:45.things are happening. These are ongoing projects. In transport, all
:20:46. > :20:51.the plants had been postponed until there is a review. Nothing new is
:20:51. > :20:57.in the pipeline. It is the same with help. There should be a
:20:57. > :21:03.capital plan for Wales. The health minister has made it clear that the
:21:03. > :21:10.money will go with the plans from the local health boards. That is
:21:10. > :21:14.sensible. But there are already ideas that have been proposed. I
:21:14. > :21:21.know about a renal unit at that needs to be built up in north-west
:21:21. > :21:26.Wales. Those are things that could be activated and should be
:21:26. > :21:32.activated. We are talking in general terms about the approach of
:21:32. > :21:35.the Government in Wales. They do not seem to realise how important
:21:35. > :21:40.this is to the construction industry which can then feed into
:21:40. > :21:45.the economy and get things going. This is one tool that the
:21:45. > :21:48.government has in it too box to make a difference. It will be
:21:48. > :21:55.interesting to see what the other parties have to say. Thank you very
:21:55. > :22:02.much. You would like to address those
:22:03. > :22:10.points. Janet, his first port of call for laying blame was with you
:22:10. > :22:15.government at Westminster. At 40% cut in capital spending, do you
:22:16. > :22:23.accept what he is saying? As a government, we cannot give money
:22:23. > :22:31.that is not there. The Labour Party left the government and the country
:22:31. > :22:41.were the largest deficit since the last war. It is costing us �120
:22:41. > :22:43.
:22:43. > :22:53.million a day. As was pointed out, the capital expenditure is not
:22:53. > :22:58.
:22:58. > :23:01.making any difference. Some works have been in the system for years.
:23:01. > :23:08.You or may have to look at delays in enterprise zones. Six months
:23:08. > :23:14.after taking an our decision, it was advocated here, but there is no
:23:14. > :23:21.meat on the bonds. There is a lack of action on businesses. I am a
:23:21. > :23:31.business person. The Welsh Labour government has not got a reputation
:23:31. > :23:33.
:23:33. > :23:38.for supporting business. accusations levelled that the Welsh
:23:38. > :23:46.Government is not bringing forward money quickly enough to be spent on
:23:46. > :23:54.capital projects. If we have a 40% cut in our budget, we have to make
:23:54. > :24:00.sure that what we do spend our money on is the most viable and
:24:00. > :24:08.appropriate. We have to review what we are going to do with 40% risk
:24:08. > :24:14.capital. But you have known for one year already? We need to know that
:24:14. > :24:19.health boards are going to grip the new health agenda. I would like to
:24:19. > :24:29.see all district nurses and midwives armed with an iPad so they
:24:29. > :24:33.
:24:33. > :24:36.can input there not. -- their records. That is a capital spent
:24:36. > :24:43.that would be a relatively small sum of money but would be a really
:24:43. > :24:50.good way of improving efficiency in delivering services. Will you talk
:24:50. > :24:55.to the Health Minister about that? Yes, as soon as I can. The other
:24:55. > :25:02.thing is the usual nonsense coming from the Conservatives that it was
:25:02. > :25:10.Labour that cost the global financial crisis. Absolute rubbish.
:25:10. > :25:14.The UK government had the lowest deficit in Europe until the banking
:25:14. > :25:21.crisis hit. The Conservatives were all in favour of the plan that was
:25:21. > :25:25.pursued by Gordon Brown. They realised that actually the collapse
:25:25. > :25:32.of the international financial system would have devastating
:25:32. > :25:39.consequences for ordinary people. do not agree with you there. The
:25:40. > :25:46.crisis that our country faces now is due to over borrowing. You
:25:47. > :25:51.cannot borrow for ever. The interest that we are having to pay
:25:51. > :26:01.back is an indictment of the Labour Party. We accept all that that
:26:01. > :26:04.
:26:04. > :26:07.there is a deficit... Sorry, I have to move on.
:26:07. > :26:10.David Cameron has said he wants to reform the way children are adopted
:26:10. > :26:13.in England he thinks the process could be speeded up in many local
:26:13. > :26:17.authorities. But what's the situation here in Wales? Back to
:26:17. > :26:22.Mark in the Oriel. I have some money you were the very
:26:22. > :26:26.good insight into the situation in Wales. Can I ask you about what is
:26:26. > :26:36.happening in England, naming and shaming councils for the Tour
:26:36. > :26:36.
:26:36. > :26:41.taking too long to place adoptive children? -- councils that are
:26:41. > :26:48.taking too long. People have to work together to look at the needs
:26:48. > :26:57.of children and families and rather than naming and shaming. It seems
:26:57. > :27:00.to be broadly similar in terms of waiting times in England and Wales.
:27:00. > :27:06.There are increasing number of children going into the care system
:27:06. > :27:10.who will not be able to go back home again and a decreasing number
:27:10. > :27:14.of approved adopters are ready to take those children. There is
:27:14. > :27:18.something of a crisis in Wales as well as in England. We need to
:27:18. > :27:23.focus all of our resources on improving the situation because of
:27:23. > :27:27.those children are growing up quickly. There are many factors
:27:27. > :27:35.coming together at the same time. There is an issue with children
:27:35. > :27:44.coming through having greater needs, often having undergone worse drama
:27:44. > :27:54.than children in the past, having all manner of Leeds. We do not know
:27:54. > :28:02.
:28:03. > :28:11.why so many of their arrangements break down. -- all manner of need.
:28:11. > :28:15.These are children must admit that it needs and they need a team
:28:15. > :28:20.around -- significant needs and the need a team around, Mental Health,
:28:20. > :28:29.play therapy, parenting support, they need some support to help them
:28:29. > :28:36.off on that road. It is a problem that sometimes they get the support
:28:36. > :28:46.and them the support Ms once the adoption goes through. -- the
:28:46. > :28:49.
:28:49. > :28:57.support ends. Yes, that seems to happen a lot.
:28:57. > :29:03.What do you think the headlines will be after the next half our?
:29:03. > :29:08.am sure that the global crisis is bound to be up for discussion. I am
:29:08. > :29:14.particularly interested to see whether Ed Miliband will pick up on
:29:14. > :29:24.the Archbishop of Canterbury's suggestion of imposing a robin Hood
:29:24. > :29:26.
:29:26. > :29:33.tax on the banks to address issues about equity that are being raised
:29:33. > :29:36.around the world. Do you think the Prime Minister will listen to that?
:29:36. > :29:46.You have only got to look at the pressures that the Prime Minister
:29:46. > :29:54.is under, and are Chancellor. They are dealing with debt, with a
:29:54. > :30:02.global crisis, minimum growth. I am optimistic that there will be quite
:30:02. > :30:07.an interesting battle today. On at the growth figures, if they economy
:30:07. > :30:17.grows on average as it has done, it should be 10% bigger now, but
:30:17. > :30:26.
:30:26. > :30:32.It is brilliant we have a chancellor and Prime Minister who
:30:32. > :30:41.is willing to get to grips with the issues. It is time wind the
:30:41. > :30:46.eurozone is in crisis. Plan A is not working because so many people
:30:46. > :30:52.and on the dole. That means less people paying taxes. The deficit is
:30:52. > :30:57.not been reduced. We have to have a growth plan for jobs, more jobs,
:30:57. > :31:05.more people in work and a reduction in VAT on things like housing
:31:05. > :31:08.improvements. But your government is an accepting that. You talk
:31:08. > :31:18.about unemployment in Wales. There's been no support for
:31:18. > :31:20.
:31:20. > :31:25.businesses. It is the Welsh Labour government that is not supporting
:31:25. > :31:35.businesses. A we are after Prime Minister's Questions.
:31:35. > :31:36.
:31:36. > :31:42.We are ready to start and here is David Cameron.
:31:42. > :31:51.The average six-year-old is leaving 10 years longer than in the 1970s,
:31:51. > :31:55.pension reform is an essential. -- 60-year-old.
:31:55. > :31:59.My honourable friend makes an important point. We will be making
:31:59. > :32:06.a full statement to the House. It seems vital that we do something
:32:06. > :32:09.that is fair to tax payers and also fair to public sector workers. The
:32:09. > :32:13.costs of our public sector pension system is up by a third in the last
:32:13. > :32:19.decade. It is not fair to go on as we are. The new arrangements must
:32:19. > :32:23.be fair to people who work hard in the public sector. I can tell the
:32:23. > :32:27.House that low and middle-income earners will get more from their
:32:27. > :32:32.public sector pensions. Everyone will keep what they have built up
:32:32. > :32:36.so far. Anyone within 10 years of retirement will see no change in
:32:36. > :32:41.their pension -- pension retirement. People in the public sector will
:32:41. > :32:45.get far better pensions and people are the private sector. I think it
:32:45. > :32:55.is time that the party opposite was clear that they do not support
:32:55. > :33:00.
:33:00. > :33:04.Mr Speaker, does the Prime Minister believe that growth of 0.5% of the
:33:04. > :33:11.last year and unemployment at his 17th year high point to the success
:33:11. > :33:19.or failure of his economic plan? Everybody wants the British economy
:33:19. > :33:23.to grow faster. That is what everybody wants. I have to say that
:33:23. > :33:29.yesterday's figure of 0.5% which has better than many people
:33:29. > :33:38.expected, isn't it notable that he can not bring himself to welcome
:33:38. > :33:43.news like that. We all have to address this, there
:33:43. > :33:48.is a global storm in the world economy today. It is in our
:33:48. > :33:58.interest to help her there's confront that global stormed but
:33:58. > :34:03.
:34:03. > :34:12.we've got to keep the British First you blame the Labour
:34:12. > :34:17.government, then he you blame Europe, yesterday you were blaming
:34:17. > :34:20.your Cabinet colleagues but the lack of growth in the economy. If
:34:20. > :34:27.that was about this Prime Minister is when things go around it is
:34:27. > :34:31.nothing to do with them. -- go wrong. Let's ask about another one
:34:31. > :34:36.of his flagship policies. The business Growth Fund launched nine
:34:36. > :34:46.months ago with the banks. Can he tell us the number of businesses
:34:46. > :34:49.
:34:49. > :34:56.that the fund has made investments The problem with police cryptic
:34:56. > :35:04.questions is he does not listen to the first answer. -- police grip
:35:04. > :35:07.did. I it and say I -- get did not say I blamed the last Labour
:35:07. > :35:12.government. But it was the government and left us with this
:35:12. > :35:17.record that. It is this government that has to deal with that. This is
:35:17. > :35:21.one of the schemes to make sure banks are lending alongside the
:35:21. > :35:25.Merlin scheme which is seeing an increase in lending to small
:35:25. > :35:32.businesses. That is a record we can be proud of and something he did
:35:32. > :35:38.not achieve. Mr Speaker, we all know by now with
:35:38. > :35:43.his Prime Minister that when he blusters like best he is either
:35:43. > :35:47.have to embarrass to answer all he doesn't know the answer. Let me
:35:47. > :35:53.help him. The business Growth Fund has announced nine months ago, it
:35:53. > :36:01.has five offices, 50 staff, how many investments, the grand total
:36:01. > :36:05.of two. It is becoming a pattern with his Prime Minister. Fanfare
:36:05. > :36:09.announcements and then radio silence. He said in March he will
:36:09. > :36:14.what those banks like a hawk and make sure they deliver. What is he
:36:14. > :36:24.going to do to get that business Growth Fund moving?
:36:24. > :36:32.These other banks he failed to regulate year after year. Yes, yes.
:36:32. > :36:40.Order, order. The House is getting... Order. Calm yourself.
:36:40. > :36:45.The House is getting far too excited. Both the Prime Minister
:36:45. > :36:49.and the Leader of the Opposition must be heard. It is called
:36:49. > :36:55.democracy. Let me give him the figures. What
:36:55. > :37:03.has happened under the bank lending schemes of this government, we have
:37:03. > :37:10.�190 billion of credit this year. That is a huge increase. Sent to �6
:37:10. > :37:20.billion of this is for small or medium-sized businesses. -- �76
:37:20. > :37:21.
:37:21. > :37:28.billion. We are seeing more lending under this government.
:37:28. > :37:32.A totally hopeless answer. One of his own schemes, but business
:37:32. > :37:37.Growth Fund, they trumpeted the announcements and have not got a
:37:37. > :37:44.clue what is happening. Businesses are struggling but one group in our
:37:44. > :37:50.economy is doing well indeed. Over the last year when many people have
:37:50. > :37:55.seen their wages frozen, directors' pay rose by 49%. The Prime Minister
:37:55. > :38:03.expressed concern about theirs last Friday. The public want to know
:38:03. > :38:07.what is he going to do about it? It is this government that
:38:07. > :38:11.introduced the Bank levied. More raised in one ear and the bonus tax
:38:11. > :38:21.they created. It is this government that has increased the fear that
:38:21. > :38:25.
:38:25. > :38:28.It is this government that has seen lower bank bonuses. I agree with
:38:28. > :38:32.him that the at bishop of Canterbury speaks for the whole
:38:32. > :38:36.country when he says it is unacceptable in a time of
:38:36. > :38:43.difficulty when people at the top of our society are now showing
:38:43. > :38:47.signs of responsibility. It is this government that is consulting about
:38:47. > :38:52.proper measures to make sure we get transparency in terms of boardroom
:38:52. > :38:58.pay, proper accountability, more power for shareholders. Although
:38:58. > :39:04.things we are doing. If he is keen on this agenda, what did he do with
:39:04. > :39:06.the last 13 years? I will tell you what we did. We
:39:06. > :39:11.introduced a 50p a rate in the income tax that he and his
:39:11. > :39:18.Chancellor wants to abolish. But something needs to be done about
:39:18. > :39:27.top pay. I would as the Conservative members to calm down.
:39:27. > :39:32.-- I would ask. Last martyr his fair pay review which he set up
:39:32. > :39:41.recommended the government should require every top company should
:39:41. > :39:45.publish how much the highest earners get paid -- and are the
:39:45. > :39:50.equivalent payment. Can he confirm this will happen from 10th January
:39:50. > :39:57.to 12? M like the last government, they
:39:57. > :40:05.did absolutely nothing. -- unlike the last government. We are a
:40:05. > :40:09.little bit wary about accepting lectures from a party that told us
:40:10. > :40:14.they were intensely relaxed about everyone getting filthy rich. A
:40:14. > :40:18.party that had a capital gains tax system so people in the city paid
:40:18. > :40:25.less tax than they clean have lost up I know he has forgotten all
:40:25. > :40:31.these things but we remember them. Another report to government,
:40:31. > :40:35.another failure to act. The truth is he sat on the Hutton review for
:40:35. > :40:39.nine months and has done nothing about it. That is why the
:40:39. > :40:43.recommendation is not going to be implemented. That is the truth
:40:43. > :40:49.about this Prime Minister, he says we a role in it together but he
:40:49. > :40:52.leads the top 1% get away with it while the other 99% see their
:40:52. > :40:57.living standards squeezed. That is why people are increasingly saying
:40:57. > :41:03.this is a Prime Minister totally out of touch with their lives.
:41:04. > :41:09.I have to say in the week whether Labour Party has a tax exile at
:41:09. > :41:13.running their election campaign, he has a lot of nerve to come and
:41:13. > :41:23.challenge us on that. They had 13 years to regulate the banks as they
:41:23. > :41:31.
:41:31. > :41:34.had 13 years to deal with bank Cable theft has cost the rail
:41:34. > :41:38.industry �43 million over the last three years. They have drafted in
:41:38. > :41:43.Gurkhas to patrol the network. Homes and churches are being
:41:43. > :41:47.pilfered of their lead and copper and in the past month one
:41:47. > :41:52.churchyard in Huddersfield has had 169 memorial plaque stolen for us
:41:52. > :41:58.mettle. Would the Prime Minister join me in saying this is the time
:41:58. > :42:07.to legislate to stop these -- is metal going to merchants.
:42:07. > :42:10.The theft of metal particularly sickening and disgusting crime. We
:42:10. > :42:16.are working with the Association of Chief of Police officers to deal
:42:16. > :42:24.with theirs. It does involved looking at scrap metal dealers. We
:42:24. > :42:28.need to stop this appalling crime. In my constituency and across the
:42:28. > :42:35.country, we are worried about the increasing cost of gas, electricity,
:42:35. > :42:40.home heating oil. What can the Prime Minister tell the country
:42:40. > :42:43.what he is going to do to help people and his situation. When he
:42:43. > :42:50.reverse the cuts to winter fuel allowance which hit senior
:42:51. > :42:55.citizens? He has done so many things differently from the
:42:55. > :43:02.opposition, why is the not going to do something differently about the
:43:02. > :43:09.winter fuel allowance? We have kept their farms. -- the
:43:09. > :43:13.plans. We have maintained that so if there is a cold winter people
:43:13. > :43:17.will be getting help. The other steps we are taking is making sure
:43:18. > :43:27.energy companies give people proper information are the lowest tariffs
:43:28. > :43:35.
:43:35. > :43:38.they can get. Does the Prime Minister agreed that
:43:38. > :43:42.it is irresponsible and downright destructive for senior politicians
:43:42. > :43:48.of any political party to support strike action whilst negotiations
:43:48. > :43:52.are ongoing? I think my right honourable friend
:43:52. > :43:56.is right. This is a fair offer to hard-working public servants to say
:43:56. > :44:01.this is a strong set a pension reforms that will give you pensions
:44:01. > :44:05.at a better than anything available in the private sector. To have the
:44:05. > :44:08.Labour front bench that is silent on this issue, with education
:44:08. > :44:18.spokesman actually encouraging teachers to strike is the height of
:44:18. > :44:26.irresponsibility. My constituency that my
:44:26. > :44:32.constituents have a son who have been so -- who has been serving in
:44:32. > :44:38.Afghanistan. Can the Prime Minister tell us why he thinks he is right
:44:38. > :44:43.on the issue of abolishing chief coroner?
:44:43. > :44:50.A is an important issue. I have had discussions with the need in about
:44:50. > :44:53.it. The point about the Royal British Legion is that the current
:44:53. > :44:56.proposal for the chief Coroners Office to be established were back
:44:56. > :45:00.to the involve something like �10 million of spending that we think
:45:00. > :45:04.there are many would be better spent on improving all coroner
:45:04. > :45:08.services across the country. We're listening carefully to concerns
:45:08. > :45:12.expressed in both Houses of Parliament about this issue. What
:45:12. > :45:22.matters is away going to improve the performance of our coroners.
:45:22. > :45:24.
:45:24. > :45:31.That is was service families want, Public sector workers in my
:45:31. > :45:37.constituency work extremely hard to deliver essential public services.
:45:37. > :45:43.We barley at the services tremendously. Can my right
:45:43. > :45:50.honourable friend assure me that the government reforms are
:45:50. > :45:55.necessary and will ensure that these services are sustainable.
:45:55. > :46:00.is a very important point. The cost of supporting public services
:46:00. > :46:10.pensions have gone up by a third. It is a major item of public
:46:10. > :46:11.
:46:11. > :46:21.spending. Tax us pay for that provision. I believe that this is
:46:21. > :46:27.
:46:27. > :46:31.appear scheme., this is a pair set of changes. The less well off are
:46:31. > :46:36.really protected. Low-paid in the public sector will not have to pay
:46:36. > :46:42.increased contribution. The House of Commons should get behind it
:46:42. > :46:46.consider playing with strike action. When the Prime Minister goes to the
:46:46. > :46:49.G20 meeting, will he try and persuade his colleagues of the
:46:49. > :46:54.urgency of coming up with some detail on the eurozone settlement
:46:54. > :47:01.reached last week? It is not clear how Greece is going to get out of
:47:01. > :47:07.the difficulties it has. European banks will need supporting. As for
:47:07. > :47:12.the new rescue fund, it does not actually exist. The G20 needs do
:47:12. > :47:22.short the same urgency and sense of purpose that it showed when it met
:47:22. > :47:24.
:47:25. > :47:29.in London. The right honourable gentleman has -- is absolutely
:47:29. > :47:35.right about the urgency of this meeting. Some progress was made
:47:35. > :47:45.last week when, for the first time, they did accept a proper write-down
:47:45. > :47:45.
:47:45. > :47:51.of Greek a debt and a proper recapitalisation of Europe's banks.
:47:52. > :47:56.The final element, which it needs to have more detail I did, is to
:47:56. > :48:05.make sure there is a proper far wall to stop contagion in the
:48:05. > :48:10.eurozone. The meat has got even greater. We can do involve word
:48:10. > :48:13.cells -- there need has got even greater. We cannot involve
:48:13. > :48:20.ourselves in Greek domestic politics, but they have to deal
:48:20. > :48:28.with the problems in the eurozone. Britain's population is set to
:48:28. > :48:34.increase from 62 million to 70 million by 2027 with most of this
:48:34. > :48:38.increase being driven by immigration. Can they break the
:48:38. > :48:46.almost automatic link between the foreign nationals coming to work
:48:46. > :48:50.career be given citizenship? We are committed to that. Proper
:48:50. > :48:56.immigration control and welfare reform are up two sides of the same
:48:56. > :49:05.coin and this government is committed to controlling
:49:05. > :49:10.immigration Abedin British people back to work. -- and putting. More
:49:10. > :49:16.than 450 colleges will no longer be able to sponsor new international
:49:16. > :49:20.students because they were not properly established to do that.
:49:20. > :49:27.That is just one example of how this Government is living up to his
:49:27. > :49:37.promise to get a grip on immigration. Should smoking be
:49:37. > :49:38.
:49:38. > :49:48.banned in vehicles were there are children be present? I do they get
:49:48. > :49:49.
:49:49. > :49:53.it right. I think the smoking ban has worked. The smoking ban is
:49:53. > :50:02.successful. I am much more nervous about going into what people do
:50:02. > :50:09.inside a vehicle. I will look carefully at what he says.
:50:09. > :50:13.Prime Minister will be aware of the report issued yesterday on energy
:50:13. > :50:19.investment in Scotland. Does he agree with me that this report
:50:19. > :50:29.demonstrates the benefits of green energy in the unique came -- in the
:50:29. > :50:34.UK are only unlocked by combining the potential in Scotland with the
:50:34. > :50:37.UK? A major financial institution more and yesterday of the dangers
:50:38. > :50:43.of investing in Scotland while there is this uncertainty about the
:50:43. > :50:53.future of the constitution. It is important we keep our United
:50:53. > :50:56.
:50:56. > :51:02.Kingdom together. When it comes to vital in -- a vital industries, we
:51:02. > :51:05.can make this a great investment and future for Scotland. The Prime
:51:05. > :51:10.Minister has said that his government will be the greenest
:51:10. > :51:14.ever, does he still take that statement seriously? Will he
:51:14. > :51:23.intervene in to sort out the appalling chaos that is resulting
:51:23. > :51:32.from the slashing of tariffs in at six weeks in that the Solar
:51:32. > :51:38.industry? It is this government that has set aside �3 billion for
:51:38. > :51:44.Green Investment Bank. It has been matched -- it has been talk about
:51:44. > :51:50.them the past but never done. We have put aside at �1 billion for
:51:50. > :51:57.cab then capture and storage -- for carbon capture and storage. We are
:51:57. > :52:01.living up to our promises. Can I congratulate the pupils and staff
:52:01. > :52:11.at Whitchurch High School, a foundation status comprehensive
:52:11. > :52:18.
:52:18. > :52:23.school in my constituency. Many famous people have come from there.
:52:23. > :52:30.It is receiving the award of state school of the year. An impressive
:52:30. > :52:38.list of personalities that have attended the school. I join my
:52:38. > :52:45.honourable friend a congratulating such an excellent school. Children
:52:45. > :52:49.and adults have been killed in dog attacks were stop we need to
:52:49. > :52:54.tighten up the law in this area. Will the Prime Minister take a
:52:54. > :53:01.personal interest in the legislation? The honourable lady
:53:01. > :53:10.makes an important point. Attempts to changes in the past have not
:53:10. > :53:15.always been successful. Perhaps I can write to the honourable lady
:53:15. > :53:20.and set out for the Government intends to do. Given the huge anger
:53:20. > :53:24.about the pay for the top 100 directors, can the Prime Minister
:53:25. > :53:31.give me a personal assurance that he is committed to the transfer of
:53:31. > :53:41.power over pay from the boardroom to shower orders of our companies?
:53:41. > :53:43.
:53:43. > :53:48.I do want to see that happen. -- to their shareholders. I want to
:53:48. > :53:56.strengthen behind of shareholders. Lawn Executive directors on boards
:53:56. > :54:06.should not be the usual rotating list of men. I want to see more
:54:06. > :54:15.
:54:15. > :54:18.women in Britain's boardrooms which Order. The House must come down.
:54:19. > :54:23.The Prime Minister has described his work programme as the biggest
:54:23. > :54:29.back-to-work programme since the 1930s. But he knows it does not
:54:29. > :54:37.create jobs, it meal it links people to vacancies. There are 6500
:54:37. > :54:43.unemployed people in Tottenham. -- it merely a links. What will his
:54:43. > :54:48.work programme do about it? work programme it plays a role in
:54:48. > :54:54.helping prepare people for work. It is vital. It brings employers end
:54:54. > :54:59.up so they can offer jobs to those people. I have looked at the issue
:54:59. > :55:02.of Tottenham. There is a shortage of vacancies in the borough of
:55:03. > :55:10.Tottenham itself, but we have got to encourage people who live in
:55:10. > :55:19.London to be prepared to travel more widely to look for work. Part
:55:19. > :55:22.of the work programme should be aimed at addressing that. Rural far
:55:23. > :55:30.services attend more primary fires and accidents than those of our
:55:30. > :55:35.urban areas but they receive less funding. This is typical of rural
:55:35. > :55:39.funding. People there pay more and receive less. Will the Prime
:55:39. > :55:45.Minister meet with me to get a better deal for those in rural
:55:45. > :55:50.areas? I am very happy to meet with my honourable friend. I think it is
:55:50. > :55:55.important we have a fair deal for rural areas. There are very big
:55:55. > :56:04.differences in the use of Retained firefighters. I am happy to meet
:56:05. > :56:11.him and discuss the issue. leader of the opposition... Prime
:56:11. > :56:21.Minister, at a time when the economy is flat mining, is it the
:56:21. > :56:22.
:56:22. > :56:28.work in good enough? Corporation tax has been cut for every company.
:56:28. > :56:35.Apprenticeships has been increased. There was no regional growth bond
:56:35. > :56:39.under Labour. -- regional growth fund. We inherited an economy with
:56:39. > :56:44.the biggest budget deficit in Europe and it is this Government
:56:45. > :56:54.that is helping our economy to make sure that we're living save in the
:56:54. > :56:59.United Kingdom. -- that we remain at safe. This is National adoption
:57:00. > :57:08.Week. We must continue to do all we can to support children in the care
:57:08. > :57:14.system and to encourage prospective adoptive parents to come forward.
:57:14. > :57:24.We really do need a more parents to come forward as potential a doctor
:57:24. > :57:29.-- as potential adoptive parents. Children will not unless that comes
:57:29. > :57:34.-- will not get help unless they come forward. Adoption has become
:57:34. > :57:41.too bureaucratic and too difficult at it is putting people off. I am
:57:41. > :57:49.determined to crack this. There is a sense of national shame that
:57:49. > :57:59.there are so many children in the care system and yet so few add
:57:59. > :58:00.
:58:00. > :58:04.options. -- adoption us. This government has called for the
:58:04. > :58:07.reopening of the defensive review. A leading a military think tack has
:58:07. > :58:13.said that Britain is cutting military equipment that might prove
:58:13. > :58:23.a vital in the future. Will other government listen up to the defence
:58:23. > :58:25.
:58:25. > :58:29.and military experts? I think this is the day, as hostilities in Libya
:58:29. > :58:37.come to end end, that we should be praising our brave armed services
:58:37. > :58:47.and all they have done. Schools in a rural Northumberland were largely
:58:47. > :58:48.
:58:48. > :58:54.ignored by the previous government. With the school budgets are rising,
:58:54. > :59:01.will the government recognise that there suggestions put forward by
:59:01. > :59:05.schools in my community? We are protecting funding which means the
:59:05. > :59:15.education budget will rise and not fall. The Shadow Chancellor is so
:59:15. > :59:18.
:59:18. > :59:22.wrong. I digress. As well as the extra investment in the school
:59:22. > :59:29.budget, there is the opportunity for free schools which I think will
:59:29. > :59:35.be a major reform in our country, bringing it more good school places.
:59:35. > :59:42.Perhaps when a future Chancellor attends one of the schools, he will
:59:42. > :59:52.learn manners. Order. Some people are going to burst they are getting
:59:52. > :59:58.
:59:58. > :00:03.so excited. The campaigners outside Parliament today, with regard to a
:00:03. > :00:13.Robin Hood tax, the money has been earmarked for a sustainable
:00:13. > :00:16.
:00:17. > :00:22.There is widespread support but it has to be adopted on a global basis.
:00:22. > :00:26.Let me say this, it is a warning for those pushing this, we must be
:00:26. > :00:30.careful that we don't allow other countries including some of the
:00:30. > :00:34.European countries to use a campaign for this tax that they
:00:34. > :00:39.know is unlikely to be adopted in the short-term as an excuse for
:00:39. > :00:44.getting off their aid commitments. We can be proud of the fact we are
:00:45. > :00:54.meeting our aid commitments. Don't let others use this tax from
:00:54. > :00:58.getting off what they promised. The UN protects over the next 40
:00:58. > :01:04.years world demand for food will increase by 70%. That ought to mean
:01:04. > :01:12.good news for farmers but sadly, since 1990, Britain's capacity to
:01:12. > :01:17.feed itself has fallen by effect. We urgently need a strategy to grow
:01:17. > :01:23.Britain's farming industry. You make an important point which
:01:23. > :01:27.is it is true we have seen our own future security decline and Our
:01:27. > :01:32.Rome food production challenge. It is important to remember that
:01:32. > :01:35.farmers are businesses and need things don't like other businesses
:01:35. > :01:39.such as the regulation, predictable income. This government is
:01:39. > :01:49.committed to make that happen which will benefit the people in his own
:01:49. > :01:54.constituency. Since 2010, when asked if his
:01:54. > :02:01.government would build more homes, the housing minister replied
:02:01. > :02:05.building more homes is the standard on which will be judged. In later
:02:05. > :02:11.years does the Prime Minister expect the standard to be achieved?
:02:11. > :02:14.We are going to expand the building of homes for Social friends by
:02:14. > :02:21.increasing and reducing the right- to-buy which the last government
:02:21. > :02:24.run-down. We are also going to make available government land so that
:02:24. > :02:29.builders can get on and build without having to buy that land and
:02:29. > :02:33.only have to pay when they have delivered the House. We want to see
:02:33. > :02:43.an extra two Linda 1,000 homes built in that way. That will give
:02:43. > :02:50.
:02:50. > :02:58.us a far better record than the Not withstanding the increasingly
:02:58. > :03:03.maniacal the stipulations of the Shadow Chancellor -- gesticulations
:03:04. > :03:10.of the shadow chancellor, is it not remarkable that in the middle of
:03:10. > :03:17.the world's biggest crisis Britain is able to borrow at lower rates of
:03:17. > :03:21.interest that almost any other country in the world.
:03:21. > :03:25.As ever it takes the father of the House to really bring the wisdom to
:03:25. > :03:30.the table which is if we did not have a proper plan for getting on
:03:30. > :03:40.top of our debt and deficit we would not have to 0.5% interest
:03:40. > :03:43.
:03:43. > :03:53.rates. -- 2.5%. Our economy would be hit. If we adopted a plans of
:03:53. > :03:53.
:03:53. > :03:58.the party opposite we would be in You do not solve a bet crisis by
:03:58. > :04:08.adding to your bets. You can go on making your questionable salutes
:04:08. > :04:08.
:04:08. > :04:14.but I have to say it is time to take a prima. -- a prime there.
:04:14. > :04:23.That is Prime Minister's Questions done for another week. A mention
:04:23. > :04:28.for which at high school there. Plenty to discuss on the sofa.
:04:28. > :04:37.I was concerned about Ed Balls, what he was doing. He is talking
:04:37. > :04:41.about the economy flat lining. I thought that Ed Miliband got the
:04:41. > :04:45.better of that you'll. A no, no. That was opportunism
:04:45. > :04:51.politics. We must not forget that Ed Miliband was part of the Labour
:04:51. > :04:55.government at the time that left... The Prime Minister did remind him.
:04:55. > :05:01.When he was talking about the business growth friend, the Prime
:05:01. > :05:08.Minister was flailing through his notes. -- the business Growth Fund.
:05:08. > :05:13.They had 13 years, we have had 13 months. I think it will work,
:05:13. > :05:20.somebody needed to get a grip with the business. It is opportunism
:05:20. > :05:25.politics. You were quite happy with the Prime Minister's performance?
:05:25. > :05:32.do not think Ed Miliband landed any blows. Let's seek an alternative
:05:32. > :05:42.view. I think he had done his homework. That is the key to
:05:42. > :05:43.
:05:43. > :05:47.landing good blows. He had the facts to his fingertips. 50 staff,
:05:47. > :05:52.only two projects off the ground. That is not good enough. We are all
:05:52. > :06:01.wanting businesses to grow. Just picking up on the last point that
:06:01. > :06:06.David Cameron said about 2.5% bank rates, that is what savers are
:06:06. > :06:10.getting. They're getting it in the neck. Talking to businesses, that
:06:10. > :06:18.is not the rate at banks are charging them. The people who were
:06:18. > :06:25.doing extremely well as ever did banks. That is the conundrum the
:06:25. > :06:29.Prime Minister has got to get to grips. There's no good waving
:06:29. > :06:33.shrouds what happened previously. We array completely different you
:06:33. > :06:38.are to the one we were in previously. I would like to pick up
:06:38. > :06:44.on Caroline Lucas's., the Robin attacks. She was right to press
:06:44. > :06:52.that point home. One of the purposes of this is to generate,
:06:52. > :06:56.really important resources here and in the Third World but to get a
:06:56. > :07:00.grip on the three trillion dollars that wash around the world every
:07:00. > :07:06.single day which is still utterly out of control. The financial
:07:06. > :07:11.system is being run by these lemmings who chase whatever happens
:07:11. > :07:15.to be fashionable at that moment. That is not the way to produce a
:07:15. > :07:19.sustainable economy. We have to have an international system that
:07:19. > :07:23.regulates the financial system that otherwise will bring us all down.
:07:23. > :07:30.There are many people in Greece who would agree with that. David
:07:30. > :07:40.Cameron was quite categorical about the Bank bonus tax. It has raised
:07:40. > :07:41.
:07:41. > :07:51.more money than Labour's idea. He accepted that the directors of the
:07:51. > :07:58.FTSE are earning too much money. Your government had 13 years, are
:07:59. > :08:04.you didn't bring in that. This is one of a raft of measures and tools
:08:04. > :08:07.in the box that he is looking at. Are you happy he is doing of? One
:08:07. > :08:14.accusation levelled at your party is that it cares more about
:08:14. > :08:22.business than parties -- than people? It is a balancing act
:08:22. > :08:26.between the growth that is needed for our country but also at a time
:08:26. > :08:30.when we're in a global crisis. The fact that we have got a small
:08:30. > :08:34.amount of growth, that ought to be acknowledged and I'm glad the
:08:34. > :08:40.father of the House acknowledge that. What did you make the Shadow
:08:40. > :08:47.Chancellor's hand gestures? He is not entitled to speak in Prime
:08:47. > :08:55.Minister's Questions. That is Ed Miliband's job. He said the economy
:08:55. > :09:05.is far lining. -- flat lining. There is growth, and with the
:09:05. > :09:07.
:09:07. > :09:13.inflation we have got... That is a reduction.
:09:13. > :09:19.Ed Balls is the person who has the clarity of purpose that George
:09:19. > :09:26.Osborne and David Cameron do not seem to have. David Cameron fail to
:09:26. > :09:34.answer this question about the 49% increase in directors' pay. It
:09:34. > :09:39.isn't fair when working people are feeling the pain. The people at the
:09:39. > :09:43.very top should be sharing the pain and much more so. I want to see
:09:43. > :09:47.workers on the remuneration committees of these top FTSE
:09:47. > :09:51.companies because it is unacceptable what is going on.
:09:51. > :09:54.same people who are feeling the pain have been deprived of the
:09:54. > :10:04.millions of pounds because your government here in Wales were not
:10:04. > :10:04.
:10:04. > :10:08.pass on the money. -- will not. whole that thought at the moment.
:10:08. > :10:12.We will be hearing from the First Minister about his trade visit to
:10:12. > :10:15.China last week. It is Parliament Week this week with MPs and the
:10:15. > :10:18.Lords going on the road to explain to the public the work they do.
:10:18. > :10:21.David Davies, the Monmouth MP and chair of the Welsh Affairs Select
:10:21. > :10:28.Committee, hosted an event at the National Museum of Wales on Monday.
:10:28. > :10:31.He told our reporter the role played by his committee.
:10:31. > :10:37.The Welsh Affairs Select Committee can look at any issues that affect
:10:37. > :10:42.Wales but we would look at issues that are -- have cross-border
:10:42. > :10:45.implications. They might have a areas that come under the remit of
:10:45. > :10:50.the Welsh Assembly. You will know there are some of the inquiries we
:10:50. > :10:54.have done. We have looked at the Severn Bridge, the closure of the
:10:54. > :10:59.Newport passport office, S4C, constitutional issues and we are
:10:59. > :11:03.launching a campaign into the care for veterans within Wales. Can you
:11:03. > :11:08.cite an example where the committee has made a difference, where it has
:11:08. > :11:14.influenced government policy? hard for me to say that's because
:11:14. > :11:20.the Government does not acknowledge the work that committees have. But
:11:20. > :11:25.with the passport office in Newport, many jobs were saved after the
:11:25. > :11:29.report. I would like to think the Committee, with his criticisms of
:11:29. > :11:35.that process, may have had a role to play in that. If you do that the
:11:35. > :11:39.Severn Bridge. We had criticisms over the delays of getting credit
:11:39. > :11:47.cards used. That issue has been taken seed is the first term you
:11:47. > :11:53.can use credit cards on the Severn Bridge. The committee can take
:11:53. > :11:56.credit for that. Unfortunately the way things operate in politics me
:11:56. > :12:01.is the committees will never ever get the credit for things even
:12:01. > :12:05.though I think they have an influence.A Conservative chairman
:12:05. > :12:13.of the committee, there is a Conservative-led government in
:12:13. > :12:21.Westminster. How difficult is it to keep politics out of the day today
:12:21. > :12:26.running of the committee? Members are sensible enough to know we have
:12:26. > :12:30.our political differences. A point of having his select committee is
:12:30. > :12:34.you try to find out things where there is no difference and work on
:12:34. > :12:38.those areas. It is only by having a unanimous recommendation now we
:12:38. > :12:43.have a chance in government. Will be wasting our time if we spent our
:12:43. > :12:46.time arguing in committee. We know where we disagree. We look for ways
:12:47. > :12:51.of finding agreements because that is the way we have an influence
:12:51. > :12:55.they can be helpful to our constituents. Since devolution and
:12:55. > :12:58.especially since the referendum earlier this year, people might
:12:58. > :13:06.think the work of the committee is less a relevant and it has ever
:13:06. > :13:09.been. I would not say so. So many areas are not fully devolved. This
:13:09. > :13:16.issue with the veterans. The Assembly have done a report into
:13:16. > :13:22.this. They are doing good work on it. Care of veterans will come
:13:22. > :13:28.under the Department of Work and pensions. That is not devolved. If
:13:28. > :13:33.you look at the other reports we have done they are all relevant.
:13:33. > :13:38.The Passport Office, S4C, this is an issue that is important to
:13:38. > :13:42.people in Wales and is not a devolved matter. We left open space
:13:43. > :13:48.for the possibility of looking at giving the Welsh Assembly a greater
:13:48. > :13:52.role in overseeing S4C. Hour influence has been entirely
:13:52. > :13:59.positive and we want work with the Assembly not be in conflict with
:13:59. > :14:07.them. You share a committee in Westminster and was an Assembly
:14:07. > :14:12.best? Because of the small number of people and the Welsh Assembly it
:14:12. > :14:18.became harder for select committee chairs from the government side to
:14:18. > :14:22.show detachment that is required. Maybe things have changed since I
:14:22. > :14:26.left. That was David Davis, the chair of
:14:26. > :14:35.the Welsh Affairs Select Committee. Let's go back to mark in the
:14:35. > :14:40.Cardiff Bay Oriel. We're talking about discharge from
:14:40. > :14:48.hospital. It is a huge problem and people need to be readmitted
:14:48. > :14:53.because their medicines are not properly sorted out. I have got the
:14:53. > :15:00.Labour Assembly Member for Cardiff South and Penarth and a pharmacist.
:15:00. > :15:03.What is the problem at the moment? Why do people go back to hospital?
:15:03. > :15:07.At the point at which people are discharged from hospital and go
:15:07. > :15:11.back home, that is the potential forehead glitch to occur in the
:15:11. > :15:13.system in which the medicines in which they were prescribed by their
:15:13. > :15:18.GP and the new regime they have been prescribed out of hospital
:15:18. > :15:22.don't always come together in a properly co-ordinated way. Even
:15:22. > :15:27.when they do it is a point in people's lives where they may not
:15:27. > :15:33.be completely clear as to wait regime they may be following.
:15:33. > :15:37.People get nervous and are not sure what they should do was to what the
:15:38. > :15:41.Welsh Government is trying to do is to make sure there is a better co-
:15:41. > :15:51.ordination, a better hinge between what people get at the hospital and
:15:51. > :15:54.
:15:54. > :15:57.What will community pharmacists be doing? They have been asking us for
:15:57. > :16:04.a very long time now. It is fantastic that we are going to lead
:16:04. > :16:14.this field in Wales. When a patient is discharged, a copy of their
:16:14. > :16:15.
:16:15. > :16:24.discharge letter has gone to the GP. They met their patient was under
:16:24. > :16:28.the pharmacy now, the pharmacist will have a copy of that letter. It
:16:28. > :16:35.means they can have up time it with the patient to talk about the
:16:35. > :16:40.medication and educate them. It all sounds very reasonable. But isn't
:16:40. > :16:47.it a lot more work? We are professionals of when it comes to
:16:47. > :16:51.medicine management. It is fantastic that the NHS in Wales has
:16:51. > :16:56.accepted that we are the best people have to be talking to the
:16:56. > :17:05.patient. We are glad it is coming our way. Will they be paid any more
:17:05. > :17:15.for doing this? The good news for the taxpayer is that this is money
:17:15. > :17:21.that is being recycled within the budget. The cost of drugs has gone
:17:21. > :17:26.down and that money is being reinvested to extend the role of
:17:26. > :17:35.the community pharmacist. It is not new money exactly, it is in
:17:35. > :17:38.recycled money. There is a huge problem at the moment. About
:17:39. > :17:48.200,000 people are readmitted to hospital because there medicine is
:17:49. > :17:50.
:17:50. > :17:57.not properly prescribed. It seems astonishing. Well at the new regime
:17:57. > :18:01.it stop mistakes? People are to a vulnerable point in their lives and
:18:01. > :18:05.may not fully understand the message is conveyed to them. The
:18:05. > :18:08.strength of this system is the community pharmacist will be able
:18:08. > :18:14.to sit down and explain to people exactly what medication they are
:18:15. > :18:19.being prescribed. There is a capacity in the scheme that, 10
:18:19. > :18:29.days later, people can follow it up again and go over the message is
:18:29. > :18:29.
:18:29. > :18:33.again. -- messages. People do not always take everything in first
:18:33. > :18:39.time. This system loch will reinforce the message. We hope to
:18:39. > :18:47.cut down on the number of people having to go back into hospital.
:18:47. > :18:57.Many people already rely on pharmacists. People have to
:18:57. > :19:05.understand the difference of the new role? We will be promoting our
:19:05. > :19:10.new role in the pharmacy. Hopefully, this is the start of more things to
:19:10. > :19:15.come with the Welsh government utilising pharmacists in health
:19:15. > :19:20.care. How quickly do think we will be able to overcome the problem?
:19:20. > :19:24.The system is beginning already. There is a monitoring process
:19:24. > :19:29.involved. We want to make sure we know exactly how effective it is
:19:29. > :19:33.being. I think it we will begin to see the effectiveness over this
:19:33. > :19:41.winter. I am sure people will welcome that very much indeed.
:19:41. > :19:43.Thank you for joining me. Last week, the First Minister
:19:44. > :19:46.headed a trade and education mission to China. Our reporter,
:19:46. > :19:56.Aled ap Dafydd, caught up with Carwyn Jones earlier this morning
:19:56. > :20:06.to find out what he'd achieved. The First Minister is just back
:20:06. > :20:10.from a trip to China. It was important to strengthen the
:20:10. > :20:17.business links between Wales and China. China has a lot of money to
:20:17. > :20:27.invest. We want to make sure that China seized Wales as an important
:20:27. > :20:30.
:20:30. > :20:35.place and an attractive place to invest. -- Cs. People might expect
:20:35. > :20:40.you to come back with the news of contracts signed, were there any
:20:40. > :20:48.contracts signed? We have a lot of leads to follow. We have to fall
:20:48. > :20:53.them up. The doors had been opened and now we have to go through them.
:20:53. > :20:58.Universities and colleges have signed agreements in China. We took
:20:58. > :21:06.a business group and they were very happy. We are very much on the
:21:06. > :21:13.reader and now we have to follow it through. -- on the radar.
:21:13. > :21:19.grants culture that used to exist it is no longer there. Is that a
:21:19. > :21:28.hindrance when travelling to places like China? The Chinese tend to
:21:28. > :21:32.look at the productivity and her stable our country is. -- and how
:21:32. > :21:36.it stable. I was asked about the rights that had taken place and I
:21:36. > :21:43.was able to say there were no riots in Wales. They are not looking for
:21:43. > :21:53.grants. What is absolutely crucial is that they will look to invest in
:21:53. > :21:54.
:21:54. > :22:00.companies that make the effort to go on -- to go and talk to them.
:22:00. > :22:07.The no in China pub what they don't have is the high-tech skills that
:22:07. > :22:11.we have in Wales. We do not have large companies, but we have small,
:22:11. > :22:19.specialised hi-tech companies who need investment capital. That is
:22:19. > :22:25.the sort of thing that interested them. The one thing the UK has to
:22:25. > :22:35.stop doing is constantly going on about austerity. It gives people
:22:35. > :22:37.
:22:37. > :22:42.that the -- it gives people in China the impression that they are
:22:42. > :22:48.going bust. President Sarkozy was in China looking for money
:22:48. > :22:53.recently? China has more money to invest than Europe does. It is
:22:53. > :23:01.important that as that money is invested that Wales is seen as a
:23:01. > :23:05.place to invest. UK companies have done it in years gone by. There
:23:05. > :23:11.have been Japanese investment in Wales. It is crucial for us that we
:23:11. > :23:15.are seen as being up there as a country to invest in. When Western
:23:15. > :23:20.form leaders go to China, they often use it as an opportunity to
:23:20. > :23:26.talk about human rights. Was that on your agenda? We are not a
:23:26. > :23:30.sovereign state and we do not have a foreign policy. We support this
:23:31. > :23:40.stand taken by the UK government. But you would be happy to trade
:23:41. > :23:43.
:23:43. > :23:50.with an Asian that has a suspect human rights record? -- with a
:23:51. > :24:00.nation. It is for the UK government to make the point that it needs to
:24:01. > :24:01.
:24:01. > :24:10.make. Facts very much. -- a thank you very much. We heard that an
:24:11. > :24:16.inquiry is to be held into the support being offered to former
:24:16. > :24:26.medical personnel. The move has been more welcomed by a former
:24:26. > :24:34.Armed Forces Minister. Combat stress is a wonderful organisation.
:24:34. > :24:39.I spent time going round some of the clients. What they are doing is
:24:39. > :24:44.what we as a society and as a country ought to be doing. Is it
:24:44. > :24:49.true that we hear more about veterans charities than we do about
:24:49. > :24:54.the support being offered by the state? We have some fantastic
:24:54. > :25:02.veterans charities, but they are filling the gap that the state
:25:02. > :25:12.ought to be filling. Anybody who has served and the sources -- in
:25:12. > :25:12.
:25:12. > :25:17.the forces... Janet, there was a veterans a facility in your
:25:17. > :25:21.constituency. So sadly, no longer there. But there is a need for
:25:21. > :25:25.support for our veterans. It was something I picked up great live
:25:25. > :25:33.and I was campaigning. Combat stress, post traumatic stress
:25:33. > :25:39.disorder, these are real issues and there doesn't appear to be the
:25:39. > :25:47.support their. They give their lives to support our country, it is
:25:47. > :25:50.the least we can do to support them. Do you welcome the inquiry? There
:25:50. > :25:54.is no disagreement politically that we need to support our veterans and
:25:54. > :25:58.make sure they get the best possible health care if they get
:25:58. > :26:04.when did on active service. It isn't always the case that having
:26:04. > :26:08.specialist hospitals provide them with the best care. That has not
:26:08. > :26:12.always been the case and the past. I am keen that they have the best
:26:12. > :26:20.possible psychological help for veterans who may have witnessed
:26:20. > :26:30.horrific things. They need support to recover and the integrate it
:26:30. > :26:39.with civilian life of. That is incredibly important. We heard
:26:39. > :26:45.earlier that it is adoption a week. -- National adoption Week. It seems
:26:45. > :26:51.to be having more impact this year? Obviously, it is, the Prime
:26:51. > :26:55.Minister has been talking about it. In a way as, we had a 10% increase
:26:55. > :26:59.in the numbers of adoptions in Wales. It went down in England.
:26:59. > :27:04.That does not mean to say that we do not need to emphasise the point
:27:04. > :27:08.that children who are up for adoption need to be placed with
:27:08. > :27:12.appropriate people without delay. I am always very concerned when I
:27:12. > :27:16.talk to young people who have been in the care system and tell me they
:27:16. > :27:19.have had 15 placements while in care and they had been in care
:27:19. > :27:23.since they were five years old. That is unacceptable. Those
:27:23. > :27:31.children should have been considered for adoption. Current
:27:31. > :27:36.planning for babies, there are 3000 babies up for adoption, current
:27:36. > :27:41.planning a from birth who rethink are unlikely to be able to stay
:27:41. > :27:47.with their birth parents, place of them or with foster carers who have
:27:47. > :27:55.already been approved as a doctors. Then it is a smooth transition for
:27:55. > :28:01.the child. You will be leading the debate on the role of grandparents
:28:01. > :28:06.caring for children. They has, I think it is fair to say that we are
:28:06. > :28:16.in agreement. David Cameron is right to be raising this. Added a
:28:16. > :28:16.
:28:16. > :28:25.bid has broken out at last. -- agreement. Going back to the debate
:28:25. > :28:27.that I will be reading, it is about care and the rights of
:28:27. > :28:37.grandchildren to remember there grand appearance. If it is felt
:28:37. > :28:39.