02/11/2011 am.pm

Good morning and welcome to am.pm, our twice weekly look at what is

going on in politics in Wales, the UK and beyond. On today's programme

- Will the health minister's five- year plan be the right medicine for

the health of the nation? And will temperatures be rising when we

visit Prime Minister's Questions at midday?

And to keep with the health theme, I will be discussing how your local

pharmacist could cut waste and also Good morning and welcome to am.pm.

As ever I am joined by two AMs. Today I've got two newcomers to our

sofa. Labour's Jenny Rathbone and Conservative, Janet Finch-Saunders.

Good morning to you. We will have a proper chat in a moment. First of

all, the health minister Lesley Griffiths says leaving the NHS in

Wales as it is is not an option. She has asked the local health

boards to come up with plans for reorganisation. Yesterday, she

outlined her vision for the health service over the next five years.

She says overhaul would involve centralising some specialist

services and treating more patients at home. We have to make sure all

services are safe, sustainable and effective. Our services are

stretched. We know our services are stretched. When those plans come

forward we will look at those plans and take it forward. No District

General Hospital will close. Let's find out what is happening in the

She issued a five-year plan yesterday. But she does not know

what local health boards are going to come up with. It is up to the

local health boards to cricket. The circumstances will be different in

each one. They clears a really important agenda. We need to our

hospitals with all the hi-tech bells and whistles there for people

who need that medical help. We need to have measures in place to

prevent people ending up in hospital who do not need to be

there. There is a focus on treating patients at home. It seems to me

that if you treat patients at home they're not going to be treated in

hospital. Hospitals will become smaller as a matter of course. The

opposition seems to be calling that downgrading. The opposite -- the

minister does not what people to think hospitals are being

downgraded. That is missing the point completely. We need to have

an NHS that is fit for the 21st century. One of the biggest

problems we have his bed blocking. People are remaining in hospital

far longer than they should do. These services aren't properly in

place for them to go home. Elderly people do not want to be in

hospital less the need to be. Because the accident and Emergency

is the only 24 hour service that is where they end up. All they needed

was some decent nursing care. We need to change that. There is a

challenge here. I was looking at something about the figures on that

recently and one health board had one person in hospital for 22

months after they should have gone home. What an indictment that is

for the way we are not joining up our health and social services.

That is one issue. Janet, the opposition parties yesterday have

been accused of scaremongering by the minister because they have been

talking about the threat to hospitals and concerns the services

will be downgraded. Are you scaremongering? I have evidence

where it downgrading has taken place under the Welsh Labour

government. None more so than a mile constituency. I read the

document yesterday with caution. It is very aspirational and the third

document that has been written since the Assembly has come into

being. What people want his actions not words. How would you vote all

the outcomes are, the outcomes are very vague in the document. We have

not had the details yet. Exactly. We don't have the funding. Well as

Labour not committed to funding health as we would. -- Welsh Labour.

That is debated by the government. That is a figure your party says

will come out of the health budget. Your party does not agree. If you

pick up on the point of is being aspirational. If we look at the

name of it, a five-year vision is call together for health. What does

that mean? What the minister is doing is laying out some of the

challenges ahead. Nobody would disagree with what is in there. We

know we have to... People want better services closer to where

they live. We do not want people ending up in hospital which is a

far more expensive option when they don't need to be there. Nobody

would disagree with that. We need to do a lot more about it. In

Cardiff, on any given day, we will have 120 beds occupied by people

who do not need to be there. We need to have care planning for

people going home the day they arrive. At the moment the Vale of

Glamorgan in particular is refusing to engage on that. That is a

specific issue. I have been doing this job for longer than I would

like to remember, I had hair whenever met -- when I started, we

have been talking about bed blocking four years and years. What

does that say to you? Health and social care has been devolved for

some time yet here we are in a situation where the a lot of times

that is no joined up thinking. I know several cases where people are

remaining in hospital because the care plan for when they leave

hospital, it shouldn't be a closed door policy when you leave hospital,

that is whether care stops. I have to turn you there are many examples

of where there is no joined up thinking. I have raised it hears is

I have been an Assembly Member. That is what you are saying should

happen. It should have happened before now. There is no change. We

have less resources, we are getting less money coming in from the UK

Government. The bankers have run off with a lot of the many. We have

to engage better, working better partnerships. It is no use blaming

Welsh Labour for this. A lot of our local authorities and not run by a

Welsh Labour. We will come back to Another busy day here. Let's look

at this afternoon's agenda. We have the usual questions to the

ministers, it is the environment minister today. Also the housing

minister. Moving on to the debates. The Conservatives have nominated a

debate on the economy. They are interested in what they are seen as

a red tape in the way of private companies growing. They want to see

greater opportunities to facilitate training for people. That will be

the substance of their debate. Then there is the Plaid Cymru nominated

debate which is about the dairy industry. They believe there that

unfair commercial practices in the daily supply chain. They will be

calling on the government to introduce a draft action plan for a

code of practice to regulate the relationships between farmers and

dairy companies. A story we have covered on Dragon's

Eye. It is related European funding. The Liberal Democrats are focusing

on European funding this afternoon. Dragon's Eye broke the story a few

weeks back. European funding has not delivered what it should have

done in Wales. What we were not aware of was that in most regions

of Europe it has produced some kind of growth in GDP. In west Wales and

the Valleys which have received billions of pounds in European aid,

that has not happened. GDP has gone down. We know the other areas of

Europe where that has happened, a decreasing GDP, there is only a

handful of them. We're talking about regions in Portugal, southern

Italy, mortar. And the vast majority of places at the many has

don't what it is supposed to do. Best line in the vast majority of

places. We are expecting that where will that Wales will have a third

tranche of money in 2014. This is not a bad job one of our country.

We still have these poorer regions. Assembly Members are aware of this

and the finance committee has instigated an inquiry into how

European funding is fend. A debate that should be interesting this

afternoon. We were lookout for that one. He

filled the same on about what is going on today. -- filled us in.

You can find out even more on what is happening in the National

Assembly on BBC Wales's Democracy Live online coverage. Just go to

bbc.co.uk/walespolitics. Paul Flynn has been talking to our reporter

today. It is no secret that lobbyists work

tirelessly to secure a meeting with ministers and MPs. Some will meet

here. There is one man who has always campaigned for more

transparency when it comes to the relationship between politicians

and lobbyists and that is the MP for Newport West, Paul Flynn. You

are not a fan of lobbyists. Lobbying is fine. Good lobbying for

good causes, MPs lobby people. The problem is secrecy and the lack of

any transparency. Usually, lobbyists who are successful who

were working for a rich, privileged organisations tried to gain extra

advantages for those people who has -- who have a great many advantages.

All governments have failed to control lobbyists and make sure it

was all out in the open and we knew what was going on. The great danger

is that a group are wishes to buy access to government often to

advance their commercial needs, to make money, will spend a lot of

many and get a skilled lobbyist to get them in the corridors of power.

Governments spend far more time on the bad causes than the good causes.

You want a stricter regulation of lobbyists and their work. Is it

realistic? And MPs swayed with their interests? Many lobbyists are

MPs and many MPs hope to be lobbyists in the future. The 10-

kills of lobbying go deep into the body politic. -- the tentacles. We

asked for transparency in 2009 come up for meetings to be recorded.

Unfortunately it has not happened. What happened that the lobbyists

lobby the last government and persuaded them they did not need to

have strict control for a compulsory will -- compulsory

register. The last government, I am sorry to say, accepted what the

lobbying business had to save. this government be any different?

We have the Prime Minister who said before he came to power this is the

new scandal and this was going to be as bad as the expenses scandal.

This was the cancer that was eating away at the body politic and he was

fully enthusiastic to have a compulsory register when he was

opposition. Coming into government, this government has been lobbied by

the lobbyists who don't want to bother with theirs. They appear to

have won that they until the Adam where it the case other Liam Fox

case. What was were -- happening here, people advocating certain

political lines, arguing against global warming, arguing in favour

of American politics and the number of other subjects have paid many in

order to secretly lobby a Secretary of State. That shock has got

through. People see that as wrong. Am I right in thinking you have a

stop lesson that you sent to lobbyists who tried to contact you?

I have a standard abusive letter to lobbyist that point out to them

then is no advantage in using their services to contact me. The people

who are paying their many should contact me directly. They confuse

the message and use up the many, if it is a good cause it is wrong, if

it is a bad cause it does not matter. They are there as a

professional advisers, professional persuaders. They are often

professional deceivers. It is their version of the truth. That comes

from people who are trying to gain advantages to make money and then

people who lose out other people with the small voices you can't

afford to pay lobbyists. But it has always been thus, when it changed?

It will now. We have tries as the scandals that took place 20 years

ago when MPs were taking cash for questions, taking many and Brown

notes. We have advance from that time better we are far from having

a system where it is fair and open Let's head back over to Westminster

to our political Correspondent. If you switched on the radio, or read

a paper, the eurozone crisis rumbles on. There is some news

about the economy in the United Kingdom.

It will be a lively Prime Minister's Questions today. Events

in Greece will dominate I think. Also the G20 summit in Cannes. The

money that is going to Greece is not the problem, but the strings

attached, the austerity measures. They are very unpopular. The G20

summit, world leaders will be discussing whether it is time it to

leave base -- to cut Greece a loose. France is very reluctant to let

that happen because a lot of the Greek debt is owned by French banks.

In Britain, it is a tricky balancing act. Most of Britain's

trade is done with the eurozone. So it is important that the eurozone

economies are growing. The problem for David Cameron is that he is

trying to influence events without committing any taxpayers' money. It

is a difficult balancing act. He has also been told by Nicholas

Sarkozy to keep his nose out as well. We are expecting public

sector strikes at the end of this month over changes to pensions.

The government in Britain is trying to save money as well and pensions

cost a lot of money. The Government wants to raise the retirement age

for people working in their public sector to 66 and it wants to

increase of the contributions at that workers make to those pensions.

If you earn at under �15,000, you will not have to pay anymore. A

sliding scale thereafter. The unions are not happy about this.

There is a strike pencilled in for November 30th. Today, there have

been at meetings between union leaders and government ministers.

The union leaders are saying there are new things on the table. There

will be a statement from Danny Alexander after Prime Minister's

Questions. As we understand it, the government will offer some

concessions. These changes might not affect those who are just 10

years away from retirement. Thank you. We will catch up with

you later. Time to talk about investment now.

Yes, talking about investment. You have a lot of concerns about

capital spending. The economy is in a very weak state, especially in

Wales. We believe that capital spending can introduce some vigour

into the economy. What is happening at the moment, the fault lies at

the Westminster end, but there is not drive of end of the government

in Wales to get some of these capital projects out of through the

door. The Health Minister said that all capital spending is being

postponed until next year. There is ongoing work, of course. But these

projects were announced prior to the last election and are ready to

go. They should be out in order to stimulate the economy. Your party

was making a point in the Senedd yesterday. The government has

talked about renal services, construction on health parks,

things are happening. These are ongoing projects. In transport, all

the plants had been postponed until there is a review. Nothing new is

in the pipeline. It is the same with help. There should be a

capital plan for Wales. The health minister has made it clear that the

money will go with the plans from the local health boards. That is

sensible. But there are already ideas that have been proposed. I

know about a renal unit at that needs to be built up in north-west

Wales. Those are things that could be activated and should be

activated. We are talking in general terms about the approach of

the Government in Wales. They do not seem to realise how important

this is to the construction industry which can then feed into

the economy and get things going. This is one tool that the

government has in it too box to make a difference. It will be

interesting to see what the other parties have to say. Thank you very

much. You would like to address those

points. Janet, his first port of call for laying blame was with you

government at Westminster. At 40% cut in capital spending, do you

accept what he is saying? As a government, we cannot give money

that is not there. The Labour Party left the government and the country

were the largest deficit since the last war. It is costing us �120

million a day. As was pointed out, the capital expenditure is not

making any difference. Some works have been in the system for years.

You or may have to look at delays in enterprise zones. Six months

after taking an our decision, it was advocated here, but there is no

meat on the bonds. There is a lack of action on businesses. I am a

business person. The Welsh Labour government has not got a reputation

for supporting business. accusations levelled that the Welsh

Government is not bringing forward money quickly enough to be spent on

capital projects. If we have a 40% cut in our budget, we have to make

sure that what we do spend our money on is the most viable and

appropriate. We have to review what we are going to do with 40% risk

capital. But you have known for one year already? We need to know that

health boards are going to grip the new health agenda. I would like to

see all district nurses and midwives armed with an iPad so they

can input there not. -- their records. That is a capital spent

that would be a relatively small sum of money but would be a really

good way of improving efficiency in delivering services. Will you talk

to the Health Minister about that? Yes, as soon as I can. The other

thing is the usual nonsense coming from the Conservatives that it was

Labour that cost the global financial crisis. Absolute rubbish.

The UK government had the lowest deficit in Europe until the banking

crisis hit. The Conservatives were all in favour of the plan that was

pursued by Gordon Brown. They realised that actually the collapse

of the international financial system would have devastating

consequences for ordinary people. do not agree with you there. The

crisis that our country faces now is due to over borrowing. You

cannot borrow for ever. The interest that we are having to pay

back is an indictment of the Labour Party. We accept all that that

there is a deficit... Sorry, I have to move on.

David Cameron has said he wants to reform the way children are adopted

in England he thinks the process could be speeded up in many local

authorities. But what's the situation here in Wales? Back to

Mark in the Oriel. I have some money you were the very

good insight into the situation in Wales. Can I ask you about what is

happening in England, naming and shaming councils for the Tour

taking too long to place adoptive children? -- councils that are

taking too long. People have to work together to look at the needs

of children and families and rather than naming and shaming. It seems

to be broadly similar in terms of waiting times in England and Wales.

There are increasing number of children going into the care system

who will not be able to go back home again and a decreasing number

of approved adopters are ready to take those children. There is

something of a crisis in Wales as well as in England. We need to

focus all of our resources on improving the situation because of

those children are growing up quickly. There are many factors

coming together at the same time. There is an issue with children

coming through having greater needs, often having undergone worse drama

than children in the past, having all manner of Leeds. We do not know

why so many of their arrangements break down. -- all manner of need.

These are children must admit that it needs and they need a team

around -- significant needs and the need a team around, Mental Health,

play therapy, parenting support, they need some support to help them

off on that road. It is a problem that sometimes they get the support

and them the support Ms once the adoption goes through. -- the

support ends. Yes, that seems to happen a lot.

What do you think the headlines will be after the next half our?

am sure that the global crisis is bound to be up for discussion. I am

particularly interested to see whether Ed Miliband will pick up on

the Archbishop of Canterbury's suggestion of imposing a robin Hood

tax on the banks to address issues about equity that are being raised

around the world. Do you think the Prime Minister will listen to that?

You have only got to look at the pressures that the Prime Minister

is under, and are Chancellor. They are dealing with debt, with a

global crisis, minimum growth. I am optimistic that there will be quite

an interesting battle today. On at the growth figures, if they economy

grows on average as it has done, it should be 10% bigger now, but

It is brilliant we have a chancellor and Prime Minister who

is willing to get to grips with the issues. It is time wind the

eurozone is in crisis. Plan A is not working because so many people

and on the dole. That means less people paying taxes. The deficit is

not been reduced. We have to have a growth plan for jobs, more jobs,

more people in work and a reduction in VAT on things like housing

improvements. But your government is an accepting that. You talk

about unemployment in Wales. There's been no support for

businesses. It is the Welsh Labour government that is not supporting

businesses. A we are after Prime Minister's Questions.

We are ready to start and here is David Cameron.

The average six-year-old is leaving 10 years longer than in the 1970s,

pension reform is an essential. -- 60-year-old.

My honourable friend makes an important point. We will be making

a full statement to the House. It seems vital that we do something

that is fair to tax payers and also fair to public sector workers. The

costs of our public sector pension system is up by a third in the last

decade. It is not fair to go on as we are. The new arrangements must

be fair to people who work hard in the public sector. I can tell the

House that low and middle-income earners will get more from their

public sector pensions. Everyone will keep what they have built up

so far. Anyone within 10 years of retirement will see no change in

their pension -- pension retirement. People in the public sector will

get far better pensions and people are the private sector. I think it

is time that the party opposite was clear that they do not support

Mr Speaker, does the Prime Minister believe that growth of 0.5% of the

last year and unemployment at his 17th year high point to the success

or failure of his economic plan? Everybody wants the British economy

to grow faster. That is what everybody wants. I have to say that

yesterday's figure of 0.5% which has better than many people

expected, isn't it notable that he can not bring himself to welcome

news like that. We all have to address this, there

is a global storm in the world economy today. It is in our

interest to help her there's confront that global stormed but

we've got to keep the British First you blame the Labour

government, then he you blame Europe, yesterday you were blaming

your Cabinet colleagues but the lack of growth in the economy. If

that was about this Prime Minister is when things go around it is

nothing to do with them. -- go wrong. Let's ask about another one

of his flagship policies. The business Growth Fund launched nine

months ago with the banks. Can he tell us the number of businesses

that the fund has made investments The problem with police cryptic

questions is he does not listen to the first answer. -- police grip

did. I it and say I -- get did not say I blamed the last Labour

government. But it was the government and left us with this

record that. It is this government that has to deal with that. This is

one of the schemes to make sure banks are lending alongside the

Merlin scheme which is seeing an increase in lending to small

businesses. That is a record we can be proud of and something he did

not achieve. Mr Speaker, we all know by now with

his Prime Minister that when he blusters like best he is either

have to embarrass to answer all he doesn't know the answer. Let me

help him. The business Growth Fund has announced nine months ago, it

has five offices, 50 staff, how many investments, the grand total

of two. It is becoming a pattern with his Prime Minister. Fanfare

announcements and then radio silence. He said in March he will

what those banks like a hawk and make sure they deliver. What is he

going to do to get that business Growth Fund moving?

These other banks he failed to regulate year after year. Yes, yes.

Order, order. The House is getting... Order. Calm yourself.

The House is getting far too excited. Both the Prime Minister

and the Leader of the Opposition must be heard. It is called

democracy. Let me give him the figures. What

has happened under the bank lending schemes of this government, we have

�190 billion of credit this year. That is a huge increase. Sent to �6

billion of this is for small or medium-sized businesses. -- �76

billion. We are seeing more lending under this government.

A totally hopeless answer. One of his own schemes, but business

Growth Fund, they trumpeted the announcements and have not got a

clue what is happening. Businesses are struggling but one group in our

economy is doing well indeed. Over the last year when many people have

seen their wages frozen, directors' pay rose by 49%. The Prime Minister

expressed concern about theirs last Friday. The public want to know

what is he going to do about it? It is this government that

introduced the Bank levied. More raised in one ear and the bonus tax

they created. It is this government that has increased the fear that

It is this government that has seen lower bank bonuses. I agree with

him that the at bishop of Canterbury speaks for the whole

country when he says it is unacceptable in a time of

difficulty when people at the top of our society are now showing

signs of responsibility. It is this government that is consulting about

proper measures to make sure we get transparency in terms of boardroom

pay, proper accountability, more power for shareholders. Although

things we are doing. If he is keen on this agenda, what did he do with

the last 13 years? I will tell you what we did. We

introduced a 50p a rate in the income tax that he and his

Chancellor wants to abolish. But something needs to be done about

top pay. I would as the Conservative members to calm down.

-- I would ask. Last martyr his fair pay review which he set up

recommended the government should require every top company should

publish how much the highest earners get paid -- and are the

equivalent payment. Can he confirm this will happen from 10th January

to 12? M like the last government, they

did absolutely nothing. -- unlike the last government. We are a

little bit wary about accepting lectures from a party that told us

they were intensely relaxed about everyone getting filthy rich. A

party that had a capital gains tax system so people in the city paid

less tax than they clean have lost up I know he has forgotten all

these things but we remember them. Another report to government,

another failure to act. The truth is he sat on the Hutton review for

nine months and has done nothing about it. That is why the

recommendation is not going to be implemented. That is the truth

about this Prime Minister, he says we a role in it together but he

leads the top 1% get away with it while the other 99% see their

living standards squeezed. That is why people are increasingly saying

this is a Prime Minister totally out of touch with their lives.

I have to say in the week whether Labour Party has a tax exile at

running their election campaign, he has a lot of nerve to come and

challenge us on that. They had 13 years to regulate the banks as they

had 13 years to deal with bank Cable theft has cost the rail

industry �43 million over the last three years. They have drafted in

Gurkhas to patrol the network. Homes and churches are being

pilfered of their lead and copper and in the past month one

churchyard in Huddersfield has had 169 memorial plaque stolen for us

mettle. Would the Prime Minister join me in saying this is the time

to legislate to stop these -- is metal going to merchants.

The theft of metal particularly sickening and disgusting crime. We

are working with the Association of Chief of Police officers to deal

with theirs. It does involved looking at scrap metal dealers. We

need to stop this appalling crime. In my constituency and across the

country, we are worried about the increasing cost of gas, electricity,

home heating oil. What can the Prime Minister tell the country

what he is going to do to help people and his situation. When he

reverse the cuts to winter fuel allowance which hit senior

citizens? He has done so many things differently from the

opposition, why is the not going to do something differently about the

winter fuel allowance? We have kept their farms. -- the

plans. We have maintained that so if there is a cold winter people

will be getting help. The other steps we are taking is making sure

energy companies give people proper information are the lowest tariffs

they can get. Does the Prime Minister agreed that

it is irresponsible and downright destructive for senior politicians

of any political party to support strike action whilst negotiations

are ongoing? I think my right honourable friend

is right. This is a fair offer to hard-working public servants to say

this is a strong set a pension reforms that will give you pensions

at a better than anything available in the private sector. To have the

Labour front bench that is silent on this issue, with education

spokesman actually encouraging teachers to strike is the height of

irresponsibility. My constituency that my

constituents have a son who have been so -- who has been serving in

Afghanistan. Can the Prime Minister tell us why he thinks he is right

on the issue of abolishing chief coroner?

A is an important issue. I have had discussions with the need in about

it. The point about the Royal British Legion is that the current

proposal for the chief Coroners Office to be established were back

to the involve something like �10 million of spending that we think

there are many would be better spent on improving all coroner

services across the country. We're listening carefully to concerns

expressed in both Houses of Parliament about this issue. What

matters is away going to improve the performance of our coroners.

That is was service families want, Public sector workers in my

constituency work extremely hard to deliver essential public services.

We barley at the services tremendously. Can my right

honourable friend assure me that the government reforms are

necessary and will ensure that these services are sustainable.

is a very important point. The cost of supporting public services

pensions have gone up by a third. It is a major item of public

spending. Tax us pay for that provision. I believe that this is

appear scheme., this is a pair set of changes. The less well off are

really protected. Low-paid in the public sector will not have to pay

increased contribution. The House of Commons should get behind it

consider playing with strike action. When the Prime Minister goes to the

G20 meeting, will he try and persuade his colleagues of the

urgency of coming up with some detail on the eurozone settlement

reached last week? It is not clear how Greece is going to get out of

the difficulties it has. European banks will need supporting. As for

the new rescue fund, it does not actually exist. The G20 needs do

short the same urgency and sense of purpose that it showed when it met

in London. The right honourable gentleman has -- is absolutely

right about the urgency of this meeting. Some progress was made

last week when, for the first time, they did accept a proper write-down

of Greek a debt and a proper recapitalisation of Europe's banks.

The final element, which it needs to have more detail I did, is to

make sure there is a proper far wall to stop contagion in the

eurozone. The meat has got even greater. We can do involve word

cells -- there need has got even greater. We cannot involve

ourselves in Greek domestic politics, but they have to deal

with the problems in the eurozone. Britain's population is set to

increase from 62 million to 70 million by 2027 with most of this

increase being driven by immigration. Can they break the

almost automatic link between the foreign nationals coming to work

career be given citizenship? We are committed to that. Proper

immigration control and welfare reform are up two sides of the same

coin and this government is committed to controlling

immigration Abedin British people back to work. -- and putting. More

than 450 colleges will no longer be able to sponsor new international

students because they were not properly established to do that.

That is just one example of how this Government is living up to his

promise to get a grip on immigration. Should smoking be

banned in vehicles were there are children be present? I do they get

it right. I think the smoking ban has worked. The smoking ban is

successful. I am much more nervous about going into what people do

inside a vehicle. I will look carefully at what he says.

Prime Minister will be aware of the report issued yesterday on energy

investment in Scotland. Does he agree with me that this report

demonstrates the benefits of green energy in the unique came -- in the

UK are only unlocked by combining the potential in Scotland with the

UK? A major financial institution more and yesterday of the dangers

of investing in Scotland while there is this uncertainty about the

future of the constitution. It is important we keep our United

Kingdom together. When it comes to vital in -- a vital industries, we

can make this a great investment and future for Scotland. The Prime

Minister has said that his government will be the greenest

ever, does he still take that statement seriously? Will he

intervene in to sort out the appalling chaos that is resulting

from the slashing of tariffs in at six weeks in that the Solar

industry? It is this government that has set aside �3 billion for

Green Investment Bank. It has been matched -- it has been talk about

them the past but never done. We have put aside at �1 billion for

cab then capture and storage -- for carbon capture and storage. We are

living up to our promises. Can I congratulate the pupils and staff

at Whitchurch High School, a foundation status comprehensive

school in my constituency. Many famous people have come from there.

It is receiving the award of state school of the year. An impressive

list of personalities that have attended the school. I join my

honourable friend a congratulating such an excellent school. Children

and adults have been killed in dog attacks were stop we need to

tighten up the law in this area. Will the Prime Minister take a

personal interest in the legislation? The honourable lady

makes an important point. Attempts to changes in the past have not

always been successful. Perhaps I can write to the honourable lady

and set out for the Government intends to do. Given the huge anger

about the pay for the top 100 directors, can the Prime Minister

give me a personal assurance that he is committed to the transfer of

power over pay from the boardroom to shower orders of our companies?

I do want to see that happen. -- to their shareholders. I want to

strengthen behind of shareholders. Lawn Executive directors on boards

should not be the usual rotating list of men. I want to see more

women in Britain's boardrooms which Order. The House must come down.

The Prime Minister has described his work programme as the biggest

back-to-work programme since the 1930s. But he knows it does not

create jobs, it meal it links people to vacancies. There are 6500

unemployed people in Tottenham. -- it merely a links. What will his

work programme do about it? work programme it plays a role in

helping prepare people for work. It is vital. It brings employers end

up so they can offer jobs to those people. I have looked at the issue

of Tottenham. There is a shortage of vacancies in the borough of

Tottenham itself, but we have got to encourage people who live in

London to be prepared to travel more widely to look for work. Part

of the work programme should be aimed at addressing that. Rural far

services attend more primary fires and accidents than those of our

urban areas but they receive less funding. This is typical of rural

funding. People there pay more and receive less. Will the Prime

Minister meet with me to get a better deal for those in rural

areas? I am very happy to meet with my honourable friend. I think it is

important we have a fair deal for rural areas. There are very big

differences in the use of Retained firefighters. I am happy to meet

him and discuss the issue. leader of the opposition... Prime

Minister, at a time when the economy is flat mining, is it the

work in good enough? Corporation tax has been cut for every company.

Apprenticeships has been increased. There was no regional growth bond

under Labour. -- regional growth fund. We inherited an economy with

the biggest budget deficit in Europe and it is this Government

that is helping our economy to make sure that we're living save in the

United Kingdom. -- that we remain at safe. This is National adoption

Week. We must continue to do all we can to support children in the care

system and to encourage prospective adoptive parents to come forward.

We really do need a more parents to come forward as potential a doctor

-- as potential adoptive parents. Children will not unless that comes

-- will not get help unless they come forward. Adoption has become

too bureaucratic and too difficult at it is putting people off. I am

determined to crack this. There is a sense of national shame that

there are so many children in the care system and yet so few add

options. -- adoption us. This government has called for the

reopening of the defensive review. A leading a military think tack has

said that Britain is cutting military equipment that might prove

a vital in the future. Will other government listen up to the defence

and military experts? I think this is the day, as hostilities in Libya

come to end end, that we should be praising our brave armed services

and all they have done. Schools in a rural Northumberland were largely

ignored by the previous government. With the school budgets are rising,

will the government recognise that there suggestions put forward by

schools in my community? We are protecting funding which means the

education budget will rise and not fall. The Shadow Chancellor is so

wrong. I digress. As well as the extra investment in the school

budget, there is the opportunity for free schools which I think will

be a major reform in our country, bringing it more good school places.

Perhaps when a future Chancellor attends one of the schools, he will

learn manners. Order. Some people are going to burst they are getting

so excited. The campaigners outside Parliament today, with regard to a

Robin Hood tax, the money has been earmarked for a sustainable

There is widespread support but it has to be adopted on a global basis.

Let me say this, it is a warning for those pushing this, we must be

careful that we don't allow other countries including some of the

European countries to use a campaign for this tax that they

know is unlikely to be adopted in the short-term as an excuse for

getting off their aid commitments. We can be proud of the fact we are

meeting our aid commitments. Don't let others use this tax from

getting off what they promised. The UN protects over the next 40

years world demand for food will increase by 70%. That ought to mean

good news for farmers but sadly, since 1990, Britain's capacity to

feed itself has fallen by effect. We urgently need a strategy to grow

Britain's farming industry. You make an important point which

is it is true we have seen our own future security decline and Our

Rome food production challenge. It is important to remember that

farmers are businesses and need things don't like other businesses

such as the regulation, predictable income. This government is

committed to make that happen which will benefit the people in his own

constituency. Since 2010, when asked if his

government would build more homes, the housing minister replied

building more homes is the standard on which will be judged. In later

years does the Prime Minister expect the standard to be achieved?

We are going to expand the building of homes for Social friends by

increasing and reducing the right- to-buy which the last government

run-down. We are also going to make available government land so that

builders can get on and build without having to buy that land and

only have to pay when they have delivered the House. We want to see

an extra two Linda 1,000 homes built in that way. That will give

us a far better record than the Not withstanding the increasingly

maniacal the stipulations of the Shadow Chancellor -- gesticulations

of the shadow chancellor, is it not remarkable that in the middle of

the world's biggest crisis Britain is able to borrow at lower rates of

interest that almost any other country in the world.

As ever it takes the father of the House to really bring the wisdom to

the table which is if we did not have a proper plan for getting on

top of our debt and deficit we would not have to 0.5% interest

rates. -- 2.5%. Our economy would be hit. If we adopted a plans of

the party opposite we would be in You do not solve a bet crisis by

adding to your bets. You can go on making your questionable salutes

but I have to say it is time to take a prima. -- a prime there.

That is Prime Minister's Questions done for another week. A mention

for which at high school there. Plenty to discuss on the sofa.

I was concerned about Ed Balls, what he was doing. He is talking

about the economy flat lining. I thought that Ed Miliband got the

better of that you'll. A no, no. That was opportunism

politics. We must not forget that Ed Miliband was part of the Labour

government at the time that left... The Prime Minister did remind him.

When he was talking about the business growth friend, the Prime

Minister was flailing through his notes. -- the business Growth Fund.

They had 13 years, we have had 13 months. I think it will work,

somebody needed to get a grip with the business. It is opportunism

politics. You were quite happy with the Prime Minister's performance?

do not think Ed Miliband landed any blows. Let's seek an alternative

view. I think he had done his homework. That is the key to

landing good blows. He had the facts to his fingertips. 50 staff,

only two projects off the ground. That is not good enough. We are all

wanting businesses to grow. Just picking up on the last point that

David Cameron said about 2.5% bank rates, that is what savers are

getting. They're getting it in the neck. Talking to businesses, that

is not the rate at banks are charging them. The people who were

doing extremely well as ever did banks. That is the conundrum the

Prime Minister has got to get to grips. There's no good waving

shrouds what happened previously. We array completely different you

are to the one we were in previously. I would like to pick up

on Caroline Lucas's., the Robin attacks. She was right to press

that point home. One of the purposes of this is to generate,

really important resources here and in the Third World but to get a

grip on the three trillion dollars that wash around the world every

single day which is still utterly out of control. The financial

system is being run by these lemmings who chase whatever happens

to be fashionable at that moment. That is not the way to produce a

sustainable economy. We have to have an international system that

regulates the financial system that otherwise will bring us all down.

There are many people in Greece who would agree with that. David

Cameron was quite categorical about the Bank bonus tax. It has raised

more money than Labour's idea. He accepted that the directors of the

FTSE are earning too much money. Your government had 13 years, are

you didn't bring in that. This is one of a raft of measures and tools

in the box that he is looking at. Are you happy he is doing of? One

accusation levelled at your party is that it cares more about

business than parties -- than people? It is a balancing act

between the growth that is needed for our country but also at a time

when we're in a global crisis. The fact that we have got a small

amount of growth, that ought to be acknowledged and I'm glad the

father of the House acknowledge that. What did you make the Shadow

Chancellor's hand gestures? He is not entitled to speak in Prime

Minister's Questions. That is Ed Miliband's job. He said the economy

is far lining. -- flat lining. There is growth, and with the

inflation we have got... That is a reduction.

Ed Balls is the person who has the clarity of purpose that George

Osborne and David Cameron do not seem to have. David Cameron fail to

answer this question about the 49% increase in directors' pay. It

isn't fair when working people are feeling the pain. The people at the

very top should be sharing the pain and much more so. I want to see

workers on the remuneration committees of these top FTSE

companies because it is unacceptable what is going on.

same people who are feeling the pain have been deprived of the

millions of pounds because your government here in Wales were not

pass on the money. -- will not. whole that thought at the moment.

We will be hearing from the First Minister about his trade visit to

China last week. It is Parliament Week this week with MPs and the

Lords going on the road to explain to the public the work they do.

David Davies, the Monmouth MP and chair of the Welsh Affairs Select

Committee, hosted an event at the National Museum of Wales on Monday.

He told our reporter the role played by his committee.

The Welsh Affairs Select Committee can look at any issues that affect

Wales but we would look at issues that are -- have cross-border

implications. They might have a areas that come under the remit of

the Welsh Assembly. You will know there are some of the inquiries we

have done. We have looked at the Severn Bridge, the closure of the

Newport passport office, S4C, constitutional issues and we are

launching a campaign into the care for veterans within Wales. Can you

cite an example where the committee has made a difference, where it has

influenced government policy? hard for me to say that's because

the Government does not acknowledge the work that committees have. But

with the passport office in Newport, many jobs were saved after the

report. I would like to think the Committee, with his criticisms of

that process, may have had a role to play in that. If you do that the

Severn Bridge. We had criticisms over the delays of getting credit

cards used. That issue has been taken seed is the first term you

can use credit cards on the Severn Bridge. The committee can take

credit for that. Unfortunately the way things operate in politics me

is the committees will never ever get the credit for things even

though I think they have an influence.A Conservative chairman

of the committee, there is a Conservative-led government in

Westminster. How difficult is it to keep politics out of the day today

running of the committee? Members are sensible enough to know we have

our political differences. A point of having his select committee is

you try to find out things where there is no difference and work on

those areas. It is only by having a unanimous recommendation now we

have a chance in government. Will be wasting our time if we spent our

time arguing in committee. We know where we disagree. We look for ways

of finding agreements because that is the way we have an influence

they can be helpful to our constituents. Since devolution and

especially since the referendum earlier this year, people might

think the work of the committee is less a relevant and it has ever

been. I would not say so. So many areas are not fully devolved. This

issue with the veterans. The Assembly have done a report into

this. They are doing good work on it. Care of veterans will come

under the Department of Work and pensions. That is not devolved. If

you look at the other reports we have done they are all relevant.

The Passport Office, S4C, this is an issue that is important to

people in Wales and is not a devolved matter. We left open space

for the possibility of looking at giving the Welsh Assembly a greater

role in overseeing S4C. Hour influence has been entirely

positive and we want work with the Assembly not be in conflict with

them. You share a committee in Westminster and was an Assembly

best? Because of the small number of people and the Welsh Assembly it

became harder for select committee chairs from the government side to

show detachment that is required. Maybe things have changed since I

left. That was David Davis, the chair of

the Welsh Affairs Select Committee. Let's go back to mark in the

Cardiff Bay Oriel. We're talking about discharge from

hospital. It is a huge problem and people need to be readmitted

because their medicines are not properly sorted out. I have got the

Labour Assembly Member for Cardiff South and Penarth and a pharmacist.

What is the problem at the moment? Why do people go back to hospital?

At the point at which people are discharged from hospital and go

back home, that is the potential forehead glitch to occur in the

system in which the medicines in which they were prescribed by their

GP and the new regime they have been prescribed out of hospital

don't always come together in a properly co-ordinated way. Even

when they do it is a point in people's lives where they may not

be completely clear as to wait regime they may be following.

People get nervous and are not sure what they should do was to what the

Welsh Government is trying to do is to make sure there is a better co-

ordination, a better hinge between what people get at the hospital and

What will community pharmacists be doing? They have been asking us for

a very long time now. It is fantastic that we are going to lead

this field in Wales. When a patient is discharged, a copy of their

discharge letter has gone to the GP. They met their patient was under

the pharmacy now, the pharmacist will have a copy of that letter. It

means they can have up time it with the patient to talk about the

medication and educate them. It all sounds very reasonable. But isn't

it a lot more work? We are professionals of when it comes to

medicine management. It is fantastic that the NHS in Wales has

accepted that we are the best people have to be talking to the

patient. We are glad it is coming our way. Will they be paid any more

for doing this? The good news for the taxpayer is that this is money

that is being recycled within the budget. The cost of drugs has gone

down and that money is being reinvested to extend the role of

the community pharmacist. It is not new money exactly, it is in

recycled money. There is a huge problem at the moment. About

200,000 people are readmitted to hospital because there medicine is

not properly prescribed. It seems astonishing. Well at the new regime

it stop mistakes? People are to a vulnerable point in their lives and

may not fully understand the message is conveyed to them. The

strength of this system is the community pharmacist will be able

to sit down and explain to people exactly what medication they are

being prescribed. There is a capacity in the scheme that, 10

days later, people can follow it up again and go over the message is

again. -- messages. People do not always take everything in first

time. This system loch will reinforce the message. We hope to

cut down on the number of people having to go back into hospital.

Many people already rely on pharmacists. People have to

understand the difference of the new role? We will be promoting our

new role in the pharmacy. Hopefully, this is the start of more things to

come with the Welsh government utilising pharmacists in health

care. How quickly do think we will be able to overcome the problem?

The system is beginning already. There is a monitoring process

involved. We want to make sure we know exactly how effective it is

being. I think it we will begin to see the effectiveness over this

winter. I am sure people will welcome that very much indeed.

Thank you for joining me. Last week, the First Minister

headed a trade and education mission to China. Our reporter,

Aled ap Dafydd, caught up with Carwyn Jones earlier this morning

to find out what he'd achieved. The First Minister is just back

from a trip to China. It was important to strengthen the

business links between Wales and China. China has a lot of money to

invest. We want to make sure that China seized Wales as an important

place and an attractive place to invest. -- Cs. People might expect

you to come back with the news of contracts signed, were there any

contracts signed? We have a lot of leads to follow. We have to fall

them up. The doors had been opened and now we have to go through them.

Universities and colleges have signed agreements in China. We took

a business group and they were very happy. We are very much on the

reader and now we have to follow it through. -- on the radar.

grants culture that used to exist it is no longer there. Is that a

hindrance when travelling to places like China? The Chinese tend to

look at the productivity and her stable our country is. -- and how

it stable. I was asked about the rights that had taken place and I

was able to say there were no riots in Wales. They are not looking for

grants. What is absolutely crucial is that they will look to invest in

companies that make the effort to go on -- to go and talk to them.

The no in China pub what they don't have is the high-tech skills that

we have in Wales. We do not have large companies, but we have small,

specialised hi-tech companies who need investment capital. That is

the sort of thing that interested them. The one thing the UK has to

stop doing is constantly going on about austerity. It gives people

that the -- it gives people in China the impression that they are

going bust. President Sarkozy was in China looking for money

recently? China has more money to invest than Europe does. It is

important that as that money is invested that Wales is seen as a

place to invest. UK companies have done it in years gone by. There

have been Japanese investment in Wales. It is crucial for us that we

are seen as being up there as a country to invest in. When Western

form leaders go to China, they often use it as an opportunity to

talk about human rights. Was that on your agenda? We are not a

sovereign state and we do not have a foreign policy. We support this

stand taken by the UK government. But you would be happy to trade

with an Asian that has a suspect human rights record? -- with a

nation. It is for the UK government to make the point that it needs to

make. Facts very much. -- a thank you very much. We heard that an

inquiry is to be held into the support being offered to former

medical personnel. The move has been more welcomed by a former

Armed Forces Minister. Combat stress is a wonderful organisation.

I spent time going round some of the clients. What they are doing is

what we as a society and as a country ought to be doing. Is it

true that we hear more about veterans charities than we do about

the support being offered by the state? We have some fantastic

veterans charities, but they are filling the gap that the state

ought to be filling. Anybody who has served and the sources -- in

the forces... Janet, there was a veterans a facility in your

constituency. So sadly, no longer there. But there is a need for

support for our veterans. It was something I picked up great live

and I was campaigning. Combat stress, post traumatic stress

disorder, these are real issues and there doesn't appear to be the

support their. They give their lives to support our country, it is

the least we can do to support them. Do you welcome the inquiry? There

is no disagreement politically that we need to support our veterans and

make sure they get the best possible health care if they get

when did on active service. It isn't always the case that having

specialist hospitals provide them with the best care. That has not

always been the case and the past. I am keen that they have the best

possible psychological help for veterans who may have witnessed

horrific things. They need support to recover and the integrate it

with civilian life of. That is incredibly important. We heard

earlier that it is adoption a week. -- National adoption Week. It seems

to be having more impact this year? Obviously, it is, the Prime

Minister has been talking about it. In a way as, we had a 10% increase

in the numbers of adoptions in Wales. It went down in England.

That does not mean to say that we do not need to emphasise the point

that children who are up for adoption need to be placed with

appropriate people without delay. I am always very concerned when I

talk to young people who have been in the care system and tell me they

have had 15 placements while in care and they had been in care

since they were five years old. That is unacceptable. Those

children should have been considered for adoption. Current

planning for babies, there are 3000 babies up for adoption, current

planning a from birth who rethink are unlikely to be able to stay

with their birth parents, place of them or with foster carers who have

already been approved as a doctors. Then it is a smooth transition for

the child. You will be leading the debate on the role of grandparents

caring for children. They has, I think it is fair to say that we are

in agreement. David Cameron is right to be raising this. Added a

bid has broken out at last. -- agreement. Going back to the debate

that I will be reading, it is about care and the rights of

grandchildren to remember there grand appearance. If it is felt