:00:12. > :00:15.Welcome to the programme and our weekly coverage of questions to the
:00:15. > :00:19.First Minister. The row that erupted over the online health
:00:19. > :00:22.checks for the over-fifties is likely to be raised. The Welsh
:00:22. > :00:26.Government is accused of backtracking on a manifesto
:00:26. > :00:31.commitment to offering annual check-ups. Carwyn Jones is being
:00:31. > :00:35.asked about the impact of the UK Government's cuts to housing
:00:35. > :00:45.benefit. We want to hear from you. You can comment on anything on this
:00:45. > :00:48.
:00:48. > :00:58.programme or anything politics are Business in the Chamber has already
:00:58. > :01:00.kicked off so let's go over there now.
:01:01. > :01:08.Will the First Minister outline the Welsh Government's infrastructure
:01:08. > :01:18.plans for North Wales in the next 12 months? Yes, the plant set out
:01:18. > :01:24.how we will invest �15 billion over the next decade. -- �15 million.
:01:24. > :01:33.One of the key aims of the Active Travel Bill is to create safe
:01:33. > :01:38.routes for cycling and walking. What steps are the Welsh Government
:01:38. > :01:43.taking to ensure delivery of strong and effective road cycling
:01:43. > :01:48.training? We introduced the national standing for cycling
:01:48. > :01:55.training in Wales and we provided funding for authorities to deliver
:01:55. > :02:00.training to young people. We have an initiative involving officers
:02:00. > :02:09.working intensively with pupils and a maximum of 12 schools a year,
:02:09. > :02:12.aiming to change travel habits to cycling. The Secretary of State for
:02:12. > :02:17.Wales, David Jones MP, has previously highlighted the
:02:17. > :02:24.importance of the future rail electrification to the North Wales
:02:24. > :02:30.main line to secure -- to sustain our economy. He has subsequently
:02:30. > :02:40.put together a working group of public and private sector officials,
:02:40. > :02:44.chaired by Councillor to Evans of Denbighshire County Council. -- Huw
:02:44. > :02:49.Evans. Will you also commit over the next 12 months to work with the
:02:49. > :02:58.Welsh Office, the UK Government and in particular are this particular
:02:58. > :03:01.working group to drive this project Ford? Test -- I spoke at an event
:03:01. > :03:11.organised by the Wales office yesterday in order to make sure the
:03:11. > :03:13.
:03:13. > :03:22.business community were aware. I am sure the First Minister is aware
:03:22. > :03:29.that the two main issues that concern businesses that are seeking
:03:29. > :03:33.the major capital plans, the thing that is worrying bees companies is
:03:33. > :03:38.the procurement process. What are you going to do to simplify the
:03:38. > :03:43.process? There are steps we can take. Their arrears are billed to
:03:43. > :03:47.be put before the Assembly before the start of next year, which will
:03:47. > :03:52.be the Planning Bill. We understand that it is extremely important that
:03:52. > :03:59.the system should be made to work more swiftly and that people have
:03:59. > :04:04.done opportunity to express their views on planning proposals.
:04:04. > :04:08.transport come -- Transport Minister has committed to the
:04:08. > :04:16.electrification of the railway lines in North Wales but many of
:04:16. > :04:22.the plans are dependent on investment in the areas of Chester
:04:23. > :04:28.and crew mack. -- Crewe. Is it possible to have a steering
:04:28. > :04:34.committee in place? Electrification is a matter for the UK Government
:04:34. > :04:38.and it is sensible to electrify to Crewe, because that is where the
:04:38. > :04:42.electrified line currently earns. We are happy to work would be UK
:04:42. > :04:52.Government and we hope they will bring plans for as quickly as
:04:52. > :04:53.
:04:53. > :04:58.possible. -- work with the UK Government. Will the First Minister
:04:58. > :05:03.make a statement on his economic priorities over the next 12 months?
:05:03. > :05:07.My priorities are outlined in the programme for Government. I am sure
:05:07. > :05:12.you would agree that in rural Stitcher and see -- constituency
:05:12. > :05:19.like mine, broadband services are crucial to improving the economy.
:05:19. > :05:22.Your Government has recently introduced a programme outlining
:05:22. > :05:28.the 14 local authorities to be included and unfortunately
:05:28. > :05:33.Pembrokeshire is not included. Can you tell us what criteria were used
:05:34. > :05:41.to decide what local authorities would receive this assistance and
:05:41. > :05:46.can you make sure that those areas in my constituency and that can't
:05:46. > :05:53.access broadband week -- currently will not be left behind? It is true
:05:53. > :06:03.to say, as regards Pembrokeshire, it will benefit from this scheme in
:06:03. > :06:04.
:06:04. > :06:10.due course. The enterprise zone in Pembrokeshire, that will be an area
:06:10. > :06:13.that will benefit from broadband very soon. We understand of course
:06:13. > :06:19.that it is very important that enterprise zones have access to
:06:20. > :06:23.broadband. Four what plans does the First Minister have to encourage
:06:23. > :06:28.more inward investment, particularly from the US, in view
:06:28. > :06:32.of the fact that American companies are so successful here and the fact
:06:32. > :06:37.that they see Wales and the UK as a gateway to Europe? It is important
:06:37. > :06:42.that we have a presence in the US, we have officers in New York and
:06:42. > :06:48.Washington and I will be in San Francisco next week. We hope to end
:06:48. > :06:58.bed or some want full-time working in California. -- to place some of
:06:58. > :07:07.
:07:07. > :07:12.full time. I don't believe that the UK will leave the European Union.
:07:12. > :07:21.The growth in the UK economy is contracting and there is a general
:07:21. > :07:26.belief among economists that George Osborne has got it wrong and many
:07:26. > :07:30.economists by now agree and repeat the Plaid Cymru mantra that there
:07:30. > :07:35.is a need to invest in infrastructure. When will you be
:07:35. > :07:39.making an announcement as regards alternative means of fund raising
:07:39. > :07:47.for these capital schemes that are so vital for Wales and to promote
:07:47. > :07:55.the economy? I have already made a statement on plans such as the
:07:55. > :07:58.plans in the heads of the valleys, and we seek now the comments of the
:07:58. > :08:05.Silk Commission being taken forward by the UK Government as soon as
:08:05. > :08:12.possible, which will mean that we can borrow more in order to spend
:08:12. > :08:16.more on capital projects. I am sure that attracting more business and
:08:16. > :08:19.tourism to Wales would be a major priority for your Government in the
:08:19. > :08:23.next year. In March of last year the business Minister stated that
:08:23. > :08:32.she felt we had not got the brand right for Wales and she was putting
:08:32. > :08:41.staff in place to support a new brand. What progress has been made?
:08:41. > :08:48.That work is now coming to a conclusion. I call the leader of
:08:48. > :08:52.the Welsh Liberal Democrat, Kirsty Williams. -- Liberal Democrats.
:08:52. > :08:57.in November of 2011, the Health Minister said that health checks
:08:57. > :09:01.led by GPs and nurses for the over- fifties are a firm commitment from
:09:01. > :09:05.the Welsh Government. Now we understand that they are to be sent
:09:05. > :09:14.to all website instead. What will it offer that is not already
:09:14. > :09:19.offered by NHS Direct Wales website and other websites? It is the first
:09:19. > :09:25.stage in a process that will allow doctors and other professionals to
:09:25. > :09:32.identify patients that need GP care. People will fill in the form on the
:09:32. > :09:37.website, the information will be collected through the website, and
:09:37. > :09:46.it will allow a GPs and other health practitioners to identify
:09:46. > :09:53.and contact those patients who most need -- most need help. It is
:09:53. > :09:57.simply part of the process to fulfilling our commitment. I look
:09:57. > :10:04.forward to seeing the details of how bad computer system is actually
:10:04. > :10:08.going to work and ensuring confidentiality of patient records,
:10:08. > :10:11.and that the information is only seen by the appropriate individual.
:10:11. > :10:16.Let's move to another promise of yours, to address the lack of
:10:16. > :10:21.critical care beds in Wales. Can you tell me which European
:10:21. > :10:28.countries have a lower number of critical care beds per head of
:10:28. > :10:32.population? We want to make sure we have a health service that is safe
:10:32. > :10:35.and sustainable, so there are plans being brought forward by the local
:10:35. > :10:40.health boards in terms of the future of the health service in
:10:40. > :10:46.Wales. We will be -- we believe we will have sufficient critical care
:10:46. > :10:51.beds for the population. Let me answer for you, there is not a
:10:51. > :10:56.single country that has less critical pick -- critical care beds
:10:56. > :11:00.than Wales. You have essentially ditched free healthcare checks
:11:00. > :11:05.over-fifties, you wait longer for an ambulance in Wales done any part
:11:05. > :11:11.of mainland UK, urgent cancer targets have never been met since
:11:11. > :11:17.he became First Minister. Is it any wonder that the Welsh NHS is, on
:11:17. > :11:23.your watch, and to use your words, on the brink of collapse? That is a
:11:23. > :11:26.selective use of the word that was used over the weekend. What I said
:11:26. > :11:36.was that in future the NHS will be at the point of collapse if changes
:11:36. > :11:41.are not being made. We don't need lessons from the Lib Dems in terms
:11:41. > :11:47.of policy. Not two weeks ago they were suggesting that at two pence
:11:47. > :11:54.cut in income tax could be made up by increasing environmental taxes.
:11:54. > :12:01.That would leave a black hole of �160 million. We need no lessons
:12:01. > :12:05.from the party opposite. Questions from the Leader of the Opposition.
:12:05. > :12:11.Last week -- last week he told the South Wales Argus that your biggest
:12:11. > :12:15.fear was the passage of time. My biggest fear is York savage health
:12:15. > :12:21.cuts. Last week we also found that that student numbers here in Wales
:12:21. > :12:27.had fallen, unlike other parts of the United Kingdom. Is that not a
:12:27. > :12:33.great concern for you? That is not right. How many times is he going
:12:33. > :12:42.to get the statistics wrong? We are planning a future for the Welsh NHS
:12:42. > :12:49.did his party is creating across the border. -- but his party is
:12:49. > :12:53.creating a crisis for. You are responsible for the cuts to the NHS.
:12:53. > :12:59.Yesterday we saw a manifesto commitment jettisoned for health
:12:59. > :13:02.checks over 50s. You claimed that the manifesto was the best
:13:03. > :13:06.presented and best cost managed manifesto put before the people of
:13:06. > :13:10.Wales. What we see in your higher education policy is a failing
:13:10. > :13:20.policy because we do actually see student numbers falling here in
:13:20. > :13:21.
:13:21. > :13:31.Wales. 2.1 % less students were enrolled in Welsh universities.
:13:31. > :13:42.
:13:42. > :13:49.Those figures came out of Newcastle stop -- came out if UCAS. Your
:13:49. > :13:52.policy is not delivering for some of the most disadvantaged in our
:13:52. > :13:57.society. The Leader of the Opposition seems to claim that if
:13:57. > :14:00.you charge people more and, more people will use a service. But
:14:00. > :14:07.figures show a significant increase in the number of students from
:14:07. > :14:12.other parts of the UK. Selective use of figures, as he did it last
:14:12. > :14:15.week. He was wrong on the figures that he used, because we double-
:14:15. > :14:25.checked. He needs to make sure that if he uses figures to get them
:14:25. > :14:29.
:14:29. > :14:35.$:/STARTFEED. The overall figure was down. The figures are used last
:14:35. > :14:40.week were correct because you were unable to correct them. The fact
:14:40. > :14:44.that the most disadvantaged in society are unable to benefit from
:14:44. > :14:48.your open chequebook policy and that is on top of the report that
:14:48. > :14:54.your education minister had to deal with the last week, that indicated
:14:54. > :14:58.fewer schools are achieving good or excellent inspections, mediocre
:14:58. > :15:02.teacher performance and problems across all sectors. Is it not the
:15:02. > :15:06.fact that you should be frightened of what your education minister is
:15:07. > :15:11.delivering for the students of Wales which is mediocrity and
:15:11. > :15:19.fading to lift standards across our education, across the whole of
:15:20. > :15:27.Wales. He is delivering for the young people of Wales. He is
:15:27. > :15:33.looking to improve literacy, a new procedure, he is looking to
:15:33. > :15:40.fragment the system. He said last week, exports in Wales have fallen
:15:40. > :15:45.by 5%. Wrong. The figure is actually for 0.1 %. He selectively
:15:45. > :15:51.chose the figures for a quarter are not for a year. If he looks at the
:15:51. > :15:56.early figures he will see exports have gone up substantially. He got
:15:56. > :16:01.his figures from! Even on his own admission. The reality is when we
:16:01. > :16:09.look at the party opposite, we look at a different party because we
:16:09. > :16:17.know this predecessor led the party close to the door of government and
:16:17. > :16:27.he led them away, as far away as possible. I am not wanting to
:16:27. > :16:31.
:16:31. > :16:36.regurgitate last week's argument. My figures are correct! Order a! We
:16:37. > :16:41.now move to questions from the leader of Plaid Cymru. The UN would.
:16:41. > :16:46.I am sure people in Wales are much more enlightened after that
:16:46. > :16:52.exchange. I asked you in 20th November 11 if you agreed there
:16:52. > :16:58.should be a quarterly published whilst D D P figure alongside the
:16:58. > :17:03.UK's and at that time you said that you do agree that you need to
:17:03. > :17:07.insure that Welsh GDP figures are available. That is something we are
:17:07. > :17:13.looking at now have to insure those figures can be made available for
:17:13. > :17:19.Wales. Can you give us an update, please? It is still being examined
:17:20. > :17:24.by the Chief of Commerce, the Office of National Statistics. It
:17:24. > :17:34.will be useful for us to be able to have access to more up-to-date
:17:34. > :17:40.figures but these are not figures that we produce. The latest figures
:17:40. > :17:44.show a third down turn in the UK economy but we do not know in Wales
:17:44. > :17:48.because we do not have a GDP indicator to show whether or not
:17:48. > :17:53.our economy is performing well and that his information we need to
:17:53. > :18:01.know in order to change policy if things are not going well. What we
:18:01. > :18:05.do know about our economy is that about 50,000 more unemployed people,
:18:05. > :18:11.there are 50,000 more people under employed than there were before the
:18:11. > :18:15.recession. We are clearly not making the best use of our
:18:15. > :18:20.resources. It is 14 months since I asked you for does Welsh GDP
:18:20. > :18:25.figures. Will you ensure they will be published so we can increase
:18:25. > :18:30.your Government's economic performance? We cannot ensure
:18:31. > :18:35.figures are produced if there are no -- we do not control the figures
:18:35. > :18:41.produced. We have figures for those who are economically active, we
:18:41. > :18:46.have figures for those who have benefited -- benefited from a jobs
:18:46. > :18:51.growth Wales. They have a plenty of indicators upon which the
:18:51. > :18:55.government can be judged. There are a number of indicators and what we
:18:55. > :19:00.do know is that everything in the garden is far from rosy despite
:19:00. > :19:05.what you say here and that the Welsh economy has been in decline
:19:05. > :19:10.for 20 years. You might recall doing an interview with Swiss radio
:19:10. > :19:16.four. During that you said, the best way of expressing our identity
:19:16. > :19:23.and letting the world No we exist is to do world -- well in the World
:19:23. > :19:28.Cup. When you have an NHS which is in your own words on the verge of
:19:28. > :19:34.collapse, a failing education system, and no way of knowing
:19:34. > :19:38.whether or not the country you lead is still in recession or not, is
:19:38. > :19:43.this really the height of your ambition for Wales? Again a
:19:44. > :19:50.selective use of a phrase that was used in terms of projecting Wales's
:19:50. > :19:56.identity abroad. She forgets that a member of her own party was the
:19:56. > :20:01.economics minister for four years. Clearly forgotten. I work closely
:20:01. > :20:06.with him and I do not blame him for the economic situation because I
:20:06. > :20:12.know the world economy has suffered. It is naive to think we can wrap
:20:12. > :20:18.ourselves in a bubble in Wales and see our economy get back to the way
:20:18. > :20:22.it was before 2008. It will take time and it is naive to suggest one
:20:22. > :20:29.party has all the answers. The indicators are there. We also have
:20:29. > :20:34.in place a number of schemes to help businesses in Wales, we have
:20:34. > :20:38.the world economic growth fund, the loans for micro businesses fund, we
:20:38. > :20:42.are a very proactive government, we have many schemes in place and
:20:42. > :20:48.these are the things that set us apart from the chaos that exists
:20:48. > :20:54.under the Tories and Lib Dems elsewhere in the UK. We now move
:20:54. > :20:58.back to questions on the paper. What is the Welsh Government doing
:20:58. > :21:03.to enhance local accountability through the wash planning system?
:21:03. > :21:10.The planning system must approach - - work the most appropriate level
:21:10. > :21:15.of government. I am keen to pursue the reason why the Welsh Government
:21:15. > :21:20.is taking such a stance in not providing additional financial
:21:20. > :21:24.resources to Powys County Council to defend its planning permission.
:21:24. > :21:29.Before Christmas a spokesperson for the Welsh government said, it must
:21:29. > :21:35.be remembered that the decision to object to the wind farm
:21:35. > :21:40.applications referred to his Tiley down to Powys County Council. They
:21:40. > :21:45.were of the implications when they decided to reject the schemes. Your
:21:45. > :21:49.Government's perceived view is that the council should have taken the
:21:49. > :21:59.cost into account and approved in appropriate applications bickered
:21:59. > :22:06.it not meet the cost of Appeal. I do believe in local democracy and
:22:06. > :22:12.the distance yourself from these comments made on your behalf?
:22:12. > :22:19.money up its claims it needs is in order to make its obligations. Why
:22:19. > :22:26.should the Welsh taxpayer pay for something of the -- that Whitehall
:22:26. > :22:30.should be paying for? It is not our job to provide finance for a local
:22:30. > :22:34.authority that is fighting something by the UK government. It
:22:34. > :22:37.would be far more profitable if he pursued the UK government and asked
:22:37. > :22:46.them for funding to help Powys County Council to deal with
:22:46. > :22:50.something that they themselves caused and the first place!
:22:50. > :22:55.Minister, many people in Wales believe that accountability in the
:22:55. > :22:59.planning system would be enhanced if we in Wales had an independent
:22:59. > :23:09.planning inspectorate for Wales. Is it your intention to introduce
:23:09. > :23:14.
:23:14. > :23:18.that? There are disadvantages and advantages in regards to having a
:23:18. > :23:23.separate inspection system. Whether they would be an advantage is
:23:23. > :23:28.difficult to see. What happens is that the inspectors use planning
:23:28. > :23:33.guidance from Wales and I believe they do follow that, but I do not
:23:33. > :23:38.believe there is a case for a separate inspectorate just for the
:23:38. > :23:43.sake of being different. What is important is that the inspector and
:23:43. > :23:48.use guidance from Wales. I am sure you will agree that town and
:23:48. > :23:51.community councils play a vital role in assisting the determination
:23:51. > :23:55.of planning applications as principal consul Tees? In that
:23:56. > :24:02.context, in the event that such a council were to object to a
:24:02. > :24:06.particular application, do you feel there is any merit in such an
:24:06. > :24:11.application automatically triggering full planning committee
:24:11. > :24:16.consideration? This would in my view serve to enhance transparency
:24:16. > :24:22.for the determination of such an application, rather than a decision
:24:22. > :24:30.being made by planning officers. This is something that could be
:24:30. > :24:33.considered as part of the Planning Bill process. What assessment has
:24:33. > :24:37.the Welsh Government made of the actions being taken by local
:24:37. > :24:43.authorities in Wales to mitigate the impact of cuts in essential
:24:43. > :24:50.housing benefits? We have contacted all local authorities to ascertain
:24:50. > :24:53.what has been undertaken. Of the 16 that have responded, five have
:24:53. > :24:57.undertaken a bespoke impact assessment but clearly there needs
:24:57. > :25:00.to be a more proactive response from other local the authorities in
:25:00. > :25:05.Wales to insure that the most vulnerable people are placed in the
:25:05. > :25:08.best position possible. iniquities of the coalition's
:25:08. > :25:13.policy in relation to housing benefit cuts have been well
:25:13. > :25:17.rehearsed here. Will you join with me in commending the efforts of
:25:17. > :25:22.Cardiff and other Labour councillors in Wales to deploy
:25:22. > :25:27.every flexibility they are able to assemble so that foster parents are
:25:27. > :25:31.not forced to give up their vital work, because of the lack of a
:25:31. > :25:35.bedroom or grandparents are not forced to give up the care of
:25:35. > :25:40.grandchildren where that care means the parents are able to go to work
:25:40. > :25:43.and that families who are working hard with their local authority or
:25:43. > :25:47.with their housing association to find affordable accommodation on
:25:47. > :25:52.not forced into smaller and more expensive private sector
:25:52. > :25:56.accommodation because of the dogmatic actions of an inflexible
:25:56. > :26:00.and ideologically driven administration in London?
:26:00. > :26:06.member makes his point very strongly and I can only reiterate
:26:06. > :26:11.what he has said. I was struck by the delegation of the Prime
:26:11. > :26:14.Minister received in terms of gay marriage from his constituency
:26:14. > :26:17.chairs. I was stopped by the fact that they said they could not
:26:17. > :26:22.reconcile themselves to a gay marriage because of their moral
:26:22. > :26:26.values. Where are their moral values when it comes to taking
:26:26. > :26:32.money away from the most vulnerable? They have their values
:26:32. > :26:37.wrong and I find it sickening that families, grandparents, foster
:26:38. > :26:47.carers, and young people will suffer as a result of their warped
:26:48. > :26:49.
:26:49. > :26:53.moral values. There was no heart and supply crisis but there is now.
:26:53. > :26:58.Nine to 1,000 households on waiting lists, house building at its lowest
:26:58. > :27:05.level since the 1920s, that is the reason why this is happening. Do
:27:05. > :27:09.you share my concern that despite your previous Welsh government
:27:09. > :27:14.accepting the recommendation of the community and cultures Committee on
:27:14. > :27:21.affordable housing that the Welsh Government seeks to promote a
:27:21. > :27:24.positive image of the private sector as a first-choice and that
:27:24. > :27:32.working with social letting agencies and credited landlords had
:27:32. > :27:38.built in housing benefit changes, that many local authorities are
:27:38. > :27:45.still due to meet them. They are only just now having meetings about
:27:45. > :27:48.them. Two years after that warning went out and two years after the UK
:27:48. > :27:55.government wrote to every council in England and Wales with the
:27:55. > :28:05.guidance on the new discretionary housing payments. Are you coming to
:28:05. > :28:10.the question? I have no idea what that question was. I have no idea.
:28:10. > :28:14.I heard a speech for a long time, I heard no question at all. I did
:28:14. > :28:23.hear him say that the private rented sector should be the first
:28:23. > :28:30.choice. I see no reason why they should be the first port of call
:28:30. > :28:40.but in 2011, 2489 additional affordable housing was made across
:28:40. > :28:40.
:28:41. > :28:48.Wales. We are ensuring that affordable housing is available to
:28:48. > :28:56.people even as his party tries to force people out of their homes.
:28:56. > :29:02.First Minister, may I refer you specifically to the issue of the
:29:02. > :29:06.additional bedroom tax. I have more than one elector who has placed in
:29:07. > :29:13.a position now where they have invested money to convert an
:29:13. > :29:18.additional bedroom because of the disability, to allow them to stay
:29:18. > :29:23.in their own homes and now they are going to be taxed and I have
:29:23. > :29:27.received a reply from Westminster say that is the position, despite
:29:27. > :29:32.the fact that this person has endeavoured to ensure they can stay
:29:32. > :29:39.in their own homes by using their own money to adapt that bedroom for
:29:39. > :29:43.their disability. A I agree entirely. Demonstrates that if the
:29:43. > :29:49.people who will suffer are those who are disabled, are older, those
:29:49. > :29:53.people who want to remain in their homes but the UK government do not
:29:53. > :29:57.care about those people. We see that all they want to do is to make
:29:57. > :30:02.more and more cuts and what will happen is if there are cuts in
:30:02. > :30:07.benefits, that will mean that more people will become homeless and
:30:07. > :30:12.where does the money come from to help them? The Russian government.
:30:12. > :30:16.It is away for the UK government to save money but that passes a burden
:30:16. > :30:20.on to the Russian government and that is unfair, not only for the
:30:20. > :30:30.Welsh Government, but it is unfair for those people who will be
:30:30. > :30:38.
:30:38. > :30:43.The bedroom tax is causing despair amongst many of my constituents.
:30:43. > :30:47.Many are visiting Citizen's Advice Bureaux because they are lifeline
:30:47. > :30:52.in supporting some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people
:30:52. > :30:59.in our communities. Will you continue to support third sector
:30:59. > :31:04.providers like the bureaux, who are playing a vital role in supporting
:31:04. > :31:14.our hard-hit communities? Absolutely. We are providing
:31:14. > :31:17.
:31:17. > :31:20.funding to Citizens Advice, Marie - - Citizen's Advice Wales. We have
:31:20. > :31:24.provided help for third sector organisations in order to provide
:31:24. > :31:33.advice at a time when so many people are in need of advice for
:31:33. > :31:38.the first time. What progress is being made by the Welsh Government
:31:38. > :31:41.to increase the activity of credit unions in Wales in providing low-
:31:41. > :31:51.interest loans for people who would otherwise be dependent on payday
:31:51. > :31:53.
:31:53. > :32:00.loans? As part of our commitment to tackle poverty, our funding has
:32:00. > :32:05.helped credit unions to provide loans to thousands of excluded
:32:05. > :32:10.adults in the last two years. represent this Assembly on the
:32:10. > :32:16.British Irish parliamentary inquiry on to credit unions and I listened
:32:16. > :32:23.with envy as to how Irish credit unions have 16 billion euros ready
:32:23. > :32:27.to invest in Ireland. Will you commit to a real campaign to be
:32:27. > :32:31.sustained over a long period of time with a budget to ensure that
:32:31. > :32:38.credit unions are expanded here in Wales and will you join with me in
:32:38. > :32:46.input -- in applauding good practice by registered social
:32:46. > :32:53.landlords? They play a vital role in expanding credit unions to their
:32:53. > :33:00.run tenants on low incomes. Ireland, the credit unions have
:33:00. > :33:10.been going for much longer and they are much bigger institutions. There
:33:10. > :33:17.
:33:17. > :33:21.lies the ambition for our credit unions in time. Six credit unions
:33:21. > :33:25.are taking part in a project to support tenants to make regular
:33:25. > :33:29.payments to their social landlords are using credit union rent
:33:29. > :33:34.accounts, so we have worked hard with credit unions to achieve the
:33:34. > :33:42.best coverage around Wales and to make sure people use their credit
:33:42. > :33:49.unions. Savings with credit unions have increased by 29 % in the last
:33:49. > :33:56.two years. Following on from Lindsay Whittle's question, I know
:33:56. > :33:58.you are a big supporter of credit unions, but the loss of the funding
:33:58. > :34:05.from September of this year presents a significant problem to
:34:05. > :34:12.those, to all credit unions, not just those in our region. With the
:34:12. > :34:16.loss of a significant five-figure sum and a? Over the European
:34:16. > :34:26.funding -- query mark over the European funding, what guarantees
:34:26. > :34:26.
:34:26. > :34:33.can you give to increase support so that people do not have to rely on
:34:33. > :34:40.payday loans? Credit unions are flying already. Membership is
:34:40. > :34:45.51,000 already, an increase of 26 % in two years. To a great extent
:34:45. > :34:52.credit unions are now self- sufficient but we have the
:34:52. > :34:55.opportunity to work with them over the next few years. Last autumn
:34:55. > :35:00.credit unions were told by was Government officials that they
:35:00. > :35:03.can't necessarily expect Welsh Government support to achieve
:35:04. > :35:06.sustainability past September of 2013. Does that mean the loss
:35:06. > :35:16.Government is no longer concerned with building on the investment
:35:16. > :35:20.
:35:20. > :35:24.they have made? Credit unions continue to grow. It seems to me
:35:24. > :35:27.that they are in a far stronger financial position than they were,
:35:27. > :35:31.so what we have to examine is whether there is and need to
:35:31. > :35:37.financially support them at the same level in the future and to see
:35:37. > :35:44.what kind of support might be needed. Inevitably quickened expect
:35:44. > :35:51.them in time to become self- supporting. -- we can expect.
:35:51. > :35:57.Swansea council is using a -- providing information on the local
:35:57. > :36:03.credit union. Will you join with me in congratulating Swansea council
:36:03. > :36:06.and join with me in urging public and private sector employees to use
:36:06. > :36:16.payslips supporting credit unions and to try to get people off the
:36:16. > :36:17.
:36:17. > :36:21.very expensive grade-A -- payday loans? I will. I know that
:36:21. > :36:29.publicity materials are regularly circulated to NHS organisations and
:36:29. > :36:31.local authorities to explain the benefits of credit union membership.
:36:32. > :36:36.Will the First Minister make a statement on what the Welsh
:36:36. > :36:40.Government can do to stop children accessing age inappropriate
:36:40. > :36:45.material online? We can't stop it completely because we don't control
:36:45. > :36:49.the internet but we do recommend that service providers encourage
:36:49. > :36:57.parental controls and we are working to make sure that resources
:36:57. > :37:00.are available to protect children. I speak to parents in my
:37:00. > :37:04.constituency who work about their children's on-line activities and
:37:04. > :37:12.they often don't know where to start to make the world a safer
:37:12. > :37:16.place. -- make the internet. How can we make parents more aware of
:37:16. > :37:26.ways to block these sites? Has we are providing bilingual school
:37:26. > :37:27.
:37:27. > :37:31.packs that can be accessed through the website. -- we are providing. I
:37:31. > :37:36.know certainly the children's commissioner is also working to
:37:36. > :37:40.raise awareness of the issue. I think one of the best ways of doing
:37:40. > :37:44.this is to make sure that working through schools parents are able to
:37:45. > :37:52.be informed if they don't already know of what can be done in order
:37:52. > :37:56.to restrict internet access to harmful sites. I was just wondering
:37:56. > :38:04.whether the Welsh Government has any of its own guidelines on what
:38:04. > :38:08.it considers age appropriate? A quick search of the Web on sites
:38:08. > :38:13.such as the Daily Mail can see that there are story after story about
:38:13. > :38:17.women's bodies and that can pull out their imperfections and women
:38:17. > :38:20.reading this websites may feel that they have problems with their self-
:38:20. > :38:25.esteem but may lead on to mental health problems in the future. Is
:38:25. > :38:31.this something you can look into? I have called for confidence and
:38:31. > :38:38.well-being and lessons in schools previously, but this is a growing
:38:38. > :38:43.problem amongst young people. difficult to restrict access in the
:38:43. > :38:51.home and often difficult to understand what is age appropriate
:38:51. > :38:58.contact -- content. For example, the certification system used to
:38:58. > :39:03.for video games is very different from the certification used for
:39:03. > :39:09.films. Some of the staff are available for children is very
:39:09. > :39:15.different. It is important that we are in a position to educate
:39:15. > :39:20.children are and adults as well, but the Government has been asked
:39:20. > :39:25.to hold discussions on this matter, and formulate what will become was
:39:25. > :39:33.Government policy in terms of what inappropriate material and its
:39:33. > :39:35.access online. I will report back on the progress of that. May I
:39:35. > :39:40.highlight what the children's commissioner said, that children
:39:40. > :39:46.and young people don't see much of a distinction between their run
:39:46. > :39:53.line and off-line lives. The First Minister will know that today is
:39:53. > :39:57.safer internet day. Can he suggest how he will encourage safety where
:39:57. > :40:04.children are concerned? It is important that parents understand
:40:04. > :40:12.what their children are accessing and St, particularly through
:40:12. > :40:15.websites such as Facebook. -- accessing and saying. I believe
:40:15. > :40:22.that working with schools we will be able to inform more children and
:40:22. > :40:26.parents about what is age appropriate material. In a survey
:40:26. > :40:30.published today for internet saved the day, children and young people
:40:30. > :40:34.tell us that they are just as disturbed by images of animal
:40:34. > :40:38.violence as they are by pornography and bullying. How are you working
:40:39. > :40:46.to make sure that should -- teachers are aware of the breadth
:40:46. > :40:49.of material that can cause children distress? We have an all Wales
:40:50. > :40:54.learning platform launched in December of last year. That
:40:54. > :41:03.platform allows us to centrally host safety resources and they will
:41:03. > :41:06.be available for students in Wales to access and there will be help
:41:06. > :41:14.for teachers to raise awareness around safety for children and
:41:14. > :41:18.parents will stop we will have to leave it for now. Don't forget you
:41:18. > :41:25.can see more coverage of the Assembly online through the
:41:26. > :41:30.Democracy Live page. Let's pick up with some of that with our
:41:30. > :41:36.political correspondent, Thomas Livingstone. Kirsty Williams, the
:41:37. > :41:43.Lib Dem leader, referring to the row over online health checks for
:41:43. > :41:49.the over-fifties. Yes, this was a policy that Labour stood in their
:41:49. > :41:53.policy manifesto in 2011, the idea being that the over fifties would
:41:53. > :41:57.be able to go to their GP for an annual health check to see if they
:41:57. > :42:01.needed any further treatment. The Government has decided this is not
:42:01. > :42:05.going to happen a tall and people will be referred to a website where
:42:05. > :42:09.they will be able to carry out the cheques themselves to all intents
:42:09. > :42:14.and purposes. I think Kirsty Williams probably ask to be key
:42:14. > :42:20.question - how will this be different from the vast range of
:42:20. > :42:24.staff already out there on the internet. It was interesting to see
:42:24. > :42:29.the other two party leaders approaching this story in a very
:42:29. > :42:34.different ways. Andrew RT Davies decided that after listening to
:42:34. > :42:40.Kirsty Williams there was no real purpose in repeating them and he
:42:40. > :42:44.asked on a different range of suspects -- subjects. A Leanne Wood
:42:44. > :42:50.from Plaid Cymru tried to develop a narrative that perhaps there was
:42:50. > :42:56.not much drive coming from Carwyn Jones' Government, drawing together
:42:56. > :43:00.problems in education, the health service and do GDP figures. She
:43:00. > :43:04.says that Wales does not have enough data about its economic
:43:04. > :43:07.performance to draw sensible conclusions and she tried to draw
:43:07. > :43:14.the three things together, suggesting that Carwyn Jones needs
:43:14. > :43:22.to be doing a bit more with his position. Both Kirsty Williams and
:43:22. > :43:26.Leanne woods -- Leanne Wood picked up on the collapse of the NHS and
:43:26. > :43:36.Les there was some reform. Sunday Carwyn Jones said that if
:43:36. > :43:37.
:43:37. > :43:42.the changes in the way hospital services are delivered do not go
:43:42. > :43:46.ahead, the service will be on the brink. With Labour having been in
:43:46. > :43:52.charge since 1999, any changes on this scale will give rise to
:43:52. > :44:02.questions, why hasn't it been done before? Isn't it an admission that
:44:02. > :44:02.
:44:02. > :44:06.you. -- got it wrong? The question was raised a couple of times by AMs
:44:06. > :44:13.and Carwyn Jones said, you need to listen to everything I said, not
:44:13. > :44:19.just the word collapse. It was a bit more fiery today, the last
:44:19. > :44:22.couple of weeks have been quite subdued. Yes, the exchanges between
:44:22. > :44:28.Carwyn Jones and Andrew RT Davies were quite feisty, going back over
:44:28. > :44:36.what has happened in the last couple of weeks. That is it for