:00:24. > :00:31.Good afternoon and will come to the programme. The first Minister's
:00:31. > :00:33.Questions is coming up in a moment. We also have the latest news on the
:00:33. > :00:40.so-called Liberal Democrats to. If you would like to send us your
:00:40. > :00:50.comments about any of the stories will be talking about, please do.
:00:50. > :00:54.
:00:54. > :01:00.The contact details are on the screen. Vaughan Roderick is here
:01:00. > :01:09.with the latest on the Liberal Democrat to, Vaughan -- you have a
:01:09. > :01:13.piece of paper in your hand. This is the report from the Standards
:01:13. > :01:21.Commissioner setting out facts of the case against Andrew Roberts and
:01:21. > :01:27.John Dixon. In the first case of Aled Roberts, he sets out what
:01:27. > :01:36.happened quite simply. He sets out a pattern of events where Aled
:01:36. > :01:42.Roberts did attempt to check whether he was part of the pricing
:01:42. > :01:45.tribunal in North Wales and was misled by the fact that the Welsh
:01:45. > :01:52.link on the Electoral Commission website had not been updated to
:01:52. > :01:57.take in a change in the list. Gerard Elias says that he is
:01:57. > :02:03.convinced that Aled Roberts did everything that could reasonably be
:02:03. > :02:11.expected of any candidate to make sure that he was within the rules.
:02:11. > :02:17.What about John Dixon? The findings on John Dixon are more problematic.
:02:17. > :02:22.The job he was barred from taking was with the Care Council and he
:02:22. > :02:30.was paid �3,000 here. He also admits that he did not look at the
:02:30. > :02:35.list. He assumed he was OK. He had stood in parliamentary and local
:02:35. > :02:39.elections before and assumed that because it was things like the army
:02:39. > :02:47.and the Civil Service, that the job in the care council would not count.
:02:47. > :02:50.That seems to be a less convincing case. It is in the hands of the
:02:50. > :02:54.Assembly Members now will take a vote tomorrow. Do we know whether
:02:54. > :03:01.that but will go ahead? It might be put back for a week because this
:03:01. > :03:05.report only came out this morning. Talking to Assembly Members, it
:03:05. > :03:12.seems clear to me that any hope John Dixon had of returning to the
:03:12. > :03:15.Assembly must be fading now. As far as Aled Roberts is concerned, I
:03:15. > :03:22.think it would be a knife-edge affair but I suspect he would be
:03:22. > :03:29.out as well. But after reading this report, some Assembly Members might
:03:29. > :03:38.change their minds. While we have been chatting, the first Minister's
:03:39. > :03:43.Questions has been taking place so we will catch up with that now.
:03:43. > :03:47.What are the Government's plans to increase the number of jobs located
:03:47. > :03:52.in a different regional offices? are reviewing the situation at
:03:52. > :04:02.present but we do want to ensure a large percentage of jobs are
:04:02. > :04:03.
:04:03. > :04:10.outside of Cardiff. The intention of opening regional offices was to
:04:10. > :04:14.devolve jobs from Cardiff and not to centralise jobs across North
:04:14. > :04:18.Wales in one central position. May I ask whether you are discussing
:04:18. > :04:22.plans to close the Carnarvon officer present and how many
:04:22. > :04:29.Government jobs have been devolved from Cardiff to Llandudno?
:04:29. > :04:32.situation has not changed since I spoke with the former Deputy First
:04:32. > :04:38.Minister before the election. There will be a statement by the end of
:04:38. > :04:41.the month. Do you accept that members of the public in North
:04:41. > :04:48.Wales may feel justified in suspecting that the previous
:04:48. > :04:53.Assembly Government was engaging in an exercise in PR in opening its
:04:53. > :04:58.multi-million pounds offices in Llandudno Junction, with the
:04:58. > :05:02.promise of 650 jobs being brought to the region? In the light of the
:05:02. > :05:06.news that the Government is considering a plans to close other
:05:06. > :05:15.Assembly offices in Bangor, Co Cavan, Mold, St Asaph the Wrexham,
:05:15. > :05:25.can you confirm that not only staff but also those attempting to access
:05:25. > :05:25.
:05:25. > :05:31.advice at the centres will be forced to travel? What assessment
:05:31. > :05:39.have you made of the likely number of redundancies? The redundancies
:05:39. > :05:45.are not something we've looked at. Some offices will be closed as a
:05:45. > :05:55.result of the opening of the offices in Llandudno and avarice it.
:05:55. > :06:02.
:06:02. > :06:08.-- Aberystwyth. We are considering the situation very carefully.
:06:08. > :06:13.is responsible for the strategy of locating offices for the last
:06:13. > :06:17.Government? Is it you as First Minister or the Civil Service? If
:06:18. > :06:22.you are responsible, were you take the opportunity today to say a word
:06:22. > :06:28.of encouragement to people in mid- Wales and less with that every
:06:28. > :06:32.regional office there will stay open? I am responsible and as I
:06:32. > :06:40.have said, the situation has not changed since I spoke to the Deputy
:06:40. > :06:45.First Minister before the elections. What is the Government doing to
:06:45. > :06:50.provide community safety in Wales? We work closely with the community
:06:50. > :06:59.safety partnerships in Wales to tackle crime, anti-social behaviour,
:06:59. > :07:06.substance misuse, violence against women and domestic abuse. I am sure
:07:06. > :07:11.that many of us and the last election heard a vocal campaign
:07:11. > :07:16.from the Police Federation about safety initiatives. They noted that
:07:16. > :07:21.crime fell significantly under the last UK Labour Government. Many of
:07:21. > :07:27.us share concern about the loss of frontline jobs because of funding
:07:27. > :07:37.cuts. In my constituency, we've had several cases of anti-social
:07:37. > :07:43.
:07:43. > :07:53.behaviour. People want to see an on-street present. -- presence.
:07:53. > :08:01.
:08:01. > :08:10.are aiming to begin deployment of PCAS rose from 2012. One of the
:08:10. > :08:16.concerns in my constituency is with regard to unmanned level crossings.
:08:16. > :08:26.An American tourist was killed 10 years ago and it took six years for
:08:26. > :08:26.
:08:26. > :08:33.a package to put -- to be put together. With the introduction of
:08:33. > :08:43.the hourly service on the Cambrian Line, there will be more frequent
:08:43. > :08:47.
:08:47. > :08:52.trains running at greater speeds. What specific planning processes is
:08:52. > :08:58.your Government putting in place to ensure the overall risk of
:08:58. > :09:05.accidents is mitigated? We work closely with a Network Rail to make
:09:05. > :09:08.sure the crossings we have a safe. They have been some accidents and
:09:08. > :09:17.fatalities at different level crossings across Wales over the
:09:18. > :09:27.past 10 or 15 years. Crossings need to be as safe as possible and we
:09:27. > :09:32.will be guided by Network Rail. Thousands of families across Wales
:09:32. > :09:36.live in housing provided by councils and housing associations.
:09:36. > :09:40.A vast majority look after their homes and take great pride -- pride
:09:40. > :09:50.in their properties. Unfortunately, a small number are not so
:09:50. > :09:53.
:09:53. > :09:59.responsible. What efforts are you making to ensure that we better
:09:59. > :10:09.enforced tenancy agreements? We are working with all social landlords
:10:09. > :10:11.to tackle problems of anti-social behaviour. Wrexham has recently
:10:11. > :10:21.become the first of its authority in Wales to meet the Wales housing
:10:21. > :10:29.
:10:29. > :10:34.management standard and that is something that we will come. Paul
:10:34. > :10:39.Davies. Last week, you denied that waiting lists are getting worse
:10:39. > :10:44.under your watch. But official figures show that 227,000 patients
:10:44. > :10:50.were waiting to start treatment in the NHS when you became First
:10:50. > :11:00.Minister. 341,000 are now waiting. That is a rise of 50 %. Were you
:11:00. > :11:05.
:11:05. > :11:09.now apologised to the people of Extra money was put into
:11:09. > :11:14.Orthopaedic Surgery at some months ago. And it comes to deferral
:11:14. > :11:24.treatment times, we are doing better than England. It is as
:11:24. > :11:27.
:11:27. > :11:37.simple as that. When it comes to wait over 52 weeks, 13,400 patients
:11:37. > :11:44.in Wales wait more than 52 weeks. In Wales that figure is 600. People
:11:44. > :11:54.in Wales have much to be grateful for when it comes to the NHS.
:11:54. > :11:55.
:11:55. > :12:02.Clearly the Welsh First Minister does not want to talk about the NHS.
:12:02. > :12:09.The First Minister has been asked on numerous occasions about the
:12:10. > :12:13.Welsh NHS. He then went on to talk about the NHS in England. There are
:12:13. > :12:19.another and 14,000 more patients waiting for treatment than they
:12:19. > :12:24.were when you became First Minister. The First Minister told us last
:12:24. > :12:28.year that we have to make sure there is enough money available for
:12:28. > :12:34.the health service over the next three years. Can the First Minister
:12:34. > :12:39.explain why if there was enough money in November that an extra �65
:12:39. > :12:44.million has been put in to try and stem the tide in waiting lists was
:12:44. > :12:51.a lot --. We know orthopaedic waiting-lists have increased. They
:12:51. > :12:58.run increase in demand for services because people are living longer.
:12:58. > :13:04.We have made resources available to deal with that. I am more than
:13:04. > :13:11.happy to talk about treatment times. I am more than happy to talk about
:13:11. > :13:15.the fact that GPs in Wales are more happy to work in Wales. The Labour
:13:15. > :13:25.Party needs to understand the scales of the challenges facing the
:13:25. > :13:25.
:13:25. > :13:31.health service. The government's chosen auditors say plans for
:13:31. > :13:35.efficiency savings will not be enough. When the First Minister
:13:35. > :13:39.brings his much delayed legislative programme to this Chamber next week,
:13:39. > :13:47.will you ensure it contains specific proposals to meet an
:13:47. > :13:52.increased demand in the Welsh NHS? It is a question of careful
:13:52. > :14:02.management and prudent government. We have put forward a Budget that
:14:02. > :14:08.
:14:08. > :14:14.is a good Budget. We have shown that GPs in Wales do not want to
:14:14. > :14:20.pursue plans being pursued elsewhere. The Welsh government
:14:20. > :14:23.needs to act to reduce the demand on the Welsh NHS at the moment.
:14:23. > :14:32.Five and a half 1,000 people die every year from tobacco related
:14:32. > :14:39.illnesses. The NHS in Wales spent �500 million a year treating
:14:39. > :14:43.diabetes. Can the First Minister confirm that his legislative
:14:43. > :14:49.programme will contain specific measures to help reduce demand for
:14:49. > :14:52.the NHS by shifting the focus to preventative health? This is an
:14:52. > :15:01.enormous change of tail compared to what we were hearing before the
:15:01. > :15:10.election. Many organisations talked about a cosy relationship with the
:15:10. > :15:20.government. If you have bad housing, you have bad health. You have to
:15:20. > :15:22.
:15:22. > :15:31.make sure that we look at health in the round. We will look at the
:15:31. > :15:35.causes of bad health rather than the sticky plaster approach.
:15:35. > :15:39.23rd June you suggested you would send me a car be of your manifesto
:15:39. > :15:45.so that I could understand what your policies were. I have now read
:15:45. > :15:51.the manifesto and I now know in general terms what you are
:15:51. > :15:54.proposing to do on health. But it is still the position that does a
:15:54. > :16:01.very generalised statements that need to be turned into delivery
:16:01. > :16:05.target and an opportunity for us to scrutinise those properly. If there
:16:05. > :16:10.is no information there about what your priorities are in terms of
:16:10. > :16:15.time skiers, we have to pick up bits and pieces from other sources.
:16:15. > :16:19.I read an article written by the Minister for Health on 23rd May
:16:19. > :16:24.when she said it reduced Budget from Westminster means we need to
:16:25. > :16:29.focus our priorities and where savings can be made. Can you tell
:16:29. > :16:35.us what those priorities are and what savings you have identified?
:16:35. > :16:42.There are challenges and this is true. It is a challenge the NHS has
:16:42. > :16:50.to face. People need to get treatment as close to their homes
:16:50. > :16:54.as possible. We want to make sure we get best value for money from
:16:54. > :17:00.the NHS. People need to get the treatment they need as close to
:17:00. > :17:03.their homes as possible. I have invited you again to tell us what
:17:03. > :17:10.your priorities are and what the savings are and frankly you have
:17:10. > :17:16.not told us. Let us examine a specific item which was contained
:17:16. > :17:20.in your manifesto. You said that waiting times in accident and
:17:20. > :17:27.emergency at to be reduced. Can you tell us today what your target for
:17:27. > :17:32.reduction is and when is that to be achieved? We are working on the
:17:32. > :17:36.targets as we speak. They will be targets and a delivery plan will be
:17:36. > :17:40.produced in due course. Those targets will be able to be
:17:40. > :17:45.scrutinised by this Assembly. That is quite proper. One of the
:17:45. > :17:49.problems that exists in accident and emergency is that some
:17:49. > :17:54.departments are too small for the numbers will go through those
:17:54. > :18:00.departments from time to time. That is why we have put in place things
:18:00. > :18:05.to deal with that problem. Again, we do not have exactly what your
:18:05. > :18:10.targets are. We do not know how we can scrutinise how effective that
:18:10. > :18:14.policy is. Is it not true that we are in the third month of this
:18:14. > :18:18.government and we still do not know what your priorities in the field
:18:18. > :18:24.of health are and what you would tend to achieve by when and how the
:18:24. > :18:29.money will be spent. I have tried to to work out what you have been
:18:29. > :18:34.saying on health because I have been on your government website.
:18:34. > :18:38.There are 20 press statements there. Apart from making statements about
:18:38. > :18:46.what had been agreed by the last government, there is very little
:18:46. > :18:52.there about your direction of travel. We have had no debate on
:18:53. > :18:56.health policy. We have only a responded to a commission. There
:18:56. > :19:01.are are no plans to have this debate before the recess. Given
:19:01. > :19:08.that 40% of your Budget is spent on health, the you not think the
:19:08. > :19:18.people of Wales are entitled to know what you plan Sark? -- plans
:19:18. > :19:18.
:19:18. > :19:27.are? The target continues to be above the 90% level. We know in
:19:27. > :19:37.terms of emergency departments, before our target has seen 91% of
:19:37. > :19:38.
:19:38. > :19:43.people seen within that target. In terms of other services, targets
:19:43. > :19:48.are similar. I understand you are responding to questions. But we
:19:48. > :19:53.want the government to set out its programme. It is not right that the
:19:53. > :19:56.opposition parties have to ask questions and tried out this
:19:56. > :20:02.information bit by bit. It is clear to me you want to reach the recess
:20:02. > :20:06.without having said too much but you hope that nobody notices. But
:20:06. > :20:11.people are or were read out there because they want to know what the
:20:11. > :20:15.sense of direction of travel is. I agree with the point made by Paul
:20:15. > :20:20.Davies that waiting-lists are getting longer. We need to improve
:20:20. > :20:24.treatment for patients suffering from strokes and heart attacks. We
:20:24. > :20:30.also need to improve the dignity of people who need palliative care.
:20:30. > :20:34.All those art crucial for the people of Wales. I am now giving
:20:34. > :20:38.you a final opportunity, we before the recess set out what your plans
:20:38. > :20:43.are for the health service in Wales so that we can have proper
:20:43. > :20:48.scrutiny? Saying nothing is a recipe for your cover with to be
:20:48. > :20:58.severely criticised. -- for your government to be severely
:20:58. > :21:00.
:21:00. > :21:10.It is all based and ideas that have come from that the Government's
:21:10. > :21:11.
:21:11. > :21:18.manifesto. I was happy and proud to work alongside the party opposite
:21:18. > :21:28.in Government and secured a Yes vote in March. But there were no
:21:28. > :21:30.
:21:31. > :21:34.ideas on their part as to how that money would be used. Order. When it
:21:34. > :21:43.came to the party opposite, there was nothing in their manifesto
:21:44. > :21:49.about how we should take for our new powers. Leader of the Welsh
:21:49. > :21:54.Liberal Democrats, Kirsty Williams. You have spent a great deal of time
:21:54. > :21:58.since the election talking about the need for delivery and your key
:21:58. > :22:01.mechanism for ensuring this delivery was the commitment in your
:22:01. > :22:06.manifesto to establish a First Minister's delivery unit at the
:22:06. > :22:12.heart of the last Government. On 23rd June, I tabled a series of
:22:12. > :22:22.written questions asking the basic details of how this unit was to be
:22:22. > :22:23.
:22:23. > :22:27.set up. The answer to all those questions came back in a single
:22:27. > :22:37.statement that you would make a statement before the end of this
:22:37. > :22:38.
:22:38. > :22:42.term. Could you confirm that is the case? There will be a statement.
:22:42. > :22:46.am glad the Minister has given a verbal commitment to the Chamber
:22:46. > :22:55.this afternoon because it is not done the business statement that is
:22:55. > :23:05.currently published on the website. During the election, the delivery
:23:05. > :23:07.
:23:07. > :23:12.unit, you said, would enable you to publish issues around a performance.
:23:12. > :23:20.Given that a statement is fast approaching, I am sure you'll be
:23:20. > :23:25.able to give us more information. How regularly and how often will
:23:25. > :23:30.you publish reports full-year delivery unit? And would be
:23:30. > :23:40.available for Assembly can -- committee to scrutinise? For will
:23:40. > :23:42.
:23:42. > :23:48.be as much transparency as possible. -- there will be. The unit is now
:23:48. > :23:52.ready and will continue its work during the course of the recess.
:23:53. > :23:58.do regret that now the Minister has clarified her intention that we are
:23:58. > :24:01.only to get a written statement. The First Minister has set his
:24:01. > :24:07.reputation and delivery and he has set up the delivery unit as the key
:24:07. > :24:11.mechanism for ensuring that happens. Given that it is -- this is such an
:24:11. > :24:15.important new development, it would not be unreasonable that such a
:24:15. > :24:19.statement detailing how that unit will work, what its form and
:24:19. > :24:25.function and its relationship with this Chamber will be, would be
:24:25. > :24:30.appropriate for this floor. Perhaps the first Mr could tell us what the
:24:30. > :24:33.relationship will be but how it intends to work with outside bodies.
:24:33. > :24:41.Local a authorities spend over �4 billion each year at delivering
:24:41. > :24:43.services on behalf of the large population. Could the First
:24:43. > :24:49.Minister tell us what the relationship will be between the
:24:49. > :24:59.delivery unit and bodies such as that. It is designed to make sure
:24:59. > :25:00.
:25:00. > :25:08.the Welsh Government delivers on its targets. I am more than happy
:25:08. > :25:14.to be scrutinised over the delivery unit. If I could press you finally
:25:14. > :25:17.on how the delivery unit will prioritise its work, you will be
:25:17. > :25:21.aware that there has been a vacuum in recent weeks about what the
:25:21. > :25:28.Government's priorities for tackling the many problems that a
:25:28. > :25:32.face and the last Government at present. In a written statement,
:25:32. > :25:37.will you be clear as to what the priorities for the delivery unit
:25:37. > :25:41.will be in ensuring that receipt the turnaround in performance of
:25:41. > :25:47.the health service, the education system and the Welsh economy? Could
:25:47. > :25:57.you apply those properties in that written statement. The objective is
:25:57. > :25:57.
:25:57. > :26:05.to make sure that all arms of Government are working effectively.
:26:05. > :26:08.The delivery unit is answerable to meet and it'll work to my
:26:08. > :26:18.department and I will be accountable for the decisions taken
:26:18. > :26:20.
:26:20. > :26:25.by the delivery unit. We now move back to members questions. Question
:26:25. > :26:29.3, Gwyn Price. What is the Welsh Government doing to have been
:26:29. > :26:39.people into work? Getting young people into work is a key priority
:26:39. > :26:42.
:26:42. > :26:47.for us. We are committed to establishing a Welsh jobs fund.
:26:47. > :26:57.Upon being elected to the Assembly, the first group of menace --
:26:57. > :26:57.
:26:57. > :27:01.visitors I welcomed was a group of young people from Crosskeys College.
:27:01. > :27:06.But the jobs market is uncertain. EU agree that what is important for
:27:06. > :27:11.the students and Gen people in Wales is that they are equipped
:27:11. > :27:13.with the skills necessary to compete in this jobs market. Can
:27:13. > :27:18.you outline the steps you Government is taking to make sure
:27:19. > :27:25.this happens? I mentioned the world's jobs fund which is due to
:27:25. > :27:28.commence fully by April next year. The traineeship programme will
:27:28. > :27:35.begin on the 1st August. Steps to employment and pathways to
:27:35. > :27:40.apprenticeships together represent a significant commitment to making
:27:40. > :27:45.sure that young people have the opportunities they deserve. It was
:27:45. > :27:52.a very good question posed by the Member for Islwyn. Can I directed
:27:52. > :27:56.attention to the fact that the number of young people in one
:27:56. > :28:00.category has gone up despite initiatives by your Government like
:28:00. > :28:04.the future jobs fund. Would you agree with me that in order to deal
:28:04. > :28:09.with the problem of youth unemployment, you have to deal with
:28:09. > :28:18.unemployment as a whole. We need to stimulate real growth in the
:28:19. > :28:23.private sector. Your Government has done very little to achieve that.
:28:23. > :28:33.You are right to say that we need policies to stimulate growth. It's
:28:33. > :28:36.
:28:36. > :28:39.a shame that your colleagues in Westminster don't see it that way.
:28:39. > :28:44.The reason why the Welsh jobs fund is being introduced is because of
:28:44. > :28:50.the fact for future jobs fund was go up by your Government. So many
:28:50. > :28:54.young people were left on the scrapheap as result. We were to
:28:54. > :29:01.make sure young people have opportunities but we need the UK
:29:01. > :29:05.Government to play its part as well. We have heard about the public
:29:05. > :29:09.sector and the private sector but I would like to ask you what to
:29:09. > :29:14.Government plans to do to support the third sector in this very
:29:14. > :29:22.important area. You will be aware of the work of the Prince's Trust
:29:22. > :29:29.in promoting jobs and apprenticeships. Do you see scope
:29:29. > :29:36.for increasing the support of the third sector? We have shown over
:29:36. > :29:39.fears that we have been supportive of the third sector. We know the
:29:39. > :29:44.third sector performs a useful role in Welsh society. It is important
:29:44. > :29:50.to realise that the third sector is voluntary and it's important that
:29:50. > :29:52.the third sector does not have to take on board responsibilities that
:29:53. > :29:57.were previously the responsibilities of the state. The
:29:57. > :30:07.third sector needs to play its role in Welsh society but does not have
:30:07. > :30:07.
:30:07. > :30:10.responsibilities thrust on it without necessary funding. Will the
:30:10. > :30:15.First Minister outline the Government's plans to tackle Welsh
:30:15. > :30:21.-- youth unemployment in Wales? have outlined the matters we're
:30:21. > :30:27.taking forward but in addition to that, on 12th January, the Minister
:30:27. > :30:31.for skills publish the youth action plan and it focuses on dealing with
:30:31. > :30:38.unemployed and people and helping them to gain skills and work
:30:38. > :30:48.experience. I am keen to bring to your attention the good work
:30:48. > :30:49.
:30:49. > :30:58.carried out by the lifelong training service in my constituency.
:30:58. > :31:02.This support 1,500 young people and adults. -- they support. In light
:31:02. > :31:05.of the commitment to training and people across Wales, would you
:31:05. > :31:15.agree that we need to continue developing a mix of opportunities
:31:15. > :31:20.
:31:20. > :31:30.we and people in Wales? -- for We have to make sure support is
:31:30. > :31:33.
:31:33. > :31:38.tailored to the individual as much as possible. First Minister, we all
:31:38. > :31:43.agree that youth unemployment is still too high in Wales. The
:31:43. > :31:48.reasons for this is varied and complex. With regard to training,
:31:48. > :31:58.the state that in January said the plan should not duplicate or divert
:31:58. > :31:59.
:31:59. > :32:09.mainstream provision offered by the W D P. Could you confirm that
:32:09. > :32:12.
:32:12. > :32:22.highly effective organisations will not be at side lying but encouraged
:32:22. > :32:23.
:32:23. > :32:28.to will provide? We know the third sector is doing very good work. We
:32:28. > :32:38.have to plug the gap that has effectively been left by the UK
:32:38. > :32:41.
:32:41. > :32:46.government. Caerphilly County Borough Council is setting up the
:32:46. > :32:51.funding of work experience are trainee funding to address the
:32:51. > :33:00.issue of youth unemployment. We commend the Plaid Cymru Council for
:33:00. > :33:08.this initiative? I commend all councils will take action to deal
:33:08. > :33:13.with youth unemployment. Will the First Minister explain how the
:33:13. > :33:23.Welsh government's Social Justice prerogatives to help alleviate the
:33:23. > :33:23.
:33:23. > :33:28.impact of a legal aid cuts made by the UK government? We cannot
:33:28. > :33:34.compensate for UK government decisions that will have a
:33:34. > :33:40.detrimental impact in Wales and will inevitably lead to the court
:33:40. > :33:44.system in Wales becoming more expensive. The legal aid cuts will
:33:44. > :33:50.impact on the most vulnerable in our society. The impact on the
:33:50. > :33:54.committees in the party plead committees will mean women at
:33:54. > :33:59.family matters are those in debt will have little access to the law.
:33:59. > :34:04.I welcome the support the Assembly has given to citizens' advice over
:34:04. > :34:14.the years and other bodies. Does the Minister agree that access to
:34:14. > :34:15.
:34:15. > :34:21.the law is a basic human right? people cannot get adequate access
:34:21. > :34:29.to will the law than the system is failing. The cuts in legal aid will
:34:29. > :34:39.lead to just such a situation. Where litigants in person present
:34:39. > :34:43.their case, the cases quite often become a tool or three times longer.
:34:43. > :34:53.While there may be savings in legal aid, they will be a logjam in the
:34:53. > :34:54.
:34:54. > :35:01.court system as the court deals with cases which will take longer.
:35:01. > :35:11.It was the Blair government that scrapped the scheme which provided
:35:11. > :35:11.
:35:11. > :35:17.legal aid for council tenants in unfit properties. Do you welcome
:35:17. > :35:27.the private sector plans as part of the enterprise project in Flint
:35:27. > :35:31.which offers free legal advice and staffed by solicitors? Hopefully,
:35:31. > :35:36.they will open five or six days a week for anyone wants to come to
:35:36. > :35:44.them for help. If you do feel this is a way of helping the most
:35:44. > :35:52.vulnerable, what role could be welcome at play in promoting this?
:35:52. > :35:56.We will promote any body that offers advice. But there is a
:35:56. > :36:00.difference between providing initial advice and taking a case to
:36:00. > :36:08.court. I would be surprised if any organisation would have the
:36:08. > :36:11.resources to represent people in court. Cases can last many days.
:36:11. > :36:16.There are difficulties in saying to someone I will give you free advice
:36:16. > :36:23.and you have eight case but there is no money to fund the court case.
:36:23. > :36:28.That, in reality, is what many people are facing. Does the First
:36:28. > :36:36.Minister agree that certain groups in Wales will be disproportionately
:36:36. > :36:39.affected by these legal aid cuts? 63% of legal-aid clients receive
:36:39. > :36:45.help in welfare benefits are disabled. It is -- it has already
:36:45. > :36:50.been said that women will be disproportionately affected. Does
:36:50. > :37:00.he not agree that these proposals would turn the clock back 40 years?
:37:00. > :37:02.
:37:03. > :37:11.Yes, they will. There is no doubt about that. Divorce and child
:37:11. > :37:16.contact are to all areas where people need advice and guidance.
:37:16. > :37:20.People would come to court and they needed experienced counsel present
:37:20. > :37:28.to make sure they could come to terms with their differences which
:37:28. > :37:36.were often substantial. They would have to find a conclusion without
:37:36. > :37:44.using children or many as weapons. The life prospects of the children
:37:44. > :37:53.and parents will be bleak without this speciality. You outlined the
:37:53. > :38:01.problems that will arise as a result of this as one experienced
:38:01. > :38:06.lawyer said it case that used to take 25 minutes being debated
:38:06. > :38:12.between Lions would now take up to five hours. In rural areas, there
:38:12. > :38:17.is an additional problem. Courts are being closed. There is a
:38:17. > :38:23.combination of cases that will be taking longer and courts closing
:38:23. > :38:29.and less resources available for those cases. During the election,
:38:29. > :38:33.you and your party would say you would defend the people of Wales
:38:33. > :38:41.from the West is the Coalition cuts. What are you going to do to defend
:38:41. > :38:46.the people of Wales against these? There are not enough courts. We
:38:46. > :38:54.said in a one manifesto that we would stand by the people of Wales
:38:54. > :39:00.and ensure we're are in a position to do that. In terms of the corpse,
:39:00. > :39:10.what is important is that there was a time in this country that people
:39:10. > :39:11.
:39:11. > :39:15.thought justice was for the people. Now, people have to seek justice.
:39:15. > :39:24.With the First Minister outplaying the Welsh government's plans to
:39:24. > :39:27.export the introduction of a living wage in Wales? The issue of low pay
:39:27. > :39:33.there is a significant problem for many families across the country.
:39:33. > :39:40.One of Welsh Labour's key manifesto commitments was to explore how a
:39:40. > :39:46.living wage could be implemented. We did not agree with me that the
:39:46. > :39:51.introduction of a living wage is a major social issue and it will help
:39:51. > :40:00.to reinforce the message that work pays? It should ensure that more
:40:00. > :40:10.people become of benefits. You are correct. We are considering this at
:40:10. > :40:20.You can see more proceedings for the National Assembly on democracy
:40:20. > :40:25.
:40:25. > :40:31.For Roderick is still with us. We have a sit there for the Electoral
:40:31. > :40:35.Commission. It appears Labour seemed to be making an apology.
:40:35. > :40:42.They are apologising for a rare error. That was their failure to
:40:42. > :40:51.update the Welsh link on their website which is what Gerard Elias
:40:51. > :40:58.found caused the problems for Aled Roberts. Learned their also point a
:40:58. > :41:03.finger at the Assembly for not updating and informing them. At the
:41:03. > :41:13.end of the day, it is a matter for the Assembly to vote on. The legal
:41:13. > :41:21.
:41:21. > :41:25.I mentioned to one Labour Assembly Member earlier that Kirsty Williams
:41:25. > :41:29.had said in a press conference this morning she did not want to see
:41:29. > :41:33.party politics anywhere near this vote and the Labour Assembly
:41:33. > :41:40.Members said, if she was -- if the show was on the other foot, the
:41:40. > :41:44.Liberal Democrats would be making something of it. I think that is
:41:45. > :41:50.the case. If I had to call it at the moment, I think John Dixon has
:41:50. > :41:56.chances are fading, at the moment I would suspect that Aled Roberts
:41:56. > :42:05.would get the support of the majority of the Assembly Members on
:42:05. > :42:09.the opposition benches. The problem comes with the Labour group. There
:42:09. > :42:15.is a very firm feeling in the Labour group that it is more bother
:42:15. > :42:22.than it's worth. One thing might change that view and that is this.
:42:22. > :42:28.On the basis of the Gerard Elias report, the Lib Dems say they're
:42:28. > :42:34.taking leader -- legal advice because it could be that the
:42:34. > :42:41.assembly's dishes and could be challenged. The legal advice given
:42:41. > :42:51.to Labour says fear is no legal problem if you admit there is no
:42:51. > :42:57.legal problem. It gives Assembly Members plenty to think about.
:42:57. > :43:06.Let's look back on first Minister's Questions. How has the new system
:43:06. > :43:12.bedded down? I still find it a bit odd. It seems sort of artificial
:43:12. > :43:18.but it does run. You had to out of the three more are less going on
:43:18. > :43:21.the same sort of line on health. But yet you still see that
:43:21. > :43:26.closeness from the period when plight can have -- Plaid Cymru were
:43:26. > :43:30.in Government with Labour. I thought Ieuan Wyn Jones felt a bit
:43:30. > :43:34.embarrassed to open an attack on Carwyn Jones and Carwyn Jones said