:00:22. > :00:25.Good afternoon, welcome to the programme. It's the final First
:00:25. > :00:30.Minister's Questions of the year today and AMs will be voting on the
:00:30. > :00:33.budget later. We'll look back on questions to Carwyn Jones and ahead
:00:33. > :00:38.to the vote on the budget with our Welsh Affairs Editor Vaughan
:00:38. > :00:41.Roderick, and we'd welcome your thoughts too. You can get in touch
:00:41. > :00:45.with us via Twitter - the address with us via Twitter - the address
:00:45. > :00:53.is @walespolitics. If you have lots to say, you can send an e-mail to
:00:53. > :00:56.Well, the politicians were in early today to make up for the time lost
:00:56. > :00:58.due to the closure of the Senedd last week because of the public
:00:58. > :01:02.sector strikes. Here's what happened during First Minister's
:01:02. > :01:07.Questions a little earlier. The National Assembly of Wales is
:01:07. > :01:13.now in session and the first item of the agenda this afternoon his
:01:13. > :01:16.questions to the First Minister. Question 1. Thank you. First
:01:16. > :01:20.Minister, what discussions has the First Minister had with the UK
:01:20. > :01:24.government regarding the regulation of high interest agreements? I have
:01:24. > :01:29.had no discussions. It is not a double for battered but on 19th
:01:29. > :01:35.July, the UK government announced they would commit a research on the
:01:35. > :01:40.total cost of credit, particularly the high cost of credit and its
:01:40. > :01:44.effect on consumers. Whilst the matter of regulation is not
:01:44. > :01:50.involved, the consequences certainly affect devolved services.
:01:50. > :01:54.We no increase in numbers of people are turning to high interest credit
:01:54. > :01:59.to make ends meet and this ends up with thousands of people in deep
:01:59. > :02:03.financial trouble. I shall he is aware of the Kop campaign in
:02:03. > :02:06.Parliament to increase regulation of these types of agreement -- Co-
:02:06. > :02:12.op. Can he confirm that the Welsh government would take a view to
:02:12. > :02:16.support these regulations? We would support further protection and we
:02:16. > :02:21.do welcome the UK government's decision to revisit its policy in
:02:21. > :02:25.this area and commissioned the research as part of the Consumer
:02:25. > :02:35.Credit. What discussions have you had with the UK government
:02:35. > :02:41.regarding plants, if any, to curb legal and licensed lenders, who
:02:41. > :02:46.work from places such as Malta or, and to curb lenders whose model is
:02:46. > :02:50.to lend more to pull loans to householders on low incomes where
:02:50. > :02:57.the Ricky of repayments can be anything of 90% of their gross --
:02:57. > :03:03.at the wicket repayments. And -- wicket. Week Olly support the unit
:03:04. > :03:10.and it has helped 1,800 people since its launch -- we fully
:03:10. > :03:14.support. TRANSLATION: First Minister, I know that you share my
:03:15. > :03:21.support for credit unions, as she demonstrated with a visit to a
:03:21. > :03:26.credit union in the near future. At this time of the year, they are
:03:26. > :03:30.appreciated in their role in reducing costs by Christmas, under
:03:30. > :03:36.the last 13 years, they Llanelli credit union has provided �12
:03:36. > :03:40.million in loans, with some 218,000 last month, all being spent mope --
:03:40. > :03:44.locally in credit unions. This can assist people on low incomes to
:03:44. > :03:51.save more easily by offering an account with interest, so will you
:03:51. > :03:54.join with me in welcoming the role of credit unions providing
:03:54. > :03:59.alternative to high interest credits and the role they play
:04:00. > :04:04.Ehmcke the Fleet. TRANSLATION: I am looking forward to the visit to the
:04:04. > :04:08.credit union. They are incredibly important to help people borrow
:04:08. > :04:14.money at a reasonable rate, and that is why we have supported the
:04:14. > :04:20.growth in credit unions throughout the hall of Wales. TRANSLATION: May
:04:20. > :04:25.I endorse the calls on you to lead this debate, not only in Wales, but
:04:25. > :04:32.also with the UK government. It is important we should see regulation
:04:32. > :04:36.in this area, particularly in the area of normalising these high-
:04:36. > :04:39.interest loans, for example through mobile phones, which is so easy.
:04:39. > :04:42.Young people think that borrowing money at the end of the month is
:04:42. > :04:47.something that can be done normally on the phone or the computer or
:04:47. > :04:50.online. They don't realise how much more they are paying for these
:04:50. > :04:55.loans and that there are alternatives available, including
:04:55. > :04:59.those supported by your own government, so may I urge you to
:04:59. > :05:04.lead a public debate on this issue. That cry translation I am happy
:05:04. > :05:09.enough to do that, it is exceptionally important that people
:05:09. > :05:15.realise there is a very high cost to be paid with some of the
:05:15. > :05:18.companies that are legal companies -- TRANSLATION:.
:05:19. > :05:22.First Minister, I welcome your answers to the other speakers on
:05:22. > :05:26.this matter today. Would you agree it is also essential to continue to
:05:26. > :05:30.ensure we have first-rate debt advice services to go with the
:05:30. > :05:35.campaign against high interest rate loans, some of which I noticed
:05:35. > :05:39.early last night were in excess of 4,000 % per year. Absolutely, it is
:05:39. > :05:43.important that people are able to access the advice that they need in
:05:43. > :05:50.order to avoid falling into debt to begin with added being able to
:05:50. > :05:54.manage debt if they do fall in to that situation. Well the First
:05:54. > :06:01.Minister outline his strategy for supporting Welsh pubs? The project
:06:01. > :06:07.was lodged in 20th December 10 aiming to support rural pubs and
:06:07. > :06:12.support local businesses, available through regional centre services --
:06:12. > :06:16.December 2010. One thing I know that we both do agree on is the
:06:16. > :06:19.need to support the Welsh pub industry. Your comments were well
:06:19. > :06:24.received at the recent event I hosted in the Senedd, an event
:06:24. > :06:27.which highlighted the importance of pubs to local communities and as
:06:27. > :06:34.you were aware that they, after the pub is the only facility that in
:06:34. > :06:39.some local villages when all other services have gone. In the wake of
:06:39. > :06:44.that that event -- of that event, having had any further follow-up
:06:44. > :06:47.talks on how we can better support people in Wales were in local pubs
:06:47. > :06:51.and whether you have considered whether there are certain loopholes,
:06:51. > :06:55.such as planning loopholes, which could be closed so that when pop-
:06:55. > :06:59.ups are threatened with conversion or demolition, it does not happen.
:06:59. > :07:04.-- when pubs. I have not had discussions list that since last
:07:04. > :07:09.week but we will be open to what camera have to say. I know they do
:07:09. > :07:16.will be extensively at Westminster. It has been less HISTORICALLY when
:07:16. > :07:19.it comes to Wales, -- are less of the case. They do act as a
:07:19. > :07:25.community facilities. When a pub- goers, often a village becomes a
:07:25. > :07:28.collection of houses. Following on from that question, you will be
:07:28. > :07:31.aware of some of the historic and I think valued names that public
:07:31. > :07:36.house is actually have, representing events that have
:07:36. > :07:42.occurred in communities, industry and many go back several hundred
:07:42. > :07:47.years, and it is sad seeing the pubs such as the White Hart Hotel
:07:47. > :07:52.changing its name, and we have a preponderance of slugs and lettuces
:07:52. > :07:58.all over Wales at the moment. Is there anything we can do to protect
:07:58. > :08:02.the historic value of some of the pub names around Wales? Yes, it is
:08:02. > :08:06.difficult of course to implement legislation with regard to this.
:08:06. > :08:09.Quite often with some licensed premises, a change of name is
:08:09. > :08:15.needed in order to keep them open, because of the client tell they are
:08:15. > :08:19.seeking to attract. -- clientele. I would support some of the historic
:08:19. > :08:24.names, some of which jarred that historic, but have become so over
:08:24. > :08:30.the past few years -- some of which are not. It is part of the
:08:30. > :08:34.tradition of our country. TRANSLATION: Made a return to the
:08:34. > :08:39.last point that you made in your response to the original question
:08:39. > :08:43.and talk to the impact on communities when they lose the
:08:43. > :08:48.fundamental services and just exist as a collection of houses. That
:08:48. > :08:54.means there is very little community feeling or meeting places.
:08:54. > :08:58.I visited by constituency last week handed back to village, the local
:08:59. > :09:02.pub is also the local shop -- I visited my constituency last week
:09:02. > :09:06.and in that village. It is being run in collaboration with the
:09:06. > :09:10.National Trust landlord. The believe that that kind of pattern,
:09:10. > :09:16.which is being sustained it to a great extent by volunteers, is the
:09:16. > :09:21.kind of pattern that could sustain the fundamental services in areas
:09:21. > :09:26.throughout Wales? Can I invited to come with me to my constituency to
:09:26. > :09:35.see this at work -- invite you? TRANSLATION: I know that pub and it
:09:35. > :09:45.is listed in the historic pubs of Wales book. There are other
:09:45. > :09:45.
:09:45. > :09:48.examples where the local community have taken the pub over and ensured
:09:48. > :09:55.a future for it, and it is very important that the local community
:09:55. > :09:58.to make use of the pub. It is also extremely important that the people
:09:58. > :10:05.running the pub to extend a welcome. That is not always the case in
:10:05. > :10:10.every pub and for that reason, many have closed. First Minister, many
:10:10. > :10:14.pubs across Mid and West Wales are struggling at part of the problem
:10:14. > :10:18.is artificially high beer prices, which prevents local micro-
:10:18. > :10:21.breweries from selling their products. Can you explain how it
:10:21. > :10:26.can be relaxed to enable pubs here to sell some of their excellent
:10:26. > :10:30.beers and ciders? There is no doubt the free houses are in a better
:10:30. > :10:37.position at the moment. It can be difficult for some of tied houses
:10:37. > :10:41.to make a reasonable profit. At one point, there were some who were
:10:41. > :10:46.looking to sell pubs in order to become power -- houses, which is
:10:46. > :10:48.less of an issue, but nevertheless it is important to see a commitment
:10:48. > :10:54.from the brewery is that Alan pubs so that they are thriving community
:10:54. > :11:00.pubs. -- the brewery is that a run pubs. I do applaud some of the
:11:00. > :11:04.actions of the 1980s and 1990s when they broke the monopoly of some of
:11:04. > :11:09.the pubs and allowed guest beers, as I welcomed Gordon Brown's
:11:09. > :11:12.announcement in his budget some years ago when he made it far
:11:12. > :11:20.easier in terms of small micro- breweries deprive the because of
:11:20. > :11:25.the cut on duty -- to thrive. will now move to questions from the
:11:25. > :11:30.leaders. The first question is from the leader of the opposition.
:11:30. > :11:33.you, Presiding Officer. First Minister, we had the referendum
:11:33. > :11:37.last March on further law-making powers for this institution and you
:11:37. > :11:44.said that bad. That the point of the referendum was giving us the
:11:44. > :11:47.tools to do the job. Seven months later, only one piece of
:11:47. > :11:52.legislation has come before the Assembly. He promised there would
:11:52. > :11:56.be three by December. Why, compared to Scotland which has had six bills
:11:56. > :12:00.before the parliament, has your government been so slow in bring in
:12:00. > :12:03.legislation forward? We published a detailed programme that includes a
:12:03. > :12:07.number of bills that will be taken through the course of this Assembly.
:12:07. > :12:12.The question I ask is why you have been slow in putting them forward?
:12:12. > :12:15.By your own legislative programme, you were due to have three by
:12:15. > :12:19.December at we have only had one, which was last week. That is not
:12:19. > :12:24.the only area where you have been slow to act. We have a review into
:12:24. > :12:28.micro businesses, we have a review into business rates, in to city
:12:28. > :12:33.status. He supposedly went before the people of Wales in May of this
:12:33. > :12:37.year with the most comprehensive manifesto, your words not mine, of
:12:37. > :12:41.which had been put before the people of work -- Wales. All you
:12:41. > :12:46.seem to be doing is reviewing, dithering and delay. Why are you
:12:47. > :12:51.keeping Welsh businesses waiting? He seems to forget the 55 million
:12:51. > :12:55.that has been invested in Wales, and the retained capital fund. �1.4
:12:55. > :12:59.billion was announced yesterday for schools. Every time we come to this
:12:59. > :13:02.Chamber, the leader of the opposition continues with this line
:13:02. > :13:07.about health at this alleged 1 billion Pandev gap, something his
:13:07. > :13:11.party used in the election, yet despite spending twice as much as
:13:11. > :13:19.the party on these benches, his party was still unsuccessful. When
:13:19. > :13:24.will he learned he needs to be more I haven't mentioned health. I am
:13:24. > :13:27.glad you have mentioned that because the health boards are
:13:28. > :13:32.indicating a �50 million deficit at the end of this financial year.
:13:32. > :13:36.Waiting times are going up. If you want to talk health, I'm quite
:13:36. > :13:39.happy to talk health time and time again. There are representatives of
:13:39. > :13:44.the Royal College of Nurses upstairs who have indicated over
:13:44. > :13:54.half their members wish to leave the Welsh NHS... PRESIDING OFFICER:
:13:54. > :14:00.Order. Why do you blame the tools for doing such a poor job? It is
:14:00. > :14:04.time you led for the people of Wales? His party's mantra, which he
:14:04. > :14:10.keeps on repeating, cost the job of the health spokesperson of his
:14:10. > :14:17.party in May. That was an advantage to him! Let me give him a challenge.
:14:17. > :14:20.One of the reasons why nurses are so worried is because of his party,
:14:20. > :14:25.because of his party's desire to cut the pay of nurses in Wales. To
:14:25. > :14:29.make sure that nurses in Wales are paid less to do exactly the same
:14:29. > :14:34.job as in England. Something that was announced by the Chancellor
:14:34. > :14:38.last week. I ask him now, will he condemn the Chancellor, will he
:14:38. > :14:42.stand up for Welsh nurses and will he make sure they are paid the same
:14:42. > :14:52.as everyone in the UK? PRESIDING OFFICER: You have had three
:14:52. > :14:57.
:14:57. > :15:06.questions. Order. Can we just quieten down and listen to the
:15:06. > :15:12.leader of Plaid Cymru. You might learn something! LAUGHTER During
:15:12. > :15:19.the CSR period, First Minister, you know, the Welsh bloc reduces by
:15:19. > :15:24.11.3% or in real terms �1.9 billion. We know that the Welsh Audit Office
:15:24. > :15:29.has indicated that as a result of those cuts, 21,000 jobs will be
:15:29. > :15:33.lost in the public sector in Wales. We know that as a result of the
:15:33. > :15:37.economic crisis, worsening since May, that will lead to thousands of
:15:37. > :15:42.jobs being lost in private sector. If that wasn't bad enough, the
:15:42. > :15:46.Autumn Statement added more gloom to the doom. What assessment have
:15:46. > :15:50.you made of the further cuts to public spending announced by the
:15:50. > :15:55.Chancellor last week? One of the problems that we have is we still
:15:55. > :16:00.don't know what the revenue consequence shalls of the statement
:16:00. > :16:08.will be. We have asked the Treasury, they seem unable to tell us how
:16:08. > :16:15.much revenue conseqential will accrue to Wales. In terms of
:16:15. > :16:22.investment in jobs, we have the �38.9 million on the freeze of
:16:22. > :16:28.council tax in England. We had the �90 million, the �55 million that
:16:28. > :16:33.is going direct to SMEs, and of course the �1.4 billion that was
:16:33. > :16:41.announced for schools yesterday. That is a substantial investment in
:16:41. > :16:44.the future in Wales and will help and retain many jobs. The 1.4
:16:44. > :16:48.billion still depends on each local authority putting forward business
:16:48. > :16:51.cases for their schools. If those business courses are not
:16:51. > :16:56.satisfactory, they won't go ahead. That is the position on the
:16:56. > :17:01.statement that was made yesterday. What the question I asked you, what
:17:01. > :17:05.is the impact on Wales of the public spending cuts announced in
:17:05. > :17:09.the Autumn Statement? What the Chancellor said in his Autumn
:17:09. > :17:15.Statement is that there will be substantial further cuts to public
:17:15. > :17:21.spending in Wales, in 2015 and 2016. He is saying they will on the same
:17:21. > :17:25.scale as the cuts we have already faced. So in addition to the 1.9
:17:25. > :17:29.billion already we have lost as a result of the current, we will lose
:17:29. > :17:35.another �00 million in 2015 and 2016. What assessment have you made
:17:35. > :17:40.of the impact of that on your policies? -- �800 million. There
:17:40. > :17:46.will be a negative impact. The leader of Plaid Cymru is correct in
:17:46. > :17:50.his assertions. It is true to say that despite the efforts that this
:17:50. > :17:55.Government will be making to reduce poverty, we are fighting against a
:17:55. > :18:01.tide coming the other way from the Chancellor. I come back to this
:18:01. > :18:05.point about regional pay. The objective of the Chancellor is to
:18:05. > :18:10.ensure that people in Wales and some parts of England are paid less
:18:10. > :18:14.to do the same job as people in the South East of England. That is
:18:14. > :18:19.unfair, it is inequitable and frankly that is something that on
:18:19. > :18:24.these benches we will fight tooth- and-nail. Well, one way of course
:18:24. > :18:28.of approaching the cuts is to blame Westminster which you have done.
:18:28. > :18:32.You have a responsibility as well. You are the First Minister of Wales.
:18:32. > :18:37.And what you said to the people of Wales in the election was that you
:18:37. > :18:42.would stand up for the people of Wales. But we haven't seen much
:18:42. > :18:46.evidence of that so far. I have been questioning you every week now,
:18:46. > :18:51.First Minister, as you have probably realised, on the economy.
:18:51. > :18:55.I have been quite astonished and surprised at your Government's
:18:55. > :19:00.failure to grasp the enormity of the crisis facing us. Let's put
:19:00. > :19:05.that in a nutshell. This economy in Wales will grow slower than at any
:19:05. > :19:10.time since the 19th Century. Families will suffer job losses on
:19:10. > :19:16.a scale not seen since the 1980s. Our children and grandchildren will
:19:16. > :19:21.not have the life chances that we have had in Wales. Isn't it time,
:19:21. > :19:26.First Minister, that we had a bold, ambitious, innovative Government
:19:26. > :19:31.fighting for the people of Wales? Does this exist within you, First
:19:32. > :19:36.Minister? Well, the leader of Plaid Cymru seems oblivious to the fact
:19:36. > :19:41.that 1.5 billion has been announced in support for business and jobs. I
:19:41. > :19:44.have given him the opportunity to listen to what I just said. The
:19:44. > :19:49.reality is there is a budget before this Assembly this afternoon, there
:19:49. > :19:52.is a budget for jobs and growth. I offer him this opportunity to move
:19:52. > :19:57.away from the place where he has led his party whereby his party
:19:57. > :20:00.will be voting with the Tories this afternoon. I can promise, I will
:20:00. > :20:07.take every opportunity as will my party to remind the people of Wales
:20:07. > :20:17.that when the chips are down, Plaid Cymru will side with the Tories.
:20:17. > :20:21.
:20:21. > :20:26.PRESIDING OFFICER: We now move... Thank you. Order. Order. Order! I
:20:26. > :20:30.know where you are. You are supposed to do as you are told. The
:20:30. > :20:38.leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats.
:20:38. > :20:43.Thank you very much. First Minister, at the weekend a senior adviser to
:20:43. > :20:46.the NHS in Wales said he was "depressed and disappointed at the
:20:46. > :20:52.limited progress of change the Health Service had achieved in the
:20:52. > :20:55.last few years". Do you agree with him? No, I think the Health Service
:20:55. > :21:00.in Wales has moved forward to continue to provide an excellent
:21:00. > :21:05.service to the people. First Minister, he then said, "In the
:21:05. > :21:10.past, we had plenty of money and perhaps we spent it wrongly. Now,
:21:10. > :21:15.when money is tight, the warning is stark. Without reform the richer
:21:15. > :21:18.will get better, and the poorer will get poorer and their health
:21:18. > :21:22.will deteriorate." If statements like that won't inject a sense of
:21:22. > :21:26.urgency into the Welsh Government about reforming our Health Service
:21:26. > :21:29.what will? I see no evidence to support that. If you mean reform
:21:29. > :21:33.along the lines of what is happening in England, I'm not going
:21:33. > :21:36.to do that. That is not what the people of Wales voted for in May.
:21:36. > :21:38.We want to ensure the Health Service delivers as locally as
:21:38. > :21:45.possible and as effectively as possible. That of course is what we
:21:45. > :21:49.will be looking to do over the next year. What he is saying, Presiding
:21:49. > :21:54.Officer, is that poor public services do poor people down the
:21:54. > :22:00.most. First Minister, this isn't the first warning of this kind from
:22:00. > :22:05.senior advisers. In 2004, Sir Derek Wanless was commissioned to write a
:22:05. > :22:09.report on the state of the NHS in Wales. He said that things needed
:22:09. > :22:13.to change. He said then that Wales does not get as much out of its
:22:13. > :22:17.spending as it should. He said then that there is an unacceptable
:22:17. > :22:21.variation in performance between NHS Trusts. He said then that the
:22:21. > :22:27.overall conclusion is that the current position in the Welsh NHS
:22:27. > :22:32.is unsustainable. That was almost a decade ago. He also concluded that
:22:32. > :22:35.every person and every organisation had the leadership role to play.
:22:35. > :22:43.Isn't it time that you as First Minister and your Government showed
:22:43. > :22:47.some leadership in protecting the services that are most vulnerable -
:22:47. > :22:52.- that the most vulnerable depend on the most? That is not correct.
:22:52. > :22:56.We have a fine record on the NHS. Waiting lists are dropping. We know
:22:56. > :23:00.that. We also know that when it comes to treatment, we don't have
:23:00. > :23:04.any hidden waiting lists as has been admitted by the UK Government.
:23:04. > :23:08.We have a proud record in terms of being able to provide a holistic
:23:08. > :23:12.service for our people including free prescriptions. I don't believe
:23:12. > :23:20.there is any evidence to suggest the NHS is unsustainable now in the
:23:20. > :23:23.same way as I don't believe there is any evidence to suggest it would
:23:23. > :23:25.become unsustainable. PRESIDING OFFICER: Question three. Will the
:23:25. > :23:31.First Minister outline discussions held between the Welsh Government
:23:32. > :23:36.and the football authorities in Wales concerning the increase in
:23:36. > :23:42.unacceptable behaviour at junior and searior team football matches?
:23:42. > :23:46.I know they are looking to improve standards of behaviour at all
:23:46. > :23:49.levels. You will know very well that football provides one of the
:23:49. > :23:54.most popular options for children to participate in regular outdoor
:23:54. > :23:58.exercise and hopefully in time adopt a healthy lifestyle. It is
:23:58. > :24:03.clearly sad that these opportunities are being denied by
:24:03. > :24:09.the actions of a few, particularly between players and spectators. In
:24:09. > :24:16.your talks, could you perhaps make this remark and see that these
:24:16. > :24:19.occasions are minimised? Yes, the FAW understand this. Their Fair
:24:19. > :24:27.Play Scheme does focus on better player behaviour. They are
:24:27. > :24:35.developing a Get Behind The Line Campaign. Thank you. There have
:24:36. > :24:39.been problems at football matches, over decades. I watch 40 to 50
:24:39. > :24:45.matches a year locally and I haven't seen any problems at all
:24:45. > :24:51.for the last two or three years. It is not only in football, it is
:24:51. > :25:01.other sports, too. When the First Minister does speak can you ask
:25:01. > :25:05.
:25:05. > :25:13.them to do more to get more neutral referees for these contests? That
:25:13. > :25:18.does tend to lead to problems and can I ask if he can get, if you can
:25:18. > :25:24.ask the FAW to redouble their efforts in getting more neutral
:25:24. > :25:28.referees? There is a difficulty in recruiting referees. It is a
:25:28. > :25:32.vicious circle. People are less inclined to be referees the more
:25:32. > :25:36.they see abuse on the touchlines. People will step in as a result. I
:25:36. > :25:39.can assure the member for Swansea East that as somebody who used to
:25:39. > :25:45.referee rugby that no matter where you are from the home crowd will
:25:45. > :25:51.think you are always biased! PRESIDING OFFICER: Question four,
:25:51. > :25:55.Mohammad Asghar. Will the First Minister outline the Welsh
:25:55. > :26:04.Government's priorities for sport and active recreation in Wales over
:26:04. > :26:10.the next 12 months? We will create more opportunity for people in
:26:10. > :26:16.Wales. Thank you. I welcome the report that talks are ongoing
:26:16. > :26:23.concerning the possibility of bringing NFL US football games to
:26:23. > :26:26.Cardiff. During the 2010 Ryder Cup you were boasting that lots of
:26:26. > :26:30.contacts were made with American sporting authorities and
:26:30. > :26:38.individuals. Could you tell the Chamber how many other sporting
:26:38. > :26:46.events are you planning to bring to Cardiff alongside the NFL? Not just
:26:46. > :26:50.Cardiff, it's Wales. The 2015 Ashes, the 2014 Senior Open Championship,
:26:50. > :26:56.the Commonwealth Judo Championship and we are working with the
:26:56. > :27:02.Millennium Stadium to attract an NFL game to the Millennium Stadium.
:27:02. > :27:05.Thank you. First Minister, you may be aware of the recent furore over
:27:05. > :27:11.the Sports Personality of the Year event which failed to include a
:27:11. > :27:18.single woman athlete on Is shortlist. We know that just 2% of
:27:18. > :27:23.mainstream media deals with women's sport and which attracts 0.5% of
:27:23. > :27:27.corporate sponsorship. Would you agree that there is an urgent case
:27:27. > :27:31.to do more to promote the profile of women's sports? Absolutely. We
:27:31. > :27:35.have a better story to tell in Wales. Many of our female athletes
:27:35. > :27:40.are in line for medals at the next Olympics, we hope, particularly in
:27:40. > :27:47.sports where over the years we have been not particularly strong, like
:27:47. > :27:54.swimming. We know that wasn't the case at the last one and it was the
:27:54. > :27:58.female, the women's swimming team that led the way.
:27:58. > :28:03.TRANSLATION: Since the news that the Olympics was to come to London,
:28:03. > :28:09.some of the funding sources for sports capital programmes have been
:28:09. > :28:16.frozen. As those sources re-open, particularly the Lottery, do you
:28:16. > :28:21.believe that there is room to have a capital sports project for Wales
:28:21. > :28:29.as a whole and that a multi-purpose running track which has been long-
:28:29. > :28:34.awaited in Aberystwyth should be TRANSLATION: And certain that will
:28:34. > :28:40.be supported by the community in Aberystwyth. We saw the statement
:28:40. > :28:46.being made yesterday in London considering whether there will be
:28:46. > :28:50.any benefit to Wales at growing from that statement. I am pleased
:28:50. > :28:55.that the First Minister agrees the Olympics will provide good sporting
:28:55. > :29:00.role models for women and girls in particular, and will he be
:29:00. > :29:05.supporting role models like Hannah Mills, he has been selected for the
:29:05. > :29:08.Olympic sailing team and actually did her training on the reservoir
:29:08. > :29:15.in my constituency in Cardiff North, which is sadly drain that the
:29:15. > :29:21.moment? Indeed so and there are many others I wish the best of luck
:29:21. > :29:25.to in the Olympics in the middle part of next summer. I am pleased
:29:25. > :29:32.that so many of Our women athletes are in a position where they will
:29:32. > :29:38.be able to realistically expect to win a medal. TRANSLATION: First
:29:38. > :29:42.Minister, you should add the Rugby League World Cup to your list,
:29:42. > :29:45.which will be coming to Wrexham next year, but there is a problem
:29:45. > :29:50.in terms of staging international matches on the racecourse, because
:29:50. > :29:56.the stadium doesn't have reached the conditions set by Uefa. Would
:29:56. > :30:01.your government support a campaign to improve the facilities in the
:30:01. > :30:09.stadium? TRANSLATION: I did, of course, mention the Rugby League
:30:09. > :30:12.World Cup, as someone who hasn't forgotten that the Crusaders have
:30:12. > :30:21.moved from Bridgend to Wrexham. It is still good to see them playing
:30:21. > :30:27.next year in the championship, in Division One. But of course, there
:30:27. > :30:34.are plans to upgrade the Racecourse, particularly the seating it, we
:30:34. > :30:41.would be willing to discuss that issue with the company who own the
:30:41. > :30:45.stadium. TRANSLATION: Will the First Minister make a statement on
:30:45. > :30:50.his government's plans to support the agriculture industry?
:30:50. > :30:55.TRANSLATION: As I said last week, I am committed to securing a
:30:55. > :31:00.prosperous future for Welsh agriculture. TRANSLATION: With
:31:00. > :31:04.bovine TB a real problem across the country, it is irresponsible that
:31:04. > :31:08.the Westminster government have cut back on animal laboratories here in
:31:08. > :31:10.Wales, and your government says it wants to stand up for Wales so why
:31:10. > :31:14.didn't she present evidence to the Welsh Affairs Committee who have
:31:14. > :31:19.carried out an inquiry into this issue and it's detrimental effect
:31:20. > :31:24.for Wales? TRANSLATION: We have expressed our views about the
:31:24. > :31:30.closure of these laboratories. We must ensure as regards TB that a
:31:30. > :31:34.policy is established in Wales that deals with all facets of TB. First
:31:34. > :31:39.Minister, your government's decision to remove the less
:31:39. > :31:44.favoured area up lived in the Last Tear has been a concern to the
:31:44. > :31:49.agricultural industry. You stated in October that changes had been
:31:49. > :31:54.forced on us by the European Commission, as it would not accept
:31:54. > :31:59.an hour left eight element, that is clear and a matter of public record
:31:59. > :32:03.-- and L F A. Can you explain why the Minister for Agriculture has
:32:03. > :32:07.written to be denying this point, and can you assure me he will
:32:07. > :32:11.apologise to Welsh farmers for the confusion that your contradictory
:32:11. > :32:15.statements have caused? No, because the reality is this is what we were
:32:15. > :32:18.able to get past the European Commission. It is important for the
:32:18. > :32:22.Conservative Party to understand that every farmer in Wales will be
:32:22. > :32:26.able to benefit because of the changes. We had a good record of
:32:26. > :32:29.standing up for farmers in Wales and we will carry on standing up
:32:30. > :32:35.for farmers, despite the UK government's view, that is so
:32:35. > :32:40.different to ours and so different to the interest of Welsh farmers.
:32:40. > :32:46.First Minister, last week, the deputy minister announced the
:32:46. > :32:51.beginning of a reflection exercise on the future of European
:32:51. > :32:54.programmes from 2014-2020. What specific measures will be taken to
:32:54. > :32:59.publicise this decision, which we broadly welcome, to ensure there is
:32:59. > :33:03.maximum participation in this important consultation,
:33:03. > :33:11.particularly from the widely dispersed farming community? We do
:33:11. > :33:14.have records of every farmer, and we do have good communications with
:33:14. > :33:23.farmers, and we have been able to consult all of the time because
:33:23. > :33:26.many of them are known to us and are on the database of claimants.
:33:26. > :33:31.Well the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh government's
:33:32. > :33:37.efforts to improve community safety? Whilst we work closely with
:33:37. > :33:47.Community Safety Partnership in Wales or a faulty partnership
:33:47. > :33:49.
:33:49. > :33:52.approach to preventing crime. South Wales Police are facing cuts of 250
:33:52. > :33:59.officers and 432 civilian police staff. Do you believe that these
:33:59. > :34:04.cuts will damage community safety? Yes, I do. The fewer police that
:34:04. > :34:08.are on the streets to more crime areas, we know that from history. -
:34:08. > :34:11.- the more crime areas. Nothing deters people more than police
:34:11. > :34:17.officers in uniform and the fewer there are, the more likely crime
:34:17. > :34:21.will increase. First Minister, would you agree that community
:34:21. > :34:24.safety would not be improved by the creation of costly police
:34:24. > :34:28.commissioners? And which you be giving evidence to the newly
:34:28. > :34:35.announced Commission on the future of policing back policing are, in
:34:35. > :34:39.fact, should be devolved? That is something for the Silk commission
:34:39. > :34:43.to consider. We will give evidence as appropriate to the policing
:34:43. > :34:46.commission, but nevertheless it is an area which has been widely
:34:46. > :34:54.debated in this Chamber and one which I believe needs to be
:34:54. > :34:58.considered by the Silk Commission. First Minister, across Wales, arson
:34:58. > :35:01.attack caused severe damage to safety in the community. Can you
:35:01. > :35:10.provide an update on your administration's response to the
:35:10. > :35:16.most recent statistics, which suggest that 11% of arson attacks
:35:16. > :35:21.across Wales had increased, 8% higher call-out. How are you
:35:21. > :35:26.working with various bodies and to ensure these rising deliberate
:35:26. > :35:30.fires are not allowed to continue in our part of the world? This is
:35:30. > :35:37.an area that isn't involved, but I am able to reiterate that we have
:35:37. > :35:42.of course be able to recruit another 500 CBSO's in Wales and
:35:42. > :35:48.work is going to begin on that recruitment -- community police
:35:48. > :35:51.support officers. Will the First Minister outline the
:35:51. > :35:55.Welsh government's priorities for south-east Wales in the coming
:35:55. > :36:01.Assembly term? Yes, the priorities are outlined in the programme for
:36:01. > :36:05.government. Thank you for that answer. A report published in 2010
:36:05. > :36:11.concluded that for every �1 invested in the book Start scheme,
:36:11. > :36:14.the state sees the return of �25 in terms of the value to society,
:36:14. > :36:20.ensuring all children have access to books no matter where they are
:36:20. > :36:23.from. A statement of opinion I tabled earlier this year in support
:36:23. > :36:27.of Book Start received backing from across the Chamber, despite the
:36:27. > :36:31.fact that funding has been slashed by the Tories in England. While I
:36:31. > :36:36.understand resources are incredibly scarce, will you join me in
:36:37. > :36:45.commending the excess -- commending the success down the years and
:36:45. > :36:47.continue funding be on the 2012? Book Start shows how work between
:36:47. > :36:51.Welsh government departments, public libraries and health
:36:51. > :36:56.ministers can change children's lives and one of our key priorities,
:36:56. > :37:01.improving literacy. I thank all those who have been involved in the
:37:01. > :37:07.programme in ensuring the success. First Minister, will you recommit
:37:07. > :37:12.your government's intention to create as many jobs as possible in
:37:12. > :37:16.Wales, particularly following the closure of the steel mill, losing
:37:16. > :37:23.115 jobs, which compounded 70 jobs lost the month before on
:37:23. > :37:27.construction projects, and 75 now being lost in Blackwood. Cat basket
:37:27. > :37:34.to review the options of a further Enterprise Zones in Newport -- can
:37:34. > :37:37.I ask you? An enterprise zone wouldn't have made a any jobs in
:37:37. > :37:42.the steel industry, and I sympathise with those people. There
:37:42. > :37:46.is a depression in the market for steel across the world. We know
:37:46. > :37:50.many jobs have been lost on the Continent of Europe as well, and
:37:50. > :37:58.that is why we are in constant touch with steel producers in Wales
:37:58. > :38:02.to make sure we are able to offer help where it is required. First
:38:02. > :38:07.Minister cannot what discussions have you had on training facilities
:38:07. > :38:11.for the military in Wales -- First Minister, what discussions. I have
:38:11. > :38:19.had no discussions regarding training facilities but we are
:38:19. > :38:27.constantly discussing wider matters. From 1959 to 1965, the All Arms
:38:27. > :38:32.junior leader of Regiment was based in Mary on a share. They climbed
:38:32. > :38:36.mountains on a weekly basis, where over time, they erected a small hut
:38:36. > :38:41.near the summit of Cadair Idris. Currently, there is nothing on the
:38:41. > :38:45.site which marks their achievement, despite the had been in regular use
:38:45. > :38:50.but by climbers and ramblers. -- the heart. Would you join me in the
:38:50. > :38:56.supporting calls for abiding York plaque to be placed at the site to
:38:56. > :39:01.commemorate the regiment's lasting contribution to the area -- binding
:39:01. > :39:08.you will. Yes I welcome that what you should write to me with further
:39:08. > :39:13.details. First Minister, in my constituency, I have two a very
:39:13. > :39:18.large training grounds. Both of which are doing an awful lot in
:39:18. > :39:22.terms of training soldiers to go into theatres of war. I wondered if
:39:22. > :39:25.he would acknowledge the importance of those training grounds to not
:39:25. > :39:30.only the soldiers and their training but to the local economy
:39:30. > :39:35.of Pembrokeshire, and also just the superb support that the people of
:39:35. > :39:38.Pembrokeshire give to our soldiers and those training grounds. They
:39:38. > :39:44.are important to the local economy and this is an him -- an
:39:44. > :39:47.opportunity to raise Burma very important aspects. I know they are
:39:48. > :39:53.doing excellent job in terms of training. Many young men and women
:39:53. > :39:59.who find themselves in danger when they leave, that is something we
:39:59. > :40:03.take very seriously. Castle Martin and the others have been part of
:40:03. > :40:07.the economy in Pembrokeshire for many years, Castle Martin was part
:40:07. > :40:12.of a controversy because German troops were based there in the
:40:12. > :40:18.1960s. I can't pretend I remember it but I recognised a strong role
:40:18. > :40:21.both establishments play in the economy of Pembrokeshire. What does
:40:21. > :40:25.the First Minister's delivery unit made of the impact of the eurozone
:40:25. > :40:28.crisis on the Welsh government objectives? The eurozone crisis
:40:28. > :40:35.will continue to impact on economic growth in Wales and the rest of the
:40:35. > :40:39.UK, and a range of what government objectives. We continue to analyse
:40:39. > :40:43.the eurozone crisis on a regular basis, there are regular briefings
:40:43. > :40:48.on economic issues that I have given to the Cabinet by the chief
:40:48. > :40:51.economist. You may know that your party colleague Ed Balls was in
:40:51. > :40:57.Cardiff and it did South Wales more widely last week, when he warned
:40:57. > :41:01.that Wales faces been hit disproportionately by the eurozone
:41:01. > :41:03.crisis. I wonder if that is your assessment as well and whether you
:41:03. > :41:07.would bring forward some kind of statement to say how you will
:41:07. > :41:12.modify some of your policies to ensure what -- we could mitigate
:41:12. > :41:16.some of the worst implications of this incredible crisis? I see no
:41:16. > :41:20.evidence to see that Wales will be disproportionately hit, but it is
:41:20. > :41:24.right to say that all countries in Europe, particularly those in the
:41:24. > :41:30.EU, will be hit whether or not they are in the eurozone. The great
:41:30. > :41:34.question has to be considered on the part of the UK, should we see
:41:34. > :41:37.ourselves as a central part of the EU, but not necessarily in the
:41:37. > :41:41.eurozone, or should we stay on the sidelines? At the moment, my great
:41:41. > :41:44.worry is that the UK is perceived as being a bit player and not a
:41:44. > :41:49.central part of Europe, where we should be.
:41:49. > :41:52.Well, that's where we leave First Minister's Questions this week. And
:41:52. > :41:54.for this year, actually. And you can see more proceedings from the
:41:54. > :42:01.National Assembly on BBC Wales's Democracy Live online coverage.
:42:01. > :42:08.Just go to bbc.co.uk/walespolitics. Vaughan Roderick is here. For the
:42:08. > :42:11.last time this year. That is the last one of the here and if we
:42:11. > :42:19.think back to January, that session has changed quite a bit. It has
:42:19. > :42:23.changed a lot, because at the start of the year, Iwan Jones was the
:42:23. > :42:27.Deputy First Minister and we have these group of leaders questions. I
:42:28. > :42:32.had dared at the beginning, but I thought today you saw it working at
:42:32. > :42:35.its best -- doubts. You saw an intensely political hard-hitting
:42:35. > :42:39.exchange between the poor leaders in the Assembly and I think it does
:42:39. > :42:43.up the game of the First Minister's Questions, to have that constant --
:42:43. > :42:49.concentrated block. What do you think about the flexibility or the
:42:49. > :42:52.lack of it? The leaders get three questions each at Carwyn Jones's
:42:52. > :42:57.final answer challenged Andrew RT Davies and he wasn't allowed to ask
:42:57. > :43:00.another question. It is six questions that they getting
:43:00. > :43:04.Westminster and frequently, you will hear the Prime Minister, who
:43:04. > :43:08.were British, saying in the last question, "and if he wants to
:43:08. > :43:14.denied for the rights to his feet now..." and he can't. It is an old
:43:14. > :43:18.trick. Looking to the budget discussions, there was a discussion
:43:18. > :43:21.between Carwyn Jones and Ieuan Wyn Jones. We mentioned it last week
:43:22. > :43:25.and it seems that Ieuan Wyn Jones does feel like the bright jilted at
:43:25. > :43:29.the altar in these negotiations because Labour have agreed a deal
:43:29. > :43:33.with the Liberal Democrat and they will be reminding Plaid Cymru that
:43:33. > :43:37.they will vote with the Tories against it. As Labour's have voted
:43:37. > :43:41.with the Tories against the SNP's budget in Scotland. Oppositions to
:43:41. > :43:45.vote together but it is a good slogan for Labour to use in the
:43:45. > :43:49.run-up to the local elections, even though one suspects they know it is
:43:49. > :43:54.pretty synthetic as an argument. You can't expect opposition parties
:43:54. > :43:58.to vote against each other, they voted relation to look government.
:43:58. > :44:01.-- they vote in relation. And what do we expect to happen in terms of
:44:01. > :44:05.the budget? It will go through without any great difficulty
:44:05. > :44:10.because of the agreement between Labour and the Liberal Democrats.
:44:10. > :44:14.What is interesting is that the tenor has changed. Last week, paid
:44:14. > :44:18.camera and the Conservatives were firing at the Lib Dems, saying they
:44:18. > :44:23.were selling out -- played come true. Now they are saying they're
:44:23. > :44:27.going to go after a Labour. It is interesting that Plaid Cymru and
:44:27. > :44:31.the Conservatives, up to a lesser extent the Lib Dems, have been
:44:31. > :44:34.attacking Labour as a do-nothing government that has sat on its
:44:34. > :44:37.hands for seven months at that is what they will be throwing back at