:00:28. > :00:32.over and Assembly Members are back at their desks. Transport issues
:00:32. > :00:34.seem to be taking the lead in First Minister's Questions today. And AMs
:00:34. > :00:38.are also expected to ask about health provisions for children and
:00:38. > :00:41.the schooling of pupils who are in care. That's what's on the minds of
:00:42. > :00:45.AMs but what's on your mind? Whether it's something on the programme or
:00:45. > :00:55.anything else politics related, let us know. We're on Twitter - we're
:00:55. > :00:58.@walespolitics - or you can send us an email.
:00:58. > :01:05.Business in the Chamber has already kicked-off - let's take a look at
:01:05. > :01:11.today's questions to the First Minister. The National Assembly for
:01:11. > :01:19.Wales to order. Questions to the first Minister. Question one, Mike
:01:19. > :01:23.Hedges. Will he make a statement on the new first community clusters.
:01:23. > :01:33.There are no approved and the majority are up and running.
:01:33. > :01:38.remainder arty King sheet. Delivery plans are making a real impact. Can
:01:38. > :01:44.I thank him for that response. I welcome setting up the clusters.
:01:44. > :01:49.This is important in areas of deprivation and shows the commitment
:01:49. > :01:55.of labour to protect are vulnerable communities. Will he support
:01:55. > :02:05.extending the community first activities to use areas who have
:02:05. > :02:05.
:02:05. > :02:09.equal problems. Parts of the same community are masked by other parts
:02:09. > :02:15.of the community. The plan is to help the most deprived and
:02:15. > :02:19.vulnerable people in Wales. The cluster areas are designed to take
:02:19. > :02:24.into account specific needs of communities and be flexible with
:02:24. > :02:34.boundaries. Therein lies the Pope -- the possibility of trying to extend
:02:34. > :02:38.activities. How do you respond to concern that, having rejected the
:02:38. > :02:46.concern for voluntary action for greater community owned dimensional
:02:46. > :02:49.and away from government dependency, and instead giving
:02:49. > :02:55.responsibility for a living different bodies to accept
:02:55. > :02:59.responsibility for different clusters, this ensures that
:02:59. > :03:08.communities are not involved in the decision-making process. It is a
:03:08. > :03:13.community focused programme with the strategic outcomes. It is important
:03:13. > :03:21.there is a league deliver the body to provide leadership and that is
:03:22. > :03:26.what those bodies will do. Thank you, how will the Welsh government
:03:26. > :03:29.ensure equality of services in terms of all the previous areas covered by
:03:29. > :03:35.community first within these new clusters Diolch yn fawr a member of
:03:35. > :03:42.my staff went to the Neath office to discuss what would happen near and
:03:42. > :03:49.discuss whether the edges of clusters with the ignored and not
:03:49. > :03:55.given the same levels of support as under the old system. We would not
:03:55. > :04:00.want that to happen. It is extremely important the areas get the support
:04:00. > :04:05.they require in order to succeed. That does not mean that other
:04:05. > :04:09.communities should not be given any consideration by government. It is
:04:09. > :04:18.important that communities 1st of April to focus on those communities
:04:18. > :04:25.in the greatest need. Can I welcome that he tackles poverty using the
:04:25. > :04:28.communities first trust fund which will cover hundreds of projects. Can
:04:28. > :04:34.he give any indication as to whether the trust fund will start
:04:34. > :04:40.operation? The Minister announced on the 1st of February that the trust
:04:40. > :04:50.fund will be replaced by a new small cancer fund. That is being taken
:04:50. > :04:53.forward at present. There will be a more detailed timetable. Other first
:04:53. > :04:56.Minister outline what plans the government has too reduce speed
:04:56. > :05:02.limits in the vicinity of schools? We support the introduction of a
:05:02. > :05:06.lower speed limit in the vicinity of schools where appropriate. Most
:05:06. > :05:11.schools are on local roads which is their responsibility of the local
:05:11. > :05:15.authority. Would you consider giving your support to the pupils of a
:05:15. > :05:22.school in my area who recently presented a petition to the Assembly
:05:22. > :05:27.calling on the speed limit on the A48 page to be reduced from 50 to
:05:27. > :05:34.30. This is the main route to their school and it also services the
:05:34. > :05:39.centre of Chepstow. It is notoriously difficult to get across
:05:39. > :05:43.this exchange. Would you give your backing to this that the speed limit
:05:43. > :05:49.needs to be reduced as soon as possible? I understand the depth of
:05:49. > :05:54.feeling. The bridge forms part of the border, so there is joint
:05:54. > :06:02.responsibility for the bridge. We are conducting a speed limiter
:06:02. > :06:08.view. The report is due by the end of June. Thank you. The first
:06:08. > :06:13.minister recently insisted that periods and the community in
:06:13. > :06:17.Llanelli police who were concerned about safety on the roads
:06:17. > :06:26.surrounding that school, their campaign has been successful. It has
:06:26. > :06:29.moved up the county council router to list. Should he not be in favour
:06:30. > :06:37.of safety in our schools, why should parents would have to fight for
:06:37. > :06:43.safety? It is important that local authorities ensure that they know
:06:44. > :06:50.exactly what the position of each school in their area is. They can
:06:50. > :06:53.see whether we need traffic calming measures around the school. It is
:06:53. > :07:01.important that the local authorities do this work in order they know
:07:01. > :07:06.where they should ensure that cars slow down. We moved to questions
:07:06. > :07:11.from the party leaders. First is the leader of the opposition. Thank you.
:07:11. > :07:19.Why did the Welsh government that you are leading terminate the
:07:19. > :07:24.contract with the London women's fertility clinic ends Swansea?
:07:24. > :07:29.Assembly? We are going back some time now. In order to insure we have
:07:29. > :07:33.a service in place in Wales, the licensing process is taking place at
:07:33. > :07:38.the moment and we expect the new unit to be up and running as soon as
:07:38. > :07:45.possible. Thank you for that answer. I AM glad you recognise that it was
:07:45. > :07:52.some time away. Several half percent thousand entries in waiting time for
:07:53. > :07:55.IVF treatment in Wales cards because of the decision you too. You did not
:07:55. > :08:02.want the independent sector providing the services. How can it
:08:02. > :08:05.be fair for people who want to have children, to have that gift ticking
:08:06. > :08:10.away from them because of the ideological decision you took? It is
:08:10. > :08:15.clear there were no other reasons why that contract was ripped up and
:08:15. > :08:19.stop every commitment your government has given to date, that
:08:19. > :08:26.the service will be up and running on April the 1st of this year, has
:08:26. > :08:29.not been achieved. That commitment was 12 months late. Do not recognise
:08:29. > :08:35.you have failed to deliver for parents who hold that gift
:08:35. > :08:41.pressures. When we start to address the failure of IVF provision in
:08:41. > :08:47.Wales. As I say, the unit will be in operation as soon as possible. In
:08:47. > :08:52.the meantime, it has been possible to obtain services elsewhere,
:08:52. > :09:00.especially in Bristol. We now look forward to the service being
:09:00. > :09:04.concentrated in Nice and Talbot and giving better value for money.
:09:04. > :09:08.is an appalling answer. It has cost �1 million so far to try and
:09:08. > :09:14.replicate the service at Neath and Talbot which is still not open, 12
:09:14. > :09:18.month after the date you promised. That is a massive increase in
:09:18. > :09:22.waiting times and many families who have a short window of opportunity
:09:22. > :09:27.to access IVF services have missed that opportunity because of the
:09:27. > :09:33.delays. How can you stand there and defend the decision your government
:09:33. > :09:37.took in their third Assembly, and allowed it to continue in the fourth
:09:37. > :09:43.Assembly, when you promised your government would be about delivering
:09:43. > :09:48.for the people of Wales? Is it not clear you have failed to deliver for
:09:48. > :09:52.people in IVF circumstances in Wales and put huge pressure on clinicians
:09:53. > :09:56.who are trying to deliver the service in South Wales? Will you
:09:57. > :10:01.commit to making sure that all the resources of government are put to
:10:01. > :10:08.addressing the shortfall in the service so that parents can access
:10:08. > :10:14.IVF services in a timely manner and address build up since this
:10:14. > :10:20.decision. I would be pleased to see the evidence of people love missed
:10:20. > :10:24.out in that window. People have had access to a service, services have
:10:25. > :10:30.been available in Bristol. We now look forward to setting up of value
:10:30. > :10:38.for money, good service in Neath and Talbot provided by the NHS and I'm
:10:38. > :10:42.sure people in Wales will welcome that. Thank you. Today, the Chief
:10:42. > :10:48.Inspector said that she is frustrated at the pace of change in
:10:48. > :10:54.our schools. Do you share that frustration? The education minister
:10:54. > :11:02.made his few clear as to how he wants to take forward issues. -- his
:11:02. > :11:07.view clear. Literacy and new Morrissey remains a major issue for
:11:07. > :11:10.the Welsh education system, as stated by the Chief Inspector today.
:11:10. > :11:16.She is concerned had inspectors are not picking up systematic
:11:16. > :11:23.improvement. If this fourth Assembly is all about delivery, when will our
:11:23. > :11:26.children in our schools see some? do not think inactivity is a clear
:11:26. > :11:31.accusation against the education minister. He has put forward a
:11:31. > :11:35.number of plans. He has made it clear what he feels needs to be done
:11:35. > :11:41.in terms of taking education forward in Wales, including new Morrissey
:11:41. > :11:47.and C. This is something he is committed to. -- including literacy
:11:47. > :11:52.and new Morrissey. Your party has been in charge of the education
:11:52. > :11:56.system for 14 years. You and your education minister had been in post
:11:56. > :12:02.for four years. It is now approaching three years since the
:12:02. > :12:07.appalling result prompted that 20 point plan that was meant to turn
:12:07. > :12:12.things around. In that statement to the Chamber, your education minister
:12:12. > :12:17.said he was setting clear targets, he was aiming to improve results in
:12:17. > :12:21.the next assessment in 2012. It is still your expectation that when
:12:21. > :12:26.those results are published later this year, that results will have
:12:26. > :12:31.improved and if they do not, what will you do about it? We expect to
:12:31. > :12:37.see improvement in the results of any tests which are taking place.
:12:37. > :12:42.The reading tests start this week, if I remember rightly. This will
:12:42. > :12:50.show that our literacy and new Morrissey levels are competing to
:12:50. > :13:00.the best of Europe. -- new Morrissey. The education minister
:13:00. > :13:04.
:13:04. > :13:08.has improved things. Back in January 2012, it was announced that 20% of
:13:09. > :13:13.children start secondary school with a reading age below nine years old,
:13:13. > :13:16.which is generally considered to be their level of functional literacy.
:13:16. > :13:24.You took this Chamber and we are confident those figures will be
:13:24. > :13:27.improved on in years to come. However, the chief inspector said
:13:27. > :13:31.this morning inspectors are not picking up the systematic
:13:31. > :13:38.improvements which are required for dramatic changes which our system
:13:38. > :13:43.needs. Activity does not equal results. Can you please explain to
:13:43. > :13:49.us why the chief schools inspector thinks parents will have to wait
:13:49. > :13:57.before changes begin to surface? is supporting the position of the
:13:58. > :14:00.education minister. This is why the new changes have been introduced.
:14:00. > :14:04.The implementation of your improvement programmes has been
:14:04. > :14:09.criticised. A national support programme has not begun. The
:14:09. > :14:15.national literacy framework has not started and will not start until
:14:15. > :14:19.September. Like on the belief that is a lot more which could be done to
:14:19. > :14:22.improve our education system, for example early intervention, better
:14:22. > :14:27.training for teachers and making sure our young boys are not failed
:14:28. > :14:33.in the way they have been to date. It looks as if your education
:14:33. > :14:40.minister has become obsessed by structure and change within the
:14:40. > :14:47.education system at the expense of delivery. When will the national
:14:47. > :14:52.literacy and new Morrissey framework begin to deliver? We expect to see
:14:52. > :14:58.results to improve in the near future. As far as early
:14:58. > :15:03.intervention, that is being done. We look at the foundation phase, the
:15:03. > :15:06.way that was done, many children were in Key stage one. We expect
:15:06. > :15:13.these things to deliver in order to ensure the education system is the
:15:13. > :15:18.best in Europe. I don't know if she has policies to improve things, but
:15:18. > :15:27.our record speaks for itself. Minister, you've just said that
:15:27. > :15:30.process has begun and that things will improve in the future. Could
:15:30. > :15:37.you clarify exactly what the position is? Last week, Plaid Cymru
:15:37. > :15:41.held a debate about accountability within the NHS. You tell us that it
:15:41. > :15:45.is the responsibility of the local health board, the NHS, just the same
:15:45. > :15:51.as when you are asked questions about education. More often or not,
:15:51. > :15:55.you tell us it is the responsibility of local education authorities.
:15:55. > :15:59.After 14 years of a Labour education minister, why has not one single
:15:59. > :16:06.local education authority been judged as excellent when you've got
:16:06. > :16:15.special measures? You were in government for four years to try and
:16:15. > :16:18.somehow suggest that you have not been is unbelievable. It is a level
:16:18. > :16:24.of amnesiac I am surprised even Plaid Cymru have demonstrated. The
:16:24. > :16:27.reality is that when it comes to education, we have the policies in
:16:28. > :16:31.place to improve literacy and numeracy in Wales. I don't remember
:16:32. > :16:36.anything anything different to what was being
:16:36. > :16:42.done by Labour education ministers in Wales. We have selected amnesiac
:16:42. > :16:50.on the Plaid Cymru benches which the lead of Plaid Cymru typifies.
:16:50. > :16:53.move back to questions from the paper. Question three. What is the
:16:53. > :16:57.Welsh government doing to support the construction industry in Wales?
:16:57. > :17:04.We are committed to supporting the sector and working with the sector
:17:04. > :17:08.panel, we are delivering a range of support packages. I thank you for
:17:08. > :17:12.that answer. I welcome the latest funding boost for affordable housing
:17:12. > :17:15.in Wales. Above all, the construction industry needs work.
:17:15. > :17:20.Thank goodness this government understands that breathing life into
:17:20. > :17:27.the economy is more productive than suffocating it with delusional
:17:27. > :17:30.austerity. Take the Carmarthen Council's approach to building
:17:30. > :17:35.bungalows for older people. The first such developer and since the
:17:35. > :17:40.80s. I understand there are plans for more. Do you agree first
:17:40. > :17:46.Minister that projects like the one in Carmarthenshire which employ
:17:46. > :17:48.local constructors are what the economy needs at this time, and will
:17:48. > :17:58.you encourage other local authorities to follow this lead?
:17:58. > :18:00.welcome what, rather than is doing. We only -- using local contractors.
:18:01. > :18:06.Bungalows developed to achieve level four, the code for sustainable
:18:06. > :18:10.homes. It is meeting for home standards. It is a good example of
:18:10. > :18:18.the local authority delivering homes under labelled the -- Labour
:18:18. > :18:22.leadership. It is clear the industry still requires stimulus and support
:18:22. > :18:26.to ensure further expansion over the next few years and that is why it is
:18:26. > :18:30.surprising why the new buy scheme has been scrapped. Given the new
:18:30. > :18:37.scheme doesn't start till next year, what discussions have you had with
:18:37. > :18:40.the housebuilders Federation to make sure prospects are boosted for the
:18:40. > :18:45.construction sector? There was a meeting last Thursday. The minister
:18:45. > :18:50.is now working with the bodies involved in order to examine a new
:18:50. > :18:58.scheme which could be put in place with the support of the homebuilders
:18:58. > :19:04.Federation and the Council of mortgage lenders. Thank you. Every
:19:04. > :19:11.construction contract of any significant size goes to management
:19:11. > :19:18.project company, they subcontract that contract onwards. Very often
:19:18. > :19:22.local and smaller companies that at the very end of the chain. Will you
:19:22. > :19:27.ensure the original contract safeguards the rights and
:19:27. > :19:31.opportunities of local and smaller companies? That is of course
:19:31. > :19:34.important and Carmarthenshire has showed the way in terms of using the
:19:34. > :19:39.local companies to construct these new homes. It is very important
:19:39. > :19:45.local authorities to understand what their responsibilities and duties in
:19:45. > :19:52.terms of ensuring local businesses are used to construct new homes.
:19:52. > :19:58.Thank you. The new bike company scheme was quite important for the
:19:58. > :20:02.construction industry, in terms of people getting onto housing ladder.
:20:02. > :20:06.Given from the briefing that various spokespeople had a week ago, it is
:20:06. > :20:14.difficult to put together an interim scheme but you do have to refight
:20:14. > :20:16.like the assisting scheme. Can I ask, have you now got the financial
:20:16. > :20:21.institutions more interested in coming back to this scheme? The
:20:21. > :20:26.housebuilders had never not been interested but the financial
:20:26. > :20:33.institutions are part of that. the UK's scheme was introduced,
:20:33. > :20:38.certainly the lenders became unenthusiastic and the housebuilders
:20:38. > :20:43.Federation became sceptical. We're working with them to work on a new
:20:43. > :20:50.scheme that will be able to work effectively and get the support of
:20:50. > :20:55.both lenders and homebuilders. Minister, we know that one of the
:20:55. > :20:58.outstanding challenges and problems facing the construction sector is
:20:58. > :21:01.the continuing matter of blacklisting. I'm sure you are aware
:21:01. > :21:05.of the recent report of the Scottish affairs select committee on this
:21:05. > :21:13.matter and there are hundreds of Welsh workers we know were on the
:21:13. > :21:18.consulting associations blacklist. Do you support calls for a Pablo
:21:18. > :21:23.enquiry -- public enquiry in this matter? And members on the backers
:21:23. > :21:28.should be told by the information Commissioner they are on that list
:21:28. > :21:34.and intimate aspect that employment prospects in the past and future?
:21:34. > :21:36.do. People should be aware of what is done about them by outside
:21:36. > :21:42.organisations so that they have a chance to challenge the
:21:42. > :21:46.blacklisting. And that we see the blacklisting is done openly rather
:21:46. > :21:52.than secretly. We condemn blacklisting. Where it happens, that
:21:52. > :21:57.should be done in an open manner. At the moment, people don't have a fair
:21:57. > :22:02.chance to reply. Question for. the first Minister make a statement
:22:02. > :22:05.on improving your passenger services in Wales? Yes. We have recently seen
:22:05. > :22:12.the redoubling of the railway line between Gallatin and the huff.
:22:12. > :22:16.you. With regards to the quality of services the passengers experience,
:22:16. > :22:20.the quality of the rolling stock is important. With the electrification
:22:20. > :22:23.of the valleys lines forthcoming, can you tell us what steps you've
:22:23. > :22:27.taken to ensure the best quality of rolling stock has been made
:22:27. > :22:31.available and whether or not you've investigated the option of acting as
:22:31. > :22:35.a guarantor to ensure new rolling stock can be bought to serve the
:22:35. > :22:39.root? We cannot act as a guarantor, it isn't within our budget
:22:39. > :22:45.responsibility. What the member is arguing is that if the UK government
:22:45. > :22:50.censors ancient rolling stock, somehow we should pay for it. That
:22:50. > :22:54.is not right. What we are aware of his the situation. The last thing we
:22:54. > :22:58.want to see as old rolling stock being shipped to Wales because it is
:22:58. > :23:01.convenient. It is important that as the South Wales Metro takes place,
:23:01. > :23:11.there is rolling stock of sufficient quality. In order to make sure
:23:11. > :23:11.
:23:11. > :23:16.people have confidence in it. Minister, I recently met with a
:23:16. > :23:20.member of passenger focus. Travellers who use the valleys line
:23:20. > :23:25.register lower satisfaction rates than those who use other rail
:23:25. > :23:31.networks across Wales. What measures can the Welsh government take to
:23:31. > :23:38.change this? We can take measures in terms of our investment. We see the
:23:38. > :23:42.new platforms at several stations. The central improvement as well,
:23:42. > :23:46.funded by the Welsh government. We also need to see the investment
:23:46. > :23:50.brought forward as quickly as possible -- by the UK government
:23:50. > :23:58.into the South Wales Metro so we can have a commuter train system for the
:23:58. > :24:04.21st-century. First Minister, you find has abated my question. Given
:24:04. > :24:10.the �40 million investment in the line from Swansea with the duelling
:24:10. > :24:15.of the line, what steps is the government taking to ensure that
:24:15. > :24:23.full advantage is being taken by the operators to make sure they stop at
:24:23. > :24:27.additional stops? The fact the stations are verbal mean the
:24:27. > :24:34.operators will use those stations. Somebody who uses the trains
:24:34. > :24:38.frequently, I can see the demands for it. The only do was on a train
:24:38. > :24:40.going to his party conference, and the very fact this was seen as
:24:40. > :24:47.newsworthy the Leader of the Opposition was on the train was very
:24:47. > :24:52.strange! We have to be mindful of the passengers on the train. They
:24:52. > :24:55.had to suffer him making station announcements. We have to feel sorry
:24:55. > :24:59.for them because they would have listened to the station
:24:59. > :25:02.announcement, heard his voice, and known for sure they were going in
:25:02. > :25:06.the wrong direction. That was the problem they would have faced. The
:25:06. > :25:14.fact the Leader of the Opposition was on a train is something he would
:25:14. > :25:17.see as newsworthy but some of us use the trains far more frequently.
:25:17. > :25:23.Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. Evidence of the United
:25:23. > :25:28.Kingdom government to the silk commissions suggests there is a
:25:28. > :25:31.possibility of devolving some of the powers franchising to Welsh
:25:31. > :25:36.government. Is it the Welsh government's intention to make a
:25:36. > :25:43.detailed statement on the railway policy and when will that happen?
:25:43. > :25:47.depends on the funding and the budget. We are willing to look at
:25:47. > :25:50.powers over the railways if that funding follows. Experienced and
:25:50. > :25:57.strengths that if new powers are provided to the Assembly, the
:25:57. > :26:04.funding doesn't tend to follow. In terms of the franchise, that is
:26:04. > :26:08.something that we want to see in Wales, managed in Wales, but in
:26:08. > :26:15.terms of taking action on railways themselves, there would have to be a
:26:15. > :26:17.fair settlement in terms of funding to ensure that could happen. What
:26:17. > :26:22.discussions has the first Minister had with the UK government in
:26:23. > :26:26.relation to the content of the Queens speech? Well, we've discussed
:26:26. > :26:29.many issues with the United Kingdom government as regards possible bills
:26:29. > :26:34.that may have implications for Wales. Of course, we are now
:26:34. > :26:39.awaiting confirmation of the United Kingdom's legislative programme in
:26:39. > :26:44.the Queens speech tomorrow. Thank you, first Minister. In your letter
:26:44. > :26:48.to George Osborne you made it very clear that you see early action on
:26:48. > :26:55.the first part of the silk commission as being crucial to
:26:55. > :27:00.retain the union, given there is a vote on independence in Scotland.
:27:00. > :27:06.Now, unless there is action outlined in the Queens speech and steps
:27:06. > :27:14.outlined there as to how this should be implemented, what would your
:27:14. > :27:19.response because Mac I will support it. We support the conclusions of
:27:19. > :27:22.it. We don't need legislation but what we need is a letter from the
:27:22. > :27:26.Treasury as regards taxation powers, and we believe that could be
:27:26. > :27:33.something which could be part of a finance bill in the Westminster
:27:33. > :27:37.government. Most important is that all the conclusions in their
:27:37. > :27:41.entirety are progressed by the United Kingdom government.
:27:41. > :27:46.referred to my train journey, first Minister. All the passengers arrived
:27:46. > :27:52.on time. If they had relied on you, they would still be waiting at the
:27:52. > :27:56.station! Back to the question in hand. It has been muted from the
:27:56. > :27:58.Cabinet Office they could potentially be a civil service bill
:27:59. > :28:03.in the Queens speech tomorrow. I don't know whether that is the case
:28:03. > :28:07.or not, it is press speculation. Have you had any discussions with
:28:07. > :28:11.the Westminster government given the close relationship regarding the
:28:11. > :28:15.civil service here in Wales and in Whitehall, and given your experience
:28:15. > :28:17.in government, do you believe any changes do need to be made to the
:28:17. > :28:22.structure of the civil service to make government more efficient and
:28:22. > :28:28.deliver better services across Wales? He makes the point the
:28:28. > :28:34.train... I wouldn't want to drive the train which, apparently, he did.
:28:35. > :28:39.As if it is something he could pick up just like that! It is quite an
:28:40. > :28:43.assumption on his part. With Pat discussions with the UK government
:28:43. > :28:46.many times over the civil service and we've taken a view there should
:28:46. > :28:50.be greater devolution of the senior civil service. There needs to be
:28:50. > :28:54.more formal devolution in terms of the appointment of a permanent
:28:54. > :28:58.secretary and we hope they civil service bill will reflect devolved
:28:58. > :29:01.reality rather than the situation at the moment were in theory if not
:29:01. > :29:06.perhaps in practice the appointment of the most senior civil servant can
:29:06. > :29:09.be made by the Prime Minister without any input from the first
:29:09. > :29:19.Minister. I hasten to add that wasn't the case last time around but
:29:19. > :29:26.it remains in theory. Thank you. It is likely that in the next term of
:29:26. > :29:33.Parliament, there will be a government of Wales Bill once again
:29:33. > :29:37.to amend the way we elect members, both on the lists and in
:29:37. > :29:40.constituencies. Isn't it about time that we had a third government of
:29:40. > :29:48.Wales act that devolves the electoral system to this place? And
:29:48. > :29:57.allows us to elect 80 members through transferable vote system in
:29:57. > :30:05.multimember constituencies as have worked so excellently? Well, as
:30:06. > :30:11.regards the electoral system, at present it is not clear whether the
:30:11. > :30:16.power has the power to amend the local authority electoral
:30:16. > :30:20.procedures. It is not clear in the act itself. It is very important
:30:20. > :30:24.that we have the powers to ensure that we control the electoral
:30:24. > :30:31.system. That is more or less agreement on that throughout this
:30:31. > :30:41.Chamber. When this came before the Assembly and we debated the issue,
:30:41. > :30:42.
:30:42. > :30:51.there was a suggestion that 66% of the members, 66% of their members to
:30:51. > :30:53.vote in favour of a change. I support that very much. We should
:30:53. > :30:58.actually be controlling the electoral system for the National
:30:58. > :31:04.Assembly for Wales is a very important principle indeed. Thank
:31:04. > :31:07.you. Will he make a statement on what the Welsh government is doing
:31:07. > :31:12.to improve transport links between West Wales and other parts of the
:31:12. > :31:16.country? And other investments had taken place in the infrastructure
:31:16. > :31:26.between West Wales and other parts of the country. As I mentioned
:31:26. > :31:27.
:31:27. > :31:35.earlier, the railway route between Gavin Martin -- between Gowerton.
:31:35. > :31:41.Also the fact that there are fish guard station has reopened which
:31:41. > :31:49.shows the commitment of the government to the West. He will be
:31:49. > :31:55.away I campaigned to make the A40 dual carriageway, I think this would
:31:55. > :31:59.improve standards locally and improve the quality of services to
:31:59. > :32:04.tourists and businesses as well. Your deputy ministers said that he
:32:04. > :32:11.recognised there was a time possibly when their A40 could be made into a
:32:11. > :32:15.dual carriageway. Can you confirm that your government will not
:32:15. > :32:22.actually dismiss the issue of making the A40 dual carriageway in the
:32:22. > :32:30.future? We are not avoiding that as a principle but we are looking at
:32:30. > :32:37.the financial reality. Improvements have taken place on the road. There
:32:37. > :32:42.will be improvements to improve the A40 which will progress, considering
:32:42. > :32:48.the financial position. One of the most important roots in West Wales
:32:48. > :32:53.is the link to Aberystwyth from Carmarthen. Significant improvements
:32:53. > :32:58.have been made to the section intends again and the last few
:32:58. > :33:07.years, but there have been no improvements on the car marred
:33:07. > :33:12.inside. -- car marred them. What role do you envisage your party
:33:13. > :33:17.taking as this is a nationally important route, inputting Drescher
:33:17. > :33:25.on the Carmarthen Council to prioritise this route which is
:33:25. > :33:28.important to not only them but West Wales in general? The road between
:33:28. > :33:38.car and Lampeter has improved because there is no bypass in car
:33:38. > :33:39.
:33:39. > :33:46.marred them. There used to be a problem there. The road has been
:33:46. > :33:52.introduced in two other parts as well. Improvements have taken parts
:33:52. > :34:02.-- taken place in that area. People have been assisted in their travels
:34:02. > :34:02.
:34:03. > :34:08.to Pembrokeshire. In recent weeks, Carmarthenshire county council has
:34:08. > :34:11.committed to carrying out a feasibility study into the project
:34:11. > :34:16.of the opening scene clear station which would help commuters and
:34:16. > :34:21.reduce pressure on road traffic and improve the wider county's
:34:21. > :34:27.sustainability. Should that study come through with a positive
:34:27. > :34:31.recommendation, will the first Minister commit to working with the
:34:31. > :34:38.Minister for business and enterprise to deliver such a scheme? I have two
:34:38. > :34:43.cautioned that capital budgets are now being destroyed over the next
:34:43. > :34:47.few years. Revenue budgets are being hammered. The government cannot give
:34:47. > :34:51.any commitment knowing the financial pressures which are being imposed on
:34:51. > :34:57.us by the UK government. Will he make a statement on the provision of
:34:57. > :35:04.health care for children in South Wales? This is part of our plans and
:35:04. > :35:10.priorities set out in our policy documents. There are long-standing
:35:10. > :35:13.worries about sustainability for children's services at Royal Gwent
:35:13. > :35:19.Hospital and other hospitals is becoming more acute, primarily due
:35:19. > :35:26.to staffing problems. What defines how is he to attract staff with the
:35:26. > :35:32.relevant skill sets? The network is monitoring performance standards in
:35:32. > :35:39.South Wales. There has been an improvement. The reallocation in
:35:39. > :35:49.federally /0, there is care was transferred to a high dependency
:35:49. > :35:51.
:35:51. > :35:56.skier -- here. The 2013 neo-natal capacity review ensured change to
:35:56. > :36:01.maintain sustainability of service. These are matters for their health
:36:01. > :36:05.department to take forward as a matter of course. When does the
:36:05. > :36:15.Welsh government expect to make a decision about whether or not
:36:15. > :36:20.children with cerebral palsy and receive selectors drugs on the NHS?
:36:20. > :36:24.Children in England can get this drug but at the moment it is
:36:24. > :36:27.restricted to those who can afford to go to the United States. I
:36:27. > :36:34.understand it was due to be discussed in March but was
:36:34. > :36:39.postponed. There are many parents who have children with this
:36:39. > :36:41.condition who are anxiously awaiting to see whether they can have access
:36:41. > :36:48.to this which would materially improve the mobility of their
:36:48. > :36:53.children. It is a portal that the treatment is appropriate. I know a
:36:53. > :36:59.lot of hopes raised without treatment but not always fulfilled.
:36:59. > :37:04.-- it is important. Of course, it is possible to make a case for this
:37:04. > :37:08.service is to be accessed in England, if it is deemed to be
:37:09. > :37:15.appropriate for that individual by the consultant. The situation
:37:15. > :37:20.regarding that procedure is being kept under review. I understand many
:37:20. > :37:24.children in deprived areas suffer from depression and pure mental
:37:24. > :37:28.health, what is the Welsh government doing as part of its child poverty
:37:28. > :37:34.strategy to reduce the number of children living in poverty in
:37:35. > :37:40.south-east Wales to improve their mental health? We have been tackling
:37:40. > :37:44.poverty in the poverty action plan. We have communities first and the
:37:44. > :37:47.numerous employment and apprenticeship schemes in place. We
:37:47. > :37:51.are trying to deal with the after-effects of welfare reform will
:37:51. > :37:58.stop we cannot do with all the native effects which are being
:37:58. > :38:01.imposed on people as a result of that. Will the first Minister make a
:38:01. > :38:05.statement on recent discussions he has had with the UK government
:38:06. > :38:11.relating to get Aleutian? I have many discussions over the course of
:38:11. > :38:16.the last few weeks with regard to demolition, as regards -- also
:38:16. > :38:22.formal meetings with the Secretary of State regarding his views on
:38:22. > :38:26.revolution. Last year, he urged the Chancellor not to drag his feet on
:38:26. > :38:31.demolition and powers. I heard your answer to Simon Thomas this
:38:31. > :38:36.afternoon. Which you clarify if you have the full support of your Labour
:38:36. > :38:41.MPs and the Shadow Chancellor, and will this be a priority for them?
:38:41. > :38:47.Yes. We hope for it to be implemented in school and there
:38:47. > :38:52.needs to be an end to the opposition to the implementation of the Silk
:38:52. > :38:57.Report. The Welsh government would hope to see the full part of the
:38:57. > :39:03.Silk Report implemented. Does the first Minister think that reports of
:39:03. > :39:08.the weekend that the Chancellor is preparing to announce a new tool
:39:08. > :39:13.waterway to ease congestion on the M4 illustrates the lack of
:39:13. > :39:18.understanding of demolition in the Treasury? Yes, I know that has been
:39:18. > :39:24.discredited since what the reality is the Treasury has no power to
:39:24. > :39:28.impose a new tool on roads in Wales. They are devolved. I understand this
:39:28. > :39:33.was a story which appeared in one of the newspapers and was denied by the
:39:33. > :39:38.Chancellor. This raises the question of who could it be in the first
:39:38. > :39:47.place. It clearly came from someone in government. It makes no sense in
:39:47. > :39:53.practical terms. No one is going to pay at all on this road. The
:39:53. > :39:58.attractiveness of using a tall to finance that roads is not practical
:39:58. > :40:03.because it does not make any money. We understand maintenance costs are
:40:03. > :40:08.so high, it is not a way to make money effectively. There seems to be
:40:08. > :40:11.some confusion in the UK government. Someone planted this story in the
:40:11. > :40:19.papers. I welcome the view of the Chancellor on this, he said it would
:40:19. > :40:24.not be taking forward. We are working with UK Government and we
:40:24. > :40:27.expect to see a decent deal with regard to the Severn Bridge. It
:40:27. > :40:33.cannot work that people will be charged to come into their own
:40:33. > :40:39.country by a government in England. That cannot be right. That is
:40:39. > :40:43.something we will not tolerate in the future. During June this year,
:40:43. > :40:48.the silk commission will be holding a series of meetings about
:40:48. > :40:52.revolution with the public. Can you tell me what the Welsh public will
:40:52. > :40:54.-- Welsh government will be doing to encourage the public to take part in
:40:54. > :41:03.the meetings and will you help assist people take part in those
:41:03. > :41:06.discussions? It is not our commission, it is for the English
:41:06. > :41:12.government to do that. We do not interfere in the workings of the
:41:12. > :41:19.Silk Commission. We have made clear a substantial body of evidence of
:41:19. > :41:28.what we could deliver. There we are, we will be first
:41:28. > :41:33.Minister's Questions there. You can see more on the BBC website. Let us
:41:33. > :41:37.pick up with some of that on our web -- with our Welsh affairs editor who
:41:37. > :41:42.has been watching. I think it was interesting that both the Liberal
:41:42. > :41:47.Democrat leader and the Plaid Cymru leader went on about numeracy and
:41:47. > :41:52.literacy rates in Wales. Yes, I do not think they were quarter meeting,
:41:52. > :41:57.there was not a plot. It was an obvious subject to choose. It was in
:41:57. > :42:03.the news and the government is vulnerable on that subject. They
:42:03. > :42:07.approached it from different angles. It can be awkward if you are the
:42:07. > :42:13.second person talking about the same subject will stop that did not
:42:14. > :42:19.happen today. The problem the opposition parties have is that the
:42:19. > :42:22.one minister or a last minister you could accuse of inactivity is the
:42:22. > :42:27.education Minister, Leighton Andrews. They had to come down to
:42:27. > :42:32.the question of effectiveness. Carwyn Jones batted the questions we
:42:32. > :42:37.easily. There are some big statistical measures coming up,
:42:37. > :42:43.figures are due later this year for instance. That could cause him
:42:43. > :42:47.little grief. This is perhaps peering at the ground for a tax to
:42:47. > :42:54.come between now and the next Assembly election. There was a lot
:42:54. > :42:59.about transport today. Yes, it was a funny PMQ's today. There were a lot
:42:59. > :43:05.of local papers stories, stories about specific issues about speed
:43:05. > :43:10.limits are in schools, reopening stations and road improvements.
:43:10. > :43:13.Perhaps those were designed mainly for the local papers, but that is
:43:13. > :43:20.part of first Minister questions, it is to try and raise the profile of
:43:20. > :43:26.local issues. A lot of it today was very parish orientated. When it came
:43:26. > :43:30.from the opposition, Carwyn Jones just said, you keep suggesting all
:43:30. > :43:38.these nice things, new stations and dualling the roads, we will be get
:43:38. > :43:42.the money from it given what the Westminster Government gives us?
:43:42. > :43:47.did see that political ribbing between Carwyn Jones and Andrew
:43:47. > :43:50.Davies about his political stunt recently, the trip on the train to
:43:50. > :43:56.the conference in Swansea when he did the station announcements.
:43:56. > :44:01.That's right. There were a couple of good jokes there. They probably took
:44:01. > :44:10.it too far. Taking the neck out of your opponents's photo opportunities
:44:10. > :44:16.is fairly easy grist to the mill. also held about calling for 80
:44:16. > :44:20.Assembly Members. -- heard about. was talking about the single
:44:20. > :44:24.transferable vote which we do not think will happen. Across the
:44:24. > :44:29.parties there is agreement that the voting procedure should be decided
:44:29. > :44:36.in Cardiff is, to prevent a single party forcing through changes which
:44:36. > :44:40.might be to their chain -- to their advantage. That could happen. That
:44:40. > :44:47.is a feeling that it is embarrassing all-round to have been Assembly
:44:47. > :44:50.voting system set in Westminster. will watch with interest. Thank you.
:44:50. > :44:54.I'll be back at the same time next week with more coverage of First