09/07/2013 am.pm

our coverage of questions to the First Minister. Lots coming up

today, Carwyn Jones facing questions on ambulance provision, Police and

Crime Commissioners and first-time buyers access to housing. It will

also be interesting to hear about the junior doctors voicing their

issues with the local health board coming up. You can comment on any

thing on the programme. You can e-mail us, or you can get us on

Twitter. The first Minister is already on his feet, let's go to the

chamber. Will the First Minister highlight

what main issues have been highlighted since the policies have

been raised on the new Welsh enterprise zones? We recognise the

shortcomings of the 1980s shortcomings. Today's are building

for the economy over the long term and this will minimise potential

displacement while encouraging the spillover of benefits to the broader

region. Each job cost �24,000, a lot of them were relocated in the area,

and often it was negated by renting creases. How will the government

looked at the rate increases and the direct benefit to businesses to make

sure it doesn't go straight into the pocket of the building and

landowners? We operate a grand scheme, very different to the

previous scheme which reduced liabilities to those in an

enterprise zone. We have to look at eligibility requirements designed to

promote growth and then the grant is claimed when rates have been paid.

Owners of buildings and enterprise zones would not be eligible under

the terms of the scheme unless they operated a business in the premises

that met the eligibility criteria. Welsh Conservatives are certainly

priest by the conversion on the road to Damascus that has gone on on the

subject of enterprise zones. -- certainly pleased. The question

relates to issues about the 1980s enterprise zones compared with

today, back in the 1980s, welsh inward investment stood at about 15%

of inward investment into the UK, that has fallen in recent years down

to 3% when this was announced by your government, how do you see this

being used as a mechanism to improve inward investment? Recent figures

have seen 123% increases in foreign investment into Wales. The

enterprise zones are part of the armoury in developing the Welsh

economy, but we have to remember they need to promote Wales overseas,

this is something the Minister for economy, science and transport and

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myself have been doing on a regular equivalent to today's money, what

cost per job would you be content with in your enterprise zone and the

consideration you would have on it being a success? We want to ensure

that the package we have in place is a package that is sufficient to

attract jobs to the enterprise zones around Wales. We do not want to

repeat the mistakes of the 1980s where jobs were not attracted, but

merely displaced from one place, particularly, the city, like

Swansea, they were sent from one place to another. Like many

enterprise zones around the country, nothing happened, Swansea was

perhaps the most successful, but it is right to say that a number of

businesses that moved in, they moved from somewhere else, rather than

businesses attracted from within. Will the first Minister make a

statement on access to housing for first-time buyers? They can access

through housing associations and through local authorities with the

first by schemes, and also private developers have schemes that are

detailed on their websites, and we look forward to seeing the

devolution of stamp duty to assist first-time buyers. Your anticipation

by the statement on the UK government there. We are waiting for

news on this particular scheme, if you cannot relaunch this scheme get

a launch date by recess, will you consider re-strengthening the home,

buy and rent first scheme where the shelters are waiting up to 15 years

before they can get onto the housing ladder. That is unacceptable, we

need to do something it. If new buyers are not available, can we

look at reinforcing the schemes? Lenders are assessing the position,

they need more information on the new schemes first, so this will be

helpful on taking this decision, but should we find ourselves in the

position where it is not moving forward at a satisfactory rate, then

we will look at possible future alternatives. First Minister, with

no Welsh first-time buyers schemes and sizeable deposits required to

secure a mortgage, people have to wait up to 12 years to get their

foot on the property ladder, what is your advice to them? It is important

that people understand there are variety of ways to get accommodation

with housing associations, the private rental sector, shared equity

schemes, there are examples of this across Wales, such as a community

land trust. They exist across Wales and there are schemes such as the

recent scheme announced by the UK government which we are looking to

see further details on, to see if a Welsh scheme could still tell

successfully with this scheme. average age, First Minister, of the

first-time buyer is well into their 30s, which is enough to make any

parent grown. I can hear people in this chamber actually thinking about

this. But the challenge we face and house prices. What are you do to

make Wales a high wage economy and would you condemn the use of such

practices like zero hours contracts? Yes, I would. It is

important to emphasise that the way to increase people 's rate of pay in

the medium to long-term, is through increased emphasis on skills. We

know, looking at the world economy, that those people that have the

skills, they are paid the most. It was the economic policy in the 1980s

and 1990s that investors should come to Wales because we were cheaper

than anywhere else. That is consigned now to many disciplines.

We realise that the more skills people have, the better paid they

will be. We move now to questions to the party leaders, and first, the

leader applies Comrie, Leanne Wood. There has been damning reports on

the governance of a local health board. Consultants are saying that

governance is not fit for purpose on one mental health board. This has

happened on your watch, when did you first become aware of the failings

within the local health board? became aware of when this was

published. The received desperate need to improve the governance on

the health board and the Health Minister is taking steps to make

sure that governance is strengthened, by ensuring that there

are officials available to support the board. We are also looking at

strengthening the leadership of the board also. That is not good

enough, it is your job to run the health service in Wales, and it is

your job to monitor things. This health board has lost its chair,

it's advised chair, its chief executive, and consultants have no

faith in the management. -- it's vice-chair. You put great store on

the views of consultants, what will you do to improve this? We will

listen to the consultants, we will put better management in there, the

situation here is not acceptable, and when we see these difficulties

arising, we take firm and swift action to deal with them. I am

astounded that you were not aware of this before. You have allowed the

failing health board to outsource the care of babies to a different

health service, rather than try to develop services here. That looks to

me like a lack of confidence. While all of this is happening, it is

already open to looking at other issues across the area. Should there

be a renewal of the board membership before changes to hospital services

take raised in the north of Wales? Firstly, renewing the entire board

creates a dangerous vacuum, that is something we have to look at. I do

not know what the leader was suggesting when she said that

maternity services were being moved, she knows that a review has been put

in by myself in case of neonatal services, and I will look at this

review in the autumn. She indicated she was unaware of this. We take

seriously the need to promote Wales and the health service, and that is

why we take action when these things arise and we will continue to do

this, wherever there are difficulties and where there are

weaknesses in the health services. The people of Wales can be

guaranteed that we will take swift and decisive action. Now, the leader

of the Welsh Liberal Democrats. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Do you

agree with the chief nursing officer who says that the number of patients

per nurse should not exceed seven during the daytime? These are

matters that the chief nursing officer will make known to the

Health Minister, and he would be listening carefully to these views

with a view to implementing what is required for the health service.

chief nursing officer issued that guidance over one year ago, yet some

of the health boards have reported that they do not meet the one to

seven ratio, the Safe Staffing Alliance are stating that one to

seven ratio, the Safe Staffing Alliance are stating that 128 is is

unsafe. How long will you tolerate staffing levels that are considered

unsafe and have that intentional to put patients at risk? This is one of

the reasons why we have a process of reconfiguration at the moment,

something that party has imposed. Not entirely, that is for to say.

She has said she would support some kind of reconfiguration, but she has

not stated what kind of reconfiguration. We want to create a

safe, sustainable future for the health service, and we will look to

see that these ratios that she mentioned her mat. One of the

reasons that was given for what happened in mid Staffordshire was

the lack of attention given to workforce planning. Is it not time

that you listened to your chief nursing officer, to the Royal

College of Nursing is and to the evidence from the United States and

Australia were minimum staffing levels in trench in law, are the

most effective way of ensuring that we have the best care for the

patients. . -- entrenched in law. am concerned about the parallel the

leader of the Liberal Democrats draws with the situation here in

Wales and the mid Staffordshire situation. It is known for parallel.

This was not typical of the NHS in England. I do not think it is hugely

helpful to make this parallel. If she listens, she might learn

something. That is why, for once, that is why it is important for us

to get the structure of the health service right and to get the ratio

of staffing right and to move away from the suggestion that any kind of

issue in the health service is bound to lead to a situation like mid

Staffordshire, I deplored that kind of comment. Two weeks ago your

education minister resigned from his post. Letters were exchanged between

you and him. The letter the former minister said to you, I feel I have

no option but to offer you my resignation today. In your reply you

said, it is with great regret that I accept your resignation. On Sunday

you were as it by Hugh Edwards if Leighton Andrews hadn't resigned,

would you have continued with him on government? At interviews that you

have given, he said that you Ascot him to resign. What is the case?

remember what he said. When he came to the resignation, the situation

did not arise as to whether somebody should no longer be in their

position because a resignation had taken place. I was then asked the

question, would I be looking for Leighton Andrews to come back in the

future? The answer was, yes. former education minister says quite

clearly in the interviews he has given, that you asked him to resign.

You are saying in your letter that you regretted that he resigned and

also you make the point in the Wales report that he would have continued

two scenarios. All I am asking to clarify is did you ask him to resign

when you met with him two weeks ago today? I doubt whether he

understands his own question. The reality is he admitted his

resignation and I accepted it. are unable to give a clear and said

to the question and therefore that discrepancy will continue. The other

point we learned last week was the close relationship that you enjoyed

with the Unite macro union. This report that came out and said that

the model of cooperation that you enjoyed with Unite and the 20

members of your group that are subscribing to Unite, is a model for

the UK Government. Given the deplorable... Order, letters listen

to the question. Given the deplorable actions that have been

taken in other parts of the UK, do you subscribe to the changes that

your leader in London has announced today or do you believe the model

that you undertake is the better model for governance and relations

with the unions? First of all, he has raised events two weeks ago. I

noticed today he claimed when I said we were looking to get a commercial

operator to run at Cardiff airport, he said it was something that I had

said from new. For eight weeks, I have been saying this on many

occasions and it shows the level of listening that he exhibits in this

change and outside. -- Chamber. I listened to what Ed Miliband has

said and there are issues there that I believe need to be taken forward

in terms of moving the Labour Party forward. I am with him on that but I

do not see that we should be ashamed of having an open leak with a trade

union. His body has acquaintances who are expat millionaires. He has

the brass neck to talk about an improper relationship with ourselves

and the trade unions. He needs to get his own house in order before he

can preach to us. We now move to question three. Will the First

Minister make a statement on ambulance provision in Brecon and

Radnor shy. --? -- Radnorshire. A Freedom of Information response has

revealed that in the last six months, ambulances have routinely

been called to answer calls outside their areas. In the worst cases,

this board -- responding to the urgent calls in places such as

Newcastle and Emlyn. The Health Minister tells me this is a matter

for the Welsh ambulance trust but when paramedics are coming to me

worried that they are leaving Brecon and Radnor shut with adequate --

inadequate cover, that is a matter for your government. What will you

do to ensure my constituents have ambulance cover? The Health Minister

will be making a statement later with regard to the ambulance

service. I did see the article published with the information that

the Lib Dems made reference to and I will be asking the Health Minister

to respond more fully to her in order to respond to the questions

she has asked. We know one of the problems with the performance of the

ambulance service across the country is the inability of people to get

through accident and emergency developed -- departments because

beds have been axed over the past few months under your government's

stewardship. Can you tell us what plans you have to increase the

availability of patient beds across Wales because there are a great deal

of concerns, particularly in other places where Doctor Tony Roberts,

the chair of this Gwyneth consultants, said those who need to

be in hospital are not getting in hospital. That is down to beds and I

know there are plans to cut more. What are you doing about it? This is

the first time we haven't heard about record-breaking cuts in the

health service. It is for each local health board to ensure they have a

sufficient number of beds. What over the course of the winter, there have

been enormous and unforeseen pressures on the health service.

That is something that is beginning to tail off but it is right to say

those pressures have been there. The Health Minister will be discussing

the issue further with the local health boards to ensure they do have

sufficient beds available to allow a flow of people through A&E and to

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have contributed to correspondence and there is a comparison to see

what the differences are between the protections and the actual figures

that will impact upon the nature of the projected growth. This was a

point that was made last week with regards to the growth figures in the

future. That is why it is important to listen to what was being said at

the conference. Before publishing a revised one, I will discuss this

with the minister in order to write to you. It started losing its

community. Will he give consideration to supporting the

Welsh language being the primary consideration in lower areas or by

the worst population exceeds 70%? wouldn't cover many wards. The

figure that is often used, many communities are strong communities

that are below 70% now. Only wards in Gwyneth and Conwy would come --

qualify. We have one ward in Carmarthen and others that are close

to it. I wouldn't have a definition that was that narrow. Nevertheless

it is important that the Commons that were made last week, that we

look carefully at how it may be used to help the language in the future.

Thank you. Some of the things have greater weight than others. How will

you ensure that they will be sufficient weighting given to turn

20 in any language guidelines by planning authorities? They are of

equal force. There is no hierarchy. It is important that local

authorities consider each and everyone and that they don't favour

one over another. I accept that the planning minister has suggested that

he is eager to listen to the big conversation as regards to the

revised TAN 20 but as the language standards were rejected by the

former minister, it was suggested there should be a consultation

between mid July and November regarding the proposed standards or

the standards proposed by the government and that a statement

would be prior to the consultation. We are given to the same timetable

or has there been a delay? consultation on standards will

commence in the autumn and my opinion wouldn't be appropriate to

start any consultation now in July. It is important this happens during

the autumn so a statement can be made at the beginning of next year.

Will you make a statement... I apologise. What engagement has the

bus, tyres with the Police and Crime Commissioners? -- what has the

Minister? She has regular meetings and other ministers have been in

correspondence with the commissioners on matters of mutual

interest. Despite the brilliant work of individual police officers, the

former system was incapable of demanding change. The new system

tipped the balance of power towards local democratic accountability.

Given that the role has the enormous potential to increase public

safety, something that I understand Labour and independent commissioners

are accepting, how do you respond to recognition that this democratic

element of scrutiny towards the authorities will drive them to apply

independent scrutiny. Dog --? don't think there is any evidence of

that yet. I make no further comment on that but we will have seen what

has been reported. I see no evidence at this moment in time that the

Police and Crime Commissioners will not add to scrutiny for the police.

The jury is out on that issue. We will continue to work with the

commissioners in order to reduce crime and to keep communities safe,

something we have added to with our funding of 500 community support

officers across Wales. In the last ten years, there has been an

increase in the number of women sent to prison, the majority of them

convicted of non-violent offences and having short sentences, but this

often intensifies problems that have children offending also. We know

that centres provide a lifeline for many women and provide support,

training... What are you doing to reduce women's offending and would

you agree that a community-based approach to this is having positive,

social and economic outcomes? not have any discussions personally,

but the minister will have heard what has been said. It is important

to reduce reoffending, that is crucial. Whether that is done in a

community setting, which would be the preference, in terms of any

individual, or in terms of it custodial setting, that depends on

the case. The percentage of women in the prison system tends to hover

around the 4%, 5% mark. It is difficult to give a view on whether

there are particular offenders who may not have been sent to prison in

different circumstances, like knowing their circumstances,

somebody that has worked in the system for ten years or more. We

need to have more women's prisons, because it cannot be right that were

women received sentences in custody, that they cannot serve the

sentence is close to their families, where they had been imposed. It is

important to prevent reoffending, but whether there are custodial

sentences, it is important that they serve these sentences in custody at

a reasonable distance from their loved ones. SPEAKS WELSH -

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TRANSLATION UNAVAILABLE. What is he doing to promote the big society

bank in Wales? It is called the big society Capitol

Mall, it is a matter for the UK government to promote products that

can be accessed by the entire UK. They need to provide a range of

support for organisations in Wales, including advice on potential

sources of funding. Less than a dozen of organisations in Wales have

received exerciser to capital funding by intermediaries, but one

of those is come in a, an organisation in my region. In reply

to your earlier reply, you are not frequently clear, but some have

contributed to the housing need and it mitigates your governments

failure to meet housing targets in the past? The good work is

continuing, we would encourage all organisations in Wales to source

funding from all potential sources, whether that be the UK government,

the Welsh government or of course, the European Union, where we would

see very severe financial difficulties happening in Wales.

With finance drying up for small to medium-size enterprises following

the financial crisis 2007 and not returning from then, is it not a

good time now to create a Welsh business bank at arm's-length from

government? Despite initiatives like Finance Wales, we know that small

businesses are finding it difficult to get hold of funding. There is a

state-owned bank in almost every European country. If Wales had won,

we could fill that void. First Minister, do you accept that private

sector growth is vital to the economic recovery, and if you access

that, can you explain why a Welsh business bank is not a top priority

for your government? I would argue that there are several state-owned

banks in the UK, not just the ones that we see, but some of the bigger

banks. A bank needs �100 million in working capital to begin with, it is

not a panacea, it takes a lot of money to set up. We believe that in

Finance Wales we have the situation correct and we are working with

regard to procurement, where retirement levels in Wales are far

higher than in Scotland, and despite the fact that I have noticed that

Plaid Cymru had been criticising the contract that Wales was awarded,

despite it had been awarded by one of their own ministers! What

discussions have taken place between the Welsh government and the UK

government regarding the proposal to privatise the Royal Mail? We had no

discussions with the UK government regarding these proposals, but we

would of course view any disastrous for rural communities,

and it is the same old story from the Tories, break it up, sell it

off, massive job cuts, poor services, and a quick buck on

long-time price rises, but my worry is the financial future of local

post offices in small villages would be under strain, so can you outline

how the government could cushion the blow, and have you considered if

there is a scope to default for service in Wales, where it could

provide an opportunity for a Welsh bank as well as protect services?

need to separate the Royal Mail from the post office. With regard the

Royal Mail and the post office, they are different services. We could not

Steve also Royal Mail without having a separate Welsh post service with

Welsh stamps, it is not evolved in Northern Ireland, I would not

recommend it here. We have had post office development and

diversification funds, so the post offices have to benefit from the

money benefited from the Welsh government also, but there are great

challenges make sure that the post office continues to have a business

base, because of different behaviour amongst the population, it has been

dwindling away. First Minister, I had been contacted by the owner of a

publisher in my area in which the Royal Mail is its main customer in

the area, and they are concerned about the cost structure change as

well as the future role of off, as a regulator, can you confirm about how

you will meet with the people in Wales to discuss these matters and

what you have spoken to the UK government about when talking about

the future of Royal Mail and the future restructuring for customers?

Were open to discussions with anyone's business that looks for our

help, that much is true. -- we are open. But these are things that are

being pushed forward by her party, she talks like this is different to

the party that she is a member of, that is pushing through these

changes. It is important for the Secretary of State for Wales to make

these points on behalf of of Welsh business in Cabinet, and if he does

this, we will be looking at supporting anything he might do to

support whilst governments, and look at the concerns on changing the

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 52 seconds

doing to improve working conditions for care workers? This is central to

the sustainable social services, we contribute grounds to enable the

provision of high-quality citizen centred social care. Employment

terms are the responsibility of the employer, but we would want to

ensure that employers employ fair practices when recruiting and

employing people. I was very appointed to read recently that the

number of local authorities in Wales deliberately procure the services of

adult social care workers in slots of 15 minutes. Would you agree that

this is unacceptable and not in the interest of those receiving the care

or providing a valuable service, and will you be trying to steer the

local authorities away from this appalling practice? I could not

agree more with her, the statutory guidance make the position clear. We

are aware of the recent reports that have been provided. The Deputy

Minister for social services has asked the Inspectorate to take a

review of home care services in response to the concerns that were

raised. We believe it there. Do not forget,

you can see more coverage online on the BBC website. Let's speak to our

Welsh affairs editor, he has been watching proceedings down there.

What did you make of that, alt dominating from both Leanne Wood and

the Liberal Democrat leader? -- health dominating. Slightly

different angles, Leanne Wood going on the specifics of the Betsy

Cadwallader health board. They have lost their chair, their vice-chair,

and more people saying they had no field in the health ward, but we

were pressing the Health Minister, the Health Minister insisting that

the government had at it as soon as it had found out that there were

problems at the health board. Kirsty Williams, on the other hand, she

broadened it out and talked about the staffing ratio of nurses to

patients and brought that up and in the light of what has been going on.

Carwyn Jones, that was a quiet performance from him today, he

sparked when she made reference to the mid Staffordshire situation,

more or less calls the Welsh Liberal Democrat leader irresponsible for

bringing that up and joining the connection between that and the

situation in Wales. But I had to say, at a press conference earlier

this morning, Kirsty Williams had said that some mortality statistics

at Quin Ed were the same as the mortality statistics that had alarm

bells ringing at mid Staffordshire. There is some way to go in that

particular argument. We had that slightly odd exchange between Carwyn

Jones and I knew Artie Davis at about the resignation of the

resignation, but then there was the Welsh leaders relationship with

United macro. We would have thought it was something of an open goal for

the Conservatives here in the assembly today, because of that

document holding up the relationship between the Welsh government and the

Unite union, as a model of how the relationship between the party and

the union should be. That was a union document. He spoke about the

resignation of Leighton Andrews, which I thought the Welsh minister

didn't understand, or he chose not understand it. It did seem to come

across, however valid the point being made, as the kind of question

of how many angels dancing at the head of a pin? But maybe he would

have been better off going after the Unite union straightaway. That is it