:00:27. > :00:31.Welcome to the first am.pm of 2012. It is Tuesday and that means First
:00:31. > :00:34.Minister's Questions. We are with you a bit later, which means the
:00:34. > :00:38.First Minister Carwyn Jones has finished answering questions from
:00:38. > :00:42.his colleagues. Make a new year's resolution to get in touch with us
:00:42. > :00:50.if you have any views about anything we are talking about. You
:00:51. > :00:58.can tweet, write to us, or you can can tweet, write to us, or you can
:00:58. > :01:04.can tweet, write to us, or you can Let us take a look at questions to
:01:04. > :01:08.the First Minister from earlier this afternoon.
:01:08. > :01:14.TRANSLATION: I call the National Assembly for Wales to order.
:01:14. > :01:23.Question 1. Will the First Minister outlined
:01:23. > :01:26.his priorities for the New Year? continue to create the right
:01:26. > :01:32.environment to create jobs, and also to continue with the plans we
:01:32. > :01:37.have in place to assist the economy, including the statement made this
:01:37. > :01:41.morning in Bridgend to ensure that the legislation that we have
:01:41. > :01:47.committed to taking forward his past, and of course to create a
:01:47. > :01:51.strong Wales, a strong Britain, and strong Europe. First Minister, you
:01:51. > :01:57.will be aware that concerns have been raised and serious allegations
:01:57. > :02:02.made about the management of the All Wales ethnic minorities
:02:02. > :02:06.Association. I trust you had had an opportunity to read the report,
:02:06. > :02:11.which has resulted from the inquiry into the management of that
:02:11. > :02:18.organisation. Normally I would not as good to comment, on
:02:18. > :02:24.organisations or individuals within them, but in this case, this
:02:24. > :02:29.particular association does manage �8.4 million of European projects.
:02:29. > :02:33.Can you tell us this afternoon, First Minister, do you still have
:02:33. > :02:40.confidence in the ability of the association to manage those
:02:40. > :02:44.projects, and specifically its chief executive?
:02:44. > :02:52.The allegations are serious. A full investigation is taking place, and
:02:53. > :02:57.we will comment when it has taken place. First Minister, like many
:02:57. > :03:02.people around Wales, I was sickened by reports appearing in the local
:03:02. > :03:07.and national papers have a recent weeks describing horrific attacks
:03:07. > :03:13.on domestic animals. This is something we should take seriously.
:03:13. > :03:20.There is a growing body of evidence and national -- academic research
:03:20. > :03:24.suggesting that violence towards animals and child abuse, bearing in
:03:24. > :03:29.mind the seriousness of this, could you give us your reassurances that
:03:29. > :03:33.we can make tackling this a priority for 2012? Absolutely, the
:03:33. > :03:40.legislation is there, and I would urge any member of the public aware
:03:40. > :03:46.of abuse of animals to make their concerns known to the RSPCA.
:03:46. > :03:50.TRANSLATION: First Mac, one of your priorities in your programme for
:03:50. > :03:55.Government, is to improve the health service. I'm sure you will
:03:55. > :03:58.agree that it is vital that any changes on any new proposals within
:03:58. > :04:08.the health service in Wales are transparent and accountable to the
:04:08. > :04:10.
:04:10. > :04:13.people that... So it is essential that we are part of any changes and
:04:13. > :04:19.consultations, so in the wake of any changes that will be introduced
:04:19. > :04:23.in the near future by there health ministers, does the First Minister
:04:23. > :04:28.agree that there should be for conference saw tension between the
:04:28. > :04:32.health bodies and the community, and what is the head -- what is the
:04:32. > :04:36.Government doing to ensure that occurs? TRANSLATION: I agree
:04:36. > :04:40.wholeheartedly. It is very important that the health boards
:04:40. > :04:45.consult in detail with local communities in their own areas, and
:04:45. > :04:50.there will be a scrutiny process carried out by the National
:04:50. > :04:55.Clinical Forum, and by Welsh ministers.
:04:55. > :05:01.First Minister, I was very pleased to see you saying that the economy
:05:01. > :05:06.would be a top priority in the new year. As I am sure you are aware,
:05:06. > :05:10.we welcomed the launch of the Wales economic Growth Forum in December.
:05:10. > :05:13.However I understand that the Federation of Small Business has
:05:13. > :05:17.major concerns about the practicalities of delivering the
:05:17. > :05:22.scheme, specifically about the ratio of match funding to funding
:05:22. > :05:28.available, and if timing of the deadline, which is six weeks to
:05:28. > :05:30.develop cross proposals, raise money from a minimum of �100,000,
:05:30. > :05:36.and then right and submit an application. Are you entirely
:05:36. > :05:41.satisfied with the level of applications? Yes, I am. It is
:05:41. > :05:43.inevitable that money has to be spent within a certain time period,
:05:43. > :05:47.but we are encouraged by the healthy number of applications to
:05:47. > :05:55.date. Details of those applications are obviously commercially
:05:55. > :05:59.confidential. I have to remind people that this
:05:59. > :06:05.is question-time. Please keep your preamble short, and the questions a
:06:05. > :06:08.little longer. First Minister, has the Welsh
:06:08. > :06:14.Government made any assessment of the impact the Prime Minister's
:06:14. > :06:21.recent Beatle of changes to the EU treaty will have here in Wales?
:06:21. > :06:26.will be possible to change the -- gauge the impact -- it will not be
:06:26. > :06:32.possible to gauge the impact yet. But it is important to that the UK
:06:32. > :06:37.is not marginalised in Europe. Will's' links in Europe are
:06:37. > :06:42.essential for our Mac economic prosperity. Hundreds of thousands
:06:42. > :06:45.of Welsh jobs are dependent on the links. Is it not the case that we
:06:45. > :06:50.in Wales need to continue to strengthen our links with Europe
:06:50. > :06:54.and be at the centre of decision- making, rather than engaging in the
:06:54. > :07:00.posturing displayed by David Cameron, which will on the result
:07:00. > :07:05.in isolation and a weakening of our economic interests? First of all,
:07:05. > :07:09.we in Wales have benefited handsomely from European funding.
:07:09. > :07:13.And of course there are a number of employers who are in Wales because
:07:13. > :07:18.they can access the single European market. Nothing should interfere
:07:18. > :07:25.with that access. First Minister, being in Brussels
:07:25. > :07:31.three weeks ago, it was definite that all officials were pleased to
:07:31. > :07:38.engage in all aspects of European Union. The Prime Minister's veto
:07:38. > :07:43.may not be very popular, but anything that does for the
:07:43. > :07:46.prosperity of Wales must be good. The difficulty with the Prime
:07:46. > :07:51.Minister's position is that the reality is that every other country
:07:51. > :07:55.in the European Union is going off to do its own thing and Britain is
:07:55. > :08:01.isolated. What troubles me is that the Prime Minister is somebody his
:08:01. > :08:04.in favour of the European Union, I accept him at his word for that.
:08:04. > :08:08.But it is unfortunate that those celebrating the most were those
:08:08. > :08:15.members of the Conservative Party who if they thought they would get
:08:15. > :08:21.elected would be standing under a First Minister, D likely do you
:08:21. > :08:24.agree that it is where -- do you think it is ironic that we have a
:08:24. > :08:28.UK prime minister who refused membership to the EU, but thinks he
:08:28. > :08:31.can tell Scotland when they can have a referendum on membership of
:08:31. > :08:36.the United Kingdom? What are you doing to ensure that whatever
:08:36. > :08:45.happens between the UK Government and Brussels, Wells' voice is
:08:45. > :08:49.represented by your Government. will have seen my views on Wales,
:08:49. > :08:52.there are a number of areas where there is pragmatic co-operation
:08:52. > :08:57.between the UK Government and the Welsh Government. But there will be
:08:57. > :09:01.some issues where there can be little scope for agreement. When it
:09:02. > :09:08.comes to the Scottish referendum, I always think it is unwise for UK
:09:08. > :09:12.Prime Minister to get involved in the politics of Scotland. We now
:09:12. > :09:19.move to questions from the party leaders. The first question this
:09:19. > :09:24.afternoon is from the leader of Plaid Cymru, Ieuan Wyn Jones.
:09:24. > :09:28.TRANSLATION: I am sure you will be aware that the economy is creaking.
:09:28. > :09:37.It is very possible that we will be entered recession before too long
:09:37. > :09:41.if we are not there already. As you have argued, it -- important powers
:09:41. > :09:45.on taxation lines lie in the heart of the UK Government. Isn't it
:09:45. > :09:50.astonishing that you have not written a letter on the subject of
:09:50. > :09:58.the economy to David Cameron since May? There have been a number of
:09:58. > :10:02.occasions where we have had discussions on the economy. I have
:10:02. > :10:06.communicated with Alex Salmond and Martin McGuinness on the state of
:10:06. > :10:11.the economy, but the difference for us is that we deliver and not just
:10:11. > :10:15.might. As I reminded you a little while
:10:16. > :10:20.ago, you have not written a single letter on the economy to David
:10:20. > :10:24.Cameron, but you have written a letter on electoral boundaries,
:10:24. > :10:30.which obviously demonstrates you on priorities. On another issue, First
:10:30. > :10:35.Minister, since May, the Scottish Government have published six
:10:35. > :10:40.legislative bills. You have published just one, on the crucial
:10:40. > :10:45.issue on local authority by-laws. So can I remind you, by the way,
:10:45. > :10:50.that as far as the One Wales Government was concerned, in the
:10:50. > :10:56.first two months, by 20th September 07, the Welsh Government had
:10:56. > :11:01.published three orders and three measures. You said in a statement
:11:01. > :11:04.in September 2007, caught we have taken major steps forward in
:11:04. > :11:11.bringing legislation forward. Why the delay in your own bills this
:11:11. > :11:15.time? Two white papers have also been published, as the Member knows.
:11:15. > :11:21.There is a programme of legislation which has been announced by the
:11:21. > :11:31.Government. There is no lack of ideas on this side, but as regards
:11:31. > :11:32.
:11:32. > :11:35.the Minister's own party, there were no ideas in his manifesto.
:11:35. > :11:42.are the First Minister, and it is your programme of legislation we
:11:42. > :11:47.are scrutinising. The reality -- the reality is that you have made
:11:47. > :11:51.no commence in letters to David Cameron on legislation, you
:11:51. > :11:55.published just one built in almost 12 months. So on the issue of the
:11:55. > :12:01.economy and legislation, there is a lack of action, a lack of
:12:01. > :12:06.enthusiasm, and a lack of ambition for Wales. After eight months,
:12:06. > :12:10.isn't that a very harsh criticism of your own Government?
:12:10. > :12:16.impression that I get from Plaid Cymru is an old, which has broken
:12:16. > :12:21.down at the side of the road without any fuel to go anywhere.
:12:21. > :12:26.�55 million has been put in to assist businesses. �90 million has
:12:26. > :12:31.been put in on capital. �38.9 million has been put directly into
:12:32. > :12:34.the economy, and this morning a statement about �30 million in
:12:35. > :12:39.order to facilities skills. That demonstrates that we as a
:12:39. > :12:49.Government want to deliver, and as regards Plaid Cymru, all they do is
:12:49. > :12:52.write letters. Four months ago, First Minister, your business and
:12:52. > :12:57.Enterprise Minister announced the creation of enterprise zones.
:12:57. > :13:02.Little or no more information has come out to facilitate how these
:13:02. > :13:06.enterprise zones will work. Why is this the case? We are witty for
:13:06. > :13:11.clarification on the capital allowances. We are looking to make
:13:11. > :13:19.announcement towards the end of this month. First Minister, as I
:13:19. > :13:23.understand it that information is available. Above all, some local
:13:23. > :13:27.authorities will be working with local partners to deliver the
:13:27. > :13:33.enterprise zones. Your own Minister said, what has been made clear to
:13:33. > :13:37.me over the summer, is that enterprise zones are regarded as a
:13:37. > :13:40.real focal point. Is it not time that Government officials and
:13:40. > :13:44.you're Minister started to drive this programme forward, so that
:13:44. > :13:49.people can have confidence that your Government is engaged in the
:13:49. > :13:53.economic generation of this country? We have not received the
:13:53. > :13:57.information on capital allowances. We look forward to receiving it.
:13:57. > :14:03.you look also at what senior business leaders are talking about,
:14:03. > :14:08.when you look at David Stevens for example, the chief executive, if
:14:08. > :14:16.today they were thinking of locating to a part of the United
:14:16. > :14:20.Kingdom, they would not think of Wales. The senior... One senior
:14:20. > :14:24.executive has compared your Government to something between a
:14:24. > :14:28.small Government and a local authority. When are you and your
:14:28. > :14:32.Minister going to get a grip with the economic development here in
:14:32. > :14:42.Wales, so that we can move off the bottom of the prosperity table in
:14:42. > :14:45.
:14:45. > :14:48.wells and start moving to the top We look forward to seeing that the
:14:48. > :14:51.money made available for development of the railway lines. I
:14:52. > :14:58.can tell the Leader of the Opposition that both those schemes
:14:58. > :15:05.would cost considerably less than one mile tunnel in Buckinghamshire.
:15:06. > :15:10.Money that could be used for the Welsh rail network. Leader of the
:15:10. > :15:14.Welsh Liberal Democrats, Kirsty Williams. During the elections in
:15:14. > :15:18.May last year Labour promised you would require GPs to make surgeries
:15:18. > :15:21.more accessible by opening on evenings and Saturday mornings. In
:15:21. > :15:26.the run-up to Christmas we saw a number of Health Board having to
:15:26. > :15:30.close facilities so that they could be direct their staff to a larger
:15:30. > :15:33.centres because of an issue with recruitment or retention of staff.
:15:33. > :15:37.In November you told us you were launching a campaign to attract
:15:37. > :15:41.doctors to Wales to address the staff shortages but there is still
:15:41. > :15:46.no sign of that campaign either. When will you make progress on
:15:46. > :15:53.these two health promises? Progress is being made with GP appointments.
:15:53. > :15:57.The issue is -- the other issue is to do with A&E departments, in
:15:57. > :16:02.places where staff had to be diverted. We will begin the
:16:02. > :16:07.campaign to attract new doctors into Wales this month.
:16:07. > :16:13.Thank you for that clarity. But constituents continue to raise
:16:13. > :16:17.questions about access to GPs and as far as your decision log is
:16:17. > :16:22.clear, no decision has been taken by the Health Minister to sign off
:16:22. > :16:25.on that recruitment campaign for doctors yet. If I can move on to
:16:25. > :16:31.another area where there is concern about our lack of progress, in
:16:31. > :16:39.October, your business ministers were -- this is minister scrapped a
:16:39. > :16:44.parrot scheme within the business sector. -- your Business Minister
:16:44. > :16:48.scrapped a power scheme. Could you clarify for us today that when a
:16:48. > :16:54.decision will be made on a successive project for Paris and
:16:54. > :16:58.could do now clarified that your minister has Indies set the
:16:58. > :17:01.boundaries Paul Watters enterprise zones will be and what the policy
:17:01. > :17:06.interventions will be in each of the enterprise zones because in her
:17:06. > :17:10.letter last month she had not done either? In relation to Paris, the
:17:10. > :17:15.plan is to look at putting forward a replacement scheme during the
:17:15. > :17:19.course of this month. With regard to the Enterprise Zones, we still
:17:19. > :17:25.await the information on capital allowances. We remain committed. We
:17:25. > :17:30.have had a new number of new applications for Enterprise Zones
:17:30. > :17:34.and there are being SS. That is not the question I asked you. In her
:17:34. > :17:37.letter last month, the minister confirmed she had not agreed the
:17:37. > :17:41.boundaries of the existing Enterprise Zones she had already
:17:41. > :17:45.announced, nor agreed the exact policy interventions in each of
:17:45. > :17:48.those Enterprise Zones which had been announced. Has the minister
:17:48. > :17:53.now made a decision on those two crucial strategic questions which,
:17:53. > :17:57.as of last month in December, the minister had not made a decision?
:17:57. > :18:01.Is the reality not that decision after a decision is flanked,
:18:01. > :18:06.delayed or fudged, or avoided altogether? The Housing Minister
:18:06. > :18:14.tells us that there is a need for the Government to target building
:18:14. > :18:19.of new homes. No target has been set. The Environment decision --
:18:19. > :18:22.Environment Minister and Transport Minister are keeping us waiting.
:18:22. > :18:26.Whether it is held, the economy, the Environment, Transport, your
:18:26. > :18:30.Government is failing to make the decisions of the people of Wales
:18:30. > :18:35.need. Should that not be your new year's resolution, to make these
:18:35. > :18:39.decisions? We have a number of decisions that will be announced in
:18:39. > :18:42.the very near future. There have been considered very carefully. It
:18:42. > :18:45.cannot be right to accuse the Government on one hand of
:18:45. > :18:50.prevarication and on the other hand to say that the Government should
:18:50. > :18:52.consult widely. The two things do not go together in the sense of
:18:52. > :18:57.ensuring people have the opportunity to have their say
:18:57. > :19:00.before ministers take decisions. Resume -- saw what happened with
:19:00. > :19:05.the Government of the UK with a decision about solar panels. They
:19:05. > :19:08.decided to get rid with a subsidy with her -- they decided to get rid
:19:09. > :19:12.of a subsidy before the consultation had ended. We are
:19:12. > :19:18.shown time and time again that we are to be labouring for the people
:19:18. > :19:25.of Wales and will continue to do so. -- we are delivering. Will he make
:19:25. > :19:30.a statement on homelessness in a Wales? The latest figures show a
:19:30. > :19:34.continued rise. We know it is to do with economic and housing market
:19:34. > :19:39.pressures, which the policies of the UK Government will not help but
:19:39. > :19:43.we will mitigate them. Homelessness is at a five-year high in Wales and
:19:43. > :19:48.with the rise in living costs and the cuts in housing benefits, many
:19:48. > :19:51.families face an uncertain future. I welcome your commitment to
:19:52. > :19:57.getting the long-term empty properties back into use. How are
:19:57. > :20:00.you supporting local authorities to make urgent strikes? In development
:20:00. > :20:03.we announced �5 million of new investment for a co-ordinated
:20:03. > :20:09.programme of action to tackle empty homes and it provides local
:20:09. > :20:13.authorities would be working capital for a recyclable loan fund
:20:13. > :20:18.to overcome one of the main barriers to empty homes being board.
:20:18. > :20:23.One of the main contributory factors to homelessness is mortgage
:20:23. > :20:28.repossession, either repossession of their home owned for of a
:20:28. > :20:31.landlord, where the tenant may find themselves the vulnerable. The good
:20:31. > :20:36.news is the Council of Mortgage Lenders has indicated that the
:20:36. > :20:41.number of repossessions in 2011 was below the number forecast and in
:20:41. > :20:48.Wales we know figures peaked at nearly 8,000 in 2008 but were down
:20:48. > :20:52.to around few 1000 in 2011. -- around 3,000. But we face difficult
:20:52. > :20:57.times with ongoing pressures remaining and no doubt difficult
:20:57. > :21:02.times for homeowners and landlords and tenants ahead. Was action is
:21:02. > :21:07.your Government taking in terms of future action to mitigate against
:21:07. > :21:11.mortgage repossessions, both for home owners but also where tenants
:21:11. > :21:15.are affected by a action against their landlords? We have committed
:21:15. > :21:20.�1.4 million over two years to mitigate the impact of housing
:21:20. > :21:23.benefit cuts, through advice to tenants and landlords. We have in
:21:23. > :21:27.place a comprehensive review of the existing legislation on
:21:27. > :21:30.homelessness, part of the work going towards the Housing Bill. And
:21:30. > :21:35.the homeless this grant programme supports a range of services to
:21:35. > :21:40.prevent homelessness and supports more than 100 projects across Wales.
:21:40. > :21:44.The changes to housing benefits coupled with other attacks on the
:21:44. > :21:49.welfare state will have and are already having a detrimental impact
:21:49. > :21:53.on homelessness in Wales and to me these are ideological changes and
:21:53. > :21:59.they are being carried out for to appease the Tory press, rather than
:21:59. > :22:04.being based on every evidence. The logical conclusion to Westminster
:22:04. > :22:08.taking decisions like this is that decisions should be made instead
:22:08. > :22:12.here, where we can at least make those decisions in the interests of
:22:12. > :22:18.people living in Wales, as opposed to the interests of tabloid
:22:18. > :22:23.headlines. Does the First Minister agree with that analysis? I have
:22:23. > :22:28.always been somebody who has been a strong supporter of devolution but
:22:28. > :22:32.I also cancelled carefully against taking powers without the budget
:22:32. > :22:35.following and one of the concerns I would have if housing benefit were
:22:35. > :22:38.to be completely devolved would be that the UK Government would fail
:22:38. > :22:46.to deliver the right level of financial support to enable the
:22:46. > :22:49.Government to do what it wished to do in Wales. You will have seen
:22:49. > :22:54.reports in the news last week about more people turning to payday loans
:22:54. > :23:01.to cover mortgage and rent. As more people feel the squeeze, do you
:23:01. > :23:06.agree that free bet -- 3 -- that free debt advice services help
:23:06. > :23:09.those at risk of debt? What can you Government do to pressurise the UK
:23:09. > :23:14.Government to force the banks to carry on funding free debt services
:23:14. > :23:18.after this April, when that funding is due to come to an end? And what
:23:18. > :23:26.can the Welsh Government do for two crackdown on rogue debt advice
:23:26. > :23:31.firms that hop -- a charge hidden fees to vulnerable people? We work
:23:31. > :23:36.with the Citizens Advice Cymru and other stakeholders. It is right
:23:36. > :23:46.issue so that the Serb sector providers in particular are facing
:23:46. > :23:47.
:23:47. > :23:52.pressures, -- the third sector providers. We are in close contact
:23:52. > :23:54.with the independent adviser providers Boreham in terms of
:23:54. > :23:59.supporting a not-for-profit organisations in Wales to ensure
:23:59. > :24:05.that we can help to mitigate the changes that are recurring.
:24:05. > :24:10.Question four. Will the First Minister make a statement on his
:24:10. > :24:15.Government's policies concerning the retail sector in Wales? We are
:24:15. > :24:20.currently reviewing the best way to support businesses in Wales, many
:24:20. > :24:25.of whom are retailers. We are reviewing our business policy as
:24:25. > :24:30.well. You will know that many retailers, particularly in town and
:24:30. > :24:34.city centres, complain of the impacts of out-of-town retail
:24:34. > :24:38.centres and large supermarkets. When you are putting together the
:24:38. > :24:42.promised a Bill on planning, will you be looking at this particular
:24:42. > :24:46.aspect, and what these views do you have on how we can counter that
:24:46. > :24:50.influence? Yes, it is one issue that really does resonate with
:24:50. > :24:55.members of the public. It is important that dance centres are
:24:55. > :25:00.attractive places to people to come and shop. -- town centres are
:25:00. > :25:05.attractive places for people to come and shop. We will look at how
:25:05. > :25:09.they will look. To ensure that there is sufficient business in
:25:09. > :25:15.town centres to attract people in and for retailers to be able to
:25:15. > :25:18.make a living. You spoke earlier about the importance of delivery. I
:25:18. > :25:23.am sure you will agree that there is a world of difference between
:25:23. > :25:32.words and actions when it comes to delivery. In terms of the problems
:25:32. > :25:36.affecting our supermarkets and can centres at the moment -- drowns
:25:37. > :25:41.centres, in the run-up to the Assembly elections, my party
:25:41. > :25:47.proposed a shopkeeper strategy of as one way of listening to those in
:25:47. > :25:51.the retail centre -- sector and better fitting a policy being
:25:51. > :25:54.connected to that. Would you consider a shopkeeper strategy or a
:25:54. > :25:58.wider retail strategy that really will genuinely listen to the
:25:58. > :26:03.problems that shopkeepers are having, so that we can address that
:26:03. > :26:10.problem? We always listen to the problems of small retailers and I
:26:10. > :26:14.am sure members do as part of their work as Assembly Members. It is
:26:14. > :26:19.difficult for retailers at the present, not just smaller retailers.
:26:19. > :26:23.It has been a particular challenge this year from online retailing and
:26:23. > :26:26.that Haninge will increase in years to come but it is important that we
:26:26. > :26:35.take steps and planning is one way of giving this to make sure that
:26:35. > :26:39.our towns do have a vibrant centres. TRANSLATION: thank you. With the
:26:39. > :26:46.important season of Christmas just having passed, you will be aware
:26:46. > :26:50.that the number of factors have a detrimental impact on shops in city
:26:50. > :26:55.centres and that is why we in Plaid Cymru believe there should be a
:26:56. > :27:00.retail strategy in place up in reference to the review of business
:27:01. > :27:06.rates being undertaken by Professor Brian Morgan, if his inquiry
:27:06. > :27:10.recommends enhancing the business rate relief scheme, will you be in
:27:10. > :27:14.a position to respond positively to such a recommendation? We can
:27:14. > :27:24.respond, of course, but things will depend on how much money is
:27:24. > :27:28.
:27:28. > :27:33.available. Question six. Diolch, Llywydd. Will he update us on the
:27:33. > :27:36.recent correspondence with the European Union? Yes, following
:27:36. > :27:44.December's European Council I wrote to the Prime Minister voicing my
:27:44. > :27:48.concerns that the UK was in danger of marginalising itself and the
:27:48. > :27:53.lack of consultation. He has responded and I welcome his words
:27:53. > :27:57.that the UK will remain a committed an influential member of the EU.
:27:57. > :28:01.Thank you for that answer. As has been said in the answer to an
:28:01. > :28:04.earlier question, there is particular concern that the
:28:04. > :28:14.nationalisation that might result from the exercise of the so-called
:28:14. > :28:14.
:28:14. > :28:17.beta may actually make things very difficult intercoms of conducting
:28:17. > :28:20.negotiations by capping the Common Fisheries Policy and other areas.
:28:20. > :28:24.Have you specifically raised this with the Prime Minister or any
:28:24. > :28:28.other representatives in Westminster or Brussels? I have
:28:28. > :28:32.said this publicly, where one country is marginalised without any
:28:32. > :28:38.friends or allies in Europe, that is a failure of diplomacy. It is
:28:38. > :28:43.also important to understand that the rules will continue to be drawn
:28:43. > :28:48.up by the European Commission and the European Council's but the UK's
:28:48. > :28:51.influence on those rules will be diminished as a result. UK
:28:51. > :28:56.producers will still have to follow them. It is crucial that the UK
:28:56. > :29:06.plays a strong and central role in the European Union for the good of
:29:06. > :29:06.
:29:06. > :29:10.our manufacturers and particular It is not unreasonable for us to
:29:10. > :29:14.expect that in your position as First Minister, and given the
:29:14. > :29:18.importance of improving the Welsh economy, for you to have a handle
:29:18. > :29:23.on Welsh exports. Can you explain how you got the figures so wrong in
:29:23. > :29:33.your letter to the Prime Minister, Andy except that we are the least
:29:33. > :29:33.
:29:33. > :29:38.exposed nation in the UK to EU trade? Does the member really
:29:38. > :29:43.believed... Does he believe that the Airbus would be on the side if
:29:43. > :29:49.we were not members of the European Union? The UK market is too small.
:29:49. > :29:53.The European market is very large, like so many other parts of the UK
:29:53. > :29:57.150,000 jobs in Wales rely on our membership of the European Union
:29:57. > :30:05.and access to the single European market. Without it we would lose
:30:05. > :30:10.these jobs, and on top of that our farming industry would be decimated.
:30:10. > :30:13.TRANSLATION: With Britain isolated to such an extent, are the
:30:13. > :30:17.implications of that to the interests of Wales? Would you agree
:30:17. > :30:21.that it is more important than ever that Wales has a direct voice in
:30:21. > :30:25.the European Union? TRANSLATION: Exceptionally important for that
:30:25. > :30:32.Wales has a strong voice. This is something we have built over the
:30:32. > :30:36.years. There is a full-time staff representing Wales from day to day.
:30:36. > :30:41.What discussions has the First Minister had with the Secretary of
:30:41. > :30:46.State for Wales, and with net but will, a but the electrification of
:30:46. > :30:51.the Valleys Lines? We have had a number of discussions, these
:30:51. > :30:57.continue, we have worked closely with Network Rail and others in
:30:58. > :31:02.preparing an outline business case which was submitted in December.
:31:02. > :31:07.the electrification comes out well from the Treasury business place,
:31:07. > :31:10.what will be the Next Steps? How well funding be achieved in view of
:31:10. > :31:15.the fact that this is mainly non- double funding that will be
:31:15. > :31:20.required, and what will be the timetable? Funding for railways is
:31:20. > :31:25.not devolved, so it is reasonable but people of Wales will expect to
:31:25. > :31:28.see at stunts will amount of money come into Wales. It is right to say
:31:28. > :31:33.that the electrification of the network and the lifts clarification
:31:33. > :31:42.of the line between Cardiff and Swansea would still feel -- would
:31:42. > :31:45.still be much cheaper than their tunnel being built for HS2. A if
:31:45. > :31:52.�500 million is going to Buckinghamshire, Wales deserves
:31:52. > :31:57.electrification. The minister seems to be fixated with the Secretary of
:31:57. > :32:04.State's constituency. You have your own budget, and you allocate that
:32:04. > :32:08.money accordingly. There is a perfectly reasonable question, but
:32:08. > :32:12.you'd talked more about the Secretary of State's constituency.
:32:12. > :32:18.When we start facing up to represent the people of Wales and
:32:18. > :32:21.working for the businesses of Wales? The electrification is of
:32:21. > :32:27.the valley Lines us something we Hollis support, and it is time
:32:27. > :32:31.instead of reverting back to your bunker, you engage with the
:32:31. > :32:36.Westminster Government for the betterment of Wales? The railway
:32:36. > :32:40.infrastructure is not devolve. The budget is held in Westminster, not
:32:40. > :32:45.in Cardiff. The reality is that money for electrification is held
:32:45. > :32:50.by the UK Government for the benefit of England and Wales. The
:32:50. > :32:56.point I make is quite simply this. If �500 million can be found for
:32:56. > :33:00.one mile tunnel in Buckinghamshire, then that money can be fined four
:33:00. > :33:04.valleys electrification and indeed for Cardiff and the Cardiff and
:33:04. > :33:12.Swansea electrification as well. It is a shame the Leader of the
:33:12. > :33:17.Opposition keeps on cleaving to his mistress's line. First Minister, it
:33:17. > :33:20.was in 1970 that Dr Phil Williams and I stood outside the train
:33:20. > :33:26.station calling for the electrification of the Romney
:33:26. > :33:31.Valley line. We may be getting there, but will you use your
:33:31. > :33:37.influence, please, to show a net for vacation begins at the heads of
:33:37. > :33:40.the valleys, and moves south? I fear that if electrification starts
:33:40. > :33:48.at the cities and those North, it will take another 42 years to get
:33:49. > :33:56.there? It has got to go all the way, there would be no point otherwise.
:33:56. > :34:00.The point is this. Electrification is a serious issue. When I talk of
:34:00. > :34:05.a electrification I hope in the medium to long term we see
:34:05. > :34:09.electrification across our their networks as well. But valleys and
:34:09. > :34:13.ratification would help the economy of all the committees on the
:34:13. > :34:18.network going into Cardiff, and between Cardiff and Swansea it
:34:18. > :34:23.would help those committees west of Cardiff to one Swansea as well. We
:34:23. > :34:27.will work in good faith to ensure that electrification takes place,
:34:27. > :34:34.but I think it is fair to say that if the money can be found for one
:34:34. > :34:39.tunnel, which surely can be found in Wales. What discussions has the
:34:39. > :34:44.First Minister had regarding UK Government proposals to change
:34:44. > :34:48.employment laws? I have written to express my concerns, and sought to
:34:48. > :34:54.ensure proper engagement to ensure that these proposals do not impact
:34:54. > :34:58.on the rights of the workforce in Wales. As you will be aware, the UK
:34:58. > :35:03.already has some of if not the most liberal employment legislation in
:35:03. > :35:08.Europe. Does the Welsh Government's share my view that making it even
:35:08. > :35:11.easier to sack employees will not create a single new job, when
:35:11. > :35:17.creating jobs should be the overriding priority for the
:35:17. > :35:21.Government? I felt to understand the logic of saying that at a time
:35:21. > :35:25.we are trying to create jobs, the UK Government wants to make it
:35:26. > :35:31.easier to destroy jobs. It is quite clear that by sacking one person,
:35:31. > :35:34.you do not create a job, you ensure that person is without a job. It is
:35:34. > :35:39.right that those rights that have been fought for by many working
:35:39. > :35:44.people across the UK and elsewhere, should be preserved. You'll be
:35:44. > :35:48.aware that the Government has very clearly said that they will make
:35:48. > :35:53.sure that the package of measures remained to protect people. A whole
:35:53. > :35:56.point about being able to dismiss somebody is if you are small
:35:56. > :36:01.business and you have got somebody who is useless at their job,
:36:02. > :36:05.despite the training you give them, you simply cannot improve them, and
:36:05. > :36:10.it is almost impossible to get rid of them. I speak from past
:36:10. > :36:14.experience of trying to get somebody to be terminated. You have
:36:14. > :36:18.to pay a huge amount of money. Surely what you need to do is go
:36:18. > :36:24.out and talk to small businesses in Wales about what they need in order
:36:24. > :36:28.to not get rid of jobs left, right and centre, but make sure that you
:36:28. > :36:31.have got the right person in the right job in order to make sure
:36:31. > :36:37.that small business carries on prospering in difficult economic
:36:37. > :36:42.times. It is still possible to dismiss people, as long as people
:36:42. > :36:47.have protection from being dismissed. But people should expect
:36:47. > :36:52.a minimum wage, and ultimately they should expect to be paid the same
:36:52. > :36:55.for the same job in Bridgend as in Brighton. We see with regional pay,
:36:55. > :37:01.but the objective of the UK Government is to reduce public
:37:01. > :37:07.sector wages in Wales, and that we know will have an adverse effect on
:37:07. > :37:13.the Welsh economy. TRANSLATION: The First Minister
:37:13. > :37:17.will be aware that European agency workers directive is coming into
:37:17. > :37:21.force later this month, and the right-wing press have already
:37:21. > :37:25.claimed that it will cost tens of thousands of jobs, when in reality
:37:25. > :37:29.been will be to provide more certainty for those people who are
:37:29. > :37:33.on temporary contracts. Does the Government have any picture of how
:37:33. > :37:39.this new legislation will impact upon businesses and workers
:37:39. > :37:43.specifically here in Wales? TRANSLATION: The press love to say
:37:43. > :37:49.that any new regulation will have an impact on health, safety, and
:37:49. > :37:54.employment, and it will be a negative impact on the economy and
:37:54. > :37:59.people's lives. But of course it is important that any new regulations
:37:59. > :38:04.are studied in detail so that there is not an excessively negative
:38:04. > :38:11.impact on the ability be having rails to secured an economic future
:38:11. > :38:16.for ourselves. What other Welsh Government's priorities for the
:38:16. > :38:23.Vale of Clwyd in 2012? As for other parts of Wales, they are out light
:38:23. > :38:27.in the programme for Government. Thank you for the work you have put
:38:27. > :38:31.into the Vale of Clwyd over the past years, and hope it will
:38:31. > :38:38.continue. David Cameron promised his administration would be family-
:38:38. > :38:42.friendly. That is a Tory promise, easily broken. A recent report by
:38:42. > :38:48.Institute of Fiscal Studies has revealed that a couple with two
:38:48. > :38:53.children will we �1,250 worse off by 2015. As a result of the Tory
:38:53. > :38:56.tax and benefit reforms. Were you assure me that families in the Vale
:38:56. > :39:02.of Clwyd can rely on a more modest financial approach from your
:39:02. > :39:05.Government? Yes is the answer to that. An example of what I regard
:39:05. > :39:11.as the wrong-headed approach is the fact that when it comes to child
:39:11. > :39:15.benefit, from next year families through earned �48,000 a year would
:39:15. > :39:21.lose child benefit, whereas families learnt �80,000 a year
:39:21. > :39:26.would not. That clearly is not fair, but it is I'm afraid she will how
:39:26. > :39:31.this Government has approached the issue. Give backing come back to
:39:31. > :39:39.devolved matters. The services provided by Denbighshire County
:39:39. > :39:43.Council, rather than by versions from another place. We join me in
:39:43. > :39:47.congratulating Denbighshire on being the highest performing
:39:47. > :39:51.Council in Wales based on the Welsh Government's local Government data
:39:51. > :39:55.unit. 143 performance indicators, the highest number in the top
:39:55. > :39:58.quarter in Wales. And on congratulating the leader of
:39:58. > :40:04.Denbighshire County Council on being awarded the Order of the
:40:04. > :40:09.British Empire in the Queen's New Year Honours List. Of course I will.
:40:09. > :40:14.I recommend -- a welcome any improvement in local Government,
:40:14. > :40:18.but I am saddened that it is felt that child benefit and benefits
:40:18. > :40:22.genuinely -- generally are felt unworthy of being discussed here.
:40:22. > :40:30.Don't forget you can see more proceedings from the National
:40:30. > :40:35.Assembly on BBC Wales's Democracy Live coverage. Go to the website.
:40:35. > :40:43.New Year, new addition to the am.pm so far, our political correspondent
:40:43. > :40:48.John Stephenson. We might have you back again before we consign this
:40:48. > :40:54.offer to the dustbin. It is your first goal watching First
:40:54. > :40:59.Minister's Questions. What did you make of it? My experience of the
:40:59. > :41:02.past was with Westminster. What was different was the very
:41:02. > :41:06.confrontational sessions of the Prime Minister's Questions down in
:41:06. > :41:11.Westminster. Maybe it is the nature of the Chamber itself, where they
:41:11. > :41:17.are not sitting across each other up and shouting in the Alps. But
:41:17. > :41:21.the other thing was the fact that the end this -- the Assembly has
:41:21. > :41:28.its own defined areas of responsibility. What was striking
:41:28. > :41:34.was the interchange between the responsibilities, a meshing of
:41:34. > :41:38.responsibilities. For example, the argument about rail electrification.
:41:38. > :41:42.Carwyn Jones pointed out that the money is in fact held by the
:41:42. > :41:47.Westminster Government. Same with the referendum on Scottish
:41:47. > :41:51.independence. Simon Thomas bringing in the element of a referendum on
:41:51. > :41:56.membership of the European Union. So there is a joining together of
:41:56. > :42:01.Scotland, Wales and the UK Parliament. A but dynamic has
:42:01. > :42:09.changed since the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats took over
:42:09. > :42:13.governing the UK. We did to get a sense, didn't we, it is described
:42:13. > :42:19.as the respect their gender. We got a sense there is no respecter
:42:19. > :42:23.agenda between the Welsh and UK Government. We have now got a
:42:23. > :42:28.Labour Government, whereas previously it was a coalition
:42:28. > :42:32.between Plaid Cymru, and it was clear by Ieuan Wyn Jones's
:42:32. > :42:36.questioning that there is a lack of respect there. He went out of his
:42:36. > :42:42.way to point to the achievements as he saw them in the first few months
:42:42. > :42:47.of the coalition Government, and pointing out once again what he saw
:42:47. > :42:55.as the perceived lack of action on behalf of Carwyn Jones. Certainly a
:42:55. > :42:59.lack of respect between the Welsh minister -- Westminster, and Plaid
:42:59. > :43:04.Cymru. We have got local Government
:43:04. > :43:09.elections later in the year. Do you expect that the nearer they get,
:43:10. > :43:13.the more tetchy the parties will get within the Chamber? Yes, that
:43:13. > :43:18.is the additional dynamic. Not just local Government elections, but
:43:18. > :43:23.whenever there is an election, whether for a parish council of
:43:23. > :43:28.politicians, they are very keen to get their own party viewpoint into