:00:25. > :00:29.Good afternoon, welcome to AM/PM, which will include coverage of
:00:29. > :00:33.First Minister's Questions and analysis, and the latest political
:00:33. > :00:36.news from our Welsh Affairs Editor. Before we bring you the weekly
:00:36. > :00:39.questions to Carwyn Jones, I will give you the opportunity to get in
:00:39. > :00:41.touch with us. If you want to touch with us. If you want to
:00:41. > :00:51.comment on anything on the programme or any other political
:00:51. > :00:52.
:00:52. > :00:55.news, you can contact us using the Business in the chamber is already
:00:55. > :01:05.under way, but let's catch up with today's questions to the First
:01:05. > :01:07.
:01:07. > :01:12.I call the National Assembly for Wales to order. Items for one,
:01:12. > :01:15.questions to the First Minister. Question 1, William Powell. What
:01:15. > :01:25.are the world Government's priorities for Animal Health and
:01:25. > :01:26.
:01:26. > :01:31.Ensuring contingency measures are in place to prevent Ann Ming
:01:31. > :01:35.curtain of bovine TB. We encourage the need to improve welfare
:01:35. > :01:44.standards at a time of animal slaughter and at a time in need to
:01:44. > :01:47.comply with the law. As you are Wear, last week's what reductions
:01:47. > :01:51.in farm gate prices for dairy farmers have come at a time when
:01:51. > :01:55.feed prices have been soaring and the current adverse weather has
:01:55. > :01:59.driven herds indoors, depleting existing stocks and threatening
:01:59. > :02:03.next year's supplies. Taken together, these factors are driving
:02:03. > :02:06.dairy farmers in many cases to the edge of bankruptcy and the
:02:06. > :02:10.political action we expect to see tomorrow. With these impacts in
:02:10. > :02:14.mind, what specific contingencies are in place to deal with the
:02:14. > :02:18.potential animal health and welfare crisis in Wales in the dairy sector
:02:18. > :02:23.should these factors combine to suddenly forced dairy farmers out
:02:23. > :02:26.of business? We will always look to ensure that Amar help and Bob their
:02:26. > :02:30.standards are kept high. I know that things are difficult for dairy
:02:30. > :02:33.farmers. The deputy minister for agriculture has written to the UK
:02:33. > :02:37.government, suggesting that the role of the proposed super market
:02:37. > :02:40.adjudicators should be strengthened, given the difficulties that dairy
:02:40. > :02:45.farmers are experiencing at the moment, both in terms of the
:02:45. > :02:50.weather and in terms of price. First Minister, do you agree with
:02:50. > :02:56.me that when Welsh livestock have been Riad according to the highest
:02:56. > :03:02.standards of welfare, that they should be processed humanely at
:03:02. > :03:04.abattoirs? Professor Bill Reilly, former President of the British
:03:04. > :03:09.Veterinary Association, said that slaughter without stunning should
:03:09. > :03:13.be proportionate to action demand from those in religious communities,
:03:13. > :03:18.which are legally exempt from the requirement to Stam. When you
:03:18. > :03:21.confirm that your government is fully opposed that -- to these
:03:22. > :03:26.exemptions being exploited as a cost-cutting exercise, simply to
:03:26. > :03:31.avoid the expense of running a Stanning unit, particularly at any
:03:31. > :03:35.premises which has benefited from Welsh government grant money.
:03:35. > :03:39.Absolutely, there are religious exemptions and they are exemptions
:03:39. > :03:43.based purely on religious belief. They should not be used as a
:03:43. > :03:47.backdoor way of processing animals. If there are any examples that the
:03:47. > :03:57.member is able to give to me, whether that is on a confidential
:03:57. > :04:01.basis, I am happy to accept that, we will investigate thoroughly.
:04:01. > :04:04.TRANSLATION: First Minister, if I may endorse the comments made on
:04:04. > :04:07.the dairy industry in Wales, and you will be aware of this bit in
:04:08. > :04:12.your previous posts in government. I wasn't entirely clear from your
:04:12. > :04:17.response whether you accept that the situation is now critical in
:04:17. > :04:20.terms of dairy farmers in Wales. They find themselves in a situation
:04:20. > :04:23.where prices for their produce can fall overnight, and yet they are
:04:23. > :04:27.tied into contracts whereby they will have to wait for 12 months
:04:27. > :04:31.before they can be released from those contracts. I was very pleased
:04:31. > :04:36.to hear about what the deputy minister has been doing, but do you
:04:36. > :04:39.now believed the world government needs to ensure that there is a
:04:39. > :04:47.programme of action in place to safeguard this important industry
:04:47. > :04:50.in Wales? Of course, the problem is a problem of price. That is
:04:50. > :04:54.something that the UK government will have influence on. We welcome
:04:54. > :04:59.the fact that they are to put in place is of a market adjudicator.
:04:59. > :05:05.It is very important that individual has the adequate powers
:05:05. > :05:09.to ensure that dairy farmers are given fairness in terms of price.
:05:09. > :05:13.Things have been exceptionally poor in terms of whether this year. Many
:05:13. > :05:17.cattle haven't been able to graze outdoors because of the poor
:05:17. > :05:22.weather. We know that, and that means that the costs for farmers
:05:22. > :05:27.are higher because they do have to buy in feed rather than allowing
:05:27. > :05:31.cattle to graze as they usually Ward. As I said, the minister has
:05:31. > :05:39.written in order to ensure the adjudicator has sufficient powers
:05:39. > :05:42.to assist the dairy industry. is the Welsh government planning to
:05:42. > :05:48.reduce the numbers of people living in poverty in Wales over the next
:05:48. > :05:52.four years? Last week we published an hour action plan, which sets out
:05:52. > :05:54.activity over the next four years to reduce poverty. Helping people
:05:55. > :05:59.to improve their skills and qualifications, and action to
:05:59. > :06:02.mitigate the impact of poverty here and now. We isn't figures have
:06:02. > :06:06.shown that there has been a significant fall in child poverty
:06:06. > :06:10.in Wales, but those figures are expected to rise again in the next
:06:10. > :06:13.few years. But according to Save the Children, another 6000 more
:06:13. > :06:18.people - that children are being pushed into poverty next year
:06:18. > :06:22.because of spending cuts in the UK Coalition's changes to benefit.
:06:22. > :06:28.What impact is this having other what governments work in trying to
:06:28. > :06:31.protect our poorest children? have established a ministerial task
:06:31. > :06:35.and Finnish group that is undertaking a comprehensive
:06:35. > :06:38.assessment on the two Miller to have effects on the benefit changes.
:06:38. > :06:42.Whilst we can't pick up the financial burden of the changes
:06:42. > :06:50.driven by Whitehall, we can wherever possible use the results
:06:50. > :06:54.of this assessment to target our assessment to help mitigate them.
:06:54. > :06:59.First Minister, according to Age Alliance Wales, more than 100,000
:06:59. > :07:05.older people live in poverty in Wales. Many struggled to make ends
:07:05. > :07:09.meet and are worried about paying their food bills in winter. Does
:07:09. > :07:13.the First Minister agree that measures to tackle fuel poverty are
:07:13. > :07:17.important in fighting poverty in general, and will he join me in
:07:17. > :07:22.welcoming the Westminster government's warm home discount
:07:22. > :07:29.scheme, which offers pensioners on low incomes and other vulnerable
:07:29. > :07:34.households to help with the cost of their fuel bills? We have over the
:07:34. > :07:39.years had schemes which make sure that pensioners are able to heat
:07:39. > :07:43.their homes at an affordable rate in the winter. But I have to say I
:07:43. > :07:47.regret the fact that it seems the ideas being floated by the member's
:07:47. > :07:49.party that the winter fuel allowance should be kept for some
:07:49. > :07:56.pensioners and that free prescriptions to be kept for some
:07:56. > :08:04.pensioners as well. Research published last week said that 1
:08:04. > :08:08.million children are going hungry. That is across the whole of Britain.
:08:08. > :08:13.And they used the word that children are starving. Whilst we
:08:13. > :08:17.need to be careful in how we address this information, it is
:08:17. > :08:22.something that has been raised with me by people who deliver services
:08:22. > :08:26.to children. I wondered what the government thinks might be
:08:26. > :08:30.necessary to ensure that we are doing the best possible to ensure
:08:30. > :08:36.that children are properly fed. recognise that good banks can be
:08:36. > :08:40.invaluable to those people who find themselves in need. -- food banks.
:08:40. > :08:44.We are looking to explore the links which can be made between existing
:08:44. > :08:48.food banks in Wales and relevant programmes in the Social Fund. But
:08:48. > :08:53.what people need is a decent amount of money to live on. And ultimately,
:08:53. > :08:59.better skills and more jobs. We now move to questions from the party
:08:59. > :09:03.leaders. We have the leader of Plaid Cymru, Leanne Wood. First
:09:03. > :09:10.Minister, do you stand by the words that you gave to this Assembly on
:09:10. > :09:14.1st May this year, when you told us that the Marcus Longleat report is
:09:14. > :09:18.not a government report? If that is the case, I would ask you to
:09:18. > :09:23.reflect fully on the content of the e-mail exchanges which have come to
:09:24. > :09:30.light today. Those e-mails clearly show collusion and and intend to
:09:30. > :09:33.make facts fit a predetermined conclusion. Professor Longley says
:09:33. > :09:40.and does e-mails, I quote, on reflection, the evidence as
:09:40. > :09:43.presented does not seem to be as incisive as we might have hoped.
:09:43. > :09:48.First Minister, can you tell us whether your health minister is
:09:49. > :09:54.included in that we? Was she involved directly or indirectly in
:09:54. > :10:04.that e-mail exchange? No. First Minister, we are very used to
:10:04. > :10:05.
:10:06. > :10:10.Labour spin and sexing up of Garcia's. -- de CEOs. Is it really
:10:10. > :10:14.credible that your health minister didn't know what was going on, that
:10:14. > :10:20.she had no involvement? That if she didn't know, don't you see that
:10:20. > :10:23.that is a problem? Doesn't it show incompetence? Can you afford
:10:23. > :10:26.incompetence in your health minister? I'm sorry to have thrown
:10:26. > :10:30.the leader of Plaid Cymru off script, but let's see what she is
:10:30. > :10:34.suggesting. That they is a conspiracy between the whole of the
:10:34. > :10:39.world government, the Welsh NHS consideration and a distinguished
:10:39. > :10:43.independent academic, to produce a report that does Wales and the NHS
:10:43. > :10:46.down. Can I ask her if she really believes that the ministers that
:10:46. > :10:49.she had or her party had in government in the last government
:10:50. > :10:54.had knowledge of every single e- mail their officials sent? Is that
:10:54. > :10:59.really what she is saying? I've seen the e-mails and I challenge
:10:59. > :11:04.her now. If she can point, now she has had her third question, but
:11:04. > :11:08.over some course of the next few days, to produce the evidence that
:11:08. > :11:13.backs up the serious allegation, I wait to see what that evidence
:11:13. > :11:18.looks like. I have the e-mails here. I challenge her over this afternoon
:11:18. > :11:23.and the next few days to point to which of these e-mails supports
:11:23. > :11:26.such the conclusion as she makes. A collaboration and collusion between
:11:26. > :11:34.several different levels of government and an independent
:11:34. > :11:37.academic. I find it cowardly. I find it cowardly to besmirch the
:11:37. > :11:43.repetition of an independent academic, who has been critical of
:11:43. > :11:47.what government in years gone by, at a time when he cannot answer.
:11:47. > :11:52.Order, order. We now move to the leader of the Welsh Liberal
:11:52. > :11:56.Democrats, Kirsty Williams. Actually, the Oxford English
:11:56. > :12:00.Dictionary defines Independent as free from outside control, not
:12:00. > :12:04.subject to another authority, not belonging to or supported by a
:12:04. > :12:08.political party. When your health minister described the case for
:12:08. > :12:12.change report as independent, which definition of the word was she
:12:12. > :12:14.using? I challenge the leader of the Liberal Democrats to produce
:12:14. > :12:18.the evidence that backs up the suggestion that the report wasn't
:12:18. > :12:23.independent. The health minister told us that the case for change
:12:23. > :12:28.had been, I quote, approach from a completely independent position. He
:12:28. > :12:31.has no partisan position to promote. This report constitutes strong
:12:31. > :12:36.evidence from a clinical perspective, not a political one.
:12:36. > :12:44.In fact, what does e-mails show was that her officials were hand-in-
:12:44. > :12:51.glove, nudging and influencing the author of that report to set out, I
:12:51. > :12:55.quote, a persuasive vision of the government's agenda. How can the
:12:55. > :13:02.public have any confidence that any proposals that are brought forward
:13:02. > :13:06.on the basis of independent and academic evidence? I have the male
:13:06. > :13:10.in front of the added says nothing of the sort. It does not behold the
:13:10. > :13:16.leader of a political party to distort e-mails in order to support
:13:16. > :13:21.her tenuous case. I say to her once again, produce the evidence that
:13:21. > :13:25.there has been collusion, or has she does not read the e-mails?
:13:25. > :13:32.read the e-mails and they are a shocking indictment. If you're
:13:32. > :13:37.Minister knew about it or if she doesn't. You have a health minister
:13:37. > :13:41.who gives out handouts, who gives handouts to health boards which
:13:41. > :13:45.have overspent their budget but says it's not a bail-out. She sees
:13:45. > :13:50.local services, local hospitals stripped of services but describes
:13:50. > :13:55.it as not a downgrading. And when her department puts pressure on the
:13:55. > :13:59.author of a report to make it, I quote, more positive, she describes
:13:59. > :14:03.that as independent. How can you and the Welsh public have any
:14:03. > :14:07.confidence in their Health Minister that refuses to be straight with
:14:07. > :14:13.them? That is the most pathetic contribution I've ever heard from
:14:13. > :14:17.any leader in this chamber. I have asked her to produce the evidence
:14:17. > :14:20.that there was collusion. She has failed miserably. I have asked her
:14:20. > :14:24.to produce the evidence that somehow the content of the report
:14:24. > :14:27.was altered as a result of pressure. She has failed miserably. She is
:14:27. > :14:32.wise not to make these comments outside this chamber, I would
:14:32. > :14:37.suggest. But once again, it is an example of the Liberal Democrats
:14:37. > :14:40.trying to throw mud macro -- mud around without trying to get to the
:14:40. > :14:44.detail. I say to her once again, where is the evidence there was any
:14:44. > :14:54.pressure or collusion? We should go beyond cheap political point-
:14:54. > :14:57.
:14:57. > :15:01.scoring which the Liberal Democrats Leader of the opposition. I hear it
:15:01. > :15:05.your comments to the other parties in the Chamber and it would seem
:15:05. > :15:11.evident that there is enough doubt to pose a question in people's
:15:11. > :15:18.minds about these e-mails. One of them to Chris Jones, the medical
:15:18. > :15:24.director, talks of discussing a critical piece of the jigsaw in the
:15:24. > :15:29.argument and then goes on to say, we cannot stay as we are just
:15:29. > :15:33.looking for outcomes. Talking as a collective, the academic and the
:15:33. > :15:38.Civil Service. These e-mails do require explanation because the
:15:38. > :15:43.cast sufficient doubt in people's minds that this is they are
:15:43. > :15:47.sufficiently independent report to base the Government's conclusion on
:15:47. > :15:54.the Welsh NHS. Of course we cannot stay the way we are. That is not a
:15:54. > :15:59.surprise. If he can point to anything in this e-mail trail that
:15:59. > :16:02.suggests that the content was altered, of pressure was applied
:16:03. > :16:08.and the content of the report was altered, then I wait to see the
:16:08. > :16:15.results of the evidence that he purports to offer. With respect, I
:16:15. > :16:20.quoted verbatim from one of the e- mails. Do you not agree that that
:16:20. > :16:23.type of language, if analysed by someone in the community facing the
:16:23. > :16:29.closure of their emergency department or other medical
:16:29. > :16:32.facility, with put sufficient doubt in their minds, that your
:16:32. > :16:40.government is supposedly based in these proposals on an independent
:16:40. > :16:43.report. I put it to you that this report clearly is holed below the
:16:43. > :16:48.waterline and therefore any conclusions flowing from it are not
:16:48. > :16:56.able to stand up to scrutiny. is the most ridiculous comment I
:16:56. > :17:00.have ever heard. Let us see what a fair-minded person would do looking
:17:00. > :17:05.at this e-mail trail. It is the most tenuous political story I have
:17:05. > :17:09.ever come across. Where is the evidence that the content was
:17:09. > :17:18.Aldridge? Where is the evidence that Marcus Longley was put under
:17:18. > :17:23.pressure? Where it is the evidence that markers Longley, that his own
:17:23. > :17:26.health spokesman described him as a government stooge? What I heard
:17:26. > :17:31.this morning on the radio was a Conservative health spokesperson
:17:31. > :17:37.who did his best to wreck the academic reputation of Professor
:17:37. > :17:45.Marcus Longley. I take no objection to attacks on politicians, we
:17:45. > :17:51.expect them. Order. We all expect give and take in the robust
:17:51. > :17:56.exchanges we have in this Chamber. But to attack an academic was below
:17:56. > :18:01.the belt. I heard his comments and judging by conversations I have had
:18:01. > :18:06.this morning, he would do well to take legal advice. I also say to
:18:06. > :18:09.the BBC that they need to examine their position as well. Because
:18:09. > :18:17.there was a clearly defamatory statement that appeared on the BBC
:18:17. > :18:22.website this morning. It is cowardice to attack the reputation
:18:22. > :18:29.of an academic, to try to suggest he is independent and to try to run
:18:29. > :18:34.his repetition in the Aqaba -- the academic world. Is his party well-
:18:34. > :18:41.served by health spokesperson for shows such lack of judgment, such
:18:41. > :18:46.lack of sense and such a slovenly approach to the facts? First
:18:46. > :18:55.Minister, stop trying to deflect from your own health minister's
:18:55. > :18:58.combatants. The point is your health spokesperson's competence
:18:58. > :19:08.and whether she was aware of the facts that are contained within
:19:08. > :19:17.these e-mails, that were supposedly to help him produce an independent
:19:17. > :19:21.report. Order. I'm very interested in what the leader of the
:19:21. > :19:26.opposition is saying. And for quite clear reasons you're trying to do
:19:26. > :19:36.this. This is typical Welsh Labour trying to pull itself out of a
:19:36. > :19:38.
:19:38. > :19:44.whole. The fact of the matter... Are you coming to a question?
:19:44. > :19:49.Minister, will you not oblige the scrutiny of this institution by
:19:49. > :19:52.making available the Health Minister and her officials to the
:19:52. > :19:58.health committee so they can be scrutinised on his along with the
:19:58. > :20:02.NHS Confederation and should Marcus Longleat so chose, come before that
:20:02. > :20:06.committee so the whole piece of this jigsaw can be put together. It
:20:06. > :20:11.is about community's health care provision and touches a raw nerve
:20:11. > :20:15.across the whole of the country. course the Health Minister will be
:20:15. > :20:20.made available. But I just heard the leader of the opposition
:20:20. > :20:25.accused me of besmirching the repetition of Professor Marcus
:20:25. > :20:29.Longleat! His own health spokesperson, who is not here, was
:20:30. > :20:33.on the radio this morning at using markers long week of conniving,
:20:34. > :20:39.that was the word he used, with the NHS Confederation and the Welsh
:20:39. > :20:42.government. He could not have done more to try to wreck the academic
:20:42. > :20:48.reputation of Professor Marcus Longley. And he accuses me of doing
:20:48. > :20:53.it! He should look carefully at his own health spokesperson and at what
:20:53. > :21:00.he said and then decide whether in fact he should remain in his job.
:21:00. > :21:10.We now move to a larger part of the agenda, perhaps. Question number
:21:10. > :21:10.
:21:11. > :21:19.three. Will the First Minister outlined
:21:19. > :21:25.his current priorities for the economy of South Wales?
:21:25. > :21:35.Were the priorities are set out in the Programme for Government.
:21:35. > :21:36.
:21:36. > :21:41.leader of the opposition has not thrown in the towel on that issue!
:21:41. > :21:46.You are now speaking as a constituency member. Could you a
:21:46. > :21:50.blind how much of the �40 million that you announced in the March
:21:50. > :21:58.fund for small and medium-sized businesses, has actually found its
:21:58. > :22:03.way to small businesses in South Wales Central? What I can say is it
:22:03. > :22:08.has supported the creation of more than 4000 jobs. It was very popular
:22:08. > :22:11.amongst the small-business community.
:22:11. > :22:15.I have received representations from serving police officers in
:22:15. > :22:18.South Wales Central concerned about the implications of the winter
:22:18. > :22:23.report and the economic impact on our area. The Windsor report
:22:23. > :22:27.recommends cuts to pay and pensions alone chief constables to make
:22:27. > :22:33.compulsory redundancies and the introduction of correct entry
:22:33. > :22:36.recruitment to the higher ranks of the police force. I recently met
:22:36. > :22:39.with Scottish justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill who has rejected
:22:39. > :22:45.the Windsor report much to the delight of police officers in
:22:45. > :22:49.Scotland. Why it will you not pursued the devolution of the
:22:49. > :22:54.police when the alternative is to allow Theresa May to impose her
:22:54. > :23:02.will on Welsh police services? Eight is an important issue and
:23:02. > :23:06.should be dealt with. As a government we are developing our
:23:06. > :23:15.response. And that will include proposals for devolution in a
:23:15. > :23:20.number of areas. An announcement on the elective
:23:20. > :23:29.occasion of the valleys is imminent and will have massive impact on the
:23:29. > :23:34.economy of South Wales century. Crucial to any transport system is
:23:34. > :23:37.that part so that Lin together effectively. Have a new scenario
:23:37. > :23:47.plans being developed to take advantage of electrification if we
:23:47. > :23:50.
:23:50. > :23:59.do get it? Our position as a government, we see that including
:23:59. > :24:03.different valley Lines. Otherwise trains would not be able to run
:24:03. > :24:07.through as they do now. When the opportunity presents itself we will
:24:07. > :24:13.look to see how integration can be maximised once the announcement is
:24:13. > :24:17.made. What discussion as the First
:24:17. > :24:27.Minister had with the UK government ministers from the Department of
:24:27. > :24:32.Culture, Media and Sports? We have regular discussions.
:24:32. > :24:36.Local television has the potential to provide viewers with the local
:24:36. > :24:41.perspective on issues affecting the daily as well as being a powerful
:24:41. > :24:45.tool to promote community engagement. Last year the UK
:24:45. > :24:50.government produced a local media action plan for local television
:24:50. > :24:52.stations including six occasions in Wales. Will the First Minister
:24:52. > :24:56.flies were discussion his government has had with the
:24:56. > :25:04.Department of Culture with regards to promoting local television in
:25:04. > :25:08.Wales? I discussed the matter with Jeremy Hunt when I met him. I am
:25:08. > :25:12.sceptical that local TB would be successful in six locations across
:25:12. > :25:17.Wales. We know there has been a chequered history in terms of what
:25:17. > :25:23.has happened in other parts of the UK. But anything that broadens
:25:23. > :25:27.broadcast output in Wells has to be welcomed.
:25:27. > :25:30.Does the First Minister welcome the news that Cardiff is set to hold
:25:30. > :25:34.the 2014 UEFA Super Cup and canny indicate what arrangements are
:25:34. > :25:40.being made to ensure that this major sporting event has the
:25:40. > :25:47.potential to benefit the wider economy? I very much welcome it. It
:25:47. > :25:51.is a major European event and we can promote them events like the
:25:51. > :25:56.Champions' League final. We will discuss how best to maximise the
:25:56. > :26:00.benefits beyond the immediate area of Cardiff.
:26:00. > :26:05.First Minister, we in this Chamber at know about the problems that
:26:05. > :26:10.occurred in terms of the negotiation of the Budget. And the
:26:11. > :26:16.BBC licence. Have there been any discussions regarding any long-term
:26:16. > :26:20.agreements, once this licence-fee period comes to a close? And what
:26:20. > :26:26.discussions have you had to ensure that the same problems that have
:26:26. > :26:35.occurred in the past will actually occur in the future?
:26:35. > :26:41.I have discussed the situation with the BBC. And the situation has been
:26:41. > :26:45.resolved in a way over the short term but there was more work to be
:26:45. > :26:55.done to make sure that the service thrives. That is something we will
:26:55. > :26:55.
:26:55. > :27:01.be discussing further. In terms of sport, the close road
:27:01. > :27:05.cycling event will take place this September building on the excellent
:27:05. > :27:10.event last year which raised an estimated �1.8 million for the
:27:10. > :27:13.local economy. When you look at the growth potential for this event and
:27:13. > :27:22.to have to expand this and other complementary sports events which
:27:22. > :27:27.could generate Sidmouth and leisure tourism revenue?
:27:27. > :27:33.We will always look to support an event that is successful and has
:27:33. > :27:36.the potential to develop. Will the first men's to highlight
:27:36. > :27:41.what help is contained in a programme for government to support
:27:41. > :27:45.people on low incomes and benefits? Won the action plan demonstrates
:27:45. > :27:49.how the Welsh government plays a vital role improving the lives of
:27:49. > :27:51.local families are. I welcomed the support you highlighted in the
:27:51. > :27:58.programme for government but I'm concerned about figures highlighted
:27:58. > :28:03.by the BBC last week are identifying an estimated 9000
:28:03. > :28:06.families that will lose almost �4,000 per year under the
:28:06. > :28:11.reconfiguration of the working families tax credits. I was also
:28:11. > :28:20.dismayed by David Cameron's proposals that people under the
:28:20. > :28:24.aged 25 could lose their right to housing benefit. What can we do in
:28:24. > :28:29.Wales to furthers his people on low incomes and benefits should these
:28:29. > :28:34.proposals come to a fruition? the current climate looks set to
:28:34. > :28:37.remain and is difficult problem. Were helping all we can do persist
:28:37. > :28:43.households have we are taking forward a financial strategy
:28:43. > :28:48.widening access to credit. Few could disagree that we must
:28:48. > :28:53.fight the causes of poverty at their source. And in your programme
:28:53. > :28:58.for government update you say that devolved policy areas are crucially
:28:58. > :29:03.important for the longer term. Your party's was once in devolved policy
:29:03. > :29:08.areas however has been 13 years of broken promises, enders strategies,
:29:08. > :29:10.many intentions and mere lip service. When you reassure the
:29:10. > :29:14.people of Wales that in the areas of policy would you don't have
:29:14. > :29:18.direct control over, that you will raise standards during this
:29:18. > :29:21.assemblage M? The people of Wales to have
:29:21. > :29:31.confidence in what we're doing here, the opinion poll last week shows
:29:31. > :29:39.
:29:39. > :29:43.Jocelyn Davies. Without diminishing capital budget, I'm sure you'd
:29:43. > :29:47.agree that finding new ways to fund capital projects is a priority, in
:29:47. > :29:52.order to boost the economy, eight economic growth and create jobs. So
:29:52. > :29:56.what is your view on the potential future use of PFI? We are very
:29:56. > :30:01.sceptical of it. We know that the past history of it has shown it
:30:01. > :30:06.comes at great expense. Nevertheless, we are exploring ways
:30:06. > :30:09.of levering as much as possible into our capital programme. I know
:30:09. > :30:14.that the finance minister is exploring those options at the
:30:14. > :30:18.moment. Will the First Minister make a statement on the world
:30:18. > :30:21.government's priorities for South Wales East? Yes, the priorities of
:30:21. > :30:26.found in the programme for government. A rather predictable
:30:26. > :30:30.answer. Could I ask you what is your Government's policy regarding
:30:30. > :30:35.the reassurance of that general public, regarding the installation
:30:35. > :30:40.of incinerators? Clearly there is a public process to go through, but
:30:40. > :30:44.surely your government has a policy of reassurance? Any incinerators or
:30:44. > :30:48.any energy from waste plants would have to operate within the strict
:30:48. > :30:53.guidelines laid down by the Environment Agency. Although we
:30:53. > :30:56.seek to promote recycling first and foremost, as well as we used. But
:30:56. > :31:01.there will be a residue of waste that has to be dealt with either
:31:01. > :31:08.through a diminishing stock of landfill or through energy from
:31:08. > :31:11.waste plants. Developing the prosperity of the south-east relies
:31:11. > :31:14.heavily on the transport infrastructure, in order for goods
:31:14. > :31:18.and people to move in and out of the area, and to attract business
:31:18. > :31:23.and jobs into the region. It is understandable that businesses and
:31:23. > :31:26.people in the immediate area are concerned of the proposals on the
:31:26. > :31:30.M4 corridor and have spent Measures Programme, to close access to the
:31:30. > :31:33.motorway junctions at 25 and 26 eastbound. What assurances can you
:31:33. > :31:38.give that any infrastructure developments will not be made at
:31:39. > :31:42.the expense of the economy? They are designed to enhance the economy.
:31:42. > :31:48.Where there are options, we will listen carefully to any views that
:31:48. > :31:54.are made on those options during the consultation process. Question
:31:54. > :31:59.seven, Peter Black. Will the First Minister make a statement on the
:31:59. > :32:03.world government's autism policy? yes, autistic spectrum disorders
:32:03. > :32:06.action plan has delivered the infrastructure within authorities.
:32:06. > :32:12.It has enable training for professionals and raised awareness
:32:12. > :32:16.of a St. It might also raise the awareness of some of the failures
:32:16. > :32:21.in that plan. The National autism society Wales SA47 % of parents in
:32:21. > :32:26.Wales wait longer than three years for a diagnosis, compared with 34 %
:32:26. > :32:30.in England. Constituents have failed to get the expert advice
:32:30. > :32:35.they need because there is no autism expert based in this part of
:32:35. > :32:38.Wales. Can I ask the Minister what is the action plan to win to put
:32:38. > :32:42.that right, and what time scale are we looking at? For this financial
:32:42. > :32:46.year, �2 million is available to continue the development and
:32:46. > :32:51.implementation of the action plan. That includes the development of
:32:51. > :32:56.diagnostic and counselling services for adults with a St and children's
:32:56. > :32:59.diagnostic services. We are working with the National autistic Society
:32:59. > :33:02.and others to undertake consultation, to identify the key
:33:02. > :33:12.issues that need to be taken forward in the future as part of
:33:12. > :33:16.the plan. In the real world, early intervention depends on statements
:33:16. > :33:19.and statements depend on diagnosis. We know from a 2010 report recently
:33:19. > :33:23.leaked, but with the Welsh government for 16 months prior to
:33:23. > :33:28.that, that there were concerns raised about children's diagnosis.
:33:28. > :33:32.How do you therefore also respond to concerns raised at the recent
:33:32. > :33:36.crop sporty autism group by M Asperger's syndrome pioneer. I
:33:36. > :33:41.quote him as saving, adults in Wales are worried about how the
:33:41. > :33:45.autism action plan is leaving them out, especially with diagnostic
:33:45. > :33:50.services identifying adults on the spectrum. The money that I referred
:33:50. > :33:54.to earlier is designed to develop diagnostic services and to support
:33:54. > :33:57.projects for people with Asperger's. We would expect the action plan,
:33:57. > :34:02.together with the money that is made available, to ensure that
:34:02. > :34:12.people get the diagnosis they need as quickly as possible, and
:34:12. > :34:14.
:34:14. > :34:18.TRANSLATION: First Minister, two of my constituents came to see me last
:34:18. > :34:25.week. They have a son on the autistic spectrum. They said that
:34:25. > :34:29.the fact that he had had an iPad for him, it made a great difference
:34:29. > :34:34.in his conduct and ability to learn. There are such devices available
:34:34. > :34:38.especially for people suffering with autism. Has your government
:34:38. > :34:41.undertaken any research into this and would you be willing to
:34:41. > :34:48.consider insuring that people on the spectrum could have access to
:34:48. > :34:53.these kinds of devices, as you progress in your consultation on
:34:53. > :34:58.the autism plan up to 2015? TRANSLATION: That's an interesting
:34:58. > :35:04.idea and I do hope it's an idea that will be mentioned during the
:35:04. > :35:10.consultation that will take place, as to the future direction of the
:35:10. > :35:14.autism action plan. Question eight. TRANSLATION: What discussions has
:35:14. > :35:20.doubled government had regarding regional benefits?
:35:20. > :35:23.TRANSLATION: There's quite a bit of confusion around the UK Prime
:35:23. > :35:26.Minister's proposal. We as a government haven't had any but
:35:26. > :35:31.discussions to date because we don't know exactly what the
:35:31. > :35:35.position is for the Prime Minister's stands on this during
:35:35. > :35:39.the life of this government. Westminster government policies are
:35:39. > :35:43.becoming more and more contentious. There are continuous cuts macro,
:35:43. > :35:46.regional pay and changes to the benefit system are made worse by
:35:46. > :35:51.talking about regional benefits, where people in areas with low
:35:51. > :35:56.incomes will receive even lower benefits. Wales already has the
:35:56. > :36:01.lowest weekly wage of the four nations of the UK. Most of the
:36:01. > :36:04.benefits are used to top up that income. If these plans by the
:36:04. > :36:09.Westminster government come into existence, were you oppose them on
:36:09. > :36:12.all occasions? Yes, I would. We know that the cost of living in
:36:12. > :36:17.Wales is no less than that in the south-west of England. In fact,
:36:17. > :36:23.there are some things which are more expensive. I don't see any way
:36:23. > :36:26.of supporting regional benefits, bearing that in mind. First
:36:26. > :36:29.Minister, dare I suggest that if you are not going to have
:36:29. > :36:32.discussions with the Westminster government about the policy area,
:36:33. > :36:37.such as regional benefits, then you will not have a full understanding
:36:37. > :36:41.about what the UK government is proposing. Can I ask you this,
:36:41. > :36:44.there is a lot of hearsay and scaremongering about this, but
:36:45. > :36:48.there is no such a proposal on the table for regional benefits. Can I
:36:48. > :36:51.agree with what Keith Davies said in his question regarding the
:36:51. > :36:54.problems at the moment with pay differentials, and the fact that
:36:54. > :36:58.some of the Widders in Wales are the worst in any part of the UK.
:36:58. > :37:02.Can you tell us what you are doing to address that particular aspect
:37:02. > :37:06.of the question? I will say what we are not doing, we don't believe
:37:06. > :37:09.that public sector pay should be cut by 20 %. It would make things
:37:09. > :37:13.even worse, something which the UK Treasury tried to put forward at
:37:13. > :37:15.one point. We are not going to engage in conversations with the UK
:37:15. > :37:19.government on regional benefits because we don't agree with
:37:19. > :37:22.regional benefits. There is no compromise, there is opposition. We
:37:22. > :37:25.do not accept that people in Wales and the people in the north-east of
:37:25. > :37:28.England should be paid less or given less in terms of benefits
:37:28. > :37:38.because of where they live. We know full well that the cost of living
:37:38. > :37:43.is the same wherever you off. - Mark you are. It was said that the
:37:43. > :37:47.shadow Work and Pensions Secretary was in favour of a cap on household
:37:47. > :37:53.and local benefits. Are you in favour of this policy? No it isn't,
:37:53. > :37:57.I don't agree with that policy. Will the First Minister biggest in
:37:57. > :38:01.another world government's priorities for children's rights?
:38:01. > :38:08.We are the first area of the UK to enshrine children's rights in our
:38:08. > :38:14.domestic law. I join with you in that could answer. Really, I wanted
:38:14. > :38:17.to ask you about your action plan on children's rights. There are 16
:38:17. > :38:21.priority areas listed, yet know where are the needs of young carers
:38:21. > :38:27.in Wales specifically mentioned. In Wales there are 11,000 children who
:38:27. > :38:30.care for a relative, such tasks at -- as washing, making meals,
:38:30. > :38:34.dressing and bathing. Some of these children are in primary schools.
:38:34. > :38:38.Many of these young carers are also bullied in school and miss out on
:38:38. > :38:41.education. What assurances can you give that these vulnerable young
:38:42. > :38:45.carers, that their rights to be free from bullying and to the same
:38:45. > :38:48.educational opportunities of other children will be safeguarded by
:38:48. > :38:52.this government, bearing in mind the very important. That support
:38:53. > :38:57.for young carers can be included as an additional priority within your
:38:57. > :39:01.five-year action plan? Support for young carers is at priority for us,
:39:01. > :39:06.as it was for his party when he was part of government. People know
:39:07. > :39:10.that there are many young people in Wales who are carers. That is why
:39:10. > :39:13.it for the carers strategy, it has put support in place for young
:39:13. > :39:20.carers and we recognise the contribution that they make, but
:39:20. > :39:23.also recognised the need for them to have support. I'm sure you'll
:39:23. > :39:28.agree with me that all people, especially children, have the right
:39:28. > :39:31.to not suffer abuse throughout their lives. One of the areas where
:39:31. > :39:36.abuse does sometimes occur is in the area of the sports field.
:39:36. > :39:41.There's a big problem in sporting come up with sporting punishments
:39:41. > :39:45.and regulations for people who've committed abuse. If a judo coach,
:39:45. > :39:49.and there is evidence of a judo coach, were to abuse a child in his
:39:49. > :39:52.care, then if that person moves away from judo into another sport,
:39:52. > :39:55.there's no cross reference from the Independent safeguarding authority
:39:55. > :39:59.as to where they've gone and the fact that they've committed this
:39:59. > :40:02.awful crime. What discussions have you had all we you undertake to
:40:02. > :40:05.have with the Westminster government, because this is a joint
:40:05. > :40:08.thing between Westminster and Wales about how the Independent
:40:08. > :40:12.safeguarding authority should put into place proper rules and
:40:12. > :40:16.regulations to ensure that no matter what sport you are in, you
:40:16. > :40:20.are regulated, and if you are found to have committed abuse against the
:40:21. > :40:24.child, you can be prevented from going into any other area? It is an
:40:24. > :40:27.important point. I will write to her with the details she requires
:40:27. > :40:31.as to how different levels of government are working together on
:40:31. > :40:34.this. That is it a First Minister's
:40:34. > :40:43.Questions this week. You can see more coverage of the National
:40:43. > :40:46.Assembly online. You will also be able to see the Health Minister,
:40:46. > :40:50.Leslie Griffiths, make a statement in that row over the independence
:40:50. > :40:57.of a report into Welsh NHS reforms in about 20 minutes. As ever, our
:40:57. > :40:59.Welsh are fed -- Welsh Affairs Editor is back with us. Probably
:40:59. > :41:04.the most ill-tempered First Minister's Questions I've seen
:41:04. > :41:07.while sitting here. What do you think? Yes, very difficult to
:41:07. > :41:10.remember any First Minister's Questions where the temperature was
:41:10. > :41:14.quite as high, the level of acrimony quite as tight as I think
:41:14. > :41:19.you'd have to go back to the days of Alun Michael, for the sort of
:41:19. > :41:25.seething anger there was on the benches right around the chamber
:41:25. > :41:28.over this issue of these e-mails between Welsh civil servants and
:41:28. > :41:34.Professor Marcus Longley, who was preparing an independent report,
:41:34. > :41:38.the government said come on the future of the Welsh Health Service.
:41:38. > :41:42.Fill us in on where people stand on this. The First Minister was
:41:42. > :41:46.defending his government. What was he defending? Basically, this goes
:41:46. > :41:49.down to a string of e-mails which were released as a result of a
:41:49. > :41:54.Freedom of Information request. We don't know who made that request.
:41:54. > :41:57.Maybe we should put in a request! They were put between Professor
:41:57. > :42:02.Marcus Longley, who was preparing this report on the future of the
:42:02. > :42:06.Welsh Health Service, and people high up in the Civil Service in the
:42:06. > :42:10.world government about the content of that report. The e-mails were
:42:10. > :42:14.couched in fairly friendly terms, and the opposition claimed that
:42:14. > :42:17.what was happening was Professor Longley was preparing a report to
:42:17. > :42:21.justify policies the Government had already decided on. The government
:42:21. > :42:24.fiercely rejects that. They say the report was independent, that there
:42:24. > :42:29.was no evidence in these e-mails that anything in the report has
:42:29. > :42:34.changed, or that he was being leaned on in any way a tour. Carwyn
:42:34. > :42:38.Jones took it one step further and it used, particularly the
:42:38. > :42:42.Consumers' -- the Conservative spokesman, of impugning Professor
:42:42. > :42:46.Longley's integrity by suggesting he wasn't David independent from
:42:46. > :42:49.government. There is mileage in this story, not least because the
:42:49. > :42:54.Health Minister is going to make a statement on the matter would
:42:54. > :42:58.possibly will add more fuel to the fire. Almost certainly. There is a
:42:58. > :43:05.general feeling here that the position of the Health Minister is
:43:05. > :43:08.a bit insecure anyway. If she didn't know about these e-mails,
:43:08. > :43:13.she wasn't in control of her department. It she did, how could
:43:13. > :43:17.she possibly describe Professor along the's report as being one
:43:17. > :43:21.that is independent from government. They are more or less saying if it
:43:21. > :43:25.is one, she's it should resign, if it's the other, she should be
:43:25. > :43:29.sacked. The opposition aren't going to let that party go. I don't see
:43:29. > :43:33.the minister resigning, I don't see Carwyn Jones sacking her, but I
:43:33. > :43:38.think she will be on the rack for quite some time. OK. We will be
:43:38. > :43:43.settling down to watch that debate. You can join us, where we will be