:00:22. > :00:27.and our coverage of Questions to the First Minister.
:00:28. > :00:30.The final FMQs, in fact, before the summer break.
:00:31. > :00:33.According to the Order Paper, we can expect questions on health services,
:00:34. > :00:37.adult education and, unsurprisingly perhaps,
:00:38. > :00:39.the development of football in Wales.
:00:40. > :00:42.Don't forget you can get all the latest on Welsh politics
:00:43. > :00:47.on our twitter feed - we're @walespolitics.
:00:48. > :00:50.Well, business in the chamber is already underway
:00:51. > :01:02.so let's take a look now at today's Questions to the First Minister.
:01:03. > :01:12.I call the National Assembly to order. And the first item is
:01:13. > :01:16.questions to the First Minister. How is the Welsh government improving
:01:17. > :01:19.access to health services in Montgomeryshire? We continue to work
:01:20. > :01:26.with the health board and other partners in Wales to take a range of
:01:27. > :01:31.actions to improve access. As close to people's homes as possible. You
:01:32. > :01:37.may be aware that stroke patients in mid Wales are no longer able to
:01:38. > :01:41.access specialist treatment from the royal shrews prehospital following a
:01:42. > :01:45.reconfiguration of services which has resulted in services moving
:01:46. > :01:50.further away to the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford. What
:01:51. > :01:53.discussions has your government had with the UK Government and
:01:54. > :01:58.Shrewsbury and Atcham health and Hospital NHS Trust to present their
:01:59. > :02:01.case for special services to be retained in Shropshire? And what is
:02:02. > :02:04.your government doing to make sure that mid Wales/ patients have
:02:05. > :02:13.adequate access to this specialist service? I am aware of the
:02:14. > :02:18.proposals. We expect as a government that the relevant stakeholders on
:02:19. > :02:21.our side of the border are involved in any potential changes. I know
:02:22. > :02:25.Powys health board has been very involved in representing the
:02:26. > :02:30.concerns of residents and there will be further work taking place to be
:02:31. > :02:37.subject to formal consultation later this year. Simon Thomas. I met
:02:38. > :02:43.recently with Newtown health Forum who told me that between the hours
:02:44. > :02:48.of 6pm and 12pm at night in Newtown, there is no GB or primary care
:02:49. > :02:56.service at all. The GP surgery closes at six o'clock and the GP Doc
:02:57. > :03:03.run from the Newtown hospital starts at midnight. People have too
:03:04. > :03:08.travelled to Welshpool to access GP services. Do you think that is a
:03:09. > :03:12.sufficient service in Newtown? The health board is looking at the
:03:13. > :03:18.situation and I know that filling that gap is important to them. For
:03:19. > :03:22.example, if we look at the minor injuries unit at Newtown, the health
:03:23. > :03:27.board will be starting a process to develop a long-term strategy during
:03:28. > :03:31.2016 and the health board will be reviewing services across Powys as
:03:32. > :03:39.part of its work on unscheduled care services in order to make sure that
:03:40. > :03:44.any gap is blood. Question two. Will the First Minister make a statement
:03:45. > :03:49.on access to Welsh ministers? Ministers are accessible in a
:03:50. > :03:52.variety of ways. Your government has made sure Wales has the weakest
:03:53. > :03:58.protection in the UK against commercial lobbying. The last
:03:59. > :04:05.Presiding Officer said we don't have the same problems as Westminster.
:04:06. > :04:08.But from what I can see, companies selling access and information to
:04:09. > :04:13.the highest bidder seemed to be everywhere in this Assembly. I was
:04:14. > :04:18.not even allowed to submit a question about cash for access to
:04:19. > :04:23.Welsh ministers. What are you hiding? I need to clarify that all
:04:24. > :04:28.questions that are tabled in order are accepted to be asked in this
:04:29. > :04:38.Assembly and your question has been accepted as it is in order. I submit
:04:39. > :04:44.a question about cash for access. The one is on the record but my
:04:45. > :04:47.question is, you clearly don't believe in open government otherwise
:04:48. > :04:54.we would have regulations. What are you hiding? Nothing. Commercial
:04:55. > :05:01.lobbyists don't have access to Welsh ministers. Perhaps I can turn
:05:02. > :05:04.matters a bit more constructively. I think it is important that
:05:05. > :05:09.politicians and ministers listen, and I hope you will identify Wales
:05:10. > :05:13.in which your ministers can listen to the vital interest out there all
:05:14. > :05:18.stakeholders and individuals. Your predecessor used to have sessions
:05:19. > :05:23.with the Cabinet but I think these have fallen into disuse. But
:05:24. > :05:25.listening to people's views is key to good governmental
:05:26. > :05:29.decision-making. I entirely agree with that and being able to engage
:05:30. > :05:32.with organisations is hugely important. It is right that open
:05:33. > :05:38.mike sessions have not taken place for seven years. However, I did
:05:39. > :05:45.travel around Wales offering myself as part of a Mac as it -- masochism
:05:46. > :05:48.strategy and I hold surgeries in my constituency in order to listen to
:05:49. > :05:55.the views of my constituents. Gareth Bennett. I think that the issues
:05:56. > :05:59.that the Plaid Cymru member raised are perhaps important ones.
:06:00. > :06:06.Transparency is paramount. We know that lobbying exists in reality in
:06:07. > :06:10.political circles but we do have to make sure that it is then
:06:11. > :06:17.legitimately and we need to know who is lobbying to. Are there any plans
:06:18. > :06:22.to establish a register of lobbyists in Cardiff Bay? These are matters
:06:23. > :06:26.that were looked at by the standards committee in 2013, and it came to
:06:27. > :06:31.the King Rouge and that it did. Ministers do not meet with
:06:32. > :06:35.commercial lobbyists. Ministers to meet with organisations such as
:06:36. > :06:37.charities in order to listen to their views but it is certainly not
:06:38. > :06:42.the case that commercial lobbying companies are able to bring clients
:06:43. > :06:50.to meet ministers. That is certainly not happening and nor will it
:06:51. > :06:55.happen. We now move to questions from the party leaders and I first
:06:56. > :06:59.called the leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew RT Davies.
:07:00. > :07:03.With all the politics that is going on in the country at the moment, the
:07:04. > :07:08.change in leadership in other legislators and the fallout from the
:07:09. > :07:11.Brexit referendum, some of the bread-and-butter issues do tend to
:07:12. > :07:14.get looked over and I would like to draw your attention to the bliss
:07:15. > :07:19.report that was brought forward last week by the charity which is a vital
:07:20. > :07:21.document which I hope your government will steady with care
:07:22. > :07:26.because it does offer a real route map to developing neonatal services
:07:27. > :07:33.in Wales. One of the findings showed that only 20% of neonatal units had
:07:34. > :07:35.enough nurses to staff the cots according to national standards.
:07:36. > :07:44.There have been improvements over time to neonatal units in Wales but
:07:45. > :07:48.2008, 2010 and 2011, the report points to. Can you commit in this
:07:49. > :07:52.Assembly session to addressing the staffing problems that this report
:07:53. > :07:57.clearly identifies, that only 20% of units have enough staff to man the
:07:58. > :08:03.cots according to national standards? The network works with
:08:04. > :08:05.health boards to meet a fluctuating needs for specialised neonatal
:08:06. > :08:09.services and to address any shortcomings in staffing levels to
:08:10. > :08:14.support the development of our workforce. We have an ?85 million
:08:15. > :08:17.package of investment in the education and training of health
:08:18. > :08:21.professionals in Wales including neonatal staff and the findings of
:08:22. > :08:25.this report will be used by the network to help all units reflect on
:08:26. > :08:30.and plan for any changes for the future. I appreciate that detailed
:08:31. > :08:36.answer and it is a road map of sorts but what we would appreciate is how
:08:37. > :08:41.during this Assembly will be measured your success, going from
:08:42. > :08:47.20% to 50% of units having enough staff? Or 100% of units having
:08:48. > :08:51.enough staff? What is key is identifying the road to success in
:08:52. > :08:54.getting the numbers up. Can you give us a timeline where the script you
:08:55. > :09:00.read is actually acted on and we will see more staff in the neonatal
:09:01. > :09:03.units providing that vital service. I expect those numbers to grow over
:09:04. > :09:08.the next five years and I expect every new nickel unit to be properly
:09:09. > :09:12.staffed in that time. It is true to say that recruitment has been a
:09:13. > :09:17.challenge, it will continue to be a challenge in light of the vote a
:09:18. > :09:20.fortnight ago, but we will continue to tell those who want to come to
:09:21. > :09:26.work in Wales that they are welcome. We will also train new specialist
:09:27. > :09:30.ourselves. One of the issues identified in the report is the
:09:31. > :09:34.retention of staff. Very often we focus on attracting new staff into
:09:35. > :09:38.the health service but in particular in neonatal units, it is the
:09:39. > :09:43.difficulty to retain staff once you have attracted them into the unit.
:09:44. > :09:48.40 but said of mothers will suffer postnatal depression, who have had
:09:49. > :09:52.an episode on these units. Ultimately, only five of the units
:09:53. > :09:58.can offer support for postnatal depression. When you look at those
:09:59. > :10:03.much -- numbers, 40% of expectant mothers will suffer an episode of
:10:04. > :10:07.postnatal depression and only five units can offer that support. That
:10:08. > :10:11.is a clear area that needs detailed work undertaken by your government
:10:12. > :10:17.and the health boards. What assurances can you give the Assembly
:10:18. > :10:21.today and Bliss in particular as a charity who has a special interest
:10:22. > :10:25.in this field that we will see progress so that support can be
:10:26. > :10:32.offered in all units, wherever they exist in Wales. These services are
:10:33. > :10:37.working with local services in order to look to provide the services that
:10:38. > :10:41.people would expect. We did announce last year that new perinatal
:10:42. > :10:48.services would be set up across Wales and are developing well with
:10:49. > :10:52.staff being recruited back by ?1.5 million of new investment. The
:10:53. > :10:58.leader of the Ukip group, Neil Hamilton. Has the First Minister
:10:59. > :11:00.seen that Europe's largest conglomerate, Siemens, is meeting
:11:01. > :11:07.this weekend in The Cotswolds to work out their post Brexit strategy
:11:08. > :11:13.and that the chief Executive will be there? He has said that Siemens is
:11:14. > :11:18.fully committed to the UK whatever happens. He says they are here for
:11:19. > :11:22.the long term because the UK is a good place to do business. He has
:11:23. > :11:26.called for common sense to prevail on tariffs and that is something we
:11:27. > :11:34.hear from the German industry Federation. Do you agree with me
:11:35. > :11:41.that the project via has now become project optimism? Access to the
:11:42. > :11:45.single market is now crucial to many businesses. They are now reassured
:11:46. > :11:50.this position is stabilising within the UK as they see it but the next
:11:51. > :11:55.big question for them will be, will baby free access to the single
:11:56. > :11:59.market without tariffs? I agree with the First Minister on that. Free
:12:00. > :12:03.trade is very sensible from both sides because we have a massive
:12:04. > :12:08.trade deficit with Germany and it is very much in their interests that
:12:09. > :12:13.they should be free trade within the EU. Trade is mutually beneficial to
:12:14. > :12:17.both sides whether you have a surplus or a deficit. In the spirit
:12:18. > :12:22.of constructive cooperation, will be First Minister agree with me that we
:12:23. > :12:31.need in Wales to beef up our relationship with Germany and to put
:12:32. > :12:34.more resource into our connections through the German industry
:12:35. > :12:38.federations and the German lender and with the federal government to
:12:39. > :12:45.encourage further trade with Germany and also to take advantage of the
:12:46. > :12:51.political climate Germany is going to have in the EU in the years to
:12:52. > :12:56.come? A German commitment to free trade in the EU is the best way we
:12:57. > :13:01.can get what we both want. The leader of Ukip seems to be saying
:13:02. > :13:04.that with the UK out of the EU, Germany needs to do the work for us
:13:05. > :13:09.in the EU, which is a curiouser scenario. The only model that exists
:13:10. > :13:18.that offers free access to the single market and that has with its
:13:19. > :13:23.connotations with the free movement of people. There is nothing else on
:13:24. > :13:27.the table at the moment. For me, access to the single market is an
:13:28. > :13:32.absolute Red Line as far as Wales is concerned. Germany is a major
:13:33. > :13:39.investor in the Welsh economy. One of the issues that I am examining is
:13:40. > :13:43.how we beef up our offices overseas, whether we should look to increase
:13:44. > :13:47.staffing in the existing offices or whether we should open new offices.
:13:48. > :13:52.That is a difficult balance to strike. We have had work done on
:13:53. > :13:56.that and we have listened to Ireland. They have a similar dilemma
:13:57. > :13:59.to us because of their limited resources and their size as well.
:14:00. > :14:06.But we will look to increase the Welsh presence now in markets that
:14:07. > :14:10.are important to us. I welcome that responds. Turning to a different
:14:11. > :14:14.matter, after today the First Minister will be unique in the UK
:14:15. > :14:18.because we will have a woman Prime Minister in the UK, a woman First
:14:19. > :14:21.Minister in Scotland and a woman First Minister in Northern Ireland.
:14:22. > :14:27.Does he look forward to the day when he can make way for a woman to
:14:28. > :14:32.replace him in this Assembly? What I can say to the leader of Ukip, the
:14:33. > :14:36.Guardian a few days ago said that it would be the case that women would
:14:37. > :14:41.now be heads of government across the UK. I have to say that was
:14:42. > :14:47.corrected by the Guardian saving me hopefully from radical surgery.
:14:48. > :14:52.Leader of the Opposition, Leanne Wood. I very much look forward to
:14:53. > :15:00.the day when Wales is presided over by a woman First Minister.
:15:01. > :15:08.Tomorrow there will be a new Prime Minister who says she intends to
:15:09. > :15:16.implement the UK's draws from the European Union. The pledges that
:15:17. > :15:24.were made by the Leave campaign have to be implemented for Wales. We want
:15:25. > :15:29.to see an official Welsh negotiating position to be agreed by the
:15:30. > :15:33.Assembly and on her desk as soon as possible. First Minister, when I
:15:34. > :15:45.asked you last week you felt to publishing a formal position or did
:15:46. > :15:51.not have it debated. Can you confirm that you will aim to come to an
:15:52. > :15:55.agreed official negotiating position and you will press the new Prime
:15:56. > :16:01.Minister for Wales to have a direct role in negotiations come as was
:16:02. > :16:06.offered by David Cameron? As I can. I expect that promise to be
:16:07. > :16:13.honoured. We will have a twin track approach. We will have our own
:16:14. > :16:19.negotiating team in Brussels. It is complementary to the UK route. There
:16:20. > :16:23.are two macro issues. Firstly free access to the single market. That
:16:24. > :16:31.cannot be compromised on. Secondly, every penny lost to European funding
:16:32. > :16:40.should be made up by the UK Government. Thank you, Minister. He
:16:41. > :16:44.recalled last week that I suggested you needed to have a word with your
:16:45. > :16:49.Westminster MPs and tell them to get a grip and get on with their jobs.
:16:50. > :16:55.Last mike the amendments to the Wales Bill were again debated in the
:16:56. > :17:03.House of Commons and your MPs, at least the ones that turned up,
:17:04. > :17:09.abstained again on Welsh policy regarding the devolution of Welsh
:17:10. > :17:12.policing. They did the same thing regarding creating a legal
:17:13. > :17:18.jurisdiction. How comes your Labour MPs have no problem supporting
:17:19. > :17:21.policing powers have Greater Manchester, but they can't bring
:17:22. > :17:26.themselves to support the devolution of policing to Wales? Why are your
:17:27. > :17:32.MPs letting the Tories of the book in this way and how can you defend
:17:33. > :17:36.their behaviour, First Minister? It is a matter of timing rather than
:17:37. > :17:41.principle. The situation we will face in the years to come is there
:17:42. > :17:48.may be different sets of criminal law in Wales compared to England.
:17:49. > :18:00.Someone could be arrested in Wales for something that is not an offence
:18:01. > :18:04.here, but it is in England. It becomes nonsensical. It is not
:18:05. > :18:14.sustainable to be in a position where it will be a matter for the
:18:15. > :18:24.people of Wales to have a say in what defences they want. That is not
:18:25. > :18:30.an issue of timing. The Wales Bill may not be hot of overriding
:18:31. > :18:35.priority for your MPs, but the future of the steel industry is
:18:36. > :18:45.critical and Wales without a steel industry is not a Wales I am the
:18:46. > :18:56.pair to contemplate. The Tata Steel cell is of concern. It could lead to
:18:57. > :19:10.cuts in still production. If there is edge, we need cast iron guarantee
:19:11. > :19:16.regarding workers' rights. Can you also explain why the is nothing
:19:17. > :19:27.regarding the suspension of the sales process? Will you confirm that
:19:28. > :19:36.you will support the employees and management and press on tartar the
:19:37. > :19:48.needs that the tartar still the need for secondment. -- Tata Steel. I had
:19:49. > :19:57.a senior official based in Mumbai who has reported back to me. The
:19:58. > :20:01.issue now for Tata Steel is a financial package is on the table
:20:02. > :20:05.and we expect it to be with pro-quota. We expect guarantees
:20:06. > :20:11.regarding future jobs and a commitment for a specified period of
:20:12. > :20:17.time. We do have to see what happens with the pensions which we have the
:20:18. > :20:23.control over. We have a package on the table that we believe
:20:24. > :20:26.terror-macro will be happy with. We need to demonstrate to the people of
:20:27. > :20:38.Wales that the package will achieve what they expect, but we need
:20:39. > :20:51.progress regarding the pensions. The outstanding performance by the Welsh
:20:52. > :20:55.team is going to help to grow the team further across the country. I
:20:56. > :21:08.am pleased that how the Welsh team did at the European Championship. In
:21:09. > :21:17.order to continue to develop football, the is a need to improve
:21:18. > :21:29.pitches. How does the First Minister intend to do this. Sports world is
:21:30. > :21:37.working with other agencies to develop 3G pitches. We need to
:21:38. > :21:43.facilitate regular participation in sport and physical activity and we
:21:44. > :21:52.needs facilities that are sustainable. Is it not a
:21:53. > :21:56.contradiction between seeking to increase for jeed pitches, but yet a
:21:57. > :21:59.mile down the road there is an all-weather pitch which is locked
:22:00. > :22:04.up. Children are unable to play there because it is too expensive.
:22:05. > :22:10.Also in this south of the city in a very challenged Ward, the leisure
:22:11. > :22:18.centre is closed by your Labour council. There is a hall that
:22:19. > :22:26.children can use. Do you not see the contradiction there? The reality on
:22:27. > :22:36.the ground is that your Labour government is cutting facilities. --
:22:37. > :22:40.Labour council. The reality is that councils are in difficult position
:22:41. > :22:48.is financially, but they must ensure that they do not price communities
:22:49. > :22:53.out of facilities. It is a fair point. We need to make sure that
:22:54. > :22:57.where facilities are developed, they don't become so expensive that
:22:58. > :23:00.people cannot use them. We would urge all those involved to think
:23:01. > :23:10.again to make sure the facilities are accessible. First Minister, I
:23:11. > :23:14.would like to join with you to say what wonderful news it was last
:23:15. > :23:22.week. Not only did our team do as well as they did, but they turned
:23:23. > :23:25.someone at me who has the richest in football into a passionate football.
:23:26. > :23:30.I could probably talk about the offside rule if I tried. I was proud
:23:31. > :23:35.of them and proud of our fans and how they behaved, and also our
:23:36. > :23:39.footballs came across as real, decent, grounded human beings and a
:23:40. > :23:43.real example to our young people. I come to the heart of Mike question,
:23:44. > :23:47.which is where you have discussions with the Cabinet Secretary for
:23:48. > :23:51.education to talk about how we can up the hours and minutes that young
:23:52. > :23:56.people in primary schools spend in sport? It has been cut consistently
:23:57. > :24:01.year on year and if you want to identify not just our footballs to
:24:02. > :24:05.us of the future, but our sporting stars of the future, we need to get
:24:06. > :24:13.them early, get them healthy and get them used to the whole sports agenda
:24:14. > :24:17.instead of it being a dwindling time. It is difficult for children
:24:18. > :24:21.who do not have access to public transport. These are the issues that
:24:22. > :24:27.we want to explore with sports governing bodies. The member has
:24:28. > :24:35.refreshing candour when she said she had no interest in football up until
:24:36. > :24:39.now. Converts are always welcome. It is difficult to underestimate the
:24:40. > :24:48.publicity that this has given our nation. I was in Paris on the night
:24:49. > :25:00.of the semifinal and around the all I could hear was people talking
:25:01. > :25:03.about Wales. The team have been role models as far as young people are
:25:04. > :25:08.concerned and they can see it is possible to be successful in
:25:09. > :25:19.football and other professional sport without carrying emotional
:25:20. > :25:24.baggage, have we -- has we have seen previously. We will look to work
:25:25. > :25:30.with sport Wales and governing bodies to deliver accessible
:25:31. > :25:44.facilities of the highest standards across Wales. For the First Minister
:25:45. > :25:56.make a statement about increasing employability and adult education.
:25:57. > :26:04.Adult education complaint a vital role in breaking the poverty cycle.
:26:05. > :26:12.That was the message from an awards ceremony last month. The new
:26:13. > :26:18.building in Aberdare will avoid an aspirational building for adult
:26:19. > :26:21.education, but the challenge is to provide quality courses for
:26:22. > :26:25.learners. How is the Welsh government working with providers to
:26:26. > :26:30.achieve this? The new campus will be a superb facilities for the people
:26:31. > :26:35.of Aberdare and the surrounding area. We are in regular contact with
:26:36. > :26:45.the post-16 sector with regards to the planning of provision, delivered
:26:46. > :26:48.by the FEC to. Plans are also scrutinised by officials to make
:26:49. > :26:54.sure a range of provision is offered within the budget available, and
:26:55. > :27:01.every institution is subject to inspection. There is serious concern
:27:02. > :27:08.amongst adult learning is Welsh throughout the country because of
:27:09. > :27:14.the new system which has led to a loss of jobs amongst local tutors,
:27:15. > :27:23.and already significant numbers of staff have we made redundant in
:27:24. > :27:31.Swansea and a further number are facing job losses. The government
:27:32. > :27:44.failed to commit to funding the Welsh for adults courses texture. --
:27:45. > :27:47.next year. If cuts are to continue, don't you believe it will work
:27:48. > :27:55.against your government's ambition to increase the number of speakers
:27:56. > :28:00.to 1 million? It has been difficult over the last financial year, but we
:28:01. > :28:07.have made short new centres have been opened across wealth in order
:28:08. > :28:10.to ensure that there are places where people can go and use the
:28:11. > :28:15.Welsh language, particularly in those areas where the language is no
:28:16. > :28:22.longer the language of the high street or generally used. I know
:28:23. > :28:26.that some places have been successful in ensuring people can
:28:27. > :28:36.learn Welsh, but also use Welsh so they do not lose the language once
:28:37. > :28:42.they have learnt it. First Minister there are a number of adults across
:28:43. > :28:48.Wales who want to learn Welsh, including people in my constituency.
:28:49. > :28:51.Financial support is important. What specific financial support will be
:28:52. > :28:54.made available over the next few years to support and nurture the
:28:55. > :28:58.language, particularly in communities like mine where there is
:28:59. > :29:01.a living language, but it needs fresh life brought into it,
:29:02. > :29:05.particularly for people who move into the area from outside those
:29:06. > :29:11.traditional Welsh speaking communities. We have invested in
:29:12. > :29:17.making sure the language is used widely in school. There are good
:29:18. > :29:30.examples like Gwynedd and Ceredigion that have centres that allow
:29:31. > :29:34.children to become immersed in the language and they work well. We
:29:35. > :29:41.found children were able to influence their parents. They help
:29:42. > :29:55.their parents to learn Welsh as they learnt the language that easily. Can
:29:56. > :30:02.you make a statement on the 21st-century 's school programme.
:30:03. > :30:10.There will be ?25 billion invested. All 22 authorities will see the
:30:11. > :30:18.rebuilding and refurbishment of schools and colleges across Wales.
:30:19. > :30:24.For some, when mention of a new school is taken forward, there can
:30:25. > :30:31.be concern when children and parents very happy with the school they are
:30:32. > :30:35.attending. Under the statutory schools organisation called, local
:30:36. > :30:38.authorities are obliged to consider all objections committed
:30:39. > :30:43.conscientiously and not to make decisions on amalgamation proposals
:30:44. > :30:48.with a closed mind to stakeholders' concerns. However, in Connolly
:30:49. > :30:52.recently, two recent proposals affecting five of our primary
:30:53. > :30:57.schools are being taken forward by the council despite many objections.
:30:58. > :31:02.Many parents, teachers and governors and even the teachers unions are
:31:03. > :31:06.angry, frustrated and disappointed, considering this consultation to be
:31:07. > :31:10.meaningless, particularly when relevant Cabinet decision minutes
:31:11. > :31:14.were published before the meeting had even taken place. In order to
:31:15. > :31:21.address the concerns raised, will you work with the new Cabinet
:31:22. > :31:26.secretary in the new school term to look again at how the concerns and
:31:27. > :31:29.views of those most affected are considered within the 21st-century
:31:30. > :31:36.schools decisions so that these voices are heard and acted on
:31:37. > :31:40.appropriately? The member criticises Conwy Council and the way they
:31:41. > :31:48.conducted themselves. I know there have been concerns of air,
:31:49. > :31:55.particularly with regard to schools in Llandudno Junction. My
:31:56. > :31:58.understanding is that there has been a re-consultation, which is open at
:31:59. > :32:07.the moment and will be until the 27th of July. I understand that has
:32:08. > :32:10.already been approved. But it is correct to say that way we set in
:32:11. > :32:15.place standards that we expect to be observed when school closures and
:32:16. > :32:22.mergers are proposed, that we expect that process to be observed. There
:32:23. > :32:25.are legal pitfalls for local authorities and less they can
:32:26. > :32:28.demonstrate they have followed the correct procedure and we expect all
:32:29. > :32:35.local authorities in Wales to do that. John Griffiths. First
:32:36. > :32:38.Minister, as well as building new schools, it is also important that
:32:39. > :32:45.we continue to build new colleges of further education. Colic went have
:32:46. > :32:51.ambitious and important plans to relocate their Newport campus to the
:32:52. > :32:57.riverfront, alongside the University of South Wales campus and indeed
:32:58. > :33:01.further buildings around and about. Would you agree with me that we must
:33:02. > :33:08.continue to improve our further education colleges in that way and
:33:09. > :33:12.support energy and ideas to bring about improvements to further
:33:13. > :33:18.education, and particularly perhaps stronger links with higher
:33:19. > :33:22.education? I do, and I know there may be proposals coming forward with
:33:23. > :33:27.regard to the Newport campus. But it is entirely right to say that we
:33:28. > :33:32.should make sure there is no hard and fast boundary between further
:33:33. > :33:36.education and higher education for the student. I know there are many
:33:37. > :33:39.students who go on to complete degree courses who begin in a
:33:40. > :33:47.further education setting because it is better for them. Then they become
:33:48. > :33:51.successful over time. Great working between further education and higher
:33:52. > :33:58.education is hugely important in order to create that seamless
:33:59. > :34:02.pathway for the student. In light of the duty on the public sector, given
:34:03. > :34:06.the introduction of the well-being of future generations act, should
:34:07. > :34:11.there be a requirement on all buildings erected using public
:34:12. > :34:14.funding and, in this case, 21st-century schools, using all
:34:15. > :34:19.opportunities in terms of renewable energies? Yes, and we have seen a
:34:20. > :34:26.number of examples of the way buildings are excellent. We have
:34:27. > :34:30.seen water being collected from the roofs, being used in the school
:34:31. > :34:33.itself, so we would expect local authorities to consider the good
:34:34. > :34:42.example is that I have seen across Wales. Question six. Joyce Watson.
:34:43. > :34:46.Will the Welsh government made a statement on GP recruitment in
:34:47. > :34:52.Powys? We will shortly be bringing forward proposals for a national and
:34:53. > :34:56.international scheme to promote Wales and that will allow us to
:34:57. > :35:03.recruit and train GPs and primary care professionals. I thank you for
:35:04. > :35:07.that statement, but on Friday I attended a public health meeting and
:35:08. > :35:14.one of the big challenges that they were facing was GP recruitment,
:35:15. > :35:18.particularly in a local surgery. I welcome what you have just said in
:35:19. > :35:26.terms of your plans to train and recruit more GPs. I look forward to
:35:27. > :35:33.receiving an update on how those plans are going to produce more GPs
:35:34. > :35:38.into the areas, particularly in rural Wales, where they are
:35:39. > :35:46.currently finding this to be a huge challenge. Yes, we put in additional
:35:47. > :35:51.investment, over ?40 million last year, in primary care, and some of
:35:52. > :36:00.that funding was targeted at workforce diversity and, including a
:36:01. > :36:06.range of primary care roles. There have been recruitment problems. The
:36:07. > :36:10.result has been a number of GP sessions have been reduced. I know
:36:11. > :36:14.the practice is going through a sustainability support process
:36:15. > :36:18.because even though it is physically within the Powys Teaching Health
:36:19. > :36:29.Board, the two health boards are working closely to agree a long term
:36:30. > :36:33.solution. First Minister, I am grateful for Joyce Watson raising
:36:34. > :36:37.this question because I have an issue in my constituency with many
:36:38. > :36:43.GPs reaching retirement age and struggling to recruit. Many
:36:44. > :36:47.surgeries in that instance are having to reconfigure how they
:36:48. > :36:51.operate. What GPs are saying to me is that there is the potential of
:36:52. > :36:56.the devaluation of their premises if their practices cease to operate as
:36:57. > :37:03.a barrier for recruiting GPs, especially in rural Wales. What
:37:04. > :37:08.steps are the Welsh government taking in order to offer protection
:37:09. > :37:14.to GPs to incentivise them to recruit them to rural Wales? If GPs
:37:15. > :37:19.wish to be seen as contractors and independent businesses, there is a
:37:20. > :37:22.risk involved in terms of potential devaluation of buildings, although I
:37:23. > :37:25.don't see why that should be the case necessarily. It is the case
:37:26. > :37:31.that many of those who wish to enter general practice don't want to buy
:37:32. > :37:36.into practice, they want to be salaried GPs. That is something that
:37:37. > :37:43.we and the will need to accommodate. In terms of powers as a whole, I can
:37:44. > :37:47.say that there have been six new GP partners in Powys and 11 new
:37:48. > :37:52.salaried GPs that have commenced their work during the course of
:37:53. > :37:58.2015-16. Question seven, Leo Griffith. Will the First Minister
:37:59. > :38:03.make a statement on the future of the rural development plan? We know
:38:04. > :38:07.that this supports the rural communities and the economy by a
:38:08. > :38:13.combination of Welsh government and European Union funding and in the
:38:14. > :38:18.light of the lack of assurances from the UK Government to date over
:38:19. > :38:23.replacing European Union funding and programme continuity, I cannot
:38:24. > :38:27.predict its long-term future. Thank you for that response because your
:38:28. > :38:33.skills in response to a question from following a statement last week
:38:34. > :38:37.that she is continuing to plan programmes on the basis that the
:38:38. > :38:40.funding will come to Wales. If it does not come from the EU, she is
:38:41. > :38:44.expecting it to come from the pledges made by the UK Government.
:38:45. > :38:50.But the Cabinet Secretary for rural affairs has said programmes were to
:38:51. > :38:54.be deferred because of uncertainty. That suggests to me you don't have
:38:55. > :38:58.much of a strategy as a government in terms of responding to the
:38:59. > :39:01.decision following the referendum. Can you tell us whether the left
:39:02. > :39:06.hand knows what the right hand is doing? We are going to continue with
:39:07. > :39:10.the capital schemes in order to progress with those but as regards
:39:11. > :39:15.the revenue programmes and schemes, it is a much more, located picture,
:39:16. > :39:21.but it is quite evident that if we see a cut of ?600 million in the
:39:22. > :39:24.Assembly's budget year-on-year over the ensuing years, there will be a
:39:25. > :39:32.very negative impact on some of the projects we have. First Minister, I
:39:33. > :39:35.appreciate that you have met with representatives of the cultural
:39:36. > :39:39.industry -- agricultural industry last week to discuss concerns
:39:40. > :39:43.following the result of the referendum on the European Union and
:39:44. > :39:47.I support your calls for farming support payments and funding for
:39:48. > :39:52.rural communities to be safeguarded for the future. Bearing in mind that
:39:53. > :39:57.the Lindsay will still be a major trading partner for our farmers for
:39:58. > :40:00.the future -- that the European Union will still be a major trading
:40:01. > :40:05.partner, can you tell is what discussions your government has had
:40:06. > :40:08.to date with the UK Government and the European Union commissioner to
:40:09. > :40:13.make sure that plans such as the rural development programme can
:40:14. > :40:22.continue? There is no guarantee at all. We note that the commission
:40:23. > :40:26.cannot play its part as regards European funding at the moment and
:40:27. > :40:30.there is no assurance from the UK Government so there is no certainty
:40:31. > :40:33.at all for the people of Wales. It is important that we get this
:40:34. > :40:40.assurance as soon as in order to give our farmers some assurance. We
:40:41. > :40:44.know that ?260 million will be coming into Wales as regards to
:40:45. > :40:51.payments to farmers but at the moment there is no money left should
:40:52. > :40:55.we leave the European Union. On the same theme as the last two
:40:56. > :40:59.questions, I know that within my own constituency and the constituency of
:41:00. > :41:05.the First Minister, we have just had the announcement of grants of up to
:41:06. > :41:08.?100,000 for individual regeneration schemes and it often surprises
:41:09. > :41:13.people died in a constituency like mine, a former mining and heavy
:41:14. > :41:17.industry constituency, that all but two of the wards in my constituency
:41:18. > :41:21.of rural. We have below one and pillar to funding as well but that
:41:22. > :41:27.pillar to funding has been crucial for rural regeneration,
:41:28. > :41:31.controversial as it is. In his discussions with the UK Government,
:41:32. > :41:34.is he stressing to them the importance of making good any
:41:35. > :41:37.shortfall in the immediacy of programmes that are already
:41:38. > :41:42.committed to but also in the longer term because we need to make sure we
:41:43. > :41:45.have that backfill shortfall filled by the UK Government in order that
:41:46. > :41:50.we can keep those teams progressing for many years to come. It is
:41:51. > :41:57.critical to the regeneration of my communities. We have made that
:41:58. > :42:01.point. In future, agricultural policy will be wholly autonomous and
:42:02. > :42:05.evolved. We are not going to get interference from Westminster in
:42:06. > :42:09.that regard and it is a matter for the people of Wales, Scotland and
:42:10. > :42:13.England to decide what sort of agricultural policy should be
:42:14. > :42:17.pursued. The difficulty is, how will the money be distributed? We need to
:42:18. > :42:21.make sure there is a guarantee from the UK Government that Wales will be
:42:22. > :42:30.guaranteed at least it's current share of funding. My fear is that
:42:31. > :42:33.there will be an attempt to cut the funding for Welsh agriculture. The
:42:34. > :42:37.sooner Welsh farmers get these certainty from the UK Government
:42:38. > :42:41.they need, the better. Question eight, Nick Ramsay. Will the First
:42:42. > :42:43.Minister make a statement on the Welsh government's policies for
:42:44. > :42:49.improving the investment in south-east Wales? The finance plan
:42:50. > :42:53.published last year sets out our investment plans for transport and
:42:54. > :42:59.infrastructure for 2015 - 20 across all of Wales. A solution to the M4
:43:00. > :43:02.Tunnel's congestion is a key priority for the Welsh government
:43:03. > :43:07.and this Assembly as a whole. I am sure Professor Stuart Cole, who will
:43:08. > :43:11.be sleeping a little bit easier knowing that his blue route is part
:43:12. > :43:18.of the mix to be considered by the public enquiry announced recently.
:43:19. > :43:26.You will be aware that the services have concerns about the effect of
:43:27. > :43:28.the Black route. How are the concerns of important local
:43:29. > :43:35.businesses such as these being taken into account by the public enquiry?
:43:36. > :43:38.I would expect the enquiry to take full account of the views of all
:43:39. > :43:42.those who express a view to the enquiry. We took a conscious
:43:43. > :43:49.decision to make God that all the possibilities were examined by the
:43:50. > :43:53.enquiry -- to make sure that all the possible at his work examined by the
:43:54. > :43:56.enquiry and we wanted to make sure that all the options were properly
:43:57. > :44:01.examine and now the member knows that I have stood her and said the
:44:02. > :44:05.blue route is hugely problematic in terms of its affect on so many
:44:06. > :44:09.people but let's see what the public local enquiry actually says and see
:44:10. > :44:18.what recommendations are made from that. The key to ensuring success in
:44:19. > :44:22.the capital region is to pursue a multi-hub approach to infrastructure
:44:23. > :44:27.and economic development. While the city deal and the city region model
:44:28. > :44:31.look to build on Cardiff's international brand, we must
:44:32. > :44:35.recognise the role of overpopulation sectors as well. Does the First
:44:36. > :44:38.Minister agree that in moving forward, the distinct status of
:44:39. > :44:43.Newport as a regional capital in its own right, the capital of the former
:44:44. > :44:47.county of Gwent, should be upheld and that he agreed this distinct
:44:48. > :44:51.status for Newport should be enshrined in the capital region's
:44:52. > :44:55.planning and should be promoted at every opportunity? I don't agree
:44:56. > :44:59.with him on that. All the local authorities have an equal voice in
:45:00. > :45:03.terms of the development of the city region. Identity is important but
:45:04. > :45:10.the economic region pays no heed at all to political boundaries. Newport
:45:11. > :45:15.is busy and important city, it is our third biggest city, and together
:45:16. > :45:18.with Cardiff and the Valley areas to the north, they all play an
:45:19. > :45:20.important role in developing the whole of the city region for the
:45:21. > :45:29.good of all those who live in it. I welcome the new allocation of
:45:30. > :45:34.money in the Welsh government supplementary budget in the
:45:35. > :45:39.Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal. I would like to ask the Venice the
:45:40. > :45:48.macro if this fits into any wider development strategy for integrating
:45:49. > :46:02.our waterways into south-west Wales. The waterways were fragmented along
:46:03. > :46:09.time ago. What is important is that we have a potential for tourism
:46:10. > :46:12.through our canals and they will act as economic drivers and we will work
:46:13. > :46:24.with State builders to make sure that potential is realised. But the
:46:25. > :46:32.-- will the Minister make a statement on the cancel tax
:46:33. > :46:44.collection. Figures released by your government released that some
:46:45. > :46:52.councils are not collecting the council tax. 6000 people are now
:46:53. > :46:58.struggling to pay their bills. We'll be First Minister explain to those
:46:59. > :47:01.families in Wales's poorest areas why he decided not to use the funds
:47:02. > :47:09.provided by the UK Government to freeze council tax in Wales for the
:47:10. > :47:18.purposes they were intended for? Devolution means that it is not for
:47:19. > :47:22.a purpose intended. Authorities in England turned down the council
:47:23. > :47:28.tax-free is and chose to increase it. Despite that, council tax in
:47:29. > :47:39.Wales is lower than in England and he will remember that when council
:47:40. > :47:52.tax benefits were devolves, only 90% of the budget was allocated. Surely
:47:53. > :48:01.the fact that the highest percentage of people who don't pay the tax live
:48:02. > :48:05.in our poorest areas and surely that reflects the fact that this tax is
:48:06. > :48:12.fundamentally unfair. The burden ways most heavily on those people
:48:13. > :48:19.who are least able to pay. So is it not now time for us to reform this
:48:20. > :48:25.tax so that it is fairer, as flood Kimmeridge had argued during the
:48:26. > :48:32.election campaign back in May. We are always open to consider new ways
:48:33. > :48:39.of funding local authorities. People talk about a local income tax, but
:48:40. > :48:43.it would have to be collected locally so it went where they lived
:48:44. > :48:49.as a poster where they work. The higher the price of the house, the
:48:50. > :48:53.greater the income of the resident is, although that is not always
:48:54. > :48:59.true, we understand that, but the system we have at present is one
:49:00. > :49:05.that works because it is a tax that has been applied to a house. But of
:49:06. > :49:12.course in the years to come there is always an argument whether there
:49:13. > :49:16.might be a more effective way of funding local authorities.
:49:17. > :49:18.There we are - that was First Minister's Questions.
:49:19. > :49:21.If you want more more coverage of the National Assembly you can go
:49:22. > :49:23.online to BBC Wales's Senedd Live page at bbc.co.uk/walespolitics.
:49:24. > :49:25.Don't forget, for all the latest political news, watch Wales Today
:49:26. > :49:28.later today a t6.30pm on BBC One Wales and
:49:29. > :49:31.As for AM.PM though, that's it from us until September.
:49:32. > :49:40.From all of us on the programme, goodbye.
:49:41. > :49:42.As part of World War I from BBC Wales...
:49:43. > :49:45.Welsh women helped the British win the war.
:49:46. > :49:47...historian Deirdre Beddoe explores how war may have been
:49:48. > :49:53.This piece of film is 100 years old. Anything familiar about it?
:49:54. > :49:56."God speed the plough and the woman who drives it."
:49:57. > :50:00...bringing opportunity and changing perceptions for ever.
:50:01. > :50:02.This was a great shock to contemporaries,
:50:03. > :50:16.Some of mystery, intrigue and controversy.
:50:17. > :50:21.The more you discover, the more compelling it becomes.