:00:27. > :00:30.Good afternoon, welcome to the programme. Things are slowly
:00:30. > :00:33.getting back to normal here in the assembly. First Minister's
:00:34. > :00:40.Questions is back in his usual Tuesday afternoon slot, and so are
:00:40. > :00:45.we. Opposition parties have been critical of the Government to fail
:00:45. > :00:52.to publish a programme of government. Now, do get in touch
:00:52. > :00:58.with us. Send us your thoughts to us at the programme. You can e-mail
:00:58. > :01:04.us or to meet us. Just to let you know that our Welsh
:01:04. > :01:07.affair editor for Roderick will be hit later to pour over the goings-
:01:07. > :01:12.on in First Minister's Questions, but Carwyn Jones is on his feet in
:01:12. > :01:20.the Senedd. Let's see what he has said so far during questions to the
:01:20. > :01:28.first minister. TRANSLATION: the first item,
:01:28. > :01:31.questions to the First Minister Western one, Paul Davies. What is
:01:31. > :01:37.the Welsh government doing to improve the health and well-being
:01:37. > :01:43.of the nation? Thank you, our commitment is demonstrated in our
:01:43. > :01:49.manifesto commitment to 21st century health care. We continue to
:01:49. > :01:55.tackle public health priorities, such as smoking and obesity. I am
:01:55. > :02:01.grateful to the first minister for that response. I do understand that
:02:01. > :02:05.and implementation plan for the elderly in terms of health care was
:02:05. > :02:10.updated in 2005 in order to develop a strategy for corporate activity
:02:10. > :02:13.for older people. It was developed to enable individuals to take more
:02:13. > :02:18.responsibility for their own health and well-being, and to promote a
:02:18. > :02:22.better access to a screening programmes, for example. However,
:02:22. > :02:25.despite this implementation plan, it still appears that there is
:02:25. > :02:29.discrimination in terms of age in terms of access to some screening
:02:29. > :02:34.services, so under these circumstances, can the first
:02:34. > :02:39.minister and his government update that action plan bearing in mind
:02:39. > :02:47.that most of the action points contained are monitored, all were
:02:47. > :02:57.monitored only until 2007? course, we do look at health and
:02:57. > :02:58.
:02:58. > :03:03.equality through our strategic action plan. Namely, the fairer
:03:03. > :03:08.outcomes for all documents. In addition to that, to ensure that
:03:08. > :03:14.people can receive the treatment they require in their own locality
:03:15. > :03:24.in order to ensure that the health outcomes in the health service
:03:25. > :03:25.
:03:25. > :03:33.continued to improve. The first minister has said that he will work
:03:33. > :03:38.hard to improve health services to people in Wales. The difficulties
:03:38. > :03:46.of... Has highlighted the need for the health board to improve its
:03:46. > :03:51.cataract services. Having been treated in one hour -- I'd 11 years
:03:51. > :03:56.ago he this lady was turned down for treatment on the other eye
:03:56. > :04:00.because the policy limit treatment to one I'd only. A number of
:04:00. > :04:06.treatments -- constituents have to travel a long wait to see the
:04:06. > :04:10.surgeon. Certainly, the travelling is difficult for people who have
:04:10. > :04:14.difficulty with their side. Would you agree there is room to improve
:04:14. > :04:22.the provision of some services in the health service, including the
:04:22. > :04:29.cataract service? Well, perhaps the best thing to do would be to write
:04:29. > :04:35.to me with the details of the individual and I will reply. First
:04:35. > :04:38.Minister, given the concerning situation of Southern Cross at
:04:38. > :04:43.present, do you agree that county councils should not consider
:04:43. > :04:48.privatising any care homes for the elderly and that public ownership
:04:48. > :04:53.provides the long term assurances to hour older people? I don't
:04:53. > :05:01.believe that any local authority should have to privatise any care
:05:01. > :05:05.homes. -- should look to privatise. First minister, has the buzz
:05:05. > :05:08.government comp -- submitted their response to the UK Government's
:05:08. > :05:13.consultation on the reform of the equality and human rights
:05:13. > :05:16.commission? We will be submitting a response, but our officials are
:05:16. > :05:22.working with the agency at the moment to provide advice on what
:05:22. > :05:27.steps we should take to the proposed changes. We are preparing
:05:27. > :05:30.a consultation for stakeholders as well for later this month which
:05:30. > :05:34.will provide our response to the consultation. Would you consider
:05:34. > :05:38.making representations to the Home Secretary and invite Trevor
:05:38. > :05:41.Phillips and Mark Hammond, the chair and chief executive of the
:05:41. > :05:45.commission here to seek commitments about the resourcing in Wales, and
:05:45. > :05:48.were to be happy not only to invite them here, but to meet not only
:05:49. > :05:53.yourself, but representatives of all four parties in this chamber?
:05:53. > :05:57.It is vital that we are sure the commission in Wales will be viable
:05:57. > :06:00.and continue with this important work to enforce the new specific
:06:00. > :06:05.equality duties and further promote the distinctive equalities agenda
:06:05. > :06:10.that we have here in Wales? I know that plight, will be happy to meet
:06:10. > :06:15.the Czech and chief execs if of the Commission -- Plaid. I am sure that
:06:15. > :06:23.the Labour Party would be equally happy. This is a question, not an
:06:23. > :06:28.invitation. The equalities minister will be
:06:28. > :06:33.looking to make the point that we will be ensuring a strong presence
:06:33. > :06:43.in Wales, and it should be if that a meeting will be organised and I
:06:43. > :06:47.am sure that can be done separately. First minister, I hope that the
:06:47. > :06:50.consultation will help ensure that the Commission is structured as an
:06:50. > :06:58.effective equality regulator and national human rights institution,
:06:58. > :07:02.and ensure that public money is used as wisely as possible. In the
:07:02. > :07:05.consultation got an -- document, the UK government highlighted the
:07:05. > :07:08.importance of the commission retaining a strong presence in
:07:09. > :07:13.Wales and working closely with the Welsh government. Given that we
:07:13. > :07:19.face some unique challenges in Wales linked to equality, will you
:07:19. > :07:25.join me in welcoming this statement? Well, I hope it is not
:07:25. > :07:30.the case that we will see a diminishing of E H R C activities
:07:30. > :07:35.in Wales, and clearly if that has been said by the UK government and
:07:35. > :07:41.we welcome that, and we will seek to make sure that the function in
:07:41. > :07:45.Wales remains as strong as ever. During first minister questions
:07:45. > :07:48.convention has been for party leaders to ask supplementary is to
:07:48. > :07:52.table questions, and when doing so they have been allowed to ask more
:07:52. > :07:56.open questions to the first minister. As from this week, I wish
:07:56. > :08:01.to establish a dedicated time for these questions. The party leaders
:08:01. > :08:04.may ask questions without notice to the First Minister, and I do not
:08:04. > :08:08.intend to call other members to ask supplementary is on these questions.
:08:08. > :08:12.I now call on the party leaders to question the first minister. Paul
:08:12. > :08:16.Davies. Thank you, presiding officer. The economic renewal
:08:16. > :08:19.programme was one of the flagship policies of the first minister's
:08:19. > :08:22.previous government. Could he tell us how much money has been
:08:22. > :08:26.allocated to businesses throughout Wales since its launch last of
:08:26. > :08:30.life? Given the fact that it takes some time for a programme it to
:08:30. > :08:34.roll forward, you would not be surprised if I tell you that at the
:08:34. > :08:37.moment the amount of money allocated is at a low level because
:08:37. > :08:43.inevitably it takes a number of years for the programme to move
:08:43. > :08:51.forward, and for the money to be allocated under it. Let me help out
:08:51. > :08:55.the first minister because I have got the information here. The
:08:55. > :08:59.information is �47,136 which has been allocated to businesses
:08:59. > :09:04.between 20th July 10 and made 2011. Does he think that is enough to
:09:04. > :09:08.help small businesses? No, but these programmes are run pub as
:09:08. > :09:11.time goes on, and I fully expect that there will be more than
:09:11. > :09:15.sufficient funds available during the course of the programme.
:09:15. > :09:19.Following on from that, of course, we wanted to know whether the
:09:19. > :09:23.Government will continue with the economic renewal programme. We do
:09:23. > :09:32.now commit to continuing with the economic renewal programme? Yes.
:09:32. > :09:38.Well, I am glad that we have had an answer at long last. Following a
:09:38. > :09:43.lot from that, first minister, we therefore commit to setting up
:09:43. > :09:47.enterprise zones and, if so, what discussions have you had with the
:09:47. > :09:51.UK government on setting up enterprise zones throughout Wales?
:09:51. > :09:55.We are looking at Enterprise Zones with great interest. We understand
:09:55. > :09:57.that the consequential to Wales may be round about the �5 million mark.
:09:57. > :10:01.We don't know for certain because we don't yet know what the full
:10:01. > :10:05.package means. It is not a huge amount of money and we should be
:10:05. > :10:08.careful about what any future Enterprise Zones might look like,
:10:08. > :10:16.given the fact they had mixed success in years gone by.
:10:16. > :10:25.Nevertheless, we are looking particularly at the principle of
:10:25. > :10:32.clustered enterprise zones in different parts of Wales.
:10:32. > :10:36.TRANSLATION: you said on 25th May, first minister, that he would meet
:10:36. > :10:42.with George Osborne. Can you give us an update please? A meeting has
:10:42. > :10:47.been arranged for the beginning of next month. If you recall, on 25th
:10:47. > :10:54.May you said that there would be two things on the agenda from your
:10:54. > :10:58.side to discuss with George Osborne. One was to ensure the first part of
:10:58. > :11:03.the court and report, and secondly were the borrowing powers. Do you
:11:03. > :11:08.now believe that that agenda is something you would wish to
:11:08. > :11:12.reconsider, given that what -- what has just happened? I don't want to
:11:12. > :11:17.follow Scotland, but having said that, it is very important that we
:11:17. > :11:21.have a package that is of benefit to the people of Wales, and it is
:11:22. > :11:26.very important to have borrowing powers and that is obvious. I will
:11:26. > :11:31.be making a statement to the Assembly next week in order to give
:11:31. > :11:36.the detail of the Government's standpoint on this, and also to
:11:36. > :11:42.inform the Assembly on what our stance will be as a government when
:11:42. > :11:47.I speak to George Osborne, David Cameron and Nick Clegg. May I say
:11:47. > :11:53.that it is important that you should share that agenda with us as
:11:53. > :11:58.soon as possible because, if the agenda as set out on 25th May was
:11:58. > :12:01.to be your agenda, then obviously that is going to sell us short,
:12:01. > :12:09.compared to what is happening in Scotland. May I just remind you of
:12:09. > :12:15.what was said about Scotland yesterday? In addition to what has
:12:16. > :12:18.already been announced, there were to have physical powers worth �12
:12:19. > :12:24.billion - macro fiscal powers. Payments to enable the work on the
:12:24. > :12:30.Forth Bridge to commence, and legislative rights to change the
:12:30. > :12:34.way that Scotland borrowers through what they are calling bond issue
:12:34. > :12:38.winds. Something which you as a party were disparaging abound
:12:38. > :12:44.during the election campaign. As you have said that you are going to
:12:44. > :12:49.stand up for Wales, can you tell us today what, in addition, will you
:12:49. > :12:55.be asking of George Osborne. Compared to Scotland, it is obvious
:12:55. > :12:59.that you have a long way to go. regards borrowing powers, we will
:12:59. > :13:05.have the same powers as Northern Ireland and Scotland, and the same
:13:05. > :13:08.level as well. You don't have to have a bond issue. It is possible
:13:08. > :13:12.that is what Northern Ireland will do him to borrow money without
:13:12. > :13:16.having taxation powers, and also without borrowing money on the
:13:16. > :13:24.markets. Whatever the mechanism may be, it is important that Wales has
:13:24. > :13:28.the means to borrow money in order to to fund major projects in the
:13:28. > :13:36.future, bearing in mind the fact that capital is going to be very
:13:36. > :13:40.scarce over the ensuing years. First minister, over the last 12
:13:40. > :13:44.months we have seen the publication of a number of reports that have
:13:44. > :13:48.been less than flattering about the state of the education system in
:13:48. > :13:51.Wales. Today, the head of the Association of School and College
:13:51. > :13:54.Lecturers has identified a lack of investment in future leadership of
:13:54. > :13:58.schools and the importance of continuing professional development
:13:58. > :14:01.of our teachers and he said, "in Wales I don't think we have
:14:01. > :14:05.invested enough in continuing professional development and that
:14:05. > :14:09.we have got some very good school leaders, but a lot of them are
:14:09. > :14:12.approaching". Do you accept his criticism and analysis of the
:14:12. > :14:15.situation in Wales, and what new policies but your Government set
:14:15. > :14:23.out to ensure that we bring on the next generation of teachers and
:14:23. > :14:27.school leaders? I take your point and it is right to say that there
:14:27. > :14:31.are some very good leaders in schools and colleges in Wales. It
:14:31. > :14:36.is also right to say that there are a dozen positions of leadership who
:14:36. > :14:41.are not as good as some others. What is important is that there is
:14:41. > :14:43.a good system of qualifications, and that is in place already, and
:14:43. > :14:48.of continuing professional development, and I believe we have
:14:48. > :14:51.those systems in place and we will see many more schools in the future
:14:51. > :14:57.benefit in from heads and principles with enhanced leadership
:14:57. > :15:01.skills. I am surprised that you say that, first minister, because the
:15:01. > :15:04.recent inspection of the Budget acacias system made some very
:15:04. > :15:08.specific and direct criticisms of the current way in which we train
:15:08. > :15:10.our head teachers and the way in which we handle continuing
:15:10. > :15:16.professional development in our schools. I am not aware that the
:15:16. > :15:21.minister has been able to induce any significant changes to that
:15:21. > :15:24.since that report was published. If I could go back to the comments of
:15:24. > :15:28.This gentleman who has considerable experience of leading schools here
:15:28. > :15:32.in Wales, he gave some specific examples of how we could improve
:15:32. > :15:36.the situation. He makes direct comparisons with England about the
:15:36. > :15:39.importance being placed on business matters there which allows head
:15:39. > :15:42.teachers to focus on School Leadership, the curriculum, and on
:15:42. > :15:47.teaching and learning. But to promote the use of business
:15:47. > :15:50.managers in Welsh schools? Schools are not businesses. I don't think a
:15:50. > :15:54.business manager is the right person to run a school. I think
:15:54. > :15:57.actually that is unfair on so many heads up and down Wales who are
:15:57. > :16:01.committed to education, and also good at managing schools. They need
:16:01. > :16:05.the right level of support and qualifications, but I have seen
:16:05. > :16:08.many schools in Wales where the heads are effective managers indeed.
:16:08. > :16:12.Key for us is to ensure that the good practice we see in so many
:16:12. > :16:16.schools around Wales is repeated in all schools around Wales, and that
:16:16. > :16:20.remains the challenge. Once again and surprised by your analysis of
:16:20. > :16:24.the situation. If you don't want to take the advice of the unions, and
:16:24. > :16:30.that is your choice, and you question the role of business
:16:30. > :16:34.managers in schools, your own inspectors have identified in their
:16:34. > :16:39.work that employing a good school business manager can free up at
:16:39. > :16:42.least 20% of the time of a head teacher, thus allowing that
:16:42. > :16:45.professional to concentrate on curriculum development, leadership,
:16:45. > :16:49.and promoting learning and excellence within that school. This
:16:49. > :16:52.afternoon, we are going to have your legislative statement.
:16:52. > :16:55.Wouldn't you agree with me it is time for this Government to bring
:16:55. > :16:58.forward a teaching standards bill to put in place a new streamlined
:16:58. > :17:02.structures for the training and development of our teachers,
:17:02. > :17:07.driving up standards and timed in the profession so they can deliver
:17:07. > :17:10.for all of our children? One of the suggestions that will be coming
:17:10. > :17:17.forward to in my statement is indeed education, and I will make
:17:17. > :17:20.that clear during the course of my statement. I am grateful for that
:17:20. > :17:23.answer, First Minister, but I would bring you back to the point that
:17:23. > :17:28.may or own inspectors here in Wales believe that the employment of
:17:28. > :17:31.business managers would be a good idea and there would ask you to
:17:31. > :17:36.reflect on the comments he made earlier. The education minister is
:17:36. > :17:40.due, once again, to make a keynote speech to an external audience
:17:40. > :17:44.which and told will set out how he and your government will drive up
:17:44. > :17:48.standards and respond to the failings. Will you ensure that now
:17:48. > :17:54.in the future any policy initiatives are announced in person
:17:54. > :17:59.to this chamber? Policy initiatives are announced to Assembly members,
:17:59. > :18:03.that will be inevitably occasions where policies are discussed with
:18:03. > :18:06.those in the professions, those who are stakeholders. Today we will
:18:07. > :18:16.hear later on the proposed legislative programme, and next
:18:17. > :18:18.
:18:18. > :18:21.week there will be a statement on Has the Minister received any
:18:21. > :18:28.further information on the electrification of the railway line
:18:28. > :18:34.from Cardiff to Swansea? It is said it will cost some �60 million to
:18:34. > :18:39.electrify as far as Swansea. Having noticed the Secretary of State's
:18:39. > :18:44.opposition to the high-speed rail line, if she is opposed to that, we
:18:44. > :18:52.will be happy to take some of that money to pay for electrification to
:18:52. > :18:57.Swansea. Can I thank the First Minister for his response? Can I
:18:57. > :19:04.followed up by saying that areas such as his own have importance in
:19:04. > :19:09.terms of economic regeneration of the electrified line. Will people
:19:09. > :19:14.making investments look at those areas which have motorway, fast
:19:14. > :19:18.broadband and electrified railway lines? If we do not have that we
:19:18. > :19:25.will be at a significant disadvantage. Will he be it would
:19:25. > :19:28.be more used to the economic regeneration of Swansea and West
:19:28. > :19:36.Wales to have elect a vocation than it is to have enterprise zones or a
:19:36. > :19:42.fiscal powers? The sad reality is that many businesses will select a
:19:42. > :19:46.vocation as far as Cardiff as the UK Government's message of seeing
:19:46. > :19:56.that anywhere west of Cardiff is not somewhere that should be
:19:56. > :20:02.
:20:02. > :20:06.invested in? That may be the message that is sent. I think we
:20:06. > :20:10.both a deep that proving the business case for continuation of
:20:10. > :20:17.the electrification project from London to Swansea is the key to
:20:17. > :20:22.economic revival in our part of the world. I was pleased to be present
:20:22. > :20:25.in Swansea this April when the Prime Minister, David Cameron,
:20:25. > :20:31.confirm to the UK Government would go out of their way to improve
:20:31. > :20:37.business. I am sure it will impress all members of South Wales to know
:20:38. > :20:44.what action you have taken since forming the Government to assist in
:20:44. > :20:48.proving a sound business case. What I -- while I do not want to
:20:48. > :20:58.prejudice your answer to this question I fear the evidence speaks
:20:58. > :20:59.
:20:59. > :21:03.louder than words. Can you come to the question, please? Will you
:21:03. > :21:12.commit to improving their record and working alongside the UK
:21:12. > :21:17.Government to provide electrification to Swansea? We have
:21:17. > :21:22.a very good record in opening railway lines. The Vale of
:21:22. > :21:28.Glamorgan line is one. I do not take criticism from the party
:21:29. > :21:34.opposite about the commitment to railways. We have made appoint many
:21:34. > :21:39.times in correspondence and in meetings that we want to see
:21:39. > :21:42.electrification to Swansea. The railways are not devolved. It is
:21:42. > :21:51.for the UK Government to provide the business case for a
:21:51. > :21:57.electrification. We will do all we can to assist the UK Government.
:21:57. > :22:01.First Minister, thank you for that. Swansea is still riding on the
:22:01. > :22:07.crest of a wave after their football promotion to the Premier
:22:07. > :22:11.League. Like the Radyr Cup weekend in Newport last year I am sure we
:22:11. > :22:16.all recognise that for the next 12 months Swansea will be the window
:22:16. > :22:21.through which the rest of the world will see Wales. I hope we can all
:22:21. > :22:25.work together to maximise this wonderful opportunity. We cannot
:22:25. > :22:32.allow our second city to feel underneath the international
:22:32. > :22:36.spotlight. Can you agree with me that we need to press the
:22:36. > :22:40.Conservatives and Liberal Democrats to fully get behind the
:22:40. > :22:45.electrification of the rail line between Cardiff and Swansea? It is
:22:45. > :22:52.important for West Wales that we are seen internationally to be up
:22:52. > :22:58.for business. I think that must be right. It is important we realise
:22:58. > :23:03.the Wills's main line ends at Swansea. It has never been the case
:23:03. > :23:07.that the Wales line ending at Cardiff has been seen up until now.
:23:07. > :23:12.That is unfortunate because businesses have said that they will
:23:12. > :23:22.think. Beyond Cardiff there are problematic conditions for economic
:23:22. > :23:27.
:23:27. > :23:32.growth which is the wrong message to send to world investors.
:23:32. > :23:37.TRANSLATION: The Westminster Government represents the policy of
:23:37. > :23:42.expanding economic development. If there was concern about the Welsh
:23:42. > :23:47.economy the would be aware that Swansea has greater risks of job
:23:47. > :23:51.losses than elsewhere in Wales. Will he agree that what makes the
:23:51. > :23:56.situation worse is that the cost per mile of continuing
:23:56. > :24:02.electrification from Cardiff to Swansea at a future date now puts
:24:02. > :24:06.it out with their reach of a possible investment package, has he
:24:06. > :24:13.expressed this to the Westminster Government and made these points
:24:13. > :24:17.directly to the minister with responsibility in this area?
:24:17. > :24:21.TRANSLATION: The point has been made by this Government and the
:24:21. > :24:25.previous Government, there was no difference in the stance taken by
:24:25. > :24:35.the previous Government and this Government. We are still pressing
:24:35. > :24:39.
:24:39. > :24:43.for electrification to the west of Cardiff. First Minister, I was
:24:43. > :24:47.disappointed to hear the first Minister for Swansea were allowed
:24:47. > :24:52.an enterprise zone for Swansea because it is quite important that
:24:52. > :24:56.that forms part of the package along with the electrification.
:24:56. > :25:04.Given that when this issue was raised in the chamber last Comer
:25:04. > :25:09.there were points that the whole Assembly had to stand up and get a
:25:09. > :25:14.case forward to the UK Government, can I ask what is your Government
:25:14. > :25:19.doing now in terms of actively lobbying and working with experts
:25:19. > :25:24.to get that case together and to put it in front of Government
:25:24. > :25:30.ministers in the UK to make it clear to them that we need this
:25:30. > :25:36.additional electrification on to Swansea. In terms of enterprise
:25:36. > :25:43.zones, it does not matter to us. It is for us to decide what any future
:25:43. > :25:47.enterprise zones might look like. We need information on capital
:25:47. > :25:57.allowances from the UK Government, once we get that information we
:25:57. > :25:58.
:25:58. > :26:07.will be able to proceed. Point of order. Nor, I am sorry. Julie
:26:07. > :26:14.Morgan. What is the latest assessment available to the First
:26:14. > :26:19.Minister of the likely economic growth rate of Wales in 2011?
:26:19. > :26:27.know that Welsh economic indicators generally attract those of the
:26:28. > :26:31.wider UK quite closely. UK prospects remain highly uncertain.
:26:31. > :26:36.Does the First Minister agreed that the manufacturing led recovery
:26:36. > :26:42.which was going strong in the second half off 2010 seems to have
:26:42. > :26:47.run out of steam in the first half of 2011? What can he do to try and
:26:47. > :26:52.restore the health and vigour of the recovery? The key to recovery
:26:52. > :26:57.is to make sure our people have the right skills in order to provide
:26:57. > :27:01.the basis for that recovery in future. That means ensuring there
:27:01. > :27:07.are schools, colleges and universities working together with
:27:07. > :27:15.industry and Government to endure we have a skills base in Wales that
:27:15. > :27:19.is attractive to overseas investors. There are various initiatives
:27:19. > :27:29.particularly one foundation which I had the pleasure of helping to
:27:29. > :27:30.
:27:30. > :27:36.launch last week. TRANSLATION: With economic keep growth forecasts
:27:36. > :27:42.worsening it is important to sustain capital schemes and I refer
:27:42. > :27:52.of course to the reduction of the 30% in expenditure over the next
:27:52. > :27:54.
:27:54. > :28:04.four years. Can we expand the right and enhance it to give the building
:28:04. > :28:05.
:28:05. > :28:12.and construction industry a boost. The drive already exists with local
:28:12. > :28:21.authorities working with central Government. TRANSLATION: We are
:28:21. > :28:24.considering at present, as we do not have borrowing powers, it is
:28:24. > :28:27.important we can work with local Government so they can use their
:28:28. > :28:35.powers and collaborate with each other to ensure the best outcomes
:28:35. > :28:44.for their own the us. The best solution is to ensure that we do
:28:44. > :28:50.have borrowing powers as a Welsh Government. First Minister, D U A D
:28:50. > :28:56.that the economic growth in Wales with develop hour manufacturing
:28:56. > :29:01.sector. In the last Budget a carbon tax was introduced which could
:29:01. > :29:07.affect such industries. Can you continue to ask your cabinet
:29:07. > :29:13.colleagues to investigate ways in which we can support such injuries
:29:13. > :29:19.-- industries as manufacturing with carbon tax. Especially companies
:29:19. > :29:23.which are energy saving in a waste products. You place a high
:29:23. > :29:28.importance on addressing the challenges of climate change. On
:29:28. > :29:31.this occasion we believe the potential impact on industry,
:29:31. > :29:41.especially energy intensive industries, such as steel
:29:41. > :29:47.production, that needs to be seriously considered. First
:29:47. > :29:52.Minister, you may have had drawn to your attention research released by
:29:52. > :29:57.Manpower today which emphasises the importance of small businesses in
:29:57. > :30:02.job-creation and leading us out of recession. Job-creation is
:30:02. > :30:07.essential with recent figures showing 77,000 people in Wales have
:30:07. > :30:12.been claiming out-of-work benefits for over 10 years. I asked what
:30:12. > :30:18.your Government is going to do to further assist small businesses in
:30:18. > :30:23.turning more opportunities into real job and stimulating economic
:30:23. > :30:28.growth. The programme is clear in terms of what it offers businesses.
:30:28. > :30:33.It is important we focus on helping businesses in the first two years
:30:33. > :30:38.of their lives when they are at their most vulnerable in many ways.
:30:38. > :30:43.The policies in the economic renewal programme are aimed
:30:43. > :30:53.squarely at small businesses as well as those businesses which are
:30:53. > :30:57.have agreed to her size. Thatch which are of the greater size.
:30:57. > :31:01.Unfortunately the economic growth of our city-centre is suffering
:31:01. > :31:06.because of the Liberal Democrat Leader Council which is bereft of
:31:06. > :31:11.ideas. I can assure you that team Labour in Swansea are pressurising
:31:11. > :31:16.the Council with some success to address the issues that our city
:31:16. > :31:22.centre businesses are facing. Will he were with me to capitalise on
:31:22. > :31:26.our city's good fortune and identify a strategy to deliver
:31:26. > :31:32.growth to Swansea and the city centre economy in the current
:31:32. > :31:38.financial climate? We are committed to the regeneration of Swansea City
:31:38. > :31:42.Centre. It is one of the seven regeneration areas across Wales.
:31:42. > :31:48.There is the railway station redevelopment, phase one of they
:31:48. > :31:54.are urban village on high street. There is the castle, bus station
:31:54. > :31:58.and transport infrastructure improvements. It was interesting
:31:58. > :32:02.earlier listening to some of your colleagues trying to blame all the
:32:02. > :32:07.wars of our current economic situation on the UK Government. I
:32:07. > :32:12.am sure you agree with me that the previous Labour Government left us
:32:12. > :32:20.with an enormous legacy of debt that some families are trying to
:32:20. > :32:28.get to get up some left. -- trying to get to grips with. How will you
:32:28. > :32:33.proposals helped to improve the situation in Wales? Under your
:32:33. > :32:40.watch over the last 10 years GDP has gone down. That is obscene,
:32:40. > :32:44.what are you going to do to make sure the figures are improved?
:32:44. > :32:51.I have seen is a party who uses an employment as a weapon against its
:32:51. > :33:00.own people. We saw that in the party opposite in the 1980s. The
:33:00. > :33:06.enemy within. That is what Margaret Thatcher called those hard-working
:33:06. > :33:12.miners. We see from the UK Government at the moment no
:33:12. > :33:17.leadership. Where is the help for first-time buyers? Where is the
:33:17. > :33:20.programme to deal with inflation which continues to rise? Where is
:33:20. > :33:30.the programme to deal with unemployment? From the party
:33:30. > :33:34.
:33:34. > :33:37.opposite we have only seen empty What is the first minister's
:33:37. > :33:44.priority for South Wales Central in the next year? We will get on with
:33:44. > :33:48.what we set out in the manifesto. Thank you for that answer. A couple
:33:48. > :33:52.of months ago BMI Baby said they were withdrawing services from
:33:52. > :33:56.Cardiff air port and does offered handers to that airport. Time and
:33:56. > :34:02.time again they have turned to the Welsh government to seek assistance.
:34:02. > :34:06.What are you going to be able to do in the next four to six months to
:34:06. > :34:10.assist the airport in establishing new routes and, above all, securing
:34:10. > :34:15.the long-term future of Cardiff Wales Airport? We work with the
:34:15. > :34:18.airport as best we can. Week provide for the bright projects
:34:18. > :34:22.capital money, but ultimately it is for the airport to attract business.
:34:22. > :34:26.I am concerned about the future of the airport. There is no airline
:34:26. > :34:29.with a base at the airport. It is important that such a base is
:34:29. > :34:34.established, and then it to be a close examination of what the
:34:34. > :34:37.airport's future should be, how it is secured. We will work with the
:34:37. > :34:47.owners of the airport to ensure that we see growth at the airport
:34:47. > :34:48.
:34:49. > :34:53.in the years to come, rather than Airlines, for some reason, leaving.
:34:53. > :34:58.My plight but -- Plaid colleague has uncovered that less than
:34:58. > :35:02.�500,000 worth of Olympic contracts have gone to Welsh firms out of a
:35:02. > :35:06.pot of �6 billion worth of work. You made a great deal in the
:35:06. > :35:10.election about being a protective shield for the people of Wales. Do
:35:10. > :35:14.you have a view on the death of Olympic contracts coming to Wales,
:35:14. > :35:19.and do you agree that that of vestment could have provided jobs
:35:19. > :35:23.for those people who are unemployed in South Wales Central, some of
:35:23. > :35:28.whom were described by your leader Ed Miliband as ripping of society
:35:28. > :35:32.yesterday, a statement to use your words, first minister, that uses
:35:32. > :35:37.unemployment to attack its own people and plays into the hands of
:35:38. > :35:43.the Tories and their right-wing friends. Hold on a second, the
:35:43. > :35:46.Minister of economic development... Let's not go down that line again.
:35:46. > :35:50.You make a serious point. It is right to say that Wells companies
:35:50. > :35:54.did not benefit as they should have done from Olympic contracts - Welsh.
:35:54. > :35:58.I have discussed this issue and it is clear that more needs to be done
:35:58. > :36:03.to give the confidence to Bull's firms to bid for these contracts.
:36:03. > :36:06.It was clearly an issue of confidence that arose after the
:36:06. > :36:11.contracts were allocated. We are aware of that situation and of
:36:11. > :36:18.course, when a situation like this arises again, I want to ensure that
:36:18. > :36:24.Welsh firms feel they are able to bid and have the confidence to bed.
:36:24. > :36:28.-- bit. What is the Welsh government doing to help tackle
:36:28. > :36:31.disability hate crime? Although hate crime is a non- devolved issue,
:36:32. > :36:37.it has been recognised that there is a need to tackle hate crime in
:36:37. > :36:42.all its forms, and we will work to reduce disability related to hate
:36:42. > :36:48.crime. This has been part of the manifesto that the Government was
:36:48. > :36:53.elected on. In a recent Mencap report called living in fear,
:36:53. > :36:56.Mencap find that over 90% of people with a learning disability had
:36:56. > :37:01.suffered some form of verbal or physical abuse from people they did
:37:01. > :37:03.not know. This is a shocking and unacceptable. What can the Welsh
:37:03. > :37:06.government do to ensure that people with a learning disability are
:37:07. > :37:13.valued in their community, and thereby reduce the incidence of
:37:14. > :37:17.abuse that many people face every day? I welcome and support the
:37:17. > :37:21.Mencap campaign to tackle hate crime against people with mental
:37:21. > :37:25.health issues. I know that the leader of the house will be
:37:25. > :37:28.speaking at the breakfast reception on 22nd June to highlight our
:37:28. > :37:37.commitment to working with all partners to reduce hate crime
:37:37. > :37:42.incidents. Thus the Assembly Government plan to implement an
:37:42. > :37:46.update its plate Strategic this assembly Dem? Every child has a
:37:46. > :37:50.right to play and it enriches the lives of children. Wales has led
:37:50. > :37:53.the way in promoting play and supporting play opportunities for
:37:53. > :38:00.children and young people, and the deputy minister will set out
:38:00. > :38:03.priorities for play in due course. TRANSLATION: successive governments
:38:03. > :38:08.have emphasised the importance of play in promoting a child's
:38:08. > :38:12.development. Are you able to provide an assurance that in any
:38:12. > :38:16.work on the strategy, Wales will not follow the lead of that
:38:16. > :38:20.flagship Conservative local authority in Wandsworth in charging
:38:20. > :38:24.children for the use of play facilities, and the children in
:38:24. > :38:30.Wales will continue in the words of the strategy, to be free to play,
:38:30. > :38:34.not free to pay where access to these public services is concerned?
:38:34. > :38:38.I can assure you that we have no intention of charging for the use
:38:38. > :38:45.of playgrounds in Wales and we would be dismayed if any Welsh
:38:45. > :38:50.authority followed the lead of Wandsworth. How low can you get?
:38:50. > :38:53.taking forward your revised strategy, how will you be defining
:38:53. > :38:59.play where previously government policy here was that play should be
:38:59. > :39:02.freely chosen, personally directed, and performed for no external
:39:02. > :39:07.reform or reward, but the children and families measure last year
:39:07. > :39:11.redefined that includes any recreational activity. This has
:39:11. > :39:14.caused concern particularly with the voluntary sector play providers
:39:14. > :39:18.across Wales, and there would be grateful if you could provide
:39:18. > :39:22.clarity to a sure that the free play priority is emphasised.
:39:22. > :39:28.terms of section 11 of the measure, but how she work has been
:39:28. > :39:35.undertaken in developing standards, and guidance that will form part of
:39:35. > :39:40.the regulations that will be produced regarding this duty.
:39:40. > :39:45.TRANSLATION: my question reflects the failure that we have seen by
:39:45. > :39:53.not having a governmental programme because there is no mention in your
:39:53. > :39:57.manifesto of a play strategy, there have been a number of good and fair
:39:57. > :40:03.points about child's play in the Labour manifesto, but nothing about
:40:03. > :40:09.a clear programme. Can I ask you, under your manifesto, when will you
:40:09. > :40:14.find the resources to double the number of children that profit from
:40:14. > :40:21.the Sure Start programme? This is being considered at present, and as
:40:21. > :40:26.I have mentioned the detail of the legislative programme will be
:40:26. > :40:30.published next month. There will be a statement today, and we must bear
:40:30. > :40:38.remind that we are way ahead of Scotland in terms of publishing a
:40:38. > :40:42.legislative programme. Will the firm Mr -- first minister outlined
:40:42. > :40:46.his policy for enhancing the economic devolution dividend?
:40:46. > :40:51.plans for growth and sustainable jobs as set out in our manifesto,
:40:51. > :40:54.and they include two -- plans to raise the skill levels of a work
:40:54. > :40:58.force and other actions to lessen the impact of measures being
:40:58. > :41:03.imposed on Wales by the UK government. Thank you, first
:41:03. > :41:06.minister. There has been clinic -- continued criticism for performers
:41:06. > :41:11.on economic to run it. Academics have highlighted a focus on
:41:11. > :41:16.bureaucracy rather than a delivery. Bearing in mind alarming figures
:41:16. > :41:19.such as the fact that less than 18% of the previous Assembly Government
:41:19. > :41:24.Innovation programme targeted support directly at the private
:41:24. > :41:28.sector. How is your government looking to better tailored
:41:28. > :41:33.programmes to ensure that many promising SMEs in Wales are able to
:41:33. > :41:37.grow and find new markets? It is correct to say that we have not
:41:37. > :41:41.done enough to prioritise delivery over the cause of the last decade,
:41:41. > :41:44.and that is why I am setting up a delivery unit to make sure that
:41:44. > :41:48.what we say we are going to do is what we do, and that the public
:41:48. > :41:53.will be able to measure those outcomes as well. You're quite
:41:53. > :41:57.right to say that it is essential that support for business must be
:41:57. > :42:00.made to as freely available as possible, while remembering of
:42:00. > :42:10.course the need for diligence in examining the applications that
:42:10. > :42:12.
:42:12. > :42:16.come before us. First minister, as you know, Sunday 11th September is
:42:16. > :42:20.an important date in the diaries of all Welsh rugby fans, and there are
:42:20. > :42:24.plenty up in North Wales as well, because that is the day that Wales
:42:24. > :42:28.will play South Africa in the Rugby World Cup. What are you doing to
:42:28. > :42:32.promote Wales's economic interests around the forthcoming Rugby World
:42:32. > :42:36.Cup, and would you agree that such competitions are not just about the
:42:36. > :42:39.sport success on the field, but they are also more important
:42:39. > :42:43.economic benefits for Wales as a result of playing on that global
:42:43. > :42:47.stage? As well as being a major event on the international sporting
:42:47. > :42:51.calendar, the World Cup does provide a major opportunity for us
:42:51. > :42:55.to promote Welsh Business and Wales as it to his destination, and I
:42:55. > :42:58.have been invited by the UK High Commissioner to New Zealand to work
:42:58. > :43:01.with them to develop a programme to promote our interests around the
:43:01. > :43:05.World Cup and I do plan to take up this opportunity. My officials are
:43:05. > :43:09.working with the High Commission and others to develop a detailed
:43:09. > :43:16.programme. Thank you. What is the Welsh government doing to promote
:43:16. > :43:20.fire safety in Wales, please? you know, of course, we published
:43:20. > :43:24.our manifesto for the election and we are committed, of course, to
:43:24. > :43:29.taking forward the domestic fire safety Wales measure. Thank you for
:43:29. > :43:32.that answer, first minister. You mentioned our expense of manifesto
:43:32. > :43:36.commitments, however the regulations flow from the last
:43:36. > :43:39.December. As your watchword is delivery, when it can I expect
:43:39. > :43:43.delivery of these regulations please? You have been personally
:43:43. > :43:49.very committed to the domestic fire safety Wales measure, and it is
:43:49. > :43:52.something I know you promoted tirelessly in the chamber. We are
:43:52. > :43:56.committed to considering the regulations following the success
:43:56. > :44:00.of the measure, and I can report that we have begun the working
:44:00. > :44:04.looking at the technical issues relating to drafting the
:44:04. > :44:07.regulations, and we will be reporting back in due course as to
:44:07. > :44:17.the exact date when we can hope those regulations can come into
:44:17. > :44:18.
:44:18. > :44:28.force. Russell Jones? Sorry, presiding
:44:28. > :44:35.
:44:36. > :44:41.officer, I have not got a question. TRANSLATION: in August 2008 a
:44:41. > :44:46.framework was put in place on fire rescue in Wales. It was a framework
:44:46. > :44:48.that was to be in place for three years. You don't have to be an
:44:48. > :44:53.expert in maths to understand that you will need to review that
:44:53. > :44:57.framework within just a few months. What do you intend to do in terms
:44:57. > :45:01.of the review of that framework, and what powers do you feel need to
:45:02. > :45:09.be given to Fire and Rescue authorities in Wales to enable them
:45:09. > :45:12.to implement that framework? When the time comes to review that
:45:12. > :45:15.framework it is something that the minister will consider over the
:45:15. > :45:19.ensuing months. That's your lot from First
:45:19. > :45:26.Minister's Questions this week. You can watch all of the proceedings
:45:26. > :45:31.from the National Assembly fire hour online coverage. -- through
:45:31. > :45:35.our online coverage. Jeremy now is our Welsh Affairs Editor Vaughan
:45:35. > :45:43.Roderick. It has been a while. Rosemary Butler is now in the chair
:45:43. > :45:45.as Brett -- presiding officer. I don't know if you can call today's
:45:46. > :45:50.First Minister's Questions as the first back in the groove, but what
:45:50. > :45:54.other changes she has made? Because it doesn't have a system of open
:45:54. > :45:57.questions, which you have in Westminster, and which has now been
:45:57. > :46:02.introduced in Scotland, which is the sort of question that says will
:46:02. > :46:06.be trimester list their engagements of the day, which enables anyone to
:46:06. > :46:10.ask anything they want. It has always been a problem for party
:46:10. > :46:14.leaders. They have been given a little bit of leeway to ask the
:46:14. > :46:19.questions, but Carwyn Jones has recently been having a go at them
:46:19. > :46:23.for doing that, trying to suggest, a degree in Kirsty Williams's case
:46:23. > :46:29.that somehow that was out of order. Now the presiding officer has
:46:29. > :46:36.created this window where the three opposition party leaders can act as
:46:36. > :46:43.if they were following an open question. It would be far simpler
:46:43. > :46:46.if they just allowed open questions. Yes, but because all the party
:46:46. > :46:49.leaders came after each other, and normally it is those who land the
:46:49. > :46:54.blows on the first minister, the rest of it was a little bit
:46:54. > :46:58.lacklustre. Yes, it was odd. It made it seem like two different
:46:58. > :47:01.sessions. You did have an element today, which you sometimes get in
:47:01. > :47:04.First Minister's Questions, where they are a little bit flat because
:47:04. > :47:09.something more important is coming along later in the day. In this
:47:09. > :47:13.case, that is a statement about the Government's legislative priorities.
:47:13. > :47:17.Really, all the politicians there were aware that the press attention
:47:17. > :47:24.would be on that statement, rather than on the question session today.
:47:24. > :47:31.But it did feel a little bit flat. It was quite polite, there was no
:47:31. > :47:37.real confrontation. It was the sort of First Minister's Questions you
:47:37. > :47:41.get when an election is a long way away. Briefly, you mentioned the
:47:41. > :47:46.government led programme, what can we expect? Not as much as the
:47:46. > :47:49.opposition parties expected. If Carwyn Jones does not give them at
:47:49. > :47:56.least some meet two to one, there will be a lot of angry people in