:00:22. > :00:26.Good afternoon. Welcome to the programme and our weekly coverage
:00:26. > :00:29.of questions to the First Minister. Plans for a major shake-up of the
:00:29. > :00:33.NHS are dominating the news today with the release of Hywel Dda
:00:33. > :00:36.Health Board's proposals for change in mid and west Wales. We can
:00:36. > :00:41.expect to hear more on hospital reorganisation during First
:00:41. > :00:43.Minister's Questions. There are also a number of questions to
:00:43. > :00:46.Carwyn Jones about the Welsh Government's priorities for this
:00:46. > :00:49.year. That's what we're expecting the
:00:49. > :00:52.politicians to be talking about, but what do you want to talk about?
:00:52. > :00:57.You can comment on anything on the programme, but don't feel
:00:57. > :01:01.restricted by that. If you want to talk about any other political news
:01:01. > :01:03.talk about any other political news get in touch with us. You can reach
:01:03. > :01:13.us via Twitter, we're @walespolitics or send us an email
:01:13. > :01:23.Well, business in the chamber is already in full flow. Let's go over
:01:23. > :01:28.
:01:28. > :01:35.there now for questions to the The Will the First Minister make a
:01:35. > :01:39.statement on his priorities for 2013. I understand you have given
:01:39. > :01:42.permission for questions 1 and 7 to be gripped. Our priorities are
:01:43. > :01:48.outlined in the programme for government which will be updated in
:01:48. > :01:54.May. I am sure one of your priorities for 20 certain will be
:01:54. > :01:59.the health service. You will be aware that Hywel Dda Health Board
:01:59. > :02:03.is progressing with its plans, including the special post-natal
:02:03. > :02:06.care units in my local hospital. The people will feel that their
:02:06. > :02:12.fears have been ignored bearing in mind that so many spoke up against
:02:12. > :02:16.these plans. Can you tell us, what was the point of the public
:02:16. > :02:21.consultation if the reviews are not taking into account and are you
:02:21. > :02:25.willing to stand up with me at against the it closure of the
:02:25. > :02:30.crucial units and against downgrading services in my
:02:30. > :02:34.constituency? I will support any service which is safe and secure.
:02:34. > :02:39.As regards to the system of consultation, the plans have
:02:39. > :02:45.changed. In listening to the views of the people of the area, as
:02:45. > :02:49.regard to the government's stance on this, there is a role for the
:02:49. > :02:53.government if the community health councils cannot agree, then the
:02:53. > :03:02.decision is given to the Welsh Government. There is a limit to
:03:02. > :03:06.what I can say. As the consultation process on how services in West
:03:06. > :03:14.Wales has now been concluded and so decisions the to centralise
:03:14. > :03:18.services in terms of emergency service and paediatrics have been
:03:18. > :03:22.taken from the rural hospitals to the more local hospital, are you
:03:22. > :03:28.willing to tell us your do on the decisions taken in West Wales?
:03:28. > :03:35.There were changes in Prince Philip hospital during the One Wales
:03:35. > :03:41.government. Things did change there. That would mean that it you would
:03:41. > :03:46.be against centralising any service, mainly in Llanelli. There is a role
:03:46. > :03:55.for Welsh Government as regards to considering these plans. I am
:03:55. > :04:00.restricted in what I can say on those plans. I know that one of
:04:00. > :04:08.your priorities is about to tackling climate change. Would you
:04:08. > :04:14.join with me in congratulating the council in my constituency on their
:04:15. > :04:22.recent Chartered constituency it in Wace management award for their
:04:22. > :04:26.innovative matches recycling facility. -- mattress. The facility
:04:26. > :04:33.boasts a first of its kind machine that helps residents dispose of
:04:33. > :04:36.their own mattresses and insuring that every piece of the matches is
:04:36. > :04:43.recycled. How was the Welsh Government encouraging the public
:04:43. > :04:47.to make the recycling a way of life? -- mattress. We have had
:04:47. > :04:52.targets to increase recycling for many years and it has increased at
:04:52. > :04:56.least 10 fold over the last decade. Can I say in relation to the scheme
:04:56. > :05:03.you referred to, we know the facility has been developed with
:05:03. > :05:06.the aid of a grant of �400,000 from the Welsh Government. Can I
:05:06. > :05:16.congratulate the council and the Organisation for developing the
:05:16. > :05:18.
:05:18. > :05:21.facility? If I can ask you about the Welsh Government's plans to
:05:21. > :05:26.support jobs in Wales. Last week saw the announcement that the Welsh
:05:26. > :05:30.Government is planning the plug on a scheme which we were told was
:05:30. > :05:35.supposed to help those most in need back into employment. Your decision
:05:35. > :05:41.to pull the plug on that scheme has shown that it has clearly failed in
:05:41. > :05:46.its objectives. Do you share my concern about the �35 million that
:05:46. > :05:49.has gone into that scheme over -- over recent years and do you regret
:05:49. > :05:52.the fact that the website of the scheme was not updated since 2010,
:05:53. > :05:57.so people were unaware what the scheme was trying to achieve and
:05:57. > :06:02.what you do to make sure the same mistakes are not repeated? WITH any
:06:02. > :06:08.scheme, we seek to ensure that it delivers. That is why we monitor
:06:08. > :06:15.schemes. Where we feel they are not in -- they are in danger of not
:06:15. > :06:21.developing, then we take the appropriate action. We have other
:06:21. > :06:29.schemes which are all helping people to get into business, to get
:06:29. > :06:39.to jobs and stay in them. Another priority must be the economy. The
:06:39. > :06:39.
:06:40. > :06:43.latest quarterly survey, they have pointed to a slight increase in
:06:43. > :06:46.business confidence in Wales by the end of 2012. Does this have
:06:47. > :06:51.anything to do with the Welsh Government policy, given that the
:06:51. > :06:55.minister for business stated in the Chamber last week that, or
:06:55. > :07:00.confidence in the economy comes from a macro economic policies,
:07:00. > :07:05.which is not the responsibility of of the Welsh Government. I believe
:07:05. > :07:10.the Welsh Government is adding value to the economy of Wales. The
:07:10. > :07:15.figures that we have recently seen it all the young people who are in
:07:16. > :07:21.employment, it has been a roaring success. But the gross funds and
:07:21. > :07:25.its other sons all added together all helped the economy in Wales. We
:07:25. > :07:30.can see that employment is up, unemployment is down. Business
:07:30. > :07:35.confidence is up, early entrepreneurial engagement is up,
:07:35. > :07:42.as well. This is because of what we have put in place to assist people
:07:42. > :07:46.in difficult times. Another key priority for your government is the
:07:46. > :07:52.safety of children. In recent weeks, I have been involved in campaigning
:07:52. > :07:57.alongside some parents locally to overturn a council decision that
:07:57. > :08:01.would have forced pupils to walk almost three miles along an unlit
:08:01. > :08:06.and exposed roots on at their way to a secondary school. Fortunately,
:08:06. > :08:12.in part, due to the campaign that we have run, the council has
:08:12. > :08:17.relented. But it has exposed the need to for a system of appeal
:08:17. > :08:20.under the learner travel Wales match at to give parents an
:08:20. > :08:27.opportunity for some redress and for consideration in this matter.
:08:27. > :08:31.We you please give an undertaking to actually build in some -- such a
:08:31. > :08:35.process when the appropriate legislation comes forward to ensure
:08:35. > :08:42.parents are not left in the state of alarm that they were left in in
:08:42. > :08:45.the last few weeks. That is an important point in terms of travel.
:08:45. > :08:55.I will say that what he has said and I will write to him with his
:08:55. > :08:56.
:08:56. > :08:59.views on how the situation might be improved. Will the First Minister
:08:59. > :09:08.make a statement on the delivery of health services in Brecon and
:09:08. > :09:12.Radnorshire. Our plans and priorities can be found in our
:09:12. > :09:17.programme for government. It has a strong emphasis on developing
:09:17. > :09:21.services within communities and within a primary care. Yet your
:09:21. > :09:28.government is committed to phasing out and abolishing the end peg over
:09:28. > :09:32.the next seven years. To do so, it would have devastating effect on
:09:32. > :09:38.the rural GP practices. Had the news editor one to increase
:09:38. > :09:47.services delivered by primary care, and then fundamentally undermine
:09:47. > :09:50.the sustainability of rural GP practices? -- how can you say.
:09:50. > :09:56.will take those ideas forward with a view to getting a settlement that
:09:56. > :10:00.is fair to all concerned. You will be aware that the people of Brecon
:10:00. > :10:04.and Radnorshire rely on a hospital services in different parts of the
:10:04. > :10:08.country and you will be aware that non-emergency operations have been
:10:09. > :10:12.cancelled at hospitals across Wales as a result of bed pressures
:10:12. > :10:15.brought upon by the cuts in the number of beds over the past few
:10:15. > :10:20.years which a government has inflicted because of your financial
:10:20. > :10:25.cuts, record-breaking financial cuts on our health service. What
:10:25. > :10:29.you have to say to the people of Wales? WE you apologise so we you
:10:29. > :10:39.defend the cancellation of their operations, adding to the already
:10:39. > :10:41.
:10:41. > :10:44.unacceptably -- an acceptable long waiting times? -- an acceptable.
:10:44. > :10:50.20,000 operations are in that category. Bloodstock but honesty.
:10:50. > :10:54.We have been straight and honest with the people of wares. It --
:10:54. > :10:58.let's talk about honesty. We are keeping health spending level and
:10:58. > :11:03.are protecting it. But see what happens in England. We have the UK
:11:03. > :11:05.statistics that are at the issuing a review about statements by the
:11:05. > :11:09.Prime Minister and others in relation to health spending. He
:11:09. > :11:13.says that health spending in England has changed very little.
:11:13. > :11:22.The reality is that we have been almost whether the people of Wales.
:11:22. > :11:27.It is a shame his party is not on this in England. -- almost. Last
:11:27. > :11:32.week it, you told me that you would be willing to be taken to hospital
:11:32. > :11:39.in a taxi. Those people would at least expect a taxi home from
:11:39. > :11:44.hospital, but a constituent of mine had to walk 23 miles home in the
:11:44. > :11:48.early hours of New Year's Day. As there is no general hospital
:11:48. > :11:53.locally, and the Hywel Dda Health Board is centralising services
:11:53. > :11:56.serving the area and everyone would have to travel for treatment, can
:11:56. > :12:02.you guarantee the ship today that no one else will have to walk home
:12:02. > :12:10.from hospital in Wales? I have year and read the stories. By do not
:12:10. > :12:13.know the details. -- sheet. We are looking into it and I think it is
:12:13. > :12:21.extremely important we understand the circumstances and what happened
:12:21. > :12:26.to this gentleman. We will then make a statement. And our questions
:12:26. > :12:31.from the party leaders. First will, the leader of the opposition.
:12:31. > :12:35.Leading on from the previous question, company macro of romance
:12:35. > :12:39.in their half a reconfiguration downgrading proposals. If the
:12:39. > :12:43.management think it appropriate that a 62 euros patient suffering
:12:43. > :12:48.with a chest infection should be sent home from hospital and is
:12:48. > :12:52.expected to walk 23 miles home, had come we have any confidence in the
:12:52. > :12:56.African -- proposals of their passing today? They can have
:12:56. > :13:00.confidence in the honesty of the Welsh Government as opposed to the
:13:00. > :13:04.UK Government. There are 17 hospitals in England with unsafe
:13:04. > :13:11.staffing. The difference between ourselves and his party is that we
:13:11. > :13:15.believe in safe services and he does not. I have stood here for
:13:15. > :13:20.nearly 18 months and I think that is the worst answer that I have hit
:13:20. > :13:26.you did. There is a serious discussion going on in one of the
:13:26. > :13:30.major half boards. I put a real- life case scenario to you that was
:13:30. > :13:35.reported extensively last we cannot you can refer to is the English NHS.
:13:35. > :13:39.Let's look at the Welsh NHS. The Health Minister in 20th November 11
:13:39. > :13:44.said she did not want any downgradings. She went on to say on
:13:44. > :13:49.Radio Wales, I do not want to hear anything about downgrading in Wales.
:13:49. > :13:54.But today, we have in the Hywel Dda Health Board proposals a 20%
:13:54. > :14:00.reduction in acute beds. We have a community hospitals facing closure
:14:00. > :14:03.and we have a special care baby unit closing, as well. Is that not
:14:03. > :14:07.downgrading? Of his services not available in a district general
:14:07. > :14:12.hospital, is that not downgrading and that in the community down that
:14:12. > :14:16.relies on the services in some of our most remote areas? Of course
:14:16. > :14:19.not. You suggest that the health service should stay exactly as it
:14:19. > :14:24.is and should not changed regardless of what doctors say. He
:14:24. > :14:28.is fighting the doctors. These are sensible proposals. But he knows
:14:28. > :14:33.better than the doctors themselves. He has to explain himself. On the
:14:33. > :14:36.one hand, he says, isn't it terrible that our proposals are
:14:36. > :14:40.changed, and it illustrates a case that apparently happened at the
:14:40. > :14:45.moment and then says there is no need for change. It is double
:14:45. > :14:49.standards. If he is it -- if he is saying there is a problem if
:14:49. > :14:53.someone has to walk 23 miles home, that is why there has to be changed.
:14:53. > :15:03.He seems to think that what is better is that we have an save
:15:03. > :15:05.
:15:05. > :15:08.services and that is all regattas How ridiculous an answer can you
:15:08. > :15:16.give? I asked you about downgrading. Those services are not going to be
:15:16. > :15:21.there. The reason the NHS is in the state it is, is because your
:15:21. > :15:28.government is taking a �500 million out of their budget. Not government
:15:28. > :15:34.has failed to attract key clinicians, into Wales to run many
:15:34. > :15:38.of our key services. Despite 12 months ago you going on that there
:15:38. > :15:42.was a tidal wave of commissions wanting to work in Wales. It is
:15:43. > :15:47.about your Government's ideology that failure to recognise that
:15:47. > :15:52.these are the people in North, murder and West Wales. When are you
:15:52. > :15:55.going away And start addressing people's real concerns? I currency
:15:55. > :16:00.the full tariff Thurstaston babbling away but perhaps that
:16:00. > :16:05.part-time first minister could give us some answers. Quite often you
:16:05. > :16:09.see in the summer a fly or a B and it keeps try to get out and it hits
:16:09. > :16:13.its head at all that time. That is what the opposition leader has been
:16:13. > :16:18.like over the last few months. It - - he asks the same question over
:16:18. > :16:23.and over again. The reality is this. We are looking to provide a safe
:16:23. > :16:26.Health Service. He has not. He is not interested in a safe Health
:16:26. > :16:32.Service. He is not interested in the well-being of the people of
:16:32. > :16:40.Wales. It is legitimate to look at what happens over the border
:16:40. > :16:46.because their ideology in England has meant 70 hospital's operating
:16:46. > :16:50.with analysts say for medical staff, 17 of them. -- 17. They have lied
:16:50. > :16:55.about spending in England. The reason it is relevant is because we
:16:55. > :16:59.know full well fact if ever he were in a position of power in this
:16:59. > :17:09.Assembly, he would simply follow whatever he was told by his
:17:09. > :17:13.
:17:13. > :17:18.colleagues in Westminster. He is nothing more than a puppet.
:17:18. > :17:22.TRANSLATION: Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats. Over the weekend,
:17:22. > :17:26.health boards did indeed announce that they were cancelling non-
:17:26. > :17:30.emergency operations in North and South Wales. Not the patience not
:17:30. > :17:36.turning up, not the patient being too sick to operate on, managers
:17:36. > :17:40.cancelling operations. In cases of extreme winter pressure, that they
:17:40. > :17:44.be understandable. However, Public Health Wales has already stated
:17:44. > :17:47.that pressures are with inspected - - expected levels for this time of
:17:47. > :17:52.year it could have been planned for. Why have those operations being
:17:52. > :17:56.cancelled? It's very difficult to give reasons why operations are
:17:56. > :18:00.cancelled. It is right to say that there have been cancelled for the
:18:00. > :18:04.reasons that have been outlined but the majority have been cancelled
:18:04. > :18:06.for unavoidable reasons. We expect local health boards to minimise the
:18:06. > :18:14.need for cancelling operations because we understand the effect
:18:14. > :18:20.that has on the individuals concerned. There have been whole
:18:20. > :18:24.scale consolations of a non-elected surgery. Plans announced today will
:18:24. > :18:31.see the closure of one 5th of all the acute beds in west Wales. If
:18:31. > :18:37.the NHS is struggling to cope now, how will dramatically reducing of
:18:37. > :18:46.the overall capacity of the NHS to provide but emergency care and non-
:18:46. > :18:50.emergency surgery help? diverting... We know there are many
:18:50. > :18:58.conditions that can be managed by GPs or dealt with by GPs. For
:18:58. > :19:04.example, for some 30 years ago, it was common practice for people with
:19:04. > :19:09.gall bladders to spend time in hospitals. Not any more. What sort
:19:09. > :19:12.of level of care to people get? That is what we need to make sure
:19:12. > :19:16.as many people as possible get care as close to home as possible. That
:19:17. > :19:21.doesn't mean as -- the nearest hospital, but often the nearest GP.
:19:21. > :19:26.If if we had enough capacity within the system, they would not be the
:19:26. > :19:30.whole scale cancellation of non- emergency surgery in several of
:19:30. > :19:34.Wales's district general hospitals this week. Understandably, the
:19:34. > :19:39.question for many people have a seemed today's report is where will
:19:39. > :19:44.I be treated? Harris suggest they should also ask, how and when will
:19:44. > :19:49.I be treated? With an elderly population, demand for services
:19:49. > :19:52.rising, a 20 % reduction in beds, a reduction in community of bottles
:19:52. > :20:00.and the threat to the sustainability of GP practices
:20:00. > :20:05.because of cuts to their funding, we would do it today that the plans
:20:05. > :20:09.announced by the board will only mean longer waiting lists and more
:20:09. > :20:18.cancelled operations during the winter? Of course not. What we are
:20:18. > :20:21.looking to do is to provide safe services. I would never support Ace
:20:21. > :20:25.surface that was local and unsafe. I wouldn't support it. Services
:20:25. > :20:29.need to be as local as possible but also need to be as safe as possible.
:20:29. > :20:32.People need the best outcome as possible. As far as the leader of
:20:32. > :20:35.the Liberal Democrats is concerned, she talks about the wholesale
:20:35. > :20:40.cancellation of operations. She spoke last week about lots of
:20:41. > :20:50.people not getting access to NHS dentists. She asked people to
:20:50. > :20:56.contact by officers and we've had no e-mails. Following the
:20:56. > :21:02.announcements today from the board, the process has been completed at a
:21:02. > :21:05.local level and there is a difference of opinion between the
:21:05. > :21:11.consultants working at Prince Philip and the local health board.
:21:11. > :21:19.The committee healths -- Committee half board in his say that Pleshey
:21:19. > :21:24.should keep a good service. -- Llanelli. Do you agree with them or
:21:24. > :21:27.do you agree with help poor? I have to refer the leader of Plaid Cymru
:21:27. > :21:32.to the answer that I have given. There is a limit to what I can say.
:21:32. > :21:39.What is obvious in the document is that there have been changes made
:21:39. > :21:43.as a result of listening to local people. By note for example Fahd --
:21:43. > :21:47.a note for example that in terms of the changes that have been made to
:21:47. > :21:53.Prince Philip... He spent 10 minutes defending his proposals so
:21:53. > :22:01.to say that you cannot take a view is odd. You referred earlier to
:22:01. > :22:05.hospital staffing figures. They were published in England at the
:22:05. > :22:11.weekend, showing that 17 NHS hospitals have unsafe staffing
:22:11. > :22:17.levels. That was described by your own party as a result of a toxic
:22:17. > :22:20.combination of reorganisation and cuts. Some health boards own risk
:22:20. > :22:27.registers in Wales have said that some services are at risk of
:22:27. > :22:33.becoming unsafe. Can you tell us today whether there are any unsafe
:22:33. > :22:37.services in Wales now? We agreed to publish a list for Wales outlining
:22:37. > :22:43.which hospitals are safe and which services are not safe? First of all,
:22:43. > :22:48.we don't believe there are any unsafe services but there will be.
:22:48. > :22:56.There will be, without change, there is no question. The leader of
:22:56. > :23:00.Plaid Cymru says, well, there are hospitals in England which might
:23:01. > :23:05.become unsafe for are unsafe. That is our fear. Our fear is services
:23:05. > :23:08.in Wales become an safe unless there is change. That is why these
:23:08. > :23:14.proposals have been suggested. I make observations on his proposals.
:23:14. > :23:20.The reason I cannot go into detail is because, and I will explain, we
:23:20. > :23:25.have a role in decision-making if the decision is referred to us. I
:23:25. > :23:29.express a view -- if I express a view now, we will end up in court.
:23:29. > :23:33.We all know what a judicial review involves. My fear is that
:23:33. > :23:36.expressing any view beforehand will inevitably lead to people
:23:36. > :23:41.challenging any decision the government has to make because I
:23:41. > :23:50.have expressed a view beforehand. You have just spent 10 minutes in
:23:50. > :23:54.this chamber defending the proposals. Order, order. You say
:23:54. > :23:57.one of your key concerns his safety and one of the concerns for many
:23:57. > :24:02.people out there is the issue of how long it takes to get to
:24:02. > :24:06.hospital. You were a way of a Sheffield University study which
:24:06. > :24:10.says the danger of death in an emergency situation increases by 1%
:24:10. > :24:15.every 10 kilometres. This is a concern, particularly in rural
:24:15. > :24:19.areas, but also parts of Wales where there is no car -- low car
:24:19. > :24:23.ownership and especially when we have snow and floods to deal worth
:24:23. > :24:29.and roads are closed. The Sheffield study is absolutely clear, First
:24:29. > :24:36.Minister, lives are really at stake here. How will further
:24:36. > :24:40.centralisation make patients in Wales safe? The leader of Plaid
:24:40. > :24:44.Cymru says I've been defending it and they have not. What I do defend
:24:44. > :24:53.is the need for safe services in Wales. I think that is important.
:24:53. > :24:57.I've seen services, 20 years ago for example, it was kept on going
:24:57. > :25:07.for the sake of prestige and not prepared for that to happen in
:25:07. > :25:07.
:25:07. > :25:13.Wales. She raised is unimportant issue, that of transport. -- an
:25:13. > :25:20.important issue for stop it is no good going to hospital if find that
:25:20. > :25:24.people treating you aren't -- have no experience of your condition. If
:25:24. > :25:34.you have a head injury in my part of the world, you go to Cardiff
:25:34. > :25:34.
:25:34. > :25:41.because that is where the experts are. The exercise always has to be,
:25:41. > :25:48.how can you make services local while ensuring that fail-safe --
:25:48. > :25:50.that they are safe. And sustainable. There is no point keeping his
:25:50. > :25:55.service in place if there are serious doubts about its
:25:55. > :25:59.sustainability in the future. Change must be for the better. What
:25:59. > :26:02.we don't want is what we see over the border, namely and the safe
:26:02. > :26:08.services, hospitals under threat of closure, medical staff being sacked.
:26:08. > :26:14.We don't think that is the right approach. TRANSLATION: And now
:26:14. > :26:16.bound to questions on the Order Paper. Question number three.
:26:16. > :26:21.the First Minister outline which policies from the programme for
:26:21. > :26:24.government he expects to deliver in 2013? I will give some examples.
:26:24. > :26:31.First of all, we know that's natural resources Wales will be
:26:32. > :26:37.established on the 1st April. Houses into homes scheme will bring
:26:37. > :26:47.5000 empty homes in to use. We have the introduction of the National
:26:47. > :26:54.Reading and numerous see... We see the introduction of the Social
:26:54. > :26:58.Services Bill. The human transposed -- human drug plantation bill will
:26:58. > :27:05.be taken through. We will see the completion of the Government's
:27:05. > :27:10.commitment to deliver 500 wells government-funded CSOs across Wales.
:27:10. > :27:16.Thank you for that direct answer. I would like to ask you about the
:27:16. > :27:22.progress report for 2012 in relation to health problems is. One
:27:22. > :27:27.of the reasons Fair at... To improve access and patient
:27:27. > :27:35.experience. Can you give us an update on when you might be able to
:27:35. > :27:40.meet for cancer waiting times targets that you agreed to? Of all
:27:40. > :27:45.the illnesses that might strike one, having to wait for cancer
:27:45. > :27:49.treatment... It will be very useful to the people of Wales, if you can
:27:49. > :27:56.make that promise this year. If we expect to keep that promise by the
:27:56. > :28:04.end of March. One of the objectives outlined in the programme for
:28:04. > :28:08.government was increased... Last year's science strategy outlined
:28:08. > :28:12.some vital measures the government is taking to increase participation
:28:12. > :28:17.and deliver this policy, such as the National Science Academy and
:28:17. > :28:21.its out rich programme. However, the Institute of Physics recently
:28:21. > :28:25.identified a transformation in culture and perception, both within
:28:25. > :28:31.schools and the home, particularly amongst girls, as being essential
:28:31. > :28:34.to encourage greater take-up of stem subjects. First minister, how
:28:34. > :28:40.come the Welsh government contribute towards this to deliver
:28:40. > :28:44.on its stem objectives? To give three examples perhaps. The Science
:28:44. > :28:50.Advisory Council has said it will look further into the barriers
:28:50. > :28:53.facing schools in Wales to huffing more of their peoples taking part
:28:53. > :28:57.in science activities. Those recommendations will be submitted
:28:57. > :29:01.by March of this year. We do continue to fund a number of
:29:01. > :29:09.activities through the national side's recovery. There is a focus
:29:09. > :29:16.on the raising the awareness of stem subjects. People find funding
:29:16. > :29:20.for a programme. Something factors not, as far as I am aware, in your
:29:20. > :29:23.programme or something that you phrased as a priority but maybe now
:29:23. > :29:27.we should become a priority and that is the future of the Probation
:29:27. > :29:31.Service in Wales. Given last week's announcement that parts of the
:29:31. > :29:34.Probation Service are to be opened up to privatisation, and the
:29:34. > :29:38.concerns that have been expressed about that, will you agree to make
:29:38. > :29:41.representations to the Home Office to oppose the privatisation of the
:29:41. > :29:51.Probation Service and to call for the devolution of probation
:29:51. > :30:08.
:30:09. > :30:18.It will need to include prisons, as well. All these things are going to
:30:18. > :30:23.be considered. You may have seen a study recently that said that
:30:23. > :30:28.saving for a deposit to buy a home takes eight times longer now and it
:30:28. > :30:33.did in the 1990s. Over eight months ago, we negotiated a introduction
:30:33. > :30:37.of a mortgage guarantee a scheme to help first-time buyers get a
:30:37. > :30:41.deposit and to be able to buy new properties and yet there is no sign
:30:41. > :30:46.as yet of the details of that law when it will be implemented. Are
:30:46. > :30:49.you able to give us more details today? We have schemes in place
:30:49. > :30:55.that does is people to get mortgages, as we have schemes in
:30:55. > :30:59.place in terms of affordable housing. We know that 2004 Trinity
:30:59. > :31:04.nine additional affordable housing has been delivered across Wales in
:31:04. > :31:12.the financial year at 22012. There is a assistance available with
:31:12. > :31:14.mortgages. I were right to remember with verve that Tito. Will the
:31:14. > :31:21.First Minister make a statement on work being undertaken towards
:31:21. > :31:29.stroke prevention in Wales. sixth December, or we launched a
:31:29. > :31:33.stroke delivery plan which includes a range of recommendations. High
:31:33. > :31:37.blood pressure can increase the risk of a stroke by 40%, yet many
:31:37. > :31:41.people are unaware they suffer from high blood pressure because they do
:31:41. > :31:44.not get it checked. There is a particular problem amongst men.
:31:44. > :31:49.What more can the Welsh Government due to encourage people to get
:31:49. > :31:55.their blood pressure checked? terms of high blood pressure, I
:31:55. > :32:00.suspect a career in politics is not advised, as many of us would think.
:32:00. > :32:03.In answer to the question, the member will be aware of the
:32:03. > :32:07.campaign launched by the previous Chief Medical Officer to raise
:32:07. > :32:12.awareness of high blood pressure and atrial relation which because
:32:13. > :32:18.of the irregularity of the heart beats, that can lead to clubs and
:32:18. > :32:23.their four strokes. That campaign stemmed from a stroke risk
:32:23. > :32:33.reduction. There is also a know your blood pressure campaign which
:32:33. > :32:33.
:32:33. > :32:38.offers free tests along with advice on what blood-pressure is.
:32:38. > :32:42.According to the Stroke Association, you are twice as likely to have a
:32:42. > :32:47.stroke if you smoke. Will the the First Minister provide an update on
:32:47. > :32:50.progress and implementation of the tobacco control action plan with
:32:50. > :32:57.particular reference to an independent review on smoke in
:32:57. > :33:00.which aims to improve and extend the plan. It is an important point.
:33:00. > :33:05.We believe the plan has been a success and we will look at what
:33:05. > :33:09.needs to be done in order to ensure it continues to be a success. One
:33:09. > :33:14.way of ensuring smoking does not cause harm to people is making sure
:33:14. > :33:24.adults do not smoke in cars when there are children present. We have
:33:24. > :33:25.
:33:25. > :33:30.recently ran a campaign to make people aware of that. The road
:33:30. > :33:33.carried -- Royal College of Physicians reported shortly before
:33:33. > :33:39.Christmas and found that acute services have improved and that is
:33:39. > :33:44.good news. Particularly in relation to thrombosis. Rehabilitation
:33:44. > :33:48.services remain inconsistent. This government has made stroke care a
:33:48. > :33:52.top priority. We you take up this matter with health boards and local
:33:52. > :33:59.a authorities to deliver equal access to these services throughout
:33:59. > :34:04.Wales? I know that local health boards work with local services to
:34:04. > :34:08.identify the local population at comes, to see what needs to be done.
:34:09. > :34:12.Increasingly, it is important to examine the local population in
:34:12. > :34:20.order to assess the risk and to make sure the right system is in
:34:20. > :34:23.place to prevent strokes. It is important that those services are
:34:23. > :34:26.available across Wales. Local health boards are required to
:34:26. > :34:30.ensure that when it comes to strokes, it is not simply a
:34:30. > :34:34.question of dealing with the aftermath, but that there should be
:34:34. > :34:37.proper rehabilitation in place and more importantly insuring people
:34:37. > :34:41.are in a place where they are not at risk of having a stroke in the
:34:41. > :34:48.first place. Will the First Minister make a statement on the
:34:48. > :34:51.importance of the Royal Mint to the south Wales economy. We know it is
:34:51. > :34:56.of immense importance and we will continue to explore ways in which
:34:56. > :35:01.we can support and work together with the Royal Mint. You will be
:35:01. > :35:05.aware that the workers at the Royal Mint had one of the most successful
:35:06. > :35:09.years and brought a considerable degree of attention to Wales with
:35:09. > :35:13.their specialist skills, particularly in regard to the
:35:13. > :35:18.medals at the Olympics. You have any intention to visit the Royal
:35:18. > :35:25.Mint and convey the congratulations for their skills and the attention
:35:25. > :35:29.that they have drawn up wares to the economy in person? We should
:35:29. > :35:35.mention the Welsh Seal, which the Royal Mint had greater involvement
:35:35. > :35:38.was. By a more than happy to visit the Royal Mint. It is an unusual
:35:38. > :35:43.place to visit because there is money everywhere. I would not
:35:43. > :35:47.advise anyone to take money. There are security measures in place,
:35:47. > :35:51.including the police, who are not to be bargained with. I would be
:35:51. > :35:58.more than happy to visit the Royal Mint in due course to convey my
:35:58. > :36:01.congratulations. As someone who has visited the Royal Mint, one can
:36:02. > :36:08.only stand back in awe at the Shea that the operation there and in
:36:08. > :36:17.particular, the number of countries the actually meant currency for. --
:36:17. > :36:20.they actually mean its currency for. Do you have any plans to
:36:20. > :36:25.incorporate the Royal Mint's put volume of operations in overseas
:36:25. > :36:31.trips, promoting Wales and promoting businesses across the
:36:31. > :36:37.globe that is sourced in Wales. is a sensible suggestion. There is
:36:37. > :36:43.no reason why it cannot be promoted as part of what Wales has to offer.
:36:43. > :36:48.Part of the issue is that we have to ensure that we have the ability
:36:48. > :36:53.to export and the Royal Mint counts as an exporter because of the coins
:36:53. > :36:58.that it produces for other nations. It clearly is an inst --
:36:58. > :37:08.institution that we value. I will try and help promote the work of
:37:08. > :37:09.
:37:09. > :37:14.the Royal Mint abroad. TRANSLATION: You talk about the importance of
:37:14. > :37:21.the Royal Mint to the Welsh economy and some of the activities of the
:37:21. > :37:27.Royal Mint are actually dependent on the beer -- on the copyright
:37:27. > :37:35.payments. And the creative industries that are also dependent
:37:35. > :37:39.on copyright payments and within that, we have a league made up of
:37:39. > :37:43.musicians and composers. Would you agree that it is BBC announcer that
:37:43. > :37:46.is stopping any agreement between the musicians and the BBC and will
:37:46. > :37:54.you ensure that the BBC Wales are freed up in order to make an
:37:54. > :37:59.agreement themselves? May I congratulate the member on insuring
:37:59. > :38:04.that she made it his question relevant to the question on the
:38:04. > :38:08.order paper today. It is extremely important and that there is a
:38:08. > :38:13.conclusion to the negotiations currently ongoing. I hope we will
:38:13. > :38:17.be in a position into a time when everyone will be content with any
:38:17. > :38:21.settlement that is reached. I mentioned last week that that I
:38:21. > :38:27.would look in detail at the situation. I do not think there is
:38:27. > :38:33.a case for intervention at present, but it's it is not positive at
:38:33. > :38:38.present that people listening to the local radio cannot share Welsh
:38:38. > :38:40.music. That situation has changed for the better as soon as possible.
:38:40. > :38:47.What action is the Welsh Government taking to help families with
:38:47. > :38:51.disabled children cope with cuts in benefits. We are deeply concerned
:38:51. > :38:54.by the UK Government's reforms and the impact on families and disabled
:38:54. > :38:58.children. The member will be aware that we have put in place a
:38:58. > :39:02.programme of research to look at how people will be affected by
:39:02. > :39:06.these changes. Stage one of that programme of research was published
:39:06. > :39:13.in February of last year and stage two will be published shortly.
:39:13. > :39:17.Thank you very much. The majority of families with disabled children
:39:17. > :39:21.fear the situation will get worse than the vast majority are blame
:39:21. > :39:24.the welfare reforms. The family found his calling on the barge
:39:24. > :39:29.government through the tackling poverty agenda to address the
:39:29. > :39:32.specific issue of the job poverty amongst families with disabled or
:39:32. > :39:36.chronically Sick children. But assistance can be Welsh Government
:39:36. > :39:40.give to parents with disabled children too hot those parents gain
:39:40. > :39:50.access to shocker and hopefully better opportunities for
:39:50. > :39:51.
:39:51. > :39:55.employment? -- child care. We have provided funding to concentrate on
:39:55. > :39:59.families with disabled children. It sure, authority and has included
:39:59. > :40:04.within their families first action plan details of how they will
:40:04. > :40:09.develop -- deliver. We have provided finance for we look to the
:40:09. > :40:13.local authorities to deliver this. The number of disabled children
:40:13. > :40:18.living in three-bedroom Pollard's hype houses where the poll is used
:40:18. > :40:22.as a downstairs bedroom for the job. What advice is the Welsh Government
:40:22. > :40:27.didn't local-authority XAN designating the assassins are three
:40:27. > :40:31.or four bedrooms. The changes in benefits in terms of housing, if
:40:31. > :40:37.they change the 4th bedroom, then the parents would lose money. But
:40:37. > :40:41.they do not designates its, if they only keep the three bedrooms, the
:40:41. > :40:47.parents will not lose money. Eight- bedroom does not have to be
:40:47. > :40:51.upstairs. A bedroom is a room with a bed. I would encourage local
:40:51. > :40:55.authorities to be as flexible as possible in order to assist people.
:40:55. > :40:58.Otherwise, because of the actions of the UK Government, we know that
:40:58. > :41:04.many families looking after disabled children and adults will
:41:04. > :41:07.lose out. There we are, we'll leave First
:41:07. > :41:09.Minister's Questions there, but don't forget that you can see more
:41:09. > :41:13.coverage of the National Assembly online from the BBC Wales Democracy
:41:13. > :41:15.Live page at bbc.co.uk/walespolitics.
:41:15. > :41:21.Let's go over to our Assembly newsroom where our Welsh Affairs
:41:21. > :41:26.Editor, Vaughan Roderick, has been listening intently.
:41:26. > :41:30.Sometimes we get next back at First Minister's Questions. Today could
:41:30. > :41:35.have been health minister's questions. I felt it was very
:41:35. > :41:39.enjoyable. It was interesting. Serious points were made. Sometimes,
:41:39. > :41:45.you feel it is a better ritualistic, but I do not think that was the
:41:45. > :41:48.case today. There were genuine disagreements between the party
:41:48. > :41:55.leaders. I thought all the opposition party leaders have put
:41:55. > :41:59.relevant points and its Carwyn Jones attempted to answer them. Ago,
:41:59. > :42:05.there were legal constraints on what he could say. I thought it was
:42:05. > :42:09.a meeting, a interesting First Minister's Questions time and an --
:42:09. > :42:12.and a rewarding one. Carwyn Jones went back to the situation of the
:42:12. > :42:16.funding coming from the UK Government. He talked about the
:42:16. > :42:21.situation in England. He was it quite hard on that. We have seen
:42:21. > :42:26.this week after week. They take the question back to England. There is
:42:26. > :42:31.a tendency for Carwyn Jones to do that when answering these specific
:42:31. > :42:34.questions. One of the strongest sections was where he accused
:42:34. > :42:42.Andrew RT Davies of being a puppet of his party Investment staff.
:42:42. > :42:46.There is a genuine edge between those two. -- in Westminster. The
:42:46. > :42:49.arguments were revolving around local issues and safety. The
:42:49. > :42:53.question all the politicians are trying to match is, how do you get
:42:53. > :42:57.the balance right? Carwyn Jones pushing very hard on the safety
:42:57. > :43:01.aspects. Interesting questions from the UN would on what the distance
:43:02. > :43:06.of travel to a hospital could mean for safety. There was a lot of meat
:43:06. > :43:10.in there today. I felt it was interesting and worth watching.
:43:10. > :43:14.you think it, we have obviously had so much about the reforms being all
:43:14. > :43:20.about driven up by clinicians, now what is coming to the politicians
:43:20. > :43:23.at this point. That is one of the big arguments. The opposition
:43:23. > :43:28.parties say that because the health minister has left these decisions
:43:28. > :43:33.to the local health boards, they pay too much attention to the Royal
:43:33. > :43:38.Colleges and so that is rather than to the needs and views of patients.
:43:38. > :43:41.If it moves back into the political arena, that will change. Patients
:43:41. > :43:45.are the people who have their votes. Thank you very much.
:43:45. > :43:48.That's it for today. I'll be back at the same time next week with
:43:48. > :43:51.more coverage of First Minister's Questions. If you want more Welsh