15/01/2013 am.pm


15/01/2013

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Good afternoon. Welcome to the programme and our weekly coverage

:00:22.:00:26.

of questions to the First Minister. Plans for a major shake-up of the

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NHS are dominating the news today with the release of Hywel Dda

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Health Board's proposals for change in mid and west Wales. We can

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expect to hear more on hospital reorganisation during First

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Minister's Questions. There are also a number of questions to

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Carwyn Jones about the Welsh Government's priorities for this

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year. That's what we're expecting the

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politicians to be talking about, but what do you want to talk about?

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You can comment on anything on the programme, but don't feel

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restricted by that. If you want to talk about any other political news

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talk about any other political news get in touch with us. You can reach

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us via Twitter, we're @walespolitics or send us an email

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Well, business in the chamber is already in full flow. Let's go over

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:01:23.:01:28.

there now for questions to the The Will the First Minister make a

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statement on his priorities for 2013. I understand you have given

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permission for questions 1 and 7 to be gripped. Our priorities are

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outlined in the programme for government which will be updated in

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May. I am sure one of your priorities for 20 certain will be

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the health service. You will be aware that Hywel Dda Health Board

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is progressing with its plans, including the special post-natal

:01:59.:02:03.

care units in my local hospital. The people will feel that their

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fears have been ignored bearing in mind that so many spoke up against

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these plans. Can you tell us, what was the point of the public

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consultation if the reviews are not taking into account and are you

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willing to stand up with me at against the it closure of the

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crucial units and against downgrading services in my

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constituency? I will support any service which is safe and secure.

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As regards to the system of consultation, the plans have

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changed. In listening to the views of the people of the area, as

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regard to the government's stance on this, there is a role for the

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government if the community health councils cannot agree, then the

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decision is given to the Welsh Government. There is a limit to

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what I can say. As the consultation process on how services in West

:03:02.:03:06.

Wales has now been concluded and so decisions the to centralise

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services in terms of emergency service and paediatrics have been

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taken from the rural hospitals to the more local hospital, are you

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willing to tell us your do on the decisions taken in West Wales?

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There were changes in Prince Philip hospital during the One Wales

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government. Things did change there. That would mean that it you would

:03:35.:03:41.

be against centralising any service, mainly in Llanelli. There is a role

:03:41.:03:46.

for Welsh Government as regards to considering these plans. I am

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restricted in what I can say on those plans. I know that one of

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your priorities is about to tackling climate change. Would you

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join with me in congratulating the council in my constituency on their

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recent Chartered constituency it in Wace management award for their

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innovative matches recycling facility. -- mattress. The facility

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boasts a first of its kind machine that helps residents dispose of

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their own mattresses and insuring that every piece of the matches is

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recycled. How was the Welsh Government encouraging the public

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to make the recycling a way of life? -- mattress. We have had

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targets to increase recycling for many years and it has increased at

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least 10 fold over the last decade. Can I say in relation to the scheme

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you referred to, we know the facility has been developed with

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the aid of a grant of �400,000 from the Welsh Government. Can I

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congratulate the council and the Organisation for developing the

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:05:16.:05:18.

facility? If I can ask you about the Welsh Government's plans to

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support jobs in Wales. Last week saw the announcement that the Welsh

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Government is planning the plug on a scheme which we were told was

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supposed to help those most in need back into employment. Your decision

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to pull the plug on that scheme has shown that it has clearly failed in

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its objectives. Do you share my concern about the �35 million that

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has gone into that scheme over -- over recent years and do you regret

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the fact that the website of the scheme was not updated since 2010,

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so people were unaware what the scheme was trying to achieve and

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what you do to make sure the same mistakes are not repeated? WITH any

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scheme, we seek to ensure that it delivers. That is why we monitor

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schemes. Where we feel they are not in -- they are in danger of not

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developing, then we take the appropriate action. We have other

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schemes which are all helping people to get into business, to get

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to jobs and stay in them. Another priority must be the economy. The

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:06:39.:06:39.

latest quarterly survey, they have pointed to a slight increase in

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business confidence in Wales by the end of 2012. Does this have

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anything to do with the Welsh Government policy, given that the

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minister for business stated in the Chamber last week that, or

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confidence in the economy comes from a macro economic policies,

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which is not the responsibility of of the Welsh Government. I believe

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the Welsh Government is adding value to the economy of Wales. The

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figures that we have recently seen it all the young people who are in

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employment, it has been a roaring success. But the gross funds and

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its other sons all added together all helped the economy in Wales. We

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can see that employment is up, unemployment is down. Business

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confidence is up, early entrepreneurial engagement is up,

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as well. This is because of what we have put in place to assist people

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in difficult times. Another key priority for your government is the

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safety of children. In recent weeks, I have been involved in campaigning

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alongside some parents locally to overturn a council decision that

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would have forced pupils to walk almost three miles along an unlit

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and exposed roots on at their way to a secondary school. Fortunately,

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in part, due to the campaign that we have run, the council has

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relented. But it has exposed the need to for a system of appeal

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under the learner travel Wales match at to give parents an

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opportunity for some redress and for consideration in this matter.

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We you please give an undertaking to actually build in some -- such a

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process when the appropriate legislation comes forward to ensure

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parents are not left in the state of alarm that they were left in in

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the last few weeks. That is an important point in terms of travel.

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I will say that what he has said and I will write to him with his

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:08:55.:08:56.

views on how the situation might be improved. Will the First Minister

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make a statement on the delivery of health services in Brecon and

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Radnorshire. Our plans and priorities can be found in our

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programme for government. It has a strong emphasis on developing

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services within communities and within a primary care. Yet your

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government is committed to phasing out and abolishing the end peg over

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the next seven years. To do so, it would have devastating effect on

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the rural GP practices. Had the news editor one to increase

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services delivered by primary care, and then fundamentally undermine

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the sustainability of rural GP practices? -- how can you say.

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will take those ideas forward with a view to getting a settlement that

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is fair to all concerned. You will be aware that the people of Brecon

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and Radnorshire rely on a hospital services in different parts of the

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country and you will be aware that non-emergency operations have been

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cancelled at hospitals across Wales as a result of bed pressures

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brought upon by the cuts in the number of beds over the past few

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years which a government has inflicted because of your financial

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cuts, record-breaking financial cuts on our health service. What

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you have to say to the people of Wales? WE you apologise so we you

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defend the cancellation of their operations, adding to the already

:10:29.:10:39.
:10:39.:10:41.

unacceptably -- an acceptable long waiting times? -- an acceptable.

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20,000 operations are in that category. Bloodstock but honesty.

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We have been straight and honest with the people of wares. It --

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let's talk about honesty. We are keeping health spending level and

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are protecting it. But see what happens in England. We have the UK

:10:58.:11:03.

statistics that are at the issuing a review about statements by the

:11:03.:11:05.

Prime Minister and others in relation to health spending. He

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says that health spending in England has changed very little.

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The reality is that we have been almost whether the people of Wales.

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It is a shame his party is not on this in England. -- almost. Last

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week it, you told me that you would be willing to be taken to hospital

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in a taxi. Those people would at least expect a taxi home from

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hospital, but a constituent of mine had to walk 23 miles home in the

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early hours of New Year's Day. As there is no general hospital

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locally, and the Hywel Dda Health Board is centralising services

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serving the area and everyone would have to travel for treatment, can

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you guarantee the ship today that no one else will have to walk home

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from hospital in Wales? I have year and read the stories. By do not

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know the details. -- sheet. We are looking into it and I think it is

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extremely important we understand the circumstances and what happened

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to this gentleman. We will then make a statement. And our questions

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from the party leaders. First will, the leader of the opposition.

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Leading on from the previous question, company macro of romance

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in their half a reconfiguration downgrading proposals. If the

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management think it appropriate that a 62 euros patient suffering

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with a chest infection should be sent home from hospital and is

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expected to walk 23 miles home, had come we have any confidence in the

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African -- proposals of their passing today? They can have

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confidence in the honesty of the Welsh Government as opposed to the

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UK Government. There are 17 hospitals in England with unsafe

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staffing. The difference between ourselves and his party is that we

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believe in safe services and he does not. I have stood here for

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nearly 18 months and I think that is the worst answer that I have hit

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you did. There is a serious discussion going on in one of the

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major half boards. I put a real- life case scenario to you that was

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reported extensively last we cannot you can refer to is the English NHS.

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Let's look at the Welsh NHS. The Health Minister in 20th November 11

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said she did not want any downgradings. She went on to say on

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Radio Wales, I do not want to hear anything about downgrading in Wales.

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But today, we have in the Hywel Dda Health Board proposals a 20%

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reduction in acute beds. We have a community hospitals facing closure

:13:54.:14:00.

and we have a special care baby unit closing, as well. Is that not

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downgrading? Of his services not available in a district general

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hospital, is that not downgrading and that in the community down that

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relies on the services in some of our most remote areas? Of course

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not. You suggest that the health service should stay exactly as it

:14:16.:14:19.

is and should not changed regardless of what doctors say. He

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is fighting the doctors. These are sensible proposals. But he knows

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better than the doctors themselves. He has to explain himself. On the

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one hand, he says, isn't it terrible that our proposals are

:14:33.:14:36.

changed, and it illustrates a case that apparently happened at the

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moment and then says there is no need for change. It is double

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standards. If he is it -- if he is saying there is a problem if

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someone has to walk 23 miles home, that is why there has to be changed.

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He seems to think that what is better is that we have an save

:14:53.:15:03.
:15:03.:15:05.

services and that is all regattas How ridiculous an answer can you

:15:05.:15:08.

give? I asked you about downgrading. Those services are not going to be

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there. The reason the NHS is in the state it is, is because your

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government is taking a �500 million out of their budget. Not government

:15:21.:15:28.

has failed to attract key clinicians, into Wales to run many

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of our key services. Despite 12 months ago you going on that there

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was a tidal wave of commissions wanting to work in Wales. It is

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about your Government's ideology that failure to recognise that

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these are the people in North, murder and West Wales. When are you

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going away And start addressing people's real concerns? I currency

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the full tariff Thurstaston babbling away but perhaps that

:15:55.:16:00.

part-time first minister could give us some answers. Quite often you

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see in the summer a fly or a B and it keeps try to get out and it hits

:16:05.:16:09.

its head at all that time. That is what the opposition leader has been

:16:09.:16:13.

like over the last few months. It - - he asks the same question over

:16:13.:16:18.

and over again. The reality is this. We are looking to provide a safe

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Health Service. He has not. He is not interested in a safe Health

:16:23.:16:26.

Service. He is not interested in the well-being of the people of

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Wales. It is legitimate to look at what happens over the border

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because their ideology in England has meant 70 hospital's operating

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with analysts say for medical staff, 17 of them. -- 17. They have lied

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about spending in England. The reason it is relevant is because we

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know full well fact if ever he were in a position of power in this

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Assembly, he would simply follow whatever he was told by his

:16:59.:17:09.
:17:09.:17:13.

colleagues in Westminster. He is nothing more than a puppet.

:17:13.:17:18.

TRANSLATION: Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats. Over the weekend,

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health boards did indeed announce that they were cancelling non-

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emergency operations in North and South Wales. Not the patience not

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turning up, not the patient being too sick to operate on, managers

:17:30.:17:36.

cancelling operations. In cases of extreme winter pressure, that they

:17:36.:17:40.

be understandable. However, Public Health Wales has already stated

:17:40.:17:44.

that pressures are with inspected - - expected levels for this time of

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year it could have been planned for. Why have those operations being

:17:47.:17:52.

cancelled? It's very difficult to give reasons why operations are

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cancelled. It is right to say that there have been cancelled for the

:17:56.:18:00.

reasons that have been outlined but the majority have been cancelled

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for unavoidable reasons. We expect local health boards to minimise the

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need for cancelling operations because we understand the effect

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that has on the individuals concerned. There have been whole

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scale consolations of a non-elected surgery. Plans announced today will

:18:20.:18:24.

see the closure of one 5th of all the acute beds in west Wales. If

:18:24.:18:31.

the NHS is struggling to cope now, how will dramatically reducing of

:18:31.:18:37.

the overall capacity of the NHS to provide but emergency care and non-

:18:37.:18:46.

emergency surgery help? diverting... We know there are many

:18:46.:18:50.

conditions that can be managed by GPs or dealt with by GPs. For

:18:50.:18:58.

example, for some 30 years ago, it was common practice for people with

:18:58.:19:04.

gall bladders to spend time in hospitals. Not any more. What sort

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of level of care to people get? That is what we need to make sure

:19:09.:19:12.

as many people as possible get care as close to home as possible. That

:19:12.:19:16.

doesn't mean as -- the nearest hospital, but often the nearest GP.

:19:17.:19:21.

If if we had enough capacity within the system, they would not be the

:19:21.:19:26.

whole scale cancellation of non- emergency surgery in several of

:19:26.:19:30.

Wales's district general hospitals this week. Understandably, the

:19:30.:19:34.

question for many people have a seemed today's report is where will

:19:34.:19:39.

I be treated? Harris suggest they should also ask, how and when will

:19:39.:19:44.

I be treated? With an elderly population, demand for services

:19:44.:19:49.

rising, a 20 % reduction in beds, a reduction in community of bottles

:19:49.:19:52.

and the threat to the sustainability of GP practices

:19:52.:20:00.

because of cuts to their funding, we would do it today that the plans

:20:00.:20:05.

announced by the board will only mean longer waiting lists and more

:20:05.:20:09.

cancelled operations during the winter? Of course not. What we are

:20:09.:20:18.

looking to do is to provide safe services. I would never support Ace

:20:18.:20:21.

surface that was local and unsafe. I wouldn't support it. Services

:20:21.:20:25.

need to be as local as possible but also need to be as safe as possible.

:20:25.:20:29.

People need the best outcome as possible. As far as the leader of

:20:29.:20:32.

the Liberal Democrats is concerned, she talks about the wholesale

:20:32.:20:35.

cancellation of operations. She spoke last week about lots of

:20:35.:20:40.

people not getting access to NHS dentists. She asked people to

:20:41.:20:50.

contact by officers and we've had no e-mails. Following the

:20:50.:20:56.

announcements today from the board, the process has been completed at a

:20:56.:21:02.

local level and there is a difference of opinion between the

:21:02.:21:05.

consultants working at Prince Philip and the local health board.

:21:05.:21:11.

The committee healths -- Committee half board in his say that Pleshey

:21:11.:21:19.

should keep a good service. -- Llanelli. Do you agree with them or

:21:19.:21:24.

do you agree with help poor? I have to refer the leader of Plaid Cymru

:21:24.:21:27.

to the answer that I have given. There is a limit to what I can say.

:21:27.:21:32.

What is obvious in the document is that there have been changes made

:21:32.:21:39.

as a result of listening to local people. By note for example Fahd --

:21:39.:21:43.

a note for example that in terms of the changes that have been made to

:21:43.:21:47.

Prince Philip... He spent 10 minutes defending his proposals so

:21:47.:21:53.

to say that you cannot take a view is odd. You referred earlier to

:21:53.:22:01.

hospital staffing figures. They were published in England at the

:22:01.:22:05.

weekend, showing that 17 NHS hospitals have unsafe staffing

:22:05.:22:11.

levels. That was described by your own party as a result of a toxic

:22:11.:22:17.

combination of reorganisation and cuts. Some health boards own risk

:22:17.:22:20.

registers in Wales have said that some services are at risk of

:22:20.:22:27.

becoming unsafe. Can you tell us today whether there are any unsafe

:22:27.:22:33.

services in Wales now? We agreed to publish a list for Wales outlining

:22:33.:22:37.

which hospitals are safe and which services are not safe? First of all,

:22:37.:22:43.

we don't believe there are any unsafe services but there will be.

:22:43.:22:48.

There will be, without change, there is no question. The leader of

:22:48.:22:56.

Plaid Cymru says, well, there are hospitals in England which might

:22:56.:23:00.

become unsafe for are unsafe. That is our fear. Our fear is services

:23:01.:23:05.

in Wales become an safe unless there is change. That is why these

:23:05.:23:08.

proposals have been suggested. I make observations on his proposals.

:23:08.:23:14.

The reason I cannot go into detail is because, and I will explain, we

:23:14.:23:20.

have a role in decision-making if the decision is referred to us. I

:23:20.:23:25.

express a view -- if I express a view now, we will end up in court.

:23:25.:23:29.

We all know what a judicial review involves. My fear is that

:23:29.:23:33.

expressing any view beforehand will inevitably lead to people

:23:33.:23:36.

challenging any decision the government has to make because I

:23:36.:23:41.

have expressed a view beforehand. You have just spent 10 minutes in

:23:41.:23:50.

this chamber defending the proposals. Order, order. You say

:23:50.:23:54.

one of your key concerns his safety and one of the concerns for many

:23:54.:23:57.

people out there is the issue of how long it takes to get to

:23:57.:24:02.

hospital. You were a way of a Sheffield University study which

:24:02.:24:06.

says the danger of death in an emergency situation increases by 1%

:24:06.:24:10.

every 10 kilometres. This is a concern, particularly in rural

:24:10.:24:15.

areas, but also parts of Wales where there is no car -- low car

:24:15.:24:19.

ownership and especially when we have snow and floods to deal worth

:24:19.:24:23.

and roads are closed. The Sheffield study is absolutely clear, First

:24:23.:24:29.

Minister, lives are really at stake here. How will further

:24:29.:24:36.

centralisation make patients in Wales safe? The leader of Plaid

:24:36.:24:40.

Cymru says I've been defending it and they have not. What I do defend

:24:40.:24:44.

is the need for safe services in Wales. I think that is important.

:24:44.:24:53.

I've seen services, 20 years ago for example, it was kept on going

:24:53.:24:57.

for the sake of prestige and not prepared for that to happen in

:24:57.:25:07.
:25:07.:25:07.

Wales. She raised is unimportant issue, that of transport. -- an

:25:07.:25:13.

important issue for stop it is no good going to hospital if find that

:25:13.:25:20.

people treating you aren't -- have no experience of your condition. If

:25:20.:25:24.

you have a head injury in my part of the world, you go to Cardiff

:25:24.:25:34.
:25:34.:25:34.

because that is where the experts are. The exercise always has to be,

:25:34.:25:41.

how can you make services local while ensuring that fail-safe --

:25:41.:25:48.

that they are safe. And sustainable. There is no point keeping his

:25:48.:25:50.

service in place if there are serious doubts about its

:25:50.:25:55.

sustainability in the future. Change must be for the better. What

:25:55.:25:59.

we don't want is what we see over the border, namely and the safe

:25:59.:26:02.

services, hospitals under threat of closure, medical staff being sacked.

:26:02.:26:08.

We don't think that is the right approach. TRANSLATION: And now

:26:08.:26:14.

bound to questions on the Order Paper. Question number three.

:26:14.:26:16.

the First Minister outline which policies from the programme for

:26:16.:26:21.

government he expects to deliver in 2013? I will give some examples.

:26:21.:26:24.

First of all, we know that's natural resources Wales will be

:26:24.:26:31.

established on the 1st April. Houses into homes scheme will bring

:26:32.:26:37.

5000 empty homes in to use. We have the introduction of the National

:26:37.:26:47.

Reading and numerous see... We see the introduction of the Social

:26:47.:26:54.

Services Bill. The human transposed -- human drug plantation bill will

:26:54.:26:58.

be taken through. We will see the completion of the Government's

:26:58.:27:05.

commitment to deliver 500 wells government-funded CSOs across Wales.

:27:05.:27:10.

Thank you for that direct answer. I would like to ask you about the

:27:10.:27:16.

progress report for 2012 in relation to health problems is. One

:27:16.:27:22.

of the reasons Fair at... To improve access and patient

:27:22.:27:27.

experience. Can you give us an update on when you might be able to

:27:27.:27:35.

meet for cancer waiting times targets that you agreed to? Of all

:27:35.:27:40.

the illnesses that might strike one, having to wait for cancer

:27:40.:27:45.

treatment... It will be very useful to the people of Wales, if you can

:27:45.:27:49.

make that promise this year. If we expect to keep that promise by the

:27:49.:27:56.

end of March. One of the objectives outlined in the programme for

:27:56.:28:04.

government was increased... Last year's science strategy outlined

:28:04.:28:08.

some vital measures the government is taking to increase participation

:28:08.:28:12.

and deliver this policy, such as the National Science Academy and

:28:12.:28:17.

its out rich programme. However, the Institute of Physics recently

:28:17.:28:21.

identified a transformation in culture and perception, both within

:28:21.:28:25.

schools and the home, particularly amongst girls, as being essential

:28:25.:28:31.

to encourage greater take-up of stem subjects. First minister, how

:28:31.:28:34.

come the Welsh government contribute towards this to deliver

:28:34.:28:40.

on its stem objectives? To give three examples perhaps. The Science

:28:40.:28:44.

Advisory Council has said it will look further into the barriers

:28:44.:28:50.

facing schools in Wales to huffing more of their peoples taking part

:28:50.:28:53.

in science activities. Those recommendations will be submitted

:28:53.:28:57.

by March of this year. We do continue to fund a number of

:28:57.:29:01.

activities through the national side's recovery. There is a focus

:29:01.:29:09.

on the raising the awareness of stem subjects. People find funding

:29:09.:29:16.

for a programme. Something factors not, as far as I am aware, in your

:29:16.:29:20.

programme or something that you phrased as a priority but maybe now

:29:20.:29:23.

we should become a priority and that is the future of the Probation

:29:23.:29:27.

Service in Wales. Given last week's announcement that parts of the

:29:27.:29:31.

Probation Service are to be opened up to privatisation, and the

:29:31.:29:34.

concerns that have been expressed about that, will you agree to make

:29:34.:29:38.

representations to the Home Office to oppose the privatisation of the

:29:38.:29:41.

Probation Service and to call for the devolution of probation

:29:41.:29:51.
:29:51.:30:08.

It will need to include prisons, as well. All these things are going to

:30:09.:30:18.

be considered. You may have seen a study recently that said that

:30:18.:30:23.

saving for a deposit to buy a home takes eight times longer now and it

:30:23.:30:28.

did in the 1990s. Over eight months ago, we negotiated a introduction

:30:28.:30:33.

of a mortgage guarantee a scheme to help first-time buyers get a

:30:33.:30:37.

deposit and to be able to buy new properties and yet there is no sign

:30:37.:30:41.

as yet of the details of that law when it will be implemented. Are

:30:41.:30:46.

you able to give us more details today? We have schemes in place

:30:46.:30:49.

that does is people to get mortgages, as we have schemes in

:30:49.:30:55.

place in terms of affordable housing. We know that 2004 Trinity

:30:55.:30:59.

nine additional affordable housing has been delivered across Wales in

:30:59.:31:04.

the financial year at 22012. There is a assistance available with

:31:04.:31:12.

mortgages. I were right to remember with verve that Tito. Will the

:31:12.:31:14.

First Minister make a statement on work being undertaken towards

:31:14.:31:21.

stroke prevention in Wales. sixth December, or we launched a

:31:21.:31:29.

stroke delivery plan which includes a range of recommendations. High

:31:29.:31:33.

blood pressure can increase the risk of a stroke by 40%, yet many

:31:33.:31:37.

people are unaware they suffer from high blood pressure because they do

:31:37.:31:41.

not get it checked. There is a particular problem amongst men.

:31:41.:31:44.

What more can the Welsh Government due to encourage people to get

:31:44.:31:49.

their blood pressure checked? terms of high blood pressure, I

:31:49.:31:55.

suspect a career in politics is not advised, as many of us would think.

:31:55.:32:00.

In answer to the question, the member will be aware of the

:32:00.:32:03.

campaign launched by the previous Chief Medical Officer to raise

:32:03.:32:07.

awareness of high blood pressure and atrial relation which because

:32:07.:32:12.

of the irregularity of the heart beats, that can lead to clubs and

:32:13.:32:18.

their four strokes. That campaign stemmed from a stroke risk

:32:18.:32:23.

reduction. There is also a know your blood pressure campaign which

:32:23.:32:33.
:32:33.:32:33.

offers free tests along with advice on what blood-pressure is.

:32:33.:32:38.

According to the Stroke Association, you are twice as likely to have a

:32:38.:32:42.

stroke if you smoke. Will the the First Minister provide an update on

:32:42.:32:47.

progress and implementation of the tobacco control action plan with

:32:47.:32:50.

particular reference to an independent review on smoke in

:32:50.:32:57.

which aims to improve and extend the plan. It is an important point.

:32:57.:33:00.

We believe the plan has been a success and we will look at what

:33:00.:33:05.

needs to be done in order to ensure it continues to be a success. One

:33:05.:33:09.

way of ensuring smoking does not cause harm to people is making sure

:33:09.:33:14.

adults do not smoke in cars when there are children present. We have

:33:14.:33:24.
:33:24.:33:25.

recently ran a campaign to make people aware of that. The road

:33:25.:33:30.

carried -- Royal College of Physicians reported shortly before

:33:30.:33:33.

Christmas and found that acute services have improved and that is

:33:33.:33:39.

good news. Particularly in relation to thrombosis. Rehabilitation

:33:39.:33:44.

services remain inconsistent. This government has made stroke care a

:33:44.:33:48.

top priority. We you take up this matter with health boards and local

:33:48.:33:52.

a authorities to deliver equal access to these services throughout

:33:52.:33:59.

Wales? I know that local health boards work with local services to

:33:59.:34:04.

identify the local population at comes, to see what needs to be done.

:34:04.:34:08.

Increasingly, it is important to examine the local population in

:34:09.:34:12.

order to assess the risk and to make sure the right system is in

:34:12.:34:20.

place to prevent strokes. It is important that those services are

:34:20.:34:23.

available across Wales. Local health boards are required to

:34:23.:34:26.

ensure that when it comes to strokes, it is not simply a

:34:26.:34:30.

question of dealing with the aftermath, but that there should be

:34:30.:34:34.

proper rehabilitation in place and more importantly insuring people

:34:34.:34:37.

are in a place where they are not at risk of having a stroke in the

:34:37.:34:41.

first place. Will the First Minister make a statement on the

:34:41.:34:48.

importance of the Royal Mint to the south Wales economy. We know it is

:34:48.:34:51.

of immense importance and we will continue to explore ways in which

:34:51.:34:56.

we can support and work together with the Royal Mint. You will be

:34:56.:35:01.

aware that the workers at the Royal Mint had one of the most successful

:35:01.:35:05.

years and brought a considerable degree of attention to Wales with

:35:06.:35:09.

their specialist skills, particularly in regard to the

:35:09.:35:13.

medals at the Olympics. You have any intention to visit the Royal

:35:13.:35:18.

Mint and convey the congratulations for their skills and the attention

:35:18.:35:25.

that they have drawn up wares to the economy in person? We should

:35:25.:35:29.

mention the Welsh Seal, which the Royal Mint had greater involvement

:35:29.:35:35.

was. By a more than happy to visit the Royal Mint. It is an unusual

:35:35.:35:38.

place to visit because there is money everywhere. I would not

:35:38.:35:43.

advise anyone to take money. There are security measures in place,

:35:43.:35:47.

including the police, who are not to be bargained with. I would be

:35:47.:35:51.

more than happy to visit the Royal Mint in due course to convey my

:35:51.:35:58.

congratulations. As someone who has visited the Royal Mint, one can

:35:58.:36:01.

only stand back in awe at the Shea that the operation there and in

:36:02.:36:08.

particular, the number of countries the actually meant currency for. --

:36:08.:36:17.

they actually mean its currency for. Do you have any plans to

:36:17.:36:20.

incorporate the Royal Mint's put volume of operations in overseas

:36:20.:36:25.

trips, promoting Wales and promoting businesses across the

:36:25.:36:31.

globe that is sourced in Wales. is a sensible suggestion. There is

:36:31.:36:37.

no reason why it cannot be promoted as part of what Wales has to offer.

:36:37.:36:43.

Part of the issue is that we have to ensure that we have the ability

:36:43.:36:48.

to export and the Royal Mint counts as an exporter because of the coins

:36:48.:36:53.

that it produces for other nations. It clearly is an inst --

:36:53.:36:58.

institution that we value. I will try and help promote the work of

:36:58.:37:08.
:37:08.:37:09.

the Royal Mint abroad. TRANSLATION: You talk about the importance of

:37:09.:37:14.

the Royal Mint to the Welsh economy and some of the activities of the

:37:14.:37:21.

Royal Mint are actually dependent on the beer -- on the copyright

:37:21.:37:27.

payments. And the creative industries that are also dependent

:37:27.:37:35.

on copyright payments and within that, we have a league made up of

:37:35.:37:39.

musicians and composers. Would you agree that it is BBC announcer that

:37:39.:37:43.

is stopping any agreement between the musicians and the BBC and will

:37:43.:37:46.

you ensure that the BBC Wales are freed up in order to make an

:37:46.:37:54.

agreement themselves? May I congratulate the member on insuring

:37:54.:37:59.

that she made it his question relevant to the question on the

:37:59.:38:04.

order paper today. It is extremely important and that there is a

:38:04.:38:08.

conclusion to the negotiations currently ongoing. I hope we will

:38:08.:38:13.

be in a position into a time when everyone will be content with any

:38:13.:38:17.

settlement that is reached. I mentioned last week that that I

:38:17.:38:21.

would look in detail at the situation. I do not think there is

:38:21.:38:27.

a case for intervention at present, but it's it is not positive at

:38:27.:38:33.

present that people listening to the local radio cannot share Welsh

:38:33.:38:38.

music. That situation has changed for the better as soon as possible.

:38:38.:38:40.

What action is the Welsh Government taking to help families with

:38:40.:38:47.

disabled children cope with cuts in benefits. We are deeply concerned

:38:47.:38:51.

by the UK Government's reforms and the impact on families and disabled

:38:51.:38:54.

children. The member will be aware that we have put in place a

:38:54.:38:58.

programme of research to look at how people will be affected by

:38:58.:39:02.

these changes. Stage one of that programme of research was published

:39:02.:39:06.

in February of last year and stage two will be published shortly.

:39:06.:39:13.

Thank you very much. The majority of families with disabled children

:39:13.:39:17.

fear the situation will get worse than the vast majority are blame

:39:17.:39:21.

the welfare reforms. The family found his calling on the barge

:39:21.:39:24.

government through the tackling poverty agenda to address the

:39:24.:39:29.

specific issue of the job poverty amongst families with disabled or

:39:29.:39:32.

chronically Sick children. But assistance can be Welsh Government

:39:32.:39:36.

give to parents with disabled children too hot those parents gain

:39:36.:39:40.

access to shocker and hopefully better opportunities for

:39:40.:39:50.
:39:50.:39:51.

employment? -- child care. We have provided funding to concentrate on

:39:51.:39:55.

families with disabled children. It sure, authority and has included

:39:55.:39:59.

within their families first action plan details of how they will

:39:59.:40:04.

develop -- deliver. We have provided finance for we look to the

:40:04.:40:09.

local authorities to deliver this. The number of disabled children

:40:09.:40:13.

living in three-bedroom Pollard's hype houses where the poll is used

:40:13.:40:18.

as a downstairs bedroom for the job. What advice is the Welsh Government

:40:18.:40:22.

didn't local-authority XAN designating the assassins are three

:40:22.:40:27.

or four bedrooms. The changes in benefits in terms of housing, if

:40:27.:40:31.

they change the 4th bedroom, then the parents would lose money. But

:40:31.:40:37.

they do not designates its, if they only keep the three bedrooms, the

:40:37.:40:41.

parents will not lose money. Eight- bedroom does not have to be

:40:41.:40:47.

upstairs. A bedroom is a room with a bed. I would encourage local

:40:47.:40:51.

authorities to be as flexible as possible in order to assist people.

:40:51.:40:55.

Otherwise, because of the actions of the UK Government, we know that

:40:55.:40:58.

many families looking after disabled children and adults will

:40:58.:41:04.

lose out. There we are, we'll leave First

:41:04.:41:07.

Minister's Questions there, but don't forget that you can see more

:41:07.:41:09.

coverage of the National Assembly online from the BBC Wales Democracy

:41:09.:41:13.

Live page at bbc.co.uk/walespolitics.

:41:13.:41:15.

Let's go over to our Assembly newsroom where our Welsh Affairs

:41:15.:41:21.

Editor, Vaughan Roderick, has been listening intently.

:41:21.:41:26.

Sometimes we get next back at First Minister's Questions. Today could

:41:26.:41:30.

have been health minister's questions. I felt it was very

:41:30.:41:35.

enjoyable. It was interesting. Serious points were made. Sometimes,

:41:35.:41:39.

you feel it is a better ritualistic, but I do not think that was the

:41:39.:41:45.

case today. There were genuine disagreements between the party

:41:45.:41:48.

leaders. I thought all the opposition party leaders have put

:41:48.:41:55.

relevant points and its Carwyn Jones attempted to answer them. Ago,

:41:55.:41:59.

there were legal constraints on what he could say. I thought it was

:41:59.:42:05.

a meeting, a interesting First Minister's Questions time and an --

:42:05.:42:09.

and a rewarding one. Carwyn Jones went back to the situation of the

:42:09.:42:12.

funding coming from the UK Government. He talked about the

:42:12.:42:16.

situation in England. He was it quite hard on that. We have seen

:42:16.:42:21.

this week after week. They take the question back to England. There is

:42:21.:42:26.

a tendency for Carwyn Jones to do that when answering these specific

:42:26.:42:31.

questions. One of the strongest sections was where he accused

:42:31.:42:34.

Andrew RT Davies of being a puppet of his party Investment staff.

:42:34.:42:42.

There is a genuine edge between those two. -- in Westminster. The

:42:42.:42:46.

arguments were revolving around local issues and safety. The

:42:46.:42:49.

question all the politicians are trying to match is, how do you get

:42:49.:42:53.

the balance right? Carwyn Jones pushing very hard on the safety

:42:53.:42:57.

aspects. Interesting questions from the UN would on what the distance

:42:57.:43:01.

of travel to a hospital could mean for safety. There was a lot of meat

:43:02.:43:06.

in there today. I felt it was interesting and worth watching.

:43:06.:43:10.

you think it, we have obviously had so much about the reforms being all

:43:10.:43:14.

about driven up by clinicians, now what is coming to the politicians

:43:14.:43:20.

at this point. That is one of the big arguments. The opposition

:43:20.:43:23.

parties say that because the health minister has left these decisions

:43:23.:43:28.

to the local health boards, they pay too much attention to the Royal

:43:28.:43:33.

Colleges and so that is rather than to the needs and views of patients.

:43:33.:43:38.

If it moves back into the political arena, that will change. Patients

:43:38.:43:41.

are the people who have their votes. Thank you very much.

:43:41.:43:45.

That's it for today. I'll be back at the same time next week with

:43:45.:43:48.

more coverage of First Minister's Questions. If you want more Welsh

:43:48.:43:51.

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