:00:25. > :00:28.Good afternoon, welcome to the programme and our weekly coverage of
:00:29. > :00:32.questions to the First Minister. I've had a look at the order paper
:00:33. > :00:34.and Carwyn Jones can expect questions on science education,
:00:35. > :00:40.council budgets and the treatment of Swansea City fans on their recent
:00:41. > :00:43.trip to Napoli. As usual, he'll also be quizzed by the leaders of the
:00:44. > :00:47.three opposition parties. That's what I think the politicians will be
:00:48. > :00:51.talking about, what do you want to talk about? If you want to comment
:00:52. > :00:54.on anything on the programme or any other political news, get in touch
:00:55. > :00:59.with us. You can reach us via Twitter, we're @walespolitics, or
:01:00. > :01:02.send us an email to am.pm@bbc.co.uk. Well, business in the chamber is
:01:03. > :01:04.already under way, so let's take a look now at today's questions to the
:01:05. > :01:17.First Minister. Good afternoon, I call the National
:01:18. > :01:24.Assembly of Wales to order. Questions to the First Minister.
:01:25. > :01:29.Question one. Will the First Minister make a statement on science
:01:30. > :01:35.education in Wales. The teaching of science and stem subjects are a
:01:36. > :01:43.priority. We want it to reflect the needs of business and the economy.
:01:44. > :01:47.In advance of science week this week, Doctor Lyn Evans gave a talk
:01:48. > :01:51.to the assembly last week. You will be aware that Doctor Evans is the
:01:52. > :01:55.prominent Welsh scientist who built the large Hadron Collider. You told
:01:56. > :01:59.us about the project they have at certain, to invite science teachers
:02:00. > :02:02.from across Europe to come and engage them in professional
:02:03. > :02:07.development programmes. In the years they've run a programme, and 1000 UK
:02:08. > :02:10.teachers have been to it, not a single teacher from a Welsh school
:02:11. > :02:13.has attended. Can you tell us what the Welsh Government is doing to
:02:14. > :02:20.make sure that Welsh teachers have the opportunity to take up these
:02:21. > :02:22.exciting and truly inspirational professional development
:02:23. > :02:28.opportunities? He told me the same thing last week when I met him on
:02:29. > :02:32.Thursday. It is something I want to investigate. I will do that, because
:02:33. > :02:36.if those figures are correct, then clearly, we need to make sure that
:02:37. > :02:44.any barriers that may exist to science teachers in Wales going to
:02:45. > :02:48.Switzerland are removed. To create the science and engineers of
:02:49. > :02:51.tomorrow we need to enthuse our children are primaries. Teachers in
:02:52. > :02:54.primary schools need to be fully aware of the opportunities of
:02:55. > :02:58.careers in science and engineering for both genders, in order to
:02:59. > :03:06.inspire our children, and that they should be encouraged to partake in
:03:07. > :03:10.stem challenges. Supported by Jaguar and the engineering and education
:03:11. > :03:14.scheme Wales. The scheme is an excellent scheme. It's right to say
:03:15. > :03:18.that schools in Wales are amongst the world leaders when it comes to
:03:19. > :03:24.the promotion of engineering at that age, because of the F1 challenge. We
:03:25. > :03:30.need to ensure it is continued to secondary level. It is the case that
:03:31. > :03:33.through schemes such as that, we are seeing more young people choosing
:03:34. > :03:37.STEM subjects to study at higher education, and particularly seeing
:03:38. > :03:40.more young women want to study STEM subjects as well. We want to make
:03:41. > :03:47.sure that all opportunities afforded to both sexes. I'm sure you would
:03:48. > :03:50.agree with me there can be no better way than encouraging to show an
:03:51. > :03:56.interest in science than showing them the wonders of the night sky.
:03:57. > :03:59.You may be aware that last week I hosted an event celebrating the
:04:00. > :04:04.first anniversary of the Brecon Beacons National Park, achieving
:04:05. > :04:08.dark sky status. They put a heck of a lot of work into achieving that.
:04:09. > :04:12.Since they've received that status, there has been a huge increase in
:04:13. > :04:16.astronomy tourism in the Brecon Beacons. Will you tell us what your
:04:17. > :04:20.government is doing to support endeavours such as dark skies by the
:04:21. > :04:23.Brecon Beacons National Park, and also what you are doing to an
:04:24. > :04:28.courage schools across Wales to make the very most of this excellent
:04:29. > :04:32.asset which, as I say, the Brecon Beacons National Park have put a lot
:04:33. > :04:35.of work into. It seems the scheme itself is already working very
:04:36. > :04:40.well. The fact there are many more people coming to look at the night
:04:41. > :04:43.sky in National Park is a sign that there is certainly a demand there as
:04:44. > :04:47.far as tourism is concerned. The facility is there for people to be
:04:48. > :04:50.able to observe the night sky. I very much commend the National Park
:04:51. > :04:54.authority for the work they have done, in an area that perhaps was
:04:55. > :05:03.unusual in terms of taking it forward but has proved to be
:05:04. > :05:07.fruitful. Lbs TRANSLATION: We, in putt, certainly support efforts to
:05:08. > :05:10.increase the numbers of the students and the success of students in this
:05:11. > :05:15.STEM subjects. It is a cause concern that the most
:05:16. > :05:18.recent figures show that among engineering technology students
:05:19. > :05:23.there is one of the highest of unemployment among graduates of
:05:24. > :05:28.those courses, some 12%. How can the First Minister ensure that
:05:29. > :05:32.developers take place, for example with the science Park in Anglesey,
:05:33. > :05:36.which turns an interesting academic success in these subjects very
:05:37. > :05:41.real, making real opportunities in the jobs market.
:05:42. > :05:47.TRANSLATION: If you look at what's available in Wales, such as the
:05:48. > :05:52.large companies, Ford, Toyota, they all offer opportunities for people
:05:53. > :05:58.who have studied in the area of design and technology. Anyone, even
:05:59. > :06:01.if they'd been to university or not, there are a apprenticeship schemes
:06:02. > :06:03.available that have been very successful. So there are
:06:04. > :06:07.opportunities available, that's true, and as a government we will
:06:08. > :06:14.ensure that those opportunities are expanded over the years. Outlined
:06:15. > :06:16.the Welsh Government's responsibility of the spectator
:06:17. > :06:22.safety at sporting events in Wales. responsibility of the spectator
:06:23. > :06:27.It's a matter for the sports run safety authority. It is not a
:06:28. > :06:34.devolved area. We expect them, working with the major sports clubs
:06:35. > :06:37.and police, that spectator safety is paramount. The two new stadiums of
:06:38. > :06:43.Cardiff and Swansea have made a big difference as well. We've got a
:06:44. > :06:46.reputation in Wales for welcoming and treating very well away
:06:47. > :06:53.supporters at both rugby and soccer matches. Last month, hundreds of
:06:54. > :06:55.Swansea city supporters paid a small fortune to travel to Naples. They
:06:56. > :06:57.missed the start of the match and the first goal as a result of
:06:58. > :06:59.excessive security delays and disorganised travelling arrangements
:07:00. > :07:02.made by the Neapolitan authorities. Does the First Minister share my
:07:03. > :07:06.concern over the treatment of the Swansea City fans, and witty raise
:07:07. > :07:13.this issue with his counterparts in the Foreign Office at the earliest
:07:14. > :07:16.opportunity? I'm aware that South Wales police worked with Italian
:07:17. > :07:20.police to make sure security plans run smoothly. But the travel
:07:21. > :07:24.experience rests with the authorities enables Rather than
:07:25. > :07:28.Wales. I understand that you wait are aware of the matter and we wait
:07:29. > :07:34.to see what the response will be. First Minister, the Lord Justice
:07:35. > :07:39.report into the hill just -- spirit is asked in 1989, it made a number
:07:40. > :07:43.of recommendations to secure the safety of people attending sports
:07:44. > :07:49.grounds. Since then, conditions have changed dramatically with the
:07:50. > :07:53.football supporters Federation now calling for an introduction on a
:07:54. > :07:59.trial basis of safe standing areas. Will the First Minister support safe
:08:00. > :08:03.standing areas on a trial basis in Wales? It's difficult to see how
:08:04. > :08:10.that would work, given the fact that the newer stadiums were designed to
:08:11. > :08:12.be all-seater stadiums. I remember the old terraces. They had some
:08:13. > :08:17.attractions in terms of the atmosphere. There were many events
:08:18. > :08:21.that occurred on those terraces that we would be less happy to believe.
:08:22. > :08:25.More than anything else, they were quite often dangerous. Let's not
:08:26. > :08:29.forget that football ground up until the late 80s in the UK were
:08:30. > :08:32.ramshackle. No money had been put into spectator safety, no money had
:08:33. > :08:36.been put into ensuring that spectators had an enjoyable time and
:08:37. > :08:39.were safe. It was because of the Taylor report that we now have
:08:40. > :08:42.modern, up to date football grounds that are safe to visit and have been
:08:43. > :08:55.designed in such a way to avoid crowd trouble. Let's not forget in
:08:56. > :08:57.the 1980s, crowd trouble inside stadiums was not uncommon. Crowd
:08:58. > :09:00.trouble outside stadiums was very common. It's because of this report
:09:01. > :09:02.that the issues have been largely resolved. We should think carefully
:09:03. > :09:05.about trying to undo parts of it. I'd like to agree with the comments
:09:06. > :09:08.made by Mike hedges with regard to the Swansea fans. I know there is a
:09:09. > :09:10.meeting on the 20th of this month, a UEFA disciplinary hearing with
:09:11. > :09:14.regards to the treatment by Napoli of the Swansea fans. South Wales
:09:15. > :09:17.police have also put in a report to that particular disciplinary
:09:18. > :09:22.hearing. I wonder whether you, as First Minister, could ask for any of
:09:23. > :09:25.the report that will come from UEFA, so that assembly members, especially
:09:26. > :09:29.from the area, can understand fully what went wrong and how this cannot
:09:30. > :09:33.be replicated again in the future, as I know it also happened to
:09:34. > :09:38.Arsenal fans who went out there recently? That report will be shared
:09:39. > :09:42.as widely and publicly as possible, so we understand to what exactly
:09:43. > :09:47.happened. There are many football supporters in Wales who have
:09:48. > :09:53.experienced being in Milan in 2003, when Wales played. I was told of the
:09:54. > :09:57.difficulties that were experienced there. It builds on a difficult
:09:58. > :10:01.reputation that was already in place as far as Italian football grounds
:10:02. > :10:05.are concerned. It's important that football fans all over the world are
:10:06. > :10:09.made to feel both welcome and safe in Italy. We now move to questions
:10:10. > :10:15.from the party leaders. The leader of Plaid Cymru. -year-old the
:10:16. > :10:20.Secretary of State for Wales said yesterday that he was shocked by
:10:21. > :10:24.comments made by the First Minister the valleys lines underfunding of
:10:25. > :10:31.it. Will the First Minister give this assembly his version of events
:10:32. > :10:34.from July 2012? Was there a formal agreement between him and the UK
:10:35. > :10:40.Government, was it in writing? If so, would he be prepared to publish
:10:41. > :10:44.it? There's been no agreement that any -- any time that the Welsh
:10:45. > :10:48.Government should fund the electrification, nor am I prepared
:10:49. > :10:51.to share any correspondence. It's obvious there a difference of
:10:52. > :10:55.opinion between the First Minister's version of events and
:10:56. > :10:59.those of the Secretary of State for Wales. Is the First Minister saying
:11:00. > :11:04.that this issue was open to interpretation, and would he agree
:11:05. > :11:12.with me that rail investment is too big an issue to leave to informal
:11:13. > :11:17.understandings? What I want to see is electrification to occur. I was
:11:18. > :11:20.careful to emphasise that what I wanted was clarification, which
:11:21. > :11:23.we've not had. The letter from the Prime Minister on Friday doesn't
:11:24. > :11:29.clarify the issue. The response from the Secretary of State was bordering
:11:30. > :11:33.on the hysterical, given the comment that I'd actually made. Let's recap
:11:34. > :11:37.what has been said by various UK Government ministers over the past
:11:38. > :11:42.two years. On the 16th of July, 2012, the then Secretary of State
:11:43. > :11:46.said, over ?350 million will be directly invested into the Welsh
:11:47. > :11:50.railway infrastructure. On the same day, the leader of the opposition
:11:51. > :11:59.said, this is a priceless boost to the region and Wales as a whole.
:12:00. > :12:03.This is conservatives positive regeneration in Wales, unlike
:12:04. > :12:07.Labour's managed decline. If we were being asked to contribute to this
:12:08. > :12:13.scheme, how is it Labour's managed decline? On the 23rd of November,
:12:14. > :12:16.the Wales office said, the UK Government announced in July this
:12:17. > :12:19.year the electrification of the Valley lines around Cardiff,
:12:20. > :12:26.including the lines at Aberdare, and the lines from Bridgend... No
:12:27. > :12:32.mention there the Welsh Government funding this. On the 31st of
:12:33. > :12:36.October, the Prime Minister said to the BBC in an interview, I know we
:12:37. > :12:40.need these infrastructure investments in Wales. It is this
:12:41. > :12:44.government that is putting money into electrification of the railway
:12:45. > :12:50.line to Swansea and the Valley lines. That is, to me, as clear as
:12:51. > :12:53.it possibly can be. Why on earth would we, as a government, look to
:12:54. > :13:01.fund something that isn't even devolved?
:13:02. > :13:06.Order. Order. Leanne Wood. The deal is not clear. It is clear that the
:13:07. > :13:10.way in which investment in our railways is administered, is
:13:11. > :13:15.inadequate and unclear. Plaid Cymru wants to see railway services in
:13:16. > :13:19.public hands and fully devolved. How does the First Minister propose
:13:20. > :13:25.achieving and implementing the devolution of railway funding to
:13:26. > :13:30.Wales, as recommended by the Silk Commission? I am grateful to the
:13:31. > :13:34.leader of Plaid Cymru when she emphasised this is not a devolved
:13:35. > :13:38.matter. Why would the Welsh Government lock to pay for something
:13:39. > :13:44.that isn't devolved? What else are we going to be asked to pay for in
:13:45. > :13:48.the future? This is devolved area. I notice that ?4.7 billion has been
:13:49. > :13:54.put by the UK Government into Crossrail. 2.2 billion into HS2, but
:13:55. > :13:57.at the moment, the impression is been given when it comes to
:13:58. > :14:02.electrification of the valley lines and the main line from Cardiff to
:14:03. > :14:05.Swansea, not a penny will be forth coming from the UK Government. I
:14:06. > :14:10.want to see this project move forward. I want early clarification
:14:11. > :14:17.on what has been said by the Prime Minister, a two salt springs in the
:14:18. > :14:22.past, in term -- to Secretary of States in the past. It was said this
:14:23. > :14:26.is an extra ?4.2 billion worth of funding, that we are announcing
:14:27. > :14:30.today, a lot of it going to the South Wales valley lines. So we have
:14:31. > :14:34.two secretaries of state and the Prime Minister, and the leader of
:14:35. > :14:38.the opposition, all saying this is an investment by the UK Government,
:14:39. > :14:43.no mention of the Welsh Government having to pay, and I expect those
:14:44. > :14:54.promises made orally to the people of Wales to be kept.
:14:55. > :15:01.We are not in the Liberty Stadium in Swansea.
:15:02. > :15:05.We now move to the Leader of the Opposition. Thank you presiding
:15:06. > :15:09.officer. First Minister, do you agree that an collude should stop
:15:10. > :15:15.her campaign for better standard for patient care in the Welsh NHS, as
:15:16. > :15:18.the member for for vine indicated some two weeks' ago in the
:15:19. > :15:24.Conservative-led debate. What she does is a matter for her. It was
:15:25. > :15:30.clearly stated for the member she wanted Anne Clwyd to stop talking
:15:31. > :15:34.about the well NHS. Last, yesterday, Anne Clwyd touched clear loin what
:15:35. > :15:40.she believed was the state of the Welsh NHS. She said, "This is a
:15:41. > :15:46.further firm evidence of a crisis, facing the NHS in Wales, these are
:15:47. > :15:52.record-breaking figures" she was talking about diagnostic figures "Of
:15:53. > :15:56.the worth kind." -- worst kind. Do you understand
:15:57. > :16:01.those concerns a senior member of your party is levelling against the
:16:02. > :16:07.way the NHS is run here in Wales. Anne has based her allegation on the
:16:08. > :16:11.way her husband was treated. She has refused permission for the report,
:16:12. > :16:14.surrounding his treatment to be made public. It is important that for
:16:15. > :16:18.people to make a judgment on what happened, that that report is made
:16:19. > :16:24.public, but that of course is a matter for others. What I do know is
:16:25. > :16:27.that this morning in the time, a Conservative Secretary of State for
:16:28. > :16:31.Health is suggesting that the Welsh block grant should be cut, in terms
:16:32. > :16:35.of health. That is what he is saying, funding for the Welsh NHS
:16:36. > :16:42.should be cut from Whitehall. Will he join me in condemning the
:16:43. > :16:49.comments of Jeremy Hunt? As perusual, shameful response from the
:16:50. > :16:53.First Minister. -- per usual. Anne Clwyd's comments are-based on the
:16:54. > :16:58.evidence she has gathered in the extensive, in the extensive
:16:59. > :17:02.consultations she has had with bay she wents and clinicians in the work
:17:03. > :17:07.she has undertaking, in effectiveness of the Welsh NHS. As
:17:08. > :17:10.he said yesterday, when she looked at the diagnostic treatment waiting
:17:11. > :17:16.types here in Wales, where the eight week wait is now in excess of 28,000
:17:17. > :17:20.patients. For a term of reference, the member for Pontypridd that is
:17:21. > :17:25.the same at the size of the town that he and I represent waiting for
:17:26. > :17:33.a diagnostic referral on out of those waiting times. In England that
:17:34. > :17:39.same figure is 1.8%. 1.8%: And that is over a six month period. First
:17:40. > :17:44.Minister, given your you are so dissmifs of Anne Clwyd, why will you
:17:45. > :17:49.not agree to meet with myself, meet with Anne Clwyd and your good self
:17:50. > :17:54.and get to the bottom of the serious concerns, which you, which you
:17:55. > :18:08.clearly dismiss, which is based on evidence and based on fact.
:18:09. > :18:15.I have asked her the minister for health asked her, she has produced
:18:16. > :18:19.anonymous comment, we don't know whether they are correct. We have
:18:20. > :18:22.asked her morn than one occasion to produce the evidence to back up her
:18:23. > :18:27.claim, I have done it, I have done it to her in person, and in writing,
:18:28. > :18:34.she has not done it. But I do notice, I do notice, that when
:18:35. > :18:38.asked, whether he condemns Jeremy Hunt's grab of money away from the
:18:39. > :18:44.Welsh NHS, that runs away from it. That is his shame and his party's
:18:45. > :18:48.shame. I notice he doe does notman hundred -- does not mention the
:18:49. > :18:53.airport. Something he got wrong, I notice that he doesn't mention
:18:54. > :18:59.electrification, an area where he had the opportunity to stand up for
:19:00. > :19:03.Wales, and he has failed. His party treated not half an hour ago, that
:19:04. > :19:12.the Welsh Government should pay for electrification. Order. In reality,
:19:13. > :19:24.all he is, all he is in the words of Robbie burns is a wee cow cowering
:19:25. > :19:29.timorous beastie. I think I have been transported to another House.
:19:30. > :19:34.Can we please calm down and no more shouting across the benches. We now
:19:35. > :19:39.move to the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Kirsty Williams.
:19:40. > :19:43.Thank you. First Minister, in January 2013, there were 199
:19:44. > :19:49.vulnerable young children, waiting more than 14 weeks to access child
:19:50. > :19:56.and adolescent psychiatric services. In January of this year, that number
:19:57. > :20:00.had quadrupled to almost 800. Why is your Government unable to provide
:20:01. > :20:05.timely help, for some of our most vulnerable young people in their
:20:06. > :20:09.time of need? That is something we are aware of as a government. Demand
:20:10. > :20:13.has increased rapidly over that time and what we are and I know what the
:20:14. > :20:19.Health Minister is looking at, is to make sure we look to provide the
:20:20. > :20:27.services required in the future, so we continue do have the long waiting
:20:28. > :20:31.lists. First Minister, child health experts
:20:32. > :20:35.agree early intervention is key to preventing problems later on in
:20:36. > :20:40.life. Your spiralling waiting lists are forcing parents to turn in
:20:41. > :20:45.desperation to the private sector for help. Private sector care they
:20:46. > :20:51.can often ill afford. Last week a doctor of Cardiff University said
:20:52. > :20:56.while they were many good staff working in-cams services in Wales,
:20:57. > :21:00.they were operating with only 20-40% of the recommended staffing levels.
:21:01. > :21:05.-- CAMS. Could you outline what steps you are taking, to tackle the
:21:06. > :21:09.chronic understaffing of this vital service? It is true to say it has
:21:10. > :21:14.been difficult to recruit psychiatrists but as the member will
:21:15. > :21:18.know, we do have a medical recruitment campaign we have been
:21:19. > :21:22.running to attract more people into difficult to reach specialities. In
:21:23. > :21:26.terms of the service that is available in Wales of course, every
:21:27. > :21:31.patient who is receiving specialist mental healthcare is guaranteed to
:21:32. > :21:35.have a right to a treatment plan. It does mean better quality of care for
:21:36. > :21:40.patients and helps them achieve their goals in recovery. Introduced
:21:41. > :21:44.as the member will know via the mental health measure. What is
:21:45. > :21:50.needed I accept is to ensure that the provision of service keeps pace
:21:51. > :21:53.with demand. These problems are not new and they already brought to your
:21:54. > :21:58.Government's attention by your own inspectorate and by the Wales' Audit
:21:59. > :22:04.Office back in jn, when it says concern -- January, when it says
:22:05. > :22:08.concerns raised in 2009 had not been properly addressed.
:22:09. > :22:12.Young people are still being admitted to adult mental health
:22:13. > :22:14.wards. Professionals are failing to share information
:22:15. > :22:18.wards. Professionals are failing to still grave concerns about patients
:22:19. > :22:24.being discharged from treatment. Now despite the introduction of that
:22:25. > :22:28.mental health measure, and some ?250,000 investment in the service,
:22:29. > :22:32.it is still falling short, First Minister, who will your Government
:22:33. > :22:35.backbench in a position to ensure this crucially important part of a
:22:36. > :22:40.mental Health Service, actually delivers for the children and young
:22:41. > :22:44.people of Wales? When? I am grateful the leader of the Liberal Democrats
:22:45. > :22:49.acknowledges the investment that has been made and building on the
:22:50. > :22:52.measures Azerbaijan I mentioned there has been a significant
:22:53. > :22:56.increase in the demand on the service, and that is right to say
:22:57. > :22:59.therefore, that the level of service of this moment in time could be
:23:00. > :23:02.improved. That is something I know the Health Minister is keen to do. I
:23:03. > :23:06.agree with her entirely, when it comes to early intervention that is
:23:07. > :23:10.very important, that of course can be done in other ways, in terms of
:23:11. > :23:14.ensuring there is access to advice service, I know in my own town there
:23:15. > :23:18.are a number of organisations who provide that service and we signpost
:23:19. > :23:21.people to those organisations as a first step.
:23:22. > :23:31.Nevertheless, the Health Minister and I understand that as far as Cams
:23:32. > :23:36.is concerned more needs to be done to ensure it is shared by
:23:37. > :23:40.professionals. We move back to papers of tn questions.
:23:41. > :23:45.TRANSLATION: What is the Welsh's Governments I greatest achievement
:23:46. > :23:53.in tackling poverty in Wales? Jobs growth Wales. Thank you for that
:23:54. > :23:55.minister. It is also true that absolute poverty, having taken
:23:56. > :23:56.housing costs has increased and absolute poverty, having taken
:23:57. > :24:00.is hiring thanes before in the -- absolute poverty, having taken
:24:01. > :24:03.was in the first three year absolute poverty, having taken
:24:04. > :24:07.assembly. What you do for children in poverty in Wales? We know of
:24:08. > :24:12.course in ensuring that children are raised out of poverty, it is
:24:13. > :24:17.important that the adults in the homes are able to find employment to
:24:18. > :24:22.ensure that the family income increases and according to the child
:24:23. > :24:28.poverty strategy progress report of last year, that report talked about
:24:29. > :24:31.the fact that there are fewer adults now, leaving without any
:24:32. > :24:39.qualifications from school or college, and also that the gap in
:24:40. > :24:45.terms of education between those who receive free school meals and those
:24:46. > :24:50.who don't, has decreased between 2009 and 2010 and 2011/12. So things
:24:51. > :24:54.have been done, it is very difficult of course, to do everything we would
:24:55. > :25:00.want to do, because we don't have every tool at present, but it is
:25:01. > :25:05.important that we do continue with the child poverty strategy to ensure
:25:06. > :25:12.that more children receive the opportunity to be pulled out of
:25:13. > :25:16.poverty. Will you join me in welcoming the
:25:17. > :25:21.above inflation increase in the minimum wage to 6.?50 per hour
:25:22. > :25:27.announced by the coalition Government in London, which will
:25:28. > :25:37.benefit 73,000 people none Wales, and help reduce poverty in pales.
:25:38. > :25:41.It is about what the Welsh Government is doing. I know what you
:25:42. > :25:43.asked, you said what the Welsh Government is doing. I know what you
:25:44. > :25:51.Government was doing, I don't think it was part
:25:52. > :25:55.Question four. TRANSLATION: What steps has the
:25:56. > :26:01.Welsh Government taken to address the shortage of staff in the NHS
:26:02. > :26:06.that can speak Welsh? The Welsh language framework on health and
:26:07. > :26:12.Social Services launched in November 2012 does put forward improvement,
:26:13. > :26:16.it puts forward a specific objective to increase the capability of the
:26:17. > :26:26.workforce to provide Welsh language service, and a number of health
:26:27. > :26:32.boards are taking steps to make improvements. Met trainee doctors
:26:33. > :26:36.some fortnight ago and there was disappoint expressed in terms of the
:26:37. > :26:40.numbers of Welsh speakers who are entering training as GPs. What
:26:41. > :26:44.appropriate steps and what monitoring is done of your new
:26:45. > :26:50.guideline, which have now been in place for 15 months? Well, every
:26:51. > :26:55.health board has taken this forward, for example, you talk about the
:26:56. > :26:59.north, het me concentrate on that. There is a linguistic skills
:27:00. > :27:06.framework being prepared. This will mean as parent of the recruitment
:27:07. > :27:10.policy managers will have to consider the area's dem gra ticks to
:27:11. > :27:17.-- demographics to ensure that every post that comes up in future is
:27:18. > :27:22.assessed in relation to what the linguistic requirements for that
:27:23. > :27:39.position is, so this will be a core part of what it will be doing in
:27:40. > :27:44.future. Welsh language is pervasive across all government departments.
:27:45. > :27:48.Can you tell me what the Department for health and social services is
:27:49. > :27:51.doing in terms of contact with schools and colleges, to include
:27:52. > :28:01.interesting vocabulary about the NHS being brought into lesson plans? In
:28:02. > :28:05.terms of Welsh and education, as the member will know, we are in a
:28:06. > :28:09.position where we have provided great support for the language over
:28:10. > :28:13.the years, as the European Commission has recognised. We are
:28:14. > :28:18.reviewing the position of Welsh in education in order to strengthen the
:28:19. > :28:23.language's position. Through that, if we increased the number of young
:28:24. > :28:28.people who go to Welsh speaking schools or bilingual schools, so we
:28:29. > :28:31.hope to increase the number of those who are studying science, and
:28:32. > :28:35.therefore increase the number who are looking to enter any of the
:28:36. > :28:40.medical professions and who are able to do is the Welsh language.
:28:41. > :28:47.TRANSLATION: Thank you very much. The shortage of bilingual GPs is now
:28:48. > :28:57.reaching crisis point in the north-west. We can't even get such
:28:58. > :29:01.doctors into areas. You mentioned the health board has a strategy in
:29:02. > :29:05.place, but what is being done at the level of the medical colleges in
:29:06. > :29:09.Wales to encourage more Welsh speakers to study there and also to
:29:10. > :29:12.train in North Wales, so that they are then more likely to remain in
:29:13. > :29:17.the area? TRANSLATION: Well,
:29:18. > :29:19.the area? problem in my view. It's not that
:29:20. > :29:24.people don't want to move to the north-west. One of the problems I am
:29:25. > :29:29.aware of is people want to come as GPs to the area but they need to
:29:30. > :29:32.find a job for their partners. Because they, too, are looking for
:29:33. > :29:37.employment in the area. That has come from the GPs themselves. It's
:29:38. > :29:42.quite an odd thing to say in one respect. I'm certain there are
:29:43. > :29:46.people who want to practice as general practitioners in the
:29:47. > :29:52.north-west, but the resolution to this problem isn't as easy as just
:29:53. > :29:58.to give people more money. We have to look at it and -- in a holistic
:29:59. > :30:02.manner. The Welsh Government provided to local authorities on
:30:03. > :30:05.setting the budget? Local authorities are autonomous. They are
:30:06. > :30:10.responsible for the decisions they make. You Looe north-east Wales
:30:11. > :30:14.local authority told me they are protecting their reserves now.
:30:15. > :30:18.Reconfiguring services and already planning ahead for the 2015 to 2016
:30:19. > :30:21.budgets, knowing that further reductions are to follow. They told
:30:22. > :30:26.me they had not taken servers decisions this year, they need
:30:27. > :30:31.certainty from the Welsh woman for future budgets with a three-year
:30:32. > :30:36.indicative settlement, so that they can plan. Which is correct? Each
:30:37. > :30:39.local authority takes their own approach. It is their
:30:40. > :30:48.responsibility. They are responsible for setting their own budgets.
:30:49. > :30:53.TRANSLATION: Notwithstanding, First Minister, there is a problem when
:30:54. > :30:56.local authorities do have to endeavour to ensure that the budgets
:30:57. > :31:03.are viable and have to endeavour to ensure that the budgets
:31:04. > :31:08.cutbacks in certain service areas. In doing so, having to go contrary
:31:09. > :31:12.to the intentions and ambitions of the Welsh Government. For example,
:31:13. > :31:18.the Welsh Government has an ambition of seeing more and more people
:31:19. > :31:22.participating in physical activity. Local authorities, however, have to
:31:23. > :31:25.look at the maintenance of playing fields and so on and so forth. The
:31:26. > :31:30.Welsh Government has an ambition to ensure that more usage is made of
:31:31. > :31:33.our libraries, whilst we simultaneously see libraries closed
:31:34. > :31:37.because of cuts in the budget. How can you reconcile these budgetary
:31:38. > :31:40.decisions with the intentions, ambition and vision of the Welsh
:31:41. > :31:47.Government? TRANSLATION: Well, we would expect
:31:48. > :31:52.local authorities to share our ambitions. Having said that, it's
:31:53. > :31:57.important to realise that local authorities, like every tier of
:31:58. > :32:01.government, is facing a very difficult time, considering next
:32:02. > :32:06.year's budget and, to be honest, the ensuing years because this is due to
:32:07. > :32:10.cuts in the funding that has been given to us as a government, and
:32:11. > :32:17.therefore it must pass down to local government. But I would say to local
:32:18. > :32:21.government, do consider in detail their priorities will stop not to
:32:22. > :32:29.just salami slice across the board, but to consider their priorities and
:32:30. > :32:34.ensure that they have a budget which demonstrates their priorities and
:32:35. > :32:39.not just a cut across the board. Good afternoon. Will you please
:32:40. > :32:44.indicate when the special education needs Bill will be introduced?
:32:45. > :32:44.indicate when the special education hope to be able to agree a way
:32:45. > :32:48.forward which will allow us to introduce such a
:32:49. > :32:51.forward which will allow us to elections. We will discuss this as
:32:52. > :32:59.part of the government's legislative programme. That was entirely the
:33:00. > :33:01.answer I was seeking. I would hope the Welsh Conservatives would
:33:02. > :33:06.support the government in trying to bring forward a holistic bill that
:33:07. > :33:11.would deal with the requirements of special needs children in Wales. I
:33:12. > :33:17.would like to see the Bill come to this place before the end of this
:33:18. > :33:21.assembly. I'm delighted I've been able to give a full and complete
:33:22. > :33:25.answer to a member on the Conservative benches. I trust it
:33:26. > :33:34.won't happen very often. TRANSLATION: I welcome your comments
:33:35. > :33:38.on the fact it is the Government's intention to bring forward this bill
:33:39. > :33:43.before the next election. I, on behalf or Plaid Cymru, will ensure
:33:44. > :33:48.that we comply with you to make sure that can occur. In the meantime,
:33:49. > :33:52.there is some confusion in the way children with special needs our
:33:53. > :33:55.statement it or not, with certain authorities providing statements and
:33:56. > :34:01.some refusing to do that. Trying to put down independent learning plans
:34:02. > :34:06.and so on. How will the government ensure consistency of access to the
:34:07. > :34:10.services that children need in Wales whilst we await the legislation? I'm
:34:11. > :34:15.certain that the Health Minister will consider how we can get
:34:16. > :34:23.consistency before the legislation comes into force. Ultimately, the
:34:24. > :34:27.way of securing consistency is by statute. The member is quite right.
:34:28. > :34:32.There are discrepancies statute. The member is quite right.
:34:33. > :34:36.local authorities on how they statement some children, some
:34:37. > :34:41.authority statement some children more easily than others. I will ask
:34:42. > :34:45.the Minister to write to the member, bearing in mind the fact that there
:34:46. > :34:50.are opportunities when the bill comes before us. Will the First
:34:51. > :34:54.Minister provide an update on the provision of free education for
:34:55. > :34:58.three-year-olds? All children in Wales are entitled to a free
:34:59. > :35:01.part-time foundation place from their third birthday. It will remain
:35:02. > :35:08.wholly committed to the foundation phase and its pros -- approach to
:35:09. > :35:12.teaching and learning. All local authority are meeting their
:35:13. > :35:16.statutory duty. I was rather concerned to hear that Swansea
:35:17. > :35:19.council was not minded to allow the provision of free education for
:35:20. > :35:23.three-year-olds, other than in its own council provided settings. In
:35:24. > :35:28.your own constituency Bridgend, the local authority is looking to save
:35:29. > :35:32.money by reducing council funded nursery provision. Were council run
:35:33. > :35:34.mercenaries Deborah Bull to cuts and the only setting for free education
:35:35. > :35:39.provision for three-year-olds, do you think it's an wise for a council
:35:40. > :35:44.to deny suitable non-council run nurseries the option to offer that
:35:45. > :35:47.provision? Councils must meet their statutory duty. How they meet that
:35:48. > :35:55.is a matter for them. They can't fail to meet it. Will the First
:35:56. > :36:00.Minister outline any discussions he has held with ministers in relation
:36:01. > :36:03.to so-called legal highs? I do meet with the Minister for health and
:36:04. > :36:08.social services on a regular basis. He is aware of your concerns.
:36:09. > :36:13.Unfortunately, barely a week goes by now without news of another tragedy
:36:14. > :36:15.linked to the so called legal highs. We are seeing major
:36:16. > :36:17.linked to the so called legal highs. these in my own
:36:18. > :36:22.linked to the so called legal highs. have a very constructive meeting
:36:23. > :36:25.with the Health Minister just before recess. Locally, I've been liaising
:36:26. > :36:28.with the health board and the police on the issue for some time. It is
:36:29. > :36:34.essential we adopt a crosscutting approach to a tackling this scourge
:36:35. > :36:37.in Wales, moving forward, will you commit to quarter mating these
:36:38. > :36:43.really important efforts across Welsh Government? To emphasise, we
:36:44. > :36:48.can't do anything in terms of legislation. The misuse of drugs act
:36:49. > :36:55.is not devolved all stop moving forward with the legislation to
:36:56. > :36:59.categorise new drugs as they appear, because a lot of them do, is
:37:00. > :37:03.not a matter for us. That said, it is essential we work together across
:37:04. > :37:07.departments to tackle the devastation that these substances
:37:08. > :37:11.can cause. Health officials already worked closely with local government
:37:12. > :37:13.and education to provide a coordinated response to education
:37:14. > :37:17.and prevention and in terms of addressing availability of the new
:37:18. > :37:21.psychoactive substances, which is the phrase that is used in Wales. I
:37:22. > :37:26.understand that the Gwent area planning board is coordinating the
:37:27. > :37:29.local response to tackling you psychoactive substances where the
:37:30. > :37:35.health board, police and public health are fully aware. No one
:37:36. > :37:40.doubts that we need to reduce the harm which can be caused to people
:37:41. > :37:45.by the use of so-called legal highs. But I am concerned about the Welsh
:37:46. > :37:49.Government's funding of a project which allows people to send in
:37:50. > :37:52.substances protesting and the results of those substances to be
:37:53. > :37:56.published online. Unfortunately, I've received some evidence that
:37:57. > :38:02.this is being used by people who are pushing steroids that
:38:03. > :38:06.this is being used by people who are They are actually -- are links which
:38:07. > :38:09.have been sent to me in the late into the UK Muscle website, a
:38:10. > :38:13.body-building forum, showing that this might actually be happening.
:38:14. > :38:17.What work is the Welsh Government doing to ensure that this project is
:38:18. > :38:23.not exploited by people who want to peddle substances which could
:38:24. > :38:31.potentially be very harmful? The project is designed to ensure that
:38:32. > :38:34.people are able to send samples to the project in order to understand
:38:35. > :38:39.what is in them will stop especially at a time when new drugs are being
:38:40. > :38:43.synthesised and an ever increasing rate will stop when the misuse of
:38:44. > :38:48.drugs act was passed in 1971, there were far fewer drugs on the market.
:38:49. > :38:53.Those that were there had not been synthesised into new forms. Cocaine,
:38:54. > :38:58.for example, into crack. The legislation has had to keep pace
:38:59. > :39:02.with that. It's important we are aware of what's appearing, in order
:39:03. > :39:05.to deal with it. I take the point he makes. Of course, the project would
:39:06. > :39:09.not want to be some kind of testing system for those who seek if what
:39:10. > :39:14.they've produced is effective or not. It's important to ensure that
:39:15. > :39:25.is monitored, important that we continue to work with gyms, to make
:39:26. > :39:28.sure that the are aware of the damage that long-term steroid abuse
:39:29. > :39:37.can make to people, leading ultimately to early death. Will the
:39:38. > :39:42.First Minister make a statement on fees paid to outside organisations
:39:43. > :39:47.to manage the anti-poverty strategy? The fee for all managed programmes
:39:48. > :39:54.with the tackling poverty agenda will vary, depending on the issue.
:39:55. > :39:57.He will know that in terms of the discretionary system fund, 16% of
:39:58. > :40:01.the total budget for that has gone in terms of managing that project
:40:02. > :40:05.will start within regards to the credit union project, of the ?4.7
:40:06. > :40:09.million available over a number of years, nearly ?1 million has been
:40:10. > :40:13.spent on consultants to manage that project. Given that the high
:40:14. > :40:17.percentage of those monies being spent that Administration, do you
:40:18. > :40:22.not think the Welsh Government needs to review the way these projects are
:40:23. > :40:26.managed so that more money can go to the front end? When it comes to the
:40:27. > :40:30.discretionary assistance fund, the UK said it would cost ?2.1 million
:40:31. > :40:35.to administer in Wales. The cost is actually one point ?38 million,
:40:36. > :40:38.considerably less than the DWP estimate and the amount they'd been
:40:39. > :40:42.allocated. The cost of the administration of the fund has no
:40:43. > :40:48.impact on the amount of grant money available. The budget remains at
:40:49. > :40:53.?10.2 million. Looking at the statistics regarding the performance
:40:54. > :40:59.of the fund, they seem to have improved, particularly over the
:41:00. > :41:03.course of this financial year. The Welsh Government's main anti-poverty
:41:04. > :41:07.strategy is communities first. Following the Wales audit office
:41:08. > :41:11.concerns and reports during the last assembly on the lack of effective
:41:12. > :41:14.corporate governance embedded in grant recipient bodies outside local
:41:15. > :41:17.government in Wales, the Welsh Government has now made most of the
:41:18. > :41:23.grant recipient bodies be the local authorities. How is the Welsh
:41:24. > :41:26.Government therefore ensuring that those local authorities, whilst
:41:27. > :41:30.fulfilling the grant recipient body roll in terms of financial
:41:31. > :41:30.fulfilling the grant recipient body resource management and audit,
:41:31. > :41:37.nonetheless ensures that resource management and audit,
:41:38. > :41:41.is focused on anti-poverty strategies that the local community
:41:42. > :41:45.has identified and is working with them upon? That's what the money is
:41:46. > :41:49.for. We've sought to ensure the money is made available and spent in
:41:50. > :41:53.an appropriate way. But the whole point of communities first is to
:41:54. > :41:58.ensure that projects come up rather than forced down, and to ensure that
:41:59. > :42:02.people are fully engaged in what they believe would be the most
:42:03. > :42:08.effective project to tackle poverty in their own areas. First Minister,
:42:09. > :42:11.in recent years there's been a move to outsourcing service provisions
:42:12. > :42:17.and administrative duties of government programmes to private
:42:18. > :42:20.companies. We have bad examples of ATOS, amongst others, in
:42:21. > :42:25.delivering, I think, very Poor value for money. Are you confident that
:42:26. > :42:28.public funds being used by your government to pay private companies
:42:29. > :42:33.is going to where it is needed most, and not just into dividends,
:42:34. > :42:38.profits, shares and fat cat's salaries? Why don't we let local
:42:39. > :42:42.government run the schemes? Local government has been responsible for
:42:43. > :42:46.paying chief executive 's ?200,000 a year, so they don't have the best
:42:47. > :42:53.records, some of them, in terms of their own position. That said, I can
:42:54. > :42:56.say to him I do not approve of outsourcing services to
:42:57. > :43:01.profit-making organisations. That is a position this government holds
:43:02. > :43:04.very strongly. It is for local government to ensure that they are
:43:05. > :43:09.in a position where they can ensure value for money and a good service
:43:10. > :43:13.and proper terms and conditions for their staff. Outsourcing services to
:43:14. > :43:15.organisations that are seeking to make a profit is not, in my view, a
:43:16. > :43:20.good way to do that. There we are. We'll leave First Minister's
:43:21. > :43:24.Questions there, but don't forget that you can see more coverage of
:43:25. > :43:26.the National Assembly online from BBC Wales's Democracy Live page at
:43:27. > :43:31.bbc.co.uk.uk/walespolitics. That's it for today. We'll be back at the
:43:32. > :43:34.same time next week with more coverage of First Minister's
:43:35. > :43:38.Questions. If you want more Welsh politics before then, don't forget Y
:43:39. > :43:41.Sgwrs on S4C at 9.30pm tomorrow evening and The Wales Report with
:43:42. > :43:51.Huw Edwards after the ten o'clock news on BBC One Wales. As for today
:43:52. > :43:54.though, from all of us on the programme, goodbye.