:00:24. > :00:27.Good afternoon. Welcome to the programme and our
:00:27. > :00:30.weekly coverage of questions to the First Minister. After the half-term
:00:30. > :00:32.break it looks like the economy is taking centre stage today with
:00:32. > :00:37.Assembly Members asking Carwyn Jones about his recent trade
:00:37. > :00:40.mission to San Francisco and the importance of broadband.
:00:40. > :00:44.There are also questions on health and education, with the issue of
:00:44. > :00:46.music teaching being raised. That's what I think the politicians
:00:46. > :00:50.will be talking about, what do you want to talk about?
:00:50. > :01:00.If you want to comment on anything on the programme or any other
:01:00. > :01:02.
:01:02. > :01:10.Well, business in the chamber is already underway, so let's take a
:01:10. > :01:14.look now at today's questions to the First Minister.
:01:14. > :01:24.National Assembly for Wales is now in session. The first item is
:01:24. > :01:27.questions to the First Minister. Question 1.
:01:27. > :01:32.Thank you. Will the first minister make a statement on the recent
:01:32. > :01:37.publication of the GMB report confirming that 100 the 11th Welsh
:01:37. > :01:41.workers were on the consulting associations construction industry
:01:41. > :01:46.blacklist. It is appalling that such a backlist exists and we
:01:46. > :01:50.condemn its use because we know that it leads to these
:01:50. > :01:55.discriminatory treatment of members of trade unions of those perceived
:01:55. > :01:58.to be health and safety activists. Thank you for that response. This
:01:58. > :02:03.shameful practice was only uncovered thanks to the campaigning
:02:03. > :02:06.and support provided by trade unions. Assurances have been given
:02:06. > :02:10.that the blacklist in practice was isolated and has now ended but in
:02:11. > :02:14.my view those should be treated with scepticism. Will the Welsh
:02:14. > :02:17.government consider revising the kill me guidelines in a similar
:02:17. > :02:21.manner to the French Ministry of Defence to provide for real and
:02:21. > :02:26.meaningful financial penalties for any firms making use of such a
:02:26. > :02:30.blacklist in the future. It is not clear there is news -- be used -- a
:02:30. > :02:34.need for new guidance but we will review the situation and we will
:02:34. > :02:38.issue fresh guidance to remind public sector organisations about
:02:38. > :02:41.how to address those issues when contracting. Whether there is a
:02:41. > :02:47.need for procurement guidance is something we will bear in mind to
:02:47. > :02:57.ensure that this practice does not develop or take root in Wales.
:02:57. > :02:59.
:02:59. > :03:04.concerned and I think there are 35% on this list with only 32% in the
:03:04. > :03:09.nation. This is reported as illegal activity but over 40 companies have
:03:09. > :03:13.checked the list. What legal advice has the world's Government obtained
:03:13. > :03:18.or is it Sea King regarding those claims of illegality and what
:03:18. > :03:24.action might it be able to take alone or with other organisations
:03:24. > :03:27.on that basis? We are awaiting the outcome of the UK's government
:03:27. > :03:34.discussion with the information commissioner and depending on the
:03:34. > :03:36.outcome we will determine whether further action is required in Wales.
:03:36. > :03:39.Will the first minister make a statement on what the Buzz
:03:39. > :03:43.government is doing to support economic development? We have a
:03:43. > :03:51.number of schemes that are designed to facilitate economic development
:03:51. > :03:56.in Wales in these difficult economic times. There was an
:03:56. > :04:00.increasing in the iron production in Port Talbot last week. The
:04:00. > :04:03.couple of weeks ago the Secretary of State for business Vince Cable
:04:03. > :04:07.told the Welsh Affairs Select Committee that the UK government
:04:07. > :04:16.are dealing with the problem of the steel industry on an ad hoc basis.
:04:16. > :04:23.He admitted that what discussions are you having with Vince Cable and
:04:23. > :04:32.his colleagues to ensure policies that benefit the iron industry.
:04:32. > :04:35.welcome your acknowledgement if the important matters facing the steel
:04:36. > :04:38.industry. I have discussed on a number of occasions with the
:04:38. > :04:42.Business Secretary the importance of the steel industry to the
:04:42. > :04:48.economy of Wales and also the current challenges faced by the
:04:48. > :04:50.industry in these times. You will no doubt share my concern at the
:04:50. > :04:54.British Retail Consortium figures showing that high street food for
:04:54. > :04:58.has fallen dramatically recently in Wales. Wales has the highest
:04:58. > :05:01.vacancy rate in the UK. Welsh Conservatives have highlighted the
:05:01. > :05:05.problem and I know your government has accepted the recommendations of
:05:05. > :05:09.the enterprise and business committee. When we get on with the
:05:09. > :05:15.job of saving the Welsh High Street? I could equally say, what
:05:15. > :05:19.will party do about it as well? We have commissioned research by a
:05:19. > :05:28.member of your party and we await the result of that research which I
:05:28. > :05:32.am sure will be wholly sensible. Thank you very much. He warned that
:05:32. > :05:35.cutting the European Union budget will lead to hundreds of millions
:05:35. > :05:40.of pounds being lost that would otherwise have gone to promoting
:05:40. > :05:46.and strengthening the Welsh economy. Your fellow Labour member has asked
:05:46. > :05:50.the UK prime minister whether he would like to thank Labour members,
:05:50. > :05:54.including Welsh Labour members, for voting in favour of cutting that
:05:54. > :05:59.exact same budget and helping David Cameron to get his own way in
:05:59. > :06:06.Europe on the budget. Are you willing to condemn him for what he
:06:06. > :06:09.is doing to Wales? Well, our standpoint as a government is clear.
:06:10. > :06:12.Wales will be losing out, Scotland will lose at and Northern Ireland
:06:12. > :06:17.will lose that and I am therefore not in favour of the agreement that
:06:17. > :06:21.has been reached. Of course we understand that England will be
:06:21. > :06:26.doing better. The question is what is the Prime Minister doing? Is he
:06:26. > :06:31.standing up for Wales? The answer to that is no. As I am sure you
:06:31. > :06:38.will agree, one of the key ways in which economic development can be
:06:38. > :06:41.fostered is through a full and effective access to business to
:06:41. > :06:44.financial services, particularly small businesses. This is
:06:44. > :06:49.increasingly difficult, particularly in rural Wales with
:06:49. > :06:54.the tide of bank branch closures and the insufficient coverage of
:06:54. > :06:58.the internet. In this context, would you please provide the update
:06:58. > :07:01.on the work you're Government is currently doing to liaise with the
:07:01. > :07:06.banking and financial services sector to ensure that businesses
:07:06. > :07:09.have more effective access to funding and also that alternative
:07:09. > :07:13.sources of finance such as the business credit unions that have
:07:13. > :07:19.been so successful in the United States and Scandinavia are given
:07:19. > :07:22.due consideration. We have such a review being conducted in terms of
:07:22. > :07:26.the availability of funding to small and medium-sized businesses
:07:26. > :07:29.in Wales for the there on the high street or not and the report is due
:07:29. > :07:36.in the autumn. The outcome of that review will inform us what we need
:07:36. > :07:42.to do in the future in order to assist them further. We now move to
:07:42. > :07:46.questions from the party leaders. Firstly Andrew RT Davies. Thank you.
:07:46. > :07:50.Wales has the highest High Street vacancy rate in mainland Britain.
:07:50. > :07:53.Can the First Minister tell us why that is the case? We know it is a
:07:53. > :07:58.problem across the whole of the UK. There are changes in consumer
:07:58. > :08:03.behaviour particularly in regard to internet purchase in. Once again it
:08:03. > :08:07.is clear that the policy is to pass the buck and blame other people. In
:08:07. > :08:12.October he said he wanted to ensure the vibrancy of our town centres in
:08:12. > :08:16.the future, yet, as the UK's deadly pulls ahead on the High Street,
:08:16. > :08:19.Wales is falling backwards and in his leadership. Some months ago we
:08:19. > :08:23.presented our vision for the high street that had key policy
:08:23. > :08:26.objectives that could be adopted readily to improve the economic
:08:26. > :08:31.footfall of our high streets which include a night time strategy,
:08:31. > :08:35.ensuring fairness by splitting the business rate multiplier,
:08:35. > :08:39.encouraging free car parking and reforming the planning system. Why,
:08:39. > :08:44.compared to our vision for the High Street, has the first Mr's
:08:44. > :08:49.government been so inactive in this field? None of these things will
:08:50. > :08:54.work without a customer base and that will not work and appear until
:08:54. > :08:58.they have money to spend and their former happen until the government
:08:58. > :09:02.was policies in place. If people have no money to spend in the shops
:09:02. > :09:07.at their customers. That is the reality of the situation. He talks
:09:07. > :09:13.and leadership, what has begun? I have spent my time selling Wales do
:09:13. > :09:18.the world and all he does his car and moan and sit on his backside. -
:09:18. > :09:21.- Kop. We touched on high streets today and the devastating figures
:09:21. > :09:26.that came out yesterday are indicating that the rest of the UK
:09:26. > :09:29.is replacing stock that is close in on its high street but in Wales the
:09:29. > :09:34.vacancy rate is increasing dramatically against the rest of
:09:34. > :09:37.the mainland UK. Is it not typical that this first minister talks of
:09:37. > :09:42.delivery but he does not care about the private sector, he does not
:09:42. > :09:46.care about small business and he's certainly does not care about the
:09:46. > :09:52.Welsh and St? Is it not the case that all we have seen him deliver
:09:52. > :09:58.his boarded-up shops, empty streets and unemployed -- unemployment
:09:58. > :10:01.consistent... It is good to hear the good that the it -- it is good
:10:01. > :10:08.to hear the real First Minister chuckling away, could be allowed to
:10:08. > :10:15.stand in to say a few words this afternoon without is prompting?
:10:15. > :10:21.Unemployment constantly above the UK average. Is this not poor
:10:21. > :10:26.delivery on behalf of Carwyn Jones's Labour government here in
:10:26. > :10:31.Wales? Where was the promise for better delivery? That went a bit
:10:31. > :10:35.off the rails, as we can see. He sits there and complains and then
:10:35. > :10:38.he criticises anything we do to sell Wales abroad. The Prime
:10:38. > :10:42.Minister is in India and so he should be, I fully support the
:10:42. > :10:46.factory is in India selling Britain. He wants to open doors and make
:10:46. > :10:51.sure we are open for business. He wants to say that Wales should not
:10:51. > :10:56.be doing these things. We should not be in America and India and
:10:56. > :11:00.China selling Wales, or the does his cop about it. Where is the
:11:00. > :11:03.evidence from the Silk Commission? He has not presented yet because he
:11:03. > :11:07.is waiting for the Prime Minister to come back from India so he can
:11:07. > :11:13.have the permission to submit the evidence. The reality is this,
:11:13. > :11:21.isn't it? When it comes to leadership and it comes to my party,
:11:21. > :11:26.I lead, he is on a lead. He posed a question about the Silk Commission,
:11:26. > :11:32.I hope you will allow me to answer it. There is a ruling that you
:11:32. > :11:39.allow leaders to respond. No, I think... I did not make the ruling.
:11:39. > :11:49.I think that was a rhetorical question. We now move to the leader
:11:49. > :11:51.
:11:51. > :11:55.of pride comfrey, Leanne Wood. -- Plaid Cymru yesterday your
:11:55. > :11:59.government introduced a report into the second report from the sale
:11:59. > :12:04.commission. Given the way your MPs have voted against the Welsh
:12:04. > :12:10.national interest on matters like Europe and benefits and tax, the
:12:10. > :12:15.obvious question must they are the MPs signed up to your agenda on
:12:15. > :12:22.Silk? Which of the proposals in yesterday's document will
:12:22. > :12:27.definitely be included in Labour's 2015 election manifesto? We do not
:12:27. > :12:32.know yet what the Silk Commission will recommend. We have submitted
:12:32. > :12:37.our evidence and we wait the evidence of other parties and away
:12:37. > :12:41.to the final recommendations of Silk. I am pleased that you have
:12:41. > :12:46.you turned and backed a policy that Plaid Cymru has long supported and
:12:46. > :12:50.that is the transfer of powers over policing which would bring us into
:12:50. > :12:56.line with Scotland and Northern Ireland are already have those
:12:56. > :13:00.powers. In July 2011 your minister said, and I quote, I was certainly
:13:00. > :13:06.not want to take any function away from Westminster without the
:13:06. > :13:10.appropriate funding. I believe, at the moment, Policing is in that
:13:10. > :13:14.bracket. The First Minister -- but First Minister, what about other
:13:14. > :13:18.powers? What about powers over the probation service that faces
:13:18. > :13:23.privatisation and the moment? Is it your position that our criminal-
:13:23. > :13:27.justice system is better off in the hands of Tory ministers and West
:13:27. > :13:29.ministers - and Westminster than Welsh ministers here? We have
:13:29. > :13:33.believed for a long time that it is possible for Policing to be
:13:33. > :13:37.separated out from the rest of the system as the police are an agency
:13:37. > :13:41.of a criminal justice. We have not taken the view it is a possible to
:13:41. > :13:44.separate out bits of the rest of the justice system without taking
:13:44. > :13:49.on board a poor lot. Probation depends on sentencing policy,
:13:49. > :13:51.sentencing policy depends on legislative control, and the
:13:52. > :13:56.control ultimately of the courts and the sentences passed by the
:13:56. > :14:00.courts. It is the same with the Prison Service which is not self
:14:00. > :14:04.contained. They would need to either build more prisons, as you
:14:04. > :14:08.know there is no women's prison in Wales. Also we would have to do
:14:08. > :14:13.that or put ourselves in a position of being over a barrel in terms of
:14:13. > :14:17.the English pressures -- English prison system who would charge for
:14:17. > :14:21.Welsh inmates. On top of that it is quite true that we do not have the
:14:21. > :14:25.policy capacity as yet in government to deal with criminal
:14:25. > :14:31.justice, that would have to be built over time. In Policing we
:14:31. > :14:36.have that capacity. We have taken a rational and sensible approach.
:14:36. > :14:42.Would we want to see for budgetary transfers accompany any transfer of
:14:42. > :14:46.policy? The answer to that is definitely yes. The shadow minister
:14:46. > :14:50.for Policing refused to support you on your call for the devolution of
:14:50. > :14:54.policing powers. Sadly there was nobody there from your government
:14:54. > :14:58.this morning to defend your position. He did not answer my
:14:58. > :15:02.question when I asked it to you earlier so I will ask you again.
:15:02. > :15:06.Will you give us your word today that your bosses in London will
:15:06. > :15:10.support the document that your Government published yesterday and
:15:10. > :15:16.that they will implement those policies should Labour win the next
:15:16. > :15:26.UK general election and that those proposals would be in your party's
:15:26. > :15:45.
:15:45. > :15:54.And she raises an important question, we will aim to anti- --
:15:54. > :16:00.we will aim to take policing to more local matters. Serious crimes
:16:00. > :16:10.and counter-terrorism will need to be resolved. I heard nothing in the
:16:10. > :16:10.
:16:10. > :16:16.interview which cut across what the Welsh government has admitted.
:16:16. > :16:25.Yesterday your government asked for increased powers over a long list
:16:25. > :16:30.of issues, drink-driving, licensing, policing, of water, youth justice.
:16:30. > :16:32.Given that is such a long list, William admits that when Labour
:16:32. > :16:42.designed the current system a few years ago, they did not get it
:16:42. > :16:46.exactly right. I believe the system that was designed reflected the
:16:46. > :16:51.views at that time. We know from the opinion polls that the opinions
:16:51. > :16:56.have changed again. It is part of the organic development of
:16:56. > :17:01.government in Wales. The Welsh Liberal Democrats have supported
:17:01. > :17:06.further devolution, and in spirit of building a cross-party consensus
:17:06. > :17:14.to see whales move forward, I will ensure that my party makes a
:17:14. > :17:17.positive submission to Silk. Will you, as the leader of your party,
:17:17. > :17:24.ensure that Labour makes a submission of supporting the extra
:17:24. > :17:28.powers? I cannot make that submission for her, but we have
:17:28. > :17:34.submitted evidence as a Welsh Labour government. That evidence is
:17:34. > :17:44.detailed and clear. Don't worry about my party's evidence to the
:17:44. > :17:45.
:17:45. > :17:54.commission! I am much more worried about your party's submission to
:17:54. > :17:57.the Silk Commission. I look forward to seeing your submission of. First
:17:58. > :18:03.Minister, you why the first minister, and as leader of the
:18:03. > :18:07.Labour Party, proposing the devolution of police, and I take it
:18:07. > :18:13.that a great deal of policy work, and analysis, has gone into
:18:13. > :18:22.developing that policy, which is a rational and sensible. Given that
:18:22. > :18:31.it is so rational and sensible to devolve policing, why doesn't the
:18:31. > :18:36.Welsh policing Minister give it a ringing endorsement? I repeat the
:18:36. > :18:44.answer I gave before, she is arguing against the devolution of
:18:44. > :18:48.policing. This is the evidence of a Welsh Labour government, having
:18:48. > :18:52.considered the reality of the situations. We know full well that
:18:52. > :18:56.it is important for the aspirations of the people of Wales that we
:18:56. > :19:00.provide leadership in that regard. I look forward to the evidence that
:19:00. > :19:07.her party produces, and even to the evidence from the Welsh
:19:07. > :19:17.Conservative Party. Both parties, and indeed others, have taken the
:19:17. > :19:17.
:19:17. > :19:27.lead from a Welsh Labour government. Will the first minister outline how
:19:27. > :19:29.
:19:29. > :19:39.they are monitoring Appetite for Life? Many bodies have submitted
:19:39. > :19:40.
:19:40. > :19:44.reports, we also have nutritional analysis. This is not yet
:19:44. > :19:51.compulsory, I understand it will become so in the next financial
:19:51. > :19:56.year. Given that the outcome is fairly next, from the evidence that
:19:56. > :19:59.I have gathered, there has been a drop-off in the take up a free
:19:59. > :20:05.school meals. There are complaints about the over restrictive nature
:20:05. > :20:11.of the system. Have you carry out any research as to how this can be
:20:11. > :20:18.made more local, and how people can use this system to ensure that the
:20:18. > :20:21.take up goes up, and more children are eating healthy school meals?
:20:21. > :20:29.Responsibility for school meals lies with local law authorities, or
:20:29. > :20:32.school governing bodies. We are contacting them to remind them of
:20:32. > :20:41.their responsibilities regarding food products, particularly in
:20:41. > :20:50.light of the events of the last week. Appetite for Life is part of
:20:50. > :20:55.a broader agenda, and how the well- being of our family's affects them.
:20:55. > :20:59.Has the Labour Party and the government Rodda back on their
:20:59. > :21:03.commitment to how they are going to legislate for the banning of
:21:03. > :21:11.hitting a children? I fell to see what this has to do with the
:21:11. > :21:21.current subject. -- I fail to see. I know that one of the initiatives
:21:21. > :21:29.
:21:29. > :21:34.in Appetite for Life is about right nutrition. Some youths also suffer
:21:34. > :21:39.from eating disorders, I wonder if there are any plans to expand the
:21:39. > :21:49.programme to acknowledge this group of people who are falling through
:21:49. > :21:51.
:21:51. > :21:58.the programmes. Appetite for Life is designed for schools. She asked
:21:58. > :22:03.the question about how the analysis is done in turn the nutrition -- in
:22:03. > :22:12.terms of nutrition. They have to analyse their lunchtime provisions.
:22:12. > :22:18.There is a specialised area or, as software is already available.
:22:18. > :22:24.Ferrar requirements for local authorities. The analysis of the
:22:24. > :22:33.nutrition can be done to the higher standards. What is the Welsh
:22:33. > :22:37.government doing to promote the teaching of music? We knowledge D
:22:37. > :22:45.benefits of music but young people. -- we acknowledge the benefits of
:22:45. > :22:54.music. It is a statutory it requirement are to stage free. --
:22:54. > :23:02.it is a statutory requirement up to stage up to read. Music has played
:23:02. > :23:09.a big part in the development of children, this is the being
:23:09. > :23:14.threatened by Newport council's cuts. What are you doing to help
:23:14. > :23:19.safeguard services like Gwent music support, so they can do their best
:23:19. > :23:23.for the next generation? It is the sole responsibility of the local
:23:23. > :23:27.authority to decide the level of support they are to give. That is
:23:27. > :23:36.based on their own understanding of local needs and priorities. It is
:23:36. > :23:40.for them to answer for their particular decisions. Not only is
:23:40. > :23:47.quite facing cuts, but there are also cuts in Cardiff, there are
:23:47. > :23:52.cuts being introduced by Labour councils. When there were cuts to
:23:52. > :23:55.the Welsh language Festival, you stepped in and provided funding to
:23:55. > :24:00.make up that deficiency, what would you do for the rest of Wales, given
:24:00. > :24:06.these cuts to music services? Do you agree with Carl Jenkins, who
:24:06. > :24:12.has described these cuts as being extremely detrimental to the Welsh
:24:12. > :24:19.culture and heritage? We would expect the local authorities to
:24:19. > :24:27.ensure that there breeze of sufficient funding available. To
:24:27. > :24:35.ensure that they raise sufficient funding. I would expect local
:24:35. > :24:40.authorities to it make sure that music is available to young people.
:24:40. > :24:44.The thing that worries me the most about the 100% cut proposed by
:24:44. > :24:49.Cardiff council, it a threatens the support for music education for
:24:49. > :24:56.people whose parents are not able to pay for rid themselves. Many of
:24:56. > :25:00.us benefited from a system that was the best of and -- the best of the
:25:00. > :25:05.world. What are you going to do to make sure that those vulnerable
:25:05. > :25:10.children are still able to access that system? These are matters for
:25:10. > :25:19.local authority is, I cannot answer for any local authority in Wales.
:25:19. > :25:27.The -- authorities. What assessment has the Welsh government made for
:25:27. > :25:33.the portance a broad band to the Welsh economy? -- the importance.
:25:34. > :25:41.We knowledge that broadband supports jobs in Wales. -- we
:25:41. > :25:46.acknowledge. Wrexham industrial estate is one of the major
:25:46. > :25:49.manufacturing centres in Wales, but the broadband connections are so
:25:49. > :25:57.appalling, one business member has told the he has to travel home in
:25:57. > :26:04.order to download and upload files. As a result, he is considering
:26:04. > :26:11.relocating. Transport links have been improved, may I ask what you
:26:11. > :26:20.are doing to improve the internet connection, there are 8,000 workers
:26:20. > :26:25.employed there? 96% of businesses a throughout Wales will have access
:26:25. > :26:30.to super-fast broadband by the conclusion of 2015, this is
:26:30. > :26:38.something which is vital in order to attract businesses, and keep
:26:38. > :26:48.them in Wales. There is a long- standing issue with the Updating of
:26:48. > :26:58.
:26:58. > :27:05.Welsh exchanges. -- updating. There have been delays to upgrades, I was
:27:05. > :27:10.told it would be done by 2012, then 2013, now 2014. Can the first
:27:10. > :27:17.minister make representations with BT over this issue, because we are
:27:17. > :27:24.suffering from the economic impact? By more where these problems. I
:27:24. > :27:29.have suffered it for myself in Bridgend. It does require
:27:29. > :27:36.government intervention, as the Member knows, that is why we are
:27:36. > :27:41.introducing a programme to make access available by the end of 2015.
:27:41. > :27:46.It is not just broadband connections that are vital for the
:27:46. > :27:51.economy, in my constituency, a simple mobile phone signal can be a
:27:51. > :28:01.very difficult thing to obtain. Businesses in brat on have been
:28:01. > :28:04.
:28:04. > :28:09.affected by poor services. -- Breacon. We have supplied 17 pages
:28:09. > :28:14.are complaints about the poor phone service in the area, will you join
:28:14. > :28:22.with her to make representations to the company to make sure no more of
:28:22. > :28:26.my constituents are affected? is absolutely right when she points
:28:26. > :28:35.out the poor level of service, sometimes in the middle of Cardiff,
:28:35. > :28:41.our bigger city. We are lagging behind some of the other parts of
:28:41. > :28:47.the UK. It is something we will continue to make representations
:28:47. > :28:51.about today's private companies. There is an opportunity in terms of
:28:51. > :28:55.technology, as I understand, to use other ways to transmit the mobile
:28:55. > :29:03.phone signal. It is something that I have discussed with telecoms
:29:03. > :29:07.providers. Will the first minister make a statement on his recent
:29:07. > :29:11.visit to San Francisco? I have issued a written statement
:29:11. > :29:15.yesterday, there were 19 Welsh companies that become feed me on
:29:15. > :29:20.the trade mission. The purpose of the visit was a threefold, to
:29:20. > :29:30.promote business, to raise the profile of trading, and to open
:29:30. > :29:32.
:29:32. > :29:36.doors. Congratulations on what seems to have been a very
:29:36. > :29:41.successful mission, and thank you for keeping us informed on Twitter,
:29:41. > :29:45.that was very interesting. What reporting mechanisms are they to
:29:45. > :29:49.ensure that the 19 companies that were represented on the mission,
:29:49. > :29:56.and the Welsh government officials are able to follow up on be Leeds
:29:56. > :30:02.that they were following in the United States, and also to pursue
:30:02. > :30:06.the companies that were interested in investing in Wales? These will
:30:06. > :30:12.be available on the international trading board, which I chair. We
:30:12. > :30:16.will get feedback as we find out how things develop. We are very
:30:17. > :30:26.content on the way things have gone. Some companies will pursue matters
:30:27. > :30:33.
:30:33. > :30:38.I was pleased at the end of your visit that you said there would be
:30:38. > :30:44.a Welsh government employee based in San Francisco. I put this
:30:44. > :30:48.suggestion to you and I am glad you took some sensible advice in
:30:49. > :30:52.employee Welsh employees to promote Wales in the American market. One
:30:52. > :30:57.tangible results can we expect to see in the next 18 months for this
:30:57. > :31:02.employee based in San Francisco and what goals have you said that
:31:02. > :31:06.individual? Are they have not been appointed yet. The process is still
:31:06. > :31:09.in process. The leader of the opposition cannot have it every way.
:31:09. > :31:13.First he says we should not have trade missions but then he says
:31:13. > :31:18.there should be people based in countries around the world. If the
:31:18. > :31:25.at his way we would sit at home all day and do nothing to help Wales.
:31:25. > :31:28.Fortunately for him that is not what the Prime Minister says. I
:31:28. > :31:32.agree that he sees a leading trade delegations a vital part of his job
:31:32. > :31:36.and so do I and they'll I should do the same for Wales. The Tories
:31:36. > :31:40.could not even bring themselves to welcome the 100 plus jobs that have
:31:40. > :31:48.just been brought to Wales. They could not welcome it, it was one
:31:48. > :31:53.piece of good news too far even for them. First Minister, may I very
:31:53. > :31:57.warmly welcomed the 100 jobs coming to Wales as a result of your visit
:31:57. > :32:00.to San Francisco. We are very pleased that you went there and
:32:00. > :32:06.very pleased that you lead the delegation there and it is clear
:32:06. > :32:10.that you lead that a delegation. On other international issues it is
:32:10. > :32:17.not as clear who is in the lead on behalf of the Labour Party. You say
:32:17. > :32:20.one thing here, and I welcome it, as regards the European budget. You
:32:20. > :32:23.and Alun Davies have been crystal clear about the views of the
:32:23. > :32:30.world's government but Wayne David has a very different view, asking
:32:30. > :32:36.the Prime Minister -- congratulated the Prime Minister and giving him a
:32:36. > :32:39.mandate to cut the budget. You said that your stance is clear. You
:32:39. > :32:43.unclear, your personal view is clear, but what is the view of the
:32:43. > :32:47.Labour Party in Wales on this? lead the Labour Party in Wales and
:32:47. > :32:54.I can give you the view of the Labour Party and state clearly that
:32:54. > :32:58.in terms of foreign visits I have led a number of delegations abroad
:32:58. > :33:05.and some other ministers carry out the same function, that is exactly
:33:05. > :33:12.what we need to do to ensure that Wales is sold globally. Ally in the
:33:12. > :33:17.Welsh government plans -- peas outlined the was government plans
:33:17. > :33:23.for the Vale of Clwyd. We have problems on dog breeding, micro
:33:23. > :33:28.shift -- micro shift -- micro chipping and pig welfare. Last week
:33:28. > :33:31.I took the opportunity to spend a day with an inspector from the
:33:31. > :33:38.RSPCA. I thoroughly enjoyed that day even though it was snowing in
:33:38. > :33:44.the north-east part of Wales. On that day when I spent time with
:33:44. > :33:46.them I saw first-hand what the RSPCA do in construction -- in
:33:47. > :33:51.combination with Dogs Trust encouraging people to be more
:33:51. > :33:54.responsible with the dogs their own. Many people have told me that they
:33:54. > :33:59.want to see dog licensing re introduced as a way of responsible
:33:59. > :34:04.dog ownership. Has your government had any discussions about how we
:34:04. > :34:09.intend to look at dog licensing for the future? Not directly in terms
:34:09. > :34:13.of dog licensing, in terms of the way it was done in the past. We are
:34:13. > :34:18.considering introducing regulations to require the compulsory microchip
:34:18. > :34:22.in and registration of all dogs in Wales as part of our road map or a
:34:22. > :34:28.dog welfare. We have already consulted on the subject and we
:34:28. > :34:33.will be publishing the results surely. As the vice chairman of the
:34:33. > :34:38.Assembly Halls group and Angela Burns is the chairman, we are aware
:34:38. > :34:45.of concerns raised by this issue of issues such as General equine
:34:45. > :34:49.welfare, fly grazing and, of course, the horse passport regime in Wales.
:34:49. > :34:58.I have written to every local authority regarding this and I have
:34:58. > :35:03.had for 21 responses. It is fair to say there are some in consistency
:35:03. > :35:08.is. Please stick to the Vale of Clwyd. The Vale of Clwyd being a
:35:08. > :35:12.classic example where there has only been one prosecution and this
:35:12. > :35:18.was Prix 2009. Other councils have stated there is a distinct lack of
:35:18. > :35:21.funding, combined with a deficit of detailed guidance across Wales. In
:35:21. > :35:26.light of the recent horse meat contamination into the human food
:35:26. > :35:31.chain and given that only recently the UK government has highlighted
:35:31. > :35:37.the vital importance of equine traceability... Are you coming to
:35:38. > :35:44.the question? Yes. Police immediately, on the Vale of Clwyd
:35:44. > :35:48.now. Will you, First Minister, all work with the Deputy Minister for
:35:48. > :35:51.Agriculture, but also the minister for local government to address the
:35:51. > :35:56.shortcomings in order that Wales can play its own park as regards
:35:56. > :36:06.animal welfare, accurate food labelling and most important
:36:06. > :36:09.
:36:09. > :36:15.improve food safety. Yes. Climate change and changes in the way that
:36:15. > :36:19.rivers are cleans obviously now contributing to far more examples
:36:20. > :36:25.of flooding on agricultural land. Can I ask you what assessment the
:36:25. > :36:28.Welsh government has made on the impact of this on animal health,
:36:28. > :36:32.particularly farm animal and the welfare of farm animals. I was a on
:36:32. > :36:38.a farm in the Vale of Clwyd last year where agricultural land has
:36:38. > :36:42.been under water since September. Well, this is a topic which the
:36:42. > :36:48.minister is considering in detail. We know that in some parts of Wales
:36:48. > :36:55.there has been flooding on a farm land because the towns and villages
:36:55. > :36:59.were flooded previously been the Conwy Valley which is an example of
:36:59. > :37:04.that. There has been very heavy rain in the past few months and, of
:37:04. > :37:08.course, if the farmers have problems, it is important they
:37:08. > :37:11.raise them with fake unions and they can then be discussed with the
:37:11. > :37:15.minister. Will the First Minister make a statement outlining the
:37:15. > :37:19.benefits to Wales arising from his recent visit to San Francisco.
:37:19. > :37:25.refer the member to the response I gave earlier to the Member for
:37:25. > :37:28.Cardiff North. It is important we capitalise on the opportunities of
:37:28. > :37:32.opening an office in San Francisco provides us with. It is perfectly
:37:32. > :37:35.right that the Government has to account for foreign trips and as
:37:35. > :37:41.the leader of the opposition says, such globe-trotting has to serve a
:37:41. > :37:46.purpose and amount to more than winter sun surging. In 20099 Tories
:37:46. > :37:51.visited Brussels and Madrid at a cost of �12,000 and more recently
:37:51. > :37:57.five of them visited Brussels again at a cost of over �500. Is the
:37:57. > :38:01.first minister able to outline any benefits to Wales for these trips
:38:01. > :38:06.other than providing the members with a wonderful time? I think
:38:06. > :38:10.there are great dangers in constantly running any line that
:38:10. > :38:14.questions the need for overseas visits. They are absolutely
:38:14. > :38:17.essential for government and I do regret the line that is always
:38:17. > :38:23.taken by the Welsh Conservatives in this regard and I know that members
:38:23. > :38:28.may from time to time benefit from overseas visits. In terms of winter
:38:28. > :38:32.sun, San Francisco was in -- was full of of Folkert in the time I
:38:32. > :38:36.was there and. And in Istanbul when I was there it had just thought
:38:36. > :38:41.from snowfall and rain. And there was no chance in Dublin of a winter
:38:41. > :38:46.sun. It does detract from the situation. When the Prime Minister
:38:46. > :38:49.visits India he does not get asked why he it is going there. Nor does
:38:50. > :38:55.the Mayor of London. It is a problem that exists within Welsh
:38:55. > :39:00.politics and Welsh journalism in my view. I would like to get away from
:39:00. > :39:04.any suggestion that somehow any visit carried out by any member or,
:39:04. > :39:12.indeed, any member of the Government is questionable in the
:39:12. > :39:16.beginning. Members will know that is not the case. In your statement
:39:16. > :39:20.yesterday you said that you would it be keeping in touch with
:39:20. > :39:25.businesses over the ensuing months to monitor how some of the contact
:39:25. > :39:30.that you made in San Francisco are developing. Can you elaborate on
:39:30. > :39:35.how you intend to work with the Welsh businesses following that
:39:35. > :39:39.visit, to ensure that they are in the best possible situation to take
:39:39. > :39:43.advantage of that trade mission. Businesses will be able to keep in
:39:43. > :39:49.touch with officials and officials will assist them in working with
:39:49. > :39:56.the new office in San Francisco to develop those markets in California.
:39:56. > :40:00.Your announcement of the partnership between an industry in
:40:00. > :40:03.Carmarthenshire and California was a very welcome and I welcome the
:40:03. > :40:07.jobs it brings with it. Do you agree that this is exactly the kind
:40:07. > :40:11.of innovative Welsh company we need to be showcasing on the Welsh stage
:40:11. > :40:16.if to establish Wales as a Goto country for investment in cutting
:40:16. > :40:20.edge technology and research and development. Absolutely, it is a
:40:20. > :40:23.technology that is unusual but it is a technology in which we have
:40:24. > :40:29.expertise in Wales. I very much welcomed when I was there and the
:40:29. > :40:39.deal was signed and the assurance that the more than 100 jobs would
:40:39. > :40:39.
:40:39. > :40:44.come to Wales. How does the world's government monitor the
:40:44. > :40:49.implementation of recommendations to reports to assembly committees?
:40:49. > :40:54.The response the Department -- of the departments are responsible for
:40:54. > :40:57.monitoring the implementation of accepted recommendations. As we
:40:57. > :41:01.discuss the transfer of greater powers to the assembly, are you
:41:01. > :41:07.personally happy with the way in which those departments monitor the
:41:07. > :41:13.situation? You know of the report of the committee about a fortnight
:41:13. > :41:16.to go about fraternity -- maternity care, which is perhaps they
:41:16. > :41:20.reflection of reports over the last decade and shows a lack of action
:41:20. > :41:24.from the government's point of view, so should you look again at the way
:41:24. > :41:27.in which some of these departments monitor the way in which they work?
:41:28. > :41:33.Ministers are responsible, in terms of what is done, and they are
:41:33. > :41:41.accountable to the assembly as a whole. That is the way of ensuring
:41:41. > :41:45.that recommendations, where they are excepted is implemented. We are
:41:45. > :41:50.still awaiting recommendations on participation in the arts, which
:41:50. > :41:54.were made by the culture committee of the last assembly. We are still
:41:54. > :41:57.awaiting the implementation of the recommendations and we are awaiting
:41:57. > :42:02.the implementation of the recommendations made by the Welsh
:42:02. > :42:07.Language Commission and the Children's Commissioner. Do you
:42:07. > :42:14.believe that the recommendations, independent recommendations, or
:42:14. > :42:17.none government recommendations, are implemented quickly enough?
:42:17. > :42:27.There is a process in place to ensure that recommendations are
:42:27. > :42:30.delivered and a sister has been in place for many years. I can assure
:42:30. > :42:34.the first Mr that if the Welsh government does not implement or
:42:34. > :42:37.take action on the reports of the environment as sustainability
:42:37. > :42:41.committee that the minister who has not taken action would be called
:42:41. > :42:44.back to the committee as a matter of urgency to account for their
:42:44. > :42:49.actions. That is a very strong response to make and the response
:42:49. > :42:54.was given by the member. Will the First Minister make a statement on
:42:54. > :43:00.the impact of traffic flow for the variable speed limit system on the
:43:00. > :43:03.M4 between junctions 24 and 28? Current indications suggest that
:43:03. > :43:07.congestion is less severe are following the system being
:43:07. > :43:10.installed. It minimises rather than fully alleviate the queuing at
:43:10. > :43:14.results on the Net were happy times. A full assessment will be
:43:14. > :43:18.undertaken once sufficient information has been gathered to
:43:18. > :43:21.provide a statistically reliable assessment. The first Minister will
:43:21. > :43:25.know that particular stretch of the motorway has involve a lot of minor
:43:25. > :43:29.accidents almost since its inception. We also look at the
:43:29. > :43:33.complain that vehicles do not maintain lane discipline,
:43:33. > :43:37.particularly at those junctions where there are a number of
:43:37. > :43:41.intersections. That, of course, would give rise to potential
:43:41. > :43:44.charges of driving without due care and can take -- to care and
:43:44. > :43:48.attention if people do not keep to the lines. It is tempting for
:43:48. > :43:53.people to jump the queue, as seen on many motorways, but it is
:43:53. > :43:57.crucial that drivers understand the reason why these variable speed
:43:57. > :44:02.limits are in place is in order to keep traffic flowing. When people
:44:02. > :44:06.try to jump the queue they impede the flow of that traffic. There we
:44:06. > :44:09.are. We'll leave First Minister's Questions there, but don't forget
:44:09. > :44:19.that you can see more coverage of the National Assembly online from
:44:19. > :44:23.BBC Wales's Democracy Live page. That is it for today. I will be
:44:23. > :44:26.back at the same time next week with more coverage of First