19/02/2013 am.pm


19/02/2013

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Good afternoon. Welcome to the programme and our

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weekly coverage of questions to the First Minister. After the half-term

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break it looks like the economy is taking centre stage today with

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Assembly Members asking Carwyn Jones about his recent trade

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mission to San Francisco and the importance of broadband.

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There are also questions on health and education, with the issue of

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music teaching being raised. That's what I think the politicians

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will be talking about, what do you want to talk about?

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If you want to comment on anything on the programme or any other

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Well, business in the chamber is already underway, so let's take a

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look now at today's questions to the First Minister.

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National Assembly for Wales is now in session. The first item is

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questions to the First Minister. Question 1.

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Thank you. Will the first minister make a statement on the recent

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publication of the GMB report confirming that 100 the 11th Welsh

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workers were on the consulting associations construction industry

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blacklist. It is appalling that such a backlist exists and we

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condemn its use because we know that it leads to these

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discriminatory treatment of members of trade unions of those perceived

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to be health and safety activists. Thank you for that response. This

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shameful practice was only uncovered thanks to the campaigning

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and support provided by trade unions. Assurances have been given

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that the blacklist in practice was isolated and has now ended but in

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my view those should be treated with scepticism. Will the Welsh

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government consider revising the kill me guidelines in a similar

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manner to the French Ministry of Defence to provide for real and

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meaningful financial penalties for any firms making use of such a

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blacklist in the future. It is not clear there is news -- be used -- a

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need for new guidance but we will review the situation and we will

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issue fresh guidance to remind public sector organisations about

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how to address those issues when contracting. Whether there is a

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need for procurement guidance is something we will bear in mind to

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ensure that this practice does not develop or take root in Wales.

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concerned and I think there are 35% on this list with only 32% in the

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nation. This is reported as illegal activity but over 40 companies have

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checked the list. What legal advice has the world's Government obtained

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or is it Sea King regarding those claims of illegality and what

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action might it be able to take alone or with other organisations

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on that basis? We are awaiting the outcome of the UK's government

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discussion with the information commissioner and depending on the

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outcome we will determine whether further action is required in Wales.

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Will the first minister make a statement on what the Buzz

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government is doing to support economic development? We have a

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number of schemes that are designed to facilitate economic development

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in Wales in these difficult economic times. There was an

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increasing in the iron production in Port Talbot last week. The

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couple of weeks ago the Secretary of State for business Vince Cable

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told the Welsh Affairs Select Committee that the UK government

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are dealing with the problem of the steel industry on an ad hoc basis.

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He admitted that what discussions are you having with Vince Cable and

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his colleagues to ensure policies that benefit the iron industry.

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welcome your acknowledgement if the important matters facing the steel

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industry. I have discussed on a number of occasions with the

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Business Secretary the importance of the steel industry to the

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economy of Wales and also the current challenges faced by the

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industry in these times. You will no doubt share my concern at the

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British Retail Consortium figures showing that high street food for

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has fallen dramatically recently in Wales. Wales has the highest

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vacancy rate in the UK. Welsh Conservatives have highlighted the

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problem and I know your government has accepted the recommendations of

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the enterprise and business committee. When we get on with the

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job of saving the Welsh High Street? I could equally say, what

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will party do about it as well? We have commissioned research by a

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member of your party and we await the result of that research which I

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am sure will be wholly sensible. Thank you very much. He warned that

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cutting the European Union budget will lead to hundreds of millions

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of pounds being lost that would otherwise have gone to promoting

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and strengthening the Welsh economy. Your fellow Labour member has asked

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the UK prime minister whether he would like to thank Labour members,

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including Welsh Labour members, for voting in favour of cutting that

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exact same budget and helping David Cameron to get his own way in

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Europe on the budget. Are you willing to condemn him for what he

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is doing to Wales? Well, our standpoint as a government is clear.

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Wales will be losing out, Scotland will lose at and Northern Ireland

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will lose that and I am therefore not in favour of the agreement that

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has been reached. Of course we understand that England will be

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doing better. The question is what is the Prime Minister doing? Is he

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standing up for Wales? The answer to that is no. As I am sure you

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will agree, one of the key ways in which economic development can be

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fostered is through a full and effective access to business to

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financial services, particularly small businesses. This is

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increasingly difficult, particularly in rural Wales with

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the tide of bank branch closures and the insufficient coverage of

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the internet. In this context, would you please provide the update

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on the work you're Government is currently doing to liaise with the

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banking and financial services sector to ensure that businesses

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have more effective access to funding and also that alternative

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sources of finance such as the business credit unions that have

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been so successful in the United States and Scandinavia are given

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due consideration. We have such a review being conducted in terms of

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the availability of funding to small and medium-sized businesses

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in Wales for the there on the high street or not and the report is due

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in the autumn. The outcome of that review will inform us what we need

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to do in the future in order to assist them further. We now move to

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questions from the party leaders. Firstly Andrew RT Davies. Thank you.

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Wales has the highest High Street vacancy rate in mainland Britain.

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Can the First Minister tell us why that is the case? We know it is a

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problem across the whole of the UK. There are changes in consumer

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behaviour particularly in regard to internet purchase in. Once again it

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is clear that the policy is to pass the buck and blame other people. In

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October he said he wanted to ensure the vibrancy of our town centres in

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the future, yet, as the UK's deadly pulls ahead on the High Street,

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Wales is falling backwards and in his leadership. Some months ago we

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presented our vision for the high street that had key policy

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objectives that could be adopted readily to improve the economic

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footfall of our high streets which include a night time strategy,

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ensuring fairness by splitting the business rate multiplier,

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encouraging free car parking and reforming the planning system. Why,

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compared to our vision for the High Street, has the first Mr's

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government been so inactive in this field? None of these things will

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work without a customer base and that will not work and appear until

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they have money to spend and their former happen until the government

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was policies in place. If people have no money to spend in the shops

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at their customers. That is the reality of the situation. He talks

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and leadership, what has begun? I have spent my time selling Wales do

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the world and all he does his car and moan and sit on his backside. -

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- Kop. We touched on high streets today and the devastating figures

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that came out yesterday are indicating that the rest of the UK

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is replacing stock that is close in on its high street but in Wales the

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vacancy rate is increasing dramatically against the rest of

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the mainland UK. Is it not typical that this first minister talks of

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delivery but he does not care about the private sector, he does not

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care about small business and he's certainly does not care about the

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Welsh and St? Is it not the case that all we have seen him deliver

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his boarded-up shops, empty streets and unemployed -- unemployment

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consistent... It is good to hear the good that the it -- it is good

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to hear the real First Minister chuckling away, could be allowed to

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stand in to say a few words this afternoon without is prompting?

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Unemployment constantly above the UK average. Is this not poor

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delivery on behalf of Carwyn Jones's Labour government here in

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Wales? Where was the promise for better delivery? That went a bit

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off the rails, as we can see. He sits there and complains and then

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he criticises anything we do to sell Wales abroad. The Prime

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Minister is in India and so he should be, I fully support the

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factory is in India selling Britain. He wants to open doors and make

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sure we are open for business. He wants to say that Wales should not

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be doing these things. We should not be in America and India and

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China selling Wales, or the does his cop about it. Where is the

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evidence from the Silk Commission? He has not presented yet because he

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is waiting for the Prime Minister to come back from India so he can

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have the permission to submit the evidence. The reality is this,

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isn't it? When it comes to leadership and it comes to my party,

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I lead, he is on a lead. He posed a question about the Silk Commission,

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I hope you will allow me to answer it. There is a ruling that you

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allow leaders to respond. No, I think... I did not make the ruling.

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I think that was a rhetorical question. We now move to the leader

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of pride comfrey, Leanne Wood. -- Plaid Cymru yesterday your

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government introduced a report into the second report from the sale

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commission. Given the way your MPs have voted against the Welsh

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national interest on matters like Europe and benefits and tax, the

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obvious question must they are the MPs signed up to your agenda on

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Silk? Which of the proposals in yesterday's document will

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definitely be included in Labour's 2015 election manifesto? We do not

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know yet what the Silk Commission will recommend. We have submitted

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our evidence and we wait the evidence of other parties and away

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to the final recommendations of Silk. I am pleased that you have

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you turned and backed a policy that Plaid Cymru has long supported and

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that is the transfer of powers over policing which would bring us into

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line with Scotland and Northern Ireland are already have those

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powers. In July 2011 your minister said, and I quote, I was certainly

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not want to take any function away from Westminster without the

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appropriate funding. I believe, at the moment, Policing is in that

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bracket. The First Minister -- but First Minister, what about other

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powers? What about powers over the probation service that faces

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privatisation and the moment? Is it your position that our criminal-

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justice system is better off in the hands of Tory ministers and West

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ministers - and Westminster than Welsh ministers here? We have

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believed for a long time that it is possible for Policing to be

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separated out from the rest of the system as the police are an agency

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of a criminal justice. We have not taken the view it is a possible to

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separate out bits of the rest of the justice system without taking

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on board a poor lot. Probation depends on sentencing policy,

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sentencing policy depends on legislative control, and the

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control ultimately of the courts and the sentences passed by the

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courts. It is the same with the Prison Service which is not self

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contained. They would need to either build more prisons, as you

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know there is no women's prison in Wales. Also we would have to do

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that or put ourselves in a position of being over a barrel in terms of

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the English pressures -- English prison system who would charge for

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Welsh inmates. On top of that it is quite true that we do not have the

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policy capacity as yet in government to deal with criminal

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justice, that would have to be built over time. In Policing we

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have that capacity. We have taken a rational and sensible approach.

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Would we want to see for budgetary transfers accompany any transfer of

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policy? The answer to that is definitely yes. The shadow minister

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for Policing refused to support you on your call for the devolution of

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policing powers. Sadly there was nobody there from your government

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this morning to defend your position. He did not answer my

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question when I asked it to you earlier so I will ask you again.

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Will you give us your word today that your bosses in London will

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support the document that your Government published yesterday and

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that they will implement those policies should Labour win the next

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UK general election and that those proposals would be in your party's

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:15:26.:15:45.

And she raises an important question, we will aim to anti- --

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we will aim to take policing to more local matters. Serious crimes

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and counter-terrorism will need to be resolved. I heard nothing in the

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interview which cut across what the Welsh government has admitted.

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Yesterday your government asked for increased powers over a long list

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of issues, drink-driving, licensing, policing, of water, youth justice.

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Given that is such a long list, William admits that when Labour

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designed the current system a few years ago, they did not get it

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exactly right. I believe the system that was designed reflected the

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views at that time. We know from the opinion polls that the opinions

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have changed again. It is part of the organic development of

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government in Wales. The Welsh Liberal Democrats have supported

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further devolution, and in spirit of building a cross-party consensus

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to see whales move forward, I will ensure that my party makes a

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positive submission to Silk. Will you, as the leader of your party,

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ensure that Labour makes a submission of supporting the extra

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powers? I cannot make that submission for her, but we have

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submitted evidence as a Welsh Labour government. That evidence is

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detailed and clear. Don't worry about my party's evidence to the

:17:34.:17:44.
:17:44.:17:45.

commission! I am much more worried about your party's submission to

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the Silk Commission. I look forward to seeing your submission of. First

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Minister, you why the first minister, and as leader of the

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Labour Party, proposing the devolution of police, and I take it

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that a great deal of policy work, and analysis, has gone into

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developing that policy, which is a rational and sensible. Given that

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it is so rational and sensible to devolve policing, why doesn't the

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Welsh policing Minister give it a ringing endorsement? I repeat the

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answer I gave before, she is arguing against the devolution of

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policing. This is the evidence of a Welsh Labour government, having

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considered the reality of the situations. We know full well that

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it is important for the aspirations of the people of Wales that we

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provide leadership in that regard. I look forward to the evidence that

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her party produces, and even to the evidence from the Welsh

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Conservative Party. Both parties, and indeed others, have taken the

:19:07.:19:17.
:19:17.:19:17.

lead from a Welsh Labour government. Will the first minister outline how

:19:17.:19:27.
:19:27.:19:29.

they are monitoring Appetite for Life? Many bodies have submitted

:19:29.:19:39.
:19:39.:19:40.

reports, we also have nutritional analysis. This is not yet

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compulsory, I understand it will become so in the next financial

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year. Given that the outcome is fairly next, from the evidence that

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I have gathered, there has been a drop-off in the take up a free

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school meals. There are complaints about the over restrictive nature

:19:59.:20:05.

of the system. Have you carry out any research as to how this can be

:20:05.:20:11.

made more local, and how people can use this system to ensure that the

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take up goes up, and more children are eating healthy school meals?

:20:18.:20:21.

Responsibility for school meals lies with local law authorities, or

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school governing bodies. We are contacting them to remind them of

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their responsibilities regarding food products, particularly in

:20:32.:20:41.

light of the events of the last week. Appetite for Life is part of

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a broader agenda, and how the well- being of our family's affects them.

:20:50.:20:55.

Has the Labour Party and the government Rodda back on their

:20:55.:20:59.

commitment to how they are going to legislate for the banning of

:20:59.:21:03.

hitting a children? I fell to see what this has to do with the

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current subject. -- I fail to see. I know that one of the initiatives

:21:11.:21:21.
:21:21.:21:29.

in Appetite for Life is about right nutrition. Some youths also suffer

:21:29.:21:34.

from eating disorders, I wonder if there are any plans to expand the

:21:34.:21:39.

programme to acknowledge this group of people who are falling through

:21:39.:21:49.
:21:49.:21:51.

the programmes. Appetite for Life is designed for schools. She asked

:21:51.:21:58.

the question about how the analysis is done in turn the nutrition -- in

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terms of nutrition. They have to analyse their lunchtime provisions.

:22:03.:22:12.

There is a specialised area or, as software is already available.

:22:12.:22:18.

Ferrar requirements for local authorities. The analysis of the

:22:18.:22:24.

nutrition can be done to the higher standards. What is the Welsh

:22:24.:22:33.

government doing to promote the teaching of music? We knowledge D

:22:33.:22:37.

benefits of music but young people. -- we acknowledge the benefits of

:22:37.:22:45.

music. It is a statutory it requirement are to stage free. --

:22:45.:22:54.

it is a statutory requirement up to stage up to read. Music has played

:22:54.:23:02.

a big part in the development of children, this is the being

:23:02.:23:09.

threatened by Newport council's cuts. What are you doing to help

:23:09.:23:14.

safeguard services like Gwent music support, so they can do their best

:23:14.:23:19.

for the next generation? It is the sole responsibility of the local

:23:19.:23:23.

authority to decide the level of support they are to give. That is

:23:23.:23:27.

based on their own understanding of local needs and priorities. It is

:23:27.:23:36.

for them to answer for their particular decisions. Not only is

:23:36.:23:40.

quite facing cuts, but there are also cuts in Cardiff, there are

:23:40.:23:47.

cuts being introduced by Labour councils. When there were cuts to

:23:47.:23:52.

the Welsh language Festival, you stepped in and provided funding to

:23:52.:23:55.

make up that deficiency, what would you do for the rest of Wales, given

:23:55.:24:00.

these cuts to music services? Do you agree with Carl Jenkins, who

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has described these cuts as being extremely detrimental to the Welsh

:24:06.:24:12.

culture and heritage? We would expect the local authorities to

:24:12.:24:19.

ensure that there breeze of sufficient funding available. To

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ensure that they raise sufficient funding. I would expect local

:24:27.:24:35.

authorities to it make sure that music is available to young people.

:24:35.:24:40.

The thing that worries me the most about the 100% cut proposed by

:24:40.:24:44.

Cardiff council, it a threatens the support for music education for

:24:44.:24:49.

people whose parents are not able to pay for rid themselves. Many of

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us benefited from a system that was the best of and -- the best of the

:24:56.:25:00.

world. What are you going to do to make sure that those vulnerable

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children are still able to access that system? These are matters for

:25:05.:25:10.

local authority is, I cannot answer for any local authority in Wales.

:25:10.:25:19.

The -- authorities. What assessment has the Welsh government made for

:25:19.:25:27.

the portance a broad band to the Welsh economy? -- the importance.

:25:27.:25:33.

We knowledge that broadband supports jobs in Wales. -- we

:25:34.:25:41.

acknowledge. Wrexham industrial estate is one of the major

:25:41.:25:46.

manufacturing centres in Wales, but the broadband connections are so

:25:46.:25:49.

appalling, one business member has told the he has to travel home in

:25:49.:25:57.

order to download and upload files. As a result, he is considering

:25:57.:26:04.

relocating. Transport links have been improved, may I ask what you

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are doing to improve the internet connection, there are 8,000 workers

:26:11.:26:20.

employed there? 96% of businesses a throughout Wales will have access

:26:20.:26:25.

to super-fast broadband by the conclusion of 2015, this is

:26:25.:26:30.

something which is vital in order to attract businesses, and keep

:26:30.:26:38.

them in Wales. There is a long- standing issue with the Updating of

:26:38.:26:48.
:26:48.:26:58.

Welsh exchanges. -- updating. There have been delays to upgrades, I was

:26:58.:27:05.

told it would be done by 2012, then 2013, now 2014. Can the first

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minister make representations with BT over this issue, because we are

:27:10.:27:17.

suffering from the economic impact? By more where these problems. I

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have suffered it for myself in Bridgend. It does require

:27:24.:27:29.

government intervention, as the Member knows, that is why we are

:27:29.:27:36.

introducing a programme to make access available by the end of 2015.

:27:36.:27:41.

It is not just broadband connections that are vital for the

:27:41.:27:46.

economy, in my constituency, a simple mobile phone signal can be a

:27:46.:27:51.

very difficult thing to obtain. Businesses in brat on have been

:27:51.:28:01.
:28:01.:28:04.

affected by poor services. -- Breacon. We have supplied 17 pages

:28:04.:28:09.

are complaints about the poor phone service in the area, will you join

:28:09.:28:14.

with her to make representations to the company to make sure no more of

:28:14.:28:22.

my constituents are affected? is absolutely right when she points

:28:22.:28:26.

out the poor level of service, sometimes in the middle of Cardiff,

:28:26.:28:35.

our bigger city. We are lagging behind some of the other parts of

:28:35.:28:41.

the UK. It is something we will continue to make representations

:28:41.:28:47.

about today's private companies. There is an opportunity in terms of

:28:47.:28:51.

technology, as I understand, to use other ways to transmit the mobile

:28:51.:28:55.

phone signal. It is something that I have discussed with telecoms

:28:55.:29:03.

providers. Will the first minister make a statement on his recent

:29:03.:29:07.

visit to San Francisco? I have issued a written statement

:29:07.:29:11.

yesterday, there were 19 Welsh companies that become feed me on

:29:11.:29:15.

the trade mission. The purpose of the visit was a threefold, to

:29:15.:29:20.

promote business, to raise the profile of trading, and to open

:29:20.:29:30.
:29:30.:29:32.

doors. Congratulations on what seems to have been a very

:29:32.:29:36.

successful mission, and thank you for keeping us informed on Twitter,

:29:36.:29:41.

that was very interesting. What reporting mechanisms are they to

:29:41.:29:45.

ensure that the 19 companies that were represented on the mission,

:29:45.:29:49.

and the Welsh government officials are able to follow up on be Leeds

:29:49.:29:56.

that they were following in the United States, and also to pursue

:29:56.:30:02.

the companies that were interested in investing in Wales? These will

:30:02.:30:06.

be available on the international trading board, which I chair. We

:30:06.:30:12.

will get feedback as we find out how things develop. We are very

:30:12.:30:16.

content on the way things have gone. Some companies will pursue matters

:30:17.:30:26.
:30:27.:30:33.

I was pleased at the end of your visit that you said there would be

:30:33.:30:38.

a Welsh government employee based in San Francisco. I put this

:30:38.:30:44.

suggestion to you and I am glad you took some sensible advice in

:30:44.:30:48.

employee Welsh employees to promote Wales in the American market. One

:30:49.:30:52.

tangible results can we expect to see in the next 18 months for this

:30:52.:30:57.

employee based in San Francisco and what goals have you said that

:30:57.:31:02.

individual? Are they have not been appointed yet. The process is still

:31:02.:31:06.

in process. The leader of the opposition cannot have it every way.

:31:06.:31:09.

First he says we should not have trade missions but then he says

:31:09.:31:13.

there should be people based in countries around the world. If the

:31:13.:31:18.

at his way we would sit at home all day and do nothing to help Wales.

:31:18.:31:25.

Fortunately for him that is not what the Prime Minister says. I

:31:25.:31:28.

agree that he sees a leading trade delegations a vital part of his job

:31:28.:31:32.

and so do I and they'll I should do the same for Wales. The Tories

:31:32.:31:36.

could not even bring themselves to welcome the 100 plus jobs that have

:31:36.:31:40.

just been brought to Wales. They could not welcome it, it was one

:31:40.:31:48.

piece of good news too far even for them. First Minister, may I very

:31:48.:31:53.

warmly welcomed the 100 jobs coming to Wales as a result of your visit

:31:53.:31:57.

to San Francisco. We are very pleased that you went there and

:31:57.:32:00.

very pleased that you lead the delegation there and it is clear

:32:00.:32:06.

that you lead that a delegation. On other international issues it is

:32:06.:32:10.

not as clear who is in the lead on behalf of the Labour Party. You say

:32:10.:32:17.

one thing here, and I welcome it, as regards the European budget. You

:32:17.:32:20.

and Alun Davies have been crystal clear about the views of the

:32:20.:32:23.

world's government but Wayne David has a very different view, asking

:32:23.:32:30.

the Prime Minister -- congratulated the Prime Minister and giving him a

:32:30.:32:36.

mandate to cut the budget. You said that your stance is clear. You

:32:36.:32:39.

unclear, your personal view is clear, but what is the view of the

:32:39.:32:43.

Labour Party in Wales on this? lead the Labour Party in Wales and

:32:43.:32:47.

I can give you the view of the Labour Party and state clearly that

:32:47.:32:54.

in terms of foreign visits I have led a number of delegations abroad

:32:54.:32:58.

and some other ministers carry out the same function, that is exactly

:32:58.:33:05.

what we need to do to ensure that Wales is sold globally. Ally in the

:33:05.:33:12.

Welsh government plans -- peas outlined the was government plans

:33:12.:33:17.

for the Vale of Clwyd. We have problems on dog breeding, micro

:33:17.:33:23.

shift -- micro shift -- micro chipping and pig welfare. Last week

:33:23.:33:28.

I took the opportunity to spend a day with an inspector from the

:33:28.:33:31.

RSPCA. I thoroughly enjoyed that day even though it was snowing in

:33:31.:33:38.

the north-east part of Wales. On that day when I spent time with

:33:38.:33:44.

them I saw first-hand what the RSPCA do in construction -- in

:33:44.:33:46.

combination with Dogs Trust encouraging people to be more

:33:47.:33:51.

responsible with the dogs their own. Many people have told me that they

:33:51.:33:54.

want to see dog licensing re introduced as a way of responsible

:33:54.:33:59.

dog ownership. Has your government had any discussions about how we

:33:59.:34:04.

intend to look at dog licensing for the future? Not directly in terms

:34:04.:34:09.

of dog licensing, in terms of the way it was done in the past. We are

:34:09.:34:13.

considering introducing regulations to require the compulsory microchip

:34:13.:34:18.

in and registration of all dogs in Wales as part of our road map or a

:34:18.:34:22.

dog welfare. We have already consulted on the subject and we

:34:22.:34:28.

will be publishing the results surely. As the vice chairman of the

:34:28.:34:33.

Assembly Halls group and Angela Burns is the chairman, we are aware

:34:33.:34:38.

of concerns raised by this issue of issues such as General equine

:34:38.:34:45.

welfare, fly grazing and, of course, the horse passport regime in Wales.

:34:45.:34:49.

I have written to every local authority regarding this and I have

:34:49.:34:58.

had for 21 responses. It is fair to say there are some in consistency

:34:58.:35:03.

is. Please stick to the Vale of Clwyd. The Vale of Clwyd being a

:35:03.:35:08.

classic example where there has only been one prosecution and this

:35:08.:35:12.

was Prix 2009. Other councils have stated there is a distinct lack of

:35:12.:35:18.

funding, combined with a deficit of detailed guidance across Wales. In

:35:18.:35:21.

light of the recent horse meat contamination into the human food

:35:21.:35:26.

chain and given that only recently the UK government has highlighted

:35:26.:35:31.

the vital importance of equine traceability... Are you coming to

:35:31.:35:37.

the question? Yes. Police immediately, on the Vale of Clwyd

:35:38.:35:44.

now. Will you, First Minister, all work with the Deputy Minister for

:35:44.:35:48.

Agriculture, but also the minister for local government to address the

:35:48.:35:51.

shortcomings in order that Wales can play its own park as regards

:35:51.:35:56.

animal welfare, accurate food labelling and most important

:35:56.:36:06.
:36:06.:36:09.

improve food safety. Yes. Climate change and changes in the way that

:36:09.:36:15.

rivers are cleans obviously now contributing to far more examples

:36:15.:36:19.

of flooding on agricultural land. Can I ask you what assessment the

:36:20.:36:25.

Welsh government has made on the impact of this on animal health,

:36:25.:36:28.

particularly farm animal and the welfare of farm animals. I was a on

:36:28.:36:32.

a farm in the Vale of Clwyd last year where agricultural land has

:36:32.:36:38.

been under water since September. Well, this is a topic which the

:36:38.:36:42.

minister is considering in detail. We know that in some parts of Wales

:36:42.:36:48.

there has been flooding on a farm land because the towns and villages

:36:48.:36:55.

were flooded previously been the Conwy Valley which is an example of

:36:55.:36:59.

that. There has been very heavy rain in the past few months and, of

:36:59.:37:04.

course, if the farmers have problems, it is important they

:37:04.:37:08.

raise them with fake unions and they can then be discussed with the

:37:08.:37:11.

minister. Will the First Minister make a statement outlining the

:37:11.:37:15.

benefits to Wales arising from his recent visit to San Francisco.

:37:15.:37:19.

refer the member to the response I gave earlier to the Member for

:37:19.:37:25.

Cardiff North. It is important we capitalise on the opportunities of

:37:25.:37:28.

opening an office in San Francisco provides us with. It is perfectly

:37:28.:37:32.

right that the Government has to account for foreign trips and as

:37:32.:37:35.

the leader of the opposition says, such globe-trotting has to serve a

:37:35.:37:41.

purpose and amount to more than winter sun surging. In 20099 Tories

:37:41.:37:46.

visited Brussels and Madrid at a cost of �12,000 and more recently

:37:46.:37:51.

five of them visited Brussels again at a cost of over �500. Is the

:37:51.:37:57.

first minister able to outline any benefits to Wales for these trips

:37:57.:38:01.

other than providing the members with a wonderful time? I think

:38:01.:38:06.

there are great dangers in constantly running any line that

:38:06.:38:10.

questions the need for overseas visits. They are absolutely

:38:10.:38:14.

essential for government and I do regret the line that is always

:38:14.:38:17.

taken by the Welsh Conservatives in this regard and I know that members

:38:17.:38:23.

may from time to time benefit from overseas visits. In terms of winter

:38:23.:38:28.

sun, San Francisco was in -- was full of of Folkert in the time I

:38:28.:38:32.

was there and. And in Istanbul when I was there it had just thought

:38:32.:38:36.

from snowfall and rain. And there was no chance in Dublin of a winter

:38:36.:38:41.

sun. It does detract from the situation. When the Prime Minister

:38:41.:38:46.

visits India he does not get asked why he it is going there. Nor does

:38:46.:38:49.

the Mayor of London. It is a problem that exists within Welsh

:38:50.:38:55.

politics and Welsh journalism in my view. I would like to get away from

:38:55.:39:00.

any suggestion that somehow any visit carried out by any member or,

:39:00.:39:04.

indeed, any member of the Government is questionable in the

:39:04.:39:12.

beginning. Members will know that is not the case. In your statement

:39:12.:39:16.

yesterday you said that you would it be keeping in touch with

:39:16.:39:20.

businesses over the ensuing months to monitor how some of the contact

:39:20.:39:25.

that you made in San Francisco are developing. Can you elaborate on

:39:25.:39:30.

how you intend to work with the Welsh businesses following that

:39:30.:39:35.

visit, to ensure that they are in the best possible situation to take

:39:35.:39:39.

advantage of that trade mission. Businesses will be able to keep in

:39:39.:39:43.

touch with officials and officials will assist them in working with

:39:43.:39:49.

the new office in San Francisco to develop those markets in California.

:39:49.:39:56.

Your announcement of the partnership between an industry in

:39:56.:40:00.

Carmarthenshire and California was a very welcome and I welcome the

:40:00.:40:03.

jobs it brings with it. Do you agree that this is exactly the kind

:40:03.:40:07.

of innovative Welsh company we need to be showcasing on the Welsh stage

:40:07.:40:11.

if to establish Wales as a Goto country for investment in cutting

:40:11.:40:16.

edge technology and research and development. Absolutely, it is a

:40:16.:40:20.

technology that is unusual but it is a technology in which we have

:40:20.:40:23.

expertise in Wales. I very much welcomed when I was there and the

:40:24.:40:29.

deal was signed and the assurance that the more than 100 jobs would

:40:29.:40:39.
:40:39.:40:39.

come to Wales. How does the world's government monitor the

:40:39.:40:44.

implementation of recommendations to reports to assembly committees?

:40:44.:40:49.

The response the Department -- of the departments are responsible for

:40:49.:40:54.

monitoring the implementation of accepted recommendations. As we

:40:54.:40:57.

discuss the transfer of greater powers to the assembly, are you

:40:57.:41:01.

personally happy with the way in which those departments monitor the

:41:01.:41:07.

situation? You know of the report of the committee about a fortnight

:41:07.:41:13.

to go about fraternity -- maternity care, which is perhaps they

:41:13.:41:16.

reflection of reports over the last decade and shows a lack of action

:41:16.:41:20.

from the government's point of view, so should you look again at the way

:41:20.:41:24.

in which some of these departments monitor the way in which they work?

:41:24.:41:27.

Ministers are responsible, in terms of what is done, and they are

:41:28.:41:33.

accountable to the assembly as a whole. That is the way of ensuring

:41:33.:41:41.

that recommendations, where they are excepted is implemented. We are

:41:41.:41:45.

still awaiting recommendations on participation in the arts, which

:41:45.:41:50.

were made by the culture committee of the last assembly. We are still

:41:50.:41:54.

awaiting the implementation of the recommendations and we are awaiting

:41:54.:41:57.

the implementation of the recommendations made by the Welsh

:41:57.:42:02.

Language Commission and the Children's Commissioner. Do you

:42:02.:42:07.

believe that the recommendations, independent recommendations, or

:42:07.:42:14.

none government recommendations, are implemented quickly enough?

:42:14.:42:17.

There is a process in place to ensure that recommendations are

:42:17.:42:27.

delivered and a sister has been in place for many years. I can assure

:42:27.:42:30.

the first Mr that if the Welsh government does not implement or

:42:30.:42:34.

take action on the reports of the environment as sustainability

:42:34.:42:37.

committee that the minister who has not taken action would be called

:42:37.:42:41.

back to the committee as a matter of urgency to account for their

:42:41.:42:44.

actions. That is a very strong response to make and the response

:42:44.:42:49.

was given by the member. Will the First Minister make a statement on

:42:49.:42:54.

the impact of traffic flow for the variable speed limit system on the

:42:54.:43:00.

M4 between junctions 24 and 28? Current indications suggest that

:43:00.:43:03.

congestion is less severe are following the system being

:43:03.:43:07.

installed. It minimises rather than fully alleviate the queuing at

:43:07.:43:10.

results on the Net were happy times. A full assessment will be

:43:10.:43:14.

undertaken once sufficient information has been gathered to

:43:14.:43:18.

provide a statistically reliable assessment. The first Minister will

:43:18.:43:21.

know that particular stretch of the motorway has involve a lot of minor

:43:21.:43:25.

accidents almost since its inception. We also look at the

:43:25.:43:29.

complain that vehicles do not maintain lane discipline,

:43:29.:43:33.

particularly at those junctions where there are a number of

:43:33.:43:37.

intersections. That, of course, would give rise to potential

:43:37.:43:41.

charges of driving without due care and can take -- to care and

:43:41.:43:44.

attention if people do not keep to the lines. It is tempting for

:43:44.:43:48.

people to jump the queue, as seen on many motorways, but it is

:43:48.:43:53.

crucial that drivers understand the reason why these variable speed

:43:53.:43:57.

limits are in place is in order to keep traffic flowing. When people

:43:57.:44:02.

try to jump the queue they impede the flow of that traffic. There we

:44:02.:44:06.

are. We'll leave First Minister's Questions there, but don't forget

:44:06.:44:09.

that you can see more coverage of the National Assembly online from

:44:09.:44:19.

BBC Wales's Democracy Live page. That is it for today. I will be

:44:19.:44:23.

back at the same time next week with more coverage of First

:44:23.:44:26.

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