:00:28. > :00:34.Good afternoon. Welcome to am.pm. Carwyn Jones is on his feet as I
:00:34. > :00:44.speak, so you will get over to the Senedd shortly.
:00:44. > :00:46.
:00:46. > :00:50.You can contact us to Davia Twitter, -- today via Twitter. Physicist
:00:50. > :01:00.under way, so let's take a look at today's questions to the First
:01:00. > :01:03.
:01:03. > :01:08.Good afternoon. Item one, questions to the First Minister. Question one,
:01:08. > :01:15.please. Will he make a statement on the Welsh ambulance response times
:01:15. > :01:20.over the past six months? It is with testament to the ambulance
:01:20. > :01:24.staff that the response time has been made over five of the past six
:01:25. > :01:27.months. This is surely good news, but do you not agree it is time to
:01:27. > :01:31.reorganise the service by making the ambulance service more
:01:31. > :01:37.accountable to local health boards who did have much greater control
:01:37. > :01:42.in response times? Would you could political differences aside, and
:01:42. > :01:45.give an assurance that the proposal will be considered, and a report
:01:45. > :01:49.presented to a future meeting of the health and social services
:01:49. > :01:55.committee? There is no evidence to suggest the service would improve
:01:55. > :02:02.if it was split between the health boards. But on top of the national
:02:02. > :02:10.response time that I have mentioned, the target has been met a in 19 of
:02:10. > :02:16.the past 23 months. First Minister, in any reorganisation of the health
:02:16. > :02:19.board, will you ensure that any additional demands and ambulance
:02:19. > :02:26.services in terms of costs and time will be taken into account and
:02:26. > :02:32.built into the process? There won't be any reorganisation of the health
:02:32. > :02:37.boards, but it is important that the ambulance trust is part of the
:02:37. > :02:46.consultation that takes place, regarding any plans to change
:02:46. > :02:50.services across Wales. It is regrettable that in December, the
:02:50. > :02:55.65% target for Category A calls being met with in eight minutes was
:02:55. > :03:01.not met in Wales. I know that there has been a trend towards improving
:03:01. > :03:04.the service in recent years, but that is a disappointment. Given the
:03:04. > :03:09.fact that ambulance -- the Welsh ambulance trust will face pressure
:03:09. > :03:13.on its budgets as a result of the increasing cost in fuel,
:03:13. > :03:17.particularly with the situation in the Middle East as it is, what
:03:17. > :03:20.worker are you doing to ensure there are adequate resources for
:03:20. > :03:27.the Welsh ambulance service to make sure it is able to meet the
:03:27. > :03:33.demanding targets in place upon it? We're confident the trust has the
:03:33. > :03:37.resources it needs. In December of last year, the ambulance has
:03:37. > :03:43.received 40,000 life threatening calls, the highest-ever on records.
:03:43. > :03:51.Despite that the target was missed by only 0.2%. That is a tribute to
:03:51. > :03:54.the hard work put in by the paramedics. Will you provide a
:03:54. > :03:59.statement clarifying the ways in which the Welsh government supports
:03:59. > :04:09.the use of credit unions in Wales? We're working to encourage credit
:04:09. > :04:14.
:04:14. > :04:24.union membership, using netted such as payroll deductions.
:04:24. > :04:25.
:04:25. > :04:28.Thank you. I welcome the work being done by the Welsh government. I am
:04:28. > :04:32.concerned with the development of the services they provide, and also
:04:32. > :04:37.being able to be paid through credit unions, which is the big
:04:38. > :04:45.issue. Will you be issuing a statement on what progress is being
:04:45. > :04:48.made on the services, and the progress achieved? The Minister for
:04:48. > :04:55.Local Government and communities is hosting the Wales credit union
:04:55. > :04:59.forum on Friday this week, and the purpose is to explore a how we can
:04:59. > :05:06.support credit unions be on the end of the current action plan and the
:05:06. > :05:16.funding arrangements in place. These will end in 20th September 13.
:05:16. > :05:17.
:05:17. > :05:27.-- September, 2013. The changes in the UK Credit Union
:05:27. > :05:28.
:05:28. > :05:33.Act support the Welsh Government's idea off using post offices...
:05:33. > :05:38.welcome any legislation that makes it easier for credit unions to
:05:38. > :05:48.offer services and for the members of the public to access the
:05:48. > :05:49.
:05:49. > :05:53.services. We will examine how best to move forward for. Thank you for
:05:53. > :06:02.your responses. I have raised the issue of linkage between credit
:06:02. > :06:08.unions and post offices on a number of occasions. I believe it is key
:06:08. > :06:12.to improve the greater access. Can he confirm if the Welsh government
:06:12. > :06:16.will confirm to doing more work with the Post Office network in
:06:16. > :06:21.Wales, and drive for more co- ordinated approach to providing
:06:21. > :06:25.credit union services? Yes, I will make that commitment. The minister
:06:25. > :06:35.will be the event on Friday, which will cover examination of how this
:06:35. > :06:42.
:06:42. > :06:48.May I take the point made a little further, and on your response to it,
:06:48. > :06:54.regarding the access to credit unions. First Minister, you have
:06:54. > :06:59.been condemning the short term loans that are available, and the
:06:59. > :07:04.way that the borrower is penalised. But many of these companies use the
:07:04. > :07:09.latest technologies in order to access your custom, so what can you
:07:09. > :07:13.do to make sure credit unions can also take advantage of the latest
:07:13. > :07:21.technology to insure their services are available to people for about
:07:21. > :07:26.Wales? Funding is available to insure access to the most recent
:07:26. > :07:36.technology is available to credit unions, and I have seen a number of
:07:36. > :07:36.
:07:36. > :07:40.credit unions using technology, including the internet, over the
:07:40. > :07:46.past few years. Some of the loan companies are sophisticated in the
:07:46. > :07:52.way they target people, so we need legislation in Westminster to make
:07:52. > :07:59.sure people are not drawn in by alone come police. -- loan
:07:59. > :08:07.companies. At the moment, credit unions do not have a product which
:08:07. > :08:10.is the equivalent of pay-day loans, and we're trying to develop a
:08:10. > :08:20.suitable product to tempt people from the unscrupulous lenders have
:08:20. > :08:20.
:08:20. > :08:28.the charge should have rights of interest. -- who charge massive
:08:28. > :08:31.amount of interest. We're trying to find alternative solution, rather
:08:31. > :08:36.than something that traps them into a downward spiral of unmanageable
:08:36. > :08:41.debt. Yes, it is important that individuals are assisted as much as
:08:41. > :08:44.possible. People are struggling at the moment with debt, and I am
:08:45. > :08:54.pleased that credit unions are being promoted by Citizens Advice
:08:55. > :08:56.
:08:56. > :09:00.officers. Over the last years, one company has seen a huge rise in
:09:00. > :09:05.people contacting them, because people are struggling to pay their
:09:05. > :09:15.bills. Debt counselling now have accounts for 42% of inquiries into
:09:15. > :09:22.their office. Support for the least well-off is being cut by a Tory-led
:09:22. > :09:28.UK government, and without the Labour-led government in Wales, the
:09:28. > :09:32.people in need would be abandoned. It is important to make sure people
:09:32. > :09:37.are able to explore as many avenues as possible to help with their
:09:37. > :09:47.finances, rather than be tempted into the clutches of the paid a
:09:47. > :09:52.
:09:52. > :09:56.loan companies. -- pay-day loan. The Welsh Government's permanent
:09:56. > :10:00.secretary, talking in relation to the grants programme, said that the
:10:00. > :10:07.Welsh government had not been a robust in ensuring organisations
:10:07. > :10:11.have all the standards expected. Can you confirm for us that in
:10:11. > :10:16.relation to this, the guidance they were under, there are no other
:10:16. > :10:20.organisations backed we are going to find have fallen foul of such a
:10:20. > :10:27.lack of guidance by the Welsh government, and particular the
:10:27. > :10:37.accounting role. In situations like this, we always see whether there
:10:37. > :10:39.
:10:39. > :10:47.are other companies involved. With regard to this, there are two
:10:47. > :10:52.inquiries on going. The chief executive of the organisation, in
:10:52. > :10:57.2008, giving evidence to the communities and culture committee,
:10:57. > :11:00.said that there is a danger that organisations that are in the
:11:00. > :11:04.charitable sector becomes so much part of the government that they
:11:04. > :11:11.stopped doing the work they are intended to do. Do you not think
:11:11. > :11:15.that those remarks are particularly relevant in this case? And that
:11:15. > :11:20.there has been too much of a link between the Labour Party and the
:11:20. > :11:23.government, and organisations to make sure that when recommendations
:11:23. > :11:30.are made by previous reports to the assembly, there was recommendations
:11:30. > :11:36.are not acted on, such as the 2004 report? I refer to the answer I
:11:36. > :11:40.gave a moment ago. I appreciate you are being defensive, there is no
:11:40. > :11:46.reason to stop him commenting on the report presented to the
:11:46. > :11:49.Assembly Government in 2004, and the subsequent remarks in 2007. I
:11:49. > :11:52.appreciate you might have difficulty commenting on the
:11:52. > :11:59.current revelations which are subject to investigation, and
:11:59. > :12:03.reports you have alluded to. But if you want to have a public
:12:03. > :12:12.appointment in Wales, there is a perception you need to carry a
:12:12. > :12:22.Labour Party card. If you look at recent appointments, a former
:12:22. > :12:30.Labour candidate was appointed as chair, another Labour candidate in
:12:30. > :12:34.another chair position. Can you assure the people of Wales that to
:12:34. > :12:40.secure a senior public appointments and Wales, you do not need to have
:12:40. > :12:47.a Labour membership card? Many appointments are made openly, and
:12:47. > :12:54.like the 1990s, when toadies who could not get elected ended up in
:12:54. > :12:58.quangos. They lost their seats in parliament, and as councillors. The
:12:58. > :13:03.people of Wales did not want them. It is true that in the 1990s you
:13:03. > :13:10.needed to be an active Tory to actually sit on any board in Wales
:13:10. > :13:13.that took decision. Now that is much more open, and unless he has
:13:13. > :13:22.evidence of this happening, I advise him to reduce -- produce
:13:22. > :13:32.that evidence on not make himself look as foolish as he has just done.
:13:32. > :13:37.First Minister, a health board has been allocated 80 million to
:13:37. > :13:42.support the transformation of services. Can you tell the chamber,
:13:42. > :13:47.what have the agreed to deliver? is a matter of fact that for many
:13:47. > :13:50.years they have required extra money. That is no surprise. 80
:13:50. > :13:56.million over three years was allocated last year. It has been
:13:56. > :14:00.made clear to local health boards at their -- that the ad expected to
:14:00. > :14:04.live within their budget. Is it surprising that you have agreed to
:14:04. > :14:08.give them �80 million, but you cannot tell us what the money is
:14:08. > :14:14.for? I am sure the people of Wales will have listened carefully to the
:14:14. > :14:19.answer you have given. You are right, because it has been bailed
:14:19. > :14:23.out to the tune of �67 million more than any other local health board
:14:23. > :14:29.in Wales over the past three years. And they keep coming back for more.
:14:29. > :14:37.This year they have had an extra allocation of �33 million, and they
:14:37. > :14:47.are forecasting a further deficit of four million pounds. Is it any
:14:47. > :14:48.
:14:48. > :14:51.wonder that the constituents have I'm not sure where the member is
:14:52. > :14:55.coming from. Whether he objects to the money being available. It would
:14:55. > :15:00.help my understanding whether he would declare whether he thinks the
:15:00. > :15:06.money should have been paid or not. What I want to know is what are
:15:06. > :15:09.they doing for the money? This is �80 million of public funds and you
:15:09. > :15:13.can't tell us why they've been given the money and what they are
:15:13. > :15:16.going to do, what they are going to deliver, for that money. Perfectly
:15:16. > :15:20.proper question and I think we are entitled to a response and your
:15:20. > :15:28.silence on that, I think, will not go down well with the people of
:15:28. > :15:33.Wales. The truth is that local -- that the Local Health Board hasn't
:15:33. > :15:37.kept withins in budget since formed. Isn't it clear that spending is out
:15:37. > :15:41.of control? There's to guarantee that you can give that they will
:15:42. > :15:46.keep within the budgets in the future. The health minister has
:15:46. > :15:50.said that the ultimate sanction, if a health board cannot keep within
:15:50. > :15:54.its finances, is that it should be replaced? Are you prepared to do
:15:54. > :15:59.that in this case? The situation will be examined at the right time.
:15:59. > :16:04.I'm confused as to the member's position. Is he saying he thinks
:16:04. > :16:09.the money shouldn't have been spent, or services should have been cut on
:16:09. > :16:13.that basis? The reality is that the area finds itself in a situation
:16:13. > :16:18.where it runs four DGHs in a rural area and no-one is suggesting that
:16:18. > :16:22.there should be fewer, might I add. We look at the investment that is
:16:22. > :16:31.taking place bs �38 million, a large investment in an important
:16:31. > :16:35.hospital. It is well known that Prince Phillip and others were
:16:35. > :16:39.providing important services, but the area has struggled, but if
:16:39. > :16:49.that's the case why is it that so many members resist tooth and nail
:16:49. > :16:54.any changes that would assist the area to deal with the situation?
:16:54. > :16:59.First Minister, your Government is banning NHS patients from receiving
:16:59. > :17:03.free NHS IVF treatment at the popular and successful clinic at
:17:03. > :17:09.Singleton Clinic in Swansea. Could you provide us with the evidence
:17:09. > :17:12.that you have received proving that the new clinic you are setting up
:17:12. > :17:16.will provide better results for patients who require IVF and whilst
:17:16. > :17:20.you are at it, could you also provide us with a business case
:17:20. > :17:30.proving that this new service will provide better value for fax
:17:30. > :17:30.
:17:30. > :17:34.payers' money? -- taxpayers' money? It is recommended that there is a
:17:34. > :17:40.two-centre model and that much is important and it's been clear, as a
:17:40. > :17:44.result of that evidence, that this is the best model for patients.
:17:44. > :17:48.are stopping the funding of IVF treatment in Swansea and the
:17:48. > :17:53.fertility centre in Cardiff, as you well know, has been forced to cut
:17:53. > :17:58.the number of people it can treat a week, because of incidents at that
:17:58. > :18:03.centre. This is putting a huge strain on IVF services in Wales. In
:18:03. > :18:08.your conference speech, on zarbgs you said that the NHS made in --
:18:08. > :18:14.Saturday, you said that the NHS was safe in Wales. Can you confirm or
:18:14. > :18:20.deny that as a direct result of your policy women in West Wales
:18:20. > :18:23.must now drive passed the Swansea clinic, drive past the clinic in
:18:23. > :18:27.Cardiff and receive their IVF treatment in Bristol? No, we are
:18:27. > :18:31.looking to provide treatment in Wales, but bear in mind the clinic
:18:31. > :18:35.in Swansea is private. I don't accept it's necessarily a good one.
:18:35. > :18:40.I've plenty of case work surrounding what was the Cromwell
:18:40. > :18:45.Clickic and there are a number of - - clinic and there are a number of
:18:45. > :18:49.issues. HFEA, that was an organisation that changed the rules
:18:49. > :18:54.many, many times over the years, particularly with regard to egg
:18:54. > :18:57.donation and cycles and with regard to the number of embryos that cob
:18:57. > :19:01.implanted. Always these things create uncertainty for couples who
:19:01. > :19:04.understandably want to have a child, but we want to make sure that
:19:04. > :19:10.people are able to access the services in order to have a
:19:10. > :19:13.fighting chance of having a child of their own. It's funny, Presiding
:19:13. > :19:18.Officer, that the First Minister seems to believe that just because
:19:18. > :19:24.the clinic in Swansea is a private clinic, it many be a bad one. After
:19:24. > :19:26.all, the NHS in Wales has been successfully having a contract with
:19:26. > :19:31.this clinic for very, very many years and it's interesting that
:19:31. > :19:34.only yesterday Ed Miliband said and I quote, "We want to see the
:19:34. > :19:38.private sector working alongside the NHS delivering with patients.
:19:38. > :19:42.In Government Labour used the private sector to support the NHS
:19:42. > :19:47.in getting waiting times down and that was the right thing to go."
:19:47. > :19:50.Fer silt clinicians have said that the move to set up a new NHS clinic
:19:50. > :19:55.will cost over �1 million and that success rates will not be as high
:19:55. > :19:59.as they are in the Swansea clinic. You cannot prove that this will
:19:59. > :20:04.lead to better results for those parents. You cannot prove that they
:20:05. > :20:09.will provide better value for money and there are women now have to
:20:09. > :20:14.travelling further into England to get IVF services. Will you now
:20:14. > :20:21.explain to those women and those families why it is they must travel
:20:21. > :20:24.further because of your political dogma and ideology, rather than
:20:24. > :20:28.outcomes? They'll get a better service. Experience teaches that
:20:28. > :20:35.that is the case. It is certainly far from the case that the clinic
:20:35. > :20:39.in Swansea was delivering the kind of service that you describe.
:20:39. > :20:42.the First Minister outline the Welsh Government's plans to support
:20:42. > :20:45.disabled people in Wales? support the right of disabled
:20:45. > :20:51.people to participate fully in society and exercise the same
:20:51. > :20:56.choices as everyone else. Thank you. Will you join with me in rejecting
:20:56. > :20:59.the emerging narrative at the earth end of the M4 that people with
:20:59. > :21:03.disabilities are scroungers? The National Autistic Society has said
:21:03. > :21:07.that the department is guilty of helping to drive the media
:21:07. > :21:10.narrative around benefits, portraying those who receive them
:21:10. > :21:13.as work-shy scroungers who are abusing a system that is easy to
:21:13. > :21:16.cheat. This is a result of the bill that the Conservatives and Liberal
:21:16. > :21:23.Democrats are trying to force through in the House of Commons. I
:21:23. > :21:26.am not alone in being concerned about this. Charities such as Scope,
:21:26. > :21:30.mencap and the Disability Alliance say it is making people fearful
:21:30. > :21:34.that they will be the target of resentment, harassment and violence
:21:34. > :21:43.leading to hate crimes. I'm sure you will agree with me that here in
:21:43. > :21:50.Wales we value and stand on the side of people who have -
:21:50. > :21:56.SPEAKER: Are you coming to a question? This is the question.
:21:56. > :22:01.Will you side with me that we will uphold our duty to protect the vul
:22:01. > :22:05.mer rabble -- vulnerable people in society? I find it frankly
:22:05. > :22:09.appalling that it appears to be Government policy that people will
:22:09. > :22:13.disabilities should work for less than the minimum wage. The UK
:22:13. > :22:21.Government should explain that. The people in this country will find
:22:21. > :22:29.that prospect utterly appalling. First Minister, accessing public
:22:29. > :22:34.transport can be a hugely hard thing for disabled people. Travel
:22:34. > :22:44.information is often difficult to find in accessible formats in bus
:22:44. > :22:45.
:22:45. > :22:48.and rail stations. What is the Government going to do to help use
:22:48. > :22:51.public transport in Wales? We have always committed ourselves to
:22:51. > :22:55.ensuring that buses and trains are accessible as possible.
:22:56. > :23:04.Unfortunately, the UK Government has taken the view they don't wish
:23:04. > :23:06.to assist disabled people in the way that they should. Apart from
:23:06. > :23:10.facing increased stigma, many disabled people are being declared
:23:10. > :23:13.fit for work and facing a significant drop in their income at
:23:13. > :23:18.a time when they are least likely to secure a job. That loss of
:23:18. > :23:22.income, of course, will have a corresponding effect to their local
:23:22. > :23:28.economy, because that's where they spend their money. Are you able to
:23:28. > :23:31.quantify the loss to the Welsh economy to the UK Government's
:23:31. > :23:34.welfare reforms? It is substantial. We know there are many people who
:23:35. > :23:37.are relying on the welfare system as it is at the moment and any cuts
:23:37. > :23:41.in that system will make it difficult for them to access the
:23:41. > :23:49.money that they need, will not just affect them, but will affect the
:23:49. > :23:53.Welsh economy as a whole. Will the First Minister make a statement
:23:53. > :23:57.about the Government's policy for renewable energy regeneration in
:23:57. > :24:04.Wales? Yes, I'll be issuing a statement on energy policy in the
:24:04. > :24:09.spring. In the light of your recent meeting yesterday, I would agree
:24:09. > :24:13.that there are tremendous prospects for low-carbon energy in investment
:24:13. > :24:17.in Wales and the push for more projects is one that I would fully
:24:17. > :24:22.agree with, however, the recent uncertainty for current and
:24:22. > :24:25.potential investments is not at all about who they deal with, but about
:24:25. > :24:29.what the policy intention is. You mentioned you'll make that
:24:29. > :24:35.statement in the spring. Could you be more specific and agree to bring
:24:35. > :24:40.that statement forward? I have been talking to the energy supply
:24:40. > :24:44.companies on a regular basis and indeed with all those who are
:24:44. > :24:47.involved in energy supply and generation in Wales and as a result
:24:47. > :24:55.of meetings I've held, the information from those meetings
:24:55. > :24:59.will feed into the comprehensive statement that will be made. Would
:24:59. > :25:03.you consider providing within the energy statement, a clear route map
:25:03. > :25:07.to achieving targets in Wales that builds on the current targets the
:25:07. > :25:11.Government already has? In particular, would the Government
:25:11. > :25:15.consider providing an annual report on the progress made across Wales
:25:16. > :25:20.to deliver increased renewable energy generation and re-enforce
:25:20. > :25:24.the speed of change for the future? In terms of an annual report, that
:25:24. > :25:33.is something best contained in the annual report from the Government
:25:33. > :25:40.which will be due in May. One of the difficulties that we have
:25:40. > :25:46.experienced so far at committee in our inquiry into energy and
:25:46. > :25:49.planning policies is to know the exact rationale, if they have a
:25:49. > :25:56.rationale, from the UK Government in rejecting this bid that you have
:25:56. > :26:01.made on a number of occasions and it was also done by your
:26:01. > :26:06.predecessor too. What, in your opinion, is the real reason why the
:26:06. > :26:14.UK Government is so reluctant to do something that is so obviously
:26:14. > :26:18.beneficial in terms of effective work in energy? That is a question
:26:18. > :26:21.for them. The answer that is given is something for the commission,
:26:21. > :26:25.but in the interim that we'll lose out on the opportunity to create
:26:25. > :26:31.jobs in Wales and new skills and investment in Wales, because of the
:26:31. > :26:36.fact that we are failing to secure the same level of subsidy for
:26:36. > :26:40.maritime energy as the Scotlanders and whilst that continues for the
:26:40. > :26:48.next two years as regards the Silk Commission, then Wales will lose
:26:48. > :26:54.out on jobs. Last Friday, First Minister, a strategy was launched
:26:54. > :26:59.by the Scottish Government on the production of electricity using
:26:59. > :27:02.hide row and considering your response, will your spring
:27:02. > :27:08.statement demonstrate how your Government will develop policy in
:27:08. > :27:18.this area? The statement itself of course will look at all sources of
:27:18. > :27:20.
:27:20. > :27:26.energy generation in Wales. INAUDIBLE We have committed �6
:27:26. > :27:35.million to flood schemes in ril and Denbigh to reduce the -- Rhyl and
:27:35. > :27:39.Denbigh to reduce the number of properties at risk. Association of
:27:39. > :27:43.British Insurers has published out- of-date figures, causing great
:27:43. > :27:47.upset to many homeowners within my constituency and many more I
:27:47. > :27:53.shouldn't imagine. Major projects have been funded by the Government,
:27:53. > :28:03.including the �5 million action in Denbigh and also the west Rhyl
:28:03. > :28:08.
:28:08. > :28:13.coastal defence scheme as well as in press statin now. Do awe gree
:28:13. > :28:17.with me that the association should listen to the Environment Agencys
:28:17. > :28:21.up-to-date evidence which reflects risk reduction rather than using
:28:22. > :28:26.out-of-date figures to support its own interests? Absolutely. The ABI
:28:26. > :28:29.are using figures that are out of date, it seems. Certainly they are
:28:30. > :28:33.figures that were rebutted not only by ourselves but the Environment
:28:33. > :28:36.Agency too. Insurance surely is a business based on up-to-date
:28:36. > :28:39.information, but if the information that is being used then clearly it
:28:39. > :28:49.is not in the interests of consumers nor indeed the insurance
:28:49. > :28:52.
:28:52. > :28:57.industry. I'm grateful that you were so aware of that issue. Over
:28:57. > :29:01.7,000 homes were indicated to be at risk and the reality on the latest
:29:01. > :29:03.modelling by the Environment Agency being around the figure of 600.
:29:03. > :29:13.Could you tell us what representations you made to the
:29:13. > :29:14.
:29:14. > :29:18.association? Well, there are four agreements which are in place with
:29:18. > :29:24.each administration in the UK and they are all due to end in 2013.
:29:24. > :29:29.It's absolutely clear that the ABI must consider the new situation,
:29:29. > :29:33.especially with flood risk if measures are put in place that
:29:33. > :29:38.alleviate or remove the risk, then surely it is incumbent on the
:29:38. > :29:41.industry to update its figures in order to provide a better
:29:41. > :29:45.appreciation of the risk involved. That certainly isn't happening, but
:29:45. > :29:55.we are working closely with the association to make sure that this
:29:55. > :30:08.
:30:08. > :30:11.Question eight. As we approach the first anniversary of the referendum,
:30:11. > :30:15.will the First Minister make a statement on his ambitions for the
:30:15. > :30:21.Welsh government going into the second year of the assembly? Yes,
:30:21. > :30:25.we will deliver the programme for government. Thank you. During the
:30:25. > :30:31.debate on the Welsh Government's legislative programme on 12th July,
:30:31. > :30:37.you stated that the local government democracy and elections
:30:37. > :30:40.Wales bill will be brought forward in the first stage of the assembly.
:30:40. > :30:44.Local elections are now closing in, and I believe it would be useful
:30:44. > :30:48.for candidates to have more of an idea of the bill, while they are
:30:48. > :30:53.preparing to stand for the elections. What progress has been
:30:53. > :31:00.made on this, and when will a timeline for this be published?
:31:00. > :31:05.expect the White Paper to be published in May. Tank battle. You
:31:05. > :31:09.have recently underlined to support to regenerating the Welsh language,
:31:09. > :31:19.and we're also -- all looking forward to seeing the strategy
:31:19. > :31:20.
:31:20. > :31:30.published on 1st March. Would you agree with me that the decision by
:31:30. > :31:31.
:31:31. > :31:35.Carmarthen County Council to half their support should be condemned,
:31:35. > :31:41.and will recall with me to reconsider this? I do not know the
:31:41. > :31:46.exact circumstances to this, but what is important is that we focus
:31:46. > :31:52.on the use of the language, the battle has been one regarding
:31:52. > :31:56.education, and the official status of the language. What we now need
:31:56. > :32:06.to fight for us that people who speak Welsh use the Welsh language,
:32:06. > :32:06.
:32:06. > :32:10.and that is a battle that is not being won and some parts. Will he
:32:10. > :32:15.make a statement on the housing provision? Yes, it is complex, but
:32:15. > :32:22.we need to look at its overall health, including affordability,
:32:22. > :32:26.supply and quality support service is. Thank you. South-east Wales has
:32:26. > :32:32.a house provision of social housing in Wales. Your government set a
:32:32. > :32:37.target to improve all social housing to meet the quality
:32:37. > :32:44.standard by the end of this year. It has been said that even in five
:32:44. > :32:47.years from now, almost 79% of homes will be up to standard. This is
:32:47. > :32:52.blamed in weaknesses in the Welsh Government's leadership and
:32:52. > :32:58.monitoring. How do you explain this total failure to improve the
:32:58. > :33:02.quality of social housing in Wales? We have allocated over �570 million
:33:03. > :33:10.to support affordable housing schemes since 2007. An additional
:33:10. > :33:13.80 million will be spent this year to build more homes, but I found a
:33:13. > :33:19.question unbelievable from the party opposite, given that they
:33:20. > :33:25.wanted to slash the housing government -- budget. What is the
:33:25. > :33:29.government doing to combat cyber bullying? In addition to the
:33:29. > :33:36.comprehensive guidance published, we have made �300,000 available to
:33:36. > :33:42.local authorities for it management training for teachers, including
:33:42. > :33:46.anti-bullying measures. The recent explosion in social networking has
:33:46. > :33:50.brought a dramatic increase in the occurrences of cyber billion.
:33:50. > :33:57.Effect on individuals can be numerous and long lasting. Over a
:33:57. > :34:01.third of victims will miss some schooling because of this. Will you
:34:01. > :34:08.commit to working with the social network sites to bring an end to
:34:08. > :34:16.this type of bullying? Absolutely. We are represented on the UK
:34:16. > :34:20.Council board for internet child safety, which also looks at this.
:34:20. > :34:30.The body is encouraging organisations to make services
:34:30. > :34:32.
:34:32. > :34:38.safer for children. Would you join me in acknowledging the work of a
:34:38. > :34:47.telecoms company who are looking at a system of preventing cyber
:34:47. > :34:51.billion through text besiegers. -- cyber bullying. -- text messages.
:34:51. > :34:57.mention the guidance that has already been issued, and the
:34:57. > :35:02.behaviour management for teachers in secondary schools. School-based
:35:02. > :35:11.counselling is now available in all secondary schools, which shows that
:35:11. > :35:18.it is having a positive impact. Children are able to identify
:35:18. > :35:22.examples of cyber bullying which can be dealt with. Further to that,
:35:22. > :35:26.what steps can the first minister outline, regarding the provision of
:35:26. > :35:30.school counselling services, particularly the ability to use
:35:30. > :35:34.social networks within the school environment themselves, to alert
:35:34. > :35:38.the school authorities to cyber billion? It may be that the
:35:38. > :35:41.Government cannot tell Facebook to put a red button on the website,
:35:41. > :35:51.but it can encourage schools to take the issue more seriously than
:35:51. > :35:55.
:35:56. > :35:59.some are already doing. Head teachers must determine measures at
:35:59. > :36:06.preventing all forms of bullying, and they must have an anti-bullying
:36:06. > :36:15.strategy. School strategies are central, and all head teacher
:36:15. > :36:20.should be taking its series live. - - Seriously. What are the plans for
:36:20. > :36:29.the Welsh Government's legislative programme Question Mark we will
:36:29. > :36:37.Antisocial behaviour can blight the life of people in communities in
:36:38. > :36:42.Wales, and -- undermining safety in the home. Having dealt with
:36:42. > :36:47.particularly frustrating cases, I supported the Welsh Government's
:36:47. > :36:57.recent consultation on introducing a mandatory power of concession for
:36:57. > :36:58.
:36:58. > :37:04.social landlords in the delivery of housing. Would you agree that we
:37:04. > :37:07.have to do more than this, so that those who persistently disturbed us
:37:07. > :37:15.cannot be allowed to hold communities to ransom for extended
:37:15. > :37:19.periods? This is why we issued a consultation document last year,
:37:19. > :37:24.asking for views regarding a mandatory power of position. We
:37:24. > :37:34.would be introducing this through the UK government, and a
:37:34. > :37:36.
:37:36. > :37:39.consultation closed last week, and we are analysing this. In respect
:37:39. > :37:44.to the legislative programme, euro claim that you hope that in the
:37:44. > :37:52.latter part of the assembly to be bringing forward a planning bill.
:37:52. > :37:57.Many employers organisations identify planning as being one of
:37:57. > :38:00.the biggest concern of businesses. Could you give urgent consideration
:38:00. > :38:07.to bringing the bill forward to an earlier juncture in the assembly so
:38:07. > :38:17.that they can have the opportunity to progress such a bill? We're
:38:17. > :38:18.
:38:18. > :38:20.planning to produce the White Paper before the end of this year. We do
:38:20. > :38:25.realise by now that there is virtually nothing that has happened
:38:25. > :38:31.in terms of your legislative programme. But you made an
:38:31. > :38:35.announcement that the delivery unit would be at the heart of government.
:38:36. > :38:41.Can you tell us exactly what that delivery unit has delivered since
:38:41. > :38:46.its establishment four months ago? I meet with the unit on a weekly
:38:46. > :38:49.basis, and the job of the unit is to ensure that department's work
:38:49. > :38:57.together, and ensure that the Government's pledges in their
:38:57. > :39:04.manifesto are carried out. Of course, we do have a programme of
:39:04. > :39:10.government, and your party has none. What is the Welsh government doing
:39:10. > :39:15.to encourage young people... first financial inclusion strategy
:39:15. > :39:25.was published in July, 2009, which sets out the objective to provide a
:39:25. > :39:27.
:39:27. > :39:31.lead in tackling financial exclusion. Thank you. In my
:39:31. > :39:37.constituency, the credit union is looking at tackling this in the
:39:37. > :39:41.longer term by changing the mindset of the next generation of adults.
:39:42. > :39:46.The unit is running 19 school credit union centres at the moment.
:39:46. > :39:50.Do you agree that this is an exemplary mechanism that should be
:39:50. > :39:56.encouraged across Wales? congratulate the success in growing
:39:56. > :40:06.membership, and in the success it had with schools savings clubs, and
:40:06. > :40:10.
:40:10. > :40:15.I think exemplars such as this can Would you agree that education is
:40:15. > :40:21.key in dealing with this problem of moneylenders and people's
:40:21. > :40:26.susceptibility to it? Financial education has not always played the
:40:26. > :40:30.important part in schools, and when young people leave school, they can
:40:30. > :40:35.be least well-equipped to deal with problems such as credit cards and
:40:35. > :40:39.money lenders. Would you agree that education can be used to alleviate
:40:39. > :40:49.this? Yes. That was First Minister's Questions.
:40:49. > :40:51.
:40:51. > :40:55.You can see more proceedings from I am delighted to say that Vaughan
:40:55. > :41:04.Roderick is here as usual. He has been keeping an eye on the
:41:04. > :41:07.Questions session. Health is very much on Ieuan Wyn Jones's mind.
:41:07. > :41:12.�133 million extra over three years. Is that something which has
:41:12. > :41:15.traction? It is something we're going to be hearing a lot about
:41:15. > :41:22.over the coming weeks, as we approach the end of the financial
:41:22. > :41:27.year. There are real questions about how the local health boards
:41:27. > :41:31.will come in on budget. It does not look like they will. Can they be so
:41:31. > :41:35.much over budget that they will be more over budget than the total
:41:35. > :41:43.reserves to the Welsh government? What would happen if that were to a
:41:43. > :41:48.car is very problematic. -- if that were to happen. It is a problem
:41:48. > :41:52.with the health board, particularly the one that was singled out, he
:41:52. > :42:02.seemed unable to come in under budget. The minister says she will
:42:02. > :42:04.
:42:04. > :42:07.not put up with that any more, but how will they tackle it? You wonder
:42:07. > :42:10.what the politics will be of the debate, because I can see a
:42:11. > :42:14.situation that might be helpful for Labour, to make a virtue of
:42:14. > :42:19.spending more than they should on the health service, at a time when
:42:19. > :42:25.the main arguments against public sector cuts from Westminster.
:42:25. > :42:29.of Carwyn Jones trying to do that, saying, are you saying we should
:42:29. > :42:33.not have given this extra money? That comes into it. But the
:42:33. > :42:39.reserves and the Welsh government these days are very tight, because
:42:39. > :42:44.money is generally so tight. I think there is a real danger that
:42:44. > :42:48.things could run up against the buffers. That is what he is trying
:42:48. > :42:55.to highlight. And we have seen votes of no confidence in public
:42:55. > :43:04.meetings, tax on Aberystwyth. This is a local health board that is
:43:04. > :43:10.pretty popular. -- attacks on Aberystwyth. People are quite right
:43:10. > :43:13.to stand up and questioned the managerial ability. What about the
:43:13. > :43:19.quality charity, and the scandal about alleged financial
:43:19. > :43:23.mismanagement? There were suggestions that this might be
:43:23. > :43:27.happening elsewhere. Also there was a link between the top public
:43:27. > :43:31.sector jobs and the Labour Party. There is a debate on the charity
:43:31. > :43:36.tomorrow, but there was an attempt to throw exactly the accusations
:43:36. > :43:43.against Labour that were put against the Conservatives in the