22/01/2013 am.pm

Good afternoon, welcome to the programme and our weekly coverage

of questions to the First Minister. Snow may be hogging the headlines

but I'm pleased to report the Assembly Members have made it to

the office by-and-large. We're expecting questions to Carwyn Jones

on the funding of students and universities. There's also a

question about the economic benefits of Swansea City playing in

the Premiership. That's what we're expecting the

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

but what do you want to talk about? You can comment on anything on the

programme but don't feel restricted by that. If you want to talk about

any other political news get in Well, business in the chamber is

already in full flow. Let's go over there now for questions to the

First Minister. National Assembly for Wales is now

in session. The first afternoon -- I do this afternoon his questions

to the First Minister. Thank you Presiding Officer will the First

Minister make a statement about the number of pupils applying to

universities. As the Minister has said a number of times the early

application figures is not always a good predictor of final acceptance

figures. I thank the Minister for that but there is a trend starting

to identify itself now, although the early figures may not be that

reliable, but there has been a reduction in the number of students

applying for university places and a reduction specifically in the

number of English students studying in Wales and as a result Plaid

Cymru is consulting on an alternative solution for student

funding. How long will you retain your policy? The aim is to retain

the policy for the full lifetime of this Government and the following

the next election it depends what the views of the people of Wales is

up. My concern is the drop-off in international students that

universities are reporting as a result of the virulent anti-

immigration a gender coming from the UK government which is having a

serious impact in the numbers of students coming from places like

India and Malaysia who say they will go elsewhere because they are

not welcome in Wales or the UK generally. What can we do to

counter that very damaging business case of the Welsh universities?

There is no doubt that the perception of the UK and other

countries is -- in other countries is that it is not welcoming,

particularly in India. Students are going to the US or Australia where

they perceive there is a better welcome. It is a drain of talent

that could be coming here. It is forecast more overseas students

will be coming to Wales and the next few years but whether that

forecast comes to fruition depends on the mood music that comes from

the UK government. It is not helpful. When this �3.6 billion

policy was originally announced it was very clear, looking at every

university's intake of pupils from the European Union, Wales and

England, but for a number of them their financial success would be

predicated on being able to maintain a level of English

students. Given it is dropping, what will your special delivery

unit be doing in relation to ensuring there is real cross

collaboration between education and finance to ensure it is not a

policy that just ripped the guts out of the finances of Wales?

Attended the Royal Mail who have a special delivery unit! In terms of

of what she says, the reality is that the policy remains robust and

the final figures are not yet there for us to see. She should be more

courageous and say to the people of Wales that she wants to treble

student tuition fees. Say it. Go into the election saying that, that

is your challenge! First Minister, last year the fees schemes for

individual universities was changed and a further consultation has been

opened on 15th January which will close on 26th February. Has there

been any discussions between them and the Government regarding to a

deficiency in the funding for the ensuing year? No, no deficits have

been identified to date and we hope that, as was the case last year,

the number of students will increase in terms of those actually

accepting university places in Wales and of course that is what

occurred last year, although the figures have been down in January.

In previous answers to questions the First Minister has indicated

that funding for part-time students has been deferred for further

consideration. Can he confirm there will be no delay to the support for

part-time students? I can say they are able to apply for a means

tested the grant and a course grunt and other means tested targeted

support in the form of childcare grants an adult dependent grams and

the parents learning allowance. They are still available to part-

time students during the course of the assessment that is being made.

Will the First Minister make a statement on the sustainable food

production across Wales. I very much support sustainable food

production. It makes a contribution to us economically and also to the

social sustainability of many of our communities. I'd like to thank

the First Minister for that answer. In recent weeks I have been

contacted by several farmers interested in creating a

sustainable Welsh branded strawberry for the market in

Britain. Such an endeavour would require the use of poly tunnels on

a significance Gale, in some cases above 15 heck tears. In scoping

these plans the farmers concerned have experienced considerable

difficulty in getting planning advice from several Welsh

authorities. In the context of this, what steps are you prepared to take

to ensure greater clarity and consistency is available to such

people looking for -- looking forward to developing such an

enterprise. This is not an isolated in student. The Planning Bill will

begin its progress during this year and it is something we want to

progress. I have heard in many occasions that the planning system

is not responsive enough or consistent enough to deal with

planning applications and during the course of the Planning Bill we

want to make sure we have a more responsive system. First Minister,

food has risen by 32% in the last five years, placing enormous

pressure on school budgets. Indeed in the last month Wrexham Council

has estimated it has overspent by �100,000. Would you join me for a

school canteen visit next time you are in North Wales where we can

discuss with teachers and pupils and suppliers what work the Welsh

government can do to look at financial sustainability of our

school catering services? healthy eating in the schools in

Wales measure gives a legislative approach for us to take forward.

The provisions and the measure will commence later this year. The

standards set out in appetite for life are obviously important and

regulations in the food and drink provided will have an effect in

ensuring that our children get a nutritious school meal. First

Minister, one of the priorities in your programme for government is to

support the food production industry by supporting the

promotion and marketing of food from Wales and your government had

promised to publish a strategic government it -- document to focus

on this last year. Bearing in mind the importance of the industry to

the Welsh economy can you tell us when your government will be in a

position to publish its strategic document so we can see what are the

priorities of your government for food and drink? Well, of course we

have supported sustainable food over the years and this is a

priority sector for the Department. There are a number of ways in which

the industry is assisted, namely capital support, support in terms

of developing new products, in terms of research, so there are

many aspects of support provided to the food sector in Wales and, of

course, we have seen that sector developing very strongly in the

past few years. The First Minister will be very much aware, given his

tenure as a successful agriculture minister, that the production of

sustainable food in Wales is dependent upon a secure lamb market.

Can the First Minister tell us what his Government is doing now to deal

with the crisis in the Lamb and sheep meat market and the resultant

decline in income for farmers and to deal with what is happening in

Anglesey and other locations in terms of the ability to produce and

processed foods in Wales, particularly red meat, because of

the importance of that to our economy. I beg the Member for his

comment about my career in agriculture, but of course this is

something that concerns us very much and concerns the farmers and

the Minister will make a statement on this tomorrow. First Minister,

last Thursday I was delighted to host the National Federation of

Women's Institute great food debate here indeed Assembly to discuss the

global implications of food security. We join me in welcoming

the contribution that the WI are making to this important area of

public policy and confirm what new targets you will be setting this

year to increase the proportion of Welsh food and drink that is

procured by the public sector in Wales as the figure was just 23%

when it was last measured. Setting targets would be illegal under

European law. We cannot do that. We can have aspirations. If you look

at a procurement in the public sector, it has increased remarkably

in the last few years because of the assistance we have given to

companies to enable them to supply the larger public sector contracts.

Welsh beef in hospitals is one example. We welcome the WI

contribution to the debate and I have been part of those debates in

years gone by in various different parts of Wales and I know the

government -- I know the WI takes a vigorous a positive role in terms

of supporting well sustainable food production. We now move to

questions from the party leaders. First Minister, we have had

inclement weather over the last couple of days and I know it has

not been on the scale of some of the blizzards and tremendous

whether we have had in previous years but it has placed to promote

-- placed tremendous demands on the public services. You are in a

unique position to see some of the problems the public services have

faced such as the health service and education. What update can you

give the Chamber today, as well as comments some of our key public

service workers who stayed overnight to look after patients in

hospitals, what consequences can we see going forward from the

information that you have been provided with from the partner

bodies that supply the services. The information we have is that the

emergency services cope well last Friday. The roads were clear

reasonably quickly. There were parts of some roads such as the M4

which were closed for a while but given the volume of the snow and

the fact that the roads were cleared as quickly as they were is

testament to a hard work of a number of people. There is a

substantial amount of grit that has been kept in supply depots by Welsh

local authorities and it has been used. The ambulance -- the

ambulances seemed to have coped with the weather and everything was

back to normal by Friday evening. Given past experience we have had

with snow I think it is right to say that we have coped with this

snow fall in a far better way that has happened in years gone by.

of the consequences of the weather is the effect on the economy and I

noticed on Wales on Sunday that the cold snap had cost the Welsh

economy �50 million. It could be an arbitrary figure but there is a

knock-on effect as anyone will tell when they went around on the

weekend and saw shops and pubs and restaurants closed. Many small

micro businesses are struggling at the moment and require assistance

to allow them to carry on trading and grow their businesses. Do you

agree that today and going forward we should put greater measures of

supporting to support small and medium-sized businesses in Wales so

we can rebuild our economy so it is more competitive with the the rest

of the United Kingdom and create more jobs within the economy?

know there were businesses that were affected. I saw some of them

closed myself on Saturday and Sunday as the Leader of the

Opposition rightly says. I don't think it is possible to help

businesses over a particular where the incident but in general we have

the small business rate relief which is welcomed and the Wales

Growth Fund and loans for micro businesses. Of course we are

through the planning Bill looking at ways of simplifying certainly

the planning system as far as small and medium-sized businesses are

concerned. The weather incident on its own does not need that level of

support but we are in challenging economic climate. Yesterday we

launched an investing Wales strategy that would offer immediate

support to businesses across Wales by providing a lending system that

would allow small and medium-sized businesses in Wales to seek that

financing on a localised basis and local decision -- local decisions

could be taken in relation to their businesses. Could I commend your --

this government -- are recommended document to you and encourage you

to look at this because it could deliver some of the solutions to

the lending problems that many of our small and medium-sized

businesses are facing Wales and which is holding them back so they

are not able to create jobs and prosperity in their local

economies? I would argue that Finance Wales is doing this. I did

note in the press release that was sent out by the party, I always

note the press releases, is suggested that Finance Wales gives

grants out but it does not do that, it provides loams, I will make that

clear. It raises the point, what can be done to assist businesses to

get access to finance. There is a review being carried out by a

member of your party who is looking at the effect of a lack of finance

particularly on the high street and on small businesses and we we --

await the results of that work with You would challenge last week on

health reorganisation and you have given a non-committal answer which

says centralisation was in the hands of the local health boards.

Last Friday, Betsi Cadwaladr announced that North Wales would

have no tears three neonatal care and that families would be expected

to go across the border. Given your previous condemnation of the

privatise and fragmented English health service, can you tell us

whether you agree with that proposal. It is a sustainable

health service. I have no doubt the party opposite wants to see that as

well. Your colleagues full well know if the Community Health

Council decides to defer the proposals to the minister then a

decision will have to be taken by a Welsh Government ministers. It is

not possible to express a view at this stage. much as I would like to

express a view which I can not do it at this stage. Your government

continues to make their case for centralisation of health services.

In First Minister's Questions last week a reference to a report there

was a 1% increase in the chance of deaf -- of a death in 10 kilometres

of emergencies. I were health- service and ambulances must be able

to cope in this weather whatever we have. How can your government to

ensure ambulance services operate properly in all weather and we knew

we agree to oppose centralisation that was lives at risk especially

in adverse weather conditions? government will support any scheme

that puts lives at risk. The argument I we do use is this, if

there is no change in the health service lines will be put at risk.

The reality is it is important to be within reasonable distance of

medical services but you have to make sure the people who are

providing those services are qualified, properly qualified. That

means that there will be some conditions that have to be

delivered in centres of excellence. We already do it with burns and

Neurosurgery. We have to have people who are experienced and

practised. There is a debate to be had as how that is achieved and how

the balance should be between local delivery and specialised delivery.

There would take place of the next few months. They gave them some

policies followed by health boards are drawn up by your government.

Your government is in charge of the direction of health policy in Wales.

First Minister, you are the government. You are responsible.

When are you going to take responsibility for this instead of

hiding away from it? We have a safe and sustainable health service.

What she seems to say is she would ignore the views of doctors. If a

particular service is not safe, it does not matter. What matters is

provision of service locally if it -- even if it can not be done

locally and the safely. What we want to do is to make sure the

services are safe, that is it. I don't want to see situations oh

Coeur that happened 20 years ago when people would die a because

people went properly qualified. But for us what we want to make sure is

that the system continues to be safe and sustainable and continues

to deliver for the people of Wales. There will be a debate and concern

as to what the balance should be between a provision of local

service and the provision of specialised service. I won that

debate to take place rationally. -- I want that debate. Have let's move

now to Kirsty Williams. First Minister, by how much will that

last tee at budget be overspent. -- last year. I'm sure your government

is working on a those figures. Some suspect there will be a substantial

underspend. Every member state of the EU has some kind of financial

support for farming in less favoured areas. England, Scotland

and Northern Ireland all have dedicated schemes of support for

less favoured areas. 80% of Welsh agricultural land is in the less

favoured area better your Deputy Minister says he has not seen any

evidence that sent LF a scheme is the panacea some people suggest.

What is a Deputy Minister know that every other EU minister does not?

You suggest there is a return to Tir Mynydd. Their is no going back

to a scheme they used to be in place. We would all argue for a

scheme that assists highland farmers. DEFRA and not interested

in upland farms, they never have been. Their idea of farming is

large farms producing large arable crops. That is the decays four

years. That has been the case regardless of which party is in

power. We take a different view. Upland farms are important for

social, economic and sustainability and the fabric of rural ladies.

Buses was we will keep in mind. -- that is what we will keep in mind.

Every other EU state hasn't LF a scheme. If Scotland, Northern

Ireland and England can find a scheme that works the question is

why can't you. The National Farmers' year and has said the

industry faces in perfect stock and hill sheep farms are down. Given

your comments and your understanding of the importance of

agriculture to the social interaction of life in rural areas,

with you commit today that any underspend from the programme will

be used to support farming in our most challenging areas. That is

something we will consider as we look at our underspends. I can't

accept the suggestion that the scheme in Wales is something the

government has ignored. If you speak to farmers in Wales, if you

ask them if there has been a drop, I know what the answer will be.

They actually get paid on time. We will continue to provide the right

level of support for our farmers in Wales. We have the historic basis

we have used over the past decade to pay farmers their rural payments,

that wasn't done in England. It was then on three different bases. We

have stuck with farmers in Wales to make sure the payment system is the

most appropriate system for Welsh farming. Let's move back to

questions. Question number three. Will the First Minister make a

statement on sustainable food production across Wales.. -- What

progress has the Welsh Government made to introduce the next

generation of broadband to Wales. The UK Government has given final

state aid approval for the Wales programme and that means we can

start to work in providing the next generation broadband the length and

breadth of words. More information will be available shortly. Ofcom

has a map which knows the most underprivileged or deprived

counties as regard availability of broadband. Ceredigion is one of

those. You published last week that you intend to ignore some of those

end gave investment and priorities but two other counties. You have

asked BT to give priority is to counties with enterprise zones. My

constituency is under a double disadvantage. Appalling broadband

availability and no enterprise zone. Are you intentionally promoting 8

double Tear economic policy? Not at all. I understand that the member

wishes to represent her constituency and the RAC we have

discussed this with ministers. -- and I must say. I welcome the start

of the super-fast project. As the First Minister will be aware there

is a proportion of the population who will not be in a position to

access the benefits of this project because of their Real -- the

rurality. My constituents have asked for other broadband solutions.

As a scheme will be coming to end end this financial year, what

measures with your government be implementing to ensure that those

who do not -- who do require other solutions have the resources.

Around 4% of the population want benefit as a result of this scheme.

Work is under way to identify when appropriate mechanism to address it.

More information will be available in the spring. Will the First

Minister make a statement on his policy with regard to Welsh higher

education. We have made good progress to deliver high education.

It becomes more financially sustainable and more competitive

and responsive to the challenges it faces. Although I support the

current Welsh Government policy on tuition fees, you will be aware of

the evidence given by Cardiff University who said in the first

day of that policy �10 million off teaching grant has come out of

Wales into English high education institutions simply because of the

imbalance in the number of students coming to Wales as opposed to those

studying in English universities. Have you made any study into the

impact on Welsh universities as to the loss of that income.

No. That income would be lost anyway. Some were students would

choose to study in England anyway. -- some Welsh students. Some will

study subjects that are not available in Wales such as Burton

the science. We want those students to have the experience of studying

those subjects. The alternative is to pay the grounds to Welsh

students to choose to stay in Wales. -- to pay the grounds. It would

also mean that it would reduce the range of options available to Welsh

students and that is not of the grant is available for. I'm sure

you're aware that the Western Mail has carried an article casting

doubt on just how transparent your government, the Education Minister

has been regarding the progress of the merger of Newport, Glamorgan

and Cardiff met Universities. Money and people are looking to attend

one of these institutions. -- many young people. Can you assure them

that these merger would not harm education provision in these areas?

It will strengthen provision. Glamorgan and Newport wish to merge.

We know Cardiff Metropolitan have a different viewpoint and that has

been made public on a number of occasions. That is a great shame as

far as we're concerned. The institution will be far stronger as

to be able to deliver more courses for students. It will be more

attractive to students. The Lindsay Whittle. What measures has the

Welsh Government taken to encourage his Welsh universities in the

science department to work with industry. That is happening.

Cardiff University work very closely as do Glamorgan University

with industry and have developed joint projects with industry.

Swansea University are building a new engineering department, that is

based on the fact that they need to service the companies and firms

around them. We see good work being done in Wales is at the

universities as well. It will be fair to say that universities were

not maximising the opportunities they had to work with businesses,

not all of them were doing that, but that has changed over the past

few years. Will the First Minister outline what steps the Welsh

Government is taking to support the most vulnerable people in Torfaen.

The programme for government has set out the range of actions we are

taking. We help people in Wales including those in Torfaen.

recently circulated to Assembly Members a series of distressing

case studies collected by my constituents who were going to be

hit by the bedroom tax. It will hit fault or households in Torfaen and

Wales leaving families and How sauce to make absolutely impossible

traces to try and meet the shortfall in Lent -- in the rent.

Whether governments do all it can to it mitigate the impact of that.

Can you work to ensure every local authority is using discretionary

housing payments effectively and the social landlords exercise the

maximum possible discretion when dealing with tenants who fall into

Can I commend the Member for the work she has done in this area. I

know she has done a great deal of research and has been a strong

advocate for the people affected by this change. The difficulty is that

if you start penalising people because their houses are, as it is

said, too big, it means that grandparents cannot have

grandchildren staying with them, it means that grant -- families cannot

stay together. It means that for example, where there is a break-up

in a relationship and children live with grand parents for a temporary

peridot time, it will not happen because they must be fostered

elsewhere. All of these things are designed to wreck family life in so

many ways and many people will find themselves in arrears and forced

out of homes they have lived in for many years. We believe it is

utterly and completely wrong. people in tour Fein and elsewhere

are specifically targeted a for some forms of criminal activity, as

such as distraction burglaries and up scams. The roll-out abuse

campaign has revealed that under report -- under-reporting of abuse

and more must be done to tackle these crimes against older people.

Will the First Minister commit his government to working with police

and the crime commissioners the tour will raise awareness of

distraction burglaries among older people and ensure they are tackled

effectively in Wales? I heard the member's first post -- I heard the

member's first question, all the people in tour Fein are being

affected. He is right to raise this. The classic scam is to tell someone

of that the chimney is falling down and it can be fixed for ridiculous

sum of money. In fairness to the police they regularly remind the

people are to be exceptionally aware of people coming to the

doorstep about whether they are selling something or whether they

are offering work that does not have to be done. Is a criminal

offence and I would urge people to reported if they see activity like

that in their rear. There are many older people who are vulnerable he

could be saved from the predations of these people if other members of

the Community report these activities at the time. First

Minister, who decided if a room upstairs is a bedroom? I asked to

housing minister last week if he would think about that and use any

powers he would have to redesignated a because I am sure

that some of the cases that I have seen today would point out that

some of those bedrooms -- rooms upstairs, are not bedrooms. He did

not know if you have the powers, do you know? This is what we are

looking at at this moment in time, to see if we can be flexible. We

had someone last week you had a disabled child and the bedroom is

downstairs. A bedroom does not have to be upstairs so how do you

designate what is a bedroom? There has not been proper thought given

to what the consequences might be and how you define what a bedroom

is. These are things that we are looking at at the moment to see if

we can find a way to be more flexible in Wales. Does the Welsh

government have any plans to commemorate the life and work of

Alfred Russel Wallace this year? as a government, do not have plans

to mark this but I know the science academy is funding a performance

for schools on his life and work. Thank you for that answer. This

week the National History Museum launched a project to celebrate him

and it is fantastic that he is finally getting the recognition

that his immense achievements deserve. The focus of the

anniversary is the planned unveiling of a life-size bronze

statue at the National History Museum in November. I contacted the

fund-raising campaign and they have raised 20 of the �50,000 needed but

unfortunately it has to close on 31st January to give the artist

enough time to make the sculpture. Will the First Minister join me in

celebrating one of Wales's greatest sons here today, and I am hoping to

raise awareness of the fund-raising drive in this final week to spread

the message so that Alfred Russel Wallace is commemorated in style.

Yes, I am happy to provide that support. I note the voluble support

from the member of Monmouth who would have been her having this man

in his constituency where he still alive! It is fabulous to support

someone who was Welsh-born and made such a great contribution to

science. They are a remark that Alfred Russel Wallace, during the

time he lived in Wales, contributed to the street maps in Wales and

laid out the streets and designed the council buildings in and Neath.

He is a man of Wales and within his context in the 19th century, a

major think and philosopher who should be recorded. I am grateful

to the Member for raising the matter and I hope your government

give active and consistent support. I am grateful for pointing out a

what Alfred Russel Wallace did in terms of pickled contribution to

Wales as well as to science generally. It is a matter of regret

that Alfred Russel Wallace is receiving so little attention in

this important year, as he was a scientist of first rank. How many

people in Wales are do you believe the know about Alfred Russel

Wallace and what he achieved and what does that tell us about our

education system here in Wales? think the honest answer is very few

because, of course, most children in Wales would never have heard of

Alfred Russel Wallace and that is why it is important that we ensure

that people are informed of him and his work during his centenary year.

This is why there is this tour around schools in parts of Wales to

ensure that those children do learn more about Alfred Russel Wallace

and his work. Will the First Minister make a statement on the

economic benefits brought to the Swansea Bay region thanks to the

promotion into the premier league of Swansea City. We know there was

a research done by Cardiff University which estimates Swansea

delivers millions of pounds of economic benefits to the region.

That will continue next year as they will remain firmly in the

Premier League! Possibly in Europe! Do you agree with me that the Swans

success can be in a chair it -- major economic driver in areas such

as this. Can you assure me that departments treat football clubs as

businesses and key businesses in their community, and not just as

sporting clubs. I am sure the First Minister would like to join with me

with wishing them every sex -- success tomorrow night against

Chelsea. We know that sport can generate substantial amounts of

money in the economy. I hope that the Swans are joined by Cardiff

City in the Premier League next year although the Minister is less

than vocal in his support for that! It is certainly something that for

those of us who live halfway between the two will be more than

happy to say. We know that what happens is substantial numbers of

people come into the city and spend money when they are in the City and

people come and stay in hotels which provides a boost to the hotel

and catering industry. There is no doubt at dawn that sport of the

highest level is Sport of course, but more than that, it is a key

employee. As a lifelong supporter of Swansea football club I share

the pride of the people in the team a thriving in the Premier League.

Following on from the question of early of what has your government

done to ensure that we maximise the economic advantages of having them

in the Premier League. Clearly there is a role the Swans can play

in marketing Wales on a strategic level and what plans the do you

have to capitalise on this? member will no if you visit the

stadium that there is a substantial amount of advertising in the

stadium which we have placed there to encourage people to visit Wales,

on top of that we have a series of promotional adverts with sky during

Swansea's matches. People will see adverts in the stadium when the

games are televised and we know it has an income on their behaviour in

future. There we are. We'll leave First

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

coverage of the National Assembly online from BBC Wales's Democracy

Live page. Our Welsh Affairs editor Vaughan

Roderick is in our Assembly newsroom.

A bit like the weather outside, it was not the most heated of First

Minister's Questions but there were a few topics being discussed.

was a bit odd, it was pretty low key I thought. I think the reason

for that is that if you notice Carwyn Jones tends to answer the

question in the same tone in which it has been asked and because the

three opposition leaders went into date in a fairly low-key and polite

way, he responded in the same way. Each of them went on different

subjects, help from Plaid Cymru and we had a weather related question

at segueing into a question about banking and finance are for small

businesses from Andrew RT Davies and as so often from Kirsty

Williams it was the plight of Welsh farmers, particularly Welsh hill

farmers that was attracting her attention. There was the discussion

about this bedroom tax and it seems to be something that will run for a

while. Yes, this is a change that the UK government is making. Berry

and popular with people on the Labour benches and the Plaid Cymru

benches. It means that it limits housing benefit depending on the

size of your house. The Government in London would presented as being

about freeing up housing. If you have a single person, elderly

person may be living in a big house, should they really get help with

their rent but there are all sorts of exceptions and examples that

people are bringing forward. Carwyn Jones mentioned people having

bedrooms downstairs for disabled children and they may be some steps

that the Welsh government can take to ameliorate the situation in

terms of how things are defined and that is what Jocelyn Davies a

former housing minister was pressing Carwyn Jones on and it is

is something that the government will want to do if it can do it.

have had this banking spat this weekend between the Conservatives

and Plaid Cymru. Yes, an extraordinary Littlejohn at this. I

mentioned Andrew RT Davies talking yesterday about a new system of

getting loans through to small businesses. The Tories were very

myth about the pride come we put out a statement calling for a Welsh

government owned bank which they see as an attempt to steal their

thunder. If it was it did not succeed. We heard from Leanne Wood

quite a strong question. She went again on neonatal care being moved

to Liverpool. Yes, but I was surprised to be honest that Plaid

Cymru did not go on that change to council tax benefit by the

Government last week. After all that was something that Plaid Cymru

had been pressing for. It was a bit odd to return to health as a

subject today but the questions once again were pretty effective

from Leanne Wood. I think she has managed to up again since Christmas.

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

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