:00:31. > :00:34.programme and our weekly coverage of first Minister's questions. The
:00:34. > :00:37.measles epidemic in Swansea continues to be causing concern
:00:37. > :00:43.amongst Assembly Members. The latest figures show an increase in the
:00:43. > :00:45.number of cases. There are also questions tabled for Carwyn Jones on
:00:45. > :00:50.the changes to Social Security and his government's spending
:00:50. > :00:54.priorities. That is what is on the mind of AMs but what's on your
:00:54. > :00:58.mind? Let us know. Whether it's something on the programme or
:00:58. > :01:06.anything else politics related, we are on Twitter or you can send us an
:01:06. > :01:12.e-mail. Business has kicked off in the Chamber already so let's go
:01:12. > :01:17.there now for questions to the First Minister. The National Assembly for
:01:17. > :01:24.Wales is now in session. The first item this afternoon is questions to
:01:24. > :01:26.the First Minister. Question one is Paul Davies. Will the First Minister
:01:26. > :01:33.make a statement on what the Welsh Government is doing to improve
:01:33. > :01:40.transport connect over tea in West Wales? The national transport plans
:01:40. > :01:47.set out a number of major road and rail schemes in Wales. They will
:01:47. > :01:53.improve collectivity in that area. Constituents have contacted me
:01:53. > :01:57.recently expressing concerns about transport to the team in certain
:01:57. > :02:04.areas. These legs are important to two is and the Welsh economy as a
:02:04. > :02:06.whole. It appears that train timetables on the Irish site don't
:02:06. > :02:12.correspond with the ferry timetables, which makes it difficult
:02:12. > :02:16.for people to travel. I have written to the Irish government asking them
:02:16. > :02:19.to deal with the situation but can I ask you whether you would consider
:02:19. > :02:25.discussing this issue with the government of Ireland to ensure that
:02:25. > :02:34.the situation is improved? I have asked this informally already and I
:02:34. > :02:38.have raised this with them. The reason that the station has been
:02:38. > :02:42.discussed and relation to the morning ferry, is a train link in
:02:42. > :02:48.the morning but with the later ferry, there isn't that link. This
:02:48. > :02:57.has been a problem for around 20 years but it isn't a situation that
:02:58. > :03:07.is beneficial. In terms of people travelling on the trains on that
:03:08. > :03:10.
:03:10. > :03:15.side of the sea, there are no plans to withdraw that service. Thank
:03:15. > :03:23.you. First Minister, the work has just been completed on jewel in rail
:03:23. > :03:32.tracks. I was pleased to visit the bridge to see the works. The impact
:03:32. > :03:42.of this programme funded by the Welsh Government. Can you give me an
:03:42. > :03:42.
:03:42. > :03:47.update on whether services will be met with fewer cancellations?
:03:47. > :03:52.has been agreed is that there will be six trains stopping in every
:03:52. > :04:00.direction during the week. There will be one service from Cardiff to
:04:00. > :04:04.Swansea, which will be extended to lie mentally and there will be a
:04:04. > :04:11.better service which has been agreed with Riva trains without any
:04:11. > :04:18.additional cost to the taxpayer. That improvement that Keith Davies
:04:18. > :04:23.has referred to is going to ensure that improved or enhanced train
:04:23. > :04:28.services can be provided. As he given any consideration to devolving
:04:28. > :04:31.the functions of network rail, such as the situation is in Scotland? Do
:04:31. > :04:37.you believe that would lead to further investment in Wales? What
:04:37. > :04:47.isn't clear is whether that would mean there would be money available
:04:47. > :04:56.to us to be invested in the railways in Wales. We are looking to support
:04:56. > :05:00.schemes but it's not clear. Will the First Minister please make a
:05:00. > :05:06.statement on grass-roots sport participation across Wales?
:05:06. > :05:09.support the developer to grass-roots sport across Wales. We want to
:05:09. > :05:14.ensure that young people have good quality opportunities to participate
:05:14. > :05:20.in a range of sports. I would like to thank him for his answer. Last
:05:20. > :05:26.week I had the pleasure of hosting an event in the Senedd to mark the
:05:26. > :05:27.launch of a report covering the first ten years of a McDonald's
:05:27. > :05:36.grass-roots football partnership, spearheaded by Sir Geoff Hurst and
:05:36. > :05:44.Ian Rush amongst others. I'm sure that you will share my
:05:44. > :05:50.disappointment in News of the last 24 hours of the sad demise of
:05:50. > :05:56.Llanelli AFC but we have seen a number of after-school sports clubs
:05:56. > :06:01.increase by 12,000. Given the increase in success in Wales's
:06:01. > :06:04.national football teams, which is to be commended, and the role the
:06:04. > :06:08.grass-roots sport plays in sustaining that for the future, what
:06:08. > :06:15.measures is your government prepared to undertake to deliver and ensure
:06:15. > :06:18.the continuity of that success in the future? The schools and physical
:06:18. > :06:26.activity work unfinished group -- task unfinished group has been
:06:26. > :06:31.established. This year sport Wales will invest �5.3 million in the
:06:31. > :06:35.governing bodies to support grassroots development. That covers
:06:35. > :06:39.a wide range of sport and I was pleased to be in Newport last
:06:39. > :06:46.Saturday where I opened the National football Centre at Dragon Park,
:06:46. > :06:49.which will be a fantastic facility to develop high-level foot all and
:06:49. > :06:56.in terms of providing access to that high-level for youngsters across
:06:56. > :06:58.Wales. One of the issues that has arisen recently with schools and
:06:58. > :07:02.getting kids engaging with playing soccer is the availability of land
:07:02. > :07:05.unsuitable football pitches. With the growth of demand, local
:07:05. > :07:12.authorities are doing an excellent job at it seems to be there is an
:07:12. > :07:21.opportunity for a review of the availability and suitability of
:07:21. > :07:28.sports pictures with a view to the use of public land and so on.
:07:28. > :07:35.noticed the member used the word soccer which I think has caused a
:07:35. > :07:39.frenzy of indignity sometimes. I think we mean association football -
:07:39. > :07:45.let's be clear. There are difficulties in playing regular
:07:45. > :07:49.matches, particularly when there is bad weather. Sport Wales are
:07:49. > :07:52.currently carrying out a mapping exercise of the state of our sports
:07:52. > :07:55.facilities across Wales and that will help to inform those partner
:07:55. > :08:04.organisations in the future as to what resources will need to be
:08:04. > :08:08.invested in order to bring those up to scratch. First Minister, local
:08:08. > :08:13.amateur sports clubs and leaves in Cardiff are seriously concerned by
:08:13. > :08:18.the Labour-controlled council decision to impose large increases
:08:18. > :08:24.at in fees for sports facilities. These will damage grass-roots sports
:08:24. > :08:30.and send out the wrong message at a time when health is high on the
:08:30. > :08:36.agenda and we are trying to build on the Olympic legacy. Will the First
:08:36. > :08:40.Minister join me in condemning these unpopular, unwise and unfair charges
:08:40. > :08:50.on grass-roots sports in Cardiff? That is a matter for Cardiff
:08:50. > :08:52.
:08:52. > :08:55.Council. I am and always have been a rugby fan, first and foremost, but I
:08:55. > :09:03.don't think you need to be a big fan of football to realise the inner
:09:03. > :09:07.equable treatment it does receive. The Welsh Rugby union reportedly
:09:07. > :09:12.gave �27 million to grass-roots Welsh rugby clubs, with significant
:09:12. > :09:16.millions going directly to community rugby. We've heard what you plan to
:09:16. > :09:19.do to improve the grass-roots football game in Wales but do you
:09:19. > :09:25.plan on beating with the two Premier League clubs and the football
:09:25. > :09:30.Association of Wales to see how best your government, and football, can
:09:30. > :09:37.work together to improve the game for all, to ensure that future
:09:37. > :09:42.Gareth Bales can stay in Wales? meet with the clubs regularly and I
:09:42. > :09:45.met with the FA last Saturday and we were able to contribute �400,000 to
:09:45. > :09:52.the building of Dragon Park, which demonstrates the Welsh Government's
:09:52. > :09:54.commitment to development in football in Wales. Following David
:09:55. > :09:59.Cameron's projection of Tanni Grey-Thompson as the chair of us
:09:59. > :10:06.ought England despite being recommended for the appointment by
:10:07. > :10:12.the appointing panel, will there be more opportunities for Ross in Wales
:10:12. > :10:19.to use her in grass-roots sports participation? -- rejection of Tanni
:10:19. > :10:23.Grey-Thompson as the chair of Sport England. I hope she will be of great
:10:23. > :10:27.use to us. We would certainly consider the best way to use her
:10:28. > :10:30.wealth of experience in the future. We now move to questions from the
:10:30. > :10:39.party leaders and first this afternoon, the leader of the
:10:39. > :10:42.opposition. First Minister, last week your flagship housing scheme
:10:42. > :10:46.was cancelled by your government after months of stalling. The day
:10:46. > :10:50.before, your flagship employment scheme Genesis was scrapped as well
:10:50. > :10:58.and you chose to break the UK government. Why was your housing
:10:58. > :11:03.scheme, after months of stalling, shelled last week? Events have
:11:03. > :11:08.overtaken us in terms of the UK government scheme. Consideration is
:11:08. > :11:13.now being given to an interim scheme to help those who would have been
:11:13. > :11:15.helped but clearly the scheme could not continue given the fact that the
:11:15. > :11:25.housebuilders Federation and the Council of mortgage lenders they
:11:25. > :11:30.couldn't support it. Thank you but that scheme would have made a
:11:30. > :11:33.difference in a stagnant housing market where a first-time buyer
:11:34. > :11:37.today is 36 years old. It cannot be the case that the housebuilders'
:11:37. > :11:41.Federation did not support the scheme. The managing director of a
:11:41. > :11:46.building company said they wanted the skin to start on June three and
:11:46. > :11:50.said he was sure every developer in Wales still supported the scheme.
:11:50. > :11:54.The Royal certified Institute of surveyors said, " we believe that
:11:54. > :11:57.this scheme would have worked well in conjunction with the help to buy
:11:57. > :12:03.as the scheme together would have addressed both the new-build market
:12:03. > :12:08.and the second home market". Is it not the case that you clearly have
:12:08. > :12:12.failed to offer any support to the housing market here in Wales and is
:12:12. > :12:19.it not the case that, again, your government has failed to deliver for
:12:19. > :12:23.the people of Wales when in your opening remarks to years ago, you
:12:23. > :12:29.talked about the mantra of delivery for the people of Wales. -- two
:12:29. > :12:34.years ago. His party introduced the bedroom tax so how can he talk about
:12:34. > :12:37.putting roofs over people's heads? The Council of mortgage lenders and
:12:37. > :12:41.the house builders Federation both said in writing, because I've seen
:12:41. > :12:46.the letters, that they could not support the scheme in its present
:12:46. > :12:50.guise because of the introduction of the UK scheme. No minister could
:12:50. > :12:53.ignore that, which is why the Minister made clear that we are now
:12:53. > :13:00.looking at a different scheme that could be fermented to prove more
:13:00. > :13:06.attractive to those two bodies. just quoted the regional director of
:13:06. > :13:14.a building company and he has quoted colleagues of his who shared his
:13:14. > :13:18.discuss. -- discussed. We've also is shown what the surveyors have been
:13:18. > :13:22.saying about this scheme. As I said to you time and time again, there is
:13:22. > :13:26.no change in the mantra of your government and previous Assembly
:13:26. > :13:28.Government and you are failing to deliver for the people of Wales. The
:13:28. > :13:35.Scottish Government see no compromise in their scheme and they
:13:35. > :13:40.are happy to run the two schemes in parallel. Why is it the case that
:13:40. > :13:44.time and time again when you bring policies forward, they fall at the
:13:44. > :13:48.first hurdle? �36 million last week shelved because of the Genesis back
:13:48. > :13:51.to work programme failure and the house builders are having to face
:13:51. > :14:01.the same inadequacies from your government. Is it not quite simply
:14:01. > :14:02.
:14:02. > :14:08.that as the regional director of Red Row Homes said, it simply is not
:14:08. > :14:15.good enough? If the director of Red Row Homes disagrees with
:14:15. > :14:17.Housebuilders' Federation, he should say so. Either the Housebuilders'
:14:17. > :14:20.Federation cars in some way untruthful or they are not
:14:20. > :14:30.representing their members. That is something for them and Red Row
:14:30. > :14:34.Homes. We will consider it as we continue scheme in place. We have
:14:34. > :14:38.all seen what happens when his party runs things in London. We all see
:14:38. > :14:41.the mess that's been made of the economy. The real problem with the
:14:41. > :14:47.housing market is that people don't have access to credit, don't have
:14:47. > :14:52.money, can't buy houses, and that's all down to his party. The leader of
:14:52. > :14:57.Plaid Cymru, Leanne Wood. First Minister, the secretary of state
:14:57. > :15:00.tells us that there is a recovery taking place in Wales. However the
:15:00. > :15:04.shadow secretary of state for Wales says that Wales's living standards
:15:05. > :15:09.have fallen and have been falling faster than almost every other part
:15:09. > :15:14.of Europe. Can you tell us, who do you agree with - your spokesperson
:15:14. > :15:19.in Westminster or the UK government? I'm always asked to
:15:19. > :15:23.agree with somebody in Westminster. I agree with the secretary of state
:15:23. > :15:27.in terms of what he says about the economy. One of the biggest tests
:15:27. > :15:32.the leader of the opposition will face is when and if his party decide
:15:32. > :15:36.to support the abolition of stand duty. We could do a tremendous
:15:36. > :15:39.amount with stamp duty to help the housing market. Will his party
:15:39. > :15:44.deliver on it? We will wait and see whether he can deliver on something
:15:44. > :15:50.that he supported or will his secretary of state leave him high
:15:50. > :15:54.and dry? The reality is, with the reality is that the economy has
:15:54. > :16:04.faced since 2008, the leader of Plaid Cymru will be fully aware of
:16:04. > :16:10.
:16:11. > :16:17.what we have done to assist people. Under employment is part of the
:16:17. > :16:21.productive gap in Wales that only leaves 134,000 people are under
:16:21. > :16:25.employed, an increase of 50,000 since before the recession began.
:16:25. > :16:30.These are hard working people who want to work or people doing jobs
:16:30. > :16:38.for which they're overqualified. If our country cannot reach its
:16:38. > :16:41.potential at all, if our people are not reaching their potential. A
:16:41. > :16:46.Plaid Cymru government would work with businesses to help with child
:16:46. > :16:50.care and fight for research and development jobs and work with small
:16:50. > :16:57.businesses to create work. What are you doing to tackle this problem?
:16:57. > :17:06.All these things. When we look at the past, I do believe Plaid Cymru
:17:06. > :17:13.are guilty of some kind of amnesia, because they were in charge then.
:17:13. > :17:22.She asked about qualifications, we have the apprenticeship schemes and
:17:22. > :17:29.we have finance Wales the the growth fund and loans to SMEs and the
:17:29. > :17:36.Digital Development Fund and we saw good news yesterday with the
:17:36. > :17:42.announcement by Ford and we have helped Airbus and of course we will
:17:42. > :17:51.be supporting Horizon as they place jobs in Anglesey. It is good to hear
:17:51. > :17:54.you're supporting so many of Plaid Cymru's ideas. A survey by the
:17:54. > :18:01.Federation of Master Builders said the construction industry is more
:18:01. > :18:08.positive about the future of the economy. It is good news which could
:18:08. > :18:12.be related to the Welsh Government's announcement in support of Plaid
:18:12. > :18:17.Cymru's plan to have better use of the public pound. But the BBC
:18:17. > :18:22.reports only two out of 22 local authorities in Wales are meeting
:18:22. > :18:29.these public procurement standards. First Minister, are you now prepared
:18:29. > :18:34.to fully back Plaid Cymru's proposals and agree to legislate to
:18:34. > :18:38.improve public sector procurement. Sometimes it is like those people
:18:38. > :18:48.who turn up at a bar and they're always late and say, I'm too late to
:18:48. > :18:50.
:18:50. > :18:59.buy the round. None of these are Plaid Cymru idea, the apprentice
:18:59. > :19:05.ship is not a Plaid Cymru idea. But I'm surprised to hear that support
:19:05. > :19:09.for Wylfa B is a Plaid Cymru idea. That is something new. If that is
:19:09. > :19:13.the situation, I very much welcome that. It would provide jobs in
:19:13. > :19:17.Anglesey and beyond and we are committed to supporting it. As I
:19:17. > :19:23.have said many times, there are many schemes in place helping businesses
:19:23. > :19:27.in Wales and we see examples such as Ford yesterday and where more than
:19:27. > :19:34.500 jobs were preserved as a result of Welsh Government action working
:19:34. > :19:44.with that company. Now the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats. First
:19:44. > :19:45.
:19:45. > :19:50.Minister, could I return to the issue of help for first time buyers?
:19:50. > :19:53.English first time buyers had a scheme announced by the Westminster
:19:53. > :19:59.Government, discussions between Welsh Liberal Democrat and your
:19:59. > :20:03.Government on a scheme for Wales started in January 2012 and in May
:20:04. > :20:08.2012 you announced help would be available. 12 months down the line,
:20:08. > :20:12.that scheme has collapsed. Why has it taken you 12 months to provide
:20:12. > :20:20.help that first time buyers need and now that you have made reference to
:20:21. > :20:25.an interim scheme, will you assure us that first time buyers won't have
:20:25. > :20:29.to wait another 12 months. reality is that there was a
:20:29. > :20:35.substantial amount of discussion with lenders in Wales and a lot of
:20:35. > :20:40.work put in to put a scheme in. The scheme was scheduled for 3rd June.
:20:41. > :20:44.The UK scheme then of course superseded the original scheme. But
:20:44. > :20:54.I can say that we are now looking to see what scheme might be put in
:20:54. > :21:00.place that would be workable as for as the council of mortgage lenders
:21:00. > :21:07.are concerned. It is crucial you have a good working relationship
:21:07. > :21:12.with potential house builders. You will be aware of the disappointment
:21:12. > :21:18.expressed by Red Row about the collapse of the scheme and are you
:21:18. > :21:23.aware that Taylor Wimpey on their web-site is still advertising a
:21:23. > :21:28.scheme that your Government scrapped? What discussions have you
:21:28. > :21:36.had with those people that will build these homes to ensure that we
:21:36. > :21:41.won't see another fiasco and this interim scheme not developing into
:21:41. > :21:43.real help? It comes down to question as to whether the householder --
:21:43. > :21:49.house builders federation have represented the view of their
:21:49. > :21:53.members. I have seen what has been put down, Read Row have said
:21:53. > :21:57.something different and that is a matter for them to take up with the
:21:57. > :22:01.house builders federation. We have to talk to the industry body. It is
:22:01. > :22:06.useful to know there are companies who are willing to work towards a
:22:06. > :22:12.new scheme. That is something we will with talk -- be talking to them
:22:12. > :22:16.about. I am not clear why you have to speak exclusively to the industry
:22:17. > :22:22.body and not to individual construction companies. So far today
:22:22. > :22:26.we have established that it has taken your Government a year to do
:22:26. > :22:31.nothing. And that tit has collapsed because another government has dared
:22:31. > :22:36.to come up with something better. That aside, and given your
:22:36. > :22:40.announcement on an interim scheme today, when will Welsh first time
:22:40. > :22:45.buyers and the construction industry see a scheme up and working in
:22:45. > :22:52.Wales, a simple date would be a very acceptable answer. Of course, they
:22:52. > :22:56.will have access to the UK scheme. We work with the, with those in the
:22:56. > :23:01.industry to make sure we have a workable scheme. The only thing I
:23:01. > :23:11.have to say is who do you expect us to talk to, if not the industry
:23:11. > :23:15.
:23:15. > :23:22.body. It is a simple assumption to assume they will represent their
:23:22. > :23:29.members. Now to questions on the order papers. Well the First
:23:29. > :23:33.Minister detail what lessons have been learned from the the failure of
:23:33. > :23:38.Genesis Two programme? That is part of arrangements being taken forward
:23:38. > :23:45.with local authorities and those arrangements will be evaluated this
:23:45. > :23:51.year to see better delivery from 2014. Thank you. Lessons do need to
:23:51. > :23:56.be learned. If you look at the figures behind the project, they are
:23:57. > :24:00.staggering, only 5% of original tar get of helping 20,000 people into
:24:00. > :24:03.work has been reached. It is not surprising your Government has
:24:03. > :24:07.pulled the plug on this scheme. How can the people of Wales have
:24:07. > :24:13.confidence in you and the Welsh Government that other schemes being
:24:13. > :24:20.run by the Welsh Government in terms of employment are fit for purpose
:24:20. > :24:28.and not falling at the first hurdle like Genesis Two. Jobs worth Wales
:24:28. > :24:38.is a success. That is one example among many of where this Government
:24:38. > :24:38.
:24:38. > :25:28.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 50 seconds
:25:28. > :25:32.regional variations between the areas this scheme is operating? I
:25:32. > :25:38.have been approached by people who feel it was making a big difference
:25:38. > :25:44.and others felt it was making less of a difference. What lessons can be
:25:44. > :25:48.learned about the difference between different urban and rural locations
:25:48. > :25:53.in the delivery of the scheme? important that we examine why and
:25:53. > :25:57.the member is right, there was a difference in terms of the numbers
:25:57. > :26:00.being assisted through the scheme in different parts. As part of the
:26:00. > :26:04.discussions with the local authorities and as part of thinking
:26:04. > :26:14.on the way forward, that disparity will be examined in order to make
:26:14. > :26:14.
:26:14. > :27:36.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 50 seconds
:27:36. > :27:42.sure it does not happen to the same comparable EU figures shows is
:27:42. > :27:46.although youth unemployment in Wales was far lower than in the borrow,
:27:46. > :27:51.bust and bailed out nations in Greece and Spain, it was higher than
:27:51. > :27:57.the EU average and the UK average. The latest figures show it is still
:27:57. > :28:03.2. 5% higher than in England. For what consideration has the Welsh
:28:03. > :28:10.government given to intergrating its on initiatives with those provided
:28:10. > :28:15.on a UK basis in order to get best bank for the buck? The member
:28:15. > :28:22.assumes the UK Government would want to see that sbe fwrags. --
:28:22. > :28:27.integration. But the Secretary of State for education said he wanted a
:28:27. > :28:33.separate qualification. What I can say in terms of informing member
:28:33. > :28:38.what is has been... Other issues being taken forward, during the
:28:38. > :28:48.apprenticeship work the deputy First Minister announced plans for an
:28:48. > :28:49.
:28:49. > :28:52.additional 40 million for the programme in Wales. A one-off
:28:52. > :28:56.payment for small businesses to cover the time and cost they said
:28:56. > :29:03.were a barrier to recruiting apprentices and money to support
:29:03. > :29:07.those who want to complete their training in waesh. -- Welsh. There
:29:07. > :29:14.is a comprehensive package in place to help young people to get
:29:14. > :29:20.employment. But we don't underestimate the scale of the task.
:29:20. > :29:23.What discussions has the Welsh Government had with the UK
:29:23. > :29:30.Government regarding post offices. We have had no discussion in the
:29:30. > :29:36.last six months. Thank you. The post office in Rhyl is under threat of
:29:36. > :29:41.being moved from a crown post office to that of a franchise. This is part
:29:41. > :29:45.of crown post office attempts to what they say down size their
:29:45. > :29:50.operations. The crown post office in Rhyl is vital to not the centre of
:29:50. > :29:56.Rhyl, but to people in the area who have no access to internet and it is
:29:56. > :30:00.in the poorest part of Wales and a lot of people use it. I stood with
:30:00. > :30:05.the CWU members who walked out as part of their protest at what the
:30:05. > :30:10.crown post office is trying to do. I received a lot of support from
:30:10. > :30:15.people who want to see the post awes if kept open. What cannure
:30:15. > :30:25.Government do to persuade those in the UK Government to listen to
:30:25. > :30:28.
:30:28. > :30:32.people of Rhyl? It is a nod vaulter matter but what we are informed is
:30:32. > :30:42.that the location of any franchise office would depend on the retail
:30:42. > :30:44.
:30:44. > :30:49.partner. -- a non-devolved matter. I see no argument being put forward in
:30:49. > :30:52.favour of change. I'm sure that's something that concerns not just
:30:52. > :30:55.those who work at the Crown Post Office in real that the people of
:30:55. > :31:01.Rhyl themselves and until such an argument is made with some
:31:01. > :31:07.conviction, then I believe things should remain as they are. -- in
:31:07. > :31:10.Rhyl. What specific actions has your government taken to ensure as many
:31:10. > :31:15.public services as possible are delivering throughout post office
:31:15. > :31:25.network? We have the post office diversification awards, which have
:31:25. > :31:29.
:31:29. > :31:35.helped greatly over the years. The awards for the October 2012 rounds
:31:35. > :31:38.were awarded recently. We have assisted post offices in terms of
:31:38. > :31:43.their diversification. It can be difficult because so much business
:31:43. > :31:46.is now conducted online. Rather than try to turn the clock back, what's
:31:46. > :31:54.important is that post offices are able to find you sources of business
:31:54. > :31:58.and thrive as a result. -- new. have a similar problem to the issue
:31:58. > :32:01.that Anne Jones has raised in Neath. Some people say that it was put out
:32:01. > :32:07.to the retail sector, that would be tantamount to marketisation of the
:32:07. > :32:11.post office network. I wondered whether you had any discussions with
:32:11. > :32:16.the UK government in regards to looking at alternative models, be it
:32:16. > :32:24.some kind of works' buy-out, where the cashier's could have some kind
:32:24. > :32:31.of vested interest. -- workers' buy-out. I think there is merit in
:32:31. > :32:35.that. But this is not a matter that we have control over. But I do think
:32:35. > :32:37.it's important where consideration is being given to the change of
:32:37. > :32:43.business model that full consideration is to alternative
:32:43. > :32:50.models. Once that we know are workable. They might well include
:32:50. > :32:53.the model number has described. may be aware that a number of local
:32:53. > :32:58.authorities in England are working with the post office to deliver a
:32:58. > :33:06.wide range of services through local branches. This is a marvel which is
:33:06. > :33:09.being actively marketed by the post office. Would this be transferable
:33:09. > :33:13.to Wales? If it was, it would help to guarantee the future of a large
:33:13. > :33:17.number of post offices while enabling a more efficient and
:33:17. > :33:21.accessible delivery of local government services. It is
:33:21. > :33:26.potentially transferable. It's a for local authorities in terms of how
:33:26. > :33:28.practical such a scheme would be and how they would seek to implement it.
:33:29. > :33:31.But if there are authorities in Wales that would consider such a
:33:31. > :33:38.scheme, it's something we would certainly look to encourage them to
:33:38. > :33:43.take forward. Could the First Minister confirm the position of the
:33:43. > :33:45.Welsh Government is taking regarding the post office network and a
:33:45. > :33:50.potential tie in with credit unions and whether those discussions are
:33:50. > :33:59.not only taking place with the UK government and also directly with
:33:59. > :34:02.the post office itself, especially on having a common IT platform?
:34:02. > :34:10.These matters would help to sustain credit unions' sustainability in the
:34:10. > :34:16.future. About 15 years ago we saw a substantial number of branch closes
:34:16. > :34:21.and post offices were able to offer banking facilities in communities
:34:21. > :34:26.that had lost the bank services. This would be a natural step forward
:34:26. > :34:32.for me in terms of the ability to provide fair financial services to
:34:32. > :34:35.those who live in those communities. What discussions as the Welsh
:34:35. > :34:41.Government had with local authorities regarding changes to
:34:41. > :34:46.Social Security? We've had considerable discussion with VW
:34:47. > :34:54.nanograms, the local authorities involved in the UK government's
:34:54. > :34:59.involved in the welfare reforms. We want to mitigate where we can impact
:34:59. > :35:02.of those changes on Wales. Thank you. No doubt you will be aware that
:35:02. > :35:09.some local authorities in other parts of the UK have already said
:35:09. > :35:12.they intend to adopt and no eviction policy for those who suffer the
:35:12. > :35:17.consequences of the bedroom tax and, of course, your government has set a
:35:17. > :35:20.great deal about the bedroom tax in this Chamber and outside. Will you
:35:20. > :35:27.tell us which social landlords in Wales are also going to adopt this
:35:27. > :35:32.policy? That is a matter for local authorities to decide and I well
:35:32. > :35:35.understand the thinking behind the no eviction policy but it is for
:35:35. > :35:44.each local authority to decide how it wishes to approach this
:35:44. > :35:49.inequitable situation. Some 91,000 people on the housing list in Wales
:35:49. > :35:55.in the 2011 census. It shows many households classed as overcrowded.
:35:55. > :35:57.In my constituency, I see many families absolutely desperate for
:35:57. > :36:03.appropriate sized accommodation and your road housing minister in
:36:03. > :36:07.London, in the last government, said, " we have reiterated time and
:36:07. > :36:12.again the need to ensure that houses that are too large for people's
:36:12. > :36:17.current needs are allocated accordingly". However here, we hear
:36:17. > :36:21.constant scaremongering and only yesterday I note that one of your
:36:21. > :36:28.own departments is now using the Labour pejorative, negative spin
:36:28. > :36:34.classed as bedroom tax. The spare room subsidy is the UK
:36:34. > :36:40.government's... Are you coming to the question? Would you please get
:36:40. > :36:45.to it? First Minister, instead of carping, whingeing and criticising
:36:45. > :36:51.the UK government for actually taking proactive steps, what is your
:36:51. > :36:55.government doing to actually help these families in need? I am truly
:36:55. > :37:00.astounded, I have to say, by that question. I can only assume the
:37:00. > :37:04.member has not had people coming to a surgery, sometimes in tears, who
:37:04. > :37:07.were being affected by the bedroom tax - and we use that term because
:37:07. > :37:11.that's what people call it. We are not going to hide behind
:37:11. > :37:15.bureaucratic jargon. To say on one hand this is a situation where we
:37:15. > :37:19.whingeing and on the other ask what we can do to help these people
:37:19. > :37:22.strikes me as an incredible attitude take. There are many thousands in
:37:22. > :37:27.Wales who will find themselves in a situation where they can't afford to
:37:27. > :37:31.sustain accommodation, put food on the table, cannot afford the
:37:31. > :37:37.everyday necessities of life, purely because of the vindictiveness of her
:37:37. > :37:41.party, while at the same time millionaires get a tax freeze. We're
:37:41. > :37:45.all in it together, they say. Well, just to adapt what George Orwell
:37:45. > :37:51.said, we're all in it together but some people - particularly at the
:37:51. > :37:54.bottom - are more in it than others. Will he make a statement on his role
:37:54. > :37:59.in determining the spending priorities of the Welsh Government?
:37:59. > :38:04.I am ahead of the government so I clearly a key role. As a result of
:38:04. > :38:10.your government's decision that you read, the NHS is facing the biggest
:38:10. > :38:13.cuts in its history. The health trust that serves my constituency is
:38:13. > :38:18.having to find savings of �1.5 million per week in this current
:38:18. > :38:22.financial year. How do you expect them to meet that savings target,
:38:23. > :38:26.given that they have already chopped back significant services which are
:38:26. > :38:32.available to the public and that their reorganisation plans are not
:38:32. > :38:36.about saving money. I seem to be astounded a lot this afternoon but I
:38:36. > :38:40.am again. We have been upfront in terms of the challenges we faced
:38:40. > :38:45.financially. His party has hidden. It has claimed that its increased
:38:45. > :38:48.spending on health but instead, it's cut spending on health and been
:38:48. > :38:52.found out by those bodies that monitor government. That's the
:38:52. > :38:58.reality of the situation. We have sought to protect the health service
:38:58. > :39:02.as best we can. Yes, it is a challenge but the reality of the
:39:02. > :39:07.situation is that his party has no alternatives. Instead it says we
:39:07. > :39:13.should increase Campbell tax by 20%, but education by 20%, cut services
:39:13. > :39:21.by those who are poorest. -- increase council tax and cut
:39:21. > :39:24.education by 20%. We'd love to know how they can do it. We have sought
:39:24. > :39:29.to protect the health service as best we can, given the resources
:39:29. > :39:33.that we have, whereas his party has done its best to pull the wool over
:39:33. > :39:35.people's eyes and whenever this is pointed out to them, they whinge and
:39:35. > :39:38.bone and whenever this is pointed out to them, they win Jan Bowmen
:39:38. > :39:40.tried to show people down. The people of Wales know who is
:39:40. > :39:50.responsible for the problems and the party opposite will find out in
:39:50. > :39:53.
:39:53. > :39:58.2015. -- they whinge and moan. week, a 1200 -year-old tree, one of
:39:58. > :40:02.Europe's oldest, and an icon of the heritage, collapsed. Will you look
:40:02. > :40:08.at the priorities of natural resources in terms of the priority
:40:08. > :40:11.of Heritage trees across our country, examining the strengthening
:40:11. > :40:19.of tree preservation orders or advice for owners, and whether it
:40:19. > :40:24.could help preserve things for the future? I understand what mechanisms
:40:24. > :40:27.are available is currently being investigated. Depending on the
:40:27. > :40:31.conclusions, we will look at what appropriate changes to legislation
:40:31. > :40:35.may be required and if they are, they will be brought forward as soon
:40:35. > :40:38.as possible. Let's leave first Minister's
:40:38. > :40:48.questions there but you can see more coverage of the Assembly online via
:40:48. > :40:49.
:40:49. > :40:52.the BBC Wales Democracy Life page. Let's pick up on some of that with
:40:52. > :40:57.our Welsh affairs editor who has been watching down in the bay. What
:40:57. > :41:05.did you make of that? It was very much a mixed bag. No great themes
:41:05. > :41:08.coming out. A lot of argy-bargy around UK issues like the bedroom
:41:08. > :41:12.tax and government spending cuts from Westminster. I suppose if there
:41:12. > :41:17.was a theme, it was the issue Kirsty Williams and Andrew RT Davies went
:41:17. > :41:24.on which is the cancellation of the scheme to help first-time buyers in
:41:24. > :41:30.Wales. But government says that industry support had disappeared
:41:30. > :41:34.because of the introduction of a UK scheme. The opposition crowed
:41:34. > :41:37.builders who say they still wanted it. I have to say there were letters
:41:37. > :41:41.which the BBC has seen that made it clear from the industry bodies that
:41:41. > :41:45.they felt the scheme couldn't continue, so I think that's why
:41:45. > :41:49.Carwyn Jones was referring to this issue of whether the builders should
:41:49. > :41:51.really be taking it up with their trade bodies and what their trade
:41:51. > :41:56.bodies were saying to the government, rather than complaining
:41:56. > :41:59.about the government. It was interesting because it was too
:41:59. > :42:09.different arguments, and both seemed very sure of their own ground.
:42:09. > :42:09.
:42:09. > :42:11.That's right. Companies like Red Row have said what they have said the
:42:11. > :42:16.government says that flatly contradicts what the government was
:42:16. > :42:21.told by the industry trade bodies. You have to take your choice of what
:42:21. > :42:24.happened here but it seems either that the builders didn't want it but
:42:25. > :42:29.didn't want to be seen to be criticising or abandoning it in
:42:29. > :42:32.public, or there was some disconnect between what their trade bodies were
:42:32. > :42:39.telling the Welsh Government and what they were telling the trade
:42:40. > :42:43.body. Interesting on benefit reform, as well, I thought. A full throttle
:42:43. > :42:47.defence of the Conservative policy of the spare room subsidy, as she
:42:47. > :42:50.calls it, and of course that discussion from Carwyn Jones about
:42:50. > :42:57.the bedroom tax. He wouldn't be Jordan on the no hyphen eviction
:42:57. > :43:02.policy, though. What I found interesting was the framing and the
:43:02. > :43:08.wording of this. Those of us who remember the arguments surrounding
:43:08. > :43:12.the poll tax /community tax charge will remember how important it was
:43:12. > :43:15.in that that the then Labour opposition managed to get it called
:43:15. > :43:19.the poll tax on the streets rather than community charge. That's
:43:20. > :43:25.exactly what's happening here and it does seem that it's the bedroom tax
:43:25. > :43:30.word that is catching on, much to the conservatives' shag run because
:43:30. > :43:35.strictly speaking, it isn't a tax. Another message that language is
:43:35. > :43:37.important. Thank you very much. That's it for today. I'll be back at
:43:37. > :43:42.the same time next week with more coverage of first Minister's
:43:42. > :43:49.questions. If you want more on Welsh politics before them, join me for