:00:25. > :00:29.Good afternoon. Welcome to the programme and a weekly cover of
:00:29. > :00:32.questions to the First Minister. There are lots of questions on
:00:32. > :00:38.health service and how the Assembly is funded and the state of a
:00:38. > :00:41.council's finances. Hopefully we will get answer to those questions
:00:41. > :00:51.in a moment, but firstly if you want to get in touch to comment on
:00:51. > :00:54.
:00:54. > :00:59.anything on the programme, you can Proceedings have started in the
:00:59. > :01:09.Senedd, but we will take you back now to the beginning of First
:01:09. > :01:09.
:01:09. > :02:21.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 72 seconds
:02:21. > :02:26.Mark Drakeford. The health impact of events in Cardiff on Friday
:02:26. > :02:29.afternoon will be profound and long-lasting. Thank you for putting
:02:29. > :02:33.on record the immediate concerns of the Welsh Government for those
:02:33. > :02:39.caught up in that. Do you agree that over the weeks and months to
:02:39. > :02:44.come, contribution of core services in schools, social service and
:02:44. > :02:48.housing will be vitally important in assisting individuals, families
:02:48. > :02:52.and whole communities in Cardiff to deal with the health impact of what
:02:52. > :02:56.has taken place. I thanked the Member for raising
:02:56. > :03:04.this issue. We were all deeply shocked with events in Cardiff at
:03:04. > :03:08.the end of last week, and in Prestatyn. I know Ann Jones, Julie
:03:08. > :03:15.Morgan and Mark Drakeford have made their views known on these issues,
:03:15. > :03:19.and offered their condolences to the families involved. It is an
:03:19. > :03:22.exceptionally traumatic series of incidents that took place and the
:03:22. > :03:26.government won two of our deep condolences to those affected, and
:03:26. > :03:30.offer any help we can for the future. There is a limit to what I
:03:30. > :03:35.can say given the fact that proceedings are ongoing, but
:03:35. > :03:39.nevertheless I would like to put on record my thanks to all the
:03:39. > :03:45.emergency services involved. The response they made and that of the
:03:45. > :03:50.wider community in the support they gave to the families affected.
:03:50. > :03:56.Simon Thomas. In the last year according to South
:03:56. > :04:04.Wales Police, there has been an increase of 165 per cent in
:04:04. > :04:08.offences involving method drone in Wales, and this drug is having an
:04:08. > :04:13.effect on young people. My constituency is in the hot spot in
:04:13. > :04:19.Wales for usage, and your own is number three. As responsibility for
:04:19. > :04:23.drug prevention rests with the ministry's -- Minister for
:04:23. > :04:27.communities and local government, we work within government to insure
:04:27. > :04:32.looking at this drug in particular and support in local campaigns to
:04:32. > :04:37.get rid of the use of this drug and educate young Rea -- young people
:04:37. > :04:44.about its real dangers. We work very hard to ensure people know the
:04:44. > :04:49.dangers of all classes of drugs and reduce their abuse. I've visited
:04:49. > :04:52.the centre in your constituency which provides help for those
:04:52. > :04:59.wishing to put drugs behind them and I was impressed with the work
:04:59. > :05:04.carried out. Julie Morgan. The day after the incidents that Mark
:05:04. > :05:08.Drakeford referred to in Cardiff last week, I was able to visit the
:05:08. > :05:13.accident and emergency units in the Heath Hospital in Cardiff North,
:05:13. > :05:18.where all the victims were taken. Will the First Minister join me in
:05:18. > :05:22.congratulating all the staff at the unit, including the ambulance staff,
:05:22. > :05:26.for the way they responded to a traumatic situation, and they
:05:26. > :05:30.implemented for the first time on such a large scale, an emergency
:05:30. > :05:32.protocol in which all the trauma equipment was brought to the
:05:32. > :05:39.accident and emergency department and it was closed to other
:05:39. > :05:44.admissions. Yes, I would. I would like to praise, once again, the
:05:44. > :05:50.fantastic efforts of all the emergency services who were
:05:50. > :05:54.involved, not just in the incident in Cardiff but also in Prestatyn.
:05:54. > :05:58.It is impossible to predict an incident such as this. I recall a
:05:58. > :06:01.similar one in the late Eighties or early Nineties, when something
:06:01. > :06:07.similar happened. It is difficult to rationalise in a case like this
:06:07. > :06:11.as well, but I have no doubt that the work carried out by all the
:06:11. > :06:16.emergency services helped to make a difficult and dangerous position
:06:16. > :06:20.better, and to mitigate the effects of what happened that day, so where
:06:20. > :06:26.more than happy, as I am sure all members are, to thank the emergency
:06:26. > :06:31.services for their work. Rebecca Evans. First Minister, a new report
:06:31. > :06:37.today, a UK White report, found many GPs did not know how to
:06:37. > :06:44.support young people who self-harm, and many say they have not had
:06:44. > :06:49.training specific to self harm. How will you seek to remedy this?
:06:49. > :06:54.have a National Accident Plan -- national plan to reduce self-harm
:06:54. > :07:02.and suicide. We are working closely with the Samaritans in order to
:07:03. > :07:12.actions suicide and self-harm prevention initiatives. Question 2,
:07:13. > :07:13.
:07:13. > :08:18.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 72 seconds
:08:18. > :08:25.Nick Ramsay. Simon Thomas has stolen my thunder on this question.
:08:25. > :08:29.It is very important following on from the member's question, I am
:08:29. > :08:34.sure you would agree, First Minister, that it is important that
:08:34. > :08:38.you reconfirm your support for the Silk Commission, which today has
:08:38. > :08:41.received cross-party support with concern for one of the members of
:08:41. > :08:45.the commission. Could you tell us who the Labour Party's new
:08:45. > :08:49.representative will be on the commission? Information will be
:08:49. > :08:55.available on that shortly and it will be someone very experienced.
:08:55. > :09:00.We fully support the process and look forward to the recommendations
:09:00. > :09:04.been implemented, certainly part one as soon as possible, certainly
:09:04. > :09:09.after the next general election, and part to in due course with the
:09:09. > :09:12.passage of a new government of Wales Bill. We now move to
:09:13. > :09:20.questions for the party leaders, and first we have the leader of
:09:20. > :09:25.Plaid Cymru, Leanne Wood. I would like to first place on record Plaid
:09:25. > :09:29.Cymru's condolences to those families affected by the tragic
:09:29. > :09:33.events of this weekend in the north and south of the country, and also
:09:33. > :09:39.to thank the emergency services. Your colleague, Chris Bryant, wrote
:09:39. > :09:43.an open letter to contact local health board expressing his
:09:43. > :09:48.concerns about reduction in accident and emergency services in
:09:48. > :09:52.South Wales. He writes: "those at the top end of the Rhondda Valley
:09:52. > :09:57.could be facing a one-way journey to hospital of significantly more
:09:58. > :10:02.than an hour from one an ambulance is requested, which I regard as
:10:02. > :10:07.excessive and unacceptable." Can you tell us what you would regard
:10:07. > :10:11.as excessive and unacceptable? is representing his views in a
:10:11. > :10:16.consultation process as he probably should as a Member of Parliament.
:10:16. > :10:21.asked what you think, and he is a member of your party. Another of
:10:21. > :10:24.your colleagues, Peter Hain, said in last week's Western Mail, that
:10:24. > :10:29.local ambulance services are underdressed -- desperate pressure
:10:29. > :10:32.in a story which he claimed emergency response times are being
:10:32. > :10:38.missed because many stations in south Wales either remain closed or
:10:38. > :10:43.are open went -- with virtually no staff. Is there any truth to his
:10:44. > :10:46.accusations? We are talking about devolved issues here, and the Welsh
:10:46. > :10:54.Government runs a health service which allows people access to
:10:54. > :10:58.services which are as local and safe as possible. In an emergency
:10:58. > :11:03.situation, prompt treatment is the difference between life and death.
:11:03. > :11:08.Plaid Cymru wants to see our accident and emergency network open,
:11:08. > :11:12.and we will look to update our ambit -- upgrade our ambulance
:11:12. > :11:17.services rather than keep a ambulance stations close. The
:11:17. > :11:23.criticisms are a outlined our public ones of your policy from
:11:23. > :11:27.your own party, and show a gap in my view between vision and delivery.
:11:27. > :11:30.How can you assure people that increase journey times to hospital
:11:30. > :11:35.as a result of your government's reconfiguration of the health
:11:35. > :11:39.service will not put people at risk? You seem confused on this,
:11:39. > :11:42.because we know already there are centres in South Wales where people
:11:42. > :11:45.are taking with particular conditions already. Or are you
:11:45. > :11:50.saying people shouldn't be taken to Morriston hospital with burns but
:11:50. > :11:54.the local accident and emergency unit? Prompt treatment is important,
:11:54. > :12:00.but by the right people is also important. Any doctor will tell you
:12:00. > :12:05.that. Questions to the leader of the opposition. I too would like to
:12:05. > :12:08.join in the sentiments expressed by many members around the chamber
:12:08. > :12:12.this afternoon about the pure evil that visited the streets of Cardiff
:12:12. > :12:17.on Friday and the consequences wrought on many in his -- innocent
:12:17. > :12:21.people as they went about their everyday lives, and the issue in
:12:21. > :12:25.North Wales over the tragic house fire that claimed four lives. I
:12:25. > :12:30.want to take a little further in saying that on the weekend Wales
:12:30. > :12:34.has had a couple of bleak weeks. We had the abduction of April Jones
:12:34. > :12:39.and in North Wales of the better research in, and these events over
:12:39. > :12:43.the weekend. Sadly, Wales was leading the headlines for all the
:12:43. > :12:48.wrong reasons this weekend. We are a proud country of communities that
:12:48. > :12:52.look after people, and I think it is important that today that
:12:52. > :12:55.message comes, that despite these horrors, we have much to be very
:12:55. > :12:59.proud of in this country and stand by people who fall on very
:12:59. > :13:03.difficult times, and these aren't a true picture of what Wales is about.
:13:03. > :13:06.I look forward to the First Minister joining those sentiments.
:13:06. > :13:12.I don't think the leader of the opposition said anything I could
:13:13. > :13:18.disagree with. Thank you for that. Yesterday, we launched a proposal
:13:18. > :13:21.for high-street regeneration in Paris, and many high streets across
:13:22. > :13:27.Wales are key civic pride indicators. If you have a vibrant
:13:27. > :13:33.high streets, people have a view of what the Committee of what -- what
:13:33. > :13:36.the community feel about the high street and the businesses on it.
:13:36. > :13:40.What is your view on the support your government is bringing forward
:13:40. > :13:46.for many small businesses facing very tough climate sat the moment
:13:46. > :13:50.for trading, with declining fought for and spend in the shops? As the
:13:51. > :13:56.leader of the opposition knows, in a statement following my questions
:13:56. > :14:00.regarding business rates... I am a little disappointed in that answer
:14:00. > :14:06.because it is not just about business rates that you could offer
:14:06. > :14:10.support. This document envisioned for the Welsh High Street, touching
:14:10. > :14:16.on many examples about developing a night-time strategy, business rates
:14:16. > :14:19.and planning process, General regeneration, and a third of a
:14:19. > :14:23.council areas don't even have High Street managers to co-ordinate
:14:23. > :14:27.their approach to regeneration within their own areas. There is
:14:27. > :14:31.much in this document to be commended. It has the backing of
:14:31. > :14:34.the FSB and many other organisations, but I commend it to
:14:34. > :14:38.you so that many of the easy hits that could be delivered here with
:14:38. > :14:42.key targets to help regenerate our high streets could offer respite
:14:42. > :14:46.from the current difficult financial trading assistant --
:14:46. > :14:49.situations many face, could be adopted by your government, and I
:14:49. > :14:53.would look forward to working with your government to bring those to
:14:53. > :14:57.reality so we can work with small businesses which make up 99 per
:14:57. > :15:01.cent of the business community in Wales. We will have caused study
:15:01. > :15:08.any proposal with interest. You need to understand that the major
:15:08. > :15:14.issue facing the high street is the fall in fought for, as you say. --
:15:14. > :15:19.fought for all. We do know many small shops are under pressure, not
:15:19. > :15:22.just from supermarkets but the internet. Some have prospered
:15:22. > :15:27.because their online sales are far greater than their high street
:15:27. > :15:32.sales, and they are effectively able to use one to support the
:15:32. > :15:35.other. There are two issues we need to address. Firstly, some high
:15:35. > :15:40.streets are doing better than others, Cowbridge is doing very
:15:40. > :15:45.well for example, and its profile is higher than many other parts of
:15:45. > :15:51.Wales. But secondly, we give consideration to the fact that the
:15:51. > :15:56.high street has a different mix of businesses in the future. Shopping
:15:56. > :16:00.habits have changed. That means we look at how we create a mix of
:16:00. > :16:10.cafes, businesses, retail outlets as well, in order to ensure the
:16:10. > :16:11.
:16:11. > :16:17.vibrancy of a town centres in First Minister, last week there was
:16:17. > :16:21.a great deal of concern expressed, not just been Peter Hain, but by
:16:21. > :16:25.staff of the Ambulance Trust of the huge pressure that organisation was
:16:25. > :16:29.under. Could you tell me what budget has been set for the
:16:29. > :16:33.Ambulance Trust this year? Well, as the leader of the Liberal Democrats,
:16:33. > :16:39.as the draft budget statement has been put in place, and there will
:16:39. > :16:43.be work done in the next few months in going through the budget in
:16:44. > :16:47.detail. As the First Minister, I am sure know, there is no distinct
:16:47. > :16:51.line in the Welsh budget for the Ambulance Trust. The reason he
:16:51. > :16:57.can't find the answer in his file is that six months into this
:16:57. > :17:02.financial year, no budget has been set for the Ambulance Trust. The
:17:02. > :17:06.uncertainty, as a result of that means that the well Ambulance Trust
:17:06. > :17:12.is unable to meet the Government's own response time target, and
:17:12. > :17:15.people are being put at risk. First Minister, is that any way to run an
:17:15. > :17:18.emergency service in the 21st snenth If the leader of the Liberal
:17:18. > :17:22.Democrats has any suggestion or evidence that people are being put
:17:22. > :17:28.at risk, I am sure ourselves and the Welsh public would like to see
:17:28. > :17:32.that. She gives the impression somehow that no ambulances are
:17:32. > :17:35.running. We have met our ambulance response times on most occasions
:17:35. > :17:40.during the course of the last year, and we continue to work to improve
:17:40. > :17:44.things where those targets fall short on occasion. The reality is,
:17:45. > :17:48.First Minister that, the Welsh Ambulance Trust missed your
:17:48. > :17:53.Government's 65% target in the summer, and I think we can be
:17:53. > :17:57.assured that when the results are published next they will miss it
:17:57. > :18:01.again. The Ambulance Trust, set a deadline of June this year, to
:18:01. > :18:07.finalise budget discussions. This has not happened and the chair of
:18:07. > :18:12.the trust stated publicly, at its board meeting on Friday, that this
:18:12. > :18:15.was because, and I quote "The intransigence of health boards and
:18:15. > :18:21.the unhelpfullness of your minister." Will you now personally
:18:21. > :18:26.intervene to set a budget, so that when the people of Wales ring 999
:18:26. > :18:30.they get the response they deserve? First I would accept the response
:18:30. > :18:34.is a bad response. If the person you mention felt like saying that
:18:34. > :18:39.publicly perhaps they would like to say that to ministers personally.
:18:39. > :18:46.It was at the board meeting. will test the rigorousness of that
:18:46. > :18:50.argument. What is the Welsh Government improve interface
:18:50. > :18:54.between health and social services? They will be reflected in the
:18:54. > :18:59.forthcoming associate Social Services bill, and they will be a
:18:59. > :19:03.important part of our reform plan set out in our White Paper. In my
:19:03. > :19:08.short debate last week on demsha, I outlined the problems faced by
:19:08. > :19:12.people with dementia, and their families after a hospital stay. And
:19:12. > :19:17.many people stay in hospital, long after their medical need have been
:19:17. > :19:23.met, because of the services that may or may not be available in the
:19:23. > :19:27.community. I wondered if the First Minister could tell us how health
:19:27. > :19:31.and Social Services are being encouraged to work together, more
:19:31. > :19:35.seemlessly so that people can get the service they need, you know,
:19:35. > :19:39.particularly at home, which is where they almost always want to be.
:19:39. > :19:45.Well, the Social Services of Wales bill will contain proposed powers
:19:45. > :19:51.to help promote the development of more integrated services in Wales.
:19:51. > :19:56.It will pool budgets and other flexibilitys. William Graham.
:19:56. > :20:00.Minister would you outline your Government's strategy to better
:20:00. > :20:05.provide child to adult services and remark whether this is a priority?
:20:05. > :20:10.We know it is important that there is seemlessness between child and
:20:10. > :20:14.adult Social Services, and the Social Services bill of course has
:20:15. > :20:18.as already outlined will create that, we have the integrated
:20:18. > :20:26.services framework which sets out expectation, in terms of progress
:20:26. > :20:29.as to the future. How will the new initiative contribute to a national
:20:30. > :20:32.strategy for health improvement, and in particular mental health
:20:32. > :20:36.imprisonment? Of course it is intended to supplement the work
:20:36. > :20:41.that is being already in order to improve social services in Wales,
:20:41. > :20:45.and with that, as with other things the intention is to create a
:20:45. > :20:52.seamless link between different parts of social service and between
:20:52. > :20:55.Social Services and health. Will the first minister make a statement
:20:55. > :20:59.on what the Welsh Government is doing to encourage economic growth.
:20:59. > :21:02.They are set out in the programme for Government. Thank you for that
:21:02. > :21:07.answer. First Minister, the emphasis you place on growth and
:21:07. > :21:10.the jobs is stark contrast to the no growth strategy we see from the
:21:10. > :21:14.UK Government, First Minister, do you share my view that the
:21:14. > :21:18.investment in education and training is the best route to a
:21:19. > :21:24.sustain tbl growth, and this should be reflected in any budget for
:21:24. > :21:28.growth? Well we, know that investment in skills and trainable
:21:28. > :21:32.is vital. That is why we have the young recruited programme and jobs
:21:32. > :21:37.growth Wales and the path twice apprenticeships programme as well.
:21:37. > :21:41.If we look at the economic statistics for the last qar te,
:21:41. > :21:50.although I understand it is one qar te, there are encouraging signs
:21:50. > :21:54.that the policys have having an effect. First Minister, accessed
:21:55. > :21:59.fast internet connection is essential to the growth of
:21:59. > :22:05.businesses in economic ly deprived years of Wales. The House of
:22:05. > :22:08.Commons Welsh affair committee recently, that Welsh economy is be
:22:09. > :22:13.damaged by poor broadband provision, the latest figure revealed that the
:22:13. > :22:17.gap between Wales and the rest of the UK has widened. Given that the
:22:17. > :22:24.Welsh government has a target to provide all Welsh businesses with
:22:24. > :22:27.access to next generation broadband, by the middle of 2016, will the
:22:27. > :22:35.First Minister confirm he is on track to meet the target, which
:22:35. > :22:38.will benefit the economy of areas such as south-east Wales. Yes.
:22:38. > :22:43.First Minister, I understand that Welsh Government officials have
:22:43. > :22:48.been in contact with the real crisp owners and I know their efforts
:22:48. > :22:51.very much appreciated. If if redundancies result from the
:22:51. > :22:56.drubbing destruction of the family by ar song, will you endeavour to
:22:56. > :23:01.put a retraining package in place for those workers that are
:23:01. > :23:05.affected? Yes, the first objective is to make thruer there is the
:23:05. > :23:09.earliest possible return to work at Real Crisps. What has been
:23:09. > :23:16.happening is officials have been looking to support the staff
:23:16. > :23:22.affected by the incident. I know thaip continue to laist with
:23:22. > :23:28.Jobcentre Plus. There is work taking place with the company, with
:23:28. > :23:33.us and the two afford mentioned organisations, but our immediate
:23:33. > :23:36.priority is to make sure that the facility resoap -- re-opens. We
:23:36. > :23:43.will have to put in as much support as we can to help people bridge
:23:43. > :23:48.that gap P Will the First Minister make a statement on local
:23:48. > :23:51.Government finances in Wales? a written statement was eschewed on
:23:51. > :23:55.16th October. Thank you. First Minister, it was reported by the
:23:55. > :24:02.BBC last week, that Local Authorities are increasingly being
:24:02. > :24:05.put under strain due to the costs associated with the processing
:24:05. > :24:10.Freedom of Information request. Would he join me in saying that
:24:10. > :24:15.Local Authorities should be encouraged to do more to increase
:24:15. > :24:21.transparency, and for example by publishing a great dealer more
:24:21. > :24:29.online and publishing more of their expenditure, in order to minimise
:24:29. > :24:33.the effects of burdens placed on the freedom of information requests.
:24:33. > :24:38.They are able to refuse freedom of information requests where it is
:24:38. > :24:40.assessed that the resources that would have to be de-- devoted to
:24:40. > :24:44.satisfying the request are excessive. That is something this
:24:44. > :24:54.Government has to put in place from time to time, and indeed local
:24:54. > :25:11.
:25:11. > :25:18.authorities are able do that if Transwhy can the minister for local
:25:18. > :25:25.Government cut �10 million of the County Council budgets, in order to
:25:25. > :25:28.give grants for collaboration. Does it penalise those council wos are
:25:28. > :25:32.already collaborating. I believe it sin credibly important there should
:25:32. > :25:37.be an incentive available in order to ensure collaboration between
:25:37. > :25:41.councils, bearing that in mind there has been an increase of 1.5%
:25:41. > :25:45.in the local Government budget, which is something, which is much
:25:45. > :25:55.greater than when you look at the financial position of the
:25:55. > :25:55.
:25:56. > :26:03.Government. Will the First Minister provide an update on the Welsh
:26:03. > :26:13.Government's plan to provide more PCSOs. All CSO ares expected to be
:26:13. > :26:15.
:26:15. > :26:19.deployed by September next year. The PCS brings a lot of support to
:26:19. > :26:22.patients and medical staff. Do you think say it difference between the
:26:22. > :26:28.Labour Government here and the Government of the Conservatives and
:26:28. > :26:33.liberals in London, where they are cutting police numbers and we
:26:33. > :26:36.increase PSO -- PCSOs? One of the main deterrents to crime is the
:26:36. > :26:40.presence of police in local community, so that people can see
:26:40. > :26:47.them, they are an effective deterrent. We have done our bit in
:26:47. > :26:51.ensuring we are financing CSOs, experienced teachers, in their
:26:51. > :26:59.local community, it's a shame of course that Police Funding has been
:26:59. > :27:01.cut which will have an effect on front line policing. First Minister,
:27:01. > :27:07.the Government's can I ask you to outline what consultation you had
:27:07. > :27:12.with our police forces the four of them in Wales, in allocations
:27:12. > :27:18.PCSOs? Did any of the forces request any alternative fundling
:27:18. > :27:21.options rather than investing into PCSOs as there maybe a danger of
:27:21. > :27:25.Government dictating the operational needs of police. There
:27:25. > :27:29.were no difficultty with miss force this is a commit O the Government
:27:29. > :27:33.that that is being implemented. I know all police forces in Wales
:27:33. > :27:43.would prefer to have a betle South Ossetiament, particularly from the
:27:43. > :27:49.
:27:49. > :27:52.Home Office. Ofrpblgts a bet er settlement. I welcome the
:27:52. > :27:59.announcement about this that has to be viewed in parallel with a
:27:59. > :28:08.reduction in the number of police officers so it doesn't add to the
:28:08. > :28:12.total number. But if I could ask you about the set up, considering
:28:12. > :28:19.the comment made about the pressure on local Government, are not going
:28:19. > :28:29.to make up the deficit, when council tax benefits are involved,
:28:29. > :28:31.
:28:31. > :28:41.how is that doing to impact on the preception snep Well, of cows,
:28:41. > :29:02.
:29:02. > :29:06.Mark Drakeford. Will he make a statement on the level of water
:29:06. > :29:13.debt? It is the result of customers not paying their water bills. The
:29:13. > :29:17.cost which has to be covered by all customers, the cost adds �15-�20 to
:29:17. > :29:21.every customer's bill. Thank you. The level of water debt in Wales
:29:21. > :29:25.and England had risen steadily as rises in prices have exceeded ryes
:29:25. > :29:29.in wages and in benefits. Companies waste a vast amount of money every
:29:29. > :29:35.year, in pursuing debt, among customers who have no chance at all
:29:35. > :29:40.of paying their bills and writing it off. An afford social tariff
:29:40. > :29:44.would be good for customers, are these ideas you will keep in mind
:29:45. > :29:51.in the were Government as a social tariff for water is being developed
:29:51. > :29:57.in Wales. Yes. We intend to publish the guidance in November. That aims
:29:57. > :30:05.to reduce charges for customers who are difficulties paying their bills.
:30:05. > :30:08.We are talking Abbottabad debt as well. Debt comes in many form,
:30:08. > :30:13.whether in the public or public sector. One of the issues many, all
:30:13. > :30:16.the health board are dealing with is the potential overspend they
:30:16. > :30:24.might have. Are you confident they will come in on budget, and will
:30:24. > :30:29.not have a debt to carry over into the next financial year? Water debt.
:30:29. > :30:39.Well... First Minister. I am not aware any local health board has
:30:39. > :30:49.
:30:49. > :30:53.TRANSLATION: INAUDIBLE Now, that is almost 55 million litres of water
:30:53. > :30:58.per annum. May I ask in that context nand the context of the
:30:58. > :31:02.question, what the Government is doing to ensure that water useage
:31:02. > :31:08.levels are reduced? There is a water strategy for Wales being
:31:08. > :31:18.developed at present, and that will be published. For consultation in
:31:18. > :31:36.
:31:37. > :31:43.As the First Minister knows, in order to ensure we have an
:31:43. > :31:53.integrated public transport system, and number of things need to happen.
:31:53. > :32:23.
:32:23. > :32:25.Transportation is an important factor in supporting people
:32:25. > :32:30.accessing our changing health services in Wales, and integration
:32:30. > :32:35.will become a major part of that. Well the Welsh Government
:32:35. > :32:38.prioritise systems providing better access to health services? Yes, as
:32:38. > :32:42.we seek to build a Welsh Health Service that has a number of
:32:42. > :32:46.centres of excellence, it is important that consideration is
:32:46. > :32:51.given to the ability to travel to them, and it is very much in the
:32:51. > :32:55.minds of both the Health and Social Services Minister and the minister
:32:55. > :33:00.for local government and transport. Suzy Davis. First Minister, the
:33:01. > :33:06.work on Swansea University's new campus begins next year. What
:33:06. > :33:10.discussions has you -- your university or -- your government
:33:10. > :33:13.had with the university and the City to improve integrated
:33:14. > :33:18.transport in the south and west Wales area generally? I had
:33:18. > :33:25.informal discussions when I went to the site to launch the new campus,
:33:25. > :33:29.and these are things, of course, but I will discuss. I went to the
:33:30. > :33:33.university and the local authority. There already exists the Swansea
:33:33. > :33:38.matches system which connects the university and the rest of the city
:33:38. > :33:41.as far north as Morriston Hospital. According to the programme for
:33:41. > :33:47.government, active travellers a key part of your approach to integrated
:33:47. > :33:56.transport, but your revenue budget for walking and cycling falls from
:33:56. > :33:59.�238,000 this year-215 the year after. How do you expect to deliver
:33:59. > :34:05.an active travel bill with zero Revenue? We want to encourage more
:34:05. > :34:08.people to walk and cycle and Wales. If there are any financial
:34:09. > :34:14.implications to be impatient -- implementation of the bill, they
:34:14. > :34:20.will be considered at the appropriate time. First Minister, I
:34:20. > :34:25.welcome your stated commitment to the South Wales network
:34:25. > :34:29.electrification especially given the -- potential for improvement in
:34:29. > :34:34.my constituency. We know rail infrastructure is not currently
:34:34. > :34:38.devolved. Can I ask have you discussed further investments plus
:34:38. > :34:43.electrification in an integrated system with the Secretary of State
:34:44. > :34:47.for Wales, and if you have, does he support this idea? I have not
:34:47. > :34:52.discussed the idea of the Metro with the secretary of state. We
:34:52. > :34:56.want to see that delivered first of all. There have been discussions
:34:56. > :35:00.regarding Wrexham and the North Wales main coast line. He has
:35:00. > :35:09.expressed his preference, but wishes to see those electrified,
:35:09. > :35:13.and we would seek to work with him in order for that to happen. Will
:35:13. > :35:23.the First Minister make a statement about health services in North
:35:23. > :35:27.
:35:27. > :35:33.You have said many times here that the safety of patients is that the
:35:33. > :35:40.root of the reconfiguration of the health service, and that creation
:35:40. > :35:46.of centres of excellence is that a heart of these changes, as he
:35:46. > :35:54.reiterated this afternoon. In my constituent, -- constituency, the
:35:54. > :36:01.decision is to retain the General Hospital. What discussions have you
:36:01. > :36:11.had with the board or its officials about these changes, which seemed
:36:11. > :36:12.
:36:12. > :36:22.We want to ensure that services are safe and as good as possible. At
:36:22. > :36:25.
:36:25. > :36:31.the moment, consultations are taking place. There will be a role
:36:31. > :36:36.for considering the situation once those consultations are completed.
:36:36. > :36:41.First Minister, you declined to answer my question last week on the
:36:41. > :36:46.proposals to transfer all neonatal services in North Wales to England.
:36:47. > :36:50.But unlike a health minister, you do not have any appeal functions in
:36:50. > :36:54.this matter. Were you at least recognise the fact that when
:36:54. > :36:58.Anglesey and Denbighshire have the highest infant mortality rates of
:36:58. > :37:02.any local authority in Wales, that closing existing neonatal services
:37:02. > :37:06.can only increase the risk to mothers and their babies in North
:37:07. > :37:11.Wales? Does the member not see that by saying that she makes the case
:37:11. > :37:15.for change? If it is as she says, that mortality rates are so high,
:37:15. > :37:19.keeping things as they are is not an option, that is blindingly
:37:19. > :37:24.obvious, I would suggest. I returned to the point that a
:37:24. > :37:34.consultation is taking place at the moment, and keeping things as they
:37:34. > :37:34.
:37:34. > :38:34.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 72 seconds
:38:34. > :38:40.are is unsatisfactory. A case she Will the First Minister make a
:38:40. > :38:49.statement on the way the Welsh Government has taken the equality
:38:49. > :38:53.impact assessment? Can I it welcome it as an important start in terms
:38:53. > :38:56.of dealing with this, however you will know there are weaknesses
:38:56. > :39:01.around that document, in particular if you go through the pages you
:39:01. > :39:06.won't find a single criticism of the Budget or negative statements
:39:06. > :39:13.about it despite for example comments around the country I would
:39:13. > :39:17.expect to be addressed as part of those. I know this is only just a
:39:17. > :39:21.start, but there is a clear indication from third sector in
:39:21. > :39:24.particular that up -- that whereas they want to see this continue,
:39:24. > :39:28.there needs to be a more independent way of assessing it,
:39:28. > :39:32.and in particular it needs to look at changing the Budget as the
:39:32. > :39:38.result of it. Will you address those views and try to do better
:39:38. > :39:42.next time? The Minister for Finance has announced the establishment of
:39:42. > :39:49.a budgetary advisory board which will focus on identifying and
:39:49. > :39:53.understanding the nature of inequality in Wales. The Welsh
:39:53. > :39:59.Government's inclusive design know it aims to put people at the heart
:39:59. > :40:03.of the design process in the way that ensures our public buildings
:40:03. > :40:07.accommodate users of all abilities. As part of the framework on
:40:07. > :40:11.independent living, it will be promoted across all departments of
:40:11. > :40:16.the Welsh Government as an example of good practice and I applaud that,
:40:16. > :40:19.but what plans does the Welsh Government have to promote its in
:40:19. > :40:24.other areas of the public sectors such as at the local authority
:40:24. > :40:34.level? We will seek to promoted as widely as possible and wanted to be
:40:34. > :40:37.as effective as possible. Just Lyn You no doubt recall voting in
:40:38. > :40:42.January 2002 for Pauline Jarman's legislation for children to have a
:40:42. > :40:46.second pair of glasses three as a measure to mitigate against their
:40:46. > :40:51.visual impairment. Can you tell us if it is still your policy to
:40:51. > :40:55.continue with this excellent scheme, and can you explain why a
:40:55. > :40:57.constituent of mine has been refused a second pair of glasses
:40:57. > :41:01.for the severely visually impaired little boy due to budget
:41:01. > :41:06.restrictions. The man board have to provide me with more details about
:41:06. > :41:13.the constituent -- member would have to, in order for me to
:41:13. > :41:18.We were leaked First Minister's Questions there, but you can see
:41:18. > :41:23.more coverage on the line from BBC Wales democracy live at
:41:24. > :41:28.bbc.co.uk/walespolitics. Watching that for as was our reporter, at
:41:28. > :41:34.Arwyn Jones, in the Senedd for us this afternoon. Pick as out some
:41:34. > :41:39.headlines from that session of questions. A bit of a mixed bag.
:41:39. > :41:43.Help predominating there, starting with Leanne Wood, -- health
:41:43. > :41:47.predominating. She referred to public criticism is by some Labour
:41:47. > :41:51.MPs of the Welsh Government's handling of the NHS in Wales. You
:41:51. > :41:55.get the feeling that there are sensing a chink in the political
:41:55. > :41:58.arm of the Welsh Government. They will expect the opposition parties
:41:58. > :42:02.in the Assembly to be critical in the handling of the NHS in Wales,
:42:02. > :42:07.but it is a different matter when Labour MPs criticise the government
:42:07. > :42:10.as well. Carwyn Jones's answer was short and swift, that it is a
:42:10. > :42:15.devolved matter and its members want to contribute to the
:42:15. > :42:19.consultation they're welcome to do so. Andrew RT Davies highlighted
:42:19. > :42:24.the Welsh Conservatives's launch of their plans, manifesto and report
:42:24. > :42:29.to give the High Street in Wales a boost. Carwyn Jones said they will
:42:29. > :42:33.make a statement later today about business rates relief. Kirsty
:42:33. > :42:36.Williams returned to help and talked about what Ambulance Trust.
:42:36. > :42:40.She highlighted disappointing figures from their point of view in
:42:40. > :42:46.terms of Ambler's arrival times, and said the welter Ambulance Trust
:42:46. > :42:50.have not managed to finalise their budgets despite setting a deadline
:42:50. > :42:54.of June this year. She also said the public Mick -- that in the
:42:54. > :42:57.public meeting, the chair had said that one of the reasons they
:42:57. > :43:01.haven't managed to balance their books was because the Welsh Health
:43:01. > :43:06.Minister, Lesley Griffiths, wasn't being helpful, so perhaps one to
:43:06. > :43:11.keep an eye on there. There was also a question from Mark Drakeford
:43:11. > :43:15.about the events in Cardiff, which brought the chamber together. They
:43:15. > :43:20.were all in agreement over tragic events in South and North Wales
:43:21. > :43:25.last week. Mark Drakeford picked it up, and Leanne Wood and Andrew RT
:43:25. > :43:28.Davies mentioned the events of Friday in particular, and I think
:43:28. > :43:31.Carwyn Jones expressed the this sense of all the Assembly Members,
:43:31. > :43:37.passing on their sympathies and thoughts for the families of those
:43:37. > :43:42.affected. Thank you for joining us. That's all we have time for. There