23/10/2012 am.pm

Good afternoon. Welcome to the programme and a weekly cover of

questions to the First Minister. There are lots of questions on

health service and how the Assembly is funded and the state of a

council's finances. Hopefully we will get answer to those questions

in a moment, but firstly if you want to get in touch to comment on

anything on the programme, you can Proceedings have started in the

Senedd, but we will take you back now to the beginning of First

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 72 seconds

Mark Drakeford. The health impact of events in Cardiff on Friday

afternoon will be profound and long-lasting. Thank you for putting

on record the immediate concerns of the Welsh Government for those

caught up in that. Do you agree that over the weeks and months to

come, contribution of core services in schools, social service and

housing will be vitally important in assisting individuals, families

and whole communities in Cardiff to deal with the health impact of what

has taken place. I thanked the Member for raising

this issue. We were all deeply shocked with events in Cardiff at

the end of last week, and in Prestatyn. I know Ann Jones, Julie

Morgan and Mark Drakeford have made their views known on these issues,

and offered their condolences to the families involved. It is an

exceptionally traumatic series of incidents that took place and the

government won two of our deep condolences to those affected, and

offer any help we can for the future. There is a limit to what I

can say given the fact that proceedings are ongoing, but

nevertheless I would like to put on record my thanks to all the

emergency services involved. The response they made and that of the

wider community in the support they gave to the families affected.

Simon Thomas. In the last year according to South

Wales Police, there has been an increase of 165 per cent in

offences involving method drone in Wales, and this drug is having an

effect on young people. My constituency is in the hot spot in

Wales for usage, and your own is number three. As responsibility for

drug prevention rests with the ministry's -- Minister for

communities and local government, we work within government to insure

looking at this drug in particular and support in local campaigns to

get rid of the use of this drug and educate young Rea -- young people

about its real dangers. We work very hard to ensure people know the

dangers of all classes of drugs and reduce their abuse. I've visited

the centre in your constituency which provides help for those

wishing to put drugs behind them and I was impressed with the work

carried out. Julie Morgan. The day after the incidents that Mark

Drakeford referred to in Cardiff last week, I was able to visit the

accident and emergency units in the Heath Hospital in Cardiff North,

where all the victims were taken. Will the First Minister join me in

congratulating all the staff at the unit, including the ambulance staff,

for the way they responded to a traumatic situation, and they

implemented for the first time on such a large scale, an emergency

protocol in which all the trauma equipment was brought to the

accident and emergency department and it was closed to other

admissions. Yes, I would. I would like to praise, once again, the

fantastic efforts of all the emergency services who were

involved, not just in the incident in Cardiff but also in Prestatyn.

It is impossible to predict an incident such as this. I recall a

similar one in the late Eighties or early Nineties, when something

similar happened. It is difficult to rationalise in a case like this

as well, but I have no doubt that the work carried out by all the

emergency services helped to make a difficult and dangerous position

better, and to mitigate the effects of what happened that day, so where

more than happy, as I am sure all members are, to thank the emergency

services for their work. Rebecca Evans. First Minister, a new report

today, a UK White report, found many GPs did not know how to

support young people who self-harm, and many say they have not had

training specific to self harm. How will you seek to remedy this?

have a National Accident Plan -- national plan to reduce self-harm

and suicide. We are working closely with the Samaritans in order to

actions suicide and self-harm prevention initiatives. Question 2,

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 72 seconds

Nick Ramsay. Simon Thomas has stolen my thunder on this question.

It is very important following on from the member's question, I am

sure you would agree, First Minister, that it is important that

you reconfirm your support for the Silk Commission, which today has

received cross-party support with concern for one of the members of

the commission. Could you tell us who the Labour Party's new

representative will be on the commission? Information will be

available on that shortly and it will be someone very experienced.

We fully support the process and look forward to the recommendations

been implemented, certainly part one as soon as possible, certainly

after the next general election, and part to in due course with the

passage of a new government of Wales Bill. We now move to

questions for the party leaders, and first we have the leader of

Plaid Cymru, Leanne Wood. I would like to first place on record Plaid

Cymru's condolences to those families affected by the tragic

events of this weekend in the north and south of the country, and also

to thank the emergency services. Your colleague, Chris Bryant, wrote

an open letter to contact local health board expressing his

concerns about reduction in accident and emergency services in

South Wales. He writes: "those at the top end of the Rhondda Valley

could be facing a one-way journey to hospital of significantly more

than an hour from one an ambulance is requested, which I regard as

excessive and unacceptable." Can you tell us what you would regard

as excessive and unacceptable? is representing his views in a

consultation process as he probably should as a Member of Parliament.

asked what you think, and he is a member of your party. Another of

your colleagues, Peter Hain, said in last week's Western Mail, that

local ambulance services are underdressed -- desperate pressure

in a story which he claimed emergency response times are being

missed because many stations in south Wales either remain closed or

are open went -- with virtually no staff. Is there any truth to his

accusations? We are talking about devolved issues here, and the Welsh

Government runs a health service which allows people access to

services which are as local and safe as possible. In an emergency

situation, prompt treatment is the difference between life and death.

Plaid Cymru wants to see our accident and emergency network open,

and we will look to update our ambit -- upgrade our ambulance

services rather than keep a ambulance stations close. The

criticisms are a outlined our public ones of your policy from

your own party, and show a gap in my view between vision and delivery.

How can you assure people that increase journey times to hospital

as a result of your government's reconfiguration of the health

service will not put people at risk? You seem confused on this,

because we know already there are centres in South Wales where people

are taking with particular conditions already. Or are you

saying people shouldn't be taken to Morriston hospital with burns but

the local accident and emergency unit? Prompt treatment is important,

but by the right people is also important. Any doctor will tell you

that. Questions to the leader of the opposition. I too would like to

join in the sentiments expressed by many members around the chamber

this afternoon about the pure evil that visited the streets of Cardiff

on Friday and the consequences wrought on many in his -- innocent

people as they went about their everyday lives, and the issue in

North Wales over the tragic house fire that claimed four lives. I

want to take a little further in saying that on the weekend Wales

has had a couple of bleak weeks. We had the abduction of April Jones

and in North Wales of the better research in, and these events over

the weekend. Sadly, Wales was leading the headlines for all the

wrong reasons this weekend. We are a proud country of communities that

look after people, and I think it is important that today that

message comes, that despite these horrors, we have much to be very

proud of in this country and stand by people who fall on very

difficult times, and these aren't a true picture of what Wales is about.

I look forward to the First Minister joining those sentiments.

I don't think the leader of the opposition said anything I could

disagree with. Thank you for that. Yesterday, we launched a proposal

for high-street regeneration in Paris, and many high streets across

Wales are key civic pride indicators. If you have a vibrant

high streets, people have a view of what the Committee of what -- what

the community feel about the high street and the businesses on it.

What is your view on the support your government is bringing forward

for many small businesses facing very tough climate sat the moment

for trading, with declining fought for and spend in the shops? As the

leader of the opposition knows, in a statement following my questions

regarding business rates... I am a little disappointed in that answer

because it is not just about business rates that you could offer

support. This document envisioned for the Welsh High Street, touching

on many examples about developing a night-time strategy, business rates

and planning process, General regeneration, and a third of a

council areas don't even have High Street managers to co-ordinate

their approach to regeneration within their own areas. There is

much in this document to be commended. It has the backing of

the FSB and many other organisations, but I commend it to

you so that many of the easy hits that could be delivered here with

key targets to help regenerate our high streets could offer respite

from the current difficult financial trading assistant --

situations many face, could be adopted by your government, and I

would look forward to working with your government to bring those to

reality so we can work with small businesses which make up 99 per

cent of the business community in Wales. We will have caused study

any proposal with interest. You need to understand that the major

issue facing the high street is the fall in fought for, as you say. --

fought for all. We do know many small shops are under pressure, not

just from supermarkets but the internet. Some have prospered

because their online sales are far greater than their high street

sales, and they are effectively able to use one to support the

other. There are two issues we need to address. Firstly, some high

streets are doing better than others, Cowbridge is doing very

well for example, and its profile is higher than many other parts of

Wales. But secondly, we give consideration to the fact that the

high street has a different mix of businesses in the future. Shopping

habits have changed. That means we look at how we create a mix of

cafes, businesses, retail outlets as well, in order to ensure the

vibrancy of a town centres in First Minister, last week there was

a great deal of concern expressed, not just been Peter Hain, but by

staff of the Ambulance Trust of the huge pressure that organisation was

under. Could you tell me what budget has been set for the

Ambulance Trust this year? Well, as the leader of the Liberal Democrats,

as the draft budget statement has been put in place, and there will

be work done in the next few months in going through the budget in

detail. As the First Minister, I am sure know, there is no distinct

line in the Welsh budget for the Ambulance Trust. The reason he

can't find the answer in his file is that six months into this

financial year, no budget has been set for the Ambulance Trust. The

uncertainty, as a result of that means that the well Ambulance Trust

is unable to meet the Government's own response time target, and

people are being put at risk. First Minister, is that any way to run an

emergency service in the 21st snenth If the leader of the Liberal

Democrats has any suggestion or evidence that people are being put

at risk, I am sure ourselves and the Welsh public would like to see

that. She gives the impression somehow that no ambulances are

running. We have met our ambulance response times on most occasions

during the course of the last year, and we continue to work to improve

things where those targets fall short on occasion. The reality is,

First Minister that, the Welsh Ambulance Trust missed your

Government's 65% target in the summer, and I think we can be

assured that when the results are published next they will miss it

again. The Ambulance Trust, set a deadline of June this year, to

finalise budget discussions. This has not happened and the chair of

the trust stated publicly, at its board meeting on Friday, that this

was because, and I quote "The intransigence of health boards and

the unhelpfullness of your minister." Will you now personally

intervene to set a budget, so that when the people of Wales ring 999

they get the response they deserve? First I would accept the response

is a bad response. If the person you mention felt like saying that

publicly perhaps they would like to say that to ministers personally.

It was at the board meeting. will test the rigorousness of that

argument. What is the Welsh Government improve interface

between health and social services? They will be reflected in the

forthcoming associate Social Services bill, and they will be a

important part of our reform plan set out in our White Paper. In my

short debate last week on demsha, I outlined the problems faced by

people with dementia, and their families after a hospital stay. And

many people stay in hospital, long after their medical need have been

met, because of the services that may or may not be available in the

community. I wondered if the First Minister could tell us how health

and Social Services are being encouraged to work together, more

seemlessly so that people can get the service they need, you know,

particularly at home, which is where they almost always want to be.

Well, the Social Services of Wales bill will contain proposed powers

to help promote the development of more integrated services in Wales.

It will pool budgets and other flexibilitys. William Graham.

Minister would you outline your Government's strategy to better

provide child to adult services and remark whether this is a priority?

We know it is important that there is seemlessness between child and

adult Social Services, and the Social Services bill of course has

as already outlined will create that, we have the integrated

services framework which sets out expectation, in terms of progress

as to the future. How will the new initiative contribute to a national

strategy for health improvement, and in particular mental health

imprisonment? Of course it is intended to supplement the work

that is being already in order to improve social services in Wales,

and with that, as with other things the intention is to create a

seamless link between different parts of social service and between

Social Services and health. Will the first minister make a statement

on what the Welsh Government is doing to encourage economic growth.

They are set out in the programme for Government. Thank you for that

answer. First Minister, the emphasis you place on growth and

the jobs is stark contrast to the no growth strategy we see from the

UK Government, First Minister, do you share my view that the

investment in education and training is the best route to a

sustain tbl growth, and this should be reflected in any budget for

growth? Well we, know that investment in skills and trainable

is vital. That is why we have the young recruited programme and jobs

growth Wales and the path twice apprenticeships programme as well.

If we look at the economic statistics for the last qar te,

although I understand it is one qar te, there are encouraging signs

that the policys have having an effect. First Minister, accessed

fast internet connection is essential to the growth of

businesses in economic ly deprived years of Wales. The House of

Commons Welsh affair committee recently, that Welsh economy is be

damaged by poor broadband provision, the latest figure revealed that the

gap between Wales and the rest of the UK has widened. Given that the

Welsh government has a target to provide all Welsh businesses with

access to next generation broadband, by the middle of 2016, will the

First Minister confirm he is on track to meet the target, which

will benefit the economy of areas such as south-east Wales. Yes.

First Minister, I understand that Welsh Government officials have

been in contact with the real crisp owners and I know their efforts

very much appreciated. If if redundancies result from the

drubbing destruction of the family by ar song, will you endeavour to

put a retraining package in place for those workers that are

affected? Yes, the first objective is to make thruer there is the

earliest possible return to work at Real Crisps. What has been

happening is officials have been looking to support the staff

affected by the incident. I know thaip continue to laist with

Jobcentre Plus. There is work taking place with the company, with

us and the two afford mentioned organisations, but our immediate

priority is to make sure that the facility resoap -- re-opens. We

will have to put in as much support as we can to help people bridge

that gap P Will the First Minister make a statement on local

Government finances in Wales? a written statement was eschewed on

16th October. Thank you. First Minister, it was reported by the

BBC last week, that Local Authorities are increasingly being

put under strain due to the costs associated with the processing

Freedom of Information request. Would he join me in saying that

Local Authorities should be encouraged to do more to increase

transparency, and for example by publishing a great dealer more

online and publishing more of their expenditure, in order to minimise

the effects of burdens placed on the freedom of information requests.

They are able to refuse freedom of information requests where it is

assessed that the resources that would have to be de-- devoted to

satisfying the request are excessive. That is something this

Government has to put in place from time to time, and indeed local

authorities are able do that if Transwhy can the minister for local

Government cut �10 million of the County Council budgets, in order to

give grants for collaboration. Does it penalise those council wos are

already collaborating. I believe it sin credibly important there should

be an incentive available in order to ensure collaboration between

councils, bearing that in mind there has been an increase of 1.5%

in the local Government budget, which is something, which is much

greater than when you look at the financial position of the

Government. Will the First Minister provide an update on the Welsh

Government's plan to provide more PCSOs. All CSO ares expected to be

deployed by September next year. The PCS brings a lot of support to

patients and medical staff. Do you think say it difference between the

Labour Government here and the Government of the Conservatives and

liberals in London, where they are cutting police numbers and we

increase PSO -- PCSOs? One of the main deterrents to crime is the

presence of police in local community, so that people can see

them, they are an effective deterrent. We have done our bit in

ensuring we are financing CSOs, experienced teachers, in their

local community, it's a shame of course that Police Funding has been

cut which will have an effect on front line policing. First Minister,

the Government's can I ask you to outline what consultation you had

with our police forces the four of them in Wales, in allocations

PCSOs? Did any of the forces request any alternative fundling

options rather than investing into PCSOs as there maybe a danger of

Government dictating the operational needs of police. There

were no difficultty with miss force this is a commit O the Government

that that is being implemented. I know all police forces in Wales

would prefer to have a betle South Ossetiament, particularly from the

Home Office. Ofrpblgts a bet er settlement. I welcome the

announcement about this that has to be viewed in parallel with a

reduction in the number of police officers so it doesn't add to the

total number. But if I could ask you about the set up, considering

the comment made about the pressure on local Government, are not going

to make up the deficit, when council tax benefits are involved,

how is that doing to impact on the preception snep Well, of cows,

Mark Drakeford. Will he make a statement on the level of water

debt? It is the result of customers not paying their water bills. The

cost which has to be covered by all customers, the cost adds �15-�20 to

every customer's bill. Thank you. The level of water debt in Wales

and England had risen steadily as rises in prices have exceeded ryes

in wages and in benefits. Companies waste a vast amount of money every

year, in pursuing debt, among customers who have no chance at all

of paying their bills and writing it off. An afford social tariff

would be good for customers, are these ideas you will keep in mind

in the were Government as a social tariff for water is being developed

in Wales. Yes. We intend to publish the guidance in November. That aims

to reduce charges for customers who are difficulties paying their bills.

We are talking Abbottabad debt as well. Debt comes in many form,

whether in the public or public sector. One of the issues many, all

the health board are dealing with is the potential overspend they

might have. Are you confident they will come in on budget, and will

not have a debt to carry over into the next financial year? Water debt.

Well... First Minister. I am not aware any local health board has

TRANSLATION: INAUDIBLE Now, that is almost 55 million litres of water

per annum. May I ask in that context nand the context of the

question, what the Government is doing to ensure that water useage

levels are reduced? There is a water strategy for Wales being

developed at present, and that will be published. For consultation in

As the First Minister knows, in order to ensure we have an

integrated public transport system, and number of things need to happen.

Transportation is an important factor in supporting people

accessing our changing health services in Wales, and integration

will become a major part of that. Well the Welsh Government

prioritise systems providing better access to health services? Yes, as

we seek to build a Welsh Health Service that has a number of

centres of excellence, it is important that consideration is

given to the ability to travel to them, and it is very much in the

minds of both the Health and Social Services Minister and the minister

for local government and transport. Suzy Davis. First Minister, the

work on Swansea University's new campus begins next year. What

discussions has you -- your university or -- your government

had with the university and the City to improve integrated

transport in the south and west Wales area generally? I had

informal discussions when I went to the site to launch the new campus,

and these are things, of course, but I will discuss. I went to the

university and the local authority. There already exists the Swansea

matches system which connects the university and the rest of the city

as far north as Morriston Hospital. According to the programme for

government, active travellers a key part of your approach to integrated

transport, but your revenue budget for walking and cycling falls from

�238,000 this year-215 the year after. How do you expect to deliver

an active travel bill with zero Revenue? We want to encourage more

people to walk and cycle and Wales. If there are any financial

implications to be impatient -- implementation of the bill, they

will be considered at the appropriate time. First Minister, I

welcome your stated commitment to the South Wales network

electrification especially given the -- potential for improvement in

my constituency. We know rail infrastructure is not currently

devolved. Can I ask have you discussed further investments plus

electrification in an integrated system with the Secretary of State

for Wales, and if you have, does he support this idea? I have not

discussed the idea of the Metro with the secretary of state. We

want to see that delivered first of all. There have been discussions

regarding Wrexham and the North Wales main coast line. He has

expressed his preference, but wishes to see those electrified,

and we would seek to work with him in order for that to happen. Will

the First Minister make a statement about health services in North

You have said many times here that the safety of patients is that the

root of the reconfiguration of the health service, and that creation

of centres of excellence is that a heart of these changes, as he

reiterated this afternoon. In my constituent, -- constituency, the

decision is to retain the General Hospital. What discussions have you

had with the board or its officials about these changes, which seemed

We want to ensure that services are safe and as good as possible. At

the moment, consultations are taking place. There will be a role

for considering the situation once those consultations are completed.

First Minister, you declined to answer my question last week on the

proposals to transfer all neonatal services in North Wales to England.

But unlike a health minister, you do not have any appeal functions in

this matter. Were you at least recognise the fact that when

Anglesey and Denbighshire have the highest infant mortality rates of

any local authority in Wales, that closing existing neonatal services

can only increase the risk to mothers and their babies in North

Wales? Does the member not see that by saying that she makes the case

for change? If it is as she says, that mortality rates are so high,

keeping things as they are is not an option, that is blindingly

obvious, I would suggest. I returned to the point that a

consultation is taking place at the moment, and keeping things as they

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 72 seconds

are is unsatisfactory. A case she Will the First Minister make a

statement on the way the Welsh Government has taken the equality

impact assessment? Can I it welcome it as an important start in terms

of dealing with this, however you will know there are weaknesses

around that document, in particular if you go through the pages you

won't find a single criticism of the Budget or negative statements

about it despite for example comments around the country I would

expect to be addressed as part of those. I know this is only just a

start, but there is a clear indication from third sector in

particular that up -- that whereas they want to see this continue,

there needs to be a more independent way of assessing it,

and in particular it needs to look at changing the Budget as the

result of it. Will you address those views and try to do better

next time? The Minister for Finance has announced the establishment of

a budgetary advisory board which will focus on identifying and

understanding the nature of inequality in Wales. The Welsh

Government's inclusive design know it aims to put people at the heart

of the design process in the way that ensures our public buildings

accommodate users of all abilities. As part of the framework on

independent living, it will be promoted across all departments of

the Welsh Government as an example of good practice and I applaud that,

but what plans does the Welsh Government have to promote its in

other areas of the public sectors such as at the local authority

level? We will seek to promoted as widely as possible and wanted to be

as effective as possible. Just Lyn You no doubt recall voting in

January 2002 for Pauline Jarman's legislation for children to have a

second pair of glasses three as a measure to mitigate against their

visual impairment. Can you tell us if it is still your policy to

continue with this excellent scheme, and can you explain why a

constituent of mine has been refused a second pair of glasses

for the severely visually impaired little boy due to budget

restrictions. The man board have to provide me with more details about

the constituent -- member would have to, in order for me to

We were leaked First Minister's Questions there, but you can see

more coverage on the line from BBC Wales democracy live at

bbc.co.uk/walespolitics. Watching that for as was our reporter, at

Arwyn Jones, in the Senedd for us this afternoon. Pick as out some

headlines from that session of questions. A bit of a mixed bag.

Help predominating there, starting with Leanne Wood, -- health

predominating. She referred to public criticism is by some Labour

MPs of the Welsh Government's handling of the NHS in Wales. You

get the feeling that there are sensing a chink in the political

arm of the Welsh Government. They will expect the opposition parties

in the Assembly to be critical in the handling of the NHS in Wales,

but it is a different matter when Labour MPs criticise the government

as well. Carwyn Jones's answer was short and swift, that it is a

devolved matter and its members want to contribute to the

consultation they're welcome to do so. Andrew RT Davies highlighted

the Welsh Conservatives's launch of their plans, manifesto and report

to give the High Street in Wales a boost. Carwyn Jones said they will

make a statement later today about business rates relief. Kirsty

Williams returned to help and talked about what Ambulance Trust.

She highlighted disappointing figures from their point of view in

terms of Ambler's arrival times, and said the welter Ambulance Trust

have not managed to finalise their budgets despite setting a deadline

of June this year. She also said the public Mick -- that in the

public meeting, the chair had said that one of the reasons they

haven't managed to balance their books was because the Welsh Health

Minister, Lesley Griffiths, wasn't being helpful, so perhaps one to

keep an eye on there. There was also a question from Mark Drakeford

about the events in Cardiff, which brought the chamber together. They

were all in agreement over tragic events in South and North Wales

last week. Mark Drakeford picked it up, and Leanne Wood and Andrew RT

Davies mentioned the events of Friday in particular, and I think

Carwyn Jones expressed the this sense of all the Assembly Members,

passing on their sympathies and thoughts for the families of those

affected. Thank you for joining us. That's all we have time for. There