25/09/2012 am.pm

Good afternoon. Welcome to am.pm. It's the first day of the new

Assembly term today and after a three month recess, I'm sure our

elected members are feeling refreshed and ready to go, as are

we here on am.pm. We'll get to see them in action during First

Minister's Questions shortly and we'll also speak to our political

reporter Brian Meechan, too. Before all of that, I'll give you

the opportunity to get in touch with us if you want to comment on

anything on the programme or any other political news, for that

matter. You can reach us via Twitter @walespolitics. Or send us

Twitter @walespolitics. Or send us Twitter @walespolitics. Or send us

an email at [email protected]. Business is already underway in the

chamber, but let's take a look now at today's questions to the First

The the the first question is from Joyce Watson. Were the First

Minister provide an update on a review of qualifications for 14-19

year-olds. The review board intends to submit its final report in

November. I thank the deputy minister forced skills for his

minister -- his statement last week. You not think that the considered

review going on that involves listening to parents, schools,

colleges, employers and young people is in marked contrast to a

unilateral announcements coming from Westminster and that narrow

minded fixation with creating more school failures that has fuelled

the GCSE fiasco. You will know that on Friday 21st September, an

unprecedented group of educational bodies started a legal challenge

over the GCSEs in England. Are you coming to the question? Has Nick

Clegg got it wrong on education again and the do you think he

should say he is so, so sorry? Minister in Wales, Leighton Andrews,

took the right decision following a report that was repaired by

officials. I'm sure students here appreciate the fact that fairness

has been put into action. Can I remind members that we are

looking for short, sharp questions this term. That includes everybody.

Angela Burns. My question to you is, would you ask the Minister for

Education if he would consider the qualifications review looking at

the whole issue of whether or not we are to have an independent

regulator for whatever qualification cities that the

review brings forward. What is clear to me that in Wales, the

system worked and when in England, it did not. Further evidence is

provided by the fact that a review is taking place of the regulator

and in -- Road later in England and there is no such revered taking

place in Wales. Will the Government retained a similar manner system of

GCSEs in Wales. What would your Government do? We are awaiting the

submission of that report. But will be ready in November and ministers

will then look at the conclusions of the report and come to decisions

from there. A number of statements were made but qualifications over

the summer. The deputy minister in considering the review has stated

that any decision will be based on evidence. Will you ensure as a

Government that that evidence will be available to all members across

the Chamber so that we can also consider the recommendations from

the review. We will do a our best and there will be an opportunity

for members to ensure that they do have an opportunity to consider the

plans after the report has been published. This minster, you may be

aware of Commons made by the Chief Inspector of Ofsted that the

obvious gap in English back proposals is the lack of any

serious proposal for discussion about the Catia are qualifications.

Can he confirm that the era Verschueren Wales will deliver a

meaningful pathway for Vocational qualifications. The review of

qualifications has consulted widely on the future of the British are

qualifications. The early indication we have of the analysis

suggests there is a need to address both the rigour and the purpose of

vocational qualifications and that analysis will inform ministers the

decisions on the future of qualifications in Wales.

TRANSLATION: How does the Welsh Government hope to solve staffing

problems in the Welsh NHS? We are introducing a new planning

framework for the NHS than those which will support the NHS in

delivering sustainable services. We expect all NHS organisations to

develop a robust reinforce plans with opportunities for innovative

ways of working to support its delivery. Do you agree with me that

medical colleges in Wales have a possibility of train and to deliver

a number of medical staff for NHS was in a future. We have launched a

campaign to attract more medical staff into Wales. But does not been

held that the visa rules have been changed. There are fewer workers

from abroad considering Wales as an option. Depending on those people,

it is very important, of course, that the medical colleges to ensure

that services are delivered in a way that is safe. I think that is

something the public would expect for the future. The RCN has warned

that community nurses in Wales are overburdened and spending less time

with patients on they are concerned that vulnerable patients could face

being discharged from hospital before Clint to care is in place.

How why you ensuring that health boards investor and community

nursing to ensure care is available. We have been focusing on committee

nursing. A group was set up in 2009 and three outcomes of the group

have been, for example, the improvement of chronic disease

management, the development of seen as care and also continuing

education in the sense that educational community nurses has

improved. We now have who modules for staff nurses to upgrade their

knowledge and skills. Do you accept that one of the reasons we have got

stopping problems in the Welsh NHS is because of the very poor

workforce planning by successive Labour lead administrations over

the years in Wales. Two also accept that the uncertainty of the

hospital services is a major contributory factor to the problems

that we are experiencing? They have been a recruitment problems for the

best part of 20 years. That has affected governments of either

party. We are putting steps in place to resolve those problems.

They have been made worse by your Government's decision to restrict

visas. That does not help in terms of attracting doctors into the UK.

We also see what is happening in England, where there is now what it

-- an admission that NHS funding has not been ring-fenced, I am sure

that people in those will value the fact that they live in Wales where

the NHS is treasured. You will know that the decision to change the

visa regime was made by the last Labour Government, not by the

current Government. Nevertheless, it has been indicated in

conversations I have had had the UK Government that there are

mechanisms in which you can't recruit from overseas. -- you can.

We you engage about the situation in East and Tarbet wearing a major

part of my agent is deprived of a local access to it do you to

medicine and with a major impact on Morriston and Bridgend in terms of

people having to wait longer to be seen in accident and emergency.

difficulty was that they tried hard to recruit doctors. They had an

interview process. Some of the people shortlisted did not turn up

and there was very difficult to recruit the right medical staff

with a proper qualifications. We saw what was decided. With that in

mind, we have to make sure our health services are as accessible

and as safe as possible. That means, of course, there will be occasions

when it is difficult to recruit doctors in some areas to ensure

services are organised for the benefit of patients. Let's have

questions from the Leader of the Opposition.

In the first four months of this financial year, several health

boards have run up considerate deficits. All these on a year that

your Government is insisting they make some to �2 million worth of

savings, �68 million worth in one case and �45 million worth in

another case. There is a real financial storm happening within

the Welsh NHS. Is it still your Government's contention that you

will insist that local health boards can in on budget or will you

be offering them the end of year flexibility like you did last year?

Where they are just slightly short on budget, we will help them.

Bearing in mind the situation in England is that many health boards

are close to by Chris -- bankruptcy. I will make it clear, we expect

them to come in on target. But they are slightly short, we will look to

see what we can do to help, but I want to make it absolutely clear

that they must be just short of the target. From the answer, I would

suggest you have given some flexibility to local health boards.

Euro Health Minister said that she will not to bail them out this year.

I think the record would show that you were now offering them a degree

of flexibility. When you listen to Tina Donovan, who are saying that

ticket services face collapse this winter because of the pressures

they are under an integer run Chief Medical Officer in August of this

year highlighted the enormous pressure that accident and

emergency is under across the whole of Wales, do not think it is time

that there was better leadership coming from the Welsh Government in

working covertly with local health boards to do with these issues and

to take on any real concerns that people are flagging up time and

time again. You cannot have it both ways. You cannot say on the one

hand so that more money should be spent on health and then when we

try to happen, he says we should not have them. He cannot have it

both ways. We have done the best we to insure people in Wales had the

best service possible in an era of Tory and slip them cuts. A isn't it

amazing that he there reverts to England rather than her except in

his responsibility and we have said time and time again, the only way

you will deliver a safe, sustainable services in Wales to

the health service is to protect the health budget. It is you that

is taking �538 million out of the health service. It is your Health

Minister that is saying to people that they have to come in on

budgets. We have no problem with you make any money available that

endorses our position. When we look at the doctors and medical position

that many hospitals are finding themselves in, shouting minor

injuries in one hospital for example, other hospitals having to

shut wards for two weeks over the summer, there is a real issue about

your Government's ability to attract doctors into Wales to work

in a Welsh hospitals. Why is it that you say there is a tidal wave

of doctors' waiting to get out of the English NHS to wickedly Welsh

NHS won so many vacancies exist within the Welsh NHS and local

services are being shut? Are you not hoodwinking the communities

across Wales who depend on these key services? One of the biggest

deceptions practised by the party opposite is to divorce themselves

with what is happening in the UK level. They are financed by the UK

Treasury. Our funding has been cut substantially and we have to cut

our cloth. He has been demanding we do it and what we have done is we

have protected the health budget as best we can, whereas his party,

let's remember, his party wanted to cuts education spending by 20% and

to cut local Government spending, or at a time when hard-pressed

families were finding it difficult to make ends meet. The party of tax

rises, the party of tax people that of finding it difficult at the

moment and the party that practices the biggest deception on the barge

people. -- Welsh people. As a fellow trade unionists, I am sure

that you would agree with me that the broad range and variety of

trade unions in Wales should be seen as an asset, particularly when

we are planning a frontline services at this difficult economic

time. Can you tell us what mechanisms your Government has in

place to ensure that all voices argued within the decision-making

process. We consult widely with the trade unions. We value them as

social partners. Whenever there are discussions regarding the future of

a service, we end of the unions because we know they are run

important part of the decision- making process. Plaid Cymru believe

that all trade unions and professional bodies have a role to

play in ensuring that the expertise of staff involves decision making

forever possible. The workforce partnership council is a good

example of this. I wonder if you can tell us how you would ensure

that the workforce partnership council will contain a diverse

range of abuse representing unions, both in sides the traditional trade

union structure and those outside, The the does represent a wide range

of views. There is a trade-off between involving as many

organisations as possible without involving so many that the whole

council becomes unwieldy. Thank you, First Minister. We know

from your Green Paper that you are considering giving legislation to

give a statutory footing to decision made by the work

partnership council. If the council is to be strengthened, it is

essential that the membership reflects the whole of the public

sector and the trade union movement. A Plaid Cymru Government would

ensure the council is representative of the whole of the

public sector workforce including non-trade union bodies including

the RCN which represents 25% of the NHS workforce. Can you now reassure

us this afternoon that organisations like the RCN and the

BMA won't be excluded from your workforce partnership council?

Well, the RCN wanted to be part of the council for sometime. They told

you that. The difficulty is that if you have one or two more bodies on

and there are others who want to be part of it and soon the whole thing

becomes unwieldy. What is important, is there is there is sufficient

consultation with those not directly members of the workship

partnership council and that's something we stride to do.

First Minister, could you update the assembly as to exactly how many

doctors, in what specialities and to which hospitals you have

recruited? Those figures will be made available as the campaign

progresses. It has not been in place for a great length of time

yet. I take it First Minister, that you

simply don't know how many doctors you have recruited. We have had a

summer of headlines where hospital units had to close close because of

a lack of medical staff, in the royal Glamorgan hospital, we have

seen mental health facilities close all because of a lack of medical

doctors for a very long time you said that the Labour Party want to

create a world-class Health Service in Wales. How much longer will we

have to wait for that world-class service and to see adequate numbers

of doctors working in our hospitals?

The shamble your party created in England. As far as Wales is

concerned, it is the case there are issues regarding medical

recruitment that have been in force for sometime. The colleges

increasingly want doctors to work in larger groups and that's a new

development. Also doctors want to work in larger centres. This is

something that's been made to -- a point point made to many times. We

took the view that we would launch a campaign to recruit doctors into

Wales and we expect that campaign to succeed.

First Minister, that campaign was started a number of months ago and

you are unable to tell this assembly how many additional staff

have been recruited. You say that doctors want to come and work in

larger units. Over the summer a number of boards have con out to --

gone out to consultation on that plan to create larger units, but

their plans will only be able to be delivered if they recruit more

doctors and one hospital will need an additional nine consultants.

Another have doubts over their ability to recruit the number of

paediatricians they need to maintain the paediatric services.

When will your Government take additional action to recruit the

doctors that Wales' NHS and Wales' patients need? The reality is that

we're facing difficult changes in the NHS. We understand that. But it

is also the case that we need to ensure that consultants feel that

working in some parts of Wales, it is more difficult to recruit in

some parts of Wales than others and it is something they see as

worthwhile and something that will help them with their career

progression and that's what we are doing. We have been working with

consultants on the recruitment campaign in order to attract people

into Wales and we are recruiting consultants and doctors into Wales.

There is some way to go, but we anticipated that. That's why we

launched the campaign. We move back to questions on the

paper and and question three, Suzie Davis.

Good afternoon, First Minister. What progress has the Welsh

Government made in making emergency life-saving skills a part of the

school curriculum? Well, the framework provides facilities to

teach skills to our young people. There are no plans to review this,

but it does exist as part of the framework.

It is almost a year ago since the Deputy First Minister committed to

considering teaching of life-saving skills. In the light of concerns

about school standards, could you tell us when your Government might

be reviewing a curriculum content or was the deputy Minister's wishes

kicking the wishes of parents in the long grass? Changes To the

curriculum are done in other ways. The qualifications review has not

reported and these are issues that will be considered once the report

is available and ready to be analysed.

TRANSLATION: The towns working hard. The current sta statistic for those

who survive a heart attack outside hospital is 10%. I am please that

had our Health Minister has launched a new scheme for patients.

What further action is the Welsh Government taking to promote

emergency life-saving skills? the work that is progressing as

part of Action in Wales as part of the cardiac scheme, we are work

with St John's and the ambulance services and the health boards in

order, of corks to improve -- of corks to improve the services in

Wales. Thank you. As someone who used to

work in the emergency life-saving sector I think it is very important

that we do take into consideration having lessons in schools because

not all people in Wales know how to respond in emergency situations so

I ask the First Minister again, will you look to represent the

views of the young people who have come before the committee asking

for the statutory lessons in Wales for for life-saving? Well, as I

said this will be considered once we know the conclusions of the

review. As regards it is something the Deputy First Minister will

consider. Will the First Minister make a

statement on the Welsh Government's procedure to to seeking legal

advice? Yes, legal advice can be sought by submitting a request to

the legal services department. Then Welsh Government lawyers work with

other officials to ensure that any legal issues are addressed as early

as possible. With regard tote bye-laws Bill.

Whilst you might have received advice from the Welsh Office, as

well as the council general, you and the Minister for Local

Government chose to ignore that advice. Will you explain to this

chamber and to the people of Wales, why you chose to do this? Are you

not now embarrassed that the first ever Bill to come forward from this

institution has now found its way to the Supreme Court?

Well, we didn't refer it. The UK Government referred it. She was on

the committee that dealt with this Bill and she never mention this

point in all the time that she examined the Bill. Can I make one

thing clear? The council general is representing the Welsh Government

in the hearing in October. Make of that what you will. This is also,

of course, a criticism of the assembly commission and the

Presiding Officer. Also I can tell the member that Northern Ireland

are also part of the hearing and they will be supporting our

position. It is not a case of somehow Wales is on its own on this.

Northern Ireland see the point. They are supporting us and wre

await -- we await the outcome of the hearing in October.

TRANSLATION: Well, First Minister, I am sure that you are always aware

that the need for legal advice has increased following the fact that

this institution has been given legislation power. How much of that

advice does the First Minister believe is required within the

Government and how much legal advice will need to be commissioned

outside the Civil Service? Can he tell us what the balance is at

present? There will be certain issues where it it would be worth

employing full-time lawyers within the Government. It will be issues

and we may need to commission services from time to time to

ensure that correct advice is provided to ministers. Of course,

we need to strengthen the number of lawyers that we have in house, but

I don't see a time coming when everything will be dealt with in

house if I can put it in those terms because there will be certain

issues which will arise from time to time maybe once or twice every

five years so there is point in having a full-time employee to deal

with those. Question five.

What steps are being taken by the Welsh Government to address obesity

in Wales? We launched the pathway in 2010 which sets out prevention

and treatment for obesity from early intervention to specialist

services. Earlier this month, the New York

City Health Board agreed to outlaw the provision of fizzy drinks in

restaurants that are provided with a rating which the New York

authorities because of the amazing contribution which such drinks make

to the problem of obesity. With a Public Health Bill on the horizon

in Wales, would the Welsh Government consider that course of

action and see whether it is something we might want to

replicate here? What they have done in New York City is limit the size

of drinks rather than ban them. There are in some American sports

stadiums drinks that can be bought that contain 600 calories, but it

gives you some idea of the size of American porsz compared to urs --

portions compared to ours. I will ask my officials to look at

examples from other countries and consider whether we have the powers

to regulate, if appropriate, in Wales.

First Minister, the obesity problem is becoming he can a huge problem

in Wales. You will know in the latest annual health health survey

indicates there is a reduction in the eating of fruit and vegetables

and more than half of adults are overweight. Is it not time to

relook at your policies to increase the reduction in this serious

disease? Well, if you look at our Change For

Life Campaign. That That helps families to eat well and exercise

more and live longer by providing ideas to address their eating

habits. 8 500 families signed up to Games For Life since July and we

expect that to have a real outcome on reducing obesity in Wales.

First Minister, when the party of Wales were in Government, we

introduced a programme to help children who were above a healthy

weight to become fitter and happier. Since we have left Government, we

have seen headlines about our obesity problems. You seem

reluctant to adopt our policy. What we are doing is not working. What

radical ideas do you have to tackle this issue, please?

The new title his party seems to have, but as far as his concerned,

we would expect, of course, health visitors to take an why in people's

lives and -- -- healths. We have the Change For Life Campaign and

that will lead to a reduction in obesity.

The Food programme highlighted the food and drink sold in cinemas. 85%

of these items are for profit, are for pure profit and it is difficult

to see how these cinemas will stop selling this junk and it was

established that it was all junk, of no nutritional value whatsoever

and the sell that goes on in cinemas persuade families to buy

this stuff. Would your Government consider putting a measure into the

Public Health Bill because I can't see how the matter is going to

change. It is akin to the tobacco industry, they gave people cancer.

Cinemas know this is causing obesity. It has no nutritional

content and people buy additional A I can say it is important to

provide a supporting environment in which the children and young people

can make healthy choices. Last week, we issued two guidance strategies.

They give advice to support the production of healthy food and

drink at leisure venues. TRANSLATION: May I ask the First

Minister what agreement see -- what discussions he held with the Prime

Minister of the UK during the summer recess. I met him at the

joint ministerial committee last Wednesday. For the First Minister

take every opportunity it to explain to the the Prime Minister

and Deputy Prime Minister as in the UK that it is no business of theirs

to make comments on devolved policies in Wales, particularly

education matters. The it is right. We believe that, in fairness, that

is not quite how it stands as regard to the English ministers. It

is a bit of an irony that we are recluse by Nick Clegg that we are

criticising the UK Government all the time. We do not. What he does

is criticised the Welsh Government. There is an irony there. We are the

responsible Government in Wales and we are very disappointed in seeing

what has been set by Nick Clegg, who has taken a stance against the

interest of the end people Wales. During the summer, the GMB are

published statistics highlighting that one in three workers in Wales

will be at risk of having their bridges cut if the Tory Lib Dem

Coalition Government, through on their plans to reduce regional pay

in Wales. Will you re- offend the Welsh Government total and

unqualified opposition to the introduction of regional pay.

which at that. By welcome what the leader of the Liberal Democrats has

been saying about that and, also what Jim Anderson has been saying.

Peopling Wales do not deserve to be paid less for doing the same thing

as people in England. It is as simple as that. Of course they are,

says the Leader of the Opposition. Now we know where he stands. Can I

say to him, things cost the same, if not more, in those than many

parts of England. Petrol, food, it does not cost less to shop in

Tesco's in Bridgend than it does and Tesco in Bristol. This is

nothing but an attempt to remove money from hard-working families

across the UK at a time when the UK Government, once again, is trying

to target those who are most vulnerable. I made no such

allegation. Here were the only leader in this Chamber who is

leading a party that interest original pay into Wales. Get your

facts right. The point I was going to make here was, what actions have

you taken it over the summer months to promote Cardiff airport in

respect of the aviation policy of the UK. Because I raised this with

you win cheering and to indicated that you would take action to raise

it with the Prime Minister that Cardiff airport should be

considered in the next to alleviate overcrowding over the south-east of

England. I hope that you have taken that. Forward in your meetings with

the Prime Minister of the last couple of weeks. The Leader of the

Opposition should be careful what he says in the sides. He had an

opportunity to declare his opposition to a regional pay and he

failed. He failed to do so in this Chamber. He asked about Cardiff

airport. He will see the announcement made today. He will

see what Cardiff airport itself has said about the gritted they have

expressed for the support of the barge Government. Once again, he is

on the wrong side of the argument. He claimed the airport was fined.

He attacked as Thornton to take the are put forward. I will tell you

something, I have spoken to airport workers, they are not impressed

with him. We the First Minister make his Dymond on discussions he

has had with the UK Government on the impact of high energy cost with

Welsh industry. I have raised this issue on a number of occasions. I

raised it with the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister last

week. I recently wrote to the Secretary of State for business,

innovation and skills to reiterate that priority must be given one

considering measures to relieve the impact of high energy prices on

manufacturers. During the summer, use of the excellent work that has

been made to on plus bonus number of four and the Investment commend

to roads through tighter still. They have indicated that the

difficult economic conditions may have had an impact on the starting

up on that blast furnace because of the high energy cars on the carbon

tax which will disadvantage such industries based in Wales. What is

the Welsh Government doing to support judge and a heavy

industries to create a level playing Dean -- few to enhance

their competitiveness in the market? Who did share a Senedd last

week in a London office on energy intensive -- I did chair a meeting.

There has been a report in 2006 but the benefits of increasing business

of early transitional action in relation to improving environmental

performance. Can you tell me what aspects of the summit meeting last

week were focused on this issue and what specific action points emerged

regarding voluntary improving environmental performance and

increasing energy inefficiency? Those who attended have taken great

steps to improve their energy efficiency. A critic has been done

over the past few years to do that. The reality is is that if energy is

cheaper in other countries, no matter how efficient people become,

they will move to those other countries. It is a factor that

injured -- industry is paying less in Germany, France, Spain. I'm

worried that we will lose the shops were already have. It is a problem

for the UK as a whole. -- jobs. TRANSLATION: One of those

industries where there are high a few what costs is in the dairy

farming industry. He made reference in your responses today a number of

times that what is concerning in England. This matter is under your

control. One of the answers for Derek promises to have a winner on

their own plan to generate and it just jam site. Is your Government

supportive of sub -- such applications are will put there be

any reference to that any planning Bill that will be coming before the

Assembly? We do want to promote it micro generation. This is not

something that will necessarily be contained within the Bill, but it

were to -- it would be considered in giving guidance to local

authorities as to what they do in the future because this is

something that I believe that should be placed in planning

guidance rather than on the face of they belong measure. In the light

of discussions that you have referred to with the UK Government,

what steps will you be taking to promote aspects of the year Crean

dealer and indeed Welsh Government programmes to reduce the impact of

higher energy costs derived from the fossil fuel market on Welsh

industry and household? We will seek to do that. The industry's we

are talking about a very energy intensive. Some of them to generate

their re-empower and have taken great strides to reduce their bills,

but they are paying more than elsewhere. It seems to happen and

the UK is that the wholesale prices are similar to us when Europe, but

through a number of ways, the actual price paid by the industrial

customer in the UK is more than elsewhere in Europe. It is done

through a number of different ways. The punter would make is that it is

crucial that we create a level playing field in the UK that does

not exist at the moment. This is a message I'm having on a regular

basis from our energy intensive industries. Well first minster make

a statement on what the Welsh Government is done to help people

find employment in Islwyn. We are delivering on a programme for

Government commitments to extend the current issue ISPs and to

create 4,000 jobs each year for young people. -- apprenticeships.

It has not been an easy sum up for the work force in Remploy. They

have been let down by the UK Government's determination to take

down their jobs. I know how serious your Government has taken it

finding employment and you have made funds available. Can you tell

me what further steps are you taking so that local employers

understand that money is available to take these people are back into

the workplace. As you rightly say, the Government has established an

substitute de -- subsidy to insisting disabled Remploy workers

to gain employment in new organisations. Employers support

grant is easily accessible and offers employers a low risk

opportunity to utilise key skills, qualities and experience as from

May Porlock will -- the employed workers who have recently been made

redundant. The Welsh Government team has been set up to identify

and assist employers looking to understand the capabilities of the

Remploy work force in order that they may gain employment in the

future. That's it for First Minister's

Questions this week. You can, of course, see more coverage of the

National Assembly online from BBC Wales's Democracy Live page at

bbc.co.uk/walespolitics. Right, let's talk about First

Minister's Questions. Our reporter Brian Meechan is in Cardiff Bay for

us this afternoon. That was the first one back, the

curtain raiser of the season, if you like. But it you make of that

the performance? I think there were three big pines that came out today.

The first one was obviously the argument over exams between the UK

Government on the Welsh Government that has been rumbling on over the

summer and there is no sign of its stubborn. There are plenty of other

areas to come out cheer. The Conservatives are obviously talking

about it. There has to be an independent regulator after

Leighton Andrews order to that exam to be recruited for Welsh students

whilst Michael Grove did not have the same thing for English students.

There is the top of the English back laureate been injured,

changing the exam system. What that will mean in terms of how children

in Wales will be examined in the future. They have been mentioned

was NHS funding. The rum lot of changes being proposed across local

health boards. There were heated but debates going on between the

Assembly members about that. The other very important thing that we

will hear more of is the idea of the UK Government inducing regional

paid in Wales for workers that they are responsible force. There was an

intervention from the Presiding Officer was to Assembly members to

ask shorter, sharper questions. As is a response to the news that some

Assembly members have been receiving training from a QC,

amongst other things, to sharpen up their questions? Some people might

have thought the question should have been as sharp as possible

after �10,000 has been spent on the extra training. This is a BBC World

story where we have discovered that this �10,000 was paid to a QC to

teach Assembly members had to ask questions. Not only that, they were

also taught her to sit, where to position themselves at tables, and

how to dress. The Assembly commission which is responsible for

that �10,000 payment is saying that Assembly Member has a deserved to

get extra training and development. I would like to think we do not

need that kind of training. There were last you a very sharp question.

Have you picked anything up around the building today? Absolutely.

Andrew RT Davies has been telling us he is particularly and happier

with what he has caught the pantomime of First Minister's

Questions. -- and happy. He said the First Minister is blaming the

UK Government and every time any question comes up that he finds

particularly difficult. However, the Welsh First Minister would say

that a lot of the issues in terms of the founding does come from the

UK Government. I relieve people to decide for themselves whether it

was a pantomime today or not. sure Carwyn Jones would say, oh, no,