:00:24. > :00:25.Good afternoon, welcome to the programme and our weekly
:00:26. > :00:28.coverage of questions to the First Minister.
:00:29. > :00:29.Carwyn Jones is scheduled to take questions
:00:30. > :00:32.as usual on a range of topics including questions on economic
:00:33. > :00:37.development, the railways, and doctor recruitment.
:00:38. > :00:39.All three opposition party leaders will ask three questions
:00:40. > :00:49.Before we whisk you off to the Senedd,
:00:50. > :00:53.let me remind you that you can follow all the latest
:00:54. > :00:56.on Welsh politics on our Twitter feed - we're @walespolitics.
:00:57. > :01:01.Well, business in the chamber is already underway,
:01:02. > :01:06.so let's take a look now at today's questions to the First Minister.
:01:07. > :01:17.Good afternoon. Now in session. The first item this afternoon 's
:01:18. > :01:20.questions to the First Minister. First Minister, will you make a
:01:21. > :01:24.statement on what support of the Welsh Government is given to provide
:01:25. > :01:31.community-based treatment to people suffering from eye conditions
:01:32. > :01:37.including age-related macular degeneration. Yes, the new 400,000
:01:38. > :01:42.pounds investment establishes caring out of hospital settings making it
:01:43. > :01:47.more convenient for people to access the right care at the right place
:01:48. > :01:56.and time. This will be to transfer services away from hospitals. We
:01:57. > :02:01.will be welcoming this recent announcement. I certainly do. Moving
:02:02. > :02:04.services out of hospitals and into people's homes will help them
:02:05. > :02:09.enormously, especially as some of them are already suffering from
:02:10. > :02:15.significant sight loss. But I can I ask you after the results of
:02:16. > :02:20.currently planned schemes published, does the Welsh Government plan to
:02:21. > :02:25.extend these scheme, for example Formica vigilance and across the
:02:26. > :02:31.rest of Wales's yes, the overall aim is to establish models of care that
:02:32. > :02:38.can potentially be replicated across other health board areas, depending
:02:39. > :02:42.on what the evaluation tells us it will be extended to other parts of
:02:43. > :02:48.Wales. There are currently 40,000 people accessing these services in
:02:49. > :02:53.secondary care across Wales and we anticipate there will be a
:02:54. > :03:01.considerable number of these people accessing primary to treatment. 29%
:03:02. > :03:05.of people within the University health or do not have regular two
:03:06. > :03:09.yearly eye tests with one of the primary reasons given that they have
:03:10. > :03:12.not even thought about it or did not see the importance of it. Given the
:03:13. > :03:21.other serious eye conditions that can be detected during a routine I
:03:22. > :03:24.test, how would you work to ensure that we have a better improved
:03:25. > :03:29.uptake of regular eye tests? These things are important as the member
:03:30. > :03:33.has said. We are of course the first country in the world to have an eye
:03:34. > :03:39.care plan, and of course we encourage people to take regular eye
:03:40. > :03:49.tests. Not just to test their eye site, but to detect conditions via
:03:50. > :04:00.such a test. -- not just to test their eyesight. Will the First
:04:01. > :04:04.Minister make a statement on the health provision for people with
:04:05. > :04:10.haemophilia in Wales? We continue to support services within the NHS and
:04:11. > :04:13.the third sector. The Welsh health specialist services committee is
:04:14. > :04:16.working with health boards and undertaking service planning in
:04:17. > :04:23.various areas related to the future provision of services. A lot of
:04:24. > :04:29.progress has been made in Wales with access to the new life transforming
:04:30. > :04:33.drugs for people who have contracted hepatitis C. But there is still an
:04:34. > :04:39.ongoing problem with financial support for people with haemophilia,
:04:40. > :04:42.and the haemophilia community awareness are deeply disappointed by
:04:43. > :04:45.the statement made by the Westminster Government towards the
:04:46. > :04:49.end of last week about changes to the support given to people with
:04:50. > :04:54.haemophilia. Too little, too late and not enough attention to
:04:55. > :04:57.dependents. We'll First Minister personally approach Westminster and
:04:58. > :05:01.speak up for the haemophilia community in Wales to try to get the
:05:02. > :05:08.better settlement after such a blow to the table because community? Yes,
:05:09. > :05:19.I will. We know a huge metal progress has been made in terms of
:05:20. > :05:27.the treatment of -- is due progress in terms of the management of
:05:28. > :05:34.haemophilia. I have been asked to raise an issue with the UK
:05:35. > :05:39.Government. We now move to questions for party leaders. First the Leader
:05:40. > :05:43.of the Opposition. First Minister, tomorrow the Welsh Conservatives
:05:44. > :05:46.have tabled a debate on the local Government settlement and in
:05:47. > :05:55.particular the inability to support rural councils, for example the 4%
:05:56. > :05:58.cut in your facing. The First Minister was unable to confirm
:05:59. > :06:02.whether the local Government settlement was part of the overall
:06:03. > :06:05.budget agreement that you had agreed with the Liberal Democrats. You able
:06:06. > :06:08.to confirm whether you did have agreement with the local Government
:06:09. > :06:12.settlement should have been supported along with the main
:06:13. > :06:16.budget? It is a matter between ourselves and the liberal Democrats
:06:17. > :06:19.in terms of the budget agreements that has been struck. We are
:06:20. > :06:22.confident that the local Government settlement that will be announced as
:06:23. > :06:27.part of the draft budget in due course will be one that will be
:06:28. > :06:33.acceptable. I have to say to the Leader of the Opposition that his
:06:34. > :06:37.party's policy is to further cut local spending as has happened in
:06:38. > :06:41.England. I think it is a legitimate question to ask whether you or your
:06:42. > :06:46.Government is able to confirm whether it was part of the overall
:06:47. > :06:50.budget deal. The public services Minister was unable to confirm that.
:06:51. > :06:53.It shows the chaos and confusion at the heart of the Government when it
:06:54. > :06:57.comes to the budget. When we will look at education, for example, and
:06:58. > :07:02.the Estyn report that is out today, it shows that under 17 years of the
:07:03. > :07:06.leadership of the Labour Government here on education there is still in
:07:07. > :07:09.marked contrast between the quality of teaching and learning. There is
:07:10. > :07:14.still a huge gap between the schools that were doing well and those that
:07:15. > :07:19.are not doing so good, the gap is still considerable. And there is a
:07:20. > :07:23.poll arises in the inspection outcomes for secondary schools. --
:07:24. > :07:29.depolarisation. After 17 years of Labour running education you're in
:07:30. > :07:31.Wales, do you not think this report is a damning indictment of your
:07:32. > :07:37.failure to improve outcomes in education? I have to say what is
:07:38. > :07:42.agreed between ourselves and the Liberal Democrats is a matter for
:07:43. > :07:47.us. He cannot complain in those circumstances. I bet he hasn't read
:07:48. > :07:51.the Estyn report. Let me remind him what is actually in it. Levels of
:07:52. > :07:58.excellence in primary schools have risen over the last five years.
:07:59. > :08:01.Levels of skills to displaying some excellent has risen. Levels of basic
:08:02. > :08:06.literacy and numeracy are improving. The gap between the price pupils and
:08:07. > :08:12.their peers show the biggest closing of the gap in recent years this
:08:13. > :08:15.year. -- between deprived pupils and their peers. Improvements have been
:08:16. > :08:20.seen this year across the foundation stage and Key stages two and three.
:08:21. > :08:28.The best GCSE results ever, level two inclusive, up 2.5%. You should
:08:29. > :08:38.not have asked the question if you didn't want the answer. 64.4%
:08:39. > :08:44.achieved a star to see in maths. In addition, we are building and
:08:45. > :08:47.improving skills. Over 150 schools across Wales, the 21st century
:08:48. > :08:53.skills programme, and we are proud of what we are doing. The fact is
:08:54. > :08:57.when you internationally benchmark education you're in Wales, when you
:08:58. > :09:00.look at the gap between other part of the United Kingdom where there
:09:01. > :09:04.have been huge improvements of pupils being taught in schools with
:09:05. > :09:08.far greater achievements than the direction your Government has set
:09:09. > :09:12.schools in Wales, we are still lagging behind other parts of the UK
:09:13. > :09:15.and Europe and this report clearly shows this. Another report out today
:09:16. > :09:20.of the Public Accounts Committee report into the sell-off of land
:09:21. > :09:24.that the Welsh Government held on the heart of the Welsh people. When
:09:25. > :09:33.you look at the sums involved, they are actually astronomical. Selling
:09:34. > :09:37.to developers to build houses on. When you look at the Lisvane land,
:09:38. > :09:46.selling for ?2 million and no having a value of ?37 million. The land in
:09:47. > :09:55.Abergele wassail from ?100,000, against ?7,000 that that -- several
:09:56. > :10:00.thousand pounds that is awful. This is money that has been lost from the
:10:01. > :10:05.Welsh first. Do you not think that is a damning indictment of the way
:10:06. > :10:09.your Government and your ministers account to the Welsh people for
:10:10. > :10:13.looking after their assets and disposing of them in such a cavalier
:10:14. > :10:17.fashion? I am not surprised the Leader of the Opposition moved on
:10:18. > :10:22.from education after his after failure to convince the people of
:10:23. > :10:26.Wales of what he sees as failings in the Welsh education system. The
:10:27. > :10:30.Estyn report says quite the opposite if you read it. The situation in
:10:31. > :10:35.England is an unaccountable mess were nobody seems to be accountable
:10:36. > :10:38.for school progress. In Wales we are seeing progress improving in our
:10:39. > :10:43.schools. That is not the case in England. We are building schools,
:10:44. > :10:49.and you're not building schools in England. You dropped it. If you came
:10:50. > :10:53.anywhere near power in Wales, you would not build schools because you
:10:54. > :10:57.have no real stake in the Welsh education system. Let me turn to the
:10:58. > :11:05.issue you raise. It is correct to say that the way the sale was
:11:06. > :11:09.managed fell way below the standards we would expect as the Government
:11:10. > :11:13.and for that we are sorry. The concept was good but the delivery
:11:14. > :11:17.was flawed. Of course the Government will give a full response to the
:11:18. > :11:28.report itself which does raise serious issues we acknowledge in the
:11:29. > :11:31.proper course of time. Leanne Wood. Universities and higher education
:11:32. > :11:35.institutions are the backbone not only of our economy but of our
:11:36. > :11:41.entire country. In your draft budget, you are proposing what is in
:11:42. > :11:49.effect a ?41 million cut to Welsh universities funding. Lastly we have
:11:50. > :11:54.the devastating news about job losses at Tata Steel. There is every
:11:55. > :11:59.possibility that the job losses facing higher education could be
:12:00. > :12:04.greater in number than those announced by Tata last week. And
:12:05. > :12:09.they will impact on almost every community throughout the country.
:12:10. > :12:23.Have you made any assessment as to the number of job losses as a result
:12:24. > :12:29.of that Scott? -- that cut. I do not expect any job losses. It is a small
:12:30. > :12:33.percentage of the total income of higher education in Wales. We know
:12:34. > :12:37.that many institutions have substantial reserves, up to 100
:12:38. > :12:47.million and many beyond. We know that if the colleges to -- further
:12:48. > :12:56.education colleges... We major at the situation was easier for them.
:12:57. > :12:59.Higher education institutions are a far more robust in terms of their
:13:00. > :13:06.reserves, in terms of the income they can attract. We will listen to
:13:07. > :13:16.them, of course, but nevertheless they have an income. There will be a
:13:17. > :13:23.cut. There is a reduction in the budget according to her own figures
:13:24. > :13:30.from ?129 million this year to ?88 million next year. That cut could
:13:31. > :13:35.translate to a 40% cut to research funding, and that is according to
:13:36. > :13:41.have to go. That will not only result in job losses but also brutal
:13:42. > :13:46.Welsh universities anti-competitive disadvantage when it comes to
:13:47. > :13:51.research. -- will pay Welsh universities at a competitive
:13:52. > :13:54.disadvantage. You will be spending more money on universities outside
:13:55. > :14:00.of whales and you will be spending on the entire higher education
:14:01. > :14:04.budget. Are you prepared to confirm that that is the case?
:14:05. > :14:13.I do not accept there will be any job losses as a result of what is
:14:14. > :14:17.being opposed. Other organisations are expected to draw on their
:14:18. > :14:22.reserves, I fail to see why university should be treated
:14:23. > :14:26.differently. That said, many sectors have found it difficult, but they
:14:27. > :14:33.cannot be immune to cut we are seeing from the UK Government. Their
:14:34. > :14:39.total income is far higher than the income that exists for further
:14:40. > :14:43.education colleges. You want to stop paying the tuition fees of those
:14:44. > :14:49.students in Wales whose choose to study in England which is your
:14:50. > :14:55.party's policy. I do not support that in principle. It is important
:14:56. > :14:57.money follows Welsh students and institutions in Wales must compete
:14:58. > :15:05.for Welsh students rather than having them delivered on a plate. It
:15:06. > :15:09.is important Welsh students have a choice and if they have the chance
:15:10. > :15:13.to go to Oxford or Cambridge, they should go there. Why should they be
:15:14. > :15:19.penalised financially for the fact they would then have to pay between
:15:20. > :15:24.times as much as they pay now? I would not support a situation where
:15:25. > :15:30.we should look at crudely cutting back on tuition fees supports to
:15:31. > :15:36.students from Wales if they wish to study outside of Wales. This
:15:37. > :15:45.questioning session is not about Plaid Cymru's policy. We will have
:15:46. > :15:52.plenty of opportunity to do and discuss that. It is without dispute
:15:53. > :15:58.that you will spend over ?90 million on funding universities outside
:15:59. > :16:07.Wales. For the first time ever that will be more than the entire budget.
:16:08. > :16:11.What is clear is you have no policy beyond the diamond review, you have
:16:12. > :16:17.not confirmed what you will do for student support. The only thing you
:16:18. > :16:24.have confirmed if you want to make this ?41 million cut, which is a cut
:16:25. > :16:28.of 32% to Welsh universities. Do you have any intention of being open and
:16:29. > :16:32.transparent with people about your intentions for higher education
:16:33. > :16:40.before the election next May? Will you start that process by reversing
:16:41. > :16:45.this cut? The leader of Plaid Cymru suggests I am not answering her
:16:46. > :16:49.questions. I am, but she does not like the answers. She dresses up her
:16:50. > :16:53.argument that we are funding universities in England to the June
:16:54. > :17:00.of 90 million. We are funding Welsh students. What she objects to, and
:17:01. > :17:04.it is a matter for her party, is that we should fund Welsh students
:17:05. > :17:10.to study outside Wales, that is what she objects to. I do not agree with
:17:11. > :17:14.that position. I do not think it is right for student in Wales to pay
:17:15. > :17:20.?9,000 in tuition fees, I do not accept that. Secondly, I do not
:17:21. > :17:24.accept students in Wales should be penalised because they study outside
:17:25. > :17:30.Wales or study courses that are not available in Wales. She tries to
:17:31. > :17:35.suggest this money is being given to universities in England, we are
:17:36. > :17:42.giving money to Welsh students to study and escape the debts of their
:17:43. > :17:47.Welsh colleagues. Thank you. We now move to the leader of the Welsh
:17:48. > :17:53.Liberal Democrats. First Minister, today's report demonstrates that
:17:54. > :17:58.schools displaying some elements of excellence are improving, which is
:17:59. > :18:04.good news, but the number of skews that are viewed as unsatisfactory
:18:05. > :18:08.has also increased. The report challenges you and local authorities
:18:09. > :18:11.to identify and support schools that are struggling sooner and earlier.
:18:12. > :18:18.Could you outline how you will address that point? We are seeing
:18:19. > :18:29.some very good improvements across the sector in parts of that scheme.
:18:30. > :18:33.I look that Tony Pandy and their community School has seen an
:18:34. > :18:39.incredible increase in performance in just one year. From our point of
:18:40. > :18:42.view we have put money into the schools that are not up to the
:18:43. > :18:47.standard we would expect and we are seeing results in terms of
:18:48. > :18:51.performance. Local authorities deliver education on the ground. I
:18:52. > :18:55.am glad to see there are fewer local authorities who are the subject of
:18:56. > :19:04.special measures and that will help to strengthen consistency. But the
:19:05. > :19:10.Challenge scheme only tackles specific schools. There are schools
:19:11. > :19:15.that do not get any additional support at all. Those are schools
:19:16. > :19:22.who have been identified as struggling. The question is, why do
:19:23. > :19:27.those schools not receive support and Schools Challenge and schools
:19:28. > :19:33.not under special measures potentially do. The report also says
:19:34. > :19:36.initiatives are only as good as the people who implement them. What are
:19:37. > :19:41.you doing as a government to foster strong leadership and excellent
:19:42. > :19:44.teaching and high aspirations in all of our schools? It is time to
:19:45. > :19:49.establish a Welsh Academy of leadership to promote quality of
:19:50. > :19:54.leadership and help the best leaders to work in the most challenging
:19:55. > :20:04.schools. We are seeing examples of that across Wales at it is. They
:20:05. > :20:07.have the initial responsibility for helping schools and they identify
:20:08. > :20:13.schools quickly and make sure help is made available to those schools
:20:14. > :20:18.in a timely manner and it is for the local authorities to provide that
:20:19. > :20:26.help. The Challenge scheme helps to do that. It would be more useful for
:20:27. > :20:29.us as a government, in terms of providing training, in terms of
:20:30. > :20:33.providing a good package for teachers, if we had control of
:20:34. > :20:42.teachers' pay and conditions. We cannot control it, we cannot control
:20:43. > :20:47.things like that, so to be able to deliver a proper package in terms of
:20:48. > :20:53.pay, conditions and leadership, we would deliver more comprehends of
:20:54. > :20:58.package on top of these other schemes. You may have had the
:20:59. > :21:02.opportunity to have those powers if Owen Smith had not objected
:21:03. > :21:08.wholeheartedly to teachers' pay and conditions being devolved. The one
:21:09. > :21:15.good piece of news in this report, which you referred to earlier, is
:21:16. > :21:19.the closing of the gap between those pupils from our most deprived
:21:20. > :21:26.backgrounds who qualify for free school meals and those who do not.
:21:27. > :21:31.Would you agree that the outstanding success over the last couple of
:21:32. > :21:35.years has been the introduction of the people deprivation ground, won
:21:36. > :21:40.the Liberal Democrats had to persuade you to introduce? I will
:21:41. > :21:44.give her that one in terms of the people deprivation grant. We have
:21:45. > :21:48.seen the results and I have been fairly open about the fact that it
:21:49. > :21:55.was suggested by the Liberal Democrats. It is one element. It is
:21:56. > :22:01.responsible for improvements in some areas. We look at the highest GCSE
:22:02. > :22:06.results ever and that is what we have done as a government. Literacy
:22:07. > :22:10.and numeracy improvement is because of the framework and we are seeing
:22:11. > :22:16.schools in Wales improved year by year which is a tribute to those who
:22:17. > :22:18.work in those schools. It is a tribute to many local authorities
:22:19. > :22:24.who have put in the work to improve schools in their area and it is
:22:25. > :22:32.testament to the fact we have put in over a billion pounds worth of
:22:33. > :22:37.investment so children can expect to be taught in the schools where they
:22:38. > :22:45.want to be taught in, unlike in England where schools are crumbling.
:22:46. > :22:50.Paul Davies. What is the Welsh Government doing to improve the
:22:51. > :22:55.economy of Pembrokeshire? It is a priority for the Welsh Government
:22:56. > :22:57.and we are taking wide-ranging action to improve the business
:22:58. > :23:03.environment for Pembrokeshire and the whole of Wales. TRANSLATION: One
:23:04. > :23:07.way of improving the economy is to ensure the agriculture industry
:23:08. > :23:12.receives the support it deserves. I was very proud to sponsor a
:23:13. > :23:16.breakfast to celebrate Welsh produce and to recognise the significant
:23:17. > :23:22.contribution that agriculture and farming makes to the Welsh economy.
:23:23. > :23:25.Given the importance of the industry to Pembrokeshire and the Welsh
:23:26. > :23:30.economy, tackling bovine TB is crucially important and given that
:23:31. > :23:35.the vaccination programme has failed, what steps is the Welsh
:23:36. > :23:40.Government taking to eradicate this disease? TRANSLATION: This is under
:23:41. > :23:47.consideration at present. What we know is the culling of badgers has
:23:48. > :23:52.no impact. Culling actually exacerbated the problem because of
:23:53. > :23:56.the method used. The vaccination programme has taken place and I know
:23:57. > :24:02.the Minister is now considering how to proceed how to deal with TB and
:24:03. > :24:05.this is a serious matter for the agricultural industry, but it is
:24:06. > :24:13.important we have an effective system to deal with it. TRANSLATION:
:24:14. > :24:17.You will know from your visit to Pembroke Dock last weekend that the
:24:18. > :24:21.people of Pembrokeshire gave a very warm welcome to visitors and the
:24:22. > :24:25.tourism industry is crucially important along with the
:24:26. > :24:29.agricultural industry. Plaid Cymru has announced we will double the
:24:30. > :24:33.budget for tourism in Wales and will give particular emphasis on tourism
:24:34. > :24:39.is one of the mainstays of our economy. What do you intend to do to
:24:40. > :24:47.promote the tourism industry in Pembrokeshire? TRANSLATION: I had
:24:48. > :24:51.thought this was not a question session on the policies of Plaid
:24:52. > :24:56.Cymru, but I will answer that question. Tourism is extremely
:24:57. > :25:01.important and in 2014 it was a record year. 10 million visitors for
:25:02. > :25:07.the first time ever, a 7% increase on international visits. We saw a
:25:08. > :25:16.marketing campaign last year and that generated ?240 million of
:25:17. > :25:24.spending in Wales, 36% up from the previous year. Steps are being taken
:25:25. > :25:28.to develop a strategy for Wales to ensure that people know what Wales
:25:29. > :25:36.has to offer and, of course, this year we have the year of adventure
:25:37. > :25:41.to promote the outdoor sector. People want to cycle, Walker and so
:25:42. > :25:45.on, and to tell people to come to Wales because Wales is a place where
:25:46. > :25:50.you can have both adventure and fun and that is what we are doing this
:25:51. > :25:56.year, bearing in mind the fact tourism is extremely important to
:25:57. > :26:00.our economy. Question four. By the Prime Minister make a statement of
:26:01. > :26:05.the remapping of the Wales and Borders rail franchise. Discussion
:26:06. > :26:10.about the scope of services to be included are ongoing. No decision
:26:11. > :26:15.has been going to remap any services. I am aware a joint Welsh
:26:16. > :26:21.and the UK Government working group has been discussing remapping
:26:22. > :26:26.services to be operated by the replacement Wales and border
:26:27. > :26:31.franchise posted October 2018 and a consideration was given to splitting
:26:32. > :26:42.it to the Birmingham International service trains, and I ensure you
:26:43. > :26:46.will this would be detrimental and an inconvenience to passengers. It
:26:47. > :26:51.would have a negative impact on the Welsh economy. Will you provide
:26:52. > :27:01.instructions to officials to prioritise in any negotiations
:27:02. > :27:05.passenger precedence, but to provide a commitment that services from
:27:06. > :27:11.Aberystwyth to Birmingham will continue? It is our intention to
:27:12. > :27:17.continue at least with the existing service. There is a threat to the
:27:18. > :27:20.Cardiff-Manchester service whereby the Department for Transport wants
:27:21. > :27:27.to see no service that begins in Wales and terminates in England,
:27:28. > :27:31.operated by the Wales and Borders franchise. The only service run by
:27:32. > :27:40.that franchise will be services that begin and end in Wales. Why? I have
:27:41. > :27:44.no idea because Scotland does not have that restriction. ScotRail runs
:27:45. > :27:48.sleeper chains from Euston to Scotland, but at the moment it is
:27:49. > :27:53.the suggestion for the Department for Transport that they do not want
:27:54. > :27:57.to see these services exist between a departure point in Wales and the
:27:58. > :28:01.terminus point in England and vice versa. We are more than happy to
:28:02. > :28:07.make that case to the UK Government, but that is the attitude taken so
:28:08. > :28:13.far by the Department for Transport. TRANSLATION: Argued very much. What
:28:14. > :28:18.preparatory work has the Welsh Government undertaken with a view to
:28:19. > :28:23.having a not for profit model to be responsible for the new rail
:28:24. > :28:27.franchise for Wales? TRANSLATION: This is under consideration at
:28:28. > :28:32.present and we are considering whether there is any way of ensuring
:28:33. > :28:37.there is a not for profit company available to take it on and to see
:28:38. > :28:40.whether it is feasible model and we are considering this in detail at
:28:41. > :28:43.the moment and I believe the people in Wales will wish to see any
:28:44. > :28:46.company running the railroad in Wales will reinvest the profit that
:28:47. > :28:58.they make back into the service. TRANSLATION: Thank you. I am also
:28:59. > :29:06.concerned about the service between Holyhead and Manchester, and also
:29:07. > :29:13.between Wrexham, as well as the situation to Birmingham. Can I ask
:29:14. > :29:25.you if your officials are holding any discussions with the Wales
:29:26. > :29:33.Office, because on the 11th of January you responded to a written
:29:34. > :29:39.question saying, it is expected that services primarily serving English
:29:40. > :29:42.markets will be mapped into other departments for transport franchises
:29:43. > :29:48.in England and we will consult our specific proposals in due course.
:29:49. > :29:56.Therefore, perhaps the member from Michael Meacher could have a quiet
:29:57. > :30:00.word with his fellow member of the Conservative Party to ensure the
:30:01. > :30:03.Wales Office is also fighting Wales's corner. -- from
:30:04. > :30:08.Montgomeryshire. The Wales Office job is to fight four-wheeled and not
:30:09. > :30:08.to explain to the people of Wales what is
:30:09. > :30:16.to explain to the people of Wales not good for them. -- to fight for
:30:17. > :30:22.Wales. If they are not our friends we will receive very little support
:30:23. > :30:28.in Whitehall. There are many cross-border services and they do
:30:29. > :30:31.generate profit, and for example the service from North Wales to
:30:32. > :30:34.Manchester - if you take those services out of the franchise there
:30:35. > :30:42.is less money available. I don't see any problem. With the Scots running
:30:43. > :30:46.services into England, but for some reason the UK Government and the
:30:47. > :30:51.Wales Office, after hearing what the member has said, have the idea that
:30:52. > :30:54.it is only services which start and finish in Wales should come under
:30:55. > :31:02.the franchise. This is totally unfair, irresponsible and it is not
:31:03. > :31:07.something that is true for Scotland. Will be First Minister outlined the
:31:08. > :31:14.action of the Welsh Government in the recruitment and retention of
:31:15. > :31:17.doctors in Wales? Recruitment and retention of doctors is the
:31:18. > :31:22.responsibility of health boards and trusts. We support that work in a
:31:23. > :31:26.number of ways, and a ten workforce strategy is being developed which
:31:27. > :31:34.will determine the shape of our medical workforce. -- a ten year
:31:35. > :31:36.workforce strategy. One of the barriers to the recruitment of
:31:37. > :31:45.doctors is the state of our education than system. Many doctors
:31:46. > :31:56.in England do not want their children educated here. Order, let
:31:57. > :32:00.the member finished. Many qualified doctors in England refused to come
:32:01. > :32:04.to Wales because they do not want their children educated here. We
:32:05. > :32:09.have seen massive cuts to the higher education sector in particular. In
:32:10. > :32:14.high-cost subjects such as medicine which will have a huge impact on the
:32:15. > :32:20.number of doctors we train. When will you get your eyes back on the
:32:21. > :32:26.ball and deal with an education system which is fit for purpose and
:32:27. > :32:31.not a barrier to recruitment of doctors? I absolutely reject the
:32:32. > :32:36.idea that the member has put forward and that the Conservative Party's
:32:37. > :32:41.line should be that the message they give to doctors is don't come to
:32:42. > :32:49.Wales because of the education system. Where is there loyalty to
:32:50. > :32:53.Wales? I find that extraordinary. I have to say to the party said that
:32:54. > :32:57.the greatest barrier to recruitment in England is the fact that junior
:32:58. > :33:01.doctors go on strike. There is no greater disincentive to doctors to
:33:02. > :33:07.go to England than the fact they are treated by such disdain by Jeremy
:33:08. > :33:12.Hunt and the UK Government. -- treated with such disdain. We have
:33:13. > :33:27.no trouble recruiting doctors in Wales. GP numbers have increased by
:33:28. > :33:31.25%. There are no over 2000 GPs serving communities across Wales.
:33:32. > :33:39.More than there were ten years ago. The number of hospital consultants
:33:40. > :33:46.increased annually 50% between 2004 and 2014, up by 721 to 2270. That is
:33:47. > :33:50.a sign that Wales is the place to work. Doctor see it as a place they
:33:51. > :33:54.want to come and study and work in the future, and I've reject utterly
:33:55. > :33:58.any idea that the Conservatives won to spread around that somehow there
:33:59. > :34:01.is something wrong with the Welsh education system. They have been
:34:02. > :34:09.responsible for the mess we see in education and health in England.
:34:10. > :34:15.TRANSLATION: First Minister, around ?50 million of funding is spent on
:34:16. > :34:19.expensive courses that include medicals studies and your intent to
:34:20. > :34:23.cut this budget. What assessment have you carried out on how many
:34:24. > :34:32.fewer doctors will be trained in Wales as a result of these cuts or
:34:33. > :34:38.do you expect universities to use their reserves to fund medical
:34:39. > :34:41.education? I expect universities to use their funding, the funding
:34:42. > :34:45.available to them. They have substantial income, and we also must
:34:46. > :34:51.ensure that we have a continuous number of doctors. While that is the
:34:52. > :34:58.case that the number of GPs in Wales have increased, that is guaranteed
:34:59. > :35:01.compensation to a number of areas that have seen primary care services
:35:02. > :35:12.lost or threatened because of an inability to recruit full-time GPs
:35:13. > :35:15.or difficulties in accessing cover. For instance in my own constituency,
:35:16. > :35:21.what steps is the Government taking to address one of the concerns that
:35:22. > :35:25.has previously been raised around a single practitioner's list that
:35:26. > :35:31.would cut down the bureaucracy and in Barcelona GPs to work more easily
:35:32. > :35:39.on both sides of the border? -- and thus allowed GPs to work more
:35:40. > :35:43.easily. If you look at the examples where GP's practices have decided to
:35:44. > :35:47.cease operating, the health board takes them over and salaried GPs are
:35:48. > :35:50.placed there is there. That is the practising medicine anyway. There
:35:51. > :35:55.are fewer students know who want to bang into a practice. They would
:35:56. > :36:02.rather be salaried because that gives them greater flexibility. That
:36:03. > :36:06.is what they would want. It is true to say, and she has raised issues
:36:07. > :36:10.with me in the chamber before, but in some parts of Wales there have
:36:11. > :36:14.been difficulties with GP practices. That the decision of GP practices,
:36:15. > :36:18.not the health service, in terms of the services they provide. We are
:36:19. > :36:20.practices have decided not to operate the health board does take
:36:21. > :36:27.them over and salaried GPs are in place. Will the First Minister make
:36:28. > :36:33.a statement on the economy of the Swansea Bay region? The economy of
:36:34. > :36:37.the Swansea Bay region as the economy of Wales is a priority for
:36:38. > :36:45.the Welsh Government. We are taking wide-ranging actions. Development by
:36:46. > :36:53.Swansea University and the University of Wales alongside mixed
:36:54. > :36:57.developments are very important to the Swansea region. What work is
:36:58. > :37:06.being done with the universities to grow the local economy in high
:37:07. > :37:11.school and high wage services? Yesterday I launched the engineering
:37:12. > :37:16.services Institute working closely with higher education offering
:37:17. > :37:23.opportunities to study at Ph.D. Level. We are working with Swansea
:37:24. > :37:29.Council to bring development under the Swansea Vale joint ventured in
:37:30. > :37:41.order to see how creative sector projects can be taken forward there.
:37:42. > :37:43.In the Aberavon constituency, fantastic adventure and huge
:37:44. > :37:51.potential opportunities for the areas as well. The Minister for
:37:52. > :37:54.economy sizes and transport has committed to work with the
:37:55. > :38:01.University on developing its business collaboration as it
:38:02. > :38:04.develops its new campus. The economy minister has announced her intention
:38:05. > :38:13.to consider the potential for an enterprise zone around Port Talbot,
:38:14. > :38:17.and as you sort the area has great appeal for engineering companies.
:38:18. > :38:23.Retaining that engineering expertise any wider area would be very
:38:24. > :38:28.valuable, but we have seen that there is a risk of depending on one
:38:29. > :38:34.particular type of industry foreign area's economic success. The Bay
:38:35. > :38:37.region is going to meet the mixed economy -- need a mixed economy with
:38:38. > :38:48.the range of skills including linguistic is ill -- linguistics
:38:49. > :38:54.kills. The reason why the enterprise zones are sectoral is to attract
:38:55. > :39:00.clusters. So that we see companies in a similar sector clustering in
:39:01. > :39:05.one area as we have seen on the M4, around Heathrow Airport as well. We
:39:06. > :39:10.have written to the Chancellor with our intention to create an emperor
:39:11. > :39:14.varies zone around Port Talbot. -- and enterprise zone. We have not yet
:39:15. > :39:17.had a response. I hope we have your response in the next few days. She
:39:18. > :39:24.is right to say it is never help you to rely on one industry alone. The
:39:25. > :39:30.Secretary of State himself last week said that there are remaining person
:39:31. > :39:34.will still suffering from colliery closers. It was honest of him to
:39:35. > :39:38.admit that given it was his party that close them in the first place.
:39:39. > :39:44.We want to broaden the Welsh economy. In Swansea Bay, we have the
:39:45. > :39:54.power station, the university Bay campus, and creative industries.
:39:55. > :39:58.TRANSLATION: The UK prime minister said recently that his enthusiasm
:39:59. > :40:05.for the tidal lagoon in Swansea Bay was ebbing away. Is your confidence
:40:06. > :40:09.still in place for that scheme, and also for the plans for other lagoons
:40:10. > :40:14.around the Welsh course? TRANSLATION: Guess, it is, 100%. We
:40:15. > :40:21.are the Government are extremely supportive of the plans for Swansea
:40:22. > :40:23.Bay and we know there are opportunities for employment,
:40:24. > :40:26.economic development and for the development of the Port Talbot area
:40:27. > :40:40.and of course for tourism. We are very sorry to see... We see that the
:40:41. > :40:45.United Kingdom Government are becoming tired of the project and
:40:46. > :40:50.they are not as strongly and robustly painted as they used to be.
:40:51. > :40:56.I can say that we have the Government are 100% behind it as a
:40:57. > :41:02.project. While we wait for the UK Government to make their decision it
:41:03. > :41:06.does seem an Offley long time. Can I also asked about the NOR double
:41:07. > :41:13.against then further that the game which has also taken a long time to
:41:14. > :41:20.come forward. I be likely to issue a license for that lagoon to go-ahead?
:41:21. > :41:24.This is not a major issue. What will determine whether the lagoon goes
:41:25. > :41:31.ahead or not is whether the strike price is made available to the
:41:32. > :41:34.developers. We are seeing a UK Government moving away from
:41:35. > :41:38.renewables, we have seen the hatchet job done on wind, the same thing
:41:39. > :41:43.happened to solve. We have seen the money that has gone into Hinkley
:41:44. > :41:46.Point. And we have seen fracking in England, something many members of
:41:47. > :41:52.this chamber do not want to see in Wales. What is the energy policy for
:41:53. > :41:55.the future? We have a tremendous resource in the channel, the second
:41:56. > :41:59.highest tidal region in the world, sitting ready to be used for the
:42:00. > :42:04.creation of energy. The opposition is babbling away there because he
:42:05. > :42:09.has no answers. He fails to explain why his own Prime Minister cannot
:42:10. > :42:14.explain why he won't go ahead with the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon, why he
:42:15. > :42:17.will not support job creation around Port Talbot, while he will not
:42:18. > :42:24.support renewable energy, why he will not support an object that will
:42:25. > :42:31.improve the demand for steel. I know energy expert traded in many ways,
:42:32. > :42:37.but the hot air he creates gives us no energy at all. -- energy is
:42:38. > :42:41.created in many ways. It is clear from the responses that you agree
:42:42. > :42:45.with me in developing the economy of the Swansea Bay region it is vital
:42:46. > :42:49.to ensure the benefits are felt in all its constituent parts. Key to
:42:50. > :42:52.this will be developing the skill base across the wider region. I
:42:53. > :42:58.think the recently announced rowing workforces through learning and
:42:59. > :43:04.development project is a very exciting development in this area.
:43:05. > :43:10.-- growing workforces. This scheme will deliver work training
:43:11. > :43:14.programmes to 100 prisoners are beating enterprises in South Wales
:43:15. > :43:20.West. I would very much like to see companies in my constituency amongst
:43:21. > :43:25.that 100. -- 100 companies and enterprises.
:43:26. > :43:35.I am delighted that ?2.4 million through European funds will help to
:43:36. > :43:48.deliver work based qualifications through employers. The announcement
:43:49. > :43:53.was covered widely and I understand that further awareness will be
:43:54. > :43:55.raised the opportunities through the local and regional press, the
:43:56. > :44:03.website, social media taster sessions. Will the First Minister
:44:04. > :44:10.make a statement on Welsh Government action to promote tourism in Wales?
:44:11. > :44:13.Our tourism strategy sets out our priorities to support the tourism
:44:14. > :44:19.industry, including funding and marketing. Do you agree with me that
:44:20. > :44:26.one problem many tourists sites for not going back to an area is litter
:44:27. > :44:35.on the streets? I am concerned about Conway County plans to go from
:44:36. > :44:39.fortnightly to follow weekly intervals for the collection of
:44:40. > :44:46.recipes. Many residents think it is not acceptable particularly for
:44:47. > :44:51.young families with children with nappies and sanitary products, etc,
:44:52. > :44:55.that might be going into the general refuse bins. What action will your
:44:56. > :45:00.government take to ensure that is appropriate guidance for local
:45:01. > :45:04.authorities. ? Local authorities must make decisions based on the
:45:05. > :45:10.recycling targets they are asked to meet. What we do know is we cannot
:45:11. > :45:15.return to the days when everything was chucked into your black bag and
:45:16. > :45:19.put into a hole in the ground. The reality is unless we see more
:45:20. > :45:23.recycling there will be more of a demand for energy from waste plants
:45:24. > :45:29.which remain controversial in many parts of Wales. It is important that
:45:30. > :45:35.recycling is made as easy and as possible for people, to make sure
:45:36. > :45:39.they fully understand which containers their waste goes in, that
:45:40. > :45:43.the containers are big enough as well. I know that is an issue in
:45:44. > :45:49.some parts of Wales. People get used to the idea, but when it comes to
:45:50. > :45:53.the black bag collection, most things will have already been
:45:54. > :45:57.recycled. It is important people understand the reasoning behind any
:45:58. > :46:03.changes and how they can contribute to recycling as well. There has been
:46:04. > :46:08.an enormous growth in tourism in Wales over the past year and one of
:46:09. > :46:12.the attractions is its growing culinary reputation and one of the
:46:13. > :46:18.attractions is our traditional fish and chip shops within Wales. I
:46:19. > :46:26.wonder, First Minister, if you would recognise and congratulate one place
:46:27. > :46:32.in my constituency where Ryan Hughes has been voted the UK's best young
:46:33. > :46:37.friar in the whole of the United Kingdom? Not only will you
:46:38. > :46:42.congratulate him, but write to him and congratulate him and support the
:46:43. > :46:49.Welsh industry and our culinary expertise and join me one night for
:46:50. > :46:57.a fishing trip supper? Can I first of all congratulate the member on
:46:58. > :47:02.the crafty display in being able to raise the issue of the shop in this
:47:03. > :47:09.chamber? Can I add my congratulations to Ryan himself and
:47:10. > :47:16.to the Crispy Cod who provide a wonderful service. It is not often I
:47:17. > :47:23.get an invitation for a bite to eat during First Minister's questions,
:47:24. > :47:37.so I am delighted to accept. TRANSLATION: Coal-mining history is
:47:38. > :47:42.well known on a global medal, but this museum provides a window on
:47:43. > :47:46.another incredible aspect of our industrial history when the town was
:47:47. > :47:51.that the heart of the copper industry on a global level. We need
:47:52. > :47:56.to share that with more people. I invite the Minister to see these
:47:57. > :48:00.attractions for himself. What support will you provide to develop
:48:01. > :48:06.those attractions and to share the story and to celebrate the copper
:48:07. > :48:10.industry? TRANSLATION: I see I am extremely popular this afternoon as
:48:11. > :48:16.regards the number of invitations I am receiving. The member is correct,
:48:17. > :48:20.Powys Mountain is extremely important in our copper heritage and
:48:21. > :48:27.our Welsh heritage. I visited it some years ago and it is important
:48:28. > :48:32.people understand not only do heritage, but also the geography of
:48:33. > :48:39.the area because it is unique as regards the geography of the
:48:40. > :48:44.mountain itself. Of course it is something that Visit Wales could
:48:45. > :48:51.consider, mainly how we promote Powys Mountain to attract visitors
:48:52. > :48:56.into northern Anglesey. The Centenary of raw style's birth is a
:48:57. > :49:01.fantastic opportunity to bring visitors to Wales and other parts of
:49:02. > :49:07.the capital. Would you agree this is the perfect opportunity for the
:49:08. > :49:12.creation of a permanent centre here in Cardiff to bring tourists to ask,
:49:13. > :49:18.but also to inspire the next generation of Welsh writers with a
:49:19. > :49:22.love of literature? It is an interesting idea, it is the finance
:49:23. > :49:26.that is the question. It would need private finance to be given and it
:49:27. > :49:32.would need to be self-supporting. But certainly we would very much
:49:33. > :49:36.alike to work with any organisation that would wish to put in place a
:49:37. > :49:40.centre and celebrate the fact that Cardiff is the birthplace of one of
:49:41. > :49:48.the world's most renowned children's writers. The museum in my
:49:49. > :49:53.constituency is very popular amongst tourists. I am not sure if it does
:49:54. > :49:59.fish and chips, but it offers other things. As a community asset,
:50:00. > :50:06.responsibility for running it was taken over from Rhondda cancelled by
:50:07. > :50:11.local volunteers. As councils are increasingly resorting to these
:50:12. > :50:14.transfers due to the effect of spending pressures, what advice or
:50:15. > :50:20.support can the Welsh Government make available to such assets so
:50:21. > :50:24.they can continue to attract tourists? One of the areas is to
:50:25. > :50:32.engage with volunteers as much as possible. Many people would give
:50:33. > :50:36.their time freely to museums. It is a question of councils finding it
:50:37. > :50:43.difficult in terms of increasing staff, and I am sure volunteers
:50:44. > :50:48.would love to do it. We know museums are not expected to make money. I am
:50:49. > :50:54.sure there are volunteers who would be more than willing to volunteer
:50:55. > :50:58.and give their time. There we are, that was
:50:59. > :51:01.First Minister's Questions. If you want more more coverage
:51:02. > :51:04.of the National Assembly you can go online to BBC Wales's Senedd Live
:51:05. > :51:06.page at bbc.co.uk/walespolitics. But that's it for First
:51:07. > :51:08.Minister's Questions. Don't forget for all the latest
:51:09. > :51:11.political news, watch Wales Today later today at 6:30 on BBC1 Wales
:51:12. > :51:18.and Newyddion at 9:00 on S4C. As for AMPM though, from all of us
:51:19. > :51:26.on the programme, goodbye.