27/09/2016 am.pm


27/09/2016

Similar Content

Browse content similar to 27/09/2016. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!

Transcript


LineFromTo

Good afternoon, welcome once again to the weekly coverage of questions

:00:25.:00:31.

to the First Minister and according to the order paper, Carwyn Jones

:00:32.:00:35.

will be asked about promoting the Welsh language, boosting tourism and

:00:36.:00:39.

supporting small businesses. You can get the latest from the Senedd by

:00:40.:00:45.

following us on Twitter. Business in the chamber is under way. We can

:00:46.:00:49.

take a look at today's questions to the First Minister.

:00:50.:01:00.

TRANSLATION: Order, I call the National Assembly to order and the

:01:01.:01:04.

first item is questions to the First Minister and the first question,

:01:05.:01:12.

Leanne Wood. With would he make a statement on the Welsh language? We

:01:13.:01:16.

will promote and normalise the components of the draft strategy.

:01:17.:01:23.

You declared support for the goal of doubling the number of Welsh

:01:24.:01:32.

speakers but can you inform us exactly how you intend to meet that

:01:33.:01:37.

commitment, what are your targets and timescales for ensuring we are

:01:38.:01:42.

making progress towards that goal? For example, when can we expect to

:01:43.:01:47.

hit the milestone of seeing three quarters of a million Welsh

:01:48.:01:50.

speakers? I would be grateful if you could give us a date for that.

:01:51.:01:57.

Bearing in mind the strategy is out to consultation, it contains

:01:58.:02:03.

proposals. One area hugely important is to ensure the education

:02:04.:02:07.

authorities have proper Welsh education strategic plans. We have

:02:08.:02:12.

made it clear to them we will reject any plan that is not sufficiently

:02:13.:02:20.

ambitious. TRANSLATION: You said in the past it is important we ensure

:02:21.:02:25.

the Welsh language is a living language in our community and

:02:26.:02:28.

therefore it is important to encourage people to use the language

:02:29.:02:32.

in all parts of their lives, including using the Welsh language

:02:33.:02:36.

online. The Welsh language commissioners made it clear back in

:02:37.:02:42.

the summer that there is potential for technology to facilitate

:02:43.:02:47.

relocation through the medium of Welsh because English tends to be

:02:48.:02:52.

the medium used online. Under these circumstances, can you tell us how

:02:53.:02:56.

your government will promote the use of the Welsh language online? There

:02:57.:03:05.

are a number of things. It is part of a strategy in terms of looking at

:03:06.:03:10.

ways and means of supporting and promoting the language in the

:03:11.:03:13.

digital sphere and it is important to change the behaviours of young

:03:14.:03:19.

people and we have been funding certain projects over the past years

:03:20.:03:24.

so they can develop apps and so want to ensure young people see the

:03:25.:03:30.

language is a digital language. Rather than thinking English is the

:03:31.:03:35.

only language they can use on social media. Given this commitment to 1

:03:36.:03:52.

million Welsh speakers by 2050, that it is best achieved by immersing the

:03:53.:03:56.

children in a second language early, what arrangements have been

:03:57.:04:04.

implemented to bring Welsh language into early classrooms? It is hugely

:04:05.:04:13.

important that a proper pathway is identified by local authorities to

:04:14.:04:17.

enable access to Welsh as a language to be learned or indeed talked

:04:18.:04:29.

through Wales. Was the government's priority is to increase the number

:04:30.:04:36.

of tourists in Wales -- what is? It sets out priorities for developing

:04:37.:04:44.

Wales tourism at home and overseas. Today is world tourism day and it is

:04:45.:04:49.

important we highlight what is on offer in our country to visitors. My

:04:50.:04:56.

constituency possesses world-famous attractions like the whiskey

:04:57.:05:00.

distillery and unique events like the road races that commemorate the

:05:01.:05:09.

memory. How does the government ensure that similar events are

:05:10.:05:18.

highlighted in this strategy. And how is the Welsh Government engaging

:05:19.:05:23.

with partners to ensure attractions are accessible to all possible

:05:24.:05:27.

visitors? The visit Wales website lists a wide range of events

:05:28.:05:32.

throughout Wales including in the valleys and the annual road race is

:05:33.:05:41.

in the main annual tourism brochure. She asks about accessibility. The

:05:42.:05:46.

website includes a filter for the provision of disabled visitors to

:05:47.:05:50.

allow visitors to search attractions that cater for those with

:05:51.:05:54.

disabilities and that is based on details provided by the attractions

:05:55.:06:00.

themselves. Exact facilities can be confirmed by visitors at the booking

:06:01.:06:12.

stage. Every day you pass the dilapidated train station and the

:06:13.:06:16.

magnificent facade of the building opposite the Wales millennium

:06:17.:06:21.

centre. Do you not realise how embarrassing it is for Wales those

:06:22.:06:25.

buildings of the first things many tourists see when visiting Cardiff

:06:26.:06:30.

Bay? A Westminster government would not allow such eyesores literally

:06:31.:06:34.

within a stone 's throw of the UK Parliament. What will you do about

:06:35.:06:39.

the eyesores in Cardiff Bay? I do not know what he did as deputy

:06:40.:06:44.

leader of Cardiff because the council does have a responsibility,

:06:45.:06:51.

not for the railway station but for Central Square, now being developed

:06:52.:06:54.

by a Labour lead counsel. The city has a proper gateway. He raises an

:06:55.:06:59.

important point about the station and Network Rail have plans for the

:07:00.:07:04.

station and we have urged them to develop them, keeping the character

:07:05.:07:06.

of the station while modernising facilities. Visit Scotland spends

:07:07.:07:14.

over 50 million on promoting Scotland. Visit Wales, 8.3 million

:07:15.:07:22.

Wales as a whole but none of that is spent specifically on promoting mid

:07:23.:07:26.

Wales as a specific destination to visit. We have the coastal path,

:07:27.:07:32.

beautiful market towns, fantastic scenery in mid Wales. Is it good

:07:33.:07:39.

enough that we do not promote mid Wales as a specific destination? He

:07:40.:07:45.

makes a strong case with the area he represents. We look to promote all

:07:46.:07:50.

areas, including areas traditionally not seen as those that attract

:07:51.:07:58.

tourists. The expenditure by staying visitors in 2015 was overheard ?2.3

:07:59.:08:04.

billion, well above the target we have set in place. Tourism is a

:08:05.:08:10.

major employer, as well, and we will continue to look to increase the

:08:11.:08:14.

number of visitors day and overnight to all parts of Wales so that those

:08:15.:08:18.

who do not have the good fortune of living here can enjoy what we have

:08:19.:08:26.

to of -- to offer. I welcome a successful summer -- of tourism for

:08:27.:08:40.

Wales. Can you give assurances this investment will continue to be built

:08:41.:08:44.

on so we can continue to grow our crucial visitor economy in Wales? In

:08:45.:08:50.

response to the point made earlier, we want to encourage tourism to all

:08:51.:08:55.

parts, not just areas traditionally that have most attracted tourists

:08:56.:08:59.

and we can look to provide investment to improve those

:09:00.:09:06.

facilities in the years to come. First Minister, many businesses in

:09:07.:09:11.

North Wales depend on tourism and have long been disadvantaged in

:09:12.:09:15.

North Wales partly due to the failure to adequately advertise

:09:16.:09:21.

local attractions on the A55 and it is a problem. Visitors get on the

:09:22.:09:25.

55, stop at the destination and have no idea of attractions not

:09:26.:09:36.

signposted off the 55. An opportunity is being missed. Can you

:09:37.:09:40.

explain what you will do to address the problem? Working with local

:09:41.:09:45.

authorities we can investigate the provision of more brown signs. It is

:09:46.:09:50.

right that we are working on ensuring we have more capture of the

:09:51.:09:55.

visitors travelling along the 55 52 islands, many of whom have said to

:09:56.:09:59.

me, we travelled to Ireland that way but did not stop on the way. When it

:10:00.:10:05.

comes to international tourists, figures continue to go up and many

:10:06.:10:12.

of them will visit and travel to North Wales in order to get there.

:10:13.:10:17.

We believe working with the local authorities we can provide

:10:18.:10:20.

information digitally and in terms of signposting. TRANSLATION:

:10:21.:10:26.

Questions now from the party leaders. The leader of the

:10:27.:10:33.

Conservatives. Very often at First Minister's Questions you talk about

:10:34.:10:37.

what the UK Government is doing and I would like to focus on what you've

:10:38.:10:42.

think would be the best outcome from Jeremy Corbyn's leadership. Do you

:10:43.:10:47.

think the interests of the UK would be served by having Jeremy Corbyn as

:10:48.:10:51.

the next Prime Minister? Yes. It is nice to see you will play your part

:10:52.:10:58.

in the demise of the Labour Party as having him as Prime Minister. By

:10:59.:11:03.

having a Prime Minister who delivers for Wales, it is vital to have the

:11:04.:11:08.

person in number 10. You also went to conference. Please, in silence,

:11:09.:11:15.

without any attempt by ministers to help the First Minister. He needs

:11:16.:11:23.

all the help he can get! You went to the Labour Party conference and

:11:24.:11:27.

launched a strategy, the healthy child Wells programme, which we

:11:28.:11:31.

support because when you look at the indices around child health, they

:11:32.:11:37.

are reporting in Wales. Most major indices have not moved since 2007 in

:11:38.:11:42.

Wales. Can you tell us how the government will take the strategy

:11:43.:11:46.

forward and what budget lines you have agreed? There was a statement

:11:47.:11:53.

but not a lot in it. What budget lines are agreed to take this policy

:11:54.:11:58.

forward and how many extra community nurses will be there by 2021. We

:11:59.:12:03.

know the number of community nurses are declining in Wells. It will be

:12:04.:12:07.

examined when the budget is produced. As part of the promises

:12:08.:12:15.

made to the people of Wales, we ensure to continue the situation

:12:16.:12:24.

where this inequality is close. We have seen that it has risen in Wales

:12:25.:12:29.

and we will do what we can to combat that. If he wants to play a greater

:12:30.:12:37.

role, mentioning the party conference, he can apply, but I

:12:38.:12:45.

cannot guarantee his application will be accepted. We are into the

:12:46.:12:51.

trilogy stage. We have the sequel in 2015. The other point raised by

:12:52.:12:57.

David Melding, on government policy, because we did not have an answer to

:12:58.:13:02.

my second question, so clearly there is no budget line identified or a

:13:03.:13:06.

development of the strategy, is on housing. In the programme for

:13:07.:13:11.

government you identified you wanted to bring 20,000 social housing units

:13:12.:13:18.

forward by 2021, but it had no answers to the current housing

:13:19.:13:21.

crisis of new starts in the market where we saw a 7% decline in new

:13:22.:13:28.

starts in Wales last year. How is your government going to deliver on

:13:29.:13:36.

social housing targets and how will it generate more activity in the

:13:37.:13:39.

overall housing market so by 2021 we can hit the target of 12,000 units,

:13:40.:13:44.

rather than the 8000 of the moment. He mentions the budget and that will

:13:45.:13:48.

be part of the budget when published. We have the target of

:13:49.:13:55.

20,000. The minister, it will be explained how it will be achieved.

:13:56.:13:59.

We have achieved targets in the past. He talks of a trilogy, the

:14:00.:14:04.

second part was the defeat and backward peddling of the

:14:05.:14:07.

Conservative Party in elections in May. In the government's document

:14:08.:14:19.

taking Wales forward, the section on health service, we are committed to

:14:20.:14:23.

helping improve health and well-being, but as the First

:14:24.:14:27.

Minister knows, a lot of parts of Wales, that is just an aspiration

:14:28.:14:34.

and in Gwyneth, in one area, the record is the opposite -- Gwynedd.

:14:35.:14:42.

In one county council there is a community hub Hospital in everyone

:14:43.:14:47.

except one. We have lost hospital beds, close to the X-Ray service and

:14:48.:14:55.

close the minor injuries unit. Other services, branch surgeries. The GP

:14:56.:15:00.

practice that should have four full-time doctors only has one and a

:15:01.:15:08.

variety of locums. They have not got a National Health Service but a

:15:09.:15:10.

notional health service. We have been investing in the health

:15:11.:15:25.

service. Keeping old buildings going is not feasible. Winning modern

:15:26.:15:32.

buildings and that's what we want to offer. The health centre will only

:15:33.:15:42.

be open for ten hours a day which is unacceptable. We need to make sure

:15:43.:15:52.

services are provided as close to patients's homes as possible. For

:15:53.:16:02.

older people and those on low incomes who had to travel, it means

:16:03.:16:08.

that the NHS is not available to them when they need it. It's said

:16:09.:16:22.

that local services were first on the agreement of local people. Will

:16:23.:16:26.

he encourage his colleague to intervene? It seems you are making a

:16:27.:16:34.

case for a District General Hospital. We note that travelling

:16:35.:16:40.

means that some people have to go further than possible, but that

:16:41.:16:47.

means they get a better service. The promise of investment into health

:16:48.:16:57.

services will mean that more people can stay at home, get the support

:16:58.:17:01.

they need at home without having to go into hospital. The litany of

:17:02.:17:06.

closures I have read out has shown it is merely an aspiration, what the

:17:07.:17:14.

First Minister has just said. People in this area are being discriminated

:17:15.:17:30.

against. Will he encourage the Cabinet secretary to meet a

:17:31.:17:34.

delegation in order that we can argue the toss on the claims of this

:17:35.:17:41.

important area to better treatment as part of the government's overall

:17:42.:17:46.

objective stated in its document last week. He needs to talk to

:17:47.:17:54.

people in the area. On the side there is a brand-new health

:17:55.:18:02.

facility. Port Talbot has a brand-new hospital. We are providing

:18:03.:18:06.

the facilities that people need for the future and importantly

:18:07.:18:12.

facilities that shape the health service for the 21st-century. It

:18:13.:18:18.

will ensure that people can stay at home rather than in hospital. First

:18:19.:18:26.

Minister, how many children are waiting for more than four months

:18:27.:18:30.

for a first appointment with child as adolescent mental health

:18:31.:18:36.

services? We have invested heavily in the service. Demand outstripped

:18:37.:18:41.

supply, that much is true. That is why we matched it with the extra

:18:42.:18:46.

investment. It means the numbers waiting and the times have gone

:18:47.:18:52.

down. First Minister, I asked you for a figure and the exact number

:18:53.:18:58.

you were looking for is 1174 children who are waiting for four

:18:59.:19:03.

months and it is not true to say that the figure has gone down

:19:04.:19:06.

because the figure has almost trebled in the three years since

:19:07.:19:12.

2013. We all know that investment in early years is crucial for positive

:19:13.:19:17.

outcomes in education and health and in particular in preventing some of

:19:18.:19:21.

the problems that can arise later in life. Developments in neuroscience

:19:22.:19:25.

shows the early teenage years can be just as crucial for a person's

:19:26.:19:31.

development as the early years. I visited my old school last Friday

:19:32.:19:35.

and I was told that the rates of self harm are going through the roof

:19:36.:19:42.

I don't think for one minute that is an isolated case. Depression,

:19:43.:19:47.

anxiety and self harm had become too common amongst a generation that

:19:48.:19:51.

have many worries about things like zero hour contracts, massive student

:19:52.:19:56.

debt and endless austerity. Those young people are not covered by the

:19:57.:20:00.

interventions that are available for children under seven years old. The

:20:01.:20:05.

things that can go wrong in the teenage years can cause problems for

:20:06.:20:09.

life and I saw that only too well in my formal role as a probation

:20:10.:20:14.

officer. First Minister, will you establish a programme for preteens

:20:15.:20:17.

and teenagers to go alongside your healthy child programme? And would

:20:18.:20:23.

you be prepared to look at what role mindfulness could play in such a

:20:24.:20:29.

programme? Mindfulness was mentioned in the manifesto. When we talk about

:20:30.:20:35.

the health of a child up to seven years old, that must also include

:20:36.:20:41.

mental health as well. That is something that will be taken into

:20:42.:20:44.

consideration when developing a programme. She is right, we do see

:20:45.:20:52.

instances where young people to find themselves under a great deal of

:20:53.:20:59.

stress. Cyber bullying is one area that she or I did not have to cope

:21:00.:21:09.

with, but it is a real issue and there are councillors in secondary

:21:10.:21:11.

schools to help young people and make sure resources are there. I

:21:12.:21:19.

expect the waiting times to go down as the resources work through the

:21:20.:21:24.

system. First Minister, your government's record in helping young

:21:25.:21:30.

people with mental health problems is appalling. The mortality rate for

:21:31.:21:37.

teenagers between 15 and 19 years old is higher in Wales than it is in

:21:38.:21:41.

England and there has been no reduction in deaths from intentional

:21:42.:21:46.

injury from that age group between ten and 18 years old in three

:21:47.:21:52.

decades. A national case audit of children's death has suggested that

:21:53.:21:55.

many young people who died from suicide had not had any contact at

:21:56.:22:00.

all with mental health services and for those who had, there were

:22:01.:22:03.

problems with services failing to follow up on patients who did not

:22:04.:22:08.

turn up for the first appointment. He once admitted that your

:22:09.:22:11.

government took its eye off the ball when it came to education. We now

:22:12.:22:17.

accept that your government has taken its eye off the ball regarding

:22:18.:22:24.

young people's mental health? Would you accept it is a crisis and after

:22:25.:22:28.

17 years of leading the government here in Wales, what do you intend to

:22:29.:22:35.

do about this? I have had experience of this, so have my constituents. We

:22:36.:22:53.

had journalists arriving, trying to question children outside the

:22:54.:22:57.

college. Those youngsters who took the lives did not know each other,

:22:58.:23:01.

despite what was suggested by the press. To come to the point she was

:23:02.:23:07.

making, many of them had no contact with mental health services. What

:23:08.:23:13.

happened was a surprise to their families. They had had no warning,

:23:14.:23:17.

and in some ways that is the greatest tragedy of all. We have

:23:18.:23:25.

young people who are not known to the system and have not identify

:23:26.:23:29.

themselves to the system. Money has been put into CALMS. We have

:23:30.:23:41.

provided more resources so that more people, young people can be

:23:42.:23:46.

identified. We have counselling services in school so that young

:23:47.:23:50.

people can talk to people early on. That takes is well beyond what used

:23:51.:23:56.

to be the case. What assessment has the First Minister made of the role

:23:57.:24:01.

of Allied health and social care professionals in delivering Welsh

:24:02.:24:07.

government priorities are providing health and well-being throughout

:24:08.:24:15.

life? The work in the community and primary care and deliver

:24:16.:24:19.

preventative care. It's difficult to measure. They also help to deal with

:24:20.:24:29.

admission avoided so more people don't have to go into hospital. My

:24:30.:24:41.

wife is a radiographer and she has cold hands, so I warn people in

:24:42.:24:52.

advance! In Wales 50% of people in the country will be over the age of

:24:53.:25:03.

60 by 20 27. The increase in co-morbidity presents problems and

:25:04.:25:09.

is documented for everyone to see. We need determination to deliver the

:25:10.:25:14.

strategy and align the workforce primary care, where we can keep

:25:15.:25:18.

people in a well-being service and not a rescue service. Can he

:25:19.:25:27.

congratulate my wife and those who work in Allied health services? They

:25:28.:25:37.

have a huge role to play and they deserve our thanks. I will

:25:38.:25:42.

congratulate the member for Aberavon. The challenge that faces

:25:43.:25:52.

us in the future is as people get older, many of those people will be

:25:53.:25:58.

fitter when they are older, but inevitably people get a number of

:25:59.:26:01.

small conditions that put together make it difficult for them to live

:26:02.:26:05.

their lives. It's ever someone to have one serious condition, it's a

:26:06.:26:11.

combination of different things. Early recognition is untimely

:26:12.:26:18.

intervention will mean things that with earlier on. Support for chronic

:26:19.:26:26.

conditions as well so that people with chronic conditions don't have

:26:27.:26:29.

to continually go into hospital to deal with a particular flair of a

:26:30.:26:38.

chronic condition. What they do in terms of multi-agency and

:26:39.:26:41.

multidisciplinary teams to help the individual, we know in the future

:26:42.:26:46.

there will be more pressure as people live longer. Something to be

:26:47.:26:49.

welcomed, but there is still a frailty of the human body that we

:26:50.:26:54.

can't legislate for and more people will need help. Thank you. Over the

:26:55.:27:07.

past few weeks I visited to pharmacies in my constituency.

:27:08.:27:16.

Pharmacies of course play a crucial role in the wider provision of

:27:17.:27:21.

primary care and I would certainly want to see that provision expended.

:27:22.:27:26.

Does the First Minister agree with me that we need to do away with some

:27:27.:27:30.

of the barriers that prevent pharmacies from playing the full

:27:31.:27:35.

role, including actually putting aside the ban on advertising some of

:27:36.:27:44.

the services? For example, flu jabs and services in terms of smoking

:27:45.:27:51.

prevention and so on? Well, yes, that's right. That will be part of

:27:52.:27:56.

the public health bill and it is important that any nonsensical

:27:57.:28:02.

obstacles are done away with. But we know of course that pharmacies play

:28:03.:28:08.

a vitally important role in ensuring people receive advice without having

:28:09.:28:11.

to go to see the GPs and we would wish to extend the services

:28:12.:28:17.

available from pharmacies ultimately, bearing in mind that

:28:18.:28:23.

more and more of these pharmacies the lee-macro pharmacists have

:28:24.:28:25.

received clinical training so that they can work in that area. I

:28:26.:28:37.

admired the work that our health care professionals undertake.

:28:38.:28:45.

Doctors working with such professionals has proved positive,

:28:46.:28:58.

especially where they have positions on the boards. What could you do to

:28:59.:29:03.

embed this role, given the ever-changing nature of health care

:29:04.:29:06.

provision and woody review or undertake to discuss with your

:29:07.:29:14.

colleagues the review of the CTP training so that we can better

:29:15.:29:20.

prepare for the next generation? We would expect local health boards to

:29:21.:29:25.

see what works in other health boards and then use that best

:29:26.:29:28.

practice and apply that best practice in their own areas and

:29:29.:29:32.

where there is evidence of the practice working well, we would want

:29:33.:29:35.

them to look at it and see if it is appropriate in their own area and to

:29:36.:29:42.

implement that. When it comes to CTP, many professions are governed

:29:43.:29:46.

by professional bodies that are themselves not devolved and have

:29:47.:29:52.

their own requirements. If that is an issue it is something the

:29:53.:29:56.

minister might be able to look at in order to see how the position of the

:29:57.:30:02.

directors you have referred to can be strengthened in the future.

:30:03.:30:08.

TRANSLATION: Will he set out the next stage of the Welsh double's

:30:09.:30:15.

small business rate scheme. We are extending the scheme and then we

:30:16.:30:21.

will develop a permanent scheme available in April 20 18. The Welsh

:30:22.:30:27.

Government's decision to stick with these listings scheme has not

:30:28.:30:30.

received the reception you might have liked in your constituency.

:30:31.:30:35.

Trays are vocal in criticism of the highest business rates in my region

:30:36.:30:39.

and perverse rates to keep shops empty. They are not happen with one

:30:40.:30:47.

council in ignoring traders on how to increase footfall. Some believe

:30:48.:30:53.

the labour rate relief scheme would be different from business as usual,

:30:54.:30:59.

so what can you say about making the current scheme permanent and

:31:00.:31:04.

tapering rates to 15,000? My own town, there are three groups of

:31:05.:31:08.

traders who do not agree with each other and that is a weakness in the

:31:09.:31:15.

town faces. She mentions empty premises, the biggest problem with

:31:16.:31:18.

those in Bridgend is the intransigence of landlords who will

:31:19.:31:23.

not, only offering rent at ridiculous rates. I have heard

:31:24.:31:28.

examples of businesses who have said they are only offered leases of ten

:31:29.:31:33.

years with rents of up to 25,000 a year, which is ridiculous. Some of

:31:34.:31:38.

the landlords in Bridgend need to understand the way of 40 years ago

:31:39.:31:43.

is no longer right. She asks about not adopting Conservative policy.

:31:44.:31:48.

Over 70,000 businesses at more than 70% receive support and over half of

:31:49.:31:55.

eligible businesses pay no rates. In England, only one third pay no

:31:56.:32:03.

rates. The scheme in Wales is more generous than the penny-pinching

:32:04.:32:05.

scheme implemented by the Conservatives in England. I have

:32:06.:32:11.

been contacted by constituents who expressed concern over the level of

:32:12.:32:15.

business rates that is putting a strain on their finances. As they

:32:16.:32:20.

fall outside the threshold for small business rate relief, they have to

:32:21.:32:25.

pay the full business rates, irrespective of the affordability.

:32:26.:32:29.

Unless these small business owners find cheaper premises, properties,

:32:30.:32:36.

they are stuck with huge rates bills. What plan does the government

:32:37.:32:41.

have to raise the rate relief threshold and ensure rate relief has

:32:42.:32:46.

an affordability consideration? We have put ?98 million into the

:32:47.:32:52.

scheme. There is bound to be a threshold unfortunately for those

:32:53.:32:55.

who are as they would see it at the wrong side of the threshold. What we

:32:56.:32:59.

cannot do is introduce a system where everybody gets business rate

:33:00.:33:03.

relief and nobody pays business rates. Businesses have to make

:33:04.:33:09.

decisions as to the size of premises to understand what is affordable for

:33:10.:33:17.

them. TRANSLATION: What support is the Welsh Government providing to

:33:18.:33:23.

the University health board following a decision on targeted

:33:24.:33:35.

intervention. We are working closely with the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg

:33:36.:33:39.

University health board and on what assistance it requires. Thanks.

:33:40.:33:44.

Further to that, may I ask you confident that you have the capacity

:33:45.:33:50.

within your departments in the Assembly to provide the necessary

:33:51.:33:54.

support to this health board in Swansea, given that other health

:33:55.:33:58.

boards are also under special measures? Only one health board is

:33:59.:34:09.

under special measures. We are most confident about the way in which

:34:10.:34:13.

this one seems to be turning itself around and so the target status of

:34:14.:34:22.

the other boards will avoid any situation to ensure they do not go

:34:23.:34:32.

in the same direction. First Minister, it is under this because

:34:33.:34:44.

of concerns about care. This about diagnostic services. Will you

:34:45.:34:49.

congratulate them and staff in particular who have seen weaknesses

:34:50.:34:52.

come down and we have seen diagnostics getting better there.

:34:53.:34:57.

There was a reduction of 78% in July of people waiting for one of the

:34:58.:35:05.

specified test compared to 2015. The health boards integrated performance

:35:06.:35:14.

report of 2014 states that the health board continues to experience

:35:15.:35:19.

challenges in the delivery of urgent suspected cancer referral target in

:35:20.:35:23.

particular. Reaching 80% of the target rather than 95% the

:35:24.:35:29.

government looked for. Notwithstanding the point made,

:35:30.:35:33.

being those issues were reported two years ago, what support digit give

:35:34.:35:38.

them at that time? What is different about the support given now and if

:35:39.:35:42.

it was needed two years ago, why was it not given then? If you look at

:35:43.:35:50.

the figures. Performance for cancer. More people are starting treatment

:35:51.:35:56.

within the target time. The same thing applies for the 31 day

:35:57.:36:03.

pathway. Which is higher. If we look at weights in accident and

:36:04.:36:09.

emergency, those figures, 63% since March of this year. We are seeing

:36:10.:36:14.

differences not just in diagnostics but in terms of cancer treatment and

:36:15.:36:24.

in terms of A performance. The reason Abertawe Bro Morgannwg are to

:36:25.:36:28.

receive targeted intervention is due to poor performance in unscheduled

:36:29.:36:32.

cancer care with figures showing 83% of patientss diagnosed via the

:36:33.:36:40.

urgent suspected cancer route start treatment within 62 days. We know

:36:41.:36:45.

that time the treatment and intervention, it reduces the risk

:36:46.:36:48.

the council will spread and increases chances of survival. What

:36:49.:36:54.

support is the Welsh Government giving to it to enable them to

:36:55.:36:59.

eliminate delays in treatment and to improve the cancer survival rates my

:37:00.:37:05.

region? I gave the statistics in terms of the 62 day and 31 day

:37:06.:37:11.

performance. Sometimes clinicians tell me it is not easy to start

:37:12.:37:16.

treatment within 62 days because of the nature of the cancer and its

:37:17.:37:22.

position and the need to look carefully at having the most

:37:23.:37:24.

targeted treatment for the individual. You need to have surgery

:37:25.:37:31.

as quickly as possible, I understand the human need, which is why we see

:37:32.:37:35.

performance improvements in that field.

:37:36.:37:44.

Will the First Minister outline how the Welsh Government is helping the

:37:45.:37:50.

NHS prepare for the winter? We will continue to support health and

:37:51.:37:55.

social care organisations through seasonal planning meetings. As part

:37:56.:38:00.

of that, preparing us for the forthcoming winter period is

:38:01.:38:06.

paramount. Last winter we saw unprecedented levels of demand on

:38:07.:38:09.

unscheduled care. People struggled to access a GP over the winter

:38:10.:38:17.

months putting an enormous strain on A departments as patients go to

:38:18.:38:23.

seek medical treatment. According to the RCN, hospitals are so full all

:38:24.:38:27.

year round the system cannot cope with the seasonal spike in demand.

:38:28.:38:32.

We have to address the GP access issue if we are to avoid scenes we

:38:33.:38:38.

saw last winter with ambulances stacked up outside hospitals. What

:38:39.:38:42.

plans does the Welsh Government have to improve out of hours GP services

:38:43.:38:47.

and make greater use of community pharmacies in treating minor

:38:48.:38:52.

ailments? Will you be running a publicity campaign highlighting the

:38:53.:38:56.

role of pharmacies in treating minor ailments? We do. The choose well

:38:57.:39:01.

campaign has done that and there is a nap available. We encourage people

:39:02.:39:07.

to look at the pharmacist and then the community nurse and then to

:39:08.:39:12.

think about the GP and it is right to say to people, don't default to

:39:13.:39:18.

the A department first, nor to a GP first. That is in train. Out of

:39:19.:39:26.

hours is available. The issue in the winter is not numbers of people

:39:27.:39:30.

coming through a indeed, it is the condition they have. More older

:39:31.:39:35.

people with respiratory conditions need more time and ultimately at

:39:36.:39:39.

mission. Last year the plans worked well. It can be difficult to predict

:39:40.:39:44.

the demand on the NHS in the winter because of the weather. But we

:39:45.:39:51.

scrutinise the preparatory nurse of each local health board to ensure we

:39:52.:40:00.

can be satisfied for the winter. TRANSLATION: Under the children's

:40:01.:40:04.

health plan published, every child under seven is supposed to be given

:40:05.:40:08.

the same consistency of service in winter or summer. How do you respond

:40:09.:40:16.

to the Royal College of paediatrics' report today on babies born

:40:17.:40:22.

prematurely that show they are given a second-rate service in Wales, only

:40:23.:40:27.

31% of premature babies are given the crucial second appointment by

:40:28.:40:36.

their second birthday. And that is half the percentage across the rest

:40:37.:40:39.

of the UK and having centralise the service for premature babies,

:40:40.:40:47.

closure of the unit and moving it, they are still given a second-rate

:40:48.:40:51.

service compared to the best services in the UK. Is it empty

:40:52.:40:56.

rhetoric when you are unable to provide what is important and

:40:57.:41:00.

fundamental today? Not at all. Bearing in mind according to the

:41:01.:41:07.

report it took approximately 90% of services working well. Some parts

:41:08.:41:12.

need improvement and we welcome such reports so that we can identify

:41:13.:41:16.

whether there is room for improvement, but we know according

:41:17.:41:20.

to the Nuffield report, there is little difference between the health

:41:21.:41:24.

services across the UK and we will continue to ensure the best services

:41:25.:41:30.

are available, particularly where things could be better. Winter

:41:31.:41:39.

pressures haunt us every year. We have these conversations, always the

:41:40.:41:43.

same groups of people, the elderly, young, chronically ill. In

:41:44.:41:47.

Pembrokeshire, the community resource teams, a collaboration

:41:48.:41:52.

between the health board and local government, have been incredibly

:41:53.:41:56.

effective in working to ensure that people have access to the right

:41:57.:42:00.

services and in preventing hospital admissions. They focus on

:42:01.:42:04.

preventative care, reduce the need for complex care packages. Their job

:42:05.:42:09.

is to avert crises and they work in the community with doctors. There is

:42:10.:42:15.

no coincidence this is a health board that has a director of

:42:16.:42:24.

social... Of therapies and social sizes. They stopping people getting

:42:25.:42:29.

into hospitals, particularly the elderly and those with respiratory

:42:30.:42:33.

problems. Would you welcome the work they are doing? They are one of the

:42:34.:42:38.

leading practitioner 's office in Wales and would you come to

:42:39.:42:44.

Pembrokeshire to see them in action and understand more about the

:42:45.:42:50.

benefits that a director of therapies and social services,

:42:51.:42:53.

health care professionals, can bring to the changing face of NHS health

:42:54.:42:58.

care, particularly over the next 15 years, when we need more of these

:42:59.:43:04.

people, not less. How can I refuse such an offer? I am interested in

:43:05.:43:10.

the work the member has described. I can see the passion she displays in

:43:11.:43:14.

advocating the work she has seen them do and I would like to see it

:43:15.:43:25.

for myself. TRANSLATION: Will the First Minister make a statement on

:43:26.:43:30.

the shortage of doctors. As regards numbers there is not a shortage,

:43:31.:43:35.

there are more doctors now than in 2005. I will give you the figures.

:43:36.:43:43.

In 2005 there were 1849 GPs in Wales and now there is 1997 in one area,

:43:44.:43:59.

437 in 2005 and the same is true of doctors in hospitals. But there will

:44:00.:44:04.

be a campaign launched at the end of next month to attract more doctors

:44:05.:44:09.

to work in Wells. I am not sure if I want to thank you for that response

:44:10.:44:13.

because it is a different picture painted if you count the number of

:44:14.:44:17.

doctors that correspond to full-time equivalents. One of the problems

:44:18.:44:23.

with recruitment of GPs in rural areas is lack of wider facilities to

:44:24.:44:29.

them. GPs do not want to fail in their duties because they cannot

:44:30.:44:35.

access beds for their patients, X-Ray machines, diagnostic services.

:44:36.:44:41.

Can I ask you, would you be willing to commission research with rural

:44:42.:44:47.

GPs, including those perhaps who have given up their post to

:44:48.:44:51.

acknowledge their problems in terms of access and take action as a

:44:52.:44:53.

result? I would argue that we are already

:44:54.:45:03.

doing that through collaborative officers in mid Wales and I would

:45:04.:45:06.

expect the work that is being done there can be transferred and

:45:07.:45:11.

disseminated throughout the whole of Wales. It's a woody started. One

:45:12.:45:17.

thing you didn't refer to is the innovation in GP care, particularly

:45:18.:45:23.

in North Wales in Prestatyn with a multidisciplinary team approach to

:45:24.:45:26.

patient care. What worked for the Welsh government do to evaluate

:45:27.:45:32.

whether that module is successful and can be applied elsewhere across

:45:33.:45:36.

Wales which will alleviate the pressure on GP numbers. The reality

:45:37.:45:44.

is we saw in Prestatyn that GP services closed and the local health

:45:45.:45:50.

board took over primary care services and they are now better.

:45:51.:46:00.

The contractor module is a better module and more GPs are less

:46:01.:46:14.

attracted to it. In Prestatyn the local health board will continue to

:46:15.:46:20.

evaluate what is being done there to see if it is a module that can be

:46:21.:46:29.

adapted. What plans is the Welsh government to -- does the Welsh

:46:30.:46:35.

government have to improve mental health services? We will be

:46:36.:46:42.

publishing a three-year plan in terms of delivering our mental

:46:43.:46:54.

strategy. There was an enquiry into child after less than mental

:46:55.:46:59.

services. There was an increase in the need, but the services were

:47:00.:47:07.

deficient. In a recent meeting the children's Commissioner for Wales

:47:08.:47:22.

said that the committee has only met once, even though ?7 million has

:47:23.:47:29.

been injected into the services. The are no specifics for the government

:47:30.:47:37.

to improve the service. Will the First Minister commit to reforming

:47:38.:47:40.

the services and explain how he would do it? I disagree with the

:47:41.:47:49.

member. We how the lee-macro asking benefits. New services for ADHD and

:47:50.:47:57.

autism are being established across Wales. -- we are seeing benefits.

:47:58.:48:09.

What are the implications for the Welsh economy after the statement

:48:10.:48:19.

about tariff free trade YouTube Brexit. Reasons are outlined by the

:48:20.:48:29.

government and we want businesses in Wales to have unfettered access. I'm

:48:30.:48:38.

sure we do, but members of the UK Government seem to be pushing in the

:48:39.:48:42.

opposite direction which is worrying for some 6000 people who depend on

:48:43.:48:48.

jobs which have resulted out of Japanese investment, including

:48:49.:48:54.

Panasonic in my own constituency. I just wondered how we are going to

:48:55.:48:58.

influence the UK Government that we will continue to have free trade

:48:59.:49:06.

with the European Union because otherwise the future for inward

:49:07.:49:10.

investment looks extremely bleak. To me, in green -- agreeing that

:49:11.:49:17.

fundamental point is essential before we can move on to anything

:49:18.:49:21.

else. That is the building block on which any deal can be built. It will

:49:22.:49:27.

be difficult to progress on anything else. I am concerned that the UK is

:49:28.:49:36.

now seen as not wanting to engage with the EU. I met with the Minister

:49:37.:49:46.

for Gibraltar and there is worry there. There are many factors at

:49:47.:49:55.

play. Some of them have not been identified. That was First

:49:56.:50:03.

Minister's and is there are more questions on our Senedd page on the

:50:04.:50:11.

website. We will be back at our usual time next week. Good

:50:12.:50:12.

afternoon.

:50:13.:50:15.

Download Subtitles

SRT

ASS