:00:27. > :00:36.Good afternoon. Welcome to the programme. We will bring you
:00:36. > :00:43.coverage of questions to the First Minister from the Assembly. He is
:00:43. > :00:53.on his feet right now. We also want to hear about anything you have to
:00:53. > :01:01.
:01:01. > :01:11.A business is already under way in the chamber. Now over two questions
:01:11. > :01:13.
:01:13. > :01:20.for the first minister. Will the First Minister make a statement on
:01:20. > :01:25.support for advisory services in Wales? In view of the changes to
:01:25. > :01:33.welfare and legal aid funding, we will give support for access
:01:33. > :01:39.services. We see more and more people seeking advice on financial
:01:39. > :01:48.issues, we need only reflect on the recent redundancies in be the steel
:01:49. > :01:54.industry. Will he add to the staff at advice centres? What is being
:01:54. > :02:04.done to support these advisory services for the most vulnerable in
:02:04. > :02:05.
:02:05. > :02:13.society? Extra money has been given to Citizens Advice. An additional
:02:13. > :02:18.�753,000 have gone to frontline services. I wonder if I could come
:02:18. > :02:25.back to a question I raised last week about independent advocacy
:02:25. > :02:30.services for children and young people. I was not reassured by your
:02:30. > :02:36.statement where you stood on this. The Chief Commissioner says his
:02:36. > :02:40.independence makes them powerful enough to say it. Do you agree that
:02:40. > :02:49.children and young people will on we have the power to see what they
:02:49. > :02:59.need to say when they have a fully funded advocacy service? -- to say.
:02:59. > :03:01.
:03:01. > :03:07.Absolutely not. The commissioner performs the role well. Isn't it
:03:07. > :03:13.unfortunate that the changes to the Careers Services will lead to fewer
:03:13. > :03:20.face-to-face interviews at the very time when Mort such services are
:03:20. > :03:25.required in the current climate? -- more of such services. It is
:03:25. > :03:31.actually important that broad services are available to young
:03:32. > :03:37.people. There are a number of ways in which they can access Careers
:03:37. > :03:45.Advice and become employed. Will the First Minister outline how the
:03:45. > :03:52.programme for Government is being delivered? We are making good
:03:52. > :03:59.progress in all such services. small percentage of those enrolled
:03:59. > :04:04.in the work programme have achieved employment. Members received an e-
:04:04. > :04:10.mail this morning which talked of promising starts but they know, as
:04:10. > :04:17.well as we do, that this has been a disaster from the start. Will you
:04:17. > :04:27.agree that the Tories and Lib Dems were wrong to scrap the jobs for
:04:27. > :04:30.
:04:30. > :04:34.work brand? This has been a great success. The target has already
:04:34. > :04:42.been reached halfway through the year and there are already 2000
:04:42. > :04:47.more young people in employment or training as a result. Obesity in
:04:47. > :04:54.Wales has been described as at epidemic levels. We have some of
:04:54. > :05:00.the highest rates of obesity, heart disease and diabetes, could you
:05:00. > :05:08.outline how D programme for Government for healthy lifestyles
:05:08. > :05:14.is being achieved? -- the programme. We are delivering. These things do
:05:14. > :05:20.take time but we understand that it is a challenge for all parts of
:05:20. > :05:29.Wales. You see the number of young people claiming the jobseeker's
:05:29. > :05:35.allowance is up, average wages are down and female unemployment is up.
:05:35. > :05:43.It is the wrong way around. Blaming Westminster for every ill is not
:05:43. > :05:49.good enough. Will you accept some responsibility and admit that your
:05:49. > :05:56.Government's unambitious and lacklustre programme is feeling?
:05:56. > :06:02.take his criticism with a pinch of salt. I do take responsibility, of
:06:02. > :06:07.course I do. I do take full responsibility for the fact that
:06:07. > :06:14.economic inactivity in Wales is higher than it has ever been. That
:06:14. > :06:24.said, I am far from complacent and I need to make sure that we deliver
:06:24. > :06:30.in terms of better employment prospects for our young people. By
:06:30. > :06:37.we now move to questions from the party leaders. First, Liberal
:06:37. > :06:41.Democrats. First Minister, the chief executive of the NHS said he
:06:41. > :06:49.was increasingly confident that the Welsh Health Board would balance
:06:49. > :06:55.its books, the Welsh Audit Office said that they were likely to break
:06:55. > :07:05.even, just a few days later. Why did the health minister allowed the
:07:05. > :07:05.
:07:05. > :07:09.chief-executive of the health service go on television to assure
:07:09. > :07:19.that books would be balanced when the data to the Audit Office was
:07:19. > :07:26.seeing something quite different? - saying. We need a configuration
:07:26. > :07:36.of the NHS services to deliver. What the Welsh Audit Office says,
:07:36. > :07:41.for instance is that the situation in some places it is worse than it
:07:41. > :07:48.was last year and that the deficit could be as big as 113 million. The
:07:48. > :07:52.question is, the chief executive of NHS Wales, went on to the
:07:52. > :07:56.television to say there was increasing confidence that they
:07:56. > :08:02.would break even to their targets and would do so without in any
:08:02. > :08:05.sense compromising the quality of care. Today, that same chief-
:08:05. > :08:12.executive has told the Public Accounts executive of the assembly
:08:12. > :08:18.that he expects the NHS in Wales to be in deficit. Given be guarantees
:08:18. > :08:23.that he has made, will you also guarantee that there will be no
:08:23. > :08:29.compromise in the quality of care or the funding gap that now exists?
:08:29. > :08:35.As far as the leader of the Lib Dems is concerned, I asked now if
:08:35. > :08:39.she will support reconfiguration to support better and more sustainable
:08:39. > :08:45.services? Your own health minister said the reconfiguration of
:08:45. > :08:49.services is not about the resources. The reconfiguration of the services
:08:49. > :08:55.will not save any money it is all about improving health care. I am
:08:55. > :09:01.asking you about the financial resilience of the NHS. The health
:09:01. > :09:06.boards are unlikely to break even with their current resources, they
:09:06. > :09:13.could be �130 million in debt, you on chief-executive now today says
:09:13. > :09:22.it could be 70 million. You have already ruled out further brokerage
:09:22. > :09:30.in several regions in Wales even though the deficits in those three
:09:31. > :09:37.regions are �60 million estimated. If there is to be no bail-out which
:09:37. > :09:42.is what your Government has said, what services will close? As far as
:09:42. > :09:48.this Government is concerned, we will always ensure the NHS is
:09:48. > :09:53.funded. She has failed to answer the question whether she agrees
:09:53. > :10:02.that reconfiguration is necessary. The Lib Dems must not scaremonger
:10:02. > :10:06.when the resist any attempt at improvement. It is a bit rich for
:10:06. > :10:10.the first minister to talk about scaremongering when in September
:10:10. > :10:19.you talk about the budget for the Welsh NHS being slightly short.
:10:19. > :10:25.Those were your words in response to my question. Here we have the
:10:25. > :10:32.Auditor-General indicating the mid- point of 70 million, which our own
:10:32. > :10:37.chief executive of the Welsh NHS agrees with, but an extreme
:10:37. > :10:44.situation of �130 million. Where has it all gone wrong? As I said,
:10:44. > :10:49.we are expecting to come in on target. Everyone working in the NHS
:10:49. > :10:54.in Wales and people in receipt of the health care for the NHS in
:10:54. > :10:59.Wales understands there are real pressures within the NHS. A
:10:59. > :11:04.financial shortfall has been identified. Your own Minister has
:11:04. > :11:07.said there will be no bail-out for the second year but on the other
:11:07. > :11:12.hand you are saying there will be a shortage but now you are seeing
:11:12. > :11:19.their will not be, when will you come to grasp the reality of the
:11:19. > :11:24.situation that hour Welsh NHS faces? The word mid Point, which
:11:24. > :11:31.underlines his entire argument, differences are honest on this side
:11:31. > :11:38.of the House. On that side the most dishonest decision ever taking by
:11:38. > :11:43.any party rests with them. Order. Order. Is my microphone not
:11:43. > :11:53.working? You may not like what the First Minister is seeing that he
:11:53. > :11:57.
:11:57. > :12:05.has every right to say it. -- is seeing macro. -- saying. They are
:12:05. > :12:15.trying to conceal the cuts. They say �500 million has to be spent on
:12:15. > :12:16.
:12:16. > :12:20.the NHS but they never see where that is coming from. 20% for
:12:20. > :12:25.education, they know that on the one hand there Government in London
:12:25. > :12:35.is taking money from Wales but the demand that money which does not
:12:35. > :12:39.exist be spent. That is thoroughly dishonest. It was interesting than
:12:39. > :12:45.the First Minister chose not to answer one single point that I
:12:45. > :12:50.booked to him. Last week I noticed that the First Minister was busy
:12:50. > :12:57.preening himself, putting his sit together and his cuffs together. If
:12:57. > :13:07.you take the suit of, there is very little substance the ear. There is
:13:07. > :13:14.
:13:14. > :13:24.there real issue. A real issue in the Welsh NHS. Order. Order. There
:13:24. > :13:24.
:13:24. > :13:31.is a real issue in the NHS in Wales. It is about time that you addressed
:13:31. > :13:35.the real financial difficulties that the Welsh NHS faces and the
:13:35. > :13:43.�70 million short fault that your own chief executive has identified.
:13:43. > :13:48.When will you face up to the reality of the situation so that
:13:48. > :13:57.clinicians and pensioners can have confidence that you have their best
:13:57. > :14:05.interests at heart? He talks about posturing. He comes here every week
:14:05. > :14:11.and asks these questions. He keeps trivialising the issue and going on
:14:11. > :14:17.about clothes. That is a weak joke. The reality is that we care about
:14:17. > :14:22.the NHS. His party never explain where this money is coming from. He
:14:22. > :14:32.knows the cuts come from his own party in London. We stand up for
:14:32. > :14:41.the NHS, his party spins dishonesty to the people on this issue.
:14:41. > :14:44.Perhaps if we could get back to some serious business? On 3rd
:14:44. > :14:52.October the Minister for business enterprise the technology and
:14:52. > :14:58.science said she had been asked to approve to cease funding beyond
:14:58. > :15:08.2012/13. Did you tell us at the request of boom and on what
:15:08. > :15:10.
:15:10. > :15:18.evidence was that decision made? -- the request of whom? Having
:15:18. > :15:23.provided -- not provided the value for money expected, in reviewing
:15:23. > :15:30.its performance against targets and indicators, the report did say that
:15:30. > :15:40.improvements had been made in some a years, the expectations had not
:15:40. > :15:44.been met. No final decisions have A review of such significance
:15:44. > :15:49.should be shared with their Assembly members before decisions
:15:49. > :15:56.are made. The minister's statement said the government will continue
:15:56. > :16:03.to support the commercial enterprise sector. Given that the
:16:03. > :16:09.2013 funding amounts to �200,000, can you say what tendering process
:16:09. > :16:16.is in place? That is something that is in hand but things could not
:16:16. > :16:23.carry on as they did before. I find this a strange set of affairs. This
:16:23. > :16:28.was meant to be the party that your government consulted with on social
:16:28. > :16:33.enterprises. Four years the Social Enterprise Council has been
:16:33. > :16:37.promoted as a flagship enterprise but it has since been ditched
:16:37. > :16:43.without any explanation, with hundreds of thousands of pounds are
:16:43. > :16:47.standing. Given your refusal to lead by example last week over the
:16:47. > :16:51.ministerial called, what are you doing to ensure transparency on
:16:51. > :16:57.these decisions and how can the social enterprise sector have faith
:16:57. > :17:05.that your decision making process is the right one? Farah view has
:17:05. > :17:12.taken place. We cannot ignore it. The Minister has looked at the
:17:12. > :17:18.situation with a view to resolving this and to ensure that the new arm
:17:18. > :17:24.host organisation is in place. The government cannot big drop --
:17:24. > :17:28.Bignall value-for-money reviews when conducted. Will the First
:17:28. > :17:38.Minister make a statement on the Government's priorities for the new
:17:38. > :17:39.
:17:39. > :17:44.year? I am sure that implementation of recommendations will be a
:17:44. > :17:53.priority for year. Do you have a date in mind for the referendum on
:17:53. > :17:57.tax-varying power was? There will not be a referendum before 2015. It
:17:57. > :18:02.is difficult to give an estimate on the timetable because there is a
:18:02. > :18:07.need to insure Barnet is dealt with first. Once that is done, more
:18:07. > :18:14.thought will be given to a timetable. The chairman of the
:18:14. > :18:20.biggest housebuilding in Wales has said that part of the country will
:18:20. > :18:27.become no-go areas if tougher building regulations are introduced.
:18:27. > :18:35.It went on to say the plans to make new homes, up more energy efficient,
:18:35. > :18:41.it would earn �11,000 to building cost of a basic three-bedroom house
:18:41. > :18:47.and lead to affordable housing are not being viable in areas such as
:18:47. > :18:52.South East Wales. What studies has the government taken into the fact
:18:52. > :18:57.of more regulations of the building of affordable housing and does he
:18:57. > :19:04.agree that new houses will not be built in cheaper areas in future
:19:04. > :19:10.without a subsidy? Yes we are paying for affordable houses. The
:19:10. > :19:20.whole point of having affordable houses, the 11,000 figure is not
:19:20. > :19:20.
:19:20. > :19:25.backed by evidence. We know that it has been a live issue between one
:19:25. > :19:30.member in this Chamber and others and the building industry, but we
:19:30. > :19:36.should not take lightly the need to protect people in fires. Three have
:19:36. > :19:40.seen unfortunate consequences of that in the last few months. Last
:19:40. > :19:46.week he told me your priorities for Transport were outlined in the
:19:46. > :19:51.national plan. When asked about a possible new station in the east of
:19:51. > :19:57.Cardiff I was told it was not planned. However in the recent by
:19:57. > :20:07.election, a Labour leaflet said that Carwyn Jones will look at the
:20:07. > :20:19.
:20:19. > :20:22.feasibility of a railway station. There was a dubious opinion poll
:20:22. > :20:27.attached which this standard Lib Dem practice but we will consider
:20:27. > :20:34.any potential options in the future to see how Connectivity can be
:20:34. > :20:38.improved. Will the First Minister made a statement on what the
:20:38. > :20:44.government is doing to tackle domestic violence in Wales?
:20:44. > :20:51.Yesterday it saw the launch on a formal consultation of a white
:20:51. > :20:55.paper. Does the First Minister agree that domestic abuse is the
:20:55. > :20:59.most common form of violence against women and it should be at
:20:59. > :21:05.the heart of any Government's agenda? We he congratulate the
:21:05. > :21:12.Welsh Women's Aid and welcome their 16 days of action from the ban the
:21:12. > :21:17.25th? Yes indeed I well. I know that the work they do is always
:21:18. > :21:24.appreciated by all parties. Certainly we want to insure that we
:21:24. > :21:28.are taking the white people forward into legislation and will enable
:21:28. > :21:32.organisations to strengthen the work they do in the future.
:21:32. > :21:42.Welsh Government's White Paper on violence against women has much to
:21:42. > :21:44.
:21:44. > :21:48.commend it and has been welcomed by many organisations. While
:21:48. > :21:54.legislation does have a role to play, what steps have you taken in
:21:54. > :21:59.the last year to encourage the reporting of domestic violence?
:21:59. > :22:06.see to work with the police to make sure domestic violence is reported
:22:06. > :22:10.to the appropriate authorities. If you look at the 10,000 safer lives
:22:10. > :22:14.a project which paves the way for the proposals set out in the White
:22:14. > :22:24.Paper, taken together, all these things are aimed at encouraging
:22:24. > :22:24.
:22:24. > :22:30.people to report abuse such action can be taken. We must congratulate
:22:30. > :22:36.Quinn a price on the timing of his question to co-ordinate with the
:22:36. > :22:40.Welsh Government statement and the Labour Party backbenchers have a
:22:40. > :22:45.wondrous ability to time these questions to coincide with
:22:45. > :22:51.statements and it is a statement of great importance. We also welcome
:22:51. > :22:55.it and domestic violence is mostly to do with violence against women,
:22:55. > :23:05.but we knew also acknowledge There is a problem that regards violence
:23:05. > :23:07.
:23:07. > :23:13.against men in the home and also against children. They ever other
:23:13. > :23:18.elements of violence we must address. Abuse is abuse, most of it
:23:18. > :23:23.is abuse against women and children but the aim is that we moved to a
:23:23. > :23:29.situation where domestic abuse is a thing of the past, not something
:23:29. > :23:34.that people will have to live within the future. Domestic
:23:34. > :23:39.violence is experienced by women of all ages, however are older women
:23:39. > :23:42.are often overlooked. Howl is the government working to ensure that
:23:42. > :23:49.appropriate information services and support are available for older
:23:49. > :23:56.women experiencing domestic violence? It will insure protection
:23:56. > :23:59.for all victims and insure that all local of parities and public
:23:59. > :24:07.service partners work together to reduce violence against women from
:24:07. > :24:11.all ages. Will the First Minister outlined the Government's plans to
:24:11. > :24:16.support capital infrastructure investment? The Infrastructure
:24:16. > :24:20.Investment Plan will invest �15 billion over the next decade.
:24:20. > :24:25.the enormous potential of electrification of what Wiles main
:24:25. > :24:31.line, what steps are being taken a to develop a robust and detailed
:24:31. > :24:38.case for this project? The minister has instructed officials to work
:24:38. > :24:47.with the Department of the Transport to take forward a case
:24:47. > :24:53.for investment in the main line. When I questioned you about
:24:53. > :25:03.regeneration of the valleys reaching areas of need in the
:25:03. > :25:05.
:25:05. > :25:08.communities and referring to the Railway extension, you replied by
:25:08. > :25:14.referring to two Tourism Partnership North Wales, local
:25:14. > :25:19.authorities working a new brand. What role do you feel capital
:25:19. > :25:29.infrastructure could play her in tackling those problems both to
:25:29. > :25:34.
:25:34. > :25:39.protect the I am still Heritage, but also to the railway. Any scheme
:25:39. > :25:45.that can provide opportunities by apprenticeships or schemes that
:25:45. > :25:53.create jobs are candidates for infrastructure investment. The
:25:53. > :26:02.point is to insure that the Investment leads to jobs, but it
:26:02. > :26:09.also aims to preserve Wales' heritage. Is it still part of
:26:09. > :26:14.government policy to build a new bridge across mannose Straits?
:26:14. > :26:20.is something we are considering at present. We understand the pressure
:26:20. > :26:24.on the A55 in that area of north Wales, the question is where will
:26:24. > :26:30.the money comes from and that is something we need to consider but
:26:30. > :26:40.this is something which is under consideration bearing the financial
:26:40. > :26:40.
:26:40. > :26:45.situation. First Minister, last week you admitted that only 13 % of
:26:45. > :26:50.capital expenditure last year was undertaken in North Wales despite
:26:50. > :26:54.20 % of the population living in the area. The major events strategy
:26:55. > :27:00.within government also admits that only 11 % of expenditure was made
:27:00. > :27:04.in North Wales so what steps are you taking to ensure that all parts
:27:04. > :27:10.of Wales benefit according to their right in terms of this scheme which
:27:10. > :27:20.is part of your budget? As regards the money that has been spent in
:27:20. > :27:23.
:27:23. > :27:27.the north of Wales, we have examples in the health sector and
:27:27. > :27:31.so there are examples of capital funds being spent in North Wales
:27:31. > :27:37.and there are other examples but we want to insure that every part of
:27:37. > :27:41.Wales benefits from the capital funding available. Has the Welsh
:27:41. > :27:49.Government made any representation to the UK government about the
:27:49. > :27:55.awarding of a medal to Welsh veterans of the Russian convoy?
:27:56. > :28:00.would be happy to make these representations. I certainly will
:28:00. > :28:03.write to you to make you aware of four of my own constituents who
:28:03. > :28:09.have been offered this medal by the Russian Federation but have not
:28:09. > :28:14.been allowed to accept that medal by the UK government. The rules
:28:14. > :28:18.outlined by the Foreign Office prevent any veterans from World War
:28:18. > :28:22.II service from accepting this particular award. This is not a
:28:22. > :28:28.party political issue as I know that our members from every part of
:28:28. > :28:37.this Chamber pithier the same as I do. One veteran died on Remembrance
:28:37. > :28:42.Sunday so is not able to accept this noble. -- medal. Do you agree
:28:42. > :28:47.that this is against common sense? Is it is not clear why there has
:28:47. > :28:52.been this delay but if he provides me with examples, I will be more
:28:52. > :28:56.than happy to make representations on their behalf. As I understand it
:28:56. > :29:00.there is a time come straight in the ability for the Trans to
:29:00. > :29:04.receive this medal of some five years from the event. The Prime
:29:04. > :29:09.Minister has set up a review to look at this issue and other awards
:29:09. > :29:13.there could be made from other governments are in foreign battles.
:29:13. > :29:17.It is disappointing to hear the rush government has not made any
:29:17. > :29:22.representations in that review. Could you rectified that after
:29:22. > :29:28.today's proceedings so that with a united voice we can make sure this
:29:28. > :29:33.bureaucracy is put aside and that whens who have served this country
:29:33. > :29:41.to receive the recognition they rightly deserve? I believed I
:29:41. > :29:45.answered that question but the time come straight must be fair -- be
:29:45. > :29:52.there on behalf of the UK government so the ball is in their
:29:52. > :29:56.court. Will he make a statement on the relationship of the Welsh
:29:56. > :30:04.Ambulance Trust and the local health boards. Yes, they are
:30:04. > :30:09.working together. On 7th November when we held a debate, the or Welsh
:30:09. > :30:15.minister said there has been a reduction in lost hours, those
:30:15. > :30:24.times when ambulances were held up in hospitals and when the interest
:30:24. > :30:28.met up it was reported that that the number of hours delayed had
:30:28. > :30:35.risen from 3,000 hours per month to 5,000 per month. Which is correct
:30:35. > :30:41.and what are you doing about it? Those comments are correct. I have
:30:41. > :30:44.to remind the member of that we did announced plans to conduct a review
:30:44. > :30:54.of the ambulance service and those terms of reference are being
:30:54. > :30:58.
:30:58. > :31:05.The news goal of advanced partition paramedic has been introduced a to
:31:05. > :31:11.give treatment closer to home. Are you aware what support is being
:31:11. > :31:19.provided for these posts? Yes. In terms of the Ambulance Service
:31:19. > :31:28.Trust, there will be 12 in post, a further are undergoing training.
:31:28. > :31:32.They are being supported financially. In the Welsh
:31:32. > :31:38.Conservative debate on winter resilience last week I mentioned
:31:38. > :31:45.that the fire service which covers part of my region has provided 17
:31:45. > :31:49.4x4 vehicles for emergency response. What indication have you had from
:31:49. > :31:58.the ambulance Trust whether there would benefit from that and if they
:31:58. > :32:04.could share these vehicles? fire service are trained. Will, I
:32:04. > :32:12.have not finished! I think you have already asked two questions. Well,
:32:12. > :32:19.quickly, come to the point. Excuse me! Have you finished your point?
:32:19. > :32:27.Finish your question quickly. Can I remind people quickly, it is one
:32:27. > :32:37.question, not three or four. Or I wanted to know was what resources
:32:37. > :32:41.there are between capital and local facilities? Quite often the fire
:32:41. > :32:46.services could be first on the scene and so they would be first to
:32:46. > :32:56.respond in those circumstances. Then they will liaise with the
:32:56. > :33:03.ambulance service if they are next to arrive. There is significant
:33:03. > :33:07.financial pressure within the ambulance service. �50 million of
:33:07. > :33:11.the reserves have now been revealed in the health budget, will you
:33:11. > :33:16.consider alleviating some of the financial pressures within the
:33:16. > :33:24.ambulance budget as you consider how you intend to allocate this
:33:24. > :33:27.funding? �1 million was given recently to be Trust itself to
:33:27. > :33:34.secure improvements in this service and deal with the new pressures
:33:34. > :33:40.upon them at present. Will the First Minister make a statement on
:33:40. > :33:46.the Welsh Government approach for a Welsh provision across the
:33:46. > :33:51.Welsh/English border? We will do our best to deliver the best
:33:51. > :33:54.service to the people of Wales. That you for your answer. Cross-
:33:54. > :34:00.border arrangements are particularly important when it
:34:00. > :34:07.comes to ambulance services. This can have a real impact on our
:34:07. > :34:11.results here in Wales. A greater focus was placed recently on make
:34:11. > :34:21.ready paramedic vehicles rather than traditional ambulances, those
:34:21. > :34:21.
:34:21. > :34:29.which are left run out the central Shrewsbury depot. What impact and
:34:29. > :34:39.assessment of the impact has there been? Officials from both sides of
:34:39. > :34:40.
:34:40. > :34:45.the border will see if the current situation needs to be enhanced.
:34:45. > :34:51.will know that some services are obviously, it is appropriate to
:34:51. > :34:55.provide them on a cross-border basis, particularly for the NHS
:34:55. > :34:59.where the scale of population might demand a service be provided for
:34:59. > :35:07.the larger population. Some services need to be provided
:35:07. > :35:14.locally. I told specifically about neonatal services. Can you assure
:35:14. > :35:17.people in my constituency that the neonatal services which they have
:35:17. > :35:25.access to will always be accessible for them and safe no matter where
:35:25. > :35:30.they are provided? I want them to be safe and sustainable and
:35:30. > :35:38.accessible. With regard to the further detail that he mentions,
:35:38. > :35:42.that is another value. Can you investigate why a Welsh medical
:35:42. > :35:48.device manufacturer is being prevented from competing on at a
:35:48. > :35:55.level playing field with their English counterparts because Welsh
:35:55. > :36:05.manufacturers are not being helped by an be dispensing manufacturing
:36:05. > :36:06.
:36:06. > :36:10.alliance? They cannot talk to their equivalent in England which gives
:36:10. > :36:19.the Welsh companies the incentive to relocate to England and lose as
:36:19. > :36:24.250 jobs here in Cardiff. I will look into that. What does the Welsh
:36:25. > :36:30.Government intend to do to support the NHS over the next six months?
:36:30. > :36:35.We wish to ensure it is a sustainable and safe service.
:36:35. > :36:38.divulging the need for additional funds in the NHS the chief
:36:38. > :36:46.executive stated that the additional financial pressure
:36:46. > :36:54.emanates partly from the migration of elderly people into Wales. Do
:36:54. > :37:01.you share that analysis? If so, is there expected and in migration
:37:01. > :37:06.since the health budget was made 12 months ago? It is true to say that
:37:06. > :37:14.the Welsh population is slightly all-but than usual. That has put
:37:14. > :37:19.slightly more pressure on the health service. What can the Welsh
:37:19. > :37:25.Government do to support the NHS in ensuring the treatment and support
:37:25. > :37:31.that is available for haemophiliacs in Wales is adequate? Particularly
:37:31. > :37:36.getting access to specialist physiotherapy as there is still
:37:36. > :37:41.only one specialist who is based in Cardiff. We are all sympathetic to
:37:41. > :37:51.the needs of people with haemophilia. Given the limited
:37:51. > :37:51.
:37:51. > :37:56.budget which exists at the moment the people will be directed more to
:37:56. > :38:03.counselling than therapy services. We hope there will be more or
:38:03. > :38:09.therapists employed in future. certain that you will be aware that
:38:09. > :38:15.the number who have the flu jab in Wales is lower than in other
:38:15. > :38:20.countries of the United Kingdom. At present we lag behind on the
:38:20. > :38:25.targets on health workers and vulnerable people. Can you tell me
:38:25. > :38:31.what your Government is doing to increase the number receiving the
:38:31. > :38:37.flu jab and ensure the NHS in Wales is not put under excessive pressure
:38:37. > :38:42.in the coming months? Of course we have a campaign in place. We need
:38:42. > :38:48.to make sure people see the posters and so on so that the firstly 0
:38:48. > :38:55.that the flu jab is available. They do not need to visit their doctor,
:38:55. > :39:01.it is possible to get the jab in at number of pharmacies. Will the
:39:01. > :39:05.First Minister provide an update on the impact of the concessionary
:39:05. > :39:15.fares initiative on community transport? The Minister is
:39:15. > :39:20.considering a report following the evaluation of the initiative.
:39:20. > :39:24.2008 the Minister for transport of the Welsh Government carried out an
:39:24. > :39:30.assessment of concessionary fares, on that basis, he extended the
:39:30. > :39:37.scheme until 2012. The Transport Minister, last December, announced
:39:37. > :39:41.he would be bringing that scheme to a close in March of this year.
:39:41. > :39:47.After I asked him on what basis he took that decision and what
:39:47. > :39:53.evaluations have been taken or have been undertaken, he decided to
:39:53. > :39:59.refer that. -- defer that. You are now telling me a further decision
:39:59. > :40:01.will be taken six months later. What impact is that having on
:40:02. > :40:07.Community Transport and how many of these schemes have been brought to
:40:07. > :40:13.an end because of this uncertainty created by your Government? This
:40:13. > :40:20.report has been written. The Minister will consider it in detail
:40:20. > :40:25.and insure the decision is taken in due time. Let's leave First
:40:25. > :40:32.Minister's Questions there today. You can see more coverage of the
:40:32. > :40:38.Assembly online. You are also able to catch up with urgent questions
:40:38. > :40:43.on the steel job losses announced last week, council tax rebates and
:40:43. > :40:49.the floods you will be seeing on the news. Hour Welsh affairs editor
:40:49. > :40:59.has been keeping his eye and ears across this First Minister's
:40:59. > :41:02.
:41:02. > :41:07.Questions. Let's concentrate on readers' questions. One went on the
:41:07. > :41:13.closing down of the social enterprise fund rather than health
:41:13. > :41:18.like the other two? It was lively, particularly leaders questions and
:41:18. > :41:27.the exchanges between Andrew Davis and D First Minister were robust
:41:27. > :41:32.and amusing even. It would appear that Ms Would tried something like
:41:32. > :41:37.she did before her, to try to introduce a story or an issue of
:41:37. > :41:43.her own rather than just going on the main issue of the day which is
:41:43. > :41:50.what the other two dead. I think that what she is attempting to do
:41:50. > :41:56.is put her own mark, her on issue on the agenda. It is not a huge
:41:56. > :42:01.amount of money that is going to be enterprise coalition. Something
:42:01. > :42:11.like �700,000 over four years, that is not a huge amount of money in
:42:11. > :42:12.
:42:12. > :42:18.Assembly terms. The discussion between the First Minister and
:42:18. > :42:21.leader of the Conservatives, the Conservative mentioned not having
:42:21. > :42:25.seen the First Minister without his suit on, there seems to be tension
:42:25. > :42:31.between those two? I think it is fair to say they are not best
:42:31. > :42:36.friends. Davies thinks that Carwyn Jones does not do anything, he is
:42:37. > :42:42.just managerial. Carwyn Jones things that Davies is just not that
:42:42. > :42:46.bright. Things are getting worse between the two men but that
:42:47. > :42:51.actually livens up First Minister's Questions quite a bit! There are
:42:51. > :43:00.some urgent questions this afternoon, three of them suggested
:43:00. > :43:06.the Assembly has been quick in responding. Yes, they are talking
:43:06. > :43:14.about the steel redundancies, funding and flooding which could
:43:14. > :43:24.all cause big problems in the coming weeks. There was a
:43:24. > :43:24.
:43:24. > :43:30.challenging question from flimsy little, Carwyn Jones was welcoming.
:43:30. > :43:34.There will not be any problems. The important part was always the back
:43:34. > :43:40.room discussion. That has been sorted. The budget will come in. It
:43:40. > :43:46.was strange to see Plaid Cymru attacking the Government's job-