:00:21. > :00:24.Good morning, and welcome to am.pm. We've got a Westminster happy hour
:00:24. > :00:27.for you today - we'll shortly be going off to the Commons for Welsh
:00:27. > :00:31.and Prime Minister's Questions, and later on, we'll be finding out
:00:31. > :00:33.what's happening in the Assembly. And I'm pleased to say that I'll be
:00:33. > :00:40.joined throughout the programme by two AMs: Labour's Mick Antoniw and
:00:40. > :00:49.Plaid Cymru's Bethan Jenkins. Before we go to the Commons, though,
:00:49. > :00:57.let's look ahead to what we might see and hear. What kind of things
:00:57. > :01:03.do you think will crop up? Welfare reform, and the impact of VAT on
:01:03. > :01:13.jobs. I suspect that the NHS privatisation in England will beat
:01:13. > :01:15.
:01:15. > :01:21.AM issue. That has been a recurring issue. There were noises from Lib
:01:21. > :01:26.Dems. Are they going to scupper the Government's plans? There are many
:01:26. > :01:30.concerns from the Lib Dems. There have been a group who have been
:01:30. > :01:38.voting against the Government strongly. Conference season is
:01:38. > :01:47.coming up, meaning there will be more vocal representations of those
:01:47. > :01:53.views. There are other issues, such as health in England. That has an
:01:53. > :01:57.impact on health in Wales, as opposed. Also, or welfare reforms.
:01:57. > :02:02.We heard from Leighton Andrews giving a warning that Welsh
:02:02. > :02:10.children could be plunged into poverty as a result of welfare cuts.
:02:10. > :02:20.That affect swells as well, doesn't it? Absolutely, especially as
:02:20. > :02:21.
:02:21. > :02:27.regards health. It is very important, the knock-on effect of
:02:28. > :02:35.the health bill. Housing benefits and disability benefits are set to
:02:35. > :02:40.be very hurt by the process as well. The Welsh government has a very
:02:40. > :02:47.strong stance against these reforms. It is coming up to St David's Day.
:02:47. > :02:54.Do you think there or be a jolly atmosphere during Welsh Questions?
:02:54. > :02:59.-- there will be. There are serious issues as well. We are still
:02:59. > :03:04.waiting for her that bank holiday on St David's Day. That a decision
:03:04. > :03:13.still lies with at Westminster, unfortunately. But I AM sure there
:03:13. > :03:23.will be jovial talk. Where do you stand on the bank holiday for St
:03:23. > :03:26.
:03:26. > :03:35.David's Day? I supported, but the St David's Day should be big day
:03:35. > :03:38.within Wales. There opportunities and benefits there. Looking ahead
:03:38. > :03:47.to Prime Minister's Questions, I think this is the first time we
:03:47. > :03:52.have had John the sofa. Ken USS how Ed Miliband has been performing --
:03:52. > :03:58.Kang USS? I think it is true he has been progressing. What people
:03:58. > :04:03.forget is that this is a particular learning experience for new readers.
:04:03. > :04:08.David Cameron, who performs well, when he started off, there were all
:04:08. > :04:18.sorts of questions about it. But he learned that the job. He has got to
:04:18. > :04:20.
:04:20. > :04:28.be himself more. We will see how they are getting on in the Commons.
:04:28. > :04:35.Work and too happy hour. I AM committed to working with UK TIA,
:04:35. > :04:39.the Welsh government and others, to improve levels of inward investment.
:04:39. > :04:43.The Welsh Affairs come at -- the Welsh Affairs Select Committee
:04:43. > :04:50.highlights important issues, but in particular, the need for joint
:04:50. > :04:54.working between this government and the Welsh government. Does my
:04:54. > :05:00.honourable friend not only welcomed you Welsh Affairs Select Committee
:05:00. > :05:03.report, particularly the point it makes for their need for the
:05:03. > :05:12.Government to engage more positively with the UK government
:05:12. > :05:14.to attract investment into Wales? Can I reassure my honourable friend
:05:14. > :05:19.that I certainly welcome the sterling work which has been done
:05:19. > :05:24.by the Welsh Affairs Select Committee. It was, indeed, at a
:05:24. > :05:29.unanimous report. It highlights areas that must be addressed by the
:05:29. > :05:35.UK government and the Welsh government. I recently met with the
:05:35. > :05:39.chief executive of UK t i to discuss the response. I have always
:05:39. > :05:43.said but I want to encourage closer working between the Welsh
:05:43. > :05:51.government and the UK government, particularly in the light of some
:05:51. > :05:59.disappointing figures in Wales. this Secretary of State
:05:59. > :06:05.congratulate the Labour government? I have always said that politicians,
:06:05. > :06:15.of all parties, should co-operate to bring inward investment into the
:06:15. > :06:20.
:06:20. > :06:25.UK and Wales. I have great pleasure in congratulating individuals.
:06:25. > :06:35.the Secretary of State believe that restoring investment into Wales is
:06:35. > :06:39.
:06:39. > :06:48.good? I think... I think, Mr Speaker, these remarks have
:06:48. > :06:52.temporarily put me off my stride! Can I just to say that the
:06:52. > :07:02.honourable lady is absolutely right. The branding is exceedingly
:07:02. > :07:03.
:07:03. > :07:07.important, and there is no doubt that in looking at the report, the
:07:07. > :07:12.WDA's it represented that great brand folk Wales which was well
:07:12. > :07:16.known across the world. Many would like to bring it back. That is
:07:16. > :07:20.something worth considering in another form, may be, but there is
:07:20. > :07:27.no doubt the branding is an important aspect of marketing in
:07:27. > :07:37.Wales. Could I joined the Secretary of State dinner marking St David's
:07:37. > :07:42.
:07:42. > :07:47.Day? Since... I AM sure she will have no trouble in doing that.
:07:47. > :07:54.Since coming to office, how much inward investment house she and her
:07:54. > :08:01.government help bring to Wales? First of all, can I just say what a
:08:01. > :08:11.magnificent victory in the rugby! It brought a tear in a goal's eye.
:08:11. > :08:12.
:08:12. > :08:17.As far as the match on Sunday were concerned, they were robbed. Inward
:08:17. > :08:23.investment is devolved to the Labour Welsh Assembly Government.
:08:23. > :08:28.As the honourable gentleman should know, and since I came into
:08:28. > :08:36.government, I have met with delegations from Taiwan, China,
:08:36. > :08:42.Turkey, Japan and Russia, promoting Wales's inward investment decision,
:08:42. > :08:47.and I launched the first trade mission to Bangladesh, led by the
:08:47. > :08:50.Chamber of Commerce. I stress that I think it needs to be a
:08:50. > :08:54.partnership between the UK government and the Welsh government,
:08:54. > :09:04.because when making inward investment decisions, companies are
:09:04. > :09:04.
:09:04. > :09:10.looking at the UK as a whole, we need to give reasons to go to Wales.
:09:10. > :09:15.Can I thank her for that? I would also like to remind her in the 15
:09:15. > :09:25.months since the Government's spending review, the UK economy has
:09:25. > :09:28.
:09:28. > :09:34.grown by a miserable not 0.2%. -- 0.2%. This collapse has massive
:09:34. > :09:44.leap damaged inward investment and jobs in Wales. Isn't it time her
:09:44. > :09:50.
:09:50. > :09:54.government changed course? The Tories are hammering Wales. I AM
:09:54. > :10:03.taking note lessons from the honourable gentleman. Particularly
:10:03. > :10:06.since we came to government, we are investing �1 billion. We are
:10:06. > :10:11.putting in �60 million into broadband, and quite frankly, I
:10:11. > :10:14.think it is important that governments worked together. If the
:10:14. > :10:20.First Minister goes on a delegation and brings back business to Wales,
:10:20. > :10:29.I will be delighted. But we should be working together, and for his
:10:29. > :10:33.information, we will be sticking to plan a. This is a question about
:10:33. > :10:38.tariffs. We are continuing to consult and engage with the solar
:10:38. > :10:43.industry. There are a number of key innovative businesses in the solar
:10:43. > :10:47.industry, and we are committed to ensuring they have a prosperous
:10:47. > :10:54.future. According to the Department of Climate Change, the industry is
:10:54. > :10:58.likely to shrink by a one third. Directly, as a result, up of the
:10:58. > :11:05.Government policies he has supported. How many of those jobs
:11:05. > :11:11.will be lost in Wales? Has this been a hash from start to finish?
:11:11. > :11:17.would say that it is that a hash at its inception. The scheme put in
:11:17. > :11:22.place by the Government was poorly designed, it lacked flexibility to
:11:22. > :11:26.respond to changes in the cost of installation and price of
:11:26. > :11:30.electricity. The measures the Government is putting in place in
:11:30. > :11:37.response to the consultation will provide consumers with a proper
:11:37. > :11:42.rate of return, the sort of that rate of return originally envisaged.
:11:42. > :11:47.Does he agree the important thing is that there is a fair return? As
:11:47. > :11:57.a result of that, both Italy and France, and then the last week,
:11:57. > :11:57.
:11:57. > :12:03.Germany, have significantly changed their tariffs? Yes, of course. That
:12:03. > :12:09.underlines the fact the scheme was poorly designed from the start. The
:12:09. > :12:17.proposals will provide a fair rate of return. But this policy has
:12:17. > :12:27.actually shattered business confidence in Wales. We are set for
:12:27. > :12:27.
:12:27. > :12:33.advances and the Green economy, but who will invest?. This is a key
:12:33. > :12:37.industry in Wales. I think that the honourable gentleman's criticism
:12:37. > :12:41.should be directed at the previous government. The measures this
:12:41. > :12:48.Government have put in place will ensure stability, their rate of
:12:48. > :12:51.return and restore confidence to manufacturers. I hear what the
:12:51. > :12:57.Minister says, but Kenny guarantee that this mess will not happen
:12:57. > :13:04.again? Will we be able to develop further Green Technology in Wales
:13:04. > :13:09.where we are well placed to? We need to develop these industries.
:13:09. > :13:15.When he assured her house we will not have this kind of mess again,
:13:15. > :13:18.which undermines confidence in the whole sector? I agree that this
:13:18. > :13:22.sector is extremely important to the Welsh economy, but I AM afraid
:13:22. > :13:32.it has been at left to the Conservative Party to clear-up
:13:32. > :13:34.
:13:34. > :13:42.Labour's mess. After the news this week that big investors in wind
:13:42. > :13:47.energy are threatening to take remit jobs aboard, how will the
:13:47. > :13:53.Minister convince companies to invest in the manufacture of
:13:53. > :13:59.renewable energy in Wales, securing jobs and reducing our dependence on
:13:59. > :14:03.gas and oil? The Government's response to the consultation does
:14:04. > :14:07.just that - it provide a sustainable framework for the
:14:07. > :14:17.industry to go ahead, and for investors do have a proper rate of
:14:17. > :14:23.
:14:23. > :14:26.return. This is about the way the railways are organised. I AM aware
:14:26. > :14:36.that the honourable gentleman has spoken to my colleague only
:14:36. > :14:39.
:14:39. > :14:44.recently. He would have recognised that the Welsh government is
:14:44. > :14:49.showing a capacity for innovation and bringing co-operative
:14:49. > :14:54.principles to bear. Would it not be a good idea to take the party's
:14:54. > :15:04.ideas for the railway services in and around Wales, to be accountable
:15:04. > :15:08.
:15:08. > :15:14.to the travelling public? What he The proposals are helpful
:15:14. > :15:18.contribution to the idea about how we manage our transport structure.
:15:18. > :15:21.The government is presently considering its response to the
:15:21. > :15:25.McNulty review which has identified ways to make the railways more
:15:25. > :15:30.efficient and affordable in the longer term.
:15:30. > :15:33.Rather than setting up a consumer mutual with all the concerns about
:15:34. > :15:37.accountability to all the people of Wales, will the government
:15:37. > :15:41.considered the utility of transferring responsibility for all
:15:41. > :15:46.railways in Wales to be directly elected democratic body, the Welsh
:15:46. > :15:50.government? That is not currently on the agenda,
:15:50. > :15:54.but no doubt the Honourable Gentleman will be making us a
:15:54. > :16:01.representations to the sub commission.
:16:01. > :16:05.Questions about the burden on business.
:16:05. > :16:09.I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues, the First
:16:09. > :16:14.Minister and other organisations on reducing the regulatory burden on
:16:14. > :16:19.businesses and the public in Wales. I thank the Minister for that reply.
:16:19. > :16:22.Did she agree while some decisions are devolved, it is vital the Welsh
:16:22. > :16:29.government doesn't introduce any measures which are seen as a
:16:29. > :16:33.disincentive to invest in Wales? My Honourable Friend is absolutely
:16:33. > :16:38.right and I quite agree. We have to be very careful when we send
:16:38. > :16:44.signals to business that we sent signals that government, whether it
:16:44. > :16:50.is UK or Welsh, is on its side. We must not place any more berries in
:16:50. > :16:59.a way of businesses creating jobs in Wales. -- barriers. -- in the
:16:59. > :17:03.way. Am sure the financial-services industry in Wales would have been
:17:03. > :17:08.daunted. This government is scrapping new
:17:08. > :17:13.regulations that would have cost businesses over �350 million per
:17:13. > :17:17.year and radically reforming the planning system England. Whilst
:17:17. > :17:19.decisions I have devolved to the Welsh government, would my
:17:19. > :17:24.honourable friend like to see Labour ministers in Cardiff
:17:24. > :17:28.following suit? Yes, we are aiming to be the most
:17:28. > :17:33.business-friendly government in history. And certainly scrapping
:17:33. > :17:36.new regulations and with the red tape challenge, we have thrown down
:17:36. > :17:41.the gauntlet to all those organisations that put barriers in
:17:42. > :17:47.a way of business. I did write to the First Minister about that some
:17:47. > :17:51.time ago. I am still waiting to have a response from him but I am
:17:51. > :18:00.sure he would share my sentiments that we need to encourage business,
:18:00. > :18:07.not stifle it. At the time unemployment is at a 17
:18:07. > :18:13.year high. Is the decision of the government to actually withdraw
:18:13. > :18:16.working tax benefits from low-paid part-time workers example of
:18:16. > :18:21.reducing administrative burdens or is it kicking someone after they
:18:21. > :18:25.have been thrown on the ground? I hope the Honourable Gentleman has
:18:26. > :18:31.noticed that in creating the most competitive tax regime in the G20,
:18:31. > :18:36.which is the aim of the Treasury, we have also been taking the lowest
:18:36. > :18:42.paid tax and that will make a great difference to families and
:18:42. > :18:46.individuals right across the United Kingdom as well as in Wales.
:18:46. > :18:50.But John Longworth, the director- general of the British Chamber of
:18:50. > :18:54.Cranworth -- Commerce, says businesses are still not feeling
:18:54. > :18:58.the burden of regulation lifting. Will the Secretary of State listen
:18:58. > :19:04.to business and confirmed the Cabinet yesterday was lambasted by
:19:04. > :19:07.the Chancellor of the Exchequer for not achieving satisfactory growth.
:19:07. > :19:11.What I will say to the Honourable Gentleman is that right from the
:19:11. > :19:15.beginning when I was appointed Secretary of State for Wales, has
:19:15. > :19:20.set up a business advisory group so that I could listen directly to the
:19:20. > :19:25.concerns of business and kinship -- industry. By hold meetings with
:19:25. > :19:29.that group on a regular basis, -- I hold meetings. As recently as this
:19:29. > :19:34.week and met with the newt chief executive of the CBI in Wales so I
:19:34. > :19:41.certainly listen to what businesses are saying.
:19:42. > :19:47.This is about funding reductions and women.
:19:47. > :19:50.We want to put women at the heart of our economic future. Although we
:19:50. > :19:54.have had to make difficult decisions we are enduring the
:19:54. > :20:01.reductions made our shared fairly, whilst still protecting those in
:20:02. > :20:09.society almost for trouble. Not only our Welsh women being hit
:20:09. > :20:11.hard, but on April 6th over 9,000 families in Wales will discover
:20:11. > :20:19.they will be hit by a change to working tax credits which could
:20:19. > :20:22.mean a loss of up to �2,100 a year. Does the Secretary of State have
:20:22. > :20:27.any comprehension of how hard it would be for those families to
:20:27. > :20:33.increase their hours, especially in retail?
:20:33. > :20:37.As the Honourable Lady knows, this Government's top Pro40 is an
:20:37. > :20:41.economic recovery that pervades jobs for everybody, including women.
:20:41. > :20:45.This government, in difficult times, has been helping families with the
:20:45. > :20:49.cost of living. For example we have been freezing council tax, the
:20:49. > :20:54.Welsh Labour government has refused to implement a similar policy in
:20:54. > :20:58.Wales. Extending free health care, child care, and we have increased
:20:58. > :21:02.that entitlement in England. I challenge Labour where it is in
:21:02. > :21:07.power in Wales to match that sort of record.
:21:07. > :21:14.Many of the claims made about the effect on women has unfortunately
:21:14. > :21:18.been repeated. Despite making claims about the effect on Wales
:21:18. > :21:22.about changes to the railway system, there is no evidence to back this
:21:22. > :21:26.claims. Does the Secretary of State agree that many public sector
:21:26. > :21:30.organisation supported by the taxpayer have agreed to be
:21:30. > :21:33.mouthpieces for the Labour Party propaganda?
:21:34. > :21:39.I would always condemn organisations funded by the tax
:21:39. > :21:43.payer being propaganda mouthpieces for the Labour Party so I can agree
:21:43. > :21:46.wholeheartedly with my Right Honourable Friend. He must remember
:21:46. > :21:51.this is the government that is providing flexible parental leave,
:21:51. > :21:56.we are working with employers to enter Trevor seat of the gender pay
:21:56. > :21:59.gap, we are establishing a Women's Business Council, providing
:21:59. > :22:03.Enterprise mentors to help more men start their own business. We have a
:22:03. > :22:07.proud record on women and as the minister has just joined us on the
:22:07. > :22:12.front bench I would like to offer my congratulations on the work she
:22:12. > :22:16.is doing. Question about public service
:22:16. > :22:20.delivery. My Right Honourable Friend and I
:22:20. > :22:23.have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues and Welsh
:22:23. > :22:32.government ministers to discuss a wide range of areas including
:22:32. > :22:35.public services in Wales. Given the reports of patients in
:22:35. > :22:40.Wales crossing the border for better health care in England does
:22:40. > :22:46.my right honourable friend agree the NHS in Wales is in need of
:22:46. > :22:51.reform and deserves proper funding? Yes, indeed, what the government is
:22:51. > :22:56.seeking to do it in England is create an NHS fit for the 21st
:22:56. > :22:59.century. Gives more discretion to professionals and twisty patients.
:22:59. > :23:03.In Wales we are increasingly having a one-size-fits-all health service
:23:03. > :23:06.which is falling behind the rest of the country.
:23:06. > :23:12.One of the key public services in Wales is housing but a constituent
:23:12. > :23:17.came to my surgery last week who is in work, works a full week, is
:23:17. > :23:20.unfortunately homeless. If he were to resign from his job and it would
:23:20. > :23:24.mean the local authority would be required to find him at home and it
:23:24. > :23:28.would be paid for by the get pay. He doesn't want to do that. What
:23:28. > :23:33.will the government do to end this manifest unfairness where somebody
:23:34. > :23:38.in work paying child support agency fees are still homeless?
:23:38. > :23:41.Am sure the Right Honourable Gentleman as his constituency MP is
:23:41. > :23:47.making appropriate representations to the Welsh Assembly government
:23:47. > :23:52.which is responsible for housing in Wales.
:23:52. > :23:56.Another area of public service delivery is the 350 billion
:23:56. > :23:59.additional money for childcare tax credits the coalition government is
:23:59. > :24:04.delivering. What difference does the Minister believe this will make
:24:04. > :24:08.for working mothers or mothers trying to get into work?
:24:08. > :24:12.This is a matter that is currently a matter of discussion between the
:24:12. > :24:19.Welsh Assembly government and the relevant Whitehall department and
:24:19. > :24:24.those discussions are continuing. This is about marking St David's
:24:24. > :24:27.Day. Tonight my Right Honourable Friend
:24:27. > :24:32.the Prime Minister is holding a reception for St David's Day.
:24:32. > :24:35.Tomorrow the Welsh flag will be flying over Number Ten. I will be
:24:35. > :24:40.attending the backbench son David's Day debate tomorrow. Tomorrow I
:24:40. > :24:46.will be welcoming Welsh children from a charity to the House of
:24:46. > :24:51.Commons. I will be attending son David's Day dinner in London, -- St
:24:51. > :24:54.David's Day. The church service in the crypt, I presented the Prime
:24:54. > :25:02.Minister with daffodils from the National Botanic Garden of Wales
:25:02. > :25:06.yesterday, and the house is full of daffodils.
:25:06. > :25:10.This St David's Day will be tinged with some sadness as the Wales
:25:10. > :25:15.plate a memorial match in my constituency tonight in memory of
:25:15. > :25:21.Gary Speed, the whale its manager he died so tragically at the age of
:25:21. > :25:29.42 -- Wales manager. There will be money raised for a charity called
:25:29. > :25:33.Calm to help prevent suicide amongst young lead. Will she
:25:33. > :25:39.opposed the charity collecting at that event?
:25:39. > :25:42.I hope the memorial match in the memory of Gary Speed will go up
:25:42. > :25:47.extremely well and that a lot of money will be raced for the charity.
:25:47. > :25:51.Can I say I will come back to him and let him know because I would
:25:51. > :25:56.like to ask the people that work in the Wales of us and we are having a
:25:56. > :26:02.charity coming in tomorrow -- Wales office. We are focusing on that
:26:02. > :26:07.tomorrow. I will see what I can do. We can do with a bit of quiet, both
:26:07. > :26:11.out of respect for some day this day and to hear the chairman of the
:26:11. > :26:15.Welsh Affairs Select Committee, Mr David Davies. I wonder if the
:26:15. > :26:19.minister would consider marking St David's Day by allowing patients to
:26:19. > :26:24.opt out of the NHS in Wales, instead to enjoy the lower waiting
:26:24. > :26:34.lists, infection rates, and better funding which is a hallmark of the
:26:34. > :26:38.
:26:38. > :26:44.I am grateful to my Honourable Friend for reminding us on the eve
:26:44. > :26:49.of St David's Day of the differences that are rising,
:26:49. > :26:54.because of Labour government policy in Wales. I am sure his question
:26:54. > :26:58.will stand and be listened to by many people across Wales, and I
:26:58. > :27:00.hope the Welsh Labour government will emulate our reforms and
:27:00. > :27:08.produce a first-class health service in Wales for all our
:27:08. > :27:18.citizens. This is about handing -- funding
:27:18. > :27:18.
:27:18. > :27:24.for the high-speed to railway. -- It is clearly an England only
:27:24. > :27:29.project yet the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, in an answer to my
:27:29. > :27:32.question posed by myself last week said it will be decided after the
:27:32. > :27:38.shooting and finance arrangements are completed. Will he ensure that
:27:38. > :27:47.Wales doesn't lose out on the �1.9 billion he will get as a result
:27:47. > :27:56.securing guarantees that the project is funded.
:27:56. > :27:59.The Prime Minister was troubled by some sort of insect. I did get the
:27:59. > :28:04.thrust and there might be some force in the Honourable gentleman's
:28:04. > :28:07.arguments were not for the fact that the rail network in Wales is
:28:07. > :28:15.not a devolved issue and since that is the case there is no force in
:28:15. > :28:18.that argument whatever. This is about crime. My Right
:28:18. > :28:21.Honourable Friend the Secretary of State and I have regular
:28:21. > :28:28.discussions with Home Office ministers on a range of issues
:28:28. > :28:36.relating to crime in Wales. We have already lost 40 police officers in
:28:36. > :28:40.Gwent. Does he believe the cut in police numbers will prevent crime?
:28:40. > :28:45.I visited when police last year and was delighted to see the most
:28:45. > :28:49.recent crime figures show an 11% reduction in crime in that area,
:28:49. > :28:55.and rather than talking went police down one might have thought the
:28:55. > :28:58.Honourable Gentleman would be offering them some support.
:28:58. > :29:01.Does the Minister agree policing in Wales would be more effective and
:29:01. > :29:06.more accountable following the commissioners elections in
:29:06. > :29:09.November? Yes, indeed, I do. I believe that
:29:09. > :29:17.for the first time some democratic accountability will be introduced
:29:17. > :29:23.into the policing process in Wales and throughout the United Kingdom.
:29:23. > :29:26.This is about tourism. As this is Welsh tourism week I
:29:26. > :29:29.have been out on visits but I have regular discussions with
:29:29. > :29:33.ministerial colleagues and others on the promotion of tourism in
:29:33. > :29:38.Wales. Tourism is primarily a devolved matter for the Welsh
:29:38. > :29:43.government, but as usual we are keen to work with them to promote
:29:43. > :29:48.Wales internationally. The answers can scarcely be heard, it is simply
:29:48. > :29:53.not fair. There are huge opportunities for
:29:53. > :29:58.boosting tourism in North Wales, by working with the beautiful historic
:29:58. > :30:02.border town of Chester. As my Right Honourable Friend had any
:30:02. > :30:06.discussions with the Welsh Assembly government to encourage joint
:30:06. > :30:16.marketing of our tourism gems on both sides of the Anglo-Welsh
:30:16. > :30:18.
:30:18. > :30:23.I will make sure the request is on my next a gender. But I also hope
:30:23. > :30:27.that many people visiting this country double-take the opportunity
:30:27. > :30:34.to visit the many attractions on both sides of our border, but
:30:34. > :30:43.particularly in Wales. What more can be done to capture the Irish
:30:43. > :30:49.tourist market in Wales? It is a responsibility of the Labour Welsh
:30:49. > :30:58.government for doing this, but certainly, in my conversations with
:30:58. > :31:03.Irish Ministers I will ensure this is brought to bear a penchant. --
:31:03. > :31:11.brought to their attention. This morning, I had meetings with
:31:11. > :31:18.colleagues, and I shall have further meetings today. According
:31:18. > :31:28.to Revenue & Customs, some families earning �13,000 a year, will lose
:31:28. > :31:28.
:31:28. > :31:33.�1,000 a year in tax credits. But before the election, the work and
:31:33. > :31:36.pensions Minister said this was a light. Did he mislead the public?
:31:36. > :31:41.Were you have increased tax credits for the lowest paid people in our
:31:41. > :31:47.country, and lifted it over one million low-paid people out of
:31:47. > :31:53.income tax altogether. I think if he is worried about taxation issues,
:31:53. > :32:01.he should have a word with his candidate, Ken Livingstone, and
:32:01. > :32:05.asked if the war pay his taxes! -- it if he will pay his taxes! Many
:32:05. > :32:13.Irish people were moved about what the Prime Minister said about
:32:13. > :32:17.bloody Sunday. Eurozone support for our learned his condition --
:32:17. > :32:22.conditional on St yes on the referendum. For this country
:32:22. > :32:27.support Ireland, whatever it decides? We are certainly very good
:32:27. > :32:34.friends of the Republic of Ireland. It is their choice to sign the
:32:34. > :32:43.treaty, their choice to have a referendum on that treaty, and
:32:43. > :32:50.people's views in a referendum should be respected. Before turning
:32:50. > :32:54.to other matters, does the Prime Minister agree that the allegations
:32:54. > :32:59.by Sue Akers at the Leveson Inquiry, about corrupt behaviour at the
:32:59. > :33:04.heart of the press and police, a devastating? Such behaviour can
:33:04. > :33:07.have no place in the national institutions about our country.
:33:07. > :33:11.This underlines the importance of the police inquiry, which must get
:33:11. > :33:20.to the bottom of these allegations without fear of failure, and the
:33:20. > :33:27.Leveson Inquiry itself. completely agree about this issue.
:33:27. > :33:31.There is all party support, both for the Levison inquiry, but also a
:33:31. > :33:36.proper support for the police inquiry. It is important to make
:33:36. > :33:41.this point - there has always a debate about what is right for
:33:41. > :33:44.newspapers to do, to get stories in the public interest, but it is hard
:33:44. > :33:54.to think of any circumstances in which it is right for police
:33:54. > :34:00.officers to take money. On the Leveson Inquiry, canny ensure none
:34:00. > :34:03.of his senior Ministers do anything to undermine his work? Will he
:34:03. > :34:10.accept the Education Secretary was ill judged to say that the inquiry
:34:10. > :34:17.was having a chilling effect on freedom of expression? Carried his
:34:18. > :34:24.associate and softened his comments, and urge his colleagues not to
:34:24. > :34:28.undermine the Leveson Inquiry? answered this question that last
:34:28. > :34:35.week. The Education Secretary's support the Leveson Inquiry, and a
:34:35. > :34:43.wants it to proceed. That is the position of him and the entire
:34:43. > :34:47.government. I have to remind the Prime Minister that the Education
:34:47. > :34:54.Secretary said that there is a chilling atmosphere towards freedom
:34:54. > :35:04.of expression. I hope the Education Secretary will have heard the Prime
:35:04. > :35:05.
:35:05. > :35:11.Minister's words. Let me move on. On Sunday, the man who ran the NHS
:35:11. > :35:17.or six years said about the Bill: "it is a mess, it is a necessary,
:35:17. > :35:24.it misses the point, it is confused and confusing, and setting the NHS
:35:24. > :35:34.back". Why does he believe that there are yet more damning
:35:34. > :35:35.
:35:35. > :35:40.indictments of his NHS Bill? Let me referred to the Leveson Inquiry -
:35:40. > :35:46.what is important for all of us, in this House to say, it is one of
:35:46. > :35:52.these inquiries are going on, it is important for politicians who
:35:52. > :36:02.sometimes benefit from the press... It is important for us to say we
:36:02. > :36:08.support a freak, vibrant, but -- robust press. Turning to the health
:36:08. > :36:14.reforms, the honourable gentleman did actually say something last
:36:14. > :36:19.week it that I agreed with - he said that the NHS will have to
:36:19. > :36:24.change because of the rise of the age of the population, the number
:36:24. > :36:29.of long-term conditions and expectations and cost of. Sounds a
:36:29. > :36:34.bit familiar! The problem for the Labour Party is they are against
:36:34. > :36:37.the money they need to go into the NHS, which say is irresponsible,
:36:37. > :36:46.and although they supported competition and choice, they do not
:36:46. > :36:51.support it any more. He seems to have forgotten the question. It was
:36:51. > :36:55.about the man who ran the health service for six years. He was the
:36:55. > :37:05.chief executive of the NHS, and he says his bill is a mess and
:37:05. > :37:12.
:37:12. > :37:18.confusing. Someone else hosted the Health Secretary's first speech,
:37:18. > :37:22.and advised the Labour government. He is a GP at the head of a
:37:22. > :37:29.clinical commissioning group. He said, a backward we cared deeply
:37:29. > :37:33.about the patients we see every day, and weak believe or improvements in
:37:33. > :37:38.the NHS can be achieved without bureaucracy generated by the bell.
:37:38. > :37:48.This is a man in charge of a clinical commissioning group. Isn't
:37:48. > :37:48.
:37:48. > :37:55.it time the Prime Minister has lost the confidence, even of the GBs?
:37:55. > :38:03.There are over 8,000 GP practices, implementing the health reforms. He
:38:03. > :38:08.asked me if I will listen up to those people who run the NHS over
:38:08. > :38:15.the last decade. Let me give him a selection of people, and what they
:38:15. > :38:22.think of competition. The right competition for the right reasons
:38:22. > :38:29.can drivers to achieve more. He was a Health Minister - they do not
:38:29. > :38:34.want to listen to Labour Ministers. This is what he said, "competition
:38:34. > :38:42.to make the NHS more equitable". That is the view of a Labour
:38:42. > :38:47.Secretary of State. What about an adviser? This is what he said, but
:38:47. > :38:51.a quick the measure the effect of competition have not been trivial.
:38:52. > :38:58.Competition in the NHS can be credited with saving hundreds of
:38:58. > :39:04.lives. The truth is he does not want to listen to past Labour
:39:04. > :39:13.Ministers, because he is taking a toe to lead opportunity --
:39:13. > :39:20.opportunistic a position. reason that 95% of GPs are having
:39:20. > :39:27.to implement these changes are because he has imposed them on them.
:39:27. > :39:32.Another doctor addresses this in his letter. He says, your
:39:32. > :39:38.government interpreted as our commitment to our patience as
:39:38. > :39:46.support for a doorbell. It is not! 90 Aber cent of the Royal College
:39:46. > :39:50.of GPs oppose the Bill. In the last seven days a loan, the Rock College
:39:50. > :39:57.of Physicians have called their first emergency meeting about the
:39:57. > :40:03.bill, he has lost the support of the British Geriatrics Society.
:40:03. > :40:09.Every week that goes by, more and more health care organisations come
:40:09. > :40:12.out against this Bill. Can the Prime Minister give the House a
:40:12. > :40:22.list of significant health organisations who are still
:40:22. > :40:24.
:40:24. > :40:32.supporters of the Belle? specifically said... Let us say the
:40:32. > :40:38.answer! He said 98% of GPs oppose the reforms. Let me give him the
:40:38. > :40:48.actual figures are: there are for the 4,000 members of the Rock
:40:48. > :40:49.
:40:49. > :40:59.College of GPs, a total... Just 7% responded, opposing the Bill. And
:40:59. > :41:09.what about the Royal College up physiotherapists? 50,000 members,
:41:09. > :41:18.
:41:18. > :41:25.to present! I know that is enough for the unions. -- 2%. There are
:41:25. > :41:29.well trained at today, all this leave. Let me tell them, their
:41:29. > :41:39.support for the health bill is digging their own at burial at the
:41:39. > :41:45.next election. I did ask him a specific question. I know my now he
:41:45. > :41:55.does not like to answer the questions. I asked him who supports
:41:55. > :41:56.
:41:56. > :42:02.his belt. There was no answer. Let me refresh his memory. It is no
:42:02. > :42:11.good the Deputy Prime Minister smirking, by the way! Oh, he
:42:11. > :42:19.supports it! There is firm leadership the you! Let me refresh
:42:19. > :42:25.his memory. He Royal College of GPs, the Rock College of Nursing, the
:42:25. > :42:28.Royal College of midwives, the Royal College of radiologists, the
:42:28. > :42:34.Faculty of Public Health, the Chartered Society of
:42:34. > :42:40.physiotherapists, the Community Practitioner -- practitioners, and
:42:40. > :42:50.the patients' Association. Mr Speaker, doesn't it ever occurred
:42:50. > :42:50.
:42:50. > :43:00.to him... Doesn't it ever occurred to him that just maybe, they are
:43:00. > :43:02.
:43:02. > :43:11.right and he is wrong? He didn't mention the NHS Alliance, the
:43:11. > :43:18.Association of Chief executives of a voluntary organisations, a Labour
:43:18. > :43:24.Minister. A surgeon hired to run the health service! Here we are,
:43:24. > :43:30.for weeks and a row of energy as questions, but not a single
:43:30. > :43:36.question of substance. All about process ought, all about politics,
:43:36. > :43:42.never about substance. We all know it is Libya, so maybe he did this
:43:42. > :43:52.once I get to ask the question - we all know what he is against, but
:43:52. > :43:57.
:43:58. > :44:03.what is he for? In my area, there are plans for a wind turbines. They
:44:03. > :44:07.are less than a mile apart. Is the Prime Minister agreed that such a
:44:07. > :44:12.giant turbines should not be built so close to residential areas
:44:12. > :44:22.without local people having a say? We want to see a balanced energy
:44:22. > :44:22.
:44:22. > :44:28.policy. There are two changes we are making. One is we are cutting
:44:28. > :44:33.peat substitute to onshore wind. The second thing we are doing is,
:44:33. > :44:37.when the localism act fully comes into place, that will give local
:44:37. > :44:44.communities a greater say over issues like wind turbines. We tried
:44:44. > :44:54.to do that earlier. But we lost that case in the courts, so we need
:44:54. > :44:58.
:44:58. > :45:05.the act to come into place in full. Does he recognise that there are
:45:05. > :45:15.200 couples in his constituency with 400 children? They will lose
:45:15. > :45:25.working tax credit. This can be 25% of their income. Can he say how
:45:25. > :45:27.
:45:27. > :45:31.We have had to take difficult decisions because of the deficit we
:45:31. > :45:34.inherited. In taking those decisions we have protected the
:45:35. > :45:39.poorest families by increasing the trialled tax credit. We have also
:45:39. > :45:42.helped the poorest who are in work by lifting one million people out
:45:42. > :45:48.of income tax. The question has to come back to Labour, you left us
:45:48. > :45:52.with this mess, what would you do about it?
:45:52. > :45:55.This summer in my constituency of Gloucester as everywhere around the
:45:56. > :46:05.country, people will be looking forward to the start of the Olympic
:46:06. > :46:08.
:46:08. > :46:14.Games. A great opportunity to show how the country manages these
:46:14. > :46:18.events. Does the Prime Minister agree that nothing could be further
:46:18. > :46:26.from the spirit of the Olympics, nothing could doodle -- more damage
:46:26. > :46:30.to the reputation of our country. I think my Honourable friend speaks
:46:30. > :46:36.for the whole country when he says what the general secretary of unite
:46:36. > :46:43.said. He said am calling upon the general public to engage in civil
:46:43. > :46:47.disobedience. Unite is the biggest single donor to the party opposite
:46:47. > :46:51.providing a third of their money, and had more role in anybody else
:46:51. > :46:57.than putting the Right Honourable gentleman in his place. It is not
:46:57. > :47:06.good enough for them to put out a tweed, they need to condemn this. -
:47:06. > :47:10.No top down reorganisation of the NHS, there reduction in the run-up
:47:10. > :47:13.police officers and no cuts to tax credits to below -- follow income
:47:13. > :47:17.families. Why does the Prime Minister find it so hard to keep
:47:17. > :47:22.his promises to the British public. We promised to increase spending on
:47:22. > :47:27.the NHS, we are boosting spending. We promised cancer drugs fund and
:47:27. > :47:31.it is 10,000 people who have got extra jobs through that fund. --
:47:31. > :47:34.drugs. We promised we would have doctors growing faster than the
:47:34. > :47:39.number of bureaucrats and the number of doctors is up by 4,000,
:47:39. > :47:45.bureaucrats is down by 5,000. That is what coalition policy is doing
:47:45. > :47:49.for our health service. We did promise to close the
:47:49. > :47:54.loophole on multinational companies that allows the migrant cap to be
:47:54. > :48:00.flouted using inter-company transfers, or is this another tough
:48:00. > :48:10.immigration policy that will fall victim to the curse of Clyde?
:48:10. > :48:14.-- Nick Clegg. We have a tough migrant cap for migrant workers,
:48:14. > :48:18.Business said how important it was to have inter-company transfers,
:48:18. > :48:21.but only at relatively high salary levels. That is what we put in
:48:21. > :48:28.place and that demonstrates every time we will be able to control
:48:28. > :48:33.immigration be do so in a way that doesn't damage business.
:48:33. > :48:39.government was made aware of fraud allegations before the Prime
:48:39. > :48:44.Minister appointed the company's chairman as his family's sake, if
:48:44. > :48:47.the Prime Minister is in danger of acquiring a reputation of ill
:48:47. > :48:51.judged personal appointments will he tell house what independent
:48:51. > :48:55.checks he believes should be carried out before opponents are
:48:55. > :48:59.made and whether any checks were carried out in respect of Emma
:48:59. > :49:02.Harrison? I was not aware of any allegations
:49:02. > :49:06.of irregularities when Emma Harrison became an adviser to the
:49:06. > :49:11.government on troubled families. At the time she was appointed there
:49:11. > :49:15.were no formal investigations into the company, just their own probe
:49:15. > :49:20.into irregularities. I do think this issue needs to be properly
:49:20. > :49:24.dealt with, I am concerned that subsequent to the appointment
:49:24. > :49:28.information needed to be passed up the line more rapidly to ministers.
:49:28. > :49:33.I have asked Sir Jeremy Heywood to review the guide leant across
:49:33. > :49:41.government and this particular case, and when he talks about the horse
:49:41. > :49:47.having bolted, Emma Harrison was given a Commander of the Royal Navy
:49:47. > :49:52.of Oman by the last government and all the allegations made are into
:49:52. > :49:57.contact the government handed out. A little bit more transparency
:49:57. > :50:05.might be a good thing. Will the Prime Minister join me paying
:50:05. > :50:08.tribute to the courage of the injured war photographer from
:50:08. > :50:12.Totnes injured showing the world the horrors of the Syrian regime
:50:12. > :50:19.and will he join me and Len Tingle those who have to safe passage out
:50:19. > :50:24.the country? The role the media do in being
:50:24. > :50:31.incredibly difficult places to bring the true to the world, and
:50:31. > :50:34.that is what he was doing, and that is what the journalist did when
:50:34. > :50:41.they lost their life. Paying tribute to the prairie brave people
:50:41. > :50:47.who help to get him out of Syria -- very brave people. If he is now
:50:47. > :50:51.safe were, he has been in our embassy in Beirut in Lebanon,
:50:51. > :50:56.properly looked after, I eat -- and I am sure he will want to come and
:50:56. > :50:59.see. Last October the Chancellor announced a new policy called
:50:59. > :51:04.credit easing. Can the Prime Minister tell us how many
:51:04. > :51:07.businesses have been helped? The Chancellor said at the time of
:51:07. > :51:17.the Autumn Statement the policy would be in place at the time for
:51:17. > :51:19.
:51:19. > :51:26.the Budget and that is exactly what is going to happen.
:51:26. > :51:29.Order. High Street across the country including those in
:51:29. > :51:35.Lowestoft in my constituency are facing tough trading conditions at
:51:35. > :51:39.present, including the prospect of a 5.6% increase in business rates.
:51:39. > :51:44.Can the Prime Minister outline what the government are doing to support
:51:44. > :51:47.traders to enable them to grow their businesses and create jobs?
:51:47. > :51:51.The Honourable done, is right to raise this issue. There are real
:51:51. > :51:55.concerns about the hollowing out of our high street and the number of
:51:55. > :52:04.empty properties. What we have done is doubled small businesses, that
:52:04. > :52:09.has helped, removing legal red tape allowing rent payers to fill in
:52:09. > :52:18.paperwork to reclaim that, and also working with Mary porters we have a
:52:18. > :52:20.whole plan to how we can try to help reinvigorate our high streets.
:52:20. > :52:27.The Prime Minister may have seen headlines in the newspapers that
:52:27. > :52:35.the happiest people living in Northern Ireland -- live in
:52:35. > :52:41.Northern Ireland. As the major party of government for the past
:52:41. > :52:44.five years in Northern Ireland we are not surprised by that. One
:52:44. > :52:48.thing that overshadows that happiness is the high and
:52:48. > :52:52.escalating price of petrol and diesel, the highest not only in the
:52:52. > :52:57.United Kingdom but the highest in the European Union. Can the Prime
:52:57. > :53:02.Minister bring happiness to all parts of the United Kingdom by it
:53:02. > :53:05.agreeing to do away with the August fuel tax rise increase and reduce
:53:05. > :53:08.fuel allowances as soon as possible?
:53:08. > :53:13.Am delighted to hear the people of Northern Ireland are the happiest
:53:13. > :53:18.in the United Kingdom. I have to say their representatives in this
:53:18. > :53:25.has don't always give that impression. Maybe I have been
:53:25. > :53:30.missing something. We recognise families of businesses are filling
:53:30. > :53:32.the pressure, we cut fuel duty and scrap the automatic fuel duty
:53:33. > :53:36.stabiliser, it has meant pump prices are six pence lower than
:53:36. > :53:42.they would have been under the previous Government's plans, but
:53:42. > :53:46.clearly being impacted by Our higher oil price.
:53:46. > :53:50.The government had tough action on up unacceptable tax avoidance. Does
:53:50. > :53:57.the Prime Minister agree the principles of paying their fair
:53:57. > :53:59.share for tax should apply to both banks and former mayor of London?
:53:59. > :54:02.My honourable friend made an important point whether it is
:54:02. > :54:08.Barclays Bank or Ken Livingstone, people should pay the proper and
:54:08. > :54:11.out of tax and I hope HMRC will look carefully at all the sorts of
:54:11. > :54:15.cases. Frankly for London has many of whom live in Labour-controlled
:54:15. > :54:22.areas with high labour council taxes will be pretty angry about
:54:22. > :54:26.what they have seen, and they will probably conclude Red Ken has been
:54:26. > :54:29.caught red-handed. The IFS has reported the
:54:30. > :54:34.Government's tax and benefit changes will hit families with
:54:34. > :54:37.children five times higher than those without children. His is what
:54:37. > :54:41.the Palestinians by the most family-friendly government ever, is
:54:41. > :54:46.it fair or is it just another broken promise?
:54:46. > :54:50.What this government has done is increased tax credits for the least
:54:50. > :54:53.well-paid, lift people out of tax, introduced free nursery care for
:54:53. > :54:56.two, three and four-year-old and expanded for this families, all
:54:57. > :55:02.those things have made a difference. Incidently she didn't mention she
:55:02. > :55:12.herself is sponsored by the unite Union and she could have taken this
:55:12. > :55:18.
:55:19. > :55:25.opportunity to condemn them -- Order. Let's hear Mr Metcalfe.
:55:25. > :55:28.Since the furore broke over work- experience and has my right Hon
:55:28. > :55:36.boyfriend had any businesses or organisations come forward to
:55:36. > :55:39.support -- my Right Honourable Friend. The had anyone come forward
:55:39. > :55:43.who support seeds this scheme to get young people into work?
:55:43. > :55:47.He is entirely right. The whole country wants to see more young
:55:47. > :55:51.people given the opportunity that work experience provides and the
:55:51. > :55:55.good news is since this row has been going on in the pages of our
:55:55. > :55:59.newspapers we have actually had expressions of interest from 200
:55:59. > :56:02.small and medium-sized employers who want to get involved in this
:56:02. > :56:08.programme. I think it is time for businesses in Britain and everyone
:56:08. > :56:11.in Britain who want to see people have with his period stand up
:56:11. > :56:21.against the trucks the rights of the right to work unpaid and
:56:21. > :56:24.
:56:24. > :56:28.recognise the deafening silence we have had from the party opposite.
:56:28. > :56:32.I am able to welcome the Prime Minister's commitment to the reform
:56:32. > :56:36.of the European Convention on Human Rights, and the powers of the
:56:36. > :56:40.European Court on Human Rights. Will the Prime Minister give the
:56:40. > :56:47.commitment to a loud this house a proper debate whenever the Brighton
:56:47. > :56:50.decoration is published and will he ensure once again the principle is
:56:50. > :56:55.respected and the British courts have a proper say in what goes on
:56:55. > :56:58.in this country? I do want you see the principle of
:56:58. > :57:02.subsidiarity get a fair hearing at Strasbourg, that was what was
:57:02. > :57:06.really contained in the speech and made at the council in Europe so it
:57:06. > :57:09.doesn't become an instance where someone has been in front of a
:57:09. > :57:15.local court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court in the Rhone country
:57:15. > :57:18.and then to the ECHR, so we have proposals for reform, it clearly
:57:18. > :57:21.what is debated in this house we now have the backbench committee
:57:21. > :57:26.that has an enormous number of days in this house and perhaps they will
:57:26. > :57:31.give every time not enough Ikea, more than enough in my view, and
:57:31. > :57:36.they can make a day for that debate. What the Prime Minister agree one
:57:36. > :57:40.of the best ways to deliver on our commitment to the fairness agenda
:57:40. > :57:47.is to go ahead as quickly as possible in implementing the
:57:47. > :57:51.coalition agreement to raise the tax threshold to �10,000? All the
:57:51. > :57:54.coalition agreement commits us to his real increases in VAT threshold,
:57:54. > :57:58.we have achieved that in budgets over the last two years, in spite
:57:58. > :58:02.of the difficult conditions refaced in the economy, I do think it is a
:58:02. > :58:08.good idea to lift people out of tax, it particularly helps low-paid
:58:09. > :58:12.people and low-paid women. The Ministry of Defence is buying
:58:12. > :58:18.tankers from South Korea, when the work to be done here. The Ministry
:58:18. > :58:25.of Defence says, and I quote, it will not consider wider employment
:58:25. > :58:29.industrial and economic factors in procurement. Why it will this
:58:29. > :58:36.arrogant and complacent Prime Minister not stand up for world
:58:36. > :58:40.class in this -- world-class British industry. I'm happy to have
:58:40. > :58:46.British Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, promoting great British companies,
:58:46. > :58:50.it is a pity when I do so I get attacked by the Labour Party.
:58:50. > :58:55.Is the Prime Minister aware of the tragic death of my constituent
:58:55. > :58:59.Penny Hegarty from over can it? Her husband believes his wife's death
:58:59. > :59:03.is just one example of systemic management failures at the
:59:03. > :59:09.University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust. Will the Prime
:59:09. > :59:12.Minister assure him that reason work to improve the management will
:59:12. > :59:15.continue and distrust will be turned around?
:59:15. > :59:19.I can certainly give my Honourable friend that issuance but first a
:59:19. > :59:23.more I'm sure the whole House will want to say the deepest condolences
:59:23. > :59:28.of the husband and family of the Honourable Members constituent,
:59:28. > :59:30.Penny Hegarty. He has no local MPs on a number off agents to keep them
:59:30. > :59:36.updated. Patients have got the right to expect fare better
:59:36. > :59:40.standards of care. I know the care quality commission have raised
:59:40. > :59:47.standards -- questions about standards in the trust. He says
:59:47. > :59:52.that we need to be undertaken with all speed.
:59:52. > :00:00.Graham Brown the director of Shelter Ince got loads, the
:00:00. > :00:05.proposal for the bedroom tax is grossly unfair, social landlords,
:00:05. > :00:09.MSPs and individuals. Does the Prime Minister except widows and we
:00:09. > :00:13.do was left in the family home when their children leave on a low
:00:13. > :00:17.income can lose up to 25% of their housing benefit support if he
:00:17. > :00:27.continues with this, is it just he is an feeling or determined to get
:00:27. > :00:30.
:00:30. > :00:38.We need to reform housing benefit. It was expected to cost over �24
:00:38. > :00:42.billion a year. As his own welfare spokesman said, it would have
:00:42. > :00:49.scarcely believed housing benefit is costing the UK over �20 billion
:00:49. > :00:56.a year. I am getting slightly frustrated with these statements in
:00:56. > :01:03.principle of reform. They say they are in favour of welfare reform,
:01:03. > :01:11.but they oppose it. Every attempt to do with housing benefit is
:01:11. > :01:15.frustrated. Throughout the country, men will be hoping that their
:01:15. > :01:21.girlfriends or make a commitment to them. Can I ask the Prime Minister
:01:21. > :01:30.to give romance a nudge? The reforms always support hard-working
:01:30. > :01:34.families. I was wondering where she was going with that! She is
:01:34. > :01:42.absolutely right. It is a leap year, where all sorts of things can
:01:42. > :01:49.happen. The key thing is both our tax and welfare system, we should
:01:49. > :01:56.be encouraging families to come together and stay together. Is the
:01:56. > :02:06.Prime Minister aware that the entry clearance office in Abu Dhabi has
:02:06. > :02:10.rejected an application to come up from a Pakistan to attend her
:02:10. > :02:14.granddaughter's wedding in Manchester? Were deep honourable
:02:14. > :02:20.gentleman specified what kind of employment a 72-year-old woman, who
:02:20. > :02:28.does not speak English, and has never left Pakistan, is liable to
:02:28. > :02:35.be telling my constituency? Will he over all this decision, and allow
:02:35. > :02:45.this woman a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend her
:02:45. > :02:47.
:02:47. > :02:57.granddaughter's wedding? Beat honourable gentleman has been a
:02:57. > :02:59.
:02:59. > :03:09.lucidity itself! I am bringing it to an end. Can the Home Secretary
:03:09. > :03:12.
:03:12. > :03:17.appeal? To answer the question, I was not aware of this individual
:03:17. > :03:22.case. There are hundreds of thousands of people who travel
:03:22. > :03:27.between Pakistan and Britain every year. We do have to have tough
:03:27. > :03:33.controls to prevent the abuse of our immigration system, but I
:03:33. > :03:43.suggest he takes up the case with the Immigration Minister, who has a
:03:43. > :03:44.
:03:44. > :03:49.superb knowledge of these issues. Under Tony Blair's regime, we could
:03:49. > :03:54.sleep safely at night, because we knew Lord Prescott would take over
:03:54. > :04:02.if he was incapacitated. What would happen if the Prime Minister became
:04:02. > :04:12.incapacitated? I have been waiting for some time for this. He has
:04:12. > :04:12.
:04:12. > :04:17.asked this question to almost every single Cabinet Minister. All I can
:04:17. > :04:27.say is, I have no plans to become incapacitated. We are very relieved
:04:27. > :04:31.to hear it. Further to the question... I mean the answer, on
:04:31. > :04:35.the Leveson Inquiry, he is of course absolutely right that we
:04:35. > :04:45.need a free press. The nation or not thank him if he goes along with
:04:45. > :04:50.the suggestion from Lord Hunt in his proposal to use the defamation
:04:50. > :04:56.Bill to legislate in a new system. It is coming forward in September.
:04:56. > :05:04.This would pre-empt the Leveson Inquiry. Can you make it clear he
:05:04. > :05:10.will not do that? I have absolutely no intention of pre-empting beat
:05:10. > :05:14.Leveson Inquiry in any way at all. If we look back to this debate we
:05:14. > :05:21.had, I said how important it was to trust it Levison to get on with the
:05:21. > :05:27.job, to give every signal that we want to adopt what he has been --
:05:27. > :05:31.what he has proposed. There is an understanding on that basis. By
:05:31. > :05:41.Piggott is important that honourable members stress the
:05:41. > :05:41.
:05:41. > :05:47.importance of a freak press. -- I think it is important. Hard-working
:05:47. > :05:52.families in my constituency are astonished that a benefit cap of
:05:52. > :06:02.�26,000 is being opposed by the party opposite. All my honourable
:06:02. > :06:02.
:06:02. > :06:07.friend agree that we wore always make work pay? -- where all my
:06:07. > :06:12.today is the day that the welfare bill becomes an act, and for the
:06:12. > :06:16.first time, we will have a proper cap on welfare, supported by this
:06:17. > :06:26.side, opposed by that side, but backed by the majority of people in
:06:27. > :06:38.
:06:38. > :06:46.Thank you, David. Well, my guests are still with me to review today's
:06:46. > :06:51.Questions. The NHS featured. What do you make of David Davis's
:06:51. > :07:01.suggestion that on St David's Day, people should be able to opt-out of
:07:01. > :07:11.the Welsh NHS. I think it is a bit irresponsible. He should have taken
:07:11. > :07:21.more responsibility for his stature on that. I know the intention -
:07:21. > :07:27.
:07:27. > :07:32.there were a few Tory ams. Back at the end of the day, it was widely
:07:32. > :07:37.thought that the NHS reforms are not something that will be helpful
:07:37. > :07:46.to the English NHS, and I would urge MPs to take mood of the
:07:46. > :07:51.protests. -- take note. politicians were interested in the
:07:51. > :07:58.NHS. What did you think of the fact there were a lot of MPs, not from
:07:58. > :08:05.Wales, asking questions? I felt it was a very bizarre experience, and
:08:05. > :08:13.it was clear look -- that there was a whole host of Conservative MPs
:08:13. > :08:18.who detest what we are doing in Wales. They do not think it is
:08:18. > :08:23.being done better, but the reality is, they just don't like the style,
:08:23. > :08:28.principles, behind the way we go, the fact we are not going down the
:08:28. > :08:34.privatisation route. It is also a way of distracting what is
:08:34. > :08:44.happening in England, and the turmoil occurring in England.
:08:44. > :08:45.
:08:45. > :08:50.Diversely tactics, I would save. Wales, we have the potential
:08:50. > :09:00.centralisation. Nobody is above criticism in this. The Government
:09:00. > :09:01.
:09:01. > :09:07.denied there will be centralisation. There was a suggestion, talking
:09:07. > :09:17.about a... He suggested that they were mouthpieces for Labour
:09:17. > :09:20.
:09:20. > :09:26.propaganda. I found that insulting. These are 17 voluntary
:09:26. > :09:31.organisations, all these different bodies, who have commissioned an
:09:31. > :09:39.analysis as to the impact of welfare reform one Wales. Now, I
:09:39. > :09:46.suppose... He was talking about the Bevan Foundation. I think he meant
:09:46. > :09:51.across the board. He was trying to attract attention away from the
:09:51. > :09:59.message. The message is that there will be vulnerable people affected
:09:59. > :10:08.by the benefit changes. Moving on to PMQs. We ploughed up the health
:10:08. > :10:14.topic. It almost dragged on, didn't it? Ed Miliband and Labour are
:10:14. > :10:19.trying to make a lot of games from the fact that it seems as if the
:10:19. > :10:24.NHS Bill is very popular, so continue to question the Prime
:10:24. > :10:29.Minister on this. But it seemed to me as if it was going nowhere. He
:10:29. > :10:34.was not giving any comprehensive response is. They were quoting from
:10:34. > :10:43.people right, left and centre. I would like to see more energy on
:10:43. > :10:47.other topics in the future. topic - one Conservative MP raised
:10:47. > :10:52.comments from Len McCluskey. He seemingly, in one of the papers
:10:52. > :10:59.this morning, was calling on strikes during the Olympics, and
:10:59. > :11:04.even suggesting it there should be civil disobedience. What it is
:11:04. > :11:08.avoiding is there are an awful lot of workers in London providing
:11:08. > :11:16.services, Basey pens of millions of pounds going into corporate events
:11:16. > :11:22.and so on. -- Basey tens of millions of pounds. I think it is
:11:22. > :11:28.avoiding the fact there are quite angry people. The EC this amount of
:11:28. > :11:33.wealth poured into the Olympics, and they are basically just pushed
:11:33. > :11:40.to one side and told to do their job. But are those responsible
:11:40. > :11:45.comments? It is a reflection of some of the fears and concerns
:11:45. > :11:51.coming from activists within the Union. It is trying to put over and
:11:51. > :11:55.reflect that and go growing in London at the moment.,
:11:55. > :12:02.Don't forget, if you'd like to send us your comments about any of the
:12:02. > :12:10.issues raised in the programme, write to us. We're also on Twitter.
:12:10. > :12:20.Or send us an email. Time to find out what's happening
:12:20. > :12:21.
:12:21. > :12:27.on the Senedd today. Mark Hannaby's in the Oriel. We have got hundreds
:12:27. > :12:31.of people protesting against what they fear will be the downgrading
:12:31. > :12:35.of eight hospital in Aberystwyth. The First Minister is adamant that
:12:35. > :12:40.it will not be downgraded. Let me run through what is happening in
:12:40. > :12:46.the Chamber. We have got questions to a couple of Ministers, first
:12:46. > :12:56.double. Then there are a couple of debates. The first one is on inward
:12:56. > :12:58.
:12:58. > :13:02.investment. They are time this debate in with what has been the
:13:02. > :13:07.abolition of the Welsh agency. They fed a key marketing approach is
:13:07. > :13:10.being missed out on. The second debate is on a wheelchair access.
:13:10. > :13:15.They don't think people who need wheelchairs are getting them
:13:15. > :13:20.quickly enough, or repaired quickly enough. This is causing distress
:13:20. > :13:29.for a lot of people. The short debate this afternoon is on cuts.
:13:29. > :13:33.It is introduced by the Cardiff West AM. They are a coalition of
:13:33. > :13:39.organisations, who had been looking at what they think the impact of
:13:39. > :13:43.the UK welfare cuts will be. The Assembly government thinks 6,000
:13:43. > :13:49.more children will be in poverty next year as a result of those cuts.
:13:49. > :13:54.One debate I haven't mentioned - district hospitals. They want to
:13:54. > :14:01.see those maintained. And that ties in with what these protesters are
:14:01. > :14:07.talking about. They they they will be a downgrading of services. --
:14:07. > :14:12.there will be. The First Minister has said that scaremongering, that
:14:12. > :14:17.the hospital were not be downgraded. Where does the truth lie? I spoke
:14:17. > :14:24.to one of the campaigners here earlier Ron. He is a retired GP. I
:14:24. > :14:30.asked him why he is fearful for the future of the hospital. We are
:14:30. > :14:40.concerned for the health of people in mid- Wales. We do not think
:14:40. > :14:46.preparations guarantee the development of this hospital. We do
:14:46. > :14:52.not think it is sufficient. What you fear will happen? They
:14:52. > :15:02.published a document before Christmas of last year, where they
:15:02. > :15:03.
:15:03. > :15:11.made definitive statements that said the services were going south.
:15:11. > :15:15.We could not let that go ahead, without some demonstration or
:15:15. > :15:25.protest. But those are not definitive statements at this stage,
:15:25. > :15:36.
:15:36. > :15:45.This board is approaching this and we're not about showing a lot of
:15:45. > :15:53.what they'll say is not open to discussion, it is in hand. The
:15:53. > :15:57.examples are adverts for surgeons in the South, that showed
:15:57. > :16:07.developments there which are not part of the total package, it is
:16:07. > :16:10.ongoing, they are moving services from have a fit for Test --
:16:10. > :16:19.Haverfordwest. We are seeing similar things happening here, in
:16:19. > :16:25.Aberystwyth we have seen mortuary services go, just recently, half
:16:25. > :16:30.our mental health birds went. It goes on and on. If he did call this
:16:30. > :16:33.a time you have to input, I don't know what is.
:16:33. > :16:40.When the First Minister says he can reassure people it will not be
:16:40. > :16:45.downgraded, what you make of that? I could say what everything but
:16:45. > :16:55.that might be libellous. What I really think is that things are
:16:55. > :16:56.
:16:56. > :17:01.being said which are not what we see as we this fact so I did when
:17:01. > :17:09.to call the Prime Minister any names. The First Minister.
:17:09. > :17:12.First Minister any names. But it is not as we see it. It you see a
:17:12. > :17:18.whole demonstration saying precisely this is what we think,
:17:18. > :17:28.feel, and we need things in black and white.
:17:28. > :17:30.
:17:30. > :17:34.Let's see what our guests thing. UN name, he was making some
:17:34. > :17:38.accusations. I did pick he addressed what is being said. The
:17:38. > :17:41.First Minister and health minister have both said openly and very
:17:41. > :17:51.clearly that won the proposals to downgrade the hospital, certainly
:17:51. > :17:58.no plans to close the hospital, any reforms particularly with clinical
:17:58. > :18:03.specialist provision has to be a product of genuine consultation,
:18:03. > :18:10.and the minister has a national forum of clinical experts who will
:18:10. > :18:14.advise, and that safety and Clinical excellence are the
:18:14. > :18:17.Parramatta mitigating features. It is attributed to the NHS that
:18:17. > :18:26.people feel and a strip of hospitals and the importance of
:18:26. > :18:33.that. It is something very viable - - ownership. Carling did make that
:18:33. > :18:37.statement misinformation was being put out their -- Carwyn Jones.
:18:37. > :18:42.He suggested it could be Plaid Cymru who were putting out
:18:43. > :18:46.misinformation, scaremongering is another accusation, what you say?
:18:46. > :18:49.I don't see it as scaremongering for a legitimate pitied --
:18:50. > :18:54.political party to put forward concerns reflected by those who
:18:54. > :19:04.actually work in the health service. The First Minister says he has
:19:04. > :19:04.
:19:04. > :19:11.addressed the concerns, there will be no doubt grading. -- downgrading.
:19:11. > :19:16.Moving services is downgrading. We need to have a comprehensive and
:19:16. > :19:19.mature debate this afternoon on this, and we did needed the points
:19:20. > :19:22.scoring but we need to assure people in those particular areas
:19:22. > :19:30.the services they want and need will be retained in their
:19:30. > :19:34.respective areas. This reorganisation is Wales wide. Do
:19:34. > :19:38.you think it will be difficult for your government to deal with?
:19:38. > :19:42.a difficult one for any government to deal with. Certainly going back
:19:42. > :19:47.over the last 12 months, nearly all parties have said No change is not
:19:47. > :19:54.an option, the real issue with regard to Clinical excellence,
:19:54. > :19:59.specialisation and so on. The key is the consultation is genuine.
:19:59. > :20:03.There is proper engagement with people. Also there has to be a
:20:04. > :20:08.certain amount of trust. When Carwyn Jones does say this is the
:20:08. > :20:13.position, there is no downgrading, it will not be closed, people have
:20:13. > :20:17.to accept that all put up a reason as to why they did accept it.
:20:17. > :20:21.The problem is there was a public meeting in Aberystwyth, the how of
:20:22. > :20:25.board representatives did not come to that meeting. Until they engage
:20:25. > :20:30.properly these fears will still be on the table.
:20:30. > :20:40.Don't forget, Mark told us what is going on today. You can find out a
:20:40. > :20:44.
:20:44. > :20:49.whole range of what is happening on Let's head back over to Mark.
:20:49. > :20:54.We want to talk about another health issue, I am joined by the
:20:54. > :20:58.conservative AM. We will talk about wheelchairs and the difficulty
:20:58. > :21:01.people have accessing the. You broke your ankle recently and you
:21:01. > :21:05.had a short-term experience at the frustrations, but of course you are
:21:05. > :21:08.aware for many people they can there are many months and years
:21:09. > :21:13.with all manner of difficulties accessing on the NHS.
:21:13. > :21:16.That is right. When somebody has a health need it ought to be met with
:21:16. > :21:19.the appropriate commitment and unfortunately with some service
:21:19. > :21:24.users they are not getting their wheelchairs quickly enough. We have
:21:24. > :21:28.had reports for people waiting 20 months and more in order to access
:21:28. > :21:32.their equipment and that is just not acceptable. A report was
:21:32. > :21:36.undertaken a couple of years ago by the Health Committee in the
:21:36. > :21:39.Assembly which made it clear they needed to be improvement and there
:21:39. > :21:43.were many recommendations. Unfortunately it looks like many of
:21:43. > :21:46.those recommendations have slip and there has been a report from the
:21:46. > :21:49.Motor neurone disease Association yesterday which made it clear some
:21:49. > :21:55.people are dying whilst waiting for there were tears, that is not
:21:55. > :21:58.acceptable. It has got to change. You have got anecdotal evidence
:21:58. > :22:01.action has not been taken since that initial report. Is there
:22:01. > :22:05.anything that shows those recommendations haven't been
:22:05. > :22:10.implemented? The NHS through its specialist
:22:10. > :22:12.committees has made it clear they are unlikely to reach the full
:22:12. > :22:17.implementation of the recommendations in the report by
:22:17. > :22:21.the end of next month. It makes it also clear they haven't even got
:22:21. > :22:25.proper monitoring arrangements in place to make sure they are on top
:22:25. > :22:30.of accurate figures before waiting lists, assessments, and waiting
:22:30. > :22:33.times for equipment. If they can't measure performance it shows you
:22:33. > :22:39.clearly the year abating missed the target. It is very disappointing
:22:39. > :22:42.people are having to wait for basic repairs for many months sometimes.
:22:42. > :22:45.You can get your car repaired within a day if it breaks down. Why
:22:45. > :22:49.not a wheelchair when it is so important in terms of the quality
:22:49. > :22:58.of life? Interesting to see what the response to that debate is this
:22:58. > :23:01.afternoon. The First Minister I am sure will
:23:01. > :23:04.policy has had a busy week. On Monday he was in Brussels to
:23:04. > :23:08.discuss future European funding. He told European commissioners he
:23:08. > :23:11.wanted Wales to be a strong partner in Europe are to contrast the
:23:11. > :23:15.Scottish government ministers who wanted Wales to remain part of a
:23:15. > :23:24.strong United Kingdom. During a busy lunchtime reception he spoke
:23:24. > :23:29.to our political editor. Clearly you have had some important
:23:29. > :23:32.mission's task messages for the commissioners. This is a showcase
:23:32. > :23:36.of wealth produced and we are able to get the message across about the
:23:36. > :23:39.Good Food we produce in Wales but I have had meetings with
:23:39. > :23:43.commissioners here so they know our view when it comes to European
:23:43. > :23:46.funding in the future for Wales and areas such as farming policy which
:23:46. > :23:50.are very important to urban and rural Wales.
:23:50. > :23:54.The meetings have been short and sweet. Have they changed anything?
:23:54. > :23:57.They always are. What is important is you get your message across in a
:23:58. > :24:02.short space of time. We made it clear it is important for Wales
:24:02. > :24:05.when it comes to European funding in the future, it is not seen as
:24:05. > :24:11.only being made available to open areas because that will only help
:24:11. > :24:15.Cardiff. We have made the backward point in a world context we need to
:24:15. > :24:18.define an open area in a different way. It is that kind of thing that
:24:18. > :24:22.is important in making sure we are maximising money coming into Wales
:24:22. > :24:27.in the future. You were saying you will worried
:24:27. > :24:32.Wales national interest wouldn't be seen properly now in the UK context,
:24:32. > :24:36.do you still have that concern? The mood music coming from the UK
:24:36. > :24:40.has changed. I am happy with it, it is a lot less Euro-sceptic and
:24:40. > :24:45.hostile than it was before Christmas. The reality is on the
:24:45. > :24:49.ground here we work closely with the UK representation, as people
:24:50. > :24:52.would expect, but there will be occasions when we take a different
:24:52. > :24:57.view on Reporting matters and today is about making sure that different
:24:57. > :25:00.view his head. Conservatives say it is empty words
:25:00. > :25:04.and rhetoric but you should get on with the job of spending the money
:25:04. > :25:06.better. That worries me because that
:25:06. > :25:10.suggests the Conservatives in Wales wouldn't bother coming here at all.
:25:10. > :25:15.A lot of money comes into Wales from the rest of the European Union.
:25:15. > :25:17.You have got to chase that money. If we don't do it no one else will.
:25:17. > :25:20.The Conservatives are saying they wouldn't bother to come and the
:25:20. > :25:24.that of money coming into Wales from the rest of Europe would drop
:25:24. > :25:28.under their watch. Are you happy with the new music
:25:28. > :25:33.from Westminster because there has been any direct links that make you
:25:33. > :25:37.feel happier? Or just because of messages you have heard out there?
:25:37. > :25:41.The tone has changed. It was readily hostile before Christmas.
:25:41. > :25:45.It is in our interests off, we receive millions of pounds in
:25:45. > :25:49.European funding, we did want to be cut off from that. UK government is
:25:49. > :25:53.certainly a lot friendlier in terms of Europe and understand better in
:25:53. > :25:57.fact the whole of the UK needs to have a good relationship with our
:25:57. > :26:02.friends and neighbours in Europe. I welcome that change of emphasis.
:26:02. > :26:07.The First Minister talking to our political editor.
:26:07. > :26:11.What did you make of his visit, made peace but he was going out
:26:11. > :26:14.there to tell and don't forget about Wales, but what he was saying
:26:14. > :26:18.sounded quite conciliatory? Wales going to Europe would have a
:26:18. > :26:22.much stronger voice if we were actually an independent country, we
:26:22. > :26:28.could be taken much more seriously in those instances around the table.
:26:28. > :26:32.I am being serious. If we were around the table... But we are not.
:26:32. > :26:36.He is feeling pressure from opposition parties such as
:26:36. > :26:40.ourselves to say, will you stand up for Wales, you say you're they do,
:26:40. > :26:44.what will you do about it but we never really see many results. I
:26:44. > :26:47.don't really know how much effect this visit will have as long as he
:26:47. > :26:51.can try and follow it up in a comprehensive way in terms of
:26:51. > :26:56.inward investment. You will have had to you and your
:26:56. > :27:00.colleagues, your Labour Party group yet -- yesterday morning, did you
:27:00. > :27:03.welcome Colin Jones back as a hero? I don't think it was ever really
:27:03. > :27:07.betrayed like that -- Carwyn Jones. When the problems with Europe
:27:07. > :27:11.occurred between Karen -- Cameron and the other European countries
:27:11. > :27:16.there was felt to be a need to make sure this doesn't represent what we
:27:16. > :27:23.are dealing in Wales. Of course, because the UK government knows it
:27:23. > :27:28.has got its fingers burnt it -- the First Minister is saying things
:27:28. > :27:31.have so often, but here we are, and we don't necessarily go along with
:27:31. > :27:35.some of the things being said and Europe is important to Wales.
:27:35. > :27:39.Standing up for Wales. You said maybe Carwyn Jones wanted
:27:39. > :27:42.to go there and suggest he did have a different view to the UK
:27:42. > :27:47.government. He did say he wanted to make the same position as David
:27:47. > :27:52.Cameron did in the summer before Christmas.
:27:52. > :27:57.I think it was the context within which David Cameron was not only St
:27:57. > :28:02.no, but pulling out of discussions, and saying there was no basis for
:28:02. > :28:05.discussion. Carwyn Jones wouldn't have signed the treaty. He would
:28:05. > :28:10.have maintained a relationship and maintained negotiations in
:28:10. > :28:15.consultation. Signing or not signing is a bit of a red herring.
:28:15. > :28:19.What is important is the actual relationships with Europe and also
:28:19. > :28:23.be opportunities particularly with regard to funding. That is where
:28:23. > :28:26.the difference is, we can open the lines of communication and see the
:28:26. > :28:32.importance of Europe and European funding, and that is important to
:28:32. > :28:35.Wales, it is vitally important to a lot of projects, jobs and future
:28:35. > :28:40.structural developments. Thank you both for your time today.