:00:03. > :00:09.order. The Item One is their questions to the First Minister.
:00:09. > :00:17.Here is question one. Will you make a statement on the
:00:17. > :00:22.future of the Welsh NHS? Thank you for that answer. There is
:00:22. > :00:28.concern over emergency services. Last week they it Health Board made
:00:28. > :00:33.a decision to move critically injured to patients in Liverpool to
:00:33. > :00:37.Stoke. That was for tesserae provision of trauma care. This is
:00:37. > :00:41.there decision which has caused concern in Wales because there is
:00:41. > :00:48.an extra half hour of travel time to access the service in stole
:00:48. > :00:54.rather than in Liverpool. What do the instructions from their Welsh
:00:54. > :00:59.Government contain? There is concern about it. In terms of
:00:59. > :01:05.public concern, what are the instructions that have been given
:01:05. > :01:10.to in Show proper engagement to ensure that confident decisions are
:01:10. > :01:14.made for the right reasons? We expect decisions to be taken
:01:14. > :01:18.clinically. We expect appropriate clinical reasons to be given for
:01:18. > :01:25.transfers. There will be occasions but people will be transferred in
:01:25. > :01:30.order to get more specialised medical personnel. People should be
:01:30. > :01:34.treated in the most appropriate setting.
:01:34. > :01:40.Would you agree with me that one of the big challenges to the NHS is
:01:40. > :01:45.the affordability of the Cancer wonder drugs. Would you
:01:45. > :01:50.congratulate the campaign on negotiating lower prices with the
:01:50. > :01:54.manufacturers' of these cancer drugs? Wales have proved that
:01:54. > :02:00.before England dead for the treatment of prostate cancer.
:02:00. > :02:06.It is a drug that is why group used in Wales and less likely in England.
:02:06. > :02:12.It is important that when claims are made by pharmaceutical
:02:12. > :02:17.companies on the efficacy of their trucks that they are tested through
:02:17. > :02:23.our systems to show that the drugs can be effective. We to make sure
:02:23. > :02:29.that they are available if they are affected. One of the weak points of
:02:29. > :02:33.the NHS is the recruitment of numbers of staff. We have a short-
:02:33. > :02:39.term programme to recruit medical staff from abroad. In the longer
:02:40. > :02:45.term, in the next five to ten years, is it time to consider funding
:02:45. > :02:50.medical students? Then asking them to contribute back to the NHS by
:02:50. > :02:56.working for a specific period? is an interesting idea but it is
:02:56. > :02:59.not sustainable because people can move whenever they choose. What we
:02:59. > :03:06.want to ensure is that people are trained in Wales and then remain in
:03:06. > :03:12.Wales. We also want to ensure that people come to Wales and bring
:03:12. > :03:17.their experience with them. We have to ensure that the system is more
:03:17. > :03:26.at sustainable and doesn't just get funds to people but then leave
:03:26. > :03:33.Wales. The children's committee has received evidence from the past few
:03:33. > :03:40.weeks demonstrating that services in North Wales in terms of neonatal
:03:40. > :03:48.services, on the employee to consultants rather than eight. That
:03:48. > :03:51.they have not met national standards at UK levels since 2008.
:03:51. > :03:57.Will you ensure that the aim towards reaching those standards in
:03:57. > :04:04.the future? It is important that standards are high. It is
:04:04. > :04:10.impossible to take Consultants of pop some magical tree. We know
:04:11. > :04:18.there is at short of -- shortage of expertise. It is important that
:04:18. > :04:22.services are sustainable peering that fact in mind. Well the First
:04:22. > :04:28.Minister out line the steps being taken towards transparency within
:04:28. > :04:32.the Welsh Government? We are trying to maximise openness and
:04:32. > :04:40.accountability. We are publishing Cabinet papers and ministerial
:04:40. > :04:44.reports. Also details of payments made by the Welsh Government.
:04:44. > :04:48.Freedom of Information Act is used bike over 50 % of our residents
:04:48. > :04:52.wishing to access information with then that the Welsh Government.
:04:52. > :04:58.Having signed the commitment and marched to be more responsive to
:04:58. > :05:05.these requests what actions are being taken? To continue with
:05:06. > :05:11.ensuring that we at open and and transparent as a Government. Your
:05:11. > :05:17.Government has commissioned Professor Steve Smith of
:05:17. > :05:21.Aberystwyth to give advice on universities in this it east of
:05:21. > :05:28.this country. Will you publish his advice when you receive it as a
:05:28. > :05:32.Government? We do consider all advice provided to us as a
:05:32. > :05:39.Government bearing in mind that their aim is to provide a
:05:39. > :05:48.sustainable sector in education in Wales. We now move to party leaders
:05:48. > :05:52.questions. A report published this week concludes that older people in
:05:52. > :05:57.the UK at loneliest and poorest and most concerned about age
:05:57. > :06:03.discrimination. What indicators will Welsh Government adopt to
:06:03. > :06:09.measure these issues? We well consider the findings of any report
:06:09. > :06:14.in order to see whether we can learn from any such report. We will
:06:14. > :06:21.then look for measures to put in place. Thank you for that answer.
:06:22. > :06:27.The older people's well-being monitor was last carried out in
:06:27. > :06:31.2009, will you make it an annual report? In consultation with the
:06:31. > :06:40.older people's commissioner we will look at what the more successful
:06:40. > :06:44.outcomes can be. Thank you for advising us on that. Currently
:06:44. > :06:49.local councils decide on care. You are planning and National Care
:06:49. > :06:55.standard. Well you guarantee that no other and the person in Wales
:06:55. > :06:59.will have their care package withdrawn? -- older person. We need
:06:59. > :07:08.to provide a more level playing field so that everybody regardless
:07:08. > :07:13.of where the need -- lead at the same access to care. How many new
:07:13. > :07:18.cancer treatments are available in England as opposed to Wales? There
:07:18. > :07:23.is no cancer treatment that is available across the whole of
:07:23. > :07:26.England as prepared to Wales. well known that there are 24
:07:26. > :07:30.different cancer treatments available in England that are not
:07:30. > :07:37.available here in Wales. Last Thursday your health minister
:07:37. > :07:42.issued a statement outlining the objection to cancer drugs in Wales.
:07:42. > :07:45.Be said that they believe to bike creating a fund for them it would
:07:45. > :07:54.create inequalities within the budget and drain money away from
:07:54. > :08:00.other key areas. You choose to find millionaire's access to it minor it
:08:00. > :08:09.drops. But you refuse best fund which would be three-and a-half
:08:09. > :08:14.million pounds? What is Equitable about such an approach? The basic
:08:14. > :08:23.flaw in the arguments from the Tories about prescriptions. People
:08:23. > :08:27.should not get paracetamol if they're millionaires but the well
:08:28. > :08:33.of they are millionaires and over 60. We spend more on cancer drugs
:08:33. > :08:38.in Wales than the day in England. England needs to catch up with
:08:38. > :08:44.Wales. Why should we introduce such a fund? Secondly, the money from
:08:44. > :08:48.England was taken away and the budget from money for other drugs.
:08:48. > :08:52.Are you willing in the opposition to cut the budget for the men's
:08:52. > :08:59.here drugs? Or for multiple sclerosis? I think that the people
:08:59. > :09:05.of Wales want answer to that. will get an answer for that. We
:09:05. > :09:15.would not subsidised millionaire's access to Paris set them all. We
:09:15. > :09:19.believe that cancer patients deserve... We believe that cancer
:09:19. > :09:25.patients deserve access to cutting edge technology that is available
:09:25. > :09:29.in other parts of the United Kingdom. Is that not the case First
:09:30. > :09:35.Minister, that you want to give these minor drugs to millionaires
:09:35. > :09:41.but you're the animate of cancer patients in Wales? There are many
:09:41. > :09:45.people in Wales have benefited from free prescriptions. Buy your own
:09:45. > :09:54.definition all those people that would have to pay that tablet packs
:09:54. > :09:57.to say that we had a friend of millionaires. Who is plugging their
:09:57. > :10:03.pharmaceutical drugs find the most if not the pharmaceutical
:10:03. > :10:08.companies? The problem with the opposition is best, you bombast for
:10:08. > :10:14.eloquence. There are some in your party that want to see the back of
:10:14. > :10:24.you as the leader of the opposition. You can stay there for will at Nat
:10:24. > :10:26.
:10:26. > :10:31.-- next 20 years as far as I'm concerned. Leanne Wood. Thank you
:10:31. > :10:36.Presiding Officer. When we end Plaid Cymru unveiled in March the
:10:36. > :10:40.2011 Arab plans for an on dividend the call to finance infrastructure
:10:40. > :10:46.projects the Labour Party rubbished them as completely unworkable. We
:10:46. > :10:48.were surprised therefore it when it last week the idea popped up in the
:10:48. > :10:54.Government's infrastructure strategy. Can you tell us, First
:10:54. > :10:59.Minister, when you changed your mind? There are important
:10:59. > :11:06.differences between what we're proposing and what he proposed.
:11:06. > :11:10.would be grateful if you could out link those differences. Yes. We're
:11:10. > :11:15.looking at ways of raising money in a way that we can work with local
:11:15. > :11:20.authorities in a way that Wales will not be left heavily in debt.
:11:20. > :11:25.Let us turn to another Plaid Cymru policy that was adopted by
:11:25. > :11:30.yourselves. That is borrowing powers. Does the First Minister it
:11:30. > :11:33.think that it is coincidental or bad luck that soon the only elected
:11:33. > :11:39.body and a United Kingdom without their power to borrow money it
:11:39. > :11:44.would be the one in which his party has an unbroken record of power?
:11:44. > :11:49.The only powers that we did have word those of the WDA which were
:11:49. > :11:52.thrown away because Labour did not do what they were supposed to. Why
:11:52. > :11:59.is it that the Scottish nationalists or the Ulster
:11:59. > :12:05.nationalists or even at Tory and London as the mayor it there, do a
:12:06. > :12:10.better job in their corner and the Labour First Minister of Wales?
:12:10. > :12:14.seems to it have escaped the attention of yourself that we're
:12:14. > :12:19.not blocking borrowing powers. It is the UK Government that are doing
:12:19. > :12:25.it. It is more convenient to attack us about it but I agree I think it
:12:25. > :12:31.is appalling -- appalling that we do not have the same things that
:12:31. > :12:38.Scotland and Ireland it in terms of borrowing. What has happened to
:12:38. > :12:47.Plaid Cymru? A once vibrant party has hardly any idea at all. There
:12:47. > :12:51.were no legislative ideas at all in its manifesto. A new driver, but
:12:51. > :13:01.the tank is empty. This is the problem with Plaid Cymru, a party
:13:01. > :13:02.
:13:02. > :13:05.with no ideas, no competence and no ambition for Wales. Question 3.
:13:06. > :13:13.Well the First Minister to make a statement on the Welsh Government
:13:13. > :13:17.position on the plans to build a barrage. There is an important
:13:17. > :13:22.source of renewable energy that could provide substantial
:13:22. > :13:27.differences. Thank you for that response. Before a conclusion is
:13:27. > :13:34.reached on these issues, much consideration will be needing --
:13:34. > :13:37.needed to taking -- be taken into account. You said that this is a
:13:37. > :13:43.cross-border issue which is correct and that therefore it is a maxim
:13:43. > :13:48.for the UK Government alone. Could you reconsider that position? You
:13:48. > :13:51.have a role in this matter as well in the Welsh Government and Unita
:13:51. > :13:57.outline the steps that he would take to ensure that this decision
:13:57. > :14:02.is at joint decision between you and the UK Government. The role of
:14:02. > :14:08.the Welsh Government is to ensure it that jobs are created.
:14:08. > :14:15.environment needs to be protected. At least on this side of the border.
:14:15. > :14:18.We also have a role as regards to looking at which schemes will
:14:18. > :14:26.appear in the future at to see whether we can support those are
:14:26. > :14:34.not. I welcome their positive support the Welsh Government has
:14:34. > :14:39.for at their it scheme but can you confirm that any support given to a
:14:39. > :14:43.scheme well-balanced the potential to break significant amounts of low
:14:43. > :14:50.carbon energy with the intent to create lots of jobs but also the
:14:50. > :14:55.impact in the environment? Will it create this amount of power in an
:14:55. > :15:05.alternative manner? There are significant environmental issues
:15:05. > :15:06.
:15:06. > :15:13.that need to be addressed. I would support moves to harness tidal
:15:13. > :15:20.energy. However I would agree that there are environmental concerns.
:15:21. > :15:27.In that regard what discussions have you had with Peter he in? Have
:15:27. > :15:37.you discussed their proposals? have had an eating and a phone call
:15:37. > :15:40.
:15:40. > :15:48.with their representatives. But I Will the First Minister outlined
:15:48. > :15:52.the Welsh Government's priorities? Your programme for Government
:15:52. > :16:02.states that you will protect healthy ecosystems. There is not as
:16:02. > :16:12.zone protecting a harbour coast. How do you propose to protect
:16:12. > :16:13.
:16:13. > :16:21.breeding porpoise is with the wind farm? We are concerned about
:16:21. > :16:27.wildlife. Particularly in that part of Wales. There will be a full
:16:27. > :16:31.consultation regarding conservation zones. Widening participation in
:16:31. > :16:34.sport can play at all in eradicating child poverty as
:16:35. > :16:42.children from more deprived communities are less likely to
:16:42. > :16:46.participate. Free swimming helps children get involved in my
:16:46. > :16:52.constituency. With the Olympics being in the spotlight at the
:16:52. > :16:55.moment, will you maximise the opportunities for children and
:16:55. > :17:05.young people from disadvantaged communities to participate in
:17:05. > :17:10.sport? To make it a priority for the coming year? Yes, London 2012
:17:10. > :17:14.means we are investing �32 million in communities potter over the next
:17:14. > :17:21.three years. That will improve sporting opportunities available to
:17:21. > :17:28.people of all ages and sporting backgrounds. Your infrastructure
:17:28. > :17:32.and investment plan is a caveat for the construction of the Critical
:17:32. > :17:39.Care Unit. Does that mean this is not a priority and will you outline
:17:39. > :17:42.the investment projects for this year in that same area?
:17:42. > :17:51.Investment Plan also concerns whether business cases have been
:17:51. > :17:56.made. We have to see as well from 2014 and 2015 onwards what will be
:17:56. > :18:02.made available from the UK Government. Then we will see what
:18:02. > :18:07.we can take forward. Your programme for Government contains the
:18:07. > :18:17.aspiration to widen access to doctors. What is the target date
:18:17. > :18:17.
:18:17. > :18:23.for when that will be achieved? 2016. Unite alongside the TUC
:18:23. > :18:28.launched a campaign to protect 20,000 a railway jobs across the UK
:18:28. > :18:35.because of UK Government plans to cut the real budget and closed
:18:35. > :18:41.ticket offices, 23 alone in Wales. Will you do all you can to opposed
:18:41. > :18:46.this cutback and closure programme and improve access to our rail
:18:46. > :18:53.network in Wales? Yes I will. If you remove rail services there will
:18:53. > :19:03.be some sectors of the population who feel less secure. There is an
:19:03. > :19:05.
:19:05. > :19:14.impact on the environment if you do this. TRANSLATION: Will the First
:19:14. > :19:20.Minister make that statement on the marine conservation zones? There
:19:20. > :19:27.will be up to 24 of these zones in 2014 subject to a consultation
:19:27. > :19:33.exercise. The first consultation phase commenced last month setting
:19:33. > :19:40.up 10 potential sites for further consideration. Thank you. This has
:19:40. > :19:44.created a great deal of controversy in Wales. Among the fishermen and
:19:44. > :19:50.also yacht clubs and the tourism sector. It also undermines the
:19:50. > :19:55.collaboration which as taking place between the Countryside Council and
:19:55. > :20:01.the fishing sector. On which scientific basis was it decided to
:20:01. > :20:07.create these zones where no activity will be allowed? It is
:20:07. > :20:10.important that people realise that a consultation is to take place. A
:20:10. > :20:15.number of sites have been designated but the purpose of the
:20:15. > :20:20.consultation will be to ensure everybody has an opportunity to
:20:20. > :20:26.express their opinions on where these zones should be and how they
:20:26. > :20:32.should be established. Your Government's plans for the marine
:20:32. > :20:42.conservation zones have been a source of considerable worry for
:20:42. > :20:42.
:20:42. > :20:47.the local business owners in my coastal region. Given that tourism
:20:47. > :20:52.and the fishing industry are dead life blood of coastal communities
:20:52. > :20:56.will you give your assurances that your Government will listen to
:20:56. > :21:00.local concerns during this consultation process and will not
:21:00. > :21:10.impose restrictions so draconian that local businesses are wiped
:21:10. > :21:19.out? Absolutely. We will welcome input from all concerned.
:21:19. > :21:25.current proposals will have an impact on the main sailing centres.
:21:25. > :21:32.This would directly impact on the main recreational sailing area
:21:32. > :21:39.where boats go. Will you assure us that these proposals will give a
:21:39. > :21:44.full account of the potential impact on tourism, leisure and
:21:44. > :21:48.watersports in the affected area is? The key thing for local
:21:48. > :21:56.communities is to tell us how they use the proposed sites and how they
:21:56. > :21:59.will be affected if there are activities were to be managed.
:22:00. > :22:09.TRANSLATION: What is the Welsh Government doing to support people
:22:10. > :22:14.
:22:14. > :22:19.with disabilities in Wales? support their right to take part
:22:19. > :22:29.fully in society and support their independent living. Thank you. I
:22:29. > :22:35.
:22:35. > :22:41.have been received worries from people with blue badges who have
:22:41. > :22:45.difficulty in walking after serious surgery. Can the First Minister
:22:45. > :22:51.outline what the Welsh Government is doing to support people with
:22:51. > :22:55.short term or temporary disabilities and would be Welsh
:22:55. > :23:00.Government considered giving temporary badges to those people?
:23:00. > :23:05.There are people in that situation and it is important that provision
:23:05. > :23:09.is given to people so that they can recover from surgery. Many
:23:09. > :23:15.hospitals are already make that provision. In terms of providing
:23:15. > :23:20.them with a Blue badge, what needs to be considered is for what length
:23:20. > :23:26.of time will be be disabled? It is important that blue badges are not
:23:26. > :23:30.available to those people who do not need them but I will write to
:23:30. > :23:34.the member to see it there is any way of ensuring that people who are
:23:34. > :23:42.temporarily disabled can access a Blue badge without them being able
:23:42. > :23:48.to retain that once they have recovered. We are all aware of be
:23:48. > :23:54.aim of the disabled children matter campaign. What assurances can he
:23:54. > :24:01.give that he will meet young disabled children the priority over
:24:01. > :24:07.the next three years? We will provide short breaks for disabled
:24:07. > :24:13.children, their families and carers. We have a programme with a distinct
:24:13. > :24:19.focus on disabled children. First Minister, the Multiple Sclerosis
:24:19. > :24:24.Society are holding a reception here tomorrow night on the subject
:24:24. > :24:29.of N S and employment. Getting access to the right nurses and
:24:29. > :24:34.treatment is crucial to helping people stay in employment for
:24:34. > :24:40.longer and enjoyed a better quality of life for longer. There is a
:24:40. > :24:44.question over access to these services for people living in the
:24:44. > :24:50.early years. What are you doing about that? Those living in rural
:24:50. > :24:53.areas should have a similar level of support and access as those
:24:53. > :24:59.living in our been the areas. We will do all we can to ensure that
:24:59. > :25:06.is the case. Will the First Minister make a statement on the
:25:06. > :25:10.Welsh Government's priorities? deliver sustainable growth and jobs.
:25:10. > :25:16.Capital investment is an important factor, will you outline all the
:25:16. > :25:21.new options you were currently considering? The investment fund
:25:21. > :25:29.was launched in March. A business loan fund will become operational
:25:29. > :25:34.later this year. We have another fund topping �150 million. A
:25:34. > :25:41.digital development fund. Life Sciences fund. Hypertension start
:25:41. > :25:46.project. Business start-up service and many other projects as well.
:25:46. > :25:50.That was a long list of issues that you raised, First Minister, but you
:25:50. > :25:54.did not mention specifically business rates. We know there will
:25:54. > :25:59.be a discussion on business rates in this chamber in the coming weeks,
:25:59. > :26:03.but are you able to tell us whether there will be any additional
:26:03. > :26:08.support for small businesses which at the very backbone of the economy
:26:08. > :26:13.in Wales. If any of them were to have additional rate relief that
:26:13. > :26:20.could be the difference between taking a job and not. As you know
:26:20. > :26:25.we are having a review. The outcome of that review will be considered.
:26:25. > :26:35.What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the impact of
:26:35. > :26:35.
:26:35. > :26:42.the continued financial downturn and what effect it is happening on
:26:42. > :26:47.families? We have looked at the negative impact of welfare reforms.
:26:47. > :26:53.We continue to do research on official statistics. Our survey
:26:53. > :26:59.concluded recently that almost 20% of UK citizens are finding it
:26:59. > :27:06.difficult to afford essentials such as food and energy. We have a sharp
:27:06. > :27:14.increase in the number of families coming forward for Home-Start
:27:14. > :27:18.charity's services. It is clear that Welsh families are suffering
:27:18. > :27:22.disproportionately, can I ask you to ensure that the Welsh Government
:27:22. > :27:28.continues to monitor this situation and do what we can to help and
:27:28. > :27:33.support these people? I can give that assurance. It is essential we
:27:33. > :27:41.continue to monitor the effect of the downturn in order to shape our
:27:41. > :27:46.response to it. You refer to the impact on health services. In
:27:46. > :27:50.planning for future changes in demand on health services, what
:27:51. > :27:55.direction has the Welsh Government provided to health boards for their
:27:55. > :28:05.strategies to deal with population growth forecasts in the areas where
:28:05. > :28:05.
:28:05. > :28:12.there is concern of doctors' surgeries. We must fight to descend
:28:12. > :28:22.to ensure that future supply meets demand. We will keep a close eye on
:28:22. > :28:25.
:28:25. > :28:31.this to ensure that the right level of service is available. Will the
:28:31. > :28:37.First Minister make a statement on support services for it serving
:28:38. > :28:43.hour armed forces personnel and their families? Our package of
:28:43. > :28:50.support shows our continuing commitment to their welfare. Last
:28:50. > :28:58.week I had the honour of attending a memorial game at Cardigan Rugby
:28:58. > :29:01.club. The tremendous support from those in the local region and the
:29:01. > :29:08.services families was truly humbling. They had been raising
:29:08. > :29:12.funds for services for or personnel suffering post traumatic stress
:29:12. > :29:17.disorder. Will be First Minister join me in paying tribute to all
:29:18. > :29:20.those involved for their hard work, dedication and commitment in
:29:20. > :29:25.ensuring that the armed forces personnel and their families are
:29:25. > :29:29.provided with the bulk of support they need. Absolutely. I think it
:29:29. > :29:33.is important that the Government does its bit while people are doing
:29:33. > :29:43.that. I have seen some of the excellent work being carried out at
:29:43. > :29:45.
:29:45. > :29:49.the moment. Describing the reason for the MoD, the armed services
:29:49. > :29:53.members forgoes some of the rights enjoyed outside of the armed
:29:53. > :29:59.services. They must be treated fairly and reward them and their
:29:59. > :30:03.families. Would the Welsh Government commit to rewarding
:30:03. > :30:09.servicemen and veteran families by awarding free local bus travel,
:30:09. > :30:19.three swimming and free access to certain sites? We continue to
:30:19. > :30:19.
:30:19. > :30:27.provide annual funding. We have extended the home service to widows
:30:27. > :30:31.of those killed in action. We have included veterans in the 10 hair
:30:31. > :30:41.homelessness plan. We have insured help through education and
:30:41. > :30:51.delivered automatic entitlement to blue badges or injured personnel.
:30:51. > :30:51.
:30:51. > :31:01.There is also automatic eligibility for free travel and swimming for
:31:01. > :31:06.
:31:06. > :31:11.The charity healing the wins has been asking for it fit to be
:31:11. > :31:16.allocated to them up for the families. Would you consider
:31:17. > :31:22.intervening in order to pit a stop to the housing proposal and allowed
:31:22. > :31:31.this much needed service to be set It would not be appropriate for me
:31:31. > :31:37.to comment on any individual. Melding. Can the First Minister
:31:37. > :31:41.tell me what he is doing it to promote e-democracy? We fully
:31:41. > :31:47.support e-democracy in order for the citizens of Wales to engage
:31:47. > :31:52.with us. You're Government was commended for being ahead of the
:31:52. > :31:57.game in the UK and established in some best practice but on
:31:57. > :32:01.consultations their offerings are not particularly compelling. I
:32:01. > :32:04.commend your Government's decision to issue more green paper is that I
:32:04. > :32:11.have looked at them and the way that you try to attract comments on
:32:11. > :32:16.them is the dull old method. There are 15 questions listed and people
:32:16. > :32:22.are just invited to reply to them. Would it not be better if he did it
:32:22. > :32:28.like the media presents itself? If he had a blog article which pits
:32:28. > :32:34.one or two questions and invites comments? We see this everywhere
:32:34. > :32:41.now it but you seem to be restricted in a way of
:32:41. > :32:46.consultation... Are you coming to the question? That would have been
:32:46. > :32:52.used in the 50s. He raises an important point. How do we engage
:32:52. > :32:56.with the public using social media? We need to do it in an inclusive
:32:56. > :33:01.way and a weight that is comprehensive. Whilst I it
:33:01. > :33:07.certainly agree with the methods of consultation papers this way, we
:33:07. > :33:12.will always consider what scope there is to allow people to
:33:12. > :33:16.electronically offer comments. I am sceptical of blocks and comments on
:33:16. > :33:22.blocks because experience says that you get a lot of anonymous people
:33:22. > :33:28.polled in. Am not sure that that would necessarily be a step in the
:33:28. > :33:33.right direction. Well the First Minister outline measures that the
:33:33. > :33:41.Welsh Government is taking to ensure economic growth in south-
:33:41. > :33:45.west essential. Yes. Recently the council had decided to go back to
:33:45. > :33:51.the drawing board at for the plants but the central business district
:33:51. > :33:56.in Cardiff. The Government has a large stake in that as they have
:33:56. > :34:00.put money towards that. Idea in a position to say how the delay or
:34:00. > :34:03.the back to the drawing board concept could jeopardise that money
:34:03. > :34:10.that the Welsh Government made available to the council? What
:34:10. > :34:14.damage might that do to the project? Central Cardiff remains an
:34:14. > :34:19.enterprise zone. I have no doubt that Cardiff council want to take
:34:19. > :34:27.forward the well-being of the city economically. We need to attract
:34:27. > :34:33.more commercial firms into the centre also. We will be aware that
:34:33. > :34:37.transport is essential to our economic growth prospects. I
:34:37. > :34:40.probably welcome at their warm tone of comments from the Secretary of
:34:40. > :34:46.State and the letter from the deputy. There is still continuing
:34:46. > :34:53.doubt about the extent to which the Secretary of State supports the
:34:53. > :35:00.flow values. In particular, avoiding the need for a double
:35:00. > :35:06.procurement exercise with diesel and electric trains. Can you
:35:06. > :35:10.confirm the Government's's continued possession on the valleys
:35:10. > :35:16.expectation? And what her colleagues in Parliament at doing
:35:16. > :35:20.to take on victories to make everything electrified? It has been
:35:20. > :35:25.submitted despite impressions given last week in this Chamber. The
:35:25. > :35:31.Government's view is that we want to see the electrification of
:35:31. > :35:38.Swansea and the Valley lines. Otherwise we will end up in a
:35:38. > :35:43.situation that through services cannot be run. The attraction would
:35:43. > :35:51.not exist to take them past Cardiff Central. That would have a
:35:51. > :36:00.detrimental effect on the network. A unique at statement on the Rural
:36:00. > :36:05.Development Plan? Yes. It is well under way. The cult plan for 2013
:36:05. > :36:13.refers to renewable energy exploiting opportunities for at the
:36:13. > :36:18.installation of renewable energy technologies. It also talks about
:36:18. > :36:22.sustainability. How would you respond to unforeseen consequences
:36:22. > :36:27.such as the proliferation of applications for its single
:36:27. > :36:36.industrial turbines on Anglesey. Collectively they are causing
:36:36. > :36:43.concern on the island. Also on the unique situation of the wind farm
:36:43. > :36:46.which will be a text case for the whole of Wales? It will be the only
:36:46. > :36:51.occasion in Wales where the application will be decided at UK
:36:51. > :36:58.level. I cannot comment on individual planning applications. I
:36:58. > :37:03.can say that I regret very much that application will be decided it
:37:03. > :37:11.at UK level. It means that it is determined by English plan in
:37:11. > :37:15.poverty -- planning. It is important that farmers are able to
:37:15. > :37:25.develop renewable energy to supplement their income as. There
:37:25. > :37:27.
:37:27. > :37:31.is nothing wrong for that. It helps farmers and the environment.
:37:31. > :37:39.minister responsible for agriculture of and fisheries has
:37:39. > :37:43.warned that there will be a likely reduction in expenditure on a green
:37:43. > :37:51.environmental scheme, he has also given warning that they could be a
:37:51. > :37:55.reduction on expenditure from the European funds. That is on
:37:55. > :38:01.programmes that would benefit the natural environment and
:38:01. > :38:04.conservation. I wonder if the Government would look again at the
:38:04. > :38:08.Inter relationship between these two programmes particularly as the
:38:08. > :38:12.European Union is emphasising the need to study the impact of
:38:12. > :38:20.programmes are jointly and that this could have a serious impact on
:38:20. > :38:25.expenditure. We also tried to secure the best deal for Wales.
:38:25. > :38:29.There are many regulations to govern the way in which various
:38:29. > :38:36.projects are addressed. Of course we do not yet know whether are not
:38:36. > :38:42.the general impact on the union and their it European commission will
:38:42. > :38:51.be larger not. We're looking to benefit from the scheme that has
:38:51. > :38:56.been created. Well you provide an update on the Welsh Government's
:38:56. > :39:02.negotiations in regard to Cardiff airport? Yes. I should have got a
:39:02. > :39:07.statement on that this morning. I have issued it now. I welcome the
:39:07. > :39:12.statement. The establishment of the task force is a good thing and it
:39:12. > :39:18.is a positive move. The priority commitment given by the Government
:39:18. > :39:22.by the fact that you're cheering it is also good. But UB keeping us
:39:22. > :39:27.informed as to the important developments falling over the
:39:27. > :39:31.coming months? Absolutely. I take heart from the fact that the issue
:39:31. > :39:36.is now being taken seriously. I look forward to working with them
:39:36. > :39:40.in order to develop it in the future.
:39:40. > :39:42.The that is it for First Minister's Questions this week. That is it for
:39:42. > :39:44.First Minister's Questions this week. You can see more of that and
:39:44. > :39:50.more coverage of the National Assembly online from BBC Wales's
:39:50. > :39:56.Democracy Live page at bbc.co.uk/walespolitics.
:39:56. > :40:02.That was quite a tetchy Carwyn Jones today. His writ -- his face
:40:02. > :40:09.was very red over free prescriptions. Yes. There was an
:40:09. > :40:16.element of that there. I think that Carwyn Jones generally gets annoyed
:40:16. > :40:21.by it that Tory minister. I think that in the case of Westminster it
:40:21. > :40:25.there is often a deliberate ploy to get under the Prime Minister's skin.
:40:25. > :40:31.He seemed to be doing it with Carwyn Jones and he was very close
:40:31. > :40:35.to losing his temper. It was an equally strong pit down given to
:40:35. > :40:43.Leanne Wood but with more of a smile on his face in a more
:40:43. > :40:50.friendly manner. I think that the almost losing of the temperature --
:40:50. > :40:55.10 per was not done very well. -- temper. Carwyn Jones is going to
:40:55. > :41:00.present his annual report into his programme of Government. A progress
:41:00. > :41:03.report, I suppose. The opposition is going to see if they can tell if
:41:03. > :41:10.the Government has made any progress or not. What are we
:41:10. > :41:13.expecting? 666 pages of it and lots of statistics. The opposition have
:41:14. > :41:17.been saying that this is not going to be very useful because they are
:41:17. > :41:23.no targets set. They will not be able to measure what the Government
:41:23. > :41:27.is doing in terms of reaching any targets. Any statistics are a
:41:27. > :41:32.useful though and so is any information. It might be that this
:41:32. > :41:41.baseline and your report is less useful than it could been in coming
:41:41. > :41:45.years. -- P. Most of us learnt in maths but you do not read graphs.
:41:45. > :41:50.That is presumably because they might want to add further data
:41:50. > :41:54.points in the future. That is what I think is the idea. If they do do
:41:54. > :41:58.that I suppose there will be indicators into which direction the
:41:58. > :42:01.Government is going. We will have a better idea in the next few years.
:42:01. > :42:05.But it will be frustrating for the opposition in terms of kneeling the
:42:05. > :42:14.Government. You will have indicators which are selected by
:42:14. > :42:18.the Government. Any information is useful. What the opposition party
:42:18. > :42:22.will say and what journalists might say as that a lot of this
:42:22. > :42:24.information might be in the public domain anyway it all that is
:42:24. > :42:29.happening is that it has been gripped together.