07/02/2017

:00:19. > :00:20.Good afternoon, welcome once again to the programme and our coverage

:00:21. > :00:26.According to the Order Paper we can expect questions on health policy,

:00:27. > :00:29.economic development and access for disabled people

:00:30. > :00:34.We're on Twitter of course - @walespolitics where you can see

:00:35. > :00:37.the latest developments in the Welsh political world.

:00:38. > :00:40.Well, business in the Siambr is underway - so let's cross

:00:41. > :00:49.to today's questions to the First Minister.

:00:50. > :00:54.TRANSLATION: I call the National Assembly to order and the first item

:00:55. > :01:00.on our agenda of this afternoon is questions to the First Minister.

:01:01. > :01:07.The first question. When does the First Minister intend to discuss

:01:08. > :01:19.health considerations with the Prime Minister. I thank the First Minister

:01:20. > :01:23.for that response, two weeks ago there was cross-party support in the

:01:24. > :01:28.Assembly for a motion calling on the UK Government to initiate the

:01:29. > :01:32.statutory public enquiry into the scandal of people with haemophilia

:01:33. > :01:36.who were given contaminated blood in the 1970s and the 1980s, which

:01:37. > :01:43.resulted in the death of 70 people from Wales and many more people are

:01:44. > :01:48.still living with HIV, hepatitis C and liver disease. Will the First

:01:49. > :01:52.Minister raised this directly with the Prime Minister when he meets her

:01:53. > :01:56.next so that the families of the 70 people who did die in Wales and all

:01:57. > :02:01.those who were affected can beat some closure? I can say that the

:02:02. > :02:05.Cabinet Secretary is leading the discussions on this he wrote the

:02:06. > :02:10.secretary of the health supporting the call for UK wide enquiry on

:02:11. > :02:14.behalf of all those who received contaminated blood. He is also heard

:02:15. > :02:18.it first hand the views of affected individuals and their family and is

:02:19. > :02:27.now considering the issues and concerns before making a decision.

:02:28. > :02:30.Good afternoon, may I first of all reinforce the calls for that

:02:31. > :02:37.national public enquiry, I think that is very important. The L EDC

:02:38. > :02:41.reported recently on the quality of the UK health services which

:02:42. > :02:45.recommended the need to establish a set of key health data and quality

:02:46. > :02:50.indicators for all of the UK health systems so we can benchmark

:02:51. > :02:54.ourselves effectively using agreed common definitions, facilitate

:02:55. > :02:58.quality and I wondered what discussions you or your colleagues

:02:59. > :03:01.had had with dual counterpart in the other devolved nations and

:03:02. > :03:08.Westminster to facilitate this so that we can judge ourselves in a

:03:09. > :03:13.peer-to-peer basis? There are active discussions with officials about

:03:14. > :03:18.this, the indicators the health very widely, but this is something that

:03:19. > :03:28.is in the early stages of exploration. -- vary widely will

:03:29. > :03:31.stop TRANSLATION: I also associate myself...

:03:32. > :03:37.It might be useful for the First Minister to put health on the agenda

:03:38. > :03:42.in relations to a exit from the EU, would the First Minister be prepared

:03:43. > :03:48.to raise the issue for Wales to be able to determine the level of fees

:03:49. > :03:54.is to be issued to NHS staff from aboard given greater dependence on

:03:55. > :03:59.NHS staff from abroad. Also, will he seek an assurance that following the

:04:00. > :04:08.UK leaving the Yukon and the requirements get a medicine licence.

:04:09. > :04:16.-- leaving the European Union. I think it he seek important that

:04:17. > :04:19.drugs are tested before they arrive on the market properly. There has

:04:20. > :04:26.been several instances over the years of course not going through

:04:27. > :04:31.proper appraisal. It is important that the current regulations stay in

:04:32. > :04:35.place. With regards to regional work visas it is an issue that the UK

:04:36. > :04:40.Government has not shut the door and, therefore it is interesting.

:04:41. > :04:46.There are practical issues that need to be involved in something we are

:04:47. > :04:53.keen to investigate. First Minister, one of the biggest challenges facing

:04:54. > :04:59.health care in the 21st-century is a dramatic rise in anti-mac mobile

:05:00. > :05:05.resistance, there have been few cases in China where resistance to

:05:06. > :05:10.antibiotics has been seen, unless dramatic action is taken we will be

:05:11. > :05:16.living in the world that existed before penicillin was discovered.

:05:17. > :05:25.The only review of this recommends an overall of the antibiotic and an

:05:26. > :05:28.intervention from the G20, what discussion has your government had

:05:29. > :05:33.with the Prime Minister about this issue and will you join me in

:05:34. > :05:41.calling on the UK Government to lead the way in tackling this resistance?

:05:42. > :05:48.Disease control and defence is an international matter, this

:05:49. > :05:56.resistance has been an issue the cell for years we have seen TB

:05:57. > :06:05.resistance to drugs, and some conditions that even some --

:06:06. > :06:10.so-called last resort antibiotics have not been able to resolve. Yes,

:06:11. > :06:15.there is a constant battle between humanity and microbes to ensure that

:06:16. > :06:18.we do not start to move backwards and find that there are not affected

:06:19. > :06:28.drugs to treat particular conditions. So, international

:06:29. > :06:34.cooperation is important. Will the First Minister make a statement on

:06:35. > :06:41.the performance of the PepsiCo fire -- Betsy had University health

:06:42. > :06:46.board. Performance in some of the areas is not what we would expect

:06:47. > :06:54.and the Cabinet Secretary has made his expectation clear. He needs to

:06:55. > :06:59.do more than this, this is a health board in special measures, and yet

:07:00. > :07:06.at other hospitals, the routine waiting time for orthopaedic surgery

:07:07. > :07:13.is a weeks, more than four times the government's target. What specific

:07:14. > :07:16.action is your government taking to address this particular problem

:07:17. > :07:23.across North Wales and in particular at this hospital. An additional hand

:07:24. > :07:31.surgeon has been appointed, some activity will be outsourced, we will

:07:32. > :07:37.continue to enhance the muscular clinical teams, with a focus on

:07:38. > :07:47.busier Gerard Pique. -- with a focus on physiotherapy. We expect that the

:07:48. > :07:53.waiting lists will now come down. TRANSLATION: There is a concern in

:07:54. > :07:59.the Colwyn Bay area that a surgery is closing, there are three

:08:00. > :08:06.surgeries and only one GP. It is an area where the mIU has been closed

:08:07. > :08:09.the several years there is an older population than the average and

:08:10. > :08:13.there are hundreds of homes now being built as a result of the local

:08:14. > :08:23.development plan. Would you agree that this is unsustainable and Tammy

:08:24. > :08:28.what you are doing? -- tell me what you didn't help this situation?

:08:29. > :08:36.Translate Shia, we have seen examples whether surgery say they do

:08:37. > :08:38.not wish to remain open. -- TRANSLATION: We have seen examples

:08:39. > :08:47.whether surgery say they do not wish to remain open.

:08:48. > :08:51.And so, there is a responsibility on health boards to ensure that the

:08:52. > :08:58.service continues and that it is broader and better. First Minister,

:08:59. > :09:03.I read an article about the state of the North Wells health board, in

:09:04. > :09:11.particular about hip operations, it claimed that some patients in the

:09:12. > :09:15.wells are waiting to need years. --- North Wales health board. Compared

:09:16. > :09:22.to England it is quite disgraceful, we wait a year and a half longer

:09:23. > :09:32.than is recommended. I have been waiting... Sorry... Can remember the

:09:33. > :09:40.head please. This is a very serious matter. -- Panther member be hard

:09:41. > :09:45.please. I am an painkillers which might doctor, when he handed them to

:09:46. > :09:50.me, it said on the box if you take these for more than three days you

:09:51. > :09:54.will become addicted. I guess my doctor and he said your choice is,

:09:55. > :10:01.you suffer the pain we don't take them. Now, people waiting the hip

:10:02. > :10:06.operations can get very depressed from the constant pain, I know this

:10:07. > :10:14.for myself, they can take painkillers that leads to side

:10:15. > :10:19.effects, why is it in Wales, it North Wells specifically, we have to

:10:20. > :10:22.wait up to two years with these operations? This is really not good

:10:23. > :10:33.enough. What are you going to do about that? I am surprised that that

:10:34. > :10:39.is the advice that the GP has giving you if it is correct, then I am

:10:40. > :10:44.surprised. Dealing with the issue that he has raised, it is right to

:10:45. > :10:50.say that waiting times are to log in some parts of the North of Wales. As

:10:51. > :10:57.the Cabinet Secretary have outlined the steps being taken to address the

:10:58. > :11:07.situation, including having an extra hand surgeon at hospitals.

:11:08. > :11:19.Questions now from the party leaders of the Welsh Conservatives... First

:11:20. > :11:25.Minister, you identified education as a priority of your stewardship is

:11:26. > :11:28.first Minster, last week evidence was given that showed that the

:11:29. > :11:32.number of teachers in our schools has declined by over a thousand

:11:33. > :11:40.since 2000 pence. --- First Minister. Dashed 2010. Why have you

:11:41. > :11:46.allowed the number of teachers teaching in schools to decline over

:11:47. > :11:52.a thousand? Never mind that teaches pain conditions have not been

:11:53. > :12:00.devolved, so his party is in charge of funding. There will be some

:12:01. > :12:07.schools when numbers have dropped and staff has blocked. We look

:12:08. > :12:11.forward to working to provide a package to show that teaching

:12:12. > :12:22.remains attractive. It is always somebody else's' fault to you. We

:12:23. > :12:27.have seen a thousand pages disappear from the classrooms. ---1000

:12:28. > :12:36.teachers. The funding gap that is between what is bonded in England

:12:37. > :12:42.has stretched from ?31 per pupil in 2001, two ?607 in 2015, so, not only

:12:43. > :12:47.are we getting less teaches your government is getting less money

:12:48. > :12:56.available. What are you going to do about closing that gap? He is surely

:12:57. > :13:02.having a laugh. He is a member of a party that wanted to cut spending on

:13:03. > :13:06.schools. If he had been in my job now schools would have been starved

:13:07. > :13:10.of funding, with fewer teachers and few achievements in our schools. We

:13:11. > :13:18.have kept our promises on school funding. We have seen an improvement

:13:19. > :13:21.in GCSE results, A-level results, we saw the categorisation results from

:13:22. > :13:26.last week where schools have improved, we provided money to help

:13:27. > :13:31.those from deprived backgrounds and helped those schools financially

:13:32. > :13:35.better not improving as they should. We have a good record on education.

:13:36. > :13:45.Obviously you must have been living in a different universe because we

:13:46. > :13:51.had no courts from education... What we have had since Christmas are

:13:52. > :13:55.report and results that have shown on your watch education has either

:13:56. > :14:02.gone backwards or stood still. That is a fact. The evidence given to the

:14:03. > :14:08.ever patient Dee education commission pointed to less teaches

:14:09. > :14:14.and less money available in schools here in Wales. The issue you have,

:14:15. > :14:18.is the news today of the introduction of the new curriculum

:14:19. > :14:21.is hitting problems when it comes to leadership as well as the Pioneer

:14:22. > :14:26.schools not knowing where they are going with the introduction of the

:14:27. > :14:30.new curriculum. How can you give any certainty that you will right the

:14:31. > :14:35.wrongs of your first term in office that pupils, teachers and parents

:14:36. > :14:39.can seek genuine improvement in school and are we going to be on the

:14:40. > :14:41.mystery tour that the Scottish education minister said they are

:14:42. > :14:52.going and? I have no idea what he means by

:14:53. > :14:57.that. I'm not letting him off the ski were on this one. He's fought

:14:58. > :15:04.elections on the basis of a 12% cut in education. That is fact. He stood

:15:05. > :15:10.as a Conservative candidate in the election in 2011, in 2011 when his

:15:11. > :15:16.leader went on live TV, live TV, and said we need to cut education by

:15:17. > :15:20.20%. The evidence is there. Not the alternative facts he wants to

:15:21. > :15:24.present. We see a school buildings programme, new schools across Wales,

:15:25. > :15:29.members can see where they are. With him in charge nothing would have

:15:30. > :15:33.been built. His party kept at the school building programme in

:15:34. > :15:35.England. You want to see the improvement in schools in terms of

:15:36. > :15:39.capitalisation, you wouldn't have seen the grant, you wouldn't have

:15:40. > :15:44.seen the money we have put into schools, we wouldn't have seen

:15:45. > :15:48.improvements in GCSEs or A-levels. It's right to say and the Welsh

:15:49. > :15:54.Conservatives Welsh education would be consigned to the dustbin.

:15:55. > :15:57.The leader of the Ukip group, Neil Hamilton.

:15:58. > :16:00.The First Minister will know I'm a strong supporter of the Welsh

:16:01. > :16:04.government policy of achieving 1 million Welsh speakers by 2015, and

:16:05. > :16:09.I'm a great admirer of the Minister for lifelong learning who brings his

:16:10. > :16:14.legendary -- 2050. Who brings his skills to the achievement of that

:16:15. > :16:19.objective. In particular I approve of the basic principle of tolerance

:16:20. > :16:22.and respect those for English speakers and Welsh speakers that he

:16:23. > :16:26.has brought to the development of this policy. It's made it marketable

:16:27. > :16:29.beyond areas where it might otherwise have been. Does the First

:16:30. > :16:34.Minister think that the success of this policy in the Welsh government

:16:35. > :16:37.is being put at risk by Plaid Cymru control of Carmarthenshire County

:16:38. > :16:42.Council which is forcing a Welsh language school upon people in an

:16:43. > :16:46.area near Llanelli against the overwhelming wishes of the majority

:16:47. > :16:49.of parents in that village? These are matters for

:16:50. > :16:53.Carmarthenshire Council, they must make an assessment in terms of what

:16:54. > :16:57.they see is the right solution for any particular area within their

:16:58. > :17:07.county boundary. The Welsh medium education strategy

:17:08. > :17:12.says that it's for Wales should be a country where people choose to live

:17:13. > :17:17.their medium for either or both Welsh or English. Here we've had a

:17:18. > :17:25.consultation process, 18 months after the decision was made, in

:17:26. > :17:30.which five people proposed for everyone in favour, and 757, which

:17:31. > :17:34.is an enormous number for a small village responded against this

:17:35. > :17:39.proposal by Carmarthenshire County Council. That's not a consultation,

:17:40. > :17:42.does he agree with me that the leader of the people who are against

:17:43. > :17:46.this proposal when she says that Welsh by compulsion breeds

:17:47. > :17:48.resentment. These are matters for

:17:49. > :17:52.Carmarthenshire Council as a government we are supportive of the

:17:53. > :17:56.Welsh language. We want to see an extension of Welsh medium education

:17:57. > :17:59.and more children involved in it. It is for Carmarthenshire Council to

:18:00. > :18:05.justify the decisions they take in view of elections in May.

:18:06. > :18:08.That is the constitutional position but the Welsh government, because

:18:09. > :18:12.this is a Welsh government policy on improving the condition of the Welsh

:18:13. > :18:16.language and maximising its appeal and reach, must have a persuasive

:18:17. > :18:19.influence here. There is a practical solution to this problem, at the

:18:20. > :18:25.moment there are three Welsh medium schools in Llanelli. With 170

:18:26. > :18:29.surplus places than 120 out of area Welsh speaking pupils currently

:18:30. > :18:34.being brought into the school whilst 81 English medium pupils are being

:18:35. > :18:38.taken out of the school. What we needed to have a practical solution

:18:39. > :18:42.on the ground which that defies both parties. That can be done without

:18:43. > :18:45.putting at risk the acceptability of what, otherwise, I think is an

:18:46. > :18:49.exceptional policy which paves the way for the Welsh language.

:18:50. > :18:52.These are matters I would have expected Carmarthenshire County

:18:53. > :18:56.Council to consider. It's not for the Welsh government to intervene.

:18:57. > :19:00.It is important, of course, that any local authority takes into account

:19:01. > :19:07.the views of those who live locally whilst considering, of course, the

:19:08. > :19:09.encouragement we give the to supporting the Welsh language.

:19:10. > :19:14.It is a matter for the council to decide and explain.

:19:15. > :19:16.Plaid Cymru Leader Leanne Wood. I'm sure Carmarthenshire council would

:19:17. > :19:23.have expected more support from you, First Minister. But I want to return

:19:24. > :19:29.to a matter of income differences. First Minister, when it comes to

:19:30. > :19:35.differences in income between... Can we hear the leader of Plaid Cymru,

:19:36. > :19:38.please? When it comes to differences in income between regions and

:19:39. > :19:43.nations the UK is one of the most unequal states in Europe. Wales

:19:44. > :19:47.suffers from this imbalance as well. To address this imbalance on market

:19:48. > :19:54.towns and post-industrial towns need good quality public sector jobs.

:19:55. > :20:01.Now, hijab musty, DWP, the job centre are moving jobs from towns

:20:02. > :20:07.which suffer from low wages like Porth and Llanelli. Jobs are being

:20:08. > :20:13.moved to more centralised sites. -- H M R C. There is a consultation on

:20:14. > :20:17.moving Ambulance Service jobs from Carmarthenshire to Bridgend. Do you

:20:18. > :20:21.recognise this centralisation agenda, and are you concerned about

:20:22. > :20:26.jobs and services being moved out of communities through a smaller number

:20:27. > :20:30.of locations? I deplore the decision taken by huge

:20:31. > :20:34.MRC in Porthmadog and those including my own time some years

:20:35. > :20:39.ago. Certainly I am concerned about the withdrawal of commercial banks

:20:40. > :20:42.from many of our communities and we need to ensure that the Post Office

:20:43. > :20:46.is then able to offer up the same kind of services the bank does. That

:20:47. > :20:51.depends on post offices being there as well which is is why we need the

:20:52. > :20:54.post office to grab and fund to keep that service.

:20:55. > :21:00.I share your concern about the post offices and banks, there is a real

:21:01. > :21:03.concern about the viability of some of our town centres if this agenda

:21:04. > :21:08.continues. We know what the UK Government agenda is, but, First

:21:09. > :21:13.Minister, you have levers to counter this on the Welsh revenue authority.

:21:14. > :21:18.Plaid Cymru would agree that Treforest industrial estate is a

:21:19. > :21:23.better location than Cardiff. But that decision means that Porthmadog

:21:24. > :21:29.Andrex them feel very hard done by and they need an alternative offer

:21:30. > :21:33.-- and racks. What plans do you have to support a Welsh public sector

:21:34. > :21:38.presents in the North west of Wales and in the Wrexham. You said that

:21:39. > :21:44.the WRAP and have a presence in Aberystwyth on Llandudno. How many

:21:45. > :21:47.jobs as a presence represent? And when it comes to the targeting for

:21:48. > :21:51.the distribution of Welsh government jobs across the country, are you on

:21:52. > :21:56.course to reach those targets? In terms of the number of jobs the

:21:57. > :21:59.total number would be 40 in the Welsh revenue authority. Some people

:22:00. > :22:06.would be based home in order to work, and it looked very carefully

:22:07. > :22:08.with the WRAP could be based. A report was commissioned and member

:22:09. > :22:14.should know that that report was placed in the library on Friday. The

:22:15. > :22:17.skills that are required for the Welsh revenue authority skills not

:22:18. > :22:21.actually available on ways to any great extent. They aren't the same

:22:22. > :22:24.skills as the people and Porthmadog have. We have to recruit from

:22:25. > :22:28.outside Wales to make those skills available to us. The Welsh revenue

:22:29. > :22:33.authority will begin in April and it was made clear to me that bringing

:22:34. > :22:40.people to Cardiff in order to work was the option that was easiest in

:22:41. > :22:45.terms of recruiting people. But that doesn't mean in the future that the

:22:46. > :22:51.body can't reconsider where it might go. At the moment it's going to

:22:52. > :22:57.Treforest. That was the strong advice, by far the location that was

:22:58. > :23:00.favourable in terms of attracting people with specialist skills many

:23:01. > :23:04.of whom are in London at the moment. If there is a skills shortage in

:23:05. > :23:08.Wales that is down to your responsibility. You are responsible

:23:09. > :23:12.for the skills of people in this country. I want to move on to

:23:13. > :23:18.transport now. 12 months ago you unveiled a plan for the North Wales

:23:19. > :23:23.Metro, that plan fails to include Gwyneth, Conwy or Anglesey. But it

:23:24. > :23:32.did include Cheshire, Liverpool and Manchester. The maps of the routes

:23:33. > :23:35.are existing rail and bus lines, your economy secretary was quoted by

:23:36. > :23:39.the BBC as saying that ?50 million would be available for this. Do you

:23:40. > :23:45.really think ?50 million is enough to deliver an actual Metro? Where

:23:46. > :23:50.you commit today that the Metro system is planned in Wales will

:23:51. > :23:57.start with a points furthest away from the densely populated towns and

:23:58. > :24:01.cities so that those people who feel distant from this institution and

:24:02. > :24:04.from the centres and the arterial roads are able to see some early

:24:05. > :24:09.benefit from this transport investment?

:24:10. > :24:13.First of all the Welsh revenue authority will be up and running in

:24:14. > :24:17.April next year. It needs people quickly. It's not possible to change

:24:18. > :24:21.people and specialist skills in the time allowed.

:24:22. > :24:25.You've had years! It's not possible suddenly to train a pool of skilled

:24:26. > :24:28.people in a short space of time. Those people are in London at the

:24:29. > :24:33.moment and we are looking to recruit them. The skill doesn't exist in the

:24:34. > :24:37.main in Wales. The Metro is our idea, of course we want to promote

:24:38. > :24:42.it. The South Wales Metro was mentioned by me in bed with Rugby

:24:43. > :24:49.club in 2008 not as we are seeing improvement on that. Of course, we

:24:50. > :24:54.continue to support transport in all parts of Wales.

:24:55. > :24:58.We have called incessantly for the electrification of the North Wales

:24:59. > :25:01.mainland as far as Holyhead and we want the UK Government to deliver

:25:02. > :25:06.that the future. We want to make sure that as we look at the North

:25:07. > :25:09.East Wales Metro, in time, it can expand west. These are not Metro

:25:10. > :25:13.system is designed to be self-contained. The system is

:25:14. > :25:19.designed to be extended in future. Question three.

:25:20. > :25:21.Will the First Minister make a statement on how the Welsh

:25:22. > :25:28.government intends to distribute economic prosperity across Wales?

:25:29. > :25:32.Well, taking Wales forward sets out our commitments to deliver resilient

:25:33. > :25:37.communities and prosperity for all and economic prosperity will

:25:38. > :25:42.underpin for cross cutting strategies published this spring.

:25:43. > :25:46.As we have heard there was an announcement that the headquarters

:25:47. > :25:53.of the Welsh revenue authority would go to Treforest. Now, having seen

:25:54. > :25:56.the paper that you mentioned and the location selection, the criteria

:25:57. > :26:00.make it entirely impossible for any thing to come to North Wales or

:26:01. > :26:06.anywhere beyond easy reach of Cardiff. Related to skills, but too

:26:07. > :26:11.related to being close to stakeholders and customers. Karen

:26:12. > :26:17.Arfon, nor Porthmadog were on the list of six possible locations being

:26:18. > :26:22.considered by the Government despite what you told this year on the 10th

:26:23. > :26:27.of January. Will you give detailed consideration to the need for new

:26:28. > :26:31.criteria when considering the location of posts, criteria that

:26:32. > :26:36.will allow dispersal of growth across Wales, otherwise the recent

:26:37. > :26:41.words by the Labour Party both here and in Westminster, by your Shadow

:26:42. > :26:46.Chancellor, are empty words. Well, we must remember reality here.

:26:47. > :26:56.It's important to realise that we have two ensure that it's easy, easy

:26:57. > :26:59.to achieve and secure the expertise that we need. That doesn't mean

:27:00. > :27:05.there isn't a role for North Wales or mid Wales. We will ensure that

:27:06. > :27:11.there are officers there in order to give customers the service that

:27:12. > :27:14.we're talking about, jobs that are specialist jobs that aren't

:27:15. > :27:19.available in Wales. More people will come from London and so we must

:27:20. > :27:27.realise that they are different jobs to the winds we had in Porthmadog.

:27:28. > :27:30.But we have to look for opportunities for people in towns

:27:31. > :27:38.such as Porthmadog to become part of the authority.

:27:39. > :27:42.First Minister, yesterday the economy secretary kicked off a week

:27:43. > :27:47.of job announcements with the outstanding news that the BBI group

:27:48. > :27:51.is consolidating and expanding its UK manufacturing operations onto a

:27:52. > :27:55.single site in my constituency at the border technology Park. This is

:27:56. > :28:04.in great part likes to Welsh government grant of 1.8 million.

:28:05. > :28:08.This investment will see BBI employment in Wales increased almost

:28:09. > :28:12.double by 2020 and provide excellent career opportunities in the South

:28:13. > :28:16.Wales valleys, fostering closer links to the scientific and academic

:28:17. > :28:21.community. It will provided significant boost to local economy.

:28:22. > :28:25.Isn't there is further evidence that the Welsh government intends to

:28:26. > :28:29.distribute economic prosperity across Wales, and when can the First

:28:30. > :28:35.Minister next come to a slowing to celebrate this news?

:28:36. > :28:39.I'm sure I will come to the constituency soon. BBI is an example

:28:40. > :28:43.of the hard work done by the Welsh government help businesses expand. I

:28:44. > :28:47.was pleased that sport has allowed the headcount in Wales to grow,

:28:48. > :28:51.particularly as these will be high quality management, scientific and

:28:52. > :28:56.technical roles. It was my pleasure the week before last to spend time

:28:57. > :28:59.in North Wales to see some of the excellent projects taken forward

:29:00. > :29:06.there as well in terms of job creation, tourism and education.

:29:07. > :29:09.First Minister, the UK's industrial strategy AMs to close regional

:29:10. > :29:15.productivity gaps. Here in Wales regional productivity regions

:29:16. > :29:22.deliver varies widely from Anglesey with 53% of the UK's GDA appeared

:29:23. > :29:27.with 19% in Cardiff. The Government has previously stated that

:29:28. > :29:31.variations in levels of GDA per unaffected by commuting patterns.

:29:32. > :29:36.Now while the Welsh government has put 80 million of European funding

:29:37. > :29:39.into the heads of the valleys Road improvements, mid and North Wales

:29:40. > :29:43.are traditionally suffering from poor transport connectivity. I know

:29:44. > :29:49.the exception of the Newtown bypass which is making good progress. Can I

:29:50. > :29:52.ask what your government is doing to close these regional gaps and

:29:53. > :29:58.economic prosperity caused by inadequate transport infrastructure?

:29:59. > :30:02.Well, he has slightly argued against himself thereby saying that there's

:30:03. > :30:08.a lack of infrastructure when the Newtown bypass is being built. That

:30:09. > :30:11.is hugely important. We've seen improvements on the 8470, the

:30:12. > :30:19.stripping of the road. And over the years we've had developments further

:30:20. > :30:27.south with bypasses and the Christmas pitch on the way to many,

:30:28. > :30:31.many examples. And in terms of the rail network we see improvements on

:30:32. > :30:35.the passenger services and do the constituency that he represents.

:30:36. > :30:39.They are important opportunities in the future to improve the service

:30:40. > :30:43.and potentially look up new stations. Bow Street is an example

:30:44. > :30:51.of that. We demonstrated our commitment both public and private.

:30:52. > :30:59.First government make a statement on the Welsh government's economic

:31:00. > :31:02.plans. We are improving economic development conditions. The First

:31:03. > :31:08.Minister will be aware that last week I bought a group of individuals

:31:09. > :31:12.together who have a track record of delivery in global Wales to make the

:31:13. > :31:17.case of developing a specific economic development strategy full

:31:18. > :31:22.formal Wales will stop whilst that model may work for many parts of the

:31:23. > :31:28.country, does the first Minster agreed that it might not be relevant

:31:29. > :31:33.for global Wales? EU agreed that there is an urgency to develop a

:31:34. > :31:37.plan in particular in the wake of the Brexit boat, as the impact of

:31:38. > :31:48.with global might be greater than elsewhere in the country. -- in the

:31:49. > :31:54.wake of the Brexit vote. And will you use the concerns of this group

:31:55. > :32:01.as the basis of creating a strategy full formal Wales. Yes I will. It is

:32:02. > :32:10.important that this is not seen as an urban and normal divide. I think

:32:11. > :32:17.the Member for what she has done and have passion for rural Wales. It is

:32:18. > :32:23.like to say that there are challenges beyond 2020 will stop we

:32:24. > :32:26.will see millions of pounds disappeared as farming subsidies go.

:32:27. > :32:36.There is no certain sees in that regard. -- there is no certainties.

:32:37. > :32:46.Now is the time to plan for a rural economy in Wales.

:32:47. > :32:51.TRANSLATION: First Minister one of the key elements of economic

:32:52. > :32:57.development lands where the enterprise developments, including

:32:58. > :33:03.creation of a waterway part in my constituency. Given that they are

:33:04. > :33:08.crucial to your plans, can you give us the latest news on the

:33:09. > :33:16.development of the enterprise zone, including the progress made towards

:33:17. > :33:23.a centre of excellence in marine and engineering and also the development

:33:24. > :33:29.opportunities for the enterprise part in contest is an energy and

:33:30. > :33:33.tourism? -- concentrating on energy and tourism.

:33:34. > :33:41.TRANSLATION: Many companies have benefited and received ?2 million of

:33:42. > :33:47.support. A group has been established in the enterprise zone

:33:48. > :33:50.itself which has a programme of work to support businesses and secure new

:33:51. > :34:01.contracts. We have seen investments as well, such as equipment projects,

:34:02. > :34:08.which have invested millions of pounds... And now, I planning

:34:09. > :34:14.application has been submitted to create a new energy generation site

:34:15. > :34:26.in Pembrokeshire, so many things have happened in the enterprise zone

:34:27. > :34:32.at a price full is not in 2014, 70.5%, the lowest ever recorded

:34:33. > :34:39.since records began for Wales, indeed the lowest fare any UK nation

:34:40. > :34:43.or region. It bounced back to 71% in 2015, but that was one of the lowest

:34:44. > :34:48.figures as well. Is the First Minister prepared to commit, the

:34:49. > :34:53.Welsh government, that we will not see this income per capita vigour or

:34:54. > :34:59.even further, but if it does after eight years at First Minister GB

:35:00. > :35:03.prepared to take personal responsibility? Bearing in mind that

:35:04. > :35:11.his party was in charge of this years. Saw GDP go down then. It

:35:12. > :35:17.shows... I know that is easily forgotten that... It does show the

:35:18. > :35:21.challenges in raising GDP. The more skilled people have, the more they

:35:22. > :35:26.can and and the higher they GDP goes. We have shown that we can

:35:27. > :35:34.deliver, unemployment is lower than England, and Scotland. GDP is now

:35:35. > :35:38.the challenge. Unemployment is not as much an issue as GDP. It is going

:35:39. > :35:43.in the right direction and we continue to acquit of people with

:35:44. > :35:54.the skills they need. -- to equip our people.

:35:55. > :35:59.TRANSLATION: Will the First Minister make a statement on dental practices

:36:00. > :36:05.in Wales? The health board is working to improve this and progress

:36:06. > :36:12.has been made. Some 30,000 additional patients are accessing

:36:13. > :36:16.NHS dentistry then a decade ago. You may be aware, First Minister, that

:36:17. > :36:20.the main reason children visit emergency units today is because of

:36:21. > :36:26.tooth decay and it is crucial that good dental care is provided for

:36:27. > :36:34.them at an early age. But, schoolchildren from many areas have

:36:35. > :36:39.lost access to a mobile dentist who visited schools because there was no

:36:40. > :36:48.learning to buy a new vehicle. -- there was no funding to buy new

:36:49. > :36:56.pillock or vehicle. -- there was no funding to buy a new vehicle. Do you

:36:57. > :37:01.agree with me that losing that service is quite unacceptable and

:37:02. > :37:04.what are you doing to ensure that it is reinstated in the future? Well,

:37:05. > :37:10.this is a temporary measure and know the health board are looking at

:37:11. > :37:14.fresh ways of ensuring that the service survives. They are looking

:37:15. > :37:18.at mobile units from other areas in order to achieve that and they are

:37:19. > :37:24.considering opportunities with regards to funding a new mobile unit

:37:25. > :37:31.to ensure this happens and in the meantime there is care available in

:37:32. > :37:38.other places. These are temporary measures and the hope is that the

:37:39. > :37:45.service will ultimately restart. 40% of children still don't visit the

:37:46. > :37:49.dentist regularly. A third of children start school and show signs

:37:50. > :37:54.of tooth decay and it is the most common reason why children aged five

:37:55. > :37:58.to 29 require admissions to hospital. Given that this North

:37:59. > :38:05.Wales mobile dental unit was last September, and the health board is

:38:06. > :38:09.only reporting now that they will get a replacement vehicle, and

:38:10. > :38:13.looking at other mobile dentistry resources, isn't it a little late

:38:14. > :38:18.six months later and should this not have been treated as a priority? If

:38:19. > :38:21.you agree with that, will your colleagues get on the phone to the

:38:22. > :38:28.health board and ensure that with your partnership it is treated as a

:38:29. > :38:31.priority? There are alternative provisions in place, although the

:38:32. > :38:38.intention is to restart the service. I can say that because of the design

:38:39. > :38:49.to smile, the latest dental survey shows a 6% reduction of children

:38:50. > :38:53.with dental problems. Over the last eight years, we've seen a 12%

:38:54. > :38:57.reduction in the proportion of children with at least one tooth

:38:58. > :39:05.affected by decay. That is an example of the success.

:39:06. > :39:12.TRANSLATION: What assessment has the First Minister made of disabled

:39:13. > :39:19.access to train stations in Wales. Access ability to all is the

:39:20. > :39:25.cornerstone of our transport. We measure passenger satisfaction with

:39:26. > :39:30.research and following that we see what kind of barriers it should be

:39:31. > :39:36.removed in order to ensure that no barriers exist in train stations for

:39:37. > :39:43.those who wish to use them. Thank you for that response, further to

:39:44. > :39:47.that over the past few months I received a number of complaints

:39:48. > :39:54.about the ability of disabled people to use a number of train stations

:39:55. > :39:59.including Pontypool, whilst recognising that train stations are

:40:00. > :40:04.not devolved at the moment, what is your government doing to ensure that

:40:05. > :40:12.stations across Wales reached the appropriate standards? Well, I

:40:13. > :40:18.greeted Lee with that, 245 stations, under the franchise in England and

:40:19. > :40:23.Wales and only a quarter of staff at present. Was macro I totally agree

:40:24. > :40:37.with that. We expect total improvements made... A station which

:40:38. > :40:43.had terrible disabled access, and after many years of campaigning, it

:40:44. > :40:51.became upgraded and I'm sure you will welcome the changes we now see

:40:52. > :40:55.all stop however, it is slightly tarnished by the conditions and diet

:40:56. > :41:04.as a consequence of an indecision between Network Rail as to who runs

:41:05. > :41:11.the station. -- the conditions and diet stop will you look at the

:41:12. > :41:19.opportunities at other railway station so that disabled access is

:41:20. > :41:24.not just at the station but getting to the station. Railway access is

:41:25. > :41:33.hugely important and they have to be accessible. We are aware of hygiene

:41:34. > :41:40.issues at stations. There is funding for a new cleaning regime and the

:41:41. > :41:46.services will be provided by the rail operator in the future. There

:41:47. > :41:52.was an opening question which mentioned the problems for people

:41:53. > :41:57.with disabilities at stations, you may be aware of the work of one of

:41:58. > :42:06.my constituents a disabled access rights campaigner who worked

:42:07. > :42:09.tirelessly across Wales to try and improve disabled access. While you

:42:10. > :42:14.are right to say that a large aspect of this isn't devolved, the

:42:15. > :42:22.management of this station is within the remit of Riva trains and that

:42:23. > :42:29.franchise. What are you doing to make sure that that franchise date

:42:30. > :42:33.as it vastly approaches that the disabled issues are put at the heart

:42:34. > :42:40.of all this. -- the remit of Arriva trains. So, that a new focus can be

:42:41. > :42:45.put on that so that disabled people do have access to stations which

:42:46. > :42:51.they deserved. We know we will be in full control of the franchise, and

:42:52. > :42:55.the opportunity is there to make the stations accessible. It is important

:42:56. > :42:58.that the issues are dealt with as part of the next franchise

:42:59. > :43:04.arrangements to make sure that we can use trains in the future. We had

:43:05. > :43:11.a visit to the Assembly last week from a group of wheelchair units who

:43:12. > :43:16.had the carrying complaints that transport staff hadn't been trained

:43:17. > :43:20.to deal with disabled people. This was unfortunately the case with rail

:43:21. > :43:24.staff, bus drivers and taxi drivers, what can your government do to

:43:25. > :43:31.ensure that transport staff are properly trained in this respect? It

:43:32. > :43:38.is a matter for operators of course, I've seen staff in my own

:43:39. > :43:49.constituency Terry station... With regard to the boss services it is

:43:50. > :43:53.packed year to remember braised cards being installed only for the

:43:54. > :44:00.bus country to introduce bosses that didn't lower. They were coaches with

:44:01. > :44:05.a seat that could be lowered onto the ground, but quite often the seat

:44:06. > :44:10.didn't work. That is a fine example of a transport company not thinking

:44:11. > :44:13.of the needs of its customer. It is hugely important the transport

:44:14. > :44:22.companies to comply with the law as it stands to make sure there is

:44:23. > :44:28.access for all. Would you make a statement on funding for

:44:29. > :44:31.postgraduate students? TRANSLATION: It will be confirmed

:44:32. > :44:36.this week that loans will be made for students beginning a

:44:37. > :44:45.postgraduate Masters course in the 2017 to 2018 year. LQ. Perhaps the

:44:46. > :44:50.First Minister will be aware, following an item on the news about

:44:51. > :44:54.the story of someone from my constituency who has tend to

:44:55. > :45:02.crowdfunding to try and pay her way through a postgraduate course to

:45:03. > :45:08.become a physician 's associate in Banga. She has a first-class degree

:45:09. > :45:15.in medical sciences but is having difficulty in affording the course

:45:16. > :45:20.because of her and similar students' inability to access postgraduate

:45:21. > :45:24.loans in Wales. The health service needs Emma and therefore students

:45:25. > :45:29.like Emma need that support now will stop as well as the pledge the

:45:30. > :45:34.students in the next academic year, which we are grateful for, how can

:45:35. > :45:39.we look at students who are at risk of dropping out of courses now in an

:45:40. > :45:46.area where we truly need their expertise?

:45:47. > :45:52.TRANSLATION: well, of course the course will start in autumn this

:45:53. > :45:57.year and by then assistance and support will be available. Of

:45:58. > :46:01.course, they will have had a much shorter wait than students from

:46:02. > :46:11.England, but one of the things they had to resolve was that more funding

:46:12. > :46:17.is available for postgraduates in order to ensure that will happen in

:46:18. > :46:21.the autumn. Question eight, Jenny Rathbone. What assurances does the

:46:22. > :46:27.First Minister have from the UK Government that the new rules would

:46:28. > :46:32.water down... It will be for this Welsh Assembly

:46:33. > :46:37.to decide what happens to food standards. I met with the chair of

:46:38. > :46:40.the Food Standards Agency, we effectively buy into the services of

:46:41. > :46:45.the Food Standards Agency and they are committed to ensuring that the

:46:46. > :46:48.exit from the EU will not compromise the UK's first-class food safety

:46:49. > :46:54.standards built up after many years of problems in the past.

:46:55. > :46:58.Unfortunately, there are villains across the world is keen to

:46:59. > :47:03.penetrate any weaknesses in our defences on this matter. We remember

:47:04. > :47:13.the horse Berger scandal. And I am concerned that trees Theresa May

:47:14. > :47:22.seems hell-bent on some sort of deal with United States who has much more

:47:23. > :47:27.difficulties with problems than this country or any other country of the

:47:28. > :47:30.European Union. What insurance did not assurances can we have from this

:47:31. > :47:34.government to ensure that the labelling on the food is what it

:47:35. > :47:39.says it is. And that we are absolutely up to the mark in terms

:47:40. > :47:43.of identifying adulterated food that might otherwise come onto the

:47:44. > :47:48.market. It is the case that during the

:47:49. > :47:56.Second World War American forces wouldn't choose British food. In the

:47:57. > :48:01.1990s I had a part in prosecuting abattoirs R standards were beyond

:48:02. > :48:08.description. Now we have practice that is world leading. Now we have

:48:09. > :48:12.practice is that mean now food is amongst the safest in the world and

:48:13. > :48:16.we should not play around with that hard earned, hard-won status. We

:48:17. > :48:18.will make sure in terms of devolved confidence that the food standards

:48:19. > :48:20.are not lower during Wales. There we are, that was

:48:21. > :48:22.First Minister's Questions. We're on a little later next

:48:23. > :48:25.week at about 4:15pm. If you want more Welsh politics

:48:26. > :48:29.this week, don't forget The Wales Report with Huw Edwards

:48:30. > :48:31.after the Ten O'Clock News As for today though, from all of us

:48:32. > :49:01.on the programme, goodbye. To be in the Lords,

:49:02. > :49:04.you have to be punctual... Sometimes you really do literally

:49:05. > :49:06.have to slam the door What right do they have to tell

:49:07. > :49:11.me about my fashion sense? Can you now control

:49:12. > :49:17.your bad language? Yes, I will. Otherwise you'll be,

:49:18. > :49:19.you know, drummed out. To win on something

:49:20. > :49:25.as important as this A unique opportunity

:49:26. > :49:28.to meet the Lords...