:00:20. > :00:21.Good afternoon, welcome to the programme and our weekly
:00:22. > :00:23.coverage of questions to the First Minister.
:00:24. > :00:26.Carwyn Jones' place will be taken by Jane Hutt today
:00:27. > :00:28.and she can expect questions on a range of subjects
:00:29. > :00:31.including business rates, energy efficiency and how Government
:00:32. > :00:37.Don't forget we're on Twitter @walespolitics, where you can see
:00:38. > :00:41.For now, business in the Chamber is already well underway -
:00:42. > :00:52.so let's take a look now at today's First Minister's Questions.
:00:53. > :00:58.Call the National Assembly to order in the first item on agenda this
:00:59. > :01:02.afternoon is questions to the First Minister and I have received
:01:03. > :01:06.notification understanding order that the leader of the house will
:01:07. > :01:13.answer questions today on behalf of the First Minister. Question one,
:01:14. > :01:15.Nick Ramsay. Will be leader of the house provide an update on support
:01:16. > :01:22.available to businesses affected by the business rate re-evaluation. The
:01:23. > :01:26.Welsh Government has announced an extra ?20 million to support
:01:27. > :01:29.businesses affected by this. ?10 million through transitional relief
:01:30. > :01:39.scheme and ?20 million through high-street rate. This is action to
:01:40. > :01:43.provide certainty and security to ratepayers in Wales affected by
:01:44. > :01:47.re-evaluation. Thank you for that answer. Business is in my
:01:48. > :01:50.constituency continue to be deeply concerned by the business rate
:01:51. > :01:55.re-evaluation. What any support is welcome, I hear about the relief
:01:56. > :01:58.that your Government has announced the additional discount every drop
:01:59. > :02:05.in the ocean for those businesses facing the busiest hikes. What about
:02:06. > :02:08.the businesses who will not benefit from the scheme of support and will
:02:09. > :02:13.be Government look again at raising the threshold at which businesses
:02:14. > :02:16.are paying business rates in order to avert some of the large-scale
:02:17. > :02:21.business closures which I fear are going to happen after April? Para
:02:22. > :02:24.?10 million transitional rates relief scheme will assist businesses
:02:25. > :02:29.his entitlement to small business rates relief would be adversely
:02:30. > :02:34.affected by the evaluation. Her ?10 million high-street rates relief
:02:35. > :02:42.specifically targets businesses in your constituency. We listened to
:02:43. > :02:46.the concerned responding to be some businesses in Wales. These are
:02:47. > :02:52.bespoke funded schemes and indeed they are in addition to a ?100
:02:53. > :02:55.million small business rates relief. As a result, three quarters of
:02:56. > :03:00.businesses will receive help in their bills and development 17 and
:03:01. > :03:04.2018. Reader of the house, as a result of the evaluation, the
:03:05. > :03:10.average rateable value has decreased by 6.1%. With this be a fairly
:03:11. > :03:15.common pattern across the area, what impact could this have on the Welsh
:03:16. > :03:19.Government's policy towards promoting economic prosperity across
:03:20. > :03:24.the South Wales Valleys? The statistics published by the
:03:25. > :03:29.evaluation are showing that total rateable value will fall in all of
:03:30. > :03:32.the values. That does mean the majority of ratepayers in these
:03:33. > :03:37.areas will benefit from reduction in their bills and of course, we have
:03:38. > :03:40.acted to provide that additional support to businesses through an
:03:41. > :03:45.extension of ?100 million small business rates relief scheme. Of
:03:46. > :03:48.course, business Wales and all the other levers that will assist
:03:49. > :03:55.businesses in your constituency will have a bearing on economic
:03:56. > :04:07.opportunity. Including the city deal which is a key partner. Adam Price.
:04:08. > :04:11.Notwithstanding that point, this is fundamentally an unfair tax. It is
:04:12. > :04:16.wreaking economic carnage on our high-street. Isn't it time to scrap
:04:17. > :04:22.this tax altogether and replace it with something like an Internet
:04:23. > :04:25.sales tax? Clearly this is an issue where we have worked over a period
:04:26. > :04:30.of time as a pro-business Government to take action to help new and
:04:31. > :04:33.existing businesses and do indeed look at the impact, not just in
:04:34. > :04:38.terms of re-evaluation, but our business support scheme. We are
:04:39. > :04:44.looking at a new permanent scheme in terms of small business rates relief
:04:45. > :04:50.from 2018. Supporting ways that reflect the needs of Wales. We have
:04:51. > :04:55.engaged widely as possible about our scheme in a short time available
:04:56. > :04:59.between the publication of its traffic waiting list and the date by
:05:00. > :05:04.which these regulations had to be in place. It is their scheme, we have
:05:05. > :05:10.to make sure that it redistributes the amount payable between
:05:11. > :05:15.properties reflecting changes in the property market. That is their
:05:16. > :05:20.responsibility. Leader of the house, the business rate re-evaluation is
:05:21. > :05:25.spitting at our high-street at risk. Many small businesses are facing
:05:26. > :05:28.huge hikes in the rates bills, yet their turnover is not increasing.
:05:29. > :05:33.For many, the only alternative is to stick rental properties with smaller
:05:34. > :05:38.rateable values of the high and this could be the final straw that broke
:05:39. > :05:42.the camel's back for small independent high-street retailers.
:05:43. > :05:46.The UK Government's latest budget proposes a cap on the business rate
:05:47. > :05:54.increases for those small firms set to lose their rate relief. Will the
:05:55. > :05:58.Government consider doing something similar for small high-street
:05:59. > :06:01.retailers here in Wales? Can I does make it clear that we are doing it
:06:02. > :06:04.more than the UK Government and if you look at the funding for the
:06:05. > :06:10.rates relief measures that the Chancellor announced last week, it
:06:11. > :06:13.will amount to just over ?12 million and if we had relied on that, it
:06:14. > :06:17.would have meant ?8 million less support for small businesses in
:06:18. > :06:21.Wales. We have got to fully funded this book schemes. I'm sure many of
:06:22. > :06:27.your businesses in your constituency will particularly benefit from
:06:28. > :06:31.those, not just the transitional scheme, but also the new scheme,
:06:32. > :06:38.which specifically targets the high-street ratepayers. What
:06:39. > :06:43.consideration how the First Minister given to prioritising energy
:06:44. > :06:46.efficiency and homes as part of National infrastructure policy in
:06:47. > :06:50.Wales? Investing in housing including energy efficiency is
:06:51. > :06:53.already a priority in the plan, a long-term vision and the actions we
:06:54. > :06:58.are taking in this important area are set out in the energy efficiency
:06:59. > :07:02.strategy published last year. There's a lot of excellent work
:07:03. > :07:05.already being done in Wales, but putting domestic energy efficiency
:07:06. > :07:11.alongside other nationally important infrastructure programmes could have
:07:12. > :07:16.multiple benefits, including massively boosting efforts to tackle
:07:17. > :07:21.fuel poverty, including the health and well-being of older citizens,
:07:22. > :07:28.reducing energy constructing, reducing the number of power plants,
:07:29. > :07:32.creating new jobs in streets entreaties to throughout the land.
:07:33. > :07:37.Far from being a win-win, it would be a win win, win win. As we await
:07:38. > :07:40.the results of the recent consultation on the National
:07:41. > :07:43.Infrastructure Commission, could I ask the leader of the house and the
:07:44. > :07:49.First Minister and his cabinet to consider seriously the huge
:07:50. > :07:51.potential for Wales bidding energy efficiency for wealth of National
:07:52. > :07:53.infrastructure and the transformative effect it could have
:07:54. > :08:01.on future perspire tea and well-being. I am completely with the
:08:02. > :08:05.member. If you look at the opportunities we have in terms of
:08:06. > :08:10.interceptor, not only delivering on carbon reduction commitment,
:08:11. > :08:16.multiplier benefit effects on some the outcomes, better inflated homes,
:08:17. > :08:21.tackling fuel poverty, creating jobs and economic activity. I will say
:08:22. > :08:25.that it is important. We have been refining the remit in terms of
:08:26. > :08:28.reference for the proposed National Infrastructure Commission for Wells
:08:29. > :08:32.following a response to feedback from consultation and will include
:08:33. > :08:36.economic and environmental infrastructure, including energy and
:08:37. > :08:39.it will be looking at the interactions with social
:08:40. > :08:47.infrastructure on housing and across cutting delivery issues. Our housing
:08:48. > :08:52.stock is among the oldest in Europe and we really need to focus on
:08:53. > :08:55.schemes of retrofitting, because a lot of that housing stock is
:08:56. > :09:01.occupied by people who have low incomes or are otherwise vulnerable.
:09:02. > :09:05.If we improve the skills and develop retrofitting projects, we would then
:09:06. > :09:11.find a other parts of the UK for those goals and products and indeed
:09:12. > :09:16.other parts of Europe. Indeed, and I think this is where it is important
:09:17. > :09:20.that we are working with industry in terms of the opportunities for
:09:21. > :09:27.skills base. We're looking at in which we can develop the skills and
:09:28. > :09:30.experience, not only of our workforce, our young people, but
:09:31. > :09:36.also clearly through the apprenticeship schemes that we are
:09:37. > :09:40.supporting. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I agree with the original
:09:41. > :09:44.question. There is no better example of what we debated last week than
:09:45. > :09:49.investing in this area where you link in the skills that are local
:09:50. > :09:52.and ensure that Welsh Government capital spend a spread across Wales
:09:53. > :09:57.as well, because the Society regional problem, it is spread
:09:58. > :10:02.across Wales in terms of the houses that we have. We are looking for a
:10:03. > :10:07.clearer cited purpose around investment in energy efficiency and
:10:08. > :10:09.something that fits into the National Infrastructure Commission
:10:10. > :10:15.and the task and aim of that commission. I have already said that
:10:16. > :10:20.we are going to change the remit as a result of consultation. It is
:10:21. > :10:25.important that we recognise we are continuing to invest 100 into ?8
:10:26. > :10:28.million annually to ensure over 222,000 social homes meet and
:10:29. > :10:34.maintain a Welsh Housing quality standards that David Melding
:10:35. > :10:39.referred to, the older housing stock in Wales. The sender does require
:10:40. > :10:45.all existing social housing homes to be brought up to an energy rating of
:10:46. > :10:48.Dior above. This is an all Wales programme with the budget of ?20
:10:49. > :10:57.million to be made available to support this programme. Questions
:10:58. > :11:02.now from the party leader, leader of Plaid Cymru, Leanne Wood. Although
:11:03. > :11:06.our economic potential is yet to be fulfilled, we can already see that
:11:07. > :11:12.Wales is a strong exporting nation. Last year, we headed ?2.2 billion
:11:13. > :11:19.surplus with the EU, Harris Fire plus was higher than 2015 when it
:11:20. > :11:24.was ?1.5 billion. With non-EU countries we had a trade deficit of
:11:25. > :11:31.?2.3 billion, well the UK as a whole hand trade deficits with both the EU
:11:32. > :11:37.and is non-EU markets. What future do you see for our EU trade surplus
:11:38. > :11:43.if we are taken out of the single market? It is important that we
:11:44. > :11:51.recognise the value of exports for Wales for the year up to and
:11:52. > :11:56.including 2016, ?12.3 billion, an increase of ?725 million on the
:11:57. > :12:02.previous year. As the leader of Plaid Cymru, Wales benefit hugely
:12:03. > :12:05.from the EU 's and got market with access to over 500 million
:12:06. > :12:12.customers. That is clearly going to be a huge impact in terms of the
:12:13. > :12:19.prospects in terms of how we exit and how we make sure Wales'
:12:20. > :12:23.interests are safeguarded. Plaid Cymru predicts a difficult future to
:12:24. > :12:26.those exporters who rely upon the single market. We now have some in
:12:27. > :12:32.the UK Government talking about leaving the EU without any deal at
:12:33. > :12:36.all, which would effectively mean WTO own rules and that would be the
:12:37. > :12:41.hardest possible tech of Brexit. It could lead to future targets and
:12:42. > :12:43.other barriers. On the social and our mental side, it could lead to
:12:44. > :12:51.deregulation and of lowering standards. The UK Government has now
:12:52. > :12:54.indicated that Article 50 will be sent later this month. That means it
:12:55. > :12:59.is a winter of opportunity. The window where there can be some
:13:00. > :13:04.influence. The Welsh Government has said that it wants to be consulted.
:13:05. > :13:09.I wonder if you can tell us, had he been consulted yet? What are the
:13:10. > :13:12.implications of the UK Government issuing that Article 50 letter
:13:13. > :13:19.without a fully consulting Wales as to its content?
:13:20. > :13:31.Clearly we want a process that is sensitive to the interests of world
:13:32. > :13:38.map. We with Plaid Cymru the position. This included continued
:13:39. > :13:46.preserve put Britain's vision of the single market. Certainly, we want
:13:47. > :13:51.and expect to be consulted on any Article 50 letter before it issues.
:13:52. > :13:54.The First Minister made it clear to the UK Government that anything less
:13:55. > :13:57.would be incompatible with the approach that they agreed to the
:13:58. > :14:06.joint ministerial committee after the referendum results. We have, of
:14:07. > :14:12.course, sent a copy of the White Paper to the European Commission. It
:14:13. > :14:16.clear what your Government wants. It's not clear what you will do if
:14:17. > :14:19.you don't get it. Yesterday, we saw how the mishandling of Brexit will
:14:20. > :14:25.leads to a new referendum on Scottish independence. That
:14:26. > :14:29.referendum could end the United Kingdom, the state as we know it
:14:30. > :14:34.could cease to exist. That would be a radical change for Wales. It would
:14:35. > :14:38.also greatly opportunity to be bolder and more ambitious ads were
:14:39. > :14:43.confident about our own future. I suspect that there may be people in
:14:44. > :14:48.this chamber who supported the Scottish no campaign last time that
:14:49. > :14:53.would now feel less comfortable doing so. Leader of the house, the
:14:54. > :14:57.First Minister's statement yesterday on a Scottish independence
:14:58. > :15:01.referendum lacks detail. It says almost nothing on the future of
:15:02. > :15:07.world map. Can you add more detail on reducing the Government taking
:15:08. > :15:13.will snag over the next two years? What plans does your Government have
:15:14. > :15:18.to put in place for the constitutional and economic future
:15:19. > :15:23.of this country? I do go back to your second question about
:15:24. > :15:27.engagement and instruments. -- and influence in terms of Article 50.
:15:28. > :15:33.The point I would make is that we need to work together understood
:15:34. > :15:50.sure that securing Wilson 's future -- will ... We should use our cloud
:15:51. > :15:56.as co-signatories of the paper. In terms of your third question, it's
:15:57. > :16:00.right that the constitutional future of Scotland is decided by the people
:16:01. > :16:09.of Scotland. We believe that the UK remains better together. Last year,
:16:10. > :16:12.Welsh Labour was elected on a message of togetherness. The
:16:13. > :16:16.important thing for us today is that as the party and Government we
:16:17. > :16:23.remain committed both to the union and the ongoing GMC process relating
:16:24. > :16:27.to exiting the EU. The Scots say that they have no intention of
:16:28. > :16:33.walking away from the GMC where we have common cause on many issues in
:16:34. > :16:45.terms of our negotiations of exiting the EU. Leader of the Welsh
:16:46. > :16:55.Conservatives. Many have seen in the last week, the shocking images of
:16:56. > :17:00.drug abuse, people, toes in public areas. We can only feel sorry for
:17:01. > :17:05.the full that have fallen so low. We would like to see as many safeguards
:17:06. > :17:14.as possible put in place to rectify the people's proper. -- the people's
:17:15. > :17:21.problem. Many of us will recognise the image of a town in Wales from
:17:22. > :17:30.these images. Today, we have the north police and firemen
:17:31. > :17:35.Commissioner. On this side of the house, we don't believe that is the
:17:36. > :17:38.case. I would be grateful if you could give us a Government response
:17:39. > :17:43.as to what actually you are taking as the Welsh Government given that
:17:44. > :17:49.you held a meeting with the Police Commissioner last week to address
:17:50. > :17:56.the shortcomings in this particular area. It's important to be looked at
:17:57. > :18:02.north Wales particularly. The most of my prize of ?4.9 million of
:18:03. > :18:17.substance misuse action fund to this area. -- the Government provides
:18:18. > :18:20.?4.9 million. The issue in terms of paraphernalia and the visibility of
:18:21. > :18:27.individuals with issues with substance misuse in the town centre,
:18:28. > :18:35.that clearly as to result in a cross, multi-agency approach. That
:18:36. > :18:40.includes not Wales police and also the local authority and voluntary
:18:41. > :18:48.sector organisations. I had hoped that since the time has lapped we
:18:49. > :18:55.might have had a fuller answer. The Welsh Government in 2000 and 84 for
:18:56. > :19:00.a strategy to reduce harm. These images make it seem that this
:19:01. > :19:03.strategy is not working. What a valuation has the Welsh Government
:19:04. > :19:09.is taken of this strategy and the support that is in place for the
:19:10. > :19:12.local authorities and the police forces and support agencies in
:19:13. > :19:17.Health and Social Care to add to the address these issues that are
:19:18. > :19:24.happening day in and day out, week in and week out, on the streets
:19:25. > :19:29.across Wales, that are crying out for a solution and support from
:19:30. > :19:32.central Government, in particular as you have had this 10-year strategy
:19:33. > :19:37.in place that is coming towards the end. We are still seeing these
:19:38. > :19:43.horrific images portrayed in the media as happening in public spaces
:19:44. > :19:48.as we seek. I have identified investment in the substance misuse
:19:49. > :19:53.action fund. That is available to those that are delivering on the
:19:54. > :20:03.ground not well. -- underground for thrills. They have developed an
:20:04. > :20:07.action plan, a comprehensive town centre action plan. It's got a
:20:08. > :20:12.number of actions. It has to be about the constantly changing needs
:20:13. > :20:20.and circumstances in terms of substance misuse. There are a number
:20:21. > :20:24.of planned project coordinated by people. This is identifying hotspot
:20:25. > :20:32.service and clean-up is taking place. It's also important to
:20:33. > :20:36.recognise that this is about the substance misuse that we need to
:20:37. > :20:42.look at in terms of best practice. That is where the new substance
:20:43. > :20:49.misuse delivery plan is so Bertrand. -- is so Bertrand. Everyone seems to
:20:50. > :20:54.blaming everyone else rather than actually getting to grips with the
:20:55. > :21:00.problem. The Welsh Nationalists believe that legalising drugs is the
:21:01. > :21:05.sensible alternative. From this side of the house, we do not believe this
:21:06. > :21:13.is the solution. In particular, the deaths from drugs have doubled since
:21:14. > :21:18.2012. That is clearly not a road to solving this problem. Well, there's
:21:19. > :21:26.lots of mumbling coming from the other side of the house. From the
:21:27. > :21:30.Government, there needs to be a working group set up by the Welsh
:21:31. > :21:36.Government to pull together the charities and health bodies and
:21:37. > :21:41.policing crime commission not Wales. To make sure that we can get a court
:21:42. > :21:49.may could approach to dealing with this issue, there seems to be a
:21:50. > :21:52.plain culture developing rather than -- be a blame culture developing
:21:53. > :21:56.rather than getting to grips with the serious issue that many of these
:21:57. > :22:02.people face and the tragedy that their lives have spirals out of
:22:03. > :22:05.control and ultimately they need the support of Government, working with
:22:06. > :22:10.sponsor bodies, to put the measures in place. Can you confirm that you
:22:11. > :22:17.will do that? I have identified not only the strategy and investment but
:22:18. > :22:22.I would hope that Andrew RT Davies is also speaking to the Conservative
:22:23. > :22:26.councillors in Wrexham and the independent counsel those that are
:22:27. > :22:34.at the sharp end of being responsible. With our support and
:22:35. > :22:42.the multi-agency panel. These of you can. The leader of the house will
:22:43. > :22:46.have seen that last year's budget was not an unqualified success for
:22:47. > :22:52.the Chancellor. Does she and most governments for any lessons from
:22:53. > :22:58.that experience with a view to how they are going to exercise the tax
:22:59. > :23:02.varying powers we are to obtain under the Wales act? I do think that
:23:03. > :23:08.in terms of last week, I think it has been described as a shambles.
:23:09. > :23:12.Certainly, a budget that has hit self-employed people very hard. A ?2
:23:13. > :23:18.million hike in national insurance contributions. That is affecting
:23:19. > :23:23.many of the people we talk about in the FSB talks about in terms of
:23:24. > :23:33.self-employed people. These ID risk-takers spearheading both. --
:23:34. > :23:42.these are the risk-takers. Filming to learn lessons from us. The
:23:43. > :23:49.additional funding... Can I say, you've asked me the question... The
:23:50. > :23:53.additional funding doesn't alter the magnitude of spending reductions be
:23:54. > :24:00.faced for future years, despite the small additions. The capital budget
:24:01. > :24:06.will still be less than in real terms to certain of 11. With
:24:07. > :24:11.respect, you didn't answer my question. What I was keen to elicit
:24:12. > :24:19.was whether it makes it more or less likely that the Welsh Government
:24:20. > :24:28.will use its powers to Vivienne, green -- vary its income tax. Lower
:24:29. > :24:32.tax rates can produce higher tax revenues. In the 1980s, Nigel Lawson
:24:33. > :24:41.reduced taxes and that was the effect. In 1979, the top 1% of
:24:42. > :24:48.earners paid 11% of all tax revenues. By 1997, they paid 21%, in
:24:49. > :24:56.spite of the fact that the club band of income tax had been reduced. --
:24:57. > :25:03.of the fact that the top band. Let's not make Wales into a kind of tax
:25:04. > :25:09.haven. I don't think we'd expect anything different from the reader
:25:10. > :25:14.of Ukip. I would have hoped that you would be considering the impact of
:25:15. > :25:19.the Chancellor's budget last week. The impact on the people that we
:25:20. > :25:22.represent. The impact of the fact that the sting in the tail of that
:25:23. > :25:30.budget and forecast is that there is a 3.5 billion cut plans by the
:25:31. > :25:39.Government for 1920. -- February 20 20. That is what I'm concerned. Of
:25:40. > :25:49.course, we have to look at that in terms of the implications of this
:25:50. > :26:00.budget. For self-employed and also the progress people and will. With
:26:01. > :26:05.respect, I'll try again. I still haven't had an answer. Does the
:26:06. > :26:08.reader of the house except that lower tax rates can produce higher
:26:09. > :26:18.tax revenues? In which case, everybody wins. As far as the UK
:26:19. > :26:21.Government is concerned, we take responsibility and have a
:26:22. > :26:25.responsibility that we are not taking through registration in terms
:26:26. > :26:34.of evolved and coming our way. We look forward to debating this in the
:26:35. > :26:44.next couple of weeks. In -- we need to recognise the adverse impact of
:26:45. > :26:49.the divisions made by Phil. He fumbled his budget angrily to
:26:50. > :26:56.recognise that that is bad, the fact that it is undermining the ICO to
:26:57. > :27:09.promote the UK as a place to start a business. Will Leader of the
:27:10. > :27:12.House... The investment dealers Government is making to benefit all
:27:13. > :27:20.parts of Wales and all aspects of society. The Government's own
:27:21. > :27:25.figures show that the level of Welsh Government capital expenditure on
:27:26. > :27:31.infrastructure in south-east Wales is twice that per head in north
:27:32. > :27:41.Wales and three times the figure for mid and west Wales. Its concern over
:27:42. > :27:51.huge investment cap led us to vote against the supplementary budget
:27:52. > :27:58.last week. What assurance... Lets you the question. What assurance can
:27:59. > :28:03.she give my party and members on all sides who represents those regions
:28:04. > :28:07.that we will have equal investment for all parts of Wales so that we
:28:08. > :28:16.can see Chris Berry T-shirt? I think the member has seen the
:28:17. > :28:22.combined Welsh Government allocations for local authorities,
:28:23. > :28:27.the Health Board, police authorities for 2017, 2018. And has seen that
:28:28. > :28:31.there is only one area where there is a slightly different powerhead
:28:32. > :28:37.allocation and I would want to share this again with the member. In terms
:28:38. > :28:40.of capital expenditure on an all Wales basis, that is crucially
:28:41. > :28:46.important in terms of investment in social housing, in best win in 20%
:28:47. > :28:52.through schools, investment in transport. I can again give you the
:28:53. > :28:57.investments in floods and coastal risk management, supporting the Hall
:28:58. > :29:05.of Wales, ?144 million, to improve our road network. In terms of North
:29:06. > :29:07.Wales, ?50 million to advance the north-east Wales Metro with
:29:08. > :29:15.potential to expand west in the future. In terms of the
:29:16. > :29:17.supplementary budget, we were... What was in that supplementary
:29:18. > :29:24.budget is very important to be people of Wales. It is ?170 billion
:29:25. > :29:33.to support the Welsh NHS. Just to give one example, and ?16 million
:29:34. > :29:37.for a treatment fund and an additional ?20 million funding for
:29:38. > :29:40.higher education and an additional ?85.5 billion to support
:29:41. > :29:51.construction and maintenance to be tried and road network in Wales.
:29:52. > :30:04.Let's say... Let's recognise the importance of our considerations.
:30:05. > :30:08.Thank you, Presiding Officer. Cabinet Secretary, there is a
:30:09. > :30:18.Cardiff capital region city deal as a proposed Swansea be city deal,
:30:19. > :30:21.what consideration has been given to a mid Wales deal on the same skill
:30:22. > :30:25.to ensure there is a similar level of investment in the fourth
:30:26. > :30:32.remaining economic region of Wales? There has been work done, as you
:30:33. > :30:38.know, in terms of how we can respond to opportunities in mid Wales. It is
:30:39. > :30:44.also relevant to say and very pertinent to your patch is that
:30:45. > :30:46.these are about budget choices in terms of those cuts to the capital
:30:47. > :30:53.programme that I have already spoken about. Five new primary schools we
:30:54. > :30:59.are building had been recently announced as part of the 21st
:31:00. > :31:03.century schools programme. That is so important. The prospects of
:31:04. > :31:07.children and young people in terms of growth opportunities in mid
:31:08. > :31:10.Wales. Although he would not believe it, there was quite a degree of
:31:11. > :31:14.consensus last week during the debate on the foundational economy,
:31:15. > :31:18.which has already been mentioned by Simon Thomas. It was agreed
:31:19. > :31:21.unanimously in the Chamber that small businesses connected with each
:31:22. > :31:27.other in a way that doesn't happen in large firms. Networks of social
:31:28. > :31:32.capital need to be extended beyond local social context. It was agreed.
:31:33. > :31:35.It was further agreed that the geography of the South Wales Valleys
:31:36. > :31:40.has been a barrier to death in the past. With the reader of the house
:31:41. > :31:44.therefore accept that the Government investment focused in this area to
:31:45. > :31:47.be successful, the Northern Valleys need to be seen as interdependent
:31:48. > :31:55.communities looking east and west and not simply spokes linking into a
:31:56. > :31:58.city hub. It is always good when we get back to consensus in this
:31:59. > :32:06.Chamber as we did very much a that debate on economy. The Cabinet
:32:07. > :32:11.sector of the economy and transport responded to very positively. I was
:32:12. > :32:17.also interested to see the very strong arguments for the points you
:32:18. > :32:20.are making on the northern Valleys interdependency with Vicky Howells
:32:21. > :32:25.in an article in the Westerman mail. It is a very personal point in terms
:32:26. > :32:30.of the city region deal, because we have to make sure that this is
:32:31. > :32:37.recognised, the northern Valleys recognise. It is not just been put
:32:38. > :32:40.down it is going up on it is that mutual interdependency. Will the
:32:41. > :32:42.reader has 87 on the provision for people on the otters spectrum in
:32:43. > :33:04.Wales. -- otters. We have had extensive consultation.
:33:05. > :33:08.Thank you for that response. The National Society for Wales has asked
:33:09. > :33:12.for a record of the number of people on the spectrum in order to assist
:33:13. > :33:18.local authorities to plan the services more effectively and in a
:33:19. > :33:25.war competence of manner. One would expect a record of people who have a
:33:26. > :33:29.care plan for next April onwards, but there are a number of people who
:33:30. > :33:33.do not have a care plan and there are others who go in and out of the
:33:34. > :33:37.system. When will your Government insist that a full record is kept in
:33:38. > :33:41.order to ensure that the proper resources and facilities are
:33:42. > :33:44.provided were needed in all parts of Wales? I thank the member for that
:33:45. > :33:51.question. It is their relevant to the work that has been taken forward
:33:52. > :33:56.by an implementation advisory group for the autistic spectrum disorder
:33:57. > :34:01.strategic action plan for Wales. The National Autistic Society is sitting
:34:02. > :34:05.on that import meditation group and as it is a world autism awareness
:34:06. > :34:08.Day later this month, the group is going to be meeting for the written
:34:09. > :34:18.at the end of the month. Wooding at that time, it is... It needs data.
:34:19. > :34:21.It is also about the new 26 waiting time targets from a referral for
:34:22. > :34:32.first appointment for children with autism and other neurodevelopmental
:34:33. > :34:34.diseases to speed up the reports. Leader of the house, I understand
:34:35. > :34:40.there are a strategic action plans in place only for five or six months
:34:41. > :34:45.now, but what we really need to see is how the gaps in provision of
:34:46. > :34:47.services, particularly services going to be fulfilled within
:34:48. > :34:52.Pembrokeshire, there is a massive gap in the provision of services for
:34:53. > :34:56.adults with autism and neither Pembrokeshire County Council nor the
:34:57. > :34:59.local Health Board appear to have vacancies of enough method of being
:35:00. > :35:03.able to plug those gaps. What can you the wealth Government do to
:35:04. > :35:08.encourage that happen, because I can tell you know, you are strategic
:35:09. > :35:13.action plan isn't even touching the sides on that? Look like the ?6
:35:14. > :35:15.million we put into developing our new integrated autism service will
:35:16. > :35:20.start at the Cannes impact that the member would want to see. It is an
:35:21. > :35:28.investment over three years which will be rolled out over a Wales by
:35:29. > :35:30.2019. It's going to see new specialist teams in every region
:35:31. > :35:40.providing adult diagnosis, supporting in the community and
:35:41. > :35:44.helping their parents and carers. Will be leader of the house provide
:35:45. > :35:47.an update on the work problem of the Welsh European funding office
:35:48. > :35:53.between now and the exit from the European Union? The European funding
:35:54. > :35:55.office for Wales is continuing to implement the EU funding programmes
:35:56. > :35:59.as agreed with the European Commission to deliver jobs and
:36:00. > :36:03.growth. Newly to those of the fund had been committed to date and our
:36:04. > :36:09.aim is to invest all of the funds available to Wales by early 2019.
:36:10. > :36:12.Thank you for that, but as you may already know, as well as indicating
:36:13. > :36:17.that equivalent money should come to Wales after exit, with this giving
:36:18. > :36:19.evidence to the external affairs committee have said this is an
:36:20. > :36:25.opportunity to do things differently in terms of regional funding. Can
:36:26. > :36:27.you tell me how many of the applications are currently
:36:28. > :36:30.predicated on the private sector kicking the delivery lead and what
:36:31. > :36:35.advice regarding bidders for that remaining money to make sure that
:36:36. > :36:40.long-term projects are structurally flexible enough to make sure that
:36:41. > :36:45.they can last ones the days of the commission directing regional
:36:46. > :36:51.funding have gone? Clearly multi-million projects in crude
:36:52. > :36:56.business Wales, apprenticeships, they are directly relevant for the
:36:57. > :37:01.private sector. You will be aware that in your region, they are making
:37:02. > :37:05.an impact by boosting business, helping them to increase work
:37:06. > :37:10.prospects and skills of our people. Also ensuring that through programme
:37:11. > :37:13.monitoring committee we are engaging fully with Welsh stakeholders,
:37:14. > :37:18.including the private sector in terms of the Commonwealth position
:37:19. > :37:23.on future arrangements for regional funding in Wales. That is critically
:37:24. > :37:35.important. The PMC is shared by Julie Morgan. Critically important
:37:36. > :37:38.of safeguarding those investments. It operates under EU regional
:37:39. > :37:42.policy, they are not going to be there in two years. What I'm asking
:37:43. > :37:46.is, what discussions have you had with the UK Government about a
:37:47. > :37:49.future in regional policy and how have you taken the opportunity to be
:37:50. > :37:53.created on the agenda to ensure that what happens in Wales can be unique
:37:54. > :37:57.to the country goes back I think our white paper at securing Wales'
:37:58. > :38:03.future is vitally important, because it does lay out what we made clear
:38:04. > :38:07.as far as regional economic next development. It is a clear that that
:38:08. > :38:12.is a devolved competence and it must remain so. We would resist firmly
:38:13. > :38:17.any attempt by the UK Government to reverse any form of devolution and
:38:18. > :38:21.take control of regional policy, so I'm glad of having the opportunity
:38:22. > :38:27.to put that on record today. It is important that we have got
:38:28. > :38:31.engagement through the joint administer real committee on
:38:32. > :38:34.negotiations which the Cabinet sector of finance of local
:38:35. > :38:41.Government represents us and he presented our White Paper in their
:38:42. > :38:48.meeting on the aid of debris. -- on the 8th of February.
:38:49. > :38:58.Will the leader of the house make a comment on post 16 education Wales?
:38:59. > :39:04.It insures our young people can excessive skills that they need to
:39:05. > :39:08.develop their careers and that adults can develop their careers and
:39:09. > :39:17.support our growing economy. Thank you. There is been a a lot of talk
:39:18. > :39:23.about the need for something between. But they have failed to
:39:24. > :39:31.deliver on that talk. A recent report showed that there was an
:39:32. > :39:37.oversight of finances for colleges. ?22 million to our colleges over the
:39:38. > :39:42.past five years. That has stifled them been able to make progress. In
:39:43. > :39:51.fact, nearly half of our Welsh colleges carry large deficits and
:39:52. > :39:54.are closed to eat into their savings. What action might the Welsh
:39:55. > :39:57.Government be able to take as a result of the savings which will be
:39:58. > :40:06.secured through changes to higher education student support, in terms
:40:07. > :40:09.of some of that cash being be invested in order to rebalance the
:40:10. > :40:20.situation in terms of parity between both forms of education? He may
:40:21. > :40:32.talk, we deliver. I have to say... Haven't delivered anything. Our
:40:33. > :40:37.approach, we have established an approach to vocational and technical
:40:38. > :40:41.qualifications that we've actually developed in consultation with
:40:42. > :40:45.employees. We've benefited from collaboration, engaging with
:40:46. > :40:51.Northern Ireland and Scotland, internationally recognised approach
:40:52. > :40:55.to apprenticeships, vocational and technical qualifications. As we can
:40:56. > :40:59.see by the investment and commitments to 100,000
:41:00. > :41:04.apprenticeships. And we have the original shirt skills partnerships.
:41:05. > :41:07.That is to determine the need for skills. I don't recognise the points
:41:08. > :41:15.you make at all. Those employers that I met last week, who are
:41:16. > :41:24.concerned to get young people into science and technology, engineering
:41:25. > :41:34.and maths. They say that actually parity with vocational opportunities
:41:35. > :41:40.are vital for young people. Apprenticeships is something that
:41:41. > :41:51.young aspire to. Along the same lines, there is UK research that
:41:52. > :41:58.showed that only 17% of kids -- of was the... More thought higher
:41:59. > :42:06.education as the best option for them. The perception still exists
:42:07. > :42:11.that there isn't parity of esteem between vocational and academic
:42:12. > :42:17.courses. Can I ask what he Welsh Government is doing, for example, to
:42:18. > :42:20.promote perceptions of the research that shows that the probable
:42:21. > :42:24.earnings of the best apprenticeships, many thousands of
:42:25. > :42:30.pounds more over the course of their careers by students that have been
:42:31. > :42:35.in higher education outside the main group of universities? Without the
:42:36. > :42:44.debts that results from that codification. -- from that
:42:45. > :42:51.education. 100,000 apprenticeships speaks for itself in terms of our
:42:52. > :42:57.apprenticeship. The fact that it enables young people to reach their
:42:58. > :43:06.potential. As you say, the Sutton trust research is very valuable and
:43:07. > :43:11.pertinent. Clearly in terms of our statutory duty to provide education
:43:12. > :43:17.for an owners up to the age of 18, we have protected and mitigated the
:43:18. > :43:22.brand of reductions from the UK Government. As a result of the
:43:23. > :43:25.budget agreement, we have put an additional ?30 million in to support
:43:26. > :43:30.further and higher education. That is having a huge impact in terms of
:43:31. > :43:35.targeting investment. As making the opportunities for young people real.
:43:36. > :43:40.They can progress anyway from apprenticeships into higher
:43:41. > :43:54.education and into very well paid and long-lasting jobs and careers.
:43:55. > :44:01.Question seven. Our local energy service promotes services across
:44:02. > :44:04.Wales back. It keeps the benefits of renewable energy projects within
:44:05. > :44:12.Wales. We can look at how these projects will be a new continued to
:44:13. > :44:18.develop. These mechanisms stand within the very proud cooperative
:44:19. > :44:20.tradition of promoting local enterprise and social benefit.
:44:21. > :44:25.Particularly for technical reasons they are easy-to-use and more
:44:26. > :44:36.flexible than traditional charitable approaches. They are an excellent
:44:37. > :44:41.way to Vermont communities schemes. -- to promote community schemes. I
:44:42. > :44:49.do commend the efforts that have been going on in the not-for-profit
:44:50. > :44:55.sector. I do think that the Government could do with Bush in
:44:56. > :45:02.this area. I agree with all the points. The community shareholders
:45:03. > :45:09.have raised over 5.5 million since 2010. You will be very aware of
:45:10. > :45:13.these community projects. We related to commercial developers work more
:45:14. > :45:21.closely with communities are shared ownership and investment. I think it
:45:22. > :45:29.is important, you mentioned the cooperative Centre, we are proud of
:45:30. > :45:34.that, that helps communities to share experience of how to develop
:45:35. > :45:43.local energy services. Question eight. With the Leader of the House
:45:44. > :45:59.make a statement on the duties of traffic officers? They are there to
:46:00. > :46:02.serve up to the English border. Her, as the Leader of the House has
:46:03. > :46:16.confirmed, traffic officers are not Wales patrol A55. It doesn't stop
:46:17. > :46:21.at, plus. It continues to Anglesey. This, according to police officers,
:46:22. > :46:25.is causing problems. It ties up resources in dealing with road
:46:26. > :46:32.accidents and so on. These don't happen in other portables with my.
:46:33. > :46:37.-- in other parts of north Wales. With the Government look again at
:46:38. > :46:45.the cover and strategy. -- will be Government look again at this
:46:46. > :46:50.strategy? The traffic officer service was originally devised to
:46:51. > :46:57.cover business sections of the road network. We inherited this PFI
:46:58. > :47:00.contract, as you will be aware. It has, in terms of responsibilities,
:47:01. > :47:06.we need to look carefully at the impact of that. In terms of cough
:47:07. > :47:17.and service. In the north, the server survey was A55. The two then
:47:18. > :47:28.need to see that we extend this cover. We need to improve its
:47:29. > :47:33.resilience. Finally, question nine. May I ask the leader of the house in
:47:34. > :47:36.this budget on part of the First Minister what plans he has to meet
:47:37. > :47:42.the Scottish First Minister to discuss the relationship with the
:47:43. > :47:47.Rabin union? They spoke yesterday and continues to have regular
:47:48. > :47:49.discussions with hard-boiled bilaterally and in meetings with the
:47:50. > :47:58.joint receiver committee and British-Irish Council. And quicker
:47:59. > :48:01.for the response and ensure that the First Minister wallop at an
:48:02. > :48:05.interesting conversation with the Scottish First Minister. Because
:48:06. > :48:21.there is so much in common between the Scottish Government White Paper
:48:22. > :48:26.and the red White Paper of Plaid Cymru, Dusty Welsh Government sees
:48:27. > :48:29.the importance, whatever the decision taken by Scotland on its
:48:30. > :48:36.constitutional future, that's seem out of them, of course, that there
:48:37. > :48:42.is a role for collaboration on the current negotiations between the UK
:48:43. > :48:47.and the EU, particularly to safeguard unfettered access to the
:48:48. > :48:51.single market for both nations? There is considerable common ground
:48:52. > :49:00.between our white papers secure ring Wales future. In particular,
:49:01. > :49:04.Scotland's place in Europe emphasises the economic importance
:49:05. > :49:09.of the single market and the vital contribution of migrant workers to
:49:10. > :49:17.businesses. The critical need to respect devolution settlement.
:49:18. > :49:22.That's 21st Minister has taken the lead in calling for those
:49:23. > :49:26.arrangements. -- that's where the First Minister has taken the lead.
:49:27. > :49:34.He convened an extraordinary British Irish vessel summit last July to
:49:35. > :49:37.other -- to allow to discuss the referendum.
:49:38. > :49:39.There we are - that was First Minister's Questions.
:49:40. > :49:42.If you want more more coverage of the National Assembly, you can go
:49:43. > :49:45.online to BBC Wales's Senedd Live page at BBC.co.uk/Walespolitics.
:49:46. > :49:47.If you want more Welsh politics this week, don't forget
:49:48. > :49:50.the Wales Report with Huw Edwards after the Ten O'Clock News
:49:51. > :50:10.As for today though, from all of us on the programme, goodbye.
:50:11. > :50:17.It was the most beautiful view I've ever been through.
:50:18. > :50:23.For one second, I was swimming on my back, and I was looking to the sky.
:50:24. > :50:29.I was swimming across the Aegean Sea.
:50:30. > :50:41.I was a refugee, going from Syria to Germany.
:50:42. > :50:49.The very embodiment of the England that must emerge.
:50:50. > :50:52.I have my own path to follow. Destiny.