:00:19. > :00:21.Welcome to the programme and our weekly coverage
:00:22. > :00:24.Though there are no questions on the order paper
:00:25. > :00:27.about the Supreme Court's decision on Brexit, I'd be a little surprised
:00:28. > :00:30.if none of the party leaders chose to ask Carwyn Jones
:00:31. > :00:34.He's also expecting questions on winder preparedness of the NHS,
:00:35. > :00:37.protecting the Welsh economy and increasing the number
:00:38. > :00:43.You can follow us on Twitter, @walespolitics, where you'll
:00:44. > :00:46.find all the latest political comings and goings.
:00:47. > :00:48.Well, question time is already underway so let's
:00:49. > :01:03.I call the national assembly to order and the first question is
:01:04. > :01:05.questions to the First Minister and the first question is from Dai
:01:06. > :01:06.Lloyd. Will the First Minister make
:01:07. > :01:09.a statement on plans to increase the number of Welsh speakers
:01:10. > :01:17.in South Wales West? Our vision is to have a million
:01:18. > :01:25.Welsh speakers use the language by 2050. We have consulted on a draft
:01:26. > :01:29.strategy in order to achieve that. Thank you for that response. Of
:01:30. > :01:35.course like the rest of the chamber I am very pleased to support your
:01:36. > :01:40.ambitious objective of securing a million Welsh speakers by halfway
:01:41. > :01:48.through the century. That's an increase in some within the region
:01:49. > :01:54.of 400,000 Welsh speakers. An average increase of 18,004 each of
:01:55. > :02:00.current counties. The education sector is crucial to this. In light
:02:01. > :02:06.of that to you believe that the capacity of Welsh medium primary
:02:07. > :02:10.school places over the next three years as is suggested in the
:02:11. > :02:15.Bridgend banned and other councils in South Wales is that small numbers
:02:16. > :02:20.sufficient in order to reach your target and if not then what will you
:02:21. > :02:24.do to ensure that the councils understand the crucially important
:02:25. > :02:34.role they will play in supporting you in achieving your target? Local
:02:35. > :02:38.authorities of course will be responsible for publishing their
:02:39. > :02:43.strategic lands on supporting the Welsh language in the schools. They
:02:44. > :02:47.have two present those to us in order for us to approve them. If
:02:48. > :02:54.there is any scheme which is not adequate then the government will
:02:55. > :03:01.not approve it. Would the First Minister acknowledge the importance
:03:02. > :03:08.of the Urdd Eisteddfod for the Welsh language and would he congratulate
:03:09. > :03:17.those people who organise and fund raise for the Bridgend if they step
:03:18. > :03:23.for. The hard work of a number of volunteers to maintain the language
:03:24. > :03:27.is important and in some of the communities where the Welsh language
:03:28. > :03:36.is not the first language and I am sure you will be warmly welcoming
:03:37. > :03:43.people to enjoy the dance to fundraisers well. I always receive a
:03:44. > :03:51.warm welcome because at one time the village was in my constituency. As
:03:52. > :03:55.one who has worked hard to raise funds for the ever faced ever they
:03:56. > :04:02.have organised to quiz nights with my wife and I am very supportive and
:04:03. > :04:08.of course I support everyone who supports the stairs of. To make sure
:04:09. > :04:13.it is a success this year and to ensure there is more growth in the
:04:14. > :04:25.numbers of people speaking and using the Welsh language. At a recent
:04:26. > :04:29.meeting in Swansea council officials suggested their focus during this
:04:30. > :04:33.cycle of wood beyond promoting the Welsh would and that is a step
:04:34. > :04:37.forward but it doesn't respond to demand. I got the impression from
:04:38. > :04:44.the cabinet member that she thought the current vocalised demand came
:04:45. > :04:49.from a specific section of Swansea side the and I believe there should
:04:50. > :04:52.be at least one person with good Welsh language gills in each flying
:04:53. > :04:56.start scheme. Do you agree that early access to both of our
:04:57. > :05:02.languages will enhance opportunities for children from more deprived
:05:03. > :05:07.backgrounds? Yes of course. We must ensure there are more places
:05:08. > :05:15.available in the nursery schools but we also must make sure that children
:05:16. > :05:19.in the nursery schools are remaining in the Welsh stream when they go
:05:20. > :05:23.into the primary schools and the secondary schools in order to ensure
:05:24. > :05:33.they don't lose the language skills that they have gained as they go
:05:34. > :05:37.through school. The Welsh language commissioner said that in order to
:05:38. > :05:40.increase the number of Welsh speakers we need radical change to
:05:41. > :05:44.our education system. She has suggested we should consider
:05:45. > :05:49.teaching all primary schools through the medium of Welsh. It has been
:05:50. > :05:54.compulsory for every school child in Wales to learn Welsh since 1999 yet
:05:55. > :06:01.despite this the members of Welsh speakers has fallen. Polls suggest
:06:02. > :06:07.the majority of people are opposed to compulsory teaching. Is it time
:06:08. > :06:12.we accepted that may be the stick approach is not working and rather
:06:13. > :06:16.than dictating everyone should learn Welsh, can we maybe instead be
:06:17. > :06:27.making it easier for those who really want to learn? She was
:06:28. > :06:33.suggesting that every primary school should be Welsh medium. There are
:06:34. > :06:38.issues surrounding that, practical issues in terms of recruiting
:06:39. > :06:41.teachers. I believe it is right our national languages should be
:06:42. > :06:46.compulsory to the age of 16. There are issues about the way Welsh is
:06:47. > :06:51.taught in English medium schools. I don't think we can say we have
:06:52. > :06:55.created it confident Welsh speakers in owning this medium schools.
:06:56. > :06:59.That's why a new curriculum will be important and we need to move away
:07:00. > :07:05.from the idea that Welsh is solely academic area of study and moved
:07:06. > :07:14.more towards it being a full facial skill. -- a vocational skill. I
:07:15. > :07:23.think that would be a good way of improving the way that Welsh is
:07:24. > :07:25.taught. Question two was removed. Julie Morgan.
:07:26. > :07:27.What discussions has the First Minister had
:07:28. > :07:30.with the Prime Minister about future regional policy?
:07:31. > :07:38.I have raised the issue of replacement funding. We have been
:07:39. > :07:49.very clear about our priorities including regional policy. When he
:07:50. > :07:54.next meets the Prime Minister in the context of the Brexit negotiations
:07:55. > :07:59.will he stress how vitally important regional economic strategy is to
:08:00. > :08:02.Wales and Woody emphasised that replacement funding from the UK
:08:03. > :08:08.Government must be at least equal in size to lost EU funding and it must
:08:09. > :08:12.be under the Welsh Government's control. A promise was made by some
:08:13. > :08:17.in the campaign last year that Wales would not lose a penny if Wales lost
:08:18. > :08:27.the European Union. I expect that promise to be honoured. It is hugely
:08:28. > :08:36.important that the economic losses we have developed here, the lowest
:08:37. > :08:39.unemployment for many years, are fully within the control of the
:08:40. > :08:50.Welsh Government to deliver those benefits. This morning I attended
:08:51. > :08:57.the annual STW farmers breakfast hosted by Paul Davies. Farmers were
:08:58. > :09:02.eager for clarity on the system of farm payments to be created in the
:09:03. > :09:05.way of the UK leaving the EU. Can you update us on your government's
:09:06. > :09:08.discussions with the UK Government on the best way to safeguard future
:09:09. > :09:14.support for the Welsh farming industry? The FAW president
:09:15. > :09:26.expressed his concern last week about the perfect storm. We have no
:09:27. > :09:30.clarity beyond 2020. There are some who suggest the European market is
:09:31. > :09:33.not important for farming. In the percent of our exports go to the
:09:34. > :09:39.European market and it cannot be replaced easily as a market for our
:09:40. > :09:42.goods so we must ensure that as the UK leaves the EU nothing interferes
:09:43. > :09:51.with the ability of our farmers to sell on the same terms as they do
:09:52. > :09:55.now to by far the biggest market. Pre-19 79 the UK regional policy had
:09:56. > :10:00.three owners, grants through the regional premium but also fiscal
:10:01. > :10:07.incentives through the selective employment tax and cheap loans. In
:10:08. > :10:12.his discussions with the UK Government in the ministerial Forum
:10:13. > :10:17.announced earlier this week will he ask that all of those will be
:10:18. > :10:23.available to us to ensure that Wales can develop its competitive
:10:24. > :10:26.advantage. We are in very new territory in terms of what will be
:10:27. > :10:32.needed in the future to attract investment into Wales. For example,
:10:33. > :10:44.there are issues like tax incentives which need to be further developed.
:10:45. > :10:54.APD is a great driver for airports in Wales. They say it was a mistake
:10:55. > :11:02.to devolve to Scotland so it doesn't come to us. As we look at the next
:11:03. > :11:08.few years we need an infinitive of way rather than taking the view that
:11:09. > :11:14.one size fits all. Would you welcome the fact the Prime Minister has
:11:15. > :11:17.announced an industrial strategy. I am encouraged that one of the
:11:18. > :11:22.sectors the UK Government intends to prioritise includes robotics and
:11:23. > :11:27.automation. The Bank of England has estimated that a 15 million jobs
:11:28. > :11:31.across the UK at risk from automation. And would he work with
:11:32. > :11:36.employers in Wales to make sure the future proof their workforce to meet
:11:37. > :11:41.this huge challenge. There are two issues. There is little in it that
:11:42. > :11:48.can be disagreed with but it's a mishmash because some of these
:11:49. > :11:54.things are not devolved. There needs to be greater clarity. There will be
:11:55. > :11:58.a temptation to automate further which is why we need to focus
:11:59. > :12:04.strongly on raising productivity across the UK to make sure employers
:12:05. > :12:10.are not tempted to replace human beings with machines. That is
:12:11. > :12:13.something we want to focus on strongly. Raising productivity
:12:14. > :12:21.levels to at least the level of Germany to make sure our working
:12:22. > :12:32.people are not that his disadvantage. Questions now from the
:12:33. > :12:36.party leaders. Neil Hamilton. I am not going to ask a question about
:12:37. > :12:43.the EU today because don't want to be typecast. I would like to ask
:12:44. > :12:49.about the health service. In particular in relation to GPs. GP
:12:50. > :12:55.numbers are static and there is rising demand for their services. In
:12:56. > :13:00.2014 the latest figures we had the lowest number of GPs in Wales per
:13:01. > :13:06.thousand people in the UK. 70% of GPs have sought guidance for
:13:07. > :13:09.work-related stress in the last two years. 84% worry they may miss
:13:10. > :13:26.something serious and it patient because of pressures. Does he accept
:13:27. > :13:30.that as a growing crisis? If you look at social care we found the
:13:31. > :13:35.social care 6% higher than Englanders which is why we have not
:13:36. > :13:41.had the humanitarian crisis that England has had within its NHS. We
:13:42. > :13:45.are also recruiting additional GPs. We have more GPs in Wales than ever
:13:46. > :13:50.before. That is why we have the recruitment campaign that was
:13:51. > :13:57.launched last year. I am leaves he is not asking me about Europe
:13:58. > :14:00.because he did appear at a press conference yesterday and they do
:14:01. > :14:07.thank him for the fact he is such a fan he cannot be away from me even
:14:08. > :14:11.for a day! Sometimes you can have too much of a good thing but that is
:14:12. > :14:22.not so in the case of First Minister. That is no answer to the
:14:23. > :14:27.question I posed. Things are worsening lint than they are in
:14:28. > :14:34.Wales. It is true there is a pincer movement here of increasing demand
:14:35. > :14:38.on GPs and with GP numbers not keeping pace with those rising
:14:39. > :14:45.demands. The NHS funding on GPs in Wales is down since 2004 from 10% of
:14:46. > :14:50.the total to 7/2%. Throw College of General protection -- petitioners
:14:51. > :14:57.say more GPs spending could save the NHS ?90 million EU if we repro size
:14:58. > :15:00.GPs within the Welsh Government's NHS budget. Is that something the
:15:01. > :15:08.First Minister is prepared to consider? A ?43 million primary care
:15:09. > :15:15.fund is supporting that with the emphasis on new and improved ways of
:15:16. > :15:18.developing the services of nurses and pharmacists and physiotherapist
:15:19. > :15:23.and social workers to walk along side GPs. The answer lies not just
:15:24. > :15:26.increasing number of GPs but ensuring that sufficient
:15:27. > :15:36.professionals available in particular setting. We see that for
:15:37. > :15:42.example in Prestatyn. They are to know that in some areas of Wales
:15:43. > :15:49.patient pressure in terms of numbers on doctor 's surgery sessions is no
:15:50. > :15:53.excessive. Canny givers any idea what he thinks the maximum number of
:15:54. > :15:56.patients GP can reasonably deal with and our working day, and
:15:57. > :16:00.particularly in relation to home visits for patients that are
:16:01. > :16:05.housebound, the royal college of GPs tell me that certain instances
:16:06. > :16:10.people have to wake up to 20 hours visit which is clearly unacceptable.
:16:11. > :16:14.Some doctors deal with 120 patients per session instead of 50 or 60.
:16:15. > :16:22.Exactly how many does it think is reasonable for doctors to see in the
:16:23. > :16:25.session and how do they expect the Welsh government to meet the six
:16:26. > :16:28.hour target which is currently being breached left right and centre
:16:29. > :16:31.throughout the country? It depends of the patients who come through
:16:32. > :16:35.this such a particular date. Some are seen in five minutes and for
:16:36. > :16:38.other people takes longer. It depends on the nature of the patient
:16:39. > :16:41.and GPs will have a good idea of it is the committees are working on the
:16:42. > :16:46.nature of the patient and GPs will have a good idea that it is the work
:16:47. > :16:52.the last thing we want to do is to point more and more people towards
:16:53. > :16:56.GPs. We say to people could see a pharmacist first automating us on a
:16:57. > :17:04.GP practice nurse and only then is the GPs only to go and see. There
:17:05. > :17:07.are issues where some offer broader services in longer hours than
:17:08. > :17:11.others. That is why it is important to work with the royal college and
:17:12. > :17:18.others to make sure we see greater consistency in terms of delivery in
:17:19. > :17:23.the future. First Minister I'm not going to ask about article 50 White
:17:24. > :17:26.Paper that we jointly launched yesterday because there are
:17:27. > :17:30.statements of both those matters coming in later. I would like to ask
:17:31. > :17:34.you about matters relating to public services for which you are
:17:35. > :17:40.responsible. Do you accept that many real commuters on the Valley lines
:17:41. > :17:47.in particular face at touch and go situation when it comes to getting
:17:48. > :17:51.to work on time? We are not responsible for the rail services.
:17:52. > :17:55.We will be from next year and we welcome that. We want to make sure
:17:56. > :17:58.the Wales and Borders franchise provides people with decent rolling
:17:59. > :18:03.stock and more frequent trains and decent fears to pay. Those will be a
:18:04. > :18:08.guiding principles as we look to let the franchise for next year on
:18:09. > :18:11.board. So did nothing to do with the government? It is a touch and go
:18:12. > :18:15.situation for many workers and IV is a regular delays as does everyone
:18:16. > :18:19.else who uses the service. We never know when there will be delays and
:18:20. > :18:26.cancellations and was a delay later my train coming to work this
:18:27. > :18:29.morning. It is a daily occurrence. People feel they are not getting
:18:30. > :18:34.value for money and more importantly that those trains cannot be relied
:18:35. > :18:41.upon. For years our reader has try to make the service work by pushing
:18:42. > :18:49.the current trains to the max. -- Arriva. These trains are very old.
:18:50. > :18:53.It looks as if the services are breaking point. If it does make you
:18:54. > :18:55.will have to do something. Is it acceptable to you that the
:18:56. > :19:06.overcrowding situation and decide the Wales is the fastest-growing in
:19:07. > :19:09.the UK of London? I am glad that the growth is increasing. The whole
:19:10. > :19:13.point of the Metro was to make sure that we're better rolling stock and
:19:14. > :19:16.don't have 40-year-old stock refurbished on the Valley lines with
:19:17. > :19:20.no air conditioning. We don't have a situation with the track operates as
:19:21. > :19:27.a stock operators blame each other for delays. We want is even next
:19:28. > :19:30.year a metro system that is extended in the feature and offers a far
:19:31. > :19:33.better service than has been available so far. She will have seen
:19:34. > :19:40.the comments from economy Secretary in terms of its views on the profits
:19:41. > :19:46.that Arriva have made despite the below par services on offer so far.
:19:47. > :19:52.We can't afford to wait for the Metro and it could be years that we
:19:53. > :19:56.see it coming on stream. My predecessor was a strong critic of
:19:57. > :20:01.the current rail franchise contract for Wales. He said that the way to
:20:02. > :20:06.be drawn up by an agency of the UK Government had led to a decade of
:20:07. > :20:10.overcrowding and that verdict still stands today. Last Friday the Welsh
:20:11. > :20:18.affairs select committee said that new trains would be needed and they
:20:19. > :20:22.described the 2003 contract as a huge mistake. Commuters are not
:20:23. > :20:25.prepared to put up with another probably negotiated franchise. Your
:20:26. > :20:27.government will be responsible for the less franchise and we already
:20:28. > :20:33.know the planning for that is under way. To date you have they get to
:20:34. > :20:36.make clear to this assembly what Rolling stock will be provided and
:20:37. > :20:42.I'm talking quantity as well as quantity. We have not been told
:20:43. > :20:46.whether there will be new trains carriages if they have been ordered
:20:47. > :20:50.yet. If there will be new trains of second hand when Ferdinand. Will you
:20:51. > :20:55.tell us today what trains are going to be available for the next
:20:56. > :21:01.franchise and will you give a cast iron guarantee that the mistakes of
:21:02. > :21:05.the past contract would be repeated? We have no intention of repeating
:21:06. > :21:12.the mistakes of the UK Government in the God of the last contract. She
:21:13. > :21:16.rightly refers to what Mr Jones said when he was in charge of transport.
:21:17. > :21:21.There was nothing he could do because it was not devolved and his
:21:22. > :21:24.frustration was shared by me. Better trains and more frequent trains and
:21:25. > :21:27.more modern mauling style. One problem though is its almost
:21:28. > :21:32.impossible to procure these of trains and it seems ancient
:21:33. > :21:36.technology so we have to make sure we see electrification and we have
:21:37. > :21:41.to see the commitment from the UK Government that they will electrify
:21:42. > :21:46.from Cardiff to Swansea. And the North Wales mainlines. In terms of
:21:47. > :21:52.what the trains will look like in the future at very least they will
:21:53. > :21:56.be this electric. We have to make sure that less of a geisha is taken
:21:57. > :22:03.through. The whole point is you have the negotiation on the franchise and
:22:04. > :22:09.is part of the franchise negotiation you specify what stock the operator
:22:10. > :22:16.has to use. She asked if the service will run better. The answer I give
:22:17. > :22:25.is yes. I am sure she will hold me to account. When you come third in
:22:26. > :22:30.the leaders to ask questions you normally assume the topic of the day
:22:31. > :22:35.will be asked by the other two. I would like to ask you on the
:22:36. > :22:44.inspection report that has been brought forward today. You not
:22:45. > :22:47.unreasonably said that she would make education your priority and
:22:48. > :22:53.just before Christmas that we saw the result is that there was no
:22:54. > :22:57.progress at all. Today they Iestyn inspection reports she was a damning
:22:58. > :22:59.failure of leadership and particularly in excellence of
:23:00. > :23:03.teaching in the secondary sector will if you choose a secondary
:23:04. > :23:07.school in Wales who have less than 50% chance of going to a school that
:23:08. > :23:10.is excellent soba chicks in practice. The event that is
:23:11. > :23:15.acceptable after nearly seven years of being First Minister? There are
:23:16. > :23:19.two things to bear in mind. Teachers pay and conditions have not been
:23:20. > :23:22.divulged yet. There will be next year. That gives us a chance to put
:23:23. > :23:25.in place a proper training package of pay and conditions that will
:23:26. > :23:29.attract good teachers to Wales and improve the training of teachers in
:23:30. > :23:32.Wales. Scotland have done it and that is the reason why we should not
:23:33. > :23:38.be will to do that. Secondly the report makes the point that not
:23:39. > :23:48.enough is done to stretch those at the top end of the academic leaks.
:23:49. > :23:51.-- leagues. One of the reason that the Pisa report were disappointing
:23:52. > :23:57.is that we don't do well at the top end. That bought a set of features
:23:58. > :24:00.we need to do more to make sure that those were the high achievers
:24:01. > :24:06.academically at least more to do even better. I'm glad that the
:24:07. > :24:09.report has actually shown that to make sure that teachers and
:24:10. > :24:14.politicians understand that is what needs to be done. In your answer
:24:15. > :24:19.here. About pay and conditions in Scotland and the Scotland results in
:24:20. > :24:22.the Pisa rankings collapsed and that is no example to follow, I would
:24:23. > :24:28.suggest to you. You have had an initiative after initiative censure
:24:29. > :24:31.tenure at First Minister and is as Labour have been running education
:24:32. > :24:34.since 1999 we have our teacher workload initiatives and their
:24:35. > :24:42.original consortium that have come in for special interest him today.
:24:43. > :24:49.-- special criticism. The secretary of the annuity has said that there
:24:50. > :24:52.are significant barriers to improving best practices. Do you
:24:53. > :25:01.recognise those significant practices? -- barriers? We have had
:25:02. > :25:06.initiative after initiative under your leadership and yet we're still
:25:07. > :25:14.getting Iestyn reports. You're failing. To be lectured by somebody
:25:15. > :25:20.who stood for election on the basis of cutting education spending by 12%
:25:21. > :25:25.is unbelievable. To be lectured by somebody is failing to build schools
:25:26. > :25:27.in England. While we are building schools in Wales. To be lectured by
:25:28. > :25:34.somebody who was the beanbag grammar schools? Grammar schools means
:25:35. > :25:41.chucking most children onto a scrappy. Of course there are issues
:25:42. > :25:44.in education system. -- scrapheap. GCSE he results are improving and
:25:45. > :25:49.A-level results are improving. We are seeing more schools coming out
:25:50. > :25:54.in the category of underperforming. The good practices been pointed as
:25:55. > :25:57.well. It is shown are particularly places that need to be focused on
:25:58. > :26:00.and they are being focused on but we know that a school zone in the right
:26:01. > :26:08.direction proper funding and not being starved of funding by his
:26:09. > :26:11.party elsewhere in Britain. You always know when you strike never
:26:12. > :26:14.the First Minister and it brings up statistics at Stanton no scrutiny at
:26:15. > :26:21.all and we're talking about the here and now and the Iestyn that was
:26:22. > :26:27.delivered today that is a damning indictment and yours they would ship
:26:28. > :26:31.here in Wales. -- on your stewardship here in Wales. 50% of
:26:32. > :26:35.teachers in Cardiff have left their post in the last three years.
:26:36. > :26:41.Initiative after initiative that I have highlighted and you're failing
:26:42. > :26:47.to drive up standards here in Wales. Kids get one chance to go to school.
:26:48. > :26:51.You set education at the priority and you have failed to deliver. It
:26:52. > :26:55.is about time you accepted some accountability for this and instead
:26:56. > :26:58.of rehearsing their arguments of yesterday started mapping out a
:26:59. > :27:02.vision for tomorrow and the success that we all want to see in our
:27:03. > :27:06.education system here in Wales. There is I believe they can say as
:27:07. > :27:10.Donald Trump 's press secretary for the leader of the best Conservative
:27:11. > :27:19.Party by his presentation of all kinds of fact. It is indisputable
:27:20. > :27:24.that the GSE -- GS CE results have improved. It is indisputable that
:27:25. > :27:31.this party wanted cut education spending by 12% and they boasted
:27:32. > :27:33.about it. They produced an mini manifesto that included that figure.
:27:34. > :27:36.The reality is that his party have not come anywhere near in education
:27:37. > :27:39.wells and it would have destroyed it. They would not have built
:27:40. > :27:43.schools that would have kept children being taught in schools
:27:44. > :27:45.that were falling apart. Education is moving in the right direction
:27:46. > :27:50.with improvement across the board and that is exactly where we will
:27:51. > :27:54.take education the future. Not backwards to the days when education
:27:55. > :27:58.was underfunded by the Conservative Party, a party that surely does not
:27:59. > :28:02.care about education for all and does not care about the
:28:03. > :28:06.opportunities that are available for youngsters in Wales. That is what we
:28:07. > :28:09.stand for and it will never understand what it means to get a
:28:10. > :28:11.good education and good opportunities because they had never
:28:12. > :28:18.had to fight for it themselves. Will the First Minister outline
:28:19. > :28:21.the Welsh Government's plan for winter preparedness
:28:22. > :28:28.in the Welsh NHS? We continue to support health and
:28:29. > :28:37.social care organisations through our monthly seasonal planning
:28:38. > :28:41.meetings. In 2015 the National Institute for clinical accidents
:28:42. > :28:51.published as clinical health guidance on tackling excess winter
:28:52. > :28:53.deaths. It outlined a number of recommendations about how health and
:28:54. > :29:01.social care practitioners could reduce the risk of health problems
:29:02. > :29:13.and therefore pressures in the Welsh NHS. Given the plight country have
:29:14. > :29:21.said last September that -- Plaid Cymru. It is as an problem, how will
:29:22. > :29:27.you respond? There are schemes that help many people particularly older
:29:28. > :29:32.people to get homes that are warmer to ensure that they can heat their
:29:33. > :29:34.homes and have boiler systems and heating systems of the more
:29:35. > :29:38.efficient than what they once had and let's keep the might of hospital
:29:39. > :29:41.because they are in homes that are under heated. We believe we are a
:29:42. > :29:46.good reckoned that intends the money we have allocated any previous years
:29:47. > :29:49.to help so many people in Wales live in warmth and able to afford their
:29:50. > :30:08.heating bills and that is something I am proud of.
:30:09. > :30:16.On average around 3000 patients waiting longer than 12 hours month
:30:17. > :30:21.after month. Isn't that evidence of a systemic problem with the delivery
:30:22. > :30:24.of emergency care in Wales with excellent staff being asked to
:30:25. > :30:31.deliver the impossible rather than something that can be blamed on poor
:30:32. > :30:35.weather? What happens in the winter, even though numbers in AMD dropped
:30:36. > :30:42.the conditions tend to be longer term. In the summer they tend to the
:30:43. > :30:48.injuries that don't need as much time in AMD. The issues we face are
:30:49. > :30:56.these. We need to make sure that social care spending is kept tight.
:30:57. > :31:01.It is true to say the demand is higher and they pay tribute to those
:31:02. > :31:07.who work in the services. But every consultant will tell you that there
:31:08. > :31:11.are too many people going to AMD who don't need to be there. What we say
:31:12. > :31:24.to people is go and see the pharmacy or the GPs, all these are
:31:25. > :31:29.alternatives. If people are not urgent cases they do wait longer in
:31:30. > :31:34.a and B. The urgent cases get treated first. People need to make
:31:35. > :31:36.their own choices and we will continue to make sure we fund our
:31:37. > :31:44.hospitals to meet demand. What steps is the Welsh Government
:31:45. > :31:46.taking regarding Aberthaw power station following the decision
:31:47. > :31:58.of the European Court Natural Resources Wales is the
:31:59. > :32:05.environmental regulator responsible for modifying Aberthaw's perk turn
:32:06. > :32:12.it so that it gives judgment. We as a governor -- government continue to
:32:13. > :32:21.closely monitor the progress towards delivering compliance. The court
:32:22. > :32:24.case was last September and the member state which is the UK
:32:25. > :32:29.Government was found guilty of allowing illegal levels of pollution
:32:30. > :32:35.from Aberthaw Power Station. Since then there has only been one on
:32:36. > :32:42.written letter to the company that has been responded to. He has been
:32:43. > :32:48.no change to the permit and Public Health Wales confirmed to me last
:32:49. > :32:57.week that 1150 early death is take place annually in Wales because of
:32:58. > :33:05.nitrogen dioxide pollution. Why are we allowing such a situation where
:33:06. > :33:07.there is this coming from a power station months after the court
:33:08. > :33:12.decided this needed to be tackled? This is a matter for Natural
:33:13. > :33:18.Resources Wales but I will say that the omission of nitro oxide, those
:33:19. > :33:23.emissions have been reduced to a level from Aberthaw itself to a
:33:24. > :33:30.level which isn't far from the acceptable level which is close to
:33:31. > :33:36.what the court said. Although it is a matter for Natural Resources Wales
:33:37. > :33:42.it does look as if the emissions have been reduced and now it's a
:33:43. > :33:48.matter of seeing whether it's possible to permit the place to
:33:49. > :33:51.proceed. I was interested by that answer because I've not seen the
:33:52. > :33:54.data and I thought some level investment would be required to
:33:55. > :34:01.reduce these emissions which were over twice the agreed European
:34:02. > :34:07.limit. If you could put that information in the library we would
:34:08. > :34:11.be very grateful. You do have to act quickly so that the public can be
:34:12. > :34:26.assured they will be protected. The emissions go over Cardiff,
:34:27. > :34:30.Bristol and parts of the West Country and it is a serious matter.
:34:31. > :34:36.The information we have is that emissions have reduced from the
:34:37. > :34:40.plant itself. On the 6th of January the centre of their intention to
:34:41. > :34:52.begin the process of modifying the permit. Plans of a deadline is the
:34:53. > :34:57.17th of February. RW we have invested in the plan to reduce
:34:58. > :35:00.emissions but it must be brought within the limit in order for them
:35:01. > :35:05.to be able to achieve a permit in future.
:35:06. > :35:07.Will the First Minister make a statement on the National Grid's
:35:08. > :35:19.We have consistently pressed the National Grid to ensure its
:35:20. > :35:22.proposals for the new line across Anglesey are fit for purpose and
:35:23. > :35:30.sensitive to the environment through which it will pass. Last Wednesday
:35:31. > :35:39.the National Assembly for Wales made a clear statement that it is our
:35:40. > :35:42.wish in this place for the National Grid to seek alternative methods of
:35:43. > :35:47.making new electricity connections in Wales rather than putting in
:35:48. > :35:52.place new pylons for any new developments here. That is
:35:53. > :35:57.particularly pertinent to us on Anglesey where we face seeing a new
:35:58. > :36:03.line of pylons being erected over the next few years. In light of the
:36:04. > :36:11.fact this assembly has demonstrated its democratic will week ago, will
:36:12. > :36:16.the First Minister give a commitment to contact the National Grid again
:36:17. > :36:21.to put pressure on it to convince it that it should listen to the
:36:22. > :36:26.Democratic voice of our National Assembly and reconsider their
:36:27. > :36:33.proposals? After all every voice representing Anglesey apart from one
:36:34. > :36:40.Ukip regional member and I include myself, the MP, parish councils,
:36:41. > :36:45.town councils and the county council, have all expressed our
:36:46. > :36:51.opposition and we would want the support of the First Minister to
:36:52. > :36:56.urge them to listen. Of course the assembly's position is close to the
:36:57. > :37:00.government's standpoint and we wish to see the cables being underground.
:37:01. > :37:05.That is our standpoint and I am happy again to tell the National
:37:06. > :37:09.Grid that is the view of the Parliament of Wales and therefore is
:37:10. > :37:17.the view they should take into consideration. When I discussed this
:37:18. > :37:21.with National Grid they told me they get paid for what they do whether
:37:22. > :37:25.pylons go all the ground or underground but Ofgem require best
:37:26. > :37:31.value for the customer and this will be paid through custom energy bills.
:37:32. > :37:38.Given the best value means quality value as well as price what dialogue
:37:39. > :37:41.will your government have with Ofgem given the concern raised by the
:37:42. > :37:47.councils across Anglesey that the pylon option has been chosen on the
:37:48. > :37:52.basis of cost alone? The rules are put in place by the UK Government
:37:53. > :38:01.not by us. He asks would we reinforce our position and we will
:38:02. > :38:06.continue to do that. We know the environmental sensitivity and it's
:38:07. > :38:11.right to say the price is not the sole determinant of whether a
:38:12. > :38:16.contract is awarded not or whether work is carried out the knot. We
:38:17. > :38:25.share his view it is important to look at a wide range of factors when
:38:26. > :38:28.we look at the overall cost. It is why we take the view they preferred
:38:29. > :38:33.position should be underground. What discussions has
:38:34. > :38:36.the Welsh Government had with the UK Government to impro
:38:37. > :38:50.ve current rail We are having a rebel dialogue with
:38:51. > :38:53.the UK Government on these matters. They are leading the procurement of
:38:54. > :38:58.the next franchise which will improve services. Tonight on BBC
:38:59. > :39:02.Wales Nick Savini goes behind the scenes of Arriva trains Wales as it
:39:03. > :39:06.investigates the worst overcrowding on commuter trains for years. My
:39:07. > :39:12.constituency continually raise with me overcrowding on trains but the
:39:13. > :39:24.focus of Arriva trains Wales has made a profit of -- it also had ?70
:39:25. > :39:29.million in the bank at the time it filed its last accounts. The
:39:30. > :39:36.existing franchise comes to an end in October 2018 20 months away. My
:39:37. > :39:39.constituents are fearful that during the forthcoming Six Nations they
:39:40. > :39:45.will again be stuck on Willie stations in Newbridge, Crosskeys as
:39:46. > :39:52.the Ebbw Vale the Cardiff service is already at capacity. As
:39:53. > :39:57.electrification is today -- delete can we call on the UK Government to
:39:58. > :40:02.do its job and act as: Arriva trains Wales to find a solution before the
:40:03. > :40:13.new franchises awarded and can he outlined what investigations have
:40:14. > :40:22.taken place into the capacity issue? We work with Arriva trains Wales but
:40:23. > :40:32.in terms of having levers that won't arrive till next year. In the past
:40:33. > :40:39.Arriva trains Wales has obtained locomotives to pull trains and those
:40:40. > :40:45.trains were popular with commuters. There is no reason in my mind why
:40:46. > :40:51.they can seek to do that again. What my colleague has outlined his the
:40:52. > :40:54.balmy situation where we pay a subsidy to rail operators to provide
:40:55. > :41:00.substandard service while they make enormous profit and this was the
:41:01. > :41:06.wonder of privatisation back in the 1990s. We should be able to look at
:41:07. > :41:09.having a public sector not-for-profit agency running the
:41:10. > :41:13.railway lines for the benefit of the people of Wales and not by paying a
:41:14. > :41:20.subsidy in order to be shaved -- the shareholders. The House of Commons
:41:21. > :41:35.Welsh affairs committee has recently said there is an urgent need for new
:41:36. > :41:43.trains. It went on to say that Sam Rowlands stock was over 40 years
:41:44. > :41:48.old. Would the Wales and broader franchise coming up to the first Mr
:41:49. > :41:55.say what discussions has the Welsh Government has with regard with
:41:56. > :42:01.providing a modern rail service for passengers in south-east Wales.
:42:02. > :42:10.These are all part of the franchise negotiations. The Metro will improve
:42:11. > :42:13.journey times and facilities. For the first time it will be the people
:42:14. > :42:21.of Wales who are able to determine what their train service is actually
:42:22. > :42:25.look like. We have this bizarre situation where at one point it was
:42:26. > :42:28.said the wheels and Borders franchise would only cover trains
:42:29. > :42:39.which began or two needed their journeys in Wales. I am glad that
:42:40. > :42:42.situation seems to have been solved by the UK Government but they are
:42:43. > :42:52.determined to provide a better level of service. I declare an interest
:42:53. > :43:00.that my sister works for Network Rail. I've had correspondence from
:43:01. > :43:11.people who have traded with transport links.
:43:12. > :43:20.Can he update us on plans to open a new station in Abertillery but what
:43:21. > :43:24.steps will the government have with the local authority to provide
:43:25. > :43:30.adequate bus links before new Metro comes on stream. The member has made
:43:31. > :43:36.himself the font or the recipient of all rail related complaints in the
:43:37. > :43:45.SMB. Abertillery is included in the Metro plans as an area of expansion.
:43:46. > :43:49.The railway tracks were last used when the mine was in place and third
:43:50. > :43:58.years ago. It is a community that needs to be linked. Where there are
:43:59. > :44:01.no existing heavy railway lines we want to make sure that communities
:44:02. > :44:03.that lost their relaxed some years ago to regain them as part of the
:44:04. > :44:12.Metro plans. What percentage of the budget is
:44:13. > :44:24.allocated to the prevention of fraud? For the purpose of
:44:25. > :44:28.identifying fraud if not possible to say what percentage of the spenders
:44:29. > :44:38.but those who encounter the fraud unit. Don't you think it's ironic
:44:39. > :44:42.that your leader was talking about a rigged system this month because in
:44:43. > :45:06.Wales its labour that has rigged the system.
:45:07. > :45:14.There was a massive grant for Cook. The company providing the guaranteed
:45:15. > :45:19.give a massive donation to Labour Party. And yet your party at when
:45:20. > :45:24.people out of the homes of the canopy bedroom tax. Are you happy
:45:25. > :45:31.with all this? Are you happy, First Minister, with all this? The member
:45:32. > :45:34.is probably wiser not repeating those allegations outside the
:45:35. > :45:38.chamber. He has an unhappy history of libel trials. That was a stream
:45:39. > :45:41.of consciousness as far as I can tell. In terms of appointment is
:45:42. > :45:52.done openly. He is criticised appointment of the ombudsman. The
:45:53. > :45:58.ombudsman was appointed whether -- whether Plaid Cymru member. There
:45:59. > :46:02.have been cases where we investigated fraud which is
:46:03. > :46:06.inevitable with a large organisation. Those investigations
:46:07. > :46:10.are undertaken grabbers who is the subject of the investigation. If he
:46:11. > :46:13.is suggesting that the worst government adviser been involved in
:46:14. > :46:15.fraud which is the tone of his allegation he needs to make his
:46:16. > :46:20.allegations known to the relevant authorities or make his allegations
:46:21. > :46:38.backed up with evidence. NA allocation of Welsh grants to
:46:39. > :46:45.organisations that are relevant checks and use of taxpayers money.
:46:46. > :46:50.There have been allegations of various scandals and I'm aware of
:46:51. > :47:00.?900,000 in North Wales were to directors bus company face criminal
:47:01. > :47:04.action. And I do know of ten to 12 cases under investigation and how
:47:05. > :47:10.the money has been used. There is finding that they are this
:47:11. > :47:14.government. How can I reassure my constituents in Aberconwy that in
:47:15. > :47:21.all matters you to take these things seriously. And that all transaction
:47:22. > :47:26.between businesses and organisations they can fill confident you will
:47:27. > :47:29.always maintain strict financial property at the heart of Welsh
:47:30. > :47:34.government funding and these of our taxpayers money? That is a perfectly
:47:35. > :47:38.fair question. We have a counter fraud unit headed by a retired
:47:39. > :47:43.police officer with experience of leading economic crime and proceeds
:47:44. > :47:49.of crime recovery units. He's also a member of the organising committee
:47:50. > :47:52.of the worst fraud Forum. It is also supported by administration staff.
:47:53. > :47:56.It is not a big unit but it does play a leadership role and draws on
:47:57. > :48:04.considerable support. Is it possible to prevent all crime? No, clearly.
:48:05. > :48:07.What is important is that crime is detected an investigative prosecuted
:48:08. > :48:12.and the fact with happiness is the use of investigation is a sign, I
:48:13. > :48:23.hope, that the member can see that we do take all allegations. That was
:48:24. > :48:27.First Minister's Questions. If you want one of the National Service
:48:28. > :48:28.coverage go live to