Carwyn Jones: Okay. What would satisfy us is a removal of the power grab, a commitment to a co-operative approach to the UK single market, a commitment to a co-operative and agreed approach on frameworks, on state aid, and also on the way in which the market is regulated and the adjudication of a court. Those are our red lines in terms of the power grab. In terms of impact analysis, others have done that...
Carwyn Jones: Well, that’s right. What’s on the face of those Acts in 1997 and 2011 is entirely clear, namely that the people of Wales have powers with regard to intervention and with regard to how those powers were implemented. Nobody has put this in their manifesto. This wasn’t mentioned last year in the referendum. The United Kingdom has no right to say, ‘Well, the powers that will come back to...
Carwyn Jones: Well, I can assure the Member that there’ll be no prize that will be given up—I don’t see it as a prize, I see it as fairness and I see it as respect for the referendum results and I see it as a commitment to a co-operative approach as partners within the union. It’s not much, surely, to ask. In terms of the issue of a deal, I have said that any deal should be subject to a vote, not...
Carwyn Jones: Well, really, we need to see progress over the course of the next few months. Time is running out. We have to remember that there needs to be an agreement by this time next year, effectively, because then there’s an ratification process, not just in European institutions, but in every single Parliament, and in some cases, like Belgium, in regional Parliaments as well. That all takes a great...
Carwyn Jones: Diolch, Llywydd. I rise this afternoon to remember Carl, as a politician, as a colleague, and as a friend. I want first to express my deep sympathies to Bernie and the family. For them, it's been a time of unbearable loss and deep trauma. As a father and husband myself, I can't begin to imagine what they're going through. I hope they've found some comfort in each other and in the many...
Carwyn Jones: Procurement policy is focused on meeting the challenge of austerity whilst maximising opportunity for Welsh business and creating sustainable jobs as we exit the EU.
Carwyn Jones: I do know that her party has expressed very strong views—views that I agree with—that people should not be prevented from accessing treatment across the border. I think it's important that, where treatment is available, people should have access to it. We should not seek to create a situation where we try to make available all treatment in Wales. There will be some specialist...
Carwyn Jones: The Valleys taskforce action plan commits us to using public procurement innovatively, so that we can exploit the job creation potential from the major infrastructure investments that we have in Wales. For example, programmes like the south Wales metro, major road schemes like the M4, and the ongoing work to dual the A465 will embed a community-benefit approach to ensure that outcomes are...
Carwyn Jones: With over £1 billion less to spend on public services in Wales, clearly there is a great deal of pressure. Of course, we have called on the UK Government to end this period of austerity and that, I hope, is a message that will be heard by the Chancellor of the Exchequer at the end of this month.
Carwyn Jones: First of all, it's hugely important that the £3.5 billion of unallocated cuts are disposed of, to make sure that we are able to be in a position where we do not bear the extent of those cuts. Secondly, it's hugely important now, I believe, for the economy to have more money pumped into it, to make sure there's more money for investment, to make sure that jobs can be created as a result,...
Carwyn Jones: I do believe that it's hugely important that, at a time when borrowing has never been, well, not quite as cheap as it was a week or so ago—but borrowing is historically cheap—it is reasonable and responsible for Governments to borrow money in order to pump that money into the economy. He will disagree; he's a monetarist, I'm sure. I'm not; I adhere to Keynesianism and I take the view that...
Carwyn Jones: Well, the answer to that is that we are. We have to balance, of course, the power we have to borrow money against the need to pay that money back and the pressures that will be on the revenue budget in years to come. We're moving ahead with the mutual investment model, as the Member has said, and we will explore all models of prudent financial borrowing in order to deliver for the people of...
Carwyn Jones: Well, first of all, can I say that I've heard the allegations of bullying by Leighton Andrews? I've listened to what he has to say. I heard what Steve Jones had to say, and what I will say is this: if people wish to come forward to me and explain things to me about their experience, then I'm more than willing for that to happen and they can contact me either through my office or through the...
Carwyn Jones: I think it's hugely important that, where people have concerns, they're able to express those concerns through a confidential process. I don't think doing it in the public domain is the way to do these things, and I invite people to come forward with any concerns that they might have and contact my office or contact the Permanent Secretary so that I can make an assessment of what was said to...
Carwyn Jones: What I can say is that any issues that were brought to my attention at that time were dealt with. That's the answer that was given—and that answer is correct—back in 2014. If, however, there are other issues that people want to bring forward, then they are welcome to do so. But he asked me a direct question: were any issues raised with me dealt with? The answer to that is: yes, they were...
Carwyn Jones: I cannot possibly comment on issues that I have no knowledge of, but if the journalist involved or others want to come forward and share what they've said, unknown to me, with me, I'd be more than happy to listen to them.
Carwyn Jones: I think there are two things here: first of all, with the independent inquiry and with the inquest, I think it's hugely important that the whole story is told at once and not bits. So, I'm not able to comment on various things that have been said—I don't think it's right for anybody. I think it's hugely important that the whole story is there for all to see, rather than it come out in bits...
Carwyn Jones: I think we must be very careful about suggesting—. The words that he has used—. 'A real possibility of manipulation' is a very, very serious suggestion and would need some very strong evidence to back it up. The family have asked for there to be an independent inquiry. I have ensured that steps are now moving ahead for that independent inquiry to move forward. It would not be right for...
Carwyn Jones: The first thing to do, of course, is for a QC to be appointed, for the terms of reference to be set, and then, of course, it's entirely a matter for the QC, who will act at an arm's length. That process will need now to proceed as quickly as possible. I did notice one of the comments the coroner made yesterday was that—. He seemed to indicate that the inquiry would influence one of the...
Carwyn Jones: I think the leader of Plaid Cymru has raised a hugely important point and that is: how can we create a complaints process that's different—not weaker, but different—a complaints process that supports all parties? We have to be honest: we are a small country and we are all small parties. I think there is great merit in exploring, with the Presiding Officer, how the Standards Commissioner...
