Carwyn Jones: Bear in mind, of course, that it was his party that was in charge of economic development for four years, so it is not as if his party have no role in this. We saw GDP go down then, and it shows—[Interruption.] It shows—[Interruption.] Well, I know; that’s easily forgotten, that, isn’t it, but there we are. It does show the challenges that exist in terms of raising GDP. The key to it...
Carwyn Jones: Well, the health board is working to improve the provision of dental services and progress has been made. Some 30,000 additional patients are accessing NHS dentistry than a decade ago.
Carwyn Jones: Well, this is a temporary measure. I know that the health board are looking at fresh ways of ensuring that the service survives, and they are looking at mobile units from other areas in order to achieve that, and they are considering opportunities as regards funding a new mobile unit to ensure that this happens. In the interim, there is care available in Corwen and in Dolgellau, but these are...
Carwyn Jones: Well, the Cabinet Secretary hears what the Member says. As I said, there are alternative provisions in place, although the intention is to restart the service. I can say, though, that, because of Designed to Smile, the latest dental survey of five-year-olds in 2014-15 shows a 6 per cent reduction in the proportion of children with experience of dental decay in Wales when compared with the...
Carwyn Jones: Accessibility for all is a cornerstone of our approach to public transport. We monitor passenger satisfaction with stations using research undertaken by Transport Focus and, of course, following that, we see what kind of barriers should be removed in order to ensure that no barriers exist in train stations for those who wish to use them.
Carwyn Jones: I agree totally with that. Two hundred and forty-five stations come under the franchise in England and Wales, and only a quarter are staffed at present. We will expect significant improvements to be made as regards access to these stations over the term of the next franchise.
Carwyn Jones: Well, transport hubs are hugely important in terms of delivering public transport across Wales, and they have to be as accessible as they—well, they have to be accessible, full stop. We are aware of cleanliness issues at the station. Arrangements are currently being finalised for a new cleaning regime and security presence until the end of the franchise in October of next year, and after...
Carwyn Jones: Well now that we will be in full control of the franchise, the opportunity is there to make sure that our stations are then accessible. It is hugely important that those issues are dealt with, certainly as part of the next franchise arrangements, to make sure that all can use trains in the future.
Carwyn Jones: Well, it’s a matter for the operators, of course, to ensure they comply with the law. I’ve seen staff, certainly in my own station in Bridgend, very competently assist people who need assistance, and certainly I’ve heard nothing but praise about the staff there. With regard to bus services, it’s patchy. I do remember some years ago the council in Bridgend installing raised kerbs at...
Carwyn Jones: The Cabinet Secretary for Education will confirm this week that loans are to be made available to students beginning a postgraduate Master’s course in the 2017-18 academic year.
Carwyn Jones: Well, of course, if the course is starting in the autumn of this year, by then, the assistance and support will be available for someone like that. They will have had, of course, much less support than students from England in terms of the previous course. But one of the things that we had to resolve was to ensure that more funding is available for postgraduates coming out of universities in...
Carwyn Jones: These are, of course, devolved. It’ll be a matter for this Assembly to decide what happens with food standards. I know that the Minister for Social Services and Public Health recently met with the chair of the Food Standards Agency. We, of course, effectively, buy in to the services of the Food Standards Agency. They are committed to ensuring that the exit from the EU will not compromise...
Carwyn Jones: It is the case that, during the second world war, American forces wouldn’t use British abattoirs, as their standards were seen to be too low. In the 1990s, I had a bit of a sideline as a lawyer in prosecuting abattoirs and the standards were beyond description in some of them. What we have now, of course, is practice that is world leading, practice that other countries have certainly been...
Carwyn Jones: Thank you, Llywydd. I move the motion. Ar 24 Ionawr, cyflwynais i'r Siambr ein Papur Gwyn, 'Sicrhau Dyfodol Cymru'. Mae'n gosod blaenoriaethau Cymru wrth inni nesáu at drafodaethau’r DU i ymadael â'r UE. Rwyf i wedi bod yn falch â’r gefnogaeth y mae Aelodau o wahanol bleidiau ac eraill yn ehangach wedi ei rhoi i'r papur hwnnw. Mae'n dangos pa mor llawn a chyflym yw’r agenda bod rhai...
Carwyn Jones: Yes.
Carwyn Jones: No. I can guess that it means, I suppose, market access on the same terms as now, but that’s a guess. Nobody really knows what this phrase actually means. Indeed, to give the full phrase to the Chamber, the UK Government has said it ‘will prioritise securing the freest and most frictionless trade possible in goods and services’ within the EU. Well, the key word there is ‘possible’....
Carwyn Jones: Diolch, Lywydd. I know that time is short, but can I begin by saying that there are some myths that need to be dispelled here? First of all, this is not a debate about whether the referendum result should be respected. It’s going to happen. That’s it. The question is settled. But let’s not pretend that there was an overwhelming vote to leave the EU. It was 52 per cent. Let’s not...
Carwyn Jones: No. I agree. The question is this: does he believe that the UK Government should impose these frameworks or does he believe that they should be agreed by the four Governments?
Carwyn Jones: I’m grateful for the clarification in that, because that’s not where he was at the referendum last year. He has said, in fairness to him, that he believes that those frameworks should now be agreed, not imposed by the UK Government. I welcome that. I welcome that. He also said that there are 730 days to deal with the impact of—
Carwyn Jones: No. He’s had one intervention already. He’s on the record. I welcome what he has said.
