Carwyn Jones: Yes. Well, Members will, I hope, understand that if I seem to choose my words carefully, or appear over lawyerly in my answers, it's not to be evasive; it's because these are extraordinary times, these are awful times. It's a moment in our political life that's full of hurt and anger. People are grieving and the last thing I want to do is to make matters worse. But I do understand the need...
Carwyn Jones: Well, sometimes, as I said, people were unhappy with the way things happened, people felt that others were more favoured, but that happens in any organisation. I dealt with them as and when they arose. When you're dealing with a Cabinet, you have people who are very talented, you have people who feel very strongly about what they are promoting, and, of course, it's hugely impossible to...
Carwyn Jones: Well, at the heart of our approach is the need to ensure that people can remain as independent as possible for as long as possible. That means working with organisations to promote dementia-friendly environments. We've seen an example from my colleague, Lynne Neagle, of how that can be done with schools. And it is hugely important that people understand that dementia is not something that...
Carwyn Jones: Well, this is something that will have to be considered as part of the consultation that has taken place. May I say that the plan itself will be built on the basis of acknowledging the fact that people suffering with dementia have rights, and, therefore, in what way can we ensure that those rights are respected? This will have been part of the discussion that has taken place to date, and it...
Carwyn Jones: Yes, I am. If there is any difficulty in that regard, I would expect that of course to be a part of the discussions that have taken place with stakeholders over the dementia action plan, and I'd expect that to be reflected in the plan if that was identified as a challenge. What I can say is we have been working with the task and finish group, for example, which has been working with the...
Carwyn Jones: Very much so, very much so. I think it's incredible the innovation that's been shown, in ways that most people wouldn't think of, to help people with dementia. I think it's hugely important as well that that—it's not a phrase perhaps that I'd generally use—inter-generational understanding is promoted, where young people do understand what the effects of dementia are, how they can help...
Carwyn Jones: 'Taking Wales Forward' commits the Welsh Government to making Wales a dementia-friendly nation through developing and implementing a new national dementia plan. We hope to have that agreed with stakeholders by Christmas, with a view to publishing it as soon as possible in the new year.
Carwyn Jones: We have, a number of times. I raised this personally with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom—about three weeks ago, now, when I met her—telling her how vital the lagoon was and how important it was not only to the economy of the bay, but much more broadly than that. We have kept the pressure on. This is now a challenge for the Secretary of State, in order to reflect that he has...
Carwyn Jones: It's an interesting suggestion. There is a university in Aberystwyth, of course. It's not in Powys, I understand, which many of us will know, but he makes the point specifically about Powys. That will be a matter for discussion between, I suspect, Coleg Powys as the further education provider and any particular university. He's right to say that the way to drive GVA up is through investment...
Carwyn Jones: Well, those grants would have been given some years ago, certainly before my time as First Minister, but I am interested in looking further at what he has raised. If he could write to me with further details, I will, of course, investigate for him.
Carwyn Jones: Yes. In 2017, the unemployment rate in Mid and West Wales was 4 per cent below the Welsh and UK averages.
Carwyn Jones: I didn't take office in 2005, but nevertheless—[Interruption.] You said 2009. I beg your pardon. In terms of the answer to the question, many of those will be human resources issues, which the Permanent Secretary will be better placed to answer.
Carwyn Jones: As a said, I have nothing to add to the answers I've already given, but I do again, of course, reiterate the invitation that was made yesterday, if anyone wishes to come forward with further information.
Carwyn Jones: I have nothing to add to the answers I gave yesterday, and I reiterate the invitation that I made then.
Carwyn Jones: He was, and he was supported by this Assembly, without any requirement by Plaid Cymru at that time that there should be some kind of pre-appointment hearing. And so—
Carwyn Jones: Yes, go on.
Carwyn Jones: Well, there it is. This is the appointment of somebody who is a Member of this Assembly, who is a lawyer, who is somebody who is amply qualified for the job of Counsel General and somebody who will be the chief legal adviser to the Welsh Government. If concerns had been raised beforehand, we would have tried to deal with those concerns, but this is the first that we've heard of them. Bearing...
Carwyn Jones: It is correct to say, of course, that the Assembly approves the appointment of the Counsel General, who is then appointed by the Queen. In fact, the Counsel General is in a situation where a Counsel General cannot actually be taken from Government by the First Minister. That can only be done by the Queen or via the Counsel General taking that decision for himself or herself. It's hugely...
Carwyn Jones: Formally, Presiding Officer.
Carwyn Jones: Well, first of all, can I give staff assurances that, of course, when there is change, we want to make sure that they have TUPE'd over, as the phrase has it, and that we are in a situation where people can get an understanding of their situation as soon as possible, and, of course, get comfort as soon as possible. Any regulatory assessment of the Bill will follow the normal process, and...
