Questions now from the party leaders, and the leader of the opposition first, Paul Davies.

Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, do you believe that Natural Resources Wales is fit for purpose?

Yes, I do.

Well, let me remind you, First Minister, that this organisation is, of course, directly accountable to your Government. It's in receipt of £180 million of public money every year, yet they are responsible for a litany of failings, which have significant costs to the public purse. In just five years since its establishment, NRW have had their annual accounts qualified for three consecutive years, and they have undersold Welsh timber without a proper tendering process, resulting in a loss of £1 million to Welsh taxpayers. The public are calling for heads to roll. We need accountability. Has anyone at NRW actually been sacked for these failings?

Well, he will know, of course, that the chair has gone, and the next step will be to appoint a new chair. He will know that there is a new chief executive, who has replaced somebody with huge experience, particularly as part of the court service, and it has been to do particularly with the issue of timber contracts, for which there is no rational explanation, and that is something that they have had to explain, in terms of what they plan to do particularly for the future. But I think it's wrong to say that the entire organisation, somehow, isn't fit for purpose. There is no problem, for example, with its permitting regime or the way that it does that, but there clearly has been an issue with timber.

Well, I put it to you, First Minister, there is a theme here, when it comes to holding public bodies to account, and that's a failure on your Government's part to completely make sure that bodies are held to account and are open and transparent. There is no denying that Natural Resources Wales's finances are a complete mess, and I know that this concern is actually shared by some of your own Assembly Members. Now, what concerns me and others is the impact this financial incompetence will have on our natural resources and the communities that actually depend upon them. Instead of focusing on implementing bans, such as the ban on shooting on NRW land, which actually harms the rural economy, your Government and NRW should be focusing on what it can deliver legally to protect our precious natural resources and the communities that actually rely on them. And instead of washing your hands of this, and given it appears that not one person at NRW has been sacked, the buck stops with you, your Government and your Minister. How is your Minister being held accountable for what's gone wrong?

So, this is about pheasant shooting now, is it? So, we now understand what this appears to be about. What I can say to him is this: he gives the impression that the same personnel are in place as were there when the timber contracts were dealt with. That's not true. The chair is no longer there. The chief executive is still new in the job. She was appointed earlier this year, and she is somebody with extensive experience of working in public sector organisations. I can say that the Cabinet Secretary has received a clear commitment from the chief executive that she's fully committed to learning lessons—and the organisation will need to—and to making sure NRW makes the necessary improvements to do the right things in the right way. I can say that the chief executive has also given that assurance to the Public Accounts Committee, taking full responsibility for the organisation, and she has an enthusiasm to support staff to bring out the best in them.

The Plaid Cymru leader, Adam Price.

Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, as the ink begins to dry on last week's resignation letter, the focus is naturally shifting to the legacy you will leave behind: close to a quarter of our people and a third of our children in poverty; life expectancy in reverse and falling quicker than anywhere else in Europe; a flatlining economy, with Wales stuck in perpetuity at the bottom of the league table. Doesn't this epitomise your Government? A poverty of ambition that is the fundamental cause of the poverty of our people. Do you regret leaving behind an economy that even former communist countries are now outstripping?

Well, first of all, can I welcome him—[Laughter.]—as leader of Plaid Cymru, in this, of course, his first question? He is the tenth party leader that I have faced across this Chamber, which tells you something about the success of the Welsh Labour Government in remaining in Government for that time.

Can I also pay tribute to his predecessor, Leanne Wood? Leanne is somebody with whom we—. Well, we tussled across this Chamber, and outside, but none of it was ever personal, and certainly I know she’s done a great deal for the position of women in politics in Wales, and I know she still has a great deal to offer our nation. [Applause.]

Let’s compare and contrast here. Unemployment is 3.8 per cent. That is lower than the UK average, and that was something that nobody could ever have thought would happen 10 or 15 years ago, but that is the reality of it. We’ve seen the highest figures, the best figures, for foreign direct investment for 30 years, with investment projects the length and breadth of Wales that have brought many, many jobs into Wales—and, importantly, high-skilled jobs as well, not jobs that are here because wage rates are low. If we look at education, what we have done in terms of supporting our students, what we have done in terms of raising standards in Welsh schools, introducing in the near future a Welsh curriculum that's tailored for Wales, having the right qualifications system for Wales, that is something that we are proud of. We have ensured that more and more money has gone into the health service, even as we’ve seen that money being diminished year after year after year by a Tory Government that is hellbent on austerity. So, I stand very proud by my record. The people of Wales, clearly, have an opinion on it, given the fact that I’ve been here for the past nine years.

Now, let’s focus on one thing he has said, which I think is fair to point out to him. He has said, I understand, that he wishes to cut taxes—9p in terms of income tax, getting rid of council tax, getting rid of business rates, and the replacement with another form of taxation. But I have to say to him that that is a £6 billion gap that would need to be found. So, what work—I’m not asking him a question, but it will be interesting to see what work has been done in order to make sure that his new proposals would plug what would be a very substantial gap.

Let's agree, in the time that you have left, First Minister, on the terms of trade: I ask the questions and you give the answers. It's your record that's under the focus here. Now, maybe one—I don't know—of your proudest moments was the great unveiling ceremony, when an Aston Martin car was draped in a Welsh flag in front of the Welsh Government's offices in Cathays Park. Now, what you've been less enthusiastic about revealing is precisely how much public money was used in order to secure the company's investment. You were compelled to reveal the £5.8 million initial grant you gave by the information commissioner. It was literally dragged out of you, but you're now yet again refusing to say whether the company has had any additional money, or to confirm that you've underwritten some of Aston Martin's debt, despite the fact that the company has itself confirmed that in the prospectus for its forthcoming flotation. So, two questions, First Minister: doesn't the Welsh public have a right to know about how much public money is being given to private companies? And, secondly, why are we underwriting the debt of a company that is about to raise £5 billion on the London stock exchange?

So, he accuses me of a lack of ambition, and then he does down one of the biggest and most important investment projects Wales has ever had—750 jobs coming to Wales, a centre of excellence for electric technology for the Lagonda. And I can say to him that, in the real world, you cannot deal with businesses if you say to them, 'Every deal that we have with you we will reveal in public'. No-one will come here. No-one will come here. We will do as much as we can to make sure as much is in the public domain as possible, but if you're saying that, if you were First Minister, you would conduct negotiations in public and have a deal that was made public, no-one would come here. No-one would come here; they'd go elsewhere, where they feel that they could have more confidence in the Government.

And, secondly, I have to say this to him: it's hugely important for us in Wales to show that we can attract investment, not just because of the money we put on the table—Aston Martin were clear about that; they said that there were better financial packages available elsewhere. Aston Martin said that they were impressed by the passion and professionalism of the Welsh Government. That's what we do: show that passion, show that professionalism, and bring jobs into Wales.

The scandal of the answer that you've just given, First Minister, is that the company has put more information into the public domain than the Government, which is meant to be acting in the public interest.

Now, let's turn to Natural Resources Wales. You referred to the incoming chief executive. She's admitted serious failings at the organisation, which she attributed to incompetence—ineptitude, incompetence, but nothing more concerning. Yesterday, however, the Public Accounts Committee was told by the head of the UK Forest Products Association, David Sulman, that, in his view, and I quote,

'these actions were premeditated, deliberate, and made in full knowledge of the facts'.

'We really cannot believe,' he stated emphatically,

'that the actions we've seen...can simply be explained away by incompetence.'

One million pounds, First Minister, in Welsh public money has been lost, and the lead industry body is alleging dishonesty and deliberate malpractice by a public authority. Will you be asking that this matter is now referred to the police?

Well, I've seen no evidence that suggests the matter should be referred to the police, but of course the Cabinet Secretary will be fully aware of the situation. No-one can pretend that it's a good situation—of course not. He goes a step further and suggests there has been criminal activity. That's something we have to consider very carefully to see whether there's any evidence there, and, if there is, of course, then further action may need to be taken. So, we have, of course, the commitment by Natural Resources Wales's new chief executive. We will have a new chair in place. I have no doubt that there will be more that will need to be examined over the course of the next few weeks in order to provide the assurance that, in fairness, Members want to see, and particularly what the Government wants to see.

Leader of the UKIP group, Gareth Bennett.

Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, you're probably aware of a recent report from the future generations commissioner entitled 'Transport Fit for Future Generations'. [Interruption.] Thank you. On page 16 the report says that:

'Evidence consistently demonstrates that capacity increases on highway infrastructure generate more motorway trips, and generally, new capacity simply fills up over time, often leading to further congestion on the entire corridor/network.'

End of quote. The basic idea of the future generations office, and it's not a new idea, is simply that, the more roads that we build, the more cars use them, and we will ultimately end up back in the same situation that we were in in the first place, with clogged up, congested roads. I think at some point your Government will have to address the issue of how to get vehicles off the road as far as this can reasonably be achieved. For instance, at the moment lots of people are driving into offices to do jobs that they could probably do at home. So, what is the Welsh Government doing to encourage working from home in order to reduce pressure on Welsh road networks? Are you encouraging and incentivising companies and public sector organisations to allow more of their employees to work from home?

Well, yes, I think that's true, because for many, many people it's perfectly possible to work at home, given the technology we have now, rather than having to come into an office in order to work. I'm sure that companies, and indeed we in the public sector as well, are looking at ways to ensure that people can deliver work at home. I know there are local authorities in Wales already doing this, and I know it's an issue that, as Welsh Government, we've been keen to encourage as well. Nevertheless, people will still have to travel and a balance always has to be struck between the transport infrastructure that we need and, of course, the environmental considerations that come with that. But, of course, we are investing in the south Wales metro. That's a huge, huge improvement proposed for south Wales. The same will be true further west and the same will be true further north, and now, of course, with control of the franchise, we will in time be able to deliver the kind of train network that the people of Wales should expect.

Yes. I hear what you say about the south Wales metro, First Minister, but I believe there are possible doubts over the future funding of it, given your Government's commitment to the M4 relief road scheme. So, there may be some uncertainty over the south Wales metro. But, anyway, I don't want to go down that avenue today.

I suppose, ultimately, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and we have come to a state of virtual gridlock at rush hour in many areas of Wales. So, I would have to say that, whatever measures you are taking to encourage working from home, they don't seem to be having an appreciable effect.

Now, another pressure on road networks at certain specific times of the day is the school run, whereby parents pick up children and students from schools and colleges. I do sometimes wonder what effect your programme of school closures is having on the lengthening traffic jams. According to the school census results published by Statistics for Wales there are almost 300 fewer local authority schools than there were 10 years ago. That is an average of nearly 30 schools closing every year in Wales. First Minister, would you agree that Welsh Government policy has actually driven more people into their cars for the school run?

That's a tenuous link. If he wants to he can go up and down the length and breadth of Wales, and he can see the new schools that have been built—primary schools, comprehensive schools. And they have replaced, yes—perhaps one school's been built to replace another three. But the facilities available at the new schools are fantastic.

It's always difficult when a community loses a school, of course it is, and these decisions have to be taken very, very carefully. He tried to give the impression that, somehow, the fact that there are 300 fewer schools means that, somehow, education has suffered as a result. I'd argue the exact opposite, and we can see it in the results we have from our young people. The reality is—. For example, if he goes to Ceredigion, he will see there many, many new schools that have been built. They replaced very, very small schools and they are wonderful facilities.

From my perspective, we in Wales will continue to build and refurbish schools, because that's the commitment we make to our children's education.

Yes, I understand that the twenty-first century schools programme creates modernised school buildings and I'm certainly not—[Interruption.] I am certainly not—[Interruption.] I am certainly not—[Interruption.] Yes. I'm certainly not denigrating that. However, it does not necessarily create local schools. Indeed, the effect the programme has in some areas may be entirely the opposite. For example, the programme may create a modern school, but it may well be a school whose location forces more people to drive to school rather than walk to school, as they did before. What assurance can you give us that any new schools built using the twenty-first century schools programme will be genuinely local and, therefore, minimise the need for long car journeys by parents?

I'm not sure I follow his argument. Many of the new schools that have been built are, literally, a few miles away from the schools that they were built to replace. It's not a situation where children suddenly have to travel 10 miles to go to school where previously there was one on their doorstep.

We're proud of the fact that we in Wales have a commitment to building new schools, to refurbishing new schools. What is the point of keeping schools that are too small to be viable or schools that are in buildings that are very difficult, particularly for modern technology?

Yes, I've seen situations where people can be very concerned when a school that has been there for many, many, many years closes, but I've not yet come across anybody who has said, when they see a new school, that they'd like to go back to the old schools. What they see is a school that is a community facility, a school that offers all the best in terms of technology, offers wonderful teaching space, in a way that wasn't available in some of the older schools in Wales.

I don't know what he's trying to say here—whether we should not have new schools or that we should carry on with the same old buildings. For me, new schools mean better education for our pupils.