Carwyn Jones: "Focused On Challenges"

3 June 2014, 18:07 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Carwyn Jones says the Welsh Government is on track to improve the lives of people across Wales.

The First Minister has presented an annual report to AMs - showing how it's doing against it's targets on health, education and jobs.

The Welsh Government says it's big success for the last year has been getting young people into employment with Jobs Growth Wales creating 13,000 positions since 2012.

18 year old Connor's now working because of it. He said:  "I'd been looking for work for a good 2 to 3 years after leaving school.

"It was hard, I had so many interviews but none of them got back to me.

"It was everyone with the GCSE's or the work experience already that got the jobs.

"There was a lot of 'Nan, can i paint your kitchen, will you give me a fiver?

"Or 'Dad, can i have a couple of quid to go out on the weekend'. There was a lot of bumming around, really or just sitting in the house all day with nothing to do and no money to go out."

The Programme for Government progress report shows an increase in 15 year olds getting the top grades at GCSE's in English, Welsh and Maths but we're still lagging behind England.

In terms of health, there have been more alcohol related deaths and more than half of us are still overweight or obese.

First Minister Carwyn Jones says the Welsh Government will push to make improvements.  He said: "The people of Wales are right to have high expectations of the services that they receive.

"I acknowledge that as resources shrink and demand for services goes up, questions need to be asked about how public services will deliver. 

"The people of Wales do not deserve to be told that their country is bottom of the pile time after time."

Opposition parties have accused the First Minister of being "in denial" about the state of things in Wales right now.