Party time at FMQs

Whether it's because party conference season is almost upon us, or whether it was the excitement of knowing that the Chancellor George Osborne was in south Wales today, but there was certainly an electric atmosphere in the Siambr as party leaders pulled into the sidings to ask the FM those pesky questions.

Certainly, it has become evident that as the general election moves more firmly into view that both the UK Government and the London media are increasingly turning their attention to the skipper of the ship that runs the Welsh Government, Captain Jones and the direction in which he is steering.

Which is all good news for those opposition parties who are now employing a more vigorous approach to their grilling as was evident today to the extent that Presiding Officer Rosemary Butler had to employ a frosty aspect to quell the shouting and joviality.

The leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, Kirsty Williams chose to quiz the FM on Health Inspectorate Wales. She asked him how often he would expect a Welsh district hospital to receive an unannounced visit from that body.

And finally, when it came to the Plaid Cymru's turn, leader Leanne Wood focused her attention on the Barnet formula and the future of fair funding for Wales