Morgan defends record

Rhodri Morgan has mounted a vigorous defence of his eight years as first minister of Wales.

 

Addressing a welfare reform conference in Cardiff, Morgan said that scrapping prescription charges and providing free school breakfasts have helped unemployed benefit claimants back into work.

 

The first minister said the fear of new expenses eating into wages is one of the big "stumbling blocks" for people on benefits.

 

He said: "Free prescriptions are about removing a tax on health, but they have their greatest effect on those whose incomes are just above the benefit level, for whom the full cost of prescriptions otherwise makes an immediate and detrimental impact on the difference between income in work and on benefits."

 

The free prescriptions scheme has been attacked by critics who say it is open to abuse.

 

The Tories this week claimed English "prescription tourists" were qualifying for the perk by registering with doctors in Wales - a charge strongly rejected by Morgan.

 

Rounding on his critics, he said: "Amongst some of the weaker-minded members of the commentariat, we are sometimes accused of government-by-gimmick or even of give-away-government. The real give away is in the attack itself."

 

It is not enough to merely provide jobs if Wales wants full employment, he said. The assembly government must make sure there are enough people available to fill new vacancies.

 

He sounded an upbeat note on the economy, despite signs that turmoil in the financial markets is spreading to the high street. The dropping value of the pound against the euro will assist Welsh manufacturing exports, he said.