Bradshaw comments highlight mistaken priorities of Labour/Plaid Government - Randerson.

10.09.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 4th Jun 2008

The Welsh Lib Dems believe that prescriptions should not be free for millionaires

Welsh Lib Dem Spokesperson for Health, Jenny Randerson AM has claimed that comments by UK Health Minister, Ben Bradshaw about long waiting times in Wales highlight WAG's mistaken priorities.

Mr Bradshaw told the Welsh Affairs Select Committee that in England, spending had been prioritised on cutting waiting times compared to things like free prescriptions for all and free hospital parking in Wales.

Jenny Randerson said: "Ben Bradshaw makes the exact point that the Welsh Liberal Democrats have been making for months. There are no such things as "free" prescriptions or parking. They are paid for by diverting money from frontline services.

"Free prescriptions should not cover millionaires and free parking should not cover commuters. Ben Bradshaw illustrates that there is a cost to the Government's headline grabbing policies, namely, poorer frontline services. WAG has taken a free for all approach to solve problems which could be solved with a much more targeted and less costly approach.

"I also welcome Ben Bradshaw's comments because they will hopefully help to dissuade the growing body of opinion in England that Wales is over-funded because we can afford these things. The message to these people is that we cannot afford these things, we just have a Government even more obsessed with gimmicks than theirs."

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