Welsh First Minister ‘reserving position’ on UK Government’s benefits cuts

The Welsh First Minister has declined to back the UK Government’s benefits cuts, telling members of the Senedd she will “reserve” her position.

Eluned Morgan, the leader of the Welsh Labour government, has said she is still waiting to find out what the impact of welfare cuts would have on Wales, despite having written to the Work and Pensions Secretary several weeks ago.

Speaking during a scrutiny committee hearing in the Senedd, Baroness Morgan said: “I have yet to get a firm understanding of how (the changes) will impact on Wales, and until I’m clear about the impacts, I want to reserve my position.”

Baroness Morgan wrote to Liz Kendall, the Work and Pensions Secretary, on March 11, demanding an assessment of the changes on Wales.

But she told scrutiny committee members on Friday, “I still haven’t received a response from her”, and that she would be “chasing that today”.

The Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed several changes to benefits in her spring statement on Wednesday, including to the personal independence payment (Pip), a disability payment claimed by around 250,000 people in Wales.

A Department for Work and Pension assessment found some 3.2 million families across England and Wales would be worse off as a result of the changes, and 250,000 people could be pushed into poverty.

My position is that I want to see absolute clarity on what the impact on Wales is. Until I get a firm view on that, I don't want to make a judgment

Plaid Cymru’s Llyr Gruffydd argued that the First Minister’s position seemed to differ from how Jo Stevens, the Secretary of State for Wales, had characterised it.

Ms Stevens previously told the BBC the reforms had been “welcomed” by Baroness Morgan.

The First Minister initially sat in silence before she was pushed by Mr Gruffydd.

“My position is that I want to see absolute clarity on what the impact on Wales is,” she said.

“Until I get a firm view on that, I don’t want to make a judgment.

But I want to be clear that I don't think it's sustainable for us to see the kind of huge increases in the numbers of people who are going on to benefits. This is not a sustainable situation

“Until I know what the impact will be and where we then, as a government, can position ourselves in relation to how far we can go to stand with and by people.

“But I want to be clear that I don’t think it’s sustainable for us to see the kind of huge increases in the numbers of people who are going on to benefits. This is not a sustainable situation.”

Baroness Morgan has previously told the Senedd she spoke with someone in No 10 about the changes and raised the Welsh government’s concerns.

She confirmed to Mr Gruffydd that it was not the Prime Minister she had spoken with.

But she said she could not remember the name of the person, promising to find out and let the committee know.