Rhodri must keep this promise - Wales must not pay for shotgun wedding

12.00.00am GMT Tue 28th Feb 2006

Under questioning from Mike German, Rhodri Morgan today pledged that Welsh tax payers will not pay for the forced merger of Wales' police forces.

The Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly leader secured the pledge during First Minister's Questions this afternoon.

Speaking afterwards Mr German said: "Rhodri Morgan was very clear in his answers to me - the people of Wales will not foot the bill for the Home Office's plan to merge the four Welsh Police forces.

"I only hope this is one promise he will keep. He has already torn up his manifesto pledges with the U-turn on free home care for the disabled. There must be no backtracking on this issue - the Home Office must meet the full cost of merging.

"The people of Wales do not want this shotgun wedding or to lose their local police forces. The people of Wales should not pay for a merger they do not want and do not believe will improve their policing."

In street referendums held across Wales more than 1,104 people have been asked whether they think the merger will improve local policing. Some 87% of respondents (961 people) have said a resounding no.

Mr German added: "The Home Office is refusing to listen to the vast majority in Wales. They are hellbent on their own agenda - a merger at any cost. They must meet this cost and meet it in full. Council tax payers must not be left to foot the bill. And it must not come out of an already stretched Welsh block grant."

Notes:

Rhodri Morgan said: "There has never been any suggestion that the cost of reorganisation should fall anywhere other than the Home Office. It's their proposition. They have to fund the cost."