MONMOUTH MP David Davies has accused the Welsh Government of misleading the public over cuts to the health budget.

Mr Davies has produced figures showing NHS spending in Wales is going down, despite receiving an assurance from the Health Minister that there have been no cuts at all.

Details of past and planned NHS expenditure in England and Wales prove there will be a real terms cut of 5.1 per cent in Wales over the period 2008/09 to 2014/15, compared to an increase of 7.4 per cent in England.

"There have been a lot of stories about cuts to the NHS in Wales and we have seen evidence of this in longer waiting lists and poor ambulance provision," said Mr Davies.

"When I wrote to the Health Minister, Lesley Griffiths AM, I received an entirely misleading response claiming there were to be no cuts. Yet I have produced figures to the contrary.

"The Welsh Government is maintaining investment in cash terms but not in real terms, so it will not keep up with inflation. It's a play on words. The budget is being cut

"The sad reality is we no longer have a National Health Service for Britain, but a series of regional health services where different rules apply. The NHS in Wales is entirely separate and controlled by the Welsh Government. Since devolution, we have faced growing waiting lists, less access to life-prolonging cancer drugs and poorer ambulance response times. Patients living in border areas such as Monmouth who would find it more convenient to be treated in English hospitals are often refused this right.

"I have published the figures on my website and hope that everyone who believes in the NHS in Wales will have a look at them, make the comparison with England, then write to the Welsh Health Minister and demand an explanation."