Prime minister attacks Labour's NHS record in Wales

Another question time, another prime ministerial attack on the Welsh government's running of the NHS.

Monmouth Tory MP David Davies lit the blue touchpaper, raising again the case of his constituent Mariana Robinson.

He asked the prime minister: "My constituent Mariana Robson is seeking the right to be treated by the English-run NHS. Would you investigate what can be done to help her and other NHS refugees who are seeking the higher standards and lower waiting times which are being delivered by this Government?"

David Cameron replied: "Frankly, what we have in our NHS in Wales is a scandal, and it's a scandal that's entirely the responsibility of the Labour party who are running the Welsh assembly government.

"They made the decision to cut NHS spending by 8% in Wales; as a result, they have not met an A&E target since 2009."

And turning to Labour leader Ed Miliband, he said: "If he had any gumption, if he had any backbone, he would get hold of the first minister in Wales and tell him to start investing in the NHS in Wales."

That is approximately the 30th time David Cameron has referred to the Welsh NHS during question time, although the first since Labour launched its "fightback" on the issue.

UPDATE: A spokesman for First Minister Carwyn Jones said: "This is simply the latest chapter in the Tory War on Wales.

"The prime minister was asked another planted question to give another scripted attack on the Welsh NHS.

"The Tories have slashed the Welsh budget by £1.7bn, despite this we're still spending more per capita on health than they do in England.

"The prime minister needs to spend more time focusing on the ongoing scandals in the English NHS, rather than relying on these woeful distraction techniques.

"In relation to the actual question on cross-border care - every day thousands of English patients get their care in the Welsh NHS and vice versa. These matters are properly managed by clinicians. "

"The Tories seem hell-bent on creating an iron curtain between two health systems that work well together on a daily basis. That is a matter of regret."