Cross border differences

Adrian Masters The Politics Show Wales

No longer a sight for hospital car parks in Wales

Life can be very different on either side of the Wales / England border. But with these differences, is there a danger of putting ideology before the welfare?

When is a border not a border? When it is the dividing line between Wales and England.

Of course, there is no physical barrier between the two nations, despite the best efforts of King Offa and some of the Marcher Lords.

But since the advent of the Assembly in 1999, devolution has meant that even if there are no checkpoints or passport controls, there is a marked difference in the way things are done on either side of the border.

Last week, that became abundantly clear when the Assembly Government moved to make car parking at hospitals free.

This is something widely welcomed across Wales and reported with envy by some English newspapers.

Ministerial row

Ben Bradshaw critical of Welsh Health Service

But the UK Health Minister, Ben Bradshaw, had a different view.

He criticised the decision, saying it should not be a priority and went on to list a series of failings as he saw it with the Welsh health service.

That was, in turn, dismissed by the Welsh Health Minister, Edwina Hart, as "sour grapes".

An unusual row at ministerial level perhaps, but the cross-border issue is one that is causing a lot of tension at all levels.

In 2007, we discussed the concerns of the AM Karen Sinclair who told us the Assembly Government needed to build stronger links with services in England or risk alienating people living in border areas.

Ideology before welfare?

Which side of the border for a better service?

And in the last week, MPs on the Welsh Affairs committee have begun an inquiry into the matter.

They heard from the Bishop of Monmouth who accused the Assembly Government of putting ideology before the welfare of patients in the running of the NHS.

And that is what gets to the heart of the row - the feeling that ministers in Cardiff Bay are more concerned about keeping services in Wales than making life easier for patients who live nearer English hospitals than Welsh.

And health is only one of the dividing lines in this argument - it encompasses transport links, education and other services too.

Our reporter, Bethan James, has been finding out how cross-border issues are making some people just... cross.

The Politics Show for Wales, with Jon Sopel and Adrian Masters on Sunday 09 March at 12:00 GMT on BBC One.

If you want to have your say, you can call 0845 300 90 10, or e-mail via the website.

... Or write to: The Politics Show, Room 1060, BBC Wales, Llandaff, Cardiff. CF5 2YO

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