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Budget 2015: Plans 'assault' young people, says minister Budget 2015: Voters to 'see benefits' of Osborne's plans
(about 9 hours later)
George Osborne's Budget amounts to an assault on young people, the Welsh government's finance minister has said. People will "start to see the benefit" from tough decisions taken in Wednesday's Budget, according to Wales Office Minister Alun Cairns.
Jane Hutt attacked plans to scrap housing benefit for under 21 year olds, saying the young would be "hit hard". George Osborne's Budget has been criticised for cutting benefits, with Finance Minister Jane Hutt calling it an "assault" on younger people.
Mr Osborne also announced a compulsory living wage of £7.20 an hour from next April, rising to £9 by 2020. But Mr Cairns said tough choices were made "in the interests of the country".
Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb predicted the Budget would ensure a "sustainable and affordable long-term recovery for people in Wales". MPs have been debating the Budget in the Commons on Thursday.
The chancellor stressed his commitment to a funding floor for the Welsh government's annual grant from the Treasury, more powers for Wales and road and rail improvements. Mr Cairns told BBC Radio Wales the UK government was "determined to ensure those who work hard, those who play by the system, start to benefit now because it's been so tough over some recent years".
But Ms Hutt told BBC Wales some of his other measures would make young people suffer. "We took some difficult decisions over the last five years - they weren't all popular," he said.
"But at the election I think people recognised that they were in the interests of the country.
"Further difficult decisions were taken yesterday, but people will start to see the benefit."
In Wednesday's Budget the chancellor stressed his commitment to a funding floor for the Welsh government's annual grant from the Treasury, more powers for Wales and road and rail improvements.
But Ms Hutt said some of his other measures would make young people suffer.
"Particularly worrying and bad is the assault on young people," she said."Particularly worrying and bad is the assault on young people," she said.
"The fact that young people - 18 to 21-year-olds - who of course want to 'earn or learn' as he says, are going to have their housing benefit taken away from them or not be eligible for it automatically."The fact that young people - 18 to 21-year-olds - who of course want to 'earn or learn' as he says, are going to have their housing benefit taken away from them or not be eligible for it automatically.
"I think young people are going to be hit hard by this Budget.""I think young people are going to be hit hard by this Budget."
However Mr Crabb insisted the balance the chancellor had struck was in the best interests of Wales. Mr Osborne also announced a compulsory living wage of £7.20 an hour from next April, rising to £9 by 2020.
"Because of the tough decisions taken in the last parliament to get the national finances back under control, we can achieve a smoother path for the next five years," he said.
"This means we can continue to provide help for those who need it whilst at the same time supporting people back into employment by making sure work pays."