The right thing to do
There's a word we're starting to associate with this government and that word is 'free'.
Free prescriptions, free bus passes, free breakfasts, free car parking in hospitals. But don't be fooled by the latest decision taken by the One Wales Government and more particularly, the Health Minister, Edwina Hart.
It may contain the word 'free' but it doesn't belong to that growing list of freebies.
It's a decision, taken quietly and not announced loudly, to give failed asylum seekers access in Wales to free NHS treatment.
Asylum seekers have access to free treatment on the NHS in England and Wales. The same goes for failed asylum seekers who are appealing against the decision of the Home Office. But until now free healthcare has been cut off for failed asylum seekers who've been told they cannot stay in the country. If there's any delay in returning or sending them home and they need healthcare, they get it. But then if the Trust thinks it's reasonable, it sends in the debt collectors.
Now Edwina Hart has decided that's wrong. Why? Because "the mark of a civlised society is the way in which it treats all of its people, particularly the sick and dying".
Put simply "because she believes it is the right thing to do".
So if that's the 'right' thing to do, what are they doing in England?
Last month a test case at the High Court led to a judgement that it was unlawful to refuse free NHS treatment to all asylum seekers as a matter of course. The judge, Mr Justice Mitting decided there were circumstances in which a FAS - a Failed Asylum Seeker - could meet the criteria that would give him or her access to free healthcare. So no more saying 'no' to everyone. FASs are no longer "automatically chargable" to use NHS language.
But Mr Justice Mitting gave the UK government the right to appeal against that decision and last Tuesday, May 13th, they lodged that appeal in an attempt to overturn his judgement.
Why?
Because as a Department of Health spokesperson explained today ".. given the significance of the judgement and its potential wider implications, this is the right thing to do".
Taking a different line to the UK government on scrapping car parking charges is one thing. Telling them that while they want to stick to a system where failed asylum seekers are refused free healthcare, you are going ahead and giving them that free care because you believe 'it's the right thing to do' is quite another.
Because morally speaking, they can't both be right, can they?
UPDATE: Lots of views coming in here.
I'm Betsan Powys, BBC Wales' political editor. I'll be blogging the inside track on 
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When was the decision made by Edwina Hart?,or when was the decision made by the WAG as a whole. Seems incredible to me on a personal level as my proper government in Westminster has a different view on the subject and the spending of my taxes. If this is the policy for Wales then all assylum seekers will be coming here.If the WAG has this money to spend on non british people then why are so many welsh people having medical treatment "privately" rather that waiting on the long lists under the NHS.
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Thank heavens for living in Wales!! Good on you Edwina! Healthcare is fundamental human need, and it is great to see a Minister with an explicit set of ethical standards and values. I cannot imagine what it must feel like to have to flee from terror or a war-torn nation. But to then get to a 'civilised' country and than not be able to get access to a basic need, such as healthcare, would only stack-up my problems and lead to genuine dispair!!
I mean we are not talking about a large expense in the total round of public spending, so what's all the fuss about? Only good things can come from treating people well, or as you would like to be treated yourself.
So thanks Edwina for having the 'balls' to make a distinctive Welsh policy that should make us all proud to live in Wales. Mr Bevan would have stood shoulder to shoulder with you. And so do I!
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This is all about what type of country Wales wants to be known as. Caring, compassionate and without prejudice? or hard nosed, discriminatory and mean minded?
These people are by definition being returned home, they have no choice. Whilst they are here we must treat them decently and humanely. Would we really want to deny a failed asylum seeker ante natal care for her unborn child? Thats literally what it would mean if we followed
the Department of Health line. I don't think most people in Wales would want that or to be associated with it.
Edwina is an ethical socialist politician who is courageous, straight and acts on principle not expediency. It's a pity some of the Ministers outside Wales don't share the same qualities.
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