PRIME minister Boris Johnson said he will direct how money raised by his UK-wide 1.25 per cent National Insurance hike is spent in Wales.

The prime minister made the comments while making a statement to the House of Commons on his plans to abandon his pledge not to raise the main rates of tax by announcing a new UK-wide 1.25 per cent health and social care levy based on National Insurance contributions.

He confirmed the rise will apply to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Addressing MPs in the House of Commons, the prime minister said: "While Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own systems, we will direct money raised through the levy to their health and care services."

Health and care is devolved to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with funding allocated by the countries' respective governments based on block grants paid to the devolved governments.

The Welsh Government does not have control of setting National Insurance rates.

Wales will receive a share of extra money for health and social care raised from the rise, with Johnson saying Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland would share £2.2 billion a year between them.

Ian Blackford, the SNP's leader in Westminster immediately pounced on the prime minister's comments, saying: "Health is devolved to the Scottish government, the Prime Minister can get his mitts off our health system."

The Welsh Government has not yet said what the Prime Minister's plans mean for care reform in Wales. 

Plaid Cymru’s treasury spokesperson in Westminster, Ben Lake and health spokesperson in the Senedd, Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, have issued a warning that the UK Government’s plans to fund social care in England will “unfairly put the onus on working people and disproportionately impact those on the lowest income.”

The pair have expressed concern that the rise is being used to fund an English policy, and called for urgent clarity on the budgetary implications for Wales.

Mr Lake and Mr ap Iorwerth also said that the Welsh Government has “no more excuses to further delay its plans”, given that they had previously claimed that they would “go alone” if the UK Government’s plans were not forthcoming.

This article originally appeared on our sister site The National.