16/09/2014 BBC Wales Today

Wales could continue to be ?300 million a year worse off,

as a result of a promise made to Scotland by the leaders of

That's the warning tonight after David Cameron, Ed Miliband

and Nick Clegg pledged to keep the method for allocating money to

the UK's devolved nations in place IF Scotland rejects independence.

It may sound like something dreamt up in a room full of test tubes and

colourful concoctions like this high-tech ice cream parlour in

Cardiff, but the Barnett formula was almost created on the back of an

envelope. So says the man who devised it. Lord Barnett came up

with a funding system in the late 1970s to provide a short-term method

for deciding how much money should be given to the various parts of the

UK. At 35 years later, it is still firmly in place. This is the Barnett

formula, it may look complicated, it is one of the reasons it has lasted

so long, it is relatively easy to calculate. It does have its critics,

which they it leaves Scotland overfunded and Wales short-changed.

A couple of years ago, the average public expenditure per head was

nearly ?9,000, but in Scotland it was more than ?10,100. Here in

Wales, it was more than ?9,500, and in Northern Ireland, nearly ?11,000

was spent on each citizen. We are about 14% per head better off than

basic spending in England. What the formula does not take into account

is the cost to providing services here in Wales. High levels of

poverty, low levels of population, which makes clear and education much

more expensive to provide than in England. Others warn new needs

-based formula will not be the best option for Wales. If you open that

can of worms, who knows what will happen? I am not persuaded that

Wales would automatically win. There are extremely poor areas of

England. Wales might not necessarily win. In their attempts to convince

Scottish Borders to reject independence, the three main UK

parties have now promised to keep the Barnett formula if Scotland

votes Now on the Barnett formula if Scotland

frustrated people in Wales, who have long campaigned for a new and fairer

funding system. Between 2010 and 2020, Wales will lose

funding system. Between 2010 and billion to public services if the

Barnett formula is fixed. Is the First Minister suggesting today that

this announcement is not the whole truth? If so, do the people of Wales

not deserve to know today what the future holds further public

services? First Minister, in short, we are is your piece of paper, your

vote? As Ed Miliband and I have said, an incoming Labour government

will address the issue of fair funding for Wales. We have said that

publicly for some months, our position has not changed. Reform may

be on its way, but the political reality in Wales is that we may have

to accept at face -- our place in the queue, while the people of

Scotland decide what they want. Lord Barnett has tonight

called for the formula He's called it 'grossly unfair' and

will call for a debate on its future Two men have gone on trial

in Cardiff accused of forcing a vulnerable man to work for them

against his will and without pay. Darell Simister from Worcestershire

was found last year, in poor health, at the farm

on the outskirts of Newport, Timid and vulnerable, that is home

Darell Simister was described in court today. The man, now 44, who

disappeared 13 years ago, and was found last year in such a state his

family said they hardly recognised him. The men accused of keeping him

on a farm against his will at father and son, Daniel senior and Daniel

junior. Today the junior were told -- the jury were told that Darell

Simister first came in contact with the family when he was picked up at

the side of the road by the father and offered a few days' work tarmac

in. But it is alleged he was taken to the farm on the outskirts of

Newport, where he remained for the next 13 years. Working for no pay.

Police arrested the father and son in September last year after Darell

Simister's family had been looking for him for

Simister's family had been looking traced him to the farm, and his

brother went there and find him. Today the court heard that duelling

his time on the farm he had lived in a shed, worked for no pay, got his

food once a day and watched in an animal trough. It is said he worked

from 7am until 9pm animal trough. It is said he worked

week. And all those years, left only two or three times. Once he was

taken to a fear and once to Cardiff on New Year's Eve. It was alleged

that on one occasion, he had fallen from a horse onto a concrete floor

and fractured his hip. When he was taken to hospital two days later, he

was told to give a false name and false story to the doctors. On

another occasion, it was said after a fire he ran away. But he was

brought back. He told police, he promised to eat less and the damage

was paid for. Both defendants deny the charge of requiring another

person to perform forced or compulsory labour. The case is

expected to take up to six weeks. Police have been given more time

to question a man arrested on suspicion of the murder

of a 45-year-old woman in Mold. Paramedics were called to help

Karen Catherall Police say

a full investigation is underway and are appealing for anyone with

information to contact them. Football, and Cardiff City have been

beaten 1-0 at home by Middlesbrough in the Championship tonight,

just three days after In League Two, Newport County had

a goalless draw away at Tranmere, while in the Conference, Wrexham

beat leaders Barnet 1-0 away. Rugby, and the Cardiff Blues say

they'd be interested in re-signing Leigh Halfpenny if his contract is

terminated at Toulon. The Wales fullback moved to

the French Champions in the summer Toulon's owner has told a newspaper

that they haven't ruled out They're investigating

whether he was already injured E look at the weather forecast.

The warm September continues, 24 Celsius in parts of Pembrokeshire

today. More warm weather with the risk of showers as well. Largely

dry, maybe one or two showers in the north-east. Mist and fog patches

forming, especially in sheltered valleys, mild as well. Overnight

lows between 11 and 15 Celsius. Turning into a dry and largely

bright day tomorrow for Wales. Across the UK, low cloud and fog

quite slow to lift. Especially east along the North Sea coast. Showers

becoming readily available in the East. Warming up across the south of

England into the low to mid 20s. Another warm day across Wales,

bright afternoon with sunny spells. A very small risk of an isolated

shower, temperatures in the 20s for most. The chart shows low pressure

off Portugal edging a bit closer on Thursday, turning increasingly

humid, bringing a greater chance of showers. Mostly settled and warm

with sunny spells, at those showers edging closer to the south later in

the afternoon, and that humid, unstable are brings us another warm

day, with a risk of heavy showers on Friday. Sunny at times and feeling

quite muggy. In the Atlantic, high pressure builds for the end of the

week, and into the weekend. Things settling down again. Warm weather

over the next few days, temperatures widely into the low to mid 20s. The

humid air could give us a greater chance of showers by the end of the

week. You can keep up-to-date with the details on the forecast, and

watch the video forecast online, on the website.

Thank you very much. Tomorrow, please join me live from Edinburgh

with a special Wales Today on the eve of the referendum. As well as

following the final day of campaigning, we will meet up with

Welsh expats to see how they are reporting. And assessing the impact

Yes vote would have on Welsh businesses. That is tomorrow at

6:30pm. Crimewatch is next. We are back at 6am tomorrow morning, Wales

Today, from all of us on the programme, good night.