GORDON Brown said yesterday he was helpless to intervene in the row over the Assem-bly's decision to ring-fence his £22m windfall for Wales for social care.

Monmouth MP Huw Edwards confronted the Chancellor when they both arrived for Prime Minister's Questions at the House of Commons.

He protested at the decision by Welsh Local Government Minister Sue Essex to ringfence most of the £22 million extra announced by Mr Brown in the pre-budget statement to reduce bed-blocking.

Mr Brown had yielded to pleas from local government leaders to provide an extra £450 million for England and Wales to head off sky-high council tax bills in the financial year 2004/5.

Wales got an extra £22 million, and Peter Hain, the Welsh secretary, asked the Assembly to hand over the money to councils - which is what happened in England.

But Ms Essex this week announced that £19.5 million of the £22 million would go towards alleviating the problem of bed-blocking.

Mr Edwards asked the Chancellor to intervene after David Waring, leader of Monmouthshire county council, warned the increase in county spending was likely to be 10.5 per cent - rather than 8.5 per cent had the county received the £500,000 it expected from the £22 million allocation.

Mr Edwards told the Argus: "I asked the Chancellor whether it was his intention the extra money should go direct to cushion council tax rises, and he said that had been his intention. But he said it was up to the Assembly how it allocated it."

Mr Edwards also outlined his objection in a formal letter of protest to the Chancellor, which he delivered yesterday.

Mr Edwards told the Chancellor: "I would be grateful if you would examine the way your announcement in the pre-budget statement is being implemented in Wales and consider whether it fulfils the aim you had in mind."

Welsh Secretary Mr Hain has defended the Assembly's decision by claiming the money had to be paid in a special grant as the local government settlement had already been announced.