TAKING the axe to public sector jobs in Wales as an easy way to save cash was rejected today by the First Minister.

Carwyn Jones said that compulsory redundancy should be the option of "last resort’’ when looking at how to make savings.

He said he had already made it clear to local authorities across Wales that job cuts should be looked at last.

Mr Jones was speaking at the weekly First Minister's Questions exchange in Cardiff.

His words came in reply to Leanne Wood, the Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales Central.

She began by asking the First Minister whether he had made an assessment of the impact of any proposed UK Government public spending cuts on Wales.

"Well, our budgets for 2010 to 2012 were confirmed in the UK Budget in March,’’ Mr Jones said.

"The Assembly has obviously approved the spending plans from 2010 to 2011.

"It is right to say that we face some very challenging budget settlements. It will be a challenging year next year.

"But what we are doing as a Government is to go through the budget line by line in order to examine what we think are our priorities and what area may not attract funding in years to come.’’ The Plaid AM then asked what he thought of recent research predicting public spending cuts in Wales between 2011 and 2014 could cause 45,000 job losses.

She added: "Now 45,000 jobs losses in Wales would obviously be devastating to individual families and communities but also the Welsh economy as a whole. Do you have a view on this research.’’ Mr Jones said: "Well I have seen lots of research with various different figures.

"But the message I have given clearly to local authorities in all the public sector, and this includes us as an Assembly Government, is that every way to achieve savings should be done before considering compulsory redundancies.

"That is the very last resort. No public body in Wales should be thinking about compulsory redundancies as the first, or indeed the easiest way of saving money.

"There are many areas where efficiencies could be made, compulsory redundancy should be the very last item on the list.’’