Peter Hain says Holyrood has given Scotland no advantage over Wales

Peter Hain said the Welsh dragon had outperformed the Scottish lion in economic terms.

Jack McConnell's spokesman said the first minister was untroubled by the remarks.

Mr Hain said he could see no grounds for extending Welsh devolutionary powers to mirror those in Scotland.

Changes to the framework of the Welsh Assembly are expected to be recommended by the Richard Commission, which is to report later this year.

It has been canvassing the opinions of members of the public in Wales about how the assembly could be improved.

An increase in the number of assembly members from 60 to 80 is thought likely to form part of its proposals.

But more controversial would be an extension of the assembly's law-making and tax-varying powers, to bring it in line with Holyrood.

I'm pointing out, simply on economic terms... that Wales has done better under its existing settlement Peter Hain

For his part, Mr Hain said that a Scottish-style parliament is not on the agenda.

Speaking on Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme, he said the relative economic performance of Scotland and Wales does not support the case for radical change.

Mr Hain said: "I'm pointing out, simply on economic terms... that Wales has done better under its existing settlement.

"I'm also pointing out that a recent opinion poll showed there was just as much scepticism among the Scottish public about the Scottish Parliament as there is in Wales about the Welsh Assembly.

'Political will'

"Politics is not very popular at the moment."

A spokeswoman for Mr McConnell said: "He has spoken to Peter Hain today, and Peter Hain reassured him he meant no criticism of Scottish devolution or Scottish ministers.

"In fact he thinks we are doing a good job."

On the two countries' economic performances she said Wales could be faring better than Scotland because it was less reliant on electronics manufacturing, which had suffered from a global downturn.

"They are coming from a lower base. It's a different situation altogether," she said.

"Peter Hain said there was no criticism - it's a different way of running things."

Angus Robertson challenged Mr Hain

But Scottish Socialist Party leader Tommy Sheridan said the executive should adopt the Welsh Assembly's positive approach.

Mr Sheridan said: "The Welsh Assembly has put into place some radical measures that the executive could very easily implement if they had the political will to do so.

"Policies such as the provision of free breakfasts to all primary school children and the abolition of prescription charges are the kind of progressive policies the executive refuses to even contemplate.

"In stark contrast, the executive seems determined to prevent any kind of progressive change in Scotland."

In the Commons, Mr Hain said his comments had been "completely misrepresented" and spun to suggest he was criticising Labour colleagues in Scotland.

Mr Hain - who is also Commons Leader - told MPs: "This is another bit of nationalist spin joined by the Scottish press and the broadcasting authorities who completely misrepresented, as I'm afraid all too often they do, what goes on in the Scottish Executive and the leadership of the Labour Party in Scotland.

"I've made it perfectly clear to those in Wales who want a Scottish parliamentary solution and alternative to what the democratic settlement is at the present time, that if they want that settlement they'd have to have a referendum.

'Done very well'

"There were tax-varying powers on which the people of Scotland voted in a referendum in 1997, so there would have to be a referendum on that.

"And since Scotland has had its own legal system for many years and Wales doesn't there is an issue there as to whether it is appropriate."

"In my view Scotland under the Scottish Parliament has done very well.

Mr Hain had been replying to Scottish National Party MP Angus Robertson, who said: "Is now not the right time to debate expanding the powers of the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh National Assembly?"

He said that might give Mr Hain an opportunity "to expand on his damaging indictment of the Scottish Executive."