, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Thank you, Llywydd. The Welsh Government’s draft budget will make significant cuts to post-16 education, with some of the most prominent cuts to education being in funding for postgraduate studies. There is no doubt that moving to a loan-only system for…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24 - evidence session 2
Okay, thank you.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24 - evidence session 2
Can I just ask one further question regarding what you've mentioned about degree apprenticeships? You've mentioned that the funding for that would be ring-fenced again within the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales budget, and therefore, I take it, the…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24 - evidence session 2
Thank you. Thank you, Chair.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24 - evidence session 2
But it sends a message, doesn't it?
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24 - evidence session 2
And of course we haven't had the statement regarding your priorities for the new commission. We were supposed to have that before Christmas. So, can we take it that perhaps these areas aren't going to be part of that, in terms of what you want to refer the…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24 - evidence session 2
Yes. And specifically, you referred to bursaries. There were three bursaries that the Welsh Government provided, and you say again in your paper that you think cutting these Master's bursaries will have an impact specifically on women, because these bursaries…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24 - evidence session 2
Thank you. So, you accept that perhaps it will prevent some people from being able to choose to go further with their training and education in terms of having the expertise of a postgraduate qualification at Master's level and beyond.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24 - evidence session 2
Thank you. You then referred in your initial answers to grants, and the cuts to grants for post-16 education. The grants for postgraduate education after 2024-25 are going to be cut, and the support for students is going to be on the basis of loans only. So…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24 - evidence session 2
Catching up with the lack of investment is what that expenditure was, wasn't it, historically perhaps.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24 - evidence session 2
Thank you, Chair. Going after that element of post-16 education is what I want to do, because those cuts perhaps are clearer than the other reductions in other areas of the education budget. In your paper, and you referred to it there, you say that there will…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest
My husband is employed by Swansea University.
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Winter pressures in healthcare
Last week, Minister, as a result of the closure of wards in Morriston Hospital and the prevention of visits, I asked you about the recent advice from the World Health Organization to consider making mask wearing mandatory in health settings. It's a call…
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Child poverty and educational attainment
Thank you, Llywydd. I’d like to thank everybody who’s contributed to this debate this afternoon. Breaking the link between poverty and educational attainment is something that needs to be prioritised better if we want to see an increase in educational…
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Child poverty and educational attainment
We do, actually. Plaid Cymru do.
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Child poverty and educational attainment
Oh, great. Would you accept that international research demonstrates that universal free school meals, which have been introduced through co-operation with the Welsh Government in primary schools, is one of the key ways to reduce child poverty, or do you…
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Child poverty and educational attainment
You're calling us names and you won't take an intervention.
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Child poverty and educational attainment
Will you take an intervention?
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Child poverty and educational attainment
The children's commissioner is clear that there is a need to consider continued absence in the context of poverty, saying that tackling child poverty has to be a key driver in reducing absence. It was therefore worrying to hear her tell the Children, Young…
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Child poverty and educational attainment
'In some circumstances even people who are in receipt of benefits are not eligible for Welsh grants and allowances as their incomes are too high. The two benefits that demonstrate this best are the Schools Essentials Grant and Free School Meals (in secondary…
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Child poverty and educational attainment
To return to the point that I was talking about, the reason that I disagree with the statement by the Government that high-quality teaching and learning is the most important school-based factor in tackling the impact of poverty on attainment is, if a child…
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Child poverty and educational attainment
I completely agree, and that's why we need to make sure that we have housing justice and we have measures, of course, in the co-operation agreement to try and address that problem.
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Child poverty and educational attainment
While the measures listed in your amendment are welcome, of course, the statement that the Government believes that high-quality teaching and learning is the most important school-based factor in tackling the impact of poverty on attainment is a difficult one…
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Child poverty and educational attainment
Yes. Can I just finish my sentence?
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Child poverty and educational attainment
Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. Report after report has been noted and cited in this place regarding the impact of child poverty and the dire and urgent need to improve how the Government is tackling this, which prevents up to a third of our children from reaching…
