Bethan Jenkins AC/AM Blog

A FEW weeks ago on this blog I promised to raise the question with Jane Hutt AM as to whether the Welsh Government would be taking part in the UK Government’s review of student fees.

I did this last week during a debate on the Higher Education strategy but, from the Minister’s response, it is clear to me that she is not taking part in the process. Considering that Welsh students will be impacted upon by any proposed changes to the system, I would have thought that the Minister would be taking an active role in it. I intend to write to the Students Unions in Wales following on from this to see what their opinions are in relation to this.

Here’s the question -

Bethan Jenkins: You will be aware of the announcement made by the UK Government at the beginning of the month that Lord Bourne will chair a new review into higher education and students fees on a UK level. Will you be taking part in this consultation, as a Welsh Minister, because a number of Welsh students will be affected by a possible hike in fees? Is there any way in which the Assembly strategy will change, specifically with regard to the graduate recruitment scheme and the bursary scheme, if higher fees are introduced on a UK level?

Jane Hutt: I assure you, Bethan, that the announcements that I made in March or June on the redirection of student finance, the abolition or the phasing out of the tuition fee grant, on a fairer and more equitable national bursary scheme, a new scheme to offer a measure of debt relief to students, and the graduate employment scheme, are all essential parts of the delivery of this plan for Wales.

On another note, I should congratulate Carwyn Jones for being elected as leader of the Labour party in Wales. He’s not First Minister yet, for all those twitterers and Facebook status updaters who are adamant that he is already in the post.

Clearly, Carwyn Jones has to restore trust with Plaid Ministers, which came into question last week following the statement from Peter Hain and Rhodri Morgan on the referendum, when he becomes First Minister. I don’t think we will be ready to take on any dithering or stalling on this most important matter from the Labour party, especially considering that it is written in black and white in the One Wales agreement. It’s Carwyn Jones’ duty to show leadership, and to take the Labour party with him in campaigning for a yes vote.

What was good to see, however, was the media coverage of the election of Carwyn Jones as leader. Today, I believe he was on the Daily Politics show. Nonetheless, coverage of Welsh matters should be a given, not only when there are events of significance in Wales.

I am off to prepare my short debate on opencast mining that I am delivering today as a short debate  in the Siambr. You can join me by watching it on Senedd TV.