Thank you to the Cabinet Secretary for her statement this afternoon and for the way that she’s engaged in giving briefings to opposition Members in respect of her plans. I’m delighted to see that Professor Hazelkorn’s recommendations have been supported and taken on board and, as we have done in the past, I think it’s important that we move together on this as a nation because we need to get it absolutely right. The Cabinet Secretary will be aware that I’m a firm believer that education underpins how Wales responds to the new challenges of the future, and it’s very important that we recognise also that education is a lifelong journey and that people’s careers and personal aspirations will change, possibly, over time, with people going from one career to another, and education is absolutely key to helping to make that happen.

I’ve obviously got a few questions on the statement that she’s made this afternoon. First of all, in relation to the commission’s functions, I’m very pleased to see some clarity in terms of the functions that you want the commission to fulfil, but I do note that one of those functions includes quality assessment and enhancement. I just wonder to what extent some of these functions might overlap with some of the functions of the other statutory bodies that we already have in Wales. So, in terms of the quality of education, of course, we have Qualifications Wales, we have organisations like Estyn that will also have some role to play, particularly in further education institutions. So, I think it is important that we’ve got clarity on this, going forward, so that we don’t have too many cooks spoiling the broth, really, when it comes to our education system—our post-compulsory education system.

I also note that the commission’s going to have this responsibility in terms of investing in research and innovation, and I think that it’s right that it has that role to play, because we all know that there are lots of commercial reasons why people should be investing in research and innovation, and sometimes there’s research and innovation that is going to require investment that has to come from the public sector, or has to be supplemented by the public sector. So, it’s absolutely right that the commission has got this role. But clearly, particularly with those commercial opportunities, it will be important to ensure that people with sufficient commercial expertise and experience have a role to play on that new commission, and I note that you’ve referred to the need for business people, if you like, to get involved in HEFCW in the interim period, but I would be grateful to know what sort of shape that board—this new commission—will have, and what engagement you expect it to have with the commercial sector, particularly in terms of that research and innovation.

You refer to the three proposed models that are outlined in the White Paper, and I think they’re three interesting models: the registration and provider model, the outcome agreements model, and the regional compact model. But I see no reason, actually, why they need to be three separate models. I think that elements of all three, personally, should be within the remit of the commission. I think it’s absolutely appropriate that, obviously, HE and FE providers and other trainers are registered with the new commission. I think it’s entirely appropriate that, in return for the public investment that they receive, there should be some outcome agreements around that, that they can be held to account to. And I think also, particularly with the FE sector, that there ought to be regional compacts about what you expect them to be delivering on the ground. So, I don’t think it should be an either/or in terms of those options. I actually think that elements from all three should be included, in terms of how the commission operates, going forward. I’d appreciate, Cabinet Secretary, whether you could tell us whether that is something that you’ve also considered, or whether you are wedded to this either/or approach that is set out in the White Paper.

I noted your comments in respect of the UK approach to research and innovation as well. You seem to be suggesting that an England model would be muscled, if you like, upon the rest of the UK, going forward. I don’t see any evidence that that would be the case at all, actually, and I think that it’s entirely appropriate that we have UK models in terms of research and innovation sometimes, so that our Welsh universities, which have expertise in things like engineering and medical sciences, should rise to the top and actually receive investment on a UK-wide level. So, I’m not sure why you’re ultra-cautious about that. I think it is appropriate that we have some UK-wide mechanisms in terms of investment in our research, and I’d appreciate it if you could point me to some evidence to substantiate the concerns that you have about Wales’s research voice, if you like, being drowned out by this new approach that might be taken at a UK level.

Just also on the subject of student voice, I’m very pleased to hear you make reference to the fact that students’ voices must be listened to, and obviously there has been some progress in terms of student representation in governance structures, and I acknowledge that, in recent years. But, I think it’s also important to note that there are different voices within the student bodies of organisations that also need to be heard. The voice of adult learners and the voice of part-time learners are very often drowned out by the voice of full-time learners. I wonder what assurances you can give us that the new commission will have to listen to the varied voices of the student community, so that it can get things right for all learners, not just those who are full time.

Finally, if I can just turn to sixth forms, I am very cautious about this body having any remit and responsibility for sixth-form education; I believe that that sits best with those local education authorities. Clearly, there are some parts of Wales where there are arrangements in place for tertiary education between local authorities and further education providers in a different way to the traditional school sixth-form model, but why should we intervene in something that is working for many learners and provides that choice for many learners across Wales? I don’t think that it’s right at all—I don’t think that the evidence supports this—that we ought to move forward with sixth forms being part of the remit of that new commission.