Part of 1. 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education – in the Senedd at 1:54 pm on 4 October 2017.
Let me be absolutely clear, because I’m not quite sure if the Member understands. All students in Wales next year will qualify for a £1,000 non-repayable grant. For students from our poorest backgrounds, they will have the equivalent of a living wage whilst they study to pay for the very accommodation that you just talked about. This is the most progressive system anywhere in Europe. You are right: there are issues around how we can support students to use their resources appropriately. That’s why we are working with the Student Loans Company to see whether we could introduce those grants on a monthly basis rather than having simply a big cheque at the beginning of the year.