Group 11. Higher Education in FEIs (Amendments 38, 43)

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:33 pm on 21 November 2017.

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Photo of Llyr Gruffydd Llyr Gruffydd Plaid Cymru 6:33, 21 November 2017

I share those concerns, I have to say. You say that you were clear all along—my understanding all along was that the focus was on the institution, and not the type of provision that was in place. Certainly, there's been no evidence calling to exclude higher education within further education institutions, and certainly we haven't had the level of debate and discussion that I would have hoped we would have had, had I known that this was coming at this very late stage.

Indeed, my understanding was that the Bill wasn't extended to cover higher education in universities because of the governance structures of HE institutions, and since the systems and structures are in place for further education institutions to provide individual development plans, it's illogical, in my view, not to utilise this for the benefit of all learners at the further education institution, regardless of which course they're undertaking. So, I would urge Members to vote against these amendments, because I don't think it's right.