7. What is the Welsh Government’s response to the latest NUS research highlighting that the highest university dropout rate is amongst working class students? OAQ52076

The Welsh Government recognises the financial barriers that can stop people entering higher education. That is why, following the Diamond review, we have reformed student support, so that new full-time and part-time undergraduate students are entitled to support equivalent to the national living wage whilst they study.

The National Union of Students report 'Class dismissed: Getting in and getting on in further and higher education' is, I think, an important contribution to a debate that needs to concern us all, because, in light of these drop-out figures and the skills challenge that are posed by the fourth industrial revolution, we need to be raising the skills base of all our young people to respond to the uncertainties of the job market ahead. I'm somewhat concerned that we still have quite a big difference in the numbers of young people achieving degrees in Wales, compared with, for example, the south-east of England: 26.5 per cent in Wales compared with just over 32 per cent in the south-east of England. I just wondered how the Welsh Government can address this, because it's clearly amongst working class young people that we need to be getting them to take up further education.

Yes, absolutely. Our new student finance package is supported by the National Union of Students in Wales, and answers many of the questions raised by the review in England. It's the most generous in the UK, and it's designed to give more help towards living costs by providing the equivalent to the national living wage through a mix of non-repayable grants and loans. This means students can focus on their studies rather than worrying about making ends meet.

Wales was the first country in Europe to provide equivalent living cost support in grants and loans to full-time and part-time undergraduates, as well as postgraduates. The total amount of full-time student support awarded for the academic year 2015-16 was £797.5 million, which is an increase of 7 per cent on the previous year. Our recent performance data suggests retention rates for undergraduate higher education students in Wales are improving. Data for Wales for full-time first degree young entrants from low-participation areas shows a reduction in withdrawal rates from 9.1 per cent in the 2015-16 data to 7.6 per cent in the 2016-17 data. Because, as Jenny Rathbone correctly identifies, it's not just getting into university; it's staying there and being able to concentrate on your studies and not be undermined or disadvantaged by having to work through your student life in a way that's unfair and disadvantages you in your future endeavours. So, our support package is absolutely designed to do just that, because we want to support those communities who have the brightest children, from whatever their background, to make sure that they can be the very best person that they can possibly be.