Well, the fact is that, overall, there is 20 per cent more spending in Wales and that has been secured under a fiscal construct agreed by the Westminster Government. If you want to compare spending levels in Wales and England, the big difference is—and we heard some of this earlier—that local government does have higher allocations in Wales—I'd question how efficiently that money is used in many local authorities—and then we have seen cuts in the health service that we haven't seen in England in real terms. And then we have this very significant gap in education spending. Labour, you must decide what your priorities are, and if education is less of a priority for you in Wales than it is for the Conservatives in England, and than we would like to make it in Wales, then that is the situation.

We're also seeing reduced choice in post-16 education. In my region of South Wales East the trend is for all post-16 education in a local authority to be provided by one further education institution. I don't criticise particular establishments, but there are many reasons why you might want to attend an A-level specific institution, continue into a school sixth-form or not wish to attend a particular college. Unless students are willing to travel long distances out of their council area for education, that choice is too often being removed from them.

We must not limit the ability of children in Wales to fulfil their potential and to chase their own dreams and ambitions. We need a recognition from Welsh Government that the current levels of funding are not sufficient to maintain an education system on a par with the rest of the UK, let alone a better one to which we would all aspire. We need serious and decisive action now if we are to rescue our creaking education system. It is time the education Secretary looked beyond the Labour benches if she wants to provide it.