7. Plaid Cymru Debate: School Funding

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:10 pm on 13 June 2018.

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Photo of Kirsty Williams Kirsty Williams Liberal Democrat 6:10, 13 June 2018

Well, the Member, from a sedentary position, talks about promoting Welsh-medium education. I'm sure the Member is aware that we have a new fund directly for the expansion of Welsh-medium education places to support the Government's ambition for a million Welsh speakers by 2050. We have a specific fund exactly for that that local authorities are able to bid into, and I am pleased to say we have had significant interest from local authorities in accessing that additional capital funding programme that did not exist a year ago.

The forthcoming devolution of teachers' pay presents us with a real opportunity to do it right and do it well, and I am determined to ensure that Wales is an attractive place to come and teach, and to have a nationwide approach that best suits Wales's needs.

Now, Presiding Officer, I guess that out of courtesy I must turn to the Conservatives' amendment. If they can't even start by recognising that the budget for Wales has been reduced by over £1 billion, then I'm not sure that they've got a leg to stand on. Lee Waters, you are absolutely—[Interruption.] Lee Waters, you are absolutely right—the last time the Conservative group had the courage to publish an alternative budget in this Chamber, they proposed swingeing cuts to the education budget.

Presiding Officer—[Interruption.]