Following on from the theme explored by Helen Mary Jones, but almost certainly not as eloquently as she has put it, I wanted to discuss the governance of the institutions that are charged with delivering our higher education. Whilst we acknowledge the financial crisis now faced by the higher education sector and regret the substantial job losses over the last few years, we also have to realise that, being autonomous, the higher education sector has been responsible for their own financial governance. Two motions, one by Plaid and one by the Conservatives, have acknowledged the enormously high salaries awarded to vice-chancellors. One has to ask: is this indicative of the general financial controls exercised by the sector? All the institutions in the sector now control enormous sums of money. What scrutiny is applied to their financial decisions? We are all aware of the controversy with regard to the vice chancellor of Swansea University, and yet the details of the inquiry are scant, and they were also late in producing their annual accounts.

We accept the importance of the autonomous nature of these institutions, both in Wales and in the UK in general, but surely we should be able to scrutinise their financial probity, given that HEFCW is the Welsh Government body responsible for funding higher education. The education Minister has already set out how she wants universities to contribute to the Welsh Government's civic mission, and we understand that Welsh universities are responding to the standards she has set for them. Why can't this be done for the financial sustainability and good governance of the universities? We are sympathetic to the financial difficulties now faced by universities, but we are also mindful of the need to make sure that public funds are spent in the most cost-effective manner.

I wish lastly to address the comments made by Bethan Sayed with regard to the fall in foreign students. It is the uncertainty that now surrounds Brexit that stops students coming here, and that uncertainty can be placed firmly at the door of the remainers not accepting the democratic vote, particularly by the Welsh people.