Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Education – in the Senedd at 2:33 pm on 21 October 2020.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Siân Gwenllian Siân Gwenllian Plaid Cymru 2:33, 21 October 2020

(Translated)

Thank you, Llywydd. May I begin with the financial situation of our universities as a result of the health crisis? I'm aware that there is support being provided by the investment and resilience fund for higher education. It appears that the applications need to be in by the last day of this month, which is within the firebreak period. And, of course, universities will have additional requirements as a result of the firebreak lockdown, which begins very soon, particularly with regard to assistance with track and trace and emotional and mental well-being.

The support is being divided between assistance to individual universities and an allocation for co-operative investment. Under the new circumstances, will you think again about extending the time available to universities to make their applications? But also, will you think about changing the way that this funding is allocated, so that you amend the financial allocation process to ensure that the funding is prioritised for that urgent assistance to individual universities, rather than for the collaborative investment?