Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Education and Welsh Language – in the Senedd at 2:43 pm on 11 January 2023.
Thank you very much. Many of us were present at the rally organised by the National Union of Students Wales on the Senedd steps in December, and I know, Minister, that you called by to speak to the students, who told us terrifying stories about their difficulties with the cost of transport, energy bills, rent, food bills, and so on. And I've raised with you before how FE and HE students and those in training are being impacted in a unique way by the cost-of-living crisis, because they're not eligible for the majority of support payments available and they're not in a situation to be able to increase their income. And so, it was disappointing that the Welsh Government's draft budget didn't tackle this, despite the serious impact of increased costs on students. Minister, how will the Government ensure that students and post-16 learners of all kinds will be supported beyond the funding support package?
And focusing on apprenticeships particularly, with an increasing number of young people being drawn into national minimum wage posts or national living wage posts without training, what is the Welsh Government doing to support apprentices during the cost-of-living crisis, particularly those on the national minimum wage for apprentices of only £4.81 an hour?