, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill: Evidence Session
There have been at least two meetings between myself, officials and the Member, and there's an ongoing offer that we've made to work together in relation to other ways of meeting the objectives of the Bill. But there have been meetings, yes.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill: Evidence Session
Yes, I do.
, Plenary
Debate on a Member's Legislative Proposal: A Bill on climate assurance for children and young people
Thank you for your proposal on a climate assurance Bill in education. Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing us as a global community. In order to ensure a greener, fairer, more prosperous Wales, everyone in Wales, including our children and…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Well, actually, learning loss, which, as you know, refers to learners falling behind academically during school breaks, is actually more prevalent during the summer break compared to any other break, and there's a huge amount of evidence to do that. This is…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Proposals around the structure of the school year are subject to a public consultation that was published on 21 November last year and runs until 12 February this year.
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
I thank Jane Dodds for that question. She will know from the discussions we've had in the Chamber today and previously that the challenge that the Government has faced has been to find the resources to meet our existing programmes of support and our existing…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
We recognise the cost-of-living crisis is putting schools under significant pressure and that there are no easy answers to resolving these issues. We've prioritised protecting core front-line public services, including schools, through protecting the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Well, as the Member will know, we already provide particular support for students who commit to serve in the NHS. We would always look at ways in which a joined-up approach across the Welsh Government's budget is able to meet our common ambitions, and I think…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Yes, we're very pleased to have been able to increase the education maintenance allowance, and as he will know, I don't need to remind him, in other parts of the UK, Conservative England have abolished that a long time ago. So, I think it's a very important…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Statutory student support remains available to eligible students commencing higher education in the academic year 2024-25. For younger learners in further education, we are maintaining our education maintenance allowance scheme at £40 per week and, for those…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Yes, I will absolutely give that assurance to Huw Irranca-Davies. He makes very important points. If you look through the budget, despite horrendously difficult choices that we've had to make—and all Ministers have been in that situation—we've been able to…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Yes, I'm certain it will be used for its purpose and I know that in a previous life I'm sure he would have welcomed the partnership approach and the collaborative approach that underpin the changes that we're making to these grants, so that we can work with…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Well, I will take the opportunity to state again that there is no cut to that budget.
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Supporting our most vulnerable learners and tackling the impacts of poverty on attainment is central to our national mission. Our draft budget seeks to protect funding for schools and for programmes like the pupil development grant, ensuring support is…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
I know that the Deputy Minister will have considered very, very carefully all the implications of the challenging budget settlement, including the effects on the national theatre. There are many, many ways in which our young people are able to access a range…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Well, can I thank the Member for the work that she has done—and has done for, I think, the entirety of her time in the Senedd—to promote the benefits of arts in health? It's an interest and a commitment that I share with her. It's great to hear about her…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
The expectation of the Curriculum for Wales is that all learners develop their creativity, and expressive arts is one of the six mandatory areas. Both the Creative Learning through the Arts programme and the National Music Service give learners important…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
I understand why the Member asks the question, but I don't agree that that's the impact of this. These bursaries are important, but they are in addition to a student support system that is among the most generous of any part of the UK. So, that's an important…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Well, these decisions are exceptionally difficult, and the challenge raised by the Member is fair. They are not easy decisions to make. The choice we have as Ministers is how we can use the scarce resources that we have and what will have the most positive…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Llywydd, I'll begin again, if I may, because I don't think the benches opposite heard this: school buildings crumbling in England compared to Wales; strikes in England in schools for seven days, compared to two days in Wales; education spending lower in…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Well, by the looks of the benches behind the Member, the fact that she's reading my speeches with quite such detail isn't doing her own leadership ambitions any good at all [Laughter.] She, as always, makes the comparison between Wales and England. England…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
I actually said that schools grants had been preserved, rather than increased, so let’s have some regard to what I actually said in response to your earlier questions. The truth is councils right across Wales, heads right across Wales, managing difficult…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Might I suggest the Member focus her scrutiny efforts on my current role as education Minister? Might I also suggest that she reads rather more closely what she’s been finding in LabourList? But I’m sure LabourList will be very pleased to hear the extent of…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
I thank Sarah Murphy for that question. Can I actually echo the point that she made about how central teaching assistants are to the provision of education in our schools? They do incredible work. When I became Minister, I met early on with groups of teaching…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
I thank James Evans for that question. We did have, I thought, a very productive discussion in the committee this morning in relation to this. He will recall that I outlined to him how important this is to me. Can I also take the opportunity of thanking…
