Concise Minutes - Children, Young People, and Education Committee

Meeting Venue:

Hybrid - Committee room 3 Senedd and video conference via Zoom
Meeting date: Wednesday, 4 February 2026

Meeting time: 09.30 - 12.14
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/15862

Hybrid

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Attendance

Category	Names
Members of the Senedd:	Buffy Williams MS (Chair) Natasha Asghar MS Cefin Campbell MS Vaughan Gething MS Carolyn Thomas MS
Witnesses:	Lynne Neagle MS, Cabinet Secretary for Education Vikki Howells MS, Minister for Further and Higher Education Nicola Edwards, Welsh Government Georgina Haarhoff, Welsh Government Ruth Meadows, Welsh Government Hannah Wharf, Welsh Government
Committee Staff:	Naomi Stocks (Clerk) Leah Whitty (Second Clerk) Sarah Bartlett (Deputy Clerk) Jennifer Cottle (Legal Adviser) Sian Thomas (Researcher) Lucy Yarham (Researcher) Michael Dauncey (Researcher)

<AI1>

1 Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

1.1 The Chair welcomed Members to the meeting of the Children, Young People and Education Committee.

1.2 Apologies were received from Russell George MS, there was no substitute.

1.3 The Minister for Further and Higher Education declared that a close family member is studying at Swansea University.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2 General scrutiny session with the Welsh Government - Education

2.1 Members scrutinised the Cabinet Secretary for Education and the Minister for Further and Higher Education. They agreed to provide the following:

- The evaluation report on community-focused schools.

- The final report from the Literacy Expert Panel, when available.

- Provide further information on any assessments that have been made in light of the fact that the Welsh Government can no longer afford to increase student loan outlay at a greater rate than the UK Government, and the impact this will have on future student support packages.

- Provide figures on the number of applicants and applicants placed in higher education from the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation quintile 1.

2.2 Members agreed to send the questions unasked for a written response

</AI2>

<AI3>

3 Papers to note

3.1 The papers were noted.

</AI3>

<AI4>

</AI10>

<AI11>

4 Motion under Standing Order 17.42(ix) to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of this meeting

4.1 The motion was agreed.

</AI11>

<AI12>

5 General scrutiny session with the Welsh Government - consideration of the evidence

5.1 Members considered the evidence they had heard in the previous session.

</AI12>

<AI13>

6 Implementation of education reforms - consideration of the draft letter

6.1 Members considered the draft letter, an updated version would be circulated and agreed electronically.

</AI13>

<AI14>

7 Forward work programme - discussion on Committee's Legacy work

7.1 The Committee considered a paper on legacy work. A report would be drafted and considered at the meeting on 19 March.

</AI14>

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