Decision details

Debates are one of the most frequent items of business on the Plenary agenda. Many types of debate are brought forward in Plenary, including:

• Opposition party debates on a topic of their choice;

Other than in the case of Government debates, the time allocated for all other types of debates and their frequency are determined by the Business Committee

The item started at 15.10

Voting on the motion and amendments under this item was deferred until Voting Time.

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM5920 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the findings from the interim report into the Review of Higher Education Funding and Student Finance Arrangements in Wales, which states the existing system is "not sustainable", echoing calls from Universities Wales, the Learned Society of Wales and University and College Union;

2. Recognises the need, identified by the interim report, for the Welsh Government to "revisit the tuition fee grant policy" in Wales;

3. Believes the Welsh Government should remodel higher education funding in Wales, implementing a more sustainable policy and offering greater priority to a progressive system of living cost support.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
17	0	36	53

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

Insert as new point 2 and renumber accordingly:

Notes the Welsh Liberal Democrat 2013 policy report 'Fairness and Freedom in Higher Education' which calls for a student living support grant, to shift the focus of government assistance from tuition fee debt relief to support for living costs, as a fairer and more effective way of ensuring finance is not a barrier to higher education.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
5	13	35	53

Amendment 1 was not agreed.

Amendment 2 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

Insert as new point 2 and renumber accordingly:

Notes the National Union of Students' policy report, 'Pound in Your Pocket', which found that 58 per cent of students regularly worry about not having enough money to meet their basic living expenses such as rent or utility bills.

A vote was taken on Amendment 2:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
53	0	0	53

Amendment 2 was agreed.

Amendment 3 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

At end of point 3, insert:

'such as by the introduction of a student living support grant.'

A vote was taken on Amendment 3:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
5	13	35	53

Amendment 3 was not agreed.

Amendment 4 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Condemns the severe cut to HEFCW's funding in the draft budget 2016-2017, which comes as a direct consequence of the Welsh Government's current fees policy. Believes that this is likely to lead to damaging cuts in support for part time students, research, high cost subjects and the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

A vote was taken on Amendment 4:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
26	0	27	53

Amendment 4 was not agreed.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM5920 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the findings from the interim report into the Review of Higher Education Funding and Student Finance Arrangements in Wales, which states the existing system is "not sustainable", echoing calls from Universities Wales, the Learned Society of Wales and University and College Union;

2.Notes the National Union of Students' policy report, 'Pound in Your Pocket', which found that 58 per cent of students regularly worry about not having enough money to meet their basic living expenses such as rent or utility bills.

3. Recognises the need, identified by the interim report, for the Welsh Government to "revisit the tuition fee grant policy" in Wales;

4. Believes the Welsh Government should remodel higher education funding in Wales, implementing a more sustainable policy and offering greater priority to a progressive system of living cost support.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
26	0	27	53

The motion as amended was not agreed.