Commenting on the release of HEFCW’s Recurrent Grant Letter, setting out a 1.9% cash cut in Welsh Universities’ recurrent grant in the coming financial year, Welsh Lib Dem Shadow Education Minister, Jenny Randerson AM said:
“When you consider that Welsh Universities already face a big funding gap with England, these further cuts are deeply worrying. When the Labour-Plaid Government introduced top-up fees for Welsh students, they promised better resourced courses as a result. This shows how misleading that was.
“Through all the differing views on how to deal with the economy, one thing is almost unanimous: the need to invest in skills and the jobs that will flow as a result.
“The Welsh Lib Dems are very clear that there is money currently spent on economic development which should go to Universities to increase skills.
“There is no need for these cuts, but Labour and Plaid seem to fail to recognise the effect this will have on our economy.”
