Plaid Cymru AM Dr. Dai Lloyd today greeted the budget agreement and the affect it will have on education in Swansea ahead of tomorrow’s (Wednesday) budget debate at the National Assembly. Plaid Cymru has succeeded in negotiating three improvements to the education budget.

1. £4.1m fund will be set up to support small schools across Wales.

2. £3.1m will be provided more nutritious school meals and healthier food in school vending machines.

3. An extra £5m will be provided in the first year and £3m in the second year to higher education in Wales to try and close the funding gap between Welsh and English universities.

Dr. Dai Lloyd commented:

“The small school support fund will certainly help local authorities like Swansea who are looking into the future provision of school places. I know that many of those schools are crucial to their communities and offer a high quality of education. Hopefully this money will enable the council to look again at their small schools in a more positive fashion and support those communities who value their small schools.

“This investment in school meals is crucial. For three years Plaid Cymru has been campaigning for more nutritious school meals and a ban on junk food in our schools. This £3.1m is only a beginning and will go some way to improving our young peoples’ health.

“New Labour has now conceded at last that there is a funding gap for higher education. This money is not enough but it is a start and it will definitely have an impact on our higher education institutions. Swansea University and Institute have to be able to compete on a level playing field with their counterparts in England. Let’s not forget that this year we have also seen the opposition parties forcing an agreement on students’ top-up tuition fees. This is good news for students, university staff and everyone in Swansea who cares about our future.”

Diwedd/Ends