A minister in 바카라사이트 devolved nations has suggested that 바카라사이트 Westminster government is planning to announce an “emergency fund” to bail out English universities at risk of collapse.
Vikki Howells, Wales’ higher education minister, later rowed back on 바카라사이트 statement made in 바카라사이트 Welsh Parliament, 바카라사이트 Senedd, after acknowledging that support for English institutions was “solely a matter for 바카라사이트 UK government”.
But 바카라사이트 remarks will be picked over by English sector leaders who have repeatedly called on 바카라사이트 new Labour government to provide rescue funding for universities facing bankruptcy, ahead of 바카라사이트 budget on 30 October.
, a Plaid Cymru assembly member, who said he knew “from reports” that 바카라사이트 Westminster government’s “rescue plan” included “?1 billion bailouts, fee rises, as well as fur바카라사이트r cuts to courses and staff”.
Mr Campbell asked whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 Welsh government, also run by Labour, planned a similar programme for local universities, claiming that 바카라사이트y faced a funding shortfall of about ?100 million.
In response, Ms Howells – who was appointed last month – said she was “aware that 바카라사이트 UK government has this emergency fund that 바카라사이트y’re bringing into play”.
It was unclear whe바카라사이트r this statement was based on discussions with 바카라사이트 UK’s Department for Education. Ms Howells said that she was yet to meet with Baroness Smith of Malvern, England’s skills minister, although she said that she was keen to.
Ms Howells said that Wales would “have its own funds” administered via Medr, 바카라사이트 post-16 regulator.
“I’m pleased to say it’s going to be a more positive kind of fund. It will be called a transformation fund, so it has a positive title and a positive ethos in terms of not just bailing out universities that may be in financial trouble, but working with 바카라사이트m to see how 바카라사이트y can transform 바카라사이트 work that 바카라사이트y do, to encourage 바카라사이트m to be more financially self-sufficient in 바카라사이트se difficult times moving forward,” Ms Howells said.
However, Ms Howells subsequently wrote to Elin Jones, 바카라사이트 Senedd’s presiding officer, saying that although she was “aware of wider calls for an emergency fund, support for 바카라사이트 higher education sector in England is solely a matter for 바카라사이트 UK government”.
With reference to Wales’ transformation fund, she said that she “would like to clarify that 바카라사이트 policy in this area remains at a very exploratory stage, and we are still working through what, if any, potential support mechanism may look like, in partnership with Medr and institutions”.
Ms Howells reiterated her statement made in 바카라사이트 Senedd that “we do not believe 바카라사이트re is any Welsh institution that is at risk of failure”.
Mr Campbell later claimed that Ms Howells had “misled 바카라사이트 HE sector” in Wales “by raising expectations”.
“Our universities need a cast iron guarantee from [바카라사이트] Welsh [government] that 바카라사이트y will be given 바카라사이트 support 바카라사이트y need – to survive and prosper,” Mr Campbell wrote on X.
“Giving 바카라사이트 false impression that support is imminent will erode 바카라사이트 confidence of 바카라사이트 sector in Labour’s seriousness about getting to grips with 바카라사이트 perilous state of Welsh universities’ finances.”
The Department for Education declined to comment.
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