Welsh Affairs

My hon. Friend makes a good point on behalf of his constituency but I give him an assurance that, while I hold this post, whether in government or opposition, I will always work in the interests of Wales. That is at the forefront of my mind. To prepare for an economic recovery, we must address the matter of higher education in Wales. First, it seems incomprehensible that, at a time when thousands of people are retraining, or trying to prepare themselves to enter a difficult jobs market for the first time, there are plans to slash the further education budgets in Wales by £3 million. I ask the Under-Secretary to refer to the issue in his wind-up. Again, it is a devolved matter, but in view of the economic circumstances, I think that we in this House can show concern. As we all know, Welsh universities are some of the best in the world, and are an essential tool in building up Wales for the future. In recent years, however, the funding gap has become a great problem—there is a £61 million funding gap between English and Welsh universities—and there is now significant pressure on facilities. As the universities try to compensate with increased numbers, there is the possibility as the student-teacher ratio becomes increasingly less favourable of diminishing educational standards. I am therefore concerned about the issue. Secondly, I am concerned about the portability of qualifications, an issue on which the Welsh Affairs Committee has just reported. It is absolutely vital that any qualifications gained in Wales, particularly vocational qualifications obtained in-house, are transferable and recognised outside Wales, as any failure in that regard will severely damage the prospects of attracting international businesses, which will want to recruit staff who can use their qualifications in other parts of the United Kingdom and internationally in Europe. Thirdly, we need to ensure that we have the necessary skills base in Wales to attract business, particularly in the light of the growth of the high-tech industries and the decline of the manufacturing sector. If we are to do that, it is essential for us to take account of the needs of industry by forging much closer links with business leaders in all sectors across Wales. In areas such as aerospace we are a world leader in our skill and technology base, but we cannot take those areas for granted. GE Healthcare is a world leader, but we have lost invaluable skilled jobs from its factory in Wales. We need to ensure that we create the right conditions for key industries to thrive. I want to see evidence of clear strategies to attract and maintain the businesses of the future: scientific and industrial strategies, almost like the old foresight strategy of a few years ago, which the Minister may remember. That includes securing the delivery of the St. Athan project, which has been along a very bumpy road.