Welsh university subsidy plans criticised

Thu, 02 Jun 2011

The Welsh government's plan to subsidise university tuition fees for the country's students is unaffordable and irresponsible, it has been claimed.

As in England, the cap on university fees for Welsh institutions is being lifted, allowing them to charge up to £9,000 a year.

However, the Welsh Labour government has pledged to subsidise this for students from Wales, meaning they will only have to pay a maximum of £3,400 a year.

But, with the majority of universities opting to charge the full £9,000 a year, the Welsh Conservatives have claimed that this policy is unsustainable, the Western Mail reports.

Shadow education minister Angela Burns said: "Labour's policy is a pre-election gimmick that was costed on the back of an envelope. While they may have enjoyed their short-lived headlines, the true price of their irresponsible electioneering is now becoming clearer.

"Where are the hundreds of millions of pounds going to come from and what impact will it have on Welsh university funding?"

Newport, Aberystwyth, Cardiff, Bangor and Glamorgan universities all plan to charge £9,000 in tuition fees next year.
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