Montgomeryshire AM Mick Bates has called on the First Minister in the chamber to take action to address the funding deficit between universities in England and Wales, which has risen from £40million in 2005 to a staggering £70million in 2007.
"It is disappointing that Universities in Wales continue to be the poor relation in terms of the funding received year on year to educate young people across the country. The latest figures show a deficit of £70million for 2007 which is a huge amount and is fast approaching 20% of the Higher Education budget in Wales.
"If the Assembly Government is truly committed to raising skill levels and putting Wales at the forefront of the knowledge economy, then it is our universities that will put us there. Instead the Labour-Plaid Government has set a less-than-inflation increase for the HEFCW budget for this year of 1.8%, which will only increase the funding gap.
"In the current economic climate, Welsh Universities are being forced to tighten purse-strings and this is impacting on their ability to compete in the market place for students, staff, resources and the like. It is vital that the Assembly Government takes action to address this funding differential and ensure that it does not impact on the educational and commercial life of Wales and prevent our colleges from delivering a first class education."
On June 22, 2005 all four main parties voted in the Assembly to close the funding gap between universities as part of the budget negotiations.
According to data released by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, the funding gap between universities in England and Wales is £70million.
