Written Statement - Membership of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol Task and Finish group and future funding arrangements for the Coleg

In August I announced the establishment of a new group to review the future role of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

I am pleased to announce that Delyth Evans, who was a member of the National Assembly for Wales between 2000 and 2003, has agreed to chair the task and finish group.

I am also pleased to announce that the following have agreed to become members of the group:

• Barry Liles, Principal Coleg Sir Gar
• Heledd Bebb, Previously a lecturer for the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, now a Director of OB3 Research
• Bethan Guilfoyle, former head teacher of Treorchy Comprehensive School
• Rhun Dafydd, nominated as a student representative by NUS Wales
• Professor Mari Lloyd-Williams, Lecturer at the University of Liverpool
• Professor Noel Lloyd, former Vice-Chancellor Aberystwyth University.

The task and finish group are required to consider the following and provide a report and recommendations to me:

• Should the Coleg’s remit extend to the post-16 sector (further education and work based learning), and if so, to provide potential options on how to take this forward.
• Is the current model and structure for the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol appropriate and fit for the purpose to promote and develop Welsh-medium higher education provision from 2017 onwards. If not, define the future role, activity and structure of the Coleg, or alternative entity, with full consideration of value for money and sustainability.
• What are the future options for funding the Coleg.
• Is the working relationship between the Coleg and Welsh higher education institutions suitable for the future.
• What is the role of the Coleg in response to the recommendations of the Diamond review and other recent policy developments.

The draft budget for 2017-18, which was published on 18 October, confirmed that funding for the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol is now the responsibility of the Welsh Language Division. £5.4m has been allocated to support the activities of the Coleg in addition to £0.330m which will be provided via HEFCW to support the Welsh-medium Scholarship Scheme. This will provide the Coleg with stability until the review group report its findings.