Commenting on reports that the Welsh Assembly Government is set to subsidise universities in England to the tune of £50million every year through its new policy on tuition fees, Paul Davies AM, Shadow Minister for Education, said:

"These figures raise further concerns about whether the Assembly Government's tuition fees policy is financially sustainable and raise doubts about whether it is in the best interests of a well-funded Higher Education sector in Wales.

"There is already a widening funding gap between English and Welsh universities, which means less investment in world-class facilities and fewer experienced teachers and lecturers to help our universities compete and educate the entrepreneurs and intellectuals of tomorrow's Wales.

"The impact of subsidising universities in England will be exacerbated by many Welsh universities charging less in fees than in England so English students will pay less to study in Wales, which will widen the funding gap even further.

"The historic under-funding of Welsh universities will not be achieved by subsidising English universities to the tune of £50million every year at the expense of the Welsh Higher Education sector."