Will the Minister provide a breakdown of how the £32 million funding for higher education institutions to reach net-zero will be allocated, to include the amount for quality-related research funding, and to support the recommendations of the Reid review?
I have announced £65m funding to help colleges and universities reach net zero. This includes an allocation of £32m for distribution to higher education institutions via HEFCW. I will be writing to HEFCW shortly to confirm my expectations on how this funding will be deployed to support a range of measures and activities to help institutions manage the impacts of the pandemic and to support delivery of Programme for Government commitments and other national priorities. That includes the £10m that will be provided for future research activity via QR (Quality Research) funding aligned to Welsh Government priorities at higher education institutions.
We have delivered on many of the recommendations of the Reid review. We have established the London Office to ensure Wales has a platform and link to decision-makers and UK research community there. We have delivered on the recommendation to reinsert an innovation fund; £15m has been allocated through this in 21/22, alongside £88.3m for quality research (QR), which goes above the £71m level recommended by Reid.