PLAID CYMRU education spokesman Simon Thomas will formally pledge today to scrap tuition fees for some Welsh students in a step towards free education. 

Mr Thomas announced his party’s plan to abolish fees for students who stay in Wales to study medicine, science and technology yesterday ahead of an upcoming speech to the UCU cradle to grave conference.

It’s hoped the measure will help end a “brain drain” from Wales, break the market’s grip on education and be a step towards free tuition for all undergraduates in Wales. 

Writing in today’s Star, he explained: “We in Wales can do some things to protect against that marketisation.”

“We would target groups and those studying subjects vital to the Welsh economy and public goals so they would pay lower or even no tuition fees in Wales.

“Strong, adequately funded universities and colleges are essential for our economy and cultural life.”

The move sees Plaid breaking from the current Welsh funding system set up when the Con-Dems trebled fees in England, to which Wales-based students pay £3,000 per year. 

Labour is considering whether to cut tuition fees to £6,000 a year in England if it wins the general election. 

Both policies will be scrutinised at the UCU’s conference on the future of education funding in London today. 

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said: “We want to see a free and fair education system and it is now urgent that politicians begin to make clear their views on how this can be funded. 

“The days are gone when voters had just two choices. And we need to hear what politicians of all stripes are offering voters ahead of the election.”