24/01/2016 BBC Wales Today

The Education Minister says university tuition fee grants

from the Welsh Government would remain in place

after the assembly elections, if Labour retains power.

Huw Lewis says Welsh Labour is committed to students being able

to study wherever they want, but wouldn't confirm whether grants

Here's our political reporter, Arwyn Jones.

Students from Wales only pay ?3500 for their tuition fees, wherever

they choose to study in the UK. The Welsh government pays the rest. The

policy is generous. And that universities here say it leaves them

out of pocket. It is being reviewed at the moment but the education

minister insists it will remain after a's election if Labour is

still in power as a message to young people. We will invest in your

ambition as a young person and we will not curtail your ambitions,

particularly when it comes to geography. If you really think you

are best served across the border, that's OK. The support is available

for every student from Wales at the moment but Mr Lewis suggested it

would be means tested in future so only those who needed the money

would get it. The Conservatives called the policy and irresponsible,

unsustainable gimmick which means tens of millions of pounds are

leaving Welsh universities and heading to English institutions

instead. He will not be the education minister after May. He

announced last week that he will be standing down. It has been a

tremendous honour to represent the community I was born and raised in

and to have served as education minister, which has been my dream

job. I will always walk a little taller, I suppose, with those things

in mind. But it's time for fresh eyes. He is one of nine Labour

members standing down in May. So, a new challenge for him and a new

education Minister on the way. It's emerged that asylum seekers

in Cardiff are being made to wear brightly coloured wristbands

in order to receive food, raising concerns that this

could single them out for abuse. It follows claims by asylum

seekers in Middlesborough, that they were being targeted

because their accommodation had The company contracted

by the Home Office to run the service in Cardiff,

Clearsprings Group, indicated to MP, Jo Stevens, that the wristband

requirement will end tomorrow. A woman has died following

a house fire in Swansea. The 73-year-old was taken

to hospital after the blaze at a bungalow at Waltham Close

in Morriston yesterday evening, A 74-year-old man was also taken

to hospital, with non An extensive search is being carried

out along the coastline near Penarth, in South Wales

following reports that a person The Coastguard was called just

before five o'clock this afternoon, launching three lifeboats

and a helicopter. South Wales Police is also

involved in the search. Olympic silver medallist

Jamie Baulch, joined hundreds of people in Cwmbran

who were running to raise money for a school, after one

of its buildings was burned down Seven people have been arrested

and bailed in connection The sprinter says he wanted to help,

as his mum taught at the school. It's nice to support the event. It

is lovely that my mum can come down. 22 years ago, she was at the school

as a teacher. It's lovely to give this support. It shows how wide the

community actually is. Rugby, and the Ospreys are out

of the European Champions Cup, after losing 33-17 to Exeter

away at Sandy Park. Steve Tandy's side couldn't get

a losing bonus point and despite a close run match,

they've been knocked out Football, and Match of the Day Two

is on next so if you don't want to know the score

leave the room now. Francesco Guidolin's reign

as Swansea head coach began with an impressive and much-needed

2-1 victory at Everton. Gylfi Sigurdsson's penalty gave

the Swans' the lead in the first half and despite an equaliser

from Gareth Barry, Andre Ayew's deflected strike gave

Swansea the win. And many areas should be mostly

clear for a time overnight, before cloud returns

during the early hours. Tomorrow will be a fairly

cloudy day for many, with rain moving east

through the day. Good evening, it did not feel like

the depths of winter this afternoon, a lot of cloud, what much rain, some

sunshine but with a southerly breeze it was