Y Cyfarfod Llawn - Y Bumed Senedd
Plenary - Fifth Senedd
17/03/2021Cynnwys
Contents
Yn y fersiwn ddwyieithog, mae’r golofn chwith yn cynnwys yr iaith a lefarwyd yn y cyfarfod. Mae’r golofn dde yn cynnwys cyfieithiad o’r areithiau hynny.
In the bilingual version, the left-hand column includes the language used during the meeting. The right-hand column includes a translation of those speeches.
Cyfarfu'r Senedd drwy gynhadledd fideo am 13:29 gyda'r Llywydd (Elin Jones) yn y Gadair.
The Senedd met by video-conference at 13:29 with the Llywydd (Elin Jones) in the Chair.
Prynhawn da. Croeso, bawb, i'r Cyfarfod Llawn. Cyn i ni ddechrau, dwi eisiau nodi ychydig o bwyntiau. Mae Cyfarfod Llawn a gynhelir drwy gynhadledd fideo, yn unol â Rheolau Sefydlog Senedd Cymru, yn gyfystyr â thrafodion y Senedd at ddibenion Deddf Llywodraeth Cymru 2006. Bydd rhai o ddarpariaethau Rheol Sefydlog 34 yn gymwys ar gyfer y cyfarfod, ac mae'r rheini wedi'u nodi ar eich agenda chi. A dwi eisiau atgoffa Aelodau am y Rheolau Sefydlog sydd yn ymwneud â threfn mewn Cyfarfod Llawn, ac mae'r rheini'n berthnasol i'r cyfarfod yma, wrth gwrs.
Good afternoon, and welcome to this Plenary session. Before we begin, I want to set out a few points. A Plenary meeting held by video-conference, in accordance with the Standing Orders of the Welsh Parliament, constitutes Senedd proceedings for the purposes of the Government of Wales Act 2006. Some of the provisions of Standing Order 34 will apply for today's Plenary, and those are noted on your agenda. And I would remind Members that Standing Orders relating to order in Plenary meetings apply to this meeting, of course.
Cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Cyllid a'r Trefnydd yw'r eitem gyntaf, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Mick Antoniw.
The first item is questions to the Minister for Finance and Trefnydd, and the first question is from Mick Antoniw.
1. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am gyllid ychwanegol a ddyranwyd i'r portffolio addysg i gefnogi rhaglen ysgolion yr unfed ganrif ar hugain yn Rhondda Cynon Taf? OQ56450
1. Will the Minister make a statement on additional funding allocated to the education portfolio to support the twenty-first century schools programme in Rhondda Cynon Taf? OQ56450

We are providing an additional £70 million to support delivery of the band B programme next year. This money will bring the total invested over the life of the twenty-first century schools programme to £3.7 billion, of which nearly £400 million will be invested in Rhondda Cynon Taf.
Rydym yn darparu £70 miliwn ychwanegol i gefnogi’r gwaith o gyflwyno rhaglen band B y flwyddyn nesaf. Bydd yr arian hwn yn dod â'r cyfanswm a fuddsoddwyd dros oes rhaglen ysgolion yr unfed ganrif ar hugain i £3.7 biliwn, a bydd bron i £400 miliwn o hynny'n cael ei fuddsoddi yn Rhondda Cynon Taf.
Minister, by the end of this year, and over the past 10 years, Rhondda Cynon Taf Labour council, with support from a Welsh Labour Government, has invested or committed nearly £0.75 billion in our local education infrastructure, building new schools, renovating buildings, providing our children with the most modern facilities anywhere in Wales and the UK. And what we can see developing is quite remarkable: a new £23 million school at Y Pant in Pontyclun; a new £43 million three to 19 community school in Tonyrefail; new schools at Penrhiwfer—£7.4 million; Llwyncrwn at Beddau—£3.5 million; investment in Coleg y Cymoedd; and new schools planned at Pontypridd High, Hawthorn; Bryn Celynnog 3G and running track—£1.3 million; and much, much more. Minister, already I can see the impact of these investments on our students, their morale, their confidence, and pride in their schools. Can you confirm that, in the next Senedd, a Welsh Labour Government will continue to invest in education and provide our students with the world-class educational facilities they deserve?
Weinidog, erbyn diwedd eleni, a thros y 10 mlynedd diwethaf, mae cyngor Llafur Rhondda Cynon Taf, gyda chymorth Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru, wedi buddsoddi neu ymrwymo bron i £0.75 biliwn yn ein seilwaith addysg lleol, yn adeiladu ysgolion newydd, adnewyddu adeiladau, a darparu'r cyfleusterau mwyaf modern i'n plant yn unrhyw le yng Nghymru a'r DU. Ac mae'r hyn y gallwn ei weld yn datblygu yn eithaf rhyfeddol: ysgol newydd gwerth £23 miliwn yn y Pant ym Mhont-y-clun; ysgol gymunedol newydd gwerth £43 miliwn i ddisgyblion tair i 19 oed yn Nhonyrefail; ysgolion newydd ym Mhenrhiwfer—£7.4 miliwn; Llwyncrwn yn y Beddau—£3.5 miliwn; buddsoddiad yng Ngholeg y Cymoedd; ac ysgolion newydd ar y gweill yn ysgol uwchradd Pontypridd, ysgol Hawthorn; cae 3G a thrac rhedeg ysgol gyfun Bryn Celynnog—£1.3 miliwn; a llawer iawn mwy. Weinidog, gallaf eisoes weld effaith y buddsoddiadau hyn ar ein myfyrwyr, eu morâl, eu hyder, a'u balchder yn eu hysgolion. A allwch gadarnhau y bydd Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru, yn y Senedd nesaf, yn parhau i fuddsoddi mewn addysg ac yn darparu'r cyfleusterau addysgol o'r radd flaenaf y mae ein myfyrwyr yn eu haeddu?
Yes, I will absolutely provide that reassurance and confidence to Mick Antoniw this afternoon. And just listing the investment that's gone into Rhondda Cynon Taf, I think, really shows the scale of the ambition that we've shown so far, but also gives an indication of the kind of investment that we would want to make in future. So, Welsh Government will continue to invest in the school estate through the twenty-first century schools and colleges programme. Of the £3.7 billion lifetime investment, £2.3 billion of this will be invested in band B over the coming years. And band B of the programme was, of course, launched in April 2019, with an indicative five-year delivery reporting period. And the investment of £2.3 billion is a combination of traditional capital and revenue under the mutual investment model. Its aim, of course, is to deliver 200 new build and major refurbishments across Wales, which I think sets out the level of ambition for the future and a really exciting period continuing in the years ahead.
Yn sicr, gallaf ddarparu'r sicrwydd a'r hyder hwnnw i Mick Antoniw y prynhawn yma. Ac rwy'n credu bod dim ond rhestru'r buddsoddiad a wnaed yn Rhondda Cynon Taf yn dangos pa mor uchelgeisiol rydym wedi bod hyd yn hyn, ond mae hefyd yn rhoi syniad o'r math o fuddsoddiad y byddem yn awyddus i’w wneud yn y dyfodol. Felly, bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i fuddsoddi yn yr ystâd ysgolion drwy raglen ysgolion a cholegau'r unfed ganrif ar hugain. O'r cyfanswm o £3.7 biliwn o fuddsoddiad, bydd £2.3 biliwn yn cael ei fuddsoddi ym mand B dros y blynyddoedd i ddod. A lansiwyd band B y rhaglen, wrth gwrs, ym mis Ebrill 2019, gyda chyfnod adrodd dangosol o bum mlynedd. Ac mae'r buddsoddiad o £2.3 biliwn yn gyfuniad o refeniw a chyfalaf traddodiadol o dan y model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol. Ei nod, wrth gwrs, yw darparu 200 o adeiladau newydd a phrosiectau adnewyddu mawr ledled Cymru, sydd, yn fy marn i, yn nodi lefel yr uchelgais ar gyfer y dyfodol, a chyfnod hynod gyffrous yn y blynyddoedd i ddod.
Minister, I'm sure you'll be relieved to hear I'm not a candidate for the election, so I'll not read out my election address; I'll just move to an appropriate question. When large sums of money are given for public use, I think we need the maximum value for the Welsh pound. And here, I do commend RCT council for the way they've used some of these moneys to promote, through the schools programme, ecological habitat, the imaginative use of technologies, connectedness to other priorities like Welsh-language childcare settings in Welsh-medium primary schools, and also dual use of sports facilities so that they're also available to the community. And we do need to use our public expenditure in this way, to get the maximum value from them.
Weinidog, rwy'n siŵr y bydd yn rhyddhad ichi glywed nad wyf yn ymgeisydd yn yr etholiad, felly nid wyf am ddarllen fy anerchiad etholiadol; af ymlaen at gwestiwn priodol. Pan roddir symiau mawr o arian at ddefnydd y cyhoedd, credaf ein bod angen y gwerth mwyaf am y bunt Gymreig. Ac yma, rwy'n canmol cyngor RhCT am y ffordd y maent wedi defnyddio peth o'r arian hwn i hyrwyddo, drwy raglen yr ysgolion, cynefin ecolegol, y defnydd dychmygus o dechnolegau, cysylltedd â blaenoriaethau eraill fel lleoliadau gofal plant Cymraeg eu hiaith mewn ysgolion cynradd cyfrwng Cymraeg, yn ogystal â’r defnydd deublyg o gyfleusterau chwaraeon fel eu bod ar gael i'r gymuned hefyd. Ac mae angen inni ddefnyddio ein gwariant cyhoeddus yn y modd hwn, er mwyn sicrhau ein bod yn cael y gwerth mwyaf posibl amdano.
I absolutely couldn't agree more with David Melding on that point, because, of course, when we're investing in our school estate and our college estate, we're investing in the futures of those young people, which is absolutely the priority. But there are so many more benefits that we enjoy as well—for example, the investment that we're making in decarbonisation, in terms of supporting biodiversity, and all of that is very central to our approach. And the mutual investment model will be very important in the next steps of our school building programme here in Wales. And that model is very much focused on delivering those additional benefits—those community benefits—be they ambitious decarbonisation or biodiversity targets, or those other benefits, including ensuring that local communities are able to benefit from apprenticeship opportunities and learning opportunities. So, absolutely, this isn't just about the bricks and mortar; it's about everything that goes around that.
Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â David Melding ar y pwynt hwnnw, oherwydd, wrth gwrs, pan fyddwn yn buddsoddi yn ein hystâd ysgolion ac yn ein hystâd colegau, rydym yn buddsoddi yn nyfodol y bobl ifanc hynny, a dyna’n sicr yw’r flaenoriaeth. Ond mae cymaint yn fwy o fuddion rydym yn eu mwynhau hefyd—er enghraifft, y buddsoddiad rydym yn ei wneud mewn datgarboneiddio, i gefnogi bioamrywiaeth, ac mae hynny oll yn ganolog i'n hymagwedd. A bydd y model buddsoddi cydfuddiannol yn bwysig iawn yng nghamau nesaf ein rhaglen adeiladu ysgolion yma yng Nghymru. Ac mae'r model hwnnw'n canolbwyntio'n gryf ar sicrhau’r buddion ychwanegol hynny—y buddion cymunedol hynny—boed yn dargedau datgarboneiddio neu fioamrywiaeth uchelgeisiol, neu'r buddion eraill hynny, gan gynnwys sicrhau bod cymunedau lleol yn gallu elwa ar gyfleoedd prentisiaeth a chyfleoedd dysgu. Felly, yn sicr, nid oes a wnelo hyn â brics a morter yn unig; mae'n ymwneud â phopeth sydd ynghlwm wrth hynny.
2. Beth yw goblygiadau cyllideb derfynol Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer 2021-22 i Orllewin Casnewydd? OQ56464
2. What are the implications of the Welsh Government's 2021-22 final budget for Newport West? OQ56464
Newport City Council will see an increase of £12.8 million in its settlement, the largest increase in funding of any local authority, at 5.6 per cent. I've also announced today £1.5 million to drive forward an £11.9 million joint investment for the major renovation of the Newport transporter bridge. [Laughter.] I'm very excited about that, as you can see, Llywydd. Sorry, I was struggling to say it.
Bydd Cyngor Dinas Casnewydd yn cael cynnydd o £12.8 miliwn yn ei setliad, y cynnydd mwyaf yng nghyllid unrhyw awdurdod lleol, sef 5.6 y cant. Rwyf hefyd wedi cyhoeddi £1.5 miliwn heddiw er mwyn bwrw ymlaen â buddsoddiad ar y cyd o £11.9 miliwn ar gyfer gwaith adnewyddu sylweddol ar bont gludo Casnewydd. [Chwerthin.] Rwy'n gyffrous iawn ynglŷn â hynny, fel y gallwch weld, Lywydd. Mae'n ddrwg gennyf, roeddwn yn cael trafferth ei ddweud.
Thank you for that answer, Minister. It's an incredibly challenging year, and it's good to see that Welsh Government have recognised the significant pressures on local government and, specifically, Newport City Council receiving the largest settlement in Wales. As a vice-president of the Friends of Newport Transporter Bridge, I'm genuinely delighted at today's announcement that Welsh Government will provide the shortfall in capital spending so that restoration work on Newport's treasured transporter bridge can begin. The plan to safeguard the bridge will create a new tourist centre to welcome visitors, and a visit to travel across the gondola, or walk across the top, is one of the must-visits here in Wales. It's been such a hard year for heritage and culture, but to see this commitment to one of Newport's and Wales's most iconic landmarks is a great step forward, and I'd like to pay tribute to all who have helped make this happen.
Investment in our cultural and heritage sectors is so important and will be part of our economic recovery. Can the Minister assure me that the Welsh Government are committed to investing in finding creative ways to support projects like this for the benefit of local communities and to boost our tourism sector?
Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Mae'n flwyddyn anhygoel o heriol, ac mae'n dda gweld bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cydnabod y pwysau sylweddol ar lywodraeth leol, ac yn benodol, Cyngor Dinas Casnewydd yn derbyn y setliad mwyaf yng Nghymru. Fel is-lywydd Cyfeillion Pont Gludo Casnewydd, rwy'n wirioneddol falch o'r cyhoeddiad heddiw y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn darparu'r diffyg yn y gwariant cyfalaf fel y gellir dechrau’r gwaith o adfer pont gludo werthfawr Casnewydd. Bydd y cynllun i ddiogelu'r bont yn creu canolfan dwristiaid newydd i groesawu ymwelwyr, ac mae ymweliad i deithio ar draws y gondola, neu gerdded dros ran uchaf y bont, yn un o'r pethau y mae’n rhaid eu gwneud wrth ymweld â Chymru. Mae hi wedi bod yn flwyddyn mor anodd i dreftadaeth a diwylliant, ond mae gweld yr ymrwymiad hwn i un o dirnodau mwyaf eiconig Casnewydd a Chymru yn gam gwych ymlaen, a hoffwn dalu teyrnged i bawb sydd wedi helpu i sicrhau bod hyn yn digwydd.
Mae buddsoddi yn ein sectorau diwylliannol a threftadaeth mor bwysig, a bydd yn rhan o'n hadferiad economaidd. A all y Gweinidog roi sicrwydd i mi fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo i fuddsoddi er mwyn dod o hyd i ffyrdd creadigol o gefnogi prosiectau fel hyn er budd cymunedau lleol ac i hybu ein sector twristiaeth?
I very much share Jayne Bryant's enthusiasm for the announcement today, and also pay tribute to the work that she and John Griffiths have done jointly to ensure that this particular project stays very much at the top of the agenda. And it's great that we've been able to bring things across the line, because I think that the transporter bridge really does provide an opportunity to act as a gateway to south-east Wales, connecting south-east Wales with elsewhere, and symbolising both the region's heritage and culture, and the people, actually, who pioneered the development and the innovation as well. And it is, I know, part of a wider vision for Newport and a significant part of the city's plan to create more confidence and excitement around its heritage, and also to develop its leisure and tourism offer. So, the multimillion-pound makeover is forecast to attract more than 46,000 visitors each year, and I think that that will be fantastic both in terms of setting Newport on the map as a tourist destination, but also creating jobs and opportunities for the community. So, a great announcement today, and, of course, we do see culture and tourism very much at the heart of our recovery efforts as we move forward from COVID.
Rhannaf frwdfrydedd Jayne Bryant ynghylch y cyhoeddiad heddiw, ac rwy'n talu deyrnged hefyd i’r gwaith y mae hi a John Griffiths wedi’i wneud ar y cyd i sicrhau bod y prosiect penodol hwn yn parhau i fod ar frig yr agenda. Ac mae'n wych ein bod wedi gallu sicrhau bod hyn yn digwydd, gan y credaf fod y bont gludo yn darparu cyfle gwirioneddol i weithredu fel porth i dde-ddwyrain Cymru, gan gysylltu de-ddwyrain Cymru â mannau eraill, a symboleiddio treftadaeth a diwylliant y rhanbarth yn ogystal â'r bobl arloesol a’i datblygodd a'r arloesedd hefyd. A gwn ei bod yn rhan o weledigaeth ehangach ar gyfer Casnewydd ac yn rhan sylweddol o gynllun y ddinas i greu mwy o hyder a chyffro o amgylch ei threftadaeth, a hefyd i ddatblygu ei chynnig hamdden a thwristiaeth. Felly, rhagwelir y bydd y gwaith adnewyddu gwerth miliynau o bunnoedd yn denu mwy na 46,000 o ymwelwyr bob blwyddyn, a chredaf y bydd hynny'n wych, o ran rhoi Casnewydd ar y map fel cyrchfan i dwristiaid, ond hefyd wrth greu swyddi a chyfleoedd i'r gymuned. Felly, cyhoeddiad gwych heddiw, ac wrth gwrs, mae pob un ohonom o’r farn fod diwylliant a thwristiaeth yn ganolog i'n hymdrechion i adfer wrth inni symud ymlaen wedi COVID.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefaryddion y pleidiau. Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Questions now from the party spokespeople. The Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Diolch, Llywydd. Yn yr wythnosau diwethaf, mae cynghorau Cymru wedi bod yn gwneud penderfyniadau anodd iawn ynglŷn â lefel treth cyngor ar gyfer y flwyddyn nesaf, a hynny ar amser mor anodd i gymaint o bobl y maen nhw yn eu gwasanaethu. Ydy'r Gweinidog yn gallu dweud wrthyf i a ydy hi'n credu bod treth cyngor yn decach rŵan nag oedd hi pan ddaeth hi'n Weinidog cyllid yn 2018?
Thank you, Llywydd. Over the past few weeks, Welsh councils have been making very difficult decisions on the level of council tax for next year, at such a difficult time for so many of the people that they serve. Can the Minister tell me whether she believes council tax is fairer now than it was when she became Minister for finance in 2018?
Council tax is fairer than it's been across the period of devolution because of the sheer work that we've put into making the agenda more fair. I'll give some examples as to how we've achieved that. For example, we've ensured that young people leaving care are now exempt from paying council tax to the age of 25. We've ensured that the sanction of imprisonment has been removed for people who have been unable to pay their council tax. Clearly, being unable to pay your council tax does not make you a criminal; it means that you're in very difficult circumstances. We've worked with local government across Wales to develop a protocol that means that they will work with people who are unable to pay their council tax rather than go to court summons as a first step. So, we've made those steps. We've also ensured that we have the council tax reduction scheme in place, which is a much better scheme than that which is across the border, and it supports more than 220,000 households across Wales with their council tax bills.
Mae'r dreth gyngor yn decach nag y bu drwy gydol y cyfnod datganoli oherwydd y gwaith aruthrol rydym wedi'i wneud i sicrhau bod yr agenda'n fwy teg. Rhoddaf rai enghreifftiau o sut rydym wedi cyflawni hynny. Er enghraifft, rydym wedi sicrhau bod pobl ifanc sy'n gadael gofal bellach wedi'u heithrio rhag talu’r dreth gyngor tan eu bod yn 25 oed. Rydym wedi sicrhau na fydd carchar yn gosb i bobl nad ydynt wedi talu’r dreth gyngor. Yn amlwg, nid yw methu talu’r dreth gyngor yn eich gwneud yn droseddwr; mae'n golygu eich bod mewn amgylchiadau anodd iawn. Rydym wedi gweithio gyda llywodraeth leol ledled Cymru i ddatblygu protocol sy'n golygu y byddant yn gweithio gyda phobl na allant dalu’r dreth gyngor yn hytrach gwŷs i'r llys fel cam cyntaf. Felly, rydym wedi cymryd y camau hynny. Rydym hefyd wedi sicrhau bod gennym gynllun gostyngiadau’r dreth gyngor ar waith, sy'n gynllun llawer gwell na'r un sydd i’w gael dros y ffin, ac mae'n cefnogi mwy na 220,000 o aelwydydd ledled Cymru gyda biliau’r dreth gyngor.
Dwi'n gwerthfawrogi ymdrechion y Gweinidog i roi sglein ar bethau, ond beth dwi'n ei weld yn fanna ydy cyfaddefiad bod angen cymaint o gamau lliniaru mewn lle oherwydd nad yw treth cyngor yn deg yn sylfaenol. Yr ateb—os oes yna ffasiwn beth ag ateb cywir—ydy doedd treth cyngor ddim yn deg pan ddaeth hi i'r swydd, a dydy o'n dal ddim yn deg heddiw. Oherwydd y sefyllfa amhosib y mae cynghorau ynddyn nhw, a'r ffordd mae treth cyngor yn ffitio mewn i'r gwasgu cyffredinol sydd wedi bod ar gyllid cyhoeddus, mae biliau treth cyngor eto yn mynd i fyny i ddwbl chwyddiant a mwy eto ar draws Cymru, yn amrywio o ryw 2.65 y cant o gynnydd yn Rhondda Cynon Taf i bron 7 y cant yn Wrecsam. Dwi a Phlaid Cymru wedi dadlau y gallai ac y dylai hyn fod wedi cael ei osgoi eleni. Buasai gwario, o bosib, ryw £100 miliwn o arian sydd ddim wedi cael ei glustnodi i rewi treth cyngor i bawb ar yr amser anodd yma wedi bod yn gam gwerthfawr o ran helpu pobl efo'r ymateb i COVID. A gallaf i ddim honni ei fod o'n rhywbeth arloesol iawn gen i; mae Llywodraeth yr Alban yn gwneud hyn. Pam y gwnaeth Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru benderfynu peidio?
I appreciate the Minister's efforts to put a spin on things, but what I see there is an admission that we need so many mitigation steps in place because council tax is fundamentally unfair. And the right answer—if there is such a thing—is that council tax wasn't fair when she came to post, and it's still not fair today. Because of the impossible situation that councils find themselves in and the way in which council tax fits into the general squeeze on public expenditure, council tax bills will again go up by twice the rate of inflation and more again across Wales, varying from 2.65 per cent in Rhondda Cynon Taf to almost 7 per cent in Wrexham. I and Plaid Cymru have argued that this could and should have been avoided this year. Spending around £100 million of unallocated funds to freeze council tax at this difficult time would have been a valuable step in terms of helping people with the response to COVID. And I can't claim that it's a particularly innovative thing from me; the Scottish Government are doing this. Why did the Welsh Labour Government decide not to?
Well, the question that Rhun ap Iorwerth posed in his first question was, 'Is council tax fairer than it was when I came into post?' and the answer to that is, undeniably, yes, it is. The question he didn't ask me was, 'Is council tax fair?', because I would have answered that council tax is actually a regressive tax, and that's why we've been working very hard over the past couple of years to undertake a series of research projects in terms of reforming local government finance. I published the findings of that on 24 February, and that drew together all of the work that we've been doing across the past couple of years to explore reforms to council tax and, actually, non-domestic rates and the wider local government system. It considers alternative approaches to local revenue raising, such as land value tax and local income tax, as well as options for keeping and significantly improving the existing systems. It also sets out aspirations for how future funding systems should work, and those are systems that should be fairer and more progressive, strengthening local accountability and providing a sustainable footing for local services, and, of course, to be simple and to be understood. So, clearly, this isn't the end of the road in terms of making council tax fairer. We have set out research that will inform the next Government in terms of steps it might want to take, some of which are quite radical steps but nonetheless do provide, I think, a significant opportunity to improve the system.
Wel, y cwestiwn a ofynnodd Rhun ap Iorwerth yn ei gwestiwn cyntaf oedd ‘A yw'r dreth gyngor yn decach nag yr oedd pan ddeuthum i'r swydd?’ a'r ateb i hynny, yn ddiymwad, yw ydy. Y cwestiwn na ofynnodd i mi oedd 'A yw treth gyngor yn deg?’, gan y byddwn wedi ateb drwy ddweud bod y dreth gyngor yn dreth atchwel mewn gwirionedd, a dyna pam ein bod wedi gweithio'n galed iawn dros yr ychydig flynyddoedd diwethaf i gyflawni cyfres o brosiectau ymchwil ar ddiwygio cyllid llywodraeth leol. Cyhoeddais ganfyddiadau’r gwaith hwnnw ar 24 Chwefror, ac roedd yn crynhoi’r holl waith rydym wedi bod yn ei wneud dros yr ychydig flynyddoedd diwethaf i archwilio diwygiadau i’r dreth gyngor, ac mewn gwirionedd, i ardrethi annomestig a'r system lywodraeth leol ehangach. Mae'n ystyried dulliau amgen o godi refeniw yn lleol, megis treth gwerth tir a threth incwm leol, yn ogystal ag opsiynau ar gyfer cadw’r systemau presennol a’u gwella’n sylweddol. Mae hefyd yn nodi dyheadau ar gyfer sut y dylai systemau cyllido weithio yn y dyfodol, ac mae'r rheini'n systemau a ddylai fod yn decach ac yn fwy blaengar, sy’n cryfhau atebolrwydd lleol ac yn darparu sylfaen gynaliadwy i wasanaethau lleol, ac wrth gwrs, dylent fod yn syml fel y gall pobl eu deall. Felly, yn amlwg, nid dyma ddiwedd y daith o ran sicrhau bod y dreth gyngor yn decach. Rydym wedi cychwyn gwaith ymchwil a fydd yn llywio’r Llywodraeth nesaf o ran y camau y gallai fod eisiau eu cymryd, ac mae rhai ohonynt yn gamau eithaf radical, ond serch hynny, maent yn darparu cyfle arwyddocaol i wella'r system yn fy marn i.
Diolch. Doedd yna ddim cyfeiriad at y rhewi treth cyngor yn y fan honno. Rydym ni wedi gwneud ein barn ni yn glir ar hynny. Cam dros dro ydy hynny, wrth gwrs, ac mae eisiau meddwl yn ofalus iawn sut i ddiwygio trethi lleol ar gyfer yr hirdymor. Dydy o ddim yn beth gwleidyddol hawdd i'w wneud, ond rydym ni yn sôn fan hyn am drio mynd i'r afael efo anghydraddoldebau mawr, a, hyd yn oed efo camau lliniaru, rydyn ni'n gwybod, yn ôl yr Institute for Fiscal Studies, fod 10 y cant tlotaf cymdeithas yn talu rhyw 8 y cant o'u hincwm mewn treth cyngor, trwch y boblogaeth—y 50 y cant wedyn—yn talu rhyw 5 y cant o'u hincwm, a'r 40 y cant cyfoethocaf dim ond yn talu rhyw 2 y cant. Rŵan, mae'r Gweinidog wedi dweud eu bod nhw wedi bod yn cael trafodaeth ynglŷn â hyn. Rydych chi mewn grym ers 1999. Sut mae Llywodraeth Lafur ar ôl Llywodraeth Lafur wedi bod mor barod i ganiatáu i'r anghydraddoldebau yma barhau?
Thank you. There was no mention of the freezing of council tax there. We've made our views clear on that. That's a temporary step, of course, and we need to think carefully about how to reform local taxation for the longer term. It's not a politically easy thing to do, but we are talking here about tackling major inequalities, and, even with mitigation steps in place, we know that, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the poorest 10 per cent in society pay some 8 per cent of their income in council tax, the next 50 per cent of the population pay around 5 per cent of their income, and the wealthiest 40 per cent only pay around 2 per cent. Now, the Minister's said that they've been having discussions on this. Well, you've been in power since 1999. How has Labour Government after Labour Government been so willing to allow these inequalities to continue?
Well, I set out in my first answer some of the steps that we have undertaken in order to make council tax fairer, and they are significant steps. The protocol, which we agreed with local authorities, has been very significant in ensuring that people get the support that they need should they be unable to pay their council tax or struggling with it. We worked with MoneySavingExpert.com to ensure that people who have conditions, which might include dementia, for example, are able to access support for council tax. So, we've done significant work to make council tax fairer over the course of this Senedd term.
And I know that Rhun ap Iorwerth recognises how significant and huge a task reforming local government finance is. It would take probably, potentially, a whole term in order to completely change the system were we to go down some of those more difficult avenues, which I've described and which we've explored, such as the land value tax, for example. That's a major undertaking. So, clearly, there are options for the future. I'm sure that parties will set out their views on how the future system should look. But none of these things are easy to do and all of them will require significant work over a long period of time.
Wel, yn fy ateb cyntaf, nodais rai o'r camau rydym wedi'u cymryd er mwyn gwneud y dreth gyngor yn decach, ac maent yn gamau sylweddol. Mae'r protocol, y gwnaethom gytuno arno gydag awdurdodau lleol, wedi bod yn hollbwysig i sicrhau bod pobl yn cael y cymorth sydd ei angen arnynt os na allant dalu’r dreth gyngor, neu os ydynt yn cael trafferth gwneud hynny. Buom yn gweithio gyda MoneySavingExpert.com i sicrhau bod pobl a chanddynt gyflyrau, a allai gynnwys dementia er enghraifft, yn gallu cael cymorth i dalu’r dreth gyngor. Felly, rydym wedi gwneud cryn dipyn o waith i sicrhau bod y dreth gyngor yn decach yn ystod tymor y Senedd hon.
A gwn fod Rhun ap Iorwerth yn cydnabod pa mor sylweddol ac enfawr yw’r dasg o ddiwygio cyllid llywodraeth leol. Mae'n debyg y byddai'n cymryd tymor cyfan o bosibl i newid y system yn llwyr pe baem yn dilyn rhai o'r llwybrau anos rwyf wedi'u disgrifio ac a archwiliwyd gennym, megis y dreth gwerth tir, er enghraifft. Mae honno'n gryn fenter. Felly, yn amlwg, mae opsiynau i’w cael ar gyfer y dyfodol. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd y pleidiau’n nodi eu barn ar sut system y dylid ei chael yn y dyfodol. Ond nid oes un o'r pethau hyn yn hawdd i'w gwneud, a bydd angen cryn dipyn o waith er mwyn gwneud pob un ohonynt dros gyfnod hir o amser.
Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Mark Isherwood.
The Conservative spokesperson, Mark Isherwood.
Diolch, Llywydd. This month's Wales fiscal analysis report on the implications for Wales and the Welsh budget of the UK budget 2021 states that the Welsh Government,
'left £610 million of unallocated day-to-day spending in Final Budget plans. With additional consequentials from the UK Budget and changes to projected devolved revenues...this means the Welsh Government currently has approximately £1.3 billion to allocate at future supplementary budgets.'
However, your written statement on 10 March, announcing an additional £380 million of non-domestic rates relief for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses in 2021-22 directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic states that this,
'makes full use of the consequential funding for Wales resulting from the Chancellor's Budget on 3 March.'
How do you therefore explain this apparent difference and what consideration have you given to wider provision for businesses within a road map out of lockdown from the remaining carried-forward budget available to you?
Diolch, Lywydd. Mae adroddiad dadansoddi cyllid Cymru y mis hwn ar oblygiadau cyllideb y DU ar gyfer 2021 i Gymru a chyllideb Cymru yn nodi bod Llywodraeth Cymru,
wedi gadael £610 miliwn o wariant dydd i ddydd heb ei ddyrannu yng nghynlluniau’r Gyllideb Derfynol. Gyda chyllid canlyniadol ychwanegol o Gyllideb y DU a newidiadau i refeniw datganoledig rhagamcanol…golyga hyn fod gan Lywodraeth Cymru oddeutu £1.3 biliwn ar hyn o bryd i'w ddyrannu mewn cyllidebau atodol yn y dyfodol.
Fodd bynnag, mae eich datganiad ysgrifenedig ar 10 Mawrth, sy’n cyhoeddi £380 miliwn yn ychwanegol o ryddhad ardrethi annomestig ar gyfer busnesau manwerthu, hamdden a lletygarwch yr effeithiwyd arnynt yn uniongyrchol gan bandemig COVID-19 yn 2021-22 yn nodi bod hyn yn,
‘gwneud defnydd llawn o’r cyllid canlyniadol ar gyfer Cymru a ddeilliodd o Gyllideb y Canghellor ar 3 Mawrth.’
Sut rydych chi'n esbonio'r gwahaniaeth ymddangosiadol hwn felly, a pha ystyriaeth rydych wedi'i rhoi i ddarpariaeth ehangach i fusnesau o fewn cynllun ar gyfer dod allan o’r cyfyngiadau symud o'r gyllideb a gariwyd ymlaen sy'n weddill ac sydd ar gael i chi?
I can explain that very easily, because the funding available to us next year includes both the funding that was announced in the UK Government's budget on 3 March and also the more than £600 million that we're able to carry forward into the next financial year from this year, because of the good budget management decisions that we have taken. So, across the border, you'll have seen the absolutely scandalous approach that UK Government has taken to contact tracing. Here in Wales, it's been a localised service delivered by health boards, by local authorities, getting value for money for the Welsh taxpayer and also ensuring that those workers are employed on good terms and conditions. And that has meant that our system has been much cheaper and is much more effective, I have to say, and also that money is able to be freed up for us to spend next year, giving local authorities the certainty that they need, and health the certainty that it needs, and, importantly, allowing me to earmark £200 million in reserves for business support.
Gallaf egluro hynny'n hawdd iawn, oherwydd mae'r cyllid sydd ar gael i ni y flwyddyn nesaf yn cynnwys y cyllid a gyhoeddwyd yng nghyllideb Llywodraeth y DU ar 3 Mawrth, yn ogystal â’r mwy na £600 miliwn y gallwn ei gario ymlaen i’r flwyddyn ariannol nesaf o eleni, oherwydd y penderfyniadau da rydym wedi'u gwneud wrth reoli’r gyllideb. Felly, dros y ffin, fe fyddwch wedi gweld dull cwbl warthus Llywodraeth y DU o fynd ati i olrhain cysylltiadau. Yma yng Nghymru, mae wedi bod yn wasanaeth lleol a ddarperir gan fyrddau iechyd, gan awdurdodau lleol, gan sicrhau gwerth am arian i drethdalwyr Cymru a sicrhau hefyd fod y gweithwyr hynny'n cael eu cyflogi ar delerau ac amodau da. Ac mae hynny wedi golygu bod ein system wedi bod yn rhatach o lawer ac yn fwy effeithiol o lawer, mae’n rhaid imi ddweud, a hefyd fod modd rhyddhau arian i ni ei wario y flwyddyn nesaf, gan roi’r sicrwydd y maent ei angen i awdurdodau lleol, a’r sicrwydd y mae ei angen i iechyd, ac yn bwysig, i ganiatáu imi glustnodi £200 miliwn mewn cronfeydd wrth gefn ar gyfer cymorth i fusnesau.
I'm very happy to debate the comparative performance during the pandemic of Governments on health issues, but my question was about support for businesses and the apparent gap between your statement, that full use of the consequential funding for Wales had been made, when the figures from Wales Fiscal Analysis suggested that the figures were far greater.
After the Welsh Government issued revised grant eligibility criteria for self-catering businesses last April, Isle of Anglesey County Council's chief executive told me that the change in the guidance was designed to ensure that councils did not pay grants to people who had simply switched their property from the council tax register to business rates in order to avoid paying the council tax premium on second homes, and that the council is using the discretion allowed by the guidance to make sure that they pay genuine self-catering businesses and are not automatically disqualifying applications simply because the businesses could not show that the property generates at least 50 per cent of the owner's annual income.
When I previously wrote to you regarding eligibility, you also confirmed in writing that local authorities are not obligated to withhold payment, if they're otherwise satisfied that the application is from a legitimate self-catering business. However, a view has recently been expressed to me that local authorities should only use discretion on whether or not to award a grant where a self-catering business applicant falls just short of one of the three criteria, and they would expect local authorities to use their discretion only in such circumstances. For clarity, will you therefore confirm that both your original response to me and that of Anglesey's chief executive still stand?
Rwy'n fwy na pharod i drafod perfformiad cymharol y Llywodraethau ar faterion iechyd yn ystod y pandemig, ond roedd fy nghwestiwn yn ymwneud â chymorth i fusnesau a'r bwlch ymddangosiadol rhwng eich datganiad, fod y cyllid canlyniadol i Gymru wedi'i ddefnyddio’n llawn, pan fo ffigurau Dadansoddi Cyllid Cymru yn awgrymu bod y ffigurau'n uwch o lawer.
Ar ôl i Lywodraeth Cymru gyhoeddi’r meini prawf cymhwysedd diwygiedig ar gyfer grantiau i fusnesau llety hunanddarpar fis Ebrill diwethaf, dywedodd prif weithredwr Cyngor Sir Ynys Môn wrthyf fod y newid yn y canllawiau wedi'i gynllunio i sicrhau nad oedd cynghorau'n talu grantiau i bobl a oedd wedi tynnu eu heiddo oddi ar gofrestr y dreth gyngor a newid i dalu ardrethi busnes er mwyn osgoi talu premiwm y dreth gyngor ar ail gartrefi, a bod y cyngor yn defnyddio'r disgresiwn a ganiateir gan y canllawiau i sicrhau eu bod yn talu busnesau llety hunanddarpar dilys ac nad ydynt yn gwahardd ceisiadau yn awtomatig pan na all y busnesau ddangos bod yr eiddo'n cynhyrchu o leiaf 50 y cant o incwm blynyddol y perchennog.
Pan ysgrifennais atoch o'r blaen ynglŷn â chymhwysedd, fe wnaethoch gadarnhau yn ysgrifenedig hefyd nad oes rheidrwydd ar awdurdodau lleol i gadw taliadau yn ôl, os ydynt yn fodlon fel arall fod y cais wedi’i wneud gan fusnes llety hunanddarpar dilys. Fodd bynnag, mynegwyd barn wrthyf yn ddiweddar na ddylai awdurdodau lleol ddefnyddio disgresiwn ynglŷn â dyfarnu grant ai peidio heblaw bod busnes hunanddarpar yn gwneud cais sydd ond ychydig yn fyr o fodloni un o'r tri maen prawf, a byddent yn disgwyl i awdurdod lleol ddefnyddio ei ddisgresiwn mewn amgylchiadau o'r fath yn unig. Er eglurder, a wnewch chi gadarnhau felly nad yw eich ymateb gwreiddiol i mi ac ymateb prif weithredwr Ynys Môn wedi newid?
The whole point of the discretionary fund is that it puts discretion in the hands of local authorities to be able to allocate grants to those businesses that haven't been able to access funding through the NDR business grant scheme. And it does give local authorities wide discretion to make those allocations to businesses that they think are important to the local community and that they feel have a genuine case to be made for financial support. It's not for the Welsh Government to direct local authorities as to how they exercise the discretion that we've given them within the fund.
Holl bwynt y gronfa ddewisol yw ei bod yn rhoi disgresiwn i awdurdodau lleol allu dyrannu grantiau i fusnesau nad ydynt wedi gallu cael cyllid drwy’r cynllun grantiau busnes ardrethi annomestig. Ac mae'n rhoi cryn dipyn o ddisgresiwn i awdurdodau lleol wneud y dyraniadau hynny i fusnesau y credant eu bod yn bwysig i'r gymuned leol ac y teimlant fod ganddynt sail ddilys dros gael cymorth ariannol. Nid lle Llywodraeth Cymru yw cyfarwyddo awdurdodau lleol ynglŷn â sut y maent yn arfer y disgresiwn rydym wedi'i roi iddynt o fewn y gronfa.
No, precisely, and the question wasn't about directing local authorities; it's simply acknowledging that they have the discretion for them to exercise. So, thank you for confirming that.
In a question to you last month, I stated that although the Welsh Government initially allocated £6.3 million for the hospice emergency fund, this was less generous than equivalent funds in all other UK nations and fell significantly short of the total allocated to the Welsh Government in consequential funding from the UK Government support for hospices in England. However, our hospices and palliative community care sector has continued to provide vital care and essential services throughout the pandemic.
Hospices in Wales were facing a combined shortfall of £4.2 million by this month, but after I led the debate on palliative and end-of-life care here last month, the Welsh Government only announced £3 million extra to support them. Further, there was no indication in your draft budget for 2021-22 of continued support for hospices to maintain their essential services, despite their estimated combined shortfall of £6.1 million during 2021-22.
In response to a Labour MP last month, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury stated that the £249 million new UK Government funding for hospices generated £47 million in consequentials for the devolved administrations, including £15 million for the Welsh Government. Why, therefore, have you not allocated and even topped up the missing £5.7 million for hospices in Wales, both to respond to their urgent funding needs and to enable them to deliver more, thereby generating greater cost reductions for NHS Wales?
Na, yn hollol, ac nid oedd y cwestiwn yn ymwneud â chyfarwyddo awdurdodau lleol; dim ond cydnabod bod y disgresiwn ganddynt i’w arfer. Felly, diolch am gadarnhau hynny.
Nodais mewn cwestiwn i chi y mis diwethaf, er i Lywodraeth Cymru ddyrannu £6.3 miliwn yn wreiddiol i gronfa argyfwng yr hosbisau, fod hyn yn llai hael na chronfeydd cyfatebol ym mhob un o wledydd eraill y DU ac yn sylweddol is na'r cyfanswm a ddyrannwyd i Lywodraeth Cymru mewn cyllid canlyniadol o gymorth Llywodraeth y DU i hosbisau yn Lloegr. Fodd bynnag, mae ein hosbisau a’n sector gofal lliniarol cymunedol wedi parhau i ddarparu gofal a gwasanaethau hanfodol drwy gydol y pandemig.
Roedd hosbisau yng Nghymru yn wynebu diffyg cyfunol o £4.2 miliwn erbyn y mis hwn, ond ar ôl imi arwain y ddadl ar ofal lliniarol a gofal diwedd oes yma fis diwethaf, dim ond £3 miliwn yn ychwanegol y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi’i ddarparu i’w cefnogi. Yn ychwanegol at hynny, nid oedd unrhyw arwydd yn eich cyllideb ddrafft ar gyfer 2021-22 o gymorth parhaus i hosbisau allu cynnal eu gwasanaethau hanfodol, er gwaethaf eu diffyg cyfunol amcangyfrifedig o £6.1 miliwn yn ystod 2021-22.
Mewn ymateb i AS Llafur y mis diwethaf, nododd Prif Ysgrifennydd y Trysorlys fod y gwerth £249 miliwn o gyllid newydd gan Lywodraeth y DU ar gyfer hosbisau wedi cynhyrchu £47 miliwn mewn cyllid canlyniadol ar gyfer y gweinyddiaethau datganoledig, gan gynnwys £15 miliwn i Lywodraeth Cymru. Pam, felly, nad ydych wedi dyrannu neu hyd yn oed wedi ychwanegu at y £5.7 miliwn coll ar gyfer hosbisau yng Nghymru, i ymateb i'w hanghenion cyllido brys a'u galluogi i gyflawni mwy, a chynhyrchu gostyngiadau mwy drwy hynny yn y costau i GIG Cymru?
Well, Welsh Government receives consequentials from the UK Government on all areas of spend that fall within the devolved context, and I'll give you, as an example, the fact that the Welsh Government has distributed more funding to business than we've received as a result of consequential funding from the UK Government.
Wel, mae Llywodraeth Cymru’n derbyn cyllid canlyniadol gan Lywodraeth y DU ym mhob maes gwariant sy’n rhan o’r cyd-destun datganoledig, ac er enghraifft, fe roddaf i chi'r ffaith bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dosbarthu mwy o arian i fusnesau nag rydym wedi'i dderbyn mewn cyllid canlyniadol gan Lywodraeth y DU.
Hospice.
Hosbis.
I'm demonstrating to Mark Isherwood that we are not a post box for consequential funding from the UK Government. The consequential funding comes in a block of funding that we are then able to allocate as per the needs here in Wales.
Now, the funding that we allocated to hospices here in Wales was on the basis that we had discussions with the hospice sector to understand the financial need that they identified, and the pot of funding was allocated accordingly. And those are the discussions that my colleague the health Minister's department were having with the hospice sector here in Wales. And, of course, our hospice sector here in Wales is smaller than the sector across the border. So, it's not the case that every penny of consequential funding we receive goes to exactly the same spending area.
Now, if it is the case that hospices are telling you that the funding that they receive isn't meeting the needs, then obviously we would want to have those discussions with the hospice sector, and I'm sure that my colleague the health Minister will pick that up with the sector, to understand their needs for the next financial year. But, as I say, the funding package that we did put in place for the sector was done so in discussion and consultation with the sector.
Rwy'n dangos i Mark Isherwood nad blwch postio ar gyfer cyllid canlyniadol gan Lywodraeth y DU ydym ni. Daw'r cyllid canlyniadol mewn bloc o gyllid y gallwn ei ddyrannu wedyn yn unol â'r anghenion yma yng Nghymru.
Nawr, dyrannwyd cyllid gennym i hosbisau yma yng Nghymru ar sail trafodaethau a gawsom gyda'r sector hosbisau i ddeall yr angen ariannol a nodwyd ganddynt, a dyrannwyd y pot o arian yn unol â hynny. A dyna'r trafodaethau a gafodd adran fy nghyd-Aelod y Gweinidog iechyd gyda'r sector hosbis yma yng Nghymru. Ac wrth gwrs, mae ein sector hosbisau yma yng Nghymru yn llai na'r sector dros y ffin. Felly, nid yw'n wir fod pob ceiniog o gyllid canlyniadol a gawn yn mynd i'r un maes gwariant yn union.
Nawr, os yw’r hosbisau'n dweud wrthych nad yw'r cyllid y maent yn ei dderbyn yn diwallu eu hanghenion, yna yn amlwg, byddem yn awyddus i gael y trafodaethau hynny gyda'r sector hosbisau, ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd fy nghyd-Aelod y Gweinidog iechyd yn trafod hynny gyda'r sector er mwyn deall eu hanghenion ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf. Ond fel y dywedaf, rhoddwyd pecyn cyllido ar waith gennym ar gyfer y sector drwy drafod ac ymgynghori â'r sector.
3. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am ddiddymu'n raddol band cyfradd sero y dreth trafodion tir ar drafodion eiddo preswyl hyd at £250,000? OQ56456
3. Will the Minister make a statement on the phasing out of the nil rate band of land transaction tax on residential property transactions up to £250,000? OQ56456
Yes. The land transaction tax temporary reduction period has been extended to 30 June to help those taxpayers who may have encountered delays in completing their home purchases before 1 April. From 1 July, the standard rates of land transaction tax will apply.
Gwnaf. Mae’r gostyngiad dros dro yn y dreth trafodiadau tir wedi'i ymestyn i 30 Mehefin i gynorthwyo trethdalwyr a allai fod wedi wynebu oedi wrth gwblhau pryniant eu cartrefi cyn 1 Ebrill. O 1 Gorffennaf, bydd cyfraddau safonol y dreth trafodiadau tir yn weithredol.
I refer to phasing out, but, unlike what the UK Government is doing in England and Northern Ireland, we don't have any taper in Wales. Why has the Minister made that decision, and why does she consider it right that people buying houses between £180,000 and £250,000 in Wales should pay 3.5 per cent on that part of the transaction, when those same purchases would be nil rated in England or Northern Ireland?
Cyfeiriaf at ddiddymu’n raddol, ond yn wahanol i'r hyn y mae Llywodraeth y DU yn ei wneud yn Lloegr a Gogledd Iwerddon, nid oes gennym dapr yng Nghymru. Pam fod y Gweinidog wedi gwneud y penderfyniad hwnnw, a pham ei bod yn meddwl ei bod yn iawn y dylai pobl sy'n prynu tai gwerth rhwng £180,000 a £250,000 yng Nghymru dalu 3.5 y cant ar y rhan honno o'r trafodiad, pan fyddai'r un pryniannau ar gyfradd sero yn Lloegr neu Ogledd Iwerddon?
Well, we have a different housing market here in Wales, and we've shown that, actually, in terms of transactions and revenues from land transaction tax, the market is much more buoyant here than it is across the border. The increase in the zero-rate band for those paying the main residential rates to £250,000 from £180,000 will, as I say, come to an end in July. But, even then, we will still have the most generous and progressive form of support for house buyers, which isn't, of course, limited to first-time house buyers here in Wales either. We took those decisions because the housing market is different here in Wales, and we've reflected that within the decisions that we've taken. House prices in England are very different, so that means, on average, the benefit can be up to, or increasing up to or above £12,000, whereas here the maximum is £2,500. So, I think that the kind of scale of the challenge in terms of house prices is very different.
Wel, mae gennym farchnad dai wahanol yma yng Nghymru, ac rydym wedi dangos, o ran trafodiadau a refeniw o’r dreth trafodiadau tir, fod y farchnad yn llawer mwy bywiog yma nag y mae dros y ffin. Fel y dywedaf, bydd y cynnydd yn y band cyfradd sero ar gyfer y rheini sy'n talu'r prif gyfraddau preswyl rhwng £180,000 a £250,000 yn dod i ben ym mis Gorffennaf. Ond hyd yn oed wedyn, bydd gennym y ffurf fwyaf hael a blaengar ar gymorth i brynwyr tai, nad yw, wrth gwrs, wedi'i gyfyngu i brynwyr tro cyntaf yma yng Nghymru chwaith. Gwnaethom y penderfyniadau hynny am fod y farchnad dai'n wahanol yma yng Nghymru, ac rydym wedi adlewyrchu hynny yn y penderfyniadau rydym wedi'u gwneud. Mae prisiau tai yn Lloegr yn wahanol iawn, felly golyga hynny, ar gyfartaledd, y gall y budd fod hyd at, neu gynyddu hyd at neu'n uwch na £12,000, ond yma, yr uchafswm yw £2,500. Felly, credaf fod graddau'r her o ran prisiau tai yn wahanol iawn.
Thanks for that answer, Minister. I think Mark Reckless has raised a very good point in terms of how we get the housing market going in Wales. I hear what you're saying about the housing market being different here from across the border, but nonetheless it still needs that stimulus that the UK Government are seeking to do by applying the nil rate band until the end of 2021. Can I ask you, Minister, that you look at this again and keep it under review and act on the evidence? Because I am concerned that, certainly in some parts of Wales, this policy may have more of a negative impact than in others, and I do think that there is a case for extending relief as long as possible until the economy gets back on its feet.
Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Credaf fod Mark Reckless wedi codi pwynt da iawn o ran sut rydym yn bywiogi’r farchnad dai yng Nghymru. Clywaf yr hyn a ddywedwch ynglŷn â’r ffaith bod y farchnad dai yn wahanol yma i'r ochr draw i'r ffin, ond serch hynny, mae arni angen yr ysgogiad y mae Llywodraeth y DU yn ceisio'i sicrhau drwy gymhwyso’r band cyfradd sero tan ddiwedd 2021. Weinidog, a gaf fi ofyn i chi edrych eto ar hyn a’i gadw dan arolwg a gweithredu'n unol â’r dystiolaeth? Oherwydd mewn rhai rhannau o Gymru yn sicr, rwy'n pryderu y gallai'r polisi hwn gael effaith fwy negyddol nag mewn rhannau eraill, a chredaf fod achos i’w wneud dros ymestyn y rhyddhad tan y bydd yr economi mewn gwell cyflwr.
Well, all of these rates and bands across the Welsh taxes are kept constantly under review. The extension of the LTT reduction is expected to benefit around 4,000 additional homebuyers here in Wales, and up to and including January, around 10,000 homebuyers have already benefited from the temporary reduction that I announced last year. So, a significant number of households have already benefited from it, and actually only around a quarter of house buyers at the moment are actually paying any land transaction tax as a result of the decisions taken last year in this respect. But, as I say, when the normal—if you like—rates do return, we will still have a relatively generous situation here in Wales.
Wel, mae'r holl gyfraddau a’r bandiau hyn yn nhrethi Cymru yn cael eu hadolygu'n gyson. Disgwylir i’r estyniad i’r gostyngiad yn y dreth trafodiadau tir fod o fudd i oddeutu 4,000 yn ychwanegol o brynwyr cartrefi yma yng Nghymru, a hyd at a chan gynnwys mis Ionawr, mae oddeutu 10,000 o brynwyr cartrefi eisoes wedi elwa o'r gostyngiad dros dro a gyhoeddais y llynedd. Felly, mae nifer sylweddol o aelwydydd eisoes wedi elwa ohono, a dim ond oddeutu chwarter yr holl brynwyr tai ar hyn o bryd sy'n talu unrhyw dreth trafodiadau tir o ganlyniad i'r penderfyniadau a wnaed y llynedd ar hyn. Ond fel rwy'n dweud, pan fydd y cyfraddau arferol—os mynnwch—yn dychwelyd, bydd gennym sefyllfa gymharol hael yma yng Nghymru o hyd.
4. Pa ystyriaeth a roddodd y Gweinidog i'r sector gwasanaethau ariannol yng Nghymru wrth ddyrannu cyllideb derfynol 2021-22? OQ56431
4. What consideration did the Minister give to the financial services sector in Wales when allocating the 2021-22 final budget? OQ56431
Over £14 million has been allocated to 870 businesses within the financial and professional service sectors from the economic resilience fund during 2020-21. We are also investing £270 million in the Development Bank of Wales to support businesses, and will continue to work with all sectors to consider what support is needed into 2021-22.
Mae dros £14 miliwn wedi'i ddyrannu i 870 o fusnesau yn y sectorau cyllid a gwasanaethau proffesiynol o'r gronfa cadernid economaidd yn 2020-21. Rydym hefyd yn buddsoddi £270 miliwn ym Manc Datblygu Cymru i gefnogi busnesau, a byddwn yn parhau i weithio gyda phob sector i ystyried pa gymorth sydd ei angen yn 2021-22.
Well, Purple Shoots is a charity that helps people in Wales who can't otherwise access the affordable finance they need to start a business. They also work with self-reliant groups, creating opportunities for people furthest from employment or work. They're supporting or have supported many hundreds of small businesses right across Wales. However, they advise that although just £2 million of the hundreds of millions provided to the Development Bank of Wales would keep them lending for six years and create more than 1,500 jobs and 1,300 businesses, that funding excludes completely the client group they work with. What, if any, plans do you therefore have to make funds available for these brave, budding entrepreneurs, otherwise trapped at the starting line, where, as Purple Shoots say, 'It is so frustrating because we've seen such incredible courage, resilience and entrepreneurial thinking amongst our clients; they've kept going in the face of incredible hardship, many with no help at all, apart from the repayment holiday'?
Wel, mae Purple Shoots yn elusen sy'n rhoi cymorth i bobl yng Nghymru na allant gael gafael ar gyllid fforddiadwy sydd ei angen arnynt i ddechrau busnes. Maent hefyd yn gweithio gyda grwpiau hunanddibynnol, gan greu cyfleoedd i'r bobl sydd bellaf o gyflogaeth neu waith. Maent yn cefnogi neu wedi cefnogi cannoedd o fusnesau bach ledled Cymru. Fodd bynnag, er y byddai dim ond £2 filiwn o'r cannoedd o filiynau a ddarparwyd i Fanc Datblygu Cymru yn golygu y gallent barhau i fenthyca am chwe blynedd a chreu mwy na 1,500 o swyddi a 1,300 o fusnesau, maent yn dweud bod y cyllid hwnnw'n cau’r grŵp cleientiaid y maent yn gweithio gydag ef allan yn gyfan gwbl. Pa gynlluniau, os o gwbl, sydd gennych felly i sicrhau bod arian ar gael ar gyfer yr egin entrepreneuriaid dewr hyn, sydd fel arall wedi'u clymu yn y man cychwyn, ac fel y dywed Purple Shoots, 'Mae hi mor rhwystredig oherwydd rydym wedi gweld dewrder, gwytnwch a syniadau entrepreneuraidd mor anhygoel gan ein cleientiaid; maent wedi dal ati yn wyneb caledi anhygoel, a llawer ohonynt heb unrhyw gymorth o gwbl, ar wahân i ohirio ad-daliadau dros dro'?
Well, without knowing any more than you've described about the Purple Shoots, I would suggest that a potential avenue to look at would be the Wales flexible investment fund, which is designed to invest and generate new money, including in financial and professional services investment. And that fund has been extended in value to £0.5 billion, with a further injection of £270 million, giving the fund the firepower to maintain investment over the next 10 years. So, in the first instance, I would suggest that Purple Shoots explores that. However, if you were to share with me the contact details of the organisation, then I would be very happy to ask a representative from Business Wales to explore their needs in more depth.
Wel, heb wybod mwy am Purple Shoots na’r hyn rydych wedi'i ddisgrifio, byddwn yn awgrymu mai llwybr posibl i’w ystyried fyddai cronfa buddsoddi hyblyg Cymru, sydd wedi'i chynllunio i fuddsoddi a chynhyrchu arian newydd, gan gynnwys buddsoddiadau mewn cyllid a gwasanaethau proffesiynol. Ac mae'r gronfa honno wedi'i hymestyn yn ei gwerth i £0.5 biliwn, gyda chwistrelliad pellach o £270 miliwn, gan alluogi'r gronfa i gynnal buddsoddiad dros y 10 mlynedd nesaf. Felly, yn y lle cyntaf, byddwn yn awgrymu y dylai Purple Shoots archwilio hynny. Fodd bynnag, pe baech yn rhannu manylion cyswllt y sefydliad gyda mi, byddwn yn fwy na pharod i ofyn i gynrychiolydd o Busnes Cymru archwilio eu hanghenion yn fwy manwl.
Mae cwestiwn 5 [OQ56452] wedi'i dynnu'n ôl. Cwestiwn 6, Paul Davies.
Question 5 [OQ56452] was withdrawn. Question 6, Paul Davies.
6. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am flaenoriaethau cyllideb Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer 2021-2022 yn sir Benfro? OQ56433
6. Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government’s budget priorities for 2021-2022 in Pembrokeshire? OQ56433
Yes. Our priorities are to provide certainty for our public services, help rebuild a greener economy and to make changes for a fairer, more equal Wales. This includes an increased settlement of £179.4 million for Pembrokeshire County Council and £48.7 million towards a new 11-to-19 secondary school building for Haverfordwest high.
Gwnaf. Ein blaenoriaethau yw darparu sicrwydd ar gyfer ein gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, helpu i ailadeiladu economi fwy gwyrdd a gwneud newidiadau i sicrhau Cymru decach a mwy cyfartal. Mae hyn yn cynnwys setliad uwch o £179.4 miliwn i Gyngor Sir Penfro a £48.7 miliwn tuag at adeilad ysgol uwchradd newydd i ddisgyblion 11 i 19 oed ysgol uwchradd Hwlffordd.
Thank you for that response. Minister, it is vital that the Welsh Government prioritises its resources to support lives and livelihoods during the COVID pandemic. I've received representations from local businesses and individuals in Pembrokeshire who have slipped through the net in terms of accessing Government support, despite, of course, the funds that you've just said that you've allocated to Pembrokeshire. It is vital that funds designated to support our businesses actually reach those businesses that require support. So, Minister, what processes have you undertaken in your role as finance Minister to monitor the effectiveness of Government spend during the pandemic, and what assurances can you offer the people of Pembrokeshire that the Welsh Government is ensuring that its support reaches those that actually need it?
Diolch am yr ymateb hwnnw. Nawr, Weinidog, mae'n hanfodol fod Llywodraeth Cymru yn blaenoriaethu ei hadnoddau i gynnal bywydau a bywoliaeth pobl yn ystod y pandemig COVID. Rwyf wedi derbyn sylwadau gan fusnesau lleol ac unigolion yn Sir Benfro sydd wedi llithro drwy'r rhwyd o ran cael mynediad at gymorth y Llywodraeth, er gwaethaf, wrth gwrs, yr arian rydych newydd ddweud eich bod wedi'i ddyrannu i Sir Benfro. Mae'n hanfodol fod cronfeydd a ddynodwyd i gefnogi ein busnesau yn cyrraedd y busnesau hynny sydd angen cymorth mewn gwirionedd. Felly, Weinidog, pa brosesau rydych wedi'u rhoi ar waith yn eich rôl fel Gweinidog cyllid i fonitro effeithiolrwydd gwariant y Llywodraeth yn ystod y pandemig, a pha sicrwydd y gallwch ei gynnig i bobl Sir Benfro fod Llywodraeth Cymru yn sicrhau bod ei chymorth yn cyrraedd y rhai sydd ei angen mewn gwirionedd?
The Welsh Government put in place some formal evaluation processes, particularly of the non-domestic rates grant support, to ensure that the funding was reaching those businesses that we intended for it to reach, and we've been keen to ensure that we have those monitoring and evaluation points built into our projects. Since the start of the pandemic, businesses in Pembrokeshire have received over £91 million from the economic resilience fund, and our other restriction-based funds. For example, our latest restrictions-based fund has seen 4,380 grants paid to businesses in Pembrokeshire, worth £14.1 million. We've also provided 628 businesses with £10.1 million of support under phases 1 and 2 of the ERF, and that's safeguarded in Pembrokeshire alone 4,585 jobs, which I think is a tremendous achievement in very difficult times. And, of course, through the loan scheme, then, through the DBW, we've provided over £5.4 million to 80 businesses in Pembrokeshire, helping to safeguard a further 915 jobs. So, there certainly is significant funding going into Pembrokeshire, but, again, there will be businesses that we have not yet been able to reach, and I'm always interested and keen to understand where those gaps in provision are. If there is further information that you can share with me about specific businesses, I'd be very interested to receive that.
Sefydlodd Llywodraeth Cymru rai prosesau gwerthuso ffurfiol, yn enwedig y cymorth grant ardrethi annomestig, i sicrhau bod y cyllid yn cyrraedd y busnesau y bwriadwyd iddo eu cyrraedd, ac rydym wedi bod yn awyddus i sicrhau bod y pwyntiau monitro a gwerthuso hynny’n cael eu hymgorffori yn ein prosiectau. Ers dechrau'r pandemig, mae busnesau yn Sir Benfro wedi derbyn dros £91 miliwn o'r gronfa cadernid economaidd, a'n cronfeydd eraill sy'n seiliedig ar gyfyngiadau. Felly, er enghraifft, mae ein cronfa ddiweddaraf sy'n seiliedig ar gyfyngiadau wedi darparu 4,380 o grantiau i fusnesau yn Sir Benfro sy'n werth £14.1 miliwn. Rydym hefyd wedi darparu £10.1 miliwn o gefnogaeth i 628 o fusnesau o dan gamau 1 a 2 y gronfa cadernid economaidd, ac mae hynny wedi diogelu 4,585 o swyddi yn Sir Benfro yn unig, sy'n gyflawniad aruthrol yn fy marn i mewn cyfnod anodd iawn. Ac wrth gwrs, drwy'r cynllun benthyciadau, drwy Fanc Datblygu Cymru, rydym wedi darparu dros £5.4 miliwn i 80 o fusnesau yn Sir Benfro, gan helpu i ddiogelu 915 o swyddi eraill. Felly, yn sicr, mae arian sylweddol yn mynd i Sir Benfro, ond unwaith eto, bydd yna fusnesau nad ydym wedi gallu eu cyrraedd eto, ac mae gennyf ddiddordeb bob amser mewn deall ble mae'r bylchau yn y ddarpariaeth. Os oes gwybodaeth bellach y gallwch ei rhannu â mi am fusnesau penodol, byddwn yn awyddus iawn i’w chael.
7. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Gweinidog wedi'u cynnal gyda Llywodraeth y DU ynghylch y gronfa lefelu? OQ56458
7. What discussions has the Minister held with the UK Government about the levelling-up fund? OQ56458
Last week, ministerial colleagues and I met with the Secretary of State for Wales and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, where they reiterated their intent to run a competitive fund from Westminster, contrary to what was announced in the November spending review.
Yr wythnos diwethaf, cyfarfu cyd-Weinidogion a minnau ag Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru a’r Ysgrifennydd Gwladol dros Dai, Cymunedau a Llywodraeth Leol lle gwnaethant ailadrodd eu bwriad i weithredu cronfa gystadleuol o San Steffan, yn groes i’r hyn a gyhoeddwyd yn yr adolygiad o wariant ym mis Tachwedd.
It's astonishing, isn't it? The levelling-up fund is a direct affront to Wales's devolution settlement, Minister, I'm sure you'll agree, and it circumvents our democratic institutions. Not only is the Senedd excluded from decisions that will be taken in Whitehall, but the fund ties the success of community projects to representation made by MPs in Westminster, even as the UK Government cuts the number of Welsh MPs by a fifth. Surely, decisions made for Wales should be made in Wales. Given that England's Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government will be overseeing the scheme, what assurances have you received that they will be able to assess accurately Welsh bids, given their complete lack of expertise in devolved areas?
Onid yw’n rhyfeddol? Mae’r gronfa codi’r gwastad yn sarhad uniongyrchol i setliad datganoli Cymru, Weinidog, rwy'n siŵr y byddwch yn cytuno, ac mae'n mynd heibio i'n sefydliadau democrataidd. Nid yn unig y mae'r Senedd wedi'i heithrio o benderfyniadau a fydd yn cael eu gwneud yn Whitehall, ond mae'r gronfa'n clymu llwyddiant prosiectau cymunedol â sylwadau a wnaed gan Aelodau Seneddol yn San Steffan, hyd yn oed wrth i Lywodraeth y DU dorri un rhan o bump oddi ar nifer yr Aelodau Seneddol o Gymru. Does bosibl na ddylid gwneud penderfyniadau i Gymru yng Nghymru. Felly, o gofio y bydd Gweinyddiaeth Tai, Cymunedau a Llywodraeth Leol Lloegr yn goruchwylio'r cynllun, pa sicrwydd a gawsoch y byddant yn gallu asesu cynigion Cymru yn gywir, o ystyried eu diffyg arbenigedd llwyr mewn meysydd datganoledig?
I have absolutely no confidence that the MHCLG department in the UK Government will do a good job of this. I take that view because of the record upon which they stand. The UK Parliament's Public Accounts Committee has released its report on the towns fund in England and found a lack of transparency and accusations of political bias in the selection process, lack of consistent or transparent stakeholder engagement, a lack of capacity at local level to effectively implement those proposals and a potential risk to the civil service's reputation for integrity and impartiality. Under any other Government, that would be absolutely shocking, but this just seems to be run-of-the-mill and accepted behaviour. So, I don't have trust that the UK Government will be able to deliver for Wales.
We've only just seen the criteria upon which the levelling-up fund will work, and we have some real concerns about that in terms of the selection methodologies for the fund. The choice of indicators really does omit things that are important to us here in Wales. They don't look at indices of deprivation, for example, and they're not interested in looking at transport data. All of those things will only serve to disadvantage Wales when we are compared to other regions in terms of the bids that are being made to that fund. So, all we have, I think, at the moment, unfortunately, are reasons to be concerned, rather than optimistic.
Wel, nid oes gennyf hyder o gwbl y bydd yr adran Dai, Cymunedau a Llywodraeth Leol yn Llywodraeth y DU yn gwneud gwaith da o hyn. Rwy'n ffurfio'r farn honno oherwydd eu hanes yn y gorffennol. Mae Pwyllgor Cyfrifon Cyhoeddus Llywodraeth y DU wedi rhyddhau ei adroddiad ar y gronfa drefi yn Lloegr ac maent wedi canfod diffyg tryloywder a chyhuddiadau o ragfarn wleidyddol yn y broses ddethol, diffyg ymgysylltiad cyson a thryloyw â rhanddeiliaid, diffyg capasiti ar lefel leol i weithredu'r cynigion hynny’n effeithiol ynghyd a risg bosibl i enw da'r gwasanaeth sifil am fod yn onest ac yn ddiduedd. O dan unrhyw Lywodraeth arall, byddai hynny'n gwbl ysgytwol, ond mae'n ymddangos bod hyn yn ymddygiad arferol a derbyniol. Felly, nid oes gennyf ffydd y bydd Llywodraeth y DU yn gallu cyflawni dros Gymru.
Rydym newydd weld meini prawf y gronfa codi’r gwastad ac mae gennym bryderon gwirioneddol ynglŷn â'r methodolegau dethol ar gyfer y gronfa. Mae'r dewis o ddangosyddion yn hepgor pethau sy'n bwysig i ni yma yng Nghymru. Felly, nid ydynt yn edrych ar fynegeion amddifadedd er enghraifft, ac nid oes ganddynt ddiddordeb mewn edrych ar ddata trafnidiaeth. Bydd yr holl bethau hynny'n rhoi Cymru o dan anfantais pan fyddwn yn cael ein cymharu â rhanbarthau eraill mewn perthynas â'r cynigion sy'n cael eu gwneud i'r gronfa honno. Felly, y cyfan sydd gennym ar hyn o bryd, yn anffodus, yw rhesymau dros bryderu, yn hytrach na rhesymau dros fod yn optimistaidd.
8. Pa asesiad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud o gyllideb Llywodraeth y DU ar gyfer 2021 ac effaith debygol ei symiau canlyniadol Barnett ar etholaeth Caerffili? OQ56459
8. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the 2021 UK Government budget and the likely impact of its Barnett consequentials on the Caerphilly constituency? OQ56459
While the additional £735 million revenue is welcome, the majority is time-limited COVID funding and doesn't make up for a decade of austerity. In stark contrast to the £224.5 million capital boost we recently announced, benefiting all parts of Wales including Caerphilly, the UK Government failed to provide any extra capital.
Er bod y refeniw ychwanegol o £735 miliwn i'w groesawu, mae'r mwyafrif yn gyllid COVID sy'n gyfyngedig o ran amser ac nid yw'n gwneud iawn am ddegawd o gyni. Mewn cyferbyniad llwyr â'r hwb cyfalaf o £224.5 miliwn a gyhoeddwyd gennym yn ddiweddar, ac a fydd o fudd i bob rhan o Gymru gan gynnwys Caerffili, methodd Llywodraeth y DU ddarparu unrhyw gyfalaf ychwanegol.
One query I've been getting is about the restart grants that the UK Government announced in its recent budget, as businesses are keen to know if they'll apply in Wales or if something similar will be introduced. Also, those non-essential retail and hospitality businesses that still can't trade but can't claim the additional NDR-linked grant support announced last week as they don't have their own premises are also keen to know if any further discretionary grants are going to be announced. I've had several contacts about that in the last hour or two. Will the Minister therefore discuss this with her colleague the Minister for transport and the economy, but also ensure that every last bit of available business support is accessible to those businesses, and particularly those that don't pay NDR?
Mae un ymholiad rwyf wedi'i gael yn ymwneud â'r grantiau ailgychwyn a gyhoeddodd Llywodraeth y DU yn ei chyllideb ddiweddar, gan fod busnesau'n awyddus i wybod a fyddant yn berthnasol yng Nghymru neu a fydd rhywbeth tebyg yn cael ei gyflwyno. Hefyd, mae'r busnesau manwerthu nwyddau dianghenraid a lletygarwch, nad ydynt yn gallu masnachu o hyd ond na allant hawlio'r cymorth grant ychwanegol sy'n gysylltiedig ag ardrethi annomestig a gyhoeddwyd yr wythnos diwethaf gan nad oes ganddynt eu safle eu hunain hefyd yn awyddus i wybod a fydd unrhyw grantiau dewisol pellach yn cael eu cyhoeddi. Rwyf wedi cael sawl un yn cysylltu â mi ynglŷn â hynny yn yr awr neu ddwy ddiwethaf. Felly, a wnaiff y Gweinidog drafod hyn gyda'i chyd-Aelod, Gweinidog yr economi a thrafnidiaeth, ond sicrhau hefyd fod mynediad gan y busnesau hynny at bob darn o gymorth busnes sydd ar gael, ac yn enwedig busnesau nad ydynt yn talu ardrethi annomestig?
Yes, I'll definitely be having some further discussions with my colleague the Minister for economy and transport. I can say that, in the next financial year, we've already earmarked £200 million of funding for businesses here in Wales. We're still having some discussions with the UK Government because, in terms of the restart grant, all they've announced thus far is the fact it will be in the next financial year, and they've announced the name of the scheme. We don't actually know any of the details that sit under that, so it's very hard at the moment for businesses in Wales to make that comparison, as I know that they would want to do. But for our part, we absolutely commit to continuing to support businesses through this difficult time, having earmarked, as I said, £200 million already for the next financial year. And we look forward to receiving further information about what the UK Government's plans are to consider the packages of support on offer there. But, as I said, I will be having some further discussions with my colleague Ken Skates in order to ensure that we leave this end of term in good shape in terms of giving businesses the confidence that they need.
Byddaf yn bendant yn cael trafodaethau pellach gyda fy nghyd-Weinidog, Gweinidog yr economi a thrafnidiaeth. Gallaf ddweud ein bod eisoes wedi clustnodi £200 miliwn o gyllid yn y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf ar gyfer busnesau yma yng Nghymru. Rydym yn dal i gael trafodaethau gyda Llywodraeth y DU oherwydd, o ran y grant ailgychwyn, y cyfan y maent wedi'i gyhoeddi hyd yma yw'r ffaith y bydd hynny yn y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf, ac maent wedi cyhoeddi enw'r cynllun. Mewn gwirionedd, nid ydym yn gwybod am unrhyw fanylion ar wahân i hynny, felly mae'n anodd iawn i fusnesau yng Nghymru wneud y gymhariaeth honno ar hyn o bryd, fel y gwn y byddent eisiau ei wneud. Ond o'n rhan ni, rydym yn ymrwymo'n llwyr i barhau i gefnogi busnesau drwy'r cyfnod anodd hwn, ar ôl clustnodi, fel y dywedais, £200 miliwn eisoes ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf. Ac edrychwn ymlaen at gael rhagor o wybodaeth am gynlluniau Llywodraeth y DU i ystyried y pecynnau cymorth sydd ar gael yno. Ond fel y dywedais, byddaf yn cael trafodaethau pellach gyda fy nghyd-Aelod Ken Skates er mwyn sicrhau ein bod yn gadael mewn sefyllfa dda ar ddiwedd y tymor hwn o ran rhoi'r hyder y maent ei angen i fusnesau.
9. A wnaiff y Gweinidog gadarnhau faint y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i godi mewn refeniw ers 2016 drwy ardrethi annomestig? OQ56445
9. Will the Minister confirm how much the Welsh Government has raised in revenue since 2016 through non-domestic rates? OQ56445
Between April 2016 and March 2020, £4.2 billion has been collected in non-domestic rates revenue. Over the same period, the Welsh Government has provided £900 million for rates relief schemes. All the revenue from non-domestic rates in Wales is distributed to local authorities to fund local services in Wales.
Rhwng mis Ebrill 2016 a mis Mawrth 2020, casglwyd £4.2 biliwn mewn refeniw ardrethi annomestig. Dros yr un cyfnod, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi darparu £900 miliwn ar gyfer cynlluniau rhyddhad ardrethi. Dosberthir yr holl refeniw o ardrethi annomestig yng Nghymru i awdurdodau lleol i ariannu gwasanaethau lleol yng Nghymru.
Diolch. Thanks for those answers, Minister. According to the Welsh Retail Consortium, the industry has been losing £100 million in revenue every week during the lockdown. I'm sure you'd agree with me that we cannot underestimate the enormity of the economic hardship that this has caused small businesses—people who've spent a lifetime building up their enterprises, employing local staff and being a big part of local supply chains. In terms of building back better and delivering a strong economic recovery, will you look at the whole non-domestic rates situation and specifically look at whether you could scrap the business rates for small businesses, taking that burden off some of the smallest businesses in our economy, giving them more money to invest in the future, invest in staff and help the process of building back better?
Diolch am yr atebion hynny, Weinidog. Yn ôl Consortiwm Manwerthu Cymru, mae'r diwydiant wedi bod yn colli £100 miliwn mewn refeniw bob wythnos yn ystod y cyfyngiadau symud. Rwy'n siŵr y byddech yn cytuno â mi na allwn danbrisio difrifoldeb y caledi economaidd y mae hyn wedi'i achosi i fusnesau bach—pobl sydd wedi treulio oes yn adeiladu eu mentrau, yn cyflogi staff lleol ac yn chwarae rhan fawr mewn cadwyni cyflenwi lleol. O ran adeiladu'n ôl yn well a sicrhau adferiad economaidd cryf, a wnewch chi edrych ar y sefyllfa ardrethi annomestig yn ei chyfanrwydd ac ystyried yn benodol a allech ddileu'r ardrethi busnes ar gyfer busnesau bach, gan dynnu'r baich hwnnw oddi ar ysgwyddau rhai o'r busnesau lleiaf yn ein heconomi, a rhoi mwy o arian iddynt fuddsoddi yn y dyfodol, buddsoddi mewn staff a helpu'r broses o adeiladu'n ôl yn well?
Thank you for raising that issue. I think there are several important things there, including our immediate response in terms of non-domestic rates. You'll be aware that I've frozen the multiplier for next year, and that of course gives small businesses a boost. And also, of course, I've provided the 100 per cent rates relief for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses for next year, and that support in itself provides over £360 million of relief to ratepayers across Wales. Of course, we have taken out of that the large supermarkets, because clearly they don't need that kind of support at this time. We do have a permanent package of rate relief of over £239 million a year and over half of that goes towards the small business rate relief scheme, reducing bills to zero for ratepayers occupying properties with a rateable value of up to £6,000, and on a tapered basis then to £12,000. That is a generous package and a large percentage of businesses benefit from that by paying no rates at all. But as I was describing in my answer to Rhun ap Iorwerth earlier on this afternoon, the Welsh Government has undertaken a major series of research endeavours and commissioned research to ensure that we do have the information that we need to really think properly about the future of local finance. We're looking at non-domestic rates and council tax and what the future should be for both of those in order to ensure that as we move forward, the system is as progressive as possible and to ensure that it does continue, of course, to bring in funding for the Welsh Government to provide local services, but to do so in a way that is progressive and fair.
Diolch ichi am godi'r mater hwnnw. Credaf fod sawl peth pwysig yno, gan gynnwys ein hymateb uniongyrchol o ran ardrethi annomestig. Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol fy mod wedi rhewi'r lluosydd ar gyfer y flwyddyn nesaf, ac wrth gwrs mae hynny'n rhoi hwb i fusnesau bach. Hefyd, wrth gwrs, rwyf wedi darparu'r rhyddhad ardrethi o 100 y cant i fusnesau manwerthu, hamdden a lletygarwch ar gyfer y flwyddyn nesaf, ac mae'r cymorth hwnnw ynddo'i hun yn darparu dros £360 miliwn o ryddhad i drethdalwyr ledled Cymru. Wrth gwrs, rydym wedi eithrio'r archfarchnadoedd mawr, oherwydd mae'n amlwg nad oes angen y math hwnnw o gymorth arnynt hwy ar yr adeg hon. Mae gennym becyn parhaol o ryddhad ardrethi o dros £239 miliwn y flwyddyn ac mae dros ei hanner yn mynd tuag at y cynllun rhyddhad ardrethi i fusnesau bach, gan ostwng biliau i sero ar gyfer trethdalwyr mewn eiddo sydd â gwerth ardrethol o hyd at £6,000, ac ar sail tapr wedyn hyd at £12,000. Mae hwnnw'n becyn hael ac mae canran fawr o fusnesau'n elwa ohono drwy beidio â gorfod talu unrhyw ardrethi o gwbl. Ond fel roeddwn yn ei ddisgrifio yn fy ateb i Rhun ap Iorwerth yn gynharach y prynhawn yma, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cyflawni cyfres bwysig o fentrau ymchwil ac wedi comisiynu ymchwil i sicrhau bod gennym yr wybodaeth rydym ei hangen i feddwl o ddifrif am ddyfodol cyllid lleol. Rydym yn edrych ar ardrethi annomestig a'r dreth gyngor a sut y dylai'r rheini fod yn y dyfodol er mwyn sicrhau, wrth inni symud ymlaen, fod y system mor flaengar â phosibl a sicrhau ei bod yn parhau, wrth gwrs, i ddod â chyllid i mewn i Lywodraeth Cymru ddarparu gwasanaethau lleol, ond i wneud hynny mewn ffordd sy'n flaengar ac yn deg.
10. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am newidiadau i bolisi trethiant Llywodraeth Cymru i gefnogi busnesau yn sgil pandemig COVID-19? OQ56462
10. Will the Minister provide an update on changes to the Welsh Government's taxation policy to support businesses in light of the COVID-19 pandemic? OQ56462
We have taken a series of tax measures to support businesses in Wales during this pandemic. These have included providing NDR relief, freezing the NDR multiplier and raising the threshold at which non-residential property transactions are subject to land transaction tax.
Rydym wedi cymryd cyfres o fesurau treth i gefnogi busnesau yng Nghymru yn ystod y pandemig hwn. Mae'r rhain wedi cynnwys darparu rhyddhad ardrethi annomestig, rhewi'r lluosydd ardrethi annomestig a chodi'r trothwy lle daw trafodiadau eiddo amhreswyl yn ddarostyngedig i dreth trafodiadau tir.
Diolch, Minister. The Welsh Government in its final budget stated it will set aside a further £200 million for businesses from its own reserves. This is additional again to the previous Wales-only additional spend made from its own budget, and further cements Wales as providing the best package of business support in the whole of the UK. What representations therefore has the Welsh Government made to the Tory Chancellor in Westminster to enable the Welsh Government to have the flexibility in the future to continue to help support Welsh business?
Diolch, Weinidog. Nododd Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei chyllideb derfynol y bydd yn neilltuo £200 miliwn arall i fusnesau o'i chronfeydd wrth gefn ei hun. Unwaith eto, mae hyn yn ychwanegol at y gwariant ychwanegol blaenorol ar gyfer Cymru'n unig a wnaed o'i chyllideb ei hun, ac mae'n gadarnhad pellach mai Cymru sy'n darparu'r pecyn gorau o gymorth busnes yn y DU gyfan. Pa sylwadau felly y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'u cyflwyno i'r Canghellor Torïaidd yn San Steffan i alluogi Llywodraeth Cymru i gael hyblygrwydd i barhau i gefnogi busnesau Cymru yn y dyfodol?
We've been making arguments to the UK Government in respect of further flexibilities for the Welsh Government for some time, and I've been really grateful for Rhianon Passmore's support for the work that we've been doing in that area. I know it's something that her colleagues on the Finance Committee are particularly interested in supporting as well. I think that this year has taught us that financial flexibility is so important, both in terms of being able to target our resources effectively, but also to manage our in-year position in a year that has seen so much change. It's important I think that in future, the Welsh Government does have access to its full reserve. It's a small reserve in many ways, but actually having greater flexibility to access more of that would, I think, be useful for a future Government, as would the ability to borrow more in one year and borrow more in the aggregate. Especially now, that will be important, given the very, very poor capital settlement that we've had from the UK Government and also the UK Government's intent to bypass the Welsh Government now in terms of capital spend via the levelling-up fund.
Rydym wedi bod yn cyflwyno dadleuon i Lywodraeth y DU ar hyblygrwydd pellach i Lywodraeth Cymru ers peth amser, ac rwyf wedi bod yn ddiolchgar iawn am gefnogaeth Rhianon Passmore i'r gwaith y buom yn ei wneud yn y maes hwnnw. Rwy'n gwybod ei fod yn rhywbeth y mae gan ei chyd-Aelodau ar y Pwyllgor Cyllid ddiddordeb arbennig yn ei gefnogi hefyd. Credaf fod eleni wedi ein dysgu bod hyblygrwydd ariannol mor bwysig, o ran gallu targedu ein hadnoddau'n effeithiol, ond hefyd er mwyn rheoli ein sefyllfa canol blwyddyn mewn blwyddyn sydd wedi gweld cymaint o newid. Credaf ei bod yn bwysig fod gan Lywodraeth Cymru fynediad llawn at ei chronfa wrth gefn yn y dyfodol. Mae'n gronfa fach mewn sawl ffordd, ond byddai cael mwy o hyblygrwydd i gael mynediad at fwy ohoni'n ddefnyddiol i Lywodraeth yn y dyfodol yn fy marn i, yn ogystal â'r gallu i fenthyca mwy mewn un flwyddyn a benthyca mwy yn ei grynswth. Bydd hynny'n bwysig, yn enwedig yn awr, o ystyried y setliad cyfalaf gwael iawn a gawsom gan Lywodraeth y DU a bwriad Llywodraeth y DU hefyd i fynd heibio i Lywodraeth Cymru yn awr o ran gwariant cyfalaf drwy'r gronfa codi'r gwastad.
11. Pa gamau y mae'r Gweinidog yn eu cymryd i fonitro'r asesiadau a gynhelir gan gyd-Weinidogion wrth ddyrannu gwariant o fewn eu portffolios? OQ56442
11. What steps will you take to monitor the assessments undertaken by ministerial colleagues when allocating expenditure within their portfolios? OQ56442
It's the responsibility of all Ministers to take into account a range of factors, including impact assessments and value for money considerations, in setting detailed spending plans. These plans are monitored through the year as part of our in-year reporting process.
Mae pob Gweinidog yn gyfrifol am ystyried amrywiaeth o ffactorau, gan gynnwys asesiadau effaith ac ystyriaethau gwerth am arian, wrth bennu cynlluniau gwariant manwl. Caiff y cynlluniau hyn eu monitro drwy gydol y flwyddyn fel rhan o'n proses adrodd yn ystod y flwyddyn.
I'd be interested to know, Minister, what steps you take to monitor the expenditure by individual Ministers when you are looking at specific sectors that you wish to develop within Wales. For example, if Wales was to decide to try to become a science superpower, which is where I think we should be heading, and you wanted to put far more investment into research and development, into supporting our thriving research and innovation centres within our universities and within our medical establishments, how would you then tie that back to that principle by ensuring that Ministers that may be involved in that—e.g. health, education—do afford the right sums of money to help support that governmental goal?
Byddai gennyf ddiddordeb mewn gwybod, Weinidog, pa gamau rydych yn eu cymryd i fonitro'r gwariant gan Weinidogion unigol pan fyddwch yn edrych ar sectorau penodol rydych eisiau eu datblygu yng Nghymru. Er enghraifft, pe bai Cymru'n penderfynu ceisio dod yn uwch bŵer mewn gwyddoniaeth, a chredaf y dylem anelu at hynny, a phe baech eisiau buddsoddi llawer mwy mewn ymchwil a datblygu, ar gefnogi ein canolfannau ymchwil ac arloesi ffyniannus yn ein prifysgolion ac yn ein sefydliadau meddygol, sut y byddech wedyn yn dod â hynny'n ôl at yr egwyddor honno drwy sicrhau bod Gweinidogion a allai fod yn rhan o hynny—e.e. iechyd, addysg—yn darparu'r symiau cywir o arian i helpu i gefnogi'r nod llywodraethol hwnnw?
We do this in a number of ways, which are often underpinned by the ministerial sub-committees that we've set up. So, some of them are formal sub-committees of Cabinet and others are committees that are not formally created via Cabinet, but nonetheless operate in an important way. An example would be the work that we're doing on the inter-ministerial group that looks at digital and data—that clearly is a cross-Government agenda, and it's important that all Ministers are bringing to the table what they need to to develop that, to make sure that Wales puts itself on the map in terms of being a destination for digital skills, and also to use all of the investment that we are putting into digital in a way that delivers transformation for public services. So, I think that those structures that we have in place are really important, and from a financial perspective then it allows me to ensure that we create the right funding opportunities.
Within digital, we've worked across Government to pool budgets from different parts of Government to ensure that all Ministers are working to deliver that important agenda. We have similar work now going on in the recently—I say 'recently'; it's a year now—the recently developed land division. So, that's something that I chair, but it looks at all of the land held by Ministers in different portfolios across Government to ensure that we're maximising those for the shared purposes that we have. We have a particularly strong focus at the moment on releasing land for social housing, so we're looking particularly at land that sits in the economy department, what land there is suitable for social housing, and how can we best go about releasing that and building on that land.
So, there are ways in which we're working across Government in a number of areas. Those are two, decarbonisation would be another, and the work that we're doing across Government on support for renewable energy as well is something that really benefits from that structure that we've put in place to enable those cross-ministerial discussions, but also joint work in terms of budget, as well.
Rydym yn gwneud hyn mewn nifer o ffyrdd, sy'n aml yn cael eu hategu gan yr is-bwyllgorau gweinidogol rydym wedi'u sefydlu. Felly, mae rhai ohonynt yn is-bwyllgorau Cabinet ffurfiol ac mae eraill yn bwyllgorau nad ydynt wedi cael eu creu'n ffurfiol drwy'r Cabinet, ond sydd serch hynny'n gweithredu mewn ffordd bwysig. Un enghraifft fyddai'r gwaith rydym yn ei wneud yn y grŵp rhyng-weinidogol sy'n edrych ar y maes digidol a data—mae honno'n amlwg yn agenda draws-Lywodraethol, ac mae'n bwysig fod pob Gweinidog yn cyflwyno'r hyn sydd ei angen arnynt i ddatblygu hynny, er mwyn sicrhau bod Cymru'n rhoi ei hun ar y map fel cyrchfan ar gyfer sgiliau digidol, a hefyd i ddefnyddio'r holl fuddsoddiad rydym yn ei roi i'r maes digidol mewn ffordd sy'n trawsnewid gwasanaethau cyhoeddus. Felly, credaf fod y strwythurau sydd gennym ar waith yn bwysig iawn, ac o safbwynt ariannol mae'n caniatáu imi sicrhau ein bod yn creu'r cyfleoedd ariannu cywir.
O fewn y maes digidol, rydym wedi gweithio ar draws y Llywodraeth i gyfuno cyllidebau o wahanol rannau o'r Llywodraeth er mwyn sicrhau bod pob Gweinidog yn gweithio i gyflawni'r agenda bwysig honno. Mae gennym waith tebyg yn mynd rhagddo yn awr yn yr adran tir a ddatblygwyd yn ddiweddar—dywedaf 'yn ddiweddar'; mae'n flwyddyn bellach. Felly, mae hwnnw'n rhywbeth rwy'n ei gadeirio, ond mae'n edrych ar yr holl dir a ddelir gan Weinidogion mewn gwahanol bortffolios ar draws y Llywodraeth i sicrhau ein bod yn manteisio i'r eithaf arno at y dibenion a rennir gennym. Mae gennym ffocws arbennig o gryf ar hyn o bryd ar ryddhau tir ar gyfer tai cymdeithasol, felly rydym yn edrych yn benodol ar dir yn adran yr economi, pa dir yno sy'n addas ar gyfer tai cymdeithasol, a sut y gallwn fynd ati i ryddhau'r tir hwnnw ac adeiladu arno.
Felly, mae yna ffyrdd rydym yn gweithio ar draws y Llywodraeth mewn nifer o feysydd. Dyna ddau faes, byddai datgarboneiddio yn un arall, ac mae'r gwaith rydym yn ei wneud ar draws y Llywodraeth ar gymorth i ynni adnewyddadwy hefyd yn rhywbeth sy'n elwa'n wirioneddol o'r strwythur rydym wedi'i roi ar waith i alluogi'r trafodaethau traws-weinidogol hynny, yn ogystal â gwaith ar y cyd mewn perthynas â'r gyllideb.
12. Pa ystyriaeth y mae'r Gweinidog yn ei rhoi i iechyd meddwl wrth ddyrannu cyllid i'r portffolio iechyd meddwl, llesiant a'r Gymraeg? OQ56461
12. What consideration does the Minister give to mental health when allocating funding to the mental health, wellbeing and Welsh language portfolio? OQ56461
During the pandemic, we've invested an extra £9.9 million to support mental health services. Building on this, we're investing an additional £42 million in mental health next year. This makes our total spending on mental health more than £780 million in 2021-22.
Yn ystod y pandemig, rydym wedi buddsoddi £9.9 miliwn ychwanegol i gefnogi gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl. Gan adeiladu ar hyn, rydym yn buddsoddi £42 miliwn ychwanegol mewn iechyd meddwl y flwyddyn nesaf. Mae hyn yn golygu bod cyfanswm ein gwariant ar iechyd meddwl yn 2021-22 yn fwy na £780 miliwn.
Thank you for that reply. Obviously, during the pandemic and before that, we know that mental health services have been squeezed and have often in the past been seen as cinderella services, but I know elements of that have changed, as you've exemplified in your answer to me today. But I've done a lot with eating disorders over the years, and obviously the service review recommendations will require significant investment, and I've also in the last year or so been doing work on maternal mental health. Some of the changes there will need significant investment. What would you say to a future Government in relation to the allocation of funds for these most important areas of development?
Diolch ichi am yr ateb hwnnw. Yn amlwg, yn ystod y pandemig a chyn hynny, gwyddom fod gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl dan bwysau a'u bod yn aml wedi cael eu hystyried yn wasanaethau sinderela yn y gorffennol, ond gwn fod elfennau o hynny wedi newid, fel rydych wedi dangos yn eich ateb imi heddiw. Ond rwyf wedi gwneud llawer gydag anhwylderau bwyta dros y blynyddoedd, ac yn amlwg bydd angen buddsoddiad sylweddol ar argymhellion yr adolygiad gwasanaeth, ac rwyf hefyd wedi bod yn gwneud gwaith ar iechyd meddwl mamau yn ystod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf. Bydd angen buddsoddiad sylweddol ar rai o'r newidiadau yno. Beth y byddech yn ei ddweud wrth Lywodraeth yn y dyfodol ynglŷn â dyrannu arian ar gyfer y meysydd datblygu pwysig hyn?
In our discussions when we were developing the budget for 2021-22, we were very clear very early on that health had to remain a priority for the Welsh Government in terms of our investment, and that's why we've provided significant additional funding for the core health budget for the next financial year. Now, clearly there will be opportunities for a future Minister to look at prioritising in areas such as those that you've described. I've been very clear and very careful to ensure that our core funding for the NHS is able to do its day-to-day work, and is separate from our additional funding for COVID response. That really is to ensure that those things such as eating disorders, which are important parts of our response, aren't lost in our COVID response, which is clearly at the forefront of many minds at the moment. So, it's important that a future Government does have that clarity between COVID response, and the work that we just have to keep doing. That applies to the eating disorders work, but of course goes on across cancer, diabetes and all of the other important areas of spend as well.
Yn ein trafodaethau pan oeddem yn datblygu'r gyllideb ar gyfer 2021-22, roeddem yn glir iawn yn gynnar iawn fod yn rhaid i iechyd barhau i fod yn flaenoriaeth i Lywodraeth Cymru o ran ein buddsoddiad, a dyna pam ein bod wedi darparu cyllid ychwanegol sylweddol ar gyfer y gyllideb iechyd graidd yn y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf. Nawr, mae'n amlwg y bydd cyfleoedd i Weinidog yn y dyfodol ystyried blaenoriaethu mewn meysydd fel y rhai rydych wedi'u disgrifio. Rwyf wedi bod yn glir iawn ac yn ofalus iawn i sicrhau bod ein cyllid craidd i'r GIG yn gallu gwneud ei waith o ddydd i ddydd, a'i fod ar wahân i'n cyllid ychwanegol ar gyfer yr ymateb i COVID. Mae hynny er mwyn sicrhau nad yw pethau fel anhwylderau bwyta, sy'n rhannau pwysig o'n hymateb, yn cael eu colli yn ein hymateb i COVID, sy'n amlwg ar feddyliau llawer o bobl ar hyn o bryd. Felly, mae'n bwysig fod Llywodraeth yn y dyfodol yn cael yr eglurder hwnnw rhwng yr ymateb i COVID, a'r gwaith y mae'n rhaid i ni barhau i'w wneud. Mae hynny'n berthnasol i'r gwaith ar anhwylderau bwyta, ond wrth gwrs mae'n berthnasol i ganser, diabetes a'r holl feysydd gwariant pwysig eraill hefyd.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog.
Thank you, Minister.
Excellent work—all your questions answered in your final questions session in this Senedd. Over to you now, Minister for Education—see if you can keep to that record.
Gwaith rhagorol—rydych wedi ateb eich holl gwestiynau yn eich sesiwn gwestiynau olaf yn y Senedd hon. Trown atoch chi yn awr, Weinidog Addysg—gadewch inni weld a allwch chi wneud cystal.
Questions, then, to the Minister for Education.
Cwestiynau, felly, i'r Gweinidog Addysg.
Y cwestiwn cyntaf, Jayne Bryant.
The first question, Jayne Bryant.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (Ann Jones) i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Ann Jones) took the Chair.
1. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i gefnogi llesiant meddyliol athrawon? OQ56460
1. What action is the Welsh Government taking to support the mental wellbeing of teachers? OQ56460

Welsh Government continues to work with stakeholders to ensure support is available for teachers around Wales during this pandemic. This includes funding a tailored package of mental health and well-being support services for teachers and support staff, and providing additional funding to increase capacity in schools across Wales.
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i weithio gyda rhanddeiliaid i sicrhau bod cymorth ar gael i athrawon ledled Cymru yn ystod y pandemig hwn. Mae hyn yn cynnwys ariannu pecyn wedi'i deilwra o wasanaethau cymorth iechyd meddwl a llesiant i athrawon a staff cymorth, a darparu cyllid ychwanegol i gynyddu capasiti mewn ysgolion ledled Cymru.
Thank you very much for that answer, Minister. The education sector has faced the most disruptive year in a lifetime, and time and time again teachers and senior leadership teams have been required to totally transform how they operate: online learning, virtual lessons, year group bubbles, key worker provision, exam grading, mass testing, monitoring well-being and adapting buildings. They've done all that they've done, and they've done that and more on top of their own personal situations. Some who have been doing online classes have also juggled that with home schooling their own children. The education workforce have been outstanding, but we cannot forget the impact on their own health and well-being. What further measures can the Welsh Government take to ensure that teachers and staff feel supported in their jobs over the coming months ahead, and what support is available for them to ensure that their own mental well-being is paramount?
Diolch yn fawr am yr ateb hwnnw, Weinidog. Mae'r sector addysg wedi wynebu'r flwyddyn lle gwelwyd mwy o darfu arno na'r un flwyddyn arall yn ein hoes ni, a dro ar ôl tro bu'n ofynnol i athrawon ac uwch dimau arwain drawsnewid yn llwyr y modd y maent yn gweithredu: dysgu ar-lein, gwersi rhithwir, swigod grŵp blwyddyn, darpariaethau gweithwyr allweddol, graddio arholiadau, profi torfol, monitro llesiant ac addasu adeiladau. Maent wedi gwneud popeth y maent wedi'i wneud, ac maent wedi gwneud hynny a mwy ar ben eu hamgylchiadau personol. Mae rhai sydd wedi bod yn gwneud dosbarthiadau ar-lein hefyd wedi bod yn darparu addysg i'w plant eu hunain gartref. Mae'r gweithlu addysg wedi bod yn rhagorol, ond ni allwn anghofio'r effaith ar eu hiechyd a'u llesiant eu hunain. Pa gamau pellach y gall Llywodraeth Cymru eu cymryd i sicrhau bod athrawon a staff yn teimlo eu bod yn cael eu cefnogi yn eu swyddi dros y misoedd nesaf, a pha gymorth sydd ar gael iddynt i sicrhau bod eu llesiant meddyliol eu hunain yn cael blaenoriaeth?
Thank you, Jayne, for recognising the tremendous effort of the education workforce throughout the pandemic. They have shown real innovation and resilience in the most difficult of times, and it is important that we recognise that we need to support them in their mental health and well-being. That's why we have engaged with Education Support, a charity organisation with expertise in supporting the well-being of teachers to deliver a programme of support during this academic year. That has included online facilitation of peer-to-peer support for headteachers, one-to-one support for headteachers delivered by counsellors, a dedicated schools and well-being service being set up, free online learning modules for staff themselves. And, indeed, this very evening there is an online webinar which over 400 education staff have signed up to in preparation for ensuring that they can enjoy their Easter break. I'd also like to commend the work of the National Academy for Education Leadership Wales that run weekly sessions that allow groups of two to three headteachers to provide peer-to-peer support, and to discuss the challenges that they're facing in a safe and secure environment.
Diolch, Jayne, am gydnabod ymdrech aruthrol y gweithlu addysg drwy gydol y pandemig. Maent wedi dangos arloesedd a chadernid gwirioneddol mewn cyfnod anodd, ac mae'n bwysig inni gydnabod bod angen inni eu cefnogi yn eu hiechyd meddwl a'u llesiant. Dyna pam ein bod wedi ymgysylltu â Cymorth Addysg, sefydliad elusennol sydd ag arbenigedd mewn cefnogi llesiant athrawon i gyflwyno rhaglen gymorth yn ystod y flwyddyn academaidd hon. Mae hynny wedi cynnwys hwyluso cymorth rhwng cymheiriaid ar-lein i benaethiaid, cymorth un-i-un i benaethiaid a ddarperir gan gwnselwyr, sefydlu gwasanaeth ysgolion a llesiant pwrpasol, modiwlau dysgu ar-lein am ddim i'r staff eu hunain. Ac yn wir, heno, cynhelir gweminar ar-lein y mae dros 400 o staff addysg wedi cofrestru ar ei chyfer i baratoi ar gyfer sicrhau y gallant fwynhau eu gwyliau Pasg. Hoffwn ganmol gwaith yr Academi Genedlaethol ar gyfer Arweinyddiaeth Addysgol hefyd sy'n cynnal sesiynau wythnosol sy'n caniatáu i grwpiau o ddau i dri phennaeth ddarparu cefnogaeth rhwng cymheiriaid, ac i drafod yr heriau y maent yn eu hwynebu mewn amgylchedd diogel.
Jayne Bryant has raised a really important issue. Minister, in November, academics at Cardiff and Swansea universities published the results of a joint survey. They spoke to around 13,000 people; half of those were identifying with some degree of mental health issues, and 20 per cent said they were severely affected. This was particularly relevant to younger people and women and, of course, both of those groups are to be found within our primary school sector where there is a higher number of women involved there as teachers. What discussions have you had with the education system, with the trade unions about ways that these mental health issues can be addressed in future? In terms of recruitment, has any assessment been made about the potential effect on recruitment, because it strikes me that as we come out of the pandemic, the last thing we want is there to be a negative impact on recruitment into our primary schools?
Mae Jayne Bryant wedi nodi mater pwysig iawn. Weinidog, ym mis Tachwedd, cyhoeddodd academyddion ym mhrifysgolion Caerdydd ac Abertawe ganlyniadau arolwg ar y cyd. Buont yn siarad â thua 13,000 o bobl; roedd gan hanner y rheini rywfaint o broblemau iechyd meddwl, a dywedodd 20 y cant eu bod wedi cael eu heffeithio'n ddifrifol. Roedd hyn yn arbennig o berthnasol i bobl iau a menywod ac wrth gwrs, mae'r ddau grŵp i'w gweld yn ein sector ysgolion cynradd lle mae nifer uwch o fenywod yn gweithio fel athrawon. Pa drafodaethau a gawsoch gyda'r system addysg, gyda'r undebau llafur ynglŷn â ffyrdd y gellir mynd i'r afael â'r materion iechyd meddwl hyn yn y dyfodol? O ran recriwtio, a wnaed unrhyw asesiad o'r effaith bosibl ar recriwtio, oherwydd wrth inni ddod allan o'r pandemig, mae'n fy nharo i mai'r peth olaf rydym ei eisiau yw effaith negyddol ar recriwtio i'n hysgolion cynradd?
Thank you, Nick, for that question. My officials have weekly conversations with the trade unions, discussing a wide range of issues and, clearly, the well-being of school and support staff features strongly. The Welsh Government has had very positive feedback from the services that the Education Support charity has been able to put in place this year, and we will continue to reflect on what more we can do to support the profession throughout the pandemic, and the period following.
With regard to recruitment, what I can say, Nick, is that we have seen this year very strong recruitment to our initial teacher education programmes. I think the spotlight that has been put on the importance of education, and the crucial role that educators play in the life of children and young people and, indeed, supporting communities, has inspired very many people to think about a career in teaching, and I'm very pleased to see that.
Diolch am y cwestiwn hwnnw, Nick. Mae fy swyddogion yn cael sgyrsiau wythnosol gyda'r undebau llafur i drafod ystod eang o faterion ac yn amlwg, mae llesiant staff ysgol a staff cymorth yn codi'n aml. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cael adborth cadarnhaol iawn gan y gwasanaethau y mae'r elusen Cymorth Addysg wedi gallu eu rhoi ar waith eleni, a byddwn yn parhau i ystyried beth arall y gallwn ei wneud i gefnogi'r proffesiwn drwy gydol y pandemig, a'r cyfnod sy'n dilyn.
O ran recriwtio, yr hyn y gallaf ei ddweud, Nick, yw ein bod wedi gweld recriwtio cryf iawn eleni i'n rhaglenni addysg gychwynnol i athrawon. Rwy'n credu bod y sbotolau sydd wedi bod ar bwysigrwydd addysg, a'r rôl hollbwysig y mae addysgwyr yn ei chwarae ym mywyd plant a phobl ifanc, ac yn cefnogi cymunedau yn wir, wedi ysbrydoli llawer iawn o bobl i feddwl am yrfa mewn addysgu, ac rwy'n falch iawn o weld hynny.
2. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am wasanaethau cyfrwng Cymraeg i lywodraethwyr ysgol yng Nghymru? OQ56437
2. Will the Minister make a statement on Welsh-medium services for school governors in Wales? OQ56437
Governing bodies have an essential role in improving school performance. Local authorities provide direct support to governors through their governor support services. Under Welsh language standards, all information, advice and guidance provided by the Welsh Government to local authorities is provided bilingually. Local authorities are under the same standard duties.
Mae gan gyrff llywodraethu ran hanfodol i'w chwarae yn gwella perfformiad ysgolion. Mae awdurdodau lleol yn darparu cymorth uniongyrchol i lywodraethwyr drwy eu gwasanaethau cymorth i lywodraethwyr. O dan safonau'r Gymraeg, darperir yr holl wybodaeth, y cyngor a'r arweiniad a ddarperir gan Lywodraeth Cymru i awdurdodau lleol yn ddwyieithog. Mae awdurdodau lleol yn ddarostyngedig i'r un ddyletswydd o dan y safonau.
Dwi'n lywodraethwr fan hyn yn Sir Ddinbych, ac fel sy'n ofynnol ac yn rhesymol, wrth gwrs, i mi wneud, fel pawb arall, mae angen DBS check bob hyn a hyn, i sicrhau fy mod i'n berson addas a chymwys i fod yn lywodraethwr. Nawr, mi ges i wahoddiad i wneud DBS check yn ddiweddar ar lein, ond os ydw i am wneud hynny drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg, mae'n rhaid i fi ofyn am ffurflen bapur. Er fy mod i'n siaradwr Cymraeg, yn lywodraethwr ar ysgol gyfrwng Gymraeg â'r corff llywodraethol yn cynnal ei holl gyfarfodydd a'i gweinyddiaeth drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg hefyd, mae'n rhaid i fi setlo am broses israddol. Nawr, mae yna wahaniaethu ar sawl ieithyddol yn fan hyn, a dwi'n deall hefyd bod ceisiadau ar lein fel arfer yn cymryd llai nag wythnos i'w prosesu, ond os ydw i'n gorfod gwneud cais ar bapur mae'n gallu cymryd o leiaf mis i chwe wythnos. Felly, ydych chi'n meddwl bod y math yma o wahaniaethu ar sail iaith yn dderbyniol, ac os nad ŷch chi, yna'r cwestiwn i fi, wrth gwrs, yw beth ŷch chi a'r Llywodraeth yn ei wneud er mwyn ceisio cywiro hynny?
I'm a governor here in Denbighshire and as is required and reasonable for me to do, as with everyone else, I need a DBS check every now and again to ensure that I am a fit and proper person to be a governor. Now, I was invited for a DBS check recently and it was undertaken online, but if I want to do that through the medium of Welsh I have to ask for a paper form. Although I am a Welsh speaker, a governor in a Welsh-medium school where the governing body holds all of its meetings and administration through the medium of Welsh, I have to settle for a second-rate process. Now, there is discrimination on a linguistic basis here and I understand, too, that online applications usually take less than a week to process, but if done on paper it can take a month to six weeks. So, do you think that this kind of discrimination on the basis of language is acceptable, and if you don't, then my question is what will you and the Government do to try and put that right?
Well, firstly, Llyr, can I thank you for serving as a governor? They are important roles and I would encourage everybody that is interested in education to think about how they can help our children and young people by doing what you do and serving in the role of governor. Clearly, the situation that you have just described is not acceptable. I'm grateful to you for bringing it to my attention, and I shall raise it with the necessary authorities to ensure that there is equality in the service that is offered to people who have taken the time and trouble to put themselves forward to undertake this important role. Diolch yn fawr.
Wel, yn gyntaf, Llyr, a gaf fi ddiolch i chi am wasanaethu fel llywodraethwr? Maent yn rolau pwysig a byddwn yn annog pawb sydd â diddordeb mewn addysg i feddwl sut y gallant helpu ein plant a'n pobl ifanc drwy wneud yr hyn a wnewch chi a gwasanaethu yn rôl llywodraethwr. Yn amlwg, nid yw'r sefyllfa rydych newydd ei disgrifio yn dderbyniol. Rwy'n ddiolchgar i chi am dynnu fy sylw at y mater, a byddaf yn ei godi gyda'r awdurdodau angenrheidiol i sicrhau bod cydraddoldeb yn y gwasanaeth a gynigir i bobl sydd wedi rhoi amser ac ymdrech i gynnig eu hunain ar gyfer y rôl bwysig hon. Diolch yn fawr.
Weinidog, rwy'n falch o glywed eich bod chi wedi bod yn rhoi diolch i bawb sydd wedi rhoi o'u hamser a'u sgiliau i fod yn llywodraethwyr yn ein hysgolion, ac mae eu swyddi ar fin dod yn fwy beichus o dan y cwricwlwm newydd, a hyd yn oed yn fwy tebyg i roles ymddiriedolwyr neu gyfarwyddwyr anweithredol elusennau neu fusnesau. Yn sicr, bydd yn rhaid i'w perthynas gyda chymunedau lleol ddod yn fwy agored hefyd oherwydd y cwricwlwm. Sut ydych chi'n sicrhau y bydd llywodraethwyr yn cael yr holl hyfforddiant sydd ei angen arnynt, a pha fesurau ydych chi'n eu cynnig i helpu dysgwyr a'u teuluoedd i ddwyn llywodraethwyr i gyfrif?
Minister, I'm pleased to hear that you have thanked everyone who has given of their time and skills to become governors in our schools, and their jobs are about to become more burdensome under the new curriculum, and more similar to the role of trustees or non-executive directors of businesses or charities. Certainly, their relationships with local communities will have to be more open, too, because of the curriculum. How will you ensure that governors receive all the training they need, and what measures are you putting in place to help learners and their families to hold governors to account?
Well, thank you for that, Suzy. Can I assure you that that training is already being delivered? For instance, even in the midst of the pandemic, GwE, our regional support service in north Wales, is already delivering a comprehensive programme of governor training in anticipation not only of curriculum reform but also ALN reform, and that is a programme of work that is being replicated across Wales. It is absolutely important that governors have the skills necessary to provide that supportive challenge to headteachers and to be able to play a full part in developing new curricula within their schools. You're right; this gives us a new opportunity to be able to explain to parents in the roll-out of the new curriculum the important role that governors will have and how parents themselves can influence that process, and indeed to encourage other parents to take up roles as governors, not just in the slot that is reserved for parents, but actually looking at ways in which they too can contribute, either to their own children's school or to other schools in their area.
Wel, diolch am hynny, Suzy. A gaf fi eich sicrhau bod yr hyfforddiant hwnnw eisoes yn cael ei ddarparu? Er enghraifft, hyd yn oed ynghanol y pandemig, mae GwE, ein gwasanaeth cymorth rhanbarthol yng ngogledd Cymru, eisoes yn darparu rhaglen gynhwysfawr o hyfforddiant i lywodraethwyr cyn diwygio nid yn unig y cwricwlwm, ond anghenion dysgu ychwanegol hefyd, ac mae honno'n rhaglen waith sy'n cael ei hailadrodd ledled Cymru. Mae'n hollbwysig fod gan lywodraethwyr y sgiliau angenrheidiol i ddarparu'r her gefnogol honno i benaethiaid ac i allu chwarae rhan lawn wrth ddatblygu cwricwla newydd yn eu hysgolion. Rydych yn iawn; mae hyn yn rhoi cyfle newydd inni allu esbonio i rieni wrth gyflwyno'r cwricwlwm newydd y rôl bwysig a fydd gan lywodraethwyr a sut y gall rhieni eu hunain ddylanwadu ar y broses honno, ac yn wir annog rhieni eraill i ymgymryd â rolau llywodraethwyr, nid yn unig yn y slot a gedwir ar gyfer rhieni, ond gan edrych ar ffyrdd y gallant hwythau hefyd gyfrannu mewn gwirionedd, naill ai yn ysgol eu plant eu hunain neu mewn ysgolion eraill yn eu hardal.
We now turn to spokesperson's questions, and the first up this afternoon is the Conservative spokesperson, Suzy Davies.
Trown yn awr at gwestiynau'r llefarwyr, a'r cyntaf y prynhawn yma yw llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Suzy Davies.
Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd. Well, here we are, Minister—our last spokesperson session together. Dirprwy Lywydd, I hope we will get a chance—. I mean, I'm going to get a chance to thank other Members in this portfolio next week, but I hope you will allow me just a few words at the end for the Minister when we get to my third question.
But I'll start with asking about this, which is that the Education Workforce Council has confirmed that registrations with them are down by 1,000 on last year. Many Members have been contacted by supply teachers, saying how difficult it's been for them to get work this year, yet your Recruit, Recover and Raise Standards programme has apparently found 1,800 new members of staff to help deliver on its intention. That's twice as many as you'd budgeted for, and especially impressive considering you've only spent £17 million this year of the £20 million you'd earmarked for this. If the number of registered staff has dropped, who are these 1,800 new members of staff, and how can you afford them for £17 million? Why is it only in the last 10 days that you've been able to reverse the position of providing only half the catch-up money for Welsh pupils that their peers in other parts of the UK have benefited from throughout the year?
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Wel, dyma ni, Weinidog—ein sesiwn lefarwyr ddiwethaf gyda'n gilydd. Ddirprwy Lywydd, gobeithio y cawn gyfle—. Rwy'n credu y byddaf yn cael cyfle i ddiolch i Aelodau eraill yn y portffolio hwn yr wythnos nesaf, ond rwy'n gobeithio y byddwch yn caniatáu imi ddweud ychydig eiriau wrth y Gweinidog ar y diwedd pan ddof at fy nhrydydd cwestiwn.
Ond rwyf am ddechrau drwy ofyn ynglŷn â hyn, sef bod Cyngor y Gweithlu Addysg wedi cadarnhau bod cofrestriadau gyda hwy wedi gostwng 1,000 ers y llynedd. Mae athrawon cyflenwi wedi cysylltu â llawer o'r Aelodau i ddweud pa mor anodd y bu iddynt ddod o hyd i waith eleni, ac eto mae'n debyg bod eich rhaglen Recriwtio, Adfer a Chodi Safonau wedi dod o hyd i 1,800 o aelodau staff newydd i helpu i gyflawni ei bwriad. Mae hynny'n ddwywaith cymaint â'r nifer y gwnaethoch gyllidebu ar eu cyfer, ac yn arbennig o drawiadol o ystyried mai dim ond £17 miliwn rydych chi wedi'i wario eleni o'r £20 miliwn a glustnodwyd gennych ar gyfer hyn. Os yw nifer y staff cofrestredig wedi gostwng, pwy yw'r 1,800 aelod newydd o staff, a sut y gallwch eu fforddio am £17 miliwn? Pam mai dim ond yn ystod y 10 diwrnod diwethaf y llwyddoch chi i wrthdroi'r sefyllfa o ddarparu dim ond hanner yr arian dal i fyny i ddisgyblion Cymru y mae eu cyfoedion mewn rhannau eraill o'r DU wedi elwa arno drwy gydol y flwyddyn?
Well, Deputy Presiding Officer, the Member tried to lull me into a false sense of security, I think, before asking that question. If I had any hopes that she would spare me in this last session, they've been cruelly dashed by that question. Can I just say that the success of the RRRS programme is something to be celebrated? I think it is fair to say that we had initially anticipated that we would have more qualified teachers recruited under the system, but, actually, schools have been given the freedom to recruit professionals as they see fit, and many schools have decided to recruit teaching support staff rather than qualified teacher status staff. Some schools have used the resource to offset redundancies that had been planned and were being taken through the system, and they've been able to retain additional staff that would have been lost to them. In some schools, they've been able to up individuals' hours. So, somebody perhaps that was employed on a part-time contract, the school has felt it was appropriate, because of their familiarity with the school—rather than bringing in additional members of staff, they were happy to increase hours of part-time members of staff. So, the programme has been utilised in a number of ways. Some schools have looked outside traditional staffing roles, and, for instance, have recruited youth worker mentors and those skilled in child well-being and mental health. With regard to additional funding, I am delighted that we have been able to secure additional funds to support the RRRS programme. And I would say to the Member that those funds that we've been able to secure go above and beyond the Barnett consequential that her colleagues in Westminster saw fit to give us.
Wel, Ddirprwy Lywydd, ceisiodd yr Aelod gymell ymdeimlad ffug o ddiogelwch, rwy'n credu, cyn gofyn y cwestiwn hwnnw. Pe bai gennyf unrhyw obeithion y byddai'n fy arbed yn y sesiwn olaf hon, maent wedi cael eu chwalu'n greulon gan y cwestiwn hwnnw. A gaf fi ddweud bod llwyddiant y rhaglen recriwtio, adfer a chodi safonau'n rhywbeth i'w ddathlu? Credaf ei bod yn deg dweud ein bod wedi rhagweld i ddechrau y byddai mwy o athrawon cymwysedig yn cael eu recriwtio o dan y system, ond mewn gwirionedd, mae ysgolion wedi cael rhyddid i recriwtio gweithwyr proffesiynol fel y gwelant orau, ac mae llawer o ysgolion wedi penderfynu recriwtio staff cymorth addysgu yn hytrach na staff statws athro cymwysedig. Mae rhai ysgolion wedi defnyddio'r adnodd i wrthbwyso diswyddiadau a oedd wedi'u cynllunio ac a oedd yn mynd drwy'r system, ac maent wedi gallu cadw staff ychwanegol a fyddai wedi'u colli. Mewn rhai ysgolion, maent wedi gallu cynyddu oriau unigolion. Felly, efallai fod yr ysgol wedi teimlo ei bod yn briodol, yn achos rhywun a oedd wedi'i gyflogi ar gontract rhan-amser, oherwydd eu bod yn gyfarwydd â'r ysgol—yn hytrach na dod ag aelodau ychwanegol o staff i mewn, roeddent yn hapus i gynyddu oriau aelodau staff rhan-amser. Felly, mae'r rhaglen wedi cael ei defnyddio mewn nifer o ffyrdd. Mae rhai ysgolion wedi edrych y tu hwnt i rolau staffio traddodiadol, ac er enghraifft, wedi recriwtio mentoriaid gweithwyr ieuenctid a rhai sy'n fedrus ym maes llesiant plant ac iechyd meddwl. Ar gyllid ychwanegol, rwyf wrth fy modd ein bod wedi gallu sicrhau arian ychwanegol i gefnogi'r rhaglen recriwtio, adfer a chodi safonau. A byddwn yn dweud wrth yr Aelod fod y cronfeydd rydym wedi gallu eu sicrhau yn mynd y tu hwnt i'r swm canlyniadol Barnett y gwelodd ei chymheiriaid yn San Steffan yn dda i'w roi i ni.
Thank you for that answer. So, what we're talking about here, then, is 1,800 equivalents of teachers, rather than new members of staff. I'm grateful for the clarification. But there's still no doubt at all that we need more teachers, and so I was pleased to have it confirmed that teachers from anywhere in the world will be permitted to apply to teach in Wales now. Newly qualified teachers will need particular support—I know we're going to have new ones, but they will need new support, of course, because of limited classroom experience, and all teachers will need to find time to acquire the knowledge and skills to design and teach the new curriculum. None of the NQT targets, apart from physical education, I think, have been met, and they still won't be, despite the new interest shown in teaching careers during COVID that you alluded to earlier. Do you think that might be because the degree, or the degree plus a PGCE, and of course now the Master's option route to teaching, is squeezing out talent, because the process is too long and too expensive, and maybe still values theory over life experience a bit much? And is part of potential applicants' worry that, despite the shortages that we've just been speaking about, schools won't have enough money to employ them and pay them properly?
Diolch am yr ateb hwnnw. Felly, yr hyn rydym yn sôn amdano yma yw 1,800 o rai cyfwerth ag athrawon, yn hytrach nag aelodau newydd o staff. Rwy'n ddiolchgar am yr eglurhad. Ond nid oes amheuaeth o gwbl o hyd fod angen mwy o athrawon arnom, ac felly roeddwn yn falch o'i gael wedi'i gadarnhau y bydd athrawon o unrhyw le yn y byd yn cael gwneud cais i addysgu yng Nghymru yn awr. Bydd angen cymorth penodol ar athrawon newydd gymhwyso—rwy'n gwybod y byddwn yn cael rhai newydd, ond bydd angen cymorth newydd arnynt, wrth gwrs, oherwydd profiad ystafell ddosbarth cyfyngedig, a bydd angen i bob athro ddod o hyd i amser i gaffael gwybodaeth a sgiliau ar gyfer cynllunio ac addysgu'r cwricwlwm newydd. Nid oes yr un o'r targedau ANG, ar wahân i addysg gorfforol, rwy'n credu, wedi'u cyrraedd, ac ni chânt eu cyrraedd, er gwaethaf y diddordeb newydd a ddangoswyd mewn gyrfaoedd addysgu yn ystod COVID y cyfeirioch chi ato'n gynharach. A ydych yn credu efallai mai'r rheswm am hynny yw oherwydd bod y radd, neu'r radd ynghyd â TAR, ac opsiwn y llwybr Meistr i addysgu bellach wrth gwrs, yn gwthio talent allan, am fod y broses yn rhy hir ac yn rhy ddrud, ac efallai'n dal i roi pwyslais ar theori yn hytrach na phrofiad bywyd i ryw raddau? Ac er gwaethaf y prinder rydym newydd fod yn siarad amdano, rhan o bryder ymgeiswyr posibl yw na fydd gan ysgolion ddigon o arian i'w cyflogi a'u talu'n briodol?
Well, Suzy, I'm grateful for your acknowledgement that the Welsh Government has introduced new secondary legislation that allows teachers from across the world to enter into a process, with our Education Workforce Council, to be accredited to teach in this country. I believe those first applicants are already in process, including a new would-be maths teacher who qualified in the United States, who is very keen to take up a role here in one of our secondary schools in the capital.
With regard to ITE, we have reformed initial teacher education to ensure that it gives our teachers the best possible start in a professional career. And we have recognised that the more traditional routes perhaps were putting off those people that had something very valuable to offer our children and young people, but the traditional routes were not appropriate to them. And that's why we've worked with our partners in the Open University, for instance, to develop a distance learning part-time route to qualified teacher status. That makes it much easier, especially in areas of Wales where you and I live, where, actually, accessing a university on a full-time basis is really challenging. And I'm delighted to say that we have seen good and strong recruitment to that part-time distance learning route that is now offered by the Open University.
Wel, Suzy, rwy'n ddiolchgar am eich cydnabyddiaeth fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cyflwyno is-ddeddfwriaeth newydd sy'n caniatáu i athrawon o bob cwr o'r byd ddechrau proses, gyda'n Cyngor Gweithlu Addysg, i gael eu hachredu i addysgu yn y wlad hon. Rwy'n credu bod yr ymgeiswyr cyntaf eisoes wedi dechrau'r broses, gan gynnwys darpar athro mathemateg newydd a oedd wedi cymhwyso yn yr Unol Daleithiau, sy'n awyddus iawn i ymgymryd â rôl yma yn un o'n hysgolion uwchradd yn y brifddinas.
Mewn perthynas ag addysg gychwynnol i athrawon, rydym wedi ei diwygio i sicrhau ei bod yn rhoi'r dechrau gorau posibl i'n hathrawon mewn gyrfa broffesiynol. Ac rydym wedi cydnabod efallai fod y llwybrau mwy traddodiadol yn methu denu'r bobl a oedd â rhywbeth gwerthfawr iawn i'w gynnig i'n plant a'n pobl ifanc ond nad oedd y llwybrau traddodiadol yn briodol iddynt. A dyna pam ein bod wedi gweithio gyda'n partneriaid yn y Brifysgol Agored, er enghraifft, i ddatblygu llwybr dysgu o bell rhan-amser i statws athro cymwysedig. Mae hynny'n ei gwneud yn llawer haws, yn enwedig yn yr ardaloedd o Gymru lle rydych chi a fi'n byw, lle mae cael mynediad at brifysgol ar sail amser llawn yn heriol iawn mewn gwirionedd. Ac rwy'n falch iawn o ddweud ein bod wedi gweld recriwtio da a chryf i'r llwybr dysgu o bell rhan-amser sydd bellach yn cael ei gynnig gan y Brifysgol Agored.
Thank you. Yes, I'm rather keen on that OU route as well, as indeed I am on teaching apprenticeships; I think there are many ways, different routes to excellence, here that should be explored by the next Government, which, obviously, I hope is a Conservative one.
Kirsty, when we met in 2007, I'd be surprised if either of us thought we'd be doing this today, although I suspect that perhaps you've always hoped you'd get the chance to be the education Minister, because it's evident to everyone, even those who might disagree with you—and that's been my party less often than perhaps the public might imagine—that the life chances of our young people really matter to you, and that accessible education, that education of all Welsh citizens, but particularly children and young people, needs to be an education that they can reach into and grab hold of and create themselves with, on the basis that, of course, if you can transform one child, you transform the world entire.
But I wasn't sure, after my early raid on your territory back in 2007, what my reception would be when I got this shadow role, but what I've found is someone who has goals, is values driven, knows her stuff, and, most shocking of all for us, is open to listening to the views of others. And so I was sorry I couldn't join you for Stage 4 of the curriculum Bill last week to say thank you for specific changes to that Bill, but I also wanted to thank you for the respect and understanding you show to the scrutiny process overall, your willingness to act on committee recommendations, not ducking too many questions, and seeing scrutiny for what it is. I think that's been deeply impressive, because facing scrutiny is not about protecting the party brand in the face of inconvenient questions; it's about recognising that Parliament represents the people, and it's Parliament that legislates for them. And so I do honour you for that. It does leave me with my final, slightly horrible spokesperson's question though, Kirsty: does a period in opposition make people better Ministers?
Diolch. Ydw, rwy'n eithaf hoff o'r llwybr hwnnw gan y Brifysgol Agored hefyd, fel rwy'n hoff o'r llwybr addysgu prentisiaethau; credaf fod llawer o ffyrdd yma, gwahanol lwybrau at ragoriaeth, y dylai'r Llywodraeth nesaf eu harchwilio, ac rwy'n gobeithio mai un Geidwadol fydd hi wrth gwrs.
Kirsty, pan gyfarfuom yn 2007, byddwn yn synnu pe bai'r naill neu'r llall ohonom yn meddwl y byddem yn gwneud hyn heddiw, er fy mod yn amau efallai eich bod bob amser wedi gobeithio y byddech yn cael cyfle i fod yn Weinidog addysg, oherwydd mae'n amlwg i bawb, hyd yn oed y rhai a allai fod yn anghytuno â chi—a fy mhlaid i'n llai aml nag y byddai'r cyhoedd yn ei ddychmygu o bosibl—fod cyfleoedd bywyd ein pobl ifanc yn wirioneddol bwysig i chi, a bod angen i addysg hygyrch, addysg holl ddinasyddion Cymru, ond yn enwedig plant a phobl ifanc, fod yn addysg y gallant ei chyrraedd a dal gafael ynddi eu hunain a chreu eu hunain drwyddi, ar y sail, wrth gwrs, os gallwch drawsnewid un plentyn, y gallwch drawsnewid y byd yn grwn.
Ond ar ôl i mi ymosod ar eich tiriogaeth yn gynnar yn ôl yn 2007, nid oeddwn yn siŵr pa dderbyniad a gawn pan gefais rôl llefarydd yr wrthblaid, ond yr hyn a welais oedd rhywun sydd â nodau, sy'n cael ei gyrru gan werthoedd, sy'n gwybod ei phethau, ac yn fwyaf o syndod na dim i bawb ohonom, rhywun sy'n agored i wrando ar farn pobl eraill. Ac felly roedd yn ddrwg gennyf na allwn ymuno â chi ar gyfer Cyfnod 4 y Bil cwricwlwm yr wythnos diwethaf i ddweud diolch am newidiadau penodol i'r Bil hwnnw, ond roeddwn hefyd am ddiolch i chi am y parch a ddangoswch tuag at y broses graffu yn gyffredinol, a'ch dealltwriaeth ohoni, eich parodrwydd i weithredu ar argymhellion pwyllgorau, heb geisio osgoi gormod o gwestiynau, a gweld craffu am yr hyn ydyw. Rwy'n credu bod hynny wedi creu argraff fawr iawn, oherwydd nid oes a wnelo craffu â diogelu brand y blaid yn wyneb cwestiynau anghyfleus; mae'n ymwneud â chydnabod bod y Senedd yn cynrychioli'r bobl, a'r Senedd sy'n deddfu ar eu cyfer. Ac felly rwy'n eich parchu am hynny. Ond mae'n fy ngadael gyda fy nghwestiwn olaf fel llefarydd, cwestiwn braidd yn ofnadwy er hynny, Kirsty: a yw cyfnod yn yr wrthblaid yn gwneud pobl yn Weinidogion gwell?
Well, Suzy, can I just say thank you very much for your kind words, and thank you for forgiving me? I do remember a certain public meeting in the Strand Hall in Builth Wells—although the subject that day was health—when I suspect that I was particularly mean, not that anybody in the Chamber would ever remember me being mean or sharp or difficult with people, but—. So, I thank you for that.
You're right; it is an absolute dream job for me to become the education Minister, and I suspect an unexpected surprise to everybody, including myself. It's been a joy over the last five years. And I am sorry that you weren't here last week, because, if you had been, you would have heard me say that the Bill that we got to vote on last week was a better Bill for the scrutiny and the legislative process. And I was honoured to present it, not just as the Minister, but as a parliamentarian. And I agree with you, Suzy: there is something particularly interesting to have crossed the aisle, having served a very long apprenticeship on the opposition benches. And all I would say to anybody that finds themselves on the opposition benches and then maybe, or maybe not, might be lucky enough to find themselves in a position of Government is that it's a lot harder than it looks, and it's not as easy as you suggest that it might be when you're sitting on those opposition benches.
Wel, Suzy, a gaf fi ddweud diolch yn fawr am eich geiriau caredig, a diolch ichi am faddau i mi? Cofiaf gyfarfod cyhoeddus penodol yn Neuadd y Strand yn Llanfair-ym-Muallt—er mai iechyd oedd y pwnc y diwrnod hwnnw—pan gredaf fy mod wedi bod yn arbennig o gas, nid y byddai neb yn y Siambr byth yn fy nghofio'n bod yn gas neu'n finiog neu'n anodd gyda phobl, ond—. Felly, diolch ichi am hynny.
Rydych chi'n iawn; fy swydd ddelfrydol oedd dod yn Weinidog addysg, ac rwy'n tybio bod hynny'n syndod annisgwyl i bawb, gan gynnwys i mi fy hun. Mae wedi bod yn bleser dros y pum mlynedd diwethaf. Ac mae'n ddrwg gennyf nad oeddech yma yr wythnos diwethaf, oherwydd, pe baech chi wedi bod, byddech wedi fy nghlywed yn dweud bod y Bil y gwnaethom bleidleisio arno yr wythnos diwethaf yn Fil gwell oherwydd y gwaith craffu a'r broses ddeddfwriaethol. Ac roedd yn anrhydedd cael ei gyflwyno, nid yn unig fel Gweinidog, ond fel seneddwr. Ac rwy'n cytuno, Suzy: mae rhywbeth arbennig o ddiddorol am fod wedi croesi'r llawr, ar ôl treulio prentisiaeth hir iawn ar feinciau'r gwrthbleidiau. A'r cyfan y byddwn yn ei ddweud wrth unrhyw un sydd ar feinciau'r gwrthbleidiau ac yna efallai, neu efallai ddim, yn ddigon ffodus i fod mewn Llywodraeth yw ei fod yn llawer anoddach nag y mae'n edrych, ac nid yw mor hawdd ag yr awgrymwch y gallai fod pan fyddwch yn eistedd ar feinciau'r gwrthbleidiau.
Thank you. Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Siân Gwenllian.
Diolch. Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Siân Gwenllian.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Un o'r materion sy'n pryderu'r mwyafrif o athrawon ydy'r baich gwaith maen nhw'n gorfod delio ag o ar ben y gwaith maen nhw wedi'u hyfforddi i'w wneud, sef addysgu ac arwain addysgu. Yn ôl rhai, mae'r baich gwaith ychwanegol yma, y biwrocratiaeth dyddiol, wedi gwaethygu dros y bum mlynedd diwethaf. Beth ydy'ch ymateb chi i'r honiad hwnnw?
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. One of the issues that is of concern to the majority of teachers is the workload that they are having to deal with in addition to the work that they are trained to do, namely to educate and to lead. According to some, the additional burden, the daily bureaucracy, has got worse over the past five years. What's your response to that claim?
I recognise that we ask an awful lot of our teaching professionals. And now, more than ever, we need to attach even greater weight and greater pace to the managing workload and reducing bureaucracy group. That group is still working, despite the challenges of the pandemic, to identify the pressures facing teachers and implement new solutions. The workload charter has now been published, with the workload and well-being page on Hwb currently in development. The education support charity that I also spoke of earlier is producing a well-being toolkit on Hwb, which will contain a greater range of resources and practical advice, to be published in April, and the Welsh Government continues to work with our partners in regional consortia, in individual local education authorities, and, indeed, with Estyn, to ensure that the demands placed on schools from outside organisations are manageable, proportionate and add value to outcomes for children.
Rwy'n cydnabod ein bod yn gofyn llawer iawn gan ein haddysgwyr proffesiynol. Ac yn awr yn fwy nag erioed, mae angen inni gyflymu a rhoi mwy fyth o bwyslais ar waith y grŵp rheoli llwyth gwaith a lleihau biwrocratiaeth. Mae'r grŵp hwnnw'n dal i weithio, er gwaethaf heriau'r pandemig, ar nodi'r pwysau sy'n wynebu athrawon a gweithredu atebion newydd. Mae'r siarter llwyth gwaith bellach wedi'i chyhoeddi, gyda'r dudalen llwyth gwaith a llesiant ar Hwb yn cael ei datblygu ar hyn o bryd. Mae'r elusen cymorth addysg y siaradais amdani'n gynharach hefyd yn cynhyrchu pecyn cymorth llesiant ar Hwb, a fydd yn cynnwys ystod ehangach o adnoddau a chyngor ymarferol, i'w gyhoeddi ym mis Ebrill, ac mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i weithio gyda'n partneriaid yn y consortia rhanbarthol, mewn awdurdodau addysg lleol unigol, ac yn wir, gydag Estyn, i sicrhau bod y galwadau ar ysgolion gan sefydliadau allanol yn ymarferol, yn gymesur ac yn ychwanegu gwerth at ganlyniadau i blant.
Un mater sydd yn sicr yn ychwanegu'n sylweddol at y baich gwaith ydy gosod cyllidebau, yn enwedig yr adeg yma o'r flwyddyn. Beth sy'n creu cymhlethdod yw pan fo arian yn cyrraedd drwy grant yn hwyr iawn yn y dydd, fel sydd wedi digwydd wythnos yma. Dwi am ddyfynnu un pennaeth a gysylltodd efo fi ddoe. Dyma ddywedodd hi: 'Rydym ni yn treulio mwy o amser yn ysgrifennu am sut i wario'r grantiau nag ydym yn defnyddio'r grantiau yn y lle cyntaf.' Ac mi ddywedodd pennaeth arall wrthyf i, 'Tra dwi, wrth gwrs, ar bob cyfrif, yn croesawu unrhyw gyllid ychwanegol ar unrhyw achlysur, teimlaf fod diffyg cynllunio a threfniadaeth i gyfrif am ryddhau'r arian mor hwyr yn y dydd, ac efallai fod hyn, wrth gwrs, yn rhoi darlun annheg o gyllidebau ysgolion a'r swm sy'n cario drosodd o un flwyddyn i'r llall.'
Rŵan, dwi'n derbyn yn llwyr fod y sefyllfa hyd yn oed yn fwy ansefydlog nag arfer eleni oherwydd y pandemig, ond a ydych chi'n derbyn bod hyn broblem fawr—y grantiau yn cyrraedd yn hwyr iawn yn y dydd? A beth ddylai'r Llywodraeth nesaf ei wneud, yn eich barn chi, i leihau'r baich gwaith ariannol sydd ar ein hathrawon ni, a hynny er mwyn eu rhyddhau nhw i ganolbwyntio ar y dysgu?
One issue that certainly adds significantly to that workload is budgeting, particularly at this time of the year. What creates complexity is when funding is provided via grant very late in the day, as has happened this week. I want to quote one headteacher who contacted me yesterday, and this is what she said: 'We are spending more time writing about how we're going to spend these grants than we spend in actually using the grants in the first place.' And another headteacher told me that, 'Whilst, of course, I always welcome any additional funding on any occasion, I do feel that a lack of planning and arrangements does account for the money being released so late in the day, and perhaps this, of course, gives an unfair picture of school budgets and the amounts carried over from one year to the next.'
Now, I understand entirely and accept entirely that the situation is even more unstable than usual this year because of the pandemic, but do you accept that this is a major problem—the grants arriving very late in the day? And what should the next Government do, in your view, to reduce that workload in terms of budgeting placed on our teachers, so that they can be released to focus on teaching?
The Member is correct: sometimes, we are able to release additional resources to the education system later on in the year. The challenges of operating a budget of the size that we do are not without difficulties, but I will never turn down an opportunity from the finance Minister to spend more money on schools.
With regard to the bureaucracy and the reporting, I would say to Siân Gwenllian that, throughout my period as education Minister, she has often asked me to explain where the money has gone, and, indeed, we've just heard from Suzy Davies wanting to know a detailed breakdown of how the additional money from RRRS has been spent. I can only provide answers to people like yourself, Siân, or Suzy Davies, if we ask teachers to report back on what they're spending money on, otherwise I'm not able to answer the questions you often ask me.
Mae'r Aelod yn gywir: weithiau, gallwn ryddhau adnoddau ychwanegol i'r system addysg yn ddiweddarach yn y flwyddyn. Nid yw'r heriau o weithredu cyllideb o'r maint sydd gennym heb eu hanawsterau, ond ni fyddaf byth yn gwrthod cyfle gan y Gweinidog cyllid i wario mwy o arian ar ysgolion.
O ran y fiwrocratiaeth a'r adrodd, byddwn yn dweud wrth Siân Gwenllian ei bod, drwy gydol fy nghyfnod fel Gweinidog addysg, yn aml wedi gofyn imi egluro i ble mae'r arian wedi mynd, ac yn wir, rydym newydd glywed gan Suzy Davies a oedd eisiau dadansoddiad manwl o sut y mae'r arian ychwanegol ar gyfer recriwtio, adfer a chodi safonau wedi'i wario. Ni allaf roi atebion i bobl fel chi, Siân, neu Suzy Davies, heb ofyn i athrawon adrodd yn ôl ar yr hyn y maent yn gwario arian arno, neu fel arall ni allaf ateb y cwestiynau rydych chi'n aml yn eu gofyn i mi.
Dwi'n derbyn y pwynt yna, wrth gwrs, ond mae yna ormodedd o lawer o ddata yn cael ei gasglu, a data yn aml iawn nad ydy'r athrawon eu hunain ddim yn deall pam rydych chi, fel Llywodraeth, eu hangen nhw.
A gaf i droi at fy nghwestiwn olaf i i chi—nid yn unig am heddiw, wrth gwrs—a gaf innau hefyd ddiolch yn fawr i chi am eich cydweithrediad parod yn ystod y Senedd yma, ac yn enwedig am ein cyfarfodydd rheolaidd ni yn ystod y pandemig? Rydym ni'n sicr yn rhannu'r un angerdd dros bwysigrwydd addysg ym mywydau ein plant a'n pobl ifanc, a diolch i chi am eich holl waith caled ar hyd y blynyddoedd, ac yn enwedig am fynnu sylw i blant difreintiedig Cymru. Dwi'n meddwl bod hwnnw wedi bod yn nodwedd amlwg o'ch cyfnod chi fel Gweinidog.
Mae Suzy wedi eich holi chi am brofiadau defnyddiol i ddarpar Weinidog. Dwi am ofyn i chi edrych ymlaen, ac edrych ymlaen tu draw i'r cyfnod COVID, os fedrwch chi. Beth, yn eich tyb chi, ydy'r her fwyaf fydd yn wynebu Gweinidog addysg newydd Cymru dros y blynyddoedd nesaf?
I of course accept that point, but there is far too much data being collected, and it's data that the teachers, very often, don't understand why you, as a Government, would need that data.
If I could turn to my final question to you—not just for today, of course—may I also thank you very much for your willing collaboration through this Senedd, and particularly for our regular meetings during the pandemic? We certainly share the same passion for the importance of education in the lives of our children and young people, and I'd like to thank you for all your hard work over the years, and particularly for focusing on the deprived children of Wales. I think that has been a prominent feature of your period in post.
Suzy has already asked you about useful experiences for prospective Ministers, but I want you to look forward, and look beyond COVID, if you could. What, in your view, is the greatest challenge facing the new education Minister over the next years?
The greatest challenge facing any education Minister is the realisation that education reform and transformation cannot be driven by the will of a single Minister. It has to be done in collaboration and co-operation with the sector. The co-construction of our national mission and our new curriculum has focused on building those strong relationships. I think it will be really important for any incoming education Minister to continue to work in that spirit and not dictate from the centre.
Yr her fwyaf sy'n wynebu unrhyw Weinidog addysg yw sylweddoli nad oes modd i ewyllys un Gweinidog yn unig yrru'r gwaith o ddiwygio a thrawsnewid addysg. Rhaid ei wneud mewn cydweithrediad â'r sector. Mae cydadeiladu ein cenhadaeth genedlaethol a'n cwricwlwm newydd wedi canolbwyntio ar feithrin y cysylltiadau cryf hynny. Credaf y bydd yn bwysig iawn i unrhyw Weinidog addysg newydd barhau i weithio yn yr ysbryd hwnnw a pheidio â gorchymyn o'r canol.
3. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am ei gwneud yn orfodol i blant ysgol wisgo masgiau? OQ56451
3. Will the Minister make a statement on the mandatory wearing of face masks for school children? OQ56451
Our operational guidance states that face coverings should be worn by secondary school learners in all parts of the school building if social distancing cannot be maintained, and on dedicated school transport. This is one of a range of measures to keep schools as safe as possible for both staff and learners.
Mae ein canllawiau gweithredol yn nodi y dylai dysgwyr ysgol uwchradd wisgo gorchuddion wyneb ym mhob rhan o adeilad yr ysgol os na ellir cadw pellter cymdeithasol, ac ar gludiant ysgol dynodedig. Mae hwn yn un o ystod o fesurau i gadw ysgolion mor ddiogel â phosibl i staff a dysgwyr.
Thanks, Minister. There's much research that exists on the unhealthiness of prolonged unsupervised mask wearing as there is on the benefit. We need to get all pupils back into the classroom in a positive learning environment. UsforThem Cymru is an example of concerned parents who want clear direction on freedom to choose, because many pupils are being told that the wearing of masks in the classroom over a prolonged period is mandatory, and policing in all senses works best on consensus. There are real physical and mental impairments to mask wearing and the issue of some headteachers mandating the wearing of masks is causing real anxiety, possible future health problems—depending on the mask and what is done with the mask before wearing—and, for many pupils, it is a barrier to learning. So, what I'm looking for here is some kind of responsibility because you omitted to really address the issue of pupils having to wear masks in classrooms over a prolonged period. So, what will you do to support parents, pupils and staff who choose not to wear masks or who want to not wear masks in the classroom over a prolonged period? What are you going to do to support those people?
Diolch, Weinidog. Mae llawer o ymchwil yn bodoli ar afiachusrwydd gwisgo masg am amser hir heb oruchwyliaeth fel sydd i'w gael ar y manteision. Mae angen inni gael pob disgybl yn ôl i'r ystafell ddosbarth mewn amgylchedd dysgu cadarnhaol. Mae UsforThem Cymru yn enghraifft o rieni pryderus sydd am gael cyfeiriad clir ar y rhyddid i ddewis, oherwydd dywedir wrth lawer o ddisgyblion fod gwisgo masgiau yn yr ystafell ddosbarth am gyfnod hir yn orfodol, ac mae plismona ym mhob ystyr yn gweithio orau drwy gonsensws. Mae yna namau corfforol a meddyliol go iawn sy'n deillio o wisgo masgiau ac mae'r ffaith bod rhai penaethiaid yn mynnu bod masgiau'n cael eu gwisgo yn achosi pryder gwirioneddol, problemau iechyd posibl yn y dyfodol—yn dibynnu ar y masg a'r hyn a wneir gyda'r masg cyn ei wisgo—ac i lawer o ddisgyblion, mae'n rhwystr i ddysgu. Felly, yr hyn rwy'n chwilio amdano yma yw rhyw fath o gyfrifoldeb gan eich bod wedi osgoi mynd i'r afael â'r orfodaeth i ddisgyblion wisgo masgiau mewn ystafelloedd dosbarth dros gyfnod hir. Felly, beth fyddwch chi'n ei wneud i gefnogi rhieni, disgyblion a staff sy'n dewis peidio â gwisgo masgiau neu sydd am beidio â gwisgo masgiau yn yr ystafell ddosbarth dros gyfnod estynedig? Beth a wnewch i gefnogi'r bobl hynny?
I'm not aware that we're asking children to wear masks in an unsupervised situation at all. Children are supervised on school transport and when they're in classrooms they are supervised. The advise that we're giving is that when social distancing cannot be maintained, then masks should be worn because that offers a level of protection, as I said, to both staff and learners. There are times when masks are not appropriate, such as at meal times, when outside, when social distancing is possible, when learners are running around, playing active games, and where learners do have indeed a genuine, specific barrier to wearing a mask. What I would say to parents and to pupils is I'm very grateful for their continuing willingness to engage actively with us, as Welsh Government, and with headteachers and recognise the steps that we can all take to minimise disruption to education and to keep them learning. And I'm very grateful for their willingness to continue to do so.
Nid wyf yn ymwybodol ein bod yn gofyn i blant wisgo masgiau mewn sefyllfa heb oruchwyliaeth o gwbl. Mae'r plant yn cael eu goruchwylio ar gludiant ysgol a phan fyddant mewn ystafelloedd dosbarth. Y cyngor a roddwn pan na ellir cynnal mesurau cadw pellter cymdeithasol, yw y dylid gwisgo masgiau am fod hynny'n cynnig lefel o ddiogelwch i staff a dysgwyr, fel y dywedais. Mae yna adegau pan nad yw masgiau'n briodol, megis adeg prydau bwyd, pan fyddant y tu allan, pan fo'n bosibl cadw pellter cymdeithasol, pan fydd dysgwyr yn rhedeg o gwmpas, yn chwarae gemau corfforol, a lle mae gan ddysgwyr reswm penodol go iawn pam na ddylent wisgo masg. Yr hyn y byddwn yn ei ddweud wrth rieni ac wrth ddisgyblion yw fy mod yn ddiolchgar iawn am eu parodrwydd parhaus i ymwneud yn weithredol â ni, fel Llywodraeth Cymru, a chyda phenaethiaid, a chydnabod y camau y gallwn i gyd eu cymryd i leihau tarfu ar addysg a chadw plant i ddysgu. Ac rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn am eu parodrwydd i barhau i wneud hynny.
Can I wish you well for the future, Minister? You have survived five years and prospered, I think, despite having to start under the incubus of a commendation from me—there we are, it obviously, didn't affect your authority and performance.
I do have some sympathy with Neil McEvoy's point here, because I think we need a flexible approach in some respects. And I'm particularly concerned bout the need for effective social communication, especially for those pupils who are hard-of-hearing and also those pupils who have a language learning difficulty and therefore need lip-reading as part of their communication method. So, I do hope that the guidance is flexible enough to address these very real issues that do affect a minority of our pupils.
A gaf fi ddymuno'n dda i chi ar gyfer y dyfodol, Weinidog? Rydych wedi goroesi pum mlynedd ac wedi ffynnu, rwy'n credu, er i chi orfod dechrau o dan faich cymeradwyaeth gennyf fi—dyna fe, mae'n amlwg nad effeithiodd ar eich awdurdod na'ch perfformiad.
Mae gennyf rywfaint o gydymdeimlad â phwynt Neil McEvoy yma, oherwydd credaf fod arnom angen dull hyblyg mewn rhai ffyrdd. Ac rwy'n pryderu'n arbennig am yr angen am gyfathrebu cymdeithasol effeithiol, yn enwedig i'r disgyblion sy'n drwm eu clyw a hefyd y disgyblion sydd ag anhawster dysgu iaith ac angen darllen wefusau o'r herwydd fel rhan o'u dull cyfathrebu. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio bod y canllawiau'n ddigon hyblyg i fynd i'r afael â'r problemau real iawn hyn sy'n effeithio ar leiafrif o'n disgyblion.
Thank you, David, and thank you for your kind words. Coming from you, who I have appreciated working alongside, as a member of the class of 1999, they are worth that much more.
Can I assure the Member that there is flexibility? Where learners have a specific barrier to wearing a face mask, then that should be recognised by schools. That might be in the case of neurodiverse learners or where learners have a communication difficulty. We have provided advice to schools on the appropriate specification of clear face coverings and where those should be worn, especially if there are children for whom lip-reading is absolutely essential to be able to participate within activities in the classroom. And we have provided advice on specification to schools about how those can be obtained and when they should be used.
Diolch, David, a diolch am eich geiriau caredig. Maent yn werth cymaint mwy yn dod gennych chi, gan fy mod wedi gwerthfawrogi'r cyfle i weithio ochr yn ochr â chi fel un o aelodau criw 1999.
A gaf fi sicrhau'r Aelod fod yna hyblygrwydd? Os oes gan ddysgwyr rwystr penodol sy'n ei atal rhag gwisgo masg wyneb, dylai ysgolion gydnabod hynny. Gallai hynny ddigwydd yn achos dysgwyr niwroamrywiol neu lle mae gan ddysgwyr anhawster cyfathrebu. Rydym wedi rhoi cyngor i ysgolion ar y fanyleb briodol ar gyfer gorchuddion wyneb clir a lle dylid gwisgo'r rheini, yn enwedig yn achos plant y mae darllen gwefusau yn gwbl hanfodol iddynt allu cymryd rhan mewn gweithgareddau yn yr ystafell ddosbarth. Ac rydym wedi rhoi cyngor ar fanyleb i ysgolion ynglŷn â sut y gellir cael gafael ar y rheini a phryd y dylid eu defnyddio.
4. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am gymorth i athrawon yn sir Benfro yn ystod pandemig COVID-19? OQ56432
4. Will the Minister make a statement on support for teachers in Pembrokeshire during the COVID-19 pandemic? OQ56432
Welsh Government is working with our stakeholders and employers to ensure that support is available for teachers in Pembrokeshire and, indeed, across Wales during the pandemic. This support includes a tailored package of well-being and mental health support, and additional funding to create capacity within the school workforce.
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio gyda'n rhanddeiliaid a'n cyflogwyr i sicrhau bod cymorth ar gael i athrawon yn Sir Benfro a ledled Cymru yn wir yn ystod y pandemig. Mae'r cymorth hwn yn cynnwys pecyn wedi'i deilwra o gymorth llesiant ac iechyd meddwl, a chyllid ychwanegol i greu capasiti o fewn gweithlu'r ysgol.
Now, Minister, you'll be aware of the ongoing concerns faced by local supply teachers in Pembrokeshire, many of whom feel they have been overlooked during the pandemic. The National Procurement Service's supply teachers framework has the potential to improve pay and conditions for supply teachers, but I understand that schools are not required to use agencies that have met the requirements of the framework, which means that there is still a patchwork of support for supply teachers, as not all supply teachers receive the same level of pay from agencies. I appreciate that we've corresponded on this matter over recent months, but I'm still receiving representations from supply teachers. So, can you tell us what the Welsh Government is doing to ensure that all supply teachers are being treated fairly and are adequately supported during this pandemic?
Nawr, Weinidog, fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol o'r pryderon parhaus a wynebir gan athrawon cyflenwi lleol yn Sir Benfro, gyda llawer ohonynt yn teimlo eu bod wedi cael eu hanwybyddu yn ystod y pandemig. Mae gan fframwaith athrawon cyflenwi'r Gwasanaeth Caffael Cenedlaethol botensial i wella cyflog ac amodau athrawon cyflenwi, ond deallaf nad yw'n ofynnol i ysgolion ddefnyddio asiantaethau sydd wedi bodloni gofynion y fframwaith, sy'n golygu bod cymorth i athrawon cyflenwi'n dal i fod yn dameidiog, gan nad yw pob athro cyflenwi'n cael yr un lefel o gyflog gan asiantaethau. Rwy'n sylweddoli ein bod wedi gohebu ar y mater hwn dros y misoedd diwethaf, ond rwy'n dal i gael sylwadau gan athrawon cyflenwi. Felly, a allwch ddweud wrthym beth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i sicrhau bod yr holl athrawon cyflenwi'n cael eu trin yn deg a'u bod yn cael eu cefnogi'n ddigonol yn ystod y pandemig hwn?
Thank you, Paul. The framework does indeed provide a level of assurance that individuals will be treated fairly. And we have come to an agreement with the Welsh Local Government Association to once again communicate with their schools and make it very clear to the schools in their local authorities that schools should only be using those agencies that appear on the framework. I will give a commitment, Paul, that I will ask the WLGA to update me on that work when I next meet with them, but we have an agreement with the WLGA that they will stress the importance of doing that with their own schools.
Diolch, Paul. Mae'r fframwaith yn bendant yn rhoi lefel o sicrwydd y bydd unigolion yn cael eu trin yn deg. Ac rydym wedi dod i gytundeb â Chymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru i gyfathrebu â'u hysgolion unwaith eto a'i gwneud yn glir iawn i'r ysgolion yn eu hawdurdodau lleol mai dim ond yr asiantaethau sy'n ymddangos yn y fframwaith y dylai ysgolion eu defnyddio. Paul, rwy'n ymrwymo i ofyn i CLlLC roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf imi am y gwaith hwnnw pan fyddaf yn cyfarfod â hwy nesaf, ond mae gennym gytundeb gyda CLlLC y byddant yn pwysleisio pa mor bwysig yw gwneud hynny wrth eu hysgolion eu hunain.
5. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud i fuddsoddi mewn seilwaith ffisegol ysgolion yn Islwyn? OQ56463
5. What has the Welsh Government done to invest in the physical infrastructure of schools in Islwyn? OQ56463
Caerphilly received over £56 million during first wave of twenty-first century schools and colleges programme funding, and, of this, £28 million was spent in the Islwyn constituency. A further £110 million is planned for the second funding wave, and we are working with Caerphilly to make their plans a reality.
Cafodd Caerffili dros £56 miliwn yn ystod y don gyntaf o gyllid rhaglen ysgolion a cholegau'r unfed ganrif ar hugain, ac o'r swm hwn, gwariodd £28 miliwn yn etholaeth Islwyn. Bwriedir cael £110 miliwn arall ar gyfer yr ail don ariannu, ac rydym yn gweithio gyda Chaerffili i wireddu eu cynlluniau.
Diolch, Minister. As I said yesterday in this Chamber, education, apart from love, is the greatest gift that we can give our children. As a society, it speaks to who and what we are, what we prioritise and all that we value as a progressive, vibrant and dynamic nation. As such, I wish to thank you, Minister, for our often robust interactions and I wish to put on record my support for your undoubted positive legacy, going forward. Although, I'm sure you will recall an area of music education discourse.
In Islwyn, the delivery of the groundbreaking and unprecedented £3.7 billion twenty-first century schools programme has seen transformational change. Large-scale projects have been delivered, such as Islwyn High School, large-scale investments to secondary schools in Newbridge and Blackwood have occurred, and major twenty-first century school refurbishments have occurred, and such refurbishments must continue to be rolled out in the future, post 6 May. But, importantly, it is right to put on the record the local leadership of our fantastic education leaders in Islwyn, such as Keri Cole, Christina Harrhy and now Councillor Ross Whiting. Equally, without our most amazing headteachers and governors in Islwyn, the excellent Caerphilly County Borough Council local education authority partnership with Welsh Government would be inoperable, so I want to thank also our education family.
Minister, in my prior roles and as an education cabinet member and now, I've been thrilled, inspired and honoured to open and tour our new schools and see those fantastic facilities first hand. But this is also in direct contrast to prior years when, pre devolution, as a teacher and school governor, schools across Wales were forced to get rid of teachers and our schools were rotting. This is contrasted now with the delivery of this brand-new, state-of-the-art—
Diolch, Weinidog. Fel y dywedais ddoe yn y Siambr hon, addysg, ar wahân i gariad, yw'r rhodd fwyaf y gallwn ei rhoi i'n plant. Fel cymdeithas, mae'n dweud llawer am bwy ydym ni, beth ydym ni, yr hyn a flaenoriaethwn a phob dim sydd o werth i ni fel cenedl flaengar, fywiog a deinamig. Felly, hoffwn ddiolch i chi, Weinidog, am ein trafodaethau sy'n aml yn gadarn a hoffwn gofnodi fy nghefnogaeth i'r waddol ddiamheuol o gadarnhaol y byddwch yn ei gadael ar gyfer y dyfodol. Er hynny, rwy'n siŵr y byddwch yn cofio un drafodaeth am addysg cerddoriaeth.
Yn Islwyn, mae cyflwyno rhaglen arloesol a digynsail ar gyfer ysgolion yr unfed ganrif ar hugain, rhaglen sy'n werth £3.7 biliwn, wedi arwain at newid trawsnewidiol. Mae prosiectau ar raddfa fawr wedi'u cyflawni, megis Ysgol Uwchradd Islwyn, buddsoddiadau mawr i ysgolion uwchradd yn Nhrecelyn a'r Coed Duon, a gwaith adnewyddu mawr y rhaglen ysgolion ar gyfer yr unfed ganrif ar hugain, a rhaid parhau i wneud gwaith adnewyddu o'r fath yn y dyfodol, ar ôl 6 Mai. Ond yn bwysig, mae'n iawn cofnodi arweinyddiaeth leol ein harweinwyr addysg gwych yn Islwyn, megis Keri Cole, Christina Harrhy a'r Cynghorydd, bellach, Ross Whiting. Yn yr un ffordd, heb ein penaethiaid a'n llywodraethwyr mwyaf anhygoel yn Islwyn, byddai partneriaeth awdurdod addysg lleol rhagorol Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Caerffili â Llywodraeth Cymru yn amhosibl, felly hoffwn ddiolch hefyd i'n teulu addysg.
Weinidog, yn fy rolau blaenorol ac fel aelod o'r cabinet addysg ac yn awr, mae wedi bod yn bleser ac yn anrhydedd cael agor a theithio o amgylch ein hysgolion newydd a gweld y cyfleusterau gwych hynny â'm llygaid fy hun. Ond mae hyn hefyd yn gwrthgyferbynnu'n uniongyrchol â blynyddoedd blaenorol, cyn datganoli, fel athro a llywodraethwr ysgol, pan orfodwyd ysgolion ledled Cymru i gael gwared ar athrawon ac roedd ein hysgolion yn pydru. Mae hyn yn cyferbynnu'n awr â chyflwyno'r ysgolion newydd sbon—
Will the Member come to her question, please?
A wnaiff yr Aelod ddod at ei chwestiwn, os gwelwch yn dda?
I'm coming to it. Minister, thank you. How will, then, Islwyn communities and schools benefit from this innovative £3.7 billion programme, going forward, and what do you feel is your legacy?
Rwy'n dod ato. Weinidog, diolch. Sut, felly, y bydd cymunedau ac ysgolion Islwyn yn elwa yn y dyfodol o'r rhaglen arloesol hon sy'n werth £3.7 biliwn, a beth y teimlwch chi yw eich gwaddol?
Rhianon, you're right—the twenty-first century schools and colleges programme is a partnership approach and we would not have been able to realise the ambition of the programme without the close collaboration and working that we have with local education authorities. As we discussed at length yesterday, there is a multibillion-pound pot of money within Welsh Government to look to work with our partners to develop even more fantastic facilities, whether they be in the county borough of Caerphilly or, indeed, anywhere else in Wales. That's the beauty of the twenty-first century schools programme; its impact has touched every corner of our nation.
Rhianon, rydych chi'n gywir—mae rhaglen ysgolion a cholegau'r unfed ganrif ar hugain yn ddull partneriaeth ac ni fyddem wedi gallu gwireddu uchelgais y rhaglen heb y cydweithio a'r gweithio agos rhyngom ag awdurdodau addysg lleol. Fel y trafodwyd yn helaeth ddoe, ceir cronfa o arian gwerth biliynau o bunnoedd o fewn Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer gweithio gyda'n partneriaid i ddatblygu hyd yn oed mwy o gyfleusterau gwych, boed ym mwrdeistref sirol Caerffili, neu yn unman arall yng Nghymru yn wir. Dyna sydd mor wych am raglen ysgolion yr unfed ganrif ar hugain; mae ei heffaith wedi cyffwrdd â phob cwr o'n gwlad.
6. Pa gamau y bydd y Gweinidog yn eu cymryd i hyrwyddo llesiant disgyblion yn y cynlluniau dychwelyd i'r ysgol? OQ56453
6. What steps will the Minister take to promote pupil well-being in the return-to-school plans? OQ56453
On 15 March, we published our framework on embedding a whole-school approach to emotional and mental well-being. It places well-being at the heart of learning and, together with funding of £2.8 million to deliver well-being support to learners in the current year, to ensure that their return to education is all that it should be.
Ar 15 Mawrth, cyhoeddwyd ein fframwaith ar sefydlu dull ysgol gyfan o ymdrin â llesiant emosiynol a meddyliol. Mae'n gosod llesiant yn ganolog i ddysgu, a chyda chyllid o £2.8 miliwn i ddarparu cymorth llesiant i ddysgwyr yn y flwyddyn gyfredol, mae'n sicrhau bod dychwelyd at addysg yn union fel y dylai fod i'r dysgwyr hynny.
Thank you, Minister. I was delighted to see the framework published yesterday. And I hope to speak next week in the statement and to say some words about you then.
As you know, the Children, Young People and Education Committee recently held a brilliant session on the impact of COVID on the physical and mental health of children and young people, and I would like to thank Professor Ann John, Professor Alka Ahuja, Professor Adrian Edwards and Dr David Tuthill from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health for their very powerful evidence. We were given a very clear message about how vital the focus on well-being is in the return to school, but also how crucial it is that we give children and young people hope. Some of the narrative emerging in public discourse about ensuring children and young people can return to school has been very negative. Terms like 'COVID generation', and even terms like 'catch-up' are indicative of loss, when I think we should be celebrating the phenomenal resilience of children and young people, given what they've been through through this period. So, would you agree with me, Minister, that it is absolutely correct that we not just prioritise well-being as more and more children now return to school, but also that we reject any counsel of despair and make sure that we say to our children and young people, 'We know what you've been through, and our priority now is to help you recover from that in a positive and hopeful way'?
Diolch, Weinidog. Roeddwn wrth fy modd yn gweld y fframwaith yn cael ei gyhoeddi ddoe. A gobeithiaf siarad yn y datganiad yr wythnos nesaf a dweud rhai geiriau amdanoch bryd hynny.
Fel y gwyddoch, cynhaliodd y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg sesiwn wych yn ddiweddar ar effaith COVID ar iechyd corfforol a meddyliol plant a phobl ifanc, a hoffwn ddiolch i'r Athro Ann John, yr Athro Alka Ahuja, yr Athro Adrian Edwards a Dr David Tuthill o Goleg Brenhinol Pediatreg ac Iechyd Plant am eu tystiolaeth rymus iawn. Cawsom neges glir iawn ynglŷn â pha mor hanfodol yw'r ffocws ar lesiant wrth ddychwelyd i'r ysgol, ond hefyd pa mor hanfodol yw rhoi gobaith i blant a phobl ifanc. Mae peth o'r naratif sydd i'w weld mewn trafodaethau cyhoeddus am sicrhau bod plant a phobl ifanc yn gallu dychwelyd i'r ysgol wedi bod yn negyddol iawn. Mae ymadroddion fel 'cenhedlaeth COVID', a hyd yn oed ymadroddion fel 'dal i fyny' yn arwydd o golled, pan gredaf y dylem fod yn dathlu gwydnwch aruthrol plant a phobl ifanc, o ystyried yr hyn y maent wedi bod drwyddo drwy gydol y cyfnod hwn. Felly, a fyddech yn cytuno â mi, Weinidog, ei bod yn gwbl gywir ein bod nid yn unig yn blaenoriaethu llesiant wrth i fwy a mwy o blant ddychwelyd i'r ysgol yn awr, ond hefyd ein bod yn gwrthod unrhyw ymgais i greu anobaith ac yn sicrhau ein bod yn dweud wrth ein plant a'n pobl ifanc, 'Fe wyddom beth rydych chi wedi bod drwyddo, a'n blaenoriaeth yn awr yw eich helpu i wella o hynny mewn ffordd gadarnhaol a gobeithiol'?
Thank you very much, Lynne. I, too, am absolutely delighted that the framework has now been published and will be there to support schools in this really, really important aspect of their work, because if we think about the interruption to education that we have all witnessed and our children and young people have experienced, we're not going to be able to move forward from that unless we address well-being, because we know that learning cannot stick without that. And I couldn't agree with you more that a constant reference to a deficit model will help no-one. In fact, it will just add additional stress to the teaching profession. It will add additional stress to our children and young people. So, learning interrupted, yes, but learning lost, never. I understand why parents are concerned, and I understand why older children and students would be concerned. But, as we've demonstrated, with the investment that we're already making, we have an education system and professionals who stand ready to ensure that they can move forward with real confidence in the next steps of their education. And if we engage continually in that mantra of despair, as you have described, it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy, because children become what they are told, and therefore we need to change the dialogue and work with our educational professionals to help our children move forward with confidence.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Lynne. Rwyf innau hefyd wrth fy modd fod y fframwaith bellach wedi'i gyhoeddi ac y bydd yno i gefnogi ysgolion yn yr agwedd wirioneddol bwysig hon ar eu gwaith, oherwydd os meddyliwn am y tarfu ar addysg rydym i gyd wedi'i weld ac y mae ein plant a'n pobl ifanc wedi'i brofi, ni fyddwn yn gallu symud ymlaen o hynny oni bai ein bod yn mynd i'r afael â llesiant, oherwydd gwyddom na all dysgu ddigwydd heb hynny. Ac rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â chi na fydd cyfeirio cyson at fodel diffyg yn helpu neb. Yn wir, bydd yn ychwanegu pwysau ychwanegol ar y proffesiwn addysgu. Bydd yn ychwanegu pwysau ychwanegol ar ein plant a'n pobl ifanc. Felly, torrwyd ar draws eu dysgu, do, ond ni fyddant yn colli dysgu. Deallaf pam y mae rhieni'n pryderu, a deallaf pam y byddai plant a myfyrwyr hŷn yn pryderu. Ond fel rydym wedi dangos, gyda'r buddsoddiad rydym eisoes yn ei wneud, mae gennym system addysg ac addysgwyr proffesiynol sy'n barod i sicrhau y gallant symud ymlaen gyda hyder gwirioneddol drwy gamau nesaf eu haddysg. Ac os byddwn yn ymroi'n barhaus i fantra anobaith, fel rydych wedi'i ddisgrifio, fe wireddir y broffwydoliaeth ohoni ei hun, oherwydd mae plant yn tyfu i fod yr hyn a ddywedir wrthynt, ac felly mae angen inni newid y ddeialog a gweithio gyda'n haddysgwyr proffesiynol i helpu ein plant i symud ymlaen yn hyderus.
I agree wholeheartedly with what Lynne Neagle has been saying about the importance of focusing on empowering young people and giving them hope. Young people have—. I'm trying to recalibrate the way I'm going to word this, actually, because I was going to say, 'They've missed out on so many experiences.' But, actually, young people have so many experiences that they need to regain, then, after the pandemic. Friendships and routines have been disrupted. Many young people have been suffering with isolation and loneliness. Could I ask you, Minister, when the guidance on the whole-school approach to well-being and mental health will be implemented in schools and when will young people be able to feel the benefits of that? I am particularly concerned about very young children—those who should have started school during the pandemic, but because they've got parents who are shielding, maybe they haven't been able to go into school. Those yearly years—the reception classes, the meithrin classes—are so fundamentally important to forming bonds between children. So, what support do you think could be made available to re-establish bonds between young children? And will there be particular help, particularly for children who haven't seen their friends in such a long time?
Cytunaf yn llwyr â'r hyn y mae Lynne Neagle wedi bod yn ei ddweud am bwysigrwydd canolbwyntio ar rymuso pobl ifanc a rhoi gobaith iddynt. Mae gan bobl ifanc—. Rwy'n ceisio ailgyflunio'r ffordd rwy'n mynd i eirio hyn, mewn gwirionedd, oherwydd roeddwn yn mynd i ddweud, 'Maent wedi colli cynifer o brofiadau.' Ond mewn gwirionedd, mae gan bobl ifanc gymaint o brofiadau y mae angen iddynt eu hadennill, felly, ar ôl y pandemig. Amharwyd ar gyfeillgarwch a phatrwm dyddiol. Mae llawer o bobl ifanc wedi bod yn teimlo unigrwydd ac arwahanrwydd. Weinidog, a gaf fi ofyn i chi pryd fydd y canllawiau ar y dull ysgol gyfan o ymdrin â llesiant ac iechyd meddwl yn cael eu gweithredu mewn ysgolion a phryd y bydd pobl ifanc yn gallu teimlo manteision hynny? Rwy'n pryderu'n arbennig am blant ifanc iawn—y rhai a ddylai fod wedi dechrau yn yr ysgol yn ystod y pandemig, ond oherwydd bod ganddynt rieni sy'n gwarchod eu hunain, efallai nad ydynt wedi gallu mynd i'r ysgol. Mae'r blynyddoedd hynny—y dosbarthiadau derbyn, y dosbarthiadau meithrin—mor sylfaenol bwysig i ffurfio cwlwm rhwng plant. Felly, pa gymorth y credwch y gellid ei ddarparu i ailsefydlu cwlwm rhwng plant ifanc? Ac a fydd cymorth arbennig, yn enwedig i blant nad ydynt wedi gweld eu ffrindiau ers cymaint o amser?
Thank you, Delyth. I think you have hit upon one of the aspects of the interruption to education that has really impacted upon children and young people, and that is a sense of isolation and the inability to spend time with their friends. And that's why schools the length and breadth of Wales have been focusing on that when they have seen the foundation phase return. And, indeed, that interaction and that pedagogy is at the heart of our foundation phase approach, and in that playing together once again, being together, chatting together, children are learning and acquiring the skills that they need for a confident future. That's why we have ensured that there is time and space within the curriculum for that to happen, and that's why we have made additional funding available together to ensure that there are adults there to support children as they re-engage with face-to-face learning and re-establish those relationships with their peers and with their teachers and teaching assistants.
Diolch, Delyth. Credaf eich bod wedi taro ar un o'r agweddau ar y tarfu ar addysg sydd wedi effeithio'n wirioneddol ar blant a phobl ifanc, sef y teimlad o arwahanrwydd ac anallu i dreulio amser gyda'u ffrindiau. A dyna pam y mae ysgolion ar hyd a lled Cymru wedi bod yn canolbwyntio ar hynny wrth weld y cyfnod sylfaen yn dychwelyd. Ac yn wir, mae'r rhyngweithio a'r addysgeg honno'n ganolog i'n dull cyfnod sylfaen o weithredu, ac wrth chwarae gyda'i gilydd unwaith eto, bod gyda'i gilydd, sgwrsio gyda'i gilydd, mae plant yn dysgu ac yn caffael sgiliau y maent eu hangen ar gyfer dyfodol hyderus. Dyna pam ein bod wedi sicrhau bod amser a lle o fewn y cwricwlwm i hynny ddigwydd, a dyna pam ein bod wedi sicrhau bod arian ychwanegol ar gael gyda'n gilydd i sicrhau bod oedolion yno i gefnogi plant wrth iddynt ymroi eto i ddysgu wyneb yn wyneb ac ailsefydlu'r berthynas gyda'u cyfoedion a chyda'u hathrawon a'u cynorthwywyr addysgu.
7. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i wella safonau ysgolion yng Ngorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro? OQ56441
7. What is the Welsh Government doing to improve school standards in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire? OQ56441
Thank you, Angela. Welsh Government has so far provided Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire local authorities with £1,649,000 to recruit, recover and raise standards, supporting learners at crucial stages in their education. I recently announced an additional £72 million to support learners, taking our total support for learning—I was going to use the word 'recovery', but after what I've just said, that would be remiss of me—for our learning plan for 2021 to £112 million.
Diolch, Angela. Hyd yn hyn, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi darparu £1,649,000 i awdurdodau lleol Sir Gaerfyrddin a Sir Benfro ar gyfer recriwtio, adfer a chodi safonau, er mwyn cefnogi dysgwyr ar gamau hanfodol yn eu haddysg. Yn ddiweddar, cyhoeddais £72 miliwn ychwanegol i gefnogi dysgwyr, gan ddod â chyfanswm ein cymorth ar gyfer—roeddwn am ddefnyddio'r gair 'adfer', ond ar ôl yr hyn rwyf newydd ei ddweud, byddai hynny'n esgeulus—ein cynllun dysgu ar gyfer 2021 i £112 miliwn.
Well, thank you for that, but the reality in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire is, over the last decade and a bit, only one out of the five secondary schools in that constituency have not been in some form of special measures or targeted intervention or needing to improve significantly. Now, with education being hit by COVID over the last 12 months, it's inevitable that the schools that were already struggling will struggle to move forward. I'm thinking of schools such as Greenhill, where Estyn report after Estyn report after Estyn report has said there has to be improvement, and improvement we do not really see. So, what action is the Welsh Government going to be able to provide specifically to schools in special measures or that require some kind of significant improvement, to help raise the standards of their educational offering to their pupils? Because this is a problem that seems to be incredibly intractable.
Wel, diolch am hynny, ond y realiti yng Ngorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro dros y degawd a mwy diwethaf yw mai un yn unig o'r pump ysgol uwchradd yn yr etholaeth honno sydd heb fod yn destun rhyw fath o fesurau arbennig neu ymyrraeth wedi'i thargedu neu angen ei gwella'n sylweddol. Nawr, gydag addysg yn cael ei heffeithio’n wael gan COVID dros y 12 mis diwethaf, mae'n anochel y bydd yr ysgolion a oedd eisoes yn cael trafferth yn ei chael hi’n anodd symud ymlaen. Rwy'n meddwl am ysgolion fel ysgol Greenhill, lle mae un adroddiad Estyn ar ôl y llall yn dweud bod angen gwelliannau, ac nid ydym yn gweld gwelliannau. Felly, pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn mynd i allu eu rhoi ar waith yn benodol i ysgolion sy'n destun mesurau arbennig neu sydd angen rhyw fath o welliant sylweddol, i helpu i godi safonau eu cynnig addysgol i'w disgyblion? Oherwydd, yn ôl pob golwg, mae hon yn broblem sy’n anhygoel o anodd mynd i’r afael â hi.
Thank you, Angela. Whilst inspection activities have been suspended during the pandemic, I want to reassure you, and indeed other Members, that Estyn continue to engage with schools that were previously identified as needing an additional level of support. Clearly, that has been done remotely and has been done in a sympathetic way, recognising the conditions under which those schools are working, but that work has not stopped as a result of the pandemic, nor has the work of the regional consortia in ensuring that those schools that have been previously identified as needing additional support continue to receive it.
With regard to schools that are causing concern, the Member may be aware that, prior to COVID, we had piloted a new multi-agency approach, with Estyn having an ongoing role in leading school improvement rather than the previous role, where Estyn came in, decided what they felt was wrong, disappeared and then came back to pass a judgment once again. The new pilot model, prior to COVID, trialled in a number of schools, was proving to be very successful, and in my recent letter to Estyn, I have also agreed to extend funding for that programme. So, that programme will become available to all of Wales, which, I believe, is a different approach to trying to make more rapid progress in those schools where we know extra support is needed.
Diolch, Angela. Er bod gweithgareddau arolygu wedi'u hatal yn ystod y pandemig, hoffwn roi sicrwydd i chi, ac i’r Aelodau eraill yn wir, fod Estyn yn parhau i ymgysylltu ag ysgolion y nodwyd yn flaenorol fod angen lefel ychwanegol o gymorth arnynt. Yn amlwg, gwnaed hynny o bell, ac fe’i gwnaed mewn ffordd sympathetig, sy'n cydnabod yr amodau y mae’r ysgolion hynny yn gweithio ynddynt, ond nid yw’r gwaith hwnnw wedi dod i ben o ganlyniad i’r pandemig, ac mae gwaith y consortia rhanbarthol hefyd yn parhau er mwyn sicrhau bod yr ysgolion y nodwyd eisoes bod angen cymorth ychwanegol arnynt yn parhau i'w dderbyn.
Mewn perthynas â'r ysgolion sy'n peri pryder, efallai y bydd yr Aelod yn ymwybodol ein bod, cyn COVID, wedi treialu dull amlasiantaethol newydd, gyda rôl barhaus i Estyn yn arwain y gwaith gwella ysgolion yn hytrach na'r rôl flaenorol, lle roedd Estyn yn dod i mewn, yn penderfynu beth oedd yn anghywir yn eu barn hwy, yn diflannu ac yna’n dychwelyd i roi eu barn unwaith eto. Roedd y model peilot newydd a dreialwyd mewn nifer o ysgolion cyn COVID, yn llwyddiannus iawn, ac yn fy llythyr diweddar i Estyn, rwyf hefyd wedi cytuno i ymestyn cyllid ar gyfer y rhaglen honno. Felly, bydd y rhaglen ar gael i Gymru gyfan, sydd, yn fy marn i, yn ddull gwahanol o geisio gwneud cynnydd cyflymach yn yr ysgolion lle gwyddom fod angen cymorth ychwanegol.
8. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am gyflogi athrawon cyflenwi yng Nghymru? OQ56429
8. Will the Minister make a statement on the employment of supply teachers in Wales? OQ56429
Supply teachers in Wales can be employed either directly via local authorities or schools, or via commercial supply agencies. Headteachers and governing bodies are responsible for all staffing decisions and for ensuring that they have an effective workforce in place under the Staffing of Maintained Schools (Wales) Regulations 2006.
Gellir cyflogi athrawon cyflenwi yng Nghymru naill ai'n uniongyrchol drwy awdurdodau lleol neu ysgolion, neu drwy asiantaethau cyflenwi masnachol. Penaethiaid a chyrff llywodraethu sy’n gyfrifol am yr holl benderfyniadau staffio ac am sicrhau bod ganddynt weithlu effeithiol o dan Reoliadau Staffio Ysgolion a Gynhelir (Cymru) 2006.
Can I thank the Minister for that response? I mean, I, and I'm sure many others, have serious concerns regarding the way supply teachers are treated and paid via agencies. I know it's not the best solution, but councils could recreate the supply register and supply teachers to be directly employed by councils, or a consortia of councils, and then go out into schools rather than having them employed by the agency who top-slice their pay.
A gaf fi ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am ei hymateb? Hynny yw, mae gennyf fi a llawer o bobl eraill rwy'n siŵr, bryderon difrifol ynglŷn â'r ffordd y mae athrawon cyflenwi’n cael eu trin a'u talu drwy asiantaethau. Gwn nad dyma'r ateb gorau, ond gallai cynghorau ail-greu'r gofrestr gyflenwi a chyflenwi athrawon fel eu bod yn cael eu cyflogi'n uniongyrchol gan gynghorau, neu gonsortia o gynghorau, ac yna’n mynd i ysgolion yn hytrach na’u bod yn cael eu cyflogi gan yr asiantaeth sy'n mynd â chyfran o’u cyflog.
Indeed. Mike, as I said in my opening question, there is nothing to stop local authorities creating a supply list of their own, and may I suggest perhaps the best way forward is to discuss that with Councillor Jen Rayner in your own local authority? I'm sure she'll be very happy to oblige.
Yn wir. Mike, fel y dywedais yn fy nghwestiwn agoriadol, nid oes unrhyw beth i rwystro awdurdodau lleol rhag creu rhestr gyflenwi eu hunain, ac a gaf fi awgrymu efallai mai'r ffordd orau ymlaen yw drwy drafod hynny gyda'r Cynghorydd Jen Rayner yn eich awdurdod lleol? Rwy'n siŵr y bydd yn fwy na pharod i wneud hynny.
And finally, question 9, Bethan Sayed.
Ac yn olaf, cwestiwn 9, Bethan Sayed.
9. A wnaiff y Gweinidog amlinellu effaith diwygiadau cyllid myfyrwyr Llywodraeth Cymru ar addysg uwch ran-amser? OQ56454
9. Will the Minister outline the impact of the Welsh Government's student finance reforms on part-time higher education? OQ56454
Thank you, Bethan, and this is probably the last question that Bethan will ever ask me, so I just want to wish Bethan all the best. Bethan, since the introduction of our student finance reforms, which are unique in Europe, there has been a 40 per cent increase in first degree part-time students in Wales, and we've also seen a 21 per cent increase in Welsh part-time students from the most deprived backgrounds.
Diolch, Bethan, ac mae'n debyg mai hwn yw'r cwestiwn olaf y bydd Bethan yn ei ofyn i mi, felly hoffwn ddymuno'r gorau i Bethan. Bethan, ers cyflwyno ein diwygiadau i gyllid myfyrwyr, sy'n unigryw yn Ewrop, mae cynnydd o 40 y cant wedi bod yn nifer y myfyrwyr rhan-amser sy’n astudio ar gyfer eu gradd gyntaf yng Nghymru, ac rydym hefyd wedi gweld cynnydd o 21 y cant yn nifer y myfyrwyr rhan-amser o Gymru sy'n dod o’r cefndiroedd mwyaf difreintiedig.
Thank you, and all the best for the future; we'll have lives outside of politics yet.
The Minister has made increases in part-time numbers of students a major theme during her time in office. But can you confirm to us that when Open University student number increases are taken out, overall there has been a decline in part-time student numbers in the Welsh HE sector since the start of the implementation of Welsh Government financial reforms, specifically since the start of full Diamond implementations, not the announcement of the policy? So, can you confirm the numbers of part-time students starting at Welsh universities? Thank you.
Diolch, a phob hwyl ar gyfer y dyfodol; bydd gennym fywydau y tu hwnt i wleidyddiaeth eto.
Mae'r Gweinidog wedi sicrhau bod cynyddu niferoedd myfyrwyr rhan-amser yn thema bwysig yn ystod ei chyfnod yn y swydd. Ond a allwch gadarnhau i ni, pan nad yw’r cynnydd yn nifer myfyrwyr y Brifysgol Agored yn cael ei chyfrif, fod gostyngiad cyffredinol wedi bod yn nifer y myfyrwyr rhan-amser yn sector addysg uwch Cymru ers dechrau gweithredu diwygiadau ariannol Llywodraeth Cymru, yn benodol ers dechrau gweithredu argymhellion Diamond yn llawn, nid cyhoeddi’r polisi? Felly, a allwch gadarnhau nifer y myfyrwyr rhan-amser sy'n dechrau ym mhrifysgolion Cymru? Diolch.
Bethan, as I said, actually, in terms of first degrees that are being studied on a part-time basis in Wales, there's been a 40 per cent increase.
Bethan, fel y dywedais, bu cynnydd o 40 y cant yn y graddau cyntaf sy'n cael eu hastudio'n rhan-amser yng Nghymru.
Thank you very much, Minister, for that.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Weinidog.
We move on to item 3, which is questions to the Senedd Commission. Question 1 this afternoon will be answered by Joyce Watson—[Interruption.]
Symudwn ymlaen at eitem 3, sef y cwestiynau i Gomisiwn y Senedd. Bydd cwestiwn 1 y prynhawn yma’n cael ei ateb gan Joyce Watson—[Torri ar draws.]
She'll give you her address, and she wants—
Bydd yn rhoi ei chyfeiriad i chi, ac mae arni eisiau—
Janet Finch-Saunders, are you ready to ask your question?
Janet Finch-Saunders, a ydych yn barod i ofyn eich cwestiwn?
Can you do that now?
A allwch wneud hynny nawr?
Right, it's obvious Janet Finch-Saunders isn't ready to ask her question, so we'll move on to question 2, which is to be answered by the Llywydd, and it's Huw Irranca-Davies.
Iawn, mae'n amlwg nad yw Janet Finch-Saunders yn barod i ofyn ei chwestiwn, felly symudwn ymlaen at gwestiwn 2, sydd i'w ateb gan y Llywydd, a Huw Irranca-Davies sydd i’w ofyn.
Ni ofynnwyd cwestiwn 1 [OQ56466].
Question 1 [OQ56466] not asked.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. And I am, indeed, ready to ask my question.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Ac rwyf fi, yn wir, yn barod i ofyn fy nghwestiwn.
2. Pa gamau sy'n cael eu cymryd i hyrwyddo pleidleisio ymysg pobl ifanc cyn etholiadau'r Senedd? OQ56436
2. What steps are being taken to promote voting among young people ahead of the Senedd elections? OQ56436
Diolch am y cwestiwn. Mae elfen Pleidlais 16 ymgyrch yr etholiad yn cael ei chyflwyno ledled Cymru ac yn cynnwys talu am hysbysebion, gwaith hyrwyddo ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol a digwyddiadau. Rydym yn hysbysebu ar blatfformau cyfryngau cymdeithasol fel Instagram ac YouTube, ac yn cynnal ystod o ddigwyddiadau ar gyfer ysgolion, colegau a grwpiau ieuenctid, a bydd hyn yn parhau drwy fis Ebrill. Ac fe wnaethom ni, wrth gwrs, weithio gydag ystod eang o gyrff yn ystod wythnos olaf mis Chwefror ar gyfer Wythnos Pleidlais 16, a oedd yn cynnwys digwyddiadau fel gwasanaeth ysgol, hyfforddiant i weithwyr addysg proffesiynol, a ffug ddadl etholiad dan arweiniad Teleri Glyn Jones o'r BBC.
Thank you for that question. The Vote 16 strand of the election campaign is being rolled out across Wales and includes paid advertising, social media promotion and events. We are running adverts on social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube, and holding a range of events for schools, colleges and youth groups, and this will continue throughout April. And we, of course, worked with a broad range of bodies during the last week of February for Vote 16 Week, which showcased events, including a school assembly, training for education professionals, and the mock election debate hosted by the BBC's Teleri Glyn Jones.
Diolch, Llywydd, and I really appreciate the work that you and the Senedd Commission are doing in terms of promoting the election for first-time and for younger voters, and, of course, this is going to be such a dramatic leap forward for 16 and 17-year-olds in Wales. It's a real leap forward for democracy. But it is, of course, crucial that first-time voters, younger voters, understand the power they have in the ballot box, as well as the practicalities of how to vote, that they have easily accessible information regarding candidates and party policies, and are at ease with the Senedd's hybrid electoral system, but also, I have to say, that they understand, like all of us should understand, that voting itself is a precious right and a privilege that is only made stronger by being exercised regularly. So, would you join me in commending the work of organisations like the Boys and Girls Clubs of Wales, the Urdd, Democracy Box, the Electoral Reform Society in Wales and others who are doing their very best, alongside the work you're doing, to encourage young and first-time voters to register to vote and to use their vote too? This is an exciting time, let's make sure all our younger voters have their voices heard.
Diolch, Lywydd, ac rwy'n gwerthfawrogi'n fawr y gwaith rydych chi a Chomisiwn y Senedd yn ei wneud yn hyrwyddo'r etholiad i bleidleiswyr tro cyntaf a phleidleiswyr iau, ac wrth gwrs, bydd hwn yn gam mor ddramatig ymlaen i bobl ifanc 16 a 17 oed yng Nghymru. Mae'n gam ymlaen gwirioneddol i ddemocratiaeth. Ond mae'n hanfodol, wrth gwrs, fod pleidleiswyr tro cyntaf, pleidleiswyr iau, yn deall y pŵer sydd ganddynt yn y blwch pleidleisio, yn ogystal ag ymarferoldeb sut i bleidleisio, fod ganddynt wybodaeth hawdd ei chyrchu ynghylch ymgeiswyr a pholisïau’r pleidiau, a'u bod yn hyderus gyda system etholiadol hybrid y Senedd, ond hefyd, mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, eu bod yn deall, fel y dylai pob un ohonom ddeall, fod pleidleisio ynddo’i hun yn hawl werthfawr ac yn fraint a gryfheir o'i harfer yn rheolaidd. Felly, a wnewch chi ymuno â mi i ganmol gwaith sefydliadau fel Clybiau Bechgyn a Merched Cymru, yr Urdd, y Blwch Democratiaeth, Cymdeithas Diwygio Etholiadol Cymru ac eraill sy'n gwneud eu gorau glas, ochr yn ochr â'r gwaith rydych chi'n ei wneud, i annog pleidleiswyr ifanc a phleidleiswyr tro cyntaf i gofrestru i bleidleisio ac i ddefnyddio eu pleidlais hefyd? Mae hwn yn amser cyffrous, a gadewch inni sicrhau bod lleisiau pob un o’n pleidleiswyr ifanc yn cael eu clywed.
It is most definitely an exciting time for our young people. Young people, of course, have been affected more than anyone, possibly, during this last year, and will rightly, hopefully, exercise their voice in the ballot box as 16 and 17-year-olds, and do that as the first 16 and 17-year-olds ever in Wales to do so. And you're exactly right as well: the work that the Commission does and Welsh Government does in promoting 16 and 17-year-old voting is indirect towards those young people; there are others who can work with us and on our behalf to work directly with the young people that they work with, and the young people, of course, trust those sources, whether that's in schools or in external organisations. So, we're very keen, have been keen, to support efforts made by third parties to support us in our endeavours to ensure that young people are educated about the new rights that they have, and motivated to do so. And all of us who are standing as candidates in the election in May, as well, have a responsibility, as political parties and as individual candidates, to ensure that our manifestos and our messaging and our means of communication are interesting enough to attract the interest of young people.
Mae'n bendant yn amser cyffrous i'n pobl ifanc. Mae pobl ifanc, wrth gwrs, wedi cael eu heffeithio i raddau mwy nag unrhyw un, o bosibl, yn ystod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, a gobeithio y byddant yn defnyddio eu llais yn y blwch pleidleisio fel pobl ifanc 16 a 17 oed, ac yn gwneud hynny fel y bobl ifanc 16 a 17 oed cyntaf erioed yng Nghymru i wneud hynny. Ac rydych yn llygad eich lle hefyd: mae'r gwaith y mae'r Comisiwn a Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud ar hyrwyddo’r bleidlais i bobl ifanc 16 a 17 oed yn anuniongyrchol tuag at y bobl ifanc hynny; mae pobl eraill a all weithio gyda ni ac ar ein rhan i weithio'n uniongyrchol gyda'r bobl ifanc y maent yn gweithio gyda hwy, ac mae'r bobl ifanc, wrth gwrs, yn ymddiried yn y ffynonellau hynny, boed hynny mewn ysgolion neu mewn sefydliadau allanol. Felly, rydym yn awyddus iawn, ac wedi bod yn awyddus i gefnogi ymdrechion trydydd partïon i'n cefnogi gyda’n hymdrechion i sicrhau bod pobl ifanc yn cael eu haddysgu ynglŷn â'r hawliau newydd sydd ganddynt, a'u bod yn cael eu cymell i wneud hynny. Ac mae gan bob un ohonom sy'n sefyll fel ymgeiswyr yn yr etholiad ym mis Mai gyfrifoldeb hefyd, fel pleidiau gwleidyddol ac fel ymgeiswyr unigol, i sicrhau bod ein maniffestos a'n negeseuon a'n dulliau cyfathrebu yn ddigon diddorol i ennyn diddordeb pobl ifanc.
Mae hyn mor bwysig, i gael pobl ifanc yn gallu pleidleisio, ond mae fe'n bwysig hefyd ar gyfer y genhedlaeth sydd ar eu hôl nhw. Mae swyddfa'r comisiynydd plant yn rhedeg etholiad seneddol amgen ar gyfer pobl ifanc rhwng 11 a 15 mlwydd oed. Mae hyn yn rhoi cyfle i bawb fydd yn gallu pleidleisio yn yr etholiad yn 2026 i gael profiad realistaidd o'r profiad o bleidleisio. Mae 85 o ysgolion dros Gymru gyfan wedi arwyddo lan i fod yn rhan o Project Vote yn barod. So, a fyddech chi'n ymuno â fi i annog pob ysgol uwchradd i gymryd rhan yn y prosiect arloesol a hollbwysig yma?
This is so very important, in encouraging young people to vote, but it's also important for the future generations. The children's commissioner is running an alternative election for young people between 11 and 15 years of age, and this gives everyone who'll be able to vote in the 2026 election a real experience of the voting experience. Eighty-five schools across the whole of Wales have signed up to be part of Project Vote already. So, would you join with me in encouraging every secondary school to participate in this innovative and crucial project?
Byddwn i wrth fy modd yn gweld mwy o ysgolion yng Nghymru yn cymryd yr arweiniad a'r cyngor a'r adnoddau sydd gan y comisiynydd plant i fod yn cynnal y digwyddiadau etholiadol yna, yr etholiadau ffug ar gyfer yr ystod oedran yna o bobl ifanc sydd ddim eto yn cael yr hawl i bleidleisio yn y Senedd ond a fydd yn yr etholiadau nesaf, ac o bosib hyd yn oed yn etholiad y cynghorau sir y flwyddyn nesaf wrth gwrs.
Cymryd rhan mewn ffug etholiad yn ysgol uwchradd Llanbed ym 1983 oedd fy mhrofiad cyntaf i yn y byd etholiadol, a dwi'n cofio hynny'n dda hyd heddiw. Dwi'n gobeithio'n fawr y bydd y profiad yma y mae'r comisiynydd plant a'i swyddfa hi yn ei roi i bobl ifanc yn yr ysgolion uwchradd hynny yn ennyn diddordeb y bobl yna i bleidleisio ac i gymryd rhan yn ein bywyd democrataidd ni am y blynyddoedd i ddod. Felly, diolch yn fawr i'r comisiynydd plant a'r swyddfa a phawb sy'n gweithio ar y cynllun yma yn yr ysgolion yn hyrwyddo ein democratiaeth ac ymwneud â diddordeb pobl ifanc yn y drafodaeth ddemocrataidd honno.
I would be delighted in seeing more schools in Wales taking and using the leadership, resources and advice provided by the children's commissioner to hold those electoral events, the mock elections for that age group who don't yet have the right to vote in Senedd elections, but will in our next set of Senedd elections, and even possibly in local council elections next year.
Participating in a mock election in Lampeter school in 1983 was my first experience of elections and electioneering, and I remember that well to this day. I very much hope that this experience provided by the children's commissioner and her office to young people in secondary schools will engender the interest of those young people to vote and to participate in our democratic life for years to come. So, thank you very much to the children's commissioner and her office and everyone working on this programme in schools in promoting our democracy and the engagement of young people in that democratic debate.
Thank you. Question 3, which is also to be answered by the Llywydd, Vikki Howells.
Diolch. Cwestiwn 3, sydd hefyd i'w ateb gan y Llywydd, Vikki Howells.
3. Pa asesiad y mae'r Comisiwn wedi'i wneud o'i ymateb i bandemig parhaus y coronafeirws? OQ56444
3. What assessment has the Commission made of its response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic? OQ56444
Mae'r Comisiwn wedi cefnogi'r Senedd, ei phwyllgorau a'i Haelodau i gyflawni eu swyddogaethau yn ystod y pandemig, ac mae'r Comisiwn yn mynd ati yn rheolaidd i adolygu'r ymateb i faterion wrth iddynt godi ac i ddysgu gwersi ar gyfer y dyfodol. Mae hyn yn cynnwys adborth gan Aelodau, arolygon staff rheolaidd ac adolygiadau llywodraethu a risg.
The Commission has supported the Senedd, its committees and Members to discharge their functions during the pandemic, and the Commission regularly reviews responses to issues as they arise and to learn lessons for the future. This includes feedback from Members, regular staff surveys and governance and risk reviews.
Thank you, Llywydd. I just would like to take a moment to place on record my thanks to the Commission staff for how they've supported Members of the Senedd during the pandemic, and, of course, to MS support staff, who I know have gone above and beyond to help constituents deal with a range of urgent and pressing queries. What assessment has the Commission made of the impact of the pandemic on our superb staff over the last year?
Diolch yn fawr, Lywydd. Hoffwn achub ar y cyfle i gofnodi fy niolch i staff y Comisiwn am y ffordd y maent wedi cefnogi Aelodau o'r Senedd yn ystod y pandemig, ac wrth gwrs, i staff cymorth yr Aelodau o'r Senedd, gan y gwn eu bod wedi mynd y tu hwnt i bob galw i gynorthwyo etholwyr i ymdrin ag ystod o ymholiadau pwysig. Pa asesiad a wnaed gan y Comisiwn o effaith y pandemig ar ein staff gwych dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf?
Thank you for making sure that our staff know—Commission staff and those staff who work for us as political representatives—that you and, hopefully, all of us are very appreciative of the innovative work that's gone on to respond to the pandemic, to enable this Parliament to continue its work and to enable us as elected Members from all across Wales to provide services and information to our electors. As I said in my previous answer, the Commission does look to engage with staff to learn from their experiences and to think about how the lessons that we've learned over the past year can carry on into the future and enable a more flexible means of working, and that we don't lose sight, as we move out of this pandemic, hopefully, of the many good ways of working that we've probably experienced over the past few months. So, I'm really grateful for your thanks, but also for giving me the opportunity in my last questions as a Llywydd to thank the staff of the Commission, all the staff who work for our contractors and our political party staff. Everybody has been excellent and enabled this Parliament, this Senedd, to carry on its work in the most challenging of circumstances, and to do that on behalf of the people of Wales.
Diolch am sicrhau bod ein staff yn gwybod—staff y Comisiwn a'r staff sy'n gweithio i ni fel cynrychiolwyr gwleidyddol—eich bod chi, a phob un ohonom gobeithio, yn ddiolchgar iawn am y gwaith arloesol a wnaed yn ymateb i'r pandemig, er mwyn galluogi’r Senedd hon i barhau â'i gwaith ac i'n galluogi ni fel Aelodau etholedig o bob rhan o Gymru i ddarparu gwasanaethau a gwybodaeth i'n hetholwyr. Fel y dywedais yn fy ateb blaenorol, mae'r Comisiwn yn ceisio ymgysylltu â staff i ddysgu o'u profiadau ac i feddwl sut y gall y gwersi rydym wedi'u dysgu dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf barhau yn y dyfodol a galluogi dull mwy hyblyg o weithio, ac nad ydym yn colli golwg, wrth inni gefnu ar y pandemig hwn, gobeithio, o'r nifer o ffyrdd da o weithio rydym wedi eu profi yn ôl pob tebyg dros yr ychydig fisoedd diwethaf. Felly, rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn am eich diolch, ond hefyd am roi'r cyfle i mi yn fy nghwestiynau olaf fel Llywydd i ddiolch i staff y Comisiwn, yr holl staff sy'n gweithio i'n contractwyr a staff ein pleidiau gwleidyddol. Mae pawb wedi bod yn rhagorol ac wedi galluogi'r Senedd hon i barhau â’i gwaith yn yr amgylchiadau mwyaf heriol, ac i wneud hynny ar ran pobl Cymru.
Thank you. Question 4 is to be answered by Joyce Watson, and it's question 4, Bethan Sayed.
Diolch. Mae cwestiwn 4 i'w ateb gan Joyce Watson, a dyma gwestiwn 4, Bethan Sayed.
4. Pa ystyriaeth y mae'r Comisiwn wedi'i rhoi i wella gweithio hyblyg a rhannu swyddi? OQ56455
4. What consideration has the Commission given to improving flexible working and job sharing? OQ56455

Thank you for that question, Bethan. Our flexible working culture is supported by a range of policies that include flexible working, job sharing and homeworking, which enable staff to manage their own working hours, balance work and also home commitments. Forty per cent of Commission staff have caring responsibilities for young children, and 15 per cent of staff have regular caring responsibilities. The Commission is committed to ensuring a truly flexible culture that allows all staff to thrive. The Commission is award winning in these efforts, and it has been recognised both as a top 10 employer of working families and a The Times top 50 employer of women. Building on our experience during the pandemic, the Commission is exploring new ways of working and delivering services to extend that flexible culture even further.
Diolch am eich cwestiwn, Bethan. Cefnogir ein diwylliant gweithio hyblyg gan ystod o bolisïau sy'n cynnwys gweithio hyblyg, rhannu swyddi a gweithio gartref, sy'n galluogi staff i reoli eu horiau gwaith eu hunain, cydbwyso gwaith a hefyd ymrwymiadau yn y cartref. Mae gan 40 y cant o staff y Comisiwn gyfrifoldebau gofalu am blant ifanc, ac mae gan 15 y cant o staff gyfrifoldebau gofalu rheolaidd. Mae'r Comisiwn wedi ymrwymo i sicrhau diwylliant gwirioneddol hyblyg sy'n caniatáu i'r holl staff ffynnu. Mae'r Comisiwn wedi ennill gwobrau yn sgil yr ymdrechion hyn, ac mae wedi cael ei gydnabod fel un o 10 cyflogwr gorau teuluoedd sy'n gweithio ac un o 50 cyflogwr gorau i fenywod The Times. Gan adeiladu ar ein profiad yn ystod y pandemig, mae'r Comisiwn yn archwilio ffyrdd newydd o weithio a darparu gwasanaethau i ymestyn y diwylliant hyblyg hwnnw ymhellach fyth.
Diolch yn fawr iawn i Joyce Watson am yr ateb cynhwysfawr yna. Fel rwyf wedi amlinellu yn ddiweddar yng nghyd-destun y Bil Senedd ac Etholiadau (Cymru), mae rhannu swyddi yn rhywbeth sydd angen inni edrych arno i greu mwy o gyfleoedd ar gyfer cynrychiolaeth fwy amrywiol ac amgylchedd gwleidyddol sydd yn fwy cyfeillgar i deuluoedd. Gan nad yw hwn nawr ar yr agenda o ran etholiadau, gallai'r Comisiwn, yn wir, sefydlu arweiniad yn yr ardal yma o ran hybu gweithio yn y modd yma. Rydych chi'n sôn bod y Comisiwn yn gwneud gwaith o ran rhannu swyddi, ond dwi ddim wedi clywed unrhyw beth gennych chi o ran data a faint rydych chi'n ei wneud o ran swyddi sy'n cael eu hysbysebu sy'n cynnig yr opsiwn i rannu swyddi. A fydd hwn yn rhywbeth y byddwch chi'n ystyried ei wneud ac edrych i mewn iddo i'r Senedd nesaf er mwyn bod y Senedd yn fwy hyblyg ac yn fwy cyfranogol?
I thank Joyce Watson for that very comprehensive response. As I've outlined recently in the context of the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Bill, job sharing is something that we need to consider in order to provide further opportunities for more diverse representation and a political environment that is more family friendly. As this isn't now on the agenda in terms of elections, the Commission could take a lead in this area in terms of promoting working in this way. You mentioned that the Commission is doing work in terms of job sharing, but I haven't heard anything from you on data in terms of what you're doing in terms of advertising jobs and offering the opportunity for job sharing. Is this something that you would consider doing and looking at during the next Senedd, so that the Senedd is more flexible?
I thank you for that. I recognise that this is dear to your heart and you've made your feelings known through your statement on having your young son and the challenges of that. They're real challenges, as has been brought home to you, and have, in your own words, made you reconsider your future. And I'm really sad to lose you, as I'm sure other people are, from this institution.
We know that Members cannot currently job share, and we also know that it would be up to the next Senedd to determine legislation to allow that to happen. And I think it's wider than that. I think there's a whole public conversation that needs to happen so that people feel that they can vote for job-sharing politicians, and I'm not sure that we're there at this moment. But I would like to join you in that conversation, because I think it is a conversation that has to be had. It's also, of course, much wider than that and the Electoral Commission would have to allow two names to be on the paper for one position. And again, I think that's a conversation that has to start. I really think that this will be top of the agenda for the Commission—the next Commission, of course, post election. But I think it should be on the top of the agenda of all political parties, women's organisations and wider organisations as well. There are many reasons that people need to job share.
We do have facts and figures, and they are numerous, in terms of how we support our staff and who those staff are, and there is a whole plethora of data that underpins that. I think the best thing in terms of time and understanding of that would be for me not to read it out—I do have it in front of me—but for me to e-mail that to you. But please be assured that there are plenty of sisters around this table today who will support you in your endeavour.
Diolch. Rwy'n cydnabod bod hyn yn bwysig i chi, ac rydych wedi nodi eich teimladau yn eich datganiad ar gael eich mab bach a’r heriau yn sgil hynny. Maent yn heriau go iawn, fel rydych wedi sylweddoli, ac maent, yn eich geiriau eich hun, wedi gwneud i chi ailystyried eich dyfodol. Ac mae’n flin iawn gennyf eich colli, fel sawl un arall, rwy'n siŵr, o'r sefydliad hwn.
Gwyddom na all Aelodau rannu swyddi ar hyn o bryd, a gwyddom hefyd mai mater i'r Senedd nesaf fyddai penderfynu ar ddeddfwriaeth i ganiatáu i hynny ddigwydd. A chredaf ei fod yn ehangach na hynny. Credaf fod angen cael sgwrs gyhoeddus fel bod pobl yn teimlo y gallant bleidleisio dros wleidyddion sy'n rhannu swyddi, ac nid wyf yn siŵr a ydym wedi cyrraedd y pwynt hwnnw eto. Ond hoffwn ymuno â chi yn y sgwrs honno, gan y credaf ei bod yn sgwrs y mae'n rhaid ei chael. Mae’n fater llawer ehangach na hynny hefyd, wrth gwrs, a byddai'n rhaid i'r Comisiwn Etholiadol ganiatáu i ddau enw fod ar y papur ar gyfer un swydd. Ac eto, credaf fod honno'n sgwrs y dylid ei chychwyn. Rwy'n meddwl o ddifrif y bydd hyn ar frig agenda'r Comisiwn—y Comisiwn nesaf, wrth gwrs, ar ôl yr etholiad. Ond credaf y dylai fod ar frig agenda pob plaid wleidyddol, sefydliadau menywod a sefydliadau ehangach hefyd. Mae llawer o resymau pam fod angen i bobl rannu swyddi.
Mae gennym ffeithiau a ffigurau, ac maent yn niferus, o ran sut rydym yn cefnogi ein staff a phwy yw'r staff hynny, a cheir llawer iawn o ddata i ategu hynny. Credaf mai'r peth gorau o ran amser a dealltwriaeth o hynny fyddai i mi, nid eu darllen—maent yma gennyf o fy mlaen—ond i mi eu cynnwys mewn e-bost atoch. Ond cofiwch fod digon o chwiorydd o amgylch y bwrdd hwn heddiw a fydd yn eich cefnogi yn eich ymdrech.
Thank you very much.
Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Item 4 on the agenda is a topical question, to be answered by the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip. Delyth Jewell.
Cwestiwn amserol yw eitem 4 ar yr agenda, i'w ateb gan y Dirprwy Weinidog a'r Prif Chwip. Delyth Jewell.
1. Pa asesiad y mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi'i wneud o'r effaith y bydd Bil Heddlu, Troseddu, Dedfrydu a Llysoedd y DU yn ei chael ar ddiogelwch menywod yng Nghymru? TQ548
1. What assessment has the First Minister made of the impact that the UK Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill will have on women's safety in Wales? TQ548

I thank Delyth Jewell for this question. The Welsh Government received the final version of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill upon its introduction, last Tuesday, 9 March. We are considering the provisions in detail and how they will impact on Wales, including the safety of women and girls.
Diolch i Delyth Jewell am ei chwestiwn. Derbyniodd Llywodraeth Cymru fersiwn derfynol y Bil Heddlu, Troseddu, Dedfrydu a'r Llysoedd pan gafodd ei gyflwyno, ddydd Mawrth diwethaf, 9 Mawrth. Rydym yn ystyried y darpariaethau'n fanwl a sut y byddant yn effeithio ar Gymru, gan gynnwys diogelwch menywod a merched.
Thank you, Minister. This is a deeply personal issue for me, not least because I am the same age as Sarah Everard, who was so devastatingly killed near London recently, and whose vigil was so horrendously mishandled by the police. At least seven women in Wales this year alone have died at the hands of male violence. We are still counting dead women, including Wenjing Lin, who died in Treorchy. My concern over the policing Bill is rooted not just in the context of assaults on the right to peacefully protest, though these are worrying, but I have grave concerns at the treatment of male violence against women. It is a Bill that doesn't centre on survivors; it places greater sanctions on people who attack statues than on those who attack women. Heavier sentences would be given to fly-tipping than for stalking. I was involved in the inquiry and campaign in 2012 that brought in the new laws on stalking, and Minister, this development is offensive to all of the survivors who played such a crucial role in that campaign.
If the last week has taught us anything, it should be that for women in Wales, as in all of the UK, navigating fear and adapting our behaviours to reduce the risk of violence is a normal occurrence. Women and young girls are taught not to do certain things instead of tackling the underlying reasons why male violence happens. In failing to tackle the prevention of male violence against women, this Bill is not just a missed opportunity; it is a catastrophe that will play out in slow motion. Surely we need a public health approach that focuses on prevention, early intervention, changes to how we educate young girls and boys, changes to how women are portrayed in the media, in magazines. I'd ask you, Minister, how much discretion Welsh police forces will have in how they implement this Bill. I'd also ask you if you agree with the suggestions of Chwarae Teg about using the curriculum to tackle gender stereotypes, ensuring planning guidance specifies women's safety as a central consideration in designing urban spaces, and the need for more funding and awareness-raising campaigns like Ask for Angela, which offers women in bars a way of getting out of dangerous situations.
And finally, Minister, aside from this radically different approach we need to take in Wales, doesn't this Westminster legislation show why we need the devolution of policing and justice? I'll close with this, Dirprwy Lywydd: if we don't do something radical, if this daily horror in our society isn't fixed, we will go on mourning yet more women we never knew.
Diolch, Weinidog. Mae hwn yn fater personol iawn i mi, yn anad dim gan fy mod yr un oedran â Sarah Everard, a gafodd ei lladd mewn modd mor erchyll ger Llundain yn ddiweddar, ac y cafodd yr wylnos i gofio amdani ei drin mewn ffordd mor ofnadwy gan yr heddlu. Lladdwyd o leiaf saith o fenywod gan ddynion yng Nghymru eleni yn unig. Rydym yn dal i gyfrif menywod sydd wedi marw, gan gynnwys Wenjing Lin, a fu farw yn Nhreorci. Mae fy mhryder ynglŷn â'r Bil plismona'n deillio nid yn unig o gyd-destun yr ymosodiadau ar yr hawl i brotestio'n heddychlon, er bod y rheini'n peri pryder, ond mae gennyf bryderon dybryd ynglŷn â sut y caiff trais gan ddynion yn erbyn menywod ei drin. Nid yw'n Fil sy'n canolbwyntio ar oroeswyr; mae'n rhoi cosbau mwy i bobl sy'n ymosod ar gerfluniau na’r rheini sy'n ymosod ar fenywod. Byddai dedfrydau trymach yn cael eu rhoi am dipio anghyfreithlon nag am stelcio. Roeddwn yn rhan o’r ymchwiliad a’r ymgyrch yn 2012 a arweiniodd at gyflwyno deddfau newydd ar stelcio, a Weinidog, mae’r datblygiad hwn yn sarhad ar yr holl oroeswyr a chwaraeodd ran mor hanfodol yn yr ymgyrch honno.
Un peth rydym wedi’i ddysgu yn yr wythnos ddiwethaf yw bod llywio drwy ein hofnau ac addasu ein risg o drais yn weithred normal i fenywod yng Nghymru, fel ym mhob rhan o'r DU. Mae menywod a merched ifanc yn cael eu dysgu i beidio â gwneud rhai pethau penodol yn hytrach na mynd i'r afael â'r rhesymau sylfaenol pam fod trais gan ddynion yn digwydd. Drwy fethu mynd i’r afael ag atal trais gan ddynion yn erbyn menywod, mae’r Bil hwn yn fwy na chyfle a gollwyd; mae'n drychineb a fydd yn digwydd o flaen ein llygaid. Rydym angen dull iechyd y cyhoedd sy'n canolbwyntio ar atal, ymyrraeth gynnar, newidiadau i'r ffordd rydym yn addysgu merched a bechgyn ifanc, newidiadau i'r ffordd y caiff menywod eu portreadu yn y cyfryngau, mewn cylchgronau. Hoffwn ofyn i chi, Weinidog, faint o ddisgresiwn fydd gan heddluoedd Cymru ynglŷn â'r modd y maent yn gweithredu'r Bil hwn. Byddwn hefyd yn gofyn a ydych yn cytuno ag awgrymiadau Chwarae Teg ynglŷn â defnyddio’r cwricwlwm i fynd i’r afael â stereoteipio ar sail rhywedd, sicrhau bod canllawiau cynllunio yn nodi diogelwch menywod fel ystyriaeth ganolog wrth gynllunio gofod trefol, a’r angen am fwy o gyllid ac ymgyrchoedd codi ymwybyddiaeth fel Ask for Angela, sy'n cynnig ffordd i fenywod mewn bariau ddianc rhag sefyllfaoedd peryglus.
Ac yn olaf, Weinidog, ar wahân i’r dull cwbl wahanol hwn y mae'n rhaid i ni ei weithredu yng Nghymru, onid yw'r ddeddfwriaeth hon yn San Steffan yn dangos pam fod angen datganoli plismona a chyfiawnder? Rwyf am gloi gyda hyn, Ddirprwy Lywydd: os na wnawn rywbeth radical, os nad yw'r erchylltra beunyddiol hwn yn ein cymdeithas yn cael ei unioni, fe fyddwn yn galaru am fwy fyth o fenywod nad ydym erioed wedi eu hadnabod.
Thank you very much, Delyth Jewell, for that very strong, impassioned and committed speech. As a woman of the age of Sarah Everard, you have enabled us to again remember, as I did yesterday, the recent killing—that senseless, awful killing of Sarah Everard. It has sent a shock wave through us all, it has reignited this national conversation about women's safety, and you'll have seen that reflected in my written statement yesterday. That was a statement on women's safety in Wales, and it's reminded us, of course, as I said in my statement, that violence against women and girls is far too common. It's highlighted again the impact that violence and abuse has on the daily lives of women. And so my recommitment again in terms of our pioneering legislation—and I thank Nick Ramsay; he raised this yesterday, as other Members did across the Senedd—is that it's our commitment in Wales to end violence against women and girls.
I think it's also a wake-up call, isn't it, to us all that we must honour Sarah's life by making changes to society and culture, and that is what I said in my statement. But I think it is very important, as I said yesterday, that I have called on the UK Government, and indeed also call on the UK Parliament, to make sure that this Bill is a Bill that should strengthen the safety of women and girls, and of course, we have the opportunity now to comment on that. I think it's crucial that we recognise that the Bill that's coming forward, the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, should be about strengthening the criminal justice system to protect women and girls, and also—equally strongly, I would say, and I did say this yesterday—enabling people to continue to express their concerns freely.
I also agree with you that this is a public health issue, as did our great national adviser, Yasmin Khan, on Sunday. On many occasions, she talked about the need for a culture change, and she recognised that this was a public health issue, that we had to hold perpetrators to account, that we had to have a trauma-informed system, and also that we cannot be bystanders. That's why we have a strong Don't Be a Bystander campaign as part of our violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence legislation and strategy. I'm also very proud of the fact that we actually do now have in our new curriculum, in the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill, that statutory duty to make raising awareness about healthy relationships and sexuality education part of the curriculum for children up to the age of 16. It will help young people to challenge toxic attitudes and behaviours.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Delyth Jewell, am araith gref ac angerddol. Fel menyw yr un oedran â Sarah Everard, rydych wedi ein galluogi i gofio eto, fel y gwneuthum innau ddoe, llofruddiaeth ddiweddar—llofruddiaeth erchyll, ofnadwy Sarah Everard. Mae wedi bod yn ysgytwad i bob un ohonom, ac wedi ailgynnau’r sgwrs genedlaethol ynglŷn â diogelwch menywod, a byddwch wedi gweld hynny’n cael ei adlewyrchu yn fy natganiad ysgrifenedig ddoe. Roedd yn ddatganiad ar ddiogelwch menywod yng Nghymru, ac mae'n ein hatgoffa, wrth gwrs, fel y dywedais yn fy natganiad, fod trais yn erbyn menywod a merched yn rhy gyffredin o lawer. Mae wedi amlygu unwaith eto yr effaith y mae trais a cham-drin yn ei chael ar fywydau bob dydd menywod. Ac felly, fy ailymrwymiad unwaith eto i'n deddfwriaeth arloesol—a diolch i Nick Ramsay; cododd hyn ddoe, fel y gwnaeth Aelodau eraill o bob rhan o’r Senedd—yw mai ein hymrwymiad yng Nghymru yw dod â thrais yn erbyn menywod a merched i ben.
Credaf ei fod hefyd yn rhybudd i bob un ohonom fod yn rhaid inni anrhydeddu bywyd Sarah drwy wneud newidiadau i gymdeithas a diwylliant, a dyna a ddywedais yn fy natganiad. Ond credaf ei bod yn bwysig iawn, fel y dywedais ddoe, fy mod wedi galw ar Lywodraeth y DU, ac ar Senedd y DU yn wir, i sicrhau bod y Bil hwn yn Fil a ddylai gryfhau diogelwch menywod a merched, ac wrth gwrs, dyma gyfle yn awr i wneud sylwadau ar hynny. Credaf ei bod yn hanfodol ein bod yn cydnabod y dylai'r Bil a gyflwynir, y Bil Heddlu, Troseddu, Dedfrydu a'r Llysoedd, fynd ati i gryfhau'r system cyfiawnder troseddol i ddiogelu menywod a merched, a hefyd—i’r un graddau, byddwn yn dweud, a dywedais hyn ddoe—yn galluogi pobl i barhau i fynegi eu pryderon yn rhydd.
Rwy'n cytuno â chi hefyd fod hwn yn fater iechyd y cyhoedd, fel y gwnaeth ein cynghorydd cenedlaethol gwych, Yasmin Khan, ddydd Sul. Ar sawl achlysur, soniodd am yr angen i newid diwylliant, a chydnabu fod hwn yn fater iechyd y cyhoedd, fod yn rhaid inni ddwyn troseddwyr i gyfrif, fod yn rhaid inni gael system wedi'i llywio gan drawma, a hefyd na allwn gamu o'r neilltu a gwneud dim. Dyna pam fod gennym ymgyrch gref Paid Cadw'n Dawel fel rhan o'n deddfwriaeth a’n strategaeth trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol. Rwyf hefyd yn falch iawn o'r ffaith bod gennym bellach, yn ein cwricwlwm newydd, ym Mil Cwricwlwm ac Asesu (Cymru), ddyletswydd statudol i sicrhau bod codi ymwybyddiaeth o addysg cydberthynas iach a rhywioldeb yn rhan o'r cwricwlwm i blant hyd at 16 oed. Bydd yn helpu pobl ifanc i herio agweddau ac ymddygiad gwenwynig.
I'll speak, if I may, as the son, brother, husband, father and grandfather of women and girls who I care about and love passionately. The recent tragic cases of Sarah Everard and Wenjing Lin have highlighted the issue of violence against women in a truly shocking way. We in this Welsh Parliament are united, I believe, and determined to make our streets and communities as safe as possible for women and girls. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill seeks to equip the police with the powers and tools they need to protect the public while overhauling sentencing laws to keep serious sexual and violent offenders behind bars for longer. New powers proposed will halt the automatic release of offenders who pose a danger to the public, end the halfway release of offenders sentenced to between four and seven years in prison for serious violent and sexual offences, and reform criminal records disclosure to reduce the time period in which people have to declare previous non-violent sexual or terrorist convictions to employers. The Bill also imposes a legal duty on local authorities, the police, criminal justice agencies, health, and fire and rescue services to tackle serious violence through data sharing and intelligence. Would you therefore agree that these measures, which complement those included in the Domestic Abuse Bill discussed here yesterday, should make women safer in Wales? And given that the UK Government is seeking views to help inform the development of its next tackling violence against women and girls strategy, how will you engage with this process?
Rwyf am siarad, os caf, fel mab, brawd, gŵr, tad a thaid i fenywod a merched rwy'n malio amdanynt ac yn eu caru'n angerddol. Mae achosion trasig diweddar Sarah Everard a Wenjing Lin wedi tynnu sylw at fater trais yn erbyn menywod mewn ffordd wirioneddol ysgytwol. Credaf ein bod ni yn Senedd Cymru yn unedig ac yn benderfynol o sicrhau bod ein strydoedd a’n cymunedau mor ddiogel â phosibl i fenywod a merched. Nod y Bil Heddlu, Troseddu, Dedfrydu a'r Llysoedd yw arfogi'r heddlu â'r pwerau a'r arfau sydd eu hangen arnynt i ddiogelu'r cyhoedd, gan newid deddfau dedfrydu i gadw troseddwyr rhywiol a threisgar difrifol yn y carchar am gyfnod hirach. Bydd y pwerau newydd arfaethedig yn atal troseddwyr sy'n beryglus i'r cyhoedd rhag cael eu rhyddhau’n awtomatig, yn rhoi diwedd ar ryddhau troseddwyr a ddedfrydwyd i rhwng pedair a saith mlynedd yn y carchar am droseddau treisgar a rhywiol difrifol hanner ffordd drwy eu dedfryd, ac yn diwygio rheolau datgelu cofnodion troseddol i leihau'r cyfnod o amser sydd gan bobl i ddatgan euogfarnau terfysgol neu euogfarnau rhywiol di-drais blaenorol i gyflogwyr. Mae'r Bil hefyd yn gosod dyletswydd gyfreithiol ar awdurdodau lleol, yr heddlu, asiantaethau cyfiawnder troseddol, iechyd, a’r gwasanaethau tân ac achub i fynd i'r afael â thrais difrifol drwy rannu data a gwybodaeth. A fyddech felly’n cytuno y dylai’r mesurau hyn, sy’n ategu’r rheini sydd wedi’u cynnwys yn y Bil Cam-drin Domestig a drafodwyd yma ddoe, wneud menywod yn fwy diogel yng Nghymru? Ac o ystyried bod Llywodraeth y DU yn ceisio barn pobl i’w helpu i lywio datblygiad ei strategaeth nesaf ar gyfer mynd i’r afael â thrais yn erbyn menywod a merched, pa ran fydd gennych yn y broses hon?