Y Cyfarfod Llawn
Plenary
13/07/2021Cynnwys
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 yn y Siambr a thrwy gynhadledd fideo am 13:30 gyda'r Llywydd (Elin Jones) yn y Gadair.
The Senedd met in the Chamber and by video-conference at 13:30 with the Llywydd (Elin Jones) in the Chair.
Croeso, bawb, i'r Cyfarfod Llawn. Cyn i ni ddechrau, dwi angen nodi ychydig o bwyntiau. Cynhelir y cyfarfod hwn ar ffurf hybrid, gyda rhai Aelodau yn y Siambr ac eraill yn ymuno drwy gyswllt fideo. Bydd yr holl Aelodau sy'n cymryd rhan yn nhrafodion y Senedd, ble bynnag y bônt, yn cael eu trin yn gyfartal. 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 yma heddiw, ac mae'r rheini wedi'u nodi ar eich agenda. A dwi eisiau atgoffa Aelodau hefyd fod y Rheolau Sefydlog sy'n ymwneud â threfn yn y Cyfarfod Llawn yn berthnasol i'r cyfarfod, ac yr un mor berthnasol i'r Aelodau sydd yn y Siambr ag ydyn nhw i'r rheini sy'n ymuno drwy gyswllt fideo.
Welcome to this Plenary session. Before we begin, I want to set out a few points. This meeting will be held in hybrid format, with some Members in the Senedd Chamber and others joining by video-conference. All Members participating in proceedings of the Senedd, wherever they may be, will be treated equitably. A Plenary meeting held using 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 meeting, and these are noted on your agenda. I would remind Members that Standing Orders relating to order in Plenary meetings apply to this meeting, and apply equally to Members in the Chamber as to those joining virtually.
Felly, yr eitem gyntaf y prynhawn yma yw'r cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Russell George.
The first item this afternoon is questions to the First Minister, and the first question is from Russell George.
1. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i wella canlyniadau iechyd ym Mhowys? OQ56773
1. What is the Welsh Government doing to improve health outcomes in Powys? OQ56773
Llywydd, I thank Russell George for that question. Amongst other actions taken by the Welsh Government, we go on investing in capital projects to improve existing hospital facilities in Powys, as well as supporting a business case to build a new multidisciplinary well-being campus in Newtown.
Llywydd, diolchaf i Russell George am y cwestiwn yna. Ymhlith y camau eraill a gymerwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru, rydym ni'n parhau i fuddsoddi mewn prosiectau cyfalaf i wella cyfleusterau ysbyty presennol ym Mhowys, yn ogystal â chefnogi achos busnes i adeiladu campws llesiant amlddisgyblaeth newydd yn y Drenewydd.
Thank you, First Minister, for that answer, and, indeed, Powys health board, working with the local authority, have submitted the proposals for the plan—the proposal that you've outlined. I've raised this matter with you a number of times previously, First Minister. The plan would see a cutting-edge, new facility, a new community hospital, with additional services as well being located in Newtown to serve the people of north Powys. The facility would also improve health and well-being outcomes as well, and mean that people can receive appointments more locally in Newtown, or in north Powys, rather than having to travel out of county. So, they are very much a proposal and project that are supported by me.
I understand that the plans are working through a scrutiny process with Welsh Government at the moment, between Welsh Government and the health board, and I would be very grateful, First Minister, if you could provide an update today. I'm keen that these plans are approved, but I would be keen to have an understanding of when you think the Welsh Government will give the green light to this very important project for mid Wales.
Diolch, Prif Weinidog, am yr ateb yna, ac, yn wir, mae bwrdd iechyd Powys, gan weithio gyda'r awdurdod lleol, wedi cyflwyno'r cynigion ar gyfer y cynllun—y cynnig yr ydych chi wedi ei amlinellu. Rwyf i wedi codi'r mater hwn gyda chi sawl gwaith o'r blaen, Prif Weinidog. Byddai'r cynllun yn arwain at gyfleuster newydd arloesol, ysbyty cymunedol newydd, â gwasanaethau ychwanegol hefyd yn cael eu lleoli yn y Drenewydd i wasanaethu pobl gogledd Powys. Byddai'r cyfleuster hefyd yn gwella canlyniadau iechyd a llesiant hefyd, ac yn golygu y gall pobl dderbyn apwyntiadau yn fwy lleol yn y Drenewydd, neu yng ngogledd Powys, yn hytrach na gorfod teithio y allan i'r sir. Felly, mae'r rhain yn sicr yn gynnig ac yn brosiect sy'n cael fy nghefnogaeth i.
Rwy'n deall bod y cynlluniau yn gweithio drwy broses graffu gyda Llywodraeth Cymru ar hyn o bryd, rhwng Llywodraeth Cymru a'r bwrdd iechyd, a byddwn yn ddiolchgar iawn, Prif Weinidog, pe gallech chi roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf heddiw. Rwy'n awyddus i'r cynlluniau hyn gael eu cymeradwyo, ond byddwn yn awyddus i gael dealltwriaeth o pryd yr ydych chi'n meddwl y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn rhoi'r golau gwyrdd i'r prosiect pwysig iawn hwn i'r canolbarth.
Llywydd, I thank Russell George for that further question, and thank him indeed for his very consistent support for this project, which I agree with him will offer all those advantages to the local population in Newtown and in the surrounding area. And it is, as Russell George has said, a joint project, an example project in that way of how a local authority and a local health board can come together to provide a new health facility that is not simply in the narrow sense a health facility, but has all that well-being and wider agenda that we know makes such a difference in the lives of people who use it.
Russell George is right, Llywydd: the business case has been submitted to the Welsh Government. There is now that iterative process where the plans are interrogated, questions are asked, replies are received. And the good news is that that process is now well under way. So, I look forward, as he does, to the completion of that project. It's a project the Welsh Government is committed to supporting. It's right that there is a scrutiny process to make sure that an investment of this sort, which is a once-in-a-generation investment, is capable of delivering all the things that people locally would wish to see, and that the money that we will invest in it is achieving the maximum positive impact for that local community.
Llywydd, diolchaf i Russell George am y cwestiwn ychwanegol yna, a diolchaf iddo yn wir am ei gefnogaeth gyson iawn i'r prosiect hwn, ac rwyf i'n cytuno ag ef y bydd yn cynnig yr holl fanteision hynny i'r boblogaeth leol yn y Drenewydd ac yn y cyffiniau. Ac fel y dywedodd Russell George, mae'n brosiect ar y cyd, yn brosiect enghreifftiol yn y modd hwnnw o sut y gall awdurdod lleol a bwrdd iechyd lleol ddod at ei gilydd i ddarparu cyfleuster iechyd newydd nad yw'n gyfleuster iechyd yn unig yn yr ystyr gul, ond sydd â'r holl agenda llesiant ac ehangach honno yr ydym ni'n gwybod sy'n gwneud cymaint o wahaniaeth ym mywydau pobl sy'n ei defnyddio.
Mae Russell George yn iawn, Llywydd: mae'r achos busnes wedi ei gyflwyno i Lywodraeth Cymru. Ceir y broses ailadroddol honno nawr lle mae'r cynlluniau yn cael eu hymchwilio, mae cwestiynau yn cael eu gofyn, mae atebion yn cael eu derbyn. A'r newyddion da yw bod y broses honno wedi hen gychwyn erbyn hyn. Felly, edrychaf ymlaen, fel y mae yntau, at gwblhau'r prosiect hwnnw. Mae'n brosiect y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo i'w gefnogi. Mae'n iawn bod proses graffu i sicrhau bod buddsoddiad o'r math hwn, sy'n fuddsoddiad unwaith mewn cenhedlaeth, sy'n gallu cyflawni'r holl bethau y byddai pobl yn lleol yn dymuno eu gweld, a bod yr arian y byddwn ni'n ei fuddsoddi ynddo yn sicrhau'r effaith gadarnhaol fwyaf posibl i'r gymuned leol honno.
I'm sure that Russell George would also agree with me that the £15 million upgrade to Machynlleth hospital, which is currently under way thanks to Welsh Ministers and Welsh Government money, is welcome, as is the ongoing multimillion-pound project in Llandrindod Wells. But more than geography—and the pandemic has exposed this particularly—the biggest inequality in health outcomes is between our most and least well-off communities. So, do you agree with me, First Minister, that the best way to improve health outcomes in Powys, and elsewhere, is to build a fairer Wales?
Rwy'n siŵr y byddai Russell George hefyd yn cytuno â mi bod yr uwchraddiad gwerth £15 miliwn i ysbyty Machynlleth, sydd ar y gweill ar hyn o bryd diolch i Weinidogion Cymru ac arian Llywodraeth Cymru, i'w groesawu, fel y mae'r prosiect gwerth miliynau o bunnoedd parhaus yn Llandrindod. Ond yn fwy na daearyddiaeth—ac mae'r pandemig wedi amlygu hyn yn arbennig—mae'r anghydraddoldeb mwyaf o ran canlyniadau iechyd rhwng ein cymunedau mwyaf cefnog a lleiaf cefnog. Felly, a ydych chi'n cytuno â mi, Prif Weinidog, mai'r ffordd orau o wella canlyniadau iechyd ym Mhowys, ac mewn mannau eraill, yw adeiladu Cymru decach?
I thank Joyce Watson for that, Llywydd, and thank her for drawing attention to the Bro Ddyfi hospital in Machynlleth. There is a good example of a proposal brought forward by the Powys health board, which completed the full business case process and allowed Welsh Ministers to approve the £15 million that will be invested there in March prior to the election.
The general point that Joyce Watson makes, Llywydd, is surely the right one—that health inequalities are just one example of the wider inequalities that we see in our society. The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 commits this Senedd to work for a more equal Wales. And a more equal Wales, where the gap between the top and the bottom was narrower than it is today, would have positive impacts for people in many aspects of their lives, and certainly would lead to better health outcomes. We know more equal societies around the world enjoy better health outcomes than more unequal societies. That is why the agenda of this Welsh Government—in its fair work agenda, in its work for a fairer Wales—is dedicated to exactly the sort of outcome that Joyce Watson has suggested.
Diolchaf i Joyce Watson am hynna, Llywydd, a diolchaf iddi am dynnu sylw at ysbyty Bro Ddyfi ym Machynlleth. Dyna enghraifft dda o gynnig a gyflwynwyd gan fwrdd iechyd Powys, a gwblhaodd y broses achos busnes lawn ac a ganiataodd i Weinidogion Cymru gymeradwyo'r £15 miliwn a fydd yn cael ei fuddsoddi yno ym mis Mawrth cyn yr etholiad.
Siawns mai'r pwynt cyffredinol y mae Joyce Watson yn ei wneud, Llywydd, yw'r un iawn—mai dim ond un enghraifft yw anghydraddoldebau iechyd o'r anghydraddoldebau ehangach yr ydym ni'n eu gweld yn ein cymdeithas. Mae Deddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015 yn ymrwymo'r Senedd hon i weithio dros Gymru fwy cyfartal. A byddai Cymru fwy cyfartal, lle byddai'r bwlch rhwng y brig a'r gwaelod yn gulach nag y mae heddiw, yn cael effeithiau cadarnhaol i bobl mewn llawer o agweddau ar eu bywydau, ac yn sicr yn arwain at well canlyniadau iechyd. Rydym ni'n gwybod bod cymdeithasau mwy cyfartal ledled y byd yn mwynhau gwell canlyniadau iechyd na chymdeithasau mwy anghyfartal. Dyna pam mae agenda'r Llywodraeth hon yng Nghymru—yn ei hagenda gwaith teg, yn ei gwaith ar gyfer Cymru decach—wedi ymrwymo i'r union fath o ganlyniad y mae Joyce Watson wedi ei awgrymu.
The Royal College of General Practitioners in Wales say that loneliness and social isolation can be as bad for patients as chronic long-term conditions. Loneliness puts people at a 50 per cent increased risk of an early death. Forty-one per cent of people in material deprivation were lonely, compared with those of around 12 per cent who are not in material deprivation, and that's following on from the issue that Joyce raised earlier. Could I therefore ask what support is the Welsh Government providing to local authorities to maximise opportunities and services to reduce loneliness and isolation as we emerge from lockdown restrictions? Thank you. Diolch.
Mae Coleg Brenhinol yr Ymarferwyr Cyffredinol yng Nghymru yn dweud y gall unigrwydd ac ynysigrwydd cymdeithasol fod cynddrwg i gleifion â chyflyrau hirdymor cronig. Mae unigrwydd yn rhoi pobl mewn 50 y cant yn fwy o berygl o farwolaeth gynnar. Roedd 41 y cant o bobl mewn amddifadedd materol yn unig, o'u cymharu â'r rhai o tua 12 y cant nad ydyn nhw mewn amddifadedd materol, ac mae hynny yn dilyn ymlaen o'r mater a gododd Joyce yn gynharach. Felly, a gaf i ofyn pa gymorth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei ddarparu i awdurdodau lleol i sicrhau bod cymaint a phosibl o gyfleoedd a gwasanaethau i leihau unigrwydd ac ynysigrwydd wrth i ni ddod allan o'r cyfyngiadau symud? Diolch.
Diolch i Jane Dodds am y cwestiwn, Llywydd.
I thank Jane Dodds for the question, Llywydd.
And she is right, of course, that we are much more aware today than we would have been even 18 months ago of the impact that loneliness and isolation has on people's sense of well-being and, indeed, on their physical health as well. And there is a great deal for us to learn from the experience of the pandemic in attending to the impact of loneliness and isolation in the lives of Welsh citizens. We faced this regularly, Llywydd, it seems to me, during the pandemic crisis. Very early on, you will remember we changed the rules in Wales, to allow people going out to exercise—and you'll remember that, at one point, we were only able to go out to exercise once a day. Then we changed the rules to allow someone to accompany you for that exercise, because of reports we had, particularly from women, about a feeling of isolation if they were required to exercise alone. We changed the rules in Wales so that a single-person household could form an extended household with another household before we were able to liberalise the rules on extended households more generally. And, again, that was because of the evidence of the way in which single households—particularly households where a single adult was looking after children as well as themselves—needed the support of another household for the reasons that Jane Dodds has suggested.
Our actions at a community level are both with local authorities but also with the third sector as well, who have a very important part to play in all of this. And Llywydd, just to give one example, the Ffrind Mewn Angen scheme—the Friend in Need scheme—that was part of the COVID response, was established in June of last year and it's run by Age Cymru, and it means that an older person living on their own can receive a weekly telephone call from someone who's been trained as a volunteer befriender. It's advice, it's support, it's an informal chance just to hear another human voice. And we know there are many people, particularly elderly people, living alone who can go days on end without ever having another human encounter, with all the adverse impacts that Jane Dodds pointed to. And that excellent scheme—the Ffrind Mewn Angen scheme—is designed here in Wales to make a difference to the loneliness and isolation that people experience in that way.
Ac mae hi'n iawn, wrth gwrs, ein bod ni'n llawer mwy ymwybodol heddiw nag y byddem ni wedi bod hyd yn oed 18 mis yn ôl o'r effaith y mae unigrwydd ac ynysigrwydd yn ei chael ar synnwyr pobl o lesiant ac, yn wir, ar eu hiechyd corfforol hefyd. Ac mae llawer iawn i ni ei ddysgu o brofiad y pandemig wrth fynd i'r afael ag effaith unigrwydd ac ynysigrwydd ym mywydau dinasyddion Cymru. Fe wnaethom ni wynebu hyn yn rheolaidd, Llywydd, mae'n ymddangos i mi, yn ystod argyfwng y pandemig. Yn gynnar iawn, byddwch yn cofio ein bod ni wedi newid y rheolau yng Nghymru, i ganiatáu i bobl fynd allan i gynnal ymarfer corff—a byddwch yn cofio ar un adeg mai dim ond unwaith y dydd yr oeddem ni'n cael mynd allan i ymarfer corff. Yna fe wnaethom ni newid y rheolau i ganiatáu i rywun fynd gyda chi ar gyfer yr ymarfer corff hwnnw, oherwydd adroddiadau a gawsom, yn enwedig gan fenywod, am deimlad o ynysigrwydd pe byddai'n rhaid iddyn nhw ymarfer corff ar eu pennau eu hunain. Fe wnaethom ni newid y rheolau yng Nghymru fel y gallai aelwyd un person ffurfio aelwyd estynedig gydag aelwyd arall cyn i ni allu rhyddfrydoli'r rheolau ar aelwydydd estynedig yn fwy cyffredinol. A hefyd roedd hynny oherwydd y dystiolaeth o'r ffordd yr oedd angen cefnogaeth aelwyd arall ar aelwydydd sengl—yn enwedig aelwydydd lle'r oedd un oedolyn yn gofalu am blant yn ogystal â'i hunan—am y rhesymau y mae Jane Dodds wedi eu hawgrymu.
Mae ein gweithredoedd ar lefel gymunedol gydag awdurdodau lleol ond hefyd gyda'r trydydd sector, sydd â rhan bwysig iawn i'w chwarae yn hyn i gyd. A Llywydd, dim ond i roi un enghraifft, sefydlwyd y cynllun Ffrind Mewn Angen a oedd yn rhan o'r ymateb i COVID, ym mis Mehefin y llynedd ac mae'n cael ei redeg gan Age Cymru, ac mae'n golygu y gall person hŷn sy'n byw ar ei ben ei hun gael galwad ffôn wythnosol gan rywun sydd wedi cael ei hyfforddi fel cyfaill gwirfoddol. Mae'n gyngor, mae'n gefnogaeth, mae'n gyfle anffurfiol dim ond i glywed llais dynol arall. Ac rydym ni'n gwybod bod llawer o bobl, yn enwedig pobl oedrannus, yn byw ar eu pennau eu hunain sy'n gallu mynd ddyddiau ar y tro heb gael cyfarfod person arall o gwbl, gyda'r holl effeithiau niweidiol y cyfeiriodd Jane Dodds atyn nhw. Ac mae'r cynllun rhagorol hwnnw—y cynllun Ffrind Mewn Angen—wedi ei gynllunio yma yng Nghymru i wneud gwahaniaeth i'r unigrwydd a'r ynysigrwydd y mae pobl yn eu dioddef yn y ffordd honno.
2. Pa asesiad y mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi'i wneud o sut y mae rhaglen Cymru-Affrica wedi cryfhau masnach ag Affrica? OQ56759
2. What assessment has the First Minister made of how the Wales-Africa programme has strengthened trade with Africa? OQ56759
Well, Llywydd, the Wales and Africa programme is a development and solidarity programme, aligned with the delivery of the United Nations' sustainable development goals. The devastating impact of COVID is the current priority of the programme.
Wel, Llywydd, rhaglen datblygu ac undod yw rhaglen Cymru ac Affrica, sy'n cyd-fynd â chyflawni nodau datblygu cynaliadwy'r Cenhedloedd Unedig. Effaith ddinistriol COVID yw blaenoriaeth bresennol y rhaglen.
Thank you, Minister. As you will be aware, Wales became the first ever Fairtrade Nation in 2008, and, since 2015, the Welsh Government has provided funding through the Wales and Africa programme for Fair Trade Wales to promote organisations to become fair-trade partners and provide educational outreach on the benefits of fair trade. Fair Trade Wales currently reports that they work with only 30 local fair-trade groups, 200 schools and 18 out of the 22 local authorities. They also only employ two part-time members of staff. At an External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee meeting in 2018, a representative of Fair Trade Wales reported on how budget cuts had meant that they no longer provided suitable bilingual services, and cuts to staffing had meant that their education link-up with schools had drastically dropped. Remarkably, after 13 years of being a Fairtrade Nation, the Welsh Government has still not convinced every local authority to support fair trade, and Fair Trade Wales have reported that they do not even monitor the value of fair-trade goods sold in Wales. Given that they liaise with so few organisations and have no idea of the amount or value of fair-trade goods sold in Wales, can the First Minister comment on how Fair Trade Wales ultimately benefits the promotion of fair trade with Africa and provides value for money for the Welsh taxpayer? Thanks.
Diolch, Gweinidog. Fel y byddwch yn gwybod, Cymru oedd y Genedl Masnach Deg gyntaf erioed yn 2008, ac, ers 2015, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi darparu cyllid drwy raglen Cymru ac Affrica i Masnach Deg Cymru hyrwyddo sefydliadau i ddod yn bartneriaid masnach deg a darparu allgymorth addysgol ar fanteision masnach deg. Mae Masnach Deg Cymru yn adrodd ar hyn o bryd eu bod yn gweithio gyda dim ond 30 o grwpiau masnach deg lleol, 200 o ysgolion a 18 o'r 22 awdurdod lleol. Maen nhw hefyd yn cyflogi dau aelod o staff rhan-amser yn unig. Yn un o gyfarfodydd y Pwyllgor Materion Allanol a Deddfwriaeth Ychwanegol yn 2018, adroddodd cynrychiolydd Masnach Deg Cymru ar sut yr oedd toriadau i gyllidebau wedi golygu nad oedden nhw yn darparu gwasanaethau dwyieithog addas mwyach, ac roedd toriadau i staffio wedi golygu bod eu cyswllt addysg ag ysgolion wedi gostwng yn sylweddol. Yn rhyfeddol, ar ôl 13 mlynedd o fod yn Genedl Masnach Deg, mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn dal i fod heb argyhoeddi pob awdurdod lleol i gefnogi masnach deg, ac mae Masnach Deg Cymru wedi adrodd nad ydyn nhw hyd yn oed yn monitro gwerth nwyddau masnach deg a werthir yng Nghymru. O gofio eu bod nhw mewn cysylltiad â chyn lleied o sefydliadau ac nad oes ganddyn nhw syniad o nifer na gwerth nwyddau masnach deg a werthir yng Nghymru, a all y Prif Weinidog gynnig sylwadau ar sut y mae Masnach Deg Cymru o fudd yn y pen draw i hyrwyddo masnach deg gydag Affrica ac yn cynnig gwerth am arian i drethdalwyr Cymru? Diolch.
Well, I thank the Member for that question, and I can't avoid gently pointing out to him there's an irony in his question, on a day when the House of Commons will be debating the £4 billion cut in overseas aid that his party has decided to impose on some of the poorest people anywhere in the world. But let me take his question at face value, because I think the question is an important one. There is more to do in promoting the values of fair trade here in Wales. I wish every local authority in Wales were signed up to that agenda, and the Wales and Africa programme certainly does support fair trade. It is not a trade programme; as I say, it's a programme designed to emphasise development and solidarity between Wales and other parts of the world.
But some of us here will have met in this building Jenipher Sambazi, the vice-chair of a Ugandan coffee co-operative, where there is a partnership between Jenipher's Coffi and fair-trade organisations here in Wales, in which the trees are planted in that part of Uganda using the Size of Wales programme, which we invest in as well, so that there are sustainable ways of using the products of that planting, and to do it in a way that is fair to the people who work in that industry—those Ugandan farmers—and also offers opportunities for people in Wales to be able to enjoy the fantastic product of all that effort.
Wel, diolchaf i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn yna, ac ni allaf osgoi tynnu ei sylw yn fonheddig bod eironi yn ei gwestiwn, ar ddiwrnod pan fydd Tŷ'r Cyffredin yn trafod y toriad o £4 biliwn i gymorth tramor y mae ei blaid ef wedi penderfynu ei orfodi ar rai o'r bobl dlotaf yn unman yn y byd. Ond gadewch i mi dderbyn ei gwestiwn fel ag y mae, oherwydd rwy'n credu bod y cwestiwn yn un pwysig. Mae mwy i'w wneud i hyrwyddo gwerthoedd masnach deg yma yng Nghymru. Byddai'n dda gen i pe byddai pob awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru wedi ymrwymo i'r agenda honno, ac mae rhaglen Cymru ac Affrica yn sicr yn cefnogi masnach deg. Nid rhaglen fasnach ydyw; fel y dywedais, mae'n rhaglen sydd â'r bwriad o bwysleisio datblygiad ac undod rhwng Cymru a rhannau eraill o'r byd.
Ond bydd rhai ohonom ni yma wedi cyfarfod yn yr adeilad hwn Jenipher Sambazi, is-gadeirydd cwmni coffi cydweithredol o Uganda, lle ceir partneriaeth rhwng Jenipher's Coffi a sefydliadau masnach deg yma yng Nghymru, lle mae'r coed yn cael eu plannu yn y rhan honno o Uganda gan ddefnyddio rhaglen Maint Cymru, yr ydym ninnau'n buddsoddi ynddi hefyd, fel bod ffyrdd cynaliadwy o ddefnyddio cynhyrchion y plannu hwnnw, a'i wneud mewn ffordd sy'n deg i'r bobl sy'n gweithio yn y diwydiant hwnnw—y ffermwyr hynny o Uganda—a hefyd yn cynnig cyfleoedd i bobl yng Nghymru allu mwynhau cynnyrch gwych yr holl ymdrech honno.
First Minister, as you alluded to in our first response, Wales and Africa is about much more than trade. Oxfam Cymru, through their partners in Uganda, have been told that COVID-19 cases increased by over 1,000 per cent last month, and that only 4,000 people have been fully vaccinated in a population of 45 million. How is Welsh Government using its voice to push UK Government to share life-saving vaccine know-how and technology with low-income countries such as Uganda?
Prif Weinidog, fel y cyfeiriasoch ato yn ein hymateb cyntaf, mae Cymru ac Affrica yn ymwneud â llawer mwy na masnach. Mae Oxfam Cymru, drwy eu partneriaid yn Uganda, wedi cael gwybod bod achosion COVID-19 wedi cynyddu gan dros 1,000 y cant fis diwethaf, ac mai dim ond 4,000 o bobl sydd wedi cael eu brechu yn llawn mewn poblogaeth o 45 miliwn. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn defnyddio ei llais i wthio Llywodraeth y DU i rannu gwybodaeth am frechlynnau a thechnoleg sy'n achub bywydau gyda gwledydd incwm isel fel Uganda?
Well, Llywydd, in the job that I do, and indeed in the jobs, I'm sure, that Members around the Chamber do, we have some difficult conversations that we have with sometimes members of the public, sometimes with other organisations. I've seldom had a more challenging conversation than I had recently with the vice-chancellor of the University of Namibia—a good friend of Wales, a good friend of Cardiff University—and the reason that the call was difficult was because the sheer desperation in the vice-chancellor's plea to Wales to help him and his fellow citizens in Namibia went straight to your heart. He had lost 10 members of his staff that week, and more died before the week was over. Seven per cent of the population of Namibia are likely to be vaccinated, and the impact on their public services is simply that there is nowhere for anybody to go to get the help that they need. And that is true not just of Namibia but it's true of Uganda and other partners of the Wales-Africa programme as well.
The vice-chancellor wanted me to lobby the UK Government to accelerate the supply of vaccine to Namibia, and I did that immediately. I wrote straight away to the Foreign Secretary and relayed the conversation I'd had and the case—the urgent case—that there is there. But it's more than just supply of vaccine; it's the ability on the ground to deliver the vaccine when it's received, and we are very fortunate in the Phoenix Project—headed up, many of us will know, by a remarkable woman, Professor Judith Hall of Cardiff University—where we have partners on the ground both in Uganda and in Namibia as well. We have since then been working to find what more we can do to provide equipment and other forms of support to those partners that we have whose needs are so desperate. And my colleague Jane Hutt, I know, hopes to be able to make an announcement before the end of this week, before the end of the term, on the additional help that we are going to be able to provide.
Wel, Llywydd, yn y swydd yr wyf i'n ei gwneud, ac yn wir yn y swyddi, rwy'n siŵr, y mae Aelodau o amgylch y Siambr yn eu gwneud, rydym ni'n cael rhai sgyrsiau anodd weithiau gydag aelodau o'r cyhoedd, weithiau gyda sefydliadau eraill. Anaml yr wyf i wedi cael sgwrs anoddach na'r un a ges i yn ddiweddar gydag is-ganghellor Prifysgol Namibia—cyfaill da i Gymru, cyfaill da i Brifysgol Caerdydd—a'r rheswm yr oedd yr alwad honno yn anodd oedd oherwydd bod yr anobaith llwyr yn apêl yr is-ganghellor i Gymru ei helpu ef a'i gyd-ddinasyddion yn Namibia yn mynd yn syth at eich calon. Roedd wedi colli 10 aelod o'i staff yr wythnos honno, a bu farw mwy cyn i'r wythnos ddod i ben. Mae saith y cant o boblogaeth Namibia yn debygol o gael eu brechu, a'r effaith syml ar eu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yw nad oes unman i unrhyw un fynd i gael y cymorth sydd ei angen arnyn nhw. Ac mae hynny'n wir nid yn unig am Namibia ond mae'n wir am Uganda a phartneriaid eraill rhaglen Cymru-Affrica hefyd.
Roedd yr is-ganghellor eisiau i mi lobïo Llywodraeth y DU i gyflymu cyflenwad y brechlyn i Namibia, ac fe wnes i hynny ar unwaith. Ysgrifennais ar unwaith at yr Ysgrifennydd Tramor a chyfleu'r sgwrs yr oeddwn i wedi ei chael a'r achos—yr achos brys—sy'n bodoli yno. Ond mae'n fwy na chyflenwi brechlyn yn unig; mae'n fater o allu ar lawr gwlad i ddarparu'r brechlyn pan fydd wedi dod i law, ac rydym ni'n ffodus iawn ym Mhrosiect Phoenix—a arweinir, fel y bydd llawer ohonom ni'n ymwybodol, gan fenyw ryfeddol, yr Athro Judith Hall o Brifysgol Caerdydd—lle mae gennym ni bartneriaid ar lawr gwlad yn Uganda ac yn Namibia hefyd. Ers hynny, rydym ni wedi bod yn gweithio i ddod o hyd i beth arall y gallwn ni ei wneud i ddarparu offer a mathau eraill o gymorth i'r partneriaid hynny sydd gennym ni y mae eu hanghenion mor daer. A gwn fod fy nghyd-Weinidog Jane Hutt yn gobeithio gallu gwneud cyhoeddiad cyn diwedd yr wythnos hon, cyn diwedd y tymor, ar y cymorth ychwanegol y byddwn ni'n gallu ei ddarparu.
We look forward to that announcement, First Minister, because I think it is right that our focus right now should be on helping our friends in how to deal with the COVID crisis that is hitting them so dramatically hard. But I wanted, and I thank Joel for raising this question, to raise, in fact, the partnership between Ferrari's coffee manufacturer in Pontyclun, in my constituency, and indeed Jenipher's Coffi, which I drink myself regularly in my little coffee machine in the house, and it's a great example of how the excellence of manufacturing here in Wales, with Welsh-owned businesses, partners up with friends in Africa in order to create a win-win situation, and I'd like to know what more we can do to replicate that model across parts of Wales. And would he just join with me today as we speak here in this Senedd, in this Parliament today, in sending our best wishes to those in the UK Parliament who are seeking to overturn the proposed budget cuts in the UK international development budget? It is pertinent to the discussion we are having here right now.
Edrychwn ymlaen at y cyhoeddiad hwnnw, Prif Weinidog, gan fy mod i'n credu ei bod hi'n iawn y dylai ein pwyslais ar hyn o bryd fod ar helpu ein cyfeillion o ran sut i ymdrin â'r argyfwng COVID sy'n eu taro nhw mor ddramatig o galed. Ond roeddwn i eisiau, a diolchaf i Joel am godi'r cwestiwn hwn, codi, a dweud y gwir, y bartneriaeth rhwng gweithgynhyrchydd coffi Ferrari ym Mhont-y-clun, yn fy etholaeth i, ac yn wir Jenipher's Coffi, yr wyf i'n ei yfed fy hun yn rheolaidd yn fy mheiriant coffi bach yn y tŷ, ac mae'n enghraifft wych o sut mae rhagoriaeth gweithgynhyrchu yma yng Nghymru, gyda busnesau sy'n eiddo i Gymry, yn partneru gyda ffrindiau yn Affrica er mwyn creu sefyllfa lle mae pawb ar eu hennill, a hoffwn wybod beth arall y gallwn ni ei wneud i efelychu'r model hwnnw ar draws rhannau o Gymru. Ac a wnaiff ef ymuno â mi heddiw wrth i ni siarad yma yn y Senedd hon heddiw, i anfon ein dymuniadau gorau at y rhai yn Senedd y DU sy'n ceisio gwrthdroi'r toriadau arfaethedig i gyllideb datblygu rhyngwladol y DU? Mae'n berthnasol i'r drafodaeth yr ydym ni'n ei chael yma nawr.
Well, Llywydd, any message that could go from Members of this Senedd to those who are participating in that debate as we speak here and to strengthen the arguments of those many Members of the Conservative Party who have spoken out against the cuts in aid, anything we could do to strengthen their arguments, many of us here would wish to do exactly that. I was able to meet Jenipher of Jenipher's Coffi here in the Senedd in February 2020—one of the very last visits to be made here before visits have become so much more difficult. She was a remarkable young woman, I thought—and others, I know, will have met her as well—both in her commitment to her cause, but in her ability to articulate the difference that the investment—. The small investment that we make from Wales; we make small amounts of money available, but we are lucky to have partners in Wales and beyond whose enthusiasm and dedication makes that money work so much harder than otherwise would be the case. And the coffee farmers in the Mount Elgon area of Uganda, through the Coffee 2020 project, are a very practical demonstration of the difference that we can make, and the fair-trade arrangement here in Wales, involving my colleague's constituency, involving the Fair Do's fair-trade shop in the Cardiff West constituency as well, I think is a really striking and practical example of how money invested from a rich country, by any global standards, in a place where people struggle to get the very basics of everyday life, makes such a difference. And the debate in the UK Parliament this afternoon, Llywydd, is that very rare thing in any Parliament—it is a debate that is genuinely about the difference between life and death for many, many other people.
Wel, Llywydd, unrhyw neges a allai fynd gan Aelodau'r Senedd hon i'r rhai sy'n cymryd rhan yn y ddadl honno wrth i ni siarad yn y fan yma ac i gryfhau dadleuon y nifer fawr o Aelodau hynny o'r Blaid Geidwadol sydd wedi siarad yn erbyn y toriadau i gymorth, unrhyw beth y gallem ni ei wneud i gryfhau eu dadleuon, byddai llawer ohonom ni yn y fan yma yn dymuno gwneud yn union hynny. Cefais gyfle i gyfarfod â Jenipher o Jenipher's Coffi yma yn y Senedd ym mis Chwefror 2020—un o'r ymweliadau olaf un a wnaed yma cyn i ymweliadau ddod yn llawer anoddach. Roedd yn fenyw ifanc ryfeddol, roeddwn i'n meddwl—a bydd eraill, mi wn, wedi cyfarfod â hi hefyd—yn ei hymrwymiad i'w hachos, ond hefyd yn ei gallu i fynegi'r gwahaniaeth y mae'r buddsoddiad—. Y buddsoddiad bach yr ydym ni'n ei wneud o Gymru; rydym ni'n rhoi symiau bach o arian ar gael, ond rydym ni'n ffodus o fod â phartneriaid yng Nghymru a thu hwnt y mae eu brwdfrydedd a'u hymroddiad yn gwneud i'r arian hwnnw weithio gymaint yn galetach nag y byddai fel arall. Ac mae'r ffermwyr coffi yn ardal Mynydd Elgon yn Uganda, drwy brosiect Coffee 2020, yn esiampl ymarferol iawn o'r gwahaniaeth y gallwn ni ei wneud, ac rwy'n credu bod y trefniant masnach deg yma yng Nghymru, sy'n cynnwys etholaeth fy nghyd-Aelod, sy'n cynnwys siop masnach deg Fair Do's yn etholaeth Gorllewin Caerdydd hefyd, yn enghraifft drawiadol ac ymarferol iawn o'r ffordd y mae arian sy'n cael ei fuddsoddi o wlad gyfoethog, yn ôl unrhyw safonau byd-eang, mewn man lle mae pobl yn ei chael hi'n anodd cael hanfodion bywyd bob dydd, yn gwneud cymaint o wahaniaeth. Ac mae'r ddadl yn Senedd y DU y prynhawn yma, Llywydd, yn cynrychioli'r peth prin iawn hwnnw mewn unrhyw Senedd—mae'n ddadl sy'n wirioneddol yn ymwneud â'r gwahaniaeth rhwng bywyd a marwolaeth i lawer iawn o bobl eraill.
Cwestiynau nawr gan arweinwyr y pleidiau. Arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Questions now from the party leaders. Leader of the Conservatives, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Thank you, Presiding Officer. First Minister, the point you made about speaking to the vice-chancellor of the university in Namibia is well made—that, unless we are all vaccinated, none of us will be safe at the end of this, and it is a global problem that we all need to be focused on. But we are moving into better climes; we are moving into an arena now where some of the restrictions can be unpicked. And Professor John Watkins yesterday highlighted that with the success of the vaccination roll-out and the immunity levels—. I can hear chuntering from the nationalist benches, but I'm sure that they would like to listen to the experts, as I like to listen to the experts as well on this particular subject. We've heard many references to Cardiff University as well, and Professor John Watkins is a member of the academic staff there. Do you believe that his assertion that bringing lockdown to an end is correct and will you be supporting that, First Minister?
Diolch, Llywydd. Prif Weinidog, mae'r pwynt a wnaethoch chi ynglŷn â siarad ag is-ganghellor y brifysgol yn Namibia yn un da—sef, oni bai ein bod ni i gyd yn cael ein brechu, ni fydd yr un ohonom ni yn ddiogel ar ddiwedd hyn, ac mae'n broblem fyd-eang y mae angen i ni i gyd ganolbwyntio arni. Ond rydym ni'n symud i sefyllfa well; rydym ni'n symud i sefyllfa nawr lle gellir dad-wneud rhai o'r cyfyngiadau. A thynnodd yr Athro John Watkins sylw ddoe at hynny gyda llwyddiant cyflwyno'r brechiad a'r lefelau imiwnedd—. Gallaf glywed grwgnach o feinciau'r cenedlaetholwyr, ond rwy'n siŵr yr hoffen nhw wrando ar yr arbenigwyr, gan fy mod i'n hoffi gwrando ar yr arbenigwyr hefyd ar y pwnc penodol hwn. Rydym ni wedi clywed llawer o gyfeiriadau at Brifysgol Caerdydd hefyd, ac mae'r Athro John Watkins yn aelod o'r staff academaidd yno. A ydych chi'n credu bod ei haeriad bod dod â'r cyfyngiadau symud i ben yn gywir ac a fyddwch chi'n cefnogi hynny, Prif Weinidog?
Llywydd, I read very carefully what Professor Watkins had to say and I don't believe that he was arguing at all for a tearing up of all the protections that make a difference to our defences against coronavirus. He was saying that there comes a point where we have to be able to move beyond those protections and I agree with that, and I hope that when, tomorrow, I'm here again making a statement about the outcome of the current three-week review, there will be steps that we can take in that direction. What it will not be will be a wholesale abandonment of the collective actions that we have taken during the pandemic and that continue to keep Wales safe in the face of a third wave of coronavirus, which is already testing our health service—760 people fell ill with coronavirus in Wales yesterday alone; the largest number on a single day for many, many, many weeks. And the thought that that is a promising context in which to move rapidly away from the protections that are still there to keep us safe—I'm not persuaded that this is the moment for such an approach.
Llywydd, darllenais yn ofalus iawn yr hyn oedd gan yr Athro Watkins i'w ddweud ac nid wyf i'n credu ei fod yn dadlau o gwbl dros gefnu ar yr holl fesurau diogelu sy'n gwneud gwahaniaeth i'n hamddiffynfeydd rhag coronafeirws. Roedd yn dweud bod adeg yn dod pan fo'n rhaid i ni allu symud y tu hwnt i'r mesurau diogelu hynny ac rwy'n cytuno â hynny, ac rwy'n gobeithio, pan fyddaf i yma eto, yfory, yn gwneud datganiad ar ganlyniad yr adolygiad tair wythnos presennol, y bydd camau y gallwn ni eu cymryd i'r cyfeiriad hwnnw. Yr hyn na fydd yn digwydd fydd cefnu llwyr ar y camau cyfunol yr ydym ni wedi eu cymryd yn ystod y pandemig ac sy'n parhau i gadw Cymru yn ddiogel yn wyneb trydedd don o coronafeirws, sydd eisoes yn profi ein gwasanaeth iechyd—roedd 760 o bobl yn sâl gyda coronafeirws yng Nghymru ddoe yn unig; y nifer fwyaf ar un diwrnod ers wythnosau lawer iawn, iawn. Ac mae'r syniad bod hwnnw yn gyd-destun addawol i symud yn gyflym oddi wrth y mesurau diogelu sy'n dal yno i'n cadw yn ddiogel—nid wyf wedi fy narbwyllo mai dyma'r adeg ar gyfer dull gweithredu o'r fath.
I read from your comments, First Minister, that we will have a far more measured approach from you tomorrow and that there will not be the move away from restrictions that has been seen in other parts of the United Kingdom, and that's a judgment call for the Governments to have to take. But one of the conversations that is being had around the whole of the UK is around vaccination passports and the use of vaccination passports. I have to say I'm against such mandatory use of vaccination passports; I think they segment our society and they discriminate against people who might have genuine reasons not to be vaccinated. Would you confirm that it is the Welsh Government's continued position not to support the mandatory use of vaccination passports and, if they are to be used at all, it would only be in guidance only?
Deallais o'ch sylwadau, Prif Weinidog, y bydd gennym ni ddull llawer mwy pwyllog gennych chi yfory ac na fydd gennym y symud oddi wrth cyfyngiadau a welwyd mewn rhannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig, ac mae hwnnw yn benderfyniad i'r Llywodraethau ei wneud. Ond mae un o'r sgyrsiau sy'n cael ei chynnal ledled y DU yn ymwneud â phasbortau brechu a'r defnydd o basbortau brechu. Mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud fy mod i'n gwrthwynebu defnydd gorfodol o'r fath o basbortau brechu; rwy'n credu eu bod nhw'n segmentu ein cymdeithas ac maen nhw'n gwahaniaethu yn erbyn pobl a allai fod â rhesymau dilys dros beidio â chael eu brechu. A wnewch chi gadarnhau mai safbwynt parhaus Llywodraeth Cymru yw peidio â chefnogi'r defnydd gorfodol o basbortau brechu, ac os ydyn nhw'n mynd i gael eu defnyddio o gwbl, y byddai hynny ar sail canllawiau yn unig?
Yes, Llywydd, I agree with what the leader of the opposition has said. I too am opposed to the mandation of vaccine passports. We make vaccine certificates available to Welsh citizens because they are sometimes required by people wishing to go for foreign travel or sometimes to attend events elsewhere, but those are matters of choice—nobody is forced to go on holiday, nobody has to attend a concert—and the mandation of vaccine certification I think is quite a different matter. I've had a number of conversations with Ministers in the UK Government and they've always assured me that they have no plans to mandate vaccine certification either. And although the Prime Minister, I now see, is encouraging the use of vaccine certification in certain voluntary settings, I think that's still a long way from mandation.
Ie, Llywydd, rwy'n cytuno â'r hyn y mae arweinydd yr wrthblaid wedi ei ddweud. Rwyf innau hefyd yn gwrthwynebu gwneud pasbortau brechu yn orfodol. Rydym ni'n sicrhau bod tystysgrifau brechu ar gael i ddinasyddion Cymru oherwydd weithiau mae pobl sy'n dymuno teithio dramor neu weithiau fynd i ddigwyddiadau mewn mannau eraill eu hangen nhw, ond materion o ddewis yw'r rheini—does neb yn gorfod mynd ar wyliau, nid oes yn rhaid i neb fynd i gyngerdd—ac mae gwneud ardystiad brechu yn orfodol yn fater cwbl wahanol yn fy marn i. Rwyf i wedi cael nifer o sgyrsiau gyda Gweinidogion yn Llywodraeth y DU ac maen nhw wedi fy sicrhau bob amser nad oes ganddyn nhw unrhyw gynlluniau i wneud ardystiad brechu yn orfodol ychwaith. Ac er bod Prif Weinidog y DU, rwy'n gweld erbyn hyn yn annog y defnydd o ardystiad brechu mewn rhai lleoliadau gwirfoddol, rwy'n credu bod hynny yn dal i fod ymhell o sefyllfa orfodi.
I'm pleased to hear that, First Minister, and I'll also be joining you in supporting that cause, because, as I said, I do think it would create unnecessary divisions within our society. And I appreciate that we're going to have the statement tomorrow, and it doesn't look as if—. Obviously, there will be differences in all parts of the United Kingdom. Now, the Scottish Parliament, for example, is in recall session as we speak, I believe, at 2 o'clock this afternoon—it's not quite 2 o'clock now, but meeting at 2 o'clock this afternoon—the Prime Minister made his announcements yesterday; you'll make your announcements tomorrow. With a third of the population of Wales living within 20 miles of the Welsh border, there has to be an understanding of the obligations and rules that are in place in various parts of the United Kingdom for those rules to be complied with, and it is really important that, where possible, common ground can be reached. Given that we expect there to be differences between what you will announce tomorrow and what has been announced in England, how will you look to try and create that common ground so that the citizens of the countries that are affected by these rules and regulations can know exactly what is expected of them? Because I don't think anyone wants to see a third, a fourth, a fifth wave, and we do want to celebrate the success of the vaccination programme and the immunity that has built up in society as a whole. But we are at a critical moment now, when liberties can be returned, and as many of those liberties should be returned as possible, First Minister.
Rwy'n falch o glywed hynna, Prif Weinidog, a byddaf innau hefyd yn ymuno â chi i gefnogi'r achos hwnnw, oherwydd, fel y dywedais, rwy'n credu y byddai'n creu rhaniadau diangen yn ein cymdeithas. Ac rwy'n sylweddoli ein bod ni'n mynd i gael y datganiad yfory, ac nid yw'n edrych fel pe byddai—. Yn amlwg, bydd gwahaniaethau ym mhob rhan o'r Deyrnas Unedig. Nawr, mae Senedd yr Alban, er enghraifft, mewn sesiwn adalw ar hyn o bryd, rwy'n credu, am 2 o'r gloch y prynhawn yma—nid yw'n 2 o'r gloch eto, ond yn cyfarfod am 2 o'r gloch y prynhawn yma—fe wnaeth Prif Weinidog y DU ei gyhoeddiadau ddoe; byddwch chi yn gwneud eich cyhoeddiadau yfory. Gyda thraean o boblogaeth Cymru yn byw o fewn 20 milltir i ffin Cymru, mae'n rhaid cael dealltwriaeth o'r rhwymedigaethau a'r rheolau sydd ar waith mewn gwahanol rannau o'r Deyrnas Unedig er mwyn cydymffurfio â'r rheolau hynny, ac mae'n bwysig iawn, pan fo'n bosibl, y gellir cyrraedd tir cyffredin. Gan ein bod ni'n disgwyl y bydd gwahaniaethau rhwng yr hyn y byddwch chi'n ei gyhoeddi yfory a'r hyn a gyhoeddwyd yn Lloegr, sut byddwch chi'n ceisio creu'r tir cyffredin hwnnw fel y gall dinasyddion y gwledydd sy'n cael eu heffeithio gan y rheolau a'r rheoliadau hyn wybod yn union beth a ddisgwylir ganddyn nhw? Gan nad wyf i'n credu bod neb eisiau gweld trydedd, pedwaredd, pumed don, ac rydym ni eisiau dathlu llwyddiant y rhaglen frechu a'r imiwnedd sydd wedi datblygu mewn cymdeithas yn ei chyfanrwydd. Ond rydym ni ar adeg dyngedfennol nawr, pan ellir dychwelyd hawliau, a dylid dychwelyd cynifer o'r hawliau hynny â phosibl, Prif Weinidog.
Well, Llywydd, I met yesterday with the First Minister of Scotland, senior Members from Northern Ireland and with Michael Gove from the Cabinet Office. I think we are—. I said at that meeting that it still seems to me that every part of the United Kingdom is moving in broadly the same direction. We may be doing it at slightly different speeds and in different ways, but the essential direction of travel is the same between us all. We all want to go on lifting restrictions; we all want to do it in a way that keeps people safe.
We all made a plea through Mr Gove that the Prime Minister, in his press conference, should make it clear that he was making announcements for England only. It was disappointing, again, to find that the Prime Minister finds that such a difficult thing to do, because it would have helped—it would've helped with the clarity. And I agree with what Andrew R.T. Davies has said there, Llywydd: trying to be clear with our different populations what the position is in different parts of the United Kingdom is a challenge, and it's one we've all got to address. It would've helped if the Prime Minister had been clearer with people that he was not making an announcement for Northern Ireland or Scotland or for Wales.
I do think people at our borders have become more used to this. They've lived through 18 months of there being differences across the border, and people are more alert to it and look out for it more. We will certainly do whatever we can, once decisions are made—and the Cabinet will be meeting again tomorrow morning; we're yet to finalise all of the announcements that will be made tomorrow—we will do our best to make sure that those are as clearly communicated for Welsh citizens as we can.
Wel, Llywydd, cefais gyfarfod ddoe gyda Phrif Weinidog yr Alban, uwch Aelodau o Ogledd Iwerddon a Michael Gove o Swyddfa'r Cabinet. Rwy'n credu ein bod ni—. Dywedais yn y cyfarfod hwnnw ei bod hi'n dal yn ymddangos i mi fod pob rhan o'r Deyrnas Unedig yn symud i'r un cyfeiriad yn fras. Efallai ein bod ni'n gwneud hynny ar gyflymder ychydig yn wahanol ac mewn gwahanol ffyrdd, ond mae'r cyfeiriad teithio sylfaenol yr un fath rhyngom ni i gyd. Rydym ni i gyd eisiau parhau i lacio cyfyngiadau; rydym ni i gyd eisiau ei wneud mewn ffordd sy'n cadw pobl yn ddiogel.
Gwnaeth bob un ohonom ni apêl drwy Mr Gove y dylai Prif Weinidog y DU, yn ei gynhadledd i'r wasg, ei gwneud hi'n eglur ei fod yn gwneud cyhoeddiadau ar gyfer Lloegr yn unig. Roedd yn siomedig, eto, canfod bod Prif Weinidog y DU yn gweld hynny yn beth mor anodd i'w wneud, oherwydd byddai wedi helpu—byddai wedi helpu gyda'r eglurder. Ac rwy'n cytuno â'r hyn y mae Andrew R.T. Davies wedi ei ddweud yn y fan yna, Llywydd: mae ceisio bod yn eglur gyda'n gwahanol boblogaethau beth yw'r sefyllfa mewn gwahanol rannau o'r Deyrnas Unedig yn her, ac mae'n un y mae'n rhaid i bob un ohonom ni fynd i'r afael â hi. Byddai wedi helpu pe byddai Prif Weinidog y DU wedi bod yn fwy eglur gyda phobl nad oedd yn gwneud cyhoeddiad ar gyfer Gogledd Iwerddon na'r Alban na Chymru.
Rwy'n credu bod pobl ar ein ffiniau wedi dod yn fwy cyfarwydd â hyn. Maen nhw wedi byw drwy 18 mis o wahaniaethau dros y ffin, ac mae pobl yn fwy effro iddo ac yn cadw llygad amdano yn fwy. Byddwn yn sicr yn gwneud popeth o fewn ein gallu, pan fydd penderfyniadau yn cael eu gwneud—a bydd y Cabinet yn cyfarfod eto bore yfory; nid ydym ni wedi cwblhau'r holl gyhoeddiadau a fydd yn cael eu gwneud yfory eto—byddwn yn gwneud ein gorau i wneud yn siŵr bod y rheini yn cael eu cyfleu mor eglur i ddinasyddion Cymru ag y gallwn.
Ar ran Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
On behalf of Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd. Ie, lai nag wythnos sydd yna, rŵan, tan y codir y cyfyngiadau COVID yn llwyr yn Lloegr. Mae cadeirydd cyngor y BMA, Dr Chaand Nagpaul, wedi disgrifio'r amseru, wrth i nifer yr achosion gynyddu'n gyflym, fel bod yn anghyfrifol, a hynny ar ben sylwadau diweddar gan Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd yn cyhuddo Llywodraeth Prydain o
Thank you very much, Llywydd. Yes, it's less than a week, now, until COVID restrictions are removed entirely in England. The chair of the BMA council, Dr Chaand Nagpaul, has described the timing, as the number of cases increases quickly, as being irresponsible, in addition to recent comments made by the World Health Organization, accusing the UK Government of
'moral emptiness and epidemiological stupidity'.
'wacter moesol a ffolineb epidemiolegol'.
Rŵan, ydych chi yn cytuno, o ystyried mai gwarchod pobl o'ch cwmpas ydych chi drwy wisgo masg, efo rhywfaint o warchodaeth i chi'ch hun, fod cael gwared ar yr angen i wisgo gorchudd wyneb rŵan yn anghyfrifol?
Now, do you agree, given that you are saving those around you by wearing a face covering—it provides some protection for yourself too, of course—that scrapping the need for face coverings now is irresponsible?
Wel, Llywydd, wrth gwrs mae'r pethau sy'n digwydd yn Lloegr yn codi pryderon gyda ni, fel Llywodraeth, ond dwi ddim yn dod yma i fod yn feirniadol am beth y mae pobl eraill yn ei wneud; lan iddyn nhw yw hi i wneud pethau o fewn maes eu cyfrifoldebau nhw. Beth rŷn ni'n ei weld fan hyn yng Nghymru, Llywydd, yw: mae'r berthynas rhwng y feirws a'r brechlyn wedi newid, ond ddim wedi diflannu.
Ddoe, roedd 69 o bobl yn ein hysbytai yma yng Nghymru yn confirmed COVID patients—69. Lai na mis yn ôl, roedden ni'n siarad am llai nag 20 o bobl, so mae'r nifer o bobl sy'n cwympo mor dost o'r amrywiolyn delta yn tyfu bron bob dydd yma yng Nghymru hefyd. Dyna pam, pan fydd y Cabinet yn ystyried y posibiliadau sydd gyda ni yng Nghymru, dŷn ni'n mynd ati yn y ffordd rŷn ni wedi gwneud pethau dros y pandemig i gyd—yn ofalus, yn ystyried y dystiolaeth sydd gyda ni, ac yn mynd at bethau cam wrth gam.
Well, Llywydd, of course, the things that are happening in England do raise concerns with us, as a Government, but I'm not going to come here to be critical of what other people are doing; that's a decision for them, to do things in the areas of responsibility that they have. What we see here in Wales, Llywydd, is that there is a relationship between the virus and the vaccine that has changed, but it hasn't disappeared.
Yesterday, there were 69 people in our hospitals in Wales who were confirmed COVID patients—69. Less than a month ago, we were talking about fewer than 20 people, so the number of people who are falling very ill because of the delta variant, that number is growing nearly every day here in Wales. That's why, when the Cabinet considers the possibilities we have in Wales, we are going to proceed in the way that we have throughout the pandemic—namely very carefully, considering the evidence that we have, and taking a phased approach.
Diolch. Gofyn i chi roi'ch barn ar beth ydych chi'n meddwl sy'n gyfrifol neu'n anghyfrifol yng Nghymru ydw i, wrth gwrs, a dwi yn eich annog chi i gadw'r angen i orfod gwisgo gorchudd wyneb ym mhob lleoliad lle mae pobl yn dod i gyswllt agos â'i gilydd, yn cynnwys mewn siopau. Mi ddarllenais i un senario dros y Sul: y byddai'n od iawn, meddai'r Cynghorydd Gwynfor Owen o Wynedd, pe bai gweithiwr siop yn gorfod gwisgo masg i fynd i syrjeri y doctor ond y doctor ddim yn gorfod gwisgo masg i fynd i'r siop.
Mi ydych chi wedi dweud na fydd disgyblion yn gorfod gwisgo masg mewn dosbarthiadau ysgol o fis Medi. Mae gen i gonsýrn am hyn, o ystyried mor agos at ei gilydd mae disgyblion, ac rydw i'n annog y Llywodraeth i fod yn ddigyfaddawd wrth wthio am warchodaeth i blant a phobl ifanc drwy bethau fel strategaethau ar sicrhau digon o awyr iach mewn dosbarthiadau a hefyd drwy wthio brechu i blant a phobl ifanc. Ac un gyrrwr yn hyn o beth i fi ydy pryder cynyddol am effaith COVID hir ac effaith COVID hir ar blant a phobl ifanc. Mae degau o filoedd o blant a phobl ifanc ar draws Prydain yn dioddef. Gaf i ofyn, ydy’r Prif Weinidog yn cytuno efo’r consýrn yna sydd gen? A gaf i ofyn am gamau pendant i ddatblygu arbenigedd yn y maes yma er mwyn gwarchod plant a phobl ifanc yn benodol o COVID hir?
Thank you. I was asking you to give your view on what you think is responsible or irresponsible in Wales, and I do encourage you to retain the requirement to wear a face covering in all locations where people come into close contact, including in shops. I read one scenario over the weekend: it would be very odd, according to Councillor Gwynfor Owen in Gwynedd, if a shop worker had to wear a mask to go to the doctor's surgery, but the doctor didn't have to wear a mask to go to the shop.
Now, you have said that pupils won't have to wear masks in classrooms from September. I have concerns about that, given how close pupils are in classrooms, and I would encourage the Government to be uncompromising in pushing for protection for children and young people through things such as strategies to ensure proper ventilation in classrooms and by pushing for vaccination for children and young people. One driver in all of this for me is an increasing concern about the impact of long COVID and the impact of long COVID on children and young people. Tens of thousands of children and young people across the UK are suffering. May I ask whether the First Minister agrees with that concern that I have? And may I ask for real steps to develop expertise in this area to protect children and young people particularly from long COVID?
Wel, Llywydd, dwi yn rhannu y consýrn, ac mae mwy o dystiolaeth gyda ni nawr am effaith COVID hir ar bobl ifanc, ac mae'n bwysig i ni fwrw ymlaen i gasglu mwy o wybodaeth a chael mwy o gyngor gan bobl sy'n gweithio yn y maes. Yn y llythyr anfonodd y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol at yr ysgolion yng Nghymru, beth roedd e'n ei ddweud oedd doedd dim rhaid defnyddio mygydau mewn dosbarth 'as a matter of routine'.
Llywydd, I do share that concern, and we have more evidence now about the impact of a long COVID on young people, and it's important for us to press ahead and gather more information and have more advice from those who work in that area. In the letter that the Minister for Health and Social Services sent to the schools in Wales, what that letter said was that there was no need to use masks in classrooms 'as a matter of routine'.
So, it wasn't advice that masks should never be worn in a classroom setting; it is more a matter of those risks being weighed up in different class settings. We know that classrooms vary hugely; from a modern twenty-first century school to a school built in the nineteenth century, the physical conditions are very different. As it happened, Llywydd, I was in a conversation with the headteacher of a large school in Cardiff on Friday afternoon, who'd just received the letter, and he was, I think, very positive about it. He was very aware of the Children's Commissioner for Wales's advice about the adverse impact that it has on children when they are wearing masks hour after hour in a school setting, and he felt very confident that he and his staff would be able to make those judgments in the specific settings that they faced as to when wearing a mask would be sensible and when you could safely allow children to learn without being confined to them.
The final point, Llywydd, that Rhun ap Iorwerth made was about making sure that there are services for young people and others who fall ill through long COVID, and my colleague the health Minister made a recent statement on that matter. It's one of our reasons for hesitation in the current circumstances because while the link between falling ill and hospitalisation has undoubtedly been amended by vaccination, large numbers of people falling ill in the community is not to be dismissed as though that wasn't a matter of continuing concern, because the more people who fall ill in the community, the greater the risk there will be that some of those people too will then suffer not just a temporary or minor illness, but an illness that will live with them for weeks and months beyond.
Felly, nid oedd yn gyngor na ddylid byth gwisgo masgiau mewn ystafell ddosbarth; mae'n fwy o fater o'r risgiau hynny yn cael eu pwyso a'u mesur mewn gwahanol ddosbarthiadau. Rydym ni'n gwybod bod ystafelloedd dosbarth yn amrywio yn enfawr; o ysgol fodern yr unfed ganrif ar hugain i ysgol a adeiladwyd yn y bedwaredd ganrif ar bymtheg, mae'r amodau ffisegol yn wahanol iawn. Fel y digwyddodd, Llywydd, cefais sgwrs gyda phennaeth ysgol fawr yng Nghaerdydd brynhawn dydd Gwener, a oedd newydd dderbyn y llythyr, ac roedd ef, rwy'n credu, yn gadarnhaol iawn yn ei gylch. Roedd yn ymwybodol iawn o gyngor Comisiynydd Plant Cymru ar yr effaith niweidiol y mae'n ei chael ar blant pan fyddan nhw'n gwisgo masgiau awr ar ôl awr yn yr ysgol, ac roedd yn teimlo yn ffyddiog iawn y byddai ef a'i staff yn gallu gwneud y dyfarniadau hynny yn y lleoliadau penodol yr oedden nhw'n eu hwynebu o ran pryd y byddai gwisgo masg yn ddoeth a phryd y gallech chi ganiatáu yn ddiogel i blant ddysgu heb gael eu cyfyngu iddyn nhw.
Y pwynt olaf, Llywydd, a wnaeth Rhun ap Iorwerth oedd gwneud yn siŵr bod gwasanaethau ar gael i bobl ifanc ac eraill sy'n mynd yn sâl drwy COVID hir, a gwnaeth fy nghyd-Weinidog y Gweinidog iechyd ddatganiad diweddar ar y mater hwnnw. Mae'n un o'n rhesymau am betruso o dan yr amgylchiadau presennol oherwydd er ei bod yn sicr bod y cysylltiad rhwng mynd yn sâl a mynd i'r ysbyty wedi cael ei ddiwygio drwy frechu, ni ddylid diystyru nifer fawr o bobl yn mynd yn sâl yn y gymuned fel pe na byddai hwnnw yn destun pryder parhaus, oherwydd y mwyaf o bobl sy'n mynd yn sâl yn y gymuned, y mwyaf o risg fydd yna y bydd rhai o'r bobl hynny hefyd yn dioddef nid yn unig salwch dros dro neu fân salwch, ond salwch a fydd yn byw gyda nhw am wythnosau a misoedd y tu hwnt i hynny.
Thank you for those words. You're certainly right that it's about weighing up risks, and given the nature of the debate in some quarters now, some people will listen to me today and to you and think that I'm being overcautious, that I'm being too risk averse, and it's not that. I'm looking at evidence when it comes to masks, for example, and if evidence can point to ways in which we can lift restrictions, let's follow that evidence too. It works both ways.
So, as we head into the school holidays, either you believe that travelling abroad is safe, with the relevant safeguards in place, or you believe it's not. And if not, give us the evidence and put forward regulations that we can vote on. What I don't think you can do is ask people to use their judgment, and you've said repeatedly that you don't think it's the right thing to do, for somebody to go abroad. I'm all for people taking personal responsibility, but, in this context, I think personal judgment really can't be expected to take the place of sound scientific evidence. So, will you provide the clarity that people need on that issue?
Diolch am y geiriau yna. Rydych chi'n bendant yn iawn ei fod yn fater o bwyso a mesur risgiau, ac o ystyried natur y ddadl mewn rhai mannau nawr, bydd rhai pobl yn gwrando arnaf i heddiw ac arnoch chithau ac yn meddwl fy mod i'n bod yn or-ofalus, fy mod i'n bod yn rhy amharod i fentro, ac nid dyna'r gwirionedd. Rwy'n edrych ar dystiolaeth o ran masgiau, er enghraifft, ac os gall tystiolaeth dynnu sylw at ffyrdd y gallwn ni lacio cyfyngiadau, gadewch i ni ddilyn y dystiolaeth honno hefyd. Mae'n gweithio y ddwy ffordd.
Felly, wrth i ni gyrraedd gwyliau'r ysgol, naill ai rydych chi'n credu bod teithio dramor yn ddiogel, gyda'r mesurau diogelu perthnasol ar waith, neu rydych chi'n credu nad yw'n ddiogel. Ac os nad ydych chi, rhowch y dystiolaeth i ni a chyflwynwch reoliadau y gallwn ni bleidleisio arnyn nhw. Yr hyn nad wyf i'n credu y gallwch chi ei wneud yw gofyn i bobl ddefnyddio eu crebwyll, ac rydych chi wedi dweud dro ar ôl tro nad ydych chi'n credu mai dyna'r peth iawn i'w wneud, i rywun fynd dramor. Rwyf i'n llwyr o blaid pobl yn cymryd cyfrifoldeb personol, ond, yn y cyd-destun hwn, rwy'n credu na ellir disgwyl i grebwyll personol ddisodli tystiolaeth wyddonol gadarn. Felly, a wnewch chi roi'r eglurder sydd ei angen ar bobl o ran y mater hwnnw?
Well, here is the only clarity I can provide, Llywydd. The advice of the Welsh Government has not changed for many, many weeks. Our advice to people in Wales is that this is the year to stay in Wales and to take your holiday with everything that Wales to offer. The decision to travel abroad will bring additional risks with it—risks to you as an individual, and risks to others on your return. Those risks can be avoided; they're not risks that you have to run. Therefore, in the context of a global pandemic and a third wave of coronavirus, how much better to avoid those risks and to holiday here in Wales?
The reason we cannot make that a law in Wales is that it would simply be unenforceable. There is just no way you could make such a law stick, because three quarters of people who travel abroad from Wales do so from airports across our border, where there will be no such inhibition. And I don't imagine—I've never seen a proposal from Plaid Cymru—that we would prevent people from Wales from travelling across the border into England, and as soon as you allow that to happen, then people would be able to travel and people would. So, I don't find—. I wish we were in a different position to the one that we are in, but, given that that is the position we are in, the advice we can give is as clear as we can make it: there are risks involved, they don't need to be run, there are alternatives, and fantastic alternatives available to you.
Wel, dyma'r unig eglurder y gallaf i ei roi, Llywydd. Nid yw cyngor Llywodraeth Cymru wedi newid ers wythnosau lawer iawn. Ein cyngor i bobl yng Nghymru yw mai dyma'r flwyddyn i aros yng Nghymru ac i fynd ar eich gwyliau gyda phopeth sydd gan Gymru i'w gynnig. Bydd y penderfyniad i deithio dramor yn dod â risgiau ychwanegol gydag ef—risgiau i chi fel unigolyn, a risgiau i eraill ar ôl i chi ddychwelyd. Gellir osgoi'r risgiau hynny; dydyn nhw ddim yn risgiau y mae'n rhaid i chi eu cymryd. Felly, yng nghyd-destun pandemig byd-eang a thrydedd don o coronafeirws, cymaint gwell fyddai osgoi'r risgiau hynny a mynd ar wyliau yma yng Nghymru?
Y rheswm na allwn ni wneud hynny yn gyfraith yng Nghymru yw y byddai'n amhosibl ei gorfodi. Nid oes unrhyw ffordd yn syml y gallech chi wneud ffon gyfreithiol o'r fath, oherwydd mae tri chwarter y bobl sy'n teithio dramor o Gymru yn gwneud hynny o feysydd awyr dros ein ffin, lle na fydd ataliad o'r fath. Ac nid wyf i'n dychmygu—nid wyf i erioed wedi gweld cynnig gan Blaid Cymru—y byddem ni'n atal pobl o Gymru rhag teithio dros y ffin i Loegr, a chyn gynted ag y byddwch chi'n caniatáu i hynny ddigwydd, yna byddai pobl yn gallu teithio a byddai pobl yn gwneud hynny. Felly, nid wyf i'n canfod—. Byddai'n dda gen i pe byddem ni mewn gwahanol sefyllfa i'r un yr ydym ni ynddi, ond, o ystyried mai dyna'r sefyllfa yr ydym ni ynddi, mae'r cyngor y gallwn ni ei roi mor glir ag y gallwn ni ei wneud: mae risgiau yn bodoli, nid oes angen eu cymryd, mae dewisiadau eraill, a dewisiadau eraill gwych ar gael i chi.
3. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi'u cael yn dilyn penderfyniad pwyllgor cynllunio Cyngor Caerdydd i ganiatáu i Lywodraeth y DU arddangos baner yr undeb yn ei safle newydd yn y brifddinas? OQ56781
3. What discussions has the First Minister had following the decision of Cardiff Council's planning committee to permit the UK Government to display the union flag at its new premises in the capital? OQ56781
Llywydd, diolch i Rhys ab Owen am y cwestiwn. Cyngor Caerdydd sy'n gyfrifol am benderfynu ar ganiatâd hysbysebu yn y ddinas. Mae'r penderfyniad yn agored i adolygiad barnwrol ar hyn o bryd. Oherwydd rôl bosib Gweinidogion Cymru mewn penderfyniadau cynllunio, y cyngor dwi wedi ei gael yw: nid yw'n briodol trafod yr achos hwn nac achosion eraill.
Llywydd, thank you to Rhys ab Owen for the question. Cardiff Council is responsible for making decisions on advertisement consent in the city. The decision is open to judicial review at present. Due to the potential role of the Welsh Ministers in planning decisions, the advice I've had is that it's not appropriate to discuss this case or any other cases.
Diolch yn fawr am hynny, Brif Weinidog, ac mae Heledd Fychan a fi wedi ysgrifennu llythyr at y Gweinidog yn gofyn am yr opsiynau posib i ddelio â hyn.
Thank you for that, First Minister, and Heledd Fychan and I have written to the Minister, asking for the possible options in dealing with this.
I'm not going to rehearse the argument about the union flag. What the UK Government is doing is blatant, it's obvious, and I think, as you've said previously, First Minister, it's not going to work. It's more the technical point I wanted to make. As you've mentioned, the flag is classified as an advertisement, and the planning officer, whilst granting it, used as an example an LED screen in the city centre, which is 44 per cent smaller than the union flag. The flag isn't up yet, but still we haven't got the recourse to call it back in and we can't appeal it. The only people who can appeal it are the applicants themselves, and, of course, the UK Government won't appeal.
I'm glad to hear that you are looking at other options, because my concern is the precedent this sets, First Minister. Who knows, we could have more union flags popping up; we could have advertisements for fast-food outlets; we could have advertisements for betting firms coming on our skyscrapers in the city centre. So, the concern I have, First Minister, is the precedent this sets. Diolch yn fawr.
Nid wyf i'n mynd i ailadrodd y ddadl am faner yr undeb. Mae'r hyn y mae Llywodraeth y DU yn ei wneud yn ddigywilydd, mae'n amlwg, ac rwy'n credu, fel yr ydych chi wedi ei ddweud o'r blaen, Prif Weinidog, nad yw'n mynd i weithio. Y pwynt technegol yr oeddwn ni'n fwy awyddus i'w wneud fwy. Fel yr ydych chi wedi sôn, mae'r faner wedi ei dosbarthu fel hysbyseb, ac fe wnaeth y swyddog cynllunio, wrth iddo ei chaniatáu, roi enghraifft ohoni ar sgrin LED yng nghanol y ddinas, sydd 44 y cant yn llai na baner yr undeb. Nid yw'r faner wedi ei chodi eto, ond nid oes gennym ni'r hawl i'w galw yn ôl i mewn ac ni chawn apelio yn ei herbyn. Yr unig bobl sy'n cael apelio yn ei herbyn yw'r ymgeiswyr eu hunain, ac, wrth gwrs, ni fydd Llywodraeth y DU yn apelio.
Rwy'n falch o glywed eich bod chi'n edrych ar ddewisiadau eraill, oherwydd fy mhryder i yw'r cynsail y mae hyn yn ei osod, Prif Weinidog. Pwy a ŵyr, efallai y bydd gennym ni fwy o faneri'r undeb yn ymddangos; efallai y cawn ni hysbysebion ar gyfer bwytai bwyd cyflym; gallem ni gael hysbysebion ar gyfer cwmnïau betio yn ymddangos ar ein nendyrau yng nghanol y ddinas. Felly, y pryder sydd gen i, Prif Weinidog, yw'r cynsail y mae hyn yn ei osod. Diolch yn fawr.
Llywydd, well, I have to be careful what I say, as you heard in my original answer. My objection is not to a union flag per se; it is whether a 32m tall, 8m wide union flag is a proportionate way of proceeding. I think I can do little better, Llywydd, than to quote the letter written by the leader of the council. It's important, maybe, just to put on the record that this was not a decision taken by elected members of the council. Within the standing orders of the council, this fell to officers to determine, and, as I understand it, the planning rules are such that the presumption is that planning permission is granted and the officers have to be persuaded to go against that presumption. They decided that neither on amenity or on safety grounds should the application be turned down.
But this is the letter that the leader of the council wrote to the Secretary of State for Wales, and he said that 'a misconceived exercise in image projection now would serve little purpose other than to generate disagreement'. And I think that is a point that the UK Government ought to think very carefully about. If the purpose of their actions is to strengthen the union, then they need to ask themselves whether or not a union jack on the scale and size that they are proposing is likely to achieve that ambition, or whether it will simply drive more signatories to the Yes Wales petition asking for it to be reconsidered.
Llywydd, wel, mae'n rhaid i mi fod yn ofalus beth yr wyf yn ei ddweud, fel y clywsoch chi yn fy ateb gwreiddiol. Nid wyf i'n gwrthwynebu i faner yr undeb fel y cyfryw; y cwestiwn yw a yw baner undeb 32m o uchder, 8m o led, yn ffordd gymesur o fwrw ymlaen. Rwy'n credu na allaf i wneud fawr yn well, Llywydd, na dyfynnu'r llythyr a ysgrifennwyd gan arweinydd y cyngor. Mae'n bwysig, efallai, dim ond i gofnodi nad penderfyniad a wnaed gan aelodau etholedig o'r cyngor oedd hwn. Yn unol â rheolau sefydlog y cyngor, mater i swyddogion oedd y penderfyniad hwn, ac, yn ôl yr hyn a ddeallaf, mae'r rheolau cynllunio yn golygu mai'r dybiaeth yw bod caniatâd cynllunio yn cael ei roi a bod yn rhaid perswadio'r swyddogion i fynd yn groes i'r dybiaeth honno. Penderfynwyd ganddyn nhw na ddylai'r cais gael ei wrthod ar sail amwynder nac ar sail diogelwch.
Ond dyma'r llythyr a ysgrifennodd arweinydd y cyngor at Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru, a dywedodd na fyddai ymarfer camsyniol o gyflwyno delwedd nawr yn cyflawni fawr ddim ac eithrio creu anghytundeb. Ac rwy'n credu bod hwnnw yn bwynt y dylai Llywodraeth y DU feddwl yn ofalus iawn amdano. Os mai diben eu gweithredoedd yw cryfhau'r undeb, yna mae angen iddyn nhw ofyn iddyn nhw eu hunain pa un a yw jac yr undeb ar y raddfa a'r maint y maen nhw'n ei gynnig yn debygol o gyflawni'r uchelgais hwnnw ai peidio, neu a fydd yn gwneud dim heblaw gyrru mwy o lofnodwyr i ddeiseb Yes Cymru yn gofyn iddo gael ei ailystyried.
First Minister, we all know that Rhys ab Owen and his colleagues on the Plaid benches would not be raising such objections if this was y ddraig goch that was going to be erected in this UK Government building. But it happens to be a union flag, which, of course, is the flag of the United Kingdom, something of which I am proud to be a citizen. Can I ask you what action the Welsh Government is taking, if we want to talk about legal advertising, to address the proliferation of Yes Cymru stickers around the length and breadth of Wales, for which there appears to be no concern whatsoever being expressed by Members of the party that is raising this concern in the Senedd today? This is an affront to local communities; this is littering and graffiti of the highest order and needs to be addressed.
Prif Weinidog, rydym ni i gyd yn gwybod na fyddai Rhys ab Owen a'i gyd-Aelodau ar feinciau Plaid Cymru yn codi gwrthwynebiadau o'r fath os mai'r ddraig goch a oedd yn mynd i gael ei chodi yn yr adeilad hwn sy'n perthyn i Lywodraeth y DU. Ond mae'n digwydd bod yn faner yr undeb, sydd, wrth gwrs, yn faner y Deyrnas Unedig, rhywbeth yr wyf i'n falch o fod yn ddinesydd ohoni. A gaf i ofyn i chi pa gamau mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd, os ydym ni eisiau siarad am hysbysebu cyfreithiol, i fynd i'r afael â'r llu o sticeri Yes Cymru ar hyd a lled Cymru, y mae'n ymddangos nad oes unrhyw bryder o gwbl yn cael ei fynegi yn eu cylch gan Aelodau'r blaid sy'n codi'r pryder hwn yn y Senedd heddiw? Mae hyn yn sarhad ar gymunedau lleol; mae hyn yn daflu sbwriel a graffiti o'r radd uchaf ac mae angen mynd i'r afael ag ef.
He can't even keep a straight face.
All e ddim cadw wyneb syth hyd yn oed.
Llywydd, let me address the first part of Darren Millar's question, because I think he made an important point there. In Gwydyr House in London, the Welsh flag—y ddraig goch—and the union jack are both flown and are both flown, the same size flag, at that building, and I wonder whether the UK Government has thought of replicating the way in which they act in London in the way that they will act now in the centre of Cardiff. If they were to come forward with an application for a Welsh flag of the same size and scale on the building, well, that would simply be to replicate what they have already decided to do where Gwydyr House is concerned in Whitehall.
As to Yes Cymru insignia, it's not a matter for the Welsh Government, and I don't believe it was particularly within the ambit of the question as originally posed.
Llywydd, gadewch i mi roi sylw i ran gyntaf cwestiwn Darren Millar, oherwydd rwy'n credu ei fod wedi gwneud pwynt pwysig yn y fan yna. Yn Nhŷ Gwydyr yn Llundain, mae baner Cymru—y ddraig goch—a jac yr undeb ill dau wedi eu codi, baneri o'r un maint, yn yr adeilad hwnnw, a tybed a yw Llywodraeth y DU wedi meddwl am ddyblygu'r ffordd y maen nhw'n gweithredu yn Llundain yn y ffordd y byddan nhw'n gweithredu nawr yng nghanol Caerdydd. Pe bydden nhw'n cyflwyno cais am faner Cymru o'r un maint a graddfa ag sydd ar yr adeilad, wel, dim ond ailadrodd yr hyn y maen nhw eisoes wedi penderfynu ei wneud yn achos Tŷ Gwydyr yn Whitehall fyddai hynny.
O ran bathodynnau Yes Cymru, nid yw'n fater i Lywodraeth Cymru, ac nid wyf i'n credu ei fod wir o fewn cwmpas y cwestiwn fel y'i gofynnwyd yn wreiddiol.
4. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am effaith amrywiolion COVID-19 sy'n peri pryder ar gymunedau yng Nghaerffili? OQ56785
4. Will the First Minister make a statement on the impact of COVID-19 variants of concern on communities in Caerphilly? OQ56785
Both alpha and delta variants of COVID-19 have produced significant adverse impacts on communities in Caerphilly, accelerating transmission, increasing positivity levels and leading to more Caerphilly residents falling ill from this dreadful disease.
Mae amrywiolion alffa a delta COVID-19 wedi arwain at effeithiau niweidiol sylweddol ar gymunedau yng Nghaerffili, gan gyflymu trosglwyddiad, cynyddu lefelau canlyniadau positif ac arwain at fwy o drigolion Caerffili yn mynd yn sâl o'r clefyd ofnadwy hwn.
As you can imagine, a lot of Caerphilly residents have contacted me about international travel, and it seems, from the answer to Rhun ap Iorwerth, that the Welsh Government is minded to go in the same direction as the UK Government, for very practical reasons. That means people will travel at an amber level, even if advised not to. In England, TUI is offering travellers a £20 PCR test run by Chronomics, and in Wales, you have to go through the Corporate Travel Management web portal to take an NHS test, which costs £170. So, there's quite a big difference in the cost between the two tests. Will the Welsh Government open up to accepting the Chronomics test from residents, and if not, how does the Government justify that difference in cost?
Fel y gallwch chi ddychmygu, mae llawer o drigolion Caerffili wedi cysylltu â mi ynglŷn â theithio rhyngwladol, ac mae'n ymddangos, o'r ateb i Rhun ap Iorwerth, bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn bwriadu mynd i'r un cyfeiriad â Llywodraeth y DU, am resymau ymarferol iawn. Mae hynny'n golygu y bydd pobl yn teithio ar lefel oren, hyd yn oed os byddan nhw'n cael eu cynghori i beidio. Yn Lloegr, mae TUI yn cynnig prawf PCR gwerth £20 i deithwyr sy'n cael ei redeg gan Chronomics, ac yng Nghymru, mae'n rhaid i chi fynd drwy borth gwe Corporate Travel Management i gymryd prawf GIG, sy'n costio £170. Felly, mae gwahaniaeth eithaf mawr yn y gost rhwng y ddau brawf. A wnaiff Llywodraeth Cymru ystyried derbyn y prawf Chronomics gan drigolion, ac os na wnaiff, sut mae'r Llywodraeth yn cyfiawnhau'r gwahaniaeth hwnnw mewn cost?
Well, Llywydd, the advice of the Welsh Government is clear to people: don't travel abroad. I don't intend to divert the activities of my officials into making it easier for people to do something that the Welsh Government so clearly thinks is unadvisable.
People taking tests before they leave have to take tests that meet the entry criteria of the country to which the individual is travelling. When people return to Wales, then a PCR test is required; for people returning from amber countries, then the Member is right that those are NHS tests. There are good reasons why that is preferable, because that guarantees that the results of those tests are entered into the patient record; it guarantees that we are able to use the genomic sequencing capacity of Wales—some of the best sequencing capacity anywhere in the world—to make sure that anybody returning from abroad with a new variant of the virus, that that is spotted quickly and effectively by the public service. I think those are compelling reasons as to why an NHS test is preferable, and we have no plans to change that position.
Wel, Llywydd, mae cyngor Llywodraeth Cymru yn eglur i bobl: peidiwch â theithio dramor. Nid wyf i'n bwriadu dargyfeirio gweithgareddau fy swyddogion i'w gwneud yn haws i bobl wneud rhywbeth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru mor amlwg yn credu nad yw'n ddoeth.
Mae'n rhaid i bobl sy'n cymryd profion cyn iddyn nhw adael gymryd profion sy'n bodloni meini prawf mynediad y wlad y mae'r unigolyn yn teithio iddi. Pan fydd pobl yn dychwelyd i Gymru, yna mae angen prawf PCR; i bobl sy'n dychwelyd o wledydd oren, yna mae'r Aelod yn iawn mai profion y GIG yw'r rheini. Mae rhesymau da pam mae hynny yn well, oherwydd mae hynny yn sicrhau bod canlyniadau'r profion hynny yn cael eu cynnwys ar gofnod y claf; mae'n sicrhau y gallwn ni ddefnyddio gallu dilyniannu genomeg Cymru—rhywfaint o'r gallu dilyniannu gorau yn unman yn y byd—i wneud yn siŵr bod unrhyw un sy'n dychwelyd o dramor gydag amrywiolyn newydd o'r feirws, bod y gwasanaeth cyhoeddus yn sylwi ar hynny yn gyflym ac yn effeithiol. Rwy'n credu bod y rheini yn rhesymau pendant pam mae prawf y GIG yn well, ac nid oes gennym ni unrhyw gynlluniau i newid y safbwynt hwnnw.
First Minister, while Caerphilly has the second highest rate of new cases of the variant, as you've just outlined, thanks to the vaccine, this is not currently leading to a spike in the Aneurin Bevan health board area, with only seven admissions testing positive for COVID-19. You've just said to us now there are 760 cases in the whole of Wales, out of a population of 3 million. First Minister, what levels of cases would be acceptable for releasing all the restrictions?
Prif Weinidog, er mai Caerffili sydd â'r gyfradd uchaf ond un o achosion newydd o'r amrywiolyn, fel yr ydych chi newydd ei amlinellu, o ganlyniad i'r brechlyn, nid yw hyn yn arwain at gynnydd sydyn yn ardal bwrdd iechyd Aneurin Bevan ar hyn o bryd, wrth i saith derbyniad yn unig brofi'n bositif am COVID-19. Rydych chi newydd ddweud wrthym ni fod 760 o achosion yng Nghymru gyfan, allan o boblogaeth o 3 miliwn. Prif Weinidog, pa lefelau o achosion fyddai'n dderbyniol ar gyfer rhyddhau'r holl gyfyngiadau?
First of all, just to be clear, that's 760 new cases in a single day, and today there will be hundreds more. At the current rate of increase, there will be many many more hundreds after that. I congratulate the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and the local authority in Caerphilly for achieving some of the best rates of vaccination anywhere in Wales, and it is great that the vaccine is altering the relationship between falling ill and needing hospitalisation. That is why we are still able to contemplate further easements of the current restrictions. But, as I said in an earlier answer to Rhun ap Iorwerth, none of us should ignore the risks that are caused when you have large numbers of people falling ill every day in the community. It increases the risk of new variants emerging, it increases the risk that people's immunity will wane, it increases the risk of people falling ill with long COVID, it increases the risk that people are not available to be in the workplace because they have fallen ill or they've been in contact with somebody who has fallen ill. So, while I agree with the point that Laura Anne Jones made, Llywydd, on the importance of that link between hospitalisation and the virus, it's only part of the story, and we need to go on being concerned at the scale at which the delta variant is taking hold in Wales and the hundreds and hundreds of people who are falling ill as a result.
Yn gyntaf, i fod yn glir, mae hynny'n 760 o achosion newydd mewn un diwrnod, a heddiw bydd cannoedd yn fwy. Ar y gyfradd bresennol o gynnydd, bydd llawer iawn mwy o gannoedd yn dilyn hynny. Rwy'n llongyfarch Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Aneurin Bevan a'r awdurdod lleol yng Nghaerffili am gyflawni rhai o'r cyfraddau brechu gorau yn unman yng Nghymru, ac mae'n wych bod y brechlyn yn newid y berthynas rhwng mynd yn sâl a bod angen mynd i'r ysbyty. Dyna pam yr ydym yn dal i allu ystyried llacio'r cyfyngiadau presennol yn fwy. Ond, fel y dywedais i mewn ateb cynharach i Rhun ap Iorwerth, ni ddylai yr un ohonom ni anwybyddu'r risgiau sy'n cael eu creu pan fydd gennych chi niferoedd mawr o bobl yn mynd yn sâl bob dydd yn y gymuned. Mae'n cynyddu'r risg y bydd amrywiolion newydd yn dod i'r amlwg, mae'n cynyddu'r risg y bydd imiwnedd pobl yn gwanhau, mae'n cynyddu'r risg y bydd pobl yn mynd yn sâl gyda COVID hir, mae'n cynyddu'r risg nad yw pobl ar gael i fod yn y gweithle oherwydd eu bod wedi mynd yn sâl neu eu bod wedi bod mewn cysylltiad â rhywun sydd wedi mynd yn sâl. Felly, er fy mod i'n cytuno â'r pwynt a wnaeth Laura Anne Jones, Llywydd, ynglŷn â phwysigrwydd y cysylltiad hwnnw rhwng mynd i'r ysbyty a'r feirws, dim ond rhan o'r stori yw hynny, ac mae angen i ni barhau i bryderu ynghylch y raddfa y mae'r amrywiolyn delta yn cael gafael yng Nghymru a'r cannoedd ar gannoedd o bobl sy'n mynd yn sâl o ganlyniad i hynny.
First Minister, we know that the rates of COVID are increasing again in our communities, and after 16 long months of lockdown, members of the public are understandably fatigued with the restrictions, but the new variants are incredibly transmissible, so how do we get that message across to a public that is hearing irresponsible and confused messaging coming out of an English Government that can't make up its mind about masks?
Prif Weinidog, gwyddom fod cyfraddau COVID yn cynyddu unwaith eto yn ein cymunedau, ac ar ôl 16 mis hir o gyfyngiadau symud, mae'n ddealladwy bod aelodau o'r cyhoedd wedi blino ar y cyfyngiadau, ond mae'r amrywiolion newydd yn anhygoel o drosglwyddadwy, felly sut y mae cyfleu'r neges honno i'r cyhoedd sy'n clywed negeseuon anghyfrifol a dryslyd yn dod o Lywodraeth yn Lloegr sy'n methu â phenderfynu ar ei safbwynt ynglŷn â masgiau?
I think the good news about the Welsh public is that people in Wales continue to support the careful and cautious way in which we have responded together to the virus in Wales. I think there is a genuine sense in Wales that this is not just a matter of personal responsibility. The answer to dealing with coronavirus cannot possibly be, 'You're on your own, decide for yourself, make it up in the way that you would prefer'. People in Wales have understood all the way through that this is a matter not just of how I behave, it is a matter of how we behave. This is a collective response to the virus, and people in Wales have been prepared to play their part all the way through.
I can't speak for the post boxes of other Members of the Senedd, but my post box over the last week has been full of people writing to me asking the Welsh Government not to step aside from the sensible precautions that we have all been following together. Often, that comes from people who are themselves vulnerable and who are deeply anxious about what it will be like for them if they are asked to go into places and into contexts where other people are no longer being asked to observe those simple and sensible measures. So, I think at least we have this on our side, in answer to Delyth Jewell's question—that the mood of Welsh people is not a mood of thirsting for some spurious freedom day; it remains a cautious approach in which people want each one of us to go on playing our part.
Rwy'n credu mai'r newyddion da ynglŷn â'r cyhoedd yng Nghymru yw bod pobl yng Nghymru yn parhau i gefnogi'r ffordd ofalus a phwyllog yr ydym ni wedi ymateb gyda'n gilydd i'r feirws yng Nghymru. Rwy'n credu bod ymdeimlad gwirioneddol yng Nghymru nad mater o gyfrifoldeb personol yn unig yw hyn. Nid yw'n bosibl na all yr ateb i ymdrin â coronafeirws fod, 'Rydych chi ar eich pen eich hun, penderfynwch chi drosoch eich hun, gwnewch bethau yn y ffordd y byddai'n well gennych chi'. Mae pobl yng Nghymru wedi deall trwy'r cyfan fod hwn yn fater nid yn unig o sut yr wyf i'n ymddwyn, mae'n fater o sut yr ydym ni yn ymddwyn. Mae hwn yn ymateb ar y cyd i'r feirws, ac mae pobl yng Nghymru wedi bod yn barod i chwarae eu rhan trwy'r holl beth.
Allaf i ddim siarad am flychau post Aelodau eraill y Senedd, ond mae fy mlwch post i dros yr wythnos ddiwethaf wedi bod yn llawn o bobl yn ysgrifennu ataf yn gofyn i Lywodraeth Cymru beidio â chamu o'r neilltu o'r rhagofalon synhwyrol yr ydym ni i gyd wedi bod yn eu dilyn gyda'n gilydd. Yn aml, daw hynny gan bobl sydd eu hunain yn agored i niwed ac sy'n bryderus iawn ynghylch sut bydd pethau iddyn nhw pe byddai gofyn iddyn nhw fynd i leoedd ac i sefyllfaoedd lle nad oes galw ar bobl eraill erbyn hyn i gymryd y camau syml a synhwyrol hynny. Felly, rwyf i'n credu fod gennym ni hyn o'n plaid o leiaf, i ateb cwestiwn Delyth Jewell—nad yw pobl Cymru yn teimlo syched am ryw ddiwrnod rhyddid ffugiol; mae'n parhau i fod yn ddull pwyllog lle mae pobl yn dymuno i bob un ohonom ni barhau i chwarae ein rhan.
5. Pa bolisïau y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu dilyn i fynd i'r afael â lefelau tlodi hirsefydlog yng Nghymru? OQ56775
5. Which policies will the Welsh Government follow to address entrenched poverty levels in Wales? OQ56775
Poverty levels in Wales have been worsened by the actions of successive Conservative Governments since 2010. The decision not to extend the £20 weekly addition to universal credit from September will abandon thousands of families in Wales when they most need support. The Welsh Government continues to mitigate these developments to the fullest extent possible.
Mae lefelau tlodi yng Nghymru wedi eu gwaethygu gan weithredoedd Llywodraethau Ceidwadol olynol ers 2010. Bydd y penderfyniad i beidio ag ymestyn yr ychwanegiad wythnosol o £20 at gredyd cynhwysol o fis Medi ymlaen yn amddifadu miloedd o deuluoedd yng Nghymru pan fydd angen cymorth arnyn nhw fwyaf. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i liniaru'r datblygiadau hyn i'r graddau llwyraf posibl.
First Minister, I very much agree with you in terms of the effect of those UK Government policies. Much entrenched poverty is rooted in social class, and working class communities in areas of industrial decline in the Valleys and on our social housing estates are suffering intergenerational disadvantage, which has been around, sadly, for many years. This affects all stages of education, employment and, of course, standards of living. It sometimes results in poor health and well-being, and sometimes in alienation and hopelessness. It has been and is very difficult to address these issues for any Government and for all of our public services. First Minister, what policies will this Welsh Government follow to address early years issues, education issues, economic development, community development and youth services?
Prif Weinidog, rwy'n cytuno yn llwyr â chi o ran effaith y polisïau hynny gan Lywodraeth y DU. Mae llawer o dlodi sefydledig wedi ei wreiddio mewn dosbarth cymdeithasol, ac mae cymunedau dosbarth gweithiol mewn ardaloedd lle mae dirywiad diwydiannol yn y Cymoedd ac ar ein hystadau tai cymdeithasol yn dioddef anfantais rhwng y cenedlaethau, sydd wedi bodoli, yn anffodus, ers blynyddoedd lawer. Mae hyn yn effeithio ar bob cam o addysg, cyflogaeth ac, wrth gwrs, safonau byw. Weithiau mae'n arwain at iechyd a lles gwael, ac weithiau at ddieithrwch ac anobaith. Mae wedi bod ac mae yn anodd iawn i unrhyw Lywodraeth ac i'n holl wasanaethau cyhoeddus fynd i'r afael â'r materion hyn. Prif Weinidog, pa bolisïau y bydd y Llywodraeth Cymru hon yn eu dilyn i fynd i'r afael â materion blynyddoedd cynnar, materion addysg, datblygu economaidd, datblygu cymunedol a gwasanaethau ieuenctid?
I agree with what John Griffiths said about the continued importance of social class in determining people's chances in life in Wales. It's not just a matter of class, as we know; it's often a matter of gender and ethnicity as well. John Griffiths is right, of course, Llywydd, that there is accumulating evidence of the challenges that young white working class men face in securing an economic future for them, and young women certainly need additional efforts to ensure that they know that the widest range of possibilities is open to them here in Wales.
I probably can't deal with all the policy areas that the Member highlighted, Llywydd, but for young men, I've always thought that the foundation phase and the Flying Start programme are a genuine example of what we refer to as progressive universalism in Wales. There is the foundation phase, a universal service designed to make young people at the very earliest age love the thought of going to school and learning—that learning is to be enjoyed and to be rewarding. For those boys who come from the backgrounds that the Member has referred to, the foundation phase, I think, is so important in making them feel from right at the start of their lives that school is going to be something that they're going to get a lot out of and is going to give them those chances.
For young women, as I said, we have to do more to make sure that they are not faced with a set of gender stereotyped choices that they can make. Earlier this year, in April, I went with the Member for Blaenau Gwent to Thales in his constituency and heard a fantastic story of the way in which that company is making sure that young women in that area know that there are careers for them in those newly emerging industries. The programme was led by two fantastic young women, who explained to us everything that they were doing to make sure that those opportunities were known to young women in the Blaenau Gwent constituency.
For both young men and young women, the youth employment guarantee that this Government offers will be a fundamental building block in making sure that, as the economy recovers from the economic consequences of coronavirus, those young people that John Griffiths refers to are not left behind, that they have genuine opportunities, that we work with them to make sure that they can see a chain—a chain from where their lives are today to where they would like their lives to be in the future.
Rwy'n cytuno â'r hyn a ddywedodd John Griffiths ynghylch pwysigrwydd parhaus dosbarth cymdeithasol wrth bennu cyfleoedd pobl mewn bywyd yng Nghymru. Nid mater o ddosbarth yn unig ydyw, fel y gwyddom; mae'n aml yn fater o ryw ac ethnigrwydd hefyd. Mae John Griffiths yn iawn, wrth gwrs, Llywydd, fod tystiolaeth gronnol o'r heriau y mae dynion gwyn ifanc dosbarth gweithiol yn eu hwynebu wrth sicrhau dyfodol economaidd i'w hunain, ac yn sicr mae angen ymdrechion ychwanegol ar fenywod ifanc i sicrhau eu bod yn gwybod bod yr ystod ehangaf o bosibiliadau ar gael iddyn nhw yma yng Nghymru.
Mae'n debyg na allaf i ymdrin â'r holl feysydd polisi y tynnodd yr Aelod sylw atyn nhw, Llywydd, ond i ddynion ifanc, rwyf i wedi meddwl erioed bod y cyfnod sylfaen a'r rhaglen Dechrau'n Deg yn enghraifft wirioneddol o'r hyn yr ydym ni'n cyfeirio ato fel cyffredinoliaeth flaengar yng Nghymru. Ceir y cyfnod sylfaen, gwasanaeth cyffredinol sydd wedi ei gynllunio i wneud i bobl ifanc o'r oedran cynharaf posibl fod wrth eu boddau â'r syniad o fynd i'r ysgol a dysgu—bod dysgu i'w fwynhau ac i fod yn werth chweil. I'r bechgyn hynny sy'n dod o'r cefndiroedd y mae'r Aelod wedi cyfeirio atyn nhw, mae'r cyfnod sylfaen, yn fy marn i, mor bwysig i wneud iddyn nhw deimlo o ddechrau cyntaf eu bywydau y bydd yr ysgol yn rhywbeth y byddan nhw'n cael llawer o fudd ohoni ac a fydd yn rhoi'r cyfleoedd hynny iddyn nhw.
I fenywod ifanc, fel y dywedais i, mae'n rhaid i ni wneud mwy i sicrhau nad ydyn nhw'n wynebu cyfres o ddewisiadau y gallan nhw eu gwneud sy'n ystrydebol o ran rhyw. Yn gynharach eleni, ym mis Ebrill, fe es i gyda'r Aelod dros Flaenau Gwent i Thales yn ei etholaeth ef a chlywais stori wych am y ffordd y mae'r cwmni hwnnw yn sicrhau bod menywod ifanc yn yr ardal honno yn gwybod bod gyrfaoedd ar eu cyfer nhw yn y diwydiannau newydd hynny. Cafodd y rhaglen ei harwain gan ddwy fenyw ifanc wych, a eglurodd wrthym ni bopeth yr oedden nhw'n ei wneud i sicrhau bod y cyfleoedd hynny yn hysbys i fenywod ifanc yn etholaeth Blaenau Gwent.
I ddynion ifanc a menywod ifanc, bydd y warant cyflogaeth ieuenctid y mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn ei chynnig yn floc adeiladu sylfaenol o ran sicrhau, wrth i'r economi adfer ar ôl canlyniadau economaidd y coronafeirws, nad yw'r bobl ifanc hynny y mae John Griffiths yn cyfeirio atyn nhw yn cael eu gadael ar ôl, bod ganddyn nhw gyfleoedd gwirioneddol, ein bod ni'n gweithio gyda nhw i sicrhau y gallan nhw weld cadwyn—cadwyn o ble y mae eu bywydau heddiw i ble yr hoffen nhw i'w bywydau fod yn y dyfodol.
First Minister, thank you so much for mentioning women and young people in your previous answer, but I'd like to focus on older people. The older people's commissioner for Wales, in 2018, reported that an estimated 112,500 older people actually live in poverty here in Wales, with 50,000 people living in severe poverty. Last year, the charity Independent Age produced a report saying that hundreds of thousands of elderly people could be lifted out of poverty with a full uptake of pension credit. Independent Age said 61 per cent of those eligible are receiving the benefit and that some 450,000 pensioners could move out of poverty in the United Kingdom if uptake was increased to 100 per cent, thereby reducing pensioner poverty to its lowest ever level. The Welsh Government strategy for older people referred to Communities First as a mechanism to address older people's financial inclusion and improve their ability to access appropriate financial advice and services. The continued poor uptake of financial entitlement suggests that the programme failed to achieve its target. What action is the Welsh Government taking to ensure that older people are aware of their entitlements, know how to apply with targeted help and support, and have the confidence to claim their entitlement? Thank you.
Prif Weinidog, diolch yn fawr iawn am sôn am fenywod a phobl ifanc yn eich ateb blaenorol, ond hoffwn i ganolbwyntio ar bobl hŷn. Nododd comisiynydd pobl hŷn Cymru, yn 2018, yr amcangyfrifir bod tua 112,500 o bobl hŷn mewn gwirionedd yn byw mewn tlodi yma yng Nghymru, a bod 50,000 o bobl yn byw mewn tlodi difrifol. Y llynedd, lluniodd yr elusen Independent Age adroddiad yn dweud y gallai cannoedd ar filoedd o bobl oedrannus gael eu codi allan o dlodi wrth i'r nifer llawn fanteisio ar gredyd pensiwn. Dywedodd Independent Age fod 61 y cant o'r rhai hynny sy'n gymwys yn cael y budd-dal ac y gallai tua 450,000 o bensiynwyr symud allan o dlodi yn y Deyrnas Unedig pe byddai'r niferoedd sy'n manteisio arno yn cynyddu i 100 y cant, gan leihau tlodi pensiynwyr i'w lefel isaf erioed. Cyfeiriodd strategaeth Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer pobl hŷn at y rhaglen Cymunedau yn Gyntaf fel dull o fynd i'r afael â chynhwysiant ariannol pobl hŷn a gwella eu gallu i gael gafael ar gyngor a gwasanaethau ariannol priodol. Mae'r nifer isel parhaus sy'n manteisio ar hawliau ariannol yn awgrymu bod y rhaglen wedi methu â chyflawni ei tharged. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i sicrhau bod pobl hŷn yn ymwybodol o'u hawliau, yn gwybod sut i wneud cais gyda chymorth a chefnogaeth wedi'u targedu, a bod ganddyn nhw yr hyder i hawlio eu hawliadau? Diolch.
Natasha Asghar certainly identifies an important issue. The person in Wales who is least likely to take up their entitlement to welfare benefits is a single woman living on her own aged over 75. There are many, many reasons for that, and many of them are rooted in the gendered experience that I referred to in my earlier answer. They are women whose husbands have died, and they relied in the past on somebody else taking care of money matters within the home. So, there is a lot of work that has to be done to try and give those people the confidence to come forward to claim the things to which they are entitled. It's why we invest such large sums of money in our single advice service; it raised £42 million in unclaimed benefit in Wales in recent times, which shows that it can be done, even though it requires a lot of effort. With some older people particularly, you are dealing with issues of pride as well, and issues of not wanting to get tangled up in a system that they fear may leave them worse off rather than better off. Of course, one way in which older people in Wales can be better off is for the UK Conservative Government not to break another election promise and not go ahead with the triple lock on the rising of pension entitlement, a promise that they made a great deal of in the election campaign of 2019—a guarantee that pensions would rise by whichever of those three measures was the highest. Now it turns out that it's not convenient for the Chancellor. It wasn't convenient for him to pay international aid, it isn't convenient for him to pay universal credit, and now it's inconvenient for him to pay pensioners as well. People will draw their own conclusions, Llywydd, about where the values of such a Government lie.
Yn sicr, mae Natasha Asghar yn nodi mater pwysig. Y person yng Nghymru sydd leiaf tebygol o fanteisio ar ei hawl i fudd-daliadau lles yw menyw sengl sy'n byw ar ei phen ei hun ac sydd dros 75 oed. Mae llawer iawn o resymau dros hynny, ac mae llawer ohonyn nhw wedi eu gwreiddio yn y profiad o rywedd y cyfeiriais ato yn fy ateb cynharach. Maen nhw'n fenywod y mae eu gwŷr wedi marw, ac a oedd yn dibynnu ar rywun arall yn y gorffennol i ofalu am faterion ariannol yn y cartref. Felly, mae llawer o waith y mae'n rhaid ei wneud i geisio rhoi hyder i'r bobl hynny i ddod ymlaen i hawlio'r pethau y mae ganddyn nhw hawl iddyn nhw. Dyna pam yr ydym ni'n buddsoddi symiau mor fawr o arian yn ein gwasanaeth cynghori sengl; cododd £42 miliwn mewn buddion heb eu hawlio yng Nghymru yn y cyfnod diweddar, sy'n dangos y gellir ei wneud, er bod angen llawer o ymdrech i'w wneud. Gyda rhai pobl hŷn yn arbennig, rydych chi'n ymdrin â materion balchder hefyd, a gall materion yn ymwneud â pheidio ag eisiau mynd i'r afael â system y maen nhw'n ofni y bydd yn eu gadael yn waeth eu byd yn hytrach na gwell eu byd. Wrth gwrs, un ffordd y gall pobl hŷn yng Nghymru fod yn well eu byd yw i Lywodraeth Geidwadol y DU beidio â thorri addewid etholiad arall a pheidio â bwrw ymlaen â'r clo triphlyg ar godi hawliau pensiwn, addewid y gwnaethon nhw siarad llawer amdano yn ystod ymgyrch etholiadol 2019—gwarant y byddai pensiynau yn codi yn unol a pha un bynnag o'r tri mesur hynny fyddai'r uchaf. Erbyn hyn, mae'n ymddangos nad yw'n gyfleus i'r Canghellor. Nid oedd yn gyfleus iddo dalu cymorth rhyngwladol, nid yw'n gyfleus iddo dalu credyd cynhwysol, ac erbyn hyn mae'n anghyfleus iddo dalu pensiynwyr hefyd. Bydd pobl yn ffurfio eu casgliadau eu hunain, Llywydd, ynghylch ble y mae gwerthoedd Llywodraeth o'r fath.
6. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y nifer sy'n dewis cael yr ail ddos o frechlynnau COVID-19 yng Nghymru? OQ56794
6. Will the First Minister provide an update on the uptake of the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccines in Wales? OQ56794
I thank the Member for that question, Llywydd. Our vaccination programme continues to make excellent progress across Wales. As of today, 73 per cent of people aged 18 and over in Wales have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, and that is the highest rate anywhere in the United Kingdom.
Diolch i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn yna, Llywydd. Mae ein rhaglen frechu yn parhau i wneud cynnydd rhagorol ledled Cymru. Heddiw, mae 73 y cant o bobl 18 oed a hŷn yng Nghymru wedi cael dau ddos o frechlyn COVID-19, a dyna'r gyfradd uchaf yn unrhyw fan yn y Deyrnas Unedig.
I thank the First Minister for that answer. I was recently contacted by a constituent who is a student at Swansea University and received a first dose of the vaccine from the Swansea Bay University Health Board, but has come across significant issues trying to arrange the second vaccination elsewhere. If you'll indulge me, I'll read an excerpt of their correspondence, which says, 'I was living in Swansea as a student and got my first dose of the vaccine there. However, when moving back to my home address, I found it extremely difficult to contact Cardiff and Vale health board about the second vaccination. I was pushed from pillar to post and it took me about three or four days of contacting different people where I was continually told that I cannot phone them for my second vaccination, nor could I arrange for my second vaccination to be taken in another health board. It was only through a great deal of persistence and hours spent on the phone that I managed to get this appointment changed, but the system really isn't good enough, and I know that others in my position just won't bother taking the second dose if there is this much hassle involved'. So, can I ask, First Minister, what action are you taking to ensure that the process of booking a second vaccination in a different health board to the first is made as easy as possible for those, like students, who live in different places at different times of the year?
Diolch i'r Prif Weinidog am yr ateb yna. Cysylltodd etholwr sy'n fyfyriwr ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe â mi yn ddiweddar a gafodd ddos cyntaf o'r brechlyn gan Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Bae Abertawe, ond mae wedi cael problemau sylweddol wrth geisio trefnu'r ail frechiad yn rhywle eraill. Os gwnewch chi ganiatáu i mi wneud, fe ddarllenaf ddarn o'i ohebiaeth, sy'n dweud, 'Roeddwn i'n byw yn Abertawe fel myfyriwr a ches i fy nos cyntaf o'r brechlyn yn y fan yno. Fodd bynnag, wrth symud yn ôl i fy nghyfeiriad cartref, yr oedd yn anodd iawn i mi gysylltu â bwrdd iechyd Caerdydd a'r Fro ynglŷn â'r ail frechiad. Cefais i fy ngwthio o un i'r llall a chymerodd ryw tri neu bedwar diwrnod i mi gysylltu â gwahanol bobl pan ddywedwyd wrthyf i dro ar ôl tro na chaf eu ffonio ar gyfer fy ail frechiad, ac na chawn i ychwaith drefnu i gael fy ail frechiad mewn bwrdd iechyd arall. Dim ond trwy lawer iawn o ddyfalbarhad a threulio oriau ar y ffôn y llwyddais i gael yr apwyntiad hwn, ond yn wir nid yw'r system yn ddigon da, ac rwy'n gwybod na fydd eraill yn fy sefyllfa i yn trafferthu i gael yr ail ddos os oes cymaint o drafferth â hyn'. Felly, a gaf i ofyn, Prif Weinidog, pa gamau yr ydych chi'n eu cymryd i sicrhau bod y broses o drefnu ail frechiad mewn bwrdd iechyd gwahanol i'r cyntaf yn un mor rhwydd â phosibl i'r rhai hynny, fel myfyrwyr, sy'n byw mewn gwahanol leoedd ar wahanol adegau o'r flwyddyn?
I certainly agree that the system should be as easy as possible. We made a conscious decision to allow students to have their vaccines in different places. You wouldn't have to trail all the way back to the university where you were based in order to get a second vaccine. The good news for the Member's constituent is this: in every part of Wales, there are now walk-in vaccination centres, where you don't need an appointment, you don't need to go through any complex procedure, you simply turn up and you get your vaccination. I'd urge all young people in Wales who have been made an offer of a first or second dose of the vaccine to take up that offer. It really is as easy as we can make it, and I think the best advice to any young person is: 'Take advantage of it because it will protect you and it will protect people who matter to you.'
Rwy'n sicr yn cytuno y dylai'r system fod mor rhwydd â phosibl. Fe wnaethom ni benderfyniad ymwybodol i ganiatáu i fyfyrwyr gael eu brechlynnau mewn gwahanol leoedd. Ni fyddai'n rhaid i chi fynd yr holl ffordd yn ôl i'r brifysgol lle yr oeddech chi wedi eich lleoli er mwyn cael ail frechlyn. Y newyddion da i etholwr yr Aelod yw hyn: ym mhob rhan o Gymru, mae canolfannau brechu galw i mewn erbyn hyn, lle nad oes angen apwyntiad arnoch, nid oes angen i chi fynd drwy unrhyw weithdrefn gymhleth, rydych yn cyrraedd ac yn cael eich brechiad. Byddwn i'n annog pob person ifanc yng Nghymru sydd wedi cael cynnig dos cyntaf neu ail ddos o'r brechlyn i fanteisio ar y cynnig hwnnw. Mae'n wirioneddol mor rhwydd ag y gallwn ni ei wneud, ac rwy'n credu mai'r cyngor gorau i unrhyw berson ifanc yw: 'Manteisiwch arno oherwydd bydd yn eich amddiffyn a bydd yn amddiffyn y bobl sy'n bwysig i chi.'
7. Pa asesiad y mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi'i wneud o lefelau'r dreth gyngor yng Ngorllewin De Cymru? OQ56766
7. What assessment has the First Minister made of council tax levels in South Wales West? OQ56766
I thank the Member for that. Local authorities in Wales have the flexibility to set their annual budgets and council tax levels to reflect local priorities and to sustain those services on which so many of our fellow citizens rely. Councils are independently, democratically accountable to their residents for these decisions.
Diolch i'r Aelod am hynna. Mae gan awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru yr hyblygrwydd i bennu eu cyllidebau blynyddol a lefelau'r dreth gyngor i adlewyrchu blaenoriaethau lleol ac i gynnal y gwasanaethau hynny y mae cynifer o'n cyd-ddinasyddion yn dibynnu arnyn nhw. Mae cynghorau yn atebol yn annibynnol ac yn ddemocrataidd i'w trigolion am y penderfyniadau hyn.
Thank you for that answer, First Minister. You'll be aware that Neath Port Talbot Council consistently sets one of the highest council tax levels in Wales. Residents simply can't understand why it costs NPT council so much more to deliver services compared to neighbouring counties. There's an issue of fairness at the heart of this. And whilst accepting each local authority's democratic right to set its own council tax levels, what work is the Welsh Government doing to ensure that councils across Wales are systematically reviewing their expenditure levels, and have you considered undertaking an investigation specifically into higher-taxing authorities, such as Neath Port Talbot, with a view to delivering more consistent council tax levels in Wales? Diolch.
Diolch i chi am yr ateb yna, Prif Weinidog. Byddwch yn ymwybodol bod Cyngor Castell-nedd Port Talbot yn gyson yn pennu un o'r lefelau uchaf o'r dreth gyngor yng Nghymru. Ni all preswylwyr ddeall pam mae'n costio cymaint yn fwy i gyngor Castell-nedd Port Talbot ddarparu gwasanaethau o'i gymharu â siroedd cyfagos. Mater o degwch sydd wrth wraidd hyn. Ac er fy mod i'n derbyn hawl ddemocrataidd pob awdurdod lleol i bennu ei lefelau treth gyngor ei hun, pa waith y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i sicrhau bod cynghorau ledled Cymru yn adolygu eu lefelau gwariant yn systematig, ac a ydych chi wedi ystyried cynnal ymchwiliad yn benodol i awdurdodau sy'n trethu yn uwch, fel Castell-nedd Port Talbot, gyda'r nod o sicrhau lefelau treth gyngor fwy cyson yng Nghymru? Diolch.
The Member's constituents in Neath Port Talbot will be pleased to know that living in that area, with a Labour authority, the rise in their council tax this year is 3.1 per cent; that's lower than in Anglesey, lower than Gwynedd, lower than Ceredigion, lower than Carmarthenshire, where the Member's own party is in charge. So, I think they will appreciate that a little more probably than the question suggested. The Member may be aware today that figures published also show that Neath Port Talbot, very unusually for any other local authority during this very difficult year, has actually exceeded its expectations in the collection of council tax, and that is good news for residents of Neath Port Talbot, because it means that the local authority will have more resources than it had anticipated in order to provide the services that residents of Neath Port Talbot require and rely on every day.
There are reasons why some local authorities have higher council tax rates than others, and they essentially rest in the make-up of those local populations. Those factors are well known to local authorities and are rehearsed every year in the independent group that we established in order to review plans for the council tax. And I'm sure that they are very well alerted to the points that the Member has made.
Bydd etholwyr yr Aelod yng Nghastell-nedd Port Talbot yn falch o wybod mai 3.1 y cant yw'r cynnydd yn eu treth gyngor eleni yn yr ardal honno, gydag awdurdod Llafur; mae hynny yn is nag yn Ynys Môn, yn is na Gwynedd, yn is na Cheredigion, yn is na sir Gaerfyrddin, lle mae plaid yr Aelod ei hun wrth y llyw. Felly, rwy'n credu y byddan nhw fwy na thebyg yn gwerthfawrogi hynny ychydig yn fwy nag yr awgrymwyd yn y cwestiwn. Efallai fod yr Aelod yn ymwybodol heddiw bod ffigurau a gyhoeddwyd hefyd yn dangos bod Castell-nedd Port Talbot, yn anarferol iawn i unrhyw awdurdod lleol arall yn ystod y flwyddyn anodd iawn hon, wedi perfformio'n well na'i ddisgwyliadau o ran casglu'r dreth gyngor, ac mae hynny'n newyddion da i drigolion Castell-nedd Port Talbot, gan ei fod yn golygu y bydd gan yr awdurdod lleol fwy o adnoddau nag yr oedd wedi ei ragweld er mwyn darparu'r gwasanaethau sydd eu hangen ar drigolion Castell-nedd Port Talbot ac y maen nhw'n dibynnu arnyn nhw bob dydd.
Ceir rhesymau pam y mae gan rai awdurdodau lleol gyfraddau treth gyngor uwch nag eraill, ac yn y bôn maen nhw'n rhan o gyfansoddiad y poblogaethau lleol hynny. Mae'r ffactorau hynny yn hysbys i awdurdodau lleol ac fe'u trafodir bob blwyddyn yn y grŵp annibynnol a sefydlwyd gennym er mwyn adolygu cynlluniau ar gyfer y dreth gyngor. Ac rwy'n siŵr eu bod yn cael eu hysbysu yn drwyadl am y pwyntiau y mae'r Aelod wedi eu gwneud.
8. Pa gamau y mae'r Prif Weinidog yn eu cymryd i wella gwasanaethau iechyd yng Ngogledd Cymru? OQ56795
8. What action is the First Minister taking to improve health services in North Wales? OQ56795
Llywydd, amongst the actions taken to improve health services in north Wales will be the opening of a new north Wales medical school in Bangor. The health Minister intends to update Members on this development early in the autumn.
Llywydd, ymhlith y camau sydd wedi eu cymryd i wella gwasanaethau iechyd yn y gogledd, bydd agor ysgol feddygol gogledd Cymru newydd ym Mangor. Mae'r Gweinidog iechyd yn bwriadu rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelodau am y datblygiad hwn yn gynnar yn yr hydref.
Thank you, First Minister. I certainly welcome that investment in the medical school in Bangor. I'm sure you'd also agree that having the right facilities throughout the region and the country is an important factor in ensuring that quality healthcare is provided. And if we were to look at the investment in facilities over the past five years, there is a significant gap between what is being spent in north Wales and what is being spent in the south. On a per capita basis, spend in north Wales, in my region, is around half of that for some parts of south Wales. And this has been during a time in which the health board has been in special measures as well. So, why do you think there's such a gap and what will you do to bridge this gap?
Diolch yn fawr, Prif Weinidog. Rwy'n sicr yn croesawu'r buddsoddiad hwnnw yn yr ysgol feddygol ym Mangor. Rwy'n siŵr y byddech chithau hefyd yn cytuno bod cael y cyfleusterau iawn ledled y rhanbarth a'r wlad yn ffactor pwysig o ran sicrhau bod gofal iechyd o ansawdd da yn cael ei ddarparu. Ac wrth edrych ar y buddsoddiad mewn cyfleusterau dros y pum mlynedd diwethaf, mae bwlch sylweddol rhwng yr hyn sy'n cael ei wario yn y gogledd a'r hyn sy'n cael ei wario yn y de. Ar sail fesul pen, mae gwariant yn y gogledd, yn fy rhanbarth i, tua hanner hynny ar gyfer rhai rhannau o'r de. Ac mae hyn wedi bod yn ystod cyfnod pan fo'r bwrdd iechyd wedi bod mewn mesurau arbennig hefyd. Felly, pam ydych chi'n meddwl bod cymaint o fwlch a beth fyddwch chi'n ei wneud i gau'r bwlch hwn?
Well, fortunately, Llywydd, I have the figures for the last five years in front of me here. In the first of those years, more capital expenditure took place in Betsi Cadwaladr than any other health board in the whole of Wales. And in the second of those five years, the pattern was the same again: £73 million of capital investment in Betsi Cadwaladr, and in second place Aneurin Bevan, with £50 million—£23 million more in Betsi Cadwaladr than in any other part of Wales. And the answer is obvious, isn't it—it's that capital expenditure is cyclical. During those years, there was major investment in Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in the Member's constituency—[Interruption.]—the Member who is offering me his advice. In his constituency, there was major investment in that hospital; it was absolutely right that, in those two years, more money was spent in north Wales than anywhere else. At other parts in the cycle, there will be major investments in other parts of Wales. So, in the last three years, there have been investments in the south-east of Wales—that's just the nature of capital expenditure.
Let me put another point to the Member—and to other north Wales Members from his party. So, in this year, north Wales has 22 per cent of the population, and, in revenue terms, it will have 23 per cent of the expenditure of the national health service. The logical corollary of his question is that we should reduce that revenue expenditure to bring it in line with the population share. I don't suppose that is what he would be suggesting, and it's not what we are suggesting either. But just as we spend more per head in north Wales in revenue terms, in some years we spend more in capital, and in other parts of Wales there will be times when there are investments needed there, which will temporarily put them in a different place in that league.
Wel, yn ffodus, Llywydd, mae gen i'r ffigurau ar gyfer y pum mlynedd diwethaf o fy mlaen i yn y fan yma. Yn y gyntaf o'r blynyddoedd hynny, digwyddodd mwy o wariant cyfalaf yn Betsi Cadwaladr nag unrhyw fwrdd iechyd arall yng Nghymru gyfan. Ac yn yr ail o'r pum mlynedd hynny, yr un oedd y patrwm unwaith eto: £73 miliwn o fuddsoddiad cyfalaf yn Betsi Cadwaladr, ac yn yr ail safle mae Aneurin Bevan, a gafodd £50 miliwn—£23 miliwn yn fwy yn Betsi Cadwaladr nag mewn unrhyw ran arall o Gymru. Ac mae'r ateb yn amlwg, onid yw—mae oherwydd bod gwariant cyfalaf yn gylchol. Yn ystod y blynyddoedd hynny, cafwyd buddsoddiad mawr yn Ysbyty Glan Clwyd yn etholaeth yr Aelod—[Torri ar draws.]—yr Aelod sy'n cynnig ei gyngor i mi. Yn ei etholaeth ef, cafwyd buddsoddiad mawr yn yr ysbyty hwnnw; yr oedd yn gwbl briodol, yn y ddwy flynedd hynny, fod mwy o arian yn cael ei wario yn y gogledd nag yn unman arall. Mewn rhannau eraill o'r cylch, bydd buddsoddiadau mawr mewn rhannau eraill o Gymru. Felly, yn y tair blynedd diwethaf, bu buddsoddiadau yn y de-ddwyrain—dim ond natur gwariant cyfalaf yw hynny.
Gadewch i mi gyflwyno pwynt arall i'r Aelod—ac i Aelodau eraill y gogledd sydd hefyd yn ei blaid. Felly, yn y flwyddyn hon, mae gan y gogledd 22 y cant o'r boblogaeth, ac, mewn termau refeniw, bydd yn cael 23 y cant o wariant y gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol. Canlyniad rhesymegol ei gwestiwn yw y dylem ni leihau'r gwariant refeniw hwnnw er mwyn sicrhau ei fod yn cyd-fynd â'r gyfran o'r boblogaeth. Nid wyf i'n tybio mai dyna y byddai'n ei awgrymu, ac nid dyna yr ydym ninnau yn ei awgrymu ychwaith. Ond yn union fel yr ydym ni'n gwario mwy y pen yn y gogledd mewn termau refeniw, mewn rhai blynyddoedd rydym yn gwario mwy mewn cyfalaf, ac mewn rhannau eraill o Gymru bydd adegau pan fydd buddsoddiadau eu hangen yn y fan honno, a fydd yn eu rhoi mewn lle gwahanol dros dro yn y tabl hwnnw.
Diolch i'r Prif Weinidog.
Thank you, First Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf felly yw'r datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes. Dwi'n galw ar y Trefnydd i wneud y datganiad hynny—Lesley Griffiths.
The next item is the business statement and announcement. And I call on the Trefnydd to make that statement—Lesley Griffiths.
Diolch, Llywydd. There are no changes to this week's agenda. Draft business for the next three sitting weeks is set out on the business statement and announcement, which can be found amongst the meeting papers, available to Members electronically.
Diolch, Llywydd. Nid oes unrhyw newidiadau i agenda'r wythnos hon. Mae'r busnes drafft ar gyfer y tair wythnos eistedd nesaf wedi'i nodi ar y datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes, sydd i'w weld ymhlith papurau'r cyfarfod, sydd ar gael i'r Aelodau'n electronig.
Trefnydd, can I call for two statements today from the Welsh Government—the first from the Minister for health? And that is in relation to the pressures that are currently being faced by hospitals in north Wales. I had a briefing yesterday with the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, and was told that, because of the staycation market being so significant, and north Wales being such a top destination, they've currently got—and this is outside of the school summer holidays—two wards full of people from outside of Wales occupying beds within the region. That obviously displaces the availability of healthcare for local residents, and is a concern to the health board. And I do think that there needs to be an additional revenue stream in order to help the health board get through those significant pressures in the future.
Can I also ask that, in the Welsh Government's statement tomorrow from the First Minister, on the coronavirus restrictions, reference is made to churches and places of worship? Because I think there's a great demand now for masks to be taken off in our churches, in order that people can sing out loud. We've seen scenes across Wales, with people in pubs watching the big screens, to see Euro matches being played. Obviously, the excitement, the passion and the enthusiasm is replicated in churches, but they're not cheering about football, they're cheering about Jesus, and singing about Jesus. And people want to take these masks off—they've had enough of them now. There's ample space in most buildings for sufficient social distancing, there's good ventilation as well in many of our churches and chapels across Wales. And I do think that people are now wanting to see some change. So, I would be grateful if there could be specific references to places of worship in the statement tomorrow, so, if you can give me some confidence, I'll look forward to seeing that statement when it's delivered.
Trefnydd, a gaf i alw am ddau ddatganiad heddiw gan Lywodraeth Cymru—y cyntaf gan y Gweinidog iechyd? Ac mae hynny'n ymwneud â'r pwysau sy'n wynebu ysbytai yn y gogledd ar hyn o bryd. Cefais sesiwn friffio ddoe gyda Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr, a chefais wybod, oherwydd bod y farchnad ar gyfer gwyliau gartref mor sylweddol, a bod y gogledd yn gyrchfan mor boblogaidd, fod ganddyn nhw—ac mae hyn y tu allan i wyliau haf yr ysgol—ddwy ward yn llawn pobl o'r tu allan i Gymru yn defnyddio gwelyau yn y rhanbarth. Mae hynny'n amlwg yn disodli'r gofal iechyd sydd ar gael i drigolion lleol, ac mae'n bryder i'r bwrdd iechyd. Ac rwy'n credu bod angen ffrwd refeniw ychwanegol er mwyn helpu'r bwrdd iechyd ymdopi â'r pwysau sylweddol hynny yn y dyfodol.
A gaf i ofyn hefyd, yn natganiad Llywodraeth Cymru yfory gan y Prif Weinidog, ynghylch y cyfyngiadau coronafeirws, a fydd sôn am eglwysi a mannau addoli? Oherwydd rwy'n credu bod galw mawr nawr am dynnu'r gofyn i wisgo mygydau oddi ar ein heglwysi, er mwyn i bobl allu canu'n uchel. Rydym wedi gweld golygfeydd ledled Cymru, gyda phobl mewn tafarndai yn gwylio'r sgriniau mawr, i weld gemau'r Ewros yn cael eu chwarae. Yn amlwg, mae'r cyffro, yr angerdd a'r brwdfrydedd hwn yn digwydd hefyd mewn eglwysi, ond nid yw'r cymeradwyo brwd hwnnw'n ymwneud â phêl-droed, mae'n ymwneud â'r Iesu, a chanu clod i'r Iesu. Ac mae pobl eisiau cael gwared ar y masgiau hyn—maen nhw wedi cael digon arnynt bellach. Mae digon o le yn y rhan fwyaf o adeiladau i gadw digon o bellter cymdeithasol, ac mae awyru da yn ogystal mewn llawer o'n heglwysi a'n capeli ledled Cymru. Ac rwy'n credu bod pobl nawr eisiau gweld rhywfaint o newid. Felly, byddwn i'n ddiolchgar pe byddai modd cael cyfeiriad penodol at addoldai yn y datganiad yfory, felly os gallwch roi rhywfaint o sicrwydd imi, byddaf i'n edrych ymlaen at weld y datganiad hwnnw pan gaiff ei gyflwyno.
Well, in relation to your second point, you will have heard the First Minister say several times that Cabinet is still having discussions around this week's review of regulations, and the First Minister will be making a statement here in the Chamber tomorrow afternoon.
You made, I think, a very pertinent point around our health boards, and, as you say, certainly we are seeing more people holidaying in Wales this year, as we did last year. And clearly, for our public services, this does have an impact. One of the reasons why we are exploring proposals for debate around a tourism tax is to look at how we can continue to fund—[Interruption.] And the Member can shake his head, but it is something that could be charged on people who choose to go to those areas, in a very modest way, but then it could give us a very significant opportunity for our public services to invest in those conditions that make tourism a success, and that is clearly one of them.
Wel, o ran eich ail bwynt, byddwch wedi clywed y Prif Weinidog yn dweud sawl gwaith fod y Cabinet yn dal i gael trafodaethau ynghylch adolygu'r rheoliadau yr wythnos hon, a bydd y Prif Weinidog yn gwneud datganiad yma yn y Siambr brynhawn yfory.
Rwy'n credu ichi wneud pwynt perthnasol iawn am y byrddau iechyd, ac, fel y dywedwch, yn sicr rydym yn gweld mwy o bobl yn mynd ar wyliau yng Nghymru eleni, fel y gwnaethom ni y llynedd. Ac yn amlwg, mae hyn yn cael effaith ar ein gwasanaethau cyhoeddus. Un rheswm dros archwilio cynigion ar gyfer dadl ynghylch treth dwristiaeth yw ystyried sut y gallwn ni barhau i ariannu—[Torri ar draws.] Gall yr Aelod ysgwyd ei ben, ond mae'n rhywbeth y byddai modd ei godi ar bobl sy'n dewis mynd i'r ardaloedd hynny, mewn modd ffordd fach iawn, ond yna gallai fod yn gyfle pwysig iawn inni fuddsoddi yn yr amodau hynny sy'n gwneud twristiaeth yn llwyddiant, ac mae hynny'n amlwg yn un ohonyn nhw.
I'd like a statement, please, about protecting people from air pollution. Residents in Cwmfelinfach are concerned about a waste treatment facility granted planning permission in Nine Mile Point industrial estate. An environmental permit was originally refused by Natural Resources Wales, because of how emissions could affect residents' health, but NRW reneged on the refusal, when the company put in an appeal. And, in spite of the fact that the factory could release tens of thousands of carbon dioxide in tonnes every year, construction is under way under a new company. Now, Trefnydd, I know the Government can't comment on the specifics, particularly because of the potential judicial review, but this case seems to be a test of the climate and nature emergencies we've declared. I've already mentioned air pollution that will affect residents just from the site. There are also hundreds of lorries that will plough through the village and local forests and ecosystems will likely be destroyed. A local writer, Patrick Jones, has written to me pointing out that, 'It is tragically ironic that in a place where miners died after years of inhaling coal dust we are now legitimising another poison that will limit the lives of our next generation.' So, Trefnydd, can a statement please set out what the climate and nature emergencies mean, if plans like this are allowed to go ahead?
Hoffwn i gael datganiad, os gwelwch yn dda, ar amddiffyn pobl rhag llygredd aer. Mae trigolion Cwmfelinfach yn pryderu am gyfleuster trin gwastraff ar ystâd ddiwydiannol Nine Mile Point sydd wedi cael caniatâd cynllunio. Fe wnaeth Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru wrthod trwydded amgylcheddol yn wreiddiol, oherwydd y modd y gallai allyriadau effeithio ar iechyd preswylwyr, ond cefnodd CNC ar ei benderfyniad, ar ôl i'r cwmni gyflwyno apêl. Ac, er gwaethaf y ffaith y gallai'r ffatri ryddhau degau o filoedd o dunelli o garbon deuocsid bob blwyddyn, mae'r gwaith adeiladu ar y gweill o dan gwmni newydd. Nawr, Trefnydd, rwy'n gwybod na all y Llywodraeth wneud sylwadau ar y manylion, yn enwedig oherwydd yr adolygiad barnwrol posibl, ond mae'n ymddangos bod yr achos hwn yn brawf o'r argyfyngau hinsawdd a natur a ddatganwyd gennym. Rwyf eisoes wedi sôn am lygredd aer a fydd yn effeithio ar breswylwyr o'r safle hwn yn unig. Bydd cannoedd o lorïau hefyd yn gyrru drwy'r pentref a bydd coedwigoedd ac ecosystemau lleol yn debygol o gael eu dinistrio. Mae awdur lleol, Patrick Jones, wedi ysgrifennu ataf gan ddweud, 'Yn drasig iawn, mae'n eironig, mewn man lle bu farw glowyr ar ôl blynyddoedd o anadlu llwch glo, ein bod ni nawr yn cyfreithloni gwenwyn arall a fydd yn cyfyngu ar fywydau ein cenhedlaeth nesaf.' Felly, Trefnydd, a all datganiad nodi beth mae'r argyfyngau hinsawdd a natur yn ei olygu, os caiff cynlluniau fel hyn ganiatâd i fynd rhagddynt?
Thank you. I would advise the Member to write to the Minister for Climate Change. Whilst, as you say, she cannot comment obviously on a specific facility, as you referred to, I think she will be able to give you an answer to your question, rather to wait obviously until the new term begins.
Diolch. Byddwn i'n cynghori'r Aelod i ysgrifennu at y Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd. Er, yn amlwg, ni all wneud sylw ynghylch cyfleuster penodol, fel y gwnaethoch chi gyfeirio ato, ond rwy'n credu y gall roi ateb i'ch cwestiwn, yn hytrach nag aros hyd nes bydd y tymor newydd yn dechrau.
I'm asking for two statements by the Government. The first one is on how health will be improved and how life expectancies will be increased by improving the overall health of people in Wales, as opposed to intervening when people are seriously ill and need hospitalisation. Take type 2 diabetes—the number of cases can be reduced by diet and exercise. We need to do more in prevention, instead of spending millions and millions of pounds, or hundreds of millions of pounds, on intervention when people actually get ill.
The second statement I'm requesting is an anti-poverty strategy. I'm one of those who really was very unhappy that Communities First was ended. I thought it was a huge mistake made by the previous Government. But it's been made, so there's no going back. But I am asking for a Government strategy to reduce poverty, especially in some of the most disadvantaged communities, because we have an awful lot of very poor people in Wales, and we need to do something to try and support them.
Rwy'n gofyn am ddau ddatganiad gan y Llywodraeth. Mae'r cyntaf yn ymwneud â sut y caiff iechyd ei wella a sut y bydd disgwyliad oes yn cynyddu drwy wella iechyd cyffredinol pobl yng Nghymru, yn hytrach nag ymyrryd pan fydd pobl yn ddifrifol wael ac angen mynd i'r ysbyty. Ystyriwch ddiabetes math 2—mae modd lleihau nifer yr achosion drwy ddeiet ac ymarfer corff. Mae angen gwneud mwy o ran atal, yn hytrach na gwario miliynau a miliynau o bunnoedd, neu gannoedd o filiynau o bunnoedd, ar ymyrryd pan fydd pobl yn mynd yn sâl.
Yr ail ddatganiad rwy'n gofyn amdano yw strategaeth gwrthdlodi. Rwy'n un o'r rhai a oedd yn anhapus iawn bod Cymunedau yn Gyntaf wedi dod i ben. Roeddwn i'n credu ei fod yn gamgymeriad enfawr gan y Llywodraeth flaenorol. Ond mae wedi'i wneud, felly does dim mynd yn ôl. Ond rwy'n gofyn am strategaeth gan y Llywodraeth i leihau tlodi, yn enwedig mewn rhai o'r cymunedau mwyaf difreintiedig, oherwydd mae gennym ni lawer iawn o bobl hynod dlawd yng Nghymru, ac mae angen inni wneud rhywbeth i geisio eu cefnogi.
Thank you, Mike Hedges, for those two requests. In relation to the first item, I absolutely agree: prevention is obviously better than a cure, and certainly we have our 'Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales' strategy. That sets out our long-term ambitions to reduce obesity right across Wales. We've got our 2021-22 delivery plan, and that's got a focus also in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic and reducing health inequalities, and that's backed up by a £6.5 million fund.
In relation to poverty, obviously—Welsh Government—the Communities First was our flagship programme for many, many years, and that was brought to an end, as you say, in the previous term of Government. However, we have a variety of schemes where we look to work with those in our most deprived communities, and I will ensure that the Minister for social equality brings forward a statement at the most appropriate time around a new strategy.
Diolch, Mike Hedges, am y ddau gais hynny. O ran yr eitem gyntaf, rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr: mae atal yn amlwg yn well na gwellhad, ac yn sicr mae gennym ni ein strategaeth 'Pwysau Iach: Cymru Iach'. Mae hynny'n nodi ein huchelgeisiau hirdymor i leihau gordewdra ledled Cymru. Mae gennym ni ein cynllun cyflawni ar gyfer 2021-22, ac mae hynny wedi canolbwyntio hefyd ar bandemig COVID-19 a lleihau anghydraddoldebau iechyd, ac mae hynny wedi cael cefnogaeth cronfa gwerth £6.5 miliwn.
O ran tlodi, yn amlwg—Llywodraeth Cymru—roedd Cymunedau yn Gyntaf yn rhaglen flaenllaw inni ers blynyddoedd lawer, a daeth hynny i ben, fel y dywedwch, yn nhymor blaenorol y Llywodraeth. Fodd bynnag, mae gennym amrywiaeth o gynlluniau lle'r ydym yn ceisio gweithio gyda'r rheini yn ein cymunedau mwyaf difreintiedig, a byddaf yn sicrhau bod y Gweinidog cydraddoldeb cymdeithasol, ar yr adeg fwyaf priodol, yn cyflwyno datganiad ynghylch strategaeth newydd.
I call for two Welsh Government statements. Firstly, on Welsh Government support for people with learning disabilities. Three weeks ago, the Royal College of Nursing launched its report on learning disability nursing, 'Connecting for Change'. The report highlights a significant decline in learning disability nurses across the UK. The RCN states that some of this reduction is due to the positive shift in the support for people with learning disabilities from a medical model to a social care model. Although they believe many learning disability nurses have moved on with people with learning disabilities, and are now providing skilled support in social care settings, there is not the data about this workforce, and there is no Government strategy for planning or developing the work of nurses in social care. The report also found significant differences across the four UK countries. For example, many counties in England have children's community learning disability teams with learning disability nurses. However, there is a lack of children's learning disability services in Wales. Specific to Wales, the report has highlighted that student learning disability nursing numbers have remained static for the last three years, and there is only one learning disability nurse at nurse consultant level across the whole of Wales. I therefore call for a statement detailing the Welsh Government's response to the RCN's call for a workforce plan to accompany the strategic development of learning disability services across Wales over the next decade.
I also call for a Welsh Government statement on COVID-19 PCR testing for green-list countries. I heard the First Minister's response earlier, but it will not satisfy the constituent who e-mailed on Saturday as follows:
'I bought a package holiday via Tui, but unlike residents of England, I can't take advantage of their testing package at a cost of £20 for all tests. Instead, I'm forced to pay £88 per person just for the return PCR test, plus an additional charge for the return to UK antigen test. For the four adults and two children travelling, this adds an additional overhead of more than £400.'
I was also in dialogue today with a lady who is due to take her last holiday with her terminally ill husband and may now have to reconsider due to this unnecessary cost. This kind of treatment of people who have followed all the rules—
Rwy'n galw am ddau ddatganiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Yn gyntaf, ar gymorth Llywodraeth Cymru i bobl ag anableddau dysgu. Dair wythnos yn ôl, lansiodd y Coleg Nyrsio Brenhinol ei adroddiad ar nyrsio anabledd dysgu, 'Connecting for Change'. Mae'r adroddiad yn tynnu sylw at ddirywiad sylweddol yn nifer y nyrsys anabledd dysgu ledled y DU. Mae'r Pwyllgor Nyrsio Brenhinol yn nodi bod rhywfaint o'r gostyngiad hwn yn deillio o'r newid cadarnhaol yn y cymorth i bobl ag anableddau dysgu o fodel meddygol i fodel gofal cymdeithasol. Er eu bod yn credu bod llawer o nyrsys anabledd dysgu wedi symud ymlaen gyda phobl ag anableddau dysgu, a'u bod nawr yn darparu cymorth medrus mewn lleoliadau gofal cymdeithasol, nid oes data ynghylch y gweithlu hwn, ac nid oes strategaeth gan y Llywodraeth ar gyfer cynllunio neu ddatblygu gwaith nyrsys mewn gofal cymdeithasol. Gwnaeth yr adroddiad hefyd ddarganfod gwahaniaethau sylweddol ledled pedair gwlad y DU. Er enghraifft, mae gan lawer o siroedd yn Lloegr dimau anabledd dysgu cymunedol plant gyda nyrsys anabledd dysgu. Fodd bynnag, mae diffyg gwasanaethau anabledd dysgu i blant yng Nghymru. Yn benodol i Gymru, mae'r adroddiad wedi tynnu sylw at y ffaith bod niferoedd myfyrwyr nyrsio anabledd dysgu wedi aros yn sefydlog ar gyfer y tair blynedd diwethaf, a dim ond un nyrs anabledd dysgu sydd ar lefel nyrs ymgynghorol ledled Cymru. Rwyf i felly yn galw am ddatganiad sy'n rhoi manylion am ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru i alwad yr RCN am gynllun gweithlu i gyd-fynd â datblygiad strategol gwasanaethau anabledd dysgu ledled Cymru yn ystod y degawd nesaf.
Rwy'n galw hefyd am ddatganiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar brofion PCR COVID-19 ar gyfer gwledydd rhestr werdd. Clywais ymateb y Prif Weinidog yn gynharach, ond ni fydd yn bodloni'r etholwr a anfonodd e-bost ddydd Sadwrn fel a ganlyn:
'Prynais i wyliau pecyn drwy Tui, ond yn wahanol i drigolion Lloegr, ni allaf fanteisio ar eu pecyn profi ar gost o £20 am bob prawf. Yn hytrach, mae'n rhaid i mi dalu £88 y person ar gyfer y prawf PCR dychwelyd yn unig, ynghyd â thâl ychwanegol ar gyfer prawf antigen dychwelyd i'r DU. I'r pedwar oedolyn a'r ddau blentyn sy'n teithio, mae hyn yn ychwanegu cost arall o fwy na £400.'
Roeddwn i hefyd yn trafod heddiw gyda menyw sydd i fod mynd ar ei gwyliau olaf gyda'i gŵr sydd â salwch terfynol ac efallai y bydd yn rhaid iddi ailystyried yn awr oherwydd y gost ddiangen hon. Mae'r math hwn o driniaeth ar gyfer pobl sydd wedi dilyn yr holl reolau—
I think that you've run out of time now, Mark Isherwood, so I'll ask the Minister to respond.
Rwy'n credu bod eich amser chi wedi dod i ben nawr, Mark Isherwood, felly gofynnaf i'r Gweinidog ymateb.
Thank you. With regard to his second point, I don't think I can add anything further to the First Minister's comments earlier.
I know the Minister is currently analysing the report to which you refer—the workforce plan from the RCN. I do know that several of the health boards in Wales have undertaken specific training in relation to learning disability with their nurses. I know there was some significant work done at the Maelor hospital, for instance. So, I think what is important is that that support is right across Wales, and not just by one or two health boards.
Diolch. O ran ei ail bwynt, nid wyf yn credu y gallaf i ychwanegu dim byd arall at sylwadau'r Prif Weinidog yn gynharach.
Rwy'n gwybod bod y Gweinidog wrthi'n dadansoddi'r adroddiad yr ydych chi'n cyfeirio ato—cynllun y gweithlu gan y Pwyllgor Gofal Cymdeithasol. Rwy'n gwybod bod nifer o'r byrddau iechyd yng Nghymru wedi dilyn hyfforddiant penodol o ran anabledd dysgu gyda'u nyrsys. Rwy'n gwybod fod rhywfaint o waith sylweddol wedi'i wneud yn ysbyty Maelor, er enghraifft. Felly, rwy'n credu mai'r hyn sy'n bwysig yw bod y cymorth hwnnw ar gael ledled Cymru, ac nid gan un neu ddau fwrdd iechyd yn unig.
Drefnydd, dwi wedi bod yn ffodus iawn yn ddiweddar i gyfarfod â nifer o ysgolion yng Nghaerdydd—ysgol Gwaelod y Garth, ysgol Plasmawr ac ysgol uwchradd gorllewin Caerdydd—i siarad am waith arbennig y Senedd Ieuenctid. Bob tro fydd yna sesiwn cwestiwn-ac-ateb ar y diwedd, mae'r amgylchedd yn dod i fyny bob tro yn eu cwestiynau nhw. Roeddem ni i gyd, yn drawsbleidiol, dwi'n credu, yn siomedig nad oedd y Ddeddf aer glân yn y datganiad deddfwriaethol yr wythnos diwethaf. A gawn ni, plîs, amserlen i weld pryd gawn ni'r Ddeddf aer glân, a hefyd i ddiddymu defnyddio plastig untro? A gawn ni ddatganiad am hynny, os gwelwch yn dda?
Trefnydd, I have been very fortunate recently to meet a number of schools in Cardiff—Gwaelod y Garth, Plasmawr and Cardiff West Community High School—to discuss the great work of the Youth Parliament, and every time there is a question-and-answer session at the end, the environment arises all the time in their questions. Across parties, I think we were all disappointed that the clean air Act was not in the legislative statement last week. Could we please have a timetable in order to see when the clean air Act will be forthcoming, and also the abolition of single-use plastics? Can we have a statement on that, please?
Thank you. You will be aware that—. I think it was the Minister for the Constitution who gave the legislative programme statement here in the Chamber last Tuesday, and you will appreciate that that programme just set out the legislation for the first year. It doesn't mean that other Bills that we hope to bring forward during this term of Government are not being worked on at the moment. Probably the clean air Act will be currently having a great deal of preparatory work done, because these Bills take quite a few months to draft and make sure that they're ready to be put before the Senedd. So, as soon as we are able to—and we'll be looking, obviously, towards the second year—we will be able to bring forward a statement.
Diolch. Fe fyddwch chi'n—. Rwy'n credu mai Gweinidog y Cyfansoddiad a roddodd ddatganiad y rhaglen ddeddfwriaethol yma yn y Siambr ddydd Mawrth diwethaf, ac fe fyddwch chi'n sylweddoli bod y rhaglen honno newydd nodi'r ddeddfwriaeth ar gyfer y flwyddyn gyntaf. Nid yw'n golygu nad yw Biliau eraill y gobeithiwn eu cyflwyno yn ystod y tymor Llywodraeth hwn yn cael eu paratoi ar hyn o bryd. Mae'n debyg y bydd llawer iawn o waith paratoi yn cael ei wneud ar y Ddeddf aer glân yn awr, oherwydd mae'r Biliau hyn yn cymryd nifer o fisoedd i'w drafftio a sicrhau eu bod yn barod i gael eu rhoi gerbron y Senedd. Felly, cyn gynted ag y gallwn ni—ac fe fyddwn ni'n edrych, yn amlwg, tuag at yr ail flwyddyn—byddwn yn gallu cyflwyno datganiad.
Trefnydd, I'd like to ask for a statement on the provision of specialist mental health services for those living with diabetes. Last week, I was pleased to chair the inaugural meeting of the cross-party group on diabetes in the sixth Senedd. At this meeting, we heard from Dr Rose Stewart, a consultant clinical psychologist in diabetes working in Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. Dr Stewart gave an excellent presentation about the desperate need for better specialist mental health support for the nearly 200,000 people living with diabetes across Wales. The case for improving specialist mental health provision for diabetes is clear. Diabetes UK's 'Too often missing' report found that seven in 10 people with diabetes felt overwhelmed managing their condition. Eating disorders are three times as prevalent amongst young people with type 1 diabetes than those without, and people with diabetes are twice as likely to experience depression than those without the condition. If these issues are not addressed, worsening psychological health can lead to worsening diabetes management, where complications can quickly become extremely serious. Therefore, I ask for a statement or an early debate after recess on investment in specialist mental health support for those living with diabetes.
Trefnydd, hoffwn i ofyn am ddatganiad ar ddarparu gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl arbenigol i'r rhai sy'n byw gyda diabetes. Yr wythnos diwethaf, roeddwn i'n falch o gadeirio cyfarfod cyntaf y grŵp trawsbleidiol ar ddiabetes yn y chweched Senedd. Yn y cyfarfod hwn, fe glywsom gan Dr Rose Stewart, seicolegydd clinigol ymgynghorol mewn diabetes sy'n gweithio ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr. Rhoddodd Dr Stewart gyflwyniad ardderchog o ran yr angen dybryd am well cymorth iechyd meddwl arbenigol i bron 200,000 o bobl sy'n byw gyda diabetes ledled Cymru. Mae'r achos dros wella'r ddarpariaeth iechyd meddwl arbenigol ar gyfer diabetes yn glir. Fe wnaeth adroddiad 'Too often missing' gan Diabetes UK ddarganfod bod saith o bob 10 o bobl â diabetes yn teimlo eu bod wedi'u llethu gan reoli eu cyflwr. Mae anhwylderau bwyta deirgwaith mor gyffredin ymysg pobl ifanc â diabetes math 1 na'r rhai sydd heb ddiabetes, ac mae pobl sydd â diabetes ddwywaith yn fwy tebygol o brofi iselder na'r rhai sydd heb y cyflwr. Os nad oes modd ymdrin â'r materion hyn, gall iechyd seicolegol sy'n gwaethygu arwain at reoli diabetes yn gwaethygu, lle gall cymhlethdodau fynd yn ddifrifol yn gyflym. Felly, rwy'n gofyn am ddatganiad neu ddadl gynnar ar ôl y toriad ar fuddsoddi mewn cymorth iechyd meddwl arbenigol i'r rhai sy'n byw gyda diabetes.
We obviously recognise the psychological impact of living with a long-term condition such as diabetes, and Jayne Bryant mentioned that there are many thousands of people living with that condition across Wales. We do, obviously, expect health boards to put in place appropriate support for people with such a long-term condition. That does include supportive care from both generalist and specialist clinicians so that people are helped to manage their condition, as well as, where necessary, access to more specialised clinical psychology. Improving access to, and the quality and range of, psychological therapies is a priority area for us that's set out in our 'Together for Mental Health' delivery plan—I think that was back in 2019.
Rydym ni'n amlwg yn cydnabod effaith seicolegol byw gyda chyflwr hirdymor fel diabetes, a soniodd Jayne Bryant fod miloedd lawer o bobl yn byw gyda'r cyflwr hwnnw ledled Cymru. Yn amlwg, rydym yn disgwyl i'r byrddau iechyd roi cymorth priodol ar waith i bobl sydd â chyflwr mor hirdymor. Mae hynny'n cynnwys gofal cefnogol gan glinigwyr cyffredinol ac arbenigol fel bod pobl yn cael cymorth i reoli eu cyflwr, yn ogystal â chyfle, lle bo angen, i fanteisio ar seicoleg glinigol fwy arbenigol. Mae gwella'r cyfle i fanteisio ar therapïau seicolegol, ac ansawdd ac ystod y therapïau seicolegol, yn faes blaenoriaeth sydd wedi'i nodi yn ein cynllun cyflawni 'Law yn Llaw at Iechyd Meddwl'—rwy'n credu mai nôl yn 2019 oedd hynny.
Drefnydd, hoffwn ofyn am ddau ddatganiad, os gwelwch yn dda, y cyntaf o ran ymateb y Lywodraeth hon i'r ffaith bod Llywodraeth Prydain wedi gwrthod yr wythnos diwethaf alwadau i roddi £1.2 biliwn o gronfeydd pensiwn i gyn-lowyr, gan fynnu dal gafael ar yr arian. A sut fydd Llywodraeth Cymru'n cefnogi'r glowyr a'r teuluoedd i gael cyfiawnder a'r hyn maent yn haeddu ei dderbyn?
Yn ail, yr wythnos diwethaf bûm yn lwcus i gael y cyfle i ymweld â thwnnel y Rhondda, ynghyd ag Aelodau eraill o'r Senedd hon. Gwn fod nifer o eiriolwyr ar ran y prosiect yn y Siambr, a gwn hefyd fod y Dirprwy Weinidog dros Newid Hinsawdd yn gweld potensial aruthrol i'r prosiect hwn. Ond mae yna broblem: mae'r twnnel yn berchen i Lywodraeth Prydain. Ond, gyda phwyslais y Llywodraeth hon ar daclo'r argyfwng hinsawdd, hyrwyddo teithio actif a hybu twristiaeth yng Nghymru mewn ffordd gynaliadwy, a llai o wario ar adeiladu ffyrdd, mae angen troi brwdfrydedd y Llywodraeth hon i mewn i gamau pendant. A gawn ni, felly, ddatganiad yn y tymor newydd gan y Gweinidog neu'r Dirprwy Weinidog ynglŷn â'r camau nesaf i fynd â'r prosiect yma rhagddo, ynghyd ag amserlen?
Trefnydd, I'd like to request two statements, if I may, the first in terms of this Government's response to the fact that the UK Government refused last week the demands to give £1.2 billion from pension funds to former miners, and instead insisted on keeping hold of that funding. And how will the Welsh Government support those miners and their families to get justice and that which they deserve?
Secondly, last week I was fortunate to have the opportunity to visit the Rhondda tunnel, along with other Members of this Senedd. I know that there are many advocates of the project in this Chamber, and I know that the Deputy Minister for Climate Change sees huge potential for this project. But there is a problem: the tunnel belongs to the UK Government, However, with this Government's emphasis on tackling the climate emergency, promoting active travel and promoting tourism in Wales in a sustainable manner, with less money on road building, we need to turn the enthusiasm of this Government into definite steps. So, can we have a statement in the next term from the Minister or the Deputy Minister on the next steps in taking this project forward, as well as a timetable for it?
Thank you. In relation to the issue around miners' pension, I will ensure the relevant Minister makes representations to the UK Government Minister, because I don't think that can wait until the next term.
And in relation to the Rhondda tunnel, it's a long time since I heard the Rhondda tunnel mentioned in the Chamber. I remember Leighton Andrews was the first person to—. I was very unaware of the Rhondda tunnel, but I remember learning all about it from him. And I will, certainly, ask probably the Deputy Minister for Climate Change to give the Member an update by letter, and perhaps put that in the library so all Members will be aware of it, because I'm not quite sure what the next steps are, but I think you do raise a very good point.
Diolch. O ran y mater sy'n ymwneud â phensiynau glowyr, byddaf yn sicrhau bod y Gweinidog perthnasol yn cyflwyno sylwadau i Weinidog Llywodraeth y DU, oherwydd nid wyf yn credu y gall hynny aros tan y tymor nesaf.
Ac o ran twnnel y Rhondda, mae'n amser maith ers imi glywed twnnel y Rhondda yn cael ei grybwyll yn y Siambr. Rwy'n cofio mai Leighton Andrews oedd y person cyntaf i—. Nid oeddwn i'n ymwybodol iawn o dwnnel y Rhondda, ond rwy'n cofio dysgu popeth am y twnnel wrtho ef. A byddaf i, yn sicr, yn gofyn i'r Dirprwy Weinidog Newid Hinsawdd roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelod drwy lythyr, ac efallai roi hynny yn y llyfrgell fel y bydd pob Aelod yn ymwybodol ohono, oherwydd nid wyf i'n hollol siŵr beth yw'r camau nesaf, ond rwy'n credu eich bod chi'n codi pwynt da iawn.
Trefnydd, I'm actually quite saddened and deeply frustrated to realise that, in Aberconwy, and on a frequent basis, some of our pubs, hotels and eateries are now having to turn potential customers and visitors away. I have one cafe that is only able to operate three days a week, and another licensee with two operations only able to keep one of his businesses open. And I have other hoteliers who are really struggling now to find trained staff. The hospitality and retail sectors are indeed the perfect setting to learn new and essential life skills, including teamwork, customer service and time management. Having come through an astoundingly difficult time due to frequent lockdowns, this is the last thing that our businesses need. I'm playing my own role in confronting this problem by holding a virtual round-table this summer with business owners, local colleges and those who can help face down some of these challenges posed.
There are many disparate issues that have contributed to the present shortage—unclear routes from formal education, an entrenched reputational challenge, as well as the issue of wage levels. Training is a really big issue for these businesses. So, Trefnydd, really, what I'm looking for is a statement on what you as a Welsh Government are doing to support these businesses. Are you likely or minded to provide a training grant, because, clearly, when people have got people off self-isolating, other staff covering them, there isn't the capability or facility to train staff? I've been asked on numerous occasions now, 'What will you do as a Welsh Government?' Thank you. Diolch.
Trefnydd, rwy'n eithaf trist ac yn rhwystredig iawn wrth sylweddoli, yn Aberconwy, yn aml, fod rhai o'n tafarndai, ein gwestai a'n bwytai yn gorfod troi darpar gwsmeriaid ac ymwelwyr i ffwrdd. Mae yma un caffi sydd ond yn gallu gweithredu dri diwrnod yr wythnos, ac mae trwyddedai arall sydd â dau fusnes ond yn gallu cadw un o'i fusnesau ar agor. Ac mae yma westywyr eraill sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd iawn ddod o hyd i staff hyfforddedig. Yn wir, y sectorau lletygarwch a manwerthu yw'r mannau perffaith i ddysgu sgiliau bywyd newydd a hanfodol, gan gynnwys gwaith tîm, gwasanaeth cwsmeriaid a rheoli amser. Ar ôl dod drwy gyfnod hynod anodd oherwydd cyfyngiadau symud mynych, dyma'r peth olaf sydd ei angen ar ein busnesau ni. Rwy'n chwarae fy rhan i wrth wynebu'r broblem hon drwy gynnal bord gron rithwir yr haf hwn gyda pherchnogion busnes, colegau lleol a'r rheini a all helpu i wynebu rhai o'r heriau hyn.
Mae llawer o wahanol faterion sydd wedi cyfrannu at y prinder staff presennol—llwybrau aneglur o addysg ffurfiol, her sefydledig o ran enw da, yn ogystal â mater lefelau cyflog. Mae hyfforddiant yn broblem fawr iawn i'r busnesau hyn. Felly, Trefnydd, mewn gwirionedd, yr hyn yr wyf i'n chwilio amdano yw datganiad ar yr hyn yr ydych chi fel Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i gefnogi'r busnesau hyn. A ydych chi'n debygol neu'n bwriadu darparu grant hyfforddi, oherwydd, yn amlwg, pan fydd pobl yn dod oddi ar hunanynysu, a staff eraill sy'n cyflenwi drostynt, nid oes ganddynt y capasiti na'r cyfleuster i hyfforddi staff? Holwyd imi droeon nawr, 'Beth fyddwch chi'n ei wneud fel Llywodraeth Cymru?' Diolch.
I certainly agree with the Member that the hospitality sector, and the food and drink sector as a whole, offers a very attractive career for many, many people. One of the biggest reasons we are seeing a shortage in this sector—because, obviously, this falls within my own portfolio and it's been raised with me many times—is the fact that we've not been able to see workers from the EU being able to travel as freely into the UK as they were, and also we've seen a lot of workers not want to return to the UK. We are seeing a shortage of workers in the food-processing and manufacturing sector as well. So, this is an issue I am taking up with the sectors. I've got a meeting, actually, tomorrow, with the food retail sector, for instance. But I think it is important that we continue to work with the UK Government. It was something I was going to raise in a bilateral with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary of State yesterday, which unfortunately had to be cancelled, but I will continue to raise it with him and at the next opportunity.
Yn sicr, rwy'n cytuno â'r Aelod fod y sector lletygarwch, a'r sector bwyd a diod yn ei gyfanrwydd, yn cynnig gyrfa ddeniadol iawn i lawer o bobl. Un o'r rhesymau mwyaf yr ydym ni'n gweld prinder yn y sector hwn—oherwydd, yn amlwg, mae hyn yn dod o fewn fy mhortffolio fy hun ac mae wedi'i godi gyda mi droeon—yw'r ffaith nad ydym wedi gweld gweithwyr o'r UE yn gallu teithio mor rhydd i'r DU ag yr oedden nhw, a hefyd rydym ni wedi gweld llawer o weithwyr nad ydyn nhw eisiau dychwelyd i'r DU. Rydym yn gweld prinder gweithwyr yn y sector prosesu bwyd a gweithgynhyrchu hefyd. Felly, mae hwn yn fater yr wyf i'n ei godi gyda'r sectorau. Yn wir, mae gennyf gyfarfod yfory, gyda'r sector manwerthu bwyd, er enghraifft. Ond rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig ein bod yn parhau i weithio gyda Llywodraeth y DU. Roedd yn rhywbeth yr oeddwn i'n mynd i'w godi mewn cyfarfod dwyochrog gydag Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Adran yr Amgylchedd, Bwyd a Materion Gwledig ddoe, y bu'n rhaid ei ganslo yn anffodus, ond byddaf i'n parhau i'w godi gydag ef y tro nesaf.
Drefnydd, a gaf i ofyn am un datganiad ar fater hwyl a chwarae?
Trefnydd, may I ask for one statement on the matter of play?
The first Wednesday in August will be National Play Day, and, of course, our organisations in Wales will be taking part in that, right across the country, including, of course, Llanharan Drop-in Centre, who provide in Bryncae and Brynna and Llanharan the Playtots Playgroup, and day nursery, and holiday clubs, and the Happy Dayz well-being and support group, and after-school clubs and youth clubs as well. They will be celebrating on that day their twenty-fifth anniversary—25 years of providing such a wonderful service to the children and families and young people in the communities of that area. So, I wonder if we could have a statement on how Welsh Government and its arm's-length organisations will be supporting National Play Day—a written statement would suffice—but also if she'd join me in welcoming the amazing work done by organisations such as the Llanharan Drop-in Centre over 25 years.
Bydd dydd Mercher cyntaf mis Awst yn Ddiwrnod Chwarae Cenedlaethol, ac, wrth gwrs, bydd ein sefydliadau yng Nghymru yn cymryd rhan yn hynny, ledled y wlad, gan gynnwys, wrth gwrs, Ganolfan Galw Heibio Llanharan, sydd ym Mryncae a Brynna a Llanharan, yn darparu'r Cylch Chwarae Playtots, a meithrinfa ddydd, a chlybiau gwyliau, a grŵp lles a chymorth Happy Dayz, a chlybiau ar ôl ysgol a chlybiau ieuenctid hefyd. Fe fyddan nhw ar y diwrnod hwnnw yn dathlu eu pumed pen-blwydd ar hugain—25 mlynedd o ddarparu gwasanaeth mor wych i blant a theuluoedd a phobl ifanc yng nghymunedau'r ardal honno. Felly, tybed a gawn ni ddatganiad ar sut y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru a'i sefydliadau hyd braich yn cefnogi'r Diwrnod Chwarae Cenedlaethol—byddai datganiad ysgrifenedig yn ddigonol—ond hefyd pe gallai ymuno â mi i groesawu'r gwaith anhygoel sydd wedi ei wneud gan sefydliadau fel Canolfan Galw Heibio Llanharan yn ystod 25 mlynedd.
Thank you. Well, I certainly congratulate Llanharan Community Development Project on their twenty-fifth anniversary. That's no small feat, and projects like that do provide so many opportunities in our communities for children and young people and their families. You'll be aware the Welsh Government continues to place great value on play and its importance in the lives of all children in our society. I'm really pleased that you mentioned the National Play Day on 4 August, and the theme of that is 'summer of play', and you'll be aware of the Deputy Minister's statement around summer of fun, which I think encapsulates the play as well. We work very closely with Play Wales to ensure that children's right to play is fully considered, and we've got a wealth of play opportunities for children right across Wales, and that summer of fun I mentioned, we've supported with £5 million.
Diolch. Wel, rwy'n sicr yn llongyfarch Prosiect Datblygu Cymunedol Llanharan ar eu pumed pen-blwydd ar hugain. Nid ar chwarae bach y mae cyflawni hynny, ac mae prosiectau fel hyn yn darparu cymaint o gyfleoedd yn ein cymunedau ni i blant a phobl ifanc a'u teuluoedd. Fe fyddwch chi'n ymwybodol bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i roi gwerth mawr ar chwarae a'i bwysigrwydd ym mywydau pob plentyn yn ein cymdeithas. Rwy'n falch iawn eich bod chi wedi sôn am y Diwrnod Chwarae Cenedlaethol ar 4 Awst, a'i thema yw 'haf o chwarae', ac fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol o ddatganiad y Dirprwy Weinidog am yr haf o hwyl sydd, yn fy marn i, yn cynnwys chwarae hefyd. Rydym ni'n gweithio'n agos iawn â Chwarae Cymru i sicrhau y rhoddir ystyriaeth lawn i hawl plant i chwarae, ac mae gennym ni gyfoeth o gyfleoedd chwarae i blant ledled Cymru. Ac rydym wedi rhoi cymorth o £5 miliwn i'r haf hwnnw o hwyl y soniais i amdano.
Jane Dodds.
Jane Dodds.
Diolch, Llywydd, a diolch i'r Trefnydd hefyd.
Thank you, Llywydd, and thank you also to the Trefnydd.
Pre COVID, one in three women were experiencing some form of violence, domestic abuse or sexual violence. The full impact of the pandemic on women experiencing violence is still to be determined, but sadly, from anecdotal evidence, it is likely that numbers have increased. Welsh Women's Aid reported in 2020, and they stated that the provision of sustainable funding for violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence, as required by the 2015 Act, is yet to be achieved. I do pay tribute to this Government's commitment to preventing sexual violence through the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015, but may I ask the Minister to bring forward a statement on the provision of sustained funding to support those services that help women who are experiencing domestic violence, and to look at preventative measures against domestic abuse and sexual violence? Thank you. Diolch.
Cyn COVID, roedd un o bob tair menyw yn wynebu rhyw fath o drais, cam-drin domestig neu drais rhywiol. Nid yw effaith lawn y pandemig ar fenywod sy'n wynebu trais wedi'i bennu eto, ond yn anffodus, o dystiolaeth anecdotaidd, mae'n debygol bod y niferoedd wedi cynyddu. Cyflwynwyd adroddiad gan Gymorth i Fenywod Cymru yn 2020, a dywedwyd ganddynt nad yw'r ddarpariaeth o gyllid cynaliadwy ar gyfer trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol, fel sy'n ofynnol gan Ddeddf 2015, wedi'i chyflawni eto. Rwy'n talu teyrnged i ymrwymiad y Llywodraeth hon i atal trais rhywiol drwy Ddeddf Trais yn erbyn Menywod, Cam-drin Domestig a Thrais Rhywiol (Cymru) 2015. Ond a gaf i ofyn i'r Gweinidog gyflwyno datganiad ynghylch darparu cyllid parhaus i gefnogi'r gwasanaethau hynny sy'n helpu menywod sy'n wynebu trais domestig, ac i ystyried mesurau ataliol yn erbyn cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol? Diolch.
I thank Jane Dodds for that point. The violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence revenue budget for this current financial year is £6.825 million. That does include additional non-recurrent funding of £1.575 million, and that does actually represent an increase from the previous budget. Certainly, I think it is sad to say that we have seen an increase in access to our services during the last 16 months, but what that additional funding has enabled is for all organisations—you mentioned one in particular—to provide further support to service providers so that they can continue to access those vital services and, as I say, deal with the increasing demand we've seen over the pandemic.
Diolch i Jane Dodds am y pwynt hwnnw. Mae'r gyllideb refeniw trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol gyfredol hon yn £6.825 miliwn. Mae hynny'n cynnwys cyllid byrhoedlog ychwanegol o £1.575 miliwn, ac mae hynny mewn gwirionedd yn gynnydd ar y gyllideb flaenorol. Yn sicr, rwy'n credu ei bod yn drist dweud ein bod ni wedi gweld cynnydd yn nefnydd ein gwasanaethau yn ystod yr 16 mis diwethaf. Ond mae'r arian ychwanegol hwnnw wedi golygu y gall pob sefydliad—fe wnaethoch chi sôn am un yn benodol—ddarparu cymorth ychwanegol i ddarparwyr gwasanaethau fel y gallan nhw barhau i fanteisio ar y gwasanaethau hanfodol hynny a, fel y dywedais i, ymdrin â'r galw cynyddol yr ydym ni wedi'i weld yn ystod y pandemig.
Trefnydd, can I request that the Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Well-being makes a statement to update the Chamber on mental health provision in Wales? I find it incredibly disappointing that the Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Well-being hasn't yet been given the opportunity to provide a statement on mental health during this term, considering the worrying data coming forward. Latest statistics show some very worrying trends in a couple of the health boards. For example, in March, just 25 per cent of CAMHS primary mental health service assessments were undertaken within 28 days in Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, falling to 13 per cent of all assessments for all services being within this target. I'm concerned that, in under-18s services across Wales, one in three will now be waiting over a month for assessment in Wales. Given the results from the Mind Cymru survey published yesterday, which showed that older adolescents have been hit the hardest, I think a more detailed response from the Government would now be useful. Diolch, Llywydd.
Trefnydd, a gaf i ofyn i'r Dirprwy Weinidog Iechyd Meddwl a Llesiant wneud datganiad i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Siambr ynghylch darpariaeth iechyd meddwl yng Nghymru? Rwy'n ei chael hi'n hynod siomedig nad yw'r Dirprwy Weinidog Iechyd Meddwl a Llesiant wedi cael y cyfle eto i ddarparu datganiad ar iechyd meddwl yn ystod y tymor hwn, o ystyried y data sy'n peri pryder. Mae'r ystadegau diweddaraf yn dangos rhai tueddiadau pryderus iawn mewn un neu ddau o'r byrddau iechyd. Er enghraifft, ym mis Mawrth, dim ond 25 y cant o asesiadau gwasanaeth iechyd meddwl sylfaenol CAMHS a gynhaliwyd o fewn 28 diwrnod ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Caerdydd a'r Fro, gan ostwng i 13 y cant o'r holl asesiadau ar gyfer yr holl wasanaethau o fewn y targed hwn. Rwy'n pryderu, o ran y gwasanaethau i bobl dan 18 oed ledled Cymru, y bydd un o bob tri yn aros am fwy na mis i gael asesiad yng Nghymru. O ystyried canlyniadau arolwg Mind Cymru a gafodd ei gyhoeddi ddoe, a ddangosodd fod yr effaith fwyaf wedi bod ar y bobl ifanc hŷn, rwy'n credu y byddai ymateb manylach gan y Llywodraeth yn ddefnyddiol nawr. Diolch, Llywydd.
The Welsh Government has put significant funding right across Wales in relation to our mental health services, and, in particular, children's mental health. We have worked very hard to protect young people's mental health, despite the pandemic. You'll be aware that we've developed the mental health toolkit, we've put increased investment into our school counselling services and we've included support where learners aren't in school. So, I think right across not just our schools, but our health boards as well, there is significant funding to ensure that our mental health services—. And I think it is fair to say that there was a backlog in accessing those services, but we've done significant work to address that.
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi rhoi cyllid sylweddol ledled Cymru ar gyfer ein gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl, ac, yn benodol, iechyd meddwl plant. Rydym ni wedi gweithio'n galed iawn i ddiogelu iechyd meddwl pobl ifanc, er gwaethaf y pandemig. Fe fyddwch chi'n ymwybodol ein bod wedi datblygu'r pecyn cymorth iechyd meddwl, rydym wedi buddsoddi mwy yn ein gwasanaethau cwnsela mewn ysgolion ac rydym wedi cynnwys cymorth lle nad yw dysgwyr yn yr ysgol. Felly, rwy'n credu, ar draws nid yn unig ein hysgolion, ond ein byrddau iechyd hefyd, fod cyllid sylweddol i sicrhau bod ein gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl—. Ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn deg dweud bod ôl-groniad o ran gallu manteisio ar y gwasanaethau hynny, ond rydym wedi gwneud gwaith sylweddol i fynd i'r afael â hynny.
Trefnydd, I'd like to bring up the rights of disabled people living in Wales. Earlier this month, the 'Locked out' report, commissioned by your Government, was a wake-up call to many in authority, as it detailed how the pandemic had led to medical discrimination and limited access to public services and social support, along with general weakening of basic human rights for disabled people.
I know the Minister for Social Justice responded to this report with a Cabinet statement, which addressed some of the points raised. I'm keen to see if other recommendations of the report are being considered. This follows a case brought to my attention by constituents, which involved a disabled family attempting to travel to London by train, but not being able to because of a limit on wheelchairs on carriages. Despite pre-booking their tickets well in advance, the family had to split up and travel on separate trains, which is unacceptable. This case resonates with the report's findings that your Government, and I quote:
'needs to address the restrictions on disabled people's mobility as a matter of urgency by increasing funds to enable disabled people to use "safer" and accessible travel.'
Can the Government provide an update as to how public transport is being made equitable for disabled people in our country as part of your response to the 'Locked out' report? Diolch.
Trefnydd, hoffwn i godi hawliau pobl anabl sy'n byw yng Nghymru. Yn gynharach y mis hwn, roedd yr adroddiad 'Drws ar glo', a gafodd ei gomisiynu gan eich Llywodraeth chi, yn ysgytwad i lawer mewn awdurdod, gan ei fod yn manylu ar sut yr oedd y pandemig wedi arwain at wahaniaethu meddygol a chyfleoedd cyfyngedig i fanteisio ar wasanaethau cyhoeddus a chymorth cymdeithasol, ynghyd â gwanhau hawliau dynol sylfaenol i bobl anabl yn gyffredinol.
Gwn fod y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol wedi ymateb i'r adroddiad hwn gyda datganiad gan y Cabinet, a oedd yn ymdrin â rhai o'r pwyntiau a godwyd. Rwy'n awyddus i weld a yw argymhellion eraill yr adroddiad yn cael eu hystyried. Mae hyn yn dilyn achos y mae etholwyr wedi tynnu fy sylw i ato, a oedd yn ymwneud â theulu anabl yn ceisio teithio i Lundain ar y trên, ond heb allu gwneud hynny oherwydd bod cyfyngiad ar nifer y cadeiriau olwyn ar gerbydau. Er gwaethaf archebu eu tocynnau ymhell ymlaen llaw, bu'n rhaid i'r teulu gael eu gwahanu a theithio ar drenau ar wahân, sy'n annerbyniol. Mae'r achos hwn yn cyd-fynd â chanfyddiadau'r adroddiad bod angen i'ch Llywodraeth, ac rwy'n dyfynnu:
'ymdrin â'r cyfyngiadau ar symudedd pobl anabl fel mater o frys drwy gynyddu arian i alluogi pobl anabl i ddefnyddio teithio "mwy diogel" a hygyrch.'
A all y Llywodraeth roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf o ran sut y mae modd gwneud trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn fwy teg i bobl anabl yn ein gwlad ni fel rhan o'ch ymateb chi i'r adroddiad 'Drws ar glo'? Diolch.
Thank you. It's probably a bit premature to bring forward a further statement; as you say, the Minister for Social Justice did bring forward a statement, and, at the current time, I know that she is looking at all the recommendations and the findings in the report. I think there's significant work to be done and I know that she is establishing a taskforce, a Minister-led taskforce, that will include significant representation from disabled people and disability groups to enable her to address those sort of stubborn, deep-rooted inequalities that the report highlighted.
Diolch. Mae'n debyg ei bod braidd yn rhy gynnar i gyflwyno datganiad arall; fel y dywedwch, cyflwynodd y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol ddatganiad ac, ar hyn o bryd, rwy'n gwybod ei bod hi'n ystyried yr holl argymhellion a'r canfyddiadau yn yr adroddiad. Rwy'n credu bod gwaith sylweddol i'w wneud a gwn ei bod hi'n sefydlu tasglu, tasglu dan arweiniad y Gweinidog, a fydd yn cynnwys cynrychiolaeth sylweddol o bobl anabl a grwpiau anabledd i'w galluogi i ymdrin â'r mathau hynny o anghydraddoldebau ystyfnig a dwfn y tynnodd yr adroddiad sylw atynt.
Trefnydd, could we have a statement on universal credit, please, specifically on the UK Government's assessment of the planned withdrawal of the £20 top-up at the end of September? The Tories, it seems, are intent on taking money out of the pockets of those who can least afford it. In Wales, more than 237,000 households were on universal credit in February, and more than 30,000 of those were families in my region.
Across the UK, it's estimated that the uplift has helped over 700,000 people stay above the poverty line, and it does somehow beggar belief that the UK Government would be, yet again, intent on choosing to make low-income households poorer, given all the uncertainty that autumn and winter puts in front of us. So, I really would appreciate an update from Government along that line on behalf of those individuals and those families.
Trefnydd, a gawn ni ddatganiad ynghylch credyd cynhwysol, os gwelwch yn dda, yn benodol ar asesiad Llywodraeth y DU o'r bwriad i dynnu'r swm £20 atodol yn ôl ddiwedd mis Medi? Mae'n debyg bod y Torïaid yn benderfynol o dynnu arian allan o bocedi'r rhai sy'n gallu ei fforddio leiaf. Yng Nghymru, roedd dros 237,000 o aelwydydd ar gredyd cynhwysol ym mis Chwefror, ac roedd dros 30,000 o'r rheini'n deuluoedd yn fy rhanbarth i.
Ledled y DU, yr amcangyfrif yw bod y cynnydd wedi helpu dros 700,000 o bobl i aros yn uwch na'r llinell dlodi, ac mae rywsut yn anghredadwy y byddai Llywodraeth y DU, unwaith eto, yn benderfynol o ddewis gwneud aelwydydd incwm isel yn dlotach, o gofio holl ansicrwydd yr hydref a'r gaeaf o'n blaenau ni. Felly, fe fyddwn i'n gwerthfawrogi cael yr wybodaeth ddiweddaraf gan y Llywodraeth o ran hynny ar ran yr unigolion a'r teuluoedd hynny.
Thank you. We're extremely disappointed that the UK Government has decided to end the additional £20 universal credit weekly payment from the end of September. There's no doubt that it will impact on some of our poorest households in Wales, who are already struggling as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. I thought it was very interesting that six former Secretaries of State signed a letter—Tory Secretaries of State—to the Department for Work and Pensions Secretary of State when she confirmed that the £20 per week universal credit would end at the end of September. What we can do as a Government is continue, along with other organisations, to support our organisations that help people who are, and will be, significantly affected by the UK Government's heartless decision.
Diolch. Rydym ni'n hynod siomedig bod Llywodraeth y DU wedi penderfynu dod â'r taliad wythnosol credyd cynhwysol ychwanegol o £20 i ben o ddiwedd mis Medi. Does dim dwywaith y bydd yn effeithio ar rai o'n cartrefi tlotaf yng Nghymru, sydd eisoes yn cael trafferth o ganlyniad i bandemig COVID-19. Roeddwn i'n credu ei bod yn ddiddorol iawn bod chwe chyn-Ysgrifennydd Gwladol wedi llofnodi llythyr—Ysgrifenyddion Gwladol Torïaidd—at yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Gwaith a Phensiynau pan gadarnhaodd ef y byddai'r £20 credyd cynhwysol wythnosol yn dod i ben ddiwedd mis Medi. Yr hyn y gallwn ni ei wneud fel Llywodraeth yw parhau, ynghyd â sefydliadau eraill, i gefnogi'r sefydliadau sy'n helpu pobl yr effeithir arnyn nhw'n sylweddol gan benderfyniad di-deimlad Llywodraeth y DU.
A gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad ysgrifenedig ar frys ynglŷn ag isadeiledd ffiniau ym mhorthladd Caergybi? Mae yna rannau o'r isadeiledd sy'n gyfrifoldeb i Lywodraeth Cymru a rhannau ohono fo i Lywodraeth Prydain drwy HMRC. Dwi wedi cael llond bol ar ddiffyg tryloywder a chyfathrebu gan HMRC. Rydyn ni'n clywed rŵan eu bod nhw wedi prynu truck stop Roadking, lle mae pobl yn mynd i fod yn colli eu swyddi. Mae o'n adnodd pwysig i'r dref ar hyn o bryd.
Dwi'n aros am eglurhad gan HMRC, ond mae angen clywed beth yn union ydy safbwynt Llywodraeth Cymru ar hyn hefyd. Pa drafodaethau y mae Gweinidogion wedi'u cael efo Llywodraeth Prydain ynglŷn â swyddi—sicrwydd i bobl sy'n gweithio yn Roadking rŵan o ran cael swyddi yn y datblygiad tollau newydd? A fyddan nhw'n cael symud yn syth yno heb doriad yn eu cyflogaeth nhw? Beth fydd yn digwydd i'r lorïau sydd wedi bod yn parcio yn Roadking? Mae o'n adnodd mor bwysig, fel rhan o isadeiledd y porthladd.
Ond hefyd, rŵan, dwi'n clywed o bosib fod Llywodraeth Cymru yn symud y datblygiad yr oeddech chi yn ei baratoi—wedi'i baratoi—ym Mharc Cybi i mewn i ddatblygiad Roadking. Mae cymuned Caergybi a phobl Ynys Môn angen gwybod beth sydd yn digwydd, felly a gawn ni'r datganiad yna ar frys, os gwelwch yn dda?
May I request a written statement as a matter of urgency on borders infrastructure in the port of Holyhead? There are parts of the infrastructure that are the responsibility of the Welsh Government and parts that are the responsibility of the UK Government, through HMRC. I've had enough of the lack of transparency and communication from HMRC. We now hear that they have purchased the Roadking truck stop, where people will be losing their jobs. It's an important resource for the town at the moment.
I'm still waiting for some clarification from HMRC on that, but we need to know exactly what the position of the Welsh Government is on this. What discussions have Ministers had with the UK Government on jobs—assurances for people working in Roadking now, in terms of getting jobs in the new tolls development? Will they be able to move immediately there without a break in their employment? What will happen to the lorries that have been parking in Roadking? It's such an important resource, as part of the port infrastructure.
But also, now, I hear that the Welsh Government is moving the development that you were preparing from Parc Cybi into the Roadking development. The community of Holyhead and the people of Anglesey need to know what is happening, so can we have that statement as a matter of urgency, please?
I'm sure the Member is aware that the Welsh Government was brought very late to the party by the UK Government in relation to the borders infrastructure that is going to be needed, both in Holyhead and, obviously, in south-west Wales. The Minister for Economy is leading on this area, and I know is currently looking at some advice around this. I will ask him to bring forward a written statement when he has more information to share with Members.
Rwy'n siŵr bod yr Aelod yn ymwybodol fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cael ei ddwyn i mewn yn hwyr iawn i'r parti gan Lywodraeth y DU o ran y seilwaith ffiniau y bydd ei angen, yng Nghaergybi ac, yn amlwg, yn y De-orllewin. Mae Gweinidog yr Economi'n arwain ar y maes hwn, ac rwy'n gwybod ei fod yn edrych ar rywfaint o gyngor ar hyn ar hyn o bryd. Fe fyddaf i'n gofyn iddo gyflwyno datganiad ysgrifenedig pan fydd ganddo fwy o wybodaeth i'w rhannu â'r Aelodau.
Finally, Jenny Rathbone.
Yn olaf, Jenny Rathbone.
Thank you very much, Llywydd. Today, I went to collect the boxes of fruit and vegetables in order to deliver them to the local foodbank that I have been delivering to for the last 18 months. I was unable to get anything because of the crisis of supplies that is being experienced at the wholesalers in Cardiff. There simply are not enough fruit and vegetables arriving, which is really, really devastating to me, as I understand just how important it is for everybody to have access to fresh fruit and vegetables.
This is happening at a time when it should be the height of the growing season, when there is a plentiful supply of fruit and vegetables. It would appear that the problem is (a) because of a shortage of pickers to pick up the produce that people are growing—it's just being left in the fields—and (b) a shortage of lorry drivers to actually deliver the produce to the wholesale markets.
Now, the supermarkets obviously get first pick of all of the produce because they are all-powerful, but even in the supermarkets I have noticed empty shelves in places where normally there is an abundant supply of fruit and vegetables. So, this, to me, is a real wake-up call on our food security, at a time when—the disruption to our supplies that is happening as a result of our departure from the European Union. This has never happened to me at the height of the pandemic, so I wonder, Minister—and I appreciate this is in your portfolio—whether we can have a statement on how we are going to manage this situation in the much more difficult months when we are needing to import all of our supplies.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd. Heddiw, es i gasglu'r bocsys o ffrwythau a llysiau i'w dosbarthu i'r banc bwyd lleol yr wyf i wedi bod yn dosbarthu iddo yn ystod y 18 mis diwethaf. Nid oedd modd imi gael unrhyw beth oherwydd yr argyfwng cyflenwadau y mae'r cyfanwerthwyr yng Nghaerdydd yn ei wynebu. Yn syml, nid oes digon o ffrwythau a llysiau'n cyrraedd, sy'n wirioneddol drychinebus i mi, gan fy mod i'n deall pa mor bwysig ydyw i bawb gael ffrwythau a llysiau ffres.
Mae hyn yn digwydd ar adeg anterth y tymor tyfu, pan fo digonedd o ffrwythau a llysiau ar gael. Mae'n ymddangos mai'r broblem yw (a) prinder gweithwyr i gasglu'r cynnyrch y mae pobl yn ei dyfu—mae'n cael ei adael yn y caeau—a (b) prinder gyrwyr lorïau i ddosbarthu'r cynnyrch i'r marchnadoedd cyfanwerthu.
Nawr, mae'n amlwg mai'r archfarchnadoedd sy'n cael y dewis cyntaf o'r holl gynnyrch oherwydd eu bod yn holl-bwerus. Ond hyd yn oed yn yr archfarchnadoedd rwyf wedi sylwi ar silffoedd gwag mewn mannau lle mae cyflenwad helaeth o ffrwythau a llysiau fel arfer. Felly, mae hyn, i mi, yn agoriad llygad gwirioneddol o ran ein diogelwch bwyd, ar adeg pan fo'r—amhariad i'n cyflenwadau yn digwydd o ganlyniad i ni'n gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd. Nid yw hyn erioed wedi digwydd imi ar anterth y pandemig, felly tybed, Gweinidog—ac rwy'n sylweddoli bod hyn yn eich portffolio chi—a gawn ni ddatganiad ar sut yr ydym ni'n mynd i reoli'r sefyllfa hon yn ystod y misoedd llawer mwy anodd pan fydd angen inni fewnforio ein holl gyflenwadau.
Thank you. You will have heard me saying in an earlier answer to Janet Finch-Saunders that we know—we're very aware of a shortage of workers in this area. I do think the situation is most acute in logistics; so, we know we've got a major shortage of heavy goods vehicle drivers, for instance. That's been exacerbated by drivers not being able to take their tests during the pandemic, for instance; we've had workers furloughed and, obviously, I mentioned previously the issue around migrant workers from the EU no longer being able to travel freely and some not choosing to return.
You will have heard me say that I've got a meeting with the supermarkets tomorrow, because that's an area they want to raise with me. So, whilst—. I appreciate what you’re saying about the supermarkets, but they are concerned as well around the lack of HGV drivers, and, once I’ve had further information from them, and once I’ve had the opportunity to have my bilateral with the DEFRA Secretary of State—because, clearly, they hold most of the levers in relation to that—I'll be very happy to do a written statement.
Diolch. Byddwch chi wedi fy nghlywed i'n dweud mewn ateb cynharach i Janet Finch-Saunders ein bod ni'n gwybod—rydym ni'n ymwybodol iawn o brinder gweithwyr yn y maes hwn. Rwy'n credu bod y sefyllfa ar ei mwyaf difrifol o ran logisteg; fe wyddom fod gennym brinder mawr o yrwyr cerbydau nwyddau trwm, er enghraifft. Mae hynny wedi gwaethygu oherwydd gyrwyr yn methu cymryd eu profion yn ystod y pandemig, er enghraifft; rydym wedi cael gweithwyr ar ffyrlo ac, yn amlwg, soniais yn gynharach am y broblem o weithwyr mudol o'r UE yn methu teithio'n rhydd bellach a rhai ohonynt yn dewis peidio â dychwelyd.
Fe fyddwch chi wedi fy nghlywed i'n dweud fy mod yn cael cyfarfod gyda'r archfarchnadoedd yfory, oherwydd mae hwnnw'n faes y maen nhw eisiau ei godi gyda mi. Felly, wrth—. Rwy'n gwerthfawrogi'r hyn yr ydych chi'n ei ddweud o ran yr archfarchnadoedd, ond maen nhw'n pryderu hefyd ynghylch diffyg gyrwyr HGV. Ac yn union ar ôl imi gael rhagor o wybodaeth ganddyn nhw, ac ar ôl imi gael y cyfle i gael fy nghyfarfod dwyochrog gydag Ysgrifennydd Gwladol DEFRA—oherwydd, yn amlwg, mae'r rhan fwyaf o hyn yn eu dwylo nhw, o ran hynny—byddaf i'n hapus iawn i wneud datganiad ysgrifenedig.
Diolch i'r Trefnydd.
Thank you, Trefnydd.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r datganiad gan y Cwnsler Cyffredinol a Gweinidog y Cyfansoddiad ar gonfensiwn ar ein dyfodol cyfansoddiadol, a dwi'n galw ar y Gweinidog i wneud ei ddatganiad—Mick Antoniw.
The next item is the statement by the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution on a convention on our constitutional future, and I call on the Minister to make his statement—Mick Antoniw.
Diolch, Llywydd. In May, we secured a mandate from the Welsh people to deliver our manifesto, committed to creating a stronger, greener and a fairer Wales. In our programme for government we have outlined our plans for tackling the ongoing challenges presented by the pandemic, our departure from the European Union, and the climate change emergency. Our immediate priority is recovery, and, to that end, supporting our health service, our schools and our economy—all so essential for the well-being of our people.
What is also clear from the election result is the support for our manifesto for change and an acknowledgment of the need to reform and improve our constitutional relationship with the UK Government and the other nations of the UK. So, let’s be clear from the outset: reform is needed to enable us to deliver our commitments to support our public services, develop a prosperous economy, and tackle poverty and inequality to their fullest. To deliver policies that make a difference to the lives of people in Wales, we must have a comprehensive set of tools to do the job.
The last few years have exposed the deficiencies of our current settlement, as well as increasing tensions in the wider constitutional landscape of the United Kingdom. We have consistently iterated our support for a union and for a union that must change. We continue to lead the debate in Wales and doing so with practical proposals for positive change, most recently in the second edition of ‘Reforming our Union: Shared Governance in the UK’.
Llywydd, in our manifesto we promised to establish a commission to consider the constitutional future of Wales, and today I want to set out how we intend to deliver on that promise. Given the direct impact our governance arrangements have on the people's lives we want to see the commission leading engagement with the public to raise awareness and to help build a wider public consensus. We want the commission to ascertain people's views on those issues that are most important to them in the way the constitution operates and the implications for the services that they value. And we want the commission to build a consensus with civic society on how we reform the constitution of the United Kingdom to build a stronger Wales and a stronger but fairer and more equal partnership.
The commission will be inclusive and it will reach beyond Wales to other nations, regions and communities of the United Kingdom to consider how we can build a better constitutional partnership. We expect the commission to be outward facing and to engage with civic society and the public as widely as possible, for a genuinely national conversation about the future of Wales. In particular we want the commission to reach out to those who might otherwise not come forward to participate in such a debate, to those people and communities who are largely disengaged from politics, or rather who have become sceptical about its relevance to their lives and to that of their families and its ability to make a difference.
We will establish a commission of citizens. They will be people who will represent the diversity of our society and communities, and it will include those with the skills and abilities that come from real-life experiences enabling them to reach out and engage. Their task will be to seek to identify and build consensus about our values and the sort of Wales that we want to be.
We will encourage the commission to think about how its work can support the seven well-being goals, as set out in the well-being of future generations Act, and to operate in a way that is consistent with the five ways of working the Act sets out.
We will encourage the commission to identify and learn from the best examples of citizen engagement and to be innovative in the way in which it approaches its task. It must be a people’s commission, engaged in a people’s conversation, with genuine grass-roots engagement, and how we achieve that will be our biggest challenge. We will need to develop a new language of engagement, one that avoids the language of politics and constitutions that we are so used to, a language that talks about the things that are directly relevant to people's lives. But to do this, we know that the work of the commission must be informed by robust evidence and analysis.
In addition to a traditional call for evidence and engagement with academics, we also intend to establish a panel of experts alongside the commission. They will undertake research and analysis from which the commission can develop ideas and recommendations. We envisage the panel comprising of established expertise from within and outside Wales. They will provide the expertise and the hard data and information, which, we hope, will free up more of the commissioners' time to focus on the big conversation we want to initiate.
Key to ensuring the commission's success will be its composition. It must be capable and independent. It must be as representative as possible of the society with which it will engage. This will include representation from a breadth of political and civic backgrounds. It must also be able to demonstrate expertise, and its members must represent all ages and be drawn from the widest possible range of sectors in civic society: public, private, third sector, civic and grass-roots organisations and social partners.
The role of the chair or co-chairs will be key and will need to provide leadership in its outward-facing role as well as building a consensus within the commission. Over the summer, we will be considering the issues in further detail and discussing the commission further with all the parties represented in the Senedd, and I intend to update you further in the autumn at the earliest opportunity. Diolch, Llywydd.
Diolch, Llywydd. Ym mis Mai, fe wnaethom ni ennill mandad gan bobl Cymru i gyflawni ein maniffesto ni, a oedd wedi ymrwymo i greu Cymru gryfach, wyrddach a thecach. Yn ein rhaglen lywodraethu, rydym wedi amlinellu ein cynlluniau i fynd i'r afael â heriau parhaus y pandemig, ein hymadawiad ni â'r Undeb Ewropeaidd, ac argyfwng newid hinsawdd. Ein blaenoriaeth gyntaf ni yw adferiad a chefnogi ein gwasanaeth iechyd, ein hysgolion a'n heconomi i wneud hynny—y cyfan mor hanfodol i lesiant ein pobl ni.
Yr hyn sy'n amlwg hefyd, o ganlyniad yr etholiad, yw'r gefnogaeth i'n maniffesto ni ar gyfer newid a chydnabyddiaeth o'r angen i ddiwygio a gwella ein perthynas gyfansoddiadol ni â Llywodraeth y DU a chenhedloedd eraill y DU. Felly, gadewch inni ddweud yn eglur o'r cychwyn cyntaf: mae angen diwygio er mwyn ein galluogi ni i gyflawni ein hymrwymiadau i gefnogi ein gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, datblygu economi ffyniannus, a mynd i'r afael â thlodi ac anghydraddoldeb hyd eithaf ein gallu. I gyflawni polisïau sy'n gwneud gwahaniaeth i fywydau pobl yng Nghymru, mae'n rhaid cael cyfres gynhwysfawr o ddulliau i wneud y gwaith.
Mae'r blynyddoedd diwethaf wedi amlygu diffygion ein setliad presennol, yn ogystal â thensiynau cynyddol o ran gwedd gyfansoddiadol ehangach y Deyrnas Unedig. Rydym wedi edrych ar ein cefnogaeth ni i Deyrnas Unedig a Theyrnas Unedig y mae'n rhaid iddi newid. Rydym yn parhau i arwain y ddadl yng Nghymru ac yn gwneud hynny gyda chynigion ymarferol ar gyfer newid cadarnhaol, yn fwyaf diweddar yn yr ail argraffiad o 'Diwygio ein Hundeb: Cyd-lywodraethu yn y DU'.
Llywydd, yn ein maniffesto, fe wnaethom ni addo sefydlu comisiwn i ystyried dyfodol cyfansoddiadol Cymru, ac fe fyddaf i'n nodi heddiw sut yr ydym ni'n bwriadu cyflawni'r addewid honno. O ystyried effaith uniongyrchol ein trefniadau llywodraethu ni ar fywydau pobl, rydym yn awyddus i weld y comisiwn yn arwain ymgysylltiad â'r cyhoedd i godi ymwybyddiaeth a helpu i greu cytundeb cyhoeddus ehangach. Rydym yn awyddus i'r comisiwn ganfod barn pobl ar y materion hynny sydd fwyaf pwysig yn eu golwg nhw o ran y ffordd y mae'r cyfansoddiad yn gweithio a goblygiadau hynny i'r gwasanaethau y maen nhw'n eu gwerthfawrogi. Ac rydym yn dymuno i'r comisiwn lunio cytundeb gyda chymdeithas ddinesig ynglŷn â sut rydym ni am ddiwygio cyfansoddiad y Deyrnas Unedig i adeiladu Cymru sy'n gryfach a phartneriaeth sy'n gryfach ond yn fwy teg a chyfartal.
Fe fydd y comisiwn yn gynhwysol ac fe fydd yn ymestyn y tu hwnt i Gymru hyd at wledydd, rhanbarthau a chymunedau eraill y Deyrnas Unedig i ystyried sut y gallwn ni adeiladu partneriaeth gyfansoddiadol sy'n well. Rydym yn disgwyl i'r comisiwn fod yn wynebu tuag allan ac yn ymgysylltu â chymdeithas ddinesig a'r cyhoedd mor eang â phosibl, ar gyfer cynnal sgwrs wirioneddol genedlaethol am ddyfodol Cymru. Yn benodol, rydym yn dymuno i'r comisiwn estyn allan at y rhai na fydden nhw fel arall yn barod i gymryd rhan mewn dadl o'r fath, at y bobl a'r cymunedau hynny sydd wedi ymddieithrio oddi wrth wleidyddiaeth i raddau helaeth iawn, neu sydd wedi mynd yn amheus, yn hytrach, ynglŷn â'i pherthnasedd i'w bywydau nhw a bywydau eu teuluoedd nhw a'i gallu i wneud gwahaniaeth.
Byddwn yn sefydlu comisiwn o ddinasyddion. Byddai'r rhain yn bobl i gynrychioli'r amrywiaeth yn ein cymdeithas a'n cymunedau ni, ac yn cynnwys rhai sydd â'r sgiliau a'r galluoedd sy'n deillio o brofiadau gwirioneddol bywyd a fydd yn eu galluogi nhw i estyn allan ac ymgysylltu ag eraill. Eu tasg fydd ceisio nodi a meithrin cytundeb ynglŷn â'n gwerthoedd ni a'r Gymru yr hoffem ei gweld.
Fe fyddwn ni'n annog y comisiwn i ystyried sut y gall ei waith gefnogi'r saith nod llesiant, a nodir yn Neddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol, a gweithredu mewn ffordd sy'n gyson â'r pum ffordd o weithio a nodir yn y Ddeddf.
Fe fyddwn ni'n annog y comisiwn i nodi a dysgu o'r enghreifftiau gorau o ymgysylltu â dinasyddion a bod yn arloesol yn y ffordd y mae'n ymdrin â'i dasg. Mae'n rhaid iddo fod yn gomisiwn i'r bobl, gan gymryd rhan mewn sgwrs gyda phobl, gydag ymgysylltiad gwirioneddol ar lawr gwlad, a'r ffordd y byddwn ni'n cyflawni hynny fydd ein her fwyaf ni. Fe fydd angen inni ddatblygu ieithwedd newydd o ran ymgysylltu, un sy'n osgoi iaith gwleidyddiaeth a chyfansoddiadau yr ydym ni mor gyfarwydd â hi, ieithwedd sy'n ymdrin â'r pethau sy'n berthnasol i fywydau pobl yn uniongyrchol. Ond i wneud hyn, fe wyddom fod yn rhaid i waith y comisiwn gael ei lywio gan dystiolaeth a dadansoddiad cadarn.
Yn ogystal â'n galwad ni am dystiolaeth ac ymgysylltiad ag academyddion yn ôl ein harfer, rydym ni'n bwriadu sefydlu panel o arbenigwyr yn gyfochrog â'r comisiwn. Fe fydd y panel hwn yn ymgymryd ag ymchwil a dadansoddiadau y gall y comisiwn ddatblygu syniadau ac argymhellion ohonynt. Rydym yn rhagweld y bydd y panel yn cynnwys arbenigedd sefydledig o Gymru a thu hwnt. Fe fydd yn cynnig arbenigedd a data cadarn a gwybodaeth a fydd, rwy'n gobeithio, yn rhyddhau mwy o amser i'r comisiynwyr ar gyfer canolbwyntio ar y sgwrs fawr yr ydym ni'n awyddus i'w chychwyn.
Yr allwedd i sicrhau llwyddiant y comisiwn fydd ei gyfansoddiad. Fe fydd yn rhaid iddo fod yn fedrus ac yn annibynnol. Fe fydd yn rhaid iddo gynrychioli'r gymdeithas y bydd yn ymgysylltu â hi i'r graddau mwyaf posibl. Fe fydd hyn yn cynnwys cynrychiolaeth o amrywiaeth o gefndiroedd gwleidyddol a dinesig. Fe fydd yn rhaid iddo allu dangos ei arbenigedd hefyd, a bydd yn rhaid i'w aelodau gynrychioli pob oedran a'u tynnu o'r ystod ehangaf bosibl o sectorau mewn cymdeithas ddinesig: sefydliadau cyhoeddus, preifat, trydydd sector, dinesig a llawr gwlad yn ogystal â phartneriaid cymdeithasol.
Fe fydd swyddogaeth y cadeirydd neu'r cyd-gadeiryddion yn allweddol ac fe fydd angen iddi roi arweiniad wrth weithio tuag allan yn ogystal â meithrin cytundeb o fewn y comisiwn. Dros yr haf, fe fyddwn ni'n ystyried y materion yn fanylach ac yn cael trafodaeth bellach am y comisiwn gyda'r holl bleidiau a gynrychiolir yn y Senedd, ac rwy'n bwriadu rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf ichi yn ystod tymor yr hydref, a hynny cyn gynted â phosibl. Diolch, Llywydd.
Can I say that I welcome the fact that you've made this statement to the Chamber today rather than to the media first? I think that some of your colleagues have a lot to learn from you, Minister.
As we've said in the past, we don't believe that there's a public appetite for this to be a priority at the moment, but we accept that the Welsh Government has different views, and that's why you've brought this particular statement forward. We do think that all of the energy of the Welsh Government should be focused on other priorities, such as getting to grips with the economic recovery, making sure that our NHS is able to cope with the backlog that it now has as a result of the pandemic, and, indeed, helping our schools and education system to recover from COVID as well. But, given that you've made this statement, I would just ask a number of questions today about it. First of all, you've said that
'from the outset: reform is needed to enable us to deliver our commitments to support our public services, develop a prosperous economy, and tackle poverty and inequality',
yet the reality is that the reason that we haven't tackled poverty, the reason that our economy isn't more prosperous, the reason that our public services aren't as good as they ought to be, is nothing to do with this Senedd not having the powers that it needs; it's because we have a failing Welsh Labour Government that's failed to address these particular issues over the decades.
Now, you've talked about the importance of this commission going forward. Can you give us a timetable by which you expect its work to be completed? You made a long list of individual organisations and other stakeholders that you want to participate in the commission. How big is this thing going to be? How much is it going to cost? Are these positions going to be paid positions? You know, how long is a piece of string? I do think that if you have a significant size to the commission, then it is going to potentially be far too large, far too unwieldy to be able to deliver any reasonable outcomes.
You've mentioned having a chair or possibly co-chairs. I don't know what the arrangements are that you might envisage co-chairs being able to look at the work and co-ordinate the work of this particular commission, but is that a chair and co-chair for both the expert panel and the commission? You've said you want a commission that has expertise, and yet you're setting up an expert panel alongside it. Will that be competing with it in terms of the expertise that you expect this commission to have? What do you think the output of this commission is going to be? I'm assuming you're looking for a list of recommendations for the Government to consider, or is that for this Senedd to consider as a whole?
Will this commission, importantly, not just look at the constitutional arrangements across the whole of the UK, but will it look at the devolution and constitutional arrangements in Wales? Will it look at the clamour in our local authorities and our regions of Wales for more responsibilities to be devolved to them—to north Wales, to west Wales, to Swansea and the Swansea city area, as Mike Hedges reminds us on a regular basis? I do think that these are things that the commission should not be fettered looking at, and I do think that there is an appetite for those things to be considered, and, indeed, if they are, I think that would be a very useful conversation for us to be having.
What sort of questions are you asking the commission to consider? You must have an idea of these already. You've obviously already set out the Welsh Government's stall in your 'Reforming our Union' paper. Is this commission simply going to look at your paper and determine whether those things are sensible or not, or will it really have the free range that I believe any commission needs to be able to have if it's going to be able to do something useful that cannot be done in other ways?
I'll stop there because I've asked many, many questions, Llywydd. But I do welcome the fact that you've made a commitment also to engaging with all political parties on this, and we look forward to being able to contribute in a meaningful way to the development of the commission and the important work that you want it to do going forward.
A gaf i ddweud fy mod i'n croesawu'r ffaith eich bod chi wedi gwneud y datganiad hwn i'r Siambr heddiw yn hytrach nag i'r cyfryngau yn gyntaf? Rwyf i o'r farn y gallai rhai o'ch cyd-Aelodau ddysgu llawer oddi wrthych, Gweinidog.
Fel rydym wedi dweud yn y gorffennol, nid ydym o'r farn fod yna unrhyw awydd ymhlith y cyhoedd i hon fod yn flaenoriaeth ar hyn o bryd, ond rydym ni'n derbyn bod gan Lywodraeth Cymru wahanol safbwyntiau, a dyna pam rydych chi wedi cyflwyno'r datganiad arbennig hwn. Rydym ni'n credu y dylai holl egni Llywodraeth Cymru ganolbwyntio ar flaenoriaethau eraill, fel mynd i'r afael ag adferiad economaidd, a sicrhau bod ein GIG yn gallu ymdopi â'r gwaith sydd wedi pentyrru ar hyn o bryd o ganlyniad i'r pandemig ac, yn wir, ar helpu ein hysgolion ni a'n system addysg ni i gael adferiad o COVID hefyd. Ond, o ystyried eich bod chi wedi gwneud y datganiad hwn, rwyf am ofyn nifer o gwestiynau heddiw. Yn gyntaf oll, roeddech chi'n dweud,
'O'r cychwyn cyntaf: mae angen diwygio er mwyn ein galluogi ni i gyflawni ein hymrwymiadau i gefnogi ein gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, datblygu economi ffyniannus, a mynd i'r afael â thlodi ac anghydraddoldeb'.
Ac eto, y gwir amdani yw nad ydym wedi mynd i'r afael â thlodi, nad yw ein heconomi ni'n ffynnu mwy, nad yw ein gwasanaethau cyhoeddus ni gystal ag y dylen nhw fod, ond nid oes a wnelo hynny ddim â'r ffaith nad oes gan y Senedd hon y pwerau sydd eu hangen; ond oherwydd bod gennym ni Lywodraeth Lafur yng Nghymru sydd wedi methu â mynd i'r afael â'r materion penodol hyn dros y degawdau.
Nawr, rydych chi wedi sôn am bwysigrwydd y comisiwn hwn wrth symud ymlaen. A wnewch chi roi amserlen inni ar gyfer cwblhau ei waith? Fe gawsom restr faith gennych chi o sefydliadau unigol a rhanddeiliaid eraill yr ydych chi'n dymuno iddyn nhw fod â rhan yn y comisiwn. Beth fydd maint hwn? Faint fydd yn ei gostio? A fydd y swyddi hyn yn swyddi â thâl? Pa mor hir yw darn o linyn? Rwyf i o'r farn pe byddai'r comisiwn o faint sylweddol, fe fydd yn llawer rhy fawr ac yn llawer rhy anhylaw i allu cyflawni unrhyw ganlyniadau rhesymol.
Rydych chi wedi sôn am gael cadeirydd neu gyd-gadeiryddion o bosibl. Nid wyf i'n gwybod dim am y trefniadau y gallech chi eu rhagweld ynglŷn â gallu'r cadeiryddion i edrych ar y gwaith a chydlynu gwaith y comisiwn arbennig hwn, ond a yw hynny'n golygu cadeirydd a chyd-gadeirydd i'r panel arbenigol ac i'r comisiwn? Roeddech chi'n dweud eich bod chi'n dymuno cael comisiwn ag arbenigedd ganddo, ac eto rydych chi'n sefydlu panel arbenigol yn gyfochrog. A fydd hwnnw'n cystadlu ag ef o ran yr arbenigedd yr ydych chi'n disgwyl i'r comisiwn hwn ei gael? Yn eich barn chi, beth fydd allbwn y comisiwn hwn? Rwy'n cymryd yn ganiataol eich bod chi'n chwilio am restr o argymhellion i'r Llywodraeth eu hystyried, neu ai gwaith i'r Senedd hon fydd eu hystyried nhw yn eu cyfanrwydd?
Yn bwysig iawn, a fydd y comisiwn hwn yn edrych nid yn unig ar y trefniadau cyfansoddiadol ledled y DU gyfan, ond a fydd yn edrych ar y trefniadau datganoli a chyfansoddiadol yng Nghymru hefyd? A fydd yn rhoi ystyriaeth i'r galw yn ein hawdurdodau lleol ni a'n rhanbarthau ni yng Nghymru i weld datganoli mwy o gyfrifoldebau iddyn nhw—i'r gogledd, i'r gorllewin, i Abertawe ac ardal dinas Abertawe, fel mae Mike Hedges yn ein hatgoffa ni'n rheolaidd? Rwy'n credu bod y pethau hyn yn rhai na ddylid rhwystro'r comisiwn rhag eu hystyried, ac rwy'n credu fod yna awydd i ystyried y pethau hynny, ac, yn wir, os gwneir hynny, credaf y byddai honno'n sgwrs ddefnyddiol iawn i ni ei chael.
Pa fath o gwestiynau y byddwch chi'n gofyn i'r comisiwn eu hystyried? Mae'n rhaid bod gennych chi ryw syniad eisoes sut rai fyddan nhw. Mae'n amlwg eich bod chi wedi gosod stondin Llywodraeth Cymru eisoes yn eich papur, 'Diwygio ein Hundeb'. A fydd y comisiwn hwn yn edrych ar eich papur ac yn penderfynu a yw'r pethau hynny'n synhwyrol neu beidio, neu a fydd ganddo'r rhyddid yr wyf i'n credu y bydd ei angen ar unrhyw gomisiwn i allu gwneud rhywbeth defnyddiol na ellir ei wneud mewn ffyrdd eraill?
Rwyf am dawelu nawr am fy mod i wedi gofyn llawer o gwestiynau, Llywydd. Ond rwy'n croesawu'r ffaith eich bod chi wedi ymrwymo i ymgysylltu â phob plaid wleidyddol ynglŷn â hyn hefyd, ac rydym ni'n edrych ymlaen at allu cyfrannu mewn ffordd ystyrlon at ddatblygiad y comisiwn a'r gwaith pwysig yr ydych chi'n awyddus iddo ei wneud wrth symud ymlaen.
Well, can I thank Darren Millar for the very positive and the very constructive statement he's made, and a lot of very valid questions that have been asked? The issue of reform and the delivery of services, which is an issue that frequently gets raised within this Chamber, is one where I think it is well recognised now that there are levers that we just don't have in order to actually fulfil some of the policies that we are actually elected upon. We've argued for a long time, for example, in justice areas—a whole range of areas that are within our responsibility where, for example, key levers just aren't with us. We look at the areas of youth justice, of probation and family. Those things would just so naturally fall within one umbrella where some of the levers are with us, but some of the key ones aren't. And there is a logic to further progress within those areas.
We've also looked at the area of the police on many occasions, and, of course, not only do we make a substantial financial contribution towards the cost of the police, and in addition towards community support officers—who, let us not forget, came in because of the reductions in police numbers, so we had to take that step—but when you discuss things like community safety and you realise that you don't have some of the key levers to engage with the police and in terms of the planning and the direction of community policing, then clearly there are real issues in terms of those particular levers.
There are also key levers in respect of funding that have an impact. We have lost substantial amounts of money in funding by virtue of our leaving the European Union, and that money not being replaced and coming back to this place, where it would fund a comprehensive programme of implementation in terms of our public policy objectives. So, clearly there are issues there that are very important, and are among some of the many issues that would be the substance of what we would want to see the commission discussing.
In terms of the timescale, I have delivered several lectures so far to talk about the general concept of the commission, and it seems to me that one of the objectives of the commission would be to try and complete work within about 18 to 24 months, but also to make a recommendation in terms of the establishment of a longer standing constitutional commission. Because, really, if they're going to come forward with a series of important recommendations and proposals, if they're able to build a consensus around key areas that could make governance within Wales better, then we need to have those carried through beyond that period of time. But the sort of citizens' commission that we're talking about at the moment would not be that particular body.
And, in terms of co-chairs, well, whether it's a chair and a vice-chair to support, or co-chairs, those are options that are there to consider how the responsibility of leading such a commission might be shared, how it might be shared with better gender balance and so on.
In terms of the issue of governance and devolution within Wales itself, I think one of the things it would want to look at certainly would be governance, not just in terms of this place, but in terms of local government, the decentralisation of policy, how governance might be better, brought closer to the people, more effective and so on. So, I think all those issues are issues I raised not so long ago within questions when I was asked about this as well.
And, in terms of an expert panel, well, of course, in considering options, it is necessary also to look at the hard data to actually form a proper evaluation to test and to probe some of the ideas that may be coming forward, some of the things that people might suggest. So, I think that is important.
In terms of the actual terms of reference, those are things I think that when we're able to identify a chair and vice-chair or co-chairs, and begin work in terms of drawing up a list of people that might be appropriate for the commission, that we will want to engage with those people in order to identify and develop what would be the sorts of terms of reference and what would be the mechanisms whereby the commission could go forward. So, as I said, the biggest challenge is going to be how we actually develop an engagement programme and how we actually put together a commission that is as diverse and representative as possible.
The Member asked what size; the size isn't absolutely fixed. I suspect it's going to be a commission of around nine to 11 people, so there are going to be obviously difficult choices. That is not an absolute, but that would seem to me to be the sort of operational structure that we would want to see established.
In terms of the conversation itself, well, you can't go out to the people of Wales and say, 'We're going to have a conversation about the future of Wales, the governance of Wales, the values of Wales' and to try and predetermine the parameters within which that can take place—that is in terms of excluding views that people would want to make. Because if you engage with people, they will come up with a whole variety of views, maybe things we've never thought of, but it is important that it is inclusive and that it is an open conversation, that it is a genuine conversation as well.
Wel, a gaf i ddiolch i Darren Millar am y datganiad cadarnhaol iawn ac adeiladol iawn a wnaeth ef, a'r llawer iawn o gwestiynau dilys iawn a ofynnwyd ganddo? Mae diwygio a darparu gwasanaethau, sy'n fater a gaiff ei godi yn y Siambr hon yn aml, yn un yr wyf i o'r farn fod yna gydnabyddiaeth eang nad yw'r ysgogiadau gennym i gyflawni rhai o'r polisïau y cawsom ein hethol i'w cyflawni mewn gwirionedd. Rydym wedi dadlau ers tro byd, er enghraifft, ym meysydd cyfiawnder—ystod eang o feysydd sydd o fewn ein cyfrifoldeb ni lle, er enghraifft, nad yw'r ysgogiadau allweddol gennym ni. Rydym ni'n ystyried meysydd cyfiawnder ieuenctid, y gwasanaeth prawf a'r teulu. Fe fyddai mor naturiol gweld y pethau hynny'n dod o dan yr un ymbarél lle mae rhai o'r ysgogiadau gyda ni, ond nid rhai o'r rhai allweddol. Ac mae cynnydd pellach yn y meysydd hynny'n ddigon rhesymol.
Rydym ni wedi edrych droeon hefyd ar faes yr heddlu. Ac, wrth gwrs, nid yn unig yr ydym yn gwneud cyfraniad ariannol sylweddol tuag at gost yr heddlu, a hefyd tuag at gost swyddogion cymorth cymunedol—a ddaeth i mewn, peidiwch ag anghofio, oherwydd y gostyngiadau yn niferoedd yr heddlu, felly bu'n rhaid inni gymryd y cam hwnnw—ond pan fyddwch chi'n trafod pethau fel diogelwch cymunedol a'ch bod chi'n sylweddoli nad yw rhai o'r ysgogiadau allweddol gennych chi i ymgysylltu â'r heddlu ac o ran cynllunio a chyfeiriad plismona cymunedol, yna mae'n amlwg fod yna broblemau gwirioneddol o ran yr ysgogiadau penodol hynny.
Fe geir ysgogiadau allweddol hefyd o ran cyllid sy'n cael effaith. Rydym wedi colli symiau sylweddol o arian o ran cyllid yn sgil ein hymadawiad ni â'r Undeb Ewropeaidd, ac ni ddaeth arian yn ei le yn ôl i'r fan hon, lle byddai'n ariannu rhaglen weithredu gynhwysfawr o ran ein hamcanion polisi cyhoeddus ni. Felly, mae'n amlwg fod yna faterion sy'n bwysig iawn, ac sydd ymhlith y materion niferus a fyddai'n llunio sylwedd yr hyn y byddem ni'n awyddus i'r comisiwn ei drafod.
O ran yr amserlen, rwyf wedi cyflwyno nifer o ddarlithoedd hyd yma i sôn am gysyniad cyffredinol y comisiwn, ac mae'n ymddangos i mi mai un o amcanion y comisiwn fyddai ceisio cwblhau'r gwaith o fewn tua 18 i 24 mis, ond i wneud argymhelliad hefyd o ran sefydlu comisiwn cyfansoddiadol hir sefydlog. Oherwydd, mewn gwirionedd, os ydyn nhw am gyflwyno cyfres o argymhellion a chynigion pwysig, os ydyn nhw am greu consensws ynghylch meysydd allweddol a allai sicrhau llywodraethu gwell yng Nghymru, yna mae angen dwyn y pethau hynny ymlaen y tu hwnt i'r cyfnod hwnnw. Ond nid y math o gomisiwn dinasyddion yr ydym ni'n sôn amdano ar hyn o bryd fyddai'r corff penodol hwnnw.
Ac, o ran cyd-gadeiryddion, wel, boed hynny'n gadeirydd ac is-gadeirydd i gefnogi, neu'n gyd-gadeiryddion, mae'r rhain yn ddewisiadau sydd ar gael i ystyried sut y gellid rhannu'r cyfrifoldeb o arwain comisiwn o'r fath, a sut y gellid rhannu cyfrifoldebau gyda gwell cydbwysedd rhwng y rhywiau ac yn y blaen.
O ran llywodraethu a datganoli yng Nghymru ei hun, credaf mai un o'r pethau y byddai am edrych arno fyddai llywodraethu, yn sicr, nid yn unig o ran gwaith y fan hon, ond o ran llywodraeth leol, datganoli polisi, a sut y gallai llywodraethu fod yn well, gan fod yn agosach at y bobl, a bod yn fwy effeithiol ac yn y blaen. Felly, rwy'n credu bod yr holl faterion hynny'n faterion a godais i ychydig yn ôl mewn cwestiynau pan ofynnwyd imi am hyn hefyd.
Ac, o ran panel o arbenigwyr, wel, wrth gwrs, wrth ystyried dewisiadau, mae angen edrych ar y data caled hefyd i lunio gwerthusiad priodol i brofi ac ymchwilio i rai o'r syniadau a all gael eu cyflwyno, rhai o'r pethau y gallai pobl eu hawgrymu. Felly, rwy'n credu bod hynny'n bwysig.
O ran y cylch gorchwyl gwirioneddol, yn fy marn i, pan fyddwn ni'n gallu canfod cadeirydd ac is-gadeirydd neu gyd-gadeiryddion, ac yn dechrau ar y gwaith o lunio rhestr o bobl a allai fod yn addas i'r comisiwn, yna fe fyddwn ni'n awyddus i ymgysylltu â'r bobl hynny i nodi a datblygu beth fyddai'r math o gylch gorchwyl a beth fyddai'r mecanweithiau i ganiatáu i'r comisiwn wneud ei waith. Felly, fel y dywedais, yr her fwyaf mewn gwirionedd fydd sut y byddwn ni'n datblygu rhaglen ymgysylltu a sut y byddwn ni'n ffurfio comisiwn sydd mor amrywiol a chynrychioliadol â phosibl.
Fe ofynnodd yr Aelod am ei faint; nid yw ei faint wedi ei bennu'n gyfan gwbl. Rwy'n amau y bydd hwn yn gomisiwn o tua naw i 11 o bobl, felly fe fydd yna ddewisiadau anodd, yn amlwg. Nid yw hwnnw'n rhif absoliwt, ond mae'n ymddangos i mi mai dyna'r math o strwythur gweithredol y byddem ni'n dymuno ei weld yn cael ei sefydlu.
O ran y sgwrs ei hunan, wel, ni allwch fynd at bobl Cymru a dweud, 'Rydym yn mynd i gael trafodaeth am ddyfodol Cymru, llywodraethu Cymru, gwerthoedd Cymru' a cheisio pennu'r paramedrau ar gyfer cyflawni hynny—hynny yw, o ran eithrio safbwyntiau y byddai pobl yn awyddus i'w mynegi. Oherwydd os ydych yn mynd i ymgysylltu â phobl, fe fyddan nhw'n cynnig amrywiaeth eang o safbwyntiau, a phethau nad ydym ni erioed wedi meddwl amdanynt efallai, ond mae'n bwysig ei bod yn gynhwysol a'i bod yn sgwrs agored, ac yn sgwrs ddilys hefyd.
Diolch yn fawr ichi, Cwnsler Cyffredinol, am eich datganiad, a diolch yn fawr hefyd i Mr Millar am ei gydnabyddiaeth y bydd ei blaid e'n fodlon cydweithio â'r confensiwn yma. Cwnsler Cyffredinol, fel cyd-gyfreithiwr, dwi'n croesawu'r confensiwn yma, dwi'n croesawu'r cyfle i drafod materion cyfansoddiadol, ond dim rhywbeth i'r nerds cyfreithiol ddylai hyn fod. Mae eisiau iddo fe gynnwys, fel rydych chi'n dweud, holl bobl Cymru, o wahanol gefndiroedd a gwahanol ddiwylliannau. Dwi'n cytuno â chi, honna sy'n mynd i fod y broblem fwyaf ichi. Nid gwaith un plaid, nid gwaith un carfan yw creu y Gymru newydd a'r Gymru radical rydym ni ei hangen.
Thank you, Counsel General, for your statement, and I thank Mr Millar also for the acknowledgement that his party will be willing to collaborate with this convention. Now, Counsel General, as a fellow lawyer, I welcome this convention and the opportunity to discuss constitutional issues, but this shouldn't just be for legal nerds. It needs, as you said, to include all of the people of Wales, from different backgrounds and cultures. I agree with that, and that might be the biggest problem for you. It's not just the job of one party or faction to create the new and radical Wales that we need.
Rather, it should be the work of the entire nation, including the Tories, all of its people, all of its perspectives, working together. A convention can start the work of creating a truly new Welsh democracy, something we really need. It can't be another talking shop for the old guard to maintain the status quo.
Independence, therefore, has to be part of the mix of options considered. The increase in the support for independence cannot be brushed aside as being rejected by simplistic comments that it was rejected at the ballot box. It wasn't, and in any event, as you mention, Counsel General, there was a substantial endorsement for further powers from Westminster to Wales in the election, whatever some on the Conservative chairs might claim.
Plaid Cymru, in the past, has called for a citizens' assembly to establish, to discuss constitutional matters and also the climate emergency. I'm glad that your statement mentions that you're going to look at that and look at other, previous experiences. There have been some fantastic examples of good citizens' assemblies. Experiences in Ireland have demonstrated that they've been able to discuss historic, complex matters in a way that creates a shared understanding and common ground. And the Member for Blaenau Gwent will be pleased that I mention the example of the climate assembly there in Blaenau Gwent: a successful citizens' assembly organised by the Electoral Reform Society as a way to build consensus on how we can improve Welsh society for a way forward with regard to the climate emergency. Learning from such examples, foreign examples and also examples here in Wales, is crucial as we begin our next step in the devolution journey: a thoughtful and hopeful discussion with the people of Wales about the future of our nation.
Yn hytrach, dylai hyn fod yn waith y genedl gyfan, gan gynnwys y Torïaid, ei holl bobl, ei safbwyntiau i gyd, yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd. Fe all confensiwn ddechrau'r gwaith o greu democratiaeth wirioneddol newydd i Gymru, rhywbeth y mae ei angen arnom yn fawr. Ni all hon fod yn siop siarad arall i'r henuriaid gynnal y status quo.
Felly, mae'n rhaid i annibyniaeth fod yn rhan o'r gymysgedd o ddewisiadau a gaiff eu hystyried. Ni ellir ysgubo o'r neilltu y cynnydd yn y gefnogaeth i annibyniaeth fel rhywbeth a wrthodwyd yn ôl y sylwadau syml bod hynny wedi cael ei wrthod yn y blwch pleidleisio. Ni chafodd annibyniaeth ei gwrthod, a beth bynnag, fel y soniwch, Cwnsler Cyffredinol, roedd yna gefnogaeth sylweddol i drosglwyddo rhagor o bwerau o San Steffan i Gymru yn yr etholiad, beth bynnag a honnir gan rai ar feinciau'r Ceidwadwyr.
Mae Plaid Cymru, yn y gorffennol, wedi galw am sefydlu cynulliad dinasyddion, i drafod materion cyfansoddiadol a'r argyfwng hinsawdd hefyd. Rwy'n falch bod eich datganiad chi'n crybwyll eich bod yn bwriadu edrych ar hynny ac edrych ar brofiadau blaenorol eraill. Fe gafwyd rhai enghreifftiau ardderchog o gynulliadau dinasyddion effeithiol. Mae'r profiadau yn Iwerddon wedi dangos eu bod nhw wedi gallu trafod materion hanesyddol a chymhleth mewn ffordd sy'n creu cyd-ddealltwriaeth a thir cyffredin. Ac fe fydd yr Aelod dros Flaenau Gwent yn falch fy mod i'n sôn am enghraifft y cynulliad hinsawdd yno ym Mlaenau Gwent: cynulliad llwyddiannus o ddinasyddion a drefnwyd gan y Gymdeithas Diwygio Etholiadol fel ffordd o greu cytundeb ar sut y gallwn wella cymdeithas Cymru gyda ffordd ymlaen o ran yr argyfwng hinsawdd. Mae dysgu o enghreifftiau o'r fath, enghreifftiau tramor ac enghreifftiau yma yng Nghymru hefyd, yn hollbwysig wrth inni ddechrau ar ein cam nesaf ni ar daith datganoli: trafodaeth ystyrlon a gobeithiol gyda phobl Cymru ynglŷn â dyfodol ein cenedl ni.
Oherwydd dyw'r setliad datganoledig presennol ddim yn gynaliadwy. Mae e'n ddarostyngedig i fympwy Llywodraeth San Steffan. Dim ni sy'n sofran; Llywodraeth San Steffan sydd o hyd yn dweud eu bod nhw'n sofran. Dylai'r sofraniaeth fod fan hyn gyda phobl Cymru. Mae power grab Llywodraeth Boris Johnson yn gonsýrn i nifer ohonom ar draws y pleidiau. Roedd y TUC yn ddiweddar wedi dweud eu bod nhw'n cael comisiwn i edrych i gael rhagor o bwerau i Gymru, oherwydd bod consýrn mawr gyda nhw am y power grab o Lywodraeth San Steffan, a hynny yn tanseilio hawliau gweithwyr fan hyn yng Nghymru.
Rŷn ni'n gwybod, onid ydym, beth yw cynlluniau y Torïaid yn Llundain, a dwi'n gobeithio bod y Torïaid fan hyn yng Nghaerdydd yn mynd i sefyll lan a mentro i fod yn wahanol i'r Torïaid yn Llundain. Mae Mr Millar yn dweud y dylem ni ganolbwyntio ar faterion cyfansoddiadol, ond hynny o blaid yn Llundain sy'n gosod baner yr undeb dros wyth llawr yng nghanol Caerdydd, a hynny o blaid hefyd sydd yn beirniadu Llywodraeth Cymru am annog ei gweithwyr i ddysgu 'Bore da' a sut i ddweud 'Llanelli' yn iawn. Rŷn ni'n gwybod beth mae'r Llywodraeth yn San Steffan yn ceisio ei wneud; dyna pam fod rhaid inni gael confensiwn cryf fan hyn yn Nghymru i gryfhau ein setliad datganoli.
Ychydig o gwestiynau yn gyflym. Sut ydych chi'n mynd i sicrhau eich bod chi'n cael yr ystod eang iawn o bobl, sy'n cynnwys busnesau, undebau llafur ac aelodau o'r gymdeithas ffydd? I fod yn onest, dyna oedd methiant mawr comisiynau y gorffennol; doedden nhw ddim yn gynrychioladol o bobl Cymru.
Because the devolved settlement, as it stands, is unsustainable. It is subject to the whims of the Westminster Government. We are not sovereign; it's the Westminster Government that still says that it's sovereign. The sovereignty should rest here with the people of Wales. The power grab by the Boris Johnson Government is a real concern for many of us across the political parties. The TUC recently said that they would have a commission to look at more powers for Wales because they are greatly concerned about the power grab from the Westminster Government, undermining the rights of workers here in Wales.
We know, don't we, what the Tories' plan is, although I hope that the Tories here in Cardiff will stand up and will be different to the Tories in London. Mr Millar says that we should focus on constitutional issues, but this is from a party in London that is placing a union flag over eight floors in the middle of Cardiff, and a party that criticises the Welsh Government for encouraging its workers to learn to say 'Good morning' in Welsh and how to say 'Llanelli' correctly. We know what the Government in Westminster is trying to do; that's why we need a strong convention here in Wales to strengthen our devolved settlement.
A few questions from me quickly. How are you going to ensure that you have that very broad range of people, which includes businesses, trade unions and members of the faith community? For me, that was the great failure of the commissions of the past; they weren't representative of the people of Wales.
Considering again past commissions, a huge difference with this convention is the broad remit. The Thomas commission was very broad, but it was to look at the justice system. The Richard commission was to look at reform here. The task is so vast, and that can be an issue. What do you want from this convention?
O ystyried comisiynau'r gorffennol unwaith eto, gwahaniaeth enfawr gyda'r confensiwn hwn yw'r cylch gwaith eang. Roedd comisiwn Thomas yn eang iawn, ond roedd hwnnw ar gyfer ystyried y system gyfiawnder. Roedd comisiwn Richard ar gyfer diwygio yn y fan hon. Mae'r dasg mor enfawr, ac fe all hynny fod yn broblem. Beth ydych chi'n dymuno ei gael o'r confensiwn hwn?
Sut ydych chi'n mynd i allu sicrhau, pan fydd pethau'n symud yn gyflym, bod y confensiwn yn aros yn berthnasol?
Ac yn olaf, dwi wedi codi'r pwynt am bwysigrwydd annibyniaeth yn rhan o'r cwestiwn. Faint o gefnogaeth ydych chi wedi'i chael oddi wrth eich plaid yn Llundain ac oddi wrth Lywodraeth San Steffan tuag at y confensiwn yma?
How are you going to be able to ensure that, when things move quickly, the convention remains relevant?
And finally, I've raised this point about the fact that independence needs to be a part of the question. How much support have you had from your party in London and from the Westminster Government for this convention?
There are several questions to answer. I look forward to working with you over the summer months, and other parties, to create a convention that can build a better Wales, a greener Wales, a fairer Wales and a more prosperous Wales. Diolch yn fawr.
Mae sawl cwestiwn i'w ateb. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at weithio gyda chi dros fisoedd yr haf, a chyda phleidiau eraill, i lunio confensiwn a all adeiladu Cymru well, Cymru wyrddach, Cymru decach a Chymru fwy ffyniannus. Diolch yn fawr.
I thank the Member for his comments. He's absolutely right that those of us with legal backgrounds like to indulge in the minutiae of constitutions and legal niceties. Important as they are within the operation of a parliament, and particularly a legislature, the crux to change, and the crux to determining the sort of change that we could envisage for Wales, how we might govern better and differently, has to be something that belongs to the people of Wales. It has to be owned by the people of Wales, and it means the language has to be a language that relates to the lives of people, otherwise I don't think they will engage.
I've said previously that I think, when we look at governance, that we have democracy in crisis, where so many people are disengaged from political processes or have so little confidence in it, as we see from the turnouts in elections. I think the points you make are absolutely right in terms of how we construct a framework, a terms of reference, that is sufficiently wide to raise the breadth of debates for people to engage, to participate, to consider all options, but yet, nevertheless, has a focus on a number of key points. What sort of Wales do you want to see? What should Wales's future be? What are our values? What should our future relationships be? That may be in terms of a whole variety of consequences. What should our relationship be with the UK Government, with other countries around us? I think all those are very complex issues that need to be put together. And it is a difficult task of work. As I've said, it is one of the big challenges, to put that together, because this convention, this commission, has to be something that is really different. It's a stepping stone to the future for Wales.
You raise, quite rightly, the issue of examples elsewhere, because we are not alone. Many other countries face these similar challenges in terms of their society, their democracy, their governance. You mentioned Scotland; Scotland are very interested in the publication imminently of their long-standing report from their Scottish citizens' assembly, which was funded and supported by the Scottish Government over the last two years. I think there may well be lessons there. There are certainly lessons from some of the processes in Ireland and Finland, and I'm sure in many other parts of the world. It's very interesting to see developments in Catalonia, in Spain, where they're actually moving towards a system where they are now talking about doing that, with a view to having an engagement with people as to what the people in Catalonia actually want, with a view to, undoubtedly, a referendum there. But the fact is that people are starting to say that you have to have a consensus of people, you have to have support of people to make really radical and long-standing change.
You referred to the Wales TUC commission; I think that is a really positive step, and I think it shows very effective and dynamic leadership, that they are looking at all those issues, so many of which have arisen during COVID. Isn't it in many ways bizarre that one of the reservations in our devolution settlement is equal opportunities, when so much of our work is about equality and equal opportunities? On the dilemma in terms of the perception around the UK, you mentioned the example of the flags, and I don't want to reiterate that debate. But it seems to me that the message is this: you have buildings—say, tax buildings, HMRC—which are down as 'UK Government in Wales' or 'UK Government in Scotland', but in England they're just 'HMRC'. Why are they not 'UK Government in England'? I think that sends a particular message, which identifies part of that particular problem.
How to build up the commission and make it representative? I'm not quite sure that I should use a footballing analogy, but I think it's actually trying to work out how to build up the squad that you want, and what's the size of the team you want out of that, and to picking. I think the diversity of the squad is probably going to be appropriate, and obviously we may well want to look for a few Gareth Bales within the civic engagement process.
In terms of remaining relevant and the purpose for the future, I'm very clear, I think, in my mind now that there has to be a further stage, which is that, when it does produce recommendations, when it does produce a report, when we can see the conclusions of the important work that it will do, it should consider also the recommendations as to how these can be taken forward—how you might establish, perhaps, a standing commission that would actually carry these recommendations through, so they're not something that are just an 18 to 24-month process and then forgotten about, and then we go on again a couple of years and try and repeat the same thing. This has got to be a process that leads to, ultimately, a conclusion. As I said, I think change is inevitable, and I think these are the mechanisms by which we can build a consensus for that change, and to make change happen.
Rwy'n diolch i'r Aelod am ei sylwadau ef. Mae'n iawn i ddweud bod rhai ohonom ni sydd â chefndiroedd cyfreithiol yn hoffi ymroi i fanylion cyfansoddiadau a hollti blew cyfreithiol. Er mor bwysig ydyn nhw o fewn gweithrediad senedd, a deddfwrfa yn arbennig felly, mae'n rhaid i hanfod newid, a hanfod penderfynu ar y math o newid y gallem ni ei ragweld i Gymru, sut y gallem lywodraethu yn well ac mewn ffordd amgen, fod yn rhywbeth sy'n eiddo i bobl Cymru. Mae'n rhaid iddo fod yn eiddo i bobl Cymru, ac mae hynny'n golygu bod yn rhaid i'r iaith fod yn iaith sy'n ymwneud â bywydau pobl, neu fel arall nid wyf yn credu y byddan nhw'n ymgysylltu.
Rwyf wedi dweud o'r blaen fy mod i o'r farn, pan edrychwn ni ar lywodraethu, fod gennym ddemocratiaeth mewn argyfwng, lle mae cymaint o bobl wedi ymddieithrio oddi wrth brosesau gwleidyddol neu fod ganddyn nhw gyn lleied o hyder ynddyn nhw, fel rydym ni'n ei weld o niferoedd y rhai sy'n pleidleisio mewn etholiadau. Rwy'n credu bod y pwyntiau a wnewch chi'n hollol gywir o ran sut y byddwn ni'n llunio fframwaith, cylch gorchwyl, sy'n ddigon eang i ehangu cwmpas y dadleuon er mwyn i bobl ymgysylltu, a bod â rhan, i ystyried pob dewis, ond eto, serch hynny, fe fydd yn canolbwyntio ar nifer o bwyntiau allweddol. Sut Gymru yr hoffech chi ei gweld? Beth ddylai dyfodol Cymru fod? Beth yw ein gwerthoedd ni? Beth ddylai ein perthynas ni ag eraill fod yn y dyfodol? Efallai fod hynny o ran amrywiaeth eang o ganlyniadau. Beth ddylai ein perthynas ni â Llywodraeth y DU fod, ac â gwledydd eraill o'n hamgylch ni? Rwy'n credu bod y rhain i gyd yn faterion cymhleth iawn y mae angen eu rhoi at ei gilydd. Ac mae hwnnw'n orchwyl anodd iawn. Fel y dywedais i, dyma un o'r heriau mawr, oherwydd mae'n rhaid i'r confensiwn hwn, y comisiwn hwn, fod yn rhywbeth sy'n wahanol iawn. Dyma gam tuag at ddyfodol Cymru.
Rydych chi'n codi, a hynny'n gwbl briodol, enghreifftiau mewn mannau eraill, oherwydd nid ni yw'r unig rai. Mae llawer o wledydd eraill yn wynebu heriau o'r fath yn eu cymdeithas nhw, eu democratiaeth nhw, eu llywodraethu nhw. Roeddech chi'n sôn am yr Alban; mae gan yr Alban ddiddordeb mawr yng nghyhoeddiad buan yr adroddiad hir sefydlog yno o waith cynulliad dinasyddion yn yr Alban, a ariannwyd ac a gefnogwyd gan Lywodraeth yr Alban dros y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf. Rwy'n credu y daw gwersi i ni o'r fan honno, yn ddigon posibl. Yn sicr, fe ddaw gwersi o rai o'r prosesau yn Iwerddon a'r Ffindir, ac o sawl rhan arall o'r byd, mae'n siŵr. Mae'n ddiddorol iawn gweld datblygiadau yng Nghatalonia, yn Sbaen, lle maen nhw'n symud tuag at system lle maen nhw'n sôn am wneud hynny erbyn hyn, gyda'r bwriad o ymgysylltu â phobl ynglŷn â'r hyn y mae'r bobl yng Nghatalonia yn ei ddymuno mewn gwirionedd, gyda golwg ar refferendwm yn y fan honno, yn ddiamau. Ond y gwir amdani yw bod pobl yn dechrau dweud bod yn rhaid cael cydsyniad y bobl, mae'n rhaid cael cefnogaeth y bobl i weld newid sy'n wirioneddol radical a hir sefydlog.
Roeddech chi'n cyfeirio at gomisiwn TUC Cymru; rwy'n credu bod hwnnw'n gam cadarnhaol iawn, ac rwy'n credu ei fod yn dangos arweiniad effeithiol a deinamig iawn yn edrych ar yr holl faterion hynny, y mae cymaint ohonyn nhw wedi codi yn ystod COVID. Onid yw'n beth rhyfedd, mewn llawer o ffyrdd, mai un o'r amheuon ynglŷn â'n setliad datganoli yw cyfle cyfartal, pan fo cymaint o'n gwaith ni'n ymwneud â chydraddoldeb a chyfle cyfartal? Ar fater y cyfyng gyngor o ran y canfyddiad ledled y DU, roeddech chi'n sôn am enghraifft y baneri, ac nid wyf yn awyddus i gael y ddadl honno eto. Ond mae'n ymddangos i mi mai dyma'r neges: mae gennych adeiladau—dyweder, adeiladau treth, Cyllid a Thollau Ei Mawrhydi—a nodir fel 'Llywodraeth y DU yng Nghymru' neu 'Lywodraeth y DU yn yr Alban', ond yn Lloegr dim ond 'Cyllid a Thollau Ei Mawrhydi' ydynt. Pam nad ydyn nhw'n cael eu nodi fel 'Llywodraeth y DU yn Lloegr'? Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n rhoi neges benodol, sy'n nodi rhan o'r broblem benodol honno.
Sut i adeiladu'r comisiwn a'i wneud yn gynrychioliadol? Nid wyf i'n hollol siŵr a ddylwn i ddefnyddio cyfatebiaeth o'r byd pêl-droed, ond rwy'n credu mewn gwirionedd ei fod yn fater o geisio gweithio allan sut mae adeiladu'r garfan y byddech chi'n ei dymuno, a beth yw maint y tîm yr ydych chi'n awyddus i'w gael i wneud hynny, a'r dulliau o ddewis. Rwy'n credu y bydd amrywiaeth y garfan yn debygol o fod yn briodol, ac mae'n amlwg y byddwn ni'n chwilio am sêr, fel Gareth Bale, yn ystod y broses ymgysylltu dinesig.
O ran parhau i fod yn berthnasol a'r dibenion i'r dyfodol, rwy'n credu fy mod yn eglur iawn yn fy meddwl i nawr fod yn rhaid cael cam pellach, sef, pan fydd yr argymhellion wedi eu gwneud, pan gaiff yr adroddiad ei lunio, pan allwn weld casgliadau'r gwaith pwysig sydd wedi ei wneud, fe ddylid ystyried hefyd yr argymhellion ynghylch sut y gellir bwrw ymlaen â'r rhain—sut y gallech sefydlu, efallai, gomisiwn sefydlog a fyddai'n cyflawni'r argymhellion hyn mewn gwirionedd. Felly nid yw'n fater o gael proses o 18 i 24 mis ac anghofio amdani wedyn a cheisio, ymhen ychydig flynyddoedd, gwneud yr un peth eto. Mae'n rhaid i hon fod yn broses sy'n arwain at gasgliad yn y pen draw. Fel y dywedais, rwyf i o'r farn fod newid yn anochel, ac rwyf i o'r farn mai'r rhain yw'r mecanweithiau y gallwn eu defnyddio i greu consensws ar gyfer y newid hwnnw, a gwneud i newid ddigwydd.
I welcome the setting up of a constitutional commission. Up until now, only Plaid Cymru, with independence, and abolish supporters have been consistent and have had an end point. Despite that, the majority of the Welsh people, in every opinion poll we've seen, want devolution either as we've got it now, or extended. I welcome the co-chair suggestion. Can I just remind the Minister that somebody who's been educated at Oxford, who's public school educated and a barrister—whether they are male or female, or if there's one of each, it does not give you diversity; it gives you exactly the same background.
We need to discuss where devolution ends. I have three questions. What discussion has taken place with the English regional mayors? Because I cannot see devolution working with England being between five and six times the size of the other three put together. Following on from Darren Millar's point, devolution has always been about taking things into Cardiff, either from local authorities or from Westminster; can we have some discussion on what ought to be devolved to the Welsh regions and to the Welsh local authorities, so we can have some movement in the other direction? And I ask again a question that I've previously asked to the First Minister: can you produce a list of items, such as currency, defence, national security, that should not be devolved—the end point? Otherwise, we have only two possible end points: independence or abolish.
Rwy'n croesawu sefydlu comisiwn cyfansoddiadol. Hyd yn hyn, dim ond Plaid Cymru, gydag annibyniaeth, a chefnogwyr diddymu sydd wedi bod yn gyson ac wedi cynnig man terfyn. Er gwaethaf hynny, mae'r rhan fwyaf o bobl Cymru, ym mhob pôl piniwn a welsom, yn awyddus i barhau â datganoli fel ag y mae nawr, neu ymestyn rhywfaint arno. Rwy'n croesawu awgrym y cyd-gadeirydd. A gaf i atgoffa'r Gweinidog bod rhywun sydd wedi cael ei addysg yn Rhydychen, sydd wedi cael ei addysg mewn ysgol gyhoeddus ac sy'n fargyfreithiwr—boed yn wryw neu'n fenyw, neu os oes un o bob un, nid yw hynny'n rhoi amrywiaeth ichi; mae'n rhoi'r un cefndir yn union ichi.
Mae angen inni drafod man terfyn datganoli. Tri chwestiwn sydd gennyf i. Pa drafodaeth sydd wedi digwydd gyda meiri rhanbarthol Lloegr? Oherwydd ni allaf i weld datganoli'n gweithio pan yw Lloegr rhwng pump a chwe gwaith maint y tri arall gyda'i gilydd. Yn dilyn pwynt Darren Millar, mae datganoli bob amser wedi ymwneud â mynd â phethau i Gaerdydd, naill ai o'r awdurdodau lleol neu o San Steffan; a gawn ni rywfaint o drafodaeth ynglŷn â'r hyn y dylid ei ddatganoli i ranbarthau Cymru ac awdurdodau lleol Cymru, fel y gallwn weld rhywfaint o symudiad i'r cyfeiriad arall? Ac rwy'n gofyn cwestiwn eto yr wyf eisoes wedi ei ofyn i'r Prif Weinidog: a wnewch chi lunio rhestr o eitemau, fel arian cyfred, amddiffyn, diogelwch gwladol, na ddylid eu datganoli—y man terfyn? Fel arall, dim ond dau fan terfyn sy'n bosibl i ni: annibyniaeth neu ddiddymu.
I thank Mike for those comments. They are very pertinent comments. He's absolutely right; people clearly do, when you ask them about devolution, want decision-making processes as close to them as possible and to know that they can have the opportunity to influence those.
Can I say that I do agree also that how we reach out and we build engagement with others in various forms of devolved government, whether it be the regional mayors, whether it be the other nations of the UK, is equally important? It's building up alliances—building up and recognising common interests. I think one of the weaknesses to constitutional reform within the UK is that there hasn't been any civic hegemony around the fact that there is a need for change, and that everyone has a common interest in it. This isn't just about Wales. Obviously, we are here to look at the future of Wales, to have a commission to look at that, but this is equally as important, in terms of the democracy and civic engagement, within England as well. Our harmony, our engagement with England and with the other nations of the UK is as important to us as many other matters.
In terms of governance, and the issue that he raises of further decentralisation of power, that is something that I've always supported, but when I said that it would be looking at governance within Wales, that has to include how governance can be better, and how governance might need to be closer to people. We often use this quote, don't we, that Nye Bevan said:
'The purpose of getting power is to be able to give it away.'
Others talked about the withering away of the state over many years, but all these come back to one thing: how do you give greater empowerment to people as close to people as possible?
That brings us on to the other point that Mike raised, which is directly relevant, and that is also recognising our interdependencies. I think, no matter what position you take, whether it be unionism, whether it be federalism, confederalism, independence or whatever version, they still all bring you back ultimately to how you engage with your neighbours, and what level of interdependency you have on issues, whether it be finance, whether it be currency or whatever, but what the mechanism should be to enable that to happen fairly within all the participants. And that seems to me the crux of that issue, so I agree with you on that very much.
Diolch i Mike am y sylwadau yna. Maen nhw'n sylwadau perthnasol iawn. Mae'n hollol gywir; mae'n amlwg bod pobl, pan ofynnwch iddyn nhw am ddatganoli, yn awyddus i weld y prosesau sy'n gwneud penderfyniadau mor agos atynt â phosibl a chael gwybod y gallan nhw fod â chyfle i ddylanwadu ar y pethau hyn.
A gaf i ddweud hefyd fy mod i'n cytuno bod y ffordd yr ydym ni'n estyn allan ac yn meithrin ymgysylltiad ag eraill mewn gwahanol fathau o lywodraeth ddatganoledig, boed yn feiri rhanbarthol, boed yn genhedloedd eraill y DU, lawn cyn bwysiced? Mae hyn yn meithrin cynghreirio—yn adeiladu ac yn cydnabod buddiannau cyffredin. Rwy'n credu mai un o'r gwendidau o ran diwygio cyfansoddiadol yn y DU yw na fu yna unrhyw oruchafiaeth ddinesig ynglŷn â'r ffaith fod yna angen am newid, a bod gan bawb ddiddordeb cyffredin ynddo. Nid ymwneud yn unig â Chymru y mae hyn. Yn amlwg, rydym ni yma i ystyried dyfodol Cymru, a chael comisiwn i edrych ar hyn, ond mae hynny lawn cyn bwysiced, o ran democratiaeth ac ymgysylltu dinesig, yn Lloegr hefyd. Mae ein cytgord ni, ein hymgysylltiad ni â Lloegr a chenhedloedd eraill y DU yr un mor bwysig i ni â llawer o faterion eraill.
O ran llywodraethu, a'r mater y mae ef yn ei godi o ran datganoli pŵer ymhellach, dyna rywbeth yr wyf i wedi bod yn gefnogol iddo erioed. Ond pan ddywedais y byddai'n edrych ar lywodraethu yng Nghymru, mae'n rhaid i hynny gynnwys sut y gall llywodraethu fod yn well, a sut y gallai fod angen i lywodraethu fod yn agosach at y bobl. Rydym yn defnyddio'r dyfyniad hwn o eiddo Aneurin Bevan yn aml:
'Diben ennill grym yw gallu ei roi i eraill.'
Fe soniodd rhai am grebachu'r wladwriaeth dros lawer o flynyddoedd, ond mae'r pethau hyn i gyd yn mynd yn ôl at yr un peth: sut rydych chi'n mynd i roi mwy o rym i bobl a hynny mor agos at y bobl â phosibl?
Fe ddaw hynny â ni at y pwynt arall a gododd Mike, sy'n berthnasol yn uniongyrchol, ac mae hynny'n cydnabod ein rhyngddibyniaethau hefyd. Rwy'n credu, ni waeth beth fo'ch safbwynt chi, boed yn gadw'r undeb, yn ffederaliaeth, yn gydffederaliaeth, yn annibyniaeth neu ba fersiwn bynnag, gyda'r rhain i gyd fe ddowch chi'n ôl yn y pen draw i'r ffordd yr ydych chi'n ymgysylltu â'ch cymdogion, a pha fesur o gyd-ddibyniaeth sydd gennych chi ar faterion penodol, boed hynny'n gyllid, yn arian cyfred neu beth bynnag, ond beth ddylai'r mecanwaith fod i alluogi hynny i ddigwydd gyda chyfiawnder ymhlith yr holl gyfranogwyr. A dyna, mae'n ymddangos i mi, yw craidd y mater hwn, felly rwy'n cytuno â chi i raddau helaeth yn hynny o beth.
I fully support the Counsel General's approach to this. I think it's bold, and it is Wales leading the way. We can't have asked for more than that. But I also feel some disappointment in that this is a longer term plan, which relies on the agreement of others, whereas right within the Welsh Government's grasp is a chance to produce 'A Parliament that Works for Wales'. That work's already been done, and the Minister hasn't made any statement about that in what he said. Therefore, can we please see some movement on that? It will take a political party to lead the way. Why can't it be Welsh Labour?
Rwy'n cefnogi dull y Cwnsler Cyffredinol o ymdrin â hyn yn llwyr. Rwy'n credu ei fod yn rhywbeth beiddgar, a Chymru sy'n arwain y ffordd. Ni allem fod wedi gofyn am unrhyw beth mwy na hynny. Ond rwy'n teimlo rhywfaint o siom hefyd gan mai cynllun tymor hwy yw hwn, sy'n dibynnu ar gytundeb gan bobl eraill, tra bod cyfle i raddau helaeth o fewn cyrraedd Llywodraeth Cymru i gynhyrchu 'Senedd sy'n Gweithio i Gymru'. Fe wnaed y gwaith hwnnw eisoes, ac nid yw'r Gweinidog wedi gwneud unrhyw ddatganiad ynglŷn â hynny yn yr hyn a ddywedodd ef. Felly, a gawn ni weld rhywfaint o symudiad gyda hynny, os gwelwch chi'n dda? Fe fydd yn rhaid i blaid wleidyddol arwain y ffordd. Pam na all Llafur Cymru wneud hynny?
Thank you for the question. I have to say, I wasn't quite sure what the question was within that. I was grateful for the comments you made about Wales leading the way, and I think you were mentioning the issue of Senedd reform as well, which is an issue, obviously, that's going to be considering how a Parliament for Wales actually works, how it can work better, and all the issues around that. What I would say is this: over the course of the summer, I will be seeking to engage with Members, and with political parties, and many others outside, to actually seek views as we start trying to put together a terms of reference as to what should be the sort of framework that we want to lead. There is a conflict; on the one hand you want to create an independent commission, but equally so you want it to be able to work effectively within a framework, and that the experts that you put together are capable of giving it the sort of support and backing that it needs in those particular areas. I hope that answers—. I don't know if I missed part of the question. If not, I'll certainly address any other issues in writing to you.
Diolch i chi am y cwestiwn. Mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, nid wyf yn hollol siŵr beth oedd y cwestiwn oddi mewn i hynny. Roeddwn i'n ddiolchgar am y sylwadau a wnaethoch chi ynglŷn â Chymru yn arwain y ffordd, ac rwy'n credu eich bod chi'n sôn am ddiwygio'r Senedd hefyd, sy'n fater, yn amlwg, a fydd yn ystyried sut y bydd Senedd i Gymru yn gweithio mewn gwirionedd, sut y gall weithio'n well, a'r holl faterion sy'n ymwneud â hynny. Yr hyn yr wyf i am ei ddweud yw hyn: yn ystod yr haf, fe fyddaf i'n ceisio ymgysylltu ag Aelodau, ac â phleidiau gwleidyddol, a llawer o rai eraill y tu allan, i geisio safbwyntiau wrth inni ddechrau llunio cylch gorchwyl ynghylch yr hyn a ddylai fod yn llunio'r fframwaith yr ydym ni'n dymuno arwain arno. Mae yna wrthdaro; ar y naill law rydych chi'n awyddus i greu comisiwn annibynnol, ond ar yr un pryd rydych chi'n awyddus iddo allu gweithio'n effeithiol o fewn fframwaith, a bod yr arbenigwyr yr ydych chi'n eu dwyn ynghyd yn gallu cynnig y math o gymorth a chefnogaeth sydd ei angen yn y meysydd penodol hynny. Rwy'n gobeithio bod hynny'n ateb—. Nid wyf yn gwybod a wnes i golli rhan o'r cwestiwn. Os na wnes i, fe fyddaf i'n sicr yn ymdrin yn ysgrifenedig ag unrhyw faterion eraill sydd gennych chi.
Cyn dod at y cwestiwn, gyda'ch caniatâd, Llywydd, liciwn i ddweud gair amboutu Elystan Morgan. Mi gollon ni Elystan yn ystod yr wythnos diwethaf, ac mi oedd e, wrth gwrs, yn un o gewri'r Blaid Lafur, y mudiad Llafur, ond hefyd gwleidyddiaeth Cymru. Un peth oedd yn gyson gan Elystan drwy gydol ei fywyd oedd ei gred yn ein democratiaeth ni a hawl i Gymru i lywodraethu ei hun. Rwy'n ei gofio fe yn sôn, mewn cynhadledd Llafur, rai blynyddoedd yn ôl, amboutu sut mae hynny yn symud ymlaen, sut dŷn ni'n symud ymlaen o ddatganoli. Dwi'n ei gofio fe'n sôn amboutu rhoi statws dominiwn i Gymru, ac roedd e'n sôn am y Statute of Westminster. Mae rhai pobl wedi fy nghlywed i'n dweud hynny yn y Siambr yma. Dwi'n credu ei fod e'n bwysig ein bod ni yn dod â phobl at ei gilydd, ac un o'r pethau roedd Elystan yn gallu ei wneud, wrth gwrs, oedd dod â phobl at ei gilydd. Dwi'n mawr obeithio y buasai fe wedi croesawu'r datganiad yma gan y Gweinidog.
Liciwn i ofyn ichi, Gweinidog, fel rydych yn symud ymlaen gyda'r gwaith yma—a dwi'n croesawu hyn, a dwi'n croesawu sylwadau Darren Millar hefyd, achos os rydyn ni'n creu Cymru newydd, Cymru wahanol, Cymru'r dyfodol, mae'n rhaid iddi fod yn Gymru i bawb, pob un ohonom ni, lle bynnag rydyn ni'n byw ac ym mha bynnag ran o'r Siambr rydym ni'n eistedd. A dwi'n mawr obeithio, Gweinidog, y gallwch chi greu strwythur fan hyn fydd yn creu y fath o Gymru rydyn ni i gyd eisiau ei gweld, fydd yn creu lle i bob un ohonom ni i fynegi'r fath o Gymru rydyn ni eisiau ei gweld yn y dyfodol, ond hefyd Cymru sy'n rhan ohonom ni gyd.
Dwi'n tueddu i feddwl—a dwi'n dod at y cwestiwn nawr, Llywydd. Dwi'n tueddu i feddwl bod datganoli wedi marw. Mae cyfnod datganoli drosodd. Mi oedd hi drosodd llynedd pan wnaeth Llywodraeth San Steffan benderfynu anwybyddu barn y Senedd yma. So, mae'n rhaid inni symud ymlaen ac mae'n rhaid inni greu democratiaeth newydd. A dwi'n gobeithio y gallwn ni sicrhau, pan ydyn ni'n gwneud hynny, ein bod ni'n trafod rôl ein rhanbarthau yng Nghymru, rôl Cymru a rôl ein cymdogion ar draws Clawdd Offa, achos os ydyn ni'n mynd i lwyddo, trwy eich gwaith chi, Gweinidog, mae'n rhaid i bob un ohonom ni deimlo'n gyfforddus gyda'r cyfeiriad rydyn ni'n mynd iddo fe.
Before coming to a question, with your permission, Llywydd, I would like to say a few words about Elystan Morgan. We lost Elystan during last week, and, of course, he was a giant of the Labour Party and the Labour movement, but also of Welsh politics. One thing was consistent throughout Elystan's life was his belief in our democracy and the right for Wales to govern itself. I well remember him talking in a Labour conference, some years ago, about how that is progressing, and how we are moving forward with devolution. I remember his saying that dominion status for Wales was desirable, and he talked about the Statute of Westminster. Some people have heard me mention this in this Chamber. I think it's important that we do bring people together, and one of the things that Elystan could do, of course, was to bring people together. I very much hope that he would have welcomed this statement from the Minister today.
I would like to ask you, Minister, as you proceed with this work—and I welcome it and I welcome the comments made by Darren Millar, too, because if we are to create a new and different Wales, a Wales for the future, then it has to be a Wales for everyone, for each and every one of us, wherever we live and whichever part of the Chamber we choose to sit in. And I very much hope, Minister, that you, through your work, can create the kind of Wales that we all want to see, which will give a voice to each and every one of us to express the kind of Wales we want to see for the future, but also a Wales that is part of us all—and I am coming to a question, Llywydd.
I tend to think that devolution is dead. The time of devolution is over. It was over last year when the UK Government decided to ignore the wishes of this Senedd, so we have to move forward and we have to create a new democracy. And I very much hope we can ensure that when we do that, we do discuss the roles of our regions in Wales, the role of the whole of Wales, and the role of our neighbours across Offa's Dyke. Because if we are to succeed through your work, Minister, then each and every one of us has to feel comfortable with the direction of travel.
Well, thank you for those comments. And, of course, it's not through my work, it's going to be through our and many other people's work that success will be achieved. Just commenting on Elystan Morgan, I had the great honour of actually working with Elystan Morgan for quite a number of months during the build-up to the 1979 devolution referendum, along with others. And he was one of a great generation of Welsh politicians: Cledwyn Hughes, Jim Griffiths, John Morris—Elystan Morgan is within that grouping, and there are many others as well. But Elystan, certainly during that campaign, showed not only his incredible oratorical skills, but his ability to win people's hearts and minds to an idea. Unfortunately, as we know, with the referendum, the 1979 referendum was not really about devolution for Wales, it was really about the tail-end of the Labour Government at that particular moment in time. It was probably the worst time to ever have a referendum. But I think it's important that we recognise and remember that legacy. And I had the opportunity to talk with him when he came to the Labour Party conference a few years back, and his mind was still as acute and sharp and as focused on these issues and about the future of Wales. He was certainly a great Welsh patriot, certainly a very committed socialist, and just a wonderful person in whose company you could actually be. So, rest in peace, Elystan.
In terms of the other comments you made, a Wales for everyone, that is really what this is ultimately about. It's a Wales for everyone, but it's one where we build the consensus for everyone. And I say 'consensus' because, when we take certain terminology out of our conversations, we actually have such an enormous area of common agreement, and it's turning that common agreement into a process of change. And that is going to be part of the real challenge of what this task is about. I don't underestimate the difficulties and the pitfalls that exist, because I think we are doing something that is radically very different, and of course the challenges are there. There is no guide book to how you do this sort of engagement process. We look to other countries, other examples, but at the end of the day, it's in our hands to make it work.
You made—. The final point, really, where you said devolution is dead, I think what has happened is that devolution originally was a process of decentralisation of administered powers and responsibilities from Westminster. The moment Scotland and Wales became legislatures and the moment this place became a legislative parliament, sovereignty shifted to the people. Unfortunately, the problem at the moment is our constitution as it exists in practice has not yet caught up with the reality of what sovereignty is really about, and that is the power of people being exercised through their elected representatives.
Wel, diolch am y sylwadau yna. Ac, wrth gwrs, nid drwy fy ngwaith i ond trwy ein gwaith ni a gwaith llawer o bobl eraill y daw llwyddiant i'n rhan. Os caf i grybwyll Elystan Morgan, fe gefais i'r fraint fawr o weithio gydag Elystan Morgan am sawl mis yn ystod y cyfnod cyn refferendwm datganoli 1979, ynghyd ag eraill. Ac roedd ef yn un o blith cenhedlaeth ddisglair o wleidyddion yng Nghymru: Cledwyn Hughes, Jim Griffiths, John Morris—mae Elystan Morgan yn y grŵp hwnnw, ac mae llawer o rai eraill hefyd. Ond fe ddangosodd Elystan, yn sicr yn ystod yr ymgyrch honno, nid yn unig ei sgiliau areithio anhygoel, ond ei ddawn i ennill calonnau a meddyliau pobl i dderbyn syniad. Yn anffodus, fel y gwyddom, gyda'r refferendwm, nid oedd refferendwm 1979 yn ymwneud â datganoli i Gymru mewn gwirionedd, ond yn hytrach roedd yn ymwneud â diwedd y Llywodraeth Lafur yn y cyfnod arbennig hwnnw. Dyna'r adeg waethaf a fu erioed o bosibl i gynnal refferendwm. Ond rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig inni gydnabod a chofio'r etifeddiaeth honno. Ac fe gefais gyfle i siarad gydag ef pan ddaeth i gynhadledd y Blaid Lafur ychydig flynyddoedd yn ôl, ac roedd ei feddwl yn dal i fod mor chwim a threiddgar ag erioed wrth ganolbwyntio ar y materion hyn ac am ddyfodol Cymru. Roedd yn bendant yn wladgarwr Cymreig mawr, yn sicr yn sosialydd ymroddedig iawn, ac yn ddyn nobl iawn i fod yn ei gwmni. Felly, gorffwys mewn hedd, Elystan.
O ran y sylwadau eraill a wnaethoch, Cymru i bawb, dyna yw diben hyn yn y pen draw. Cymru i bawb, Cymru lle'r ydym yn meithrin cytundeb ar gyfer bawb. Ac rwy'n dweud 'cytundeb' oherwydd, pan fyddwn ni'n codi terminoleg benodol allan o'n sgyrsiau, mae gennym faes mor enfawr o gydsyniad cyffredin, ac mae'n troi'r farn gyffredin honno'n broses o newid. Ac fe fydd hynny'n rhan o'r her wirioneddol wrth hanfod y gwaith hwn. Nid wyf i'n bychanu'r anawsterau a'r peryglon sy'n bodoli, oherwydd rwy'n credu ein bod ni'n gwneud rhywbeth gwahanol iawn, ac wrth gwrs mae'r heriau yno. Nid oes canllawiau ar gael ar gyfer proses ymgysylltu fel hon. Rydym yn edrych ar wledydd eraill, enghreifftiau eraill, ond ar ddiwedd y dydd mae cyflawni hyn yn ein dwylo ni.
Fe wnaethoch chi—. Y pwynt olaf, mewn gwirionedd, pan wnaethoch ddweud bod datganoli wedi marw, credaf mai'r hyn sydd wedi digwydd yw mai proses o ddatganoli pwerau a chyfrifoldebau gweinyddol o San Steffan oedd datganoli yn wreiddiol. Yr eiliad y daeth yr Alban a Chymru yn ddeddfwrfeydd a'r eiliad y daeth hon yn senedd ddeddfwriaethol, fe symudodd sofraniaeth i'r bobl. Yn anffodus, y broblem ar hyn o bryd yw nad yw ein cyfansoddiad ni fel y mae'n bodoli yn ymarferol wedi dal i fyny eto â'r hyn a olygir gan sofraniaeth mewn gwirionedd, a hynny yw pŵer y bobl yn cael ei ymarfer drwy gyfrwng eu cynrychiolwyr etholedig.
Ac yn olaf, Huw Irranca-Davies.
And finally, Huw Irranca-Davies.
Diolch, Llywydd. Constitutional matters matter. Back in 2015 in Westminster, we marked with a series of events the eight-hundredth year since the Magna Carta. Many people regarded the Magna Carta as the defining moment constitutionally and legally of Great Britain, the United Kingdom and of many other countries. Actually, many others said it was only the starting point. Of course, the monarch reneged on that within weeks if not days of that agreement and of course subsequently it was followed by events such as the Tolpuddle martyrs; many centuries later there was the Chartist movement, acts of suffrage and so on.
The point is, constitutional matters matter, and they move along as well in response to fitting the constitution to the needs of the people that it serves during the day, and actually this statement you've brought forward shows that very clearly. But it is exceptionally ambitious, because it looks to produce a citizens' conversation, a people's commission engaged in a people's conversation. That is quite an undertaking; it is different from what has happened before. So, all I would ask the Counsel General and Minister to do is by the end of this summer—as he's indicated, he's posited the questions today, the how, the when, the why—but actually, by the end of the summer, I would ask him to come back and scope that out; how we're going to do this, where is the expert support that will do this unusual departure, and quite brave and radical departure, and make it focused around the citizens—and not the elite and not the politicians—and to set out the milestones as well, over which this period of work will be done and what he might anticipate this will produce. But it's a good tradition that he's in, and we would be strange politicians, frankly, if we came here and we didn't agonise over whether the constitution today of Wales and the UK fitted with the needs of the citizens we're sent here to serve. It's a good mission to be on.
Diolch, Llywydd. Mae materion cyfansoddiadol yn cyfrif. Yn ôl yn 2015 yn San Steffan, nodwyd wyth can mlynedd ers y Magna Carta gyda chyfres o ddigwyddiadau. Ystyrir y Magna Carta gan lawer o bobl yn eiliad ddiffiniol o ran y cyfansoddiad a'r gyfraith ym Mhrydain Fawr, y Deyrnas Unedig ac mewn llawer o wledydd eraill. Mewn gwirionedd, mae llawer un arall wedi dweud mai man cychwyn yn unig oedd hyn. Wrth gwrs, fe dorrodd y brenin ei addewid o fewn wythnosau os nad dyddiau wedi'r cytundeb ac fe'i dilynwyd gan ddigwyddiadau fel merthyron Tolpuddle; ganrifoedd lawer yn ddiweddarach fe gafwyd mudiad y Siartwyr, gweithredoedd etholfreintwragedd ac yn y blaen.
Y pwynt yw, mae materion cyfansoddiadol yn cyfrif, ac maen nhw'n symud ymlaen hefyd wrth ymateb i addasu'r cyfansoddiad yn ôl anghenion y bobl y mae'n eu gwasanaethu yn ôl y dydd, ac mewn gwirionedd mae'r datganiad hwn y gwnaethoch chi ei gyflwyno yn dangos hynny'n eglur iawn. Ond mae'n eithriadol o uchelgeisiol, oherwydd mae'n ceisio annog sgwrs gan ddinasyddion, comisiwn i'r bobl sy'n ymgysylltu â sgwrs pobl. Mae'n dipyn o ymrwymiad; mae'n wahanol i'r hyn sydd wedi digwydd o'r blaen. Felly, y cyfan yr wyf i am ofyn i'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol a'r Gweinidog ei wneud erbyn diwedd yr haf hwn yw—fel y dywedodd, mae wedi codi'r cwestiynau heddiw, sut, pryd, pam—ond mewn gwirionedd, erbyn diwedd yr haf, fe fyddwn yn gofyn iddo ddod yn ôl a thrafod y posibiliadau; sut rydym ni am wneud hyn, ble mae'r gefnogaeth arbenigol a fydd yn cyflawni'r fenter anarferol hon, sy'n fenter ddewr a radical, a chanolbwyntio ar y dinasyddion—ac nid ar yr elît na'r gwleidyddion—a nodi'r cerrig milltir hefyd ar gyfer cyfnod cyflawni'r gwaith hwn a'r hyn y bydd yn rhagweld y bydd yn ei gynhyrchu. Ond mae'n dilyn traddodiad da. Fe fyddem yn wleidyddion rhyfedd iawn, a dweud y gwir, pe byddem yn dod yma heb ymboeni am gyfansoddiad Cymru a'r DU heddiw o ran ei fod yn ateb anghenion y dinasyddion sydd wedi ein hanfon ni yma i'w gwasanaethu. Mae hon yn daith dda i fod arni.
Thank you for those comments and for those sentiments, and it's always a pleasure to hear someone quoting about the Magna Carta and about sovereignty and the origins of sovereignty. I notice where the Llywydd sits, there is the mace, the symbol of sovereignty. Of course, the mace was a weapon, which shows, I suppose, the origins of where sovereignty originally emerged from: who had the largest mace. But we won't go there. The point you make in terms of how, when and why: those really are the challenges. And listen, I'd be a fool if I were to say, 'I have at this moment in time all the answers, the complete picture as to exactly how this will work.' There is a lot of deep thought going on on this; there's going to be a lot of engagement and again with yourselves here, and I certainly agree, by the end of summer or by the time we return to this place, you will expect me to be able to deliver a picture that delivers on all those principles and commitments that I've identified today, and quite rightly so.
Rwy'n diolch am y sylwadau a'r safbwyntiau hynny, ac mae bob amser yn bleser clywed rhywun yn dyfynnu am y Magna Carta ac am sofraniaeth a gwreiddiau sofraniaeth. Rwy'n sylwi ar eisteddle'r Llywydd, a dyna ble mae'r byrllysg, symbol o sofraniaeth. Wrth gwrs, arf oedd y byrllysg, sy'n dangos, mae'n debyg, o ble y daeth sofraniaeth yn wreiddiol: y sawl oedd â'r arf mwyaf. Ond nid awn ar ôl hynny. Y pwynt yr ydych chi'n ei wneud o ran sut, pryd a pham: dyna'r heriau gwirioneddol. A gwrandewch, fe fyddwn i'n ffŵl i ddweud, 'Mae gennyf yr holl atebion nawr, a'r darlun cyflawn o sut yn union y bydd hyn yn gweithio.' Mae ystyriaeth ddofn yn digwydd yma; fe fydd yna lawer o ymgysylltu â chi yn y fan hon unwaith eto, ac rwy'n sicr yn cytuno, erbyn diwedd yr haf neu erbyn inni ddychwelyd i'r fan hon, y byddwch chi'n disgwyl imi allu cyflwyno darlun sy'n gwneud cyfiawnder â'r holl egwyddorion a'r ymrwymiadau a nodais i heddiw, a hynny'n gwbl briodol.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog.
I thank the Minister.
And I'll have to remember that—that the mace is a weapon. It may come in useful at some point. [Laughter.] We'll now take a break for changes to be made in the Chamber.
Ac fe fydd yn rhaid i mi gofio hynny—mai arf yw'r byrllysg. Fe allai fod o ddefnydd ryw dro. [Chwerthin.] Fe gymerwn ni seibiant nawr ar gyfer gwneud newidiadau yn y Siambr.
Ataliwyd y Cyfarfod Llawn am 15:53.
Plenary was suspended at 15:53.
Ailymgynullodd y Senedd am 16:02, gyda'r Dirprwy Lywydd (David Rees) yn y Gadair.
The Senedd reconvened at 16:02, with the Deputy Presiding Officer (David Rees) in the Chair.
Eitem nesaf ar yr agenda—datganiad gan Weinidog y Gymraeg ac Addysg: Cymraeg 2050. Galwaf ar Weinidog y Gymraeg ac Addysg, Jeremy Miles.
The next item on our agenda is a statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Cymraeg 2050. And I call on the Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Rwy'n falch o gael y cyfle heddiw i roi diweddariad i’r Senedd ar y camau nesaf y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i wireddu strategaeth Cymraeg 2050. Mae'r daith i gyrraedd 1 miliwn o siaradwyr a dyblu'r defnydd dyddiol o'r Gymraeg erbyn 2050 wedi cydio yn nychymyg pobl ar hyd a lled Cymru ers i’r Llywodraeth ddiwethaf wneud ei chyhoeddiad nôl yn 2017. Rwy'n falch iawn o fod wedi cael fy mhenodi'n Weinidog y Gymraeg a chael y cyfle i arwain camau nesaf y strategaeth.
Mae'r strategaeth ei hun, a'n rhaglen waith pum mlynedd rwy'n ei chyhoeddi heddiw, yn allweddol i'n gwaith i gwrdd â'r nod llesiant o weld y Gymraeg yn ffynnu. Rŷm ni'n byw mewn cyfnod heriol ac rwy'n ymwybodol bod angen inni drosi ewyllys da tuag at y Gymraeg yn weithredau cadarn a chyflym. Mae'r ymrwymiad i wneud hyn yn rhedeg drwy'r rhaglen. Mae'n gweledigaeth ni yn un eangfrydig a chynhwysol. Rŷm ni eisiau creu dinasyddion dwyieithog sy'n hyderus i ddefnyddio'r Gymraeg sydd gyda nhw bob dydd. Yn syml, rŷm ni am i bawb yng Nghymru deimlo bod yr iaith yn perthyn i bob un ohonom ni.
Wrth reswm, mae'n hymateb ni i'r pandemig a'i effaith ar y defnydd o’r Gymraeg yn ganolog i'r rhaglen waith, ac mae prif elfennau strategaeth Cymraeg 2050 yn glir ac yn parhau. Gyda strategaeth sy'n ymestyn dros gyfnod hir, roeddem ni'n gwybod y gallai newidiadau mewn cymdeithas olygu bod yn rhaid addasu ein blaenoriaethau dros amser. Wrth gwrs, bu’n rhaid inni wneud hynny yn gynt na'r disgwyl, ac mae'r rhaglen waith yn adlewyrchu hyn.
Heddiw, rydym ni hefyd yn cyhoeddi ein hymateb i adroddiad diweddar am effaith COVID-19 ar grwpiau cymunedol Cymraeg. Rydym ni'n cynyddu'n ffocws ni ar ddatblygu cymunedol ac yn sicrhau bod ein gwaith ni yn helpu pobl i helpu'u hunain a'u cymunedau i ddefnyddio'r Gymraeg.
Mae cynllunio'n dda ac yn strategol yn ganolog i'r weledigaeth. Dyma beth fyddwn ni'n ei wneud: cynllunio'n ofalus er mwyn gallu cynyddu nifer y plant ac oedolion sy'n dysgu Cymraeg; cynyddu'r cyfleoedd sydd ar gael i ni i ddefnyddio'r Gymraeg gyda'n gilydd, a hynny mewn cymunedau daearyddol neu rithiol, gweithleoedd a mannau cymdeithasol.
Mae'r 58 maes gweithredu yn y rhaglen yn dangos pa mor eang mae'r gwaith a chynifer o gyfleoedd sydd gyda ni i wneud gwahaniaeth. Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'n partneriaid am yr ymroddiad maen nhw wedi'i ddangos. Mae hi wedi bod yn gyfnod anodd yn ystod y pandemig, ond rwy'n edrych ymlaen at ailadeiladu a chydweithio ymhellach.
Bydd canlyniadau cyfrifiad 2021 ac arolwg defnydd iaith 2019-20 yn cael eu cyhoeddi yn ystod y Senedd yma. Mae'n bwysig nodi, felly, fod hon yn rhaglen waith hyblyg, a byddaf i'n ddigon parod i'w hadolygu a'i datblygu yn sgil y cyfrifiad, ynghyd â'r dystiolaeth rŷm ni'n ei chasglu'n barhaus.
Mae'r rhaglen waith yn adeiladu ar ymrwymiadau ein rhaglen lywodraethu ni, ac wedi gwau ethos o Gymru gryfach, wyrddach a thecach i'r ymrwymiadau cyffredinol: cryfach fel gwlad ddwyieithog hyderus gyda hunaniaeth unigryw; gwyrddach, wrth dyfu'r economi werdd a chreu swyddi da, agos at adref, mewn ardaloedd lle mae'r Gymraeg yn brif iaith; tecach, drwy'r gwaith rŷm ni'n ei wneud wrth gynllunio, deddfu a buddsoddi i ehangu addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg, fel bod gan bob plentyn, o ba gefndir bynnag, fynediad i'r Gymraeg ym mhob rhan o Gymru.
Felly, mae'n bleser mawr imi gyflwyno'r rhaglen waith uchelgeisiol yma ar gyfer cyfnod y Senedd newydd. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at weithio gyda'm cyd-Weinidogion ac ar draws llywodraeth yng Nghymru i roi hyn oll ar waith. Mae'r degawd nesaf yn mynd i fod yn dyngedfennol o ran polisi iaith, ac mae'n rhaid inni i gyd dynnu gyda'n gilydd—gwleidyddion, awdurdodau lleol, y gymdeithas gyfan. Mae'r Gymraeg yn perthyn i bawb; felly hefyd y cyfrifoldeb i weithredu polisïau o'i phlaid hi.
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'm pleased to have an opportunity today to update the Senedd on the next steps that the Welsh Government will take to implement the Cymraeg 2050 strategy. The journey to 1 million speakers and to double the daily use of Welsh by 2050 has captured the imagination of people across Wales since the last Government made its announcement back in 2017. I'm very delighted to have been appointed Minister for the Welsh language and to have the opportunity to lead the next stages of the strategy.
The strategy itself, and the five-year work programme that I am publishing today, is key to our work to meet the well-being goal of a thriving Welsh language. We are living in challenging times and I am aware that we need to turn goodwill towards the Welsh language into action that is robust and rapid. The commitment to do this runs through the programme. Our vision is outward-looking and inclusive. We want to create bilingual citizens who are confident to use the Welsh that they already possess. In a nutshell, we want everyone in Wales to feel that the language belongs to us all.
Of course, our response to the pandemic and its impact on the use of Welsh language is central to the work programme, and the main elements of Cymraeg 2050 are clear and they continue. With a strategy that extends over such a long term, we knew that changes in society could mean that we would need to adjust our priorities over time. Of course, that had to be done sooner than expected, and the work programme reflects this.
Today, we are also publishing our response to a recent report about the impact of COVID-19 on Welsh language community groups. We are increasing our focus on community development and ensuring that our work helps people to help themselves and their communities to use the Welsh language.
Planning well and strategically is central to our vision. This is what we will do: we will plan carefully to increase the number of children and adults learning Welsh, and we will increase the opportunities available for us to use Welsh with each other, in geographical or virtual communities, workplaces or social spaces.
The 58 areas of action in the programme show how wide-ranging the work is and how many opportunities we have to make a difference. I'm grateful to our partners for the commitment that they have shown. The pandemic has been a difficult time, but I look forward to rebuilding and collaborating further.
The results of the 2021 census and the language use survey for 2019-20 will be published during this Senedd. It's important to note, therefore, that this is a flexible work programme, and I stand ready to review and develop it in light of the census, together with the evidence that we continuously collect.
The work programme builds on the commitments in our programme for government, and embeds its ethos of a Wales that is stronger, greener and fairer into the general commitments: stronger as a confident bilingual country with a unique identity; greener, in growing the green economy and creating good jobs, closer to home, in areas where Welsh is the main language; and fairer, through the work we do to plan, legislate and invest to expand Welsh-medium education, so that all children from all backgrounds have access to Welsh in all parts of Wales.
Therefore, it's my pleasure to present this ambitious work programme for the new Senedd term. I look forward to working with my ministerial colleagues and across government in Wales to implement all of this programme. The next decade will be crucial in terms of language policy, and we must all come together—politicians, local authorities, and society as a whole. The Welsh language belongs to us all; so does the responsibility to implement policies in its favour.
Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Samuel Kurtz.
Conservative spokesperson, Samuel Kurtz.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Gwnaf i ddechrau gan ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am gopi ymlaen llaw o'r datganiad heddiw.
Rwy'r croesawu'r gwaith y mae'r Llywodraeth yn ei wneud i ddiogelu a datblygu'r Gymraeg ar gyfer y genhedlaeth nesaf. Fel rhywun a gafodd ei fagu yng nghefn gwlad sir Benfro, gydag addysg drwy ysgol ddwyieithog, ac sy'n ystyried fy hun yn siaradwr Cymraeg iaith gyntaf sydd bach yn rusty, rwy'n benderfynol bod cyfathrebu a defnyddio'r Gymraeg mewn bywyd bob dydd yn bleser y gall bawb ei fwynhau. Ond, am rhy hir, mae yna wedi bod meddylfryd o 'ni a nhw' o ran yr iaith Gymraeg: y 'nhw' sydd yn rhugl, a'r 'nhw' sydd yn ddysgwyr. Mae angen i bobl deimlo'n gyffyrddus i siarad Cymraeg, beth bynnag eu safon nhw, heb ofni am gamgymeriad bach fan hyn a fan co. Weinidog, rwy'n gwybod eich bod yn rhannu fy marn na ddylem fod yn feirniadol ar faint neu lefel y Gymraeg y mae pobl yn ei ddefnyddio, ond, gyda hynny, mae'n bwysig bod y boblogaeth yn ymuno ar y siwrnai i ddeall y budd mae'r iaith yn ei roi i'n bywydau.
Rydw i'n croesawu targed uchelgeisiol y Llywodraeth ar gyfer 2050. Mae yna gydnabyddiaeth nid y Llywodraeth bresennol yn unig, ond Llywodraethau Cymru yn y dyfodol, fydd yn gyfrifol am sicrhau bod y targed hwn yn cael ei gyflawni. Gyda hyn, pa ddangosyddion perfformiad allweddol sydd yn bodoli i sicrhau nad yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn tynnu eu llygaid oddi ar y bêl, a sut mae Gweinidogion y dyfodol yn mynd i sicrhau bod y polisi yn effeithiol?
Hefyd, o ystyried y newyddion yn y datganiad bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn bwriadu sicrhau bod holl swyddi Llywodraeth Cymru yn y dyfodol yn cael eu dyfarnu i ymgeiswyr a all, a dyfynnaf, ddeall y Gymraeg—understand the Welsh language—a all y Gweinidog egluro'r hyn y mae'n ei olygu o ran gallu i ddeall y Gymraeg? A oes disgwyl i holl weithwyr Llywodraeth Cymru yn y dyfodol fod yn ddwyieithog? Ac os yw hyn yn wir, pa sicrwydd gall y Gweinidog ei roi inni na fydd y cyhoeddiad hwn yn rhwystr i gyflogaeth i rai pobl?
Ac yn olaf, Weinidog, hoffwn dynnu eich sylw at eich cynnig i gymell siaradwyr Cymraeg ifanc i ddychweled o brifysgolion i helpu i ddysgu'r Gymraeg mewn ein hysgolion. Tra bydd y ffocws ar gyflogi athrawon sy'n siarad Cymraeg, bydd y drws yn cau i athrawon o'r tu allan i Gymru. Byddwn yn colli mynediad at nifer o athrawon o wahanol gefndiroedd sydd â phrofiadau gwahanol. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n bwriadu sicrhau bod unrhyw un sy'n dymuno dysgu yng Nghymru heb yr iaith yn gallu dod o hyd i gyflogaeth fel athro yng Nghymru? Diolch.
Thank you, Deputy Llywydd. I'll start by thanking the Minister for an advance copy of today's statement.
I welcome the work that Government is doing to safeguard and develop the Welsh language for the next generation. As one who was brought up in rural Pembrokeshire, educated in a bilingual school, and who considers themselves a first-language Welsh speaker who is a little rusty, I am determined that communicating through the medium of Welsh and using the Welsh language in daily life is a pleasure that everyone should be able to enjoy. But for too long there's been a mindset of 'us and them' in terms of the Welsh language: those who are fluent and those who are learners. People need to feel comfortable in speaking Welsh, whatever their level, not worrying about the odd mistake here and there. Minister, I know that you share my view that we shouldn't be critical of how much or the level of the Welsh language used by individuals, but it's also important that the population joins in the journey to understand the benefits that the language can bring to our lives.
I welcome the ambitious target set by Government for 2050. There is recognition that not only the current Government, but future Governments too, will be responsible for ensuring that this target is delivered. So, what key performance indicators exist in order to ensure the Welsh Government doesn't take its eye off the ball, and how will future Ministers ensure that the policy is effective?
Also, given the news in the statement that the Welsh Government intends to ensure that all posts within the Welsh Government for the future will require some level of Welsh language—to understand the Welsh language—can the Minister explain this point and what he means in terms of an ability to understand the Welsh language? Is there an expectation that all Welsh Government staff in the future will be bilingual? And if this is the case, what assurance can the Minister give us that this announcement will not be an employment barrier for individuals?
And finally, Minister, I'd like to draw your attention to your proposal to encourage young Welsh speakers to return from our universities to help to teach Welsh in our schools. Whilst the focus will be on employing Welsh-speaking teachers, the door will be closed to teachers from outwith Wales. We will lose access to many teachers from various backgrounds who have very different experiences to offer. So, how does the Welsh Government intend to ensure that anyone who wishes to teach in Wales but doesn't have the language skills can find employment as a teacher in Wales? Thank you.
Diolch i'r llefarydd am ei gwestiynau. Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr gyda fe dŷn ni ddim yn moyn i ddiwylliant ddatblygu sydd yn nhermau 'ni a nhw'. Mae'r iaith Gymraeg yn perthyn i bawb. Mae llawer iawn o bobl yng Nghymru yn gallu siarad rhywfaint o Gymraeg ac mae llawer mwy yn barod i ddysgu ychydig mwy o Gymraeg bob dydd ac i ddefnyddio hynny fesul dydd, cam wrth gam, a dyna sut y gwnawn ni lwyddo. Dwi'n dymuno'n dda i bawb sydd ar y siwrne honno—rŷn ni i gyd wedi bod arni ar ryw gyfnod yn ein bywydau.
O ran y dangosyddion, mae amryw o ddangosyddion yn eu lle eisoes o ran, er enghraifft, nifer y bobl sydd mewn addysg Gymraeg. Un o'r dangosyddion newydd yn y rhaglen hon yw ein bod ni'n sicrhau bod cerrig milltir newydd yn nhermau'r nifer o blant blwyddyn 1 sydd mewn addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg, er enghraifft. Felly, y targed presennol yw 30 y cant erbyn 2031 ac, yn y rhaglen waith hon, rŷn ni'n cynnig carreg filltir newydd o 26 y cant erbyn diwedd y Senedd hon er mwyn sicrhau bod gennym ni dargedau yn y tymor byr ynghyd â'r tymor hir. Felly, mae amryw o ymyraethau yn y rhaglen waith lle bydd mwy o waith polisi ac mae rhaglenni eisoes yn eu lle ar gyfer rhai ohonyn nhw, ac mae dangosyddion ynghlwm yn y rheini, felly bydd cyfle i bawb gadw'r Llywodraeth yn atebol am yr hyn rŷm ni'n sôn amdano yn y ddogfen hon.
O ran y cwestiwn o ran recriwtio, y cwestiwn o ran swyddogion sifil yn Lywodraeth Cymru, cwestiwn i'r Ysgrifennydd Parhaol, wrth gwrs, yw hynny. Ond beth byddwn i'n ei ddweud yw bod hynny'n enghraifft loyw iawn o'r syniad bod y Gymraeg yn perthyn i bawb. Hynny yw, y cynnig yw bod pobl yn gallu dysgu sgiliau newydd wrth iddyn nhw ymuno â Llywodraeth Cymru a dysgu siarad ychydig o Gymraeg dros gyfnod, ac rwy'n credu bod hynny'n gynhwysol—dyw e ddim yn creu syniad o 'ni a nhw', mae'n tynnu pobl at ei gilydd ac yn cydnabod bod y Gymraeg yn ased ac yn beth o werth cyffredin i ni i gyd yng Nghymru. Rwy'n credu y byddai unrhyw un yn croesawu'r cyfle i ddysgu sgiliau newydd wrth ymgymryd â gwaith newydd, a dyna sydd wrth wraidd y polisi.
I thank the spokesperson for his comments. I agree entirely that we don't want a culture to develop in terms of 'us and them'. The Welsh language belongs to everyone. Many people in Wales can speak some Welsh and many more are willing to learn more Welsh every day and to use that every day in a phased approach, and that's how we will succeed. I wish everyone well on that journey—a journey that we've all been on at some stage of our lives.
In terms of the key performance indicators, we have various KPIs in place already in terms of, for example, the number of people in Welsh-medium education. One of the new indicators in this programme is that we ensure that there is a new milestone in terms of the number of year 1 children in Welsh-medium education, for example. So, the current target is 30 per cent by 2031 and, in this work programme, we are proposing a new milestone of 26 per cent by the end of this Senedd in order to ensure that we have targets in the short term as well as the long term. So, there are various interventions in the work programme where there will be more policy work and programmes are already in place for some of those, and the KPIs will be tied to those, so there will be an opportunity for everyone to hold the Government to account for what we talk about in this document.
In terms of the question on recruitment in terms of the civil servants within the Welsh Government, it's a question for the Permanent Secretary. But what I would say is that that's a very good example of the idea that the Welsh language belongs to everyone. That is, the proposal is that people can learn new skills as they join the Welsh Government and learn to speak a little Welsh over a period of time, and I think that that's very inclusive—it doesn't create an idea of 'us and them', it pulls people together and acknowledges that the Welsh language is an asset and has a common value for us all in Wales. I think that anyone would welcome the opportunity to learn new skills in undertaking a new job, and that's what's at the core of this policy.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Siân Gwenllian.
Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Siân Gwenllian.
