Y Cyfarfod Llawn
Plenary
15/02/2023Cynnwys
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.
Prynhawn da. Croeso i'r Cyfarfod Llawn. Yr eitem gyntaf ar ein hagenda ni'r prynhawn yma yw'r cwestiynau i’r Gweinidog Cyllid a Llywodraeth Leol. Mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf heddiw gan Hefin David.
Good afternoon. Welcome to this Plenary meeting. The first item on our agenda this afternoon is questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government. The first question today is from Hefin David.
1. Pa asesiad mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud o'r effaith posib o gynyddu'r gyfradd sylfaenol o dreth incwm yng Nghymru? OQ59146
1. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the potential impact of increasing the basic rate of income tax in Wales? OQ59146
Raising the basic rate would add additional costs on those less able to afford it at a time when the UK Government has frozen income tax thresholds, dragging lower earners into the income tax system.
Byddai codi’r gyfradd sylfaenol yn golygu costau ychwanegol i'r rheini sy’n llai abl i’w fforddio ar adeg pan fo Llywodraeth y DU wedi rhewi trothwyon treth incwm, gan lusgo pobl sy’n ennill llai i mewn i'r system treth incwm.
I think the key point made by the Minister there is, 'At the time'. I think income tax is something that should be revisited in the future, but she's absolutely right to say that this is not the time for it. Last week, we saw an amendment to the Welsh Government's budget by Plaid Cymru that would have cost people on the basic rate £2.47 a week extra, during a cost-of-living crisis. Personally, my view is that the co-operation agreement should not have allowed that amendment to be put, given that it covers the budget, and it was disappointing to see that that happened outside the co-operation agreement. We should see Plaid Cymru taking responsibility for the power they have in the Senedd Chamber. Would the Minister be willing, though, to review this position in the future, should economic circumstances allow at some point?
Credaf mai'r pwynt allweddol a wnaed gan y Gweinidog yno yw, 'Ar hyn o bryd'. Rwy'n credu bod treth incwm yn rhywbeth y dylid ei ailystyried yn y dyfodol, ond mae'n llygad ei lle i ddweud nad nawr yw'r adeg i wneud hynny. Yr wythnos diwethaf, gwelsom welliant i gyllideb Llywodraeth Cymru gan Blaid Cymru a fyddai wedi costio £2.47 yr wythnos yn ychwanegol i bobl ar y gyfradd sylfaenol, yn ystod argyfwng costau byw. Yn bersonol, fy marn i yw na ddylai’r cytundeb cydweithio fod wedi caniatáu i’r gwelliant hwnnw gael ei gynnig, o ystyried ei fod yn berthnasol i'r gyllideb, ac roedd yn siomedig gweld hynny’n digwydd y tu allan i’r cytundeb cydweithio. Dylem weld Plaid Cymru yn cymryd cyfrifoldeb am y grym sydd ganddynt yn Siambr y Senedd. A fyddai’r Gweinidog, serch hynny, yn fodlon adolygu’r sefyllfa hon yn y dyfodol, os yw'r amgylchiadau economaidd yn caniatáu ar ryw adeg?
I'm very grateful to Hefin David for the question, and for raising Welsh rates of income tax this afternoon. And I completely agree with his assessment that it is not the right time, in a cost-of-living crisis, to be asking those who are on the absolute lowest incomes, and indeed those who have been drawn into the income tax system for the very first time, to be paying more. And I think it's well established that, to raise any serious amount of money in order to boost the resources that we have, we would be required to raise the basic rate of income tax. I do think that it has to be done in a considered and strategic way. That said, every single year, we do assess our options, in terms of how we use the Welsh rates of income tax, and we would expect to look afresh again at this issue next year, both in terms of people's overall tax burden and contribution, depending on where things are with the UK Government, and, of course, the wider economic situation that people find themselves in. But, absolutely, it's something that we consider afresh for every budget.
Rwy’n ddiolchgar iawn i Hefin David am ei gwestiwn, ac am godi cyfraddau treth incwm Cymru y prynhawn yma. Ac rwy’n cytuno’n llwyr â’i asesiad nad nawr yw'r adeg gywir, mewn argyfwng costau byw, i ofyn i’r rheini ar yr incwm isaf un, ac yn wir, y rheini sydd wedi cael eu tynnu i mewn i’r system dreth incwm am y tro cyntaf erioed, fod yn talu mwy. A chredaf ei bod yn dra hysbys, er mwyn codi unrhyw swm sylweddol o arian i gynyddu'r adnoddau sydd gennym, y byddai’n ofynnol inni godi'r gyfradd sylfaenol o dreth incwm. Credaf fod yn rhaid gwneud hynny mewn ffordd ystyriol a strategol. Wedi dweud hynny, bob blwyddyn, rydym yn asesu ein hopsiynau, o ran sut rydym yn defnyddio cyfraddau treth incwm Cymru, a byddem yn disgwyl edrych eto o’r newydd ar y mater hwn y flwyddyn nesaf, o ran baich treth cyffredinol a chyfraniad pobl, yn dibynnu ar y sefyllfa gyda Llywodraeth y DU, ac wrth gwrs, sefyllfa economaidd ehangach pobl. Ond yn sicr, mae'n rhywbeth rydym yn ei ystyried o'r newydd ar gyfer pob cyllideb.
As we heard from Hefin David there, one of the perils of increasing income tax at a time of financial trouble is the fact that it would be something built on the back of working people across Wales. And it's quite apt, I think, on the day that Nicola Sturgeon resigned as leader of the SNP and First Minister of Scotland, to remember exactly where Plaid Cymru got this idea from, because they devolve a lot of their thinking out to a party from another part of the United Kingdom—the SNP. Because, in Scotland, they're proposing to add 1p onto the higher and top rates of tax, alongside reducing the top rate threshold, from £150,000 to just over £125,000. The Institute for Fiscal Studies has warned that that will spark an exodus of high earners across the border. Scottish business leaders have branded it a disadvantage for Scotland and made clear that it would make competing with the UK for talent much harder. On top of those increases, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities has not ruled out a 10 per cent hike in council taxes there. In a survey, half of all Scots wanted the current system of council tax to end. Another survey showed that one in five Scottish households are currently living in serious financial difficulty, equivalent to 1.2 million people; in the UK overall, it's 17 per cent. That's Plaid's vision for Wales, Minister, and it's a vision that's built on the back of taxing working people. Do you agree with me that that's a totally wrong priority, at the wrong time, from a party that is increasingly out of touch with the people of Wales?
Fel y clywsom gan Hefin David, un o beryglon cynyddu treth incwm mewn cyfnod o drafferthion ariannol yw’r ffaith y byddai’n rhywbeth a fyddai wedi’i adeiladu ar draul pobl sy’n gweithio ledled Cymru. Ac mae'n gwbl briodol, yn fy marn i, ar y diwrnod yr ymddiswyddodd Nicola Sturgeon fel arweinydd yr SNP a Phrif Weinidog yr Alban, i gofio o ble yn union y cafodd Plaid Cymru y syniad hwn, gan eu bod yn etifeddu llawer o'u syniadau gan blaid o ran arall o’r Deyrnas Unedig—yr SNP. Oherwydd yn yr Alban, maent yn cynnig ychwanegu 1g at y cyfraddau treth uwch ac uchaf, ochr yn ochr â lleihau'r trothwy ar gyfer y gyfradd uchaf, o £150,000 i ychydig dros £125,000. Mae’r Sefydliad Astudiaethau Cyllid wedi rhybuddio y bydd hynny’n arwain at ecsodus o enillwyr uchel dros y ffin. Mae arweinwyr busnes yr Alban wedi dweud y byddai’n anfantais i’r Alban ac wedi dweud yn glir y byddai’n gwneud cystadlu â’r DU am dalent yn llawer anos. Ar ben y codiadau hynny, nid yw Confensiwn Awdurdodau Lleol yr Alban wedi diystyru cynnydd o 10 y cant mewn trethi cyngor yno. Mewn arolwg, roedd hanner yr Albanwyr am i system bresennol y dreth gyngor ddod i ben. Dangosodd arolwg arall fod un o bob pum cartref yn yr Alban ar hyn o bryd yn byw mewn trafferthion ariannol difrifol, sy’n cyfateb i 1.2 miliwn o bobl; yn y DU gyfan, mae'n 17 y cant. Dyna weledigaeth Plaid Cymru ar gyfer Cymru, Weinidog, ac mae’n weledigaeth sydd wedi’i hadeiladu ar drethu pobl sy’n gweithio. A ydych yn cytuno â mi fod honno'n flaenoriaeth gwbl anghywir, ar yr adeg anghywir, gan blaid sydd fwyfwy allan o gysylltiad â phobl Cymru?
Well, I would gently remind the Member that, under the UK Conservative Government, the tax burden on people in Wales, and across the UK, is now at a 70-year high as a result of the decisions that that Government has made. But I do think that Scottish rates of income tax are very much a matter for the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament, but that doesn't mean that we can't learn from their experiences, which is why we're very interested in the work that HM Revenue and Customs is progressing in terms of developing a longitudinal data set. Now, that hopefully will allow us to have some more detailed analysis of the behavioural impacts of tax changes, including migration responses, and my officials are in frequent contact with HMRC to better understand the possibilities that that work might release.
Wel, byddwn yn atgoffa’r Aelod, o dan Lywodraeth Geidwadol y DU, fod y baich treth ar bobl yng Nghymru, a ledled y DU, bellach ar ei uchaf ers 70 mlynedd, o ganlyniad i’r penderfyniadau y mae’r Llywodraeth honno wedi’u gwneud. Ond credaf mai mater i Lywodraeth yr Alban a Senedd yr Alban yw cyfraddau treth incwm yr Alban, ond nid yw hynny’n golygu na allwn ddysgu o’u profiadau, a dyna pam fod gennym gryn ddiddordeb yn y gwaith y mae Cyllid a Thollau Ei Fawrhydu yn ei wneud ar ddatblygu set ddata hydredol. Nawr, gobeithiaf y bydd hynny’n caniatáu inni gael dadansoddiad manylach o effeithiau ymddygiadol newidiadau i drethi, gan gynnwys ymatebion ynghylch mudo, ac mae fy swyddogion mewn cysylltiad rheolaidd â HMRC i ddeall yn well y posibiliadau y gallai’r gwaith hwnnw eu rhyddhau.
2. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Gweinidog wedi'u cael gyda'r Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd a'r Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol ynglŷn â chymorth Llywodraeth Cymru i leihau'r pwysau ariannol ar wasanaethau bysiau rheolaidd? OQ59129
2. What discussions has the Minister had with the Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Social Justice regarding Welsh Government support to ease the financial pressures on scheduled bus services? OQ59129
I regularly engage with my Cabinet colleagues on funding issues. In this financial year, we have made available over £110 million of funding to protect and grow bus services right across Wales. The bus emergency scheme has also been extended into the next financial year.
Rwy’n ymgysylltu’n rheolaidd â fy nghyd-Weinidogion yn y Cabinet ar faterion cyllido. Yn y flwyddyn ariannol hon, rydym wedi darparu dros £110 miliwn o gyllid i ddiogelu a thyfu gwasanaethau bysiau ledled Cymru. Mae'r cynllun brys ar gyfer y sector bysiau hefyd wedi'i ymestyn i'r flwyddyn ariannol nesaf.
It's undoubtedly the case, Minister, that cross-Government working, finding the money to put in place the emergency bus support and also extending it now for the next few months has been critical to ensuring the survival of the bus industry in Wales, including independent operators, small family operators and so on that run their businesses. But we know the pressures that your budget is under, but we also do know that this is genuinely a climate justice issue, and it's also a social justice issue, as we keep being told, quite rightly. And we can repeat this endlessly until it gets into people's minds that 80 per cent of those people who use buses have no other alternative. So, can I simply urge—this is not asking for magic money—but can I genuinely urge her, in her discussions with the Minister for Climate Change, and the Minister for Social Justice and Cabinet colleagues, to do all she possibly can to try and find that way that we can keep these bus services going in all our communities—rural and urban Wales. It's vital, going forward, particularly after the announcement yesterday about turning a corner a different way to deal with shifting people to more sustainable travel.
Yn ddiamau, Weinidog, mae gweithio trawslywodraethol, dod o hyd i’r arian ar gyfer cymorth brys i'r sector bysiau, a'i ymestyn nawr am yr ychydig fisoedd nesaf, wedi bod yn hollbwysig i sicrhau bod y diwydiant bysiau yng Nghymru yn goroesi, gan gynnwys gweithredwyr annibynnol, gweithredwyr teuluol bach ac ati sy'n rhedeg eu busnesau. Ond rydym yn ymwybodol o'r pwysau sydd ar eich cyllideb, ond gwyddom hefyd fod hwn yn bendant yn fater cyfiawnder hinsawdd, a hefyd yn fater cyfiawnder cymdeithasol, fel y dywedir wrthym o hyd, yn gwbl briodol. A gallwn ailadrodd hyn yn dragwyddol hyd nes y bydd pobl yn sylweddoli nad oes gan 80 y cant o'r bobl sy'n defnyddio bysiau unrhyw ddewis arall. Felly, a gaf fi annog—nid gofyn am arian hud mohono—ond a gaf fi ei hannog o ddifrif, yn ei thrafodaethau â'r Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd, a'r Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol a chyd-Weinidogion yn y Cabinet, i wneud popeth yn ei gallu i geisio dod o hyd i ffordd y gallwn gadw'r gwasanaethau bysiau hyn yn ein holl gymunedau—yn y Gymru wledig a'r Gymru drefol. Mae hynny'n hanfodol wrth symud ymlaen, yn enwedig ar ôl y cyhoeddiad ddoe am droi cornel i ffordd wahanol o geisio annog pobl i ddefnyddio dulliau teithio mwy cynaliadwy.
I'm grateful for the question and completely agree with the points that are made about bus services being a critical part of our approach to delivering social justice here in Wales, and, of course, an important part of our environmental aspirations as well. I think that our support for the bus industry through the pandemic and now at the other side of the pandemic has been absolutely crucial in terms of maintaining the services that we do have in Wales. But it was a bus emergency scheme, and I think that this level of subsidy is just not sustainable in the long term, which is really why we are looking at reviewing the bus services support grant, to move the industry away from that kind of reliance on the emergency funding to something that is much more stable in the future. And colleagues will be aware of our ambitious plans, in terms of the bus Bill that we aim to bring forward, to bring more control back to local authorities in terms of the services that are provided. So, I think that, really, is the longer term answer, but, in the meantime, our support is really important for the industry.
Rwy’n ddiolchgar am y cwestiwn, ac yn cytuno’n llwyr â’r pwyntiau a wnaed am wasanaethau bysiau fel rhan hollbwysig o’n dull o sicrhau cyfiawnder cymdeithasol yma yng Nghymru, ac wrth gwrs, maent yn rhan bwysig o’n dyheadau amgylcheddol hefyd. Credaf fod ein cymorth i’r diwydiant bysiau drwy gydol y pandemig a bellach ar yr ochr draw i’r pandemig wedi bod yn gwbl hanfodol i gynnal y gwasanaethau sydd gennym yng Nghymru. Ond cynllun brys ydoedd ar gyfer y sector bysiau, ac ni chredaf fod y lefel hon o gymhorthdal yn gynaliadwy yn hirdymor, a dyna pam ein bod yn edrych ar adolygu’r grant cynnal gwasanaethau bysiau, er mwyn symud y diwydiant oddi wrth y fath ddibyniaeth ar gyllid brys i rywbeth sy'n llawer mwy sefydlog yn y dyfodol. A bydd fy nghyd-Aelodau’n ymwybodol o’r cynlluniau uchelgeisiol y bwriadwn eu rhoi ar waith, o ran y Bil bysiau, er mwyn rhoi mwy o reolaeth yn ôl i awdurdodau lleol, a'r gwasanaethau a ddarperir. Felly, credaf mai dyna’r ateb mwy hirdymor, ond yn y cyfamser, mae ein cymorth yn wirioneddol bwysig i’r diwydiant.
Minister, I have raised on a number of occasions the plight of residents across my region who have suffered as the result of cuts to scheduled bus services. The most recent issue brought to my attention is a proposal by First Cymru to cut services to Resolven in my region. Many people in Resolven, particularly the elderly, are dependent upon the X7 service, as their nearest post office or bank is over 7 miles away. Any reduction in service will have a bad impact on a community like Resolven. I have also been contacted by Neath Port Talbot Council, who are concerned that the Welsh Government’s decision to axe bus emergency scheme 3 funding is leading to the acceleration in cuts to these bus services. If BES3 funding goes, companies operating services within Port Talbot and Neath will deregister most routes within the county borough. Minister, will you reconsider the decision to end BES3 funding and look at other ways to support a struggling bus industry that is so vital to many of our constituents?
Weinidog, ar sawl achlysur, rwyf wedi codi sefyllfa trigolion ar draws fy rhanbarth sydd wedi dioddef o ganlyniad i doriadau i wasanaethau bysiau rheolaidd. Y mater diweddaraf a ddygwyd i’m sylw yw cynnig gan First Cymru i dorri gwasanaethau i Resolfen yn fy rhanbarth. Mae llawer o bobl yn Resolfen, yn enwedig yr henoed, yn ddibynnol ar wasanaeth X7, gan fod eu swyddfa bost neu fanc agosaf dros 7 milltir i ffwrdd. Bydd unrhyw ostyngiad mewn gwasanaeth yn cael effaith wael ar gymuned fel Resolfen. Mae Cyngor Castell-nedd Port Talbot hefyd wedi cysylltu â mi i fynegi pryderon fod penderfyniad Llywodraeth Cymru i gael gwared ar gyllid y cynllun brys ar gyfer y sector bysiau 3, BES3, yn arwain at gyflymu’r toriadau i’r gwasanaethau bysiau hyn. Os bydd arian BES3 yn diflannu, bydd cwmnïau sy'n gweithredu gwasanaethau ym Mhort Talbot a Chastell-nedd yn datgofrestru'r rhan fwyaf o'u llwybrau teithio yn y fwrdeistref sirol. Weinidog, a wnewch chi ailystyried y penderfyniad i ddod â chyllid BES3 i ben ac edrych ar ffyrdd eraill o gefnogi diwydiant bysiau sy’n ei chael hi’n anodd ac sydd mor hanfodol i lawer o’n hetholwyr?
I would refer the Member to the joint statement on the bus emergency scheme that was issued by the Welsh Government, the Welsh Local Government Association, the Confederation of Passenger Transport and the Coach and Bus Association Cymru last week, which set out that there is now an initial extension of three months, which gives the industry some short-term stability, which it needs while we continue to work with the industry together on planning bus networks that better suit the new travel patterns that we've seen since the end of the pandemic.
Then, I refer back to the point that I made in terms of the bus Bill being the most far-reaching plan across the UK and an absolutely vital step in terms of reversing the damage that we've seen in terms of the deregulation of the bus industry. We want to make sure that people have a service that they can rely on, which is easy to use and which puts people before profit, and that absolutely will be at the heart of our work, going forward. But, of course, legislation doesn't happen overnight, so, in the meantime, we are working, as I say, with the industry to explore what quick improvements can be made to bus passengers' experiences of our buses, and, of course, we have published the Bws Cymru bus plan, which sets out some of these immediate steps.
Carwn gyfeirio’r Aelod at y datganiad ar y cynllun brys ar gyfer y sector bysiau a wnaed ar y cyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru, Cymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru, Conffederasiwn Cludiant Teithwyr a Chymdeithas Bysiau Cymru yr wythnos diwethaf, a nododd fod estyniad cychwynnol o dri mis bellach ar waith sy’n rhoi sefydlogrwydd tymor byr i’r diwydiant, rhywbeth sydd ei angen arno wrth inni barhau i weithio gyda’r diwydiant gyda’n gilydd ar gynllunio rhwydweithiau bysiau sy’n gweddu’n well i’r patrymau teithio newydd a welsom ers y diwedd y pandemig.
Yna, cyfeiriaf yn ôl at y pwynt a wneuthum mai’r Bil bysiau yw’r cynllun mwyaf pellgyrhaeddol ar draws y DU, a'i fod yn gam cwbl hanfodol i wrthdroi’r difrod a welsom yn sgil dadreoleiddio'r diwydiant bysiau. Rydym yn awyddus i sicrhau bod gan bobl wasanaeth y gallant ddibynnu arno, un sy’n hawdd ei ddefnyddio ac sy’n rhoi pobl cyn elw, a bydd hynny’n gwbl ganolog i’n gwaith wrth symud ymlaen. Ond wrth gwrs, nid yw deddfwriaeth yn digwydd dros nos, felly, yn y cyfamser, rydym yn gweithio, fel y dywedaf, gyda'r diwydiant i archwilio pa welliannau cyflym y gellir eu gwneud i brofiadau teithwyr o'n bysiau, ac wrth gwrs, rydym wedi cyhoeddi cynllun bysiau Bws Cymru, sy’n nodi rhai o’r camau uniongyrchol hyn.
Minister, the disappointing announcement late on Friday night that the emergency funding scheme for operators is only to be extended for three months has not brought the certainty that the industry needs. Alongside rising costs—fuel, maintenance and wages, et cetera—fare-paying patronage levels across Wales have only returned to about 65 per cent of what they were before COVID. I've heard from companies in west Wales who provide these vital scheduled bus services that are concerned that they may no longer be able to operate these vital services, which allow people to attend hospital or GP appointments, to go shopping and interact with the wider world, or even travel to school. A lack of public transport, in rural areas in particular, is damaging to social cohesion and the ability to access public services, so the importance of these services in rural communities in particular cannot be understated. So, what discussions have you had, Minister, with the Deputy Minister for Climate Change regarding the end of the BES and what assessment have you undertaken regarding the impact that ceasing this will have on local authorities and bus companies?
Weinidog, nid yw’r cyhoeddiad siomedig yn hwyr nos Wener fod y cynllun cyllid brys ar gyfer gweithredwyr i’w ymestyn am dri mis yn unig wedi darparu'r sicrwydd sydd ei angen ar y diwydiant. Ochr yn ochr â chostau cynyddol—tanwydd, cynnal a chadw a chyflogau, ac ati—nid yw lefelau defnydd lle telir am docyn ond wedi dychwelyd i oddeutu 65 y cant o’r hyn oeddent cyn COVID-19 ledled Cymru. Clywais gan gwmnïau yng ngorllewin Cymru sy’n darparu’r gwasanaethau bws rheolaidd hanfodol hyn ac sy’n pryderu efallai na fyddant bellach yn gallu gweithredu gwasanaethau hanfodol sy’n caniatáu i bobl fynd i apwyntiadau ysbyty neu at eu meddyg teulu, i fynd i siopa ac i ryngweithio â’r byd ehangach, neu hyd yn oed i deithio i'r ysgol. Mae diffyg trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, mewn ardaloedd gwledig yn arbennig, yn niweidiol i gydlyniant cymdeithasol a’r gallu i gael mynediad at wasanaethau cyhoeddus, felly ni ellir gorbwysleisio pwysigrwydd y gwasanaethau hyn mewn cymunedau gwledig yn arbennig. Felly, Weinidog, pa drafodaethau rydych wedi’u cael gyda’r Dirprwy Weinidog Newid Hinsawdd ynghylch diwedd cynllun BES, a pha asesiad a wnaethoch o'r effaith y bydd dod â'r cynllun i ben yn ei chael ar awdurdodau lleol a chwmnïau bysiau?
I had a meeting just last week with the Deputy Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Climate Change to discuss this issue and other issues in relation to pressures within the overall transport system. I was pleased that there were some conversations with the traffic commissioner to give the result that the deregistration window has now been temporarily reduced to 28 days. I think the extension to the funding, albeit short term, alongside that 28-day window, now means that there's no need for operators to be making immediate decisions on their future network. However, we will work together closely with the bus industry and other partners, including Transport for Wales, to bring around the strong and sustainable bus network for Wales that we need. But, as you appreciate from the question, I think, it is the Deputy Minister for Climate Change who's leading on those discussions, and I support him in my role as Minister for Finance and Local Government.
Cefais gyfarfod yr wythnos diwethaf gyda’r Dirprwy Weinidog Newid Hinsawdd a’r Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd i drafod y mater hwn a materion eraill sy'n ymwneud â phwysau yn y system drafnidiaeth yn gyffredinol. Roeddwn yn falch fod rhai sgyrsiau wedi'u cael gyda’r comisiynydd traffig i sicrhau bod y cyfnod datgofrestru bellach wedi’i gyfyngu dros dro i 28 diwrnod. Credaf fod yr estyniad i'r cyllid, er ei fod ar gyfer y tymor byr, ochr yn ochr â'r cyfnod hwnnw o 28 diwrnod, bellach yn golygu nad oes angen i weithredwyr wneud penderfyniadau ar unwaith ar ddyfodol eu rhwydwaith. Fodd bynnag, byddwn yn cydweithio’n agos â’r diwydiant bysiau a phartneriaid eraill, gan gynnwys Trafnidiaeth Cymru, i sicrhau’r rhwydwaith bysiau cryf a chynaliadwy sydd ei angen arnom yng Nghymru. Ond fel y credaf eich bod yn ei ddeall o’r cwestiwn, y Dirprwy Weinidog Newid Hinsawdd sy’n arwain ar y trafodaethau hynny, ac rwy’n ei gefnogi yn fy rôl fel Gweinidog Cyllid a Llywodraeth Leol.
Good afternoon, Minister. To continue the bus theme, particularly in rural areas, it feels to me like this is one area where investing now and thinking long term can benefit us in Wales, particularly those in rural areas. So, just some buses in Ceredigion that are being affected: the Tregaron circular service, the Penrhyn-coch to Pen-bont Rhydybeddau, and Aberystwyth to Devil's Bridge routes. Three other routes: buses now run less often from Aberystwyth to Ponterwyd, to Penrhyn-coch and to Lampeter via Tregaron. And Mid Wales Travel have just announced the halving of services on three routes from Aberystwyth town centre to the university campus, to Borth and Ynyslas, and the Penparcau circular route as well. These are really affecting communities within our rural areas. It is just another appeal that we look at the budget issues. From the roads review yesterday, I hope we have an opportunity to look at the money saved from cutting road construction to our public transport, particularly bus services. I wonder, with you having the responsibility for the budget, whether you're able to give us any information on next year's budget in terms of supporting and funding our bus services. Thank you. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Prynhawn da, Weinidog. Gan barhau â’r thema bysiau, yn enwedig mewn ardaloedd gwledig, mae’n teimlo i mi fel pe bai hwn yn un maes lle gall buddsoddi nawr a meddwl yn hirdymor fod o fudd i ni yng Nghymru, yn enwedig i'r rheini mewn ardaloedd gwledig. Felly, rhai bysiau yng Ngheredigion yr effeithir arnynt: gwasanaeth cylchol Tregaron, y llwybr o Benrhyn-coch i Ben-bont Rhydybeddau, a llwybrau Aberystwyth i Bontarfynach. Tri llwybr arall: mae bysus bellach yn rhedeg yn llai aml o Aberystwyth i Bonterwyd, i Benrhyn-coch ac i Lanbedr Pont Steffan drwy Dregaron. Ac mae Mid Wales Travel newydd gyhoeddi y bydd gwasanaethau ar dri llwybr o ganol tref Aberystwyth i gampws y brifysgol, i Borth ac Ynyslas, a llwybr cylchol Penparcau hefyd, yn cael eu haneru. Mae’r rhain yn effeithio'n fawr ar gymunedau yn ein hardaloedd gwledig. Mae'n apêl arall ein bod yn edrych ar y materion cyllidebol. O’r adolygiad ffyrdd ddoe, rwy'n gobeithio y cawn gyfle i edrych ar yr arian a arbedwyd o dorri’r gwaith o adeiladu ffyrdd i’n trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, yn enwedig gwasanaethau bysiau. Gan mai chi sy'n gyfrifol am y gyllideb, tybed a allwch roi unrhyw wybodaeth i ni am gyllideb y flwyddyn nesaf o safbwynt cefnogi ac ariannu ein gwasanaethau bysiau. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
I'm very grateful for the question and also, as Cefin Campbell has done, for recognising the important role that buses play in terms of serving our rural communities in particular. I will ask the Deputy Minister to provide a greater update as those discussions continue because, as I say, he is leading on those discussions, but I think that one thing he would probably want to highlight is the importance of our Fflecsi pilot scheme. Particularly, it's been an important innovation in some rural areas, including schemes in the Conwy valley and in Pembrokeshire, but also in some urban areas, including Newport and smaller towns such as Denbigh and Ruthin. I think there's a lot to learn from those, but, again, that's not something that will be developing at pace overnight, but certainly something I think that has a really important part to play in the longer term.
Rwy’n ddiolchgar iawn am y cwestiwn a hefyd, fel y mae Cefin Campbell wedi’i wneud, am gydnabod y rôl bwysig y mae bysiau yn ei chwarae'n gwasanaethu ein cymunedau gwledig yn arbennig. Fe ofynnaf i’r Dirprwy Weinidog roi mwy o ddiweddariadau wrth i’r trafodaethau hynny barhau oherwydd, fel y dywedaf, ef sy'n arwain ar y trafodaethau hynny, ond credaf mai un peth y byddai’n debygol o fod yn awyddus i dynnu sylw ato yw pwysigrwydd ein cynllun peilot Fflecsi. Bu'n gyfleuster hynod bwysig mewn rhai ardaloedd gwledig, gan gynnwys cynlluniau yn nyffryn Conwy ac yn sir Benfro, ond hefyd mewn rhai ardaloedd trefol, gan gynnwys Casnewydd a threfi llai fel Dinbych a Rhuthun. Credaf fod llawer i'w ddysgu o'r rheini, ond eto, nid yw hynny'n rhywbeth a fydd yn datblygu'n gyflym dros nos, ond yn sicr, mae'n rhywbeth y credaf fod ganddo ran bwysig iawn i'w chwarae yn y tymor hwy.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Peter Fox.
Questions now from party spokespeople. The Conservative spokesperson, Peter Fox.
Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, I'm sure all in this Chamber are relieved that negotiations with our teachers and our NHS unions over revised pay offers are looking promising and have averted further strikes by teachers and any NHS staff for the time being. Let's all hope that the offers will be accepted. But, for weeks, Minister, the Welsh Government had claimed that there's no money, meaning that any proposed pay rise would have been unachievable. So, given the u-turn that the Government has made, Minister, can you share the total amount that these increased pay offers will cost, and where this additional money is going to come from? And can you indicate which service areas will bear the costs and what things are likely to be put on hold as a result?
Diolch, Lywydd. Weinidog, rwy’n siŵr fod pawb yn y Siambr hon yn falch fod trafodaethau gyda’n hathrawon ac undebau ein GIG ynghylch cynigion cyflog diwygiedig yn edrych yn addawol ac wedi atal streiciau pellach gan athrawon ac unrhyw staff GIG am y tro. Gadewch inni obeithio y bydd y cynigion yn cael eu derbyn. Ond ers wythnosau, Weinidog, roedd Llywodraeth Cymru wedi honni nad oes arian ar gael, sy’n golygu y byddai unrhyw godiad cyflog arfaethedig wedi bod yn amhosibl. Felly, o ystyried y tro pedol a wnaed gan y Llywodraeth, Weinidog, a allwch rannu’r cyfanswm y bydd y cynigion cyflog uwch hyn yn ei gostio, ac o ble y daw'r arian ychwanegol? Ac a wnewch chi nodi pa feysydd gwasanaeth a fydd yn ysgwyddo'r costau a pha bethau sy'n debygol o gael eu gohirio o ganlyniad?
Well, I share your hope that the members of the unions will now accept the enhanced offer that has been made, which, just to be clear, is over and above the offer that was previously made when we accepted the recommendations of the independent pay review bodies. Our offer is, of course, an additional 3 per cent in this year and 1.5 per cent of that will be consolidated into next year. So, in terms of where we've been able to find the money, I refer colleagues to the second supplementary budget, which we published yesterday. And that sets out that we've allocated £130 million to the health main expenditure group and £35 million to the education MEG in order to cover that payment, should it be accepted within this financial year.
You'll also see from the supplementary budget that we've now drawn down everything that we can within this financial year from the Wales reserve, which is £125 million of revenue. That is not a comfortable position to be in at all—it's certainly not something that I'd intended to do at the start of the year. You'll remember that, when we set our budget for this financial year, it was less than £40 million that we intended to draw down and that was in recognition of the difficult two years that we face, which follow us in terms of the three-year spending review period. So, it's a very difficult situation, I think, now, budgetary wise, but absolutely, it was the right thing to do. So, just to assure you that, when colleagues vote on the supplementary budget, they'll be giving cover then for the Welsh Government to spend the money that has been allocated. And also, there might be the underspends, which, obviously, we'll be driving now across different departments between now and the financial year so that we can make sure that we cover the whole of that award.
Wel, rwy’n rhannu eich gobaith y bydd aelodau’r undebau nawr yn derbyn y cynnig gwell a wnaed, sydd, i fod yn glir, yn uwch na'r cynnig a wnaed yn flaenorol pan wnaethom dderbyn argymhellion y cyrff adolygu cyflog annibynnol. Ein cynnig, wrth gwrs, yw 3 y cant ychwanegol yn y flwyddyn hon, a bydd 1.5 y cant o hynny’n cael ei gyfuno i mewn i'r flwyddyn nesaf. Felly, o ran ble rydym wedi gallu dod o hyd i'r arian, cyfeiriaf fy nghyd-Aelodau at yr ail gyllideb atodol, a gyhoeddwyd gennym ddoe. Ac mae honno'n nodi ein bod wedi dyrannu £130 miliwn i'r prif grŵp gwariant iechyd a £35 miliwn i'r prif grŵp gwariant addysg er mwyn talu am hynny, pe bai'n cael ei dderbyn o fewn y flwyddyn ariannol hon.
Fe welwch hefyd o'r gyllideb atodol ein bod bellach wedi tynnu popeth a allwn yn y flwyddyn ariannol hon i lawr o gronfa wrth gefn Cymru, sef £125 miliwn o refeniw. Nid yw honno’n sefyllfa gyfforddus i fod ynddi o gwbl—yn sicr, nid yw’n rhywbeth roeddwn i wedi bwriadu ei wneud ar ddechrau’r flwyddyn. Fe gofiwch, pan wnaethom osod ein cyllideb ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol hon, ein bod wedi bwriadu tynnu llai na £40 miliwn i lawr, ac roedd hynny i gydnabod y ddwy flynedd anodd sy’n ein hwynebu, sy’n ein dilyn o ran y cyfnod adolygu gwariant tair blynedd. Felly, credaf ei bod yn sefyllfa anodd iawn nawr, o ran y gyllideb, ond yn sicr, dyna oedd y peth iawn i'w wneud. Felly, i dawelu eich meddwl, pan fydd cyd-Aelodau'n pleidleisio ar y gyllideb atodol, byddant bryd hynny yn cynorthwyo Llywodraeth Cymru i wario'r arian sydd wedi'i ddyrannu. A hefyd, efallai y bydd tanwariant, y byddwn, yn amlwg, yn ei hybu nawr mewn gwahanol adrannau rhwng nawr a'r flwyddyn ariannol fel y gallwn sicrhau ein bod yn gallu talu am y dyfarniad cyfan hwnnw.
Thank you, Minister—thank you for that clarity. I think it's really important that the Senedd understands the detail. I know that it'll be in the supplementary budget and we look forward to discussing that earlier. There are always opportunity costs when things have to be adjusted like that. So, it's important that we do understand the implications of those decisions.
But, Minister, in a similar vein of understanding the implications of Welsh Government's decisions, you'll be aware that this year marks the entire decade since your Government unilaterally took control of Cardiff Airport. In that time, literally hundreds of millions of taxpayers' money has been poured into the site, and please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that it's well over £200 million that has been pumped into the airport, both in revenue and capital. This begs the question of what the wasted sums of money could have alternatively been used on over the years—the opportunity costs are colossal. Minister, do you regret the sums of money that your Government have poured into the airport over the last 10 years, and with hindsight, Minister, do you agree with me that it was a poor and costly decision?
Diolch, Weinidog—diolch am yr eglurhad. Credaf ei bod yn bwysig iawn fod y Senedd yn deall y manylion. Gwn y bydd hynny wedi'i gynnwys yn y gyllideb atodol, ac edrychwn ymlaen at drafod hynny’n gynharach. Mae costau cyfle bob amser pan fydd yn rhaid addasu pethau fel hynny. Felly, mae'n bwysig ein bod yn deall goblygiadau'r penderfyniadau hynny.
Ond Weinidog, yn yr un modd o ran deall goblygiadau penderfyniadau Llywodraeth Cymru, fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol ei bod yn ddegawd cyfan eleni ers i'ch Llywodraeth gymryd rheolaeth gyfan ar Faes Awyr Caerdydd. Yn y cyfnod hwnnw, mae cannoedd o filiynau, yn llythrennol, o arian trethdalwyr wedi'i wario ar y safle, a chywirwch fi os wyf yn anghywir, ond credaf fod ymhell dros £200 miliwn wedi'i bwmpio i mewn i'r maes awyr, a hynny mewn refeniw a chyfalaf. Mae hyn yn codi'r cwestiwn ar gyfer beth arall y gellid bod wedi defnyddio’r symiau o arian a wastraffwyd dros y blynyddoedd—mae’r costau cyfle yn enfawr. Weinidog, a ydych yn gresynu at y symiau o arian y mae eich Llywodraeth wedi’u gwario ar y maes awyr dros y 10 mlynedd diwethaf, ac wrth edrych yn ôl, Weinidog, a ydych yn cytuno â mi ei fod yn benderfyniad gwael a chostus?
Well, if my colleague, the economy Minister—sorry, the transport Minister—within whose portfolio this sits was answering the question, I'm sure he would refer you to the fact that the airport does have a particular plan to put itself on a sustainable footing for the future. I think it is important that the airport does have a sustainable plan in terms of becoming profitable, but I think it is important that we do have an airport here in Wales in order to service people who live in Wales. What we do have, I think, is a problematic situation where the UK Government seems very much interested, really, in supporting Bristol Airport at the expense of Cardiff Airport. We saw that in the debates that we had in terms of devolving air passenger duty in recent years as well. So, I think that that is of particular concern. But I think it is important that Wales has an airport; it's important that our airport becomes sustainable in the long term.
Wel, pe bai fy nghyd-Weindiog, Gweinidog yr Economi—mae'n ddrwg gennyf, y Gweinidog trafnidiaeth—yn ateb y cwestiwn hwn, gan mai rhan o'i bortffolio ef yw hyn, rwy’n siŵr y byddai’n eich cyfeirio at y ffaith bod gan y maes awyr gynllun penodol i sicrhau ei fod ar sylfaen gynaliadwy ar gyfer y dyfodol. Credaf ei bod yn bwysig fod gan y maes awyr gynllun cynaliadwy i ddod yn broffidiol, ond credaf ei bod yn bwysig fod gennym faes awyr yma yng Nghymru i wasanaethu pobl sy’n byw yng Nghymru. Yr hyn sydd gennym yn fy marn i yw sefyllfa broblemus lle mae'n ymddangos bod gan Lywodraeth y DU gryn ddiddordeb mewn cefnogi Maes Awyr Bryste ar draul Maes Awyr Caerdydd. Gwelsom hynny yn y dadleuon a gawsom ar ddatganoli’r doll teithwyr awyr yn y blynyddoedd diwethaf hefyd. Felly, credaf fod hynny’n peri pryder arbennig. Ond rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig fod gan Gymru faes awyr; mae'n bwysig fod ein maes awyr yn dod yn gynaliadwy yn y tymor hir.
Well, thank you, again, Minister. I take it from that that you don't regret the investment over the 10 years, albeit that it's a huge amount of money, and I know that many Members in here would have liked to have seen that money spent in many other areas, such as health and education, and we might not have found ourselves in the poor situation we're currently in, but that's where we are. Unfortunately, Minister, examples of lost opportunities under the Government just keep coming up.
And now I turn my attention, finally, to Gilestone Farm, where Audit Wales have raised serious concerns over your Government's decision to spend £4.25 million of taxpayers' money on buying that farm. But only last week in this Chamber, Members of your own back benches openly raised serious concerns over the purchase. Do you agree with them that, in hindsight, once again, the decision to buy the farm was another example of your Government's poor judgment and a financial mistake?
Wel, diolch, unwaith eto, Weinidog. Cymeraf o hynny nad ydych yn difaru’r buddsoddiad dros y 10 mlynedd, er ei fod yn swm enfawr o arian, a gwn y byddai llawer o Aelodau yma wedi hoffi gweld yr arian hwnnw’n cael ei wario mewn llawer o feysydd eraill, megis iechyd ac addysg, ac efallai wedyn na fyddem yn y sefyllfa wael rydym ynddi, ond dyna ble rydym. Yn anffodus, Weinidog, mae enghreifftiau o gyfleoedd a gollwyd o dan y Llywodraeth yn codi o hyd.
A nawr, rwy'n troi fy sylw, yn olaf, at Fferm Gilestone, lle mae Archwilio Cymru wedi mynegi pryderon difrifol ynghylch penderfyniad eich Llywodraeth i wario £4.25 miliwn o arian trethdalwyr ar brynu'r fferm honno. Ond yr wythnos diwethaf yn y Siambr hon, mynegodd Aelodau eich meinciau cefn eich hun bryderon difrifol ynghylch y pryniant. A ydych yn cytuno â hwy, wrth edrych yn ôl unwaith eto, fod y penderfyniad i brynu’r fferm yn enghraifft arall o grebwyll gwael eich Llywodraeth a chamgymeriad ariannol?
Well, I think what's really clear from the auditor general’s report is that our acquisition of Gilestone Farm, to allow Green Man to develop its plans, was value for money, properly aligned to our economic ambitions, and followed the appropriate processes and approvals. And, to be clear, the report by Audit Wales underscores that the procedural integrity of the acquisition of the farm is not in doubt. The Welsh Government has the legal powers to acquire properties or assets like Gilestone Farm, and professional independent advice was sought as part of the purchase process. And also, the auditor general makes it clear that the advice to Ministers was set in the context of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and our policies to support and further tourism and social and economic regeneration. I think the report also added that the advice sent to Ministers was well rounded, providing six options for Ministers to consider, including the option of not progressing with the policy proposal.
But, of course, no final decision on the future of Gilestone Farm will be made until there is an extensive due diligence process completed and, in the event that the detailed business plan does not meet our Welsh Government requirements or that Green Man does not enter into a prospective commercial lease, the Welsh Government will, of course, still have the farm asset and will be able to consider other options for it.
Wel, credaf mai’r hyn sy’n wirioneddol glir o adroddiad yr archwilydd cyffredinol yw bod prynu Fferm Gilestone, er mwyn caniatáu i Ŵyl y Dyn Gwyrdd ddatblygu eu cynlluniau, yn dangos gwerth am arian, yn cyd-fynd yn briodol â’n huchelgeisiau economaidd, ac wedi dilyn y prosesau a’r cymeradwyaethau priodol. Ac i fod yn glir, mae adroddiad Archwilio Cymru yn tanlinellu nad oes amheuaeth ynghylch cywirdeb gweithdrefnol y broses o gaffael y fferm. Mae gan Lywodraeth Cymru bwerau cyfreithiol i gaffael eiddo neu asedau fel Fferm Gilestone, a gofynnwyd am gyngor annibynnol proffesiynol yn rhan o’r broses gaffael. A hefyd, mae’r archwilydd cyffredinol yn nodi'n glir fod y cyngor i Weinidogion wedi’i roi yng nghyd-destun Deddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau’r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015 a’n polisïau i gefnogi a hybu twristiaeth ac adfywio cymdeithasol ac economaidd. Credaf fod yr adroddiad hefyd wedi ychwanegu bod y cyngor a roddwyd i Weinidogion yn eang, ac yn darparu chwe opsiwn i Weinidogion eu hystyried, gan gynnwys yr opsiwn o beidio â bwrw ymlaen â’r cynnig polisi.
Ond wrth gwrs, ni fydd unrhyw benderfyniad terfynol yn cael ei wneud ar ddyfodol Fferm Gilestone hyd nes y bydd proses ddiwydrwydd dyladwy helaeth wedi’i chwblhau, ac os na fydd y cynllun busnes manwl yn bodloni gofynion Llywodraeth Cymru, neu os na fydd Gŵyl y Dyn Gwyrdd yn ymrwymo i les fasnachol arfaethedig, bydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru y fferm fel ased o hyd wrth gwrs, a bydd yn gallu ystyried opsiynau eraill ar ei chyfer.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Llyr Gruffydd.
Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Llyr Gruffydd.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd. Last week, Minister, you recall, I'm sure, Plaid Cymru making our case for the further devolution of tax powers, in that instance providing Wales with the ability to set our own income tax bands in line with powers already being exercised in Scotland, of course. Now, unfortunately, you and your colleagues voted down our motion, despite mounting evidence that the current income tax bands, which are, let's not forget, set by the UK Government for Wales, despite them being an exceedingly poor fit for the Welsh tax base. Now, a recent Institute of Welsh Affairs report stated that if you were designing an efficient system of income taxation for Wales, then the bands wouldn't look like they look now.
However, what's also apparent, of course, is that the Welsh Government's current agenda for the further devolution of tax powers, which includes an ambition to establish a vacant land tax is being undermined by a consistent lack of engagement and co-operation from the UK Government. You've described the agreed process for devolution of tax competence to Wales as 'not fit for purpose', so can you tell us, therefore, what recent discussions you've had with the UK Government regarding the review and reform of the process by which new tax powers are devolved? And what recommendations has the Welsh Government made to the UK Government in this regard?
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Lywydd. Yr wythnos diwethaf, Weinidog, rwy’n siŵr y gallwch gofio Plaid Cymru yn dadlau ein hachos dros ddatganoli pwerau trethu ymhellach, gan roi’r gallu, yn yr achos hwnnw, i Gymru osod ein bandiau treth incwm ein hunain yn unol â’r pwerau sydd eisoes yn cael eu harfer yn yr Alban, wrth gwrs. Yn anffodus, fe wnaethoch chi a’ch cyd-Aelodau bleidleisio yn erbyn ein cynnig, er gwaethaf tystiolaeth gynyddol fod y bandiau treth incwm presennol, sy'n cael eu gosod, gadewch inni gofio, gan Lywodraeth y DU ar gyfer Cymru, er gwaethaf y ffaith eu bod yn anaddas iawn ar gyfer sylfaen drethu Cymru. Nawr, yn ôl adroddiad diweddar gan y Sefydliad Materion Cymreig, pe baech yn dylunio system effeithlon o drethi incwm i Gymru, ni fyddai’r bandiau’n edrych fel y maent yn edrych nawr.
Fodd bynnag, yr hyn sydd hefyd yn amlwg, wrth gwrs, yw bod agenda bresennol Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer datganoli pwerau trethu ymhellach, sy’n cynnwys uchelgais i sefydlu treth ar dir gwag, yn cael ei thanseilio gan ddiffyg ymgysylltu a chydweithredu cyson gan Lywodraeth y DU. Rydych wedi disgrifio’r broses y cytunwyd arni ar gyfer datganoli cymhwysedd trethu i Gymru fel un ‘nad yw'n addas i'r diben’, felly a allwch ddweud wrthym pa drafodaethau diweddar a gawsoch gyda Llywodraeth y DU ynghylch adolygu a diwygio’r broses o ddatganoli pwerau trethu newydd? A pha argymhellion y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi’u gwneud i Lywodraeth y DU yn hyn o beth?
So, I was surprised by the response of the leader of Plaid Cymru to my response to his debate last week, because I thought that I was very fair and measured in setting out that it is important for the Welsh Government to understand the proper implications of any particular policy before we hitch our horse to that particular cart. And I did say that the constitutional commission is going to be doing important work that looks at the future role that taxes might play in Wales. I also set out that there are some significant negative impacts that we potentially would have to consider as well. The situation in Scotland being that the tax system that they have and the choices that they've made mean that there will be a £100 million negative net impact on the Scottish budget, despite the fact that Scottish taxpayers are making £85 million greater tax effort. So, I think all of those things are important for us to consider.
But, in rejecting the proposals last week, I think what I was doing was setting out that we can't take a particular policy choice before we properly understand the implications. And, in response to one of the previous questions this afternoon, I said that we're working alongside HM Revenue and Customs to better understand that longitudinal data, which is coming forth now in respect of Scotland, to understand the behavioural impacts of different choices in respect of rates of income tax. What I was trying to set out last week was that we want to take a considered, evidence-based approach, which I think is the right thing to do.
In terms of the devolution of further tax powers, I agree with what I said previously and with what you've quoted today, which is that the system that we have isn't fit for purpose. But, I am seeking a meeting with the new Financial Secretary to the Treasury to discuss the issue further, and I hope to have that meeting shortly, and I'm more than happy to update colleagues following that meeting.
Felly, cefais fy synnu gan ymateb arweinydd Plaid Cymru i fy ymateb i’w ddadl yr wythnos diwethaf, gan fy mod yn credu imi fod yn deg ac yn bwyllog iawn wrth nodi ei bod yn bwysig i Lywodraeth Cymru ddeall goblygiadau priodol unrhyw bolisi penodol cyn inni ymrwymo iddo. A dywedais y bydd y comisiwn cyfansoddiadol yn gwneud gwaith pwysig sy'n edrych ar y rôl y gallai trethi ei chwarae yng Nghymru yn y dyfodol. Nodais hefyd fod rhai effeithiau negyddol sylweddol y byddai’n rhaid i ni eu hystyried hefyd, o bosibl. Y sefyllfa yn yr Alban yw bod y system dreth sydd ganddynt a’r dewisiadau y maent wedi’u gwneud yn golygu y bydd effaith negyddol net o £100 miliwn ar gyllideb yr Alban, er gwaethaf y ffaith bod trethdalwyr yr Alban yn talu £85 miliwn yn fwy o drethi. Felly, credaf fod yr holl bethau hynny’n bwysig i ni eu hystyried.
Ond drwy wrthod y cynigion yr wythnos diwethaf, credaf mai’r hyn roeddwn yn ei wneud oedd nodi na allwn wneud dewis polisi penodol cyn ein bod yn deall y goblygiadau’n iawn. Ac mewn ymateb i un o'r cwestiynau blaenorol y prynhawn yma, dywedais ein bod yn gweithio ochr yn ochr â Chyllid a Thollau Ei Fawrhydi i ddeall y data hydredol hwnnw'n well, sy'n dod i'r amlwg nawr mewn perthynas â'r Alban, i ddeall effeithiau ymddygiadol gwahanol ddewisiadau mewn perthynas â chyfraddau treth incwm. Yr hyn roeddwn yn ceisio’i nodi yr wythnos diwethaf oedd ein bod am arfer ymagwedd ystyriol sy’n seiliedig ar dystiolaeth, sef y peth iawn i’w wneud yn fy marn i.
O ran datganoli pwerau trethu pellach, cytunaf â’r hyn a ddywedais eisoes a’r hyn rydych wedi’i ddyfynnu heddiw, sef nad yw’r system sydd gennym yn addas i'r diben. Ond rwy’n ceisio cyfarfod ag Ysgrifennydd Ariannol newydd y Trysorlys i drafod y mater ymhellach, a gobeithiaf gael y cyfarfod hwnnw cyn bo hir, ac rwy’n fwy na pharod i roi’r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i gyd-Aelodau yn dilyn y cyfarfod hwnnw.
It would be really good to have that update, as and when it's available, although your answer feels a little bit like a previous answer you gave me a while ago.
The first part of your response takes me on to my next question, really, because I was going to refer to the fact that you, in your response to our debate last week, said you needed a better understanding of the behavioural changes and that that would be key to developing and maturing the Welsh tax policy agenda, and I clearly agree with that; it's an important factor. But it's also true that the evidence base isn't there—it's lacking. Indeed, last week's report from the Finance Committee on the draft budget expressed disappointment that the Welsh Government hasn't undertaken a comprehensive analysis of what behavioural impact the raising, or indeed the lowering, of the Welsh rates of income tax would have, and I would certainly echo the committee's view. Because if you suggest that you can't vary Welsh rates of income tax without understanding any subsequent behavioural changes, then without getting that work done, your hands will forever be tied. So, I presume that you do acknowledge, first of all, that there is a glaring need, as the Finance Committee report emphasised and as you suggested in your previous answer, for that work to be done. You mentioned the work by the HMRC, maybe you could just explain whether that is in a specific Welsh context, because there are other pieces of work out there that relate to other jurisdictions but may not, obviously, transfer directly over to our experience here in Wales. It really is important that we address that evidence gap, because otherwise the risk is that I'll be coming back here next year and the year after, listening to you giving me the same answers over and over again.
Byddai'n dda iawn cael y diweddariad hwnnw pan fydd ar gael, er bod eich ateb yn teimlo ychydig fel ateb blaenorol a roesoch i mi beth amser yn ôl.
Mae rhan gyntaf eich ymateb yn fy arwain at fy nghwestiwn nesaf, a dweud y gwir, gan fy mod yn mynd i gyfeirio at y ffaith i chi, yn eich ymateb i’n dadl yr wythnos diwethaf, ddweud bod angen ichi ddeall y newidiadau ymddygiadol yn well, ac y byddai hynny’n allweddol i ddatblygu ac aeddfedu agenda polisi treth Cymru, ac rwy’n amlwg yn cytuno â hynny; mae'n ffactor pwysig. Ond mae hefyd yn wir nad yw'r sylfaen dystiolaeth yno—mae'n ddiffygiol. Yn wir, roedd adroddiad yr wythnos diwethaf gan y Pwyllgor Cyllid ar y gyllideb ddrafft yn mynegi siom nad yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cynnal dadansoddiad cynhwysfawr o ba effaith ymddygiadol y byddai codi, neu yn wir gostwng, cyfraddau treth incwm Cymru yn ei chael, a byddwn innau'n sicr yn adleisio barn y pwyllgor. Oherwydd os ydych yn awgrymu na allwch amrywio cyfraddau treth incwm Cymru heb ddeall unrhyw newidiadau ymddygiadol dilynol, yna heb wneud y gwaith hwnnw, bydd eich dwylo wedi'u clymu am byth. Felly, rwy’n cymryd eich bod yn cydnabod, yn gyntaf oll, fod angen amlwg i'r gwaith hwnnw gael ei wneud, fel y pwysleisiodd adroddiad y Pwyllgor Cyllid ac fel yr awgrymwyd gennych yn eich ateb blaenorol. Fe sonioch am y gwaith gan Gyllid a Thollau EF, efallai y gallech egluro a yw hynny mewn cyd-destun Cymreig penodol, gan fod darnau eraill o waith sy'n berthnasol i awdurdodaethau eraill ond efallai nad ydynt, yn amlwg, yn trosglwyddo'n uniongyrchol i'n profiad ni yma yng Nghymru. Mae'n wirioneddol bwysig ein bod yn mynd i'r afael â'r bwlch hwnnw yn y dystiolaeth, oherwydd fel arall, y risg yw y byddaf yn ôl yma y flwyddyn nesaf a'r flwyddyn wedyn, yn gwrando arnoch yn rhoi'r un atebion i mi dro ar ôl tro.
So, in respect of the evidence base that we currently use, we already take into account behavioural impacts in our Welsh rates of income tax ready reckoner, which you'll find on the Welsh Government's website. That shows that, for example, were we to raise the additional rate of Welsh rates of income tax, we would probably bring in around £7 million, but actually, the net impact would only be around £3 million, as a result of behavioural changes. We understand that from the basis of a Swiss study—officials advised that that's the closest proxy that we can use in the current circumstances in the absence of any more detailed information that we have. But again, this is an important piece of work for the constitutional commission.
But then, I'd also point colleagues to the independent body that advises the Scottish Government on its budget and its tax choices—so, their version, if you like, of the Office for Budget Responsibility, in terms of presenting detailed information. I think that if you look at that latest report, you'll see that if the Scottish Government were to raise the very highest rate by 1p it would bring in £30 million, but the net impact would only be around £3 million as a result of behavioural changes and out-migration and so on. All of that information is there. We're considering it all the time. But we do need to build up a proper evidence base so that we can take well-informed decisions.
Felly, o ran y sylfaen dystiolaeth rydym yn ei defnyddio ar hyn o bryd, rydym eisoes yn ystyried effeithiau ymddygiadol yn ein canllaw cyflym cyfraddau treth incwm Cymru, sydd ar gael ar wefan Llywodraeth Cymru. Mae hwnnw'n dangos, er enghraifft, pe baem yn cynyddu'r gyfradd ychwanegol o gyfraddau treth incwm Cymru, mae’n debyg y byddem yn codi oddeutu £7 miliwn, ond mewn gwirionedd, dim ond oddeutu £3 miliwn fyddai’r effaith net, o ganlyniad i newidiadau ymddygiadol. Deallwn hynny ar sail astudiaeth yn y Swistir—cynghorodd swyddogion mai dyna'r procsi agosaf y gallwn ei ddefnyddio o dan yr amgylchiadau presennol yn absenoldeb unrhyw wybodaeth fanylach sydd gennym. Ond eto, mae hwn yn waith pwysig i’r comisiwn cyfansoddiadol.
Ond wedyn, byddwn hefyd yn cyfeirio cyd-Aelodau at y corff annibynnol sy'n cynghori Llywodraeth yr Alban ar ei chyllideb a'i dewisiadau treth—felly, eu fersiwn hwy, os mynnwch, o'r Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol, sy'n cyflwyno gwybodaeth fanwl. Credaf y gwelwch, os edrychwch ar yr adroddiad diweddaraf hwnnw, pe bai Llywodraeth yr Alban yn cynyddu’r gyfradd uchaf 1g, y byddai hynny'n codi £30 miliwn, ond dim ond oddeutu £3 miliwn fyddai’r effaith net o ganlyniad i newidiadau ymddygiadol ac allfudo ac ati. Mae'r holl wybodaeth honno yno. Rydym yn ei hystyried drwy'r amser. Ond mae angen inni adeiladu sylfaen dystiolaeth briodol fel y gallwn wneud penderfyniadau gwybodus.
3. Pa drafodaethau mae'r Gweinidog wedi'u cael gyda'r Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd ynglŷn ag effaith cyllideb ddrafft y Llywodraeth ar ddyfodol parciau cenedlaethol? OQ59135
3. What discussions has the Minister had with the Minister for Climate Change regarding the impact of the Government's draft budget on the future of national parks? OQ59135
As part of the 2022-25 spending review, an additional £9 million revenue and close to £90 million capital has been allocated to enhance green spaces. This includes funding for a new national park. Spending decisions in relation to national parks are, of course, a matter for the Minister for Climate Change.
Fel rhan o adolygiad gwariant 2022-25, dyrannwyd £9 miliwn o refeniw ychwanegol ac yn agos at £90 miliwn o gyfalaf i wella mannau gwyrdd. Mae hyn yn cynnwys cyllid ar gyfer parc cenedlaethol newydd. Mater i'r Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd wrth gwrs yw penderfyniadau gwariant mewn perthynas â pharciau cenedlaethol.
Diolch am yr ateb yna. Roedd hi'n eironig iawn darllen datganiad y Dirprwy Weinidog Newid Hinsawdd ynghylch trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn y Gymru wledig ac yntau yn sôn am y gwasanaeth Sherpa i'r Wyddfa fel enghraifft dda o'r math o system y dylid ei ledaenu ar draws Cymru. Yr eironi ydy, wrth gwrs, fel y saif pethau, gall y gwasanaeth yma fod o dan fygythiad oherwydd methiant y Llywodraeth i ariannu Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri yn iawn. Yn wir, mae’n debyg y bydd pob parc cenedlaethol yn gorfod edrych i dorri yn ôl ar wasanaethau, ac felly, ni chaiff llwybrau cerdded eu cynnal a'u cadw, bydd toiledau cyhoeddus yn cau, a llawer iawn mwy. Roedd y gyllideb ddrafft wreiddiol yn sôn am roi £0.5 miliwn yn ychwanegol i barciau cenedlaethol Cymru, ond mae'r arian yma wedi diflannu ac mae'r setliad fflat yn golygu bod y gyllideb heb godi dim mewn termau go iawn ers tua 10 mlynedd. Felly, a wnaiff y Gweinidog ymrwymo i o leiaf ailgyflwyno'r £0.5 miliwn yna i'r parciau cenedlaethol er mwyn iddyn nhw fedru cyflawni eu dyletswyddau yn llawn?
Thank you for that response. It was very ironic to read the statement by the Deputy Minister for Climate Change on public transport in rural Wales when he was talking about the Sherpa service to Yr Wyddfa as a good example of the kind of system that should be used across Wales. The irony is, of course, that, as things stand, this service could be under threat because of the Government's failure to fund Eryri National Park properly. Indeed, it's likely that every national park will have to look to cut back services, and therefore walking routes won't be maintained, public toilets will close and far more. The original draft budget talked about giving an additional £0.5 million to national parks in Wales, but this funding has disappeared, and the flat settlement means that the budget hasn't increased at all in real terms for some 10 years. So, will the Minister commit to at least reintroducing that £0.5 million to the national parks so that they can deliver their objectives fully?
Well, there was a 10 per cent uplift to the national park authorities' core grants, taking it to just over £10 million in 2021-22, and that has been maintained into 2022-23. And the aim of that was to provide greater resilience following the pandemic and also increase the impact of their activities around biodiversity, decarbonisation and sustainable tourism. Now, I do understand the pressures that national parks are under, and the Minister for Climate Change, again, whose portfolio in which this sits, has met with the chief executives to discuss these concerns, and officials are continuing to liaise with the national parks. As you say, the parks are currently conducting their exercises to develop saving plans, and I know that the Minister and her officials will be looking at those very closely in terms of determining the future.
Wel, roedd cynnydd o 10 y cant i grantiau craidd awdurdodau'r parciau cenedlaethol, gan fynd ag ef i ychydig dros £10 miliwn yn 2021-22, ac mae hynny wedi'i gynnal yn 2022-23. A nod hynny oedd darparu mwy o wytnwch yn dilyn y pandemig a chynyddu effaith eu gweithgareddau'n ymwneud â bioamrywiaeth, datgarboneiddio a thwristiaeth gynaliadwy. Nawr, rwy'n deall y pwysau sydd ar barciau cenedlaethol, ac unwaith eto mae'r Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd sydd â hyn yn ei bortffolio wedi cyfarfod â'r prif weithredwyr i drafod y pryderon hyn, ac mae swyddogion yn parhau i gysylltu â'r parciau cenedlaethol. Fel y dywedwch, mae'r parciau'n cynnal eu hymarferion ar hyn o bryd i ddatblygu cynlluniau arbed arian, ac rwy'n gwybod y bydd y Gweinidog a'i swyddogion yn edrych ar y rheini'n agos iawn er mwyn gwneud penderfyniadau ar gyfer y dyfodol.
Snowdonia national park goes beyond and above to deliver on its statutory purposes, and I'd like to place on record my thanks for how they do manage all the functions they do have, their statutory functions, with the resources they have. However, the effect of inflation on the authority's flat budget until the end of 2024-25 is worryingly approximately £1.1 million, equivalent to a 20 per cent cut in grant levy. Now, we know that inflation is rocketing and their costs are going up, yet you want to provide a flat budget of just over £5.4 million. Now, this is despite the fact that park authorities have no mechanism in terms of funding to increase revenue funding like other public bodies. SNP raises an additional £2.8 million annually in order to deliver. Now, the national park is doing everything possible to raise what money it can, but its work is being completely undermined by continued real-term cuts from the Welsh Government. Now, bearing in mind that Snowdonia national park, potentially, could be facing job and service losses—and we know that this park plays a key role in tackling the climate and nature crisis—will you prove that you are committed to the future of the national park by increasing the grant? It isn't the first time I've raised these concerns, but you cannot keep asking these organisations to do more with less resources. Thank you.
Mae parc cenedlaethol Eryri yn mynd y tu hwnt i'r galw i gyflawni ei ddibenion statudol, a hoffwn gofnodi fy niolch am y ffordd y maent yn rheoli'r holl swyddogaethau sydd ganddynt, eu swyddogaethau statudol, gyda'r adnoddau sydd ganddynt. Fodd bynnag, mae'n peri pryder fod effaith chwyddiant ar gyllideb sylfaenol yr awdurdod tan ddiwedd 2024-25 oddeutu £1.1 miliwn, sy'n golygu toriad o 20 y cant yn y grantiau. Nawr, fe wyddom fod chwyddiant yn cynyddu i'r entrychion a bod eu costau'n codi, ond eto rydych chi eisiau darparu cyllideb sylfaenol o ychydig dros £5.4 miliwn. Nawr, mae hyn er gwaethaf y ffaith nad oes gan awdurdodau'r parciau fecanwaith cyllidol i gynyddu cyllid refeniw fel sydd gan gyrff cyhoeddus eraill. Mae parc cenedlaethol Eryri yn codi £2.8 miliwn ychwanegol bob blwyddyn er mwyn gallu cyflawni ei waith. Nawr, mae'r parc cenedlaethol yn gwneud popeth posibl i godi unrhyw arian y gall, ond mae ei waith yn cael ei danseilio'n llwyr gan doriadau parhaus mewn termau real gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Nawr, gan gofio y gallai parc cenedlaethol Eryri wynebu colli swyddi a gwasanaethau—ac fe wyddom fod y parc hwn yn chwarae rhan allweddol yn mynd i'r afael â'r argyfwng hinsawdd a'r argyfwng natur—a wnewch chi brofi eich bod wedi ymrwymo i ddyfodol y parc cenedlaethol drwy gynyddu'r grant? Nid dyma'r tro cyntaf i mi godi'r pryderon hyn, ond ni allwch barhau i ofyn i'r sefydliadau hyn wneud mwy gyda llai o adnoddau. Diolch.
Well, it is frustrating to have these questions from the Conservative benches when our own budget hasn't been uplifted in line with inflation but yet we're asked to uplift the budgets of other organisations in line with inflation, which is just impossible, really, for us to do across the board. We only had £1.2 billion additional funding over the next two financial years; that doesn't even begin to meet the impact of inflation on our budget. So, unfortunately, we haven't been able to provide other organisations with the kind of uplift that we would want to give them under normal circumstances. And that holds true right across the board in terms of the things that Welsh Government supports. So, unfortunately, we are constrained by the budgets that we have. I will say, though, in terms of maintaining a flat budget, it does mean, when you see that, that those budgets were protected from the cuts exercise that we had to undertake to reprioritise funding from across Government towards local government and the NHS as part of our budget process.
Wel, mae'n rhwystredig cael y cwestiynau hyn oddi ar y meinciau Ceidwadol pan nad yw ein cyllideb ein hunain wedi cael ei chodi yn unol â chwyddiant ond eto gofynnir i ni godi cyllidebau sefydliadau eraill yn unol â chwyddiant, sy'n amhosibl i ni ei wneud i bawb. Dim ond £1.2 biliwn o gyllid ychwanegol a oedd gennym dros y ddwy flynedd ariannol nesaf; nid yw hynny hyd yn oed yn dechrau lleddfu effaith chwyddiant ar ein cyllideb. Felly, yn anffodus, nid ydym wedi gallu darparu'r math o gynnydd y byddem eisiau ei roi i sefydliadau eraill o dan amgylchiadau arferol. Ac mae hynny'n wir yn gyffredinol am y pethau mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n eu cefnogi. Felly, yn anffodus, mae'r cyllidebau sydd gennym yn cyfyngu arnom. Er hynny, o ran cynnal cyllideb sylfaenol, mae'n golygu, pan welwch chi hynny, fod y cyllidebau hynny wedi cael eu diogelu rhag y toriadau y bu'n rhaid inni eu gweithredu i ailflaenoriaethu cyllid o bob rhan o'r Llywodraeth tuag at lywodraeth leol a'r GIG fel rhan o'n proses gyllidebol.
The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 makes it a duty for the Welsh Government—
Mae Deddf Llyfrgelloedd Cyhoeddus ac Amgueddfeydd 1964 yn ei gwneud yn ddyletswydd ar Lywodraeth Cymru—
You'll need to ask the question on the order paper first.
Bydd angen ichi ofyn y cwestiwn ar y papur trefn yn gyntaf.
I will. Thank you. And I'll come to that secondarily.
Fe wnaf. Diolch. Ac fe ddof at hynny yn y man.
Okay.
O'r gorau.
4. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n cefnogi dyfodol llyfrgelloedd cyhoeddus yn Islwyn? OQ59143
4. How is the Welsh Government supporting the future of public libraries in Islwyn? OQ59143
Local authorities are responsible for the provision of a library service. The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 requires authorities to provide a comprehensive and efficient service. The Welsh Government supports local library provision through a capital grant fund and by investing in developing innovative services for local communities.
Awdurdodau lleol sy'n gyfrifol am ddarparu gwasanaeth llyfrgell. Mae Deddf Llyfrgelloedd Cyhoeddus ac Amgueddfeydd 1964 yn ei gwneud yn ofynnol i awdurdodau ddarparu gwasanaeth cynhwysfawr ac effeithlon. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi darpariaeth llyfrgelloedd lleol drwy gronfa grant cyfalaf a thrwy fuddsoddi mewn datblygu gwasanaethau arloesol ar gyfer cymunedau lleol.
Thank you, and I'll turn to my supplementary question. The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 makes it a duty for the Welsh Government
'to superintend, and promote the improvement of, the public library service provided by local authorities...and to secure the proper discharge...of the functions in relation to libraries conferred on them as library authorities'
under the Act. Minister, in Islwyn in 2023, libraries continue to play a significant role at the heart of communities in Wales. This week, Newbridge library, on Monday, held an innovative session where a toddlers group was joined by individuals from Memory Lane, thanks to the Royal Voluntary Service, Dementia UK and Dementia Friends. Inter-generations joined together in one space, where community ties are built and strengthened, and throughout the Caerphilly County Borough Council area libraries are being utilised as welcoming spaces, warm hubs and places of cultural community. Minister, how can the Welsh Government continue to support, promote and encourage adults and children to make full use of the library services throughout the communities of Islwyn?
Diolch, ac rwyf am droi at fy nghwestiwn atodol. Mae Deddf Llyfrgelloedd Cyhoeddus ac Amgueddfeydd 1964 yn ei gwneud yn ddyletswydd i Lywodraeth Cymru
'oruchwylio a hybu gwelliant y gwasanaeth llyfrgell cyhoeddus a ddarperir gan yr awdurdodau lleol... a sicrhau y cyflawnir mewn modd priodol... y swyddogaethau a roddwyd iddynt fel awdurdodau llyfrgell mewn perthynas â llyfrgelloedd'
o dan y Ddeddf. Weinidog, yn Islwyn yn 2023, mae llyfrgelloedd yn parhau i chwarae rhan bwysig wrth galon cymunedau Cymru. Yr wythnos hon, ddydd Llun, cynhaliodd llyfrgell Trecelyn sesiwn arloesol lle ymunodd unigolion o Memory Lane â grŵp plant bach, diolch i'r Gwasanaeth Gwirfoddol Brenhinol, Dementia UK a Cyfeillion Dementia. Ymunodd rhyng-genedlaethau â'i gilydd mewn un gofod, lle mae cysylltiadau cymunedol yn cael eu meithrin a'u cryfhau, a thrwy ardal Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Caerffili mae llyfrgelloedd yn cael eu defnyddio fel mannau croesawus, hybiau cynnes a lleoedd ar gyfer cymunedau diwylliannol. Weinidog, sut y gall Llywodraeth Cymru barhau i gefnogi, hybu ac annog oedolion a phlant i wneud defnydd llawn o wasanaethau llyfrgell drwy holl gymunedau Islwyn?
It was lovely to hear those examples of the ways in which libraries in Islwyn are innovating, and I’m aware of some other examples as well locally in your area, including a knit and natter group, toddler time, a Lego club, and Blind Date With A Book, in celebration of Valentine’s Day, and they have that in my own library as well, and I thought that was a particularly lovely idea.
Obviously, libraries in Islwyn are really playing an important part in being those warm hubs for communities as well, and they will take part in the nationally recognised Bookstart, an early years scheme, which provides free material and information for parents and toddlers at the nine- and 18-month health check. So, libraries are playing an absolutely critical role in our lives across all of the generations. So, thank you to those libraries in Islwyn, which are doing such a fantastic job there.
I think it’s important as well for us to all be evangelical about libraries, because, if people haven’t been to a library lately, they’re going to go in and be very surprised. They’re nothing like perhaps we remember from younger days, so there’s a lot going on, and I think they are absolutely hubs of the community now, so I completely want to celebrate libraries at every opportunity we get.
Roedd yn hyfryd clywed yr enghreifftiau hynny o'r ffyrdd y mae llyfrgelloedd yn Islwyn yn arloesi, ac rwy'n ymwybodol o rai enghreifftiau eraill hefyd yn lleol yn eich ardal chi, gan gynnwys grŵp gweu a sgwrsio, grŵp plant bach, clwb Lego, a Blind Date with a Book, i ddathlu Dydd San Ffolant, ac mae ganddynt hynny yn fy llyfrgell fy hun hefyd, ac roeddwn i'n meddwl bod hwnnw'n syniad arbennig o hyfryd.
Yn amlwg, mae llyfrgelloedd yn Islwyn yn chwarae rhan bwysig wrth fod yn hybiau cynnes i gymunedau hefyd, a byddant yn cymryd rhan yn yr ymgyrch Dechrau Da a gydnabyddir yn genedlaethol, cynllun blynyddoedd cynnar sy'n darparu deunydd am ddim a gwybodaeth i rieni a phlant bach yn yr archwiliad iechyd naw a 18 mis. Felly, mae llyfrgelloedd yn chwarae rhan gwbl hanfodol yn ein bywydau ar draws y cenedlaethau i gyd. Felly, diolch i'r llyfrgelloedd yn Islwyn sy'n gwneud gwaith mor wych yno.
Rwy'n meddwl ei bod hi'n bwysig hefyd i bawb ohonom genhadu ar ran llyfrgelloedd, oherwydd, os nad yw pobl wedi bod mewn llyfrgell yn ddiweddar, maent yn mynd i fynd i mewn a chael eu synnu'n fawr. Nid ydynt yn debyg o gwbl i'r hyn a gofiwn o'r dyddiau a fu, felly mae llawer yn digwydd, ac rwy'n meddwl eu bod yn hybiau gwych i'r gymuned nawr, felly rwyf am fachu ar bob cyfle a gawn i ddathlu llyfrgelloedd.
Thank you. I find myself in complete agreement with the Member from Islwyn and the Minister on this one. Public libraries provide positive outcomes for people and communities in a variety of ways, beyond simply providing access to books, as you’ve already outlined. They contribute to the formation of human capital and maintenance of mental and physical well-being, social inclusivity and community cohesion as well, of course, as educating and providing books for those who can’t afford them—particularly important when we see that a massive 44 per cent of pupils rarely or never read books, which is far higher than in other parts of the UK. Yet Caerphilly council are cutting library funding by 20 per cent; Monmouthshire County Council are cutting funding for new library books by 50 per cent. So, what action are you taking and financial help are you giving our local authorities to ensure that these vital libraries are kept open and well used?
Diolch. Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â'r Aelod o Islwyn a'r Gweinidog ar hyn. Mae llyfrgelloedd cyhoeddus yn rhoi canlyniadau cadarnhaol i bobl a chymunedau mewn amrywiaeth o ffyrdd, y tu hwnt i ddarparu mynediad at lyfrau yn unig, fel rydych chi eisoes wedi'i nodi. Maent yn cyfrannu at ffurfio cyfalaf dynol a chynnal lles meddyliol a chorfforol, cynwysoldeb cymdeithasol a chydlyniant cymunedol yn ogystal ag addysgu a darparu llyfrau i'r rhai na allant eu fforddio—sy'n arbennig o bwysig pan welwn fod 44 y cant o ddisgyblion yn anaml neu byth yn darllen llyfrau, sy'n llawer uwch nag mewn rhannau eraill o'r DU. Ac eto, mae cyngor Caerffili yn torri cyllid llyfrgelloedd 20 y cant; mae Cyngor Sir Fynwy yn torri cyllid ar gyfer llyfrau llyfrgell newydd 50 y cant. Felly, pa gamau rydych chi'n eu cymryd a pha gymorth ariannol rydych chi'n ei roi i'n hawdurdodau lleol i sicrhau bod y llyfrgelloedd hanfodol hyn yn cael eu cadw ar agor ac y gwneir defnydd da ohonynt?
So, the majority of the Welsh Government’s financial support for public libraries is distributed through the local government core settlement, which colleagues will remember is uplifted by 7.9 per cent in our budget for next year. No authority will see an increase of less than 6.5 per cent. There are other sources of funding that are important, however, including the capital transformation fund for museums, archives and libraries, and the funding that we’re providing for the digital library service, which is also an important investment in terms of making sure that our libraries are fit for the future.
Any potential budget cuts to library services will need to be monitored by officials in the culture division in Dawn Bowden’s portfolio to ensure that public libraries meet statutory requirements. Local authorities must demonstrate that any service reductions will not impair their ability to comply with their statutory responsibilities and those discussions are ongoing between culture division officials and the library sector to develop a seventh Welsh public library standards framework, but, in the meantime, services are continuing to operate under framework 6.
Felly, mae'r rhan fwyaf o gefnogaeth ariannol Llywodraeth Cymru i lyfrgelloedd cyhoeddus yn cael ei ddosbarthu drwy'r setliad craidd i lywodraeth leol, y bydd cyd-Aelodau'n cofio iddo gael ei godi 7.9 y cant yn ein cyllideb ar gyfer y flwyddyn nesaf. Ni fydd unrhyw awdurdod yn gweld cynnydd o lai na 6.5 y cant. Mae yna ffynonellau eraill o arian sy'n bwysig, fodd bynnag, gan gynnwys y gronfa cyfalaf trawsnewid i amgueddfeydd, archifau a llyfrgelloedd, a'r cyllid rydym yn ei ddarparu ar gyfer y gwasanaethau llyfrgell digidol, sydd hefyd yn fuddsoddiad pwysig er mwyn gwneud yn siŵr bod ein llyfrgelloedd yn addas i'r dyfodol.
Bydd angen i unrhyw doriadau posibl yn y gyllideb i wasanaethau llyfrgell gael eu monitro gan swyddogion yn yr adran ddiwylliant ym mhortffolio Dawn Bowden er mwyn sicrhau bod llyfrgelloedd cyhoeddus yn diwallu gofynion statudol. Rhaid i awdurdodau lleol ddangos na fydd unrhyw leihau ar wasanaethau yn amharu ar eu gallu i gydymffurfio â'u cyfrifoldebau statudol ac mae'r trafodaethau hynny'n parhau rhwng swyddogion yr is-adran ddiwylliant a'r sector llyfrgelloedd i ddatblygu seithfed fframwaith safonau ar gyfer llyfrgelloedd cyhoeddus Cymru, ond yn y cyfamser, mae gwasanaethau'n parhau i weithredu o dan fframwaith 6.
5. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio gydag awdurdodau lleol i gefnogi ac ariannu parhad cydwasanaethau? OQ59139
5. How is the Welsh Government working with local authorities to support and fund the continuation of shared services? OQ59139
The Welsh Government is supportive of local authorities working in collaboration to improve services and provide value for money, including via shared services. Corporate joint committees provide an important new vehicle to support strategic regional collaboration between authorities.
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gefnogol i awdurdodau lleol sy'n gweithio ar y cyd i wella gwasanaethau a darparu gwerth am arian, gan gynnwys drwy gydwasanaethau. Mae cyd-bwyllgorau corfforedig yn cynnig cyfrwng newydd pwysig i gefnogi cydweithio rhanbarthol strategol rhwng awdurdodau.
Thank you, Minister. Minister, I know you will recognise the important role that shared services between local authorities play in affording valuable services to many thousands of children, enhancing their learning experiences. The amounts of support are often fundamental to the viability and existence of extremely important services. So, it was with dismay that I learned that the new Labour-run Monmouthshire County Council are planning to withdraw their £100,000 grant support to Gwent Music, a truly fantastic shared service that works with over 8,000 children across Gwent and has done for over 50 years. This withdrawal of support could be the last nail in the wonderful service's coffin. Minister, recognising the increased settlement you are making available to councils this year, and further recognising the increased levels of reserves many councils have accrued, would you share my concerns that removing crucial resources and cutting the lifelines to shared services like Gwent Music is short sighted and detrimental to the learning and life experiences of our young people?
Diolch. Weinidog, rwy'n gwybod y byddwch yn cydnabod y rôl bwysig y mae cydwasanaethau rhwng awdurdodau lleol yn ei chwarae er mwyn gallu fforddio gwasanaethau gwerthfawr i filoedd lawer o blant, gan wella eu profiadau dysgu. Mae faint o gymorth a roddir yn aml yn allweddol i hyfywedd a bodolaeth gwasanaethau hynod bwysig. Gyda siom y dysgais felly fod cyngor newydd sir Fynwy dan arweiniad Llafur yn bwriadu dileu eu cymorth grant o £100,000 i Gerdd Gwent, cydwasanaeth gwirioneddol wych sy'n gweithio gyda dros 8,000 o blant ar draws Gwent ac sydd wedi gwneud hynny ers dros 50 mlynedd. Gallai tynnu'r cymorth hwn yn ôl fod yn hoelen olaf yn arch y gwasanaeth gwych hwn. Weinidog, gan gydnabod y setliad cynyddol rydych chi'n ei ddarparu i gynghorau eleni, a chan gydnabod ymhellach y lefelau uwch o gronfeydd wrth gefn mae llawer o gynghorau wedi'u cronni, a ydych chi'n rhannu fy mhryderon fod cael gwared ar adnoddau hanfodol a thorri'r llinellau achub i gydwasanaethau fel Cerdd Gwent yn gam gwag ac yn niweidiol i brofiadau dysgu a bywyd ein pobl ifanc?
In prioritising public services, including local government, in our budget settlement, we've always been clear at every step that it still will mean a difficult set of decisions for local government to take. I know that local government leaders have been consulting on a whole range of things that they wouldn't normally want to be consulting their local areas on in terms of service provision for the future. But, at the end of the day, we have provided the best possible settlement to local government. It doesn't match inflation; it doesn't meet all of the needs that local government is going to have to meet in terms of their local communities. So, we continue to press the UK Government to provide greater funding for public services and we maintain that call to them to use the spring statement on 15 March to provide the much-needed additional uplift for public services.
Wrth flaenoriaethu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, gan gynnwys llywodraeth leol, yn ein setliad cyllideb, rydym bob amser wedi bod yn glir ar bob cam y bydd yn dal i olygu cyfres anodd o benderfyniadau i lywodraeth leol eu gwneud. Rwy'n gwybod bod arweinwyr llywodraeth leol wedi bod yn ymgynghori ar ystod gyfan o bethau na fyddent fel arfer eisiau bod yn ymgynghori â'u hardaloedd lleol yn eu cylch o ran darparu gwasanaethau i'r dyfodol. Ond yn y pen draw, rydym wedi darparu'r setliad gorau posibl i lywodraeth leol. Nid yw'n cyd-fynd â chwyddiant; nid yw'n diwallu'r holl anghenion y bydd yn rhaid i lywodraeth leol eu diwallu yn eu cymunedau lleol. Felly, rydym yn parhau i bwyso ar Lywodraeth y DU i ddarparu mwy o gyllid ar gyfer gwasanaethau cyhoeddus ac rydym yn parhau'r alwad arnynt i ddefnyddio datganiad y gwanwyn ar 15 Mawrth i ddarparu'r cynnydd ychwanegol mawr ei angen i wasanaethau cyhoeddus.
6. Pa asesiad mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud o effaith ei chyllideb ddrafft ar gyfer 2023-24 ar awdurdodau lleol? OQ59141
6. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the impact of its draft budget for 2023-24 on local authorities? OQ59141
The Government is providing unhypothecated revenue funding of over £5.5 billion and £180 million of capital funding in 2023-24 in support of local authority services. While this is a significantly better settlement than authorities had anticipated, authorities will need to take some difficult decisions given the high levels of inflation.
Mae'r Llywodraeth yn darparu cyllid refeniw heb ei neilltuo o dros £5.5 biliwn a £180 miliwn o gyllid cyfalaf yn 2023-24 i gefnogi gwasanaethau awdurdodau lleol. Er bod hwn yn setliad sylweddol well nag a ragwelwyd gan yr awdurdodau, bydd angen i awdurdodau wneud rhai penderfyniadau anodd o ystyried y lefelau uchel o chwyddiant.
I'm grateful to the Minister for that answer. I was very engaged and taken by the answer the Minister also gave to Peter Fox in an earlier question. The answer could have been given by a different Minister a decade ago, in reality. Local authorities are suffering from a squeeze in funding, and the people who suffer most are the poorest and the most vulnerable people. And the local authorities that suffer the most are those local authorities least able to sustain additional income through fee income and other commercial income, and those tend to be the poorest parts of the country as well, places like Blaenau Gwent, which I represent. The Welsh Government has a responsibility to those people, and if I'm quite clear, Minister, it's not good enough simply to say, 'It's the fault of the UK Government, we're not doing anything.' Those days are gone. What I want to see from the Welsh Government is real action to ensure that, perhaps, shared services as you've just debated, take a hit, but, more potentially, a reorganisation of local government to put people first, to ensure that we have local authorities capable of delivering the services we ask them to deliver, and partners in ensuring that we can address the real social issues we're facing—social and economic issues we're facing—across Wales. Blaming the Tories was yesterday's game. I believe the Welsh Government's got a responsibility to those people today.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Gweinidog am yr ateb hwnnw. Roedd gennyf ddiddordeb mawr yn yr ateb a roddodd y Gweinidog i Peter Fox mewn cwestiwn cynharach hefyd. Fe allai'r ateb fod wedi cael ei roi gan Weinidog gwahanol ddegawd yn ôl, mewn gwirionedd. Mae awdurdodau lleol yn dioddef yn sgil pwysau ar gyllid, a'r bobl sy'n dioddef fwyaf yw'r bobl dlotaf a'r bobl fwyaf bregus. A'r awdurdodau lleol sy'n dioddef fwyaf yw'r awdurdodau lleol sydd leiaf abl i gael incwm ychwanegol drwy incwm ffioedd ac incwm masnachol arall, a rhannau tlotaf y wlad yw'r rheini'n tueddu i fod hefyd, llefydd fel Blaenau Gwent, a gynrychiolir gennyf. Mae gan Lywodraeth Cymru gyfrifoldeb i'r bobl hynny, ac os wyf fi'n hollol glir, Weinidog, nid yw dweud, 'Bai Llywodraeth y DU ydyw, nid ydym ni'n gwneud unrhyw beth' yn ddigon da. Mae'r dyddiau hynny wedi mynd. Yr hyn rwyf eisiau ei weld gan Lywodraeth Cymru yw gweithredu go iawn i sicrhau, efallai, fod cydwasanaethau fel rydych chi newydd eu trafod, yn cael eu taro, ond yn fwy posibl, aildrefnu llywodraeth leol i roi pobl yn gyntaf, i sicrhau bod gennym awdurdodau lleol sy'n gallu darparu'r gwasanaethau y gofynnwn iddynt eu cyflawni, a phartneriaid i sicrhau y gallwn fynd i'r afael â'r problemau cymdeithasol go iawn a wynebwn—problemau cymdeithasol ac economaidd a wynebwn—ar draws Cymru. Gêm ddoe oedd beio'r Torïaid. Rwy'n credu bod cyfrifoldeb gan Lywodraeth Cymru i bobl heddiw.
I think the Welsh Government has a responsibility to be honest to people in Wales that it is a fact that our budget is not rising in line with inflation, and I think that's a fact. Nonetheless, Welsh Government is doing absolutely everything that it can in order to prioritise and protect public services, which is why we undertook a very painful exercise across Government to try and reprioritise funding towards local government and towards health services. And it's why we have provided at least the amount of consequential funding that we received in respect of NHS services and local government services to those particular sectors, bearing in mind that we have had to take really tough decisions ourselves. The financial situation we find ourselves in is a fact, it's not an excuse, but I would agree with the point that the Member made that the people who suffer the most in these difficult times are those who are the poorest, and also we have to make sure that our funding settlement to local government and the formula that drives it is one that demonstrates fairness in terms of deprivation and also in terms of sparsity, and I think that those things are important parts of our settlement.
Rwy'n meddwl bod gan Lywodraeth Cymru gyfrifoldeb i fod yn onest wrth bobl Cymru ei bod hi'n ffaith nad yw ein cyllideb yn codi yn unol â chwyddiant, ac rwy'n meddwl bod hynny'n ffaith. Er hynny, mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwneud popeth yn ei gallu i flaenoriaethu a diogelu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, a dyna pam y cynhaliwyd ymarfer poenus iawn ar draws y Llywodraeth i geisio ailflaenoriaethu cyllid tuag at lywodraeth leol a thuag at wasanaethau iechyd. A dyna pam ein bod wedi darparu o leiaf y swm o gyllid canlyniadol a gawsom mewn perthynas â gwasanaethau'r GIG a gwasanaethau llywodraeth leol i'r sectorau penodol hynny, gan gofio ein bod wedi gorfod gwneud penderfyniadau anodd iawn ein hunain. Mae'r sefyllfa ariannol rydym ynddi yn ffaith, nid esgus, ond byddwn yn cytuno gyda'r pwynt a wnaeth yr Aelod mai'r bobl sy'n dioddef fwyaf yn y cyfnod anodd hwn yw'r rhai tlotaf, a hefyd mae'n rhaid inni wneud yn siŵr fod ein setliad cyllido i lywodraeth leol a'r fformiwla sy'n ei yrru yn un sy'n dangos tegwch o safbwynt amddifadedd a hefyd o safbwynt teneurwydd poblogaeth, ac rwy'n meddwl bod y pethau hynny'n rhannau pwysig o'n setliad.
7. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad ar gyllideb Cyngor Sir Ynys Môn? OQ59132
7. Will the Minister make a statement on the Isle of Anglesey County Council's budget? OQ59132
In 2023-24, the council will receive £123.7 million through the local government settlement—an increase of 7.9 per cent. While the council will still have to make some difficult decisions in the face of the current rates of inflation, this is a better settlement than authorities had expected.
Yn 2023-24, bydd y Cyngor yn derbyn £123.7 miliwn drwy'r setliad llywodraeth leol—cynnydd o 7.9 y cant. Er y bydd yn rhaid i'r cyngor wneud rhai penderfyniadau anodd o hyd yn wyneb y cyfraddau chwyddiant presennol, mae hwn yn setliad gwell nag yr oedd yr awdurdodau wedi'i ddisgwyl.
Diolch am yr ymateb yna. Mae cyllidebau yn dynn ar bob awdurdod, wrth gwrs, ond weithiau mae yna bethau’n codi sy’n rhoi straen aruthrol ar gyllidebau. Mae cyngor Môn yn wynebu hynny rŵan yn sgil cyhoeddiad cwmni 2 Sisters Food Group eu bod nhw’n ymgynghori ar gau gwaith yn Llangefni, lle mae dros 700 yn gweithio. Y flaenoriaeth, wrth gwrs, ar hyn o bryd yw gweld a oes modd newid meddwl y cwmni, ond does dim rhaid imi ddweud faint o arian y byddai ei angen ar gyngor i ymateb i golli swyddi o’r math yna ar raddfa o’r math yna, mewn ardal fel Ynys Môn. Mae nifer yr unigolion a’r teuluoedd a fydd angen cymorth yn fawr—angen cymorth ar wasanaethau tai, gwasanaethau plant, ac yn y blaen.
A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi sicrwydd y bydd hi’n barod i edrych ar roi cymorth ychwanegol i gyngor Môn, ar ben eu cyllid sylfaenol, er mwyn gallu ymateb i’r sefyllfa a’i galluogi nhw i roi cefnogaeth angenrheidiol i’r gweithwyr a’u teuluoedd?
Thank you for that response. Budgets are tight in all authorities, of course, but sometimes issues arise that put huge strains on budgets. Anglesey council is facing that, given the announcement of the 2 Sisters Food Group company that they are consulting on closing the works in Llangefni, where over 700 are employed. The priority at the moment, of course, is to see whether we can change the company's mind, but I don't need to tell you how much money would be required by a council to respond to job losses at that scale in an area such as Anglesey. The number of individuals and families that would need support is great. We would need support for housing, children's services, and so on and so forth.
So, will the Minister give us an assurance that she will be willing to look at providing additional support to Anglesey council, on top of their basic budget, in order to respond to the situation and to enable them to provide the necessary support to the workers and their families?
Well, I can confirm that officials have met with the chief executive officer of 2 Sisters and are continuing the dialogue to pull all possible levers to offer support to people affected by the recent developments. And, of course, our officials are working very closely with the local authority. I know that the Minister for Economy has been speaking to the leader as well.
Obviously, it is devastating news for the rural community, and we shouldn’t underestimate the impact on public services in terms of responding to it. We have mobilised now the taskforce that the economy Minister previously referred to, to try to offer our full support to the affected employees, and also working with the trade union at the plant. I know that the taskforce is now meeting weekly to find a way forward, and to understand the implications, and to offer support to the workforce that has been impacted by this announcement. So, I think that the stage that we are at at the moment really is mapping out what the impact might be.
Wel, gallaf gadarnhau bod swyddogion wedi cyfarfod â phrif swyddog gweithredol 2 Sisters ac yn parhau â'r ddeialog i wneud popeth sy'n bosibl i gynnig cymorth i bobl yr effeithir arnynt gan y datblygiadau diweddar. Ac wrth gwrs, mae ein swyddogion yn gweithio'n agos iawn gyda'r awdurdod lleol. Rwy'n gwybod bod Gweinidog yr Economi wedi bod yn siarad â'r arweinydd hefyd.
Yn amlwg, mae'n newyddion trychinebus i'r gymuned wledig, ac ni ddylem fychanu'r effaith ar wasanaethau cyhoeddus wrth ymateb iddo. Rydym bellach wedi cynnull y tasglu y cyfeiriodd Gweinidog yr Economi ato'n flaenorol, i geisio cynnig ein cefnogaeth lawn i'r gweithwyr yr effeithir arnynt, ac rydym hefyd yn gweithio gyda'r undeb llafur yn y ffatri. Rwy'n gwybod bod y tasglu bellach yn cyfarfod yn wythnosol i ganfod ffordd ymlaen, ac i ddeall y goblygiadau, ac i gynnig cymorth i'r gweithlu yr effeithir arno gan y cyhoeddiad yma. Felly, rwy'n credu mai'r cam rydym arno ar hyn o bryd mewn gwirionedd yw mapio beth y gallai'r effaith fod.
Ac yn olaf, cwestiwn 8, Luke Fletcher.
And finally, question 8, Luke Fletcher.
8. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Gweinidog wedi'u cael gyda Gweinidog yr Economi ynghylch cyllid i awdurdodau lleol i hyrwyddo cyfleoedd prentisiaethau i ddysgwyr ifanc? OQ59131
8. What discussions has the Minister had with the Minister for Economy regarding funding for local authorities to promote apprenticeship opportunities for young learners? OQ59131
The Welsh Government has committed an extra £36 million over the next two years, with the goal of delivering 125,000 apprenticeships by 2027. Apprenticeship policy is the responsibility of the Minister for Economy.
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo £36 miliwn ychwanegol dros y ddwy flynedd nesaf, gyda'r nod o ddarparu 125,000 o brentisiaethau erbyn 2027. Cyfrifoldeb Gweinidog yr Economi yw'r polisi prentisiaethau.
Diolch am yr ateb, Weinidog.
Thank you for that response, Minister.
Last week, I asked the education Minister about the skills agenda, and how he intends to address the skills gap from his end. The key point that I raised in my question is that we are struggling to retain young learners, particularly from low-income households. In Wales, we also have a lack of learner destination data in FE and apprenticeships—data that, alongside bolstered financial support, could help us recognise and reduce the number of people leaving FE and apprenticeships.
Does the Minister agree that creating opportunity is one half of this, but retention is the other? And is there more that the Government could be doing on this front in relation to gathering that data and targeting that financial support?
Yr wythnos diwethaf, gofynnais i'r Gweinidog addysg am yr agenda sgiliau, a sut mae'n bwriadu mynd i'r afael â'r bwlch sgiliau o'i ben ef. Y pwynt allweddol a godais yn fy nghwestiwn yw ein bod yn ei chael hi'n anodd cadw dysgwyr ifanc, yn enwedig o aelwydydd incwm isel. Yng Nghymru, ceir diffyg data hefyd ynghylch cyrchfannau dysgwyr mewn addysg bellach a phrentisiaethau—data a allai, ochr yn ochr â chefnogaeth ariannol well, ein helpu i gydnabod a lleihau nifer y bobl sy'n gadael addysg bellach a phrentisiaethau.
A yw'r Gweinidog yn cytuno mai un hanner o hyn yw creu cyfle ond yr hanner arall yw cadw dysgwyr? Ac a oes mwy y gallai'r Llywodraeth ei wneud yn hyn o beth mewn perthynas â chasglu'r data a thargedu'r gefnogaeth ariannol?
Yes, I'm very grateful for the question. I think that, perhaps, it would be better directed at the Minister with responsibility for this area, but I will do my best and point the Member towards the important work that we have been doing through the young person's guarantee, which you will have seen from the recent announcement has helped thousands of young people into work or training or further education in the last year, which I think is really successful. I know that my colleagues work very closely with the four regional skills partnerships to make sure that young people do have the kinds of skills that local businesses need.
Ie, rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn am y cwestiwn. Rwy'n credu, efallai, y byddai'n well ei gyfeirio at y Gweinidog sydd â chyfrifoldeb am y maes hwn, ond fe wnaf fy ngorau a chyfeirio'r Aelod tuag at y gwaith pwysig rydym wedi bod yn ei wneud drwy'r warant i bobl ifanc, a byddwch wedi gweld o'r cyhoeddiad diweddar ei fod wedi helpu miloedd o bobl ifanc i mewn i waith neu hyfforddiant neu addysg bellach yn ystod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, sy'n llwyddiannus iawn yn fy marn i. Rwy'n gwybod bod fy nghyd-Weinidogion yn gweithio'n agos iawn gyda'r pedair partneriaeth sgiliau ranbarthol i wneud yn siŵr fod gan bobl ifanc y mathau o sgiliau sydd eu hangen ar fusnesau lleol.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog.
I thank the Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Materion Gwledig a'r Gogledd, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf heddiw gan Heledd Fychan.
The next item is questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and the first question today is from Heledd Fychan.
1. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi cymunedau ledled Canol De Cymru i gael mynediad at ofodau gwyrdd cymunedol? OQ59118
1. How is the Welsh Government supporting communities across South Wales Central to access community green spaces? OQ59118
High-quality green spaces and parks provide opportunities for healthy recreation, support biodiversity and reduce air pollution. The Welsh Government’s Local Places for Nature programme, and the enabling natural resources and well-being grant, have funded the creation of hundreds of local spaces, and our green flags award scheme also drives up quality.
Mae mannau gwyrdd a pharciau o ansawdd uchel yn cynnig cyfleoedd ar gyfer gweithgareddau hamdden iach, cefnogi bioamrywiaeth a lleihau llygredd aer. Mae rhaglen Lleoedd Lleol ar gyfer Natur Llywodraeth Cymru, a'r grant galluogi adnoddau naturiol a lles, wedi ariannu'r gwaith o greu cannoedd o fannau lleol, ac mae cynllun gwobr y faner werdd hefyd yn hybu ansawdd.
Diolch, Weinidog. Yn sicr, rydym ni i gyd yn gwybod, fel y gwnaethoch chi eu rhestru, y manteision mawr sydd yna o ran iechyd a lles, bioamrywiaeth, ansawdd aer, ac ati. Ond eto i gyd, mae nifer o ofodau gwyrdd yn diflannu, gan gynnwys mewn ardaloedd ledled ein prifddinas, oherwydd datblygiadau amrywiol. Fel y byddwch yn ymwybodol o gwestiynau blaenorol gan Aelodau eraill, mae nifer o ymgyrchwyr eisiau gweld buddsoddiad mewn parciau newydd i gyd-fynd â datblygiadau o'r fath, ynghyd â gofodau cymunedol i dyfu bwyd.
Felly, sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio gydag awdurdodau lleol i sicrhau bod cynlluniau o'r fath yn rhan o'u cynlluniau datblygu lleol, ynghyd â'u hymrwymiad i weithredu o ran yr argyfwng hinsawdd?
Thank you, Minister. Certainly, we are all aware, as you just listed, of the major benefits of community green spaces, in terms of health and well-being, biodiversity, air quality, and so on. Despite this, a number of green spaces are being lost, including in areas across our capital city, due to various developments. As you will know from previous questions from other Members, a number of campaigners want to see investment in new parks to accompany such developments, as well as community spaces for growing food.
So, how is the Welsh Government working with local authorities to ensure that such schemes are part of their local development plans, and align with their commitment to act on the climate crisis?
Thank you. You do raise a very important point, and obviously my colleague the Minister for Finance and Local Government does have these discussions with local authorities, and I know the Minister for Climate Change also does, with her planning hat on, in relation to LDPs. I go back to what I was saying about Local Places for Nature; it just shows how people do really appreciate the ability to be able to access green space from their doorstep, if you like, and obviously in somewhere like Cardiff, in a capital city, it's really important to preserve the green spaces that we have, but also to look at whether there are any opportunities for new ones.
Diolch. Rydych yn codi pwynt pwysig iawn, ac yn amlwg mae fy nghyd-Aelod y Gweinidog Cyllid a Llywodraeth Leol yn cael y trafodaethau hyn gydag awdurdodau lleol, ac rwy'n gwybod bod y Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd hefyd yn gwneud hynny, gan wisgo'i het gynllunio, mewn perthynas â chynlluniau datblygu lleol. Rwy'n mynd yn ôl at yr hyn roeddwn yn ei ddweud am Leoedd Lleol ar gyfer Natur; mae'n dangos sut mae pobl yn gwerthfawrogi'r gallu i gael mynediad at fannau gwyrdd o garreg eu drws, os mynnwch, ac yn amlwg yn rhywle fel Caerdydd, mewn prifddinas, mae'n bwysig iawn cadw'r mannau gwyrdd sydd gennym, ac edrych hefyd a oes unrhyw gyfleoedd i gael rhai newydd.
Minister, research has shown that, during the pandemic, those with disabilities spent even less time out in green spaces and accessing nature than before. Whilst the vulnerability to COVID was a key factor, it has also been found that cognitive load had a detrimental impact, not to mention confusion of social arrangements, such as how many people could meet at one time, and whether or not physical contact like hugging was allowed. All of this led to an overall drop in confidence for some when accessing green spaces. Whilst physical accessibility is an important barrier that we must continue to address, we need to be ever mindful that barriers to access can be much more nuanced and subjective. Therefore, Minister, what assessment has the Welsh Government made of how it can rebuild the confidence of those with disabilities to re-engage with nature and our green spaces? Thank you.
Weinidog, yn ystod y pandemig, dangosodd gwaith ymchwil fod pobl ag anableddau wedi treulio llai o amser nag o'r blaen hyd yn oed allan mewn mannau gwyrdd ac yn mwynhau byd natur. Er bod gwarchod rhag COVID yn ffactor allweddol, canfuwyd hefyd fod llwyth gwybodaeth wedi cael effaith niweidiol, heb sôn am ddryswch ynghylch trefniadau cymdeithasol, megis faint o bobl a gâi gyfarfod ar un adeg, ac a oedd cyswllt corfforol fel cofleidio wedi'i ganiatáu ai peidio. Arweiniodd hyn i gyd at leihad cyffredinol yn hyder rhai pobl i fynd i fannau gwyrdd. Er bod hygyrchedd corfforol yn rhwystr pwysig y mae'n rhaid inni barhau i fynd i'r afael ag ef, mae angen inni fod mor ymwybodol ag erioed y gall rhwystrau i fynediad fod yn llawer mwy cymhleth a goddrychol. Felly, Weinidog, pa asesiad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud o sut y gall ailadeiladu hyder pobl ag anableddau i ailgysylltu â byd natur a'n mannau gwyrdd? Diolch.
Thank you. The Member raises the very important point, I think, that the COVID pandemic had a lot of harms apart from COVID itself, and clearly, as you say, people with some disabilities may not have been able to recognise the limits and the limitations that were put on people even outside, with how many people could get together to go for a walk, for instance. I'm not aware of any specific research that the Welsh Government is undertaking—I'm not sure who the Minister would be, in fact—but I will certainly look into it, and if there has been some analysis done, I will ask that particular Member to write to you.FootnoteLink
Diolch. Mae'r Aelod yn codi'r pwynt pwysig iawn, rwy'n credu, fod y pandemig COVID wedi arwain at lawer o niwed ar wahân i COVID ei hun, ac yn amlwg, fel y dywedwch, efallai nad oedd rhai pobl ag anableddau wedi gallu adnabod y terfynau a'r cyfyngiadau a gafodd eu rhoi ar bobl, yn yr awyr agored hyd yn oed, gyda faint o bobl a gâi ddod at ei gilydd i fynd am dro, er enghraifft. Nid wyf yn ymwybodol o unrhyw ymchwil penodol y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud—nid wyf yn siŵr pwy fyddai'r Gweinidog, mewn gwirionedd—ond yn sicr fe edrychaf ar hyn, ac os gwnaethpwyd dadansoddiad, fe ofynnaf i'r cyfryw Aelod ysgrifennu atoch.FootnoteLink
2. Sut fydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i gefnogi datblygu gwledig yng Nghanolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru wrth i gyllid yr UE ddod i ben? OQ59133
2. How will the Welsh Government continue to support rural development in Mid and West Wales as EU funding comes to an end? OQ59133
Our approach to supporting the rural economy is focused on delivering programme for government commitments. I have announced over £200 million of funding for rural investment schemes to support the resilience of the rural economy and our natural environment.
Mae ein dull o gefnogi'r economi wledig yn canolbwyntio ar gyflawni ymrwymiadau'r rhaglen lywodraethu. Rwyf wedi cyhoeddi dros £200 miliwn o gyllid ar gyfer cynlluniau buddsoddi gwledig i gefnogi gwytnwch yr economi wledig a'n hamgylchedd naturiol.
Diolch yn fawr i chi am yr ateb. Dros Gymru, fel rŷch chi'n gwybod, mae dros ryw 1,200 o brojectau sosioeconomaidd wedi cael eu cyllido dan y cynllun datblygu gwledig presennol, ac mae'r projectau hyn wedi cynnwys ystod amrywiol o weithgareddau, gan gynnwys hwyluso mynediad at wasanaethau cymunedol hanfodol mewn ardaloedd gwledig. Mae sefydliadau yn fy rhanbarth i, wrth gwrs, wedi mynegi pryderon am eu dyfodol pan ddaw'r cyllid yma i ben. Er enghraifft, mae Planed yn sir Benfro yn edrych ar ddod â'i raglen hybiau bwyd cymunedol i ben, sy'n cefnogi rhyw 15 o hybiau bwyd lleol ar draws tair sir. Ym Mhowys, mae Ecodyfi yn wynebu'r posibilrwydd o ddiweddu dau broject mawr, sef Tyfu Dyfi a Thrywydd Iach, gyda sgil-effeithiau posibl i swyddi a lles cymunedol.
Nawr, rwy'n derbyn ein bod ni wedi cael llai o gyllid gan Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig na'r hyn a gafodd ei addo. Rŷn ni'n cofio, wrth gwrs, 'dim ceiniog yn llai'. Ond rwy'n pryderu nad oes digon o gyllid datblygu gwledig newydd wedi cael ei gyhoeddi gan y Llywodraeth. Felly, ydych chi, Weinidog, yn gallu esbonio sut mae'r Llywodraeth yn bwriadu parhau i gyllido'r math yma o fentrau pwysig yng nghefn gwlad Cymru?
Thank you for that response. Across Wales, as you know, some 1,200 socioeconomic projects have been funded under the current rural development plan, and these projects have included a range of activities, including facilitating access to crucial community services in rural areas. Organisations in my region, of course, have expressed concerns about their future when this funding comes to an end. For example, Planed in Pembrokeshire is looking at drawing its community food hubs programme to an end, which supports around 15 local food hubs across three counties. In Powys, Ecodyfi is facing the possibility of bringing two major projects to an end, Tyfu Dyfi and Outdoor Health, with possible effects on community well-being and employment.
Now, I accept that we've received less funding from the UK Government than was originally pledged. We recall 'not a penny less' being mentioned, of course. But I am concerned that there hasn't been sufficient new rural development funding announced by the Government. So, Minister, can you explain how the Government intends to continue to fund these kinds of important initiatives in rural Wales?
Thank you. As you said, we were promised not a penny less, but unfortunately, we know, as a result of the UK Government not honouring its commitment to replace EU funding to Wales, we are actually £1.1 billion worse off. And clearly it's not possible to find that significant sum of money from within our own budget, so we do know that, certainly in my portfolio, our farming sector, our rural economies, will lose out on around £243 million of replacement EU funding over the last two spending periods.
It's really important that we do continue to fund as many projects as we can, and have as many new schemes for the agricultural sector and for our rural economy. So, you'll be aware of the announcement I made around the rural investment schemes, for instance, to support our farmers, our foresters, our land managers and our food businesses across the rural economy. So, there is a significant number of projects within that. I'm unaware if the specific project you mentioned is able to access further funding, but, obviously, we will continue to invest in our rural economies.
Diolch. Fel y dywedoch chi, cawsom addewid na chaem geiniog yn llai, ond yn anffodus, o ganlyniad i fethiant Llywodraeth y DU i anrhydeddu ei hymrwymiad i roi cyllid llawn i Gymru yn lle cyllid yr UE, fe wyddom ein bod £1.1 biliwn yn waeth ein byd mewn gwirionedd. Ac yn amlwg, nid yw'n bosibl dod o hyd i'r swm sylweddol hwnnw o arian o fewn ein cyllideb ein hunain, felly rydym yn gwybod, yn sicr yn fy mhortffolio i, y bydd ein sector ffermio, ein heconomïau gwledig, oddeutu £243 miliwn yn brin o gyllid newydd yn lle cyllid yr UE dros y ddau gyfnod gwariant diwethaf.
Mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod yn parhau i ariannu cymaint o brosiectau ag y gallwn, a chael cymaint o gynlluniau newydd ar gyfer y sector amaethyddol ac i'n heconomi wledig. Felly, fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol o'r cyhoeddiad a wneuthum ynghylch y cynlluniau buddsoddi gwledig, er enghraifft, i gefnogi ein ffermwyr, ein coedwigwyr, ein rheolwyr tir a'n busnesau bwyd ar draws yr economi wledig. Felly, ceir nifer sylweddol o brosiectau o fewn hynny. Nid wyf yn gwybod a yw'r prosiect penodol y gwnaethoch chi sôn amdano yn gallu cael cyllid pellach, ond yn amlwg, byddwn yn parhau i fuddsoddi yn ein heconomïau gwledig.
Part of rural development, Minister, is also the Glastir scheme, and I recently met with NFU Cymru in my constituency and the deputy chairman of NFU Cymru in Brecon and Radnorshire, Rob Blaenbwch, who wanted me to put a question to you directly about Glastir funding. We're seeing the Glastir funding being rolled on a yearly basis, with contracts being renewed. What my local NFU would like to see is those contracts being rolled forward right the way up to the start of the sustainable farming scheme, to give those farmers some assurance of long-term stability and funding. Is that something that the Government is looking to do to make sure that our farmers have some stability in very uncertain times?
Rhan o ddatblygu gwledig hefyd, Weinidog, yw'r cynllun Glastir, ac yn ddiweddar fe gyfarfûm ag NFU Cymru yn fy etholaeth a dirprwy gadeirydd NFU Cymru ym Mrycheiniog a Sir Faesyfed, Rob Blaenbwch, a oedd am imi ofyn cwestiwn i chi'n uniongyrchol am gyllid Glastir. Rydym yn gweld yr arian Glastir yn cael ei gyflwyno bob blwyddyn, gyda chontractau'n cael eu hadnewyddu. Yr hyn yr hoffai fy NFU lleol ei weld yw'r contractau hynny'n cael eu cyflwyno hyd at ddechrau'r cynllun ffermio cynaliadwy, er mwyn rhoi rhywfaint o sicrwydd i'r ffermwyr hynny o sefydlogrwydd a chyllid hirdymor. A yw hynny'n rhywbeth y mae'r Llywodraeth yn ceisio ei wneud i sicrhau bod ein ffermwyr yn cael rhywfaint o sefydlogrwydd mewn cyfnod ansicr iawn?
I'm very aware of what the NFU would like me to do around the Glastir schemes. You'll be aware that I announced that they would continue to the end of 2023. Unfortunately, because of the uncertainty in our budgets and in the way that I've just described in my answer to Cefin Campbell, I'm not able to do what you would like me to do. And it is very uncertain times, made not much easier by leaving the European Union and by the very challenging financial situation that we're in. What I have asked officials to do is to give me some advice around Glastir as to whether I can provide any assurance beyond 2023, and that will come to me in the next couple of months.
Rwy'n ymwybodol iawn o beth hoffai'r NFU i mi wneud mewn perthynas â'r cynlluniau Glastir. Fe fyddwch yn gwybod fy mod wedi cyhoeddi y byddant yn parhau hyd at ddiwedd 2023. Yn anffodus, oherwydd yr ansicrwydd yn ein cyllidebau ac yn y ffordd rwyf newydd ei ddisgrifio yn fy ateb i Cefin Campbell, nid wyf yn gallu gwneud yr hyn y byddech yn hoffi imi ei wneud. Ac mae'n gyfnod ansicr iawn, nad yw wedi ei wneud yn llawer haws drwy adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd a chan y sefyllfa ariannol heriol iawn rydym ynddi. Gofynnais i swyddogion roi cyngor i mi ynghylch Glastir i weld a allaf roi unrhyw sicrwydd y tu hwnt i 2023, ac fe gaf hwnnw yn ystod y misoedd nesaf.
Good afternoon, Minister. Just to continue that theme around rural development, we know that the lion's share of RDP actually came from the EU, so Brexit coupled with the Australian and New Zealand trade deal is further evidence, if we needed it, that the Tories are indeed bad news for farmers and for Wales. [Interruption.] And I do wish that they would take some responsibility for their role in taking us out of the EU, and the effect on our farming communities.
The Agriculture (Wales) Bill is an opportunity to reset the dial and to produce solutions for Wales made in Wales. That same approach needs to be applied to the rural development programme. Unions have raised concerns about the governance and implementation of the RDP, and indeed their concerns were justified following an Audit Wales report in summer 2020. We hopefully can't afford to make those mistakes again, particularly at a time when money is so tight. So, I wonder if I could ask you what plans you have to ensure that the RDP programme going forward is robust, and what your vision is for developing our rural communities. Thank you. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Prynhawn da, Weinidog. I barhau â thema datblygu gwledig, gwyddom fod y gyfran fwyaf o'r rhaglen datblygu gwledig wedi dod o'r UE mewn gwirionedd, felly mae Brexit ynghyd â chytundeb masnach Awstralia a Seland Newydd yn dystiolaeth bellach, os oedd ei hangen arnom, fod y Torïaid yn newyddion drwg go iawn i ffermwyr ac i Gymru. [Torri ar draws.] A hoffwn pe baent yn ysgwyddo rhywfaint o gyfrifoldeb am eu rôl yn ein tynnu allan o'r UE, a'r effaith ar ein cymunedau ffermio.
Mae'r Bil Amaethyddiaeth (Cymru) yn gyfle i newid pethau a chreu atebion ar gyfer Cymru a wnaed yng Nghymru. Mae angen cymhwyso'r un dull gyda'r rhaglen datblygu gwledig. Mae undebau wedi mynegi pryderon ynghylch llywodraethiant a gweithrediad y cynllun datblygu gwledig, ac yn wir, roedd eu pryderon yn rhai y gellid eu cyfiawnhau yn dilyn adroddiad Archwilio Cymru yn haf 2020. Ni allwn fforddio gwneud y camgymeriadau hynny eto, yn enwedig ar adeg pan fo arian mor brin. Felly, tybed a gaf fi ofyn i chi pa gynlluniau sydd gennych i sicrhau bod y rhaglen datblygu gwledig yn gadarn ar gyfer y dyfodol, a beth yw eich gweledigaeth ar gyfer datblygu ein cymunedau gwledig. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Thank you very much. I can assure the Member that, obviously, lessons were learned. Lessons always have to be learned when you have the reports that we did. You'll agree that there is a significant amount of monitoring that does go on into our rural development programme, and there were calls at the time for me to have an independent review, for instance, but I really didn't think that was necessary. What I think is really important is that we use all the RDP funding we can. I'm making every endeavour to ensure that every penny is spent before the RDP comes to an end.
I mentioned in an earlier answer about the significant funding we've put into the rural investment schemes, because I think what is really important is that we don't throw the baby away with the bath water. Whilst we haven't got the funding to be able to replace like for like, it is really important that we keep the benefits that we've gained over the years of the rural development programme going forward.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Gallaf sicrhau'r Aelod fod gwersi wedi'u dysgu, yn amlwg. Mae'n rhaid dysgu gwersi bob amser pan fo gennych chi'r adroddiadau a wnaethom. Fe fyddwch yn cytuno bod cryn dipyn o fonitro'n digwydd ar ein rhaglen datblygu gwledig, ac roedd galwadau ar y pryd i mi gael adolygiad annibynnol, er enghraifft, ond nid oeddwn yn credu bod hynny'n angenrheidiol. Yr hyn rwy'n credu sy'n bwysig iawn yw ein bod yn defnyddio'r holl gyllid rhaglen datblygu gwledig y gallwn ei ddefnyddio. Rwy'n gwneud pob ymdrech i sicrhau bod pob ceiniog yn cael ei gwario cyn y daw'r cynllun datblygu gwledig i ben.
Soniais mewn ateb cynharach am yr arian sylweddol rydym wedi'i roi tuag at y cynlluniau buddsoddi gwledig, oherwydd rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig iawn nad ydym yn cael gwared ar y babi gyda dŵr y bath. Er nad oes gennym gyllid i allu cael yr un pethau ag a oedd gennym o'r blaen, mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod yn cadw'r buddion a enillwyd gennym dros flynyddoedd y rhaglen datblygu gwledig wrth inni symud ymlaen.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Samuel Kurtz.
Questions now from party spokespeople. Conservative spokesperson, Samuel Kurtz.
Diolch, Llywydd. Every year for the last five years, over 10,000 cattle have been slaughtered. Over 50,000 dead due to bovine TB in Wales, and this includes pregnant cows slaughtered due to testing TB positive. A farmer recounted to me the time they watched their heavily pregnant cow slaughtered on farm, using a 12-bore shotgun between the poor animal's eyes, the trigger was pulled. Post death, the pregnant cow uncontrollably spasmed, destroying a heavy gate, the unborn calf writhing inside its dead mother's womb as it suffocated to death. It's something akin to watching someone die from poison, they said. It was horrendous to see, and clearing up all the blood and smashed gate afterwards was just as punishing. That's how the farmer described it—no compassion for the cow, the calf, and certainly not for the farmer. 'Better I get more distressed than my cow', they add, 'I get to walk away from it, she doesn't; it's the least I can do.' This heavy mental burden is being put on our farmers, especially when it happens more than once. That farmer told me how three pregnant cows were shot, one after another. 'It just about killed me; I will never forget what I saw'—that's how they described it. In-womb TB transmission is rare, so why are these traumatic events allowed to happen? Will the Welsh Government show that compassion and change its policy to allow bovine TB-positive in-calf cows and heifers to isolate and give birth to healthy calves before being humanely slaughtered?
Diolch, Lywydd. Bob blwyddyn ers pum mlynedd, mae dros 10,000 o wartheg wedi cael eu difa, a dros 50,000 wedi marw oherwydd TB Gwartheg yng Nghymru, ac mae hyn yn cynnwys gwartheg cyflo a laddwyd oherwydd prawf TB positif. Fe wnaeth ffermwr sôn wrthyf am yr adeg y gwyliodd eu buwch a oedd bron â dod â llo yn cael ei lladd ar y fferm gan ddefnyddio dryll 12 bôr i saethu rhwng llygaid yr anifail truan. Ar ôl marw, cafodd y fuwch gyflo sbasmau afreolus, gan beri i giât drom gael ei dinistrio, tra oedd y llo'n gwingo tu mewn i groth ei fam farw wrth iddo fygu i farwolaeth. Mae'n rhywbeth tebyg i wylio rhywun wedi'i wenwyno'n marw, meddent. Roedd yn erchyll i'w weld, ac roedd clirio'r holl waed a'r giât racs wedyn yr un mor boenus. Dyna sut y disgrifiwyd y peth gan y ffermwr—dim tosturi tuag at y fuwch, y llo, a dim at y ffermwr yn sicr. 'Gwell fy mod i'n cael mwy o ofid na fy muwch', ychwanegodd, 'rwy'n gallu cerdded oddi yno, yn wahanol iddi hi; dyna'r peth lleiaf y gallaf ei wneud.' Mae'r baich meddyliol trwm hwn yn cael ei roi ar ein ffermwyr, yn enwedig pan fo'n digwydd fwy nag unwaith. Dywedodd y ffermwr wrthyf sut y cafodd tair buwch gyflo eu saethu, un ar ôl y llall. 'Fe fu bron â fy lladd; ni wnaf byth anghofio beth a welais'—dyna sut y gwnaethant ei ddisgrifio. Mae trosglwyddiad TB yn y groth yn brin, felly pam y caniateir i'r digwyddiadau trawmatig hyn ddigwydd? A wnaiff Llywodraeth Cymru ddangos tosturi a newid ei pholisi i ganiatáu i wartheg cyflo sydd wedi cael prawf TB positif ynysu a geni lloi iach cyn cael eu lladd mewn modd trugarog?
You clearly outlined a very distressing situation, and I'm very sorry to hear that you and the farmer felt there was no compassion. This was actually a piece of work that we undertook, probably four years ago, where I asked the then chief veterinary officer and her team to work with farmers to see how we could avoid situations like you describe. At the time, it was deemed to be the best way to carry on with that on-farm slaughter. In terms of whether we could look at it again, I would be very happy to do so. As you know, we are looking at the TB eradication programme, and I'd certainly be very happy to take advice from farmers to see if there is a way that we can avoid those distressing situations.
Yn amlwg, fe wnaethoch amlinellu sefyllfa ofidus iawn, ac mae'n ddrwg iawn gennyf glywed eich bod chi a'r ffermwr yn teimlo nad oedd tosturi. Mae hwn yn waith a wnaethom, bedair blynedd yn ôl mae'n debyg, lle gofynnais i'r prif swyddog milfeddygol ar y pryd a'i thîm weithio gyda ffermwyr i weld sut y gallem osgoi sefyllfaoedd fel yr un a ddisgrifiwch. Ar y pryd, barnwyd mai'r ffordd orau oedd parhau i ladd ar y fferm. O ran a allem edrych arno eto, byddwn yn hapus iawn i wneud hynny. Fel y gwyddoch, rydym yn edrych ar y rhaglen i ddileu TB, a byddwn yn sicr yn hapus iawn i gael cyngor gan ffermwyr i weld a oes ffordd y gallwn osgoi'r sefyllfaoedd gofidus hynny.
Thank you, Minister. I don't think what I described would be the best way forward, so I really do urge you to have a look at this again. I know a new CVO is starting in March, and I would urge you to work with him to make sure that this inhumane practice is brought to an end and those cows can calve with a little bit of dignity.
At last year's Pembrokeshire County Show, you helped launched what was being called at the time a Pembrokeshire TB pilot, where local farmers were going to take ownership, using data and methods already available, to form a new approach to tackling TB, removing the residual disease from the herd. Since then, the project has seen hundreds of hours of hard work from volunteers, who are desperate to see improvements. The interim chief veterinary officer even made reference to this pilot at committee, stressing how the Welsh Government could be agile with funding to support local TB projects such as the Pembrokeshire pilot. This project and its progress has now been stonewalled by the Government and its procurement process, with a minimum of a six-month delay. I can't tell you the disappointment that has been felt by those involved.
You've talked about farmers needing to take ownership of bovine TB, and I agree. But when it comes to a committed group of farmers and vets working together to take control of the situation, to do the right thing, the Welsh Government aren't even on the same pitch. We're no longer in the European Union, so we shouldn't have to abide by EU procurement rules, and the funding for this project already exists within TB funding. Please tell me what has gone wrong here to mean that this project, which you were at the launch of, has been delayed such as this.
Diolch. Nid wyf yn credu mai'r hyn a ddisgrifiais fyddai'r ffordd orau ymlaen, felly rwy'n eich annog yn gryf i gael golwg ar hyn eto. Rwy'n gwybod bod prif swyddog milfeddygol newydd yn dechrau ym mis Mawrth, ac rwy'n eich annog i weithio gydag ef i wneud yn siŵr fod yr arfer annynol hwn yn cael ei ddwyn i ben ac y gall y gwartheg hyn loia gydag ychydig o urddas.
Yn Sioe Sir Benfro y llynedd, fe helpoch chi i lansio'r hyn a oedd yn cael ei alw ar y pryd yn gynllun peilot TB sir Benfro, lle'r oedd ffermwyr lleol yn mynd i gymryd perchnogaeth, gan ddefnyddio data a dulliau a oedd ar gael eisoes, i ffurfio dull newydd o fynd i'r afael â TB, gan ddiddymu'r clefyd gweddilliol o'r fuches. Ers hynny, mae gwirfoddolwyr wedi cyfrannu cannoedd o oriau o waith caled at y prosiect, ac maent yn ysu i weld gwelliannau. Fe wnaeth y prif swyddog milfeddygol dros dro gyfeirio at y cynllun peilot hwn yn y pwyllgor hyd yn oed, gan bwysleisio sut y gallai Llywodraeth Cymru fod yn ystwyth gyda chyllid i gefnogi prosiectau TB lleol fel cynllun peilot sir Benfro. Mae'r prosiect hwn a'i gynnydd bellach wedi cael ei rwystro gan y Llywodraeth a'i phroses gaffael, gydag oedi o chwe mis fan lleiaf. Ni allaf fynegi wrthych y siom a deimlwyd gan y rhai a oedd ynghlwm wrtho.
Rydych wedi siarad am yr angen i ffermwyr gymryd perchnogaeth ar TB buchol, ac rwy'n cytuno. Ond pan ddaw'n fater o grŵp ymroddedig o ffermwyr a milfeddygon yn cydweithio i gymryd rheolaeth ar y sefyllfa, i wneud y peth iawn, nid yw Llywodraeth Cymru hyd yn oed yn yr un cae. Nid ydym yn yr Undeb Ewropeaidd mwyach, felly ni ddylem orfod cadw at reolau caffael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd, ac mae'r cyllid ar gyfer y prosiect hwn eisoes yn bodoli o fewn y cyllid TB. Dywedwch wrthyf beth sydd wedi mynd o'i le yma i olygu bod y fath oedi gyda'r prosiect hwn yr oeddech chi yno yn ei lansiad.
Nothing has gone wrong. As the Member states, my officials are currently holding significant internal discussions to agree the parameters of the project to allow for a full procurement exercise. You'd be the first to complain if I didn't follow the appropriate rules. I am very committed to the TB Pembrokeshire project. I know you have been part of it; as you say, many volunteers have, and I'm very grateful for that work. If we are going to tackle deep-seated levels of infection in parts of Pembrokeshire, I absolutely think that this is required. But it's not a matter of being stonewalled—I think that that's completely the wrong word. You and I had a meeting to discuss what we could do about it, but I have to follow a full procurement process.
Nid oes unrhyw beth wedi mynd o'i le. Fel y dywed yr Aelod, mae fy swyddogion yn cynnal trafodaethau mewnol sylweddol ar hyn o bryd i gytuno ar baramedrau'r prosiect i ganiatáu ar gyfer ymarfer caffael llawn. Chi fyddai'r cyntaf i gwyno pe na bawn yn dilyn y rheolau priodol. Rwy'n ymroddedig iawn i brosiect TB sir Benfro. Rwy'n gwybod eich bod wedi bod yn rhan ohono; fel y dywedwch, mae llawer o wirfoddolwyr wedi bod yn rhan ohono, ac rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn am y gwaith hwnnw. Os ydym yn mynd i ymladd y lefelau heintio dwfn mewn rhannau o sir Benfro, rwy'n sicr yn meddwl bod angen gwneud hyn. Ond nid mater o rwystro yw hyn—nid dyna'r gair cywir o gwbl. Fe gawsoch chi a fi gyfarfod i drafod beth y gallem ei wneud am y peth, ond mae'n rhaid imi ddilyn proses gaffael lawn.
It's a shame that those full procurement rules weren't followed when Gilestone Farm was purchased. It seems it's one rule for one and one rule for another.
Another example of the Welsh Government not being on the same pitch as farmers is that not one Welsh farm took part in the Animal and Plant Health Agency's CattleBCG vaccine trial. Surely if Welsh Government were serious about eradicating TB then they would have worked with the industry to identify farms to take part. And now, with phase 2 of the trial under way, still no Welsh farms are participating. What I'm trying to get at, Minister, is where is the hope for farmers in Wales? This disease has ripped through Welsh farming for long enough, and our farmers have lost hope that this Government is serious about solving it.
I'll happily declare an interest here, Llywydd, because next week I'll be out TB testing, helping my father. We as a family will be going through the worry and the stress of hoping, praying for a clear TB test. This isn't just policy for me, Minister, this is so much more. So, I invite you to join my father and me, to come out and see what happens on farm during our TB tests. Because what the industry wants is hope—not to see their animals slaughtered in front of their eyes, not to be held back by bureaucracy when they want to get on and do the right thing, and certainly not to be told that they are at fault for the spread of bovine TB. Please, Minister, give the industry some hope.
Mae'n drueni na chafodd y rheolau caffael llawn hynny eu dilyn pan brynwyd Fferm Gilestone. Mae'n ymddangos fel pe bai'n un rheol i un a rheol arall i'r llall.
Enghraifft arall sy'n dangos nad yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn yr un cae â ffermwyr yw nad oedd un fferm o Gymru wedi cymryd rhan yn nhreial brechlyn CattleBCG yr Asiantaeth Iechyd Anifeiliaid a Phlanhigion. Pe bai Llywodraeth Cymru o ddifrif ynglŷn â dileu TB, byddent wedi gweithio gyda'r diwydiant i nodi ffermydd i gymryd rhan. A nawr, gyda chyfnod 2 y treial ar y gweill, nid oes unrhyw fferm o Gymru'n cymryd rhan o hyd. Yr hyn rwy'n ceisio cyrraedd ato, Weinidog, yw ble mae'r gobaith i ffermwyr yng Nghymru? Mae'r afiechyd yma wedi rhwygo drwy ffermio yng Nghymru ers yn ddigon hir, ac mae ein ffermwyr wedi colli gobaith fod y Llywodraeth yma o ddifrif ynglŷn â'i ddatrys.
Rwy'n hapus iawn i ddatgan diddordeb yma, Lywydd, oherwydd yr wythnos nesaf, byddaf allan yn helpu fy nhad i gynnal profion TB. Fel teulu byddwn yn mynd drwy'r pryder a'r straen o obeithio, gweddïo am brawf TB clir. Nid polisi i mi yn unig yw hwn, Weinidog, mae hyn yn gymaint mwy. Felly, rwy'n eich gwahodd i ymuno â fy nhad a minnau, i ddod allan i weld beth sy'n digwydd ar y fferm yn ystod ein profion TB. Oherwydd yr hyn y mae'r diwydiant ei eisiau yw gobaith—nid gweld eu hanifeiliaid yn cael eu lladd o flaen eu llygaid, nid cael eu dal yn ôl gan fiwrocratiaeth pan fyddant eisiau bwrw ymlaen i wneud y peth iawn, ac yn sicr nid cael clywed eu bod ar fai am ledaeniad TB buchol. Os gwelwch yn dda, Weinidog, rhowch rywfaint o obaith i'r diwydiant.
I'm not quite sure how you expect me to make a farm be part of a pilot project. Please believe me when I say that APHA tried very, very hard to—[Interruption.] APHA tried very, very hard to get farms to be part of the first phase of the pilot project, and unfortunately we've had no takers for the second part. But to say that we haven't tried is ridiculous. The Animal and Plant Health Agency have done a great deal of work to try and get some of the farms to be part of the pilot project.
I have attended farms when TB testing is being undertaken—of course I have. I absolutely see that very much as part of my role. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend your farm next week, but, of course, that is something that I have undertaken. I absolutely understand the distress in the lead-up to testing—I can imagine the concerns—and, of course, while you're waiting for the results. That's why we are committed to eradicating TB. But we all really need to work together. Just to blame Welsh Government is not acceptable. I would never just blame farmers.
Nid wyf yn hollol siŵr sut rydych chi'n disgwyl i mi wneud i fferm fod yn rhan o brosiect peilot. Credwch fi pan ddywedaf fod yr Asiantaeth Iechyd Anifeiliaid a Phlanhigion wedi ceisio'n galed iawn—[Torri ar draws.] Fe geisiodd yr asiantaeth yn galed iawn i gael ffermydd i fod yn rhan o gyfnod cyntaf y prosiect peilot, ac yn anffodus nid ydym wedi cael unrhyw un i gymryd rhan yn yr ail ran. Ond mae dweud nad ydym wedi ceisio yn hurt. Mae'r Asiantaeth Iechyd Anifeiliaid a Phlanhigion wedi gwneud llawer iawn o waith i geisio cael rhai o'r ffermydd i fod yn rhan o'r prosiect peilot.
Rwyf wedi mynychu ffermydd pan fo profion TB yn cael eu cynnal—wrth gwrs fy mod. Rwy'n gweld hynny'n rhan bendant o fy rôl. Yn anffodus, ni fyddaf yn gallu mynychu eich fferm yr wythnos nesaf, ond wrth gwrs, mae hynny'n rhywbeth rwyf wedi'i wneud. Rwy'n deall y gofid wrth aros am brofion yn llwyr—gallaf ddychmygu'r pryder—ac wrth gwrs, tra byddwch yn aros am y canlyniadau. Dyna pam ein bod wedi ymrwymo i ddileu TB. Ond mae gwir angen inni weithio gyda'n gilydd. Nid yw ond beio Llywodraeth Cymru yn dderbyniol. Ni fyddwn i byth ond yn beio ffermwyr.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Mabon ap Gwynfor.
Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Mabon ap Gwynfor.
Diolch, Llywydd. Rydyn ni bellach ar ddechrau, neu, mewn rhai achosion, yng nghanol, y tymor wyna. Yn naturiol, felly, rydyn ni'n troi ein golygon at sicrhau diogelwch ein stoc rhag ymosodiadau. Mae data diweddaraf NFU Mutual yn dangos bod cŵn allan o reolaeth yn bygwth defaid yng Nghymru, gyda'r data yn dangos bod anifeiliaid gwerth tua £440,000 wedi cael eu niweidio yn ddifrifol neu eu lladd yng Nghymru yn 2022. Roedd hyn yn gynnydd o dros 15 y cant ers y flwyddyn flaenorol. Mae'r adolygiad hefyd yn dangos bod 64 y cant o berchnogion cŵn yn gadael eu cŵn yn rhydd yng nghefn gwlad, a ffermwyr yn dweud bod y perchnogion yma yn canolbwyntio ar eu ffonau symudol yn hytrach nag ar eu cŵn. Mae'r Alban wedi cyflwyno dirwyon llawer iawn mwy llym yno, gyda dirwyon o hyd at £40,000. Pa gamau mae'r Llywodraeth yn eu cymryd i gyflwyno camau ataliol llymach yma yng Nghymru, er mwyn sicrhau nad ydym ni'n gweld mwy o anifeiliaid yn dioddef yng Nghymru eleni?
Thank you, Llywydd. We are now at the beginning, or, in some cases, in the middle, of the lambing season. Naturally, therefore, we turn our sights towards securing the safety of our stock from attacks. Recent data from NFU Mutual shows that out-of-control dogs threaten sheep in Wales, with the data showing that animals to the value of around £440,000 have been seriously injured or killed in Wales in 2022. This was an increase of over 15 per cent on the previous year. The review also showed that 64 per cent of dog owners allow their dogs to run free in rural areas, and farmers say that these owners are focused on their mobile phones rather than on their dogs. Scotland has introduced far harsher penalties, with fines of up to £40,000. What steps is the Government taking to introduce preventative steps here in Wales in order to ensure that we don't see more animals suffering in Wales this year?
Thank you. You raise a very important point, and it's an issue that we take very seriously. We really would encourage livestock keepers to continue to report all incidents to the police. I think I should say that at the outset. I think it's really important that that information is recorded. But of course, what we want to see is a drop and a complete reduction in those numbers of attacks. I think you just made a really important point about mobile phones, which I hadn't thought about. As you are aware, the wildlife and rural crime commissioner has just released some new videos as part of a campaign, as we approach the lambing season, to warn people about looking after their animals, making sure their dogs don't chase sheep. I know it's a minority of people, but, of course, as is always the case, they spoil it for the majority of us. I will ask him if he has considered that aspect of mobile phone usage as well, because, as you say, people are distracted and then they're not looking at what their dogs are doing.
I think the cost, both financially and emotionally, to those who find injured or dead livestock is just wholly unacceptable, and lots of animal welfare implications come from that as well. You'll probably be aware that the UK Government are proposing the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill. That proposes to repeal and replace the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953. As you can see, it's a very old piece of legislation that clearly needs bringing up to date to be fit for purpose. Within that Bill, there'll be a new set of provisions to address the issue of dog attacks and dog worrying. Unfortunately, the Bill has been stalled. I did have a meeting with the DEFRA Minister to see how quickly that Act can be brought forward, because I think that will help us, looking at what the courts can do, and maybe looking at increasing the fines.
Diolch. Rydych yn codi pwynt pwysig iawn, ac mae'n fater rydym o ddifrif yn ei gylch. Byddem yn annog ceidwaid da byw yn gryf i barhau i roi gwybod i'r heddlu am bob digwyddiad. Rwy'n credu y dylwn ddweud hynny ar y cychwyn. Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig iawn fod yr wybodaeth honno'n cael ei chofnodi. Ond wrth gwrs, rydym am weld cwymp a gostyngiad llwyr yn nifer yr ymosodiadau hynny. Rwy'n credu eich bod wedi gwneud pwynt pwysig iawn am ffonau symudol, nad oeddwn wedi meddwl amdano. Fel y gwyddoch, mae'r comisiynydd troseddau cefn gwlad a bywyd gwyllt newydd ryddhau fideos newydd fel rhan o ymgyrch, wrth inni nesáu at y tymor wyna, i rybuddio pobl i ofalu am eu hanifeiliaid, gan sicrhau nad yw eu cŵn yn rhedeg ar ôl defaid. Rwy'n gwybod mai lleiafrif o bobl ydynt, ond wrth gwrs, fel sy'n digwydd bob amser, maent yn ei ddifetha i'r mwyafrif ohonom. Fe ofynnaf iddo a yw wedi ystyried yr agwedd honno ar y defnydd o ffonau symudol yn ogystal, oherwydd, fel y dywedwch, mae'n tynnu sylw pobl, ac nid ydynt yn edrych i weld beth mae eu cŵn yn ei wneud.
Rwy'n credu bod y gost, yn ariannol ac yn emosiynol, i'r rhai sy'n dod o hyd i dda byw sydd wedi'u hanafu neu wedi marw yn gwbl annerbyniol, ac mae llawer o oblygiadau lles anifeiliaid yn deillio o hynny hefyd. Mae'n debyg y byddwch yn ymwybodol fod Llywodraeth y DU yn cynnig y Bil Lles Anifeiliaid (Anifeiliaid a Gedwir). Mae hwnnw'n argymell diddymu a disodli Deddf Cŵn (Diogelu Da Byw) 1953. Fel y gwelwch, mae'n hen ddarn o ddeddfwriaeth sy'n amlwg angen ei diweddaru iddi fod yn addas i'r diben. O fewn y Bil hwnnw, bydd set newydd o ddarpariaethau i fynd i'r afael ag ymosodiadau gan gŵn ac aflonyddu gan gŵn. Yn anffodus, mae taith y Bil wedi'i oedi. Cefais gyfarfod gyda Gweinidog Adran yr Amgylchedd, Bwyd a Materion Gwledig i weld pa mor gyflym y gellir cyflwyno'r Ddeddf honno, oherwydd rwy'n credu y bydd yn ein helpu, wrth edrych ar yr hyn y gall y llysoedd ei wneud, ac edrych ar gynyddu'r dirwyon efallai.
Diolch, Weinidog, am yr ateb hwnnw.
Thank you, Minister for that response.
If I may change to the other sector within your portfolio, from agriculture to aquaculture and fisheries, the most recent data on the fishing industry in Wales shows us that farmed finfish and shellfish saw a massive 82 per cent fall in value between 2019 and 2021. Over the last 10 years, we've seen Welsh fishing fleet landings reduced by 75 per cent in weight and 41 per cent in value. Their profitability is also down significantly. We are seeing the decline of an ancient sector—part of our coastal life and our culture and identity disappearing in front of our eyes. It is no different in the processing sector. By 2021, we only had 28 full-time equivalent jobs in the processing sector here in Wales. In Scotland, by contrast, they employ 7,789 in the processing sector. Minister, is this an acceptable state of affairs, and will you look again at significantly increasing investment and support into fisheries and aquaculture in Wales?
Os gallaf newid i'r sector arall yn eich portffolio, o amaethyddiaeth i ddyframaethu a physgodfeydd, mae'r data diweddaraf ar y diwydiant pysgota yng Nghymru yn dangos i ni fod pysgod asgellog a physgod cregyn a ffermir wedi gweld gostyngiad enfawr o 82 y cant yn eu gwerth rhwng 2019 a 2021. Dros y 10 mlynedd diwethaf, rydym wedi gweld glaniadau fflydoedd pysgota Cymru yn gostwng 75 y cant yn eu pwysau a 41 y cant yn eu gwerth. Mae eu proffidioldeb hefyd wedi gostwng yn sylweddol. Rydym yn gweld dirywiad un o'n sectorau hynafol—rhan o'n bywyd arfordirol a'n diwylliant a'n hunaniaeth yn diflannu o flaen ein llygaid. Nid yw'r darlun yn wahanol yn y sector prosesu. Erbyn 2021, dim ond 28 o swyddi cyfwerth ag amser llawn oedd gyda ni yn y sector prosesu yma yng Nghymru. Yn yr Alban ar y llaw arall, maent yn cyflogi 7,789 yn y sector prosesu. Weinidog, a yw hon yn sefyllfa dderbyniol, ac a wnewch chi edrych eto ar gynyddu'n sylweddol y buddsoddiad a'r cymorth i bysgodfeydd a dyframaethu yng Nghymru?
I have had discussions with the fisheries sector. I'm very aware of the reported decline. I do recognise they've had some unprecedented pressures due to leaving the European Union, the COVID pandemic, more recently the hyperinflation of fuel that has been caused by the war in Ukraine, and obviously then the cost-of-living crisis. I think a lot of these pressures are at play across all our primary production sectors.
I've asked officials to closely monitor the impact on markets and costs, and they're working with Seafish to better understand the trends and to identify areas where mitigations and interventions could possibly be made to halt the regrettable decline. I've also recently launched the Welsh marine and fisheries scheme. The marketing measures window closed last week, and officials are appraising the projects in the coming weeks. And we've got the second window—actually, I think it might have just closed this month—the energy efficiency and mitigation of climate change window, which I was asked to bring forward.
On the positive side, we're again having a Welsh pavilion at the Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona in April where we can actually promote our Welsh seafood. It's always been a very successful trade mission for us, so I was keen to support it again this year to try and do what we can for our fishing and aquaculture businesses.
Rwyf wedi cael trafodaethau gyda'r sector pysgodfeydd. Rwy'n ymwybodol iawn o'r dirywiad a gofnodwyd. Rwy'n cydnabod eu bod wedi bod o dan bwysau digynsail yn sgil gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd, pandemig COVID, gorchwyddiant prisiau tanwydd yn fwy diweddar a achosir gan y rhyfel yn Wcráin, a'r argyfwng costau byw wrth gwrs. Rwy'n credu bod llawer o'r pwysau i'w deimlo ar draws ein holl sectorau cynhyrchu sylfaenol.
Rwyf wedi gofyn i swyddogion fonitro'r effaith ar farchnadoedd a chostau yn drylwyr, ac maent yn gweithio gydag Seafish i ddeall y tueddiadau'n well ac i nodi meysydd lle gellid lliniaru ac ymyrryd o bosibl i atal y dirywiad anffodus. Yn ddiweddar, rwyf hefyd wedi lansio cynllun môr a physgodfeydd Cymru. Daeth y cyfnod ymgeisio am y cynllun mesurau marchnata i ben yr wythnos diwethaf, a bydd swyddogion yn gwerthuso'r prosiectau yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf. Ac mae gennym ail gyfnod ymgeisio—mewn gwirionedd, rwy'n credu y gallai hwnnw fod wedi newydd gau y mis hwn—y cyfnod ymgeisio ar gyfer y cynllun effeithlonrwydd ynni a lliniaru newid hinsawdd, y gofynnwyd imi ei gyflwyno'n gynharach.
Ar yr ochr gadarnhaol, mae gennym bafiliwn Cymreig unwaith eto yn y Seafood Expo Global yn Barcelona ym mis Ebrill, lle gallwn hyrwyddo ein bwyd môr Cymreig. Mae bob amser wedi bod yn daith fasnach lwyddiannus iawn inni, felly roeddwn yn awyddus i'w chefnogi eto eleni i geisio gwneud yr hyn a allwn ar ran ein busnesau pysgota a dyframaethu.
3. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n ei wneud i ddenu pobl ifanc i yrfaoedd ym myd ffermio ac amaeth? OQ59144
3. What is the Welsh Government doing to attract young people into careers in farming and agriculture? OQ59144
The Welsh Government continues to support and encourage young people to enter the agriculture industry through programmes such as Farming Connect and Venture. The proposed sustainable farming scheme will be available to all types of farms in all parts of Wales and will support new entrants to establish sustainable agricultural businesses.
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n parhau i gefnogi ac annog pobl ifanc i fentro i'r diwydiant amaeth drwy raglenni fel Cyswllt Ffermio a Mentro. Bydd y cynllun ffermio cynaliadwy arfaethedig ar gael i bob math o ffermydd ym mhob rhan o Gymru ac yn cefnogi newydd-ddyfodiaid i sefydlu busnesau amaethyddol cynaliadwy.
Thank you, Minister. As you know, farming is the foundation upon which the £6 billion Welsh food and drink supply chain is built. They're the guardians of our environment and the sector employs 17 per cent of the Welsh workforce. Recent statistics from Qualifications Wales have shown that there has been a 14 per cent decrease in the vocational qualification certificates awarded in the agriculture, horticulture and animal care sectors compared to 2021. Furthermore, Wales has the largest percentage decrease in the total agricultural workforce from 2015 to 2021 at 13.6 per cent, compared to 2.4 per cent in England and 3.1 per cent in Scotland. How are you working, Minister, with the rest of your Government to reverse this worrying trend and ensure that we support Welsh farming for generations to come?
Diolch, Weinidog. Fel y gwyddoch, ffermio yw'r sylfaen y mae cadwyn gyflenwi bwyd a diod Cymru, sy'n werth £6 biliwn, wedi'i hadeiladu arni. Ffermwyr yw gwarcheidwaid ein hamgylchedd ac mae'r sector yn cyflogi 17 y cant o weithlu Cymru. Mae ystadegau diweddar gan Cymwysterau Cymru yn dangos bod gostyngiad o 14 y cant wedi bod yn y tystysgrifau cymwysterau galwedigaethol a ddyfernir yn y sectorau amaethyddiaeth, garddwriaeth a gofal anifeiliaid o gymharu â 2021. Ar ben hynny, Cymru sydd â'r gostyngiad mwyaf o ran canran yng nghyfanswm y gweithlu amaethyddol o 2015 i 2021, sef 13.6 y cant, o'i gymharu â 2.4 y cant yn Lloegr a 3.1 y cant yn yr Alban. Weinidog, sut rydych chi'n gweithio gyda gweddill eich Llywodraeth i wrthdroi'r duedd bryderus hon a sicrhau ein bod yn cefnogi ffermio Cymru am genedlaethau i ddod?
I've always taken a specific interest in new entrants, working with people to see what the barriers are to them going into agriculture. I have to say, education and skills hasn't been one of the barriers that's ever, I don't think, been raised with me. I've been focusing on—. I mentioned Venture in my original answer to you, which has been very successful in helping to match farmers and landowners who are looking to step back from the industry with new entrants going into farming. We also try and work with our local authorities to ensure that their farms are protected as farms so that they can be used by people, particularly when they first want to get into agriculture. Perhaps they can't afford to buy a farm, but they can lease a farm from the local authority.
Rwyf bob amser wedi bod â diddordeb arbennig mewn newydd-ddyfodiaid, gan weithio gyda phobl i weld beth sy'n eu rhwystro rhag mentro i'r byd amaeth. Mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, nid wyf yn credu bod addysg a sgiliau wedi bod yn un o'r rhwystrau a gafodd eu dwyn i fy sylw erioed. Rwyf wedi bod yn canolbwyntio ar—. Soniais am Mentro yn fy ateb gwreiddiol i chi, a bu'n gynllun llwyddiannus iawn i helpu i baru ffermwyr a thirfeddianwyr sy'n awyddus i gamu nôl o'r diwydiant â newydd-ddyfodiaid sy'n mentro i'r byd amaeth. Rydym hefyd yn ceisio gweithio gyda'n hawdurdodau lleol i sicrhau bod eu ffermydd wedi eu gwarchod fel ffermydd fel bod modd iddynt gael eu defnyddio gan bobl, yn enwedig pan fyddant eisiau dechrau yn y byd amaeth. Efallai nad ydynt yn gallu fforddio prynu fferm, ond gallant rentu fferm ar brydles gan yr awdurdod lleol.
4. Beth mae'r Gweinidog yn ei wneud i gefnogi'r diwydiant wyau yn Nwyrain De Cymru? OQ59130
4. What is the Minister doing to support the egg industry in South Wales East? OQ59130
The Welsh Government provides support to the egg industry in south-east Wales. Funding is available through our capital grant schemes, with direct advice and support made available to farm and food businesses via our Farming Connect and Business Wales teams.
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn rhoi cymorth i'r diwydiant wyau yn ne-ddwyrain Cymru. Mae arian ar gael drwy ein cynlluniau grantiau cyfalaf, gyda chyngor a chymorth uniongyrchol ar gael i fusnesau fferm a bwyd drwy ein timau Cyswllt Ffermio a Busnes Cymru.
Diolch am yr ateb yna.
Thank you for that response.
Most people who have been food shopping in recent months will have noticed a shortage of eggs. Some producers, faced with rising costs and supermarkets that refuse to reflect this in their contracts, are leaving the industry if they can. This was made clear to me by an egg producer in my region during a recent meeting. They told me in no uncertain terms that the egg sector is in deep trouble. Minister, what can be done to get better co-ordination in the supply chain to give our farmers confidence to produce our Welsh eggs? Unless this matter is tackled, we face increased importation of eggs to fill the gap, with no guarantee that they were produced to the same standard and, therefore, free from bacteria like salmonella. It is vital that eggs remain fully traceable as well as affordable, and I would like to know what the Government is doing to address the major problem in the sector.
Bydd y rhan fwyaf o bobl sydd wedi bod yn siopa bwyd yn ystod y misoedd diwethaf wedi sylwi ar brinder wyau. Mae rhai cynhyrchwyr, sy'n wynebu costau cynyddol ac archfarchnadoedd sy'n gwrthod adlewyrchu hyn yn eu cytundebau, yn gadael y diwydiant os ydynt yn gallu. Cafodd hyn ei wneud yn glir i mi gan gynhyrchydd wyau yn fy rhanbarth yn ystod cyfarfod yn ddiweddar. Roeddent yn dweud wrthyf yn blwmp ac yn blaen fod y sector wyau mewn trafferthion mawr. Weinidog, beth y gellir ei wneud i gael cydlynu gwell yn y gadwyn gyflenwi i roi hyder i'n ffermwyr gynhyrchu ein hwyau Cymreig? Oni bai bod y mater hwn yn cael ei ddatrys, rydym yn wynebu mwy o fewnforio wyau i lenwi'r bwlch, heb unrhyw sicrwydd eu bod wedi cael eu cynhyrchu i'r un safon ac felly'n rhydd o facteria fel salmonela. Mae'n hanfodol fod wyau'n parhau i fod yn gwbl olrheiniadwy yn ogystal â fforddiadwy, a hoffwn wybod beth mae'r Llywodraeth yn ei wneud i fynd i'r afael â'r broblem fawr yn y sector.
Thank you. This is obviously a very challenging time for all our farmers, and I know poultry and egg farmers are particularly reliant on feed and energy, two areas where we have seen significant rises in the costs because of agri-inflation. The egg industry—and I think you were referring to this in the first part of your question—is also calling for contract reform to prevent suppliers being locked into loss-making positions and to provide some stability for the sector, going forward, amidst the ongoing egg shortages. I did write to the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs Minister, Mark Spencer, just before Christmas on this matter, because I think it's something that we can look at on a UK-wide basis. I'm awaiting a response from him. But I do think we could do better if we work together across the UK, and, obviously, the Minister I referred to for farming, fisheries and food could use his powers under the Agriculture Act 2020 to consult with the industry, to establish whether a legislative solution is required to support them going forward. We've also had the impact of a very, very sustained avian influenza outbreak over the last 18 months or so, which clearly has had an impact too.
Diolch. Mae hwn yn amlwg yn gyfnod heriol iawn i'n ffermwyr i gyd, ac rwy'n gwybod bod ffermwyr dofednod ac wyau'n arbennig o ddibynnol ar borthiant ac ynni, dau faes lle'r ydym wedi gweld cynnydd sylweddol yn y costau oherwydd chwyddiant amaeth. Mae'r diwydiant wyau—ac rwy'n credu eich bod yn cyfeirio at hyn yn rhan gyntaf eich cwestiwn—hefyd yn galw am ddiwygio contractau i atal cyflenwyr rhag cael eu clymu i sefyllfaoedd lle maent yn gwneud colledion ac i ddarparu rhywfaint o sefydlogrwydd i'r sector wrth symud ymlaen yng nghanol y prinder wyau parhaus. Ysgrifennais at Weinidog Adran yr Amgylchedd, Bwyd a Materion Gwledig, Mark Spencer, ychydig cyn y Nadolig ynglŷn â'r mater hwn, oherwydd rwy'n credu ei fod yn rhywbeth y gallwn edrych arno ar sail y DU gyfan. Rwy'n aros am ymateb ganddo. Ond rwy'n credu y gallem wneud yn well os ydym yn gweithio gyda'n gilydd ar draws y DU, ac yn amlwg, gallai'r Gweinidog ffermio, pysgodfeydd a bwyd y cyfeiriais ato ddefnyddio ei bwerau o dan Ddeddf Amaethyddiaeth 2020 i ymgynghori â'r diwydiant, i sefydlu a oes angen ateb deddfwriaethol i'w cefnogi wrth symud ymlaen. Rydym hefyd wedi gweld effaith achosion cyson iawn o'r ffliw adar dros y 18 mis diwethaf, sy'n amlwg wedi cael effaith hefyd.
I thank the Member for South Wales East for raising this, and I share his concerns and the industry's concerns, and I refer Members to my register of interests as a farmer.
Poultry producers in Wales have been facing the twin pressures that you recognise of avian influenza and surging production costs for some considerable time. Off the back of a meeting of concerned poultry farmers at the end of 2022, I think NFU Cymru wrote to you, Minister, asking if you would consider making use of the powers under Schedule 5, Part 2 of the Agriculture Act 2020, to investigate whether an exceptional market conditions declaration ought to be made. As you'll recall, I've raised this previously in the Chamber, and this was called for in light of the severe market disturbances being experienced by producers and consumers. And, Minister, you've partly answered my question, but could you update the Senedd on what discussions you and your officials are having with the industry and DEFRA since the end of November?
Diolch i'r Aelod dros Ddwyrain De Cymru am godi hyn, ac rwy'n rhannu ei bryderon a phryderon y diwydiant, ac rwy'n cyfeirio'r Aelodau at fy nghofrestr buddiannau fel ffermwr.
Mae cynhyrchwyr dofednod yng Nghymru wedi bod yn wynebu'r pwysau dwbl rydych yn ei gydnabod gyda ffliw adar a chostau cynhyrchu cynyddol ers cryn dipyn o amser. Yn dilyn cyfarfod gyda ffermwyr dofednod pryderus ar ddiwedd 2022, rwy'n credu bod NFU Cymru wedi ysgrifennu atoch, Weinidog, yn gofyn a fyddech yn ystyried defnyddio'r pwerau o dan Atodlen 5, Rhan 2 o Ddeddf Amaethyddiaeth 2020, i ymchwilio i weld a ddylid gwneud datganiad o amodau marchnad eithriadol. Fel y cofiwch, rwyf wedi codi hyn o'r blaen yn y Siambr, a galwyd am hyn yng ngoleuni'r aflonyddwch difrifol yn y farchnad sy'n cael ei brofi gan gynhyrchwyr a defnyddwyr. A, Weinidog, rydych wedi ateb fy nghwestiwn yn rhannol, ond a wnewch chi ddweud wrth y Senedd pa drafodaethau a gawsoch chi a'ch swyddogion gyda'r diwydiant ac Adran yr Amgylchedd, Bwyd a Materion Gwledig ers diwedd mis Tachwedd?
Thank you. So, I did raise it at our inter-ministerial group in December and then subsequently wrote to the Minister for farming, fisheries and food. As I say, unfortunately, I haven't had a response to that letter. We have a further inter-ministerial group, I think, in a fortnight, so I will raise it again if I haven't had a response. I do think we need to look at how we use those powers and, as I say, whether a legislative solution would be the best way forward, but, obviously, my officials continue to work across the UK at official level with the agriculture market monitoring group. I've asked them to really stress, because it's such an integrated supply across the UK, a UK-wide solution would be the best way forward.
Diolch. Felly, fe'i crybwyllais yn ein grŵp rhyngweinidogol ym mis Rhagfyr ac yna ysgrifennais at y Gweinidog ffermio, pysgodfeydd a bwyd. Fel y dywedaf, yn anffodus, nid wyf wedi cael ymateb i'r llythyr hwnnw. Mae gennym gyfarfod pellach o'r grŵp rhyngweinidogol, ymhen pythefnos rwy'n credu, felly byddaf yn ei godi eto os nad ydwyf wedi cael ymateb. Rwy'n credu bod angen inni edrych ar sut y defnyddiwn y pwerau hynny ac fel y dywedaf, a gweld ai ateb deddfwriaethol fyddai'r ffordd orau ymlaen, ond yn amlwg, mae fy swyddogion yn parhau i weithio ledled y DU ar lefel swyddogol gyda grŵp monitro'r farchnad amaeth. Oherwydd ei fod yn gyflenwad mor integredig ledled y DU, rwyf wedi gofyn iddynt bwysleisio mai ateb DU gyfan fyddai'r ffordd orau ymlaen.
5. Pa drafodaethau mae'r Gweinidog wedi'u cael gyda'r Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd ynglŷn ag effaith Bil Amaethyddiaeth (Cymru) ar y rhaglen weithredu genedlaethol ar fawndiroedd? OQ59136
5. What discussions has the Minister had with the Minister for Climate Change regarding the impact of the Agriculture (Wales) Bill on the national peatland action programme? OQ59136
The Agriculture (Wales) Bill is the result of several years of policy development across ministerial portfolios, which includes discussions with the Minister for Climate Change. Officials have also been in regular discussions with colleagues to understand the impact of the Bill on existing and future programmes, including peatland restoration.
Mae Bil Amaethyddiaeth (Cymru) yn ganlyniad i sawl blwyddyn o ddatblygu polisi ar draws portffolios gweinidogol, sy'n cynnwys trafodaethau gyda'r Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd. Mae swyddogion hefyd wedi bod mewn trafodaethau rheolaidd gyda chyd-Weinidogion i ddeall effaith y Bil ar raglenni sy'n bodoli eisoes a rhaglenni'r dyfodol, gan gynnwys adfer mawndiroedd.
Thank you for the answer. The success of the national peatland action programme is its ability to deliver in the here and now, but it's come to my attention that a lot of works are held up or not progressing due to landowners holding on to see if they will require degraded peat to enter into the new sustainable farming scheme, or that they might be better off undertaking the work through the sustainable farming scheme. So, can the Minister give assurances to land managers across Wales that they will not be penalised either financially or in scheme eligibility for undertaking peatland restoration through presently available mechanisms?
Diolch am yr ateb. Llwyddiant y rhaglen weithredu genedlaethol ar fawndiroedd yw ei gallu i gyflawni ar unwaith, ond mae wedi dod i fy sylw fod llawer o waith yn cael ei ddal yn ôl neu nad yw'n mynd rhagddo oherwydd bod tirfeddianwyr yn aros i weld a fydd hi'n ofynnol cynnwys mawn diraddiedig yn y cynllun ffermio cynaliadwy newydd, neu a fyddai'n well iddynt ymgymryd â'r gwaith drwy'r cynllun ffermio cynaliadwy. Felly, a all y Gweinidog roi sicrwydd i reolwyr tir ledled Cymru na fyddant yn cael eu cosbi naill ai'n ariannol nac o ran cymhwysedd ar gyfer y cynllun am wneud gwaith adfer mawndiroedd drwy'r mecanweithiau sydd ar gael ar hyn o bryd?
Well, as the Member is aware, the sustainable farming scheme is currently being designed. We've gone through a significant amount of co-design with our stakeholders, so I can't give you that assurance as you required, but, obviously, we're really keen that that work is undertaken. I do hear what you're saying about farmers waiting to see, if you like, but we would encourage them to continue to carry out the actions that we really need as part of the national peatland action programme. I think what that programme has really done is provide the leadership that we needed for that sustained peatland restoration, but we'll certainly consider it—well, we are considering it—as a sustainable land management duty. So, I don't see why we wouldn't then reward it. But, I would encourage people to really carry on with the work that they've been doing whilst we, obviously, bring the Agriculture (Wales) Bill through the Senedd and we design the sustainable farming scheme, which will be replacing the basic payment scheme.
Wel, fel y mae'r Aelod yn gwybod, mae'r cynllun ffermio cynaliadwy yn cael ei lunio ar hyn o bryd. Rydym wedi mynd drwy broses sylweddol o gydgynllunio gyda'n rhanddeiliaid, felly ni allaf roi'r sicrwydd hwnnw i chi fel y gofynnoch chi amdano, ond yn amlwg, rydym yn awyddus iawn i'r gwaith hwnnw gael ei wneud. Rwy'n clywed yr hyn a ddywedwch am ffermwyr yn aros i weld, os mynnwch, ond byddem yn eu hannog i barhau i gyflawni'r camau sydd eu hangen arnom yn fawr yn rhan o'r rhaglen weithredu genedlaethol ar fawndiroedd. Rwy'n credu mai'r hyn y mae'r rhaglen honno wedi'i wneud yw darparu'r arweiniad roedd ei angen arnom ar gyfer y gwaith parhaus o adfer mawndiroedd, ond byddwn yn sicr yn ei ystyried—wel, rydym yn ei ystyried—yn ddyletswydd rheoli tir yn gynaliadwy. Felly, nid wyf yn gweld pam na fyddem yn ei wobrwyo. Ond rwy'n annog pobl i barhau o ddifrif gyda'r gwaith y maent wedi bod yn ei wneud wrth inni dywys y Bil Amaethyddiaeth (Cymru) drwy'r Senedd ac wrth inni gynllunio'r cynllun ffermio cynaliadwy, a fydd yn disodli cynllun y taliad sylfaenol.
6. A wnaiff y Gweinidog amlinellu pa effaith y mae costau byw cynyddol wedi'i chael ar les anifeiliaid? OQ59111
6. Will the Minister outline what impact the rising cost of living has had on animal welfare? OQ59111
As the economic situation worsens, pressures on household budgets to maintain good welfare conditions for pets is becoming ever more challenging. My officials have worked closely with the third sector to monitor the situation and are pleased to see animal welfare groups in Wales working together to support our pet owners.
Wrth i'r sefyllfa economaidd waethygu, mae'r pwysau ar gyllidebau aelwydydd i gynnal amodau lles da i anifeiliaid anwes yn dod yn fwyfwy heriol. Mae fy swyddogion wedi gweithio'n agos gyda'r trydydd sector i fonitro'r sefyllfa ac yn falch o weld grwpiau lles anifeiliaid yng Nghymru yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd i gefnogi ein perchnogion anifeiliaid anwes.
The rising cost of living has led to a record number of pets being abandoned. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals estimate that a pet is cast aside every 15 minutes in the UK. Dogs Trust have reported a record number of calls from owners looking to give up their dogs, citing financial reasons, and a survey by YouGov shows that 48 per cent of respondents confirmed they would find it more difficult to give their dog all they needed. Charities like Friends of Animals Wales, run by volunteers, who have three shops in my constituency, provide a pet foodbank so that pets don't have to go without, or owners don't have to go without to feed their pets. But, not all constituencies are fortunate enough to have this provision and it's difficult to reach all pet owners. What advice would the Minister give to pet owners in Wales who are struggling to provide for their pets, and how can the Welsh Government help charities like Friends of Animals Wales reach those in need of support?
Mae costau byw cynyddol wedi arwain at y nifer uchaf erioed o anifeiliaid anwes yn cael eu gadael. Mae'r Gymdeithas Frenhinol er Atal Creulondeb i Anifeiliaid yn amcangyfrif bod anifail anwes yn cael ei adael bob 15 munud yn y DU. Mae'r Dogs Trust wedi cofnodi'r nifer uchaf erioed o alwadau gan berchnogion sydd am roi'r gorau i'w cŵn, gan nodi rhesymau ariannol, ac mae arolwg gan YouGov yn dangos bod 48 y cant o ymatebwyr wedi cadarnhau y byddent yn ei chael hi'n anos rhoi popeth roedd ei angen ar eu ci. Mae elusennau fel Friends of Animals Wales, sy'n cael ei gweithredu gan wirfoddolwyr ac sydd â thair siop yn fy etholaeth, yn darparu banc bwyd anifeiliaid anwes fel nad oes rhaid i anifeiliaid anwes fynd heb fwyd, neu fel nad oes rhaid i berchnogion fynd heb fwyd er mwyn bwydo eu hanifeiliaid anwes. Ond nid yw pob etholaeth yn ddigon ffodus i gael y ddarpariaeth hon ac mae'n anodd cyrraedd pob perchennog anifail anwes. Pa gyngor y byddai'r Gweinidog yn ei roi i berchnogion anifeiliaid anwes yng Nghymru sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd darparu ar gyfer eu hanifeiliaid anwes, a sut y gall Llywodraeth Cymru helpu elusennau fel Friends of Animals Wales i gyrraedd y rhai sydd angen cefnogaeth?
Well, as I said in my opening answer, my officials have been working very closely with third sector organisations to see what more can be done to help our pet owners who are struggling to feed and look after their pets in the way that they and we would want them to. Unfortunately, we did see pet ownership increase during the COVID-19 pandemic and, obviously, as the economic situation has worsened with those pressures on household budgets it has become much more challenging to maintain good welfare conditions for our pets.
We have the Animal Welfare Network Wales group, and they're in discussion also with the third sector organisations, and that does include the Dogs Trust, that you referred to, the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals and Cats Protection, just to monitor the current situation relating to affordable veterinary care as well, because that's obviously something else that could be causing pet owners concerns.
We're also promoting our social media campaigns still—Paws, Prevent, Protect—and that really reminds prospective purchasers of the need to do their research before they buy a pet, because we know that responsible pet ownership does begin before you purchase an animal.
You referred to the pet foodbank. I know that the foodbank in my own constituency does provide for pets also. So, again I would encourage people to try their local foodbank if they haven't got a specific pet foodbank in the way that you referred to in your constituency.
Wel, fel y dywedais yn fy ateb agoriadol, mae fy swyddogion wedi bod yn gweithio'n agos iawn gyda sefydliadau'r trydydd sector i weld beth arall y gellir ei wneud i helpu ein perchnogion anifeiliaid anwes sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd bwydo a gofalu am eu hanifeiliaid anwes yn y ffordd y byddent hwy a ninnau eisiau iddynt ei wneud. Yn anffodus, gwelsom gynnydd mewn perchnogaeth anifeiliaid anwes yn ystod pandemig COVID-19 ac yn amlwg, wrth i'r sefyllfa economaidd waethygu gyda'r pwysau ar gyllidebau aelwydydd, mae wedi dod yn llawer mwy heriol i gynnal amodau lles da i'n hanifeiliaid anwes.
Mae gennym grŵp Rhwydwaith Lles Anifeiliaid Cymru, ac maent yn trafod hefyd gyda sefydliadau'r trydydd sector, ac mae hynny'n cynnwys y Dogs Trust, fel y nodoch chi, y People's Dispensary for Sick Animals a Cats Protection, i fonitro'r sefyllfa bresennol ynghylch gofal milfeddygol fforddiadwy hefyd, oherwydd mae hynny'n amlwg yn rhywbeth arall a allai fod yn achosi pryderon i berchnogion anifeiliaid anwes.
Rydym hefyd yn dal i hyrwyddo ein hymgyrchoedd cyfryngau cymdeithasol—Aros, Atal, Amddiffyn—ac mae hynny'n atgoffa darpar brynwyr o'r angen i wneud eu hymchwil cyn iddynt brynu anifail anwes, oherwydd rydym yn gwybod bod perchnogaeth gyfrifol ar anifail anwes yn dechrau cyn ichi brynu anifail.
Roeddech yn cyfeirio at y banc bwyd i anifeiliaid anwes. Rwy'n gwybod bod y banc bwyd yn fy etholaeth i'n darparu ar gyfer anifeiliaid anwes hefyd. Felly, byddwn yn annog pobl eto i roi cynnig ar eu banc bwyd lleol os nad oes ganddynt fanc bwyd penodol ar gyfer anifeiliaid anwes yn y ffordd roeddech chi'n nodi yn eich etholaeth.
Natural Resources Wales have recently proposed to increase charges for sheep-dip disposal by 10 times. This, I'm sure you'll be most aware, will cause barriers to eradicating sheep scab. Now, I note in your statement last month you committed £4.5 million of rural investment scheme funding to help tackle the disease, but you didn't mention whether this would be per year or multi-year funding. I also realise you said in your responses to my colleague Sam Kurtz that the increase in fees from Natural Resources Wales will only impact a small percentage of farms, only giving out 37 permits per year. However, as NFU Cymru have noted, these proposals, they say, are ill thought out and short-sighted. They're asking for a full justification from NRW about this increase. So, what other breakdowns have you seen that would indicate that this is a fair decision for farmers who are struggling with the cost of living?
Yn ddiweddar, fe wnaeth Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru argymell cynnydd ddeg gwaith drosodd yn y ffioedd am waredu dip defaid. Bydd hyn, rwy'n siŵr y byddwch yn ymwybodol, yn achosi rhwystrau rhag dileu'r clafr. Nawr, nodaf yn eich datganiad fis diwethaf eich bod wedi ymrwymo £4.5 miliwn o gyllid y cynllun buddsoddi gwledig i helpu i fynd i'r afael â'r clefyd, ond ni wnaethoch sôn a fyddai hyn yn gyllid blynyddol neu'n gyllid amlflwyddyn. Rwyf hefyd yn sylweddoli eich bod wedi dweud yn eich ymatebion i fy nghyd-Aelod Sam Kurtz y bydd y cynnydd yn y ffioedd gan Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru ond yn effeithio ar ganran fechan o ffermydd, am mai 37 trwydded y flwyddyn yn unig a ddyrennir. Ond fel y mae NFU Cymru wedi nodi, mae'r cynigion hyn, meddant, yn ddifeddwl ac yn unllygeidiog. Maent yn gofyn am gyfiawnhad llawn gan CNC dros y cynnydd hwn. Felly, pa ddadansoddiadau eraill a welsoch a fyddai'n dangos bod hwn yn benderfyniad teg i ffermwyr sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd ymdopi gyda chostau byw?
So, obviously, NRW sits within the portfolio of the Minister for Climate Change, and I know she will be having advice from NRW around the rise in the regulatory licences that you referred to. I have done some research into this following being told there were only 37 licences given, and that indeed is correct. I think it's really important to recognise that NRW aren't trying to make profit from this. What they are trying to make sure is that they're costs are covered, and there hasn't been a rise for many, many years, and I appreciate is it a significant rise in one go. But, as I say, the Minister is still awaiting advice on it.
Felly, yn amlwg, mae CNC yn dod o dan bortffolio'r Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd, ac rwy'n gwybod y bydd hi'n cael cyngor gan CNC ynghylch y cynnydd yn y trwyddedau rheoleiddiol y cyfeirioch chi atynt. Rwyf wedi gwneud ychydig o ymchwil i hyn ar ôl cael gwybod mai dim ond 37 o drwyddedau a roddwyd, ac mae hynny'n gywir. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn cydnabod nad yw CNC yn ceisio gwneud elw o hyn. Yr hyn y maent yn ceisio ei sicrhau yw bod costau'n cael eu talu, ac nid oes cynnydd wedi bod ers blynyddoedd lawer, ac rwy'n derbyn ei fod yn gynnydd sylweddol ar un tro. Ond fel rwy'n dweud, mae'r Gweinidog yn dal i ddisgwyl cyngor arno.
7. Pa ystyriaeth mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ei rhoi i wahardd rasio milgwn? OQ59110
7. What consideration has the Welsh Government given to banning greyhound racing? OQ59110
I sent my response to the Petitions Committee, which the Member chairs, to the report that came forward on this issue yesterday, and, as detailed in the response, any proposed changes to legislation will be subject to full public consultation.
Anfonais fy ymateb i'r adroddiad a gyflwynwyd ar y mater hwn ddoe at y Pwyllgor Deisebau a gadeirir gan yr Aelod, ac fel y nodwyd yn yr ymateb, bydd unrhyw newidiadau arfaethedig i ddeddfwriaeth yn destun ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus llawn.
I'm grateful to the Minister for that answer and I'm grateful to the Minister for responding positively to the Senedd Petitions Committee on the report that called for a phased ban on greyhound racing. The reason we called for a phased ban on greyhound racing is because the majority of Members felt the evidence that we heard was overwhelmingly in favour of a phased ban. I understand the position of the Welsh Government that they will have to go out to consultation on any ban, and a consultation will include the position on a ban on greyhound racing. I wondered if you could update the Chamber, Minister, on what the next steps are for the Welsh Government in this regard.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Gweinidog am yr ateb hwnnw ac rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Gweinidog am ymateb yn gadarnhaol i Bwyllgor Deisebau'r Senedd ar yr adroddiad a alwai am waharddiad graddol ar rasio milgwn. Y rheswm y gwnaethom alw am waharddiad graddol ar rasio milgwn yw oherwydd bod y mwyafrif o'r Aelodau'n teimlo bod y dystiolaeth a glywsom yn llethol o blaid gwaharddiad graddol. Rwy'n deall safbwynt Llywodraeth Cymru y bydd yn rhaid iddynt ymgynghori ar unrhyw waharddiad, ac fe fydd ymgynghoriad yn cynnwys y safbwynt ar wahardd rasio milgwn. Tybed a allech roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Siambr, Weinidog, ynglŷn â beth yw'r camau nesaf i Lywodraeth Cymru yn hyn o beth.
Thank you, and I was very pleased to be able to accept, or accept in principle, all the recommendations bar one, and I very much look forward to the debate that will be held in this Chamber on 6 March, and I suppose that's the next step. And then we will have a look at what more we need to do to have a look and make sure that our greyhounds are protected as much as possible. I've also met with the owner of Valley stadium, which, as you know, is the only greyhound stadium here in Wales, to discuss the welfare issues that have been raised with me. I'm very keen to see the inspections continue at the stadium. But the next immediate step will be the debate on 6 March.
Diolch, ac roeddwn yn falch iawn o allu derbyn, neu dderbyn mewn egwyddor, yr holl argymhellion heblaw am un, ac edrychaf ymlaen yn fawr at y ddadl a gynhelir yn y Siambr hon ar 6 Mawrth, ac mae'n debyg mai dyna'r cam nesaf. Ac yna cawn olwg ar beth arall sydd angen inni ei wneud i gael golwg a gwneud yn siŵr fod ein milgwn yn cael eu diogelu gymaint â phosibl. Rwyf hefyd wedi cyfarfod â pherchennog stadiwm Valley, sef yr unig stadiwm milgwn yma yng Nghymru, fel y gwyddoch, i drafod y materion lles a gafodd eu dwyn i fy sylw. Rwy'n awyddus iawn i weld yr archwiliadau'n parhau yn y stadiwm. Ond y cam uniongyrchol nesaf fydd y ddadl ar 6 Mawrth.
Thank you, Minister, for your response to my colleague Jack Sargeant's question. As you know, in a few weeks' time, we will shortly be discussing the Petitions Committee's report on greyhound racing and specifically its main recommendation that the sport be banned in Wales. As highlighted in that report, I was the only voice in the committee who believes more could be done to enforce and tighten existing regulation first to improve greyhound welfare. As part of my own evidence gathering, I met with the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, the regulator for licensed greyhound racing in Great Britain, to discuss 'A Good Life for Every Greyhound', their independently assessed welfare strategy, which all GBGB tracks have to adhere to. I'm aware that GBGB tracks do not appear to have the same level of issues surrounding animal welfare that appear at Wales's only track, which does not have GBGB accreditation, and I'd like this Government to do a more thorough investigation into whether or not GBGB regulation could resolve animal welfare issues before legislating for a ban. With this in mind—and I'm conscious I've not seen your response to the committee's recommendations yet—what investigative work has the Welsh Government undertaken to properly understand animal welfare at the Valley track and at GBGB registered tracks? And given that the Petitions Committee's report has also called for a review of other sports in Wales involving animals, I'm curious to know what rationale will be used in deciding which sports are banned and which are not, should this Government support the recommendations of the Petitions Committee's report. Thank you.
Diolch am eich ymateb i gwestiwn fy nghyd-Aelod Jack Sargeant. Fel y gwyddoch, ymhen rhai wythnosau, byddwn yn trafod adroddiad y Pwyllgor Deisebau ar rasio milgwn, ac yn benodol ei brif argymhelliad y dylid gwahardd y gamp yng Nghymru. Fel yr amlygwyd yn yr adroddiad hwnnw, fi oedd yr unig lais yn y pwyllgor sy'n credu y gellid gwneud mwy i orfodi a thynhau'r rheoliadau presennol yn gyntaf er mwyn gwella lles milgwn. Wrth gasglu tystiolaeth fy hun, cyfarfûm â Bwrdd Milgwn Prydain, GBGB, y rheoleiddiwr rasio milgwn trwyddedig ym Mhrydain, i drafod 'A Good Life for Every Greyhound', eu strategaeth les a aseswyd yn annibynnol y mae'n rhaid i bob trac GBGB gydymffurfio â hi. Rwy'n ymwybodol nad yw'n ymddangos bod gan draciau GBGB yr un lefel o broblemau'n ymwneud â lles anifeiliaid ag a welir yn unig drac Cymru, nad oes ganddo achrediad GBGB, a hoffwn i'r Llywodraeth hon wneud ymchwiliad mwy trylwyr i weld a allai rheoliadau GBGB ddatrys problemau lles anifeiliaid cyn deddfu am waharddiad. Gyda hyn mewn golwg—ac rwy'n ymwybodol nad wyf wedi gweld eich ymateb i argymhellion y pwyllgor eto—pa waith ymchwiliol y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud i ddeall lles anifeiliaid yn briodol ar drac Valley ac ar draciau cofrestredig GBGB? Ac o gofio bod adroddiad y Pwyllgor Deisebau hefyd wedi galw am adolygu campau eraill yng Nghymru sy'n ymwneud ag anifeiliaid, rwy'n chwilfrydig i wybod pa resymeg fydd yn cael ei defnyddio i benderfynu pa gampau sy'n cael eu gwahardd a pha rai na chânt eu gwahardd, pe bai'r Llywodraeth hon yn cefnogi argymhellion adroddiad y Pwyllgor Deisebau. Diolch.
So, in answer to your last point—and I appreciate you haven't seen my response as yet—recommendation 5, which was that we should also look at other sports where animals compete, is the recommendation I have rejected, because, obviously, this is a focus on greyhound racing. What our animal welfare plan, which I introduced back in 2021—it's a five-year plan—does is include a framework for the realisation of the four animal welfare programme for government commitments, and that does outline how we will integrate a broad range of ongoing animal welfare policy work.
In relation to your questions around GBGB tracks, you'll be aware that the one track in Wales isn't a GBGB track. I, too, have met with GBGB to see what more could be done, and my officials are having a look. I don't think they've visited any other GBGB tracks, but certainly had discussions with, I think, the chief executive of GBGB, to see what we can learn.
Felly, i ateb eich pwynt olaf—ac rwy'n derbyn nad ydych wedi gweld fy ymateb hyd yma—argymhelliad 5, sef y dylem hefyd edrych ar chwaraeon eraill lle mae anifeiliaid yn cystadlu, yw'r argymhelliad a wrthodais, oherwydd, yn amlwg, ffocws ar rasio milgwn yw hwn. Yr hyn y mae ein cynllun lles anifeiliaid, a gyflwynais yn ôl yn 2021—mae'n gynllun pum mlynedd—yn ei wneud yw cynnwys fframwaith ar gyfer gwireddu pedwar ymrwymiad lles anifeiliaid y rhaglen lywodraethu, ac mae hwnnw'n amlinellu sut y byddwn yn integreiddio ystod eang o waith polisi lles anifeiliaid parhaus.
O ran eich cwestiynau ynghylch traciau GBGB, fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol nad yw'r un trac sydd yng Nghymru yn drac GBGB. Rwyf innau hefyd wedi cyfarfod â GBGB i weld beth arall y gellid ei wneud, ac mae fy swyddogion yn edrych ar hynny. Nid wyf yn credu eu bod wedi ymweld ag unrhyw un o draciau eraill GBGB, ond yn sicr maent wedi cael trafodaethau gyda phrif weithredwr GBGB, rwy'n meddwl, i weld beth y gallwn ei ddysgu.
Greyhound racing is all too often incredibly dangerous for the greyhounds, and there is this statistic that 2,000 greyhounds were euthanised in the UK between 2018 and 2020 simply as a result of being raced. I strongly believe that no animal should suffer in the name of sport, and that goes for all sports that use all forms of animals for human entertainment, so I'm pleased to hear you say that that's under consideration in this consultation. There are 35,000 people who signed this petition, so we're not in the minority, the few voices here; we're representing a huge sector of society who think the same. So, Minister, when you go out to consultation, and it will be right across Wales, will you be feeding that consultation back before decisions are made and progress is taken?
Mae rasio milgwn yn rhy aml yn hynod beryglus i'r milgwn, ac mae yna ystadegyn fod 2,000 o filgwn wedi cael eu hewthaneiddio yn y DU rhwng 2018 a 2020 yn syml o ganlyniad i gael eu rasio. Credaf yn gryf na ddylai unrhyw anifail ddioddef yn enw chwaraeon, ac mae hynny'n wir am bob camp sy'n defnyddio unrhyw fath o anifail ar gyfer adloniant pobl, felly rwy'n falch o'ch clywed yn dweud bod hynny dan ystyriaeth yn yr ymgynghoriad hwn. Mae 35,000 o bobl wedi llofnodi'r ddeiseb hon, felly nid yw'r ychydig leisiau yma'n lleiafrif; rydym yn cynrychioli sector enfawr o'r gymdeithas sy'n meddwl yr un fath. Felly, Weinidog, pan fyddwch yn ymgynghori, a hynny ledled Cymru, a fyddwch yn bwydo'r ymgynghoriad hwnnw yn ôl cyn gwneud unrhyw benderfyniadau a chyn rhoi camau ar waith?
Thank you. Well, as I said, we've already committed to considering licensing of greyhound racing as part of our animal welfare plan. The next step is now to have the petition. What I have said to the Petitions Committee and to Members in the Chamber is that anything we decide to do would have to go out to public consultation, so let's have the debate on 6 March and then we can decide on the next steps.
Diolch. Wel, fel y dywedais, rydym eisoes wedi ymrwymo i ystyried trwyddedu rasio milgwn fel rhan o'n cynllun lles anifeiliaid. Y cam nesaf nawr yw cael y ddeiseb. Yr hyn rwyf wedi’i ddweud wrth y Pwyllgor Deisebau ac wrth Aelodau yn y Siambr yw y byddai’n rhaid i unrhyw beth y penderfynwn ei wneud fod yn destun ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus, felly gadewch inni gael y ddadl ar 6 Mawrth, ac yna gallwn benderfynu ar y camau nesaf.
Y cwestiwn olaf, cwestiwn 8, Natasha Asghar.
The final question, question 8, Natasha Asghar.
8. Pa gynlluniau sydd gan y Gweinidog i wella rheolaeth cŵn? OQ59114
8. What plans does the Minister have to improve the control of dogs? OQ59114
The Welsh Government's code of practice for the welfare of dogs informs owners of their obligations relating to controlling their dogs and the governing pieces of legislation. We are working with the UK Government on introducing further safeguards through the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill.
Mae cod ymarfer Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer lles cŵn yn rhoi gwybod i berchnogion am eu rhwymedigaethau o ran rheoli eu cŵn a’r ddeddfwriaeth sy’n eu llywodraethu. Rydym yn gweithio gyda Llywodraeth y DU i gyflwyno mesurau diogelu pellach drwy’r Bil Lles Anifeiliaid (Anifeiliaid a Gedwir).
Thanks, Minister. I've been contacted by a constituent who says that he was recently attacked by a large dog on a public footpath in Newbridge. He goes on to say that he has been bitten twice by dogs in public places over the last six years, and his son has also been bitten as well. The Member for Caerphilly touched on this topic last week, so I know that you are aware of the two recent tragic cases in Caerphilly, when a 10-year-old boy and an 83-year-old lady were attacked and killed by dogs. I am aware that the previous National Assembly considered introducing a Control of Dogs (Wales) Bill previously, but the idea was dropped since 2013. Do you agree, Minister, that the time has come for Wales to reconsider this issue and introduce measures to ensure the safety of people when leaving their homes? Thank you.
Diolch, Weinidog. Mae etholwr wedi cysylltu â mi i ddweud bod ci mawr wedi ymosod arno’n ddiweddar ar lwybr cyhoeddus yn Nhrecelyn. Mae’n mynd yn ei flaen i ddweud ei fod wedi cael ei gnoi ddwywaith gan gŵn mewn mannau cyhoeddus dros y chwe blynedd diwethaf, a bod ei fab wedi cael ei gnoi hefyd. Crybwyllodd yr Aelod dros Gaerffili y pwnc hwn yr wythnos diwethaf, felly gwn eich bod yn ymwybodol o’r ddau achos trasig diweddar yng Nghaerffili, pan laddwyd bachgen 10 oed a dynes 83 oed ar ôl i gŵn ymosod arnynt. Rwy’n ymwybodol fod y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol blaenorol wedi ystyried cyflwyno Bil Rheoli Cŵn (Cymru), ond rhoddwyd y gorau i'r syniad yn 2013. A ydych yn cytuno, Weinidog, fod yr amser wedi dod i Gymru ailystyried y mater hwn a chyflwyno mesurau i sicrhau diogelwch pobl wrth iddynt adael eu cartrefi? Diolch.
We know that any dog in the wrong hands has the potential to be dangerous, and what we do is promote responsible ownership. I think that has to be a key priority. You will have heard me say in an earlier answer to Mabon ap Gwynfor about the kept animals Bill that the UK Government are taking through that, unfortunately, it's stalled a bit, but I do think there are provisions that we can take there to really help us. Because we know that dog attacks absolutely ruin lives and they're avoidable, if dog owners ensure that their dogs are in control at all times, and that they are responsible owners at all times too.
Gwyddom y gallai unrhyw gi yn y dwylo anghywir fod yn beryglus, a’r hyn rydym yn ei wneud yw hybu perchnogaeth gyfrifol. Credaf fod yn rhaid i hynny fod yn flaenoriaeth allweddol. Byddwch wedi fy nghlywed yn dweud mewn ateb cynharach i Mabon ap Gwynfor am y Bil anifeiliaid a gedwir y mae Llywodraeth y DU yn ei gyflwyno, ac mae hwnnw wedi arafu ychydig, yn anffodus, ond credaf fod darpariaethau y gallwn eu rhoi ar waith yno i'n helpu. Oherwydd gwyddom fod ymosodiadau gan gŵn yn difetha bywydau’n llwyr, a bod modd eu hosgoi os yw perchnogion cŵn yn sicrhau bod eu cŵn dan reolaeth bob amser, a’u bod yn berchnogion cyfrifol bob amser hefyd.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog.
I thank the Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r cwestiynau amserol. Un cwestiwn heddiw, a hwnnw i'w ateb gan y Dirprwy Weinidog Newid Hinsawdd ac i'w ofyn gan Delyth Jewell.
The next item, therefore, is the topical questions. There is one question today, and that is to be answered by the Deputy Minister for Climate Change and to be asked by Delyth Jewell.
1. Pa sicrwydd wnaiff y Gweinidog ei ddarparu na fydd symud i ffwrdd o gyllido’r cynllun brys ar gyfer bysiau yn arwain at gau llwybrau bysiau ac yn golygu bod gwasanaethau bysiau gwledig yn anhyfyw? TQ727
1. What assurances will the Minister provide that the transition away from bus emergency scheme funding will not lead to the closure of bus routes and render rural bus services unviable? TQ727
An initial extension of three months gives the industry the stability it needs in the short term while we continue to work together with them and local government on planning bus networks that better suit the new travel patterns that we've seen since the end of the pandemic.
Mae estyniad cychwynnol o dri mis yn rhoi’r sefydlogrwydd sydd ei angen ar y diwydiant yn y tymor byr tra byddwn yn parhau i weithio gyda hwy a chyda llywodraeth leol ar gynllunio rhwydweithiau bysiau sy’n gweddu’n well i’r patrymau teithio newydd rydym wedi’u gweld ers diwedd y pandemig.
Diolch, Weinidog. I appreciate that the last couple of days have been exceptionally busy for you. The uncertainty that you've touched on about that future funding is causing a great deal of concern, and I welcome the fact that you've extended this transition period for three months. That temporary reprieve, though, is not going to do much to assuage the concern of bus operators. I do appreciate that you're in a difficult position—I know that we touched on this in the Siambr yesterday—but the shift in messaging on this has confused things, I think, and I'd like to get some more information on that. There have been some statements that have been made that this scheme was due to come to an end in March of this year, but that seems to run contrary to the ministerial evidence that was submitted on the draft budget, as well as, as I understand it, the tone of discussions that bus operators have had with the Welsh Government in the months leading up to this change.
I would say, Minister, that you have taken bold steps this week towards realising a net-zero future. The impetus behind that is one I truly welcome; I think that it's incredibly brave. And it's for that reason that I'd urge you that now is surely the most important time for the Welsh Government to be looking at providing certainty of funding for public transport, because if we want to encourage people to use cars less, to make sure that there are viable bus and train networks there available for them, that's the way of making sure that people can get where they need to be—in more ways than one, of course. So, could you please tell us is there any prospect, as you see it at the moment, of a more sustainable footing for a scheme of this nature to continue, or one that replicates it, taking into consideration that it was, of course, one for COVID?
Diolch, Weinidog. Rwy’n derbyn bod yr ychydig ddyddiau diwethaf wedi bod yn eithriadol o brysur i chi. Mae'r ansicrwydd rydych wedi sôn amdano ynghylch y cyllid hwnnw yn y dyfodol yn achosi llawer iawn o bryder, ac rwy'n croesawu'r ffaith eich bod wedi ymestyn y cyfnod pontio hwn am dri mis. Fodd bynnag, nid yw'r gohiriad dros dro'n mynd i wneud llawer i leddfu pryderon gweithredwyr bysiau. Rwy’n derbyn eich bod mewn sefyllfa anodd—gwn inni gyffwrdd ar hyn yn y Siambr ddoe—ond mae’r newid yn y negeseuon ar hyn wedi drysu pethau yn fy marn i, a hoffwn gael rhagor o wybodaeth am hynny. Gwnaed rhai datganiadau fod y cynllun i fod i ddod i ben ym mis Mawrth eleni, ond ymddengys bod hynny’n mynd yn groes i’r dystiolaeth weinidogol a gyflwynwyd ar y gyllideb ddrafft, yn ogystal, yn ôl yr hyn a ddeallaf, â chywair y trafodaethau y mae gweithredwyr bysiau wedi’u cael gyda Llywodraeth Cymru yn y misoedd cyn y newid hwn.
Weinidog, byddwn yn dweud eich bod wedi cymryd camau beiddgar yr wythnos hon tuag at wireddu dyfodol sero net. Mae'r ysgogiad y tu ôl i hynny'n un rwy'n ei groesawu'n fawr; credaf ei fod yn anhygoel o ddewr. Ac am y rheswm hwnnw, byddwn yn eich annog mai nawr yw'r amser pwysicaf i Lywodraeth Cymru fod yn edrych ar ddarparu sicrwydd o gyllid ar gyfer trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, oherwydd os ydym am annog pobl i ddefnyddio llai ar geir, i sicrhau bod rhwydweithiau bysiau a threnau hyfyw yno ar eu cyfer, dyna'r ffordd o sicrhau bod pobl yn gallu cyrraedd lle mae angen iddynt fod—mewn mwy nag un ffordd, wrth gwrs. Felly, a fyddech cystal â dweud wrthym a oes unrhyw obaith, yn eich barn chi ar hyn o bryd, o sylfaen fwy cynaliadwy i gynllun fel hwn barhau, neu gynllun sy'n ei efelychu, gan gofio, wrth gwrs, mai cynllun ar gyfer COVID ydoedd?
Well, thank you for raising the question, because it is an issue that is concerning us greatly. Clearly, this is not a happy situation. We have a privatised bus network, which relies on commercial operators being able to make a profit. Clearly, the pandemic has turned that business model on its head and it was our intervention, with £150 million of public investment, that kept the sector from going under. It was always meant to be an emergency scheme; it was meant to be temporary. We do spend, every year, £60 million subsidising concessionary fares for older people, we spend a further £2 million subsidising the MyTravelPass scheme for 16 to 21-year-olds, plus we provide £25 million of grant to local authorities for the bus services support grant, plus school transport now accounts for about a quarter of local authority education budgets. So, we're putting a lot of public money in, and on top of that, we've had the bus emergency scheme.
Now, in this year's budget, it was always intended to wind that down. One of the things that the industry themselves say is that we are ossifying—that's the word that they've used—bus networks to run along lines that suited passengers pre pandemic, but passenger behaviour has changed. There are fewer older people travelling, there are more leisure journeys than there are commuting journeys. So, we're probably still running a bus pattern based on pre-pandemic behaviour. So, regardless, there does need to be a reconfiguring of the networks. Clearly, we'd prefer to do that in an orderly way. Now, we have been trying to square a very, very difficult budget settlement with our policy aspirations and, as you know, we do have great ambitions for bus. But, essentially, unless we're prepared to fully subsidise the industry, we're not able to do anything to retain services as they are. And this is a problem right across the UK. A quick internet search will show this right across England and Scotland. They're all facing the same.
We haven't seen any additional money coming from the Treasury and the Department for Transport that would produce any consequentials for us to put further funding in this year. We're also having to meet significant cost pressures in the rail industry. So, we are in a fix here. We did manage, through last week, through some very constructive conversations with the industry and local government, to get a reprieve. So, we've got a guarantee of the BES scheme for a further three months, and we hope to work closely with them during that time to try to work out which routes should be maintained within the declining bus budget envelope to give us the best chance to have a skeleton service that then will take us into the new franchise, which is still a couple of years away. So, we'll have a real bridging problem.
I would desperately like to find the money to be able to do it properly, but our options are limited. We know the cost pressures that the Government is under, and together, Labour and Plaid Cymru have prioritised a whole range of funding for free school meals, for the cost-of-living crisis and for a pay deal for the NHS. Now, that money can't be spent twice. So, there simply isn't money floating around within the Welsh budget that we can move onto this, much as I would dearly like to. So, we've got a real challenge now to try, as best we can, to get a smooth glide path out of BES in a way that causes the least amount of disruption to passengers, whilst keeping a core of bus networks that allows people to use public transport and achieve the modal shift, as we want them to do. But, I can't in all conscience say that we're going to be able to do all the things we want to do, given the money that is available. I desperately hope, and I would make a plea to the UK Government, because they're having these problems as well, to put extra money into the transport budget at the UK level to deal with the crisis there is in England, too, which will produce extra consequentials for us that we can then put into the bus system and work with the industry to create a rational network.
Wel, diolch am godi’r cwestiwn, gan ei fod yn fater sy’n peri cryn bryder i ni. Yn amlwg, nid yw hon yn sefyllfa hapus. Mae gennym rwydwaith bysiau sydd wedi’i breifateiddio, sy’n dibynnu ar allu gweithredwyr masnachol i wneud elw. Yn amlwg, mae’r pandemig wedi troi’r model busnes hwnnw ar ei ben, a’n hymyrraeth ni, gyda £150 miliwn o fuddsoddiad cyhoeddus, a gadwodd y sector rhag mynd i'r wal. Roedd bob amser i fod yn gynllun brys; y bwriad oedd ei fod yn gynllun dros dro. Bob blwyddyn, rydym yn gwario £60 miliwn ar sybsideiddio tocynnau teithio rhatach i bobl hŷn, rydym yn gwario £2 filiwn arall ar sybsideiddio cynllun FyNgherdynTeithio ar gyfer pobl ifanc 16 i 21 oed, ac rydym yn darparu £25 miliwn o grant i awdurdodau lleol ar gyfer y grant cynnal gwasanaethau bysiau, ac mae oddeutu chwarter cyllidebau addysg awdurdodau lleol bellach yn mynd ar gludiant i'r ysgol. Felly, rydym yn darparu llawer o arian cyhoeddus, ac ar ben hynny, rydym wedi cael y cynllun brys ar gyfer y sector bysiau.
Nawr, yn y gyllideb eleni, y bwriad bob amser oedd dirwyn hynny i ben. Un o'r pethau y mae'r diwydiant ei hun yn ei ddweud yw ein bod yn ffosileiddio—dyna'r gair y maent wedi'i ddefnyddio—rhwydweithiau bysiau ar lwybrau teithio a oedd yn gweddu i deithwyr cyn y pandemig, ond mae ymddygiad teithwyr wedi newid. Mae llai o bobl hŷn yn teithio, ceir mwy o deithiau hamdden nag a geir o deithiau cymudo. Felly, mae'n debyg ein bod yn dal i redeg patrwm bysiau'n seiliedig ar ymddygiad cyn-bandemig. Felly, doed a ddelo, mae angen ad-drefnu'r rhwydweithiau. Yn amlwg, byddai’n well gennym wneud hynny mewn ffordd drefnus. Nawr, rydym wedi bod yn ceisio cysoni setliad cyllideb anodd tu hwnt â'n dyheadau polisi, ac fel y gwyddoch, mae gennym uchelgeisiau mawr ar gyfer bysiau. Ond yn y bôn, oni bai ein bod yn barod i sybsideiddio'r diwydiant yn llawn, ni allwn wneud unrhyw beth i gadw gwasanaethau fel y maent. Ac mae hon yn broblem ledled y DU. Bydd chwiliad cyflym ar y rhyngrwyd yn dangos hyn ledled Lloegr a'r Alban. Maent oll yn wynebu'r un peth.
Nid ydym wedi gweld unrhyw arian ychwanegol yn dod gan y Trysorlys a’r Adran Drafnidiaeth a fyddai’n cynhyrchu unrhyw gyllid canlyniadol i ni ddarparu rhagor o arian eleni. Rydym hefyd yn gorfod wynebu pwysau sylweddol yn sgil costau yn y diwydiant rheilffyrdd. Felly, rydym mewn cyfyng-gyngor yma. Drwy'r wythnos diwethaf, drwy sgyrsiau adeiladol iawn gyda'r diwydiant a llywodraeth leol, fe wnaethom lwyddo i sicrhau gohiriad. Felly, mae'r cynllun brys ar gyfer y sector bysiau wedi'i warantu am dri mis arall, ac rydym yn gobeithio gweithio'n agos gyda hwy yn ystod y cyfnod hwnnw i geisio nodi pa lwybrau teithio y dylid eu cynnal o fewn yr amlen gyllideb bysiau sy'n lleihau er mwyn rhoi'r cyfle gorau inni gael gwasanaeth sgerbwd a fydd yn ein cynnal hyd at y fasnachfraint newydd, sy'n dal i fod ychydig o flynyddoedd i ffwrdd. Felly, bydd gennym broblem wirioneddol o ran pontio.
Ni fyddai unrhyw beth yn well gennyf na dod o hyd i’r arian i allu gwneud hyn yn iawn, ond mae ein hopsiynau’n gyfyngedig. Rydym yn ymwybodol o'r pwysau costau ar y Llywodraeth, a chyda’i gilydd, mae Llafur a Phlaid Cymru wedi blaenoriaethu ystod gyfan o gyllid ar gyfer prydau ysgol am ddim, ar gyfer yr argyfwng costau byw ac ar gyfer bargen gyflog i’r GIG. Nawr, ni ellir gwario'r arian hwnnw ddwywaith. Felly, yn syml iawn, nid oes arian yn hel llwch yng nghyllideb Cymru y gallwn ei wario ar hyn, er cymaint yr hoffwn wneud hynny. Felly, mae gennym her wirioneddol nawr i geisio sicrhau cyfnod pontio llyfn cystal ag y gallwn allan o'r cynllun brys ar gyfer y sector bysiau mewn ffordd sy'n achosi'r aflonyddwch lleiaf i deithwyr, gan gadw set graidd o rwydweithiau bysiau sy'n caniatáu i bobl ddefnyddio trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus a newid eu dulliau teithio, fel rydym am iddynt ei wneud. Ond ni allaf ddweud yn onest ein bod yn mynd i allu gwneud yr holl bethau rydym am eu gwneud, o ystyried yr arian sydd ar gael. Rwy’n mawr obeithio, a hoffwn apelio ar Lywodraeth y DU, gan eu bod hwythau'n wynebu'r problemau hyn hefyd, i roi arian ychwanegol yn y gyllideb drafnidiaeth ar lefel y DU er mwyn mynd i'r afael â’r argyfwng sydd yn Lloegr hefyd, a fydd yn arwain at gyllid canlyniadol ychwanegol i ni y gallwn ei roi tuag at y system fysiau wedyn a gweithio gyda'r diwydiant i greu rhwydwaith synhwyrol.
I'd like to thank my colleague, Delyth Jewell, for actually raising this as a question today. Now, with all due respect, the end of March was set to be the cut-off point for BES 3, as it was commonly known, and now, we are finding out that it obviously gets pushed back to the end of June, which is fine. So, I'd like to know what exactly is going to happen when we reach June, Deputy Minister? You mentioned previously that criteria have to be met for certain bus routes to run. What are those criteria? What support is going to be put into place to help Wales's bus services, and what actions will you be taking so that our rural communities and members who live there don't feel neglected and isolated going forward? Just 24 hours ago, you unveiled the roads review and transport plan—in a rather rushed manner, which is fine—in which you placed a lot of emphasis on public transport. On 31 March 2022, you published 'One network, one timetable, one ticket: planning buses as a public service for Wales', and in this—and I quote—you said that you wanted to create an
'excellent travel option, wherever people need it, whenever people need it, throughout Wales'.
On the one hand, the Welsh Government wants to have more people use more buses and get out of their cars, but on the other hand, you're stripping away a much-needed cash lifeline. It just doesn't add up to me, Deputy Minister. If funding plans are not put into place by cutting financial help for buses, this Government's going to inflict major problems on countless people in all four corners of Wales. I understand that one big bus operator has warned that it's actually going to preparing to cut a quarter of its current services, due to the funding scheme's impending withdrawal. How on earth can you expect people to use public transport more when this Government's actions will ultimately lead to bus services being cut? It's already a nightmare to catch a bus in Wales, so this decision is only going to make things worse if funding is not provided. I'm sure that you'll make the argument, Deputy Minister, that buses simply aren't being used—as you've mentioned previously—as they were in the past, so my question is: what are you doing to increase the use and availability of public transport? Surely, the more people use public transport, the more financially viable they become, and less Government support will be needed. Do you agree, Deputy Minister, that axing this funding going forward completely flies in the face of your Government's policies? And what alternative help will your Government be providing to bus operators in Wales from June 2023, going forward?
Hoffwn ddiolch i fy nghyd-Aelod, Delyth Jewell, am godi hwn fel cwestiwn heddiw. Nawr, gyda phob parch, roedd diwedd mis Mawrth i fod yn bwynt terfyn ar gyfer BES 3, fel y’i gelwid yn gyffredin, a bellach, rydym yn darganfod ei fod, yn amlwg, yn cael ei barhau hyd at ddiwedd mis Mehefin, sy’n iawn. Felly, hoffwn wybod beth yn union sy'n mynd i ddigwydd pan fyddwn yn cyrraedd mis Mehefin, Ddirprwy Weinidog? Rydych wedi dweud yn flaenorol fod yn rhaid bodloni meini prawf er mwyn gallu cynnal rhai llwybrau bysiau penodol. Beth yw'r meini prawf hynny? Pa gymorth a fydd yn cael ei roi ar waith i helpu gwasanaethau bysiau Cymru, a pha gamau y byddwch yn eu cymryd fel nad yw ein cymunedau gwledig a’n haelodau sy’n byw yno'n teimlo eu bod yn cael eu hesgeuluso a’u hynysu wrth symud ymlaen? Gwta 24 awr yn ôl, fe gyhoeddoch chi yr adolygiad ffyrdd a’r cynllun trafnidiaeth—mewn modd brysiog braidd, sy’n iawn—lle rhoesoch lawer o bwyslais ar drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus. Ar 31 Mawrth 2022, fe gyhoeddoch chi 'Un rhwydwaith, un amserlen, un tocyn: cynllunio bysiau fel gwasanaeth cyhoeddus i Gymru', ac ynddo—a dyfynnaf—fe ddywedoch chi eich bod am greu
'opsiwn rhagorol ar gyfer teithio, lle a phryd bynnag mae angen hynny ar bobl, ledled Cymru'.
Ar y naill law, mae Llywodraeth Cymru am i fwy o bobl ddefnyddio mwy o fysiau a dod allan o'u ceir, ond ar y llaw arall, rydych yn cael gwared ar achubiaeth ariannol fawr ei hangen. Nid yw'n gwneud synnwyr i mi, Ddirprwy Weinidog. Os na chaiff cynlluniau ariannu eu rhoi ar waith drwy dorri cymorth ariannol ar gyfer bysiau, mae’r Llywodraeth hon yn mynd i achosi problemau mawr i bobl ddirifedi ym mhob cwr o Gymru. Rwy’n deall bod un gweithredwr bysiau mawr wedi rhybuddio y byddant yn paratoi i dorri chwarter eu gwasanaethau presennol, gan fod y cynllun ariannu ar fin dod i ben. Sut ar y ddaear y gallwch ddisgwyl i bobl ddefnyddio mwy ar drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus pan fydd camau gweithredu’r Llywodraeth hon yn arwain yn y pen draw at dorri gwasanaethau bysiau? Mae dal bws yng Nghymru eisoes yn hunllef, felly os na ddarperir cyllid, nid yw’r penderfyniad hwn ond yn mynd i wneud pethau’n waeth. Rwy’n siŵr y byddwch yn dadlau, Ddirprwy Weinidog, nad yw bysiau’n cael eu defnyddio—fel rydych wedi'i ddweud yn flaenorol—fel roeddent yn cael eu defnyddio yn y gorffennol, felly fy nghwestiwn yw: beth rydych chi'n ei wneud i gynyddu argaeledd a defnydd o drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus? Yn sicr, po fwyaf o bobl sy’n defnyddio trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, y mwyaf ariannol hyfyw y dônt, a bydd angen llai o gymorth gan y Llywodraeth. A ydych yn cytuno, Ddirprwy Weinidog, fod cael gwared ar y cyllid hwn wrth symud ymlaen yn gwbl groes i bolisïau eich Llywodraeth? A pha gymorth amgen y bydd eich Llywodraeth yn ei ddarparu i weithredwyr bysiau yng Nghymru o fis Mehefin 2023 ymlaen?
Well, I think I've covered all those points in the answer to Delyth Jewell.
Wel, credaf fy mod wedi ateb yr holl bwyntiau hynny yn yr ateb i Delyth Jewell.
No, I don't think you have.
Na, ni chredaf ichi wneud hynny.
We have a privatised bus system, as I've explained on many occasions, which is a legacy of Conservative privatisation in the 1980s, and we are living with the reality of that now, and it has failed—the business model has failed. There is market failure here, and we're going to see cuts and a disappearing of vital public services. None of us want to see that, but we're also living in an age of austerity; again, a political choice by her party's Governments, where public funding has been reduced next year and we simply do not have the funding available to continue to invest in propping up private companies that are not able to run commercially viable services at the rate that we were through the pandemic. We've been able to find some additional funding this year to extend the scheme temporarily, but the money simply is not in the budget to be able to continue that into the future. I wish it was; it is not, I'm afraid. And I just can't get away from that reality, much as I would like to.
So, I fully concede that this is a pretty grim situation that none of us want to see, but our options are limited. The best we've been able to manage is to get a reprieve for the industry, to work closely with them to try and design as smooth a glide path out as we possibly can, but I can't say with any certainty that we're going to be able to manage that, and there's always the danger that commercial companies will simply decide themselves—which they're free to do in a commercial deregulated bus system—to withdraw services, because they're already having trouble recruiting, retaining and training bus drivers, and being able to keep to the advertised schedule as it is.
So, the bus industry is facing a number of different challenges, and the fact that passengers haven't returned to make those commercial services viable is a profound one, but there's a limit to what the Government can do with this budget settlement from her Government.
Mae gennym system fysiau sydd wedi’i phreifateiddio, fel rwyf wedi'i esbonio droeon, sy’n etifeddiaeth o breifateiddio'r Ceidwadwyr yn y 1980au, ac rydym yn byw gyda realiti hynny nawr, ac mae wedi methu—mae’r model busnes wedi methu. Mae methiant yn y farchnad yma, ac rydym yn mynd i weld toriadau a gwasanaethau cyhoeddus hanfodol yn diflannu. Nid oes yr un ohonom yn dymuno gweld hynny, ond rydym hefyd yn byw mewn oes o gyni; unwaith eto, dewis gwleidyddol gan Lywodraethau ei phlaid, lle mae cyllid cyhoeddus wedi’i leihau y flwyddyn nesaf, ac yn syml iawn, nid oes cyllid ar gael inni barhau i fuddsoddi mewn cynnal cwmnïau preifat nad ydynt yn gallu rhedeg gwasanaethau masnachol hyfyw ar y gyfradd y bu modd inni ei wneud drwy'r pandemig. Rydym wedi gallu dod o hyd i rywfaint o arian ychwanegol eleni i ymestyn y cynllun dros dro, ond yn syml iawn, nid oes arian yn y gyllideb i allu parhau â hynny i’r dyfodol. Hoffwn pe bai; ond nid oes arian ar gael, mae arnaf ofn. Ac ni allaf ddianc rhag y realiti hwnnw, er cymaint yr hoffwn allu gwneud hynny.
Felly, rwy’n cyfaddef bod hon yn sefyllfa annymunol nad oes yr un ohonom am ei gweld, ond mae ein hopsiynau’n gyfyngedig. Y gorau rydym wedi gallu ei wneud yw sicrhau gohiriad ar gyfer y diwydiant, i weithio'n agos gyda hwy i geisio cynllunio cyfnod pontio mor llyfn ag y gallwn, ond ni allaf ddweud gydag unrhyw sicrwydd y byddwn yn llwyddo, ac mae perygl bob amser y bydd cwmnïau masnachol yn penderfynu eu hunain—ac maent yn rhydd i wneud hynny mewn system fysiau fasnachol sydd wedi'i dadreoleiddio—eu bod yn mynd i ddiddymu gwasanaethau, gan eu bod eisoes yn ei chael hi'n anodd recriwtio, cadw a hyfforddi gyrwyr bysiau, a gallu cadw at yr amserlen fel y mae'n cael ei hysbysebu.
Felly, mae’r diwydiant bysiau'n wynebu nifer o heriau gwahanol, ac mae’r ffaith nad yw teithwyr wedi dychwelyd i wneud y gwasanaethau masnachol hynny’n hyfyw yn her sylweddol, ond mae pen draw ar yr hyn y gall y Llywodraeth ei wneud â’r setliad cyllideb hwn gan ei Llywodraeth hi.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (David Rees) i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (David Rees) took the Chair.
I'm grateful to the Minister for his response, and I share his analysis of the problem. But Governments exist, of course, to solve problems, not simply to rehearse them. And for my constituents, in Blaenau Gwent, when they hear a Minister talking about a skeleton service, they think, 'Well, that's a service that's going to serve Cardiff, Newport, Swansea and a few other places, but we know it won't serve Cwm, it won't serve Blaina, it won't serve Abertillery, Tredegar or Ebbw Vale'. And that isn't a service that we can accept. So, what I would like to hear from the Government—and I know it's a difficult situation, and I think the moves this week to extend the programme for three months does buy a breathing space—but what I want to see from Government is a clear action plan to deliver the public services that yesterday, when he stood in this Chamber, he said he wanted people to use. In my constituency, those public services don't exist today, and if they're not going to exist in six months' time, how do people then reach public services? How do they reach shopping? How do they buy their food? How do they move around, go for training and work? We simply cannot allow this situation to continue. We need a plan for buses and we need it now, and, if the Minister brings through emergency legislation, I will certainly vote to enact it as soon as possible.
Rwy’n ddiolchgar i’r Gweinidog am ei ymateb, ac rwy’n rhannu ei ddadansoddiad o’r broblem. Ond mae Llywodraethau yn bodoli i ddatrys problemau, wrth gwrs, nid i'w hailadrodd. Ac i fy etholwyr i, ym Mlaenau Gwent, pan fyddant yn clywed Gweinidog yn sôn am wasanaeth sgerbwd, maent yn meddwl, 'Wel, mae hwnnw'n wasanaeth sy'n mynd i wasanaethu Caerdydd, Casnewydd, Abertawe ac ychydig o leoedd eraill, ond gwyddom na fydd yn gwasanaethu Cwm, ni fydd yn gwasanaethu Blaenau, ni fydd yn gwasanaethu Abertyleri, Tredegar na Glynebwy'. Ac nid yw hwnnw'n wasanaeth y gallwn ei dderbyn. Felly, yr hyn yr hoffwn ei glywed gan y Llywodraeth—a gwn ei bod yn sefyllfa anodd, a chredaf fod y camau yr wythnos hon i ymestyn y rhaglen am dri mis yn darparu rhywfaint o le i anadlu—ond yr hyn rwyf am ei weld gan y Llywodraeth yw cynllun gweithredu clir i ddarparu’r gwasanaethau cyhoeddus y dywedodd, pan safodd yn y Siambr hon ddoe, ei fod am i bobl eu defnyddio. Yn fy etholaeth i, nid yw’r gwasanaethau cyhoeddus hynny’n bodoli heddiw, ac os na fyddant yn bodoli ymhen chwe mis, sut mae pobl yn cyrraedd gwasanaethau cyhoeddus? Sut maent yn cyrraedd siopau? Sut maent yn prynu eu bwyd? Sut maent yn symud o gwmpas, yn mynd i gael hyfforddiant a gwaith? Ni allwn ganiatáu i’r sefyllfa hon barhau. Mae arnom angen cynllun ar gyfer bysiau ac mae ei angen arnom ar unwaith, ac os bydd y Gweinidog yn cyflwyno deddfwriaeth frys, byddaf fi'n sicr yn pleidleisio i’w deddfu cyn gynted â phosibl.
Well, if only it were that simple, Presiding Officer. We certainly do have a plan for legislation, and we've consulted on that. We're working through the design of that now, and we hope to introduce it in the Senedd later this year, and we are working, alongside that, with Transport for Wales and local authorities on designing optimum bus networks for their communities. So, we will have a strategic, planned integrated bus network with integrated ticketing between rail and bus. We'll have universal service standards. We'll have pay and conditions across the country. We'll have a significantly better framework in order to operate bus services.
But, in the absence of passenger revenue, and this is the problem here, the only way to keep those services running in the meantime is through direct public support, and our budgets have been cut and we have prioritised cost-of-living pressures, pay deals and free school meals and other things, rightly. I'm not resiling from that at all, but I'm just simply pointing out to Members that they've welcomed those announcements of where this money is going to go, and there are consequences financially to what resource is available. He says it's the job of Government to solve problems. I agree with him. I think we have managed to get ourselves some breathing space to work with the industry to see what we can do, and, if he has other suggestions that we haven't thought of, I'd be very grateful to hear them.
O na bai mor syml â hynny, Lywydd. Yn sicr, mae gennym gynllun ar gyfer deddfwriaeth, ac rydym wedi ymgynghori arno. Rydym yn gweithio drwy’r cynllun hwnnw ar hyn o bryd, ac rydym yn gobeithio ei gyflwyno yn y Senedd yn ddiweddarach eleni, ac yn ogystal â hynny, rydym yn gweithio gyda Trafnidiaeth Cymru ac awdurdodau lleol ar gynllunio’r rhwydweithiau bysiau gorau posibl ar gyfer eu cymunedau. Felly, bydd gennym rwydwaith bysiau integredig strategol, wedi'i gynllunio gyda thocynnau integredig rhwng trenau a bysiau. Bydd gennym safonau gwasanaeth cyffredinol. Bydd gennym gyflogau ac amodau ledled y wlad. Bydd gennym fframwaith llawer gwell er mwyn gweithredu gwasanaethau bysiau.
Ond yn absenoldeb refeniw teithwyr, a dyma’r broblem yma, yr unig ffordd i gadw’r gwasanaethau hynny i redeg yn y cyfamser yw drwy gefnogaeth uniongyrchol y cyhoedd, ac mae ein cyllidebau wedi’u torri ac rydym wedi blaenoriaethu pwysau costau byw, dyfarniadau cyflog a chinio ysgol am ddim a phethau eraill, a hynny’n gwbl briodol. Nid wyf yn gwrthwynebu hynny o gwbl, dim ond dweud wrth yr Aelodau eu bod wedi croesawu'r cyhoeddiadau hynny ynglŷn â lle bydd yr arian hwn yn mynd, a bod canlyniadau ariannol i ba adnoddau sydd ar gael. Dywed mai gwaith y Llywodraeth yw datrys problemau. Rwy'n cytuno ag ef. Credaf ein bod wedi llwyddo sicrhau rhywfaint o le inni anadlu wrth weithio gyda'r diwydiant i weld beth y gallwn ei wneud, ac os oes ganddo awgrymiadau eraill nad ydym wedi meddwl amdanynt, byddwn yn falch iawn o'u clywed.
Deputy Minister, one of the major issues of the initial announcement of the cut of emergency funding was the relatively short notice of it, which meant that some bus companies, especially smaller ones, did not have the necessary financial reserves to keep unprofitable but vital services open, and also the allotted time to change their services to accommodate, resulting in much uncertainty and worry. Last week, Deputy Minister, you spoke about the importance of bus routes and maintaining rural services in terms of meeting our carbon footprint requirements and reducing our reliance on cars. This was re-emphasised yesterday in your roads review announcement. But the inconsistent messaging from the Welsh Government about sustaining the long-term future of the bus network and our rural routes does nothing to assure bus companies or the general public of that importance.
With this in mind, Deputy Minister, do you recognise that this inconsistency in messaging and action is having a detrimental impact, not only on the survivability of bus routes, but the longer term planning and forecasting for rural services? What commitments do you make to provide better engagement with bus companies and the public to ensure longer lead-in times for future funding announcements? Thank you.
Ddirprwy Weinidog, un o broblemau mawr y cyhoeddiad cychwynnol am dorri'r cyllid brys oedd y rhybudd cymharol fyr, a olygai nad oedd gan rai cwmnïau bysiau, yn enwedig rhai llai, gronfeydd ariannol wrth gefn sy'n angenrheidiol i gadw gwasanaethau amhroffidiol ond hanfodol, ynghyd â'r amser digonol i newid eu gwasanaethau er mwyn darparu ar gyfer y newidiadau, gan arwain at gryn dipyn o ansicrwydd a phryder. Yr wythnos diwethaf, Ddirprwy Weinidog, fe sonioch chi am bwysigrwydd llwybrau bysiau a chynnal gwasanaethau gwledig i ateb gofynion ein hôl troed carbon a lleihau ein dibyniaeth ar geir. Cafodd hyn ei ailbwysleisio ddoe yn eich cyhoeddiad ar yr adolygiad ffyrdd. Ond nid yw’r negeseuon anghyson gan Lywodraeth Cymru ynghylch cynnal dyfodol hirdymor y rhwydwaith bysiau a’n llwybrau gwledig yn rhoi unrhyw sicrwydd i gwmnïau bysiau na’r cyhoedd yn gyffredinol ynghylch y pwysigrwydd hwnnw.
Gyda hyn mewn golwg, Ddirprwy Weinidog, a ydych yn cydnabod bod yr anghysondeb hwn yn y negeseuon a'r camau gweithredu yn cael effaith andwyol, nid yn unig ar allu’r llwybrau bysiau i oroesi, ond ar y rhagolygon a’r cynlluniau mwy hirdymor ar gyfer gwasanaethau gwledig? Pa ymrwymiadau rydych yn eu gwneud i ymgysylltu'n well â chwmnïau bysiau a’r cyhoedd i sicrhau cyfnodau rhybudd hwy ar gyfer cyhoeddiadau cyllido yn y dyfodol? Diolch.
Well, let's just be clear; the major threat to the bus industry is Tory austerity. So, let's not get away from that fact, and I'm not going to let the party opposite shift the blame for the situation we are facing. It's their Government's economic policies that have led us to this position.
Now, I don't accept his characterisation of the communication we've had with the bus industry, which we've worked very closely with through the pandemic and beyond. After the publication of the budget, officials met with operators to discuss its contents and its implications. This was followed up in writing, where it was made clear that the budget was draft and was subject to change prior to finalisation. Officials also made it clear that underspends from mandatory concessionary fares, because older people haven't come back in the numbers that we saw before the pandemic, may not be available to bus support because of other budget pressures across the Government, and industry was asked to plan for a reduced funding package during these meetings. So, I don't think it's fair to say that this was sprung on them. We knew that BES was coming to an end, we were doing our best to try and find resource to extend it for as long as possible, and we're in the position that we are in, but we've talked to the industry throughout.
Wel, gadewch inni fod yn glir; y bygythiad mawr i'r diwydiant bysiau yw cyni'r Torïaid. Felly, gadewch inni beidio ag ymgilio rhag y ffaith honno, ac nid wyf yn mynd i adael i'r blaid gyferbyn daflu'r baich am y sefyllfa rydym yn ei hwynebu. Polisïau economaidd eu Llywodraeth hwy sydd wedi ein harwain i'r sefyllfa hon.
Nawr, nid wyf yn derbyn ei ddisgrifiad o'r cyfathrebu rhyngom a'r diwydiant bysiau, a ninnau wedi gweithio'n agos iawn â hwy drwy gydol y pandemig a thu hwnt. Ar ôl cyhoeddi'r gyllideb, cyfarfu swyddogion â gweithredwyr i drafod ei chynnwys a'i goblygiadau. Dilynwyd hyn yn ysgrifenedig, lle nodwyd yn glir mai drafft a oedd y gyllideb ac y gallai newid cyn iddi gael ei chwblhau. Am nad yw pobl hŷn wedi dychwelyd yn y niferoedd a welsom cyn y pandemig, dywedodd swyddogion hefyd ei bod yn bosibl nad yw'r tanwariant o brisiau siwrneiau consesiynol gorfodol ar gael fel cymorth i fysiau oherwydd pwysau cyllidebol eraill ar draws y Llywodraeth, a gofynnwyd i’r diwydiant gynllunio ar gyfer pecyn ariannu llai yn ystod y cyfarfodydd hyn. Felly, ni chredaf ei bod yn deg dweud bod hyn wedi'i gyflwyno iddynt yn ddirybudd. Roeddem yn gwybod bod BES yn dod i ben, roeddem yn gwneud ein gorau i geisio dod o hyd i adnoddau i’w ymestyn cyhyd â phosibl, ac rydym yn y sefyllfa rydym ynddi, ond rydym wedi siarad â’r diwydiant drwy gydol y broses.
Dydy'r Llywodraeth yma ddim yn gwneud eironi, mae'n rhaid. Ar yr un llaw, ddoe, roedd y Dirprwy Weinidog yn cyhoeddi bod cynlluniau i adeiladu llawer iawn o ffyrdd gwledig Cymru am gael eu hatal, gan sôn bryd hwnnw am bwysigrwydd trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus a sut mae'r mwyaf difreintiedig, menywod, yr anabl a phobl bregus eraill sydd yn dibynnu fwyaf ar drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus a pha mor bwysig ydy o, felly. Yna, wrth drafod y cynllun argyfwng bysiau, fe ddywedodd yr un Dirprwy Weinidog na fyddai'r arian sy'n cael ei roi i fysiau Cymru yn ddigon i gynnal eu llwybrau a'r gwasanaethau presennol. Dydy o ddim mor hawdd neidio ar feic i seiclo i'r siop agosaf yn y Gymru wledig. Mae'n cymunedau ni bellteroedd oddi wrth ei gilydd, a gwasanaethau wedi cael eu canoli mewn ardaloedd ymhell i ffwrdd. Mae'n rhaid i bobl deithio pellteroedd mawr i weld meddyg, i weld deintydd, i dderbyn addysg, i siopa, i fynd i'r ganolfan hamdden, a llu o weithgareddau eraill. A bydd pobl oedrannus a bregus yn byw bywydau unig iawn yn sgil hyn.
Os na ariennir gwasanaethau bysiau yn iawn, yna mi fyddwch chi yn gorfodi mwy o bobl i ddibynnu ar geir preifat. Ac yn absenoldeb rhwydwaith o bwyntiau gwefru, yr hyn a welwn ni ydy gwlad fel Ciwba yn y Gymru wledig, efo pobl yn cynnal yr un hen geir tanwydd ffosil am ddegawdau i ddod. Ond, yn fyw na hynny, rydych chi'n rhoi hoelen arall yn arch y Gymru wledig, gan orfodi pobl i adael ein cymunedau i fyw yn rhywle arall oherwydd diffyg trafnidiaeth a mynediad at wasanaethau. Felly, a gawn ni sicrwydd y byddwch chi yn sicrhau bod y llwybrau presennol, o leiaf, yn cael eu cynnal, gyda buddsoddi go iawn yn digwydd yn y rhwydwaith fysiau yn y Gymru wledig pan ddaw y cyfle cyntaf posib?
This Government doesn't do irony, surely. On the one hand, yesterday, the Deputy Minister announced that plans to build many rural roads in Wales were to be ceased, talking at that point about the importance of public transport and how the most disadvantaged, women, the disabled and vulnerable people are the most reliant on public transport, and how important it is, therefore. Then, in discussing the bus programme, the same Deputy Minister said that the funding provided to buses in Wales wouldn't be enough to maintain the current routes and services. Now, it's not as easy to jump on a bike and cycle to the nearest shop in rural Wales. Our communities are miles apart, and services are centred in areas that are a long way away. People have to travel long distances to see a GP, a dentist, to get their education, to shop, to go to a leisure centre and all sorts of other activities. And older people and vulnerable people will live very isolated lives as a result of this.
If bus services aren't properly funded, then you will force more people to rely on private vehicles. And in the absence of a network of charging points, what we will see is a nation like Cuba in rural Wales, with people sustaining the old fossil fuel vehicles for decades to come. But, more than that, you are putting another nail in the coffin of rural Wales, forcing people to leave their communities to live elsewhere because of an absence of transport and access to services. Therefore, can we have an assurance that you will ensure that the current routes, at least, are maintained, with real investment happening in the bus network in rural Wales when the first opportunity arises?
Well, I don't need any lectures on the importance of public transport and the vital role that buses play in rural areas. I really don’t see the point in flippant remarks about people not being able to cycle in rural areas. Who is suggesting that? So, let’s get serious about what the issues are here. We all are concerned about this. No party has a monopoly on that, and I think that my track record speaks for itself in understanding and valuing the importance of buses and of public transport.
We have a real budget problem here, and his party is a part of the co-operation agreement in agreeing the priorities for Government. So, there’s no point in him standing there, lecturing me about the consequences of the funding being available when, jointly together, we've agreed a set of budget priorities, and this wasn’t one of them. So, there are consequences to those choices. To govern is to choose, and he and his party have been part of that process, along with ours.
Now, we had hoped that the passenger numbers would have returned by now, which would have allowed the fare box to recover, and allowed us to put in the significant subsidy that we already do, but taper down the BES scheme. That has not been possible, and additional money has not come from the Treasury to be able to fill that gap. Now, we are still hopeful that the UK Government might respond to its own pressures and provide some emergency funding, which would allow us to extend the support that we give to the industry, which we want to redesign in any case. But, absent of that, unless he knows of some money down the back of the budget sofa that I don’t, then I think that our options are limited, which breaks my heart.
Wel, nid oes angen unrhyw bregethau arnaf ar bwysigrwydd trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus a’r rôl hanfodol y mae bysiau'n ei chwarae mewn ardaloedd gwledig. Nid wyf yn gweld pwynt sylwadau gwamal ynglŷn â phobl yn methu â beicio mewn ardaloedd gwledig. Pwy sy'n awgrymu hynny? Felly, gadewch inni drafod o ddifrif beth yw'r materion dan sylw yma. Mae pob un ohonom yn pryderu am hyn. Nid oes gan unrhyw blaid fonopoli ar hynny, a chredaf fod fy hanes o lwyddiant yn siarad drosto’i hun o ran deall a gwerthfawrogi pwysigrwydd bysiau a thrafnidiaeth gyhoeddus.
Mae gennym broblem gyllidebol wirioneddol yma, ac mae ei blaid yn rhan o’r cytundeb cydweithio sy'n cytuno ar y blaenoriaethau ar gyfer y Llywodraeth. Felly, nid oes unrhyw ddiben iddo sefyll yno, yn pregethu wrthyf am ganlyniadau'r cyllid sydd ar gael a ninnau wedi cytuno, gyda'n gilydd, ar gyfres o flaenoriaethau cyllidebol, ac nid oedd hyn yn un ohonynt. Felly, mae canlyniadau i’r dewisiadau hynny. Mae llywodraethu'n golygu dewis, ac mae ef a'i blaid wedi bod yn rhan o'r broses honno, ynghyd â'n plaid ninnau.
Nawr, roeddem wedi gobeithio y byddai nifer y teithwyr wedi dychwelyd erbyn hyn, a byddai hynny wedi caniatáu i'r gweithredwyr adennill rhywfaint o arian, ac wedi caniatáu inni ddarparu'r cymhorthdal sylweddol rydym eisoes yn ei ddarparu, ond gan leihau cynllun BES yn raddol. Nid yw hynny wedi bod yn bosibl, ac nid oes arian ychwanegol wedi'i ddarparu gan y Trysorlys i allu llenwi’r bwlch hwnnw. Nawr, rydym yn dal yn obeithiol y gallai Llywodraeth y DU ymateb i’r pwysau sydd arni hi a darparu rhywfaint o gyllid brys, a fyddai’n caniatáu inni ymestyn y cymorth a roddwn i’r diwydiant, diwydiant rydym yn awyddus i'w ailgynllunio beth bynnag. Ond yn absenoldeb hynny, oni bai ei fod yn gwybod am arian i lawr cefn soffa'r gyllideb nad wyf yn ymwybodol ohono, credaf fod ein hopsiynau'n gyfyngedig, ac mae hynny'n torri fy nghalon.
Can I thank Delyth for raising this topical question, and also for the way that she raised it, when she expressed not only her support for the roads review yesterday, and the principles behind it, but also tied this into the other side of that coin, which is providing the multi-modal, sustainable other forms of transport, which this topical question focuses on today?
I cannot give the Minister any easy solutions whatsoever, and I know the bind that he's in. But would he join me in urging all Members of this Senedd Chamber who are demanding more money to sustain this beyond the welcome few months’ breathing space that we have got, to then support representations to the UK Government, who are seeing bus companies threatening to walk away today, not in three months’ time? But also, genuinely, to Plaid Cymru, to say: if there is a way in which we can sequence, renegotiate, nuance some of the aspects of co-operation agreement that would help that Minister go through—[Interruption.] Now, this is a genuine ask for you to look at it, because, if we are serious about maintaining the bus network in Wales, which everybody seems to be, then everything needs to be on the table. So, would he join me in those calls? But, as you've made clear, Minister, it’s not all to do with money. It’s also to do with re-regulation and taking back the disaster of the deregulation under the Conservative Government.
A gaf fi ddiolch i Delyth am godi’r cwestiwn amserol hwn, a hefyd am y ffordd y’i cododd, pan fynegodd nid yn unig ei chefnogaeth i’r adolygiad ffyrdd ddoe, a’r egwyddorion y tu ôl iddo, ond gan wneud cysylltiad hefyd rhwng hyn ac ochr arall y geiniog honno, sef darparu’r mathau eraill o drafnidiaeth aml-ddull, cynaliadwy, y mae’r cwestiwn amserol hwn yn canolbwyntio arnynt heddiw?
Ni allaf roi unrhyw atebion hawdd o gwbl i’r Gweinidog, ac rwy'n deall y cyfyng-gyngor y mae ynddo. Ond a wnaiff ymuno â mi i annog pob Aelod o Siambr y Senedd hon sy’n mynnu mwy o arian i gynnal hyn y tu hwnt i’r ychydig fisoedd o le i anadlu rydym wedi'u cael, sydd i’w croesawu, i gefnogi sylwadau i Lywodraeth y DU, sy'n gweld cwmnïau bysiau'n bygwth cerdded i ffwrdd heddiw, nid ymhen tri mis? Ond hefyd, o ddifrif, i ddweud wrth Blaid Cymru: os oes ffordd y gallwn drefnu, ailnegodi, a thrafod manylion rhai o'r agweddau ar y cytundeb cydweithio a fyddai'n helpu'r Gweinidog i fynd drwy—[Torri ar draws.] Nawr, mae hwn yn gais gwirioneddol ichi edrych arno, oherwydd, os ydym o ddifrif ynglŷn â chynnal y rhwydwaith bysiau yng Nghymru, fel yr ymddengys bod pawb, mae angen i bopeth fod ar y bwrdd. Felly, a wnaiff ymuno â mi gyda'r galwadau hynny? Ond fel rydych wedi dweud yn glir, Weinidog, nid yw popeth yn ymwneud ag arian. Mae hefyd yn ymwneud ag ailreoleiddio ac unioni trychineb dadreoleiddio o dan y Llywodraeth Geidwadol.
Thank you for that. I think that we do have the right long-term plans, both from the roads review to reallocate funding in the medium to long term, and the re-regulation of the bus industry. Our problem is a short-term one, and the Member rightly points out that the Government in England has not extended by three months its support, as we have, and so the cliff edge is faced there now. And because of the nature of the commercial set-up, it's simply up to operators to surrender their routes in a completely random and uncoordinated way. What we’re trying to do is to have some kind of order and some stability so we can have a rational discussion about what routes might be salvageable if the fare book doesn’t recover, and we’re still hopeful that it might. But, in the absence of additional funding, then our options are very limited. But we’re going to try and do what we can in the time we’ve got and with the money we’ve got to get the best possible outcome, while crossing our fingers that there might be a UK-wide funding settlement that allows us to do more.
Diolch. Credaf fod gennym y cynlluniau hirdymor cywir, o’r adolygiad ffyrdd i ailddyrannu cyllid yn y tymor canolig i'r tymor hir, ac ailreoleiddio’r diwydiant bysiau. Mae ein problem yn un fyrdymor, ac mae’r Aelod, yn gwbl gywir, yn nodi nad yw’r Llywodraeth yn Lloegr wedi ymestyn ei chymorth am dri mis fel rydym ni wedi'i wneud, ac felly, maent yn wynebu ymyl clogwyn yno ar hyn o bryd. Ac oherwydd natur y drefn fasnachol, gall y gweithredwyr ildio eu llwybrau teithio mewn ffordd gwbl ar hap a heb ei chydlynu. Yr hyn y ceisiwn ni ei wneud yw cael rhyw fath o drefn a rhywfaint o sefydlogrwydd fel y gallwn gael trafodaeth resymol ynglŷn â pha lwybrau y gellid eu hachub os nad yw arian tocynnau'n gwella, ac rydym yn dal yn obeithiol y gellir gwneud hynny. Ond yn absenoldeb cyllid ychwanegol, mae ein hopsiynau'n gyfyngedig iawn. Ond rydym yn mynd i geisio gwneud yr hyn a allwn yn yr amser sydd gennym a chyda'r arian sydd gennym i sicrhau'r canlyniad gorau posibl, gan groesi ein bysedd am setliad ariannu ar gyfer y DU gyfan sy'n caniatáu inni wneud mwy.
Sioned Williams.
Sioned Williams.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and thank you for letting me come in on this. The chief executive of Neath Port Talbot council wrote to me regarding the possible devastating impact of the Government’s decision around this on a number of local bus services, and I just want to make the point that it’s not just rural bus services, but services in counties like Neath Port Talbot, and she’s particularly concerned about the impact on young people attending school or college. Student transport to Neath Port Talbot College is via the local bus network, and the routes operate on a commercial basis. She thinks that this route will be made unviable, which will of course lead to unintended consequences across the wider network. There’s a very real possibility that reductions in revenue support will impact on home-to-school transport services as operators reduce their capacity, close their business or increase contract prices to compensate. In the last few days, and even just literally before coming to the Chamber, I’ve heard from residents who rely on buses, who are really concerned about this—a mother concerned about her son’s bus to school, a daughter concerned about her mother’s bus to hospital. I just want to know what assurances you can give the people of Neath Port Talbot that their bus services will remain in place.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd, a diolch am adael imi wneud sylwadau ar hyn. Ysgrifennodd prif weithredwr cyngor Castell-nedd Port Talbot ataf ynglŷn ag effaith ddinistriol bosibl penderfyniad y Llywodraeth ynghylch hyn ar nifer o wasanaethau bysiau lleol, a hoffwn wneud y pwynt fod hyn yn ymwneud â mwy na gwasanaethau bysiau gwledig yn unig, ond â gwasanaethau mewn siroedd fel Castell-nedd Port Talbot hefyd, ac mae hi'n arbennig o bryderus am yr effaith ar bobl ifanc sy'n mynychu ysgol neu goleg. Mae cludiant myfyrwyr i Goleg Castell-nedd Port Talbot yn cael ei ddarparu drwy'r rhwydwaith bysiau lleol, ac mae'r llwybrau'n gweithredu ar sail fasnachol. Mae hi o'r farn y bydd y llwybr hwn yn cael ei wneud yn anhyfyw, a fydd wrth gwrs yn arwain at ganlyniadau anfwriadol ar draws y rhwydwaith ehangach. Mae posibilrwydd gwirioneddol y bydd gostyngiadau mewn cymorth refeniw yn effeithio ar wasanaethau cludiant o'r cartref i'r ysgol wrth i weithredwyr leihau eu capasiti, cau eu busnesau neu gynyddu prisiau contract i wneud iawn am yr arian a gollwyd. Yn ystod yr ychydig ddyddiau diwethaf, a hyd yn oed yn llythrennol cyn dod i'r Siambr, clywais gan drigolion sy'n dibynnu ar fysiau ac sy'n wirioneddol bryderus am hyn—mam yn pryderu am fws ei mab i'r ysgol, merch yn poeni am fws ei mam i'r ysbyty. Hoffwn wybod pa sicrwydd y gallwch ei roi i bobl Castell-nedd Port Talbot y bydd eu gwasanaethau bysiau yn parhau.
Well, as I’ve now explained several times, I’m not in a position to give any assurances beyond the extra three months that we have been able to negotiate. But I desperately hope we’ll be able to both come up with a transition plan, but really what we need is additional funding for us to be able to sustain the bus network while passenger numbers recover and while we move to our new, regulated bus system.
Wel, fel rwyf wedi'i egluro sawl gwaith bellach, nid wyf mewn sefyllfa i roi unrhyw sicrwydd y tu hwnt i’r tri mis ychwanegol rydym wedi gallu eu negodi. Ond rwy’n mawr obeithio y byddwn yn gallu llunio cynllun pontio, ond mewn gwirionedd, yr hyn sydd ei angen arnom yw cyllid ychwanegol inni allu cynnal y rhwydwaith bysiau wrth i nifer y teithwyr ddychwelyd a thra byddwn yn symud i’n system fysiau reoledig newydd.
Mike Hedges.
Mike Hedges.
Thank you, Presiding Officer. As you know, I wasn’t going to speak in this debate, but I think there are three issues that have come up now that I feel I've got to make. To many of my constituents—in fact, most of my constituents—public transport is buses. Eighty per cent of transport is by bus. Morriston Hospital, as you know, Presiding Officer, or Deputy Presiding Officer, is incredibly difficult to get to, but it’s good by bus, because we’ve got the No. 4. I have two questions, really, for the Minister. Why do trains take priority over buses? To the poorer people, buses are their form of transport. Trains are for the wealthier people. And you say: where do we get the money from? Well, you’ve going to give additional rate relief to large hotels, out-of-town shopping centres, fast food outlets, supermarkets. You've never asked me about that as a Government. In fact, if you had, I’d have said, ‘No, we don’t do that. We should spend it on public services’, and I think that there’s a whole range of things that we could not be spending money on. Spending money on rate relief for large companies who are very profitable is not my idea of a priority, and certainly not a socialist priority.
Diolch, Lywydd. Fel y gwyddoch, nid oeddwn yn mynd i siarad yn y ddadl hon, ond credaf fod tri pheth wedi codi nawr y teimlaf fod yn rhaid i mi eu nodi. I lawer o fy etholwyr—y rhan fwyaf o fy etholwyr, mewn gwirionedd—mae trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn golygu bysiau. Mae 80 y cant o gludiant yn digwydd ar fws. Mae Ysbyty Treforys, fel y gwyddoch, Lywydd, neu Ddirprwy Lywydd, yn anhygoel o anodd ei gyrraedd, ond mae’n iawn ar y bws, gan fod gennym y Rhif 4. Mae gennyf ddau gwestiwn i’r Gweinidog mewn gwirionedd. Pam mae trenau'n cael blaenoriaeth dros fysiau? I bobl dlotach, bysiau yw eu dull o deithio. Mae trenau ar gyfer bobl fwy cefnog. Ac rydych yn dweud: o ble y daw'r arian? Wel, rydych yn mynd i roi rhyddhad ardrethi ychwanegol i westai mawr, canolfannau siopa y tu allan i'r dref, siopau bwyd cyflym, archfarchnadoedd. Nid ydych erioed wedi gofyn i mi ynglŷn â hynny fel Llywodraeth. Mewn gwirionedd, pe baech chi wedi gofyn i mi, byddwn wedi dweud, 'Na, nid ydym yn gwneud hynny. Dylem ei wario ar wasanaethau cyhoeddus', a chredaf fod ystod eang o bethau y gallem beidio â gwario arian arnynt. Nid gwario arian ar ryddhad ardrethi i gwmnïau mawr sy’n broffidiol iawn yw fy syniad i o flaenoriaeth, ac yn sicr, nid yw’n flaenoriaeth sosialaidd.
Well, I understand those points, obviously. In terms of the relative priority of buses versus trains, clearly we need both. We need an integrated transport system. I think it’s wrong to characterise train users as somehow the privileged elite—that’s not the case—but it’s certainly the case that buses carry the majority of passengers, and, like him, buses are my priority. We have investment plans for the rail service, which will be significantly to the advantage of passengers, but they cost money. The money is committed and needs to be followed through, because there are penalty clauses and we wouldn’t realise any meaningful savings were we to stop doing that now. So, we are set on a course to continue investment in the rail industry, which will significantly help our modal shift ambitions, but it remains the case, and I agree, that buses have got the greatest potential. As I’ve explained previously, we’ve been working on a plan to try and reduce bus fares to do just that—to help bus passengers, existing bus passengers, and attract new ones on there. And until the Liz Truss budget blew up our economy we had a sporting chance of being able to do that, but now we simply don’t. That is a matter of deep regret to me. We have to make the best of the situation that we have got, and we are doing all we can to try and work with the industry and local authorities to try and get the best outcome we can with the money available.
Wel, rwy’n deall y pwyntiau hynny, yn amlwg. O ran blaenoriaeth gymharol bysiau yn erbyn trenau, yn amlwg, mae angen y ddau arnom. Mae angen system drafnidiaeth integredig arnom. Credaf ei bod yn anghywir disgrifio defnyddwyr trenau fel yr elît breintiedig, rywsut—nid yw hynny'n wir—ond yn sicr, mae'n wir mai bysiau sy'n cludo'r rhan fwyaf o deithwyr, ac fel yntau, bysiau yw fy mlaenoriaeth i. Mae gennym gynlluniau buddsoddi ar gyfer y gwasanaeth rheilffordd, a fydd o fantais sylweddol i deithwyr, ond maent yn costio arian. Mae'r arian wedi'i ymrwymo ac mae angen ei ddarparu, gan fod yno gymalau cosb ac ni fyddem yn creu unrhyw arbedion ystyrlon pe baem yn rhoi'r gorau i wneud hynny nawr. Felly, rydym ar lwybr i barhau i fuddsoddi yn y diwydiant rheilffyrdd, a fydd o gymorth sylweddol i'n huchelgais i newid dulliau teithio, ond mae'n dal yn wir, ac rwy'n cytuno, mai bysiau sydd â'r potensial mwyaf. Fel rwyf eisoes wedi'i esbonio, rydym wedi bod yn gweithio ar gynllun i geisio lleihau prisiau tocynnau bws er mwyn gwneud hynny—helpu teithwyr bysiau, teithwyr bysiau presennol, a denu rhai newydd. A chyn i gyllideb Liz Truss ddinistrio ein heconomi, roedd gennym obaith o allu gwneud hynny, ond bellach, nid oes gennym unrhyw obaith. Mae hynny’n destun gofid mawr i mi. Mae’n rhaid inni wneud y gorau o’r sefyllfa sydd gennym, ac rydym yn gwneud popeth yn ein gallu i geisio gweithio gyda’r diwydiant ac awdurdodau lleol i geisio cael y canlyniad gorau a allwn gyda’r arian sydd ar gael.
Ac yn olaf, Heledd Fychan.
And finally, Heledd Fychan.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Can I just reference the co-operation agreement, as it has been mentioned a number of times? Public transport is in the agreement, including encouraging people to switch to public transport. And I think we all need to take responsibility, in terms of ensuring that priorities are there, but this is part of the cost-of-living crisis, because people are completely dependent on buses, to be able to reach vital services. It's nice to have buses when you have a car, as an alternative route of transport, but for the majority of people I represent, there isn't that choice—a bus is the only choice. And that's a choice that's been taken away from them.
We have to remember as well that a number of people are still scared of leaving their homes, people who would have traditionally used buses—elderly people. Tackling isolation is a huge problem. I know of people who haven't ventured out more than once a week, and that's through taxis, where they would have had their independence with buses previously. So, I think there is an issue to understand why people aren't returning to bus use and how we can support them. Because I don't think it's a matter of just people who are working in offices not returning, because the majority of those have cars and are able to use those. We need a deeper understanding.
I would like to ask specifically, Deputy Minister, what conversations you've been having with bus companies and providers around the bus driver shortages, and the increasing use of agency staff by bus companies, meaning that a lot of the funding that's currently going in through the bus emergency scheme, the profit is actually going outside of Wales, to these agencies. Therefore, with that funding, how do we ensure that we are tackling the bus driver shortage and ensure that the investment that you're making, which is rightly extended for three months now, is actually benefiting users at the end of the day, and not leading to greater profit margins for these agencies?
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. A gaf fi gyfeirio at y cytundeb cydweithio, gan ei fod wedi cael ei grybwyll nifer o weithiau? Mae trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn rhan o'r cytundeb, gan gynnwys annog pobl i newid i drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus. A chredaf fod angen i bob un ohonom gymryd cyfrifoldeb, a sicrhau bod y blaenoriaethau yno, ond mae hyn yn rhan o’r argyfwng costau byw, gan fod pobl yn gwbl ddibynnol ar fysiau i allu cyrraedd gwasanaethau hanfodol. Mae'n braf cael bysiau pan fydd gennych gar, fel dull trafnidiaeth amgen, ond i'r rhan fwyaf o bobl rwy'n eu cynrychioli, nid yw'r dewis hwnnw ar gael iddynt—bws yw'r unig ddewis. Ac mae'n ddewis sydd wedi ei gymryd oddi arnynt.
Mae'n rhaid inni gofio hefyd fod nifer o bobl yn dal i fod yn ofn gadael eu cartrefi, pobl a fyddai wedi defnyddio bysiau yn draddodiadol—pobl oedrannus. Mae mynd i’r afael ag ynysigrwydd yn broblem enfawr. Gwn am bobl nad ydynt wedi mentro allan fwy nag unwaith yr wythnos, a hynny drwy dacsis, lle byddent wedi cael eu hannibyniaeth gyda bysiau yn y gorffennol. Felly, credaf fod problem gennym o ran deall pam nad yw pobl yn dychwelyd i ddefnyddio bysiau a sut y gallwn eu cefnogi. Oherwydd ni chredaf ei fod yn ymwneud â bod pobl sy'n gweithio mewn swyddfeydd heb ddychwelyd, gan fod ceir gan y mwyafrif o'r rheini, ac maent yn gallu eu defnyddio. Mae angen dealltwriaeth ddyfnach arnom.
Hoffwn ofyn yn benodol, Ddirprwy Weinidog, pa sgyrsiau a gawsoch gyda chwmnïau a darparwyr bysiau ynghylch y prinder gyrwyr bysiau, a’r defnydd cynyddol o staff asiantaeth gan gwmnïau bysiau, sy’n golygu, gyda llawer o’r cyllid sy’n cael ei ddarparu ar hyn o bryd drwy’r cynllun brys ar gyfer y sector bysiau, fod yr elw mewn gwirionedd yn mynd y tu allan i Gymru, i’r asiantaethau hyn. Felly, gyda'r cyllid hwnnw, sut rydym yn sicrhau ein bod yn mynd i'r afael â'r prinder gyrwyr bysiau a sicrhau bod y buddsoddiad a wnewch, sy'n cael ei ymestyn, yn briodol, am dri mis, o fudd i ddefnyddwyr yn y pen draw, ac nad yw'n arwain at fwy o elw i'r asiantaethau hyn?
Well, I don't want to repeat the points I made about the relative priorities that we've jointly agreed—I think the record stands on that, and we as a Government stand behind it too. I'm simply pointing out there are consequences for other budgets. The phenomenon of people being slow to return to public transport is not unique to our country—it's been seen right across the world, and it's particularly acute amongst older people, for reasons I think we can all understand and surmise pretty quickly. So, we do have a vice-like situation, where the fare box hasn't returned, and we have the particularly wicked issue in our country of a privatised system, where routes that aren't commercial will not run without direct subsidy.
On the issue of agency workers and profits, under the bus emergency scheme, we do have strict conditions on how the money is spent, how much profit can be taken out, and we have a reasonable amount of leverage with the bus companies about the decisions that are made. But we can't get around the fact that, whichever way we try and slice and dice this argument, the fundamental issue is that the demand is down, the running costs are up, and the public subsidy is coming to an end. And it's an unhappy situation, there's no denying it, and one that I would desperately wish to avoid, if at all possible. But as I said earlier, there's a chance, and let's hope it comes through, of the UK Government responding to its own bus crisis and we'd be able to benefit from some consequentials. But in the absence of that, we're working closely with the industry to try and get the best settlement we can.
Wel, nid wyf am ailadrodd y pwyntiau a wneuthum am y blaenoriaethau cymharol a gytunwyd gennym ar y cyd—rwy'n credu bod y cofnod yn sefyll ar hynny, ac rydym ni fel Llywodraeth yn ei gefnogi hefyd. Yn syml, rwy'n tynnu sylw at y ffaith bod canlyniadau i gyllidebau eraill. Nid yw'r ffenomen fod pobl yn araf yn dychwelyd at drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn unigryw i'n gwlad—gwelwyd hynny ar draws y byd, ac mae'n arbennig o ddifrifol ymysg pobl hŷn, am resymau y credaf y gallwn i gyd eu deall a'u tybio'n eithaf cyflym. Felly, mae gennym sefyllfa debyg i feis, lle nad yw arian tocynnau wedi dychwelyd, ac mae gennym y ffaith enbyd fod gennym system wedi'i phreifateiddio yn ein gwlad, lle na fydd llwybrau nad ydynt yn fasnachol yn rhedeg heb gymhorthdal uniongyrchol.
Ar fater gweithwyr asiantaeth ac elw, o dan y cynllun brys ar gyfer y sector bysiau, mae gennym amodau llym ar gyfer y modd y caiff yr arian ei wario, faint o elw y gellir ei dynnu allan, ac mae gennym ddylanwad rhesymol ar y cwmnïau bysiau ynglŷn â'r penderfyniadau a wneir. Ond ni allwn wadu, pa ffordd bynnag y ceisiwn fframio'r ddadl hon, y broblem sylfaenol yw bod y galw wedi gostwng, mae'r costau gweithredu'n uwch, ac mae'r cymhorthdal cyhoeddus yn dod i ben. Ac mae'n sefyllfa anhapus, ni allwn wadu hynny, ac un y byddwn i'n dymuno'n daer ei hosgoi, os yn bosibl o gwbl. Ond fel y dywedais yn gynharach, mae gobaith, a gadewch inni obeithio y bydd yn digwydd, y gwnaiff Llywodraeth y DU ymateb i'w argyfwng bysiau ei hun ac y byddem ni'n gallu elwa o symiau canlyniadol. Ond yn absenoldeb hynny, rydym yn gweithio'n agos gyda'r diwydiant i geisio cael y setliad gorau sy'n bosibl.
Diolch i'r Dirprwy Weinidog.
I thank the Deputy Minister.
Nid oes unrhyw ddatganiadau 90 eiliad y prynhawn yma.
No 90-second statements have been submitted this afternoon.
Felly, symudwn ymlaen at eitem 5, dadl Aelodau o dan Reol Sefydlog 11.21(iv) ar lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg. A galwaf ar Luke Fletcher i wneud y cynnig.
So, we'll move on to item 5, which is a Member debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv) on the education maintenance allowance. And I call on Luke Fletcher to move the motion.
Cynnig NDM8187 Luke Fletcher, Mike Hedges, Adam Price, Jane Dodds, Heledd Fychan, Carolyn Thomas, Sioned Williams
Cynnig bod y Senedd:
1. Yn nodi:
a) bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cadw'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg, yn wahanol i Lywodraeth y DU yn Lloegr;
b) nad yw gwerth y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yng Nghymru wedi newid ers 2004, ac nad yw'r trothwyon cymhwysedd wedi newid ers 2011;
c) er bod y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yn fath pwysig o gymorth ariannol i ddysgwyr ôl-16, nid yw wedi cadw i fyny â phwysau costau byw.
2. Yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i ystyried codiad sy'n gysylltiedig â chwyddiant i werth y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg ac adolygiad o'r trothwyon.
Motion NDM8187 Luke Fletcher, Mike Hedges, Adam Price, Jane Dodds, Heledd Fychan, Carolyn Thomas, Sioned Williams
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes:
a) that the Welsh Government retained education maintenance allowance, unlike the UK Government in England;
b) that in Wales, the value of education maintenance allowance has not changed since 2004, and the eligibility thresholds have not changed since 2011;
c) that while education maintenance allowance is an important form of financial support for post-16 learners, it has not kept up with cost-of-living pressures.
2. Calls on the Welsh Government to consider an inflation-linked uplift to the value of education maintenance allowance and a review of the thresholds.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, a diolch i bawb wnaeth gyd-gyflwyno. Dwi'n symud y cynnig.
Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd, and thank you everyone who jointly submitted this motion. I move the motion.
I will start as I often do when it comes to debating the education maintenance allowance, and praise the Government, and praise the Minister, for continuing to protect it. The fact we have EMA here in Wales, whilst in England they don't, is something we should all be proud of in this place, and it's something we should all be ready to protect.
As we all know, the cost of living has had a detrimental impact on so many of our constituents; amongst them are students, particularly students from low-income households. What we've seen since 2004 is a real-terms cut in EMA. The payment has remained the same, the thresholds have remained the same, since 2011, and now, low-income students are feeling the effects of that more than ever. My £30 got me a lot further than the £30 of a student today.
Now, this is an important debate to have, because EMA and other support programmes can help us to reach our goals in addressing the skills gaps present throughout our economy. This is an investment not just in the futures of people, but in our communities. I'll give an example: all of us are aware of the skills gap in the construction industry, and I've used the construction industry a number of times. The Construction Industry Training Board tells us that 1,400 students within the education system study a construction course. The CITB are also confident that, if all 1,400 of those students, year on year, completed their course, there would be little to no skills gap in construction. The very fact that we have a gap is a sign that things are not right. This also identifies an issue, by the way, with assessing the retention of students, and that is the lack of data around retention. This, of course, must be resolved, but the crux of our debate around EMA has to be around the retention of students.
Of course, I recognise the limitations on the Minister, and I thank him for meeting with me to discuss some of those challenges yesterday, and I hope that his scope for reprioritisation—. And I'm probably coming to the defence of the Minister here—I'm sure he'll be pleased by that—but I would argue, actually, that this goes beyond the education portfolio; this shouldn't just be at his door. What we are talking about here is a social justice issue, what we're also talking about here is an economy and skills issue, and I would hope that Ministers in those portfolios recognise that and will do everything they can to work with the education Minister on this issue.
The state of EMA is not only a financial issue. There are practical problems: problems that can be resolved for very little investment, if any at all. Since September, I've dealt with a number of cases on behalf of students who have seen significant delays in receiving their payments. The worst of them was waiting from September to December for a first payment, and whilst of course payments are backdated, during that period nothing was coming in. In some cases, this meant that some students were unable to attend school or college, which then had an effect on their ability to claim EMA in the first place—a vicious circle—and, in instances like this, the effect on attendance needs to be considered. Worryingly, I had one particular case where a personal tutor had taken a dislike to a student and was recording their attendance down in the wrong way and was refusing to rectify that.
I've raised consistently the complexity of applying for EMA—another practical issue that puts students off applying for EMA in the first place. This is something that must be addressed. And that is why I also believe that there is a need for a top-down review of EMA, looking at the finances, yes, but also the barriers presented to students and how they can overcome them. The reality is, as well, that we have very little literature in Wales around the effects of EMA. We have fantastic work done by the Bevan Foundation. Unfortunately, a lot of it is now out of date, and that's why my office has tried to do our own little review of EMA, but what we do need, of course, is Government support in trying to do that.
I'll conclude, Dirprwy Lywydd, by referencing again the crux of this debate. The crux is the retention of low-income students, not just so that they can realise their own potential, but also benefit our communities. For many of these students, we tell them to see education as a long-term investment, but for so many they can't think in the long term. The long term is tomorrow. Unless we support these students now, we will continue to see an issue with retention, as many have no choice but to seek work. I look forward to contributions from other Members and I look forward to hearing from the Minister. Diolch yn fawr.
Fe ddechreuaf fel rwy'n aml yn ei wneud wrth drafod y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg, drwy ganmol y Llywodraeth, a chanmol y Gweinidog, am barhau i'w warchod. Mae'r ffaith bod gennym lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yma yng Nghymru, yn wahanol i Loegr, yn rhywbeth y dylem i gyd fod yn falch ohono yn y lle hwn, ac mae'n rhywbeth y dylem i gyd fod yn barod i'w warchod.
Fel y gŵyr pawb ohonom, mae costau byw wedi cael effaith andwyol ar gymaint o'n hetholwyr; yn eu plith mae myfyrwyr, yn enwedig myfyrwyr o aelwydydd incwm isel. Yr hyn a welsom ers 2004 yw toriad mewn termau real yn y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg. Mae'r taliad wedi aros yr un fath, mae'r trothwyon wedi aros yr un fath, ers 2011, ac erbyn hyn, mae myfyrwyr incwm isel yn teimlo effeithiau hynny'n fwy nag erioed. Roedd fy £30 i yn mynd yn llawer pellach na £30 myfyriwr heddiw.
Nawr, mae hon yn ddadl bwysig i'w chael, oherwydd gall lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg a rhaglenni cymorth eraill ein helpu i gyrraedd ein nodau i fynd i'r afael â'r bylchau sgiliau sy'n bresennol yn ein heconomi drwyddi draw. Buddsoddiad yw hwn nid yn unig yn nyfodol pobl, ond yn ein cymunedau. Fe roddaf enghraifft: mae pob un ohonom yn ymwybodol o'r bwlch sgiliau yn y diwydiant adeiladu, ac rwyf wedi defnyddio'r diwydiant adeiladu nifer o weithiau. Mae Bwrdd Hyfforddi'r Diwydiant Adeiladu yn dweud wrthym fod 1,400 o fyfyrwyr o fewn y system addysg yn astudio cwrs adeiladu. Mae'r bwrdd hefyd yn hyderus, pe bai pob un o'r 1,400 myfyriwr, o un flwyddyn i'r llall, yn cwblhau eu cwrs, ni fyddai fawr o fwlch sgiliau yn y diwydiant adeiladu os o gwbl. Mae'r ffaith bod gennym fwlch yn arwydd nad yw pethau'n iawn. Mae hyn hefyd yn nodi problem, gyda llaw, gydag asesu cadw myfyrwyr, sef diffyg data ynghylch cadw myfyrwyr. Rhaid datrys hyn, wrth gwrs, ond mae'n rhaid i graidd ein dadl ynghylch y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg ymwneud â chadw myfyrwyr.
Wrth gwrs, rwy'n cydnabod y cyfyngiadau ar y Gweinidog, a diolch iddo am gyfarfod â mi i drafod rhai o'r heriau hynny ddoe, a gobeithio y bydd ei allu i ailflaenoriaethu—. Ac mae'n debyg fy mod yn amddiffyn y Gweinidog yma—rwy'n siŵr y bydd yn falch o hynny—ond byddwn i'n dadlau, mewn gwirionedd, fod hyn yn mynd y tu hwnt i'r portffolio addysg; ni ddylai fod yn gyfrifoldeb iddo ef yn unig. Mae'r hyn y siaradwn amdano yma yn fater cyfiawnder cymdeithasol, a mae hefyd yn fater sy'n ymwneud â'r economi a sgiliau, a byddwn yn gobeithio bod Gweinidogion yn y portffolios hynny'n cydnabod hyn ac y byddant yn gwneud popeth yn eu gallu i weithio gyda'r Gweinidog addysg ar y mater hwn.
Nid mater ariannol yn unig yw cyflwr y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg. Ceir problemau ymarferol: problemau y gellir eu datrys heb fawr iawn o fuddsoddiad, os o gwbl. Ers mis Medi, rwyf wedi ymdrin â nifer o achosion ar ran myfyrwyr sydd wedi gweld oedi sylweddol cyn iddynt gael eu taliadau. Yn yr achos gwaethaf, bu'n rhaid aros o fis Medi hyd fis Rhagfyr am daliad cyntaf, ac er bod taliadau'n cael eu hôl-ddyddio, dros y cyfnod hwnnw nid oedd unrhyw beth yn dod i mewn. Mewn rhai achosion, roedd hyn yn golygu nad oedd rhai myfyrwyr yn gallu mynychu'r ysgol neu'r coleg, a chafodd hynny effaith wedyn ar eu gallu i hawlio lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yn y lle cyntaf—cylch dieflig—ac mewn achosion fel hyn, mae angen ystyried yr effaith ar bresenoldeb. Yn ofidus, roedd gennyf un achos penodol lle'r oedd tiwtor personol wedi cymryd yn erbyn myfyriwr, yn cofnodi eu presenoldeb yn y ffordd anghywir ac yn gwrthod unioni hynny.
Rwyf wedi siarad ar sawl achlysur am gymhlethdod y broses o ymgeisio am lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg—mater ymarferol arall sy'n lladd awydd myfyrwyr i ymgeisio am lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yn y lle cyntaf. Mae hyn yn rhywbeth y mae'n rhaid mynd i'r afael ag ef. A dyna pam fy mod hefyd yn credu bod angen adolygiad o'r brig i lawr o'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg, gan edrych ar y cyllid, ie, ond hefyd ar y rhwystrau i fyfyrwyr a sut y gallant eu goresgyn. Y gwir amdani, hefyd, yw mai ychydig iawn o lenyddiaeth sydd gennym yng Nghymru ynglŷn ag effeithiau lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg. Gwnaed gwaith gwych gan Sefydliad Bevan. Yn anffodus, mae llawer ohono wedi dyddio erbyn hyn, a dyna pam mae fy swyddfa wedi ceisio gwneud ein hadolygiad bach ein hunain o'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg, ond yr hyn sydd ei angen arnom wrth gwrs yw cefnogaeth y Llywodraeth i geisio gwneud hynny.
Rwyf am orffen, Ddirprwy Lywydd, drwy gyfeirio eto at graidd y ddadl hon. Y craidd yw cadw myfyrwyr incwm isel, nid yn unig fel y gallant wireddu eu potensial eu hunain, ond hefyd er mwyn iddynt fod o fudd i'n cymunedau. I lawer o'r myfyrwyr hyn, rydym yn dweud wrthynt am weld addysg fel buddsoddiad hirdymor, ond i gymaint ohonynt, ni allant feddwl yn hirdymor. Y tymor hir yw yfory. Oni bai ein bod yn cefnogi'r myfyrwyr hyn nawr, byddwn yn parhau i weld problem gyda chadw myfyrwyr, gan na fydd gan nifer ohonynt ddewis ond chwilio am waith. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at gyfraniadau gan Aelodau eraill ac rwy'n edrych ymlaen at glywed gan y Gweinidog. Diolch yn fawr.
I'm speaking today in my capacity as the Chair of the Children, Young People, and Education Committee, and, as a committee, we very much welcome the motion tabled today, and the opportunity it provides for us to debate the EMA. My fellow committee members and I have had a keen interest in the EMA since we first considered it as part of our scrutiny of the Welsh Government's 2022-23 draft budget. Back then, in January 2022, the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language told us that extra cost was a key barrier to increasing the £30 a week EMA rate, and, in the Minister's written response to our report, he provided further detail. The Minister wrote that, according to a 2014 Welsh Government review, 80 per cent of students
'stated that they would have enrolled on their course without EMA and that EMA is an essential source of financial support for only the minority of students.'
Of course, the 2014 review was out of date at the time of last year's scrutiny of the draft budget. A lot had changed between 2014 and 2022, as we know only too well. By the time we carried out our scrutiny of the 2023-24 draft budget last month, in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis that disproportionately affects children and young people, the 2014 review had become blind to the extent of the financial challenges faced by learners and their families.
We applaud the Welsh Government's decision to retain the EMA. However, we are concerned about the extent to which maintaining the EMA rate and threshold since 2011 has eroded the value of the EMA and cut the number of learners eligible to receive it. Consequently, we made three recommendations relating to the EMA in our 2023-24 draft budget report.
In the first, we call for the Welsh Government to commission an independent review into the EMA, to report no later than December this year. Twenty per cent of eligible students who contributed to that 2014 Welsh Government review wouldn't have enrolled on their course without the EMA. We don't know what that figure would be today. We also don't know how the EMA impacts on learners' ongoing engagement with their studies once the financial implications of engaging in further studies become clear, or whether it helps them to manage cost-of-living pressures more generally. We believe that policy decisions should be based upon up-to-date and accurate information, and an independent review into the EMA is the best way to get that crucial data.
In our second recommendation, we ask that the Welsh Government provide us with an update on the work it committed to undertake in March 2022 to understand what the allowance rate and income thresholds would look like today for the same proportion of learners when compared to 2004, and how much additional budget that would require. We welcomed the Minister's constructive response back in March last year, but unfortunately we are yet to see the outcome of that work. We look forward to reading about it in the Welsh Government's response to our budget report in a few weeks' time.
Our third recommendation urges the Welsh Government to reconsider its decision to maintain the EMA. Of course, we know full well that the EMA cannot eradicate child poverty, but, from our committee's work and from the work we undertake in our constituencies and regions, we believe that the EMA can help to insulate some young people and their families from the crushing impacts of the cost-of-living crisis. The EMA is no golden bullet, but it might just be that extra incentive that some young people need to take the next step in their education.
For the sake of those young people and their families, we urge the Welsh Government to accept our recommendations and look at this important issue once again. For this reason, I fully welcome this debate and will be supporting the motion. Diolch yn fawr.
Rwy'n siarad heddiw yn rhinwedd fy swydd fel Cadeirydd y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc, ac Addysg, ac fel pwyllgor, rydym yn croesawu'r cynnig a gyflwynwyd heddiw yn fawr, a'r cyfle y mae'n ei roi i ni drafod y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg. Rwyf fi a fy nghyd-aelodau o'r pwyllgor wedi bod â diddordeb mawr yn y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg ers inni ei ystyried yn gyntaf fel rhan o'n gwaith craffu ar gyllideb ddrafft Llywodraeth Cymru yn 2022-23. Yn ôl bryd hynny, ym mis Ionawr 2022, dywedodd Gweinidog y Gymraeg ac Addysg wrthym fod cost ychwanegol yn rhwystr allweddol i gynyddu cyfradd y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg o £30 yr wythnos, ac yn ymateb ysgrifenedig y Gweinidog i'n hadroddiad, rhoddodd fanylion pellach. Ysgrifennodd y Gweinidog fod adolygiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn 2014 wedi dangos y byddai 80 y cant o fyfyrwyr
'wedi cofrestru ar eu cwrs heb LCA ac mai dim ond i leiafrif o fyfyrwyr yr oedd yr LCA yn ffynhonnell hanfodol o gymorth ariannol.'
Wrth gwrs, roedd adolygiad 2014 wedi dyddio adeg craffu ar y gyllideb ddrafft y llynedd. Roedd llawer wedi newid rhwng 2014 a 2022, fel y gwyddom yn iawn. Erbyn inni wneud ein gwaith craffu ar gyllideb ddrafft 2023-24 fis diwethaf, yng nghanol argyfwng costau byw sy'n effeithio'n anghymesur ar blant a phobl ifanc, roedd adolygiad 2014 wedi dod yn ddall i raddau'r heriau ariannol a wynebir gan ddysgwyr a'u teuluoedd.
Rydym yn cymeradwyo penderfyniad Llywodraeth Cymru i gadw'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg. Fodd bynnag, rydym yn pryderu i ba raddau y mae cynnal cyfradd a throthwy lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg ers 2011 wedi erydu gwerth y lwfans a thorri nifer y dysgwyr sy'n gymwys i'w dderbyn. O ganlyniad, fe wnaethom dri argymhelliad yn ymwneud â'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yn ein hadroddiad ar gyllideb ddrafft 2023-24.
Yn yr argymhelliad cyntaf, rydym yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i gomisiynu adolygiad annibynnol o'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg, i gyflwyno adroddiad cyn mis Rhagfyr eleni. Ni fyddai 20% o'r myfyrwyr cymwys a gyfrannodd at adolygiad Llywodraeth Cymru yn 2014 wedi cofrestru ar eu cwrs heb y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg. Nid ydym yn gwybod beth fyddai'r ffigur hwnnw heddiw. Nid ydym yn gwybod ychwaith sut mae'r lwfans yn effeithio ar ymwneud parhaus dysgwyr â'u hastudiaethau pan ddaw goblygiadau ariannol gwneud astudiaethau pellach yn glir, neu a yw'n eu helpu i reoli pwysau costau byw yn fwy cyffredinol. Credwn y dylai penderfyniadau polisi fod yn seiliedig ar wybodaeth gyfoes a chywir, ac adolygiad annibynnol o'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yw'r ffordd orau o gael y data hanfodol hwnnw.
Yn ein hail argymhelliad, gofynnwn i Lywodraeth Cymru roi diweddariad i ni am y gwaith yr ymrwymodd i'w wneud ym mis Mawrth 2022 ar ddeall sut olwg fyddai ar gyfradd y lwfans a'r trothwyon incwm heddiw ar gyfer yr un gyfran o ddysgwyr wrth gymharu â 2004, a faint o gyllideb ychwanegol y byddai ei hangen ar gyfer hynny. Fe wnaethom groesawu ymateb adeiladol y Gweinidog yn ôl ym mis Mawrth y llynedd, ond yn anffodus rydym eto i weld canlyniad y gwaith hwnnw. Edrychwn ymlaen at ddarllen amdano yn ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru i'n hadroddiad ar y gyllideb ymhen rhai wythnosau.
Mae ein trydydd argymhelliad yn annog Llywodraeth Cymru i ailystyried ei phenderfyniad i gynnal y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg. Wrth gwrs, rydym yn gwybod yn iawn na all y lwfans ddileu tlodi plant, ond o waith ein pwyllgor ac o'r gwaith a wnawn yn ein hetholaethau a'n rhanbarthau, credwn y gall y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg helpu i inswleiddio rhai pobl ifanc a'u teuluoedd rhag effeithiau dinistriol yr argyfwng costau byw. Nid yw'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yn ateb i bob dim, ond efallai mai'r cymhelliad ychwanegol hwn sydd ei angen ar rai pobl ifanc i gymryd y cam nesaf yn eu haddysg.
Er mwyn y bobl ifanc hynny a'u teuluoedd, rydym yn annog Llywodraeth Cymru i dderbyn ein hargymhellion ac edrych ar y mater pwysig hwn unwaith eto. Am y rheswm hwn, rwy'n croesawu'r ddadl hon yn llawn a byddaf yn cefnogi'r cynnig. Diolch yn fawr.
Diolch, Luke, am gyflwyno'r ddadl hon ar bwnc sy'n allweddol bwysig fel rhan o fesurau gwrth-dlodi ac wrth gwrs mewn ymateb i'r argyfwng costau byw.
Thank you, Luke, for introducing this debate on a subject of such importance in terms of anti-poverty measures and in response to the cost-of-living crisis.
This isn't an issue on which I get countless constituents contacting me, but, for those that do, I know the difference it makes, the difference it makes to their families and to those individuals.
In terms of other measures, of course it's not just a responsibility for the Minister for education, as you outlined, rightly so; it is a cross-Government, cross-portfolio responsibility, certainly social justice. We've had a debate about buses in terms of the importance of making public transport affordable. There wouldn't be as much of a need for the EMA and for the rise if public transport costs were free for young people, for instance. So, there are a number of measures that we could look at, so that it's not just about the EMA.
My concern, as well as the value, currently—. I of course welcome the fact that we've continued it here in Wales. I dread to think of the situation for those young people were we not in this situation. But, obviously, that £30 doesn't go very far compared to where it used to go. We need to really think about how we ensure that this is no longer a barrier to those young people pursuing education, if we are able to increase, as should happen, in terms of an inflation-linked uplift, which is in this proposal.
The issue I also want to focus on, which Luke referenced as well, is access to the EMA for those who are eligible. It is concerning that casework that has come in to me has been linked to not giving the money to students for a particular reason. In the guidance, it says:
'as long as you meet your school or college's attendance, performance and behaviour requirements.'
Well, that can be interpreted in a number of different ways. Also, a number of these young people are vulnerable—they have very complex family situations at times, they may be required to care for a parent or care for another family member, which means that they may miss some sessions, which makes them then ineligible for the grant as a whole, meaning that that has a knock-on effect on attendance the following week.
I do really think we need to be working with colleges and so on to ensure that these aren't barriers, that if you miss one particular session you're not then penalised, because there should be that compassion and understanding. In the same way, if we miss a session here in the Senedd because of whatever reason, be it because of a family emergency, we don't miss out in terms of our salaries, so why are we penalising the most vulnerable young people?
Also, in terms of behaviour requirements, we've had a lot of evidence come through in terms of the impact of COVID on mental health, the lack of access to services and the delays in accessing services. That also has an impact on attendance at times. We've seen some colleges maintain virtual options to join, meaning that that can count towards attendance, and others not. So, it's quite a complex situation, I think.
The key thing is ensuring that those that need the EMA receive it, that there isn't a delay in receiving it, and also that we don't put in bureaucratic steps. The truth of the matter is we should be supporting people through the cost-of-living crisis, so that child poverty rates aren't at the levels they are currently. We need to make public transport affordable. But whilst there needs to be solutions that go across Government, this is a key element, and I fully support Luke's proposal. Not having the EMA would penalise those that desperately need it, and not increasing it will just provide a further barrier to those that need it.
Nid yw hon yn broblem y byddaf yn cael etholwyr dirifedi'n cysylltu â mi yn ei chylch, ond i'r rhai sy'n gwneud hynny, rwy'n gwybod am y gwahaniaeth mae'n ei wneud, y gwahaniaeth mae'n ei wneud i'w teuluoedd ac i'r unigolion hynny.
O ran mesurau eraill, wrth gwrs nid cyfrifoldeb y Gweinidog addysg yn unig mohono, fel y dywedoch chi, yn gwbl briodol; mae'n gyfrifoldeb trawslywodraethol, traws-bortffolio, a chyfiawnder cymdeithasol yn sicr. Rydym wedi cael dadl ar fysiau a phwysigrwydd gwneud trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn fforddiadwy. Ni fyddai cymaint o angen am y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg ac am y cynnydd pe bai costau trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn rhad ac am ddim i bobl ifanc, er enghraifft. Felly, ceir nifer o fesurau y gallem edrych arnynt, ac nid yw'n ymwneud â'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yn unig.
Fy mhryder i, yn ogystal â'r gwerth, ar hyn o bryd—. Wrth gwrs, rwy'n croesawu'r ffaith ein bod ni wedi ei barhau yma yng Nghymru. Rwy'n arswydo meddwl am y sefyllfa i'r bobl ifanc hynny pe na baem yn y sefyllfa hon. Ond yn amlwg, nid yw £30 yn mynd yn bell iawn o'i gymharu ag o'r blaen. Mae angen inni feddwl o ddifrif ynglŷn â sut y sicrhawn nad yw hyn bellach yn rhwystr i bobl ifanc sydd am gael addysg, os gallwn ei gynyddu yn gysylltiedig â chwyddiant, fel y dylid ei wneud, a dyna sydd yn y cynnig hwn.
Mater rwyf am ganolbwyntio arno hefyd, fel y nododd Luke, yw mynediad at y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg ar gyfer y rhai sy'n gymwys. Mae'n ofidus fy mod wedi gweld gwaith achos yn gysylltiedig â pheidio â rhoi'r arian i fyfyrwyr am reswm penodol. Yn y canllawiau, mae'n dweud:
'cyn belled â'ch bod yn bodloni gofynion presenoldeb, perfformiad ac ymddygiad eich ysgol neu'ch coleg.'
Wel, gellir dehongli hynny mewn nifer o wahanol ffyrdd. Hefyd, mae nifer o'r bobl ifanc hyn yn agored i niwed—mae ganddynt sefyllfaoedd teuluol cymhleth iawn ar adegau, efallai y bydd gofyn iddynt ofalu am riant neu ofalu am aelod arall o'r teulu, sy'n golygu y gallant golli rhai sesiynau, sy'n eu gwneud yn anghymwys wedyn ar gyfer y grant yn ei gyfanrwydd, sy'n golygu bod hynny'n cael sgil-effaith ar bresenoldeb yr wythnos ganlynol.
Rwy'n meddwl o ddifrif fod angen inni weithio gyda cholegau ac yn y blaen i sicrhau nad yw'r rhain yn rhwystrau, ac os ydych chi'n colli un sesiwn benodol, na chewch eich cosbi wedyn, oherwydd dylai'r system ddangos tosturi a chydymdeimlad. Yn yr un ffordd, os ydym yn methu sesiwn yma yn y Senedd am ba reswm bynnag, boed yn argyfwng teuluol, nid ydym yn colli cyflog, felly pam ein bod yn cosbi'r bobl ifanc mwyaf bregus?
Hefyd, ar ofynion ymddygiad, rydym wedi gweld llawer o dystiolaeth am effaith COVID ar iechyd meddwl, diffyg mynediad at wasanaethau ac oedi cyn cael mynediad at wasanaethau. Mae hynny hefyd yn cael effaith ar bresenoldeb ar adegau. Gwelsom rai colegau'n cynnig opsiynau rhithwir i ymuno, sy'n golygu y gall hynny gyfrif tuag at bresenoldeb, er nad yw colegau eraill yn gwneud hynny. Felly, mae'n sefyllfa eithaf cymhleth, rwy'n credu.
Y peth allweddol yw sicrhau bod y rhai sydd angen y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yn ei gael, nad oes oedi cyn ei gael, a hefyd nad ydym yn cynnwys camau biwrocrataidd. Y gwir amdani yw y dylem fod yn cefnogi pobl drwy'r argyfwng costau byw, fel nad yw cyfraddau tlodi plant ar y lefelau y maent ar hyn o bryd. Mae angen inni wneud trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn fforddiadwy. Ond er bod angen atebion trawslywodraethol, mae hon yn elfen allweddol, ac rwy'n cefnogi cynnig Luke yn llawn. Byddai peidio â chael y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yn cosbi'r rhai sydd ei angen yn ddybryd, a bydd peidio â'i gynyddu ond yn rhwystr pellach i'r rhai sydd ei angen.
I was very pleased to take the opportunity to co-sign this when Luke asked me to. In fact, he had it back by return of e-mail because I believe this is incredibly important. I want to make two points—firstly the importance of EMA and secondly the importance of increasing it in line with inflation. Of course, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats opposed it when it was introduced by the Labour Westminster Government. The Liberal Democrat education spokesperson, Phil Willis, said:
'There are significantly more important things to do with £20m than give young people a Christmas bonus.'
Conservative spokesperson Chris Grayling said:
'This is another blatant example of the government trying to fiddle the figures. Bribing young people to sign up for courses they may not complete, might make ministers' targets look achievable—but they do absolutely nothing to help solve this country's...skills shortage.'
I think that tells you what the Conservatives at Westminster and the Liberal Democrats at Westminster think of our young people, and think of people who are less well off. I won't use the word 'poverty' because that's a relative term, but people who are less well off. I rarely talk about it myself—I always feel it's slightly insulting to my parents to do so—but many of us come from backgrounds that were less well off. Not many in this Chamber, but many of us in my constituency and many of my friends.
The Westminster Government and the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition took very little time—it only took them until 20 October 2010—to end the education maintenance allowance scheme in England, because they don't believe in it. They don't believe in helping young people. They don't believe in helping young people whose parents can't afford to send them to public school. This is why we need a more representative Parliament, so that we have people with different life experiences, who understand from their life experience the benefit of EMA-type support.
I really want to congratulate the Welsh Government for keeping the EMA when it had been cancelled in England. It would have been so easy to cancel it. There you had a simple saving. It would generate very little noise because the people who get these sorts of payments are not the people who write letters to the Western Mail. They're not the people who go out complaining; they're the people who suffer and have problems.
I would like to go through some details from my experience as a college lecturer. Without EMA, many students would not have been able to undertake their studies; many more driven by their family's economic circumstances would, at some stage, have had to drop out. Many of my former students ended up in well-paid ICT jobs, helping both them and the economy. EMA was the difference between unemployment followed by low-skilled and low-paid employment and becoming skilled and well paid. EMA was and is life-changing for many people. It also benefits our economy, increasing the amount of skilled workers. This is investing in young people, investing in our economy and, perhaps, it's one of the best forms of investment in economic development. Bribing companies to bring their branch factories here has failed for as long as I can remember—I'll just mention LG.
Was it initially abused? Yes—by students turning up and doing nothing. This was resolved by continuing payments after satisfactory progress had been made. And to reply to Heledd Fychan, from my experience as a college lecturer, any student who attended regularly who had a good reason for not being there who was making good progress was not going to be stopped getting their EMA. I'm speaking on behalf University and College Union members—we would not have done that.
According to the Bevan Foundation, increasing the EMA by 10 per cent would add £3 a week for everyone receiving it. Clearly, £3 a week is not much. There is an acknowledgment that learners in further education face just as significant a financial pressure as higher education students, who recently had a 9.4 per cent increase, which, I'd better add, is very much needed and very much supported. To many in this Chamber, £3 is less than a cup of coffee. To EMA students, it can be two or three meals. That's two or three meals out of 14 meals a week. This idea that people have three or four meals a day doesn't run for people who are poor. Crucially, it would establish an important principle of annual uplift, matching the UK Government's uprating of most social security benefits.
The Bevan Foundation estimate the cost of an inflation-linked increase will be around £1.7 million. Raising the eligibility to include another 1,000 students would cost £1.1 million. This is obviously affordable from the Welsh Government budget. The Finance Committee discussed this and were in favour of such an uplift unanimously, including the Conservative Member. If anyone doubts its affordability, just check every month how much additional money is released by the Welsh Government to good and deserving recipients: £1 million here, £5 million there, £300,000—you get them every week or so. My argument is that giving money to EMA students is giving it to good and deserving recipients.
Finally, thank you to the Labour Government, which kept the EMA; now is the time to start annual uplifts.
Roeddwn yn falch iawn o fanteisio ar y cyfle i gyd-gyflwyno'r cynnig pan ofynnodd Luke i mi wneud. Yn wir, fe atebais ar unwaith oherwydd rwy'n credu bod hyn yn hynod o bwysig. Rwyf am wneud dau bwynt—yn gyntaf am bwysigrwydd y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg ac yn ail, am bwysigrwydd ei gynyddu yn unol â chwyddiant. Wrth gwrs, roedd y Ceidwadwyr a'r Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol yn gwrthwynebu hynny pan gafodd ei gyflwyno gan Lywodraeth Lafur San Steffan. Dywedodd llefarydd addysg y Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol, Phil Willis:
'Mae pethau cryn dipyn pwysicach i'w wneud ag £20m na rhoi bonws Nadolig i bobl ifanc.'
Dywedodd llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Chris Grayling:
'Dyma enghraifft amlwg arall o'r llywodraeth yn ceisio ffidlo'r ffigurau. Gallai llwgrwobrwyo pobl ifanc i gofrestru ar gyfer cyrsiau nad ydynt yn eu cwblhau o bosibl, wneud i dargedau gweinidogion edrych yn gyraeddadwy—ond nid ydynt yn gwneud dim o gwbl i helpu i ddatrys prinder sgiliau yn y wlad hon.'
Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n dweud wrthych beth mae'r Ceidwadwyr yn San Steffan a'r Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol yn San Steffan yn ei feddwl o'n pobl ifanc ni, ac am bobl sy'n llai cefnog. Ni wnaf ddefnyddio'r gair 'tlodi' oherwydd mae hwnnw'n derm cymharol, ond pobl sy'n llai cefnog. Anaml iawn y byddaf yn siarad amdano fy hun—rwyf bob amser yn teimlo ei fod ychydig yn sarhaus i fy rhieni os gwnaf hynny—ond mae llawer ohonom yn dod o gefndiroedd a oedd yn llai cefnog. Dim llawer yn y Siambr hon, ond llawer ohonom yn fy etholaeth a llawer o fy ffrindiau.
Ychydig iawn o amser a gymerodd Llywodraeth San Steffan a chlymblaid y Ceidwadwyr a'r Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol—dim ond tan 20 Hydref 2010 y cymerodd hi—i ddod â'r cynllun lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg i ben yn Lloegr, oherwydd nad ydynt yn credu ynddo. Nid ydynt yn credu mewn helpu pobl ifanc. Nid ydynt yn credu mewn helpu pobl ifanc nad yw eu rhieni'n gallu fforddio eu hanfon i ysgol fonedd. Dyma pam fod angen Senedd fwy cynrychioliadol, fel bod gennym bobl sydd â phrofiadau bywyd gwahanol, sy'n deall o'u profiad bywyd beth yw budd cymorth megis y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg.
Rwyf am longyfarch Llywodraeth Cymru am gadw'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg pan gafodd ei ddileu yn Lloegr. Byddai wedi bod mor hawdd ei ddileu. Roedd yn ffordd syml o arbed arian. Ychydig iawn o sŵn y byddai wedi ei greu gan nad y bobl sy'n cael y math yma o daliadau yw'r bobl sy'n ysgrifennu llythyrau at y Western Mail. Nid hwy yw'r bobl sy'n mynd allan i gwyno; hwy yw'r bobl sy'n dioddef ac yn cael problemau.
Hoffwn fynd drwy rai manylion am fy mhrofiad fel darlithydd coleg. Heb lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg, byddai llawer o fyfyrwyr wedi methu ymgymryd â'u hastudiaethau; byddai llawer mwy, oherwydd amgylchiadau economaidd eu teuluoedd, wedi gorfod rhoi'r gorau iddi ar ryw adeg. Cafodd llawer o fy nghyn-fyfyrwyr swyddi TGCh sy'n talu'n dda, gan eu helpu hwy a'r economi. Lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg oedd y gwahaniaeth rhwng diweithdra wedi'i ddilyn gan gyflogaeth sgiliau isel ar gyflogau isel a dod yn fedrus a chael cyflogau da. Roedd, ac mae'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yn newid bywyd i lawer o bobl. Mae hefyd o fudd i'n heconomi, drwy gynyddu nifer y gweithwyr medrus. Buddsoddi mewn pobl ifanc yw hyn, buddsoddi yn ein heconomi ac efallai ei fod yn un o'r mathau gorau o fuddsoddiad mewn datblygu economaidd. Mae llwgrwobrwyo cwmnïau i ddod â'u ffatrïoedd cangen yma wedi methu ers cyhyd ag y gallaf gofio—nid oes ond raid sôn am LG.
A gâi ei gamddefnyddio ar y dechrau? Câi—gan fyfyrwyr yn dod ac yn gwneud dim. Cafodd hyn ei ddatrys drwy barhau â thaliadau ar ôl i gynnydd boddhaol gael ei wneud. Ac i ymateb i Heledd Fychan, o fy mhrofiad i fel darlithydd coleg, nid oedd unrhyw fyfyriwr a oedd yn mynychu'n rheolaidd a chanddynt reswm da dros beidio â bod yno ac a oedd yn gwneud cynnydd da yn mynd i gael eu rhwystro rhag cael eu lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg. Rwy'n siarad ar ran aelodau'r Brifysgol ac Undeb y Coleg—ni fyddem wedi gwneud hynny.
Yn ôl Sefydliad Bevan, byddai cynyddu'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg 10 y cant yn ychwanegu £3 yr wythnos i bawb sy'n ei gael. Yn amlwg, nid yw £3 yr wythnos yn llawer. Ceir cydnabyddiaeth fod dysgwyr mewn addysg bellach yn wynebu pwysau ariannol lawn mor sylweddol â myfyrwyr addysg uwch, a gafodd gynnydd o 9.4 y cant yn ddiweddar, sydd, byddai'n well imi ychwanegu, yn fawr ei angen ac yn cael ei gefnogi'n frwd. I lawer yn y Siambr hon, mae £3 yn llai na phaned o goffi. I fyfyrwyr y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg, gall fod yn ddau neu dri phryd o fwyd. Dyna ddau neu dri phryd allan o 14 pryd yr wythnos. Nid yw'r syniad fod pobl yn cael tri neu bedwar pryd y dydd yn wir i bobl sy'n dlawd. Yn allweddol, byddai'n sefydlu egwyddor bwysig o gynnydd blynyddol, gan gyfateb i gynnydd Llywodraeth y DU i'r rhan fwyaf o fudd-daliadau nawdd cymdeithasol.
Mae Sefydliad Bevan yn amcangyfrif y bydd cost cynnydd sy'n gysylltiedig â chwyddiant oddeutu £1.7 miliwn. Byddai codi'r cymhwysedd i gynnwys 1,000 o fyfyrwyr eraill yn costio £1.1 miliwn. Mae hyn yn amlwg yn fforddiadwy o gyllideb Llywodraeth Cymru. Bu'r Pwyllgor Cyllid yn trafod hyn ac roeddent yn unfrydol o blaid cynnydd o'r fath, yn cynnwys yr Aelod Ceidwadol. Os oes unrhyw un yn amau ei fforddiadwyedd, edrychwch bob mis ar faint o arian ychwanegol sy'n cael ei ryddhau gan Lywodraeth Cymru i dderbynwyr da a haeddiannol: £1 miliwn yn y fan hon, £5 miliwn yn y fan acw, £300,000—rydych yn eu cael yn wythnosol bron. Fy nadl i yw bod myfyrwyr lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yn dderbynwyr da a haeddiannol.
Yn olaf, diolch i'r Llywodraeth Lafur, a gadwodd y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg; nawr yw'r amser i ddechrau ei gynyddu'n flynyddol.
The cost-of-living crisis is going to do exactly what the COVID crisis did. I've heard so many witnesses to inquiries held by both of the committees of which I'm a member—equalities and social justice and children, young people and education—repeat this, or words to that effect, when referring to the undeniable evidence that not only will the impact of this crisis again be deeper in the most deprived areas of Wales, which, of course, will double the death rates of those with less social deprivation, but it's that same inequality and those same vulnerabilities that the cost-of-living crisis is exacerbating.
This is why the cost-of-living crisis, in my opinion, has to be seen in the same terms as the COVID crisis. That is why those most vulnerable to potential harm should also be shielded by Government in this crisis. As with COVID, the worst-affected will be those who already suffer socioeconomic disadvantage and groups of people who already face barriers as regards housing, employment opportunities, income gaps, health inequalities and education. Poverty is affecting young people aged 16 plus in a unique way. Rising food costs, transport costs and equipment costs make education less affordable to those from low-income families. Young people from less affluent backgrounds can't turn to their families for financial support and many are experiencing real hardship: no heating, little to eat, some facing homelessness. How are they meant to focus on study?
The needs of this group of young people, of course, in my opinion, should be fully addressed in a comprehensive new child poverty strategy, which we have long called for, with measurable targets and outcomes. The Welsh Government, of course, does not have the power to stop bills soaring and can't ensure that the Tory Westminster Government increases benefits so that no-one has to rely on foodbanks or face cutting down on heat. But this motion speaks to one action it can take to help people who are most at risk of the harms of the cost-of-living crisis: young people from low-income families. Without the support they need, of which the EMA should and could form a part, they will be harmed by the consequences of being denied the chance to fulfil their educational potential, as Mike Hedges rightly illustrated, and the opportunity gap that continues to blight our country will deepen.
The Welsh Government's response to the calls of anti-poverty campaigners such as the Bevan Foundation to uprate the EMA, both in terms of the allowance and in terms of the eligibility threshold, has been that it is simply not affordable. What really isn't affordable is to limit the potential of our most disadvantaged young people who already have far fewer opportunities than better-off learners to lead prosperous, healthy and fulfilling lives. I urge Members to support this motion.
Mae'r argyfwng costau byw yn mynd i wneud yr union beth a wnaeth argyfwng COVID. Clywais gymaint o dystion i ymchwiliadau a gynhelir gan y ddau bwyllgor rwy'n aelod ohonynt—cydraddoldeb a chyfiawnder cymdeithasol a phlant, pobl ifanc ac addysg—yn ailadrodd hyn, neu eiriau i'r perwyl hwnnw, wrth gyfeirio at y dystiolaeth ddiymwad y bydd effaith yr argyfwng hwn eto'n ddyfnach yn ardaloedd mwyaf difreintiedig Cymru, a fydd, wrth gwrs, yn dyblu cyfraddau marwolaeth y rhai sydd â llai o amddifadedd cymdeithasol, ond mae'r argyfwng costau byw'n gwaethygu yr un anghydraddoldebau a'r un bregusrwydd.
Yn fy marn i, dyna pam mae'n rhaid gweld yr argyfwng costau byw yn yr un termau ag argyfwng COVID. Dyna pam y dylai'r rhai sydd fwyaf agored i niwed posibl hefyd gael eu gwarchod gan y Llywodraeth yn yr argyfwng hwn. Fel yn achos COVID, y rhai yr effeithir arnynt waethaf fydd y rhai sydd eisoes yn dioddef anfantais economaidd-gymdeithasol a grwpiau o bobl sydd eisoes yn wynebu rhwystrau mewn perthynas â thai, cyfleoedd cyflogaeth, bylchau incwm, anghydraddoldebau iechyd ac addysg. Mae tlodi'n effeithio ar bobl ifanc 16 oed a hŷn mewn ffordd unigryw. Mae costau bwyd cynyddol, costau trafnidiaeth a chostau offer yn gwneud addysg yn llai fforddiadwy i'r rhai o deuluoedd incwm isel. Nid yw pobl ifanc o gefndiroedd llai cefnog yn gallu troi at eu teuluoedd am gymorth ariannol ac mae nifer yn profi caledi gwirioneddol: dim gwres, fawr ddim i'w fwyta, rhai yn wynebu digartrefedd. Sut mae disgwyl iddynt ganolbwyntio ar astudio?
Rwy'n credu y dylid mynd i'r afael yn llawn ag anghenion y grŵp hwn o bobl ifanc mewn strategaeth tlodi plant newydd gynhwysfawr, rhywbeth rydym wedi galw amdani ers amser maith, gyda thargedau a chanlyniadau mesuradwy. Wrth gwrs, nid oes gan Lywodraeth Cymru rym i atal biliau rhag codi'n aruthrol ac ni all sicrhau bod Llywodraeth Dorïaidd San Steffan yn cynyddu budd-daliadau fel nad oes rhaid i unrhyw un ddibynnu ar fanciau bwyd neu orfod cyfyngu ar wresogi. Ond mae'r cynnig hwn yn sôn am un weithred y gall ei chyflawni i helpu'r bobl sydd fwyaf mewn perygl o niwed yn yr argyfwng costau byw: pobl ifanc o deuluoedd incwm isel. Heb y cymorth sydd ei angen arnynt, y dylai ac y gallai'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg ffurfio rhan ohono, byddant yn cael eu niweidio gan ganlyniadau cael eu hamddifadu o'r cyfle i gyflawni eu potensial addysgol, fel y dangosodd Mike Hedges yn gywir, a bydd y bwlch cyfle sy'n parhau i blagio ein gwlad yn dyfnhau.
Ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru i alwadau ymgyrchwyr gwrthdlodi fel Sefydliad Bevan i gynyddu'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg, o ran y lwfans ei hun ac o ran y trothwy cymhwysedd, yw nad yw'n fforddiadwy. Yr hyn na allwn fforddio ei wneud mewn gwirionedd yw cyfyngu ar botensial ein pobl ifanc mwyaf difreintiedig sydd eisoes yn cael llawer llai o gyfleoedd na dysgwyr mwy cefnog i fyw bywydau llewyrchus, iach a boddhaus. Rwy'n annog yr Aelodau i gefnogi'r cynnig hwn.
Thanks to Luke Fletcher and other Members for tabling this motion today and giving us the chance to discuss what is a very important issue: how we support our young people so that they can get the most out of their education. It follows on very naturally from last week's debate on the Children, Young People and Education Committee's report into pupil absence, and of course it's very timely when we are all aware of the cost-of-living pressures every person in Wales is facing.
As a starting point and as the first part of the motion reminds us, it is of course to be welcomed that the Welsh Government made the decision to retain education maintenance allowance here. That was in stark contrast, of course, to the Cameron-Clegg UK coalition Government. Seemingly, one of their first actions on taking office was to scrap EMA for English students. I'm reminded that Michael Gove was the education Secretary responsible for that, so it's interesting to see that his commitment to levelling down was just as strong back in 2010. Since then, EMA has been used well by young people in Wales. It has provided an additional level of support, enabling them to stay on in school or college, to continue their education or training, to try and maximise their chances and opportunities. And it's important that we remember this isn't just for young people taking A-levels or BTECs, but it's also used to support young people living in Wales taking basic or independent living skills qualifications too.
I regularly witnessed the positive impact EMA had when I was teaching. It made a real difference and ensured that eligible young people could stay on to continue and complete their studies and achieve their full potential. Many of those young people in receipt of EMA also had part-time jobs, and these would often be on zero-hour contracts, with pressure from employers to work longer and longer hours, and that of course could have a detrimental impact on their studies. With my pastoral role, that became a familiar pattern year after year. I know from my discussions with schools and colleges in my area that it's still a challenge for those 16 to 18-year-olds, with the need or desire to earn more contrasting with study requirements. EMA provides that source of help so young people who may not be able to rely on family support can focus on their courses.
As the motion also reminds us, 2011 saw a positive change to EMA in Wales, where a previous system of banding depending on household income was replaced with a flat rate of £30 for learners. However, as other speakers have mentioned, that's the same flat rate as when EMA was introduced in 2004 and the same flat rate at which it is awarded now. That, I believe, is problematic. By my estimation, in terms of purchasing power, £30 in 2004 is equivalent to just under £59 today, so the value of EMA has been significantly impacted as costs have got higher and higher. Things that EMA was and is used for have become more expensive, so that the payment just won't stretch as far. This will of course have consequences for our young people and the decisions that they make, as I touched on earlier. More and more of our young people will be facing difficult choices and may be making decisions not to continue in education or having to work longer hours in their part-time jobs, which will also have an impact on their studies and on their mental well-being. Others may find that it's not even about having to make a choice at all, finding themselves having to leave education or training completely.
Thresholds for household income have simply remained static. With that being the case, I would like to wholeheartedly endorse the suggestion in the second point of the motion. I hope that Welsh Government will consider a review of both the rate of EMA and the threshold at which it's awarded. It's high time that a detailed review of the working of EMA is considered to help build the evidence base so that we can determine what can be done, how we can best support our 16 to 18-year-olds and meet their needs so that they can continue in school or college. We know that there is tremendous pressure on resources, but EMA is a lifeline to many of our young people who are eligible for it. We must focus on giving them the right support so that they can succeed. I look forward to voting in support of this motion today.
Diolch i Luke Fletcher ac Aelodau eraill am gyflwyno'r cynnig hwn heddiw a rhoi cyfle inni drafod mater pwysig iawn: sut mae cynorthwyo ein pobl ifanc i gael y gorau o'u haddysg. Mae'n dilyn ymlaen yn naturiol iawn o'r drafodaeth yr wythnos diwethaf ar adroddiad y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg am absenoldeb disgyblion, ac wrth gwrs mae'n amserol iawn a ninnau i gyd yn ymwybodol o'r pwysau costau byw y mae pob person yng Nghymru yn ei wynebu.
Fel man cychwyn ac fel mae rhan gyntaf y cynnig yn ein hatgoffa, mae i'w groesawu wrth gwrs fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwneud penderfyniad i gadw'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yma. Roedd hynny mewn gwrthgyferbyniad llwyr, wrth gwrs, i Lywodraeth glymblaid Cameron-Clegg. Yn ôl pob golwg, un o'u gweithredoedd cyntaf fel Llywodraeth oedd cael gwared ar y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg i fyfyrwyr Lloegr. Caf fy atgoffa mai Michael Gove oedd yr Ysgrifennydd addysg a oedd yn gyfrifol am hynny, felly mae'n ddiddorol gweld bod ei ymrwymiad i ostwng y gwastad yr un mor gryf yn ôl yn 2010. Ers hynny, mae'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg wedi cael defnydd da gan bobl ifanc Cymru. Mae wedi darparu lefel ychwanegol o gymorth, gan eu galluogi i aros yn yr ysgol neu'r coleg, i barhau â'u haddysg neu hyfforddiant, er mwyn ceisio manteisio i'r eithaf ar eu cyfleoedd. Ac mae'n bwysig ein bod yn cofio nad ar gyfer pobl ifanc sy'n dilyn pynciau Safon Uwch neu BTEC yn unig y mae hwn, caiff ei ddefnyddio hefyd i gynorthwyo pobl ifanc sy'n byw yng Nghymru i fynd ar drywydd cymwysterau sgiliau byw annibynnol neu sgiliau sylfaenol hefyd.
Roeddwn yn dyst yn rheolaidd i'r effaith gadarnhaol a gâi'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg pan oeddwn yn dysgu. Fe wnâi wahaniaeth gwirioneddol a sicrhau y gallai pobl ifanc cymwys aros i barhau a chwblhau eu hastudiaethau a chyflawni eu potensial llawn. Roedd gan lawer o'r bobl ifanc a gâi'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg swyddi rhan-amser hefyd, a byddai'r rhain yn aml ar gytundebau dim oriau, gyda phwysau gan gyflogwyr i weithio oriau hirach a hirach, ac fe allai hynny wrth gwrs gael effaith niweidiol ar eu hastudiaethau. Gyda fy rôl fugeiliol, daeth hynny'n batrwm cyfarwydd flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn. Rwy'n gwybod o fy nhrafodaethau gydag ysgolion a cholegau yn fy ardal ei bod yn dal yn her i rai rhwng 16 a 18 oed, gyda'r angen neu'r awydd i ennill mwy yn gwrthdaro yn erbyn gofynion astudio. Mae'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yn darparu'r ffynhonnell gymorth honno fel y gall pobl ifanc na allant ddibynnu ar gefnogaeth teulu ganolbwyntio ar eu cyrsiau.
Fel y mae'r cynnig yn ein hatgoffa hefyd, gwelodd 2011 newid cadarnhaol i'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yng Nghymru, lle daeth cyfradd sylfaenol o £30 i ddysgwyr i gymryd lle system flaenorol o fandio yn dibynnu ar incwm cartrefi. Fodd bynnag, fel y mae siaradwyr eraill wedi sôn, dyna'r un gyfradd sylfaenol â phan gyflwynwyd y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yn 2004 a'r un gyfradd sylfaenol a ddyfernir nawr. Mae hynny'n broblematig y fy marn i. Yn ôl yr hyn rwy'n ei amcangyfrif, o ran pŵer prynu, mae £30 yn 2004 yn cyfateb i ychydig o dan £59 heddiw, felly effeithiwyd yn sylweddol ar werth y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg wrth i gostau fynd yn uwch ac yn uwch. Mae pethau yr oedd, ac y mae'r lwfans yn cael ei ddefnyddio ar eu cyfer wedi mynd yn ddrytach, fel na fydd y taliad yn ymestyn cyn belled. Bydd hyn wrth gwrs yn arwain at ganlyniadau i'n pobl ifanc a'r penderfyniadau a wnânt, fel y soniais yn gynharach. Bydd mwy a mwy o'n pobl ifanc yn wynebu dewisiadau anodd ac efallai y byddant yn gwneud penderfyniadau i beidio â pharhau ym myd addysg neu'n gorfod gweithio oriau hirach yn eu swyddi rhan-amser, a bydd hynny hefyd yn cael effaith ar eu hastudiaethau ac ar eu lles meddyliol. Efallai y bydd eraill yn gweld nad yw hyd yn oed yn galw am wneud dewis o gwbl, ac yn gorfod gadael addysg neu hyfforddiant yn gyfan gwbl.
Mae trothwyon ar gyfer incwm aelwydydd wedi aros yn sefydlog. O'r herwydd, hoffwn gymeradwyo'r awgrym yn ail bwynt y cynnig yn gryf. Rwy'n gobeithio y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn ystyried adolygiad o gyfradd y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg a'r trothwy ar gyfer ei ddyfarnu. Mae'n hen bryd ystyried adolygiad manwl o'r ffordd y mae'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yn gweithio er mwyn helpu i adeiladu'r sylfaen dystiolaeth fel y gallwn benderfynu beth y gellir ei wneud, sut y gallwn gefnogi ein pobl ifanc 16 i 18 oed yn y ffordd orau a diwallu eu hanghenion fel y gallant barhau yn yr ysgol neu'r coleg. Rydym yn gwybod bod pwysau aruthrol ar adnoddau, ond mae lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yn achubiaeth i lawer o'n pobl ifanc sy'n gymwys i'w gael. Rhaid canolbwyntio ar roi'r gefnogaeth gywir iddynt er mwyn iddynt lwyddo. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at bleidleisio o blaid y cynnig hwn heddiw.
Diolch yn fawr iawn i Luke Fletcher am gyflwyno'r cynnig yma, ac i bawb a'i gefnogodd o.
Mae EMA wedi bod yn gymorth hanfodol i nifer fawr o fyfyrwyr yng Nghymru ers iddo gael ei gyflwyno gyntaf. Cafodd ei gyflwyno fel peilot nôl yn 1999 cyn iddo gael ei rolio allan ar draws y Deyrnas Gyfunol yn 2004-05. Mae'n gresyn bod Llywodraeth Lloegr wedi cael gwared ar y lwfans, ond mae’n arwydd o’i boblogrwydd a'i bwysigrwydd wrth i Lywodraeth Cymru, Llywodraeth yr Alban, a Gogledd Iwerddon barhau â’r cynllun.
Cafodd y cynllun ei arfarnu'n drwyadl yn ôl 15 mlynedd yn ôl, a’r gwaith ymchwil yn dangos yn glir bod y nifer o ddysgwyr a oedd yn ei dderbyn yn cynyddu, a bod nifer fwy o ddysgwyr yn aros ymlaen i barhau â'u cyrsiau. Roedd y canfyddiadau yma'n arbennig o wir am fyfyrwyr o gefndiroedd mwy difreintiedig. Mae'r lwfans yma'n arbennig o bwysig yn enwedig i blant mewn gofal.
Mae gen i ddysgwyr a oedd yn derbyn y grant sydd wedi mynd ymlaen i nifer o feysydd gwahanol. Roeddwn i'n siarad yn ddiweddar efo un merch a oedd wedi derbyn y grant ac wedi mynd ymlaen i nyrsio; dyma ichi enghraifft berffaith o bres cyhoeddus yn cael ei ddefnyddio fel buddsoddiad yn ein pobl ifanc ac yn ein cymunedau. Diolch byth am y grant a diolch byth amdani hi. Felly, mae yna werth amlwg i’r cymhorthdal angenrheidiol yma. Ond, mae’r angen gymaint yn fwy acíwt, rŵan, wrth ein bod ni'n byw mewn argyfwng costau byw sydd yn effeithio ar y mwyaf tlawd a'r mwyaf difreintiedig yn waeth fyth.
Rŵan, dwi'n cydnabod ac yn canmol y Llywodraeth am gynnal y grant yma yng Nghymru, ond y gwir anffodus ydy fod llawer gormod o blant yn parhau i golli allan neu yn gadael addysg bellach, a hynny am ddwy brif reswm yn ymwneud â’r EMA, a sydd yn cael eu nodi yn y cynnig: dydy o ddim yn ddigonol, ac mae’r rhicyn ariannol er mwyn cael mynediad i’r grant yn llawer rhy isel.
Nôl yn 2010, roedd yn rhaid i aelwyd ennill llai na £31,000, neu £42,000 yng ngwerth y bunt heddiw, er mwyn cyfiawnhau mynediad at y grant. Erbyn heddiw, mae’r rhicyn yn bron i hanner hynny o ran gwerth, sef £23,000. Mae’r dystiolaeth yr wyf i wedi ei gweld yn dangos bod mwy o ddysgwyr yn holi am gymorth er eu bod nhw ar EMA. Mae angen cymorth gyda chostau cwrs, costau cinio ac offer technegol ar y myfyrwyr. Ac mae rhai siroedd yn gwrthod talu am drafnidiaeth i addysg ôl-16, felly yn yr achosion yma, mae’r EMA yn gwbl hanfodol er mwyn i ddysgwyr gael mynediad at eu haddysg. Hefyd, oherwydd tlodi o fewn y teulu mae yna nifer o bobl ifanc yn ei ddefnyddio fel modd o fyw o ddydd i ddydd—yn ei ddefnyddio i brynu bwyd, i deithio, prynu dillad, cymorth i ddysgu, ac yn y blaen. Mae rhai yn dibynnu arno oherwydd eu bod nhw'n gwbl annibynnol efo'u biliau ac efo'u rhent ac yn y blaen. Ac fel y soniais, dydy’r tâl, felly, ddim yn ddigonol; mae’n isel, gyda nifer o ddysgwyr yn gweithio hefyd er mwyn ennill arian i'w helpu i fyw. Mae hyn yn ei dro, fel rydyn ni wedi'i glywed, yn amharu ar eu haddysg.
Felly, unwaith eto, dwi am orffen drwy ddiolch i bawb, yn enwedig Luke am gyflwyno'r ddadl yma. Dwi'n croesawu'n gynnes yr ymrwymiad sydd gan y Llywodraeth i barhau â chynnal y lwfans, ond yn gofyn a wnaiff y Gweinidog, yn ei ymateb, edrych i newid y rhicyn mynediad, a phan ddaw'r cyfle, i gynyddu'r lwfans ymhellach. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Thank you very much to Luke Fletcher for putting forward this motion and to everyone who co-supports it.
The EMA has provided vital support to many students in Wales since it was first introduced. It was first introduced as a pilot back in 1999 before it was rolled out across the United Kingdom in 2004-05. Regretfully, the Government in England abolished it as an allowance, but it’s a sign of its popularity and its importance that the Welsh Government, the Scottish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive all continued with the scheme.
The scheme was thoroughly audited 15 years ago, and the research demonstrates clearly that the number of students in receipt of the allowance was increasing, and that a greater number of students were staying on to undertake their studies. These findings were particularly true of students from more deprived backgrounds. And, this allowance is particularly important for children in care.
I have heard of learners who received the allowance and have then go on to study a number of different fields of endeavour. I spoke recently with one girl who received the allowance and went on to study nursing. This is a perfect example of public money being used as an investment in our young people. Thank goodness for the allowance and thank goodness for her. So, there is clear benefit to this vital allowance. But, the need is so much more acute now that we are facing a cost-of-living crisis, which is having a greater impact on the poorest and the most disadvantaged.
Now, I recognise that the Government has maintained the grant here in Wales, and I praise it for doing so, but the unfortunate truth is that far too many children are continuing to lose out or are leaving further education for two main reasons related to the EMA, as noted in the motion, namely that it isn’t enough, and the financial threshold to access the allowance is far too low.
Back in 2010, households had to earn less than £31,000, or £42,000 in today’s money, to be able to access the grant. Today, the threshold is almost half that in terms of value, namely £23,000. The evidence that I have seen shows that more learners are seeking support despite being in receipt of the EMA. They need help with the cost of courses, meals and technical equipment. And some counties are refusing to pay for transport to attend post-16 education, so in these cases, the EMA is crucial so that learners can access educational opportunities. Also, due to poverty within the family, many young people use the allowance to cover living costs from one day to the next. They use it to buy food, to pay for transport, to buy uniforms and for support for learning, and so on. Some depend on it because they live independently, to pay their bills, their rent and so on. And, as I mentioned, the funding therefore is insufficient. A number of learners are also having to work to earn enough to pay their living costs. And this in turn, as we've heard, can impact their education.
So, once again, I want to conclude by thanking everyone, particularly Luke for tabling this debate. I warmly welcome the commitment that the Government has to continuing and retaining the allowance, but I'll ask the Minister, in his response, if he will change the accessibility threshold, and when he has the opportunity, to increase the allowance further, please. Thank you.
Galwaf ar Weinidog y Gymraeg ac Addysg, Jeremy Miles.
I call on the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Bydd Aelodau'n gwybod o drafodaethau a chwestiynau blaenorol ar y pwnc hwn ein bod ni fel Llywodraeth yn cydnabod yr effaith bositif y mae'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yn gallu ei gael ar bobl ifanc, ac rŷn ni'n dal i ymrwymo yn unol â’r rhaglen lywodraethu i gynnal y lwfans. Ochr yn ochr gyda'n hymrwymiadau eraill i bobl ifanc ac â chyllideb flynyddol o £17 miliwn, mae'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yn ei gwneud yn bosib i fwy na 18,000 o bobl ifanc barhau mewn addysg ôl-orfodol bob blwyddyn.
Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. Members will be aware from previous debates and questions on this issue that we as a Government recognise the positive impact that the EMA can have on young people, and we are still committed, in accordance with the programme for government, to maintaining the allowance. Along with our other commitments to young people and with an annual budget of £17 million, the EMA makes it possible for more than 18,000 young people to remain in post-compulsory education annually.
However, Dirprwy Lywydd, I understand the concerns that EMA has not increased for some time, and welcome the views that Members have expressed on where we can further improve our commitment to young people. I appreciate that young people are also very much feeling the financial strain of the current cost-of-living crisis.
We are continuing to model what impact potential changes might have, including in terms of current and future financial commitments, and we will all want to ensure that any change would be meaningful and impactful as well as affordable. Despite our current serious financial limitations in considering an increase in the rate of EMA, we have expanded the eligible cohort to include some of the most vulnerable young people in Wales. This includes those impacted by Brexit, family members of those with protected immigration status, and young people fleeing the war in Ukraine. The process remains that all young people can apply for EMA at any point in the academic year and, where their family circumstances change, resulting in a drop in income, we encourage young people to apply for EMA with a current-year income assessment. Our schools and colleges work closely with their learners to ensure that they are receiving the support they're entitled to.
We have exemptions to means testing for some our most vulnerable young people. Those in care and foster homes, those on certain benefits, those responsible for a child of their own and those in the youth justice system will all receive the weekly allowance without assessment. To further encourage applications and to simplify the process for young people, the Student Loans Company is developing a new system for applications to be made online and for supporting evidence to be uploaded. We anticipate that this will be ready for the academic year 2023-24 applications. The option for completing a paper application will also remain.
As a means-tested grant, the application process does require a lot of information. Where a student may feel overwhelmed or discouraged by the application process, I would encourage them to speak to their learning centre who can help them complete the necessary forms and applications. We are not ourselves aware of any delays to processing of EMA applications, but do understand that incomplete applications may lead to a delay, and I'm grateful for the discussion I've had with Luke Fletcher in relation to some of the practical implications of EMA payment and have committed to work on any practical issues that are capable of being resolved. On the other hand, applications received within 13 weeks of the course start date will receive backdated payments to the start of the course, even if the evidence came in late, while applications received after that can still receive payment from the time they submit their applications. Students do need to have their attendance confirmed—as many Members have referred to in the debate—to the Student Loans Company by their course provider in order for payment to be released. But if they have missed a payment, they should speak to their learning centre. With the consent of the student, in addition to this, my officials can also speak to the Student Loans Company FE team to help progress any difficulties or delays with applications.
It is important, in the way that Mike Hedges highlighted in his contribution, for young people to discuss their personal circumstances with their course tutor or their provider's EMA co-ordinator. Non-attendance does not always need to result in non-payment. The EMA scheme does permit discretion for those who are unable to maintain a consistent pattern of attendance, perhaps due to caring responsibilities or factors beyond their control, and we have recently issued a fresh reminder to all learning centres to highlight where that discretion can be applied and to ensure that students understand how they can approach them for additional support where needed.
Young people in receipt of EMA can also access a range of additional support. Schools and colleges can offer loan ICT equipment and learning resources, removing the need for their EMA to be spent on essential course items. They may also be able to get free or subsidised transport during their course from their local authority. In addition, over £6 million is being provided to further education institutions for the academic year 2022-23 for the financial contingency fund. This aims to ensure that learners across Wales, including those in receipt of EMA, are not inhibited by financial constraints. For example, eligible learners can receive additional money towards course fees, course materials, childcare costs, food, and other study-related items.
I'd like to thank Luke Fletcher for the debate and to the Labour and Plaid Cymru Members who have supported the motion and contributed to this important debate. To conclude, as a Government, we continue to respond to the current crisis with wide-reaching programmes of household support that will cushion our young people and their families on low incomes. The Government will support the motion today, recognising the limitations on our room for action but also the merits of a review. Recognising Jayne Bryant's contribution, I will be writing to the committee shortly in terms that I hope the committee will welcome. In the meantime, we will continue to use every single lever available to us to support our young people and ensure that we do all we can to reflect the principle that money should never be a barrier to accessing education.
Fodd bynnag, Ddirprwy Lywydd, rwy’n deall y pryderon nad yw'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg wedi cynyddu ers peth amser, a chroesawaf y farn y mae Aelodau wedi’i mynegi ynghylch lle gallwn wella ein hymrwymiad i bobl ifanc ymhellach. Rwy’n sylweddoli bod pobl ifanc hefyd yn teimlo straen ariannol yr argyfwng costau byw presennol yn fawr iawn.
Rydym yn parhau i fodelu pa effaith y gallai newidiadau posibl ei chael, gan gynnwys o ran ymrwymiadau ariannol presennol ac yn y dyfodol, a bydd pob un ohonom yn awyddus i sicrhau y byddai unrhyw newid yn ystyrlon ac yn effeithiol, yn ogystal â fforddiadwy. Er gwaethaf ein cyfyngiadau ariannol difrifol presennol wrth ystyried cynnydd yng nghyfradd y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg, rydym wedi ehangu’r garfan gymwys i gynnwys rhai o’r bobl ifanc fwyaf agored i niwed yng Nghymru. Mae hyn yn cynnwys y rhai yr effeithiwyd arnynt gan Brexit, aelodau teuluol y rhai sydd â statws mewnfudo gwarchodedig, a phobl ifanc sy'n ffoi rhag y rhyfel yn Wcráin. Bydd pob person ifanc yn dal i allu gwneud cais am lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg ar unrhyw adeg yn y flwyddyn academaidd, a lle mae eu hamgylchiadau teuluol yn newid, gan arwain at ostyngiad mewn incwm, rydym yn annog pobl ifanc i wneud cais am lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg gydag asesiad incwm y flwyddyn gyfredol. Mae ein hysgolion a'n colegau'n gweithio'n agos gyda'u dysgwyr i sicrhau eu bod yn cael y cymorth y mae ganddynt hawl iddo.
Mae gennym esemptiadau i brofion modd ar gyfer rhai o'n pobl ifanc mwyaf agored i niwed. Bydd y rheini mewn cartrefi gofal a chartrefi maeth, y rheini ar fudd-daliadau penodol, y rheini sy'n gyfrifol am eu plentyn eu hunain a'r rheini yn y system cyfiawnder ieuenctid oll yn cael y lwfans wythnosol heb asesiad. Er mwyn annog ceisiadau ymhellach ac i symleiddio'r broses ar gyfer pobl ifanc, mae'r Cwmni Benthyciadau i Fyfyrwyr yn datblygu system newydd ar gyfer ceisiadau i'w gwneud ar-lein ac ar gyfer uwchlwytho tystiolaeth ategol. Rydym yn rhagweld y bydd y system hon yn barod ar gyfer ceisiadau blwyddyn academaidd 2023-24. Bydd yr opsiwn ar gyfer cwblhau cais ar bapur hefyd yn parhau.
Fel grant ar sail prawf modd, mae angen llawer o wybodaeth ar y broses ymgeisio. Os yw myfyrwyr yn teimlo eu bod wedi’i gorlethu neu'n digalonni oherwydd y broses ymgeisio, byddwn yn eu hannog i siarad â’u canolfan ddysgu gan y gallant eu helpu i lenwi’r ffurflenni a’r ceisiadau angenrheidiol. Nid ydym yn ymwybodol o unrhyw oedi wrth brosesu ceisiadau am y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg, ond rydym yn deall y gall ceisiadau anghyflawn arwain at oedi, ac rwy’n ddiolchgar am y drafodaeth a gefais gyda Luke Fletcher mewn perthynas â rhai o oblygiadau ymarferol talu'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg ac ymrwymais i weithio ar unrhyw broblemau ymarferol y gellir eu datrys. Ar y llaw arall, bydd ceisiadau a ddaw i law o fewn 13 wythnos i ddyddiad cychwyn y cwrs yn cael taliadau wedi’u hôl-ddyddio i ddechrau’r cwrs, hyd yn oed os cyflwynwyd y dystiolaeth yn hwyr, tra gall ceisiadau a ddaw i law ar ôl hynny barhau i gael taliadau o’r amser y cyflwynant eu ceisiadau. Mae angen i ddarparwr cyrsiau gadarnhau presenoldeb myfyrwyr—fel y nododd llawer o Aelodau yn y ddadl—i’r Cwmni Benthyciadau i Fyfyrwyr er mwyn i’r taliad gael ei ryddhau. Ond os ydynt wedi methu taliad, dylent siarad â'u canolfan ddysgu. Gyda chaniatâd y myfyriwr, yn ogystal â hyn, gall fy swyddogion hefyd siarad â thîm addysg bellach y Cwmni Benthyciadau i Fyfyrwyr i fynd i'r afael ag unrhyw anawsterau neu oedi gyda cheisiadau.
Mae’n bwysig, yn y ffordd y nododd Mike Hedges yn ei gyfraniad, fod pobl ifanc yn trafod eu hamgylchiadau personol gyda thiwtor eu cwrs neu gydlynydd lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg eu darparwr. Nid oes angen i absenoldeb arwain at golli taliad bob amser. Mae’r cynllun lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yn caniatáu disgresiwn i’r rheini na allant gynnal patrwm presenoldeb cyson, efallai oherwydd cyfrifoldebau gofalu neu ffactorau y tu hwnt i’w rheolaeth, ac yn ddiweddar, rydym wedi cyhoeddi nodyn atgoffa newydd i bob canolfan ddysgu nodi lle gellir defnyddio'r disgresiwn hwnnw, a sicrhau bod myfyrwyr yn deall sut y gallant droi atynt am gymorth ychwanegol pan fo angen.
Gall pobl ifanc sy'n cael y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg hefyd gael mynediad at ystod o gymorth ychwanegol. Gall ysgolion a cholegau gynnig offer TGCh ac adnoddau dysgu ar fenthyg, gan ddileu'r angen i wario eu lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg ar eitemau hanfodol ar gyfer eu cwrs. Efallai y byddant hefyd yn gallu cael cludiant am ddim neu gludiant am bris gostyngol yn ystod eu cwrs gan eu hawdurdod lleol. Yn ogystal, mae dros £6 miliwn yn cael ei ddarparu i sefydliadau addysg bellach ym mlwyddyn academaidd 2022-23 ar gyfer y gronfa ariannol wrth gefn. Y nod yw sicrhau nad yw dysgwyr ledled Cymru, gan gynnwys y rheini sy'n cael y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg, yn cael eu rhwystro gan gyfyngiadau ariannol. Er enghraifft, gall dysgwyr cymwys gael arian ychwanegol tuag at ffioedd cyrsiau, deunyddiau cyrsiau, costau gofal plant, bwyd, ac eitemau eraill sy'n gysylltiedig ag astudio.
Hoffwn ddiolch i Luke Fletcher am y ddadl ac i’r Aelodau Llafur a Phlaid Cymru sydd wedi cefnogi’r cynnig ac wedi cyfrannu at y ddadl bwysig hon. I gloi, fel Llywodraeth, rydym yn parhau i ymateb i’r argyfwng presennol gyda rhaglenni pellgyrhaeddol o gymorth i aelwydydd a fydd yn cefnogi ein pobl ifanc a’u teuluoedd ar incwm isel. Bydd y Llywodraeth yn cefnogi’r cynnig heddiw, gan gydnabod y cyfyngiadau ar ein gallu i weithredu, a rhinweddau adolygiad hefyd. I gydnabod cyfraniad Jayne Bryant, byddaf yn ysgrifennu at y pwyllgor cyn bo hir mewn termau y gobeithiaf y bydd y pwyllgor yn eu croesawu. Yn y cyfamser, byddwn yn parhau i ddefnyddio pob ffordd sydd ar gael i ni i gefnogi ein pobl ifanc a sicrhau ein bod yn gwneud popeth a allwn i adlewyrchu’r egwyddor na ddylai arian byth fod yn rhwystr rhag cael mynediad at addysg.
Galwaf ar Luke Fletcher i ymateb i'r ddadl.
I call on Luke Fletcher to reply to the debate.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I suppose I've become quite predictable now in terms of what I ask about in the Chamber. I've been reliably informed that I actually talk about EMA in my sleep, much to the annoyance of my wife.
But, you know, when we're out in the community, what I'm often asked is, 'What has the Senedd done for us?' EMA is one of the first things I always point to. It was protected by Government, and I would reiterate again how grateful I am, and how a younger version of me was grateful as well for Welsh Government protecting that.
Vikki, I think, raised a very important point. Here's the conflict facing low-income students: 'Do I stay in education, or do I go out and earn?' That was a question I asked myself, and had I chosen the latter, I might not be stood here today now, and that probably would have made the lives of a lot of people a lot easier, but nonetheless, it was EMA, I firmly believe, that got me to this point, amongst other support provided by Welsh Government.
In terms of the work that's being done by committees, Jayne referenced the work done by the young people and education committee—really, really fantastic and worthwhile work. There was work done by the Finance Committee; Mike referenced that—again, fantastic work. And my own committee, as well, looked at EMA as part of our scrutiny around the young person's guarantee. There seems to be a consensus forming, and that's why I'm quite glad as well that the Government is willing to support this motion, of course with the caveat that there are limitations, and I'll very much look forward to seeing the Minister's response to Jayne's committee around a top-down review. I am incredibly grateful, as well, that we'll continue to work on the practical elements, and I look forward to sharing some of the information that we've had through my office on the survey of students' experiences, and I know that the Minister is committed to seriously working on this.
I think Heledd, as well, was really right in what she said. We aren't flooded with casework relating to EMA, but we are dealing with vulnerable people. We talk about getting young people involved in politics, and Mike is right; we need more people from different backgrounds. I've always advocated for getting more working class people involved in politics. Now, what better way would there be to demonstrate that this place is worth getting involved in than by delivering something like EMA that will have a direct impact on especially students from low-income households but also their families?
Fundamentally, I am committed to making this happen. I'm committed to working with the Minister. This isn't, for me, any sort of party political debate. This is something that is personal. I am a direct result of EMA, and I hope that all Members in this Chamber will work cross-party and work with myself and the Minister to make increasing the payments and increasing the thresholds a reality, because God knows, a number of low-income students across Wales need that support, now more than ever.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Mae'n debyg y gallwch ragweld erbyn hyn beth rwy'n tueddu i ofyn amdano yn y Siambr. Cefais wybod fy mod yn siarad am y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yn fy nghwsg, er mawr ddiflastod i fy ngwraig.
Ond wyddoch chi, pan fyddwn allan yn y gymuned, yr hyn a ofynnir i mi'n aml yw, 'Beth mae'r Senedd wedi'i wneud i ni?', a'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yw un o'r pethau cyntaf rwy'n cyfeirio atynt bob tro. Cafodd ei ddiogelu gan y Llywodraeth, a charwn ailadrodd eto pa mor ddiolchgar rwyf fi, a pha mor ddiolchgar oedd y fersiwn iau ohonof hefyd i Lywodraeth Cymru am ei ddiogelu.
Credaf fod Vikki wedi nodi pwynt pwysig iawn. Dyma'r cyfyng-gyngor sy'n wynebu myfyrwyr incwm isel: 'A wyf yn aros mewn addysg, neu a wyf i'n mynd allan i ennill cyflog?' Dyna'r cwestiwn a ofynnais i mi fy hun, a phe bawn wedi mynd am yr ail ddewis, efallai na fyddwn yn sefyll yma heddiw, ac mae'n debyg y byddai hynny wedi gwneud bywydau llawer o bobl yn llawer haws, ond serch hynny, credaf yn gryf mai'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg a'm galluogodd i gyrraedd y pwynt hwn, ynghyd â chymorth arall a ddarparwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru.
Ar y gwaith a wneir gan bwyllgorau, cyfeiriodd Jayne at y gwaith a wneir gan y pwyllgor pobl ifanc ac addysg—gwaith gwirioneddol wych a gwerth chweil. Gwnaed gwaith gan y Pwyllgor Cyllid; cyfeiriodd Mike at hynny—unwaith eto, gwaith gwych. Ac edrychodd fy mhwyllgor fy hun hefyd ar y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg fel rhan o'n gwaith craffu ar y warant i bobl ifanc. Ymddengys bod consensws yn ffurfio, a dyna pam fy mod yn falch iawn hefyd fod y Llywodraeth yn fodlon cefnogi’r cynnig hwn, gyda’r cafeat, wrth gwrs, fod yna gyfyngiadau, ac edrychaf ymlaen yn fawr at weld ymateb y Gweinidog i bwyllgor Jayne ynghylch adolygiad o'r brig i lawr. Rwy’n hynod ddiolchgar hefyd y byddwn yn parhau i weithio ar yr elfennau ymarferol, ac edrychaf ymlaen at rannu rhywfaint o’r wybodaeth rydym wedi’i chael drwy fy swyddfa ar yr arolwg o brofiadau myfyrwyr, a gwn fod y Gweinidog wedi ymrwymo i weithio o ddifrif ar hyn.
Credaf fod Heledd, hefyd, yn llygad ei lle yn yr hyn a ddywedodd. Nid ydym yn cael ein gorlethu â gwaith achos sy'n ymwneud â'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg, ond rydym yn ymdrin â phobl agored i niwed. Rydym yn sôn am annog pobl ifanc i gymryd rhan mewn gwleidyddiaeth, ac mae Mike yn iawn; mae arnom angen mwy o bobl o gefndiroedd gwahanol. Rwyf bob amser wedi dadlau dros gael mwy o bobl ddosbarth gweithiol i ymwneud â gwleidyddiaeth. Nawr, pa ffordd well o ddangos bod y lle hwn yn werth ymwneud ag ef na thrwy ddarparu rhywbeth fel lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg a fydd yn cael effaith uniongyrchol ar fyfyrwyr o gartrefi incwm isel yn enwedig, ond hefyd ar eu teuluoedd?
Rwy'n gwbl ymrwymedig i wneud i hyn ddigwydd. Rwyf wedi ymrwymo i weithio gyda’r Gweinidog. Nid yw hon, i mi, yn unrhyw fath o ddadl bleidiol wleidyddol. Mae hyn yn rhywbeth personol. Rwy’n ganlyniad uniongyrchol i'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg, ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yr holl Aelodau yn y Siambr hon yn gweithio’n drawsbleidiol ac yn gweithio gyda mi a’r Gweinidog i gynyddu’r taliadau a chynyddu’r trothwyon, oherwydd Duw a ŵyr, mae angen y cymorth hwnnw ar nifer o fyfyrwyr incwm isel ledled Cymru, nawr yn fwy nag erioed.
Y cwestiwn yw: a ddylid derbyn y cynnig? A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? [Gwrthwynebiad.] Oes. Oes, felly, gohiriaf y bleidlais ar y cynnig tan y cyfnod pleidleisio.
The proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? [Objection.] Yes. Yes, I hear objection, and therefore I defer voting on this item until voting time.
Gohiriwyd y pleidleisio tan y cyfnod pleidleisio.
Voting deferred until voting time.
Eitem 6 y prynhawn yma yw dadl gyntaf y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig—yr ymosodiad ar Wcráin a chefnogi ffoaduriaid o Wcráin. Galwaf ar Mark Isherwood i wneud y cynnig.
Item 6 this afternoon is the first Welsh Conservatives debate—the invasion of Ukraine and supporting Ukrainian refugees. I call on Mark Isherwood to move the motion.
Cynnig NDM8204 Darren Millar
Cynnig bod y Senedd:
1. Yn nodi bod y mis hwn yn nodi blwyddyn ers ymosodiad anghyfreithlon Vladimir Putin ar Wcráin.
2. Yn condemnio'r ymosodiad ar Wcráin, a'r ymddygiad ymosodol parhaus yn ei herbyn, yn erbyn ei sofraniaeth ac yn erbyn ei chyfanrwydd tiriogaethol gan Ffederasiwn Rwsia.
3. Yn cymeradwyo gwytnwch pobl Wcráin yn wyneb creulondeb Rwsia.
4. Yn croesawu'r cymorth milwrol, ariannol a dyngarol a ddarperir i Wcráin gan Lywodraeth y DU a Llywodraeth Cymru.
5. Yn diolch i bobl Cymru am eu hymateb i'r gwrthdaro, gan gynnwys eu haelioni a'r croeso a roddwyd i ffoaduriaid o Wcráin.
6. Yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i gyhoeddi cynllun tymor hir i gefnogi ffoaduriaid o Wcráin yng Nghymru.
Motion NDM8204 Darren Millar
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes that this month marks the first anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
2. Condemns the invasion of and continuous aggression against Ukraine, its sovereignty and territorial integrity by the Russian Federation.
3. Applauds the resilience of the Ukrainian people in the face of Russian brutality.
4. Welcomes the military, financial and humanitarian aid provided to Ukraine by the UK and Welsh Governments.
5. Thanks the people of Wales for their response to the conflict, including their generosity and the welcome provided to Ukrainian refugees.
6. Calls on the Welsh Government to publish a long-term plan to support Ukrainian refugees in Wales.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Diolch. I'm pleased to move this motion. The twenty-fourth of February 2023 marks the first anniversary of Vladimir Putin's illegal and barbaric invasion of its smaller sovereign neighbour, Ukraine. But this smaller neighbour has the heart of a lion and has roared back, although the impact of ongoing attacks by Russia has been felt hard by the Ukrainian people. All civilised peoples will be horrified that Putin is planning to celebrate this gruesome anniversary by launching another brutal and inhumane offensive. If only the civilised people of Russia could see and hear what horrors Putin and his cronies are perpetrating in their name, as he falsifies the narrative and silences the debate in that great country.
Diolch. Rwy’n falch o wneud y cynnig hwn. Mae'r pedwerydd ar hugain o Chwefror 2023 yn nodi blwyddyn ers ymosodiad anghyfreithlon a barbaraidd Vladimir Putin ar ei gymydog sofran llai o faint, Wcráin. Ond mae gan y cymydog llai hwn galon llew, ac mae wedi rhuo'n ôl, er bod pobl Wcráin wedi teimlo effaith ymosodiadau parhaus gan Rwsia i'r byw. Bydd pob unigolyn gwaraidd yn arswydo bod Putin yn bwriadu dathlu'r achlysur erchyll hwn drwy lansio ymosodiad creulon ac annynol arall. Pe bai pobl waraidd Rwsia ond yn gallu gweld a chlywed yr erchyllterau y mae Putin a'i gyfeillion yn eu cyflawni yn eu henw, wrth iddo ffugio'r naratif a thawelu'r ddadl yn y wlad fawr honno.
According to the latest estimates from Norway, the conflict has wounded or killed 180,000 Russian soldiers and 100,000 Ukrainian troops. Other western sources estimate that the war has caused 150,000 casualties on each side. In late January, the United Nations estimated that 18,000 civilians had been killed or wounded in the fighting, but said the real figure was likely much higher, with western sources stating that 30,000 to 40,000 civilians had lost their lives in the conflict. Ukrainian authorities say at least 400 children have been killed. Kyiv also alleges that Moscow has forcibly deported more than 16,000 children to Russia or areas controlled by Moscow-backed separatists. According to the UN Refugee Agency, more than 8 million Ukrainians have been forced to flee Ukraine since the war broke out—the largest refugee crisis in Europe since the second world war. Neighbouring Poland hosts the largest share of these refugees, with more than 1.5 million of them. More than 5 million people have been displaced inside the country.
Landmines are a threat to civilians, and experts warn that de-mining could take decades. According to the European Union's justice commissioner, around 65,000 suspected war crimes have been reported throughout the war. UN investigators have accused Russia of committing war crimes on a massive scale in Ukraine, including bombings, executions, torture and sexual violence. According to the commander in chief of Ukraine's armed forces, the active front line north to south runs along 900 miles of territory. The World Bank, in October, said it expected Ukraine's economy to contract by 35 per cent in 2022, and the Kyiv school of economics stated in November that the war has caused more than £34 billion in economic losses in the agricultural sector, and in January it estimated that it would cost £138 billion to replace all the infrastructure ravaged by this war.
President Zelenskyy's visit to the UK last week was a testament to his country's courage, determination and fight, and to the unbreakable friendship between Ukraine and the UK and its nations. Those who have studied events in the 1930s know that we cannot let Putin succeed. As Churchill said,
'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.'
Since 2014, the UK has provided vital training to Ukrainian forces and is now expanding this from soldiers to marines and fighter jet pilots. Ukrainian troops are already being trained in the use of Challenger 2 tanks, which are expected to be sent to Ukraine next month. The UK Government has also announced new sanctions for those who've helped Putin build his wealth and firms that have profited from the war. The UK led the way by donating a squadron of 14 Challenger 2 battle tanks, with armoured recovery and repair vehicles, encouraging the US, Germany and other European allies to send tanks as well, helping Ukraine as it battles to repel and expel Russian forces and Wagner group mercenaries.
As the UK steps up support for Ukraine's battle for liberation, it is donating hundreds more armoured and protected vehicles, including Bulldog vehicles, 24 AS90 Howitzer guns, dozens more unmanned aerial drones, hundreds of sophisticated missiles, 100,000 artillery rounds and a £28 million package to help with bridging and mine clearing, alongside other support.
Yn ôl yr amcangyfrifon diweddaraf o Norwy, mae’r gwrthdaro wedi achosi anafiadau neu farwolaethau 180,000 o filwyr Rwsia a 100,000 o filwyr Wcráin. Mae ffynonellau gorllewinol eraill yn amcangyfrif bod y rhyfel wedi achosi 150,000 o golledion ar y ddwy ochr. Ddiwedd mis Ionawr, amcangyfrifodd y Cenhedloedd Unedig fod 18,000 o sifiliaid wedi'u lladd neu eu hanafu yn yr ymladd, ond dywedasant fod y ffigur go iawn yn debygol o fod yn llawer uwch, gyda ffynonellau gorllewinol yn nodi bod 30,000 i 40,000 o sifiliaid wedi marw yn y gwrthdaro. Dywed awdurdodau Wcráin fod o leiaf 400 o blant wedi cael eu lladd. Mae Kyiv hefyd yn honni bod Moscow wedi alltudio mwy na 16,000 o blant yn orfodol i Rwsia neu ardaloedd a reolir gan ymwahanwyr a gefnogir gan Moscow. Yn ôl Asiantaeth Ffoaduriaid y Cenhedloedd Unedig, mae mwy nag 8 miliwn o bobl Wcráin wedi cael eu gorfodi i ffoi o Wcráin ers i’r rhyfel ddechrau—yr argyfwng ffoaduriaid mwyaf yn Ewrop ers yr ail ryfel byd. Mae'r gyfran fwyaf o'r ffoaduriaid hyn yng Ngwlad Pwyl, gyda mwy nag 1.5 miliwn ohonynt yn y wlad honno. Mae mwy na 5 miliwn o bobl wedi'u dadleoli o fewn i'r wlad ei hun.
Mae ffrwydron tir yn fygythiad i sifiliaid, ac mae arbenigwyr yn rhybuddio y gallai'r gwaith o gael gwared ar y ffrwydron tir gymryd degawdau. Yn ôl comisiynydd cyfiawnder yr Undeb Ewropeaidd, mae oddeutu 65,000 o honiadau o droseddau rhyfel wedi cael eu hadrodd drwy gydol y rhyfel. Mae ymchwilwyr y Cenhedloedd Unedig wedi cyhuddo Rwsia o gyflawni troseddau rhyfel ar raddfa enfawr yn Wcráin, gan gynnwys bomio, dienyddio, artaith a thrais rhywiol. Yn ôl pennaeth lluoedd arfog Wcráin, mae’r rheng flaen weithredol o’r gogledd i’r de yn ymestyn dros 900 milltir o diriogaeth. Dywedodd Banc y Byd, ym mis Hydref, ei fod yn disgwyl i economi Wcráin grebachu 35 y cant yn 2022, a dywedodd ysgol economeg Kyiv ym mis Tachwedd fod y rhyfel wedi achosi mwy na £34 biliwn mewn colledion economaidd yn y sector amaethyddol, ac ym mis Ionawr, amcangyfrifwyd y byddai'n costio £138 biliwn i adnewyddu'r holl seilwaith a anrheithiwyd gan y rhyfel hwn.
Roedd ymweliad yr Arlywydd Zelenskyy â’r DU yr wythnos ddiwethaf yn dyst i ddewrder, penderfynoldeb ac ysbryd ei wlad, ac i’r cyfeillgarwch cadarn rhwng Wcráin a’r DU a’i gwledydd. Mae'r rheini sydd wedi astudio digwyddiadau yn y 1930au yn gwybod na allwn adael i Putin lwyddo. Fel y dywedodd Churchill,
'Dyhuddwr yw un sy'n bwydo crocodeil, gan obeithio y bydd yn ei fwyta ef yn olaf.'
Ers 2014, mae’r DU wedi darparu hyfforddiant hanfodol i luoedd Wcráin ac mae bellach yn ehangu hyn o filwyr i fôr-filwyr a pheilotiaid jetiau ymladd. Mae milwyr o Wcráin eisoes yn cael eu hyfforddi i ddefnyddio tanciau Challenger 2, y disgwylir iddynt gael eu hanfon i Wcráin fis nesaf. Mae Llywodraeth y DU hefyd wedi cyhoeddi sancsiynau newydd ar gyfer y rheini sydd wedi helpu Putin i adeiladu ei gyfoeth a chwmnïau sydd wedi elwa o’r rhyfel. Arweiniodd y DU y ffordd drwy roi sgwadron o 14 o danciau brwydro Challenger 2, gyda cherbydau adfer ac atgyweirio arfog, gan annog yr Unol Daleithiau, yr Almaen a chynghreiriaid Ewropeaidd eraill i anfon tanciau hefyd, i helpu Wcráin wrth iddynt frwydro i wthio lluoedd Rwsia a milwyr cyflog grŵp Wagner yn ôl.
Wrth i’r DU gynyddu’r cymorth i frwydr Wcráin am ei rhyddid, mae’n rhoi cannoedd yn rhagor o gerbydau arfog a cherbydau amddiffyn, gan gynnwys cerbydau Bulldog, 24 o ynnau Howitzer AS90, dwsinau yn rhagor o ddronau awyr di-griw, cannoedd o daflegrau soffistigedig, 100,000 o rowndiau gynnau mawr a phecyn £28 miliwn i helpu gyda'r gwaith pontio a chael gwared ar ffrwydron tir, ynghyd â chymorth arall.
The UK will deliver £2.3 billion or more of military support for Ukraine’s campaign against Russian aggression this year, the same or more than last year, when the UK sent more than 10,800 anti-tank missiles, five air defence systems, 120 armoured vehicles, ammunition, drones and more.
Over 1,320 individuals and entities have been sanctioned, and £275 billion-worth of assets frozen, hitting the Russian economy, hobbling Russia’s military-industrial complex, and punishing Putin and allies, including 120 oligarchs worth over £140 billion combined.
Two hundred and seventeen thousand nine hundred visas have been issued to help Ukrainians come to the UK. On 7 February, this comprised 152,100 issued as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme and 65,800 issued through the Ukraine family scheme. The UK has also provided £1.5 billion of economic and humanitarian support to help the Ukrainian people, with £1.3 billion to help keep Ukrainian public services running, and around £220 million in humanitarian aid for basic necessities.
The latest UK Government figures at 7 February showed that 8,762 visas have been granted to people from Ukraine who have sponsors in Wales, and that 6,437 Ukrainians had arrived in Wales, 53 per cent supported by the Welsh Government and the remainder by Welsh households. There have been additional arrivals under the Ukraine family scheme. The Welsh Government set up its supersponsor scheme to provide accommodation support and care in Wales to 1,000 people from Ukraine. It also removed the need for applicants to be matched to a named person before they’re cleared to travel to the UK through the visa system. However, the scheme was temporarily paused to new applications on 10 June last year. The Welsh Government stated that this would allow time for arrangements to be made for the next stage of accommodation, and that all applications made before 10 June 2022 would be processed. It therefore remains unclear how many of the 4,614 issued visas sponsored by the Welsh Government applies to applications made before 10 June 2022, and how many to a supersponsor scheme reopened after the Welsh Government considered that it had made arrangements for the next stage of accommodation.
In her humanitarian response statement yesterday, the social justice Minister said that over 1,300 of those Welsh Government has sponsored have now moved into longer term accommodation. In this context, I'll also repeat what I stated when responding to the Minister’s statement yesterday:
‘It is reported that many Ukrainian refugees in Wales have spoken to the media about the difficulties that many of them are having finding and maintaining housing accommodation. For example, Ukrainian refugees who've had to leave their sponsor homes have been told that welcome centres aren't an option for safe accommodation, and landlords appear reluctant to take on refugee tenants due to concerns over stability of future earnings.’
Responding to the Minister three weeks ago, I also referred to the case of the mother and daughter who fled fighting in Ukraine but now face homelessness as their Welsh sponsor pulls out, who cannot afford private rent and who fear they could end up on the streets. I further noted that the Irish Government has announced that it would be delivering 700 modular homes for Ukrainian refugees this year, including 200 accommodating 800 Ukrainian refugees, built by Easter.
From 2003, I campaigned with the housing sector, warning the Welsh Government that Wales faced an affordable housing supply crisis unless urgent action was taken. Regrettably, they ignored us, causing the affordable housing supply crisis in Wales today. The Welsh Government should therefore be considering this option, the option of modular housing, when it receives its share of the UK Government’s new £150 million fund for Ukrainian housing support. In this context, the humanitarian corridor work of Wrexham’s Polish integration support centre, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, includes proposals for the construction of temporary housing. Further, the focus of Berwyn prison in Wrexham on rehabilitation through work includes the production of eco-friendly modular housing.
The Welsh Government's Ukrainian humanitarian response has, to a large extent, been dependent upon engagement with third sector organisations, including Link International, bringing together community and faith groups and third sector organisations, working with north Wales local authorities, in collaboration with other statutory agencies and the Welsh Government; Wrexham's Polish integration support centre, supporting Ukrainian children, older people, disabled people and soldiers; the Red Cross, supporting and housing the families of the pupils that Laura Anne Jones and I met in Denbighshire last Friday; Rotary clubs that have donated over £6 million in cash and kind and given more than 100,000 volunteer hours supporting Ukraine and its people over the last 12 months; the response to the invasion of Ukraine by the Catholic Bishops Conference for England and Wales; and many, many more.
We must collectively thank the people of Wales for their kindness, generosity and determination to support our Ukrainian friends. The military, financial and humanitarian aid provided to Ukraine by both the UK and Welsh Governments has been vital in supporting the fight against tyranny. But we can't become complacent now. I therefore call on all Members to support this motion, which calls on the Welsh Government to publish a long-term plan to support Ukrainian refugees in Wales, ensuring Wales can truly be a nation of sanctuary. Diolch yn fawr.
Bydd y DU yn darparu £2.3 biliwn neu fwy o gymorth milwrol i ymgyrch Wcráin yn erbyn ymosodiadau Rwsia eleni, cymaint â'r llynedd neu fwy, pan anfonodd y DU fwy na 10,800 o daflegrau gwrth-danc, pum system amddiffyn awyr, 120 o gerbydau arfog, bwledi, dronau a mwy.
Mae sancsiynau wedi'u gosod ar dros 1,320 o unigolion ac endidau, a gwerth £275 biliwn o asedau wedi’u rhewi, gan daro economi Rwsia, cloffi strwythur milwrol ddiwydiannol Rwsia, a chosbi Putin a'i gynghreiriaid, gan gynnwys 120 o oligarchiaid sydd gyda'i gilydd yn werth dros £140 biliwn.
Mae 217,900 o fisâu wedi'u rhoi i helpu pobl o Wcráin ddod i'r DU. Ar 7 Chwefror, roedd hyn yn cynnwys 152,100 fisa a roddwyd fel rhan o gynllun Cartrefi i Wcráin, a 65,800 a gyhoeddwyd drwy'r cynllun teuluoedd o Wcráin. Mae’r DU hefyd wedi darparu £1.5 biliwn o gymorth economaidd a dyngarol i helpu pobl Wcráin, gyda £1.3 biliwn i helpu i gynnal gwasanaethau cyhoeddus Wcráin, ac oddeutu £220 miliwn mewn cymorth dyngarol ar gyfer angenrheidiau sylfaenol.
Roedd ffigurau diweddaraf Llywodraeth y DU ar 7 Chwefror yn dangos bod 8,762 o fisâu wedi’u rhoi i bobl o Wcráin sydd â noddwyr yng Nghymru, a bod 6,437 o bobl Wcráin wedi cyrraedd Cymru, 53 y cant wedi’u cefnogi gan Lywodraeth Cymru a’r gweddill gan aelwydydd yng Nghymru. Mae rhagor o bobl wedi cyrraedd o dan y cynllun teuluoedd o Wcráin. Sefydlodd Llywodraeth Cymru ei chynllun uwch-noddwyr i ddarparu cymorth llety a gofal yng Nghymru i 1,000 o bobl o Wcráin. Cafodd wared ar yr angen hefyd i ymgeiswyr gael eu paru ag unigolyn penodol cyn iddynt gael caniatâd i deithio i'r DU drwy'r system fisâu. Fodd bynnag, cafodd y cynllun ei oedi dros dro i geisiadau newydd ar 10 Mehefin y llynedd. Dywedodd Llywodraeth Cymru y byddai hyn yn rhoi amser i wneud trefniadau ar gyfer cam nesaf y llety, ac y byddai pob cais a wnaed cyn 10 Mehefin 2022 yn cael ei brosesu. Mae’n dal yn aneglur felly faint o’r 4,614 o fisâu a noddwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru sy’n gysylltiedig â cheisiadau a wnaed cyn 10 Mehefin 2022, a faint sy'n gysylltiedig â chynllun uwch-noddwyr a ailagorwyd ar ôl i Lywodraeth Cymru ystyried ei bod wedi gwneud trefniadau ar gyfer cam nesaf y llety.
Yn ei datganiad ar yr ymateb dyngarol ddoe, dywedodd y Gweinidog cyfiawnder cymdeithasol fod dros 1,300 o’r rheini y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi’u noddi bellach wedi symud i lety mwy hirdymor. Yn y cyd-destun hwn, rwyf am ailadrodd yr hyn a ddywedais wrth ymateb i ddatganiad y Gweinidog ddoe:
'Adroddir bod nifer o ffoaduriaid o Wcráin yng Nghymru wedi siarad â'r cyfryngau am yr anawsterau y mae nifer ohonyn nhw'n eu cael yn dod o hyd i lety a'i gadw. Er enghraifft, dywedwyd wrth ffoaduriaid o Wcráin y bu'n rhaid iddyn nhw adael eu cartrefi nawdd nad yw canolfannau croeso yn opsiwn ar gyfer llety diogel, ac mae'n ymddangos bod landlordiaid yn amharod i dderbyn tenantiaid sy'n ffoaduriaid oherwydd pryderon ynghylch sefydlogrwydd enillion yn y dyfodol.'
Wrth ymateb i’r Gweinidog dair wythnos yn ôl, cyfeiriais hefyd at achos y fam a’r ferch a ffodd rhag yr ymladd yn Wcráin ond sydd bellach yn wynebu digartrefedd wrth i’w noddwr yng Nghymru dynnu’n ôl, ac nad ydynt yn gallu fforddio rhent preifat a'u bod yn ofni y gallai fod rhaid iddynt fyw ar y stryd. Sylwais ymhellach fod Llywodraeth Iwerddon wedi cyhoeddi y byddai’n darparu 700 o gartrefi modiwlar ar gyfer ffoaduriaid o Wcráin eleni, gan gynnwys 200 ohonynt i letya 800 o ffoaduriaid o Wcráin, i'w hadeiladu erbyn y Pasg.
Ers 2003, rwyf wedi bod yn ymgyrchu gyda’r sector tai, gan rybuddio Llywodraeth Cymru fod Cymru’n wynebu argyfwng cyflenwad tai fforddiadwy oni bai bod camau brys yn cael eu cymryd. Yn anffodus, fe wnaethant ein hanwybyddu, gan achosi’r argyfwng cyflenwad tai fforddiadwy yng Nghymru heddiw. Dylai Llywodraeth Cymru ystyried yr opsiwn hwn felly, sef opsiwn tai modiwlar, pan fydd yn cael ei chyfran o gronfa newydd Llywodraeth y DU o £150 miliwn ar gyfer cymorth tai i bobl Wcráin. Yn y cyd-destun hwn, mae gwaith canolfan gymorth integreiddio Pwylaidd Wrecsam ar goridor dyngarol, yn dilyn ymosodiad Rwsia ar Wcráin, yn cynnwys cynigion ar gyfer adeiladu tai dros dro. Ymhellach, mae ffocws carchar Berwyn yn Wrecsam ar adsefydlu drwy waith yn cynnwys cynhyrchu tai modiwlar ecogyfeillgar.
Mae ymateb dyngarol Llywodraeth Cymru i'r sefyllfa yn Wcráin wedi dibynnu i raddau helaeth ar ymgysylltu â sefydliadau'r trydydd sector, gan gynnwys Link International, sy'n dod â grwpiau cymunedol a ffydd a sefydliadau'r trydydd sector ynghyd, gan weithio gydag awdurdodau lleol yng ngogledd Cymru, mewn cydweithrediad ag asiantaethau statudol eraill a Llywodraeth Cymru; canolfan gymorth integreiddio Pwylaidd Wrecsam, sy'n cefnogi plant o Wcráin, pobl hŷn, pobl anabl a milwyr; y Groes Goch, sy'n cefnogi ac yn rhoi cartrefi i deuluoedd y disgyblion y cyfarfu Laura Anne Jones a minnau â hwy yn sir Ddinbych ddydd Gwener diwethaf; clybiau Rotari sydd wedi rhoi dros £6 miliwn mewn arian parod ac mewn nwyddau ac wedi rhoi mwy na 100,000 o oriau gwirfoddol i gefnogi Wcráin a’i phobl dros y 12 mis diwethaf; yr ymateb i'r ymosodiad ar Wcráin gan Gynhadledd Esgobion Catholig Cymru a Lloegr; a llawer iawn mwy.
Mae'n rhaid inni ddiolch ar y cyd i bobl Cymru am eu caredigrwydd, eu haelioni a’u penderfynoldeb i gefnogi ein ffrindiau yn Wcráin. Mae’r cymorth milwrol, ariannol a dyngarol a ddarparwyd i Wcráin gan Lywodraethau’r DU a Chymru wedi bod yn hanfodol i gefnogi’r frwydr yn erbyn gormes. Ond ni allwn fod yn hunanfodlon nawr. Galwaf felly ar bob Aelod i gefnogi’r cynnig hwn, sy’n galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i gyhoeddi cynllun hirdymor i gefnogi ffoaduriaid o Wcráin yng Nghymru, i sicrhau y gall Cymru fod yn genedl noddfa go iawn. Diolch yn fawr.
I thank the Conservative party for tabling this debate; it's very timely, of course, because next week we will be marking the first anniversary of this invasion. I think, at a time when people seek to create divisions in politics, it's good to have the opportunity to come together as well. I was listening to Mark Isherwood opening the debate, and I noticed there were two words he used that are peppered in my speech as well, in my notes here: the first is 'brutality' and the second is 'generosity'.
When you see an international event such as the invasion of Ukraine, you see brutality at its most raw, and we saw this time last year the build-up of forces around Ukraine and the lies of Putin in claiming that they weren't planning an invasion of that country. Since then, we've certainly seen the commissioning of war crimes by Vladimir Putin, and he needs to be held to account for the actions of his soldiers over this last year.
But we've also seen him practise brutal repression in his own country, in Russia. I read yesterday of the story of a student who had mentioned on her Instagram that she opposed the war in Ukraine. She wears an electronic tag and is facing years of imprisonment, simply for saying that she opposes the Government on Instagram. It's a brutality that is being visited on Ukraine, but it's also a brutality that has been visited on the people of Russia. We need to be able to say together as a Parliament that we will stand against this brutality, and that we will stand with the generosity of people across Wales and across the international community who have supported the people of Ukraine, who have reached out to the people of Ukraine.
Myself and the Counsel General, Mick Antoniw, who has led in an extraordinary, emotional way a response in Wales to this invasion, we stood at the border on the way to Lviv in December, and we stood there for three hours amongst other vehicles full of aid being given by people in other countries to the people of Ukraine. We saw human generosity, human commitment and human solidarity in those trucks and vans and cars, in that snow, waiting to cross the border to give to the people of Ukraine everything that they'd been able to collect in their home countries—generosity in action, generosity of spirit and a generosity of commitment and solidarity.
Our minds move, at the moment, to next week's anniversary, and we see again the troops being mobilised on the borders of Ukraine, and we see again that Putin is determined to crush the spirit of the people of Ukraine. So, we will say again that we will stand with the people of Ukraine, and we will say again that we will continue to act in a spirit of solidarity to ensure that the people of Ukraine receive the support that they require, not only to withstand the invasion and the cruelty and the brutality, but also to then rebuild their country afterwards.
We've seen, in my time, trying here to help support the people of Ukraine—. We saw what that meant for people in Lviv in December. Tomorrow, we will leave here again to travel to Kyiv next week with more aid, more support. Members on all sides of this Chamber, in all parties represented in this Parliament, have worked together in order to provide the support that is required to deliver that aid and that commitment to the people of Ukraine. And that is a testament, I think, to the power of a parliamentary democracy.
We have seen also the importance of the structures of our security, our defence and of our economic prosperity in the west tested as never before. It was important this week to see NATO leaders meeting and recommitting to ensuring that the Ukrainian army has the munitions that it requires to defend its territory. And we need to say in the plan—which I accept the Conservatives have asked for, and I would like to see it as well—that we will support the Welsh defence industry in sustaining the munitions production that is required in order to defend the people of Ukraine. We will continue to argue for the vehicles, the tanks and the weaponry that is required to defend the people of Ukraine. Warm words matter for nothing when you are fighting a dictator. What we need to be able to do is ensure that Ukraine has the bullets and the shells and the munitions to defend its territory as well.
Bringing my remarks to a close, Deputy Presiding Officer, war impacts people. It impacts human beings. The images that we saw over the last year on our tv screens have been truly heartbreaking. Mothers and fathers crying over their children. Children crying over their fathers and mothers. Myself and the Counsel General witnessed last December a child saying goodbye to a father in uniform, standing at the bus stop in Lviv in the early morning darkness, in tears, saying goodbye. Images that we have seen before, but images that we saw in black and white, and not images that we expected to see in the harsh technicolour of the twenty-first century.
Many of us have spent a lifetime campaigning for peace on this continent, and have witnessed the reality of genocide on this continent in our lifetimes. The lesson that we must learn from Ukraine is that we provide all the support necessary to defend Ukraine, its people, its population. We help and work with Ukraine to rebuild the country afterwards. And then, we hold to account, in international tribunals, the people who have practised this brutality and this war. They then have to accept responsibility for the lives that they have broken and the damage that they have done to Ukraine and our European homeland. Thank you.
Diolch i’r blaid Geidwadol am gyflwyno’r ddadl hon; mae'n amserol iawn, wrth gwrs, oherwydd yr wythnos nesaf, byddwn yn nodi blwyddyn ers cychwyn yr ymosodiad hwn. Ar adeg pan fo pobl yn ceisio creu rhaniadau mewn gwleidyddiaeth, credaf ei bod yn dda cael cyfle i ddod at ein gilydd hefyd. Roeddwn yn gwrando ar Mark Isherwood yn agor y ddadl, a sylwais fod dau air a ddefnyddiodd yn britho fy araith innau hefyd, yn fy nodiadau yma: y cyntaf yw ‘creulondeb’ a’r ail yw ‘haelioni’.
Pan welwch ddigwyddiad rhyngwladol fel yr ymosodiad ar Wcráin, rydych yn gweld creulondeb ar ei ffurf fwyaf amrwd, a'r adeg hon y llynedd, gwelsom y lluoedd yn cronni o amgylch Wcráin a chelwyddau Putin wrth iddo honni nad oeddent yn cynllunio i ymosod ar y wlad honno. Ers hynny, rydym yn sicr wedi gweld Vladimir Putin yn comisiynu troseddau rhyfel, ac mae angen iddo gael ei ddwyn i gyfrif am weithredoedd ei filwyr dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf hon.
Ond rydym hefyd wedi'i weld ei ormes creulon ar ei wlad ei hun, yn Rwsia. Darllenais ddoe am stori myfyriwr a oedd wedi sôn ar ei chyfrif Instagram ei bod yn gwrthwynebu'r rhyfel yn Wcráin. Mae hi’n gwisgo tag electronig ac yn wynebu blynyddoedd o garchar, dim ond am ddweud ei bod yn gwrthwynebu’r Llywodraeth ar Instagram. Mae'n greulondeb tuag at Wcráin, ond mae hefyd yn greulondeb tuag at bobl Rwsia. Mae angen inni allu dweud gyda’n gilydd fel Senedd y byddwn yn sefyll yn erbyn y creulondeb hwn, ac y byddwn yn cydsefyll gyda haelioni pobl ledled Cymru ac ar draws y gymuned ryngwladol sydd wedi cefnogi pobl Wcráin, ac sydd wedi estyn llaw i bobl Wcráin.
Fe fu’r Cwnsler Cyffredinol, Mick Antoniw, sydd wedi arwain ymateb yng Nghymru i’r ymosodiad hwn mewn ffordd anhygoel ac emosiynol, a minnau'n sefyll ar y ffin ar y ffordd i Lviv ym mis Rhagfyr, ac fe wnaethom sefyll yno am dair awr ymhlith cerbydau eraill yn llawn o gymorth a roddwyd gan bobl o wledydd eraill i bobl Wcráin. Gwelsom haelioni dynol, ymrwymiad dynol ac undod dynol yn y tryciau a'r faniau a'r ceir hynny, yn yr eira, yn aros i groesi'r ffin i roi popeth roeddent wedi gallu ei gasglu yn eu gwledydd eu hunain i bobl Wcráin—haelioni gweithredol, haelioni o ran ysbryd a haelioni o ran ymrwymiad ac undod.
Rydym yn meddwl nawr am yr wythnos nesaf, sy'n nodi blwyddyn ers cychwyn yr ymosodiad, a gwelwn unwaith eto y milwyr yn cael eu cynnull ar ffiniau Wcráin, a gwelwn eto fod Putin yn benderfynol o chwalu ysbryd pobl Wcráin. Felly, fe ddywedwn eto y byddwn yn cydsefyll gyda phobl Wcráin, a dywedwn eto y byddwn yn parhau i weithredu mewn ysbryd o undod i sicrhau bod pobl Wcráin yn cael y cymorth sydd ei angen arnynt, nid yn unig i wrthsefyll yr ymosodiad a'r creulondeb, ond hefyd i ailadeiladu eu gwlad wedyn.
Rydym wedi gweld, yn fy amser i yma yn ceisio helpu i gefnogi pobl Wcráin—. Gwelsom beth oedd hynny'n ei olygu i bobl yn Lviv ym mis Rhagfyr. Yfory, byddwn yn gadael eto i deithio i Kyiv yr wythnos nesaf gyda mwy o gymorth, mwy o gefnogaeth. Mae Aelodau ar bob ochr i’r Siambr hon, o bob plaid a gynrychiolir yn y Senedd hon, wedi gweithio gyda’i gilydd er mwyn darparu’r cymorth sydd ei angen i ddarparu’r gefnogaeth honno a’r ymrwymiad hwnnw i bobl Wcráin. Ac mae hynny'n dyst, yn fy marn i, i rym democratiaeth seneddol.
Rydym hefyd wedi gweld pwysigrwydd ein strwythurau diogelwch, ein strwythurau amddiffyn a’n ffyniant economaidd yn y gorllewin yn cael eu profi fel erioed o’r blaen. Yr wythnos hon, roedd yn bwysig gweld arweinwyr NATO yn cyfarfod ac yn ailymrwymo i sicrhau bod gan fyddin Wcráin yr arfau rhyfel sydd eu hangen arnynt i amddiffyn eu tiriogaeth. Ac mae angen inni ddweud yn y cynllun—ac rwy'n derbyn bod y Ceidwadwyr wedi gofyn amdano, a hoffwn innau ei weld hefyd—y byddwn yn cefnogi diwydiant amddiffyn Cymru i gynnal y gwaith o gynhyrchu'r arfau rhyfel y mae gofyn amdanynt er mwyn amddiffyn pobl Wcráin. Byddwn yn parhau i ddadlau dros y cerbydau, y tanciau a’r arfau sydd eu hangen i amddiffyn pobl Wcráin. Nid yw geiriau cynnes yn dda i ddim pan fyddwch yn ymladd yn erbyn unben. Yr hyn sydd angen inni allu ei wneud yw sicrhau bod gan Wcráin y bwledi a'r ffrwydron a'r arfau rhyfel i amddiffyn eu tiriogaeth hefyd.
I gloi, Ddirprwy Lywydd, mae rhyfel yn effeithio ar bobl. Mae'n effeithio ar fodau dynol. Mae’r lluniau a welsom dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf ar ein sgriniau teledu wedi bod yn wirioneddol dorcalonnus. Mamau a thadau'n crio dros eu plant. Plant yn crio dros eu tadau a'u mamau. Fis Rhagfyr diwethaf, gwelais i a’r Cwnsler Cyffredinol blentyn yn ffarwelio â thad mewn iwnifform, yn sefyll wrth y safle bws yn Lviv yn nhywyllwch ben bore, mewn dagrau, yn ffarwelio. Lluniau rydym wedi’u gweld o’r blaen, ond lluniau a welsom mewn du a gwyn, ac nid lluniau roeddem yn disgwyl eu gweld yn lliwiau llachar yr unfed ganrif ar hugain.
Mae llawer ohonom wedi treulio oes yn ymgyrchu dros heddwch ar y cyfandir hwn, ac wedi bod yn dyst i realiti hil-laddiad ar y cyfandir hwn yn ystod ein hoes. Y wers y mae'n rhaid inni ei dysgu o Wcráin yw ein bod yn darparu'r holl gymorth sy'n angenrheidiol i amddiffyn Wcráin, ei phobl, ei phoblogaeth. Rydym yn helpu ac yn gweithio gyda Wcráin i ailadeiladu'r wlad wedyn. Ac yna, rydym yn dwyn i gyfrif, mewn tribiwnlysoedd rhyngwladol, y bobl sydd wedi creu'r creulondeb a'r rhyfel hwn. Yna, mae'n rhaid iddynt dderbyn cyfrifoldeb am y bywydau y maent wedi'u chwalu a'r difrod y maent wedi'i wneud i Wcráin a'n Hewrop ni. Diolch.
First off, I would like to reiterate and endorse the words that have already been spoken, and I would like to put on record our thanks, as Members here in the Senedd, to those of you who have been over to see at first hand the need over there. I think that it's fair to say that the brutality of this horrendous war is borne most painfully of the backs of those defending their homeland, the civilian population and many, many women and children. Many will have been too young to even understand why their lives have been suddenly and brutally uprooted.
The warmth and generosity, however, of communities right across the United Kingdom has shown us at our best. Even in my own constituency, across Aberconwy, local people were very quick to want to offer their hand of support, their homes as a roof over the heads of those fleeing Putin's appalling war in Ukraine. They showed that kindness and warmth—the same kindness and warmth that has always been part of the British spirit.
However, there are still some issues with the day-to-day settlement and the integration schemes, and it's those that I would like to speak about today, as the shadow Minister for housing, because these accommodation issues do worry me. Many Ukrainian refugees have spoken to news outlets, such as WalesOnline, about the difficulties that many of them have now in finding and maintaining housing accommodation. There are millions of displaced people who are still, to this day, moving from one temporary location to another, unsure when they’ll ever return home.
Out of the 8 million people who fled Ukraine, 7,000 found themselves in Wales. Half of the refugees in Wales are sponsored by the Welsh Government's supersponsor scheme, and I’m really grateful for that scheme. They’ve spent the majority of their stays, however, in hotels and similar venues, which quite frankly were never designed for long-term stays. The other half have come via the household Homes for Ukraine sponsorship scheme. Ukrainian refugees who have had to leave their sponsor homes have been told that welcome centres aren’t an option for safe accommodation if they arrived in the UK as part of the supersponsor scheme. So, with local authorities advising them to look at the private rental market, some landlords appear reluctant to take on refugee tenants due to concerns over the stability of future earnings.
Another Ukrainian refugee talked about the experience, saying,
'in the beginning for me everything was tyrannical and could easily break an ordinary person...The system to some extent offends and humiliates the dignity of a refugee and gives an opportunity to a sponsor.'
Some of those sponsors are landlords who, at any time,
'can throw the tenant out on the street or can arrange unbearable conditions and the right to interfere in someone’s personal life. It is a system that can implicitly wake up unacceptable human qualities such as swagger, arrogance and other negative aspects'
that some Ukrainians are now experiencing. So, I do hope that, in the response, you can actually provide us with some reassurances as to how you have been dealing with this.
There is clearly still some lack of joined-up co-ordination regarding the implementation of support and the integration of schemes for Ukrainian refugees. However, the crux of the problem here in Wales is that we simply do not have enough homes. The Welsh Government is achieving less than 50 per cent of the new dwellings target annually, so we need to really look at this. Natural Resources Wales, Welsh Government, health boards and local authorities already own land on which houses could be quickly erected, and I take the point that my colleague Mark Isherwood said earlier about modular housing. The time has come for a home building taskforce to be formed to drive quick projects such as factory-made modular housing on publicly owned land. We have a major housing crisis that is now seeing those refugees stuck in hotels, not homes. It is time for us all to work together to overcome the red tape that is holding back a roof above the head of these most vulnerable individuals. The eyes of the world are watching us and we have to get this right. Thank you.
I ddechrau, hoffwn ailadrodd a chymeradwyo'r geiriau sydd eisoes wedi cael eu llefaru, a hoffwn gofnodi ein diolch, fel Aelodau yma yn y Senedd, i'r rhai ohonoch sydd wedi bod draw i weld yr angen draw yno drosoch eich hunain. Credaf ei bod yn deg dweud mai'r rhai sy'n dioddef creulondeb y rhyfel erchyll hwn yn fwyaf poenus yw'r rhai sy'n amddiffyn eu mamwlad, y boblogaeth sifil a llawer iawn o fenywod a phlant. Bydd llawer wedi bod yn rhy ifanc i ddeall hyd yn oed pam fod eu bywydau wedi cael eu diwreiddio'n sydyn ac yn greulon.
Fodd bynnag, mae cynhesrwydd a haelioni cymunedau ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig wedi ein dangos ar ein gorau. Hyd yn oed yn fy etholaeth i, ar draws Aberconwy, roedd pobl leol yn gyflym iawn i fod eisiau cynnig cymorth, eu cartrefi fel to dros bennau'r rheini sy'n ffoi rhag rhyfel erchyll Putin yn Wcráin. Fe wnaethant ddangos y caredigrwydd a'r cynhesrwydd hwnnw—yr un caredigrwydd a chynhesrwydd sydd bob amser wedi bod yn rhan o'r ysbryd Prydeinig.
Fodd bynnag, mae rhai problemau o hyd gyda setlo o ddydd i ddydd a'r cynlluniau integreiddio, ac am y rheini yr hoffwn siarad heddiw, fel Gweinidog tai yr wrthblaid, oherwydd mae'r materion llety hyn yn fy mhoeni. Mae llawer o ffoaduriaid Wcreinaidd wedi siarad â chwmnïau newyddion, fel WalesOnline, am yr anawsterau y mae llawer ohonynt yn eu hwynebu nawr i ddod o hyd i dai, ac i allu cadw eu llety. Ceir miliynau o bobl wedi'u dadleoli sy'n dal i fod, hyd heddiw, yn symud o un lleoliad dros dro i'r llall, yn ansicr pryd y byddant yn dychwelyd adref.
O'r 8 miliwn o bobl a wnaeth ffoi o Wcráin, daeth 7,000 i Gymru. Mae hanner y ffoaduriaid yng Nghymru yn cael eu noddi gan gynllun uwch-noddwyr Llywodraeth Cymru, ac rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn am y cynllun hwnnw. Maent wedi treulio'r rhan fwyaf o'u harosiadau, fodd bynnag, mewn gwestai a lleoliadau tebyg, na chawsant erioed mo'u cynllunio ar gyfer arosiadau hirdymor a bod yn onest. Mae'r hanner arall wedi dod drwy'r cynllun nawdd Cartrefi i Wcráin. Mae ffoaduriaid Wcreinaidd sydd wedi gorfod gadael eu cartrefi nawdd wedi cael gwybod nad yw canolfannau croeso'n opsiwn fel llety diogel os oeddent wedi cyrraedd y DU fel rhan o'r cynllun uwch-noddwyr. Felly, gydag awdurdodau lleol yn eu cynghori i edrych ar y farchnad rhentu preifat, mae'n ymddangos bod rhai landlordiaid yn amharod i rentu i denantiaid sy'n ffoaduriaid oherwydd pryderon ynghylch sefydlogrwydd enillion yn y dyfodol.
Siaradodd ffoadur arall o Wcráin am y profiad, gan ddweud,
'yn y dechrau i mi roedd popeth yn ormesgar a gallai'n hawdd dorri person cyffredin... Mae'r system i ryw raddau yn tramgwyddo ac yn bychanu urddas ffoadur ac yn darparu cyfle i noddwr.'
Mae rhai o'r noddwyr hynny'n landlordiaid sydd, ar unrhyw adeg,
'yn gallu troi'r tenant allan ar y stryd neu'n gallu trefnu amodau annioddefol, a hawl i ymyrryd ym mywyd personol rhywun. Mae'n system sy'n gallu ennyn nodweddion dynol annerbyniol fel trahauster, haerllugrwydd ac agweddau negyddol eraill'
y mae rhai Wcreiniaid bellach yn eu profi. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio, yn yr ymateb, y gallwch roi sicrwydd i ni ynglŷn â sut rydych chi wedi bod yn ymdrin â hyn.
Mae'n amlwg fod yna ddiffyg cydlynu cydgysylltiedig o hyd ynghylch gweithredu cymorth ac integreiddio cynlluniau ar gyfer ffoaduriaid Wcreinaidd. Ond craidd y broblem yma yng Nghymru yw nad oes gennym ddigon o gartrefi. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn llwyddo i gyrraedd llai na 50 y cant o'r targed ar gyfer anheddau newydd yn flynyddol, felly mae angen inni edrych ar hyn o ddifrif. Mae Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru, Llywodraeth Cymru, byrddau iechyd ac awdurdodau lleol eisoes yn berchen ar dir y gellid codi tai'n gyflym arno, ac rwy'n cymryd y pwynt a nododd fy nghyd-Aelod Mark Isherwood yn gynharach am dai modiwlar. Mae'r amser wedi dod i ffurfio tasglu adeiladu cartrefi i yrru prosiectau cyflym fel tai modiwlar wedi'u gwneud mewn ffatri ar dir sy'n eiddo cyhoeddus. Mae gennym argyfwng tai mawr sydd bellach yn golygu bod ffoaduriaid yn gaeth mewn gwestai, nid cartrefi. Mae'n bryd i bawb ohonom gydweithio i oresgyn y fiwrocratiaeth sy'n ein dal rhag rhoi to uwchben yr unigolion mwyaf bregus hyn. Mae llygaid y byd yn ein gwylio ac mae'n rhaid inni wneud hyn yn iawn. Diolch.
Plaid Cymru stands in complete solidarity with the people of Ukraine for showing remarkable resilience in the face of Russia’s continued brutal attacks. And it disheartens me, a year on since Putin’s illegal and barbaric invasion—as Sioned Williams said yesterday—of Ukraine that the war continues. Horrific war crimes are being committed and the Russian officials leading the war, including Vladimir Putin, should be on trial for war crimes. Putin’s illegal war and continued aggression against Ukraine, its sovereignty and territorial integrity demonstrate a complete disregard for the UN charter and the self-determination of other nations.
I’d like to emphasise point 3 of the motion in applauding the resilience and strength and bravery of all Ukrainian people in the face of this brutality. And despite this brutality, and whilst Ukraine continues to defend itself against Russia, we must also remember that the country is still playing a key international role. We saw, in response to the devastating earthquake on the Turkey-Syria border, Ukraine not hesitating before sending emergency staff and life-saving machinery to aid in the recovery effort, playing a globally responsible role as a nation.
I urge the UK Government and Welsh Government to continue to provide humanitarian and financial aid to Ukraine. And it’s saddening to hear that, according to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, as of 30 January, there were 7,155 civilian deaths, 438 of which were children. Furthermore, 11,662 people are reported to have been injured, and they've specified that the real numbers could be much, much higher. To me, this only emphasises the tragedy of war and the need to find peaceful ways of resolving conflicts. We have to do our utmost to avoid further death and destruction, but, ultimately, the peaceful settlement of the war depends on Russia.
We cannot forget that Putin's aim is to destroy the Ukrainian state and to establish a puppet regime, and it's unrealistic to expect negotiations to happen on those terms. Allowing nations to be conquered and subjugated by oppressors is not something we can simply stand by and watch. However, it is crucial that we are clear that any weapons supplied are for Ukrainians to defend themselves, and we must be wary of any risk of escalation into an offensive war. We should be looking at all alternative means to help Ukrainian people at this time. For example, we should further look at continuing and extending sanctions against the Russian economy. These sanctions must also reduce the chance of future campaigns by Russia. The annexation of Crimea in 2014 did result in economic sanctions, but now we know that it wasn't enough to prevent Russia's motivation to invade Ukraine further last year.
And I would call on each of us—. We have mentioned already that Wales is a nation of sanctuary, but as was reflected during Sioned Williams's contribution yesterday and the Minister for Social Justice's response, we cannot allow hostility here in Wales to continue. I have been horrified and hugely saddened to see a Facebook page that has been set up—I was sent a link—which is galvanising nothing short of hatred and a proposed protest in Llantwit Major next month. This is not in line with our values as a nation, and I would urge all of us to consider the language that we use and to consider how that is heard by everyone we represent. This is an open Facebook group and, looking at it, the comments are racist, they're xenophobic, they are full of hatred. That's not the society I want Wales to be, and I am saddened.
I cannot say to those Ukrainian people who've been through so much, and others—. People don't choose to be here. They would like to be safe in their homes, yet they have been forced to live here and they are trying their best. The hatred they then face when they arrive here, rather than being welcomed, is something that should horrify each of us. And given that we saw the attacks in Liverpool last week, to think that the same group is galvanising a protest here in Wales is something that we must consider carefully in this debate. If Wales is to be a true nation of sanctuary, then it is our responsibility to ensure that it is and to stamp out this hatred.
Mae Plaid Cymru yn sefyll mewn undod llwyr â phobl Wcráin am ddangos gwytnwch rhyfeddol yn wyneb ymosodiadau creulon parhaus Rwsia. Ac mae'n fy nigalonni, flwyddyn ers goresgyniad anghyfreithlon a barbaraidd Putin—fel y dywedodd Sioned Williams ddoe—yn Wcráin fod y rhyfel yn parhau. Mae troseddau rhyfel erchyll yn cael eu cyflawni a dylai swyddogion Rwsia sy'n arwain y rhyfel, gan gynnwys Vladimir Putin, fod ar brawf am droseddau rhyfel. Mae rhyfel anghyfreithlon Putin a pharhad yr ymosodiad ar Wcráin, ei sofraniaeth a'i chyfanrwydd tiriogaethol yn dangos diffyg parch llwyr tuag at siarter y Cenhedloedd Unedig a hunanbenderfyniaeth cenhedloedd eraill.
Hoffwn bwysleisio pwynt 3 y cynnig wrth gymeradwyo gwytnwch a chryfder a dewrder holl bobl Wcráin yn wyneb y creulondeb hwn. Ac er gwaethaf y creulondeb, a thra bod Wcráin yn parhau i amddiffyn ei hun yn erbyn Rwsia, rhaid cofio hefyd fod y wlad yn dal i chwarae rhan allweddol yn rhyngwladol. Mewn ymateb i'r daeargryn dinistriol ar ffin Twrci-Syria, ni phetrusodd Wcráin rhag anfon staff brys a pheiriannau achub bywyd i gynorthwyo'r ymdrech achub, gan chwarae rhan gyfrifol yn fyd-eang fel gwlad.
Rwy'n annog Llywodraeth y DU a Llywodraeth Cymru i barhau i ddarparu cymorth dyngarol ac ariannol i Wcráin. Ac mae'n drist clywed, yn ôl Swyddfa'r Uchel Gomisiynydd Hawliau Dynol, ar 30 Ionawr, fod 7,155 o sifiliaid wedi marw, a 438 ohonynt yn blant. Ar ben hynny, dywedir bod 11,662 o bobl wedi cael eu hanafu, ac maent wedi nodi y gallai'r niferoedd go iawn fod yn llawer iawn uwch. I mi, mae hyn yn pwysleisio trasiedi rhyfel a'r angen i ddod o hyd i ffyrdd heddychlon o ddatrys gwrthdaro. Mae'n rhaid inni wneud ein gorau glas i osgoi marwolaeth a dinistr pellach, ond yn y pen draw, mae dod â'r rhyfel i ben yn heddychlon yn dibynnu ar Rwsia.
Ni allwn anghofio mai nod Putin yw dinistrio gwladwriaeth Wcráin a sefydlu cyfundrefn byped, ac mae'n afrealistig disgwyl i drafodaethau ddigwydd ar y telerau hynny. Nid yw caniatáu i wledydd gael eu concro a'u hiselhau gan ormeswyr yn rhywbeth y gallwn adael iddo ddigwydd. Fodd bynnag, mae'n hanfodol ein bod yn glir fod unrhyw arfau'n cael eu cyflenwi er mwyn i Wcreiniaid amddiffyn eu hunain, a rhaid inni fod yn wyliadwrus o unrhyw risg o ddwysáu'n rhyfel ymosodol. Dylem edrych ar bob dull arall i helpu pobl Wcráin ar hyn o bryd. Er enghraifft, dylem edrych ymhellach ar barhau ac ymestyn sancsiynau yn erbyn economi Rwsia. Rhaid i'r sancsiynau hyn hefyd leihau'r perygl o ymgyrchoedd gan Rwsia yn y dyfodol. Fe wnaeth cydfeddiant Crimea yn 2014 arwain at sancsiynau economaidd, ond nawr gwyddom nad oeddent yn ddigon i atal cymhelliad Rwsia i oresgyn Wcráin ymhellach y llynedd.
A hoffwn alw ar bob un ohonon—. Rydym eisoes wedi nodi bod Cymru yn genedl noddfa, ond fel y nodwyd yn ystod cyfraniad Sioned Williams ddoe ac ymateb y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol, ni allwn ganiatáu i elyniaeth barhau yma yng Nghymru. Rwyf wedi dychryn ac yn drist iawn o weld tudalen Facebook yn cael ei sefydlu—anfonwyd dolen ataf—sy'n ysgogi casineb a phrotest arfaethedig yn Llanilltud Fawr fis nesaf. Nid yw hyn yn cyd-fynd â'n gwerthoedd fel cenedl, a hoffwn annog pob un ohonom i ystyried yr iaith a ddefnyddiwn ac i ystyried sut y caiff ei chlywed gan bawb a gynrychiolwn. Grŵp Facebook agored yw hwn, ac o edrych arno, mae'r sylwadau'n hiliol, maent yn senoffobig, maent yn llawn casineb. Nid dyna'r gymdeithas rwyf am i Gymru fod, ac rwyf wedi fy nhristau.
Ni allaf ddweud wrth y bobl Wcreinaidd sydd wedi bod drwy gymaint, ac eraill—. Nid yw pobl yn dewis bod yma. Hoffent fod yn ddiogel yn eu cartrefi, ond eto maent wedi cael eu gorfodi i fyw yma ac maent yn gwneud eu gorau. Mae'r casineb a wynebant wedyn pan fyddant yn cyrraedd yma, yn hytrach na chael eu croesawu, yn rhywbeth a ddylai ddychryn pob un ohonom. Ac o ystyried yr ymosodiadau a welsom yn Lerpwl yr wythnos diwethaf, mae meddwl bod yr un grŵp yn ysgogi protest yma yng Nghymru yn rhywbeth y mae'n rhaid i ni ei ystyried yn ofalus yn y ddadl hon. Os yw Cymru i fod yn genedl noddfa go iawn, ein cyfrifoldeb ni yw sicrhau ei bod hi, a chael gwared ar y casineb hwn ar unwaith.
I'm grateful to be able to take part in today's extremely important debate on the motion on the invasion of Ukraine and supporting Ukrainian refugees. I'd like to remind Members of my register of interests in relation to trusteeship of charities.
Firstly, I want to echo comments made from across the political Chamber today. They show solidarity with the people of Ukraine, along with all those who are providing support as well. And as already outlined today, the scenes unfolding in Ukraine over the last 12 months and longer have been utterly horrific, heartbreaking, with Putin's bloody and barbaric invasion of Ukraine continuing, more families being torn apart and forced to flee their homes for safety. This invasion has rightly appalled the world and united democratic nations in their condemnation of the brutal actions of President Vladimir Putin against one of our European allies. The horrors that we're witnessing in Ukraine take us back to a dark time, a time we thought was firmly in the past on the European continent, but, sadly, is not the case.
I want to be able to use my time today to draw Members' attention to point 5 of today's motion. I, too, would like to thank the people of Wales for their response, support and friendship provided to the people of Ukraine. Certainly, taking into account Heledd Fychan's points just then, there are, sadly, pockets of people in Wales who don't share that same support and hand of friendship, but many people across Wales are rightly offering a hand of friendship to people fleeing Ukraine.
In my contribution today, I'd like to particularly focus on a group of people and organisations that continue to heavily support Ukrainian refugees. This is our churches and their congregations across Wales, no matter their denomination. Mark Isherwood in opening mentioned a number of faith groups and the work they're carrying out. When we look at churches as a whole, over the past 12 months, through the Welcome Churches network alone, which is an organisation supporting churches to support refugees, over 1,000 churches have welcomed nearly 18,000 refugees across the UK, providing help and support to those who desperately need it.
When we talk about support for refugees from Ukraine, we're talking about supporting the whole person. Alun Davies mentioned this in his contribution a few moments ago—it's about that support for people and that whole person includes their faith, in particular during a time of trauma and hardship. This is extremely important for our friends in Ukraine, because around 85 per cent of people in Ukraine identify as having a Christian faith, with nearly one in five in Ukraine attending a church service every single week. So, it's crucially important that their religious freedom, and expression of this, are able to continue whilst they're here in Wales.
Ahead of this debate, I'm sure that Members from across the Chamber received a briefing from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales regarding the support that they've been providing, which is certainly something we should be welcoming. In particular, in working with the Catholic Church, the Caritas Social Action Network have done a fantastic job in supporting the relocation of refugees across the UK, but also specifically here in Wales. On top of this, we see organisations like CAFOD and others providing practical support on the ground in Ukraine, such as providing meals and other aid as well.
I'd like to commend and thank churches and the church more broadly, and other faith groups, for stepping up during this time and ensuring that those who find comfort and solace in faith are being welcomed into church communities with open arms. So many churches are doing this with volunteers quietly and humbly, calling on all of us to welcome the stranger.
In closing, Deputy Presiding Officer, I'd like to, again, thank all those who are doing so much in supporting Ukrainian refugees. It's been sobering to hear contributions from across the Chamber so far this afternoon. Now is the time for all of us to continue being united in doing what we can to support our Ukrainian friends, whilst holding Putin and his allies responsible for their barbaric and indiscriminate attacks on innocent Ukrainian civilians. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar fy mod yn gallu cymryd rhan yn y ddadl hynod bwysig hon heddiw ar y cynnig ar yr ymosodiad ar Wcráin a chefnogi ffoaduriaid o Wcráin. Hoffwn atgoffa Aelodau o fy nghofrestr buddiannau mewn perthynas ag ymddiriedolwyr elusennau.
Yn gyntaf, rwyf am adleisio sylwadau a wnaed o bob rhan o'r Siambr wleidyddol heddiw. Maent yn dangos undod gyda phobl Wcráin, ynghyd â phawb sy'n darparu cymorth hefyd. Ac fel yr amlinellwyd eisoes heddiw, mae'r golygfeydd a welsom yn Wcráin dros y 12 mis a mwy diwethaf wedi bod yn gwbl erchyll, yn dorcalonnus, gyda goresgyniad gwaedlyd a barbaraidd Putin ar Wcráin yn parhau, mwy o deuluoedd yn cael eu chwalu a'u gorfodi i ffoi o'u cartrefi er diogelwch. Mae'r goresgyniad hwn wedi brawychu'r byd ac wedi uno cenhedloedd democrataidd yn eu condemniad o weithredoedd creulon yr Arlywydd Vladimir Putin yn erbyn un o'n cynghreiriaid Ewropeaidd. Mae'r erchyllterau a welwn yn Wcráin yn mynd â ni yn ôl i gyfnod tywyll, cyfnod y credem ei fod yn gadarn yn y gorffennol ar gyfandir Ewrop, ond yn anffodus, nid yw hynny'n wir.
Rwyf eisiau gallu defnyddio fy amser heddiw i dynnu sylw'r Aelodau at bwynt 5 y cynnig heddiw. Hoffwn innau hefyd ddiolch i bobl Cymru am eu hymateb, am eu cefnogaeth ac am y cyfeillgarwch a ddangoswyd tuag at bobl Wcráin. Yn sicr, o ystyried pwyntiau Heledd Fychan nawr, mae yna bocedi o bobl yng Nghymru nad ydynt yn rhannu'r un gefnogaeth a llaw cyfeillgarwch, ond mae llawer o bobl ledled Cymru yn cynnig llaw cyfeillgarwch yn briodol i bobl sy'n ffoi o Wcráin.
Yn fy nghyfraniad heddiw, hoffwn ganolbwyntio'n arbennig ar grŵp o bobl a sefydliadau sy'n parhau i gefnogi ffoaduriaid Wcreinaidd yn gadarn, sef ein heglwysi a'u cynulleidfaoedd ledled Cymru, ni waeth beth fo'u henwad. Soniodd Mark Isherwood wrth agor am nifer o grwpiau ffydd a'r gwaith y maent yn ei gyflawni. Pan edrychwn ar eglwysi yn gyffredinol, dros y 12 mis diwethaf, drwy'r rhwydwaith Welcome Churches yn unig, sef sefydliad sy'n cynorthwyo eglwysi i gefnogi ffoaduriaid, mae dros 1,000 o eglwysi wedi croesawu bron i 18,000 o ffoaduriaid ledled y DU, gan ddarparu cymorth a chefnogaeth i'r rhai sydd gymaint o'u hangen.
Pan siaradwn am gefnogaeth i ffoaduriaid o Wcráin, rydym yn siarad am gefnogi'r unigolyn cyfan. Soniodd Alun Davies am hyn yn ei gyfraniad ychydig funudau'n ôl—mae'n ymwneud â chefnogaeth i bobl ac mae'r unigolyn cyfan yn cynnwys ei ffydd, yn enwedig yn ystod cyfnod o drawma a chaledi. Mae hyn yn hynod bwysig i'n ffrindiau yn Wcráin, oherwydd mae tua 85 y cant o bobl yn Wcráin yn nodi bod ganddynt ffydd Gristnogol, gyda bron i un o bob pump yn Wcráin yn mynychu gwasanaeth eglwysig bob wythnos. Felly, mae'n hollbwysig fod eu rhyddid crefyddol, a'u mynegiant ohono, yn gallu parhau tra'u bod yma yng Nghymru.
Cyn y ddadl hon, rwy'n siŵr fod aelodau o bob rhan o'r Siambr wedi derbyn briff gan Gynhadledd Esgobion Catholig Cymru a Lloegr ynglŷn â'r gefnogaeth y maent hwy wedi bod yn ei ddarparu, sy'n sicr yn rhywbeth y dylem ei groesawu. Yn fwyaf arbennig, gan weithio gyda'r Eglwys Gatholig, mae Rhwydwaith Gweithredu Cymdeithasol Caritas wedi gwneud gwaith gwych yn cefnogi gwaith adleoli ffoaduriaid ar draws y DU, ond hefyd yn benodol yma yng Nghymru. Ar ben hyn, gwelwn sefydliadau fel CAFOD ac eraill yn cynnig cymorth ymarferol ar lawr gwlad yn Wcráin, fel darparu prydau bwyd a chymorth arall hefyd.
Hoffwn ganmol a diolch i eglwysi a'r eglwys yn ehangach, a grwpiau ffydd eraill, am gamu ymlaen yn ystod y cyfnod hwn a sicrhau bod y rhai sy'n cael cysur a noddfa mewn ffydd yn cael eu croesawu i gymunedau eglwysig gyda breichiau agored. Mae cymaint o eglwysi'n gwneud hyn gyda gwirfoddolwyr yn dawel ac yn ostyngedig, gan alw ar bob un ohonom i groesawu'r dieithryn.
Wrth gloi, Ddirprwy Lywydd, hoffwn ddiolch i bawb sy'n gwneud cymaint i gefnogi ffoaduriaid o Wcráin. Mae wedi bod yn sobreiddiol clywed cyfraniadau o bob rhan o'r Siambr hyd yma y prynhawn yma. Dyma'r amser i bob un ohonom barhau i fod yn unedig a gwneud yr hyn a allwn i gefnogi ein ffrindiau o Wcráin, gan ddwyn Putin a'i gynghreiriaid i gyfrif am eu hymosodiadau barbaraidd a diwahân ar sifiliaid diniwed Wcráin. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
It's hard to believe that it's been a year since we had our last debate here in the Senedd, which was at the start of the war. It's hard to believe that a year has passed since then. I think it's equally hard to comprehend the brutality and the suffering that has happened in Ukraine since that time. It's the greatest humanitarian crisis in Europe since the second world war, with millions displaced, over 7,000 Ukrainian civilians killed, nearly 500 of whom were children. Whole cities, including Mariupol and Bakhmut, countless villages and towns have been driven to the ground by Russian forces. There have been hundreds of thousands of casualties on both the Ukrainian and Russian sides. But we must not forget that Ukraine is a sovereign state, which has forged its own democratic path since its independence from the Soviet Union over 30 years ago. It has a right to self-determination. It's therefore our duty, from one democratically elected Parliament to another, to support those innocent civilians caught up in this barbaric and pointless war. I think all of us here are humbled by the bravery of ordinary citizens in defending their country.
It's also been a week since the historic London declaration was signed by the UK Government and the Ukrainian Government. This reaffirmed the UK's commitment to helping remove Russian forces from Ukrainian territory and to support Ukraine's recovery and long-term future, including work to repair damage to energy supplies and working together to help Ukraine's grain reach world markets again. The declaration formalises a strategic plan to help the Ukrainian Government and its people back on their feet in the long term. I'm very proud of both the UK Government and Welsh Government's actions so far to help Ukrainian people win back their country, from organising international sanctions to training Ukrainian troops to committing £4.6 billion in military support over two years to providing nearly 0.25 million visas for Ukrainians seeking to come to the UK and £1.3 billion in fiscal support. It's clear that we're ready to face down these aggressors together. I'm also proud that so many Welsh people have opened their homes, as we've discussed already, to refugees, but I think there's more we can do here to keep that welcome warm as we approach the one-year anniversary of the conflict.
I'm concerned to learn that half of the Ukrainian refugees who are sponsored by the Welsh Government supersponsor scheme have spent the majority of their time here in hotels or other venues that weren't designed for long-term stays. Ukrainian refugees who've found it difficult to leave their sponsor homes have found it even more difficult to find suitable accommodation, as they claim landlords are reluctant to take them on because of a lack of stability and their earnings. Actually, one Ukrainian refugee got in touch with me earlier today with exactly that problem: they were worried about leaving the hotel they'd been staying in, they were worried about potentially moving from one location to another and the impact that might have on their child's school, because they've just enrolled in a school in Wales, which was really welcome. But, actually, if they get moved to a different location, they may have to uproot and change all over again, which is a real worry for them as well. So, while the initial will has been there, we have to go that bit further to ensure those Ukrainians who have made this journey to Wales are supported throughout the conflict, so in the end they can either choose to stay here, if that's they want to do, or return home once it's safe to do so.
Here, the Welsh Government can support councils to prepare for large groups of people when it comes to freeing up housing and providing education and healthcare so there is as little disruption as possible for families staying here. There's also the possibility of working with private landlords and housing associations to free up suitable accommodation in the long term. We therefore agree there's a need for the Welsh Government to draw up a long-term plan, as we don't know when, unfortunately, the end is in sight for this conflict, and we don't know how long it will take to help rebuild Ukraine in the future.
But to end with a positive note, I've a great example of a community partnership with Ukrainian refugees in Swansea. Some months ago, Ukrainian refugees volunteered to tidy up and begin a project in the courtyard of the burns and plastics unit at Morriston Hospital. The resilience, this community spirit and the desire to give back is something that we should remember and we should support, especially when these refugees left their homeland with very little. Because for every act of evil in this world—and this war has highlighted some of the most evil things imaginable—we mustn't forget that there are exponentially more acts of kindness that showcase the very best of human spirit, and there is no country, I think, that exhibits that more in the world than what we've seen from Ukrainians over the last year. I'm grateful to contribute to this debate. Sláva Ukrayíni.
Mae'n anodd credu ei bod hi wedi bod yn flwyddyn ers inni gael ein dadl olaf yma yn y Senedd, ar ddechrau'r rhyfel. Mae'n anodd credu bod blwyddyn wedi mynd heibio ers hynny. Rwy'n meddwl ei bod yr un mor anodd deall y creulondeb a'r dioddefaint sydd wedi digwydd yn Wcráin ers hynny. Dyma'r argyfwng hiwmanitaraidd mwyaf yn Ewrop ers yr ail ryfel byd, gyda miliynau wedi'u dadleoli, dros 7,000 o sifiliaid Wcráin wedi'u lladd, bron i 500 ohonynt yn blant. Mae dinasoedd cyfan, gan gynnwys Mariupol a Bakhmut, pentrefi a threfi dirifedi wedi cael eu chwalu i'r llawr gan luoedd Rwsia. Cafwyd cannoedd o filoedd o farwolaethau ac anafiadau ar ochr Wcráin a Rwsia. Ond rhaid inni beidio ag anghofio bod Wcráin yn wladwriaeth sofran, sydd wedi creu ei llwybr democrataidd ei hun ers iddi ddod yn annibynnol oddi wrth yr Undeb Sofietaidd dros 30 mlynedd yn ôl. Mae ganddi hawl i hunanbenderfyniaeth. Ein dyletswydd ni felly, o un Senedd a etholwyd yn ddemocrataidd i'r llall, yw cefnogi'r sifiliaid diniwed a ddaliwyd yn y rhyfel barbaraidd a dibwrpas hwn. Rwy'n credu bod pob un ohonom yma'n teimlo'n ostyngedig iawn wrth weld dewrder dinasyddion cyffredin yn amddiffyn eu gwlad.
Mae hefyd wedi bod yn wythnos ers i ddatganiad hanesyddol Llundain gael ei arwyddo gan Lywodraeth y DU a Llywodraeth Wcráin. Fe wnaeth ailddatgan ymrwymiad y DU i helpu i dynnu lluoedd Rwsia o diriogaeth Wcráin a chefnogi adferiad a dyfodol hirdymor Wcráin, gan gynnwys gwaith i atgyweirio difrod i gyflenwadau ynni a gweithio gyda'n gilydd i helpu i sicrhau bod grawn Wcráin yn cyrraedd marchnadoedd y byd unwaith eto. Mae'r datganiad yn ffurfioli cynllun strategol i helpu Llywodraeth Wcráin a'i phobl yn ôl ar eu traed yn y tymor hir. Rwy'n falch iawn o weithredoedd Llywodraeth y DU a Llywodraeth Cymru hyd yma i helpu pobl Wcráin i ennill eu gwlad yn ôl, o drefnu sancsiynau rhyngwladol i hyfforddi milwyr Wcráin i ymrwymo £4.6 biliwn mewn cymorth milwrol dros ddwy flynedd i ddarparu bron i 0.25 miliwn o fisas i Wcreiniaid sy'n ceisio dod i'r DU a £1.3 biliwn mewn cefnogaeth gyllidol. Mae'n amlwg ein bod yn barod i wynebu'r ymosodwyr hyn gyda'n gilydd. Rwyf hefyd yn falch fod cymaint o Gymry wedi agor eu cartrefi i ffoaduriaid, fel y nodwyd gennym yn barod, ond rwy'n meddwl bod mwy y gallwn ei wneud yma i gadw'r croeso'n gynnes wrth inni nesáu at flwyddyn ers i'r gwrthdaro ddechrau.
Rwy'n pryderu wrth glywed bod hanner y ffoaduriaid o Wcráin sy'n cael eu noddi gan gynllun uwch-noddwyr Llywodraeth Cymru wedi treulio'r rhan fwyaf o'u hamser yma mewn gwestai neu leoliadau eraill na chawsant eu cynllunio ar gyfer aros ynddynt yn hirdymor. Mae ffoaduriaid Wcreinaidd sydd wedi ei chael hi'n anodd gadael eu cartrefi nawdd wedi ei chael hi'n anos fyth dod o hyd i lety addas, gan eu bod yn honni bod landlordiaid yn amharod i adael iddynt rentu oherwydd diffyg sefydlogrwydd a'u henillion. Mewn gwirionedd, fe gysylltodd un ffoadur o Wcráin â mi yn gynharach heddiw gyda'r union broblem honno: roeddent yn poeni am adael y gwesty roeddent wedi bod yn aros ynddo, roeddent yn poeni y gallent orfod symud o un lleoliad i'r llall a'r effaith y gallai hynny ei chael ar addysg eu plentyn, am eu bod newydd gofrestru mewn ysgol yng Nghymru, rhywbeth a oedd i'w groesawu'n fawr. Ond mewn gwirionedd, os cânt eu symud i leoliad gwahanol, efallai y bydd yn rhaid iddynt ddadwreiddio a newid unwaith eto, sy'n bryder gwirioneddol iddynt. Felly, er bod yr ewyllys yno ar y dechrau, mae'n rhaid inni fynd ychydig pellach i sicrhau bod yr Wcreiniaid sydd wedi gwneud y daith hon i Gymru yn cael eu cefnogi drwy gydol y rhyfel, fel y gallant naill ai ddewis aros yma yn y diwedd, os mai dyna y dymunant ei wneud, neu ddychwelyd adref pan fydd hi'n ddiogel iddynt wneud hynny.
Yma, gall Llywodraeth Cymru gynorthwyo cynghorau i baratoi ar gyfer grwpiau mawr o bobl drwy ryddhau tai a darparu addysg a gofal iechyd fel bod cyn lleied o aflonyddu â phosibl i deuluoedd sy'n aros yma. Mae posibilrwydd hefyd o weithio gyda landlordiaid preifat a chymdeithasau tai i ryddhau llety addas yn y tymor hir. Rydym yn cytuno felly fod angen i Lywodraeth Cymru lunio cynllun hirdymor, gan nad ydym yn gwybod pryd y gwelwn ddiwedd ar y rhyfel, yn anffodus, ac ni wyddom pa mor hir y bydd yn ei gymryd i helpu i ailadeiladu Wcráin yn y dyfodol.
Ond i orffen ar nodyn cadarnhaol, mae gennyf enghraifft wych o bartneriaeth gymunedol gyda ffoaduriaid Wcreinaidd yn Abertawe. Rai misoedd yn ôl, fe wnaeth ffoaduriaid o Wcráin wirfoddoli i dacluso a dechrau prosiect ym muarth yr uned blastig a llosgiadau yn Ysbyty Treforys. Mae'r gwytnwch, yr ysbryd cymunedol hwn a'r awydd i roi rhywbeth yn ôl yn rhywbeth y dylem ei gofio ac y dylem ei gefnogi, yn enwedig o ystyried bod y ffoaduriaid hyn wedi gadael eu mamwlad heb fawr ddim. Oherwydd am bob gweithred o ddrygioni yn y byd hwn—ac mae'r rhyfel hwn wedi tynnu sylw at rai o'r pethau mwyaf anfad y gallwch eu dychmygu—rhaid inni beidio ag anghofio bod llawer iawn mwy o weithredoedd o garedigrwydd sy'n arddangos y gorau o'r ysbryd dynol, ac nid oes unrhyw wlad, yn fy marn i, yn arddangos hynny'n fwy yn y byd na'r hyn a welsom gan Wcreiniaid dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf. Rwy'n ddiolchgar am gael cyfrannu yn y ddadl hon. Sláva Ukrayíni.
Thank you for the opportunity to make a contribution to this debate. Can I also start by reiterating my thanks to the Welsh people and to this Senedd for the overwhelming support for Ukraine and the recognition that this is not just a war for Ukrainians, that it's a war to defend the rule of law, democracy and international law? Can I express my thanks also for the incredible support for Ukrainian families who have had to seek refuge here, for the welcome that they've received throughout Wales, and in particular to the work of the Minister for Social Justice, Jane Hutt, who I think has added real meaning to the reputation of Wales as a nation of sanctuary, not just for Ukrainians but for all refugees and for all people who have had to flee their homeland.
Next week will be an emotional one for me. It will be the anniversary of the Russian invasion of a sovereign independent state one year ago. It was almost one year ago that the leader of Plaid Cymru and I were in Kyiv to show solidarity and support for the Ukrainian people. Since then, we all see now day in and day out the impact of that invasion: some 15 million people internally or externally displaced; tens of thousands of civilians killed, murdered, tortured, raped, bombed; looting, the destruction of civic infrastructure, the like and scale of which we've not seen since the second world war; the 6,000 stolen children who've been dispersed to filtration camps for re-education, the youngest of which is four months old.
The war is also a war of genocide of the Ukrainian nation. I have with me today my father's alien card from when he was a refugee in this country. Until 1960, he had to register with the police. I recall the sergeant who use to visit on a weekly basis. In the card, the nationality is shown as 'uncertain'—'U' it's marked, uncertain—and this was because he would only describe himself as Ukrainian, but, of course, Ukrainian was not recognised legally. So, he went without any identification of his nationality other than his own description. Were Putin to succeed, there are some 44 million people who would also lose their national identity, who would go down as a 'U'—in fact, they wouldn't go down as a 'U', they'd go down as an 'R', as Russian, their language and culture destroyed. That's why I say this is also a war of genocide and of cultural annihilation. Ukraine may be one step, then there are the Baltics, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Georgia and, of course, Poland.
Next week, myself and Alun Davies, on behalf of all the political parties of this Senedd and on behalf of the Welsh people, will be delivering supplies and a vehicle to a Ukrainian battalion and to the Ukrainian miners union, many of whom's members are fighting on the front line and many of whom have already suffered. It is part of Wales's contribution to the solidarity campaign and part of our historic and international responsibility to support oppressed peoples all over the world—in Syria, Afghanistan, Palestine, Uyghur people in China, and sadly many other places. We support Ukraine and democracy in Europe with our material and financial support. Ukrainians support the same democracy with their lives. I'm convinced Ukraine will win. Слава Україні! Героям слава! Glory to Ukraine and glory to our heroes.
Diolch am y cyfle i wneud cyfraniad yn y ddadl hon. A gaf fi hefyd ddechrau drwy ailadrodd fy niolch i'r Cymry ac i'r Senedd hon am y gefnogaeth ysgubol i Wcráin a'r gydnabyddiaeth nad rhyfel i Wcreiniaid yn unig yw hwn, ei fod yn rhyfel i amddiffyn rheolaeth y gyfraith, democratiaeth a chyfraith ryngwladol? A gaf fi fynegi fy niolch hefyd am y gefnogaeth anhygoel i deuluoedd o Wcráin sydd wedi gorfod ceisio lloches yma, am y croeso a gawsant ledled Cymru, ac yn arbennig am waith y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol, Jane Hutt, sydd yn fy marn i, wedi ychwanegu gwir ystyr i enw da Cymru fel cenedl noddfa, nid yn unig i Wcreiniaid ond i bob ffoadur ac i bawb sydd wedi gorfod ffoi o'u mamwlad.
Bydd yr wythnos nesaf yn un emosiynol i mi. Bydd yn flwyddyn ers ymosodiad Rwsia ar wladwriaeth annibynnol sofran. Bron i flwyddyn yn ôl yr aeth arweinydd Plaid Cymru a minnau i Kyiv i ddangos undod a chefnogaeth i bobl Wcráin. Ers hynny, rydym i gyd yn gweld bellach effaith y goresgyniad hwnnw ddydd ar ôl dydd: tua 15 miliwn o bobl wedi'u dadleoli'n fewnol neu'n allanol; degau o filoedd o sifiliaid wedi'u lladd, wedi'u llofruddio, eu harteithio, eu treisio, eu bomio; ysbeilio, dinistrio seilwaith dinesig, mewn modd ac a'r raddfa nad ydym wedi'i weld ers yr ail ryfel byd; y 6,000 o blant a gipiwyd sydd wedi'u gwasgaru i wersylloedd hidlo ar gyfer eu hailaddysgu, gyda'r ieuengaf ohonynt yn bedwar mis oed.
Mae'r rhyfel hefyd yn rhyfel o hil-laddiad cenedl Wcráin. Mae gennyf gyda mi heddiw gerdyn estron fy nhad o'r adeg pan oedd yn ffoadur yn y wlad hon. Hyd at 1960, bu'n rhaid iddo gofrestru gyda'r heddlu. Rwy'n cofio'r sarjant a arferai ymweld yn wythnosol. Ar y cerdyn, mae ei genedligrwydd wedi'i nodi fel 'ansicr'—'U' yw'r nod, 'uncertain'—a hynny oherwydd mai fel Wcreiniad y byddai'n disgrifio ei hun, ond wrth gwrs, nid oedd Wcreiniaid yn cael eu cydnabod yn gyfreithiol. Felly, aeth heb unrhyw ddynodiad o'i genedligrwydd ar wahân i'w ddisgrifiad ei hun. Pe bai Putin yn llwyddo, mae yna oddeutu 44 miliwn o bobl a fyddai hefyd yn colli eu hunaniaeth genedlaethol, a fyddai'n cael eu nodi fel 'U'—mewn gwirionedd, ni fyddent yn cael eu nodi fel 'U', byddent yn cael eu nodi fel 'R', fel Rwsiaid, a'u hiaith a'u diwylliant wedi eu dinistrio. Dyna pam rwy'n dweud bod hwn hefyd yn rhyfel o hil-laddiad ac o ddifodi diwylliannol. Un cam yw Wcráin, wedyn mae'r gwledydd Baltig, Estonia, Latfia, Lithwania, Georgia, a Gwlad Pwyl wrth gwrs.
Yr wythnos nesaf, byddaf fi ac Alun Davies, ar ran holl bleidiau gwleidyddol y Senedd hon ac ar ran pobl Cymru, yn dosbarthu cyflenwadau a cherbyd i fataliwn Wcreinaidd ac i undeb glowyr Wcráin, sydd â nifer o'i aelodau'n brwydro ar y rheng flaen a nifer ohonynt eisoes wedi dioddef. Mae'n rhan o gyfraniad Cymru i'r ymgyrch unedig a rhan o'n cyfrifoldeb hanesyddol a rhyngwladol i gefnogi pobloedd gorthrymedig ledled y byd—yn Syria, Affganistan, Palesteina, pobl Uyghur yn Tsieina, ac mewn llawer o lefydd eraill yn anffodus. Rydym yn cefnogi Wcráin a democratiaeth yn Ewrop gyda'n cymorth materol ac ariannol. Mae Wcreiniaid yn cefnogi'r un ddemocratiaeth â'u bywydau. Rwy'n argyhoeddedig y bydd Wcráin yn ennill. Слава Україні! Героям слава! Gogoniant i Wcráin a gogoniant i'n harwyr.
Can I add Moldova to that list, Counsel General? We've met with the Moldovan ambassador, and that's clearly another country under threat.
A gaf fi ychwanegu Moldofa at y rhestr honno, Gwnsler Cyffredinol? Rydym wedi cyfarfod â llysgennad Moldofa, ac mae honno'n amlwg yn wlad arall dan fygythiad.
Galwaf ar y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol, Jane Hutt.
I call on the Minister for Social Justice, Jane Hutt.
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Can I start—and I'm sure the Welsh Conservatives and indeed the whole Chamber would want me to start—by thanking Mick Antoniw, the Counsel General, for his contribution to this debate today? I thank him for his courage and commitment and for sharing his personal and family experience, as we've stood together with Mick, I think across this whole Chamber, witnessing the response and the way in which he has guided us in our response to the horrific invasion of Ukraine by Putin nearly a year ago.
This motion that you've tabled is important today, and I thank the Welsh Conservatives for tabling it for debate. But I think we all across this Chamber are once again thanking all of those in Wales who are playing such an important role in this humanitarian response, and who played that role over the past year.
I think, Dirprwy Lywydd, point 1 of the motion expresses the fundamental truth that all the pain and suffering of the Ukrainian people over the past 12 months is the result of Putin's illegal invasion. The Siambr has been united and resolute in calling attention to the fact, and I welcome that it's been expressed here again, as we did yesterday on the steps of the Senedd.
Each of us has been shocked by the brutality of what we've seen and heard from Ukraine since the invasion began. None of us will forget the massacre of Bucha, the use of nuclear power plants as a shield, the use of prisoners as combatants, and many other atrocities we've seen. We will continue to encourage our Ukrainian guests to consider engaging with the International Criminal Court war crimes investigation to ensure that those responsible are called to account.
Whilst it's clear to the Welsh public and much of the world at large that Putin has attacked a sovereign nation, the deeper historic injustices and continuous aggression directed towards Ukraine are not as well understood. That's why we commemorated Holodomor in November last year, and we will continue to raise awareness during 2023. We will remember the victims and encourage greater solidarity with Ukrainians who are now finding sanctuary here in Wales.
Despite all the suffering of those in Ukraine and trauma experienced by Ukrainians who we have welcomed into our communities, one thing has characterised their struggle more than any other, and that's bravery. As the First Minister noted when we commemorated Holodomor in November, rather than break their resolve, this war has made giants of Ukrainian people in the eyes of the world.
Diolch yn fawr, Ddirprwy Lywydd. A gaf fi ddechrau—ac rwy'n siŵr y byddai'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig a'r Siambr gyfan yn wir am i mi ddechrau—drwy ddiolch i Mick Antoniw, y Cwnsler Cyffredinol, am ei gyfraniad i'r ddadl hon heddiw? Diolch iddo am ei ddewrder a'i ymrwymiad ac am rannu ei brofiad personol a theuluol, wrth inni sefyll gyda'n gilydd gyda Mick, ar draws y Siambr gyfan rwy'n credu, yn dyst i'r ymateb a'r ffordd y mae wedi ein harwain yn ein hymateb i'r ymosodiad erchyll ar Wcráin gan Putin bron i flwyddyn yn ôl.
Mae'r cynnig yma rydych wedi'i gyflwyno yn bwysig heddiw, a diolch i'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig am ei gyflwyno i'w drafod. Ond rwy'n credu ein bod ni i gyd ar draws y Siambr hon unwaith eto yn diolch i bawb yng Nghymru sy'n chwarae rhan mor bwysig yn yr ymateb dyngarol hwn, ac sydd wedi chwarae'r rhan honno dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf.
Ddirprwy Lywydd, rwy'n credu bod pwynt 1 y cynnig yn mynegi'r gwirionedd sylfaenol fod holl boen a dioddefaint pobl Wcráin dros y 12 mis diwethaf yn ganlyniad i oresgyniad anghyfreithlon Putin. Mae'r Siambr wedi ei huno ac yn tynnu sylw'n gadarn at y ffaith, ac rwy'n croesawu ei fod wedi cael ei fynegi yma eto, fel y gwnaethom ddoe ar risiau'r Senedd.
Mae pob un ohonom wedi cael ein syfrdanu gan greulondeb yr hyn a welsom ac a glywsom o Wcráin ers dechrau'r goresgyniad. Ni fydd yr un ohonom yn anghofio cyflafan Bucha, y defnydd o bwerdai niwclear fel tarian, y defnydd o garcharorion fel ymladdwyr, a llawer o erchyllterau eraill. Byddwn yn parhau i annog ein gwesteion Wcreinaidd i ystyried ymgysylltu ag ymchwiliad troseddau rhyfel y Llys Troseddol Rhyngwladol i sicrhau bod y rhai sy'n gyfrifol yn cael eu dwyn i gyfrif.
Er ei bod yn amlwg i'r cyhoedd yng Nghymru a llawer o'r byd yn gyffredinol fod Putin wedi ymosod ar genedl sofran, nid yw'r anghyfiawnderau hanesyddol dyfnach a'r ymddygiad ymosodol parhaus a gyfeiriwyd tuag at Wcráin wedi eu deall cystal. Dyna pam ein bod wedi coffáu Holodomor ym mis Tachwedd y llynedd, a byddwn yn parhau i godi ymwybyddiaeth yn ystod 2023. Byddwn yn cofio'r dioddefwyr ac yn annog mwy o undod gydag Wcreiniaid sydd bellach yn cael noddfa yma yng Nghymru.
Er gwaethaf holl ddioddefaint pobl Wcráin a'r trawma a brofwyd gan Wcreiniaid a groesawyd i'n cymunedau, mae un peth wedi nodweddu eu brwydr yn fwy na dim arall, sef dewrder. Fel y nododd y Prif Weinidog pan wnaethom goffáu Holodomor ym mis Tachwedd, yn hytrach na thorri eu penderfynoldeb, mae'r rhyfel hwn wedi gwneud cewri o bobl Wcráin yn llygaid y byd.
The international community has demonstrated remarkable solidarity in military, financial and humanitarian aid provided to Ukraine. The UK and Welsh Governments have worked hard to ensure that support is given to Ukraine to the best of our ability, despite the profound cost-of-living crisis that we are experiencing. We've been proud to provide financial support via the Disasters Emergency Committee to provide equipment where required, to open the supersponsor via route to help Ukrainian citizens get to safety more quickly. And, yes, we will be with you and thinking of you, Mick Antoniw MS our Counsel General, Alun Davies, and your partner [Inaudible.] Thomas, who will be taking this equipment—the journey you're undertaking to deliver vital equipment to Ukraine, with cross-party support.
So, the people of Wales have been unwavering in their support for nearly 7,000 who we have welcomed over the last year, as well as for the Ukrainian community members who already called Wales home, and those living and fighting in Ukraine. We are a compassionate people, providing amazing support, as has been expressed today. And, Dirprwy Lywydd, the Welsh Government set up that supersponsor route because we wanted to reduce the safeguarding risks and reduce barriers for people from Ukraine—mostly women and children, who are fleeing this deadly conflict and searching sanctuary. And you remember, over a year ago, we initially committed to support 1,000 Ukrainians through the supersponsor route, but we've now welcomed over 3,000 Ukrainians to Wales, and a further 1,500 have visas, which we've sponsored. They're yet to arrive, but I will say again today that we will receive them with a warm welcome when they arrive.
And I think it is important to recognise that this about how we then move forward to provide that support in our welcome centres, which has been so important. Those welcome centres have been crucial in terms of the support we've provided for settling into life in Wales: translation services for those who don't speak English; opportunities to start learning English and Welsh; health services available; children enrolling in local schools; advice available to help people find their way in a new country; help with money, benefits and access to work. And also, of course, after that initial period in our welcome centres' initial accommodation, supporting arrivals into longer term accommodation.
And this is why I just want to say again—and, of course, I had the opportunity to update Members yesterday in my statement—securing longer term accommodation is key to the provision of support for those displaced by the crisis in Ukraine. It involves a mixture of accommodation, including individual hosting, the private rented sector and other forms of good-quality transitional accommodation. And that does include modular housing, proposals and plans that have come from local authorities across Wales, including my own local authority, the Vale of Glamorgan council. And I think it is important again to say in this debate that, this is as a result of the transitional accommodation capital programme, and that is an important programme that has also been increased from £65 million to £89 million for this financial year, with support from Plaid Cymru, to ensure that we can provide that immediate good-quality housing at pace—that transitional accommodation. And you will see this being provided across Wales in partnership with our local authorities, housing associations and working in very close conjunction with our social landlords as well.
Our long-term plan to support Ukrainians in Wales will follow the principles set down in our 'Nation of Sanctuary' plan, but I would say that we do need some answers to questions that only the UK Government can answer. And I did say, as I said yesterday, that it is important that we press and that we get your support for asking the UK Minister, Felicity Buchan, to develop a route to settlement for Ukrainians who wish to stay long term, and we know that we need to do that in partnership with the Scottish Government as well, following the delivery of our long-term vision.
Deputy Llywydd, I have invited Senedd Members from all parties to the event to mark the invasion of Ukraine by Putin on 27 February, to meet guests, hosts and partners from local government and the third sector across Wales. The UK Government has also just announced a minute's silence at 11 o'clock on 24 February, which we will observe. Deputy Llywydd, we're making a strong stand together this afternoon to honour and support the brave people of Ukraine. Sláva Ukrayíni, heróiam sláva.
Mae'r gymuned ryngwladol wedi dangos undod rhyfeddol mewn perthynas â'r cymorth milwrol, ariannol a dyngarol a roddwyd i Wcráin. Mae Llywodraethau’r DU a Chymru wedi gweithio’n galed i sicrhau bod cymorth yn cael ei roi i Wcráin hyd eithaf ein gallu, er gwaethaf yr argyfwng costau byw difrifol rydym ynddo. Rydym wedi bod yn falch o ddarparu cymorth ariannol drwy'r Pwyllgor Argyfwng Trychinebau i ddarparu offer lle bo angen, i agor y llwybr uwch-noddwyr i helpu dinasyddion Wcráin i gyrraedd diogelwch yn gyflymach. A byddwn gyda chi ac yn meddwl amdanoch, Mick Antoniw AS, ein Cwnsler Cyffredinol, Alun Davies, a'ch partner [Anghlywadwy.] Thomas, a fydd yn mynd â'r offer hwn—y daith rydych yn mynd arni i ddarparu offer hanfodol i Wcráin, gyda chefnogaeth drawsbleidiol.
Felly, mae pobl Cymru wedi bod yn ddiwyro yn eu cefnogaeth i'r bron i 7,000 o bobl rydym wedi’u croesawu dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, yn ogystal ag i’r aelodau o'r gymuned Wcreinaidd a oedd eisoes yn galw Cymru’n gartref, a’r rheini sy’n byw ac yn ymladd yn Wcráin. Rydym yn bobl dosturiol sy'n darparu cymorth anhygoel, fel y mynegwyd heddiw. A Ddirprwy Lywydd, sefydlodd Llywodraeth Cymru y llwybr uwch-noddwyr am ein bod am leihau'r risgiau diogelu a lleihau'r rhwystrau i Wcreiniaid—menywod a phlant yn bennaf, sy'n ffoi rhag y gwrthdaro angheuol hwn ac yn ceisio noddfa. A dros flwyddyn yn ôl, fe gofiwch inni ymrwymo, i ddechrau, i gefnogi 1,000 o Wcreiniaid drwy'r llwybr uwch-noddwyr, ond rydym bellach wedi croesawu dros 3,000 o Wcreiniaid i Gymru, ac mae gan 1,500 arall fisâu wedi'u noddi gennym. Nid ydynt wedi cyrraedd eto, ond fe ddywedaf eto heddiw y byddwn yn rhoi croeso cynnes iddynt pan fyddant yn cyrraedd.
A chredaf ei bod yn bwysig cydnabod bod hyn yn ymwneud â sut rydym yn mynd ati wedyn i ddarparu'r cymorth hwnnw yn ein canolfannau croeso, sydd wedi bod mor bwysig. Mae’r canolfannau croeso hynny wedi bod yn hollbwysig o ran y cymorth rydym wedi’i ddarparu ar gyfer ymgartrefu yng Nghymru: gwasanaethau cyfieithu i’r rheini nad ydynt yn siarad Saesneg; cyfleoedd i ddechrau dysgu Saesneg a Chymraeg; y gwasanaethau iechyd sydd ar gael; plant yn cofrestru mewn ysgolion lleol; y cyngor sydd ar gael i helpu pobl i ddod o hyd i'w ffordd mewn gwlad newydd; cymorth gydag arian, budd-daliadau a mynediad at waith. A hefyd, wrth gwrs, ar ôl y cyfnod cychwynnol hwnnw yn llety cychwynnol ein canolfannau croeso, cynorthwyo'r bobl sy'n cyrraedd i gael llety mwy hirdymor.
A dyma pam fy mod am ddweud eto—ac wrth gwrs, cefais gyfle i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelodau ddoe yn fy natganiad—fod sicrhau llety mwy hirdymor yn allweddol i ddarparu cymorth i'r rheini sydd wedi'u dadleoli gan yr argyfwng yn Wcráin. Mae'n cynnwys cymysgedd o lety, gan gynnwys llety gan unigolion, y sector rhentu preifat a mathau eraill o lety trosiannol o ansawdd da. Ac mae hynny'n cynnwys tai modiwlar, cynigion a chynlluniau a gyflwynwyd gan awdurdodau lleol ledled Cymru, gan gynnwys fy awdurdod lleol fy hun, cyngor Bro Morgannwg. A chredaf ei bod yn bwysig dweud eto yn y ddadl hon fod hyn o ganlyniad i’r rhaglen gyfalaf llety trosiannol, rhaglen bwysig sydd hefyd wedi’i chynyddu o £65 miliwn i £89 miliwn ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol hon, gyda chefnogaeth gan Blaid Cymru, i sicrhau y gallwn ddarparu’r tai o ansawdd da hynny ar unwaith—y llety trosiannol hwnnw. Ac fe welwch hyn yn cael ei ddarparu ledled Cymru mewn partneriaeth â'n hawdurdodau lleol, cymdeithasau tai a chan weithio'n agos iawn ar y cyd â'n landlordiaid cymdeithasol hefyd.
Bydd ein cynllun hirdymor i gefnogi Wcreiniaid yng Nghymru yn dilyn yr egwyddorion a nodir yn ein cynllun 'Cenedl Noddfa', ond byddwn yn dweud bod angen rhai atebion arnom i gwestiynau na all ond Llywodraeth y DU eu hateb. Ac fel y dywedais ddoe, mae'n bwysig ein bod yn pwyso a'n bod yn cael eich cefnogaeth i ofyn i Weinidog y DU, Felicity Buchan, ddatblygu llwybr tuag at ymgartrefu ar gyfer Wcreiniaid sy'n dymuno aros yn hirdymor, a gwyddom fod angen inni wneud hynny mewn partneriaeth â Llywodraeth yr Alban hefyd, ar ôl cyflwyno ein gweledigaeth hirdymor.
Ddirprwy Lywydd, rwyf wedi gwahodd Aelodau o’r Senedd o bob plaid i’r digwyddiad i nodi ymosodiad Putin ar Wcráin ar 27 Chwefror, i gyfarfod â gwesteion, gwesteiwyr a phartneriaid o lywodraeth leol a’r trydydd sector ledled Cymru. Mae Llywodraeth y DU hefyd newydd gyhoeddi munud o dawelwch am 11 o’r gloch ar 24 Chwefror, a byddwn yn nodi hynny. Ddirprwy Lywydd, rydym yn gwneud safiad cryf gyda'n gilydd y prynhawn yma i anrhydeddu a chefnogi pobl ddewr Wcráin. Sláva Ukrayíni, heróiam sláva.
Galwaf ar Andrew R.T. Davies i ymateb i'r ddadl.
I call on Andrew R.T. Davies to reply to the debate.
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and can I thank everyone who's contributed to today's debate, and especially Mick, obviously, who has such strong personal connections to Ukraine? I would just like to say that we never want to see that 'U' again. You have a country called Ukraine. You should never have to have a document that would say 'unidentified' or 'no fixed abode'. You do have a country that has international recognised borders, and that's why the United Kingdom has stood shoulder to shoulder with the Ukrainian people, and that's why the President of Ukraine came here last week, along with the rest of Europe that he visited, to show that strength of support and appreciation for the Ukrainian people in their hour of need. As we come towards the year's anniversary, which is a week on Friday, many of us thought that we would never see it run this long and that, ultimately, some sort of common-sense approach would appease Putin and he would withdraw back to those international borders, and ultimately, Ukraine could carry on being a nation state—a proud nation state.
But the comments that Alun Davies made about saying 'brutality', 'generosity', and also, I would add, 'solidarity', are typical of what this debate should be about. Mark Isherwood highlighted in his opening remarks the comments around the brutality, about the deaths, about the destruction of property. We've heard about children being taken out of the country of Ukraine into camps—camps. This is Europe we're talking about. For many people in the modern era when we're talking about Ukraine, they have images of European football championships being played there and going there on holidays. And also, from an agricultural point of view, I have much understanding of the great agricultural potential that Ukraine has, as Tom Giffard touched on about the food supply that is provided. Sam Rowlands touched on the community support that obviously has been offered the length and breadth of this country, and also the rest of the UK and the rest of the world as well, which is greatly appreciated when you think of the mass movement of people—7 million, 8 million, 10 million people and more are in transit and being displaced because of this conflict. Let's not forget, we haven't seen anything like that since the second world war. Some of us with a long enough memory would remember the brutality of the Balkans crisis and what went on there, and that was a terrible and damning indictment of diplomacy's failure, but this is of a different magnitude altogether.
And it has been said in this Chamber that not all Russians are guilty here. They're a state captured by Putin and Putin's cronies around him. This isn't about being against the Russian people. This is about the regime that Putin leads and the dictatorship that he operates within the borders of Russia. And Heledd Fychan touching on, sadly, that example in Llantwit Major of the Facebook page. We must always root out that level of hate and that level of poison that does exist in a very small amount of people's minds, but overcome that with the generosity of spirit that we have shown as politicians, but also as a country as a whole we have done that. But also, the Minister's response. I pay tribute to what the Minister has done in her role in social justice, but also highlighting—the point that Janet Finch-Saunders raised—about the need for housing, which I know the Minister is conscious of, but it is, because sadly this war is ongoing and people's displacement is longer than any of us would like to see, going to be with us for many years to come, if not decades to come. And when people are thinking about schooling and putting their roots down in communities, they do need that ability to call a place home, because that is going to be critical about bringing balance back into people's lives.
So, my points today are around the brutality—we've heard about that in this debate; the generosity—we've heard that in this debate today, the generosity of the Welsh and the British people; and above all, the solidarity of how we all stand with the Ukrainian people as we come up to that 12-month anniversary. We all want this war to come to an end, but by standing shoulder to shoulder with the Ukrainian people and saying that it is our firm commitment that we want to see the international borders of the Ukraine respected, we will overcome, we will triumph, and ultimately, the Ukrainian people will have that place called home: the Ukrainian nation state. Thank you.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd, ac a gaf fi ddiolch i bawb sydd wedi cyfrannu at y ddadl heddiw, ac yn enwedig Mick, yn amlwg, sydd â chysylltiadau personol mor gryf ag Wcráin? Hoffwn ddweud nad ydym byth am weld yr 'U' honno eto. Mae gennych wlad o'r enw Wcráin. Ni ddylai fod yn rhaid i chi byth gael dogfen a fyddai'n dweud 'anhysbys' neu 'heb gartref sefydlog'. Mae gennych wlad a chanddi ffiniau a gydnabyddir yn rhyngwladol, a dyna pam fod y Deyrnas Unedig wedi cydsefyll â phobl Wcráin, a dyna pam y daeth Arlywydd Wcráin yma yr wythnos diwethaf, wrth ymweld â gweddill Ewrop, i ddangos cryfder y gefnogaeth a'r gwerthfawrogiad o bobl Wcráin yn eu hawr gyfyng. Wrth inni agosáu at flwyddyn ers dechrau'r ymosodiad, wythnos i ddydd Gwener, roedd llawer ohonom yn meddwl na fyddem byth yn ei weld yn para mor hir, ac yn y pen draw, y byddai rhyw synnwyr cyffredin yn tawelu Putin ac y byddai’n parchu'r ffiniau rhyngwladol hynny, ac yn y pen draw, y gallai Wcráin barhau i fod yn genedl-wladwriaeth—yn genedl-wladwriaeth falch.
Ond mae’r sylwadau a wnaeth Alun Davies ynglŷn â 'chreulondeb’, ‘haelioni’, a hefyd, byddwn yn ychwanegu 'undod’, yn nodweddiadol o’r hyn y dylai’r ddadl hon ymwneud ag ef. Tynnodd Mark Isherwood sylw yn ei sylwadau agoriadol at y sylwadau ynghylch y creulondeb, y marwolaethau, y dinistr i eiddo. Clywsom am blant yn gorfod mynd o wlad Wcráin i wersylloedd—gwersylloedd. Rydym yn sôn am Ewrop. I lawer o bobl yn yr oes fodern, pan soniwn am Wcráin, maent yn meddwl am luniau o bencampwriaethau pêl-droed Ewropeaidd yn cael eu chwarae yno, a mynd yno ar wyliau. A hefyd, o safbwynt amaethyddol, mae gennyf ddealltwriaeth dda o’r potensial amaethyddol sylweddol sydd gan Wcráin, fel y crybwyllodd Tom Giffard am y cyflenwad bwyd sy'n cael ei ddarparu. Cyfeiriodd Sam Rowlands at y cymorth cymunedol sy'n amlwg wedi’i gynnig ledled y wlad hon, a hefyd yng ngweddill y DU a gweddill y byd hefyd, sy’n cael ei werthfawrogi’n fawr pan feddyliwch am symudiad torfol pobl—mae 7 miliwn, 8 miliwn, 10 miliwn a mwy o bobl yn symud ac yn cael eu dadleoli oherwydd y gwrthdaro hwn. Gadewch inni beidio ag anghofio, nid ydym wedi gweld unrhyw beth o'r fath ers yr ail ryfel byd. Byddai rhai ohonom sydd â chof digon hir yn cofio creulondeb argyfwng y Balcanau a’r hyn a ddigwyddodd yno, ac roedd hynny'n enghraifft ofnadwy a damniol o fethiant diplomyddiaeth, ond mae hyn ar raddfa hollol wahanol.
Ac mae wedi'i ddweud yn y Siambr hon nad yw pob Rwsiad yn euog. Maent yn wladwriaeth sydd wedi'i chaethiwo gan Putin a'i ffrindiau. Nid oes a wnelo hyn â bod yn erbyn pobl Rwsia. Mae hyn yn ymwneud â'r gyfundrefn y mae Putin yn ei harwain a'r unbennaeth y mae'n ei gweithredu o fewn ffiniau Rwsia. A soniodd Heledd Fychan am yr enghraifft ddigalon honno yn Llanilltud Fawr a'r dudalen Facebook. Mae'n rhaid inni bob amser gael gwared ar y lefel honno o gasineb a’r lefel honno o wenwyn sy’n bodoli ym meddyliau ychydig iawn o bobl, a threchu hynny gyda’r ysbryd hael rydym wedi’i ddangos fel gwleidyddion, ond hefyd fel gwlad gyfan. Ond hefyd, ymateb y Gweinidog. Rwy'n talu teyrnged i’r hyn y mae’r Gweinidog wedi’i wneud yn ei rôl ym maes cyfiawnder cymdeithasol, ond gan dynnu sylw hefyd—y pwynt a wnaeth Janet Finch-Saunders—at yr angen am dai, y gwn fod y Gweinidog yn ymwybodol ohono, ond oherwydd bod y rhyfel hwn yn parhau, yn anffodus, a bydd pobl wedi'u dadleoli am amser hirach nag yr hoffai unrhyw un ohonom ei weld, bydd hynny gyda ni am flynyddoedd lawer i ddod, os nad degawdau i ddod. A phan fydd pobl yn meddwl am addysg ac ymgartrefu mewn cymunedau, mae angen iddynt allu galw lle'n gartref, gan y bydd hynny'n hollbwysig er mwyn dod â chydbwysedd yn ôl i fywydau pobl.
Felly, mae fy mhwyntiau heddiw yn ymwneud â'r creulondeb—rydym wedi clywed am hynny yn y ddadl hon; yr haelioni—rydym wedi clywed am hynny yn y ddadl hon heddiw, haelioni pobl Cymru a Phrydain; ac yn anad dim, yr undod o ran sut rydym oll yn cydsefyll gyda phobl Wcráin wrth inni nesáu at 12 mis ers dechrau'r ymosodiad. Mae pob un ohonom am i’r rhyfel ddod i ben, ond drwy gydsefyll gyda phobl Wcráin a dweud mai ein hymrwymiad cadarn yw ein bod am weld ffiniau rhyngwladol Wcráin yn cael eu parchu, fe wnawn lwyddo, fe wnawn ennill, ac yn y pen draw, bydd gan bobl Wcráin le i'w alw'n gartref: cenedl-wladwriaeth Wcráin. Diolch.
Y cwestiwn yw: a ddylid derbyn y cynnig? A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Dwi ddim yn clywed gwrthwynebiad. Felly, derbynnir y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
The proposal is to agree the motion without amendment. Does any Member object? I don't hear any objection. Therefore, the motion is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Detholwyd y gwelliant canlynol: gwelliant 1 yn enw Lesley Griffiths.
The following amendment has been selected: amendment 1 in the name of Lesley Griffiths.
Eitem 7 y prynhawn yma yw ail ddadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig ar hyfforddiant sefydlu ar gyfer plant â nam ar eu golwg. Galwaf ar Altaf Hussain i wneud y cynnig.
Item 7 this afternoon is the second Welsh Conservatives' debate on habilitation training for sight-impaired children. I call on Altaf Hussain to move the motion.
Cynnig NDM8205 Darren Millar
Cynnig bod y Senedd:
1. Yn nodi ymchwil gan Cŵn Tywys Cymru sy'n awgrymu y byddai 2,000 o blant â nam ar eu golwg yn elwa o hyfforddiant sefydlu.
2. Yn nodi ymhellach bod hyfforddiant sefydlu yn hanfodol ar gyfer datblygu sgiliau byw'n annibynnol, symudedd personol a llywio ar gyfer plant â nam ar eu golwg.
3. Yn siomedig nad yw nifer o awdurdodau lleol Cymru yn cynnig hyfforddiant sefydlu, er gwaethaf eu dyletswydd i roi sylw dyledus i Erthygl 26 o Gonfensiwn y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar Hawliau Pobl ag Anableddau.
4. Yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i:
a) darparu cynllun gweithlu ar frys ar wasanaethau sefydlu; a
b) sicrhau bod awdurdodau lleol yn cyflogi o leiaf un arbenigwr sefydlu i bob 100 o blant â nam ar eu golwg.
Motion NDM8205 Darren Millar
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes research from Guide Dogs Cymru suggesting that 2,000 sight-impaired children would benefit from habilitation training.
2. Further notes that habilitation training is vital for developing personal mobility, navigation and independent living skills for sight-impaired children.
3. Is disappointed that a number of Welsh local authorities do not offer habilitation training, despite their duty to have due regard to Article 26 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:
a) urgently provide a workforce plan on habilitation services; and
b) ensure local authorities employ at least one habilitation specialist per 100 children who are visually impaired.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. It is a pleasure to be moving this important debate this afternoon. Making childhood equal is sadly not something we have excelled at. Article 26 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities states that,
'States Parties shall take effective and appropriate measures, including through peer support, to enable persons with disabilities to attain and maintain maximum independence, full physical, mental, social and vocational ability, and full inclusion and participation in all aspects of life. To that end, States Parties shall organize, strengthen and extend comprehensive habilitation and rehabilitation services and programmes, particularly in the areas of health, employment, education and social services, in such a way that these services and programmes:
'a) Begin at the earliest possible stage, and are based on the multidisciplinary assessment of individual needs and strengths;
'b) Support participation and inclusion in the community and all aspects of society, are voluntary, and are available to persons with disabilities as close as possible to their own communities, including in rural areas.
'2. States Parties shall promote the development of initial and continuing training for professionals and staff working in habilitation and rehabilitation services.
'3. States Parties shall promote the availability, knowledge and use of assistive devices and technologies, designed for persons with disabilities, as they relate to habilitation and rehabilitation'.
Despite this obvious duty to provide habilitation support, some local authorities in Wales offer none at all. According to Guide Dogs Cymru, large parts of Wales have very poor provision of habilitation training. They believe that there are approximately 2,000 sight-impaired children and young people who would benefit from such training.
But, what are we talking about here? What is habilitation training? Essentially, it is a way of teaching children and young people with sight loss the skills that we all develop early on. A child or a young person who can see typically develops a range of independence skills as they grow up with their family. These skills include being able to move around without hurting themselves and being able to get where they want to be safely. Independence skills include the practical and social skills of washing, dressing, eating, drinking, shopping, cooking and finding friends. Sighted children and young people learn these skills within their families, largely by watching other family members. Children and young people with vision impairment cannot watch and learn in the same way as a sighted child. As a result, many key foundation skills may be missed without additional help and support. Habilitation training provides alternative ways of learning, using the child or young person’s other senses of touch, hearing, taste, smell and balance. This approach develops a child’s early movement skills and is useful for children with a range of vision or none. Habilitation in the early years also helps to develop children’s awareness of their own bodies, as well as the child’s awareness of the space around them when still or moving and the use of their senses. Habilitation specialists work closely with parents, school staff and other professionals, as well as one to one with the child. They are qualified to teach practical strategies and skills to maximise independence, and work in both mainstream and specialised settings, as well as in the home and out in the community. Habilitation training maximises the personal independence of a child or young person with visual needs, as well as helps to prepare them for moving on as an independent young adult to college, university, apprenticeships or work.
Last October I had the pleasure to meet Amy, a young woman who had benefited from habilitation support from Guide Dogs Cymru. Amy told me how the support she received gave her the confidence to go to university, and was even planning a trip to America, a lifelong dream that would not have been possible without habilitation support. Habilitation enables these young people to do the things that we all take for granted, things we all do without a second thought, things that everyone should be able to do, whether that is going out to play with friends or going travelling in your late teens.
Without habilitation support for Welsh children and young people, how can we possibly hope to create an equal Wales? If we don’t have equality of opportunity, then we don’t have equality. Sadly for visually impaired children and young people in Wales, where you live has a huge impact on your opportunities. There is a postcode lottery for habilitation services. Provision is very stretched across north Wales, where one specialist covers a very large area. In Ceredigion, Conwy, Merthyr Tydfil and Pembrokeshire, there is no service at all. There are just 11.4 full-time equivalent habilitation specialists covering the whole of Wales, well short of what is needed to provide at least one specialist per 100 visually impaired children. As our motion calls for, we need to urgently implement a workforce plan, a strategic commitment to a long-term solution. Whilst we dither and delay, blind and partially sighted children are missing out on vital specialist support to enable them to achieve their full potential. Ministers can find a few million pounds down the back of the Welsh Treasury sofa in order to bail out a failing airport, yet they do nothing to support thousands of visually impaired young people in Wales.
I'm also disappointed that the Welsh Government have amended our motion to pass the buck onto local government. For years, Welsh Ministers have been told that specialist habilitation provision has been lacking, and yet no action has been taken, no plans put in place. We can’t leave national planning to local authorities. Welsh Ministers are ultimately responsible for ensuring councils comply with their duties, as well as ensuring Wales has the workforce needed to provide habilitation support to our young people. I urge colleagues to stand up for visually impaired young people by supporting our motion today and rejecting the Government’s amendment.
With the right workforce plan in place and sufficient habilitation specialists employed to meet the needs of visually impaired children and young people, we can make childhood equal. By removing barriers—that we, non-impaired, ironically, don’t see—we can ensure every visually impaired child in Wales has equality of opportunity and is allowed to thrive. Diolch yn fawr.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Mae’n bleser cael cynnig y ddadl bwysig hon y prynhawn yma. Yn anffodus, nid yw gwneud plentyndod yn gyfartal yn rhywbeth rydym wedi rhagori arno. Mae Erthygl 26 o Gonfensiwn y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar Hawliau Pobl ag Anableddau yn nodi bod
'rhaid i Wladwriaethau sy'n Barti roi mesurau effeithiol a phriodol ar waith, gan gynnwys drwy gymorth gan gymheiriaid, i alluogi pobl ag anableddau i gael a chynnal annibyniaeth lawn, gallu corfforol, meddyliol, cymdeithasol a galwedigaethol llawn, a chynhwysiant a chyfranogiad llawn ym mhob agwedd ar fywyd. I'r perwyl hwnnw, mae'n rhaid i Wladwriaethau sy'n Barti drefnu, cryfhau ac ymestyn gwasanaethau a rhaglenni sefydlu ac adsefydlu cynhwysfawr, yn enwedig ym meysydd iechyd, cyflogaeth, addysg a gwasanaethau cymdeithasol, yn y fath fodd fel bod y gwasanaethau a'r rhaglenni hyn:
'a) Yn dechrau ar y cam cynharaf posibl, ac yn seiliedig ar asesiad amlddisgyblaethol o anghenion a chryfderau unigol;
'b) Yn cefnogi cyfranogiad a chynhwysiant yn y gymuned a phob agwedd ar gymdeithas, yn wirfoddol, ac ar gael i bobl ag anableddau mor agos â phosibl at eu cymunedau eu hunain, gan gynnwys mewn ardaloedd gwledig.
'2. Mae'n rhaid i Wladwriaethau sy'n Barti hybu datblygiad hyfforddiant cychwynnol a pharhaus ar gyfer gweithwyr proffesiynol a staff sy'n gweithio mewn gwasanaethau sefydlu ac adsefydlu.
'3. Mae'n rhaid i Wladwriaethau sy'n Barti hybu argaeledd dyfeisiau a thechnolegau cynorthwyol, a'r wybodaeth a'r defnydd ohonynt, a gynlluniwyd ar gyfer pobl ag anableddau, fel y maent yn ymwneud â sefydlu ac adsefydlu'.
Er gwaethaf y ddyletswydd amlwg hon i ddarparu cymorth sefydlu, nid yw rhai awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru yn cynnig unrhyw gymorth o gwbl. Yn ôl Cŵn Tywys Cymru, mae'r ddarpariaeth o hyfforddiant sefydlu yn wael iawn mewn rhannau helaeth o Gymru. Credant fod yna oddeutu 2,000 o blant a phobl ifanc â nam ar eu golwg a fyddai’n elwa o hyfforddiant o’r fath.
Ond am beth y soniwn yma? Beth yw hyfforddiant sefydlu? Yn y bôn, mae’n ffordd o ddysgu'r sgiliau y mae pob un ohonom yn eu datblygu’n gynnar i blant a phobl ifanc sydd â nam ar eu golwg. Mae plentyn neu unigolyn ifanc sy’n gallu gweld fel arfer yn datblygu ystod o sgiliau annibyniaeth wrth iddynt dyfu i fyny gyda’u teulu. Mae'r sgiliau hyn yn cynnwys gallu symud o gwmpas heb frifo'u hunain a gallu cyrraedd lle maent yn dymuno bod yn ddiogel. Mae sgiliau annibyniaeth yn cynnwys sgiliau ymarferol a chymdeithasol fel ymolchi, gwisgo, bwyta, yfed, siopa, coginio a gwneud ffrindiau. Mae plant a phobl ifanc sy'n gallu gweld yn dysgu'r sgiliau hyn o fewn eu teuluoedd, yn bennaf drwy wylio aelodau eraill o'r teulu. Ni all plant a phobl ifanc â nam ar eu golwg wylio a dysgu yn yr un ffordd â phlentyn sy'n gallu gweld. O ganlyniad, efallai na fydd llawer o sgiliau sylfaenol allweddol yn cael eu dysgu heb gymorth a chefnogaeth ychwanegol. Mae hyfforddiant sefydlu'n darparu ffyrdd amgen o ddysgu, gan ddefnyddio synhwyrau eraill y plentyn neu'r unigolyn ifanc, sef eu synhwyrau cyffwrdd, clywed, blasu, arogli a chydbwysedd. Mae'r dull hwn yn datblygu sgiliau symud cynnar plentyn ac yn ddefnyddiol i blant ag ystod o olwg, neu blant heb olwg o gwbl. Mae sefydlu yn y blynyddoedd cynnar hefyd yn helpu i ddatblygu ymwybyddiaeth plant o'u cyrff eu hunain, yn ogystal ag ymwybyddiaeth y plentyn o'r gofod o'u cwmpas pan fyddant yn llonydd neu'n symud a'r defnydd o'u synhwyrau. Mae arbenigwyr sefydlu'n gweithio'n agos gyda rhieni, staff ysgol a gweithwyr proffesiynol eraill, yn ogystal ag ar sail un i un gyda'r plentyn. Maent yn gymwys i addysgu strategaethau a sgiliau ymarferol i sicrhau cymaint â phosibl o annibyniaeth, ac maent yn gweithio mewn lleoliadau prif ffrwd ac arbenigol, yn ogystal ag yn y cartref ac allan yn y gymuned. Mae hyfforddiant sefydlu'n darparu cymaint â phosibl o annibyniaeth bersonol i blentyn neu unigolyn ifanc a chanddynt anghenion gweledol, yn ogystal â helpu i'w paratoi ar gyfer camu ymlaen fel oedolyn ifanc annibynnol i goleg, prifysgol, prentisiaethau neu waith.
Fis Hydref diwethaf, cefais y pleser o gyfarfod ag Amy, menyw ifanc sydd wedi elwa o gymorth sefydlu gan Cŵn Tywys Cymru. Dywedodd Amy wrthyf fod y cymorth a gafodd wedi rhoi hyder iddi fynd i’r brifysgol, a'i bod hyd yn oed yn cynllunio taith i America, breuddwyd gydol oes na fyddai wedi bod yn bosibl heb gymorth sefydlu. Mae sefydlu'n galluogi’r bobl ifanc hyn i wneud y pethau y mae pob un ohonom yn eu cymryd yn ganiataol, pethau y mae pob un ohonom yn eu gwneud heb feddwl ddwywaith, pethau y dylai pawb allu eu gwneud, boed yn fynd allan i chwarae gyda ffrindiau neu fynd i deithio yn eich arddegau hwyr.
Heb gymorth sefydlu i blant a phobl ifanc Cymru, sut y gallwn gael unrhyw obaith o greu Cymru gyfartal? Os nad oes gennym gyfle cyfartal, nid oes gennym gydraddoldeb. Yn anffodus i blant a phobl ifanc â nam ar eu golwg yng Nghymru, mae ble rydych yn byw yn cael effaith enfawr ar eich cyfleoedd. Mae loteri cod post ar gyfer gwasanaethau sefydlu. Mae’r ddarpariaeth yn brin ar draws gogledd Cymru, lle mae un arbenigwr yn gwasanaethu ardal fawr iawn. Yng Ngheredigion, Conwy, Merthyr Tudful a sir Benfro, nid oes gwasanaeth o gwbl. Dim ond 11.4 o arbenigwyr sefydlu cyfwerth ag amser llawn sydd ar gael ledled Cymru, sy’n llawer is na’r hyn sydd ei angen i ddarparu o leiaf un arbenigwr fesul 100 o blant â nam ar eu golwg. Fel y mae ein cynnig yn galw amdano, mae angen inni roi cynllun gweithlu ar waith ar fyrder, ymrwymiad strategol i sicrhau ateb hirdymor. Wrth inni betruso ac oedi, mae plant dall a rhannol ddall yn colli cymorth arbenigol hanfodol i'w galluogi i gyflawni eu potensial llawn. Gall gweinidogion ddod o hyd i ychydig filiynau o bunnoedd i lawr cefn soffa Trysorlys Cymru i achub maes awyr sy’n methu, ac eto, nid ydynt yn gwneud unrhyw beth i gefnogi miloedd o bobl ifanc â nam ar eu golwg yng Nghymru.
Rwyf hefyd yn siomedig fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cynnig gwelliant i'n cynnig i drosglwyddo'r baich i lywodraeth leol. Ers blynyddoedd, mae Gweinidogion Cymru wedi cael gwybod bod darpariaeth sefydlu arbenigol wedi bod yn ddiffygiol, ac eto, ni chymerwyd unrhyw gamau, ni roddwyd unrhyw gynlluniau ar waith. Ni allwn adael cynllunio cenedlaethol i awdurdodau lleol. Gweinidogion Cymru sy’n gyfrifol yn y pen draw am sicrhau bod cynghorau’n cydymffurfio â’u dyletswyddau, yn ogystal â sicrhau bod gan Gymru’r gweithlu sydd ei angen i ddarparu cymorth sefydlu i’n pobl ifanc. Rwy'n annog fy nghyd-Aelodau i sefyll dros bobl ifanc â nam ar eu golwg drwy gefnogi ein cynnig heddiw a gwrthod gwelliant y Llywodraeth.
Gyda’r cynllun cywir ar gyfer y gweithlu ar waith a digon o arbenigwyr sefydlu wedi’u cyflogi i ddiwallu anghenion plant a phobl ifanc â nam ar eu golwg, gallwn wneud plentyndod yn gyfartal. Drwy gael gwared ar rwystrau—nad ydym ni, sydd heb nam ar ein golwg yn eu gweld, yn eironig ddigon—gallwn sicrhau bod pob plentyn â nam ar eu golwg yng Nghymru yn cael cyfle cyfartal ac yn cael ffynnu. Diolch yn fawr.
Daeth y Llywydd i’r Gadair.
The Llywydd took the Chair.
Rwyf wedi dethol y gwelliant i'r cynnig, a dwi'n galw ar y Gweinidog iechyd i gynnig yn ffurfiol gwelliant 1.
I have selected the amendment to the motion, and I call on the Minister for health to move formally amendment 1.
Gwelliant 1—Lesley Griffiths
Dileu pwyntiau 3 a 4 a rhoi yn eu lle:
3. Yn galw ar holl awdurdodau lleol Cymru i gynnig hyfforddiant sefydlu, yn unol â’u dyletswydd i roi sylw dyledus i Erthygl 26 o Gonfensiwn y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar Hawliau Pobl ag Anableddau.
4. Yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i drafod â rhanddeiliaid perthnasol i helpu i ddatblygu cynllun gwella ar gyfer gwasanaethau sefydlu i blant â nam ar eu golwg, gan gynnwys ystyried eu hanghenion o ran hyfforddiant a sut i’w diwallu.
Amendment 1—Lesley Griffiths
Delete points 3 and 4 and replace with:
3. Calls on all Welsh local authorities to offer habilitation training, in line with their duty to have due regard to Article 26 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
4. Calls on the Welsh Government to engage with relevant stakeholders to help develop an improvement plan for habilitation services for children who are visually impaired, to include consideration of their training needs and how to meet these.
Cynigiwyd gwelliant 1.
Amendment 1 moved.
Yn ffurfiol.
Formally.
Wedi'i gynnig yn ffurfiol. Felly, Sioned Williams.
It is formally moved. Therefore, Sioned Williams.
Diolch, Llywydd. Plaid Cymru welcomes this debate today, and we will be supporting the Conservatives' motion, and that's because it's clear that many of our young people and children in Wales with vision impairments are being failed in the sense that they are not being supported to live as autonomously, independently and freely as they are entitled to, as noted in article 26 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We in Wales have prided ourselves on leading the way when it comes to children's rights. The Welsh Government has had to have had due regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and article 23 says that
'a child with a disability has the right to live a full and decent life with dignity and, as far as possible, independence and to play an active part in the community.'
The Welsh Government has committed also to progressive steps to ensure the rights of disabled people. The stated aim of their disability rights taskforce is to remove inequalities experienced by disabled people, and among the priority areas of that programme of work are children and young people.
You would think, therefore, that the findings in an article in the British Journal of Visual Impairment authored by Guide Dogs UK, the University of Liverpool and Bangor University that the key to empowering and supporting children and young people with vision impairment to achieve their potential lies in the delivery of habilitation training would be wholly aligned with the Government's vision. It is, therefore, disappointing to hear from Guide Dogs Cymru that there are potentially 2,000 children and young people with vision impairment who would benefit from the better provision of habilitation training that is not currently being provided. The research that informs this article found that 37 per cent of parents they surveyed reported that their child hadn't received mobility training at all during the previous year. Similarly, in 2019, the Royal National Institute of Blind People suggested as much as a third of children with visual impairments are suffering as a result of a lack of money in council budgets to pay for the extra support they need. This was before even accounting for the current inflationary and budgetary crises facing our local authorities at the moment.
So, it's evident, we believe, that Welsh Government have to do more work alongside our local authorities to ensure this essential service is provided to these children and young people who need it in order to achieve the independent living skills noted in the motion, which I'm sure every Member would support as crucially important, and as outlined by Altaf Hussain.
I'd also like to briefly highlight some other points made by the RNIB in relation to this matter that perhaps the Conservatives could perhaps push their Westminster counterparts to take action on if they truly have the best interests of blind and partially sighted people at heart. Because, even before this cost-of-living crisis, one in five blind and partially sighted people said they had some or great difficulty in making ends meet, a situation that has only now worsened in the light of the current economic pressures. People with sight loss are twice as likely to live in a household that has a total income of £1,500 a month or less, and, from this spring, they will be spending upwards of 16 per cent of their total income on energy. Many are reducing the use of lighting and assistive technologies, which are crucial, of course, both to their safety and which support everyday independent living. Some blind and partially sighted people will this year no longer be eligible for the Warm Home discount either.
In their recent cost-of-living survey, the RNIB found that more than a third of respondents said they often skipped meals. One said, 'I am missing a meal today. I have a small bowl of cereal, then miss lunch and have something cheap in the evening like beans on toast. This is the only way I'm surviving. I'm also taking less showers now, which makes me feel dirty and uncomfortable.' People with sight loss are more reliant on benefits as only one in four registered blind and partially sighted people of working age are in employment. So, while supporting your motion today, Plaid Cymru asks the Conservatives, while calling on the Welsh Government to do all it can to support children and young people with sight impairment and ensure they're funding and supporting local authorities in Wales to provide that support needed for habilitation and other services, to also call on their Government in Westminster to properly support disabled people through the benefits system. Because, Llywydd, no-one in twenty-first century Wales, least of all those with disabilities, should have to skip a meal or feel unable to afford to keep clean. Diolch.
Diolch, Lywydd. Mae Plaid Cymru yn croesawu’r ddadl hon heddiw, a byddwn yn cefnogi cynnig y Ceidwadwyr, a hynny oherwydd ei bod yn amlwg fod llawer o’n pobl ifanc a’n plant yng Nghymru sydd â nam ar eu golwg yn cael cam yn yr ystyr nad ydynt yn cael eu cefnogi i fyw mor annibynnol a rhydd ag y mae ganddynt hawl i fyw, fel y nodir yn erthygl 26 o Gonfensiwn y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar Hawliau Pobl ag Anableddau. Rydym ni yng Nghymru yn falch ein bod yn arwain y ffordd o ran hawliau plant. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gorfod rhoi sylw dyledus i Gonfensiwn y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar Hawliau’r Plentyn, ac mae erthygl 23 yn dweud bod
'gan blentyn ag anabledd hawl i fyw bywyd llawn a gweddus gydag urddas, ac i fod mor annibynnol ag y bo modd, ac i chwarae rhan weithredol yn y gymuned.'
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru hefyd wedi ymrwymo i gamau blaengar i sicrhau hawliau pobl anabl. Nod datganedig eu tasglu hawliau anabledd yw cael gwared ar yr anghydraddoldebau a wynebir gan bobl anabl, ac mae plant a phobl ifanc yn un o feysydd blaenoriaeth y rhaglen waith honno.
Byddech yn meddwl, felly, y byddai canfyddiadau erthygl yn y British Journal of Visual Impairment a ysgrifennwyd gan Guide Dogs UK, Prifysgol Lerpwl a Phrifysgol Bangor fod darparu hyfforddiant sefydlu'n allweddol i rymuso a chefnogi plant a phobl ifanc â nam ar eu golwg i gyflawni eu potensial yn cyd-fynd yn llwyr â gweledigaeth y Llywodraeth. Mae’n siomedig clywed felly gan Cŵn Tywys Cymru y gallai fod 2,000 o blant a phobl ifanc â nam ar eu golwg a fyddai’n elwa o ddarpariaeth well o hyfforddiant sefydlu nad yw’n cael ei ddarparu ar hyn o bryd. Canfu'r ymchwil y mae'r erthygl yn seiliedig arni fod 37 y cant o'r rhieni a holwyd yn dweud nad oedd eu plentyn wedi cael hyfforddiant symudedd o gwbl yn ystod y flwyddyn flaenorol. Yn yr un modd, yn 2019, awgrymodd Sefydliad Cenedlaethol Brenhinol Pobl Ddall fod cymaint â thraean o blant â nam ar eu golwg yn dioddef o ganlyniad i ddiffyg arian yng nghyllidebau cynghorau i dalu am y cymorth ychwanegol sydd ei angen arnynt. Roedd hyn yn wir hyd yn oed cyn ystyried yr argyfyngau chwyddiant a chyllidebol sy’n wynebu ein hawdurdodau lleol ar hyn o bryd.
Felly, credwn ei bod yn amlwg fod yn rhaid i Lywodraeth Cymru wneud mwy o waith ochr yn ochr â’n hawdurdodau lleol i sicrhau bod y gwasanaeth hanfodol hwn yn cael ei ddarparu i’r plant a’r bobl ifanc sydd ei angen er mwyn caffael y sgiliau byw’n annibynnol a nodir yn y cynnig, y byddai pob Aelod, rwy’n siŵr, yn eu cefnogi fel rhai hanfodol bwysig, ac fel yr amlinellwyd gan Altaf Hussain.
Hoffwn dynnu sylw’n gryno hefyd at rai pwyntiau eraill a wnaed gan yr RNIB mewn perthynas â’r mater y gallai’r Ceidwadwyr, efallai, bwyso ar gyd-aelodau eu plaid yn San Steffan i gymryd camau yn eu cylch os ydynt o ddifrif yn poeni am fuddiannau pobl ddall a rhannol ddall. Oherwydd, hyd yn oed cyn yr argyfwng costau byw hwn, dywedodd un o bob pump o bobl ddall a rhannol ddall eu bod wedi cael rhywfaint o drafferth neu gryn drafferth cael deupen llinyn ynghyd, sefyllfa sydd ond wedi gwaethygu bellach yng ngoleuni’r pwysau economaidd presennol. Mae pobl sydd â nam ar eu golwg ddwywaith yn fwy tebygol o fod yn byw ar aelwyd sydd â chyfanswm incwm o £1,500 y mis neu lai, ac o’r gwanwyn hwn ymlaen, byddant yn gwario mwy nag 16 y cant o gyfanswm eu hincwm ar ynni. Mae llawer yn lleihau'r defnydd o oleuadau a thechnolegau cynorthwyol, sy'n hanfodol, wrth gwrs, i'w diogelwch ac yn cefnogi byw'n annibynnol o ddydd i ddydd. Ni fydd rhai pobl ddall a rhannol ddall yn gymwys bellach eleni ar gyfer y gostyngiad Cartrefi Cynnes ychwaith.
Yn eu harolwg costau byw diweddar, canfu’r RNIB fod mwy na thraean o’r ymatebwyr yn dweud eu bod yn aml yn mynd heb brydau bwyd. Dywedodd un, 'Rwy'n mynd heb bryd bwyd heddiw. Rwy'n cael dysgl fach o rawnfwyd, yna'n mynd heb ginio ac yn cael rhywbeth rhad gyda'r nos fel ffa pob ar dost. Dyma'r unig ffordd rwy'n goroesi. Rwyf hefyd yn cael llai o gawodydd nawr, sy'n gwneud imi deimlo'n fudr ac yn anghyfforddus.' Mae pobl sydd â nam ar eu golwg yn fwy dibynnol ar fudd-daliadau gan mai dim ond un o bob pedwar o bobl o oedran gweithio sydd wedi'u cofrestru'n ddall a rhannol ddall sydd mewn gwaith. Felly, wrth gefnogi eich cynnig heddiw, ac wrth alw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i wneud popeth yn ei gallu i gefnogi plant a phobl ifanc â nam ar eu golwg a sicrhau eu bod yn ariannu ac yn cefnogi awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru i ddarparu'r cymorth hwnnw sydd ei angen ar gyfer sefydlu a gwasanaethau eraill, mae Plaid Cymru yn gofyn i'r Ceidwadwyr alw hefyd ar eu Llywodraeth yn San Steffan i gefnogi pobl anabl yn briodol drwy’r system fudd-daliadau. Oherwydd, Lywydd, ni ddylai unrhyw un yng Nghymru'r unfed ganrif ar hugain, yn enwedig pobl ag anableddau, orfod mynd heb bryd bwyd neu deimlo na allant fforddio cadw’n lân. Diolch.
I wanted to start by saying that, although I recognise providing for the complexity of disabilities that exist in Wales is challenging, I'm nonetheless still surprised, given all the information that we know about the positive impact of helping those with disabilities to gain independence and to live prosperous and fulfilling lives, and how it can bring positive contributions to a wider society, that people are still finding themselves having to fight for the support that they are fully entitled to, and have to work so hard to get those in power to take their needs seriously.
Indeed, I am astonished that, in Wales, we have a postcode lottery to habilitation services. It is simply not right that some local authorities do not provide this support, and it’s wholly unfair to those and their families who've been left to source these services on their own at one of the most difficult, stressful and uncertain times in their lives. It is also wrong, for those who are lucky enough to have a local authority support them, that they find themselves having to jump through so many hoops before they receive those services.
Whilst there is an agreement when access to habilitation is required, the experience of those who need the service is still very poor. They find that there is little to patchy understanding of what habilitation entails, why it is needed, and the length of time the support is required for. The process of receiving habilitation training is, and continues to be, a source of great worry.
We know that habilitation is best begun as early as possible when sight loss is diagnosed, and is particularly important for children in early years, because it helps not only to develop a child’s awareness of their own body and condition, but an awareness of the space around them, whilst still developing the use of their other senses. So, in many ways, it is time critical for these services to be available, and for people to receive them as quickly as possible. Having to spend several months or even years waiting to receive habilitation not only makes it more difficult for individuals, but is counterproductive, because it often means that these services are required for much longer.
Astonishingly, research shows that the older a person is, the less likely they are to receive habilitation support. So, it is not acceptable that, in a number of local authority areas, young people with vision impairment are not receiving mobility and independence training at a key time in their education. The difference that habilitation support can make is profound. It can unlock so much potential from children and young people with vision impairment. It will enable them to fully engage with their education and help them prepare for the world around them, such as moving to college or university, applying for apprenticeships or work, and to live as an independent young adult.
Furthermore, we know that there's a high social return on investment, and that, for every £1 spent on habilitation services, £7.13 is created in social value. While some of the value relates to parents, the majority of the value is based on the children and young people themselves. Indeed, a habilitation service creates £5.72 for every £1 spent, solely from service user outcomes alone.
Finally, I want to finish by highlighting the benefits of habilitation felt by people. The improvement in confidence and the ability to carry out tasks for themselves is life changing, and this in turn improves emotional well-being and mental and physical health, which they desperately need. With this in mind, I would urge everyone here to fully support this motion. The Welsh Government needs to act urgently to ensure that people are getting the services they require. They need to help remove the stress and worry for those affected by reducing red tape and the hurdles that people go through. And they also need to finally provide much-needed leadership on this, to get local authorities to provide the services they're duty bound to provide. Thank you.
Roeddwn am ddechrau drwy ddweud, er fy mod yn cydnabod bod darparu ar gyfer cymhlethdod yr anableddau sy’n bodoli yng Nghymru yn heriol, fy mod yn dal i synnu, serch hynny, o ystyried yr holl wybodaeth sydd gennym am effaith gadarnhaol helpu pobl ag anableddau i gael annibyniaeth ac i fyw bywydau llewyrchus a boddhaus, a sut y gall hynny arwain at gyfraniadau cadarnhaol i'r gymdeithas ehangach, fod pobl yn dal i orfod brwydro am y cymorth y mae ganddynt hawl llawn iddo, ac yn gorfod gweithio mor galed i wneud i'r rheini mewn grym fod o ddifrif ynghylch eu hanghenion.
Yn wir, rwy'n synnu bod gennym ni, yng Nghymru, loteri cod post o ran gwasanaethau sefydlu. Yn syml, nid yw’n iawn nad yw rhai awdurdodau lleol yn darparu’r cymorth hwn, ac mae’n gwbl annheg i’r rheini a’u teuluoedd sydd wedi gorfod dod o hyd i’r gwasanaethau hyn ar eu pennau eu hunain ar un o’r adegau mwyaf anodd, dirdynnol ac ansicr yn eu bywydau. Nid yw'n iawn ychwaith fod y rheini sy’n ddigon ffodus i fod ag awdurdod lleol sy'n eu cefnogi yn gorfod mynd drwy'r felin i'r fath raddau cyn iddynt gael y gwasanaethau hynny.
Er bod cytundeb ynghylch pryd y mae angen mynediad at sefydlu, mae profiad y rheini sydd angen y gwasanaeth yn dal yn wael iawn. Maent yn gweld nad oes fawr ddim dealltwriaeth o'r hyn y mae sefydlu'n ei olygu, pam fod ei angen, ac am ba hyd y mae angen y cymorth. Mae'r broses o dderbyn hyfforddiant sefydlu wedi bod yn destun cryn bryder, ac yn parhau i fod.
Gwyddom ei bod yn well dechrau sefydlu cyn gynted â phosibl pan geir diagnosis o nam ar y golwg, a’i fod yn arbennig o bwysig i blant yn y blynyddoedd cynnar, gan ei fod yn helpu plant nid yn unig i ddatblygu ymwybyddiaeth o’u cyrff eu hunain a’u cyflwr, ond hefyd ymwybyddiaeth o’r gofod o'u cwmpas, wrth i'w synhwyrau eraill barhau i ddatblygu. Felly, mewn sawl ffordd, mae’n hollbwysig yn nhermau amser i’r gwasanaethau hyn fod ar gael, ac i bobl eu cael cyn gynted â phosibl. Mae gorfod treulio sawl mis neu flynyddoedd hyd yn oed yn aros am gymorth sefydlu nid yn unig yn gwneud pethau'n anos i unigolion, ond mae’n wrthgynhyrchiol, oherwydd yn aml, mae'n golygu bod angen y gwasanaethau hyn am lawer hirach.
Yn rhyfeddol, mae ymchwil yn dangos mai po hynaf yw unigolyn, y lleiaf tebygol ydynt o gael cymorth sefydlu. Felly, nid yw’n dderbyniol, mewn nifer o ardaloedd awdurdodau lleol, nad yw pobl ifanc â nam ar eu golwg yn cael hyfforddiant symudedd ac annibyniaeth ar adeg allweddol yn eu haddysg. Mae'r gwahaniaeth y gall cymorth sefydlu ei wneud yn sylweddol. Gall ddatgloi cymaint o botensial i blant a phobl ifanc â nam ar eu golwg. Bydd yn eu galluogi i ymgysylltu’n llawn â’u haddysg ac yn eu helpu i baratoi ar gyfer y byd o’u cwmpas, megis symud i goleg neu brifysgol, gwneud cais am brentisiaethau neu waith, a byw fel oedolyn ifanc annibynnol.
Yn ogystal, gwyddom fod buddsoddiad yn arwain at elw cymdeithasol sylweddol, ac am bob £1 a werir ar wasanaethau sefydlu, fod £7.13 yn cael ei greu mewn gwerth cymdeithasol. Er bod rhywfaint o'r gwerth yn ymwneud â rhieni, mae'r rhan fwyaf o'r gwerth yn seiliedig ar y plant a'r bobl ifanc eu hunain. Yn wir, mae gwasanaeth sefydlu'n creu £5.72 am bob £1 a werir, yn sgil canlyniadau defnyddwyr gwasanaethau'n unig.
Yn olaf, hoffwn gloi drwy dynnu sylw at fanteision sefydlu a deimlir gan bobl. Mae’r cynnydd mewn hyder a’r gallu i gyflawni tasgau drostynt eu hunain yn newid bywydau, ac mae hyn yn ei dro yn gwella lles emosiynol ac iechyd meddwl a chorfforol, sy'n rhywbeth y mae ei angen arnynt yn daer. Gyda hyn mewn golwg, hoffwn annog pawb yma i gefnogi’r cynnig hwn yn llawn. Mae angen i Lywodraeth Cymru weithredu ar frys i sicrhau bod pobl yn cael y gwasanaethau sydd eu hangen arnynt. Mae angen iddynt helpu i gael gwared ar y straen a'r gofid i'r rhai yr effeithir arnynt drwy leihau biwrocratiaeth a'r rhwystrau y mae pobl yn eu hwynebu. Ac mae angen iddynt hefyd roi arweiniad mawr ei angen ar hyn, er mwyn sicrhau bod awdurdodau lleol yn darparu'r gwasanaethau y mae dyletswydd arnynt i'w darparu. Diolch.
I'm pleased to take part in this debate this afternoon. Coming from a rehabilitation background in physiotherapy in the NHS, it's pleasing to see the work being done to improve children's mobility, navigation and independent living skills, in order to better the lives of people who are visually impaired or blind. I think that should be celebrated.
I'm also pleased to see the support for the idea of this motion from Guide Dogs Cymru, as I think that the role that guide dogs play in supporting the blind and visually impaired is remarkable and also needs celebrating. It's quite incredible, really, what versatility dogs show in their training to become guide dogs, and how adaptable they become to their environment, which is a celebration in itself, as it supports many people who are most in need of them. Most of the dogs that are used for guide dogs are Labradors and retrievers, and they can be the most loving, caring—greedy, but loyal—dog breeds you will find, and serve the blind and visually impaired so well in their duties.
I and the Welsh Conservatives firmly believe that everyone in Wales deserves to live their life with as much independence as possible, including those with disabilities such as blindness and visual impairment. Guide dogs are often the greatest way, as I’ve mentioned, for visually impaired people to go out and live their daily lives. Habilitation training allows young people to be young people by being able to find new friends and do normal things with them, such as go out eating, shopping and playing, just to name a few examples. Equally, it also allows young people to continue their independence into further education and employment.
It’s important to note also that the Welsh Conservatives respect and admire the parents of these young people, who are the first habilitation trainers and do fantastic jobs. However, there is a need for professional practitioners to provide qualified training that supports both the young people and indeed the parents as well, and the cost of up to £600,000 for providing at least 20 habilitation specialists is a price worth paying, in my opinion, to ensure that this Parliament believes in giving young people in Wales independence and the easiest life possible. I’d urge Members to support our motion unamended this afternoon. Thank you.
Rwy’n falch o gymryd rhan yn y ddadl hon y prynhawn yma. A minnau'n dod o gefndir adsefydlu ym maes ffisiotherapi yn y GIG, mae’n braf gweld y gwaith sy’n mynd rhagddo i wella sgiliau symud o gwmpas, byw’n annibynnol a symudedd plant, er mwyn gwella bywydau pobl ddall a phobl â nam ar eu golwg. Credaf y dylid dathlu hynny.
Rwyf hefyd yn falch o weld cefnogaeth Cŵn Tywys Cymru i'r syniad y tu ôl i'r cynnig hwn, gan fy mod o'r farn fod rôl cŵn tywys yn cefnogi pobl ddall a phobl â nam ar eu golwg yn rhyfeddol, a bod angen dathlu hynny hefyd. Mae'n eithaf anhygoel, a dweud y gwir, pa mor amryddawn yw cŵn yn eu hyfforddiant i ddod yn gŵn tywys, a'r ffordd y maent yn gallu addasu i'w hamgylchedd, sy'n rhywbeth i'w ddathlu ynddo'i hun, gan ei fod yn cefnogi llawer o'r bobl sydd fwyaf o'u hangen. Mae'r rhan fwyaf o'r cŵn sy'n cael eu hyfforddi i fod yn gŵn tywys yn Labradoriaid ac yn adargwn, a gallant fod y bridiau cŵn mwyaf cariadus, gofalgar—barus, ond teyrngar—y dowch ar eu traws, ac maent yn gwasanaethu pobl ddall a phobl â nam ar eu golwg mor dda yn eu dyletswyddau.
Rwyf fi a’r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig yn credu’n gryf fod pawb yng Nghymru yn haeddu byw eu bywydau gyda chymaint o annibyniaeth â phosibl, gan gynnwys pobl ag anableddau megis dallineb a nam ar eu golwg. Fel y soniais, cŵn tywys yw'r ffordd orau yn aml i bobl â nam ar eu golwg fynd allan i fyw eu bywydau bob dydd. Mae hyfforddiant sefydlu'n galluogi pobl ifanc i fod yn bobl ifanc drwy allu dod o hyd i ffrindiau newydd a gwneud pethau normal gyda hwy, fel mynd allan i fwyta, siopa a chwarae, i nodi rhai pethau'n unig. Yn yr un modd, mae hefyd yn galluogi pobl ifanc i barhau â'u hannibyniaeth drwy addysg bellach a chyflogaeth.
Mae'n bwysig nodi hefyd fod y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig yn parchu ac yn edmygu rhieni'r bobl ifanc hyn, sef yr hyfforddwyr sefydlu cyntaf, ac maent yn gwneud gwaith gwych. Fodd bynnag, mae angen i ymarferwyr proffesiynol ddarparu hyfforddiant cymwysedig sy’n cefnogi’r bobl ifanc, a'r rhieni hefyd yn wir, ac mae’r gost o hyd at £600,000 am ddarparu o leiaf 20 o arbenigwyr sefydlu'n bris gwerth ei dalu yn fy marn i, i sicrhau bod y Senedd hon yn credu mewn rhoi annibyniaeth a’r bywyd rhwyddaf posibl i bobl ifanc Cymru. Rwy'n annog yr Aelodau i gefnogi ein cynnig heb ei ddiwygio y prynhawn yma. Diolch.
I’ve been very fortunate since having been elected that I was able to work quite closely with Andrea Gordon. Now, she’s from Guide Dogs Cymru and, through her, I was able to meet numerous individuals who actually have visual impairments, and it really made me understand a lot more about their needs and what they have to have in life. Some of the things that we often don’t even think about can be huge barriers for people and children with visual impairments, and it’s vital that we as Members from every party do all we can to make all aspects of our society accessible for those with visual impairments, and also those with disabilities as well.
For me, habilitation training is indeed the key to helping set children and young people up for the rest of their lives. Not only does it go a long way in helping them live independently, but it also helps prepare them, as my colleagues have mentioned, for college, work, apprenticeships, ultimately university, and later life as well. Habilitation training would teach those with visual needs the vital skills that other children would perhaps have traditionally learned through sight. RNIB Cymru estimates that there are 265 children with sight loss in the Aneurin Bevan health board, all of whom would greatly benefit from habilitation training.
Now, as I mentioned, habilitation training, which is a vital part of children’s educational development, equips young people with listening skills, social skills, toilet training, dressing skills, money recognition, and even shopping skills. It can also teach people how to travel independently, use public transport, assess risk, and also prepare their own meals. I’m sure that everyone here will ultimately agree that these are essential skills and every single person and child should have and needs these sorts of skills in today’s day and age.
You cannot put a price on a person’s freedom and independence. As my colleagues Gareth Davies and Altaf Hussain have mentioned, simply employing at least 20 specialists to offer training to the estimated 2,000 visually impaired children in Wales would roughly cost £600,000 at most. When you compare that to some of the mammoth sums that the Government has spent on some frivolous projects—and I won't repeat what my colleagues have said—such as Gilestone farm, and Cardiff Airport, it really is a drop in the ocean.
It is paramount that this Government comes forward with a workforce plan and engages with councils all across Wales to make sure that they have at least one specialist per 100 children who are indeed visually impaired. We need to ensure equality and fairness, because there is nothing more heartbreaking for me to hear than a child being denied essential services just because of a postcode lottery system. Without a doubt, there are some incredible charities out there, supporting visually impaired children and young people going forward, but now it’s time for the Government to step in and take action. We can all make a real difference to the lives of thousands of visually impaired children in all four corners of Wales, so I really hope that you all support our motion here today. Thank you so much.
Bûm yn ffodus iawn ers cael fy ethol fy mod wedi gallu gweithio'n eithaf agos gydag Andrea Gordon. Nawr, mae hi'n gweithio i Cŵn Tywys Cymru, a thrwyddi hi, gallais gyfarfod â nifer o unigolion sydd â nam ar eu golwg ac mae wedi gwneud imi ddeall llawer mwy am eu hanghenion a'r hyn sy'n rhaid iddynt ei gael mewn bywyd. Mae rhai o'r pethau nad ydym hyd yn oed yn meddwl amdanynt yn gallu bod yn rhwystrau enfawr i bobl a phlant sydd â nam ar eu golwg, ac mae'n hanfodol ein bod ni fel Aelodau o bob plaid yn gwneud popeth yn ein gallu i wneud pob agwedd ar ein cymdeithas yn hygyrch i'r rhai sydd â nam ar eu golwg, a rhai sydd ag anableddau hefyd.
I mi, hyfforddiant sefydlu yw'r allwedd i helpu i gefnogi plant a phobl ifanc am weddill eu bywydau. Mae'n mynd yn bell i'w helpu i fyw yn annibynnol, ac mae hefyd yn helpu i'w paratoi, fel y soniodd fy nghyd-Aelodau, ar gyfer coleg, gwaith, prentisiaethau, prifysgol yn y pen draw, a bywyd wedyn hefyd. Byddai hyfforddiant sefydlu'n dysgu sgiliau hanfodol y byddai plant eraill wedi'u dysgu'n draddodiadol drwy allu gweld i'r rhai sydd ag anghenion gweledol. Mae RNIB Cymru yn amcangyfrif bod yna 265 o blant sydd â nam ar eu golwg ym mwrdd iechyd Aneurin Bevan, a byddai pob un ohonynt yn elwa'n fawr o hyfforddiant sefydlu.
Nawr, fel y soniais, mae hyfforddiant sefydlu, sy'n rhan hanfodol o ddatblygiad addysgol plant, yn rhoi sgiliau gwrando, sgiliau cymdeithasol, hyfforddiant toiled, sgiliau gwisgo, adnabod arian, a hyd yn oed sgiliau siopa i bobl ifanc. Gall hefyd ddysgu pobl sut i deithio'n annibynnol, defnyddio trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, asesu risg, a pharatoi eu prydau eu hunain hefyd. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd pawb yma'n cytuno yn y pen draw fod y rhain yn sgiliau hanfodol y dylai pob person a phlentyn eu cael yn yr oes sydd ohoni.
Ni allwch roi pris ar ryddid ac annibyniaeth person. Fel y soniodd fy nghyd-Aelodau Gareth Davies ac Altaf Hussain, byddai cyflogi o leiaf 20 o arbenigwyr i gynnig hyfforddiant i'r oddeutu 2,000 o blant â nam ar eu golwg yng Nghymru yn costio tua £600,000 ar y mwyaf. Pan fyddwch chi'n cymharu hynny â rhai o'r symiau enfawr y mae'r Llywodraeth wedi'u gwario ar brosiectau gwamal—ac nid wyf yn mynd i ailadrodd yr hyn y mae fy nghyd-Aelodau wedi'i ddweud—fel fferm Gilestone, a Maes Awyr Caerdydd, diferyn bach yn y môr ydyw mewn gwirionedd.
Mae'n hollbwysig fod y Llywodraeth hon yn cyflwyno cynllun ar gyfer y gweithlu ac yn ymgysylltu â chynghorau ledled Cymru i wneud yn siŵr fod ganddynt o leiaf un arbenigwr i bob 100 o blant sydd â nam ar eu golwg. Rydym angen sicrhau cydraddoldeb a thegwch, oherwydd nid oes dim yn fwy torcalonnus i mi ei glywed na bod plentyn yn cael ei amddifadu o wasanaethau hanfodol oherwydd system loteri cod post. Heb os, mae rhai elusennau anhygoel i'w cael, sy'n cefnogi plant a phobl ifanc â nam ar eu golwg wrth symud ymlaen, ond nawr mae'n bryd i'r Llywodraeth gamu ymlaen a gweithredu. Gallwn i gyd wneud gwahaniaeth go iawn i fywydau miloedd o blant â nam ar eu golwg ym mhob rhan o Gymru, felly gobeithio'n fawr y bydd pawb ohonoch yn cefnogi ein cynnig yma heddiw. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Y Gweinidog iechyd nawr i gyfrannu i’r ddadl, Eluned Morgan.
The health Minister now to contribute to the debate, Eluned Morgan.
Diolch yn fawr. I would like to thank the Conservative Party for bringing forward this important debate about habilitation support for visually impaired children in Wales. I must say, I agree with the sentiment in the motion that there is more that should be done for this group of children. I note the Guide Dogs Cymru research that states that 2,000 sight-impaired children could benefit from access to habilitation training here in Wales, and many of you have noted that in your contributions. That is an important point. However, it is important also to understand the need for both habilitation and rehabilitation services in the round.
Providing for the social care and related needs of their local populations is an important local responsibility. Under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, local authorities and health boards must work together via regional partnership boards to assess, plan for and meet the care and support needs of their population, including in relation to sensory impairments.
Diolch yn fawr. Hoffwn ddiolch i'r Blaid Geidwadol am gyflwyno'r ddadl bwysig hon ar gymorth sefydlu i blant sydd â nam ar eu golwg yng Nghymru. Rhaid imi ddweud, rwy'n cytuno â'r teimlad yn y cynnig fod mwy y dylid ei wneud ar gyfer y grŵp hwn o blant. Nodaf ymchwil Cŵn Tywys Cymru sy'n datgan y gallai 2,000 o blant â nam ar eu golwg elwa o gael mynediad at hyfforddiant sefydlu yma yng Nghymru, ac mae llawer ohonoch wedi nodi hynny yn eich cyfraniadau. Mae hwnnw'n bwynt pwysig. Fodd bynnag, mae'n bwysig deall yr angen am wasanaethau sefydlu ac adsefydlu yn eu cyfanrwydd hefyd.
Mae darparu ar gyfer gofal cymdeithasol ac anghenion cysylltiedig eu poblogaethau lleol yn gyfrifoldeb lleol pwysig. O dan Ddeddf Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a Llesiant (Cymru) 2014, rhaid i awdurdodau lleol a byrddau iechyd gydweithio drwy fyrddau partneriaeth rhanbarthol i asesu, cynllunio a diwallu anghenion gofal a chymorth eu poblogaeth, gan gynnwys mewn perthynas â nam ar y synhwyrau.
Through the implementation of the Act, we have set out clear and unambiguous rights and responsibilities in relation to social care and related matters. That includes local authorities having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities when they discharge their functions. The expectations set out in the statutory framework under the Act also include duties on local authorities to establish and maintain a register of sight-impaired people, and provide them with habilitation services. These duties apply to all people—children as well as adults.
To help understand the position in relation to adults, the Welsh Government funded the Wales Council of the Blind to scope and consider the services and support needed within this sector, and they engaged with stakeholders across Wales to consider service improvements. The final report highlighted the need for local and national initiatives aimed at providing training for new rehabilitation officers in Wales, as well as supporting existing officers through professional development training packages.
Following this, in May 2022, the Deputy Minister for Social Services met with Wales Vision Forum to discuss some of the issues around the provision of rehabilitation and habilitation support across Wales. Since this meeting, officials within Welsh Government have continued to engage with Guide Dogs Cymru representatives to try and understand more about some of the challenges that exist with regard to access to this type of support for children and their families here in Wales, thus tying in this work to the work already done in relation to adult services.
From this work, we acknowledge that, in some cases, access to habilitation training can be essential in enabling a child to develop personal mobility, navigation and independent living skills. Not only do habilitation officers work with the child, but they also work with the extended family to support them and teach them skills to enable them to effectively support the child to learn key life skills, through listening and touching.
We know that the provision of habilitation specialists is variable across Wales, with some local authority areas having better access to this service than others. We also understand that, like many others in Wales, these services have been significantly impacted by the pandemic. Indeed, I understand that Guide Dogs Cymru have been providing some support for areas with little to no access, and I'm really grateful for the support that they've been able to offer to date.
Therefore, taking account of the recommendations in the report, and further official-level discussions, a letter sent by the Deputy Minister to the Wales Vision Forum last November indicated that the Welsh Government would be keen to facilitate further engagement with representatives of the forum to identify ways to take forward improvements in habilitation. We believe it's important, reflecting the spirit of this debate, for that work to include consideration being given to children and young people's training needs, and how best to meet these. But I don't believe that it's wise to separate out workforce planning from the assessment of need, or to take away the role of developing these plans from those who have the responsibility and practical experience on the ground of social service delivery, and this is reflected in my amendments to the motion proposed.
In closing, I have spoken principally about the role of social care, habilitation and rehabilitation, but health services also have an important role to play. Health professionals refer people with sensory loss to social care at the earliest opportunity to enable them to access services and support when they need it. But it's also vital that they play a role in treatment and care for such loss.
NHS Wales eye and ear healthcare services are delivered differently from the rest of the UK. We have a much stronger emphasis on more treatment and care being available within the community, and our primary care services are underpinned by prudent healthcare principles. This puts a new emphasis on what would work best for patients and makes the most effective use of all available resources across primary and secondary care. Wales continues to be a leader in optometry and audiology provision of services, and the other UK devolved nations follow our lead. Scotland and Northern Ireland are already replicating the work that we've pioneered, and England are now seeking Welsh Government advice. They're particularly keen to learn about developments in primary cluster areas.
I began by acknowledging that we are very aware of the challenges in this area, and I'll end by making it clear that we will continue to work with local authorities and other partners, with the aim of promoting comprehensive habilitation services to support children in Wales. Diolch yn fawr.
Drwy weithredu'r Ddeddf, rydym wedi nodi hawliau a chyfrifoldebau clir a diamwys mewn perthynas â gofal cymdeithasol a materion cysylltiedig. Mae hynny'n cynnwys awdurdodau lleol yn ystyried Confensiwn y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar Hawliau Pobl ag Anableddau pan fyddant yn cyflawni eu swyddogaethau. Mae'r disgwyliadau a nodir yn y fframwaith statudol o dan y Ddeddf hefyd yn cynnwys dyletswyddau awdurdodau lleol i sefydlu a chynnal cofrestr o bobl â nam ar eu golwg, a darparu gwasanaethau sefydlu iddynt. Mae'r dyletswyddau hyn yn berthnasol i bawb—plant yn ogystal ag oedolion.
Er mwyn helpu i ddeall y sefyllfa mewn perthynas ag oedolion, ariannodd Llywodraeth Cymru Gyngor y Deillion Cymru i gwmpasu ac ystyried y gwasanaethau a'r gefnogaeth sydd eu hangen yn y sector hwn, ac fe wnaethant ymgysylltu â rhanddeiliaid ledled Cymru i ystyried gwelliannau i wasanaethau. Roedd yr adroddiad terfynol yn pwysleisio'r angen am gynlluniau lleol a chenedlaethol gyda'r nod o ddarparu hyfforddiant i swyddogion adsefydlu newydd yng Nghymru, yn ogystal â chefnogi swyddogion presennol drwy becynnau hyfforddiant datblygu proffesiynol.
Yn dilyn hyn, ym mis Mai 2022, cyfarfu'r Dirprwy Weinidog Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol â Fforwm Golwg Cymru i drafod rhai o'r materion sy'n ymwneud â darparu cymorth adsefydlu a sefydlu ledled Cymru. Ers y cyfarfod hwn, mae swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru wedi parhau i ymgysylltu â chynrychiolwyr Cŵn Tywys Cymru i geisio deall mwy am rai o'r heriau sy'n bodoli o ran mynediad at y math hwn o gymorth i blant a'u teuluoedd yma yng Nghymru, gan glymu'r gwaith hwn wrth y gwaith sydd eisoes wedi'i wneud mewn perthynas â gwasanaethau oedolion.
O'r gwaith hwn, rydym yn cydnabod, mewn rhai achosion, y gall mynediad at hyfforddiant sefydlu fod yn hanfodol i alluogi plentyn i ddatblygu sgiliau symudedd personol, symud o gwmpas a byw'n annibynnol. Mae swyddogion sefydlu'n gweithio gyda'r plentyn, ond maent hefyd yn gweithio gyda'r teulu estynedig i'w cefnogi a dysgu sgiliau iddynt er mwyn eu galluogi i gynorthwyo'r plentyn yn effeithiol i ddysgu sgiliau bywyd allweddol, drwy wrando a chyffwrdd.
Rydym yn gwybod bod y ddarpariaeth o arbenigwyr sefydlu yn amrywio ledled Cymru, gyda rhai o ardaloedd awdurdodau lleol yn cael gwell mynediad at y gwasanaeth hwn nag eraill. Deallwn hefyd, fel nifer o rai eraill yng Nghymru, fod y gwasanaethau hyn wedi cael eu heffeithio'n sylweddol gan y pandemig. Yn wir, deallaf fod Cŵn Tywys Cymru wedi bod yn rhoi ychydig o gymorth i ardaloedd heb lawer o fynediad, ac rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn am y gefnogaeth y maent wedi gallu ei chynnig hyd yma.
Felly, gan ystyried yr argymhellion yn yr adroddiad, a thrafodaethau pellach ar lefel swyddogol, roedd llythyr a anfonwyd gan y Dirprwy Weinidog at Fforwm Golwg Cymru fis Tachwedd diwethaf yn nodi y byddai Llywodraeth Cymru yn awyddus i hwyluso ymgysylltiad pellach â chynrychiolwyr y fforwm i nodi ffyrdd o ddatblygu gwelliannau ym maes sefydlu. Credwn ei bod yn bwysig, i adlewyrchu ysbryd y ddadl hon, fod y gwaith hwnnw'n cynnwys ystyriaeth i anghenion hyfforddiant plant a phobl ifanc, a sut orau i ddiwallu'r rhain. Ond nid wyf yn credu ei bod hi'n ddoeth gwahanu cynlluniau'r gweithlu oddi wrth asesiad o angen, na mynd â'r swyddogaeth o ddatblygu'r cynlluniau hyn oddi wrth y rhai sydd â chyfrifoldeb a phrofiad ymarferol ar lawr gwlad o ddarparu gwasanaethau cymdeithasol, ac mae hyn yn cael ei adlewyrchu yn fy ngwelliannau i'r cynnig a gyflwynwyd.
Wrth gloi, rwyf wedi siarad yn bennaf am rôl gofal cymdeithasol, sefydlu ac adsefydlu, ond mae gan wasanaethau iechyd rôl bwysig i'w chwarae hefyd. Mae gweithwyr iechyd proffesiynol yn cyfeirio pobl sydd â nam ar y synhwyrau at ofal cymdeithasol ar y cyfle cyntaf i'w galluogi i gael mynediad at wasanaethau a chymorth pan fydd eu hangen arnynt. Ond mae hefyd yn hanfodol eu bod yn chwarae rhan mewn triniaeth a gofal ar gyfer colled o'r fath.
Mae gwasanaethau gofal iechyd y golwg a'r clyw GIG Cymru yn cael eu darparu'n wahanol i weddill y DU. Mae gennym bwyslais llawer cryfach ar sicrhau bod mwy o driniaeth a gofal ar gael o fewn y gymuned, ac mae ein gwasanaethau gofal iechyd sylfaenol yn seiliedig ar egwyddorion gofal iechyd darbodus. Mae hyn yn rhoi pwyslais newydd ar yr hyn a fyddai'n gweithio orau i gleifion ac yn gwneud y defnydd mwyaf effeithiol o'r holl adnoddau sydd ar gael ar draws gofal sylfaenol ac eilaidd. Mae Cymru'n parhau i fod yn arweinydd ar ddarparu gwasanaethau optometreg ac awdioleg, ac mae gwledydd datganoledig eraill y DU yn dilyn ein hesiampl. Mae'r Alban a Gogledd Iwerddon eisoes yn efelychu'r gwaith rydym wedi arloesi ynddo, ac mae Lloegr nawr yn gofyn am gyngor Llywodraeth Cymru. Maent yn arbennig o awyddus i ddysgu am ddatblygiadau mewn ardaloedd clwstwr sylfaenol.
Dechreuais drwy gydnabod ein bod yn ymwybodol iawn o'r heriau yn y maes hwn, ac rwyf am orffen drwy ei gwneud yn glir y byddwn yn parhau i weithio gydag awdurdodau lleol a phartneriaid eraill, gyda'r nod o hyrwyddo gwasanaethau sefydlu cynhwysfawr i gefnogi plant yng Nghymru. Diolch yn fawr.
James Evans i ymateb i'r ddadl.
James Evans to reply to the debate.
Diolch, Llywydd, and it's been a really important debate today, and I think it's really important that we've heard contributions from right across the Chamber, from Members in Plaid Cymru and from Members in my own group, of how we can raise this really, really important topic here. And it's vitally important for some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
We opened the debate with Altaf Hussain, who talked about article 26 and reminded us of our obligations to the most vulnerable people in our society. Sometimes, we forget what we owe to the most vulnerable people in society, and it's important that we all recognise the duties that we have. And that's why it's very important, as Altaf said, that we offer that habilitation training across Wales, as we need to make sure that everybody has opportunities to develop and ensure that they have the opportunities to live an independent life. And that was raised by a lot of people here, and it's not just for this, but for disabled people right across Wales, that we do as much as we can to improve their lives. As Altaf Hussain said, there are many parts of Wales where this training isn't even provided, and that's a failing that we have here for those vulnerable children across Wales. And Altaf also talked about the workforce plans and not having those in place, and I think it's very important that we have those, so we can identify the service needs and where we need to put people in place to make sure we can roll out this training right across Wales.
Sioned Williams, I was very grateful that Plaid Cymru will be supporting our motion this evening, and it's very good that we can work in this cross-party way across the Senedd, so we can raise these important issues and actually highlight them and work together for the interests of children right across Wales. I think you mentioned the third of children who are suffering due to local authority budgets, and I think it's really right to highlight that, because we do not want to see children in Wales, who have visual impairments, suffering; it's just simply not right in a twenty-first century society. And you also mentioned the UK Conservative Government and things that they could do, and I'll just put on record that we on these benches did ask for the UK Government to raise benefits in line with inflation. That's something that we did on our benches, and we will hold our own Government to account where we think they are failing. That is why we are the Welsh Conservative Party, not the Conservative Party in England, and we'll do as much as we can to hold our Government to account where we think they're not doing things correctly.
Joel James talked very passionately about giving people the power to listen to their needs, and I think that's very, very important that we do listen to service users when we do design these systems as well, to make sure that they're included in what we do. Because if we don't include young people in what we want to do, then I don't think we'll ever have a system that works for them. That's something we do too often is design a system without listening to the people who use it, and then I don't think it's ever fit for purpose. Joel, you also talked about the economic elements of why habilitation training is very, very important. For every £1 spent, that £5.72 back to the economy in how they actually contribute to society, I think we don't think about that enough when we look at health outcomes right across Wales. This is a very important issue here, but right across Wales. If we just invested a bit more money upfront in services like this to help disabled people, we could actually really improve the economic outcomes across Wales and really enable those people to live the full lives that they should by right be entitled to live.
Gareth Davies, you talked about Labradors. It's not a dog breed that I particularly like; I'm a big fan of spaniels, but I recognise the important work that those dogs do, actually, to really help those people with visual impairments. And I just want to put on the record the thanks to the people who actually rear guide dog puppies and bring them through the system and take them into training. I think those people do get forgotten about sometimes. I think it's important to recognise all those people who do that, which actually helps the service as a whole. I know my colleague Mark Isherwood hosted an event in the Senedd not so long ago about this. I think it was important to get, yet again, that cross-party consensus over this.
Diolch, Lywydd, ac mae wedi bod yn ddadl bwysig iawn heddiw, ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn hynod bwysig ein bod wedi clywed cyfraniadau gan bobl ar draws y Siambr, gan Aelodau ym Mhlaid Cymru a chan Aelodau yn fy ngrŵp fy hun, ynglŷn â sut y gallwn godi'r pwnc hynod bwysig hwn yma. Ac mae'n hanfodol bwysig i rai o'r bobl fwyaf bregus yn ein cymdeithas.
Agorwyd y ddadl gan Altaf Hussain, a siaradodd am erthygl 26 ac a'n hatgoffodd o'n rhwymedigaethau i'r bobl fwyaf bregus yn ein cymdeithas. Weithiau, rydym yn anghofio'r hyn sydd arnom i'r bobl fwyaf bregus yn y gymdeithas, ac mae'n bwysig ein bod i gyd yn cydnabod y dyletswyddau sydd gennym. A dyna pam ei bod hi'n bwysig iawn, fel dywedodd Altaf, ein bod yn cynnig hyfforddiant sefydlu ledled Cymru, gan fod angen inni wneud yn siŵr fod pawb yn cael cyfle i ddatblygu a sicrhau bod ganddynt gyfleoedd i fyw bywyd annibynnol. Ac fe godwyd hynny gan lawer o bobl yma, ac nid ar gyfer hyn yn unig, ond i bobl anabl ym mhob cwr o Gymru, y dylem wneud cymaint ag y gallwn i wella eu bywydau. Fel y dywedodd Altaf Hussain, mae yna sawl rhan o Gymru lle nad yw'r hyfforddiant hwn yn cael ei ddarparu hyd yn oed, ac mae hynny'n fethiant ar ein rhan i'r plant bregus hynny ledled Cymru. Ac fe siaradodd Altaf hefyd am gynlluniau'r gweithlu ac nad yw'r rheini eu lle, ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn fod gennym y rheini, fel y gallwn nodi anghenion y gwasanaeth a lle mae angen inni roi pobl ar waith i wneud yn siŵr y gallwn gyflwyno'r hyfforddiant hwn ledled Cymru.
Sioned Williams, roeddwn yn ddiolchgar iawn y bydd Plaid Cymru yn cefnogi ein cynnig heno, ac mae'n dda iawn y gallwn weithio yn y ffordd drawsbleidiol hon ar draws y Senedd, fel y gallwn godi'r materion pwysig hyn a thynnu sylw atynt a chydweithio er budd plant ledled Cymru. Rwy'n credu eich bod wedi sôn am y traean o blant sy'n dioddef oherwydd cyllidebau awdurdodau lleol, ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn gwbl briodol inni dynnu sylw at hynny, oherwydd nid ydym eisiau gweld plant yng Nghymru sydd â nam ar eu golwg yn dioddef; nid yw'n iawn yng nghymdeithas yr unfed ganrif ar hugain. Ac fe wnaethoch chi sôn hefyd am Lywodraeth Geidwadol y DU a phethau y gallent hwy eu gwneud, ac rwyf am gofnodi ein bod ni ar y meinciau hyn wedi gofyn i Lywodraeth y DU godi budd-daliadau yn unol â chwyddiant. Mae hynny'n rhywbeth a wnaethom ar ein meinciau, a byddwn yn dwyn ein Llywodraeth ein hunain i gyfrif lle credwn eu bod yn methu. Dyna pam mai'r Blaid Geidwadol Gymreig ydym ni, nid Plaid Geidwadol Lloegr, ac fe wnawn gymaint ag y gallwn i ddwyn ein Llywodraeth i gyfrif lle credwn nad ydynt yn gwneud pethau'n iawn.
Siaradodd Joel James yn angerddol iawn am roi pŵer i bobl wrando ar eu hanghenion, ac rwy'n credu bod hynny'n bwysig iawn, ein bod yn gwrando ar ddefnyddwyr gwasanaethau pan fyddwn yn cynllunio'r systemau hyn hefyd, i wneud yn siŵr eu bod yn cael eu cynnwys yn yr hyn a wnawn. Oherwydd os nad ydym yn cynnwys pobl ifanc yn yr hyn a wnawn, nid wyf yn meddwl y cawn ni byth system sy'n gweithio iddynt. Rydym yn rhy aml yn cynllunio system heb wrando ar y bobl sy'n ei defnyddio, ac nid wyf yn meddwl ei fod byth yn addas i'w bwrpas. Joel, roeddech chi hefyd yn sôn am elfennau economaidd pam mae hyfforddiant sefydlu'n bwysig iawn. Am bob £1 a werir, daw £5.72 yn ôl i'r economi yn y ffordd y maent yn cyfrannu at gymdeithas mewn gwirionedd, ac rwy'n credu nad ydym yn meddwl am hynny ddigon wrth edrych ar ganlyniadau iechyd ledled Cymru. Mae hwn yn fater pwysig iawn yma, ond ledled Cymru yn ogystal. Pe baem yn buddsoddi ychydig mwy o arian ymlaen llaw mewn gwasanaethau fel hyn i helpu pobl anabl, gallem wella'r canlyniadau economaidd ledled Cymru a galluogi'r bobl hynny i fyw'r bywydau llawn y dylent fod â hawl i'w byw.
Gareth Davies, fe sonioch chi am Labradoriaid. Nid yw'n frîd ci rwy'n arbennig o hoff ohono; rwy'n hoff iawn o darfgwn, ond rwy'n cydnabod y gwaith pwysig mae'r cŵn hynny'n ei wneud i helpu pobl â nam ar eu golwg. Ac rwyf am gofnodi fy niolch i'r bobl sy'n magu cŵn tywys ac yn dod â hwy drwy'r system ac yn eu hyfforddi. Rwy'n meddwl bod y bobl hynny'n cael eu hanghofio weithiau. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig cydnabod yr holl bobl sy'n gwneud hynny, sy'n helpu'r gwasanaeth yn ei gyfanrwydd. Rwy'n gwybod bod fy nghyd-Aelod Mark Isherwood wedi cynnal digwyddiad yn y Senedd heb fod mor bell yn ôl ar hyn. Unwaith eto, rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig cael y consensws trawsbleidiol hwnnw dros hyn.
Will you take an intervention?
A wnewch chi dderbyn ymyriad?
Yes, I will take an intervention quite happily.
Gwnaf, rwy'n hapus iawn i dderbyn ymyriad.
You mentioned the role of guide dogs there, and my mind actually took me back to the event that you mentioned that Mark Isherwood hosted in the Senedd a few weeks ago. It struck me that you can't really put a price on independence. Independence is one of those words that we bandy around sometimes in these debates and we forget what that really means, that independence to be able to follow our dreams, our pursuits and the things that we want to do. So, the work that goes on in terms of training those guide dogs is really important, I'm sure you'll agree.
Fe wnaethoch sôn am rôl cŵn tywys yno, ac mewn gwirionedd, aeth fy meddwl â mi'n ôl i'r digwyddiad y sonioch chi amdano a gynhaliwyd gan Mark Isherwood yn y Senedd ychydig wythnosau yn ôl. Cefais fy nharo gan y ffaith na allwch roi pris ar annibyniaeth. Mae annibyniaeth yn un o'r geiriau rydym yn ei daflu o gwmpas weithiau yn y dadleuon hyn ac rydym yn anghofio beth mae'n ei olygu mewn gwirionedd, yr annibyniaeth i allu mynd ar drywydd ein breuddwydion, ein diddordebau a'r pethau rydym am eu gwneud. Felly, mae'r gwaith sy'n digwydd ar hyfforddi'r cŵn tywys hyn yn bwysig iawn, rwy'n siŵr y byddwch chi'n cytuno.
That's very true. Actually, one person at that event that my colleague Sam Kurtz talked to—I'm sure other Members did—had a visual impairment. I took the time to talk to that person myself, and they actually said that they'd had habilitation training, and they found it very useful, but the dog that was with them was also that lifeline to them. So, you're totally right.
Natasha Asghar picked up this point as well, that you cannot put a price on somebody's independence. Most of us probably in this Chamber take for granted our independence, and I think sometimes we don't recognise that there are some people who really are suffering at home who live very isolated lives because they do not have access to the services that they need to help them to live that independent life. I do not think, as Natasha Asghar said, that we can put a price on the independence of that person, because I think a lot of people take it for granted. It's very important that issues like that are raised in this Chamber so we all understand and recognise those people.
Then we moved on to the Minister. I agreed with some of the things that the Minister said. You'll be very surprised, Minister, to hear that, I'm sure. But I'm disappointed that the Government has amended this motion. I don't think our motion was overly political. We actually put the motion down—and Guide Dogs Cymru helped us informally with this motion—because this is what organisations are telling us that they want to see. I think it's very, very important that, when organisations come forward, we are the democratically elected Parliament here and we represent those organisations in this Chamber to get those issues raised. When the Government amended it and basically passed the buck on to local authorities, who I think have failed sometimes in their duties here—as Altaf said before, there are vast swathes of Wales where there is no service at all—I think it's incumbent on the Government to step up here to make sure that we have that service right across Wales and the workforce in place right across Wales so that people who are visually impaired and those young children who need that habilitation training are not left at home and they're not forgotten, because it is very important to their future development, their education and their future life that they have the opportunity to live that full life, as we all live in this Chamber.
I hope we can all agree that it simply is not good enough that 2,000 children in Wales who are visually impaired are in need of support. The support they're getting is dire, and I think it's about time that we did our jobs in this Senedd and make sure that we represent the views of those disabled people across Wales, and especially those vulnerable children who are in desperate need of this vital support. Diolch, Llywydd.
Mae hynny'n wir iawn. Mewn gwirionedd, roedd gan un unigolyn yn y digwyddiad hwnnw y siaradodd fy nghyd-Aelod Sam Kurtz ag ef—rwy'n siŵr fod Aelodau eraill wedi gwneud—nam ar eu golwg. Rhoddais amser i siarad â hwy fy hun, ac fe ddywedodd mewn gwirionedd eu bod wedi cael hyfforddiant sefydlu, ac yn ei ystyried yn ddefnyddiol iawn, ond roedd y ci a oedd gyda hwy'n achubiaeth iddynt hefyd. Felly, rydych chi'n hollol iawn.
Cododd Natasha Asghar y pwynt hwn hefyd, na allwch roi pris ar annibyniaeth rhywun. Mae'n debyg fod y rhan fwyaf ohonom ni yn y Siambr hon yn cymryd yn ein hannibyniaeth yn ganiataol, ac rwy'n meddwl weithiau nad ydym yn sylweddoli bod yna rai pobl sy'n dioddef gartref ac sy'n byw bywydau ynysig iawn oherwydd nad oes ganddynt fynediad at y gwasanaethau sydd eu hangen arnynt i'w helpu i fyw'r bywyd annibynnol hwnnw. Fel y dywedodd Natasha Asghar, nid wyf yn credu y gallwn roi pris ar annibyniaeth yr unigolyn hwnnw, oherwydd rwy'n credu bod llawer o bobl yn ei gymryd yn ganiataol. Mae'n bwysig iawn fod materion fel hynny'n cael eu codi yn y Siambr er mwyn i bawb ohonom ddeall a chydnabod y bobl hynny.
Yna fe wnaethom symud ymlaen at y Gweinidog. Roeddwn yn cytuno â rhai o'r pethau a ddywedodd y Gweinidog. Fe gewch eich synnu'n fawr o glywed hynny, rwy'n siŵr, Weinidog. Ond rwy'n siomedig fod y Llywodraeth wedi cyflwyno gwelliant i'r cynnig hwn. Nid wyf yn credu bod ein cynnig yn or-wleidyddol. Fe wnaethom gyflwyno'r cynnig—ac fe wnaeth Cŵn Tywys Cymru ein helpu ni'n anffurfiol gyda'r cynnig hwn—oherwydd mai dyma mae sefydliadau'n dweud wrthym eu bod am ei weld. Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig iawn, pan fydd sefydliadau'n dod atom, mai ni yw'r Senedd a etholwyd yn ddemocrataidd yma ac rydym yn cynrychioli'r sefydliadau hynny yn y Siambr hon i gael y materion hynny wedi'u codi. Pan wnaeth y Llywodraeth ei ddiwygio a rhoi'r baich ar awdurdodau lleol yn y bôn, sydd, yn fy marn i, wedi methu weithiau yn eu dyletswyddau yma—fel y dywedodd Altaf o'r blaen, ceir rhannau enfawr o Gymru lle nad oes gwasanaeth o gwbl—rwy'n credu ei bod yn ddyletswydd ar y Llywodraeth i gamu ymlaen i wneud yn siŵr fod gennym y gwasanaeth hwnnw'n iawn ledled Cymru a'r gweithlu ar waith ledled Cymru fel nad yw pobl sydd â nam ar eu golwg a'r plant ifanc sydd angen hyfforddiant sefydlu yn cael eu gadael gartref ac nad ydynt yn cael eu hanghofio, oherwydd mae'n bwysig iawn i'w datblygiad yn y dyfodol, eu haddysg a'u bywyd yn y dyfodol eu bod yn cael cyfle i fyw'r bywyd llawn hwnnw y mae pawb ohonom yma yn y Siambr yn ei fyw.
Rwy'n gobeithio y gall pob un ohonom gytuno nad yw'n ddigon da fod angen cymorth ar 2,000 o blant yng Nghymru sydd â nam ar eu golwg. Mae'r cymorth y maent yn ei gael yn wael, ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn hen bryd inni wneud ein gwaith yn y Senedd hon a sicrhau ein bod yn cynrychioli barn pobl anabl ledled Cymru, ac yn enwedig y plant agored i niwed sydd ag angen dybryd am y cymorth hanfodol hwn. Diolch, Lywydd.
Y cwestiwn yw: a ddylid derbyn y cynnig heb ei ddiwygio? A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? [Gwrthwynebiad.] Oes, mae yna wrthwynebiad, felly fe wnawn ni ohirio'r bleidlais tan y cyfnod pleidleisio.
The proposal is to agree the motion without amendment. Does any Member object? [Objection.] There is objection. We will therefore defer voting until voting time.
Gohiriwyd y pleidleisio tan y cyfnod pleidleisio.
Voting deferred until voting time.
Oni bai fod tri Aelod yn dymuno i fi ganu'r gloch, mi symudaf i'r cyfnod pleidleisio. Mae mwy na thri Aelod yn dymuno i fi wneud, felly gwnawn ni gymryd seibiant i ganu'r gloch.
Unless three Members wish for the bell to be rung, we will move to voting time. There are more than three Members who wish for the bell to be rung, so we will adjourn and ring the bell.
Canwyd y gloch i alw’r Aelodau i’r Siambr.
The bell was rung to call Members to the Chamber.
Dyma ni'n cyrraedd y cyfnod pleidleisio. Mae gyda ni bleidleisiau ar eitem 5 ac eitem 7. Eitem 5 sydd gyntaf. Mae'r bleidlais yma ar y ddadl Aelodau o dan Reol Sefydlog 11.21(iv) ar y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg. Dwi'n galw am bleidlais ar y cynnig a gyflwynwyd yn enw Luke Fletcher. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid 37, neb yn ymatal, 13 yn erbyn, ac felly mae'r cynnig yna wedi'i dderbyn.
That brings us to voting time. We have votes on items 5 and 7. Item 5 is first, a vote on a Member debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv) on the education maintenance allowance. I call for a vote on the motion tabled in name of Luke Fletcher. Open the vote. Close the vote. In favour 37, no abstentions, 13 against, and therefore the motion is agreed.
Eitem 5. Dadl Aelodau o dan Reol Sefydlog 11.21(iv) - Lwfans Cynhaliaeth Addysg: O blaid: 37, Yn erbyn: 13, Ymatal: 0
Derbyniwyd y cynnig
Item 5. Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv) - Education Maintenance Allowance: For: 37, Against: 13, Abstain: 0
Motion has been agreed
Mae'r bleidlais nesaf ar eitem 7, sef dadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig ar hyfforddiant sefydlu ar gyfer plant â nam ar eu golwg, a dwi'n galw am bleidlais ar y cynnig heb ei ddiwygio a gyflwynwyd yn enw Darren Millar. Agor y bleidlais. O blaid y cynnig 25, neb yn ymatal, 25 yn erbyn, ac felly, yn unol â'r Rheolau Sefydlog, rwy'n arfer fy mhleidlais fwrw drwy bleidleisio yn erbyn y cynnig. Felly mae'r cynnig heb ei dderbyn, gyda 25 o bleidleisiau o blaid a 26 yn erbyn.
The next vote is on item 7, the Welsh Conservatives debate on habilitation training for sight-impaired children, and I call for a vote on the motion without amendment tabled in the name of Darren Millar. Open the vote. In favour 25, no abstentions, 25 against, and therefore, in accordance with Standing Order, I exercise my casting vote in the negative. Therefore, the motion is not agreed, with 25 votes in favour and 26 against.
Eitem 7. Dadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig - Hyfforddiant sefydlu ar gyfer plant sydd â nam ar eu golwg. Cynnig heb ei ddiwygio: O blaid: 25, Yn erbyn: 25, Ymatal: 0
Gan fod nifer y pleidleisiau yn gyfartal, defnyddiodd y Llywydd ei phleidlais fwrw yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 6.20(ii).
Gwrthodwyd y cynnig
Item 7. Welsh Conservatives Debate - Habilitation training for sight-impaired children. Motion without amendment: For: 25, Against: 25, Abstain: 0
As there was an equality of votes, the Llywydd used her casting vote in accordance with Standing Order 6.20(ii).
Motion has been rejected
Y bleidlais nesaf fydd ar welliant 1 a gyflwynwyd yn enw Lesley Griffiths. Agor y bleidlais. Mae'r bleidlais yna hefyd yn gyfartal, ac felly, yn unol â Rheolau Sefydlog, dwi'n bwrw fy mhleidlais yn erbyn gwelliant 1, sy'n golygu bod gwelliant 1 wedi ei wrthod. Dyw'r cynnig heb ei ddiwygio a heb ei dderbyn, ac felly does yna ddim canlyniad i'r bleidlais yna.
The next vote will be on amendment 1 tabled in the name of Lesley Griffiths. Open the vote. That vote is also tied, and therefore, in accordance with Standing Orders, I exercise my vote against amendment 1, which means that amendment 1 is not agreed. the motion is not amended and is not agreed, so there is no further voting on that item.
Eitem 7. Dadl y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig - Hyfforddiant sefydlu ar gyfer plant sydd â nam ar eu golwg. Gwelliant 1, cyflwynwyd yn enw Lesley Griffiths: O blaid: 25, Yn erbyn: 25, Ymatal: 0
Gan fod nifer y pleidleisiau yn gyfartal, defnyddiodd y Llywydd ei phleidlais fwrw yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 6.20(ii).
Gwrthodwyd y gwelliant
Item 7. Welsh Conservatives Debate - Habilitation training for sight-impaired children. Amendment 1, tabled in the name of Lesley Griffiths: For: 25, Against: 25, Abstain: 0
As there was an equality of votes, the Llywydd used her casting vote in accordance with Standing Order 6.20(ii).
Amendment has been rejected
Dyna ddiwedd ar ein pleidlesio ni am heddiw.
That concludes voting time for today.
Rŷn ni'n mynd ymlaen i'r ddadl fer.
We will, therefore, move on to the short debate.
We have two short debates this afternoon. This first will be by Mike Hedges, and the second will be by Siân Gwenllian. If Members who are leaving can leave quietly.
Mae gennym ddwy ddadl fer y prynhawn yma. Gan Mike Hedges fydd y gyntaf, ac fe fydd yr ail gan Siân Gwenllian. Os gall Aelodau sy'n gadael wneud hynny'n dawel.
Os all pawb adael yn dawel, fe wna i alw ar Mike Hedges i gyflwyno ei ddadl fer.
If everyone could leave quietly, I will call Mike Hedges to present his short debate.
Thank you, Presiding Officer. It's always interesting when you've got the short debate on the Wednesday before half term or the end of term. Alun Davies has been given a minute in this debate.
The structure of public services in Wales: have we got it right? The answer is 'yes' in some cases and 'no' in others. Where we have got it wrong, is it bad enough to need a restructuring? The Welsh public service consists of hundreds of organisations. There are small and localised ones, whilst others are large and some cover all of Wales. The view held by many, if not most, Senedd Members, and at least in part by the Welsh Government, is that larger organisations are better, and no failings of the large organisations in Wales have convinced them otherwise. In fact, whilst the failings of Betsi Cadwaladr health board are well documented, I have been told by a former Plaid Cymru health spokesperson that we should have one health board for Wales. A Conservative Member has told me there should be two, with one for the north and one for the south. The arguments are superficially attractive. You reduce the number of chief executives, the executive team and board members, releasing savings.
Over many years there have been service reorganisations that have created larger and larger organisations throughout Wales. We've gone from lots to, in some cases, one, in some cases seven. But a lot have gone just down to one. The Welsh ambulance service was established in 1998 by the amalgamation of four existing ambulance trusts and the ambulance service provided by Pembrokeshire and Derwen NHS Trust. Public Health Wales was created at the same time as the local health boards by the merger of the national public health service, Wales Centre for Health, Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit, Congenital Anomaly Register and Information Service for Wales, and Screening Services Wales. Digital Health and Care Wales provides systems and services that are used in patients' homes, in GP practices, in hospitals, and in the community. Seven local health boards that now plan, secure and deliver health services in their areas replaced the 22 health boards and NHS trusts that performed these functions previously. The population sizes vary—Powys at just over 130,000 to Betsi Cadwaladr at just under 700,000—but in many respects, the population matters less than geographical distance.
The National Procurement Service was created by the Welsh Government in March 2013. Its remit is to secure in the region of £1 billion worth of goods and services in common and repetitive spend. Natural Resources Wales was formed by the merger of the Countryside Council for Wales, Environment Agency Wales and the Forestry Commission in Wales. Since its creation, there have been a number of loans from invest-to-save to fund redundancies, and a highly critical auditor general report regarding the sale of trees. Two trunk road agencies have replaced the former eight county council-run agencies. The Welsh Government reviewed the way in which trunk roads and motorways were being managed, and decided to reduce the number from eight down to three and then down to two. Three national parks: following the Environment Act 1995, each national park has been managed by its own national park authority since 1997. But, there have been those people who have been putting forth an argument that we really only want one national park body in Wales. This idea is that one is better than any other number, despite everything you see. Fairly recently we had the call to merge them. We've got three fire and rescue services, which were formed as a consequence of local government reorganisation, replacing the eight former county council fire and rescue services. Then we have four regional education consortiums. Twenty-two county or county borough councils were created in 1995 by the merger of county and district councils. For several years, there have been calls from some politicians for local government mergers, including one who is in the room today. Over 700 town and community councils. The careers service has been taken out of local control and is now run centrally.
Diolch. Mae hi bob amser yn ddiddorol pan fydd gennych chi'r ddadl fer ar y dydd Mercher cyn hanner tymor neu ar ddiwedd y tymor. Mae Alun Davies wedi cael munud yn y ddadl hon.
Strwythur gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yng Nghymru: a ydym wedi'i gael yn iawn? Yr ateb yw 'ydym' mewn rhai achosion a 'nac ydym' mewn achosion eraill. Lle rydym wedi'i gael yn anghywir, a yw'n ddigon gwael i fod angen ailstrwythuro? Mae'r gwasanaeth cyhoeddus yng Nghymru yn cynnwys cannoedd o sefydliadau. Ceir rhai bach, lleol, tra bod eraill yn fawr a rhai'n darparu ar gyfer Cymru gyfan. Y farn sydd gan nifer, os nad y rhan fwyaf, o Aelodau'r Senedd, ac o leiaf yn rhannol gan Lywodraeth Cymru, yw bod sefydliadau mwy o faint yn well, ac nid oes unrhyw fethiannau ar ran y sefydliadau mawr yng Nghymru wedi eu hargyhoeddi fel arall. Mewn gwirionedd, er bod methiannau bwrdd iechyd Betsi Cadwaladr wedi'u dogfennu'n dda, mae cyn-lefarydd iechyd Plaid Cymru wedi dweud wrthyf y dylem gael un bwrdd iechyd i Gymru. Mae Aelod Ceidwadol wedi dweud wrthyf y dylid cael dau, gydag un ar gyfer y gogledd ac un ar gyfer y de. Mae'r dadleuon yn ddeniadol ar yr wyneb. Rydych yn lleihau nifer y prif weithredwyr, tîm y weithrediaeth ac aelodau'r bwrdd, gan ryddhau arbedion.
Dros nifer o flynyddoedd gwelwyd gwasanaethau'n cael eu had-drefnu gan greu sefydliadau mwy a mwy o faint ledled Cymru. Rydym wedi mynd o lawer i un, mewn rhai achosion, a saith mewn rhai achosion. Ond mae nifer wedi mynd i lawr i ddim ond un. Sefydlwyd gwasanaeth ambiwlans Cymru yn 1998 drwy uno'r pedair ymddiriedolaeth ambiwlans ar y pryd a'r gwasanaeth ambiwlans a gâi ei ddarparu gan Ymddiriedolaeth GIG Sir Benfro a Derwen. Cafodd Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru ei greu yr un pryd â'r byrddau iechyd lleol drwy uno'r gwasanaeth iechyd cyhoeddus cenedlaethol, Canolfan Iechyd Cymru, Uned Gwybodaeth ac Arolygaeth Canser Cymru, Gwasanaeth Cofrestr a Gwybodaeth Anomaleddau Cynhenid Cymru, a Gwasanaethau Sgrinio Cymru. Mae Iechyd a Gofal Digidol Cymru yn darparu systemau a gwasanaethau a ddefnyddir yng nghartrefi cleifion, mewn meddygfeydd, mewn ysbytai, ac yn y gymuned. Mae saith bwrdd iechyd lleol bellach yn cynllunio, yn diogelu ac yn darparu gwasanaethau iechyd yn eu hardaloedd yn lle'r 22 bwrdd iechyd ac ymddiriedolaethau GIG a gyflawnai'r swyddogaethau hyn o'r blaen. Mae maint y boblogaeth yn amrywio—Powys ar ychydig dros 130,000 i Betsi Cadwaladr ar ychydig dan 700,000—ond mewn sawl ffordd, mae'r boblogaeth yn llai pwysig na phellter daearyddol.
Cafodd y Gwasanaeth Caffael Cenedlaethol ei greu gan Lywodraeth Cymru ym mis Mawrth 2013. Ei gylch gwaith yw sicrhau gwerth £1 biliwn o nwyddau a gwasanaethau mewn gwariant cyffredin a rheolaidd. Ffurfiwyd Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru drwy uno Cyngor Cefn Gwlad Cymru, Asiantaeth yr Amgylchedd Cymru a Chomisiwn Coedwigaeth Cymru. Ers ei greu, cafwyd nifer o fenthyciadau buddsoddi-i-arbed i ariannu diswyddiadau, a cheir adroddiad cyffredinol archwilydd sy'n hynod feirniadol ar werthu coed. Ceir dwy asiantaeth gefnffyrdd yn lle'r wyth asiantaeth flaenorol a gâi eu rhedeg gan gynghorau sir. Adolygodd Llywodraeth Cymru y ffordd y câi cefnffyrdd a thraffyrdd eu rheoli, a phenderfynodd leihau'r nifer o wyth i dri ac yna i lawr i ddau. Tri pharc cenedlaethol: yn dilyn Deddf yr Amgylchedd 1995, mae pob parc cenedlaethol wedi cael ei reoli gan ei awdurdod parc cenedlaethol ei hun ers 1997. Ond mae rhai pobl yn dadlau mai un corff parciau cenedlaethol rydym ei eisiau yng Nghymru. Y syniad yw bod un yn well nag unrhyw rif arall, er gwaethaf popeth a welwch. Yn weddol ddiweddar cawsom yr alwad i'w huno. Mae gennym dri gwasanaeth tân ac achub, a ffurfiwyd yn sgil ad-drefnu llywodraeth leol, yn lle'r wyth gwasanaeth tân ac achub blaenorol a oedd gan y cynghorau sir. Yna mae gennym bedwar consortiwm addysg rhanbarthol. Crëwyd 22 o gynghorau sir neu fwrdeistrefi sirol ym 1995 drwy uno cynghorau sir a dosbarth. Ers sawl blwyddyn, bu galwadau gan rai gwleidyddion am uno llywodraeth leol, gan gynnwys un sydd yn yr ystafell heddiw. Dros 700 o gynghorau tref a chymuned. Mae'r gwasanaeth gyrfaoedd wedi cael ei dynnu allan o reolaeth leol ac mae bellach yn cael ei redeg yn ganolog.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer took the Chair.
Are mergers always right? From the above, it can be seen that the direction of travel is to larger and fewer organisations. Those who look at it simply are calculating the savings. Mergers, however, are expensive; you've got redundancy costs, re-badging costs, and, more expensive of all, creating a single ICT system from the systems of the predecessor organisations. Anybody who went through local government reorganisation in 1995 will be able to tell you about the huge costs that took place, and most of the changes were by splitting rather than merging. It really is incredibly expensive.
ICT systems—I could talk for hours on this. Some will be under contract; others will need to be updated or closed down and merged into new systems. Look at NRW, where invest-to-save has been used to rescue the organisation's ICT services on several occasions. All these are upfront costs, and whilst the cost of local government reorganisation in 1996 was approximately 5 per cent of the annual expenditure of each council, that was without the variation in terms and conditions between local authorities that exists today. It would be incredibly difficult to merge local authorities today because we've got the situation, haven't we, that we went through job evaluation. So, if you're a social worker in Neath Port Talbot or a social worker in Swansea, you don't get paid the same, though many of us would like it to be. They went through their own different job evaluations. Actually, it's better to be a social worker in Swansea and to work in a library in Neath Port Talbot, in terms of what job evaluation gave them.
The simplistic conclusions of some is that, following a merger, all the senior post duplication is removed and then you have all the great savings. This ignores issues such as that senior managers carry out tasks and, if the number is reduced, the tasks have to be reassigned and the same number of decisions have to be made. Economic theory predicts that an organisation becomes less efficient if it becomes too large. Larger organisations often suffer poor communication because they find it difficult to maintain an effective flow of information between departments, divisions, or between head office and outlying parts. I was hoping somebody from Betsi Cadwaladr area would have come in to explain exactly how they know that's true. Co-ordination problems also affect large organisations with many departments and divisions, as they find it much harder to co-ordinate operations. 'X-inefficiency' is the loss of management efficiency that occurs when organisations become large and operate in uncompetitive markets. Such losses of efficiency include overpaying for resources, paying managers salaries higher than needed—I think that people have come across that on several occasions as well—and excessive waste of resources.
This leads to three questions on public services as they are currently configured. Do the larger organisations such as Betsi Cadwaladr perform better than the smaller ones? Has the creation of all-Wales organisations such as the Welsh ambulance service and Digital Health and Care Wales produced an improved service? Has the reduction in the number of organisations carrying out a function such as the trunk road agency, Natural Resources Wales and the National Procurement Service improved the services being provided? What I will say is that we need the same regional footprint for all public services provided by the Welsh Government.
To give an example of current inconsistencies, those of us who live in Swansea have a different regional footprint for almost every service. For health, it's Swansea Neath Port Talbot; for fire and rescue, we add Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Powys and Pembrokeshire; educational improvement, it's the same; but policing, which is currently non-devolved, includes all the former county of Glamorgan except for Caerphilly; and finally, the Welsh ambulance service covers the whole of Wales. The aim should be to have all services within the four footprints: the Cardiff city region, the Swansea bay city region, the mid Wales region and the north Wales region. This splitting of Wales into four regions was long overdue, and it really has given us an opportunity to get things right. Whilst services could, and in many cases will, be on a smaller footprint than the regions, no service should cut across the regional boundaries unless it is an all-Wales service, which should be very rare. This will allow regional working across services to be undertaken far more easily.
There is nothing intrinsically good about the current structure of local government in Wales. Why were the councils of Rhondda, Cynon Valley and Taff Ely merged but Blaenau Gwent and Merthyr district councils turned into unitary authorities without any mergers? Change should only be considered where there is a strong chance of improving services and/or reducing cost over the medium term because of the initial cost of change. Having spent several years discussing local government reorganisation as if it were some sort of silver bullet to solve the lack of funding for councils, the threat of reorganisation receded, was brought back again and has now receded again, but I expect it will be brought back again. It was as if the economic theory that predicts that an organisation may become less efficient if it becomes too large or that there are diseconomies of scale is unknown. Different services need a different method of joint working, and some are best carried out jointly, but most work best at the current local authority level. Examples of services that would benefit from a joint-working model based upon the regional footprint are transport, economic development and regional planning.
I’ve left the most difficult to last. I would welcome hearing the Minister explain how well Betsi Cadwaladr, NRW and the Welsh ambulance service are performing, because it seems to go counter to anything I’ve come across, having dealt with constituents who have had problems with them. Replacing chairs, boards and chief executives has not solved the problems at Betsi Cadwaladr. If you just keep thinking you can get a chair and a chief executive and everything will be all right—. I’ve lost count of the number of chairs and chief executives that Betsi Cadwaladr has had, and it has been run by the Welsh Government, and I don’t think anybody is going to get up and say, 'Now they’ve got it right.'
If you look at Betsi Cadwaladr in terms of support functions, primary care and secondary care, whilst the first two can work on the current footprint, secondary care needs to be split between east and west. On splitting the Welsh ambulance service so it is being run by the health boards, whilst I would normally say reorganisation is not the answer, in the case of the ambulance service, could reorganisation make anything worse? NRW makes no sense at all. Whilst the merger of the Countryside Council for Wales and the Environment Agency had some logic behind it, adding the Forestry Commission had none whatsoever.
Finally, looking for a regional model of services, no service, unless a national service, should cross the regional boundary. Fire and rescue should become four not three, with Powys and Ceredigion splitting off mid and west Wales. A Wales of four regions has been created, and we need to use this footprint for public services. We should look to right-size organisations, rather than making them bigger and bigger. I’ll end on this: does anybody think that the careers service has got better because there’s only one careers service for Wales, or do you think it’s got worse? I’m in the 'got worse' camp.
A yw uno bob amser yn iawn? O'r uchod, gellir gweld bod y cyfeiriad teithio tuag at lai o sefydliadau mwy o faint. Mae'r rhai sy'n edrych arno ond yn cyfrifo'r arbedion. Fodd bynnag, mae uno'n ddrud; mae gennych gostau diswyddo, costau ailfathodynnu, ac yn fwyaf drud byth, creu un system TGCh o systemau'r sefydliadau rhagflaenol. Bydd unrhyw un a aeth drwy ad-drefnu llywodraeth leol yn 1995 yn gallu dweud wrthych am y costau enfawr a gafwyd, ac roedd y rhan fwyaf o'r newidiadau drwy hollti yn hytrach nag uno. Mae'n eithriadol o ddrud.
Systemau TGCh—gallwn siarad am oriau ar hyn. Bydd rhai o dan gytundeb; bydd angen diweddaru neu gau eraill a'u huno mewn systemau newydd. Edrychwch ar CNC, lle defnyddiwyd buddsoddi-i-arbed i achub gwasanaethau TGCh y sefydliad ar sawl achlysur. Mae'r rhain i gyd yn gostau cychwynnol, ac er bod cost ad-drefnu llywodraeth leol yn 1996 tua 5 y cant o wariant blynyddol pob cyngor, roedd hynny heb yr amrywiadau yn y telerau ac amodau rhwng awdurdodau lleol sy'n bodoli heddiw. Byddai'n hynod o anodd uno awdurdodau lleol heddiw oherwydd mae gennym sefyllfa, onid oes, lle rydym wedi mynd drwy werthuso swyddi. Felly, os ydych chi'n weithiwr cymdeithasol yng Nghastell-nedd Port Talbot neu'n weithiwr cymdeithasol yn Abertawe, ni chewch yr un tâl, er yr hoffai llawer ohonom pe bai yr un fath. Aethant drwy eu gwerthusiadau swyddi gwahanol eu hunain. Mewn gwirionedd, mae'n well bod yn weithiwr cymdeithasol yn Abertawe a gweithio mewn llyfrgell yng Nghastell-nedd Port Talbot, o ran yr hyn a gawsant drwy werthuso swyddi.
Casgliadau gor-syml rhai pobl yw bod yr holl ddyblygu swyddi uwch yn cael ei ddileu yn sgil uno, ac yna mae gennych chi'r holl arbedion gwych. Mae hyn yn anwybyddu materion fel y ffaith bod uwch-reolwyr yn cyflawni tasgau ac os yw'r nifer yn cael ei leihau, mae'n rhaid ailbennu'r tasgau ac mae'n rhaid gwneud yr un nifer o benderfyniadau. Mae theori economaidd yn datgan bod sefydliad yn mynd yn llai effeithlon os yw'n mynd yn rhy fawr. Mae sefydliadau mwy o faint yn aml yn dioddef yn sgil cyfathrebu gwael am eu bod yn ei chael hi'n anodd cynnal llif effeithiol o wybodaeth rhwng adrannau, is-adrannau, neu rhwng y brif swyddfa a rhannau anghysbell. Roeddwn yn gobeithio y byddai rhywun o ardal Betsi Cadwaladr wedi dod i mewn i esbonio sut yn union y gwyddant fod hynny'n wir. Mae problemau cydlynu hefyd yn effeithio ar sefydliadau mawr sydd â llawer o adrannau ac is-adrannau, gan eu bod yn ei chael hi'n llawer anos cydlynu gweithrediadau. 'X-aneffeithlonrwydd' yw'r effeithlonrwydd rheoli sy'n cael ei golli pan fydd sefydliadau'n dod yn fawr ac yn gweithredu mewn marchnadoedd anghystadleuol. Mae colledion effeithlonrwydd o'r fath yn cynnwys gordalu am adnoddau, talu cyflogau uwch nag sydd angen i reolwyr—rwy'n credu bod pobl wedi canfod hynny ar sawl achlysur hefyd—a gormod o wastraffu adnoddau.
Mae hyn yn arwain at dri chwestiwn ynghylch gwasanaethau cyhoeddus fel y maent wedi'u cyflunio ar hyn o bryd. A yw'r sefydliadau mwy fel Betsi Cadwaladr yn perfformio'n well na'r rhai llai? A yw creu sefydliadau ar gyfer Cymru gyfan fel gwasanaeth ambiwlans Cymru ac Iechyd a Gofal Digidol Cymru wedi cynhyrchu gwasanaeth gwell? A yw'r gostyngiad yn nifer y sefydliadau sy'n cyflawni swyddogaeth fel yr asiantaeth cefnffyrdd, Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru a'r Gwasanaeth Caffael Cenedlaethol wedi gwella'r gwasanaethau sy'n cael eu darparu? Yr hyn y byddwn yn ei ddweud yw bod angen yr un ôl troed rhanbarthol arnom ar gyfer yr holl wasanaethau cyhoeddus y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu darparu.
I roi enghraifft o'r anghysonderau cyfredol, mae gan y rhai ohonom sy'n byw yn Abertawe ôl troed rhanbarthol gwahanol ar gyfer bron bob gwasanaeth. Ar gyfer iechyd, Abertawe Castell Nedd Port Talbot ydyw; ar gyfer tân ac achub, rydym yn ychwanegu sir Gaerfyrddin, Ceredigion, Powys a sir Benfro; gwella addysg, yr un peth; ond mae plismona, sydd heb ei ddatganoli ar hyn o bryd, yn cynnwys yr holl hen sir Forgannwg heblaw Caerffili; ac yn olaf, mae gwasanaeth ambiwlans Cymru yn darparu ar gyfer Cymru gyfan. Y nod ddylai fod cael yr holl wasanaethau o fewn y pedwar ôl troed: dinas-ranbarth Caerdydd, dinas-ranbarth bae Abertawe, rhanbarth canolbarth Cymru a rhanbarth gogledd Cymru. Roedd hi'n hen bryd hollti Cymru yn bedwar rhanbarth, ac mae wedi rhoi cyfle inni wneud pethau'n iawn. Er y gallai gwasanaethau fod ar ôl troed llai na'r rhanbarthau, ac mewn sawl achos, fe fyddant, ni ddylai unrhyw wasanaeth dorri ar draws y ffiniau rhanbarthol oni bai ei fod yn wasanaeth Cymru-gyfan, rhywbeth a ddylai fod yn brin iawn. Bydd hyn yn caniatáu i waith rhanbarthol ar draws gwasanaethau gael ei wneud yn llawer haws.
Nid oes dim sy'n gynhenid dda am strwythur presennol llywodraeth leol yng Nghymru. Pam y cafodd cynghorau Rhondda, Cwm Cynon a Thaf Elái eu huno ond bod cynghorau dosbarth Blaenau Gwent a Merthyr Tudful wedi troi'n awdurdodau unedol heb unrhyw uno? Ni ddylid ystyried newid oni bai lle ceir gobaith cryf o wella gwasanaethau a/neu leihau cost dros y tymor canolig oherwydd y gost gychwynnol sy'n deillio o newid. Ar ôl treulio sawl blwyddyn yn trafod ad-drefnu llywodraeth leol fel pe bai'n rhyw fath o ateb hollgynhwysol i ddatrys y diffyg cyllid i gynghorau, ciliodd y bygythiad o ad-drefnu, cyn ei adfer eto ac mae bellach wedi cilio eto, ond rwy'n disgwyl y caiff ei adfer eto. Roedd fel pe bai neb wedi clywed am y ddamcaniaeth economaidd sy'n datgan y gallai sefydliad ddod yn llai effeithlon os daw'n rhy fawr neu fod yna wrth-ddarbodion maint. Mae angen dull gwahanol o weithio ar y cyd ar wasanaethau gwahanol, a chaiff rhai eu gwneud yn well ar y cyd, ond mae'r rhan fwyaf yn gweithio orau ar lefel bresennol yr awdurdod lleol. Enghreifftiau o wasanaethau a fyddai'n elwa o fodel cydweithio yn seiliedig ar yr ôl troed rhanbarthol yw trafnidiaeth, datblygu economaidd a chynllunio rhanbarthol.
Gadewais y peth anoddaf at y diwedd. Byddwn yn croesawu clywed y Gweinidog yn esbonio pa mor dda y mae Betsi Cadwaladr, CNC a gwasanaeth ambiwlans Cymru yn perfformio, oherwydd mae'n ymddangos ei fod yn mynd yn groes i unrhyw beth y deuthum ar ei draws, ar ôl ymwneud ag etholwyr sydd wedi cael problemau gyda hwy. Nid yw cael cadeiryddion, byrddau a phrif weithredwyr newydd wedi datrys y problemau yn Betsi Cadwaladr. Os ydych chi'n parhau i feddwl y gallwch gael cadeirydd a phrif weithredwr ac y bydd popeth yn iawn—. Ni allaf gyfrif faint o gadeiryddion a phrif weithredwyr a fu gan Betsi Cadwaladr, ac mae wedi cael ei redeg gan Lywodraeth Cymru, ac nid wyf yn meddwl bod unrhyw un yn mynd i godi a dweud, 'Maent wedi'i gael yn iawn nawr.'
Os edrychwch ar Betsi Cadwaladr o ran swyddogaethau cymorth, gofal sylfaenol a gofal eilaidd, er y gall y ddau gyntaf weithio ar yr ôl troed presennol, rhaid rhannu gofal eilaidd rhwng y dwyrain a'r gorllewin. O ran hollti gwasanaeth ambiwlans Cymru fel ei fod yn cael ei redeg gan y byrddau iechyd, er y byddwn fel arfer yn dweud nad ad-drefnu yw'r ateb, yn achos y gwasanaeth ambiwlans, a allai ad-drefnu wneud unrhyw beth yn waeth? Nid yw CNC yn gwneud unrhyw synnwyr o gwbl. Er bod uno Cyngor Cefn Gwlad Cymru ac Asiantaeth yr Amgylchedd yn seiliedig ar ryw fath o resymeg, nid oedd unrhyw resymeg o gwbl i ychwanegu'r Comisiwn Coedwigaeth.
Yn olaf, wrth chwilio am fodel gwasanaethau rhabarthol, ni ddylai unrhyw wasanaeth, oni bai ei fod yn wasanaeth cenedlaethol, groesi'r ffin ranbarthol. Dylai tân ac achub ddod yn bedwar nid tri, gyda Phowys a Cheredigion yn hollti oddi wrth ganolbarth a gorllewin Cymru. Crëwyd Cymru bedwar rhanbarth, ac mae angen inni ddefnyddio'r ôl troed hwn ar gyfer gwasanaethau cyhoeddus. Dylem edrych ar gael maint sefydliadau'n iawn, yn hytrach na'u gwneud yn fwy ac yn fwy. Rwyf am orffen gyda hyn: a oes unrhyw un yn meddwl bod y gwasanaeth gyrfaoedd wedi gwella am mai dim ond un gwasanaeth gyrfaoedd a geir ar gyfer Cymru, neu a ydych chi'n meddwl ei fod wedi gwaethygu? Rwyf fi o'r farn ei fod wedi gwaethygu.
I'm always grateful to Mike for his contributions to this. The worst mistake—I made many mistakes, but the worst mistake—I made as a Minister was to challenge Mike on local government financing and the intricacies of the council tax. The pain I suffered then, nearly a decade ago, stays with me every day of my life, and if I can't sleep at 3 o'clock in the morning, Mike comes back into my dreams—or my nightmares—and reminds me of my failures. And I'm grateful to you for that, Mike.
But, let me say this: perhaps the difference in approach that you and I take is that you think Wales is a big country with big organisations; I think Wales is a small country, and I think Wales has issues of small country governance. And that's entirely different, and I take a different view on those matters. One of the failures, if you like, of governance in Wales over the last 20 years is that we've never created a coherence in governance in Wales, and one of the reasons we've never done that is that all of us know that we've created too many organisations, too many structures, too many processes, too many committees, too many commissions but none of us are prepared to ask the difficult questions and to face up to that.
As a Minister, I asked a very senior Member of Plaid Cymru would they support the reorganisation of local government. Without taking a breath, that person said, 'Yes, absolutely, unequivocally, but you need to carve out Anglesey and you need to carve out Ceredigion.' I asked the same question of a very senior Member of the Conservative Party, 'Would you support the reorganisation of local government?' 'Yes, unequivocally, no issue at all, but you'd have to carve out Monmouthshire.' They didn't mention Aberconwy. And the Labour Government at the time, with one exception, was wholly in favour of the reorganisation of local government, and I often reflect on that. However, what I believe we need to do, and this is where I think there's a connection and I'm trying to reach out to find this connection with Mike, is that we need to create coherence in the governance of Wales, because we spend all of our time arguing about what comes up and down the M4, but we don't create coherence within the country. And for somebody like me, who wants to distribute greater powers outside of this Chamber, and outside of Cardiff, that means having the structures that can actually use and have the capacity to make the best use of those additional powers.
So, if we're serious about empowering communities up and down Wales, we have to have the structures and the means for funding those—structures that actually work for the people who live in those communities. And I don't believe we've done that. And I believe that all of us, wherever we sit in the Chamber—. I notice Jane Dodds is here, so I won't mention the embarrassment of my arguments with the Liberal Democrats on local government reorganisation where there was absolute agreement, but a wish to do it on a ward-by-ward basis. So, we would have 800 different conversations about wards that would sit in different authorities. We need to be serious about how we do that, and that means that, together, we need a coherent and an intelligent and a far-sighted and a less selfish debate.
Rwyf fi bob amser yn ddiolchgar i Mike am ei gyfraniadau ar hyn. Y camgymeriad gwaethaf—fe wneuthum lawer o gamgymeriadau, ond y camgymeriad gwaethaf—a wneuthum fel Gweinidog oedd herio Mike ar ariannu llywodraeth leol a chymhlethdodau'r dreth gyngor. Mae'r boen a ddioddefais bryd hynny, bron i ddegawd yn ôl, yn aros gyda mi bob dydd o fy oes, ac os na allaf gysgu am 3 o'r gloch y bore, daw Mike yn ôl i fy mreuddwydion—neu fy hunllefau—a fy atgoffa am fy methiannau. Ac rwy'n ddiolchgar i chi am hynny, Mike.
Ond gadewch imi ddweud hyn: efallai mai'r gwahaniaeth rhwng eich ffordd chi o feddwl a fy un i yw eich bod chi'n meddwl bod Cymru'n wlad fawr gyda sefydliadau mawr; rwy'n meddwl bod Cymru'n wlad fach, ac rwy'n credu bod gan Gymru broblemau sy'n tarddu o'r ffordd y caiff gwledydd bach eu llywodraethu. Ac mae hynny'n hollol wahanol, ac mae gennyf farn wahanol ar y materion hynny. Un o'r methiannau llywodraethu yng Nghymru dros yr 20 mlynedd diwethaf yw nad ydym erioed wedi cydlynu ein ffordd o lywodraethu yng Nghymru, ac un o'r rhesymau nad ydym erioed wedi gwneud hynny yw bod pob un ohonom yn gwybod ein bod wedi creu gormod o sefydliadau, gormod o strwythurau, gormod o brosesau, gormod o bwyllgorau, gormod o gomisiynau ond nid oes yr un ohonom yn barod i ofyn y cwestiynau anodd ac i wynebu hynny.
Fel Gweinidog, gofynnais i Aelod blaenllaw o Blaid Cymru a fyddent yn cefnogi ad-drefnu llywodraeth leol. Heb oedi i gymryd anadl, dywedodd y person hwnnw, 'Byddwn, yn sicr, yn ddigamsyniol, ond mae angen ichi neilltuo Ynys Môn ac mae angen i chi neilltuo Ceredigion.' Gofynnais yr un cwestiwn i Aelod blaenllaw o'r Blaid Geidwadol, 'A fyddech chi'n cefnogi ad-drefnu llywodraeth leol?' 'Byddwn, yn ddigamsyniol, dim problem o gwbl, ond byddai'n rhaid i chi neilltuo sir Fynwy.' Ni wnaethant sôn am Aberconwy. Ac roedd y Llywodraeth Lafur ar y pryd, gydag un eithriad, yn gyfan gwbl o blaid ad-drefnu llywodraeth leol, ac rwy'n aml yn meddwl am hynny. Fodd bynnag, yr hyn y credaf fod angen inni ei wneud, a dyma lle rwy'n credu bod yna gysylltiad ac rwy'n ceisio estyn allan i ddod o hyd i'r cysylltiad hwn â Mike, yw bod angen inni greu cydlyniaeth wrth lywodraethu Cymru, oherwydd rydym yn treulio ein holl amser yn dadlau am yr hyn sy'n mynd i fyny ac i lawr yr M4, ond nid ydym yn creu cydlyniaeth o fewn y wlad. Ac i rywun fel fi, sydd eisiau dosbarthu mwy o bwerau y tu allan i'r Siambr hon, a thu allan i Gaerdydd, mae hynny'n golygu cael y strwythurau sy'n gallu defnyddio ac sydd â gallu i wneud y defnydd gorau o'r pwerau ychwanegol hynny.
Felly, os ydym o ddifrif ynglŷn â grymuso cymunedau ar hyd a lled Cymru, mae'n rhaid inni gael y strwythurau a'r modd o ariannu'r rheini—strwythurau sy'n gweithio go iawn i'r bobl sy'n byw yn y cymunedau hynny. Ac nid wyf yn credu ein bod wedi gwneud hynny. Ac rwy'n credu bod pob un ohonom, ble bynnag rydym yn eistedd yn y Siambr—. Rwy'n sylwi bod Jane Dodds yma, felly ni wnaf sôn am embaras fy nadleuon gyda'r Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol ar ad-drefnu llywodraeth leol lle'r oedd cytundeb llwyr, ond awydd i'w wneud ar sail wardiau unigol. Felly, byddai gennym 800 o sgyrsiau gwahanol am ba wardiau a fyddai'n perthyn i wahanol awdurdodau. Mae angen inni fod o ddifrif ynglŷn â sut y gwnawn hynny, ac mae hynny'n golygu, gyda'n gilydd, fod angen dadl gydlynol a deallus a phellweledol a llai hunanol.
Galwaf ar y Gweinidog Cyllid a Llywodraeth Leol i ymateb i'r ddadl—Rebecca Evans.
I call on the Minister for Finance and Local Government to reply to the debate—Rebecca Evans.
Thank you, and thank you very much to Mike Hedges for bringing forward this interesting debate today and, of course, to Alun Davies for his thought-provoking comments as well.
How we work together across our public services is what makes us different here in Wales and it's the passion, determination and the care that we see from our public servants in Wales across local government, health, fire and rescue services, police forces and the other organisations involved in public service delivery that enable us to deliver those effective services for our people, and it's our approach of collaboration that makes it work. So, to me, in many ways, our relationships and ways of working are at least as important as the structures that we have in place to support them.
I know that Mike Hedges has previously said, and he, I think, repeated it again today, that change should only be considered where there's a very strong chance of improving service. And I think that was very much at the heart of his debate today. And I completely would agree with that. So, my focus is on taking advantage of the ability to be agile and to work as one Welsh public service. 'One Welsh public service' is a term that's been used in Wales now for several years, and there are many examples of the Welsh public sector coming together, irrespective of those organisational boundaries and responsibilities, to deliver better results for citizens, and I think we saw that most clearly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ethos of the one Welsh public service is something on which, of course, we continue to build, and the Welsh Government has an important leadership role to play, but we are one of many partners. So, we work with our colleagues across the Welsh public sector to further embed a culture that puts people at the heart of our collective efforts. Our priorities at this time, therefore, relate to further developing relationships and distributed leadership across public services. We have a really strong group of leaders at all levels of organisations, and effectiveness and efficiencies don't come from reorganisation, but from that clever joined-up working.
The review of strategic partnerships that was undertaken jointly by the WLGA, Welsh Government and the Welsh NHS Confederation, published in June 2020, concluded that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to partnership arrangements. The report also confirmed that a top-down restructure was not sought by partnership members, largely as it might damage successful solutions that were already happening in some areas. The recommendations from the review were clear that it's for local partnerships to lead on aligning partnerships in their area, with public services boards and regional partnership boards taking a strategic leadership role and the Welsh Government offering facilitation support.
There is a programme for government commitment to keep regional partnership arrangements under review, together with partners, to ensure that they're efficient. As part of this, I and the designated Member for Plaid Cymru, Cefin Campbell, are meeting with a range of strategic partnerships and will reflect on what we've heard, before sharing our conclusions with the Partnership Council for Wales. The underlying principle is that any changes are locally led, driven by what works best and based on local priorities and existing relationships.
The COVID pandemic will have led to some changes in how partnerships work, and, in some cases, the urgent need to work across organisational structures became a catalyst for more efficient, longer term joint working. COVID-19 and its effects on communities in Wales has revealed some stark contrasts, and public services will need to consider the social, economic, environmental and cultural impact of the pandemic, which, in many places, will be felt for years to come. PSBs will have an important role to play in considering and co-ordinating this longer term response, and we are supporting them to reflect on this. And more broadly, PSBs play a vital and valued role in bringing public services together in an area to identify and deliver against their shared priorities. So, mutual goals, local leadership and existing relationships are so important in determining and delivering against local priorities. The quality and value of the conversations and the decisions that happen in PSBs and through other partnerships is a result of the investment and the commitment of the representatives and the organisations that they represent. Whatever structure public services are based on, partnership working in an integrated and collaborative way is always going to be essential. Ensuring that partnership structures are best aligned and effective is an ongoing task for all public services.
I know that Mike Hedges was not supportive of past proposals for major reorganisations of our local authorities to achieve larger councils, and he's outlined the reasons for that this afternoon, and I agree with him: our local authorities need us to support them in delivering their services and not distract them with plans for structural reorganisation. Instead, the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 has given us opportunities for a package of reform, including enabling voluntary mergers, if they wish to do so. But instead of looking to reorganise local authorities, we have worked with them to develop improved mechanisms for working together to deliver local government functions at a regional scale where it makes sense to do so.
Working closely with leaders, we've established four corporate joint committees—or CJCs—across Wales. These provide a consistent and democratically controlled framework, based on the four geographical areas of the city and growth deals. I know that Mike Hedges set out in his 2018 paper on public service structures that examples of services that would benefit from joint working are based on the regional footprint, our transport, economic development, and regional planning—and again, that's something that he's talked about this afternoon. So, through legislation, we've aligned these very functions identified by Mike Hedges within CJCs to provide an opportunity for regions to consider and capitalise on the interdependencies between them. This will allow local authority partners to deliver regional ambitions, develop successful regional economies, and encourage local growth.
So, to conclude, it's the relationships between people and across organisations that, together, deliver our public services in Wales. We are proudly one Welsh public service, and it's this ethos that underpins the behaviours and the culture that we want to see. Relationships transcend structures, and it's our combined passion to deliver high-quality, focused and compassionate public services that is most important and most powerful.
Diolch yn fawr, a diolch yn fawr iawn i Mike Hedges am gyflwyno'r ddadl ddiddorol hon heddiw, ac wrth gwrs, i Alun Davies am ei sylwadau sy'n procio'r meddwl hefyd.
Sut y gweithiwn gyda'n gilydd ar draws ein gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yw'r hyn sy'n ein gwneud yn wahanol yma yng Nghymru a'r angerdd, y penderfyniad a'r gofal a welwn gan ein gweision cyhoeddus yng Nghymru ar draws llywodraeth leol, iechyd, y gwasanaethau tân ac achub, heddluoedd a'r sefydliadau eraill sy'n ymwneud â darparu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus sy'n ein galluogi i ddarparu'r gwasanaethau effeithiol hynny i'n pobl, a'n dull ni o gydweithio sy'n gwneud iddo weithio. Felly, i mi, mewn sawl ffordd, mae ein perthnasoedd a'n ffyrdd o weithio o leiaf gyn bwysiced â'r strwythurau sydd gennym ar waith i'w cynnal.
Rwy'n gwybod bod Mike Hedges wedi dweud o'r blaen, ac rwy'n credu ei fod wedi ei ailadrodd eto heddiw, mai dim ond lle mae gobaith cryf iawn o wella gwasanaeth y dylid ystyried newid. Ac rwy'n credu bod hynny'n ganolog i'w ddadl heddiw. A byddwn yn cytuno'n llwyr â hynny. Felly, fy ffocws yw manteisio ar y gallu i fod yn ystwyth a gweithio fel un gwasanaeth cyhoeddus Cymreig. Mae 'un gwasanaeth cyhoeddus Cymreig' yn derm sydd wedi cael ei ddefnyddio yng Nghymru nawr ers sawl blwyddyn, a cheir sawl enghraifft o'r sector cyhoeddus yng Nghymru yn dod at ei gilydd, ni waeth beth yw'r ffiniau a'r cyfrifoldebau sefydliadol, i sicrhau canlyniadau gwell i ddinasyddion, ac rwy'n credu inni weld hynny yn fwyaf amlwg yn ystod y pandemig COVID-19.
Mae ethos yr un gwasanaeth cyhoeddus Cymreig yn rhywbeth rydym yn parhau i adeiladu arno wrth gwrs, ac mae gan Lywodraeth Cymru rôl arweiniol bwysig i'w chwarae, ond rydym yn un o nifer o bartneriaid. Felly, rydym yn gweithio gyda'n cydweithwyr ar draws sector cyhoeddus Cymru i wreiddio diwylliant sy'n rhoi pobl wrth galon ein hymdrechion cyfunol. Mae ein blaenoriaethau ar hyn o bryd felly yn ymwneud â datblygu perthnasoedd pellach ac arweinyddiaeth ddosbarthedig ar draws y gwasanaethau cyhoeddus. Mae gennym grŵp cryf iawn o arweinwyr ar bob lefel o sefydliadau, ac ni ddaw effeithiolrwydd ac arbedion effeithlonrwydd o ad-drefnu, ond yn hytrach o'r gwaith clyfar cydgysylltiedig hwnnw.
Daeth yr adolygiad o bartneriaethau strategol a gynhaliwyd ar y cyd gan CLlLC, Llywodraeth Cymru a Chonffederasiwn GIG Cymru, a gyhoeddwyd ym mis Mehefin 2020, i'r casgliad nad oes ateb un-maint-i-bawb i drefniadau partneriaeth. Fe wnaeth yr adroddiad gadarnhau hefyd nad oedd aelodau'r partneriaethau yn awyddus i weld ailstrwythuro o'r brig i lawr, yn bennaf am y gallai niweidio atebion llwyddiannus a oedd eisoes yn digwydd mewn rhai mannau. Roedd argymhellion yr adolygiad yn glir mai lle partneriaethau lleol yw arwain ar gysoni partneriaethau yn eu hardal, gyda byrddau gwasanaethau cyhoeddus a byrddau partneriaethau rhanbarthol yn mabwysiadu rôl arweiniol strategol a Llywodraeth Cymru yn cynnig cymorth hwyluso.
Ceir ymrwymiad yn y rhaglen lywodraethu i gadw trefniadau partneriaeth rhanbarthol dan arolwg, gyda phartneriaid, i sicrhau eu bod yn effeithlon. Fel rhan o hyn, rwyf fi a'r Aelod dynodedig dros Blaid Cymru, Cefin Campbell, yn cyfarfod ag amrywiaeth o bartneriaethau strategol a byddwn yn ystyried yr hyn a glywsom, cyn rhannu ein casgliadau gyda Chyngor Partneriaeth Cymru. Yr egwyddor sylfaenol yw bod unrhyw newidiadau'n cael eu harwain yn lleol, wedi'u gyrru gan yr hyn sy'n gweithio orau ac yn seiliedig ar flaenoriaethau lleol a'r perthnasoedd sy'n bodoli'n barod.
Bydd pandemig COVID wedi arwain at rai newidiadau yn y modd y mae partneriaethau'n gweithio, ac mewn rhai achosion, daeth yr angen dybryd i weithio ar draws strwythurau sefydliadol yn gatalydd ar gyfer cydweithio mwy effeithlon, mwy hirdymor. Mae COVID-19 a'i effeithiau ar gymunedau yng Nghymru wedi datgelu rhai gwahaniaethau clir, a bydd angen i wasanaethau cyhoeddus ystyried effaith gymdeithasol, economaidd, amgylcheddol a diwylliannol y pandemig, a fydd, mewn sawl man, i'w theimlo am flynyddoedd i ddod. Bydd gan fyrddau gwasanaethau cyhoeddus rôl bwysig i'w chwarae yn ystyried a chydlynu'r ymateb mwy hirdymor hwn, ac rydym yn eu cynorthwyo i fyfyrio ar hyn. Ac yn ehangach, mae byrddau gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yn chwarae rhan hanfodol a gwerthfawr yn dod â gwasanaethau cyhoeddus at ei gilydd mewn ardal i nodi a chyflawni yn unol â'r blaenoriaethau a rennir ganddynt. Felly, mae nodau cyffredin, arweinyddiaeth leol a'r perthnasoedd sy'n bodoli'n barod mor bwysig ar gyfer penderfynu a chyflawni yn unol â blaenoriaethau lleol. Mae ansawdd a gwerth y sgyrsiau a'r penderfyniadau sy'n digwydd mewn byrddau gwasanaethau cyhoeddus a thrwy bartneriaethau eraill yn ganlyniad i fuddsoddiad ac ymrwymiad y cynrychiolwyr a'r sefydliadau y maent yn eu cynrychioli. Pa strwythur bynnag y mae gwasanaethau cyhoeddus wedi'u seilio arno, mae gweithio mewn partneriaeth mewn ffordd integredig a chydweithredol bob amser yn mynd i fod yn hanfodol. Mae sicrhau bod strwythurau partneriaeth yn cyd-fynd yn y ffordd orau ac yn effeithiol yn dasg barhaus i bob gwasanaeth cyhoeddus.
Gwn nad oedd Mike Hedges yn cefnogi cynigion yn y gorffennol ar gyfer ad-drefnu ein hawdurdodau lleol yn helaeth i greu cynghorau mwy o faint, ac mae wedi amlinellu'r rhesymau am hynny y prynhawn yma, ac rwy'n cytuno ag ef: mae ein hawdurdodau lleol angen i ni eu cefnogi i ddarparu eu gwasanaethau a pheidio â thynnu eu sylw oddi ar hynny â chynlluniau ar gyfer ad-drefnu strwythurol. Yn hytrach, mae Deddf Llywodraeth Leol ac Etholiadau (Cymru) 2021 wedi rhoi cyfleoedd i ni sicrhau pecyn o ddiwygiadau, gan gynnwys galluogi uno gwirfoddol, os ydynt am wneud hynny. Ond yn lle ceisio ad-drefnu awdurdodau lleol, rydym wedi gweithio gyda hwy i ddatblygu dulliau gwell o weithio gyda'n gilydd i gyflawni swyddogaethau llywodraeth leol ar raddfa ranbarthol lle mae'n gwneud synnwyr i wneud hynny.
Gan weithio'n agos gydag arweinwyr, rydym wedi sefydlu pedwar cyd-bwyllgor corfforedig ledled Cymru. Mae'r rhain yn darparu fframwaith cyson a reolir yn ddemocrataidd, wedi'i seilio ar bedair ardal ddaearyddol y bargeinion dinesig a thwf. Gwn fod Mike Hedges wedi nodi yn ei bapur yn 2018 ar strwythurau gwasanaethau cyhoeddus fod yna enghreifftiau o wasanaethau a fyddai'n elwa o gydweithio yn seiliedig ar yr ôl troed rhanbarthol, ein trafnidiaeth, datblygu economaidd a chynlluniau rhanbarthol—ac unwaith eto, mae hynny'n rhywbeth y mae wedi siarad amdano y prynhawn yma. Felly, drwy ddeddfwriaeth, rydym wedi cysoni'r union swyddogaethau a nododd Mike Hedges o fewn cydbwyllgorau corfforedig i ddarparu cyfle i ranbarthau ystyried a manteisio ar y cyd-ddibyniaethau rhyngddynt. Bydd hyn yn caniatáu i bartneriaid awdurdodau lleol wireddu uchelgeisiau rhanbarthol, datblygu economïau rhanbarthol llwyddiannus, ac annog twf lleol.
Felly, i gloi y perthnasoedd rhwng pobl ac ar draws sefydliadau sydd, gyda'i gilydd, yn darparu ein gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yng Nghymru. Rydym yn un gwasanaeth cyhoeddus Cymreig balch, a'r ethos hwn sy'n sail i'r ymddygiadau a'r diwylliant rydym am ei weld. Mae perthnasoedd yn pontio strwythurau, a'n hangerdd cyfunol i ddarparu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus trwyadl a thosturiol o ansawdd uchel sydd bwysicaf ac yn fwyaf pwerus.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog. Symudwn nawr i'r ail ddadl fer, a galwaf ar Siân Gwenllian i siarad.
Thank you, Minister. We will now move to our second short debate, and I call on Siân Gwenllian.
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Dwi am roi amser i Jane Dodds a Rhun ap Iorwerth, ac yn edrych ymlaen at eu cyfraniadau nhw.
Mae mamolaeth a chyfnod geni plentyn yn gyfnod positif iawn i lawer ohonom ni, ond dan rhai amgylchiadau, mae’n gallu bod yn gyfnod dyrys ac anodd iawn, ac yn y ddadl fer heno yma, dwi am ganolbwyntio ar y problemau iechyd meddwl sy’n dod i ran rhai merched—yn benodol, problemau sy’n gysylltiedig efo mamolaeth a geni plentyn. Mae angen sicrhau bod gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl amenedigol yn cael eu darparu mewn ffordd briodol ar draws Cymru, gan roi anghenion merched, eu babanod a’u teuluoedd yn ganolog i’r drafodaeth. Dydy’r ddarpariaeth ddim yn gyson ar draws Cymru, a dwi’n bryderus bod llawer o ferched o fy etholaeth i ac yn y gogledd yn fwy cyffredinol yn dioddef yn sgil diffyg darpariaeth ac adnoddau.
Mae dros un ym mhob 10 menyw yn datblygu salwch meddwl yn ystod beichiogrwydd neu o fewn y flwyddyn gyntaf o eni plentyn. Dyma un o’r problemau iechyd mwyaf cyffredin i famau beichiog a, heb y driniaeth briodol, mae’n gallu cael effaith andwyol iawn ar iechyd meddwl y merched a’u babanod, ac yn rhoi straen anferth ar deuluoedd. Gyda’r driniaeth a’r gefnogaeth gywir, mae merched a’u teuluoedd yn gallu gwella ac ymdopi.
A gaf i droi yn gyntaf at wasanaethau amenedigol cymunedol? Mae hi’n ofynnol i ddarparu ymwelydd iechyd a bydwraig benodol ar gyfer pob menyw beichiog i fonitro unrhyw faterion a rhoi cymorth iddi, gan gynnwys atgyfeirio i’r gwasanaethau amenedigol arbenigol priodol, yn ôl yr angen. Dwi ddim wedi cael fy modloni bod yr arallgyfeirio yma yn digwydd mewn ffordd gyson yn ardal bwrdd iechyd Betsi Cadwaladr.
Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd. I want to give time to Jane Dodds and to Rhun ap Iorwerth, and I very much look forward to hearing their contributions.
Maternity and childbirth are positive experiences for many of us, but in some circumstances, it can be a very challenging and difficult time, and in this evening’s short debate, I want to focus on the mental health issues that face some women, particularly those issues that are related to maternity and childbirth. We must ensure that perinatal mental health services are provided in an appropriate manner across Wales, putting the needs of women, their babies and their families at the heart of the conversation. The provision is not consistent across Wales, and I am concerned that many women in my constituency, and in north Wales more broadly, are suffering due to a lack of provision and resources.
Over one in 10 women develop mental illness during pregnancy or within the first year after the birth of their child. This is one of the most common health concerns experienced by pregnant mothers, and without the appropriate treatment, it can have a highly detrimental impact on the mental health of women and their babies, and can place families under huge amounts of strain. But with the right treatment and support, women and their families can get better and can cope.
May I turn first of all to community perinatal services? It is a requirement that every woman be allocated a designated health visitor and midwife to monitor any issues that arise and to provide her with support, including referral to the appropriate specialist perinatal services, according to need. I have not been satisfied that this referral happens consistently in the Betsi Cadwaladr health board area.
Mae hi’n destun pryder mawr nad oes gan fwrdd iechyd Betsi unrhyw gyllideb ar gyfer gwasanaethau amenedigol ysgafn neu gymedrol, er bod £3 miliwn wedi ei neilltuo ar gyfer hyn yn flynyddol ar draws Cymru. Mae hyn yn fwlch sylweddol, ac yn frawychus yn wir, a dwi yn gofyn i’r Dirprwy Weinidog ymchwilio i hyn ac unioni’r sefyllfa ar unwaith. Mae’r bwlch yma yn golygu bod menywod yn dirywio yn sydyn gan ddatblygu yn achosion difrifol, sydd efo goblygiadau sylweddol iddyn nhw a'u teuluoedd, ond hefyd efo goblygiadau ariannol.
Mae’r sefyllfa yma yn bodoli er gwaethaf yr ymrwymiad bod gwella gofal iechyd meddwl amenedigol yn flaenoriaeth gan Lywodraeth Cymru ers y tymor seneddol diwethaf yn sgil adroddiad gan y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg. Fe wnaed ymrwymiad y byddai gan bob bwrdd iechyd wasanaeth cymunedol hygyrch ac ymrwymiad i wella mynediad ac ansawdd gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl amenedigol. Mae gwendidau yn y ddarpariaeth gymunedol ar draws Cymru, sy'n effeithio yn andwyol ar ormod o ferched a gormod o deuluoedd. Ond, mae’r gwendidau yn amlwg o boenus yn y gogledd, ac mae'n rhaid inni symud yn gyflym i unioni hyn.
Dwi hefyd yn ymwybodol o ddiffyg gofod ar gyfer apwyntiadau cymunedol a bod llawer o’r rhain yn digwydd mewn lleoliadau anaddas. Mae hyn yn golygu ei bod hi’n anodd i fwrdd iechyd Betsi gyrraedd y safonau priodol heb sôn am fod yn ddiflas iawn i staff a’r merched dan sylw.
Dwi’n troi rŵan at y gwasanaethau ar gyfer yr achosion sydd yn codi o broblemau mwy difrifol. Bydd pump o bob 100 o ferched beichiog yn datblygu problem iechyd meddwl difrifol. Bydd rhwng dwy a phedair o bob 1,000 o ferched sy’n cael plentyn angen gofal mewn ysbyty. Uned mamau a babanod ydy’r lle priodol ar gyfer derbyn y gofal hyn, ond mae yna ormod o lawer o famau yn gorfod cael eu trin ar wardiau seiciatryddol cyffredinol. Mae hyn yn golygu eu bod nhw'n cael eu gwahanu oddi wrth eu babanod, a fydd ond yn ychwanegu at y broblem, siŵr iawn.
Rydyn ni'n gwybod bod uned wedi cael ei hagor yn y de, ac mae hynny yn wych o beth. Mae’n bryd cael data am yr uned honno ac hoffwn i ofyn i’r Dirprwy Weinidog gyhoeddi unrhyw adroddiad yn sgil adolygiad o’r uned ers iddi agor ym mis Ebrill 2021. Fe wnaeth y Llywodraeth ymrwymo i gynnal adolygiad yn Ebrill 2022, ond, hyd yma, dydw i ddim wedi gallu cael mynediad at ddata cyhoeddus. Felly, dwi'n edrych ymlaen yn eiddgar i weld yr adroddiadau a’r data a hefyd y deilliannau a’r gwersi i’w dysgu wrth i ni drafod uned ar gyfer y gogledd.
Roedd adroddiad y pwyllgor plant a phobl Ifanc wedi nodi na fyddai MBU yn y de o angenrheidrwydd yn addas ar gyfer mamau a’u teuluoedd yn y canolbarth a’r gogledd. Nodwyd bod angen trafod opsiynau efo NHS England gyda’r nod o greu canolfan yn y gogledd-ddwyrain, gogledd-ddwyrain Cymru, fyddai’n gallu gwasanaethu mamau a’u plant ar ddwy ochr y ffin. Y ddadl rydyn ni'n ei chlywed ydy nad oes yna ddim digon o achosion yn y gogledd a’r canolbarth i gyfiawnhau uned ar wahân ar gyfer yr ardal ond y gellid llenwi gwelyau mewn uned drwy drefniant â byrddau iechyd cyfagos sydd yn rhan o NHS England. Yn anffodus, y penderfyniad oedd bwrw ymlaen gydag uned wyth gwely yn Lloegr gyda mynediad i deuluoedd o’r gogledd yn lle mynd o’i chwmpas hi'r ffordd arall ac yn y ffordd a argymhellwyd yn adroddiad y pwyllgor, sef uned yng Nghymru fyddai yn hygyrch ar gyfer pobl yn cael eu gwasanaeth drwy NHS Lloegr.
Dwi’n deall, erbyn hyn, mai’r bwriad ydy adeiladu uned yn Swydd Gaer a’i bod, yn ôl yr hyn dwi'n ei ddeall, i fod i agor erbyn y gwanwyn flwyddyn nesaf. Ond, rhaid i mi ddweud, mae’n anodd iawn dod o hyd i unrhyw fanylion pellach na hynny. Y sôn ydy y bydd yr uned yma yn cynnwys dau wely ar gyfer merched o’r gogledd, ac y gallai bwrdd iechyd Betsi brynu llefydd ychwanegol wrth i alw gynyddu. Yn fy marn i, dyma’r model anghywir ar gyfer diwallu anghenion merched yn fy etholaeth i a thu hwnt yn y gogledd. Y model anghywir, pan oedd yna ddewis amgen o fodel fyddai wedi gallu diwallu yr anghenion yn yr un ffordd yn union.
Oni bai am bellteroedd teithio hollol afrealistig i lawer o famau, mae problem sylfaenol ac allweddol yn codi o ran diwallu anghenion iaith Gymraeg llawer o deuluoedd. Fedraf i ond dychmygu pa mor erchyll fyddai gorfod bod ymhell o gartref mewn cyfnod mor fregus. Os mai’r Gymraeg ydy'ch mamiaith chi a’r cyfrwng cwbl naturiol ar gyfer cyfathrebu efo’ch baban newydd, meddyliwch pa mor estron fyddai hynny yn Swydd Gaer, pan fydd y gweithlu yn uniaith Saesneg. Petai’r uned wedi ei lleoli yn y gogledd ac yn darparu gwelyau ar gyfer merched o Loegr, fyddai yna ddim problem iaith, wrth gwrs, achos mae siaradwyr Cymraeg yn siarad Saesneg hefyd. Felly, mae angen rhoi sylw brys i’r elfen ieithyddol yn y model newydd, os mai hwn fydd yn symud yn ei flaen, neu mae arnaf i ofn bod strategaeth 'Mwy na geiriau' y Llywodraeth yn un wag a diystyr. Os nad ydy hi’n rhy hwyr, mi fuaswn i yn gofyn i’r Dirprwy Weinidog adolygu’r penderfyniad ffôl i greu uned ar gyfer merched y gogledd yn Lloegr.
Dwi wedi cymryd y cyfle yn y ddadl yma i nodi’r gwendidau sylfaenol yn y ddarpariaeth amenedigol yn y gogledd, y diffygion yn y gwasanaethau cymunedol, a’r model cwbl annigonol ac amhriodol sydd ar y gweill o ran gwasanaethau ar gyfer achosion difrifol. Dwi yn gobeithio y bydd y Llywodraeth yn cymryd yr hyn dwi'n ei ddweud heddiw o ddifrif ac yn gweld fy mod i'n ceisio gwella'r sefyllfa. Fy ngobaith i ydy, drwy ddod â'r ddadl yma ymlaen a rhoi hyn i gyd o dan y chwyddwydr yma yn y Senedd, y bydd y Dirprwy Weinidog yn gofyn i’w swyddogion hi am adroddiad brys ar y sefyllfa yn y gogledd, efo argymhellion pendant er mwyn gwella’r sefyllfa ar gyfer mamau, babanod a theuluoedd ar draws y gogledd. Diolch.
It is a cause of great concern that Betsi Cadwaladr health board has no budget set aside for low-level or moderate perinatal mental health services, even though £3 million has been allocated for this every year across Wales. This is a significant gap, and it's truly concerning. I ask the Deputy Minister to investigate this and to rectify the situation at once. This funding gap means that women are deteriorating very quickly, developing into serious cases, with significant implications for them and their families, but also financial implications.
This situation exists despite the commitment that improving perinatal mental health has been a priority of the Welsh Government since the previous Senedd term, following a report by the Children, Young People and Education Committee. A commitment was made that every health board would have an accessible community service, as well as a commitment to improve access to and the quality of perinatal mental health services. There are weaknesses in the community provision across Wales, which is having a detrimental impact on too many women and too many families. But, these failings are painfully clear in north Wales, so we must move at pace to rectify this.
I'm also aware of a lack of spaces for community appointments and that many of these take place in unsuitable settings. This means that it's difficult for Betsi Cadwaladr health board to meet the required standards, not to mention being very discouraging for the staff and women involved.
I now turn to services for the more serious cases. Five out of 100 pregnant women will develop a serious mental health condition. Between two and four out of every 1,000 women who have a child will require hospital care. A mother and baby unit is the appropriate place for this care to be received, but far too many women have to be treated on general psychiatric wards, and this means that they’re separated from their babies. This can only exacerbate the problem, surely.
We know that a unit has been opened in south Wales, and that is wonderful to see. It's time that we saw data on that unit. I would like to ask the Deputy Minister to publish any report produced as a result of a review of the unit since it opened in April 2021. The Government had committed to undertaking a review in April 2022, but, to date, I haven’t been able to access any publicly available data. So, I look forward eagerly to seeing these reports and data, as well as the outcomes and the lessons to be learned, as we discuss a unit for north Wales.
The Children, Young People and Education Committee’s report noted that an MBU in the south would not necessarily be appropriate for mothers and their families in mid and north Wales. It was noted that options should be discussed with NHS England, with a view to establishing a centre in the north-east—the north-east of Wales, that is—that would be able to serve mothers and their children on both sides of the border. The argument that we hear is that there aren’t enough cases in north and mid Wales to justify a dedicated unit for the area, but beds in such a unit could be filled through coming to an arrangement with health boards nearby that are part of NHS England. Unfortunately, the decision made was to continue with an eight-bed unit in England with access given to families from north Wales, rather than proceeding in the other way and in the way, indeed, that was recommended in the committee’s report.
I understand that the intention is to build a unit in Cheshire, which is expected to open in spring of next year, as I understand it. However, it is very difficult to find any further details on this development. The mention made is that this unit will include two beds for women from north Wales, and that Betsi Cadwaladr health board could commission additional beds as demand increases. In my view, this is the incorrect model for meeting the needs of women in my constituency and beyond. It's the wrong model, when there was an alternative option of a model that would have been able to meet the needs in the same way.
Aside from the totally unrealistic distances that many mothers would have to travel, there is a further key and fundamental problem that arises in terms of meeting many families’ Welsh language needs. I can only begin to imagine how horrendous it would be to have to be far from home at such a time of vulnerability. If Welsh is your first language and it is, therefore, the natural medium of communication with your newborn baby, imagine how alienating that would feel in Cheshire, where the workforce would be monolingual English. If the unit were located in north Wales and it provided beds for women from England, there would be no language barrier or issue because Welsh speakers speak English too. So, we must give urgent attention to the linguistic element in the new model, if this is the model that will be pursued, or I'm afraid that the Government’s 'More than just words' strategy will be exposed as empty and meaningless. If it isn’t too late, I would ask the Deputy Minister to review the ill-advised decision to establish a unit for women from north Wales in England.
I have taken the opportunity in this short debate to outline the fundamental weaknesses in perinatal provision in north Wales, the deficiencies in community services, and the wholly inadequate and unsuitable model in the pipeline for serious cases. I do hope that the Government will take what I've said this evening seriously and will see that I'm trying to improve the situation. My hope is that, by putting this issue under the spotlight here in the Senedd, the Deputy Minister will ask her officials for an urgent report on the situation in north Wales, with firm recommendations for improving the situation for mothers, babies and families across north Wales. Thank you.
Diolch i Siân Gwenllian am godi'r mater pwysig, pwysig iawn yma.
Thank you to Siân Gwenllian for raising this most important issue.
This is an issue that we don't hear much about or discuss publicly. It demonstrates still the significant stigma around mental health, especially for new or expectant mothers. I know, through my own experience of being a child protection social worker, how devastating this is in relation not just to mothers but to fathers as well. So, to families, this issue is perhaps a shameful and stigmatising concern and we have to improve services to ensure that we identify those people and actually offer them the right services. My region covers part of Betsi Cadwaladr and Dwyfor Meirionnydd. Representing Mid and West Wales as well, we just need more facilities and more options for our women and parents who are facing significant issues once a baby's born.
The new 'Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ Care' report shows that 18 per cent of all maternal deaths in the first year after a baby's birth are due to suicide, and postpartum psychosis is the leading cause of those deaths. The report found that 67 per cent of these suicides could have been prevented if there had been improvements in care. In April 2021, we know that the Uned Gobaith in Swansea opened, providing the first six mother and baby unit beds in Wales. But, that's in Swansea; we need more, and we need them certainly in north Wales. And there’s a really particular reason we need them in north Wales, and that’s because of the language.
Mae hwn yn fater nad ydym yn clywed llawer amdano nac yn ei drafod yn gyhoeddus. Mae'n dangos y stigma sylweddol sydd ynghlwm wrth iechyd meddwl o hyd, yn enwedig i famau newydd neu famau beichiog. O fy mhrofiad fy hun o fod yn weithiwr cymdeithasol amddiffyn plant, rwy'n gwybod pa mor ddinistriol yw hyn nid yn unig i famau ond i dadau hefyd. Felly, i deuluoedd, mae'r mater hwn efallai'n peri pryder a chywilydd a stigma ac mae'n rhaid inni wella gwasanaethau er mwyn sicrhau ein bod yn gwybod pwy yw'r bobl hynny ac yn cynnig y gwasanaethau cywir iddynt. Mae fy rhanbarth yn cynnwys rhan o Betsi Cadwaladr a Dwyfor Meirionnydd. Gan gynrychioli'r Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru hefyd, mae angen mwy o gyfleusterau a mwy o opsiynau i'n menywod a'n rhieni sy'n wynebu problemau sylweddol ar ôl geni babi.
Mae adroddiad newydd 'Saving Lives, Improving Mothers' Care' yn dangos bod 18 y cant o'r holl farwolaethau ymhlith mamau yn y flwyddyn gyntaf ar ôl geni babi yn digwydd o ganlyniad i hunanladdiad, a seicosis ôl-enedigol yw prif achos y marwolaethau hynny. Canfu'r adroddiad y gallai 67 y cant o'r achosion o hunanladdiad fod wedi cael eu hatal pe bai gwelliannau wedi bod mewn gofal. Ym mis Ebrill 2021, rydym yn gwybod bod Uned Gobaith yn Abertawe wedi agor, gan ddarparu'r chwe gwely uned mamau a babanod cyntaf yng Nghymru. Ond yn Abertawe y mae hynny; mae angen mwy, ac mae eu hangen yng ngogledd Cymru yn sicr. Ac mae rheswm penodol iawn pam ein bod eu hangen yng ngogledd Cymru, sef yr iaith.
Mae ymchwil yn dangos bod mynegi a thrafod materion sensitif, emosiynol a chymhleth fel materion iechyd meddwl yn brofiad llawer haws, yn fwy naturiol ac yn llai rhwystredig wrth allu gwneud hynny yn eich dewis iaith. I lawer o siaradwyr Cymraeg, gall wneud hynny yn Saesneg, waeth beth yw eich rhuglder, fod yn eithriadol o anodd. Mae cleifion iechyd meddwl yn aml yn cael mwy o fudd o wasanaethau wedi’u darparu trwy gyfrwng eu dewis iaith, gan nad oes unrhyw rwystrau ieithyddol i’w mynegiant. Felly, mae’n bwysig, bwysig iawn fod yna rywbeth yng ngogledd Cymru, ac i wneud yn siŵr bod hynny yn edrych ar iaith y teuluoedd sy’n cael eu heffeithio.
Research has shown that expressing and discussing sensitive, emotional and complex issues such as mental health issues is a far easier experience, is more natural and is less frustrating if you’re able to do so in the language of your choice. For many Welsh speakers, doing that in English, never mind how fluent you are in that language, can be extremely difficult. Mental health patients often get more benefit from services provided through the medium of their language of choice, as there are no linguistic barriers to their expression. So, it’s hugely important that there is provision in north Wales, and that that takes account of the language used by the families affected.
Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, in their evidence to the Senedd committee inquiry on mental health inequalities, raised concerns that, despite the measures put in place to improve access to healthcare in Welsh, access to mental healthcare in Welsh remains poor. I do hope that the Minister will consider this issue and be able to respond to some of the concerns that have been raised. We need to make sure that families, when they have that baby, have the most wonderful experience, and we know that postpartum psychosis can really be such a devastating experience, and that we have the services both to identify and support prior to the birth and, if necessary, then continue after the birth, and they need to be fair and consistent across Wales. Thank you—diolch yn fawr iawn.
Yn eu tystiolaeth i ymchwiliad pwyllgor y Senedd ar anghydraddoldebau iechyd meddwl, lleisiodd Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg bryderon fod mynediad at ofal iechyd meddwl, er gwaethaf y mesurau a roddwyd ar waith i wella mynediad at ofal iechyd yn Gymraeg, yn parhau i fod yn wael. Rwy'n gobeithio y bydd y Gweinidog yn ystyried y mater hwn ac yn gallu ymateb i rai o'r pryderon a fynegwyd. Mae angen inni sicrhau bod teuluoedd, pan fyddant yn cael babi, yn cael y profiad mwyaf gwych, ac rydym yn gwybod y gall seicosis ôl-enedigol fod yn brofiad mor ddinistriol, a sicrhau bod gennym wasanaethau i nodi a chefnogi cyn yr enedigaeth, ac os oes angen, i barhau ar ôl yr enedigaeth, ac mae angen iddynt fod yn deg a chyson ledled Cymru. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Diolch i Siân am ddod â’r pwnc pwysig yma i'r Senedd heddiw. Buaswn i hefyd yn licio diolch a thalu teyrnged i’m cyn-gyfaill a chyd-Aelod, Steffan Lewis, am y gwaith rhagorol a wnaeth o yn y maes yma, yn rhoi sylw i’r angen am sicrhau gofal iechyd meddwl amenedigol o safon uchel. Mae amser genedigaeth yn amser cyffrous i lawer o bobl, ond mae’n amser sy’n rhoi straen enfawr ar eraill, a beth sydd angen ei sicrhau ydy bod y lefel o wasanaeth yn ddigonol ac yn gytbwys ym mhob rhan o Gymru. Mae’n berffaith amlwg, fel rydyn ni wedi'i glywed gan Siân heddiw yma, fod yna ddiffyg ar draws y gogledd yn benodol. Dwi’n cytuno’n llwyr bod y model, os mai dyna gawn ni, o gyflwyno’r gwasanaeth dros y ffin yn fodel anghywir. Rydyn ni’n gwybod bod yna drafodaeth sy’n barhaus ynglŷn â darparu gwasanaethau dros y ffin, a lle mae yna arbenigedd wedi’i gwreiddio ers blynyddoedd mawr, fel ysbyty Alder Hey ac ati, wrth gwrs fod yna berthynas bwysig i’w chael. Ond dyma’r union fath o wasanaeth y gallem ni ac y dylem ni fod yn ei ddarparu o fewn y gogledd, a pham lai cynnig gwasanaethau i’r rhai o dros y ffin i ddod iddyn nhw? Mae’r elfen ieithyddol yn rhan mor bwysig ohono fo—nid yn unig i roi’r agosatrwydd daearyddol, ond yr agosatrwydd diwylliant yna i bobl ar adeg pan fyddan nhw ar eu mwyaf bregus. Felly, dwi innau yn galw ar y Gweinidog i sicrhau nad ydyn ni’n gadael i lawr y merched yma ar adeg lle maen nhw'n fwyaf angen ein cymorth ni.
Thank you to Siân Gwenllian for bringing forward this very important subject at the Senedd today. I’d also like to thank and pay tribute to my former colleague and Member, Steffan Lewis, for the excellent work that he did in this field, shining a light on the need to ensure mental health support in the perinatal phase. Childbirth is an exciting time for many people, but it is a time that places a great deal of strain on others, and what we must ensure is that the level of service provided is sufficient and is consistent in all parts of Wales. It’s clear, as we’ve heard from Siân this evening, that there’s a lack of provision across the north of Wales in particular. I agree that the model, if it is the model we will have, of service provision over the border is the wrong one. We know that there’s an ongoing conversation about provision of cross-border services, and where expertise has been rooted for many years, such as in Alder Hey hospital, of course, there is an important relationship to foster there. But this is exactly the kind of service that we could and should be providing within north Wales, and why not offer services to those from over the border to come here? The linguistic element is such an important part of it—not just giving geographical proximity, but cultural proximity, at a time when people are at their most vulnerable. So, I too call on the Deputy Minister to ensure that we don’t let these women down at such an important time for them.
A galwaf ar y Dirprwy Weinidog Iechyd Meddwl a Llesiant i ymateb i’r ddadl—Lynne Neagle.
And I call on the Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Well-being to reply to the debate—Lynne Neagle.
Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. Can I thank Siân Gwenllian for bringing forward this debate today? I know that Siân has a long-standing interest in and commitment to perinatal mental health. I’d also like to thank Jane and Rhun, who’ve contributed to the debate, and to recognise Rhun’s acknowledgement of the role that Steffan played in raising this issue up the agenda in the Senedd. It was incredibly important.
I also want to take this opportunity to restate my commitment to doing everything I can to ensure that mothers and families get the perinatal mental health support in Wales they need and deserve. As Siân knows, I chaired the Children, Young People and Education Committee’s inquiry into perinatal mental health in the last Senedd. I am acutely aware of how vital perinatal mental health support is, not just for mothers, but for the babies who are in that precious first 1,000 days of their life. We know that their development in that time can be critical for their lifelong life chances. I'm also committed to ensuring the recommendations that came from the inquiry are implemented.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. A gaf fi ddiolch i Siân Gwenllian am gyflwyno'r ddadl hon heddiw? Gwn fod gan Siân ddiddordeb hirsefydlog mewn iechyd meddwl amenedigol a'i bod wedi ymrwymo i'r mater. Hoffwn ddiolch hefyd i Jane a Rhun, sydd wedi cyfrannu at y ddadl, a chydnabod cydnabyddiaeth Rhun i'r rôl a chwaraeodd Steffan yn codi'r mater hwn ar yr agenda yn y Senedd. Roedd yn hynod o bwysig.
Rwyf hefyd am achub ar y cyfle hwn i ailddatgan fy ymrwymiad i wneud popeth a allaf i sicrhau bod mamau a theuluoedd yn cael y gefnogaeth iechyd meddwl amenedigol y maent ei hangen ac yn ei haeddu yng Nghymru. Fel y gŵyr Siân, cadeiriais ymchwiliad y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg i iechyd meddwl amenedigol yn y Senedd ddiwethaf. Rwy'n ymwybodol iawn o ba mor hanfodol yw cymorth iechyd meddwl amenedigol, nid yn unig i famau, ond i'r babanod sydd yn y 1,000 diwrnod cyntaf gwerthfawr hynny o'u bywydau. Gwyddom y gall eu datblygiad yn yr amser hwnnw fod yn allweddol i'w cyfleoedd bywyd gydol oes. Rwyf hefyd wedi ymrwymo i sicrhau bod yr argymhellion a ddaeth o'r ymchwiliad yn cael eu gweithredu.
We are making significant progress, but we also recognise there is more to do, and we remain committed to improving perinatal mental health services, and this has been a priority area for action within our 'Together for Mental Health' delivery plan 2019-2022. We're now working on the development of the successor to the plan, and I can tell the Chamber that perinatal mental health will continue to be a priority in the successor plan. We will be engaging with the perinatal mental health network as we develop this work. As part of this, we'll also be looking to see how we can develop the pathway approach, recognising that specialist services are one element of this.
As part of our maternity and early years care and support, health boards already work with families as part of an early intervention approach. Every mother and family has a named midwife to support them in pregnancy and postnatally. This includes consideration of perinatal mental well-being, and pathways are in place for those who need a referral to specialist services. All health boards now have a specialist perinatal mental health midwife in post who can support mothers and families to ensure they receive the care and support they need.
Since 2015, we've invested in specialist perinatal mental health services across Wales, and, as a result, significant progress has been made in provision. There are now services in every health board area, and over £3 million of mental health service improvement funding is supporting these services annually. From a north Wales perspective, over £800,000 of this funding has been allocated to support perinatal mental health. I was really pleased to get the opportunity a while ago to visit the perinatal mental health team in north Wales. Their commitment to the mothers they support was palpable, and I want to pay tribute to them for the work they do day in, day out supporting mothers in north Wales.
Can I give Siân Gwenllian the commitment that I will look at what she has said today about the lower level support? It's not something that has been picked up in my conversations about perinatal mental health in north Wales, but I will pick that up with officials and provide you with a further update.
All health boards are also working towards meeting the relevant Royal College of Psychiatrists' quality standards, and we've also made service improvement funding available to support this work. Health boards have made good progress towards these standards, including in north Wales, but there is more work to be done to ensure the care provided is of the highest standard. In Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, services are currently compliant with 91 per cent of type 1 standards and 75 per cent of type 2 standards. Our national clinical lead for perinatal mental health is continuing to work with services to identify where there are gaps in meeting the standards, and to put plans in place to address this. Welsh Government continues to be committed to supporting services to meet these standards.
Common themes that have been identified for improvement include the provision of clinical space that is family orientated, which you've highlighted, adequate office space for teams, and the provision of information around carers' rights and advocacy. Over recent months, the all-Wales perinatal mental health clinical lead and the perinatal mental health network have developed a pathway of care. The aim of the pathways is to standardise practice, to provide clarity around roles and responsibilities, and reflect a preventative early intervention and evidence-based approach. As well as providing equity, these pathways should ensure that the right care is provided by the right people and at the right time.
As Members have highlighted, in April 2021 we opened a mother and baby unit within the Swansea Bay University Health Board area. This marked a really important step forward in providing improved perinatal mental health support for mothers in Wales. This centre is an important part of improving the experience of new mothers, as they will be able to get the specialist support they need for themselves and their babies closer to home. I was able to visit the south Wales MBU, our Uned Gobaith, last year. It was fantastic to meet the hugely committed team, but also to meet some mothers, who spoke really powerfully about the difference having MBU support had made to them.
The Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee have undertaken a review of the south Wales mother and baby unit, where it was agreed to continue to support the service on the current Tonna site, and to keep this under review. Whilst I am really pleased we have this service in south Wales, I recognise that this is too far away to be an appropriate service for women living in north Wales, and I am committed to providing provision closer to home for mothers in north Wales. The modelling undertaken in Wales has evidenced that we do not currently have enough demand to have a stand-alone unit in north Wales, and that's why we've been working with NHS England in order to develop a joint unit in north-west England that enables access to mothers from north Wales. As such, there continues to be significant engagement between Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee and NHS England regarding the development of this new unit.
The business case was signed off in December 2022 and we're expecting the service to be operational in summer 2024. I recognise that this is some time away, and officials are working with WHSSC to identify any opportunities to accelerate these timescales if possible. We're also working with the provider to support the Welsh language needs of patients when developing the unit. And can I assure you, Siân, that I entirely recognise the importance of being able to communicate—and to Jane as well—through your first language when you are in the situation where you are needing such acute mental health support?
So, establishing this provision for north Wales will be a key priority over these coming months. I hope that this provides some reassurance to Members about the support that is currently available for mothers in north Wales and the progress that has been made on developing provision across Wales. I recognise—
Rydym yn gwneud cynnydd sylweddol, ond rydym hefyd yn cydnabod bod mwy i'w wneud, ac rydym yn parhau i fod yn ymrwymedig i wella gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl amenedigol, a bu hwn yn faes blaenoriaeth ar gyfer gweithredu yn ein cynllun cyflawni 'Law yn Llaw at Iechyd Meddwl' 2019-2022. Rydym yn gweithio nawr ar ddatblygu olynydd i'r cynllun, a gallaf ddweud wrth y Siambr y bydd iechyd meddwl amenedigol yn parhau i fod yn flaenoriaeth yn y cynllun olynol. Byddwn yn ymwneud â'r rhwydwaith iechyd meddwl amenedigol wrth inni ddatblygu'r gwaith hwn. Yn rhan o hyn, byddwn hefyd yn ceisio gweld sut y gallwn ddatblygu'r dull llwybr, gan gydnabod bod gwasanaethau arbenigol yn un elfen o hyn.
Yn rhan o'n gofal a chymorth mamolaeth a blynyddoedd cynnar, mae byrddau iechyd eisoes yn gweithio gyda theuluoedd fel rhan o ddull ymyrraeth gynnar. Mae gan bob mam a theulu fydwraig benodol i'w cefnogi yn ystod beichiogrwydd ac yn ôl-enedigol. Mae hyn yn cynnwys ystyried lles meddyliol amenedigol, ac mae llwybrau yn eu lle ar gyfer y rhai sydd angen cael eu hatgyfeirio at wasanaethau arbenigol. Erbyn hyn, mae gan bob bwrdd iechyd fydwraig iechyd meddwl amenedigol arbenigol yn ei swydd sy'n gallu cefnogi mamau a theuluoedd i sicrhau eu bod yn cael y gofal a'r gefnogaeth sydd eu hangen arnynt.
Ers 2015, rydym wedi buddsoddi mewn gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl amenedigol arbenigol ar draws Cymru, ac o ganlyniad, gwnaed cynnydd sylweddol yn y ddarpariaeth. Erbyn hyn, ceir gwasanaethau ym mhob ardal bwrdd iechyd, ac mae dros £3 miliwn o gyllid gwella gwasanaeth iechyd meddwl yn cefnogi'r gwasanaethau hyn yn flynyddol. O safbwynt y gogledd, mae dros £800,000 o'r cyllid hwn wedi'i ddyrannu i gefnogi iechyd meddwl amenedigol. Roeddwn yn falch iawn o gael cyfle ychydig yn ôl i ymweld â'r tîm iechyd meddwl amenedigol yng ngogledd Cymru. Roedd eu hymrwymiad i'r mamau y maent yn eu cefnogi yn amlwg, ac rwyf eisiau talu teyrnged iddynt am y gwaith a wnânt ddydd ar ôl dydd yn cefnogi mamau yng ngogledd Cymru.
A gaf fi roi ymrwymiad i Siân Gwenllian y byddaf yn edrych ar yr hyn a ddywedodd heddiw am y cymorth lefel is? Nid yw'n rhywbeth sydd wedi'i godi yn fy sgyrsiau am iechyd meddwl amenedigol yng ngogledd Cymru, ond byddaf yn mynd ar drywydd hynny gyda swyddogion ac yn rhoi diweddariad pellach i chi.
Mae pob bwrdd iechyd hefyd yn gweithio tuag at gyrraedd safonau ansawdd perthnasol Coleg Brenhinol y Seiciatryddion, ac rydym wedi sicrhau bod cyllid gwella gwasanaeth ar gael i gefnogi'r gwaith hwn hefyd. Mae byrddau iechyd wedi gwneud cynnydd da tuag at y safonau hyn, gan gynnwys yn y gogledd, ond mae mwy o waith i'w wneud i sicrhau bod y gofal sy'n cael ei ddarparu o'r safon uchaf. Ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr, ar hyn o bryd mae gwasanaethau'n cydymffurfio â 91 y cant o safonau math 1 a 75 y cant o safonau math 2. Mae ein harweinydd clinigol cenedlaethol ar gyfer iechyd meddwl amenedigol yn parhau i weithio gyda gwasanaethau i nodi lle mae bylchau o ran cyrraedd y safonau, ac i roi cynlluniau ar waith i fynd i'r afael â hyn. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n parhau'n ymrwymedig i gynorthwyo gwasanaethau i gyrraedd y safonau hyn.
Ymhlith y themâu cyffredin sydd wedi'u nodi ar gyfer gwella mae darparu gofod clinigol sy'n canolbwyntio ar y teulu, rhywbeth y gwnaethoch chi dynnu sylw ato, digon o ofod swyddfa ar gyfer timau, a darparu gwybodaeth ynghylch hawliau gofalwyr ac eiriolaeth. Dros y misoedd diwethaf, mae arweinydd clinigol iechyd meddwl amenedigol Cymru a'r rhwydwaith iechyd meddwl amenedigol wedi datblygu llwybr gofal. Nod y llwybrau yw safoni ymarfer, darparu eglurder ynghylch rolau a chyfrifoldebau, ac adlewyrchu ymyrraeth gynnar ataliol a dull sy'n seiliedig ar dystiolaeth. Yn ogystal â darparu tegwch, dylai'r llwybrau hyn sicrhau bod y gofal cywir yn cael ei ddarparu gan y bobl gywir ac ar yr adeg gywir.
Fel y nododd yr Aelodau, ym mis Ebrill 2021 fe wnaethom agor uned i famau a babanod yn ardal Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Bae Abertawe. Roedd hwn yn gam pwysig iawn ymlaen i ddarparu gwell cefnogaeth iechyd meddwl amenedigol i famau yng Nghymru. Mae'r ganolfan hon yn rhan bwysig o wella profiad mamau newydd, gan y byddant yn gallu cael y gefnogaeth arbenigol y maent ei hangen iddynt eu hunain a'u babanod yn nes at adref. Gallais ymweld ag uned mamau a babanod de Cymru, ein Huned Gobaith, y llynedd. Roedd yn wych cael cyfarfod â'r tîm hynod ymroddedig, a mamau hefyd, a siaradodd yn wirioneddol bwerus am y gwahaniaeth roedd cael cefnogaeth uned mamau a babanod wedi'i wneud iddynt hwy.
Mae Pwyllgor Gwasanaethau Iechyd Arbenigol Cymru wedi cynnal adolygiad o'r uned mamau a babanod yn ne Cymru, lle cytunwyd i barhau i gefnogi'r gwasanaeth ar safle presennol Tonna, a chadw hyn dan arolwg. Er fy mod yn falch iawn fod gennym y gwasanaeth hwn yn ne Cymru, rwy'n cydnabod ei fod yn rhy bell i ffwrdd i fod yn wasanaeth priodol i fenywod sy'n byw yn y gogledd, ac rwyf wedi ymrwymo i sicrhau darpariaeth yn nes at adref i famau yn y gogledd. Mae'r gwaith modelu a wnaed yng Nghymru wedi dangos nad oes digon o alw ar hyn o bryd i gael uned annibynnol yng ngogledd Cymru, a dyna pam ein bod wedi bod yn gweithio gyda GIG Lloegr er mwyn datblygu uned ar y cyd yng ngogledd-orllewin Lloegr sy'n galluogi mamau i ddod iddi o ogledd Cymru. Yn hynny o beth, mae cryn dipyn o ymgysylltiad rhwng Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr, Pwyllgor Gwasanaethau Iechyd Arbenigol Cymru a GIG Lloegr ynghylch datblygu'r uned newydd hon.
Cafodd yr achos busnes ei gymeradwyo ym mis Rhagfyr 2022 ac rydym yn disgwyl i'r gwasanaeth fod yn weithredol yn ystod haf 2024. Rwy'n cydnabod bod hyn beth amser i ffwrdd, ac mae swyddogion yn gweithio gyda Phwyllgor Gwasanaethau Iechyd Arbenigol Cymru ar nodi unrhyw gyfleoedd i gyflymu'r amserlenni hyn os yn bosibl. Rydym hefyd yn gweithio gyda'r darparwr i gefnogi anghenion cleifion Cymraeg eu hiaith wrth ddatblygu'r uned. Ac a gaf fi eich sicrhau, Siân, fy mod i'n llwyr gydnabod pwysigrwydd gallu cyfathrebu—a Jane hefyd—drwy eich iaith gyntaf pan fyddwch chi mewn sefyllfa lle rydych chi gymaint o angen cymorth iechyd meddwl?
Felly, bydd sefydlu'r ddarpariaeth hon ar gyfer gogledd Cymru yn flaenoriaeth allweddol dros y misoedd nesaf hyn. Gobeithio bod hyn yn rhoi rhywfaint o dawelwch meddwl i'r Aelodau ynglŷn â'r gefnogaeth sydd ar gael ar hyn o bryd i famau yng ngogledd Cymru a'r cynnydd a wnaed ar ddatblygu'r ddarpariaeth ledled Cymru. Rwy'n cydnabod—
Would you take an intervention?
A wnewch chi dderbyn ymyriad?
Yes.
Gwnaf.
Did you look at the alternative model, which was the one that the committee recommended in the report that you chaired—the alternative model of providing the unit in Wales, and therefore the Welsh language needs would be met and it would obviously be nearer to home for many women, rather than the model that is now on offer, which is going to create a lot of problems around the linguistic needs of mothers and their families? And to be honest, Chester is a really long way from Amlwch.
A wnaethoch chi edrych ar y model amgen, sef yr un roedd y pwyllgor yn ei argymell yn yr adroddiad a gadeiriwyd gennych—y model amgen o ddarparu'r uned yng Nghymru, ac felly byddai anghenion iaith Gymraeg yn cael eu diwallu ac yn amlwg byddai'n nes at adref i lawer o fenywod, yn hytrach na'r model sydd bellach yn cael ei gynnig, sy'n mynd i greu llawer o broblemau gydag anghenion ieithyddol mamau a'u teuluoedd? Ac i fod yn onest, mae Caer yn bell iawn o Amlwch.
Well, Siân, when I came into post, the plans for the unit over the border were already in train, with WHSSC having done a piece of analysis to identify the potential levels of need in north Wales. So, it was on that basis that the decision was taken to have the unit just over the border. And I know that Jane made the point about having these readily accessible services, but they are specialist services, so we would never be in a position where we'd have MBUs scattered all over the place in Wales. They're highly specialised, with multidisciplinary teams, and they serve the women who have the most acute problems—so, as Jane said, postpartum psychosis, which is incredibly serious. So, it preceded my time, the analysis of it, but that is my understanding of the work that was undertaken to identify need. And from my point of view, Siân, I want there to be a service now as quickly as we can get it, and scrapping everything that's been done would be a very lengthy process, and I want the women in north Wales to have access to a service as soon as we possibly can.
I recognise that, despite the strong work that has been undertaken by services, there is more to do, and we need to make further progress to ensure that services are of the high standard that mothers in Wales deserve. This includes the work to ensure that mother and baby unit provision meets the needs of mothers in north Wales. I look forward to working together to further develop perinatal mental health services in Wales. Diolch.
Wel, Siân, pan ddeuthum i'r swydd, roedd y cynlluniau ar gyfer yr uned dros y ffin eisoes ar y gweill, gyda Phwyllgor Gwasanaethau Iechyd Arbenigol Cymru wedi gwneud dadansoddiad i nodi'r lefelau posib o angen yng ngogledd Cymru. Felly, ar y sail honno y gwnaed y penderfyniad i gael yr uned ychydig dros y ffin. Ac rwy'n gwybod bod Jane wedi gwneud y pwynt am gael gwasanaethau hygyrch, ond maent yn wasanaethau arbenigol, felly ni fyddem byth mewn sefyllfa lle byddai gennym unedau mamau a babanod wedi'u gwasgaru ar hyd y lle yng Nghymru. Maent yn arbenigol iawn, gyda thimau amlddisgyblaethol, ac maent yn gwasanaethu'r menywod sydd â'r problemau mwyaf dwys—felly, fel y dywedodd Jane, seicosis ôl-enedigol, sy'n hynod o ddifrifol. Felly, roedd y dadansoddiad ar y gweill cyn fy amser i, ond dyna fy nealltwriaeth i o'r gwaith a wnaed i nodi angen. Ac o'm safbwynt i, Siân, rwyf am weld gwasanaeth yno nawr mor gyflym ag y gallwn ei gael, a byddai cael gwared ar bopeth sydd wedi'i wneud yn broses hir iawn, ac rwyf eisiau i'r menywod yng ngogledd Cymru gael mynediad at wasanaeth cyn gynted ag y gallwn.
Er gwaetha'r gwaith cadarn a wnaed gan wasanaethau, rwy'n cydnabod bod mwy i'w wneud, ac mae angen inni wneud cynnydd pellach er mwyn sicrhau bod y gwasanaethau o'r safon uchel y mae mamau yng Nghymru'n ei haeddu. Mae hyn yn cynnwys y gwaith i sicrhau bod darpariaeth yr uned mamau a babanod yn diwallu anghenion mamau yng ngogledd Cymru. Edrychaf ymlaen at gydweithio i ddatblygu gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl amenedigol ymhellach yng Nghymru. Diolch.
Diolch i'r Dirprwy Weinidog. A daw hynny â thrafodion heddiw i ben.
I thank the Deputy Minister. And that brings today's proceedings to a close.
Daeth y cyfarfod i ben am 18:45.
The meeting ended at 18:45.