Y Cyfarfod Llawn
Plenary
26/04/2023Cynnwys
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 a chroeso i'r Cyfarfod Llawn. Yr eitem gyntaf y prynhawn yma yw'r cwestiynau i Weinidog yr Economi. Mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf i'w ateb gan Ddirprwy Weinidog y Celfyddydau a Chwaraeon, ac i'w ofyn gan Altaf Hussain.
Good afternoon, and welcome to this Plenary meeting. The first item this afternoon is the questions to the Minister for Economy. The first question is to be answered by the Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, and is to be asked by Altaf Hussain.
1. Pa gamau mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i ddenu ymwelwyr i mewn i Orllewin De Cymru? OQ59396
1. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to attract inward visitors to South Wales West? OQ59396
Can I thank Altaf Hussain for that question? Visit Wales ensures that web, social media, public relations and travel trade activities provide opportunities for all parts of Wales to be promoted. Destinations and products in the South Wales West region are regularly highlighted to prospective visitors.
A gaf fi ddiolch i Altaf Hussain am ei gwestiwn? Mae Croeso Cymru yn sicrhau bod gweithgarwch rhyngrwyd, cyfryngau cymdeithasol, cysylltiadau cyhoeddus a'r diwydiant teithio yn darparu cyfleoedd i hyrwyddo pob rhan o Gymru. Amlygir cyrchfannau a chynnyrch yn rhanbarth Gorllewin De Cymru i ddenu ymwelwyr yn rheolaidd.
Thank you for that reply, Deputy Minister. Tourism is a vital sector of the economy in my region, and who would not want to visit? We have some of the best beaches in the world. However, all that is under threat due to policy decisions taken by your Government. Changes to the occupancy rule for holiday lets and the impending tourism tax are forcing many property owners to leave the market and sell up. Deputy Minister, how can we attract inward visitors if there is nowhere for them to stay? Will you now reconsider these policies given the weight of the evidence from the sector and the threat it poses to tourism in my region and across Wales? Thank you.
Diolch am eich ateb, Ddirprwy Weinidog. Mae twristiaeth yn sector hanfodol o’r economi yn fy rhanbarth, a phwy na fyddai eisiau ymweld? Mae gennym rai o'r traethau gorau yn y byd. Fodd bynnag, mae hynny oll o dan fygythiad o ganlyniad i benderfyniadau polisi a wnaed gan eich Llywodraeth chi. Mae newidiadau i’r rheol defnydd ar gyfer llety gwyliau a’r dreth dwristiaeth sydd ar y ffordd yn gorfodi llawer o berchnogion eiddo i adael y farchnad a gwerthu eu heiddo. Ddirprwy Weinidog, sut y gallwn ddenu ymwelwyr os nad oes unman iddynt aros? A wnewch chi ailystyried y polisïau hyn o ystyried pwysau'r dystiolaeth gan y sector a’r bygythiad y mae’n ei greu i dwristiaeth yn fy rhanbarth i a ledled Cymru? Diolch.
Thank you for that supplementary question. And I have to start by saying, Altaf, that I don't accept the premise of the comments or the question that you raise. This very question was actually asked to the First Minister yesterday, and you can all ask the question as many times as you like and you're going to get the same answers every single time. The regulations on second homes and self-catering changes were debated on the floor of the Senedd to annul those regulations, and the will of the Senedd was that we should continue with those regulations. And I would remind you that the charges on self-catering accommodation were actually part of the Labour manifesto. We won that election in 2021, and we are now implementing the manifesto pledges that we had.
But I think it's also worth saying and just repeating why it is we're making these changes. It is to ensure that self-catering properties are being used for business purposes for the majority of the year and are making a substantive contribution to the local economy. So, under the new criteria, properties are available to be let for at least 252 days of the year, but must be let for 182 days of the year. And we're very, very clear: the Welsh Government's view is that properties let out as self-catering accommodation on an infrequent basis should be liable for council tax. But if they are a genuine business, being let for 182 days or more, then they will be treated as a small business and will pay the relevant small business rates. What level the rates are set at in terms of any accommodation not meeting the 182 days, of course, is a matter for the local authority to determine.
Diolch am eich cwestiwn atodol. Ac mae'n rhaid imi ddechrau drwy ddweud, Altaf, nad wyf yn derbyn cynsail y sylwadau na'r cwestiwn a ofynnwch. Mewn gwirionedd, gofynnwyd yr union gwestiwn hwn i’r Prif Weinidog ddoe, a gallwch ofyn y cwestiwn gynifer o weithiau ag y dymunwch ac rydych yn mynd i gael yr un atebion bob tro. Cafodd y rheoliadau ar ail gartrefi a newidiadau i reolau llety hunanddarpar eu trafod ar lawr y Senedd i ddirymu’r rheoliadau hynny, ac ewyllys y Senedd oedd y dylem barhau â’r rheoliadau hynny. A hoffwn eich atgoffa bod y taliadau ar lety hunanddarpar yn rhan o faniffesto Llafur. Fe wnaethom ennill yr etholiad yn 2021, ac rydym bellach yn rhoi’r addewidion maniffesto a oedd gennym ar waith.
Ond credaf ei bod hefyd yn werth dweud ac ailadrodd pam ein bod yn gwneud y newidiadau hyn. Eu diben yw sicrhau bod llety hunanddarpar yn cael ei ddefnyddio at ddibenion busnes am y rhan fwyaf o’r flwyddyn ac yn gwneud cyfraniad o sylwedd i’r economi leol. Felly, o dan y meini prawf newydd, mae'n rhaid i eiddo fod ar gael i'w osod am o leiaf 252 diwrnod y flwyddyn, ond mae'n rhaid iddo fod wedi'i osod am 182 diwrnod o'r flwyddyn. Ac rydym yn glir iawn: barn Llywodraeth Cymru yw y dylai eiddo sy'n cael ei osod fel llety hunanddarpar ar sail anfynych yn unig orfod talu'r dreth gyngor. Ond os ydynt yn fusnes dilys, ac yn llety sy'n cael ei osod am 182 diwrnod neu fwy, byddant yn cael eu trin fel busnes bach a byddant yn talu’r ardrethi perthnasol i fusnesau bach. Mater i’r awdurdod lleol, wrth gwrs, yw pennu lefel yr ardrethi mewn perthynas ag unrhyw lety nad yw'n bodloni’r gofyniad 182 diwrnod.
South Wales West not only has the beaches that Altaf has talked about, but it's also got the beautiful valleys as well. So, in the South Wales West region, Minister, Bridgend council has recommitted to its leadership on the valleys park initiative, and we also have the Wildfox proposal for an adventure resort at the head of Dave Rees's valley and my valley—the top of the Llynfi and Afan valleys there, up next to Croeserw—looking to build on our natural advantage of those spectacular hills and valleys for walking, mountain biking, adventure as well. So, what additional support can Welsh Government give to those who want to develop the valleys as a destination for great adventure, outdoor fun and activity?
Nid yn unig fod gan Orllewin De Cymru y traethau y mae Altaf wedi sôn amdanynt, ond mae ganddo gymoedd hardd hefyd. Felly, Weinidog, yn rhanbarth Gorllewin De Cymru, mae cyngor Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr wedi ailymrwymo i’w arweinyddiaeth ar fenter parc y cymoedd, ac mae gennym gynnig Wildfox ar gyfer cyrchfan antur ar ben uchaf cwm Dave Rees a'm cwm innau—pen uchaf cwm Llynfi a chwm Afan, ger Croeserw—sy'n gobeithio adeiladu ar fantais naturiol y bryniau a’r dyffrynnoedd ysblennydd hynny ar gyfer cerdded, beicio mynydd ac antur hefyd. Felly, pa gymorth ychwanegol y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei roi i'r rheini sydd am ddatblygu'r cymoedd fel cyrchfan ar gyfer antur, hwyl yn yr awyr agored a gweithgarwch gwych?
Well, can I say I absolutely agree with all the comments that the Member from Ogmore has made? And I spent many happy years living in Ogmore, of course, when the Member was my own MP and Member of the Senedd at the time. So, I absolutely agree that there are a number of areas in Wales, including your constituency, Huw, where we can all work alongside that wonderful natural environment, can't we, and we see many excellent examples in our valleys areas—BikePark Wales in my own constituency, of course, and Skyline that we're looking to develop in Swansea. And my team are always willing to discuss any good development or investment opportunities with local authorities or leads of prospective projects. We've got the Brilliant Basics fund, of course, and we have the strategic capital investment fund via the Wales tourism investment fund, which is available, and that we can support through our marketing and promotion activities.
You'll be pleased to know, of course, that the south-east Wales tourism forum has representatives from your local authority, from Bridgend, and it also has local operators such as Hugh Murray, who's the owner of the Porthcawl Surf School, and he's attended in the past, as have other tourism operators in the area. So, what I'm saying to you is that we have plenty of potential support for the right schemes, and look forward to continuing to support Bridgend, Ogmore as a whole, and many other varied tourism opportunities in your constituency.
Wel, a gaf fi ddweud fy mod yn cytuno’n llwyr â’r holl sylwadau a wnaed gan yr Aelod dros Ogwr? A threuliais lawer o flynyddoedd hapus yn byw yn Ogwr, wrth gwrs, pan oedd yr Aelod yn AS i mi ac yn Aelod o’r Senedd ar y pryd. Felly, rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr fod nifer o ardaloedd yng Nghymru, gan gynnwys eich etholaeth chi, Huw, lle gall pob un ohonom weithio ochr yn ochr â'r amgylchedd naturiol gwych hwnnw, oni allwn, ac rydym yn gweld llawer o enghreifftiau rhagorol yn ein cymoedd—BikePark Cymru yn fy etholaeth i, wrth gwrs, a Skyline, y gobeithiwn ei ddatblygu yn Abertawe. Ac mae fy nhîm bob amser yn barod i drafod unrhyw gyfleoedd datblygu neu fuddsoddi gwerth chweil gydag awdurdodau lleol neu arweinwyr prosiectau arfaethedig. Mae gennym gronfa'r Pethau Pwysig, wrth gwrs, ac mae gennym y gronfa buddsoddi cyfalaf strategol drwy gronfa buddsoddi mewn twristiaeth Cymru, sydd ar gael, ac y gallwn ei chefnogi drwy ein gweithgarwch marchnata a hyrwyddo.
Byddwch yn falch o glywed, wrth gwrs, fod gan fforwm twristiaeth de-ddwyrain Cymru gynrychiolwyr o’ch awdurdod lleol, o Ben-y-bont ar Ogwr, ac mae ganddo hefyd weithredwyr lleol fel Hugh Murray, perchennog Ysgol Syrffio Porthcawl, ac mae ef wedi mynychu'r fforwm yn y gorffennol, ynghyd â gweithredwyr twristiaeth eraill yn yr ardal. Felly, yr hyn rwy'n ei ddweud wrthych chi yw bod gennym ddigon o gefnogaeth bosibl i'r cynlluniau cywir, ac edrychwn ymlaen at barhau i gefnogi Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr, Ogwr yn gyffredinol, a chyfleoedd twristiaeth eraill amrywiol yn eich etholaeth.
2. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n ei wneud i dyfu sgiliau pobl ifanc? OQ59411
2. What is the Welsh Government doing to grow the skills of young people? OQ59411
We are making strong progress in delivering our young person's guarantee, with over 12,000 young people starting on employability and skills programmes alone since the launch of the young person's guarantee in November 2021.
Rydym yn gwneud cynnydd cadarn ar gyflawni ein gwarant i bobl ifanc, gyda dros 12,000 o bobl ifanc yn dechrau ar raglenni sgiliau a chyflogadwyedd ers lansio’r warant i bobl ifanc ym mis Tachwedd 2021.
I'd like to thank the Minister for that answer. Minister, the UK Government signed a new trade deal with New Zealand, and part of that was extending the working holiday visa up to 35. I firmly believe that growing the skills of young people is giving them the opportunities to go abroad to learn new skills and bring new experiences back home to improve their job opportunities back here in the UK. So, what is the Welsh Government doing to promote the opportunities that that trade deal has given to young people in Wales to go and work abroad so they can grow the skills base here in Wales?
Hoffwn ddiolch i’r Gweinidog am ei ateb. Weinidog, mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi llofnodi cytundeb masnach newydd â Seland Newydd, ac roedd rhan o hynny'n cynnwys ymestyn y fisa gwyliau gwaith i bobl hyd at 35 oed. Credaf yn gryf fod tyfu sgiliau pobl ifanc yn rhoi cyfleoedd iddynt fynd dramor i ddysgu sgiliau newydd a dod â phrofiadau newydd adref i wella eu cyfleoedd gwaith yn ôl yma yn y DU. Felly, beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i hyrwyddo’r cyfleoedd y mae’r cytundeb masnach hwnnw wedi’u rhoi i bobl ifanc yng Nghymru fynd i weithio dramor fel y gallant dyfu’r sylfaen sgiliau yma yng Nghymru?
Well, of course, the trade deal with New Zealand, as indeed the other trade deals, contains a range of areas. And we have always taken a balanced view on the fact that there is potential for more trade and economic activity. There is potential for people to go and work and learn in other countries, and we would like to see those people return and enhance the economy here in Wales. It's of course part of the reason why the Welsh Government has funded the Taith programme, to make sure that young people have the opportunity to study in other countries after the UK Government brought our participation in Erasmus to an end. But those trade deals are balanced, and there are challenges in other areas of them. It's an ongoing area of conversation between me, my officials and the UK Government, and I'll continue to report back transparently to both the relevant scrutiny committee and, indeed, to the Senedd.
Wel, wrth gwrs, roedd y cytundeb masnach â Seland Newydd, fel y cytundebau masnach eraill yn wir, yn cynnwys ystod o feysydd. Ac rydym bob amser wedi bod â safbwynt cytbwys ar y ffaith bod potensial ar gyfer mwy o fasnach a gweithgarwch economaidd. Mae potensial i bobl fynd i weithio a dysgu mewn gwledydd eraill, a hoffem weld pobl yn dychwelyd ac yn gwella’r economi yma yng Nghymru. Wrth gwrs, mae'n rhan o'r rheswm pam fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ariannu rhaglen Taith, i sicrhau bod pobl ifanc yn cael cyfle i astudio mewn gwledydd eraill ar ôl i Lywodraeth y DU ddod â'n cyfranogiad yn rhaglen Erasmus i ben. Ond mae’r cytundebau masnach hynny’n gytbwys, ac mae heriau mewn rhannau eraill ohonynt. Mae'n destun sgwrs barhaus rhyngof fi, fy swyddogion a Llywodraeth y DU, a byddaf yn parhau i adrodd yn ôl yn dryloyw i'r pwyllgor craffu perthnasol, ac yn wir, i'r Senedd.
Minister, yesterday I hosted an event with Airbus and colleagues from the trade union movement, as well as the French ambassador, who I was delighted to welcome to our Senedd. The event itself was entitled 'Flightpath to Decarbonising Aerospace', and speakers at the event updated Members and other guests on the work being done in developing carbon-neutral aviation fuels, and, of course, the state of the art Wing of Tomorrow project in Broughton. Minister, do you agree with me that Wales needs to continue to lead on this type of new technology, and that the more we invest in upskilling young people, like those future generations watching in the gallery today, the more we can seize the opportunity in front of us?
Weinidog, ddoe cynhaliais ddigwyddiad gydag Airbus a chydweithwyr o’r mudiad undebau llafur, yn ogystal â llysgennad Ffrainc, yr oeddwn yn falch iawn o’i chroesawu i’n Senedd. Teitl y digwyddiad ei hun oedd 'Y Llwybr i Ddatgarboneiddio Awyrofod', a rhoddodd siaradwyr yn y digwyddiad y wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelodau a gwesteion eraill am y gwaith sy'n mynd rhagddo i ddatblygu tanwyddau hedfan carbon niwtral, ac wrth gwrs, prosiect blaenllaw Adain Yfory ym Mrychdyn. Weinidog, a ydych yn cytuno â mi fod angen i Gymru barhau i arwain ar dechnoleg newydd o'r fath, a pho fwyaf y byddwn yn buddsoddi mewn uwchsgilio pobl ifanc, fel y bobl ifanc o genedlaethau’r dyfodol sy’n gwylio yn yr oriel heddiw, y mwyaf y gallwn achub ar y cyfle sydd ger ein bron?
Yes, I do. And, in fact, we were talking much about the future of the economy in Wales when I was in Brussels yesterday, which was, unfortunately, why I wasn't at the event with Airbus. But I have good links with the company and, indeed, with the recognised trade union at Airbus, but more broadly across the wider manufacturing sector. And as we set out a renewed and refreshed plan for the manufacturing sector, alongside the action we're taking on our net-zero skills plan, we will continue to want to invest in the skills of young people, and the opportunity for them to grow and develop here in Wales.
On the one hand, there are opportunities to work in other parts of the world. We want people, though, to be really confident about having a successful and fulfilling future here in Wales. It's why we're looking for clarity, not competition, when it comes to skills policy. We've seen different policy initiatives from the UK Government. We would like to see continued investment in real terms to increase the skills of young people for the future—that's exactly what we're committed to—and in the areas you mentioned specifically, the Wing of Tomorrow, in not just the materials used, but the manufacturing process itself. And when it comes to the new fuels that will allow us to carry on flying in a more sustainable way in the future, there are an awful lot of research, development and innovation opportunities. So, you can see the advanced manufacturing plan, the green skills plan and our innovation strategy all gearing up together with the young person's guarantee and a range of other programmes. And we've got to have a coherent plan, where we'll have partners to do that with—both the trade union movement and businesses—and I would like to see a more coherent partnership with the UK Government than the one we have at present.
Ydw, rwy'n cytuno. Ac mewn gwirionedd, buom yn siarad llawer am ddyfodol yr economi yng Nghymru pan oeddwn ym Mrwsel ddoe, sef y rheswm pam nad oeddwn yn y digwyddiad gydag Airbus, yn anffodus. Ond mae gennyf gysylltiadau da â’r cwmni, ac yn wir, â’r undeb llafur cydnabyddedig yn Airbus, ond yn fwy cyffredinol hefyd ar draws y sector gweithgynhyrchu ehangach. Ac wrth inni greu cynllun newydd ar gyfer y sector gweithgynhyrchu, ochr yn ochr â’r camau rydym yn eu cymryd gyda'n cynllun sgiliau sero net, byddwn yn parhau i fod yn awyddus i fuddsoddi yn sgiliau pobl ifanc, a’r cyfle iddynt dyfu a datblygu yma yng Nghymru.
Ar y naill law, ceir cyfleoedd i weithio mewn rhannau eraill o'r byd. Serch hynny, rydym am i bobl fod yn wirioneddol hyderus ynglŷn â chael dyfodol llwyddiannus a boddhaus yma yng Nghymru. Dyna pam ein bod yn edrych am eglurder, nid cystadleuaeth, yn ein polisi sgiliau. Rydym wedi gweld mentrau polisi gwahanol gan Lywodraeth y DU. Hoffem weld buddsoddiad parhaus mewn termau real i gynyddu sgiliau pobl ifanc ar gyfer y dyfodol—dyna'n union rydym wedi ymrwymo iddo—ac yn y meysydd a grybwyllwyd yn benodol gennych, Adain Yfory, nid yn unig o ran y deunyddiau a ddefnyddir, ond y broses weithgynhyrchu ei hun. Ac o ran y tanwyddau newydd a fydd yn ein galluogi i barhau i hedfan mewn ffordd fwy cynaliadwy yn y dyfodol, ceir cryn dipyn o gyfleoedd ymchwil a datblygu ac arloesi. Felly gallwch weld y cynllun gweithgynhyrchu uwch, y cynllun sgiliau gwyrdd a'n strategaeth arloesi oll yn gweithio gyda'r warant i bobl ifanc ac ystod o raglenni eraill. Ac mae'n rhaid inni gael cynllun cydlynol, lle mae gennym bartneriaid i wneud hynny gyda hwy—y mudiad undebau llafur a busnesau hefyd—a hoffwn weld partneriaeth fwy cydlynol gyda Llywodraeth y DU na'r un sydd gennym ar hyn o bryd.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Paul Davies.
Questions now from the party spokespeople. The Conservative spokesperson, Paul Davies.
Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, you will be aware of Cardiff Council's meeting tomorrow to discuss the possibility of introducing a congestion charge to tackle traffic levels in Cardiff. Whilst this is primarily a matter for the local authority, there could be important economic consequences should these plans go ahead, and so, as the Minister for Economy, can you tell us what your assessment is of the economic impact of these plans on our capital city and can you confirm the Welsh Government's position on this matter?
Diolch, Lywydd. Weinidog, fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol o gyfarfod Cyngor Caerdydd yfory i drafod y posibilrwydd o gyflwyno tâl atal tagfeydd er mwyn mynd i’r afael â lefelau traffig yng Nghaerdydd. Er mai mater i’r awdurdod lleol yw hwn yn bennaf, gallai fod canlyniadau economaidd pwysig pe bai’r cynlluniau hyn yn cael eu rhoi ar waith, ac felly, fel Gweinidog yr Economi, a wnewch chi ddweud wrthym beth yw eich asesiad chi o effaith economaidd y cynlluniau hyn ar ein prifddinas? Ac a wnewch chi gadarnhau safbwynt Llywodraeth Cymru ar y mater hwn?
Well, it isn't possible to deliver an economic assessment of the plans because there isn't a fully formed proposal to assess, and, as well as the impact on the economy, you need to consider the environmental, the societal and, indeed, the public health benefits. When Cardiff Council announced they were considering a range of proposals, it wasn't just about the potential for road user charging; it was also about their plan to invest in the future of public transport, and the council were very clear that they want to deliver public transport improvements before any element of charging may be introduced. And I am sure you will also have heard the public health director from Cardiff and Vale University Health Board talking about the potential public health benefits. Now, that's big news for me as a constituency Member. Obviously, I represent part of the city of Cardiff, and there are significant air pollution challenges. And I want to see my constituents and other constituents across Wales have opportunities to live in an environment where the way that we move around does not compromise their health and opportunity to succeed economically. I look forward to seeing a fully formed proposal. And I welcome the fact that the council are actually having this conversation, and I want to be gauging the evidence rather than misleading or less than truthful slogans that some people have indulged in.
Wel, nid yw'n bosibl cynnal asesiad economaidd o'r cynlluniau am nad oes cynnig llawn i'w asesu, ac yn ogystal â'r effaith ar yr economi, mae angen ichi ystyried y manteision i'r amgylchedd, y manteision cymdeithasol, ac yn wir, y manteision i iechyd y cyhoedd. Pan gyhoeddodd Cyngor Caerdydd eu bod yn ystyried ystod o gynigion, roedd hynny'n ymwneud â mwy na’r potensial o godi tâl ar ddefnyddwyr ffyrdd yn unig; roedd hefyd yn ymwneud â’u cynllun i fuddsoddi yn nyfodol trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, ac roedd y cyngor yn glir iawn eu bod am gyflawni gwelliannau trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus cyn codi unrhyw fath o dâl. Ac rwy’n siŵr y byddwch hefyd wedi clywed cyfarwyddwr iechyd y cyhoedd Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Caerdydd a’r Fro yn sôn am y manteision posibl i iechyd y cyhoedd. Nawr, mae hynny'n newyddion mawr i mi fel Aelod etholaethol. Yn amlwg, rwy’n cynrychioli rhan o ddinas Caerdydd, a cheir heriau sylweddol o ran llygredd aer. Ac rwyf am weld fy etholwyr ac etholwyr eraill ledled Cymru yn cael cyfleoedd i fyw mewn amgylchedd lle nad yw’r ffordd rydym yn symud o gwmpas yn peryglu eu hiechyd a’u cyfle i lwyddo’n economaidd, ac edrychaf ymlaen at weld cynnig llawn. Ac rwy'n croesawu'r ffaith bod y cyngor yn cael y sgwrs hon, ac rwyf am ystyried y dystiolaeth yn hytrach na sloganau camarweiniol neu anghywir y mae rhai pobl wedi’u rhannu.
Well, clearly, Minister, you don't know what the economic consequences of these plans are going to be, and I'm sure the people of Cardiff will have heard what you have to say on the matter and will draw their own conclusions.
Now, it was recently reported that the number of firms collapsing into insolvency across England and Wales jumped last month to 16 per cent, as companies continue to struggle with soaring costs and weak consumer spending. So, it's vital that governments at all levels are working to support our town and city centres and help our businesses during this time. Now, you'll be aware of the 2021 Audit Wales report, which made six recommendations to help the Welsh Government and local authorities better manage and support town and city centres across Wales, and so can you tell us how many of the recommendations have been delivered and what further work will be done in this financial year to nurture and develop town and city centres in Wales?
Wel, yn amlwg, Weinidog, nid ydych yn gwybod beth fydd canlyniadau economaidd y cynlluniau hyn, ac rwy’n siŵr y bydd pobl Caerdydd wedi clywed yr hyn sydd gennych i’w ddweud ar y mater ac yn dod i’w casgliadau eu hunain.
Nawr, adroddwyd yn ddiweddar fod nifer y cwmnïau sy'n cofnodi ansolfedd ledled Cymru a Lloegr wedi neidio fis diwethaf i 16 y cant, wrth i gwmnïau barhau i'w chael hi'n anodd gyda chostau cynyddol a gwariant isel gan ddefnyddwyr. Felly, mae'n hanfodol fod llywodraethau ar bob lefel yn gweithio i gefnogi canol ein trefi a'n dinasoedd a helpu ein busnesau yn ystod y cyfnod hwn. Nawr, fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol o adroddiad Archwilio Cymru 2021, a wnaeth chwe argymhelliad i helpu Llywodraeth Cymru ac awdurdodau lleol i reoli a chefnogi canol trefi a dinasoedd ledled Cymru yn well, ac felly a wnewch chi ddweud wrthym faint o’r argymhellion a gyflawnwyd a pha waith pellach fydd yn mynd rhagddo yn y flwyddyn ariannol hon i feithrin a datblygu canol trefi a dinasoedd yng Nghymru?
Okay. So, I can't give you a direct response to all six of those areas. I'd be more than happy to write to the Member to set that out in more detail—the detail I think he'll want to see. We continue with our investing in towns programme—our Transforming Towns programme. That's working alongside local authorities' programmes that they themselves are developing and leading and managing, and we'll continue to have a properly grown-up partnership on that.
I should just make the point, when it comes to his first question and the comments he then made, when road user charging has been introduced in other cities in the UK and around the world, we have not seen the economy come to a halt. We have seen changes in people's behaviour and, actually, I think there is a really vibrant future for Cardiff city centre, and you can see that in the way that a number of professional services companies look at their future in and around the city. I'm expecting positive news over the next year or so on more growth and development in that area, and these policies don't put off those people from wanting to invest in the future of jobs and really good-quality jobs. I think, as I say, a dose of reality and evidence would be helpful when it comes to the future of thriving cities and, indeed, towns right across the country.
Iawn. Felly, ni allaf roi ymateb uniongyrchol i bob un o'r chwe maes hynny i chi. Rwy'n fwy na pharod i ysgrifennu at yr Aelod i nodi hynny mewn mwy o fanylder—y manylder y credaf y bydd am ei weld. Rydym yn parhau â’n rhaglen buddsoddi mewn trefi—ein rhaglen Trawsnewid Trefi. Mae'r rhaglen honno’n gweithio ochr yn ochr â rhaglenni y mae'r awdurdodau lleol eu hunain yn eu datblygu, eu harwain a’u rheoli, a byddwn yn parhau i gael partneriaeth aeddfed ar hynny.
Ar ei gwestiwn cyntaf a’r sylwadau a wnaeth wedyn, dylwn wneud y pwynt pan fydd taliadau'n cael eu codi ar ddefnyddwyr ffyrdd mewn dinasoedd eraill yn y DU a ledled y byd, nid ydym wedi gweld yr economi’n dod i stop. Rydym wedi gweld newidiadau yn ymddygiad pobl, ac mewn gwirionedd, credaf fod dyfodol bywiog iawn i ganol dinas Caerdydd, a gallwch weld hynny yn y ffordd y mae nifer o gwmnïau gwasanaethau proffesiynol yn edrych ar eu dyfodol yn y ddinas ac o’i chwmpas. Rwy'n disgwyl newyddion cadarnhaol dros y flwyddyn neu ddwy nesaf ar fwy o dwf a datblygiad, ac nid yw'r polisïau hyn yn atal y bobl hynny rhag dymuno buddsoddi yn nyfodol swyddi a swyddi o ansawdd da iawn. Fel y dywedaf, rwy'n credu y byddai dos o realiti a thystiolaeth yn ddefnyddiol wrth drafod dyfodol dinasoedd ffyniannus, a threfi yn wir, ledled y wlad.
Well, I look forward to your letter regarding the Audit Wales report recommendations, which will tell us whether these recommendations have actually been delivered or not by your Government.
Now, 12 months ago, the Federation of Small Businesses published its vision for Welsh towns, which looked at some of the challenges that our town centres have faced in recent years, and set out what they believe is needed to build a successful future for Welsh town centres and high streets. That report told us that only 3 per cent of people believe their town centre to be thriving, and that really should be a wake-up call for the Government to prioritise building resilient town centres, helping businesses to grow and recycling the Welsh pound in our communities. The scale is huge and the challenges include everything from changing consumer habits to cost pressures for businesses, to public transport, which you've just been talking about. Therefore, can you tell us what additional funding is being allocated to support businesses in town centres across Wales in light of some of the challenges that they are continuing to face? And can you also provide an update on the discussions you've had with local authorities about the measures they are taking in order to ensure that local interventions do not harm the ambition to create sustainable town centres for the future?
Wel, edrychaf ymlaen at eich llythyr ynghylch argymhellion adroddiad Archwilio Cymru, a fydd yn dweud wrthym a yw’r argymhellion hyn wedi’u cyflawni ai peidio gan eich Llywodraeth.
Nawr, 12 mis yn ôl, cyhoeddodd y Ffederasiwn Busnesau Bach eu gweledigaeth ar gyfer trefi Cymru, a oedd yn edrych ar rai o’r heriau y mae canol ein trefi wedi’u hwynebu dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf, ac yn nodi’r hyn sydd ei angen yn eu barn hwy i adeiladu dyfodol llwyddiannus i ganol trefi a'r stryd fawr yng Nghymru. Dywedodd yr adroddiad hwnnw wrthym mai 3 y cant yn unig o bobl sy’n credu bod canol eu tref yn ffynnu, a dylai hynny fod yn rhybudd gwirioneddol i’r Llywodraeth y dylid blaenoriaethu adeiladu canol trefi gwydn, gan helpu busnesau i dyfu ac ailgylchu’r bunt Gymreig yn ein cymunedau. Mae’r raddfa’n enfawr, ac mae’r heriau’n cynnwys popeth o newid arferion defnyddwyr, i bwysau costau ar fusnesau, i drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, fel rydych newydd fod yn ei drafod. Felly, a wnewch chi ddweud wrthym pa gyllid ychwanegol sy’n cael ei ddyrannu i gefnogi busnesau yng nghanol trefi ledled Cymru o gofio rhai o’r heriau y maent yn parhau i’w hwynebu? Ac a wnewch chi hefyd roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y trafodaethau rydych wedi'u cael gydag awdurdodau lleol am y mesurau y maent hwy'n eu rhoi ar waith er mwyn sicrhau nad yw ymyriadau lleol yn niweidio'r uchelgais i greu canol trefi cynaliadwy ar gyfer y dyfodol?
Yes. Look, as ever, we work alongside local authorities and other partners when it comes to the future for town centres. But it's also a range of policy areas across the Government—so, taking a 'town centre first' approach to the way that we develop. So, that includes when we're making choices around investing in housing and in the health service; when we're thinking about regeneration approaches as well. You can see that we are working directly alongside local authorities to do just that. I've visited Rhyl and Prestatyn in the past, for example, to see some of that work directly and that is all about how you do create a vibrant high street. A number of the challenges they face come from a number of different factors. The cost-of-living crisis is also a cost-of-doing business crisis—the challenges of inflation when you look at some of the challenges around retail, and you mentioned that there are trends in the way that people are now behaving as consumers.
So, when we developed our retail action plan, when we were going into the delivery phase, that was working alongside trade unions led by the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers; that was working alongside businesses led by the Wales Retail Consortia. And it is understanding all the different things we can do to have a positive future for retail, and it's part of what makes a vibrant and effective high street.
I look back on other choices we've already made. For example, I know that other Members will have been today at events with pharmacy colleagues and Marie Curie and, actually, the choice that we have made consistently to invest in community pharmacy is hugely important for generating footfall on a range of our high streets in towns of all shapes and sizes. It goes into the everyday economy as well that Hefin David has regularly talked about, to make sure that procurement policy and the way that we work alongside small and medium-sized businesses actually have a direct impact, so that it isn't simply about where the budget lines are, it's also about the coherence of policy and understanding what we can all do to support our local town centres, not just on small business weekend, but through the year, and the policy choices we make in Government.
Iawn. Edrychwch, fel bob amser, rydym yn gweithio ochr yn ochr ag awdurdodau lleol a phartneriaid eraill ar ddyfodol canol trefi. Ond mae'n ymwneud hefyd ag amrywiaeth o feysydd polisi ar draws y Llywodraeth—felly, mabwysiadu agwedd 'canol y dref yn gyntaf' o ran y ffordd rydym yn datblygu. Felly, mae hynny'n cynnwys pan fyddwn yn gwneud dewisiadau ynghylch buddsoddi mewn tai ac yn y gwasanaeth iechyd; pan fyddwn yn meddwl am ddulliau adfywio hefyd. Gallwch weld ein bod yn gweithio ochr yn ochr ag awdurdodau lleol i wneud yn union hynny. Rwyf wedi ymweld â’r Rhyl a Phrestatyn yn y gorffennol, er enghraifft, i weld rhywfaint o’r gwaith hwnnw fy hun ac mae hynny'n ymwneud â sut rydych yn creu stryd fawr fywiog. Daw nifer o'r heriau a wynebant o nifer o ffactorau gwahanol. Mae’r argyfwng costau byw hefyd yn argyfwng cost gwneud busnes—heriau chwyddiant pan edrychwch ar rai o’r heriau mewn perthynas â manwerthu, ac fe sonioch chi fod tueddiadau yn y ffordd y mae pobl bellach yn ymddwyn fel defnyddwyr.
Felly, pan wnaethom ddatblygu ein cynllun gweithredu ar gyfer y sector manwerthu, pan oeddem yn mynd i mewn i’r cyfnod cyflwyno, roedd hynny’n golygu gweithio ochr yn ochr ag undebau llafur dan arweiniad yr Undeb Gweithwyr Siopau, Dosbarthu a Gwaith Perthynol; roedd yn golygu gweithio ochr yn ochr â busnesau dan arweiniad Consortia Manwerthu Cymru. Ac mae'n golygu deall yr holl bethau gwahanol y gallwn eu gwneud i sicrhau dyfodol cadarnhaol i'r sector manwerthu, ac mae'n rhan o'r hyn sy'n gwneud stryd fawr fywiog ac effeithiol.
Rwy'n edrych yn ôl ar ddewisiadau eraill rydym wedi'u gwneud eisoes. Er enghraifft, gwn y bydd Aelodau eraill wedi bod mewn digwyddiadau heddiw gyda chydweithwyr ym maes fferylliaeth a Marie Curie, ac mewn gwirionedd, mae'r dewis rydym wedi’i wneud yn gyson i fuddsoddi mewn fferylliaeth gymunedol yn hynod bwysig i sicrhau ymwelwyr ar y stryd fawr mewn trefi o bob lliw a llun. Mae’n ymwneud hefyd â’r economi bob dydd y mae Hefin David wedi siarad amdani’n rheolaidd, i sicrhau bod polisi caffael a’r ffordd y gweithiwn ochr yn ochr â busnesau bach a chanolig yn cael effaith uniongyrchol, fel nad yw hyn yn ymwneud â ble mae llinellau'r gyllideb yn unig, ond hefyd â chydlynu polisi a deall yr hyn y gall pob un ohonom ei wneud i gefnogi canol ein trefi lleol, nid yn unig ar benwythnosau busnesau bach, ond drwy gydol y flwyddyn, a'r dewisiadau polisi a wnawn yn y Llywodraeth.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Luke Fletcher.
Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Luke Fletcher.
Diolch, Llywydd. An approach to apprenticeships should be focused on end outcomes rather than just simply overall numbers. Now, it's great that the Welsh Government has committed to creating 125,000 additional apprenticeships over this Senedd term, but that means little if they're not completed. There's a worrying trend of late showing a 14.6 per cent dip in the success rates of apprenticeships since 2019. Over a third of apprenticeships in Wales are not completed.
Now, we know that upskilling our workforce is critical in addressing the underlying weaknesses of the Welsh economy particularly in relation to the productivity gap. And on top of this, the latest data also shows a widening gap in the success rate between learners living in the most deprived areas and the least deprived areas. Therefore, what measures are the Welsh Government undertaking to reverse the recent slide in apprenticeship success rates, particularly amongst individuals from deprived areas?
Diolch, Lywydd. Dylai ymagwedd at brentisiaethau ganolbwyntio ar ganlyniadau terfynol yn hytrach na niferoedd cyffredinol yn unig. Nawr, mae'n wych fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo i greu 125,000 o brentisiaethau ychwanegol yn nhymor y Senedd hon, ond nid yw hynny'n golygu fawr ddim os na chânt eu cwblhau. Mae tueddiad diweddar, sy'n dangos gostyngiad o 14.6 y cant yng nghyfraddau llwyddiant prentisiaethau ers 2019, yn peri cryn bryder. Nid yw dros draean o brentisiaethau yng Nghymru yn cael eu cwblhau.
Nawr, gwyddom fod uwchsgilio ein gweithlu'n hollbwysig er mwyn mynd i'r afael â gwendidau sylfaenol yn economi Cymru, yn enwedig mewn perthynas â'r bwlch cynhyrchiant. Ac yn ychwanegol at hyn, mae’r data diweddaraf hefyd yn dangos bwlch cynyddol yn y gyfradd lwyddiant rhwng dysgwyr sy’n byw yn yr ardaloedd mwyaf difreintiedig a’r ardaloedd lleiaf difreintiedig. Felly, pa fesurau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu rhoi ar waith i wrthdroi’r llithro diweddar yng nghyfraddau llwyddiant prentisiaethau, yn enwedig ymhlith unigolion o ardaloedd difreintiedig?
We've actually been looking at working with a number of people who haven't completed those outcomes, as well as the providers themselves, to understand the different reasons for that. Now, people's financial means are part of that, but it's also then a conversation, not just for those individuals, but for the businesses they're working in as well. And it's about the range of different routes to achieving an apprenticeship. Some of the challenges actually come from people making different choices and from some of the challenges that we still see feeding through from apprentices when it comes to post-pandemic mental health and well-being. It's a really significant challenge, which is why I previously announced more money for mental health support for our apprentices—I made that announcement last month—when it comes to what we're doing alongside the broader work we're doing in the youth guarantee work.
What I'm focused on is not just increasing the number of apprentices—and you are right to focus on completion rates; we still have a better completion rate than over the border and it's about making sure that we continue to improve that—but it is also about the quality of the apprenticeships. We could have made a choice to downgrade the level of apprenticeships to try to put on more numbers; we chose not to do that. That's why we've maintained the different levels and why we still have a commitment to increase the degree apprenticeship programme as well. But there is a recognition, I think, within large parts of the business community that they need to keep on investing in their apprenticeships too. The legal amount they have to pay and what they actually pay may well differ, and lots of our employees—. If you were at the Airbus event, you would have found that Airbus employees are really well looked after; they're a big company and you'd expect them to be so. That goes across the broader supply chain as well, and there's a need to do that, because all of those businesses recognise it's in their interests for those people to complete their apprenticeships, because there is a challenge about having enough labour, with the right skills, to meet the opportunities for those businesses. So, again, it's not a one-shot intervention, but I'd be more than happy, when I come back to not just you, but the committee as well, on what we're doing not just across the young person's guarantee, but what we're doing specifically on completion rates, to give you, if you like, a more granular understanding of why we believe completion rates have fallen back and what we'll then do about it.
Rydym wedi bod yn edrych ar weithio gyda nifer o bobl nad ydynt wedi cwblhau'r canlyniadau hynny, yn ogystal â'r darparwyr eu hunain, i ddeall y gwahanol resymau am hynny. Nawr, mae sefyllfaoedd ariannol pobl yn rhan o hynny, ond mae hefyd yn sgwrs, nid yn unig i'r unigolion hynny, ond i'r busnesau y maent yn gweithio ynddynt hefyd. Ac mae'n ymwneud â'r ystod o wahanol lwybrau tuag at gwblhau prentisiaeth. Daw rhai o’r heriau o fod pobl yn gwneud dewisiadau gwahanol ac o rai o’r heriau rydym yn dal i’w gweld yn cael effaith ar brentisiaid o ran iechyd meddwl a lles ar ôl y pandemig. Mae'n her sylweddol iawn, a dyna pam fy mod wedi cyhoeddi mwy o arian ar gyfer cymorth iechyd meddwl i'n prentisiaid—gwneuthum y cyhoeddiad hwnnw fis diwethaf—a'r hyn a wnawn ochr yn ochr â'r gwaith ehangach rydym yn ei wneud gyda'r warant i bobl ifanc.
Yr hyn rwy'n canolbwyntio arno yw nid yn unig cynyddu nifer y prentisiaid—ac rydych yn iawn i ganolbwyntio ar gyfraddau cwblhau; mae gennym gyfradd gwblhau well na thros y ffin o hyd, ac mae'n ymwneud â sicrhau ein bod yn parhau i wella hynny—ond mae a wnelo hefyd ag ansawdd y prentisiaethau. Gallem fod wedi dewis israddio lefel y prentisiaethau i geisio sicrhau niferoedd mwy; fe wnaethom ddewis peidio â gwneud hynny. Dyna pam ein bod wedi cynnal y lefelau gwahanol a pham fod gennym ymrwymiad o hyd i gynyddu'r rhaglen gradd-brentisiaethau hefyd. Ond credaf fod cydnabyddiaeth mewn rhannau helaeth o’r gymuned fusnes fod angen iddynt barhau i fuddsoddi yn eu prentisiaethau hefyd. Mae’n ddigon posibl y bydd gwahaniaeth rhwng y swm cyfreithiol y mae’n rhaid iddynt ei dalu a’r hyn y maent yn ei dalu mewn gwirionedd, ac mae llawer o’n cyflogeion—. Pe baech yn nigwyddiad Airbus, byddech wedi gweld bod gweithwyr Airbus yn cael gofal da iawn; maent yn gwmni mawr a byddech yn disgwyl hynny. Mae hynny’n wir ar draws y gadwyn gyflenwi ehangach hefyd, ac mae angen gwneud hynny, gan fod pob un o’r busnesau hynny’n cydnabod ei bod o fudd iddynt hwy i’r bobl hynny gwblhau eu prentisiaethau, gan fod her ynglŷn â chael digon o lafur, gyda’r sgiliau cywir, i'r busnesau hynny allu manteisio ar yr holl gyfleoedd. Felly, unwaith eto, nid ymyrraeth un ergyd yw hi, ond rwy'n fwy na pharod, pan ddof yn ôl nid yn unig atoch chi, ond at y pwyllgor hefyd, ar yr hyn rydym yn ei wneud nid yn unig ar draws y warant i bobl ifanc, ond yr hyn a wnawn yn benodol ar gyfraddau cwblhau, i roi dealltwriaeth fwy manwl i chi, os mynnwch, o pam y credwn fod cyfraddau cwblhau wedi gostwng a beth a wnawn ynglŷn â hynny wedyn.
We would welcome that clarity at committee. Of course, completion rates have dipped below Scotland's completion rates. The stats also show pretty clearly an increase in uncompleted apprenticeships as a result of apprentices seeking employment before the end of their course. You only have to sit around a table with students in colleges across Wales to know that they've either considered leaving education themselves or know somebody who has taken this step, and this accounts for approximately 15 per cent of all uncompleted apprenticeships in the latest stats. This is, surely, a clear indication of the impact of cost-of-living pressures on people undertaking apprenticeships, and it's not right that individuals seeking to improve their employment prospects through training are ultimately unable to do so due to financial constraints and subsequently are pushed into low-skill and low-wage work to make ends meet.
When we spoke to the National Society of Apprentices on this, they confirmed that the affordability, of course, is a key concern of its members at present. So, if we want to create a Welsh economy that is supported by a high-skill and high-wage workforce, then it is vital that all barriers to education are removed. So, to this end, what measures are the Welsh Government undertaking right now to support people in training to manage cost-of-living pressures, and will the Minister consider a living wage for apprenticeships as a means to an end?
Byddem yn croesawu’r eglurder hwnnw yn y pwyllgor. Wrth gwrs, mae cyfraddau cwblhau wedi gostwng yn is na chyfraddau cwblhau'r Alban. Mae'r ystadegau hefyd yn dangos cynnydd eithaf clir mewn prentisiaethau heb eu cwblhau o ganlyniad i brentisiaid yn chwilio am waith cyn diwedd eu cwrs. Nid oes ond angen ichi eistedd o gwmpas y bwrdd gyda myfyrwyr mewn colegau ledled Cymru i wybod eu bod naill ai wedi ystyried gadael addysg eu hunain neu’n adnabod rhywun sydd wedi gwneud hynny, ac mae hyn yn wir am oddeutu 15 y cant o’r holl brentisiaethau heb eu cwblhau yn yr ystadegau diweddaraf. Mae'n sicr yn arwydd clir o effaith pwysau costau byw ar bobl sy’n ymgymryd â phrentisiaethau, ac nid yw’n iawn fod unigolion sy’n ceisio gwella eu rhagolygon cyflogaeth drwy hyfforddiant yn methu gwneud hynny yn y pen draw oherwydd cyfyngiadau ariannol ac yn cael eu gwthio wedyn i mewn i waith sgiliau isel a chyflog isel i gael deupen llinyn ynghyd.
Pan siaradom â Chymdeithas Genedlaethol y Prentisiaid ynglŷn â hyn, gwnaethant gadarnhau bod fforddiadwyedd, wrth gwrs, yn bryder allweddol i’w haelodau ar hyn o bryd. Felly, os ydym am greu economi Gymreig wedi'i chynnal gan weithlu sgiliau uchel a chyflogau uchel, mae’n hollbwysig cael gwared ar bob rhwystr i addysg. Felly, i'r perwyl hwn, pa fesurau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu rhoi ar waith ar hyn o bryd i gefnogi pobl dan hyfforddiant i ymdopi â phwysau costau byw, ac a wnaiff y Gweinidog ystyried cyflog byw ar gyfer prentisiaethau fel ffordd o gyrraedd y nod?
Well, we've invested £36 million of additional money to try to maintain the progress that we can make at the maximum level through this time, and that's a direct result of budget challenges. We have also taken some action to try to help to support people through a range of our training programmes. We've increased some of the allowances, for example, in parts of our young person's guarantee. The challenge in saying whether you can deliver a real living wage for apprenticeships as a required standard is actually not just about our competence, but about the budgets we have to do that, as well. You'll know, from going through what was a very difficult budget exercise, that I couldn't give you a guarantee that we could find the money to do that. It's why there has got to be a conversation with those businesses that are seeing apprenticeships come through their businesses. It's why we're looking more and more at the range of skills that people need through shared apprenticeships and what that means in terms of the routes to get that apprenticeship, how much time they can spend in work and the balance between that and being with a provider. So, I can't tell you in the here and now that there is a definitive answer and a definitive budget that can do what you would want to do and, indeed, what I think lots of Members in this place would want to do. I'm more than happy not just to write to the committee, but more than happy to sit down with him to go through some of those challenges and what we are actually doing to try to make that work.
Wel, rydym wedi buddsoddi £36 miliwn o arian ychwanegol i geisio cynnal y cynnydd y gallwn ei wneud ar y lefel uchaf bosibl drwy'r cyfnod hwn, ac mae hynny o ganlyniad uniongyrchol i heriau cyllidebol. Rydym hefyd wedi cymryd rhai camau i geisio helpu i gefnogi pobl drwy ystod o'n rhaglenni hyfforddi. Rydym wedi cynyddu rhai o'r lwfansau, er enghraifft, mewn rhannau o'n gwarant i bobl ifanc. Mae’r her o ddweud a allwch sicrhau cyflog byw gwirioneddol ar gyfer prentisiaethau fel safon ofynnol yn ymwneud nid yn unig â’n cymhwysedd, ond â’r cyllidebau sydd gennym i wneud hynny hefyd. Fe fyddwch yn gwybod, o fynd drwy’r hyn a oedd yn ymarfer cyllidebol anodd iawn, na allwn roi sicrwydd i chi y gallem ddod o hyd i’r arian i wneud hynny. Dyna pam fod yn rhaid cael sgwrs gyda'r busnesau hynny sy'n gweld prentisiaethau'n dod drwy eu busnesau. Dyna pam ein bod yn edrych fwyfwy ar yr ystod o sgiliau sydd eu hangen ar bobl drwy brentisiaethau a rennir a beth mae hynny'n ei olygu o ran y llwybrau i gael y brentisiaeth honno, faint o amser y gallant ei dreulio yn y gwaith a'r cydbwysedd rhwng hynny a bod gyda darparwr. Felly, ni allaf ddweud wrthych ar hyn o bryd fod yna ateb pendant a chyllideb derfynol a all wneud yr hyn y byddech am ei wneud, ac yn wir, yr hyn y credaf y byddai llawer o Aelodau yn y lle hwn am ei wneud. Rwy’n fwy na pharod nid yn unig i ysgrifennu at y pwyllgor, ond i fynd drwy rai o’r heriau hynny gydag ef a’r hyn rydym yn ei wneud i geisio gwneud i hynny weithio.
3. Pa gefnogaeth fydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei darparu ar gyfer gardd goffa mwyngloddio cenedlaethol Cymru a Glofa Universal yn Senghennydd? OQ59408
3. What support will the Welsh Government provide for the Welsh National and Universal Mining Memorial Garden in Senghenydd? OQ59408
Thank you, Hefin David, for that question. We recognise, of course, the significance of the Senghenydd memorial to families and communities affected by mining disasters throughout Wales. The Welsh Government is keen to work with others, including volunteers who run the site, to explore options for how it can be cared for in the future.
Diolch am eich cwestiwn, Hefin David. Wrth gwrs, rydym yn cydnabod arwyddocâd cofeb Senghennydd i deuluoedd a chymunedau yr effeithiwyd arnynt gan drychinebau glofaol ledled Cymru. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn awyddus i weithio gydag eraill, gan gynnwys gwirfoddolwyr sy'n rhedeg y safle, i archwilio opsiynau ar gyfer gofalu amdano yn y dyfodol.
We were very grateful for the First Minister's visit back in, I think, January time, when he came to see the garden and the need to upkeep it. He saw at first hand the local volunteers and the Aber Valley Heritage Group, and the work that they do in maintaining the garden. It's a community space that's run by volunteers, and the volunteers are not getting younger and it's an incredible challenge. We were really delighted that Cadw and Caerphilly County Borough Council agreed to consider ways to maintain the garden and to help. Caerphilly council have agreed—Councillor Jamie Pritchard, the deputy leader, has agreed—to provide immediate support for grounds maintenance, partly funded by the shared prosperity fund. Cadw have advised that their in-house masonry team, based at Caerphilly castle, can maintain the memorial garden stone walls but, due to a full works programme, cannot start until next year. I've had committee members expressing disappointment about that. I think Cadw can do more. So, would the Deputy Minister put pressure on Cadw to provide extra support with landscaping, in addition to stone masonry, and for it to begin this year, please?
Roeddem yn ddiolchgar iawn am ymweliad y Prif Weinidog yn ôl ym mis Ionawr, rwy'n credu, pan ddaeth i weld yr ardd a’r angen i’w chynnal. Gwelodd â'i lygaid ei hun y gwirfoddolwyr lleol a Grŵp Treftadaeth Cwm Aber, a'r gwaith a wnânt i gynnal a chadw'r ardd. Mae'n fan cymunedol sy'n cael ei redeg gan wirfoddolwyr, ac nid yw'r gwirfoddolwyr yn mynd yn iau ac mae'n her anferth. Roeddem wrth ein boddau fod Cadw a Chyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Caerffili wedi cytuno i ystyried ffyrdd o gynnal yr ardd ac i helpu. Mae cyngor Caerffili wedi cytuno—mae’r Cynghorydd Jamie Pritchard, y dirprwy arweinydd, wedi cytuno—i ddarparu cymorth ar unwaith er mwyn cynnal a chadw'r tir, a ariennir yn rhannol gan y gronfa ffyniant gyffredin. Mae Cadw wedi dweud y gall eu tîm gwaith maen mewnol, sydd wedi’u lleoli yng nghastell Caerffili, gynnal a chadw waliau cerrig yr ardd goffa, ond oherwydd rhaglen waith lawn, ni allant ddechrau tan y flwyddyn nesaf. Mae rhai o aelodau’r pwyllgor wedi mynegi siom wrthyf ynglŷn â hynny. Credaf y gall Cadw wneud mwy. Felly, a wnaiff y Dirprwy Weinidog roi pwysau ar Cadw i ddarparu cymorth ychwanegol gyda thirlunio, yn ogystal â gwaith maen, ac i'r gwaith hwnnw ddechrau eleni, os gwelwch yn dda?
Thank you for that supplementary question. I think it would be remiss of me not to say, before I come to addressing that question, the significance of the Senghenydd memorial as a site of a memorial representing the worst mining disaster, not only in Wales but in the UK, and what that means to constituencies, like yours and mine, that are basically mining constituencies, and the communities that that industry shaped in those areas.
So, what I would say, in response to the points that you've raised today is I'd really welcome the opportunity to meet with yourself and others, along with officials from Cadw, at the memorial, to discuss these issues further, because, as you've already highlighted, Cadw have suggested that they've got in-house expertise that could certainly help with the maintenance. There are funding pressures—of course there are. The local authority's got funding pressures, we've got funding pressures, and we would like to make a commitment to be able to do more in the area, but I think the starting point would be for us to have that meeting with yourself, with the local authority, with volunteers, and see what the art of the possible actually is.
Diolch am eich cwestiwn atodol. Credaf y byddai’n esgeulus ohonof i beidio â sôn, cyn imi fynd i’r afael â’r cwestiwn hwnnw, am arwyddocâd cofeb Senghennydd fel safle cofeb sy’n cynrychioli’r trychineb mwyngloddio gwaethaf, nid yn unig yng Nghymru, ond yn y DU, a'r hyn y mae hynny'n ei olygu i etholaethau fel eich un chi a fy un i, sy'n etholaethau glofaol yn y bôn, a’r cymunedau a luniwyd gan y diwydiant hwnnw yn yr ardaloedd hynny.
Felly, yr hyn y byddwn yn ei ddweud mewn ymateb i'r pwyntiau rydych wedi'u codi heddiw, yw y byddwn yn sicr yn croesawu'r cyfle i gyfarfod â chi ac eraill, ynghyd â swyddogion Cadw, ger y gofeb, i drafod y materion hyn ymhellach, oherwydd, fel rydych eisoes wedi nodi, mae Cadw wedi awgrymu bod ganddynt arbenigedd mewnol a allai helpu gyda'r gwaith cynnal a chadw. Mae pwysau cyllidol—wrth gwrs. Mae pwysau cyllidol ar yr awdurdod lleol, mae pwysau cyllidol arnom ninnau, a hoffem wneud ymrwymiad i allu gwneud mwy yn hyn o beth, ond credaf mai’r man cychwyn fyddai inni gael y cyfarfod hwnnw gyda chi, gyda'r awdurdod lleol, gyda gwirfoddolwyr, a gweld beth yw celfyddyd yr hyn sy'n bosibl mewn gwirionedd.
Diolch i Hefin am godi'r cwestiwn yma.
Thank you to Hefin for bringing this question to the Chamber.
I'm pleased to hear that there is a commitment to supporting and that it's finally been provided to the volunteers at long last. Led by the chair of the Aber Valley Heritage Group, Lindsay Whittle, a councillor and former Member in this place for Plaid Cymru, this group has been asking for help with maintenance for the garden for some time now, and they're mostly made up, as Hefin said, of pensioners. This garden is a reminder of our industrial heritage and the immense sorrow and tragedy that is intertwined with that chapter in history as a nation. It is one of a number of historic sites that we could and should make the most of. It's a real shame that more is not made of places like the Chartists' cave in Blaenau Gwent or the Guardian of the Valleys in Six Bells that many people living in the region are not aware of, let alone potential international visitors. Has any thought gone into the creation of a heritage trail for south-east Wales in order to boost tourism and perhaps provide an opportunity for schoolteachers looking to bring history to life and celebrate our rich and fascinating history?
Rwy'n falch o glywed bod ymrwymiad i gefnogi a'i fod wedi'i roi i'r gwirfoddolwyr o'r diwedd. Dan arweiniad cadeirydd Grŵp Treftadaeth Cwm Aber, Lindsay Whittle, cynghorydd a chyn-Aelod Plaid Cymru yn y lle hwn, mae’r grŵp wedi bod yn gofyn am gymorth gyda'r gwaith o gynnal a chadw’r ardd ers peth amser bellach, ac mae'r rhan fwyaf ohonynt, fel y dywedodd Hefin, yn bensiynwyr. Mae’r ardd hon yn ein hatgoffa o’n treftadaeth ddiwydiannol a’r tristwch a’r drasiedi enfawr sydd ynghlwm wrth y bennod honno yn ein hanes fel cenedl. Mae’n un o nifer o safleoedd hanesyddol y gallem ac y dylem wneud y gorau ohonynt. Mae’n drueni mawr na wneir mwy o lefydd fel ogof y Siartwyr ym Mlaenau Gwent neu Warcheidwad y Cymoedd yn Six Bells, nad yw llawer o bobl sy’n byw yn y rhanbarth yn ymwybodol ohonynt, heb sôn am ddenu ymwelwyr rhyngwladol. A roddwyd unrhyw ystyriaeth i greu llwybr treftadaeth ar gyfer de-ddwyrain Cymru er mwyn hybu twristiaeth ac efallai i roi cyfle i athrawon ysgol sydd am ddod â hanes yn fyw a dathlu ein hanes cyfoethog a hynod ddiddorol?
I thank Peredur Owen Griffiths for that supplementary question. I think that's a very important point, and I have actually discussed this with Caerphilly council in relation to other trails. And it's not just Caerphilly council, but we have such a rich history and heritage across the whole of Wales that local authorities absolutely could be developing and doing more with in terms of their tourism offer and what they can sell, not only to their local residents, but to visitors coming in to the area. In fact, I've had a conversation with Wayne David, the MP, about how we could do more about attracting people to Caerphilly castle and whether we should be doing more about having language interpretation at Caerphilly castle that goes beyond English and Welsh. Because, of course, we see visitors from all over the world, and if you go to visitor sites and national sites of importance, like Caerphilly castle, in other parts of the world, you will see multilingual interpretation. So, those are the kinds of things that I think local authorities and Welsh Government, with Cadw and our heritage teams, can work on. And I'd certainly be happy to have further conversations with Caerphilly council about how they could work to develop that.
Diolch i Peredur Owen Griffiths am ei gwestiwn atodol. Credaf fod hwnnw'n bwynt pwysig iawn, ac mewn gwirionedd, rwyf wedi trafod hyn gyda chyngor Caerffili mewn perthynas â llwybrau eraill. Ac mae'n ymwneud â mwy na chyngor Caerffili yn unig, mae gennym hanes a threftadaeth mor gyfoethog ledled Cymru gyfan y gallai awdurdodau lleol fod yn ei ddatblygu ac yn gwneud mwy ag ef, yn sicr, o ran eu cynnig twristiaeth a'r hyn y gallant ei werthu, nid yn unig i'w trigolion lleol, ond i ymwelwyr a ddaw i'r ardal. A dweud y gwir, rwyf wedi cael sgwrs gyda Wayne David, yr AS, ynglŷn â sut y gallem wneud mwy i ddenu pobl i gastell Caerffili ac a ddylem fod yn gwneud mwy i ddarparu gwasanaethau dehongli yng nghastell Caerffili mewn ieithoedd heblaw'r Saesneg a’r Gymraeg. Oherwydd rydym yn cael ymwelwyr o bob rhan o'r byd, wrth gwrs, ac os ewch i safleoedd ymwelwyr a safleoedd o bwysigrwydd cenedlaethol, fel castell Caerffili, mewn rhannau eraill o'r byd, fe welwch wasanaethau dehongli amlieithog. Felly, dyna'r mathau o bethau y credaf y gall awdurdodau lleol a Llywodraeth Cymru, gyda Cadw a'n timau treftadaeth, weithio arnynt. A byddwn yn sicr yn fwy na pharod i gael sgyrsiau pellach gyda chyngor Caerffili ynglŷn â sut y gallent weithio i ddatblygu hynny.
4. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n hyrwyddo'r sector twristiaeth yng Ngorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro? OQ59383
4. How is the Welsh Government promoting the tourism sector in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire? OQ59383
I thank Sam Kurtz for that question. The region features prominently throughout the year in Visit Wales marketing activities, and also benefits from financial support for high-profile events, such as Ironman Pembrokeshire. And major capital investment schemes have also supported developments at Pendine and Saundersfoot.
Diolch i Sam Kurtz am ei gwestiwn. Mae’r rhanbarth yn cael sylw amlwg drwy gydol y flwyddyn yng ngweithgarwch marchnata Croeso Cymru, ac mae hefyd yn elwa o gymorth ariannol ar gyfer digwyddiadau proffil uchel, fel Ironman Sir Benfro. Ac mae cynlluniau buddsoddi cyfalaf sylweddol hefyd wedi cefnogi datblygiadau ym Mhentywyn a Saundersfoot.
Thank you very much, Deputy Minister. The county of Pembrokeshire gets its name, of course, from the town of Pembroke in my constituency, and it has its fantastic Pembroke castle there, birthplace of Henry Tudor, the Welshman who would be King, and the Pembroke wars. And I was delighted to join councillors Jonathan Grimes and Aaron Carey in visiting the South Quay development, just a couple of doors down from Pembroke castle. And while there is investment in this, which is welcomed by the community of Pembroke and the wider south Pembrokeshire community, there's a little concern as to what that end product may well be. But they are delighted that these derelict historic buildings are coming back into life. But Pembroke is a fantastic example of a traditional medieval town. So, how is the Welsh Government using its powers, through Visit Wales and through every other means it has, to promote the fantastic historical assets that we have that are unique to Wales and unique to my part of the world in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire?
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Ddirprwy Weinidog. Mae sir Benfro yn cael ei henw, wrth gwrs, o dref Penfro yn fy etholaeth, lle mae castell gwych Penfro, man geni Harri Tudur, y Cymro a fyddai’n Frenin, a rhyfeloedd Penfro. Ac roeddwn yn falch iawn o ymuno â’r cynghorwyr Jonathan Grimes ac Aaron Carey i ymweld â datblygiad Cei’r De, ychydig ddrysau i lawr o gastell Penfro. Ac er bod buddsoddiad ynddo, sy'n cael ei groesawu gan gymuned Penfro a chymuned ehangach de sir Benfro, ceir rhywfaint o bryder ynglŷn â beth y gallai'r cynnyrch terfynol hwnnw fod. Ond maent wrth eu boddau fod yr adeiladau hanesyddol adfeiliedig hyn yn cael eu hatgyfodi. Ond mae Penfro yn enghraifft wych o dref ganoloesol draddodiadol. Felly, sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn defnyddio ei phwerau, drwy Croeso Cymru a thrwy bob dull arall sydd ar gael iddi, i hyrwyddo’r asedau hanesyddol gwych sydd gennym sy’n unigryw i Gymru ac yn unigryw i fy rhan i o’r byd yng Ngorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro?
And I spent many a happy hour, Sam, in Pembrokeshire when I was a young, fresh-faced Unison officer at the time, and the whole county of Dyfed was my patch, and I used to go round with the nickname of 'the officer for seaside resorts' because I spent so much time in places like Pembrokeshire. It is absolutely a beautiful part of the world, and I'm very proud to see the investment that we have put in to a number of capital projects in the area. One of the things we're trying to do in our tourism strategy is to look at the three 'S's, so that we don't just see people piling into an area in the six weeks of summer. So, we look at seasonality, we look at spend, we look at spread. We look at having campaigns to bring people into Wales at any time of the year, and there are different offers at any time of the year. You've mentioned Pembroke castle and Henry Tudor; as a child growing up, the Tudor era was an absolute fascination for me, an absolute fascination, and that fascination was brought to me by the museum coming into my school with Tudor outfits, and they let us put Tudor outfits on. I've had this lifelong love of history ever since, and when we've got such significant monuments, castles, whatever it might be, that tell the history of our nation—some of it contested, I accept, but nevertheless history that we can be proud of, and that we can sell, and we can make part of our tourist offer and our tourist destination—. You will find all of that in our Visit Wales strategy around how we draw people in.
If there are particular projects within your area that you'd like me to have a look at I'd be happy to meet with you, Sam, and with the local authority to discuss that. But, absolutely, I think we probably are on the same page around what we want to do in areas like Pembrokeshire.
Ac fe dreuliais sawl awr hapus, Sam, yn sir Benfro pan oeddwn yn swyddog Unsain ifanc, diniwed ar y pryd, a sir Dyfed oedd fy ardal i, ac roeddwn yn arfer mynd o gwmpas gyda'r llysenw 'y swyddog dros gyrchfannau glan môr' am fy mod yn treulio cymaint o amser mewn llefydd fel sir Benfro. Mae'n rhan hynod brydferth o'r byd, ac rwy'n falch iawn o weld y buddsoddiad rydym wedi'i wneud mewn nifer o brosiectau cyfalaf yn yr ardal. Un o'r pethau rydym yn ceisio'i wneud yn ein strategaeth dwristiaeth yw edrych ar dair elfen, fel nad ydym yn gweld pobl yn pentyrru i ardal yn ystod chwe wythnos yr haf yn unig. Felly, rydym yn edrych ar natur dymhorol twristiaeth, rydym yn edrych ar wariant, rydym yn edrych ar ledaeniad. Rydym yn edrych ar gynnal ymgyrchoedd i ddenu pobl i Gymru ar unrhyw adeg o'r flwyddyn, ac mae cynigion gwahanol ar unrhyw adeg o'r flwyddyn. Rydych chi wedi sôn am gastell Penfro a Harri Tudur; fel plentyn yn tyfu i fyny, roedd oes y Tuduriaid yn hynod ddiddorol i mi, yn hynod ddiddorol, a thaniwyd y diddordeb hwnnw ynof pan ddaeth yr amgueddfa i fy ysgol gyda gwisgoedd Tuduraidd, ac fe wnaethant adael i ni wisgo'r gwisgoedd Tuduraidd. Rwyf wedi bod wrth fy modd gyda hanes byth ers hynny, a phan fo gennym henebion mor arwyddocaol, cestyll, beth bynnag, sy'n adrodd hanes ein cenedl—ac rwy'n derbyn bod dadlau ynghylch rhai agweddau arno, ond er hynny mae'n hanes y gallwn fod yn falch ohono, ac y gallwn ei werthu, a gallwn ei ymgorffori yn ein cynnig i dwristiaid a'n cyrchfannau i dwristiaid—. Fe welwch chi hynny i gyd yn ein strategaeth Croeso Cymru o ran sut rydym yn denu pobl i Gymru.
Os oes yna brosiectau penodol yn eich ardal chi y byddech yn hoffi i mi gael golwg arnynt, fe fyddwn yn hapus i gyfarfod â chi, Sam, a chyda'r awdurdod lleol i drafod hynny. Ond yn bendant, rwy'n credu ein bod yn cytuno ynglŷn â'r hyn rydym eisiau ei wneud mewn ardaloedd fel sir Benfro.
5. Pa asesiad mae'r Gweinidog wedi ei wneud o effaith Ystâd y Goron ar economi Cymru? OQ59409
5. What assessment has the Minister made of the impact of the Crown Estate on the Welsh economy? OQ59409
We believe the benefits from the Crown Estate would be greater for Wales if the Crown Estate were devolved. Whilst we seek devolution, we continue to work with the Crown Estate to ensure that we maximise the current opportunities for the Welsh economy.
Rydym yn credu y byddai'r buddion o Ystad y Goron yn fwy i Gymru pe bai Ystad y Goron wedi'i datganoli. Er ein bod am ei gweld wedi'i datganoli, rydym yn parhau i weithio gydag Ystâd y Goron i sicrhau ein bod yn manteisio i'r eithaf ar y cyfleoedd presennol i economi Cymru.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog am yr ateb.
I thank the Minister for that response.
With significant generation opportunities along the Welsh coastline in both marine renewables and offshore wind, Wales has real potential to gain first-mover advantage and become a world leader both in the manufacture of components and in exporting skills and expertise into a growing global market. To ensure that the benefits are retained in Wales, we will need to develop robust local supply chains that allow for the manufacture and assembly of floating offshore wind components here in Wales. So, what steps are the Welsh Government taking to ensure that the Crown Estate mandates strict supply chain requirements for developers? And will they work with the Crown Estate to develop a mechanism to hold developers to account on these commitments?
Gyda chyfleoedd ar gyfer cynhyrchiant sylweddol ar hyd arfordir Cymru mewn ynni adnewyddadwy morol ac ynni gwynt ar y môr, mae gan Gymru botensial gwirioneddol i sicrhau mantais o'r cychwyn cyntaf a dod yn arweinydd byd-eang mewn perthynas â gweithgynhyrchu cydrannau ac allforio sgiliau ac arbenigedd i farchnad fyd-eang sy'n tyfu. Er mwyn sicrhau bod y buddion yn cael eu cadw yng Nghymru, bydd angen inni ddatblygu cadwyni cyflenwi lleol cadarn sy'n caniatáu cynhyrchu a chydosod cydrannau gwynt arnofiol ar y môr yma yng Nghymru. Felly, pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i sicrhau bod Ystad y Goron yn mandadu gofynion cadwyni cyflenwi llym ar gyfer datblygwyr? Ac a fyddant yn gweithio gydag Ystad y Goron i ddatblygu mecanwaith i ddwyn datblygwyr i gyfrif mewn perthynas â'r ymrwymiadau hyn?
It's exactly what—. What the Member is calling for is exactly what myself and the Minister for Climate Change have called for, not just publicly on repeated occasions, but also in our direct engagement with the Crown Estate. Because all those opportunities, right across our sea bed—. In north Wales there are significant opportunities, as well as south-west Wales, before competing free-port bid supporters start jumping up and down over their particular part of the country; it's a genuine national opportunity. And I have always said this isn't just about the opportunity to deliver and develop power on a renewable basis—it is the jobs that come from that. Not just the maintenance work and the end construction work, but actually the major construction work, the manufacturing side work that takes place much earlier and higher up in the value chain. That is exactly what we are keen to capture, as well as, then, the potential opportunities that do come from having a predictable power supply that comes in. It's why we have continued, on a different point, to talk about the requirement to reform the way that the National Grid works, so those opportunities really can be taken advantage of. But we will continue to call, in our meetings and in public, for exactly that: a proper supply chain requirement for bids when the bids are provided, and then to make sure that people live up to those bids—so, the contract management of those bids, in live action, and not just writing a good bid that may then not bear any relationship to what has happened. So, on that point, there is no disagreement and we will continue to make that case as robustly as possible.
Dyna'n union—. Yr hyn y mae'r Aelod yn galw amdano yw'r union beth rwyf fi a'r Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd wedi galw amdano, nid yn unig yn gyhoeddus ar sawl achlysur, ond hefyd yn ein hymgysylltiad uniongyrchol ag Ystad y Goron. Oherwydd mae'r holl gyfleoedd hynny, ar draws gwely'r môr—. Yng ngogledd Cymru, mae yna gyfleoedd sylweddol, yn ogystal â'r de-orllewin, cyn i'r rhai sy'n cefnogi ceisiadau sy'n cystadlu am borthladd rhydd ddechrau neidio i fyny ac i lawr dros eu rhan benodol hwy o'r wlad; mae'n gyfle cenedlaethol go iawn. Ac rwyf bob amser wedi dweud nad yw hyn yn ymwneud yn unig â'r cyfle i gyflawni a datblygu pŵer ar sail adnewyddadwy—mae'n ymwneud hefyd â'r swyddi sy'n deillio o hynny. Nid yn unig y gwaith cynnal a chadw a'r gwaith adeiladu terfynol, ond yr holl waith adeiladu mawr, y gwaith gweithgynhyrchu sy'n digwydd ochr yn ochr yn llawer cynt ac yn uwch i fyny yn y gadwyn werth. Dyna'n union rydym yn awyddus i'w sicrhau, yn ogystal â'r cyfleoedd posibl sydd wedyn yn deillio o gael cyflenwad pŵer rhagweladwy. Dyna pam ein bod wedi parhau, ar bwynt gwahanol, i siarad am y gofyniad i ddiwygio'r ffordd y mae'r Grid Cenedlaethol yn gweithio, fel y gellir manteisio o ddifrif ar y cyfleoedd hynny. Ond byddwn yn parhau i alw, yn ein cyfarfodydd ac yn gyhoeddus, am yn union hynny: gofyniad cadwyn gyflenwi priodol ar gyfer ceisiadau pan ddarperir y ceisiadau hynny, a sicrhau bod pobl yn cyflawni'r hyn a nodwyd yn y ceisiadau hynny—felly, rheoli cytundebau'r ceisiadau hynny, yn fyw, yn hytrach na dim ond ysgrifennu cais da na fydd yn debyg o gwbl i'r hyn a fydd yn digwydd. Felly, ar y pwynt hwnnw, nid oes unrhyw anghytundeb a byddwn yn parhau i hyrwyddo hynny mor gadarn â phosibl.
In January, the Crown Estate sealed landmark agreements for offshore wind energy to power 7 million homes. One of the six offshore wind projects is in north Wales. The agreement saw the culmination of the Crown Estate's offshore wind leasing round 4, adding further strength to the offshore wind sector's track record in leading the UK's net-zero energy transition. Now, having met with an official, I know that their focus is on delivery, and they have a track record of successfully leasing sea bed, to the point that the UK is now the second most successful market in the world. Thanks in part, of course, to the Crown Estate, Wales is now on the cusp of being global leaders in the sector. Surely, rather than put that at risk by causing uncertainty through devolution, do you agree with the Minister for Climate Change that we should continue to work with the Crown Estate, including to maximise the employment opportunities across this very important supply chain?
Ym mis Ionawr, seliodd Ystad y Goron gytundebau nodedig ar gyfer ynni gwynt ar y môr i bweru 7 miliwn o gartrefi. Mae un o'r chwe phrosiect gwynt ar y môr wedi'i leoli yng ngogledd Cymru. Yn sgil y cytundeb daeth rownd 4 o brydles gwynt ar y môr Ystad y Goron i ben, gan ychwanegu cryfder pellach i gyflawniad y sector gwynt ar y môr yn arwain trawsnewidiad y DU i ynni sero net. Nawr, ar ôl cyfarfod â swyddog, gwn fod eu ffocws ar gyflawni, ac mae ganddynt hanes o lesio gwely'r môr yn llwyddiannus, i'r graddau fod y DU bellach yn ail farchnad fwyaf llwyddiannus y byd erbyn hyn. Diolch yn rhannol, wrth gwrs, i Ystad y Goron, mae Cymru bellach ar fin dod yn arweinydd byd-eang yn y sector. Yn hytrach na pheryglu hynny drwy achosi ansicrwydd drwy ddatganoli, onid ydych yn cytuno gyda'r Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd y dylem barhau i weithio gydag Ystad y Goron, gan gynnwys manteisio i'r eithaf ar y cyfleoedd cyflogaeth ar draws y gadwyn gyflenwi bwysig iawn hon?
I don't think calling for devolution of the Crown Estate takes away from the economic opportunities or puts them in any way at risk at all. Of course, the Crown Estate is devolved in Scotland. I think we can learn from what Scotland has done, and I'm optimistic that we can do an even better job on delivering greater economic benefit. That's certainly my ambition: to do the best possible to deliver the maximum economic benefit.
It is, of course, good news that the Crown Estate have given a greater indication of future supply, including the really significant 1.5 GW Mona project off the north Wales coast. But the climate change Minister and what I am saying today, they're absolutely consistent. We will, of course, continue to work with the Crown Estate to maximise the economic benefit and value to Wales from development in the Crown Estate off our sea bed, and we will continue at the same time to call for greater devolution. I don't see that there's any conflict in that at all, and I can tell you, in the industry's point of view, they don't have any problem with it either.
Nid wyf yn credu bod galw am ddatganoli Ystad y Goron yn tynnu oddi ar y cyfleoedd economaidd hynny nac yn eu rhoi mewn unrhyw berygl o gwbl. Wrth gwrs, mae Ystad y Goron wedi'i datganoli yn yr Alban. Rwy'n credu y gallwn ddysgu o'r hyn y mae'r Alban wedi'i wneud, ac rwy'n obeithiol y gallwn wneud gwaith gwell fyth ar ddarparu mwy o fudd economaidd. Yn sicr, dyna yw fy uchelgais: gwneud y gorau sy'n bosibl er mwyn cyflawni'r budd economaidd mwyaf.
Mae'n newyddion da wrth gwrs fod Ystad y Goron wedi rhoi mwy o arwydd o'r cyflenwad yn y dyfodol, gan gynnwys y prosiect 1.5 GW Mona hynod arwyddocaol oddi ar arfordir gogledd Cymru. Ond mae'r hyn rwyf fi a'r Gweinidog newid hinsawdd yn ei ddweud heddiw yn gwbl gyson. Wrth gwrs y byddwn yn parhau i weithio gydag Ystad y Goron i fanteisio i'r eithaf ar y budd economaidd a'r gwerth i Gymru o ddatblygiadau Ystad y Goron i wely'r môr yng Nghymru, a byddwn yn parhau ar yr un pryd i alw am fwy o ddatganoli. Nid wyf yn gweld bod unrhyw anghysondeb o gwbl yn hynny, a gallaf ddweud wrthych, o safbwynt y diwydiant, nad oes ganddynt hwy unrhyw broblem gyda hynny chwaith.
6. Pa asesiad mae'r Gweinidog wedi'i wneud o'r effaith y bydd taliadau defnyddwyr ffyrdd yn ei chael ar yr economi? OQ59394
6. What assessment has the Minister made of the impact that road-user charges will have on the economy? OQ59394
Thank you for the question, which I note is similar to the ones asked by Paul Davies. In line with 'Llwybr Newydd: The Wales Transport Strategy' and our transport delivery plan, we will consider supporting fair and equitable road-user charging systems that deliver benefits for our society, environment and economy.
Diolch am y cwestiwn, a nodaf ei fod yn debyg i'r cwestiynau a ofynnwyd gan Paul Davies. Yn unol â 'Llwybr Newydd: Strategaeth Drafnidiaeth Cymru' a'n cynllun cyflawni ar gyfer trafnidiaeth, byddwn yn ystyried cefnogi systemau taliadau teg a chytbwys ar gyfer defnyddwyr ffyrdd sy'n sicrhau manteision i'n cymdeithas, ein hamgylchedd a'n heconomi.
Great, thank you so much, Minister. Last week, your Labour colleagues in Cardiff Council unveiled plans to impose a congestion charge in the city. This comes just weeks after your Government's anti-driver brainwave to start charging people for driving along the M4 and A470 was revealed. Needless to say, plans for road-user charges have gone down like a lead balloon with many residents for a range of reasons, and one in particular is the extra cost that it will inflict on residents who are already under immense pressure with the cost of living.
Squeezing more cash out of people will mean they have less money in their back pockets to spend in shops, cafes and restaurants, all of which play a pivotal role in the economy. One resident expressed their serious concerns to me that they fear that road charges will completely kill off our city centres and push people to out-of-town retail parks. Public transport is so bad in Wales that, often, driving is, in fact, the only option. So, Minister do you share my concerns, and the concerns of countless others, that these proposals, especially in the current climate, could have a seriously damaging impact not just on residents' finances, but also on our hard-working businesses? Will you call on your colleagues in the Welsh Government and Cardiff Council to have a serious rethink about these plans?
Gwych, diolch yn fawr, Weinidog. Yr wythnos diwethaf, fe wnaeth eich cyd-aelodau Llafur yng Nghyngor Caerdydd ddatgelu cynlluniau i osod tâl atal tagfeydd yn y ddinas. Daw hyn wythnosau'n unig ar ôl datgelu syniad gwrth-yrwyr eich Llywodraeth i ddechrau codi tâl ar bobl am yrru ar hyd yr M4 a'r A470. Afraid dweud, mae llawer o drigolion yn anhapus iawn ynglŷn â'r cynlluniau ar gyfer taliadau defnyddwyr ffyrdd am nifer o resymau, ac un rheswm yn benodol yw'r gost ychwanegol y bydd yn ei gosod ar drigolion sydd eisoes dan bwysau aruthrol gyda chostau byw.
Bydd gwasgu mwy o arian allan o bobl yn golygu bod ganddynt lai o arian yn eu pocedi i'w wario mewn siopau, caffis a bwytai, ac mae pob un o'r rheini'n chwarae rhan ganolog yn yr economi. Mynegodd un preswylydd wrthyf eu bod yn ofni'n fawr y bydd taliadau ffyrdd yn lladd canol ein trefi ac yn gwthio pobl i barciau manwerthu y tu allan i'r dref. Mae trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus mor wael yng Nghymru, a gyrru, yn aml, yw'r unig opsiwn mewn gwirionedd. Felly, Weinidog, a ydych yn rhannu fy mhryderon, a phryderon nifer fawr o bobl eraill, y gallai'r cynigion hyn, yn enwedig yn yr hinsawdd bresennol, gael effaith niweidiol ddifrifol, nid yn unig ar gyllid trigolion, ond hefyd ar ein busnesau gweithgar? A wnewch chi alw ar eich cyd-aelodau yn Llywodraeth Cymru a Chyngor Caerdydd i ailfeddwl o ddifrif am y cynlluniau hyn?
Well, of course, the Member will have heard about the public health cost from congestion. It's an issue in my constituency; it's an issue in other parts of Wales as well. I think it's odd to say on the one hand you're in favour of a clean air Act, but then to demand that congestion continues with no effective response to it.
As well as the public health cost, there's an economic cost to congestion. You will no doubt have noted—I'm sure you haven't just read the headlines—that, in the report provided by Cardiff Council, in the external evidence there was a cost of £109 million in 2019—the economic cost of congestion within the city. There's a need to do something about congestion within a range of the towns and cities that we live in. Cardiff Council is looking at proposals and they're looking to consult on proposals that may include road-user charging, and that's right thing to do. We'll then have a properly defined proposal that the council may want to take forward. There'll then be a further conversation with the Welsh Government.
I also think it's worth reminding ourselves that the economy in other parts of the world and other parts of Britain has not ended when there has been an element of road-user charging. As you may have heard, someone called Boris Johnson was the Mayor of London and he didn’t end road-user charging when he was the mayor. It didn’t end the economy in London and there are now definable and understood public health benefits, and public transport works even more effectively. So, there’s a challenge in understanding the sorts of steps we’re prepared to take, in understanding what the impact on the economy will be, understanding what the impact on wider society will be, and public health, and that’s a conversation we look forward to having with Cardiff Council. They’re doing the right thing in having a consultation, being very clear that what they are looking to do is to improve public transport first, to make a real difference for citizens in the city and those who commute in and out of the city for societal and indeed economic purposes.
Wel, wrth gwrs, bydd yr Aelod wedi clywed am y gost i iechyd y cyhoedd o ganlyniad i dagfeydd. Mae'n broblem yn fy etholaeth i; mae'n broblem mewn rhannau eraill o Gymru hefyd. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn od dweud ar y naill law eich bod o blaid Deddf aer glân, ac ar y llaw arall eich bod yn mynnu bod tagfeydd yn parhau heb unrhyw ymateb effeithiol iddynt.
Yn ogystal â'r gost i iechyd y cyhoedd, mae yna gost economaidd i dagfeydd. Diau eich bod wedi nodi—rwy'n siŵr nad y penawdau'n unig a ddarllenoch chi—yn yr adroddiad a ddarparwyd gan Gyngor Caerdydd, yn y dystiolaeth allanol, fod yna gost o £109 miliwn yn 2019—cost economaidd tagfeydd yn y ddinas. Mae angen gwneud rhywbeth am dagfeydd yn nifer o'r trefi a'r dinasoedd rydym yn byw ynddynt. Mae Cyngor Caerdydd yn edrych ar gynigion ac maent yn ystyried ymgynghori ar gynigion a allai gynnwys codi tâl ar ddefnyddwyr ffyrdd, ac mae hynny'n beth iawn i'w wneud. Yna bydd gennym gynnig wedi'i ddiffinio'n iawn y gallai'r cyngor fod eisiau ei ddatblygu. Yna, bydd yna sgwrs bellach gyda Llywodraeth Cymru.
Rwyf hefyd yn credu ei bod hi'n werth atgoffa ein hunain nad yw'r economi mewn rhannau eraill o'r byd a rhannau eraill o Brydain wedi dod i ben ar ôl cyflwyno elfen o godi tâl ar ddefnyddwyr ffyrdd. Fel y clywsoch chi, efallai, roedd rhywun o'r enw Boris Johnson yn Faer Llundain ac ni ddaeth â thaliadau defnyddwyr ffyrdd i ben pan oedd yn faer. Ni ddaeth economi Llundain i ben o'i herwydd ac erbyn hyn mae manteision diffiniadwy a dealledig i iechyd y cyhoedd, ac mae trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn gweithio'n fwy effeithiol byth. Felly, mae yna her o ran deall y math o gamau rydym yn barod i'w cymryd, deall beth fydd yr effaith ar yr economi, deall beth fydd yr effaith ar y gymdeithas ehangach, ac iechyd y cyhoedd, ac mae honno'n sgwrs rydym yn edrych ymlaen at ei chael gyda Chyngor Caerdydd. Maent yn gwneud y peth cywir drwy gael ymgynghoriad, a thrwy fod yn glir iawn mai'r hyn y maent yn ceisio ei wneud yw gwella trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn gyntaf, i wneud gwahaniaeth gwirioneddol i ddinasyddion yn y ddinas a'r rhai sy'n cymudo i mewn ac allan o'r ddinas at ddibenion cymdeithasol, ac economaidd yn wir.
7. Pa asesiad mae'r Gweinidog wedi ei wneud o briodoldeb hysbysebu a noddi gamblo ym myd chwaraeon Cymru? OQ59387
7. What assessment has the Minister made of the appropriateness of gambling advertising and sponsorship in Welsh sport? OQ59387
I thank Huw Irranca-Davies for that question. Gambling industry sponsorship in sport, of course, is a matter for the UK Government. During the UK Government’s review of the Gambling Act 2005, we had strongly advocated for a strengthening of the legislative framework, robust restrictions on gambling advertising as well as greater protections for those vulnerable people to gambling-related harm.
Diolch i Huw Irranca-Davies am y cwestiwn hwnnw. Mater i Lywodraeth y DU yw nawdd y diwydiant gamblo ym myd chwaraeon wrth gwrs. Yn ystod adolygiad Llywodraeth y DU o Ddeddf Gamblo 2005, roeddem wedi dadlau'n gryf dros gryfhau'r fframwaith deddfwriaethol, sicrhau cyfyngiadau cadarn ar hysbysebion gamblo yn ogystal â sicrhau mwy o amddiffyniadau rhag niwed sy'n gysylltiedig â gamblo ar gyfer pobl fregus.
That’s good to hear. Look, I’m not a puritan. I’ve had a flutter occasionally myself, most recently 10 quid on Wales to beat France in the six nations in March. It didn’t end well. [Laughter.]
But, increasingly, gambling nowadays is much easier to access, it’s more attractive, it’s more addictive to play—especially online—and reports have shown a lack of diligence by operators, affordability checks being bypassed, and the already too-high limits on bets being circumvented or even ignored, as we’ve seen in recent reports and even fines.
And we know that gambling is not victimless: Citizens Advice has warned the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee in Westminster of a toxic cycle between online gambling and growing financial vulnerability, and more than a third of Citizens Advice advisers say they’re aware of people gambling to improve their financial situation. And we know from public health figures across the UK that several hundreds of people take their lives each year due to gambling debts, and the repercussions are felt right across their families and communities too.
So, can I ask: in terms of football in particular, because football players are icons of sport in Wales, Premier League have said—and you’re right, this falls to the UK Government—that the shirt sponsorship will end by the end of 2025-26, but banner advertising may continue; what can we do here in Wales in your engagement not just with football clubs at all levels, but all sport, to try and work with them to end this unhealthy relationship, this addiction to gambling sponsorship within Wales and across the UK?
Mae hynny'n dda i'w glywed. Edrychwch, nid wyf yn biwritan. Rwyf wedi cael ambell fet fach fy hun, yn fwyaf diweddar 10 punt ar Gymru i guro Ffrainc yn y chwe gwlad ym mis Mawrth. Ni ddaeth unrhyw ddaioni ohoni. [Chwerthin.]
Ond mae'n mynd yn fwyfwy hawdd gamblo y dyddiau hyn, mae'n fwy deniadol, mae'n fwy caethiwus i'w chwarae—yn enwedig ar-lein—ac mae adroddiadau wedi dangos diffyg diwydrwydd gan weithredwyr, gwiriadau fforddiadwyedd yn cael eu hosgoi, a bod y terfynau ar fetiau, sydd eisoes yn rhy uchel, yn cael eu hosgoi neu eu hanwybyddu hyd yn oed, fel y gwelsom mewn adroddiadau diweddar, a dirwyon hyd yn oed.
Ac rydym yn gwybod fod pobl yn dioddef yn sgil gamblo: mae Cyngor ar Bopeth wedi rhybuddio'r Pwyllgor Technoleg Ddigidol, Diwylliant, y Cyfryngau a Chwaraeon yn San Steffan am gylch gwenwynig rhwng gamblo ar-lein a bregusrwydd ariannol cynyddol, ac mae mwy na thraean o gynghorwyr Cyngor ar Bopeth yn dweud eu bod yn ymwybodol o bobl yn gamblo i wella eu sefyllfa ariannol. Ac fe wyddom o ffigurau iechyd cyhoeddus ledled y DU fod cannoedd o bobl yn cyflawni hunanladdiad bob blwyddyn oherwydd dyledion gamblo, ac mae eu teuluoedd a'u cymunedau hefyd yn dioddef y sgil-effeithiau.
Felly, a gaf fi ofyn: ynghylch pêl-droed yn enwedig, oherwydd mae chwaraewyr pêl-droed yn eiconau chwaraeon yng Nghymru, mae'r Uwch Gynghrair wedi dweud—ac rydych yn iawn, mater i Lywodraeth y DU yw hwn—y bydd y noddi crysau'n dod i ben erbyn diwedd 2025-26, ond gall yr hysbysebion baner barhau; beth allwn ni ei wneud yma yng Nghymru o ran eich ymgysylltiad, nid yn unig â chlybiau pêl-droed ar bob lefel, ond pob camp, i geisio gweithio gyda hwy i roi diwedd ar y berthynas afiach hon, y caethiwed hwn i nawdd gamblo yng Nghymru ac ar draws y DU?
I think Huw Irranca-Davies makes some very important points there, and of course gambling and the impact of gambling goes across many ministerial portfolios. My colleague here, the Deputy Minister, will be looking at it within her portfolio as well. The impact on society of sports gambling advertising and sponsorship is an area that we are strongly encouraging the UK Government to address and strengthen as a matter of urgency as part of their review of the Gambling Act 2005, which I think we’re going to see probably by the end of this week. It will be published by the end of this week.
And as you quite rightly pointed out, we know that children and younger adults are more likely to gamble online and therefore they’re most likely to be exposed to the online advertising to gamble. So, exposure to advertising is therefore key in determining the sort of relationship that our future generations have with gambling. But, as colleagues will know, I’m a huge football fan, and I’ve seen myself first-hand how football in particular has become inextricably linked with gambling sponsorship, because gambling operators can offer huge amounts of money to football clubs in sponsorship compared to any other companies that offer sponsorship, and I’m aware that campaigners for gambling reform are advocating for a ban on all sports advertising sponsorship, and, like you, I’m aware that the Premier League clubs have collectively agreed to withdraw gambling sponsorship from the front of their match-day shirts by the end of the 2026 season, and, although that is of course a welcome step, from my point of view, I would be urging all football clubs to do this, not just Premier League clubs, but all the league in Wales clubs as well, and do it more rapidly, and particularly for their child, junior and youth football kits. There's no reason for those advertisements to be on their clothing as well. So, I would encourage also the removal of gambling sponsorship from all other parts of sports kits, from banner advertising, and suggest that sports clubs do look closely at the wider impact that gambling advertising has on their sport.
Rwy'n credu bod Huw Irranca-Davies yn gwneud pwyntiau pwysig iawn, ac wrth gwrs mae gamblo ac effaith gamblo yn cyffwrdd â llawer o bortffolios gweinidogol. Bydd fy nghyd-Aelod yma, y Dirprwy Weinidog, yn edrych arno o fewn ei phortffolio hithau hefyd. Mae effaith nawdd a hysbysebu gamblo chwaraeon ar gymdeithas yn faes rydym yn annog Llywodraeth y DU yn gryf i fynd i'r afael ag ef a'i gryfhau ar frys fel rhan o'u hadolygiad o Ddeddf Gamblo 2005 yr ydym yn debygol o'i weld, rwy'n credu, erbyn diwedd yr wythnos hon. Bydd yn cael ei gyhoeddi erbyn diwedd yr wythnos hon.
Ac fel y nodoch chi'n gwbl briodol, rydym yn gwybod bod plant ac oedolion iau yn fwy tebygol o gamblo ar-lein ac felly hwy sydd fwyaf tebygol o fod yn agored i hysbysebion gamblo a welir ar-lein. Mae amlygrwydd hysbysebion yn allweddol felly i bennu'r math o berthynas sydd gan genedlaethau'r dyfodol gyda gamblo. Ond fel y bydd cyd-Aelodau'n gwybod, rwy'n gefnogwr pêl-droed enfawr, ac rwyf wedi gweld fy hun sut mae pêl-droed yn enwedig wedi'i gysylltu'n agos iawn â nawdd gamblo, oherwydd gall gweithredwyr gamblo gynnig symiau enfawr o arian i glybiau pêl-droed mewn nawdd o gymharu ag unrhyw gwmnïau eraill sy'n cynnig nawdd, ac rwy'n ymwybodol fod ymgyrchwyr dros ddiwygio gamblo yn dadlau dros wahardd pob nawdd hysbysebu chwaraeon, ac fel chi, rwy'n ymwybodol fod clybiau'r Uwch Gynghrair wedi cytuno gyda'i gilydd i dynnu nawdd gamblo o flaen eu crysau ar ddiwrnod gêm erbyn diwedd tymor 2026, ac er bod hynny wrth gwrs yn gam i'w groesawu, o'm safbwynt i, byddwn yn annog pob clwb pêl droed i wneud hyn, nid clybiau'r Uwch Gynghrair yn unig, ond holl glybiau cynghrair Cymru hefyd, a gwneud hynny'n gynt, yn enwedig ar gitiau pêl-droed plant, pobl iau a ieuenctid. Nid oes unrhyw reswm i'r hysbysebion hynny fod ar eu dillad hwy hefyd. Felly, byddwn yn annog sefydliadau i gael gwared ar nawdd gamblo o bob rhan arall o gitiau chwaraeon hefyd, o hysbysebion baner, ac awgrymu bod clybiau chwaraeon yn edrych yn fanwl ar yr effaith ehangach y mae hysbysebu gamblo yn ei chael ar eu camp.
Can I wholeheartedly agree with your comments, Minister? We do need to get to grips with this public health menace. We know that problem gambling has been on the rise in recent years, and too many vulnerable people are falling prey to the gambling industry and the harm that it can do. Obviously, I appreciate that many of the levers to deal with gambling advertising are, of course, held at Westminster, but there are issues that can be addressed here in Wales, and I know that, working with your colleagues, I would like to see some action, for example, on the planning system, which allows a proliferation of gambling centres on our high streets, with bookmakers on our high streets; we need some action in our education system to make sure that young people are warned about the harms, not just of gambling on sports but gaming gambling, which is becoming a big issue; and of course we need some more investment in our addiction services, particularly around this. So, can I ask what collaborative work is going on within the Welsh Government, given that this is such a disparate responsibility between many portfolios, to make sure that those things in particular are addressed with the powers that you already do have?
A gaf fi gytuno'n llwyr â'ch sylwadau, Weinidog? Mae angen inni fynd i'r afael â'r bygythiad hwn i iechyd y cyhoedd. Rydym yn gwybod bod problemau gamblo wedi bod ar gynnydd yn y blynyddoedd diwethaf, ac mae gormod o bobl agored i niwed yn syrthio'n ysglyfaeth i'r diwydiant gamblo a'r niwed y gall ei wneud. Yn amlwg, rwy'n derbyn mai San Steffan sydd â nifer o'r ysgogiadau i ymdrin â hysbysebu gamblo, ond mae yna faterion y gellir mynd i'r afael â hwy yma yng Nghymru, ac rwy'n gwybod, drwy weithio gyda'ch cyd-Aelodau, y byddwn yn hoffi gweld camau gweithredu, er enghraifft, ar y system gynllunio, sy'n caniatáu canolfannau gamblo lluosog ar ein stryd fawr, gyda siopau betio ar ein strydoedd mawr; mae angen camau gweithredu yn ein system addysg i wneud yn siŵr fod pobl ifanc yn cael eu rhybuddio am y niwed, nid yn unig o gamblo ar chwaraeon ond o hapchwarae, sy'n dod yn broblem fawr; ac wrth gwrs mae angen mwy o fuddsoddiad yn ein gwasanaethau dibyniaeth, ar hyn yn enwedig. Felly, a gaf fi ofyn pa waith cydweithredol sy'n mynd rhagddo yn Llywodraeth Cymru, o gofio bod hwn yn gyfrifoldeb mor wahanol rhwng sawl portffolio, i wneud yn siŵr fod y pethau hynny yn enwedig yn cael sylw gyda'r pwerau sydd gennych eisoes?
Can I thank Darren Millar for that question and the very valid points that he makes in his comments? I think it's probably worth reminding ourselves that we did have a Welsh Government taskforce, a task and finish group, which was set up to look at gambling related harm, and that work will feed in to develop the proposals in terms of how we respond to people affected by gambling related harm. The task and finish group concluded its work in 2022, and one of the four key recommendations that it made was that it would continue to advocate for the reform of the Gambling Act 2005 for all the reasons that you have highlighted. Most of the issues that we are facing with gambling related harm are not within our areas of competence, and we have to look at supporting a future system that takes a population-level public health approach, and that's the conversation that I will certainly be having with my colleague Lynne Neagle, and we need to look at it across other ministerial portfolios as well, where we have that cross-interest.
A gaf fi ddiolch i Darren Millar am y cwestiwn hwnnw a'r pwyntiau dilys iawn y mae'n eu gwneud yn ei sylwadau? Rwy'n credu ei bod yn werth atgoffa ein hunain, mae'n debyg, fod gennym dasglu Llywodraeth Cymru, grŵp gorchwyl a gorffen, a sefydlwyd i edrych ar niwed sy'n gysylltiedig â gamblo, ac y bydd y gwaith hwnnw'n bwydo i mewn i ddatblygu'r cynigion ynglŷn â sut rydym yn ymateb i bobl sydd wedi cael eu heffeithio gan niwed sy'n gysylltiedig â gamblo. Daeth gwaith y grŵp gorchwyl a gorffen i ben yn 2022, ac un o'r pedwar argymhelliad allweddol a wnaeth oedd y byddai'n parhau i ddadlau dros ddiwygio Deddf Gamblo 2005 am yr holl resymau rydych wedi'u hamlinellu. Nid yw'r rhan fwyaf o'r problemau a wynebwn gyda niwed sy'n gysylltiedig â gamblo o fewn ein meysydd cymhwysedd, ac mae'n rhaid inni edrych ar gefnogi system yn y dyfodol sy'n mabwysiadu dull iechyd cyhoeddus ar lefel poblogaeth, a byddaf yn sicr yn cael y sgwrs honno gyda fy nghyd-Aelod Lynne Neagle, ac mae angen inni edrych arno ar draws portffolios gweinidogol eraill hefyd, lle mae gennym y diddordeb trawsbynciol hwnnw.
Yn olaf, cwestiwn 8, Peter Fox.
Finally, question 8, Peter Fox.
8. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i gryfhau'r diwydiant twristiaeth yn etholaeth Mynwy o safbwynt economaidd? OQ59399
8. What is the Welsh Government doing to economically strengthen the tourism industry in the Monmouth constituency? OQ59399
I thank Peter Fox for that question. Visit Wales has invested in regional assets, such as Tintern abbey, and the region benefits from our year-round marketing, which highlights the unique and quality offering of Monmouthshire to visitors.
Diolch i Peter Fox am y cwestiwn hwnnw. Mae Croeso Cymru wedi buddsoddi mewn asedau rhanbarthol, fel abaty Tyndyrn, ac mae'r rhanbarth yn elwa o'n marchnata drwy gydol y flwyddyn, sy'n amlygu cynnig unigryw a safonol sir Fynwy i ymwelwyr.
Thank you, Minister. Wales possesses many strengths, as you know, economically, especially the tourism industry. It employs over 10 per cent of our working population. But, last week, research revealed that Wales was in the top-two UK areas to experience the largest decrease in employment as well as the lowest employment rate after only Northern Ireland. This concerning revelation reminds us that businesses need more support rather than being held back by barriers. And I know I'm going to talk about an area that you're keen not to. One potential barrier they continue to voice concerns about is your proposed tourism tax, which they have warned will hit those jobs and businesses, and particularly in my constituency of Monmouth and other border constituencies, because people will be deterred from overnight stays and will choose to be day visitors instead. Minister, what advice would you give to businesses who feel so threatened by what your Government is proposing?
Diolch. Mae gan Gymru nifer o gryfderau economaidd, fel y gwyddoch, yn enwedig y diwydiant twristiaeth. Mae'n cyflogi dros 10 y cant o'r boblogaeth sy'n gweithio. Ond yr wythnos diwethaf, dangosodd ymchwil fod Cymru yn un o'r ddau ranbarth uchaf yn y DU i brofi'r gostyngiad mwyaf mewn cyflogaeth yn ogystal â'r gyfradd gyflogaeth isaf, ar ôl Gogledd Iwerddon yn unig. Mae'r canfyddiad pryderus hwn yn ein hatgoffa bod busnesau angen mwy o gefnogaeth yn hytrach na chael eu dal yn ôl gan rwystrau. Ac rwy'n gwybod fy mod am siarad am faes rydych yn awyddus i beidio â sôn amdano. Un rhwystr posibl y maent yn parhau i leisio pryderon yn ei gylch yw eich treth dwristiaeth arfaethedig, ac maent wedi rhybuddio y bydd yn taro'r swyddi a'r busnesau hynny, yn enwedig yn fy etholaeth i ym Mynwy ac etholaethau eraill ar y ffin, oherwydd bydd pobl yn dewis peidio ag aros dros nos ac yn dewis ymweld am y dydd yn lle hynny. Weinidog, pa gyngor fyddech chi'n ei roi i fusnesau sy'n teimlo dan gymaint o fygythiad yn sgil yr hyn y mae eich Llywodraeth yn ei argymell?
Well, can I thank Peter Fox for that supplementary question? And, again, as I said in my answer to Altaf, I don't come from the same premise that you come from in terms of the impact that a visitor levy would have on tourism. There was a significant consultation around the visitor levy. The sector itself is helping to inform and design that levy and make sure that it works for Wales. It's a levy that will enable local authorities to raise revenue, it's about visitors supporting destinations, they enjoy making a small contribution to the community, and so on. Again, as I said in my response to Altaf, this was a key element of the Labour manifesto in the 2021 election. It is a key element of the co-operation agreement that we have with Plaid Cymru. We are progressing with the implementation of that manifesto commitment, as it is the right thing to do.
We are not convinced by the arguments that it is something that is likely to impact adversely on the tourism economy. There is no evidence from any other country in the world that has a visitor levy that that has a significant impact. I was abroad on holiday myself over Easter—I had a wonderful time—and I paid a tourism levy in the cities that I visited, and it would not put me off visiting that area again. If there is somewhere you want to go, then you will go. And I think what is important about all of this is that the visitor levy will be designed with the sector to develop a levy that will be appropriate for the type of accommodation that people stay in and the value of that accommodation, and so on. So, we will continue to work with the sector. We will continue to develop the levy, and I am convinced that it will be of benefit to those local authority areas where tourism is a significant factor in the economy to help them to develop their tourism offer in those areas.
Wel, a gaf fi ddiolch i Peter Fox am y cwestiwn atodol hwnnw? Ac eto, fel y dywedais yn fy ateb i Altaf, nid wyf yn rhannu eich safbwynt ynghylch yr effaith y byddai ardoll ymwelwyr yn ei chael ar dwristiaeth. Roedd yna ymgynghoriad sylweddol ar yr ardoll ymwelwyr. Mae'r sector ei hun yn helpu i lywio a chynllunio'r ardoll honno a sicrhau ei bod yn gweithio i Gymru. Mae'n ardoll a fydd yn galluogi awdurdodau lleol i godi refeniw, mae'n ymwneud ag ymwelwyr yn cefnogi cyrchfannau, maent yn mwynhau gwneud cyfraniad bach i'r gymuned, ac yn y blaen. Eto, fel y dywedais yn fy ymateb i Altaf, roedd hyn yn elfen allweddol o'r maniffesto Llafur yn etholiad 2021. Mae'n elfen allweddol o'r cytundeb cydweithio sydd gennym gyda Phlaid Cymru. Rydym yn bwrw ymlaen â'r gwaith o weithredu ymrwymiad y maniffesto, gan mai dyna'r peth iawn i'w wneud.
Nid ydym wedi cael ein hargyhoeddi gan y dadleuon ei fod yn rhywbeth sy'n debygol o effeithio'n andwyol ar yr economi dwristiaeth. Nid oes unrhyw dystiolaeth o unrhyw wlad arall yn y byd sydd ag ardoll ymwelwyr i ddangos bod hynny'n cael effaith sylweddol. Roeddwn i dramor ar wyliau fy hun dros y Pasg—cefais amser bendigedig—ac fe delais ardoll dwristiaeth yn y dinasoedd yr ymwelais â hwy, ac ni fyddai'n fy rhwystro rhag ymweld â'r ardal honno eto. Os oes rhywle rydych chi eisiau ymweld ag ef, fe wnewch chi fynd. Ac rwy'n credu mai'r hyn sy'n bwysig am hyn i gyd yw y bydd yr ardoll ymwelwyr yn cael ei chynllunio gyda'r sector i ddatblygu ardoll a fydd yn briodol ar gyfer y math o lety y mae pobl yn aros ynddo a gwerth y llety hwnnw, ac yn y blaen. Felly, byddwn yn parhau i weithio gyda'r sector. Byddwn yn parhau i ddatblygu'r ardoll, ac rwy'n argyhoeddedig y bydd o fudd i ardaloedd awdurdodau lleol lle mae twristiaeth yn ffactor sylweddol yn yr economi i'w helpu i ddatblygu eu cynnig twristiaeth yn yr ardaloedd hynny.
Diolch i'r Dirprwy Weinidog a'r Gweinidog.
I thank the Minister and Deputy Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol. Mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf i'w ateb gan y Dirprwy Weinidog Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol ac i'w ofyn gan Hefin David.
The next item is questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services. The first question is to be answered by the Deputy Minister for Social Services and to be asked by Hefin David.
1. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am strategaeth Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer mynd i'r afael ag unigrwydd ac ynysigrwydd cymdeithasol? OQ59406
1. Will the Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government's strategy for tackling loneliness and social isolation? OQ59406
Diolch, Hefin. Publication of our strategy was an important step in building stronger social connections in Wales. We continue to make good progress with implementing the strategy and have worked with members of our loneliness and isolation advisory group to quality assure delivery and consider what more can be done.
Diolch, Hefin. Roedd cyhoeddi ein strategaeth yn gam pwysig tuag at adeiladu cysylltiadau cymdeithasol cryfach yng Nghymru. Rydym yn parhau i wneud cynnydd da gyda'r gwaith o weithredu'r strategaeth ac rydym wedi gweithio gydag aelodau o'n grŵp cynghori ar unigrwydd ac ynysigrwydd i sicrhau darpariaeth o ansawdd ac i ystyried beth arall y gellir ei wneud.
Diolch am eich ateb.
Thank you for that.
On Friday, 31 March, I visited Caerphilly Miners Centre for the Community, which, of course, is the former miners' hospital that has been converted into a community centre through the work of Katherine Hughes and her team, and it's now a local community facility. At that meeting, Katherine mentioned 'Connected communities', the Welsh Government's strategy for tackling loneliness and social isolation and building stronger social connections. The centre provides classes and activities for people who require those activities and does huge work in tackling social isolation, but the funding that she receives is very short term, and she finds it difficult, then, to maintain staffing, and she's uncertain as to whether that provision can be provided in the year ahead. In order to ensure that the funding is not too little, too late, the centre feels that support needs to be more sustainable and funded on a longer term basis. So, would the Deputy Minister discuss with her colleagues, the Minister for Social Justice and the Minister for finance how this can be facilitated, so that these cherished voluntary services can be maintained?
Ddydd Gwener, 31 Mawrth, ymwelais â Chanolfan Glowyr Caerffili ar gyfer y Gymuned, sef hen ysbyty'r glowyr, wrth gwrs, sydd wedi ei droi'n ganolfan gymunedol drwy waith Katherine Hughes a'i thîm, ac mae bellach yn gyfleuster cymunedol lleol. Yn y cyfarfod hwnnw, soniodd Katherine am 'Cysylltu cymunedau', strategaeth Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer mynd i'r afael ag unigrwydd ac ynysigrwydd cymdeithasol a meithrin cysylltiadau cymdeithasol cryfach. Mae'r ganolfan yn darparu dosbarthiadau a gweithgareddau i bobl sydd angen y gweithgareddau hynny ac yn gwneud gwaith enfawr ar fynd i'r afael ag unigrwydd cymdeithasol, ond cyllid yn y tymor byr iawn yn unig yw'r cyllid y mae'n ei gael, ac felly mae'n ei gweld hi'n anodd cynnal staff, ac mae'n ansicr a oes modd darparu'r ddarpariaeth honno yn y flwyddyn sydd i ddod. Er mwyn sicrhau bod cyllid digonol ar gael mewn pryd, mae'r ganolfan yn teimlo bod angen i'r gefnogaeth fod yn fwy cynaliadwy a bod angen ei hariannu ar sail fwy hirdymor. Felly, a wnaiff y Dirprwy Weinidog drafod gyda'i chyd-Aelodau, y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol a'r Gweinidog cyllid, i weld sut y gellir hwyluso hyn, fel bod modd cynnal y gwasanaethau gwirfoddol gwerthfawr hyn?
Thank you, Hefin, for that supplementary question. I will certainly follow it up, as you suggest. I'm very pleased that the centre has received money from the loneliness and isolation fund. And, in fact, I believe it's had help for a Ukrainian children's reading club and the Ukrainian Hope project, which is excellent, and also has received funding for a warm hub and a household support fund. So, I really would like to thank them for what they're doing. They're obviously a huge strength in the community.
The £1.5 million loneliness and isolation fund is to build the capability and the sustainability of front-line grass-roots voluntary and community organisations like the Caerphilly Miners Centre for the Community. This is a three-year fund, so it's not short term in the sense that it's just one—it's a three-year fund. Funding was allocated to local authority and community voluntary councils working in partnership to distribute to community-based organisations within their areas. And I know that there has been a real increased demand for voluntary services since the pandemic and in the cost-of-living crisis, so I really do appreciate what they are doing. We also know how important the warm hubs are, which they also provide. So, I do recognise the call for the voluntary sector funding to be on a more sustainable and longer term basis, and when we can, we do provide three-year funding, but I will follow up the particular issues that you raise.
Diolch am y cwestiwn atodol, Hefin. Byddaf yn sicr yn mynd ar drywydd hynny, fel yr awgrymwch. Rwy'n falch iawn fod y ganolfan wedi cael arian o'r gronfa unigrwydd ac ynysigrwydd. Ac yn wir, rwy'n credu ei bod wedi cael cymorth tuag at glwb darllen i blant Wcrainaidd a phrosiect Gobaith Wcráin, sy'n ardderchog, ac mae hefyd wedi derbyn cyllid canolfannau clyd a'r gronfa cymorth i aelwydydd. Felly, hoffwn ddiolch iddynt am yr hyn y maent yn ei wneud. Mae'n amlwg eu bod yn gryfder enfawr yn y gymuned.
Diben y gronfa unigrwydd ac ynysigrwydd gwerth £1.5 miliwn yw adeiladu gallu a chynaliadwyedd sefydliadau gwirfoddol a chymunedol rheng flaen ar lawr gwlad fel Canolfan Glowyr Caerffili ar gyfer y Gymuned. Cronfa dair blynedd yw hon, felly nid yw'n arian tymor byr yn yr ystyr nad am flwyddyn yn unig y caiff ei ddarparu—mae'n gronfa dair blynedd. Rhoddwyd arian i awdurdodau lleol a chynghorau gwirfoddol cymunedol sy'n gweithio mewn partneriaeth i'w ddosbarthu i sefydliadau cymunedol yn eu hardaloedd. Ac rwy'n gwybod bod galw cynyddol go iawn wedi bod am wasanaethau gwirfoddol ers y pandemig ac yn ystod yr argyfwng costau byw, felly rwy'n gwerthfawrogi'r hyn y maent yn ei wneud yn fawr. Yn ogystal, rydym yn gwybod pa mor bwysig yw'r canolfannau clyd y maent hefyd yn eu darparu. Felly, rwy'n cydnabod yr alwad i sicrhau bod cyllid y sector gwirfoddol ar sail fwy cynaliadwy a hirdymor, a phan allwn wneud hynny, rydym yn darparu cyllid tair blynedd, ond fe af ar drywydd y pethau penodol a nodwyd gennych.
Minister, one of the biggest contributors to loneliness and isolation for older people, apart from the pandemic, is the increased digitalisation of society. As more and more services move online, and physical services become automated, human interaction for many older people has dramatically reduced. Obviously, Welsh Government cannot put the genie back into the bottle and return us to the face-to-face world. However, we do need to look at the health and well-being impact upon older people. Minister, what discussions have you had with local authorities and the third sector about improving socialisation opportunities for those suffering loneliness and isolation? I know you have spoken about some of these; maybe if there is something more, you might let us know.
Weinidog, un o'r pethau sy'n cyfrannu fwyaf at unigrwydd ac ynysigrwydd i bobl hŷn, ar wahân i'r pandemig, yw'r cynnydd a welwyd gyda digidoleiddio cymdeithas. Wrth i fwyfwy o wasanaethau symud ar-lein, ac wrth i wasanaethau ffisegol gael eu hawtomeiddio, mae i lawer o bobl hŷn mae rhyngweithio rhwng pobl wedi lleihau'n sylweddol. Yn amlwg, ni all Llywodraeth Cymru droi'r cloc yn ôl i fyd wyneb yn wyneb. Fodd bynnag, mae angen inni edrych ar yr effaith ar iechyd a llesiant pobl hŷn. Weinidog, pa drafodaethau a gawsoch gydag awdurdodau lleol a'r trydydd sector am wella cyfleoedd cymdeithasu i'r rhai sy'n dioddef unigrwydd ac ynysigrwydd? Gwn eich bod wedi siarad am rai o'r rhain; os oes rhywbeth arall, efallai y gallech roi gwybod i ni.
Thank you very much for that question. Yes, we have had discussions with local authorities. One of the distressing results of the pandemic was that many local activities, for example, where you do have face-to-face contact, did cease temporarily, and some of them have not reopened since, so we have had a lot of discussion and encouragement to local authorities to try to open those facilities. I've often had a lot of involvement with the Commissioner for Older People in Wales, who is very concerned about the development of digitalisation, where it will mean that there won't be anything left in terms of the face-to-face communication, which is so important for people, and particularly for some elderly people. So, we are certainly trying to ensure that as well as digitalisation there is a means of communicating that is face to face or is on the telephone or is more personal. I absolutely take the point that the Member makes, and this is something that we are very aware of.
Diolch yn fawr iawn am y cwestiwn hwnnw. Rydym wedi trafod gydag awdurdodau lleol. Un o ganlyniadau gofidus y pandemig oedd bod llawer o weithgareddau lleol, er enghraifft lle mae gennych gyswllt wyneb yn wyneb, wedi dod i ben dros dro, ac nid yw rhai ohonynt wedi ailagor ers hynny, felly rydym wedi cael llawer o drafod ac wedi annog awdurdodau lleol i geisio agor y cyfleusterau hynny. Rwyf wedi ymwneud yn fynych â Chomisiynydd Pobl Hŷn Cymru, sy'n pryderu'n fawr am ddatblygiad digidoleiddio, lle bydd yn golygu na fydd unrhyw gyfathrebu wyneb yn wyneb, sydd mor bwysig i bobl, ac yn enwedig i rai pobl oedrannus. Felly, rydym yn bendant yn ceisio sicrhau, yn ogystal â digidoleiddio, fod yna fodd o gyfathrebu wyneb yn wyneb neu dros y ffôn neu'n fwy personol. Rwy'n derbyn y pwynt y mae'r Aelod yn ei wneud yn llwyr, ac mae hyn yn rhywbeth yr ydym yn ymwybodol iawn ohono.
2. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am amseroedd aros yn adran damweiniau ac achosion brys Ysbyty Athrofaol y Faenor? OQ59405
2. Will the Minister provide an update on accident and emergency waiting times in the Grange University Hospital? OQ59405
Emergency department performance at the Grange hospital is not where I, the health board, nor the public want it to be. The health board has an urgent and emergency care improvement plan, supported by additional Welsh Government funding, and is working closely with partners to secure better outcomes and experiences at the Grange site.
Nid wyf fi, y bwrdd iechyd, na'r cyhoedd yn fodlon gyda perfformiad adran ddamweiniau ac achosion brys Ysbyty Athrofaol y Faenor. Mae gan y bwrdd iechyd gynllun brys ar gyfer gwella gofal brys, cynllun sydd wedi'i gefnogi gan gyllid ychwanegol gan Lywodraeth Cymru, ac mae'n gweithio'n agos gyda phartneriaid i sicrhau canlyniadau a phrofiadau gwell ar safle'r Faenor.
Thank you, Minister. I'm glad to hear that. Unfortunately, I was in the position where I had to go to A&E twice last week, at the Grange University Hospital in my region. Seventeen and three quarter hours I waited, and others waited, to see just a doctor—17 and three quarter hours. All staff, let me just put on record now, were absolutely excellent, professional and lovely when you saw them, but that A&E at the Grange is not fit for purpose in any shape or form. The management wasn't right. There was no flow. I spoke to a paramedic outside. The 21 ambulances for the majority of the time that I was there were outside. I spoke to one of the paramedics who said that in Cardiff university hospital there was a one-hour turnaround. In the Grange, they were experiencing eight to 10-hour turnarounds. Something is not right there. Something has to give. That's a marked difference. Is it because the A&E at the Grange was never meant to be an A&E? It was deemed for critical care. As it happens, in A&E with me at the time, there were two former cabinet members for social care from Monmouthshire County Council, both baffled and appalled by the scenes that they saw. Right up to the end of the development stage for the Grange, that area was meant to be for critical care only. It is not fit for purpose for an A&E. The size of it was far too small. There was no food and drink. The positioning in the hospital wasn't right. None of it was right for an A&E. There were patients having to stand up who were passing out. Other patients had to bang doors for help. There was no care during that whole time in the A&E. There was an 82-year-old next to me who had waited 14 hours with a hernia poking out of him who decided to go home after 14 hours.
My second trip: 13 hours. I'm sorry I'm overrunning. Thirteen hours at A&E to see a doctor. Then I was moved to SDEC, the same-day emergency care, which was fantastic, but there were three people in it at the other side of the hospital—
Diolch. Rwy'n falch o glywed hynny. Yn anffodus, bu'n rhaid imi fynd i'r adran ddamweiniau ac achosion brys ddwywaith yr wythnos diwethaf, yn Ysbyty Athrofaol y Faenor yn fy rhanbarth. Bu'n rhaid i mi ac eraill aros am 17¾ awr, i ddim ond gweld meddyg—17¾ awr. Gadewch imi nodi nawr fod yr holl staff, yn gwbl ardderchog, yn broffesiynol ac yn hyfryd pan fyddech yn eu gweld, ond nid yw'r adran ddamweiniau ac achosion brys yn ysbyty'r Faenor yn addas i'r diben mewn unrhyw fodd. Nid oedd y rheolaeth yn iawn. Nid oedd pethau'n llifo. Siaradais â pharafeddyg y tu allan. Roedd y 21 ambiwlans y tu allan am y rhan fwyaf o'r amser yr oeddwn i yno. Siaradais ag un o'r parafeddygon a ddywedodd fod pobl yn cael eu gweld o fewn awr yn ysbyty athrofaol Caerdydd. Yn ysbyty'r Faenor, roedd cleifion yn aros am wyth i 10 awr. Mae rhywbeth o'i le yno. Mae'n rhaid gwneud rhywbeth ynglŷn â hyn. Mae hwnnw'n wahaniaeth amlwg. Ai'r rheswm am hyn yw nad oedd yr adran ddamweiniau ac achosion brys yn ysbyty'r Faenor i fod yn adran ddamweiniau ac achosion brys? Fe'i pennwyd ar gyfer gofal critigol. Fel mae'n digwydd, yn yr adran ddamweiniau ac achosion brys gyda fi ar y pryd, roedd yna ddau gyn aelod cabinet dros ofal cymdeithasol ar Gyngor Sir Fynwy, y ddau wedi'u syfrdanu a'u brawychu gan y golygfeydd a welsant. Hyd at ddiwedd y cam datblygu ar gyfer ysbyty'r Faenor, roedd yr ardal honno i fod ar gyfer gofal critigol yn unig. Nid yw'n addas i'r diben ar gyfer adran ddamweiniau ac achosion brys. Mae'n llawer rhy fach. Nid oedd unrhyw fwyd a diod. Nid oedd ei lleoliad yn yr ysbyty'n iawn. Nid oedd dim ohono'n addas ar gyfer adran ddamweiniau ac achosion brys. Roedd yno gleifion a oedd yn gorfod sefyll ar eu traed yn llewygu. Roedd yn rhaid i gleifion eraill guro ar ddrysau i gael cymorth. Nid oedd unrhyw ofal yn ystod yr holl amser yn yr adran ddamweiniau ac achosion brys. Fe benderfynodd gŵr 82 oed wrth fy ymyl â thorgest yn gwthio allan ohono fynd adref ar ôl aros am 14 awr.
Fy ail drip: 13 awr. Mae'n ddrwg gennyf, mae fy amser ar ben. Tair awr ar ddeg yn yr adran ddamweiniau ac achosion brys i weld meddyg. Yna cefais fy symud i ofal argyfwng yr un diwrnod, a oedd yn wych, ond roedd tri o bobl yno ar yr ochr arall i'r ysbyty—
You're going to have to ask your question now.
Bydd yn rhaid i chi ofyn eich cwestiwn nawr.
Why wasn't that being used to relieve A&E, Minister? And the Government needs to get a grip of this situation. What urgent action is your Government and Aneurin Bevan health board taking to ensure that scenes like I witnessed and were witnessed yesterday in A&E in the Grange aren't repeated?
Pam nad oedd hwnnw'n cael ei ddefnyddio i leddfu'r baich ar yr adran ddamweiniau ac achosion brys, Weinidog? Ac mae angen i'r Llywodraeth fynd i'r afael â'r sefyllfa hon. Pa gamau brys y mae eich Llywodraeth a bwrdd iechyd Aneurin Bevan yn eu cymryd i sicrhau nad yw golygfeydd fel y rhai a welais i ac eraill yn yr adran ddamweiniau ac achosion brys yn ysbyty'r Faenor ddoe yn cael eu hailadrodd?
Well, thanks very much. Obviously, the responsibility for making this work is with Aneurin Bevan and the health board. Since the emergency department was configured, obviously what we've seen—the difference in terms of when the planning happened and what is happening—across the whole of Wales is a massive increase in demand. We have made efforts to try and support changes in the Grange hospital, including £3.5 million capital, which has enabled that SDEC service to be established. I think they're still having teething problems with that. Clearly, they need to work out how to use that better. What I can tell you is that nearly three quarters of patients attending A&E in the Grange are spending less than four hours in departments. That is—[Interruption.] Well, this is what was true in March. These are facts. [Interruption.] There are—[Interruption.] These are facts, so you can't really dispute the facts. What I can also tell you is that Aneurin Bevan, I think, is planning to submit a case for capital funding to enable further building works to extend the emergency department, and we're expecting that request to us to come in the autumn.
Wel, diolch yn fawr. Yn amlwg, cyfrifoldeb bwrdd iechyd Aneurin Bevan yw gwneud i hyn weithio. Ers i'r adran ddamweiniau ac achosion brys gael ei chreu, yn amlwg, yr hyn a welsom—y gwahaniaeth rhwng pan ddigwyddodd y cynllunio a'r hyn sy'n digwydd nawr—yw cynnydd enfawr yn y galw ar hyd a lled Cymru. Rydym wedi ceisio cefnogi newidiadau yn ysbyty'r Faenor, gan gynnwys £3.5 miliwn o gyfalaf, sydd wedi eu galluogi i sefydlu gwasanaeth gofal argyfwng yr un diwrnod. Rwy'n credu eu bod yn dal i gael problemau cychwynnol gyda hynny. Yn amlwg, mae angen iddynt ddatrys sut i ddefnyddio hwnnw'n well. Yr hyn y gallaf ei ddweud wrthych yw bod bron i dri chwarter y cleifion sy'n mynychu'r adran ddamweiniau ac achosion brys yn ysbyty'r Faenor yn treulio llai na phedair awr mewn adrannau. Mae hynny—[Torri ar draws.] Wel, roedd hynny'n wir ym mis Mawrth. Ffeithiau yw'r rhain. [Torri ar draws.] Mae—[Torri ar draws.] Ffeithiau yw'r rhain, felly ni allwch anghytuno â'r ffeithiau. Gallaf ddweud wrthych hefyd fod Aneurin Bevan, rwy'n credu, yn bwriadu cyflwyno achos dros gyllid cyfalaf er mwyn galluogi rhagor o waith adeiladu i ymestyn yr adran ddamweiniau ac achosion brys, ac rydym yn disgwyl i'r cais hwnnw ein cyrraedd yn yr hydref.
Llefarwyr y pleidiau nawr. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Russell George.
The party spokespeople now. Conservative spokesperson, Russell George.
Thank you, Presiding Officer. If the Labour-run Welsh NHS is functional, as the First Minister said yesterday, why did the chair of the British Medical Association say it was not?
Diolch, Lywydd. Os yw GIG Cymru sy'n cael ei redeg gan Lafur yn weithredol, fel y dywedodd Prif Weinidog Cymru ddoe, pam y dywedodd cadeirydd Cymdeithas Feddygol Prydain nad oedd yn weithredol?
To be quite honest with you, I don't know why she made those comments. I am absolutely stunned that the Chair of the BMA could say such a thing when she is aware that there are 2 million contacts a month, in a population of 3.1 million people. We have committed to spend over £1 billion extra this Senedd term to help get the NHS back on its feet after one of the most traumatic and difficult times during the COVID pandemic. We are seeing a significant improvement in waiting times; they're not as fast we'd like, but our waiting lists are coming down, while they're going up in England. So, I am baffled by the Chair of the BMA's comments. I am frankly very disappointed in them, and, obviously, it is a sensitive time for everybody involved.
I fod yn hollol onest gyda chi, nid wyf yn gwybod pam y gwnaeth hi'r sylwadau hynny. Mae'n fy synnu'n fawr y gallai cadeirydd y BMA ddweud y fath beth a hithau'n ymwybodol fod 2 filiwn o gysylltiadau'r mis yn digwydd mewn poblogaeth o 3.1 miliwn o bobl. Rydym wedi ymrwymo i wario dros £1 biliwn ychwanegol yn ystod tymor y Senedd hon i helpu i gael y GIG yn ôl ar ei draed ar ôl un o'r cyfnodau mwyaf trawmatig ac anodd yn ystod y pandemig COVID. Rydym yn gweld gwelliant sylweddol mewn amseroedd aros; nid ydynt mor gyflym ag y byddem yn ei ddymuno, ond mae ein rhestrau aros yn lleihau, er eu bod yn tyfu yn Lloegr. Felly, mae sylwadau cadeirydd y BMA yn peri penbleth i mi. Rwy'n siomedig iawn yn eu cylch a dweud y gwir, ac yn amlwg, mae'n amser sensitif i bawb.
Thank you for your answer, Minister. I suppose that my analysis would be that health professionals, such as the chair of the BMA, have got a very different view to you in terms of how the running of the Welsh NHS is performing. If you want to resolve an issue, the first thing you've got to do is accept that there's an issue in the first place. The statistics for February show us that we've got nearly 40,000 people that are waiting for over two years for treatment. When the March figures come out, I very much doubt they'll be zero, which will mean that the Welsh Government has of course missed its own target. We know that, in Scotland and in England, those two-year waits were virtually wiped out last summer. People, often in pain or unable to live the life that they want, shouldn't be waiting for over two years for treatment. They would rightfully ask, 'Why is it, if I lived in Scotland or England, I wouldn't be in this position?' Could I ask, Minister, when will you be announcing your new target? Tell us when you believe the two-year waits will be eliminated in Wales. What confidence can the tens of thousands of people who are waiting have in the commitments that you make?
Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Rwy'n tybio mai fy nadansoddiad i fyddai fod gan weithwyr iechyd proffesiynol, fel cadeirydd y BMA, farn wahanol iawn i chi ynglŷn â sut mae GIG Cymru yn perfformio. Os ydych chi eisiau datrys problem, y peth cyntaf y mae'n rhaid ichi ei wneud yw derbyn bod yna broblem yn y lle cyntaf. Mae'r ystadegau ar gyfer mis Chwefror yn dangos i ni fod gennym bron i 40,000 o bobl yn aros dros ddwy flynedd am driniaeth. Pan gyhoeddir ffigyrau mis Mawrth, rwy'n amau'n fawr y byddant i lawr i sero, a fydd yn golygu fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi methu cyrraedd ei tharged ei hun wrth gwrs. Yn yr Alban ac yn Lloegr, gwyddom fod arosiadau dwy flynedd wedi cael eu dileu fwy neu lai yr haf diwethaf. Ni ddylai pobl sy'n aml mewn poen neu'n methu byw'r bywyd y maent eisiau ei fyw, fod yn aros dros ddwy flynedd am driniaeth. Byddent yn gofyn, yn briodol, 'Pam ei bod yn wir na fyddwn yn y sefyllfa hon pe bawn i'n byw yn yr Alban neu Loegr?' A gaf fi ofyn, Weinidog, pryd fyddwch chi'n cyhoeddi eich targed newydd? Dywedwch wrthym pryd y credwch y bydd yr arosiadau dwy flynedd yn cael eu dileu yng Nghymru. Pa hyder y gall y degau o filoedd o bobl sy'n aros ei gael yn yr ymrwymiadau a wnewch?
As I say, the numbers waiting for treatment have fallen in Wales for the fifth consecutive month, whilst the numbers waiting in England are going up, and have been going up for the past five months. I think it's also important to note that, in Wales, we count diagnostics and therapy, whereas in England they don't do that. What I can tell you is that, actually, by the target date, most specialities will be at zero, but there are seven specialist areas where we are seeing real issues in trying to bring those waiting lists down, which is why I have regular summit meetings focusing on some of those areas, including, for example, orthopaedics, where we know it's very challenging. I'm sure you heard somebody from a health think tank saying on the weekend that, actually, part of the reason for this is because different choices are being made—they're not necessarily always the choices I want them to make, to be honest—with the health boards. Because I've asked them to prioritise the longest waits, but, obviously, clinicians have to take a judgment on urgent cases, and those go to the front of the queue. That's why, if you look at the number of people, ours are going down, theirs are going up, but we're seeing more of the urgent cases.
Fel rwy'n dweud, mae'r niferoedd sy'n aros am driniaeth wedi gostwng yng Nghymru am y pumed mis yn olynol, tra bod y niferoedd sy'n aros yn Lloegr yn codi, ac wedi bod yn codi am y pum mis diwethaf. Rwy'n meddwl ei bod hi'n bwysig nodi hefyd, yng Nghymru, ein bod ni'n cyfri diagnosteg a therapi, ac nad ydynt yn gwneud hynny yn Lloegr. Yr hyn y gallaf ei ddweud wrthych mewn gwirionedd yw y bydd y rhan fwyaf o arbenigeddau ar sero erbyn y dyddiad targed, ond ceir saith maes arbenigol lle rydym yn gweld problemau go iawn wrth geisio lleihau'r rhestrau aros, a dyna pam fy mod yn cael uwchgyfarfodydd rheolaidd sy'n canolbwyntio ar rai o'r meysydd hynny, gan gynnwys orthopaedeg er enghraifft, y gwyddom ei fod yn heriol iawn. Rwy'n siŵr eich bod wedi clywed rhywun o felin drafod iechyd yn dweud dros y penwythnos mai rhan o'r rheswm am hyn yw oherwydd bod dewisiadau gwahanol yn cael eu gwneud—i fod yn onest, nid y dewisiadau rwyf eisiau iddynt eu gwneud o reidrwydd bob amser—gyda'r byrddau iechyd. Oherwydd gofynnais iddynt flaenoriaethu'r arosiadau hiraf, ond yn amlwg, mae'n rhaid i glinigwyr wneud penderfyniadau am achosion brys, ac mae'r rheini'n mynd i flaen y ciw. Dyna pam, os edrychwch chi ar nifer y bobl, mae ein niferoedd ni'n gostwng, mae eu rhai hwy'n cynyddu, ond rydym yn gweld mwy o'r achosion brys.
I appreciate the difficult job that you've got, Minister, I do. Of course, the gap is still significant on those two-year waits between Wales and the rest of the UK, and that can't be denied. It may well be right and correct—I'm glad those waits are coming down—but they are still significant. Here's an idea for getting those waits down—and I'm not going to mention surgical hubs this time either: doing more operations and treatments on the weekend. Patients are two and a half times less likely to be discharged on a Saturday or a Sunday than a weekday. This is only contributing, I would also add, to the bed blocking situation we have, which, of course, causes so many other issues within the Welsh NHS. It just highlights that in Wales we haven't truly got a seven-day service within the Welsh NHS, to the extent that we need it to be. To clear the backlog of treatments, specifically those long waits, can I ask the Minister whether she'll ensure that more is done on the weekend so patients do get the treatment they need, when they need it? Of course, that will ultimately help to bring those waiting lists down.
Rwy'n sicr yn derbyn bod gennych chi swydd anodd, Weinidog. Wrth gwrs, mae'r bwlch rhwng Cymru a gweddill y DU yn dal yn sylweddol gyda'r arosiadau dwy flynedd, ac nid oes modd gwadu hynny. Efallai'n wir ei bod yn iawn ac yn gywir—rwy'n falch fod yr arosiadau hynny'n lleihau—ond maent yn dal i fod yn sylweddol. Dyma syniad ar gyfer lleihau'r rhestrau aros—ac nid wyf yn mynd i sôn am hybiau llawfeddygol y tro hwn chwaith: gwneud mwy o lawdriniaethau a thriniaethau ar y penwythnos. Mae cleifion ddwywaith a hanner yn llai tebygol o gael eu rhyddhau ar ddydd Sadwrn neu ddydd Sul nag ar ddiwrnod o'r wythnos. Os caf ychwanegu, nid yw hyn ond yn cyfrannu at y sefyllfa sydd gennym gyda blocio gwelyau sy'n achosi cymaint o broblemau eraill o fewn GIG Cymru wrth gwrs. Mae'n dangos yn glir nad oes gennym wasanaeth saith diwrnod go iawn yn GIG Cymru, i'r graddau rydym ei angen. I glirio'r ôl-groniad o driniaethau, a'r arosiadau hir hynny'n arbennig, a gaf fi ofyn i'r Gweinidog sicrhau bod mwy yn cael ei wneud ar y penwythnos fel bod cleifion yn cael y driniaeth sydd ei hangen arnynt pan fydd ei hangen arnynt? Wrth gwrs, bydd hynny yn y pen draw yn helpu i leihau'r rhestrau aros.
Thanks very much. I know the Member was here yesterday for the announcement of our new diagnostic strategy, and in there it was very clearly stated that we are intending to expand the time frame when diagnostic treatment can happen, to include longer hours during the day and to include weekends. Obviously, if we do that, we have to find additional money to pay people to do that work, and you will know that what we've had is a real terms cut in terms of our budget this year. So, finding that additional money is not easy. I would love to be able to pay people to work more on the weekends, but, frankly, the financial situation is incredibly challenging at the moment. I'm sure the Member will be very pleased to note the announcement of those surgical hubs in relation to diagnostics, and it's important to emphasise how crucial that is to the waiting list pathway, because 85 per cent of people who need treatment need some kind of diagnosis. So, getting flow going in that pathway, trying to get people seen as fast as you can when it comes to diagnostics, will help bring those waiting lists down, but, crucially, will lead to better outcomes for patients.
Diolch yn fawr. Rwy'n gwybod bod yr Aelod yma ddoe ar gyfer y cyhoeddiad am ein strategaeth ddiagnostig newydd, ac ynddi nodwyd yn glir iawn ein bod yn bwriadu ehangu'r ffrâm amser pan all triniaeth ddiagnostig ddigwydd, i gynnwys oriau hirach yn ystod y dydd ac i gynnwys penwythnosau. Yn amlwg, os gwnawn hynny, mae'n rhaid inni ddod o hyd i arian ychwanegol i dalu pobl i wneud y gwaith hwnnw, ac fe fyddwch yn gwybod mai'r hyn a gawsom yw toriad mewn termau real i'n cyllideb eleni. Felly, nid yw'n hawdd dod o hyd i'r arian ychwanegol. Byddwn wrth fy modd yn gallu talu pobl i weithio mwy ar y penwythnosau, ond yn onest, mae'r sefyllfa ariannol yn hynod heriol ar hyn o bryd. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd yr Aelod yn falch iawn o nodi'r cyhoeddiad am yr hybiau llawfeddygol mewn perthynas â diagnosteg, ac mae'n bwysig pwysleisio pa mor hanfodol yw hynny i lwybr y rhestr aros, oherwydd mae angen rhyw fath o ddiagnosis ar 85 y cant o'r bobl sydd angen triniaeth. Felly, bydd cael llif cleifion ar hyd y llwybr hwnnw, a cheisio cael pobl i gael eu gweld mor gyflym ag y gallwch o ran diagnosteg, yn helpu i leihau'r rhestrau aros, ond yn hollbwysig, bydd yn arwain at ganlyniadau gwell i gleifion.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru nawr. Peredur Owen Griffiths.
Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Peredur Owen Griffiths.
Since 2010, the NHS has lost almost 25,000 beds across the UK. In Wales, due to bed shortages, senior NHS staff have been advised by the Welsh Government to discharge people who are well enough to leave. This advice may come even if there is not a care package in place for patients being discharged. There also seems to be little consideration for the implications this might have on the care sector, which falls within my portfolio. Doctors have warned this discharge guidance could see patients die. This speaks volumes about the lack of joined-up thinking on the interactions between health and social care. It's one of the reasons why Plaid Cymru has pursued a merger between health and social care for a long time. Can you provide an update for us, Deputy Minister, about the expert group that is due to provide an implementation plan by the end of the year to integrate health and social care? Diolch.
Ers 2010, mae'r GIG wedi colli bron i 25,000 o welyau ar draws y DU. Yng Nghymru, oherwydd prinder gwelyau, mae uwch staff y GIG wedi cael cyngor gan Lywodraeth Cymru i ryddhau pobl sy'n ddigon iach i adael yr ysbyty. Gall y cyngor hwn ddod hyd yn oed os na fydd pecyn gofal yn ei le ar gyfer cleifion sy'n cael eu rhyddhau. Ymddengys hefyd nad oes fawr o ystyriaeth i'r goblygiadau y gallai hyn eu cael ar y sector gofal, sy'n dod o fewn fy mhortffolio i. Mae meddygon wedi rhybuddio y gallai'r canllawiau hyn ar ryddhau arwain at weld cleifion yn marw. Mae hyn yn dweud cyfrolau am y diffyg meddwl cydgysylltiedig ynglŷn â'r rhyngweithio rhwng iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol. Mae'n un o'r rhesymau pam fod Plaid Cymru wedi mynd ar drywydd uno iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol ers amser maith. A allwch chi ddarparu diweddariad i ni, Ddirprwy Weinidog, am y grŵp arbenigol sydd i fod i ddarparu cynllun gweithredu erbyn diwedd y flwyddyn ar gyfer integreiddio iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol? Diolch.
I thank Peredur very much for that question. The expert group, as you will know, has now reported, and I'm very pleased to be working with Plaid Cymru, as part of the co-operation agreement, on what we're going to do as a result of the expert group. We're approaching it in stages. The first stage will be the implementation of a national office, a national framework, and putting in place the building blocks that eventually will lead to a national care service. I absolutely agree with Peredur that it's essential that health and social care work closely together, and the Minister for Health and Social Services and myself have been working together to try to ensure that we make the liaison between the two absolutely as easy and as quick as it possibly can. We have got some very good examples of how that has worked.
Diolch yn fawr i Peredur am y cwestiwn. Mae'r grŵp arbenigol, fel y byddwch yn gwybod, wedi cyflwyno ei adroddiad erbyn hyn, ac rwy'n falch iawn o gael gweithio gyda Phlaid Cymru, fel rhan o'r cytundeb cydweithio, ar yr hyn rydym yn mynd i'w wneud o ganlyniad i'r grŵp arbenigol. Rydym yn ei wneud fesul cam. Y cam cyntaf fydd gweithredu swyddfa genedlaethol, fframwaith cenedlaethol, a rhoi'r blociau adeiladu yn eu lle a fydd yn y pen draw yn arwain at wasanaeth gofal cenedlaethol. Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â Peredur ei bod yn hanfodol fod iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol yn cydweithio'n agos, ac mae'r Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a minnau wedi bod yn gweithio gyda'n gilydd i geisio sicrhau ein bod yn gwneud y cydgysylltiad rhwng y ddau mor hawdd a chyn gynted ag sy'n bosibl. Mae gennym enghreifftiau da iawn o sut mae hynny wedi gweithio.
Diolch. It's good to hear that progress is being made, so thank you for that update. One of the key contributors to delays in discharge to care is high bed occupancy. As I mentioned in the previous question, this is often due to the social care sector being unable to cope with the volume of patients being discharged from hospital that still need help at home. Patients are still continuing to face long waits, and even the smallest of delays to care can have severe consequences to their chances of a full recovery. Can the Deputy Minister outline the Welsh Government's plan to ensure that the social care sector will be supported and made more robust to cope with this year's anticipated winter pressures, taking on board some of the learnings that we've had coming out of the last winter?
Diolch. Mae'n dda clywed bod cynnydd yn cael ei wneud, felly diolch am y diweddariad. Un o'r pethau sy'n cyfrannu'n allweddol at oedi cyn rhyddhau i ofal yw'r nifer mawr o welyau sy'n cael eu defnyddio. Fel y soniais yn y cwestiwn blaenorol, mae hyn yn aml yn digwydd am nad yw'r sector gofal cymdeithasol yn gallu ymdopi â faint o gleifion sy'n cael eu rhyddhau o'r ysbyty ac sy'n dal i fod angen cymorth gartref. Mae cleifion yn parhau i wynebu arosiadau hir, a gall hyd yn oed yr oedi lleiaf cyn rhyddhau i ofal arwain at ganlyniadau difrifol i'w gobaith o wella'n iawn. A all y Dirprwy Weinidog amlinellu cynllun Llywodraeth Cymru i sicrhau y bydd y sector gofal cymdeithasol yn cael ei gefnogi a'i wneud yn fwy cadarn i ymdopi â phwysau'r gaeaf a ddisgwylir eleni, gan ddysgu rhai o'r gwersi o'r gaeaf diwethaf?
Yes, certainly. The last winter was difficult, but we worked together very closely with the care action committee, which was a committee made up of people from local authorities and from the health boards—key people working together. What we did was create extra capacity in the system. We actually created 687 beds or equivalent beds—step-down beds or community care packages—which made a big impact on the situation in the hospitals. I know that it was a difficult winter, but I think if we hadn't had that really great working together it would have been much, much worse. We did do that last winter, and we're working now in preparation for next winter. The Minister for Health and Social Services will actually be making an announcement in May, I think, about some details of our plans to move forward. What we want to do is—it's not really anything new—put more emphasis and support in having community-based local-facing help in order to ensure that people don't go into hospital. What we want to do is try and stop people going into hospital at all and to try to give that support in the community with multidisciplinary teams, health and social care working together on the ground, and with a lot of work with volunteers. We will be announcing that in May, but we are working now in order to try to improve the situation next winter.
Yn sicr. Roedd y gaeaf diwethaf yn anodd, ond fe wnaethom gydweithio'n agos iawn gyda'r pwyllgor gweithredu gofal, sef pwyllgor a oedd yn cynnwys pobl o awdurdodau lleol ac o'r byrddau iechyd—pobl allweddol yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd. Yr hyn a wnaethom oedd creu capasiti ychwanegol yn y system. Mewn gwirionedd, fe wnaethom greu 687 o welyau neu welyau cyfatebol—gwelyau gofal llai dwys neu becynnau gofal cymunedol—a gafodd effaith fawr ar y sefyllfa yn yr ysbytai. Rwy'n gwybod ei fod yn aeaf anodd, ond pe na baem wedi cydweithio mor wirioneddol wych rwy'n credu y byddai wedi bod yn llawer iawn gwaeth. Fe wnaethom hynny y gaeaf diwethaf, ac rydym yn gweithio nawr i baratoi ar gyfer y gaeaf nesaf. Mewn gwirionedd, bydd y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol yn gwneud cyhoeddiad ym mis Mai, rwy'n meddwl, am rai o fanylion ein cynlluniau ar gyfer y dyfodol. Yr hyn rydym eisiau ei wneud—nid yw'n rhywbeth newydd mewn gwirionedd—yw cefnogi a rhoi mwy o bwyslais ar gael help lleol yn y gymuned er mwyn sicrhau nad yw pobl yn mynd i'r ysbyty. Rydym am geisio atal pobl rhag mynd i'r ysbyty o gwbl a cheisio rhoi cefnogaeth yn y gymuned gyda thimau amlddisgyblaethol, iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol yn cydweithio ar lawr gwlad, a chyda llawer o waith gyda gwirfoddolwyr. Byddwn yn cyhoeddi hynny ym mis Mai, ond rydym yn gweithio nawr er mwyn ceisio gwella'r sefyllfa y gaeaf nesaf.
3. Beth mae'r Llywodraeth yn ei wneud i sicrhau bod safleoedd ysbytai yn Nwyrain De Cymru yn hygyrch i bawb? OQ59412
3. What is the Government doing to ensure that hospital sites in South Wales East are accessible for all? OQ59412
Dylai pobl claf sydd angen mynediad i ysbytai allu gwneud hynny. Nid yw'r NHS yn gwahaniaethu wrth ymdrin â chleifion, gan gynnwys pobl anabl, pobl hŷn, pobl fregus ac eraill. Mae gan yr NHS yng Nghymru ddyletswydd gyfreithiol o dan Ddeddf Cydraddoldeb 2010 i sicrhau bod gwasanaethau yn hygyrch neu yn accessible i bawb.
Every patient who need to access a hospital should be able to do that. The NHS doesn't discriminate in dealing with patients, including disabled people, older people, vulnerable people and others. The NHS in Wales has a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that services are accessible to all.
Diolch yn fawr am yr ateb yna.
Thank you very much for that response.
Minister, one of the primary considerations for the location of a new hospital should be whether it is accessible for all patients, staff and visitors alike. The Grange hospital, near Cwmbran, may be a modern hospital, but it is, in fact, difficult to access for many of the communities it's meant to serve. We saw this when my Plaid Cymru colleagues Steve Skivens and Councillor Charlotte Bishop, both councillors representing Caerphilly—one in Penyrheol and one in the Aber valley—attempted to get to the hospital from Abertridwr using public transport. It took them two buses, more than two hours and at a cost of more than £9 each to get there. With the Government withdrawing pandemic funding for bus companies later this year, and the predictions of a catastrophic fallout for many bus services, the Grange hospital could become even more difficult for anyone not travelling by private motor vehicle. What consideration have you given to improving access to hospitals for those without motor vehicles? Do you share the concerns of Plaid Cymru about the fallout from the withdrawal of funding for bus companies from the perspective of accessing health services?
Weinidog, un o'r prif ystyriaethau ar gyfer lleoli ysbyty newydd yw a yw'n hygyrch i bob claf, ac i staff ac ymwelwyr fel ei gilydd. Efallai fod ysbyty'r Faenor, ger Cwmbrân, yn ysbyty modern, ond mewn gwirionedd nid yw'n hygyrch iawn i lawer o'r cymunedau y mae i fod i'w gwasanaethu. Gwelsom hyn pan wnaeth fy nghyd-aelodau o Blaid Cymru Steve Skivens a'r Cynghorydd Charlotte Bishop, y ddau'n gynghorwyr sy'n cynrychioli Caerffili—un ym Mhenyrheol ac un yng nghwm Aber—geisio cyrraedd yr ysbyty o Abertridwr gan ddefnyddio trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus. Fe gymerodd ddau fws a mwy na dwy awr ac ar gost o fwy na £9 yr un iddynt gyrraedd yno. Gyda'r Llywodraeth yn tynnu arian pandemig i gwmnïau bysiau yn ôl yn ddiweddarach eleni, a'r rhagfynegiadau o ganlyniadau trychinebus i lawer o wasanaethau bws, gallai fod yn anos byth i unrhyw un nad yw'n teithio mewn cerbyd preifat gyrraedd ysbyty'r Faenor. Pa ystyriaeth a roddwyd gennych i wella hygyrchedd ysbytai i bobl sydd heb gar? A ydych chi'n rhannu pryderon Plaid Cymru ynglŷn â chanlyniadau tynnu'r arian i gwmnïau bysys yn ôl o safbwynt hygyrchedd gwasanaethau iechyd?
Thanks very much. We are committed to trying to make sure that access is available for all. We have been concerned about access to the Grange hospital in particular, and I'd like to thank in particular my colleague Hefin, who's been working very hard on a particular project. I know that recently the Minister and Deputy Minister for Climate Change have agreed to a proposal to fund an initial trial bus service between Blackwood, Newbridge, Pontypool and the Grange hospital. The aim is to have that new bus service operational by the middle of June, and that, of course, adds to the bus routes that already go to the Grange hospital from the Gwent area—the route 29 from Newport, the 29A from Chepstow, the X1 from Brynmawr, the X24 from Blaenavon. What I can tell you is that, actually, £114,000 was committed to help community transport by the health board, and they are now co-ordinating a scheme to make sure that we can get as many community providers to help deliver the transport services needed under that scheme.
Diolch yn fawr. Rydym wedi ymrwymo i geisio sicrhau hygyrchedd i bawb. Rydym wedi bod yn pryderu am hygyrchedd ysbyty'r Faenor yn enwedig, a hoffwn ddiolch yn arbennig i fy nghyd-Aelod Hefin, sydd wedi bod yn gweithio'n galed iawn ar brosiect penodol. Rwy'n gwybod bod y Gweinidog a'r Dirprwy Weinidog Newid Hinsawdd wedi cytuno'n ddiweddar i gynnig ariannu treial cychwynnol ar gyfer gwasanaeth bws rhwng y Coed Duon, Trecelyn, Pont-y-pŵl ac ysbyty'r Faenor. Y nod yw cael y gwasanaeth bws newydd hwnnw'n weithredol erbyn canol mis Mehefin, ac mae hynny, wrth gwrs, yn ychwanegu at y llwybrau bysiau sydd eisoes yn mynd i ysbyty'r Faenor o ardal Gwent—llwybr 29 o Gasnewydd, 29A o Gas-gwent, X1 o Fryn-mawr, X24 o Flaenafon. Yr hyn y gallaf ei ddweud wrthych yw bod y bwrdd iechyd wedi addo £114,000 ar gyfer helpu trafnidiaeth gymunedol, ac maent bellach yn cydlynu cynllun i wneud yn siŵr y gallwn gael cymaint o ddarparwyr cymunedol i helpu i ddarparu'r gwasanaethau trafnidiaeth sydd eu hangen o dan y cynllun hwnnw.
Cwestiwn—. Nage, wir—Peter Fox.
Question—. No, indeed—Peter Fox.
Thank you, Llywydd. Minister, accessibility to hospital comes in different ways. Just yesterday, people were urged by Aneurin Bevan University Health Board not to attend the Grange hospital's A&E unless they had a life-threatening condition or serious injury. We learnt very late last night that the urgent message was made after the site faced two days of IT problems. I'm sure all would agree it is unacceptable for a hospital to essentially shut down vital services. One would have thought that all hospitals would have contingency plans to deal with these sorts of problems should they arise. Minister, what reassurances can you give my constituents that hospitals in south-east Wales have the appropriate contingency plans to ensure that they can be accessed at all times, and vital services aren't disrupted in the way that they were at the Grange, or still are at the Grange?
Diolch, Lywydd. Weinidog, mae sawl ffurf ar hygyrchedd ysbyty. Ddoe, cafodd pobl eu hannog gan Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Aneurin Bevan i beidio â mynychu adran ddamweiniau ac achosion brys ysbyty'r Faenor oni bai bod ganddynt gyflwr a oedd yn peryglu eu bywydau neu fod ganddynt anaf difrifol. Clywsom yn hwyr iawn neithiwr fod y neges frys wedi'i rhoi ar ôl i'r safle wynebu dau ddiwrnod o broblemau TG. Rwy'n siŵr y byddai pawb yn cytuno ei bod yn annerbyniol i ysbyty gau gwasanaethau hanfodol. Byddai rhywun wedi meddwl y byddai gan bob ysbyty gynlluniau wrth gefn i ymdopi â phroblemau o'r fath pe baent yn digwydd. Weinidog, pa sicrwydd y gallwch ei roi i fy hetholwyr fod gan ysbytai yn ne-ddwyrain Cymru gynlluniau wrth gefn priodol i sicrhau eu bod bob amser yn hygyrch, ac nad amharir ar wasanaethau hanfodol yn y ffordd a ddigwyddodd yn ysbyty'r Faenor, neu sy'n dal i ddigwydd yn ysbyty'r Faenor?
Thanks very much. This issue at the Grange was a global issue that affected a number of NHS Wales bodies in south Wales in particular who were using the Welsh Government's public sector broadband aggregation service. That's the service that's managed by BT. I'm very pleased to say that it has been mostly resolved now. BT and its partners have delivered a temporary fix while they're planning to undertake a permanent fix, and that's expected to be completed in two weeks.
I think it's fair to say that all NHS bodies kept citizens informed in relation to possible long waiting times for non-life-threatening treatments. What I can tell you is that, obviously, I'm very concerned about the situation. I had a meeting with my digital team this morning. We're going to work to quickly identify any continuing issues and, obviously, a lessons-learnt exercise will be carried out to make sure that we can prevent a similar occurrence from happening again.
Diolch yn fawr. Roedd y broblem hon yn ysbyty'r Faenor yn broblem fyd-eang a effeithiodd ar nifer o gyrff GIG Cymru yn ne Cymru yn enwedig a oedd yn defnyddio gwasanaeth cydgasglu band-eang sector cyhoeddus Llywodraeth Cymru. Dyna'r gwasanaeth sy'n cael ei reoli gan BT. Rwy'n falch iawn o ddweud ei fod wedi'i ddatrys i raddau helaeth bellach. Mae BT a'i bartneriaid wedi darparu ateb dros dro tra'u bod yn cynllunio datrysiad parhaol, ac mae disgwyl i hynny gael ei gwblhau mewn pythefnos.
Rwy'n credu ei bod yn deg dweud bod holl gyrff y GIG wedi rhoi gwybod i ddinasyddion ynglŷn â'r perygl o arosiadau hir am driniaethau lle nad oedd bywyd yn y fantol. Yn amlwg, yr hyn y gallaf ei ddweud wrthych yw fy mod yn bryderus iawn ynglŷn â'r sefyllfa. Cefais gyfarfod gyda fy nhîm digidol y bore yma. Rydym yn mynd i weithio ar nodi unrhyw broblemau sy'n parhau yn gyflym ac yn amlwg, bydd ymarfer dysgu gwersi yn cael ei gynnal i wneud yn siŵr y gallwn atal digwyddiad tebyg rhag digwydd eto.
5. Pa gamau mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n bwriadu eu cymryd i fynd i'r afael â chamddefnyddio Botox er mwyn gwneud elw? OQ59407
5. What action is Welsh Government planning to take to tackle the misuse of Botox for profit? OQ59407
Botulinum toxin—I'm sure I've mispronounced that, but I hope you can tell I don't use it—injections such as Botox, relax the muscles in the face to smooth out lines and wrinkles. Now, the effect isn't permanent, and it usually lasts for about three to four months. The Public Health (Wales) Act 2017 provides the ability to add procedures to a special procedure register and for local authorities to then issue licences to providers. Now, we're starting that process with tattooing, acupuncture, electrolysis and body piercing, but we will consider adding other cosmetic procedures in future based on the evidence of risk.
Mae chwistrelliadau o botulinum tocsin—rwy'n siŵr fy mod wedi'i gam-ynganu, ond rwy'n gobeithio y gallwch ddweud nad wyf yn ei ddefnyddio—fel Botox, yn llacio cyhyrau yn yr wyneb i lyfnhau crychion a rhychau. Nawr, nid yw'r effaith yn barhaol, ac fel arfer mae'n para am oddeutu tri i bedwar mis. Mae Deddf Iechyd y Cyhoedd (Cymru) 2017 yn darparu'r gallu i ychwanegu triniaethau at gofrestr o driniaethau arbennig ac i awdurdodau lleol roi trwyddedau i ddarparwyr yn sgil hynny. Nawr, rydym yn dechrau'r broses honno gyda thatŵio, aciwbigo, electrolysis a thyllu'r corff, ond byddwn yn ystyried ychwanegu triniaethau cosmetig eraill yn y dyfodol yn seiliedig ar dystiolaeth o risg.
Thank you for that answer. Research done by University College London of clinics in London found that nine out of 10 are flouting the regulations that are intended to protect public health, which ban the advertising of this drug and other products of botulinum toxin, or, indeed, any other prescribed medicine for profit. It's difficult to believe that practitioners in Wales are being more adherent to the rules. Clearly, there are situations where somebody can be delegated to prescribe a medicine, but, in this case, this is an attempt to make money out of people's anxiety about different parts of their body—nothing to do with public health. And, in contrast, people are being prescribed these things without people having even been seen. We know that these sorts of injections can cause pain, headaches, swelling, bruising, partial facial paralysis, and even disfigurement, so safe prescribing practice is an essential component of public protection. We do not know what we are walking into in terms of the way it can come back to hit us in the NHS. So, it would be very useful to know why we cannot pay more attention to this abuse of prescribed medicines at this point being used by private clinics where the oversight is almost non-existent.
Diolch am yr ateb. Canfu ymchwil gan Goleg Prifysgol Llundain o glinigau yn Llundain fod naw o bob 10 yn diystyru’r rheoliadau a fwriadwyd ar gyfer diogelu iechyd y cyhoedd, sy'n gwahardd hysbysebu'r cyffur hwn a chynhyrchion botulinum tocsin eraill, neu'n wir, unrhyw feddyginiaeth arall a roddir ar bresgripsiwn er mwyn gwneud elw. Mae'n anodd credu bod ymarferwyr yng Nghymru yn glynu'n well at y rheolau. Yn amlwg, ceir sefyllfaoedd lle gellir dirprwyo rhywun i bresgripsiynu meddyginiaeth, ond yn yr achos hwn, dyma ymgais i wneud arian o bryder pobl am wahanol rannau o'u cyrff—dim i'w wneud ag iechyd y cyhoedd. A chaiff y pethau hyn eu presgripsiynu i bobl heb iddynt gael eu gweld hyd yn oed. Rydym yn gwybod y gall y mathau hyn o chwistrelliadau achosi poen, cur pen, chwyddo, cleisio, parlys rhannol i'r wyneb, a hyd yn oed anffurfiad, felly mae ymarfer presgripsiynu diogel yn elfen hanfodol o ddiogelu'r cyhoedd. Ni wyddom beth rydym yn ei wynebu o ran y ffordd y gall ddod yn ôl i'n taro yn y GIG. Felly, byddai'n ddefnyddiol iawn gwybod pam na allwn dalu mwy o sylw i'r camddefnydd o feddyginiaethau presgripsiwn yn y ffordd hon sy'n digwydd ar hyn o bryd gan glinigau preifat lle na cheir fawr ddim goruchwyliaeth.
Thanks very much. I think this is an area that we should be concerned about. I would urge anyone thinking of having one of these procedures to check the credentials of the people administering Botox because they may not always be qualified or experienced. There are regulations surrounding this and the professional regulators require any practitioner prescribing Botox—. Botox is one of about seven different—. That’s a kind of name for a particular type of treatment. But, what happens is that often they delegate that administration to another person, and that person who's administering the prescription doesn't necessarily have the knowledge, the skills and the training to administer it. So, I would expect professional regulators to take action against any registrant who doesn't adhere to accepted professional standards on delegating that responsibility to others. But, obviously, such matters are reserved and they're not devolved to Welsh Ministers.
Diolch yn fawr. Rwy'n credu bod hwn yn faes y dylem fod yn bryderus yn ei gylch. Byddwn yn annog unrhyw un sy'n ystyried cael un o'r triniaethau hyn i wirio cymwysterau'r bobl sy'n rhoi Botox oherwydd efallai na fyddant bob amser yn gymwys neu'n brofiadol. Ceir rheoliadau'n ymwneud â hyn ac mae'r rheoleiddwyr proffesiynol yn ei gwneud yn ofynnol i bob ymarferydd sy'n presgripsiynu Botox—. Mae Botox yn un o oddeutu saith gwahanol—. Mae'n fath o enw am fath arbennig o driniaeth. Ond yr hyn sy'n digwydd yw eu bod yn aml yn dirprwyo'r gwaith o'i roi i rywun arall, ac nid yw'r person sy'n rhoi'r presgripsiwn o reidrwydd yn meddu ar yr wybodaeth na'r sgiliau, nac wedi cael hyfforddiant addas i allu ei ddarparu. Felly, byddwn yn disgwyl i reoleiddwyr proffesiynol roi camau ar waith yn erbyn unrhyw un sydd wedi cofrestru ond nad yw'n cydymffurfio â safonau proffesiynol priodol ar ddirprwyo'r cyfrifoldeb hwnnw i eraill. Ond yn amlwg, mae materion o'r fath wedi'u cadw yn ôl a heb eu datganoli i Weinidogion Cymru.
5. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am ddarparu gwasanaethau tynnu cwyr clust diogel o fewn y GIG? OQ59388
5. Will the Minister make a statement on the provision of safe ear wax removal services within the NHS? OQ59388
The new NHS Wales pathway, with national clinical standards for the safe delivery of wax management services, is being implemented across all health boards, with advanced progress made by Betsi Cadwaladr and Swansea Bay University Health Boards. Good practice is being shared with the other health boards to support implementation.
Mae llwybr newydd GIG Cymru, gyda safonau clinigol cenedlaethol ar gyfer darparu gwasanaethau tynnu cwyr clust yn ddiogel, ar waith ym mhob bwrdd iechyd, ac mae byrddau Iechyd Betsi Cadwaladr a Phrifysgol Bae Abertawe wedi gwneud cynnydd da yn hyn o beth. Mae arferion da'n cael eu rhannu gyda'r byrddau iechyd eraill i gefnogi'r broses o'u gweithredu.
Thanks for that answer, Minister. I've been contacted by a lot of constituents who are concerned about the impact cutting NHS wax removal services will have on them. For many people, this service is absolutely essential, but they're now being told that the service is no longer provided in primary care. One constituent told me that her son had an ear wax build-up and his school had contacted her several times to say that this was affecting his hearing, which was in turn impacting his learning. Having been refused NHS treatment, his mum is now ineffectively managing the issue at home with no idea how safe it actually is. Another constituent told me that, with the cost-of-living pressures, he can no longer afford to pay privately for treatment and can no longer access it through the NHS. With private treatment costing between £50 and £100, many residents simply can't afford this extra cost. Personally, I can't see any reason why treatment can't be provided in different community-based settings. So, Minister, what discussions have you had with the Aneurin Bevan health board about this? And will you commit to looking at new ways for this essential treatment to be delivered to residents all across Wales? Thanks.
Diolch am yr ateb hwnnw, Weinidog. Mae llawer o etholwyr wedi cysylltu â mi am eu bod yn poeni am yr effaith y bydd torri gwasanaethau tynnu cwyr y GIG yn ei chael arnynt hwy. I lawer o bobl, mae'r gwasanaeth hwn yn gwbl hanfodol, ond dywedir wrthynt bellach nad yw'r gwasanaeth yn cael ei ddarparu mewn gofal sylfaenol mwyach. Dywedodd un etholwr wrthyf fod gan ei mab lawer o gŵyr clust a bod ei ysgol wedi cysylltu â hi sawl gwaith i ddweud ei fod yn effeithio ar ei glyw, a hynny'n ei dro yn effeithio ar ei ddysgu. Gwrthodwyd triniaeth GIG iddo ac mae'r fam bellach yn rheoli'r mater yn aneffeithiol gartref heb unrhyw syniad pa mor ddiogel yw hynny mewn gwirionedd. Dywedodd etholwr arall wrthyf nad yw bellach yn gallu fforddio talu'n breifat am driniaeth oherwydd y pwysau costau byw ac nad yw'n gallu cael y driniaeth drwy'r GIG mwyach. Gan fod triniaeth breifat yn costio rhwng £50 a £100, mae llawer o drigolion yn methu fforddio'r gost ychwanegol hon. Yn bersonol, ni allaf weld unrhyw reswm pam na ellir darparu triniaeth mewn gwahanol leoliadau yn y gymuned. Felly, Weinidog, pa drafodaethau a gawsoch chi gyda bwrdd iechyd Aneurin Bevan ynglŷn â hyn? Ac a fyddwch chi'n ymrwymo i edrych ar ffyrdd newydd o ddarparu'r driniaeth hanfodol hon i drigolion ledled Cymru? Diolch.
Well, thanks very much. And I want to make it clear that no-one should expect to have to pay for this service. So, actually, in terms of audiology, we have a pathway now that is very different from what is happening elsewhere in the United Kingdom. We are trying to move to a community-based service, but I recognise that waiting times are not where we want them to be and tackling that backlog is a key priority for me. That emphasis on delivery of care in the community is crucial. I've asked all the health boards to look at best practice. So, we know it's working well in Betsi and it's working well in Swansea. If you want to write to me about the specific case so that I can just look at where the gap is, it may be useful for me to just put a little bit of pressure on. Thank you.
Wel, diolch yn fawr. Ac rwyf am ei gwneud yn glir na ddylai neb ddisgwyl gorfod talu am y gwasanaeth hwn. Felly, mewn gwirionedd, mae gennym lwybr awdioleg nawr sy'n wahanol iawn i'r hyn sy'n digwydd mewn rhannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig. Rydym yn ceisio symud i wasanaeth yn y gymuned, ond rwy'n cydnabod nad yw amseroedd aros lle rydym am iddynt fod ac mae mynd i'r afael â'r ôl-groniad hwnnw'n flaenoriaeth allweddol i mi. Mae'r pwyslais ar ddarparu gofal yn y gymuned yn hollbwysig. Rwyf wedi gofyn i'r holl fyrddau iechyd edrych ar arferion gorau. Felly, fe wyddom ei fod yn gweithio'n dda yn Betsi Cadwaladr ac mae'n gweithio'n dda yn Abertawe. Os hoffech ysgrifennu ataf am yr achos penodol hwn imi allu edrych i weld ble mae'r bwlch, efallai y byddai'n ddefnyddiol pe bawn yn pwyso rhywfaint i'r perwyl hwnnw. Diolch.
6. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am recriwtio nyrsys? OQ59397
6. Will the Minister provide an update on the recruitment of nurses? OQ59397
Rŷn ni’n recriwtio a hyfforddi mwy o nyrsys nag erioed. Rŷn ni’n defnyddio ffyrdd amrywiol o recriwtio a denu staff, gan gynnwys recriwtio'n rhyngwladol a mwy o fuddsoddi nag erioed mewn addysg a hyfforddiant. Mae ein cynllun gweithredu cenedlaethol ar gyfer y gweithlu yn cynnwys nifer o gamau gweithredu. Fe fydd y camau hyn yn cael eu cymryd ar y cyd, gan ddarparu gweithlu cynaliadwy ar gyfer y dyfodol.
We are recruiting and training more nurses than ever before. We are using a range of approaches to recruit and attract staff, including international recruitment and record investment in education and training. Our national workforce implementation plan contains a number of actions, and these actions will be delivered collaboratively, providing a sustainable workforce for the future.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog am yr ateb. Fe glywodd y Gweinidog fi wrth gwrs yn gofyn cwestiwn i’r Prif Weinidog ddoe ynghylch Ysbyty Tywyn. Yn ei ymateb, fe ddywedodd y Prif Weinidog fod staff yn cael eu trosglwyddo i Ddolgellau er mwyn sicrhau gwasanaethau yn yr ardal. Doedd o ddim yn glir pa ardal yr oedd y Prif Weinidog yn cyfeirio ati gan fod Tywyn dros hanner awr i ffwrdd o Ddolgellau mewn car, heb sôn am mewn bws. Felly, erys y pwynt fod Bro Dysynni wedi colli gwasanaeth hanfodol yn ddiweddar. Rŵan, mae Bro Dysynni yn ardal odidog. Mae’n lle gwych i weithio ynddo, efo safon bywyd uchel ac addysg ragorol yn yr ardal. Os oes yna unrhyw nyrs allan yno am brofi gweithle gwych mewn ardal hyfryd, yna mi fuaswn i'n argymell ystyried gweithio yn Nhywyn. Ond bob tro rydyn ni'n codi'r cwestiwn am niferoedd nyrsys, fel rŵan, rydych chi, y Gweinidog, ac eraill, yn sôn bod yna fwy o nyrsys nag erioed yn gweithio i'r gwasanaeth iechyd. Efallai fod hynny'n wir, ond mae yna brinder dybryd mewn rhannau o Gymru. Dim ond pedwar nyrs ar fandiau 6 a 7 sydd eu hangen er mwyn galluogi ailagor ward Dyfi yn Nhywyn. Mi drïodd y bwrdd recriwtio nyrsys o asiantaethau nyrsio gan ddiogelu llety iddyn nhw, ond fe fethodd yr asiantaethau â darparu'r nyrsys hynny. Mae hyn yn ei hun yn gywilyddus. Felly, pa gamau mae'r Gweinidog yn eu cymryd er mwyn sicrhau bod yna ddigon o nyrsys ar gael i ailagor ward Dyfi ac uned mân anafiadau Tywyn? Ydy'r Gweinidog yn medru gweithredu i sicrhau bod asiantaethau nyrsys yn darparu'r nyrsys sy'n cael eu haddo?
I thank the Minister for that response. The Minister will have heard me asking a question of the First Minister yesterday on Tywyn Hospital. In his response, the First Minister said that staff were transferred to Dolgellau in order to ensure services in the area. It wasn't clear which area the First Minister was referring to because Tywyn is over half an hour away from Dolgellau by car, never mind those using buses. So, it remains that Bro Dysynni has lost a crucial service recently. Now, Bro Dysynni is a glorious area. It's a wonderful place to work, it has a good quality of life and excellent education in the area. If any nurse out there wants to experience a great workplace in a wonderful area, then I would recommend that they consider working in Tywyn. But every time we raise the question of nurse numbers, as I've just done, you as Minister, and others, tell us that there are more nurses than ever before working in the health service. That might be true, but there is a great shortage in some parts of Wales. Only four nurses in bands 6 and 7 are required to reopen the Dyfi ward in Tywyn. The board tried to recruit nurses from nursing agencies, having secured accommodation for them, but the agencies failed to provide those nurses. This in itself is disgraceful. What steps is the Minister taking in order to ensure that there are adequate numbers of nurses available to reopen the Dyfi ward and the minor injuries unit in Tywyn? Can the Minister take action to ensure that nursing agencies do provide nurses as promised?
Diolch yn fawr. Rŷch chi'n ymwybodol bod y bwrdd iechyd wedi mynd ati yn arw i wneud ymgais i recriwtio i'r ardal yna. Un o'r pethau sydd gyda ni mewn lle yw'r national workforce implementation plan ac, fel rhan o hynny, rŷn ni'n gosod mewn lle incentives i dargedu nid yn unig y grwpiau rŷn ni eisiau gweld mwy ohonyn nhw, ond i ble yn union rŷn ni eisiau anfon y bobl yma. Rŷn ni'n gwneud hynny, er enghraifft, gyda deintyddion—yn ceisio anfon deintyddion i ardaloedd lle, yn draddodiadol, mae hi wedi bod yn anodd recriwtio iddyn nhw. Mae gwaith yn cael ei wneud gan Addysg a Gwella Iechyd Cymru ar hynny.
Ond, mae 446 mwy o nyrsys yn gweithio, er enghraifft, yn Betsi na 10 mlynedd yn ôl. Felly, mae'r gyfran wedi mynd i fyny, ond mae'r galw wedi mynd i fyny. Dyna ran o'r broblem—mae'r galw yn uwch nag erioed. Byddwch chi'n ymwybodol ein bod ni'n gwario dros £0.25 biliwn yn flynyddol ar hyfforddiant ar gyfer y gwasanaeth iechyd. Rŷn ni yn amlwg yn ceisio recriwtio. Fe wnaethon ni recriwtio 400 o nyrsys y llynedd, ac mae lot o waith ar y gweill ar hyn o bryd i recriwtio mwy o nyrsys rhyngwladol. Rhan o'r sialens ar hyn o bryd yw, hyd yn oed os ŷn ni'n gallu eu recriwtio nhw, ble i'w rhoi nhw. Mae yna broblem o ran ble rŷn ni'n rhoi'r bobl yma unwaith inni eu recriwtio nhw. Mae hwnna hefyd yn sialens y mae'n rhaid inni feddwl amdani ac ymdrin â hi, yn arbennig yng nghefn gwlad Cymru.
Thank you very much. You're aware that the health board has tried very hard to recruit to that area. One of the things that we have in place is the national workforce implementation plan and, as part of that, we are putting incentives in place to target not only the groups that we want to see more of, but where exactly we want to send those people. We are doing that, for example, with dentists—we're trying to send dentists to areas where it's traditionally been difficult to recruit to that profession. Work is being done by Health Education and Improvement Wales on that.
But 446 more nurses are working in Betsi, for example, than there were 10 years ago. So, the proportion has gone up, but the demand has gone up. That's part of the problem—the demand is higher than ever before. You'll be aware that we spend more than £0.25 billion annually on training for the NHS. Evidently, we're trying to recruit. We recruited 400 nurses last year and there is lots of work in the pipeline to recruit more nurses internationally. Part of the challenge at present is, even if you can recruit them, where to put them. There is a problem in terms of where we put these people once we recruit them. That is also a challenge that we have to think about and tackle, particularly in rural areas.
Minister, nurse recruitment is something that's actually really important to me, and I've talked to you on a number of occasions about getting more access for nurses to come into the NHS. When my mother was a nurse starting off in the NHS, she went from a vocational route, coming in at the bottom and learning on the job, getting more and more qualifications right the way up to ward sister. What is the Welsh Government doing to make sure that there are more routes into nursing other than the ones that are currently available through university?
Weinidog, mae recriwtio nyrsys yn rhywbeth sy'n bwysig iawn i mi, ac rwyf wedi siarad â chi ar sawl achlysur am gael mwy o fynediad i nyrsys allu dod i mewn i'r GIG. Pan oedd fy mam yn nyrs yn dechrau yn y GIG, aeth o lwybr galwedigaethol, a dod i mewn ar y gwaelod a dysgu yn y swydd, cael mwy a mwy o gymwysterau, yr holl ffordd i fyny at fod yn brif nyrs ward. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i sicrhau bod mwy o lwybrau i mewn i nyrsio heblaw am y rhai sydd ar gael drwy'r brifysgol ar hyn o bryd?
Thanks very much. Over the past five years, we have increased the number of training places by 41 per cent for nurses. But you're quite right, we've got to find new ways of getting people in, and in particular into some of those areas where it's more difficult to recruit. That's why we have, for example, nurse apprenticeship routes. I know that that has been used extensively in some healthcare settings. There's a lot more distance learning whereby people can start off on that route but then go and do their placements later on. It's where they're training as well, which is why, for example, we've opened—I was pleased to see the Llywydd at that event—a new facility in Aberystwyth, so that we're training people and then the placements will be locally. It's really important, I think, for us to, as you suggest, find new routes for people to come in, in particular since it's become a degree-level course now. What we're keen to see is people who perhaps haven't gone to university like that. Actually, compassion is probably one of the key things that you need to be a nurse, and I think there are real opportunities for people. One of the things we're keen to do, of course, is to work with the care sector to provide a route for people to enter into the workforce as well, into the NHS workforce, so that those pathways are clearer for people.
Diolch yn fawr. Dros y pum mlynedd diwethaf, rydym wedi cynyddu nifer y lleoedd hyfforddi 41 y cant ar gyfer nyrsys. Ond rydych chi'n hollol iawn, mae'n rhaid inni ddod o hyd i ffyrdd newydd o gael pobl i mewn, ac yn arbennig i rai o'r meysydd y mae'n anos recriwtio iddynt. Dyna pam mae gennym lwybrau prentisiaeth nyrsio er enghraifft. Gwn fod hynny wedi'i ddefnyddio'n helaeth mewn rhai lleoliadau gofal iechyd. Ceir llawer mwy o ddysgu o bell lle gall pobl ddechrau ar y llwybr a mynd i wneud eu lleoliadau gwaith yn nes ymlaen. Dyna lle maent yn hyfforddi hefyd, a dyna pam, er enghraifft, ein bod ni wedi agor cyfleuster newydd yn Aberystwyth—roeddwn yn falch o weld y Llywydd yn y digwyddiad hwnnw—fel ein bod yn hyfforddi pobl ac yna bydd y lleoliadau gwaith yn lleol. Fel rydych chi'n awgrymu, rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig iawn inni ddod o hyd i lwybrau newydd i bobl allu dod i mewn, yn enwedig ers iddo ddod yn gwrs lefel gradd bellach. Yr hyn rydym yn awyddus i'w weld yw pobl sydd efallai heb fynd i'r brifysgol fel hynny. Mewn gwirionedd, mae'n debyg mai tosturi yw un o'r pethau allweddol sydd eu hangen arnoch i fod yn nyrs, ac rwy'n meddwl bod cyfleoedd go iawn i bobl. Un o'r pethau rydym yn awyddus i'w wneud, wrth gwrs, yw gweithio gyda'r sector gofal i ddarparu llwybr i bobl fynd i mewn i'r gweithlu hefyd, i weithlu'r GIG, fel bod y llwybrau hynny'n fwy eglur i bobl.
7. Pa gamau mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i gyflymu'r llwybr trin canser? OQ59380
7. What action is the Welsh Government taking to speed up the cancer treatment pathway? OQ59380
We set out our expectations of the NHS in the 2021 quality statement for cancer and a series of national actions in our 2022 programme for transforming and modernising planned care. In January of this year, I also announced the NHS response, as set out in the cancer improvement plan.
Rydym wedi amlinellu ein disgwyliadau ar gyfer y GIG yn natganiad ansawdd 2021 ar gyfer canser a chyfres o gamau gweithredu cenedlaethol yn rhaglen 2022 ar gyfer trawsnewid a moderneiddio gofal a gynlluniwyd. Ym mis Ionawr eleni, cyhoeddais ymateb y GIG hefyd, fel y nodwyd yn y cynllun gwella gwasanaethau canser.
Thank you, Minister. In February, only 58 per cent of men and 57 per cent of women in north Wales were starting treatment within the 62-day target. That was worse than December 2022. Behind those figures are some of my constituents in serious distress. One of my residents died, sadly, before receiving any treatment for stomach cancer in Liverpool. Another one of my constituents has waited around four months for lung cancer treatment in Liverpool, but has now just had the treatment, thanks to coming to see me. And a consultant at the Christie has identified that another in one of my residents, who was told by Ysbyty Gwynedd that she was clear, it's now been found, since her going privately, that she has four pockets of cancer in the abdomen and the folds of the liver. This is a very young mother. Now, Richard Pugh, Macmillan Cancer Support Wales, has stated that:
'Cancer treatment in Wales now rests firmly on the flip of a coin – people with cancer face no better than 50/50 odds on whether they are treated on time'.
Now, I am currently liaising with the health board and the ombudsman in relation to the examples that I have had to provide you with, and it wasn't easy to give you those examples. These are individuals with families. But in this instance, they highlight the importance to north Wales of specialist services in England. So, my main question to you today, Minister, is: what steps are you taking to speed up the process of Aberconwy patients, and people across Wales, especially when these patients require treatment outside Wales? The funding applications are very, very problematic and there are huge delays. You cannot delay when someone is diagnosed with life-threatening cancer. Diolch.
Diolch, Weinidog. Ym mis Chwefror, dim ond 58 y cant o ddynion a 57 y cant o fenywod yng ngogledd Cymru oedd yn dechrau triniaeth o fewn y targed o 62 diwrnod. Roedd hynny'n waeth na mis Rhagfyr 2022. Y tu ôl i'r ffigyrau hynny mae rhai o fy etholwyr mewn gofid difrifol. Bu farw un o fy nhrigolion cyn cael unrhyw driniaeth ar gyfer canser y stumog yn Lerpwl. Mae un arall o fy etholwyr wedi aros tua phedwar mis am driniaeth canser yr ysgyfaint yn Lerpwl, ond mae bellach newydd gael y driniaeth, diolch i'r ffaith iddynt ddod i fy ngweld i. Ac mae meddyg ymgynghorol yn ysbyty Christie wedi nodi bod un arall o fy nhrigolion, a gafodd wybod gan Ysbyty Gwynedd ei bod hi'n glir, bellach wedi canfod, ers iddi fynd yn breifat, fod ganddi bedwar tiwmor canser yn yr abdomen a chrychion yr afu. Mam ifanc iawn yw hon. Nawr, mae Richard Pugh, Cymorth Canser Macmillan Cymru, wedi dweud:
'Mae triniaeth canser yng Nghymru bellach yn fater o hap - nid yw pobl â chanser yn wynebu tebygolrwydd gwell na 50/50 o gael eu trin mewn pryd'.
Nawr, rwy'n cysylltu â'r bwrdd iechyd a'r ombwdsmon ar hyn o bryd mewn perthynas â'r enghreifftiau y bu'n rhaid i mi eu darparu i chi, ac nid oedd yn hawdd rhoi'r enghreifftiau hynny i chi. Mae'r rhain yn unigolion a chanddynt deuluoedd. Ond yn yr achos hwn, maent yn tynnu sylw at bwysigrwydd gwasanaethau arbenigol yn Lloegr i ogledd Cymru. Felly, fy mhrif gwestiwn i chi heddiw, Weinidog, yw: pa gamau rydych yn eu cymryd i gyflymu'r broses i gleifion Aberconwy, a phobl ledled Cymru, yn enwedig pan fo'r cleifion hyn angen triniaeth y tu allan i Gymru? Mae'r ceisiadau am arian yn broblematig iawn ac mae yna oedi enfawr. Ni allwch oedi pan fydd rhywun yn cael diagnosis o ganser sy'n peryglu bywyd. Diolch.
Thanks, Janet, and I want to extend my empathy to those people who are suffering. One in two people are going to get cancer during their lifetime, so we're talking about huge numbers of the population, and in order to get a diagnosis of cancer, to get to the 5 per cent, we need to test 95 per cent of the public. And, obviously, we want to get there early, as soon as we can—early.
So, you weren't here for my statement yesterday, when I announced our new diagnostics recovery and transformation strategy, and diagnostics is absolutely key to addressing the issue in relation to cancer. So, if that process at the beginning of the system is held up in any way, then it's more difficult to reach the 62-day waiting time. So, we have got a long way to go on cancer. It is absolutely in the top six priorities that I've set the health boards. Some are more challenging than others. I have regular cancer summit meetings. You will also have heard that, actually, there are really new advances in technology, and I'm hoping to make sure that we exploit those. So, for example, I went to Cardiff University on Thursday to look at how they're using liquid biopsies to take blood samples that can detect cancer, and if you do that, then you don't need these huge machines and all the stress; the results come back much quicker.
Now, we're very much at the beginning of this process and we're doing very, very cutting edge things here in Wales. But I'm hoping, in years to come, that, actually, we'll be going a lot more down that route, and that will speed the whole process up. So, I've asked them to concentrate, for now, on the ones who are waiting for more than 62 days, because those are the people we absolutely need to get to, and, obviously, as we do that, the 62-day target will go up a little bit. So, we're in that situation now, but they are starting to come down. I'm pleased to say that 12,700 patients in Wales were informed that they didn't have cancer in February. So, there are lots of people getting good news, but I'm concerned about the ones who are waiting for the bad news, so that they can start their recovery quicker.
Diolch, Janet, ac rwyf am gydymdeimlo â'r bobl sy'n dioddef. Mae un o bob dau unigolyn yn mynd i gael canser yn ystod eu hoes, felly rydym yn siarad am niferoedd enfawr o'r boblogaeth, ac er mwyn cael diagnosis o ganser, i gyrraedd y 5 y cant, mae angen inni brofi 95 y cant o'r cyhoedd. Ac yn amlwg, rydym eisiau cyrraedd yno'n gynnar, cyn gynted ag y gallwn.
Felly, nid oeddech yma ar gyfer fy natganiad ddoe, pan gyhoeddais ein strategaeth adfer a thrawsnewid diagnosteg newydd, ac mae diagnosteg yn gwbl allweddol i fynd i'r afael â chanser. Felly, os yw'r broses ar ddechrau'r system yn cael ei dal yn ôl mewn unrhyw ffordd, mae'n anos cyrraedd yr amser aros o 62 diwrnod. Felly, mae gennym ffordd bell i fynd gyda chanser. Mae'n sicr yn y chwe blaenoriaeth uchaf a osodais i'r byrddau iechyd. Mae rhai yn fwy heriol nag eraill. Rwy'n cael uwchgyfarfodydd rheolaidd ar ganser. Fe fyddwch wedi clywed hefyd fod datblygiadau newydd iawn mewn technoleg, ac rwy'n gobeithio sicrhau ein bod yn manteisio ar y rheini. Felly, er enghraifft, fe euthum i Brifysgol Caerdydd ddydd Iau i edrych ar sut maent yn defnyddio biopsïau hylifol i gymryd samplau gwaed sy'n gallu canfod canser, ac os gwnewch chi hynny, nid oes angen y peiriannau enfawr hyn a'r holl straen; daw'r canlyniadau yn eu holau'n llawer cyflymach.
Nawr, nid yw'r broses hon ond megis dechrau ac rydym yn gwneud pethau blaengar tu hwnt yma yng Nghymru. Ond rwy'n gobeithio, mewn blynyddoedd i ddod, y byddwn yn mynd ar y trywydd hwnnw'n amlach, a bydd hynny'n cyflymu'r holl broses. Felly, rwyf wedi gofyn iddynt ganolbwyntio, am y tro, ar y rhai sy'n aros am fwy na 62 diwrnod, oherwydd dyna'r bobl y mae gwir angen inni eu cyrraedd, ac yn amlwg, wrth inni wneud hynny, bydd y targed o 62 diwrnod yn codi ychydig bach. Felly, rydym yn y sefyllfa honno nawr, ond maent yn dechrau gostwng. Rwy'n falch o ddweud bod 12,700 o gleifion yng Nghymru wedi cael gwybod nad oedd ganddynt ganser ym mis Chwefror. Felly, mae yna lawer o bobl yn cael newyddion da, ond rwy'n pryderu am y rhai sy'n aros am y newyddion drwg, fel bod modd iddynt ddechrau eu hadferiad yn gynt.
Yn olaf, cwestiwn 8, Llyr Gruffydd.
Finally, question 8, Llyr Gruffydd.
8. Pa asesiad y mae'r Gweinidog wedi'i wneud o ddigonolrwydd gwasanaethau deintyddol plant yn y GIG? OQ59398
8. What assessment has the Minister made of the adequacy of children's dental services in the NHS? OQ59398
Mae dros 277,000 o blant wedi cael eu trin mewn gwasanaethau deintyddol cyffredin ers Ebrill 2022. Mae dros 60,000 o’r rhain yn gleifion newydd.
Over 277,000 children have been treated in general dental services since April 2022. More than 60,000 of these are new patients.
Mae yna deulu wedi cysylltu â fi yn tynnu sylw at sefyllfa eu merch. Mae hi wedi bod yn disgwyl cael triniaeth gan orthodeintydd ers yr oedd hi’n 11 oed. Erbyn hyn, mae’n 14 oed. Dyw hi ddim wedi derbyn unrhyw apwyntiad yn y dair blynedd y mae hi wedi bod yn aros am un. Pythefnos yn ôl, mi gafodd hi wybod bod yr orthodeintydd yn ei chyfeirio hi yn ôl at ei deintyddfa leol. Nawr, yn y cyfamser, wrth gwrs, dyw’r ddeintyddfa leol yna bellach ddim yn cynnig gwasanaethau NHS, ac hefyd, mae’r rhestr ar gyfer triniaeth breifat yn llawn—hynny yw, mae’r gofrestr breifat yn llawn. Nawr, yn amlwg, mae dirywiad deintyddol wedi digwydd dros y dair blynedd y mae hi wedi bod yn aros. Does dim golwg o hynny yn cael ei ddatrys. Ond mae hefyd, bellach, wrth gwrs, yn dechrau cael effaith ar iechyd meddyliol unigolyn sydd yn aros gyhyd mewn oed mor ifanc. Nawr, dwi’n gwybod allwch chi ddim gwneud sylw ar achos unigol, a dwi ddim yn gofyn i chi wneud hynny. Yr hyn dwi’n gofyn yw: beth yn y byd, yn eich barn chi, yw’r opsiynau sydd yna i blant sydd wedi’u cau allan o’r gwasanaeth iechyd pan fo’n dod at ddeintyddiaeth?
A family has contacted me drawing my attention to the situation of their daughter. She’s been awaiting treatment from an orthodontist since she was 11 years old. She’s now 14. She hasn’t had a single appointment in the three years that she’s been waiting. A fortnight ago, she was informed that the orthodontist was referring her back to her local dentist. Now, in the meantime, of course, the local dentist doesn’t offer NHS services, and also, the waiting list for private treatment is full—the private register is full. Clearly, there’s been dental decline over the three years that she’s been waiting. There’s no sign of that being resolved, but it’s also now starting to have an impact on the individual’s mental health, having waited for so long at such a young age. Now, I know that you can’t comment on an individual case, and I’m not asking you to do that. But what I am asking is: what on earth, in your view, are the options available for children who have been excluded from the NHS when it comes to dentistry?
Dwi yn meddwl bod yn rhaid i ni ddeall, yn amlwg, bod pethau wedi newid ers COVID. Rŷn ni nôl at sefyllfa lle mae 70 y cant o bobl a oedd yn cael triniaeth cyn COVID nawr yn cael triniaeth, ond fyddwn ni byth yn mynd nôl i 100 y cant heb gynyddu’r capasiti, achos mae rheolau mwy llym nawr sy’n ymwneud â sicrhau ein bod ni ddim yn gweld yr un math o safonau a oedd cyn y pandemig.
Felly, beth rŷn ni wedi’i wneud yw newid y cytundeb i sicrhau bod mwy o blant yn cael eu gweld, ac yn ardal Betsi, er enghraifft, mae 12,900 mwy o blant wedi cael eu gweld. Maen nhw’n newydd—mae’r rhain yn apwyntiadau newydd, ac mae’r rheini wedi digwydd dros y flwyddyn diwethaf. Yn amlwg, rŷn ni nawr yn negodi ar gyfer y cytundeb nesaf, ac mae’n anodd achos, wrth gwrs, beth rŷn ni’n ei weld yw bod rhai deintyddion yn gadael y gwasanaeth iechyd ac yn mynd yn breifat. Wel, maen nhw’n unigolion; dŷn nhw ddim yn gweithio yn uniongyrchol i’r NHS—dyw deintyddion byth wedi gweithio yn uniongyrchol i’r NHS—a gallwn ni ddim ond mynd mor bell ag y gallwn ni fforddio i dalu’r bobl yma i weithio yn ein system ni.FootnoteLink Felly, mae hwnna yn creu problem i ni, a dyna pam dwi’n falch o weld yn ddiweddar bod y rheolau wedi newid, felly, mae pobl fel dental technicians a dental therapists yn cael agor a chau achosion nawr. Mae hwnna’n rhywbeth sydd wedi digwydd yn ystod y pythefnos diwethaf, a bydd hwnna, gobeithio, yn golygu bod y model yn gallu newid ac fe fydd yn fwy hyblyg na’r un sydd ar gael ar hyn o bryd.
So, I do think that we do need to understand that things have clearly changed since COVID. We’re back in a situation where 70 per cent of people who were having treatment before are now having treatment, but we’ll never get back to 100 per cent without increasing capacity, because there are stricter rules now in terms of ensuring that we don’t see the same kind of standards that we saw before the pandemic.
So, what we have done is we’ve changed the contract to ensure that more children are being seen, and in the Betsi area, 12,900 more children have been seen. These are new appointments and they happened over the last year. Evidently, we’re in negotiations for the next contract, and it is difficult because what we see is that some dentists are leaving the NHS and going private. Well, they are individuals; they don’t work directly for the NHS—dentists have never worked directly for the NHS—and so, we can only go as far as we can afford to go to pay these people to work in our system.FootnoteLink So, that does cause a problem for us, and that’s why I’m pleased to see that recently, the rules have changed so that people such as dental technicians and therapists can open and close cases now. That’s something that’s happened in the last two weeks, and hopefully, that will mean that the model can adapt and be more flexible than what’s available at present.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog.
I thank the Minister.
Does dim cwestiynau amserol.
No topical questions have been accepted.
Datganiadau 90 eiliad sydd nesaf, felly, a’r un cyntaf heddiw gan Mabon ap Gwynfor.
We’ll move, therefore, to the 90-second statements, and the first today is from Mabon ap Gwynfor.
Diolch, Llywydd. Dwi am gymryd y cyfle yma i longyfarch Ynys Enlli a phawb sydd yn rhan o gynnal y darn bach yna o'r nefoedd ar ennill y gydnabyddiaeth o gael yr awyr tywyllaf yn Ewrop, yn ôl y Gymdeithas Awyr Dywyll Rhyngwladol.
Mae'r dynodiad yma yn cydnabod yr awyr unigryw sydd uwchben Enlli a'i phwysigrwydd i bobl, bywyd gwyllt a chenedlaethau'r dyfodol yno. Bydd noddfa awyr dywyll Enlli yn cael ei ddathlu trwy gydol eleni, a hithau yn rhan o rwydwaith cynyddol o lefydd sydd ag awyr dywyll ar draws Cymru, gyda digwyddiadau i bobl fedru rhannu yn y dathliadau ar Enlli ac ar draws gogledd Cymru. Rwy'n gobeithio y bydd y dynodiad yma yn cynyddu ymwybyddiaeth o’r angen i nid yn unig gwarchod yr awyr dywyll ar gyfer cenedlaethau'r dyfodol, ond hefyd yn pwysleisio safle unigryw Enlli fel yr unig ynys fach yng Nghymru sydd â chymuned byw arni drwy gydol y flwyddyn ac sydd yn trio rheoli ei hadnoddau dynol er lles yr ynys, ei natur a'i phobl.
Mae gan Enlli bysgodfa byrlymus, ffermio sydd yn gweithio yn unol â natur, arsyllfa adar hynaf Cymru, ac mae'n gartref i gymuned fechan, ynghyd â'r ffaith ei bod yn croesawu ymwelwyr yn ystod y gwanwyn a'r haf. Llongyfarchiadau mawr i Ynys Enlli.
Thank you, Llywydd. I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate Ynys Enlli, Bardsey Island, and everyone who is involved in maintaining this little piece of heaven on being recognised as having the darkest sky in Europe, according to the International Dark Sky Association.
This designation recognises the unique sky above Enlli, and its importance to people, wildlife, and future generations there. Enlli's dark sky sanctuary will be celebrated throughout the year, as it is part of a growing network of places with dark skies across Wales, with events where people can share in the celebrations on Enlli and across north Wales. I hope that this designation will not only increase awareness of the need not only to protect the dark sky for future generations, but also to emphasise the unique site of Enlli, as the only small island in Wales that has a community that lives on it throughout the year, and that tries to manage its human resources for the benefit of the island, its nature and its people.
Enlli has a thriving fishery, farming that works in harmony with nature, and Wales's oldest bird observatory. It is also home to a small community, as well as the fact that it welcomes visitors during the spring and the summer. Congratulations to Ynys Enlli.
Mae ymgyrchwyr yn hanfodol i unrhyw genedl iach, ond yr un mor bwysig, byddwn i'n ei ddweud, yw’r gwladgarwyr hynny sy’n gweithio oddi fewn y system i’w newid a’i gwella. Un yn perthyn i’r ail gategori oedd Illtyd Rhys Lloyd, a fuodd farw wythnos a hanner yn ôl.
Yn frodor o Gwmafan, roedd wedi ei drwytho yn y traddodiadau Cymreig, sosialaidd ac anghydffurfiol. Wedi cyfnod fel dirprwy bennaeth yn un o ysgolion mawr Caerdydd, fe’i apwyntiwyd i’r arolygiaeth addysg ym 1964 a buodd yno tan ei ymddeoliad fel prif arolygydd ysgolion ym 1990. Yn ei gyfnod fel prif arolygydd, fe weithiodd y sosialydd yma o Gwmafan yn agos ac yn effeithiol iawn gyda Syr Wyn Roberts, Nicholas Edwards a hyd yn oed Margaret Thatcher, o bawb.
Dyma ddywed y cyn-brifathro Dr Huw Thomas yn ei lyfr, Brwydr i Baradwys, ar dwf addysg Gymraeg yn y de-ddwyrain, am Illtyd Lloyd:
'Ni chollai gyfle i hybu’r Gymraeg ac addysg ddwyieithog, weithiau drwy godi sgwrs broffesiynol mewn ysgol er mwyn gwthio’r ffiniau, bryd arall drwy weld potensial deddf newydd ac awgrymu ffyrdd ymarferol ymlaen. Gweithredu bob tro y deuai cyfle oedd un o’i nodweddion.'
Pan wnaeth Illtyd ymddeol, fe wnaeth e roi gwybod i’r awdurdodau yn Whitehall nad oedd diddordeb ganddo mewn derbyn gong, ond roedd yn ddigon hapus i gael ei anrhydeddu gan yr Orsedd a chan Undeb Bedyddwyr Cymru. Mae byd addysg, yr iaith Gymraeg a’r Bedyddwyr wedi colli cyfaill mawr ym marwolaeth Illtyd Lloyd. Braint heddiw yw ei goffau ar lawr y Senedd. Diolch yn fawr.
Campaigners are essential to any healthy nation, but of equal importance, I would say, are those patriots who work within the system to change and improve it. One person who belonged to the second category was Illtyd Rhys Lloyd, who died a week and a half ago.
A native of Cwmafan, he was steeped in the Welsh, socialist and non-conformist traditions. After a period serving as deputy head in one of Cardiff's large schools, he was appointed to the inspectorate of education in 1964, and remained there until his retirement as chief inspector of schools in 1990. During his time as chief inspector, this socialist from Cwmafan worked closely and very effectively with Sir Wyn Roberts, Nicholas Edwards and even Margaret Thatcher, of all people.
This is what former headmaster Huw Thomas said in his book, Brwydr i Baradwys, on the growth of Welsh education in the south-east, about Illtyd Lloyd:
'He would not miss an opportunity to promote the Welsh language and bilingual education, sometimes by starting a professional conversation in a school in order to push the boundaries, and at other times by seeing the potential of new legislation and suggesting practical ways forward. Taking action every time an opportunity arose was one of his characteristics.'
When Illtyd retired, he informed the authorities that he was not interested in a gong, but he was happy enough to be honoured by the Gorsedd and the Baptist Union of Wales. The world of education, the Welsh language and the Baptists have lost a great friend following the death of Illtyd Lloyd. It is a great privilege today to commemorate him on the floor of the Senedd. Thank you very much.
April is PMD, or premenstrual disorder, Awareness Month. To mark this, I'd like to raise awareness specifically of premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD. PMDD affects one in 20 women and those assigned female at birth, who experience very severe symptoms in the weeks before their period. PMDD is a type of premenstrual disorder, complex conditions at the intersection of mental and menstrual health, which are linked to hypersensitivity to normal hormone changes across the menstrual cycle. They can cause or contribute to significant emotional and physical symptoms in the weeks leading up to, and even during, a period, such as depressed or severe low mood, rapid changes in mood, feelings of being overwhelmed and difficulty with concentration. As has been described to me, this can lead to women simply blowing up their lives, leaving jobs, education, relationships, even leading to suicidal thoughts.
PMDD is sometimes misdiagnosed as depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder, and this is due to a lack of understanding of the condition. Today, I was glad to sponsor an event in the Senedd to raise awareness about PMDD, supported by the International Association for Premenstrual Disorders, the National Centre for Mental Health and researchers from Cardiff University, and I want to thank many of you for attending.
The event was organised by campaigner Becci Smart, one of my constituents from Bridgend. Becci has lived with PMDD since she was 14. She's told me how she had to wait 18 years for diagnosis and treatment, and this is, unfortunately, the norm in Wales and across the UK. She says that it's often hard to find the right words that can properly explain the totality of living with PMDD and spoke to me about the struggles and heartbreak that cyclical hormone-based mood disorders cause. This is a condition that can destroy lives, this is a condition that we must learn more about and it's a condition that has not been sufficiently recognised or treated effectively. We must make sure that Wales is a nation where people with PMDD can survive and thrive.
Mae mis Ebrill yn Fis Ymwybyddiaeth Anhwylder Cyn Mislif. I nodi hyn, hoffwn godi ymwybyddiaeth yn benodol o anhwylder dysfforig cyn mislif, neu PMDD. Mae PMDD yn effeithio ar un o bob 20 o fenywod a'r rhai a bennwyd yn fenywod ar adeg eu geni, sy'n profi symptomau trwm iawn yn yr wythnosau cyn eu mislif. Mae PMDD yn fath o anhwylder cyn mislif, cyflyrau cymhleth ar y ffin rhwng iechyd meddwl a iechyd mislif sy'n gysylltiedig â gorsensitifrwydd i newidiadau hormonaidd arferol ar draws y gylchred fislifol. Gallant achosi neu gyfrannu at symptomau emosiynol a chorfforol sylweddol yn yr wythnosau cyn, a hyd yn oed yn ystod mislif, megis iselder neu hwyliau gwael iawn, newid cyflym mewn hwyliau, teimlo fod pethau'n mynd yn drech ac anhawster i ganolbwyntio. Fel y disgrifiwyd i mi, gall hyn arwain at fenywod yn chwalu eu bywydau, drwy adael swyddi, addysg, perthnasoedd, ac arwain at feddyliau hunanladdol hyd yn oed.
Weithiau caiff PMDD ei ddiagnosio'n anghywir fel iselder, gorbryder neu anhwylder deubegynol, ac mae hyn yn digwydd oherwydd diffyg dealltwriaeth o'r cyflwr. Heddiw, roeddwn yn falch o noddi digwyddiad yn y Senedd i godi ymwybyddiaeth o PMDD, gyda chefnogaeth y Gymdeithas Ryngwladol ar gyfer Anhwylderau Cyn Mislif, y Ganolfan Genedlaethol ar gyfer Iechyd Meddwl ac ymchwilwyr o Brifysgol Caerdydd, ac rwyf am ddiolch i sawl un ohonoch am ei fynychu.
Yr ymgyrchydd Becci Smart, un o fy etholwyr o Ben-y-bont ar Ogwr, oedd wedi trefnu'r digwyddiad. Mae Becci wedi byw gyda PMDD er pan oedd yn 14 oed. Mae wedi dweud wrthyf sut y bu'n rhaid aros 18 mlynedd am ddiagnosis a thriniaeth, ac yn anffodus, dyma yw'r norm yng Nghymru ac ar draws y DU. Mae'n dweud ei bod yn aml yn anodd dod o hyd i'r geiriau cywir sy'n gallu esbonio'n llawn y profiad o fyw gyda PMDD ac fe wnaeth siarad â mi am y trafferthion a'r torcalon y mae anhwylderau cylchredol sy'n gysylltiedig â'r hormonau yn eu hachosi. Mae hwn yn gyflwr sy'n gallu dinistrio bywydau, mae hwn yn gyflwr y mae'n rhaid inni ddysgu mwy amdano ac mae'n gyflwr nad yw wedi cael ei gydnabod yn ddigonol na'i drin yn effeithiol. Rhaid inni wneud yn siŵr fod Cymru'n wlad lle gall pobl â PMDD oroesi a ffynnu.
Eitem 5 sydd nesaf. Yr eitem yma yw'r datganiad gan Gadeirydd y Pwyllgor Safonau Ymddygiad ar y rheolau ynghylch gweithredu grwpiau trawsbleidiol. Rwy'n galw ar y Cadeirydd, Vikki Howells.
Item 5 is next: a statement by the Chair of the Standards of Conduct Committee on the rules for the operation of cross-party groups. I call on the Chair, Vikki Howells.
Good afternoon and thank you, Llywydd, for the opportunity to make this statement today. Today, the committee has laid its report on the revised rules for the operation of cross-party groups. The rules will be published and come into force on 2 May.
Cross-party groups are widely considered to be a valuable part of the democratic process and provide a forum for Members from different political groups to consider shared interests in subject areas relevant to the Senedd. The rules for the operation of cross-party groups provide Members and outside bodies with the information that they need to set up a group and ensure that its activities are transparent. I am therefore pleased to be able to make this statement today, outlining how the committee has updated and improved the rules to simplify them and make them easier for everyone to understand and comply with.
Prynhawn da a diolch i chi, Lywydd, am y cyfle i wneud y datganiad hwn heddiw. Heddiw, mae'r pwyllgor wedi gosod ei adroddiad ar y rheolau diwygiedig ar gyfer gweithredu grwpiau trawsbleidiol. Bydd y rheolau'n cael eu cyhoeddi ac yn dod i rym ar 2 Mai.
Ystyrir yn eang fod grwpiau trawsbleidiol yn rhan werthfawr o'r broses ddemocrataidd ac maent yn cynnig fforwm i Aelodau o wahanol grwpiau gwleidyddol ystyried diddordebau cyffredin mewn meysydd pwnc sy'n berthnasol i'r Senedd. Mae'r rheolau ar gyfer gweithredu grwpiau trawsbleidiol yn rhoi'r wybodaeth sydd ei hangen ar Aelodau a chyrff allanol i sefydlu grŵp a sicrhau bod ei weithgareddau'n dryloyw. Rwy'n falch felly o allu gwneud y datganiad hwn heddiw, yn amlinellu sut mae'r pwyllgor wedi diweddaru a gwella'r rheolau i'w symleiddio a'u gwneud yn haws i bawb eu deall ac i gydymffurfio â hwy.
The previous iteration of the rules was drawn up by the fourth Assembly’s Standards of Conduct Committee, after it reviewed the arrangements for cross-party groups as part of an inquiry into lobbying in 2013. Having been in place for almost a decade, it seemed timely to review the rules alongside the committee’s current ongoing inquiry into lobbying, given the crossover in the subject area. The committee agreed to consider whether the rules as they stood provided sufficient guidance, and whether they were clear, accessible and transparent for key stakeholders.
The committee asked a question on cross-party groups as part of its lobbying consultation, which ran between 13 May and 23 June 2022, and then went on to issue a cross-party group specific consultation, which ran between 11 July and 2 September 2022. Eleven respondents answered the question in the lobbying inquiry, and there were six respondents to the second consultation. I would like to take this opportunity to thank those organisations and individuals who contributed to these consultations.
The committee were pleased to find that the rules have generally been working well, and that respondents to the consultations were positive about the role and value of cross-party groups. Respondents felt that the current arrangements were robust and continued to strike the right balance between transparency and practicality. However, there was still room for improvement, and the committee endeavoured to bring the rules up to date and also to simplify them where possible. We also produced a summary sheet to sit in front of the rules and provide the important information to key stakeholders at a glance.
In order to ensure that cross-party groups remain in step with Senedd business and can continue to attract high levels of participation without increasing the need for participants to travel, the committee formalised the ability for cross-party groups to be held in virtual and hybrid meeting formats.
Following the changing landscape of groups during the fifth Senedd, and since the sixth Senedd only contains three political groups, the committee agreed that the cross-party group membership requirement of three political party groups was no longer appropriate. We therefore changed the requirement to three political parties, to facilitate Members who represent a political party that does not meet the Senedd’s threshold for forming a political group. In order to increase transparency, the committee also agreed to introduce a requirement in the rules for at least one Member of the Senedd to be present throughout all cross-party group meetings.
To encourage Members to fully engage in the work of cross-party groups, the committee clarified the financial rules in relation to those groups. Where the subject of the cross-party group has particular relevance to the Member's constituency or region, or the group is discussing matters that may be debated by the Senedd, it is now clear that Members are now able to claim in accordance with the rules and guidance on use of Senedd resources.
Outside of the rules themselves, the committee considered how to make cross-party group meetings more easily accessible and to engage a wider audience, and concluded that all meetings should be published to one calendar on the Senedd’s website. We considered this to be a relatively straightforward change that would have a large effect without making a fundamental change to the way that groups are able to access Senedd resources. Officials are currently working on the best way of presenting this information.
The committee made further changes to the rules to simplify them and remove out-of-date references to policies. These changes are outlined in our report, and add-up to a document that is much easier to understand and takes into account changes made over the last 10 years.
The committee also considered the possible effects of Senedd reform, and agreed to return to the rules before the end of the sixth Senedd, when these will be more clear. In particular, the committee resolved to review the requirement for at least one Member of the Senedd to be present throughout all cross-party group meetings.
Once again, I would like to thank all of those who contributed to this inquiry for taking the time to provide us with valuable evidence and ensure that we've been able to make the rules fit for purpose. I look forward to answering any questions that Members have here now.
Lluniwyd yr iteriad blaenorol o'r rheolau gan Bwyllgor Safonau Ymddygiad y pedwerydd Cynulliad, wedi iddo adolygu'r trefniadau ar gyfer grwpiau trawsbleidiol fel rhan o ymchwiliad i lobïo yn 2013. Ar ôl bod ar waith ers bron i ddegawd, roedd yn ymddangos yn amserol i adolygu'r rheolau ochr yn ochr ag ymchwiliad parhaus cyfredol y pwyllgor i lobïo, o ystyried y gorgyffwrdd yn y maes pwnc. Cytunodd y pwyllgor i ystyried a oedd y rheolau fel yr oeddent yn darparu digon o arweiniad, ac a oeddent yn glir, yn hygyrch ac yn dryloyw i randdeiliaid allweddol.
Gofynnodd y pwyllgor gwestiwn ar grwpiau trawsbleidiol fel rhan o'i ymgynghoriad i lobïo, a gynhaliwyd rhwng 13 Mai a 23 Mehefin 2022, ac aeth rhagddo i gyhoeddi ymgynghoriad penodol ar grwpiau trawsbleidiol, a gynhaliwyd rhwng 11 Gorffennaf a 2 Medi 2022. Atebodd 11 o ymatebwyr y cwestiwn yn yr ymchwiliad i lobïo, ac roedd chwe ymatebydd i'r ail ymgynghoriad. Hoffwn fanteisio ar y cyfle hwn i ddiolch i'r sefydliadau a'r unigolion a gyfrannodd at yr ymgynghoriadau hyn.
Roedd y pwyllgor yn falch o ganfod bod y rheolau wedi bod yn gweithio'n dda ar y cyfan, a bod ymatebwyr i'r ymgynghoriadau yn gadarnhaol am rôl a gwerth grwpiau trawsbleidiol. Roedd yr ymatebwyr yn teimlo bod y trefniadau cyfredol yn gadarn ac yn parhau i daro'r cydbwysedd cywir rhwng tryloywder ac ymarferoldeb. Fodd bynnag, roedd lle i wella o hyd, ac ymdrechodd y pwyllgor i ddiweddaru'r rheolau a hefyd i'w symleiddio lle bo modd. Gwnaethom hefyd gynhyrchu taflen grynhoi i fod ar flaen y rheolau a darparu'r wybodaeth bwysig i randdeiliaid allweddol mewn amrantiad.
Er mwyn sicrhau bod grwpiau trawsbleidiol yn parhau i gydymffurfio â busnes y Senedd a'u bod yn gallu parhau i ddenu lefelau uchel o gyfranogiad heb gynyddu'r angen i'r cyfranogwyr deithio, ffurfiolodd y pwyllgor y gallu i grwpiau trawsbleidiol gael eu cynnal ar ffurf cyfarfodydd rhithwir a hybrid.
Yn dilyn y newid i dirwedd grwpiau yn ystod y bumed Senedd, a chan fod y chweched Senedd ond yn cynnwys tri grŵp gwleidyddol, cytunodd y pwyllgor nad oedd gofyniad aelodaeth y grwpiau trawsbleidiol i gael tri grŵp gwleidyddol yn briodol mwyach. Felly, newidiwyd y gofyniad i dair plaid wleidyddol, er mwyn ei gwneud yn haws i Aelodau sy'n cynrychioli plaid wleidyddol nad yw'n cyrraedd trothwy'r Senedd ar gyfer ffurfio grŵp gwleidyddol. Er mwyn cynyddu tryloywder, cytunodd y pwyllgor hefyd i gyflwyno gofyniad yn y rheolau i o leiaf un Aelod o'r Senedd fod yn bresennol drwy gydol pob cyfarfod grŵp trawsbleidiol.
Er mwyn annog Aelodau i gymryd rhan lawn yng ngwaith y grwpiau trawsbleidiol, eglurodd y pwyllgor y rheolau ariannol mewn perthynas â'r grwpiau hynny. Pan fo pwnc y grŵp trawsbleidiol yn benodol berthnasol i etholaeth neu ranbarth yr Aelod, neu os yw'r grŵp yn trafod materion a all gael eu trafod gan y Senedd, mae'n amlwg bellach y gall Aelodau hawlio yn unol â'r rheolau a'r canllawiau ar ddefnyddio adnoddau'r Senedd.
Y tu hwnt i'r rheolau eu hunain, bu'r pwyllgor yn ystyried sut i wneud cyfarfodydd grwpiau trawsbleidiol yn fwy hygyrch ac i ennyn diddordeb cynulleidfa ehangach, a daethant i'r casgliad y dylid cyhoeddi pob cyfarfod ar un calendr ar wefan y Senedd. Roeddem o'r farn fod hwn yn newid cymharol syml a fyddai'n cael effaith fawr heb wneud newid sylfaenol i'r ffordd y mae grwpiau'n gallu cael mynediad at adnoddau'r Senedd. Ar hyn o bryd, mae swyddogion yn gweithio ar y ffordd orau o gyflwyno'r wybodaeth hon.
Gwnaeth y pwyllgor newidiadau pellach i'r rheolau i'w symleiddio a dileu cyfeiriadau sydd wedi dyddio i bolisïau. Mae'r newidiadau hyn wedi'u nodi yn ein hadroddiad, ac yn creu dogfen sy'n llawer haws i'w deall ac sy'n ystyried newidiadau a wnaed dros y 10 mlynedd diwethaf.
Hefyd, ystyriodd y pwyllgor effeithiau posibl diwygio'r Senedd, a chytunodd i edrych eto ar y rheolau cyn diwedd y chweched Senedd, pan fydd y rhain yn fwy eglur. Yn benodol, penderfynodd y pwyllgor adolygu'r gofyniad i o leiaf un Aelod o'r Senedd fod yn bresennol drwy gydol pob cyfarfod grŵp trawsbleidiol.
Unwaith eto, hoffwn ddiolch i bawb a gyfrannodd at yr ymchwiliad hwn am roi amser i roi tystiolaeth werthfawr i ni a sicrhau ein bod wedi gallu gwneud y rheolau'n addas i'r diben. Edrychaf ymlaen at ateb unrhyw gwestiynau sydd gan yr Aelodau yma nawr.
I welcome the statement given this afternoon in the Siambr, and I want to thank Vikki for chairing the committee, and my fellow Members, and I also want to thank the clerking team for their assistance in this consultation and the report. I'm a member of a number of cross-party groups and also chair the substance use and addiction cross-party group, which I established with the drug charity Kaleidoscope. I'm of the firm opinion that hearing lived experience can have a lasting impact on policy development, and CPGs provide a vehicle for those personal stories to be heard.
In terms of the update today, I welcome the guidance on hybrid and translation facilities. It's also important that these translation facilities are given their rightful importance in line with us striving to be a fully bilingual nation. It is good to see conclusions highlighting the various ways to conduct meetings. I'm also glad to see the caveat that proceedings will be conducted at the discretion of the group hosting said meetings, because they are best placed to know the ideal format for those particular meetings. In my experience, CPGs can provide valuable opportunities for extra depth and scrutiny on matters that are pertinent to life here in Wales. They provide a valuable space for discussion that is friendly and inclusive; long may that continue. Diolch yn fawr.
Rwy'n croesawu'r datganiad a roddwyd y prynhawn yma yn y Siambr, ac rwyf am ddiolch i Vikki am gadeirio'r pwyllgor, ac i'm cyd-Aelodau, ac rwyf hefyd am ddiolch i'r tîm clercio am eu cymorth yn yr ymgynghoriad hwn a'r adroddiad. Rwy'n aelod o nifer o grwpiau trawsbleidiol ac rwyf hefyd yn cadeirio'r grŵp trawsbleidiol ar gamddefnyddio sylweddau a dibyniaeth, a sefydlais gyda'r elusen gyffuriau Kaleidoscope. Rwyf o'r farn gadarn y gall clywed profiad byw gael effaith barhaol ar ddatblygu polisi, ac mae grwpiau trawsbleidiol yn gyfrwng i'r straeon personol hynny gael eu clywed.
O ran y diweddariad heddiw, rwy'n croesawu'r canllawiau ar gyfleusterau hybrid a chyfieithu. Mae'n bwysig hefyd fod y cyfleusterau cyfieithu hyn yn cael parch haeddiannol yn unol â'n hymdrech i fod yn genedl gwbl ddwyieithog. Mae'n dda gweld casgliadau'n tynnu sylw at y gwahanol ffyrdd o gynnal cyfarfodydd. Rwy'n falch hefyd o weld y cafeat y bydd gweithgaredd yn digwydd yn ôl disgresiwn y grŵp sy'n cynnal y cyfryw gyfarfodydd, oherwydd mai hwy sydd yn y sefyllfa orau i wybod beth yw'r fformat delfrydol ar gyfer y cyfarfodydd penodol hynny. Yn fy mhrofiad i, gall grwpiau trawsbleidiol gynnig cyfleoedd gwerthfawr i sicrhau dyfnder ychwanegol a chraffu ar faterion sy'n berthnasol i fywyd yma yng Nghymru. Maent yn cynnig lle gwerthfawr i drafodaethau sy'n gyfeillgar a chynhwysol; hir y parhaed hynny. Diolch yn fawr.
I'd like to thank Peredur Owen Griffiths for his contribution and echo his thanks also to the clerking team. It has been a pleasure to work as a cross-party committee on this important inquiry. And I agree with you, Pered, that cross-party groups are really important vehicles here in the Senedd, and they do allow that forum where people are able to give their own personal stories, and the personal impact on various different issues is one that I think is the strength of our cross-party group system.
I'm glad also that you raised the issue of translation, which I know was important to you at the outset of this inquiry, and we were assured as a committee that translation facilities are available to all cross-party group meetings, whether they are being held face to face, hybrid or virtual. And I think it's important that we spread that message far and wide. Let's take that message back to our political groups to make sure that all chairs of cross-party groups avail themselves of those translation facilities.
So, to conclude, I also agree with everything you said there about cross-party groups being a valuable addition to our Senedd, and I'm hopeful that the updated rules that we've worked on as a committee will assist us in maintaining that. Thank you, Llywydd.
Hoffwn ddiolch i Peredur Owen Griffiths am ei gyfraniad ac rwy'n adleisio ei ddiolch hefyd i'r tîm clercio. Mae wedi bod yn bleser gweithio fel pwyllgor trawsbleidiol ar yr ymchwiliad pwysig hwn. Ac rwy'n cytuno â chi, Pered, fod grwpiau trawsbleidiol yn gyfryngau pwysig iawn yma yn y Senedd, ac maent yn caniatáu fforwm lle gall pobl roi eu straeon personol eu hunain, a'r effaith bersonol ar wahanol faterion yw cryfder ein system grwpiau trawsbleidiol yn fy marn i.
Rwy'n falch hefyd eich bod wedi codi mater cyfieithu, y gwn ei fod yn bwysig i chi ar ddechrau'r ymchwiliad hwn, a chawsom sicrwydd fel pwyllgor fod cyfleusterau cyfieithu ar gael ym mhob cyfarfod grŵp trawsbleidiol, boed yn rhai wyneb yn wyneb, hybrid neu rithwir. Ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig ein bod yn lledaenu'r neges honno ym mhobman. Gadewch inni fynd â'r neges honno yn ôl i'n grwpiau gwleidyddol i wneud yn siŵr fod pob cadeirydd grŵp trawsbleidiol yn manteisio ar y cyfleusterau cyfieithu hynny.
Felly, i gloi, rwyf hefyd yn cytuno â phopeth a ddywedoch chi ynglŷn â bod grwpiau trawsbleidiol yn ychwanegiad gwerthfawr i'n Senedd, ac rwy'n obeithiol y bydd y rheolau wedi'u diweddaru y buom yn gweithio arnynt fel pwyllgor yn ein cynorthwyo i gynnal hynny. Diolch, Lywydd.
Thank you to the Chair for that statement.
Diolch i'r Cadeirydd am y datganiad hwnnw.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, fydd y ddadl ar adroddiad y Pwyllgor Cyfrifon Cyhoeddus a Gweinyddiaeth Gyhoeddus ar graffu ar gyfrifon Llywodraeth Cymru 2020-21. Galwaf ar Gadeirydd y pwyllgor i wneud y cynnig—Mark Isherwood.
The next item will be a debate on the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee report, scrutiny of the Welsh Government's accounts 2020-21. I call on the Chair of the committee to move the motion—Mark Isherwood.
Cynnig NDM8246 Mark Isherwood
Cynnig bod y Senedd:
Yn nodi adroddiad y Pwyllgor Cyfrifon Cyhoeddus a Gweinyddiaeth Gyhoeddus ar ei ymchwiliad, Craffu ar Gyfrifon Llywodraeth Cymru 2020-21, a osodwyd yn y Swyddfa Gyflwyno ar 27 Mawrth 2023.
Motion NDM8246 Mark Isherwood
To propose that the Senedd:
Notes the report of the Public Accounts and Public Administration on its inquiry, Scrutiny of the Welsh Government’s Accounts 2020-21, which was laid in the Table Office on 27 March 2023.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Diolch, Llywydd.
Diolch, Lywydd.
As if by magic, it appears.
Fel hud a lledrith, mae'n ymddangos.
Apologies, yes. We were lectern-less.
Well, scrutiny of the accounts of publicly funded organisations is a core part of the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee's work, and has been undertaken on an annual basis since 2014. This work is an important driver of transparent financial reporting and provides the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee with an opportunity to explore issues of governance and financial management by highlighting any issues in the public domain, offering transparency and openness.
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government's consolidated accounts for 2020-21 was anything but ordinary. Delayed and signed nine months later than the timetable originally agreed, the accounts were also qualified by the Auditor General for Wales on three separate issues. These included a payment made to the former Permanent Secretary, clinicians' pension tax liabilities, and expenditure for some COVID-19 business grants. This meant that scrutiny was conducted by this committee significantly later than originally intended, with a limited opportunity to make impactful recommendations ahead of the preparation of the Welsh Government's accounts for the following year, 2021-22. These are serious and complex matters.
I thank, on the record, the time taken by Audit Wales to thoroughly audit these accounts to ensure that these matters were explored and reported on appropriately. We welcome Audit Wales's positive and proactive engagement with the committee throughout this process. I also thank Welsh Government officials for their engagement with our scrutiny work.
The main findings of our report are that significant funds for essential public services were lost due to shortcomings in the Welsh Government's accounting. We found many examples where poor record-keeping and mismanagement of public accounts have cost the people of Wales. This includes £155.5 million lost to Wales due to poor account management; serious concerns about record-keeping relating to an £80,000 payment made to the former Permanent Secretary; and concerns about the level of fraud and error in the COVID-19 business grants scheme.
In relation to the payment made to the former Permanent Secretary, the committee has made a number of recommendations on the need for the Welsh Government to improve its transparency around decision making in relation to the role and working arrangements of the Permanent Secretary. Deficient record-keeping about how important decisions were taken resulted in a lack of clarity and insufficient opportunity for this committee to scrutinise this payment. The Welsh Government failed to provide the auditor general with sufficient contemporaneous evidence to establish the change in the former Permanent Secretary's working arrangements and to justify the payment made on her departure.
Our report also raises concerns regarding the appointment process of the current Permanent Secretary, who remains on secondment from Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. The post had been advertised with a salary of between £162,500 and £180,000, but Dr Goodall confirmed after his appointment that he remained on the NHS chief executive pay framework, meaning his current salary exceeds the advertised salary. This raises the question of whether the Welsh Government may have attracted different candidates had the post been advertised at a higher pay scale.
The process for backfilling the Permanent Secretary's former post, that of director general for the health and social services group and chief executive of NHS Wales, was also unclear. It was suggested to us that the process for appointing Judith Paget into the role—another secondee from Aneurin Bevan University Health Board—was conducted without any competitive recruitment exercise.
The committee also considered the lack of transparency regarding the continuation of the Permanent Secretary's secondment after his appointment to Permanent Secretary, especially since these arrangements were only made clear during our evidence gathering. The committee felt these arrangements were interim and confusing.
We recommend that the Welsh Government reviews its reporting and record-keeping practices to ensure that internal decisions around the Permanent Secretary role, along with any other roles at director general level or above, are clearly documented.
Moving to the Welsh Government's £155.5 million underspend, the committee is disappointed that significant funding was lost to Wales as a result of the Welsh Government's underspend in 2020-21. It is frustrating, the committee felt, that £155.5 million could have been used in Wales to fund essential services at a time those services are under serious financial pressure.
Ymddiheuriadau. Nid oedd gennym ddarllenfwrdd.
Wel, mae craffu ar gyfrifon sefydliadau sy'n cael eu hariannu'n gyhoeddus yn rhan greiddiol o waith y Pwyllgor Cyfrifon Cyhoeddus a Gweinyddiaeth Gyhoeddus, ac mae wedi'i wneud yn flynyddol ers 2014. Mae'r gwaith hwn yn sbardun pwysig i adrodd ariannol tryloyw ac yn rhoi cyfle i'r Pwyllgor Cyfrifon Cyhoeddus a Gweinyddiaeth Gyhoeddus archwilio materion llywodraethu a rheoli ariannol drwy dynnu sylw at unrhyw faterion cyhoeddus sy'n codi, gan gynnig tryloywder a didwylledd.
Roedd craffu ar gyfrifon cyfunol Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer 2020-21 yn unrhyw beth ond cyffredin. Wedi'u gohirio a'u llofnodi naw mis yn ddiweddarach na'r amserlen a gytunwyd yn wreiddiol, roedd y cyfrifon hefyd yn cynnwys barn amodol gan Archwilydd Cyffredinol Cymru ar dri mater gwahanol. Roedd y rhain yn cynnwys taliad a wnaed i'r cyn Ysgrifennydd Parhaol, rhwymedigaethau treth pensiwn clinigwyr, a gwariant ar rai grantiau busnes COVID-19. Golygai hyn fod craffu wedi'i gynnal gan y pwyllgor hwn yn sylweddol hwyrach na'r bwriad gwreiddiol, gyda chyfle cyfyngedig i wneud argymhellion effeithiol cyn paratoi cyfrifon Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer y flwyddyn ganlynol, 2021-22. Mae'r rhain yn faterion difrifol a chymhleth.
Rwyf am gofnodi fy niolch am yr amser a roddodd Archwilio Cymru i archwilio'r cyfrifon hyn yn drylwyr er mwyn sicrhau bod y materion hyn yn cael eu harchwilio a'u hadrodd yn briodol. Rydym yn croesawu ymgysylltiad cadarnhaol a rhagweithiol Archwilio Cymru â'r pwyllgor drwy gydol y broses hon. Diolch hefyd i swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru am eu hymgysylltiad â'n gwaith craffu.
Prif ganfyddiadau ein hadroddiad yw bod arian sylweddol ar gyfer gwasanaethau cyhoeddus hanfodol wedi'i golli oherwydd diffygion yng nghyfrifyddu Llywodraeth Cymru. Gwelsom lawer o enghreifftiau lle mae arferion cadw cofnodion gwael a chamreoli cyfrifon cyhoeddus wedi costio i bobl Cymru. Mae hyn yn cynnwys £155.5 miliwn a gollodd Cymru oherwydd rheolaeth wael ar gyfrifon; pryderon difrifol ynglŷn â chadw cofnodion yn ymwneud â thaliad o £80,000 a wnaed i'r cyn Ysgrifennydd Parhaol; a phryderon ynglŷn â lefel twyll a gwall yn y cynllun grantiau busnes COVID-19.
Mewn perthynas â'r taliad a wnaed i'r cyn Ysgrifennydd Parhaol, mae'r pwyllgor wedi gwneud nifer o argymhellion ar yr angen i Lywodraeth Cymru wella'i thryloywder wrth wneud penderfyniadau'n gysylltiedig â rôl a threfniadau gweithio'r Ysgrifennydd Parhaol. Arweiniodd diffygion yn y broses o gadw cofnodion ynghylch y ffordd y gwnaed penderfyniadau pwysig at ddiffyg eglurder a dim digon o gyfle i'r pwyllgor hwn graffu ar y taliad hwn. Methodd Llywodraeth Cymru ddarparu digon o dystiolaeth gyfoes i'r archwilydd cyffredinol sefydlu'r newid yn nhrefniadau gwaith y cyn Ysgrifennydd Parhaol ac i gyfiawnhau'r taliad a wnaed ar ei hymadawiad.
Mae ein hadroddiad hefyd yn codi pryderon ynghylch proses benodi'r Ysgrifennydd Parhaol presennol, sy'n parhau ar secondiad o Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Aneurin Bevan. Roedd y swydd wedi cael ei hysbysebu gyda chyflog o rhwng £162,500 a £180,000, ond cadarnhaodd Dr Goodall wedi ei benodiad ei fod yn parhau ar fframwaith tâl prif weithredwr y GIG, sy'n golygu bod ei gyflog presennol yn uwch na'r cyflog a hysbysebwyd. Mae hyn yn codi cwestiwn ynglŷn ag a allai Llywodraeth Cymru fod wedi denu ymgeiswyr gwahanol pe bai'r swydd wedi ei hysbysebu ar raddfa gyflog uwch.
Roedd y broses ar gyfer ôl-lenwi swydd flaenorol yr Ysgrifennydd Parhaol, sef cyfarwyddwr cyffredinol y grŵp iechyd a gwasanaethau cymdeithasol a phrif weithredwr GIG Cymru, hefyd yn aneglur. Clywsom awgrym fod y broses ar gyfer penodi Judith Paget i'r rôl—secondai arall o Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Aneurin Bevan—wedi'i chynnal heb unrhyw ymarfer recriwtio cystadleuol.
Bu'r pwyllgor hefyd yn ystyried y diffyg tryloywder ynghylch parhau â secondiad yr Ysgrifennydd Parhaol ar ôl ei benodi i rôl yr Ysgrifennydd Parhaol, yn enwedig gan mai dim ond yn ystod ein proses o gasglu tystiolaeth y gwnaed y trefniadau hyn yn glir. Teimlai'r pwyllgor fod y trefniadau hyn yn rhai dros dro ac yn ddryslyd.
Rydym yn argymell bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn adolygu ei harferion adrodd a chadw cofnodion er mwyn sicrhau bod penderfyniadau mewnol ynghylch rôl yr Ysgrifennydd Parhaol, ynghyd ag unrhyw rolau eraill ar lefel cyfarwyddwr cyffredinol neu uwch, wedi'u cofnodi'n glir.
Gan symud tuag at y tanwariant o £155.5 miliwn gan Lywodraeth Cymru, mae'r pwyllgor yn siomedig fod Cymru wedi colli arian sylweddol o ganlyniad i danwariant Llywodraeth Cymru yn 2020-21. Teimlai'r pwyllgor ei bod hi'n rhwystredig y gallai £155.5 miliwn fod wedi'i ddefnyddio yng Nghymru i ariannu gwasanaethau hanfodol ar adeg pan fo'r gwasanaethau hynny dan bwysau ariannol difrifol.
Would you give way on that, Mark?
A wnewch chi ildio ar hynny, Mark?
By all means, yes.
Ar bob cyfrif, gwnaf.
Mark, I wonder whether the committee turned its attention to, as well, the decision that could have been made by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury at the UK level to actually allow flexibility to use that and to pull it back, and to use it for other purposes. It has been done before. There's no reason it couldn't have been done now, particularly in a very difficult year, and a challenging year as well. So, I appreciate you're pointing the finger very much at 'Welsh Government should have used it', but actually their return clawback was dwarfish compared to that being clawed back from other departments in the UK, but it could have been different. This rests with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury. He could have allowed Welsh Government to keep that money.
Mark, tybed a wnaeth y pwyllgor droi ei sylw, yn ogystal, at y penderfyniad y gellid bod wedi'i wneud gan Brif Ysgrifennydd y Trysorlys ar lefel y DU i ganiatáu hyblygrwydd i ddefnyddio hwnnw a'i dynnu'n ôl, a'i ddefnyddio at ddibenion eraill. Mae wedi cael ei wneud o'r blaen. Ni cheir rheswm pam na ellid bod wedi'i wneud nawr, yn enwedig mewn blwyddyn anodd iawn, a blwyddyn heriol hefyd. Felly, rwy'n deall eich bod yn pwyntio bys yn fawr at 'dylai Llywodraeth Cymru fod wedi ei ddefnyddio', ond roedd yr arian a adfachwyd ganddynt yn fach iawn o'i gymharu â'r hyn a gâi ei adfachu oddi wrth adrannau eraill yn y DU, ond fe allai fod wedi bod yn wahanol. Mae hyn yn nwylo Prif Ysgrifennydd y Trysorlys. Fe allai fod wedi caniatáu i Lywodraeth Cymru gadw'r arian hwnnw.
If you read our report, you'll see we fully address that and incorporate some of the specific matters you highlight received in evidence. In fact, I will develop on some of your points in my speech now.
It's difficult to understand why the Welsh Government waited so long to be told it could not do as it wished with the underspend, and why a request to use the underspend was made retrospectively. The Welsh Government appears to have assumed, based on previous HM Treasury decisions, that it would be granted the flexibility to use the funding. It raises questions as to whether making a request sooner may have enabled the funds to be used. [Interruption.] I see the Minister shaking her head adversely; remember, this is a cross-party committee and the wording was agreed unanimously, after receiving extensive evidence, both in public and private session. So, we did consider all these matters. Lessons must be learned to ensure such vital funding is not lost from Wales again.
Os darllenwch ein hadroddiad, fe welwch ein bod yn mynd i'r afael yn llawn â hynny ac yn cynnwys rhai o'r materion penodol yr ydych yn tynnu sylw atynt a gyflwynwyd fel tystiolaeth. Yn wir, byddaf yn datblygu rhai o'ch pwyntiau yn fy araith nawr.
Mae'n anodd deall pam y bu i Lywodraeth Cymru aros cyhyd i gael clywed na allai wneud fel y mynnai gyda'r tanwariant, a pham y cafodd cais i ddefnyddio'r tanwariant ei wneud yn ôl-weithredol. Mae'n ymddangos bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi tybio, ar sail penderfyniadau blaenorol Trysorlys Ei Fawrhydi, y byddai'n cael yr hyblygrwydd i ddefnyddio'r cyllid. Mae'n codi cwestiynau ynglŷn ag a allai gwneud cais yn gynt fod wedi galluogi'r arian i gael ei ddefnyddio. [Torri ar draws.] Gwelaf y Gweinidog yn ysgwyd ei phen yn wrthwynebus; cofiwch, pwyllgor trawsbleidiol yw hwn a chytunwyd ar y geiriad yn unfrydol, ar ôl derbyn tystiolaeth helaeth, mewn sesiynau cyhoeddus a phreifat. Felly, fe wnaethom ystyried yr holl faterion hyn. Rhaid dysgu'r gwersi er mwyn sicrhau na fydd Cymru'n colli arian mor hanfodol eto.
Would he give way on that point?
A wnaiff ildio ar y pwynt hwnnw?
Well, time's limited, you know—I've only got 15 minutes in total.
Wel, mae amser yn brin, wyddoch chi—dim ond 15 munud sydd gennyf i gyd.
Indeed—I really appreciate you giving way. But have you picked up, either during the report or since, any evidence that the Minister actually was engaged in discussions with the UK Treasury, with the Chief Secretary, actually making this point consistently, and that, actually, the failure was for the Chief Secretary of the Treasury to clarify to the Minister?
Yn wir—rwy'n ddiolchgar i chi am ildio. Ond a wnaethoch chi nodi, naill ai yn ystod yr adroddiad neu ers hynny, unrhyw dystiolaeth fod y Gweinidog wedi cymryd rhan mewn trafodaethau gyda Thrysorlys y DU, gyda’r Prif Ysgrifennydd, a gwneud y pwynt hwn yn gyson, ac mewn gwirionedd, mai methiant Prif Ysgrifennydd y Trysorlys i egluro i'r Gweinidog ydoedd?
This is in the report. The problem is the evidence we received from the most senior level of the Welsh Government: this was retrospective.
The committee recommended that the Welsh Government provides the committee with further information on the timescales and discussions that took place between the Welsh Government and HM Treasury—so we're prepared to look at any further evidence that might exist—regarding the Welsh Government’s request to carry forward at 31 March 2021 a sum in excess of the limit on the Wales reserve. We did ask the questions. The committee does not expect any further funds to be lost to Wales, and recommends that it seeks approval for flexibility from HM Treasury as early as possible before the end of the financial year, so that funds can be utilised in-year, should its request not be granted.
Finally, in relation to the COVID business grants scheme, we raised concerns about how the discretion given to local authorities to apply the COVID-19 non-domestic rates grant scheme was used. We found that the inconsistent application of the amended guidance issued in relation to self-catering businesses resulted in support being paid out by some local authorities to legitimate businesses, even when they did not meet the discretionary criteria set, while in other local authorities, which strictly applied the criteria—particularly one—some legitimate businesses did not receive the support they needed. It was not clear from the evidence provided to us the degree to which discretion had been applied and what redress is available for legitimate businesses who were denied support to which they were otherwise entitled.
Our report also flags concern that the Welsh Government has not met the timescales it set for the completion of its post-completion monitoring, which is aimed at ensuring that grant terms and conditions are adhered to and to address instances of incorrect awards. This process is likely to be ongoing for quite some time. Furthermore, the Welsh Government has not explicitly confirmed it would amend its methodology for calculating the estimate of fraud and error within the COVID grant schemes, in light of auditors’ findings and the auditor general’s observations in his audit certificate on the 2020-21 accounts. These findings highlighted that there are uncertainties in the estimate as a result of data limitations and how the rate has been calculated.
The committee has made a recommendation that the Welsh Government provides further clarity on the latest position on recovery from the COVID-19 support for business schemes it has administered, including an explanation of how these figures relate back to the sums reflected in the auditor general’s memorandum and those provided by the Welsh Government during oral evidence to the committee. We note that the UK Government Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, or BEIS, has set out details about the calculation of its estimates of fraud and error in relation to UK Government COVID-19 grants in its annual report and accounts 2020-21, which the Welsh Government has not.
We are particularly concerned that, in one Welsh local authority, where extra National Fraud Initiative checks were conducted, fraud and error amounting to £570,000 was identified. This raises concerns whether, without these additional checks, fraud and error could be missed by those local authorities that have not opted to undertake the additional National Fraud Initiative checks. The committee is disappointed to note that the Welsh Government’s consolidated accounts 2020-21, which were laid before the Senedd on 13 December 2022, did not include an up-to-date estimate of fraud and error, even though we were told in advance that they would.
The committee will continue to pursue these issues with the Welsh Government, and looks forward to further dialogue on this topic. We'll be closely monitoring the implementation of our recommendations. Diolch yn fawr.
Mae hyn yn yr adroddiad. Y broblem yw’r dystiolaeth a gawsom gan lefel uchaf Llywodraeth Cymru: roedd hyn yn ôl-weithredol.
Argymhellodd y pwyllgor fod Llywodraeth Cymru yn rhoi rhagor o wybodaeth i'r Pwyllgor am yr amserlenni a'r trafodaethau a ddigwyddodd rhwng Llywodraeth Cymru a Thrysorlys EF—felly rydym yn barod i edrych ar unrhyw dystiolaeth bellach a allai fodoli—ynghylch cais Llywodraeth Cymru i gario ymlaen swm sy'n fwy na'r hyn a ganiateir ar gyfer cronfa wrth gefn Cymru ar 31 Mawrth 2021. Fe wnaethom ofyn y cwestiynau. Nid yw’r pwyllgor yn disgwyl y bydd Cymru'n colli rhagor o gyllid, ac mae'n argymell ei bod yn gofyn am gymeradwyo hyblygrwydd gan Drysorlys EF cyn gynted â phosibl cyn diwedd y flwyddyn ariannol fel y gellir defnyddio cyllid yn ystod y flwyddyn os gwrthodir ei chais.
Yn olaf, mewn perthynas â'r cynllun grantiau busnes COVID, codwyd pryderon gennym ynghylch sut y defnyddiwyd y disgresiwn a roddwyd i awdurdodau lleol ddefnyddio'r cynllun grant ardrethi annomestig COVID-19. Canfuom fod defnydd anghyson o'r canllawiau diwygiedig a gyhoeddwyd ar gyfer busnesau hunanddarpar wedi arwain at rai awdurdodau lleol yn rhoi taliadau cymorth i fusnesau dilys, hyd yn oed pan nad oeddent yn bodloni’r meini prawf disgresiynol, ond mewn awdurdodau lleol eraill a roddodd y meini prawf ar waith yn llym—yn enwedig un—ni chafodd rhai busnesau dilys y cymorth roeddent ei angen. Nid oedd yn glir o'r dystiolaeth a roddwyd i ni i ba raddau roedd disgresiwn wedi'i ddefnyddio a pha iawn sydd ar gael i fusnesau dilys a amddifadwyd o gymorth yr oedd hawl ganddynt iddo fel arall.
Mae ein hadroddiad hefyd yn tynnu sylw at bryder nad yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bodloni’r amserlenni a bennwyd ganddi ar gyfer cyflawni ei gwaith monitro ar ôl cwblhau, gyda’r nod o sicrhau y cedwir at delerau ac amodau grant a mynd i'r afael ag achosion o ddyfarniadau anghywir. Mae'r broses hon yn debygol o barhau am gryn dipyn o amser. Yn ogystal â hynny, nid yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cadarnhau'n benodol y byddai'n diwygio ei methodoleg ar gyfer cyfrifo'r amcangyfrif o dwyll a gwall yn y cynlluniau grant COVID yn sgil canfyddiadau archwilwyr a sylwadau'r archwilydd cyffredinol yn ei dystysgrif archwilio ar gyfrifon 2020-21. Amlygodd y canfyddiadau hyn fod ansicrwydd yn yr amcangyfrif hwn o ganlyniad i gyfyngiadau data a sut y cyfrifwyd y gyfradd.
Mae’r pwyllgor wedi gwneud argymhelliad y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru roi rhagor o eglurder ar y safbwynt ddiweddaraf ar adfer arian o'r cynlluniau cymorth COVID-19 i fusnesau y mae wedi'u gweinyddu, gan gynnwys esboniad o sut mae'r ffigurau hyn yn cysylltu â'r symiau a adlewyrchir ym memorandwm yr archwilydd cyffredinol a'r rhai a ddarparwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn ystod tystiolaeth lafar i’r pwyllgor. Rydym yn nodi bod Adran Busnes, Ynni a Strategaeth Ddiwydiannol Llywodraeth y DU, neu BEIS, wedi nodi manylion ynghylch cyfrifo ei hamcangyfrifon twyll a gwall mewn perthynas â grantiau COVID-19 Llywodraeth y DU yn ei hadroddiad blynyddol a'i chyfrifon ar gyfer 2020-21, rhywbeth nad yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi’i wneud.
Rydym yn arbennig o bryderus fod twyll a gwall gwerth £570,000 wedi'i nodi mewn un awdurdod lleol lle cynhaliwyd gwiriadau ychwanegol gan y Fenter Twyll Genedlaethol. Mae hyn yn codi pryderon y gallai awdurdodau lleol nad ydynt wedi dewis cynnal gwiriadau ychwanegol y Fenter Twyll Genedlaethol fethu canfod twyll a gwall heb yr archwiliadau ychwanegol hyn. Mae’r pwyllgor yn siomedig i nodi nad oedd cyfrifon cyfunol Llywodraeth Cymru 2021-22, a osodwyd gerbron y Senedd ar 13 Rhagfyr 2022, yn cynnwys amcangyfrif diweddaraf o dwyll a gwall, er inni gael gwybod ymlaen llaw y byddent.
Bydd y pwyllgor yn parhau i fynd ar drywydd y materion hyn gyda Llywodraeth Cymru, ac mae'n edrych ymlaen at drafodaethau pellach ar y pwnc. Byddwn yn monitro gweithrediad ein hargymhellion yn fanwl. Diolch yn fawr.
Daeth Paul Davies i’r Gadair.
Paul Davies took the Chair.
Can I please put on record, alongside the Chair, my thanks to my fellow committee members, clerks and all those involved in brining this report together? It really was a team effort in every sense of the word. It has been a long and arduous journey getting these accounts published, and I'm really glad that they're now finally seeing the light of day. There are several serious and shocking revelations within the 2020-21 Welsh Government accounts. Some of the issues, dare I say, were more than likely avoidable. One thing is for certain though: there are plenty of lessons for the Welsh Government to learn going forward. Perhaps the most shocking of all—and this is the one that really gets me—is the fact that £155 million was sent back to Westminster because of the Welsh Government's mismanagement. In the midst of a global pandemic, £155 million would have gone a long way in keeping vital public services in Wales up and running.
A gaf gofnodi fy niolch, gyda’r Cadeirydd, i fy nghyd-aelodau o'r pwyllgor, y clercod a phawb a fu’n gysylltiedig â'r gwaith o lunio’r adroddiad hwn? Roedd yn ymdrech tîm ym mhob ystyr. Mae cyhoeddi'r cyfrifon hyn wedi bod yn daith hir a llafurus, ac rwy'n falch iawn eu bod yn gweld golau dydd o'r diwedd. Mae sawl agoriad llygad difrifol ac ysgytwol yng nghyfrifon Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer 2020-21. Meiddiaf ddweud bod rhai o'r materion yn rhai y gellid bod wedi eu hosgoi yn ôl pob tebyg. Mae un peth yn sicr, serch hynny: mae digon o wersi i Lywodraeth Cymru eu dysgu wrth symud ymlaen. Efallai mai’r mwyaf ysgytwol—a dyma’r un sy'n fy ngwylltio fwyaf—yw’r ffaith bod £155 miliwn wedi’i anfon yn ôl i San Steffan oherwydd camreolaeth Llywodraeth Cymru. Yng nghanol pandemig byd-eang, byddai £155 miliwn wedi mynd yn bell i gadw gwasanaethau cyhoeddus hanfodol yng Nghymru ar waith.
Will you take an intervention?
A wnewch chi dderbyn ymyriad?
Go on.
Iawn.
I thank you for giving way because it's point that I do take some issue with: £80.6 billion was returned to Government by the Department of Health and Social Care, some of which would have had consequentials for the UK, by the way. Now, in Wales, it was 1 per cent. It was 6 per cent for that department, and 6 per cent across the UK departments. Why did that happen right across Whitehall?
Diolch am ildio, gan ei fod yn bwynt y mae gennyf broblem gydag ef: rhoddwyd £80.6 biliwn yn ôl i’r Llywodraeth gan yr Adran Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol, a byddai rhywfaint ohono wedi arwain at gyllid canlyniadol ar gyfer y DU, gyda llaw. Nawr, yng Nghymru, roedd yn 1 y cant. Roedd yn 6 y cant ar gyfer yr adran honno, ac yn 6 y cant ar draws adrannau’r DU. Pam y digwyddodd hynny ar draws Whitehall?
Huw, can I ask you a question? Have you read the report?
Huw, a gaf fi ofyn cwestiwn i chi? A ydych chi wedi darllen yr adroddiad?
Yes, I have.
Do.
You have. Okay.
Do. Iawn.
It doesn't sound like it.
Nid yw'n swnio felly.
But it doesn't seem as though you are reflecting the report.
Ond nid yw'n ymddangos eich bod chi'n adlewyrchu'r adroddiad.
To be fair, both of your Members who represent the Labour group were in the meeting with us. We went through everything line by line, and everything was met with and approved by them.
A bod yn deg, roedd eich dau Aelod sy’n cynrychioli’r grŵp Llafur yn y cyfarfod gyda ni. Fe aethom drwy bopeth fesul linell, a chafodd popeth ei gymeradwyo ganddynt.
But I'm not on the committee, so I'm asking you.
Ond nid wyf fi ar y pwyllgor, felly rwy'n gofyn i chi.
No, and I'm absolutely letting you know that everything was done with the approval, with all the associated research, and all of the answers were given to us through those who were in—
Nac ydych, ac rwy'n rhoi gwybod i chi fod popeth wedi'i wneud gyda'r gymeradwyaeth, gyda'r holl waith ymchwil cysylltiedig, a rhoddwyd yr holl atebion i ni drwy'r rheini a oedd yn—
That figure was in the report. It's in the report, that figure.
Roedd y ffigur hwnnw yn yr adroddiad. Mae yn yr adroddiad, y ffigur hwnnw.
It was in the report, Huw, and I'm afraid that that's the way we're going to go with this.
Roedd yn yr adroddiad, Huw, ac mae arnaf ofn mai dyna’r ffordd rydym yn mynd i fynd gyda hyn.
Six per cent for Westminster—
Chwech y cant ar gyfer San Steffan—
Can I remind Members that this is not a discussion, this is a debate? So, Natasha Asghar.
A gaf fi atgoffa’r Aelodau nad trafodaeth yw hon, ond dadl? Felly, Natasha Asghar.