Y Cyfarfod Llawn
Plenary
24/10/2023Cynnwys
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, bawb, a chroeso i'r Cyfarfod Llawn o'r Sendd. Yr eitem gyntaf, felly, y prynhawn yma, fydd y cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Llyr Gruffydd.
Good afternoon and welcome to this Senedd Plenary session. The first item this afternoon will be questions to the First Minister, and the first question is from Llyr Gruffydd.
1. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad ar gapasiti y gwasanaeth trenau rhwng y de a’r gogledd? OQ60178
1. Will the First Minister make a statement on the capacity of the train service between north and south Wales? OQ60178
Wel, diolch i Llyr Gruffydd am y cwestiwn, Llywydd. Bydd y capasiti yn gwella dros yr wythnosau sydd i ddod. Mae Trafnidiaeth Cymru yn mynd i gyflwyno mwy o wasanaethau tri-cherbyd ar y llwybr hwn. Bydd y trenau hyn yn cymryd lle’r hen gerbydau a gafodd eu defnyddio am y tro olaf yr wythnos ddiwethaf.
I thank Llyr Gruffydd for that question, Llywydd. Capacity will improve over the coming weeks, and Transport for Wales are introducing more three-carriage services on this route. These trains will replace the old rolling stock that was retired last week.
Wel, diolch i chi am yr esboniad yna, ond dwi eisiau codi'n benodol gyda chi yr anrhefn llwyr oedd ar y trenau wrth i gefnogwyr pêl-droed o ogledd Cymru geisio teithio lawr i wylio Cymru yn chwarae Croatia yn ddiweddar. Nawr, mi oedd hi'n siambls llwyr, ac mi oedd yna drên arbennig, gyda llaw, i gefnogwyr o'r de oedd eisiau mynd i Wrecsam i weld Cymru yn chwarae Gibraltar, ond dim trên ychwanegol cyfatebol i gefnogwyr o'r gogledd oedd eisiau dod lawr i weld y tîm cenedlaethol yn chwarae yng Nghaerdydd. Roedd rhai o'r trenau mor llawn mi oedd yna bobl ar y platfform yn y Fenni, ac yn gorsafoedd ar ôl hynny, yn llythrennol yn methu mynd ar y trenau. Mi oedd pobl oedd ar y trenau yn llythrennol yn methu cyrraedd y tai bach.
Nawr, dyw hwn ddim yn rhywbeth sydd ddim ond wedi digwydd unwaith; mae e'n digwydd bob tro bron iawn. Mae rhywun yn teimlo bod yna fethiant llwyr pan fydd e'n dod i drefnu ar gyfer digwyddiadau mawr, yn enwedig pan fydd pobl a chefnogwyr o'r gogledd eisiau dod i Gaerdydd i weld gemau pêl-droed. Felly, a wnewch chi sicrhau, Brif Weinidog, yn sgil yr hyn roeddech chi'n dweud ynglŷn â'r trenau ychwanegol yn dod ar-lein, na fydd hyn yn digwydd eto pan fydd Cymru'n chwarae Twrci mewn rhai wythnosau, a hefyd sicrhau y bydd teithwyr o'r gogledd yn cael yr un gwasanaethau ychwanegol ag y mae teithwyr o'r de yn eu cael i ddilyn y tîm pêl-droed cenedlaethol?
Well, thank you very much for that explanation, but I want to raise specifically with you the chaos on the trains as football supporters from north Wales tried to travel down to watch Wales playing Croatia recently. Now, it was a total shambles, and there was a special train service put on for those supporters from the south who wanted to go Wrexham to watch the game against Gibraltar, but no corresponding service for those travelling from north who wanted to see the national team playing. Some of the trains were so full that there were people left on the platform in Abergavenny, and at the stations afterwards, literally unable to get on the train. People on the trains literally couldn't reach the toilets.
This isn't something that's only happened once, is it; it happens every time almost. And one feels that there is a total failure when it comes to making arrangements for major events, particularly when people and supporters from the north want to come down to Cardiff to see football games. So, will you ensure, First Minister, as a result of what you said about the additional services, that this won't happen again when Wales play Turkey in a few weeks, and also ensure that travellers from north Wales will have the same additional services as travellers from south Wales have when they follow their national team?
Wel, Llywydd, dwi'n derbyn y pwyntiau mae'r Aelod yn eu gwneud. Fe allaf ofyn i'r Dirprwy Weinidog godi'r pwyntiau yna gyda TfW cyn y gemau sydd i ddod. Ar ôl adeg y pandemig, Llywydd, mae TfW wedi delio gyda 21 o ddigwyddiadau yng Nghaerdydd ble roedd mwy na 60,000 o bobl yn cymryd rhan yn y digwyddiadau. So, mae lot o brofiad gyda nhw—a phrofiad llwyddiannus hefyd—yn delio gyda'r nifer fawr o bobl sydd eisiau teithio. Ond dwi wedi clywed y pwyntiau y mae'r Aelod wedi eu gwneud am bobl sy'n dod lawr o'r gogledd i Gaerdydd, ac fe allaf i ofyn i'r Gweinidog fynd ar ôl hwnna.
Well, Llywydd, I accept the points that the Member makes. I can ask the Deputy Minister to raise those issues with TfW before the next fixtures. Post pandemic, Llywydd, TfW has dealt with 21 events in Cardiff where more than 60,000 people were involved. So, they have a great deal of experience, and they have been successful in dealing with the large numbers of people who do want to travel. But I've heard the points that the Member has made about people travelling from north Wales to Cardiff, and I will ask the Minister to pursue that issue.
Llyr Gruffydd is absolutely right to raise this as a specific example, an example that many of my constituents in north Wales, like Llyr's, have to experience far too often. And what we're seeing, of course, is a symptom of years of underinvestment and poor management of the train services here in Wales. We're also seeing what is an unequal balance in terms of that investment and management as well. We know that, in south Wales, there's £1 billion now set aside for a metro, whereas in north Wales there's only £50 million earmarked for investment up there, and all this whilst there was a £125 million bail-out for Transport for Wales last week. Alongside this, though, we do have a UK Government, and Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, who has now announced that £1 billion of investment is going to take place on the north Wales main line. So, First Minister, will you throw your support behind this investment and commit here to matching the Conservative ambition for north Wales that you've lacked for the last quarter of a century?
Mae Llyr Gruffydd yn gwbl gywir i godi hyn fel enghraifft benodol, enghraifft y mae'n rhaid i lawer o'm hetholwyr yn y gogledd, fel rhai Llyr, ei dioddef yn llawer rhy aml. Ac mae'r hyn yr ydym ni'n ei weld, wrth gwrs, yn symptom o flynyddoedd o danfuddsoddiad a rheolaeth wael ar y gwasanaethau rheilffordd yma yng Nghymru. Rydym ni hefyd yn gweld yr hyn sy'n gydbwysedd anghyfartal o ran y buddsoddiad hwnnw a'r rheolaeth honno hefyd. Rydym ni'n gwybod, yn y de, bod £1 biliwn bellach wedi'i neilltuo ar gyfer metro, ond yn y gogledd dim ond £50 miliwn sydd wedi'i glustnodi i'w fuddsoddi yno, a hyn oll tra bod help llaw gwerth £125 miliwn ar gael i Trafnidiaeth Cymru yr wythnos ddiwethaf. Ochr yn ochr â hyn, fodd bynnag, mae gennym ni Lywodraeth y DU, a'r Phrif Weinidog y DU, Rishi Sunak, sydd bellach wedi cyhoeddi y bydd £1 biliwn o fuddsoddiad yn digwydd ar brif reilffordd y gogledd. Felly, Prif Weinidog, a wnewch chi roi eich cefnogaeth i'r buddsoddiad hwn ac ymrwymo yma i gyfateb uchelgais y Ceidwadwyr ar gyfer y gogledd na fu gennych chi yn ystod y chwarter canrif ddiwethaf?
Well, Llywydd, it's good to hear a member of the Conservative opposition admit that there have been years of underinvestment in the railways in Wales. It's good to have him on the record on that point, because it is quite certainly true. And a number of the difficulties that Transport for Wales has faced in running services north to south has been because of the impact on those services of the managed decline of the railways in Wales, which—[Interruption.] That is the view of Network Rail, not of Welsh Government; that is what they have said. In the next asset management period—the next five-year funding period—Wales has the second worst settlement in the whole of the United Kingdom, with funding going down in cash terms—not in real terms, in cash terms—while costs are going up. The effect is a managed decline of the railways in Wales, and experts in the field say that it will take between 10 and 15 years to recover from that setback. So, I certainly hope to see further investment by the UK Government in their responsibilities, the Network Rail responsibilities that they have so let people in Wales down over, over recent times.
And as for the £1 billion, Llywydd, we know from the UK Government Secretary of State for Transport that the list of projects that the Prime Minister read out was an illustrative list. Nobody should imagine for a moment that those were real projects, it was just an illustrative list of the sort of things that could happen somewhere in the future, and, quite certainly, I am confident, far beyond the lifetime of the current Conservative Government.
Wel, Llywydd, mae'n dda clywed aelod o'r wrthblaid Geidwadol yn cyfaddef y bu blynyddoedd o danfuddsoddiad yn y rheilffyrdd yng Nghymru. Mae'n dda ei gael ar y cofnod ar y pwynt hwnnw, oherwydd mae'n hollol sicr yn wir. A bu nifer o'r anawsterau y mae Trafnidiaeth Cymru wedi'u hwynebu wrth redeg gwasanaethau o'r gogledd i'r de oherwydd yr effaith ar y gwasanaethau hynny o ddirywiad wedi'i reoli o'r rheilffyrdd yng Nghymru, sydd—[Torri ar draws.] Dyna farn Network Rail, nid Llywodraeth Cymru; dyna maen nhw wedi ei ddweud. Yn y cyfnod rheoli asedau nesaf—y cyfnod ariannu pum mlynedd nesaf—Cymru sydd â'r ail setliad gwaethaf yn y Deyrnas Unedig gyfan, gyda chyllid yn gostwng mewn termau arian parod—nid mewn termau real, mewn termau arian parod—tra bod costau yn cynyddu. Yr effaith yw dirywiad wedi'i reoli o'r rheilffyrdd yng Nghymru, ac mae arbenigwyr yn y maes yn dweud y bydd hi'n cymryd rhwng 10 a 15 mlynedd i adfer yn sgil yr anffawd hwnnw. Felly, rwy'n sicr yn gobeithio gweld buddsoddiad pellach gan Lywodraeth y DU yn eu cyfrifoldebau, y cyfrifoldebau Network Rail y maen nhw wedi siomi pobl yng Nghymru yn eu cyswllt yn ystod y cyfnod diweddar.
Ac o ran yr £1 biliwn, Llywydd, rydym ni'n gwybod gan Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Llywodraeth y DU dros Drafnidiaeth bod y rhestr o brosiectau a ddarllenodd Prif Weinidog y DU yn rhestr enghreifftiol. Ni ddylai neb ddychmygu am eiliad bod y rheini yn brosiectau go iawn, y cwbl oedd honno oedd rhestr enghreifftiol o'r math o bethau a allai ddigwydd yn rhywle yn y dyfodol, ac, yn gwbl sicr, rwy'n hyderus, ymhell y tu hwnt i oes y Llywodraeth Geidwadol bresennol.
I welcome that new trains will be rolled out. They are urgently needed on the services Llyr Gruffydd mentioned. I'm also concerned regarding Network Rail's plans to cut jobs and massively reduce rail renewals, as the UK Government continues to slash public transport funding. It will severely impact on issues with track drainage, encroachment of lines by trees, as well as signalling. Stripping out staff levels reduces capability, resilience and safety. Do you agree, First Minister, that this will hinder building back a railway network fit for the twenty-first century?
Rwy'n croesawu'r ffaith y bydd trenau newydd yn cael eu cyflwyno. Mae eu hangen nhw ar frys ar y gwasanaethau y soniodd Llyr Gruffydd amdanyn nhw. Rwyf i hefyd yn pryderu am gynlluniau Network Rail i dorri swyddi a lleihau adnewyddiadau rheilffyrdd yn sylweddol, wrth i Lywodraeth y DU barhau i dorri cyllid trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn sylweddol. Bydd yn cael effaith ddifrifol ar faterion yn ymwneud â draenio traciau, coed yn tyfu dros reilffyrdd, yn ogystal â signalau. Mae dileu lefelau staff yn lleihau gallu, gwytnwch a diogelwch. A ydych chi'n cytuno, Prif Weinidog, y bydd hyn yn rhwystro ail-adeiladu rhwydwaith rheilffyrdd sy'n addas ar gyfer yr unfed ganrif ar hugain?
Well, of course I agree with the points that the Member makes, Llywydd. I've already set out this afternoon some of the impacts that there will be in Wales of the reduction in funding for Network Rail by the UK Government, reductions that are particularly focused on Wales. I, too, have seen reports of a plan to reduce the renewals team in Network Rail from 800 to 260, and that's despite the office of the rail regulator's call for increased spending in that area. Officials of the Welsh Government are trying to establish the facts behind those reports, but, if they were true, it would be just a further example of the way in which, while we try here in Wales to invest in rail services and, indeed, to provide more funding for Transport for Wales in-year, we do so against the background of rail services in Wales continuously being undermined by reductions in UK Government support.
Wel, wrth gwrs, rwy'n cytuno â'r pwyntiau y mae'r Aelod yn eu gwneud, Llywydd. Rwyf i eisoes wedi nodi y prynhawn yma rai o'r effeithiau a fydd yng Nghymru o Lywodraeth y DU yn gostwng y cyllid ar gyfer Network Rail, gostyngiadau sy'n canolbwyntio'n benodol ar Gymru. Rwyf innau hefyd wedi gweld adroddiadau o gynllun i leihau'r tîm adnewyddu yn Network Rail o 800 i 260, ac mae hynny er gwaethaf galwad swyddfa'r rheoleiddiwr rheilffyrdd am fwy o wariant yn y maes hwnnw. Mae swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru yn ceisio darganfod y ffeithiau sy'n sail i'r adroddiadau hynny, ond, pe baen nhw'n wir, dim ond enghraifft arall o'r ffordd, tra ein bod ni'n ceisio buddsoddi yma yng Nghymru mewn gwasanaethau rheilffyrdd ac, yn wir, i ddarparu mwy o gyllid ar gyfer Trafnidiaeth Cymru yn ystod y flwyddyn, yr ydym ni'n gwneud hynny yn erbyn cefndir gwasanaethau rheilffyrdd yng Nghymru yn cael eu tanseilio'n barhaus gan leihad i gefnogaeth Llywodraeth y DU.
Mae cwestiwn 2 [OQ60146] wedi cael ei dynnu nôl. Cwestiwn 3—Paul Davies.
Question 2 [OQ60146] has been withdrawn. Question 3—Paul Davies.
3. Beth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i wella lles anifeiliaid ym Mhreseli Sir Benfro? OQ60142
3. What is the Welsh Government doing to improve animal welfare in Preseli Pembrokeshire? OQ60142
I thank the Member for that question, Llywydd. The programme for government contains four specific animal welfare commitments. One of those, improving the qualifications and professional status of animal welfare inspectors, is a commitment that is already making a positive impact in Preseli Pembrokeshire.
Diolch i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn yna, Llywydd. Mae'r rhaglen lywodraethu yn cynnwys pedwar ymrwymiad lles anifeiliaid penodol. Mae un o'r rheini, sef gwella cymwysterau a statws proffesiynol arolygwyr lles anifeiliaid, yn ymrwymiad sydd eisoes yn cael effaith gadarnhaol ym Mhreseli Sir Benfro.
Thank you for that response, First Minister. I recently visited Ceibwr bay in my constituency, with residents from the village of Moylgrove, who are very concerned about the disruption of seals in the bay during pupping season. It's a highly sensitive time for the species, and yet, unlike Scotland and Northern Ireland, there is no legislation in Wales to protect seals from disturbance during this period. Now, I understand that the Welsh Government has competence in this area, and it's vital that the Welsh Government uses all the tools at its disposal to ensure that these animals are protected as much as possible. So, First Minister, can your Government therefore look at this matter and consider introducing legislation to protect seals from disturbance in the very near future?
Diolch am yr ateb yna, Prif Weinidog. Ymwelais yn ddiweddar â bae Ceibwr yn fy etholaeth i, gyda thrigolion pentref Trewyddel, sy'n bryderus iawn am darfu ar forloi yn y bae yn ystod y tymor bwrw lloi bach. Mae'n gyfnod hynod sensitif i'r rhywogaeth, ac eto, yn wahanol i'r Alban a Gogledd Iwerddon, nid oes unrhyw ddeddfwriaeth yng Nghymru i ddiogelu morloi rhag aflonyddwch yn ystod y cyfnod hwn. Nawr, rwy'n deall bod gan Lywodraeth Cymru gymhwysedd yn y maes hwn, ac mae'n hanfodol bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn defnyddio'r holl arfau sydd ar gael iddi i sicrhau bod yr anifeiliaid hyn yn cael eu diogelu cymaint â phosibl. Felly, Prif Weinidog, a all eich Llywodraeth edrych ar y mater hwn felly, ac ystyried cyflwyno deddfwriaeth i ddiogelu morloi rhag aflonyddwch yn y dyfodol agos iawn?
I thank Paul Davies for that. I've been to Moylgrove myself in the past, and there's no doubt that the sight of seals around the Pembrokeshire coast is one of the great glories of that part of Wales, and attracts many, many visitors who go there for that reason. However, making sure that seals are not disturbed during the pupping season is a genuine objective that is shared by the Welsh Government. I'm very happy to give a commitment that we will pursue the points the Member has made.
Diolch i Paul Davies am hynna. Rwyf i wedi bod i Drewyddel fy hun yn y gorffennol, a does dim dwywaith bod gweld morloi o amgylch arfordir sir Benfro yn un o ogoniannau mawr y rhan honno o Gymru, ac yn denu llawer iawn o ymwelwyr sy'n mynd yno am y rheswm hwnnw. Fodd bynnag, mae gwneud yn siŵr nad yw morloi yn cael eu haflonyddu yn ystod y tymor bwrw lloi bach yn amcan gwirioneddol sy'n cael ei rannu gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Rwy'n hapus iawn i roi ymrwymiad y byddwn ni'n mynd ar drywydd y pwyntiau y mae'r Aelod wedi eu gwneud.
First Minister, I first of all would like to welcome the ban on snares and glue traps, which, as of last week, became law in Wales. I'm sure the legislation will have a positive outcome for animal welfare.
The Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd mentioned two weeks ago that she was hosting a multi-agency summit on responsible dog ownership, and she said that she'd be discussing actions and enforcement regarding dangerous dogs. Again, that is about the welfare of those animals that are bred in such a way that it is a disadvantage to them as a breed, but also has huge impacts on people when that all goes wrong.
Prif Weinidog, hoffwn yn gyntaf oll groesawu'r gwaharddiad ar faglau a thrapiau glud, a ddaeth, o'r wythnos diwethaf, yn gyfraith yng Nghymru. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd y ddeddfwriaeth yn arwain at ganlyniad cadarnhaol i les anifeiliaid.
Soniodd y Gweinidog Materion Gwledig a Gogledd Cymru, a'r Trefnydd bythefnos yn ôl ei bod yn cynnal uwchgynhadledd amlasiantaeth ar berchnogaeth cŵn cyfrifol, a dywedodd y byddai'n trafod camau gweithredu a gorfodi ynghylch cŵn peryglus. Eto, mae hynny yn ymwneud â lles yr anifeiliaid hynny sy'n cael eu bridio yn y fath fodd fel ei fod yn anfantais iddyn nhw fel brîd, ond sydd hefyd yn cael effeithiau enfawr ar bobl pan fydd hynny i gyd yn mynd o'i le.
Well, Llywydd, I thank Joyce Watson for those points. I'm very proud of the fact that, on 17 October, Wales's historic ban on the use of snares and glue traps has come into force. It will help to end the indiscriminate suffering of animals, both those who were the intended objects of the snares and glue traps and those other animals who were routinely caught up in them. We know that there are inexpensive, easily acquired and effective alternatives to those ways of keeping pests under control, and now, in Wales, that will become the norm.
As to the dangerous dogs summit, it took place last week—very grateful to Members around the Chamber who took part in the summit and heard some of the powerful evidence that was brought forward there. The summit did discuss a number of very specific issues to do with the way in which current use of microchipping can be improved in the future and the need for wider buy-in from all local authorities to that inspection and licensing of dog breeding establishments. But, Llywydd, it also focused on the fact that the other side of the coin from a dangerous dog is an irresponsible owner, and responsible dog ownership is the key to making sure that dogs are properly looked after, properly trained, properly controlled. There are breeds, as Joyce Watson says, that are bred particularly for some of their characteristics that make them more difficult to control in that way, but responsible dog ownership was a theme of the summit, and it will be reflected in the written statement that my colleague Lesley Griffiths will put before Members as a result of the summit meeting.
Wel, Llywydd, diolch i Joyce Watson am y pwyntiau hynny. Rwy'n falch iawn o'r ffaith, ar 17 Hydref, bod gwaharddiad hanesyddol Cymru ar ddefnyddio maglau a thrapiau glud wedi dod i rym. Bydd yn helpu i roi terfyn ar ddioddefaint anwahaniaethol anifeiliaid, y rhai y bwriadwyd y maglau a'r trapiau glud ar eu cyfer a'r anifeiliaid eraill hynny a gafodd eu dal ynddyn nhw'n rheolaidd. Rydym ni'n gwybod bod dewisiadau rhad, hawdd cael gafael arnyn nhw ac effeithiol yn hytrach na'r ffyrdd hynny o gadw plâu dan reolaeth, a nawr, yng Nghymru, dyna fydd y norm.
O ran yr uwchgynhadledd cŵn peryglus, fe'i cynhaliwyd yr wythnos diwethaf—diolchgar iawn i Aelodau o amgylch y Siambr a gymerodd ran yn yr uwchgynhadledd ac a glywodd rywfaint o'r dystiolaeth rymus a gyflwynwyd yno. Trafododd yr uwchgynhadledd nifer o faterion penodol iawn yn ymwneud â'r ffordd y gellir gwella'r defnydd presennol o ficrosglodynnu yn y dyfodol a'r angen am ymrwymiad ehangach gan bob awdurdod lleol i'r broses honno o archwilio a thrwyddedu sefydliadau bridio cŵn. Ond, Llywydd, roedd hefyd yn canolbwyntio ar y ffaith mai ochr arall y geiniog i gi peryglus yw perchennog anghyfrifol, a pherchnogaeth cŵn cyfrifol yw'r agwedd allweddol i wneud yn siŵr bod cŵn yn derbyn gofal priodol, wedi'u hyfforddi'n briodol, yn cael eu rheoli'n briodol. Ceir bridiau, fel y mae Joyce Watson yn ei ddweud, sy'n cael eu bridio'n benodol ar gyfer rhai o'u nodweddion sy'n eu gwneud nhw'n anoddach eu rheoli yn y ffordd honno, ond roedd perchnogaeth cŵn cyfrifol yn un o themâu'r uwchgynhadledd, a bydd yn cael ei adlewyrchu yn y datganiad ysgrifenedig y bydd fy nghyd-Weinidog Lesley Griffiths yn gyflwyno gerbron yr Aelodau o ganlyniad i gyfarfod yr uwchgynhadledd.
Cwestiynau nawr gan arweinwyr y pleidiau. Arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Questions now from the party leaders. The leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Thank you, Presiding Officer. First Minister, on the weekend, the pressures that the ambulance service is facing here in Wales were amplified by three major events, and, in fact, the ambulance service called for an 'extraordinary incident' situation to be declared. In Morriston, in Swansea, 16 ambulances were parked outside the A&E department, and there was a wait of 28 hours. Just outside Llangollen, an elderly gentleman fell over and a neighbour had to perform paramedic duties on that elderly gentleman, and, in the end, the wife of the gentleman had to transfer him to hospital after a four-hour wait. And regrettably, in Caerphilly, a lady waited 22 hours and, sadly and tragically, died in the back of an ambulance. We are at the start of the winter season. What confidence can you give us that the measures of the Welsh Government, in conjunction with the Welsh ambulance service, will make a real difference to ambulance response times here in Wales, and ultimately get the flow through the hospital system so that there isn't that situation that we saw across Wales occurring week in, week out through the winter months?
Diolch, Llywydd. Prif Weinidog, dros y penwythnos, cafodd y pwysau y mae'r gwasanaeth ambiwlans yn eu hwynebu yma yng Nghymru eu chwyddo gan dri digwyddiad mawr, ac, mewn gwirionedd, galwodd y gwasanaeth ambiwlans i sefyllfa 'digwyddiad anghyffredin' gael ei datgan. Yn Nhreforys, yn Abertawe, roedd 16 o ambiwlansys wedi eu parcio y tu allan i'r adran damweiniau ac achosion brys, ac roedd arhosiad o 28 awr. Ar gyrion Llangollen, syrthiodd gŵr oedrannus a bu'n rhaid i gymydog gyflawni dyletswyddau parafeddyg ar y gŵr oedrannus hwnnw, ac, yn y diwedd, bu'n rhaid i wraig y gŵr ei drosglwyddo i'r ysbyty wedi aros pedair awr. Ac yn anffodus, yng Nghaerffili, arhosodd dynes am 22 awr ac, yn anffodus ac yn drasig, bu farw yng nghefn ambiwlans. Rydym ni ar ddechrau tymor y gaeaf. Pa hyder allwch chi ei roi i ni y bydd mesurau Llywodraeth Cymru, ar y cyd â gwasanaeth ambiwlans Cymru, yn gwneud gwahaniaeth gwirioneddol i amseroedd ymateb ambiwlansys yma yng Nghymru, ac yn y pen draw yn cael y llif drwy'r system ysbytai fel nad yw'r sefyllfa honno a welsom ni ledled Cymru yn digwydd wythnos ar ôl wythnos trwy fisoedd y gaeaf?
Well, let me respond, first of all, to the final point that the leader of the opposition made, because that is at the root of the difficulties that were experienced by the Welsh ambulance trust at the weekend. There were plenty of ambulances on the road this weekend. Staffing levels were good across Wales. In fact, staffing levels in the Swansea bay area were at 102 per cent, as people came in to help out with the difficulties that were being experienced. The problem at Morriston particularly lay in the flow through into the hospital so that people could be handed over from ambulances in good time. Welsh Government officials are discussing with the local board as to how that had become the circumstances and what more can be done to improve them. The Minister will visit Morriston this week, again, to discuss with the board directly how it is tackling the urgent and emergency care challenges that it faces.
When the ambulance trust declares an 'extraordinary incident', it allows them to draw in mutual aid from other parts of the service. That did happen on Sunday and, by Monday, the extraordinary incident was no longer being declared. I wish I could say to the Member that there will be no further extraordinary incidents over this winter, but I'm afraid that would be an over-optimistic statement. There were extraordinary incidents last winter in Wales, in England, in Scotland, and with the pressures that the service is under, despite the enormous efforts that staff make, we have to be realistic and say that when the huge pressures come on, declaring an extraordinary incident in order to mobilise extra help will be one of the techniques that those responsible for managing the service will have to have at their disposal.
Wel, gadewch i mi ymateb, yn gyntaf oll, i'r pwynt olaf a wnaeth arweinydd yr wrthblaid, oherwydd dyna sydd wrth wraidd yr anawsterau a gafwyd gan ymddiriedolaeth ambiwlans Cymru dros y penwythnos. Roedd digonedd o ambiwlansys ar y ffyrdd y penwythnos hwn. Roedd lefelau staffio yn dda ledled Cymru. Yn wir, roedd lefelau staffio yn ardal bae Abertawe ar 102 y cant, wrth i bobl ddod i mewn i helpu gyda'r anawsterau a oedd yn bodoli. Roedd y broblem yn Nhreforys yn benodol gyda'r llif drwodd i'r ysbyty fel y gallai pobl gael eu trosglwyddo o ambiwlansys mewn da bryd. Mae swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru yn trafod gyda'r bwrdd lleol sut y datblygodd yr amgylchiadau hynny a beth arall y gellir ei wneud i'w gwella. Bydd y Gweinidog yn ymweld â Threforys yr wythnos hon, eto, i drafod gyda'r bwrdd yn uniongyrchol sut mae'n mynd i'r afael â'r heriau gofal brys ac argyfwng y mae'n eu hwynebu.
Pan fydd yr ymddiriedolaeth ambiwlans yn datgan 'digwyddiad anghyffredin', mae'n caniatáu iddyn nhw dynnu cymorth ar y cyd i mewn o rannau eraill o'r gwasanaeth. Digwyddodd hynny ddydd Sul ac, erbyn dydd Llun, nid oedd y digwyddiad anghyffredin yn cael ei ddatgan mwyach. Hoffwn pe gallwn ddweud wrth yr Aelod na fydd digwyddiadau anghyffredin pellach dros y gaeaf hwn, ond rwy'n ofni y byddai hwnnw'n ddatganiad gor-optimistaidd. Cafwyd digwyddiadau anghyffredin y gaeaf diwethaf yng Nghymru, yn Lloegr, yn yr Alban, a chyda'r pwysau sydd ar y gwasanaeth, er gwaethaf yr ymdrechion enfawr y mae staff yn eu gwneud, mae'n rhaid i ni fod yn realistig a dweud, pan ddaw'r pwysau enfawr, y bydd datgan digwyddiad anghyffredin er mwyn ysgogi cymorth ychwanegol yn un o'r technegau y bydd yn rhaid i'r rhai sy'n gyfrifol am reoli'r gwasanaeth eu defnyddio.
I'm glad that you've identified the problem. I think we all understand what the problem is through the descriptions that have been given by various senior managers in the Welsh ambulance service. One of the most graphic examples was in the last month recorded—September—when 19,000 hours of operational time with ambulances were lost because ambulances were stuck in hospitals. The response time in September was even lower than it was 12 months ago for red calls, and that in itself was the second lowest on record 12 months ago.
What I'm trying to extract from you, First Minister, today, to give confidence to those who work in the service and do a fantastic job day in, day out, and patients and families who rely on the service, is what extra capacity, what resources on the lessons learned from last winter have been deployed for this winter. I fully accept we will, sadly, see weekends like we've seen this weekend occur again; sadly, that's an inevitability. But those weekends are rare and infrequent. What extra capacity is the Welsh Government—that hopefully your response to me is going to highlight—going to deploy will make sure that they stay a rare and extraordinary incident, rather than a regular incident?
Rwy'n falch eich bod chi wedi darganfod y broblem. Rwy'n credu ein bod ni i gyd yn deall beth yw'r broblem drwy'r disgrifiadau a roddwyd gan wahanol uwch reolwyr yng ngwasanaeth ambiwlans Cymru. Roedd un o'r enghreifftiau mwyaf byw yn y mis diwethaf a gofnodwyd—mis Medi—pan gollwyd 19,000 awr o amser gweithredol gydag ambiwlansys gan fod ambiwlansys yn methu â gadael ysbytai. Roedd yr amser ymateb ym mis Medi hyd yn oed yn is nag yr oedd 12 mis yn ôl ar gyfer galwadau coch, a hwnnw ei hun oedd yr ail isaf ar gofnod 12 mis yn ôl.
Yr hyn yr wyf i'n ceisio ei ddenu gennych chi, Prif Weinidog, heddiw, i roi hyder i'r rhai sy'n gweithio yn y gwasanaeth ac sy'n gwneud gwaith ardderchog ddydd ar ôl dydd, a chleifion a theuluoedd sy'n dibynnu ar y gwasanaeth, yw pa gapasiti ychwanegol, pa adnoddau ar y gwersi a ddysgwyd o'r gaeaf diwethaf sydd wedi cael eu rhoi ar waith ar gyfer y gaeaf hwn. Rwy'n derbyn yn llwyr y byddwn ni, yn anffodus, yn gweld penwythnosau fel rydym ni wedi ei weld y penwythnos hwn yn digwydd eto; yn anffodus, mae hynny'n anochel. Ond mae'r penwythnosau hynny yn brin ac yn anaml. Pa gapasiti ychwanegol y mae Llywodraeth Cymru—y bydd eich ymateb i mi yn ei amlygu gobeithio—yn mynd i'w roi ar waith i wneud yn siŵr eu bod nhw'n parhau i fod yn ddigwyddiad prin ac anghyffredin, yn hytrach na digwyddiad rheolaidd?
The Welsh Government announced an additional £425 million for the health service in-year only last week. There are lessons from previous winters, which the service is always trying to absorb and to put into practice, and planning begins for the winter far, far earlier in the year than now. That involves staffing numbers—there are more people working for the Welsh ambulance service than ever before—and it involves extra capacity in the health service but also out in the community. It's very important to emphasise the fact that much of what can be done to help flow through the system is to discharge people out of the hospital back to their home or back to other places in the community when they are physically fit to do so.
Amongst the figures that were published last week, you will see that the number of people waiting for care in the community went down. That is a good sign of some resilience in our social services departments. The number of people who were seen within the four-hour target inside emergency departments went up in the last month. So, again, there are some signs of resilience in the emergency departments in Wales as well. None of that is to take away from the sustained pressures that the system is facing and will undoubtedly face during this winter.
Cyhoeddodd Llywodraeth Cymru £425 miliwn yn ychwanegol ar gyfer y gwasanaeth iechyd yn ystod y flwyddyn dim ond yr wythnos ddiwethaf. Ceir gwersi o aeafau blaenorol, y mae'r gwasanaeth bob amser yn ceisio eu hamgyffred a'u rhoi ar waith, ac mae cynllunio yn dechrau ar gyfer y gaeaf yn llawer iawn cynharach yn y flwyddyn na nawr. Mae hynny'n cynnwys niferoedd staffio—mae mwy o bobl yn gweithio i wasanaeth ambiwlans Cymru nag erioed o'r blaen—ac mae'n cynnwys capasiti ychwanegol yn y gwasanaeth iechyd ond hefyd allan yn y gymuned. Mae'n bwysig iawn pwysleisio'r ffaith mai llawer o'r hyn y gellir ei wneud i helpu llif drwy'r system yw rhyddhau pobl o'r ysbyty yn ôl i'w cartref neu yn ôl i fannau eraill yn y gymuned pan fyddan nhw'n gallu gwneud hynny yn gorfforol.
Ymhlith y ffigurau a gyhoeddwyd yr wythnos diwethaf, byddwch yn gweld bod nifer y bobl sy'n aros am ofal yn y gymuned wedi gostwng. Mae hwnnw'n arwydd da o rywfaint o wytnwch yn ein hadrannau gwasanaethau cymdeithasol. Fe wnaeth nifer y bobl a welwyd o fewn y targed o bedair awr y tu mewn i adrannau brys gynyddu yn ystod y mis diwethaf. Felly, eto, ceir rhai arwyddion o wytnwch yn yr adrannau brys yng Nghymru hefyd. Nid yw dim o hynny yn tynnu oddi wrth y pwysau parhaus y mae'r system yn eu hwynebu ac y bydd yn ddiamheuaeth yn eu hwynebu yn ystod y gaeaf hwn.
What troubles me about asking these questions today, First Minister, is that it was this time last year that you accused me of having the temerity to come to this Chamber and raise similar incidents relating to the ambulance service, of a gentleman in Merthyr who had stayed on the kitchen floor in his own house because, sadly, the ambulance couldn't come and convey him to the hospital, and also because of the incident I highlighted at Cefn Cribwr, when a rugby player was left on the pitch in torrential rain and going rapidly downhill with hypothermia. Sadly, this is a recurring theme, and we are seeing it time and time again.
I regrettably haven't heard any answers today from you about measures that you will be putting in place to alleviate this pressure going into the busy winter months. Can you confirm today that we have got the solutions, or that the Welsh Government have the solutions in place, and can ultimately support the ambulance service in their hour of need? Because we know Government can act when it needs to: we've seen that with the blanket 20 mph speed limit that's been put across Wales; we've seen it with the proposals to create 36 more politicians. So, Government, when it faces issues it wants to solve, can solve those issues, but when it comes to the ambulance service, regrettably, there are recurring problems happening. Give us the confidence that when our constituents come to us we can give them the assurances that when they dial for an ambulance, that ambulance will come and help them in their hour of need.
Yr hyn sy'n fy mhoeni i am ofyn y cwestiynau hyn heddiw, Prif Weinidog, yw mai'r adeg hon y llynedd y gwnaethoch chi fy nghyhuddo i o fod mor hyf â dod i'r Siambr hon a chodi digwyddiadau tebyg yn ymwneud â'r gwasanaeth ambiwlans, am ŵr ym Merthyr a oedd wedi aros ar lawr y gegin yn ei dŷ ei hun oherwydd, yn anffodus, ni allai'r ambiwlans ddod i'w gludo i'r ysbyty, a hefyd oherwydd y digwyddiad y tynnais sylw ato yng Nghefn Cribwr, pan adawyd chwaraewr rygbi ar y cae mewn glaw trwm ac yn gwaethygu'n gyflym gyda hypothermia. Yn anffodus, mae hon yn thema ailadroddus, ac rydym ni'n ei gweld dro ar ôl tro.
Yn anffodus, nid wyf i wedi clywed unrhyw atebion heddiw gennych chi am fesurau y byddwch chi'n eu rhoi ar waith i leddfu'r pwysau hyn yn ystod misoedd prysur y gaeaf. A allwch chi gadarnhau heddiw bod yr atebion gennym ni, neu fod gan Lywodraeth Cymru yr atebion ar waith, ac y gallwn ni gefnogi'r gwasanaeth ambiwlans yn y pen draw pan fo'r angen fwyaf? Oherwydd rydym ni'n gwybod y gall Llywodraeth weithredu pan fo angen iddi: rydym ni wedi gweld hynny gyda'r terfyn cyflymder 20 mya cyffredinol a gyflwynwyd ledled Cymru; rydym ni wedi ei weld gyda'r cynigion i greu 36 yn fwy o wleidyddion. Felly, gall y Llywodraeth, pan fydd yn wynebu problemau y mae eisiau eu datrys, ddatrys y problemau hynny, ond pan ddaw i'r gwasanaeth ambiwlans, yn anffodus, mae problemau ailadroddus yn digwydd. Rhowch yr hyder i ni, pan fydd ein hetholwyr yn dod atom y gallwn ni roi'r sicrwydd iddyn nhw, pan fyddan nhw'n deialu am ambiwlans, y bydd yr ambiwlans hwnnw yn dod i'w helpu pan fo'r angen fwyaf.
Here is what the Member can tell those people: he can tell them that there are more people working in the Welsh ambulance service than ever before in the history of devolution. He can tell them that those people who work in the ambulance service are trained to extend their scope, so they can do more and they can do more to help people to stay in their homes rather than being transported to a hospital. He can tell them that there is more funding for the health service in Wales as a result of the very difficult decisions that the Cabinet made. He can tell them that there are new services provided by third sector organisations, again to help people to stay at home or to be released from emergency departments back home as soon as possible. And he can tell them that those people who work every day to sustain our service are always determined to learn the lessons of previous experience and will be applying them in Wales again this year.
Dyma'r hyn y gall yr Aelod ei ddweud wrth y bobl hynny: gall ddweud wrthyn nhw fod mwy o bobl yn gweithio yng ngwasanaeth ambiwlans Cymru nag erioed o'r blaen yn hanes datganoli. Gall ddweud wrthyn nhw fod y bobl hynny sy'n gweithio yn y gwasanaeth ambiwlans yn cael eu hyfforddi i ymestyn eu cwmpas, fel y gallan nhw wneud mwy ac y gallan nhw wneud mwy i helpu pobl i aros yn eu cartrefi yn hytrach na chael eu cludo i ysbyty. Gall ddweud wrthyn nhw fod mwy o arian ar gael i'r gwasanaeth iechyd yng Nghymru o ganlyniad i'r penderfyniadau anodd iawn a wnaed gan y Cabinet. Gall ddweud wrthyn nhw fod gwasanaethau newydd yn cael eu darparu gan sefydliadau trydydd sector, eto i helpu pobl i aros gartref neu i gael eu rhyddhau o adrannau brys yn ôl adref cyn gynted â phosibl. A gall ddweud wrthyn nhw fod y bobl hynny sy'n gweithio bob dydd i gynnal ein gwasanaeth bob amser yn benderfynol o ddysgu gwersi profiad blaenorol ac y byddan nhw'n eu rhoi ar waith yng Nghymru eto eleni.
Arweinydd Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Leader of Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Diolch, Llywydd. Mewn cyfweliad efo Wales Today ar y BBC yr wythnos diwethaf, mi ddywedodd y Gweinidog iechyd y byddai hi'n amlinellu y diwrnod wedyn y toriadau y byddai disgwyl i fyrddau iechyd eu gwneud. Yn absenoldeb unrhyw ddatganiad, llafar neu weinidogol, all y Prif Weinidog roi diweddariad i ni ar y manylion?
Thank you, Llywydd. In an interview with Wales Today on the BBC last week, the Minister for health stated that she would outline the following day the cuts that health boards would be expected to make. In the absence of any statement, be that oral or ministerial, can the First Minister give us an update on the details?
Y diweddariad, Llywydd, yw bod y Gweinidog yn dal i drafod pethau gyda'r byrddau iechyd. Cyfrifoldeb y byrddau iechyd yw hi i ddod ymlaen gyda'r cynlluniau, a bydd yn rhaid iddyn nhw ddod lan gyda'r cynlluniau, fel maen nhw'n ei wneud bob blwyddyn. Ar ôl y trafodaethau, pan ydym ni'n glir am y camau bydd y byrddau iechyd yn mynd i'w gwneud, wrth gwrs bydd y Gweinidog yn dod i lawr y Senedd i esbonio a rhoi mwy o fanylion.
The update, Llywydd, is that the Minister's still discussing these issues with the health boards. It's the responsibility of the health boards to come forward with the plans, and they will have to come up with those plans, as they do every year. After the discussions, when we're clear about the steps that the health boards will be taking, of course the Minister will come before the Senedd to explain and to provide additional information.
We need to be told what those expectations are so that we can hold Government to account on its plans, of course.
Last week, the First Minister invited me and Plaid Cymru to come forward with our ideas on how to deal with systemic problems in the NHS. He knows that we have; our recent five-point plan referred specifically to workforce planning, for example, and we've been calling for years for action specifically on bringing down the agency staff bill. The Minister did refer in that interview to spending less on agency staff in order to make savings, and that's good. It's something that the Welsh Government has totally failed to get to grips with in recent years. With nearly 7,000 vacancies in the Welsh NHS, and an agency bill last year hitting a record of £325 million, I'd say that building a sustainable, directly employed workforce has to be a priority.
But a statement in a tv interview referring to agency staffing isn't enough. We need details. And in the absence of detail, people can't be blamed for thinking that statements like that are plucked from thin air. But crucially, does the First Minister agree with me that spending plans not implemented properly or not thought through properly are bound to impact on front-line services? As the head of the British Medical Association in Wales said, efficiency savings on top of efficiency savings have led to an NHS that is inefficient in its delivery of services.
Mae angen i ni gael gwybod beth yw'r disgwyliadau hynny fel y gallwn ni ddwyn y Llywodraeth i gyfrif ar ei chynlluniau, wrth gwrs.
Yr wythnos diwethaf, gwahoddodd y Prif Weinidog fi a Phlaid Cymru i gyflwyno ein syniadau ar sut i ymdrin â phroblemau systemig yn y GIG. Mae'n gwybod ein bod ni wedi; roedd ein cynllun pum pwynt diweddar yn cyfeirio'n benodol at gynllunio'r gweithlu, er enghraifft, ac rydym ni wedi bod yn galw ers blynyddoedd am gamau penodol ar leihau'r bil staff asiantaeth. Fe wnaeth y Gweinidog gyfeirio yn y cyfweliad hwnnw at wario llai ar staff asiantaeth er mwyn gwneud arbedion, ac mae hynny'n dda. Mae'n rhywbeth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi methu'n llwyr â mynd i'r afael ag ef yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf. Gyda bron i 7,000 o swyddi gwag yn y GIG yng Nghymru, a bil asiantaeth y llynedd yn cyrraedd swm uchaf erioed o £325 miliwn, byddwn i'n dweud bod yn rhaid i adeiladu gweithlu cynaliadwy a gyflogir yn uniongyrchol fod yn flaenoriaeth.
Ond nid yw datganiad mewn cyfweliad teledu yn cyfeirio at staffio asiantaeth ddim yn ddigon. Mae angen manylion arnom ni. Ac yn absenoldeb manylion, ni ellir beio pobl am feddwl bod datganiadau fel hynny yn cael eu tynnu o'r gwynt. Ond yn hollbwysig, a yw'r Prif Weinidog yn cytuno â mi bod cynlluniau gwariant nad ydyn nhw'n cael eu gweithredu yn iawn neu nad ydyn nhw wedi eu hystyried yn briodol yn sicr o effeithio ar wasanaethau rheng flaen? Fel y dywedodd pennaeth Cymdeithas Feddygol Prydain yng Nghymru, mae arbedion effeithlonrwydd ar ben arbedion effeithlonrwydd wedi arwain at GIG sy'n aneffeithlon yn ei ddarpariaeth o wasanaethau.
I did indeed ask the leader of Plaid Cymru last week for the new ideas that he was calling for. I hadn't realised that he was referring to the five-point plan that he'd published quite some time before. Frankly, if that's the full extent of the new ideas to which he referred, then the cupboard is pretty bare.
As to agency staffing, this was part of the negotiations that were carried out very carefully earlier this year with our nursing colleagues and the trade unions particularly, and there are specific plans in place to make sure that we can reduce the reliance of the health service in Wales on agency staffing. By the way, agency staffing is a very important part of the way in which the health service provides services. I don't want to fall into language that talks about agency staff as though they were some regrettable necessity. They are a very important part of the way in which the service is able to provide for people who rely on it. But we want to redress the balance between reliance on agency staff and reliance on bank staff—banks run by the health service, where the instruction of Ministers has always been to health boards that they are to be as flexible as they can be, to make sure that the working lives of people are matched by the working requirements of the health service, and that artificial barriers of people willing to work in that more flexible way should be dismantled rather than erected.
Yn wir, fe wnes i ofyn i arweinydd Plaid Cymru yr wythnos diwethaf am y syniadau newydd yr oedd yn galw amdanyn nhw. Doeddwn i ddim wedi sylweddoli ei fod yn cyfeirio at y cynllun pum pwynt yr oedd wedi ei gyhoeddi gryn amser ynghynt. A bod yn blaen, os mai dyna raddau llawn y syniadau newydd y cyfeiriodd atyn nhw, yna mae'r cwpwrdd braidd yn wag.
O ran staffio asiantaethau, roedd hyn yn rhan o'r trafodaethau a gynhaliwyd yn ofalus iawn yn gynharach eleni gyda'n cydweithwyr nyrsio a'r undebau llafur yn arbennig, ac mae cynlluniau penodol ar waith i wneud yn siŵr y gallwn ni leihau dibyniaeth y gwasanaeth iechyd yng Nghymru ar staffio asiantaeth. Gyda llaw, mae staffio asiantaeth yn rhan bwysig iawn o'r ffordd y mae'r gwasanaeth iechyd yn darparu gwasanaethau. Nid wyf i eisiau syrthio i mewn i iaith sy'n sôn am staff asiantaeth fel pe baen nhw'n rhyw anghenraid anffodus. Maen nhw'n rhan bwysig iawn o'r ffordd y mae'r gwasanaeth yn gallu darparu ar gyfer pobl sy'n dibynnu arno. Ond rydym ni eisiau unioni'r cydbwysedd rhwng dibyniaeth ar staff asiantaeth a dibyniaeth ar staff banc—banciau sy'n cael eu rhedeg gan y gwasanaeth iechyd, lle mae cyfarwyddyd Gweinidogion i fyrddau iechyd erioed y dylen nhw fod mor hyblyg ag y gallan nhw fod, i wneud yn siŵr bod bywydau gwaith pobl yn cael eu cyfateb gan ofynion gwaith y gwasanaeth iechyd, ac y dylid datgymalu rhwystrau artiffisial pobl sy'n barod i weithio yn y ffordd fwy hyblyg honno yn hytrach na'u codi.
I think the First Minister is making a rather poor excuse for the failure of the Welsh Government to get to grips with the scale of agency staff use within the NHS, because it’s the scale that we referred to. He blames us for coming back time and time again demanding that the Welsh Government takes action on some fundamental issues that need dealing with. If the Welsh Government got to grips with these issues, I wouldn’t need to be coming back here, as health spokesman and now as leader, asking for action. It’s been frustrating calling for action on things that, had they been done earlier, could have made a real difference.
The need to get staffing right is a long-term issue. Another long-term problem is the unsustainability of the care sector. If the spend on agency staff is an example of private companies stepping in to make profit because of Labour mismanagement, isn’t that exactly what’s driven the decision now by the Labour Rhondda Cynon Taf council—to the anger of unions and local residents—to outsource all its long-term homecare?
Rwy'n credu bod y Prif Weinidog yn gwneud esgus eithaf gwael dros fethiant Llywodraeth Cymru i fynd i'r afael â maint y defnydd o staff asiantaeth yn y GIG, oherwydd y raddfa y gwnaethom ni gyfeirio ati. Mae'n ein beio ni am ddod yn ôl dro ar ôl tro yn mynnu bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithredu ar rai materion sylfaenol y mae angen ymdrin â nhw. Pe bai Llywodraeth Cymru yn mynd i'r afael â'r materion hyn, ni fyddai angen i mi fod yn dod yn ôl yma, fel llefarydd iechyd a bellach fel arweinydd, yn gofyn am weithredu. Mae wedi bod yn rhwystredig galw am weithredu ar bethau a allai, pe baen nhw wedi cael eu gwneud yn gynharach, fod wedi gwneud gwahaniaeth gwirioneddol.
Mae'r angen i gael staffio yn iawn yn fater hirdymor. Problem hirdymor arall yw anghynaliadwyedd y sector gofal. Os yw'r gwariant ar staff asiantaeth yn enghraifft o gwmnïau preifat yn camu i mewn i wneud elw oherwydd camreolaeth y blaid Lafur, onid dyna'n union sydd wedi ysgogi'r penderfyniad nawr gan gyngor Llafur Rhondda Cynon Taf—er dicter undebau a thrigolion lleol—i roi ei holl ofal cartref hirdymor ar gontractau allanol?
If solutions were as easy as speeches, we’d all be a lot better off. Indeed, the leader of Plaid Cymru is correct: he spends his time calling for things for other people to do. One day maybe he’ll be in a position to do some of those things himself.
As far as RCT is concerned, I’m happy to refer him to what the council itself has said. The council is not privatising all homecare services in Rhondda Cynon Taf; 90 per cent of long-term care in the council is already provided by the independent sector, and these proposals will transfer the remaining 10 per cent to the independent sector to ensure a more efficient service delivery to residents. The remaining services will remain directly provided by the local authority. I’ve no doubt that the local authority will continue to be in discussions with its trade unions and with others who are interested in the care sector to make sure that, at a time when all public service budgets are under enormous pressure, they are able to go on making decisions that focus on the care of those individuals who rely on the service, and ensure that they are at the forefront of the way in which those decisions are made.
Pe bai atebion mor hawdd ag areithiau byddem ni i gyd yn llawer gwell ein byd. Yn wir, mae arweinydd Plaid Cymru yn gywir: mae'n treulio ei amser yn galw am bethau i bobl eraill eu gwneud. Un diwrnod, efallai y bydd ef mewn sefyllfa i wneud rhai o'r pethau hynny ei hun.
Cyn belled ag y mae RhCT yn y cwestiwn, rwy'n hapus i'w gyfeirio at yr hyn y mae'r cyngor ei hun wedi ei ddweud. Nid yw'r cyngor yn preifateiddio pob gwasanaeth gofal cartref yn Rhondda Cynon Taf; mae 90 y cant o'r gofal hirdymor yn y cyngor eisoes yn cael ei ddarparu gan y sector annibynnol, a bydd y cynigion hyn yn trosglwyddo'r 10 y cant sy'n weddill i'r sector annibynnol i sicrhau darpariaeth gwasanaethau mwy effeithlon i breswylwyr. Bydd y gwasanaethau sy'n weddill yn parhau i gael eu darparu yn uniongyrchol gan yr awdurdod lleol. Nid oes gen i unrhyw amheuaeth y bydd yr awdurdod lleol yn parhau i fod mewn trafodaethau gyda'i undebau llafur a chydag eraill sydd â diddordeb yn y sector gofal i wneud yn siŵr eu bod nhw, ar adeg pan fo holl gyllidebau gwasanaethau cyhoeddus o dan bwysau aruthrol, yn gallu parhau i wneud penderfyniadau sy'n canolbwyntio ar ofal yr unigolion hynny sy'n dibynnu ar y gwasanaeth, a sicrhau eu bod nhw ar flaen y gad o ran y ffordd y caiff y penderfyniadau hynny eu gwneud.
4. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn sicrhau bod pobl yng Ngorllewin De Cymru yn cael eu gwasanaethu gan drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus ? OQ60170
4. How does the Welsh Government ensure that people in South Wales West are provided with public transport? OQ60170
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn dal i ddarparu'r lefelau uchaf erioed o gymhorthdal cyhoeddus i gefnogi trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus. Y ffordd orau i wneud yn siŵr bod gwasanaethau fel hyn yn parhau i gael eu darparu yw eu defnyddio.
The Welsh Government continues to provide high levels of public subsidy to support public transport. The best way to ensure continued provision of such services is to use them.
Diolch, Brif Weinidog. I welcome investment into public transport. However, it’s disappointing to see that no additional investment to protect bus routes was included in the finance Minister’s recent statement, despite three quarters of public transport journeys taking place by bus rather than train. Brif Weinidog, I have heard of people in my region being forced to leave their jobs because of bus cuts. From next week, for example, anyone living between Ystradgynlais and Pontardawe will not be able to get a bus that gets to Swansea by 9 a.m.. When I’ve asked about this many times over the last months, I’ve been told no additional money was available to help protect vital routes and services. It seems, however, that now it’s a different story for trains. Aaron Hill, director of Confederation of Passenger Transport Cymru, said that there was a real inequity in the levels of funding, with disproportionate levels going into rail compared to bus. I welcome the ambitions of the Government to reregulate bus services, but those ambitions are years off being fully realised. Can I therefore ask, Brif Weinidog, in light of additional money being found for rail services, and up to a quarter of bus services at risk of soon being lost, do you agree that there's inequity in the levels of funding between bus and rail, and what's your response to my constituents who feel the Government is not supporting their transport needs?
Diolch, Brif Weinidog. Rwy'n croesawu buddsoddiad mewn trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus. Fodd bynnag, mae'n siomedig gweld na chafodd unrhyw fuddsoddiad ychwanegol i ddiogelu llwybrau bysiau ei gynnwys yn natganiad diweddar y Gweinidog cyllid, er gwaethaf y ffaith fod tri chwarter y teithiau trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn cael eu gwneud ar fysiau yn hytrach na threnau. Brif Weinidog, rwyf i wedi clywed am bobl yn fy rhanbarth i yn cael eu gorfodi i adael eu swyddi oherwydd toriadau i fysiau. O'r wythnos nesaf, er enghraifft, ni fydd unrhyw un sy'n byw rhwng Ystradgynlais a Phontardawe yn gallu dal bws sy'n cyrraedd Abertawe erbyn 9 y bore. Pan wyf i wedi gofyn am hyn lawer gwaith dros y misoedd diwethaf, cefais fy hysbysu nad oedd unrhyw arian ychwanegol ar gael i helpu i ddiogelu llwybrau a gwasanaethau hollbwysig. Mae'n ymddangos, fodd bynnag, ei bod hi'n wahanol stori ar gyfer trenau erbyn hyn. Dywedodd Aaron Hill, cyfarwyddwr Cydffederasiwn Cludiant Teithwyr Cymru, fod anghydraddoldeb gwirioneddol yn y lefelau cyllid, gyda lefelau anghymesur yn mynd i'r rheilffyrdd o'u cymharu â bysiau. Rwy'n croesawu uchelgeisiau'r Llywodraeth i ail-reoleiddio gwasanaethau bysiau, ond mae'r uchelgeisiau hynny flynyddoedd i ffwrdd o gael eu gwireddu yn llawn. A gaf i ofyn, Brif Weinidog, felly, yng ngoleuni arian ychwanegol yn cael ei ganfod ar gyfer gwasanaethau rheilffyrdd, a hyd at chwarter gwasanaethau bysiau mewn perygl o gael eu colli yn fuan, a ydych chi'n cytuno bod anghydraddoldeb yn y lefelau cyllid rhwng bysiau a rheilffyrdd, a beth yw eich ymateb i'm hetholwyr sy'n teimlo nad yw'r Llywodraeth yn cefnogi eu hanghenion trafnidiaeth?
Well, Llywydd, I remember very well that during the passage of the budget for this year, Plaid Cymru identified three priorities that they wished to see reflected in that budget. One of those was additional investment in bus services, and £46 million was identified at that stage, in order to bridge between the support that bus services have now and the support that will be needed once the bus Bill is before you and we are able to amend the basis on which bus services are provided in Wales today. So, that £46 million had already been announced. There is still a challenge in the bus industry, of course there is, and the challenge is patronage—the point I made in my original answer. The reason that both rail and bus services face the challenges they have today is that passenger numbers have not recovered to where they were before the pandemic, and therefore the fare box in buses particularly is not where it was then. Trains have recovered to where they were before the pandemic hit us, but they have lost out on the growth that would have happened in the years in-between. So, when you're talking about the projections for rail services, the fare box is not back to where it would have been anticipated had the pandemic not had that impact.
So, there is additional money for buses, and there is additional money for trains, and, actually, I don't think it is a sensible approach to pit the one against the other. Had we cut rail services, I have no doubt the Member would be telling us today of constituents who could not get to work because rail services weren't running. We found money for buses and we found money for trains, and at a time when there is money for precious little, I think that is a real illustration of the priority that we have attached to public services and public transport services in particular.
Wel, Llywydd, rwy'n cofio'n dda iawn bod Plaid Cymru, yn ystod hynt y gyllideb eleni, wedi nodi tair blaenoriaeth yr oedden nhw eisiau eu gweld yn cael eu hadlewyrchu yn y gyllideb honno. Un o'r rheini oedd buddsoddiad ychwanegol mewn gwasanaethau bysiau, a nodwyd £46 miliwn bryd hynny, er mwyn pontio rhwng y cymorth sydd gan wasanaethau bysiau nawr a'r cymorth y bydd ei angen unwaith y bydd y Bil bysiau ger eich bron ac rydym ni'n gallu diwygio'r sail y darperir gwasanaethau bysiau arni yng Nghymru heddiw. Felly, roedd y £46 miliwn hwnnw eisoes wedi'i gyhoeddi. Ceir her yn y diwydiant bysiau o hyd, wrth gwrs bod yna, a'r her yw niferoedd teithwyr—y pwynt a wnes i yn fy ateb gwreiddiol. Y rheswm mae gwasanaethau rheilffyrdd a bysiau yn wynebu'r heriau sydd ganddyn nhw heddiw yw nad yw niferoedd y teithwyr wedi dychwelyd i'r man lle'r oedden nhw cyn y pandemig, ac felly nid yw'r blwch arian ar fysiau yn arbennig yn y man yr oedd bryd hynny. Mae trenau wedi dychwelyd i'r man lle'r oedden nhw cyn i'r pandemig ein taro, ond maen nhw wedi methu'r twf a fyddai wedi digwydd yn y blynyddoedd yn y cyfamser. Felly, pan fyddwch chi'n sôn am yr amcanestyniadau ar gyfer gwasanaethau rheilffyrdd, nid yw'r blwch arian yn ôl i'r man lle y byddai wedi cael ei ragweld pe na bai'r pandemig wedi cael yr effaith honno.
Felly, mae arian ychwanegol ar gyfer bysiau, ac mae arian ychwanegol ar gyfer trenau, ac, mewn gwirionedd, nid wyf i'n credu ei fod yn ddull synhwyrol gosod y naill yn erbyn y llall. Pe baem ni wedi torri gwasanaethau rheilffyrdd, nid oes gen i unrhyw amheuaeth y byddai'r Aelod yn dweud wrthym ni heddiw am etholwyr na allen nhw gyrraedd y gwaith gan nad oedd gwasanaethau rheilffyrdd yn rhedeg. Fe wnaethom ni ddod o hyd i arian ar gyfer bysiau ac fe wnaethom ni ddod o hyd i arian ar gyfer trenau, ac ar adeg pan fo arian ar gyfer fawr ddim, rwy'n credu bod hynny yn ddarlun gwirioneddol o'r flaenoriaeth yr ydym ni wedi'i neilltuo i wasanaethau cyhoeddus a gwasanaethau trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn arbennig.
First Minister, one of your key policies is to encourage modal shift, but how can we get people to abandon their cars if the alternative is not there? With bus cuts across my region, and the most unreliable trains in the UK, more and more people are abandoning public transport, not the other way around. First Minister, unless and until we have reliable alternatives, people will have no choice but to carry on using private vehicles. Will you now abandon your stick approach and provide proper alternatives to the car, especially for those unable to walk or cycle?
Prif Weinidog, un o'ch polisïau allweddol yw annog newid dulliau teithio, ond sut allwn ni gael pobl i gefnu ar eu ceir os nad yw'r dewis amgen yno? Gyda thoriadau i fysiau ar draws fy rhanbarth, a'r trenau mwyaf annibynadwy yn y DU, mae mwy a mwy o bobl yn cefnu ar drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, nid fel arall. Prif Weinidog, oni bai a hyd nes y bydd gennym ni ddewisiadau amgen dibynadwy, ni fydd gan bobl unrhyw ddewis ond parhau i ddefnyddio cerbydau preifat. A wnewch chi gefnu bellach ar eich dull ffon a darparu dewisiadau amgen gwirioneddol yn hytrach na'r car, yn enwedig i'r rhai nad ydyn nhw'n gallu cerdded neu feicio?
Well, Llywydd, I've already set out the additional investment that the Welsh Government is making in public transport, and beyond that we have a series of other funds that also support the transition that we have to see, away from the ways we have done things in the past, to the way that things will have to be in the future. In Swansea alone, Llywydd, we are providing £7.6 million—£7.6 million—over two years through the local transport fund, which will encourage active travel. It will provide further investments in both bus and train facilities, and in that way we move towards our ambition, which is to make sure that there are convenient, reliable services that people are able to use, in order not to have to use their cars.
Wel, Llywydd, rwyf i eisoes wedi nodi'r buddsoddiad ychwanegol y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud mewn trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, a thu hwnt i hynny mae gennym ni gyfres o gronfeydd eraill sydd hefyd yn cefnogi'r newid y mae'n rhaid i ni ei weld, oddi wrth y ffyrdd yr ydym ni wedi gwneud pethau yn y gorffennol, i'r ffordd y bydd yn rhaid i bethau fod yn y dyfodol. Yn Abertawe yn unig, Llywydd, rydym ni'n darparu £7.6 miliwn—£7.6 miliwn—dros ddwy flynedd drwy'r gronfa drafnidiaeth leol, a fydd yn annog teithio llesol. Bydd yn darparu buddsoddiadau pellach mewn cyfleusterau bysiau a threnau, ac yn y ffordd honno rydym ni'n symud tuag at ein huchelgais, sef gwneud yn siŵr bod gwasanaethau cyfleus a dibynadwy y gall pobl eu defnyddio, er mwyn peidio â gorfod defnyddio eu ceir.
5. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i wella cynhwysiant digidol yng Ngorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro? OQ60175
5. What action is the Welsh Government taking to improve digital inclusion in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire? OQ60175
Llywydd, our digital inclusion and health programme, Digital Communities Wales, supports organisations across all communities and sectors to help people maximise the opportunities of digital. Through ensuring that our citizens are digitally confident and capable, we will be able fully to realise the benefits of our investment across sectors in digital services.
Llywydd, mae ein rhaglen cynhwysiant digidol ac iechyd, Cymunedau Digidol Cymru, yn cynorthwyo sefydliadau ar draws pob cymuned a sector i helpu pobl i fanteisio i'r eithaf ar gyfleoedd digidol. Trwy sicrhau bod ein dinasyddion yn hyderus ac yn alluog yn ddigidol, byddwn yn gallu gwireddu manteision ein buddsoddiad ar draws sectorau mewn gwasanaethau digidol yn llawn.
Well, Prif Weinidog, it's pretty safe to say that the roll-out of the Habitat Wales scheme has been so far a shambles. Habitat land has been mapped using data that is 30 years old. The Welsh Government, in error, has omitted the land that is mapped as habitat in Glastir Entry from expressions of interest. And in an effort to correct the Welsh Government's own mistakes, farmers can remove areas incorrectly mapped as habitat only in exceptional circumstances. As a result of these major mapping errors, the scheme is getting extremely complicated and stressful for farmers and their advisers, all of whom require digital competence and skills to be able to apply via Rural Payments Wales. While visiting a Glastir organic farm in my constituency, who had undertaken a Farming Connect sponsored habitat survey of their whole farm, they told me that this up-to-date accurate data can't be inputted into the Habitat Wales scheme via RPW. So, Prif Weinidog, can I urge you and the Welsh Government to allow farmers to digitally input the data, to digitally map their own habitats online, so that they can at least try and make a success of what is so far a failing scheme? Diolch, Llywydd.
Wel, Prif Weinidog, mae'n eithaf diogel dweud bod cyflwyno cynllun Cynefin Cymru wedi bod yn draed moch hyd yma. Mae tir cynefin wedi cael ei fapio gan ddefnyddio data sy'n 30 oed. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru, mewn camgymeriad, wedi hepgor y tir sy'n cael ei fapio fel cynefin yn Glastir Sylfaenol rhag datganiadau o diddordeb. Ac mewn ymdrech i gywiro camgymeriadau Llywodraeth Cymru ei hun, gall ffermwyr gael gwared ar ardaloedd sydd wedi'u mapio'n anghywir fel cynefin o dan amgylchiadau eithriadol yn unig. O ganlyniad i'r camgymeriadau mapio mawr hyn, mae'r cynllun yn mynd yn hynod gymhleth ac yn achosi straen i ffermwyr a'u cynghorwyr, y mae pob un ohonyn nhw angen gallu a sgiliau digidol i allu gwneud cais drwy Taliadau Gwledig Cymru. Wrth ymweld â fferm organig Glastir yn fy etholaeth i, a oedd wedi cynnal arolwg cynefin wedi'i noddi gan Cyswllt Ffermio o'u fferm gyfan, fe wnaethon nhw ddweud wrthyf i na ellir mewnbynnu'r data cywir cyfredol hyn i gynllun Cynefin Cymru drwy Taliadau Gwledig Cymru. Felly, Prif Weinidog, a gaf i eich annog chi a Llywodraeth Cymru i ganiatáu i ffermwyr fewnbynnu'r data yn ddigidol, i fapio eu cynefinoedd eu hunain yn ddigidol ar-lein, fel y gallan nhw o leiaf geisio gwneud llwyddiant o'r hyn sy'n gynllun sy'n methu ar hyn o bryd? Diolch, Llywydd.
Well, I don't agree with the Member that it is a failing scheme. It's had over 500 applications, and I don't the scheme application time is—. If it was a failing scheme, why are 500, as a minimum, farmers applying for it? That doesn't seem to me to be a very fair definition of failure, and it is a scheme that the Welsh Government has taken forward because European funding, which was used for Glastir, is no longer available to farmers in Wales—a policy that his party were only too keen to support.
The mapping issue that the Member mentioned has been resolved, but there is help through Farming Connect for farmers who find the digital access to the scheme a challenge for them. I think that farmers in Wales will recognise that even when money that was available to them previously is no longer available—a policy that his party, of course, urged on people here in Wales—now that they face the consequences of their policy provision, it's the Welsh Government that has stepped in to make money available to them.
Wel, nid wyf i'n cytuno â'r Aelod ei fod yn gynllun sy'n methu. Mae wedi cael dros 500 o geisiadau, ac nid wyf i'n credu bod amser ymgeisio'r cynllun yn—. Pe bai'n gynllun sy'n methu, pam mae 500, o leiaf, o ffermwyr yn gwneud cais amdano? Nid yw hynny'n ymddangos i mi yn ddiffiniad teg iawn o fethiant, ac mae'n gynllun y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bwrw ymlaen ag ef oherwydd nad yw cyllid Ewropeaidd, a ddefnyddiwyd ar gyfer Glastir, bellach ar gael i ffermwyr yng Nghymru—polisi yr oedd ei blaid ond yn rhy awyddus i'w gefnogi.
Mae'r broblem fapio y cyfeiriodd yr Aelod ati wedi cael ei datrys, ond mae cymorth ar gael drwy Cyswllt Ffermio i ffermwyr sy'n gweld bod mynediad digidol at y cynllun yn her iddyn nhw. Rwy'n credu y bydd ffermwyr yng Nghymru yn cydnabod hyd yn oed pan nad yw arian a oedd ar gael iddyn nhw yn y gorffennol ar gael mwyach—polisi y gwnaeth ei blaid ef, wrth gwrs, ei annog ar bobl yma yng Nghymru—nawr eu bod nhw'n wynebu canlyniadau eu darpariaeth polisi, Llywodraeth Cymru sydd wedi camu i'r adwy i wneud arian ar gael iddyn nhw.
6. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am y drefn gynllunio ar gyfer ffermydd batris ïon lithiwm mawr yng Nghymru? OQ60158
6. Will the First Minister make a statement on the planning regime for large-scale lithium-ion battery farms in Wales? OQ60158
Llywydd, proposals for stand-alone battery storage schemes are determined by the local planning authority. Proposals associated with large renewable energy schemes can be determined through the development of national significance process, and that, then, lies with the Welsh Government.
Llywydd, yr awdurdod cynllunio lleol sy'n penderfynu ar gynigion ar gyfer cynlluniau storio batri annibynnol. Gellir penderfynu ar gynigion sy'n gysylltiedig â chynlluniau ynni adnewyddadwy mawr trwy ddatblygu proses arwyddocâd cenedlaethol, ac mae hynny, wedyn, yn nwylo Llywodraeth Cymru.
Thank you for that answer, First Minister. You may be aware that there are proposals to construct the United Kingdom’s largest lithium-ion battery facility right on the border of the villages of Rhostyllen, Rhos and Bersham in Clwyd South. Now, a lot of the technology in these facilities is relatively novel and new, and there have been instances of similar facilities catching fire around the world, including nearby in Liverpool, where the fire took more than two days to extinguish. What safeguards are being considered by the Welsh Government to protect against fire and toxic leakage from such facilities? And would you agree that where they are positioned is vitally important, and they shouldn't be positioned too close to dwellings or to rivers?
Diolch am yr ateb yna, Prif Weinidog. Efallai eich bod chi'n ymwybodol bod cynigion i adeiladu cyfleuster batri ïon lithiwm mwyaf y Deyrnas Unedig ar ffin pentrefi Rhostyllen, Rhos a'r Bers yn Ne Clwyd. Nawr, mae llawer o'r dechnoleg yn y cyfleusterau hyn yn gymharol newydd, a bu achosion o gyfleusterau tebyg yn mynd ar dân ledled y byd, gan gynnwys yn gyfagos yn Lerpwl, lle cymerodd mwy na deuddydd i ddiffodd y tân. Pa fesurau diogelu sy'n cael eu hystyried gan Lywodraeth Cymru i amddiffyn rhag tân a gollyngiadau gwenwynig o gyfleusterau o'r fath? Ac a fyddech chi'n cytuno bod lle maen nhw wedi'u lleoli yn hanfodol bwysig, ac na ddylid eu lleoli yn rhy agos at anheddau nac afonydd?
Well, Llywydd, I thank Ken Skates for that further question, and indeed I am aware of the possible application for that factory facility, and of concerns that are expressed in the Member's own constituency. The first safeguard has to be early engagement with communities and with consultees by those bringing forward the planning application at the pre-application stage and then during the application process, and that's an obligation on those making the proposal to make sure that that engagement takes place. Then there are the safeguards that the planning system itself provides, the consenting process, which has to take into account potential environmental and health and safety impacts of any development. And in all of that, the proximity of proposals to dwellings and to water is a material consideration for the planning authority to take when it comes to assess the application that is in front of it. Where there is a major application, and we will have to wait to see the detail of any proposed application—. Where there is a major application, then additional consents are required to control major accident hazards, to protect human safety and to minimise environmental impacts. So, I would say to the Member and to his constituents that there are those three levels of safeguards that could be accessed by them—the early engagement at the pre-consultation, pre-application stage, the safeguards that lie in the planning process itself, and then, dependent upon the scale of any application, those additional consents required should the application be of the sort of scale that has sometimes been reported.
Wel, Llywydd, diolch i Ken Skates am y cwestiwn pellach yna, ac yn wir rwy'n ymwybodol o'r cais posibl am y cyfleuster ffatri hwnnw, ac am bryderon sy'n cael eu mynegi yn etholaeth yr Aelod ei hun. Mae'n rhaid mai'r mesur diogelwch cyntaf yw ymgysylltu'n gynnar â chymunedau a chydag ymgyngoreion gan y rhai sy'n cyflwyno'r cais cynllunio yn y cam cyn ymgeisio ac yna yn ystod y broses ymgeisio, ac mae honno'n rhwymedigaeth ar y rhai sy'n gwneud y cynnig i wneud yn siŵr bod yr ymgysylltiad hwnnw yn digwydd. Yna ceir y mesurau diogelwch y mae'r system gynllunio ei hun yn eu darparu, y broses gydsynio, y mae'n rhaid iddi gymryd i ystyriaeth effeithiau amgylcheddol ac iechyd a diogelwch posibl unrhyw ddatblygiad. Ac yn hynny i gyd, mae agosrwydd cynigion at anheddau ac at ddŵr yn ystyriaeth berthnasol i'r awdurdod cynllunio ei chymryd wrth asesu'r cais sydd o'i flaen. Lle ceir cais mawr, a bydd yn rhaid i ni aros i weld manylion unrhyw gais arfaethedig—. Lle ceir cais mawr, yna mae angen cydsyniadau ychwanegol i reoli peryglon damweiniau mawr, i ddiogelu diogelwch pobl ac i leihau effeithiau amgylcheddol. Felly, byddwn i'n dweud wrth yr Aelod ac wrth ei etholwyr fod y tair lefel o fesurau diogelu hynny y gallan nhw fanteisio arnyn nhw—yr ymgysylltu cynnar yn y cyfnod cyn-ymgynghori, cyn ymgeisio, y mesurau diogelu sydd yn y broses gynllunio ei hun, ac yna, yn dibynnu ar faint unrhyw gais, y cydsyniadau ychwanegol hynny sydd eu hangen pe bai'r cais o'r math o raddfa a adroddwyd weithiau.
First Minister, we know that our planning system in Wales is rather overwhelmed, but it is imperative that any greening initiative isn't held back, but all necessary precautions are put in place. Now, today there is around 4 GW of electricity storage operational in Great Britain made up of 3 GW of pumped hydro storage and 1 GW of newer, lithium-ion battery storage that has been built since 2017. Lithium-ion battery storage has amazing potential. It typically operates at durations of 30 minutes to four hours, and has significantly reduced in cost—around 90 per cent since 2010. It can provide a rapid response to changes in system needs. However, we do know from global examples that there is a potential fire risk. A US database listing fires at battery energy storage systems found 63 examples worldwide since 2011. So, what steps are you taking as a Government to ensure that the potential risk posed by these large battery farms are properly understood, properly investigated, and that the planning process can go ahead, but with all those precautions in mind? Diolch.
Prif Weinidog, rydym ni'n gwybod bod ein system gynllunio yng Nghymru wedi'i gorlethu braidd, ond mae'n hanfodol nad oes unrhyw fenter werdd yn cael ei dal yn ôl, ond bod yr holl ragofalon angenrheidiol yn cael eu rhoi ar waith. Nawr, heddiw mae tua 4 GW o storfa drydan yn weithredol ym Mhrydain Fawr sydd wedi'i chyfansoddi o 3 GW o storfa hydro pwmp ac 1 GW o storfa batri ïon lithiwm mwy newydd sydd wedi cael ei hadeiladu ers 2017. Mae gan storfa batri ïon lithiwm botensial anhygoel. Mae'n gweithredu'n nodweddiadol am gyfnodau o 30 munud i bedair awr, ac mae wedi lleihau'n sylweddol mewn cost—tua 90 y cant ers 2010. Gall ddarparu ymateb cyflym i newidiadau i anghenion y system. Fodd bynnag, rydym ni'n gwybod o enghreifftiau byd-eang bod perygl tân posibl. Canfu cronfa ddata yn yr Unol Daleithiau sy'n rhestru tanau mewn systemau storio ynni batri 63 o enghreifftiau ledled y byd ers 2011. Felly, pa gamau ydych chi'n eu cymryd fel Llywodraeth i sicrhau bod y perygl posibl a achosir gan y ffermydd batri mawr hyn yn cael eu deall, eu hymchwilio'n iawn, ac y gall y broses gynllunio fynd yn ei blaen, ond gyda'r holl ragofalon hynny mewn golwg? Diolch.
Well, Llywydd, the renewable energy of the future, including hydrogen and other forms of renewable energy, will require a capacity to store the energy that is produced in that way, so that its use can be then smoothed across the many demands that happen over a 24-hour period. And when there are new technologies being deployed, it is inevitable that you have to have a closer scrutiny of them in case there are any unintended consequences from the deployment of those new technologies. That will certainly be in the minds of those responsible for considering any planning applications for lithium-ion battery facilities here in Wales. And in my answer to Ken Skates, I set out the different safeguards that there will be there, and that need to be there, for the reason that the Member has outlined.
Wel, Llywydd, bydd ynni adnewyddadwy'r dyfodol, gan gynnwys hydrogen a mathau eraill o ynni adnewyddadwy, angen capasiti i storio'r ynni sy'n cael ei gynhyrchu yn y ffordd honno, fel y gellir hwyluso ei ddefnydd wedyn ar draws y llu o ofynion sy'n digwydd dros gyfnod o 24 awr. A phan fydd technolegau newydd yn cael eu defnyddio, mae'n anochel bod yn rhaid i chi gael craffu agosach arnyn nhw rhag ofn y bydd unrhyw ganlyniadau anfwriadol o ddefnyddio'r technolegau newydd hynny. Yn sicr, bydd hynny ym meddyliau'r rhai sy'n gyfrifol am ystyried unrhyw geisiadau cynllunio ar gyfer cyfleusterau batri ïon lithiwm yma yng Nghymru. Ac yn fy ateb i Ken Skates, nodais y gwahanol fesurau diogelu a fydd yno, ac y mae angen iddyn nhw fod yno, am y rheswm y mae'r Aelod wedi ei amlinellu.
Mae cwestiwn 7, gan Laura Anne Jones, wedi'i dynnu'n ôl. Cwestiwn 8—Alun Davies.
Question 7, by Laura Anne Jones, has been withdrawn. Question 8—Alun Davies.
Ni ofynnwyd cwestiwn 7 [OQ60169].
Question 7 [OQ60169] not asked.
8. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am gymorth Llywodraeth Cymru i fusnesau ym Mlaenau Gwent? OQ60162
8. Will the First Minister make a statement on Welsh Government support for businesses in Blaenau Gwent? OQ60162
Llywydd, completion of the A465, the Heads of the Valleys road, will support businesses across Blaenau Gwent. In the meantime, as the Member noted on the floor of the Senedd last week, 12 different Blaenau Gwent companies have benefited from the Welsh Government’s business productivity enhancement programme.
Llywydd, bydd cwblhau'r A465, ffordd Blaenau'r Cymoedd, yn cynorthwyo busnesau ledled Blaenau Gwent. Yn y cyfamser, fel y nododd yr Aelod ar lawr y Senedd yr wythnos diwethaf, mae 12 o wahanol gwmnïau ym Mlaenau Gwent wedi elwa o raglen gwella cynhyrchiant busnes Llywodraeth Cymru.
The First Minister pre-empts my question. I'm grateful to him and his researchers. [Laughter.] But we're very grateful for the investment from the productivity enhancement fund, and the 12 businesses really are benefiting greatly from it. But the First Minister is, of course, right about the success of the A465 dualling project. Since the Welsh Government decided to invest in dualling the Heads of the Valleys road, we've seen a significant increase in business activity and a significant uptake in business enquiries to Blaenau Gwent. [Interruption.] The Tories are not interested, but I think everybody else is. And what we're seeing now, First Minister, is actually a shortage of business space, a shortage of spaces of industrial estates and a shortage of business units for those businesses that want to grow in Blaenau Gwent, relocate in Blaenau Gwent, but take advantage of the investment that the Welsh Government is making in the economy of Blaenau Gwent.
Mae'r Prif Weinidog yn achub y blaen ar fy nghwestiwn i. Rwy'n ddiolchgar iddo ac i'w ymchwilwyr. [Chwerthin.] Ond rydym ni'n ddiolchgar iawn am y buddsoddiad o'r gronfa gwella cynhyrchiant, ac mae'r 12 busnes wir yn elwa'n fawr ohoni. Ond mae'r Prif Weinidog yn iawn, wrth gwrs, am lwyddiant prosiect deuoli'r A465. Ers i Lywodraeth Cymru benderfynu buddsoddi mewn deuoli ffordd Blaenau'r Cymoedd, rydym ni wedi gweld cynnydd sylweddol i weithgarwch busnes a chynnydd sylweddol i ymholiadau busnes i Flaenau Gwent. [Torri ar draws.] Does gan y Torïaid ddim diddordeb, ond rwy'n meddwl bod gan bawb arall. A'r hyn rydym ni'n ei weld nawr, Prif Weinidog, yw prinder gofod busnes mewn gwirionedd, prinder lleoedd o ystadau diwydiannol a phrinder unedau busnes ar gyfer y busnesau hynny sydd eisiau tyfu ym Mlaenau Gwent, adleoli ym Mlaenau Gwent, ond manteisio ar y buddsoddiad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud yn economi Blaenau Gwent.
Well, Llywydd, the continuous work on the Heads of the Valleys road has been sustained for 15 years. What a contrast between our determination to see through that project over successive Senedd terms compared to the utter fiasco of decision making where the high speed 2 line is concerned. This is a Government that has, despite the many attacks on it by opposition parties, been determined to complete the dualling of the A465, for all the advantages that it brings. And as I've heard the Member say in this Chamber previously, this is not a project about a road, it's a project about the economic opportunities that come with it in the way that he outlined. Now, I've been able, Llywydd, to go with the Member for Blaenau Gwent to a number of the industrial estates that have benefited from Welsh Government investment. And we will go on making sure that the economic opportunities that have been realised as a result of Welsh Government investment will be realised in Blaenau Gwent as well by following up on the issues that the Member has raised, by continuing to discuss with those businesses who now wish to invest in that area and to make sure that the opportunities that come with our ability—our ability, so very different to what we see elsewhere—to sustain investment over the long term will have the long-term benefits that flow from it.
Wel, Llywydd, mae'r gwaith parhaus ar ffordd Blaenau'r Cymoedd wedi cael ei gynnal ers 15 mlynedd. Am wrthgyferbyniad rhwng ein penderfyniad ni i gyflawni'r prosiect hwnnw dros dermau olynol y Senedd o'i gymharu â'r llanastr llwyr o ran gwneud penderfyniadau yng nghyswllt rheilffordd cyflymder uchel 2. Llywodraeth yw hon sydd, er gwaethaf yr ymosodiadau niferus arni gan wrthbleidiau, wedi bod yn benderfynol o gwblhau deuoli'r A465, ar gyfer yr holl fanteision a ddaw yn ei sgil. Ac fel yr wyf i wedi clywed yr Aelod yn ei ddweud yn y Siambr hon o'r blaen, nid prosiect am ffordd yw hwn, mae'n brosiect am y cyfleoedd economaidd sy'n dod yn ei sgil yn y ffordd iddo ei hamlinellu. Nawr, Llywydd, rwyf i wedi gallu mynd gyda'r Aelod dros Flaenau Gwent i nifer o'r ystadau diwydiannol sydd wedi elwa o fuddsoddiad Llywodraeth Cymru. A byddwn yn parhau i wneud yn siŵr y bydd y cyfleoedd economaidd sydd wedi cael eu gwireddu o ganlyniad i fuddsoddiad Llywodraeth Cymru yn cael eu gwireddu ym Mlaenau Gwent hefyd trwy wneud gwaith dilynol ar y materion y mae'r Aelod wedi eu codi, trwy barhau i drafod gyda'r busnesau hynny sydd bellach yn dymuno buddsoddi yn yr ardal honno ac i wneud yn siŵr bod y cyfleoedd sy'n dod gyda'n gallu—ein gallu ni, mor arbennig o wahanol i'r hyn yr ydym ni'n ei weld mewn mannau eraill—i gynnal buddsoddiad dros yr hirdymor yn cael y manteision hirdymor sy'n llifo ohono.
9. Pa gamau y mae'r Llywodraeth yn eu cymryd i dyfu economi canolbarth Cymru? OQ60155
9. What steps is the Government taking to grow the economy of mid Wales? OQ60155
Llywydd, steps taken to grow the economy of mid Wales have contributed to a 41 per cent growth in average weekly earnings for adults in full-time work in the area, at a time when wages growth across the UK has stood at only 28 per cent.
Llywydd, mae'r camau sydd wedi'u cymryd i dyfu economi'r canolbarth wedi cyfrannu at dwf o 41 y cant mewn enillion wythnosol cyfartalog i oedolion mewn gwaith amser llawn yn yr ardal, ar adeg pan fo twf cyflogau ledled y DU ond yn 28 y cant.
I'd like to thank the First Minister for your answer, and, on the weekend, it was the Powys business awards, and I'm sure you'd like to join me in congratulating all those businesses who entered in those awards, highlighting the sheer breadth of what we have to offer in Powys.
The small businesses that I speak to, First Minister, share the same challenges that they do in Blaenau Gwent around workshops and availability for businesses to start. But another issue that they find as well is around skills, and the lack of skills that we do have in mid Wales. So, I'd be interested to know what work the Welsh Government is doing to grow the skills in mid Wales to enable those businesses to grow and thrive.
Hoffwn i ddiolch i'r Prif Weinidog am eich ateb, ac, ar y penwythnos, cafodd gwobrau busnes Powys eu cynnal, ac rwy'n siŵr yr hoffech chi ymuno â mi i longyfarch yr holl fusnesau a ymgeisiodd am y gwobrau hynny, gan dynnu sylw at ehangder yr hyn sydd gennym ni i'w gynnig ym Mhowys.
Mae'r busnesau bach yr wyf i'n siarad â nhw, Prif Weinidog, yn rhannu'r un heriau ag y maen nhw ym Mlaenau Gwent ynghylch gweithdai a'u bod ar gael i fusnesau gychwyn. Ond mater arall y maen nhw'n dod ar ei draws hefyd yw sgiliau, a'r diffyg sgiliau sydd gennym ni yn y canolbarth. Felly, byddai gen i ddiddordeb mewn gwybod pa waith y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i ddatblygu'r sgiliau yn y canolbarth i alluogi'r busnesau hynny i dyfu a ffynnu.
I thank the Member for that question, and I do indeed share in his congratulations to all those who were winners at the Powys business awards. Powys is full of fantastic businesses and people who invest enormously their own time and their own resources in making a success of those businesses. The mid Wales growth deal is one of the ways in which skills for the future can be further invested in that part of Wales. It was very good to see Neath Port Talbot College in Brecon—a physical presence there now. I met some students there earlier in the year. The work that the growth deal will invest will go alongside all of that to improve the supply of skills into industry, to make sure that there is—if the project comes to full fruition—an advanced manufacturing campus in mid Wales, to do exactly the things that James Evans has outlined this afternoon.
Diolch i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn hwnnw, ac rydw i, yn wir, yn ymuno ag ef i longyfarch pawb a oedd yn fuddugol yng nghystadleuaeth gwobrau busnes Powys. Mae Powys yn llawn busnesau a phobl wych sy'n buddsoddi eu hamser a'u hadnoddau eu hunain yn sylweddol i sicrhau llwyddiant y busnesau hynny. Mae bargen twf y canolbarth yn un o'r ffyrdd y mae modd buddsoddi mwy o sgiliau ar gyfer y dyfodol yn y rhan honno o Gymru. Roedd hi'n dda iawn gweld Coleg Castell-nedd Port Talbot yn Aberhonddu—presenoldeb ffisegol yno nawr. Fe wnes i gwrdd â myfyrwyr yno yn gynharach yn y flwyddyn. Bydd y gwaith y bydd y fargen twf yn ei fuddsoddi ynddo yn mynd ochr yn ochr â hynny oll i wella'r cyflenwad o sgiliau i ddiwydiant, i wneud yn siŵr bod—os daw'r prosiect i'w lawn ffrwyth—gampws gweithgynhyrchu uwch yn y canolbarth, i gyflawni yr union bethau y mae James Evans wedi'u hamlinellu y prynhawn yma.
Yn olaf, cwestiwn 10, Jenny Rathbone.
Finally, question 10, Jenny Rathbone.
10. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog roi diweddariad ar gyflwr y gwasanaeth carchardai yng Nghymru? OQ60176
10. Will the First Minister provide an update on the state of the prison service in Wales? OQ60176
Llywydd, prisons in Wales are primarily the responsibility of the UK Government. There are currently acute population pressures in the prison estate. It is the view of His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service that prisons in Wales are operating effectively, despite these wider pressures.
Llywydd, Llywodraeth y DU sy'n bennaf gyfrifol am garchardai yng Nghymru. Ar hyn o bryd mae pwysau llym o ran poblogaeth yn yr ystad carchardai. Barn Gwasanaeth Carchardai a Phrawf Ei Fawrhydi yw bod carchardai yng Nghymru yn gweithredu'n effeithiol, er gwaethaf y pwysau ehangach hyn.
Well, that's good to know, but we know, from many inspection reports, that the prison estate is full and completely incapable of carrying out its task of both rehabilitating people as well as punishing them. The women's justice blueprint has identified that there are better outcomes for women who serve short sentences in the community and a lot less recidivism. What discussions, then, has the Welsh Government had with the Ministry of Justice on extending that policy to anyone who's received a short prison sentence of less than a year, to serve them in the community, which will be both cheaper and deliver a better outcome?
Wel, mae'n dda cael gwybod hynny, ond rydyn i'n gwybod, o lawer o adroddiadau arolygu, fod yr ystad carchardai'n llawn ac mae'n gwbl amhosibl cyflawni ei dasg o adsefydlu pobl yn ogystal â'u cosbi. Mae glasbrint cyfiawnder menywod wedi nodi bod canlyniadau gwell i fenywod sy'n bwrw dedfrydau byr yn y gymuned a llawer llai o aildroseddu. Pa drafodaethau, felly, y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'u cael gyda'r Weinyddiaeth Gyfiawnder ar ymestyn y polisi hwnnw i unrhyw un sydd wedi cael dedfryd fer o garchar am lai na blwyddyn, i'w bwrw yn y gymuned, a fydd yn rhatach ac yn sicrhau gwell canlyniad?
Well, Llywydd, I welcome some of the proposals put forward by the latest Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice, and we will certainly be engaged with them to see how those proposals would have an impact here in Wales.
In Wales, we're in a position to lead some of those debates. The Minister for Social Justice will be making a statement on the floor of the Senedd this afternoon on the criminal justice blueprints—the blueprints in youth justice and in women offenders, which have genuinely broken new ground and which can demonstrate to the rest of the United Kingdom ways in which a focus on the prevention of offending and rehabilitation of people who find themselves caught up in the criminal justice system, how that can work to the benefit of everybody, rather than a single-minded focus on dealing with the consequences of offending when everything has gone wrong. And across the Welsh Government, we are determined to go on playing our part in that. The Minister for Education and the Welsh Language will be visiting the prison estate later this week to look at the way in which education services provided by the Welsh Government can make their contribution to a genuinely rehabilitative approach. If the latest twist and turn in the Ministry of Justice's approach to all of this turns out to be focused in that way, they'll find a willing partner here in Wales.
Wel, Llywydd, rwy'n croesawu rhai o'r cynigion sydd wedi'u cyflwyno gan yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol diweddaraf yn y Weinyddiaeth Gyfiawnder, ac yn sicr, byddwn ni'n ymgysylltu â nhw i weld sut y byddai'r cynigion hynny'n cael effaith yma yng Nghymru.
Yng Nghymru, rydyn ni mewn sefyllfa i arwain rhai o'r dadleuon hynny. Bydd y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol yn gwneud datganiad ar lawr y Senedd y prynhawn yma ar y glasbrintiau cyfiawnder troseddol—y glasbrintiau ym maes cyfiawnder ieuenctid a menywod sy'n troseddu, sydd wedi torri tir newydd mewn gwirionedd ac sy'n gallu dangos i weddill y Deyrnas Unedig ffyrdd o ganolbwyntio ar atal troseddu ac adsefydlu pobl sy'n cael eu dal yn y system cyfiawnder troseddol, sut y gall hynny weithio er budd pawb, yn hytrach na phwyslais unplyg ar ymdrin â chanlyniadau troseddu pan fydd popeth wedi mynd o'i le. Ac ar draws Llywodraeth Cymru, rydyn ni'n benderfynol o barhau i chwarae ein rhan yn hynny. Bydd Gweinidog y Gymraeg ac Addysg yn ymweld â'r ystad carchardai yn ddiweddarach yr wythnos hon i ystyried y ffordd y gall gwasanaethau addysg a ddarperir gan Lywodraeth Cymru wneud eu cyfraniad at ddull sydd wir yn adsefydlu. Os bydd y datblygiadau diweddaraf yn null gweithredu'r Weinyddiaeth Gyfiawnder tuag at hyn i gyd â phwyslais fel yna, bydd partner parod ganddyn nhw yma yng Nghymru.
Diolch i'r Prif Weinidog.
I thank the First Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf felly fydd y datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes, a dwi'n galw ar y Trefnydd i wneud y datganiad hwnnw—Lesley Griffiths.
The next item will be the business statement and announcement, and I call on the Trefnydd to make that statement—Lesley Griffiths.
Diolch, Llywydd. There is one change to this week's business. The statement on water quality has been postponed until 12 December. Draft business for the next three weeks is set out on the business statement and announcement, which can be found amongst the meeting papers available to Members electronically.
Diolch, Llywydd. Mae un newid i fusnes yr wythnos hon. Mae'r datganiad ar ansawdd dŵr wedi'i ohirio tan 12 Rhagfyr. Mae'r busnes drafft am y tair wythnos nesaf ar y datganiad a'r cyhoeddiad busnes, sydd i'w weld ymhlith y papurau cyfarfod sydd ar gael i'r Aelodau yn electronig.
Trefnydd, you will have seen the recent news that Welsh Water has admitted illegally spilling untreated sewage at its treatment plants, and in some cases, like in Cardigan, which unfortunately has an impact on my constituency, that practice has been happening for at least 10 years or even more. I'm sure you will agree with me that this is totally unacceptable, and that action needs to be taken as a matter of urgency. It's therefore deeply disappointing that a statement from the Minister for Climate Change has been postponed from today, and will now only take place at the end of the year. This is a huge problem and the Welsh Government should be prioritising this given these damning reports, because inadequate water quality can have an enormous impact on human health, on wildlife and on the wider environment. Therefore, can I request that the Welsh Government bring forward a statement as soon as possible on this matter, so that the people of Wales don't have to wait until the end of the year to understand what the Welsh Government is doing to tackle this unacceptable situation?
Trefnydd, byddwch chi wedi gweld y newyddion diweddar bod Dŵr Cymru wedi cyfaddef i ollwng carthion heb eu trin yn anghyfreithlon yn ei weithfeydd trin, ac mewn rhai achosion, fel yn Aberteifi, sydd yn anffodus yn effeithio ar fy etholaeth i, mae'r arfer hwnnw wedi bod yn digwydd ers o leiaf 10 mlynedd neu hyd yn oed mwy. Rwy'n siŵr y byddwch chi'n cytuno â mi fod hyn yn gwbl annerbyniol, a bod angen gweithredu ar frys. Felly, mae'n siomedig iawn bod datganiad gan y Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd wedi'i ohirio heddiw, a dim ond ar ddiwedd y flwyddyn y bydd yn cael ei gynnal. Mae hon yn broblem enfawr a dylai Llywodraeth Cymru fod yn blaenoriaethu hyn o ystyried yr adroddiadau damniol hyn, oherwydd gall ansawdd dŵr annigonol gael effaith enfawr ar iechyd pobl, ar fywyd gwyllt ac ar yr amgylchedd ehangach. Felly, a gaf i ofyn i Lywodraeth Cymru gyflwyno datganiad cyn gynted â phosibl ar y mater hwn, fel nad oes rhaid i bobl Cymru aros tan ddiwedd y flwyddyn i ddeall beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i ymdrin â'r sefyllfa annerbyniol hon?
Thank you. Welsh Government absolutely expects our water companies here in Wales to work much harder to deliver excellent services to our customers across all areas of operation, and the Minister for Climate Change did issue our strategic priorities and objectives statement to Ofwat in 2022, absolutely making clear her expectations from our water companies. There will be a statement on 12 December. That will follow the next water quality summit that we're holding across Government, so that's why the statement will be brought forward on 12 December.
Diolch. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn disgwyl i'n cwmnïau dŵr yma yng Nghymru weithio'n galetach o lawer i ddarparu gwasanaethau rhagorol i'n cwsmeriaid ledled pob maes gweithredu, ac fe wnaeth y Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd gyhoeddi ein datganiad blaenoriaethau ac amcanion strategol i Ofwat yn 2022, gan egluro'n llwyr ei disgwyliadau hi gan ein cwmnïau dŵr. Bydd datganiad ar 12 Rhagfyr. Bydd hynny'n dilyn yr uwchgynhadledd ansawdd dŵr nesaf yr ydyn ni'n ei chynnal ar draws y Llywodraeth, felly dyna pam y bydd y datganiad yn cael ei gyflwyno ar 12 Rhagfyr.
There are a number of former industrial sites in the region that I represent that have been contaminated by toxic waste and are in dire need of cleaning up. There are ongoing risks to the public from some of these sites. I'd ask for a statement on how that clean-up operation could be undertaken urgently, with an emphasis on the role of Natural Resources Wales and the process, please. There's a lot of concern about pollution at the former Tŷ Llwyd quarry site in Caerphilly county borough. Many people have contacted me about this issue, as well as my colleague Peredur. We're aware of significant concerns surrounding several other sites across the borough, where it's feared chemicals may have been dumped. Now, many of these sites appear to be leaking chemicals into the surrounding land, into local streams and rivers, especially at times of heavy rain, and we all know that this will become more of an issue with changing weather patterns and the result of climate change. Local councillors have, I know, written to the First Minister this week outlining their concerns, but this isn't just a local issue. I think that this could be something that would be replicated across the Valleys, so I'd welcome a statement, please, setting out how the contamination of former industrial sites can be tackled nationally.
Mae nifer o hen safleoedd diwydiannol yn y rhanbarth yr wyf i'n ei gynrychioli sydd wedi'u halogi gan wastraff gwenwynig ac mae taer angen eu glanhau. Mae risgiau parhaus i'r cyhoedd o rai o'r safleoedd hyn. Byddwn i'n gofyn am ddatganiad ar sut y byddai modd gwneud y gwaith glanhau hwnnw ar frys, gyda phwyslais ar rôl Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru a'r broses, os gwelwch yn dda. Mae llawer o bryder am lygredd ar hen safle chwarel Tŷ Llwyd ym mwrdeistref sirol Caerffili. Mae llawer o bobl wedi cysylltu â mi ynglŷn â'r mater hwn, yn ogystal â fy nghyd-Aelod Peredur. Rydyn ni'n ymwybodol o bryderon sylweddol ynghylch nifer o safleoedd eraill ar draws y fwrdeistref, lle mae'n bosibl bod cemegau wedi cael eu dympio. Nawr, mae'n ymddangos bod llawer o'r safleoedd hyn yn gollwng cemegau i'r tir cyfagos, i nentydd ac afonydd lleol, yn enwedig ar adegau o law trwm, ac rydyn ni i gyd yn gwybod y bydd hyn yn dod yn fwy o broblem gyda phatrymau tywydd sy'n newid a chanlyniad newid hinsawdd. Mae cynghorwyr lleol, rwy'n gwybod, wedi ysgrifennu at y Prif Weinidog yr wythnos hon yn amlinellu eu pryderon, ond nid mater lleol yn unig yw hwn. Rwy'n credu y gallai hyn fod yn rhywbeth a fyddai'n cael ei ailadrodd ar draws y Cymoedd, felly byddwn i'n croesawu datganiad, os gwelwch yn dda, yn nodi sut y mae modd ymdrin yn genedlaethol â halogiad hen safleoedd diwydiannol.
Thank you. You do raise a very important issue that, as you say, is of concern. I am aware of the letter to which you referred, and I understand the First Minister and the Minister for Climate Change will be responding in due course.
Diolch. Rydych chi'n codi mater pwysig iawn sydd, fel y dywedwch chi, yn peri pryder. Rwy'n ymwybodol o'r llythyr yr ydych chi'n cyfeirio ato, ac rwy'n deall y bydd y Prif Weinidog a'r Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd yn ymateb maes o law.
Daeth Paul Davies i’r Gadair.
Paul Davies took the Chair.
In June, I met with two parents of autistic young people, both of whom have serious concerns about the use of sectioning and the deprivation of liberty safeguards regarding their children, who are now in adulthood. They are concerned this could be happening across Wales and therefore there could be a broader issue, and, unfortunately, our ability to understand the extent of this problem and monitor it is restricted by the lack of available up-to-date data, which is not held centrally, and they are concerned that this lack of information could mean that we fall behind England as a result. The families feel strongly there could be widespread incidences across Wales of people being deprived of their liberty in such a way, and I'm very grateful to Mark Isherwood MS, who has met with the families recently in his capacity as chair of the Senedd cross-party autism group, and we'll be writing a detailed letter to the Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Well-being about this particular issue. I was wondering in the meantime could the Welsh Government come forward with a statement setting out what action it will be taking to address these really concerning issues.
Ym mis Mehefin, gwnes i gyfarfod â dau riant pobl ifanc awtistig, y mae gan y ddau ohonyn nhw bryderon difrifol ynghylch defnyddio gorchmynion a threfniadau diogelu rhag amddifadu o ryddid o ran eu plant, sydd erbyn hyn yn oedolion. Maen nhw'n pryderu y gallai hyn fod yn digwydd ledled Cymru ac felly gallai fod yn fater ehangach, ac, yn anffodus, mae ein gallu ni i ddeall maint y broblem hon a'i monitro wedi'i gyfyngu gan y diffyg data cyfredol sydd ar gael nad yw'n cael ei gadw'n ganolog, ac maen nhw'n pryderu y gallai'r diffyg gwybodaeth hwn olygu ein bod ni y tu ôl i Loegr o ganlyniad. Mae'r teuluoedd yn teimlo'n gryf y gallai fod achosion eang ledled Cymru o bobl yn cael eu hamddifadu o'u rhyddid yn y fath fodd, ac rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn i Mark Isherwood AS, sydd wedi cyfarfod â'r teuluoedd yn ddiweddar yn rhinwedd ei swydd fel cadeirydd grŵp awtistiaeth trawsbleidiol y Senedd, a byddwn ni'n ysgrifennu llythyr manwl at y Dirprwy Weinidog Iechyd Meddwl a Llesiant ynghylch y mater penodol hwn. Meddwl oeddwn i tybed, yn y cyfamser, a allai Llywodraeth Cymru gyflwyno datganiad yn nodi pa gamau y bydd yn eu cymryd i ymdrin â'r materion hyn sy'n peri cryn bryder.
Thank you, and I'm pleased to hear you will be writing to the Deputy Minister. I think also it would be worth while copying in the other health Deputy Minister, to ensure that we have that cross-government approach.
Diolch yn fawr, ac rwy'n falch o glywed y byddwch chi'n ysgrifennu at y Dirprwy Weinidog. Rwy'n credu hefyd y byddai'n werth cynnwys y Dirprwy Weinidog iechyd arall hefyd, er mwyn sicrhau bod gennym ni'r dull gweithredu trawslywodraethol hwnnw.
The Habitat Wales scheme has been now announced earlier this summer, but a week ago the finance Minister provided an update on the Welsh Government's financial position, announcing cuts to the rural affairs budget. So, for our Welsh food and farming industry, this comes at a time when there’s already so much hanging in the balance. Having spoken with farmers both across my constituency and across the country, it’s clear that the development process of the Habitat Wales scheme so far has been a bit of a mess, as I alluded to earlier, with uncertainty already mounting around what the future will look like for Welsh agriculture. If Welsh Government can’t get the Habitat Wales scheme right, well how on earth will they manage to get the sustainable farming scheme right?
So, with that scheme being announced on 21 July during recess via a written statement, in that statement it stated that the budget for the interim scheme would be announced before the application window opened on 29 September, yet no indication of a budget has been given. This will have a knock-on effect for the future of farming and food in Wales, and the delivery of the Welsh Government’s own environmental targets. I would therefore like to call for a statement from the Minister for rural affairs on the Habitat Wales scheme as a matter of urgency to confirm what the budget for the scheme will be. Diolch.
Mae cynllun Cynefin Cymru bellach wedi'i gyhoeddi yn gynharach yr haf hwn, ond wythnos yn ôl fe wnaeth y Gweinidog cyllid roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am sefyllfa ariannol Llywodraeth Cymru, gan gyhoeddi toriadau i'r gyllideb materion gwledig. Felly, ar gyfer ein diwydiant bwyd a ffermio yng Nghymru, daw hyn ar adeg pan fo cymaint eisoes yn y fantol. Ar ôl siarad â ffermwyr ar draws fy etholaeth ac ar draws y wlad, mae'n amlwg bod proses ddatblygu cynllun Cynefin Cymru hyd yma wedi bod yn dipyn o lanast, fel y cyfeiriais i ato'n gynharach, gydag ansicrwydd eisoes yn cynyddu o ran sut olwg fydd ar y dyfodol i amaethyddiaeth Cymru. Os na all Llywodraeth Cymru gael cynllun Cynefin Cymru yn iawn, wel sut ar y ddaear fyddan nhw'n llwyddo i gael y cynllun ffermio cynaliadwy yn iawn?
Felly, gyda'r cynllun hwnnw'n cael ei gyhoeddi ar 21 Gorffennaf yn ystod y toriad drwy ddatganiad ysgrifenedig, yn y datganiad hwnnw nododd y byddai'r gyllideb ar gyfer y cynllun interim yn cael ei chyhoeddi cyn agor cyfnod y cais ar 29 Medi, ond eto nid oes unrhyw arwydd o gyllideb wedi'i rhoi. Bydd hyn yn cael effaith ganlyniadol ar ddyfodol ffermio a bwyd yng Nghymru, a chyflawni targedau amgylcheddol Llywodraeth Cymru ei hun. Hoffwn i felly alw am ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog Materion Gwledig ar gynllun Cynefin Cymru fel mater o frys i gadarnhau beth fydd y gyllideb ar gyfer y cynllun. Diolch.
Well, I won't be bringing forward a statement. As you say, we have brought forward the Habitat Wales scheme. I disagree with your analysis of it. We've already had many hundreds of applications, as the First Minister told you in answer to your question to him. We worked very closely with our stakeholders to bring forward this scheme very, very quickly, because, as you know, Glastir funding is coming to an end in December this year, due to us leaving the European Union.
I was asked to bring forward an interim agriculture environment scheme ahead of the SFS coming in in 2025. That is exactly what I've done. You are now criticising that. There were some issues around the mapping, which as—. If you'd like to listen I will answer your question. We dealt with the issues around mapping because, unfortunately, they did happen, but we have dealt with those. You'll be very, very aware that every portfolio has had to cut its in-year budget. That's a really difficult thing to do in-year, but every budget has had to do that in order to be able to address the £900 million deficit we've seen in our budget since we had the comprehensive spending review.
Wel, ni fyddaf i'n cyflwyno datganiad. Fel yr ydych chi'n ei ddweud, rydyn ni wedi cyflwyno cynllun Cynefin Cymru. Rwy'n anghytuno â'ch dadansoddiad chi ohono. Rydyn ni eisoes wedi cael cannoedd lawer o geisiadau, fel y dywedodd y Prif Weinidog wrthych chi wrth ateb eich cwestiwn iddo. Gwnaethom ni weithio'n agos iawn gyda'n rhanddeiliaid i gyflwyno'r cynllun hwn yn gyflym iawn, oherwydd, fel y gwyddoch chi, mae cyllid Glastir yn dod i ben ym mis Rhagfyr eleni, oherwydd ein bod ni wedi gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd.
Gofynnwyd i mi gyflwyno cynllun amgylchedd amaeth dros dro cyn i'r Cynllun Ffermio Cynaliadwy ddod i mewn yn 2025. Dyna'n union yr ydw i wedi'i wneud. Rydych chi nawr yn beirniadu hynny. Roedd rhai materion yn ymwneud â'r mapio, a felly—. Os hoffech chi wrando, fe wnaf ateb eich cwestiwn. Fe wnaethom ni ymdrin â'r materion yn ymwneud â mapio oherwydd, yn anffodus, fe wnaethon nhw ddigwydd, ond rydyn ni wedi ymdrin â'r rheiny. Byddwch chi'n ymwybodol iawn, iawn bod pob portffolio wedi gorfod torri ei gyllideb yn ystod y flwyddyn. Mae hynny'n beth anodd iawn i'w wneud yn ystod y flwyddyn, ond mae pob cyllideb wedi gorfod gwneud hynny er mwyn ymdrin â'r diffyg o £900 miliwn yr ydyn ni wedi'i weld yn ein cyllideb ers i ni gael yr adolygiad cynhwysfawr o wariant.
Trefnydd, I'd like to request a written statement from Welsh Government about the support available for trustees managing historic buildings and assets of community value. Resolven Miners Welfare hall in Neath Port Talbot is in crisis as trustees face growing liabilities for the building, which is at present unoccupied. Now, due to the complex nature of the building, it has been difficult for the trustees to insure it each year, and each year new challenges present themselves. Now, money is always found to preserve stately homes and support their preservation; more importantly, we need to find money to preserve working-class history.
Trefnydd, hoffwn i ofyn am ddatganiad ysgrifenedig gan Lywodraeth Cymru am y cymorth sydd ar gael i ymddiriedolwyr sy'n rheoli adeiladau hanesyddol ac asedau o werth cymunedol. Mae Neuadd Les Glowyr Resolfen yng Nghastell-nedd Port Talbot mewn argyfwng wrth i ymddiriedolwyr wynebu rhwymedigaethau cynyddol ar gyfer yr adeilad, sydd ar hyn o bryd heb ei feddiannu. Nawr, oherwydd natur gymhleth yr adeilad, mae wedi bod yn anodd i'r ymddiriedolwyr ei yswirio bob blwyddyn, a phob blwyddyn mae heriau newydd yn cyflwyno eu hunain. Nawr, mae arian bob amser i'w gael i ddiogelu plastai urddasol a chefnogi eu cadwraeth; yn bwysicach fyth, mae angen i ni ddod o hyd i arian i ddiogelu hanes y dosbarth gweithiol.
I think it is really important that we address any issues around such buildings. I'm not aware of the specific building that you refer to. I would advise you to write to—I'm guessing it would be Dawn Bowden, in her Deputy Minister role, to see if she can help you with that.
Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn ein bod ni'n ymdrin ag unrhyw faterion sy'n ymwneud ag adeiladau o'r fath. Nid wyf i'n ymwybodol o'r adeilad penodol yr ydych chi'n cyfeirio ato. Byddwn ni'n eich cynghori i ysgrifennu at—rwy'n dyfalu mai Dawn Bowden fyddai hi, yn ei rôl Dirprwy Weinidog, i weld a all eich helpu chi gyda hynny.
Trefnydd, can I request a statement from the Minister for Climate Change on how Wales can become a sustainable fashion nation? Recently, I sponsored an event in the Senedd with Sustainable Clothing and Textiles Cymru, who are a new coalition of groups, and members of Sustainable Clothing and Textiles Cymru talked about their latest report of key recommendations outlining how Wales can become that sustainable fashion nation. I'm sure other Members that took the time to go along to the event were just as fascinated as I was to learn about the plastic microfibres that are washed off from synthetic clothing, and they're estimated to make up around 35 per cent of the entire plastic pollution in our seas and ocean. Will you also join with me in paying tribute to my constituent, Sara Crerar, who helped set up Jean Genies with Marion Cheung—a creative arts session about the harmful effects of fast fashion, especially denim? Sadly, Sara recently passed away before the project was completed.
So, Trefnydd, I'd welcome an update from the Welsh Government on what they're doing to combat the adverse climate impacts of the fast fashion industry, and how we can strive to be a sustainable fashion nation.
Trefnydd, a gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd ar sut y gall Cymru ddod yn genedl ffasiwn cynaliadwy? Yn ddiweddar, noddais ddigwyddiad yn y Senedd gyda Sustainable Clothing a Textiles Cymru, sy'n glymblaid newydd o grwpiau, a siaradodd aelodau Sustainable Clothing and Textiles Cymru am eu hadroddiad diweddaraf o argymhellion allweddol yn amlinellu sut y gall Cymru ddod yn genedl ffasiwn cynaliadwy. Rwy'n siŵr bod Aelodau eraill a gymerodd yr amser i fynd i'r digwyddiad â chymaint o ddiddordeb ag yr oedd gen i i ddysgu am y microffibrau plastig sy'n cael eu golchi oddi ar ddillad synthetig, ac amcangyfrifir eu bod yn cyfrif am oddeutu 35 y cant o'r holl lygredd plastig yn ein moroedd a'n cefnforoedd. A wnewch chi ymuno â mi hefyd i dalu teyrnged i'm etholwr, Sara Crerar, a helpodd i sefydlu Jean Genies gyda Marion Cheung—sesiwn celfyddydau creadigol am effeithiau niweidiol ffasiwn cyflym, yn enwedig denim? Yn anffodus, bu farw Sara yn ddiweddar cyn i'r prosiect gael ei gwblhau.
Felly, Trefnydd, byddwn i'n croesawu'r newyddion diweddaraf gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar yr hyn y maen nhw'n ei wneud i ymdrin ag effeithiau niweidiol y diwydiant ffasiwn cyflym, a sut y gallwn ni ymdrechu i fod yn genedl ffasiwn cynaliadwy.
Thank you very much. I'm sorry I missed the event, because it does sound fascinating. And who would think that 35 per cent, as you say, of plastic microfibres come from clothing. So, when we talk about sustainability, it's absolutely right that we cover all aspects of our lives, and, obviously, sustainable clothing and textiles. And I absolutely join you in paying tribute to your constituents.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Mae'n ddrwg gen i fy mod wedi colli'r digwyddiad, oherwydd mae'n swnio'n hynod ddiddorol. A phwy fyddai'n meddwl bod 35 y cant, fel y dywedwch chi, o ficroffibrau plastig yn dod o ddillad. Felly, pan ydyn ni’n sôn am gynaliadwyedd, mae'n hollol iawn ein bod ni'n ymdrin â phob agwedd ar ein bywydau, ac, yn amlwg, dillad a thecstilau cynaliadwy. Ac rwy'n ymuno â chi yn sicr i dalu teyrnged i'ch etholwyr.
Trefnydd, I would like to request a statement from the Minister for health on the subject of cosmetic procedures such as Botox and lip fillers. The UK Parliament has banned such procedures being given to under-18s. However, no such ban applies to Wales. Not only are our young people at risk, but so are the scores of English teenagers crossing the border for such treatments. Wales was the first to ban teenagers from getting intimate piercings and tattoos, yet we still allow unlicensed and unregulated people, who are often untrained, to inject the world's deadliest toxin, or some unregulated concoctions, into the faces of our young people.
I would therefore ask what the Welsh Government will do to prevent teenagers getting such treatments, as well as indicate whether you intend to regulate such treatments for the wider population. Diolch yn fawr.
Trefnydd, hoffwn i ofyn am ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog iechyd ar y pwnc triniaethau cosmetig fel Botox a llenwyr gwefusau. Mae Senedd y DU wedi gwahardd rhoi triniaethau o'r fath i bobl ifanc dan 18 oed. Fodd bynnag, nid oes gwaharddiad o'r fath yn gymwys yng Nghymru. Mae ein pobl ifanc ni mewn perygl, ond hefyd mae'r ugeiniau o bobl ifanc yn eu harddegau o Loegr sy'n croesi'r ffin ar gyfer triniaethau o'r fath mewn perygl. Cymru oedd y gyntaf i wahardd pobl ifanc yn eu harddegau rhag cael tyllau a thatŵs mewn rhannau personol o'r corff, ac eto rydyn ni’n dal i ganiatáu i bobl heb drwydded a heb eu rheoleiddio, sy'n aml heb eu hyfforddi, chwistrellu tocsin mwyaf marwol y byd, neu ryw gymysgeddau heb eu rheoleiddio, i wynebau ein pobl ifanc.
Felly, byddwn i'n gofyn beth fydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i atal pobl ifanc rhag cael triniaethau o'r fath, yn ogystal â nodi a ydych chi'n bwriadu rheoleiddio triniaethau o'r fath ar gyfer y boblogaeth ehangach. Diolch yn fawr.
Thank you very much for raising that. I think it is a very important point, and I wasn't aware of what you've just told the Chamber. As you said, Wales was the first country—we really led the way on banning intimate piercings. I think I was actually the health Minister at the time of that, and I do think we take a lead in public health.
I will certainly ask the Minister for Health and Social Services to look at this, and to write to you to see what action could be taken, because, as you say, we don't want to become the country where everybody comes to if they've been banned in England. But I will make sure the Minister for Health and Social Services writes to you, and, Chair, puts a letter in the Library.
Diolch yn fawr iawn am godi hynny. Rwy'n credu ei fod yn bwynt pwysig iawn, ac nid oeddwn i'n ymwybodol o'r hyn yr ydych chi newydd ei ddweud wrth y Siambr. Fel y gwnaethoch chi ei ddweud, Cymru oedd y wlad gyntaf—fe wnaethon ni arwain y ffordd ar wahardd tyllau mewn rhannau personol o'r corff mewn gwirionedd. Rwy'n credu mai fi oedd y Gweinidog iechyd yr adeg honno, ac rwy'n credu ein bod ni'n arwain ym maes iechyd y cyhoedd.
Yn sicr, fe wnaf ofyn i'r Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol ystyried hyn, ac ysgrifennu atoch chi i weld pa gamau y byddai modd eu cymryd, oherwydd, fel yr ydych chi'n ei ddweud, nid ydym ni eisiau bod y wlad y mae pawb yn dod iddi os ydyn nhw wedi cael eu gwahardd yn Lloegr. Ond byddaf i'n sicrhau bod y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol yn ysgrifennu atoch chi, a, bod y Cadeirydd, yn rhoi llythyr yn y Llyfrgell.
Bu pawb wedi'u brawychu gan weithredoedd dieflig Hamas ar 7 Hydref, gyda thua 1,400 yn cael eu lladd yn Israel. Does dim cyfiawnhau erchyllterau fel hyn. Does dim cyfiawnhad ychwaith dros wadu dŵr, trydan, tanwydd, meddyginiaeth ac hanfodion eraill i 2 miliwn o bobl yn llain Gaza—gyda hanner y boblogaeth o dan 18 oed—gan gosbi plant a phobl ddiniwed eraill. Mae ysbytai yno bellach yn rhedeg allan o ddeunyddiau a meddyginiaeth hanfodol. Mae amcangyfrif bod 5,000 o Balestiniaid bellach wedi eu lladd a thaflegrau yn dal i ddisgyn ar dde Gaza, lle mae pobl yn cael eu hannog i symud iddo.
Rwy'n deall y bu i'r Llywodraeth yma sicrhau cymorth dyngarol i Balesteina mewn gwrthdaro blaenorol. Felly, a gawn ni ddatganiad brys gan y Llywodraeth, yn gosod allan pa gymorth dyngarol mae'r Llywodraeth am ei gynnal a'i gynnig i bobl Gaza, a sicrwydd bod y Llywodraeth yma yn defnyddio pob grym sydd ganddi er mwyn galw am gadoediad yn y rhan honno o'r byd ar fyrder?
Everyone will have been horrified by the evil actions of Hamas on 7 October, with some 1,400 people killed in Israel. There is no justification for these horrific acts. There is no justification either for denying water, electricity, fuel, medicine and other essentials to 2 million people on the Gaza strip—with half of the population under the age 18—punishing children and other innocents. Hospitals there are now running out of essential medicines and materials. It's estimated that 5,000 Palestinians have now been killed and missiles are still falling in southern Gaza, where people are being encouraged to move.
I understand that the Government here secured humanitarian aid for Palestine in previous conflicts. So, can we have an urgent statement from Government, setting out what humanitarian support the Government can provide to the people of Gaza, and an assurance that the Government here is using all of its powers in order to call for a ceasefire in that part of the world as a matter of urgency?
Thank you. Well, I can assure you that Welsh Government is taking the steps to which you refer. I know both the First Minister and the Minister for Social Justice have really reached out to our faith groups here to see what more we can do to support them. Obviously, international affairs is not a devolved matter, but I'm sure we all watch with absolute horror as these scenes unfold before us on our television screens every evening.
Diolch. Wel, gallaf i eich sicrhau chi fod Llywodraeth Cymru yn cymryd y camau yr ydych chi'n cyfeirio atyn nhw. Rwy'n gwybod bod y Prif Weinidog a'r Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol wir wedi cysylltu â'n grwpiau ffydd yma i weld beth arall y gallwn ni ei wneud i'w cefnogi. Yn amlwg, nid yw materion rhyngwladol yn fater datganoledig, ond rwy'n siŵr ein bod ni i gyd yn gwylio gydag arswyd llwyr wrth i'r golygfeydd hyn ddatblygu o'n blaen ar ein sgriniau teledu bob nos.
Minister, over the weekend, storm Babet caused havoc in Sandycroft, Mancot, Broughton, Penyffordd and the surrounding communities in my constituency. I'm seeking a Welsh Government statement on the impact of the flooding in these communities, and also the assistance from officials in the ministry of climate change to set up an expert-led working group to deliver the change needed to protect these communities from suffering in such future events. Thank you.
Gweinidog, dros y penwythnos, achosodd storm Babet hafoc yn Sandycroft, Mancot, Brychdyn, Penyffordd a'r cymunedau cyfagos yn fy etholaeth i. Rwy'n gofyn am ddatganiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar effaith y llifogydd yn y cymunedau hyn, a hefyd y cymorth gan swyddogion yn y weinyddiaeth newid hinsawdd i sefydlu gweithgor dan arweiniad arbenigwyr i gyflawni'r newid sydd ei angen i ddiogelu'r cymunedau hyn rhag dioddef mewn digwyddiadau o'r fath yn y dyfodol. Diolch.
Thank you. Well, certainly, after very heavy rainfall on Friday and into Saturday, which was linked to storm Babet, we had several flood warnings and, unfortunately, several areas—some in your own constituency, some in my constituency, and in other parts of Wales—did, unfortunately, suffer flooding. And we know how devastating the impacts of flooding can be, not just on homes, but also on individuals and their lives. So, the Minister for Climate Change will be happy to bring forward a written statement.
Diolch. Wel, yn sicr, ar ôl glaw trwm iawn ddydd Gwener ac i mewn i ddydd Sadwrn, a oedd yn gysylltiedig â storm Babet, gwnaethom ni gael sawl rhybudd llifogydd ac, yn anffodus, gwnaeth sawl ardal—rhai yn eich etholaeth chi, rhai yn fy etholaeth i, ac mewn rhannau eraill o Gymru—yn anffodus, ddioddef llifogydd. Ac rydyn ni'n gwybod pa mor ddinistriol y gall effeithiau llifogydd fod, nid yn unig ar gartrefi, ond hefyd ar unigolion a'u bywydau. Felly, bydd y Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd yn hapus i gyflwyno datganiad ysgrifenedig.
Good afternoon, Minister. I wonder if I could ask for two statements, please. The first is from the Minister for Finance and Local Government on the funding situation for public toilets operated by town and community councils. Powys is a large, rural area and we welcome visitors and people travelling through. I became aware of a phrase I'd never heard of before, from the Older People's Commissioner for Wales, called 'loo leash', which is that it dissuades senior people from leaving home because they can't, potentially, access a toilet, and some even risking dehydration. She found that almost two thirds of those over 60 struggled to find public toilets. So, I would therefore welcome a statement clarifying the Welsh Government's position on funding for community toilets. I've got an issue in Powys, where Rhayader Town Council operates three toilets on the A470, and have real funding challenges.
My second statement is from the Deputy Minister for Social Services. We had really concerning figures released today, after research by the BBC on children's services, where councils are reporting significant increases in the number of safeguarding referrals, and councils are facing severe challenges, including significant vacancy rates. So, I'd therefore welcome a statement from the Deputy Minister, setting out how the Welsh Government is responding to these concerns and pressures. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Prynhawn da, Gweinidog. A gaf i ofyn tybed am ddau ddatganiad, os gwelwch chi'n dda? Mae'r cyntaf oddi wrth y Gweinidog Cyllid a Llywodraeth Leol am y sefyllfa ariannu ar gyfer toiledau cyhoeddus sy'n cael eu cynnal gan gynghorau tref a chymuned. Mae Powys yn ardal wledig, eang ac rydym ni'n croesawu ymwelwyr a phobl sy'n teithio drwyddi. Fe ddeuthum i'n ymwybodol o ymadrodd nad oeddwn i erioed wedi ei glywed o'r blaen, drwy'r Comisiynydd Pobl Hŷn Cymru, 'tennyn y toiled', sef yr hyn sy'n dal pobl hŷn yn ôl rhag gadael eu cartrefi nhw am nad oes modd iddyn nhw, efallai, gael mynediad i doiled, a rhai hyd yn oed yn peidio ag yfed i raddau sy'n beryglus i'w hiechyd. Roedd hi'n canfod bod bron i ddwy ran o dair o'r rhai dros 60 oed yn ei chael hi'n anodd dod o hyd i doiledau cyhoeddus. Felly, fe fyddwn i'n croesawu datganiad o'r fath i egluro safbwynt Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyllid i doiledau cymunedol. Mae problem gennyf ym Mhowys, lle mae Cyngor Tref Rhaeadr Gwy yn cynnal tri thoiled ar yr A470, ac mae ganddyn nhw heriau gwirioneddol gydag ariannu'r rhain.
Mae fy ail ddatganiad oddi wrth y Dirprwy Weinidog Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol. Fe welsom ni ffigurau pryderus iawn yn cael eu cyhoeddi heddiw, ar ôl ymchwil gan y BBC ar wasanaethau plant, lle mae'r cynghorau yn adrodd am gynnydd sylweddol yn nifer yr atgyfeiriadau diogelu, ac mae'r cynghorau yn wynebu heriau difrifol, gan gynnwys cyfraddau sylweddol o swyddi gwag. Felly, fe fyddwn i'n croesawu datganiad gan y Dirprwy Weinidog, yn nodi sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ymateb i'r pryderon a'r pwysau hyn. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Thank you very much. I'll refer to your second issue. I think the Deputy Minister will want to put very clearly on record her thanks for the work that is undertaken by front-line practitioners who work with our families, and the very significant challenges they face. I know the Deputy Minister met recently with the Welsh Local Government Association social care cabinet members to hear about their concerns about the direct impact of pressures on the services. She also works very closely with local authorities, and has established a robust reporting pathway, to ensure that she is appraised of all the pressures on social services and children's services, and to continue to support local authorities as they work with children and their families.
I think the first point you raised is very pertinent. As you say, it is something—. I'd not heard that 'loo leash' before, but you can absolutely understand the meaning behind it. As you probably do know, local authorities are required legally to produce local toilet strategies, and, in doing so, they really should take every opportunity to talk to members of the public, to see what they need, in order to be able to access local toilets when they do go out, really listen to their concerns as well, and see what potential solutions can be brought forward. I know guidance has been issued to local authorities, to highlight that accessible toilets are more important for those with some health conditions also.
Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi. Rwyf i am gyfeirio at eich ail fater. Rwy'n credu y bydd y Dirprwy Weinidog yn dymuno mynegi ei diolch yn bendant iawn am y gwaith a wna ymarferwyr rheng flaen sy'n gweithio gyda'n teuluoedd ni, a'r heriau sylweddol iawn y maen nhw'n eu hwynebu. Rwy'n gwybod bod y Dirprwy Weinidog wedi cyfarfod ag aelodau cabinet gofal cymdeithasol Cymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru yn ddiweddar i glywed am eu pryderon nhw ynglŷn â'r effaith uniongyrchol y mae'r pwysau yn ei gael ar y gwasanaethau. Mae hi'n gweithio yn agos iawn hefyd gyda'r awdurdodau lleol, ac mae hi wedi sefydlu llwybr adrodd cadarn, i sicrhau y caiff hi wybod yn llawn am y pwysau sydd ar y gwasanaethau cymdeithasol a gwasanaethau plant, wrth iddyn nhw barhau i gefnogi awdurdodau lleol sy'n gweithio gyda phlant a'u teuluoedd.
Rwyf i o'r farn fod y pwynt cyntaf y gwnaethoch chi ei godi yn un perthnasol iawn. Fel rydych chi'n dweud, mae'n rhywbeth—. Nid oeddwn i wedi clywed am 'dennyn y toiled' o'r blaen, ond rydych chi'n gallu deall ystyr hynny'n llwyr. Fel gwyddoch chi, mae'n debyg, mae hi'n ofynnol yn gyfreithiol i'r awdurdodau lleol gynhyrchu strategaethau toiledau lleol, ac, wrth wneud hynny, fe ddylen nhw achub ar bob cyfle i siarad â'r cyhoedd, i weld beth sydd ei angen arnyn nhw, er mwyn bod â mynediad i doiledau lleol wrth fynd allan, a gwrando yn astud ar eu pryderon nhw hefyd, ac ystyried unrhyw ddatrysiadau posibl y gellir eu cyflwyno. Rwy'n gwybod i'r awdurdodau lleol gael canllawiau, i dynnu sylw at y ffaith bod toiledau hygyrch yn bwysicach i'r rhai sydd â chyflyrau iechyd arbennig hefyd.
Trefnydd, I'm just a little bit surprised that we've not had a statement from the Minister for the environment and climate change, considering that large parts of Wales were affected by storm Babet. My colleague Jack Sargeant there, I know other colleagues on these benches, and other Members here, have been so badly affected in their constituencies. What I witnessed over the weekend was, well, shocking, really, on Friday in particular. There was no joined-up plan. We've often heard here in this Chamber that this plan will kick into place, but there was the fire service, people couldn't get through for sandbags, or they were being told there were sandbags available, and then told, 'No, we don't provide them any more'. People were sick, being carried out of their homes; other houses were evacuated. It really was a chaotic scene. Now, for us in Llandudno, of course, this brought back horrible memories of 1993, when the waters met across the whole bay—we are very low lying in terms of sea level. So, I would endorse the call by Jack Sargeant that we have an immediate flooding statement from the Minister on how this kind of situation must be avoided again. There has to be a plan in place, and these emergency services need to know what they're doing at any particular time, and so that we, as elected Members, can actually communicate with our residents. Thank you.
Trefnydd, rwy'n synnu braidd nad ydym ni wedi cael datganiad gan Weinidog yr amgylchedd a newid hinsawdd, o ystyried bod storm Babet wedi effeithio ar rannau helaeth o Gymru. Fe wn yr effeithiwyd yn ddifrifol ar fy nghyd-Aelod Jack Sargeant draw fan acw, a chyd-Aelodau eraill ar y meinciau hyn, ac Aelodau eraill yn y fan hon yn eu hetholaethau nhw. Roedd yr hyn a welais i dros y penwythnos, wel, yn frawychus, mewn gwirionedd, ar ddydd Gwener yn arbennig felly. Nid oedd unrhyw gynllun cydgysylltiedig. Fe glywn ni'n aml yn y Siambr hon y bydd y cynllun hwn yn cychwyn ar ei waith, ond roedd y gwasanaeth tân, ni allai pobl fynd drwodd i allu gofyn am fagiau tywod, neu roedden nhw'n cael gwybod bod bagiau tywod ar gael, ac wedyn roedd rhywun yn dweud wrthyn nhw, 'Nac oes, nid oes gennym ni rai i'w cynnig erbyn hyn'. Roedd pobl yn sâl, yn cael eu cario o'u cartrefi; cafodd pobl eu gyrru o'u tai mewn achosion eraill. Roedd hi'n draed moch mewn gwirionedd. Nawr, i ni yn Llandudno, wrth gwrs, roedd hynny'n dwyn atgofion erchyll o 1993 i gof, pan gyfarfu'r dyfroedd drwy'r bae i gyd—rydym ni'n isel iawn o ran lefel y môr. Felly, fe fyddwn i'n cymeradwyo'r alwad gan Jack Sargeant i ni gael datganiad am y llifogydd ar unwaith gan y Gweinidog ynglŷn â sut y dylid osgoi sefyllfa o'r fath eto. Mae'n rhaid cael cynllun ar waith, ac mae angen i'r gwasanaethau brys wybod beth y maen nhw'n ei wneud ar unrhyw adeg benodol, ac er mwyn i ni'r Aelodau etholedig allu cyfathrebu â'n trigolion mewn gwirionedd. Diolch i chi.
Thank you. Well, as I said, the Minister for Climate Change will be bringing forward a written statement.
Diolch i chi. Wel, fel dywedais i, bydd y Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd yn cyflwyno datganiad ysgrifenedig.
And, finally, Mark Isherwood.
Ac, yn olaf, Mark Isherwood.
Diolch. Well, I call for two statements from the health Minister: the first regarding how the Welsh Government is ensuring Welsh health boards are held accountable for prioritising the implementation of the rare diseases action plan for Wales, as set out in Welsh health circular 2022/017. Yesterday, 23 October, was International XLH Awareness Day. X-linked hypophosphataemia, XLH, is a rare, lifelong metabolic bone disease that presents the person living with the condition with a multitude of challenges on a daily basis. I attended a round-table event hosted here by Mike Hedges a few weeks ago, which highlighted that the care for adults with XLH needs to be improved, as it does for many people living with rare conditions. Key challenges raised included a lack of care co-ordination, a lack of understanding of the condition, as well as challenges in accessing specialist treatment and care. It is essential for this group of patients and families, and others affected by rare conditions, that the commitments in the action plan are properly prioritised and equally delivered right across Wales, and I call for a statement accordingly.
Finally, I also call for a statement from the health Minister on the optimal clinical pathway for people affected by polio in Wales. Today is World Polio Day 2023, with supporters campaigning to tell global partners, donors and polio-affected country Governments that eradication is possible and urgently needed. As a patron of the British Polio Fellowship, I sponsored and spoke at June's launch event in the Senedd of the optimal clinical pathway for people affected by polio, which sets out what good treatment, care and support looks like for polio survivors across the UK. I subsequently called for a statement by the health Minister, detailing how she will engage with the British Polio Fellowship regarding implementation of the pathway and the need to reduce variation in care for polio survivors living in Wales, and I repeat that call for a statement today on World Polio Day 2023.
Diolch. Wel, rwy'n galw am ddau ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog iechyd: y cyntaf ynglŷn â sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn sicrhau bod byrddau iechyd Cymru yn atebol am flaenoriaethu gweithredu cynllun gweithredu clefydau prin Cymru, fel nodir yng nghylchlythyr iechyd Cymru 2022/017. Ddoe, y 23 o fis Hydref, oedd Diwrnod Rhyngwladol Ymwybyddiaeth XLH, X-linked hypophosphataemia. Mae XLH yn glefyd metaboledd yr esgyrn gydol oes a phrin sy'n dod â llu o heriau yn ei sgil i unigolion sy'n byw gyda'r cyflwr bob dydd. Roeddwn i'n bresennol mewn digwyddiad bwrdd crwn a gynhaliwyd yn y fan hon gan Mike Hedges ychydig wythnosau yn ôl, a dynnodd sylw at yr angen i wella'r gofal i oedolion ag XLH, fel sy'n wir i lawer o bobl sy'n byw gyda chyflyrau prin. Roedd yr heriau allweddol a godwyd yn cynnwys diffyg cydlynu gofal, diffyg dealltwriaeth o'r cyflwr, yn ogystal â heriau o ran triniaeth a gofal arbenigol. Mae hi'n hanfodol i'r garfan hon gleifion a theuluoedd, ynghyd ag eraill y mae cyflyrau prin yn effeithio arnyn nhw, fod yr ymrwymiadau yn y cynllun gweithredu yn cael eu blaenoriaethu mewn ffordd briodol a'u cyflawni mewn ffordd gyffelyb ledled Cymru, ac rwy'n galw am ddatganiad ynglŷn â hynny.
Yn olaf, rwy'n galw am ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog iechyd hefyd ar y llwybr clinigol gorau posibl i bobl a effeithiwyd gan bolio yng Nghymru. Heddiw yw Diwrnod Polio'r Byd 2023, gyda chefnogwyr yn ymgyrchu i ddweud wrth bartneriaid byd-eang, cyfranwyr a llywodraethau gwledydd yr effeithir arnynt gan bolio bod dilead yn bosibl a bod angen hynny ar frys. Yn noddwr i Gymrodoriaeth Polio Prydain, fe noddais i ac fe siaradais i yn y digwyddiad lansio ym mis Mehefin yn y Senedd i nodi'r llwybr clinigol gorau posibl i bobl y mae polio yn effeithio arnyn nhw, a nodi sut olwg sydd ar driniaeth, gofal a chymorth da i oroeswyr polio ledled y DU. Yn dilyn hynny, fe alwais i am ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog iechyd, yn manylu ar sut y bydd hi'n ymgysylltu â Chymrodoriaeth Polio Prydain ynghylch gweithredu'r llwybr hwn a'r angen i leihau'r anghysondeb o ran gofal i oroeswyr polio sy'n byw yng Nghymru, ac rwy'n ailadrodd yr alwad honno am ddatganiad heddiw ar Ddiwrnod Polio'r Byd 2023.
Thank you very much. So, in relation to the rare diseases action plan, I am not aware of any guidance that would need updating with health boards, but I will certainly ask the health Minister to have a look to see if that is, indeed, the case.
And, in relation to polio, I wasn't aware of it being an awareness day today. I think it is really important, because although we don't hear about it very often, I think there are many people who are still living with the aftermath of polio. So, again, if the health Minister believes that any guidance needs updating, I will ask her to do so.
Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi. Felly, o ran y cynllun gweithredu clefydau prin, nid wyf i'n ymwybodol o unrhyw ganllawiau i'r byrddau iechyd y byddai angen eu diweddaru, ond yn sicr fe wnaf i ofyn i'r Gweinidog iechyd ystyried ai dyna'r achos, yn wir.
Ac, o ran polio, nid oeddwn i'n ymwybodol ei bod hi'n ddiwrnod ymwybyddiaeth heddiw. Rwy'n credu bod hyn yn bwysig iawn, oherwydd er nad ydym yn clywed am hwnnw'n aml iawn, rwy'n credu bod llawer o bobl yn parhau i fyw gyda chanlyniadau polio. Felly, unwaith eto, pe byddai'r Gweinidog iechyd o'r farn fod angen diweddaru unrhyw ganllawiau, fe ofynnaf iddi hi wneud felly.
Diolch i'r Trefnydd.
I thank the Trefnydd.
Mae eitem 3 wedi ei gohirio.
Item 3 has been postponed.
Fe symudwn ni ymlaen, felly, i eitem 4, sef datganiad gan y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol. A dwi'n galw ar y Gweinidog i wneud y datganiad, Jane Hutt.
We'll move on, therefore, to item 4, which is a statement by the Minister for Social Justice. And I call on the Minister to make the statement, Jane Hutt.
Diolch yn fawr, acting Presiding Officer. It has been over 12 months since we launched our basic income for care leavers in Wales pilot. And the pilot offered young people leaving care and turning 18 between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023 the opportunity to receive a monthly income of £1,600 for a period of two years, which equates to £1,280 a month after tax. And, since the launch of the pilot, there has been widespread interest in how it is progressing and the impact on young people’s lives. Today, I am pleased to provide you with an update on the pilot and further information about the evaluation approach. I will also provide an update on our plans for supporting the young people as their payments come to an end, and they transition and move on from the pilot.
During the 12-month enrolment period, which formally ended on 30 June 2023, 635 young people leaving care in Wales joined the pilot and started receiving their basic income payments. This represents about 97 per cent of those who were eligible for the pilot. It is very good to have so many young people take up this opportunity, and I'm extremely pleased that the uptake rate is higher than that of other opt-in basic income schemes worldwide. How well the pilot is progressing to date reflects the strength of our collaborative approach with local authority leaving care teams, Voices from Care Cymru, Citizens Advice Cymru, carers, families and friends, and many other advocacy groups and service providers. I’d like to put on record my thanks to all those involved for their input and support for this project.
The basic income pilot for care leavers in Wales is an ambitious and groundbreaking policy, and it is essential that the evaluation matches this ambition by providing a rigorous and wide-ranging assessment of its impact. The aim of our pilot is to identify and test the benefits of providing this form of support to these young care leavers.
Throughout the pilot, I have met with many of the young people who are participating to find out how they are getting on. Last week, I met with someone on the scheme in Abersytwyth, and tomorrow and Thursday I will be meeting more young people in Cardiff and Conwy as part of a number of informal events we are holding across Wales. And I’ve been pleased to sit down and hear about the difference this money is making to their lives not only in the present, but also in terms of how they are thinking about their future. For example, some of the young people I have spoken to have talked about it allowing them to save to support themselves for the future, and explore funding further qualifications that could boost their job and career prospects, as well as help meet their current living costs and expenses.
Within this pilot, there are over 600 individuals, with their own unique stories, each taking different paths in their lives. As such, the effects of the pilot on the young people are likely to be diverse, with some outcomes more immediate and obvious, while others may be more gradual. We’ve commissioned an expert team, led by the Children’s Social Care Research and Development Centre at Cardiff University, to lead the wide-ranging evaluation of the pilot. This multidisciplinary team of world experts in complex evaluation, basic income, social care and social security interventions will assess how the pilot was experienced and delivered, as well as the costs and benefits to wider society. The evaluation team will produce a series of thematic reports to be published over the course of the four-year research programme. We intend to publish the first report of this series in early 2024. This initial report will present the potential outcomes of this pilot, drawing upon both international basic income evidence and theory as well as the Welsh Government aspirations for the pilot. The report will also outline how this pilot has been implemented to date, drawing on the views of professionals involved in its delivery. It will further build on the data we published in September this year, providing a deeper understanding of the cohort of young care leavers. This report will help build an understanding of how the pilot has been experienced by young people and those involved in its delivery. Given that the impact of the pilot in many areas of life will take years to be realised, we also have to track the impact of the pilot for many years to come.
Alongside the evaluation, we are focused on developing plans for supporting this cohort of young people as they begin to transition and move on from the pilot next year. How we positively end the pilot for the participants has been a key consideration throughout this process, and we have been keen that practitioners engage with young people about the end of the pilot at every stage. The first cohort of the basic income recipients will see their payments ending from July 2024, and we are working closely with key delivery partners and the recipients themselves on how best to support them through this transition. As care leavers, these young people already have pathways in place that are intended to support them as they transition out of care. We’ve been working with our partners to build on those existing plans and provide guidance and checklists to make sure that the young people are as prepared as they possibly can be. A key part of the support we are providing is the independent financial advice that all young people on the scheme can access through Citizens Advice Cymru, as part of our single advice fund.
Of course, this isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. As highlighted earlier, there are over 600 young people on the pilot, and that means over 600 different lives, experiences and circumstances. As such, a person-centred approach must be at the heart of the support for young people on the pilot, and we rely on the excellent work of our local authority partners and their young persons advisers to support people through this transition. I will be pleased to keep Members updated on progress and findings as we continue to proudly deliver this groundbreaking programme for government commitment. Diolch.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd dros dro. Mae dros 12 mis wedi mynd heibio ers i ni lansio ein cynllun peilot incwm sylfaenol ar gyfer pobl sy'n gadael gofal yng Nghymru. Ac roedd y cynllun peilot yn cynnig cyfle i bobl ifanc sy'n gadael gofal ac yn dathlu eu pen-blwydd yn 18 oed rhwng 1 Gorffennaf 2022 a 30 Mehefin 2023 gael incwm misol o £1,600 am gyfnod o ddwy flynedd, sy'n cyfateb i £1,280 y mis ar ôl treth. Ac, ers lansio'r cynllun peilot, fe fu yna ddiddordeb mawr yn y ffordd y mae'n datblygu a'i effaith ar fywydau pobl ifanc. Heddiw, rwy'n falch o roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i chi am y cynllun peilot ynghyd â gwybodaeth bellach am y dull o'i werthuso. Fe fyddaf i'n rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf hefyd am ein cynlluniau ni i gefnogi'r bobl ifanc wrth i'w taliadau nhw ddod i ben, a'u bod yn pontio ac yn symud ymlaen o'r cynllun peilot.
Yn ystod y cyfnod cofrestru o 12 mis, a ddaeth i ben yn ffurfiol ar 30 Mehefin 2023, fe ymunodd 635 o bobl ifanc sy'n gadael gofal yng Nghymru â'r cynllun peilot a dechrau cael eu taliadau incwm sylfaenol. Mae hyn yn cynrychioli tua 97 y cant o'r rhai a oedd yn gymwys i'r cynllun peilot. Da iawn o beth yw bod cymaint o bobl ifanc wedi manteisio ar y cyfle hwn, ac rwy'n hynod falch fod y gyfradd ymaelodi yn uwch na chynlluniau incwm sylfaenol eraill y gellir dewis ymuno â nhw ledled y byd. Mae gweithrediad da'r cynllun peilot hyd yn hyn yn adlewyrchu cadernid ein dull cydweithredol ni gyda thimau gadael gofal awdurdodau lleol, Voices from Care Cymru, Cyngor ar Bopeth Cymru, gofalwyr, teuluoedd a ffrindiau, a llawer o grwpiau eiriolaeth eraill a darparwyr gwasanaethau. Fe hoffwn i ddiolch ar goedd i bawb a gymerodd ran am eu mewnbwn a'u cefnogaeth i'r prosiect hwn.
Mae'r cynllun peilot incwm sylfaenol ar gyfer pobl sy'n gadael gofal yng Nghymru yn bolisi uchelgeisiol ac arloesol, ac mae hi'n hanfodol fod y gwerthusiad yn cyd-fynd â'r uchelgais hwn trwy gynnig asesiad sy'n drylwyr ac eang o'i effaith. Bwriad ein cynllun peilot yw nodi a phrofi manteision darparu'r math hwn o gymorth i'r rhai ifanc hyn sy'n gadael gofal.
Drwy gydol y cynllun peilot, fe gwrddais i â llawer o'r bobl ifanc sy'n cyfranogi ynddo er mwyn canfod sut y maen nhw'n dod yn eu blaenau. Wythnos diwethaf, fe gwrddais i â rhywun ar y cynllun yn Aberystwyth, ac yfory a dydd Iau fe fyddaf i'n cwrdd â rhagor o bobl ifanc yng Nghaerdydd a Chonwy yn rhan o nifer o ddigwyddiadau anffurfiol yr ydym ni'n eu cynnal ledled Cymru. Ac rwyf i wedi bod yn falch o allu eistedd i lawr a chlywed am y gwahaniaeth y mae'r arian hwn yn ei wneud i'w bywydau nhw nid yn unig yn y presennol, ond o ran sut maen nhw'n gweld eu dyfodol hefyd. Er enghraifft, mae rhai o'r bobl ifanc yr wyf i wedi siarad â nhw'n dweud ei fod wedi caniatáu iddyn nhw gynilo er mwyn cefnogi eu hunain i'r dyfodol, ac archwilio'r posibilrwydd o ariannu cymwysterau pellach a allai roi hwb i'w rhagolygon nhw o ran gyrfaoedd a swyddi, yn ogystal â'u helpu i dalu eu costau byw a'u biliau cyfredol.
Yn gynwysedig yn y cynllun peilot hwn, mae dros 600 o unigolion, gyda'u straeon unigryw eu hunain, pob un yn dilyn llwybr unigryw yn ei fywyd. Oherwydd hynny, mae effeithiau'r cynllun peilot ar bobl ifanc yn debygol o amrywio llawer iawn, gyda rhai canlyniadau mwy uniongyrchol ac amlwg, tra bod eraill yn gallu bod yn fwy graddol. Rydym ni wedi comisiynu tîm arbenigol, dan arweiniad y Ganolfan Ymchwil a Datblygu Gofal Cymdeithasol Plant ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd, i arwain y gwerthusiad eang o'r cynllun peilot. Fe fydd y tîm amlddisgyblaethol hwn o arbenigwyr byd-eang ym maes gwerthuso cymhleth, incwm sylfaenol, gofal cymdeithasol ac ymyraethau nawdd cymdeithasol yn asesu sut y cafodd y cynllun peilot ei brofi a'i ddarparu, yn ogystal â'r costau a'r manteision i'r gymdeithas yn fwy eang. Fe fydd y tîm gwerthuso yn cynhyrchu cyfres o adroddiadau thematig i'w cyhoeddi yn ystod y rhaglen ymchwil pedair blynedd. Rydym ni'n bwriadu cyhoeddi adroddiad cyntaf y gyfres hon yn gynnar yn 2024. Fe fydd yr adroddiad cychwynnol hwn yn cyflwyno canlyniadau posibl y cynllun peilot, gan fanteisio ar dystiolaeth â theori incwm sylfaenol rhyngwladol yn ogystal â dyheadau Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer y cynllun peilot. Fe fydd yr adroddiad yn amlinellu hefyd sut cafodd y cynllun peilot ei redeg hyd yma, gan fanteisio ar farn gweithwyr proffesiynol sy'n ymwneud â'r gwaith o'i gyflawni. Fe fydd yn adeiladu ymhellach ar y data a gyhoeddwyd gennym ni ym mis Medi eleni, gan ddarparu dealltwriaeth ddyfnach o'r garfan hon o bobl ifanc sy'n gadel gofal. Fe fydd yr adroddiad hwn yn helpu i feithrin dealltwriaeth o brofiad y cynllun peilot i bobl ifanc a'r rhai sy'n ymwneud â'r gwaith o'i gyflawni. O gofio y bydd effaith y cynllun peilot mewn sawl maes o fywyd yn cymryd blynyddoedd i'w wireddu, mae'n rhaid i ni olrhain effaith y cynllun peilot am flynyddoedd lawer i ddod hefyd.
Ochr yn ochr â'r gwerthusiad, rydym ni'n canolbwyntio ar ddatblygu cynlluniau i gefnogi'r garfan hon o bobl ifanc wrth iddyn nhw ddechrau pontio a symud ymlaen o'r cynllun peilot y flwyddyn nesaf. Mae'r ffordd y byddwn ni'n ceisio dirwyn y cynllun peilot i ben mewn ffordd adeiladol i'r cyfranogwyr wedi bod yn ystyriaeth allweddol drwy gydol y broses hon, ac rydym ni wedi bod yn awyddus i ymarferwyr ymgysylltu â'r bobl ifanc ynghylch diwedd y cynllun peilot ar bob cam ohono. Fe fydd y garfan gyntaf o'r rhai sydd wedi derbyn incwm sylfaenol yn gweld eu taliadau nhw'n dod i ben ym mis Gorffennaf 2024, ac rydym ni'n gweithio yn agos gyda phartneriaid cyflawni allweddol a'r derbynwyr eu hunain ynglŷn â'r ffordd orau i'w cefnogi nhw drwy'r cyfnod pontio hwn. Fel rhai sy'n gadael gofal, mae gan y bobl ifanc hyn lwybrau ar waith eisoes gyda'r diben o'u cefnogi nhw wrth iddyn nhw bontio o ofal. Rydym ni wedi bod yn gweithio gyda'n partneriaid i adeiladu ar y cynlluniau presennol hyn a chynnig arweiniad a rhestrau gwirio i sicrhau bod y bobl ifanc mor barod ag y gallan nhw fod. Rhan allweddol o'r cymorth yr ydym ni'n ei roi yw'r cyngor ariannol annibynnol y gall pob unigolyn ifanc ar y cynllun ei gael drwy Gyngor ar Bopeth Cymru, fel rhan o'n cronfa gynghori sengl ni.
Wrth gwrs, nid yw'r dull yw hwn yn ateb sy'n addas i bawb. Fel yr amlygwyd yn gynharach, mae dros 600 o bobl ifanc ar y cynllun peilot, ac mae hynny'n golygu dros 600 o fywydau, profiadau ac amgylchiadau amrywiol. O'r herwydd, mae'n rhaid i ddull sy'n canolbwyntio ar yr unigolyn fod wrth wraidd y gefnogaeth i bobl ifanc ar y cynllun peilot, ac rydym ni'n dibynnu ar waith rhagorol partneriaid ein hawdurdod lleol a'u cynghorwyr pobl ifanc i gefnogi pobl drwy'r cyfnod pontio hwn. Fe fyddaf i'n falch o allu rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelodau ynglŷn â'r cynnydd a'r canfyddiadau a ddaw wrth i ni barhau i gyflawni'r rhaglen arloesol hon ar gyfer ymrwymiad y llywodraeth. Diolch.
Thank you, Minister, for your statement today. I'm pleased to hear that so many care leavers have taken the opportunity to engage with the trial and receive potentially life-changing sums of money, and I really do hope that enables them to break many of the destructive cycles that care leavers unfortunately experience. Picking up on some of the aspects of the trial, 635 care leavers have joined the scheme, which is considerably more than the 500 originally budgeted for. The trial will now go around £5 million over budget, and this is not including the additional funding that you promised for those charities and organisations that are supporting care leavers with guidance. Given that you have recently announced a £7 million cut to your budget, there's considerable pressure on delivering more for less. Therefore, what specific outcomes of the trial are you looking at to determine whether or not a basic income is the best value for money in terms of helping care leavers?
You have stated previously, Minister, and I quote, that,
'This pilot, we hope, will enable us to test some of the claims being made for universal basic income.'
Given that the trial is now fully up and running and we are almost halfway through, I am keen to know what specific claims regarding UBI are being tested. As you know, I have previously expressed my concern in this Chamber, and continue to do so, that care leavers are a particularly vulnerable group whose specific needs do not necessarily reflect the wider population, and they were chosen deliberately to stifle opposition to these proposals. Without a clear set of outcomes to be measured related to UBI, this trial is nothing more than a measurement of targeted, financial intervention to a specific group, which is exactly the same as what is offered by existing welfare support.
Minister, if the trial was found to be a success and you decide that basic income was to be rolled out to all care leavers at the current level on a permanent basis, whereby no care leaver ever stopped receiving basic income, and 500 new care leavers were added to the scheme every year, within 10 years the scheme would cost £528 million, without adjusting for inflation, to help just 5,000 people. I think it is fair to say that we're all agreed here that it would not be financially proper to spend such large amounts of public money, especially when budgets are being cut elsewhere, trialling a scheme purely for its academic findings and without planning for a long-term implementation. Surely you wouldn't start a trial involving a vulnerable section of society without the intention of implementing it? So, with this in mind, what plans are you considering to fund the basic income for care leavers on a long-term basis?
Moving forward, as the Minister may be aware, a report from the Prince's Trust in 2017 found that care leavers struggled with educational attainment, with 87 per cent of care leavers having less than five GCSEs at grades A* to C. It's also been shown that 63 per cent of children who entered care have tragically experienced abuse or neglect that has had a lasting impact on their emotional and mental health, and it is widely reported that 25 per cent of care leavers are parents when leaving care, and this rises to 50 per cent after two years. Furthermore, 25 per cent of the prison population in England and Wales are also care leavers. Having a basic income is not going to resolve these issues. Many of those leaving care are still just as likely to become parents, just as they will have the same educational attainments and still have emotional and mental health complications. It is obvious there needs to be more effective policies introduced to help them. Given that only 635 care leavers will likely ever receive this funding, and it's never going to be financially viable to roll out wholesale, what steps are you taking to increase and improve support for those in care so that they can improve their educational attainment and their emotional and mental well-being alongside their peer group? And what steps are you taking to end this cycle that sees children of care leavers ending up in care?
Finally, Minister, extensive research has shown that almost one third of care leavers are not working or studying, compared with just 2.4 per cent of comparable young people. And among those care leavers who are working, over two thirds are in precarious roles that were short term, part time or poorly paid. This research has also shown that more can be done to remove barriers and disincentives to work for care-experienced young people, and a suitable approach to help care leavers is to provide stronger pathways for young people to go into, and back into, post-16 education and training, and to strengthen links with local employers to improve young people's knowledge of the range of opportunities available to them. Other suggestions have also included targeted pre-employment, pre-apprenticeship support to prepare young people with the most complex needs to take steps towards work-related opportunities, and for education providers and employers to have greater awareness of the trauma and mental health needs of care leavers. Given that current care leavers in the trial will still need additional support to help them obtain jobs, what steps are you taking alongside the basic income trial to help improve job and educational opportunities? Thank you.
Diolch yn fawr, Gweinidog, am eich datganiad heddiw. Rwy'n falch o glywed bod cymaint o'r rhai sy'n gadael gofal wedi manteisio ar y cyfle i ymgysylltu â'r cynllun a chael symiau o arian a allai newid eu bywydau, ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd hynny'n eu galluogi nhw i dorri llawer o'r cylchoedd dinistriol y mae'r rhai sy'n gadael gofal yn eu profi, yn anffodus. Gan godi rhai o agweddau'r arbrawf, mae 635 o'r rhai sy'n gadael gofal wedi ymuno â'r cynllun, sy'n sylweddol fwy na'r 500 a gyllidwyd ar eu cyfer nhw'n wreiddiol. Mae'r cynllun wedi mynd tua £5 miliwn dros ei gyllideb erbyn hyn, ac nid yw hynny'n cynnwys yr arian ychwanegol a addawyd gennych chi i'r elusennau a'r sefydliadau hynny sy'n cefnogi'r rhai sy'n gadael gofal gyda chyngor. O ystyried eich bod chi wedi cyhoeddi toriad o £7 miliwn i'ch cyllideb chi'n ddiweddar, fe geir pwysau sylweddol o ran cyflawni mwy am lai o arian. Felly, pa ganlyniadau penodol o'r cynllun peilot ydych chi'n edrych arnyn nhw ar gyfer penderfynu ai incwm sylfaenol yw'r gwerth gorau am arian o ran helpu'r rhai sy'n gadael gofal?
Rydych chi wedi dweud o'r blaen, Gweinidog, ac rwy'n dyfynnu,
'Bydd y cynllun peilot hwn, rydym ni'n gobeithio, yn ein galluogi ni i roi prawf ar rai o'r honiadau a wneir ynglŷn ag incwm sylfaenol cyffredinol.'
O ystyried bod y cynllun ar waith erbyn hyn ac rydym ni bron hanner ffordd drwyddo, rwy'n awyddus i wybod pa honiadau penodol ynghylch incwm sylfaenol cyffredinol a roddir ar brawf. Fel gwyddoch chi, rwyf i wedi mynegi fy mhryder yn y Siambr hon o'r blaen, ac yn parhau i wneud hynny, o ran bod y rhai sy'n gadael gofal yn grŵp arbennig o agored i niwed nad yw eu hanghenion penodol yn adlewyrchu'r boblogaeth ehangach o reidrwydd, a'u bod nhw wedi cael eu dewis yn fwriadol ar gyfer atal gwrthwynebiad i'r cynigion hyn. Heb gyfres eglur o ganlyniadau i'w mesur nhw ynghlwm ag incwm sylfaenol cyffredinol, nid yw'r cynllun hwn yn golygu dim mwy na mesur o ymyrraeth ariannol a anelir at un grŵp arbennig, sef yr un peth yn union â'r hyn y mae cymorth lles yn ei gynnig ar hyn o bryd.
Gweinidog, pe credid i'r cynllun fod yn llwyddiant a'ch bod chi'n penderfynu y byddai incwm sylfaenol yn cael ei gyflwyno i bob unigolyn sy'n gadael gofal ar y gyfradd bresennol yn barhaol, ac na fyddai unrhyw un sy'n gadael gofal fyth yn peidio â chael incwm sylfaenol felly, ac y byddai 500 o rai newydd yn gadael gofal yn dod i'r cynllun bob blwyddyn, o fewn 10 mlynedd fe fyddai'r cynllun yn costio £528 miliwn, heb addasu ar gyfer chwyddiant, ar gyfer cymorth i 5,000 o bobl yn unig. Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n deg dweud ein bod ni i gyd yn gytûn yn y fan hon na fyddai hi'n briodol yn ariannol i wario symiau mor fawr o arian cyhoeddus, yn arbennig pan fo cyllidebau yn cael eu torri mewn mannau eraill, i roi prawf ar gynllun ar gyfer bod â chanfyddiadau academaidd yn unig a heb gynllunio ar gyfer gweithredu yn yr hirdymor. Siawns na fyddech chi fyth yn dechrau cynllun ar gyfer rhai agored i niwed yn y gymdeithas heb unrhyw fwriad o'i weithredu? Felly, gyda hyn mewn golwg, pa gynlluniau a ydych chi'n eu hystyried i ariannu'r incwm sylfaenol ar gyfer pobl sy'n gadael gofal ar sail hirdymor?
Wrth symud ymlaen, fel mae'r Gweinidog yn ymwybodol efallai, canfu adroddiad gan Ymddiriedolaeth y Tywysog yn 2017 fod y rhai sy'n gadael gofal yn cael trafferthion gyda chyrhaeddiad addysgol, gydag 87 y cant o'r rhai sy'n gadael gofal yn ennill llai na phump o raddau A* i C TGAU. Dangoswyd hefyd fod 63 y cant o blant a aeth i mewn i ofal wedi profi camdriniaeth neu esgeulustod a gafodd effaith barhaol ar eu hiechyd emosiynol a meddyliol yn drist iawn, ac adroddir yn eang fod 25 y cant o'r rhai sy'n gadael gofal yn rhieni wrth adael gofal, ac mae hyn yn codi i 50 y cant wedi dwy flynedd. At hynny, mae 25 y cant o boblogaeth carchardai Cymru a Lloegr yn rhai sydd wedi gadael gofal. Nid yw bod ag incwm sylfaenol yn mynd i ddatrys y problemau hyn. Mae llawer o'r rhai sy'n gadael gofal yn dal i fod yr un mor debygol o ddod yn rhieni, ac yn yr un modd, yr un cyraeddiadau addysgol fydd ganddyn nhw, ac y bydden nhw'n parhau i fod â chymhlethdodau o ran iechyd emosiynol a meddyliol. Mae hi'n amlwg bod angen cyflwyno polisïau mwy effeithiol i'w helpu nhw. O gofio mai dim ond 635 o bobl sy'n gadael gofal a fydd yn debygol o dderbyn y cyllid hwn, ac na fydd hi fyth yn hyfyw yn ariannol i'w gyflwyno i bawb, pa gamau a ydych chi'n eu cymryd i gynyddu a gwella'r gefnogaeth i'r rhai mewn gofal ar gyfer gwella eu cyrhaeddiad addysgol a'u llesiant emosiynol a meddyliol nhw o gymharu â'u cyfoedion? A pha gamau a ydych chi'n eu cymryd i ddod â'r cylch hwn i ben lle gwelir plant y rhai sy'n gadael gofal yn mynd i mewn i ofal eu hunain yn y pen draw?
Yn olaf, Gweinidog, mae ymchwil eang wedi amlygu nad yw bron i draean o'r rhai sy'n gadael gofal yn gweithio nac yn astudio, o'i gymharu â dim ond 2.4 y cant o'u cymheiriaid ifanc. Ac ymhlith y rhai sy'n gadael gofal sydd â gwaith, mae dros ddwy ran o dair ohonyn nhw mewn swyddi ansicr sy'n fyrdymor, rhan amser neu â chyflog pitw. Mae'r ymchwil hon wedi dangos hefyd y gellir gwneud mwy i oresgyn y rhwystrau a chymell pobl ifanc â phrofiad o ofal i weithio, ac agwedd gyfaddas ar helpu'r rhai sy'n gadael gofal yw darpariaeth fwy cadarn o lwybrau i bobl ifanc fynd i addysg a hyfforddiant ôl-16, a chryfhau cysylltiadau â chyflogwyr lleol i wella gwybodaeth pobl ifanc am yr ystod o gyfleoedd sydd ar gael iddyn nhw. Fe gafwyd awgrymiadau eraill hefyd yn cynnwys cymorth cyn cyflogi, cyn prentisiaeth a anelir i baratoi pobl ifanc sydd â'r anghenion mwyaf cymhleth i gymryd camau tuag at gyfleoedd sy'n gysylltiedig â gwaith, ac i ddarparwyr addysg a chyflogwyr fod â mwy o ymwybyddiaeth o anghenion trawma ac iechyd meddwl pobl sy'n gadael gofal. O ystyried y bydd angen parhaus am gymorth ychwanegol ar y rhai sy'n gadael gofal yn y cynllun i'w helpu i gael swyddi, pa gamau a ydych chi'n eu cymryd yn gyfochrog â'r cynllun peilot incwm sylfaenol i helpu i wella cyfleoedd gwaith ac addysgol? Diolch i chi.
Thank you very much, Joel James, for those questions.
Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi, Joel James, am y cwestiynau yna.
I think that it's important just to reflect on this cohort of young people, which actually responds to many of the questions that you have raised. We decided to introduce the pilot for this particular cohort—this group of young people—as we know that care leavers face unique challenges, and you've recognised that in your questions. So, this initiative—our basic income pilot—will further enhance the investment that the Welsh Government has already provided to this group, such as the council tax exemption and the establishment of the St David’s Day fund.
I think that this, in relation to all of the other policies that have been driven forward by the Deputy Minister for Social Services, particularly the radical transformation of services for care-experienced young people—. The Welsh Government recently published the corporate parenting charter, and that’s a pledge of commitment for all sector bodies in their role as corporate parents, with 11 principles of corporate parenting. Of course, that’s really about the collective responsibility of all public bodies to promote the life chances of care-experienced young people, and the need for all public sector bodies to support care-experienced young people as they leave care. All of those 11 principles will cover many of the points that you made. But we must recognise that care leavers are disproportionately disadvantaged, statistically more likely to experience issues such as homelessness and mental health issues—more likely than their peers—and they are over-represented in the criminal justice system.
The cost of an unsuccessful transition into adulthood is high for care leavers and also high for the public. I am also interested to see that the Public Accounts Committee in the last Senedd called for continued investment in services to support young people leaving care. They saw this as an effective example of preventative spending. So, I believe that the ways in which we are addressing this, and how we are taking this forward with our priority in terms of our budget—. We are prioritising budgets based on the principles of protecting front-line public services, targeting support towards those in greatest need. This is in accord with what we are undertaking with this pilot.
It is important to look at the evaluation. Clearly, to get the outcomes that we are seeking, the pilot is subject to a very comprehensive and robust evaluation. I have already outlined the ways in which we are taking this forward, with world-class subject expertise in children’s social care, and also a knowledge of basic income and schemes of this kind. I think that it is important to see that there is going to be wide-ranging, vigorous assessment of its impact. But, what they are looking at are those key factors that will influence a child’s life, a young person's life. It will look at well-being. It will look at financial literacy and security. It will look at ameliorating the effects of poverty. It will look at education and access to the labour market. It will look at physical and mental health. It is being conducted within the real world, and the young people and recipients are engaged in that.
So, this is something that can have a wide-ranging impact and effect on these young people’s lives. I don’t think that we need to go very much further than meeting, as indeed the First Minister, the Deputy Minister for Social Services and I have done, with some young people. Indeed, we are going to meet with some tomorrow, and I am meeting some in Conwy next week. I think that it’s important to hear them, and many of them have actually shared their stories and experiences with us publicly. The young man that we met earlier this year, Brandon, who is on an electrical and plumbing course, and the way in which he was actually taking this forward in terms of the impact that it’s had on his life, is very important to record today.
Also, tomorrow, I think that we are going to be joined by Professor Sir Michael Marmot as well, who is a leading figure in this world, to meet practitioners and young people and hear about their experiences. So, I think that this will all enable us to see the beneficial impact, but also learn the lessons, because, clearly, that’s what ongoing evaluation will deliver. But let’s go back to that particular cohort and see the investment that we are making in this cohort, to see the outcomes that we would, I’m sure, across this Chamber, all seek.
Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig i ni fyfyrio ar y garfan hon o bobl ifanc, a fydd mewn gwirionedd yn ymateb i lawer o'r cwestiynau y gwnaethoch chi eu codi. Ein penderfyniad ni oedd cyflwyno'r cynllun peilot i'r garfan arbennig hon—y grŵp hwn o bobl ifanc—am ein bod ni'n gwybod bod pobl sy'n gadael gofal yn wynebu heriau unigryw, ac rydych chwithau wedi cydnabod hynny yn eich cwestiynau chi. Felly, fe fydd y fenter hon—ein cynllun peilot incwm sylfaenol ni—yn gwella'r buddsoddiad a wnaeth Llywodraeth Cymru eisoes i'r grŵp hwn, megis eithriad i'r dreth gyngor a sefydlu cronfa Dydd Gŵyl Dewi.
Rwy'n credu bod hyn, o ran y polisïau eraill i gyd a ysgogwyd gan y Dirprwy Weinidog Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol, yn arbennig felly'r trawsnewidiad radical o wasanaethau ar gyfer pobl ifanc â phrofiad o ofal—. Yn ddiweddar, fe gyhoeddodd Llywodraeth Cymru'r siarter rhianta corfforaethol, ac mae honno'n rhoi addewid o ymrwymiad i bob corff sector yn rhinwedd eu swydd fel rhieni corfforaethol, gydag 11 egwyddor o ran rhianta corfforaethol. Wrth gwrs, mae hynny'n wir am gyfrifoldeb cyfunol pob corff cyhoeddus i hyrwyddo cyfleoedd bywyd pobl ifanc â phrofiad o ofal, a'r angen i bob corff sector cyhoeddus gefnogi pobl ifanc â phrofiad o ofal wrth iddyn nhw adael gofal. Fe fydd pob un o'r 11 egwyddor hynny yn ymdrin â llawer o'r pwyntiau a wnaethoch chi. Ond mae'n rhaid i ni gydnabod bod pobl sy'n gadael gofal dan anfantais anghymesur, yn ystadegol yn fwy tebygol o brofi problemau fel digartrefedd a materion ynglŷn ag iechyd meddwl—yn fwy tebygol na'u cyfoedion—ac maen nhw'n ymddangos yn fwy anghymesur yn y system cyfiawnder troseddol.
Mae cost pontio aflwyddiannus i fyd oedolion yn uchel i'r rhai sy'n gadael gofal ac yn uchel i'r cyhoedd hefyd. Mae gweld bod y Pwyllgor Cyfrifon Cyhoeddus yn y Senedd ddiwethaf wedi galw am barhau i fuddsoddi mewn gwasanaethau i gefnogi pobl ifanc sy'n gadael gofal wedi ennyn fy niddordeb hefyd. Roedden nhw'n gweld hon yn enghraifft effeithiol o wariant ataliol. Felly, rwy'n credu bod y ffyrdd yr ydym ni'n mynd i'r afael â hyn, a'n dull o fwrw ymlaen â hyn gyda'n blaenoriaeth ni o ran cyllideb—. Rydym ni'n blaenoriaethu cyllidebau ar sail egwyddorion diogelu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus rheng flaen, gan anelu cymorth at y rhai sydd â'r angen mwyaf. Mae hyn yn cyd-fynd â'r hyn yr ydym ni'n ei wneud gyda'r cynllun peilot hwn.
Mae hi'n bwysig edrych ar y gwerthusiad. Yn amlwg, ar gyfer cael y canlyniadau yr ydym ni'n eu ceisio, mae'r cynllun peilot yn destun gwerthusiad cynhwysfawr a chadarn iawn. Rwyf i wedi amlinellu'r ffyrdd yr ydym ni'n bwrw ymlaen â hyn eisoes, gydag arbenigedd o'r radd flaenaf ym maes gofal cymdeithasol plant, a gwybodaeth hefyd am incwm sylfaenol a chynlluniau o'r math hwn. Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig gweld bod asesiad o'i effaith yn eang ac egnïol. Ond, yr hyn y maen nhw'n ei ystyried yw'r ffactorau allweddol hynny a fydd yn dylanwadu ar fywyd plentyn, a bywyd unigolyn ifanc. Fe fydd yn ystyried llesiant. Fe fydd yn ystyried llythrennedd ariannol a diogelwch. Fe fydd yn ystyried lliniaru effeithiau tlodi. Fe fydd yn ystyried addysg a mynediad i'r farchnad lafur. Fe fydd yn ystyried iechyd corfforol a meddyliol. Fe'i cynhelir yn y byd go iawn, ac mae'r bobl ifanc a'r derbynwyr yn ymgysylltu â hynny.
Felly, mae hyn yn rhywbeth a all fod ag effaith a honno'n eang ar fywydau'r bobl ifanc hyn. Nid wyf i o'r farn fod angen i ni fynd lawer pellach na chyfarfod gyda rhai o'r bobl ifanc, fel gwnaeth y Prif Weinidog, y Dirprwy Weinidog Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a minnau. Yn wir, fe fyddwn ni'n cwrdd â rhai yfory, ac fe fyddaf i'n cwrdd â rhai yng Nghonwy wythnos nesaf. Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig i ni eu clywed nhw, ac mae llawer ohonyn nhw wedi rhannu eu hanesion a'u profiadau gyda ni yn gyhoeddus. Mae hanes y gŵr ifanc y gwnaethom ni gwrdd ag ef yn gynharach eleni, Brandon, sydd ar gwrs gwaith trydan a phlymio, a'r ffordd yr oedd ef yn bwrw ymlaen â'i fywyd mewn gwirionedd o ran yr effaith a gafodd hyn, yn bwysig iawn i'w gofnodi heddiw.
Yn ogystal â hynny, yfory, rwy'n credu y bydd yr Athro Syr Michael Marmot yn ymuno â ni hefyd, ac y mae ef yn ffigwr blaenllaw yn y maes hwn, ar gyfer cwrdd ag ymarferwyr a phobl ifanc a chlywed am eu profiadau. Felly, rwy'n credu y bydd hyn i gyd yn ein galluogi i weld y dylanwad llesol, ond i ddysgu'r gwersi hefyd, oherwydd, yn amlwg, dyna fydd gwerthusiad parhaus yn ei gyflawni. Ond gadewch i ni fynd yn ôl at y garfan arbennig honno ac ystyried y buddsoddiad yr ydym ni'n ei wneud yn y garfan honno, er mwyn gweld y canlyniadau y byddem ni i gyd ar draws y Siambr hon, rwy'n siŵr, yn eu ceisio.
Diolch am y datganiad, Weinidog.
Thank you for the statement, Minister.
Plaid Cymru fully supports the care leavers basic income pilot and its goal of addressing poverty and unemployment, as well as improving health and financial well-being. I was a member of the Children, Young People and Education Committee when we held an inquiry into the need for radical reform for care-experienced children and young people, and it was good to hear about the positive effect this pilot scheme has had on the lives of those taking part, and the views of organisations and bodies such as the National Youth Advocacy Service, Public Health Wales and Social Care Wales that the resources provided by basic income were an effective way of addressing the fact that these young people would not otherwise always have sufficient resources to escape the harms of poverty.
But we also heard—and mainly from young people themselves—that more needed to be done alongside that basic income, such as work to help care leavers learn how to budget and how to avoid exploitation. So, could you provide an update, Minister, as to how this type of support is being provided; and specifically, how this has been changed or adjusted during the last 12 months following learning so far from the pilot and those conversations that you mentioned you're having with the young people themselves?
We were also told in committee that young people would have to pay now for things like supported accommodation themselves, but in reality, they perhaps wouldn't be able to afford to do that. The children's commissioner told the committee about issues she had been made aware of relating to eligibility for other means of support, such as student finance, access to housing benefit and access to things like legal aid for those who are seeking asylum. She has stressed that the evaluation of the scheme should reflect on how its administration can be strengthened, to ensure—and this is a quote—'all young people who are eligible can access support in an equitable way' and how basic income payment links with other claimable benefits. So, how has this issue so far been addressed within the pilot, and how is it going to be addressed in the proposed evaluation?
We agree with you, Minister, that it is important that the Welsh Government ensures it supports the care leavers taking part in this pilot after it has ended. I heard evidence, again, as part of the committee's inquiry, that it may be challenging for young people when basic income payment stops. So, what support is being made available for the 24-month period and for when young people transition or exit the scheme? What learning, again, has happened around this? How has that support been modified to reflect any learning from the pilot? Because that first cohort will be facing this, won't they, in July next year. It's not that far away.
It's also important to consider care leavers who are unable to participate in the pilot due to them already having left care, or are looked after but missed the time frame for participating in the pilot. So, what assessment have you made in regard to those who chose, also, not to take part in the pilot? Why was this? And what alternative support was made available for them?
And, again, I don't think we heard the answer in response to Joel James; what considerations are being made to enable the pilot to become a permanent basic income scheme for care leavers, or to expand it to include other groups?
Mae Plaid Cymru yn llwyr gefnogi'r cynllun peilot incwm sylfaenol i'r rhai sy'n gadael gofal yn ogystal â'i nod o fynd i'r afael â thlodi a diweithdra, a gwella iechyd a llesiant ariannol. Roeddwn i'n aelod o'r Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg pan gynhaliwyd yr ymchwiliad gennym ni i'r angen am ddiwygiad radical ar gyfer plant a phobl ifanc â phrofiad o ofal, ac roedd hi'n dda clywed am yr effaith gadarnhaol a gafodd y cynllun peilot hwn ar fywydau'r rhai sy'n gyfranogol ohono, ac am farn sefydliadau a chyrff fel y Gwasanaeth Eiriolaeth Ieuenctid Cenedlaethol, Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru a Gofal Cymdeithasol Cymru fod yr adnoddau a ddarperir gan incwm sylfaenol yn ffordd effeithiol o fynd i'r afael â'r ffaith na fyddai gan y bobl ifanc hyn adnoddau digonol bob amser i ddianc rhag drygau tlodi.
Ond fe glywsom ni hefyd—ac yn bennaf oddi wrth y bobl ifanc eu hunain—fod angen gwneud mwy ochr yn ochr â'r incwm sylfaenol hwnnw, fel gwaith i helpu'r rhai sy'n gadael gofal i ddysgu sut i gyllidebu a sut i osgoi dioddef camfanteisio. Felly, a wnewch chi roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf, Gweinidog, ynglŷn â'r ddarpariaeth o'r math hwn o gymorth; ac yn benodol, sut mae hwn wedi cael ei newid neu ei addasu yn ystod y 12 mis diwethaf yn dilyn yr hyn a ddysgwyd hyd yn hyn o'r cynllun peilot a'r sgyrsiau hynny roeddech chi'n sôn amdanyn nhw a gawsoch chi â'r bobl ifanc eu hunain?
Fe ddywedwyd wrthym ni yn y pwyllgor hefyd y byddai'n rhaid i bobl ifanc dalu nawr am bethau fel llety â chymorth eu hunain, ond mewn gwirionedd, efallai na fydden nhw'n gallu fforddio gwneud hynny. Fe siaradodd y comisiynydd plant yn y pwyllgor am faterion yr oedd hi wedi dod i wybod amdanyn nhw ynghylch cymhwysedd ar gyfer dulliau eraill o gymorth, megis cyllid i fyfyrwyr, gallu cael budd-dal tai a mynediad at bethau fel cymorth cyfreithiol i'r rhai sy'n ceisio lloches. Pwysleisiodd hi y dylai'r gwerthusiad o'r cynllun ystyried sut y gellir cryfhau ei weinyddiaeth, i sicrhau—a dyfyniad yw hwn—'y gall pob unigolyn ifanc sy'n gymwys gael gafael ar gymorth mewn ffordd deg' a sut mae taliad incwm sylfaenol yn cysylltu â budd-daliadau eraill y gellir eu hawlio. Felly, sut mae'r mater hwn wedi cael sylw yn y cynllun peilot hyd yn hyn, a pha sylw a roddir iddo yn y gwerthusiad arfaethedig?
Rydym ni'n cytuno â chi, Gweinidog, ynghylch pa mor bwysig yw hi fod Llywodraeth Cymru yn sicrhau rhoi cefnogaeth i'r rhai sy'n gadael gofal sy'n gyfrannog yn y cynllun peilot hwn wedi iddo ddod i ben. Fe glywais i dystiolaeth, unwaith eto, yn rhan o ymchwiliad y pwyllgor, y gallai hi fod yn heriol i bobl ifanc pan fydd y taliad incwm sylfaenol wedi dod i ben. Felly, pa gymorth sydd ar gael ar gyfer y cyfnod o 24 mis ac ar gyfer y cyfnod pontio i bobl ifanc neu wrth iddyn nhw adael y cynllun? Pa wersi a ddysgwyd, unwaith eto, ynglŷn â hyn? Sut addaswyd y gefnogaeth honno i adlewyrchu unrhyw beth a ddysgwyd o'r cynllun? Oherwydd fe fydd y garfan gyntaf honno'n wynebu hyn, oni fyddan nhw, ym mis Gorffennaf y flwyddyn nesaf. Buan iawn y daw hynny.
Mae hi'n bwysig ystyried y rhai sy'n gadael gofal hefyd nad ydyn nhw'n gallu bod â rhan yn y cynllun peilot oherwydd eu bod nhw wedi gadael gofal eisoes, neu'n derbyn gofal, ond wedi methu'r ffrâm amser ar gyfer bod â rhan yn y cynllun peilot. Felly, pa asesiad a wnaethoch chi o ran y rhai a ddewisodd peidio â chyfranogi yn y cynllun peilot hefyd? Beth oedd y rhesymau am hynny? A pha gefnogaeth arall oedd ar gael iddyn nhw?
Ac unwaith eto, nid wyf i'n credu ein bod ni wedi clywed yr ateb mewn ymateb i Joel James; pa ystyriaethau a roddir i ganiatáu'r cynllun peilot i fynd yn gynllun incwm sylfaenol parhaol ar gyfer y rhai sy'n gadael gofal, neu ei ehangu i gynnwys grwpiau eraill?
Diolch yn fawr, Sioned Williams. Thank you for your long-standing support and your role in terms of the Children and Young People Committee and the evidence that's taken place in terms of building that profile, that understanding of how we are implementing this pilot.
You ask important questions about, for example, financial advice, because this was based on the care-experienced young people who we met as we developed the policy, before we implemented the basic income pilot initiative. I remember meeting in Voices From Care Cymru one Saturday morning care-experienced young people who wouldn't have benefited from the pilot—obviously, they'd moved on in their lives—but were playing a key part in policy advice and guidance to us in developing the pilot. They said that there will be issues and questions about budgeting and financial support, so we developed this package of individual financial advice and support, and Citizens Advice is delivering on that. Before enrolling on the pilot, applicants were invited to sessions with an independent adviser to discuss the process—the application and payment process et cetera—so that they could actually make an informed choice about participation. And I think due to the fact that we had such a huge take-up—the highest, actually, as I said in my statement, worldwide—we feel that the preparation for the pilot was robust, particularly as it was involved with care-experienced young people. And such a high take-up I think has been very welcome and impressive.
Yes, there are points of disappointment, just in terms of these young people's access to benefits, for example. It's been an issue in relation to legal aid. Just to say, obviously, legal aid isn't devolved, it's a matter for the Ministry of Justice, and it's unlikely, in fact, due to the amount of income received, that a young person would qualify for legal aid if they'd need that representation, depending on individual circumstances. That's why we've had to work and raise these issues with the UK Government. But the UK Government confirmed that young people in receipt of basic income payments would not be exempted from the means test for legal aid. We just had to make sure, also, that young people were not worse off as a result of the pilot and that young people are free to leave the pilot at any point. But these are issues that we've worked through with the technical advisory committee, working with the young people, and those who are now supporting them through the pilot.
It's very important that we do look at transition from the pilot, because young people are thinking about this. When we meet them, they talk about their next steps, their plans for the future, and this is why I do want to acknowledge the role of local authorities. Last week, when the Deputy Minister for Social Services and I attended an event in Aberystwyth, we had representation from all the local authorities, from personal advisers, as well as Citizens Advice, and the leaving care personal advisers are very involved in supporting the young people on this pilot. So, we could talk to the teams directly. The support from the advisers was obviously very much valued by the young people on the pilot. So, they're looking at not just celebrating success—we've given some examples already of the impact of participating in the pilot—but also some of the challenges that may lie ahead for them. Actually, local authorities do have to continue to provide support for recipients, as they would for any other care leavers between 18 and 21. Some do need to look at the final six months; there needs to be a stable platform for how they build their futures. And others just starting or midway through may need more intensive support, as they move forward.
It is important that we also are engaging—as mentioned in response to earlier questions—with the Department for Work and Pensions to explore options for support pathways under the UK Government's care leaver covenant as well. We're working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions on how we support young people as they transition from basic income to universal credit. But I think it's important that young people have had access to wide support relating to financial well-being and general advice, reinforced during the final six months of participation so that they can plan for their transition. What has come over to me very clearly is the sense of self-worth, self-esteem and confidence that we believe in them, that we can play some small part in seeing that they've got some options for the future. I'm sure that we'll be meeting more young people tomorrow, and I will in north Wales on Thursday. Clearly, it's going to be a challenge for many of them, but the hope and prospect that has come through from our young people on the pilot is really admirable, and we pay tribute to the recipients for the way that they're approaching this and taking this forward.
Diolch yn fawr, Sioned Williams. Diolch i chi am eich cefnogaeth hirsefydlog a'ch swyddogaeth ar y Pwyllgor Plant a Phobl Ifanc a'r dystiolaeth a gasglwyd o ran meithrin y proffil hwnnw, y ddealltwriaeth honno o'r hyn sy'n deillio o weithrediad y cynllun peilot hwn.
Rydych yn gofyn cwestiynau pwysig, er enghraifft, am gyngor ariannol, oherwydd roedd hyn yn seiliedig ar y bobl ifanc â phrofiad o ofal y gwnaethom ni gwrdd â nhw wrth i ni ddatblygu'r polisi, cyn i ni ddechrau rhedeg y cynllun peilot incwm sylfaenol. Rwy'n cofio cyfarfod yn Voices from Care Cymru un fore Sadwrn â phobl ifanc â phrofiad o ofal na fyddai wedi elwa ar y cynllun peilot—yn amlwg, roedden nhw wedi symud ymlaen yn eu bywydau—ond oedd â rhan allweddol gyda rhoi cyngor i'r polisi ac arweiniad i ni wrth ddatblygu'r cynllun peilot. Roedden nhw'n dweud y bydd materion a chwestiynau am gyllidebu a chymorth ariannol, felly fe wnaethom ni ddatblygu'r pecyn hwn o gyngor a chymorth ariannol unigol, ac mae Cyngor ar Bopeth yn cyflawni hynny. Cyn cofrestru ar y cynllun peilot, fe wahoddwyd ymgeiswyr i sesiynau gyda chynghorydd annibynnol i drafod y broses—y broses o ymgeisio a thalu ac ati—er mwyn iddyn nhw wneud dewis deallus o ran cyfranogiad mewn gwirionedd. Ac oherwydd y ffaith ein bod wedi gweld cymaint eisiau manteisio ar y cyfle, yn fy marn i—y mwyaf, mewn gwirionedd, fel dywedais i yn fy natganiad, ledled y byd—rydym ni'n teimlo bod y gwaith paratoi ar gyfer y cynllun peilot yn gadarn, yn enwedig gan ei fod yn ymwneud â phobl ifanc â phrofiad o ofal. Ac mae'r niferoedd mawr sydd wedi cymryd rhan i'w croesawu ac yn drawiadol iawn.
Oes, mae yna bwyntiau siomedig, dim ond o ran gallu'r bobl ifanc hyn i gael eu budd-daliadau, er enghraifft. Mae problem wedi bod o ran cymorth cyfreithiol. Dim ond i ddweud, yn amlwg, ni chafodd cymorth cyfreithiol ei ddatganoli, mae'n fater i'r Weinyddiaeth Gyfiawnder, ac mae hi'n annhebygol iawn, mewn gwirionedd, oherwydd swm yr incwm a dderbyniwyd, y byddai unigolion yn gymwys i gael cymorth cyfreithiol pe byddai angen cynrychiolaeth fel honno arnyn nhw, sy'n ddibynnol ar amgylchiadau unigol. Dyna pam rydym ni wedi gorfod gweithio a chodi'r materion hyn gyda Llywodraeth y DU. Ond fe gadarnhaodd Llywodraeth y DU na fyddai pobl ifanc sy'n derbyn taliadau incwm sylfaenol yn cael eu heithrio o'r prawf modd am gymorth cyfreithiol. Roedd hi'n rhaid i ni sicrhau, hefyd, nad oedd pobl ifanc yn dlotach o ganlyniad i'r cynllun peilot a bod pobl ifanc yn rhydd i adael y cynllun peilot ar unrhyw adeg. Ond mae'r rhain yn faterion yr ydym ni wedi gweithio drwyddyn nhw gyda'r pwyllgor cynghori technegol, gan weithio gyda'r bobl ifanc, a'r rhai sydd yn cael eu cefnogi drwy'r cynllun peilot erbyn hyn.
Mae hi'n bwysig iawn ein bod ni'n edrych ar bontio o'r cynllun peilot, oherwydd mae hynny ar feddyliau'r bobl ifanc. Pan fyddwn ni'n cwrdd â nhw, fe fyddan nhw'n sôn am eu camau nesaf, eu cynlluniau i'r dyfodol, a dyna pam rwyf i'n awyddus i gydnabod swyddogaeth yr awdurdodau lleol. Wythnos diwethaf, pan aeth y Dirprwy Weinidog Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a minnau i ddigwyddiad yn Aberystwyth, fe gawsom ni gynrychiolaeth o'r awdurdodau lleol i gyd, o'r cynghorwyr personol, yn ogystal â Chyngor ar Bopeth, ac mae'r cynghorwyr personol gadael gofal â rhan fawr yn y gefnogaeth i'r bobl ifanc sydd ar y cynllun peilot hwn. Felly, fe allwn ni siarad yn uniongyrchol â'r tîm. Roedd y gefnogaeth gan y cynghorwyr yn cael ei werthfawrogi yn fawr iawn gan y bobl ifanc ar y cynllun peilot, yn amlwg. Felly, maen nhw'n edrych nid yn unig ar ddathlu'r llwyddiant—rydym ni wedi rhoi rhai enghreifftiau o effaith cyfranogi yn y cynllun peilot eisoes—ond ar rai o'r heriau hefyd a allai fod o'u blaenau nhw. Mewn gwirionedd, fe fydd yn rhaid i'r awdurdodau lleol barhau i ddarparu cymorth i dderbynwyr, fel ar gyfer unrhyw un arall rhwng 18 a 21 oed sy'n gadael gofal. Bydd angen i rai edrych ar y chwe mis olaf; mae angen sail sefydlog arnyn nhw i adeiladu eu dyfodol. Ac efallai y bydd eraill sy'n dechrau neu hanner ffordd drwodd ag angen cefnogaeth fwy dwys, wrth iddyn nhw symud ymlaen.
Mae hi'n bwysig ein bod ni'n ymgysylltu hefyd—fel crybwyllwyd mewn ymateb i gwestiynau cynharach—gyda'r Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau i archwilio dewisiadau ar gyfer llwybrau cymorth hefyd yn unol â chyfamod gadael gofal Llywodraeth y DU. Rydym ni'n gweithio yn agos gyda'r Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau ar y ffordd yr ydym ni'n cefnogi pobl ifanc wrth iddyn nhw bontio o incwm sylfaenol i gredyd cynhwysol. Ond rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig y bydd pobl ifanc wedi gallu derbyn cymorth eang sy'n ymwneud â llesiant ariannol a chyngor cyffredinol, a atgyfnerthir yn ystod y chwe mis olaf o'u cyfranogiad er mwyn gallu cynllunio ar gyfer pontio. Yr hyn a fynegwyd i mi'n eglur iawn yw'r ymdeimlad o hunan-werth, hunan-barch a hyder a ddaw am fod gennym ni ffydd ynddyn nhw, y gallwn ni fod â rhan fechan wrth sicrhau bod ganddyn nhw rai dewisiadau i'r dyfodol. Rwy'n siŵr y byddwn ni'n cwrdd â mwy o bobl ifanc yfory, ac mi fyddaf i yn y gogledd ddydd Iau. Yn amlwg, fe fydd hi'n her i lawer ohonyn nhw, ond mae'r gobaith a'r disgwyliad a amlygwyd yn ein pobl ifanc ni ar y cynllun peilot yn rhagorol iawn, ac rydym ni'n rhoi teyrnged i'r derbynwyr am eu hymagwedd yn hyn o beth ac wrth symud ymlaen.
Daeth y Llywydd i’r Gadair.
The Llywydd took the Chair.
Minister, there is significant and undeniable evidence that care-experienced individuals face huge additional barriers to reaching their full potential. This is often because they've faced significant trauma in their childhoods. We've heard consistent opposition to this pilot here in the Senedd. We've heard some Members attempt to even distort the truth when it comes to this pilot—opposition Members of the Senedd never wanting to admit that this was about helping care-experienced individuals reach their full potential whilst testing the true principles of a basic income.
Minister, you referred to the over 600 individual experiences and examples of participants in this pilot. I'll pick just one of those examples, the example of Lil. Lil is now renting her own flat. She is now studying nursing, medicine and healthcare in college. Two years ago, Minister, this wasn't an option. It is now. I'm incredibly proud that this bold step was taken by the Welsh Government. Minister, will you continue to evaluate the successes of this groundbreaking pilot and the life-changing examples, examples like the one I mentioned this afternoon, and not, as others have attempted to do, diminish their achievements?
Gweinidog, mae yna dystiolaeth sylweddol a diamheuol bod unigolion â phrofiad o ofal yn wynebu rhwystrau ychwanegol enfawr o ran cyrraedd eu potensial llawn. Mae hyn yn aml oherwydd eu bod nhw wedi wynebu archollion sylweddol yn ystod eu plentyndod. Rydym ni wedi clywed gwrthwynebiad i'r cynllun peilot hwn yn wastad yma yn y Senedd. Rydym ni wedi clywed rhai Aelodau yn ceisio ystumio'r gwirionedd ynglŷn â'r cynllun peilot hwn, hyd yn oed—nid yw Aelodau'r wrthblaid yn y Senedd erioed wedi dymuno cyfaddef bod hyn yn ymwneud â cheisio helpu unigolion â phrofiad o ofal i gyrraedd eu potensial llawn gan roi prawf ar egwyddorion gwirioneddol incwm sylfaenol.
Gweinidog, fe wnaethoch chi gyfeirio at y dros 600 o brofiadau unigol ac enghreifftiau o gyfranogwyr yn y cynllun peilot hwn. Rwyf i am ddewis un o'r enghreifftiau hynny, sef enghraifft Lil. Mae Lil yn rhentu ei fflat ei hun erbyn hyn. Mae hi'n astudio nyrsio, meddygaeth a gofal iechyd yn y coleg ar hyn o bryd. Ddwy flynedd yn ôl, Gweinidog, nid oedd hynny'n ddewis iddi. Ond mae erbyn hyn. Rwy'n hynod falch fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cymryd y cam beiddgar hwn. Gweinidog, a wnewch chi barhau i werthuso llwyddiannau'r cynllun peilot arloesol hwn a'r enghreifftiau sy'n newid bywydau, ac enghreifftiau fel yr un a nodais y prynhawn yma, a pheidio, fel ceisiodd eraill, â bychanu eu cyflawniadau nhw?
Diolch yn fawr, Jack Sargeant, and thank you for your foresight, your foresight that goes way back to when you actually brought forward a debate on the prospect of a basic income pilot for our care-experienced young people in Wales, for all the reasons that you have outlined.
I go back to the reason we decided to introduce the pilot for this particular group of young people. It is because we know, as you say, that care leavers face those unique challenges. Of course, we're listening to those who take part in the pilot—that's part of the evaluation. Professor Sally Holland came to our meeting in Aberystwyth, and she was spending time with the young people, asking them for their experience. It's crucial that we hear from the young people in terms of how we determine the success of this globally ambitious project, and also just to hear the difference that this money is making to their lives, the options it's opening up to them. I think evaluation has got to match the ambition of the pilot.
I'm interested you mentioned Lil, because she, as many have, has actually wanted to publicly talk about what this has meant to her. I'll quote from Lil, who is now renting her own accommodation. She said:
'It makes you feel financially stable. It helps a lot, especially when you’re reaching adulthood, you start to get those financial worries and you start thinking about your life a bit more. If I had my flat and wasn’t on this pilot scheme I would really be struggling.'
Now she's studying nursing, medicine and healthcare in college. She also acknowledges the help she's had from her young person's adviser, the local authority adviser, and Citizens Advice, because she really understood that saving money was a big part of that. So, we have got that confidence in the evaluation, in our young people who will share with us, so that we can show that this pilot is aiming to help some of the most vulnerable children and young people who are emerging from the care of local authorities in Wales.
Diolch yn fawr, Jack Sargeant, a diolch i chi am eich rhagwelediad, eich rhagwelediad sy'n mynd ymhell yn ôl at y ddadl y gwnaethoch chi ei chyflwyno ar y posibilrwydd o sefydlu cynllun peilot incwm sylfaenol i'n pobl ifanc ni yng Nghymru sydd â phrofiad o ofal, am yr holl resymau y gwnaethoch chi eu hamlinellu.
Rwyf i am fynd yn ôl at y rheswm y gwnaethom ni benderfynu cyflwyno'r cynllun peilot ar gyfer y grŵp penodol hwn o bobl ifanc. Am ein bod ni'n gwybod, fel rydych chi'n dweud, fod pobl sy'n gadael gofal yn wynebu'r heriau unigryw hyn. Wrth gwrs, rydym ni'n gwrando ar y rhai sy'n cyfranogi yn y cynllun peilot—mae hynny'n rhan o'r gwerthusiad. Fe ddaeth yr Athro Sally Holland i'n cyfarfod ni yn Aberystwyth, ac roedd hi'n treulio amser gyda'r bobl ifanc, gan eu holi am eu profiadau. Mae hi'n hanfodol ein bod yn clywed oddi wrth y bobl ifanc ynglŷn â sut yr ydym ni'n nodi llwyddiannau'r prosiect hwn sy'n uchelgeisiol yn fyd-eang, a hefyd ar gyfer clywed y gwahaniaeth y mae'r arian hwn yn ei wneud i'w bywydau nhw, y dewisiadau y mae'n eu rhoi. Rwy'n credu y bydd rhaid i'r gwerthusiad fod yr un mor uchelgeisiol â'r cynllun peilot.
Rwy'n falch eich bod chi wedi sôn am Lil, oherwydd mae hi, fel llawer un, wedi bod yn awyddus i siarad yn gyhoeddus am yr hyn y mae hyn wedi ei olygu iddi hi. Rwy'n dyfynnu Lil, sy'n rhentu ei llety ei hun erbyn hyn. Roedd hi'n dweud:
'Mae hyn yn gwneud i chi deimlo sefydlogrwydd ariannol. Mae'n helpu llawer iawn, yn enwedig pan ydych chi'n oedolyn, rydych chi'n dechrau bod â'r pryderon ariannol hyn ac rydych chi'n dechrau meddwl ychydig mwy am eich bywyd. Pe byddai'r fflat gennyf i heb i mi fod ar y cynllun peilot hwn, fe fyddwn i'n ei chael hi'n anodd iawn.'
Mae hi'n astudio nyrsio, meddygaeth a gofal iechyd yn y coleg ar hyn o bryd. Mae hi'n cydnabod hefyd y cymorth a gafodd hi gan ei hymgynghorydd pobl ifanc, ymgynghorydd yr awdurdod lleol, a Chyngor ar Bopeth, oherwydd ei bod hi wir yn deall bod arbed arian yn rhan fawr o hyn. Felly, mae gennym ni hyder gwirioneddol yn y gwerthusiad, ac yn ein pobl ifanc a fydd yn rhannu eu profiadau gyda ni, er mwyn i ni ddangos bod y cynllun peilot hwn yn bwriadu helpu rhai o'r plant a'r bobl ifanc mwyaf agored i niwed sy'n dod allan o ofal yr awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru.
It brings me literally great joy to be standing here today in support, once again, of the basic income pilot. I'm really proud to be a Member of the Welsh Parliament at this time that has introduced this basic income pilot, because people around the UK are watching us, are listening, are looking and are seeing that we're making a difference to those young people. I would take issue with Joel James in terms of him saying that this is the same as an enhanced benefits system. It is not, it is a payment that is exactly the same to every single young person, it doesn't matter what their circumstances are. The clue is the name is on the tin. It is a basic income to every single young person, and so please, please don't mix it up, because that is not a true picture of what the situation is.
I'm really encouraged by many aspects of this pilot, but particularly the mental health improvements that we're seeing in those young people. Mental health remains one of the biggest issues for our care-experienced young people—accessing it, but also being able to cope with all of the pressures that are on them. There have been many trials, as we know, around the world. There was one in Ontario, as I'm sure you know, in 2018 that resulted in 80 per cent of respondents reporting improved mental health and well-being, 80 per cent less stress and anxiety and 73 per cent reduced depression. That in itself, for me, is worth it, full stop. So, I do hope that we'll be able to see those mental health outcomes for our young people here in Wales and I look forward to the next, I hope, basic income pilot for transition workers moving from our heavy industries reliant on carbon to our green industries. So, could you just comment on those mental health benefits for care leavers and how we're going to sustain those, particularly when, as we've heard, the pilot comes to an end? Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd.
Testun llawenydd mawr a gwirioneddol iawn i mi heddiw yw sefyll yma i gefnogi, unwaith eto, y cynllun peilot incwm sylfaenol. Rwy'n falch iawn o fod yn Aelod o Senedd Cymru sydd wedi cyflwyno'r cynllun peilot incwm sylfaenol hwn nawr, oherwydd fe fydd pobl ledled y DU yn ein gwylio ni, yn gwrando arnom ni, yn edrych arnom ni ac yn gweld ein bod ni'n gwneud gwahaniaeth i'r bobl ifanc hynny. Rwyf i am anghytuno â Joel James pan ddywedodd ef fod hon yn cyfateb i gyfundrefn well o fudd-daliadau. Nid felly, taliad yw hwn sy'n union yr un fath i bob unigolyn ifanc, heb unrhyw ystyriaeth o'i amgylchiadau. Mae yna gliw yn yr enw. Incwm sylfaenol i bob unigolyn ifanc yw hwn, ac felly os gwelwch yn dda, peidiwch â chymysgu hynny, oherwydd nid yw hynny'n rhoi darlun cywir o'r sefyllfa.
Rwy'n cael fy nghalonogi yn fawr gan sawl agwedd ar y cynllun peilot hwn, ond yn arbennig felly'r gwelliannau a welwn ni o ran iechyd meddwl y bobl ifanc hynny. Materion o ran iechyd meddwl yw'r rhai sydd â'r effaith fwyaf ar bobl ifanc â phrofiad gofal yma—cael gafael ar gymorth, ond bod â gallu hefyd i ymdopi â'r holl bwysau sydd arnyn nhw. Fe fu yna lawer o gynlluniau peilot, fel gwyddom ni, ledled y byd. Cynhaliwyd un yn Ontario, fel gwyddoch chi, yn 2018 a arweiniodd at 80 y cant o'r ymatebwyr yn nodi gwell iechyd meddwl a llesiant, 80 y cant yn adrodd am lai o straen a phryder a 73 y cant o leihad yn yr achosion o iselder. Mae hynny ynddo'i hun, i mi, yn werthfawr iawn, heb sôn am unrhyw beth arall. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio y byddwn ni'n gallu gweld y canlyniadau hyn o ran iechyd meddwl i'n pobl ifanc yma yng Nghymru ac yn edrych ymlaen at y cynllun peilot incwm sylfaenol nesaf, rwy'n gobeithio, ar gyfer gweithwyr sy'n pontio, sy'n symud o'n diwydiannau trwm sy'n dibynnu ar garbon i'n diwydiannau gwyrdd. Felly, a wnewch chi wneud sylw ynglŷn â'r manteision hynny o ran iechyd meddwl i'r rhai sy'n gadael gofal a sut yr ydym ni am gynnal y rhain, yn enwedig wrth i'r cynllun peilot ddod i ben, fel clywsom ni? Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd.
Diolch yn fawr, Jane Dodds, and thank you for that tremendous support again. We have such support across the vast majority of this Senedd, and I hope that others will change their tune. I think it was a more measured set of questions I had from the Welsh Conservatives about this today, which is a good sign, because, Jane Dodds, this is being watched on a global basis, and we just must remember the policy driver is to support care leavers to make a positive transition from local authority care, and it's using basic income as the means to achieve this. It's a mechanism, rather than the purpose of the programme, leading to those outcomes that we're already seeing in terms of improving mental health, improving—. Well, we know that many of the young people will need access to the services, as all young people would in any of their circumstances. But it's already, because of the positive impact it's having on their lives, actually addressing—. This is where, back to the point that came through—this is preventative, this is intervention, this is future investing in these young people, in terms of their prospects, which could have been so difficult in terms of care experience. So, the pilot's going to test the reality of delivering a basic intervention in a devolved context. We don't have, obviously, all the relevant powers over tax and welfare benefits, but we can learn in terms of successful implementation of this distinctive basic income scheme. We will obviously await the outcome before introducing further schemes, and I think that's an important point—the evaluation is crucial.
Just finally to say that, obviously, the climate change Minister is leading the work on the just transition to a low-carbon economy, and I'm very grateful for your suggestions and interventions on this matter. And, in fact, achieving a just transition to net zero is essential, and this is why we need to learn from it, but, of course, look to this as to what it could mean for us in the future in terms of our pilot on the basic income. And I think the just transition framework—I know that you'll be engaging with that in terms of consultation.
Diolch yn fawr, Jane Dodds, a diolch i chi am y gefnogaeth aruthrol honno unwaith eto. Rydym ni'n cael y fath gefnogaeth gan y mwyafrif helaeth o'r Senedd hon, ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd y lleill yn newid eu cân. Rwy'n credu bod honna'n gyfres fwy cymedrol o gwestiynau na'r un a gafwyd gan y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig ynglŷn â hyn heddiw, sy'n arwydd da, Jane Dodds, oherwydd fe fydd hwn yn destun sylw byd-eang, ac mae'n rhaid i ni gofio mai'r hyn sy'n gyrru'r polisi yw cefnogaeth i'r rhai sy'n gadael gofal i bontio mewn ffordd adeiladol o ofal awdurdodau lleol, ac mae'n defnyddio incwm sylfaenol fel modd i gyflawni hynny. Mecanwaith ydyw, yn hytrach na diben i'r rhaglen, gan arwain at y canlyniadau hynny yr ydym ni'n eu gweld eisoes o ran gwella iechyd meddwl, gwella—. Wel, fe wyddom ni y bydd angen i lawer o bobl ifanc allu defnyddio'r gwasanaethau, fel byddai ar unrhyw unigolyn ifanc dan amgylchiadau o unrhyw fath. Ond eisoes, oherwydd yr effaith gadarnhaol a gaiff ar eu bywydau nhw, gan fynd i'r afael mewn gwirionedd—. Yn hyn o beth, yn ôl at y pwynt a ddaeth drwodd—mae hyn yn ataliol, yn golygu ymyrraeth, mae hwn yn fuddsoddiad yn y bobl ifanc hyn i'r dyfodol, o ran eu rhagolygon nhw, a allasai fod mor heriol o ran y profiad o ofal. Felly, bydd y cynllun peilot yn rhoi prawf ar realiti cyflawni ymyrraeth sylfaenol mewn cyd-destun datganoledig. Yn amlwg, nid yw'r pwerau perthnasol i gyd gennym ni o ran budd-daliadau treth a lles, ond fe allwn ni ddysgu o fod yn rhedeg y cynllun incwm sylfaenol nodedig hwn yn llwyddiannus. Yn amlwg, fe fyddwn ni'n aros am y canlyniad cyn cyflwyno cynlluniau pellach, ac rwy'n credu bod hwnnw'n bwynt pwysig iawn—mae'r gwerthusiad yn hollbwysig.
A dim ond ar gyfer dweud wrth gloi, yn amlwg, y Gweinidog newid hinsawdd sy'n arwain y gwaith o ran pontio teg i economi carbon isel, ac rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn am eich awgrymiadau a'ch ymyraethau ynglŷn â'r mater hwn. Ac, mewn gwirionedd, mae sicrhau pontio teg i sero net yn hanfodol, a dyma pam mae angen i ni ddysgu oddi wrtho, ond, wrth gwrs, rhowch ystyriaeth i hyn o ran yr hyn y gallai ei olygu i ni yn y dyfodol o ran ein cynllun peilot incwm sylfaenol. Ac rwy'n credu mai'r fframwaith pontio teg—rwy'n gwybod y byddwch chi'n ymgysylltu â hwnnw o ran ymgynghori.
I echo much of what Jane Dodds has already said. I think, actually, this provides us another example of how we can do things differently here in Wales, and I, as well as Plaid Cymru, stand steadfast in our support for the pilot.
I'm just thinking ahead now—and I appreciate what you've just said just now, Minister, but thinking ahead—Jane has mentioned here already about potentially extending the pilot to workers working in high-carbon sectors that will be potentially affected through the shift to net zero, and possibly losing their jobs. You are right to highlight, actually, that the impact of this pilot will need to be assessed now in the next few years, and it will take a number of years before we actually see the full results. But the reality is we don't have years to shift to net zero and to implement a just transition. Tata Steel has shown us that. So, taking on board what you said around ensuring that we have the full picture, has anything actually started yet about where we can take this, where next and who next?
Rwy'n adleisio llawer o'r hyn a ddywedodd Jane Dodds eisoes. Rwy'n credu, mewn gwirionedd, y cawn ni esiampl arall yn y fan hon o sut y gallwn ni wneud pethau mewn ffordd wahanol yma yng Nghymru, ac rwyf i, yn ogystal â Phlaid Cymru, yn sefyll yn gadarn yn ein cefnogaeth ni i'r cynllun peilot.
Rwy'n meddwl ychydig ymlaen nawr—ac rwy'n gwerthfawrogi'r hyn yr ydych chi newydd ei ddweud nawr, Gweinidog, ond gan feddwl ymlaen—mae Jane wedi sôn eisoes am ymestyn y cynllun peilot o bosibl i weithwyr sy'n gweithio mewn sectorau carbon uchel yr effeithir arnynt o bosibl oherwydd y symudiad i sero net, yn colli eu swyddi o bosibl. Rydych chi'n iawn i dynnu sylw, mewn gwirionedd, at yr angen a fydd i asesu effaith y cynllun peilot hwn nawr yn ystod yr ychydig flynyddoedd nesaf, ac fe fydd hi'n cymryd nifer o flynyddoedd cyn i ni weld y canlyniadau llawn. Ond y gwir amdani yw nad oes blynyddoedd gennym ni i symud at sero net a gweithredu pontio teg. Mae Tata Steel wedi dangos hynny i ni. Felly, gan ystyried yr hyn yr oeddech chi'n ei ddweud ynghylch sicrhau bod y darlun llawn gennym ni, a oes unrhyw beth wedi dechrau eto ynghylch sut y gallwn ni ddatblygu hyn, hynny yw, i ble'r awn ni nesaf a phwy fydd nesaf?
Diolch yn fawr. I think we are in the early stages of evaluation, and, of course, that is the first step to understanding the impact. We've got that real-life experience that is being shared with this, and, indeed, the evaluation team commissioned back in November has made good progress in terms of our evaluation, and I've already commented on the fieldwork that they're undertaking. And what's important is that it's an evaluation where there's co-production involved in this with care-experienced young people, and we've had to work to test the evaluation methods with the wider academic community, and we are moving forward on that, in order for us to really have a robust evaluation that we can then assess and test. And then, of course, it will be for us to consider in terms of priorities, in terms of future prospects—where does this lie with our priorities? I think it must be seen back in the context as well. I said it's a mechanism, isn't it, in terms of looking at the experiences and lives of our care-experienced young people and the work that's been done, not just by the Deputy Minister for Social Services, but also the useful evidence and engagement with the committee as well, with your inquiry, led by Jayne Bryant and committee members. It is going to be, then, be for us, as you say—it's great to have your steadfast support—to consider the way forward. But let's enable these young people to show us the way.
Diolch yn fawr. Rwy'n credu mai yng nghamau cynnar y gwerthusiad yr ydym ni, ac, wrth gwrs, hwnnw yw'r cam cyntaf a ran deall yr effaith. Mae'r profiad bywyd gwirioneddol hwnnw'n cael ei rannu â ni yn hyn o beth, ac, yn wir, mae'r tîm gwerthuso a gomisiynwyd yn ôl ym mis Tachwedd wedi gwneud cynnydd da o ran ein gwerthusiad ni, ac fe wnes i sylwadau eisoes ynglŷn â'r gwaith y maen nhw'n ei wneud yn y maes. A'r hyn sy'n bwysig yw ei fod yn werthusiad lle mae cyd-gynhyrchu yn gysylltiedig â hyn gyda phobl ifanc sydd â phrofiad o ofal, ac rydym ni wedi gorfod gweithio i brofi'r dulliau o werthuso gyda'r gymuned academaidd yn fwy eang, ac rydym ni'n symud ymlaen gyda hynny, ar gyfer bod â gwerthusiad cadarn y gallwn ni ei asesu a'i brofi wedyn. Ac yna, wrth gwrs, mater i ni fydd rhoi ystyriaeth o ran y blaenoriaethau, o ran y rhagolygon i'r dyfodol—ym mha le y mae hyn yn gorwedd gyda'n blaenoriaethau ni? Rwy'n credu bod angen edrych ar hyn yn ôl yn y cyd-destun hefyd. Fe ddywedais i mai mecanwaith yw hwn, onid e, o ran edrych ar brofiadau a bywydau ein pobl ifanc â phrofiad o ofal a'r gwaith sydd wedi cael ei wneud, nid yn unig gan y Dirprwy Weinidog Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol, ond y dystiolaeth ddefnyddiol a ddaeth o ymgysylltu â'r pwyllgor hefyd, gyda'ch ymchwiliad chi, dan arweiniad Jayne Bryant ac aelodau'r pwyllgor. Mater i ni, felly, fel rydych chi'n dweud—mae hi'n ardderchog cael eich cefnogaeth ddiysgog chi—fydd ystyried y ffordd ymlaen. Ond gadewch i ni alluogi'r bobl ifanc hyn i ddangos y ffordd i ni.
I thank you, Minister, for your statement today. I'm sure that Professor Sally Holland and the team at Cardiff University are looking at all measures of metrics and costs and outcomes, but some of those outcomes, like well-being and mental health, that have been mentioned today, are much trickier to quantify than, say, employment. Others, as you say, will take much longer to be realised. So, as the pilot continues, I'm keen to hear about the personal stories, and we've heard some of those today, as well as seeing the data. But what I don't want to hear or see are the tawdry political attacks. Unaccompanied asylum-seeker children are rightly eligible for this scheme. We are talking about children here. We're talking about the most disadvantaged of all children. So, the inaccurate and ill-informed Tory stories on this element of the policy were disgraceful, and they must not be repeated, and neither must they be allowed to detract from what is an excellent scheme, giving, as has been mentioned here today, young people and children a real self-value and worth and letting them know that we care.
Diolch, Gweinidog, am eich datganiad heddiw. Rwy'n siŵr bod yr Athro Sally Holland a'r tîm ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd yn ystyried pob mesur metrigau a chostau a chanlyniadau, ond mae rhai o'r canlyniadau hynny, fel llesiant ac iechyd meddwl, sydd wedi'u crybwyll heddiw, yn llawer anoddach eu mesur na, er enghraifft, cyflogaeth. Bydd eraill, fel y dywedwch chi, yn cymryd llawer mwy o amser i gael eu gwireddu. Felly, wrth i'r peilot barhau, rwy'n awyddus i glywed am y straeon personol, ac rydyn ni wedi clywed rhai o'r rheiny heddiw, yn ogystal â gweld y data. Ond yr hyn nad ydw i eisiau'i glywed na'i weld yw'r ymosodiadau gwleidyddol di-chwaeth. Mae ceiswyr lloches sy'n blant ar eu pen eu hunain yn gymwys ar gyfer y cynllun hwn. Rydyn ni'n sôn am blant yma. Rydyn ni'n sôn am y plant mwyaf difreintiedig. Felly, roedd y straeon Torïaidd anghywir ac anwybodus ar elfen hon y polisi yn warthus, ac ni ddylen nhw cael eu hailadrodd, ac ni ddylen nhw cael eu caniatáu i dynnu oddi wrth yr hyn sy'n gynllun rhagorol, gan roi, fel y cafodd ei grybwyll yma heddiw, hunan-werth a gwerth gwirioneddol i bobl ifanc a phlant a rhoi gwybod iddyn nhw eu bod o bwys i ni.
Diolch yn fawr, Joyce Watson. I think there's little more that I can say but to endorse that, and to actually say that I hope this statement and the forthcoming report that's coming out, the first thematic report, will encourage the opposition to look at this seriously, because it has been so disappointing that we've seen the Welsh Conservatives repeat inaccurate and misleading statements on this matter. It has disappointed everyone involved in this, including the young people themselves, who cannot see why this is not seen as an opportunity, and also a recognition of a Government listening and taking things forward.
Let's just finish. This is a pilot aimed at helping some of the most vulnerable children and young people who are emerging from the care of local authorities in Wales. Those young people are the ones that we now want to seek, to give those opportunities, to give that self-confidence, that self-esteem, that actually so many other of our young people between 18 and 25 take for granted. Diolch yn fawr, Joyce.
Diolch yn fawr, Joyce Watson. Rwy'n credu nad oes llawer mwy y gallaf i ei ddweud ond i gymeradwyo hynny, ac i ddweud mewn gwirionedd fy mod i'n gobeithio y bydd y datganiad hwn a'r adroddiad sydd ar ddod, yr adroddiad thematig cyntaf, yn annog yr wrthblaid i ystyried hyn o ddifrif, oherwydd mae wedi bod mor siomedig ein bod ni wedi gweld y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig yn ailadrodd datganiadau anghywir a chamarweiniol ar y mater hwn. Mae wedi siomi pawb sy'n rhan o hyn, gan gynnwys y bobl ifanc eu hunain, na allan nhw weld pam nad yw hyn yn cael ei ystyried yn gyfle, a hefyd cydnabyddiaeth o Lywodraeth yn gwrando ac yn bwrw ymlaen â phethau.
Gadewch i ni orffen. Mae hwn yn gynllun peilot â'r nod o helpu rhai o'r plant a'r bobl ifanc mwyaf agored i niwed sy'n dod i'r amlwg o ofal awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru. Y bobl ifanc hynny yw'r rhai yr ydyn ni nawr eisiau'u ceisio, i roi'r cyfleoedd hynny, i roi'r hunanhyder hwnnw, yr hunan-barch hwnnw, y mae, mewn gwirionedd, gymaint o'n pobl ifanc rhwng 18 a 25 oed yn eu cymryd yn ganiataol. Diolch yn fawr, Joyce.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog.
I thank the Minister.
Eitem 5 sydd nesaf. Datganiad gan Weinidog yr Economi ar ddiweddariad ar gynnydd y cynllun ar gyfer cyflogadwyedd a sgiliau yw hwn. Felly'r Gweinidog, Vaughan Gething.
Item 5 is next, and that's a statement by the Minister for Economy on a progress update on the plan for employability and skills. I call on the Minister, Vaughan Gething.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. I launched the plan for employability and skills just over 18 months ago, in March 2022. This set out our vision for a stronger, fairer and greener Wales. In our plan, we set out the aim to help people across Wales, particularly those furthest from the labour market, to both navigate and respond to the work-related challenges that they will face throughout their lives, whether that is through training, retraining, upskilling, changing career or starting a business. This reflects the reality that the Department for Work and Pensions support is focused on people who are much closer to being job-ready. We have made a deliberate choice to complement and not compete or contradict DWP support.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Fe wnes i lansio'r cynllun ar gyfer cyflogadwyedd a sgiliau ychydig dros 18 mis yn ôl, ym mis Mawrth 2022. Mae hyn yn nodi ein gweledigaeth ar gyfer Cymru gryfach, decach a gwyrddach. Yn ein cynllun, gwnaethom osod y nod o helpu pobl ledled Cymru, yn enwedig y rhai pellaf o'r farchnad lafur, i lywio ac ymateb i'r heriau sy'n gysylltiedig â gwaith y byddan nhw'n eu hwynebu trwy gydol eu bywydau, p'un ai yw hynny drwy hyfforddiant, ailhyfforddi, uwchsgilio, newid gyrfa neu ddechrau busnes. Mae hyn yn adlewyrchu'r wir sefyllfa bod cefnogaeth yr Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau yn canolbwyntio ar bobl sy'n llawer agosach at fod yn barod am swydd. Rydyn ni wedi gwneud dewis bwriadol i ategu a pheidio â chystadlu na gwrthddweud cefnogaeth yr Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau.
Our plan goes further than addressing the need for skills and training. It sets out how we will support individuals with all aspects of their employability needs, including: breaking down barriers to employment; support for physical and mental health; and ensuring that people with protected characteristics have equality of opportunity and the right support in place.
Good progress has been made on actions contained within the plan against a backdrop of challenges that will continue in the foreseeable future. These include: the continuing post-pandemic recovery; labour and skill shortages in some areas of the economy; the cost-of-living crisis; and the loss of over £1 billion of EU funding, despite Wales being promised that we would not lose a penny as a result of the UK leaving the EU. We all know that is a promise that has not been kept.
As we set out last week, we have had to make some difficult budget decisions. As a result, it is likely that we will not be able to deliver everything to the same scale or ambition as we set out when we published the plan initially. Despite this, our offer remains steadfast. Whether you're starting out on your employment journey, seeking work, at risk of losing employment or, ultimately, have been made redundant, we have in place effective programmes of support to ensure that nobody is left behind. For example, our Communities for Work+ programme continues to be our key intervention for helping to tackle economic inactivity. It is integrated with Jobcentre Plus services and delivered in partnership with local authorities across Wales to provide intensive personalised support and training. Our ReAct+ programme is a key aspect of support for those who are either affected by redundancies or for those who are short-term unemployed, to help them return to work quickly. Our ReAct+ and Communities for Work+ programmes continue to be at the forefront of the co-ordinated offer of redundancy support with DWP, supporting displaced workers. Most recently, this has been evident from Tillery Valley Foods and the ongoing position with UK Windows & Doors.
At the heart of our young people priority is our young person's guarantee—a flexible programme of support for young people under 25 to gain a place in education or training, or to get into work or self-employment. Unique to Wales and launched in April 2022, Jobs Growth Wales+ forms part of this programme for government commitment. It is an exciting opportunity for young people in Wales, with specialised training and development to help them go into either further or higher education or employment. We continuously work with our key stakeholders involved in Jobs Growth Wales+ to address issues and incorporate amendments to further and to improve this service and respond to evolving economic challenges.
We've seen great achievements for young people in terms of vocational education and skills excellence. Our team Wales approach to skills and vocational excellence has led us to medal-winning success in both national and international skills competitions. Wales continues to punch well above our weight, providing a quarter of competitors for the upcoming UK finals. That's the highest performing part of the UK, as we have been for the last five years.
We aim to ensure that our employability programmes continue to operate in these challenging conditions, remain fit for purpose, fit for the future and fit for the transition of the economy and labour market needs. On that basis we have commenced work on a fundamental review of how our key employability programmes—Jobs Growth Wales+, Communities for Work+ and ReAct+—work together.
We're committed to boosting good jobs and, most recently, have provided £2 million in funding to support the creation of 1,000 new jobs in Cardiff by professional services company PwC. Our support is based upon delivery of social mobility in recruitment and progression.
Llywydd, I remain committed to tackling economic inequality, creating a more equal Wales and a society that enables people to fulfil their potential, no matter what their background or circumstance is. To do that, I want to help create an inclusive workforce that reflects society and our communities. Championing fair work for all aims to ensure that workers are fairly rewarded, heard and represented, secure and able to progress in a healthy, inclusive working environment where rights are respected. A fair work guide has been published, which aims to improve the understanding of fair work, and provides illustrative examples of steps employers could take.
Our disabled people's employment champions continue to establish links with employers, employer networks and Business Wales to influence recruitment practices and to seek out and facilitate more collaborative opportunity, with the aim of improving employment levels for disabled people.
We continue to invest in employment support to help people recovering from physical and mental ill health and substance misuse into and to remain in work. The out-of-work peer mentoring service will support up to 10,500 people by March 2025, to help them to rebuild their lives and to get back into training, education and employment.
I recognise the role of employment as a wider determinant of mental well-being. I'm keen that we continue to build strong connections between the employability and skills plan and the new mental health strategy, which will be published for consultation later this year by the Deputy Minister.
Llywydd, we're also nurturing a 'learning for life' culture. As we know, times are changing and Wales’s population continues to age rapidly. As the general population ages, our workforce follows. We have more workers aged 50 and over in Wales than ever before. Our Working Wales mid-life free career review offer recognises this current demand, and careers advisers are providing career guidance for those in employment, as well as for those that are unemployed. From April to August in this year, Working Wales supported over 2,300 adults aged over 50, with over 5,600 one-to-one interactions with a careers adviser.
In terms of lifelong learning, earlier this year, we published our net-zero skills action plan, and, on 12 October, I launched a public consultation on sector skills requirements across our eight key emission sectors.
Llywydd, as I highlighted, we've made good progress in each of our strategic priorities across the plan. However, we continue to face some significant headwinds in terms of the loss of former EU funding, very challenging budget conditions and the continuing left-over negative impacts of the pandemic on our workforce. Despite these challenges ahead, we remain firmly committed to building a stronger, greener and fairer Wales.
Mae ein cynllun yn mynd ymhellach na mynd i'r afael â'r angen am sgiliau a hyfforddiant. Mae'n nodi sut y byddwn ni'n cefnogi unigolion gyda phob agwedd ar eu hanghenion cyflogadwyedd, gan gynnwys: chwalu rhwystrau i gyflogaeth; cefnogaeth ar gyfer iechyd corfforol a meddyliol; a sicrhau bod pobl â nodweddion gwarchodedig yn cael cyfle cyfartal a bod y cymorth cywir ar waith.
Mae cynnydd da wedi'i wneud ar gamau gweithredu sydd wedi'u cynnwys yn y cynllun yn erbyn cefndir o heriau a fydd yn parhau hyd y gellir rhagweld. Mae'r rhain yn cynnwys: yr adferiad parhaus ar ôl y pandemig; prinder llafur a sgiliau mewn rhai meysydd o'r economi; yr argyfwng costau byw; a cholli dros £1 biliwn o gyllid yr UE, er i Gymru gael addewid na fydden ni'n colli ceiniog o ganlyniad i'r DU yn gadael yr UE. Rydyn ni i gyd yn gwybod bod hwnnw'n addewid nad yw wedi'i gadw.
Fel y gwnaethom ei nodi yr wythnos diwethaf, rydyn ni wedi gorfod gwneud rhai penderfyniadau anodd ynglŷn â'r gyllideb. O ganlyniad, mae'n debygol na fyddwn ni'n gallu cyflawni popeth i'r un raddfa nac uchelgais ag y gwnaethom ei nodi pan wnaethon ni gyhoeddi'r cynllun i ddechrau. Er gwaethaf hyn, mae ein cynnig yn parhau i fod yn gadarn. P'un a ydych chi'n dechrau ar eich taith gyflogaeth, yn chwilio am waith, mewn perygl o golli gwaith neu, yn y pen draw, wedi cael eich diswyddo, mae gennym ni raglenni cymorth effeithiol ar waith i sicrhau na fydd neb yn cael ei adael ar ôl. Er enghraifft, ein rhaglen Cymunedau am Waith+ yw ein hymyriad allweddol o hyd ar gyfer helpu i fynd i'r afael ag anweithgarwch economaidd. Mae wedi'i hintegreiddio â gwasanaethau'r Ganolfan Byd Gwaith ac yn cael ei chyflwyno mewn partneriaeth ag awdurdodau lleol ledled Cymru i ddarparu cymorth a hyfforddiant personol dwys. Mae ein rhaglen ReAct+ yn agwedd allweddol ar y cymorth sydd ar gael i'r rhai y mae diswyddiadau wedi effeithio arnyn nhw neu'r rhai sydd wedi bod yn ddi-waith am gyfnod byr, i'w helpu i ddychwelyd i'r gwaith yn gyflym. Mae ein rhaglenni ReAct+ a Cymunedau am Waith+ yn parhau i fod ar flaen y gad o ran y cynnig cydlynol o gymorth dileu swyddi gyda'r Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau, gan gefnogi gweithwyr sydd wedi'u dadleoli. Yn fwyaf diweddar, mae hyn wedi bod yn amlwg o ran Tillery Valley Foods a'r sefyllfa barhaus gydag UK Windows & Doors.
Wrth wraidd y flaenoriaeth rydyn ni'n ei rhoi i bobl ifanc mae ein gwarant i bobl ifanc—rhaglen hyblyg sy'n helpu pobl ifanc dan 25 oed i ennill lle mewn addysg neu hyfforddiant, neu gael waith neu fynd yn hunangyflogedig. Yn unigryw i Gymru ac wedi'i lansio ym mis Ebrill 2022, mae Twf Swyddi Cymru+ yn rhan o'r ymrwymiad hwn yn y rhaglen lywodraethu. Mae'n gyfle cyffrous i bobl ifanc yng Nghymru, gyda hyfforddiant a datblygiad arbenigol i'w helpu i fynd i addysg bellach neu uwch neu gyflogaeth. Rydyn ni'n gweithio'n barhaus gyda'r rhanddeiliaid allweddol sy'n ymwneud â Twf Swyddi Cymru+ i fynd i'r afael â materion ac ymgorffori gwelliannau i hyrwyddo ac i wella'r gwasanaeth hwn ac i ymateb i heriau economaidd sy'n datblygu.
Rydyn ni wedi gweld cyflawniadau gwych i bobl ifanc o ran rhagoriaeth mewn addysg a sgiliau galwedigaethol. Mae ein dull Cymru ar y Cyd o ymdrin â sgiliau a rhagoriaeth alwedigaethol wedi arwain at lwyddiant a medalau mewn cystadlaethau sgiliau cenedlaethol a rhyngwladol. Mae Cymru'n parhau i gyflawni'n well na'r disgwyl, gan ddarparu chwarter y cystadleuwyr ar gyfer rowndiau terfynol y DU sydd ar ddod. Dyna'r rhan o'r DU sy'n perfformio orau, felly yr ydyn ni wedi bod yn ystod y pum mlynedd diwethaf.
Ein nod yw sicrhau bod ein rhaglenni cyflogadwyedd yn parhau i weithredu yn yr amodau heriol hyn, yn parhau i fod yn addas at y diben, yn addas ar gyfer y dyfodol ac yn addas ar gyfer pontio'r economi ac anghenion y farchnad lafur. Ar y sail honno rydyn ni wedi dechrau gweithio ar adolygiad sylfaenol o sut mae ein rhaglenni cyflogadwyedd allweddol—Twf Swyddi Cymru+, Cymunedau am Waith+ a ReAct+—yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd.
Rydym wedi ymrwymo i hybu swyddi da ac, yn fwyaf diweddar, rydyn ni wedi darparu £2 filiwn o gyllid i gefnogi creu 1,000 o swyddi newydd yng Nghaerdydd gan y cwmni gwasanaethau proffesiynol PwC. Mae ein cefnogaeth yn seiliedig ar ddarparu symudedd cymdeithasol ym meysydd recriwtio a dilyniant.
Llywydd, rwy'n parhau i fod yn ymrwymedig i fynd i'r afael ag anghydraddoldeb economaidd, gan greu Cymru fwy cyfartal a chymdeithas sy'n galluogi pobl i gyflawni eu potensial, waeth beth fo'u cefndir neu'u hamgylchiadau. I wneud hynny, rwyf i eisiau helpu i greu gweithlu cynhwysol sy'n adlewyrchu cymdeithas a'n cymunedau. Nod hyrwyddo gwaith teg i bawb yw sicrhau bod gweithwyr yn cael eu gwobrwyo, eu clywed a'u cynrychioli'n deg, yn ddiogel ac yn gallu camu ymlaen mewn amgylchedd gwaith iach, cynhwysol lle y caiff hawliau eu parchu. Mae canllaw gwaith teg wedi'i gyhoeddi, sy'n ceisio gwella dealltwriaeth o waith teg, ac yn darparu enghreifftiau darluniadol o'r camau y gallai cyflogwyr eu cymryd.
Mae ein hyrwyddwyr cyflogaeth i bobl anabl yn parhau i sefydlu cysylltiadau â chyflogwyr, rhwydweithiau cyflogwyr a Busnes Cymru i ddylanwadu ar arferion recriwtio ac i chwilio am gyfleoedd mwy cydweithredol a'u hwyluso, gyda'r nod o wella lefelau cyflogaeth i bobl anabl.
Rydyn ni'n parhau i fuddsoddi mewn cymorth cyflogaeth i helpu pobl sy'n gwella ar ôl salwch corfforol a meddyliol a chamddefnyddio sylweddau i fynd i mewn i waith ac i aros ynddo. Bydd y gwasanaeth mentora cymheiriaid di-waith yn cefnogi hyd at 10,500 o bobl erbyn mis Mawrth 2025, i'w helpu i ailadeiladu eu bywydau ac i fynd yn ôl i hyfforddiant, addysg a chyflogaeth.
Rwy'n cydnabod rôl cyflogaeth fel penderfynydd ehangach llesiant meddyliol. Rwy'n awyddus ein bod ni'n parhau i feithrin cysylltiadau cryf rhwng y cynllun cyflogadwyedd a sgiliau a'r strategaeth iechyd meddwl newydd, a fydd yn cael ei chyhoeddi ar gyfer ymgynghoriad yn ddiweddarach eleni gan y Dirprwy Weinidog.
Llywydd, rydyn ni hefyd yn meithrin diwylliant 'dysgu i fyw'. Fel y gwyddom, mae amseroedd yn newid ac mae poblogaeth Cymru yn parhau i heneiddio'n gyflym. Wrth i'r boblogaeth gyffredinol heneiddio, mae ein gweithlu'n dilyn. Mae gennym ni fwy o weithwyr 50 oed a hŷn yng Nghymru nag erioed o'r blaen. Mae Cymru'n Gweithio, ein cynnig adolygu gyrfa canol oes am ddim, yn cydnabod y galw presennol hwn, ac mae cynghorwyr gyrfaoedd yn darparu arweiniad gyrfa i'r rhai mewn cyflogaeth, yn ogystal â'r rhai sy'n ddi-waith. Rhwng mis Ebrill a mis Awst eleni, cefnogodd Cymru'n Gweithio dros 2,300 o oedolion dros 50 oed, gyda thros 5,600 o ryngweithiadau un-i-un â chynghorydd gyrfaoedd.
O ran dysgu gydol oes, yn gynharach eleni, gwnaethon ni gyhoeddi ein cynllun gweithredu sgiliau sero net, ac, ar 12 Hydref, fe wnes i lansio ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus ar ofynion sgiliau sector ar draws ein hwyth sector allyriadau allweddol.
Llywydd, fel y nodais, rydyn ni wedi gwneud cynnydd da ym mhob un o'n blaenoriaethau strategol ar draws y cynllun. Fodd bynnag, rydyn ni'n parhau i wynebu rhai heriau sylweddol o ran colli cyllid yr UE, amodau cyllideb heriol iawn ac effeithiau negyddol parhaus y pandemig ar ein gweithlu. Er gwaethaf yr heriau hyn sydd o'n blaenau, rydyn ni'n parhau i fod yn gwbl ymrwymedig i adeiladu Cymru gryfach, wyrddach a thecach.
Can I thank the Minister for his statement this afternoon? Now, today's statement highlights some of the economic challenges that the country is facing at the moment, for example, the cost-of-living pressures. And that's why it's more important than ever that the plan for employability and skills shows evidence that it is making progress in each of the strategic priority areas within the plan. The overarching aim of the plan is for 75 per cent of working-age adults in Wales to be qualified to level 3 or higher by 2050, and the percentage of working-age adults with no qualifications will be 5 per cent or below in every local authority in Wales by 2050. And I'd appreciate the Minister's assessment of where we are at this stage, and whether he believes those targets are still attainable.
Now, I'm pleased that today's statement has highlighted the ReAct+ programme, which has an important role in supporting those affected by redundancy or for those who are short-term unemployed to return to work quickly. It's vital that schemes like this are sufficiently funded, and, given that the Minister has made it clear that some difficult budget decisions have been made, perhaps he could tell us more about where those cuts will now fall.
Today's statement says that at the heart of the Welsh Government's young people priority is the young person's guarantee, but there's no mention of the apprenticeships offer and the role that apprenticeships will play in delivering the skills agenda. The National Training Federation for Wales has said more than a quarter of Welsh businesses rate apprenticeships higher than any other qualification, and we know that they play a vital role in developing a future pipeline of talent. There has been welcome investment in apprenticeships in the past, and perhaps the Minister can tell us a bit more about any plans to increase the number of apprenticeships available, and the need to ensure those apprenticeships are flexible to accommodate the changing jobs landscape.
Now, I'm pleased that today's statement highlights vocational education. The Minister will be aware of the recent review of vocational qualifications in Wales, which makes some really important recommendations to the Welsh Government, such as developing a national strategy for vocational education and training. It also recommended that the Welsh Government commission work to define the future demand nationally for occupational and skills needs in Wales, and I think this is something that needs to be done as a matter of urgency. Therefore, perhaps the Minister can update us on the discussions he's had, indeed, with the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language about this report and tell us a bit more about the Welsh Government's plans to increase vocational skills opportunities here in Wales.
Now, the statement refers to tackling economic inequality, and the Welsh Government has talked about exploring legislation to address pay gaps based on gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability and other forms of discrimination. I'd be grateful if the Minister could confirm if that's still being considered.
The Welsh Government has also driven changes to Wales's working culture, so that at least 30 per cent of Welsh workers work from home or near to home. I appreciate that this can give more people the choice to work in a way that helps their productivity, their work-life balance and any caring commitments they have, but there has been little assessment of the impact that working from home has on people's mental health, as well as on the wider economic benefits that are lost when people are not working from their workplace. Therefore, I'd be grateful if the Minister can confirm whether it's still Welsh Government policy to push for at least 30 per cent of the workforce to work from home. If that is the case, perhaps he could tell us whether the Welsh Government is meeting that target, and perhaps he can also tell us what work has been and is being done to understand the economic impact of changing Wales's working culture.
There's also more we can do to support people with a long-term health condition to work. And I know that, in this plan, the Welsh Government has prioritised developing healthy workplaces, for example. Perhaps the Minister could provide us with an update on expanding rapid access to occupational therapy support in the workplace. It would be useful to know what additional investment the Welsh Government has made in this area and what support is being offered to employers on how to support disabled people and those with long-term health conditions in the workplace.
Today's statement also reinforces the importance of learning for life, and I very much support the mid-life free career reviews, which encourage workers aged 50 and over to proactively think about career and skills development, health and well-being, finance and work-life balance through Working Wales. Perhaps the Minister can tell us more about this work and also any steps to widen participation in learning in the workplace.
And finally, Llywydd, the way we live and work is changing. Digitalisation and automation is transforming our lives, and I urge the Welsh Government to carry out an analysis of the impacts of digitalisation and automation on the Welsh economy. And given that it's not mentioned in the statement today, perhaps the Minister can tell us how the Welsh Government is exploring the impact of digitalisation and automation on the Welsh economy, and how the Welsh Government is working to promote training and development opportunities to employees, so that skills are developed to complement emerging technologies like these.
So, Llywydd, with that, can I thank the Minister for his statement today? I look forward to continuing scrutinising the Welsh Government on this agenda over the coming weeks and months.
A gaf i ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am ei ddatganiad y prynhawn yma? Nawr, mae'r datganiad heddiw yn tynnu sylw at rai o'r heriau economaidd y mae'r wlad yn eu hwynebu ar hyn o bryd, er enghraifft, y pwysau costau byw. A dyna pam ei bod yn bwysicach nag erioed bod y cynllun ar gyfer cyflogadwyedd a sgiliau yn dangos tystiolaeth ei fod yn gwneud cynnydd ym mhob un o'r meysydd blaenoriaeth strategol yn y cynllun. Nod cyffredinol y cynllun yw bod 75 y cant o oedolion o oedran gweithio yng Nghymru yn gymwys i lefel 3 neu uwch erbyn 2050, ac y bydd canran yr oedolion o oedran gweithio heb unrhyw gymwysterau yn 5 y cant neu'n is ym mhob awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru erbyn 2050. A byddwn i'n gwerthfawrogi asesiad y Gweinidog o ble rydym arni ar hyn o bryd, ac a yw'n credu bod y targedau hynny yn dal i fod yn gyraeddadwy.
Nawr, rwy'n falch bod y datganiad heddiw wedi tynnu sylw at y rhaglen ReAct+, sydd â rôl bwysig wrth gefnogi'r rhai y mae diswyddiadau wedi effeithio arnyn nhw neu'r rhai sydd wedi bod yn ddi-waith am gyfnod byr i ddychwelyd i'r gwaith yn gyflym. Mae'n hanfodol bod cynlluniau fel hyn yn cael eu hariannu'n ddigonol, ac, o ystyried bod y Gweinidog wedi'i wneud yn glir bod rhai penderfyniadau anodd wedi'u gwneud o ran y gyllideb, efallai y gallai ddweud mwy wrthyn ni am ble y bydd y toriadau hynny yn digwydd nawr.
Mae'r datganiad heddiw yn dweud bod y gwarant i bobl ifanc wrth wraidd y flaenoriaeth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei rhoi i bobl ifanc, ond nid oes sôn am y cynnig prentisiaethau a'r rôl y bydd prentisiaethau yn ei chwarae wrth gyflawni'r agenda sgiliau. Mae Ffederasiwn Hyfforddiant Cenedlaethol Cymru wedi dweud bod mwy na chwarter o fusnesau Cymru yn ystyried bod prentisiaethau yn well nag unrhyw gymhwyster arall, ac rydyn ni'n gwybod eu bod yn chwarae rhan hanfodol wrth ddatblygu talent yn y dyfodol. Mae buddsoddiad mewn prentisiaethau wedi cael ei groesawu yn y gorffennol, ac efallai y gall y Gweinidog ddweud ychydig mwy wrthyn ni am unrhyw gynlluniau i gynyddu nifer y prentisiaethau sydd ar gael, a'r angen i sicrhau bod y prentisiaethau hynny'n hyblyg i ddarparu ar gyfer y dirwedd swyddi sy'n newid.
Nawr, rwy'n falch bod y datganiad heddiw yn tynnu sylw at addysg alwedigaethol. Bydd y Gweinidog yn ymwybodol o'r adolygiad diweddar o gymwysterau galwedigaethol yng Nghymru, sy'n gwneud rhai argymhellion pwysig iawn i Lywodraeth Cymru, fel datblygu strategaeth genedlaethol ar gyfer addysg a hyfforddiant galwedigaethol. Argymhellodd hefyd y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru gomisiynu gwaith i ddiffinio'r galw cenedlaethol am anghenion galwedigaethol a sgiliau yng Nghymru yn y dyfodol, ac rwy'n credu bod hyn yn rhywbeth y mae angen ei wneud ar frys. Felly, efallai y gall y Gweinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i ni am y trafodaethau y mae wedi'u cael, yn wir, gyda Gweinidog y Gymraeg ac Addysg am yr adroddiad hwn a dweud ychydig mwy wrthyn ni am gynlluniau Llywodraeth Cymru i gynyddu cyfleoedd sgiliau galwedigaethol yma yng Nghymru.
Nawr, mae'r datganiad yn cyfeirio at fynd i'r afael ag anghydraddoldeb economaidd, ac mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi siarad am archwilio deddfwriaeth i fynd i'r afael â bylchau cyflog yn seiliedig ar rywedd, cyfeiriadedd rhywiol, ethnigrwydd, anabledd a mathau eraill o wahaniaethu. Byddwn i'n ddiolchgar pe gallai'r Gweinidog gadarnhau a yw hynny'n dal i gael ei ystyried.
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru hefyd wedi ysgogi newidiadau i ddiwylliant gwaith Cymru, fel bod o leiaf 30 y cant o weithwyr Cymru yn gweithio gartref neu'n agos at adref. Rwy'n gwerthfawrogi y gall hyn roi'r dewis i fwy o bobl weithio mewn ffordd sy'n helpu eu cynhyrchiant, eu cydbwysedd rhwng bywyd a gwaith ac unrhyw ymrwymiadau gofalu sydd ganddyn nhw, ond ychydig iawn o waith asesu sydd wedi bod o'r effaith y mae gweithio gartref yn ei chael ar iechyd meddwl pobl, yn ogystal ag ar y manteision economaidd ehangach sy'n cael eu colli pan nad yw pobl yn gweithio o'u gweithle. Felly, byddwn i'n ddiolchgar pe gallai'r Gweinidog gadarnhau a yw'n dal i fod yn bolisi Llywodraeth Cymru i wthio i sicrhau bod o leiaf 30 y cant o'r gweithlu yn gweithio gartref. Os felly, efallai y gallai ddweud wrthyn ni a yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn cyrraedd y targed hwnnw, ac efallai y gall hefyd ddweud wrthyn ni pa waith sydd wedi'i wneud ac sy'n cael ei wneud i ddeall effaith economaidd newid diwylliant gwaith Cymru.
Mae mwy y gallwn ni ei wneud hefyd i gefnogi pobl sydd â chyflwr iechyd hirdymor i weithio. Ac rwy'n gwybod, yn y cynllun hwn, fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi blaenoriaethu datblygu gweithleoedd iach, er enghraifft. Efallai y gallai'r Gweinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i ni am ehangu mynediad cyflym at gymorth therapi galwedigaethol yn y gweithle. Byddai'n ddefnyddiol gwybod pa fuddsoddiad ychwanegol y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud yn y maes hwn a pha gymorth sy'n cael ei gynnig i gyflogwyr ar sut i gefnogi pobl anabl a'r rhai sydd â chyflyrau iechyd hirdymor yn y gweithle.
Mae'r datganiad heddiw hefyd yn atgyfnerthu pwysigrwydd dysgu am oes, ac rwy'n cefnogi'n fawr yr adolygiadau gyrfa canol oes, sy'n annog gweithwyr 50 oed a hŷn i feddwl yn rhagweithiol am ddatblygu gyrfa a sgiliau, iechyd a lles, cyllid a chydbwysedd rhwng bywyd a gwaith drwy Cymru'n Gweithio. Efallai y gall y Gweinidog ddweud mwy wrthyn ni am y gwaith hwn a hefyd unrhyw gamau i ehangu cyfranogiad mewn dysgu yn y gweithle.
Ac yn olaf, Llywydd, mae'r ffordd yr ydyn ni'n byw ac yn gweithio yn newid. Mae digideiddio ac awtomeiddio yn trawsnewid ein bywydau, ac rwy'n annog Llywodraeth Cymru i gynnal dadansoddiad o effeithiau digideiddio ac awtomeiddio ar economi Cymru. Ac o ystyried nad yw'n cael ei grybwyll yn y datganiad heddiw, efallai y gall y Gweinidog ddweud wrthyn ni sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn archwilio effaith digideiddio ac awtomeiddio ar economi Cymru, a sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio i hyrwyddo cyfleoedd hyfforddi a datblygu i weithwyr, fel bod sgiliau'n cael eu datblygu i ategu technolegau sy'n dod i'r amlwg fel y rhain.
Felly, Llywydd, gyda hynny, a gaf i ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am ei ddatganiad heddiw? Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at barhau i graffu ar Lywodraeth Cymru ar yr agenda hon yn ystod yr wythnosau a'r misoedd nesaf.
Thank you for the long list of questions—I'll try to answer as many as I can without tempting the patience of the Llywydd.
Look, I think the starting point of this is, having set out what we want to do, we've had a range of different shocks, which I've set out. I tried to set out honestly that it will affect the impact of the scale and how far we can reach, but we're still looking to do what we set out, which is to make sure we have a more coherent offer, deliberately pitched at people further away from the labour market, because of where the DWP, through Jobcentre Plus, are much more active. We continue to have conversations with the UK Government, certainly at an officer level, that are often constructive, about how those things match up. And actually, the fact that I mentioned in the statement what we've done with both Tillery Valley Foods and the ongoing situation with UK Windows & Doors is a good example of where those interventions can work well together. And what DWP are doing is actually reliant on and takes account of what we are doing through these programmes as well, and it's across the whole sweep of those. We'll have more figures when it comes to qualification achievements through the rest of this year, and I'm more than happy to come back to the Member. And obviously, at some point, this will come back to the committee that he chairs, when he's not in his political spokesperson role, as well.
On budget strategy, it won't surprise the Member that, beyond the broad indication that we've given, we're going through the next year's budget strategy, and there'll be a budget that will be laid in December by the Welsh Government and that will set out the detail of what we are going to be able to do with the reality that our budget is worth a significant amount less than when the spending review was published. That is significantly eroded by what's taken place over the last year or so. So, there will be difficult choices to make, and there is no consequence-free way of making those choices. The Member will have an interest, but, actually, we will have a sum of money to spend that we can't spend several times over. So, as well as making sure the budget balances, we're going to have to be able to set out some of those priorities. And within that, it's probably worth pointing out at this point that I continue to discuss matters with the education Minister. It's probably a good thing that he's in the Chamber because I'm sure we'll get specific questions from Dr David about his report and other matters, but actually to—[Interruption.] Oh, well. But, on a range of these areas, I've had a discussion this week with the education Minister about areas of our portfolios that overlap, about the reality of the difficult budget choices we both have to make, to make sure they're as co-ordinated as possible. But we still want to make it clear that the vocational skills offer is a key part of what we're doing into the future, and how the new commission is actually going to be taking forward a role within that space as well. So, there's ongoing work that we're doing, and, actually, the review that I've referred to, on the way in which our different programmes work together, is part of seeing that wider puzzle come together.
On apprenticeships, we've seen a reduction in demand, and that's perhaps not unsurprising, given what's happened in the last year. So, there are more businesses concerned about their future, there are more businesses, therefore, anxious about investing in their own workforce, despite the fact that it's a self-improvement; they need to invest in the skills of their current workforce as well as those people coming in new. But also we've seen some evidence that some younger people are thinking again about whether they have wanted to invest themselves in an apprenticeship for the gain that comes in the longer term, but, actually, whether they can gain more from going into paid work, as opposed to going into an apprenticeship rate. So, we've seen that demand reduce, but actually I'm confident that over the next year, from the discussions that I've had, and my officials have had, with both apprenticeship providers and the broader sector, that we will start to see a recovery in apprenticeship numbers. And we're keen to do so; I'm confident that we will see more apprenticeship starts within this Senedd term than the previous one. We're still going to have to balance how we see those alongside other skills interventions that businesses themselves have said they want—so, the shorter term courses that don't actually count for full-term apprenticeships.
I'll deal with your point about digital risks and opportunities and then working from home. So, digital risks and opportunities—it's a key risk and an opportunity in the transition to move from where people are now across every single area of the economy and public services. There are opportunities to improve the design and the fit of those services, both for workers and for the public who rely upon them. The same thing in the private sector as well. If you think about manufacturing, the greater digitisation, the whole use of more technology, the conversations I've had this week with the UK Government about the role of AI, there are real opportunities in there and there are risks that go alongside that. But I'm sure, when the Member visits businesses with a manufacturing interest, he'll see more and more people working alongside greater levels of automation, and the skill level of people in those settings is actually really high. So, there's still a need to invest in the skills of workers, and there are understandable wage expectations as that happens, alongside the growing process of greater technology and automation. And that will only carry on, but I still think there's a really good career and a good prospect for high-value manufacturing. We'll still see some things where people physically need to put some things together, but, actually, I think, in high-value manufacturing in north, south, east and west Wales there's a good future ahead of us. And again, digital opportunities are part of that, but not the only thing. The redesign of services in a different way is one of those big opportunities from it.
And on working from home, we continue to be committed to seeing about 30 per cent of people working from home regularly. You've actually seen during the pandemic an acceleration of a trend that was already taking place about a mix of working. Not every person can work from home in their job, but, for those that can, because people were forced to work from home during the pandemic, we've seen a number of things that businesses want to maintain from that. Some people are keen to have people back in work full time, others are seeing the balance between hybrid working—some in the office, some outside of an office, typically—and, actually, there's demand driven by both businesses, because of some of the points you've mentioned about some productivity improvements. For some people it helps them better to balance their life outside work with the work within it, and also for some people it improves their mental health and their ability to balance a range of other matters as well. But working from home isn't ideal for every person, because our circumstances in our home will differ, from the ability to work there and other challenges and commitments around it. So, this is something where the broad objective, I think, will provide different economic opportunities—if you have more people working from home, there's more economic activity likely to take place near where they live, as opposed to where they work—and, at the same time, understanding then the deliberate value of in-person activity when it takes place—. And I think those are still things that, in the Government, we're working through, as, indeed, are sectors of the economy. But I don't think the clock is going to get turned back to everyone being expected to go into the office for as long as possible, and I do think we'll have a better world of work as a result of that.
Diolch am y rhestr hir o gwestiynau—byddaf i'n ceisio ateb cynifer ohonyn nhw ag y gallaf heb drethu amynedd y Llywydd.
Edrychwch, rwy'n credu mai man cychwyn hyn yw, ar ôl nodi'r hyn yr ydyn ni eisiau'i wneud, rydyn ni wedi cael amrywiaeth o ergydion gwahanol, yr wyf wedi'u nodi. Fe geisiais i nodi'n onest y bydd yn effeithio ar y raddfa a pha mor bell y gallwn ni gyrraedd, ond rydyn ni'n dal i geisio gwneud yr hyn a nodwyd gennym, sef sicrhau bod gennym ni gynnig mwy cydlynol, sydd wedi'i dargedu'n fwriadol at bobl ymhellach i ffwrdd o'r farchnad lafur, oherwydd lle mae'r Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau, drwy'r Ganolfan Byd Gwaith, yn llawer mwy gweithredol. Rydyn ni'n parhau i gael sgyrsiau gyda Llywodraeth y DU, yn sicr ar lefel swyddogion, sy'n aml yn adeiladol, o ran sut mae'r pethau hynny'n cyd-fynd. Ac mewn gwirionedd, mae'r ffaith fy mod i wedi crybwyll yn y datganiad yr hyn yr ydyn ni wedi'i wneud gyda Tillery Valley Foods a'r sefyllfa barhaus gydag UK Windows & Doors yn enghraifft dda o ble y gall yr ymyriadau hynny weithio'n dda gyda'i gilydd. Ac mae'r hyn y mae'r Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau yn ei wneud, mewn gwirionedd, yn dibynnu ar ac yn ystyried yr hyn yr ydyn ni'n ei wneud drwy'r rhaglenni hyn hefyd, drwyddi draw. Bydd gennym ni fwy o ffigurau o ran y cymwysterau a gyflawnwyd trwy weddill y flwyddyn hon, ac rwy'n fwy na pharod i ddod yn ôl at yr Aelod. Ac yn amlwg, ar ryw adeg, bydd hyn yn dod yn ôl at y pwyllgor y mae e'n ei gadeirio, pan nad yw yn ei rôl llefarydd gwleidyddol, hefyd.
O ran strategaeth y gyllideb, ni fydd yn syndod i'r Aelod, y tu hwnt i'r hyn rydym wedi'i nodi'n gyffredinol, ein bod ni'n mynd trwy strategaeth cyllideb y flwyddyn nesaf, a bydd cyllideb yn cael ei gosod ym mis Rhagfyr gan Lywodraeth Cymru a bydd honno'n nodi'r manylion o ran yr hyn y byddwn ni'n gallu'i wneud gyda'r realiti bod ein cyllideb yn werth cryn dipyn yn llai na phan gafodd yr adolygiad o wariant ei gyhoeddi. Mae hynny'n cael ei erydu'n sylweddol gan yr hyn sydd wedi digwydd yn ystod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf. Felly, bydd dewisiadau anodd i'w gwneud, ac nid oes unrhyw ffordd o wneud y dewisiadau hynny heb ganlyniadau. Bydd gan yr Aelod ddiddordeb, ond, mewn gwirionedd, bydd gennym ni swm o arian i'w wario na allwn ni ei wario sawl gwaith drosodd. Felly, yn ogystal â sicrhau ein bod yn mantoli'r gyllideb, bydd yn rhaid i ni allu nodi rhai o'r blaenoriaethau hynny. Ac o fewn hynny, mae'n debyg ei bod yn werth nodi nawr fy mod i'n parhau i drafod materion gyda'r Gweinidog addysg. Mae'n debyg ei fod yn beth da ei fod yn y Siambr oherwydd rwy'n siŵr y cawn ni gwestiynau penodol gan Dr David am ei adroddiad a materion eraill, ond mewn gwirionedd—[Torri ar draws.] O, wel. Ond, ar amrywiaeth o'r meysydd hyn, rwyf wedi cael trafodaeth yr wythnos hon â'r Gweinidog addysg am feysydd ein portffolios sy'n gorgyffwrdd, am realiti y dewisiadau anodd y mae'n rhaid i'r ddau ohonon ni eu gwneud o ran y gyllideb, er mwyn sicrhau eu bod mor gydlynol â phosibl. Ond rydyn ni dal eisiau ei gwneud yn glir bod y cynnig sgiliau galwedigaethol yn rhan allweddol o'r hyn yr ydyn ni'n ei wneud yn y dyfodol, a sut y bydd y comisiwn newydd yn ymgymryd â rôl yn hyn o beth hefyd. Felly, mae yna waith parhaus yr ydyn ni'n ei wneud, ac, mewn gwirionedd, mae'r adolygiad yr wyf wedi cyfeirio ato, ar y ffordd y mae'r rhaglenni gwahanol sydd gennym yn cydweithio, yn rhan o weld y pos ehangach hwnnw'n dod at ei gilydd.
O ran prentisiaethau, rydyn ni wedi gweld gostyngiad yn y galw, ac efallai nad yw hynny'n syndod, o ystyried yr hyn sydd wedi digwydd yn ystod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf. Felly, mae mwy o fusnesau'n poeni am eu dyfodol, mae mwy o fusnesau, felly, yn bryderus am fuddsoddi yn eu gweithlu eu hunain, er gwaethaf y ffaith ei fod yn hunanwelliant; mae angen iddyn nhw fuddsoddi yn sgiliau eu gweithlu presennol yn ogystal â'r bobl newydd hynny sy'n dod i mewn. Ond rydyn ni hefyd wedi gweld rhywfaint o dystiolaeth bod rhai pobl ifancach yn ailfeddwl a ydyn nhw eisiau ymroi i brentisiaeth i gael y fantais a ddaw yn y tymor hwy, ond, mewn gwirionedd, a allan nhw elwa mwy o fynd i mewn i waith cyflogedig, yn hytrach na mynd i gyfradd prentisiaeth. Felly, rydyn ni wedi gweld y galw hwnnw'n lleihau, ond mewn gwirionedd rwy'n hyderus, yn ystod y flwyddyn nesaf, o'r trafodaethau rwyf wedi'u cael, ac mae fy swyddogion wedi'u cael, gyda darparwyr prentisiaethau a'r sector ehangach, y byddwn ni'n dechrau gweld cynnydd unwaith eto yn nifer y prentisiaethau. Ac rydyn ni'n awyddus i wneud hynny; rwy'n hyderus y byddwn ni'n gweld mwy o brentisiaethau yn dechrau yn nhymor y Senedd hon na'r un blaenorol. Rydyn ni'n dal yn mynd i orfod cydbwyso sut yr ydyn ni'n gweld y rheiny ochr yn ochr ag ymyriadau sgiliau eraill y mae busnesau eu hunain wedi dweud eu bod nhw eu heisiau—felly, y cyrsiau tymor byrrach nad ydyn nhw'n cyfrif mewn gwirionedd ar gyfer prentisiaethau tymor llawn.
Byddaf yn ymdrin â'ch pwynt am risgiau a chyfleoedd digidol ac yna gweithio gartref. Felly, risgiau a chyfleoedd digidol—mae'n risg allweddol ac yn gyfle wrth bontio o ble mae pobl nawr ar draws pob maes o'r economi a gwasanaethau cyhoeddus. Mae cyfleoedd i wella dyluniad a ffit y gwasanaethau hynny, ar gyfer gweithwyr ac ar gyfer y cyhoedd sy'n dibynnu arnyn nhw. Mae'r un peth yn wir yn y sector preifat hefyd. Os meddyliwch chi am weithgynhyrchu, mwy o ddigideiddio, y defnydd cyfan o fwy o dechnoleg, y sgyrsiau rwyf wedi'u cael yr wythnos hon gyda Llywodraeth y DU am rôl deallusrwydd artiffisial, mae yna gyfleoedd gwirioneddol yno ac mae yna risgiau sy'n cyd-fynd â hynny. Ond rwy'n siŵr, pan fydd yr Aelod yn ymweld â busnesau sydd â budd gweithgynhyrchu, y bydd yn gweld mwy a mwy o bobl yn gweithio ochr yn ochr â lefelau uwch o awtomeiddio, ac mae lefel sgiliau pobl yn y lleoliadau hynny mewn gwirionedd yn uchel iawn. Felly, mae dal angen buddsoddi yn sgiliau gweithwyr, ac mae disgwyliadau cyflog dealladwy wrth i hynny ddigwydd, ochr yn ochr â'r broses gynyddol o fwy o dechnoleg ac awtomeiddio. A dim ond parhau fydd hynny, ond rwy'n dal i feddwl bod gyrfa dda iawn a rhagolygon da ar gyfer gweithgynhyrchu gwerth uchel. Byddwn ni'n dal i weld rhai pethau lle mae angen i bobl roi rhai pethau at ei gilydd yn ffisegol, ond, mewn gwirionedd, o ran gweithgynhyrchu gwerth uchel yn y gogledd, y de, y dwyrain a'r gorllewin, mae dyfodol da o'n blaenau, rwy'n credu. Ac eto, mae cyfleoedd digidol yn rhan o hynny, ond nid yr unig beth. Mae ailgynllunio gwasanaethau mewn ffordd wahanol yn un o'r cyfleoedd mawr sy'n deillio ohono.
Ac o ran gweithio gartref, rydyn ni'n parhau i fod yn ymrwymedig i weld tua 30 y cant o bobl yn gweithio gartref yn rheolaidd. Mewn gwirionedd, rydych chi wedi gweld yn ystod y pandemig duedd o ran cymysgedd o weithio a oedd eisoes yn digwydd yn cyflymu. Ni all pawb weithio gartref yn eu swydd, ond, i'r rhai sy'n gallu, oherwydd bod pobl wedi cael eu gorfodi i weithio gartref yn ystod y pandemig, rydyn ni wedi gweld nifer o bethau y mae busnesau eisiau'u cadw o hynny. Mae rhai pobl yn awyddus i gael pobl yn ôl yn y gwaith yn llawnamser, mae eraill yn gweld y cydbwysedd rhwng gweithio hybrid—rhai yn y swyddfa, rhai y tu allan i'r swyddfa, fel arfer—ac, mewn gwirionedd, mae galw yn cael ei ysgogi gan y ddau fusnes, oherwydd rhai o'r pwyntiau yr ydych chi wedi sôn amdanyn nhw o ran rhai gwelliannau mewn cynhyrchiant. I rai pobl, mae'n eu helpu nhw'n well i gydbwyso eu bywyd y tu allan i'r gwaith gyda'r gwaith y tu mewn iddo, a hefyd i rai pobl mae'n gwella eu hiechyd meddwl a'u gallu i gydbwyso amrywiaeth o faterion eraill hefyd. Ond nid yw gweithio gartref yn ddelfrydol i bob person, oherwydd bydd yr amgylchiadau yn ein cartrefi'n wahanol, o'r gallu i weithio yno a heriau ac ymrwymiadau eraill o'i gwmpas. Felly, mae hyn yn rhywbeth lle bydd yr amcan eang, rwy'n credu, yn rhoi cyfleoedd economaidd gwahanol—os oes gennych chi fwy o bobl yn gweithio gartref, mae mwy o weithgarwch economaidd yn debygol o ddigwydd yn agos at lle maen nhw'n byw, yn hytrach na lle maen nhw'n gweithio—ac, ar yr un pryd, deall wedyn gwerth bwriadol gweithgaredd wyneb yn wyneb pan fydd yn digwydd—. Ac rwy'n credu bod y rheiny'n dal i fod yn bethau yr ydyn ni, yn y Llywodraeth, yn gweithio arnyn nhw, fel y mae sectorau o'r economi. Ond nid wyf yn credu y bydd y cloc yn cael ei droi'n ôl ac y bydd disgwyl i bawb fynd i mewn i'r swyddfa am gyhyd â phosibl, ac rwy'n credu y bydd gennym ni fyd gwaith gwell o ganlyniad i hynny.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog am ei ddatganiad heddiw.
I thank the Minister for his statement today.
Of course, there are no two ways about it: it's disappointing that the Government are anticipating that they won't be able to meet the full level of their ambition. And, to be fair as well, it's no doubt disappointing for the Minister. I imagine this isn't exactly what you would have wanted to come to the Chamber to say today. But, of course, it's particularly disappointing because Wales has already been lagging behind when it comes to skills and employability.
Wrth gwrs, does dim dwywaith amdani: mae'n siomedig bod y Llywodraeth yn rhagweld na fyddan nhw'n gallu cyflawni eu huchelgais yn llawn. Ac, i fod yn deg hefyd, does dim dwywaith ei fod yn siomedig i'r Gweinidog. Rwy'n dychmygu nad dyma'r hyn y byddech chi wedi dymuno dod i'r Siambr i'w ddweud heddiw. Ond, wrth gwrs, mae'n arbennig o siomedig gan fod Cymru eisoes wedi bod ar ei hôl hi o ran sgiliau a chyflogadwyedd.
In 2022, 66.8 per cent of working-age adults in Wales held at least level 3 qualifications. That's lower than Scotland, who clocked in at 74.4 per cent. It's also worth noting that the Open University's latest business barometer report, which assesses the UK skills landscape, found that 75 per cent of organisations in Wales are currently facing skills shortages—the highest proportion in the UK. This has left 43 per cent of Welsh organisations unable to fill roles as a result of the lack of skills in Wales.
Now, of course, thanks to the co-operation agreement, in July 2023, a report was published that looked into vocational qualifications in Wales and found that, over the last five years, the number of learners starting vocational qualifications has decreased. Worryingly, it also found that Wales does not have an overarching strategy for post-16 learning and that Wales does not have a clear assessment of our national occupational and skills needs for the future.
As was confirmed during the financial update last week, we also know that the budget line for apprenticeship programmes is going to be reduced by £17.5 million in the middle of the current financial year. This saving has been justified on the basis that the programmes are demand led. But I think this does raise a serious question as to why there wasn't more take-up, given the situation we find ourselves in. I'd be very grateful, therefore, if the Minister could explain why there are such cuts to the apprenticeship programmes if we want to encourage take-up in the long term.
This should also, I think, be contextualised against Welsh Labour's target to create 125,000 all-age apprenticeships within the current Senedd term; a target to be welcomed. But the latest statistics show that there have been 33,365 apprenticeship starts since the target was set, with the measure in question also having been recently modified to include degree apprenticeships within the total figure. Over halfway through this current Senedd term, only a quarter of Welsh Labour's targets have been reached, even with the use of more flexible criteria for defining all-age apprenticeships. Clearly, there needs to be a rapid acceleration in the creation of apprenticeships, far beyond the rate we've witnessed so far this term, for the target to be met within the next two and a half years. And of course, the statement doesn't provide any assurance that this will happen. I do struggle to see how we can say on the one hand that the offer is steadfast from Welsh Government whilst on the other cutting funding, and then of course the pretty damning conclusions of the report into vocational qualifications. Minister, do you still think that your party's manifesto pledge on apprenticeships is achievable and, if so, could you explain how you're going to do it, given your statement today?
On Jobs Growth Wales specifically, a number of organisations have raised concerns about their sustainability, namely increased waiting lists and budget pressures. Jobs Growth Wales plays, of course, an important part when it comes to employability and skills, but, again, we've seen a cut to its budget in year 2. Anecdotally, we've heard that some local authority areas have spent their full budget in three months. We've also heard that waiting lists are increasing. In Merthyr, I've had confirmation today that the waiting list now stands at 24. So, I would be grateful if the Minister could give his rationale for a cut to Jobs Growth Wales, and could he also give the figure for how many young people across Wales are waiting to access Jobs Growth Wales? If we don't get on top of this now, then the long-term costs of these young people remaining unemployed will be far worse, not just for the Government's budget, but for those individuals themselves.
And, finally, it will be of no surprise to anyone that I circle back to the retention of students in education, and I've put on record my thanks to the Government and the education Minister for increasing the education maintenance allowance. It's a step in the right direction and something that is already helping students who are receiving it. Of course, the EMA alone will not be enough to keep young people from leaving education to work, but one thing that has struck me is the lack of data around the retention of students. And, of course, Minister, you are right that there's a question involving the education Minister here, but given the clear crossover between both your and the education Minister's departments, what work is being done, firstly, to ensure that we collect the data around the retention of students in a uniform way, and secondly, is there any work being done to understand the reasons for young people leaving education? With my campaign to increase EMA, every session we did with students and are doing with students, in almost every panel, every student raises their hand to the question, 'Do you know anyone who is considering leaving education to get a job, or have you considered leaving yourself?' We needed to get on top of this yesterday, and I hope the Government is taking the affordability of education seriously, because if we don't then there will continue to be a skills gap and there will continue to be issues around employability.
Yn 2022, roedd gan 66.8 y cant o oedolion o oedran gweithio yng Nghymru gymwysterau lefel 3 o leiaf. Mae hynny'n is na'r Alban, lle'r oedd y ffigur yn 74.4 y cant. Mae hefyd yn werth nodi bod adroddiad baromedr busnes diweddaraf y Brifysgol Agored, sy'n asesu tirwedd sgiliau'r DU, wedi canfod bod 75 y cant o sefydliadau yng Nghymru yn wynebu prinder sgiliau ar hyn o bryd—y gyfran uchaf yn y DU. O ganlyniad, nid yw 43 y cant o sefydliadau yng Nghymru yn gallu llenwi rolau oherwydd y prinder sgiliau yng Nghymru.
Nawr, wrth gwrs, diolch i'r cytundeb cydweithio, ym mis Gorffennaf 2023, cyhoeddwyd adroddiad a oedd yn edrych ar gymwysterau galwedigaethol yng Nghymru a ganfu, dros y pum mlynedd diwethaf, fod nifer y dysgwyr sy'n dechrau cymwysterau galwedigaethol wedi gostwng. Yn bryderus, canfu hefyd nad oes gan Gymru strategaeth gyffredinol ar gyfer dysgu ôl-16 ac nad oes gan Gymru asesiad clir o'n hanghenion galwedigaethol a sgiliau cenedlaethol ar gyfer y dyfodol.
Fel y cadarnhawyd yn ystod y diweddariad ariannol yr wythnos diwethaf, rydym hefyd yn gwybod y bydd y gyllideb ar gyfer rhaglenni prentisiaeth yn cael ei lleihau £17.5 miliwn yng nghanol y flwyddyn ariannol bresennol. Mae'r arbediad hwn wedi'i gyfiawnhau ar y sail bod y rhaglenni'n cael eu harwain gan alw. Ond rwy'n credu bod hyn yn codi cwestiwn difrifol ynghylch pam nad oedd mwy o bobl yn manteisio arnyn nhw, o ystyried y sefyllfa yr ydym yn cael ein hunain ynddi. Byddwn yn ddiolchgar iawn, felly, pe gallai'r Gweinidog esbonio pam mae toriadau o'r fath i'r rhaglenni prentisiaeth os ydym am annog pobl i fanteisio arnyn nhw yn y tymor hir.
Dylai hyn hefyd, rwy'n credu, gael ei gyd-destunoli yn erbyn targed Llafur Cymru i greu 125,000 o brentisiaethau i bobl o bob oed o fewn tymor presennol y Senedd; targed i'w groesawu. Ond mae'r ystadegau diweddaraf yn dangos bod 33,365 o brentisiaethau wedi dechrau ers gosod y targed, gyda'r mesur dan sylw hefyd yn cael ei addasu'n ddiweddar i gynnwys prentisiaethau gradd o fewn cyfanswm y ffigur. Dros hanner ffordd drwy dymor presennol y Senedd, dim ond chwarter targedau Llafur Cymru sydd wedi'u cyrraedd, hyd yn oed gyda'r defnydd o feini prawf mwy hyblyg ar gyfer diffinio prentisiaethau i bobl o bob oed. Yn amlwg, mae angen i brentisiaethau gael eu creu yn llawer cyflymach, ymhell y tu hwnt i'r gyfradd yr ydym wedi'i gweld hyd yn hyn y tymor hwn, er mwyn cyrraedd y targed o fewn y ddwy flynedd a hanner nesaf. Ac wrth gwrs, nid yw'r datganiad yn rhoi unrhyw sicrwydd y bydd hyn yn digwydd. Rwy'n ei chael hi'n anodd gweld sut y gallwn ni ddweud ar y naill law bod cynnig Llywodraeth Cymru yn ddiwyro pan eu bod yn torri cyllid ar y llaw arall, ac yna wrth gwrs mae casgliadau eithaf damniol yr adroddiad ar gymwysterau galwedigaethol. Gweinidog, a ydych chi'n dal i gredu bod addewid maniffesto eich plaid ar brentisiaethau yn gyraeddadwy ac, os felly, a allech chi egluro sut rydych chi'n mynd i wneud hynny, o ystyried eich datganiad heddiw?
O ran Twf Swyddi Cymru yn benodol, mae nifer o sefydliadau wedi codi pryderon am ei chynaliadwyedd o ran mwy o restrau aros a phwysau cyllidebol. Mae Twf Swyddi Cymru, wrth gwrs, yn chwarae rhan bwysig o ran cyflogadwyedd a sgiliau, ond, unwaith eto, rydym wedi gweld toriad i'w chyllideb ym mlwyddyn 2. Yn anecdotaidd, rydym wedi clywed bod rhai ardaloedd awdurdodau lleol wedi gwario eu cyllideb lawn mewn tri mis. Rydym hefyd wedi clywed bod rhestrau aros yn cynyddu. Ym Merthyr, rwyf wedi cael cadarnhad heddiw bod y rhestr aros bellach yn 24. Felly, byddwn i'n ddiolchgar pe gallai'r Gweinidog roi ei resymeg dros doriad i gyllideb Twf Swyddi Cymru, ac a allai hefyd roi'r ffigur ar gyfer faint o bobl ifanc ledled Cymru sy'n aros i gael mynediad at Twf Swyddi Cymru? Os na wnawn ni gymryd rheolaeth o hyn nawr, yna bydd costau tymor hir y bobl ifanc hyn sy'n parhau i fod yn ddi-waith yn llawer gwaeth, nid yn unig ar gyfer cyllideb y Llywodraeth, ond i'r unigolion hynny eu hunain.
Ac, yn olaf, ni fydd yn syndod i unrhyw un fy mod i'n dychwelyd unwaith eto at gadw myfyrwyr mewn addysg, ac rwyf wedi cofnodi fy niolch i'r Llywodraeth a'r Gweinidog addysg am gynyddu'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg. Mae'n gam i'r cyfeiriad cywir ac yn rhywbeth sydd eisoes yn helpu myfyrwyr sy'n ei dderbyn. Wrth gwrs, ni fydd y lwfans yn unig yn ddigon i gadw pobl ifanc rhag gadael addysg i weithio, ond un peth sydd wedi fy nharo i yw'r diffyg data ynghylch cadw myfyrwyr. Ac, wrth gwrs, Gweinidog, rydych chi'n iawn bod cwestiwn yn ymwneud â'r Gweinidog addysg yma, ond o ystyried y croesiad clir rhwng eich adran chi ac adran y Gweinidog addysg, pa waith sy'n cael ei wneud, yn gyntaf, i sicrhau ein bod yn casglu'r data ynghylch cadw myfyrwyr mewn ffordd unffurf, ac yn ail, a oes unrhyw waith yn cael ei wneud i ddeall y rhesymau pam mae pobl ifanc yn gadael addysg? Gyda fy ymgyrch i gynyddu'r lwfans, ym mhob sesiwn a wnaethom gyda myfyrwyr ac rydyn ni'n ei wneud gyda myfyrwyr, ym mron pob panel, mae pob myfyriwr yn codi ei law i'r cwestiwn, 'Ydych chi'n adnabod unrhyw un sy'n ystyried gadael addysg i gael swydd, neu a ydych chi wedi ystyried gadael eich hun?' Roedd angen i ni fynd i'r afael â hyn ddoe, ac rwy'n gobeithio bod y Llywodraeth yn cymryd fforddiadwyedd addysg o ddifrif, oherwydd os na wnawn ni hynny, yna bydd bwlch sgiliau o hyd a bydd materion yn parhau ynghylch cyflogadwyedd.
Thank you. I think, on some of those questions, we've rehearsed them on more than one occasion. When it comes to supporting people to complete education and training courses, we have, as the Member's recognised, provided additional direct support. It's a more generous offer than in other parts of the UK to try to make sure that people can stay in education and realise the benefit from it. We've also provided additional support through the Jobs Growth Wales+ programme, to ensure that people are helped with costs, to make sure they can complete the course and the benefit from it. And the good news is that, actually, Jobs Growth Wales+ is a success story; it's a success story in terms of positive outcomes for people who take it up. That's also why we're seeing a number of people looking to go onto the course. For something that's been relaunched not that long ago, and that we've deliberately changed following feedback from providers and from people taking part in Jobs Growth Wales+ as well, the challenge always is how we can reliably continue to expand provision to meet need and demand. That's one of our challenges: in a demand-led programme, how we continue to do that.
I've had a conversation this week, actually, with my officials, around the fact that we are getting to be full in a number of Jobs Growth Wales+ initiatives. So, I'm looking at what flexibilities we do have, bearing in mind the budget realities that we have to address. My department, as with others, had a part to play in meeting the Government's overall objectives in being able to put more resources into key public services. And if we were having a different debate, with a different Minister, there would be a different question about why even more couldn't be done. Well, this is the reality of what doing something like that in-year looks like.
There are a number of reasons for it. We know about the significant impact of inflation, unfunded pay rises in the sense that when there's a UK-wide or an England-and-Wales agreement, you normally have money that comes with it, but that hasn't happened, and the broader economic mismanagement in—. Rishi's had his anniversary recently, but over that year and the chaos that preceded his arrival in Downing Street, there's still a real impact on what we are dealing with here. The in-year budget challenge means you can't be as strategic as you want to be; it's where there are savings to be made and where you can find them that helps to drive lots of the choices that we then have.
In the budget for next year, the discussions we're already having, we should be able to take a more strategic approach, but there will still be really difficult choices for us to make and we will not be able to meet all of the legitimate expectations of Ministers, never mind Government-supporting backbenchers or other Members in this Chamber and beyond. But we'll have to set out the best possible approach, not just for the things that we can't do, but to be clear about why we have deliberately chosen to carry on doing a number of other things. That includes what we're going to carry on doing in terms of the broader area of apprenticeships and skills.
Part of this, as I said in response to Paul Davies, is about understanding the reduction in in-year demand that we would otherwise have expected because the economy has been so flat over this last 12 months. So, that's why we've had a saving in-year. In different budget circumstances, I would have been doing more work to encourage more businesses and individuals to take up the apprenticeship offer through the rest of this financial year. Going into next year, as I said, I think we will have a healthy interest in our apprenticeship programmes in a range of different sectors and how we'll look to develop that.
I have already said, though, some months ago, that we do not anticipate meeting the 125,000 starts within this Senedd term, and that we'll go into at least one more year, so into year 6 in a future Senedd. But, as I've said earlier today, I am still confident we'll see more apprenticeship starts within this Senedd term than in the previous Senedd term, but, as I say, we'll need at least another year to get to 125,000 starts, and that goes alongside other interventions to try to help improve skills for the incoming workforce—people starting work anew, people moving jobs, or people staying in the same work as well.
And, finally, on your characterisation of the vocational qualifications report, I don't think either myself or the education Minister would say this was a damning report; I think it was a constructive report that looked at where we are and gave us an opportunity to deliberately improve for the future. If you're not prepared to ask for an honest perspective on where you are now, you can't expect to actually do something about the position you find yourself in and where you want to be. And I hope that constructive review will allow us to deliberately build the sort of vocational qualifications and skills network that we want for ourselves and for the economic future of the country.
Diolch. Rwy'n credu ein bod ni wedi ailadrodd rhai o'r cwestiynau hynny ar fwy nag un achlysur. O ran cefnogi pobl i gwblhau cyrsiau addysg a hyfforddiant, rydym, fel y mae'r Aelod yn ei gydnabod, wedi darparu cymorth uniongyrchol ychwanegol. Mae'n gynnig mwy hael na mewn rhannau eraill o'r DU i geisio gwneud yn siŵr bod pobl yn gallu aros mewn addysg a chael budd ohono. Rydym hefyd wedi darparu cymorth ychwanegol drwy raglen Twf Swyddi Cymru+, i sicrhau bod pobl yn cael cymorth gyda chostau, i wneud yn siŵr eu bod yn gallu cwblhau'r cwrs a chael budd ohono. A'r newyddion da, mewn gwirionedd, yw bod Twf Swyddi Cymru+ yn llwyddiant; mae'n llwyddiant o ran canlyniadau cadarnhaol i bobl sy'n manteisio arni. Dyna hefyd pam rydyn ni'n gweld nifer o bobl yn edrych i fynd ar y cwrs. Ar gyfer rhywbeth a gafodd ei ail-lansio'n gymharol ddiweddar, ac rydym wedi'i newid yn fwriadol yn dilyn adborth gan ddarparwyr a chan bobl sy'n cymryd rhan yn Twf Swyddi Cymru+ hefyd, yr her bob amser yw sut y gallwn barhau i ehangu'r ddarpariaeth yn ddibynadwy i ddiwallu anghenion a galw. Dyna un o'n heriau: mewn rhaglen a arweinir gan alw, sut rydym yn parhau i wneud hynny.
Rwyf wedi cael sgwrs yr wythnos hon, fel mae'n digwydd, gyda fy swyddogion, ynghylch y ffaith bod nifer o fentrau Twf Swyddi Cymru+ bron yn llawn. Felly, rwy'n edrych ar ba hyblygrwydd sydd gennym, gan gofio realiti'r gyllideb y mae'n rhaid i ni fynd i'r afael ag ef. Roedd gan fy adran i, yn yr un modd ag adrannau eraill, ran i'w chwarae wrth gyflawni amcanion cyffredinol y Llywodraeth o ran gallu rhoi mwy o adnoddau i mewn i wasanaethau cyhoeddus allweddol. A phe baem yn cael dadl wahanol, gyda Gweinidog gwahanol, byddai cwestiwn gwahanol ynghylch pam na ellid gwneud hyd yn oed mwy. Wel, dyma'r realiti o sut beth yw gwneud rhywbeth fel hynny yn ystod y flwyddyn.
Mae yna nifer o resymau am hynny. Gwyddom am effaith sylweddol chwyddiant, codiadau cyflog heb eu hariannu yn yr ystyr pan fydd cytundeb ar ledled y DU neu gytundeb Cymru-a-Lloegr, fel arfer mae gennych chi arian sy'n dod gydag ef, ond nid yw hynny wedi digwydd, a'r camreoli economaidd ehangach yn—. Mae blwyddyn wedi mynd heibio'n ddiweddar ers i Rishi gymryd yr awenau, ond yn ystod y flwyddyn honno a'r anhrefn a welwyd cyn iddo gyrraedd Stryd Downing, mae yna effaith wirioneddol o hyd ar yr hyn yr ydym yn delio ag ef yma. Mae'r her cyllideb yn ystod y flwyddyn yn golygu na allwch chi fod mor strategol ag yr hoffech chi fod; lle mae arbedion i'w gwneud a lle gallwch chi ddod o hyd iddyn nhw sy'n helpu i yrru llawer o'r dewisiadau sydd gennym wedyn.
Yn y gyllideb ar gyfer y flwyddyn nesaf, y trafodaethau yr ydym eisoes yn eu cael, dylem allu cymryd ymagwedd fwy strategol, ond bydd dewisiadau anodd iawn i ni eu gwneud o hyd ac ni fyddwn yn gallu bodloni holl ddisgwyliadau dilys Gweinidogion, heb sôn am Aelodau meinciau cefn y Llywodraeth neu Aelodau eraill yn y Siambr hon a thu hwnt. Ond bydd yn rhaid i ni nodi'r dull gorau posibl, nid dim ond ar gyfer y pethau na allwn eu gwneud, ond i fod yn glir ynghylch pam rydym wedi dewis parhau i wneud nifer o bethau eraill yn fwriadol. Mae hynny'n cynnwys yr hyn rydyn ni'n mynd i barhau i'w wneud o ran maes ehangach prentisiaethau a sgiliau.
Rhan o hyn, fel y dywedais mewn ymateb i Paul Davies, yw deall y gostyngiad yn y galw yn ystod y flwyddyn y byddem wedi'i ddisgwyl fel arall oherwydd bod yr economi wedi bod mor wastad dros y 12 mis diwethaf. Felly, dyna pam rydyn ni wedi cael arbediad yn ystod y flwyddyn. O dan amgylchiadau cyllidebol gwahanol, byddwn wedi bod yn gwneud mwy o waith i annog mwy o fusnesau ac unigolion i fanteisio ar y cynnig prentisiaeth drwy weddill y flwyddyn ariannol hon. Wrth fynd i mewn i'r flwyddyn nesaf, fel y dywedais, rwy'n credu y bydd gennym ddiddordeb iach yn ein rhaglenni prentisiaeth mewn ystod o wahanol sectorau a sut y byddwn yn ceisio datblygu hynny.
Rwyf eisoes wedi dweud, fodd bynnag, rai misoedd yn ôl, nad ydym yn rhagweld y byddwn yn cyrraedd 125,000 o ddechreuwyr o fewn tymor y Senedd hon, ac y byddwn yn mynd i flwyddyn arall o leiaf, felly i flwyddyn 6 mewn Senedd yn y dyfodol. Ond, fel yr wyf wedi'i ddweud yn gynharach heddiw, rwy'n dal yn hyderus y byddwn yn gweld mwy o brentisiaethau yn dechrau o fewn tymor y Senedd hon nag yn nhymor blaenorol y Senedd, ond, fel y dywedais, bydd angen o leiaf flwyddyn arall arnom i gyrraedd 125,000 o ddechreuwyr, ac mae hynny'n cyd-fynd ag ymyriadau eraill i geisio helpu i wella sgiliau'r gweithlu sy'n dod i mewn—pobl sy'n dechrau gweithio o'r newydd, pobl sy'n symud swyddi, neu bobl sy'n aros yn yr un gwaith hefyd.
Ac, yn olaf, o ran eich disgrifiad o'r adroddiad cymwysterau galwedigaethol, nid wyf yn credu y byddwn i na'r Gweinidog addysg yn dweud bod hwn yn adroddiad damniol; yn fy marn i, roedd yn adroddiad adeiladol a edrychodd ar ble rydym arni ac a roddodd gyfle i ni wella'n fwriadol ar gyfer y dyfodol. Os nad ydych chi'n barod i ofyn am safbwynt gonest ar ble rydych chi arni nawr, ni allwch ddisgwyl gwneud rhywbeth am y sefyllfa rydych chi ynddi a ble rydych chi am fod. Ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yr adolygiad adeiladol hwnnw yn ein galluogi i adeiladu'n fwriadol y math o rwydwaith cymwysterau a sgiliau galwedigaethol yr ydym ei eisiau ar gyfer ein hunain ac ar gyfer dyfodol economaidd y wlad.
Cadeirydd y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg, Jayne Bryant.
Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee, Jayne Bryant.
Diolch, Llywydd, and I'm speaking today in my capacity as the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee, and I'd like to thank the Minister for the statement today. And there is a lot to talk about in this, but I'm going to focus on just one aspect.
As part of our evidence gathering for our inquiry into disabled access into childcare and education, we've heard lots of stark personal stories demonstrating the barriers for parents and carers of children with additional needs in securing or maintaining employment. Parents and carers have told us they've either had to stop working or have been unable to return to work, because they cannot secure any appropriate accessible education or childcare, or because they are expected by schools or childcare to be available at any given moment. These expectations of constant availability don't exist for parents of non-disabled children. We have heard only too often of the impact this has had on households and household income, and also the wider impact on emotional and mental well-being. This impact is felt throughout the family and doesn't just sit on the parents' and carers' shoulders. We've heard repeated instances of families breaking down under the pressure.
I therefore wanted to ask the Minister today what actions are being taken, as part of the employability and skills plan, to ensure that these parents and carers can either continue in employment or can secure employment. I note there are actions in the plan around the expansion of the childcare offer, but what specifically can be done to ensure that families can access inclusive and accessible education and childcare that provides children and young people with educational and play opportunities, but also supports parents and carers to work, with all the financial and wider benefit that brings to the family and the wider community? Diolch.
Diolch, Llywydd, ac rwy'n siarad heddiw yn rhinwedd fy swydd fel Cadeirydd y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg, a hoffwn ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am y datganiad heddiw. Ac mae llawer i'w drafod yn hyn, ond rwy'n mynd i ganolbwyntio ar un agwedd yn unig.
Fel rhan o'r gwaith o gasglu tystiolaeth ar gyfer ein hymchwiliad i fynediad pobl anabl at ofal plant ac addysg, rydym wedi clywed llawer o straeon personol digalon sy'n dangos y rhwystrau y mae rhieni a gofalwyr plant ag anghenion ychwanegol yn eu hwynebu o ran sicrhau neu gynnal cyflogaeth. Mae rhieni a gofalwyr wedi dweud wrthym eu bod naill ai wedi gorfod rhoi'r gorau i weithio neu wedi methu â dychwelyd i'r gwaith, oherwydd na allant sicrhau unrhyw addysg neu ofal plant hygyrch priodol, neu oherwydd bod ysgolion neu ofal plant yn disgwyl iddynt fod ar gael ar unrhyw adeg benodol. Nid yw'r disgwyliadau hyn o argaeledd cyson yn bodoli i rieni plant nad ydynt yn anabl. Rydym wedi clywed yn rhy aml am yr effaith y mae hyn wedi'i chael ar aelwydydd ac incwm aelwydydd, a hefyd yr effaith ehangach ar les emosiynol a meddyliol. Mae'r effaith hon yn cael ei theimlo gan y teulu i gyd ac nid yw'n eistedd ar ysgwyddau'r rhieni a'r gofalwyr yn unig. Rydyn ni wedi clywed achosion niferus o deuluoedd yn chwalu o dan y pwysau.
Felly, roeddwn i eisiau gofyn i'r Gweinidog heddiw pa gamau sy'n cael eu cymryd, fel rhan o'r cynllun cyflogadwyedd a sgiliau, i sicrhau bod y rhieni a'r gofalwyr hyn naill ai'n gallu parhau mewn cyflogaeth neu'n gallu sicrhau cyflogaeth. Nodaf fod camau gweithredu yn y cynllun ynghylch ehangu'r cynnig gofal plant, ond beth yn benodol y gellir ei wneud i sicrhau bod teuluoedd yn gallu cael mynediad at addysg a gofal plant cynhwysol a hygyrch sy'n darparu cyfleoedd addysgol a chwarae i blant a phobl ifanc, ond sydd hefyd yn cefnogi rhieni a gofalwyr i weithio, gyda'r holl fanteision ariannol ac ehangach a ddaw i'r teulu a'r gymuned ehangach? Diolch.
Diolch am y cwestiwn, Gadeirydd.
Thank you for the question, Chair.
I think this, again, neatly highlights that this goes across more than one area within the Government, because it's both about the childcare provision itself being accessible and appropriate for the child, how it's arranged, and then the affordability of it, and what that then means for a parent who wants to take up the training opportunities to get back into work or to remain in work already. And that's part of the reason that underpins why we're looking to review some of the provision between our programmes: whilst we think they've been successful, actually, we think we can do more in understanding how they work with each other.
So, Communities for Work+ is delivered by local authorities; it's deliberately targeted at supporting people into employment and training opportunities. It deliberately looks at people with protected characteristics—so, disabled people and disabled children are part of that; lone parents are part of that as well. There's a whole range of things we're trying to do in having a programme that is fit for those people. And, at the same time, if you're looking to undertake training or employment opportunities, the ReAct+ programme looks at helping with some of these costs as well, depending on the position that you find yourself in. So, that is what we are looking to do. There is always more that we can do, and hearing directly from people about whether the programme works for them or not—both those where it works and works well, but equally where we understand that it hasn't worked well enough for that person and for their family as well—in trying to see that person, that whole person, so not just what the parent needs, but also what that means for their child and their ability to carry on in work.
I'd be very happy to look in more detail and to do proper justice to the question that's been asked, to look at some of the work that the Member's referred to, the work the committee's doing, and then to provide a more considered response. I'm happy to do that either in the Chamber or, indeed, back to the committee.
Rwy'n credu bod hyn, eto, yn tynnu sylw at y ffaith bod hyn yn mynd ar draws mwy nag un maes o fewn y Llywodraeth, oherwydd mae'n ymwneud â darpariaeth gofal plant sy'n hygyrch ac yn briodol i'r plentyn, sut y caiff ei threfnu, ac yna ei fforddiadwyedd, a beth mae hynny'n ei olygu wedyn i riant sydd am fanteisio ar y cyfleoedd hyfforddi i ddychwelyd i'r gwaith neu aros mewn gwaith eisoes. Ac mae hynny'n rhan o'r rheswm pam rydym yn edrych i adolygu rhywfaint o'r ddarpariaeth rhwng ein rhaglenni: er ein bod yn credu eu bod wedi bod yn llwyddiannus, mewn gwirionedd, rydym yn credu y gallwn ni wneud mwy i ddeall sut maen nhw'n gweithio gyda'i gilydd.
Felly, mae Cymunedau am Waith+ yn cael ei ddarparu gan awdurdodau lleol; mae wedi'i dargedu'n fwriadol at gefnogi pobl i fanteisio ar gyfleoedd cyflogaeth a hyfforddiant. Mae'n edrych yn fwriadol ar bobl â nodweddion gwarchodedig—felly, mae pobl anabl a phlant anabl yn rhan o hynny; mae rhieni sengl yn rhan o hynny hefyd. Mae yna ystod eang o bethau rydyn ni'n ceisio eu gwneud o ran cael rhaglen sy'n addas i'r bobl hynny. Ac, ar yr un pryd, os ydych chi'n bwriadu ymgymryd â chyfleoedd hyfforddi neu gyflogaeth, mae rhaglen ReAct+ yn edrych ar helpu gyda rhai o'r costau hyn hefyd, yn dibynnu ar y sefyllfa rydych chi'n eich cael eich hun ynddi. Felly, dyna beth rydyn ni'n edrych i'w wneud. Mae yna wastad mwy y gallwn ni ei wneud, a chlywed yn uniongyrchol gan bobl ynghylch a yw'r rhaglen yn gweithio iddyn nhw ai peidio—y rhai lle mae'n gweithio ac yn gweithio'n dda, ond yn yr un modd lle rydyn ni'n deall nad yw wedi gweithio'n ddigon da i'r person hwnnw ac i'w deulu hefyd—wrth geisio gweld y person hwnnw, y person cyfan, felly nid yn unig yr hyn sydd ei angen ar y rhiant, ond hefyd beth mae hynny'n ei olygu i'w blentyn a'i allu i barhau i weithio.
Byddwn i'n hapus iawn i edrych yn fanylach a gwneud cyfiawnder â'r cwestiwn a ofynnwyd, i edrych ar rywfaint o'r gwaith y cyfeiriodd yr Aelod ato, y gwaith y mae'r pwyllgor yn ei wneud, ac yna i ddarparu ymateb mwy ystyriol. Rwy'n hapus i wneud hynny naill ai yn y Siambr neu, yn wir, yn ôl i'r pwyllgor.
Minister, I'm grateful to you for your statement this afternoon. We have of course discussed a number of matters here over the last few weeks. You've discussed the productivity enhancement project, which I questioned the First Minister about earlier today, and we've both discussed the impact of the dualling of the A465 on the Heads of the Valleys economy and how we can maximise the value of that. You will be aware that I attended an event with the Secretary of State for Wales, some weeks ago, at the HiVE project in Ebbw Vale, and there was a commitment there, with Coleg Gwent, the local authority, as well as the Secretary of State, and, I hope, from the Welsh Government as well, to work together to deliver the best outcomes for people within Blaenau Gwent, but also the wider Heads of the Valleys region.
Minister, it would be useful if you could outline how you see this employment plan and work that you're undertaking fitting into that wider economic investment programme, because what's important, I think, for all of us who represent seats in the Heads of the Valleys region, is that we see a jobs plan, an employability plan, an economic plan, an industrial strategy that fit together and provide the maximum opportunities from the investment that the Welsh Government is making in the area.
Gweinidog, rwy'n ddiolchgar i chi am eich datganiad y prynhawn yma. Wrth gwrs, rydym wedi trafod nifer o faterion yma dros yr wythnosau diwethaf. Rydych chi wedi trafod y prosiect gwella cynhyrchiant, yr holais y Prif Weinidog amdano yn gynharach heddiw, ac mae'r ddau ohonom wedi trafod effaith deuoli'r A465 ar economi Blaenau'r Cymoedd a sut y gallwn ni sicrhau'r gwerth mwyaf o hynny. Byddwch yn ymwybodol fy mod i wedi mynychu digwyddiad gydag Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru, rai wythnosau yn ôl, ym mhrosiect HiVE yng Nglynebwy, ac roedd ymrwymiad yno, gyda Choleg Gwent, yr awdurdod lleol, yn ogystal â'r Ysgrifennydd Gwladol, ac, rwy'n gobeithio, gan Lywodraeth Cymru hefyd, i gydweithio i sicrhau'r canlyniadau gorau i bobl ym Mlaenau Gwent, ond hefyd i ranbarth ehangach Blaenau'r Cymoedd.
Gweinidog, byddai'n ddefnyddiol pe gallech chi amlinellu sut rydych chi'n gweld y cynllun cyflogaeth hwn a'r gwaith rydych chi'n ei wneud yn cyd-fynd â'r rhaglen buddsoddi economaidd ehangach honno, oherwydd yr hyn sy'n bwysig, rwy'n credu, i bob un ohonom sy'n cynrychioli seddi yn rhanbarth Blaenau'r Cymoedd, yw ein bod ni'n gweld cynllun swyddi, cynllun cyflogadwyedd, cynllun economaidd, strategaeth ddiwydiannol sy'n cyd-fynd â'i gilydd ac sy'n darparu'r cyfleoedd mwyaf posibl o'r buddsoddiad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud yn yr ardal.
Thank you for the question and the points. Picking up on the question you asked the First Minister earlier today, we're not just talking about some of the things we're already doing to help with business productivity—and that is largely about skills, but also, sometimes, it's about capital investment to make a business more productive as well—you often then need to improve the skills of the workers to take advantage of what that looks like. But you highlighted the fact that because of the investment in the transport infrastructure and the work we're doing on productivity, there are more people who are interested in locating themselves in different parts of Wales. That then means you need to have the sites to bring forward for those opportunities, both for businesses that are there and want to expand as well as larger opportunities. We've discussed some of those on larger sites that are potentially required for the level of interest that now exists, and I don't think that would be the case had it not been for that long-term investment in transport infrastructure.
That has to go alongside investing in the skills of people; it's why the work of our regional skills partnerships is so important. It's why I've invested a significant amount of time in a conversation with the Cardiff capital region about making sure that they have an approach that, yes, looks at the opportunities south of the M4, but also looks deliberately at the northern Valleys as a group of communities that need to have deliberate investment made in them. So, in the work that the Deputy Minister and I have done with the capital region, I think we're going to see an approach, I hope, in the coming weeks where we'll be able to see both the Government and the capital region sign up to an approach for the northern Valleys. And that should then have some shared objectives, I hope. It's what I referred to in last week's statement as well, and I'm committed to doing that, because we won't see the economic potential of the people in those communities unless there's a deliberate programme for investment and priority.
You'll see more of what looks like a national plan at the end of November, when we're looking at refreshing the economic mission to set out what our approach is, and I do then hope we'll see constructive engagement with the current and any future UK Government, where we can agree on a set of priorities to maximise the investment choice we're making, and not to have the current competition to do things differently. The unhelpful competition on the skills offer, for example, is just one of those areas. It's a more confused landscape for businesses, and that, actually, doesn't help to see the sort of investment that you and I, and, I believe, other people in this Chamber, would like to see. But I'm optimistic that we'll have a better idea of what we have already done and what we can do at the end of this month, and I look forward to a constructive answer from the current, or, indeed, a future UK Government to allow us to do so.
Diolch am y cwestiwn a'r pwyntiau. Ynghylch y cwestiwn y gofynnoch chi i'r Prif Weinidog yn gynharach heddiw, nid dim ond sôn ydym ni am rai o'r pethau rydyn ni'n eu gwneud eisoes i helpu gyda chynhyrchiant busnes—ac mae hynny'n ymwneud i raddau helaeth â sgiliau, ond hefyd, weithiau, mae'n ymwneud â buddsoddi cyfalaf i wneud busnes yn fwy cynhyrchiol hefyd—yn aml mae angen i chi wella sgiliau'r gweithwyr wedyn i fanteisio ar sut mae hynny'n edrych. Ond fe wnaethoch chi dynnu sylw at y ffaith, oherwydd y buddsoddiad yn y seilwaith trafnidiaeth a'r gwaith rydyn ni'n ei wneud ar gynhyrchiant, fod mwy o bobl â diddordeb mewn lleoli eu hunain mewn gwahanol rannau o Gymru. Mae hynny'n golygu wedyn bod angen i chi gael y safleoedd i'w cyflwyno ar gyfer y cyfleoedd hynny, ar gyfer busnesau sydd yno ac sydd am ehangu yn ogystal â chyfleoedd mwy. Rydym wedi trafod rhai o'r rheini ar safleoedd mwy sydd eu hangen o bosibl ar gyfer lefel y diddordeb sy'n bodoli bellach, ac nid wyf yn credu y byddai hynny'n wir oni bai am y buddsoddiad hirdymor hwnnw mewn seilwaith trafnidiaeth.
Mae'n rhaid i hynny fynd ochr yn ochr â buddsoddi mewn sgiliau pobl; dyna pam mae gwaith ein partneriaethau sgiliau rhanbarthol mor bwysig. Dyna pam rydw i wedi buddsoddi cryn dipyn o amser mewn sgwrs â phrifddinas-ranbarth Caerdydd i sicrhau bod ganddyn nhw ddull gweithredu sy'n edrych ar y cyfleoedd i'r de o'r M4, ond sydd hefyd yn edrych yn fwriadol ar Gymoedd y gogledd fel grŵp o gymunedau y mae angen gwneud buddsoddiad bwriadol ynddynt. Felly, o ran y gwaith y mae'r Dirprwy Weinidog a minnau wedi'i wneud gyda'r brifddinas-ranbarth, rwy'n credu y byddwn ni'n gweld dull gweithredu, gobeithio, yn yr wythnosau nesaf lle byddwn ni'n gallu gweld y Llywodraeth a'r brifddinas-ranbarth yn ymrwymo i ddull gweithredu ar gyfer Cymoedd y gogledd. Ac yna dylai fod rhai amcanion a rennir ynghlwm wrth hynny, rwy'n gobeithio. Dyma'r hyn y cyfeiriais ato yn natganiad yr wythnos diwethaf hefyd, ac rwy'n ymrwymedig i wneud hynny, oherwydd ni fyddwn yn gweld potensial economaidd y bobl yn y cymunedau hynny oni bai bod rhaglen fwriadol ar gyfer buddsoddi a blaenoriaeth.
Byddwch chi'n gweld mwy o'r hyn sy'n edrych fel cynllun cenedlaethol ddiwedd mis Tachwedd, pan fyddwn ni'n edrych ar adfywio'r genhadaeth economaidd er mwyn nodi beth yw ein dull gweithredu, ac yna rwy'n gobeithio y byddwn ni'n gweld ymgysylltu adeiladol â Llywodraeth bresennol y DU ac unrhyw Lywodraeth y DU yn y dyfodol, lle gallwn ni gytuno ar gyfres o flaenoriaethau i wneud y mwyaf o'r dewis buddsoddi yr ydym yn ei wneud, a pheidio â chael y gystadleuaeth bresennol i wneud pethau'n wahanol. Mae'r gystadleuaeth ddi-fudd ar y cynnig sgiliau, er enghraifft, yn un o'r meysydd hynny. Mae'n dirwedd fwy dryslyd i fusnesau, ac nid yw hynny, mewn gwirionedd, yn helpu i weld y math o fuddsoddiad yr hoffech chi a minnau, ac, rwy'n credu, pobl eraill yn y Siambr hon, ei weld. Ond rwy'n obeithiol y bydd gennym well syniad o'r hyn yr ydym wedi'i wneud eisoes a'r hyn y gallwn ni ei wneud ddiwedd y mis hwn, ac edrychaf ymlaen at ateb adeiladol gan y Llywodraeth bresennol, neu, yn wir, Llywodraeth y DU yn y dyfodol i'n galluogi i wneud hynny.
I want to ask about the provision of civil engineering trade apprenticeships in Wales, because a letter was sent to you, Minister, nearly a whole year ago now by the Civil Engineering Contractors Association Wales raising concerns about the lack of provision for civil engineering operative apprenticeships here in Wales. They're often referred to as ground worker apprenticeships, and, obviously, they're pretty crucial—there wouldn't be much civil engineering happening without them. A similar situation exists for civil engineering plant operatives as well, or machine drivers as we know them. But despite this 12 months having elapsed, feedback from the sector indicates that the situation hasn't changed, with no provision via further education colleges. Unless this matter is addressed, then, clearly, Welsh civil engineering businesses will gradually grind to a halt and won't be able to take full advantage of the future opportunities that are anticipated across the infrastructure sector. So, can you tell us what you're doing about the situation, and what assurances you can give us that this is something that you are addressing?
Rwyf am ofyn am ddarparu prentisiaethau masnach peirianneg sifil yng Nghymru, oherwydd anfonwyd llythyr atoch chi, Gweinidog, bron i flwyddyn gyfan yn ôl bellach gan Gymdeithas Contractwyr Peirianneg Sifil Cymru yn codi pryderon am ddiffyg darpariaeth prentisiaethau ar gyfer gweithredwyr peirianneg sifil yma yng Nghymru. Cyfeirir atynt yn aml fel prentisiaethau gweithwyr daear, ac, yn amlwg, maent yn eithaf hanfodol—ni fyddai llawer o beirianneg sifil yn digwydd hebddynt. Mae sefyllfa debyg yn bodoli o ran gweithredwyr peiriannau peirianneg sifil hefyd, neu yrwyr peiriannau fel yr ydym yn eu hadnabod. Ond er bod y 12 mis hwn wedi mynd heibio, mae'r adborth gan y sector yn dangos nad yw'r sefyllfa wedi newid, heb unrhyw ddarpariaeth drwy golegau addysg bellach. Oni bai bod y mater hwn yn cael sylw, yna, yn amlwg, bydd busnesau peirianneg sifil yng Nghymru yn arafu'n raddol ac yn dod i stop ac ni fyddant yn gallu manteisio'n llawn ar y cyfleoedd a ragwelir ar draws y sector seilwaith yn y dyfodol. Felly, a allwch chi ddweud wrthym beth rydych chi'n ei wneud am y sefyllfa, a pha sicrwydd y gallwch chi ei roi i ni fod hyn yn rhywbeth rydych chi'n mynd i'r afael ag ef?
Funnily enough, I was having a conversation with, I think, Jones Bros Civil Engineering when I was in Morlais recently with other Ministers, and, indeed, the Tánaiste, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland, where, actually, they were looking at, and I think were quite impressed with, the steps that we're already taking to try to capitalise on renewable forms of energy; obviously, Morlais is looking at tidal stream at this point. And actually, what was interesting about the perspective was there is still a healthy career in the future of the civil engineering sector. Whilst some of those had been looking for primarily road building to be their key area of work—and we'll still be building roads, especially when it comes to opening up future economic development opportunities—they were also looking at the fact that lots of what they were now doing in civil engineering projects was actually about looking at climate change projects, including opportunities around the future of the renewable sector. We’ll see lots of civil engineering need around port infrastructure, for example, as well. Now, I can’t tell you that I can give you an exact answer to the specific question about apprenticeships in the civil engineering sector, but I’m more than happy to come back to you, and indeed the wider sector that I do talk to on a regular basis as part of the construction sector, but I recognise this is a specific part of it. But I'm more than happy to write to you, and indeed the sector body as well.
Yn rhyfedd iawn, roeddwn i'n cael sgwrs gyda Jones Bros Civil Engineering, rwy'n credu, pan oeddwn i ym Morlais yn ddiweddar gyda Gweinidogion eraill, ac, yn wir, y Tánaiste, Dirprwy Brif Weinidog Gweriniaeth Iwerddon, lle, mewn gwirionedd, roeddent yn edrych ar y camau yr ydym eisoes yn eu cymryd i geisio manteisio ar fathau adnewyddadwy o ynni, ac rwy'n credu eu bod wedi creu cryn argraff arnynt; yn amlwg, mae Morlais yn edrych ar lif llanw ar hyn o bryd. Ac mewn gwirionedd, yr hyn oedd yn ddiddorol am y safbwynt oedd bod gyrfa iach o hyd yn nyfodol y sector peirianneg sifil. Er bod rhai o'r rheini wedi bod yn edrych ar adeiladu ffyrdd yn bennaf i fod yn faes gwaith allweddol iddynt—a byddwn ni'n dal i adeiladu ffyrdd, yn enwedig o ran agor cyfleoedd datblygu economaidd yn y dyfodol—roeddent hefyd yn edrych ar y ffaith bod llawer o'r hyn yr oeddent yn ei wneud nawr mewn prosiectau peirianneg sifil yn ymwneud ag edrych ar brosiectau newid hinsawdd, gan gynnwys cyfleoedd o amgylch dyfodol y sector adnewyddadwy. Byddwn ni'n gweld llawer o angen peirianneg sifil o amgylch seilwaith porthladdoedd, er enghraifft, hefyd. Nawr, ni allaf ddweud wrthych y gallaf roi ateb manwl i'r cwestiwn penodol am brentisiaethau yn y sector peirianneg sifil, ond rwy'n fwy na pharod i ddod yn ôl atoch chi, ac yn wir y sector ehangach yr wyf yn siarad ag ef yn rheolaidd fel rhan o'r sector adeiladu, ond rwy'n cydnabod bod hyn yn rhan benodol ohono. Ond rwy'n fwy na pharod i ysgrifennu atoch chi, ac yn wir corff y sector hefyd.
I think the Welsh Government should take very real credit for the support given to the rail engineering degree apprenticeship that is running from January. I was at the launch of that, and it is equipping our workforce for a publicly owned rail service in the future, and making sure that we use our talent at home to keep that service world class.
Pages 50 and 51 of the plan, though, that the Minister has been talking about talk about the expansion of personal learning accounts, the introduction of a mid-career review through Working Wales, and the publication of a new national occupational standards strategy. Can I ask him just to elaborate on progress with those three aspects of the plan?
Rwy'n credu y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru gymryd clod mawr iawn am y gefnogaeth a roddir i'r brentisiaeth gradd peirianneg rheilffyrdd sy'n rhedeg o fis Ionawr. Roeddwn i yn y lansiad, ac mae'n paratoi ein gweithlu ar gyfer gwasanaeth rheilffyrdd sy'n eiddo i'r cyhoedd yn y dyfodol, a sicrhau ein bod yn defnyddio ein talent gartref i gadw'r gwasanaeth hwnnw o safon fyd-eang.
Yn tudalennau 50 a 51 o'r cynllun, serch hynny, mae'r Gweinidog wedi bod yn sôn am ehangu cyfrifon dysgu personol, cyflwyno adolygiad canol gyrfa drwy Cymru'n Gweithio, a chyhoeddi strategaeth safonau galwedigaethol cenedlaethol newydd. A gaf i ofyn iddo ymhelaethu ar gynnydd gyda'r tair agwedd honno ar y cynllun?