Y Cyfarfod Llawn
Plenary
07/11/2023Cynnwys
Contents
Yn y fersiwn ddwyieithog, mae’r golofn chwith yn cynnwys yr iaith a lefarwyd yn y cyfarfod. Mae’r golofn dde yn cynnwys cyfieithiad o’r areithiau hynny.
In the bilingual version, the left-hand column includes the language used during the meeting. The right-hand column includes a translation of those speeches.
Cyfarfu'r Senedd yn y Siambr a thrwy gynhadledd fideo am 13:30 gyda'r Llywydd (Elin Jones) yn y Gadair.
The Senedd met in the Chamber and by video-conference at 13:30 with the Llywydd (Elin Jones) in the Chair.
Prynhawn da a chroeso, bawb, i'r Cyfarfod Llawn y prynhawn yma. Yr eitem gyntaf y prynhawn yma eto fydd y cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Hefin David.
Good afternoon and welcome to this afternoon's Plenary meeting. The first item this afternoon will be questions to the First Minister, and the first question is from Hefin David.
1. Pa fesurau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n eu cymryd i adfer tomenni glo yn ddiogel yng Nghaerffili? OQ60191
1. What measures is the Welsh Government taking to safely restore coal tips in Caerphilly? OQ60191
Wel, diolch i Hefin David am y cwestiwn, Llywydd. Rydyn ni’n rhoi rhaglen arolygu a chynnal a chadw ar waith ac yn moderneiddio’r fframwaith deddfwriaethol. Dyma sail ein rhaglen ar gyfer sicrhau diogelwch tomenni glo yng Nghaerffili a ledled Cymru.
Well, I thank Hefin David for the question. We are implementing an inspection and maintenance programme and modernising the legislative framework. That's the basis of our programme for securing coal tip safety in Caerphilly and across Wales.
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. In my constituency, there are three category D coal tips that are local authority owned, which are Bedwas in Trethomas, Bedwas colliery central north and Bedwas colliery north. They're categorised as the highest risk. They're not at risk of any imminent danger, but they do need frequent inspection, and the local authority's assured me that's happening. As I said, I need to stress that there are no imminent safety concerns, but Caerphilly council officers have formed a key part of the Welsh Government-led coal tip safety advisory technical group, which was established to support the review of the Mines and Quarries (Tips) Act 1969, in partnership with the Law Commission. What can the Welsh Government's forthcoming legislation do to support local authorities to remediate and restore at-risk coal tips? And also, has the Welsh Government considered working with private firms who may give the public sector an advantage in remediating at a much lower cost?
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. Yn fy etholaeth i, ceir tair tomen lo categori D sy'n eiddo i'r awdurdod lleol, sef Bedwas yn Nhretomas, glofa ganolog gogledd Bedwas a glofa gogledd Bedwas. Maen nhw wedi'u categoreiddio fel y risg uchaf. Nid oes unrhyw risg o berygl uniongyrchol ohonyn nhw, ond mae angen ei harchwilio yn rheolaidd, ac mae'r awdurdod lleol wedi fy sicrhau bod hynny'n digwydd. Fel y dywedais i, mae angen i mi bwysleisio nad oes unrhyw bryderon diogelwch uniongyrchol, ond mae swyddogion cyngor Caerffili wedi ffurfio rhan allweddol o'r grŵp technegol cynghori ar ddiogelwch tomenni glo dan arweiniad Llywodraeth Cymru, a sefydlwyd i gefnogi'r adolygiad o Ddeddf Mwyngloddiau a Chwareli (Tomenni) 1969, mewn partneriaeth â Chomisiwn y Gyfraith. Beth all deddfwriaeth arfaethedig Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud i gynorthwyo awdurdodau lleol i gywiro ac adfer tomenni glo sydd mewn perygl? A hefyd, a yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ystyried gweithio gyda chwmnïau preifat a allai roi mantais i'r sector cyhoeddus o ran adfer am gost lawer is?
Well, Llywydd, I thank Hefin David for those further points. He's right, of course, that Caerphilly has a particular concentration of disused coal tips. We have 40 per cent of all the disused coal tips in the United Kingdom here in Wales—over 2,500 of them—and we know a great deal more about them as a result of the work of the groups to which the Member referred. And I'm really grateful for the help of the officers of Caerphilly council in helping us to prepare for the disused tip safety Bill, which will come in front of the Senedd next year. As a result of all that work, there is now a much more rigorous programme of tip safety inspections. The Coal Authority has carried out 92 winter coal tip inspections already since it started work on 9 October, and that will include tips in the Caerphilly constituency. There are two different sets of things, Llywydd, that we are doing. The Bill will set up a world-first new system of oversight of disused tips here in Wales, making the system fit for an era of climate change. Alongside that, and not dependent upon the Bill itself, we go on investing £44.4 million provided to local authorities for the maintenance and remediation of coal tips in Wales. We're focusing on the skills gap—that's something we learnt from our local authority colleagues, that you need to build up the capacity of local authorities for the inspection and the remediation of those coal tips—and we're using new technology for the monitoring and inspection of the 70 highest rated tips in Wales. That will make sure that, in the future, we're able to take advantage of those new technological possibilities that will help to keep communities safe.
As to the involvement of private sector companies in tip remediation, we don't have any objection, of course, to that. They would have to follow the same processes as any other organisation seeking to carry out remediation work, and that normally involves a planning application to the local authority, to make sure that whatever work is planned will genuinely contribute to the improvement of the area, because tip remediation brings with it economic opportunities as well as environmental opportunities, and the system is in place to make sure that those advantages can be gathered for local communities.
Wel, Llywydd, diolch i Hefin David am y pwyntiau pellach yna. Mae'n iawn, wrth gwrs, bod gan Gaerffili grynodiad penodol o domenni glo segur. Mae gennym ni 40 y cant o'r holl domenni glo segur yn y Deyrnas Unedig yma yng Nghymru—dros 2,500 ohonyn nhw—ac rydyn ni'n gwybod llawer iawn mwy amdanyn nhw o ganlyniad i waith y grwpiau y cyfeiriodd yr Aelod atyn nhw. Ac rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn am gymorth swyddogion cyngor Caerffili i'n helpu i baratoi ar gyfer y Bil diogelwch tomenni segur, a fydd yn dod gerbron y Senedd y flwyddyn nesaf. O ganlyniad i'r holl waith hwnnw, ceir rhaglen llawer mwy trylwyr o archwiliadau diogelwch tomenni erbyn hyn. Mae'r Awdurdod Glo wedi cynnal 92 o archwiliadau tomenni glo y gaeaf eisoes ers iddo ddechrau ei waith ar 9 Hydref, a bydd hynny yn cynnwys tomenni yn etholaeth Caerffili. Ceir dwy set wahanol o bethau, Llywydd, yr ydym ni'n eu gwneud. Bydd y Bil yn sefydlu system newydd sydd y gyntaf o'i math yn y byd o oruchwylio tomenni segur yma yng Nghymru, gan wneud y system yn addas ar gyfer cyfnod o newid yn yr hinsawdd. Ochr yn ochr â hynny, ac nid yn ddibynnol ar y Bil ei hun, rydym ni'n parhau i fuddsoddi £44.4 miliwn a ddarperir i awdurdodau lleol ar gyfer cynnal ac adfer tomenni glo yng Nghymru. Rydym ni'n canolbwyntio ar y bwlch sgiliau—mae hynny'n rhywbeth yr ydym ni wedi ei ddysgu gan ein cydweithwyr awdurdod lleol, bod angen i chi adeiladu capasiti awdurdodau lleol ar gyfer archwilio ac adfer y tomenni glo hynny—ac rydym ni'n defnyddio technoleg newydd ar gyfer monitro ac archwilio'r 70 tomen â'r sgoriau uchaf yng Nghymru. Bydd hynny yn gwneud yn siŵr ein bod ni'n gallu manteisio yn y dyfodol ar y posibiliadau technolegol newydd hynny a fydd yn helpu i gadw cymunedau'n ddiogel.
O ran cyfranogiad cwmnïau sector preifat yn y gwaith o adfer tomenni, nid oes gennym ni unrhyw wrthwynebiad, wrth gwrs, i hynny. Byddai'n rhaid iddyn nhw ddilyn yr un prosesau ag unrhyw sefydliad arall sy'n ceisio gwneud gwaith adfer, ac mae hynny fel rheol yn golygu cais cynllunio i'r awdurdod lleol, i wneud yn siŵr y bydd pa bynnag waith sydd wedi'i gynllunio yn cyfrannu'n wirioneddol at wella'r ardal, oherwydd mae adfer tomenni yn dod â chyfleoedd economaidd yn ogystal â chyfleoedd amgylcheddol yn ei sgil, ac mae'r system ar waith i wneud yn siŵr y gellir casglu'r manteision hynny ar gyfer cymunedau lleol.
First Minister, thank you so much for that answer. I was listening very carefully to what you were saying to the Member. You clearly read my mind, because I was going to start by saying that there are nearly 2,500 coal tips across Wales, and I'm sure that we can all remember the truly shocking events in Tylorstown during storm Dennis. Since then, communities up and down the country living near coal tips have been living in fear. The Welsh Government has received millions of pounds from the UK Government to tackle the many disused coal tips that we have, yet we're still waiting for robust action to be taken, despite a review into disused coal tip legislation starting three years ago. First Minister, with winter looming, the sense of fear and anxiety within communities is going to be greatly heightened, so when can we expect to see the Welsh Government finally take action and bring forward coal tip safety legislation here in the Welsh Parliament?
Prif Weinidog, diolch yn fawr iawn am yr ateb yna. Roeddwn i'n gwrando'n astud iawn ar yr hyn yr oeddech chi'n ei ddweud wrth yr Aelod. Mae'n amlwg eich bod chi wedi darllen fy meddwl, gan fy mod i'n mynd i ddechrau drwy ddweud bod bron i 2,500 o domenni glo ledled Cymru, ac rwy'n siŵr y gallwn ni i gyd gofio'r digwyddiadau gwirioneddol ysgytwol yn Tylorstown yn ystod storm Dennis. Ers hynny, mae cymunedau ar hyd a lled y wlad sy'n byw ger tomenni glo wedi bod yn byw mewn ofn. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi derbyn miliynau o bunnoedd gan Lywodraeth y DU i fynd i'r afael â'r nifer fawr o domenni glo segur sydd gennym ni, ac eto rydym ni'n dal i aros i gamau cadarn gael eu cymryd, er gwaethaf i adolygiad o ddeddfwriaeth tomenni glo segur gychwyn dair blynedd yn ôl. Prif Weinidog, gyda'r gaeaf ar y gorwel, mae'r ymdeimlad o ofn a phryder mewn cymunedau yn mynd i gael ei ddwysáu'n fawr, felly pryd allwn ni ddisgwyl gweld Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithredu o'r diwedd a chyflwyno deddfwriaeth diogelwch tomenni glo yma yn Senedd Cymru?
Llywydd, that legislation will come in front of the Senedd next year. It will go broader than coal tip safety because it will look at the many other forms of disused tips that, unfortunately, are characteristic of Wales's participation in the industrial revolution, and, in the case of metal mines, going back many centuries prior to that as well. The Welsh Government has not, Llywydd, received millions of pounds from the UK Government for remediation—nothing of the sort. In fact, we remain in discussions with the UK Government about the contribution that we believe should rightly come to Wales for what is a legacy industry. The difficulties that we are having to put right well predate devolution, and the statement of funding policy, I think, is clear that when liabilities arise post devolution that are rooted in pre-devolution circumstances, the UK Government continues to have a responsibility to contribute to the funding of those liabilities. We've made no—no—progress at all with the UK Government with that argument so far, but we certainly continue to make it.
Llywydd, bydd y ddeddfwriaeth honno yn dod gerbron y Senedd y flwyddyn nesaf. Bydd yn mynd yn ehangach na diogelwch tomenni glo gan y bydd yn edrych ar y nifer o fathau eraill o domenni segur sydd, yn anffodus, yn nodweddiadol o gyfranogiad Cymru yn y chwyldro diwydiannol, ac, yn achos mwyngloddiau metel, yn mynd yn ôl ganrifoedd lawer cyn hynny hefyd. Nid yw Llywodraeth Cymru, Llywydd, wedi derbyn miliynau o bunnoedd gan Lywodraeth y DU i'w hadfer—dim o'r fath. Mewn gwirionedd, rydym ni'n dal i fod mewn trafodaethau â Llywodraeth y DU ynghylch y cyfraniad yr ydym ni'n ei gredu a ddylai ddod i Gymru yn briodol ar gyfer yr hyn sy'n ddiwydiant etifeddiaeth. Mae'r anawsterau y mae'n rhaid i ni eu hunioni yn rhagflaenu datganoli o bell, ac mae'r datganiad polisi ariannu, rwy'n credu, yn eglur, pan fydd rhwymedigaethau yn codi ar ôl datganoli sydd wedi'u gwreiddio mewn amgylchiadau cyn datganoli, bod Llywodraeth y DU yn dal i fod â chyfrifoldeb i gyfrannu at ariannu'r rhwymedigaethau hynny. Rydyn ni wedi gwneud dim—dim—cynnydd o gwbl gyda Llywodraeth y DU gyda'r ddadl honno hyd yma, ond rydym ni'n sicr yn parhau i'w gwneud.
The coal tips in our valleys are a daily visual reminder of how we've been exploited, how our communities often paid a deadly price for coal, and, while the wealth was shipped straight out of these shores, the muck and the dirt was dumped on our hillsides to blot our skylines. But they are also in people's eyelines, and the psychological toll of worrying about tips slipping in heavy rain weighs heavily on lots of people. Prif Weinidog, many tips aren't posing any risk of slipping and they are only an eyesore, but my main concern is about the tips that actually are at risk of even partial collapse. Now, I know we're expecting a statement next week that will, I trust, provide an update on what work is already under way to catalogue and analyse any risk posed by tips slipping. That's vitally important, and there's a cost to it. Can you tell me, please, what stage your Government has reached in discussions with the UK Government about them paying towards righting this wrong that, as you say, was made decades before devolution began? These coal tips are a legacy of the negligence and disdain of Westminster Governments for our valleys. They need to pay to clear them.
Mae'r tomenni glo yn ein cymoedd yn rhywbeth gweledol sy'n ein hatgoffa bob dydd o sut rydyn ni wedi cael ein hecsbloetio, sut y gwnaeth ein cymunedau yn aml dalu pris marwol ar gyfer glo, ac, er i'r cyfoeth gael ei gludo'n syth allan o'r glannau hyn, cafodd y baw a'r budreddi eu gadael ar ochrau ein bryniau i staenio ein gorwelion. Ond maen nhw hefyd yn gallu cael eu gweld gan bobl, ac mae'r niwed seicolegol o boeni am domenni yn llithro mewn glaw trwm yn pwyso'n drwm ar lawer o bobl. Prif Weinidog, nid yw llawer o domenni yn peri unrhyw risg o lithro a dim ond dolur llygad ydyn nhw, ond fy mhrif bryder yw y tomenni sydd wir mewn perygl o ddymchwel hyd yn oed yn rhannol. Nawr, rwy'n gwybod ein bod ni'n disgwyl datganiad yr wythnos nesaf a fydd, hyderaf, yn rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am ba waith sydd eisoes ar y gweill i gatalogio a dadansoddi unrhyw risg sy'n cael ei pheri gan domenni yn llithro. Mae hynny'n hanfodol bwysig, ac mae cost iddo. A allwch chi ddweud wrthyf i, os gwelwch yn dda, pa gam y mae eich Llywodraeth wedi ei gyrraedd mewn trafodaethau gyda Llywodraeth y DU ynglŷn â nhw'n talu tuag at unioni'r cam hwn a wnaed, fel y dywedwch chi, ddegawdau cyn dechrau datganoli? Mae'r tomenni glo hyn yn etifeddiaeth o esgeulustod a dirmyg Llywodraethau San Steffan i'n cymoedd. Mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw dalu i'w clirio.
Well, I certainly agree with Delyth Jewell, Llywydd, that the history of Wales is one of the exploitation of our natural resources, where not only coal was extracted but wealth was extracted and taken far beyond the shores of Wales, leaving the communities who produced that wealth behind to deal with the consequences. That is why the Member is absolutely right, Llywydd, that there is an obligation on the UK Government to assist in putting right the wrongs of the past. We don't expect them to do it alone; the Welsh Government is already, as I said, making available £44.4 million for these purposes. What we look to the Treasury to agree is a long-term programme, funded over a decade. We're not expecting huge amounts of money in any one year, but cumulatively, over a decade, we could begin with those tips where the risk is greatest, and then progressively work our way down that list—the list, as I said, is in a much, much better state than it was before the Tylorstown incident, to which Natasha Asghar referred—and then to turn those things, which today loom over communities and do create fear in the lives of people who live nearby, into things that can be assets to them.
Wel, rwy'n sicr yn cytuno â Delyth Jewell, Llywydd, bod hanes Cymru yn un o ecsbloetio ein hadnoddau naturiol, lle nid yn unig yr echdynnwyd glo ond echdynnwyd cyfoeth ac fe'i cymerwyd ymhell y tu hwnt i lannau Cymru, gan adael y cymunedau a gynhyrchodd y cyfoeth hwnnw ar ôl i ymdopi â'r canlyniadau. Dyna pam mae'r Aelod yn llygad ei lle, Llywydd, bod rhwymedigaeth ar Lywodraeth y DU i gynorthwyo i unioni camau'r gorffennol. Nid ydym ni'n disgwyl iddyn nhw ei wneud ar eu pennau eu hunain; mae Llywodraeth Cymru eisoes, fel y dywedais i, yn sicrhau bod £44.4 miliwn ar gael at y dibenion hyn. Yr hyn yr ydym ni'n dymuno i'r Trysorlys ei gytuno yw rhaglen hirdymor, wedi'i hariannu dros ddegawd. Dydyn ni ddim yn disgwyl symiau enfawr o arian mewn unrhyw flwyddyn unigol, ond yn gronnol, dros ddegawd, gallem ni ddechrau gyda'r tomenni hynny lle mae'r risg fwyaf, ac yna gweithio ein ffordd yn raddol i lawr y rhestr honno—mae'r rhestr, fel y dywedais i, mewn cyflwr llawer iawn gwell nag yr oedd cyn digwyddiad Tylorstown, y cyfeiriodd Natasha Asghar ato—ac yna troi'r pethau hynny, sy'n taflu cysgod dros gymunedau heddiw ac yn creu ofn ym mywydau pobl sy'n byw'n gyfagos, yn bethau a all fod yn asedau iddyn nhw.
2. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi gwaith i liniaru llifogydd lleol yng nghanolbarth Cymru? OQ60194
2. How is the Welsh Government supporting work to mitigate local flooding in mid Wales? OQ60194
I thank Russell George, Llywydd, for that. We have provided over £75 million for flood risk management activity across Wales in this financial year, with £5.25 million in revenue and £12 million in capital funding available to all lead local flood authorities, including those in mid Wales.
Diolch i Russell George, Llywydd, am hynna. Rydym ni wedi darparu dros £75 miliwn ar gyfer gweithgarwch rheoli perygl llifogydd ledled Cymru yn ystod y flwyddyn ariannol hon, gyda £5.25 miliwn mewn refeniw a £12 miliwn o gyllid cyfalaf ar gael i bob awdurdod llifogydd lleol arweiniol, gan gynnwys y rhai yn y canolbarth.
Thank you, First Minister, for your answer. Of course, one of the significant areas to help mitigate flooding in mid Wales is the better management of the Clywedog and Vyrnwy reservoirs. It would not altogether resolve issues, but it would in large part. Now, I know that Natural Resources Wales have been involved with work in regard to looking at the possibility of enhancing Clywedog to have greater capacity in the winter months. So, there's that issue, and also there's the issue of examining the draw-down times to allow water to be drawn down to then allow for less of an opportunity for there to be flooding incidents across mid Wales. To me, it's important that agencies on both sides of the border work together—NRW and the Environment Agency England, and also the UK and Welsh Governments as well, because any works that are done will benefit mid Wales and also other areas downstream in England as well. So, I hope, First Minister, you can confirm that both NRW and you are working with counterparts across the border and, where there is opportunity, of course, for funding from the Environment Agency to help resilience work in mid Wales to help mitigate flooding as well.
Diolch, Prif Weinidog, am eich ateb. Wrth gwrs, un o'r ardaloedd arwyddocaol i helpu i liniaru llifogydd yn y canolbarth yw rheoli cronfeydd dŵr Clywedog ac Efyrnwy yn well. Ni fyddai'n datrys problemau yn gyfan gwbl, ond byddai'n gwneud hynny i raddau helaeth. Nawr, rwy'n gwybod bod Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru wedi bod yn rhan o'r gwaith o ran edrych ar y posibilrwydd o wella Clywedog i fod â mwy o gapasiti yn ystod misoedd y gaeaf. Felly, ceir y mater hwnnw, a hefyd ceir y mater o archwilio'r amseroedd tynnu i lawr i ganiatáu i ddŵr gael ei dynnu i lawr i roi llai o gyfle wedyn o weld digwyddiadau llifogydd ledled y canolbarth. I mi, mae'n bwysig bod asiantaethau ar ddwy ochr y ffin yn cydweithio—Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru ac Asiantaeth yr Amgylchedd Lloegr, a hefyd Llywodraethau'r DU a Chymru hefyd, oherwydd bydd unrhyw waith sy'n cael ei wneud o fudd i ganolbarth Cymru a hefyd ardaloedd eraill i lawr yr afon yn Lloegr hefyd. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio, Prif Weinidog, y gallwch chi gadarnhau bod Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru a chithau yn gweithio gyda chymheiriaid dros y ffin a, lle ceir cyfle, wrth gwrs, am gyllid gan Asiantaeth yr Amgylchedd i helpu gwaith cydnerthedd yng nghanolbarth Cymru i helpu i liniaru llifogydd hefyd.
Well, I thank Russell George for that, and I know that he's got a long-standing interest in the management of the Clywedog and the Vyrnwy reservoirs. I know that he raised exactly some of the points he has raised today back during the flooding in 2020. So, let me take the two issues that he raised in turn. I continue to believe that there is an issue to do with drawing water off from those reservoirs, and it is understandable that people further down believe that, at times of high rainfall, if water is being discharged from the dams, then it adds to flood risk in those communities. And it does seem to me that, with the sophistication of modern forecasting, more should be done to prepare for high rainfall events. The water should be discharged not after the rainfall event but before it in order to create that extra capacity in Clywedog and in Vyrnwy. And I don't think there is good enough evidence yet that the Environment Agency, who in the end is responsible for that aspect of the reservoirs, is doing enough to make sure that things are prepared ahead of bad weather rather than responding to bad weather when it happens.
As to enhancing the capacity of the reservoirs, I read from time to time speculation rather than anything more definite about plans to raise the level of the dam so that it could safely contain more water. Quite certainly, I would expect NRW to be involved in any such discussions. There are issues. I remember Adam Price raising these with me specifically about those reservoirs, about where that water would then go and how we can make sure that Welsh interests are properly protected were there to be plans for increasing the capacity of the reservoirs and to make use of the water collected for other communities outside Wales. I have no difficulty with that, provided that Welsh resources are properly recognised and, where necessary, rewarded.
Wel, diolch i Russell George am hynna, ac rwy'n gwybod bod ganddo ddiddordeb hirsefydlog yn rheolaeth cronfeydd dŵr Clywedog ac Efyrnwy. Rwy'n gwybod ei fod wedi codi rhai o'r union bwyntiau y mae wedi eu codi heddiw yn ôl yn ystod y llifogydd yn 2020. Felly, gadewch i mi gymryd y ddau fater a gododd yn eu tro. Rwy'n dal i gredu bod problem yn ymwneud â thynnu dŵr o'r cronfeydd hynny, ac mae'n ddealladwy bod pobl ymhellach i lawr yn credu, ar adegau o lawiad uchel, os yw dŵr yn cael ei ollwng o'r argaeau, ei fod yn ychwanegu at berygl llifogydd yn y cymunedau hynny. Ac mae'n ymddangos i mi, gyda soffistigedigrwydd rhagolygon modern, y dylid gwneud mwy i baratoi ar gyfer digwyddiadau glawiad uchel. Dylid rhyddhau'r dŵr nid ar ôl y digwyddiad glawiad ond cyn iddo ddigwydd er mwyn creu'r capasiti ychwanegol hwnnw yng Nghlywedog ac yn Efyrnwy. Ac nid wyf i'n credu bod tystiolaeth ddigon da eto bod Asiantaeth yr Amgylchedd, sy'n gyfrifol am yr agwedd honno ar y cronfeydd dŵr yn y pen draw, yn gwneud digon i wneud yn siŵr bod pethau'n cael eu paratoi cyn tywydd garw yn hytrach nag ymateb i dywydd garw pan fydd yn digwydd.
O ran gwella capasiti'r cronfeydd dŵr, darllenais o bryd i'w gilydd ddyfalu yn hytrach nag unrhyw beth mwy pendant am gynlluniau i godi lefel yr argae fel y gallai ddal mwy o ddŵr yn ddiogel. Yn gwbl sicr, byddwn i'n disgwyl i Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru fod yn rhan o unrhyw drafodaethau o'r fath. Mae problemau. Rwy'n cofio Adam Price yn codi'r rhain gyda mi yn benodol am y cronfeydd dŵr hynny, am ble fyddai'r dŵr hwnnw yn mynd wedyn a sut y gallwn wneud yn siŵr bod buddiannau Cymru yn cael eu hamddiffyn yn briodol pe bai cynlluniau ar gyfer cynyddu capasiti'r cronfeydd dŵr ac i wneud defnydd o'r dŵr a gesglir ar gyfer cymunedau eraill y tu allan i Gymru. Nid oes gen i unrhyw anhawster gyda hynny, cyn belled ag y bo adnoddau Cymru yn cael eu cydnabod yn briodol ac, yn ôl yr angen, yn cael eu gwobrwyo.
Good afternoon, First Minister. Thank you to Russell George for raising this issue. Residents across mid Wales, including, for me, residents in Presteigne, in Llanfechain, in Abercraf, have raised concerns around flooding in their areas, and we must all recognise the role that the climate emergency plays in flooding, and our role, in fact, sadly in accelerating that. NRW and their staff have done an amazing job across storm Babet and storm Ciarán in terms of managing and responding to emergencies. But, one of the issues that is raised by NRW is their resourcing. We know that they are around 25 per cent below what would be the optimal level. So, I just wondered what the First Minister is doing in order to ensure that NRW and their fantastic staff have the resources that they need in order to manage flooding, not just in mid and west Wales, but across Wales. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Prynhawn da, Prif Weinidog. Diolch i Russell George am godi'r mater hwn. Mae trigolion ar draws y canolbarth, gan gynnwys, i mi, drigolion yn Llanandras, yn Llanfechain, yn Abercraf, wedi codi pryderon ynghylch llifogydd yn eu hardaloedd, ac mae'n rhaid i ni i gyd gydnabod y rhan y mae'r argyfwng hinsawdd yn ei chwarae mewn llifogydd, a'n rhan, a dweud y gwir, yn anffodus yng nghyflymu hynny. Mae Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru a'u staff wedi gwneud gwaith anhygoel ar draws storm Babet a storm Ciarán o ran rheoli ac ymateb i argyfyngau. Ond, un o'r materion a godir gan Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru yw eu hadnoddau. Rydym ni'n gwybod eu bod nhw tua 25 y cant yn is na'r hyn a fyddai'r lefel orau bosibl. Felly, meddwl oeddwn i tybed beth mae'r Prif Weinidog yn ei wneud er mwyn sicrhau bod gan Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru a'u staff gwych yr adnoddau sydd eu hangen arnyn nhw i reoli llifogydd, nid yn unig yn y canolbarth a'r gorllewin, ond ledled Cymru. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Can I begin by thanking Jane Dodds for recognising the extraordinary efforts that NRW staff make, not just in the most recent storms, but whenever communities are at risk. These are the individuals that you see out there on the ground clearing stuff, making sure culverts are working and so on, and they were working very hard indeed in the last week or so, when these recent storms have taken place. And I thank Jane Dodds as well for recognising that the investment that has been put in through NRW has prevented flooding. We're focused, quite rightly, on where the worst impacts are felt—and there were impacts felt in Powys and in other parts of Wales in the two recent storms—but NRW estimate that over 1,000 properties didn't flood in those storms because of the investment that they have been able to put in place. All public services in Wales are feeling the impact of over a decade of austerity, with less money to do all the things we need to do. The Minister has worked with NRW to look at the whole of their budget to make sure that the investments are aligned as closely as they can with the key priorities of the Welsh Government and of Welsh communities, and flood prevention—whether that is coastal flood prevention or flood prevention in rivers—is right there at the top of the list of things we know to be important.
A gaf i ddechrau drwy ddiolch i Jane Dodds am gydnabod yr ymdrechion rhyfeddol y mae staff Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru yn eu gwneud, nid yn unig yn y stormydd diweddaraf, ond pryd bynnag y mae cymunedau mewn perygl. Dyma'r unigolion yr ydych chi'n eu gweld allan yna ar lawr gwlad yn clirio pethau, yn gwneud yn siŵr bod cwlfertau yn gweithio ac yn y blaen, ac roedden nhw'n gweithio'n galed dros ben yn ystod yr wythnos ddiwethaf, pan ddigwyddodd y stormydd diweddar hyn. Ac rwy'n diolch i Jane Dodds hefyd am gydnabod bod y buddsoddiad sydd wedi cael ei wneud drwy Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru wedi atal llifogydd. Rydyn ni'n canolbwyntio, yn gwbl briodol, ar ble mae'r effeithiau gwaethaf yn cael eu teimlo—ac roedd effeithiau a deimlwyd ym Mhowys ac mewn rhannau eraill o Gymru yn y ddwy storm ddiweddar—ond mae Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru yn amcangyfrif na ddioddefodd dros 1,000 o eiddo lifogydd yn y stormydd hynny oherwydd y buddsoddiad y maen nhw wedi gallu ei wneud. Mae pob gwasanaeth cyhoeddus yng Nghymru yn teimlo effaith dros ddegawd o gyni cyllidol, gyda llai o arian i wneud yr holl bethau y mae angen i ni eu gwneud. Mae'r Gweinidog wedi gweithio gyda Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru i edrych ar eu cyllideb gyfan i wneud yn siŵr bod y buddsoddiadau yn cyd-fynd mor agos ag y gallan nhw â blaenoriaethau allweddol Llywodraeth Cymru a chymunedau Cymru, ac mae atal llifogydd—boed hynny'n atal llifogydd arfordirol neu'n atal llifogydd mewn afonydd—i fyny ar frig y rhestr o bethau yr ydym ni'n gwybod sy'n bwysig.
Cwestiynau gan arweinwyr y pleidiau nawr. Arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Questions from party leaders now. Leader of the Conservatives, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Thank you, Presiding Officer. First Minister, we know from recent correspondence seen in other parts of the United Kingdom that various Governments have been required to hand over WhatsApp messages and other electronic messages that were used to convey dialogue between officials and Ministers during the COVID crisis. The UK COVID inquiry has issued to the Scottish Government a section 21 under the Inquiries Act 2005. Has the Welsh Government had a similar order put on it, and has the Welsh Government provided all electronic communication that has been requested by the COVID inquiry at a UK level?
Diolch, Llywydd. Prif Weinidog, rydym ni'n gwybod o ohebiaeth ddiweddar a welwyd mewn rhannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig y bu'n ofynnol i wahanol Lywodraethau rannu negeseuon WhatsApp a negeseuon electronig eraill a ddefnyddiwyd i gyfleu deialog rhwng swyddogion a Gweinidogion yn ystod argyfwng COVID. Mae ymchwiliad COVID y DU wedi cyflwyno gorchymyn adran 21 i Lywodraeth yr Alban o dan Ddeddf Ymchwiliadau 2005. A yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cael gorchymyn tebyg, ac a yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi darparu'r holl ohebiaeth electronig y gofynnwyd amdani gan yr ymchwiliad COVID ar lefel y DU?
Llywydd, we're not in receipt of such an order at this point, but that is because module 2A, which is the module that will focus on the Scottish experience, comes before module 2B—the Welsh experience—which will be examined by the inquiry, we believe, in February and into March. There is a meeting, I know, scheduled between those people who are responsible for running the inquiry and officials here that no doubt will cover ground as to what material has been disclosed to the inquiry. But I want to make sure that colleagues here know, Llywydd, that I made an early decision, together with my ministerial colleagues, that the Welsh Government would disclose all material requested by the UK COVID inquiry, including WhatsApp messages. I took a different view to the Cabinet Office, which, as you know, believed that it was for them to decide what material would be relevant to the inquiry. My view has been that it's for the inquiry to make that judgment. We release all the information we have that the inquiry requests, and then we rely on them to decide, of that vast amount of material—not all of which, I think, will be relevant to their inquiries, but I think it's better that they make that judgment. And so we provide everything that we have, we make it available to them, they decide how they can make good use of it.
Llywydd, nid ydym ni wedi derbyn gorchymyn o'r fath ar hyn o bryd, ond mae hynny oherwydd bod modiwl 2A, sef y modiwl a fydd yn canolbwyntio ar brofiad yr Alban, yn dod cyn modiwl 2B—profiad Cymru—a fydd yn cael ei archwilio gan yr ymchwiliad, rydym ni'n credu, ym mis Chwefror ac i mewn i fis Mawrth. Mae cyfarfod, rwy'n gwybod, wedi'i drefnu rhwng y bobl hynny sy'n gyfrifol am redeg yr ymchwiliad a swyddogion yma a fydd yn siŵr o drafod y mater o ba ddeunydd sydd wedi cael ei ddatgelu i'r ymchwiliad. Ond rwyf i eisiau gwneud yn siŵr bod cyd-Aelodau yma yn gwybod, Llywydd, fy mod i wedi gwneud penderfyniad cynnar, ynghyd â'm cyd-Weinidogion, y byddai Llywodraeth Cymru yn datgelu'r holl ddeunydd y mae ymchwiliad COVID y DU yn gofyn amdano, gan gynnwys negeseuon WhatsApp. Cymerais wahanol safbwynt i Swyddfa'r Cabinet, a oedd yn credu, fel y gwyddoch chi, mai mater iddyn nhw oedd penderfynu pa ddeunydd fyddai'n berthnasol i'r ymchwiliad. Fy marn i yw mai mater i'r ymchwiliad yw gwneud y dyfarniad hwnnw. Rydyn ni'n rhyddhau'r holl wybodaeth sydd gennym ni y mae'r ymchwiliad yn gofyn amdani, ac yna rydym ni'n dibynnu arnyn nhw i benderfynu, o'r deunydd helaeth hwnnw—na fydd y cwbl, rwy'n credu, yn berthnasol i'w hymholiadau, ond rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n well iddyn nhw wneud y dyfarniad hwnnw. Ac felly rydyn ni'n darparu popeth sydd gennym ni, rydym ni'n ei wneud ar gael iddyn nhw, maen nhw'n penderfynu sut y gallan nhw wneud defnydd da ohono.
Thank you for that answer, First Minister. Obviously, you highlighted the information that you have; one of the areas that has been looked at is the deletion of messages on electronic devices—and there was instruction given by various Governments to make sure that that wouldn't happen through the course of the COVID crisis. Are you confident that deletion mechanisms or apps were not used by Government Ministers here in Cardiff or officials, so that information was retained to give clarity and entirety over the decision-making process that was made via the WhatsApp or electronic messages on devices that were used by Welsh Government Ministers or officials?
Diolch am yr ateb yna, Prif Weinidog. Yn amlwg, fe wnaethoch chi dynnu sylw at yr wybodaeth sydd gennych chi; un o'r meysydd a ystyriwyd yw dileu negeseuon ar ddyfeisiau electronig—a rhoddwyd cyfarwyddyd gan wahanol Lywodraethau i wneud yn siŵr na fyddai hynny'n digwydd drwy gyfnod argyfwng COVID. A ydych chi'n hyderus na ddefnyddiwyd mecanweithiau neu apiau dileu gan Weinidogion y Llywodraeth yma yng Nghaerdydd na swyddogion, fel bod gwybodaeth yn cael ei chadw i roi eglurder a chyfanrwydd ynghylch y broses o wneud penderfyniadau a wnaed drwy'r negeseuon WhatsApp neu electronig ar ddyfeisiau a ddefnyddiwyd gan Weinidogion neu swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru?
Let me make three points if I could, Llywydd. First of all, the Welsh Government did not rely on informal means of communication in order to make decisions during the COVID period. I cannot think of a stronger contrast between the way in which business was discharged inside the Welsh Government and in front of this Senedd throughout the COVID period than what we have seen in front of the inquiry in the last few days. I then want to make this distinction: as soon as we were aware that the inquiry would wish to have material disclosed to it, no instruction of any sort was issued in the Welsh Government that material should be deleted. So, as soon as we knew that the inquiry wanted something, there's no deletion beyond that point. However, during the COVID period itself, many colleagues working for the Welsh Government will have had devices with deletion instructions already on them, and those things may have remained on their phones, because at the point nobody, I think—absolutely nobody—was focused on whether those messages might be required at some future distant point. So, as soon as we knew that the inquiry was interested in it, no deletion. I cannot promise that there were people whose phones, during the COVID period, didn't have deletion arrangements in them that well predated COVID and which continued just as they normally would.
Gadewch i mi wneud tri phwynt os caf i, Llywydd. Yn gyntaf oll, ni wnaeth Llywodraeth Cymru ddibynnu ar ddulliau cyfathrebu anffurfiol er mwyn gwneud penderfyniadau yn ystod cyfnod COVID. Ni allaf feddwl am gyferbyniad cryfach rhwng y ffordd y cafodd busnes ei gyflawni y tu mewn i Lywodraeth Cymru ac o flaen y Senedd hon trwy gydol cyfnod COVID na'r hyn yr ydym ni wedi ei weld o flaen yr ymchwiliad yn ystod y dyddiau diwethaf. Yna hoffwn wneud y gwahaniaeth hwn: cyn gynted ag yr oeddem ni'n ymwybodol y byddai'r ymchwiliad yn dymuno i ddeunydd gael ei ddatgelu iddo, ni chyhoeddwyd cyfarwyddyd o unrhyw fath yn Llywodraeth Cymru y dylid dileu deunydd. Felly, cyn gynted ag yr oeddem ni'n gwybod bod yr ymchwiliad eisiau rhywbeth, nid oes unrhyw ddileu y tu hwnt i'r pwynt hwnnw. Fodd bynnag, yn ystod y cyfnod COVID ei hun, bydd llawer o gydweithwyr sy'n gweithio i Lywodraeth Cymru wedi meddu ar ddyfeisiau â chyfarwyddiadau dileu arnyn nhw eisoes, ac efallai fod y pethau hynny wedi aros ar eu ffonau, oherwydd ar y pryd nid oedd neb, rwy'n credu—neb o gwbl—yn canolbwyntio ar ba un a fyddai angen y negeseuon hynny ar ryw adeg bell yn y dyfodol. Felly, cyn gynted ag yr oeddem ni'n gwybod bod gan yr ymchwiliad ddiddordeb ynddo, dim dileu. Ni allaf addo bod pobl nad oedd gan eu ffonau, yn ystod cyfnod COVID, drefniadau dileu ynddyn nhw a oedd wedi'u gwneud ymhell cyn COVID ac a barhaodd yn union fel y bydden nhw wedi ei wneud fel arfer.
Thank you for that answer, First Minister. Could I just clarify, then, that, up until the point of the establishment of the COVID inquiry, it is reasonable to think that some messages would have been deleted, and it was only when the COVID inquiry indicated that they would be looking at electronic messaging, which was some time into the pandemic, that that instruction or working arrangement within the Welsh Government came into play, and that it is fair to say that in the early weeks and months that deletion of WhatsApp messages was taking place, because obviously there was an understanding that that information might not be relevant?
Diolch am yr ateb yna, Prif Weinidog. A gaf i eglurhad, felly, ei bod hi'n rhesymol meddwl, hyd at adeg sefydlu'r ymchwiliad COVID, y byddai rhai negeseuon wedi cael eu dileu, a dim ond pan nododd yr ymchwiliad COVID y bydden nhw'n edrych ar negeseuon electronig, a oedd gryn amser i mewn i'r pandemig, y rhoddwyd y cyfarwyddyd neu'r trefniant gweithio hwnnw ar waith o fewn Llywodraeth Cymru, a'i bod hi'n deg dweud bod dileu negeseuon WhatsApp yn digwydd yn yr wythnosau a'r misoedd cynnar, oherwydd yn amlwg roedd dealltwriaeth efallai na fyddai'r wybodaeth honno yn berthnasol?
I think the fairer way of putting it is that deletion may have taken place. I know, in my case, I've never had any deletion arrangements on the phone, because I would have no idea how to make it happen. [Laughter.] I don't use WhatsApp either.FootnoteLink What I don't want to say is that they were not some people working in the Welsh Government and working on COVID who didn't have pre-existing arrangements that continued after COVID began. But, as soon as we were aware that the inquiry would be interested in material of that sort, that was stored on phones, there was no move to delete it once we knew the inquiry would be taking an interest in it.
Rwy'n credu mai'r ffordd decach o'i ddweud yw y gallai dileu fod wedi digwydd. Rwy'n gwybod, yn fy achos i, ni fu gen i unrhyw drefniadau dileu ar y ffôn erioed, oherwydd ni fyddai gen i unrhyw syniad sut i wneud iddo ddigwydd. [Chwerthin.] Dydw i ddim yn defnyddio WhatsApp chwaith.FootnoteLink Yr hyn nad wyf i eisiau ei ddweud yw nad oedd rhai pobl a oedd yn gweithio yn Llywodraeth Cymru ac yn gweithio ar COVID nad oedd ganddyn nhw drefniadau a oedd eisoes yn bodoli a barhaodd ar ôl i COVID ddechrau. Ond, cyn gynted ag yr oeddem ni'n ymwybodol y byddai gan yr ymchwiliad ddiddordeb mewn deunydd o'r math hwnnw, a oedd wedi'i storio ar ffonau, nid oedd unrhyw gamau i'w ddileu unwaith yr oeddem ni'n gwybod y byddai'r ymchwiliad yn cymryd diddordeb ynddo.
Arweinydd Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Leader of Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Diolch, Llywydd. Mi fydd y Prif Weinidog, fel finnau, wedi bod yn edrych ymlaen, dwi'n siŵr, i weld beth oedd yn rhaglen ddeddfwriaethol Llywodraeth Geidwadol y Deyrnas Unedig heddiw, ac, fel finnau, wedi eu siomi.
Thank you, Llywydd. The First Minister, like me, will have been looking forward, I'm sure, to seeing what was contained within the UK Government's legislative programme today, and, like me, he will have been disappointed.
We witnessed in Westminster today a pretty desperate attempt to reignite the dying embers of the Conservative UK Government—using more fossil fuels to do so, of course. We saw a hardening of the Tories' climate change denying credentials, and the complete bypassing of Wales at a time when we need to see greater fairness and greater ambition for our nation. Plaid Cymru would have prioritised five Bills for this King's Speech, all designed to ease the cost-of-living crisis and lay the foundations for a more prosperous future: an affordable energy Bill to help people struggling to make ends meet; a fair funding Bill, scrapping the Barnett formula, stopping more HS2 great train robberies; a Bill to transfer justice powers, creating a system that works for Wales; a social security Bill to transform the lives of people in our most disadvantaged communities; and a Bill to bring the Crown Estate under Welsh control, creating a new wealth fund and greener, well-paid jobs. Does the Prif Weinidog agree with me that these are real priorities for Wales, whoever holds the keys to 10 Downing Street?
Gwelsom yn San Steffan heddiw ymgais anobeithiol braidd i ailgynnau marwor olaf Llywodraeth Geidwadol y DU—gan ddefnyddio mwy o danwydd ffosil i wneud hynny, wrth gwrs. Gwelsom galedu ymrwymiad y Torïaid i wadu'r newid yn yr hinsawdd, ac anwybyddu Cymru yn llwyr ar adeg pan fo angen i ni weld mwy o degwch a mwy o uchelgais i'n cenedl. Byddai Plaid Cymru wedi blaenoriaethu pum Bil ar gyfer Araith y Brenin, pob un â'r bwriad o leddfu'r argyfwng costau byw a gosod y sylfeini ar gyfer dyfodol mwy llewyrchus: Bil ynni fforddiadwy i helpu pobl sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd cael dau ben llinyn ynghyd; Bil cyllido teg, cael gwared ar fformiwla Barnett, atal mwy o ladradau trên HS2; Bil i drosglwyddo pwerau cyfiawnder, gan greu system sy'n gweithio i Gymru; Bil nawdd cymdeithasol i drawsnewid bywydau pobl yn ein cymunedau mwyaf difreintiedig; a Bil i ddod ag Ystâd y Goron o dan reolaeth Cymru, gan greu cronfa gyfoeth newydd a swyddi mwy gwyrdd, sy'n talu'n dda. A yw'r Prif Weinidog yn cytuno â mi bod y rhain yn flaenoriaethau gwirioneddol i Gymru, pwy bynnag sydd â'r allweddi i 10 Downing Street?
Llywydd, diolch i Rhun ap Iorwerth, a dwi'n cytuno, wrth gwrs. Roedd y rhaglen ddeddfwriaethol o flaen Tŷ'r Cyffredin a Thŷ'r Arglwyddi heddiw. Does dim byd yn y rhaglen sy'n mynd i wneud pethau ym mywydau'r bobl yma yng Nghymru, ac mae'n dangos Llywodraeth lle does dim uchelgais gyda nhw am y dyfodol.
Llywydd, I thank Rhun ap Iorwerth, and I agree, of course. The legislative programme was put before House of Commons and House of Lords today. There is nothing in that programme that is going to make things in the lives of people here in Wales better, and it shows a Government that has no ambition for the future.
The King's Speech is the thinnest of documents. I myself believe it's a clearing-of-the-decks-in-advance-of-an-election document. And Wales wasn't mentioned once in that speech. I mention that particularly, because Northern Rail was mentioned in it, and yet the much-vaunted north Wales electrification got no mention at all. As to Plaid Cymru's five-point plan—another five-point plan, Llywydd; not many weeks go by without one—then, in this case, there are a series of issues that are shared, certainly on this side of the Chamber. The devolution of the Crown Estate is the policy of the Welsh Government. Fair funding—we have argued for many, many years for a replacement of the Barnett formula with a formula based on need. And energy for the future and affordable energy is one of the great opportunities that are there for Wales in the future. So, there's much in the plan that is shared on this side of the Chamber. We will need a Labour Government, won't we, if any of this is actually to happen.
Mae Araith y Brenin yn ddogfen hynod denau. Rwyf i fy hun yn credu ei bod hi'n ddogfen clirio'r-deciau-cyn-etholiad. A chafodd Cymru mo'i chrybwyll unwaith yn yr araith honno. Rwy'n sôn am hynny'n arbennig, oherwydd soniwyd am Northern Rail ynddi, ac eto ni soniwyd o gwbl am brosiect trydaneiddio uchel ei glod gogledd Cymru. O ran cynllun pum pwynt Plaid Cymru—cynllun pum pwynt arall, Llywydd; nid oes llawer o wythnosau yn mynd heibio heb un—yna, yn yr achos hwn, ceir cyfres o faterion a rennir, yn sicr ar yr ochr hon i'r Siambr. Datganoli Ystâd y Goron yw polisi Llywodraeth Cymru. Cyllido teg—rydym ni wedi dadlau ers blynyddoedd lawer dros ddisodli fformiwla Barnett gyda fformiwla yn seiliedig ar angen. Ac mae ynni ar gyfer y dyfodol ac ynni fforddiadwy yn un o'r cyfleoedd gwych sydd yno i Gymru yn y dyfodol. Felly, mae llawer yn y cynllun sy'n cael ei rannu ar yr ochr hon i'r Siambr. Bydd angen Llywodraeth Lafur arnom ni, oni fydd, os oes unrhyw un o'r pethau hyn yn mynd i ddigwydd mewn gwirionedd.
The Prif Weinidog pours scorn over Plaid Cymru's five-point plan, as he calls it. After 24 years of Labour-run Government in Wales, somebody's got to be coming forward with some good ideas. But I'd like to focus, if I could, on the fair funding issue. The Prif Weinidog's predecessor, Carwyn Jones, said in 2017:
'Nobody can defend a situation where we have a funding formula that is over 38 years old by now, that was based on the way things were in the 1970s.'
We can say pretty confidently that funding Wales according to need would lead to a much-needed uplift in funding. There is a funding floor in place, but that was described by its creator, the Holtham commission, as just a minimal solution. So, does the Prif Weinidog agree with me that this simple principle of fair funding for Wales should be in the general election manifesto of all parties, and given that it was omitted from this King's Speech, does he think it should be in the next?
Mae'r Prif Weinidog yn dirmygu cynllun pum pwynt Plaid Cymru, fel mae'n ei alw. Ar ôl 24 mlynedd o Lywodraeth Lafur yng Nghymru, mae'n rhaid i rywun fod yn cyflwyno syniadau da. Ond hoffwn ganolbwyntio, os caf i, ar y mater cyllido teg. Dywedodd rhagflaenydd y Prif Weinidog, Carwyn Jones, yn 2017:
"Ni all neb amddiffyn sefyllfa lle mae gennym fformiwla ariannu sydd dros 38 oed erbyn hyn, a oedd yn seiliedig ar y ffordd yr oedd pethau yn y 1970au."
Gallwn ni ddweud yn eithaf hyderus y byddai cyllido Cymru yn ôl yr angen yn arwain at gynnydd mawr ei angen mewn cyllid. Mae isafswm cyllido ar waith, ond disgrifiwyd hynny gan ei greawdwr, comisiwn Holtham, fel datrysiad lleiaf posibl yn unig. Felly, a yw'r Prif Weinidog yn cytuno â mi y dylai'r egwyddor syml hon o gyllid teg i Gymru fod ym maniffesto etholiad cyffredinol pob plaid, ac o ystyried iddo gael ei hepgor o Araith y Brenin hwn, a yw'n credu y dylai fod yn y nesaf?
Well, I'm certainly not surprised to find that there's no commitment to a reform of Barnett in the current King's Speech, and, of course, the leader of Plaid Cymru is right—Joel Barnett himself disowned the Barnett formula many, many times, many years after it was first invented. I was glad to be able to negotiate with the then Chief Secretary to the Treasury something that was analogous to the Holtham floor, but that's the minimum that we need; we need a much more thoroughgoing reform of the way in which public services across the United Kingdom are funded. The money that comes to Wales should not depend upon decisions that are made entirely for circumstances in England, and that's how the Barnett formula works, as you know. What we need is a needs-based formula that guarantees that the level of service potentially available in any part of the United Kingdom is one that meets the needs of people who live in that part of the United Kingdom, and that's what a reformed approach to funding would produce.
Wel, yn sicr dydw i ddim yn synnu o weld nad oes ymrwymiad i ddiwygio Barnett yn Araith y Brenin presennol, ac, wrth gwrs, mae arweinydd Plaid Cymru yn iawn—gwnaeth Joel Barnett ei hun wrthod fformiwla Barnett lawer o weithiau, flynyddoedd lawer ar ôl iddi gael ei dyfeisio gyntaf. Roeddwn i'n falch o allu trafod gyda Phrif Ysgrifennydd y Trysorlys ar y pryd rhywbeth a oedd yn debyg i isafswm Holtham, ond dyna'r isafswm sydd ei angen arnom; mae angen diwygiad llawer mwy trylwyr arnom o'r ffordd y mae gwasanaethau cyhoeddus ledled y Deyrnas Unedig yn cael eu hariannu. Ni ddylai'r arian sy'n dod i Gymru ddibynnu ar benderfyniadau sy'n cael eu gwneud yn gyfan gwbl ar gyfer amgylchiadau yn Lloegr, a dyna sut mae fformiwla Barnett yn gweithio, fel y gwyddoch chi. Yr hyn sydd ei angen arnom yw fformiwla sy'n seiliedig ar anghenion sy'n gwarantu bod lefel y gwasanaeth a allai fod ar gael mewn unrhyw ran o'r Deyrnas Unedig yn un sy'n diwallu anghenion pobl sy'n byw yn y rhan honno o'r Deyrnas Unedig, a dyna fyddai dull diwygiedig o ariannu yn ei gynhyrchu.
The way to have independent spending decisions made by Wales is to have an independent Welsh Treasury, of course, but I'm glad that the First Minister agrees with me that the UK Government should change the funding formula. But given, I assume, that he hopes the next King's Speech will be written by a Labour Prime Minister, the problem we have is a glaring one, that Labour's making no commitment to change it. It's disappointing, as I say often, that the First Minister, as the most powerful elected Labour politician in these islands, is unable to persuade his party leader at Westminster to do the right thing on this and other issues that are around fairness for Wales.
Now, back in March, Keir Starmer told Labour members that it was time for Wales to 'take back control'. That was in relation specifically to EU funding replacement, but surely the same principle would apply to another of Plaid Cymru's asks today, control of the Crown Estate. It's about helping Wales reach its net-zero goals and creating prosperity at the same time. So, does the Prif Weinidog therefore agree with me that today's missed opportunity to pledge to devolve the Crown Estate shouldn't be repeated by the next UK Government?
Y ffordd o gael penderfyniadau gwariant annibynnol wedi'u gwneud gan Gymru yw cael Trysorlys annibynnol i Gymru, wrth gwrs, ond rwy'n falch bod y Prif Weinidog yn cytuno â mi y dylai Llywodraeth y DU newid y fformiwla ariannu. Ond o gofio, rwy'n tybio, ei fod yn gobeithio y bydd Araith nesaf y Brenin yn cael ei hysgrifennu gan Brif Weinidog Llafur, mae'r broblem sydd gennym ni yn un amlwg, nad yw Llafur yn gwneud unrhyw ymrwymiad i'w newid. Mae'n siomedig, fel rwy'n dweud yn aml, nad yw'r Prif Weinidog, fel y gwleidydd Llafur etholedig mwyaf grymus yn yr ynysoedd hyn, yn gallu perswadio arweinydd ei blaid yn San Steffan i wneud y peth iawn ar hyn a materion eraill sy'n ymwneud â thegwch i Gymru.
Nawr, yn ôl ym mis Mawrth, dywedodd Keir Starmer wrth aelodau Llafur ei bod hi'n bryd i Gymru 'gymryd rheolaeth yn ôl'. Roedd hynny yn ymwneud yn benodol â disodli cyllid yr UE, ond siawns na fyddai'r un egwyddor yn berthnasol i un arall o geisiadau Plaid Cymru heddiw, sef rheolaeth o Ystâd y Goron. Mae'n ymwneud â helpu Cymru i gyrraedd ei nodau sero net a chreu ffyniant ar yr un pryd. Felly, a yw'r Prif Weinidog cytuno â mi felly na ddylai'r cyfle a gollwyd heddiw i addo datganoli Ystâd y Goron gael ei ailadrodd gan Lywodraeth nesaf y DU?
Well, Llywydd, let me just make one point before addressing the Crown Estate issue. I have never made the argument that Wales could not be independent because we couldn't afford it. I think, if people in Wales want to be independent, then that's the decision that they can make. But people who make that argument do have to face up to the issue that, in Wales, we spend £13 billion a year more than we raise in revenue. [Interruption.] And—. Well, I'm afraid that so-called 'debunking' turns out not to be true at all. I think £13 billion is a figure that can be properly substantiated. And if we are to be independent, as he would argue, it's for him to explain where that £13 billion is to come from, and calling for fair funding from somebody else isn't going to fill that gap at all.
As to the Crown Estate, as I said in my opening answer, the Minister for Climate Change has made the case for the devolution of the Crown Estate many times. Nobody should be carried away with the idea, though, that this is a simple matter, and if you want to know just how complex it is, look at the negotiations that the Scottish Government has had to undertake in its reform of the fiscal framework, where it is now having to give back to the Treasury—give back to the Treasury—many, many millions of pounds in recognition of the fact that the Crown Estate in Scotland is devolved. So, nobody should believe that the devolution of the Crown Estate is some sort of free pass in which you get to keep all the advantages and have none of the current disadvantages. We believe in the devolution of the Crown Estate, because it would allow us to have a greater alignment between our responsibilities and our ambitions for the collection of renewable energy in the Celtic sea, and we think we would be able to align those responsibilities in a way that would maximise those opportunities. It's not as simple as writing a paragraph in a five-point plan, however; it's a good deal more complex than that.
Wel, Llywydd, gadewch i mi wneud un pwynt cyn mynd i'r afael â mater Ystâd y Goron. Nid wyf i erioed wedi dadlau na allai Cymru fod yn annibynnol oherwydd na allem ni ei fforddio. Rwy'n credu, os yw pobl yng Nghymru eisiau bod yn annibynnol, yna dyna'r penderfyniad y gallan nhw ei wneud. Ond mae'n rhaid i bobl sy'n gwneud y ddadl honno wynebu'r mater ein bod ni, yng Nghymru, yn gwario £13 biliwn y flwyddyn yn fwy nag yr ydym ni'n ei godi mewn refeniw. [Torri ar draws.] A—. Wel, mae gen i ofn nad yw'r 'bwrw i lawr' hwnnw, fel y'i gelwir, yn wir o gwbl mewn gwirionedd. Rwy'n credu bod £13 biliwn yn ffigur y gellir ei brofi'n gywir. Ac os ydym ni'n mynd i fod yn annibynnol, fel y byddai'n dadlau, mater iddo ef yw esbonio o ble mae'r £13 biliwn hwnnw yn mynd i ddod, ac nid yw galw am gyllid teg gan rywun arall yn mynd i lenwi'r bwlch hwnnw o gwbl.
O ran Ystâd y Goron, fel y dywedais i yn fy ateb agoriadol, mae'r Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd wedi dadlau dros ddatganoli Ystâd y Goron sawl gwaith. Ni ddylai neb dwyllo ei hun gyda'r syniad, fodd bynnag, bod hwn yn fater syml, ac os ydych chi eisiau gwybod pa mor gymhleth ydyw, edrychwch ar y trafodaethau y bu'n rhaid i Lywodraeth yr Alban ymgymryd â nhw yn ei diwygiad o'r fframwaith cyllidol, lle mae bellach yn gorfod dychwelyd i’r Trysorlys—dychwelyd i'r Trysorlys—miliynau lawer o bunnoedd i gydnabod y ffaith bod Ystâd y Goron yn yr Alban wedi'i datganoli. Felly, ni ddylai neb gredu bod datganoli Ystâd y Goron yn rhyw fath o bas am ddim lle’r ydych chi'n cael cadw'r holl fanteision a chael dim un o'r anfanteision presennol. Rydym ni'n credu mewn datganoli Ystâd y Goron, oherwydd byddai'n caniatáu i ni gael mwy o gysondeb rhwng ein cyfrifoldebau a'n huchelgeisiau ar gyfer casglu ynni adnewyddadwy yn y môr Celtaidd, ac rydym ni'n credu y byddem ni'n gallu cysoni'r cyfrifoldebau hynny mewn ffordd a fyddai'n manteisio i'r eithaf ar y cyfleoedd hynny. Nid yw mor syml ag ysgrifennu paragraff mewn cynllun pum pwynt, fodd bynnag; mae'n llawer iawn mwy cymhleth na hynny.
3. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn sicrhau bod gan bawb yng Nghanol De Cymru fynediad at feddyg teulu mor agos i'w cymuned â phosibl? OQ60184
3. How is the Welsh Government ensuring that everyone in South Wales Central has access to a GP as close to their community as possible? OQ60184
Wel, diolch am y cwestiwn. Llywydd, polisi Llywodraeth Cymru yw gwneud yn siŵr bod cleifion yn gallu cael mynediad at y tîm gofal sylfaenol ehangach. Mae hyn yn rhan o set gyfoes o ffyrdd i sicrhau bod cleifion yn cael y cymorth cywir yn y ffordd gywir.
Thank you for that question. Llywydd, the Welsh Government's policy is to secure access to the wider primary care team as part of a modern range of ways in which patients can secure the right help in the right way.
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. Mae ymgynghori ar fin dechrau ynglŷn â chau canghennau meddygfa Taff Vale yn Ynysybwl a Chilfynydd yn barhaol. Mae hyn yn bryderus dros ben i drigolion sydd eisoes yn cael trafferth cyrraedd apwyntiadau mewn meddygfeydd eraill os nad oes ganddynt gar, gan fod angen dal isafswm o ddau fws i'w cyrraedd. Mae lleihad wedi bod yn y gwasanaethau bws lleol ac mae'r gwasanaethau sydd yn rhedeg yn anghyson, gan olygu bod pobl yn barod yn hwyr i apwyntiadau neu'n methu â'u cyrraedd, er bod dirfawr angen yr apwyntiadau hyn arnyn nhw. A ydych chi'n credu y dylai byrddau iechyd fod yn gwneud popeth o fewn eu gallu i gadw meddygfeydd mewn cymunedau ar agor er budd cleifion, ond hefyd y gwasanaeth iechyd, fel nad oes apwyntiadau yn cael eu colli?
Thank you, First Minister. A consultation is about to begin regarding the permanent closure of Taff Vale surgeries in Ynysybwl and Cilfynydd. This is a cause of great concern for residents who already find it difficult to reach appointments at other surgeries if they don't have a car, because the journey entails taking at least two buses to get there. There's been a reduction in the local bus service and the services that do run are also infrequent, which means that people are already late getting to their appointments or they can't get there at all, even though they very much need those appointments. Do you believe that health boards should be doing everything within their power to keep surgeries in our communities open for the benefit of patients, but also for the benefit of the health service itself, so that appointments aren't missed?
Wel, Llywydd, wrth gwrs dwi'n cydnabod y ffaith pan fydd pethau'n newid mae hwnna'n codi pryderon gyda'r bobl leol. Ond yn yr achos mae'r Aelod wedi cyfeirio ato, mae proses ar gael, ac mae'n bwysig i'r bwrdd iechyd fynd ar ôl y broses mewn ffordd sy'n ymateb i'r pwyntiau mae pobl leol yn eu codi. Mae yn bwysig, dwi'n meddwl, i roi rhyw fath o gyd-destun i'r pwyntiau mae Heledd Fychan wedi'u codi.
Well, Llywydd, of course I recognise the fact that when things do change that raises concerns with people in the local community. But in the case referred to by the Member, there is a process available, and it's important that the health board pursues that process in a way that responds to the points raised by local people. It is important, I think, to give some context to the points that Heledd Fychan raised.
The two sites to which the Member refers, Llywydd, just to be clear, those sites have both been closed since September 2022. So, this is not a sudden closure of two sites that were offering services to those populations today; they've been closed for well over a year. And it's true as well that a pretty minimal number of services were provided at those locations before that date. Since September 2022, the Cilfynydd site has flooded. It was flooded in December 2022, and it's in pretty poor condition. The local population still has three sites serviced by the Taff Vale medical centre: the Dewi Sant Hospital in Pontypridd, the centre at Glyncoch, and the main surgery at Rhydyfelin.
But what is important, as I said, is that the process, which is now started, is run properly and carefully, that people's concerns are listened to, and where there are answers to them, that they can be provided. The local medical committee has already said that it is in favour of the proposals, and Llais, the community health councils' successor body, the voice of patients, has also said that it supports the proposal. Now, there will be other voices and other views and that's why the process itself is important.
Y ddau safle y mae'r Aelod yn cyfeirio atyn nhw, Llywydd, i fod yn eglur, mae'r ddau safle hynny wedi bod ar gau ers mis Medi 2022. Felly, nid yw hwn yn fater o gau yn sydyn dau safle a oedd yn cynnig gwasanaethau i'r poblogaethau hynny heddiw; maen nhw wedi bod ar gau ers ymhell dros flwyddyn. Ac mae'n wir hefyd bod nifer eithaf bach o wasanaethau yn cael eu darparu yn y lleoliadau hynny cyn y dyddiad hwnnw. Ers mis Medi 2022, mae safle Cilfynydd wedi dioddef llifogydd. Dioddefodd lifogydd ym mis Rhagfyr 2022, ac mae mewn cyflwr eithaf gwael. Mae gan y boblogaeth leol dri safle o hyd sy'n cael eu gwasanaethu gan ganolfan feddygol Dyffryn Taf: Ysbyty Dewi Sant ym Mhontypridd, y ganolfan yng Nglyncoch, a'r brif feddygfa yn Rhydyfelin.
Ond yr hyn sy'n bwysig, fel y dywedais i, yw bod y broses, sydd wedi cychwyn bellach, yn cael ei rhedeg yn iawn ac yn ofalus, y gwrandewir ar bryderon pobl, a lle mae atebion iddyn nhw, y gellir eu darparu. Mae'r pwyllgor meddygol lleol eisoes wedi dweud ei fod o blaid y cynigion, ac mae Llais, corff olynol y cynghorau iechyd cymuned, llais cleifion, hefyd wedi dweud ei fod yn cefnogi'r cynnig. Nawr, bydd lleisiau eraill a safbwyntiau eraill a dyna pam mae'r broses ei hun yn bwysig.
First Minister, as you've just mentioned, the Cilfynydd and Ynysybwl GP surgeries have been closed to the public since the COVID pandemic, and with the Cilfynydd surgery being flooded almost a year ago, it looks more and more unlikely that it will reopen. But, as my colleague Heledd Fychan has just mentioned, the community in Cilfynydd is extremely concerned by the fact that they don't even have access to a local GP surgery, and they're completely frustrated by the lack of communication and service by Taff Vale surgery, all of which has added considerably to their stress and worry. Obviously, we will of course do everything we can to make sure Cilfynydd has a surgery, but with this in mind, and given the difficulties associated with public transport in the village, what steps is the Welsh Government taking to work with the local authority and the health board to provide better transport options, and to also promote the use of community transport operators as a viable short-term alternative, whilst residents wait for their surgery to reopen? Thank you.
Prif Weinidog, fel rydych chi newydd sôn, mae meddygfeydd teulu Cilfynydd ac Ynysybwl wedi bod ar gau i'r cyhoedd ers pandemig COVID, a chyda meddygfa Cilfynydd yn dioddef llifogydd bron i flwyddyn yn ôl, mae'n edrych yn fwyfwy annhebygol y bydd yn ailagor. Ond, fel mae fy nghyd-Aelod Heledd Fychan newydd sôn, mae'r gymuned yng Nghilfynydd yn bryderus iawn am y ffaith nad oes ganddyn nhw fynediad at feddygfa meddyg teulu leol hyd yn oed, ac maen nhw'n teimlo'n rhwystredig iawn am y diffyg cyfathrebu a gwasanaeth gan feddygfa Dyffryn Taf, ac mae hyn i gyd wedi ychwanegu'n sylweddol at eu straen a'u gofid. Yn amlwg, byddwn wrth gwrs yn gwneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i wneud yn siŵr bod gan Gilfynydd feddygfa, ond gyda hyn mewn golwg, ac o ystyried yr anawsterau yn gysylltiedig â thrafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn y pentref, pa gamau mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i weithio gyda'r awdurdod lleol a'r bwrdd iechyd i ddarparu gwell opsiynau trafnidiaeth, a hefyd i hyrwyddo'r defnydd o weithredwyr trafnidiaeth gymunedol fel dewis amgen byrdymor ymarferol, tra bod trigolion yn aros i'w meddygfa ailagor? Diolch.
Well, I take seriously the point the Member has made about communication. It's why I emphasised, in my answer to Heledd Fychan, the importance of the process being properly followed, and the opportunities there for people to be able to make their voices known, and communication is very important in all of that.
And I'm not surprised to hear—and I think I had already heard from the local community—that public transport is one of the issues that is likely to be raised. One of the surgeries is 2 miles away from one of the three surgeries that remain, and the other is 3 miles, or just under 3 miles, away from another surgery. So, these are not huge distances. If you lived in some other parts of Wales, where I grew up, to be within 2 miles of a surgery would be thought to be pretty well advantaged. But, for that local population, they will need assurances that those surgeries will be available to them, and I expect the health board to listen carefully to the points that the public make about public transport connectivity.
Wel, rwy'n cymryd o ddifrif y pwynt y mae'r Aelod wedi ei wneud ynglŷn â chyfathrebu. Dyna pam wnes i bwysleisio, yn fy ateb i Heledd Fychan, bwysigrwydd dilyn y broses yn iawn, a'r cyfleoedd yno i bobl allu lleisio eu barn, ac mae cyfathrebu yn bwysig iawn yn hynny i gyd.
Ac nid wyf i'n synnu o glywed—ac rwy'n credu fy mod i eisoes wedi clywed gan y gymuned leol—bod trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn un o'r materion sy'n debygol o gael eu codi. Mae un o'r meddygfeydd 2 filltir i ffwrdd o un o'r tair meddygfa sy'n weddill, a'r llall yn 3 milltir, neu ychydig o dan 3 milltir, i ffwrdd o feddygfa arall. Felly, nid yw'r rhain yn bellteroedd enfawr. Pe baech chi'n byw mewn rhai rhannau eraill o Gymru, lle cefais i fy magu, byddai bod o fewn 2 filltir i feddygfa yn cael ei ystyried yn weddol freintiedig. Ond, ar gyfer y boblogaeth leol honno, bydd angen sicrwydd arnyn nhw y bydd y meddygfeydd hynny ar gael iddyn nhw, ac rwy'n disgwyl i'r bwrdd iechyd wrando'n ofalus ar y pwyntiau y mae'r cyhoedd yn eu gwneud am gysylltedd trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus.
4. Beth yw strategaeth Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer trafnidiaeth yng Ngorllewin De Cymru? OQ60206
4. What is the Welsh Government's strategy for transport in South Wales West? OQ60206
Llywydd, that strategy is set out in 'Llwybr Newydd', published in 2021.
Llywydd, cyflwynir y strategaeth honno yn 'Llwybr Newydd', a gyhoeddwyd yn 2021.
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. As the Welsh Government moves towards a policy of modal shift, taking us out of our cars and on to public transport, you'd think the Welsh Government would provide a decent public transport system to ensure that could happen. But, unfortunately, the Welsh Government's war on motorists has been met with a similar approach to public transport. Not only have bus subsidies been cut, leading to reductions in routes and timetables across Wales, but we've also seen the default 20 mph scheme causing chaos with bus timetabling too. Arriva Bus, last month, said the new limit is causing 'challenging operational conditions'. And I spoke to a bus company in my region, Adventure Travel, who were only too happy to say that 20 mph is, 'causing running times issues', and they were also looking at the possibility of amending timetables as a result. So, First Minister, it's clear that this 20 mph policy is failing. Is now not the time to withdraw it?
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. Wrth i Lywodraeth Cymru symud tuag at bolisi o newid dulliau teithio, gan ein symud ni allan o'n ceir ac ar drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, byddech chi'n meddwl y byddai Llywodraeth Cymru yn darparu system trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus werth chweil i sicrhau y gallai hynny ddigwydd. Ond, yn anffodus, mae rhyfel Llywodraeth Cymru ar fodurwyr wedi arwain at ddull tebyg o ymdrin â thrafnidiaeth gyhoeddus. Nid yn unig y mae cymorthdaliadau ar gyfer bysiau wedi cael eu torri, gan arwain at leihau llwybrau ac amserlenni ledled Cymru, ond rydym ni hefyd wedi gweld y cynllun 20 mya diofyn yn achosi anhrefn gydag amserlennu bysiau hefyd. Dywedodd Arriva Bus, fis diwethaf, bod y terfyn newydd yn achosi 'amodau gweithredol heriol'. A siaradais â chwmni bysiau yn fy rhanbarth i, Adventure Travel, a oedd ond yn rhy hapus i ddweud bod 20 mya yn 'achosi problemau o ran amseroedd rhedeg', ac roedden nhw hefyd yn edrych ar y posibilrwydd o ddiwygio amserlenni o ganlyniad. Felly, Prif Weinidog, mae'n amlwg bod y polisi 20 mya hwn yn methu. Onid nawr yw'r amser i'w dynnu'n ôl?
No, Llywydd.
Nage, Llywydd.
Last week, many bus services within my region were either scaled back or withdrawn completely, and over the weekend, more than 100 people in Neath Port Talbot and Swansea shared their thoughts about some of these changes with me. The picture they painted was of how they rely on buses, how they value these services, and how they will be devastatingly impacted by cuts. Although I've heard from constituents about the 256 bus from Pontardawe to Neath being so full now, due to limited service, that people feared for their safety, in answer to a question I asked you about services, Brif Weinidog, you referred to passenger numbers as being one of the main drivers behind the current crisis. So, what actions is the Welsh Government taking to boost passenger numbers on buses? Do you accept that cuts that reduce coverage, frequency, reliability and cause overcrowding will make the task of boosting passenger numbers more difficult?
Last month, the climate and environment committee of the Welsh Youth Parliament published their 'Sustainable Ways' report. What considerations have been made of the recommendations, particularly the call for free bus travel for young people and how that could help boost passenger numbers? Diolch.
Yr wythnos diwethaf, cafodd llawer o wasanaethau bysiau yn fy rhanbarth i naill ai eu crebachu neu eu tynnu'n ôl yn llwyr, a dros y penwythnos, rhannodd mwy na 100 o bobl yng Nghastell-nedd Port Talbot ac Abertawe eu safbwyntiau ar rai o'r newidiadau hyn gyda mi. Roedd y darlun a gyflwynwyd ganddyn nhw o'r ffordd y maen nhw'n dibynnu ar fysiau, sut maen nhw'n gwerthfawrogi'r gwasanaethau hyn, a sut y bydd toriadau yn cael effaith ofnadwy arnyn nhw. Er fy mod i wedi clywed gan etholwyr bod y bws 256 o Bontardawe i Gastell-nedd mor llawn bellach, oherwydd gwasanaeth cyfyngedig, bod pobl yn ofni am eu diogelwch, mewn ateb i gwestiwn a ofynnais i chi am wasanaethau, Prif Weinidog, fe wnaethoch chi gyfeirio at y ffaith mai nifer y teithwyr yw un o'r prif ysgogiadau sy'n sail i'r argyfwng presennol. Felly, pa gamau mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i roi hwb i nifer y teithwyr ar fysiau? A ydych chi'n derbyn y bydd toriadau sy'n lleihau cwmpas daearyddol, amlder, dibynadwyedd ac yn achosi gorlenwi yn gwneud y dasg o hybu niferoedd teithwyr yn anoddach?
Fis diwethaf, cyhoeddodd pwyllgor hinsawdd ac amgylchedd Senedd Ieuenctid Cymru eu hadroddiad 'Ffyrdd Gwyrdd'. Pa ystyriaethau a wnaed o'r argymhellion, yn enwedig yr alwad am deithiau am ddim ar fysiau i bobl ifanc a sut y gallai hynny helpu i roi hwb i niferoedd teithwyr? Diolch.
Well, Llywydd, when I said to the Member that the failure of the fare box to recover to pre-pandemic levels has been at the root of the challenges facing the bus service across Wales, then I was simply reflecting the facts of the matter. There are fewer people using buses in Wales today than there were back in 2019, and that does have a material impact upon the ability of companies to go on running services that were there when there were more passengers. It's also having a material impact upon the budget of the Welsh Government, because we are subsidising bus services across Wales to a greater extent than ever before. The Member will know that during the passage of the last budget, Plaid Cymru identified three priorities that they wished the Welsh Government to take into account in shaping that budget. One of those was further help for the bus industry, and that is why we are providing £46 million over and above the subsidies that were already there for this industry in this financial year.
Now, of course, I wish people were using the buses in the numbers that they did previously. It's a complex pattern as to why that is not the case. The largest fall-off in passenger numbers is amongst people who didn't pay for bus travel, in people who were exempted from paying for travel because they were over 60 or in another qualifying category. Something happened during COVID that means those people are still no longer resuming the sorts of patterns of living out their lives that were there before COVID struck. And while I'm very keen to encourage people to go back onto the bus, I think it's going to take an effort that involves bus services and bus companies themselves, and the impact of the bus Bill that we will bring in front of the Senedd to allow us to use the subsidy that is provided to maximum effect.
I think encouraging young people to use buses is a very good way to recruit the public transport users of the future, and that's the point that the Youth Parliament made in their commentary on that matter. We do already directly subsidise bus travel for people under the age of 25 in certain conditions. In the end, all these things are choices, aren't they? We make choices where we use the limited resources we have. We made a choice, following that budget discussion, to take another of Plaid Cymru's three priorities to increase the level of education maintenance allowance for young people in Wales, raising it from £30 to £40. That money could have been used for a different purpose. It could have been used to do more to subsidise travel for young people in Wales.
Unfortunately, there's one sum of money and many competing priorities for which it could be used. We need to continue a discussion, as we will as the budget for next year begins to be formed and make its way through the Senedd, as to how we can use the limited and reducing resources available to us against the many different important, worthy purposes that could be identified for it.
Wel, Llywydd, pan ddywedais i wrth yr Aelod fod methiant y blwch arian tocynnau i ddychwelyd i lefelau cyn y pandemig wedi bod wrth wraidd yr heriau sy'n wynebu'r gwasanaeth bysiau ledled Cymru, y cwbl roeddwn i'n ei wneud oedd adlewyrchu ffeithiau'r mater. Mae llai o bobl yn defnyddio bysiau yng Nghymru heddiw nag oedd yn ôl yn 2019, ac mae hynny yn cael effaith sylweddol ar allu cwmnïau i barhau i redeg gwasanaethau a oedd yno pan oedd mwy o deithwyr. Mae hefyd yn cael effaith sylweddol ar gyllideb Llywodraeth Cymru, gan ein bod ni'n rhoi cymhorthdal i wasanaethau bysiau ledled Cymru i raddau mwy nag erioed o'r blaen. Bydd yr Aelod yn gwybod, yn ystod hynt y gyllideb ddiwethaf, bod Plaid Cymru wedi nodi tair blaenoriaeth yr oedden nhw'n dymuno i Lywodraeth Cymru eu cymryd i ystyriaeth wrth lunio'r gyllideb honno. Un o'r rheini oedd rhagor o gymorth i'r diwydiant bysiau, a dyna pam rydym ni'n darparu £46 miliwn yn ychwanegol at y cymorthdaliadau a oedd eisoes yno ar gyfer y diwydiant hwn yn y flwyddyn ariannol hon.
Nawr, wrth gwrs, hoffwn pe bai pobl yn defnyddio'r bysiau yn y niferoedd yr oedden nhw'n ei wneud yn flaenorol. Mae'n batrwm cymhleth pam nad yw hynny'n wir. Mae'r gostyngiad mwyaf i nifer y teithwyr ymhlith pobl nad oedden nhw'n talu am deithio ar fysiau, ymhlith pobl a oedd wedi'u heithrio rhag talu am deithio gan eu bod nhw dros 60 oed neu mewn categori cymhwyso arall. Digwyddodd rhywbeth yn ystod COVID sy'n golygu nad yw'r bobl hynny yn dal i ailddechrau'r mathau o batrymau o fyw eu bywydau a oedd yno cyn i COVID daro. Ac er fy mod i'n awyddus iawn i annog pobl i ddychwelyd i'r bws, rwy'n credu y bydd yn cymryd ymdrech sy'n cynnwys gwasanaethau bysiau a chwmnïau bysiau eu hunain, ac effaith y Bil bysiau y byddwn ni'n ei gyflwyno gerbron y Senedd i'n caniatáu i ddefnyddio'r cymhorthdal a ddarperir i gael yr effaith fwyaf posibl.
Rwy'n credu bod annog pobl ifanc i ddefnyddio bysiau yn ffordd dda iawn o recriwtio defnyddwyr trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus y dyfodol, a dyna'r pwynt a wnaeth y Senedd Ieuenctid yn eu sylwebaeth ar y mater hwnnw. Rydym ni eisoes yn rhoi cymhorthdal uniongyrchol i bobl o dan 25 oed o dan amodau penodol. Yn y pen draw, mae'r holl bethau hyn yn ddewisiadau, onid ydyn nhw? Rydym ni'n gwneud dewisiadau lle'r ydym ni'n defnyddio'r adnoddau cyfyngedig sydd gennym ni. Fe wnaethom ni ddewis, yn dilyn y drafodaeth honno ar y gyllideb, i gymryd un arall o dair blaenoriaeth Plaid Cymru i gynyddu lefel y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg i bobl ifanc yng Nghymru, gan ei godi o £30 i £40. Gallai'r arian hwn fod wedi cael ei ddefnyddio at wahanol ddiben. Gallai fod wedi cael ei ddefnyddio i wneud mwy i roi cymhorthdal teithio i bobl ifanc yng Nghymru.
Yn anffodus, mae un swm o arian a llawer o flaenoriaethau cystadleuol y gellid ei ddefnyddio ar eu cyfer. Mae angen i ni barhau trafodaeth, fel y byddwn ni wrth i'r gyllideb ar gyfer y flwyddyn nesaf ddechrau cael ei ffurfio a gwneud ei ffordd drwy'r Senedd, o ran sut y gallwn ni ddefnyddio'r adnoddau cyfyngedig ac sy'n lleihau sydd ar gael i ni yn erbyn y nifer o wahanol ddibenion pwysig a theilwng y gellid eu nodi ar eu cyfer.
Myself and Huw Irranca-Davies, MS for Ogmore, recently have been meeting with lots of young people across both of our constituencies. We actually met with a group of young people, organised by Leonard Cheshire, around 50 young people, and they could ask us any question they wanted. And we also went to Cynffig Comprehensive School in Pyle, organised by Tyler Thomas, to speak to the sixth form there. Again, they could ask us any questions that they wanted. For two hours straight, all they talked to us was about transport. It's so important to them. They very much relate it as well to climate change and the objectives that we have as a Welsh Government that they've mostly called on us to fulfil as well, and they appreciate that. There was a mixture of the kinds of questions. Some of them were about service—buses not turning up, cancellations. They don't understand why they can't get live updates on their phone, and things like this. But also, just about there not being in some areas some commercial routes that then can double up so that they can use it for public transport, which most of them could see was a really good way forward.
So, First Minister, I can also see that today we have many young people in the gallery as well. I did also suggest that I could run a silent disco on the bus journeys from Bridgend to the Senedd, which they all thought was a great idea, to try to get people back on. We’ve got to start thinking outside the box here. But I was wondering if you could just speak to our young people, First Minister, and give them some hope about where we are going with this in the future with the bus reform Bill and how this fits into our climate justice objectives. Diolch.
Rwyf i a Huw Irranca-Davies, yr AS dros Ogwr, wedi bod yn cyfarfod yn ddiweddar â llawer o bobl ifanc ar draws ein dwy etholaeth. Yn wir, fe wnaethom ni gyfarfod â grŵp o bobl ifanc, a drefnwyd gan Leonard Cheshire, tua 50 o bobl ifanc, ac roedd cyfle iddyn nhw ofyn unrhyw gwestiwn yr oedden nhw ei eisiau i ni. Ac fe aethom ni hefyd i Ysgol Gyfun Cynffig yn y Pîl, a drefnwyd gan Tyler Thomas, i siarad â'r chweched dosbarth yno. Eto, roedd cyfle iddyn nhw ofyn unrhyw gwestiynau yr oedden nhw ei eisiau. Am ddwy awr gyfan, y cwbl y gwnaethon nhw siarad â ni amdano oedd trafnidiaeth. Mae mor bwysig iddyn nhw. Maen nhw'n ei gysylltu'n fawr â'r newid yn yr hinsawdd hefyd, a'r amcanion sydd gennym ni fel Llywodraeth Cymru y maen nhw wedi galw arnom ni yn bennaf i'w cyflawni hefyd, ac maen nhw'n gwerthfawrogi hynny. Roedd cymysgedd o'r mathau o gwestiynau. Roedd rhai ohonyn nhw am wasanaeth—bysiau ddim yn cyrraedd, achosion o ganslo. Dydyn nhw ddim yn deall pam na allan nhw gael diweddariadau byw ar eu ffôn, a phethau fel hyn. Ond hefyd, dim ond am y ffaith nad oes rhai llwybrau masnachol mewn rhai ardaloedd a all ddyblu wedyn fel y gallan nhw eu defnyddio ar gyfer trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, y gallai'r rhan fwyaf ohonyn nhw ei weld oedd yn ffordd dda iawn ymlaen.
Felly, Prif Weinidog, gallaf weld hefyd heddiw fod gennym ni lawer o bobl ifanc yn yr oriel hefyd. Awgrymais hefyd y gallen nhw gynnal disgo distaw ar y teithiau bws o Ben-y-bont ar Ogwr i'r Senedd, yr oedden nhw i gyd yn meddwl oedd yn syniad gwych, i geisio cael pobl yn ôl ar y bws. Mae'n rhaid i ni ddechrau meddwl am syniadau mentrus yma. Ond roeddwn i'n meddwl tybed a allech chi siarad â'n pobl ifanc, Prif Weinidog, a rhoi rhywfaint o obaith iddyn nhw ynglŷn â ble rydym ni'n mynd gyda hyn yn y dyfodol gyda'r Bil diwygio bysiau a sut mae hwn yn cyd-fynd â'n hamcanion cyfiawnder hinsawdd. Diolch.
I thank Sarah Murphy, Llywydd, and I congratulate her and Huw Irranca-Davies on the conversations they’ve been having. I’m lucky myself to have many opportunities, as do other colleagues here, to have those conversations. And you’re right, of course—there are things that occur every single time. I never have a conversation with young people without the issue of mental health being raised with me, and being raised in a post-pandemic context as well. And as Sarah Murphy says, Llywydd, the climate emergency is also something that young people absolutely regularly raise with anybody who is able to listen to them.
I think we heard some ideas there, Llywydd, as to how we could increase passenger numbers in the way that Sioned Williams suggested. I think bus companies should be making use of modern technologies to make sure that good information is easily available to people. I commend Cardiff Bus in this way. I was speaking to some other, slightly older people recently who said that their use of the bus in Cardiff had been transformed by the fact that you don’t need to turn up at a bus stop now and wonder whether the bus has just gone, or how long it will be before the next one arrives, because you can just look it up on your phone and time leaving your house because you know when that bus is going to be available. On whether silent discos will bring back many of the people over 60 who no longer use the bus, well, I could declare an interest and say I’m not certain it would be the thing that would guarantee that I would be queuing for it.
But I think on the broader picture that the Member asks about, the answer to that is to be found in the forthcoming bus Bill, because it will allow us to align in a much better way scheduled bus services and school transport together, to make sure that there is a more efficient service for learners. We see this happening already. I commend the work of Labour-controlled Monmouthshire County Council, who have been leading the way in this regard, showing how public control of bus networks can allow us to align services for learners and the general public, and, in the process, get a better service for everyone.
Diolch i Sarah Murphy, Llywydd, ac rwy'n ei llongyfarch hi a Huw Irranca-Davies ar y sgyrsiau maen nhw wedi bod yn eu cael. Rwy'n lwcus fy hun i gael llawer o gyfleoedd, yn yr un modd â chyd-Aelodau eraill yma, i gael y sgyrsiau hynny. Ac rydych chi'n iawn, wrth gwrs—mae yna bethau sy'n digwydd bob tro. Dydw i byth yn cael sgwrs gyda phobl ifanc heb i'r mater iechyd meddwl gael ei godi gyda mi, a chael ei godi mewn cyd-destun ôl-bandemig hefyd. Ac fel y mae Sarah Murphy yn ei ddweud, Llywydd, mae'r argyfwng hinsawdd hefyd yn rhywbeth y mae pobl ifanc yn ei godi'n gwbl reolaidd gydag unrhyw un sy'n gallu gwrando arnyn nhw.
Rwy'n credu ein bod ni wedi clywed rhai syniadau yn y fan yna, Llywydd, ynglŷn â sut y gallen ni gynyddu nifer y teithwyr yn y ffordd yr awgrymodd Sioned Williams. Rwy'n credu y dylai cwmnïau bysiau fod yn defnyddio technolegau modern i sicrhau bod gwybodaeth dda ar gael yn hawdd i bobl. Rwy'n cymeradwyo Bws Caerdydd o ran hynny. Roeddwn i'n siarad â rhai pobl eraill, ychydig yn hŷn yn ddiweddar a ddywedodd fod defnyddio bysiau yng Nghaerdydd wedi ei drawsnewid iddyn nhw gan y ffaith nad oes angen i chi fynd at safle bws nawr a meddwl tybed a yw'r bws newydd fynd, neu faint y bydd hi cyn i'r un nesaf gyrraedd, oherwydd gallwch chi edrych ar eich ffôn ac amseru gadael eich tŷ, oherwydd eich bod chi’n gwybod pryd y bydd y bws hwnnw ar gael. O ran a fydd disgos tawel yn dod â llawer o'r bobl dros 60 oed nôl nad ydyn nhw bellach yn defnyddio'r bws, wel, gallwn i ddatgan buddiant a dweud nad wyf i'n sicr mai dyma'r peth a fyddai'n gwarantu y byddwn i'n ciwio amdano.
Ond rwy'n credu, o ran y darlun ehangach, y mae'r Aelod yn gofyn amdano, mae'r ateb i hynny i'w gael yn y Bil bysiau sydd ar ddod, oherwydd bydd yn caniatáu i ni gyfochri gwasanaethau bysiau a thrafnidiaeth ysgol â'i gilydd mewn ffordd llawer gwell, i sicrhau bod gwasanaeth mwy effeithlon i ddysgwyr. Rydyn ni eisoes yn gweld hyn yn digwydd. Rwy'n canmol gwaith Cyngor Sir Fynwy y mae Llafur yn ei reoli, sydd wedi bod yn arwain y ffordd yn hyn o beth, gan ddangos sut y gall rheolaeth gyhoeddus dros rwydweithiau bysiau ganiatáu i ni gyfochri gwasanaethau ar gyfer dysgwyr â'r cyhoedd, ac, yn y broses, bod â gwell gwasanaeth i bawb.
5. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwneud tirfeddianwyr yn ymwybodol o bwysigrwydd cynnal a chadw ceuffosydd a ffosydd yn briodol ar gyfer atal llifogydd? OQ60190
5. How is the Welsh Government making landowners aware of the importance of proper maintenance of culverts and ditches for flood prevention? OQ60190
I thank Carolyn Thomas. The Welsh Government works closely with our risk management authorities. They maintain oversight of privately owned culverts and ditches. Natural Resources Wales has published guidance for riparian landowners outlining their risks and responsibilities. By adhering to the guidance, landowners play their part in reducing flood risk.
Diolch yn fawr iawn Carolyn Thomas. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio'n agos gyda'n hawdurdodau rheoli risg. Maen nhw'n cadw golwg ar geuffosydd a ffosydd preifat. Mae Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru wedi cyhoeddi canllawiau ar gyfer perchnogion glannau afon yn amlinellu eu risgiau a'u cyfrifoldebau. Drwy gadw at y canllawiau, mae perchnogion tir yn chwarae eu rhan i leihau perygl llifogydd.
Thank you for your response, First Minister. Many expect that NRW and our councils maintain all ditches and drains and that sandbags are provided. Perhaps before austerity, but with limited resources and increasing flood events, it's too much nowadays. There needs to be a concerted effort from all partners providing clarity of information regarding responsibility. Mapping will help community groups know which authority or landowner is responsible for enforcing or clearing. In rural areas, landowners need to take responsibility to stop water draining onto the highways. So, could some consistent information be produced in partnership with NRW and councils to give to landowners explaining that under riparian law they are responsible for maintaining their ditches and drains? I know you said that that is being provided, but if councils and NRW had a leaflet just to give out as well, so it’s all there, really simple, to put through doors, it would save a lot of time. Promoting not covering land with non-permeable areas, signing up to flood alerts, community flood groups for residents, and information regarding flood defence, including sandbags, would help clarify for our residents. Thank you.
Diolch am eich ymateb, Prif Weinidog. Mae llawer yn disgwyl i Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru a'n cynghorau gynnal pob ffos a draen a bod bagiau tywod yn cael eu darparu. Efallai cyn cyni, ond gydag adnoddau cyfyngedig a llifogydd yn digwydd yn gynyddol, mae'n ormod heddiw. Mae angen ymdrech ar y cyd gan yr holl bartneriaid gan roi gwybodaeth glir o ran cyfrifoldeb. Bydd mapio yn helpu grwpiau cymunedol i wybod pa awdurdod neu berchennog tir sy'n gyfrifol am orfodi neu glirio. Mewn ardaloedd gwledig, mae angen i berchnogion tir fod yn gyfrifol am atal dŵr rhag draenio i'r priffyrdd. Felly, a fyddai modd cynhyrchu rhywfaint o wybodaeth gyson mewn partneriaeth â Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru a chynghorau i'w rhoi i berchnogion tir gan egluro eu bod yn gyfrifol am gynnal eu ffosydd a'u draeniau o dan gyfraith y glannau? Rwy'n gwybod eich bod chi wedi dweud bod hynny'n cael ei ddarparu, ond pe bai gan gynghorau a Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru daflen i'w dosbarthu hefyd, fel bod y cyfan yno, yn syml iawn, i'w rhoi trwy ddrysau, byddai'n arbed llawer o amser. Byddai hyrwyddo peidio â gorchuddio tir ag ardaloedd anhydraidd, cofrestru ar gyfer rhybuddion llifogydd, grwpiau llifogydd cymunedol ar gyfer preswylwyr, a gwybodaeth am amddiffynfeydd rhag llifogydd, gan gynnwys bagiau tywod, yn helpu i egluro pethau i'n trigolion. Diolch.
I thank Carolyn Thomas for that. I think myself that the issue here is one more of communication than information, because, actually, a great deal of information is already available dealing with exactly the points that the Member has raised.
On a very wet Saturday afternoon, and making my way through the questions folder as I do, I went and looked on the NRW website to see what information was there already for landowners in the way that the question posed. I brought with me this afternoon the guide, which, actually, I must admit, I had never seen before. But when I had a chance to look through it, I think, actually, it's a very well-put-together and very informative document: 'A guide to your rights and responsibilities of riverside ownership in Wales'. And there was a lot more. I'm afraid I spent more of my afternoon than I ought to have then in exploring the NRW site and looking at all the maps that are available there and the information that is available for people who want to find out more about flood risk in their own areas.
Where I agree with Carolyn Thomas is that if I'd never heard of it or seen it, then I'm sure that that's probably the experience of most Welsh citizens. So, there is more that certainly can be done to make sure that the excellent resources that I think are now available for people, using very sophisticated data sources and mapping, are better known to people. And in that way, the Welsh Government can work with others to make sure that that information is better known about, and can therefore better be deployed.
Diolch i Carolyn Thomas am hynny. Rwy'n credu fy hun bod y mater yma yn fwy o fater cyfathrebu na gwybodaeth, oherwydd, mewn gwirionedd, mae llawer iawn o wybodaeth eisoes ar gael yn ymdrin â'r union bwyntiau y mae'r Aelod wedi'u codi.
Ar brynhawn Sadwrn gwlyb iawn, wrth i mi fynd drwy'r ffolder cwestiynau fel y gwnaf i, es i i edrych ar wefan Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru i weld pa wybodaeth oedd yno eisoes i berchnogion tir yn y ffordd y cafodd y cwestiwn ei ofyn. Fe wnes i ddod â'r canllaw gyda mi y prynhawn yma, nad oeddwn i, mewn gwirionedd, mae'n rhaid i mi gyfaddef, erioed wedi'i weld o'r blaen. Ond pan gefais i gyfle i edrych drwyddi, rwy'n credu, mewn gwirionedd, ei bod yn ddogfen drefnus iawn ac yn llawn gwybodaeth: 'Canllaw i’ch hawliau a’ch cyfrifoldebau fel perchennog glannau afon yng Nghymru'. Ac roedd llawer mwy. Rwy'n ofni i mi dreulio mwy o fy mhrynhawn nag y dylwn i wedyn yn archwilio gwefan Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru ac edrych ar yr holl fapiau sydd ar gael yno a'r wybodaeth sydd ar gael i bobl sydd eisiau gwybod mwy am berygl llifogydd yn eu hardaloedd eu hunain.
Lle rwy'n cytuno â Carolyn Thomas yw, os nad oeddwn i erioed wedi clywed amdano na'i weld, yna rwy'n siŵr mai dyna yw profiad y rhan fwyaf o ddinasyddion Cymru, mae'n debyg. Felly, mae mwy y mae modd ei wneud yn sicr i sicrhau bod yr adnoddau rhagorol yr wyf i'n credu sydd erbyn hyn ar gael i bobl, gan ddefnyddio ffynonellau data a mapio soffistigedig iawn, yn fwy adnabyddus i bobl. Ac yn y modd hwnnw, gall Llywodraeth Cymru weithio gydag eraill i sicrhau bod pobl yn fwy ymwybodol o'r wybodaeth honno ac felly yn gallu'i defnyddio'n well.
I'll refer Members to my declaration of interest form in terms of property ownership.
As Senedd Members are aware—although I'm not too convinced—our watercourses are split into two categories: main rivers and ordinary watercourses. We've raised previously concerns about main rivers with NRW and that in some flooding incidents there have been major problems with ordinary watercourses. We've long campaigned for better knowledge and understanding of the responsibilities held by riparian landowners. Indeed, in 2021, we proposed a flooding Wales Bill that had several aims, not least to ensure that there is an ongoing campaign to improve riparian owners' awareness of their responsibilities. Because it's not necessarily rivers—there can be culverts, ditches, drains on land owned by these landowners. And we also wanted to create a support system that identifies and assists riparian owners who are not fulfilling their own responsibilities.
In Aberconwy we have stretches of ordinary watercourses where the riparian owner is not even known, so no maintenance is taking place and this is putting pressure when there's a flood. So, could you look at this again, First Minister, with the Minister, and perhaps co-operate with HM Land Registry to try and create a database of all responsible riparian landowners in Wales, and then make them aware of that information that you've had to go looking for that's on a website? And then hopefully this will all contribute to not seeing as many of our community areas flooded. Thank you.
Rwy'n cyfeirio Aelodau at fy ffurflen datgan buddiant o ran perchnogaeth eiddo.
Fel y mae Aelodau'r Senedd yn ymwybodol—er nad ydw i wedi fy argyhoeddi'n fawr—mae ein cyrsiau dŵr wedi'u rhannu'n ddau gategori: prif afonydd a chyrsiau dŵr cyffredin. Rydyn ni wedi mynegi pryderon o'r blaen am brif afonydd gyda Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru a bod problemau mawr wedi codi mewn rhai achosion o lifogydd o ran cyrsiau dŵr cyffredin. Rydyn ni wedi ymgyrchu'n hir dros well gwybodaeth a dealltwriaeth o'r cyfrifoldebau sydd gan berchnogion glannau afon. Yn wir, yn 2021, gwnaethom gynnig Bil llifogydd Cymru a oedd â sawl nod, yn anad dim i sicrhau bod ymgyrch barhaus i wella ymwybyddiaeth perchnogion glannau afon o'u cyfrifoldebau. Oherwydd, nid afonydd o reidrwydd ydyn nhw—gallen nhw fod yn geuffosydd, ffosydd, draeniau ar dir sy'n eiddo i'r perchnogion tir hyn. Ac roedden ni hefyd eisiau creu system gymorth sy'n nodi ac yn cynorthwyo perchnogion glannau afon nad ydyn nhw'n cyflawni eu cyfrifoldebau eu hunain.
Yn Aberconwy mae gennym ni rannau o gyrsiau dŵr cyffredin lle nad yw perchennog y glannau afon hyd yn oed yn hysbys, felly nid oes unrhyw waith cynnal a chadw yn digwydd ac mae hyn yn rhoi pwysau pan fo llifogydd. Felly, a wnewch chi ystyried hyn eto, Prif Weinidog, gyda'r Gweinidog, ac efallai gydweithredu â Chofrestrfa Tir EF i geisio creu cronfa ddata o'r holl berchnogion glannau afon cyfrifol yng Nghymru, ac yna eu gwneud yn ymwybodol o'r wybodaeth honno y bu'n rhaid i chi fynd i chwilio amdani ar wefan? Ac yna gobeithio y bydd hyn oll yn cyfrannu at beidio â gweld cymaint o'n hardaloedd cymunedol dan ddŵr. Diolch.
I think the Member raises a number of important points there about responsibilities and people being aware of them, and, indeed, people understanding that they are indeed responsible. If you own a property of that sort, it comes with rights, as the NRW document sets out, but it definitely does come with the responsibilities that people need to discharge. I will have a conversation with the Minister for Climate Change on the idea of a database of riparian landlords to see how easily that could be brought about and whether the reward would be worth the effort.
Rwy'n credu bod yr Aelod yn codi nifer o bwyntiau pwysig yn y fan yna am gyfrifoldebau a bod pobl yn ymwybodol ohonyn nhw, ac, yn wir, pobl yn deall eu bod wir yn gyfrifol. Os ydych chi'n berchen ar eiddo o'r math hwnnw, mae hynny'n dod gyda hawliau, fel y mae dogfen Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru yn ei nodi, ond mae bendant yn dod â'r cyfrifoldebau y mae angen i bobl eu cyflawni. Fe gaf i sgwrs â'r Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd ar y syniad o gronfa ddata o berchnogion glannau afon i weld pa mor hawdd y byddai gwneud hynny ac a fyddai'r budd yn werth yr ymdrech.
6. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y gwaith o uwchraddio adrannau 5 a 6 yr A465 Blaenau’r Cymoedd? OQ60182
6. Will the First Minister provide an update on the delivery of the upgrade to sections 5 and 6 of the A465 Heads of the Valleys road? OQ60182
The A465 project sections 5 and 6 is currently three years into its construction period, and despite the project starting during the height of the COVID pandemic, good progress has been maintained. The scheduled and anticipated completion is by the summer of 2025.
Ar hyn o bryd mae rhannau 5 a 6 o brosiect yr A465 dair blynedd i mewn i'w cyfnod adeiladu, ac er i'r prosiect ddechrau yn ystod anterth pandemig COVID, mae cynnydd da wedi'i gynnal. Mae disgwyl i'r gwaith gael ei gwblhau erbyn haf 2025.
First Minister, the dualling of this section of the Heads of the Valleys road is without doubt the most impressive civil engineering project currently being delivered in Wales. The work will vastly improve connectivity between Hirwaun and Dowlais Top and will have a transformative impact on safety on this notoriously dangerous stretch. The construction spans several challenging gorges, and also involves the creation of many miles of walking, cycling and equestrian routes, careful habitat management plans, a network of attenuation plans to combat flooding, and the planting of two trees for every one that it has been necessary to remove. I'm very proud to have this Welsh Government-funded project being undertaken in my constituency. So, First Minister, would you like to visit the works with me to see for yourself this once-in-a-lifetime large-scale engineering excellence?
Prif Weinidog, mae'n siŵr mai deuoli'r rhan hon o ffordd Blaenau'r Cymoedd yw'r prosiect peirianneg sifil mwyaf trawiadol sy'n cael ei gyflawni yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd. Bydd y gwaith yn gwella'r cysylltedd rhwng Hirwaun a Dowlais Top a bydd yn cael effaith drawsnewidiol ar ddiogelwch ar y darn hynod beryglus hwn. Mae'r gwaith adeiladu yn rhychwantu nifer o geunentydd heriol, ac mae hefyd yn cynnwys creu milltiroedd lawer o lwybrau cerdded, beicio a marchogaeth, cynlluniau rheoli cynefinoedd gofalus, rhwydwaith o gynlluniau lliniaru i wrthsefyll llifogydd, a phlannu dwy goeden am bob un y bu'n rhaid ei thynnu oddi yno. Rwy'n falch iawn o fod â'r prosiect hwn, wedi'i ariannu gan Lywodraeth Cymru, yn cael ei gynnal yn fy etholaeth i. Felly, Prif Weinidog, a hoffech chi ymweld â'r gwaith gyda mi i weld drosoch chi eich hun y rhagoriaeth beirianneg unwaith mewn oes ar raddfa fawr hon?
I thank the Member for that compelling case. Of course, I completely agree with her about the engineering feat and the huge advantages that will come in the construction period itself: over 800 people working in the project living in Valleys areas; nearly 100 apprenticeships created as part of it; 12,600 trees planted already; and another 12,000 to come this year.
Llywydd, during the election period leading up to our election in 2021, I made a memorable visit with the Member for Blaenau Gwent. It stays very much in my mind, because we went to a bridge that was being constructed over part of the Heads of the Valleys road, and just the sheer feat of engineering was extraordinary. But alongside that, we were also able to see the safety improvements that that will bring about, and the high degree of sensitivity that was being applied to the environmental impact of the road, and the opportunities that came with it there. So, that visit has stayed in my mind very vividly ever since, and I would be very pleased indeed to come and see the same impact being had in Vikki Howells's constituency.
Diolch i'r Aelod am yr achos cymhellol hwnnw. Wrth gwrs, rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â hi am y gamp beirianneg a'r manteision enfawr a ddaw yn y cyfnod adeiladu ei hun: dros 800 o bobl yn gweithio yn y prosiect yn byw yn ardaloedd y Cymoedd; bron i 100 o brentisiaethau wedi'u creu fel rhan ohono; 12,600 o goed wedi'u plannu eisoes; a 12,000 arall i ddod eleni.
Llywydd, yn ystod cyfnod yr etholiad yn arwain at ein hetholiad yn 2021, bûm ar ymweliad cofiadwy â'r Aelod dros Flaenau Gwent. Mae wir yn aros yn fy meddwl i, oherwydd aethom at bont a oedd yn cael ei hadeiladu dros ran o ffordd Blaenau'r Cymoedd, ac roedd camp enfawr y beirianneg ei hun yn rhyfeddol. Ond ochr yn ochr â hynny, roeddem ni hefyd yn gallu gweld y gwelliannau diogelwch a ddaw yn sgil hynny, a'r cryn sensitifrwydd a oedd yn cael ei gymhwyso i effaith amgylcheddol y ffordd, a'r cyfleoedd a oedd yn dod gyda hynny yn y fan yna. Felly, mae'r ymweliad hwnnw wedi aros yn fy meddwl yn fyw iawn byth ers hynny, a byddwn i'n falch iawn o ddod i weld yr un effaith yn digwydd yn etholaeth Vikki Howells.
7. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i wella mynediad at driniaeth i gleifion yng ngogledd Cymru? OQ60209
7. What action is the Welsh Government taking to improve access to treatment for patients in North Wales? OQ60209
I thank Darren Millar for that, Llywydd. The Welsh Government supports improved access to investment in new services, training of staff with skills needed for the future, implementing ways of working based on innovative technologies, and supporting the board in the discharge of its responsibilities.
Diolch i Darren Millar am hynny, Llywydd. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi gwell mynediad at fuddsoddiad mewn gwasanaethau newydd, hyfforddi staff â'r sgiliau sydd eu hangen ar gyfer y dyfodol, gweithredu ffyrdd o weithio ar sail technolegau arloesol, a chefnogi'r bwrdd i gyflawni ei gyfrifoldebau.
First Minister, there have been two alarming reports in recent days about delays in treatment that have led to significant patient harm in north Wales. The first was brought to the attention of us all by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, who investigated a complaint—a complaint that had taken four years for the health board to consider before it was passed to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales—about a delay in treatment for a stroke patient, which led to them becoming permanently blind in one eye and being in chronic pain. That was in spite of the fact that they attended an emergency department and should have had emergency surgery—urgent surgery. That took 11 months before they finally got it.
In addition to that, the north Wales coroner has raised concerns following the death of a patient from pneumonia and sepsis in February last year. She died because her medical notes had been lost. She needed urgent scans and wasn't able to get them. The coroner was so concerned about this that she issued a public interest report, and she expressed the fact that she didn't feel that any lessons had been learned by staff.
Now, you and I both know that any organisation that seeks to improve itself can only do so if it learns from its mistakes. That clearly hasn't been happening in north Wales. And I ask you, given that this is a health board that is in special measures, what action the Welsh Government will now take to make sure that patients don't suffer those sorts of consequences ever again.
Prif Weinidog, mae dau adroddiad brawychus wedi bod yn ystod y dyddiau diwethaf am oedi mewn triniaeth sydd wedi arwain at niwed sylweddol i gleifion yn y gogledd. Daethpwyd â'r cyntaf i'n sylw ni i gyd gan Ombwdsmon Gwasanaethau Cyhoeddus Cymru, a ymchwiliodd i gŵyn—cŵyn a oedd wedi cymryd pedair blynedd i'r bwrdd iechyd ei hystyried cyn iddi gael ei throsglwyddo i Ombwdsmon Gwasanaethau Cyhoeddus Cymru—am oedi mewn triniaeth ar gyfer claf strôc, a wnaeth arwain ato fod yn barhaol ddall mewn un llygad a bod mewn poen cronig. Roedd hynny er gwaethaf y ffaith ei fod wedi mynd i adran frys ac y dylai fod wedi cael llawdriniaeth frys—llawdriniaeth daer ei hangen. Cymerodd hyn 11 mis cyn ei gael o'r diwedd.
Yn ogystal â hynny, mae crwner y gogledd wedi codi pryderon yn dilyn marwolaeth claf o niwmonia a sepsis ym mis Chwefror y llynedd. Bu farw oherwydd bod ei nodiadau meddygol wedi mynd ar goll. Roedd angen sganiau brys arni ac nid oedd yn gallu eu cael. Roedd y crwner mor bryderus am hyn nes iddi gyhoeddi adroddiad er budd y cyhoedd, a mynegodd y ffaith nad oedd hi'n teimlo bod unrhyw wersi wedi eu dysgu gan staff.
Nawr, rydych chi a minnau'n gwybod y gall unrhyw sefydliad sy'n ceisio gwella ei hun ond gwneud hynny os yw'n dysgu o'i gamgymeriadau. Yn amlwg, nid yw hynny wedi bod yn digwydd yn y gogledd. Ac rwy'n gofyn i chi, o ystyried mai bwrdd iechyd sydd mewn mesurau arbennig yw hwn, pa gamau y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd nawr i sicrhau nad yw cleifion yn dioddef y mathau hynny o ganlyniadau byth eto.
I am familiar, sadly, with both of the cases to which Darren Millar refers, and both reports make for very sobering reading. I have seen the response that the health board has issued in both cases. I don't think that it is fair to characterise the board as not being interested in learning lessons. And, just as there are very difficult reports that have been published recently, there are other, more encouraging, reports as well. The Member may have not have had a chance to see Healthcare Inspectorate Wales's report, published today, in relation to Llandudno hospital. And I think that that report does demonstrate a board that is committed to learning some of the lessons of the past and to putting those lessons into practice. And I certainly think that the interim chief executive and the chair of the board come at their work very determined to make sure that lessons are learnt, and that episodes that are entirely unacceptable, of the sort highlighted by the public services ombudsman and in that coroner's reflections on a case from February last year—that those lessons are systematically learnt across the health board, and that that learning is put to the best of use amongst, as I know Darren Millar will recognise, those thousands of highly committed staff who work for the health board, and who come in every day wanting to do their very best for patients in north Wales.
Rwy'n gyfarwydd, yn anffodus, â'r ddau achos y mae Darren Millar yn cyfeirio atyn nhw, ac mae darllen y ddau adroddiad yn sobreiddiol iawn. Rwyf i wedi gweld yr ymateb y mae'r bwrdd iechyd wedi'i gyhoeddi yn y ddau achos. Nid wyf i'n credu ei bod yn deg creu argraff nad oes gan y bwrdd ddiddordeb mewn dysgu gwersi. Ac, yn yr un modd ag y mae adroddiadau anodd iawn wedi eu cyhoeddi'n ddiweddar, mae adroddiadau eraill, mwy calonogol, hefyd. Efallai nad yw'r Aelod wedi cael cyfle i weld adroddiad Arolygiaeth Gofal Iechyd Cymru, a gafodd ei gyhoeddi heddiw, am ysbyty Llandudno. Ac rwy'n credu bod yr adroddiad hwnnw'n dangos bwrdd sydd wedi ymrwymo i ddysgu rhai o wersi'r gorffennol ac i roi'r gwersi hynny ar waith. Ac rydw i wir yn credu bod y prif weithredwr dros dro a chadeirydd y bwrdd yn dod i'w gwaith yn benderfynol iawn o sicrhau bod gwersi'n cael eu dysgu, a bod penodau sy'n gwbl annerbyniol, o'r math a amlygwyd gan yr ombwdsmon gwasanaethau cyhoeddus ac yn myfyrdodau y crwner hwnnw ar achos o fis Chwefror y llynedd—bod y gwersi hynny'n cael eu dysgu'n systematig ar draws y bwrdd iechyd, a bod yr hyn sy'n cael ei ddysgu yn cael ei roi ar waith i'r defnydd gorau yn ein plith, fel y gwn i y bydd Darren Millar yn cydnabod, y miloedd hynny o staff ymroddedig iawn sy'n gweithio i'r bwrdd iechyd, ac sy'n dod i mewn bob dydd eisiau gwneud eu gorau glas dros gleifion yn y gogledd.
Y cwestiwn olaf, cwestiwn 8, Rhys ab Owen.
And finally, question 8, Rhys ab Owen.
8. Pa gymorth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei ddarparu i fusnesau lleol i sicrhau cydymffurfiaeth â Deddf Diogelu'r Amgylchedd (Cynhyrchion Plastig Untro) (Cymru)? OQ60202
8. What support is the Welsh Government providing to local businesses to ensure compliance with the Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Act? OQ60202
Llywydd, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gweithio gyda chynrychiolwyr o’r byd busnes er mwyn helpu i godi ymwybyddiaeth. Mae canllawiau wedi cael eu llunio er mwyn helpu i roi’r gwaharddiadau ar waith, gan gynnwys ymgyrch gyfathrebu genedlaethol. Mae busnesau hefyd wedi gallu gofyn am gyngor drwy Busnes Cymru a’r bwlch—bwlch; blwch, sori—[Torri ar draws.]—bwlch electronig sydd gennym at y diben hwn.
The Welsh Government has worked with business representatives to help raise awareness. Guidance has been developed to support the implementation of the bans, and this has included a national communication campaign. Businesses have also been able to seek advice via Business Wales and our dedicated electronic mailbox.
Na, 'blwch'.
No, the word is 'blwch'.
Blwch?
'Blwch'?
Ie, 'blwch'.
Yes, 'blwch'.
Roeddwn i eisiau dweud 'bwlch', ond 'blwch' yw e.
I wanted to say 'bwlch', but the word is 'blwch'.
Mae dau air. Mae 'blwch' a 'bwlch', a 'blwch' oedd hwnna.
There are two words,'blwch' and 'bwlch', and that was 'blwch'.
Blwch electronig—bocs electronig. [Chwerthin.]
So, it's an electronic box, essentially. [Laughter.]
Bocs. [Chwerthin.] Rhys ab Owen.
Box. [Laughter.] Rhys ab Owen.
Diolch yn fawr, Prif Weinidog, ac i'r Llywydd am y wers.
Thank you very much, First Minister, and Llywydd for the lesson.
I don't know whether the First Minister enjoys curry and chips on Caroline Street or 'Chippy Lane', as some call it, but many of the takeaway owners there are struggling with the cost of sustainable products to implement this very important legislation. Some shop owners report an increase of three times in comparison to the single-use plastic products they were using. They claim it's down to simple economics. There simply aren't enough eco-friendly products on the market to make the price competitive. This does not only, of course, impact the businesses, but it increases, then, the price of curry and chips to consumers.
Will the Welsh Government look into ways to encourage manufacturers of eco-friendly alternatives to help support Welsh businesses, and help support the important Cardiff tradition of curry and chips on Caroline Street? Diolch yn fawr.
Nid wyf i'n gwybod a yw'r Prif Weinidog yn mwynhau cyri a sglodion ar Stryd Caroline neu 'Chippy Lane', fel y mae rhai'n ei galw, ond mae llawer o'r perchnogion siopau cludfwyd yno yn cael trafferth gyda chost cynhyrchion cynaliadwy i weithredu'r ddeddfwriaeth bwysig iawn hon. Mae rhai perchnogion siopau yn adrodd cynnydd o dair gwaith o'i gymharu â'r cynhyrchion plastig untro yr oedden nhw'n eu defnyddio. Maen nhw'n honni mai mater o economeg syml ydyw. Yn syml, nid oes digon o gynhyrchion eco-gyfeillgar ar y farchnad i wneud y pris yn gystadleuol. Mae hyn nid yn unig yn effeithio ar y busnesau, wrth gwrs, ond mae'n cynyddu felly pris cyri a sglodion i ddefnyddwyr.
A wnaiff Llywodraeth Cymru ystyried ffyrdd o annog gweithgynhyrchwyr dewisiadau amgen ecogyfeillgar i helpu i gefnogi busnesau Cymru, a helpu i gefnogi'r traddodiad pwysig o gyri a sglodion yng Nghaerdydd ar Stryd Caroline? Diolch yn fawr.
Well, Llywydd, I read a BBC report of a reporter who'd been to Caroline Street, and I think they came away with a rather different impression, not just from users but from the owners of chip shops and curry houses as well. The truth of the matter is that until you create a mass demand for non-plastic implements, the cost will not come down. And that's what this legislation does, and that's why it was so powerfully supported in this Chamber. We have to bring about that sort of change in which single-use plastics are no longer, despite their current price advantage, the standard way in which we go about things here in Wales. And by creating a mass market for non-plastic forms of cutlery and so on, that's the way in which prices will come down as well. And that was recognised by many of the owners of restaurants in Caroline Street as part of that BBC report.
Wel, Llywydd, darllenais i adroddiad gan y BBC gan ohebydd a oedd wedi bod i Stryd Caroline, ac rwy'n credu'i fod wedi cael argraff eithaf gwahanol, nid yn unig gan ddefnyddwyr ond gan berchnogion siopau sglodion a thai cyri hefyd. Y gwir amdani yw, hyd nes y byddwch chi'n creu galw torfol am declynnau diblastig, ni fydd y gost yn gostwng. A dyna'r hyn y mae'r ddeddfwriaeth hon yn ei wneud, a dyna pam y cafodd ei chefnogi mor bwerus yn y Siambr hon. Mae'n rhaid i ni sicrhau'r math hwnnw o newid lle nad plastigau untro bellach, er gwaethaf mantais eu pris ar hyn o bryd, yw'r ffordd arferol yr ydyn ni'n mynd ati i wneud pethau yma yng Nghymru. A thrwy greu marchnad dorfol ar gyfer ffurfiau diblastig o gyllyll a ffyrc ac yn y blaen, dyna'r ffordd y bydd prisiau'n gostwng hefyd. Ac fe gafodd hynny ei gydnabod gan lawer o berchnogion bwytai yn Stryd Caroline fel rhan o'r adroddiad hwnnw gan y BBC.
Diolch yn fawr 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 hynny—Lesley Griffiths.
The next item is the business statement and announcement, and I call on the Trefnydd to make that statement—Lesley Griffiths.
Diolch, Llywydd. There have been several changes to this week's business, all of which are set out on the published agendas. 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 sawl newid i fusnes yr wythnos hon, ac mae pob un ohonyn nhw wedi'u nodi ar yr agendâu sydd wedi'u cyhoeddi. Mae'r busnes drafft am y tair wythnos nesaf wedi'i nodi ar y datganiad a'r cyhoeddiad busnes, sydd i'w weld ymhlith papurau'r cyfarfod sydd ar gael i'r Aelodau yn electronig.
Trefnydd, can I call on a statement from an appropriate Welsh Government Minister on the feasibility of the establishment of a national observatory for Wales? You'll know that this is something I've taken an interest in in recent years, and I'm particularly keen to see a national observatory established in the Clwydian range, in what will be our new national park, which I'm very much looking forward to. I undertook a visit to Wrexham University yesterday, where I met with the vice-chancellor. We were discussing the cutting-edge research and work that is being done in St Asaph, at the optoelectronics technology centre there, which of course would be very useful in terms of applying some of that knowledge and research to the development of lenses for telescopes, for observing the night skies. And it seems to me that there's a lot of synergy here with being able to establish a research base in north Wales, in the Clwydian range, to take advantage of this, which could become a national centre of excellence. There have been similar projects delivered in the Republic of Ireland. And I think that, therefore, this is something that I would hope that we might be able to pursue, in conjunction with the higher education sector, acting also as a visitor attraction. So, could I ask for a feasibility study to be undertaken by the Welsh Government in order to see whether this is something that could be taken forward?
Trefnydd, a gaf i alw am ddatganiad gan Weinidog priodol Llywodraeth Cymru ar ymarferoldeb sefydlu arsyllfa genedlaethol i Gymru? Fe wyddoch chi fod hwn yn rhywbeth yr wyf i wedi ymddiddori ynddo yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf, ac rwy'n arbennig o awyddus i weld arsyllfa genedlaethol wedi'i sefydlu ym mryniau Clwyd, yn yr hyn fydd ein parc cenedlaethol newydd, ac rwy'n edrych ymlaen yn fawr ato. Es i ar ymweliad â Phrifysgol Wrecsam ddoe, lle y gwnes i gyfarfod â'r is-ganghellor. Roeddem ni'n trafod yr ymchwil a'r gwaith arloesol sy'n cael ei wneud yn Llanelwy, yn y ganolfan dechnoleg optoelectroneg yno, a fyddai, wrth gwrs, yn ddefnyddiol iawn o ran cymhwyso peth o'r wybodaeth a'r ymchwil honno i ddatblygu lensys ar gyfer telesgopau, er mwyn arsylwi awyr y nos. Ac mae'n ymddangos i mi fod llawer o synergedd yma gyda gallu sefydlu lleoliad ymchwil yn y gogledd, ym mryniau Clwyd, i fanteisio ar hyn, a allai ddod yn ganolfan ragoriaeth genedlaethol. Mae prosiectau tebyg wedi eu cyflawni yng Ngweriniaeth Iwerddon. Ac rwy'n credu bod hyn, felly, yn rhywbeth y byddwn i'n gobeithio y gallem fynd ar ei ôl, ar y cyd â'r sector addysg uwch, gan weithredu hefyd fel atyniad i ymwelwyr. Felly, a gaf i ofyn i Lywodraeth Cymru gynnal astudiaeth ddichonoldeb er mwyn gweld a yw hyn yn rhywbeth y byddai modd ei ddatblygu?
Thank you. I think you raise a very important point. I think the Minister would actually be me, because obviously I'm responsible for the new national park. But I'd be very happy to have a look, and perhaps have a discussion with my colleague Jeremy Miles, to see if this is something that would be worth doing ahead of the new national park coming into being, which is progressing very well, just for Members to be aware, and National Resources Wales are obviously taking that forward. But I do think that's a very important point and I'd be very happy to look at that.
Diolch. Rwy'n credu eich bod chi wedi codi pwynt pwysig iawn. Rwy'n credu mai fi fyddai'r Gweinidog mewn gwirionedd, oherwydd yn amlwg fi sy'n gyfrifol am y parc cenedlaethol newydd. Ond byddwn i'n hapus iawn i gael golwg arno, ac efallai cael trafodaeth gyda fy nghyd-Aelod, Jeremy Miles, i weld a fyddai hyn yn rhywbeth a fyddai'n werth ei wneud cyn i'r parc cenedlaethol newydd ddod i fodolaeth, sy'n datblygu'n dda iawn, dim ond i'r Aelodau fod yn ymwybodol, ac mae Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru yn amlwg yn bwrw ymlaen â hynny. Ond rwy'n credu bod hwnna'n bwynt pwysig iawn a byddwn i'n hapus iawn i ystyried hynny.
Trefnydd, in August 145 Welsh writers, journalists, academics and other contributors to magazines and websites funded by the Books Council of Wales published an open letter addressed to Welsh Government, Creative Wales and the books council. The key issue raised was regarding huge reductions in core grants having a devastating impact on working conditions, and this puts the sector at risk, making its future precarious. Could I ask for a statement from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism about the discussions her officials have had in relation to the issues raised and how they are being addressed?
Ym mis Awst cyhoeddodd 145 o awduron, newyddiadurwyr, academyddion a chyfranwyr eraill i gylchgronau a gwefannau o Gymru sy'n cael eu hariannu gan Gyngor Llyfrau Cymru lythyr agored wedi'i gyfeirio at Lywodraeth Cymru, Cymru Greadigol a'r Cyngor Llyfrau. Y mater allweddol a gafodd ei godi oedd ynghylch gostyngiadau enfawr mewn grantiau craidd sy'n cael effaith ddinistriol ar amodau gwaith, ac mae hyn yn peryglu'r sector, gan wneud ei ddyfodol yn ansicr. A gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad gan Ddirprwy Weinidog y Celfyddydau, Chwaraeon a Thwristiaeth am y trafodaethau y mae ei swyddogion wedi'u cael o ran y materion a gafodd eu codi a sut y mae'r rhain yn cael eu hymdrin â nhw?
Thank you. As you'll be aware, we have had some very difficult decisions to take over the course of the summer and ahead of the draft budget being published, and looking at next year's budget as well, and, clearly, the Deputy Minister has had to make some very difficult decisions. I don't think a statement around discussions that she's had, or her officials have had, with stakeholders would be appropriate. But I think what would be worth while is that, obviously, as the budget is scrutinised here in the Chamber, questions could be asked.
Diolch. Fel y gwyddoch chi, yn ystod yr haf, a chyn i'r gyllideb ddrafft gael ei chyhoeddi, roedd gennym ni benderfyniadau anodd iawn i'w gwneud, a gan edrych ar gyllideb y flwyddyn nesaf hefyd, ac, yn amlwg, mae'r Dirprwy Weinidog wedi gorfod gwneud penderfyniadau anodd iawn. Nid wyf i'n credu y byddai datganiad ynghylch trafodaethau y cafodd hi, na'i swyddogion, gyda rhanddeiliaid, yn briodol. Ond rwy'n credu mai'r hyn a fyddai o fantais, yn amlwg, wrth graffu ar y gyllideb yma yn y Siambr, yw y gellid gofyn cwestiynau.
Good afternoon, Minister. I'd appreciate a statement, please, from the Minister for Health and Social Services concerning the closure of Belmont surgery, which serves Crickhowell, and also they've lost their NHS dental services there. We know that rural communities particularly face challenges accessing healthcare, and that's why the loss of Belmont surgery, with its GPs, and the NHS dental service, is of such serious concern to that particular local community. It's really important that we make sure that the local people have those local resources, and we know how the local provision actually then ensures that they get the attention that they need. So, I'd be grateful for a statement from the Minister on the plans to improve rural healthcare in south Powys. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Prynhawn da, Gweinidog. Byddwn yn gwerthfawrogi datganiad, os gwelwch yn dda, gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol ynghylch cau meddygfa Belmont, sy'n gwasanaethu Crughywel, a hefyd maen nhw wedi colli'u gwasanaethau deintyddol GIG yno. Rydyn ni'n gwybod bod cymunedau gwledig yn arbennig yn wynebu heriau o ran cael gofal iechyd, a dyna pam mae colli meddygfa Belmont, gyda'i meddygon teulu, a gwasanaeth deintyddol y GIG, yn peri cymaint o bryder difrifol i'r gymuned leol benodol honno. Mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod ni'n sicrhau bod gan y bobl leol yr adnoddau lleol hynny, ac rydyn ni'n gwybod sut mae'r ddarpariaeth leol mewn gwirionedd yn sicrhau eu bod yn cael y sylw sydd ei angen arnyn nhw. Felly, byddwn i'n ddiolchgar am ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog ar y cynlluniau i wella gofal iechyd gwledig yn ne Powys. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Thank you very much. I think it's really important to set out right from the beginning that no-one, no patient in Wales should be without access to a GP, whether that be in a rural area or an urban area. If anybody is struggling to find a GP that they can access, they should contact their local health board. I do understand that Powys Teaching Health Board have put a mitigation plan in place to minimise impact to GP access as a result of the closure of Belmont branch surgery. I think it's fair to say that the local delivery model for primary care may sometimes require change to ensure safe and sustainable services for patients, and health boards have established procedures for handling proposals for changes to the delivery of local services that have followed Welsh Government guidance.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig iawn nodi o'r dechrau na ddylai neb, dim claf yng Nghymru fod heb fynediad at feddyg teulu, p'un ai yw hynny mewn ardal wledig neu mewn ardal drefol. Os oes unrhyw un yn cael trafferth wrth ddod o hyd i feddyg teulu y mae'n bosibl iddo gael mynediad ato, dylai gysylltu â'i fwrdd iechyd lleol. Rwy'n deall bod Bwrdd Iechyd Addysgu Powys wedi rhoi cynllun lliniaru ar waith i leihau'r effaith ar fynediad at feddygon teulu o ganlyniad i gau meddygfa gangen Belmont. Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n deg dweud y gallai fod angen newid y model darparu lleol ar gyfer gofal sylfaenol weithiau i sicrhau gwasanaethau diogel a chynaliadwy i gleifion, ac mae byrddau iechyd wedi sefydlu gweithdrefnau ar gyfer ymdrin â chynigion ar gyfer newidiadau i ddarparu gwasanaethau lleol sydd wedi dilyn canllawiau Llywodraeth Cymru.
Can I have a statement from the Minister for Health and Social Services this afternoon on NHS dentistry in the Vale of Clwyd and the work the Welsh Government have been doing to alleviate pressures on local dentistry in Denbighshire, particularly patients who are or who used to be served by Elwy Dental Practice in Rhyl? They have contacted me in their droves recently, reporting that they've been struck off the NHS list through no fault of their own and are now having to fork out for private treatment. And this is in a time when finances are tight and the fact that west Rhyl, where Elwy Dental Practice is situated, is in an area of high deprivation.
So, what appears to be the case is the fact that the NHS contract offered to dentists from the Welsh Government is uncompetitive with the private sector, and professionals in dentistry are migrating from the NHS to the private sector in pursuit of better pay, better terms and conditions and less red tape and bureaucracy. So, it seems incumbent on the Welsh Government to get back around the table with the sector and create an NHS contract that is competitive, that will aid dentists back into the NHS and provide the first-class oral care that the people of Rhyl and Denbighshire are used to and are currently not receiving. So, can I please have a statement on the progress the Welsh Government is making on this matter and what meetings and discussions have you had with the dental sector to alleviate this ever-growing problem for my constituents? Thank you.
A gaf i ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol y prynhawn yma ar ddeintyddiaeth y GIG yn Nyffryn Clwyd a'r gwaith y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn ei wneud i leddfu'r pwysau ar ddeintyddiaeth leol yn sir Ddinbych, yn enwedig cleifion sydd yn cael eu gwasanaethu gan Feddygfa Ddeintyddol Elwy yn y Rhyl, neu a arferai eu cael ganddi? Maen nhw wedi cysylltu â mi yn llu yn ddiweddar, gan ddweud eu bod nhw wedi cael eu dileu oddi ar restr y GIG heb unrhyw fai arnyn nhw eu hunain ac maen nhw nawr yn gorfod talu am driniaeth breifat. Ac mae hyn mewn cyfnod lle mae arian yn brin a'r ffaith bod gorllewin Y Rhyl, lle mae Practis Deintyddol Elwy wedi'i leoli, mewn ardal o amddifadedd uchel.
Felly, yr hyn sy'n ymddangos yn wir yw'r ffaith bod contract y GIG sy'n cael ei gynnig i ddeintyddion gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn anghystadleuol â'r sector preifat, ac mae gweithwyr proffesiynol ym maes deintyddiaeth yn mudo o'r GIG i'r sector preifat i geisio cael gwell tâl, telerau ac amodau gwell a llai o fiwrocratiaeth. Felly, mae'n ymddangos ei bod yn ddyletswydd ar Lywodraeth Cymru i fynd yn ôl o amgylch y bwrdd â'r sector a chreu contract GIG sy'n gystadleuol, a fydd yn helpu deintyddion i fynd yn ôl i'r GIG a darparu gofal y geg o'r radd flaenaf y mae pobl Y Rhyl a sir Ddinbych wedi arfer ag ef ac nad ydyn nhw'n ei dderbyn ar hyn o bryd. Felly, a gaf i ddatganiad am y cynnydd y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud ar y mater hwn a pha gyfarfodydd a thrafodaethau yr ydych chi wedi'u cael gyda'r sector deintyddol i leddfu'r broblem gynyddol hon i fy etholwyr? Diolch.
Well, the Minister for Health and Social Services and her officials continue to have discussions. I think it's only right to point out that only 24 out of 413 contracts have been handed back since April 2022.
Wel, mae'r Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a'i swyddogion yn parhau i gynnal trafodaethau. Rwy'n credu mai dim ond teg yw nodi mai 24 yn unig o blith 413 o gontractau sydd wedi eu trosglwyddo yn ôl ers mis Ebrill 2022.
Diolch i'r Trefnydd.
I thank the Trefnydd.
Eitem 3 yw'r eitem nesaf. Mae'r eitem yma wedi ei ohirio ac i'w gyflwyno fel datganiad ysgrifenedig.
Item 3 is next. This item has been postponed and will be issued as a written statement.
Mae eitem 4 yn eitem sydd wedi ei ohirio.
Item 4 is postponed.
Eitem 5, felly, fydd nesaf, y datganiad gan y Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd ar Cymorth i Aros. Dwi'n galw ar y Gweinidog i wneud ei datganiad. Julie James.
That brings us, therefore, to item 5, a statement by the Minister for Climate Change on Help to Stay. I call on the Minister to make her statement. Julie James.
Diolch, Llywydd. Thank you very much for the opportunity to provide an update on the Help to Stay Wales mortgage support scheme. The current economic background presents many challenges. The cumulative impact of the significant rise in fuel cost, high inflation, escalating rent and house prices, with incomes often not keeping pace is not to be underestimated. During 2022-23 and 2023-24, we have allocated support worth more than £3.3 billion through targeted programmes and programmes that put money back into families’ pockets. We will continue to prioritise our support based on our clear principles of protecting front-line services as best we can, supporting households who are hardest hit by the cost-of-living crisis and prioritising jobs.
The Bank of England's 12 consecutive interest rate hikes in the last 18 months have led to significantly increased costs of borrowing. This is a concern for many and is seen across the lending market, whether that is in relation to mortgage lending, private rent increases as a result of buy-to-let mortgage rises, higher interest loans for businesses or in the financing of new social homes. According to the figures from UK Finance, about 800,000 fixed mortgages will expire before the end of this year, with a further 1.6 million coming to an end in 2024. The figures do not include variable rate and tracker mortgages, which will already have risen sharply leading to higher payments. The Resolution Foundation says annual mortgage repayments are set to be £15.8 billion a year higher by 2026 compared to December 2021, when the bank started raising interest rates. Annual repayments for people remortgaging next year are set to rise by £2.9 billion on average—sorry, £2,900 on average. I need to get my noughts in a row. Mortgage and landlord possession statistics for April to June 2023 show that, compared to the same quarter in 2022, mortgage possession claims increased by 15 per cent.
Diolch, Llywydd. Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi am y cyfle i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am gynllun cymorth morgais Cymorth i Aros Cymru. Mae'r cefndir economaidd ar hyn o bryd yn cynnwys llawer o heriau. Ni ddylid diystyru effaith gronnol y cynnydd sylweddol o ran costau tanwydd, chwyddiant uchel, cynnydd ym mhrisiau rhent a thai, gydag incwm pobl heb fod yn cynyddu digon i ddiwallu eu hanghenion. Yn ystod 2022-23 a 2023-24, fe wnaethom ddyrannu cymorth gwerth mwy na £3.3 biliwn trwy raglenni wedi'u targedu a rhaglenni sy'n rhoi arian yn ôl ym mhocedi teuluoedd. Fe fyddwn ni'n parhau i flaenoriaethu ein cefnogaeth ar sail ein hegwyddorion amlwg o ddiogelu gwasanaethau rheng flaen cystal ag y gallwn ni, gan gefnogi'r aelwydydd sy'n cael eu taro galetaf gan yr argyfwng costau byw a blaenoriaethu swyddi.
Mae 12 cynnydd ar ôl ei gilydd i'r gyfradd llog gan Fanc Lloegr yn ystod y 18 mis diwethaf wedi arwain at gostau cynyddol sylweddol o ran benthyca arian. Mae hwn yn bryder i lawer ac fe welir hynny ar draws y farchnad fenthyca boed hynny o ran benthyciadau morgais, cynydd mewn rhent preifat o ganlyniad i gynnydd i forgais prynu i osod, benthyciadau llog uwch i fusnesau neu o ran ariannu cartrefi cymdeithasol newydd. Yn ôl ffigyrau UK Finance, fe fydd tua 800,000 o forgeisi sefydlog yn dod i ben cyn diwedd eleni, ac 1.6 miliwn arall yn dod i ben yn 2024. Nid yw'r ffigurau yn cynnwys morgeisi cyfraddau amrywiol a morgeisi tracio, a fydd eisoes wedi codi yn gyflym iawn a hynny wedi arwain at daliadau uwch. Mae'r Resolution Foundation yn dweud y bydd ad-daliadau morgais blynyddol £15.8 biliwn y flwyddyn yn uwch erbyn 2026 o gymharu â mis Rhagfyr 2021, pan ddechreuodd y banc godi cyfraddau llog. Mae disgwyl i ad-daliadau blynyddol i bobl sy'n ailforgeisio yn y flwyddyn nesaf godi gan £2.9 biliwn ar gyfartaledd—mae'n ddrwg gen i, £2,900 ar gyfartaledd. Mae angen i mi gael fy seros mewn rhes yma. Mae ystadegau meddiant morgeisi a landlordiaid ar gyfer misoedd Ebrill hyd Fehefin 2023 yn dangos, o gymharu â'r un chwarter yn 2022, bod hawliadau meddiant morgais wedi cynyddu 15 y cant.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (David Rees) i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (David Rees) took the Chair.
Detailed discussions about the mortgage market as part of the co-operation agreement commitment to explore local mortgage support have contributed to our understanding of the gaps in the market and where we can target support. Now we have an opportunity to help more people by widening our current mortgage rescue offering to support those at an earlier stage, not just those that are threatened with repossession. This includes providing support to those who are trapped on a standard variable product and unable to arrange an affordable new mortgage. By acting now with increased investment, we can prevent many individuals and families from entering possession proceedings and becoming homeless, adding to the already stressed waiting lists and high temporary accommodation costs for local authorities.
A sum of £40 million of repayable capital funding has been made available over the next two years to bring forward schemes to provide flexible financial support, and today I can announce the launch of the Help to Stay Wales mortgage support scheme and provide information to home owners, including eligibility criteria. This has been agreed as part of the budget agreement with Plaid Cymru for 2023-24. The Help to Stay Wales scheme will provide an option for home owners who are struggling to afford their mortgage payments and are at serious risk of losing their home by offering a partial repayment of an existing mortgage balance via a low-cost equity loan, secured by a second charge, behind a first-charge lender, reducing revised mortgage repayments to a level the applicant can afford.
Most current schemes require people to already be in possession proceedings to qualify. Help to Stay will extend this to include those facing possession proceedings and/or in financial hardship. The scheme is only available for eligible households who have explored all other measures offered by the mortgage provider through the UK mortgage charter and sought help through debt advice services.
Home owners who are eligible will receive free mortgage advice from specialist debt advisers, with the costs fully covered by the Welsh Government. This will ensure the applicant has received independent advice as to the options available, confirm that all other avenues had been exhausted, and verify the levels of debt service the applicant could reasonably afford based on a review of their current circumstances. Full guidance on the scheme, including the eligibility criteria, is now available on the Welsh Government website.
Dirprwy Lywydd, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the external partners and sector experts who have assisted us in developing this scheme at pace. Their support and hard work have been critical to establishing the right qualifying criteria and to support the processes. I would also like to thank UK Finance and those lenders who are supporting the scheme. I hope that more will be able provide their support over the coming weeks.
We will continue to do all we can with the powers we have to help protect vulnerable households through this cost-of-living crisis. The new Help to Stay Wales scheme adds to this support and will help to provide the necessary help for home owners under financial stress to stay in their own homes. Diolch.
Mae trafodaethau manwl am y farchnad forgeisi yn rhan o ymrwymiad y cytundeb cydweithio i archwilio cymorth morgeisi lleol wedi cyfrannu at ein dealltwriaeth ni o'r bylchau yn y farchnad a'r mannau y gallwn ni gyfeirio cefnogaeth iddyn nhw. Mae gennym ni gyfle nawr i helpu mwy o bobl drwy ehangu ein cynnig achub morgeisi cyfredol i gefnogi'r rhain yn gynharach, nid dim ond y rhai sydd cael eu bygwth gan adfeddiannu. Mae hyn yn cynnwys rhoi cefnogaeth i'r rhai sy'n gaeth i gynnyrch amrywiol safonol ac nad ydyn nhw'n gallu trefnu morgais newydd sy'n fforddiadwy. Trwy weithredu nawr â rhagor o fuddsoddiad, fe allwn ni rwystro llawer o unigolion a theuluoedd rhag mynd i weithrediadau adfeddiant a bod yn ddigartref, gan ychwanegu at y rhestrau aros sydd eisoes dan straen a chostau llety dros dro uchel i'r awdurdodau lleol.
Mae swm o £40 miliwn o gyllid cyfalaf ad-daladwy wedi'i wneud ar gael dros y ddwy flynedd nesaf i gyflwyno cynlluniau ar gyfer darparu cymorth ariannol sy'n hyblyg, ac fe allaf i gyhoeddi heddiw lansiad cynllun cymorth morgais Cymorth i Aros Cymru a rhoi gwybodaeth i berchnogion cartrefi, gan gynnwys y meini prawf cymhwysedd. Cytunwyd ar hynny'n rhan o'r cytundeb cyllideb gyda Phlaid Cymru ar gyfer 2023-24. Fe fydd y cynllun Cymorth i Aros Cymru yn cynnig dewis i berchnogion tai sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd fforddio eu taliadau morgais ac sydd mewn perygl difrifol o golli eu cartrefi drwy gynnig ad-daliad rhannol o falans morgais cyfredol trwy fenthyciad ecwiti cost isel, a sicrheir drwy ail daliad, y tu cefn i fenthyciwr y taliad cyntaf, gan leihau ad-daliadau morgais diwygiedig hyd at gyfradd y gall yr ymgeisydd ei fforddio.
Mae'r rhan fwyaf o gynlluniau cyfredol yn ei gwneud hi'n ofynnol i bobl fod mewn gweithrediadau adfeddiant eisoes i fod yn gymwys ar eu cyfer. Fe fydd Cymorth i Aros yn ymestyn hynny i gynnwys rhai sy'n wynebu gweithrediadau adfeddiant a/neu mewn caledi ariannol. Nid yw'r cynllun ar gael ond i aelwydydd cymwys sydd wedi archwilio'r holl fesurau eraill a gynigir gan y darparwr morgais drwy siarter morgeisi'r DU ac sydd wedi gofyn am gymorth drwy wasanaethau cyngor ar ddyledion.
Fe fydd perchnogion tai sy'n gymwys yn cael cyngor morgais rhad ac am ddim gan gynghorwyr dyledion arbenigol, gyda chostau hynny'n cael eu talu yn llawn gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Fe fydd hyn yn sicrhau bod yr ymgeisydd wedi derbyn cyngor annibynnol ynghylch y dewisiadau sydd ar gael, ac yn cadarnhau bod pob trywydd arall wedi ei ddilyn, ac yn gwirio cyfraddau'r gwasanaeth dyled y gallai'r ymgeisydd ei fforddio yn rhesymol ar sail adolygiad o'i amgylchiadau ar hyn o bryd. Mae canllawiau llawn ar y cynllun, gan gynnwys y meini prawf ar gyfer cymhwysedd, ar gael erbyn hyn ar wefan Llywodraeth Cymru.
Dirprwy Lywydd, fe hoffwn i fanteisio ar y cyfle hwn i ddiolch i'r partneriaid allanol ac arbenigwyr yn y sector sydd wedi ein cynorthwyo ni i ddatblygu'r cynllun hwn ar gyflymder. Mae eu cefnogaeth a'u gwaith caled wedi bod yn hanfodol i sefydlu'r meini prawf cymhwyso priodol a chefnogi'r prosesau hyn. Fe hoffwn i ddiolch hefyd i UK Finance a'r benthycwyr hynny sy'n cefnogi'r cynllun. Rwy'n gobeithio y bydd mwy yn gallu rhoi eu cefnogaeth nhw dros yr wythnosau nesaf.
Fe fyddwn ni'n parhau i wneud popeth yn ein gallu gyda'r pwerau sydd gennym ni i helpu i amddiffyn aelwydydd sy'n agored i niwed drwy'r argyfwng costau byw hwn. Mae cynllun newydd Cymorth i Aros Cymru yn ategu'r cymorth hwn ac fe fydd yn helpu i ddarparu'r cymorth angenrheidiol i berchnogion tai sydd dan bwysau ariannol allu aros yn eu cartrefi eu hunain. Diolch.
Thank you, Minister, for bringing forward this statement. I think it's fair to say that we're all well aware now of how tough it is for people, especially those with a mortgage and that regular commitment that they have to pay on a monthly basis. The Bank of England decision to hold the base interest rate at 5.25 per cent for the second time in a row will prolong that time of hardship, but we all hope that there is now going to be some light at the end of the tunnel. The bank's monetary policy committee, which makes the decisions about the rates, are expecting a sharp slow-down in inflation to 4.8 per cent in October's figures, and we just hope that we go forward with lower inflation rates.
The UK Government is already providing support too for those with mortgages. Lenders that cover over 75 per cent of the market have agreed to the Chancellor's new mortgage charter, providing support to residential mortgage customers, and anyone worried about their mortgage repayments can call their lender—[Interruption.] Sorry.
Diolch i chi, Gweinidog, am gyflwyno'r datganiad hwn. Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n deg dweud bod pawb ohonom ni'n ymwybodol iawn nawr pa mor anodd yw hi ar bobl, yn enwedig ar y rhai sydd â morgais a'r ymrwymiad rheolaidd hwnnw y mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw ei dalu bob mis. Fe fydd penderfyniad Banc Lloegr i ddal y gyfradd llog sylfaenol ar 5.25 y cant am yr eildro yn olynol yn ymestyn y cyfnod hwn o galedi, ond rydym ni i gyd yn gobeithio y daw rhywfaint eto o haul ar fryn. Mae pwyllgor polisi ariannol y banc, sy'n gwneud y penderfyniadau am y cyfraddau, yn disgwyl i chwyddiant arafu yn sydyn iawn hyd 4.8 y cant yn ffigyrau mis Hydref, ac rydym ni'n dal i obeithio y byddwn ni'n bwrw ymlaen â chyfraddau chwyddiant sy'n is.
Mae Llywodraeth y DU eisoes yn darparu cymorth hefyd i'r rhai sydd â morgeisi. Mae benthycwyr sy'n cwmpasu dros 75 y cant o'r farchnad wedi cytuno i siarter morgeisi newydd y Canghellor, gan estyn cefnogaeth i gwsmeriaid morgeisi preswyl, ac fe all unrhyw un sy'n poeni am ei ad-daliadau morgais ffonio'r benthyciwr—[Torri ar draws.] Mae'n ddrwg gen i.
Just ignore it, Janet, please. Continue your contribution.
Anwybyddwch e, Janet, os gwelwch chi'n dda. Ewch ymlaen â'ch cyfraniad chi.
Anyone worried about their mortgage repayments can call their lender for information and support without impact on their credit score. Customers won't be forced to have their homes repossessed within 12 months from their first missed payment, and customers approaching the end of a fixed-rate deal are offered the chance to lock in a deal up to six months ahead, so they're also able to apply for a better deal right up until their new term starts if one is available. A new agreement agreed between lenders, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Government permits customers to switch to an interest-only mortgage for six months, or even to extend their mortgage term to reduce their monthly payments and switch back to their original term within the first six months if they choose to. Both options can be taken without a new affordability check or affecting their credit score.
We know there is support for customers now who are up to date with payments to switch to a new mortgage deal at the end of their existing fixed-rate deal without another affordability check. There is well-timed information to help customers plan ahead should their current rate be due to end, and there is tailored support offered for anyone struggling. This could mean extending their term to reduce their payments, offering a switch to interest-only payments, but also a range of other options like a temporary payment deferral or part interest, part repayment. And I agree, we need to make sure everybody knows their rights if they are in trouble with their mortgage so they can feel comfortable speaking with their lender and understand the measures they can request for help.
So, in addition to bringing this money forward, what steps will you take to help improve awareness of the mortgage charter in Wales? Why have you not opted for a scheme that allows social landlords to buy homes that are threatened with repossession so that the house owner can continue to live in what they have considered their home for probably quite some years? I am aware that the eligibility criteria is quite specific, such as a £300,000 maximum property value and £67,000 maximum household income. How has that eligibility criteria been arrived at and are you confident that it will result in help being offered to those who genuinely need it? Thank you. Diolch.
Fe all unrhyw un sy'n poeni am ei ad-daliadau morgais ffonio ei fenthyciwr am wybodaeth a chymorth heb effeithio ar ei sgôr credyd. Ni fydd cwsmeriaid yn cael eu gorfodi i weld adfeddiannu eu cartrefi o fewn 12 mis i'r taliad cyntaf y methwyd ei wneud, ac estynnir cyfle i gwsmeriaid sy'n agosáu at ddiwedd cytundeb cyfradd sefydlog allu cloi cytundeb am hyd at chwe mis i ddod, ac felly fe allan nhw wneud cais hefyd am gytundeb gwell hyd nes y bydd eu tymor newydd yn dechrau os oes un ar gael. Mae'r cytundeb newydd y cytunwyd arno rhwng benthycwyr, yr Awdurdod Ymddygiad Ariannol a'r Llywodraeth yn caniatáu i gwsmeriaid drosglwyddo i forgais llog yn unig am chwe mis, neu hyd yn oed ymestyn tymor eu morgais er mwyn lleihau eu taliadau misol a newid yn ôl i'w tymor gwreiddiol o fewn y chwe mis cyntaf os ydyn nhw'n dewis gwneud felly. Gellir manteisio ar y ddau ddewis heb unrhyw wiriad fforddiadwyedd newydd nac effaith ar sgôr credyd.
Fe wyddom ni fod cefnogaeth ar gael nawr i gwsmeriaid sy'n gyfredol o ran eu taliadau i drosglwyddo i gytundeb morgais newydd ar ddiwedd eu cytundeb cyfradd sefydlog cyfredol heb unrhyw wiriad fforddiadwyedd arall. Ceir gwybodaeth ar yr amser priodol i helpu cwsmeriaid i gynllunio ymlaen llaw pe byddai disgwyl i'w cyfradd bresennol ddod i ben, ac fe gynigir cymorth wedi ei deilwra i unrhyw un sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd. Fe allai hyn olygu ymestyn tymor y morgais i leihau taliadau, a fyddai'n cynnig trosglwyddo i daliadau llog yn unig, ond ystod o ddewisiadau eraill hefyd fel gohirio taliadau dros dro neu i gyfran o log, ac ad-daliad rhannol. Ac rwy'n cytuno, mae angen i ni sicrhau bod pawb yn gwybod beth yw eu hawliau nhw os ydyn nhw'n cael trafferthion â'u morgais er mwyn teimlo yn ddigon hyderus i siarad â'u benthyciwr a deall y camau y gallan nhw ofyn amdanynt i gael cymorth.
Felly, yn ogystal â chyflwyno'r arian hwn, pa gamau fyddwch chi'n eu cymryd i helpu i wella ymwybyddiaeth o'r siarter morgeisi yng Nghymru? Pam nad ydych chi wedi dewis cynllun sy'n caniatáu i landlordiaid cymdeithasol brynu cartrefi sydd dan fygythiad o'u hadfeddiannu er mwyn i berchennog y tŷ allu barhau i fyw yn yr annedd y bu'n ei ystyried yn gartref iddo am gryn dipyn o flynyddoedd yn ôl pob tebyg? Rwy'n ymwybodol bod y meini prawf cymhwysedd yn fanwl iawn, megis yr uchafswm o £300,000 yng ngwerth yr eiddo a £67,000 o uchafswm yn incwm y cartref. Sut y daethpwyd at y meini prawf hyn o ran cymhwysedd ac a ydych chi'n hyderus y bydd hynny'n arwain at estyn cymorth i'r rhai sydd ag angen gwirioneddol amdano? Diolch i chi. Diolch.
Well, thank you, Janet, for reading out the UK Government's alleged help. As I'm sure you noticed when you were reading it out, all it amounts to is asking your lender to either extend your loan or to help you get an even more expensive one. I mean, that's not really going to help very many people at all. I do welcome the advice to contact your lender—we are going along with that. Absolutely, as soon as somebody thinks that they're in any difficulty at all with a mortgage payment, they obviously should contact their lender straight away. The Welsh Government funds a whole series of debt advice services that people should contact, because we do not want anyone to start sliding into mortgage default unless they absolutely have no option.
The point of this scheme is to help those people who simply cannot afford the mortgage as they find it and who will not be in a position to be able to sell their home in good order, in time to be able to get themselves somewhere else to live, for a whole range of circumstances. There's a range of circumstances for each family that will very much differ. It may be that you're in the final years of very high levels of childcare, for example, and, in the next two years, you might well get into a position where your children are in full-time school and your financial position will improve as a result of that, and so on. So, there's an enormous range of circumstances that people find themselves in. I do think, though, Janet, that you have just got to accept that the current state of play, with inflation and what happened last year with the Truss Government, has absolutely wrecked people's finances. I don't think that that's a political point anymore—it just really has. People were going from 1.9 per cent fixed interest rates to 6.2 per cent—nobody can afford that. I mean, it's just outrageous.
In answer to one of your other questions, this isn't the only product we have; this is just a product. We absolutely do allow registered social landlords and councils to buy people out—a mortgage rescue package. This is a Help to Stay, which isn't a buy-out, but I just want to emphasise that this is one of a whole series of interventions that we've done as part of the co-operation agreement. We've been working on a mortgage rescue package for some time with Siân Gwenllian, as part of the package here, because we do also want people to stay in their own homes. But the fundamental point here is that, if somebody becomes homeless, it's not a lifestyle choice—I mean, I just can't believe I heard that from a UK Government Minister, to be honest. It's absolutely shameful to say that. It is because you have had a series of unfortunate events, to say the least, and it could happen to any one of us—any one of us. What we're doing here is we're saying that, both in human terms and in financial terms, it is a great deal kinder and it's also financially prudent to help people stay in their own homes. Typically, a family that becomes homeless is five times more expensive, having gone around housing options, than they were the day before, when they weren't homeless. So, this is a very good use of public money, both to reduce human trauma and, actually, it's just a really good invest-to-save, because it will help people to stay on their feet, to stay in their own homes and, where they do have to move, it will give them the space to be able to do so in good order so that they don't have to do so in a precipitate way, which is very traumatising. So, I think this is an excellent product, born of a very, very bad set of decisions by the UK Government.
Wel, diolch i chi, Janet, am roi darlleniad i ni o gymorth honedig Llywodraeth y DU. Fel rwy'n siŵr y gwnaethoch chi sylwi pan oeddech chi'n ei ddarllen, y cyfan y mae hynny'n ei olygu yw gofyn i'ch benthyciwr chi naill ai ymestyn eich benthyciad neu eich helpu chi i gael un sydd hyd yn oed yn ddrytach. Wyddoch chi, ni fydd hynny'n helpu llawer iawn o bobl o gwbl. Rwy'n croesawu'r cyngor o ran cysylltu â'ch benthyciwr chi—rydym ni'n cyd-fynd â hynny. Yn bendant, cyn gynted ag y bydd rhywun o'r farn ei fod mewn unrhyw anhawster o gwbl gyda thaliad morgais, mae hi'n amlwg y dylai gysylltu â'i fenthyciwr ar ei union. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ariannu cyfres gyflawn o wasanaethau o ran cyngor ynglŷn â dyledion y dylai pobl gysylltu â nhw, oherwydd nid ydym ni'n awyddus i unrhyw un ddechrau llithro i golli taliadau morgais os oes yna unrhyw ddewis arall o gwbl yn bosibl.
Diben y cynllun hwn yw helpu'r bobl hynny na allan nhw fforddio talu eu morgais yn eu sefyllfa nhw a heb fod yn gallu gwerthu eu cartrefi yn drefnus, mewn pryd i allu canfod rhywle arall i fyw, a hynny oherwydd ystod eang o amgylchiadau. Fe geir amrywiaeth o amgylchiadau a allai amrywio llawer iawn ar gyfer pob teulu. Efallai eich bod chi ar flynyddoedd olaf cyfraddau uchel iawn o ofal plant, er enghraifft, ac, yn ystod y ddwy flynedd nesaf, mae hi'n ddigon posibl y byddwch chi mewn sefyllfa lle bydd eich plant yn yr ysgol amser llawn ac y bydd eich sefyllfa ariannol chi'n gwella o ganlyniad i hynny, ac yn y blaen. Felly, mae yna amrywiaeth enfawr o amgylchiadau y mae pobl yn cael eu hunain ynddyn nhw. Rwy'n credu, serch hynny, Janet, ei bod hi'n rhaid i chi dderbyn bod y sefyllfa bresennol, o ran chwyddiant a'r hyn a ddigwyddodd y llynedd gyda Llywodraeth Truss, wedi distrywio cyllid pobl yn llwyr. Nid wyf i'n credu mai pwynt gwleidyddol mohono erbyn hyn—fe wnaeth hynny mewn gwirionedd. Roedd pobl yn mynd oddi wrth gyfraddau llog sefydlog o 1.9 y cant i 6.2 y cant—ni all neb fforddio hynny. Mae hi'n gwbl gywilyddus.
I ateb un o'ch cwestiynau eraill chi, nid dyma'r unig gynnyrch sydd gennym ni; un cynnyrch yn unig yw hwn. Rydym ni'n llwyr yn caniatáu i landlordiaid cymdeithasol cofrestredig a chynghorau brynu pobl allan—pecyn achub morgais. Cymorth i Aros yw hwn, nid yw'n golygu prynu neb allan, ond fe hoffwn i bwysleisio bod hwn yn un o gyfres gyflawn o ymyriadau a wnaethom ni'n rhan o'r cytundeb cydweithio. Rydym ni wedi bod yn gweithio ar becyn achub morgeisi ers peth amser gyda Siân Gwenllian, yn rhan o'r pecyn hwn, oherwydd rydym ni'n awyddus hefyd i bobl aros yn eu cartrefi eu hunain. Ond y pwynt sylfaenol yn hyn o beth yw, pe byddai rhywun yn mynd yn ddigartref, nid ffordd o fyw y mae unigolyn yn ei dewis—wyddoch chi, ni allaf i gredu fy mod i wedi clywed hynny oddi wrth un o Weinidogion Llywodraeth y DU, a dweud y gwir. Am beth cwbl gywilyddus i'w ddweud. Y rheswm am hynny yw eich bod wedi profi cyfres o ddigwyddiadau anffodus, a dweud y lleiaf, ac fe allai hynny ddigwydd i unrhyw un ohonom ni—unrhyw un ohonom ni. Yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ei wneud yma yw mynegi, mewn termau dynol ac ariannol, ei bod hi'n llawer mwy caredig ac yn ariannol ddoeth hefyd i ni helpu pobl i aros yn eu cartrefi eu hunain. Yn arferol, mae teulu sy'n mynd yn ddigartref yn costio pum gwaith yn fwy i'w cadw, o ran dewisiadau tai, nag yr oedden nhw'r diwrnod cyn hynny, pan nad oedden nhw'n ddigartref. Felly, mae hwn yn ddefnydd da iawn o arian cyhoeddus, sy'n lleihau archollion pobl ac, mewn gwirionedd, mae hwn yn fuddsoddiad da iawn sy'n arbed arian yn y pen draw, oherwydd fe fydd yn helpu pobl i sefyll ar eu traed, ac aros yn eu cartrefi eu hunain, a phan fo rheidrwydd arnyn nhw i symud, fe fydd yn estyn cyfle iddyn nhw wneud hynny'n drefnus fel nad oes raid iddyn nhw wneud hynny'n frysiog, sy'n ddirdynnol iawn. Felly, rwy'n credu bod hwn yn gynnyrch rhagorol, sy'n tarddu o set o benderfyniadau gwael dros ben gan Lywodraeth y DU.
Ac yn olaf, Mabon ap Gwynfor.
And finally, Mabon ap Gwynfor.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd, a diolch i'r Gweinidog am y cyhoeddiad yma heddiw. Ar ran Plaid Cymru, dwi'n croesawu'n fawr y cynllun Cymorth i Aros a'r pecyn o £40 miliwn sydd wedi cael ei neilltuo ar ei gyfer drwy'r cydweithio efo Plaid Cymru.
Mae nifer cynyddol o bobl yng Nghymru yn wynebu ansicrwydd anferthol ac yn ofni digartrefedd yn sgil y chwyddiant anferthol sydd yn parhau a'r argyfwng costau byw. Bydd y pecyn cymorth yma'n sicrhau to uwchben nifer o'n teuluoedd yng Nghymru, ac mae hyn i'w groesawu. Mae hyn, wrth gwrs, yn wahanol iawn i'r Llywodraeth anfoesol sydd yn gweinyddu yn San Steffan. Chlywsom ni ddim byd tebyg yn Araith y Brenin heddiw a dwi'n hyderus na chlywn ni ddim byd tebyg yn natganiad yr hydref mewn pythefnos chwaith.
Ond mae'n amlwg mai ein blaenoriaeth ni yma, drwy'r cytundeb cydweithredu rhwng Plaid Cymru a'r Llywodraeth, ydy sicrhau bod gan bobl do uwch eu pennau a bod pobl yn gallu byw mewn urddas a diogelwch. Mae’r gefnogaeth yma'n bosib oherwydd ein bod ni’n gweld sefydliadau Cymru yn cael eu defnyddio er lles pobl Cymru. Dyma ddatganoli, er gwaethaf mor gyfyngedig a thila ydy o, yn gweithio dros bobl Cymru, gan sicrhau cymorth i’r bobl hynny sydd ei angen yn ystod eu hawr fwyaf anghenus. Dyma Cymru yn lliniaru ar effeithiau niweidiol argyfwng a grëwyd yn San Steffan. Ystyriwch beth fedren ni ei gyflawni gyda’r grymoedd llawn a ddaw yn sgil annibyniaeth. Efo annibyniaeth, ni fyddai Cymru bellach ar drugaredd Ceidwadwyr ciaidd San Steffan, ond yn hytrach yn medru torri ein cwys ein hun yn llwyr a chreu'r polisïau economaidd tecach sydd eu hangen arnom ni er mwyn cael gwared ar ddigartrefedd a sicrhau bod pawb yn byw gydag urddas yng Nghymru. Ydy’r Gweinidog, tybed, yn cytuno efo’r dadansoddiad yma?
Mae gan Blaid Cymru hanes balch o gynorthwyo pobl yn y modd yma. Dŷn ni’n cofio gwaith gwych Jocelyn Davies pan oedd hi’n Weinidog tai nôl yn 2008 a’i chynllun achub morgeisi bryd hynny. Mae’r pecyn newydd yma, Cymorth i Aros, am fynd gam ymhellach na hynny a chynorthwyo pobl yn gynt yn y broses, nid dim ond pobl sydd o dan fygythiad uniongyrchol o golli eiddo yn syth. Mae hyn, felly, yn golygu y gall pobl aros yn eu cartrefi ac osgoi'r straen a’r gorbryder a ddaw yn sgil trafferthion talu morgais.
Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd, and I thank the Minister for today’s announcement. On behalf of Plaid Cymru, I very much welcome this Help to Stay scheme and the package of £40 million for it through the co-operation agreement with Plaid Cymru.
An increasing number of people in Wales face great uncertainty and are living in fear of homelessness as a result of ongoing inflationary pressures and the cost-of-living crisis. This support package will help a number of families in Wales to keep a roof over their heads, and this is to be welcomed. This, of course, is in stark contrast to the immoral Government in Westminster. We heard nothing like this in the King’s Speech, and I am confident that we won’t hear a similar scheme being announced in the autumn statement in a fortnight's time.
But it is clear that our priority, through the co-operation agreement between Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Government, is ensuring that people have a roof over their heads and that people can live in dignity and safety. This support is possible because we see institutions and organisations in Wales working for the benefit of the people of Wales. This is devolution, despite its limitations, working for the people of Wales, providing support for those who require it in their hour of greatest need. This is Wales mitigating the harmful effects of a crisis created in Westminster. Consider what we could achieve with the full powers that would come with independence. With independence, Wales would no longer be at the mercy of the inhuman Conservatives in Westminster. Instead, we could plough our own furrow and create the fairer economic policies needed to eradicate homelessness and ensure that everyone lived with dignity in Wales. Does the Minister, I wonder, agree with this analysis?
Now, Plaid Cymru has a proud history of supporting people in this way. We remember the outstanding work of Jocelyn Davies when she was housing Minister back in 2008, and the mortgage rescue scheme she introduced at that time. This new package, Help to Stay, will go a step further than that by supporting people earlier on in the process, not just those who are at immediate risk of losing their properties. This means that they can remain in their homes and avoid the stress and anxiety that come in the wake of difficulties in paying the mortgage.
At a time of such acute economic pressure on households, the extension of support to those facing repossession and financial hardship will reduce the number of home owners at risk of repossession and homelessness by offering them time to resolve their underlying financial issues. Crucially, the scheme will help many to avoid the traumatic and growing issue of homelessness, and will help reduce pressure on temporary accommodation services, which are currently under immense strain, with the latest statistics indicating 11,185 individuals were in temporary accommodation.
The scheme before us today will, of course, work in tandem with other policies that we've long advocated for and have now secured through the co-operation agreement, namely the work on second homes and empty homes, new legislation on homelessness prevention, and the White Paper on property and fair rents. Plaid Cymru and the Labour Government clearly share an aim to ensure that everyone in Wales has the safety of a roof over their heads and a place to call home. And while welcoming the scheme’s launch today, I will continue to make the case for the Welsh Government to embrace and embed the right to adequate housing in Welsh law, to drive the change we want to see.
Ultimately, the precarious situation many mortgage holders are facing has happened because of the present make-up of the housing market, which essentially means the only option for most people to own a home is to get a mortgage for an essentially unaffordable property. What we really need to do is accelerate the construction of municipal housing to reduce costs, enabling more people to access secure and affordable housing. This scheme will go a long way in helping people across Wales, but it must also operate alongside a range of other policies. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Mewn cyfnod fel hyn o bwysau economaidd difrifol ar aelwydydd, fe fydd ehangu'r gefnogaeth i'r rhai sy'n wynebu adfeddiannu a chaledi ariannol yn lleihau nifer y perchnogion tai sydd mewn perygl o brofi adfeddiant a digartrefedd trwy roi amser iddyn nhw ddatrys eu problemau ariannol gwaelodol. Yn ei hanfod, fe fydd y cynllun yn helpu llawer i osgoi profiad ingol digartrefedd sy'n cynyddu, ac fe fydd yn helpu i ysgafnu'r pwysau ar wasanaethau llety dros dro, sydd dan straen aruthrol ar hyn o bryd, gyda'r ystadegau diweddaraf yn nodi bod 11,185 o unigolion mewn llety dros dro.
Fe fydd y cynllun sydd ger ein bron heddiw, wrth gwrs, yn gweithio ochr yn ochr â pholisïau eraill yr ydym ni wedi dadlau o'u plaid nhw ers cryn amser ac erbyn hyn, rydym ni wedi eu sicrhau nhw drwy'r cytundeb cydweithio, sef y gwaith ar ail gartrefi a thai gwag, deddfwriaeth newydd ar atal digartrefedd, a'r Papur Gwyn ar eiddo a rhenti teg. Mae Plaid Cymru a'r Llywodraeth Lafur yn amlwg yn rhannu'r nod o sicrhau y bydd pawb yng Nghymru gyda diogelwch o fod â tho uwch eu pennau ac aelwyd yn gartref. Ac wrth groesawu lansiad y cynllun heddiw, fe fyddaf i'n parhau i ddadlau'r achos y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru gofleidio a gwreiddio'r hawl i annedd weddus yn y gyfraith yng Nghymru, i ysgogi'r newid yr ydym ni'n dyheu amdano.
Yn y pen draw, mae'r sefyllfa ansicr y mae llawer o ddeiliaid morgeisi yn ei hwynebu yn bodoli oherwydd strwythur presennol y farchnad dai, sydd yn ei hanfod yn golygu mai'r unig ddewis i'r rhan fwyaf o bobl ar gyfer prynu tŷ yw cael morgais am eiddo na ellir ei fforddio, yn y bôn. Yr hyn sydd angen i ni ei wneud mewn gwirionedd yw cyflymu'r gwaith o adeiladu tai trefol i leihau costau, gan alluogi mwy o bobl i allu byw mewn tai diogel a fforddiadwy. Fe fydd y cynllun hwn yn mynd ffordd bell o ran helpu pobl ledled Cymru, ond mae'n rhaid iddo weithredu ochr yn ochr ag ystod o bolisïau eraill hefyd. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Diolch, Mabon. I completely agree with that last set of remarks. This is part of a suite of policies, as you've rightly said, many of which we've been working on together as part of the co-operation agreement. It's not in any way intended to be a substitute for building social homes, which we clearly need to do, but it's born out of the same circumstances as the difficulty of building social homes. So, we used to be able to build a social home for somewhere around £175,000 to £195,000, and now it's somewhere around £235,000 to £250,000. So, we're losing two in every million if you think of it like that. As a result of that, a large number of people who might have been facing this kind of hardship and who might have applied for social housing will be further back, because we aren't able to build them in the way that we would.
All of this is driven by the ridiculously bad fiscal policies of the UK Government. None of this is necessary at all. This is a catastrophic set of circumstances that were set in train by fiscal irresponsibility. There's no other way of putting it. So, what we're trying to do is we're trying to make sure that the trauma caused by that in many households across Wales is lessened, and, of course, it's a suite of policies. So, yes, we're absolutely looking at mortgage rescue where somebody actually loses the equity interest in their home but retains the ability to stay there. It's not ideal, but, nevertheless, better than being homeless. This allows you to keep your toehold on the property ladder.
The property market in Britain is broken—it absolutely is. So, these kinds of interventions are necessary to make sure that we keep as many people as possible in their homes, so it's very much part of what, Dirprwy Lywydd, you've heard me say many times is the prevention agenda. This isn't about just helping people at the sharp end who are not making a lifestyle choice, but who are there through no fault of their own in the majority of cases—I would go as far as to say every case, actually—and it's there to make sure that we get ahead of that and try and prevent that happening. This kind of financial stress drives family breakdown. That's the truth of it. Debt stress is one of the worst causes of family breakdown. So, trying to get ahead of that is one of the main aims of this policy.
Diolch, Mabon. Rwy'n cytuno yn llwyr â'r gyfres olaf honno o sylwadau. Un rhan yw hon o gyfres o bolisïau, fel roeddech chi'n gywir i'w ddweud, ac fe fuom ni'n gweithio gyda'n gilydd ar lawer ohonyn nhw yn rhan o'r cytundeb cydweithio. Nid y bwriad mewn unrhyw fodd yw disodli adeiladu cartrefi cymdeithasol, ac mae hi'n amlwg fod angen i ni wneud hynny, ond mae hyn yn deillio o'r un amgylchiadau â'r rhai sy'n achosi'r anhawster o ran adeiladu cartrefi cymdeithasol. Felly, roeddem ni'n arfer gallu adeiladu cartref cymdeithasol am rywbeth rhwng £175,000 a £195,000, a nawr y mae hynny rhwng £235,000 a £250,000. Felly, fe gollwn ni ddau ym mhob miliwn os ydych chi'n ystyried y peth fel yna. O ganlyniad i hynny, fe fydd nifer fawr o bobl a allai fod wedi bod yn wynebu'r math hwn o galedi ac a fyddai wedi gwneud cais am dai cymdeithasol ymhellach yn eu holau, am nad ydym ni'n gallu adeiladu'r tai hyn fel byddem ni.
Fe ysgogwyd hyn i gyd gan bolisïau cyllidol sobr o wael Llywodraeth y DU. Nid oedd angen o gwbl iddi fod fel hyn. Mae hon yn set drychinebus o amgylchiadau a ddaeth yn weithredol oherwydd anghyfrifoldeb cyllidol. Nid oes ffordd arall o fynegi'r peth. Felly, yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ceisio ei wneud yw sicrhau bod yr archoll a achosir gan hynny mewn llawer o gartrefi ledled Cymru yn cael ei lliniaru, ac, wrth gwrs, mae hon yn gyfres o bolisïau. Felly, ydym, rydym ni'n edrych yn hollol ar achub morgais lle bydd rhywun yn colli buddiant yr ecwiti sydd yn ei gartref ond yn parhau i fod yn gallu byw ynddo. Nid yw hynny'n ddelfrydol, ond serch hynny, mae'n llawer gwell na mynd yn ddigartref. Mae hyn yn eich galluogi chi i gadw eich troed ar yr ysgol eiddo.
Mae'r farchnad dai yn doredig ym Mhrydain—mae hynny'n hollol wir. Felly, mae'r mathau hyn o ymyriadau yn angenrheidiol i sicrhau ein bod ni'n cadw cymaint o bobl â phosibl yn eu cartrefi, felly mae hynny'n gyfran fawr o'r hyn yr ydych chi, Dirprwy Lywydd, wedi fy nghlywed i'n ei ddweud lawer gwaith o ran agenda ataliaeth. Nid ystyr hyn yn unig yw helpu pobl mewn trybini nad ydyn nhw wedi dewis ffordd o fyw fel hyn, ond sy'n ddi-fai yn y mwyafrif o achosion—fe fyddwn i'n mynd mor bell â dweud ym mhob achos, mewn gwirionedd—ac mae ar waith i wneud yn siŵr ein bod ni'n bwrw ymlaen â hynny ac yn ceisio atal hynny rhag digwydd. Mae pwysau ariannol fel hyn yn peri i deuluoedd chwalu. Dyna'r gwir amdani. Pwysau oherwydd dyledion yw un o achosion pennaf chwalfa deuluol. Felly, mae ceisio bwrw ymlaen yn hyn o beth yn un o brif amcanion y polisi hwn.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog.
I thank the Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf yw datganiad gan y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol, trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol, adroddiad blynyddol 2022-23, a galwaf ar y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol, Jane Hutt.
The next item will be a statement by the Minister for Social Justice, violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence annual report 2022-23. And I call on the Minister for Social Justice, Jane Hutt.
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. It is an appalling fact that violence against women and girls continues to blight lives, with harassment, abuse and violence a daily occurrence for many. It is shocking that on average two women a week are killed by a current or former partner in England and Wales. The Welsh Government is clear about our ambition to end violence against women and girls. It is a societal problem, which requires a societal response, which we will both lead and drive.
Today, I am pleased to announce the publication of the violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence annual report for 2022–2023. Publishing this report is a statutory requirement under section 12 of the groundbreaking Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015. The report highlights the progress the Welsh Government has made towards its goal to end gender-based violence. It covers the work completed between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023, with reference to the six objectives set out in the national strategy. The VAWDASV national strategy was published in May 2022, and is the second such strategy to be published under the 2015 Act.
The strategy sets out how the Welsh Government and its partners in the public, private and third sectors are tackling male violence, gender inequality and misogyny. The annual report provides an update on progress towards achieving each of the objectives. It highlights the important work carried out here in Wales to ensure women and girls are able to live fear free and all victims and survivors receive the support they need. It also acknowledges the importance of an intersectional approach. This will help us to further develop our understanding of VAWDASV and address the barriers faced by and diverse needs of all those affected, including children, older people, black, Asian and minority ethnic people, disabled people and LGBTQ+ people and communities.
This report shows the innovative way this strategy is being taken forward through a blueprint approach, which brings together devolved and non-devolved organisations, as well as strengthening the partnership between public, private and specialist sectors. Throughout 2022-23, the Welsh Government has been working with partners, including Policing in Wales and the specialist sector, to establish a new VAWDASV blueprint structure to deliver the national strategy. This builds on our successful women’s justice and youth justice blueprint models. The VAWDASV blueprint includes six work streams reporting to an operational programme board, which is, in turn, overseen by the strategic VAWDASV national partnership board that I co-chair with police and crime commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn.
I'm committed to placing the voice of survivors at the heart of this work. During the reporting period, a survivor voice scrutiny and involvement panel was established as part of the blueprint, and this ensures that all the blueprint work is scrutinised by survivors ahead of being considered by the VAWDASV national partnership board. Progress can only be made by engaging seriously and collaboratively with survivors.
The Welsh Government published the blueprint’s high-level action plan in March 2023. This describes the purpose of each of the work streams and sets out each of their high-level delivery plans. Establishing the blueprint has built a strong base to work collaboratively and I would like to extend my thanks to all of our partners for their shared commitment to this agenda. It's only by working together, by pooling our expertise and resources, that we will truly be able to tackle violence against women and to ensure everyone has access to support, that prevention can reduce harm and that perpetrators are able to address their behaviour. I would also like to thank the Equality and Social Justice Committee for the important work they have carried out in their inquiries in this field of policy.
As well as this annual report on the national strategy, we've also recently published an update on blueprint progress. In addition, I would like to draw attention to the invaluable work of our VAWDASV national advisers, Yasmin Khan and Johanna Robinson. They're actively supporting the blueprint, as well as advising me and helping to raise the profile of this work being delivered across Wales and beyond. They’ve just published their own annual report, and I commend it to Senedd Members and everyone else with an interest in ending violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence.
Some of the other key achievements highlighted in the annual report on the national strategy include that, in March this year, I announced a package of funding for BAWSO to provide support for migrant women fleeing abuse who have no recourse to public funds; extensive engagement with the UK Government on various pieces of legislation, including the Victims and Prisoners Bill, to ensure the devolved nature of service provision in Wales is taken into account; the development and launch of the Sound campaign, an early intervention and prevention campaign aimed at young men, encouraging them to make positive personal choices and to begin open conversations with their peers; 21,500 children and young people gained increased knowledge, awareness and understanding of healthy relationships through Spectrum sessions in primary schools; the procurement of the first Welsh Government national bystander training programme to challenge societal attitudes and increase the unacceptability of gender-based abuse; and, by the end of March 2023, over 342,000 professionals in Wales had accessed training through the national training framework, ensuring they have the knowledge and experience to respond confidently to those experiencing any form of gender-based abuse; and over 34,000 victims and survivors of violence against women were supported by the 24/7 Live Fear Free helpline, funded by the Welsh Government.
I am publishing this report in the run-up to White Ribbon Day on 25 November and the 16 days of activism that follow. White Ribbon is the UK’s leading charity engaging men and boys to end violence against women and girls. And I’m proud to report that, over the reporting period, the Welsh Government renewed its White Ribbon accreditation. The Welsh Government is the only UK Government or governmental department to be White Ribbon accredited.
As you will see from our annual report, Wales has made significant progress in tackling violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence, and we should be proud of our record. Nevertheless, there is still much more to do, and the creation of the blueprint clearly shows the level of our ambition. We’ve achieved a great deal but very substantial challenges remain and we will meet these head on.
In 2023-24 we will continue to work together in the spirit of co-production and collaboration to further develop the blueprint and deliver against the VAWDASV national strategy. Our commitment is to ensure everyone can live fear free, and Wales will not be a bystander to abuse.
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Mae hi'n ffaith ofnadwy fod trais yn erbyn menywod a merched yn parhau i ddifetha bywydau, gydag aflonyddu, cam-drin a thrais yn rhywbeth sy'n digwydd yn ddyddiol i lawer un. Mae hi'n frawychus fod dwy fenyw bob wythnos ar gyfartaledd yn cael eu lladd gan bartner presennol neu gyn-bartner yng Nghymru a Lloegr. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eglur o ran ein huchelgais i weld diwedd ar drais yn erbyn menywod a merched. Mae hi'n broblem yn y gymdeithas, sy'n gofyn ymateb cymdeithasol, y byddwn ni'n ei arwain a'i ysgogi fel ei gilydd.
Heddiw, rwy'n falch o gyhoeddi adroddiad blynyddol trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol ar gyfer 2022–2023. Mae cyhoeddi'r adroddiad hwn yn ofyniad statudol yn unol ag adran 12 Deddf Trais yn erbyn Menywod, Cam-drin Domestig a Thrais Rhywiol (Cymru) 2015. Mae'r adroddiad yn tynnu sylw at y cynnydd a wnaeth Llywodraeth Cymru tuag at ei nod i weld diwedd terfyn ar drais ar sail rhyw. Mae'n cwmpasu'r gwaith a gwblhawyd rhwng 1 o fis Ebrill 2022 a 31 o fis Mawrth 2023, gan gyfeirio at y chwe amcan a nodir yn y strategaeth genedlaethol. Cyhoeddwyd strategaeth genedlaethol trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol ym mis Mai 2022, a hon yw'r ail strategaeth o'r fath i'w chyhoeddi yn unol â Deddf 2015.
Mae'r strategaeth yn nodi sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru a'i phartneriaid yn y sector cyhoeddus, y sector preifat a'r trydydd sector yn mynd i'r afael â thrais gan ddynion, anghydraddoldeb rhywiol a chasineb at fenywod. Mae'r adroddiad blynyddol yn rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf ynglŷn â'r cynnydd tuag at gyflawniad pob un o'r amcanion. Mae'n tynnu sylw at y gwaith pwysig a wneir yma yng Nghymru i sicrhau bod menywod a merched yn gallu byw heb ofn a bod pob tramgwyddwr a goroeswr yn derbyn y cymorth sydd ei angen. Mae'n cydnabod hefyd bwysigrwydd ymagwedd groestoriadol. Fe fydd hyn yn ein helpu ni i ddatblygu ein dealltwriaeth ni o drais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol hefyd ac yn mynd i'r afael â'r rhwystrau sy'n wynebu anghenion ac amrywiol pawb sy'n cael eu heffeithio arnyn nhw, gan gynnwys plant, pobl hŷn, pobl ddu, Asiaidd a lleiafrifoedd ethnig, pobl anabl a phobl a chymunedau LHDTC+.
Mae'r adroddiad hwn yn dangos y ffordd arloesol y datblygir y strategaeth hon drwy ddull y glasbrint, sy'n dwyn sefydliadau datganoledig a sefydliadau heb eu datganoli at ei gilydd, yn ogystal â grymuso'r bartneriaeth rhwng sectorau cyhoeddus, preifat ac arbenigol. Drwy gydol 2022-23, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn gweithio gyda phartneriaid, gan gynnwys Plismona yng Nghymru a'r sector arbenigol, i sefydlu strwythur glasbrint newydd ar gyfer trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol er mwyn cyflawni'r strategaeth genedlaethol. Mae hyn yn adeiladu ar ein modelau glasbrint llwyddiannus ar gyfer cyfiawnder i fenywod a chyfiawnder i ieuenctid. Mae glasbrint trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol yn cynnwys chwe ffrwd waith sy'n adrodd i fwrdd rhaglenni gweithredol, sydd, yn ei dro, yn cael ei oruchwylio gan fwrdd partneriaeth cenedlaethol strategol trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol yr wyf i'n ei gadeirio gyda'r Comisiynydd yr Heddlu a Throseddu, Dafydd Llywelyn.
Rwyf i wedi ymrwymo i roi gwrando ar lais y goroeswr wrth galon y gwaith hwn. Yn ystod y cyfnod adrodd, cafodd panel craffu i wrando ar leisiau goroeswyr a rhoi cyfranogiad iddyn nhw ei sefydlu yn rhan o'r glasbrint, ac mae hwnnw'n sicrhau y bydd y gwaith glasbrint i gyd yn cael ei graffu arno gan oroeswyr cyn cael ei ystyried gan fwrdd partneriaeth genedlaethol trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol. Dim ond drwy ymgysylltiad gwirioneddol ac ar y cyd â goroeswyr y gellir gweld cynnydd.
Cyhoeddodd Llywodraeth Cymru gynllun gweithredu lefel uchel y glasbrint ym mis Mawrth 2023. Mae hwnnw'n disgrifio diben pob un o'r ffrydiau gwaith ac yn nodi pob un o'u cynlluniau cyflawni lefel uchel. Mae sefydlu'r glasbrint wedi gosod sylfaen gref i weithio ar y cyd ac fe hoffwn i ddiolch i'n holl bartneriaid ni am eu hymrwymiad cyffredin i'r agenda hon. Dim ond drwy weithio gyda'n gilydd, drwy gyfuno ein harbenigedd a'n hadnoddau, y byddwn ni'n gallu mynd i'r afael â thrais yn erbyn menywod a sicrhau y bydd pawb yn gallu cael cymorth, ac y gall atal liniaru niwed ac y bydd tramgwyddwyr yn gallu mynd i'r afael â'u hymddygiad nhw. Fe hoffwn i ddiolch hefyd i'r Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol am y gwaith pwysig a wnaethon nhw yn eu hymchwiliadau i'r maes hwn o bolisi.
Yn ogystal â'r adroddiad blynyddol hwn ar y strategaeth genedlaethol, rydym ni newydd gyhoeddi diweddariad hefyd ar gynnydd ar y glasbrint. Yn ogystal â hynny, fe hoffwn i dynnu sylw at waith amhrisiadwy ein cynghorwyr cenedlaethol trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol, sef Yasmin Khan a Johanna Robinson. Maen nhw'n cefnogi'r glasbrint, yn ogystal â'm cynghori a'm helpu i godi proffil y gwaith hwn a wneir ledled Cymru a'r tu hwnt. Maen nhw newydd gyhoeddi eu hadroddiad blynyddol eu hunain, ac rwy'n ei gymeradwyo i Aelodau'r Senedd ac unrhyw un arall sy'n ymddiddori ym maes rhoi diwedd ar drais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol.
Mae rhai o'r cyflawniadau allweddol eraill a ddaeth i'r amlwg yn yr adroddiad blynyddol ar y strategaeth genedlaethol yn cynnwys, ym mis Mawrth eleni, fy nghyhoeddiad o becyn cyllid ar gyfer BAWSO i ddarparu cefnogaeth i fenywod mudol sy'n ffoi rhag cam-drin nad ydyn nhw'n gallu hawlio arian cyhoeddus; ymgysylltiad helaeth â Llywodraeth y DU ar wahanol ddarnau o ddeddfwriaeth, gan gynnwys y Bil Dioddefwyr a Charcharorion, i sicrhau bod natur ddatganoledig darpariaeth gwasanaethau yng Nghymru yn cael ei hystyried; datblygiad a lansio ymgyrch Iawn, ymgyrch ymyrraeth gynnar ac atal ar gyfer dynion ifanc, gan eu hannog nhw i wneud dewisiadau personol adeiladol a dechrau sgyrsiau agored gyda'u cyfoedion; cafodd 21,500 o blant a phobl ifanc fwy o wybodaeth, ymwybyddiaeth a dealltwriaeth o berthnasoedd iach drwy sesiynau Sbectrwm mewn ysgolion cynradd; caffael ar gyfer rhaglen hyfforddiant gwyliwr genedlaethol gyntaf Llywodraeth Cymru i herio agweddau cymdeithasol a chynyddu annerbynioldeb cam-drin ar sail rhywedd; ac, erbyn diwedd mis Mawrth 2023, roedd dros 342,000 o weithwyr proffesiynol yng Nghymru wedi cael hyfforddiant drwy'r fframwaith hyfforddi cenedlaethol, gan sicrhau bod y wybodaeth a'r profiad ganddyn nhw i ymateb yn hyderus i'r rhai sy'n profi unrhyw fath o gam-drin ar sail rhywedd; a chefnogwyd dros 34,000 o ddioddefwyr a goroeswyr trais yn erbyn menywod gan linell gymorth Byw Heb Ofn 24/7, a ariannwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru.
Rwy'n cyhoeddi'r adroddiad hwn yn y cyfnod cyn Diwrnod y Rhuban Gwyn ar 25 o fis Tachwedd a'r 16 diwrnod o weithgarwch sy'n ei ddilyn. Y Rhuban Gwyn yw'r brif elusen yn y DU sy'n ymgysylltu â dynion a bechgyn i roi terfyn ar drais yn erbyn menywod a merched. Ac rwy'n falch o adrodd, dros y cyfnod adrodd, fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi adnewyddu ei hachrediad Rhuban Gwyn. Llywodraeth Cymru yw'r unig Lywodraeth y DU neu adran lywodraethol i gael ei hachredu gan y Rhuban Gwyn.
Fel y gwelwch chi o'n hadroddiad blynyddol, mae Cymru wedi gwneud cynnydd sylweddol o ran mynd i'r afael â thrais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol, ac fe ddylem ni fod yn falch o'n henw da. Serch hynny, mae llawer i'w wneud eto, ac mae creu'r glasbrint yn dangos maint ein huchelgais ni'n eglur. Rydym ni wedi cyflawni llawer iawn ond mae heriau sylweddol iawn yn parhau ac fe fyddwn ni'n ymdrin â'r rhain yn uniongyrchol.
Yn 2023-24 fe fyddwn ni'n parhau i weithio gyda'n gilydd yn ysbryd cydgynhyrchu a chydweithio i ddatblygu'r glasbrint ymhellach a chyflawni yn ôl strategaeth genedlaethol trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol. Ein hymrwymiad ni yw sicrhau y gall pawb fyw heb ofn, ac ni fydd Cymru yn sefyll yn ôl o ran gwrthsefyll trais.
Yesterday evening, the Welsh Government sent Members a document, 'Violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence: annual progress report 2022 to 2023'. Why does this differ from the ‘Violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence: national advisers annual report 2022 to 2023', published last month, in both content and objectives? Where is the coherent, robust strategy detailing what, how, where, when, and who will deliver against these objectives? The national advisers report states, and I quote:
‘The Domestic Abuse Commissioner…for England and Wales provided a comprehensive report in 2022 “A Patchwork of provision: mapping report” how to meet the needs of victims and survivors across England and Wales.’
It goes on to say:
'This report highlighted the challenges in the ability of victims and survivors who wanted it to access counselling support, with a 21 percentage point difference between the highest area (58% in the North East of England) and lowest area (37% in Wales).'
Further, it states:
'in pursuit of holding perpetrators to account and the specific behaviour change interventions, 16% of survivors in the North East of England reported their perpetrator was able to access support to change behaviour, compared to 3% in Wales.'
So, how will you plug this gap in access to services here in Wales? The report also states that:
‘Survivor engagement and ensuring that experts by experience are involved in policy making and scrutiny of delivery at all levels is critical.’
However, Welsh Women’s Aid have highlighted concerns around the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, that they’re not being listened to by Welsh Government, stating they do not believe the Act fits the flexible and emergency nature of refuge provision. Refuge provision is never intended to be a home, and survivors reside there whilst fleeing risk of imminent serious harm or death. Refuge relies on flexible tenancies, such as licences, so that the survivor can be moved on quickly when refuge is no longer appropriate for them. This legislation, they say, has inappropriately treated the emergency accommodation that refuge provides as a home for the purposes of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act.
They strongly believe the Act may break the Welsh violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence refuge system. It has already caused lasting and devastating consequences for survivors and service provision, they state, since its implementation. 'Concerns have been raised on issues such as safeguarding, risk, complexity of residents' tenancy status and additional administration burden on refuge provision, which are already dealing with high demand.' End of quote.
Although they've raised and evidenced their concerns to the Welsh Government, Welsh Government has stated that you do not have a sufficient evidence base for legislative change or public consultation. Prior to the first anniversary of implementation on 1 December, Welsh Women's Aid will be holding a peaceful 'Storm the Senedd' event on 28 November, and they invite Members to come along to show support. I'm then co-sponsoring a drop-in event on 13 December on this issue. So, what discussions have you had, or will you now have with the Minister for Climate Change to address these very real concerns regarding the Act, and will you come to either of these events to hear further about Welsh Women's Aid's concerns?
The report you issued last night notes
'disabled people are nearly three times more likely to experience domestic abuse and yet so many services are still not accessible',
yet the Welsh Government's violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence team are only, quote,
'considering the best method of understanding what steps and measures grant recipients are putting in place to ensure the funded project/s meet the needs of disabled victims and survivors.'
When will this be in place so that effective monitoring can happen? This report references an action plan to meet older people's needs. When will this be in place and how will it be monitored? This report refers to increasing awareness in children and young people of the importance of healthy relationships and that abuse is always wrong. It also refers to the development of a whole-system approach to meet the needs of children and young people impacted by domestic abuse and sexual violence. However, after two decades of talking about this, what specific support and monitoring will be put in place to meet the complex needs of children and young people exposed to domestic abuse and sexual violence?
Finally, although the majority of perpetrators are male, Office for National Statistics figures state that a third of victims of domestic abuse are men and boys. How will the Welsh Government therefore ensure that these victims and survivors can access safe, tailored, specialist support in their own areas?
Neithiwr, fe anfonodd Llywodraeth Cymru ddogfen i'r Aelodau, 'Trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol: adroddiad blynyddol 2022 i 2023 o gynnydd'. Pam mae hon yn wahanol i'r ddogfen 'Trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol: adroddiad blynyddol cynghorwyr cenedlaethol 2022 i 2023', a gyhoeddwyd fis diwethaf, o ran ei chynnwys a'i hamcanion fel ei gilydd? Ym mha le mae'r strategaeth gydlynol, gadarn sy'n manylu ar beth, sut, ym mha le, pa bryd, a phwy sydd am gyflawni yn ôl yr amcanion hyn? Mae'r adroddiad cynghorwyr cenedlaethol yn nodi, ac rwy'n dyfynnu:
'Darparodd Comisiynydd Cam-drin Domestig Cymru a Lloegr adroddiad cynhwysfawr yn 2022 "A Patchwork of provision: mapping report" sut i ddiwallu anghenion dioddefwyr a goroeswyr ledled Cymru a Lloegr.'
Mae'n mynd ymlaen i ddweud:
'Amlygodd yr adroddiad hwn yr heriau o ran gallu dioddefwyr a goroeswyr i gael gafael ar gymorth cwnsela, roedd gwahaniaeth o 21 pwynt canran rhwng yr ardal orau (58% yng Ngogledd-ddwyrain Lloegr) a'r ardal waethaf (37% yng Nghymru).
Ymhellach, mae'n dweud:
'wrth geisio dwyn cyflawnwyr trais i gyfrif a gweithredu’r ymyriadau newid ymddygiad penodol, dywedodd 16% o oroeswyr yng Ngogledd-ddwyrain Lloegr fod cymorth newid ymddygiad ar gael i’w camdriniwr, o'i gymharu â 3% yng Nghymru.'
Felly, sut ydych chi am lenwi'r bwlch hwn o ran mynediad at wasanaethau yma yng Nghymru? Mae'r adroddiad yn dweud hefyd:
'Mae ymgysylltu â goroeswyr a sicrhau bod unigolion sy'n arbenigwyr drwy brofiad yn rhan o'r gwaith o lunio polisïau a chraffu ar yr hyn sy'n digwydd ar bob lefel yn hanfodol.'
Fodd bynnag, mae Cymorth i Ferched Cymru wedi tynnu sylw at bryderon ynghylch Deddf Rhentu Cartrefi (Cymru) 2016, ac nad yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwrando arnyn nhw, ac yn dweud nad ydyn nhw o'r farn fod y Ddeddf yn cydweddu â natur hyblyg ac ymdriniaeth ag argyfwng y ddarpariaeth lloches. Ni fwriedir fyth i ddarpariaeth lloches fod yn gartref parhaol, ac mae goroeswyr yn byw yno wrth iddyn nhw ffoi rhag perygl o niwed difrifol neu farwolaeth sydd wrth law. Mae lloches yn dibynnu ar denantiaethau hyblyg, fel trwyddedau, er mwyn gallu symud y goroeswr ymlaen yn gyflym pan nad yw'r lloches yn briodol bellach. Mae'r ddeddfwriaeth hon, medden nhw, wedi trin y llety brys y mae lloches yn ei ddarparu fel cartref at ddibenion Deddf Rhentu Cartrefi (Cymru), a hynny'n amhriodol.
Maen nhw'n credu'n gryf y gallai'r Ddeddf dorri'r system lloches rhag trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol yng Nghymru. Mae hi wedi achosi canlyniadau parhaol a dinistriol eisoes i oroeswyr a darpariaeth y gwasanaethau, chwedl nhw, ers ei rhoi ar waith. 'Codwyd pryderon ynglŷn â materion fel diogelu, risg, cymhlethdod statws tenantiaeth preswylwyr a baich gweinyddol ychwanegol ar ddarpariaeth lloches, sy'n ymdopi â galw mawr eisoes.' Diwedd y dyfyniad.
Er eu bod nhw wedi codi a thystiolaethu am eu pryderon nhw i Lywodraeth Cymru, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dweud nad oes gennych sylfaen dystiolaeth ddigonol ar gyfer newid deddfwriaethol nac ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus. Cyn pen-blwydd cyntaf ei weithrediad ar 1 o fis Rhagfyr, fe fydd Cymorth i Ferched Cymru yn cynnal digwyddiad heddychlon 'Cyrch ar y Senedd' ar 28 o fis Tachwedd, ac maen nhw'n gwahodd Aelodau i ddod draw i ddangos cefnogaeth. Rwy'n noddi digwyddiad galw heibio ar y cyd ar 13 o fis Rhagfyr ar y mater hwn. Felly, pa drafodaethau a gawsoch chi, neu a fydd gennych chi nawr gyda'r Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd i fynd i'r afael â'r pryderon gwirioneddol hyn ynghylch y Ddeddf, ac a wnewch chi ddod i'r naill neu'r llall o'r digwyddiadau hyn i glywed mwy am bryderon Cymorth i Ferched Cymru?
Mae'r adroddiad a gyhoeddwyd gennych chi neithiwr yn nodi
'bod pobl anabl bron i deirgwaith yn fwy tebygol o brofi cam-drin domestig, ac eto mae cymaint o wasanaethau yn anhygyrch iddynt o hyd',
ac eto nid yw tîm trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol Llywodraeth Cymru ond, dyfyniad,
'wrthi'n ystyried y dull gorau o ddeall pa gamau a mesurau y mae derbynwyr grant yn eu rhoi ar waith i sicrhau bod y prosiect/au a ariennir yn diwallu anghenion dioddefwyr a goroeswyr anabl'.
Pryd fydd hyn ar waith er mwyn galluogi monitro effeithiol? Mae'r adroddiad hwn yn cyfeirio at gynllun gweithredu i ddiwallu anghenion pobl hŷn. Pryd fydd hwnnw'n digwydd a sut caiff ei fonitro? Mae'r adroddiad hwn yn cyfeirio at gynyddu ymwybyddiaeth ymhlith plant a phobl ifanc o bwysigrwydd cydberthynas iach a bod cam-drin yn anweddus pob amser. Mae'n cyfeirio hefyd at ddatblygu dull system gyfan i ddiwallu anghenion plant a phobl ifanc y mae cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol yn effeithio arnyn nhw. Er hynny, ar ôl dau ddegawd o siarad am hyn, pa gymorth a monitro penodol a gaiff ei roi ar waith i ddiwallu anghenion cymhleth plant a phobl ifanc sy'n agored i gam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol?
Yn olaf, er mai gwrywod yw mwyafrif y tramgwyddwyr, mae ffigyrau'r Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol yn nodi mai dynion a bechgyn yw un rhan o dair y rhai sy'n dioddef cam-drin domestig. Sut felly y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn sicrhau bod y dioddefwyr a'r goroeswyr hyn yn gallu cael gafael ar gymorth sy'n ddiogel, yn addas ac yn arbenigol yn eu hardaloedd nhw?
Thank you very much, Mark Isherwood. I think it is really important to recognise the role of our national advisers, and I very much welcomed their annual report. They have been established under the provision of the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015, as you know, and it is important that they have an independent role; they have a key role in advising Welsh Ministers about pursuing the purpose of the Act and tackling related matters. I think what's really important about our national advisers—and I know that not only the committee, but other Members of the Senedd are very well aware of our national advisers, the expertise, the experience and the independence that they provide in those roles, and it is really important that they can provide those reports. Independent, balanced input is what—. You know, under the terms of their appointments, but offering that expertise and advice to us and helping to shape policy development and delivery. And what's really important is that they play a key role in this strategy and the delivery of this strategy. So, they co-chair our work streams and they have been involved in setting up the survivor framework and panel, because they are engaging directly with people with lived experience as a result of their independent role and expertise.
Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi, Mark Isherwood. Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig iawn i ni gydnabod swyddogaeth ein cynghorwyr cenedlaethol, ac roeddwn i'n croesawu eu hadroddiad blynyddol nhw'n fawr iawn. Fe gawson nhw eu sefydlu dan ddarpariaeth Deddf Trais yn erbyn Menywod, Cam-drin Domestig a Thrais Rhywiol (Cymru) 2015, fel y gwyddoch chi, ac mae hi'n bwysig bod ganddyn nhw swyddogaeth annibynnol; mae ganddyn nhw swyddogaeth allweddol o ran cynghori Gweinidogion Cymru ynghylch dilyn pwrpas y Ddeddf a mynd i'r afael â materion cysylltiedig. Rwy'n credu mai'r hyn sydd wirioneddol bwysig o ran ein cynghorwyr cenedlaethol—ac rwy'n gwybod bod nid yn unig y pwyllgor, ond Aelodau eraill y Senedd yn ymwybodol iawn o'n cynghorwyr cenedlaethol, yr arbenigedd, y profiad a'r annibyniaeth y maen nhw'n eu cyfrannu yn y swyddi hynny, ac mae hi'n bwysig iawn eu bod nhw'n gallu darparu'r adroddiadau hynny. Mewnbwn annibynnol, cytbwys yw'r hyn—. Wyddoch chi, yn unol â thelerau eu penodi, ond gan gynnig yr arbenigedd a'r cyngor hwnnw i ni a'n helpu ni i lunio datblygiad a darpariaeth o ran polisi. A'r hyn sy'n bwysig iawn yw eu bod nhw â rhan allweddol yn y strategaeth hon a chyflawniad y strategaeth hon. Felly, maen nhw'n cadeirio ein ffrydiau gwaith ar y cyd ac maen nhw wedi bod yn rhan o sefydlu'r fframwaith a'r panel goroeswyr, oherwydd eu bod nhw'n ymgysylltu yn uniongyrchol â phobl sydd â phrofiad byw o ganlyniad i'w swyddogaeth a'u harbenigedd annibynnol.
I think it's also just important to acknowledge the work that's been done, particularly in relation to the objective, objective 3, which is about increasing the focus on holding those who commit abuse to account, supporting those who may carry out abusive or violent behaviour to change their behaviour and avoid offending. Clearly, the report gives an account of what has been done over the past year, and indeed what lies ahead in terms of objectives. It is very important that we have a tackling perpetration work stream, to recognise that we have a perpetrator policy team. It's working with our police and crime commissioners. It is, for example, devising an all-Wales response to conditional cautions for VAWDASV perpetrators in the early-intervention sphere. But what is very important in terms of the work stream is that we're working with partners to develop a map of services to identify the availability of services that work with perpetrators and those who harm, just so that we can better understand the landscape in Wales in relation to behaviour change and activity.
It is important that we look at this from an intersectional perspective, and that's what the work streams and indeed the last meeting of the strategic implementation board, which I co-chair, were discussing. In terms of intersectionality, we are looking at our VAWDASV specialist services in terms of the needs of disabled victims, to ensure that no victim falls through the gaps of service provision, particularly those at higher risk, and that includes older victims as well as disabled people. One point of development that is important is the VAWDASV capital grant fund, which does enable specialist services to adapt their provisions or purchase suitable accommodation, and we have to ensure that the access requirements of disabled people are acknowledged in that provision of capital grant aid.
Objective 2 is all about children and young people, and I've already given an update on the work that's been undertaken to reach out to children and young people, because obviously VAWDASV has such a huge impact on children and young people, and we have a work stream leading on this. But I think it is really important that we are also incorporating understanding and learning. As I've said, I talked about the Spectrum project, which has developed resources for teachers, working in primary schools, but also looking at working with HEFCW, with the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, about making sure that staff and students are engaged with this, to see how universities and third sector organisations can tackle violence against women within university settings for young people. We now do have our relationships and sexuality education as a statutory requirement in the Curriculum for Wales framework, and it's mandatory for learners.
I'll make a final comment in response to your questions on the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. Just to again clarify for Members, the Act recognises and protects the rights of those living in supported housing, and it follows a significant review of the previous use of licences in a range of settings, including refuges, by the Law Commission. So, the 2016 Act creates a legal basis for supported accommodation, providing similar rights to anyone else living in rented accommodation. I have met with Welsh Women's Aid to discuss these issues. They've raised concerns about the operation of the Act and we do have to look at this, and indeed we have, and I have with my colleague Julie James, the Minister for Climate Change, who's responsible for housing. I think it's about balancing the rights and interests of those living in refuge. So, our officials, together, are discussing with Welsh Women's Aid their concerns relating to the Act.
There are plans to develop comprehensive understanding of the practical impact through the evaluation of the implementation of the Act, and that's currently under way. So, it is right that we gather as much real-world evidence as possible in terms of looking at the impact of the Act. It's also welcome that this is openly shared and scrutinised and that there are meetings being held and discussions being held as well.
I do hope that you will recognise from the report—the report that I'm tabling today—the progress that is being made, and also that we're going to be now publishing quarterly newsletters from our work streams who are engaging, most importantly, in terms of the blueprint. We have got non-devolved and devolved services and authorities working together. Having been involved in this field for many years, right from the start of developing Women's Aid, yes, we have huge responsibilities in devolved services, but unless this can be set in the context of criminal justice responsibilities, particularly in relation to policing and their role, and the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts, we will not make the change that we need to make.
For me, it is a huge frustration and shocking that, as I said, on average, two women a week are killed by a current or former partner in Wales. And, of course, we do look to those victims. We continue to support the Safer Wales Dyn project, which protects and supports all men, including gay, heterosexual, bisexual and transgender men, who have experienced domestic abuse in Wales. And, importantly, the fact that the Dyn project works to enhance safety and increase well-being through a collaborative approach with partners across Wales.
Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig i ni gydnabod y gwaith a wnaethpwyd yn barod, yn enwedig o ran yr amcan, amcan 3, sy'n ymwneud â chanolbwyntio mwy ar ddwyn y rhai sy'n cyflawni camdriniaeth i gyfrif, gan gefnogi'r rhai a allai ymddwyn yn ymosodol neu dreisgar wrth newid eu hymddygiad ac osgoi troseddu. Yn amlwg, mae'r adroddiad yn cofnodi'r hyn a wnaethpwyd dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, ac yn wir yr hyn sydd o'n blaenau ni o ran yr amcanion. Mae hi'n bwysig iawn fod gennym ni ffrwd waith i ymdrin â throseddau, i gydnabod bod gennym dîm polisi o ran troseddau. Mae hwnnw'n gweithio gyda'n comisiynwyr heddlu a throseddu. Er enghraifft, mae'n llunio ymateb ar sail Cymru gyfan i rybuddion amodol i dramgwyddwyr o ran trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol ym maes ymyrraeth gynnar. Ond yr hyn sy'n bwysig iawn o ran y ffrwd waith yw ein bod ni'n gweithio gyda phartneriaid i ddatblygu map o wasanaethau i nodi argaeledd gwasanaethau sy'n gweithio gyda thramgwyddwyr a rhai sy'n peri niwed i eraill, ar gyfer deall y dirwedd yng Nghymru yn well o ran newid ymddygiad a gweithgaredd.
Mae hi'n bwysig ein bod ni'n ystyried hyn o safbwynt rhyngblethol, a dyna'r hyn yr oedd y ffrydiau gwaith ac yn wir gyfarfod olaf y bwrdd gweithredu strategol, yr wyf i'n ei gadeirio, yn ei drafod. O ran croestoriad, rydym ni'n edrych ar ein gwasanaethau arbenigol trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol o ran anghenion dioddefwyr anabl, i sicrhau nad oes unrhyw ddioddefwr yn mynd drwy'r rhwyd o ran darpariaeth gwasanaethau, yn enwedig y rhai sydd â risg uwch, ac mae hynny'n cynnwys dioddefwyr hŷn yn ogystal â phobl anabl. Un pwynt o ddatblygiad sy'n bwysig yw cronfa grant cyfalaf trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol, sy'n galluogi gwasanaethau arbenigol i addasu eu darpariaethau nhw neu brynu llety addas, ac mae'n rhaid i ni sicrhau bod gofynion pobl anabl o ran hygyrchedd yn cael eu cydnabod yn y ddarpariaeth honno o gymorth grant cyfalaf.
Mae amcan 2 yn ymwneud â phlant a phobl ifanc, ac fe roddais i'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y gwaith a wnaethpwyd eisoes i estyn allan at blant a phobl ifanc, oherwydd yn amlwg mae trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol ag effaith mor enfawr ar blant a phobl ifanc, ac mae gennym ni ffrwd waith sy'n arwain ar y pwnc hwn. Ond rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig iawn ein bod hefyd yn ymgorffori dealltwriaeth a'r hyn a ddysgir. Fel y dywedais i, fe soniais i am brosiect Sbectrwm, sydd wedi datblygu adnoddau ar gyfer athrawon, gan weithio mewn ysgolion cynradd, ond sy'n ystyried gweithio gyda CCAUC hefyd, gyda Chyngor Cyllido Addysg Uwch Cymru, o ran sicrhau bod staff a myfyrwyr yn ymgysylltu â hyn, i weld sut y gall prifysgolion a sefydliadau'r trydydd sector fynd i'r afael â thrais yn erbyn menywod o fewn lleoliadau prifysgol ar gyfer pobl ifanc. Mae gennym ni addysg cydberthynas a rhywioldeb yn ofyniad statudol erbyn hyn yn fframwaith Cwricwlwm i Gymru, ac mae'n orfodol i ddysgwyr.
Rwyf i am wneud sylw terfynol mewn ymateb i'ch cwestiynau chi ynglŷn â Deddf Rhentu Cartrefi (Cymru) 2016. Er mwyn egluro unwaith eto i'r Aelodau, mae'r Ddeddf yn cydnabod ac yn diogelu hawliau'r rhai sy'n byw mewn tai sydd â chymorth, ac mae'n dilyn adolygiad sylweddol o'r defnydd blaenorol o drwyddedau mewn ystod o leoliadau, gan gynnwys llochesau, gan Gomisiwn y Gyfraith. Felly, mae Deddf 2016 yn rhoi sail gyfreithiol i lety â chymorth, gan ddarparu hawliau tebyg i unrhyw un arall sy'n byw mewn llety ar rent. Rwyf i wedi cwrdd â Chymorth i Ferched Cymru i drafod y materion hyn. Maen nhw wedi codi pryderon am weithrediad y Ddeddf ac mae'n rhaid i ni edrych ar hyn, ac yn wir rydym ni wedi gwneud hynny, ac fe wnes i hynny gyda'm cyd-Aelod Julie James, y Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd, sy'n gyfrifol am dai. Rwy'n credu mai ystyr hyn yw cydbwyso hawliau a buddiannau'r rhai sy'n byw mewn llochesau. Felly, mae ein swyddogion ni, gyda'i gilydd, yn trafod gyda Chymorth i Ferched Cymru ynglŷn â'u pryderon nhw sy'n ymwneud â'r Ddeddf.
Mae yna gynlluniau i ddatblygu dealltwriaeth gynhwysfawr o'r effaith ymarferol drwy werthuso gweithrediad y Ddeddf, ac mae hynny ar y gweill ar hyn o bryd. Felly, da o beth yw ein bod ni'n casglu cymaint â phosibl o dystiolaeth o'r byd gwirioneddol o ran ystyried effaith y Ddeddf. Mae hi'n galonogol hefyd fod hyn yn cael ei rannu a'i graffu arno mewn ffordd sy'n agored a bod cyfarfodydd yn cael eu cynnal a bod trafodaethau yn cael eu cynnal hefyd.
Rwy'n gobeithio y gwnewch chi gydnabod o'r adroddiad—yr adroddiad yr wyf i'n ei gyflwyno heddiw—y cynnydd a wneir, ac y byddwn ni'n cyhoeddi cylchlythyrau chwarterol hefyd oddi wrth ffrydiau gwaith sy'n ymgysylltu, yn bwysicaf i gyd, o ran y glasbrint. Mae gennym ni wasanaethau ac awdurdodau datganoledig a heb eu datganoli yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd. Wedi bod â rhan yn y maes hwn ers blynyddoedd lawer, o ddechrau datblygu Cymorth i Fenywod, oes, mae gennym ni gyfrifoldebau enfawr yn y gwasanaethau datganoledig, ond os na ellir rhoi hyn yng nghyd-destun cyfrifoldebau cyfiawnder troseddol, yn enwedig o ran plismona a'u swyddogaeth nhw, a Gwasanaeth Erlyn y Goron a'r llysoedd, ni fyddwn ni'n gweld y newid y mae angen i ni ei weld.
I mi, mae hi'n rhwystredigaeth enfawr ac yn frawychus, fel y dywedais i, ar gyfartaledd, fod dwy fenyw yn cael eu lladd bob wythnos gan bartner presennol neu gyn-bartner yng Nghymru. Ac, wrth gwrs, rydym ni'n dwyn y dioddefwyr hynny i gof. Rydym ni'n parhau i gefnogi prosiect Dyn Cymru Ddiogelach, sy'n amddiffyn ac yn cefnogi pob dyn, gan gynnwys dynion hoyw, heterorywiol, deurywiol a thrawsryweddol, sydd wedi profi cam-drin domestig yng Nghymru. Ac, yn bwysig iawn, y ffaith fod prosiect Dyn yn gweithio i wella diogelwch a chynyddu llesiant drwy ddull cydweithredol gyda phartneriaid ledled Cymru.
Diolch am y datganiad, Weinidog. Mae lefel trais a cham-drin domestig yn erbyn menywod, wrth gwrs, yn dal i fod yn gwbl annerbyniol, a'r cynnydd heb fod yn ddigonol i atal yr agweddau misogynistaidd yna sy'n arwain at drais ac ymddygiad sy'n peri cymaint o drawma a loes. Mae'n parhau, fel gwnaethoch grybwyll, efallai, yn fanna, i fod yn rhwystredig nad oes ffigurau penodol i Gymru ar gael oherwydd nad yw cyfiawnder wedi'i ddatganoli, a gallwn ni ddim, felly, cael y darlun llawn o'r hyn sy'n digwydd yng Nghymru hebddynt. Ydych chi'n cytuno, heb y ffigurau yma sy'n benodol i Gymru, ei bod hi'n anodd craffu yn iawn ar unrhyw strategaeth sy'n helpu mynd i'r afael â thrais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol gan ein bod yn ansicr a yw'r niferoedd yng Nghymru'n gwella ai peidio, mewn gwirionedd?
Mae angen hefyd asesiad gwell o'r croestoriadedd sy'n bodoli yn yr adroddiad yma, yn benodol sut mae'r argyfwng costau byw, er enghraifft, yn effeithio ar ba mor agored i niwed yw unigolion i gam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol. Yng ngoleuni’r toriadau diweddar i'r gyllideb cyfiawnder cymdeithasol, a allwch chi, Weinidog, amlinellu os, a sut, y bydd y toriadau'n effeithio ar y gwaith hanfodol sy'n cael ei wneud i roi terfyn ar drais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol yng Nghymru?
Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i sicrhau bod plant a phobl ifanc y mae cam-drin domestig yn effeithio arnynt ledled Cymru yn gallu cael mynediad at y gwasanaethau arbenigol hollbwysig yna sydd eu hangen arnyn nhw, ac sydd, efallai, nawr dan fygythiad oherwydd toriadau mewn cyllid?
Hoffwn i adleisio'r pryderon ynghylch effaith Deddf Rhentu Cartrefi (Cymru) ar ddarpariaeth llochesi. Gwnaethoch chi sôn yn eich ateb chi i Mark Isherwood fod yna werthusiad o ryw fath yn cael ei wneud, a bod yna sgyrsiau yn digwydd gyda'r rhai sy'n darparu lloches ac sy'n cefnogi goroeswyr. Felly, allwch chi roi gwybod i ni pryd ŷch chi'n rhagweld y bydd y gwaith gwerthuso yna'n dod i ben? Mae'r pryderon yma'n rhai difrifol—mor ddifrifol bod Cymorth i Ferched Cymru yn gorfod dod i risiau'r Senedd er mwyn gwneud eu pwynt unwaith eto; maen nhw wedi bod yn sôn am y mater yma ers blwyddyn, ers i'r Ddeddf ddod i rym. Felly, os gallwn ni gael mwy o sicrwydd ynglŷn â phryd y byddwn ni'n gallu disgwyl gwybod pen draw'r gwaith gwerthuso yna.
Gwnaethoch chi hefyd sôn yn eich datganiad am waith y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol dwi'n aelod ohono, a'i effaith ar strategaeth a gwaith y Llywodraeth yn y maes yma. Mae'n hymchwiliad diweddar ni wedi amlygu'r angen am ddarpariaeth gydweithio gynhwysfawr rhwng Llywodraeth Cymru a'i phartneriaid, i nodi a blaenoriaethu rhaglenni atal effeithiol ar gyfer cyflawnwyr, sy'n cael yr effaith hirdymor yna ar atal trais ar sail rhywedd. Mae'n waith hanfodol, onid yw e, yn enwedig os ydym ni am atal hynny ar raddfa'r boblogaeth. Mae'n amlwg bod angen canllawiau ar sail tystiolaeth ar bartneriaid i'w helpu i benderfynu beth sy'n gweithio orau ac i bwy. Gwnaethoch chi sôn bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn edrych ar hyn, yn ceisio adeiladu rhyw fath o storfa o wybodaeth i roi ffocws ar gyfer datblygu tystiolaeth a gwerthuso. Felly eto, a allwn ni gael amserlen ar gyfer y gwaith pwysig yma?
Ac, wrth gwrs, wedyn, yr hinsawdd ariannol heriol yma sy'n wynebu Cymru ar hyn o bryd, mae hyn yn codi cwestiynau ynglŷn â'r ffaith a oes yna gyllid digonol i asesu a gwerthuso effaith a chanlyniadau ymyriadau, fel rhaglenni ar gyfer cyflawnwyr, yn effeithiol. Ydyn nhw ar gael? Ydych chi'n cytuno bod y data hwn yn hanfodol bwysig er mwyn deall a yw strategaeth genedlaethol Llywodraeth Cymru a'r dull glasbrint yn effeithiol? Diolch.
Thank you for the statement, Minister. The levels of violence and domestic abuse against women are still completely unacceptable, and progress hasn't been sufficient to prevent those misogynistic attitudes that lead to violence and behaviours that cause so much trauma and pain. It continues and remains frustrating, as you may have mentioned there, that we don't have Wales-specific figures because justice is non-devolved, and we can't therefore get that full picture of what's happening in Wales without those figures. Do you agree that without these figures that are specific to Wales it is difficult to properly scrutinise any strategy that helps to tackle violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence, because we can't be certain as to whether the numbers in Wales are improving or not?
We also need a better assessment of the intersectionalities in this report, specifically how does the cost-of-living crisis, for example, impact on how susceptible individuals are to domestic abuse and sexual violence. In light of recent cuts to the social justice budget, can you, Minister, outline whether, and how, those cuts will impact the crucial work that's being done to end violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence in Wales?
What is the Welsh Government doing to ensure that children and young people who are impacted by domestic abuse across Wales can access the specialist services that are so crucial for them, and which may now be under threat because of budgetary cuts?
I'd like to echo the concerns raised on the impact of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act on the provision of refuges. You mentioned in your response to Mark Isherwood that there is an evaluation of some sort being undertaken, and that conversations are happening with providers of refuges and those who support survivors. So, can you tell us when you anticipate that evaluation work being concluded? These concerns are very serious—so serious that Welsh Women's Aid had to come to the steps of the Senedd to make the point once again, having been raising this issue for a year, since the Act came into force. So, if we could have greater assurances as to when we should expect to know about the completion of that evaluation work.
You also mentioned in the statement the work of the Equality and Social Justice Committee that I'm a member of, and its impact on the strategy and the work of the Government in this area. Our recent inquiry has highlighted the need for an inclusive, collaborative approach by the Welsh Government and partners, to outline and prioritise effective prevention programmes for perpetrators that do have that long-term impact on preventing gender-based violence. It's crucial work, isn't it, particularly if we are to prevent this at a population level. It's clear that we need evidence-based guidance for partners to decide what actually works best and for whom. You mentioned that the Welsh Government is looking at this and is trying to build some sort of information data bank in order to provide focus for developing evidence and evaluation. So, again, can we have a timetable for this important work?
And, of course, the challenging financial climate that faces Wales at the moment, this raises questions as to whether there is sufficient funding to assess and evaluate the impacts and outcomes of interventions, such as the perpetrator programmes, effectively. Are they available? Do you agree that this data is crucially important if we are to understand whether the Welsh Government's national strategy and the blueprint approach are effective? Thank you.
Diolch yn fawr, Sioned Williams. I agree with you completely: it continues to be frustrating that we don't have access to the full data, to understand the nature and extent of VAWDASV in Wales. And, indeed, this is very much part of our work to devolve justice to Wales, and we'll be doing an update, a progress report, on our 'Delivering Justice for Wales', which, of course, was a report by the Counsel General and myself that we issued last year. I'm very much focusing on the fact that we don't have all the tools for the job in terms of tackling violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence. We're using the blueprint approach, as we have done with the youth justice framework and, indeed, the female offending framework, where there's a very strong cross-over between the female offending blueprint and the VAWDASV strategy. We know that so many of the women who are in prison, for example, are survivors, have experienced domestic violence and sexual abuse, but also the trauma that has impacted their lives has included not just domestic violence, but also poverty and often substance misuse. So, it's welcomed again to have that call for that data, which we need. I mean, this should be given to us operationally, let alone in terms of any case we are making for the devolution of justice and devolution of the provision and access to those data sources.
You do make an important point about the impact on women's lives and on the lives of those who we are supporting through our specialist services in terms of the cost-of-living crisis. And it's very much, again, thanks to the Equality and Social Justice Committee and the work that they've undertaken—the brilliant work on migrant women and the situation of migrant women and those with no recourse to public funds—and the fact that we have got BAWSO as a specialist organisation, and I was very pleased to be able to respond directly to that recommendation that we should have a fund to support those who have no recourse to public funds. And it's building on the work that they're already doing, in a pilot with the Home Office. So, just to say, we funded BAWSO for a one-year pilot in Wales. It's actually about learning from the pilot, and there's an evaluation of the Home Office's support for migrant victims scheme, because those are people who would be destitute without that kind of intervention. Migrant women should have access to public funds and not face destitution as a result of their immigration status.
You also raise important points in relation to how we can reach out and deliver for children and young people. The children and young people's work stream is key, and it's looking at socioeconomic issues as well—all aspects of the needs and the impact of VAWDASV on children and young people. I've actually referred to some of the ways in which we're trying to engage and raise awareness of children and young people in schools, and their teachers, the learning environment, up through to higher education. Because this is about early intervention and prevention, actually, to change the way children and young people learn to grow up and respect each other. That children and young people's work stream, I think you're going to now get quarterly newsletters on the work of those work streams. But I think the intervention with children and young people is very important, but also some of the work that's been done, which is highlighted in the annual report—the statutory guidance on keeping learners safe. That's extensive guidance to support education settings on prevention and responding to child sexual abuse. We fund Childline Cymru Wales, we fund the Live Fear Free helpline, and we fund the Meic service.
It was good to actually give evidence as well to the Children, Young People and Education Committee—as well as the Equality and Social Justice Committee—on their inquiry into peer-on-peer sexual harassment amongst young learners, and to see this as very much a cross-Government responsibility in relation to Estyn's report as well, and the recommendations that came from Estyn, working with local authorities in terms of, again, looking at bullying, harassment, information and ensuring schools get those updates on best practice.
We're working with a whole range of stakeholders, and I have mentioned the numbers of children who've gained access, knowledge and awareness and an understanding of VAWDASV. But also, there's the funding that we're giving to Stori Cymru, for example, for the development of resources on relationships and sex education in schools. I think, also, just in terms of early intervention and prevention, I've obviously commented already on the tackling perpetration work stream, but early intervention and prevention and tackling perpetration is key in terms of the six key objectives. It's objective 3, as I've said. And we're focusing on this.
Just to say, on some of those high-level actions, I've mentioned some of the work that's been done directly with policing in terms of conditional cautions for VAWDASV. South Wales Police is the first force area to begin this pilot this autumn, and Gwent's going to follow. We have actually agreed to provide funding. Again, we are funding non-devolved services. We're providing funding for police forces in Wales to unite and utilise the new two-tier conditional caution framework, because we believe that's the right thing to do. But also there is a new domestic abuse protection order being developed in Gwent as a pilot area, and we're very involved, of course, at a four-nations level, working across areas to see the best practice emanating from that domestic abuse protection order.
I think the early intervention also includes all the work we're doing on communications, and you will have seen the launch we had of the Sound campaign. We're identifying those with early harmful behaviours that could lead to further harm, and challenging and supporting people so that we can directly address men and young boys, and that's, of course, where they can become, also, agents of change. We've seen that through Sound, and, then, it's very clear in our White Ribbon campaign. We just have to be very clear that we strengthen accountability mechanisms—and I think that's your key point—to ensure that public services are meeting their responsibilities in terms of early intervention.
I have commented on the renting homes Act, and the fact that I have had discussions directly, one-to-one, with the chief executive of Welsh Women's Aid, and engagement with the Minister for Climate Change, and her officials and advisers, to ensure that we can understand the practical impact of the implementation of the Act, and recognising, again, that this is about rights and interests, as I said, and making sure that we have that kind of independent look at what this could mean in terms of certainly not reducing rights and preventing homelessness as well.
Diolch yn fawr, Sioned Williams. Rwy'n cytuno yn llwyr â chi: rhwystredigaeth barhaus i ni yw peidio â bod â mynediad at y data llawn, i ddeall natur a chyfraddau trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol yng Nghymru. Ac, yn wir, mae hynny'n rhan wirioneddol fawr o'n gwaith ar gyfer datganoli cyfiawnder i Gymru, ac fe fyddwn ni'n gwneud diweddariad, gydag adroddiad cynnydd, ar ein 'Sicrhau Cyfiawnder i Gymru', sef, wrth gwrs, adroddiad gan y Cwnsler Cyffredinol a minnau a gyhoeddwyd gennym ni'r llynedd. Rwy'n canolbwyntio i raddau helaeth iawn ar y ffaith nad yw'r holl arfau i wneud y swydd ar gael i ni o ran mynd i'r afael â thrais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol. Rydym ni'n defnyddio arddull y glasbrint, fel gwnaethom ni gyda'r fframwaith cyfiawnder ieuenctid ac, yn wir, y fframwaith troseddwyr benywaidd, lle ceir meysydd cyffredin eglur iawn rhwng y glasbrint troseddol benywaidd a'r strategaeth trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol. Fe wyddom ni fod llawer o'r menywod sydd yn y carchar, er enghraifft, yn oroeswyr, ac wedi profi trais domestig a cham-drin rhywiol, ond roedd y trawma sydd wedi effeithio ar eu bywydau yn cynnwys nid yn unig trais domestig, ond tlodi hefyd a chamddefnyddio sylweddau yn aml. Felly, mae croeso unwaith eto i'r alwad honno am y data hynny y mae eu hangen nhw arnom ni. Hynny yw, fe ddylid rhoi hyn i ni yn weithredol, heb sôn am unrhyw achos yr ydym yn ei wneud ar gyfer datganoli cyfiawnder a datganoli'r ddarpariaeth ac argaeledd y ffynonellau hynny o ddata.
Rydych chi'n gwneud pwynt pwysig ynglŷn â'r effaith ar fywydau menywod ac ar fywydau'r rhai yr ydym ni'n eu cefnogi nhw drwy ein gwasanaethau arbenigol o ran yr argyfwng costau byw. Ac i raddau helaeth iawn, unwaith eto, i'r Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol a'r gwaith a wnaethon nhw—y gwaith gwych ar fenywod mudol a sefyllfa menywod mudol a'r rhai nad oes hawl ganddyn nhw am arian cyhoeddus—a'r ffaith bod BAWSO yn sefydliad arbenigol gennym ni y mae'r diolch am hynny, ac roeddwn i'n falch iawn o allu ymateb yn uniongyrchol i'r argymhelliad hwnnw y dylem ni fod â chronfa i gefnogi'r rhai nad oes unrhyw hawl ganddyn nhw i dderbyn arian cyhoeddus. Ac mae hyn yn adeiladu ar y gwaith y maen nhw'n ei wneud eisoes, gyda chynllun peilot gyda'r Swyddfa Gartref. Felly, dim ond dweud, fe wnaethom ni ariannu BAWSO ar gyfer cynllun peilot o flwyddyn yma yng Nghymru. Ystyr hyn mewn gwirionedd yw dysgu o'r cynllun peilot, ac fe geir gwerthusiad o gynllun cefnogaeth y Swyddfa Gartref i ddioddefwyr mudol, oherwydd pobl yw'r rhain a fyddai'n amddifad heb ymyrraeth fel hynny. Fe ddylai menywod mudol allu cael arian cyhoeddus heb wynebu amddifadedd o ganlyniad i'w statws o ran mewnfudo.
Rydych chi'n codi pwyntiau pwysig hefyd o ran sut y gallwn ni ymestyn allan a chyflawni er mwyn plant a phobl ifanc. Mae ffrwd waith y plant a'r bobl ifanc yn allweddol, ac mae honno'n ystyried materion economaidd-gymdeithasol hefyd—pob agwedd ar anghenion ac effaith trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol ar blant a phobl ifanc. Fe gyfeiriais i at rai o'r ffyrdd yr ydym ni'n ceisio ymgysylltu a chodi ymwybyddiaeth o blant a phobl ifanc mewn ysgolion, yn ogystal â'u hathrawon, yr amgylchedd addysgol, hyd at addysg uwch. Oherwydd ystyr hyn yw ymyrraeth gynnar ac ataliaeth, mewn gwirionedd, a newid y ffordd y mae plant a phobl ifanc yn dysgu sut i dyfu i fyny a pharchu ei gilydd. Y ffrwd waith plant a phobl ifanc honno, rwy'n credu y bydd cylchlythyrau yn cael eu hanfon yn chwarterol erbyn hyn ynglŷn â'r ffrydiau gwaith hynny. Ond rwyf i o'r farn fod yr ymyrraeth o ran plant a phobl ifanc yn bwysig iawn, ond cyfran hefyd o'r gwaith a wnaethpwyd, sy'n dod i'r amlwg yn yr adroddiad blynyddol—y canllawiau statudol ynglŷn â chadw dysgwyr yn ddiogel. Mae hwnnw'n ganllaw pellgyrhaeddol ar gyfer cefnogi lleoliadau addysg ynglŷn ag ataliaeth ac ymateb effeithiol i gam-drin plant yn rhywiol. Rydym ni'n ariannu Childline Cymru Wales, rydym ni'n ariannu llinell gymorth Byw Heb Ofn, ac rydym ni'n ariannu gwasanaeth Meic.
Roedd cyflwyno tystiolaeth i'r Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg yn beth da iawn hefyd—yn ogystal â'r Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol—ynglŷn â'u hymchwiliad nhw i aflonyddu rhywiol rhwng cyfoedion ymhlith dysgwyr ifanc, ac ystyried hyn yn gyfrifoldeb trawslywodraethol o ran adroddiad Estyn hefyd, a'r argymhellion a ddaeth oddi wrth Estyn, a gweithio gydag awdurdodau lleol o ran edrych unwaith eto ar fwlio, aflonyddu, gan roi gwybodaeth a sicrhau bod ysgolion â'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am arfer gorau.
Rydym yn gweithio gydag ystod eang o randdeiliaid, ac rwyf wedi sôn am nifer y plant sydd wedi cael gafael ar wybodaeth ac wedi dod i ymwybyddiaeth a dealltwriaeth o drais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol. Ond yn ogystal â hynny, mae'r arian yr ydym ni'n ei roi i Stori Cymru, er enghraifft, ar gyfer datblygu adnoddau ynglŷn âg addysg rhyw a chydberthynas mewn ysgolion. Rwy'n credu, hefyd, o ran ymyrraeth gynnar ac ataliaeth, i mi wneud sylwadau eisoes, yn amlwg, a ffrwd waith mynd i'r afael â chyflawniad, ond mae ymyrraeth gynnar ac ataliaeth a mynd i'r afael â chyflawniad yn allweddol yn y chwe amcan allweddol. Amcan 3 yw hwn, fel dywedais i. Ac rydym ni'n canolbwyntio ar hwn.
Dim ond gair byr am rai o'r camau gweithredu lefel uchel hynny, ac fe soniais i am gyfran o'r gwaith a gafodd ei wneud yn uniongyrchol gyda'r heddluoedd ynglŷn â rhybuddion amodol o ran trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol. Heddlu De Cymru yw'r ardal heddlu gyntaf i ddechrau gyda'r cynllun peilot hwn yn ystod yr hydref eleni, a bydd Gwent yn dilyn. Rydym ni wedi cytuno i ddarparu cyllid, mewn gwirionedd. Unwaith eto, rydym ni'n ariannu gwasanaethau sydd heb eu datganoli. Rydym ni'n darparu cyllid i heddluoedd yng Nghymru ar gyfer dod ynghyd a defnyddio'r fframwaith rhybuddion amodol newydd sydd â dwy haen, am ein bod ni'n credu mai dyna'r peth iawn i'w wneud. Ond mae gorchymyn amddiffyn cam-drin domestig newydd yn cael ei ddatblygu yn ardal cynllun peilot Gwent hefyd, ac rydym ni'n cyfranogi llawer, wrth gwrs, ar lefel y pedair gwlad, gan weithio ar draws ardaloedd i ganfod yr arfer gorau a fydd yn deillio o'r gorchymyn amddiffyn cam-drin domestig hwnnw.
Rwy'n credu bod yr ymyrraeth gynnar yn cynnwys yr holl waith a wnawn ni ynglŷn â chyfathrebu hefyd, ac rydych chi wedi gweld lansio ymgyrch Sain. Rydym ni'n nodi'r rhai ag ymddygiadau niweidiol cynnar a allai arwain at niwed pellach, ac yn herio ac yn cefnogi pobl er mwyn i ni fynd i'r afael yn uniongyrchol â dynion a bechgyn ifanc, a dyna pryd, wrth gwrs, y gallan nhw fod, hefyd, yn gyfryngau i newid. Rydym ni wedi gweld hynny drwy Sain, ac, wedyn, mae hynny'n amlwg iawn yn ein hymgyrch Rhuban Gwyn. Mae'n rhaid i ni fod yn eglur iawn ein bod ni'n grymuso mecanweithiau atebolrwydd—ac rwy'n credu mai hwnnw yw eich pwynt allweddol hi—ar gyfer sicrhau bod gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yn cyflawni eu cyfrifoldebau o ran ymyrraeth gynnar.
Fe roddais i sylwadau ar y Ddeddf rhentu cartrefi, a'r ffaith fy mod i wedi cael trafodaethau uniongyrchol, un wrth un, â phrif weithredwr Cymorth i Ferched Cymru, ac ymgysylltu â'r Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd, a'i swyddogion a'i chynghorwyr hi, i sicrhau y gallwn ni ddeall effaith ymarferol gweithredu'r Ddeddf hon, a chysoni, unwaith eto, yr hyn sy'n ymwneud â hawliau a buddiannau, fel y dywedais i, a sicrhau bod ystyriaeth annibynnol fel hon yn cael ei rhoi i'r yr hyn y gallai hyn ei olygu o ran, yn sicr, peidio â chyfyngu ar hawliau ac atal digartrefedd hefyd.
We have heard from the two spokespersons with their questions, and the responses from the Minister, and we have already gone over our allocated time. And there are six Members who wish to also ask questions. I will call them, but I'm asking you all to keep within your one-minute time limit to ensure everyone can ask their question. And I'm sure the Minister will be applying brevity to her answers equally.
Rydym wedi clywed gan y ddau lefarydd gyda'u cwestiynau, a'r ymatebion gan y Gweinidog, ac rydym eisoes wedi mynd dros ein hamser penodedig. Ac mae yna chwe Aelod sy'n dymuno gofyn cwestiynau hefyd. Byddaf yn eu galw, ond rwy'n gofyn i chi i gyd gadw o fewn eich terfyn amser o un munud i sicrhau y gall pawb ofyn eu cwestiwn. Ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd y Gweinidog yn gryno wrth ateb hefyd.
Minister, today marks six years since my dad passed away in the most tragic of circumstances. As many in this Chamber will remember, he was a tireless campaigner to end violence against women, securing the passage of the violence against women Bill in this Senedd. He was also a passionate campaigner and supporter for the White Ribbon campaign and its message that it is men that have to change. Deputy Presiding Officer, this message is as important now as it was then. It's why I'm proud to be a White Ribbon ambassador, to support it. Minister, what can the Welsh Government do to build on dad's campaign work, and to ensure that men across Cymru join me and commit to the White Ribbon promise, and mean it?
Gweinidog, mae heddiw'n nodi chwe blynedd ers i fy nhad farw yn yr amgylchiadau mwyaf trasig. Fel y bydd llawer yn y Siambr hon yn cofio, roedd yn ymgyrchydd diflino i roi terfyn ar drais yn erbyn menywod, gan sicrhau bod y Bil trais yn erbyn menywod yn cael ei basio yn y Senedd hon. Roedd hefyd yn ymgyrchydd angerddol ac yn gefnogwr i ymgyrch y Rhuban Gwyn a'i neges mai dynion sy'n gorfod newid. Dirprwy Lywydd, mae'r neges hon mor bwysig nawr ag yr oedd bryd hynny. Dyna pam rwy'n falch o fod yn llysgennad Rhuban Gwyn, i'w gefnogi. Gweinidog, beth gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud i adeiladu ar waith ymgyrchu fy nhad, ac i sicrhau bod dynion ledled Cymru yn ymuno â mi ac yn ymrwymo i addewid y Rhuban Gwyn, ac yn cadw at yr hyn mae'n ei olygu?
Diolch yn fawr, Jack Sargeant. Can I say, and I'm sure I speak on behalf of everyone in this Chamber, that we are with you in our thoughts, our memories of your beloved father and former Minister, who played such a key role? I think we all remember, and as I put on my badge today, the white ribbon with the Welsh flag, it again reminded us. And so our thoughts are with you and your family. But also, I know that Carl would want us to be talking today about what more could be done. He'd be as frustrated as we are that we haven't ended the scourge of violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence. In terms of the White Ribbon campaign—and Joyce is sitting next to you—we start on Monday, and we'll have an event in the Senedd. But I have already highlighted the fact that we have signed up as a Welsh Government, you are an ambassador, and I hope all the men in this Chamber will also play their part during those 16 days of activism.
Diolch yn fawr, Jack Sargeant. A gaf i ddweud, ac rwy'n siŵr fy mod yn siarad ar ran pawb yn y Siambr hon, ein bod ni gyda chi yn ein meddyliau, ein hatgofion am eich tad annwyl a'r cyn-Weinidog, a chwaraeodd ran mor allweddol? Rwy'n credu ein bod ni i gyd yn cofio, ac wrth i mi wisgo fy mathodyn heddiw, y rhuban gwyn gyda baner Cymru, fe wnaeth ein hatgoffa ni unwaith eto. Ac felly, mae ein meddyliau gyda chi a'ch teulu. Ond hefyd, rwy'n gwybod y byddai Carl eisiau i ni fod yn siarad heddiw am beth arall y gellid ei wneud. Byddai mor rhwystredig ag yr ydym ni, nad ydym wedi dod â melltith trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol i ben. O ran ymgyrch y Rhuban Gwyn—ac mae Joyce yn eistedd wrth eich ymyl—rydyn ni'n dechrau ddydd Llun, a bydd gennym ddigwyddiad yn y Senedd. Ond rwyf eisoes wedi tynnu sylw at y ffaith ein bod ni wedi ymrwymo iddo fel Llywodraeth Cymru, rydych chi'n llysgennad, ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yr holl ddynion yn y Siambr hon hefyd yn chwarae eu rhan yn ystod yr 16 diwrnod hynny o weithredu.
Thank you so much, Minister, and thank you to Jack as well. I wish to reaffirm the Minister's gratitude to the national advisers as well, for their work. They drew attention to comprehensive training across all our public services, which they feel is vital to meaningful progress on this really important issue. Mahatma Gandhi said, 'You must be the change you wish to see'. That meant that you can't inspire others to do things if you don't do them first. So, I am calling—and members of my committee will know this—for the Senedd to institute training around violence against women and girls for us as Senedd Members, but also for Commission staff. And I wonder if you would affirm your commitment to ensure that that training and awareness raising is in place. Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Gweinidog, a diolch i Jack hefyd. Hoffwn gadarnhau diolch y Gweinidog i'r cynghorwyr cenedlaethol hefyd, am eu gwaith. Fe wnaethant dynnu sylw at hyfforddiant cynhwysfawr ar draws ein holl wasanaethau cyhoeddus, y maen nhw o'r farn eu bod yn hanfodol i gynnydd ystyrlon ar y mater pwysig iawn hwn. Dywedodd Mahatma Gandhi, "Rhaid i chi fod y newid yr ydych am ei weld." Roedd hynny'n golygu na allwch ysbrydoli eraill i wneud pethau os na fyddwch chi yn eu gwneud yn gyntaf. Felly, rwy'n galw—a bydd aelodau fy mhwyllgor yn gwybod hyn—ar y Senedd i sefydlu hyfforddiant ynghylch trais yn erbyn menywod a merched i ni fel Aelodau o'r Senedd, ond hefyd i staff y Comisiwn. A tybed a fyddech chi'n cadarnhau eich ymrwymiad i sicrhau bod yr hyfforddiant a'r codi ymwybyddiaeth hynny ar waith. Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd.
Diolch yn fawr, Jane Dodds. Can I just say that the fact is the change—as Jack Sargeant has said—can come from men, and certainly our elected Members, but from all of us in terms of any responsibilities that we've got? Can I thank you? I hope this will be taken up by the Commission—you've got the Commissioner here today. But the national training framework is the route to this, I believe; it's an e-learning module, it's available to everyone through guest access. It's been accessed by over 100,000 hits since it opened for guest access. And since it opened, in 2015, it's been accessed 314,000 times. So, can I suggest that this is a route in? It's a start, and then, of course, we can go on to the 'ask and act' for public services, and the contract for that is awarded to Welsh Women's Aid. I think you could perhaps follow up both those routes to the training.
Diolch yn fawr, Jane Dodds. A gaf i ddweud mai'r ffaith yw y gall y newid—fel mae Jack Sargeant wedi dweud—ddod gan ddynion, ac yn sicr ein Haelodau etholedig, ond gan bob un ohonom ni o ran unrhyw gyfrifoldebau sydd gennym ni? A gaf i ddiolch i chi? Rwy'n gobeithio y bydd hyn yn cael ei weithredu gan y Comisiwn—mae gennych chi'r Comisiynydd yma heddiw. Ond y fframwaith hyfforddi cenedlaethol yw'r llwybr i hyn, rwy'n credu; mae'n fodiwl e-ddysgu, mae ar gael i bawb trwy fynediad i westeion. Mae dros 100,000 o ymweliadau wedi bod ers iddo agor ar gyfer mynediad i westeion. Ac ers iddo agor, yn 2015, mae wedi cael ei agor 314,000 o weithiau. Felly, a gaf i awgrymu bod hwn yn llwybr i mewn? Mae'n ddechrau, ac yna, wrth gwrs, gallwn fynd ymlaen i'r 'gofyn a gweithredu' ar gyfer gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, ac mae'r contract ar gyfer hynny wedi ei ddyfarnu i Gymorth i Ferched Cymru. Rwy'n credu efallai y gallech chi ddilyn y ddau lwybr yna i'r hyfforddiant.
I had the privilege to work with Carl Sargeant on the VAWDASV Bill, and I'm sure he would approve of the work that we are doing today to give this such a high priority, as it is absolutely endemic in our society. I thank you for mentioning the work of the Equality and Social Justice Committee; our inquiry is obviously working on the report that we're going to put before the Senedd in due course, so I don't wish to ask about that today. However, the survivor voice scrutiny and involvement panel that you have set up is no doubt echoing some of the thoughts of survivors that we heard from, which really doesn't relate to our work on prevention and early intervention. I'm talking about children who have witnessed or been the victims themselves of serious violence, and the need to ensure that they get support, as appropriate. I know schools do a great job in providing counselling, but sometimes, unfortunately, children need more specialist services, and they need it in a timely fashion. I'm afraid schools often report that, for very troubled children, it is very difficult to get the right support through mental health services, and I just wondered what work is being done to ensure that children get that sort of support in a timely fashion.
Cefais y fraint o weithio gyda Carl Sargeant ar y Bil VAWDASV, ac rwy'n siŵr y byddai'n cymeradwyo'r gwaith yr ydym yn ei wneud heddiw i roi blaenoriaeth mor uchel i hyn, gan ei fod yn gwbl endemig yn ein cymdeithas. Diolch i chi am sôn am waith y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol; mae ein hymchwiliad ni yn amlwg yn gweithio ar yr adroddiad yr ydym yn mynd i'w roi gerbron y Senedd maes o law, felly nid wyf am ofyn am hynny heddiw. Fodd bynnag, mae'n siŵr bod y panel craffu a chyfranogiad llais goroeswyr yr ydych chi wedi'i sefydlu yn adleisio rhai o feddyliau goroeswyr y clywsom ni ganddyn nhw, nad ydyn nhw wir yn ymwneud â'n gwaith ar atal ac ymyrraeth gynnar. Rwy'n sôn am blant sydd wedi bod yn dyst i drais difrifol neu wedi ei ddioddef eu hunain, a'r angen i sicrhau eu bod yn cael cefnogaeth, fel bo'n briodol. Rwy'n gwybod bod ysgolion yn gwneud gwaith gwych wrth ddarparu cwnsela, ond weithiau, yn anffodus, mae angen gwasanaethau mwy arbenigol ar blant, ac mae eu hangen arnynt mewn modd amserol. Rwy'n ofni bod ysgolion yn aml yn adrodd, i blant cythryblus iawn, ei bod yn anodd iawn cael y gefnogaeth gywir trwy wasanaethau iechyd meddwl, a meddwl oeddwn i tybed pa waith sy'n cael ei wneud i sicrhau bod plant yn cael y math hwnnw o gefnogaeth mewn modd amserol.
I thank Jenny Rathbone for her question today but also for chairing those inquiries, and we look forward to the outcome of your current inquiry. I've already mentioned the fact that we have a children and young people work stream, and I think this also has a bearing on the indicators. You know that we are now reviewing these national indicators and bringing them up to date with the revised strategy, and within the set of indicators that we have now is increasing awareness among children and young people, for them, that abuse is always wrong. I've mentioned the ways in which we're trying to raise that awareness, but I've also responded to questions about the ways in which we're reaching out to schools, to the teaching profession, and through the curriculum this will make a difference. But I hope that the children and young people work stream in their quarterly reports will give you the encouragement and assurance that we are looking at this very much from the perspective of the child and the young person.
Diolch i Jenny Rathbone am ei chwestiwn heddiw ond hefyd am gadeirio'r ymchwiliadau hynny, ac edrychwn ymlaen at ganlyniad eich ymchwiliad presennol. Rwyf eisoes wedi sôn am y ffaith bod gennym ni ffrwd waith plant a phobl ifanc, ac rwy'n credu bod hyn hefyd yn effeithio ar y dangosyddion. Rydych chi'n gwybod ein bod ni nawr yn adolygu'r dangosyddion cenedlaethol hyn ac yn sicrhau eu bod yn gyfredol â'r strategaeth ddiwygiedig, ac o fewn y set o ddangosyddion sydd gennym yn awr mae codi ymwybyddiaeth ymhlith plant a phobl ifanc, iddyn nhw, bod cam-drin bob amser yn anghywir. Rwyf wedi sôn am y ffyrdd yr ydym yn ceisio codi'r ymwybyddiaeth honno, ond rwyf hefyd wedi ymateb i gwestiynau am y ffyrdd yr ydym yn estyn allan i ysgolion, i'r proffesiwn addysgu, a thrwy'r cwricwlwm bydd hyn yn gwneud gwahaniaeth. Ond rwy'n gobeithio y bydd y ffrwd waith plant a phobl ifanc yn eu hadroddiadau chwarterol yn rhoi'r anogaeth a'r sicrwydd i chi ein bod yn edrych ar hyn yn sicr o safbwynt y plentyn a'r person ifanc.
I also want to echo everything that everyone said about your dad, Jack. Carl Sargeant very much was a trailblazer in saying that it is men who need to change at a time when nobody was saying that. He led by example, and you continue that legacy.
My contribution today, Minister, is just to say that I really welcome this report. I think that, for all of us, really, on the Equality and Social Justice Committee, many of the things that we've been raising with the Welsh Government have been incorporated: support for migrant women, clarification and information about the different work streams, the intersectionality, housing, children. So, I want to say a huge 'thank you' for that. And I think, from the women I've spoken to who I'm supporting in my constituency at the moment, they have said to me that, when it comes to getting out of that immediate danger to themselves and their children, that that has improved massively in Wales. The support is there, the funding is there. So, I feel that, in Wales, the Welsh Government is holding up its end of the blueprint and is doing as much as it can, but I don't think the UK Government is, because then what happens is that they end up having to go into the legal system and, when they get there, the trauma is continued by how they're treated when they go through that legal system—
Rwyf hefyd eisiau adleisio popeth a ddywedodd pawb am eich tad, Jack. Roedd Carl Sargeant yn arloeswr mawr wrth ddweud mai dynion sydd angen newid ar adeg pan nad oedd neb yn dweud hynny. Arweiniodd drwy esiampl, ac rydych chi'n parhau â'r etifeddiaeth honno.
Fy nghyfraniad i heddiw, Gweinidog, yw dweud fy mod yn croesawu'r adroddiad hwn yn fawr. Rwy'n credu, i bob un ohonom ni, mewn gwirionedd, ar y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol, fod llawer o'r pethau yr ydym wedi bod yn eu codi gyda Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'u hymgorffori: cefnogaeth i fenywod mudol, eglurhad a gwybodaeth am y gwahanol ffrydiau gwaith, y croestoriadedd, tai, plant. Felly, hoffwn ddweud 'diolch' enfawr am hynny. Ac rwy'n credu, o'r menywod yr wyf i wedi siarad â nhw, yr wyf i'n eu cefnogi yn fy etholaeth i ar hyn o bryd, eu bod nhw wedi dweud wrthyf, o ran mynd allan o'r perygl uniongyrchol hwnnw iddyn nhw eu hunain a'u plant, bod hynny wedi gwella'n aruthrol yng Nghymru. Mae'r gefnogaeth yno, mae'r cyllid yno. Felly, rwy'n teimlo bod Llywodraeth Cymru, yng Nghymru, yn cadw at y glasbrint ac yn gwneud cymaint ag y gall, ond nid wyf yn credu bod Llywodraeth y DU yn gwneud hyn, oherwydd yna beth sy'n digwydd yw eu bod yn gorfod mynd i'r system gyfreithiol yn y pen draw a, phan fyddant yn cyrraedd yno, mae'r trawma yn parhau gan sut y maen nhw'n cael eu trin pan fyddan nhw'n mynd trwy'r system gyfreithiol honno—
You need to ask a question now, please.
Mae angen i chi ofyn cwestiwn nawr, os gwelwch yn dda.
So, I would like to know the discussions that you've had with the UK Government about the report that they came out with in 2020 calling for implementation to make it better for children and mothers going through that situation, because at the moment it is awful and it is described as being the post-separation abuse that continues in family courts. Diolch.
Felly, hoffwn wybod pa drafodaethau yr ydych wedi'u cael gyda Llywodraeth y DU ynghylch yr adroddiad a gyflwynwyd ganddynt yn 2020 yn galw am weithredu i'w gwneud yn well i blant a mamau sy'n mynd drwy'r sefyllfa honno, oherwydd ar hyn o bryd mae'n ofnadwy ac mae'n cael ei ddisgrifio fel y cam-drin ar ôl gwahanu sy'n parhau mewn llysoedd teulu. Diolch.
Diolch. I certainly would like to report back on progress. On that in particular, I haven't—. I can raise this with the domestic abuse commissioner when I next meet her. This is another reason why our national advisers are so important, because they liaise directly as well with the UK Government. But I will follow this up in terms of what amounts to an abuse in terms of prevention and early intervention for children and young people.
But can I just say—and I haven't responded, I'm sorry, Deputy Llywydd—that we have protected our funding, which is really important, for those specialist services that you've mentioned? In these tough times, when we've had to find this money because of the cuts to our budget by the UK Government, I've ensured that we are protecting our VAWDASV funding, particularly for our specialist services.
Diolch. Yn sicr, hoffwn adrodd yn ôl ar gynnydd. Ar hynny yn benodol, dydw i ddim—. Gallaf godi hyn gyda'r comisiynydd cam-drin domestig pan fyddaf yn cwrdd â hi nesaf. Dyma reswm arall pam mae ein cynghorwyr cenedlaethol mor bwysig, oherwydd eu bod yn cyd-gysylltu'n uniongyrchol hefyd â Llywodraeth y DU. Ond fe wnaf waith dilynol ar hyn o ran beth sy'n gyfystyr â cham-drin o ran atal ac ymyrraeth gynnar i blant a phobl ifanc.
Ond a gaf i ddweud—ac nid wyf wedi ymateb, mae'n ddrwg gen i, Dirprwy Lywydd—ein bod wedi diogelu ein cyllid, sy'n bwysig iawn, i'r gwasanaethau arbenigol hynny yr ydych chi wedi sôn amdanyn nhw? Yn y cyfnod anodd hwn, pan fyddwn ni wedi gorfod dod o hyd i'r arian hwn oherwydd y toriadau i'n cyllideb gan Lywodraeth y DU, rwyf wedi sicrhau ein bod yn diogelu ein cyllid VAWDASV, yn enwedig ar gyfer ein gwasanaethau arbenigol.
I want to pay tribute to Carl Sargeant. I can remember him walking a mile in their shoes, wearing the most ridiculous high heels to make a point, and he did make the point. But I want to thank the Minister. There's a lot to welcome in this report. I won't repeat those, but can you provide further details on the Spectrum project, please, which promotes healthy relationships, particularly the take-up of the training element for school staff and governors? One in five children, we know, witness abuse at home, and the Spectrum project, delivered by Stori Cymru, is an important tool for helping school staff and authorities understand and manage the impact on the child. So, I'm keen to hear how it's being employed.
In the run-up to White Ribbon Day, I shall be engaging with schools in the Ammanford and Gwendraeth area, so I would be happy to promote and signpost them to suitable resources, if you or the education Minister are able to help me with that. And I look forward to hearing more about the progress on taking forward Estyn's recommendations regarding improving the ways schools collect bullying and harassment information, because if we're going to do anything in terms of reducing and ending violence against women and girls, we absolutely have to start with the next generation. I, like you, have been campaigning for 30 years, but the stats are still the same.
Hoffwn dalu teyrnged i Carl Sargeant. Gallaf ei gofio yn cerdded milltir yn eu hesgidiau, yn gwisgo'r sodlau uchel mwyaf chwerthinllyd i wneud pwynt, ac fe wnaeth y pwynt. Ond hoffwn ddiolch i'r Gweinidog. Mae llawer i'w groesawu yn yr adroddiad hwn. Ni wnaf eu hailadrodd, ond a allwch chi roi rhagor o fanylion am y prosiect Spectrum, os gwelwch yn dda, sy'n hyrwyddo perthnasoedd iach, yn enwedig y nifer sy'n manteisio ar yr elfen hyfforddi ar gyfer staff ysgolion a llywodraethwyr? Mae un o bob pump plentyn, rydyn ni'n gwybod, yn dyst i gam-drin yn y cartref, ac mae'r prosiect Spectrum, a gyflwynir gan Stori Cymru, yn offeryn pwysig ar gyfer helpu staff ac awdurdodau ysgolion i ddeall a rheoli'r effaith ar y plentyn. Felly, rwy'n awyddus i glywed sut mae'n cael ei weithredu.
Yn y cyfnod cyn Diwrnod y Rhuban Gwyn, byddaf yn ymgysylltu ag ysgolion yn ardal Rhydaman a'r Gwendraeth, felly byddwn i'n hapus i hyrwyddo a'u cyfeirio at adnoddau addas, os ydych chi neu'r Gweinidog addysg yn gallu fy helpu gyda hynny. Ac edrychaf ymlaen at glywed mwy am y cynnydd o ran bwrw ymlaen ag argymhellion Estyn ynghylch gwella'r ffyrdd y mae ysgolion yn casglu gwybodaeth am fwlio ac aflonyddu, oherwydd os ydym ni'n mynd i wneud unrhyw beth o ran lleihau a rhoi terfyn ar drais yn erbyn menywod a merched, yn sicr mae'n rhaid i ni ddechrau gyda'r genhedlaeth nesaf. Rwyf i, fel chi, wedi bod yn ymgyrchu am 30 mlynedd, ond mae'r ystadegau yn dal yr un fath.
Diolch yn fawr, Joyce Watson, and for your leadership in terms of the White Ribbon campaign. Next Monday, we'll be meeting and paying tribute to the National Federation of Women's Institutes, who have always worked with you, and then with BAWSO we'll be processing up to light a candle at a multifaith service in Llandaff Cathedral.
I've answered some of these questions, but we continue to fund Spectrum. This is a cross-Government commitment, a recognition that we had to look at every line of funding. We continue to fund it. It is actually important to show what healthy relationships—. It's young people learning about healthy relationships, raising awareness of Spectrum, but also it's delivering training for school staff and governors, and all of you who've been governors will know that these are issues that we have to understand. We have to understand this whole-school approach to tackling domestic abuse, and I have mentioned Stori Wales, the Spectrum project. This is about resources, online training, printed material, how we effectively deal with disclosures of VAWDASV from pupils.
We will be following up—. You've seen in the report we've asked local authorities to improve the way they collect bullying and harassment information from schools. They're absolutely at the forefront, and, again, this responds to the points that Sarah Murphy has made. If you read the chapter on children and young people, we have got this children and young people work stream. We didn't have this before. It met earlier this year. It's got a clear plan and it's got people on it with expertise and understanding of the needs of children and young people impacted by domestic abuse and sexual violence. And that, I believe, is a real movement for change, as a result of the way that we're approaching this with the next phase of this strategy, since we did implement—and many of us were here—the most groundbreaking piece of legislation, the first in the UK—the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015. But we must now make it work for women and victims of violence in Wales.
Diolch yn fawr, Joyce Watson, ac am eich arweinyddiaeth o ran ymgyrch y Rhuban Gwyn. Ddydd Llun nesaf, byddwn ni'n cyfarfod ac yn talu teyrnged i Ffederasiwn Cenedlaethol Sefydliadau'r Merched, sydd wedi gweithio gyda chi erioed, ac yna gyda BAWSO byddwn yn gorymdeithio i gynnau cannwyll mewn gwasanaeth aml-ffydd yn Eglwys Gadeiriol Llandaf.
Rwyf wedi ateb rhai o'r cwestiynau hyn, ond rydym yn parhau i ariannu Spectrwm. Mae hwn yn ymrwymiad trawslywodraethol, cydnabyddiaeth bod yn rhaid i ni edrych ar bob llinell ariannu. Rydym yn parhau i'w ariannu. Mae'n bwysig mewn gwirionedd dangos beth yw perthnasoedd iach—. Mae'n bobl ifanc yn dysgu am berthnasoedd iach, codi ymwybyddiaeth o Spectrwm, ond hefyd mae'n darparu hyfforddiant i staff a llywodraethwyr ysgolion, a bydd pob un ohonoch sydd wedi bod yn llywodraethwr yn gwybod bod y rhain yn faterion y mae'n rhaid i ni eu deall. Mae'n rhaid i ni ddeall y dull ysgol gyfan hwn o fynd i'r afael â cham-drin domestig, ac rwyf wedi sôn am Stori Cymru, y prosiect Spectrwm. Mae hyn yn ymwneud ag adnoddau, hyfforddiant ar-lein, deunydd wedi'i argraffu, sut rydym yn delio yn effeithiol â datgeliadau VAWDASV gan ddisgyblion.
Byddwn ni'n gwneud gwaith dilynol—. Rydych chi wedi gweld yn yr adroddiad ein bod wedi gofyn i awdurdodau lleol wella'r ffordd y maen nhw'n casglu gwybodaeth am fwlio ac aflonyddu gan ysgolion. Maen nhw ar flaen y gad, ac unwaith eto, mae hyn yn ymateb i'r pwyntiau y mae Sarah Murphy wedi'u gwneud. Os ydych chi'n darllen y bennod ar blant a phobl ifanc, mae gennym ni y ffrwd waith hon ar blant a phobl ifanc. Nid oedd gennym hon o'r blaen. Cyfarfu yn gynharach y flwyddyn hon. Mae ganddi gynllun clir ac mae ganddi bobl arni gydag arbenigedd a dealltwriaeth o anghenion plant a phobl ifanc y mae cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol yn effeithio arnynt. Ac mae hynny, rwy'n credu, yn symudiad go iawn i newid, o ganlyniad i'r ffordd rydyn ni'n ymdrin â hyn gyda cham nesaf y strategaeth hon, ers i ni weithredu—ac roedd llawer ohonom yma—y darn mwyaf arloesol o ddeddfwriaeth, y cyntaf yn y DU—Deddf Trais yn erbyn Menywod, Cam-drin Domestig a Thrais Rhywiol (Cymru) 2015. Ond mae'n rhaid i ni nawr ei wneud i weithio i fenywod a dioddefwyr trais yng Nghymru.
Ac yn olaf, Carolyn Thomas.
Finally, Carolyn Thomas.
Diolch. At the animal welfare cross-party group yesterday, we heard from a representative of the Links Group. She said how pets are often used as manipulation, and also that pet abuse can be a sign of child or parent abuse, and we saw some horrific photographs. Pets are so important for comfort and often women will not leave them behind, and we know private rents often do not permit pets and neither do refuges. Has this been a consideration and would you speak to the Minister for housing regarding taking pets into private rented accommodation? Thank you.
Diolch. Yn y grŵp trawsbleidiol ar les anifeiliaid ddoe, clywsom gan gynrychiolydd o'r grŵp Links. Dywedodd hi sut mae anifeiliaid anwes yn cael eu defnyddio'n aml i gamfanteisio, a hefyd y gall cam-drin anifeiliaid anwes fod yn arwydd o gam-drin plant neu rieni, ac fe welsom ni rai ffotograffau erchyll. Mae anifeiliaid anwes mor bwysig ar gyfer cysur ac yn aml ni fydd menywod yn eu gadael ar ôl, ac rydym yn gwybod nad yw llety rhent preifat yn aml yn caniatáu anifeiliaid anwes ac nid yw llochesi chwaith. A yw hyn wedi bod yn ystyriaeth ac a wnewch chi siarad â'r Gweinidog tai ynglŷn â mynd ag anifeiliaid anwes i lety rhent preifat? Diolch.
Thank you very much—a very important question. It will be for the Minister for Climate Change, but also the—. I have met with an organisation in Caerphilly, actually, a charity that looks after pets, dogs particularly, if a woman has to flee her home. They can be used in that way, and it's something that we will take back in terms of access to those all-important creatures in a person's life. And, of course, these pets are often really important to the children as well. So, thank you for raising that question.
Diolch yn fawr iawn—cwestiwn pwysig iawn. Bydd ar gyfer y Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd, ond hefyd y—. Rwyf wedi cyfarfod â sefydliad yng Nghaerffili, a dweud y gwir, elusen sy'n gofalu am anifeiliaid anwes, cŵn yn arbennig, os oes rhaid i fenyw ffoi o'i chartref. Gellir eu defnyddio yn y ffordd honno, ac mae'n rhywbeth y byddwn yn ystyried o ran mynediad i'r creaduriaid hollbwysig hynny ym mywyd person. Ac, wrth gwrs, mae'r anifeiliaid anwes hyn yn aml yn bwysig iawn i'r plant hefyd. Felly, diolch am godi'r cwestiwn hwnnw.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog.
I thank the Minister.
Fifty per cent within time, 50 per cent out—we're getting there.
Hanner cant y cant o fewn amser, 50 y cant ddim—rydyn ni'n dechrau llwyddo.
Eitem 7 yw'r datganiad gan Weinidog yr Economi: parthau buddsoddi. A galwaf ar Weinidog yr Economi, Vaughan Gething.
Item 7 is a statement by the Minister for Economy on investment zones, and I call on the Minister for Economy, Vaughan Gething.
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. I am pleased to be able to update Members on the latest discussions with the UK Government regarding investment zones. Three weeks ago I provided an update on the progress we are making to support stronger regional economic development across Wales. In that statement I highlighted the distinct strengths and opportunities in each of our regions and the role that they can play in driving up long-term growth and quality employment in a more balanced economy. It remains the Welsh Government’s firm view that a comprehensive UK industrial strategy backed by macroeconomic policies should be directed at these opportunities, in a model that provides the confidence needed to unlock investment in more secure businesses and jobs.
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Rwy'n falch o allu rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelodau am y trafodaethau diweddaraf gyda Llywodraeth y DU ynghylch parthau buddsoddi. Dair wythnos yn ôl, rhoddais y wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y cynnydd yr ydym yn ei wneud i gefnogi datblygiad economaidd rhanbarthol cryfach ledled Cymru. Yn y datganiad hwnnw tynnais sylw at gryfderau a chyfleoedd penodol ym mhob un o'n rhanbarthau a'r rôl y gallant ei chwarae wrth gynyddu twf tymor hir a chyflogaeth o ansawdd mewn economi fwy cytbwys. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i fod o'r farn gadarn y dylid cyfeirio strategaeth ddiwydiannol gynhwysfawr yn y DU a gefnogir gan bolisïau macro-economaidd at y cyfleoedd hyn, mewn model sy'n rhoi'r hyder sydd ei angen i ddatgloi buddsoddiad mewn busnesau a swyddi mwy diogel.
Dirprwy Lywydd, we have been consistent in setting out that a piecemeal approach to regional economic policy at a UK level undermines potential growth opportunities and does not recognise need in a way that tackles poverty. We continue to call for the return of post-EU regional funds to Wales, which would help us to deliver a more coherent regional policy for all parts of Wales.
Despite these challenges, I am pleased with the constructive approach being taken by the current UK Government levelling-up department in developing proposals for investment zones in Wales. This has built on the successful and constructive partnership we established to agree the Welsh free-ports programme. Both programmes can provide real opportunities to bring devolved and reserved levers together to support the Welsh economy across a partnership of equals.
The pragmatic approach that both Governments have adopted has enabled us to ensure that Welsh policy priorities are reflected in the joint approach that we have been discussing over recent months. As with Welsh free ports, we want to make sure that investments contribute to our net-zero ambitions, our duties under the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, and the promotion of fair work, including trade union access. We will not accept any dilution of workers’ rights within investment zones. This is a vital test of principle and this must add to our economic mission. We have also emphasised the importance of the collaborative regional approach that we have developed across Wales and the need to simplify regional economic development planning and governance through the statutory corporate joint committees that this Senedd has legislated for.
It is important to note the UK Government will still need to make a decision on the support it will provide to investment zones in Wales ahead of or as part of the autumn statement process. However, I can confirm that the Welsh Government Cabinet has met to discuss the proposals that have been in development. As a result, I have written to the Secretary of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities following our constructive engagement to indicate our willingness to use devolved levers and expertise to support two investment zones in Wales.
Investment zones policy has, of course, changed significantly since 2022, during the brief Truss and Kwarteng interregnum. The current policy is focused on a small number of high-potential clusters linked to strong research capabilities. There are areas where our comparative strengths can boost wider productivity and economic growth. These outcomes would align with our economic mission and evidence set out by leading expert voices, including the Resolution Foundation, on the need to strengthen comparative advantages within the UK. My officials have worked with UK Government officials on a joint methodology to identify high-potential areas that reflect both UK Government and Welsh Government policy priorities.
As I said, I've discussed this matter with Welsh Government ministerial colleagues as the talks have developed to consider the cross-Government implications and to ensure joined-up decision making. Based on our analysis of opportunities for growth in high-potential clusters, we agree that there is a case for two investment zones in Wales. Our preference is for one investment zone in south-east Wales and one in north-east Wales, covering Flintshire and Wrexham. This reflects the specific sectoral strengths and existing clusters in each region, in particular compound semiconductors in Newport, with a link to Cardiff University and the wider south-east of Wales, and high-value advanced manufacturing in north-east Wales. These sectors in themselves will be integral to the path to stronger economic growth in Wales and the UK as a whole. We want to see more private sector investment in high-quality jobs, skills and productivity.
The identification of potential investment zones is by no means a reflection on the limits of economic opportunities or the need for ambitious investment in other parts of Wales. Investment zones represent just one intervention, and one that would be strengthened if it fell within the broader industrial policy approach that we continue to advocate for. Our proposal arises from an objective judgment based on the specific criteria for investment zones.
The UK Government will now need to decide whether to provide the funding and reserved levers to support investment zones in Wales. For our part, we have indicated a willingness to work towards ensuring devolved and local tax levers are available to investment zones, and to work in partnership with the UK Government on delivering a package of investment support, subject to the agreement of plans from each zone setting out how the support will be used to deliver net benefits for the people of Wales.
Members will be aware that the Welsh Government faces major financial pressures and our willingness to proceed with investment zones in Wales is based on an offer from the UK Treasury that meets the full expected costs of financing each investment zone. This will provide parity with investment zone funding in England.
Despite differences in approach, there is alignment on aspects of economic policy between our Governments, including an ambition to grow high-potential clusters, increase investment in skills, research, innovation and infrastructure, and to support higher levels of productivity and more high-skilled jobs. I intend to set out my economic priorities in a statement to the Chamber on 28 November, which will build upon our economic mission.
If investment zones are funded in Wales, I look forward to working constructively with the UK Government and corporate joint committees to ensure a clear focus for proposed investments to deliver growth, high-quality jobs, skills and increased productivity. Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd.
Dirprwy Lywydd, rydym ni wedi bod yn gyson o ran nodi bod dull tameidiog o ymdrin â pholisi economaidd rhanbarthol ar lefel y DU yn tanseilio cyfleoedd twf posibl ac nad yw'n cydnabod yr angen mewn ffordd sy'n mynd i'r afael â thlodi. Rydym ni'n parhau i alw am ddychwelyd cyllid rhanbarthol ôl-UE i Gymru, a fyddai'n ein helpu i ddarparu polisi rhanbarthol mwy cydlynol ar gyfer pob rhan o Gymru.
Er gwaethaf yr heriau hyn, rwy'n hapus gyda'r dull adeiladol sy'n cael ei fabwysiadu gan adran ffyniant bro Llywodraeth y DU o ran datblygu cynigion ar gyfer parthau buddsoddi yng Nghymru. Mae hyn wedi adeiladu ar y bartneriaeth lwyddiannus ac adeiladol a sefydlwyd gennym ni i gytuno ar raglen porthladdoedd rhydd Cymru. Gall y ddwy raglen gynnig cyfleoedd gwirioneddol i ddod ag ysgogiadau datganoledig ac a gedwir yn ôl ynghyd i gefnogi economi Cymru mewn partneriaeth gyfartal.
Mae'r dull pragmatig y mae'r ddwy Lywodraeth wedi ei fabwysiadu wedi caniatau i ni sicrhau bod blaenoriaethau polisi Cymru yn cael eu hadlewyrchu yn y dull gweithredu ar y cyd yr ydym ni wedi bod yn ei drafod dros y misoedd diwethaf. Fel gyda phorthladdoedd rhydd Cymru, rydym ni eisiau gwneud yn siŵr bod buddsoddiadau yn cyfrannu at ein huchelgeisiau sero net, ein dyletswyddau o dan Ddeddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015, a hybu gwaith teg, gan gynnwys mynediad at undebau llafur. Ni fyddwn yn derbyn unrhyw wanhau i hawliau gweithwyr mewn parthau buddsoddi. Mae hwn yn brawf hanfodol o egwyddor ac mae'n rhaid i hyn ychwanegu at ein cenhadaeth economaidd. Rydym ni hefyd wedi pwysleisio pwysigrwydd y dull rhanbarthol cydweithredol yr ydym ni wedi ei ddatblygu ledled Cymru a'r angen i symleiddio cynllunio a llywodraethu datblygu economaidd rhanbarthol drwy'r cyd-bwyllgorau corfforedig statudol y mae'r Senedd hon wedi deddfu ar eu cyfer.
Mae'n bwysig nodi y bydd angen i Lywodraeth y DU wneud penderfyniad o hyd ar y cymorth y bydd yn ei ddarparu i barthau buddsoddi yng Nghymru cyn neu'n rhan o broses datganiad yr hydref. Fodd bynnag, gallaf gadarnhau bod Cabinet Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cyfarfod i drafod y cynigion sydd wedi bod yn cael eu datblygu. O ganlyniad, rwyf i wedi ysgrifennu at yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol yn yr Adran Ffyniant Bro, Tai a Chymunedau yn dilyn ein hymgysylltiad adeiladol i nodi ein parodrwydd i ddefnyddio ysgogiadau ac arbenigedd datganoledig i gefnogi dau barth buddsoddi yng Nghymru.
Mae polisi parthau buddsoddi, wrth gwrs, wedi newid yn sylweddol ers 2022, yn ystod rhyngdeyrnasiad byr Truss a Kwarteng. Mae'r polisi presennol yn canolbwyntio ar nifer fach o glystyrau potensial uchel yn gysylltiedig â galluoedd ymchwil cryf. Ceir meysydd lle gall ein cryfderau cymharol hybu cynhyrchiant ehangach a thwf economaidd. Byddai'r canlyniadau hyn yn cyd-fynd â'n cenhadaeth economaidd a thystiolaeth a gyflwynwyd gan leisiau arbenigol blaenllaw, gan gynnwys y Resolution Foundation, ar yr angen i gryfhau manteision cymharol yn y DU. Mae fy swyddogion wedi gweithio gyda swyddogion Llywodraeth y DU ar ddull ar y cyd o nodi meysydd potensial uchel sy'n adlewyrchu blaenoriaethau polisi Llywodraeth y DU a Llywodraeth Cymru.
Fel y dywedais, rwyf i wedi trafod y mater hwn gyda chyd-Weinidogion Llywodraeth Cymru wrth i'r trafodaethau ddatblygu i ystyried y goblygiadau trawslywodraethol ac i sicrhau proses gwneud penderfyniadau gydgysylltiedig. Yn seiliedig ar ein dadansoddiad o'r cyfleoedd ar gyfer twf mewn clystyrau potensial uchel, rydym ni'n cytuno bod dadl dros ddau barth buddsoddi yng Nghymru. Rydym ni'n ffafrio un parth buddsoddi yn y de-ddwyrain ac un yn y gogledd-ddwyrain, sy'n cynnwys sir y Fflint a Wrecsam. Mae hyn yn adlewyrchu'r cryfderau sectoraidd penodol a'r clystyrau presennol ym mhob rhanbarth, yn enwedig lled-ddargludyddion cyfansawdd yng Nghasnewydd, â chysylltiad â Phrifysgol Caerdydd ac ardal ehangach y de-ddwyrain, a gweithgynhyrchu uwch gwerth uchel yn y gogledd-ddwyrain. Bydd y sectorau hyn ynddynt eu hunain yn rhan annatod o'r llwybr i dwf economaidd cryfach yng Nghymru a'r DU yn ei chyfanrwydd. Rydym ni eisiau gweld mwy o fuddsoddiad sector preifat mewn swyddi, sgiliau a chynhyrchiant o ansawdd uchel.
Nid yw nodi parthau buddsoddi posibl yn adlewyrchiad o bell ffordd o gyfyngiadau cyfleoedd economaidd na'r angen am fuddsoddiad uchelgeisiol mewn rhannau eraill o Gymru. Mae parthau buddsoddi yn cynrychioli un ymyriad yn unig, ac un a fyddai'n cael ei gryfhau pe bai'n dod o fewn y dull polisi diwydiannol ehangach yr ydym ni'n parhau i eirioli drosto. Mae ein cynnig yn deillio o ddyfarniad gwrthrychol yn seiliedig ar y meini prawf penodol ar gyfer parthau buddsoddi.
Bydd angen nawr i Lywodraeth y DU benderfynu a ddylid darparu'r cyllid a'r ysgogiadau a gedwir yn ôl i gefnogi parthau buddsoddi yng Nghymru. O'n rhan ni, rydym ni wedi nodi parodrwydd i weithio tuag at sicrhau bod ysgogiadau treth datganoledig a lleol ar gael i barthau buddsoddi, ac i weithio mewn partneriaeth â Llywodraeth y DU ar ddarparu pecyn o gymorth buddsoddi, yn amodol ar gytuno ar gynlluniau o bob parth yn nodi sut y bydd y cymorth yn cael ei ddefnyddio i sicrhau manteision net i bobl Cymru.
Bydd yr Aelodau yn ymwybodol bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn wynebu pwysau ariannol mawr ac mae ein parodrwydd i fwrw ymlaen â pharthau buddsoddi yng Nghymru yn seiliedig ar gynnig gan Drysorlys y DU sy'n talu costau disgwyliedig llawn ariannu pob parth buddsoddi. Bydd hyn yn cyfateb i gyllid ar gyfer parthau buddsoddi yn Lloegr.
Er gwaethaf y gwahaniaethau o ran dull, ceir cysondeb o ran agweddau ar bolisi economaidd rhwng ein Llywodraethau, gan gynnwys uchelgais i dyfu clystyrau potensial uchel, cynyddu buddsoddiad mewn sgiliau, ymchwil, arloesi a seilwaith, a chefnogi lefelau uwch o gynhyrchiant a mwy o swyddi sgiliau uchel. Rwy'n bwriadu cyflwyno fy mlaenoriaethau economaidd mewn datganiad i'r Siambr ar 28 Tachwedd, a fydd yn adeiladu ar ein cenhadaeth economaidd.
Os caiff parthau buddsoddi eu hariannu yng Nghymru, edrychaf ymlaen at weithio'n adeiladol gyda Llywodraeth y DU a chydbwyllgorau corfforedig i sicrhau pwyslais eglur i fuddsoddiadau arfaethedig ddarparu twf, swyddi o ansawdd uchel, sgiliau a mwy o gynhyrchiant. Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd.
Can I thank the Minister for his statement this afternoon? I very much welcome the progress being made to secure investment zones here in Wales. The benefits to the business community are clearly evident and the creation of investment zones in Wales can help drive long-term investment and economic growth. I know that many of the levers to establish investment zones lie with the UK Government, but it is important that the Welsh Government is playing a full role in helping to ensure that investment zones are developed here in Wales, and today's statement tells us a bit more about the Welsh Government's role here.
Now, the Minister will be aware of the ongoing inquiry into investment zones by the UK Government's Business and Trade Committee, which is looking at their performance in England. During that inquiry Professor Steve Fothergill made it very clear that, and I quote,
'it is no good just drawing lines around pieces of land on maps and saying, "That is the new investment zone”. The sites have to be ready to go. They have to be up and ready for building developments. The infrastructure has to be in'.
He went on to say that some of the most successful enterprise zones in the past have acquired that status after perhaps a decade of preparatory work turning derelict sites into ready-to-go sites. With that in mind, and given the information in today's statement, it's vital that proposals to create investment zones have the necessary infrastructure and are ready to go.
Now, I appreciate that today's statement confirms a preference for an investment zone in south-east Wales and in north-east Wales covering Flintshire and Wrexham. Therefore, I'd be grateful if the Minister could tell us whether he's confident that these proposals already have the infrastructure in place to become effective investment zones.
Today's statement refers to free ports and yet whilst free ports are built around ports, investment zones are primarily centered around universities. Therefore, it's absolutely critical that universities are not just on board with any proposals, but are at the heart of their development. And so I'd be grateful if the Minister could tell us a bit more about the discussions the Welsh Government has had with universities about the role they can play in driving forward these proposals.
Investment zones provide an opportunity to harness the important role universities and local research institutions play in local growth and supporting levelling up. And so we need to better understand the role the Welsh Government is playing in facilitating that and building networks to ensure that any bids are as strong as possible.
Now, some of the feedback on investment zones in England has suggested that the incentives for businesses just aren't long-term enough. The financial incentives on the investment zones are almost identical to the equivalent financial incentives available in free ports, with the exception of customs duties. But five years is a short amount of time to expect a huge economic impact. It's been argued that economic benefits have largely been greater when financial packages have been made on a longer term basis, like the enterprise zones set up in the early 1990s, where the exemption from business rates was for 10 years. So, perhaps the Minister could tell us whether he believes that these packages should be made available on a long-term basis, so that they can have a much more positive economic impact.
Today's statement states the funding and reserved levers to support investment zones in Wales now rest with the UK Government, but the Welsh Government could use its own levers to build on the current investment package from the UK Government. The Welsh Government could, for example, choose to build on the investment zone programme by immediately extending the business rates holiday for businesses in some of those areas, and so I'd be grateful if the Minister could tell us whether this is something the Welsh Government will be considering in the near future.
Now, job creation is absolutely crucial in developing an effective investment zone. There are concerns about the displacement of jobs when investment zones are created, and it's important that those warnings are taken very, very seriously. The Welsh Government also needs to consider its skills pipeline and work with stakeholders to address any shortages. Therefore, perhaps the Minister could tell us what the Welsh Government would do to mitigate any potential job displacement in the surrounding areas of an investment zone. So, in closing, Dirprwy Lywydd, can I thank the Minister for his statement today, and emphasise that Wales could and should benefit from the investment zone programme? The Minister has indicated that there are two strong bids in Wales, and I hope we see some positive progress regarding the establishment of these zones in the very near future. Diolch.
A gaf i ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am ei ddatganiad y prynhawn yma? Rwy'n croesawu'n fawr y cynnydd sy'n cael ei wneud i sicrhau parthau buddsoddi yma yng Nghymru. Mae'r manteision i'r gymuned fusnes yn gwbl amlwg a gall creu parthau buddsoddi yng Nghymru helpu i ysgogi buddsoddiad hirdymor a thwf economaidd. Rwy'n gwybod mai Llywodraeth y DU sy'n meddu ar lawer o'r ysgogiadau i sefydlu parthau buddsoddi, ond mae'n bwysig bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn chwarae rhan lawn o ran helpu i sicrhau bod parthau buddsoddi yn cael eu datblygu yma yng Nghymru, ac mae'r datganiad heddiw yn dweud ychydig mwy wrthym ni am swyddogaeth Llywodraeth Cymru yma.
Nawr, bydd y Gweinidog yn ymwybodol o'r ymchwiliad parhaus i barthau buddsoddi gan Bwyllgor Busnes a Masnach Llywodraeth y DU, sy'n edrych ar eu perfformiad yn Lloegr. Yn ystod yr ymchwiliad hwnnw, fe wnaeth yr Athro Steve Fothergill ei gwneud hi'n eglur iawn, ac rwy'n dyfynnu,
'nid yw'n dda i ddim tynnu llinellau o gwmpas darnau o dir ar fapiau a dweud, "Dyna'r parth buddsoddi newydd". Mae'n rhaid i'r safleoedd fod yn barod i fynd. Mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw fod yn barod ar gyfer datblygiadau adeiladu. Mae'n rhaid i'r seilwaith fod yno.'
Aeth ymlaen i ddweud bod rhai o'r parthau menter mwyaf llwyddiannus yn y gorffennol wedi caffael y statws hwnnw ar ôl efallai degawd o waith paratoi yn troi safleoedd segur yn safleoedd parod i fynd. Gyda hynny mewn golwg, ac o ystyried yr wybodaeth yn natganiad heddiw, mae'n hanfodol bod gan gynigion i greu parthau buddsoddi y seilwaith angenrheidiol a'u bod yn barod i fynd.
Nawr, rwy'n sylweddoli bod y datganiad heddiw yn cadarnhau ffafriaeth i barth buddsoddi yn y de-ddwyrain ac yn y gogledd-ddwyrain yn cynnwys sir y Fflint a Wrecsam. Felly, byddwn yn ddiolchgar pe gallai'r Gweinidog ddweud wrthym ni a yw'n hyderus bod gan y cynigion hyn y seilwaith eisoes ar waith i ddod yn barthau buddsoddi effeithiol.
Mae'r datganiad heddiw yn cyfeirio at borthladdoedd rhydd ac eto er bod porthladdoedd rhydd wedi'u hadeiladu o amgylch porthladdoedd, mae parthau buddsoddi wedi'u canolbwyntio ar brifysgolion yn bennaf. Felly, mae'n gwbl hanfodol nid yn unig bod prifysgolion yn cefnogi unrhyw gynigion, ond eu bod nhw'n ganolog i'w datblygiad. Ac felly byddwn yn ddiolchgar pe gallai'r Gweinidog ddweud ychydig mwy wrthym ni am y trafodaethau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi eu cael gyda phrifysgolion am y rhan y gallan nhw ei chwarae o ran bwrw ymlaen â'r cynigion hyn.
Mae parthau buddsoddi yn cynnig cyfle i harneisio'r rhan bwysig y mae prifysgolion a sefydliadau ymchwil lleol yn ei chwarae mewn twf lleol a chefnogi ffyniant bro. Ac felly mae angen i ni ddeall yn well y rhan y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei chwarae o ran hwyluso hynny ac adeiladu rhwydweithiau i sicrhau bod unrhyw geisiadau mor gryf â phosibl.
Nawr, mae rhywfaint o'r adborth ar barthau buddsoddi yn Lloegr wedi awgrymu nad yw'r cymhellion i fusnesau yn ddigon hirdymor. Mae'r cymhellion ariannol ar y parthau buddsoddi bron yn union yr un fath â'r cymhellion ariannol cyfatebol sydd ar gael mewn porthladdoedd rhydd, ac eithrio tollau tramor. Ond mae pum mlynedd yn gyfnod byr o amser i ddisgwyl effaith economaidd enfawr. Dadleuwyd bod manteision economaidd wedi bod yn fwy i raddau helaeth pan fo pecynnau ariannol wedi cael eu cyflwyno ar sail dymor hwy, fel y parthau menter a sefydlwyd ar ddechrau'r 1990au, lle'r oedd yr eithriad o ardrethi busnes am 10 mlynedd. Felly, efallai y gallai'r Gweinidog ddweud wrthym ni a yw'n credu y dylai'r pecynnau hyn fod ar gael ar sail hirdymor, fel y gallan nhw gael effaith economaidd lawer mwy cadarnhaol.
Mae'r datganiad heddiw yn nodi bod y cyllid a'r ysgogiadau a gedwir yn ôl i gynorthwyo parthau buddsoddi yng Nghymru bellach yn nwylo Llywodraeth y DU, ond gallai Llywodraeth Cymru ddefnyddio ei hysgogiadau ei hun i adeiladu ar y pecyn buddsoddi presennol gan Lywodraeth y DU. Gallai Llywodraeth Cymru, er enghraifft, ddewis adeiladu ar y rhaglen parthau buddsoddi drwy ymestyn ar unwaith y gwyliau ardrethi busnes i fusnesau yn rhai o'r ardaloedd hynny, ac felly byddwn yn ddiolchgar pe gallai'r Gweinidog ddweud wrthym ni a yw hyn yn rhywbeth y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei ystyried yn y dyfodol agos.
Nawr, mae creu swyddi yn gwbl hanfodol i ddatblygu parth buddsoddi effeithiol. Ceir pryderon ynghylch dadleoli swyddi pan gaiff parthau buddsoddi eu creu, ac mae'n bwysig bod y rhybuddion hynny yn cael sylw difrifol iawn. Mae angen i Lywodraeth Cymru hefyd ystyried ei phiblinell sgiliau a gweithio gyda rhanddeiliaid i fynd i'r afael ag unrhyw brinder. Felly, efallai y gallai'r Gweinidog ddweud wrthym ni beth fyddai Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i liniaru unrhyw ddadleoli swyddi posibl yn ardaloedd cyfagos parth buddsoddi. Felly, i gloi, Dirprwy Lywydd, a gaf i ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am ei ddatganiad heddiw, a phwysleisio y gallai ac y dylai Cymru elwa o'r rhaglen parthau buddsoddi? Mae'r Gweinidog wedi nodi bod dau gais cryf yng Nghymru, ac rwy'n gobeithio y byddwn ni'n gweld rhywfaint o gynnydd cadarnhaol o ran sefydlu'r parthau hyn yn y dyfodol agos iawn. Diolch.
Daeth y Llywydd i’r Gadair.
The Llywydd took the Chair.
Thank you. I think there are four broad areas of questions there. I'll deal with the universities first. In each part of Wales, we're aware that across corporate joint committees, growth deal areas and within smaller areas people have been talking about this, including with university partners. So, there were potential discussions, I think. I've heard a number of people, I think, in at least five if not six different parts of Wales, who have been told that they have a potential for an investment zone. Some of that has set hares running. I think it's been unhelpful, because there were never going to be five or six investment zones created in Wales. And the offer initially moved from one to a discussion about two being possible in Wales. In the same way then, as in the free ports programme, we started off with a free port that might come to Wales to then reaching agreement for two. So, universities are aware of what the programme requires, and we will now expect, assuming the UK Government agrees with our position on two investment zones, that there would need to be a business case, drawing together those partners, how it's within the corporate joint committee structure—I don't want competing or alternative forms of governance around these—and they'll then need to set out how they'll work alongside the universities to deliver the research and innovation that will be required.
On your second point, I think, about the long-term investment, the proposals for an investment zone in England, as we understand them, are, essentially, £80 million of funding over five years. So, you're right. That is a finite sum of money. The challenge though is whether it will help us to unlock growth in the areas that are being looked at. It's an investment for growth, as opposed to—and this is the choice of the UK Government—as opposed to us saying investment zones will be part of levelling-up economic activity and investing in our least-well-off communities. That is not what the investment zone programme has been conceived for. So, again, this is us finding a way to work with a UK Government policy initiative and to be constructive in doing so. But, on your point around long-term investment, tomorrow, of course, with a slightly different hat on, we'll talk about the long-term investment we're able to deliver with former structural funds in Wales, taking a more coherent regional approach and having a longer term to spend that money. And the learning that we undertook over many years—. And I think, in a previous Senedd, you have been on a committee that's looked at lessons learned from previous structural funding programmes. We think that sort of approach, from a UK Government of whatever shade, to our longer term coherence is the right thing to do to allow us to look more coherently right across Wales where we think there are opportunities, where there's a need to see economic development. Unfortunately, the current design is more piecemeal than we'd like and is more short term than we'd like. We'll talk in detail about the shared prosperity fund and having annual spending deadlines tomorrow.
On your third point around business rates, I see the finance Minister is looming over us in the virtual world, and I will decline your polite suggestion that I attempt to set parameters for the budget that has not yet been set. We need to wait to understand what will happen in the autumn statement on 22 November, whether that will lead to a net increase in funds in Wales, or whether, behind the headlines, we find that our pocket has been picked and it's not quite as generous as the headlines, I'm sure, will be. We need to understand that, and then we need to set a budget right across the whole Government. Any choices around business rates will need to be taken account of after the autumn statement and in the work that the Member, I know, understands is taking place between Ministers now.
And on your final point, part of the reason why we have looked at the north-east of Wales, around Wrexham and Flint and high-value manufacturing, the reason why we've looked at compound semiconductors in particular, based around Newport with a link to Cardiff University and a workforce that already comes from the wider area, including the Valleys, is because we're looking at the potential for growth, we're looking at where there is already established infrastructure and an established understanding of what's possible, and also to try to counteract the potential for businesses to be attracted to move and to displace activity—it has always been one of our concerns about free ports and about investment zones.
So, choosing established centres that already exist is partly what underpins our rationale that we should not, for example, try to undertake a new compound semiconductor cluster in Ceredigion. Whilst the Presiding Officer may think that's a wonderful idea, that is unlikely to see significant growth, and it's much more likely to see displacement, if people could be persuaded to go there for that purpose. So, we're focusing on areas where we know there's established activity and the potential to grow more.
Diolch. Rwy'n credu bod pedwar maes eang o gwestiynau yno. Fe wnaf i ymdrin â'r prifysgolion yn gyntaf. Ym mhob rhan o Gymru, rydym ni'n ymwybodol bod pobl wedi bod yn siarad am hyn ar draws cyd-bwyllgorau corfforedig, ardaloedd bargen dwf ac mewn ardaloedd llai, gan gynnwys gyda phartneriaid prifysgol. Felly, roedd trafodaethau posibl, rwy'n credu. Rwyf i wedi clywed nifer o bobl, rwy'n credu, mewn o leiaf pump os nad chwe rhan wahanol o Gymru, sydd wedi cael gwybod bod ganddyn nhw botensial ar gyfer parth buddsoddi. Mae rhywfaint o hynny wedi codi ysgyfarnogod. Rwy'n credu ei fod wedi bod yn annefnyddiol, oherwydd nid oedd pump neu chwech o barthau buddsoddi erioed yn mynd i gael eu creu yng Nghymru. Ac fe wnaeth y cynnig symud i ddechrau o un i drafodaeth am y posibilrwydd o ddau yng Nghymru. Yn yr un modd wedyn, ag yn y rhaglen porthladdoedd rhydd, fe wnaethom ni ddechrau gyda phorthladd rhydd a allai ddod i Gymru i ddod i gytundeb ar gyfer dau wedyn. Felly, mae prifysgolion yn ymwybodol o'r hyn sydd ei angen ar y rhaglen, a byddwn yn disgwyl nawr, gan dybio bod Llywodraeth y DU yn cytuno â'n safbwynt ar ddau barth buddsoddi, y byddai angen achos busnes, gan ddod â'r partneriaid hynny at ei gilydd, sut y mae o fewn y strwythur cyd-bwyllgorau corfforedig—nid wyf i eisiau mathau o lywodraethu sy'n cystadlu neu amgen yng nghyswllt y rhain—ac yna bydd angen iddyn nhw nodi sut y byddan nhw'n gweithio ochr yn ochr â'r prifysgolion i wneud y gwaith ymchwil ac arloesi a fydd yn ofynnol.
Ar eich ail bwynt, rwy'n credu, am y buddsoddiad hirdymor, mae'r cynigion ar gyfer parth buddsoddi yn Lloegr, fel yr ydym ni'n eu deall nhw, yn y bôn, yn £80 miliwn o gyllid dros bum mlynedd. Felly, rydych chi'n iawn. Mae hwnnw'n swm cyfyngedig o arian. Yr her, fodd bynnag, yw pa un a fydd yn ein helpu i ddatgloi twf yn yr ardaloedd sy'n cael eu hystyried. Mae'n fuddsoddiad ar gyfer twf, yn hytrach na—a dyma ddewis Llywodraeth y DU—yn hytrach na ni yn dweud y bydd parthau buddsoddi yn rhan o weithgarwch economaidd ffyniant bro a buddsoddi yn ein cymunedau lleiaf cefnog. Nid dyna'r hyn y crëwyd y rhaglen parth buddsoddi ar ei gyfer. Felly, eto, mae'n fater ohonom ni'n dod o hyd i ffordd o weithio gyda menter bolisi Llywodraeth y DU a bod yn adeiladol wrth wneud hynny. Ond, ar eich pwynt ar fuddsoddiad hirdymor, yfory, wrth gwrs, gan wisgo het ychydig yn wahanol, byddwn yn siarad am y buddsoddiad hirdymor y gallwn ni ei ddarparu gyda chyn-gronfeydd strwythurol yng Nghymru, gan fabwysiadu dull rhanbarthol mwy cydlynol a chael tymor hwy i wario'r arian hwnnw. A'r dysgu a wnaethom dros nifer o flynyddoedd—. Ac rwy'n credu, mewn Senedd flaenorol, eich bod chi wedi bod ar bwyllgor sydd wedi edrych ar wersi a ddysgwyd o raglenni ariannu strwythurol blaenorol. Rydym ni'n credu mai'r math hwnnw o ddull, gan Lywodraeth y DU o ba bynnag fath, o ymdrin â'n cydlyniad tymor hwy yw'r peth iawn i'w wneud i ganiatáu i ni edrych yn fwy cydlynol ar draws Cymru gyfan lle'r ydym ni'n credu bod cyfleoedd, lle mae angen gweld datblygiad economaidd. Yn anffodus, mae'r dyluniad presennol yn fwy tameidiog nag yr hoffem ac mae'n fwy byrdymor nag yr hoffem. Byddwn yn siarad yn fanwl am y gronfa ffyniant gyffredin a chael terfynau amser gwario blynyddol yfory.
Ar eich trydydd pwynt ar ardrethi busnes, rwy'n gweld bod y Gweinidog cyllid yn edrych drosom ni yn y rhith-fyd, ac fe wnaf i wrthod eich awgrym cwrtais y dylwn i geisio gosod paramedrau ar gyfer y gyllideb nad yw wedi'i gosod eto. Mae angen i ni aros i ddeall yr hyn fydd yn digwydd yn natganiad yr hydref ar 22 Tachwedd, pa un a fydd hynny yn arwain at gynnydd net i gyllid yng Nghymru, neu pa un a ydym ni'n canfod, y tu ôl i'r penawdau, ein bod ni wedi dioddef lladrad ac nad yw mor hael ag y bydd y penawdau, rwy'n siŵr. Mae angen i ni ddeall hynny, ac yna mae angen i ni bennu cyllideb ar draws y Llywodraeth gyfan. Bydd angen cymryd unrhyw ddewisiadau ynghylch ardrethi busnes i ystyriaeth ar ôl datganiad yr hydref ac yn y gwaith y mae'r Aelod yn deall, rwy'n gwybod, sy'n digwydd rhwng Gweinidogion nawr.
Ac ar eich pwynt olaf, rhan o'r rheswm pam rydym ni wedi edrych ar y gogledd-ddwyrain, o amgylch Wrecsam a'r Fflint a gweithgynhyrchu gwerth uchel, y rheswm pam rydym ni wedi edrych ar led-ddargludyddion cyfansawdd yn benodol, wedi'u lleoli o amgylch Casnewydd gyda chysylltiad â Phrifysgol Caerdydd a gweithlu sydd eisoes yn dod o'r ardal ehangach, gan gynnwys y Cymoedd, yw oherwydd ein bod ni'n edrych ar y potensial ar gyfer twf, rydym ni'n edrych ar le mae seilwaith eisoes wedi'i sefydlu a dealltwriaeth sefydledig o'r hyn sy'n bosibl, a hefyd i geisio gwrthweithio'r potensial i fusnesau gael eu denu i symud ac i ddadleoli gweithgarwch—mae wedi bod yn un o'n pryderon erioed am borthladdoedd rhydd ac am barthau buddsoddi.
Felly, dewis canolfannau sefydledig sydd eisoes yn bodoli yw'r hyn sy'n rhannol yn sail i'n rhesymeg na ddylem ni, er enghraifft, geisio creu clwstwr lled-ddargludyddion cyfansawdd newydd yng Ngheredigion. Er y gallai'r Llywydd feddwl bod hynny'n syniad gwych, mae hynny'n annhebygol o arwain at dwf sylweddol, ac mae'n llawer mwy tebygol o arwain at ddadleoli, pe bai modd perswadio pobl i fynd yno at y diben hwnnw. Felly, rydym ni'n canolbwyntio ar ardaloedd lle'r ydym ni'n gwybod bod gweithgarwch sefydledig a'r potensial i dyfu mwy.
Diolch am y datganiad, Gweinidog.
Thank you for the statement, Minister.
I'd start by saying that it is important that these zones fully serve the interests and aspirations of the communities and people of the regions that they'll be established in. Previous experience has shown that without robust oversight and strategic clarity such place-based initiatives end up being exploited by multinationals for tax purposes without delivering tangible benefits in terms of local skills development and productivity gains. For example, the enterprise zone programme spearheaded by George Osborne fell far short of its ambitions for job creation. While the Treasury initially predicted in 2011 that the creation of the zones would lead to 54,000 new jobs by 2015, subsequent analysis in 2017 showed that five years of the programme had delivered only 17,500 jobs, of which at least a third were jobs that had been relocated from other parts of the UK.
The disastrous free ports policy of the Thatcher Government, which was eventually put out of its misery by the Tories in 2012, had a similar record of underdelivering for the local economies for which it was designed. And the eight enterprise zones created by the Welsh Government in 2012 have fared little better. The report of the then Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee in 2018 concluded that the original aims of the enterprise zones policy in Wales, to create growth and jobs, had not been achieved across the board, while also expressing misgivings at the lack of regular performance-tracking data.
Now, I do sincerely hope that the Government, therefore, has learned from its previous venture into enterprise zones and has incorporated some of those lessons learned from previous failures. Wales has witnessed far too many false dawns when it comes to economic strategies. So, how will the Government learn from those lessons, and what’s to say that we won’t be in the same position again, where delivery falls short of ambition? Will we also be given the regular data, highlighted by the then Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee, to be able to then scrutinise the performance and track the performance of these new enterprise zones, so as to hold the Government to account?
Now, I think that it’s important for us to consider the additionality factor as well in this—so, the extent to which place-based investment policy can actually drive growth at source, as opposed to simply redirecting economic development that would have happened elsewhere anyway, as has already been highlighted by the Tory spokesperson. This has also been a concern of mine with the proposals for free ports.
Now, I understand the Minister’s answer in response to the Tory spokesperson around choosing established centres. But I don’t think that it fully explains what the Government is doing to mitigate the potential problem of relocation. So, how much thought has been given to it, and what are the specific mitigation policies that the Government have in place? Because I think that it is important that we not only mitigate displacement, but monitor it throughout the life of these enterprise zones.
Of course, we welcome that the Government will not accept any dilution of workers’ rights. I would appreciate it, though, if the Minister could set out exactly how the Government will guard against the dilution of workers’ rights. What exactly are the mechanisms for monitoring and then taking action if there is an infringement?
Finally, Llywydd, we should ensure that the commercial incentives for attracting businesses do not unduly favour larger corporations at the expense of domestic enterprise. I have been clear for some time that supporting growth in our SME sector, and ensuring that domestic firms are resilient, competitive and dynamic