Y Cyfarfod Llawn

Plenary

13/12/2023

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.

Datganiad gan y Llywydd
Statement by the Llywydd

Prynhawn da a chroeso, bawb, i'r Cyfarfod Llawn y prynhawn yma. 

Good afternoon and welcome to this afternoon's Plenary meeting. 

Today has brought us news, but, as a Senedd, it is business as usual. We had a First Minister answering First Minister's questions yesterday and we will have the same First Minister answering questions when we reconvene in January. For now, let us thank Mark for his leadership of the Welsh Government thus far, and we await with interest his final months of activity in office in the new year.

Mae heddiw wedi dod â newyddion i ni, ond fel Senedd, mae’n fusnes fel arfer. Cawsom Brif Weinidog yn ateb cwestiynau i’r Prif Weinidog ddoe, a bydd gennym yr un Prif Weinidog yn ateb cwestiynau pan fyddwn yn ailymgynnull ym mis Ionawr. Am y tro, gadewch inni ddiolch i Mark am ei arweinyddiaeth i Lywodraeth Cymru hyd yma, ac edrychwn ymlaen yn eiddgar at ei fisoedd olaf o weithgarwch yn y swydd yn y flwyddyn newydd.

1. Cwestiynau i’r Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol a'r Prif Chwip
1. Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip

Felly, yr eitem gyntaf ar ein hagenda ni y prynhawn yma yw'r cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol. Mae'r cwestiwn gyntaf gan Andrew R.T. Davies.

The first item on our agenda this afternoon is questions to the Minister for Social Justice. The first question is from Andrew R.T. Davies.

Cynllun Uwch-noddwr ar gyfer Ffoaduriad o Wcráin
Supersponsor Scheme for Ukrainian Refugees

1. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi diweddariad ar rôl Llywodraeth Cymru yn y cynllun uwch-noddwr ar gyfer ffoaduriaid o Wcráin? OQ60418

1. Will the Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government's role in the supersponsor scheme for Ukrainian refugees? OQ60418

Thank you for your question. Over 3,250 people have arrived in the UK through the Welsh Government’s Homes for Ukraine supersponsor route since it opened in March 2022. People have been successfully supported on their arrival through temporary initial accommodation, with the majority of people assisted to now settle into longer term accommodation.

Diolch am eich cwestiwn. Mae dros 3,250 o bobl wedi cyrraedd y DU drwy lwybr uwch-noddwr Cartrefi i Wcráin Llywodraeth Cymru ers iddo agor ym mis Mawrth 2022. Mae pobl wedi cael eu cefnogi’n llwyddiannus ar ôl iddynt gyrraedd drwy lety cychwynnol dros dro, gyda’r rhan fwyaf o bobl bellach yn cael cymorth i setlo mewn llety mwy hirdymor.

Thank you for that answer, Minister. In previous updates, you've highlighted how there are various Ukrainian refugees still in Ukraine, or have left Ukraine but are on mainland Europe, who have asked to be adopted under the supersponsor scheme. Are you able to identify today the number of Ukrainian refugees who are still outside of Wales and waiting to come to Wales under the supersponsor scheme that the Welsh Government facilitated? And I commend you for that facilitation.

Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Mewn diweddariadau blaenorol, rydych chi wedi tynnu sylw at y ffaith bod nifer o ffoaduriaid sy'n dal i fod yn Wcráin, neu sydd wedi gadael Wcráin ond yn dal i fod ar dir mawr Ewrop, wedi gofyn am gael eu mabwysiadu o dan y cynllun uwch-noddwr. A allwch nodi heddiw nifer y ffoaduriaid o Wcráin sy’n dal i fod y tu allan i Gymru ac sy'n aros i ddod i Gymru o dan y cynllun uwch-noddwr a drefnwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru? Ac rwy'n eich cymeradwyo am drefnu hynny.

Thank you very much. That is an important question. Just to give you the numbers of people arriving through the scheme who are currently eligible: there remain 1,300 who have been issued visas and are yet to travel. Of these people, approximately 500 have expressed a desire to travel to the UK at some point in the future, while the remainder are uncontactable. Clearly, we don't know who those people are. They indicated that they were interested in our scheme. But also, there are many who have said that they don't require any support from the Welsh Government, but we clearly recognise those figures, and so we are always ready then to provide that support if they do come here, to Wales.

Diolch yn fawr iawn. Mae hwnnw’n gwestiwn pwysig. I roi nifer y bobl sy'n cyrraedd drwy'r cynllun ac sy'n gymwys ar hyn o bryd: mae 1,300 o bobl wedi cael fisâu ond heb deithio eto. O’r bobl hyn, mae oddeutu 500 wedi mynegi awydd i deithio i’r DU ar ryw adeg yn y dyfodol, ac nid oes modd gwneud cyswllt â'r gweddill. Yn amlwg, nid ydym yn gwybod pwy yw’r bobl hynny. Roeddent yn dweud bod ganddynt ddiddordeb yn ein cynllun. Ond hefyd, mae llawer wedi dweud nad oes angen unrhyw gymorth arnynt gan Lywodraeth Cymru, ond rydym yn amlwg yn cydnabod y ffigurau hynny, ac felly rydym bob amser yn barod felly i ddarparu'r cymorth hwnnw os byddant yn dod yma, i Gymru.

I've written to you, Minister, about a case in my constituency—a resident contacting me because he's concerned about the future well-being of refugees that he's sponsoring as well as others when the participation scheme comes to an end in May 2024. A lot will depend on funding from the UK Government, for example, on the recent announcement in the autumn statement that the thankyou payments to hosts will be extended into a third year and how this will apply in Wales. In your response to my letter, you stated that your officials had started exploring the possibility of converting the host-guest arrangement into a lodger-landlord arrangement where the guest would pay former hosts for their accommodation in the absence of a thankyou payment. My constituent has urged caution on this, given that the landlord-tenant relationship is quite different to the current arrangement. Can you, therefore, Minister, confirm that all necessary support will be provided to existing hosts who wish to convert this new arrangement if extended thankyou payments are not forthcoming?

Rwyf wedi ysgrifennu atoch, Weinidog, am achos yn fy etholaeth—preswylydd a gysylltodd â mi am ei fod yn pryderu am lesiant ffoaduriaid y mae’n eu noddi, yn ogystal ag eraill, pan ddaw’r cynllun cyfranogiad i ben ym mis Mai 2024. Bydd llawer yn dibynnu ar gyllid gan Lywodraeth y DU, er enghraifft, ar y cyhoeddiad diweddar yn natganiad yr hydref y bydd y taliadau diolch i letywyr yn cael eu hymestyn i drydedd flwyddyn a sut y bydd hyn yn berthnasol yng Nghymru. Yn eich ymateb i’m llythyr, fe ddywedoch chi fod eich swyddogion wedi dechrau archwilio’r posibilrwydd o drosi’r trefniant lletywr-gwestai yn drefniant lojer-landlord, lle byddai’r gwestai yn talu cyn letywyr am eu llety yn absenoldeb taliad diolch. Mae fy etholwr wedi annog pwyll ar hyn, o ystyried bod y berthynas landlord-tenant yn dra gwahanol i’r trefniant presennol. Weinidog, a allwch chi gadarnhau felly y bydd yr holl gymorth angenrheidiol yn cael ei ddarparu i letywyr presennol sy’n dymuno newid i’r trefniant newydd hwn os na cheir taliadau diolch estynedig?

Thank you very much, Hefin David, for that question. And can I say how rewarding it was to come to Caerphilly in the summer and meet with Ukrainian guests and those who have hosted those families and, indeed, officials from the authority who are working very closely with those guests who have now integrated into your community? 

It was important that, last week, I met with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Minister, Felicity Buchan, to discuss many of these issues in terms of those opportunities for Ukrainians to extend their stay in Wales—what's happening in terms of their visas? That's obviously a clear question, but, also, we were able to welcome the continuation of thankyou payments for those hosting Homes for Ukraine visa holders into their third year. So, we are looking at every possible way in which we can support those who will want to stay longer. Yes, indeed, that includes the prospect and possibility of a lodger-landlord route. But also, I think that the £75 million transitional accommodation capital programme is helping local authorities and registered social landlords to bring forward more good-quality accommodation—transitional maybe as well in terms of long-term prospects—and local authorities also are working closely with us, with the £4.74 million, which is about specifically helping to prevent homelessness, because they need that flexibility with local needs and priorities to help continue our welcome to Ukrainian refugees.

Diolch yn fawr iawn am eich cwestiwn, Hefin David. Ac a gaf fi ddweud pa mor werthfawr oedd dod i Gaerffili yn yr haf a chwrdd â gwesteion o Wcráin a’r rhai sydd wedi croesawu’r teuluoedd hynny, ac yn wir, swyddogion o’r awdurdod sy’n gweithio’n agos iawn gyda’r gwesteion hynny sydd bellach wedi integreiddio yn eich cymuned?

Roedd yn bwysig, yr wythnos diwethaf, fy mod wedi cyfarfod â Gweinidog yr Adran Ffyniant Bro, Tai a Chymunedau, Felicity Buchan, i drafod llawer o’r materion hyn o ran y cyfleoedd i Wcreiniaid ymestyn eu harhosiad yng Nghymru—beth sy’n digwydd mewn perthynas â'u fisâu? Mae hwnnw'n amlwg yn gwestiwn clir, ond hefyd, bu modd inni groesawu parhad y taliadau diolch i'r rhai sy'n rhoi llety i ddeiliaid fisâu Cartrefi i Wcráin yn eu trydedd flwyddyn. Felly, rydym yn edrych ar bob ffordd bosibl y gallwn gefnogi’r rheini sydd am aros yn hirach. Ydy, yn wir, mae hynny'n cynnwys y posibilrwydd o lwybr lojer-landlord. Ond hefyd, credaf hefyd fod y rhaglen gyfalaf £75 miliwn ar gyfer llety trosiannol yn helpu awdurdodau lleol a landlordiaid cymdeithasol cofrestredig i gyflwyno mwy o lety o ansawdd da—trosiannol efallai, yn ogystal ag o ran rhagolygon hirdymor—ac mae awdurdodau lleol hefyd yn gweithio'n agos gyda ni, gyda'r £4.74 miliwn, sy'n ymwneud yn benodol â helpu i atal digartrefedd, gan fod angen yr hyblygrwydd hwnnw arnynt gydag anghenion a blaenoriaethau lleol i helpu i barhau â'n croeso i ffoaduriaid o Wcráin.

13:35

I know the Minister will recall fondly her visit to the Safe Haven within Maesteg, and meeting the families and those that were being hosted, our Ukrainian friends, in Maesteg, as well. But could I ask her, on a very practical basis, what advice, what signposting, would she give to families who wanted to either continue hosting or being hosting anew with the Ukrainian refugees, but also, I have to say, with refugees from other parts of the world who are also fleeing, perhaps, torture, famine, dire conditions, and have arrived on these shores as well, because it's important, as a nation of sanctuary, that we not only welcome Ukrainians who are fleeing the current conflict, but also extend that welcome as well to many others from other parts of the world?

Gwn y bydd y Gweinidog yn cofio ei hymweliad â Safe Haven ym Maesteg, a chyfarfod â’r teuluoedd a’r rhai a oedd yn cael eu lletya, ein ffrindiau o Wcráin, ym Maesteg, hefyd. Ond a gaf fi ofyn iddi, ar sail ymarferol iawn, pa gyfeirio, pa gyngor y byddai'n ei roi i deuluoedd a oedd naill ai am barhau i letya neu ddechrau lletya ffoaduriaid o Wcráin o'r newydd, ond hefyd, mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, ffoaduriaid o rannau eraill o'r byd, sydd hefyd, efallai, yn ffoi rhag artaith, newyn, amgylchiadau enbyd, ac wedi cyrraedd y glannau hyn, gan ei bod yn bwysig, fel cenedl noddfa, nid yn unig ein bod yn croesawu Wcreiniaid sy'n ffoi rhag y gwrthdaro presennol, ond hefyd yn estyn y croeso hwnnw i lawer o bobl eraill o rannau eraill o'r byd?

Thank you very much, Huw Irranca-Davies. It was a truly inspirational afternoon we spent in Maesteg with the guests who are settling in to your community, also working in your community, as well as living and being educated in your community. Can I pay tribute to Bridgend College for the English for speakers of other languages provision? And we were also meeting volunteers who were also doing all that work. I think this demonstrates the commitment of people in Wales to the nation of sanctuary, and to the warmth of welcome to refugees and sanctuary seekers. So, this morning, I co-chaired with the Welsh Local Government Association a new sanctuary board. It's a partnership board with local government, because this is about us looking at all needs in terms of the nation of sanctuary. We've welcomed not only Syrian, Ukrainian refugees, but now we are working very actively on the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme—citizens coming from third countries who've left following the Taliban takeover. And there is a commitment from every local authority in Wales, and that means every community, to support in the dispersal.

Diolch yn fawr iawn, Huw Irranca-Davies. Fe wnaethom dreulio prynhawn gwirioneddol ysbrydoledig ym Maesteg gyda’r gwesteion sy’n ymgartrefu yn eich cymuned, ac yn gweithio yn eich cymuned, yn ogystal â byw a chael eu haddysgu yn eich cymuned. A gaf fi dalu teyrnged i Goleg Penybont am y ddarpariaeth Saesneg i siaradwyr ieithoedd eraill? A buom hefyd yn cyfarfod â gwirfoddolwyr a oedd yn gwneud yr holl waith hwnnw. Credaf fod hyn yn dangos ymrwymiad pobl Cymru i fod yn genedl noddfa, ac i roi croeso cynnes i ffoaduriaid a cheiswyr lloches. Felly, y bore yma, cyd-gadeiriais fwrdd noddfa newydd gyda Chymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru. Mae'n fwrdd partneriaeth gyda llywodraeth leol, gan fod hyn yn ymwneud â ni yn edrych ar yr holl anghenion o ran y genedl noddfa. Rydym wedi croesawu nid yn unig ffoaduriaid o Syria, Wcráin, ond bellach, rydym yn gweithio'n weithredol iawn ar gynllun adsefydlu dinasyddion Affganistan—dinasyddion sy'n dod o drydydd gwledydd ac sydd wedi gadael ers i'r Taliban ddod i rym. Ac mae ymrwymiad wedi'i wneud gan bob awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru, ac mae hynny’n golygu pob cymuned, i gefnogi gyda'r gwasgaru.

Tywydd Oer a Thlodi Tanwydd
Cold Weather and Fuel Poverty

2. Pa asesiad y mae'r Gweinidog wedi'i wneud o effaith y tywydd oer diweddar ar bobl sy'n byw mewn tlodi tanwydd? OQ60402

2. What assessment has the Minister made of the effect of the recent cold weather on people living in fuel poverty? OQ60402

Thank you for that question, Mike Hedges. Despite high energy costs continuing to cause hardship this winter, the Welsh Government is supporting struggling fuel-poor households across Wales, through initiatives such as our Warm Homes Nest scheme, our discretionary assistance fund, and funding the Fuel Bank Foundation to deliver their fuel vouchers and heat fund.

Diolch am eich cwestiwn, Mike Hedges. Er bod costau ynni uchel yn parhau i achosi caledi'r gaeaf hwn, mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi aelwydydd sy’n wynebu tlodi tanwydd ledled Cymru ac sy’n ei chael hi’n anodd, drwy fentrau fel ein cynllun Cartrefi Clyd Nyth, ein cronfa cymorth dewisol, ac ariannu’r Sefydliad Banc Tanwydd i gyflwyno eu talebau tanwydd a'u cronfa wres.

Can I thank the Minister for her response? It is, however, inevitable that many elderly people will die prematurely this winter due to the increased cost of energy, and also that hospital admissions will go up. The health of everyone, especially the elderly, is affected by low temperature and the inability to afford adequate heating. What progress has the Minister made on the bringing in of a social tariff to support those most affected by high energy costs, and ending the cruelty of standing charges, where people are charged on days when they use no energy? I can think of no crueller action taken in this country than that.

A gaf fi ddiolch i’r Gweinidog am ei hymateb? Fodd bynnag, mae’n anochel y bydd llawer o bobl oedrannus yn marw cyn pryd y gaeaf hwn oherwydd y cynnydd yng nghost ynni, ac y bydd derbyniadau i’r ysbyty yn cynyddu hefyd. Mae iechyd pawb, yn enwedig yr henoed, yn cael ei effeithio gan dymheredd isel a'r anallu i fforddio gwresogi digonol. Pa gynnydd y mae’r Gweinidog wedi’i wneud ar gyflwyno tariff cymdeithasol i gefnogi’r rhai yr effeithir arnynt fwyaf gan gostau ynni uchel, a rhoi diwedd ar greulondeb taliadau sefydlog, lle codir tâl ar bobl ar ddiwrnodau pan nad ydynt yn defnyddio unrhyw ynni? Ni allaf feddwl am unrhyw gam creulonach a gymerir yn y wlad hon na hynny.

Thank you, Mike Hedges, for raising those two key calls we have on the UK Government. In fact, we debated this across this Chamber last week, didn't we, and the whole Senedd was backing the need for the UK Government to introduce a social tariff to protect the most vulnerable households. In fact, that commitment was made back in 2022, by the then Chancellor, in the autumn statement, that they would develop this new approach to consumer protection, including looking at the option of a social tariff. And I continued, with the UK Minister for Energy Consumers and Affordability, to raise this issue, on 8 November; I had warm words but no commitment on a consultation or announcement. But they do work, social tariffs, in the water sector, as we know. So, thank you for that call again, which we are backing, for their introduction in the energy sector. And as far as standing charges go, this needs urgent reform, doesn't it? You've raised this on many occasions as a Member, and I raised this again with the Minister. And we go back to the fact that the highest charges in the UK are in north Wales, the fourth highest are in south Wales—profoundly unfair on people who are on low incomes and those wanting to reduce their energy consumption. And since 1 October this year, for households on prepayment meters, one good step is that those on standing charges are paying less than other payment methods, which is only a first step. But this is something, again, on which I would welcome the Chamber's backing, for this call to end standing charges. 

Diolch, Mike Hedges, am godi’r ddwy alwad allweddol a wnawn ar Lywodraeth y DU. Mewn gwirionedd, cawsom ddadl ar hyn yn y Siambr yr wythnos diwethaf, oni chawsom, ac roedd y Senedd gyfan yn cefnogi'r angen i Lywodraeth y DU gyflwyno tariff cymdeithasol i amddiffyn yr aelwydydd mwyaf bregus. Mewn gwirionedd, gwnaed ymrwymiad yn ôl yn 2022, gan y Canghellor ar y pryd, yn natganiad yr hydref, y byddent yn datblygu’r dull newydd hwn o ddiogelu defnyddwyr, gan gynnwys edrych ar yr opsiwn o dariff cymdeithasol. Ac fe wneuthum barhau, gyda Gweinidog y DU dros Ddefnyddwyr Ynni a Fforddiadwyedd, i godi'r mater hwn, ar 8 Tachwedd; cefais eiriau cynnes, ond dim ymrwymiad ar ymgynghoriad neu gyhoeddiad. Ond maent yn gweithio, tariffau cymdeithasol, yn y sector dŵr, fel y gwyddom. Felly, diolch am yr alwad honno eto am eu cyflwyno yn y sector ynni, ac rydym yn ei chefnogi. Ac ar daliadau sefydlog, mae angen diwygio hyn ar frys, onid oes? Rydych wedi codi hyn droeon fel Aelod, a chodais hyn eto gyda’r Gweinidog. Ac awn yn ôl at y ffaith bod y taliadau uchaf yn y DU yng ngogledd Cymru, y pedwerydd uchaf yn ne Cymru—hynod annheg ar bobl sydd ar incwm isel a'r rheini sy'n dymuno lleihau eu defnydd o ynni. Ac ers 1 Hydref eleni, ar gyfer aelwydydd ar fesuryddion rhagdalu, un cam da yw bod y rhieni ar daliadau sefydlog yn talu llai na rhai sy'n talu drwy ddulliau eraill, sy'n gam cyntaf yn unig. Ond mae hyn yn rhywbeth unwaith eto, lle buaswn yn croesawu cefnogaeth y Siambr i'r alwad i roi diwedd ar daliadau sefydlog.

13:40

Minister, in the First Minister's resignation statement to the media this morning, he mentioned a number of legislative priorities that he would have for the remainder of his term as First Minister. One of the things we didn't hear was a new Warm Homes programme. Can I take that to mean that it won't be introduced before the spring?

Weinidog, yn natganiad ymddiswyddo'r Prif Weinidog i’r cyfryngau'r bore yma, soniodd am nifer o flaenoriaethau deddfwriaethol a fyddai ganddo am weddill ei dymor fel Prif Weinidog. Un o'r pethau na chlywsom oedd rhaglen Cartrefi Clyd newydd. A gaf fi gymryd bod hynny’n golygu na fydd yn cael ei chyflwyno cyn y gwanwyn?

I think I actually answered the question on the Warm Homes programme last week when we had that motion, which was debated and supported by the whole Chamber. We're extending the Nest scheme until April 2024, and the Warm Homes programme will then kick in. There isn't going to be any break, any gap. The procurement is under way, and I think what's important is that we are extending that Nest scheme until April, so that we can continue to support vulnerable households this winter.

Credaf fy mod wedi ateb y cwestiwn ar raglen Cartrefi Clyd yr wythnos diwethaf pan gawsom y cynnig hwnnw a gafodd ei drafod a'i gefnogi gan y Siambr gyfan. Rydym yn ymestyn cynllun Nyth tan fis Ebrill 2024, a bydd rhaglen Cartrefi Clyd yn dechrau wedyn. Ni fydd unrhyw doriad, unrhyw fwlch. Mae’r caffael ar y gweill, a chredaf mai’r hyn sy’n bwysig yw ein bod yn ymestyn y cynllun Nyth tan fis Ebrill, fel y gallwn barhau i gefnogi aelwydydd bregus y gaeaf hwn.

Nobody should have to live in a cold home, but, Minister, recent figures from Warm this Winter say that 30 per cent of adults in Wales live in cold, damp homes. Now, damp and inadequate heating exposes us to mould, which can lead to respiratory illness and it can heighten the risk of heart disease. Society is meant to be the safeguard against the damp and the dark encroaching into where we live. It's meant to provide a safety net to ensure the cold doesn't reach past our door. But the ghost of Thatcher and her cruel decision to privatise the way in which we can stay alive haunts the homes of all those this winter who can't afford to keep their homes warm and dry. Will you join me in calls for an emergency energy tariff to help people suffering in damp and cold homes, and do you agree that it's a scandal that so many people are exposed to this risk?

Ni ddylai unrhyw un orfod byw mewn cartref oer, ond Weinidog, mae ffigurau diweddar gan Warm this Winter hwn yn dweud bod 30 y cant o oedolion yng Nghymru yn byw mewn cartrefi oer, llaith. Nawr, mae lleithder a gwresogi annigonol yn arwain at lwydni, a all arwain at salwch anadlol, a gall gynyddu'r risg o glefyd y galon. Mae cymdeithas i fod yn amddiffyniad rhag y lleithder a'r tywyllwch yn tresmasu i'r man lle rydym yn byw. Mae i fod i ddarparu rhwyd ddiogelwch i sicrhau nad yw'r oerfel yn dod drwy ein drws. Ond mae ysbryd Thatcher a'i phenderfyniad creulon i breifateiddio'r ffordd y gallwn aros yn fyw yn aflonyddu ar gartrefi pawb sy'n methu fforddio cadw eu cartrefi'n gynnes ac yn sych y gaeaf hwn. A wnewch chi ymuno â mi i alw am dariff ynni brys i helpu pobl sy'n dioddef mewn cartrefi llaith ac oer, ac a ydych chi'n cytuno ei bod yn sgandal fod cymaint o bobl yn agored i'r risg hon?

Thank you for that point. When I've met with the UK Government Minister, I've asked for a targeted plan from the UK Government to tackle fuel poverty. Now, the most important thing in terms of your question about people living in cold, damp homes is that we're investing more than £30 million to reduce the number of those low-income households in that situation. Also, it is important that the Warm Homes Nest scheme offer that advice and support to households, as well as free energy efficiency measures for those who are eligible. The Nest annual report, which was published on Fuel Poverty Awareness Day, showed that 198,000 people have received energy advice from the Warm Homes programme since its launch. 

But, can I just finally say that when I met—chaired by Mark Isherwood—the cross-party group, there were questions and points made about ensuring that householders can contact other services, such as accessing the UK Government energy company obligation scheme. And, in fact, funding has been provided by the Minister for Climate Change, with Welsh local government, to help local authorities ensure that people can reach out to these other sources of funding to help address that issue. We have to do everything we can to ensure that we can support those people in those conditions. But I have to say, we did call on the UK Government to implement that targeted fuel poverty scheme, because not everyone claimed the support schemes from last winter, and we said, 'Why can't you use that unclaimed funding to support these schemes?'

Diolch am eich pwynt. Pan wyf wedi cyfarfod â Gweinidog Llywodraeth y DU, rwyf wedi gofyn am gynllun wedi’i dargedu gan Lywodraeth y DU i fynd i’r afael â thlodi tanwydd. Nawr, y peth pwysicaf o ran eich cwestiwn am bobl sy'n byw mewn cartrefi oer, llaith yw ein bod yn buddsoddi mwy na £30 miliwn i leihau nifer y cartrefi incwm isel sydd yn y sefyllfa honno. Hefyd, mae’n bwysig fod cynllun Cartrefi Clyd Nyth yn cynnig cyngor a chymorth i aelwydydd, yn ogystal â mesurau effeithlonrwydd ynni am ddim i’r rhai sy’n gymwys. Roedd adroddiad blynyddol Nyth, a gyhoeddwyd ar Ddiwrnod Ymwybyddiaeth Tlodi Tanwydd, yn dangos bod 198,000 o bobl wedi cael cyngor ynni gan raglen Cartrefi Clyd ers ei lansio.

Ond a gaf fi ddweud, i gloi, pan gyfarfûm â'r grŵp trawsbleidiol—dan gadeiryddiaeth Mark Isherwood—cafwyd cwestiynau a phwyntiau ynghylch sicrhau y gall deiliaid tai gysylltu â gwasanaethau eraill, megis cael mynediad at gynllun rhwymedigaeth cwmnïau ynni Llywodraeth y DU. Ac mewn gwirionedd, mae cyllid wedi'i ddarparu gan y Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd, gyda llywodraeth leol yng Nghymru, i helpu awdurdodau lleol i sicrhau bod pobl yn gallu estyn allan at y ffynonellau cyllid eraill hyn i helpu i fynd i'r afael â'r broblem. Mae’n rhaid inni wneud popeth yn ein gallu i sicrhau y gallwn gefnogi’r bobl sydd yn y sefyllfaoedd hynny. Ond mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, fe wnaethom alw ar Lywodraeth y DU i roi'r cynllun tlodi tanwydd wedi'i dargedu ar waith, gan na hawliodd pawb y cynlluniau cymorth y gaeaf diwethaf, ac fe ddywedasom, 'Pam na allwch ddefnyddio'r cyllid na chafodd ei hawlio i gefnogi'r cynlluniau hyn?'

Cwestiynau Heb Rybudd gan Lefarwyr y Pleidiau
Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Joel James. 

Questions now from party spokespeople. The Conservative spokesperson, Joel James. 

Thank you, Llywydd. Minister, concern has been raised by both care staff and guardians that the basic income trial that the Welsh Government is piloting is causing adverse behaviour in some care leavers. Some who were predicted to do quite well have now completely gone off the radar and are refusing to interact with any contact. Some have dropped out of further education due to the perceived capability of now being able to survive independently, and concern still exists that some have been targeted or pressurised into giving away their payments. You will, of course, be aware of these concerns, and you've highlighted their potential previously in the Chamber. But these have been highlighted to me on condition of anonymity, as carers, social workers, guardians, teachers, et cetera, are worried about reprisals, both professional and personal. With this in mind, what guarantees do we have that the full range of opinions, both positive and negative, will be properly recorded in this study, and that all primary and secondary participants of this trial will be protected in giving that opinion? Thank you.

Diolch, Lywydd. Weinidog, mae staff gofal a gwarcheidwaid wedi mynegi pryder fod y cynllun incwm sylfaenol y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei dreialu'n achosi ymddygiad andwyol mewn rhai pobl sy’n gadael gofal. Mae rhai y rhagwelwyd y byddent yn gwneud yn eithaf da bellach wedi mynd oddi ar y radar yn llwyr, ac yn gwrthod rhyngweithio ag unrhyw gyswllt. Mae rhai wedi rhoi’r gorau i addysg bellach am eu bod yn credu y gallant oroesi’n annibynnol bellach, ac mae pryder o hyd fod rhai wedi cael eu targedu neu dan bwysau i roi eu harian i bobl eraill. Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol o'r pryderon hyn wrth gwrs, ac rydych wedi tynnu sylw at eu potensial yn y Siambr o'r blaen. Ond codwyd y pryderon hyn gyda mi ar yr amod fod y rhai a'u cododd yn aros yn anhysbys, gan fod gofalwyr, gweithwyr cymdeithasol, gwarcheidwaid, athrawon, ac ati, yn poeni ynghylch dial, yn broffesiynol ac yn bersonol. Gyda hyn mewn golwg, pa sicrwydd sydd gennym y bydd yr ystod lawn o safbwyntiau, yn gadarnhaol a negyddol, yn cael eu cofnodi'n gywir yn yr astudiaeth hon, ac y bydd holl gyfranogwyr uniongyrchol ac eilaidd y treial hwn yn cael eu hamddiffyn wrth roi'r farn honno? Diolch.

13:45

Well, certainly, that is not the feedback that I've had when I've met with both the beneficiaries of the pioneering basic income pilot for care leavers in Wales and also on meeting with the authorities, the advisers, across Wales. We went to meetings both in south Wales, mid and west Wales, and north Wales, meeting with people who are directly advising young people, and getting the positive feedback of the impact of the basic income pilot on those young people's lives. And I think it is really impressive to see that there's an uptake rate of 97 per cent, a really high take-up in this groundbreaking scheme, far exceeding our original expectations. I know, Joel James, you will have seen and heard some of the young people speaking about the transformational impact this has had on their lives—those young people who are wanting to share their stories on the media and in meetings with all of those who are supporting this as well. We're celebrating the progress of the pilot to date, but also just ensuring that we get that feedback, because that's the evaluation that's so important. And I know you will welcome the fact we've got that expert team, led by the Children's Social Care Research and Development Centre at Cardiff University. They're leading that wide-ranging evaluation of the pilot. 

Wel, yn sicr, nid dyna’r adborth a gaf wrth gyfarfod â buddiolwyr y cynllun peilot incwm sylfaenol arloesol ar gyfer pobl sy’n gadael gofal yng Nghymru, a hefyd wrth gyfarfod â’r awdurdodau, y cynghorwyr, ledled Cymru. Aethom i gyfarfodydd yn ne Cymru, y canolbarth a'r gorllewin, a'r gogledd, gan gyfarfod â phobl sy’n cynghori pobl ifanc yn uniongyrchol, a chael adborth cadarnhaol am effaith y cynllun peilot incwm sylfaenol ar fywydau’r bobl ifanc hynny. A chredaf ei bod yn anhygoel gweld bod cyfradd o 97 y cant yn manteisio ar y cynllun, nifer uchel iawn yn manteisio ar y cynllun arloesol hwn, sy'n llawer uwch na'n disgwyliadau gwreiddiol. Joel James, rwy'n gwybod y byddwch wedi gweld a chlywed rhai o’r bobl ifanc yn sôn am yr effaith drawsnewidiol y mae hyn wedi’i chael ar eu bywydau—y bobl ifanc hynny sydd am rannu eu straeon ar y cyfryngau ac mewn cyfarfodydd â phawb arall sy'n cefnogi hyn hefyd. Rydym yn dathlu cynnydd y cynllun peilot hyd yn hyn, ond hefyd yn sicrhau ein bod yn cael yr adborth hwnnw, gan fod y gwerthusiad mor bwysig. A gwn y byddwch yn croesawu'r ffaith bod gennym dîm arbenigol, sy'n cael ei arwain gan y Ganolfan Ymchwil a Datblygu Gofal Cymdeithasol Plant ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd. Maent yn arwain y gwerthusiad eang o'r cynllun peilot.

Thank you, Minister. But I hope you agree with me that we need to ensure that this study is robust and that it does not just cherry-pick the data to meet the political agenda of the Welsh Government and those actively advocating for universal basic income. I think we can all agree, Minister, that this trial, despite the genuine reasons to help care leavers, is ultimately a Government experiment on a highly vulnerable group of people. If it is found that this trial has caused negative consequences for those individuals, such as increasing financial exploitation, exacerbating substance abuse issues, or causing people to overstretch the financial commitments that they would have otherwise not have made, and are now unable to afford once the trial is over, then it will be argued that the Welsh Government will need to rectify the damage that the trial as caused. With this in mind, Minister, what budget have you earmarked to compensate those who may experience negative consequences, as a result of this basic income trial? Thank you.

Diolch, Weinidog. Ond rwy'n gobeithio eich bod yn cytuno bod angen inni sicrhau bod yr astudiaeth hon yn gydnerth, ac nad yw’n dewis a dethol y data i fodloni agenda wleidyddol Llywodraeth Cymru a’r rheini sy’n dadlau o blaid incwm sylfaenol cyffredinol. Credaf y gall pob un ohonom gytuno, Weinidog, er gwaethaf y rhesymau dilys i helpu pobl sy’n gadael gofal, mai arbrawf gan y Llywodraeth ar grŵp o bobl agored iawn i niwed yw'r treial hwn yn y pen draw. Os canfyddir bod y treial wedi achosi canlyniadau negyddol i’r unigolion hynny, megis cynyddu ecsbloetiaeth ariannol, gan waethygu problemau camddefnyddio sylweddau, neu achosi i bobl orymestyn yr ymrwymiadau ariannol na fyddent wedi’u gwneud fel arall, ac nad ydynt yn gallu eu fforddio mwyach wedi i'r treial ddod i ben, fe fydd yna ddadl y bydd angen i Lywodraeth Cymru unioni’r niwed a achoswyd gan y treial. Gyda hyn mewn golwg, Weinidog, pa gyllideb a glustnodwyd gennych i ddigolledu’r rhai a allai wynebu canlyniadau negyddol o ganlyniad i’r treial incwm sylfaenol hwn? Diolch.

Can I just clarify again for the Member? Participation in this pilot was voluntary. Eligible young people were supported by their local authority, provided with advice, funded by the single advice fund, to decide if they take part in the pilot and if it was the right choice for them. And Welsh local authorities are key to this. They play a critical role in delivering the basic income pilot. They act as the first point of contact for care leavers. They're responsible for guiding the young people in their care. And as I said, I've been across Wales and met with every authority that is involved in this pilot. In your region, in everyone's constituencies, there are young people benefiting from this basic income pilot, and just recognise that that is a responsibility that we all have. This is a groundbreaking basic income pilot.

And can I just also say that at those meetings the evaluation team, led by Professor Sally Holland, the former children's commissioner—she gave a presentation on the evaluation. There were world experts involved in this evaluation—world experts on basic income, social care, social security interventions—assessing how the pilot was experienced as well as costs and benefits to the wider society, and I'm sure they would value giving a briefing to you on this pilot. There are universities involved, not just from Wales, but from England as well, and as I said, the evaluation is contributing to international evidence on basic income and its outcomes. 

A gaf fi egluro unwaith eto i'r Aelod? Roedd cymryd rhan yn y peilot hwn yn digwydd ar sail wirfoddol. Cafodd pobl ifanc cymwys eu cefnogi gan eu hawdurdod lleol, cawsant gyngor, wedi’i ariannu gan y gronfa gynghori sengl, i benderfynu a ddylent gymryd rhan yn y cynllun peilot ac ai dyma'r dewis iawn iddynt. Ac mae awdurdodau lleol Cymru yn allweddol i hyn. Maent yn chwarae rhan allweddol yn gweithredu'r cynllun peilot incwm sylfaenol. Maent yn gweithredu fel y pwynt cyswllt cyntaf ar gyfer pobl sy'n gadael gofal. Nhw sy'n gyfrifol am arwain y bobl ifanc yn eu gofal. Ac fel y dywedais, rwyf wedi bod ledled Cymru ac wedi cyfarfod â phob awdurdod sy'n cymryd rhan yn y cynllun peilot hwn. Yn eich rhanbarth chi, yn etholaethau pawb, mae pobl ifanc yn elwa o’r cynllun peilot incwm sylfaenol hwn, a dylem gydnabod bod hwnnw’n gyfrifoldeb sydd gan bob un ohonom. Mae hwn yn gynllun peilot incwm sylfaenol arloesol.

Ac a gaf fi ddweud hefyd fod y tîm gwerthuso yn y cyfarfodydd hynny, dan arweiniad yr Athro Sally Holland, y cyn-gomisiynydd plant—rhoddodd gyflwyniad ar y gwerthusiad yn y cyfarfodydd hynny. Cyfrannodd arbenigwyr byd-eang at y gwerthusiad hwn—arbenigwyr byd-eang ar incwm sylfaenol, gofal cymdeithasol, ymyriadau nawdd cymdeithasol—drwy asesu profiad y cynllun peilot yn ogystal â’r costau a’r manteision i’r gymdeithas ehangach, ac rwy’n siŵr y byddent yn falch o roi sesiwn friffio i chi ar y peilot hwn. Mae prifysgolion yn cymryd rhan, nid yn unig o Gymru, ond o Loegr hefyd, ac fel y dywedais, mae’r gwerthusiad yn cyfrannu at dystiolaeth ryngwladol ar incwm sylfaenol a’i ganlyniadau.

Finally, as we know, Minister, children in care and care leavers are, unfortunately, vastly over-represented in the criminal justice system, and it is estimated that over 24 per cent of the adult prison population has previously been in care. From this, we can deduce that, out of the cohort of 635 people who have taken up this basic income trial, it is statistically likely that around 152 will end up in the criminal justice system at some point in their lives. I'm hopeful that this will not be the case, but I believe that it would be more than academic to understand if there is a change in the actual numbers of care leavers who end up in the criminal justice system after having taken part in this trial. However, in order to do this, there needs to be longer term funding in place for researchers to keep track of the longer term impact of this trial on care leavers and to follow their life outcomes. Research needs to be conducted over the next five, 10 and even 20 years in order to get a fuller understanding of the trial's impact and to help inform any future policy decisions. Given that this Welsh Government will spend over £25 million on this trial, it is therefore prudent to ensure that we get the most out of it. Minister, what commitments are you making to financially resource a further study of the longer term outcomes of this trial? Thank you.

Yn olaf, fel y gwyddom, Weinidog, mae plant mewn gofal a phobl sy’n gadael gofal, yn anffodus, wedi’u gorgynrychioli’n aruthrol yn y system cyfiawnder troseddol, ac amcangyfrifir fod dros 24 y cant o boblogaeth oedolion mewn carchardai wedi bod mewn gofal yn y gorffennol. O hyn, gallwn gyfrif, o’r garfan o 635 o bobl sydd wedi cymryd rhan yn y treial incwm sylfaenol hwn, ei bod yn ystadegol debygol y bydd oddeutu 152 yn mynd i mewn i'r system cyfiawnder troseddol ar ryw adeg yn eu bywydau. Rwy’n gobeithio na fydd hyn yn wir, ond credaf y byddai’n fwy nag academaidd i ddeall a oes newid yn y niferoedd gwirioneddol o bobl sy’n gadael gofal sy’n mynd i mewn i'r system cyfiawnder troseddol ar ôl cymryd rhan yn y treial hwn. Fodd bynnag, er mwyn gwneud hyn, mae angen cyllid mwy hirdymor i ymchwilwyr gadw golwg ar effaith hirdymor y treial ar bobl sy’n gadael gofal ac i ddilyn eu canlyniadau mewn bywyd. Mae angen gwneud ymchwil dros y pum, 10 a hyd yn oed 20 mlynedd nesaf er mwyn cael dealltwriaeth lawnach o effaith y treial ac i helpu i lywio unrhyw benderfyniadau polisi yn y dyfodol. O ystyried y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwario dros £25 miliwn ar y treial, mae’n ddoeth sicrhau felly ein bod yn cael y gorau ohono. Weinidog, pa ymrwymiadau sydd gennych i ddarparu adnoddau ariannol ar gyfer astudiaeth bellach o ganlyniadau mwy hirdymor y treial hwn? Diolch.

13:50

Well, we've been clear since the inception of the pilot that it would be time limited and properly evaluated, as I've outlined, to determine the benefits of a basic income to this specific group of young people as they transition out of care into adulthood. And, you know, let's just think about the young people and their life experiences. Let's just think about this investment that we're putting into them and to give them the opportunities to open their horizons. For the young people who said to us, 'The confidence; you believe in us, you trust in us.' You know, I just hope and wish you would think about those young people when you attack this scheme, because that's what it certainly feels like.

Of course, what is important, is that it is properly evaluated, and, of course, this evaluation will make sure that it goes through to understand what it means in the rest of—. It's not a one-off evaluation, it will be something that will look at their life circumstances. So, I think, Llywydd, it would be very valuable—and I'm sure I could arrange this—if Members would like to have a briefing on the evaluation. I think they would get a full understanding of what this means in terms of the authority of the evaluation, but also of the impact already it's having on young people's lives.

Wel, rydym wedi dweud yn glir ers dechrau'r cynllun peilot y byddai'n digwydd dros amser cyfyngedig ac y byddai'n cael ei werthuso’n briodol, fel rwyf wedi’i amlinellu, i bennu manteision incwm sylfaenol i’r grŵp penodol hwn o bobl ifanc wrth iddynt bontio o ofal i fywyd fel oedolion. A gadewch inni feddwl am y bobl ifanc a'u profiadau bywyd. Gadewch inni feddwl am y buddsoddiad a wnawn ynddynt a rhoi cyfleoedd iddynt ehangu eu gorwelion. A'r bobl ifanc a ddywedodd wrthym, 'Yr hyder; rydych yn credu ynom, rydych yn ymddiried ynom.' Wyddoch chi, rwy'n gobeithio ac yn awyddus i chi feddwl am y bobl ifanc hynny pan fyddwch yn ymosod ar y cynllun hwn, gan mai dyna sut mae'n teimlo, yn sicr.

Wrth gwrs, yr hyn sy’n bwysig yw ei fod yn cael ei werthuso’n briodol, ac wrth gwrs, bydd y gwerthusiad yn sicrhau ei fod yn ein helpu i ddeall beth mae’n ei olygu yng ngweddill—. Nid gwerthusiad untro mohono, bydd yn edrych ar amgylchiadau eu bywydau. Felly, Lywydd, rwy'n credu y byddai’n werthfawr iawn—ac rwy’n siŵr y gallwn drefnu hyn—pe bai'r Aelodau'n dymuno cael sesiwn friffio ar y gwerthusiad. Credaf y byddent yn cael dealltwriaeth lawn o'r hyn y mae'n ei olygu o ran awdurdod y gwerthusiad, ond hefyd yr effaith y mae eisoes yn ei chael ar fywydau pobl ifanc.

Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Sioned Williams.

Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Sioned Williams.

Diolch, Llywydd. The Equality and Social Justice Committee, of which I'm a member, recently laid its report on the Government's draft child poverty strategy. The pretty much unanimous verdict from those who gave evidence to us was that it was incoherent, unambitious and lacked focus. The central message of the report is that the Welsh Government needs to up its game considerably in order to work more effectively and strategically using the powers and resources it has to tackle the shameful levels of child poverty in Wales. This time last year, on the very last day of Senedd business before the Christmas recess, in fact, Plaid Cymru brought a motion calling on the Welsh Government to develop a child poverty strategy underpinned by statutory targets as a matter of urgency. That was a response to the fact that those that campaign against poverty, like the Child Poverty Action Group, the children's commissioner, Audit Wales, the Bevan Foundation, like Save the Children, have been repeating calls for months and years that we needed a new strategy with targets to give better focus, co-ordination and drive to the imperative work that needs to be done. But here we are again, at the end of another year and no strategy, although you've said time after time, Minister, in response to questions that the Government was committed to publishing the final strategy by the end of this calendar year. So, it's very disappointing we don't have a final strategy, and my question is: is eradicating child poverty a priority for Welsh Government? Because if it is, then why has the child poverty strategy been delayed until spring 2024?

Diolch, Lywydd. Yn ddiweddar, cyflwynodd y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol, yr wyf yn aelod ohono, ei adroddiad ar strategaeth tlodi plant ddrafft y Llywodraeth. Y dyfarniad unfrydol, fwy neu lai, gan y rheini a roddodd dystiolaeth i ni oedd ei bod yn anghydlynol, yn ddiuchelgais ac yn brin o ffocws. Neges ganolog yr adroddiad yw bod angen i Lywodraeth Cymru weithio’n llawer mwy effeithiol a strategol gan ddefnyddio’r pwerau a’r adnoddau sydd ganddi i fynd i’r afael â'r lefelau cywilyddus o dlodi plant yng Nghymru. Yr adeg hon y llynedd, ar ddiwrnod olaf busnes y Senedd cyn toriad y Nadolig mewn gwirionedd, cyflwynodd Plaid Cymru gynnig yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i ddatblygu strategaeth tlodi plant wedi’i chefnogi gan dargedau statudol fel mater o frys. Roedd hynny mewn ymateb i’r ffaith bod y rhai sy’n ymgyrchu yn erbyn tlodi, fel y Grŵp Gweithredu ar Dlodi Plant, y comisiynydd plant, Archwilio Cymru, Sefydliad Bevan, fel Achub y Plant, wedi bod yn ailadrodd galwadau ers misoedd a blynyddoedd fod angen strategaeth newydd arnom, strategaeth sy'n cynnwys targedau i roi gwell ffocws, cydgysylltedd ac ysgogiad i'r gwaith hanfodol sydd angen ei wneud. Ond dyma ni eto, ar ddiwedd blwyddyn arall, heb strategaeth, er eich bod wedi dweud dro ar ôl tro, Weinidog, mewn ymateb i gwestiynau, fod y Llywodraeth wedi ymrwymo i gyhoeddi’r strategaeth derfynol erbyn diwedd y flwyddyn galendr hon. Felly, mae'n siomedig iawn nad oes gennym strategaeth derfynol, a'm cwestiwn yw hwn: a yw trechu tlodi plant yn flaenoriaeth i Lywodraeth Cymru? Oherwydd os ydyw, pam fod y strategaeth tlodi plant wedi’i gohirio tan wanwyn 2024?

Well, thank you for that question, Sioned Williams. You know our commitment to tackling child poverty and you know it is a priority of this Government. And I think what's important about this strategy, which will be launched in the new year, is that it clearly demonstrates our priorities and objectives in relation to the strategy based on the consultation that's taken place over the past few months. We have a duty, a statutory duty, to publish this child poverty strategy; it sets out our objectives for tackling child poverty and we're committed to looking at the policies through that poverty and equality lens. And, of course, this is about how we deliver better shared outcomes, as I know you would agree, on reducing poverty and inequality. But let's remember, we did engage with over 3,300 children, young people and their families to help us get to the point of the draft that we then consulted with. Also, I was very interested just to see, in terms of our partners, the end-of-year report from the Bevan Foundation, for example, which highlighted some of the ways in which they've felt we should be bringing children and families out of poverty. They did focus on some of the things that we're already doing, such as ensuring that we invest clearly—apologies; just let me take my breath for a moment—in the discretionary assistance fund, but also in the education maintenance allowance. Maximising income was one of the key points of the strategy.

Wel, diolch am eich cwestiwn, Sioned Williams. Fe wyddoch ein bod wedi ymrwymo i fynd i’r afael â thlodi plant, ac fe wyddoch fod hynny'n flaenoriaeth i’r Llywodraeth hon. A chredaf mai'r hyn sy'n bwysig am y strategaeth hon, a gaiff ei lansio yn y flwyddyn newydd, yw ei bod yn dangos yn glir ein blaenoriaethau a'n hamcanion mewn perthynas â'r strategaeth yn seiliedig ar yr ymgynghoriad a gynhaliwyd dros yr ychydig fisoedd diwethaf. Mae gennym ddyletswydd, dyletswydd statudol, i gyhoeddi’r strategaeth tlodi plant hon; mae'n nodi ein hamcanion ar gyfer mynd i'r afael â thlodi plant ac rydym wedi ymrwymo i edrych ar y polisïau drwy'r lens tlodi a chydraddoldeb hwnnw. Ac wrth gwrs, mae'n ymwneud â sut rydym yn sicrhau gwell canlyniadau ar y cyd, fel y gwn y byddech yn cytuno, ar leihau tlodi ac anghydraddoldeb. Ond gadewch inni gofio, fe wnaethom ymgysylltu â dros 3,300 o blant, pobl ifanc a'u teuluoedd i'n helpu i gyrraedd pwynt y drafft y gwnaethom ymgynghori arno wedyn. Hefyd, roedd gennyf gryn ddiddordeb mewn gweld, o ran ein partneriaid, yr adroddiad diwedd blwyddyn gan Sefydliad Bevan, er enghraifft, a nododd rai o'r ffyrdd y maent wedi teimlo y dylem godi plant a theuluoedd allan o dlodi. Fe wnaethant ganolbwyntio ar rai o'r pethau yr ydym eisoes yn eu gwneud, fel sicrhau ein bod yn buddsoddi'n glir—ymddiheuriadau; gadewch imi gael fy ngwynt am eiliad—yn y gronfa cymorth dewisol, ond hefyd yn y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg. Gwneud y gorau o incwm oedd un o bwyntiau allweddol y strategaeth.

13:55

Diolch, Weinidog. Yes, there is good work happening. We found that in our committee inquiry. But we discussed also the reason why we need targets and milestones to measure progress, to measure success, and this call that we made in our debate this time last year has been soundly reiterated in the equality and social justice report. During that debate last year I quoted the answer that the First Minister gave at the time to Plaid Cymru, regarding the need for a strategy. He said he wanted civil service colleagues and those who we work with to be focused on practical actions that make a difference in the lives of Welsh citizens. Writing strategies is not something that is going to put food on anyone's table. Well, the Chair, sitting behind you—Jenny Rathbone of the Equality and Social Justice Committee—states clearly in her foreword to this new report:

'The Government needs to overcome its aversion to setting targets. The evidence...is clear: targets work.'

So, who is right, Minister? And is this reticence to produce a strategy with targets, as expressed by the First Minister, the reason why we have seen such a poor first draft and now a delay? Will the final draft include targets, Minister?

Diolch, Weinidog. Oes, mae gwaith da yn mynd rhagddo. Gwelsom hynny yn ymchwiliad ein pwyllgor. Ond buom hefyd yn trafod y rheswm pam fod arnom angen targedau a cherrig milltir i fesur cynnydd, i fesur llwyddiant, ac mae’r alwad hon a wnaethom yn ein dadl yr adeg hon y llynedd wedi’i hailadrodd yn gadarn yn yr adroddiad ar gydraddoldeb a chyfiawnder cymdeithasol. Yn ystod y ddadl y llynedd, dyfynnais yr ateb a roddodd y Prif Weinidog i Blaid Cymru ar y pryd, ynghylch yr angen am strategaeth. Dywedodd ei fod am i gydweithwyr yn y gwasanaeth sifil a’r bobl y gweithiwn gyda nhw ganolbwyntio ar gamau ymarferol sy’n gwneud gwahaniaeth ym mywydau dinasyddion Cymru. Nid yw ysgrifennu strategaethau yn rhywbeth sy'n mynd i roi bwyd ar fwrdd unrhyw un. Wel, mae’r Cadeirydd, sy’n eistedd y tu ôl i chi—Jenny Rathbone o’r Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol—yn datgan yn glir yn ei rhagair i’r adroddiad newydd hwn:

'Mae angen i’r Llywodraeth oresgyn ei gwrthwynebiad i osod targedau. Mae'r dystiolaeth...yn glir: mae targedau’n gweithio.'

Felly, pwy sy’n iawn, Weinidog? Ac ai’r amharodrwydd i lunio strategaeth â thargedau, fel y mynegwyd gan y Prif Weinidog, yw’r rheswm pam ein bod wedi gweld drafft cyntaf mor wael, ac oedi bellach? A fydd y drafft terfynol yn cynnwys targedau, Weinidog?

I'm very grateful for the Equality and Social Justice Committee's report on tackling child poverty and we'll be debating that, I know, in the new year. What's important about the strategy is it's setting out our ambitions for the longer term, and it's clearly outlining what work we're going to undertake across Government. Already some of it is under way—some of it that also has been called for, which we're working in co-operation with Plaid Cymru on in terms of the roll-out of free school meals. That was one of the first things that I recall the previous children's commissioner saying we should move forward on, and indeed the Bevan Foundation, and we're delivering that together. But it's also about how we actually use the levers that are available to us and maximising the impact of those levers, what we can do in terms of including our convening powers, how we engage with local government and all those who can deliver on the child poverty strategy. It's very much a framework through which we can deliver policies and programmes.

But we of course will have a robust monitoring framework to take this forward at pace. It's going to take into consideration national indicators and national milestones we have in place under the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. We do believe a monitoring framework—. And I know this came through from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child committee, that we need to look at ways in which we can monitor the delivery of this child poverty strategy. But we can't take an over-simplistic approach to this in terms of what we can deliver with our levers, and I hope that the committee and Members will look and work with us on how we can adequately present and then deliver on the robust outcomes that we seek from the child poverty strategy.

Rwy’n ddiolchgar iawn am adroddiad y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol ar fynd i’r afael â thlodi plant, a gwn y byddwn yn ei drafod yn y flwyddyn newydd. Yr hyn sy'n bwysig am y strategaeth yw ei bod yn nodi ein huchelgeisiau ar gyfer y tymor hwy, ac mae'n amlinellu'n glir pa waith y byddwn yn ei wneud ar draws y Llywodraeth. Mae rhywfaint ohono eisoes ar y gweill—rhywfaint ohono y bu galw amdano hefyd, yr ydym yn gweithio arno mewn cydweithrediad â Phlaid Cymru o ran cyflwyno prydau ysgol am ddim. Dyna oedd un o’r pethau cyntaf y cofiaf y comisiynydd plant blaenorol yn dweud y dylem fwrw ymlaen â nhw, a Sefydliad Bevan yn wir, ac rydym yn cyflawni hynny gyda’n gilydd. Ond mae'n ymwneud hefyd â sut rydym yn defnyddio'r ysgogiadau sydd ar gael i ni ac yn gwneud y mwyaf o effaith yr ysgogiadau hynny, yr hyn y gallwn ei wneud ar gynnwys ein pwerau cynnull, sut rydym yn ymgysylltu â llywodraeth leol a phawb sy'n gallu cyflawni ar y strategaeth tlodi plant. Mae'n fframwaith y gallwn ei ddefnyddio i gyflawni polisïau a rhaglenni.

Ond wrth gwrs, bydd gennym fframwaith monitro cadarn er mwyn bwrw ymlaen â hyn yn gyflym. Bydd yn ystyried dangosyddion cenedlaethol a cherrig milltir cenedlaethol sydd gennym ar waith o dan Ddeddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015. Credwn fod fframwaith monitro—. A gwn fod hyn wedi'i nodi gan bwyllgor Confensiwn y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar Hawliau'r Plentyn, fod angen inni edrych ar ffyrdd y gallwn fonitro’r broses o gyflawni’r strategaeth tlodi plant hon. Ond ni allwn fabwysiadu dull gorsyml o ymdrin â hyn o ran yr hyn y gallwn ei gyflawni gyda'n hysgogiadau, ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd y pwyllgor a'r Aelodau yn edrych ac yn gweithio gyda ni ar sut y gallwn gyflwyno'r canlyniadau cadarn a geisiwn o’r strategaeth tlodi plant yn ddigonol, ac yna eu cyflawni.

Y Post Brenhinol
Royal Mail

3. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Gweinidog wedi'u cael gyda'r Post Brenhinol ynglŷn â sut y bydd yn ateb y galw dosbarthu uwch yn Rhondda y Nadolig hwn? OQ60415

3. What discussions has the Minister had with the Royal Mail regarding how they will meet increased delivery demand in Rhondda this Christmas? OQ60415

Whilst postal services remain a reserved matter, Welsh Government is in regular contact with Royal Mail, particularly regarding any issues affecting Wales. The company has said it is recruiting 500 seasonal workers in Wales to address additional demand over the Christmas period.

Er bod gwasanaethau post yn parhau i fod yn fater a gedwir yn ôl, mae Llywodraeth Cymru mewn cysylltiad rheolaidd â’r Post Brenhinol, yn enwedig ynghylch unrhyw faterion sy’n effeithio ar Gymru. Mae'r cwmni wedi dweud ei fod yn recriwtio 500 o weithwyr tymhorol yng Nghymru i fynd i'r afael â'r galw ychwanegol dros gyfnod y Nadolig.

As we know, December is the toughest time to be a postie: dark mornings, a drop in temperature, the wind and rain—all on top of a huge increase in demand. I can't thank them enough for their efforts all year around, but especially during winter. Last Christmas residents in Rhondda were left receiving hospital appointment letters, bills and new credit cards weeks too late due to our posties being told to prioritise parcels over mail. Unfortunately, over the last two weeks, we've seen this pattern beginning to emerge again, and it's our posties, on the ground, who are bearing the brunt of complaints, which isn't acceptable. Will the Deputy Minister please support our posties, and residents in Rhondda and across Wales, by raising these complaints directly with Royal Mail, and plead with them to urgently rectify the policy of prioritising parcels over mail?

Fel y gwyddom, mis Rhagfyr yw’r amser anoddaf i fod yn weithiwr post: boreau tywyll, cwymp yn y tymheredd, y gwynt a’r glaw—i gyd ar ben cynnydd enfawr yn y galw. Ni allaf ddiolch digon iddynt am eu hymdrechion drwy gydol y flwyddyn, ond yn enwedig yn ystod y gaeaf. Y Nadolig diwethaf, cafodd llythyrau apwyntiadau ysbyty, biliau a chardiau credyd newydd eu dosbarthu i drigolion yn Rhondda wythnosau’n hwyr oherwydd bod ein gweithwyr post wedi cael cyfarwyddyd i flaenoriaethu parseli dros lythyrau. Yn anffodus, dros y pythefnos diwethaf, rydym wedi gweld y patrwm hwn yn dechrau dod i'r amlwg eto, a'n gweithwyr post, ar lawr gwlad, sy'n dwyn baich y cwynion, ac nid yw hynny'n dderbyniol. A wnaiff y Dirprwy Weinidog gefnogi ein gweithwyr post, a thrigolion yn Rhondda a Chymru gyfran, drwy godi’r cwynion hyn yn uniongyrchol gyda’r Post Brenhinol, ac erfyn arnynt i unioni’r polisi o flaenoriaethu parseli dros lythyrau ar frys?

14:00

Can I thank the Member for the Rhondda for raising this important point at a very pertinent time of year as well? I'm certainly very happy to join you, Buffy Williams, in thanking all postal workers in communities right across the country for everything that they do throughout the year, not least this time of year, and we know there are extra demands and pressures on them as we build up to that festive period. I know many of us will be popping into local sorting offices to drop off, perhaps, some Christmas goodies and good wishes for our posties, who don't just provide a service, they actually support our communities, and they are a lifeline in many communities.

It's completely wrong that the posties are bearing the brunt of some of these challenges. It's not their fault; they provide a service, a valuable service, and we know those challenges are at a system level. And whilst I said that the Royal Mail and postal service aren't devolved, we are aware of the challenges and that they're not currently meeting those delivery targets, and it means, actually, that people in our communities, that we serve, aren't getting the services that they want, need, and, in many cases, like you say, Buffy Williams, depend upon. So, I'm certainly disappointed to hear that posties are having to personally deal with this, and I will more than happily raise this at my next meeting, following this question, with Royal Mail and actually demand a clear outline in terms of how they're not only going to improve services in our communities, but actually support our posties as well in doing so.

A gaf fi ddiolch i'r Aelod dros Rhondda am godi'r pwynt pwysig hwn ar adeg berthnasol iawn o'r flwyddyn hefyd? Rwy'n sicr yn hapus iawn i ymuno â chi, Buffy Williams, i ddiolch i bob gweithiwr post mewn cymunedau ledled y wlad am bopeth y maent yn ei wneud drwy gydol y flwyddyn, yn enwedig yr adeg hon o'r flwyddyn, ac rydym yn gwybod bod yna alw a phwysau ychwanegol arnynt yn y cyfnod sy'n arwain at y Nadolig. Rwy'n gwybod y bydd llawer ohonom yn mynd i swyddfeydd didoli lleol i ollwng rhai nwyddau Nadolig a dymuno'n dda i'n gweithwyr post, sy'n gwneud mwy na darparu gwasanaeth, maent yn cefnogi ein cymunedau, ac maent yn rhaff achub mewn llawer o gymunedau.

Mae'n hollol anghywir fod y gweithwyr post yn dwyn baich rhai o'r heriau hyn. Nid eu bai nhw ydyw; maent yn darparu gwasanaeth, gwasanaeth gwerthfawr, ac rydym yn gwybod bod yr heriau hynny ar lefel system. Ac er imi ddweud nad yw'r Post Brenhinol na'r gwasanaeth post wedi'u datganoli, rydym yn ymwybodol o'r heriau ac nad ydynt yn cyrraedd y targedau dosbarthu hynny ar hyn o bryd, ac mae'n golygu nad yw pobl yn y cymunedau a wasanaethwn yn cael y gwasanaethau y maent eu heisiau a'u hangen, ac mewn llawer o achosion, fel y dywedwch, Buffy Williams, gwasanaethau y maent yn dibynnu arnynt. Felly, rwy'n sicr yn siomedig o glywed bod gweithwyr post yn gorfod ymdrin â hyn yn bersonol, a byddaf yn fwy na hapus i godi hyn yn fy nghyfarfod nesaf gyda'r Post Brenhinol, yn dilyn y cwestiwn hwn, ac rwy'n fwy na hapus i fynnu amlinelliad clir o sut y byddant yn gwella gwasanaethau yn ein cymunedau, yn ogystal â sut y byddant yn cefnogi ein gweithwyr post wrth wneud hynny.

Diolch, Dirprwy Weinidog, am yr ymateb yna.

Thank you, Deputy Minister, for that response.

I'd just really like to echo the comments made by Buffy Williams. I've been contacted by a number of residents. I know I've raised it with you on a number of occasions, and there has been improvement at times, but people in Ystrad in particular have been telling me that they're waiting an average of 10 days between deliveries, that there's an expectation of having to go to the sorting office, which, obviously, if you work shifts or don't have transport yourself, is really difficult, and have been also saying about missed appointments—hospital appointments—because of not getting the post in time. We know of the pressures on our NHS as well, and missed appointments are things that we really, really can't afford to be happening. Can I ask, when you do meet with the Royal Mail and make representations, are you able to address the fact that there are some streets no longer allocated with a postman or woman and that there's an expectation that the current staff try and reach more streets, which, obviously, is even more difficult when there's an increase in demand of service? But I do feel that there's an understaffing issue here, and it's people in our communities and the staff themselves who are bearing the brunt.

Hoffwn adleisio'r sylwadau a wnaed gan Buffy Williams. Mae nifer o drigolion wedi cysylltu â mi. Rwy'n gwybod fy mod wedi ei godi gyda chi ar sawl achlysur, ac mae gwelliant wedi bod ar adegau, ond mae pobl Ystrad yn enwedig wedi dweud wrthyf eu bod yn aros 10 diwrnod ar gyfartaledd am ddanfoniadau, fod disgwyl iddynt fynd i'r swyddfa ddidoli, sy'n anodd iawn os ydych chi'n gwneud gwaith shifft wrth gwrs neu os nad oes gennych drafnidiaeth eich hun, ac maent hefyd wedi sôn am apwyntiadau a gollwyd—apwyntiadau ysbyty—oherwydd nad ydynt wedi cael y llythyr mewn pryd. Rydym yn gwybod am y pwysau ar ein GIG hefyd, ac mae methu apwyntiadau yn rhywbeth na allwn ei fforddio mewn gwirionedd. A gaf fi ofyn, pan fyddwch chi'n cwrdd â'r Post Brenhinol ac yn gwneud sylwadau, a allwch chi fynd i'r afael â'r ffaith nad oes gan rai strydoedd weithiwr post wedi'i ddyrannu iddynt bellach, a bod disgwyl i'r staff presennol geisio gwasanaethu mwy o strydoedd, sydd hyd yn oed yn anos pan fo cynnydd yn y galw am wasanaeth? Ond rwy'n teimlo bod yna broblem prinder staff yma, a phobl yn ein cymunedau a'r staff eu hunain sy'n dwyn y baich.

Diolch am eich cwestiwn, Heledd.

Thank you for your question, Heledd.

I know this is, like you say, something that you've raised previously in the Siambr but also in correspondence with myself, and I'll certainly pick up that last point you made in terms of the understaffing and the pressures in terms of covering streets that might not actually be allocated to a particular postperson. We know that Royal Mail has been consistently missing its service targets since the pandemic, and it might be—. Perhaps as well as me meeting, there might be a time, perhaps, in the new year, to perhaps facilitate a meeting with Members, for Members to be able to raise directly those concerns, and feed in those concerns from communities right across the country as well. Because you raise the important points of not only people, if they don't get their letters in time for important appointments, but the knock-on pressures that has on our other public services as well. So, I think it's really important that, actually, we collectively raise this and make sure that we push Royal Mail too to provide that service that they should be providing to our communities. But also I should add that, as well as meeting regularly with the company itself, I do regularly get in contact with the Communication Workers Union and the trade unions representing the workforce there, and it's certainly something I will raise with them to see if they've got any further concerns that we should add to those representations to Royal Mail as well.

Rwy'n gwybod bod hwn, fel y dywedwch, yn fater rydych chi wedi'i godi o'r blaen yn y Siambr ond hefyd mewn gohebiaeth â mi fy hun, a rwy'n sicr am fynd ar drywydd y pwynt olaf a wnaethoch ar brinder staff a'r pwysau o ran cynnwys strydoedd nad ydynt, o bosibl, wedi cael eu dyrannu i weithiwr post penodol. Rydym yn gwybod bod y Post Brenhinol wedi bod yn methu ei dargedau gwasanaeth yn gyson ers y pandemig, ac efallai y bydd—. Yn ogystal â chyfarfod â nhw fy hun, efallai y bydd amser, yn y flwyddyn newydd o bosibl, i drefnu cyfarfod gydag Aelodau, er mwyn i'r Aelodau allu codi'r pryderon hynny'n uniongyrchol, a bwydo'r pryderon hynny o gymunedau ledled y wlad hefyd. Oherwydd rydych chi'n codi pwyntiau pwysig, nid yn unig mewn perthynas â phobl nad ydynt yn cael eu llythyrau mewn pryd ar gyfer apwyntiadau pwysig, ond mewn perthynas â'r pwysau canlyniadol y mae hynny'n ei gael ar ein gwasanaethau cyhoeddus eraill hefyd. Felly, rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn ein bod yn codi'r mater gyda'n gilydd ac yn sicrhau ein bod yn rhoi pwysau ar y Post Brenhinol i ddarparu'r gwasanaeth y dylent fod yn ei ddarparu i'n cymunedau. Ond hefyd, yn ogystal â chyfarfod â'r cwmni ei hun yn rheolaidd, dylwn ychwanegu fy mod yn cysylltu'n rheolaidd ag Undeb y Gweithwyr Cyfathrebu a'r undebau llafur sy'n cynrychioli'r gweithlu yno, ac mae'n sicr yn rhywbeth y byddaf yn ei godi gyda nhw i weld a oes ganddynt unrhyw bryderon pellach y dylem eu hychwanegu at y sylwadau hynny i'r Post Brenhinol hefyd.

Pobl Hŷn a Chostau Byw
Older People and the Cost of Living

4. Sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn helpu pobl hŷn yng Nghymru gyda'r costau byw cynyddol? OQ60410

4. How is the Welsh Government helping older people in Wales with the rising cost of living? OQ60410

Thank you, Mark Isherwood. We're taking steps to improve the take-up of welfare benefits and payments, including pension credit, and are targeting additional support at households that need it most, including older people affected by the cost-of-living crisis.

Diolch yn fawr, Mark Isherwood. Rydym yn cymryd camau i wella'r nifer sy'n manteisio ar daliadau a budd-daliadau lles, gan gynnwys credyd pensiwn, ac rydym yn targedu cymorth ychwanegol at yr aelwydydd sydd ei angen fwyaf, gan gynnwys pobl hŷn y mae'r argyfwng costau byw yn effeithio arnynt.

Thank you. Well, the Care & Repair report, 'Older People in Wales: Poverty in Winter 2023-24', found that, even with UK and Welsh Government financial support, the average Care & Repair client will be spending, on average, 19 per cent of their income on utilities, with 15 per cent on gas and electric alone, putting their average client in fuel poverty, and 96 per cent of households accessing their energy advice service are living in fuel poverty. Their clients are particularly at risk of the health implications of cold homes, as we heard referred to earlier, where 75 per cent of excess winter deaths are people aged 75 and over. What action will the Welsh Government therefore be taking to prioritise older people within its provision for tackling fuel poverty in Wales, now and as we move forward?

Diolch. Wel, mae adroddiad Gofal a Thrwsio, 'Pobl Hŷn yng Nghymru: Tlodi yn y Gaeaf 2023-24', wedi canfod, hyd yn oed gyda chymorth ariannol Llywodraeth y DU a Llywodraeth Cymru, y bydd cleientiaid cyffredin Gofal a Thrwsio yn gwario, ar gyfartaledd, 19 y cant o'u hincwm ar gyfleustodau, gyda 15 y cant ar nwy a thrydan yn unig, gan roi eu cleient cyfartalog mewn tlodi tanwydd, ac mae 96 y cant o aelwydydd sy'n defnyddio eu gwasanaeth cyngor ynni yn byw mewn tlodi tanwydd. Mae eu cleientiaid mewn perygl arbennig o oblygiadau iechyd sy'n deillio o gartrefi oer, fel y nodwyd yn gynharach, lle mae 75 y cant o farwolaethau ychwanegol yn ystod y gaeaf yn bobl 75 oed a hŷn. Felly, pa gamau y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i flaenoriaethu pobl hŷn o fewn ei darpariaeth ar gyfer trechu tlodi tanwydd yng Nghymru, nawr ac yn y dyfodol?

14:05

Thank you for that question and that important evidence from Care & Repair, which does such good work, supported by Welsh Government, of course, across Wales. It is important that we look to ways in which we can encourage older people to take up the benefits they're entitled to, in particular in relation to the cost-of-living crisis, and I think this is something where, now, older people are a key priority for our single advice services.

So, during the last financial year, over 15,000 people aged 65 plus have been helped to claim welfare benefit income. But also, I had a meeting with a UK Government Minister about a pilot that we engaged in, with the UK Government and our colleagues in local government, for a particular take-up campaign for older people in terms of pension credit. This is something where I know the Older People's Commissioner for Wales has also engaged. So, that will help in terms of maximising income, but, of course, they also will benefit, as I said earlier on, in answer to questions, from the energy advice schemes that are being provided and supported by the Welsh Government through Nest as well. But those are just two examples of how we can help older people through the winter months in terms of their needs and vulnerabilities.

Diolch am y cwestiwn hwnnw a'r dystiolaeth bwysig honno gan Gofal a Thrwsio, sy'n gwneud gwaith mor dda, gyda chefnogaeth Llywodraeth Cymru, wrth gwrs, ledled Cymru. Mae'n bwysig ein bod yn edrych ar ffyrdd y gallwn annog pobl hŷn i fanteisio ar y budd-daliadau y mae ganddynt hawl iddynt, yn enwedig mewn perthynas â'r argyfwng costau byw, ac rwy'n credu bod hyn yn rhywbeth lle mae pobl hŷn, nawr, yn flaenoriaeth allweddol i'n gwasanaethau cynghori sengl.

Felly, yn ystod y flwyddyn ariannol ddiwethaf, mae dros 15,000 o bobl 65 oed a hŷn wedi cael cymorth i hawlio incwm budd-dal lles. Ond hefyd, cefais gyfarfod â Gweinidog Llywodraeth y DU am gynllun peilot y gwnaethom ymwneud ag ef, gyda Llywodraeth y DU a'n cyd-Aelodau mewn llywodraeth leol, sef ymgyrch benodol i annog pobl hŷn i fanteisio ar gredyd pensiwn. Gwn fod Comisiynydd Pobl Hŷn Cymru wedi ymwneud â'r cynllun hefyd. Felly, bydd hwnnw'n helpu o ran gwneud y mwyaf o incwm, ond wrth gwrs, byddant hefyd yn elwa, fel y dywedais yn gynharach mewn ymateb i gwestiynau, o'r cynlluniau cyngor ynni sy'n cael eu darparu a'u cefnogi gan Lywodraeth Cymru drwy Nyth. Ond dwy enghraifft yn unig yw'r rheini o sut y gallwn helpu pobl hŷn gyda'u hanghenion a'r hyn sy'n eu gwneud yn agored i niwed drwy fisoedd y gaeaf.

Cynlluniau ar gyfer Ffoaduriaid
Schemes for Refugees

5. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi diweddariad ynghylch cynlluniau Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer ffoaduriaid? OQ60429

5. Will the Minister provide an update on Welsh Government schemes for refugees? OQ60429

Diolch yn fawr. We remain committed to doing everything we can to make Wales a true nation of sanctuary. The Welsh Government continues to operate a wide range of schemes to ensure sanctuary seekers in Wales can receive the support they require to contribute fully to our communities and rebuild their lives.

Diolch yn fawr. Rydym yn parhau i fod yn ymrwymedig i wneud popeth yn ein gallu i wneud Cymru'n genedl noddfa go iawn. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i weithredu ystod eang o gynlluniau i sicrhau y gall ceiswyr lloches yng Nghymru gael y cymorth sydd ei angen arnynt i gyfrannu'n llawn at ein cymunedau ac ailadeiladu eu bywydau.

Diolch am yr ateb yna.

Thank you for that response.

Since the violence erupted in Gaza at the beginning of October, the death toll has now passed 18,000 in just over two months. Analysis has shown that the majority of the deaths have been innocent civilians, many of them children, which is utterly heartbreaking. This is why it's imperative that a permanent ceasefire is secured, as called for in the Plaid Cymru motion we debated here. Until that is achieved, the situation is precarious, to say the least.

One resident with family in Palestine contacted Plaid Cymru to say that more than 30 family members had been killed in their homes. Those who survived are living in tents. He said, 'Even areas previously considered safe by Israeli forces, such as the south of Gaza, have become relentless targets, leaving no safe haven, according to the United Nations human rights organisation.' He added, 'I'm reaching out to you in a desperate plea for assistance in securing the immediate and safe passage for my family out of Gaza on humanitarian grounds. We request temporary humanitarian residency until it is safe for them to find a more permanent solution.' Minister, Wales opened its arms in welcome and support for refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine in recent years. What discussions has the Government had with the UK Government to establish a refugee scheme, and how could Wales play its part in such a scheme, to offer a safe passage and a sanctuary to the people of Gaza who want to flee the bloodshed?

Ers i'r trais ddechrau yn Gaza fis Hydref, mae nifer y marwolaethau bellach wedi pasio 18,000 mewn ychydig dros ddau fis. Mae dadansoddiad wedi dangos bod mwyafrif y marwolaethau wedi bod yn sifiliaid diniwed, a llawer ohonynt yn blant, sy'n hollol dorcalonnus. Dyna pam ei bod yn hanfodol sicrhau cadoediad parhaol, fel y galwyd amdano yng nghynnig Plaid Cymru a drafodwyd gennym yma. Hyd nes y cyflawnir hynny, mae'r sefyllfa'n ansicr, a dweud y lleiaf.

Cysylltodd un person sydd â theulu ym Mhalesteina â Phlaid Cymru i ddweud bod mwy na 30 o aelodau'r teulu wedi cael eu lladd yn eu cartrefi. Mae'r rhai sydd wedi goroesi yn byw mewn pebyll. Dywedodd, 'Mae hyd yn oed ardaloedd a oedd yn arfer cael eu hystyried yn ddiogel rhag lluoedd Israel, fel de Gaza, yn cael eu targedu'n ddi-baid erbyn hyn, sy'n golygu nad oes harbwr diogel, yn ôl sefydliad hawliau dynol y Cenhedloedd Unedig.' Ychwanegodd, 'Rwy'n erfyn arnoch am gymorth i sicrhau bod fy nheulu yn gallu teithio o Gaza yn ddiogel ar unwaith, a hynny ar sail ddyngarol. Rydym yn gofyn am breswyliad dyngarol dros dro nes ei bod yn ddiogel iddynt ddod o hyd i ateb mwy parhaol.' Weinidog, mae Cymru wedi croesawu ffoaduriaid o Syria, Affganistan ac Wcráin â breichiau agored ac wedi eu cefnogi dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Llywodraeth wedi'u cael gyda Llywodraeth y DU i sefydlu cynllun ffoaduriaid, a sut y gallai Cymru chwarae ei rhan mewn cynllun o'r fath, i gynnig llwybr diogel a noddfa i bobl Gaza sydd eisiau ffoi rhag y tywallt gwaed?

Wel, diolch yn fawr am eich cwestiwn pwysig iawn.

Thank you very much for your very important question.

It's something that—. I was able to join in an inter-ministerial meeting with the Minister for refugees, Felicity Buchan, and also a colleague, Scottish Government Minister Emma Roddick as well, at a meeting we held last week. We were covering a whole range of issues in relation to refugees—Ukrainian, Afghan refugees, wider asylum dispersal—but also this question was raised. It was raised in terms of could there be another route or way in which we could support those caught up in the conflict. I think we all have—many of us, anyway—got constituents who've got family members. We've just actually been hearing about this at a meeting we've been holding just now, the First Minister and myself, with the Muslim community. Of course, obviously, this is not devolved—any matter relating to foreign policy is for the UK Government, not the Welsh Government or the Senedd. And, of course, there is a priority to get much greater aid into Gaza. The discussion we had related to supporting British nationals to see if there were any routes to that, because it is important that they know what their rights are and their entitlements. But we want to see a pause to this conflict, we clearly do, and that's what's going to stop these terrible situations that you've described today. 

Mae'n rhywbeth sydd—. Ymunais â chyfarfod rhyng-weinidogol gyda'r Gweinidog ffoaduriaid, Felicity Buchan, yn ogystal â chyd-Aelod, Gweinidog Llywodraeth yr Alban, Emma Roddick, mewn cyfarfod a gynhaliwyd yr wythnos diwethaf. Buom yn trafod ystod eang o faterion mewn perthynas â ffoaduriaid—ffoaduriaid o Wcráin, Affganistan, gwasgariad ehangach o geiswyr lloches—ond codwyd y cwestiwn hwn hefyd. Fe'i codwyd ynglŷn ag a a allai fod llwybr neu ffordd arall y gallem gefnogi'r rhai sydd wedi'u dal yn y gwrthdaro. Rwy'n credu bod gan bob un ohonom—llawer ohonom, beth bynnag—etholwyr sydd ag aelodau o'r teulu yno. Rydym newydd glywed am hyn mewn cyfarfod rydym newydd ei gynnal nawr, y Prif Weinidog a minnau, gyda'r gymuned Fwslimaidd. Wrth gwrs, yn amlwg, nid yw'r mater hwn wedi'i ddatganoli—mae unrhyw fater sy'n ymwneud â pholisi tramor yn fater i Lywodraeth y DU, nid i Lywodraeth Cymru na'r Senedd. Ac wrth gwrs, mae yna flaenoriaeth i ddarparu llawer mwy o gymorth i Gaza. Roedd y drafodaeth a gawsom yn ymwneud â chefnogi gwladolion Prydeinig i weld a oedd unrhyw ffyrdd o wneud hynny, oherwydd mae'n bwysig eu bod yn gwybod beth yw eu hawliau. Ond yn amlwg, rydym eisiau saib yn y gwrthdaro, a dyna fydd yn atal y sefyllfaoedd ofnadwy a ddisgrifiwyd gennych heddiw. 

14:10

I thank my friend for raising this question, and we do get a lot of e-mails from Palestinian people whose relations are here in Wales. Minister, the biggest problem with the various refugee settlement schemes has been the ability to find long-term accommodation for those seeking refuge in Wales. Sadly, we have insufficient accommodation, which leaves refugees in unsuitable accommodation, or, even worse, forces them to uproot and move to other parts of the country after they have settled in an area. We have insufficient housing as it is. How can we possibly hope to be a nation of sanctuary if we can't accommodate refugees? 

Last week, I had the pleasure of meeting a Welsh company that is seeking to bring 3D printing construction to Wales. Across the world, 3D printing is revolutionising the construction industry, with homes being built in days rather than months or years. Minister, what discussions have you had with the Minister for Climate Change about using such techniques to rapidly increase the supply of housing to ensure we can accommodate those fleeing wars and devastation overseas, as in Palestine? 

Diolch i fy ffrind am godi'r cwestiwn hwn, ac rydym yn cael llawer o negeseuon e-bost gan bobl Palesteinaidd sydd â pherthnasau yma yng Nghymru. Weinidog, y broblem fwyaf gyda'r gwahanol gynlluniau preswylio ar gyfer ffoaduriaid yw'r gallu i ddod o hyd i lety hirdymor i'r rhai sy'n ceisio lloches yng Nghymru. Yn anffodus, nid oes gennym ddigon o ddarpariaethau llety, sy'n golygu bod ffoaduriaid yn aros mewn llety anaddas, neu, hyd yn oed yn waeth, yn cael eu gorfodi drwy hynny i godi pac a symud i rannau eraill o'r wlad ar ôl iddynt ymgartrefu mewn ardal. Nid oes gennym ddigon o dai fel y mae. Sut y gallwn ni obeithio bod yn genedl noddfa os na allwn ddarparu llety i ffoaduriaid? 

Yr wythnos diwethaf, cefais y pleser o gyfarfod â chwmni o Gymru sy'n ceisio cyflwyno adeiladu argraffu 3D i Gymru. Ar draws y byd, mae argraffu 3D yn chwyldroi'r diwydiant adeiladu, gyda chartrefi'n cael eu hadeiladu mewn dyddiau yn hytrach na misoedd neu flynyddoedd. Weinidog, pa drafodaethau a gawsoch chi gyda'r Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd ynghylch defnyddio technegau o'r fath i gynyddu'r cyflenwad tai yn gyflym er mwyn sicrhau y gallwn ddarparu ar gyfer y rhai sy'n ffoi rhag rhyfeloedd a dinistr dramor, fel ym Mhalesteina? 

Thank you very much, Altaf Hussain, for that supplementary question. I thought that I had answered Andrew R.T. Davies's question earlier on today with a very positive response to the ways in which we have been supporting refugees from Ukraine, and recognising that I was able to say that 3,250 people have arrived in the UK through the Homes for Ukraine supersponsor route, and that they have been moved on into longer-term accommodation. And perhaps I'll just go back to give you a couple of figures in terms of the success, which is due to our local authorities. We had over 2,750 supported through initial accommodation in Wales, and they have now moved on into further accommodation. Nearly 1,600 have chosen to settle longer term in Wales, and we've heard examples across the Chamber earlier on from Caerphilly and Bridgend about the success of that integration. It's about local authorities and third sector partners coming together to find that longer-term accommodation. We do provide that route to safety. Some of the Ukrainian refugees have actually chosen to move to other parts of the UK, return to Ukraine or travel to other countries. That's 900 people in that situation.

But I also did, responding to the questions earlier on, talk about the investment that the Minister for Climate Change has made into that transitional housing—a £75 million transitional accommodation capital programme. Well, I'm very pleased that I've been to see some of that modular accommodation, temporary accommodation, and I think others have in the Chamber today, in Cardiff, which has been funded through that scheme. And that is modular accommodation that's provided by a company that was procured by the authority, with the Welsh Government, with our funding. So, clearly there are supply chains and routes into companies being able to play their part. But I really do disagree with your point about the fact that people are now struggling in terms of accommodation. There are huge housing needs in Wales, and today I co-chaired, as I said, the first nation of sanctuary strategic oversight board with the Welsh Local Government Association. The Home Office were there, and there was a very strong commitment to the team Wales approach to support all those seeking sanctuary here in Wales, temporary and long term, but also recognising that we are also supporting many Welsh families in housing need as well. If we had a better settlement from your Government, we might be able to do more to address them in terms of their housing need.

Diolch yn fawr iawn, Altaf Hussain, am y cwestiwn atodol hwnnw. Roeddwn i'n meddwl fy mod wedi ateb cwestiwn Andrew R.T. Davies yn gynharach heddiw gydag ymateb cadarnhaol iawn o ran y ffyrdd y buom yn cefnogi ffoaduriaid o Wcráin, a chydnabod fy mod wedi gallu dweud bod 3,250 o bobl wedi cyrraedd y DU drwy lwybr uwch-noddwr Cartrefi i Wcráin, a'u bod wedi symud ymlaen i lety mwy hirdymor. Ac rwyf am fynd yn ôl a rhoi un neu ddau o ffigurau i chi ar y llwyddiant, diolch i'n hawdurdodau lleol. Cefnogwyd dros 2,750 o bobl gyda llety cychwynnol yng Nghymru, ac maent bellach wedi symud ymlaen i lety pellach. Mae bron i 1,600 wedi dewis ymgartrefu yng Nghymru yn fwy hirdymor, ac rydym wedi clywed enghreifftiau ar draws y Siambr yn gynharach o lwyddiant yr integreiddio hwnnw yng Nghaerffili a Phen-y-bont ar Ogwr. Mae'n ymwneud ag awdurdodau lleol a phartneriaid yn y trydydd sector yn dod at ei gilydd i ddod o hyd i'r llety mwy hirdymor hwnnw. Rydym yn darparu llwybr i ddiogelwch. Mae rhai o'r ffoaduriaid Wcreinaidd wedi dewis symud i rannau eraill o'r DU, dychwelyd i Wcráin neu deithio i wledydd eraill. Mae 900 o bobl yn y sefyllfa honno.

Ond fe soniais hefyd wrth ymateb i'r cwestiynau yn gynharach am y buddsoddiad y mae'r Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd wedi'i wneud mewn tai trosiannol—rhaglen gyfalaf llety trosiannol gwerth £75 miliwn. Wel, rwy'n falch iawn fy mod wedi gallu ymweld â rhai o'r darpariaethau llety modiwlaidd, llety dros dro, sydd wedi'i ariannu drwy'r cynllun hwnnw, ac rwy'n credu bod eraill yn y Siambr heddiw wedi gwneud yr un peth yng Nghaerdydd. Ac mae hwnnw'n llety modiwlaidd sy'n cael ei ddarparu gan gwmni a gaffaelwyd gan yr awdurdod, gyda Llywodraeth Cymru, gyda'n cyllid ni. Felly, yn amlwg mae yna gadwyni cyflenwi a llwybrau i gwmnïau allu chwarae eu rhan. Ond rwy'n anghytuno'n gryf â'ch pwynt ynglŷn â'r ffaith bod pobl bellach yn cael trafferth mewn perthynas â llety. Mae anghenion tai enfawr yng Nghymru, a heddiw, fel y dywedais, fe gyd-gadeiriais gyfarfod cyntaf o fwrdd trosolwg y genedl noddfa gyda Chymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru. Roedd y Swyddfa Gartref yno, ac roedd ymrwymiad cryf iawn i ddull tîm Cymru o gefnogi pawb sy'n chwilio am noddfa yma yng Nghymru, dros dro a hirdymor, ond roedd yna gydnabyddiaeth hefyd ein bod yn cefnogi llawer o deuluoedd sydd ag anghenion tai yng Nghymru hefyd. Pe bai gennym setliad gwell gan eich Llywodraeth chi, efallai y byddem yn gallu gwneud mwy i fynd i'r afael â'u hanghenion tai.

14:15

Good afternoon, Minister. I read recently of the story of Ryan, a refugee who risked everything in search of safety. After facing imprisonment and racial abuse in his own country, he then embarked on a perilous journey across many countries and resorted to a small, overcrowded boat to cross the channel, and is now living in Wales. That journey left him traumatised and he, despite that, is persevering in the hope of one day being a maths teacher here in Wales. 

Ryan's story demonstrates the absence of safe, legal routes for refugees seeking protection. According to a report from the Refugee Council this year, two thirds of all those who made this crossing across the channel would be approved for refugee status if granted access to fair procedures. Despite this, the Conservative UK Government persists in allotting millions to impractical policies like Rwanda, which we heard about in the vote last night, demonising people like Ryan, who are not migrants, but they are people who have no choice but to travel in treacherous vessels. I don't believe that that's shared by my colleagues here in the Senedd, but the Conservative Government is obsessed with small boats. I'd like to ask you how we can positively promote Ryan's story and the positive contribution he wants to make to being here in Wales, like other refugees, and also that we need safe, legal routes, not cruel rhetoric about small boats. Diolch yn fawr iawn.

Prynhawn da, Weinidog. Yn ddiweddar, darllenais stori am Ryan, ffoadur a fentrodd bopeth i chwilio am ddiogelwch. Ar ôl wynebu carchar a cham-drin hiliol yn ei wlad ei hun, cychwynnodd ar daith beryglus ar draws llawer o wledydd gan droi at gwch bychan, gorlawn i groesi'r sianel, ac mae bellach yn byw yng Nghymru. Roedd y daith honno'n drawmatig iddo ac er gwaethaf hynny, mae'n dyfalbarhau yn y gobaith o fod yn athro mathemateg yma yng Nghymru rhyw ddydd. 

Mae stori Ryan yn dangos nad oes llwybrau diogel, cyfreithiol yn bodoli i ffoaduriaid sy'n ceisio diogelwch. Yn ôl adroddiad gan y Cyngor Ffoaduriaid eleni, byddai dwy ran o dair o'r rhai a wnaeth y daith hon ar draws y sianel yn cael eu cymeradwyo ar gyfer statws ffoadur pe bai ganddynt fynediad at weithdrefnau teg. Er gwaethaf hyn, mae Llywodraeth Geidwadol y DU yn parhau i ddyrannu miliynau i bolisïau anymarferol fel cynllun Rwanda, y clywsom amdano yn y bleidlais neithiwr, gan ddilorni pobl fel Ryan, nad ydynt yn ymfudwyr, ond sydd, yn hytrach, yn bobl nad oes ganddynt ddewis ond teithio mewn cychod peryglus. Nid wyf yn credu bod fy nghyd-Aelodau yma yn y Senedd yn rhannu'r farn honno, ond mae gan y Llywodraeth Geidwadol obsesiwn â chychod bach. Hoffwn ofyn i chi sut y gallwn hyrwyddo stori Ryan mewn modd cadarnhaol, ynghyd â'r cyfraniad cadarnhaol y mae eisiau ei wneud yma yng Nghymru, fel ffoaduriaid eraill, a hefyd ein bod angen llwybrau diogel, cyfreithiol, nid rhethreg greulon am gychod bach. Diolch yn fawr iawn.

Diolch yn fawr, Jane Dodds, and can I thank you so much for telling us Ryan's story? I don’t know if any of you were able to see—or even if you were walking past—the wonderful Sanctuary in the Senedd event yesterday. I know it was hosted by Jenny Rathbone, and I can see Members here today who joined and heard some of those stories, but also the expressions of such thanks and commitment about being able to come and live in Wales, even though there were challenges on housing, there were challenges on employment, quite rightly, and we need to hear those challenges. We need to hear from those who have joined us in Wales, who have sought sanctuary in Wales, and we need to understand them in terms of our policies. So, thank you for sharing with us.

The UK Government’s approach is undermining our ability to be a nation of sanctuary, not just, as I said, about the lack of resource from the UK Government for our budgets as a whole, but it’s making it far more difficult for people to integrate within communities, for us to utilise the skills and experience they bring with them, which is such a great benefit of migration. We’ve said that the Illegal Migration Act 2023 amounts to a ban on claiming asylum in the UK, and it’s fundamentally clear, as you say, Jane Dodds, that sufficient and legal routes to protection in the UK must exist.

We’ve actually proved we can do it, haven’t we? We’ve proved we can do it with the support for the Ukrainian supersponsor route; we’ve proved we can do it on a team Wales basis. And I have to say that we had Home Office officials with us today in this meeting with local government who were very positive. They said that Wales could help show the way forward. But I hope many of us here will condemn the UK Government’s so-called Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill. Again, we believe that this will remove the rights of those who are claiming asylum in the UK, and I hope it is not implemented. It's very clearly defying the Human Rights Act 1998 on many levels and it is entirely the wrong way to support people who are fleeing conflict to come to our country.

Can I just say, also, the fact that, when it was revealed that it's only a tiny percentage of people coming over on boats—and we decry the fact that they have to come through on boats because we haven't got a proper safe and legal route—that then the Government decides to appoint a legal migration Minister to try and stop legal migrants coming to the UK as well? What a shocking indictment of that Government. 

Diolch yn fawr, Jane Dodds, ac a gaf fi ddiolch yn fawr iawn i chi am adrodd stori Ryan? Nid wyf yn gwybod a welodd unrhyw un ohonoch—neu hyd yn oed os oeddech chi'n cerdded heibio—y digwyddiad anhygoel Noddfa yn y Senedd ddoe. Gwn mai Jenny Rathbone a'i cynhaliodd, a gallaf weld Aelodau yma heddiw a wnaeth ymuno a chlywed rhai o'r straeon hynny, ond hefyd y diolch a fynegwyd a'r ymrwymiad ynghylch gallu dod i fyw yng Nghymru, er bod yna heriau'n gysylltiedig â thai, er bod yna heriau'n gysylltiedig â chyflogaeth, yn gwbl briodol, ac mae angen inni glywed yr heriau hynny. Mae angen inni glywed gan y rhai sydd wedi ymuno â ni yng Nghymru, sydd wedi ceisio lloches yng Nghymru, ac mae angen inni eu deall mewn perthynas â'n polisïau. Felly, diolch am rannu gyda ni.

Mae dull Llywodraeth y DU o weithredu yn tanseilio ein gallu i fod yn genedl noddfa, nid yn unig, fel y dywedais, mewn perthynas â diffyg adnoddau gan Lywodraeth y DU ar gyfer ein cyllidebau yn gyffredinol, ond mae'n ei gwneud hi'n llawer anos i bobl integreiddio mewn cymunedau, i ni ddefnyddio'r sgiliau a'r profiad sydd ganddynt i'w gynnig, sy'n fudd mawr y mae ymfudo'n ei gynnig. Rydym wedi dweud bod Deddf Mudo Anghyfreithlon 2023 yn gyfystyr â gwaharddiad ar hawlio lloches yn y DU, ac mae'n gwbl amlwg, fel y dywedwch, Jane Dodds, fod yn rhaid cael llwybrau digonol a chyfreithiol i ddiogelwch yn y DU.

Rydym wedi profi ein bod yn gallu ei wneud, onid ydym? Rydym wedi profi ein bod yn gallu ei wneud gyda'r gefnogaeth i lwybr uwch-noddwr Wcráin; rydym wedi profi ein bod yn gallu ei wneud ar sail tîm Cymru. Ac mae'n rhaid imi ddweud bod swyddogion y Swyddfa Gartref gyda ni heddiw yn y cyfarfod gyda llywodraeth leol a oedd yn gadarnhaol iawn. Dywedasant y gallai Cymru helpu i ddangos y ffordd ymlaen. Ond rwy'n gobeithio y bydd llawer ohonom yma yn condemnio Bil Diogelwch Rwanda (Lloches a Mewnfudo) Llywodraeth y DU. Unwaith eto, credwn y bydd hwn yn dileu hawliau'r rhai sy'n hawlio lloches yn y DU, ac rwy'n gobeithio na fydd yn cael ei weithredu. Mae'n amlwg iawn ei fod yn mynd yn groes i Ddeddf Hawliau Dynol 1998 ar sawl lefel a dyma'r ffordd gwbl anghywir o gefnogi pobl sy'n ffoi rhag gwrthdaro i ddod i'n gwlad.

A gaf fi ddweud, hefyd, pan ddatgelwyd mai dim ond canran fach iawn o bobl sy'n dod drosodd ar gychod—ac rydym yn condemnio'r ffaith bod yn rhaid iddynt ddod drosodd ar gychod am nad oes gennym lwybr diogel a chyfreithiol priodol—fod y Llywodraeth wedi penderfynu penodi Gweinidog ymfudo cyfreithiol i geisio atal ymfudwyr cyfreithiol rhag dod i'r DU hefyd? Am gondemniad brawychus o'r Llywodraeth honno. 

14:20
Cenedl Noddfa
A Nation of Sanctuary

6. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi diweddariad ar y cynnydd o ran gwneud Cymru'n genedl noddfa? OQ60405

6. Will the Minister provide an update on progress in making Wales a nation of sanctuary? OQ60405

Thank you, Ken Skates. We will shortly publish our 2023 nation of sanctuary report, which demonstrates continued good progress. We are currently undertaking work to refresh our 'Nation of Sanctuary—Refugee and Asylum Seeker Plan' and we'll be engaging those directly affected by our work in the coming weeks.

Diolch yn fawr, Ken Skates. Byddwn yn cyhoeddi ein hadroddiad cenedl noddfa 2023 cyn bo hir, sy'n dangos cynnydd da a pharhaus. Ar hyn o bryd rydym yn gwneud gwaith i adnewyddu ein 'Cenedl Noddfa – Cynllun Ffoaduriaid a Cheiswyr Lloches' a byddwn yn ymgysylltu â'r rhai y mae ein gwaith yn effeithio'n uniongyrchol arnynt yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf.

Well, thank you very much, Minister, and I very much look forward to that report. Most of us wish to promote Wales as a nation of sanctuary to people around the world, and there are few better ways of doing this than through events such as the International Eisteddfod that takes place annually in Llangollen, and this year there was a significant presence by Ukrainian refugees who have been given invaluable help by this Welsh Labour Government and by local residents. Minister, would you agree that the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, along with other outward looking and international events, are ideal for promoting the status of Wales as a welcoming nation?

Wel, diolch yn fawr iawn, Weinidog, ac edrychaf ymlaen yn fawr at yr adroddiad hwnnw. Mae'r rhan fwyaf ohonom yn dymuno hyrwyddo Cymru fel cenedl noddfa i bobl ledled y byd, a nid oes llawer o ffyrdd gwell o wneud hyn na thrwy ddigwyddiadau fel yr Eisteddfod Ryngwladol sy'n cael ei chynnal yn flynyddol yn Llangollen, ac eleni roedd nifer sylweddol o ffoaduriaid Wcráin yn bresennol, ffoaduriaid sydd wedi cael cymorth amhrisiadwy gan y Llywodraeth Lafur hon a chan drigolion lleol. Weinidog, a fyddech chi'n cytuno bod Eisteddfod Gerddorol Ryngwladol Llangollen, ynghyd â digwyddiadau blaengar a rhyngwladol eraill, yn ddelfrydol ar gyfer hyrwyddo statws Cymru fel cenedl groesawgar?

Thank you for that important question, and also sharing with us, again, the importance of the Llangollen International Eisteddfod and particularly that significant presence of Ukrainian citizens at that event. We fundamentally believe—and I've responded to questions this afternoon—that the support from Welsh people for homes sponsorship, volunteering, donations to refugee crisis appeals, they're just showing that becoming a nation of sanctuary is what people are keen to do, but it's important to promote that internationally. Major events are an excellent way of doing that, so Welsh Government is pleased to be supporting the International Eisteddfod. But can I just also say for the record, very quickly, Llywydd, that the Welsh Government will be represented at the global refugee forum in Geneva, alongside the UK delegation, communicating our nation of sanctuary vision and pledging that we'll continue along the path, encouraging other nations to work towards a shared goal?

Diolch am y cwestiwn pwysig hwnnw, a diolch hefyd am rannu pwysigrwydd Eisteddfod Ryngwladol Llangollen gyda ni unwaith eto ac yn enwedig presenoldeb sylweddol dinasyddion Wcráin yn y digwyddiad hwnnw. Rydym yn credu'n sylfaenol—ac rwyf wedi ymateb i gwestiynau y prynhawn yma—fod y gefnogaeth gan bobl Cymru i'r cynllun noddi cartrefi, gwirfoddoli, rhoddion i apeliadau argyfwng ffoaduriaid, maent yn dangos bod pobl yn awyddus i fod yn genedl noddfa, ond mae'n bwysig hyrwyddo hynny'n rhyngwladol. Mae digwyddiadau mawr yn ffordd wych o wneud hynny, felly mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n falch o gefnogi'r Eisteddfod Ryngwladol. Ond a gaf fi gofnodi'n gyflym iawn hefyd, Lywydd, y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn cael ei chynrychioli yn y fforwm ffoaduriaid byd-eang yng Ngenefa, ochr yn ochr â dirprwyaeth y DU, i gyfleu ein gweledigaeth o genedl noddfa ac i roi ein haddewid y byddwn yn parhau i ddilyn y trywydd hwnnw, gan annog cenhedloedd eraill i weithio tuag at nod cyffredin?

Swyddogion Cymorth Cymunedol yr Heddlu
Police Community Support Officers

7. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi diweddariad am gynlluniau Llywodraeth Cymru i ariannu swyddogion cymorth cymunedol yr heddlu? OQ60437

7. Will the Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government's plans to fund police community support officers? OQ60437

Diolch yn fawr, Mabon ap Gwynfor. We're proud of our record of supporting police community support officers—PCSOs—and promoting community safety in Wales, and we continue to work in partnership with policing colleagues to keep communities safe.

Diolch yn fawr, Mabon ap Gwynfor. Rydym yn falch o'n cyflawniad yn cefnogi swyddogion cymorth cymunedol yr heddlu a hyrwyddo diogelwch cymunedol yng Nghymru, ac rydym yn parhau i weithio mewn partneriaeth â chydweithwyr plismona i gadw cymunedau'n ddiogel.

Diolch i'r Gweinidog am yr ateb yna. Roeddwn i allan yn troi goleudau Nadolig Llanbedr, Meirionnydd, ymlaen nos Wener diwethaf, a thra yno ces i sgwrs hir a buddiol iawn gyda Llinos, un o'r swyddogion cymorth cymunedol sy'n cael ei hariannu gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Soniodd am y gwaith cymunedol roedd hi'n ei wneud gan ddangos yn glir bwysigrwydd ei rôl hi a'r hyn yr oedd hi'n ei gyflawni yn y cymunedau ar arfordir Meirionnydd.

Yna fe ges i sgwrs fuddiol gyda'r heddlu ym Mhorthmadog yr wythnos diwethaf hefyd, a hwythau'n mynegi canmoliaeth a gwerthfawrogiad o waith y swyddogion cymorth cymunedol. Ond roedd pob un ohonyn nhw yn bryderus bod y gyllideb ar gyfer y roliau yma am gael ei thorri. Felly, allwch chi roi sicrwydd i'r PCSOs yma fod eu swyddi nhw am barhau a bod y gyllideb am gael ei chynnal, os gwelwch yn dda?

I thank the Minister for that response. I was out switching on the Christmas lights in Llanbedr, Meirionnydd, last Friday night and I had a very beneficial discussion with Llinos, one of the police community support officers funded by the Welsh Government. She spoke about the community work that she does, demonstrating clearly the importance of her role and what she achieves in the coastal communities in Meirionnydd.

Then I had a very beneficial discussion with the police in Porthmadog last week also, and they expressed their praise and their appreciation of the work of police community support officers. But all of them were concerned that the funding for these roles will be cut. So, can you give the PCSOs an assurance that their jobs will continue and that the funding will be maintained, please? 

Diolch yn fawr. We are facing an extremely challenging financial situation, as you're fully aware, the toughest since devolution, and following months of intensive cross-Government work we are developing a prudent plan to respond to the extraordinary financial pressures facing public services in 2023-24. We are guided by our need, though, to protect front-line public services as far as possible and to target support towards those in greatest need. So, we are working very closely with our police forces, in terms of the fact that we did release some funding from the PCSO budget in this financial year, requesting forces to pause recruitment of PCSOs, but still providing over £20 million of funding for PCSOs to keep Welsh communities safe.

I have to say that it's very good to hear that feedback, and I'm sure that many would share that kind of feedback from PCSOs and policing colleagues. But, of course, the Welsh Government's draft budget will be published next week, and it will set out our future funding position. 

Diolch yn fawr. Rydym yn wynebu sefyllfa ariannol hynod heriol, fel y gwyddoch yn iawn, y sefyllfa anoddaf ers datganoli, ac yn dilyn misoedd o waith trawslywodraethol dwys rydym yn datblygu cynllun darbodus i ymateb i'r pwysau ariannol eithriadol sy'n wynebu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yn 2023-24. Serch hynny, rydym yn cael ein harwain gan yr angen i ddiogelu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus rheng flaen cyn belled ag y bo modd ac rydym yn ceisio targedu cymorth tuag at y rhai sydd â'r angen mwyaf. Felly, rydym yn gweithio'n agos iawn gyda'n heddluoedd, ac rydym wedi rhyddhau cyllid o gyllideb swyddogion cymorth cymunedol yr heddlu yn y flwyddyn ariannol hon, gan ofyn i heddluoedd oedi'r gwaith o recriwtio swyddogion cymorth cymunedol yr heddlu, ond rydym yn dal i ddarparu dros £20 miliwn o gyllid ar gyfer swyddogion cymorth cymunedol yr heddlu i gadw cymunedau Cymru'n ddiogel.

Mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud ei bod yn dda iawn clywed yr adborth hwnnw, ac rwy'n siŵr y byddai llawer yn rhannu'r math hwnnw o adborth gan swyddogion cymorth cymunedol yr heddlu a chydweithwyr plismona. Ond wrth gwrs, bydd cyllideb ddrafft Llywodraeth Cymru yn cael ei chyhoeddi yr wythnos nesaf, a bydd yn nodi ein sefyllfa ariannu yn y dyfodol. 

14:25

Ac yn olaf, cwestiwn 8, Heledd Fychan.

And finally, question 8, Heledd Fychan.

Tlodi Plant a Chyrhaeddiad yn yr Ysgol
Child Poverty and School Attainment

8. Sut mae'r Gweinidog yn gweithio gyda Gweinidog y Gymraeg ac Addysg i fynd i'r afael ag effaith tlodi plant ar gyrhaeddiad yn yr ysgol, yng ngoleuni canlyniadau PISA 2022? OQ60436

8. How is the Minister working with the Minister for Education and Welsh Language to address the impact of child poverty on school attainment, in light of the PISA 2022 results? OQ60436

Diolch yn fawr am eich cwestiwn.

Thank you very much for your question.

Tackling the impact of poverty on attainment is at the heart of our national mission in education, as set out in the road map published by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language in March, 'Our national mission: high standards and aspirations for all'.

Mae mynd i'r afael ag effaith tlodi ar gyrhaeddiad yn ganolog i'n cenhadaeth genedlaethol ar gyfer addysg, fel y nodir yn y cynllun a gyhoeddwyd gan Weinidog y Gymraeg ac Addysg ym mis Mawrth, 'Cenhadaeth ein cenedl: safonau a dyheadau uchel i bawb'.

Diolch, Weinidog. I wonder if you could clarify, though, given that the PISA results were only recently released, what conversations have taken place since then, or whether there are plans to have conversations, given the significance of those results. And also in light of a number of reports that we have seen in terms of that link between attainment and poverty, that that's growing, in terms of that disparity between children, and also some of the proposals that have been raised by local authorities because of financial pressures now, such as increased charging for school transport, or actually going back to what the Measure currently says, rather than going above and beyond. Also, some of the things that we have seen in terms of measures to provide support directly to families, and the impact that that's having on pupil absences. The situation on the ground seems to be getting worse. That's what parents are telling us, that they can't afford school transport, and so on. Teachers are telling us this. So, what more urgent conversations have taken place, given that we are seeing this directly impact on children and young people, as evidenced by the PISA results?  

Diolch, Weinidog. Tybed a allech chi egluro, serch hynny, o ystyried mai dim ond yn ddiweddar y rhyddhawyd canlyniadau'r rhaglen ryngwladol asesu myfyrwyr, pa drafodaethau sydd wedi bod ers hynny, neu a oes cynlluniau i gael trafodaethau, o ystyried arwyddocâd y canlyniadau hynny. A hefyd yng ngoleuni nifer o adroddiadau a welsom ar y cysylltiad rhwng cyrhaeddiad a thlodi, fod yr anghyfartaledd rhwng plant yn tyfu, a hefyd rhai o'r cynigion a waned gan awdurdodau lleol oherwydd pwysau ariannol nawr, megis codi mwy o dâl am gludiant i'r ysgol, neu fynd yn ôl at yr hyn y mae'r Mesur yn ei ddweud ar hyn o bryd, yn hytrach na mynd y tu hwnt i hynny. Hefyd, rhai o'r pethau a welsom o ran mesurau i ddarparu cymorth yn uniongyrchol i deuluoedd, a'r effaith y mae hynny'n ei chael ar absenoldeb disgyblion. Mae'n ymddangos bod y sefyllfa ar lawr gwlad yn gwaethygu. Dyna mae rhieni yn ei ddweud wrthym, nad ydynt yn gallu fforddio cludiant i'r ysgol, ac yn y blaen. Mae'r athrawon yn dweud hyn wrthym. Felly, pa drafodaethau brys sydd wedi digwydd, o ystyried ein bod yn gweld hyn yn effeithio'n uniongyrchol ar blant a phobl ifanc, fel y gwelir yng nghanlyniadau'r rhaglen ryngwladol asesu myfyrwyr?  

Well, thank you for that important follow-up question, which is very much addressed, I believe, in our cross-government child poverty strategy, which we are launching in the new year, to address many of those issues. I think that it is important that the PISA report showed that Wales's learners are academically resilient, and that the attainment gap between our most advantaged and most disadvantaged learners is smaller in Wales than in other UK nations in all domains. But, obviously, we know that we have to continue to support and stretch all of our children and young people, and address that attainment gap.

Just very quickly to say that this is about working particularly with teachers, recognising that high-quality teaching is particularly important for children who may be more disadvantaged by poverty. That strength of learning and teaching is crucial. Great work is coming through our attainment champions, successful school leaders and, of course, collaboration between schools focusing on all of the areas that affect a child's life and a community's life, recognising that tackling poverty and the roll-out of free school meals and, indeed, the schools essentials grant are part of the way in which we address these issues. 

Wel, diolch i chi am y cwestiwn atodol pwysig hwnnw, yr ymdrinnir ag ef i raddau helaeth, rwy'n credu, yn ein strategaeth tlodi plant drawslywodraethol, y byddwn yn ei lansio yn y flwyddyn newydd, i fynd i'r afael â llawer o'r materion hynny. Credaf ei bod yn bwysig fod adroddiad y rhaglen ryngwladol asesu myfyrwyr wedi dangos bod dysgwyr Cymru yn gadarn yn academaidd, a bod y bwlch cyrhaeddiad rhwng ein dysgwyr mwyaf breintiedig a'n dysgwyr mwyaf difreintiedig yn llai yng Nghymru nag yng ngwledydd eraill y DU ym mhob maes. Ond yn amlwg, gwyddom fod yn rhaid inni barhau i gefnogi ac ymestyn ein holl blant a phobl ifanc, a mynd i'r afael â'r bwlch cyrhaeddiad.

Yn gyflym iawn, hoffwn ddweud bod hyn yn ymwneud â gweithio gydag athrawon yn fwyaf arbennig, gan gydnabod bod addysgu o ansawdd uchel yn arbennig o bwysig i blant a allai fod yn fwy difreintiedig oherwydd tlodi. Mae'r dysgu a'r addysgu cadarn hwn yn hanfodol. Mae gwaith gwych yn cael ei wneud gan ein pencampwyr cyrhaeddiad, arweinwyr ysgol llwyddiannus, ac wrth gwrs, cydweithrediad rhwng ysgolion sy'n canolbwyntio ar yr holl feysydd sy'n effeithio ar fywyd plentyn a bywyd cymuned, gan gydnabod bod mynd i'r afael â thlodi a chyflwyno prydau ysgol am ddim, ac yn wir, y grant hanfodion ysgol, yn rhan o'r ffordd yr awn i'r afael â'r materion hyn. 

2. Cwestiynau i'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol a Gweinidog y Cyfansoddiad
2. Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution

Yr eitem nesaf, felly, fydd y cwestiynau i'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol a Gweinidog y Cyfansoddiad. Mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Carolyn Thomas.

The next item will be the questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution. The first question is from Carolyn Thomas.

Etholiadau'r Senedd
Senedd Elections

1. Pa asesiad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud o degwch y system etholiadol ar gyfer etholiadau'r Senedd? OQ60414

1. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the fairness of the electoral system for Senedd elections? OQ60414

Thank you for your question. There are a number of elements of an electoral system that influence its perceived fairness. Through our programme of Senedd reform, we are strengthening some of these, for example, by removing the disproportional first-past-the-post system from our electoral arrangements.

Diolch am eich cwestiwn. Mae nifer o elfennau mewn system etholiadol sy'n dylanwadu ar ei thegwch canfyddedig. Drwy ein rhaglen i ddiwygio'r Senedd, rydym yn cryfhau rhai o'r rhain, er enghraifft, drwy ddileu'r system cyntaf i'r felin anghymesur o'n trefniadau etholiadol.

Thank you for that answer, Counsel General. The UK Government has used a statutory instrument to increase the spending limit of the next general election by an amazing 80 per cent, to £35 million, with no parliamentary debate. Only the Conservative Party has ever come close to the previous spending cap and the Electoral Commission has said that it has seen no evidence to support the increase. Do you agree with me that the Tories' decision undermines the fairness of our democracy and is trying to bring us closer to a situation where who has the most money wins?

Diolch am yr ateb hwnnw, Gwnsler Cyffredinol. Mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi defnyddio offeryn statudol i gynyddu terfyn gwariant yr etholiad cyffredinol nesaf gymaint ag 80 y cant, i £35 miliwn, heb unrhyw ddadl seneddol. Dim ond y Blaid Geidwadol sydd erioed wedi dod yn agos at y cap gwariant blaenorol ac mae'r Comisiwn Etholiadol wedi dweud nad yw wedi gweld unrhyw dystiolaeth i gefnogi'r cynnydd. A ydych chi'n cytuno bod penderfyniad y Torïaid yn tanseilio tegwch ein democratiaeth ac yn ceisio dod â ni'n agosach at sefyllfa lle mai'r rhai sydd â fwyaf o arian fydd yn ennill?

14:30

Can I thank the Member for that supplementary? You raise a number of very important points. Changes to donations and campaign expenses at UK parliamentary elections have been described by the Electoral Commission as 'dangerous'. This is exactly what the Electoral Commission says: 

'We have not seen evidence to support these changes.'

They say that they are concerned that the proposals are damaging

'the transparency of political donations, and give significantly more scope for higher-spending parties to campaign.'

Of course, it's being done by statutory instrument, so effectively it has bypassed any real parliamentary discussion. The rates that are increased are candidate expenditure, up from £8,700 to £11,390; by-election expenses, from £100,000 to £180,000; party expenditure per constituency from £30,000 to £54,000; as well as donation thresholds being increased. To put it frankly, this is a shameless attempt by the Tories and their millionaire donors to buy the next UK election. Changes have been introduced to bypass that. That is not something that we're doing within Wales. Here in Wales, Ministers' powers to amend the limits on constituency and individual campaign expenses have to go through a proper parliamentary process, not the process that is being used by the UK Government to bypass and attempt to buy our democratic system.

A gaf fi ddiolch i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn atodol hwnnw? Rydych chi'n codi nifer o bwyntiau pwysig iawn. Mae newidiadau i roddion a threuliau ymgyrchu yn etholiadau seneddol y DU wedi cael eu disgrifio gan y Comisiwn Etholiadol fel rhai 'peryglus'. Dyma'n union y mae'r Comisiwn Etholiadol yn ei ddweud: 

'Nid ydym wedi gweld tystiolaeth i gefnogi'r newidiadau hyn.'

Maent yn dweud eu bod yn poeni bod y cynigion yn niweidio

'tryloywder rhoddion gwleidyddol, ac yn rhoi llawer mwy o gyfle i bleidiau sy'n gwario mwy o arian allu ymgyrchu.'

Wrth gwrs, mae'n cael ei wneud trwy offeryn statudol, felly i bob pwrpas mae wedi osgoi unrhyw drafodaeth seneddol go iawn. Y cyfraddau sy'n cael eu cynyddu yw gwariant ymgeiswyr, i fyny o £8,700 i £11,390; treuliau isetholiad, o £100,000 i £180,000; gwariant y pleidiau fesul etholaeth o £30,000 i £54,000; yn ogystal â chynnydd i drothwyon rhoddion. I ddweud y gwir, dyma ymgais ddigywilydd gan y Torïaid a'r miliwnyddion sy'n rhoi rhoddion iddynt i brynu etholiad nesaf y DU. Mae newidiadau wedi'u cyflwyno i osgoi hynny. Nid yw'n rhywbeth a wnawn ni yng Nghymru. Yma yng Nghymru, mae'n rhaid i bwerau Gweinidogion i ddiwygio'r terfynau i dreuliau ymgyrchoedd etholaethau ac unigolion fynd trwy broses seneddol briodol, nid y broses sy'n cael ei defnyddio gan Lywodraeth y DU i osgoi a cheisio prynu ein system ddemocrataidd.

To bring this question back to Senedd elections, which is what the tabled question initially submitted was about, I'm concerned, as my party has been for a long time, about the Welsh Government's plans as they relate to the reform of the Senedd: the increase to 96 Members without a referendum is anti-democratic in my view, but the closed list system, which the Government seem to be pursuing, puts a disproportionate amount of power into the hands of those political party managers.

What I would hope is that, if the Government is going to pursue that process, each political party undertakes a democratic process in order to select those candidates. That has not happened recently. In the Labour Party, four police and crime commissioner candidates were recently selected without a vote, without a hustings. One south Wales Labour councillor called it a 'stitch-up, without so much as a hustings, let alone a vote'. Those are that councillor's words.

So, what steps are you taking to ensure that all political parties, including your own, adopt a democratic process to select those candidates and not just a back-room deal in the headquarters of the Labour Party?

Er mwyn dod â'r cwestiwn yn ôl at etholiadau'r Senedd, sef yr hyn yr oedd y cwestiwn a gyflwynwyd yn wreiddiol yn ymwneud ag ef, rwy'n bryderus, fel y mae fy mhlaid wedi bod ers amser maith, am gynlluniau Llywodraeth Cymru fel y maent yn ymwneud â diwygio'r Senedd: mae'r cynnydd i 96 Aelod heb refferendwm yn wrth-ddemocrataidd yn fy marn i, ond mae'r system rhestrau caeedig, yr ymddengys bod y Llywodraeth yn mynd ar ei thrywydd, yn rhoi pŵer anghymesur yn nwylo rheolwyr y pleidiau gwleidyddol hynny.

Os yw'r Llywodraeth yn mynd i fynd ar drywydd y broses honno, rwy'n gobeithio y bydd pob plaid wleidyddol yn rhoi proses ddemocrataidd a waith er mwyn dewis yr ymgeiswyr hynny. Nid yw hynny wedi digwydd yn ddiweddar. Yn y Blaid Lafur yn ddiweddar, cafodd pedwar ymgeisydd comisiynydd heddlu a throseddu eu dewis heb bleidlais, heb hustyngau. Galwodd un o gynghorwyr Llafur yn ne Cymru y peth yn 'stitch-up, heb gymaint â hustyngau, heb sôn am bleidlais'. Geiriau'r cynghorydd yw'r rheini.

Felly, pa gamau a gymerir gennych i sicrhau bod pob plaid wleidyddol, gan gynnwys eich plaid chi, yn mabwysiadu proses ddemocrataidd i ddewis yr ymgeiswyr hynny ac nid dim ond cytundeb ystafell gefn ym mhencadlys y Blaid Lafur?

Can I just say that the practice of the Labour Party is that we always adopt a democratic process in respect of the selection of our candidates? Can I also say that, in terms of Senedd reform, I do not consider that the fulfillment of manifesto promises can in any way be conceived to be undemocratic? The points that have been raised, I think, in this question, with regard to the electoral expenses issue, is that you have a Conservative Government at the moment that is heading for disaster in the elections and is, basically, working out how it can actually buy votes, either through the use of the levelling-up and shared prosperity funding being targeted in specific ways, or with an undemocratic reform of allowances and expenditure that can be incurred by candidates in the forthcoming general election.

A gaf fi ddweud mai arfer y Blaid Lafur yw ein bod bob amser yn mabwysiadu proses ddemocrataidd mewn perthynas â dewis ein hymgeiswyr? A gaf fi ddweud hefyd, ar ddiwygio'r Senedd, nad wyf o'r farn y gellir ystyried mewn unrhyw ffordd fod cyflawni addewidion maniffesto yn annemocrataidd? Y pwyntiau a godwyd, rwy'n credu, yn y cwestiwn hwn, ar fater costau etholiadol, yw bod gennych Lywodraeth Geidwadol ar hyn o bryd sy'n anelu at ganlyniad trychinebus yn yr etholiadau ac sydd, yn y bôn, yn cynllunio sut y gall brynu pleidleisiau mewn gwirionedd, naill ai trwy ddefnyddio'r cyllid ffyniant bro a'r gronfa ffyniant gyffredin wedi ei dargedu mewn ffyrdd penodol, neu trwy ddiwygio'n annemocrataidd y lwfansau a gwariant y gall ymgeiswyr eu hwynebu yn yr etholiad cyffredinol sydd i ddod.

I find myself being on the same side as Tom Giffard here, because the question is actually about Senedd elections and Senedd reform; it is not about, as I understand it, election expenses in Westminster.

Counsel General, you'll know that I'm going to be asking about Senedd reform and the proposal for closed lists, on which, again, I am on the same side—I am absolutely opposed to closed lists. I would like to just give you a quote:

'Closed lists put more power into the hands of party bosses, risking rewarding loyalty and longevity, rather than calibre and contribution. Closed lists promote conservatism and conformism, risking a race to the bottom.'

That's Professor Laura McAllister. Is she right, or is she wrong? Thank you.

Rwyf ar yr un ochr â Tom Giffard yma, oherwydd mae'r cwestiwn mewn gwirionedd yn ymwneud ag etholiadau'r Senedd a diwygio'r Senedd; fel rwy'n ei ddeall, nid yw'n ymwneud â threuliau etholiad yn San Steffan.

Gwnsler Cyffredinol, fe fyddwch yn gwybod fy mod am ofyn ynglŷn â diwygio'r Senedd a'r cynnig ar gyfer rhestrau caeedig, ac unwaith eto, rwyf ar yr un ochr—rwy'n hollol wrthwynebus i restrau caeedig. Hoffwn roi dyfyniad i chi:

'Mae rhestrau caeedig yn rhoi mwy o rym yn nwylo penaethiaid pleidiau, gan greu risg o wobrwyo teyrngarwch a hirhoedledd, yn hytrach na safon a chyfraniad. Mae rhestrau caeedig yn hyrwyddo ceidwadaeth a chydymffurfiaeth, gan greu risg o ras i'r gwaelod.'

Yr Athro Laura McAllister a ddywedodd hynny. A yw hi'n gywir, neu a yw hi'n anghywir? Diolch.

14:35

She has an opinion, and I disagree with that opinion. I'll first of all say that the system that is being incorporated within the legislation is a proposal that's come from a special purpose committee, and has already received the support of a two-thirds majority in this Senedd, which is key, as you know, in order to achieve it. I think what the reforms actually do—. And of course, there are very many differing opinions in terms of different voting systems; I have to say that all have advantages, all have disadvantages. But what I would say in terms of the proposals is that they will result, firstly, in a better system than we have at the moment, they will result in a more proportional Senedd, they will ensure that all votes actually count, it will get rid of the iniquitous first-past-the-post system, which means you can get elected on a third of the votes, and it provides a basis for facilitating greater gender balance and diversity. Those things are clearly things that are improvements and better than the system that we have. There will of course—and this is included within the legislation—be a review, and the next Senedd will also have an opportunity to assess how the reforms and changes have operated. But it seems to me disingenuous to be criticising a system that is certainly an improvement, and a significant improvement, on the system that we have at the moment.

Mae ganddi farn, ac rwy'n anghytuno â'r farn honno. Yn gyntaf oll fe ddywedaf fod y system sy'n cael ei hymgorffori o fewn y ddeddfwriaeth yn gynnig sydd wedi dod gan bwyllgor diben arbennig, ac sydd eisoes wedi cael cefnogaeth mwyafrif o ddwy ran o dair yn y Senedd hon, sy'n allweddol, fel y gwyddoch, er mwyn ei gyflawni. Rwy'n credu mai'r hyn y mae'r diwygiadau yn ei wneud mewn gwirionedd—. Ac wrth gwrs, mae llawer iawn o wahanol safbwyntiau ynglŷn â gwahanol systemau pleidleisio; rhaid imi ddweud bod gan bob un fanteision, mae gan bob un anfanteision. Ond ar y cynigion, byddant yn arwain, yn gyntaf, at system well na'r un sydd gennym ar hyn o bryd, byddant yn arwain at Senedd fwy cyfrannol, byddant yn sicrhau bod pob pleidlais yn cyfrif mewn gwirionedd, bydd yn cael gwared ar y system gyntaf i'r felin anghyfiawn, sy'n golygu y gallwch gael eich ethol ar draean o'r pleidleisiau, ac mae'n darparu sylfaen ar gyfer hwyluso mwy o gydbwysedd rhwng y rhywiau ac amrywiaeth. Mae'r pethau hynny'n amlwg yn bethau sy'n welliannau ac yn well na'r system sydd gennym. Wrth gwrs, fe fydd yna adolygiad—ac mae hyn wedi'i gynnwys o fewn y ddeddfwriaeth—a bydd y Senedd nesaf hefyd yn cael cyfle i asesu sut mae'r diwygiadau a'r newidiadau wedi gweithredu. Ond mae'n ymddangos i mi yn annidwyll i fod yn beirniadu system sy'n sicr yn welliant, ac yn welliant sylweddol, o gymharu â'r system sydd gennym ar hyn o bryd.

Fframwaith Preifatrwydd Data yr UE a'r UD
EU-US Data Privacy Framework

2. Pa gyngor cyfreithiol y mae'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol wedi'i roi i Lywodraeth Cymru ynghylch yr effaith ar Gymru yn sgil Fframwaith Preifatrwydd Data yr UE a'r UD? OQ60423

2. What legal advice has the Counsel General provided to the Welsh Government on the impact of the EU-US Data Privacy Framework on Wales? OQ60423

Thank you. The Welsh Government is keen for Welsh businesses to benefit from convenient and secure data sharing arrangements with other territories. At the same time, we are clear that citizens should be entitled to expect their data to be protected and used only for the right purposes.

Diolch. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn awyddus i fusnesau Cymru elwa o drefniadau rhannu data cyfleus a diogel gyda thiriogaethau eraill. Ar yr un pryd, rydym yn glir y dylai dinasyddion fod â hawl i ddisgwyl i'w data gael ei ddiogelu a'i ddefnyddio at y dibenion cywir yn unig.

Diolch, Counsel General. On 12 October, the UK extension, the data bridge, to the EU-US transatlantic data privacy framework came into force. This is a voluntary scheme that US companies can use to share personal data freely with the EU, and it was introduced after the European Court of Justice found that the previous framework—the privacy shield—did not provide sufficient protection against unlawful surveillance by US state agencies. Open Rights Group has still called this, though, a global privacy race to the bottom. Because whilst the UK Government argues that the new regime would not differ substantially from the one inherited from the EU general data protection regulation, the decision to adopt the EU-US data privacy framework tells us a different story. There is certainly a lot of evidence to say that there are not the same safeguards against state surveillance—ours or others. Therefore, Counsel General, can you confirm what discussions you've also had with the UK Government regarding the framework, to ensure that our data does continue to be protected, safe and our own?

Diolch, Gwnsler Cyffredinol. Ar 12 Hydref, daeth estyniad y DU, y bont ddata, i fframwaith preifatrwydd data trawsatlantig yr UE a'r UD i rym. Mae hwn yn gynllun gwirfoddol y gall cwmnïau'r UD ei ddefnyddio i rannu data personol yn rhydd gyda'r UE, ac fe'i cyflwynwyd ar ôl i Lys Cyfiawnder Ewrop ddarganfod nad oedd y fframwaith blaenorol—y darian breifatrwydd—yn darparu amddiffyniad digonol rhag gwyliadwriaeth anghyfreithlon gan asiantaethau gwladwriaethol yr UD. Serch hynny, mae Open Rights Group yn dal i fod wedi galw hyn yn ras preifatrwydd fyd-eang i'r gwaelod. Er bod Llywodraeth y DU yn dadlau na fyddai'r drefn newydd yn wahanol iawn i'r un a etifeddwyd o reoliad diogelu data cyffredinol yr UE, mae'r penderfyniad i fabwysiadu fframwaith preifatrwydd data yr UE a'r UD yn adrodd stori wahanol wrthym. Yn sicr mae yna lawer o dystiolaeth yn dweud nad yw'r un mesurau diogelu yn bodoli yn erbyn gwyliadwriaeth wladwriaethol—ein hun ni neu eraill. Felly, Gwnsler Cyffredinol, a allwch chi gadarnhau pa drafodaethau rydych chi hefyd wedi'u cael gyda Llywodraeth y DU ynglŷn â'r fframwaith, er mwyn sicrhau bod ein data yn parhau i fod wedi ei ddiogelu, yn saff ac yn perthyn i ni ein hunain?

Thank you for your comments. You raise a very important point that arises in the way in which data is now a global asset—it's important to trade, and so many areas of activity, of research, and so on. There has been engagement, and, of course, there are concerns that are identified, not just in terms of the EU-US data privacy framework, which is a set of rules and binding agreements that govern the transfer of information between the EU and the US, but also in terms of our own specific arrangements that are in place, whereby US companies can receive UK personal data through a framework, but it's not a reciprocal arrangement, meaning that US personal data transferred to the UK doesn't flow in exactly the same way. There obviously are benefits to be able to have that transfer, but there are, equally, a number of concerns that the Information Commissioner has identified—I think there are eight particular concerns. So, there is work that is ongoing on this. Officials met with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology in November to discuss the data bridge in more detail. No information had been shared with us prior to the UK Government announcement, and officials are establishing regular meetings to check on the developments and the risk monitoring activities.

Diolch am eich sylwadau. Rydych chi'n codi pwynt pwysig iawn ynghylch y ffordd y mae data bellach yn ased fyd-eang—mae'n bwysig i fasnach, ac i gymaint o feysydd gweithgaredd, i ymchwil, ac yn y blaen. Mae ymgysylltu wedi digwydd, ac wrth gwrs, nodwyd pryderon, nid yn unig ynghylch fframwaith preifatrwydd data'r UE a'r UD, sy'n set o reolau a chytundebau rhwymol sy'n llywodraethu trosglwyddo gwybodaeth rhwng yr UE a'r UD, ond hefyd o ran ein trefniadau penodol ein hunain sydd ar waith, lle gall cwmnïau'r UD dderbyn data personol y DU trwy fframwaith, ond nid yw'n drefniant cilyddol, sy'n golygu nad yw data personol yr UD a drosglwyddir i'r DU yn llifo yn union yn yr un ffordd. Yn amlwg mae manteision i allu cael trosglwyddiad o'r fath, ond yn yr un modd, mae'r Comisiynydd Gwybodaeth wedi nodi nifer o bryderon—rwy'n credu bod wyth pryder penodol. Felly, mae yna waith sy'n mynd rhagddo ar hyn. Cyfarfu swyddogion â'r Adran Gwyddoniaeth, Arloesi a Thechnoleg ym mis Tachwedd i drafod y bont ddata yn fanylach. Nid oedd unrhyw wybodaeth wedi'i rhannu â ni cyn cyhoeddiad Llywodraeth y DU, ac mae swyddogion yn sefydlu cyfarfodydd rheolaidd i gadw llygad ar y datblygiadau a'r gweithgareddau monitro risg.

Cwestiynau Heb Rybudd gan Lefarwyr y Pleidiau
Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Mark Isherwood.

Questions now from the party spokespeople. Conservative spokesperson, Mark Isherwood.

Diolch, Llywydd. Rejecting a bid by the Welsh Government to overturn a Court of Appeal decision that a judicial review would be premature 16 months ago, the Supreme Court concluded there is no useful purpose in ruling on potential conflicts between the powers of the Welsh Government and provisions of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 until such time as a specific case arises. Lady Justice Nicola Davies stated that

'it would be unwise for this court to address the issue identified in the declaration in the absence of specific legislation'.

What advice did you receive and provide before pursuing this legal action? What lessons have you learned in respect of future legal challenges, and what was the cost of this to the public purse?

Diolch, Lywydd. Gan wrthod cais gan Lywodraeth Cymru i wrthdroi penderfyniad Llys Apêl y byddai adolygiad barnwrol yn gynamserol 16 mis yn ôl, daeth y Goruchaf Lys i'r casgliad nad oes diben defnyddiol mewn dyfarnu ar wrthdaro posibl rhwng pwerau Llywodraeth Cymru a darpariaethau Deddf Marchnad Fewnol y Deyrnas Unedig 2020 hyd nes y cyfyd achos penodol. Dywedodd yr Arglwyddes Ustus Nicola Davies

'y byddai'n annoeth i'r llys hwn fynd i'r afael â'r mater a nodwyd yn y datganiad yn absenoldeb deddfwriaeth benodol.'

Pa gyngor y gwnaethoch chi ei dderbyn a'i ddarparu cyn mynd ar drywydd y camau cyfreithiol hyn? Pa wersi a ddysgwyd gennych mewn perthynas â heriau cyfreithiol yn y dyfodol, a beth oedd cost hyn i'r pwrs cyhoeddus?

14:40

Firstly, the legal issues that we have, I think, quite rightly raised in terms of our devolved settlement—our statutory rights as a devolved Government, as opposed to the internal market Act—have not been determined one way or the other. Our position has always been that our devolved statutory constitutional settlement overrides the internal market Act, which impliedly attempts to suggest otherwise. We think we're on very solid ground there. Of course, what the court has actually said is, 'Well, we can't really determine that, because we need to actually see a piece of legislation that actually introduces alternatives that we can actually assess and judge'.

One of those that we were looking at was, of course, the single-use plastics legislation. Within that legislation, the UK Government had the opportunity, if they had chosen to do so, to challenge it. That legislation was based on and supported our interpretation of the constitutional position. The UK Government Attorney-General chose not to challenge that. I take that very much as being that the UK Government accepts the primacy of our constitutional position. On that basis, I took the position that there was no need to pursue and bring the matter before the court, because the UK Government had decided that it was within our competence, and, therefore, our position has been upheld by the Attorney-General. 

Yn gyntaf, nid yw'r materion cyfreithiol a godwyd gennym yn gwbl briodol mewn perthynas â'n setliad datganoledig—ein hawliau statudol fel Llywodraeth ddatganoledig, yn hytrach na Deddf y farchnad fewnol—wedi cael eu penderfynu y naill ffordd neu'r llall. Ein safbwynt bob amser yw bod ein setliad cyfansoddiadol statudol datganoledig yn cael blaenoriaeth ar Ddeddf y farchnad fewnol, sy'n amlwg yn ceisio awgrymu fel arall. Rydym yn credu ein bod ni ar dir cadarn iawn yno. Wrth gwrs, yr hyn y mae'r llys wedi'i ddweud yw, 'Wel, ni allwn benderfynu hynny, oherwydd mae angen inni weld deddfwriaeth sy'n cyflwyno dewisiadau eraill y gallwn eu hasesu a'u barnu'.

Un o'r rhai yr oeddem yn edrych arnynt oedd y ddeddfwriaeth cynhyrchion plastig untro. O fewn y ddeddfwriaeth honno, cafodd Llywodraeth y DU gyfle i'w herio, pe baent wedi dewis gwneud hynny. Roedd y ddeddfwriaeth honno'n seiliedig ar, ac yn cefnogi ein dehongliad o'r sefyllfa gyfansoddiadol. Dewisodd Twrnai Cyffredinol Llywodraeth y DU beidio â herio hynny. Rwy'n cymryd yn bendant iawn o hynny fod Llywodraeth y DU yn derbyn uchafiaeth ein sefyllfa gyfansoddiadol. Ar y sail honno, fe gymerais y safbwynt nad oedd angen mynd ar drywydd y mater a'i ddwyn gerbron y llys, oherwydd roedd Llywodraeth y DU wedi penderfynu ei fod o fewn ein cymhwysedd, ac felly, fod ein sefyllfa wedi'i chadarnhau gan y Twrnai Cyffredinol. 

As I said, the Supreme Court ruled that your action was premature, and, yes, went ahead nonetheless, at, no doubt, a significant expense.

In January, the First Minister stated that Wales should have a gender self-identification system similar to the one approved in Scotland, and that although Wales does not have the same powers as Scotland, he would seek them from the UK Government, and if these were obtained, he would put them to work in Wales. However, it turns out that Scotland did not, it appears, have the powers to do this either, with Edinburgh's Court of Session ruling last Friday that the UK Government acted lawfully in moving to block Scotland's plans to make it easier to legally change gender. The UK Government have blocked this from becoming law over fears it would adversely impact on the Equality Act 2010 applying in Scotland, England and Wales. What lessons have you learnt from this ruling in respect of future costly Welsh Government legal challenges regarding the operation of the law as it applies to matters constitutionally reserved to the UK Parliament and Government?

Fel y dywedais, dyfarnodd y Goruchaf Lys fod eich gweithred yn gynamserol, a do, fe aeth rhagddi serch hynny, ac am gost sylweddol yn ddiau.

Ym mis Ionawr, dywedodd y Prif Weinidog y dylai Cymru gael system hunanddiffinio rhywedd debyg i'r un a gymeradwywyd yn yr Alban, ac er nad oes gan Gymru yr un pwerau â'r Alban, y byddai ef yn eu ceisio gan Lywodraeth y DU, a phe'u ceid, byddai'n eu rhoi ar waith yng Nghymru. Fodd bynnag, mae'n ymddangos nad oedd gan yr Alban bwerau i wneud hyn ychwaith, gyda Llys Sesiwn Caeredin yn dyfarnu ddydd Gwener diwethaf fod Llywodraeth y DU wedi gweithredu'n gyfreithlon wrth symud i rwystro cynlluniau'r Alban i'w gwneud hi'n haws newid rhywedd yn gyfreithiol. Mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi atal hyn rhag dod yn gyfraith oherwydd ofnau y byddai'n cael effaith andwyol ar gymhwyso Deddf Cydraddoldeb 2010 yng Nghymru, Lloegr a'r Alban. Pa wersi a ddysgwyd gennych o'r dyfarniad hwn mewn perthynas â heriau cyfreithiol costus gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn y dyfodol ar weithrediad y gyfraith fel y mae'n berthnasol i faterion sydd wedi'u cadw'n ôl yn gyfansoddiadol i Senedd a Llywodraeth y DU?

As far as the Scottish judgement is concerned, what the court did uphold was that the legislation passed in Scotland was in competence. That was agreed by the UK Government. The issue was whether it impacted on the Equality Act and modified it, and that was the area where the court has ruled. But equally so, the issue is also to do with the exercise of the particular powers that the Secretary of State for Scotland had under the Scotland Act 1998. Gender recognition is not a matter that is devolved. It is a reserved matter. So, the issue of any legislation within that context as far as Wales is concerned is not relevant until such time as the matter is within competence. 

O ran dyfarniad yr Alban, yr hyn a gadarnhaodd y llys oedd bod y ddeddfwriaeth a basiwyd yn yr Alban o fewn y cymhwysedd. Cytunwyd ar hynny gan Lywodraeth y DU. Y cwestiwn a godai oedd p'un a oedd yn effeithio ar y Ddeddf Cydraddoldeb ac yn ei haddasu, a dyna'r maes lle mae'r llys wedi dyfarnu. Ond yn yr un modd, mae'r mater hefyd yn ymwneud ag arfer y pwerau penodol a oedd gan Ysgrifennydd Gwladol yr Alban o dan Ddeddf yr Alban 1998. Nid yw cydnabod rhywedd yn fater sydd wedi'i ddatganoli. Mae'n fater a gadwyd yn ôl. Felly, nid yw unrhyw ddeddfwriaeth yn y cyd-destun hwnnw'n berthnasol i Gymru hyd nes y bydd y mater o fewn y cymhwysedd. 

Nonetheless, the Welsh Government had said it would seek the powers that Scotland has, so this ruling is significant in that context.

Two weeks ago, plans for the Welsh Government Bill intended to create gender quotas for Senedd elections were withdrawn. It's understood that the Presiding Officer received legal advice that it would not be within Senedd Welsh Parliament competence. However, it was already abundantly clear from the legal advice previously given to Senedd committees that the Senedd does not have the competence to introduce this Bill. What advice did you, therefore, receive and give regarding this? Why did you pursue this when there was evidence it would fail? How much has this cost the public purse? And isn't it the case that Welsh Government Ministers should stop wasting taxpayers' money pursuing fruitless legal action and instead focus on the powers it has and the services it is actually responsible for? 

Serch hynny, roedd Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dweud y byddai'n ceisio'r pwerau sydd gan yr Alban, felly mae'r dyfarniad hwn yn arwyddocaol yn y cyd-destun hwnnw.

Bythefnos yn ôl, cafodd y cynlluniau ar gyfer Bil Llywodraeth Cymru a fwriadwyd i greu cwotâu rhywedd ar gyfer etholiadau'r Senedd eu tynnu'n ôl. Deellir bod y Llywydd wedi derbyn cyngor cyfreithiol na fyddai o fewn cymhwysedd seneddol Senedd Cymru. Fodd bynnag, roedd eisoes yn gwbl glir o'r cyngor cyfreithiol a roddwyd yn flaenorol i bwyllgorau'r Senedd nad oes gan y Senedd gymhwysedd i gyflwyno'r Bil hwn. Pa gyngor y gwnaethoch chi ei dderbyn a'i roi ynglŷn â hyn? Pam y gwnaethoch chi fynd ar drywydd hyn pan oedd tystiolaeth y byddai'n methu? Faint mae hyn wedi'i gostio i'r pwrs cyhoeddus? Ac onid yw'n wir y dylai Gweinidogion Llywodraeth Cymru roi'r gorau i wastraffu arian trethdalwyr drwy fynd ar drywydd camau cyfreithiol dibwynt a chanolbwyntio yn hytrach ar y pwerau sydd ganddi a'r gwasanaethau y mae'n gyfrifol amdanynt mewn gwirionedd? 

14:45

Well, can I, firstly, correct the Member? Firstly, no Bill has been withdrawn. In order for a Bill to be withdrawn, it actually has to be tabled. The Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill was scheduled to be introduced on 4 December. However, further work is being undertaken on the Bill and a further update will be provided in due course.

Wel, a gaf fi, yn gyntaf, gywiro'r Aelod? Yn gyntaf, nid oes unrhyw Fil wedi'i dynnu'n ôl. Er mwyn tynnu Bil yn ôl, mae'n rhaid ei fod wedi'i gyflwyno. Roedd disgwyl i Fil Senedd Cymru (Rhestrau Ymgeiswyr Etholiadol) gael ei gyflwyno ar 4 Rhagfyr. Fodd bynnag, mae gwaith pellach yn cael ei wneud ar y Bil a bydd diweddariad pellach yn cael ei ddarparu maes o law.

Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Adam Price. 

The Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Adam Price. 

Mae nifer o arbenigwyr wedi rhybuddio yn ddiweddar am y bygythiad potensial mae technoleg newydd, deallusrwydd artiffisial yn cynrychioli o ran integriti mewn etholiadau a'n system ddemocrataidd yn fwy eang. Eisoes eleni, mi oedden ni wedi gweld yn Slofacia, er enghraifft, ledu recordiad ffug, deepfake, fel y'i gelwir, oedd efallai wedi cyfrannu tuag at fuddugoliaeth yr ymgeisydd poblyddol, Robert Fico, yn y wlad honno, ac rŷn ni wedi gweld enghreifftiau tebyg eleni yn yr Unol Daleithiau ac, hyd yn oed, yn y Deyrnas Gyfunol. Ydy'r Cwnsel Cyffredinol yn rhannu'r pryder yma, a pha waith mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwneud, neu yn bwriadu gwneud, er mwyn gweld sut gallwn ni warchod ein system ddemocrataidd ni rhag y perygl yma?

A number of experts have recently warned about the potential threat that new, artificial intelligence technology represents in terms of the integrity of our elections and our democracy more broadly. Already this year, we saw in Slovakia, for example, the spreading of a deepfake recording that may have contributed towards the victory of the populist candidate, Robert Fico, in that country, and we’ve seen similar examples this year in the US and even in the UK. Does the Counsel General share these concerns, and what work is the Welsh Government doing, or has done, in order to see how we can safeguard our democratic system from this threat?

Well, thank you for, I think, what is an incredibly important issue, one that we have seen developing over the past years, and that is the way in which artificial intelligence and digital technology can be used to undermine democracy. And if that is being used to undermine democracy, it is a significant part of the major warfare that is going on between Ukraine and Russia at the moment, and it is also something that we see as being a very significant element in US politics, but we do see it internationally as well. I think the first point is that the Member is absolutely right—it is a threat to democracy. 

Now, the attempts to actually deal with harmful digital information and also false information is an incredibly difficult area; it is global. Certainly, the EU has passed legislation in respect of a Digital Services Act, which seeks to attempt to do that, and, of course, we have the Online Safety Act 2023 from the Westminster Parliament. I would say that none of those yet have the capacity to properly deal with the actual proper regulation and control of digital information. It is something that we do monitor. We monitor, for example, the importance of our own data that we have and how that is used.

All I can say, I think, at this stage, is it's something that is very much on the political radar. It is something that is massively important to our democratic structures. Many of the areas, of course, in which regulation takes place is reserved, and, in fact, is almost reserved in terms of globally—that is, it can only be dealt with on a global basis. I'm just glad the Member has raised this, and I hope this is a matter that will be pursued as time goes on, because I think it is something that will impact on all of us and has consequences for the integrity of our electoral and our democratic systems.

Wel, diolch i chi am godi mater hynod o bwysig, un yr ydym wedi'i weld yn datblygu dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf, sef y ffordd y gellir defnyddio deallusrwydd artiffisial a thechnoleg ddigidol i danseilio democratiaeth. Ac os yw'n cael ei ddefnyddio i danseilio democratiaeth, mae'n rhan sylweddol o'r rhyfela mawr sy'n digwydd rhwng Wcráin a Rwsia ar hyn o bryd, ac mae hefyd yn rhywbeth yr ydym yn ei ystyried yn elfen arwyddocaol iawn yng ngwleidyddiaeth yr UD, ond rydym yn ei weld yn rhyngwladol hefyd. Rwy'n credu mai'r pwynt cyntaf yw bod yr Aelod yn hollol gywir—mae'n fygythiad i ddemocratiaeth. 

Nawr, mae'r ymdrechion i ymdrin â gwybodaeth ddigidol niweidiol a gwybodaeth ffug hefyd yn faes anhygoel o anodd; mae'n fyd-eang. Yn sicr, mae'r UE wedi pasio deddfwriaeth ar ffurf Deddf Gwasanaethau Digidol, sy'n ceisio gwneud hynny, ac wrth gwrs, mae gennym Ddeddf Diogelwch Ar-lein 2023 gan Senedd San Steffan. Buaswn yn dweud nad oes gan yr un o'r rheini allu eto i ymdrin yn iawn â rheoleiddio a rheoli gwybodaeth ddigidol yn iawn. Mae'n rhywbeth yr ydym yn ei fonitro. Rydym yn monitro pwysigrwydd ein data ein hunain sydd gennym, er enghraifft, a sut y caiff hwnnw ei ddefnyddio.

Rwy'n credu mai'r cyfan y gallaf ei ddweud ar hyn o bryd yw ei fod yn rhywbeth sy'n bendant ar y radar gwleidyddol. Mae'n rhywbeth sy'n hynod bwysig i'n strwythurau democrataidd. Mae llawer o'r meysydd lle mae rheoleiddio'n digwydd wedi eu cadw'n ôl wrth gwrs, ac mewn gwirionedd, mae bron wedi ei gadw'n ôl o safbwynt byd-eang—hynny yw, nid oes modd ymdrin ag ef ac eithrio ar sail fyd-eang. Rwy'n falch fod yr Aelod wedi codi hyn, ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yn fater yr eir ar ei drywydd wrth i amser fynd yn ei flaen, oherwydd credaf ei fod yn rhywbeth a fydd yn effeithio ar bob un ohonom ac sydd â chanlyniadau i uniondeb ein systemau etholiadol a democrataidd.

Mae'r Comisiwn Etholiadol wedi gofyn am ragor o bwerau er mwyn eu galluogi nhw i reoleiddio yn y maes yma er mwyn atal y camddefnydd o ddeallusrwydd artiffisial. Ond, maen nhw wedi dweud oni bai eu bod nhw yn cael y pwerau hynny yn gynnar yn y flwyddyn newydd, fydd e'n amhosibl atal camddefnydd yn digwydd yng nghyd-destun etholiad cyffredinol nesaf San Steffan, pan ddaw hynny. Ond, eto, mae gyda ni'r grymoedd, onid oes, i reoleiddio etholiadau o fewn Cymru, ac mae yna enghreifftiau yn yr Unol Daleithiau lle does yna ddim gweithredu deddfwriaethol ar lefel ffederal ar hyn o bryd, ond mae yna ddwy dalaith—Minnesota a Michigan—sydd wedi deddfu i atal camddefnydd o fewn cyd-destun etholiadau ar lefel daleithiol a lleol. Oni fyddai'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol yn fodlon edrych ar yr enghreifftiau hynny i weld a fyddai gwelliant, er enghraifft, i'r Bil etholiadau yn fodd i ni o leiaf sicrhau nad yw'r camddefnydd yma'n digwydd yng nghyd-destun etholiadau ar gyfer Senedd Cymru neu ar gyfer llywodraeth leol?

The Electoral Commission has asked for further powers in order to enable them to regulate in this area to prevent misuse of AI. But, they’ve said that if they don’t get those additional powers early in the new year, it’ll be impossible to prevent misuse in the context of a Westminster general election, whenever that comes. But, we do have the powers to regulate elections in Wales, and there are examples in the United States where there hasn’t been legislative action at a federal level, but where two states—Minnesota and Michigan—have legislated to prevent the misuse within the context of the state and local levels. Wouldn't the Counsel General be willing to look at those examples to consider whether an amendment to the elections Bill would at least be a means for us to ensure that this misuse doesn't happen in the context of elections for Senedd Cymru or local government? 

14:50

Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (David Rees) i’r Gadair.

The Deputy Presiding Officer (David Rees) took the Chair.

I think any things that we can do within legislation and within competence that enable us to minimise the impact of attempts at misinformation are things that are well worth considering. The issue of digital controls and digital management is in a fairly complex area; it is predominantly reserved. There are areas within our own electoral system where we've looked at those issues in terms of things like imprints, and so on. In fact, that was the one area that we actually gave legislative consent to the UK Government for in terms of their Elections Bill. So, it's an area that I think we're aware of. But I'm certainly happy to look at any realistic proposals, not just in terms of our existing legislation going through, but in terms of having a better understanding of potentially what we can or might be able to do. I have to say that my biggest concern at this stage is that most of the areas I think do fall within the reserved area. As I say, the use of misinformation is very much global, rather than local, but there clearly are things we can do in terms of information that goes out during our elections and in terms of identification of that and imprints. And, of course, there are regulations that cover misinformation, to an extent. Is it adequate? No, it isn't. Is the threat growing? I think it is a threat that is growing. But, again, I very much welcome the input on this and would be happy to look at any recommendations or proposals that are put forward, not just for now, but also for the longer term political agenda.

Rwy'n credu bod unrhyw bethau y gallwn eu gwneud mewn deddfwriaeth ac o fewn y cymhwysedd sy'n ein galluogi i leihau effaith ymdrechion i ledaenu camwybodaeth yn bethau sy'n werth eu hystyried. Mae mater rheolaethau digidol a rheoli digidol yn faes gweddol gymhleth; mae wedi ei gadw'n ôl i raddau helaeth. Mae yna feysydd o fewn ein system etholiadol ein hunain lle rydym wedi edrych ar y materion hynny gyda phethau fel argraffnodau, ac yn y blaen. Mewn gwirionedd, dyna'r un maes y gwnaethom roi cydsyniad deddfwriaethol i Lywodraeth y DU ar ei gyfer yn eu Bil Etholiadau. Felly, mae'n faes y credaf ein bod yn ymwybodol ohono. Ond rwy'n sicr yn hapus i edrych ar unrhyw gynigion realistig, nid yn unig o ran ein deddfwriaeth bresennol sy'n mynd rhagddi, ond o ran cael gwell dealltwriaeth o'r hyn y gallwn neu y gallem ei wneud. Mae'n rhaid imi ddweud mai fy mhryder mwyaf ar hyn o bryd yw bod y rhan fwyaf o'r meysydd wedi eu cadw'n ôl, rwy'n credu. Fel y dywedaf, mae'r defnydd o gamwybodaeth yn fyd-eang i raddau helaeth iawn, yn hytrach na lleol, ond mae'n amlwg fod yna bethau y gallwn eu gwneud ynghylch gwybodaeth sy'n mynd allan yn ystod ein hetholiadau a nodi honno ac argraffnodau. Ac wrth gwrs, mae yna reoliadau sy'n ymdrin â chamwybodaeth, i raddau. A yw'n ddigonol? Nac ydy. A yw'r bygythiad yn cynyddu? Rwy'n credu ei fod yn fygythiad sy'n tyfu. Ond unwaith eto, rwy'n croesawu'r mewnbwn ar hyn a buaswn yn hapus i edrych ar unrhyw argymhellion neu gynigion a gyflwynir, nid yn unig ar gyfer nawr, ond ar gyfer yr agenda wleidyddol fwy hirdymor hefyd.

Y Bil Diogelu Data a Gwybodaeth Ddigidol
The Data Protection and Digital Information Bill

3. Pa asesiad y mae'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol wedi'i wneud o'r goblygiadau cyfreithiol i Gymru sy'n deillio o Fil Diogelu Data a Gwybodaeth Ddigidol Llywodraeth y DU? OQ60420

3. What assessment has the Counsel General made of the legal implications for Wales of the UK Government's Data Protection and Digital Information Bill? OQ60420

Welsh Ministers have assessed the legal implications for Wales as the Bill has progressed through the UK Parliament. The First Minister has laid three legislative consent memoranda on devolved matters.

Mae Gweinidogion Cymru wedi asesu'r goblygiadau cyfreithiol i Gymru wrth i'r Bil symud ymlaen drwy Senedd y DU. Mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi gosod tri memorandwm cydsyniad deddfwriaethol ar faterion datganoledig.

Diolch, Counsel General. Just to lead on, really, from what my colleague Adam Price has been referring to, there have been many absolutely awful pieces of legislation that have gone through the UK Government. We've had the Nationality and Borders Bill, the Human Rights Act reform, we've had the Judicial Review and Courts Bill, the Elections Bill, the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill and the Online Safety Bill. All of them, to echo what you've said previously, have been inadequate, and all of them aim to have more control and less transparency for our citizens. Then, bringing you on to the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill that has been piloted by the UK Government, which wasn't satisfied with overstepping the mark with a ban on disruptive protests last year, this Bill, unfortunately, marches in lockstep with the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 towards an increasingly Orwellian future. The Bill creates powers to snoop on the bank accounts of anyone receiving a benefit, including the state pension. It makes it harder to access your data by giving organisations more power to refuse requests and increases political interference from the Information Commissioner's Office. Counsel General, this is not just concerning, it is alarming. I know that it's non-devolved, but it will impact the people of Wales, so what discussions have you had with UK Government surrounding this Bill? And do you agree that this increasingly concerning trend towards authoritarianism should be halted? Diolch.

Diolch, Gwnsler Cyffredinol. I ddilyn ymlaen o'r hyn y mae fy nghyd-Aelod Adam Price wedi bod yn cyfeirio ato, mae llawer o ddarnau o ddeddfwriaeth hollol ofnadwy wedi mynd trwy Lywodraeth y DU. Rydym wedi cael y Bil Cenedligrwydd a Ffiniau, diwygio'r Ddeddf Hawliau Dynol, rydym wedi cael y Bil Adolygiad Barnwrol a Llysoedd, y Bil Etholiadau, Bil yr Heddlu, Troseddu, Dedfrydu a'r Llysoedd a'r Bil Diogelwch Ar-lein. Os caf adleisio'r hyn a ddywedwyd gennych yn flaenorol, mae pob un ohonynt wedi bod yn annigonol, ac mae pob un ohonynt yn anelu at gael mwy o reolaeth a llai o dryloywder i'n dinasyddion. Yna, os caf ddod â chi at y Bil Diogelu Data a Gwybodaeth Ddigidol sydd wedi'i dreialu gan Lywodraeth y DU, nad oedd yn fodlon ar gamu dros y llinell gyda gwaharddiad ar brotestiadau aflonyddgar y llynedd, mae'r Bil hwn, yn anffodus, yn gorymdeithio law yn llaw gyda Deddf yr Heddlu, Troseddu, Dedfrydu a Llysoedd 2022 tuag at ddyfodol cynyddol Orwellaidd. Mae'r Bil yn creu pwerau i fusnesa ar gyfrifon banc unrhyw un sy'n derbyn budd-dal, gan gynnwys pensiwn y wladwriaeth. Mae'n ei gwneud hi'n anoddach cael gafael ar eich data drwy roi mwy o bŵer i sefydliadau wrthod ceisiadau ac mae'n cynyddu ymyrraeth wleidyddol gan Swyddfa'r Comisiynydd Gwybodaeth. Gwnsler Cyffredinol, mae hyn yn fwy na thestun pryder, mae'n frawychus. Rwy'n gwybod nad yw wedi'i ddatganoli, ond bydd yn effeithio ar bobl Cymru, felly pa drafodaethau a gawsoch chi gyda Llywodraeth y DU ynghylch y Bil hwn? Ac a ydych chi'n cytuno y dylid atal y duedd gynyddol bryderus hon tuag at awdurdodaeth? Diolch.

I certainly agree with the concerns that the Member has raised. Those concerns include, I think, the undermining of individual rights, potential loss of, for example, engagement with things like the EU adequacy, which have a significant commercial effect, and the dilution of the independence of the Information Commissioner's Office. There is ongoing engagement, because, as you'll know, having had three legislative consent memoranda, it means that what is a very changing situation all the time, with continuous amendments in terms of the legislation, and understanding precisely what it is going to do and how it is going to work—. It is indeed a very complex Bill; it's taking time to get through Parliament. We are continuing to work with the UK Government in monitoring any proposed amendments and understanding. We welcome the intent of the Bill, but there is a need for much greater clarity and also there is a need for greater attention to those concerns that have been raised. We are absolutely clear that citizens should have the expectation that any data relating to them is protected and can only be used for the right purposes, and, as I've said, there have been three legislative consent memoranda and there is probably likely to be another one.

Can I just congratulate the Member on the fact that you've focused on this, and you are specifically raising this? Even though it is predominantly in a reserved area, it impinges, certainly, on the operation of Welsh institutions and also has an impact on Welsh citizens. So, it's really important that this matter is being raised here and that you will continue to do so.

Rwy'n sicr yn cytuno â'r pryderon y mae'r Aelod wedi'u codi. Rwy'n credu bod y pryderon hynny'n cynnwys tanseilio hawliau unigolion, y posibilrwydd o colli ymgysylltiad â phethau fel digonolrwydd yr UE, er enghraifft, sy'n cael effaith fasnachol sylweddol, a gwanhau annibyniaeth Swyddfa'r Comisiynydd Gwybodaeth. Mae yna ymgysylltiad parhaus, oherwydd, fel y gwyddoch, ar ôl cael tri memorandwm cydsyniad deddfwriaethol, mae'n golygu bod sefyllfa sy'n newid trwy'r amser, gyda diwygiadau parhaus i'r ddeddfwriaeth, a deall yn union beth mae'n mynd i'w wneud a sut mae'n mynd i weithio—. Mae'n Fil cymhleth iawn; mae'n cymryd amser i fynd drwy'r Senedd. Rydym yn parhau i weithio gyda Llywodraeth y DU i fonitro unrhyw welliannau a gynigir a dealltwriaeth. Rydym yn croesawu bwriad y Bil, ond mae angen llawer mwy o eglurder a hefyd mae angen mwy o sylw i'r pryderon sydd wedi'u codi. Rydym yn gwbl glir y dylai dinasyddion ddisgwyl bod unrhyw ddata sy'n ymwneud â nhw yn cael ei ddiogelu a'i ddefnyddio at y dibenion cywir yn unig, ac fel y dywedais, cafwyd tri memorandwm cydsyniad deddfwriaethol ac mae'n debyg y bydd yna un arall.

A gaf fi longyfarch yr Aelod am ganolbwyntio ar hyn, ac am godi hyn yn benodol? Er ei fod yn bennaf yn faes a gedwir yn ôl i raddau helaeth, mae'n effeithio ar waith sefydliadau Cymru yn bendant, ac mae hefyd yn cael effaith ar ddinasyddion Cymru. Felly, mae'n bwysig iawn fod y mater yn cael ei godi yma ac y byddwch yn parhau i wneud hynny.

14:55
Oedran Pensiwn y Wladwriaeth
The State Pension Age

4. Pa gyngor cyfreithiol y mae'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol wedi'i roi i Lywodraeth Cymru am y pwerau sydd ar gael i Weinidogion Cymru i helpu menywod a anwyd yn y 1950au y gwrthodwyd eu pensiynau iddynt? OQ60443

4. What legal advice has the Counsel General provided to the Welsh Government about powers available to Welsh Ministers to help women born in the 1950s who were denied their pensions? OQ60443

The Welsh Government has repeatedly expressed concerns about women who had their state pension age raised without effective or sufficient notification. We continue to make representations on behalf of these women who have suffered such injustice.

Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi mynegi pryderon dro ar ôl tro am fenywod y codwyd eu hoedran pensiwn y wladwriaeth heb rybudd effeithiol neu ddigonol. Rydym yn parhau i gyflwyno sylwadau ar ran y menywod sydd wedi dioddef anghyfiawnder o'r fath.

Diolch for that. WASPI doesn't only stand for Women Against State Pension Inequality, it also stands for waiting and still pleading for integrity—integrity from a Westminster Government that has abandoned all sense of fairness, of decency in how it deals with these women, these millions of women who have been denied the money that is rightfully theirs. I want to thank you for meeting some of the brave, dedicated WASPI campaigners with me over the summer. I'm sure you can understand the frustration of these women, particularly when they have seen some of their fellow campaigners die before this dispute has been resolved. What more can the Welsh Government do to help women born in the 1950s who have been robbed of their pensions, and will you state again your solidarity with these brave women who are still pleading for that integrity to be shown to them?

Diolch am hynny. Yn ogystal â bod yn acronym a fabwysiadwyd gan fenywod sy'n protestio yn erbyn anghydraddoldeb pensiwn y wladwriaeth ('Women Against State Pension Inequality') mae WASPI hefyd yn acronym sy'n dynodi bod y menywod hynny'n dal i aros ac i apelio am uniondeb ('waiting and still pleading for integrity')—uniondeb ar ran Llywodraeth San Steffan sydd wedi cefnu ar bob synnwyr o degwch, o wedduster o ran y ffordd y mae'n ymdrin â'r menywod hyn, y miliynau o fenywod a amddifadwyd o arian y mae ganddynt hawl iddo. Hoffwn ddiolch i chi am gyfarfod â rhai o ymgyrchwyr dewr ac ymroddedig WASPI gyda mi dros yr haf. Rwy'n siŵr y gallwch ddeall rhwystredigaeth y menywod hyn, yn enwedig pan fyddant wedi gweld rhai o'u cyd-ymgyrchwyr yn marw cyn i'r anghydfod hwn gael ei ddatrys. Beth arall y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud i helpu menywod a anwyd yn y 1950au sydd wedi cael eu hamddifadu o'u pensiynau, ac a wnewch chi ddatgan eto eich undod â'r menywod dewr hyn sy'n dal i apelio am i'r uniondeb hwn gael ei ddangos iddynt?

Can I, firstly, thank you for the determination with which you continue to raise this particular issue? I doubt whether there's anyone in this Chamber who doesn't know someone who's been affected by changes that were not about, necessarily, the equalisation of retirement ages, but the way in which it was actually done, the promises that were broken and the lack of communication that enabled people to potentially prepare for changes.

The Minister for Social Justice and the Chief Whip and I recently wrote to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to express our concerns at the length of time the investigation was taking, and we did, indeed, highlight the frustration and suffering that affected so many women, which is impacting on, I think, their physical and the mental health, and, of course, there are those who may never attain justice because of the time that has gone on. In the ombudsman's response—we received this on 5 October—the ombudsman recognised the frustrations felt by the Welsh Government and other Members of the Senedd and the affected women. Assurances were given that the investigation is a priority, provided with sufficient resources and that the ombudsman remains committed to concluding the investigations as quickly and efficiently as possible. The ombudsman did confirm that, as the investigation must take place in private, it wasn't possible to comment on the detail, but assurances were made that the ombudsman was committed to concluding the investigation as quickly as possible. I'm sure you will be continuing to raise this issue with me, and we will do all we can to make sure that the views of the Welsh Government are known to the ombudsman as often as is necessary.

Yn gyntaf, a gaf fi ddiolch i chi am eich penderfyniad yn parhau i godi'r mater hwn? Nid wyf yn credu bod unrhyw un yn y Siambr hon nad yw'n adnabod rhywun sydd wedi cael ei effeithio gan newidiadau nad oeddent yn ymwneud o reidrwydd â chydraddoli oedrannau ymddeol, ond yn hytrach y ffordd y cafodd ei wneud, yr addewidion a dorrwyd a'r diffyg cyfathrebu a fyddai wedi galluogi pobl i baratoi ar gyfer newidiadau.

Yn ddiweddar, ysgrifennodd y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol a'r Prif Chwip a minnau at Ombwdsmon y Senedd a'r Gwasanaeth Iechyd i fynegi ein pryderon ynglŷn â faint o amser roedd yr ymchwiliad yn ei gymryd, ac fe wnaethom dynnu sylw at y rhwystredigaeth a'r dioddefaint a effeithiodd ar gynifer o fenywod, sy'n effeithio ar eu hiechyd corfforol a'u hiechyd meddwl, ac wrth gwrs, mae yna rai na fyddant byth yn cael cyfiawnder oherwydd yr amser sydd wedi mynd heibio. Yn ymateb yr ombwdsmon—fe ddaeth i law ar 5 Hydref—roedd yr ombwdsmon yn cydnabod y rhwystredigaethau a deimlid gan Lywodraeth Cymru ac Aelodau eraill o'r Senedd a'r menywod yr effeithir arnynt. Rhoddwyd sicrwydd fod yr ymchwiliad yn flaenoriaeth, yn cael digon o adnoddau a bod yr ombwdsmon yn parhau i fod yn ymrwymedig i gwblhau'r ymchwiliadau mor gyflym ac mor effeithlon â phosibl. Fe wnaeth yr ombwdsmon gadarnhau, gan fod yn rhaid cynnal yr ymchwiliad yn breifat, nad oedd modd gwneud sylw ar y manylion, ond rhoddwyd sicrwydd fod yr ombwdsmon wedi ymrwymo i ddod â'r ymchwiliad i ben cyn gynted â phosibl. Rwy'n siŵr y byddwch yn parhau i ddwyn y mater i fy sylw, a byddwn yn gwneud popeth yn ein gallu i sicrhau bod barn Llywodraeth Cymru yn hysbys i'r ombwdsmon mor aml ag y bo angen.

Y Bil Dioddefwyr a Charcharorion
The Victims and Prisoners Bill

5. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol wedi'u cael â Llywodraeth y DU ynghylch effaith y Bil Dioddefwyr a Charcharorion ar drigolion Cymru? OQ60404

5. What discussions has the Counsel General had with the UK Government regarding the impact of the Victims and Prisoners Bill on Welsh residents? OQ60404

Thank you for the question. Officials have met with UK Government counterparts on a number of occasions. I have raised key aspects of this Bill with UK Government Ministers. We continue to seek to ensure that provisions within this Bill meet our aspirations in Wales.

Diolch am y cwestiwn. Mae swyddogion wedi cyfarfod â swyddogion cyfatebol yn Llywodraeth y DU ar sawl achlysur. Rwyf wedi codi agweddau allweddol ar y Bil hwn gyda Gweinidogion Llywodraeth y DU. Rydym yn parhau i geisio sicrhau bod darpariaethau o fewn y Bil yn bodloni ein dyheadau yng Nghymru.

I thank the Counsel General for his answer. Can I also thank him for his consistent leadership and support for the Hillsborough Law Now campaign? Counsel General, the Victims and Prisoners Bill simply does not go far enough to protect families who've experienced tragedy and deserve answers. Does the Counsel General agree with me that only a Hillsborough law will offer that protection to families and it is a UK Labour Government who will enshrine that into law?

Diolch i'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol am ei ateb. A gaf fi ddiolch iddo hefyd am ei arweinyddiaeth a'i gefnogaeth gyson i ymgyrch Hillsborough Law Now? Gwnsler Cyffredinol, nid yw'r Bil Dioddefwyr a Charcharorion yn mynd yn ddigon pell i amddiffyn teuluoedd sydd wedi profi trasiedi ac sy'n haeddu atebion. A yw'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol yn cytuno mai dim ond cyfraith Hillsborough fydd yn cynnig yr amddiffyniad hwnnw i deuluoedd ac mai Llywodraeth Lafur y DU fydd yn ymgorffori hynny mewn cyfraith?

15:00

Thank you for your supplementary question, and I was grateful, really, with your facilitation, to be able to meet with the Hillsborough victims in Liverpool several months ago and it was a very moving meeting.

I think what was disappointing is that the implementation of a Hillsborough law is not actually something that's that complicated. It's been called for, really, because of the steps—because of the limitations that have been posed in the availability, really, of independent legal advice and assistance. I know the Hillsborough campaign and many others have actually significantly criticised the UK Government in, I suppose, purporting to introduce a Hillsborough law, but a law that is really regarded, or the proposals that are there are regarded as very ineffective. I'm very, very impressed with what Steve Reed, who is the Shadow Labour Minister on this, because he just said this recently—this is in the recent response—he said:

'Labour is committed to real change. In government, we will establish a fully independent public advocate that is accountable to survivors and victims’ families. We will arm it with the power it needs to access documents and data to expose the truth'.

I think that's a very strong and a very important statement and commitment to legislating in that area.

Can I say there's one area that I'm particularly concerned about within it as well? And that is what the role is of an independent public advocate; it's totally unclear from the UK Government's proposals. But equally so, what's very important as well is that if this is the adviser to Government in terms of triggering legal advice and assistance et cetera through the legal aid system, there needs to be specific account in terms of the role of Welsh Government and what would happen within Welsh situations were there to be a tragic event, and those are things where there are ongoing engagement between Welsh Government and with UK Government on this particular legislation.

Diolch am eich cwestiwn atodol, ac roeddwn yn ddiolchgar am eich gwaith hwyluso, i allu cyfarfod â dioddefwyr Hillsborough yn Lerpwl sawl mis yn ôl ac roedd yn gyfarfod emosiynol iawn.

Rwy'n credu mai'r hyn a oedd yn siomedig yw nad yw gweithredu cyfraith Hillsborough yn rhywbeth sydd mor gymhleth â hynny mewn gwirionedd. Mae galw wedi bod amdani oherwydd y camau—oherwydd y cyfyngiadau sydd wedi codi o ran argaeledd cyngor a chymorth cyfreithiol annibynnol. Rwy'n gwybod bod ymgyrch Hillsborough a llawer o rai eraill wedi beirniadu Llywodraeth y DU yn fawr, mae'n debyg, am honni eu bod yn cyflwyno cyfraith Hillsborough, ond cyfraith sy'n cael ei hystyried, neu gynigion sy'n cael eu hystyried yn aneffeithiol iawn. Rwy'n llawn edmygedd o'r hyn y mae Steve Reed, sy'n Weinidog yr Wrthblaid Lafur ar hyn, oherwydd mae newydd ddweud hyn yn ddiweddar—mae hyn yn yr ymateb diweddar—fe ddywedodd:

'Mae Llafur wedi ymrwymo i newid gwirioneddol. Mewn llywodraeth, byddwn yn sefydlu eiriolwr cyhoeddus cwbl annibynnol sy'n atebol i oroeswyr a theuluoedd dioddefwyr. Byddwn yn ei arfogi â'r pŵer sydd ei angen arno i gael gafael ar ddogfennau a data i ddatgelu'r gwir.'

Rwy'n credu bod hwnnw'n ddatganiad ac yn ymrwymiad cryf a phwysig iawn i ddeddfu yn y maes hwnnw.

A gaf fi ddweud bod un maes o'i fewn rwy'n arbennig o bryderus yn ei gylch hefyd, sef beth fydd rôl eiriolwr cyhoeddus annibynnol; mae'n gwbl aneglur o gynigion Llywodraeth y DU. Ond yn yr un modd, os mai'r cynghorwr i'r Llywodraeth sy'n sbarduno cyngor a chymorth cyfreithiol ac ati drwy'r system cymorth cyfreithiol, mae'n bwysig iawn hefyd fod angen rhoi ystyriaeth benodol i rôl Llywodraeth Cymru a beth fyddai'n digwydd mewn sefyllfaoedd yng Nghymru pe bai yna ddigwyddiad trasig, a dyna'r pethau lle ceir ymgysylltu parhaus yn eu cylch rhwng Llywodraeth Cymru a Llywodraeth y DU ar y ddeddfwriaeth benodol hon.

Newidiadau i Oedran Pensiwn y Wladwriaeth
Changes to the State Pension Age

6. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol wedi'u cael gyda swyddogion cyfraith y DU ynghylch diweddariad Ombwdsmon y Gwasanaeth Seneddol ac Iechyd ar eu hymchwiliad i'r modd y mae'r Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau yn cyfathrebu newidiadau i oedran pensiwn y wladwriaeth? OQ60444

6. What discussions has the Counsel General had with UK law officers regarding the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's update on their investigation into the Department for Work and Pension's communication of changes to the state pension age? OQ60444

Thank you. The Welsh Government has repeatedly expressed concerns to the UK Government about women who had their state pension age raised without effective or sufficient notification, and will continue to do so. The ombudsman's revised investigation report is needed as soon as possible to recommend remedies for the injustices found.

Diolch. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi mynegi pryderon dro ar ôl tro wrth Lywodraeth y DU am fenywod a welodd eu hoedran pensiwn y wladwriaeth yn codi heb rybudd effeithiol na digonol, a bydd yn parhau i wneud hynny. Mae angen adroddiad ymchwiliad diwygiedig yr ombwdsmon cyn gynted â phosibl i argymell camau unioni am yr anghyfiawnderau a ganfuwyd.

Diolch unwaith eto.

Thank you once again.

I appreciate that you and your Government are constrained by the Welsh Government's powers, but could you commit today to contact the UK Government to ask for their response and for them to outline what compensation package they'll be putting in place to resolve this long-overdue issue and compensate all 1950s women fairly?

Could you request that the UK work and pensions Secretary should attend a mediation session with representatives from across all groups to agree a compensatory package? And I wonder whether you agree with me that this idea that they've put forward of fraudulent claims is misleading? All of the women affected will be on the UK Government's own database; they all have national insurance numbers. What could make it so difficult to deal with this? Is it possibly Westminster looking for a convenient excuse? Why do you think the Westminster Government is still avoiding sitting down with these women and listening to them?

Rwy'n derbyn eich bod chi a'ch Llywodraeth wedi eich cyfyngu gan bwerau Llywodraeth Cymru, ond a oes modd ichi ymrwymo heddiw i gysylltu â Llywodraeth y DU i ofyn am eu hymateb ac iddynt amlinellu pa becyn iawndal y byddant yn ei roi ar waith i ddatrys y mater hwn y bu'n rhaid aros yn rhy hir am atebion iddo a digolledu'r holl fenywod 1950au yn deg?

A oes modd ichi ofyn i Ysgrifennydd gwaith a phensiynau y DU fynychu sesiwn gyfryngu gyda chynrychiolwyr o bob grŵp i gytuno ar becyn iawndal? Ac a ydych yn cytuno bod y syniad y maent wedi'i gyflwyno ynghylch honiadau twyllodrus yn gamarweiniol? Bydd pob un o'r menywod yr effeithir arnynt ar gronfa ddata Llywodraeth y DU ei hun; mae gan bob un ohonynt rifau yswiriant gwladol. Beth allai ei gwneud hi mor anodd ymdopi â hyn? A yw'n bosibl mai San Steffan sy'n chwilio am esgus cyfleus? Pam y credwch fod Llywodraeth San Steffan yn dal i osgoi cyfarfod â'r menywod hyn a gwrando arnynt?

Well, I think it's because UK Government made a very major mistake and doesn't want to do what is necessary in order to rectify it. What we have to recognise is these women have endured gender inequality throughout their lives. They're women born in the 1950s. They had very different lives and employment opportunities to those that we take for granted. So, many in this group will have worked part-time, they've had low-paid roles, they'd have taken time off. They've worked, they've paid their national insurance contributions, they've raised children, they contributed fully to society and then they find themselves being disadvantaged by virtue of their gender. So, it's vital that the inequality that they have experienced throughout their lives isn't compounded as they enter into later years.

Can I just say: we will take it and do everything that we can within our powers and competence to keep this on the agenda? It is an injustice—one of a number of injustices—that needs to be rectified, and what I would hope is that we move into an environment where, when we clearly recognise there are injustices, we take the necessary steps to rectify them as soon as possible. We don't want the situation we've had, for example, with the contaminated blood, which is now coming to a head, but after how many years and after how many people have passed away before justice is resolved. 

Wel, rwy'n credu ei fod oherwydd bod Llywodraeth y DU wedi gwneud camgymeriad mawr iawn ac nad yw am wneud yr hyn sy'n angenrheidiol er mwyn ei unioni. Mae'n rhaid inni gydnabod bod y menywod hyn wedi dioddef anghydraddoldeb rhywedd trwy gydol eu bywydau. Maent yn fenywod a anwyd yn y 1950au. Roedd ganddynt fywydau a chyfleoedd cyflogaeth gwahanol iawn i'r rhai yr ydym ni'n eu cymryd yn ganiataol. Felly, bydd llawer yn y grŵp hwn wedi gweithio'n rhan-amser, byddant wedi gwneud swyddi ar gyflogau isel, byddant wedi cymryd amser i ffwrdd. Maent wedi gweithio, maent wedi talu eu cyfraniadau yswiriant gwladol, maent wedi magu plant, maent wedi cyfrannu'n llawn at gymdeithas ac yna, cânt eu rhoi dan anfantais oherwydd eu rhywedd. Felly, mae'n hanfodol nad yw'r anghydraddoldeb y maent wedi'i brofi trwy gydol eu bywydau'n cael ei waethygu yn eu blynyddoedd hwyrach.

A gaf fi ddweud: byddwn yn ei gymryd ac yn gwneud popeth yn ein pwerau a'n cymhwysedd i gadw hyn ar yr agenda? Mae'n anghyfiawnder—un o nifer o anghyfiawnderau—sydd angen ei unioni, a phan fyddwn yn gweld yn glir fod anghyfiawnder wedi digwydd, rwy'n gobeithio y byddwn yn symud i amgylchedd lle byddwn yn rhoi'r camau angenrheidiol ar waith i'w unioni cyn gynted ag y bo modd. Nid ydym am weld y sefyllfa a gawsom, er enghraifft, gyda'r gwaed halogedig, sydd bellach yn dod i ben, ond ar ôl sawl blwyddyn ac ar ôl i gymaint o bobl farw cyn i gyfiawnder gael ei sicrhau. 

15:05
Deddf Cyfraith yr UE a Ddargedwir (Dirymu a Diwygio) 2023
Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023

7. Pa asesiad y mae'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol wedi'i wneud o effaith Deddf Cyfraith yr UE a Ddargedwir (Dirymu a Diwygio) 2023 a fydd yn machlud cyfraith yr UE ar ddiwedd y flwyddyn hon, ar gyfraith Cymru? OQ60427

7. What assessment has the Counsel General made of the impact on Welsh law of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023's sunsetting of EU law at the end of this year? OQ60427

Yn lle machlud cyfraith yr Undeb Ewropeaidd yn ddiofyn, cafodd rhestr benodol o gyfreithiau diangen ei chynnwys yn Atodlen 1 i’r Ddeddf, sydd i gael eu dirymu ar ddiwedd 2023. Rŷn ni’n bryderus o hyd am sut y gallai Gweinidogion Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig ddefnyddio pwerau dan y Ddeddf, gan gynnwys i ddeddfu mewn meysydd sydd wedi’u datganoli.

The default sunsetting of retained European Union law was replaced with a specific list of redundant legislation in Schedule 1 to the Act to be revoked at the end of 2023. We remain concerned about how UK Government Ministers might use powers under the Act, including to legislate in devolved areas.

Diolch, Cwnsler Cyffredinol, a dwi'n cytuno â'ch asesiad. Mae'n bryderus. 

Thank you, Counsel General, and I agree with your assessment. It is a concern. 

The sunsetting of the EU law at the end of this year will cause disruption. Doctors in the NHS have raised concerns about the future of working time directive and the rollback of workers' rights. It will also undermine the devolution settlement. Section 4 of the Act abolishes the general principles of EU law. Now, to some, certainly on the Tory benches, this might invoke a sense of power and sovereignty, but the reality is very different. It removes the principles of equal treatment, proportionality and respect for fundamental rights from our law. Does the Counsel General agree with me that these principles need to be recodified through regulation, and will he put pressure on the UK Government to do so? Diolch yn fawr.

Bydd machlud cyfraith yr UE ar ddiwedd y flwyddyn hon yn achosi aflonyddwch. Mae meddygon yn y GIG wedi codi pryderon am ddyfodol y gyfarwyddeb oriau gwaith a gostyngiad yn hawliau gweithwyr. Bydd hefyd yn tanseilio'r setliad datganoli. Mae Adran 4 o'r Ddeddf yn dileu egwyddorion cyffredinol cyfraith yr UE. Nawr, i rai, yn sicr ar feinciau'r Torïaid, gallai hyn ennyn ymdeimlad o rym a sofraniaeth, ond mae'r realiti yn wahanol iawn. Mae'n dileu egwyddorion triniaeth gyfartal, cymesuredd a pharch at hawliau sylfaenol o'n cyfraith. A yw'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol yn cytuno bod angen ailgodeiddio'r egwyddorion hyn drwy reoleiddio, ac a fydd yn rhoi pwysau ar Lywodraeth y DU i wneud hynny? Diolch yn fawr.

Thank you for that supplementary question. It's something that we do at every stage possible in terms of the engagement that we have. As you know, we were firstly opposed to the retained EU law legislation and, of course, the further legislation that has since come into being, the revocation and reform Act 2023. One of the reasons we were concerned about it is because we were concerned, firstly about the ability to actually look at making changes to a whole raft of legislation within a time period that was sunsetted. Fortunately, I think even the UK Government came to recognise that what was being proposed was actually unachievable. So, other arrangements have been, actually, put in place. These changes were made at a late stage by the UK Government to replace the original automatic sunsetting provisions with a new Schedule 1, and what that did was to list almost 600 pieces of legislation to sunset on 31 December. And although this Schedule didn't contain any instruments of retained EU law that were made in Wales, it did include instruments in devolved areas.

We were also unhappy in terms of the legislation because it also included concurrent powers for the UK Government to be able to legislate in devolved areas. We did want changes on the face of the Bill. We were not able to secure that, but we have secured commitments in writing that there is no intention to basically use concurrent powers to change devolved areas without consent. So far, I am satisfied that that is actually being abided by. The main area of change that has been taking place actually relates to a lot of pieces of legislation that are basically technical and consequential changes. But it is one that we are monitoring very, very closely.

We have had discussions with UK Government officials on the various areas of concern that we've had. We have a dual approach to it: any area that involves the use of concurrent powers into devolved areas is something that we will focus on very closely et cetera, and we will also hold up, where we think it's not appropriate, to not consent to changes, particularly where there might be deductions or variations in the standards that we want to uphold. But in terms of the efficiency and the economy of using the resource we have with the very many pieces of legislation, which are really just technical and consequential changes, we adopt a relatively light touch, in terms of that process, to really be able to focus on the areas that we consider are most important.

Diolch am y cwestiwn atodol hwnnw. Mae'n rhywbeth yr ydym yn ei wneud ar bob cam posibl o ran yr ymgysylltu a wnawn. Fel y gwyddoch, yn gyntaf, roeddem yn gwrthwynebu deddfwriaeth cyfraith yr UE a ddargedwir ac wrth gwrs, y ddeddfwriaeth bellach sydd wedi dod i fodolaeth ers hynny, sef Deddf dirymu a diwygio 2023. Un o'r rhesymau pam ein bod yn bryderus yn ei chylch oedd oherwydd ein bod yn poeni, yn gyntaf, am y gallu i geisio gwneud newidiadau i bentwr o ddeddfwriaeth o fewn cyfnod machlud. Yn ffodus, rwy'n credu bod hyd yn oed Llywodraeth y DU wedi dod i gydnabod bod yr hyn a oedd yn cael ei gynnig yn anghyflawnadwy. Felly, mae trefniadau eraill wedi'u rhoi ar waith. Gwnaed y newidiadau hyn ar gam hwyr gan Lywodraeth y DU i ddisodli'r darpariaethau machlud awtomatig gwreiddiol gydag Atodlen 1 newydd, a'r hyn a wnâi honno oedd rhestru bron i 600 darn o ddeddfwriaeth i fachlud ar 31 Rhagfyr. Ac er nad oedd yr Atodlen hon yn cynnwys unrhyw offerynnau o gyfraith yr UE a ddargedwir a wnaed yng Nghymru, roedd yn cynnwys offerynnau mewn meysydd datganoledig.

Roeddem hefyd yn anhapus ynghylch y ddeddfwriaeth am ei bod hefyd yn cynnwys pwerau cydamserol i Lywodraeth y DU allu deddfu mewn meysydd datganoledig. Roeddem am weld newidiadau ar wyneb y Bil. Ni lwyddasom i sicrhau hynny, ond rydym wedi cael ymrwymiadau ysgrifenedig nad oes bwriad yn y bôn i ddefnyddio pwerau cydamserol i newid meysydd datganoledig heb gydsyniad. Hyd yn hyn, rwy'n fodlon y cedwir at yr addewid hwnnw. Mae'r prif faes newid sydd wedi bod yn digwydd yn ymwneud â llawer o ddarnau o ddeddfwriaeth sy'n newidiadau technegol a chanlyniadol yn y bôn. Ond mae'n un yr ydym yn ei fonitro'n agos iawn.

Rydym wedi cael trafodaethau gyda swyddogion Llywodraeth y DU ar yr amrywiol feysydd sydd wedi bod yn peri pryder ni. Mae gennym ddull deublyg o weithredu ar hyn: mae unrhyw faes sy'n cynnwys defnyddio pwerau cydamserol mewn meysydd datganoledig yn rhywbeth y byddwn yn canolbwyntio arno'n agos iawn ac ati, a byddwn hefyd yn ymrwymo i beidio â chydsynio i newidiadau lle credwn nad yw hynny'n briodol, yn enwedig lle gallai fod lleihau neu amrywio i'r safonau yr ydym am eu cynnal. Ond o ran effeithlonrwydd a darbodusrwydd defnyddio'r adnodd sydd gennym gyda'r darnau niferus iawn o ddeddfwriaeth, sy'n newidiadau technegol a chanlyniadol yn unig mewn gwirionedd, rydym yn mabwysiadu dull cymharol ysgafn o ymwneud â'r broses honno er mwyn gallu canolbwyntio'n iawn ar y meysydd pwysicaf yn ein barn ni.

15:10
Deddfwriaeth Cyflogaeth
Employment Law

8. Pa gyngor cyfreithiol mae’r Cwnsler Cyffredinol wedi ei roi i’r Llywodraeth o ran pa elfennau o ddeddfwriaeth cyflogaeth sydd o fewn cymhwysedd y Senedd neu Lywodraeth Cymru? OQ60442

8. What legal advice has the Counsel General given to the Government regarding which elements of employment law are within the competence of the Senedd or the Welsh Government? OQ60442

Fel unrhyw gwestiwn am gymhwysedd deddfwriaethol, mae cyd-destun yn allweddol. Mae cyflogaeth a chysylltiadau diwydiannol ymysg y meysydd penodol sydd wedi’u cadw yn ôl yn Neddf llywodraeth Cymru 2017. Ond wrth ystyried a yw unrhyw agwedd yn perthyn i’r meysydd yma ai peidio, mae’n dibynnu ar y pwrpas a’i effeithiau yn yr amgylchiadau.

As is the case with any question on legislative competence, context is key. Whilst employment and industrial relations are expressed as a reservation in the government of Wales Act 2017, whether any aspect relates to that reservation or not depends on the purpose and its effects in the circumstances.

Diolch i'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol am yr ymateb. Mi fydd y Cwnsler Cyffredinol yn ymwybodol bod deddfwriaeth giaidd Llywodraeth Geidwadol San Steffan ar streicio bellach yn Ddeddf. Mae'r Llywodraeth gul yn San Steffan yn gwneud pob dim o fewn ei gallu i dynnu hawliau oddi ar bobol, oll oherwydd eu bod nhw am gynnal eu breintiau a breintiau'r cyfoethog ac atal pobol rhag gallu byw gydag urddas er mwyn i eraill fedru elwa'n ariannol. Pe bai cyflogaeth wedi cael ei ddatganoli, yna byddai modd inni yma roi'r grymoedd angenrheidiol i weithluoedd Cymru. A wnewch chi gymryd y camau angenrheidiol i ddechrau ar y broses o fynnu datganoli'r maes yma i Gymru?

I thank the Counsel General for that response. The Counsel General will be aware that the inhumane legislation of the Conservative Government on striking is now law. The Government in Westminster does everything within its powers to withdraw rights from people, all because they want to maintain their privileges and the privileges of the rich and preventing people from living with dignity so that others can benefit financially. If employment law were devolved, then we here could give the vital powers to the workforces of Wales. Will you take the vital steps to initiate that process of devolving this area to Wales?

Well, thank you for those supplementary comments. Of course, on a number of occasions in the past, we've used the powers that we've had, for example in the Trade Union (Wales) Act 2017, the Agriculture (Wales) Act 2023 and in other legislation, to try and protect employment and organisation rights. And, of course, we've had recently the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023, which puts the social partnership on a statutory footing.

In terms of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023, which is the one that you've raised—and there was recently a Trades Union Congress conference specifically to discuss that—we expressed our opposition all the way along that we opposed this legislation because it undermines social partnership. But you're right that industrial relations, employment law, is not a devolved area; I think there is certainly scope for far greater devolution in those particular areas. Where we have also, though, made representations on the strikes Bill is, for example, in the code that is being developed. I think there's been agreement now that our representations that ambulance services should not be included has been accepted. Unfortunately, other areas that we also argued should not be included because they are devolved matters have been overridden and legislation will proceed. Quite frankly, what is needed, really, is a change of Government, and I'm very pleased that the UK Labour Government has given an absolute commitment that this is legislation that it will repeal within the first 100 days of a Labour Government.

Wel, diolch am y sylwadau atodol hynny. Wrth gwrs, ar sawl achlysur yn y gorffennol, rydym wedi defnyddio'r pwerau sydd wedi bod gennym, er enghraifft yn Neddf yr Undebau Llafur (Cymru) 2017, Deddf Amaethyddiaeth (Cymru) 2023 ac mewn deddfwriaeth arall, i geisio amddiffyn hawliau cyflogaeth a threfniadaeth. Ac wrth gwrs, rydym wedi cael Deddf Partneriaeth Gymdeithasol a Chaffael Cyhoeddus (Cymru) 2023 yn ddiweddar, sy'n rhoi sylfaen statudol i bartneriaeth gymdeithasol.

O ran Deddf Streiciau (Lefelau Gwasanaeth Gofynnol) 2023, sef yr un a nodwyd gennych—ac, yn ddiweddar, cafwyd cynhadledd gan Gyngres yr Undebau Llafur yn benodol i drafod hynny—fe wnaethom fynegi ein gwrthwynebiad drwyddi draw, sef ein bod yn gwrthwynebu'r ddeddfwriaeth hon am ei bod yn tanseilio partneriaeth gymdeithasol. Ond rydych chi'n iawn nad yw cysylltiadau diwydiannol, cyfraith cyflogaeth, yn faes datganoledig; rwy'n credu'n sicr fod lle i lawer mwy o ddatganoli yn y meysydd penodol hynny. Fodd bynnag, rydym hefyd wedi cyflwyno sylwadau ar y Bil streiciau, er enghraifft, yn y cod sy'n cael ei ddatblygu. Rwy'n credu bod cytundeb bellach fod ein sylwadau na ddylid cynnwys gwasanaethau ambiwlans wedi'u derbyn. Yn anffodus, mae yna feysydd eraill hefyd yr oeddem yn dadlau na ddylid eu cynnwys oherwydd eu bod yn faterion datganoledig wedi cael eu diystyru a bydd deddfwriaeth yn mynd yn ei blaen. A dweud y gwir, yr hyn sydd ei angen yw newid Llywodraeth, ac rwy'n falch iawn fod Llywodraeth Lafur y DU wedi rhoi ymrwymiad llwyr y bydd yn diddymu'r ddeddfwriaeth hon o fewn y 100 diwrnod cyntaf o Lywodraeth Lafur.

Ac yn olaf, cwestiwn 9, Janet Finch-Saunders.

And finally, question 9, Janet Finch-Saunders.

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau)
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill

9. Pa asesiad y mae'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol wedi'i wneud o'r effaith y bydd Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau) yn ei chael ar ymddiriedaeth mewn gwleidyddion? OQ60430

9. What assessment has the Counsel General made of the impact that the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill will have on trust in politicians? OQ60430

The Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill will significantly increase the scrutiny capacity of the Senedd. It will enable Members in whom the public have placed their trust to more effectively scrutinise policy, legislation and spending plans, and to hold Ministers to account.

Bydd Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau) yn cynyddu capasiti craffu'r Senedd yn sylweddol. Bydd yn galluogi'r Aelodau y mae'r cyhoedd wedi ymddiried ynddynt i graffu ar bolisïau, deddfwriaeth a chynlluniau gwariant yn fwy effeithiol, ac i ddwyn Gweinidogion i gyfrif.

Thank you. As our colleague Jane Dodds has already mentioned, Professor Laura McAllister has already said that the closed list system puts too much power in the hands of parties, with voters choosing between them instead of candidates. To quote her, she says:

'It seems odd to me that at a time when there's such a disconnect between the politicians and the public, we're disconnecting it further'.

Now, we all know that turnout at Senedd elections is considerably less than at UK parliamentary elections, so I actually agree with her. The Senedd has been warned that the public will very quickly get aggrieved when they realise that they won't be able to vote for their own chosen candidate. Will you be acting on the concerns of Professor McAllister and perhaps scrap completely the closed list?

Diolch. Fel mae ein cyd-Aelod Jane Dodds eisoes wedi sôn, mae'r Athro Laura McAllister eisoes wedi dweud bod y system rhestrau caeedig yn rhoi gormod o bŵer yn nwylo pleidiau, gyda phleidleiswyr yn dewis rhyngddyn nhw yn lle ymgeiswyr. Fe ddywedodd:

'Mae'n ymddangos yn rhyfedd i mi, ar adeg pan fo cymaint o ddatgysylltiad rhwng y gwleidyddion a'r cyhoedd, ein bod yn ei ddatgysylltu ymhellach'.

Nawr, rydym i gyd yn gwybod bod y nifer sy'n pleidleisio yn etholiadau'r Senedd gryn dipyn yn llai nag yn etholiadau seneddol y DU, felly, rwy'n cytuno â hi. Mae'r Senedd wedi cael rhybudd y bydd y cyhoedd yn digio'n gyflym iawn pan sylweddolant na allant bleidleisio dros eu dewis o ymgeisydd. A fyddwch chi'n gweithredu ar bryderon yr Athro McAllister ac efallai'n diddymu'r rhestr gaeedig yn llwyr?

15:15

Well, can I say how surprised I am that the Member is so concerned about turnout and hasn't spoken out when we had the discussions here on the introduction of ID cards, which were essentially about voter suppression and actually restricting entitlement to vote? I notice that the Member has not spoken up yet—[Interruption.]—has not spoken up yet in support of our proposals for automatic registration, which would increase the number of people—the 4,000 people who are not on the electoral register, giving them the opportunity to vote. And when you talk about trust in politicians, I think what you should really be concerned about is your Government's record of 13 years in office, which, it seems to me, year on year, have undermined trust in politicians. Your former leader, Boris Johnson, was a serial liar who was found to have misled Parliament.

Wel, a gaf fi ddweud ei fod yn fy synnu bod yr Aelod mor bryderus am y nifer sy'n pleidleisio ac na siaradodd pan gawsom y trafodaethau yma ar gyflwyno cardiau adnabod, a oedd yn ymwneud yn y bôn ag atal pleidleiswyr a chyfyngu ar yr hawl i bleidleisio? Rwy'n sylwi nad yw'r Aelod wedi siarad eto—[Torri ar draws.]—heb siarad eto i gefnogi ein cynigion ar gyfer cofrestru awtomatig, a fyddai'n cynyddu nifer y bobl—y 4,000 o bobl nad ydynt ar y gofrestr etholiadol, gan roi cyfle iddynt bleidleisio. A phan siaradwch am hyder mewn gwleidyddion, rwy'n credu mai'r hyn y dylech boeni amdano mewn gwirionedd yw hanes eich Llywodraeth chi dros 13 mlynedd wrth y llyw, sydd, mae'n ymddangos i mi, wedi tanseilio hyder mewn gwleidyddion flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn. Roedd eich cyn-arweinydd, Boris Johnson, yn gelwyddgi diarbed y canfuwyd ei fod wedi camarwain y Senedd.

On a point of order, you're not supposed to use the word 'liar' in proceedings, I understood.

Ar bwynt o drefn, nid ydych i fod i ddefnyddio'r gair 'celwyddgi' mewn trafodion, yn ôl yr hyn rwy'n ei ddeall.

You can ask for a point of order, but please don't stand up and give one without asking, okay.

Gallwch ofyn am godi pwynt o drefn, ond peidiwch â chodi i roi un heb ofyn.

Okay, I'll ask for the point of order.

Iawn, fe ofynnaf am bwynt o drefn.

That will be afterwards. Let the Counsel General answer his question.

Bydd hynny'n digwydd wedyn. Gadewch i'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol ateb ei gwestiwn.

The subsequent leader crashed our economy and still fails to take any responsibility for the pain this caused to families. The current leader and Prime Minister is now looking to undermine international law again, as he is completely beholden to the extreme right in his party. So, we can't really take any lessons in terms of trust, and, if you want to look at one area that has really undermined trust in politicians, it was the Tory COVID VIP corruption lane during the COVID pandemic. So, I think, really, the best way of actually restoring trust in politicians is to get rid of this ineffective, corrupt and broken Government and to get a Labour Government in place.

Fe wnaeth yr arweinydd dilynol chwalu ein heconomi ac mae'n dal i fethu cymryd unrhyw gyfrifoldeb am y boen a achosodd hyn i deuluoedd. Nawr, mae'r arweinydd presennol a'r Prif Weinidog yn bwriadu tanseilio cyfraith ryngwladol eto, am ei fod yn llwyr dan ddylanwad yr asgell dde eithafol yn ei blaid. Felly, ni allwn gymryd unrhyw wersi ar hyder, ac os ydych am edrych ar un maes sydd wedi tanseilio hyder mewn gwleidyddion, llwybr llygredd VIP y Torïaid yn ystod y pandemig COVID yw hwnnw. Felly, rwy'n credu mai'r ffordd orau o adfer ymddiriedaeth mewn gwleidyddion yw cael gwared ar y Llywodraeth lygredig, aneffeithiol a thoredig hon a chael Llywodraeth Lafur yn ei lle.

Diolch i'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol.

I thank the Counsel General.

Janet, I'll let you ask your point of order.

Janet, fe adawaf i chi godi eich pwynt o drefn.

Okay. So, today, now, the Counsel General has used the words 'liar', 'corruption' and 'corrupt' about other politicians and other political parties. We have people in the audience, in the public gallery. We also have people, I hope, watching this on television. This is a time of goodwill to all men and women, as we approach the Christmas season. Do you really think that this is a good example for people—

Iawn. Felly, heddiw, nawr, mae'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol wedi defnyddio'r geiriau 'celwyddgi', 'llygredd' a 'llygredig' am wleidyddion eraill a phleidiau gwleidyddol eraill. Mae gennym bobl yn y gynulleidfa, yn yr oriel gyhoeddus. Mae gennym bobl hefyd, gobeithio, yn gwylio hyn ar y teledu. Mae hwn yn amser o ewyllys da i'r holl bobl, wrth inni nesáu at dymor y Nadolig. A ydych chi wir yn meddwl bod hon yn esiampl dda i bobl—

The point of order is to me, not to the Counsel General.

Mae'r pwynt o drefn i mi, nid i'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol.

Well, I actually would ask, as a matter of some respect for our proceedings here, whether the Counsel General will withdraw those words—'liar', 'corruption' and 'corrupt'.

Wel, hoffwn ofyn, fel mater o barch at ein trafodion yma, a wnaiff y Cwnsler Cyffredinol dynnu'r geiriau hynny yn ôl—'celwyddgi', 'llygredd' a 'llygredig'.

Counsel General, I will respond, not after you. We've reviewed this, and the Member did actually not refer to any other Member in this Chamber, when you can't use those words, and that is what the code of conduct will require of him. Therefore, whilst Members may not like his terminology—[Interruption.] Whilst Members might not like his terminology, he did not break the rules on this occasion, and therefore I will not ask the Counsel General to withdraw, but Members may, as you have already done, point out his use of those words.

Gwnsler Cyffredinol, fe wnaf fi ymateb yn gyntaf, nid ar eich ôl chi. Rydym wedi adolygu hyn, ac ni chyfeiriodd yr Aelod at unrhyw Aelod arall yn y Siambr hon, pan na allwch ddefnyddio'r geiriau hynny, a dyna fydd yn ddisgwyliedig ohono gan y cod ymddygiad. Felly, er efallai nad yw Aelodau'n hoffi ei derminoleg—[Torri ar draws.] Er efallai nad yw Aelodau'n hoffi ei derminoleg, ni wnaeth dorri'r rheolau y tro hwn, ac felly, ni fyddaf yn gofyn i'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol dynnu ei eiriau yn ôl, ond gall yr Aelodau dynnu sylw at ei ddefnydd o'r geiriau hynny, fel rydych chi eisoes wedi'i wneud.

He called the previous Prime Minister a liar. [Interruption.] This is appalling conduct.

Fe alwodd y Prif Weinidog blaenorol yn gelwyddgi. [Torri ar draws.] Mae hynny'n ymddygiad ofnadwy.

The statement and my decision has been made. Thank you.

Mae'r datganiad a fy mhenderfyniad wedi'i wneud. Diolch.

3. Cwestiynau i Gomisiwn y Senedd
3. Questions to the Senedd Commission

Eitem 3 sydd nesaf, cwestiynau i Gomisiwn y Senedd, ac, yn gyntaf, cwestiwn 1, Carolyn Thomas.

Item 3 is next, questions to the Senedd Commission, and the first question is from Carolyn Thomas.

Cyfarfodydd Hybrid
Hybrid Meetings

1. Beth y mae'r Comisiwn yn ei wneud i sicrhau y gall y Senedd barhau i gyfarfod fel senedd hybrid? OQ60416

1. What is the Commission doing to ensure that the Senedd can continue to meet as a hybrid parliament? OQ60416

Mae'r Comisiwn yn cefnogi’r Senedd i barhau i gwrdd fel Senedd hybrid yn unol â phenderfyniad y Pwyllgor Busnes, drwy fuddsoddiad parhaus yn ein hisadeiledd technoleg.

The Commission supports the Senedd to continue to meet in hybrid format, in accordance with the decision of the Business Committee, by ongoing investment in our technological infrastructure.

Diolch. I was pleased to represent our Senedd Cymru at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association event in Ghana, and attended workshops on e-Parliaments and gender quotas, and there were compliments on how we are being progressive and leading the way here in Wales.

Through COVID, we saw changes in working patterns. My staff work from home; they've continued to do so, and they work hard to support my constituents right across north Wales. I don't have an office. Do you agree with me that, due to the cost-of-living crisis and soaring household energy bills, the current working from home allowance paid by the Senedd is vital to ensuring that staff can continue to work at home and aren't disadvantaged by that? Thank you.

Diolch. Roeddwn yn falch o gynrychioli Senedd Cymru yn nigwyddiad Cymdeithas Seneddol y Gymanwlad yn Ghana, a mynychais weithdai ar e-Seneddau a chwotâu rhywedd, ac roedd canmoliaeth i'r modd rydym yn bod yn flaengar ac yn arwain y ffordd yma yng Nghymru.

Drwy COVID, gwelsom newidiadau mewn patrymau gweithio. Mae fy staff yn gweithio o gartref; maent wedi parhau i wneud hynny, ac maent yn gweithio'n galed i gefnogi fy etholwyr ledled gogledd Cymru. Nid oes gennyf swyddfa. Oherwydd yr argyfwng costau byw a biliau ynni cynyddol aelwydydd, a ydych chi'n cytuno bod y lwfans gweithio gartref presennol a delir gan y Senedd yn hanfodol i sicrhau y gall staff barhau i weithio gartref ac nad ydynt dan anfantais oherwydd hynny? Diolch.

Well, yes. Providing the ability for both staff and Members to work from home, work from constituency offices or work from the Senedd building here is an important aspect of the flexibility that we all now have in our working lives. I think it's been useful and appreciated during the times of COVID, and we have learnt very positive lessons from that very difficult time.

Wel, ydw. Mae darparu'r gallu i staff ac Aelodau weithio gartref, gweithio o swyddfeydd etholaeth neu weithio o adeilad y Senedd yma yn agwedd bwysig ar yr hyblygrwydd sydd gennym i gyd yn ein bywydau gwaith erbyn hyn. Rwy'n credu ei fod wedi bod yn ddefnyddiol ac yn cael ei werthfawrogi yn ystod cyfnod COVID, ac rydym wedi dysgu gwersi cadarnhaol iawn o'r cyfnod anodd hwnnw.

Cwestiwn 2, Sarah Murphy.

Question 2, Sarah Murphy.

Pardon. My apologies. No, my apologies. Tom Giffard.

Mae'n ddrwg gennyf. Rwy'n ymddiheuro. Tom Giffard.

15:20

Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd. I accept the arguments in favour of the hybrid proceedings here in the Senedd, but I do think the public send us here. They expect us to be here in Cardiff Bay. You've obviously been elected, Llywydd, far longer than I have, but you'll know that the work of a Senedd Member doesn't just exist in this Chamber, but in the building more generally, in the corridors and all the other meetings that we attend. I think the public will find it difficult to understand that there are some Members who are very rarely here at all. The particular thing I think that irks me, and the public will find difficult to understand, is those Members that will be here on a Tuesday afternoon for First Minister’s questions, and we'll see them back at home voting later that same day. So, what consideration have you given to a slightly different style when it comes to those Members being allowed to participate virtually, perhaps on a case-by-case basis presented to you around need rather than about convenience for those Members?

Diolch yn fawr iawn, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Rwy'n derbyn y dadleuon o blaid y trafodion hybrid yma yn y Senedd, ond rwy'n credu bod y cyhoedd yn ein hanfon yma. Maent yn disgwyl inni fod yma ym Mae Caerdydd. Yn amlwg, Lywydd, rydych wedi cael eich ethol ers llawer mwy o amser na mi, ond fe fyddwch yn gwybod nad yn y Siambr hon yn unig y mae gwaith Aelod o'r Senedd yn bodoli, ond yn yr adeilad yn fwy cyffredinol, yn y coridorau a'r holl gyfarfodydd eraill a fynychwn. Rwy'n credu y bydd y cyhoedd yn ei chael hi'n anodd deall bod yna rai Aelodau ond yma'n anaml iawn. Rwy'n credu mai'r hyn sy'n fy mlino'n arbennig, ac y bydd y cyhoedd yn ei chael hi'n anodd deall, yw'r Aelodau a fydd yma ar brynhawn dydd Mawrth ar gyfer cwestiynau'r Prif Weinidog, a byddwn yn eu gweld yn ôl gartref yn pleidleisio yn ddiweddarach yr un diwrnod. Felly, pa ystyriaeth a roddwyd gennych i ddull ychydig yn wahanol o ganiatáu i'r Aelodau hynny gymryd rhan yn rhithwir, ar sail achosion unigol a gyflwynir i chi yn ymwneud ag angen, efallai, yn hytrach nag o ran cyfleustra i'r Aelodau hynny?

Well, I'd hate to be the Presiding Officer who would need to take individual decisions based on individuals' specific cases on whether they should be working from home or working from here in the Chamber. I don't think it's an appropriate use of my time or my judgment to decide on other people elected here to this Chamber—to decide on how they undertake their work. Their constituents will look and will question all Members, as they do, on our performance and our presence, both here in the Chamber and online.

Wel, byddai'n gas gennyf fod yn Llywydd a fyddai angen gwneud penderfyniadau unigol yn seiliedig ar achosion penodol unigolion o ran a ddylent fod yn gweithio gartref neu'n gweithio fan hyn yn y Siambr. Nid wyf yn credu ei fod yn ddefnydd priodol o fy amser na fy marn i benderfynu ynglŷn â phobl eraill a etholwyd yma i'r Siambr—i benderfynu sut y gwnânt eu gwaith. Bydd eu hetholwyr yn edrych ac yn cwestiynu pob Aelod, fel y gwnânt, ar ein perfformiad a'n presenoldeb, yma yn y Siambr ac ar-lein.

Cyflogau Staff Cymorth yr Aelodau
Member Support Staff Salaries

2. Pa drafodaethau y mae Comisiwn y Senedd wedi'u cael gyda'r Bwrdd Taliadau ynghylch cyflogau staff cymorth yr Aelodau? OQ60425

2. What discussions has the Senedd Commission had with the Remuneration Board regarding Member support staff salaries? OQ60425

Well, thank you for the question. Of course, it's the independent remuneration board that determines Member support staff salaries, and the chief executive and clerk, as accounting officer and on behalf of the Commission, has engaged already with the remuneration board on the staffing budget requirements included in the determination budget for 2024-25. 

The Commission will be consulted, as will Members and stakeholders, on the annual review of determination for the next financial year, which includes staffing matters, which the board has stated will be issued later this week. The board has commenced its staffing pay and grading reviews as well ahead of the seventh Senedd. Commission officials are fully engaged in this review, and all Members and their staff will be given the opportunity to input into it.

Wel, diolch am y cwestiwn. Wrth gwrs, y bwrdd taliadau annibynnol sy'n pennu cyflogau staff cymorth yr Aelodau, ac mae'r prif weithredwr a'r clerc, fel swyddog cyfrifyddu ac ar ran y Comisiwn, eisoes wedi ymgysylltu â'r bwrdd taliadau ynghylch gofynion y gyllideb staffio a gynhwysir yng nghyllideb y penderfyniad ar gyfer 2024-25. 

Ymgynghorir â'r Comisiwn, ynghyd â'r Aelodau a'r rhanddeiliaid, ynghylch yr adolygiad blynyddol o'r penderfyniad ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf, sy'n cynnwys materion staffio, y dywedodd y bwrdd y bydd yn cael ei gyhoeddi yn ddiweddarach yr wythnos hon. Mae'r bwrdd wedi dechrau ei adolygiadau o gyflogau a graddfeydd staffio hefyd cyn y seithfed Senedd. Mae swyddogion y Comisiwn yn ymgysylltu'n llawn â'r adolygiad hwn, a bydd yr holl Aelodau a'u staff yn cael cyfle i gyfrannu ato.

Thank you very much. Yesterday, the remuneration board published its November update to Members and their support staff. I'd like to welcome the recommendations made in this update as they are deeply needed, especially during the cost-of-living crisis, and especially the update made to band 3 pay point 1, allowing all those who are employed by the Senedd to remain on a real living wage. I'd also like to place on record my thanks to the work of the trade union representatives and members in successfully negotiating an uplift for all staff of 5.7 per cent, and securing a cost-of-living payment this spring. They, along with the rest of the Senedd support staff, Commission staff, all of them who—. Without them this Senedd would not be able to run, nor be as transparent or engaged with the citizens of Wales as it is. Considering all of this, would you be able to confirm for me what further work you are doing to work with the unions and other members of the workforce to ensure that the Senedd remains a real living wage employer? Diolch.

Diolch yn fawr iawn. Ddoe, cyhoeddodd y bwrdd taliadau ei ddiweddariad ar gyfer mis Tachwedd i'r Aelodau a'u staff cymorth. Hoffwn groesawu'r argymhellion a wnaed yn y diweddariad hwn gan fod eu hangen yn fawr, yn enwedig yn ystod yr argyfwng costau byw, ac yn enwedig y diweddariad a wnaed i bwynt cyflog 1 band 3, i ganiatáu i bawb sy'n cael eu cyflogi gan y Senedd aros ar y cyflog byw gwirioneddol. Hoffwn gofnodi fy niolch hefyd am waith cynrychiolwyr ac aelodau'r undebau llafur yn negodi cynnydd llwyddiannus o 5.7 y cant i'r holl staff, a sicrhau taliad costau byw y gwanwyn hwn. Maen nhw, ynghyd â gweddill staff cymorth y Senedd, staff y Comisiwn, pob un ohonynt sydd—. Hebddynt, ni fyddai'r Senedd hon yn gallu gweithredu, na bod mor dryloyw ac ymgysylltiedig â dinasyddion Cymru ag y mae. O ystyried hyn oll, a fyddech yn gallu cadarnhau i mi pa waith pellach rydych chi'n ei wneud i weithio gyda'r undebau ac aelodau eraill o'r gweithlu i sicrhau bod y Senedd yn parhau i fod yn gyflogwr cyflog byw gwirioneddol? Diolch.

We're absolutely committed to remaining a real living wage employer and to ensuring that we support all staff, whether it's support staff or Commission staff, as best we can, and that we remunerate them correctly and appropriately. And, as I said, the remuneration board is undertaking a review of support staff pay and grading. It's due be made public by the end of March, and this sort of review hasn't been undertaken for quite some time, so it's vitally important, and Members will be given the opportunity to provide input into it. Commission officials as well have been involved as part of this piece of work.

Of course, the remuneration board itself is independent of the Commission, but we're looking, as a Commission, at how we can ensure that there is greater transparency and understanding of who is responsible for what—who’s responsible for determination of Member's salaries, support staff salaries, Commission staff salaries, who's responsible for the day-to-day running of the Senedd. That work has begun, and we hope to be able to present those clearer demarcation lines to Members in the not-too-distant future.

Rydym wedi ymrwymo'n llwyr i barhau i fod yn gyflogwr cyflog byw gwirioneddol ac i sicrhau ein bod yn cefnogi'r holl staff gystal ag y gallwn, boed yn staff cymorth neu staff y Comisiwn, a'n bod yn eu talu'n gywir ac yn briodol. Ac fel y dywedais, mae'r bwrdd taliadau yn cynnal adolygiad o gyflogau a graddfeydd staff cymorth. Mae disgwyl iddo gael ei gyhoeddi erbyn diwedd mis Mawrth, ac nid yw'r math hwn o adolygiad wedi'i gynnal ers cryn amser, felly, mae'n hanfodol bwysig, a rhoddir cyfle i'r Aelodau ddarparu mewnbwn iddo. Mae swyddogion y Comisiwn wedi bod yn rhan o'r gwaith hwn hefyd.

Wrth gwrs, mae'r bwrdd taliadau ei hun yn annibynnol ar y Comisiwn, ond fel Comisiwn, rydym yn edrych ar sut y gallwn sicrhau bod mwy o dryloywder a dealltwriaeth o bwy sy'n gyfrifol am beth—pwy sy'n gyfrifol am benderfynu ar gyflogau Aelodau, cyflogau staff cymorth, cyflogau staff y Comisiwn, pwy sy'n gyfrifol am weithredu'r Senedd o ddydd i ddydd. Mae'r gwaith hwnnw wedi dechrau, ac rydym yn gobeithio gallu cyflwyno'r diffiniadau cliriach hynny i'r Aelodau yn y dyfodol agos.

Cronfeydd Pensiwn
Pension Funds

3. Pa gamau mae'r Comisiwn wedi'u cymryd i sicrhau bod cronfa pensiwn ddim yn ariannu datgoedwigo? OQ60445

3. What action has the Commission taken to ensure that pension funds do not fund deforestation? OQ60445

15:25

Well, can I thank Delyth Jewell for the question? It's an excellent question. There are actually three pension schemes connected with the Senedd. There's the civil service pension scheme, which is available to Commission staff, and that's an unfunded scheme, and therefore it has no assets to invest. Benefits are paid through tax revenues rather than from assets set aside to pay for them. And then there's the second scheme, which is for support staff. Now, the support staff pension scheme is run by Aviva, and the Commission is not involved in determining how the assets are invested. Now, the third pension scheme is in relation to the Members of the Senedd, and the Commission has no means to influence the allocation of the Members' pension scheme assets. The power to do that sits entirely with the pension board, which is independent of the Commission, but, of course, there are two sitting Members and one former Member of the Senedd who sit on the independent pension board.

Wel, a gaf fi ddiolch i Delyth Jewell am y cwestiwn? Mae'n gwestiwn ardderchog. Mewn gwirionedd, mae tri chynllun pensiwn yn gysylltiedig â'r Senedd. Mae cynllun pensiwn y gwasanaeth sifil, sydd ar gael i staff y Comisiwn, ac mae hwnnw'n gynllun heb ei ariannu, ac felly nid oes ganddo asedau i'w buddsoddi. Telir buddion trwy refeniw trethi yn hytrach nag o asedau a neilltuir ar gyfer talu amdanynt. Ac yna mae'r ail gynllun ar gyfer staff cymorth. Nawr, mae'r cynllun pensiwn staff cymorth yn cael ei weithredu gan Aviva, ac nid yw'r Comisiwn yn ymwneud â phenderfynu sut y caiff yr asedau eu buddsoddi. Nawr, mae'r trydydd cynllun pensiwn ar gyfer Aelodau'r Senedd, ac nid oes gan y Comisiwn unrhyw fodd o ddylanwadu ar ddyraniad asedau cynllun pensiwn yr Aelodau. Mae'r pŵer i wneud hynny yn llwyr yn nwylo'r bwrdd pensiwn, sy'n annibynnol ar y Comisiwn, ond wrth gwrs, mae dau Aelod ac un cyn Aelod o'r Senedd yn aelodau o'r bwrdd pensiwn annibynnol.

Diolch am yr ateb hwnnw. Dwi'n siŵr eich bod chi wedi gweld yr ymchwil gan Maint Cymru a Global Canopy, a oedd wedi cael ei gyhoeddi mis diwethaf, fod £14 biliwn, neu 55 y cant o'r buddsoddiadau sydd wedi'u gwneud gan wyth cronfa pensiwn cyhoeddus yng Nghymru, maen nhw mewn perygl o ariannu datgoedwigo, ac mae hyn weithiau yn gallu bod yn rhywbeth cudd, bron. Diolch am osod mas mwy o sicrwydd am hynny, dwi'n rili gwerthfawrogi fe. A fyddech chi'n cytuno â mi fod modd i gronfeydd pensiwn eraill efallai yng Nghymru edrych i mewn i beth sy'n digwydd, gyda'r global responsibility sydd gyda ni yng Nghymru, er mwyn gwneud yn siŵr ein bod ni'n cymryd pob cam posibl dyw hynny ddim yn rhywbeth sydd dim ond yn y Senedd, ond efallai ar gyfer Cymru, i ni allu dangos arweiniad dros y sector hefyd?

Thank you for that response. I'm sure that you saw the research by Size of Wales and Global Canopy, which was published last month, that £14 billion, or 55 per cent of the investments made by eight public pension funds in Wales, they are in danger of funding deforestation, and this can be a hidden thing sometimes. So, thank you for setting out more certainty and assurance on this issue. Would you agree with me that other pension funds in Wales could look into what happens, with the global responsibility that we have in Wales, to ensure that we take every possible step that that isn't something that's just done by the Senedd, but for the whole of Wales, so that we can show leadership across the public sector?

I'd very much agree with the Member. This is something that I know Jack Sargeant has taken up on several occasions as well, and I've had many discussions with Jack. I have to say and put on record my thanks to my colleague and friend Mike Hedges, who has been a pension board member for quite some time and has been at the forefront of pressing for ethical investment. I'm pleased to say that, in terms of the environmental, social and governance credentials, we use Aviva, who are market-leading in this regard, and implementing their principles in their pension investments is hugely important. We scrutinise that every time we meet as a pension board. But I think that Delyth Jewell makes an incredibly important point that best practice in regard to how investments are made does need to be shared across the public and the private sector to ensure that, whether directly or indirectly, we're not harming our natural environment through the process of what we invest in with our pension funds.

Rwy'n cytuno'n fawr â'r Aelod. Mae hyn yn rhywbeth y gwn fod Jack Sargeant wedi mynd ar ei ôl sawl tro hefyd, ac rwyf wedi cael llawer o drafodaethau gyda Jack. Mae'n rhaid imi gofnodi fy niolch i fy nghyd-Aelod a'm cyfaill Mike Hedges, sydd wedi bod yn aelod o'r bwrdd pensiwn ers cryn dipyn o amser ac sydd wedi bod ar flaen y gad yn pwyso am fuddsoddi moesegol. Rwy'n falch o ddweud, o ran cymhwyster amgylcheddol, cymdeithasol a llywodraethu, ein bod yn defnyddio Aviva, sy'n arwain y farchnad yn hyn o beth, ac mae gweithredu eu hegwyddorion yn eu buddsoddiadau pensiwn yn hynod bwysig. Rydym yn craffu ar hynny bob tro y byddwn yn cyfarfod fel bwrdd pensiwn. Ond rwy'n credu bod Delyth Jewell yn gwneud pwynt hynod bwysig fod angen rhannu arferion gorau o ran sut y gwneir buddsoddiadau ar draws y sector cyhoeddus a'r sector preifat i sicrhau, boed yn uniongyrchol neu'n anuniongyrchol, nad ydym yn niweidio ein hamgylchedd naturiol trwy brosesau buddsoddi ein cronfeydd pensiwn.

I agree with Delyth Jewell that the Senedd Members pension fund should not be investing in deforestation, and we're working hard to reduce our oil investments. It's not as easy as just saying, 'We don't want to do it anymore'; you've got to come out of it, and we've made substantial progress on that. But the pension fund is managed by trustees. I represent you as the Members; Ken Skates represents the Commission; Nick Ramsay, a former Member, is a member of the commission and an independent chair, completing the list of trustees. Would the Commission consider someone on behalf of the pension board taking questions under an agenda item after the annual pension report is provided to Members, giving Members an opportunity within this Chamber to raise questions like the one that Delyth Jewell just has?

Rwy'n cytuno â Delyth Jewell na ddylai cronfa bensiwn Aelodau'r Senedd fuddsoddi mewn datgoedwigo, ac rydym yn gweithio'n galed i leihau ein buddsoddiadau mewn olew. Nid yw mor hawdd â dweud, 'Nid ydym am ei wneud mwyach'; mae'n rhaid ichi dynnu allan ohono, ac rydym wedi gwneud cynnydd sylweddol ar hynny. Ond ymddiriedolwyr sy'n rheoli'r gronfa bensiwn. Rwy'n eich cynrychioli chi fel yr Aelodau; mae Ken Skates yn cynrychioli'r Comisiwn; mae Nick Ramsay, sy'n gyn-Aelod, yn aelod o'r comisiwn ac yn gadeirydd annibynnol, gan gwblhau'r rhestr o ymddiriedolwyr. A wnaiff y Comisiwn ystyried rhywun ar ran y bwrdd pensiwn i ateb cwestiynau fel eitem agenda ar ôl i'r adroddiad pensiwn blynyddol gael ei ddarparu i'r Aelodau, gan roi cyfle i'r Aelodau yn y Siambr ofyn cwestiynau fel yr un a ofynnodd Delyth Jewell nawr?

Well, can I thank Mike Hedges and say that's a superb suggestion that I think I should take back to the next Commission meeting? I'd have no objection whatsoever; I think that would certainly help in terms of scrutiny and transparency, and so I'll raise that with my fellow Commissioners.

Wel, a gaf fi ddiolch i Mike Hedges a dweud bod hwnnw'n awgrym gwych ac rwy'n credu y dylwn fynd ag ef yn ôl i gyfarfod nesaf y Comisiwn? Ni fyddai gennyf wrthwynebiad o gwbl; rwy'n credu y byddai hynny'n sicr yn helpu o ran craffu a thryloywder, ac felly byddaf yn dwyn hynny i sylw fy nghyd-Gomisiynwyr.

4. Cwestiynau Amserol
4. Topical Questions

Eitem 4 yw'r cwestiynau amserol, a bydd Peter Fox yn gofyn hwn. Peter.

Item 4 is the topical questions, and Peter Fox will ask the question. Peter.

Cyllideb Ddrafft Llywodraeth Cymru
The Welsh Government Draft Budget

1. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Gweinidog wedi'u cael gyda'r Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol ynghylch ei hasesiad o Gyllideb Ddrafft 2024-25 Llywodraeth Cymru yr wythnos nesaf? TQ939

1. What discussions has the Minister had with the Office for Budget Responsibility regarding its assessment of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 next week? TQ939

The Office for Budget Responsibility provides forecasts of the devolved tax revenues in Wales, which represent an important element of the Welsh Government's budget arithmetic. It will publish its latest edition of the Welsh taxes outlook alongside the draft budget on 19 December.

Mae'r Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol yn darparu rhagolygon o'r refeniw trethi datganoledig yng Nghymru, sy'n elfen bwysig o rifyddeg cyllideb Llywodraeth Cymru. Bydd yn cyhoeddi ei hargraffiad diweddaraf o ragolygon trethi Cymru ochr yn ochr â'r gyllideb ddrafft ar 19 Rhagfyr.

Thank you, Minister. You would have received a letter I sent to you on 1 December asking you to contact the OBR to review your current memorandum of understanding with them to include a wider economic and fiscal outlook for Wales based on your budget proposals. When I wrote, I was conscious that the budget was to be announced in just three weeks' time, but I genuinely felt that the OBR would already have a general overview of all devolved fiscal positions and it should be easy to glean an assessment, and that should have been pretty straightforward and certainly advantageous for us.

Minister, an independent assessment of your budget would be key to enabling effective scrutiny as well as assessing the long-term impact of policy making, as we don't want to see a repeat of the inter-year budget panic that we saw just recently. We simply cannot afford another year where we see knee-jerk reaction to a projected £900 million deficit, which shouldn't have happened, recognising that all inflationary pressures were known about well before the budget was set.

With all of this in mind, can you inform the Senedd of your consideration of my request, and if it's not to be pursued, can we expect a review of the memorandum of understanding with the OBR ahead of future budgets?

Diolch yn fawr, Weinidog. Byddwch wedi cael llythyr a anfonais atoch ar 1 Rhagfyr yn gofyn ichi gysylltu â'r Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol i adolygu eich memorandwm cyd-ddealltwriaeth cyfredol gyda nhw i gynnwys rhagolwg economaidd a chyllidol ehangach i Gymru yn seiliedig ar eich cynigion ar gyfer y gyllideb. Pan ysgrifennais, roeddwn yn ymwybodol y byddai'r gyllideb yn cael ei chyhoeddi ymhen tair wythnos yn unig, ond roeddwn yn teimlo'n wirioneddol y byddai gan y Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol drosolwg cyffredinol eisoes o'r holl sefyllfaoedd cyllidol datganoledig ac y dylai fod yn hawdd rhoi asesiad, a dylai hynny fod wedi bod yn eithaf syml ac yn sicr yn fanteisiol i ni.

Weinidog, byddai asesiad annibynnol o'ch cyllideb yn allweddol i alluogi craffu effeithiol yn ogystal ag asesu effaith hirdymor llunio polisïau, gan nad ydym am weld ailadrodd y panig rhwng blynyddoedd a welsom yn ddiweddar. Yn syml, ni allwn fforddio blwyddyn arall lle gwelwn ymateb byrbwyll i ddiffyg ariannol rhagamcanol o £900 miliwn, na ddylai fod wedi digwydd, gan gydnabod bod yr holl bwysau chwyddiant yn hysbys ymhell cyn i'r gyllideb gael ei gosod.

Gan gofio hyn i gyd, a allwch roi gwybod i'r Senedd ynglŷn â'ch ystyriaeth i fy nghais, ac os nad ydych am fynd ar ei drywydd, a allwn ddisgwyl adolygiad o'r memorandwm cyd-ddealltwriaeth gyda'r Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol cyn cyllidebau yn y dyfodol?

15:30

Well, obviously, I would disagree with the Member's characterisation of the in-year activity that we've undertaken to respond to the impact of inflation on the budget, but I appreciate that's not what the question today is about, and I do have the Member's letter and I will be providing a response within the next week to that.

In terms, though, of the OBR's role, it really is about providing those independent forecasts of our devolved tax revenues in Wales, and that is in accordance with the Welsh Government's fiscal framework agreement. The OBR produces forecasts of equivalent taxes in England and in Northern Ireland, and they underpin the calculations upon which the block grant adjustments accompanying tax devolution are determined. And of course, the vast majority of the Welsh Government's budget does depend on the block grant and those changes that are as a response to UK Government decisions about funding. And I think it's important to recognise also that, at the UK level, the OBR provides forecasts for the economy and public finances, together with assessments of whether the UK Government will meet its fiscal targets, unless of course you're Lizz Truss and you're introducing one of the mini-budgets. But I think that that really sets out the important role of the OBR in terms of the overall position for the UK.

The OBR itself has said that it's not clear that producing any Welsh macroeconomics forecasts would substantively improve its ability to forecast here in Wales. There's little evidence of convergence or divergence in per-capita growth between Wales and the UK as a whole. Instead, when forecasting Welsh taxes, adjustments were made to UK tax determinants where there is specific evidence of divergence in those particular determinants in Wales.

So, I'm not sure what the activity that has been described would present as a benefit to the budget, particularly because, as noted in the charter for budget responsibility, the OBR should not provide normative commentary on the particular merits of Government policies. That would apply to Welsh Government policies in the same way as it would to UK Government policy. So, I'm not sure what the work that is being asked for would add, given the fact that our overall position doesn't diverge very much from the position that they described in the autumn statement, in their work there.

Wel, yn amlwg, buaswn yn anghytuno â disgrifiad yr Aelod o’n gweithgarwch yn ystod y flwyddyn mewn ymateb i effaith chwyddiant ar y gyllideb, ond rwy’n derbyn nad dyna hanfod y cwestiwn heddiw, ac mae gennyf lythyr yr Aelod, a byddaf yn darparu ymateb iddo o fewn yr wythnos nesaf.

Ar rôl y Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol, serch hynny, mae'n ymwneud â darparu rhagolygon annibynnol o'n refeniw trethi datganoledig yng Nghymru, ac mae hynny'n unol â chytundeb fframwaith cyllidol Llywodraeth Cymru. Mae’r Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol yn cynhyrchu rhagolygon o drethi cyfatebol yn Lloegr ac yng Ngogledd Iwerddon, ac maent yn sail i’r cyfrifiadau ar gyfer pennu’r addasiadau i'r grant bloc sy’n gysylltiedig â datganoli trethi. Ac wrth gwrs, mae’r mwyafrif helaeth o gyllideb Llywodraeth Cymru yn dibynnu ar y grant bloc a’r newidiadau sy'n ymateb i benderfyniadau Llywodraeth y DU ynglŷn â chyllid. A chredaf ei bod yn bwysig cydnabod hefyd, ar lefel y DU, fod y Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol yn darparu rhagolygon ar gyfer yr economi a chyllid cyhoeddus, ynghyd ag asesiadau i weld a fydd Llywodraeth y DU yn cyrraedd ei thargedau cyllidol, oni bai, wrth gwrs, mai chi yw Lizz Truss a'ch bod yn cyflwyno un o'r cyllidebau bach. Ond credaf fod hynny'n nodi rôl bwysig y Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol o ran y sefyllfa gyffredinol ar gyfer y DU.

Mae’r Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol ei hun wedi dweud nad yw’n glir y byddai cynhyrchu unrhyw ragolygon macro-economaidd Cymreig yn gwella'n sylweddol ei gallu i ragweld yma yng Nghymru. Prin yw'r dystiolaeth o debygrwydd neu wahaniaeth mewn twf y pen rhwng Cymru a'r DU yn gyffredinol. Yn lle hynny, wrth greu rhagolygon o drethi Cymru, gwnaed addasiadau i benderfynyddion treth y DU lle ceir tystiolaeth benodol o wahaniaeth yn y penderfynyddion penodol hynny yng Nghymru.

Felly, nid wyf yn siŵr pa fudd y byddai’r gweithgarwch a ddisgrifiwyd yn ei wneud i’r gyllideb, yn enwedig oherwydd na ddylai’r Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol roi sylwebaeth normadol ar rinweddau penodol polisïau’r Llywodraeth, fel y nodwyd yn y siarter ar gyfer cyfrifoldeb cyllidebol. Byddai hynny’n berthnasol i bolisïau Llywodraeth Cymru yn yr un modd ag y byddai i bolisi Llywodraeth y DU. Felly, nid wyf yn siŵr beth fyddai’r gwaith y gofynnir amdano yn ei ychwanegu, o ystyried y ffaith nad yw ein sefyllfa gyffredinol yn wahanol iawn i'r sefyllfa a ddisgrifiwyd ganddynt yn natganiad yr hydref, yn eu gwaith yno.

Thanks for that answer, Minister. I'd like to fully acknowledge the difficulties facing the Welsh Government. The Tory-driven austerity and economic incompetence has left public finances in a ruinous state. This has resulted in a significant erosion of the spending power available to Wales. 

In these times, scrutiny and accountability of budgetary matters is becoming more and more important. Yesterday, my colleague Heledd Fychan requested for the Senedd to reconvene next week for Members to debate the budget, but was turned down. Could you elaborate on the Government's decision and explain why you don't think that the situation is sufficiently serious to justify meeting in a special Plenary next week?

I'd also like to know your thoughts on the imminent financial position of local authorities across Wales. The Local Government Association have said that as many as one in five councils in England are facing bankruptcy. Do you expect any councils in Wales to face bankruptcy next year and, if so, what contingency measures does the Welsh Government have in place to mitigate this eventuality?

And, finally, do you agree that the scaling back of local government services to the bare minimum will create a vicious circle that may cause irreparable damage to our communities? Diolch.

Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Hoffwn gydnabod yn llawn yr anawsterau sy’n wynebu Llywodraeth Cymru. Mae’r cyni a orfodir gan y Torïaid a’u hanghymhwysedd economaidd wedi gadael cyllid cyhoeddus mewn cyflwr enbyd. Mae hyn wedi arwain at leihad sylweddol yn y pŵer gwario sydd ar gael i Gymru.

Yn y cyfnod hwn, mae craffu ac atebolrwydd ar faterion cyllidebol yn dod yn fwyfwy pwysig. Ddoe, gofynnodd fy nghyd-Aelod Heledd Fychan i’r Senedd ailymgynnull yr wythnos nesaf i’r Aelodau gael dadl ar y gyllideb, ond cafodd ei chais ei wrthod. A wnewch chi ymhelaethu ar benderfyniad y Llywodraeth ac egluro pam nad ydych yn credu bod y sefyllfa’n ddigon difrifol i gyfiawnhau cyfarfod mewn Cyfarfod Llawn arbennig yr wythnos nesaf?

Hoffwn glywed eich barn hefyd am y sefyllfa ariannol y bydd awdurdodau lleol ledled Cymru yn ei hwynebu cyn bo hir. Mae'r Gymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol wedi dweud bod hyd at un o bob pum cyngor yn Lloegr yn wynebu methdaliad. A ydych chi'n disgwyl y bydd unrhyw gynghorau yng Nghymru yn wynebu methdaliad y flwyddyn nesaf, ac os felly, pa fesurau wrth gefn sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru i liniaru’r posibilrwydd hwn?

Ac yn olaf, a ydych chi'n cytuno y bydd torri gwasanaethau llywodraeth leol hyd at yr asgwrn yn creu cylch dieflig a allai achosi niwed anadferadwy i'n cymunedau? Diolch.

15:35

I'm very grateful for that series of questions. So, in relation to any request to recall the Senedd, there's this process now set out in Standing Orders, which has been undertaken. My own view is that there is ample opportunity to scrutinise the draft budget. Of course, we'll be reconvening—myself and Finance Committee—next week to scrutinise the budget, and then we have many, many, many hours of detailed committee scrutiny, in each of the portfolio areas, which is undertaken. And then, there are a number of opportunities to debate the budget—the draft budget and then the final budget—in the Senedd as well. So, I do think there are absolutely ample opportunities for scrutiny. I'd also remind colleagues as well that none of this will come into force until April of next year in any case, so we have time as well, so I don't believe that this necessarily meets one of those urgent and emergency situations that you would normally expect the Senedd to be recalled for. But those are just my views, and I know that there's a proper process set out in Standing Orders to deal with that.

We'll shortly be publishing of course the local authority draft settlement for next year, so I don't want to pre-empt anything that's going to be announced in that process. But of course, local authorities can't technically go bankrupt in any case—they have to issue the requisite notices. No authority wants to be in that position, and every authority will do everything it can to manage its budget, to present a balanced budget to be voted on locally. I don't for a moment underestimate how hard that is going to be for some local authorities in particular, especially given the extreme pressures that there are on our budgets and local authorities' budgets. The Member described local authorities really just providing the bare minimum. I think, for some time, local authorities have been in a space where they haven't been able to do lots of the things that they would like to do, because they have so many statutory duties that they're attending to. So, unless there is improvement overall in public finances, and unless we have a UK Government that wants to invest in public services, I think that we are in for some difficult times ahead.

I was just interested to be thinking about the figures that we had in the autumn statement. And in health, for example, the additional funding that came through from health, I think, provides less than five hours' worth of the NHS here in Wales. And I think that, when you think about that kind of level of disinterest from the UK Government in public services, it really does set out how difficult the challenge is ahead of us. [Interruption.] I hear the chuntering coming from behind me, but I think the important point here to remember is that our budget next year is worth £1.3 billion less than it was at the point of the spending review. [Interruption.] That might be boring to the Conservatives, but it's not boring to those of us who care about public services and want to see investment in public services.

Rwy’n ddiolchgar iawn am eich cyfres o gwestiynau. Felly, mewn perthynas ag unrhyw gais i adalw'r Senedd, mae yna broses wedi'i nodi yn y Rheolau Sefydlog, ac mae honno wedi'i dilyn. Fy marn i yw bod digon o gyfle i graffu ar y gyllideb ddrafft. Wrth gwrs, byddwn yn ailymgynnull—fi a'r Pwyllgor Cyllid—yr wythnos nesaf i graffu ar y gyllideb, ac yna, byddwn yn cael oriau lawer o graffu manwl gan y pwyllgor, ym mhob un o'r meysydd portffolio. Wedyn, mae nifer o gyfleoedd i drafod y gyllideb—y gyllideb ddrafft a'r gyllideb derfynol wedyn—yn y Senedd hefyd. Felly, credaf fod digon o gyfleoedd i graffu. Hoffwn atgoffa fy nghyd-Aelodau hefyd na fydd dim o hyn yn dod i rym tan fis Ebrill y flwyddyn nesaf beth bynnag, felly mae gennym amser hefyd, felly ni chredaf fod hyn o reidrwydd yn un o'r sefyllfaoedd brys hynny y byddech fel arfer yn disgwyl i’r Senedd gael ei hadalw ar eu cyfer. Ond fy marn i yn unig yw hynny, a gwn fod proses briodol wedi’i nodi yn y Rheolau Sefydlog i ymdrin â hynny.

Byddwn yn cyhoeddi'r setliad drafft i awdurdodau lleol ar gyfer y flwyddyn nesaf cyn bo hir wrth gwrs, felly nid wyf am achub y blaen ar unrhyw beth sy'n mynd i gael ei gyhoeddi yn y broses honno. Ond wrth gwrs, yn dechnegol, ni all awdurdodau lleol wynebu methdaliad beth bynnag—mae'n rhaid iddynt gyhoeddi'r hysbysiadau gofynnol. Nid oes unrhyw awdurdod yn dymuno bod yn y sefyllfa honno, a bydd pob awdurdod yn gwneud popeth yn ei allu i reoli ei gyllideb, i gyflwyno cyllideb wedi'i mantoli ar gyfer pleidleisio arni’n lleol. Nid wyf am eiliad yn diystyru pa mor anodd fydd hynny i rai awdurdodau lleol, yn enwedig o ystyried y pwysau eithafol sydd ar ein cyllidebau a chyllidebau awdurdodau lleol. Dywedodd yr Aelod fod gwasanaethau awdurdodau lleol wedi eu torri i'r asgwrn. Credaf fod awdurdodau lleol, ers peth amser, wedi bod mewn sefyllfa lle nad ydynt wedi gallu gwneud llawer o'r pethau yr hoffent eu gwneud, am fod ganddynt gymaint o ddyletswyddau statudol y maent yn eu cyflawni. Felly, oni bai fod gwelliant cyffredinol mewn cyllid cyhoeddus, ac oni bai fod gennym Lywodraeth yn y DU sydd eisiau buddsoddi mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, rwy'n credu ein bod yn wynebu cyfnod anodd.

Roedd yn ddiddorol meddwl am y ffigurau a gawsom yn natganiad yr hydref. Ac ym maes iechyd, er enghraifft, rwy'n credu bod y cyllid ychwanegol a gafwyd ar gyfer iechyd yn talu am werth llai na phum awr o'r GIG yma yng Nghymru. A phan ystyriwch y lefel honno o ddiffyg diddordeb gan Lywodraeth y DU mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, rwy'n credu bod hynny'n dangos o ddifrif pa mor anodd yw’r her sy'n ein hwynebu. [Torri ar draws.] Rwy’n clywed y grwgnach y tu ôl i mi, ond credaf mai’r pwynt pwysig i’w gofio yma yw bod ein cyllideb y flwyddyn nesaf yn werth £1.3 biliwn yn llai na'r hyn ydoedd adeg yr adolygiad o wariant. [Torri ar draws.] Efallai fod hynny’n ddiflas i’r Ceidwadwyr, ond nid yw’n ddiflas i’r rheini ohonom sy’n malio am wasanaethau cyhoeddus ac sy'n dymuno gweld buddsoddiad mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus.

Diolch i'r Gweinidog.

I thank the Minister.

Before moving on, and for clarity following the point of order by Janet Finch-Saunders, I just want to highlight that the Counsel General did not refer to any Members of the Senedd as lying to or misleading the Senedd, and thus did not breach the expected conduct. However, I would hope that all Members reflect upon their use of such terms prior to their contributions, and after, to ensure that words used are not unparliamentary. I will ensure that the Counsel General is made aware of this statement too.

Cyn symud ymlaen, ac er eglurder yn dilyn y pwynt o drefn gan Janet Finch-Saunders, hoffwn dynnu sylw at y ffaith na ddywedodd y Cwnsler Cyffredinol fod unrhyw Aelod o’r Senedd wedi dweud celwydd neu gamarwain y Senedd, ac felly nid aeth yn groes i'r ymddygiad disgwyliedig. Fodd bynnag, buaswn yn gobeithio bod pob Aelod yn myfyrio ar eu defnydd o dermau o’r fath cyn eu cyfraniadau, ac wedi hynny, er mwyn sicrhau nad yw’r geiriau a ddefnyddir yn anseneddol. Byddaf yn sicrhau bod y Cwnsler Cyffredinol yn ymwybodol o'r datganiad hwn hefyd.

5. Datganiadau 90 Eiliad
5. 90-second Statements

Eitem 5 yw'r datganiadau 90 eiliad. Dim ond un sydd heddiw, a galwaf ar Sarah Murphy.

Item 5 is the 90-second statements. There is only one today, and I call on Sarah Murphy.

Thank you. Since 1985, Rotary's key humanitarian priority has been to rid the world of polio. Rotary spearheaded the campaign at a time when there were over 1,000 polio cases a day, in 125 countries, paralysing and even killing children. Today, the number of cases is down by 99.9 per cent. Over the last 35 years, Rotary members, working with communities around the world, have contributed more than $2 billion, and countless volunteer hours, to the fight to end polio. And inspired in part by Rotary's volunteer commitment and fundraising success, the global polio eradication initiative was launched in 1988. And because of these efforts as well, nearly 19 million people, who would otherwise have been paralysed, are walking, and more than 1.5 million people are alive who would otherwise have passed away. Despite there only being a handful of cases left in the world, they continue to campaign, and Rotary members continue to be key players in many aspects of the polio programme. The failure to eradicate polio could result in as many as 200,000 new cases worldwide every year, within a decade. That's why we have to stay on it, and I want to thank Rotary members in Great Britain and Ireland who have played a huge part and been supporters of End Polio Now. Thank you very much, and to everybody else who has played their part in this. Diolch.

Diolch. Ers 1985, blaenoriaeth ddyngarol allweddol Rotari yw cael gwared ar glefyd polio drwy'r byd. Roedd Rotari yn arwain yr ymgyrch ar adeg pan oedd dros 1,000 o achosion o glefyd polio y dydd, mewn 125 o wledydd, yn parlysu a hyd yn oed yn lladd plant. Heddiw, mae nifer yr achosion wedi gostwng 99.9 y cant. Dros y 35 mlynedd diwethaf, mae aelodau Rotari, sy'n gweithio gyda chymunedau ledled y byd, wedi cyfrannu mwy na $2 biliwn, ac oriau gwirfoddol dirifedi, at y frwydr i ddileu polio. Ac wedi'i hysbrydoli'n rhannol gan ymrwymiad gwirfoddol Rotari a'u llwyddiant wrth godi arian, lansiwyd y fenter dileu polio fyd-eang ym 1988. Ac oherwydd yr ymdrechion hyn hefyd, mae bron i 19 miliwn o bobl, a fyddai fel arall wedi'u parlysu, yn cerdded, a mwy na 1.5 miliwn o bobl a fyddai wedi marw fel arall yn dal yn fyw. Er mai dim ond llond dwrn o achosion sydd ar ôl yn y byd, maent yn parhau i ymgyrchu, ac mae aelodau Rotari yn parhau i fod yn ffigurau allweddol mewn sawl agwedd ar y rhaglen polio. Gallai’r methiant i ddileu polio arwain at hyd at 200,000 o achosion newydd ledled y byd bob blwyddyn, o fewn degawd. Dyna pam fod yn rhaid inni barhau i weithio, a hoffwn ddiolch i aelodau Rotari ym Mhrydain ac Iwerddon sydd wedi chwarae rhan enfawr ac wedi cefnogi End Polio Now. Diolch yn fawr iawn, a diolch i bawb arall sydd wedi chwarae eu rhan yn hyn. Diolch.

15:40