Y Cyfarfod Llawn
Plenary
12/06/2024Cynnwys
Contents
Yn y fersiwn ddwyieithog, mae’r golofn chwith yn cynnwys yr iaith a lefarwyd yn y cyfarfod. Mae’r golofn dde yn cynnwys cyfieithiad o’r areithiau hynny.
In the bilingual version, the left-hand column includes the language used during the meeting. The right-hand column includes a translation of those speeches.
Cyfarfu'r Senedd yn y Siambr a thrwy gynhadledd fideo am 13:30 gyda'r Llywydd (Elin Jones) yn y Gadair.
The Senedd met in the Chamber and by video-conference at 13:30 with the Llywydd (Elin Jones) in the Chair.
Prynhawn da a chroeso, bawb, i'r Cyfarfod Llawn. Cwestiynau i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Lywodraeth Leol, Tai a Chynllunio sydd gyntaf y prynhawn yma, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Joyce Watson.
Good afternoon and welcome to this Plenary meeting. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning are first this afternoon, and the first question is from Joyce Watson.
1. Beth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i gefnogi canol trefi yng Nghanolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru? OQ61236
1. What is the Welsh Government doing to support town centres in Mid and West Wales? OQ61236
Thank you for the question, Joyce. The focus of our Transforming Towns programme is the regeneration of our town centres, making them better places in which to live and work. Since 2020, we have awarded more than £49 million of grant and loan funding to town-centre regeneration projects across Mid and West Wales.
Diolch am eich cwestiwn, Joyce. Ffocws ein rhaglen Trawsnewid Trefi yw adfywio canol ein trefi, gan eu gwneud yn lleoedd gwell i fyw a gweithio ynddynt. Ers 2020, rydym wedi dyfarnu mwy na £49 miliwn o gyllid grant a benthyciadau i brosiectau adfywio canol trefi ar draws Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru.
I thank you for that answer. I was particularly pleased to see the Transforming Towns grant being used to renovate two important historic market halls in my constituency of Mid and West Wales. Work with funds from this Welsh Government grant and European capital funding, and capital investment from Ceredigion County Council in the case of Cardigan market hall, have recently enabled the completion of restoration work in both Cardigan market hall and the Hen Farchnad, or the old market hall, in Llandeilo. Both these historic buildings were hugely important buildings in those particular town centres, and it's just fantastic to see them brought back into a good state of repair so that they can be utilised by businesses and communities alike. So, Cabinet Secretary, do you agree that the Transforming Towns grant demonstrates the Welsh Government's commitment to helping small businesses to thrive in our towns, but also to provide vital funds to regenerate those town centres?
Diolch am eich ateb. Roeddwn yn arbennig o falch o weld y grant Trawsnewid Trefi yn cael ei ddefnyddio i adnewyddu dwy neuadd farchnad hanesyddol bwysig yn fy etholaeth, Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru. Yn ddiweddar, mae gwaith gyda chyllid y grant hwn gan Lywodraeth Cymru a chyllid cyfalaf Ewropeaidd, a buddsoddiad cyfalaf gan Gyngor Sir Ceredigion yn achos neuadd farchnad Aberteifi, wedi ei gwneud hi'n bosibl cwblhau gwaith adfer yn neuadd farchnad Aberteifi a’r Hen Farchnad yn Llandeilo. Roedd y ddau adeilad hanesyddol yn adeiladau hynod bwysig yng nghanol y trefi hynny, ac mae'n wych eu gweld yn cael eu hadfer i gyflwr da fel y gall busnesau a chymunedau fel ei gilydd eu defnyddio. Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a ydych chi'n cytuno bod grant y Trawsnewid Trefi yn dangos ymrwymiad Llywodraeth Cymru i helpu busnesau bach i ffynnu yn ein trefi, a hefyd i ddarparu cyllid hanfodol i adfywio canol y trefi hynny?
Yes, thank you, Joyce, I very much agree with that. I've recently had the benefit of visiting both of those projects and they were absolutely great. The Llandeilo one is open. It's transformed what was the historic fire and rescue service, fire engine place—I don't know what you call that—garage—
Ie, diolch, Joyce, rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â hynny. Yn ddiweddar, cefais y fraint o ymweld â'r ddau brosiect, ac roeddent yn wych. Mae'r un yn Llandeilo ar agor. Mae wedi trawsnewid hen adeilad gwasanaeth tân ac achub hanesyddol, lle'r injan dân—nid wyf yn gwybod beth fyddech chi'n ei alw—garej—
Depot.
Depo.
Depot—thank you; very good. And it's really clever the way they've done it and the whole development is absolutely buzzing. I don't know if you've been, but I had an extremely pleasant coffee in the coffee shop there while we talked it through with some of the people who'd just visited. And they were saying how much the footfall for that is pouring into the town centre as well and really helping to bring the footfall up more generally. And the businesses were great there. And while we were there, there was a community event going on as well, which was great.
And then I was able to go and see the one in Cardigan. They were just on the cusp of opening, so I'm really hoping to go back this summer and see it open. And they were saying that they have a long list of people who are waiting to come back into Cardigan market who were there before, but who were looking forward to the refurbishment. They also have a long list of people looking to get in for the first time, and they've also been able to bring into active use some other disused and derelict shops in Cardigan, and so there's a bridal shop that's come there that is very up-market indeed. And they've all started as start-ups in the market.
And I thought the most impressive thing was the fact that they were using it as incubator space, so you could try out whether your project or idea worked, and if it did work, then you could move on into the town centre and take up a bigger space and leave the incubator space behind. It just had an absolute buzz. The one in Cardigan has the most beautiful stone arches as you go through—it's absolutely the most beautiful building. I don't know if the Llywydd knows it, but I was really impressed by the beauty of the building. And what was also nice is that it formed an accessible route—because it's quite steep, isn't it, Cardigan—so, you could park at the back there and you could go through, up disabled access and toilets and everything, into the town centre through the building, making a really lovely through-route past all of the new shops and buildings. So, it's very, very impressive. And it's a really good example of partnership working. So, the Welsh Government has worked really hard with both local authorities to have the match funding in place and to work with them to get the expertise to match up and so on, and in both places we also had community volunteers. I've forgotten the chap's name in Cardigan—he was so enthusiastic; he told me about the history of the building and everything. And it just shows how beloved these buildings are in their towns and the really galvanising effect it can have to renew them.
Depo—diolch; da iawn. Ac mae'r ffordd y maent wedi gwneud hynny'n glyfar iawn ac mae'r holl ddatblygiad yn fwrlwm i gyd. Nid wyf yn gwybod a ydych chi wedi bod yno, ond cefais goffi hyfryd dros ben yn y siop goffi yno wrth inni drafod gyda rhai o'r bobl a oedd newydd ymweld. Ac roeddent yn dweud cymaint o bobl sy'n llifo i ganol y dref i ymweld â'r lle hwnnw gan helpu i godi nifer yr ymwelwyr yn fwy cyffredinol. Ac roedd y busnesau'n wych yno. A thra oeddem yno, roedd digwyddiad cymunedol yn mynd rhagddo hefyd, a oedd yn wych.
Ac yna gallais fynd i weld yr un yn Aberteifi. Roeddent ar fin agor, felly rwy'n gobeithio mynd yn ôl yn yr haf i'w weld yn agor. Ac roeddent yn dweud bod ganddynt restr hir o bobl sy'n aros i ddod yn ôl i farchnad Aberteifi a oedd yn arfer bod yno, ond a oedd yn edrych ymlaen at y gwaith adnewyddu. Mae ganddynt hefyd restr hir o bobl sy'n gobeithio mynd yno am y tro cyntaf, ac maent hefyd wedi gallu dod â siopau gwag ac adfeiliedig eraill yn Aberteifi yn ôl i ddefnydd, ac felly mae siop dillad priodas wedi agor yno sy'n grand iawn wir. Ac mae pob un ohonynt wedi dechrau fel busnesau newydd yn y farchnad.
Ac roeddwn yn meddwl mai’r peth mwyaf trawiadol oedd y ffaith eu bod yn ei ddefnyddio fel man deori, felly gallech roi cynnig i weld a oedd eich prosiect neu syniad yn gweithio, ac os oedd yn gweithio, gallech symud ymlaen i ganol y dref a manteisio ar ofod mwy a gadael y man deori. Roedd y lle'n fwrlwm i gyd. Mae gan yr un yn Aberteifi fwâu maen gogoneddus wrth ichi fynd drwyddo—mae'r adeilad yn eithriadol o hardd. Nid wyf yn gwybod a yw'r Llywydd yn gyfarwydd â'r adeilad hwnnw, ond gwnaeth harddwch yr adeilad argraff fawr arnaf. Ac roedd hi hefyd yn braf ei fod yn darparu llwybr hygyrch—gan fod Aberteifi yn dref eithaf serth, onid ydyw—felly, gallech barcio yn y cefn yno a gallech fynd drwodd, drwy'r fynedfa i bobl anabl a thoiledau ac ati, i mewn i ardal canol y dref drwy'r adeilad, ar hyd llwybr hyfryd iawn heibio'r holl siopau ac adeiladau newydd. Felly, mae'n drawiadol iawn. Ac mae'n enghraifft wirioneddol dda o weithio mewn partneriaeth. Felly, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gweithio'n galed iawn gyda'r ddau awdurdod lleol i sicrhau bod arian cyfatebol ar gael ac i weithio gyda nhw i sicrhau bod yr arbenigedd priodol i'w gael ac ati, ac yn y ddau le, rydym wedi cael gwirfoddolwyr cymunedol hefyd. Rwyf wedi anghofio enw'r dyn yn Aberteifi—roedd mor frwdfrydig; dywedodd wrthyf am hanes yr adeilad a phopeth. Ac mae'n dangos pa mor hoff yw'r adeiladau hyn gan drigolion eu trefi a'r effaith wirioneddol gyffrous y gall eu hadnewyddu ei chael.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for you answer to my colleague. Now, Pembroke in my constituency is one of the finest examples of a medieval town—a fantastic castle, which is the birth place of Henry Tudor. And it's got the South Quay development happening there, which has had Welsh Government funding. And while the community are really excited to see once derelict buildings coming back to life—and I've raised this before in the Chamber—there is a little bit of concern as to what the end product of the South Quay development will become. I know that the town council have put forward a bit of a business case, which was shot down, and so there's a little bit of a frustration in the community as to what the South Quay development will become. So, when funding projects, can I ask what caveats does the Welsh Government have on that? What community engagement do they do to ensure that a project brought forward does have community buy-in and that the end product, a development such as the South Quay, is something that's needed within the locality, to revitalise our town centres?
Diolch am eich ateb i fy nghyd-Aelod, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Nawr, mae Penfro yn fy etholaeth yn un o'r enghreifftiau gorau o dref ganoloesol—castell gwych, sef man geni Harri Tudur. Ac mae datblygiad Cei'r De yno, sydd wedi cael cyllid gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Ac er bod y gymuned yn edrych ymlaen yn fawr at weld adeiladau a fu unwaith yn adfeiliedig yn dod yn ôl i ddefnydd—ac rwyf wedi codi hyn yn y Siambr o'r blaen—mae rhywfaint o bryder ynglŷn â beth fydd datblygiad Cei'r De yn y pen draw. Gwn fod cyngor y dref wedi cyflwyno achos busnes, a wrthodwyd, ac felly mae rhywfaint o rwystredigaeth yn y gymuned ynghylch beth fydd datblygiad Cei’r De yn y pen draw. Felly, wrth ariannu prosiectau, a gaf i ofyn pa amodau sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar hynny? Pa ymgysylltu cymunedol a wneir ganddynt i sicrhau bod cefnogaeth gan y gymuned i brosiect a gyflwynir, a bod y cynnyrch terfynol, datblygiad fel Cei'r De, yn rhywbeth sydd ei angen yn yr ardal leol, i adfywio canol ein trefi?
So, these are very much partnerships between the local authority and the Welsh Government, and it's the local authority that brings forward the ideas. So, we provide the placemaking grants. We provide them both regionally and to individual councils. For the regional ones, which are smaller grants, we have a lead authority, but each authority has a say in what the regional spend looks like. One of the things that we've been trying to do—I'm not trying to make a political point here, actually—is we've been trying to make sure that the shared prosperity levelling-up funds jigsaw in, if you like, to that, so that we can have complementary investment. So, we've got quite good arrangements in place to make sure that they do jigsaw in, rather than stand alone. And so, the local authority puts forward the business case, and the Welsh Government completely relies on the local authority to do that. I don't have the details of that one, so I don't know what it's got in mind for it, and I haven't visited that one—it's probably the only one that I haven't visited, so I do plan to. So, the local authority will have done the business case, if you like, for it, and it will have come partly to the Welsh Government and partly to the regional forum to have a discussion about it. And as part of the business case, they will have consulted. I'm afraid I don't know the details of that specific one, but it's very much a process, a kind of team process, to bring them forward.
Obviously, the idea is that, sometimes, a quite big amount of money—it can be millions—and, sometimes, a relatively small amount of money, can bring regeneration and life, really, back to a derelict part of a town. And we're particularly interested in doing heritage projects, because they tend not to be affordable if they're commercially developed, because the land values are too small. And so, the placemaking grant in particular is looking at making affordable projects that bring heritage buildings back to life, where, otherwise, they wouldn't be commercially viable.
Mae'r rhain yn bartneriaethau rhwng yr awdurdod lleol a Llywodraeth Cymru, a'r awdurdod lleol sy'n cyflwyno'r syniadau. Felly, ni sy'n darparu’r grantiau creu lleoedd. Rydym yn eu darparu yn rhanbarthol ac i gynghorau unigol. Ar gyfer y rhai rhanbarthol, sy’n grantiau llai, mae gennym awdurdod arweiniol, ond mae gan bob awdurdod lais ynglŷn â sut olwg sydd ar y gwariant rhanbarthol. Un o'r pethau rydym wedi bod yn ceisio eu gwneud—nid wyf yn ceisio gwneud pwynt gwleidyddol yma—yw ceisio sicrhau bod y gronfa ffyniant bro a'r gronfa ffyniant gyffredin yn cyd-blethu, os mynnwch, fel y gallwn gael buddsoddiad ategol. Felly, mae gennym drefniadau eithaf da ar waith i sicrhau eu bod yn cyd-blethu, yn hytrach na'n sefyll ar eu pen eu hunain. Ac felly, yr awdurdod lleol sy’n cyflwyno’r achos busnes, ac mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn dibynnu’n llwyr ar yr awdurdod lleol i wneud hynny. Nid oes gennyf fanylion ynghylch hwnnw, felly nid wyf yn gwybod beth sydd ganddo mewn golwg ar ei gyfer, ac nid wyf wedi ymweld â'r un hwnnw—mae'n debyg mai dyna'r unig un nad wyf wedi ymweld ag ef, felly rwy'n bwriadu gwneud hynny. Felly, bydd yr awdurdod lleol wedi gwneud yr achos busnes ar ei gyfer, a bydd wedi dod yn rhannol i Lywodraeth Cymru ac yn rhannol i’r fforwm rhanbarthol i gael trafodaeth yn ei gylch. Ac fel rhan o'r achos busnes, byddant wedi ymgynghori. Mae arnaf ofn nad wyf yn ymwybodol o fanylion yr un penodol hwnnw, ond mae'n broses, yn fath o broses tîm, i'w cyflwyno.
Yn amlwg, y syniad yw, weithiau, gall swm eithaf mawr o arian—gall fod yn filiynau—ac weithiau, swm cymharol fach o arian, adfywio a dod â bywyd yn ôl i ran adfeiliedig o dref. Ac mae gennym ddiddordeb arbennig mewn gwneud prosiectau treftadaeth, am nad ydynt yn tueddu i fod yn fforddiadwy os cânt eu datblygu'n fasnachol, gan fod gwerthoedd tir yn rhy fach. Ac felly, mae'r grant creu lleoedd yn enwedig yn edrych ar wneud prosiectau fforddiadwy sy'n dod ag adeiladau treftadaeth yn ôl yn fyw, lle na fyddent, fel arall, yn fasnachol hyfyw.
Diolch i Joyce Watson am y cwestiwn. Fel rŷn ni i gyd yn gwybod, mae'n trefi cefn gwlad ni, trefi ar draws Cymru, wedi dioddef yn arw iawn, iawn oherwydd Brexit—
I'd like to thank Joyce Watson for the question. As we all know, our rural towns, towns across Wales, have suffered a great deal as a result of Brexit—
Os gallwn ni oedi am eiliad, i wneud yn siŵr bod y cyfieithu'n gweithio.
If we can just pause for a second, to ensure that the interpretation is working.
Sorry, I was on the wrong channel.
Mae'n ddrwg gennyf, roeddwn ar y sianel anghywir.
Iawn. Os gallwch chi ddechrau eto, Cefin Campbell.
Okay. If you could start again, Cefin Campbell.
Ocê. Fel rŷn ni i gyd yn gwybod, mae'n trefi marchnad ni ar draws Cymru gyfan wedi dioddef yn arw iawn, iawn oherwydd Brexit, COVID, a'r argyfwng costau byw diweddar. Nawr, un model sy'n cael ei weithredu yw'r un gan Gyngor Sir Gâr, sef cynllun o'r enw Deg Tref, yn canolbwyntio ar 10 o drefi marchnad, gan gynnwys, fel roedd Joyce Watson yn cyfeirio ato, Llandeilo, a llefydd fel Llanybydder, Castellnewydd Emlyn, Sanclêr, ac yn y blaen. Ac mae yna arian Trawsnewid Trefi wedi cael ei ddefnyddio i bwrpas da, fel yr Hen Farchnad yn Llandeilo. Ond mae e hefyd wedi mynd y tu hwnt i hynny drwy gynnig arian i fusnesau bach i wella eu darpariaeth a hefyd i weddnewid adeiladau, i wneud y trefi yma'n fwy deniadol i dwristiaid ac i ymwelwyr. Felly, gaf i ofyn i chi ydych chi'n ymwybodol o'r cynllun Deg Tref yng Nghyngor Sir Gâr, ac ydych chi'n credu bod y model hwn o dargedu trefi yn rhywbeth y gallai gael ei efelychu gan awdurdodau lleol eraill ar draws Cymru?
Okay. As we all know, our market towns across the whole of Wales have suffered a great deal as a result of Brexit, COVID, and the cost-of-living crisis recently. Now, one model that's being implemented is one by Carmarthenshire County Council, which is a scheme called Deg Tref, Ten Towns, focusing on 10 market towns, including, as Joyce Watson mentioned, Llandeilo, and places like Llanybydder, Newcastle Emlyn, St Clears, and so on. And Transforming Towns funds have been used to good end, such as the old market in Llandeilo, as we've heard. But it's also gone beyond that by providing funding to small businesses to improve their provision and also to transform buildings, to make these towns more attractive to tourists and visitors. So, could I ask if you are aware of the Carmarthenshire County Council Ten Towns programme, and do you think that this model of targeting towns is something that could be emulated by other local authorities across Wales?
Thank you, Cefin. Sorry for not having that sorted out fast enough and making you repeat yourself. I am aware of it, yes. It very much follows the pattern of 'Future Wales: The National Plan 2040', the spatial plan for Wales, where we've been very keen to make sure that every town in Wales does not think it can do everything, and that we can target specific things at specific towns. So, we have a 'town centre first' policy, which means that we're trying to stop out-of-town spread, but it doesn't mean that every single regional town in Wales is going to be able to have the same offering. And actually, we know that the Ten Towns kind of strategy, where what you're doing is looking to see that you've got a hole in a particular area, and you can have specialisms, if you like, or particular offerings, in particular towns, really works. I don't think any of us like identikit towns, where you turn up and the high street looks exactly the same in every one. That doesn't really work, and it's a model that's really fading now as retail trends change. What really does work is the kinds of towns that you do get in—. I'm very fond of Carmarthen itself, actually, and the way that it's clustered around the market there, and the centre is lovely. But it's because it's unique, isn't it? You go there because it's a unique experience, and you get a completely different set of shops there than if you go to Cardigan, for example. It feels different. It's a nice experience, so it very much does work, and I very much commend the council on its strategy. It is one that we have been pushing through 'Future Wales' as well, and I think it's one where people can take a real pride in the individuality of their particular village or town or city, whichever it may be.
Diolch yn fawr, Cefin. Mae'n ddrwg gennyf am beidio â datrys hynny'n ddigon cyflym a gwneud ichi ailadrodd eich hun. Rwy’n ymwybodol ohono, ydw. Mae'n dilyn patrwm 'Cymru’r Dyfodol: y Cynllun Cenedlaethol 2040', y cynllun gofodol ar gyfer Cymru, lle rydym wedi bod yn awyddus iawn i sicrhau nad yw pob tref yng Nghymru yn meddwl y gall wneud popeth, ac y gallwn dargedu pethau penodol at drefi penodol. Felly, mae gennym bolisi 'canol trefi yn gyntaf', sy'n golygu ein bod yn ceisio atal lledaeniad y tu allan i'r dref, ond nid yw'n golygu y bydd pob tref ranbarthol yng Nghymru yn gallu cael yr un cynnig. Ac mewn gwirionedd, fe wyddom fod strategaeth fel Deg Tref, lle rydych chi'n edrych am fylchau mewn ardal benodol, a gallwch gael arbenigeddau, os mynnwch, neu gynigion penodol, mewn trefi penodol, yn gweithio go iawn. Ni chredaf fod unrhyw un ohonom yn hoffi trefi unffurf, lle rydych chi'n mynd yno ac mae'r stryd fawr yn edrych yn union yr un fath ym mhob un. Nid yw hynny'n gweithio, ac mae'n fodel sy'n diflannu bellach wrth i dueddiadau manwerthu newid. Yr hyn sy'n gweithio'n dda yw'r mathau o drefi a gewch—. Rwy'n hoff iawn o Gaerfyrddin ei hun, a dweud y gwir, a'r ffordd y mae wedi'i chlystyru o amgylch y farchnad yno, ac mae'r canol yn hyfryd. Ond mae'n hyfryd am ei bod yn unigryw. Rydych chi'n mynd yno am ei fod yn brofiad unigryw ac rydych chi'n cael set hollol wahanol o siopau yno na phe baech chi'n mynd i Aberteifi, er enghraifft. Mae'n teimlo'n wahanol. Mae’n brofiad braf, felly mae’n gweithio’n dda, ac rwy’n canmol y cyngor yn fawr iawn ar ei strategaeth. Mae’n strategaeth y buom yn ei hybu drwy Cymru’r Dyfodol hefyd, a chredaf ei bod yn un lle gall pobl ymfalchïo yn unigoliaeth eu pentref neu dref neu ddinas, beth bynnag y bo.
2. Pa gynlluniau sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru i ddefnyddio cyfraith gynllunio i gryfhau mesurau i ddiogelu adeiladau hanesyddol? OQ61246
2. What plans does the Welsh Government have to use planning law to strengthen the protection of historic buildings? OQ61246
Thank you for the question, Jenny. The current legislation, including the Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2023, and planning policy, which includes 'Future Wales: The National Plan 2040', 'Planning Policy Wales' and technical advice note, or TAN 24, on the historic environment, together provide a robust framework to ensure the protection, conservation and enhancement of historic buildings and the broader historic environment.
Diolch am eich cwestiwn, Jenny. Mae’r ddeddfwriaeth bresennol, gan gynnwys Deddf yr Amgylchedd Hanesyddol (Cymru) 2023, a pholisi cynllunio, sy’n cynnwys ‘Cymru’r Dyfodol: y Cynllun Cenedlaethol 2040’, ‘Polisi Cynllunio Cymru’ a nodyn cyngor technegol, neu TAN 24, ar yr amgylchedd hanesyddol, gyda’i gilydd yn darparu fframwaith cadarn i sicrhau bod adeiladau hanesyddol a'r amgylchedd hanesyddol ehangach yn cael eu gwarchod, eu cadw a'u gwella.
Well, I'm interested to hear that you say that this is a robust planning framework, because several issues have arisen in my constituency that indicate that planning law has yet to be really on the right side of preserving historic buildings. So, the Vulcan pub had to be shipped off to St Fagans museum to be lovingly restored there, and the historic Roath Park pub on City Road—a very fine facade—had been slated for demolition several times over the last decade, even though its three-storey structure would have made it quite suitable for converting into flats. It's taken a monumental effort by local councillors to energise the local community, draw up petitions, force plans to be changed, and, thanks to those efforts, the pub facade, which dates back to 1886, will be saved. I'm not sure if you'd even describe them as success stories, but at least something is being restored. Across Wales, our historic vernacular is falling down in front of our eyes in many cases, because barns that were previously used, or houses for landworkers, are abandoned, and local people find it very difficult to use the planning law to protect these historic buildings—
Wel, mae'n ddiddorol eich clywed yn dweud bod hwn yn fframwaith cynllunio cadarn, gan fod sawl mater wedi codi yn fy etholaeth i, sy'n dynodi nad yw cyfraith cynllunio wedi bod ar yr ochr iawn o ran cadw adeiladau hanesyddol. Felly, bu’n rhaid cludo tafarn y Vulcan i amgueddfa Sain Ffagan i gael ei hadnewyddu’n gariadus yno, ac mae sawl cynllun wedi bod i ddymchwel tafarn hanesyddol Roath Park ar Heol y Ddinas—ffasâd hardd iawn—dros y degawd diwethaf, er y byddai'r adeilad tri llawr wedi bod yn addas iawn i'w drawsnewid yn fflatiau. Mae wedi cymryd ymdrech aruthrol gan gynghorwyr lleol i fywiogi’r gymuned leol, llunio deisebau, gorfodi cynlluniau i gael eu newid, a diolch i’r ymdrechion hynny, bydd ffasâd y dafarn, sy’n dyddio’n ôl i 1886, yn cael ei achub. Nid wyf yn siŵr a fyddech chi hyd yn oed yn eu disgrifio fel enghreifftiau o lwyddiant, ond o leiaf mae rhywbeth yn cael ei adfer. Ledled Cymru, mae ein hadeiladau hanesyddol yn dadfeilio o flaen ein llygaid mewn llawer o achosion, gan fod ysguboriau a arferai gael eu defnyddio, neu dai ar gyfer gweithwyr tir, yn wag, ac mae pobl leol yn ei chael hi'n anodd iawn defnyddio’r gyfraith gynllunio i warchod yr adeiladau hanesyddol hyn—
I'll need a question now, Jenny.
Bydd angen cwestiwn arnaf nawr, Jenny.
—yes, okay—without the innovation required to adapt them to modern needs. So, how could the planning system become more dynamic to protect our buildings' heritage, whilst also making them fit for the future?
—iawn, o'r gorau—heb yr arloesi sydd ei angen i'w haddasu i anghenion modern. Felly, sut y gallai’r system gynllunio ddod yn fwy dynamig i warchod treftadaeth ein hadeiladau, gan eu gwneud yn addas at y dyfodol ar yr un pryd?
Thank you, Jenny. So, there are some complexities around who has the responsibility to list what. So, the decision to list a building is, obviously, based on the special architectural or historic interest of the building, which is obvious. Where it's not listed, you can request a spot listing, but that does need to draw attention to new evidence that may not have been available previously, or explain why it's been overlooked in the past. But, again, that's not a terribly high hurdle—we all know of spot-listed buildings. And then buildings are added to the list, either as a result of a survey of a particular area or building type, or following a request from local authorities, societies, other bodies or individuals, or, indeed, just community groups, and I'm aware of several of those that have happened.
Cadw does it at the national level, but the identification and protection of locally important buildings at the local level is done by the local authorities in fact, not by the Welsh Government, through Cadw. And, although there are lots of buildings that don't meet the threshold for national importance, exactly as you say, there are lots of buildings that meet the threshold for local importance—they're particularly beloved in the local area or they have a particular historic significance in a very local area, and the local authority can list them on that basis. Cardiff Council, which, obviously, covers the area that you're talking about, does have a list of important buildings. It does maintain that list, and I understand it's currently reviewing the list. Councils also have what's called an 'article 4 direction'. So, that's the ability to make sure that you have to have full planning consent in order to do anything to particular listed buildings that they maintain on the list. So, they do have quite extensive powers. I suspect what you're talking about there is how you would make sure the council exercises those powers, and I think that is a combination of making sure that the local councillors are aware. I do periodically write out to local authorities reminding them that they have these powers. And the Deputy Minister for culture, Dawn Bowden, in her previous job, actually, wrote out to all the councils reminding them that they had the powers to do this. I can't comment on the Roath Park one, because that's an ongoing active planning application, so I can't comment on the specifics of that. But I do know that Cardiff has an active list and it is currently reviewing it. So, perhaps, now is a very good time to make sure that anything you want preserved is actually on that list.
And then, just to say, on the last point, it is in the council's gift not to allow a developer to demolish a building until they have specific planning consent and a contract let for the new build that goes with it. Because I do think you often get the case in local authorities that the demolition happens before the rest of it. So, I'm very happy to remind local authorities that they have the power to phase that in, so that you can give the most protection to facades and so on, because, if they're left standing unsupported for many years, they can become difficult to use. If you want to drop me a line, I'm very happy to write out to councils reminding them that there are powers to be able to do things in that space.
Diolch, Jenny. Felly, mae yna rai cymhlethdodau ynghylch pwy sy'n gyfrifol am restru beth. Felly, mae’r penderfyniad i restru adeilad yn amlwg yn seiliedig ar ddiddordeb pensaernïol neu hanesyddol arbennig yr adeilad, sy’n amlwg. Lle nad yw wedi'i restru, gallwch ofyn am ei restru yn y fan a'r lle, ond mae angen i hynny nodi tystiolaeth newydd nad oedd ar gael yn flaenorol o bosibl, neu esbonio pam y cafodd ei anwybyddu yn y gorffennol. Ond unwaith eto, nid yw hynny'n rhwystr ofnadwy o fawr—gŵyr pob un ohonom am adeiladau sydd wedi eu rhestru yn y fan a'r lle. Ac wedyn, mae adeiladau’n cael eu hychwanegu at y rhestr, naill ai o ganlyniad i arolwg o ardal benodol neu fath arbennig o adeilad, neu'n dilyn cais gan awdurdodau lleol, cymdeithasau, cyrff neu unigolion eraill, neu grwpiau cymunedol yn wir, ac rwy’n ymwybodol o sawl achos o hynny.
Cadw sy'n gwneud hyn ar lefel genedlaethol, ond yr awdurdodau lleol, nid Llywodraeth Cymru drwy Cadw, sy’n nodi ac yn diogelu adeiladau o bwysigrwydd lleol. Ac er bod llawer o adeiladau nad ydynt yn cyrraedd y trothwy ar gyfer pwysigrwydd cenedlaethol, yn union fel y dywedwch, mae llawer o adeiladau yn cyrraedd y trothwy ar gyfer pwysigrwydd lleol—maent yn arbennig o hoff gan drigolion yr ardal leol, neu mae ganddynt arwyddocâd hanesyddol arbennig mewn ardal leol iawn, a gall yr awdurdod lleol eu rhestru ar y sail honno. Mae gan Gyngor Caerdydd, sy'n amlwg yn gyfrifol am yr ardal y soniwch amdani, restr o adeiladau pwysig. Mae'n cadw'r rhestr honno, a deallaf ei fod yn adolygu'r rhestr ar hyn o bryd. Mae gan gynghorau hefyd yr hyn a elwir yn 'gyfarwyddyd erthygl 4'. Felly, golyga hynny y gallu i sicrhau bod yn rhaid ichi gael caniatâd cynllunio llawn er mwyn gwneud unrhyw beth i adeiladau rhestredig penodol a gedwir ganddynt ar y rhestr. Felly, mae ganddynt bwerau eithaf helaeth. Rwy'n tybio mai'r hyn rydych chi'n sôn amdano yw sut y byddech chi'n sicrhau bod y cyngor yn arfer y pwerau hynny, a chredaf fod hynny'n gyfuniad o sicrhau bod y cynghorwyr lleol yn ymwybodol. Rwy'n ysgrifennu at awdurdodau lleol o bryd i'w gilydd i'w hatgoffa bod ganddynt y pwerau hyn. Ac ysgrifennodd y Dirprwy Weinidog diwylliant, Dawn Bowden, yn ei swydd flaenorol at yr holl gynghorau i'w hatgoffa bod ganddynt y pwerau i wneud hyn. Ni allaf wneud sylw ar dafarn Roath Park am ei fod yn gais cynllunio gweithredol sydd ar y gweill, felly ni allaf wneud sylw ar fanylion hynny. Ond gwn fod gan Gaerdydd restr weithredol a'u bod yn ei hadolygu ar hyn o bryd. Felly, efallai fod nawr yn amser da iawn i sicrhau bod unrhyw beth rydych am iddo gael ei gadw wedi'i nodi ar y rhestr honno.
Ac yna, ar y pwynt olaf, penderfyniad i'r cyngor yw peidio â chaniatáu i ddatblygwr ddymchwel adeilad hyd nes bod ganddynt ganiatâd cynllunio penodol a chontract wedi'i osod ar gyfer yr adeilad newydd sy'n cyd-fynd ag ef. Oherwydd yn aml, mewn awdurdodau lleol, credaf fod y gwaith dymchwel yn digwydd cyn y gweddill. Felly, rwy'n fwy na pharod i atgoffa awdurdodau lleol fod ganddynt bŵer i gyflwyno hynny fesul cam, fel y gallwch roi'r amddiffyniad mwyaf i ffasadau ac ati, oherwydd, os cânt eu gadael i sefyll heb eu cynnal am flynyddoedd lawer, gallant ddod yn anodd eu defnyddio. Os hoffech gysylltu â mi, rwy'n fwy na pharod i ysgrifennu at gynghorau i'w hatgoffa bod pwerau ar gael i allu gwneud pethau yn y cyswllt hwnnw.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Peter Fox.
Questions now from the party spokespeople. Conservative spokesperson, Peter Fox.
Diolch, Llywydd. It's good to be able to ask you questions, Cabinet Secretary. We've worked together in a different role, when I was a leader, and so it's nice to interact on that same subject. Cabinet Secretary, I know you would agree that good local government provided services are absolutely essential in many ways, and certainly key to helping things, such as reducing demand on the NHS, for example. However, due to reducing resources, local authorities have had to make difficult decisions that erode the opportunity for services, such as leisure and social care, to be able to respond to that bigger picture. Cabinet Secretary, can the local government family have confidence that you will make the case for their services to your fellow Cabinet colleagues, recognising that they could play a key role in helping to address issues faced in areas, such as health?
Diolch, Lywydd. Mae’n dda gallu gofyn cwestiynau i chi, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Rydym wedi gweithio gyda'n gilydd mewn rôl wahanol, pan oeddwn yn arweinydd, ac felly mae'n braf rhyngweithio ar yr un pwnc. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, gwn y byddech yn cytuno bod gwasanaethau da a ddarperir gan lywodraeth leol yn gwbl hanfodol mewn sawl ffordd, ac yn sicr yn allweddol i helpu pethau, megis lleihau’r galw ar y GIG, er enghraifft. Fodd bynnag, wrth i'w hadnoddau leihau, mae awdurdodau lleol wedi gorfod gwneud penderfyniadau anodd sy’n erydu’r cyfle i wasanaethau, megis hamdden a gofal cymdeithasol, allu ymateb i’r darlun ehangach hwnnw. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a all y teulu llywodraeth leol fod yn hyderus y byddwch yn dadlau'r achos dros eu gwasanaethau i’ch cyd-Aelodau yn y Cabinet, gan gydnabod y gallent chwarae rhan allweddol wrth helpu i fynd i’r afael â phroblemau a wynebir mewn rhai meysydd, megis iechyd?
Thank you for that question, Peter. I mean, I completely agree with that, and I know you know that, because we worked very closely, as you say, during the COVID pandemic, when you were leader of Monmouthshire County Council and I was the local government Minister. You'll know that I am deeply committed to local government and its ability to assist with a range of problems, because the solutions often are in the fundamentals. I mean, there's no doubt that councils have faced serious austerity measures. But, even inside that, there are things that can be done. We work very closely with the local authorities to make sure that we understand the specific pressures.
I do think one of the most important things that we have been pushing for for some time, and I want to continue to push for, is the multi-annual settlement, because, for the last few years, we've had single-year settlements, because the Welsh Government has had single-year settlements. And I think one of the problems there is you cannot plan out for the future in a way that means that non-statutory services, which are nevertheless essential, like leisure services—youth services are another one—it's very hard for the council to plan in expenditure on those non-statutory services, where there isn't a multi-annual settlement. So, I have been pushing very hard to have a multi-annual settlement put in place. It's very difficult when we don't have one. But we are very hopeful that we'll be able to persuade whoever the incoming Government is that multi-annual settlements are the way forward, and that allows proper planning and budgeting in the public sector space.
Diolch am eich cwestiwn, Peter. Rwy’n cytuno’n llwyr â hynny, a gwn eich bod yn gwybod hynny, gan inni weithio gyda'n gilydd yn agos iawn, fel y dywedwch, yn ystod y pandemig COVID, pan oeddech chi'n arweinydd Cyngor Sir Fynwy a minnau’n Weinidog llywodraeth leol. Fe fyddwch yn gwybod fy mod wedi ymrwymo’n llwyr i lywodraeth leol a’i gallu i gynorthwyo gydag ystod o broblemau, gan fod yr atebion yn aml yn yr hanfodion. Hynny yw, nid oes unrhyw amheuaeth fod cynghorau wedi wynebu mesurau cyni difrifol. Ond hyd yn oed yn y cyd-destun hwnnw, mae pethau y gellir eu gwneud. Rydym yn gweithio’n agos iawn gyda’r awdurdodau lleol i sicrhau ein bod yn deall y pwysau penodol.
Credaf mai un o’r pethau pwysicaf y buom yn gwthio amdanynt ers peth amser, ac rwy'n awyddus i barhau i wthio amdano, yw’r setliad amlflwydd, oherwydd, am yr ychydig flynyddoedd diwethaf, rydym wedi cael setliadau un flwyddyn, am fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cael setliadau un flwyddyn. A chredaf mai un o'r problemau yn hynny o beth yw na allwch gynllunio ar gyfer y dyfodol mewn ffordd sy'n golygu bod gwasanaethau anstatudol, sy'n hanfodol serch hynny, fel gwasanaethau hamdden—mae gwasanaethau ieuenctid yn un arall—mae'n anodd iawn i'r cyngor gynllunio eu gwariant ar y gwasanaethau anstatudol hynny, pan nad oes setliad amlflwydd. Felly, rwyf wedi bod yn gwthio’n galed iawn i sicrhau setliad amlflwydd. Mae'n anodd iawn pan nad oes gennym un. Ond rydym yn obeithiol iawn y gallwn berswadio pwy bynnag fydd y Llywodraeth newydd mai setliadau amlflwydd yw’r ffordd ymlaen, ac mae hynny’n caniatáu cynllunio a chyllidebu priodol yn y sector cyhoeddus.
Thank you for that, Cabinet Secretary. And I agree with that. I understand what councils are up against. We know, though, that the settlement we've had here in Wales has probably been the largest we've had ever. However, we know that local government did have a real-terms cut this last budget, even though they recognise that they need £600 million of additional revenue. Now, I know that that money isn't available, but comprehension of the implications of underinvestment need to be understood by everyone. Many key services, as you know, are on a knife edge, such as social care, where there is a huge amount of weekly unmet need across the country; education, where schools are struggling to retain the staff they need; and we know that many discretionary services are being hit hard and are facing a cliff edge. Cabinet Secretary, what advice would you give to council leaders who are concerned about the future? Where should they really be focusing their axe?
Diolch am hynny, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Ac rwy'n cytuno â hynny. Rwy’n deall yr hyn sy'n wynebu'r cynghorau. Fe wyddom, serch hynny, mai'r setliad a gawsom yma yng Nghymru yw'r mwyaf a gawsom erioed yn ôl pob tebyg. Fodd bynnag, fe wyddom fod llywodraeth leol wedi cael toriad mewn termau real yn y gyllideb ddiwethaf hon, er eu bod yn cydnabod bod angen £600 miliwn o refeniw ychwanegol arnynt. Nawr, gwn nad yw'r arian hwnnw ar gael, ond mae angen i bawb ddeall goblygiadau tanfuddsoddi. Mae llawer o wasanaethau allweddol yn y fantol fel y gwyddoch, megis gofal cymdeithasol, lle mae llawer iawn o angen heb ei ddiwallu yn wythnosol ledled y wlad; addysg, lle mae ysgolion yn ei chael hi'n anodd cadw'r staff sydd eu hangen arnynt; a gwyddom fod llawer o wasanaethau disgresiynol yn cael eu taro’n galed ac ar ymyl y dibyn. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, pa gyngor y byddech yn ei roi i arweinwyr cynghorau sy’n pryderu am y dyfodol? Ble dylent fod yn canolbwyntio eu bwyell mewn gwirionedd?
So, I've embarked on a sort of traditional tour of a new local government Minister around the local authorities. I met with nearly all of the local authorities in north Wales last week; I wasn't able to manage to set up a meeting with one of them. I also meet—you'll remember this from your time, Peter—with the political groups. So, this morning, I met with the independent group leaders and we discussed a range of issues that they have. I have a regular scheduled meeting with the group leaders, and then I have a fortnightly meeting, exactly as we did with COVID—I've reconstituted it—where the leaders and chief executives will come together and we'll address specific issues that have been raised in the individual and group meetings to see if we can find mutually beneficial solutions to some of the problems.
So, to give you an example, it is very difficult to recruit social care workers at the moment. We have a little bit of a problem of local authorities competing with each other, so each of them offering a supplement in a given area, very great for the individual social care worker because they can move around and increase their salary, but not so great for the service because it brings churn and uncertainty. So, working with them to make sure that we have a unified pay structure, that we have an understanding of what that regional service needs to look like, and how we can make the best use of a scarce resource is just one of the things that we're doing.
There are a number of professions across Wales that are in short supply. With my previous hat on as climate change Minister, I know that there is a real shortage of flood engineers across Wales. I've been talking with regional groupings of local authorities about how we could share out the expertise that's there. And just to give the example—I know you're familiar with this—so, minerals planning, for example, is a speciality, and it's done by two authorities, Flintshire in the north and Carmarthenshire in the south. Everyone gets their advice from there, so that we aren't fishing in the same pool, we're not driving a resource shortage. Because, actually, that is a speciality that everybody needs now and again, but nobody needs all the time. So, there are some solutions that can be put in place. They are about co-operation and teamwork, as you know.
Rwyf wedi cychwyn ar ryw fath o daith draddodiadol i Weinidog llywodraeth leol newydd o gwmpas yr awdurdodau lleol. Cyfarfûm â bron i bob un o’r awdurdodau lleol yng ngogledd Cymru yr wythnos diwethaf; ni lwyddais i drefnu cyfarfod ag un ohonynt. Rwyf hefyd yn cyfarfod—fe fyddwch yn cofio hyn o'ch amser chi fel arweinydd, Peter—â'r grwpiau gwleidyddol. Felly, y bore yma, cyfarfûm ag arweinwyr y grwpiau annibynnol a buom yn trafod ystod o faterion. Mae gennyf gyfarfod rheolaidd wedi'i drefnu gydag arweinwyr y grwpiau, ac yna mae gennyf gyfarfod bob pythefnos, yn union fel y gwnaethom gyda COVID—rwyf wedi ei ailgyfansoddi—lle bydd yr arweinwyr a'r prif weithredwyr yn dod ynghyd a byddwn yn mynd i'r afael â materion penodol sydd wedi'u codi yn y cyfarfodydd unigol a'r cyfarfodydd grŵp i weld a allwn ddod o hyd i atebion i rai o’r problemau sydd o fudd i bawb.
Felly, i roi enghraifft i chi, mae’n anodd iawn recriwtio gweithwyr gofal cymdeithasol ar hyn o bryd. Mae gennym broblem lle mae awdurdodau lleol yn cystadlu â’i gilydd, gyda phob un ohonynt yn cynnig tâl atodol mewn maes penodol, sy'n wych iawn i’r gweithiwr gofal cymdeithasol unigol gan y gallant symud o gwmpas a chynyddu eu cyflog, ond nid yw mor wych i'r gwasanaeth, am ei fod yn arwain at newid staff ac ansicrwydd. Felly, mae gweithio gyda nhw i sicrhau bod gennym strwythur tâl unedig, fod gennym ddealltwriaeth o sut olwg a ddylai fod ar y gwasanaeth rhanbarthol hwnnw, a sut y gallwn wneud y defnydd gorau o adnoddau prin yn un o’r pethau a wnawn.
Mae nifer o broffesiynau ledled Cymru yn brin o staff. O fy nghyfnod fel Gweinidog newid hinsawdd, gwn fod prinder gwirioneddol o beirianwyr llifogydd ledled Cymru. Rwyf wedi bod yn siarad â grwpiau rhanbarthol o awdurdodau lleol ynglŷn â sut y gallem rannu'r arbenigedd sydd yno. Er enghraifft—gwn eich bod yn gyfarwydd â hyn—mae cynllunio mwynau, er enghraifft, yn arbenigedd, ac fe'i gwneir gan ddau awdurdod, sef sir y Fflint yn y gogledd a sir Gaerfyrddin yn y de. Mae pawb yn cael eu cyngor ganddynt, fel nad ydym yn pysgota yn yr un pwll, nid ydym yn achosi prinder adnoddau. Oherwydd, mewn gwirionedd, mae hwnnw'n arbenigedd sydd ei angen ar bawb o bryd i'w gilydd, ond nid oes unrhyw un ei angen drwy'r amser. Felly, mae rhai atebion y gellir eu rhoi ar waith. Maent yn ymwneud â chydweithio a gwaith tîm, fel y gwyddoch.
Thank you for that. I'm carrying on with this theme a bit because it's really important, I think, that local government is seen as a fundamental player in driving lots of things. I sadly feel that, sometimes in this place, local government isn't considered enough and perhaps comes as an afterthought, where it should be fundamental to driving lots of that change.
I'm sure you would agree with me that there needs to be that holistic, joined-up approach to the Welsh public service. The portfolio approach doesn't facilitate a sustainable future for local government, as the sector is often the casualty of Government's pursuit of other priorities.
So, Cabinet Secretary, will you consider facilitating perhaps a local government summit—I know you're meeting with individuals—to lay the foundations for a sustainable future for our councils and the services they provide? Services that we know are so fundamentally important to society as a whole. I know the WLGA have done things like that before, but I think we're at a time when we're under such significant pressure, as we are, recognising that the councils are struggling and they can play such a fundamental part in that bigger, holistic picture, I think it would go some way in laying the foundations and raising the recognition of the service area.
Diolch am hynny. Rwyf am barhau â'r thema hon gan y credaf ei bod yn bwysig iawn fod llywodraeth leol yn cael ei hystyried yn chwaraewr hollbwysig wrth ysgogi llawer o bethau. Yn anffodus, yn y lle hwn, teimlaf weithiau na roddir digon o ystyriaeth i lywodraeth leol ac efallai ei bod yn ôl-ystyriaeth, lle dylai fod yn hollbwysig wrth ysgogi llawer o’r newid hwnnw.
Rwy'n siŵr y byddech yn cytuno â mi fod angen dull cyfannol, cydgysylltiedig o ymdrin â gwasanaethau cyhoeddus Cymru. Nid yw'r dull portffolio yn hwyluso dyfodol cynaliadwy i lywodraeth leol, gan mai'r sector yn aml sy'n dioddef wrth i'r Llywodraeth fynd ar drywydd blaenoriaethau eraill.
Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a wnewch chi ystyried hwyluso uwchgynhadledd llywodraeth leol efallai—gwn eich bod yn cyfarfod ag unigolion—i osod y sylfeini ar gyfer dyfodol cynaliadwy i'n cynghorau a'r gwasanaethau y maent yn eu darparu? Gwasanaethau y gwyddom eu bod mor hanfodol bwysig i'r gymdeithas gyfan. Gwn fod CLlLC wedi gwneud pethau felly o’r blaen, ond credaf ein bod mewn cyfnod lle rydym o dan bwysau mor sylweddol, byddai cydnabod bod y cynghorau’n ei chael hi’n anodd ac y gallant chwarae rhan mor hollbwysig yn y darlun ehangach, cyfannol, yn mynd yn bell i osod y sylfeini a sicrhau mwy o gydnabyddiaeth i’r maes gwasanaeth.
Yes. I'm not sure we'd call it a summit, but we've got something very similar going on. Again, I'm following a pattern that I had when I was last in this seat, really. I think, since you've got elected to this place, Peter, things have slightly changed. The partnership council now has every leader and every chief executive invited to it—I think there was a sub-set when you were leader—and we do that on purpose, so that we can do exactly as you've just said. We also invite partner organisations to those, so we can make sure that we have a conversation that includes health, for example, or includes other partner organisations.
I also have ministerial responsibility for Academi Wales, and we've been pushing the one public service point. That sounds so simple, doesn't it? But, actually, it turns out to be very complicated. Even to move staff between local authorities on secondment is complicated. Moving them between the Welsh Government and local authorities is incredibly complicated because the pension schemes are different and all the rest of it. Nevertheless, we're determined to make it happen. So, one of the themes in the Academi Wales leadership summit this summer is one Welsh public service, with a view to doing exactly that, to make sure that colleagues in health and in Welsh Government and in local government work together as a seamless whole. Because, as you rightly said, local government is the good, solid foundation, if you like, for most of the rest of the services.
And I also have been asking colleagues right across the Welsh Government to make sure that they come through my office, when they're asking things of local government, so that we can keep an eye on the totality of the ask from Welsh Government on local authorities, and not do it, as you say, in portfolio silos, so that we can look to see how that goes across the piece. So, I think the idea that you've put forward is something I'm very interested in. I don't think we've called it a summit, but I think the idea is a good one.
Nid wyf yn siŵr a fyddem yn ei galw'n uwchgynhadledd, ond mae gennym rywbeth tebyg iawn ar waith. Unwaith eto, rwy'n dilyn patrwm a oedd gennyf pan oeddwn yn y sedd hon ddiwethaf. Ers ichi gael eich ethol i'r lle hwn, Peter, credaf fod pethau wedi newid i raddau. Bellach, mae pob arweinydd a phob prif weithredwr yn cael eu gwahodd i'r cyngor partneriaeth—credaf mai is-set a oedd yn cael eu gwahodd pan oeddech chi'n arweinydd—ac rydym yn gwneud hynny’n fwriadol, fel y gallwn wneud yn union fel rydych chi newydd ei ddweud. Rydym hefyd yn gwahodd sefydliadau partner i’r rheini, fel y gallwn sicrhau ein bod yn cael sgwrs sy’n cynnwys iechyd, er enghraifft, neu’n cynnwys sefydliadau partner eraill.
Mae gennyf hefyd gyfrifoldeb gweinidogol dros Academi Wales, ac rydym wedi bod yn gwthio’r pwynt ynghylch un gwasanaeth cyhoeddus. Mae hynny'n swnio mor syml, onid yw? Ond mewn gwirionedd, mae'n gymhleth iawn. Mae hyd yn oed symud staff rhwng awdurdodau lleol ar secondiad yn gymhleth. Mae eu symud rhwng Llywodraeth Cymru ac awdurdodau lleol yn hynod o gymhleth gan fod y cynlluniau pensiwn yn wahanol ac yn y blaen. Serch hynny, rydym yn benderfynol o wneud iddo ddigwydd. Felly, un o’r themâu yn uwchgynhadledd arweinyddiaeth Academi Wales yr haf hwn fydd un gwasanaeth cyhoeddus Cymru, gyda’r bwriad o wneud yn union hynny, sicrhau bod cydweithwyr ym maes iechyd ac yn Llywodraeth Cymru ac mewn llywodraeth leol yn gweithio gyda’i gilydd fel cyfanwaith di-dor. Oherwydd, fel y dywedoch chi, yn gywir ddigon, llywodraeth leol yw’r sylfaen dda, gadarn, os mynnwch, ar gyfer y rhan fwyaf o weddill y gwasanaethau.
Ac rwyf hefyd wedi bod yn gofyn i fy nghyd-Aelodau ar draws Llywodraeth Cymru sicrhau eu bod yn dod drwy fy swyddfa, pan fyddant yn gofyn am bethau gan lywodraeth leol, fel y gallwn gadw llygad ar faint mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei ofyn i awdurdodau lleol, a pheidio â’i wneud, fel y dywedwch, mewn seilos portffolio, fel y gallwn gadw llygad ar hynny yn gyffredinol. Felly, credaf fod y syniad rydych chi wedi'i gyflwyno yn rhywbeth y mae gennyf gryn ddiddordeb ynddo. Ni chredaf ein bod wedi ei galw'n uwchgynhadledd, ond rwy'n credu bod y syniad yn un da.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Peredur Owen Griffiths.
Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Peredur Owen Griffiths.
Diolch, Llywydd. Well, last week, Labour's general election candidate in Swansea West, Torsten Bell, criticised the Tory Government for allowing unfair council tax to rise faster and faster than inflation for year after year. Now, I appreciate that, as someone with no prior connection to Wales, Mr Bell may not have the most in-depth knowledge of Welsh devolution nor of his party's record here, and the fact that four of Labour's six general election pledges for Wales have been the responsibility for this Welsh Government for some time, means that he probably isn't getting a very accurate picture from his own campaign headquarters either. So, for the benefit of Mr Bell and the rest of his Labour colleagues, who have been parachuted in to Welsh seats for this election, could you remind them, for the record, who has responsibility for local government funding policy, including council tax policy, here in Wales? And could you also remind him how much above inflation it has risen, on average, for band D properties during this financial year?
Diolch, Lywydd. Wel, yr wythnos diwethaf, beirniadodd ymgeisydd Llafur Gorllewin Abertawe yn yr etholiad cyffredinol, Torsten Bell, y Llywodraeth Dorïaidd am ganiatáu i’r dreth gyngor annheg godi’n gyflymach ac yn gyflymach na chwyddiant flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn. Nawr, rwy’n sylweddoli, fel rhywun heb unrhyw gysylltiad blaenorol â Chymru, efallai nad oes gan Mr Bell y wybodaeth ddyfnach am ddatganoli yng Nghymru nac o record ei blaid yma, a bod y ffaith bod pedwar o chwe addewid etholiad cyffredinol Llafur ar gyfer Cymru wedi bod yn gyfrifoldebau i Lywodraeth Cymru ers peth amser, yn golygu nad yw’n cael darlun cywir iawn, yn ôl pob tebyg, o bencadlys ei ymgyrch ei hun ychwaith. Felly, er budd Mr Bell a gweddill ei gyd-ymgeiswyr Llafur, sydd wedi cael eu parasiwtio i seddi Cymru ar gyfer yr etholiad hwn, a allech chi eu hatgoffa, ar gyfer y cofnod, pwy sy’n gyfrifol am bolisi ariannu llywodraeth leol, gan gynnwys polisi’r dreth gyngor, yma yng Nghymru? Ac a allech chi ei atgoffa hefyd faint yn uwch na chwyddiant y mae wedi codi, ar gyfartaledd, ar gyfer eiddo band D yn ystod y flwyddyn ariannol hon?
Well, I'm not going to indulge in that, Cefin; I'm really sorry that you've gone down that road. But what I would say is we really do believe in local government in Wales. We have never imposed a cap on council taxes here, because I think that local authorities are locally elected, democratically elected, and they should be in charge of what they want to do locally, and it's very much a matter for them. Of course we're very interested in looking at the fallout of that.
So, the gearing effect of the council tax, because of the different land values in Wales, is a very interesting one. So, the gearing in Monmouth, for example, is very different to that in Blaenau Gwent, so we've been looking at that. When we were in the co-operation agreement, you'll know we were looking at some of the discrepancies across that, and I'm very keen to pursue that. So, there is a real issue around fairness about where the band D—I don't know what to call it—tranche, I suppose, fits, and how much you pay in different places. And I don't know if you're familiar with the Office for National Statistics data that shows how many houses in each band there are in each local authority, but that really does speak volumes, doesn't it? Because in some local authorities, there are almost no houses over F and G; and in others, they're all in A, B, C, D.
So, I am very keen to make sure that all of the work that was done as part of the co-operation agreement—I know my colleague Rebecca Evans is keen to do this as well—is not lost, and that we make sure that we can come forward with a mutually agreed way of looking at council tax, with our local authorities, to make sure that we understand how best to damp off, if you like, the gearing effect of some of that. And, yes, we pursue a different policy to that in England, because I actually think the Welsh Government believes in local democracy, and we want to make sure that our local councillors have a say in the funding of their local authorities.
Wel, nid wyf yn mynd i dderbyn hynny, Cefin; mae'n drueni mawr eich bod wedi mynd i lawr y trywydd hwnnw. Ond yr hyn y byddwn yn ei ddweud yw ein bod yn credu'n wirioneddol mewn llywodraeth leol yng Nghymru. Nid ydym erioed wedi gosod cap ar drethi cyngor yma, gan y credaf fod awdurdodau lleol yn cael eu hethol yn lleol, yn cael eu hethol yn ddemocrataidd, a dylent fod yn gyfrifol am yr hyn y maent am ei wneud yn lleol, a mater iddynt hwy ydyw, yn bendant iawn. Wrth gwrs, mae gennym gryn ddiddordeb mewn edrych ar ganlyniadau hynny.
Felly, mae effaith gerio’r dreth gyngor, oherwydd y gwahanol werthoedd tir yng Nghymru, yn ddiddorol iawn. Felly, mae'r gerio ym Mynwy, er enghraifft, yn wahanol iawn i'r gerio ym Mlaenau Gwent, felly rydym wedi bod yn edrych ar hynny. Pan oedd y cytundeb cydweithio ar waith, fe fyddwch yn gwybod ein bod yn edrych ar rai o'r anghysondebau mewn perthynas â hynny, ac rwy'n awyddus iawn i fynd ar drywydd hynny. Felly, mae mater gwirioneddol yn codi ynghylch tegwch o ran ble mae—nid wyf yn gwybod beth i'w galw—cyfran band D, mae'n debyg, yn ffitio, a faint rydych chi'n ei dalu mewn gwahanol leoedd. Ac nid wyf yn gwybod a ydych chi'n gyfarwydd â data'r Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol sy'n dangos faint o dai ym mhob band sydd ym mhob awdurdod lleol, ond mae hynny'n siarad cyfrolau, onid yw? Oherwydd mewn rhai awdurdodau lleol, prin fod unrhyw dai dros F a G; ac mewn rhai eraill, mae pob un ym mand A, B, C, D.
Felly, rwy’n awyddus iawn i sicrhau nad yw’r holl waith a wnaed yn rhan o’r cytundeb cydweithio—gwn fod fy nghyd-Aelod Rebecca Evans yn awyddus i sicrhau hyn hefyd—yn cael ei golli, a’n bod yn sicrhau y gallwn gytuno gyda’n hawdurdodau lleol ar ffordd o edrych ar y dreth gyngor, i sicrhau ein bod yn deall sut i leddfu effaith gerio peth o hynny yn y ffordd orau. Ac rydym yn mynd ar drywydd polisi gwahanol i'r un yn Lloegr, oherwydd credaf fod Llywodraeth Cymru yn credu mewn democratiaeth leol, ac rydym am sicrhau bod llais gan ein cynghorwyr lleol mewn perthynas â chyllido eu hawdurdodau lleol.
Thank you very much for that answer, and I'm going to come on to one of those points that you raised there now. Despite Mr Bell's unfortunate oversight, his point about, fundamentally, the regressive nature of the council tax system places a disproportionate burden on lower income households, and that's very valid, and you echoed that in your answer there.
We in Plaid Cymru have been campaigning for reform in this area over many years, and, as you mentioned earlier, that's why, in our co-operation agreement with this Government, we had a commitment to implement a fairer and more progressive system within the current Senedd term. But this new administration's unilateral decision to kick this long-overdue reform into the long grass until 2028, at the earliest, typifies its broader tendency to prioritise the political survival of the First Minister above the interests of the people of Wales. This is one of several reasons why we had no option but to withdraw from the agreement.
Plaid Cymru has introduced an amendment to the upcoming Local Government Finance (Wales) Bill that would place a date of April 2025 on the face of the Bill for implementing those reforms. This would ensure that lower income households could benefit from a fairer council tax system sooner rather than later. Will the Cabinet Secretary call on her colleague the Cabinet Secretary for finance to support this amendment? And if not, does she accept that this will entrench systematic unfairness in how our local government is funded for at least the next four years?
Diolch yn fawr iawn am eich ateb, ac rwy'n mynd i ddod at un o'r pwyntiau hynny a godwyd gennych. Er gwaethaf amryfusedd anffodus Mr Bell, mae ei bwynt ynglŷn â natur sylfaenol atchweliadol system y dreth gyngor yn rhoi baich anghymesur ar aelwydydd incwm is yn ddilys iawn, ac adleisiwyd hynny gennych yn eich ateb.
Rydym ni ym Mhlaid Cymru wedi bod yn ymgyrchu dros ddiwygio yn y maes hwn ers blynyddoedd lawer, ac fel y sonioch chi'n gynharach, dyna pam oedd gennym ymrwymiad yn ein cytundeb cydweithio â’r Llywodraeth hon i weithredu system decach a mwy blaengar o fewn tymor y Senedd hon. Ond mae penderfyniad unochrog y weinyddiaeth newydd hon i ohirio’r diwygio hirddisgwyliedig hyd at 2028 ar y cynharaf yn nodweddiadol o’i thuedd ehangach i flaenoriaethu goroesiad gwleidyddol y Prif Weinidog uwchlaw buddiannau pobl Cymru. Dyma un o nifer o resymau pam nad oedd gennym unrhyw ddewis ond tynnu'n ôl o'r cytundeb.
Mae Plaid Cymru wedi cyflwyno gwelliant i Fil Cyllid Llywodraeth Leol (Cymru) sydd ar y ffordd a fyddai’n rhoi mis Ebrill 2025 fel dyddiad ar wyneb y Bil ar gyfer rhoi'r diwygiadau hynny ar waith. Byddai hyn yn sicrhau y gallai aelwydydd incwm is elwa ar system dreth gyngor decach yn gynt yn hytrach nag yn hwyrach. A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet alw ar ei chyd-Aelod, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros gyllid, i gefnogi’r gwelliant hwn? Ac os na, a yw'n derbyn y bydd hyn yn gwreiddio annhegwch systematig yn y ffordd y caiff ein llywodraeth leol ei hariannu am y pedair blynedd nesaf o leiaf?
Thanks, Cefin. I really appreciated the conversations we all had about what to do about council tax. Council tax is not a tax fit for purpose, I think we all agree. I can't quite remember where some of this fell, so forgive me, it might have been before or after the co-operation agreement ended, but as part of the consultation we had a very wide range of responses from local authorities themselves ranging from a couple that were enthusiastic to some that were dead set against doing this, to pretty much every response in between. I think the view that we took was that given where they are and the amount of things they're wrestling with, this was just a step too far at this point in time.
I think the date that you've just mentioned is now not possible in terms of the set-up and running of it anyway, because we were right up against a decision to be made in order to understand what the implementation date is. It's not my Bill; it's my colleague Rebecca Evans's Bill, but obviously I'm very involved with it. I'm pretty sure that we actually physically can't do it by that date, even if we wanted to. But we took the view, I think, with a bit of a heavy heart, that it was just a step too far for local government given the set of things that they were currently dealing with.
I personally, though, have been pushing in the Government, looking again at the council tax relief scheme, because I think one of the issues we want to have a look at is the effect of not revaluing on A and B-banded households. That isn't help to the local authority itself. I'd be very interested to see what we can do to help the individual families that perhaps would have seen a fall in their bills in this cost-of-living crisis and who now won't because of this. So, I'm very keen and I'm happy to discuss with you whether there would be anything we could do about those individuals.
In the meantime, of course, we support the local authorities with the revenue support grant. We're up against falling budgets, as you know, and I'm in the depths of long discussions with local authorities about how that formula works. But it's the size of the pie, in the end, isn't it, that's the problem; it's not really how big the slices are. Because if the pie is this size and you reslice it, somebody loses while somebody else might gain a bit. So, the real issue is the pie is not big enough, and we can't solve that unless we have a different government in Westminster, so obviously I'm very much hoping that Torsten and others will be elected so that we can have a Labour government after 4 July.
Diolch, Cefin. Roeddwn yn gwerthfawrogi'n fawr y sgyrsiau a gawsom i gyd am beth i'w wneud am y dreth gyngor. Rwy'n credu ein bod i gyd yn cytuno nad yw'r dreth gyngor yn dreth sy'n addas i'r diben. Ni allaf gofio yn union ble roedd hyn, felly maddeuwch i mi, efallai ei fod cyn neu ar ôl i'r cytundeb cydweithio ddod i ben, ond fel rhan o'r ymgynghoriad cawsom ystod eang iawn o ymatebion gan awdurdodau lleol eu hunain yn amrywio o un neu ddau a oedd yn frwdfrydig i rai a oedd yn gwrthwynebu hyn yn gyfan gwbl, i bron bob ymateb yn y canol. O ystyried ble maent arni a faint o bethau y maent yn ymgodymu â nhw, y farn y daethom iddi oedd bod hwn gam yn rhy bell ar hyn o bryd.
Nid wyf yn credu bod y dyddiad rydych chi newydd ei grybwyll yn bosibl nawr o ran sefydlu a rhedeg y peth beth bynnag, oherwydd roedd yn rhaid gwneud penderfyniad er mwyn deall beth yw'r dyddiad gweithredu. Bil fy nghyd-Aelod Rebecca Evans ydyw, nid fy Mil i, ond yn amlwg rwy'n gysylltiedig ag ef. Rwy'n eithaf sicr nad yw'n bosibl ei wneud erbyn y dyddiad hwnnw, hyd yn oed pe baem eisiau gwneud hynny. Ond gyda chalon drom, daethom i'r farn fod hynny gam yn rhy bell i lywodraeth leol o ystyried y set o bethau yr oeddent yn ymdopi â nhw ar hyn o bryd.
Ond yn bersonol, rwyf wedi bod yn gwthio yn y Llywodraeth, gan edrych eto ar gynllun rhyddhad y dreth gyngor, oherwydd credaf mai un o'r pethau rydym am edrych arnynt yw effaith peidio ag ailbrisio ar aelwydydd band A a band B. Nid yw hynny'n gymorth i'r awdurdod lleol ei hun. Byddai gennyf ddiddordeb mawr mewn gweld beth y gallwn ei wneud i helpu'r teuluoedd unigol a fyddai efallai wedi gweld gostyngiad yn eu biliau yn yr argyfwng costau byw hwn ac na fyddant yn gweld hynny nawr oherwydd hyn. Felly, rwy'n awyddus iawn ac rwy'n hapus i drafod gyda chi i weld a fyddai unrhyw beth y gallem ei wneud am yr unigolion hynny.
Yn y cyfamser, wrth gwrs, rydym yn cefnogi'r awdurdodau lleol gyda'r grant cynnal refeniw. Rydym yn wynebu cyllidebau sy'n crebachu, fel y gwyddoch, ac rwyf yng nghanol trafodaethau hir gydag awdurdodau lleol ynghylch sut mae'r fformiwla honno'n gweithio. Ond maint y gacen yw'r broblem yn y pen draw onid e, nid pa mor fawr yw'r tafelli. Oherwydd os yw'r gacen y maint hwn a'ch bod chi'n ei hail-dorri, mae rhywun yn colli tra bo rhywun arall efallai'n ennill ychydig. Felly, y broblem go iawn yw nad yw'r gacen yn ddigon mawr, ac ni allwn ddatrys hynny oni bai bod gennym lywodraeth wahanol yn San Steffan, felly yn amlwg, rwy'n gobeithio'n fawr y bydd Torsten ac eraill yn cael eu hethol fel y gallwn gael llywodraeth Lafur ar ôl 4 Gorffennaf.
Thank you for that answer. I will take you up on the conversations certainly on council tax reform, because it's something that's very close to my heart.
It isn't just Welsh Labour that's displaying a lack of seriousness about the major challenges during this election campaign. The likes of the Resolution Foundation and the Institute for Fiscal Studies have rightly called out both the Tory and the Labour leadership for being in complete denial about the state of UK public finances. The reality has been spelled out in the starkest terms by the International Monetary Fund: for both parties to achieve their stated aim of reducing debt as a proportion of gross domestic product within five years, they will have to contend with a black hole of approximately £30 billion in the public purse, and with neither party making the case for progressive tax-raising initiatives such as aligning capital gains tax with income tax, this means a fresh round of austerity measures is coming, regardless of who wins on 4 July.
The implications of these stretched resources are being seen by the fact that Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent county borough councils have announced that they will be sharing a chief executive over the foreseeable future. Can I ask the Cabinet Secretary, therefore, whether this trend towards the pooling of resources across councils is the direction of travel we should expect for local government over the next few years, and is she supportive of this move?
Diolch am yr ateb hwnnw. Fe dderbyniaf yr hyn a ddywedwch am y sgyrsiau ar ddiwygio'r dreth gyngor, oherwydd mae'n rhywbeth sy'n agos iawn at fy nghalon.
Nid Llafur Cymru yn unig sy'n dangos diffyg difrifoldeb ynghylch yr heriau mawr yn ystod yr ymgyrch etholiadol hon. Mae pobl fel y Resolution Foundation a'r Sefydliad Astudiaethau Cyllid wedi tynnu sylw yn briodol ddigon at y ffaith bod arweinwyr y Torïaid a'r Blaid Lafur yn ymwrthod â realiti cyflwr cyllid cyhoeddus y DU. Mae'r realiti wedi'i nodi'n glir iawn gan y Gronfa Ariannol Ryngwladol: i'r ddwy blaid gyflawni eu nod datganedig o leihau dyled fel cyfran o gynnyrch domestig gros o fewn pum mlynedd, bydd yn rhaid iddynt ymdopi â thwll du o oddeutu £30 biliwn yn y pwrs cyhoeddus, a chyda'r naill blaid na'r llall yn dadlau'r achos dros gynlluniau codi trethi blaengar fel alinio treth enillion cyfalaf â threth incwm, mae hyn yn golygu bod rownd newydd o fesurau cyni ar y ffordd, ni waeth pwy fydd yn ennill ar 4 Gorffennaf.
Mae goblygiadau'r pwysau ar adnoddau i'w gweld yn y ffaith bod cynghorau bwrdeistref sirol Torfaen a Blaenau Gwent wedi cyhoeddi y byddant yn rhannu prif weithredwr am y dyfodol rhagweladwy. A gaf i ofyn i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, felly, ai'r tueddiad tuag at gyfuno adnoddau ar draws cynghorau yw'r cyfeiriad teithio y dylem ei ddisgwyl ar gyfer llywodraeth leol dros y blynyddoedd nesaf, ac a yw hi'n cefnogi'r tueddiad hwnnw?
Thank you, Cefin. The short answer is yes, I am supportive of it—
Diolch, Cefin. Yr ateb byr yw ydw, rwy'n ei gefnogol—
I think that might have been the second time that you've called Peredur Cefin.
Rwy'n credu efallai mai dyna oedd yr ail dro i chi alw Peredur yn Cefin.
I'm so sorry. Shall I put my glasses on, would that help?
Mae'n wir ddrwg gennyf. A wnaf i wisgo fy sbectol, a fyddai hynny'n helpu?
I know they're sitting next to each other.
Rwy'n gwybod eu bod yn eistedd wrth ymyl ei gilydd.
I have a longer beard. [Laughter.]
Mae fy marf i'n hirach. [Chwerthin.]
I'm really sorry. I'll put my glasses on. Huge apologies. My problem is that I've arrived at that point in my life where I need two pairs of glasses, and I'm only carrying my reading glasses with me, so I'm afraid you're a bit of a blur in the distance, so huge apologies.
Mae'n wir ddrwg gennyf. Fe wnaf wisgo fy sbectol. Ymddiheuriadau mawr. Fy mhroblem i yw fy mod i wedi cyrraedd pwynt yn fy mywyd lle mae angen dau bâr o sbectol arnaf, a dim ond fy sbectol ddarllen sydd gennyf, felly mae arnaf ofn eich bod chi braidd yn aneglur i mi, ymddiheuriadau mawr.
Varifocals work very well for me.
Mae sbectol amrywffocal yn gweithio'n dda iawn i mi.
I have tried, Llywydd, many times, and I'm afraid they make me feel really ill.
Rwyf wedi rhoi cynnig arni lawer gwaith, Lywydd, ac rwy'n ofni eu bod yn gwneud i mi deimlo'n wirioneddol sâl.
Yes, I know they do for some.
Rwy'n gwybod eu bod yn gwneud hynny i rai.
So, I end up doing this kind of thing, which is not good. So, huge apologies. I've lost my thread completely now. Oh yes, I know, the shared resources point. The answer to that is 'yes’. I think there are some resources that should be shared and could be shared, and they would be of great effect across the public sector in Wales. I mentioned in an answer to Peter Fox earlier that there are a number of professions that are really difficult to recruit or to retain—hard to train, long training, et cetera. I've got a list of eight or 10 in my head that I've shared with local authority leaders across Wales and they all nod sagely at me.
It seems obvious to me that, in order to retain people like planners and flood engineers and specialist staff of one sort or another—building control officers; there's a whole range of them across an enormous number of professions—what we need to be able to do is provide a career structure inside local government that retains people in the public sector and doesn't have the attrition that we get into the private sector at around five or six years qualified, where people are faced with a situation where, if their boss doesn't leave in the next five years, there's no promotion for them, and so they look elsewhere. We've got to find professional career structures inside local authorities to be able to retain people. I think chief executives are in that category, actually. It's a very difficult job to be a chief executive of a local authority. You have to span an enormous range of different services and different pressures, and actually they're pretty hard to find and pretty unsung, it seems to me. And so I'm actively pleased to see that.
There are other services that really need a very local flavour. You want development control to be local, because, as I said in an earlier question, I don't want identikit towns all around Wales—I want individual planning authorities to have very specific planning for their individual towns, so you retain the independent flavour of that town. I think the example I gave was Cardigan: if you go to Cardigan, you get a different experience than if you go to somewhere else.
It is about what you mean exactly and what you're sharing. In general, we are encouraging local authorities to come together to provide career structures for hard-to-recruit professionals and to share expertise. The minerals example I used earlier is a classic example of that. No authority has a need for a 37.5-hours-a-week mineral specialist, but all of the authorities together have a need for two of them, and so we've come to an arrangement where it's provided by one authority in the north and one in the south. There are many other services where that would work very well. We have lots of examples of local authorities all asking for legal advice about the same issue independently, for example, where it would be a great deal easier to pool that. Co-operation is key, but I'm not trying to stealthily combine them, if that's what you mean, because I think there are many things that we could discuss where it's important they are done locally.
Felly, rwy'n tueddu i wneud y math hwn o beth, nad yw'n dda. Felly, ymddiheuriadau mawr. Rwyf wedi colli fy lle'n llwyr erbyn hyn. O ie, rwy'n gwybod, y pwynt am rannu adnoddau. Yr ateb i hynny yw 'ydw'. Rwy'n credu bod yna rai adnoddau y dylid eu rhannu ac y gellid eu rhannu, a byddai'n effeithiol iawn ar draws y sector cyhoeddus yng Nghymru. Soniais mewn ateb i Peter Fox yn gynharach fod nifer o broffesiynau sy'n anodd iawn recriwtio iddynt neu gadw staff ynddynt—yn anodd eu hyfforddi, hyfforddiant hir, ac ati. Mae gennyf restr o wyth neu 10 yn fy mhen a rennais gydag arweinwyr awdurdodau lleol ledled Cymru ac maent i gyd yn cyd-fynd â mi.
Mae'n ymddangos yn amlwg i mi, er mwyn cadw pobl fel cynllunwyr a pheirianwyr llifogydd a staff arbenigol o ryw fath neu'i gilydd—swyddogion rheoli adeiladu; mae yna ystod ohonynt ar draws nifer enfawr o broffesiynau—yr hyn y mae angen inni allu ei wneud yw darparu strwythur gyrfa o fewn llywodraeth leol sy'n cadw pobl yn y sector cyhoeddus ac nad oes iddo'r cyfraddau gadael a welir i mewn i'r sector preifat tua phum neu chwe blynedd ar ôl cymhwyso, lle mae pobl yn wynebu sefyllfa lle nad oes dyrchafiad iddynt os nad yw eu pennaeth yn gadael yn y pum mlynedd nesaf, ac felly maent yn edrych ar rywle arall. Mae'n rhaid inni ddod o hyd i strwythurau gyrfa proffesiynol o fewn awdurdodau lleol er mwyn gallu cadw pobl. Rwy'n credu bod prif weithredwyr yn y categori hwnnw mewn gwirionedd. Mae'n waith anodd iawn i fod yn brif weithredwr awdurdod lleol. Mae'n rhaid i chi rychwantu ystod enfawr o wahanol wasanaethau a gwahanol fathau o bwysau, ac maent yn eithaf anodd dod o hyd iddynt ac nid ydynt yn cael llawer o glod, mae'n ymddangos i mi. Felly, rwy'n falch iawn o weld hynny.
Mae yna wasanaethau eraill sy'n lleol iawn eu natur. Rydych chi am i reolaeth datblygu fod yn lleol, oherwydd, fel y dywedais mewn cwestiwn cynharach, nid wyf am weld trefi union yr un fath â'i gilydd ledled Cymru—rwyf am i awdurdodau cynllunio unigol gael cynlluniau penodol iawn ar gyfer eu trefi unigol, fel eich bod yn cadw natur annibynnol y dref honno. Rwy'n meddwl mai'r enghraifft a roddais oedd Aberteifi: os ewch chi i Aberteifi, rydych chi'n cael profiad gwahanol i'r un a gewch chi os ewch chi i rywle arall.
Mae'n ymwneud â'r hyn rydych chi'n ei olygu'n union a beth rydych chi'n ei rannu. Yn gyffredinol, rydym yn annog awdurdodau lleol i ddod at ei gilydd i ddarparu strwythurau gyrfa ar gyfer gweithwyr proffesiynol sy'n anodd recriwtio iddynt ac i rannu arbenigedd. Mae'r enghraifft a ddefnyddiais am fwynau yn gynharach yn enghraifft glasurol o hynny. Nid oes angen arbenigwr mwynau 37.5 awr yr wythnos ar unrhyw awdurdod, ond mae pob un o'r awdurdodau gyda'i gilydd angen dau ohonynt, ac felly rydym wedi dod i drefniant lle mae'n cael ei ddarparu gan un awdurdod yn y gogledd ac un yn y de. Mae llawer o wasanaethau eraill lle byddai hynny'n gweithio'n dda iawn. Mae gennym lawer o enghreifftiau o awdurdodau lleol i gyd yn gofyn am gyngor cyfreithiol am yr un mater yn annibynnol, er enghraifft, lle byddai'n llawer haws cronni hynny. Mae cydweithredu'n allweddol, ond nid wyf yn ceisio eu cyfuno'n llechwraidd, os mai dyna a olygwch, oherwydd rwy'n credu bod llawer o bethau y gallem eu trafod lle mae'n bwysig eu bod yn cael eu gwneud yn lleol.
3. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet roi diweddariad am niferoedd y tai o dan berchnogaeth gyhoeddus a chydweithredol sydd yn cael eu hadeiladu yng Nghymru? OQ61235
3. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the number of houses in public and co-operative ownership being built in Wales? OQ61235
Thank you, Mabon. We remain committed to supporting the development of co-operative and community-led housing and to enabling people to take more control of their housing. For example, almost £900,000 has been awarded to Gŵyr Community Land Trust from the land and building development fund for the development of 14 carbon-zero affordable homes.
Diolch yn fawr, Mabon. Rydym yn parhau i fod yn ymrwymedig i gefnogi datblygiad tai cydweithredol a thai dan arweiniad y gymuned ac i alluogi pobl i gymryd mwy o reolaeth dros eu tai. Er enghraifft, dyfarnwyd bron i £900,000 i Ymddiriedolaeth Tir Cymunedol Gŵyr o'r gronfa datblygu tir ac adeiladu ar gyfer datblygu 14 o gartrefi fforddiadwy di-garbon.
Diolch i'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet am yr ateb yna. Mi ydych chi a phawb yma’n bresennol wedi cydnabod ac yn derbyn bod yna argyfwng tai gennym ni ac, wrth gwrs, yr ateb, o bosib, i'r argyfwng tai ydy adeiladu mwy o dai o dan berchnogaeth gyhoeddus. 'Tai cymdeithasol' ydy'r term sy'n cael ei ddefnyddio gan fwyaf am y peth. Ond mae yna ddiffyg arian ar gyfer hyn, ac mae'r arian sydd yn cael ei neilltuo yn gorfod cael ei rannu rhwng adeiladu tai neu 'retrofit-io' y tai presennol. Yn anffodus, dydyn ni ddim yn gweld bod y gyllideb yn mynd i gynyddu tuag at adeiladu mwy o dai chwaith, naill ai o dan y Llywodraeth bresennol neu’r Llywodraeth newydd fydd yn dod i mewn, felly mae'n rhaid inni edrych ar ffyrdd newydd o ddenu arian i adeiladu tai yma yng Nghymru.
Mae gan Lywodraeth Cymru y gallu i fenthyg £150 miliwn y flwyddyn at ddibenion o'u dymuniad nhw, ond, hyd yma, yn ôl beth dwi'n ei weld, dydy'r Llywodraeth ddim wedi defnyddio'r galluoedd yna. Felly, pa drafodaethau ydych chi, Ysgrifennydd Cabinet, wedi eu cael efo'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet dros gyllid er mwyn gweld pa ddefnydd y gellir ei wneud o'r arian yna, ac a ydych chi am fenthyg arian er mwyn ei roi tuag at adeiladu tai cymdeithasol a thai o dan berchnogaeth gyhoeddus?
I thank the Cabinet Secretary for that response. You and everyone here this afternoon has recognised and accepted that we have a housing crisis and, of course, the solution, possibly, to that is to build more homes under public ownership. 'Social housing' is the term commonly used for it. But there's a shortage of funds for this, and the funding that is allocated has to be shared between house building or retrofiting the current stock. Unfortunately, we don't see the budget increasing for building more homes either, under the current Government or the new Government that will be elected, so we do have to look at new ways of bringing funding into house building here in Wales.
The Welsh Government has the ability to borrow £150 million per annum for purposes of its choosing, but, so far, from what I see, the Government hasn't used those powers. So what discussions are you having, Cabinet Secretary, with the Cabinet Secretary for finance, in order to see what use could be made of those funds, and will you borrow money in order to build more social housing and publicly owned housing here in Wales?
Diolch, Mabon. That's a very interesting idea. I think, actually, we very much hope that an incoming Labour Government will review the fiscal framework for Wales and actually put us onto a far better footing in terms of prudential borrowing than we are on at the moment. That would clearly make a lot of sense. There are a number of things that it would be sensible to borrow for, and the kind of infrastructure you're talking about is certainly one of them, so I'm certainly interested in that. We haven't done that for the moment because we have a number of other calls on the Welsh Government's budget, and of course once you've borrowed you've got to service the borrowing. In fact, we have asked on our behalf local authorities to borrow to do particular things, and we support them with revenue for that. In my budget there is a line that has revenue support to local authorities for borrowing. So, we have figured out a way around it, if you like.
In fact, whilst more money is always welcome—and I want to say that very loudly in case my Cabinet colleague for finance is listening—much of the issues we have with building social housing in Wales are not finance based, really. They're around a whole range of other things. So, we're working at a very granular level now with local authorities to make sure that, for every single piece of housing land in the local development plan, we understand where that is in the planning system: is planning coming forward for it? What are the houses on there? How many houses are those? Are they building the social houses first? Et cetera. In my previous role, I was chairing the water summits, and my colleague Huw is now doing it. We've managed to unlock several of the sites that had phosphate problems, but we have many more to go. We're working at an extremely detailed level on how to do that. One of the special advisers who was with us as part of the co-operation agreement was doing a sterling piece of work on that, and I've recently asked Jack Sargeant to pick up some of that for me.
We know we have enough in the planning system to be able to get to our target. What we don't know yet is whether we can build them fast enough. I want to make the Welsh Government's target for 20,000 social homes for rent, but I'm much more concerned with actually having enough in the pipeline, because we need more than that. What we want to do is make sure that the planning system has all the capability inside it to allocate those houses out and that we've got planning consents coming forward that are able to be built out that will produce the housing we want.
Just to be really clear, we're not looking at single-purpose estates here. I do not want a single-tenure estate to be built. As it happens, I was in a meeting this morning where I was ranting on about the housing development in St David's, which was built with the social housing grant, but before the current checks and balances. I don't know if you're familiar with it—the one behind the Premier Inn in St David's. I am very cross about that development, because they have put all the social housing on one side and all the private housing on the other and they don't look the same, and that is not what we want. So, just to be really clear, the current planning guidelines are that social housing built as part of a mixed-tenure development should be pepper-potted through that development and the houses should all be built to the same standard, and that's the social house standard. So, I just want to be really clear: we want the numbers, but we also want the right houses, and we want good-quality low-carbon houses that are built so that they don't require retrofitting in 10 years' time, and that they are houses for life, fit for the future.
And then, just to say, as part of that mixed-tenure piece, I am very keen indeed to have other tenures—so, shared equity tenures, co-operative housing tenures. I had a meeting with the Solva Community Land Trust—my days seamlessly blend into each other; I don't think it was this morning—yesterday, I think it was, and we talked about how we can accelerate the build for that. There's the Gŵyr community trust going on in my colleague Rebecca Evans's constituency, and we're working with Cwmpas very hard to make sure we bring forward co-operative and CLT housing. So, I hope that I am painting a picture of being very open to any kind of housing built to the right standard that comes forward that assists us to get people out of temporary accommodation and into their home for life.
Diolch, Mabon. Mae'n syniad diddorol iawn. Rydym yn gobeithio'n fawr y bydd Llywodraeth Lafur newydd yn adolygu'r fframwaith cyllidol ar gyfer Cymru ac mewn gwirionedd yn ein rhoi ar sylfaen lawer gwell o ran benthyca darbodus na lle rydym ar hyn o bryd. Yn amlwg, byddai hynny'n gwneud llawer o synnwyr. Mae yna nifer o bethau y byddai'n synhwyrol benthyca ar eu cyfer, ac mae'r math o seilwaith rydych chi'n siarad amdano yn un ohonynt, felly mae gennyf ddiddordeb yn hynny yn sicr. Nid ydym wedi gwneud hynny am y tro oherwydd bod gennym nifer o alwadau eraill ar gyllideb Llywodraeth Cymru, ac wrth gwrs ar ôl i chi fenthyca mae'n rhaid i chi dalu costau'r benthyciad. Mewn gwirionedd, rydym wedi gofyn i awdurdodau lleol ar ein rhan i fenthyca i wneud pethau penodol, ac rydym yn eu cefnogi gyda refeniw ar gyfer hynny. Yn fy nghyllideb mae yna linell sydd â chymorth refeniw i awdurdodau lleol ar gyfer benthyca. Felly, rydym wedi cyfrifo ffordd o'i gwmpas, os mynnwch.
A dweud y gwir, er bod mwy o arian bob amser i'w groesawu—ac rwyf am ddweud hynny'n uchel iawn rhag ofn bod fy nghyd-Aelod o'r Cabinet dros gyllid yn gwrando—mae llawer o'r materion sy'n codi wrth adeiladu tai cymdeithasol yng Nghymru heb fod yn seiliedig ar gyllid mewn gwirionedd. Maent yn ymwneud ag ystod eang o bethau eraill. Felly, rydym yn gweithio ar lefel ronynnog iawn nawr gydag awdurdodau lleol i wneud yn siŵr, am bob darn o dir ar gyfer tai yn y cynllun datblygu lleol, ein bod yn deall ble mae hynny yn y system gynllunio: a yw'r cynlluniau'n cael eu cyflwyno ar gyfer hynny? Beth yw'r tai yno? Faint o dai yw'r rheini? A ydynt yn adeiladu'r tai cymdeithasol yn gyntaf? Ac yn y blaen. Yn fy rôl flaenorol, roeddwn yn cadeirio'r uwchgynadleddau dŵr, ac mae fy nghyd-Aelod Huw yn gwneud hynny erbyn hyn. Rydym wedi llwyddo i ailddechrau nifer o'r safleoedd a oedd â phroblemau ffosffad, ond mae gennym lawer mwy i fynd. Rydym yn gweithio ar lefel fanwl iawn ar sut i wneud hynny. Roedd un o'r cynghorwyr arbennig a oedd gyda ni fel rhan o'r cytundeb cydweithio yn gwneud gwaith ardderchog ar hynny, ac yn ddiweddar rwyf wedi gofyn i Jack Sargeant fynd ar drywydd hynny ar fy rhan.
Rydym yn gwybod bod gennym ddigon yn y system gynllunio i allu cyrraedd ein targed. Yr hyn nad ydym yn ei wybod eto yw a allwn eu hadeiladu'n ddigon cyflym. Rwyf am gyrraedd targed Llywodraeth Cymru o 20,000 o gartrefi cymdeithasol i'w gosod ar rent, ond rwy'n poeni llawer mwy am gael digon ar y gweill mewn gwirionedd, oherwydd mae angen mwy na hynny arnom. Rydym am sicrhau bod gan y system gynllunio gapasiti o'i mewn i ddyrannu'r tai hynny a bod gennym ganiatadau cynllunio i ddod y gellir eu hadeiladu a fydd yn cynhyrchu'r tai rydym eu heisiau.
I fod yn glir iawn, nid ydym yn edrych ar ystadau un pwrpas yma. Nid wyf am weld ystad un ddeiliadaeth yn cael ei hadeiladu. Fel mae'n digwydd, roeddwn mewn cyfarfod y bore yma lle'r oeddwn yn uchel fy nghloch am y datblygiad tai yn Nhyddewi, a adeiladwyd gyda'r grant tai cymdeithasol, ond cyn yr archwiliadau presennol. Nid wyf yn gwybod os ydych chi'n gyfarwydd ag ef—yr un tu ôl i'r Premier Inn yn Nhyddewi. Rwy'n ddig iawn ynglŷn â'r datblygiad hwnnw, oherwydd maent wedi rhoi'r tai cymdeithasol i gyd ar un ochr a'r tai preifat i gyd ar yr ochr arall ac nid ydynt yn edrych yr un peth, ac nid dyna rydym ei eisiau. Felly, i fod yn glir iawn, mae'r canllawiau cynllunio presennol yn dweud y dylai tai cymdeithasol a adeiladwyd fel rhan o ddatblygiad deiliadaeth gymysg gael eu gwasgaru drwy'r datblygiad hwnnw a dylid adeiladu'r tai i gyd i'r un safon, sef y safon tai cymdeithasol. Felly, rwyf eisiau bod yn glir iawn: rydym eisiau'r niferoedd, ond rydym eisiau'r tai cywir hefyd, ac rydym eisiau tai carbon isel o ansawdd da sy'n cael eu hadeiladu fel nad oes angen ôl-osod arnynt ymhen 10 mlynedd, a'u bod yn dai am oes, yn addas ar gyfer y dyfodol.
Ac yna, fel rhan o'r ddeiliadaeth gymysg honno, rwy'n awyddus iawn i gael mathau eraill o deiliadaeth—felly, deiliadaethau rhannu ecwiti, deiliadaethau tai cydweithredol. Cefais gyfarfod gydag Ymddiriedolaeth Tir Cymunedol Solfa—mae fy nyddiau'n ymdoddi'n ddi-dor i'w gilydd; nid wyf yn meddwl mai bore yma oedd hynny—ddoe, rwy'n credu, ac fe wnaethom siarad ynglŷn â sut y gallwn gyflymu'r gwaith adeiladu ar gyfer hynny. Mae ymddiriedolaeth gymunedol Gŵyr yn digwydd yn etholaeth fy nghyd-Aelod, Rebecca Evans, ac rydym yn gweithio'n galed iawn gyda Cwmpas i sicrhau ein bod yn cyflwyno tai cydweithredol a thai dan arweiniad y gymuned. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio fy mod yn paentio darlun o fod yn agored iawn i unrhyw fath o dai sydd wedi'u hadeiladu i'r safon gywir sy'n ein cynorthwyo i gael pobl allan o lety dros dro ac i mewn i'w cartref am oes.
Wales has a housing crisis, and although the last UK Labour Government oversaw the lowest level of house building since the 1920s, it was the Welsh Government that by 2010 had by far the lowest proportional level of housing expenditure of any of the four UK nations. Subsequent successive independent reports found that Wales needs between 12,000 and 15,000 new homes a year, including 5,000 social homes, incorporating those in public and co-operative ownership. Even more modest forecasts for the Welsh Government identified a need for up to 8,300 new homes a year, but only 5,720 were delivered on average annually in Wales between 2010 and last December. Why, given that Welsh housing sector research shows a £2.30 public sector saving for every £1 spent on housing, were only 2,825 new homes for social rent completed in Wales in the first three years of this Senedd term to last December, against the Welsh Government's 20,000 target for the five-year term, and why do the latest National House Building Council figures show a 43 per cent drop in new homes registered in Wales, equal bottom out of 12 UK nations and regions?
Mae gan Gymru argyfwng tai, ac er i Lywodraeth Lafur ddiwethaf y DU lywodraethu dros y lefel isaf o adeiladu tai ers y 1920au, Llywodraeth Cymru oedd â'r lefel gyfrannol isaf o bell ffordd o wariant ar dai ymhlith pedair gwlad y DU erbyn 2010. Canfu adroddiadau annibynnol dilynol fod angen rhwng 12,000 a 15,000 o gartrefi newydd ar Gymru y flwyddyn, gan gynnwys 5,000 o gartrefi cymdeithasol, gan gynnwys y rheini mewn perchnogaeth gyhoeddus a chydweithredol. Nododd rhagolygon mwy cymedrol byth ar gyfer Llywodraeth Cymru fod angen hyd at 8,300 o gartrefi newydd y flwyddyn, ond dim ond 5,720 a gafodd eu darparu bob blwyddyn yng Nghymru ar gyfartaledd rhwng 2010 a mis Rhagfyr diwethaf. O ystyried bod ymchwil sector tai Cymru yn dangos arbediad o £2.30 i'r sector cyhoeddus am bob £1 sy'n cael ei gwario ar dai, pam mai dim ond 2,825 o gartrefi newydd ar gyfer rhent cymdeithasol a gwblhawyd yng Nghymru yn ystod tair blynedd gyntaf tymor y Senedd hon hyd at fis Rhagfyr diwethaf, yn erbyn targed Llywodraeth Cymru o 20,000 ar gyfer y tymor pum mlynedd, a pham mae ffigurau diweddaraf y Cyngor Cenedlaethol Adeiladu Tai yn dangos gostyngiad o 43 y cant yn nifer y cartrefi newydd sydd wedi'u cofrestru yng Nghymru, yn gydradd olaf ymhlith 12 gwlad a rhanbarth y DU?
Well, Mark, I know you love a series of statistics, so let me give you some statistics as well, then. So, Lee Rowley made some remarks when he was housing Minister on a Radio 4 programme, and he was the sixteenth housing Minister since 2010, so it's always nice to see continuity in the sector. In England, during the tenure of the 16 housing Ministers, social housing has declined. So, a combination of selling off, demolition and very low build-out rates has meant that there are fewer houses for social rent at the end of a 14-year tenure of Conservative Government than there were in the first place. So, if you want to talk about what is disgraceful, that is disgraceful. Those statistics are easy to find and very transparent.
What the coalition Government did in 2010 was it changed the criteria and it introduced the so-called affordable rent category, and then it slashed the housing grant by 60 per cent, which meant that registered social landlords in England were forced either to build far fewer houses for social rent or very many more houses for affordable rent, and that has meant the decimation of the social rent sector.
Here in Wales we've taken a very different approach to that. We are building houses for social rent—that's rent between 30 per cent and 50 per cent of market rent, not 80 per cent of market rent—and we are on track to deliver our programme. It's not linear; we weren't expecting to build 4,000 in every year and it added to 20,000. As I said, you've got to do a whole series of things to start that programme up. You have to bear in mind as well, Mark, that up until really quite recently, local authorities with housing revenue accounts were not allowed to build social housing unless they repaid the whole of their debt package. I mean, after 40 years of nonsense from the Conservatives on that, you did finally change your mind, but, my gosh, it took a long time. The destruction of social rent by the Thatcher Government has reverberated through the years, so if you want to trade that kind of statistic, I’m very happy to do so.
Wel, Mark, rwy'n gwybod eich bod chi wrth eich bodd gyda chyfres o ystadegau, felly gadewch imi roi rhai ystadegau i chi hefyd. Fe wnaeth Lee Rowley sylwadau pan oedd yn Weinidog tai ar raglen ar Radio 4, ac ef oedd yr unfed Gweinidog tai ar bymtheg ers 2010, felly mae bob amser yn braf gweld parhad yn y sector. Yn Lloegr, yn ystod cyfnod yr 16 o Weinidogion tai, mae tai cymdeithasol wedi gostwng. Felly, mae cyfuniad o werthu, dymchwel a chyfraddau adeiladu isel iawn wedi golygu bod llai o dai ar gael ar gyfer rhent cymdeithasol ar ddiwedd cyfnod o 14 mlynedd o Lywodraeth Geidwadol nag a oedd yn y lle cyntaf. Felly, os ydych chi eisiau siarad am bethau gwarthus, mae hynny'n warthus. Mae'r ystadegau hynny'n hawdd eu canfod ac yn dryloyw iawn.
Yr hyn a wnaeth y Llywodraeth glymblaid yn 2010 oedd newid y meini prawf a chyflwynodd y categori rhent fforddiadwy fel y'i gelwid, ac yna fe wnaeth dorri'r grant tai 60 y cant, a oedd yn golygu bod landlordiaid cymdeithasol cofrestredig yn Lloegr yn cael eu gorfodi naill ai i adeiladu llawer llai o dai ar gyfer rhent cymdeithasol neu lawer iawn mwy o dai ar gyfer rhent fforddiadwy, ac mae hynny wedi arwain at chwalu'r sector rhent cymdeithasol.
Yma yng Nghymru rydym wedi dilyn trywydd gwahanol iawn. Rydym yn adeiladu tai ar gyfer rhent cymdeithasol—sef rhent rhwng 30 y cant a 50 y cant o rent y farchnad, nid 80 y cant o rent y farchnad—ac rydym ar y trywydd iawn i gyflawni ein rhaglen. Nid yw'n llinol; nid oeddem yn disgwyl adeiladu 4,000 ym mhob blwyddyn gan greu cyfanswm o 20,000. Fel y dywedais, mae'n rhaid ichi wneud cyfres gyfan o bethau i ddechrau'r rhaglen honno. Rhaid i chi gofio hefyd, Mark, hyd yn eithaf diweddar, nid oedd awdurdodau lleol â chyfrifon refeniw tai yn cael adeiladu tai cymdeithasol oni bai eu bod yn ad-dalu'r pecyn dyled cyfan. Hynny yw, ar ôl 40 mlynedd o nonsens gan y Ceidwadwyr ar hynny, fe wnaethoch chi newid eich meddwl o'r diwedd, ond mawredd, fe gymerodd amser hir. Mae dinistrio rhent cymdeithasol gan Lywodraeth Thatcher wedi bwrw ei gysgod dros y blynyddoedd, felly os ydych chi am siarad am ystadegau felly, rwy'n hapus iawn i wneud hynny.
4. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet roi diweddariad am nifer y tai sy'n cael eu hadeiladu yn Nwyrain De Cymru? OQ61232
4. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the number of houses being built in South Wales East? OQ61232
Yes. We are committed to increasing housing supply, ensuring people have homes that meet their needs now and in the future. In 2022-23, 5,785 new homes were completed in Wales, up 10 per cent on the previous year; 1,450 of those were in Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Newport or Torfaen.
Rydym wedi ymrwymo i gynyddu'r cyflenwad tai, sicrhau bod gan bobl gartrefi sy'n diwallu eu hanghenion nawr ac yn y dyfodol. Yn 2022-23, cwblhawyd 5,785 o gartrefi newydd yng Nghymru, cynnydd o 10 y cant o'i gymharu â'r flwyddyn flaenorol; roedd 1,450 o'r rheini ym Mlaenau Gwent, Caerffili, Merthyr Tudful, sir Fynwy, Casnewydd neu Dorfaen.
Thank you for that answer, Cabinet Secretary. A planning application to build 300 homes on a greenfield site in Blackwood was actually lodged in 2018. It was rejected by the local authority’s planning committee, and following the developer's decision to appeal the application, it seems to have ping-ponged between the Welsh Government, the High Court and Planning and Environment Decisions Wales. Now, nearly six years have passed and still no decision has sadly been made, leaving the community in limbo, waiting for answers. I’ve raised this issue with you via written questions several times now, Cabinet Secretary, yet I'm still waiting for some clarity. I believe local councils in the area have also raised this matter with you, and have requested meetings, but, unfortunately, they're feeling a little bit fobbed off. So, Cabinet Secretary, it is unacceptable that residents and elected Members are being totally ignored by the Welsh Government and left waiting. They just simply want an answer, Cabinet Secretary, and to be fair to them, they have been waiting patiently for years. So, is there any way we’ll be able to find out today when a decision on this planning application will finally be made? Thank you.
Diolch am eich ateb, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Cafodd cais cynllunio i adeiladu 300 o gartrefi ar safle maes glas yn y Coed Duon ei gyflwyno yn 2018. Cafodd ei wrthod gan bwyllgor cynllunio'r awdurdod lleol, ac yn dilyn penderfyniad y datblygwr i apelio yn erbyn y cais, mae'n ymddangos ei fod wedi ei daflu yn ôl ac ymlaen rhwng Llywodraeth Cymru, yr Uchel Lys a Phenderfyniadau Cynllunio ac Amgylchedd Cymru. Nawr, mae bron i chwe blynedd wedi mynd heibio ac nid oes penderfyniad wedi'i wneud, gan adael y gymuned mewn limbo, yn aros am atebion. Rwyf wedi codi'r mater hwn gyda chi drwy gwestiynau ysgrifenedig sawl gwaith nawr, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ond rwy'n dal i aros am eglurder. Rwy'n credu bod cynghorau lleol yn yr ardal hefyd wedi codi'r mater hwn gyda chi, ac wedi gofyn am gyfarfodydd, ond yn anffodus, maent yn teimlo eu bod yn cael eu hesgeuluso braidd. Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae'n annerbyniol fod trigolion ac Aelodau etholedig yn cael eu hanwybyddu'n llwyr gan Lywodraeth Cymru ac yn cael eu cadw i aros. Maent eisiau ateb, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ac i fod yn deg â nhw, maent wedi bod yn aros yn amyneddgar ers blynyddoedd. Felly, a oes unrhyw ffordd y gallwn ni ddarganfod heddiw pryd y bydd penderfyniad ar y cais cynllunio hwn yn cael ei wneud o'r diwedd? Diolch.
I can't comment on ongoing planning applications, obviously, but on the planning application you're talking about, it's actually a redetermined, recovered appeal, and it's being actively considered by officials. The decision will be made when it's right to do so. I place much more importance on getting the decision right than getting it speedily. It has taken a very long time; it’s a very complicated matter. Of course, as soon the decision is made, we’ll communicate with all of the Members who’ve written in about it.
Ni allaf wneud sylwadau ar geisiadau cynllunio sydd ar y gweill, yn amlwg, ond ar y cais cynllunio rydych chi'n sôn amdano, mae'n apêl a adferwyd ar gyfer ailbenderfyniad, ac mae wrthi'n cael ei ystyried gan swyddogion. Bydd y penderfyniad yn cael ei wneud pan fydd hi'n iawn i wneud hynny. Rwy'n rhoi llawer mwy o bwyslais ar gael y penderfyniad yn iawn na'i gael yn gyflym. Mae wedi cymryd amser hir iawn; mae'n fater cymhleth iawn. Wrth gwrs, cyn gynted ag y gwneir y penderfyniad, byddwn yn cyfathrebu â'r holl Aelodau sydd wedi ysgrifennu atom yn ei gylch.
5. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i helpu i adfywio canol trefi yn Sir Benfro? OQ61223
5. What is the Welsh Government doing to help regenerate town centres in Pembrokeshire? OQ61223
Diolch, Paul. Since January 2020 we have awarded almost £16 million of funding through our Transforming Towns programme to support regeneration projects in town centres across Pembrokeshire. This support is being driven by placemaking plans for each settlement.
Diolch, Paul. Ers mis Ionawr 2020 rydym wedi dyfarnu bron i £16 miliwn o gyllid drwy ein rhaglen Trawsnewid Trefi i gefnogi prosiectau adfywio canol trefi ledled sir Benfro. Mae'r cymorth hwn yn cael ei yrru gan gynlluniau creu lleoedd ar gyfer pob lleoliad.
Cabinet Secretary, I listened very carefully to your earlier responses regarding towns and town centres, and I'm sure we are all concerned about the decreasing number of shops in town centres like Haverfordwest, which, coupled with bank closures, is having a real impact on the vibrancy of towns like Haverfordwest. Now, I appreciate that the way in which we shop and bank has changed over the years, but it's vital that efforts are made to regenerate our town centres so that they can actually play a role in developing cohesive communities in the future. Therefore, can you tell us what the Welsh Government is doing to make high streets an attractive prospect for businesses and can you also tell us what discussions you're having with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language about the regeneration of town centres in Pembrokeshire?
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, gwrandawais yn ofalus iawn ar eich ymatebion cynharach ynghylch trefi a chanol trefi, ac rwy'n siŵr ein bod i gyd yn pryderu am y gostyngiad yn nifer y siopau yng nghanol trefi fel Hwlffordd, sydd, ynghyd â chau banciau, yn cael effaith wirioneddol ar fywiogrwydd trefi fel Hwlffordd. Nawr, rwy'n derbyn bod y ffordd rydym yn siopa ac yn bancio wedi newid dros y blynyddoedd, ond mae'n hanfodol fod ymdrechion yn cael eu gwneud i adfywio canol ein trefi fel y gallant chwarae rhan wrth ddatblygu cymunedau cydgysylltiedig yn y dyfodol. Felly, a allwch chi ddweud wrthym beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i wneud y stryd fawr yn gynnig deniadol i fusnesau ac a allwch chi ddweud wrthym hefyd pa drafodaethau rydych chi'n eu cael gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr Economi, Ynni a'r Gymraeg ynghylch adfywio canol trefi yn sir Benfro?
Yes, certainly, Paul. So, in Pembrokeshire itself, we're helping Pembrokeshire put together something called placemaking plans. They're bringing forward placemaking plans for specific settlements across Pembrokeshire, and that includes Haverfordwest, Milford Haven, Fishguard, Goodick, for example. So, they have very specific plans for each one, and in response to a number of questions today, I've talked about the need to have those specific plans, because we want individual towns with individual plans and individual characters. We know that that's what attracts people to them, and it's very important to have the right fit for that town and to help that town come to terms with the new reality of how people shop, bank and so on, and to make sure that there are destination places where people want to come together and have coffee or whatever it is they want to do, but then they can have the opportunity to take in a local retail experience and other things.
So, we do provide small grants of up to £250,000 for small-scale regeneration projects, specifically for smaller town centres and regional or sub-city town centres as well. We are trying very hard to work with the local authority to make sure that we don't have a one-size-fits-all approach and we do have a very local flavour to what those placemaking plans look like. So, I'd very much hope that you're involved in that. If you're not, do let me know and I'll make sure that you are involved in that. I think it is very important that local democratic representatives do have a say in that and are able to represent their constituencies in making those plans, because I think it's in all of our interests to make sure that we have the best offer in those small town centres to make sure that we can attract the footfall back.
Yn sicr, Paul. Felly, yn sir Benfro ei hun, rydym yn helpu sir Benfro i lunio rhywbeth o'r enw cynlluniau creu lleoedd. Maent yn cyflwyno cynlluniau creu lleoedd ar gyfer lleoliadau penodol ledled sir Benfro, ac mae hynny'n cynnwys Hwlffordd, Aberdaugleddau, Abergwaun, Wdig, er enghraifft. Felly, mae ganddynt gynlluniau penodol iawn ar gyfer pob un, ac mewn ymateb i nifer o gwestiynau heddiw, rwyf wedi siarad am yr angen i gael y cynlluniau penodol hynny, oherwydd rydym eisiau trefi unigol gyda chynlluniau unigol a chymeriad unigol. Rydym yn gwybod mai dyna sy'n denu pobl atynt, ac mae'n bwysig iawn cael yr hyn sy'n addas ar gyfer y dref honno a helpu'r dref honno i ddod i delerau â realiti newydd y ffordd y mae pobl yn siopa, bancio ac ati, ac i wneud yn siŵr fod yna gyrchfannau lle mae pobl eisiau dod at ei gilydd a chael coffi neu beth bynnag maent am ei wneud, ond wedyn gallant gael cyfle i gael profiad manwerthu lleol a phethau eraill.
Felly, rydym yn darparu grantiau bach o hyd at £250,000 ar gyfer prosiectau adfywio ar raddfa fach, yn benodol ar gyfer canol trefi llai a chanol trefi rhanbarthol neu is-ddinesig hefyd. Rydym yn ymdrechu'n galed iawn i weithio gyda'r awdurdod lleol i sicrhau nad dull un maint i bawb sydd gennym a bod gennym flas lleol iawn ar y cynlluniau creu lleoedd hynny. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio'n fawr y byddwch chi'n rhan o hynny. Os nad ydych chi, rhowch wybod i mi ac fe wnaf yn siŵr eich bod yn rhan o hynny. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn fod cynrychiolwyr democrataidd lleol yn cael dweud eu dweud yn hynny ac yn gallu cynrychioli eu hetholaethau wrth wneud y cynlluniau hynny, oherwydd rwy'n credu ei bod o fudd i bawb ohonom sicrhau bod gennym y cynnig gorau ar gyfer y canol trefi bach hyn i sicrhau y gallwn ddenu'r ymwelwyr yn ôl.
6. Pa asesiad y mae’r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet wedi'i wneud o'r heriau sy'n wynebu cyllidebau awdurdodau lleol? OQ61244
6. What assessment has the Cabinet Secretary made of the challenges facing local authority budgets? OQ61244
Diolch, Peter. Service demand and cost inflation have meant that authorities have made difficult decisions on services and council tax in setting their budgets. Our own budget position has meant we have not been able to meet all the pressures local authorities face, but I am meeting regularly with the leaders of local authorities to agree an agenda for discussing the particular challenges.
Diolch, Peter. Mae'r galw am wasanaethau a chwyddiant costau wedi golygu bod awdurdodau wedi gwneud penderfyniadau anodd am wasanaethau a'r dreth gyngor wrth bennu eu cyllidebau. Mae ein sefyllfa gyllidebol ein hunain wedi golygu nad ydym wedi gallu bodloni'r holl ofynion y mae awdurdodau lleol yn eu hwynebu, ond rwy'n cyfarfod yn rheolaidd ag arweinwyr awdurdodau lleol i gytuno ar agenda ar gyfer trafod yr heriau penodol.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Times are certainly difficult for local government. Not only is money tight, as we've both said, public expectation and demographic need continue to grow. We can't ignore the election discourse, and whilst individual Cabinet Secretaries will need to address their portfolio areas, you will have an overview of the finance resource needed across local government. With that in mind, Cabinet Secretary, what forward planning are you doing with the Cabinet Secretaries for both finance and education on preparing for any influx of children from the private education sector seeking state school education due to value added tax on school fees, should we see a Labour UK Government following the general election?
Diolch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Yn sicr, mae'n adeg anodd i lywodraeth leol. Mae arian yn dynn, fel y mae'r ddau ohonom wedi dweud, ac mae disgwyliadau cyhoeddus ac angen demograffig yn parhau i dyfu hefyd. Ni allwn anwybyddu'r drafodaeth etholiadol, ac er y bydd angen i Ysgrifenyddion Cabinet unigol fynd i'r afael â'u meysydd portffolio, bydd gennych drosolwg o'r adnodd cyllid sydd ei angen ar draws llywodraeth leol. Gyda hynny mewn golwg, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, pa flaengynllunio rydych chi'n ei wneud gydag Ysgrifenyddion y Cabinet ar gyfer cyllid ac addysg ar baratoi ar gyfer unrhyw fewnlifiad o blant o'r sector addysg breifat sydd eisiau addysg yn ysgolion y wladwriaeth oherwydd treth ar werth ar ffioedd ysgol os cawn Lywodraeth Lafur yn y DU yn dilyn yr etholiad cyffredinol?
I discuss various matters with my Cabinet Secretary colleagues all the time, Peter. I'm very addicted to listening to the Today programme on Radio 4 in the morning; it's perhaps an overshare, but I'm not a morning person at all, I do not like waking up early and I put it on because it irritates me so badly it wakes me up nicely. [Laughter.] This morning, it was followed immediately by a programme called You and Yours, which goes through a fact-finding issue, debunking various claims made by various candidates. As it happens, that was the one they were debunking this morning, where they said there was very little evidence indeed that there would be any such effect of such a policy, and, in fact, they thought the policy would have almost no effect on school sizes. So, I'm just quoting it back to you.
Of course, in discussing things with my Cabinet Secretary colleague, we always take into account trends that we think will have an effect on demographics and school class sizes, for example. Actually, of course, in many parts of Wales, it would be very welcome to have increasing numbers, because we really struggle to keep some of our schools open, schools that are quite beloved to the local population. It's just a coincidence that just this morning that came up as part of one of the election fact-finding things.
Rwy'n trafod materion amrywiol gyda fy nghyd-Ysgrifenyddion Cabinet drwy'r amser, Peter. Rwy'n gaeth iawn i wrando ar raglen Today ar Radio 4 yn y bore; rwy'n rhannu gormod o bosibl, ond nid wyf yn berson bore o gwbl, nid wyf yn hoffi deffro'n gynnar ac rwy'n gwrando arno am ei fod yn fy ngwylltio cymaint nes ei fod yn fy neffro'n dda. [Chwerthin.] Bore yma, fe'i dilynwyd yn syth gan raglen o'r enw You and Yours, sy'n canfod ffeithiau am fater, gan ddatrys honiadau amrywiol a wnaed gan amrywiol ymgeiswyr. Fel mae'n digwydd, dyna'r un roeddent yn ei chwalu y bore yma, lle roeddent yn dweud mai ychydig iawn o dystiolaeth oedd yna y byddai unrhyw effaith o'r fath ar bolisi o'r fath, ac mewn gwirionedd, roeddent yn meddwl na fyddai'r polisi yn cael bron ddim effaith ar faint ysgolion. Felly, rwy'n dyfynnu hynny yn ôl i chi.
Wrth gwrs, wrth drafod pethau gyda fy nghyd-Ysgrifennydd Cabinet, rydym bob amser yn ystyried tueddiadau y credwn y byddant yn effeithio ar ddemograffeg a maint dosbarthiadau ysgol, er enghraifft. A dweud y gwir, mewn sawl rhan o Gymru, byddai croeso mawr i gael niferoedd cynyddol, oherwydd rydym yn cael trafferth cadw rhai o'n hysgolion ar agor, ysgolion sy'n annwyl i'r boblogaeth leol. Cyd-ddigwyddiad yw hi mai y bore yma y cododd hynny fel rhan o un o bethau darganfod ffeithiau'r etholiad.
7. All wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet roi diweddariad ar y cynnydd wrth geisio cyrraedd nod y Llywodraeth i godi 20,000 o dai cymdeithasol ar gyfer y sector rhentu erbyn diwedd y Senedd hon? OQ61245
7. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on progress in terms of reaching the Government’s target of delivering 20,000 homes for social rent by the end of this Senedd? OQ61245
Diolch, Llyr. The target to deliver 20,000 homes for rent in the social sector is extremely challenging. Nevertheless, we are committed to delivering more homes to meet people’s needs now and in the future. We have got record levels of investment already committed to the social housing grant in this Senedd term, with a view to ensuring that we do make the target, if at all possible.
Diolch, Llyr. Mae'r targed o ddarparu 20,000 o gartrefi i'w gosod ar rent yn y sector cymdeithasol yn hynod heriol. Serch hynny, rydym wedi ymrwymo i ddarparu mwy o gartrefi i ddiwallu anghenion pobl nawr ac yn y dyfodol. Mae gennym y lefelau uchaf erioed o fuddsoddiad eisoes wedi'i ymrwymo i'r grant tai cymdeithasol yn ystod tymor y Senedd hon, gyda'r bwriad o sicrhau ein bod yn cyrraedd y targed, os yw'n bosibl.
Well, you say it's extremely challenging this month. In April you said, I think, to the Senedd that you were hanging on by the skin of your teeth to the target. Now, let's be honest, I think by now it's maybe unlikely that you will meet that target. Indeed, according to the latest update provided, you've delivered an average of just under 2,900 units per year during this term. And on that trajectory, you will fall significantly short—about 25 per cent short—of your target. Now, we know that there are 90,000 households on housing waiting lists in Wales, and it seems, maybe, that they will now be the subject of another missed target by this Government.
Now, your party also says that, on a UK level, you aim to build 1.5 million homes over the next five years, 40 per cent of which will be affordable housing. Why should people believe such a promise when your record in Wales tells a very different story?
Wel, rydych chi'n dweud ei bod hi'n hynod o heriol y mis hwn. Ym mis Ebrill, rwy'n credu eich bod wedi dweud wrth y Senedd eich bod chi'n cyrraedd y targed o drwch asgell gwybedyn. Nawr, gadewch inni fod yn onest, rwy'n credu erbyn hyn ei bod hi'n annhebygol y byddwch chi'n cyrraedd y targed hwnnw. Yn wir, yn ôl y diweddariad diweddaraf a ddarparwyd, rydych chi wedi darparu cyfartaledd o ychydig o dan 2,900 o unedau y flwyddyn yn ystod y tymor hwn. Ac ar y trywydd hwnnw, fe fyddwch chi gryn dipyn yn brin—tua 25 y cant yn brin—o'ch targed. Nawr, fe wyddom fod 90,000 o aelwydydd ar restrau aros am dai yng Nghymru, ac mae'n ymddangos efallai y byddant yn destun targed arall a fethwyd gan y Llywodraeth hon.
Nawr, mae eich plaid chi hefyd yn dweud eich bod chi, ar lefel y DU, yn anelu at adeiladu 1.5 miliwn o gartrefi dros y pum mlynedd nesaf, gyda 40 y cant ohonynt yn dai fforddiadwy. Pam y dylai pobl gredu'r fath addewid pan fo'ch record yng Nghymru yn adrodd stori wahanol iawn?
Well, I don't think that's quite fair, to be honest. And as I said in answer to an earlier question, we never expected to build 4,000 each year; we always knew that we had to put interventions in in the first place that would accelerate the build, so we do expect to deliver far more in the last two years of this Senedd term than we were able to in the first. I've also said many times in this Senedd that, you know, it's a bit like nobody expects the Spanish inquisition, isn't it? We weren't expecting COVID followed by an inflationary Liz Truss Government and a cost-of-living crisis and all the rest of it. And in all honesty, I did think we would deliver the 20,000 units relatively easily—it wasn't ever easy, but relatively easy—when we set the target back in 2021, and life has very much changed since then.
Nevertheless, we are—no matter which phrase you use—hanging on by the skin of our teeth. It's not impossible to make the target now, it is stretching in the extreme. But I think it's actually very important to have those stretching targets. I don't want to relax that target, I want to push people as hard as possible towards that target. And as I said, we are working now at a really detailed level with local authorities across Wales, right down to, 'What does this site have on it in planning?', 'Where is it in the planning system?', 'What are you doing about bringing it forward?', 'Where's the social housing grant going?', et cetera, just trying to make sure. So, if the units in the planning system are built, we will make the target, but, actually, I think it's just much more important to make sure that we have an ongoing pipeline, because at the end of this Senedd term, we won't suddenly have enough houses. So, whoever is the Government after the next Senedd election will also have to keep up a steady stream of good social houses for rent. So, I think it's important to make sure that we've got that pipeline. And, yes, absolutely, it took us a little while to run up to it; we were coming out of COVID and then we had a whole series of things, not least, for example, I don't know if you'll remember, but the cost of timber worldwide went up astronomically, and we had real problems getting supply for that, and all the rest of it.
So, I take the point you're making, but I'm not prepared to go back on the target yet. I think it's really important to continue to push people to make sure that we get as many of those houses up as possible. And we owe it to the people who are in temporary accommodation across Wales to get those houses up and functional as fast as possible.
Wel, nid wyf yn meddwl bod hynny'n deg, i fod yn onest. Ac fel y dywedais wrth ateb cwestiwn cynharach, nid oeddem yn disgwyl adeiladu 4,000 bob blwyddyn; roeddem bob amser yn gwybod bod yn rhaid inni gyflwyno ymyriadau yn y lle cyntaf a fyddai'n cyflymu'r gwaith adeiladu, felly rydym yn disgwyl cyflawni llawer mwy yn ystod y ddwy flynedd olaf o dymor y Senedd hon nag y gallem ei wneud yn y ddwy flynedd gyntaf. Rwyf hefyd wedi dweud droeon yn y Senedd hon, wyddoch chi, ei fod ychydig fel bod neb yn disgwyl y chwilys Sbaenaidd, onid yw? Nid oeddem yn disgwyl COVID, wedi'i ddilyn gan Lywodraeth chwyddiant Liz Truss ac argyfwng costau byw a'r gweddill i gyd. Ac a bod yn onest, roeddwn i'n meddwl y byddem yn darparu'r 20,000 o unedau'n gymharol hawdd—nid oedd byth yn hawdd, ond yn gymharol hawdd—pan wnaethom osod y targed yn ôl yn 2021, ac mae bywyd wedi newid yn fawr iawn ers hynny.
Serch hynny, rydym yn dal ein gafael—ni waeth pa ymadrodd rydych chi'n ei ddefnyddio—o drwch asgell gwybedyn. Nid yw'n amhosibl cyrraedd y targed nawr, mae'n eithriadol o heriol. Ond rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn cael targedau heriol iawn. Nid wyf am lacio'r targed, rwyf am wthio pobl mor galed â phosibl tuag at y targed hwnnw. Ac fel y dywedais, rydym yn gweithio nawr ar lefel fanwl iawn gydag awdurdodau lleol ledled Cymru, i lawr i 'Beth sydd gan y safle hwn arno yn y cynlluniau?', 'Ble mae arni yn y system gynllunio?', 'Beth ydych chi'n ei wneud ynglŷn â'i gyflwyno?', 'Ble mae'r grant tai cymdeithasol yn mynd?', ac ati, i geisio gwneud yn siŵr. Felly, os yw'r unedau yn y system gynllunio yn cael eu hadeiladu, byddwn yn cyrraedd y targed, ond mewn gwirionedd, credaf ei bod yn bwysicach o lawer sicrhau bod gennym lif parhaus, oherwydd ar ddiwedd tymor y Senedd hon, ni fydd gennym ddigon o dai yn sydyn iawn. Felly, bydd yn rhaid i bwy bynnag yw'r Llywodraeth ar ôl etholiad nesaf y Senedd gadw llif cyson o dai cymdeithasol da i'w gosod ar rent hefyd. Felly, rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig sicrhau bod gennym lif o'r fath. Ac yn hollol, cymerodd ychydig o amser i ni ei gyrraedd; roeddem yn cefnu ar COVID ac yna cawsom gyfres gyfan o bethau, yn anad dim, er enghraifft, nid wyf yn gwybod a fyddwch chi'n cofio, ond fe gododd cost pren ledled y byd i'r entrychion, ac fe gawsom broblemau gwirioneddol wrth gael cyflenwad ar gyfer hynny, a'r cyfan i gyd.
Felly, rwy'n cymryd y pwynt rydych chi'n ei wneud, ond nid wyf yn barod i fynd yn ôl ar y targed eto. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn parhau i wthio pobl i sicrhau ein bod yn codi cymaint o'r tai hynny â phosibl. Ac mae'n ddyletswydd arnom i'r bobl sydd mewn llety dros dro ledled Cymru i gael y tai hynny wedi eu hadeiladu ac yn weithredol cyn gynted â phosibl.
Yn olaf, cwestiwn 8, Heledd Fychan.
Finally, question 8, Heledd Fychan.
8. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i sicrhau mynediad i lyfrgelloedd cyhoeddus ar draws Canol De Cymru? OQ61250
8. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to ensure access to public libraries across South Wales Central? OQ61250
Diolch. Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service. The Welsh Government provides funding to support the development of public libraries, including recent investment of over £900,000 for a shared digital library platform, and a capital fund to improve library buildings and facilities. Sorry, I nearly did the same thing to you then, Heledd, because I had the wrong glasses on. [Laughter.]
Diolch. Mae gan awdurdodau lleol gyfrifoldeb statudol i ddarparu gwasanaeth llyfrgell cynhwysfawr ac effeithlon. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn darparu cyllid i gefnogi datblygiad llyfrgelloedd cyhoeddus, gan gynnwys buddsoddiad diweddar o dros £900,000 ar gyfer platfform llyfrgell ddigidol a rennir, a chronfa gyfalaf i wella adeiladau a chyfleusterau llyfrgell. Mae'n ddrwg gennyf, bu bron imi wneud yr un peth i chi, Heledd, am fy mod i'n gwisgo'r sbectol anghywir. [Chwerthin.]
Diolch i chi, Ysgrifennydd Cabinet. Fe fyddwch chi'n ymwybodol bod gwasanaethau llyfrgelloedd wedi crebachu oherwydd y pwysau ar gyllidebau llywodraeth leol, ond mae'r angen am lyfrgelloedd mor amlwg ag erioed, wrth iddynt esblygu ac ymestyn darpariaeth fel hybiau cymunedol. Dan Ddeddf Llyfrgelloedd Cyhoeddus ac Amgueddfeydd 1964, mae dyletswydd arnoch chi yn bersonol i arolygu a hyrwyddo gwella'r gwasanaeth llyfrgelloedd cyhoeddus a ddarperir gan awdurdodau lleol. Ers 2002 mae Gweinidogion Cymru wedi cyflawni'r ddyletswydd yma drwy fframwaith safonau llyfrgelloedd cyhoeddus Cymru. Daeth y chweched fframwaith, sy'n gysylltiedig â hyn, i ben yn 2020 ac fe'i hymestynnwyd am ddwy flynedd oherwydd y pandemig. Allwch chi amlinellu sut y mae'r gwaith ar y seithfed fframwaith yn mynd rhagddo a phryd y bydd yn cael ei gyhoeddi?
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. You will be aware that library services have shrunk because of the pressure on local government budgets, but the need for libraries is as apparent as ever, as they evolve and extend provision as community hubs. Under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964, you have a duty, personally, to inspect and promote the improvement of the public library service provided by local authorities. Since 2002 Welsh Ministers have fulfilled this duty through the Welsh public libraries standards framework. The sixth framework associated with this ended in 2020 and it was extended for two years due to the pandemic. Can you outline how the work on the seventh framework is progressing and when it will be published?
Thank you, Heledd. I don't have that specific detail, but I'm quite happy to write to you with it. But it is the responsibility of local authorities to provide, exactly as you say, a comprehensive service under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964. We've provided a 3.3 per cent increase to the local authority settlement in the last year to try and make sure that they have enough money for these very vital services. I completely agree with you: these are vital, not just for the library service, if you like, but, actually, they're often a community hub, a meeting place, a place for story-telling for children, and all the rest of it.
I think the shared digital platform will be very, very useful, so that all libraries across Wales can have access to that and can order books from elsewhere and so on. That will assist local libraries to be of very much more help to their local populations. And we've just provided £41,000 to support two regional inter-library loan schemes in 2024-25, including one that covers South Wales Central. So, I hope that we are doing our bit to try and shore them up. But the bottom line is that there isn't enough money in public services and we need to make sure that we get better funding for public services.
Libraries are one of those support services that shore up the education system, they shore up the public health system; they are fundamental building blocks to civilised society, aren't they? I certainly grew up going, every week, to the library with my mum and I remember those days with great pleasure. So, it's really important that we make sure that that experience is there for others. I don't have on me the specific answer to your question, but I'll make sure that you get the answer to that. But I just want to reassure you that we are very keen to make sure that all the citizens of Wales can access a library service in one form or another and to make sure that that's as accessible as possible.
Diolch yn fawr, Heledd. Nid oes gennyf y manylion penodol hynny, ond rwy'n eithaf hapus i ysgrifennu atoch gyda nhw. Ond fel y dywedwch, cyfrifoldeb awdurdodau lleol yw darparu gwasanaeth cynhwysfawr o dan Ddeddf Llyfrgelloedd Cyhoeddus ac Amgueddfeydd 1964. Rydym wedi darparu cynnydd o 3.3 y cant i setliad yr awdurdod lleol yn ystod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf i geisio sicrhau bod ganddynt ddigon o arian ar gyfer y gwasanaethau hanfodol hyn. Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â chi: mae'r rhain yn hanfodol, nid yn unig ar gyfer y gwasanaeth llyfrgell, os mynnwch, ond mewn gwirionedd, maent yn aml yn ganolfan gymunedol, yn fan cyfarfod, yn lle i adrodd straeon i blant, ac yn y blaen.
Rwy'n credu y bydd y platfform digidol a rennir yn ddefnyddiol iawn, fel y bydd pob llyfrgell ledled Cymru yn gallu cael mynediad at hwnnw ac yn gallu archebu llyfrau o fannau eraill ac yn y blaen. Bydd hynny'n helpu llyfrgelloedd lleol i fod o fwy o gymorth i'w poblogaethau lleol. Ac rydym newydd ddarparu £41,000 i gefnogi dau gynllun benthyciadau rhwng llyfrgelloedd rhanbarthol yn 2024-25, gan gynnwys un sy'n cwmpasu Canol De Cymru. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio ein bod yn gwneud ein rhan i geisio eu cynnal. Ond y gwir amdani yw nad oes digon o arian mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus ac mae angen inni sicrhau ein bod yn cael gwell cyllid ar gyfer gwasanaethau cyhoeddus.
Mae llyfrgelloedd yn un o'r gwasanaethau cymorth sy'n cynnal y system addysg, maent yn gwella'r system iechyd cyhoeddus; maent yn flociau adeiladu sylfaenol i gymdeithas wâr, onid ydynt? Yn sicr, wrth imi dyfu i fyny, roeddwn i'n mynd i'r llyfrgell bob wythnos gyda fy mam ac rwy'n cofio'r dyddiau hynny gyda phleser mawr. Felly, mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod yn sicrhau bod plant eraill yn cael y profiad hwnnw. Nid oes gennyf ateb penodol i'ch cwestiwn ar hyn o bryd, ond byddaf yn sicrhau eich bod yn cael yr ateb iddo. Ond hoffwn eich sicrhau ein bod yn awyddus iawn i wneud yn siŵr y gall holl ddinasyddion Cymru gael mynediad at wasanaeth llyfrgell ar ryw ffurf neu'i gilydd a sicrhau bod hwnnw mor hygyrch â phosibl.
Diolch i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary.
Y cwestiynau i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Addysg sydd nesaf, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Siân Gwenllian.
We'll move now to questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education, and the first question is from Siân Gwenllian.
1. Sut y mae’r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet yn gweithio gyda’r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol i wireddu'r agweddau ar y Cynllun Strategol ar gyfer y Gweithlu Deintyddol a gyhoeddwyd gan Addysg a Gwella Iechyd Cymru yn ddiweddar sy'n ymwneud ag addysg uwch? OQ61238
1. How is the Cabinet Secretary working with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care to realise the aspects of the Dental Strategic Workforce Plan recently published by Health Education and Improvement Wales that relate to higher education? OQ61238
I welcome the commitments within the dental strategic workforce plan relating to higher education, such as increasing BSc dental therapy placements and commissioning a level 5 to 6 conversion programme. These will be led by HEIW and I will seek updates on progress against the commitments.
Rwy'n croesawu'r ymrwymiadau yn y cynllun gweithlu strategol ar gyfer deintyddiaeth sy'n ymwneud ag addysg uwch, megis cynyddu nifer y lleoliadau therapi deintyddol BSc a chomisiynu rhaglen gyfnewid lefel 5 i 6. Bydd y rhain yn cael eu harwain gan AaGIC a byddaf yn gofyn am ddiweddariadau ar gynnydd ar yr ymrwymiadau.
Rydym ni'n gwybod bod mwy o fyfyrwyr o Gymru yn mynd allan o Gymru i astudio cyrsiau deintyddiaeth is-raddedig mewn prifysgolion nag sy'n aros yma—20 yn aros yng Nghymru a 40 yn mynd allan, yn ôl y ffigurau diweddaraf. Ydych chi yn derbyn nad yw hynny'n synhwyrol nag yn gynaliadwy ar ôl buddsoddi yn ein pobl ifanc drwy'r gyfundrefn addysg, yn enwedig pan fo yna gymaint o angen am weithlu deintyddol yng Nghymru? Does yna ddim llawer o eglurder yn y cynllun newydd am faint o lefydd prifysgol ychwanegol sy'n arwain at gymhwyso fel deintydd sydd yn cael eu creu. Rydych chi'n capio'r niferoedd presennol ar tua 75, yn ôl data'r Swyddfa Myfyrwyr. A fedrwch chi roi eglurder i ni am faint yn fwy o lefydd fydd yna yn sgil cyhoeddi'r cynllun strategol ar gyfer y gweithlu deintyddol?
We know that more students from Wales are going outside Wales to study undergraduate dentistry courses at university than those who stay here—20 stay in Wales and 40 go outside Wales, according to the latest figures. Do you accept that this is neither sensible nor sustainable after investing in our young people through the education system, especially when there is such a need for dental workforce in Wales? There is not much clarity in the new plan regarding how many additional university places leading to qualification as a dentist will be created. You are capping the current numbers at around 75, according to data from the Office for Students. Could you give us some clarity regarding how many more places there will be as a result of the publication of the strategic plan for the dental workforce?
Can I thank Siân Gwenllian for that supplementary and assure her that Welsh Ministers are fully committed to increasing training places for all members of the dental team, but this is of course very difficult to achieve in the current financial climate? Nevertheless, we are talking to existing and potential new dental training providers to identify all potential options, and I know that the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care is going to be providing an update to the Health and Social Care Committee before summer recess.
I can also confirm that conversations have taken place, at both ministerial and official levels, with Bangor University regarding the ambition to establish a dental school in north Wales. And officials are talking to other interested parties as well to identify the best option for increasing dental training capacity. The Welsh Government is also exploring options to create outreach placements in the north Wales area for fifth-year dental students studying at Cardiff dental school.
A gaf i ddiolch i Siân Gwenllian am y cwestiwn atodol hwnnw a'i sicrhau bod Gweinidogion Cymru wedi ymrwymo'n llwyr i gynyddu lleoedd hyfforddi ar gyfer holl aelodau'r tîm deintyddol, ond mae hyn wrth gwrs yn anodd iawn i'w gyflawni yn yr hinsawdd ariannol bresennol? Serch hynny, rydym yn siarad â darparwyr hyfforddiant deintyddol presennol a newydd i nodi'r holl opsiynau posibl, a gwn y bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol yn rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Pwyllgor Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol cyn toriad yr haf.
Gallaf gadarnhau hefyd fod sgyrsiau wedi digwydd, ar lefelau gweinidogol a swyddogol, gyda Phrifysgol Bangor ynghylch yr uchelgais i sefydlu ysgol ddeintyddol yng ngogledd Cymru. Ac mae swyddogion yn siarad â phartïon eraill sydd â diddordeb hefyd i nodi'r opsiwn gorau ar gyfer cynyddu capasiti hyfforddiant deintyddol. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru hefyd yn archwilio opsiynau i greu lleoliadau allgymorth yn ardal gogledd Cymru ar gyfer myfyrwyr deintyddol yn eu pumed flwyddyn sy'n astudio yn ysgol ddeintyddol Caerdydd.
Cabinet Secretary, you may have heard me raise issues around the difficulties of attracting dentists to come and work in mid Wales with some of your Cabinet colleagues. Now, I read with interest a HEIW report that alluded to the fact that, when graduates and students have been exposed to working in rural areas, or where they've lived in rural areas, and they've been raised and brought up in that area, or where they've been exposed to working in rural areas through the course of their training, there's a fourfold more chance that they'll then be willing and happy to come and work in a rural area following their training. So, with that in mind, Cabinet Secretary, what work has the Welsh Government done, and is doing, to actively encourage younger people from rural areas to see dentistry as a positive choice option for them, and encourage them to pursue that career?
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, efallai eich bod wedi fy nghlywed yn trafod yr anawsterau o ddenu deintyddion i ddod i weithio yng nghanolbarth Cymru gyda rhai o'ch cyd-Aelodau yn y Cabinet. Nawr, darllenais adroddiad AaGIC a oedd yn cyfeirio at y ffaith, pan fo graddedigion a myfyrwyr wedi gweithio mewn ardaloedd gwledig, neu lle maent wedi byw mewn ardaloedd gwledig, a lle maent wedi'u magu yn yr ardal honno, neu lle maent wedi gweithio mewn ardaloedd gwledig yn ystod eu hyfforddiant, maent bedair gwaith yn fwy tebygol o fod yn barod ac yn hapus i ddod i weithio mewn ardal wledig yn dilyn eu hyfforddiant. Felly, gyda hynny mewn golwg, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, pa waith y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud, ac yn ei wneud, i annog pobl iau o ardaloedd gwledig i ystyried deintyddiaeth fel dewis gyrfa cadarnhaol, a'u hannog i ddilyn yr yrfa honno?
Thank you very much, Russell. I want all our young people, from wherever they live in Wales, to have the opportunity to pursue the courses that they're interested in. You will be aware that, at the moment, we have the one dental school, which can mean that the people who train there are more likely to work there. So, I take on board what you've said about the challenges of getting people into rural areas. You heard my answer to Siân Gwenllian just now about the work that's going on for placements in north Wales. I know that Aberystwyth University also has an interest in this area. So, I will pick up what you've raised about dentists in rural areas. I know that dentistry has been a constant issue that you've raised, both with my officials and with the Minister for Health and Social Care.
Diolch yn fawr, Russell. Rwyf eisiau i'n holl bobl ifanc, ni waeth lle maent yn byw yng Nghymru, gael cyfle i ddilyn y cyrsiau y mae ganddynt ddiddordeb ynddynt. Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol, ar hyn o bryd, fod gennym un ysgol ddeintyddol, a all olygu bod y bobl sy'n hyfforddi yno yn fwy tebygol o weithio yno. Felly, rwy'n ystyried yr hyn rydych chi wedi'i ddweud am yr heriau o ddenu pobl i ardaloedd gwledig. Fe glywsoch chi fy ateb i Siân Gwenllian nawr am y gwaith sy'n mynd rhagddo mewn perthynas â lleoliadau yng ngogledd Cymru. Gwn fod gan Brifysgol Aberystwyth ddiddordeb yn y maes hwn hefyd. Felly, byddaf yn mynd ar drywydd yr hyn rydych chi wedi'i ddweud am ddeintyddion mewn ardaloedd gwledig. Rwy'n gwybod eich bod wedi codi'r mater hwn yn gyson, gyda fy swyddogion a chyda'r Gweinidog Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol.
2. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifenydd Cabinet ddatganiad am gyllid ar gyfer adnewyddu ysgolion yn Aberconwy? OQ61227
2. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on funding for school refurbishment in Aberconwy? OQ61227
Our sustainable communities for learning programme is currently transitioning to our new rolling programme. Conwy County Borough Council has submitted their nine-year investment plan, which is currently being reviewed by officials, and I'm expecting to receive advice in July.
Mae ein rhaglen cymunedau cynaliadwy ar gyfer dysgu yn trawsnewid i'n rhaglen dreigl newydd ar hyn o bryd. Mae Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy wedi cyflwyno eu cynllun buddsoddi naw mlynedd, sy'n cael ei adolygu gan swyddogion ar hyn o bryd, ac rwy'n disgwyl cael cyngor ym mis Gorffennaf.
Thank you, Minister. The reason I raise this is, at the start of the twenty-first century schools model, it's fair to say, under Kirsty Williams, that we managed to get a brand-new school. And it's fantastic to have one in your own constituency—a brand-new primary school. Sadly, though, we have a number of primary schools where they're in such disrepair I'm now starting to feel sorry for the pupils attending there. Issues have been raised with me by schools themselves in terms of procurement. When they want to pay some money towards having some refurbishment done, I've been told it's over-bureaucratic, more expensive than if they were to actually just get somebody in to do the works. Is there a chance, Minister, that you could have a look at how school refurbishments are funded, and how then the works are procured? And the final part to my question is that I've been asked by numerous primary school headteachers in my constituency—they've got lots of roofs that are fine, that they want solar panels on, and they've tried and tried and tried to engage with having solar panels, providing energy for their schools, and they just come to a stalemate situation. Could you look into those aspects, please?
Diolch yn fawr, Weinidog. Y rheswm pam rwy'n codi hyn yw ein bod wedi llwyddo, ar ddechrau model ysgolion yr unfed ganrif ar hugain o dan Kirsty Williams, mae'n deg dweud, i gael ysgol newydd sbon. Ac mae'n wych cael un yn eich etholaeth eich hun—ysgol gynradd newydd sbon. Yn anffodus, fodd bynnag, mae gennym nifer o ysgolion cynradd sydd mewn cyflwr mor wael nes fy mod yn dechrau teimlo dros y disgyblion sy'n eu mynychu. Mae'r ysgolion eu hunain wedi codi problemau gyda mi o ran caffael. Pan fyddant eisiau talu rhywfaint o arian tuag at wneud gwaith adnewyddu, dywedwyd wrthyf ei fod yn or-fiwrocrataidd, ac yn ddrutach na phe baent yn cael rhywun i mewn i wneud y gwaith mewn gwirionedd. Weinidog, a fyddai'n bosibl i chi gael golwg ar sut mae gwaith adnewyddu yn cael ei ariannu mewn ysgolion, a sut felly mae'r gwaith yn cael ei gaffael? Ac mae rhan olaf fy nghwestiwn yn ymwneud â'r ffaith bod nifer o benaethiaid ysgolion cynradd yn fy etholaeth wedi gofyn i mi—mae ganddynt lawer o doeau sy'n iawn, ac maent eisiau gosod paneli solar arnynt, ac maent wedi ceisio cael paneli solar dro ar ôl tro er mwyn darparu ynni i'w hysgolion, ond nid ydynt yn gallu symud ymlaen. A allwch chi edrych ar y materion hynny, os gwelwch yn dda?
Thank you, Janet, for that supplementary, and thank you for your recognition of the fact that you have benefited in your constituency from our very significant investment in capital in Wales. Conwy has actually benefited from £41.8 million of investment in schools since the sustainable communities for learning programme began in 2014, and that's through not just the sustainable communities investment, but also associated grant streams, such as repairs and maintenance, universal free school meals capital grant and community-focused schools. In terms of repairs, since 2017, the local authority has received £8.87 million specifically for capital repair and maintenance of the school estate. So, I'm sure that you would agree with me that those are substantial sums of money. You'll be aware that, if local authorities are applying for funding from Welsh Government, there is a process to be gone through to make sure there is due diligence around the allocation of the funding.
I'm not sure why individual schools would have difficulties procuring refurbishments and things like that, but if you would like to write to me about that—. Obviously, taking forward how the money is spent is a matter for local authorities and schools, but if you would like to write to me about those concerns I'd be very happy to look at them.
Diolch am y cwestiwn atodol, Janet, a diolch i chi am eich cydnabyddiaeth o'r ffaith eich bod chi yn eich etholaeth wedi elwa o'n buddsoddiad cyfalaf sylweddol iawn yng Nghymru. Mae Conwy wedi elwa o fuddsoddiad o £41.8 miliwn mewn ysgolion ers i'r rhaglen cymunedau cynaliadwy ar gyfer dysgu ddechrau yn 2014, nid yn unig drwy fuddsoddiad mewn cymunedau cynaliadwy, ond hefyd mewn ffrydiau grant cysylltiedig, megis atgyweiriadau a gwaith cynnal a chadw, grant cyfalaf prydau ysgol am ddim i bawb ac ysgolion bro. O ran gwaith atgyweirio, ers 2017, mae'r awdurdod lleol wedi derbyn £8.87 miliwn yn benodol ar gyfer cyfalaf cynnal a chadw ac atgyweirio ystad yr ysgol. Felly, rwy'n siŵr y byddech yn cytuno â mi fod y rhain yn symiau sylweddol o arian. Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol, os yw awdurdodau lleol yn gwneud cais am gyllid gan Lywodraeth Cymru, fod yna broses i'w chwblhau i sicrhau diwydrwydd dyladwy mewn perthynas â dyrannu'r cyllid.
Nid wyf yn siŵr pam y byddai ysgolion unigol yn cael trafferth caffael adnewyddiadau a phethau felly, ond os hoffech chi ysgrifennu ataf mewn perthynas â hynny—. Yn amlwg, mater i awdurdodau lleol ac ysgolion yw bwrw ymlaen â sut mae'r arian yn cael ei wario, ond os hoffech chi ysgrifennu ataf am y pryderon hynny, byddwn yn hapus iawn i edrych arnynt.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Tom Giffard.
Questions now from the party spokespeople. Tom Giffard.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd. With a UK general election on the horizon, I thought I'd look up some UK Labour policies and see the impact that they would have on our education sector in Wales. And despite Keir Starmer's best efforts to go through an entire campaign without announcing anything, I did manage to find one. A UK Labour Government would apply VAT to private schools on both sides of the border. Last month, I wrote to you asking what impact this policy would have on Welsh schools. Astonishingly, you told me that, quote:
'The Welsh Government has not commissioned any research in this area.'
End quote. But Keir Starmer says that this policy would be implemented as soon as it can be done, if Labour wins the general election.
Can you provide clarity for parents and schools as to whether it would apply from this coming September? And a month on from me first asking, what impact do you think that this policy would have, and do you accept it would mean some pupils leaving the private school sector and entering state schools?
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Lywydd. Gydag etholiad cyffredinol y DU ar y gorwel, roeddwn i'n meddwl y byddwn i'n edrych ar rai o bolisïau Llafur y DU ac edrych ar yr effaith y byddent yn ei chael ar ein sector addysg yng Nghymru. Ac er gwaethaf ymdrechion gorau Keir Starmer i fynd drwy ymgyrch gyfan heb gyhoeddi unrhyw beth, llwyddais i ddod o hyd i un. Byddai Llywodraeth Lafur y DU yn cymhwyso TAW i ysgolion preifat ar ddwy ochr y ffin. Fis diwethaf, ysgrifennais atoch yn gofyn pa effaith y byddai'r polisi hwn yn ei chael ar ysgolion Cymru. Yn rhyfeddol, fe ddywedoch chi wrthyf:
'Nid yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi comisiynu unrhyw ymchwil yn y maes hwn.'
Ond dywed Keir Starmer y byddai'r polisi hwn yn cael ei weithredu cyn gynted ag y bo modd, pe bai Llafur yn ennill yr etholiad cyffredinol.
A allwch chi ddweud wrth rieni ac ysgolion a fyddai'n digwydd o fis Medi ymlaen ai peidio? A fis ar ôl imi ofyn gyntaf, pa effaith y credwch chi y byddai'r polisi hwn yn ei chael, ac a ydych chi'n derbyn y byddai'n golygu bod rhai disgyblion yn gadael y sector ysgolion preifat ac yn mynd i ysgolion gwladol?
Well, it's good to see you paying this much attention to the UK Labour Party manifesto. I'm really pleased that we have a party that is committed to campaigning for and investing in education. You will be aware that the plans for VAT are not devolved. They will, of course, impact on us in Wales. You did table the question asking whether we had done any research. Given that we don't actually yet have a Labour Government—although aren't we all just desperate for that Labour Government—I think it would be a little presumptive to commission research on that.
What I can say to you is that officials have been working on it, so we're aware, for example, that there might be particular issues for children who are in additional learning needs placements in primary schools. And we are very mindful of that. That's something I've already discussed with my counterpart, Bridget Phillipson, and, in the happy event that a Labour Government does come to power in the next few weeks, I will, of course, be having discussions with my opposite number on not just how that funding will benefit Wales, but also the actual practical implementation of that policy.
Wel, mae'n dda eich gweld chi'n talu cymaint o sylw â hyn i faniffesto Plaid Lafur y DU. Rwy'n falch iawn fod gennym blaid sydd wedi ymrwymo i ymgyrchu dros addysg a buddsoddi mewn addysg. Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol nad yw'r cynlluniau ar gyfer TAW wedi'u datganoli. Fe fyddant, wrth gwrs, yn effeithio arnom ni yng Nghymru. Fe wnaethoch chi gyflwyno'r cwestiwn yn gofyn a oeddem ni wedi gwneud unrhyw waith ymchwil. O ystyried y ffaith nad oes gennym Lywodraeth Lafur eto—er ein bod i gyd yn ysu am y Llywodraeth Lafur honno—rwy'n credu y byddai ychydig yn gynnar i gomisiynu gwaith ymchwil ar hynny.
Yr hyn y gallaf ei ddweud wrthych yw bod swyddogion wedi bod yn gweithio arno, felly rydym yn ymwybodol, er enghraifft, y gallai fod problemau penodol i blant sydd mewn lleoliadau anghenion dysgu ychwanegol mewn ysgolion cynradd. Ac rydym yn ymwybodol iawn o hynny. Mae hwnnw'n rhywbeth rwyf eisoes wedi'i drafod gyda Bridget Phillipson, ac os daw Llywodraeth Lafur i rym yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf, byddaf yn cael trafodaethau gyda fy swyddog cyfatebol, nid yn unig ynglŷn â sut y bydd y cyllid hwnnw o fudd i Gymru, ond hefyd sut y bydd y polisi hwnnw'n cael ei weithredu'n ymarferol.
Well, looking at the results of the Programme for International Student Assessment rankings after 25 years of a Labour Government, I think the worst thing that could happen to an English education system is a Labour Government in Westminster.
Now, as you mentioned, Cabinet Secretary, the worst part of all of this is VAT is not a devolved tax; it's a tax collected by the Treasury rather than one kept by the Welsh Government. And, as you say, the Welsh Government hasn't impact assessed its own policy, which could be coming into place as soon as September if Labour wins that general election. But, never mind, Cabinet Secretary, let me do that impact assessment for you. Let me do the maths. A 2018 report by Baines Cutler Solutions Ltd projected that around 25 per cent of pupils would leave private schools if VAT was applied to them. So, in Wales, the cost per child, per year, in state education is £7,327, and 25 per cent of the number of private school pupils dropping out means 2,460 more pupils being educated in the state sector. Therefore, the total—[Interruption.] People in Blaenau Gwent and across Wales should be incredibly worried about this one, Alun. Therefore, the total cost to Welsh schools, Cabinet Secretary, could mean an £18 million black hole in Welsh school budgets—£18 million.
Cabinet Secretary, does the Welsh Government have an extra £18 million to spend to fill that black hole?
Wel, o edrych ar ganlyniadau'r Rhaglen Ryngwladol Asesu Myfyrwyr ar ôl 25 mlynedd o Lywodraeth Lafur, rwy'n credu mai'r peth gwaethaf a allai ddigwydd i system addysg yn Lloegr yw Llywodraeth Lafur yn San Steffan.
Nawr, fel y sonioch chi, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, y peth gwaethaf am hyn i gyd yw'r ffaith nad yw TAW yn dreth ddatganoledig; mae'n dreth a gesglir gan y Trysorlys yn hytrach nag un a gedwir gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Ac fel y dywedwch, nid yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi asesu effaith ei pholisi ei hun, a allai fod yn dod i rym cyn gynted â mis Medi os bydd Llafur yn ennill yr etholiad cyffredinol. Ond peidiwch â phoeni, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, gadewch imi gynnal yr asesiad effaith hwnnw ar eich rhan. Gadewch i mi wneud y symiau. Roedd adroddiad gan Baines Cutler Solutions Ltd yn 2018 yn rhagweld y byddai tua 25 y cant o ddisgyblion yn gadael ysgolion preifat pe bai TAW yn cael ei gymhwyso iddynt. Felly, yng Nghymru, mae pob plentyn mewn ysgol wladol yn costio £7,327 y flwyddyn, ac os yw 25 y cant o ddisgyblion ysgolion preifat yn gadael, bydd 2,460 yn rhagor o ddisgyblion yn cael eu haddysgu mewn ysgolion gwladol. Felly, y cyfanswm—[Torri ar draws.] Dylai pobl ym Mlaenau Gwent a ledled Cymru fod yn hynod bryderus am hyn, Alun. Felly, gallai cyfanswm y gost i ysgolion Cymru, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, olygu twll du gwerth £18 miliwn yng nghyllideb ysgolion Cymru—£18 miliwn.
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a oes gan Lywodraeth Cymru £18 miliwn ychwanegol i'w wario i lenwi'r twll du hwnnw?
Well, you clearly haven't been paying attention, Tom, because the purpose of this policy is to release much-needed funding to invest in our schools. And we have a pledge in this general election to use that funding to increase recruitment and retention of our teachers. So, I'm not worried about this policy. We will work with an incoming Labour Government on it to make sure that we get the best possible outcomes for children in Wales.
Wel, mae'n amlwg nad ydych wedi bod yn talu sylw, Tom, oherwydd pwrpas y polisi hwn yw rhyddhau cyllid mawr ei angen i fuddsoddi yn ein hysgolion. Ac mae gennym addewid yn yr etholiad cyffredinol i ddefnyddio'r cyllid hwnnw i gynyddu niferoedd yr athrawon rydym yn eu recriwtio a'u cadw. Felly, nid wyf yn poeni am y polisi hwn. Byddwn yn gweithio gyda Llywodraeth Lafur newydd i sicrhau ein bod yn sicrhau'r canlyniadau gorau posibl i blant yng Nghymru.
Well, I'm surprised to see the Cabinet Secretary so relaxed and supporting a policy that could leave Welsh schools £18 million in the red. Now, we know schools are making difficult decisions at the moment with their budgets, with many letting staff go as we speak, and this policy would only make that worse. But what else would be the impact of the policy, Llywydd? It's fewer teachers and larger class sizes in our schools. Labour shadow Minister, Emily Thornberry, said earlier this week, 'It's fine—if we have to have larger class sizes, we have to larger class sizes.' That's what she said. But it's not fine, Cabinet Secertary, is it? This policy will have a real negative impact on our young people and our schools in Wales, and both you and the UK Labour Party seem relaxed about it, because it fills some ideological dogma for you lot. So, we know all too well what a UK Labour Government would mean for Welsh schools: smaller class sizes and an £18 million black hole. Isn't it the case that a UK Labour Government would be an absolute disaster for Wales?
Wel, rwy'n synnu gweld Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet mor ddigyffro ac yn cefnogi polisi a allai adael ysgolion Cymru £18 miliwn yn y coch. Nawr, rydym yn gwybod bod ysgolion yn gwneud penderfyniadau anodd ar hyn o bryd gyda'u cyllidebau, gyda llawer yn diswyddo staff yr eiliad hon, a byddai'r polisi hwn yn gwneud y sefyllfa honno'n waeth. Ond beth arall fyddai effaith y polisi, Lywydd? Mae gennym lai o athrawon a dosbarthiadau mwy o faint yn ein hysgolion. Dywedodd Gweinidog Llafur yr Wrthblaid, Emily Thornberry, yn gynharach yr wythnos hon, 'Mae'n iawn—os oes rhaid i ni gael dosbarthiadau mwy o faint, mae'n rhaid i ni gael dosbarthiadau mwy o faint.' Dyna oedd ei geiriau hi. Ond nid yw'n iawn, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Bydd y polisi hwn yn cael effaith negyddol go iawn ar ein pobl ifanc a'n hysgolion yng Nghymru, ac mae'n ymddangos eich bod chi a Phlaid Lafur y DU yn ddigyffro ynglŷn â hynny, oherwydd mae'n bodloni rhyw ddogma ideolegol i chi. Felly, gwyddom yn iawn beth fyddai Llywodraeth Lafur y DU yn ei olygu i ysgolion Cymru: dosbarthiadau llai a thwll du o £18 miliwn. Onid yw'n wir y byddai Llywodraeth Lafur y DU yn drychineb llwyr i Gymru?
Well, Tom, you should know all about black holes, given that we have a black hole in our budget of £700 million as a result of being short-changed by the UK Conservative Government. So, those are the kinds of figures we are grappling with, not the £18 million that you've done on the back of a fag packet. This is a policy that will release funding for schools. It will be implemented sensibly by an incoming Labour Government. And, in relation to class sizes, I'm sure you will have heard Bridget Phillipson say very clearly that Emily Thornberry was mistaken in what she said.
Wel, Tom, dylech wybod popeth am dyllau duon, o ystyried bod gennym dwll du o £700 miliwn yn ein cyllideb o ganlyniad i'r ffaith ein bod wedi cael ein twyllo gan Lywodraeth Geidwadol y DU. Felly, dyna'r math o ffigurau rydym yn ymgiprys â nhw, nid y £18 miliwn rydych chi wedi'i ysgrifennu ar gefn pecyn sigaréts. Mae hwn yn bolisi a fydd yn rhyddhau cyllid ar gyfer ysgolion. Bydd yn cael ei weithredu'n ystyriol gan Lywodraeth Lafur newydd. Ac mewn perthynas â maint dosbarthiadau, rwy'n siŵr y byddwch wedi clywed Bridget Phillipson yn dweud yn glir iawn fod Emily Thornberry yn anghywir ynglŷn â'r hyn a ddywedodd.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarydd Plaid Cymru, Cefin Campbell.
Questions now from the Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Cefin Campbell.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Gan taw hwn yw'r tro cyntaf i fi fel llefarydd newydd y blaid ar addysg, gaf i ddweud fy mod yn edrych ymlaen yn fawr at gydweithio â chi ac, wrth gwrs, i sgrwtineiddio gwaith y Llywodraeth hefyd yn y sector arbennig yma.
Fy nghwestiwn cyntaf i yw hyn: fis diwethaf, fe wnaeth yr arweinydd Llafur, Keir Starmer, ymweld â Chymru, fel rhan o'i ymgyrch etholiadol. Yn ystod yr ymweliad hwn, fe wnaeth e chwe addewid i Gymru, pe bai ei blaid yn ennill yr etholiad cyffredinol. Nawr, un o'r rheini oedd recriwtio athrawon newydd mewn pynciau allweddol. Nawr, dwi ddim yn siwr os yw Starmer yn gwybod bod addysg wedi ei ddatganoli a bod Llafur wedi bod yn gyfrifol am addysg yng Nghymru ers dros 25 mlynedd. Ond er gwybodaeth iddo fe, dyma eich record chi: mae arolwg blynyddol yr NASUWT yn 2023 yn dangos bod bron i dri chwarter o athrawon Cymru dros y 12 mis diwethaf wedi ystyried gadael y proffesiwn; mae'r ystadegau diweddaraf am addysg gychwynnol athrawon yn dangos bod nifer y sawl sydd wedi cofrestru i ddilyn cyrsiau uwchradd 34 y cant yn is na'r targed a osodwyd gan Gyngor y Gweithlu Addysg ar gyfer Cymru; yn y canlyniadau PISA diweddaraf, sgoriodd Cymru 473 ar gyfer gwyddoniaeth, 466 ar gyfer mathemateg a 466 ar gyfer darllen, sef gostyngiadau sylweddol iawn, sydd, yn y drefn honno, yn 12, chwech a 10 pwynt yn is na chyfartaledd yr OECD ar gyfer gwledydd sydd yn cymryd rhan yn y cynllun. Yn y canlyniadau PISA—
Thank you, Llywydd. As this is my first opportunity as my party's new spokesperson on education, may I say that I'm looking forward very much to working with you and, of course, to scrutinising the work of the Government in this particular sector too.
My first question is this: last month, the Labour leader, Keir Starmer, visited Wales, as part of the election campaign. Now, during the visit, he made six pledges for Wales, to be implemented were he to win the general election. Now, one of those was to recruit more teachers in key subjects. Now, I'm not sure if Starmer is aware that education is devolved and that Labour has been responsible for education in Wales for over 25 years. But, for his information, here is your record: the annual NASUWT survey for 2023 shows that almost three quarters of teachers in Wales over the past 12 months had considered leaving the profession; recent statistics on initial teacher training show that the numbers registering for secondary courses is 34 per cent lower than the target set by the Education Workforce Council for Wales; in the most recent PISA results, Wales scored 473 for science, 466 for maths and 466 for reading, which are significant reductions in points, and which, in that order, are 12, six and 10 points below the OECD average for the nations participating in the programme. In the PISA results—
Dwi wedi bod yn amyneddgar iawn, iawn, gan mai hyn yw eich cwestiwn cyntaf chi fel llefarydd addysg, felly os gallwch chi ddod i gwestiwn nawr.
I have been very patient indeed, as it is your first question as education spokesperson, so if you could come to a question now.
Fe ddof i at y cwestiwn. Felly, yr hyn hoffwn i wybod yw sut mae Starmer yn mynd i gyflawni rhywbeth y mae Llafur Cymru wedi methu â'i wneud, sef trawsnewid ein sector addysg a'i wneud yn broffesiwn apelgar unwaith eto i athrawon.
I will come to my question. Therefore, what I would like to know is how Starmer is going to deliver something that Welsh Labour has failed to deliver, namely to transform our education sector and to make it an attractive sector to teachers once again.
Thank you very much, Cefin, and can I welcome you to your post and say that I hope that we can work together in a constructive way, and thank Heledd Fychan for the work that she did as the frontbench post holder in this area? I can assure you that Keir Starmer is very well aware that education is devolved. We, as I've said to Tom Giffard, will have a consequential arising from the commitments that have been made around the recruitment and retention of teachers, and we will be able to introduce that work in our own way, being respectful of devolution, because the kind of shortage subjects that we would have in Wales—. As you know very well, we've got a particular priority on getting more Welsh language teachers, as well as other subjects, and it's important that we're able to use that money in a way that respects the needs that we have in Wales.
I do recognise the challenges that we have with the recruitment of teachers. That's why we're working very proactively on an ongoing basis around teacher recruitment. That's why we have put so much support in for workforce well-being through things like education support, and I'm continuing that dialogue with front-line practitioners about what more we can do to make schools attractive, welcoming places for people to work in Wales.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Cefin, ac a gaf i eich croesawu i'ch swydd a dweud fy mod yn gobeithio y gallwn weithio gyda'n gilydd mewn ffordd adeiladol, a diolch i Heledd Fychan am y gwaith a wnaeth fel deiliad y swydd yn y maes hwn ar y fainc flaen? Gallaf eich sicrhau bod Keir Starmer yn ymwybodol iawn fod addysg wedi'i datganoli. Fel rwyf wedi'i ddweud wrth Tom Giffard, bydd gennym swm canlyniadol a fydd yn deillio o'r ymrwymiadau sydd wedi'u gwneud ynghylch recriwtio a chadw athrawon, a byddwn yn gallu cyflwyno'r gwaith hwnnw yn ein ffordd ein hunain, gan barchu datganoli, oherwydd y math o bynciau lle mae gennym brinder yma yng Nghymru—. Fel y gwyddoch yn iawn, mae gennym flaenoriaeth benodol i gael mwy o athrawon Cymraeg, yn ogystal â phynciau eraill, ac mae'n bwysig ein bod yn gallu defnyddio'r arian hwnnw mewn ffordd sy'n parchu'r anghenion sydd gennym yng Nghymru.
Rwy'n cydnabod yr heriau sydd gennym wrth recriwtio athrawon. Dyna pam ein bod yn gweithio'n rhagweithiol iawn ar sail barhaus ar recriwtio athrawon. Dyna pam ein bod wedi rhoi cymaint o gefnogaeth i lesiant y gweithlu drwy bethau fel cymorth addysg, ac rwy'n parhau â'r ddeialog gydag addysgwyr rheng flaen ynghylch beth arall y gallwn ei wneud i wneud ysgolion yn lleoedd deniadol a chroesawgar i bobl weithio ynddynt yng Nghymru.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. I look forward to those consequentials coming and changing the poor record over the last 25 years. You mentioned teacher recruitment, and we know that there are huge problems in terms of recruitment and the retention of teachers across the whole of Wales. There's been no shortage of announcements by the Welsh Government to encourage young people to think about a career as teachers and classroom assistants, but do we know whether these campaigns have been successful? The initial teacher education incentive scheme for priority subjects is one such example. So, you can imagine my disappointment when I discovered last week in a question to the First Minister that the Welsh Government has no idea whether the scheme is working or not because you haven't got the evidence. You have no data to determine if the recipients of the incentive before 2022-23 are still teaching in Wales, are teaching somewhere else, or not teaching at all. Now, this is a scheme that's been running for about a decade, with millions of pounds already spent on it. So, Cabinet Secretary, how do you respond to this obvious failure in monitoring and evaluation, and do you agree with me that, without this data, we can't measure the success of this extremely important scheme?
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Edrychaf ymlaen at weld y symiau canlyniadol hynny'n dod ac at newid y lefelau cyflawniad gwael a welsom dros y 25 mlynedd diwethaf. Roeddech chi'n sôn am recriwtio athrawon, ac rydym yn gwybod bod problemau enfawr o ran recriwtio a chadw athrawon ar draws Cymru gyfan. Ni fu prinder cyhoeddiadau gan Lywodraeth Cymru i annog pobl ifanc i feddwl am yrfaoedd fel athrawon a chynorthwywyr dosbarth, ond a ydym yn gwybod i ba raddau y bu'r ymgyrchoedd hyn yn llwyddiant? Mae'r cynllun cymhelliant addysg gychwynnol i athrawon ar gyfer pynciau blaenoriaeth yn enghraifft o'r fath. Felly, gallwch ddychmygu fy siom pan glywais, yr wythnos diwethaf, mewn cwestiwn i'r Prif Weinidog, nad oes gan Lywodraeth Cymru unrhyw syniad i ba raddau y mae'r cynllun yn gweithio am nad oes gennych dystiolaeth. Nid oes gennych unrhyw ddata i ddangos a yw derbynwyr y cymhelliant cyn 2022-23 yn dal i addysgu yng Nghymru, yn addysgu yn rhywle arall, neu heb fod yn addysgu o gwbl. Nawr, mae'r cynllun hwn wedi bod ar y gweill ers tua degawd, gyda miliynau o bunnoedd eisoes wedi cael ei wario arno. Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, sut rydych chi'n ymateb i'r methiant amlwg hwn o ran monitro a gwerthuso, ac a ydych chi'n cytuno na allwn fesur llwyddiant y cynllun hynod bwysig hwn heb ddata o'r fath?
Thank you. Data is really important, and I've been very, very clear about that with officials. You can't change policy without having effective data. Obviously, I was in the Chamber for your exchange with the First Minister, and you tabled a similar question to me. The answer that I gave explained that, over the last couple of years, the teachers are still going through that process. So, we've changed it so that it's not just going on a training course to learn to be a teacher; it's about going through the qualified teacher status, the induction status. So, that first tranche of people will be completing their studies now at the end of this year, and part-time students will be next year. I did acknowledge in the answer that I gave you that there was a lack of data before that time and informed you that we were working with the Education Workforce Council on a data-sharing agreement to try and obtain that data. So, what I'm very happy to do is, when we've completed that work, to provide the data for you.
Diolch. Mae data'n bwysig iawn, ac rwyf wedi bod yn glir iawn ynglŷn â hynny gyda swyddogion. Ni allwch newid polisi heb gael data effeithiol. Yn amlwg, roeddwn yn y Siambr ar gyfer eich trafodaeth gyda'r Prif Weinidog, ac fe wnaethoch chi gyflwyno cwestiwn tebyg i mi. Roedd yr ateb a roddais yn egluro bod athrawon, dros y ddwy flynedd diwethaf, yn dal i fynd drwy'r broses honno. Felly, rydym wedi newid y broses fel ei bod yn ymwneud â mwy na mynd ar gwrs hyfforddi i ddysgu sut i fod yn athro; mae'n ymwneud â mynd drwy'r statws athro cymwysedig, y statws sefydlu. Felly, bydd y garfan gyntaf o bobl yn cwblhau eu hastudiaethau ar ddiwedd y flwyddyn hon, a bydd myfyrwyr rhan-amser yn cwblhau eu hastudiaethau nhw y flwyddyn nesaf. Fe wneuthum gydnabod yn yr ateb a roddais i chi fod yna ddiffyg data cyn hynny a'ch hysbysu ein bod yn gweithio gyda Chyngor y Gweithlu Addysg ar gytundeb rhannu data i geisio cael y data hwnnw. Felly, pan fyddwn wedi cwblhau'r gwaith hwnnw, byddaf yn hapus iawn i ddarparu'r data i chi.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at dderbyn y data hwnnw.
Gan gadw at y thema o ddenu mwy o bobl i'r proffesiwn, rwy'n bwriadu sôn nawr am y cyrsiau tystysgrif addysg i raddedigion, y cyrsiau TAR. Fel rydyn ni'n gwybod, ein prifysgolion sydd yn darparu'r cyrsiau hyn. Rydyn ni wedi gweld enghraifft yn ddiweddar o'r bygythiad i gyrsiau tebyg i hyn, gyda Phrifysgol Aberystwyth yn cyhoeddi bod cyrsiau hyfforddi athrawon yno yn dod i ben o fis Medi ymlaen. Mae hyn, wrth gwrs, yn codi llawer o bryderon yn y sector a thu hwnt. Nid yn unig ei fod yn achosi problemau i lawer yng nghanolbarth Cymru a fyddai wedi mynd i Brifysgol Aberystwyth i astudio TAR, ond mae hefyd yn lleihau'r cyfleoedd i'r rhai fyddai wedi hyfforddi i fod yn athrawon cyfrwng Cymraeg yn ogystal. Felly, gan ystyried hyn i gyd, beth yw'ch ymateb i'r newyddion bod y cwrs TAR ym Mhrifysgol Aberystwyth yn dod i ben? Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn bwriadu gwneud ynglŷn â'r ffaith hyn? A fyddwn ni'n gweld mwy o gwtogi, o bosibl, yn y sector? Ac, yn olaf, pa asesiad mae'r Gweinidog yn bwriadu ei wneud o ran cyrraedd y nod o greu miliwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg, gan ystyried y gostyngiad posibl yn y nifer sy'n hyfforddi i fod yn athrawon? Diolch.
Thank you very much. I look forward to receiving that data.
Sticking to the theme of attracting more people to the profession, I now intend to turn to PGCE courses. As we know, our universities provide these courses. We've seen an example recently of the threat to these courses, with Aberystwyth University announcing that teacher training courses there are to cease from September onwards. This, of course, raises a number of concerns in the sector and beyond. Not only is it causing problems to many people in mid Wales who would have gone to Aberystwyth University to study a PGCE, but it also reduces the opportunities for those who would have trained to be Welsh-medium teachers too. So, given all of this, what is your response to the news that the PGCE course at Aberystwyth University is to cease? What does the Welsh Government intend to do about this fact? Will we see further cuts in the sector? And finally, what assessment does the Minister intend to make in terms of reaching the target of a million Welsh speakers, given the possible reduction in the numbers training to be teachers? Thank you.
Thank you. Can I say, in relation to the situation in Aberystwyth, Cefin Campbell will be very well aware that we have an independent system to accredit initial teacher education in Wales? I think that's very important—that we have a system that sets the highest possible standards to make sure that, if someone is going to do that course, they're going to get a really good experience. Aberystwyth was not successful in being re-accredited and chose not to appeal. That was a process that was independent of Government. It's my understanding that there were around 21 students registered to undertake the course in Aberystwyth in the coming year, and we have worked with the university to make sure that there are appropriate places elsewhere for those students. It is important to say as well that all teacher training universities in Wales offer provision through the medium of English and Welsh, so I can give you that assurance that, although we have lost the Aberystwyth places, people can learn through the medium of Welsh elsewhere.
Diolch. Mewn perthynas â'r sefyllfa yn Aberystwyth, a gaf i ddweud y bydd Cefin Campbell yn ymwybodol iawn fod gennym system annibynnol i achredu addysg gychwynnol i athrawon yng Nghymru? Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n bwysig iawn—fod gennym system sy'n gosod y safonau uchaf posibl i sicrhau, os bydd rhywun yn mynd i astudio'r cwrs hwnnw, eu bod yn cael profiad da iawn. Ni lwyddodd Aberystwyth i gael ei hailachredu a dewisodd beidio ag apelio. Roedd honno'n broses a oedd yn annibynnol ar y Llywodraeth. Fy nealltwriaeth i yw bod tua 21 o fyfyrwyr wedi cofrestru i astudio'r cwrs yn Aberystwyth y flwyddyn nesaf, ac rydym wedi gweithio gyda'r brifysgol i sicrhau bod lleoedd priodol mewn mannau eraill ar gyfer y myfyrwyr hynny. Mae'n bwysig dweud hefyd fod pob prifysgol yng Nghymru sy'n cynnig cwrs hyfforddiant cychwynnol i athrawon yn cynnig darpariaeth drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg a'r Saesneg, felly er ein bod wedi colli lleoedd yn Aberystwyth, gallaf eich sicrhau y gall pobl ddysgu drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg mewn mannau eraill.
3. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet amlinellu cynlluniau Llywodraeth Cymru i leihau'r defnydd o ffonau symudol mewn ysgolion? OQ61230
3. Will the Cabinet Secretary outline the Welsh Government's plans to curb the use of mobile phones in schools? OQ61230
We are aware of the impacts of the use of mobile phones on behaviour in schools, and I will be working with schools to ensure they have policies in place that reduce these impacts and promote learning.
Rydym yn ymwybodol o effeithiau defnyddio ffonau symudol ar ymddygiad mewn ysgolion, a byddaf yn gweithio gydag ysgolion i sicrhau bod ganddynt bolisïau ar waith sy'n lleihau'r effeithiau hyn ac yn hyrwyddo dysgu.
Thank you very much, Cabinet Secretary. Mobile phones are currently one of the biggest impediments to successful education, and this is something that teachers are grappling with worldwide, not just in Wales. We should bear in mind that social media apps are designed to be addictive to children and young people, and, with close to 100 per cent of children owning a mobile phone by the age of 12, they are proving to be a huge distraction in the classroom, and we hear this regularly from educators.
A report by Policy Exchange last month found that schools that ban mobile phones are twice as likely to be rated as outstanding by Estyn or Ofsted, and this was despite the fact that schools with complete bans had a higher proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals than schools with less restrictive policies. The evidence that mobile phone distraction is hugely detrimental to academic performance is sound, but also there is a huge wealth of evidence to indicate that high social media use has a detrimental effect on the mental health of young people. The UK Government's guidance introduced in February intends to stop the use of mobile phones during the school day. So, what action is the Welsh Government taking to stop the use of phones during school days, to minimise disruption, improve behaviour and improve the mental health of young people?
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Ar hyn o bryd ffonau symudol yw un o'r rhwystrau mwyaf i addysg lwyddiannus, ac mae hyn yn rhywbeth y mae athrawon yn mynd i'r afael ag ef ledled y byd, nid yng Nghymru yn unig. Dylem gofio bod apiau cyfryngau cymdeithasol wedi'u cynllunio i fod yn gaethiwus i blant a phobl ifanc, ac o ystyried bod bron i 100 y cant o blant yn berchen ar ffôn symudol erbyn iddynt gyrraedd 12 oed, maent yn amlwg yn tynnu sylw disgyblion yn yr ystafell ddosbarth, ac rydym yn clywed hyn yn rheolaidd gan addysgwyr.
Canfu adroddiad gan Policy Exchange fis diwethaf fod ysgolion sy'n gwahardd ffonau symudol ddwywaith yn fwy tebygol o gael eu hystyried yn rhagorol gan Estyn neu Ofsted, ac roedd hyn er gwaethaf y ffaith bod gan ysgolion sydd â gwaharddiadau cyflawn ar ffonau symudol gyfran uwch o ddisgyblion sy'n gymwys i gael prydau ysgol am ddim nag ysgolion sydd â pholisïau llai cyfyngol. Mae'r dystiolaeth fod ffonau symudol yn tynnu sylw ac yn niweidiol iawn i berfformiad academaidd yn gadarn, ond mae yna gyfoeth enfawr o dystiolaeth hefyd sy'n dangos bod defnydd uchel o'r cyfryngau cymdeithasol yn cael effaith niweidiol ar iechyd meddwl pobl ifanc. Nod canllawiau Llywodraeth y DU a gyflwynwyd ym mis Chwefror yw atal disgyblion rhag defnyddio ffonau symudol yn ystod y diwrnod ysgol. Felly, pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i atal disgyblion rhag defnyddio ffonau symudol yn ystod y diwrnod ysgol, i leihau aflonyddwch, gwella ymddygiad a gwella iechyd meddwl pobl ifanc?
Thank you, Gareth. Almost all schools in Wales have mobile phone policies that prohibit the use of mobile phones during lessons, and guidelines should be enforced consistently by all school staff and supported by the school leadership team. But we do believe that it is important there is an element of discretion for schools in this regard, because, where managed properly, teachers are finding innovative ways of integrating mobile technology into classroom teaching, and we would not want to see overly restrictive policies that would limit the use of creative ways of teaching. Governing bodies are also required by law to ensure that its schools pursue policies designed to promote positive behaviour, and that policy needs to reflect its own circumstances, and this could well include the use of mobile phones on school premises.
You mentioned social media and the mental health impacts of it. Similarly to mobile phone use, there are pros and cons with social media. There can also be benefits, and that's been very well documented by academics, but it does need to be used in a cautious way. That's why one of the things that we are doing through our curriculum is enabling children and young people to become discerning users of digital resources, and we also have an absolute plethora of information on Hwb's 'Keeping safe online' area, where we've got advice for schools, learners and their families on a range of digital issues, including mental health and well-being, the internet, balancing screen time and social media. We're also taking forward the national digital resilience action plan, which is designed to enhance online safety and the digital resilience of our children and young people here in Wales.
Diolch yn fawr, Gareth. Mae gan bron pob ysgol yng Nghymru bolisïau ffôn symudol sy'n gwahardd defnyddio ffonau symudol yn ystod gwersi, a dylid gorfodi canllawiau yn gyson gan holl staff yr ysgol a dylid sicrhau bod rhain yn cael cefnogi gan dîm arweinyddiaeth yr ysgol. Ond rydym yn credu ei bod yn bwysig fod yna elfen o ddisgresiwn i ysgolion yn hyn o beth, oherwydd, lle cânt eu rheoli'n briodol, mae athrawon yn dod o hyd i ffyrdd arloesol o integreiddio technoleg symudol i addysgu yn yr ystafell ddosbarth, ac ni fyddem eisiau gweld polisïau rhy gyfyngol yn cyfyngu ar allu athrawon i addysgu mewn ffyrdd creadigol. Yn ogystal â hyn, mae'n ofynnol yn ôl y gyfraith i gyrff llywodraethu sicrhau bod eu hysgolion yn dilyn polisïau sydd wedi'u cynllunio i hyrwyddo ymddygiad cadarnhaol, ac mae angen i'r polisi hwnnw adlewyrchu eu hamgylchiadau eu hunain, a gallai hynny gynnwys defnyddio ffonau symudol ar safle'r ysgol.
Roeddech chi'n sôn am y cyfryngau cymdeithasol a'u heffeithiau ar iechyd meddwl. Yn yr un modd â defnydd o ffonau symudol, mae yna fanteision ac anfanteision gyda'r cyfryngau cymdeithasol. Gall fod manteision hefyd, ac mae hynny wedi'i ddogfennu'n dda iawn gan academyddion, ond mae angen eu defnyddio'n ofalus. Dyna pam mai un o'r pethau a wnawn drwy ein cwricwlwm yw galluogi plant a phobl ifanc i ddysgu sut i ddefnyddio adnoddau digidol mewn ffordd graff, ac mae gennym hefyd amrywiaeth o wybodaeth ar 'Cadw'n ddiogel ar-lein' Hwb, lle mae gennym gyngor i ysgolion, dysgwyr a'u teuluoedd ar ystod o faterion digidol, gan gynnwys iechyd meddwl a llesiant, y rhyngrwyd, cydbwyso amser sgrin a'r cyfryngau cymdeithasol. Rydym hefyd yn bwrw ymlaen â'r cynllun gweithredu cenedlaethol ar gadernid digidol, sydd wedi'i gynllunio i wella diogelwch ar-lein a chadernid digidol ein plant a'n pobl ifanc yma yng Nghymru.
4. Pa arweiniad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ei roi i ysgolion yn dilyn adolygiad Cass? OQ61234
4. What guidance has the Welsh Government provided to schools following the Cass review? OQ61234
The focus of the Cass review is not education, although I acknowledge principles and evidence from the review will be important for schools. We are continuing our analysis of the Cass review and any implications for education services in Wales.
Nid addysg yw ffocws adolygiad Cass, er fy mod yn cydnabod y bydd egwyddorion a thystiolaeth o’r adolygiad yn bwysig i ysgolion. Rydym yn parhau â’n dadansoddiad o adolygiad Cass ac unrhyw oblygiadau i wasanaethau addysg yng Nghymru.
Diolch. Cabinet Secretary, we all have a duty to protect the health and well-being of children and young people in Wales, particularly you in your new role, and I know that you take that seriously. It is clear from the Cass review’s concerning findings that children who are confused about their gender have been let down by a lack of evidence and research. The Cass review, whose findings are significant for people here in Wales as well as England, warns against teachers making premature and what amount to be clinical decisions about the children whom they are supposed to be safeguarding. It is clear from the report’s findings that social transitioning in schools is often a precursor to going down a road to irreversible medical intervention, often, worryingly, without parental knowledge.
Yet here in Wales we seem to have a blind-sighted approach to gender ideology and dysphoria, which is woven throughout the Welsh Government's own compulsory relationships and education code and guidance, and it needs to be reviewed urgently and take in the findings of this landmark review. The UK Government have seen this as important enough to issue new guidance to schools, Cabinet Secretary, yet here in Wales we have a deafening silence and no action on this. Our children deserve far better, Cabinet Secretary, and need to be safeguarded properly in light of those findings of the Cass review, which are hugely significant. So, when can we expect that new or revised guidance to go out to schools across Wales? Because it shouldn't be a matter of if you do it, it should be a matter of when. Thank you.
Diolch. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae dyletswydd ar bob un ohonom i ddiogelu iechyd a lles plant a phobl ifanc yng Nghymru, yn enwedig chi yn eich rôl newydd, a gwn eich bod o ddifrif ynghylch hynny. Mae'n amlwg o ganfyddiadau adolygiad Cass, sy'n peri cryn bryder, fod plant sy'n ddryslyd ynghylch eu rhywedd wedi cael cam oherwydd diffyg tystiolaeth ac ymchwil. Mae adolygiad Cass, y mae ei ganfyddiadau’n arwyddocaol i bobl yma yng Nghymru yn ogystal â Lloegr, yn rhybuddio athrawon rhag gwneud penderfyniadau cynamserol a'r hyn sy'n gyfystyr â phenderfyniadau clinigol am y plant y maent i fod i’w diogelu. Mae’n amlwg o ganfyddiadau’r adroddiad fod trawsnewid cymdeithasol mewn ysgolion yn aml yn rhagflaenydd i ymyrraeth feddygol ddiwrthdro, sy'n aml yn digwydd, yn frawychus, heb yn wybod i rieni.
Ac eto, yma yng Nghymru, mae'n ymddangos bod gennym ymagwedd gibddall tuag at ideoleg rhywedd a dysfforia, sy'n rhan annatod o god a chyfarwyddyd gorfodol Llywodraeth Cymru ar addysg rhyw a chydberthynas, ac mae angen eu hadolygu ar fyrder ac ystyried canfyddiadau’r adolygiad pwysig hwn. Mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi ystyried hyn yn ddigon pwysig i gyhoeddi canllawiau newydd i ysgolion, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ac eto, yma yng Nghymru, mae gennym dawelwch byddarol a dim camau gweithredu ar hyn. Mae ein plant yn haeddu llawer gwell, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ac mae angen eu diogelu’n briodol yng ngoleuni’r canfyddiadau yn adolygiad Cass, sy’n hynod arwyddocaol. Felly, pryd y gallwn ddisgwyl i’r canllawiau newydd neu ddiwygiedig hynny gael eu cyhoeddi i ysgolion ledled Cymru? Oherwydd dylai fod yn fater o pryd y gwnewch hynny, yn hytrach nag os. Diolch.
Thank you for that supplementary. Can I say that I want our schools to be inclusive, welcoming places for all children and young people? I think that should be the starting point of everyone in this Chamber, including you, Laura. We have been working on draft guidance on trans issues. We've worked in a co-productive way with a range of stakeholders and also with children and young people themselves. However, mindful of the findings of the Cass review, which did have some findings to make around education, we wanted to take some more time to consider the Cass review more fully before going out to consult on that. So, that's what we are doing at the moment. So, rather than there being a deafening silence on this issue, we are seeking to make sure that what we do in this area is absolutely evidence based.
And if I could just remind the Member that, while there's been a lot of focus by some in her party, and her in particular, on the Cass review, one of the most important findings as far as I was concerned in the review was when Dr Hilary Cass said:
'The surrounding noise and increasingly toxic, ideological and polarised public debate has made the work of the Review significantly harder and does nothing to serve the children and young people who may already be subject to significant minority stress.'
I know you probably don't want to hear it, but it's important for you to hear it. A compassionate and kind society remembers that there are real children, young people, families, carers and clinicians behind the headlines, and we would all of us do well to remember that.
Diolch am eich cwestiwn atodol. A gaf i ddweud fy mod eisiau i’n hysgolion fod yn lleoedd cynhwysol, croesawgar i bob plentyn ac unigolyn ifanc? Credaf y dylai hynny fod yn fan cychwyn i bawb yn y Siambr hon, gan eich cynnwys chi, Laura. Rydym wedi bod yn gweithio ar ganllawiau drafft ar faterion traws. Rydym wedi gweithio mewn ffordd gydgynhyrchiol gydag ystod o randdeiliaid a chyda phlant a phobl ifanc eu hunain. Fodd bynnag, gan gofio canfyddiadau adolygiad Cass, a oedd yn cynnwys rhai canfyddiadau'n ymwneud ag addysg, roeddem yn awyddus i gymryd mwy o amser i ystyried adolygiad Cass yn llawnach cyn ymgynghori ar hynny. Felly, dyna rydym yn ei wneud ar hyn o bryd. Felly, yn hytrach na distawrwydd byddarol ar y mater hwn, rydym yn ceisio sicrhau bod yr hyn a wnawn yn y maes hwn yn gwbl seiliedig ar dystiolaeth.
Ac os caf atgoffa'r Aelod, er bod llawer o ffocws wedi'i roi gan rai yn ei phlaid, a hithau'n benodol, ar adolygiad Cass, un o'r canfyddiadau pwysicaf yn yr adolygiad yn fy marn i oedd pan ddywedodd Dr Hilary Cass:
'Mae'r synau o'n cwmpas a'r ddadl gyhoeddus gynyddol wenwynig, ideolegol a phegynol wedi gwneud gwaith yr Adolygiad yn llawer anos ac nid yw'n gwneud dim i helpu'r plant a'r bobl ifanc a allai fod yn agored i straen lleiafrifol sylweddol eisoes.'
Gwn nad ydych chi'n debygol o fod eisiau clywed hyn, ond mae'n bwysig i chi ei glywed. Mae cymdeithas dosturiol a charedig yn cofio bod plant, pobl ifanc, teuluoedd, gofalwyr a chlinigwyr go iawn y tu ôl i’r penawdau, a dylai pob un ohonom gofio hynny.
5. Beth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i wella cyrhaeddiad addysgol? OQ61237
5. What is the Welsh Government doing to improve educational attainment? OQ61237
We are focused on delivering sustained improvement in educational attainment so that every learner can fulfil their potential. We will deliver this through reform and improvement aimed at creating a whole system that works for all learners, and closing the attainment gap faced by our most disadvantaged learners.
Rydym yn canolbwyntio ar sicrhau gwelliant parhaus mewn cyrhaeddiad addysgol fel y gall pob dysgwr gyflawni eu potensial. Byddwn yn cyflawni hyn drwy ddiwygio a gwella gyda’r nod o greu system gyfan sy’n gweithio i bob dysgwr, a chau’r bwlch cyrhaeddiad a wynebir gan ein dysgwyr mwyaf difreintiedig.
Diolch, Cabinet Secretary. I was really pleased to hear that the attainment champion pilot is to be extended into a second phase this September, and the pilot, which was designed to help tackle the impact of poverty on pupils' educational attainment and to boost standards in schools, has shown some positive results. So, I'm delighted to see that it is to continue. Cabinet Secretary, do you agree that projects like that, that help—? Sorry, I'll start again. Do you agree that projects like the attainment champions pilot, which is hard to say, clearly demonstrate the Welsh Government's commitment to improving the educational experience for disadvantaged children?
Diolch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Roeddwn yn falch iawn o glywed bod cynllun peilot y pencampwyr cyrhaeddiad i’w ymestyn i ail gam ym mis Medi, ac mae’r cynllun peilot, a gynlluniwyd i helpu i fynd i’r afael ag effaith tlodi ar gyrhaeddiad addysgol disgyblion ac i hybu safonau mewn ysgolion, wedi dangos canlyniadau cadarnhaol. Felly, rwy’n falch iawn o weld ei fod am barhau. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a ydych chi'n cytuno bod prosiectau o'r fath, sy'n helpu—? Mae'n ddrwg gennyf, fe ddechreuaf eto. A ydych chi'n cytuno bod prosiectau fel cynllun peilot y pencampwyr cyrhaeddiad yn dangos ymrwymiad clir gan Lywodraeth Cymru i wella’r profiad addysgol i blant difreintiedig?
Thank you very much, Joyce, and thank you for highlighting the attainment champions pilot. I was lucky a few weeks ago to be able to meet some of the school leaders involved in that pilot, and it has been really successful. I'm pleased to say that we have announced the second phase of the scheme now, so there'll be more schools that will be able to benefit from that. And you are absolutely right to highlight the vital nature of closing the attainment gap for our most disadvantaged children, and the attainment champions is just one aspect of the work that we're doing in this space.
We've also developed a partnership with the Education Endowment Foundation, which is providing all schools with bilingual materials, so that they can access the best international evidence on the most effective teaching and learning strategies. We're also looking at incentivising teachers to work in the most challenging schools, and you'll be well aware of our long-standing track record with the pupil development grant, which we've issued new guidance on, and which we are continuing to invest in.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Joyce, a diolch am dynnu sylw at gynllun peilot y pencampwyr cyrhaeddiad. Roeddwn yn ffodus i allu cyfarfod â rhai o’r arweinwyr ysgolion sy'n cymryd rhan yn y cynllun peilot hwnnw ychydig wythnosau yn ôl, ac mae wedi bod yn llwyddiant mawr. Rwy'n falch o ddweud ein bod wedi cyhoeddi ail gam y cynllun bellach, felly bydd mwy o ysgolion yn gallu elwa ohono. Ac rydych chi'n iawn i dynnu sylw at natur hanfodol cau'r bwlch cyrhaeddiad ar gyfer ein plant mwyaf difreintiedig, ac un agwedd yn unig yw'r pencampwyr cyrhaeddiad ar y gwaith a wnawn yn y maes hwn.
Rydym hefyd wedi datblygu partneriaeth gyda'r Sefydliad Gwaddol Addysgol, sy'n darparu deunyddiau dwyieithog i bob ysgol, fel y gallant gael mynediad at y dystiolaeth ryngwladol orau ar y strategaethau addysgu a dysgu mwyaf effeithiol. Rydym hefyd yn edrych ar gymell athrawon i weithio yn yr ysgolion mwyaf heriol, ac fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol iawn o'n hanes hirsefydlog gyda'r grant datblygu disgyblion, yr ydym wedi cyhoeddi canllawiau newydd arno, ac yr ydym yn parhau i fuddsoddi ynddo.
Educational attainment is of the utmost importance and, Cabinet Secretary, I'm sure you'll join me in paying tribute to Manorbier Church in Wales VC School who, following a fire in October 2022, had to decant to Jameston Community Hall, and under the fantastic leadership of headteacher Sharon Davies delivered a fantastic Estyn report that said:
'The school's highly committed staff work tirelessly to ensure that pupils' lives and learning continue without disruption or distress.'
An absolutely fantastic testament to the hard work and dedication of Sharon and her team, and the wider school community of Manorbier. But ensuring that we have good-quality staff across the board in Wales to deliver on that attainment is really important, so how are we delivering the very best skilled teachers in the workforce here in Wales?
Mae cyrhaeddiad addysgol o’r pwys mwyaf, ac Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, rwy’n siŵr y gwnewch chi ymuno â mi i dalu teyrnged i Ysgol yr Eglwys yng Nghymru Maenorbŷr, sy'n ysgol dan reolaeth wirfoddol, y bu’n rhaid iddi symud i Neuadd Gymunedol Jameston yn dilyn tân ym mis Hydref 2022, ac o dan arweinyddiaeth wych y pennaeth Sharon Davies, cafodd adroddiad gwych gan Estyn a ddywedodd:
'Mae staff hynod ymroddedig yr ysgol yn gweithio'n ddiflino i sicrhau bod bywydau ac addysg y disgyblion yn parhau heb ymyrraeth na gofid.'
Mae'n dyst i waith caled ac ymroddiad Sharon a'i thîm, a chymuned ehangach ysgol Maenorbŷr. Ond mae sicrhau bod gennym staff o ansawdd da ym mhob man yng Nghymru i gyflawni cyrhaeddiad o'r fath yn wirioneddol bwysig, felly sut rydym yn darparu’r athrawon medrus gorau yn y gweithlu yma yng Nghymru?
Can I take this opportunity to thank you for raising that and to recognise what sounds like a fantastic achievement by Manorbier school, and to thank Sharon Davies? It's a huge achievement to do that when you're dealing with the aftermath of a fire, and I'd be really grateful if you would pass on my thanks to the school.
We've got some brilliant school leaders in Wales, and one of the things that we're looking at with our school improvement partnership programme is that we've had a really clear message from school leaders that they see school-to-school working as being absolutely key to getting the improvements that we want to see in Wales. We've now gone into the second phase of our school improvement partnership. We're expecting all local authorities to be partners in that as well, but there'll also be a strong focus on national leadership, and I'll be providing a further update to the Senedd on this in due course.
A gaf i achub ar y cyfle hwn i ddiolch i chi am godi hynny ac i gydnabod yr hyn sy’n swnio fel cyflawniad gwych gan ysgol Maenorbŷr, ac i ddiolch i Sharon Davies? Mae'n gamp enfawr i wneud hynny pan fyddwch yn ymdopi â chanlyniad tân, a byddwn yn ddiolchgar iawn pe baech yn diolch i'r ysgol ar fy rhan.
Mae gennym arweinwyr ysgolion gwych yng Nghymru, ac un o’r pethau yr ydym yn edrych arnynt gyda’n rhaglen partneriaeth gwella ysgolion yw ein bod wedi cael neges glir iawn gan arweinwyr ysgolion eu bod o'r farn fod gweithio ysgol i ysgol yn gwbl allweddol er mwyn sicrhau'r gwelliannau yr ydym am eu gweld yng Nghymru. Rydym bellach wedi cychwyn ar ail gam ein partneriaeth gwella ysgolion. Rydym yn disgwyl i bob awdurdod lleol fod yn bartneriaid yn hynny hefyd, ond bydd ffocws cryf hefyd ar arweinyddiaeth genedlaethol, a byddaf yn rhoi diweddariad pellach i'r Senedd ar hyn maes o law.
6. Pa asesiad y mae’r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet wedi'i wneud o werth cymdeithasol y sector addysg bellach? OQ61249
6. What assessment has the Cabinet Secretary made of the social value provided by the further education sector? OQ61249
The Welsh Government funded the recent report by ColegauCymru, 'Demonstrating the Social Value of Further Education Colleges in Wales'. The report recognises the significant economic impact and social value of the further education sector in Wales, and shows how it contributes to societal well-being beyond its traditional educational roles.
Ariannodd Llywodraeth Cymru adroddiad diweddar gan ColegauCymru, 'Dangos Gwerth Cymdeithasol Colegau Addysg Bellach yng Nghymru'. Mae’r adroddiad yn cydnabod effaith economaidd sylweddol a gwerth cymdeithasol y sector addysg bellach yng Nghymru, ac yn dangos sut mae’n cyfrannu at lesiant cymdeithasol y tu hwnt i’w rolau addysgol traddodiadol.
It does indeed, and I was going to refer to that report in my answer, as you pre-empted. Well, in my question, I should say—my supplementary question. We know that cultivating a skilled workforce helps create a prosperous, resilient Wales, which are, of course, some of our well-being goals, but also providing robust support systems integrated into educational settings can help with mental and physical health as well, and, of course, a healthier Wales is another one of those goals.
So, my question therefore is: how did the Government consider those wider societal impacts when you introduced the recent cuts to budgets for post-16 education funding? When you cut nearly £13 million from post-16 education provision and over £7 million from personal learning accounts, did you assess, did you consider, did you even realise the effect that would have, not only on the further education institutions in question, but, of course, on Welsh society and the well-being goals more broadly, as you've mentioned have been highlighted in the ColegauCymru report?
Yn wir, ac roeddwn yn mynd i gyfeirio at yr adroddiad hwnnw yn fy ateb, fel y rhagwelwyd gennych. Wel, yn fy nghwestiwn, dylwn ddweud—fy nghwestiwn atodol. Gwyddom fod meithrin gweithlu medrus yn helpu i greu Cymru lewyrchus, gydnerth, sy'n rhai o’n nodau llesiant wrth gwrs, ond hefyd, gall darparu systemau cymorth cadarn sydd wedi’u hintegreiddio mewn lleoliadau addysgol helpu gydag iechyd meddwl a chorfforol hefyd, ac wrth gwrs, mae Cymru iachach yn un arall o’r nodau hynny.
Felly, fy nghwestiwn yw: sut yr ystyriodd y Llywodraeth yr effeithiau cymdeithasol ehangach hynny pan wnaethoch gyflwyno’r toriadau diweddar i gyllid addysg ôl-16? Pan dorroch chi bron i £13 miliwn o ddarpariaeth addysg ôl-16 a dros £7 miliwn o gyfrifon dysgu personol, a wnaethoch chi asesu, a wnaethoch chi ystyried, a wnaethoch chi hyd yn oed sylweddoli’r effaith y byddai hynny’n ei chael, nid yn unig ar y sefydliadau addysg bellach dan sylw, ond ar gymdeithas Cymru a’r nodau llesiant yn fwy cyffredinol, a nodwyd, fel y dywedoch chi, yn adroddiad ColegauCymru?
Well, thank you for highlighting the report as well, Llyr, and I was able to speak at the launch, which was a really positive experience, and we believe that social value is implicit in all the activities of FE colleges and that, through their work, they're bringing the well-being of future generations goals to life. And you're absolutely right to highlight mental health, and there's been particularly good work around support for learners in FE in particular, and I'm really keen to see that continue.
As you're aware, our budget is worth £700 million less than at the time of the last spending review, so it was a very difficult budget round for us. Reductions to the post-16 provision budget expenditure line have, wherever possible, been directed so as not to impact learners. A change management fund has been created to ensure that no FE college has seen more than a 1 per cent reduction in funding in 2024-25, when compared to 2023-24. And the 2024-25 mainstream further education and sixth-form budgets reflect a 3.5 per cent increase provided to the unit rate of funding, and this is in line with recommendations from the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body.
Wel, diolch am dynnu sylw at yr adroddiad hefyd, Llyr, a gallais siarad yn y lansiad, a oedd yn brofiad cadarnhaol iawn, a chredwn fod gwerth cymdeithasol ymhlyg yn holl weithgareddau colegau addysg bellach a'u bod, drwy eu gwaith, yn dod â nodau llesiant cenedlaethau'r dyfodol yn fyw. Ac rydych chi'n iawn i dynnu sylw at iechyd meddwl, ac mae gwaith arbennig o dda wedi'i wneud ynghylch cymorth i ddysgwyr mewn addysg bellach yn enwedig, ac rwy'n awyddus iawn i weld hynny'n parhau.
Fel y gwyddoch, mae ein cyllideb yn werth £700 miliwn yn llai nag ar adeg yr adolygiad o wariant diwethaf, felly roedd yn gylch cyllidebol anodd iawn i ni. Lle bynnag y bo modd, mae gostyngiadau i linell wariant darpariaeth ôl-16 yn y gyllideb wedi’u cyfeirio yn y fath fodd fel nad ydynt yn effeithio ar ddysgwyr. Mae cronfa reoli newid wedi’i chreu i sicrhau nad oes unrhyw goleg addysg bellach wedi cael mwy nag 1 y cant o ostyngiad yn eu cyllid yn 2024-25, o gymharu â 2023-24. Ac mae cyllidebau addysg bellach brif ffrwd a dosbarthiadau chwech ar gyfer 2024-25 yn adlewyrchu cynnydd o 3.5 y cant i'r gyfradd cyllid fesul uned, ac mae hyn yn unol ag argymhellion gan Gorff Adolygu Cyflogau Annibynnol Cymru.
7. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet ddatganiad am ei blaenoriaethau ar gyfer ysgolion ym Mlaenau Gwent? OQ61257
7. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on her priorities for schools in Blaenau Gwent? OQ61257
My priorities for schools in Blaenau Gwent include raising levels of attainment and closing the gap for our poorest learners.
Mae fy mlaenoriaethau ar gyfer ysgolion ym Mlaenau Gwent yn cynnwys codi lefelau cyrhaeddiad a chau’r bwlch ar gyfer ein dysgwyr tlotaf.
I'm grateful to the Cabinet Secretary for that. I hope one of her priorities is also supporting learners with additional learning needs. Members may remember, in a previous life, it was the Cabinet Secretary who chaired the committee on that legislation, and I was a Minister, and one of the things that we both agreed on, Cabinet Secretary, on that legislation, was that it had to deliver a sea change in the experience of learning for people with additional learning needs. And what I also think we would both agree on today is that the legislation has not delivered on some of those ambitions.
I'd be grateful if the Cabinet Secretary this afternoon would confirm one of the guiding principles, if you like, of that legislation, in that people do not require a diagnosis to receive support for their needs. But also, will the Cabinet Secretary ensure that schools do have the resources that they require to deliver on the ambition, which I think is shared across the whole of the Chamber, on all sides of the Chamber? Because all too often, I'm speaking to parents who have children with very real needs, and those needs are not being met, because the resources are simply not available. It breaks my heart sometimes to listen to the stories of parents, who are fighting hard for their children and who deserve the support to flourish, as we'd want to see for all our children, wherever we live in the country.
Rwy’n ddiolchgar i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet am hynny. Rwy'n gobeithio mai un o’i blaenoriaethau yw cefnogi dysgwyr ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol hefyd. Efallai y bydd yr Aelodau’n cofio, mewn bywyd blaenorol, mai Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet a gadeiriodd y pwyllgor ar y ddeddfwriaeth honno, ac roeddwn i'n Weinidog, ac un o’r pethau yr oedd y ddau ohonom yn cytuno arnynt, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, yn y ddeddfwriaeth honno, oedd bod yn rhaid iddi sicrhau newid sylfaenol yn y profiad o ddysgu i bobl ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol. A’r hyn y credaf y byddai’r ddau ohonom yn cytuno arno heddiw hefyd yw nad yw’r ddeddfwriaeth wedi cyflawni rhai o’r uchelgeisiau hynny.
Byddwn yn ddiolchgar pe gallai Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet gadarnhau y prynhawn yma un o egwyddorion arweiniol, os mynnwch, y ddeddfwriaeth honno, sef nad oes angen diagnosis ar bobl i gael cymorth ar gyfer eu hanghenion. Ond hefyd, a wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet sicrhau bod gan ysgolion yr adnoddau sydd eu hangen arnynt i gyflawni'r uchelgais, y credaf ei fod wedi ei rannu ar draws y Siambr gyfan, ar bob ochr i'r Siambr? Oherwydd yn rhy aml o lawer, rwy'n siarad â rhieni sydd â phlant ag anghenion real iawn, ac nid yw'r anghenion hynny'n cael eu diwallu am nad yw'r adnoddau ar gael. Rwy’n torri fy nghalon weithiau wrth wrando ar straeon rhieni sy’n brwydro’n galed dros eu plant ac sy’n haeddu’r gefnogaeth i ffynnu, fel yr hoffem ei weld yn digwydd ar gyfer ein plant i gyd, ni waeth ble yn y wlad rydym yn byw.
Can I thank Alun Davies for that question and confirm that, indeed, ALN is very much a priority for me, which I have already said several times in the Chamber? I don't agree with your rather bleak assessment of how the reforms are going. I think I've been very honest in the Chamber and with the committee, that there are challenges, and those challenges are twofold: the president of the tribunal has been clear that she believes that the legislation itself is intellectually challenging, so we are working on how we address any inconsistencies arising from the legislation, but there are also undoubtedly challenges with consistent implementation, and I'm also very much prioritising that.
You are absolutely right that a diagnosis is not required for a child to receive additional learning provision, and we've been very clear about that for some time. It's also not required for them to receive an individual development plan. In terms of funding, I'm sure you're well aware that we've prioritised funding for ALN implementation. Since 2020, we've invested over £60 million in revenue to support implementation, and this year alone there's been around £54 million budgeted for ALN provision. But I do acknowledge we've got more work to do in terms of making sure that these much-needed reforms are implemented consistently and effectively across Wales.
A gaf i ddiolch i Alun Davies am ei gwestiwn a chadarnhau, yn wir, fod ADY yn flaenoriaeth bwysig i mi, fel y dywedais sawl gwaith yn y Siambr eisoes? Nid wyf yn cytuno â’ch asesiad braidd yn llwm o hynt y diwygiadau. Credaf fy mod wedi bod yn onest iawn yn y Siambr a chyda’r pwyllgor, fod heriau'n bodoli, ac mae’r heriau hynny’n ddeublyg: mae llywydd y tribiwnlys wedi nodi'n glir ei bod yn credu bod y ddeddfwriaeth ei hun yn heriol yn ddeallusol, felly rydym yn gweithio ar sut yr awn i’r afael ag unrhyw anghysondebau sy’n deillio o’r ddeddfwriaeth, ond heb os, ceir heriau hefyd o ran gweithredu cyson, ac rwy'n rhoi blaenoriaeth i hynny yn ogystal.
Rydych yn llygad eich lle nad oes angen diagnosis er mwyn i blentyn gael darpariaeth ddysgu ychwanegol, ac rydym wedi dweud hynny'n glir iawn ers peth amser. Nid yw'n ofynnol ychwaith iddynt gael cynllun datblygu unigol. O ran cyllid, rwy’n siŵr eich bod yn ymwybodol iawn ein bod wedi blaenoriaethu cyllid ar gyfer gweithredu ADY. Ers 2020, rydym wedi buddsoddi dros £60 miliwn mewn refeniw i gefnogi gweithrediad, ac eleni yn unig, mae oddeutu £54 miliwn wedi'i gyllidebu ar gyfer darpariaeth ADY. Ond rwy'n cydnabod bod mwy o waith gennym i'w wneud ar sicrhau bod y diwygiadau mawr eu hangen hyn yn cael eu rhoi ar waith yn gyson ac yn effeithiol ledled Cymru.
Ac yn olaf, cwestiwn 8, Paul Davies.
Finally, question 8, Paul Davies.
8. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i wella'r system addysg ym Mhreseli Sir Benfro? OQ61226
8. What is the Welsh Government doing to improve the education system in Preseli Pembrokeshire? OQ61226
Last month, I set out my priorities for Wales's education system. At its heart is a continued commitment to our education reforms, with a focus on improving educational standards across Wales, putting equity, inclusion and well-being at the centre.
Fis diwethaf, nodais fy mlaenoriaethau ar gyfer system addysg Cymru. Yn ganolog iddi, mae ymrwymiad parhaus i’n diwygiadau addysg, gyda ffocws ar wella safonau addysgol ledled Cymru, gan flaenoriaethu tegwch, cynhwysiant a llesiant.
Thank you for that, Cabinet Secretary. As you'll be aware, this week is Carers Week, and in an effort to raise awareness and provide vital support for young carers, Milford Haven School in my constituency has launched the Young Carers project. The project began in 2021 and now supports over 80 young carers who attend secondary school. It's thought that around 40 per cent of young and young adult carers don't get the help they need to balance caring with their studies, and as a result one in three young and young adult carers struggle to balance caring responsibilities with their education. So, Cabinet Secretary, what steps is the Welsh Government taking to improve the education system for young and young adult carers so that they can actually receive the support they need throughout their educational journey?
Diolch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Fel y gwyddoch, yr wythnos hon yw Wythnos Gofalwyr, ac mewn ymdrech i godi ymwybyddiaeth a darparu cymorth hanfodol i ofalwyr ifanc, mae Ysgol Aberdaugleddau yn fy etholaeth wedi lansio prosiect Gofalwyr Ifanc. Dechreuodd y prosiect yn 2021, ac mae bellach yn cefnogi dros 80 o ofalwyr ifanc sy’n mynychu ysgol uwchradd. Credir nad yw oddeutu 40 y cant o ofalwyr ifanc ac oedolion ifanc sy'n ofalwyr yn cael y cymorth sydd ei angen arnynt i gydbwyso gofalu â'u hastudiaethau, ac o ganlyniad, mae un o bob tri gofalwr ifanc ac oedolyn ifanc sy'n ofalwr yn ei chael hi'n anodd cydbwyso cyfrifoldebau gofalu â'u haddysg. Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i wella'r system addysg ar gyfer gofalwyr ifanc ac oedolion ifanc sy'n ofalwyr fel y gallant gael y cymorth sydd ei angen arnynt drwy gydol eu taith addysgol?
Thank you, Paul. Congratulations to the school in Milford Haven for the work that they're doing in this area; it is a really important area to work in. Young carers face very many challenges, and there is a real need to raise awareness. Supporting young carers has been a priority for the Government. You'll be aware that there is a young carer ID card that is in operation, and we recently considered additional funding to support the implementation of that in schools. We're also looking at what more we can do to raise awareness of the needs of young carers, because it's not just identifying who are young carers; it's about understanding the full complexity of their needs. One of the things that I'm also really keen to do in the work that I'm taking forward on the whole-school approach to mental health is to make sure that the work for young carers is fully joined up with that, as well as care-experienced young people.
Diolch, Paul. Llongyfarchiadau i'r ysgol yn Aberdaugleddau am y gwaith a wnânt yn y maes hwn; mae'n faes pwysig iawn i weithio ynddo. Mae gofalwyr ifanc yn wynebu llawer iawn o heriau, ac mae gwir angen codi ymwybyddiaeth. Mae cefnogi gofalwyr ifanc wedi bod yn flaenoriaeth i’r Llywodraeth. Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol fod cerdyn adnabod gofalwyr ifanc ar waith, ac yn ddiweddar, fe wnaethom ystyried cyllid ychwanegol i gefnogi’r gwaith o'i gyflwyno mewn ysgolion. Rydym hefyd yn edrych ar beth arall y gallwn ei wneud i godi ymwybyddiaeth o anghenion gofalwyr ifanc, gan fod hyn yn ymwneud â mwy na nodi pwy sy'n ofalwyr ifanc yn unig; mae'n ymwneud â deall cymhlethdod llawn eu hanghenion. Un o'r pethau rwy'n awyddus iawn i'w gwneud hefyd yn y gwaith rwy'n bwrw ymlaen ag ef ar y dull ysgol gyfan o ymdrin ag iechyd meddwl yw sicrhau bod y gwaith ar gyfer gofalwyr ifanc yn gwbl gydgysylltiedig â hynny, yn ogystal ag ar gyfer pobl ifanc â phrofiad o fod mewn gofal.
Diolch yn fawr i'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary.
Yr eitem nesaf fydd y cwestiwn amserol. Mae'r cwestiwn yma i'w ateb gan yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet dros iechyd, ac i'w ofyn gan Mabon ap Gwynfor.
The next item will be the topical question. It's to be answered by the Cabinet Secretary for health and to be asked by Mabon ap Gwynfor.
1. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet ddatganiad am gynnig cyflog diwygiedig Llywodraeth Cymru i BMA Cymru? TQ1107
1. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the Welsh Government's revised pay offer to BMA Cymru? TQ1107
Yn dilyn trafodaethau cadarn gyda'r BMA, dwi'n falch i allu adrodd bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwneud cynigion sylweddol o ran cyflog i feddygon iau, meddygon SAS, a meddygon ymgynghorol, gyda golwg ar ddod â streiciau i ben ac ar wella gwasanaethau i gleifion. Mae'r cynigion yn sicrhau bod y cyflog ychwanegol wedi'i bwyso yn erbyn ymrwymiadau ynghylch diwygio, a fydd yn anelu i sicrhau gwelliannau o ran cynhyrchiant ac effeithlonrwydd ac i sicrhau diwygiadau i'r cytundeb yn y dyfodol. Dwi'n falch iawn bod pwyllgorau BMA Cymru wedi cytuno i argymell y cynnig i'w haelodau yn y bleidlais a fydd yn agor heddiw, ac fe fyddwn yn derbyn canlyniad y bleidlais honno ar 27 Mehefin.
Following robust negotiations with the BMA, I'm pleased to report that the Welsh Government has made substantial offers in terms of salaries to junior doctors, SAS doctors and consultants, with a view to bringing strikes to an end and improving services to patients. The offers ensure that the additional salary is weighed against commitments on reform, which will aim to get improvements in terms of productivity and efficiency and to secure reforms to the contract in the future. I am delighted that the BMA Cymru committees have agreed to recommend this to their members in the vote that will open today, and we will receive the result of that vote on 27 June.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (David Rees) i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (David Rees) took the Chair.
Diolch i'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet am yr ateb yna. Dwi'n croesawu'r ffaith bod y Llywodraeth wedi dod i gytundeb gyda'r BMA dros dâl i feddygon iau, ymgynghorol ac SAS. Mae wedi bod yn frwydr hir i'r meddygon yma, ac mae'n resyn, mewn gwirionedd, eu bod nhw wedi gorfod ymladd yn erbyn Llywodraeth Lafur er mwyn sicrhau tâl ac amodau gwell. Ond dyna ni, nid yr un ydy'r Blaid Lafur yma heddiw â beth oedd yma pan ffurfiwyd y blaid er mwyn ymladd dros hawliau gweithwyr ganrif a chwarter yn ôl. Unwaith eto, rydyn ni wedi gorfod aros i'r Llywodraeth Lafur yma dynnu cwningen allan o het ar ôl mynnu dros fisoedd maith nad oedd yna arian ychwanegol ar gael. Y cyfan gwnaethon nhw oedd gwastraffu amser, oedi, creu straen diangen ar y meddygon a'u cydweithwyr a'r gwasanaeth iechyd, a thalu mwy allan yn y diwedd na beth fyddai'r gost wedi bod petaen nhw wedi cytuno i delerau gwell reit ar y cychwyn.
Felly er eich bod chi wedi dweud nad oedd yna arian ar gael yn wreiddiol, mae’n amlwg eich bod chi wedi ffeindio soffa newydd i dwrio i lawr yn ei gefn. Mae angen ichi fod yn glir gyda’r cyhoedd o ble mae'r arian yma wedi dod, ac esbonio pam ei fod o wedi cymryd cyhyd er mwyn ffeindio’r arian. Yntau ai cam sinigaidd sydd gennym ni fan hyn er mwyn creu newyddion da i'r Prif Weinidog, neu hyd yn oed ddylanwadu ar yr etholiad cyffredinol? Mae tryloywder a gonestrwydd ar y pwynt yma yn bwysig, oherwydd mae’r dewis yma yn cael goblygiadau amlwg ar statws negodiadau tâl yn ardaloedd eraill o’r gweithlu.
Dro ar ôl tro mae cynrychiolwyr y gweithlu, megis yr RCN, wedi derbyn yr ateb gan y Llywodraeth nad oedd yna arian ychwanegol i gyflwyno ar gyfer cytundebau teg i nyrsys, er enghraifft, ac fe wnaeth yr RCN, yn yr achos yma, dderbyn eich gair chi mewn ffydd dda. Ond mae'r haeriad yna a wnaed i gyrff eraill fel yr RCN bellach yn amlwg yn mynd yn gwbl groes i beth mae’r Llywodraeth wedi llwyddo ei wneud rŵan gyda’r BMA. Gadewch inni fod yn glir, nid gosod un grŵp o’r gweithlu yn erbyn y llall yr ydym ni fan hyn, ond yn hytrach yn ceisio dod at y gwir a sicrhau gonestrwydd, tryloywder a chysondeb. Felly beth sy'n wahanol o ran eich negodi gyda’r RCN a chyrff cynrychioladol eraill o’i gymharu gyda'r BMA sy’n golygu nad oes yna arian ychwanegol ar gael gyfer nyrsys Cymru?
I thank the Cabinet Secretary for that answer. I welcome the fact that the Government has reached an agreement with the BMA over pay for junior doctors, consultants and SAS doctors. It's been a long battle for the doctors here, and it's regrettable that they've had to fight against a Labour Government in order to secure better pay and conditions. But there we are, this is not the same Labour Party as the one that was formed to fight for the rights of the workforce a century and a quarter ago. Once again, we've had to wait for this Labour Government to pull a rabbit out of a hat, after having insisted for many months that there was no additional money available. All they did was waste time, delay, put unnecessary stress on the doctors and their colleagues and the health service, and pay out more in the end than what the cost would have been if they had agreed to better terms at the outset.
So, even though you said that there was no money available originally, it's clear that you've found a new sofa to look down the back of. You need to be clear with the public regarding where this money has come from, and you need to explain why it has taken so long to find the money. Is it a cynical move that we have here to create good headlines for the First Minister, or even to influence the general election? Transparency and honesty on this point is vital, because this choice has clear implications regarding the status of pay negotiations in other areas of the workforce.
Time and time again representatives of the workforce, such as those from the RCN, have been told by the Government that there was no additional money to bring in a fair contract for nurses, for example, and the RCN, in this case, took your word in good faith. But this assertion made to other bodies now clearly runs counter to what the Government has managed to do now with the BMA. Let's be clear about this, this is not about pitting one group of the workforce against another. Instead, it's about trying to get to the truth and ensure honesty, transparency and consistency. So what is different about your negotiations with the RCN and other representative bodies compared to the BMA that has meant that there is no extra money avaiable for nurses in Wales?
Thank you very much. I'm sure, if the Member was paying attention, he would have recognised that, actually, some money came in in the form of—[Interruption.]
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Pe bai’r Aelod yn talu sylw, rwy’n siŵr y byddai wedi cydnabod bod rhywfaint o arian wedi'i ddarparu ar ffurf—[Torri ar draws.]
That was me, I'm sorry.
Fi oedd hynny, mae'n ddrwg gennyf.
Oh, I see. I shall carry on. You'll recognise that, actually, the money came in in the form of consequentials right at the end of the financial year. What had happened is that money had been put into reserves, and we've taken some money now out of reserves in order to settle the pay. And let's not forget that this is about last year's pay award.
We entered the negotiations before there was any suggestion that there was going to be a general election. We entered because, obviously, we work in close social partnership with the unions, unlike in the rest of the United Kingdom. It demonstrates that, actually, when you sit down and you negotiate—. And I hope that the Conservatives are watching, because in the UK, they have called and said that they will be taking industrial action, the junior doctors. It demonstrates that when you sit down, you listen and you negotiate, you can come to a conclusion.
Of course, we were pleased that we were able to settle with the RCN earlier on in the year. I'm sure you recognise, and I hope you recognise—and I think it is important that there should be a recognition—that, actually, the junior doctors absolutely deserved a pay increase. And it's probably just worth reflecting on the fact that a junior doctor, after five years in medical school, was earning £28,471, which was less than a nurse at band 5 level, that earned £28,834. So, I'm sure that there will be people who are actually really happy that we have come to this offer.
Let me be absolutely clear that this is not an unconditional offer, that we have ensured that there will be operational reforms to address issues like productivity and efficiency. And, of course, we have had a commitment to achieving future contract reform. The key thing here is to remember that this isn't all about the doctors—it's actually about the patients. We're interested in getting the very best deal for the patients, and that is what I hope we've got as a result of this offer.
O, rwy'n gweld. Fe wnaf barhau. Fe fyddwch yn cydnabod, mewn gwirionedd, fod yr arian wedi'i ddarparu ar ffurf cyllid canlyniadol ar ddiwedd y flwyddyn ariannol. Yr hyn a ddigwyddodd yw bod arian wedi'i roi yn y cronfeydd wrth gefn, ac rydym bellach wedi tynnu rhywfaint o arian o'r cronfeydd wrth gefn er mwyn setlo'r tâl. A gadewch inni beidio ag anghofio bod hyn yn ymwneud â dyfarniad cyflog y llynedd.
Fe wnaethom ddechrau'r trafodaethau cyn unrhyw awgrym y byddai etholiad cyffredinol yn cael ei gynnal. Fe wnaethom eu dechrau oherwydd, yn amlwg, rydym yn gweithio mewn partneriaeth gymdeithasol agos â’r undebau, yn wahanol i weddill y Deyrnas Unedig. Mae'n dangos, mewn gwirionedd, pan fyddwch yn cyfarfod i negodi—. Ac rwy'n gobeithio bod y Ceidwadwyr yn gwylio, oherwydd yn y DU, maent wedi galw a dweud y byddant yn gweithredu’n ddiwydiannol, y meddygon iau. Mae'n dangos, pan fyddwch yn cyfarfod, yn gwrando ac yn negodi, y gallwch ddod i gytundeb.
Wrth gwrs, roeddem yn falch ein bod wedi gallu setlo gyda’r Coleg Nyrsio Brenhinol yn gynharach yn y flwyddyn. Rwy'n siŵr eich bod yn cydnabod, ac rwy'n gobeithio eich bod yn cydnabod—a chredaf ei bod yn bwysig fod cydnabyddiaeth—fod y meddygon iau yn llawn haeddu codiad cyflog mewn gwirionedd. Ac mae'n debyg ei bod yn werth ystyried y ffaith bod meddyg iau, ar ôl pum mlynedd mewn ysgol feddygol, yn ennill £28,471, a oedd yn llai na nyrs ar lefel band 5, a oedd yn ennill £28,834. Felly, rwy’n siŵr y bydd rhai pobl wrth eu boddau ein bod wedi cytuno ar y cynnig hwn.
Gadewch imi ddweud yn gwbl glir nad yw hwn yn gynnig diamod, ein bod wedi sicrhau y bydd diwygiadau gweithredol i fynd i'r afael â materion fel cynhyrchiant ac effeithlonrwydd. Ac wrth gwrs, rydym wedi cael ymrwymiad i sicrhau y gellir diwygio contractau yn y dyfodol. Y peth allweddol yma yw cofio bod hyn oll yn ymwneud â mwy na'r meddygon—mae'n ymwneud â'r cleifion mewn gwirionedd. Mae gennym ddiddordeb mewn cael y fargen orau oll i’r cleifion, ac rwy'n gobeithio ein bod wedi cael hynny o ganlyniad i’r cynnig hwn.
It's great news you've come to the agreement with the BMA. Cabinet Secretary, I note your response to Mabon, but the fact that you were able to find funding for this enhanced pay offer now begs the question as to why was this not possible earlier. The people of Wales, our constituents, are facing the most inhumane waits for treatment, and while the Welsh Government was considering its options, those people have been forced to live in pain and discomfort. Welsh Labour has been at the helm of the Welsh NHS for a quarter of a century. Rather than blaming everyone else, will you now admit your failings on health and care? Cabinet Secretary, will you now agree to spend the full Barnett uplift received for health on health, and put an end to inhumane two-year waits in Wales?
Mae'n newyddion gwych eich bod wedi dod i gytundeb gyda Chymdeithas Feddygol Prydain. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, nodaf eich ymateb i Mabon, ond mae’r ffaith ichi allu dod o hyd i gyllid ar gyfer y cynnig cyflog gwell hwn yn codi’r cwestiwn nawr pam na fu hyn yn bosibl yn gynharach. Mae pobl Cymru, ein hetholwyr, yn wynebu’r amseroedd aros mwyaf annynol am driniaeth, a thra bo Llywodraeth Cymru yn ystyried ei hopsiynau, mae’r bobl hynny wedi’u gorfodi i fyw mewn poen ac anghysur. Mae Llafur Cymru wedi bod wrth y llyw gyda'r GIG yng Nghymru ers chwarter canrif. Yn hytrach na beio pawb arall, a wnewch chi gyfaddef eich methiannau ym maes iechyd a gofal? Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a wnewch chi gytuno i wario’r codiad Barnett cyfan a ddaeth i law ar gyfer iechyd ar iechyd, a rhoi diwedd ar amseroedd aros annynol o ddwy flynedd yng Nghymru?
Thanks very much. I'm afraid, Altaf, I'll have to repeat what I said to Mabon, which is that it was your Conservative Government that didn't give us the money until the last few weeks of the financial year. We can't plan on that basis, and so we had to put that money into reserve. We've taken that money now out of reserve in order to fulfil our commitment in order to put this money on the table. Let me remind you, Altaf, that it's your Conservative Government that is facing industrial action in England in the days before a general election. If you think that is a good idea, good luck to you. But I think it is important, also, that there is an understanding that that negotiation was a really tough one. It hasn't been easy. I'd like to thank the negotiators on both sides for the strenuous efforts that they have made, and I think that what we're getting is not just—. They're not getting just an increase in pay; we are getting a huge amount in return as well for the patients in Wales, and that commitment to contract reform is absolutely important. You will know, as a former consultant yourself, that the BMA rate card is pretty expensive. And one of the things that they've agreed with us is that they will withdraw the BMA rate cards as a result of this negotiation. That is good for the taxpayers of Wales, it is good for the patients of Wales, and more operations will be done as a result of that.
Diolch yn fawr. Mae arnaf ofn, Altaf, y bydd yn rhaid imi ailadrodd yr hyn a ddywedais wrth Mabon, sef na roddodd eich Llywodraeth Geidwadol chi yr arian i ni tan wythnosau olaf y flwyddyn ariannol. Ni allwn gynllunio ar y sail honno, ac felly bu’n rhaid inni roi’r arian hwnnw yn y gronfa wrth gefn. Rydym wedi tynnu'r arian hwnnw o'r gronfa wrth gefn bellach er mwyn cyflawni ein hymrwymiad i roi'r arian hwn ar y bwrdd. Gadewch imi eich atgoffa, Altaf, mai eich Llywodraeth Geidwadol chi sy’n wynebu gweithredu diwydiannol yn Lloegr yn y dyddiau cyn etholiad cyffredinol. Os ydych chi'n credu bod hynny'n syniad da, pob lwc i chi. Ond credaf ei bod yn bwysig, hefyd, y ceir dealltwriaeth fod y negodi hwnnw wedi bod yn anodd iawn. Nid yw wedi bod yn hawdd. Hoffwn ddiolch i'r negodwyr ar y ddwy ochr am eu hymdrechion llafurus, a chredaf fod yr hyn rydym yn ei gael nid yn unig—. Nid codiad cyflog yn unig y maent yn ei gael; rydym yn cael swm enfawr yn gyfnewid hefyd i gleifion Cymru, ac mae’r ymrwymiad i ddiwygio contractau yn sicr yn bwysig. Fel cyn-feddyg ymgynghorol eich hun, fe fyddwch yn gwybod bod cerdyn cyfraddau Cymdeithas Feddygol Prydain yn eithaf drud. Ac un o'r pethau y maent wedi cytuno arnynt gyda ni yw y byddant yn cael gwared ar gardiau cyfraddau Cymdeithas Feddygol Prydain o ganlyniad i'r negodi hwn. Mae hynny’n dda i drethdalwyr Cymru, mae’n dda i gleifion Cymru, a bydd mwy o lawdriniaethau’n cael eu gwneud o ganlyniad i hynny.
I wanted to focus on some of the periphery issues around this as well in terms of recruitment and retention of medical professionals. Because often, when I'm approached in the constituency and nationally—I've taken a lot of responsibility for health services—it's actually the periphery issues around this sometimes, in terms of IT systems and migration, and attracting staff into Wales from other parts of the UK. Often, a barrier to that is sometimes the difference in some IT systems and periphery issues that put staff off in terms of being attracted into Wales. So, are there any discussions going on between the Welsh Government and external stakeholders and partners to ensure we do have some fluidity within the system so people can indeed feel attracted to Wales and not be put off by periphery issues that can sometimes be a barrier to recruitment and retention within the medical profession across the NHS and other sectors as well?
Roeddwn am ganolbwyntio ar rai o’r materion ymylol sy'n ymwneud â hyn hefyd o ran recriwtio a chadw gweithwyr meddygol proffesiynol. Oherwydd yn aml, pan gysylltir â mi yn yr etholaeth ac yn genedlaethol—rwyf wedi cymryd llawer o gyfrifoldeb am wasanaethau iechyd—mae'n ymwneud â'r materion ymylol sy'n gysylltiedig â hyn weithiau, o ran systemau TG a mudo, a denu staff o rannau eraill o'r DU i Gymru. Yn aml, rhwystr i hynny yw’r gwahaniaeth rhwng rhai systemau TG a materion ymylol sy’n atal staff rhag cael eu denu i Gymru. Felly, a oes unrhyw drafodaethau ar y gweill rhwng Llywodraeth Cymru a rhanddeiliaid a phartneriaid allanol i sicrhau bod gennym rywfaint o hylifedd o fewn y system fel y gellir denu pobl i Gymru ac nad ydynt yn cael eu perswadio i beidio â gwneud hynny gan faterion ymylol a all fod yn rhwystr weithiau rhag recriwtio a chadw staff o fewn y proffesiwn meddygol ar draws y GIG a sectorau eraill hefyd?
Thanks very much, Gareth. You're quite right. Doctors want to work in a modernised system, and that is certainly something that I'm very keen to do. We've got to remember that there is one pot of money here, so if I'm giving it to the doctors, it's very difficult for me to modernise and to do the digital upgrades that I would like to do as well. So, there is a payoff here. Every time we give money to one section, there's another section that is going to have to do without. That is the difficulty in terms of the situation we're in, where we have a restricted budget. Obviously, that's what we're keen to do. I'm really keen to do digital transformation. That's how we're going to get some of the productivity gains that we're very anxious to get. But the fact is that we have agreed with, for example, the BMA Welsh consultants committee, that now is the time to reform the current pay structure, which is more than 20 years old. The good thing about that, and you asked about retention, is that a modern pay structure is going to be better in terms of support and recruitment, but also to address the gender pay gap, which has been evident. So, we're hoping that this will address that. And, another issue in relation to what happens in the future is that we're going to be looking at a contract that can be used across the whole of Wales, and I think that might be quite interesting in terms of consultants being able to move from health board to health board. So, there is some real progress being done, I think, in relation to this. Thank you.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Gareth. Rydych chi'n llygad eich lle. Mae meddygon yn awyddus i weithio mewn system sydd wedi'i moderneiddio, ac mae hynny'n sicr yn rhywbeth rwy'n awyddus iawn i'w wneud. Mae'n rhaid inni gofio mai un pot o arian sydd yma, felly os wyf yn ei roi i'r meddygon, mae'n anodd iawn imi foderneiddio a gwneud y gwaith uwchraddio digidol yr hoffwn ei wneud hefyd. Felly, mae'n rhaid pwyso a mesur yma. Bob tro y rhoddwn arian i un adran, mae adran arall yn mynd i orfod gwneud heb. Dyna sy'n anodd am y sefyllfa rydym ynddi, lle mae gennym gyllideb gyfyngedig. Yn amlwg, dyna rydym yn awyddus i’w wneud. Rwy'n awyddus iawn i sicrhau trawsnewid digidol. Dyna sut y gwnawn sicrhau rhai o'r enillion cynhyrchiant yr ydym yn awyddus iawn i'w gweld. Ond y ffaith amdani yw ein bod wedi cytuno, er enghraifft, â phwyllgor meddygon ymgynghorol BMA Cymru, mai nawr yw’r amser i ddiwygio’r strwythur cyflogau presennol, sydd dros 20 mlwydd oed. Y peth da am hynny, ac fe holoch chi ynglŷn â chadw staff, yw bod strwythur cyflog modern yn mynd i fod yn well o ran cymorth a recriwtio, ond hefyd i fynd i’r afael â’r bwlch cyflog rhwng y rhywiau, sydd wedi bod yn amlwg. Felly, rydym yn gobeithio y bydd hyn yn mynd i'r afael â hynny. A mater arall mewn perthynas â'r hyn sy'n digwydd yn y dyfodol yw y byddwn yn edrych ar gontract y gellir ei ddefnyddio ledled Cymru gyfan, a chredaf y gallai hynny fod yn eithaf diddorol o ran meddygon ymgynghorol yn gallu symud o un bwrdd iechyd i'r llall. Felly, rwy'n credu bod cynnydd go iawn i'w weld mewn perthynas â hyn. Diolch.
Diolch i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary.
Eitem 4 heddiw yw'r datganiadau 90 eiliad, a bydd y datganiad cyntaf gan Altaf Hussain.
Item 4 this afternoon is the 90-second statements, and the first statement is from Altaf Hussain.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. This week we mark Carers Week 2024. Carers Week is aimed at raising awareness of the challenges faced by unpaid carers across the nation and recognises the enormous contribution they make. But, more importantly, it is about ensuring that the voices of unpaid carers are heard. The theme of this year's Carers Week is 'putting carers on the map', which aims to ensure that everyone, from the policy makers to employers and service providers, recognise and support our unpaid carers. They don't have a choice but to care, but we have a choice to support them. Research shows that there are over a third of a million unpaid carers in Wales and they collectively save the public purse over £10.5 billion a year. So, let's all say a huge 'thank you' to our unpaid carers and offer to better support them in the future. Diolch yn fawr.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Yr wythnos hon rydym yn nodi Wythnos Gofalwyr 2024. Nod Wythnos Gofalwyr yw codi ymwybyddiaeth o'r heriau sy'n wynebu gofalwyr di-dâl ledled y wlad ac mae'n cydnabod y cyfraniad enfawr y maent yn ei wneud. Ond yn bwysicach fyth, mae'n ymwneud â sicrhau bod lleisiau gofalwyr di-dâl yn cael eu clywed. Thema Wythnos Gofalwyr eleni yw 'rhoi gofalwyr ar y map', sy'n ceisio sicrhau bod pawb, o'r llunwyr polisi i gyflogwyr a darparwyr gwasanaethau, yn cydnabod ac yn cefnogi ein gofalwyr di-dâl. Nid oes ganddynt hwy ddewis ond gofalu, ond mae gennym ni ddewis i'w cefnogi. Mae ymchwil yn dangos bod dros draean o filiwn o ofalwyr di-dâl yng Nghymru a chyda'i gilydd maent yn arbed dros £10.5 biliwn y flwyddyn i'r pwrs cyhoeddus. Felly, gadewch i bawb ohonom ddweud 'diolch' enfawr wrth ein gofalwyr di-dâl a chynnig eu cefnogi'n well yn y dyfodol. Diolch yn fawr.
This year marks the two-hundredth anniversary of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Having been founded on 16 June 1824 by a small group of pioneers in a London coffee shop, the RSPCA has grown to become the UK's largest animal welfare charity and the oldest organisation of its kind in the world. For two centuries, the RSPCA has existed to inspire a better world for every kind of animal, while rescuing the most vulnerable animals in our society from all forms of unimaginable cruelty and neglect.
Last week I joined John Littlewood, one of the RSPCA's animal rescue officers, for the afternoon to find out more of the important work of those at the very forefront of the charity's work in Wales. And John was able to offer constructive advice and assistance after inspecting the animals, with follow-up visits arranged.
And this is a big week for those of us in the Senedd focused on improving animal welfare, as we also celebrate 100 years of the League Against Cruel Sports. Since 1924 the league has been fighting to give a voice to animals that suffer in silence in the name of so-called sport. Along their journey, the league has successfully campaigned for legal protections for otters and badgers, while also exposing the cruelty of hunting.
Thank you to all the staff and volunteers over generations from both charities, who have dedicated themselves to improving the lives of animals right across the UK.
Eleni yw dau ganmlwyddiant y Gymdeithas Frenhinol er Atal Creulondeb i Anifeiliaid. Sefydlwyd yr RSPCA ar 16 Mehefin 1824 gan grŵp bach o arloeswyr mewn siop goffi yn Llundain, ac mae wedi tyfu i fod yn elusen lles anifeiliaid fwyaf y DU a'r sefydliad hynaf o'i fath yn y byd. Ers dwy ganrif, mae'r RSPCA wedi bodoli i ysbrydoli byd gwell ar gyfer pob math o anifail, gan achub yr anifeiliaid mwyaf agored i niwed yn ein cymdeithas rhag pob math o greulondeb ac esgeulustod annirnadwy.
Yr wythnos diwethaf ymunais â John Littlewood, un o swyddogion achub anifeiliaid yr RSPCA, am y prynhawn i ddarganfod mwy am waith pwysig y rhai sydd ar y rheng flaen yng ngwaith yr elusen yng Nghymru. Ac roedd John yn gallu cynnig cyngor adeiladol a chymorth ar ôl archwilio'r anifeiliaid, a threfnu ymweliadau dilynol.
Ac mae hon yn wythnos fawr i'r rhai ohonom yn y Senedd sy'n canolbwyntio ar wella lles anifeiliaid, gan ein bod hefyd yn dathlu 100 mlynedd o'r Gynghrair yn Erbyn Chwaraeon Creulon. Ers 1924 mae'r gynghrair wedi bod yn brwydro i roi llais i anifeiliaid sy'n dioddef yn dawel yn enw chwaraeon fel y'i gelwir. Ar hyd eu taith, mae'r gynghrair wedi ymgyrchu'n llwyddiannus dros amddiffyniadau cyfreithiol i ddyfrgwn a moch daear, a dangos pa mor greulon yw hela.
Diolch i holl staff a gwirfoddolwyr y ddwy elusen dros genedlaethau sydd wedi ymrwymo i wella bywydau anifeiliaid ledled y DU.
Diolch.
Thank you.
Nesaf yw'r cynigion i ethol Aelodau i bwyllgorau. Yn unol â Rheolau Sefydlog 12.24 a 12.40, os nad oes unrhyw wrthwynebiad, rwy'n cynnig bod y cynigion i ethol Aelodau yn cael eu grwpio ar gyfer trafod a phleidleisio. A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? [Torri ar draws.]
Next we have motions to elect Members to committees. In accordance with Standing Orders 12.24 and 12.40, unless there are any objections, I propose that the motions to elect Members to committees are grouped for debate and for voting. Does any Member object? [Interruption.]
No, you don't object, do you?
Na, nid ydych chi'n gwrthwynebu, ydych chi?
Gwelaf nad oes unrhyw wrthwynebiad.
I see that there are no objections.
Felly, galwaf ar aelod o'r Pwyllgor Busnes i wneud y cynigion yn ffurfiol—Jane Hutt.
Therefore I call on a member of the Business Committee to move formally the motions—Jane Hutt.
Cynnig NNDM8609 Elin Jones
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 17.14, yn ethol Luke Fletcher (Plaid Cymru) yn aelod o’r Pwyllgor Deisebau yn lle Peredur Owen Griffiths (Plaid Cymru).
Motion NNDM8609 Elin Jones
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 17.14, elects Luke Fletcher (Plaid Cymru) as a member of the Petitions Committee in place of Peredur Owen Griffiths (Plaid Cymru).
Cynnig NNDM8610 Elin Jones
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 17.14, yn ethol Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru) yn aelod o’r Pwyllgor Llywodraeth Leol a Thai yn lle Luke Fletcher (Plaid Cymru).
Motion NNDM8610 Elin Jones
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 17.14, elects Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru) as a member of the Local Government and Housing Committee in place of Luke Fletcher (Plaid Cymru).
Cynnig NNDM8611 Elin Jones
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 17.14, yn ethol Heledd Fychan (Plaid Cymru) yn aelod o’r Pwyllgor Diwylliant, Cyfathrebu, y Gymraeg, Chwaraeon, a Chysylltiadau Rhyngwladol yn lle Llyr Gruffydd (Plaid Cymru).
Motion NNDM8611 Elin Jones
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 17.14, elects Heledd Fychan (Plaid Cymru) as a member of the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee in place of Llyr Gruffydd (Plaid Cymru).
Cynnig NNDM8612 Elin Jones
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 17.14, yn ethol Cefin Campbell (Plaid Cymru) yn aelod o’r Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg yn lle Heledd Fychan (Plaid Cymru).
Motion NNDM8612 Elin Jones
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 17.14, elects Cefin Campbell (Plaid Cymru) as a member of the Children, Young People and Education Committee in place of Heledd Fychan (Plaid Cymru).
Cynnig NNDM8613 Elin Jones
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 17.14, yn ethol Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru) yn lle Adam Price (Plaid Cymru) yn aelod o’r Pwyllgor Diben Arbennig Ymchwiliad COVID-19 Cymru.
Motion NNDM8613 Elin Jones
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 17.14, elects Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru) in place of Adam Price (Plaid Cymru) as a Member of the Wales COVID-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee.
Cynigiwyd y cynigion.
Motions moved.
Formally.
Yn ffurfiol.
Y cwestiwn yw: a ddylid derbyn y cynigion? A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Nac oes. Felly, derbynnir y cynigion yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
The proposal is to agree the motions. Does any Member object? No. The motions are therefore agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Derbyniwyd y cynigion yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Motions agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Eitem 5 heddiw yw'r cynnig o dan Reol Sefydlog 10.5 i benodi cadeirydd bwrdd Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru, a galwaf ar Gadeirydd y Pwyllgor Cyllid i wneud y cynnig—Peredur Owen Griffiths.
Item 5 this afternoon is the motion under Standing Order 10.5 to appoint the chair of the Wales Audit Office board, and I call on the Chair of the Finance Committee to move the motion—Peredur Owen Griffiths.
Cynnig NDM8601 Peredur Owen Griffiths
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Pharagraff 5(1) o Atodlen 1 i Ddeddf Archwilio Cyhoeddus (Cymru) 2013, ac o dan Reol Sefydlog 10.5:
Yn penodi Dr Ian Rees yn Gadeirydd Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru o 12 Mehefin 2024 tan 11 Mehefin 2028.
Motion NDM8601 Peredur Owen Griffiths
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with paragraph 5(1) of Schedule 1 to the Public Audit (Wales) Act 2013, and under Standing Order 10.5:
Appoints Dr Ian Rees as Chair of the Wales Audit Office from 12 June 2024 until 11 June 2028.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Cynigaf y cynnig hwn heddiw ar ran y Pwyllgor Cyllid, yn gofyn i’r Senedd gytuno i benodi Dr Ian Rees yn gadeirydd ar fwrdd Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru, yn unol â Deddf Archwilio Cyhoeddus (Cymru) 2013.
Mae gan Dr Ian Rees brofiad sylweddol o uwch-arweinyddiaeth yn y sector cyhoeddus, a phrofiad helaeth o weithio ar lefel bwrdd fel uwch-swyddog gweithredol ac anweithredol. Gyda’i bedair blynedd o wasanaeth fel aelod anweithredol o Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru, mae ganddo ddealltwriaeth manwl o’r sefydliad ac mae wedi gweithio’n adeiladol gyda’r bwrdd a’r archwilydd cyffredinol yn ystod y cyfnod hwnnw.
Bydd yr Aelodau’n gwybod i’r cadeirydd blaenorol, Dr Kathryn Chamberlain, gael ei phenodi gan y Senedd ym mis Mawrth 2023. Mae manylion ymadawiad Dr Chamberlain i’w cael yn ein hadroddiad. Nid wyf am eu hailadrodd yn y ddadl yma. Er ei bod yn siom i ni fod ei chyfnod ar y bwrdd wedi dod i ben cyn pryd, mae’r pwyllgor yn ddiolchgar i Dr Chamberlain am ei ffordd gadarnhaol ac adeiladol o ymgysylltu â ni ac am gyflawni blaenoriaethau statudol a strategol Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru yn ystod ei chyfnod fel cadeirydd. Ar ran y pwyllgor, hoffwn ddiolch iddi am ei gwasanaeth.
Efallai y bydd yr Aelodau hefyd am nodi bod adroddiad y pwyllgor yn cadarnhau penodiad Richard Thurston a Mike Norman am eu tymor cyntaf fel aelodau anweithredol o’r bwrdd, a phenodiad Dr Ian Rees am ei ail dymor. Rydym yn edrych ymlaen at weithio gyda nhw. Gofynnaf i’r Senedd dderbyn y cynnig. Diolch yn fawr.
Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. I move this motion today on behalf of the Finance Committee, asking the Senedd to agree to appoint Dr Ian Rees as chair of the Wales Audit Office board in accordance with the Public Audit (Wales) Act 2013.
Dr Ian Rees has significant experience of senior leadership in the public sector, along with vast experience of working at board level in a senior executive and non-executive capacity. Having already served four years as a non-executive member at the Wales Audit Office, he has in-depth understanding of the organisation and has worked constructively with both the board and the auditor general during that time.
Members will be aware that the Senedd appointed the previous chair, Dr Kathryn Chamberlain, in March 2023. The details of Dr Chamberlain’s departure is outlined in our report and I do not wish to repeat those during this debate. Although we are disappointed that her tenure on the board has come to an end prematurely, the committee is grateful to Dr Chamberlain for the positive and constructive way she has engaged with us and for delivering the Wales Audit Office’s statutory and strategic priorities during her period as chair. On behalf of the committee, I would like to thank her for her service.
Members may also wish to note that the committee’s report confirms the appointments of both Richard Thurston and Mike Norman for their first terms as non-executive members of the board, and the appointment of Dr Ian Rees for his second term of office. We look forward to working with them all. I ask the Senedd to agree the motion. Thank you very much.
Peredur, nid oes unrhyw siaradwyr arall. Hoffech chi ychwanegu unrhyw beth arall?
Peredur, I have no other speakers. Do you have anything else to add?
Na, dim diolch.
No, thank you.
Na, reit. Y cwestiwn yw: a ddylid derbyn y cynnig? A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Nac oes. Felly, derbynnir y cynnig, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
No, right. The proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? No. The motion is therefore agreed, in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.