Y Cyfarfod Llawn
Plenary
17/07/2024Cynnwys
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. Y cwestiynau i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Gyllid, y Cyfansoddiad a Swyddfa’r Cabinet sydd gyntaf y prynhawn yma, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Peredur Owen Griffiths.
Good afternoon and welcome to this Plenary session. The first item this afternoon are questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Cabinet Office, and the first question is from Peredur Owen Griffiths.
1. Beth y mae'r Llywodraeth yn ei wneud i gynyddu cyflog y sector cyhoeddus yn Nwyrain De Cymru? OQ61463
1. What is the Government doing to increase public sector pay in South Wales East? OQ61463
An engaged and motivated workforce is central to delivering effective public services. We are committed to paying fair settlements that reward workers but that are affordable within our budget.
Mae gweithlu ymroddedig a brwdfrydig yn hollbwysig er mwyn darparu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus effeithiol. Rydym wedi ymrwymo i dalu setliadau teg sy’n gwobrwyo gweithwyr ond sy’n fforddiadwy o fewn ein cyllideb.
Diolch am yr ateb yna.
Thank you for that response.
Plaid Cymru has long been a champion of enhanced terms and conditions across the public sector. This is particularly important in the light of the cost-of-living crisis, where many full-time workers have been pushed into poverty. Back in May of this year, following the then Tory Chancellor’s statement, you said,
'The UK Government’s return to austerity for public services shows a complete disregard for responsible management of public finances and will require implausible spending cuts in the future.'
Now that we have a Labour Government in London, when can we see an improvement in the public service finances across the board? Have you had a chance yet to lobby your party colleagues in the Treasury about providing the kind of settlement that would give a pay rise to hard-working and dedicated public service workers?
Mae Plaid Cymru wedi hyrwyddo telerau ac amodau gwell ar draws y sector cyhoeddus ers amser maith. Mae hyn yn arbennig o bwysig yng ngoleuni'r argyfwng costau byw, lle mae llawer o weithwyr amser llawn wedi cael eu gwthio i mewn i dlodi. Yn ôl ym mis Mai eleni, yn dilyn datganiad y Canghellor Torïaidd ar y pryd, fe ddywedoch chi,
'Mae mynd yn ôl at sefyllfa o gyni i wasanaethau cyhoeddus yn dangos difaterwch llwyr Llywodraeth y DU ynghylch rheoli cyllid cyhoeddus yn gyfrifol, ac yn golygu y bydd angen toriadau anymarferol i wariant yn y dyfodol.'
Gan fod gennym Lywodraeth Lafur yn Llundain bellach, pryd y gallwn weld gwelliant cyffredinol yng nghyllid gwasanaethau cyhoeddus? A ydych chi wedi cael cyfle eto i lobïo eich cyd-aelodau o'r blaid Lafur yn y Trysorlys ynglŷn â darparu’r math o setliad a fyddai’n rhoi codiad cyflog i weithwyr diwyd ac ymroddedig y gwasanaethau cyhoeddus?
I'm really grateful for the question and I did have a very early discussion with the new Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Darren Jones. In those discussions, I highlighted public sector pay as being one of the most important and significant issues to us in the Welsh Government, but then, also, one of the greatest sources of pressure on our budget as well. Social partnership will continue to shape all of our relations with the trade unions and it underpins very much the discussions that we have here within the Welsh Government around pay. And, of course, we will continue to work with and respect the independent pay review body process across the wider Welsh public sector as well. However, it’s worth saying to colleagues this afternoon that we’re not publishing details of the recommendations for this year or opening consultation on teachers' pay until the new UK Government has had a chance to consider its reports and its own response, bearing in mind the importance of the UK Government's response and any consequential funding that might come towards us in that space. So, I'll just let colleagues know that this afternoon.
Rwy’n ddiolchgar iawn am eich cwestiwn, a chefais drafodaeth gynnar iawn gyda Phrif Ysgrifennydd newydd y Trysorlys, Darren Jones. Yn y trafodaethau hynny, tynnais sylw at gyflogau’r sector cyhoeddus fel un o’r materion pwysicaf a mwyaf arwyddocaol i ni yn Llywodraeth Cymru, ond wedyn, hefyd, un o’r ffynonellau mwyaf o bwysau ar ein cyllideb. Bydd partneriaeth gymdeithasol yn parhau i lunio ein holl gysylltiadau â’r undebau llafur, ac mae’n sail i’r trafodaethau a gawn yma yn Llywodraeth Cymru ynghylch cyflogau. Ac wrth gwrs, byddwn yn parhau i barchu a gweithio gyda phroses y corff adolygu cyflogau annibynnol ar draws y sector cyhoeddus ehangach yng Nghymru hefyd. Fodd bynnag, mae’n werth dweud wrth fy nghyd-Aelodau y prynhawn yma na fyddwn yn cyhoeddi manylion yr argymhellion ar gyfer eleni nac yn agor ymgynghoriad ar gyflogau athrawon hyd nes y bydd Llywodraeth newydd y DU wedi cael cyfle i ystyried ei hadroddiadau a’i hymateb ei hun, o gofio pwysigrwydd ymateb Llywodraeth y DU ac unrhyw gyllid canlyniadol a allai ddod i ni yn y cyswllt hwnnw. Felly, rwy'n dweud hynny wrth fy nghyd-Aelodau y prynhawn yma.
Teaching assistants are undervalued and underpaid and, often, the first to be made redundant when it's time to make cuts, and are severely underpaid in the public sector. Those with additional learning needs are already neglected in larger classroom sizes and are lacking the crucial support they need, and cutting teaching assistants further exacerbates the problem. Last year, in a survey by the National Education Union, half the teachers across England and Wales stated that their workload was unmanageable due to the lack of support in classrooms due to cutbacks. We need more teaching assistants, not fewer. Considering their workload and all they're expected to do, does the Cabinet Secretary agree that it’s time to review and increase the pay of teaching assistants and provide those year-long contracts that they're after? What conversations have you had with local authorities and stakeholders regarding this? Thank you.
Nid yw cynorthwywyr addysgu yn cael eu gwerthfawrogi na’u talu’n ddigonol, ac yn aml, nhw yw'r rhai cyntaf i gael eu diswyddo pan ddaw’n amser gwneud toriadau, ac nid ydynt yn cael cyflogau digonol o bell ffordd yn y sector cyhoeddus. Mae’r rhai ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol eisoes yn cael eu hesgeuluso mewn ystafelloedd dosbarth mwy ac nid ydynt yn cael y cymorth hanfodol sydd ei angen arnynt, ac mae parhau i gael gwared ar gynorthwywyr addysgu yn gwaethygu’r broblem ymhellach. Y llynedd, mewn arolwg gan yr Undeb Addysg Cenedlaethol, dywedodd hanner athrawon Cymru a Lloegr na allant reoli eu llwyth gwaith oherwydd diffyg cefnogaeth yn yr ystafell dosbarth o ganlyniad i doriadau. Mae angen mwy o gynorthwywyr addysgu arnom, nid llai. O ystyried eu llwyth gwaith a’r cyfan y disgwylir iddynt ei wneud, a yw Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn cytuno ei bod yn bryd adolygu a chynyddu cyflogau cynorthwywyr addysgu a darparu’r contractau blwyddyn y maent yn gofyn amdanynt? Pa sgyrsiau a gawsoch gydag awdurdodau lleol a rhanddeiliaid ynglŷn â hyn? Diolch.
There wouldn't be any discussions that I would be having with local authorities or stakeholders directly; those discussions would be led by the Minister, or the Cabinet Secretary now, for education. I've just given a brief update on where we are in relation to teachers' pay and how we will take forward the recommendations in respect of the independent pay review body. However, I know that, in respect of teaching assistants, they're often employed directly by local authorities, and, as such, the Welsh Government itself isn't involved in the discussions on terms and conditions and pay for teaching assistants who are employed directly by local government. What we can do, of course, is try and give local government the best possible settlement that we're able to within the resources that we have available to us. And I think that it has been recognised that, in recent years, we have been trying to do that in terms of the uplifts that we've provided to local government, but that doesn't for a second not recognise the huge pressures that they are under.
Ni fyddwn wedi cael unrhyw drafodaethau uniongyrchol gydag awdurdodau lleol neu randdeiliaid; bydd y trafodaethau hynny’n cael eu harwain gan y Gweinidog, neu Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet bellach, dros addysg. Rwyf newydd roi’r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf ynglŷn â ble rydym arni mewn perthynas â chyflogau athrawon a sut y byddwn yn bwrw ymlaen â’r argymhellion mewn perthynas â’r corff adolygu cyflogau annibynnol. Fodd bynnag, o ran cynorthwywyr addysgu, rwy'n gwybod eu bod yn aml yn cael eu cyflogi’n uniongyrchol gan awdurdodau lleol, ac fel y cyfryw, nid yw Llywodraeth Cymru ei hun yn rhan o’r trafodaethau ar delerau ac amodau a chyflogau cynorthwywyr addysgu a gyflogir yn uniongyrchol gan lywodraeth leol. Yr hyn y gallwn ei wneud, wrth gwrs, yw ceisio rhoi’r setliad gorau posibl y gallwn ei roi i lywodraeth leol o fewn yr adnoddau sydd ar gael i ni. Ac rwy'n credu bod yna gydnabyddiaeth ein bod wedi bod yn ceisio gwneud hynny yn y blynyddoedd diwethaf o ran y codiadau a ddarparwyd gennym i lywodraeth leol, ond nid yw hynny am eiliad yn diystyru'r pwysau enfawr sydd arnynt.
2. Sut y bydd yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet yn cydweithio â Llywodraeth y DU er mwyn sicrhau cyllid ychwanegol ar gyfer rheilffyrdd Cymru? OQ61448
2. How will the Cabinet Secretary co-operate with the UK Government to secure additional funding for Welsh railways? OQ61448
I look forward to working in close partnership with the UK Government to deliver fairness in funding for public services across a range of areas. The appointment of Lord Hendy as rail Minister is a positive step, given his expert knowledge and his understanding of the need for investment in Wales.
Edrychaf ymlaen at weithio mewn partneriaeth agos â Llywodraeth y DU i sicrhau tegwch o ran cyllid ar gyfer gwasanaethau cyhoeddus ar draws ystod o feysydd. Mae penodi’r Arglwydd Hendy yn Weinidog rheilffyrdd yn gam cadarnhaol, o ystyried ei wybodaeth arbenigol a’i ddealltwriaeth o’r angen am fuddsoddiad yng Nghymru.
I think you'd agree with me that there must be concerns now raised about the £100 million shortfall from the 2023-24 budget, but, actually, this shortfall goes forward to the projected revenue growth. We’ve got to try and attract more people back onto railways after COVID, but, clearly, we’re not there yet, with the reliability of the trains and, sometimes, some of the conditions on those trains. In north Wales, we’re due consequential funds from the scaling back of the HS2 project now. The UK Labour Government do now need to step up to the plate and deliver this for Wales. TfW cannot be a blank cheque. Indeed, we need to ensure that budgets are maintained sustainably if we are to receive additional funds for the electrification of the north Wales coast railway. What steps is the Cabinet Secretary taking to shore up these shortfalls? How can you reassure us, when there are holes in TfW’s finances, that these will be shored up sustainably and responsibly? And what steps will you be taking as the Minister for finance to obtain the £350 million now from the UK Labour Government to help us to make those improvements we need here on our railways?
Rwy'n credu y byddech yn cytuno â mi fod yn rhaid codi pryderon nawr am y diffyg o £100 miliwn yng nghyllideb 2023-24, ond mewn gwirionedd, mae'r diffyg hwn yn mynd ymlaen i'r twf refeniw a ragwelir. Mae’n rhaid inni geisio denu mwy o bobl yn ôl ar y rheilffyrdd ar ôl COVID, ond yn amlwg, nid ydym yno eto, gyda dibynadwyedd y trenau, a rhai o’r amodau ar y trenau hynny weithiau. Yng ngogledd Cymru, mae cyllid canlyniadol yn ddyledus i ni yn sgil lleihau prosiect HS2. Mae angen i Lywodraeth Lafur y DU gamu i'r adwy a'i ddarparu i Gymru. Ni all Trafnidiaeth Cymru fod yn siec wag. Yn wir, mae angen inni sicrhau bod cyllidebau’n cael eu cynnal yn gynaliadwy os ydym am gael arian ychwanegol ar gyfer trydaneiddio rheilffordd arfordir y gogledd. Pa gamau y mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn eu cymryd i wneud iawn am y diffygion hyn? Sut y gallwch roi sicrwydd i ni, pan fo bylchau yng nghyllid Trafnidiaeth Cymru, y bydd y rhain yn cael eu llenwi yn gynaliadwy ac yn gyfrifol? A pha gamau y byddwch chi'n eu cymryd fel y Gweinidog cyllid i gael y £350 miliwn gan Lywodraeth Lafur y DU nawr i'n helpu i wneud y gwelliannau sydd eu hangen arnom yma ar ein rheilffyrdd?
Well, we very much recognise the pressures that there are in the rail sector here in Wales, and that’s one of the reasons, in the last financial year, that, responding to the impacts on inflation, we undertook that exercise across Government to reprioritise money away from really important and much valued areas towards those areas of extreme pressure, and those being the NHS and rail. So, we were able to do that in the last financial year.
In terms of north Wales specifically, we have called for the electrification of the north Wales main line on many occasions, and I know that’s something that’s of interest across the Senedd. And we did tentatively welcome the announcement of support from the previous UK Government. However, unfortunately, no funding was actually provided to Network Rail for the development of the electrification of the line. So, in that sense, it was never a real announcement of a real programme.
I think that the priority area for us is very much around the work of the Wales rail board, which has identified a number of other upgrades in north Wales that would have to be delivered in order to deliver those passenger benefits much sooner, and we would see those being a first step before electrification of the line. So, the work, I think, of the board will be absolutely critical in terms of identifying areas of investment, and we will be having those discussions with the new UK Government and also, of course, with stakeholders across Wales to agree how we can improve our railway into the future.
Wel, rydym yn sicr cydnabod y pwysau sydd ar y sector rheilffyrdd yma yng Nghymru, a dyna un o’r rhesymau, yn y flwyddyn ariannol ddiwethaf, wrth ymateb i’r effeithiau ar chwyddiant, pam y gwnaethom gynnal yr ymarfer ar draws y Llywodraeth i ailflaenoriaethu arian o feysydd pwysig a gwerthfawr iawn tuag at y meysydd sydd o dan bwysau eithafol, sef y GIG a'r rheilffyrdd. Felly, bu modd inni wneud hynny yn ystod y flwyddyn ariannol ddiwethaf.
O ran y gogledd yn benodol, rydym wedi galw droeon am drydaneiddio prif linell reilffordd gogledd Cymru, a gwn fod hynny’n rhywbeth sydd o ddiddordeb ar draws y Senedd. Ac fe roesom groeso gofalus i'r cyhoeddiad ynglŷn â chymorth gan Lywodraeth flaenorol y DU. Fodd bynnag, yn anffodus, ni ddarparwyd unrhyw arian i Network Rail ar gyfer datblygu’r gwaith o drydaneiddio’r rheilffordd. Felly, o ran hynny, nid oedd erioed yn gyhoeddiad go iawn am raglen go iawn.
Credaf mai'r maes blaenoriaeth i ni yw gwaith bwrdd rheilffyrdd Cymru, sydd wedi nodi nifer o enghreifftiau eraill o waith uwchraddio yn y gogledd y byddai’n rhaid ei gyflawni er mwyn sicrhau’r manteision hynny i deithwyr yn gynt o lawer, a byddem yn ystyried y rheini'n gam cyntaf cyn trydaneiddio'r rheilffordd. Felly, credaf y bydd gwaith y bwrdd yn gwbl hanfodol i nodi meysydd ar gyfer buddsoddi, a byddwn yn cael y trafodaethau hynny gyda Llywodraeth newydd y DU a hefyd, wrth gwrs, gyda rhanddeiliaid ledled Cymru i gytuno ar sut y gallwn wella ein rheilffyrdd ar gyfer y dyfodol.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, Darren Millar.
Questions now from the party spokespeople. The Welsh Conservative spokesperson, Darren Millar.
Diolch, Llywydd. Cabinet Secretary, can you provide us with an update on the work of the Independent Constitutional Commission on the Future of Wales? Thank you.
Diolch, Lywydd. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a allwch chi roi’r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i ni am waith y Comisiwn Annibynnol ar Ddyfodol Cyfansoddiadol Cymru? Diolch.
Yes, I'm very happy to do so. I have met with both of the chairs of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales and talked about the Welsh Government’s response, particularly to those recommendations that were aimed at the Welsh Government, as opposed to other parties, including, of course, the Senedd. One of the early discussions that we’ve had is around the specific recommendation in relation to innovation—democratic innovation—and that was very much around a citizens' assembly, citizens' panels, the various different ways in which we can include and involve citizens in decision making across Wales. One of my next steps now will be to appoint a panel that will help us take forward that work further, and that’s something that we had discussions with colleagues in Plaid Cymru about, through the co-operation agreement, as it was at the time. But I just want to reassure colleagues that we are having all of the meetings that you would expect us to be having, and making the progress that you would want to see, and giving this the due priority, and, of course, our budget for this year included some additional funding to support that work.
Gallaf, rwy'n fwy na pharod i wneud hynny. Rwyf wedi cyfarfod â dau o gadeiryddion y Comisiwn Annibynnol ar Ddyfodol Cyfansoddiadol Cymru ac wedi trafod ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru, yn enwedig i’r argymhellion a anelwyd at Lywodraeth Cymru, yn hytrach na phartïon eraill, gan gynnwys y Senedd wrth gwrs. Mae un o’r trafodaethau cynnar a gawsom yn ymwneud â’r argymhelliad penodol mewn perthynas ag arloesi—arloesi democrataidd—ac roedd hynny’n ymwneud i raddau helaeth â chynulliad dinasyddion, paneli dinasyddion, y gwahanol ffyrdd y gallwn gynnwys dinasyddion wrth wneud penderfyniadau ledled Cymru. Un o fy nghamau nesaf fydd penodi panel a fydd yn ein helpu i fwrw ymlaen ymhellach â’r gwaith hwnnw, ac mae hynny’n rhywbeth y cawsom drafodaethau â chyd-Aelodau ym Mhlaid Cymru yn ei gylch, drwy’r cytundeb cydweithio, fel yr oedd ar y pryd. Ond hoffwn roi sicrwydd i fy nghyd-Aelodau ein bod yn cael pob un o'r cyfarfodydd y byddech yn disgwyl i ni eu cael, ac yn gwneud y cynnydd y byddech am ei weld, ac yn rhoi'r flaenoriaeth ddyledus i hyn, ac wrth gwrs, roedd ein cyllideb ar gyfer eleni'n cynnwys arian ychwanegol i gefnogi'r gwaith hwnnw.
Cabinet Secretary, I think a lot of people are wondering why on earth this commission hasn’t been wrapped up yet. It produced a lengthy report back in January—its final report. It was obviously one that was discussed and debated then in this Senedd Chamber. I’m disappointed to hear that you’ve had bilateral talks with just Plaid Cymru about this panel that you’ve suddenly mentioned to us in this Chamber—it’s the first time that that has been shared in this Chamber, as I understand it—and I don’t know why you’re not having that discussion with all Members of this Senedd and, indeed, with all political parties. But, given that the commission completed its work in January, why on earth is it still getting Welsh Government funding at the same rate as it was when it was at its busiest?
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, credaf fod llawer o bobl yn meddwl pam ar y ddaear nad yw’r comisiwn hwn wedi dod i ben eto. Cynhyrchodd adroddiad hir yn ôl ym mis Ionawr—ei adroddiad terfynol. Roedd yn amlwg yn un a drafodwyd wedyn yn Siambr y Senedd hon. Rwy’n siomedig wrth glywed eich bod wedi cael trafodaethau dwyochrog gyda Phlaid Cymru yn unig ynglŷn â'r panel yr ydych chi newydd ei grybwyll yn y Siambr hon—dyma’r tro cyntaf i hynny gael ei rannu yn y Siambr yn ôl yr hyn a ddeallaf—ac nid wyf yn gwybod pam nad ydych yn cael y drafodaeth honno gyda holl Aelodau'r Senedd, ac yn wir, gyda phob plaid wleidyddol. Ond o ystyried bod y comisiwn wedi cwblhau ei waith ym mis Ionawr, pam ar y ddaear ei fod yn dal i gael cyllid gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar yr un gyfradd a phan oedd ar ei brysuraf?
Well, two points of clarification. Those discussions were had with Plaid Cymru in relation to the budget discussions that we had in order to facilitate the passage of the Welsh Government’s budget for this financial year. I have spoken about the intention to appoint a panel or an advisory board, actually, from this lectern previously to the Senedd. I set out the discussions that I’ve had with people who are experts in the field, for example, of citizen engagement, to ensure that when we do take forward that work, we do so in a way that allows us access to the kind of expertise that we need for the future.
This Senedd did note and agree the actions that the Welsh Government would take in response to the report, and we take that report very seriously. There are things in there that I think will be exciting as we engage with the new UK Government in terms of potential devolution of future powers to this Senedd. I think the report has been highly useful and will continue to be useful. The discussions that we continue to have with both of those chairs, I think, are also very important.
Wel, dau bwynt o esboniad. Cafwyd y trafodaethau hynny gyda Phlaid Cymru mewn perthynas â’r trafodaethau a gawsom ynglŷn â'r gyllideb er mwyn hwyluso hynt cyllideb Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol hon. Rwyf wedi sôn o’r fan hon wrth y Senedd yn y gorffennol ynglŷn â'r bwriad i benodi panel neu fwrdd cynghori. Nodais y trafodaethau a gefais gyda phobl sy’n arbenigwyr ym maes ymgysylltu â dinasyddion, er enghraifft, er mwyn sicrhau, pan fyddwn yn bwrw ymlaen â’r gwaith hwnnw, ein bod yn gwneud hynny mewn ffordd sy’n caniatáu mynediad i ni at y math o arbenigedd sydd ei angen arnom ar gyfer y dyfodol.
Fe wnaeth y Senedd hon nodi a chytuno ar y camau y byddai Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd mewn ymateb i’r adroddiad, ac rydym o ddifrif ynghylch yr adroddiad hwnnw. Mae pethau ynddo y credaf y byddant yn gyffrous wrth inni ymgysylltu â Llywodraeth newydd y DU ynglŷn â'r posibilrwydd o ddatganoli pwerau i’r Senedd hon yn y dyfodol. Credaf fod yr adroddiad wedi bod yn hynod ddefnyddiol ac y bydd yn parhau i fod yn ddefnyddiol. Rwy'n credu bod y trafodaethau yr ydym yn parhau i’w cael gyda’r ddau gadeirydd yn bwysig iawn hefyd.
I’m sorry, Cabinet Secretary, but I don’t accept that your answer is a very good one, I’m afraid. I’m the shadow spokesperson for the constitution on the official opposition benches here, and you’ve had no discussions with me whatsoever since your appointment as the Cabinet Secretary with the responsibility for the constitution on taking any work forward. I find that, frankly, rather alarming, particularly given that this was supposed to be an all-party constitutional commission that engaged all of the politics, if you like, in Wales. I ask you again: when will you reach out and have that proper engagement with all parties, which was the intention when the commission was established? Why do you think it’s appropriate to invest a further £1 million? You say you haven’t got money, frankly, for our NHS in order to build hospitals or to pay more doctors and nurses. You say you don’t have money to invest more in our education system. You say you don’t have money to invest in our roads, particularly in the region that I represent up in north Wales. Yet, you seem to have plenty of cash to throw yet again at this commission for a further 12 months—£1 million at least in total—and yet I don’t see any evidence of any work having been taken forward, and you’re not engaging with me or my party in terms of how that work is taken forward either. So, can I ask you to pull your socks up, make sure that there’s some proper engagement with my party, and to provide a proper explanation as to how that money that you’ve allocated for this commission’s work for this current financial period and financial year is being spent, because we need transparency on these matters?
Mae’n ddrwg gennyf, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ond nid wyf yn derbyn bod eich ateb yn un da iawn, mae arnaf ofn. Fi yw llefarydd yr wrthblaid ar y cyfansoddiad ar feinciau'r wrthblaid swyddogol yma, ac nid ydych wedi cael unrhyw drafodaethau o gwbl gyda mi ers cael eich penodi’n Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet gyda’r cyfrifoldeb am y cyfansoddiad ynghylch bwrw ymlaen ag unrhyw waith. Credaf fod hynny braidd yn frawychus a dweud y gwir, yn enwedig o gofio bod hwn i fod yn gomisiwn cyfansoddiadol hollbleidiol a oedd yn ymwneud â’r holl wleidyddiaeth, os mynnwch, yng Nghymru. Gofynnaf i chi eto: pryd y byddwch chi'n estyn allan ac yn ymgysylltu'n briodol â phob plaid, sef y bwriad pan sefydlwyd y comisiwn? Pam eich bod yn credu ei bod yn briodol buddsoddi £1 filiwn arall? Rydych chi'n dweud nad oes gennych arian ar gyfer ein GIG er mwyn adeiladu ysbytai neu gyflogi mwy o feddygon a nyrsys. Rydych chi'n dweud nad oes gennych arian i fuddsoddi mwy yn ein system addysg. Rydych chi'n dweud nad oes gennych chi arian i’w fuddsoddi yn ein ffyrdd, yn enwedig yn y rhanbarth rwy'n ei gynrychioli yn y gogledd. Fodd bynnag, ymddengys bod gennych ddigon o arian i’w daflu, unwaith eto, at y comisiwn hwn am 12 mis arall—cyfanswm o £1 filiwn o leiaf—ac eto, ni welaf unrhyw dystiolaeth fod unrhyw waith wedi’i wneud, ac nid ydych yn ymgysylltu â mi na fy mhlaid ynglŷn â sut mae'r gwaith hwnnw'n mynd rhagddo ychwaith. Felly, a gaf i ofyn ichi dorchi eich llewys, sicrhau eich bod yn ymgysylltu'n briodol â fy mhlaid, a rhoi esboniad priodol ynglŷn â sut mae'r arian a ddyrannwyd gennych ar gyfer gwaith y comisiwn hwn yn y cyfnod ariannol cyfredol a'r flwyddyn ariannol hon yn cael ei wario, gan fod angen tryloywder ar y materion hyn?
Llywydd, there was no slight or offence intended in not engaging in those fuller discussions with the Conservative benches on the constitution issues. I will endeavour to put that right as soon as possible.
Lywydd, nid oedd yn fwriad gennyf i sarhau na phechu drwy beidio â chynnal y trafodaethau llawnach hynny gyda meinciau'r Ceidwadwyr ar faterion yn ymwneud â'r cyfansoddiad. Fe ymdrechaf i unioni hynny cyn gynted â phosibl.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Peredur Owen Griffiths.
The Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Peredur Owen Griffiths.
Diolch, Llywydd. We’ve discussed and argued over the last few years about HS2 funding and, until recently, we had come to a consensus where I think we all agreed in this Chamber that we were owed £4 billion. Even Jo Stevens, in the run up to the election as the shadow Welsh Secretary, agreed with us on that—when she wasn’t denying that it existed, but that’s beside the point. As the result of the general election was looking more favourable for the Labour Party, you kindly sent out an explainer—and you sent it twice; thank you for that—that suggested that Wales would have a less favourable Barnett consequential. It suggested that we were actually only owed less than a tenth of that funding, at £350 million. I read the letter with interest and, to be honest I read it a second time as well just to get my head around what you were explaining. In my reading of the letter, it’s a dramatic lowering of expectations from the agreed position, with the dawning realisation that the Labour Government would have to deliver on something or would have to put right a wrong or put their money where their mouth is. Can you explain to me and the people struggling with the state of public transport in Wales why you and Labour colleagues in London have suddenly arrived at a much lower figure and why this explanation was not forthcoming during the numerous debates we’ve had on the subject?
Diolch, Lywydd. Rydym wedi trafod a dadlau dros yr ychydig flynyddoedd diwethaf ynglŷn â chyllid HS2, a hyd nes yn ddiweddar, roeddem wedi dod i gonsensws lle credaf fod pob un ohonom wedi cytuno yn y Siambr hon fod £4 biliwn yn ddyledus i ni. Roedd hyd yn oed Jo Stevens, yn y cyfnod cyn yr etholiad fel Ysgrifennydd yr wrthblaid dros Gymru, yn cytuno â ni ar hynny—pan nad oedd yn gwadu ei fod yn bodoli, ond mater arall yw hynny. Wrth i ganlyniad yr etholiad cyffredinol ddechrau edrych yn fwy ffafriol i’r Blaid Lafur, fe fuoch chi'n ddigon caredig i anfon nodyn esboniadol—a’i anfon ddwywaith; diolch am hynny—a oedd yn awgrymu y byddai Cymru'n cael llai o gyllid canlyniadol Barnett. Awgrymai mai dim ond llai na degfed ran o’r cyllid hwnnw oedd yn ddyledus i ni, sef £350 miliwn. Darllenais y llythyr gyda diddordeb, ac a dweud y gwir, fe'i darllenais eilwaith i geisio deall yr hyn roeddech yn ei egluro. Yn ôl fy nehongliad i o’r llythyr, mae’r disgwyliadau'n gostwng yn ddramatig o’r safbwynt y cytunwyd arno, gyda’r sylweddoliad araf y byddai’n rhaid i’r Llywodraeth Lafur gyflawni rhywbeth neu y byddai’n rhaid iddi unioni cam neu roi ei harian ar ei gair. A allwch chi egluro i mi a’r bobl sy’n ei chael hi mor anodd gyda chyflwr trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yng Nghymru pam eich bod chi a’ch cyd-aelodau o'r blaid Lafur yn Llundain wedi penderfynu ar ffigur llawer is yn sydyn iawn a pham na chafwyd yr esboniad hwn yn ystod y nifer o ddadleuon a gawsom ar y pwnc?
The first thing to say is that the figure of £350 million was forthcoming in the debates that we had. We had a specific debate, I think, in the Senedd in relation to HS2, and in that debate I explained the £350 million figure, but then, as the debate continued, we were still hearing £4 billion, £5 billion, and then I turned on the tv the next day and I was still getting £4 billion, £5 billion, and the same in the Plaid Cymru manifesto, and so on, as well. So, that was what made me think, 'Right, we need to get the correct figure into the public domain properly', which is why I wrote to colleagues, and then I was challenged on it by another one of your colleagues on the Plaid benches, and I re-sent the letter. There's nothing untoward behind sending the letter, it really was just to get the correct figures out there. The reason that those are the correct figures is because when we first saw the HS2 project, as originally envisaged, then we could be looking at those higher figures, in the billions of pounds, and we've used them ourselves as Welsh Government. But as the project became smaller and smaller, and looking at what's been delivered over the period since the project started, then the figure, I don't think it could be argued, is £350 million.
But looking into future years, everything will depend on the comparability factors, and to what extent the UK Government, moving forward, considers the project to be that England-and-Wales project. Now, we've got a very clear line on that. We've already had some discussions with UK Government on HS2. We've actually shared with the UK Government the same explainer that we shared with colleagues in the Senedd as well, and absolutely hope to make some progress on it.
Y peth cyntaf i'w ddweud yw bod y ffigur o £350 miliwn wedi'i grybwyll yn y dadleuon a gawsom. Credaf inni gael dadl benodol yn y Senedd mewn perthynas â HS2, ac yn y ddadl honno, esboniais y ffigur o £350 miliwn, ond wedyn, wrth i’r ddadl barhau, roeddem yn dal i glywed £4 biliwn, £5 biliwn, ac yna ar y teledu drannoeth, roeddwn yn dal i glywed £4 biliwn, £5 biliwn, a’r un peth ym maniffesto Plaid Cymru ac ati hefyd. Felly, dyna a wnaeth i mi feddwl, 'Iawn, mae angen sicrhau bod y cyhoedd yn ymwybodol o'r ffigur cywir', a dyna pam yr ysgrifennais at fy nghyd-Aelodau, ac yna cefais fy herio yn ei gylch gan un arall o'ch cyd-Aelodau ar feinciau Plaid Cymru, ac ailanfonais y llythyr. Nid oedd unrhyw fwriad anffafriol yn sail i anfon y llythyr, yr unig fwriad oedd sicrhau bod y ffigurau cywir yn cael eu trafod. Y rheswm pam mai rheini yw'r ffigurau cywir yw oherwydd pan welsom y prosiect HS2 gyntaf, fel y'i rhagwelwyd yn wreiddiol, gallem fod yn edrych ar y ffigurau uwch hynny yn y biliynau o bunnoedd, ac rydym wedi eu defnyddio ein hunain fel Llywodraeth Cymru. Ond wrth i’r prosiect fynd yn llai ac yn llai, ac wrth edrych ar yr hyn sydd wedi’i gyflawni dros y cyfnod ers i’r prosiect ddechrau, nid wyf yn credu y gellid dadlau nad £350 miliwn yw'r ffigur.
Ond gan edrych ar y blynyddoedd i ddod, bydd popeth yn dibynnu ar y ffactorau cymharedd, ac i ba raddau y mae Llywodraeth y DU, wrth symud ymlaen, yn ystyried y prosiect yn brosiect Cymru a Lloegr. Nawr, mae gennym safbwynt clir iawn ar hynny. Rydym eisoes wedi cael rhai trafodaethau gyda Llywodraeth y DU ar HS2. Rydym wedi rhannu'r un nodyn esboniadol gyda Llywodraeth y DU ag y gwnaethom ei rannu gyda chyd-Aelodau o'r Senedd hefyd, ac rydym yn llawn obeithio gwneud rhywfaint o gynnydd ar hynny.
Thank you for that. I think it would help us if I invoke my inner Mike Hedges and call for you to show your workings, because it's very much that the wording is there but the breakdown of numbers—. So, that would really, really help us, especially if there's going to be a bit of a backtracking on the figure.
Now, a cash injection of £350 million is still a big number and could have a big impact on our ailing public transport network. You've also said that there would be a £700 million cash deficit in the Welsh Government's settlement for 2024-25 in real terms, compared to what the forecast was during the 2020-21 spending review. When you add these two sums together, it amounts to just over £1 billion that's owed to Wales. I'm sure this is something that you've already asked in your early conversations with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and the Welsh Secretary, and I'd be disappointed if you hadn't, but what did they say when you asked for it and when will they deliver?
Diolch. Credaf y byddai o gymorth i ni pe bawn yn galw ar fy Mike Hedges mewnol ac yn galw arnoch chi i ddangos eich gwaith cyfrifo, gan fod y geiriad yno, ond mae'r manylion ynghylch y ffigurau—. Felly, byddai hynny o gymorth mawr i ni, yn enwedig os ydych am gamu'n ôl ar y ffigur.
Nawr, mae chwistrelliad o £350 miliwn mewn arian parod yn dal i fod yn ffigur mawr, a gallai gael effaith fawr ar ein rhwydwaith trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus ffaeledig. Rydych chi hefyd wedi dweud y byddai diffyg o £700 miliwn o arian parod yn setliad Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer 2024-25 mewn termau real, o gymharu â’r hyn a ragwelwyd yn ystod adolygiad o wariant 2020-21. Pan adiwch chi'r ddau swm, mae ychydig dros £1 biliwn yn ddyledus i Gymru. Rwy'n siŵr fod hyn yn rhywbeth yr ydych chi eisoes wedi'i ofyn yn eich sgyrsiau cynnar â Phrif Ysgrifennydd y Trysorlys ac Ysgrifennydd Cymru, a byddwn yn siomedig pe na baech wedi gwneud hynny, ond beth oedd ganddynt i'w ddweud pan ofynnoch chi yn ei gylch, a phryd y byddant yn ei ddarparu?
So, I probably wouldn't argue that the £700 million is owed to Wales; I'd use different language to that, in the sense that it is an impact of inflation and it's had the same impact across the border. So, in that sense, it's not as if UK Government has pulled a fast one on us, it was just the impact of inflation on our budget. We have changed and amended our spending plans accordingly in order to manage that reduction in value of our budget.
In relation to the £350 million consequential funding lost as a result of the classification of HS2, then, as I say, we have brought that to the attention of UK Government Ministers. We've had early discussions about it, we've shared the explainer and so on, and, of course, I'd be happy to update colleagues as those conversations continue.
Mae'n debyg na fyddwn yn dadlau bod y £700 miliwn yn ddyledus i Gymru; byddwn yn defnyddio iaith wahanol i hynny, yn yr ystyr ei fod yn ganlyniad i chwyddiant ac mae chwyddiant wedi cael yr un effaith dros y ffin. Felly, o ran hynny, nid yw fel pe bai Llywodraeth y DU wedi ein twyllo, dim ond effaith chwyddiant ar ein cyllideb ydoedd. Rydym wedi newid a diwygio ein cynlluniau gwariant yn unol â hynny er mwyn ymdopi â'r gostyngiad yng ngwerth ein cyllideb.
Mewn perthynas â’r £350 miliwn o gyllid canlyniadol a gollwyd o ganlyniad i ddosbarthiad HS2, fel rwy'n dweud, rydym wedi dwyn hynny i sylw Gweinidogion Llywodraeth y DU. Cawsom drafodaethau cynnar yn ei gylch, rydym wedi rhannu’r nodyn esboniadol ac yn y blaen, ac wrth gwrs, rwy'n fwy na pharod i roi’r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i fy nghyd-Aelodau wrth i’r sgyrsiau hynny barhau.
It would be interesting—what was their reaction? Were they positive? Were they negative? Were they saying, 'Well, no, go away'? That would be interesting to know.
But ahead of the priorities debate later, where you'll be presented with a wish list of spending decisions from all here, I'd imagine, what do you foresee as the hardest decision on what to deprioritise? How will you come to those decisions with a depleted Cabinet, and what impact will the events of yesterday have on the budget-setting process?
Byddai'n ddiddorol—beth oedd eu hymateb? A oeddent yn bositif? A oeddent yn negyddol? A oeddent yn dweud, 'Wel, na, ewch o 'ma'? Byddai'n ddiddorol gwybod hynny.
Ond cyn y ddadl ar flaenoriaethau yn nes ymlaen, lle bydd rhestr o ddymuniadau ar gyfer penderfyniadau gwariant o bob man yma yn cael ei chyflwyno i chi, byddwn yn dychmygu, beth y rhagwelwch y bydd y penderfyniad anoddaf o ran beth i'w ddadflaenoriaethu? Sut y byddwch yn gwneud y penderfyniadau hynny gyda Chabinet llai, a pha effaith a gaiff digwyddiadau ddoe ar y broses o osod y gyllideb?
I am grateful for that question. I should have said in response to the previous question that I'd be more than happy to organise a technical briefing for all colleagues in relation to the HS2 figure in order to get under the bonnet, if you like, of some of those figures, and make sure that some of our Treasury team are available to talk colleagues through all of that.
As to where we are now in the financial year, of course, this is the time when we start to take the strategic approach to the budget, which is why we have our Finance Committee-led debate this afternoon, and that really is about identifying the top key priorities. I've also written to the Finance Committee ahead of the summer recess, as we always do, setting out some of the macro-economic picture as well, which will, again, inform of our planning. We are, really, waiting for the Chancellor to make her statement now ahead of the summer recess in Parliament, where we will get a better idea of the timescales, and, again, if we are in a position to bring our budget forward, we would look to consider doing that to support the Senedd and the scrutiny as well.
In terms of deprioritisation, we are starting those discussions now and it's something that we've been looking at over the last month or so to explore how we can manage within the budget that we have, or, at least, manage within the budget that the Wales Governance Centre and their fiscal analysis unit has suggested that we might have in future years. Until we have the actual budget, it's the best planning assumption that we have, so we're working to that at the moment.
So, I don't want to go into detail of the deprioritisation work, or reprioritisation work, depending on how you look at it, in terms of the choices that Cabinet Ministers will have, but, at this point, to reassure colleagues that we are undertaking that work in order to refocus on those priorities that the First Minister set out in his statement on Government priorities. And, of course, we'll need to consider carefully all of the representations made this afternoon in the debate, as we continue that work.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar am eich cwestiwn. Dylwn fod wedi dweud mewn ymateb i’r cwestiwn blaenorol y byddwn yn fwy na pharod i drefnu briff technegol ar gyfer fy holl gyd-Aelodau mewn perthynas â'r ffigur HS2 er mwyn darparu rhywfaint o fanylion ynglŷn â'r ffigurau hynny a sicrhau bod rhai o'n tîm Trysorlys ar gael i drafod hynny oll gyda fy nghyd-Aelodau.
O ran ble rydym arni nawr yn y flwyddyn ariannol, wrth gwrs, dyma’r adeg pan fyddwn yn dechrau mabwysiadu’r agwedd strategol at y gyllideb, a dyna pam fod gennym ein dadl dan arweiniad y Pwyllgor Cyllid y prynhawn yma, ac mae honno'n ymwneud â nodi'r prif flaenoriaethau allweddol. Rwyf hefyd wedi ysgrifennu at y Pwyllgor Cyllid cyn toriad yr haf, fel y gwnawn bob amser, yn disgrifio peth o'r darlun macro-economaidd hefyd, a fydd, unwaith eto, yn llywio ein gwaith cynllunio. Mewn gwirionedd, rydym yn aros i’r Canghellor wneud ei datganiad nawr cyn toriad yr haf yn Senedd y DU, pan gawn well syniad o’r amserlenni, ac unwaith eto, os ydym mewn sefyllfa i gyflwyno ein cyllideb, byddwn yn ystyried gwneud hynny i gefnogi’r Senedd a’r gwaith craffu hefyd.
O ran dadflaenoriaethu, rydym yn dechrau'r trafodaethau hynny nawr, ac mae’n rhywbeth y buom yn ei ystyried dros y mis neu ddau diwethaf i archwilio sut y gallwn ymdopi o fewn y gyllideb sydd gennym, neu o leiaf ymdopi o fewn y gyllideb y mae Canolfan Llywodraethiant Cymru a'u huned dadansoddi cyllid wedi awgrymu y gallai fod gennym yn y dyfodol. Hyd nes y bydd gennym y gyllideb ei hun, dyna'r rhagdybiaeth gynllunio orau sydd gennym, felly rydym yn gweithio yn unol â hynny ar hyn o bryd.
Felly, nid wyf am fanylu ar y gwaith dadflaenoriaethu, neu'r gwaith ailflaenoriaethu, yn dibynnu ar eich safbwynt, o ran y dewisiadau a fydd gan Weinidogion y Cabinet i'w gwneud, ond ar hyn o bryd, hoffwn roi sicrwydd i fy nghyd-Aelodau ein bod yn gwneud y gwaith hwnnw er mwyn canolbwyntio o'r newydd ar y blaenoriaethau a nododd y Prif Weinidog yn ei ddatganiad ar flaenoriaethau’r Llywodraeth. Ac wrth gwrs, bydd angen inni ystyried yn ofalus yr holl sylwadau a wneir y prynhawn yma yn y ddadl, wrth inni barhau â'r gwaith hwnnw.
3. Beth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i sicrhau bod digon o ryddhad ardrethi annomestig ar gael i fusnesau bach? OQ61453
3. What is the Welsh Government doing to ensure that sufficient non-domestic rates relief is available to small businesses? OQ61453
We are providing additional non-domestic rates support worth £134 million this year, on top of our permanent reliefs worth over £250 million. Ratepayers for almost half of properties, including thousands of small businesses, receive full relief. When partial support is included, more than 80 per cent of properties will benefit from relief in 2024-25.
Rydym yn darparu gwerth £134 miliwn o gymorth ardrethi annomestig ychwanegol eleni, ar ben ein gwerth dros £250 miliwn o ryddhadau parhaol. Mae talwyr ardrethi ar gyfer bron i hanner yr eiddo, gan gynnwys miloedd o fusnesau bach, yn cael rhyddhad llawn. Pan fo cymorth rhannol yn cael ei gynnwys, bydd mwy nag 80 y cant o eiddo yn elwa ar ryddhad yn 2024-25.
I'm grateful to you for that answer, but there are examples across Wales of small businesses closing their doors and yet they are still expected to pay business rates, despite the fact that they are not trading. This is causing huge frustration and upset to those business owners and their families who are paying Wales rates whilst their business is not actually operating. It's clear that this is not fair and that there needs to be some flexibility in the system to recognise the individual circumstances of businesses. So, can you tell us what the Welsh Government is doing to ensure that there is sufficient rate relief for those that need it, and can you also tell us what is being done to make the business rates system fairer here in Wales?
Rwy’n ddiolchgar i chi am eich ateb, ond mae enghreifftiau ledled Cymru o fusnesau bach yn cau eu drysau ac eto mae disgwyl iddynt dalu ardrethi busnes o hyd, er nad ydynt yn masnachu. Mae hyn yn peri rhwystredigaeth a gofid enfawr i'r perchnogion busnes hynny a'u teuluoedd sy'n talu ardrethi Cymru er nad yw eu busnes yn gweithredu mewn gwirionedd. Mae'n amlwg nad yw hyn yn deg a bod angen hyblygrwydd yn y system i gydnabod amgylchiadau unigol busnesau. Felly, a allwch chi ddweud wrthym beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i sicrhau bod digon o ryddhad ardrethi i'r rhai sydd ei angen, ac a allwch chi ddweud wrthym hefyd beth sy'n cael ei wneud i wneud y system ardrethi busnes yn decach yma yng Nghymru?
So, we have a really wide package of support for businesses. We're investing more than £0.33 billion this year in support for businesses in respect of their business rates. I will look at the guidance that we provide to local authorities in respect of recognising individual circumstances and businesses that have recently ceased trading, because, of course, local authorities do have a good degree of local flexibility in order to be able to support businesses. But I will ask officials to look specifically at the guidance on that, because I think an important point has definitely been made.
In terms of the approach to rate reform, we had our legislation pass Stage 4 yesterday, and that does set out the direction of reform for both non-domestic rates and council tax. On the non-domestic rates side, it puts in place a three-year revaluation cycle. That does strike the balance, then, between having up-to-date valuations of properties, but also providing some stability for business as well. And that three-yearly cycle was the cycle suggested to us by the business sector, so that's been warmly received. But alongside that, we've asked Alma Economics to undertake a review of all of the reliefs that we provide to businesses, and then officials will be considering those and we'll be considering recommendations for potential changes in the future. But I think there's a lot going on at the moment in the world of local government finance, but that review of the reliefs, I think, will help us identify the next steps, and, of course, the legislation that we took through Stage 4 yesterday will give us the tools to be able to be more responsive to businesses as well.
Felly, mae gennym becyn cymorth eang iawn i fusnesau. Rydym yn buddsoddi mwy na £0.33 biliwn eleni mewn cymorth i fusnesau mewn perthynas â'u hardrethi busnes. Byddaf yn edrych ar y canllawiau a ddarparwn i awdurdodau lleol ar gyfer cydnabod amgylchiadau unigol a busnesau sydd wedi rhoi’r gorau i fasnachu yn ddiweddar, oherwydd wrth gwrs, mae gan awdurdodau lleol lefel dda o hyblygrwydd lleol er mwyn gallu cefnogi busnesau. Ond fe ofynnaf i swyddogion edrych yn benodol ar y canllawiau ar hynny, gan y credaf fod pwynt pwysig wedi’i wneud, yn sicr.
O ran y dull o ddiwygio ardrethi, pasiwyd Cyfnod 4 ein deddfwriaeth ddoe, ac mae’n nodi cyfeiriad diwygio ar gyfer ardrethi annomestig a’r dreth gyngor. Ar ardrethi annomestig, mae’n cyflwyno cylch ailbrisio tair blynedd. Mae hynny'n sicrhau cydbwysedd felly rhwng cael prisiadau eiddo cyfredol, ond yn darparu sefydlogrwydd i fusnesau hefyd. A’r cylch tair blynedd hwnnw oedd yr hyn a awgrymwyd i ni gan y sector busnes, felly mae hynny wedi cael ei groesawu'n fawr. Ond ochr yn ochr â hynny, rydym wedi gofyn i Alma Economics gynnal adolygiad o'r holl ryddhadau a ddarparwn i fusnesau, ac yna bydd swyddogion yn eu hystyried a byddwn yn ystyried argymhellion ar gyfer newidiadau posibl yn y dyfodol. Ond credaf fod llawer yn digwydd ar hyn o bryd ym myd cyllid llywodraeth leol, ond credaf y bydd yr adolygiad o’r rhyddhadau yn ein helpu i nodi’r camau nesaf, ac wrth gwrs, bydd y ddeddfwriaeth a aeth drwy Gyfnod 4 ddoe yn rhoi’r dulliau inni allu bod yn fwy ymatebol i fusnesau hefyd.
Good afternoon, Cabinet Secretary. Just to follow up from the issue raised by Paul Davies there, we do know that small businesses and hospitality are being directly affected by them not having the 75 per cent small business rates relief, which they previously did have. And I've just heard what you said concerning the review, and that's really, really welcome. We know that small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities, particularly in rural areas, so I was wondering if you've had any thoughts about revisiting and reconsidering that particular business rates relief cut, and whether you would be committing to meeting with the Federation of Small Businesses in order to talk about the effect on small businesses, particularly in rural communities. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Prynhawn da, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Os caf aros gyda'r mater a godwyd gan Paul Davies, gwyddom fod busnesau bach a'r sector lletygarwch yn cael eu heffeithio’n uniongyrchol am nad ydynt yn cael y rhyddhad ardrethi busnesau bach o 75 y cant yr arferent ei gael. Ac rwyf newydd glywed yr hyn a ddywedoch chi am yr adolygiad, ac mae hynny i'w groesawu'n fawr iawn. Fe wyddom mai busnesau bach yw anadl einioes ein cymunedau, yn enwedig mewn ardaloedd gwledig, felly roeddwn yn meddwl tybed a ydych chi wedi ystyried ailedrych ar y toriad penodol hwnnw i ryddhad ardrethi busnes, ac a wnewch chi ymrwymo i gyfarfod â’r Ffederasiwn Busnesau Bach er mwyn trafod yr effaith ar fusnesau bach, yn enwedig mewn cymunedau gwledig. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
I'm very grateful for the question. In terms of the additional rate relief that we're providing to retail, hospitality and leisure businesses, which is the particular relief that you referred to, it was never intended to be a permanent relief; it was introduced in the COVID-19 pandemic to recognise the specific, very severe impacts that the pandemic was having on those particular businesses, and then it was reduced as we moved out of the pandemic to 75 per cent, and that was in recognition of the cost-of-living crisis, which, again, was affecting those businesses. For this financial year, however, we have put in a 40 per cent rate relief rather than 75 per cent in order to taper the relief. I don’t think it’s sustainable for businesses to be reliant on temporary business rates in that kind of longer term, because those temporary reliefs can come to an end at any point, which is part of the thinking around the tapering of that relief.
But, absolutely, I’m more than happy to meet with the FSB to discuss the impact of these changes, but then I would just emphasise as well that it wasn’t a decision that was taken lightly, it was taken in respect of understanding the impact of the whole Welsh budget and the immense pressures on the health service. Because of difficult decisions such as that one, we were able to provide the NHS with an increase of around 4 per cent in the budget compared to 1 per cent in England, and that, unfortunately, has meant difficult choices in other parts of Government.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn am eich cwestiwn. O ran y rhyddhad ardrethi ychwanegol a ddarparwn i fusnesau manwerthu, lletygarwch a hamdden, sef y rhyddhad penodol y cyfeirioch chi ato, ni fwriadwyd erioed iddo fod yn rhyddhad parhaol; fe’i cyflwynwyd yn ystod pandemig COVID-19 i gydnabod yr effeithiau penodol, difrifol iawn yr oedd y pandemig yn eu cael ar y busnesau hynny, ac yna cafodd ei leihau i 75 y cant wrth inni gefnu ar y pandemig, ac roedd hynny i gydnabod yr argyfwng costau byw, a oedd, unwaith eto, yn effeithio ar y busnesau hynny. Ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol hon, fodd bynnag, rydym wedi cyflwyno rhyddhad ardrethi o 40 y cant yn hytrach na 75 y cant er mwyn tapro'r rhyddhad. Ni chredaf ei bod yn gynaliadwy i fusnesau fod yn ddibynnol ar ardrethi busnes dros dro yn y tymor hwy, gan y gall y rhyddhadau dros dro hynny ddod i ben ar unrhyw adeg, sy'n rhan o'r syniad ynghylch tapro'r rhyddhad hwnnw.
Ond yn sicr, rwy'n fwy na pharod i gyfarfod â'r Ffederasiwn Busnesau Bach i drafod effaith y newidiadau hyn, ond wedyn hoffwn bwysleisio hefyd nad oedd yn benderfyniad a wnaed yn ysgafn, fe'i gwnaed gyda dealltwriaeth o effaith cyllideb Cymru yn ei chyfanrwydd a’r pwysau aruthrol ar y gwasanaeth iechyd. Oherwydd penderfyniadau anodd fel hwnnw, bu modd inni ddarparu cynnydd o oddeutu 4 y cant i’r GIG yn y gyllideb o gymharu ag 1 y cant yn Lloegr, ac mae hynny, yn anffodus, wedi golygu dewisiadau anodd mewn rhannau eraill o’r Llywodraeth.
4. Pa asesiad y mae'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet wedi'i wneud o'r effaith y bydd y newid yn Llywodraeth y DU yn ei chael ar amserlen cyllideb Llywodraeth Cymru? OQ61480
4. What assessment has the Cabinet Secretary made of the impact that the change of UK Government will have on the timetable for the Welsh Government budget? OQ61480
One of the first steps taken by the Chancellor has been to request HM Treasury provides an assessment of the public finances before the UK parliamentary summer recess. She will also confirm her fiscal plans, including setting the date for the budget. This early certainty will help inform our planning.
Un o’r camau cyntaf a gymerwyd gan y Canghellor oedd gofyn i Drysorlys EF ddarparu asesiad o gyllid cyhoeddus cyn toriad yr haf yn senedd y DU. Bydd hefyd yn cadarnhau ei chynlluniau cyllidol, gan gynnwys pennu dyddiad ar gyfer y gyllideb. Bydd y sicrwydd cynnar hwn yn helpu i lywio ein cynlluniau.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. This morning, your leader, the Prime Minister, set out his plan for the nation in the King’s Speech, building on the promises made at the general election, vowing to fix everything from the railways to the NHS. Regardless of where he’s going to magic the money from, the pledges may amount to significant spending in England, and therefore will result in Barnett consequentials for Wales. Cabinet Secretary, what early discussions have you had with HM Treasury about the impact upon the Welsh budget, and does this prospect of extra funding for Wales mean you’re considering delaying the Welsh budget until there is a clearer picture of the size of the block grant?
Diolch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Y bore yma, nododd eich arweinydd, Prif Weinidog y DU, ei gynllun ar gyfer y genedl yn Araith y Brenin, gan adeiladu ar yr addewidion a wnaed yn yr etholiad cyffredinol, ac addo cael trefn ar bopeth, o’r rheilffyrdd i’r GIG. Ni waeth o ble y mae'n mynd i swyno'r arian hwn, gallai'r addewidion arwain at wariant sylweddol yn Lloegr, ac felly bydd hynny'n arwain at gyllid canlyniadol Barnett i Gymru. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, pa drafodaethau cynnar a gawsoch gyda Thrysorlys EF am yr effaith ar gyllideb Cymru, ac a yw’r posibilrwydd o gyllid ychwanegol i Gymru yn golygu eich bod yn ystyried gohirio cyllideb Cymru hyd nes y ceir darlun cliriach o faint y grant bloc?
I’m very grateful for that question. I too was really interested in the contents of the King’s Speech today. One of the things that really caught my eye, which is something that I’ve been calling for, is the budget responsibility Bill. That will require the Office for Budget Responsibility to provide an independent assessment of any major tax and spending plans. So, hopefully that will mean we will never see the likes of a Liz Truss mini-budget again because of the UK Government’s approach to fiscal responsibility, so that, I think, is really to be welcomed in the King’s Speech today.
In terms of the dates for the budget, now, our own Standing Orders require us to write to the Business Committee and the Finance Committee ahead of the summer recess, so at the moment we’ve said that we will publish plans for the draft budget on 10 December, and the final budget on 25 February. If it is the case that we have an earlier budget, then we will absolutely look to bring that forward so that the Senedd is able to scrutinise it at an earlier point, but we won’t know these details, at least until the Chancellor makes her statement ahead of the summer recess. But I don’t envisage us being in the position where we have to push back the budget.
Rwy’n ddiolchgar iawn am eich cwestiwn. Roedd gennyf innau hefyd gryn ddiddordeb yng nghynnwys Araith y Brenin heddiw. Un o’r pethau a ddaliodd fy sylw, sy’n rhywbeth y bûm yn galw amdano, yw’r Bil cyfrifoldeb cyllidebol. Bydd hynny’n ei gwneud yn ofynnol i’r Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol ddarparu asesiad annibynnol o unrhyw gynlluniau treth a gwariant mawr. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio y bydd hynny’n golygu na fyddwn byth eto'n gweld mini-gyllideb arall fel un Liz Truss oherwydd ymagwedd Llywodraeth y DU at gyfrifoldeb cyllidol, felly credaf fod hynny i’w groesawu yn Araith y Brenin heddiw.
O ran y dyddiadau ar gyfer y gyllideb, nawr, mae ein Rheolau Sefydlog ein hunain yn ei gwneud yn ofynnol inni ysgrifennu at y Pwyllgor Busnes a’r Pwyllgor Cyllid cyn toriad yr haf, felly ar hyn o bryd, rydym wedi dweud y byddwn yn cyhoeddi cynlluniau ar gyfer y gyllideb ddrafft ar 10 Rhagfyr, a'r gyllideb derfynol ar 25 Chwefror. Os cawn gyllideb gynharach, yna byddwn yn sicr yn ystyried ei chyflwyno yn gynharach fel y gall y Senedd graffu arni yn gynharach, ond ni fyddwn yn gwybod y manylion hyn, o leiaf hyd nes i’r Canghellor wneud ei datganiad cyn toriad yr haf. Ond nid wyf yn rhagweld y byddwn mewn sefyllfa lle mae'n rhaid inni ohirio'r gyllideb.
5. Sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn defnyddio ei phwerau trethiant er budd cymunedau ledled Cymru? OQ61455
5. How does the Welsh Government use its taxation powers to benefit communities across Wales? OQ61455
One of our key tax principles is to raise revenue to fund public services as fairly as possible. Devolved and local taxes raise vital revenues that support and benefit communities across Wales. In 2023-24 these taxes raised over £6 billion to invest in public services in Wales.
Un o’n hegwyddorion allweddol o ran treth yw codi refeniw i ariannu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus mor deg â phosibl. Mae trethi datganoledig a lleol yn codi refeniw hanfodol sy’n cefnogi ac sydd o fudd i gymunedau ledled Cymru. Yn 2023-24, cododd y trethi hyn dros £6 biliwn i'w fuddsoddi mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yng Nghymru.
Diolch, Cabinet Secretary. As you know, I was a strong supporter of plans to bring in a vacant land tax when they were proposed by Welsh Government during the previous Senedd term. They could be such a powerful tool to promote regeneration and tackle grot spots blighting our local communities. I was disappointed when attempts to bring this in were frustrated by a lack of agreement from the previous UK Government, so with a new Labour Government in Westminster, Cabinet Secretary, do you have any plans to revisit this discussion so that we can proceed and bring in a vacant land tax here in Wales?
Diolch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Fel y gwyddoch, roeddwn yn frwd fy nghefnogaeth i gynlluniau i gyflwyno treth ar dir gwag pan gawsant eu cynnig gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn ystod y Senedd ddiwethaf. Gallent fod yn ddull hynod bwerus i hyrwyddo adfywio a mynd i'r afael â mannau problemus ('grot spots') sy'n falltod ar ein cymunedau lleol. Roeddwn yn siomedig pan ataliwyd ymdrechion i gyflwyno hyn oherwydd diffyg cytundeb gan Lywodraeth ddiwethaf y DU, felly gyda Llywodraeth Lafur newydd yn San Steffan, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a oes gennych unrhyw gynlluniau i ailystyried y drafodaeth hon fel y gallwn fwrw ymlaen â'r gwaith o gyflwyno treth ar dir gwag yma yng Nghymru?
I'm very grateful for the question, and just want to recognise as well Vikki Howells’s constant support for a vacant land tax, recognising the importance that it can make to rejuvenating communities. I like the reference to 'grot spots'—I think that that is absolutely something that we would want to be tackling.
We spent literally years trying to engage properly with the UK Government on this. We followed all of the steps that were set out for us in the process that is set out for us to devolve powers over taxation here in Wales. But we didn't make the progress because the UK Government, I think, took the view that it wanted to decide whether it liked the policy intent, whether it liked the choices that sat beneath the legislation. That, of course, is a matter for the Senedd. I'm absolutely confident that, with a new UK Government, we'll be having a very different kind of conversation and one that respects devolution and the role of this Senedd, and it's certainly something that we would want to pick up with the new Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn am y cwestiwn, a hoffwn gydnabod cefnogaeth gyson Vikki Howells i dreth ar dir wag, gan gydnabod ei bwysigrwydd i adfywio cymunedau. Rwy'n hoffi'r cyfeiriad at 'grot spots'—rwy'n credu y byddem yn bendant eisiau mynd i'r afael â'r rheini.
Fe dreuliasom flynyddoedd, yn llythrennol, yn ceisio ymgysylltu'n briodol â Llywodraeth y DU ar hyn. Fe wnaethom ddilyn yr holl gamau a osodwyd ar ein cyfer yn y broses a osodwyd ar ein cyfer i ddatganoli pwerau dros drethiant yma yng Nghymru. Ond ni wnaethom gynnydd am fod Llywodraeth y DU, rwy'n credu, eisiau penderfynu a oedd yn hoffi bwriad y polisi, a oedd yn hoffi'r dewisiadau ar gyfer y ddeddfwriaeth. Mater i'r Senedd yw hynny wrth gwrs. Rwy'n gwbl hyderus, gyda Llywodraeth newydd yn y DU, y byddwn yn cael sgwrs wahanol iawn ac un sy'n parchu datganoli a rôl y Senedd hon, ac mae'n sicr yn rhywbeth y byddem eisiau mynd ar ei drywydd gyda'r Ysgrifennydd Siecr y Trysorlys newydd.
Cabinet Secretary, I would respectfully argue that Wales's Government isn't using its taxation powers to benefit many people. Let's look at the evidence. In Wales, our retail, hospitality and leisure sectors are paying twice as much in business rates as their counterparts in England, despite many businesses being separated from England by mere miles or, in some cases, the width of a river.
First-time buyers in Wales are also being forced to pay higher rates of land transaction tax in comparison with stamp duty in England, because we have no specific relief for our young people. This means that young people in Wales could pay up to, say, £14,000 more on a property of a similar value than they would if they were in England. So, whilst house prices are cheaper here in Wales, we need to be ensuring that Welsh Government does not put up unnecessary financial barriers to aspiration. With this in mind, Cabinet Secretary, what consideration has the Welsh Government made to amending this unfair situation and ensuring that young people and businesses are not unfairly taxed for living here in Wales?
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, gyda phob parch, byddwn yn dadlau nad yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn defnyddio ei phwerau trethiant er budd llawer o bobl. Gadewch inni edrych ar y dystiolaeth. Yng Nghymru, mae ein sectorau manwerthu, lletygarwch a hamdden yn talu dwywaith cymaint mewn ardrethi busnes â'u cymheiriaid yn Lloegr, er bod llawer o fusnesau filltiroedd yn unig, neu mewn rhai achosion, led afon, i ffwrdd oddi wrth Loegr.
Mae prynwyr tro cyntaf yng Nghymru hefyd yn cael eu gorfodi i dalu cyfraddau uwch o dreth trafodiadau tir o'i gymharu â'r dreth stamp yn Lloegr, gan nad oes gennym ryddhad penodol i'n pobl ifanc. Golyga hyn y gallai pobl ifanc yng Nghymru dalu hyd at £14,000 yn fwy ar eiddo o werth tebyg na phe baent yn Lloegr. Felly, er bod prisiau tai yn rhatach yma yng Nghymru, mae angen inni sicrhau nad yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn gosod rhwystrau ariannol diangen i ddyheadau pobl. Gyda hyn mewn golwg, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, pa ystyriaeth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i rhoi i ddiwygio'r sefyllfa annheg hon a sicrhau nad yw pobl ifanc a busnesau yn cael eu trethu'n annheg am fyw yma yng Nghymru?
I think the point here is that we are talking about businesses located here in Wales and people living here in Wales, and, in Wales, the tax base is very different. So, we do differ significantly from England in terms of our non-domestic rates. We've got a much higher proportion of small properties with low rateable values, so it's absolutely right that our rates system recognises that. And, of course, we capped the multiplier at 5 per cent here in Wales, and that then did narrow the gap between the multiplier in England. But that, of course, is just one factor that determines a ratepayer's bill, and it shouldn't be considered in isolation. Another really important factor is the rateable value of the property. Now, our tax base in Wales has an average rateable value of around £19,000. That's very different to England, with a much higher average, around £34,000. So, that, I think, is the key factor that drives a large difference in the average liability of ratepayers. So, we're just not comparing two equal things, I think, when you look at the tax bases in England and Wales.
And then, on land transaction tax, again, it's a very different situation here in Wales. In October 2022, we raised the lowest point at which LTT is charged from £180,000 to £225,000. That was to help home owners across Wales. The LTT starting threshold is higher than the average price of £208,000 and the average first-time purchase of £180,000, so that means the majority of home buyers in Wales, actually, around 60 per cent, and that includes most first-time buyers, pay no LTT at all. So, you'll find our systems here in Wales are tailored to the specific context of Wales, but then are also fairer, particularly in terms of LTT, which benefits everybody, not just first-time buyers, as long as they're buying those properties within the threshold.
Rwy'n credu mai'r pwynt yma yw ein bod yn sôn am fusnesau sydd wedi'u lleoli yma yng Nghymru a phobl sy'n byw yma yng Nghymru, ac yng Nghymru, mae'r sylfaen drethu yn wahanol iawn. Felly, rydym yn wahanol iawn i Loegr o ran ein hardrethi annomestig. Mae gennym gyfran lawer uwch o eiddo bach gyda gwerthoedd ardrethol isel, felly mae'n hollol iawn fod ein system ardrethi yn cydnabod hynny. Ac wrth gwrs, fe wnaethom gapio'r lluosydd ar 5 y cant yma yng Nghymru, ac yna fe gyfyngodd hynny y bwlch rhwng y lluosydd yn Lloegr. Ond nid yw hwnnw ond yn un ffactor sy'n penderfynu beth fydd bil trethdalwr wrth gwrs, ac ni ddylid ei ystyried ar ei ben ei hun. Ffactor arall sy'n bwysig iawn yw gwerth ardrethol yr eiddo. Nawr, mae gan ein sylfaen drethu yng Nghymru werth ardrethol cyfartalog o tua £19,000. Mae hynny'n wahanol iawn i Loegr, sydd â gwerth cyfartalog llawer uwch, tua £34,000. Felly, rwy'n credu mai dyna yw'r ffactor allweddol sy'n sbarduno gwahaniaeth mawr yn atebolrwydd cyfartalog trethdalwyr. Felly, nid wyf yn credu ein bod yn cymharu dau beth cyfartal pan edrychwn ar y sylfeini trethu yng Nghymru a Lloegr.
Ac yna, mewn perthynas â'r dreth trafodiadau tir, unwaith eto mae'n sefyllfa wahanol iawn yma yng Nghymru. Ym mis Hydref 2022, fe wnaethom godi'r isafbwynt y codir y dreth trafodiadau tir arno o £180,000 i £225,000. Gwnaed hynny er mwyn helpu perchnogion tai ar draws Cymru. Mae trothwy dechrau'r dreth trafodiadau tir yn uwch na'r pris cyfartalog o £208,000 a'r pryniant tro cyntaf cyfartalog o £180,000, felly mae hynny'n golygu nad yw'r mwyafrif o brynwyr tai yng Nghymru mewn gwirionedd, oddeutu 60 y cant, ac mae hynny'n cynnwys y rhan fwyaf o brynwyr tro cyntaf, yn gorfod talu unrhyw dreth trafodiadau tir o gwbl. Felly, fe welwch fod ein systemau yma yng Nghymru wedi'u teilwra i gyd-destun penodol Cymru, ond maent hefyd yn decach, yn enwedig o ran y dreth trafodiadau tir, sydd o fudd i bawb, nid prynwyr tro cyntaf yn unig, cyn belled â'u bod yn prynu eiddo o fewn y trothwy.
6. Faint o gyllid ychwanegol y mae yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet yn disgwyl i Lywodraeth newydd y DU ei ddarparu i Gymru? OQ61457
6. How much extra funding does the Cabinet Secretary expect the new UK Government to make available to Wales? OQ61457
The Welsh Government currently has no budgetary settlement beyond the current financial year. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has said that she will set out details on the timing of the UK budget before the summer recess. We will know more about the outlook for the Welsh Government’s budget after that.
Ar hyn o bryd, nid oes gan Lywodraeth Cymru setliad cyllidebol y tu hwnt i'r flwyddyn ariannol bresennol. Mae Canghellor y Trysorlys wedi dweud y bydd hi'n nodi manylion ynglŷn ag amseriad cyllideb y DU cyn toriad yr haf. Byddwn yn gwybod mwy am y rhagolygon ar gyfer cyllideb Llywodraeth Cymru ar ôl hynny.
Thank you for your answer, Cabinet Secretary. Since I arrived here in 2021, you personally and other Welsh Government Ministers have said on a number of occasions that this Welsh Government needs more money and that a UK Labour Government would open the taps and return more money to Wales. Obviously, that isn't going to be the case, judging by the conversations I suspect that you've had with Rachel Reeves and what she's been saying in the media. But I would be interested to know—. You obviously have had discussions with Ministers from the UK Government. How much extra funding do you think, as an assumption, they are going to provide to Wales, and how are you going to make sure that that funding is going to be spent on healthcare, education and economic development here in Wales, and not spent on Welsh Government vanity projects like putting more politicians in this place, or other projects that you've probably got planned, which aren't really going to benefit the people of Wales?
Diolch am eich ateb, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Ers i mi gyrraedd yma yn 2021, rydych chi a Gweinidogion eraill Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dweud ar sawl achlysur fod angen mwy o arian ar Lywodraeth Cymru ac y byddai Llywodraeth Lafur yn y DU yn agor y tapiau ac yn dychwelyd mwy o arian i Gymru. Yn amlwg, ni fydd hynny'n digwydd, yn ôl y sgyrsiau y tybiaf eich bod chi wedi'u cael gyda Rachel Reeves a'r hyn y mae hi wedi bod yn ei ddweud yn y cyfryngau. Ond byddai gennyf ddiddordeb mewn gwybod—. Rydych chi'n amlwg wedi cael trafodaethau gyda Gweinidogion Llywodraeth y DU. Faint o gyllid ychwanegol y credwch chi, fel rhagdybiaeth, y byddant yn ei ddarparu i Gymru, a sut rydych chi'n bwriadu sicrhau y bydd yr arian hwnnw'n cael ei wario ar ofal iechyd, addysg a datblygu economaidd yma yng Nghymru, yn hytrach nag ar brosiectau porthi balchder Llywodraeth Cymru, fel cael mwy o wleidyddion yn y lle hwn, neu brosiectau eraill sydd gennych mewn golwg yn ôl pob tebyg, na fyddant o fudd i bobl Cymru mewn gwirionedd?
Well, if I could just correct James Evans, I don't think I've ever used the phrase 'turning on the taps' in relation to a new UK Government when it arrived, in terms of what that might mean for us, and I would never have used that phrase, because we know exactly the situation that the UK Government is inheriting, which I think is probably worse than had even been envisaged or expected. As I say, we don't know at this point what the additional funding might be for us in future years. All we can base our assumptions on at the moment is what the previous Chancellor said in March, and the OBR forecast there in relation to taxes and so on, and then also what was said in the annex at the rear of the Labour manifesto, which sets out potential additional funding as well. So, the Wales Governance Centre's fiscal analysis unit, as I referred to earlier, has looked at both of those figures and provided some planning assumptions, but, at this point, as I say, we will know more about the picture when the Chancellor makes her statement, and then we will look to the date of the autumn budget and at that point then we'll have that clarity and certainty, but we are making plans based on the best possible assumptions that we have.
Wel, hoffwn gywiro James Evans, oherwydd nid wyf yn credu fy mod erioed wedi defnyddio'r ymadrodd 'agor y tapiau' mewn perthynas â Llywodraeth newydd y DU pan ddaeth, o ran yr hyn y gallai hynny ei olygu i ni, ac ni fyddwn erioed wedi defnyddio'r ymadrodd hwnnw, oherwydd fe wyddom yn iawn beth yw'r sefyllfa y mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi'i hetifeddu, sy'n waeth hyd yn oed na'r disgwyl a'r hyn a ragwelwyd yn ôl pob tebyg. Fel y dywedaf, nid ydym yn gwybod ar hyn o bryd faint o gyllid ychwanegol a allai fod ar gael i ni yn y blynyddoedd i ddod. Y cyfan y gallwn seilio ein tybiaethau arno ar hyn o bryd yw'r hyn a ddywedodd y Canghellor blaenorol ym mis Mawrth, a rhagolwg y Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol mewn perthynas â threthi ac yn y blaen, ac yna hefyd yr hyn a ddywedwyd yn yr atodiad yng nghefn maniffesto Llafur, sy'n nodi cyllid ychwanegol posibl hefyd. Felly, mae uned ddadansoddi cyllidol Canolfan Llywodraethiant Cymru, fel y nodais yn gynharach, wedi edrych ar y ddau ffigur hynny ac wedi darparu rhai rhagdybiaethau cynllunio, ond ar y pwynt hwn, fel y dywedaf, byddwn yn gwybod mwy am y sefyllfa pan fydd y Canghellor yn gwneud ei datganiad, ac yna byddwn yn edrych at ddyddiad cyllideb yr hydref, ac ar y pwynt hwnnw bydd gennym yr eglurder a'r sicrwydd hwnnw, ond rydym yn gwneud cynlluniau'n seiliedig ar y rhagdybiaethau gorau posibl sydd gennym.
7. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet wedi'u cael gyda Llywodraeth newydd y DU ynglŷn â chyllid teg i Gymru? OQ61481
7. What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary had with the new UK Government regarding fair funding for Wales? OQ61481
I had a constructive call with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury last Wednesday, during which we touched on several topics, including fair funding for Wales. There will be the opportunity for a more substantive discussion with the Chief Secretary in the near future.
Cefais alwad ffôn adeiladol gyda Phrif Ysgrifennydd y Trysorlys ddydd Mercher diwethaf, ac yn ystod yr alwad honno fe wnaethom gyffwrdd â sawl pwnc, gan gynnwys cyllid teg i Gymru. Bydd cyfle i gael trafodaeth fwy sylweddol gyda'r Prif Ysgrifennydd yn y dyfodol agos.
Diolch am hynna.
Thank you for that.
Welsh public services and authorities are facing staggering budget gaps. Merthyr Tydfil council is forecasting a gap of £8 million, and it was reported earlier this year that Caerphilly was looking to save £30 million to set a balanced budget. Now, none of that is inevitable. We've had years of cruel austerity, but Wales's economic woes are compounded by the disastrously unfair funding formula we're trapped in—this Barnett stranglehold in which our economy is gripped. So, I'm glad to hear that you've had that initial discussion. Could you tell me, please, when those further discussions—I would consider them to be urgent—when those urgent further discussions will happen with Keir Starmer's UK Government, to establish a needs-based funding formula for Wales to kick the cruel austerity at last, because all of these budget cuts and the cruelty—because it is a cruelty that will ensue—ultimately stem from political choices.
Mae gwasanaethau cyhoeddus ac awdurdodau Cymru yn wynebu bylchau syfrdanol yn y gyllideb. Mae cyngor Merthyr Tudful yn rhagweld bwlch o £8 miliwn, ac adroddwyd yn gynharach eleni fod Caerffili yn ceisio arbed £30 miliwn er mwyn gosod cyllideb gytbwys. Nawr, nid oes dim o hynny'n anochel. Rydym wedi cael blynyddoedd o gyni creulon, ond mae gofidiau economaidd Cymru yn cael eu gwaethygu gan y fformiwla gyllido drychinebus o annheg yr ydym wedi ein dal ynddi—gafael haearnaidd Barnett ar ein heconomi. Felly, rwy'n falch o glywed eich bod wedi cael y drafodaeth gychwynnol honno. A allech chi ddweud wrthyf, os gwelwch yn dda, pryd y bydd y trafodaethau pellach hynny—byddwn yn eu hystyried yn rhai brys—pryd y bydd y trafodaethau brys pellach hynny yn digwydd gyda Llywodraeth y DU Keir Starmer, i sefydlu fformiwla gyllido sy'n seiliedig ar anghenion i Gymru, i ddod â'r cyni creulon i ben o'r diwedd, oherwydd mae'r holl doriadau hyn i gyllidebau a'r creulondeb—oherwydd mae'n mynd i arwain at greulondeb—yn deillio o ddewisiadau gwleidyddol yn y pen draw.
Well, we are hoping to have the first meeting of the Finance: Interministerial Standing Committee before the end of this month. It will be hosted in Belfast this time, because one of the strengths, I think, of the inter-governmental machinery around finance is that we do move between all of the countries in order to have those discussions. So, that will happen before the end of the month, and I will obviously have a bilateral with the Chief Secretary at that particular meeting.
Wel, rydym yn gobeithio cael cyfarfod cyntaf y Pwyllgor Sefydlog Rhyngweinidogol ar Gyllid cyn diwedd y mis hwn. Bydd yn cael ei gynnal yn Belfast y tro hwn, oherwydd un o gryfderau'r peirianwaith rhynglywodraethol o amgylch cyllid yw ein bod yn symud rhwng yr holl wledydd er mwyn cael y trafodaethau hynny. Felly, bydd hynny'n digwydd cyn diwedd y mis, ac yn amlwg byddaf yn cael cyfarfod dwyochrog gyda'r Prif Ysgrifennydd yn y cyfarfod penodol hwnnw.
Cabinet Secretary, all parties in the Welsh Parliament clearly agree that Wales should receive its fair share of HS2 consequentials. It's a matter I raised directly with the previous Westminster Government, and I know some of my colleagues have as well. However, since taking office within the last few weeks, the Labour Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, has refused to provide and give any further information on this additional funding. When the Birmingham to Manchester leg of HS2 was scrapped, the UK Conservative Government decided to pump £1 billion of that saving into electrification of the north Wales main line. Since Keir Starmer entered Downing Street, there has been no mention whatsoever of what Labour is going to do when it comes to this important electrification project. I also take into account the fact that in the King's Speech nothing of this was mentioned. I heard your response to my colleague Janet Finch-Saunders about the Welsh rail board, so I'd like to know what is your—as the Welsh Labour Government here in Wales—priority for the Welsh rail board going forward, and I'd also like to know are indeed you going to be pushing for fairer funding in relation to HS2 here in Wales, or are you going to be backing down now since your party has made it to No. 10? Thank you.
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae pob plaid yn Senedd Cymru yn amlwg yn cytuno y dylai Cymru dderbyn ei chyfran deg o symiau canlyniadol HS2. Mae'n fater a godais yn uniongyrchol gyda Llywodraeth flaenorol San Steffan, ac rwy'n gwybod bod rhai o fy nghyd-Aelodau wedi gwneud hynny hefyd. Fodd bynnag, ers dechrau ar ei swydd o fewn yr wythnosau diwethaf, mae Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru, Jo Stevens, wedi gwrthod darparu unrhyw wybodaeth bellach am y cyllid ychwanegol hwn. Pan gafodd rhan Birmingham i Fanceinion o HS2 ei ganslo, penderfynodd Llywodraeth Geidwadol y DU ddefnyddio £1 biliwn o'r arbediad i drydaneiddio prif linell rheilffordd gogledd Cymru. Ers i Keir Starmer fynd i Stryd Downing, nid oes unrhyw sôn o gwbl wedi bod am yr hyn y mae Llafur yn bwriadu ei wneud mewn perthynas â'r prosiect trydaneiddio pwysig hwn. Rwyf hefyd yn ystyried na soniwyd gair am hyn yn Araith y Brenin. Clywais eich ymateb i fy nghyd-Aelod Janet Finch-Saunders am fwrdd rheilffyrdd Cymru, felly hoffwn wybod—fel Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru yma yng Nghymru—beth yw eich blaenoriaeth ar gyfer bwrdd rheilffyrdd Cymru wrth symud ymlaen, a hoffwn wybod hefyd a fyddwch chi'n pwyso am gyllid tecach mewn perthynas â HS2 yma yng Nghymru, neu a ydych chi'n bwriadu cymryd cam yn ôl gan fod eich plaid chi wedi cyrraedd Rhif 10 bellach? Diolch.
I think an important point to make is that, even though the previous UK Government referred to funding for the electrification of the north Wales main line, no actual funding was ever identified for that, so I just think that's important to get on record. In terms of the work of the board, insofar as it relates to north Wales, I think that what we want to see, really, is a properly developed plan for investment in north Wales. And we think that, in the first instance, it would be infrastructure priorities, rather than electrification, because those are the things that can bring more people back to using rail. So, those are the priority areas, and we're keen to work with the UK Government and others on that piece of work.
Rwy'n credu mai un pwynt pwysig i'w wneud, er bod Llywodraeth flaenorol y DU wedi cyfeirio at gyllid ar gyfer trydaneiddio prif linell rheilffordd gogledd Cymru, yw na nodwyd unrhyw gyllid erioed ar gyfer hynny mewn gwirionedd, felly rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig cofnodi hynny. O ran gwaith y bwrdd, i'r graddau y mae'n ymwneud â gogledd Cymru, credaf mai'r hyn yr ydym eisiau ei weld mewn gwirionedd yw cynllun sydd wedi'i ddatblygu'n briodol ar gyfer buddsoddi yng ngogledd Cymru. Ac rydym yn credu, yn y lle cyntaf, mai blaenoriaethau seilwaith fyddai'r rheini, yn hytrach na thrydaneiddio, am mai dyna'r math o beth sy'n gallu denu mwy o bobl i ddefnyddio rheilffyrdd unwaith eto. Felly, dyna'r meysydd blaenoriaeth, ac rydym yn awyddus i weithio gyda Llywodraeth y DU ac eraill ar y gwaith hwnnw.
8. Pa drafodaethau y mae yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet wedi'u cael gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol ynghylch cyllid ychwanegol i sefydliadau iechyd cymunedol? OQ61459
8. What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary had with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care regarding additional funding for community health organisations? OQ61459
I have regular discussions with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care as part of our annual budget process and regular monitoring. These include discussions on preparations for the 2025-26 draft budget, recognising that public finances continue to be extremely challenging, going forward.
Rwy'n cael trafodaethau rheolaidd gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol fel rhan o'r broses gyllidebol flynyddol a'n gwaith monitro rheolaidd. Mae'r rhain yn cynnwys trafodaethau ar baratoadau ar gyfer cyllideb ddrafft 2025-26, gan gydnabod bod cyllid cyhoeddus yn parhau i fod yn heriol tu hwnt, wrth symud ymlaen.
Diolch am yr ateb.
Thank you for that response.
A constituent of mine, Joanne, runs Empower Inspire, which does some incredible work with those living with dementia. Now, Empower Inspire was established in January 2022 to provide desperately needed social support for people still feeling the effects of isolation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Joanne's organisation regularly takes referrals from local authorities and the local health board, but receives nothing by way of funding to keep up with this extra demand. They're making a huge difference to people's lives, but it has become extremely difficult to cover expenses such as wages and rents while constantly having to apply for funding. So, at the very least, will the Welsh Government offer support to adequately resource organisations such as Joanne's, especially when they help to relieve the pressures on local authorities and health boards?
Mae un o fy etholwyr, Joanne, yn rhedeg Empower Inspire, sy'n gwneud gwaith anhygoel gydag unigolion sy'n byw gyda dementia. Nawr, sefydlwyd Empower Inspire ym mis Ionawr 2022 i ddarparu cefnogaeth gymdeithasol fawr ei hangen i bobl sy'n dal i deimlo effeithiau ynysu o ganlyniad i bandemig COVID-19. Mae sefydliad Joanne yn derbyn atgyfeiriadau gan awdurdodau lleol a'r bwrdd iechyd lleol yn rheolaidd, ond nid yw'n cael unrhyw gyllid i ateb y galw ychwanegol hwn. Maent yn gwneud gwahaniaeth enfawr i fywydau pobl, ond mae'n anodd iawn talu treuliau fel cyflogau a rhenti tra bo'n gorfod gwneud ceisiadau am gyllid yn barhaus. Felly, a fydd Llywodraeth Cymru o leiaf yn cynnig cymorth i ddarparu adnoddau digonol i sefydliadau fel un Joanne, yn enwedig o gofio eu bod yn helpu i leddfu'r pwysau ar awdurdodau lleol a byrddau iechyd?
So, I do know that community interest companies and other businesses can be commissioned within primary care clusters to deliver local services to the community, and increasingly we do want local health boards and well-being services to collaborate in the delivery of those services, which makes sense to provide for a cluster population. Those might involve establishing a community interest company, for example. I'm not sure if that's the model that your constituent Joanne has, but I will, if I might, ask you to write with some further information about the particular challenges facing Joanne and her business in relation to being able to take on the referrals that she has and provide them with a service. And I'll make sure that it then has the attention of the Minister for health, who would be the responsible Minister in this space.
Rwy'n gwybod y gellir comisiynu cwmnïau buddiannau cymunedol a busnesau eraill o fewn clystyrau gofal sylfaenol i ddarparu gwasanaethau lleol i'r gymuned, ac rydym eisiau gweld mwy o fyrddau iechyd lleol a gwasanaethau llesiant yn cydweithio i ddarparu'r gwasanaethau hynny, y mae'n gwneud synnwyr i'w darparu ar gyfer poblogaeth glwstwr. Gallai'r rheini gynnwys sefydlu cwmni buddiannau cymunedol, er enghraifft. Nid wyf yn siŵr ai dyna'r model sydd gan eich etholwr Joanne, ond os caf, hoffwn ofyn i chi ysgrifennu ataf gyda gwybodaeth bellach am yr heriau penodol sy'n wynebu Joanne a'i busnes o ran ei gallu i dderbyn atgyfeiriadau a darparu gwasanaeth iddynt. A byddaf yn sicrhau ei fod wedyn yn cael sylw'r Gweinidog iechyd, sef y Gweinidog cyfrifol yn y mater hwn.
Mae cwestiwn 9 [OQ61454] wedi ei dynnu nôl. Cwestiwn 10, Jenny Rathbone.
Question 9 [OQ61454] has been withdrawn. Question 10, Jenny Rathbone.
10. Pa ystyriaeth y mae'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet wedi'i rhoi i gynyddu’r cyllid ar gyfer diwylliant yng nghyllideb atodol Llywodraeth Cymru? OQ61475
10. What consideration has the Cabinet Secretary given to increasing funding for culture in the Welsh Government's supplementary budget? OQ61475
I have recently agreed to allocate an additional £5 million revenue funding to the culture and social justice main expenditure group for this financial year.
Yn ddiweddar, cytunais i ddyrannu £5 miliwn o gyllid refeniw ychwanegol i'r prif grŵp gwariant diwylliant a chyfiawnder cymdeithasol ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol hon.
You will be aware that the cultural sector has taken various blows as a result of both the difficult funding for the higher education sector, which has impacted on the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama's need to look at whether or not they will close the junior department, but, equally, I know that the Welsh National Opera has also been hammered by the fact that Arts Council England has refused to allow it to perform in places like Birmingham, where they managed to get a serious amount of income. So, I appreciate that we had to make really difficult decisions in this year's budget, but I feel that the balance has not been set quite right, and I wondered what opportunity there might be to rectify that in your preparations for the supplementary budget.
Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol fod y sector diwylliannol wedi cael sawl ergyd o ganlyniad i'r cyllid anodd ar gyfer y sector addysg uwch, sydd wedi effeithio ar angen Coleg Brenhinol Cerdd a Drama Cymru i ystyried a fyddant yn cau'r adran iau ai peidio, ond yn yr un modd, gwn fod Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru hefyd wedi'i chael hi'n anodd o ganlyniad i'r ffaith bod Cyngor Celfyddydau Lloegr wedi gwrthod caniatáu iddo berfformio mewn llefydd fel Birmingham, lle roeddent yn llwyddo i gael llawer iawn o incwm. Felly, rwy'n sylweddoli ein bod wedi gorfod gwneud penderfyniadau anodd iawn yn y gyllideb eleni, ond rwy'n teimlo nad yw'r cydbwysedd yn hollol gywir, ac roeddwn i'n meddwl tybed pa gyfle y gallai fod i unioni hynny yn eich paratoadau ar gyfer y gyllideb atodol.
Any choices in that space would need to be taken within the particular MEG, but I can say that Welsh Government officials have met with the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama to discuss its proposals, with my colleague Lynne Neagle, the Cabinet Secretary for Education. I think that that meeting actually took place earlier this week, so I'll ask for my colleague to provide an update on those discussions to Jenny Rathbone.
Byddai angen i unrhyw benderfyniadau yn hynny o beth gael eu gwneud o fewn y prif grŵp gwariant penodol, ond gallaf ddweud bod swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cyfarfod â Choleg Brenhinol Cerdd a Drama Cymru i drafod ei gynigion, gyda fy nghyd-Aelod Lynne Neagle, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Addysg. Rwy'n credu bod y cyfarfod hwnnw wedi'i gynnal yn gynharach yr wythnos hon, felly byddaf yn gofyn i fy nghyd-Aelod roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y trafodaethau hynny i Jenny Rathbone.
11. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet wedi'u cael gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Lywodraeth Leol, Tai a Chynllunio ynglŷn â chynyddu’r dyraniadau cyllidebol ar gyfer taclo’r argyfwng tai? OQ61474
11. What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary had with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning about increasing the budget allocations for tackling the housing crisis? OQ61474
I will continue to have discussions with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning as part of our annual budget process, and there is also regular monitoring that goes on with that portfolio. While I recognise the challenges for the sector, public finances continue to be extremely challenging.
Byddaf yn parhau i gael trafodaethau gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Lywodraeth Leol, Tai a Chynllunio fel rhan o'n proses gyllidebol flynyddol, ac mae monitro rheolaidd hefyd yn mynd rhagddo mewn perthynas â'r portffolio hwnnw. Er fy mod yn cydnabod yr heriau i'r sector, mae cyllid cyhoeddus yn parhau i fod yn heriol dros ben.
Wrth gwrs, does gennym ni ddim Ysgrifennydd Cabinet dros lywodraeth leol a thai ar hyn o bryd, nag oes? Yn ôl un amcangyfrif, mae tai gwael yn costio £95 miliwn y flwyddyn i’r gwasanaeth iechyd yma yng Nghymru, a dim ond tua 4 y cant o gyfanswm gwariant y Llywodraeth sydd yn mynd ar dai. Sut, felly, y mae cyfiawnhau’r lefel gymharol isel o wariant presennol, o gofio'r arbedion ariannol y gallai ddeillio o gynyddu’r buddsoddiad, heb sôn am y buddion i bobl Cymru?
Of course, we don’t have a Cabinet Secretary for housing and local government at the moment, do we? According to one estimate, poor housing costs £95 million per annum to the health service here in Wales, and only around 4 per cent of the total Government expenditure is spent on housing. How, then, can you justify this relatively low level of current expenditure, given the financial savings that could emerge from increasing that investment, never mind the benefits for the people of Wales?
Of course, most of the funding that we provide for housing is capital, and in that sense it takes up a much greater share of the capital budget. And in fact, our commitment to social housing is clearly underpinned by our funding of over £1.4 billion in this Senedd term. That is significant funding, especially given the fact that our capital budget in real terms has been declining. Our commitment to social housing is absolutely clear and it will continue. I think that the work that the previous Minister was doing in relation to the transitional accommodation capital programme and Leasing Scheme Wales as well were particularly important, and she did recently open the transitional accommodation capital programme for 2024-25 with an indicative value of £100 million. Again, that’s a really significant investment to try and bring forward that quality longer term accommodation for people who are currently in temporary housing.
Wrth gwrs, mae'r rhan fwyaf o'r cyllid a ddarparwn ar gyfer tai yn gyfalaf, ac yn yr ystyr hwnnw mae'n cymryd cyfran lawer mwy o'r gyllideb gyfalaf. Ac mewn gwirionedd, mae ein hymrwymiad i dai cymdeithasol yn amlwg wedi'i ategu gan ein cyllid o dros £1.4 biliwn yn ystod tymor y Senedd hon. Mae hwnnw'n gyllid sylweddol, yn enwedig o ystyried bod ein cyllideb gyfalaf mewn termau real wedi bod yn gostwng. Mae ein hymrwymiad i dai cymdeithasol yn gwbl glir a bydd yn parhau. Credaf fod y gwaith yr oedd y Gweinidog blaenorol yn ei wneud mewn perthynas â'r rhaglen gyfalaf ar gyfer llety dros dro a Chynllun Lesio Cymru hefyd yn arbennig o bwysig, ac yn ddiweddar fe agorodd hi'r rhaglen gyfalaf ar gyfer llety dros dro ar gyfer 2024-25 gyda gwerth dangosol o £100 miliwn. Unwaith eto, mae hwnnw'n fuddsoddiad sylweddol iawn i geisio darparu llety mwy hirdymor o safon i bobl sydd mewn tai dros dro ar hyn o bryd.
Diolch i'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet.
I thank the Cabinet Secretary.
Yr eitem nesaf yw'r cwestiynau i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Newid Hinsawdd a Materion Gwledig. Y cwestiwn cyntaf y prynhawn yma gan Hefin David.
The next item will be questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs. Question 1 this afternoon from Hefin David.
1. Sut bydd yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet yn gweithio gyda Llywodraeth newydd y DU i wella ansawdd dŵr afonydd yng Nghymru? OQ61471
1. How will the Cabinet Secretary work with the new UK Government to improve river water quality in Wales? OQ61471
Thank you for the question. I'm very pleased to see water quality is clearly outlined as one of the key priorities of the new Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary of State. I've already held early discussions with the new UK Government and I'll continue to work closely with them on our shared vision for better water quality.
Diolch am y cwestiwn. Rwy'n falch iawn o weld bod ansawdd dŵr yn cael ei amlinellu'n glir fel un o flaenoriaethau allweddol Ysgrifennydd Gwladol newydd Adran yr Amgylchedd, Bwyd a Materion Gwledig. Rwyf eisoes wedi cynnal trafodaethau cynnar gyda Llywodraeth newydd y DU a byddaf yn parhau i weithio'n agos gyda nhw ar ein gweledigaeth gyffredin ar gyfer ansawdd dŵr gwell.
Diolch, Llywydd, and I’ve noticed how swiftly proceedings are going today, so I’m glad I made it in time. [Laughter.]
The Welsh Government has pioneered river pollution summits, bringing together key stakeholders such as regulators, water companies, developers, local government, farming unions, academia and the environment sectors. I think these are key meetings to have and I understand that four have taken place so far and the next one is going to be held at the Royal Welsh Show next week. Given the height of public interest in this topic, what progress does the Cabinet Secretary hope to make during the river pollution summit next week?
Diolch, Lywydd, ac rwyf wedi sylwi pa mor gyflym y mae'r trafodion yn mynd rhagddynt heddiw, felly rwy'n falch fy mod wedi cyrraedd mewn pryd. [Chwerthin.]
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi arloesi gydag uwchgynadleddau llygredd afonydd, gan ddwyn ynghyd rhanddeiliaid allweddol fel rheoleiddwyr, cwmnïau dŵr, datblygwyr, llywodraeth leol, undebau ffermio, y byd academaidd a'r sectorau amgylchedd. Rwy'n credu bod y rhain yn gyfarfodydd allweddol i'w cynnal ac rwy'n deall bod pedwar wedi digwydd hyd yma ac y bydd y nesaf yn cael ei gynnal yn Sioe Frenhinol Cymru yr wythnos nesaf. O ystyried diddordeb y cyhoedd yn hyn o beth, pa gynnydd y mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn gobeithio ei wneud yn ystod yr uwchgynhadledd llygredd afonydd yr wythnos nesaf?
Thank you very much for that supplementary, and indeed, we’ve already achieved quite a lot since the first river pollution summit was held way back in 2022, and we’ve had, as you say, those regular meetings. We’re really pleased with the way that partners have taken forward actions already, but at the Royal Welsh next week—which is going to be a busy week for me, I understand; a chock-full diary—it does include the latest river summit. It focuses on the crucial role that agriculture can play.
It’s very clear from the data that a significant proportion, particularly of phosphorus pollution, in many of our failing special areas of conservation rivers can be attributed to rural land use. So, this is going to be a great opportunity at the Royal Welsh for the agricultural community and partners to continue to foster this proactive approach towards river stewardship, that we’re all in it together and we all have the solution, to recognise the crucial role for agriculture in particular, and how we can all encourage and support the sector, to take ownership of the impact on our waterways—the SACs in particular—and also to achieve a joint commitment on how to advance this work over the next two years. It’ll be a really good opportunity for sector representatives to demonstrate how they can and will drive the changes we need for the benefits of the river and the sector itself.
It’s worth pointing out as well that we’ve already committed significant levels of funding for the implementation of new regulatory requirements designed to protect the environment, and we also intend to provide significant funding through the collaborative approach we’re taking to the design of the sustainable farming scheme. But we’ve got to be clear that everybody has to play their part and unpermitted pollution should not be happening at all, and all farm businesses must take the responsibility as well for preventing it.
Diolch yn fawr iawn am y cwestiwn atodol hwnnw, ac yn wir, rydym eisoes wedi cyflawni cryn dipyn ers cynnal yr uwchgynhadledd llygredd afonydd gyntaf ymhell yn ôl yn 2022, ac rydym wedi cael y cyfarfodydd rheolaidd hynny fel y dywedwch. Rydym yn falch iawn o'r ffordd y mae partneriaid wedi gweithredu yn barod, ond yn y Sioe Frenhinol yr wythnos nesaf—sy'n mynd i fod yn wythnos brysur i mi, rwy'n deall; dyddiadur llawn dop—mae'n cynnwys yr uwchgynhadledd llygredd afonydd ddiweddaraf. Mae'n canolbwyntio ar y rôl hanfodol y gall amaethyddiaeth ei chwarae.
O edrych ar y data, mae'n amlwg iawn y gellir priodoli cyfran sylweddol o achosion, o lygredd ffosfforws yn arbennig, mewn llawer o'n hafonydd ardaloedd cadwraeth arbennig sy'n methu, i ddefnydd tir gwledig. Felly, bydd hwn yn gyfle gwych yn y Sioe Frenhinol i'r gymuned amaethyddol a phartneriaid barhau i feithrin y dull rhagweithiol hwn tuag at stiwardiaeth afonydd, dangos ein bod ni i gyd ynddi gyda'n gilydd a bod yr ateb gan bawb ohonom, i gydnabod y rôl hanfodol i amaethyddiaeth yn enwedig, a sut y gallwn ni i gyd annog a chefnogi'r sector, i gymryd perchnogaeth ar yr effaith ar ein dyfrffyrdd—yr ardaloedd cadwraeth arbennig yn enwedig—a hefyd i gyflawni ymrwymiad ar y cyd ar sut i ddatblygu'r gwaith hwn dros y ddwy flynedd nesaf. Bydd yn gyfle da iawn i gynrychiolwyr y sector ddangos sut y gallant a sut y byddant yn gyrru'r newidiadau sydd eu hangen arnom er budd yr afon a'r sector ei hun.
Mae'n werth nodi hefyd ein bod eisoes wedi ymrwymo lefelau sylweddol o gyllid ar gyfer gweithredu gofynion rheoleiddio newydd a gynlluniwyd i ddiogelu'r amgylchedd, ac rydym hefyd yn bwriadu darparu cyllid sylweddol drwy'r dull cydweithredol rydym yn ei fabwysiadu i gynllunio'r cynllun ffermio cynaliadwy. Ond mae'n rhaid inni fod yn glir fod yn rhaid i bawb chwarae eu rhan ac ni ddylai llygredd nas caniateir fod yn digwydd o gwbl, a rhaid i bob busnes fferm fod yn gyfrifol am ei atal hefyd.
Cabinet Secretary, we all know very well that river pollution is a highly debated topic and the issue that we really do need to get bottom of. The River Wye in my region of South Wales East, as well as Rhymney, in both Hefin David’s constituency and my region, saw multiple raw sewage dumps by Welsh Water in 2023 alone, and whilst Hefin David has sought to draw attention to the UK Government and what they can do to help, we all know that the responsibility for water quality in Wales rests in the hands of the Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales, both of which this Labour Government, as we all know too well, has been in charge of since the dawn of time.
So, with this in mind, Cabinet Secretary, do you agree with me that raw sewage spills should be more closely monitored and more strict sanctions should be in place for NRW and Welsh Water, so that we finally start to see a decrease in these rates and the improvement of river quality under this Welsh Labour Government for the people of Wales? Thank you.
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, rydym i gyd yn gwybod yn iawn fod llygredd afonydd yn bwnc dadleuol iawn ac yn fater y mae angen inni fynd i'r afael ag ef. Yn 2023, ar sawl achlysur, fe wnaeth Dŵr Cymru ddympio carthion amrwd yn afon Gwy yn fy rhanbarth i yn Nwyrain De Cymru, yn ogystal â Rhymni, yn etholaeth Hefin David a fy rhanbarth i, ac er bod Hefin David wedi ceisio tynnu sylw at Lywodraeth y DU a'r hyn y gallant hwy ei wneud i helpu, fe wyddom i gyd fod y cyfrifoldeb am ansawdd dŵr yng Nghymru yn nwylo Llywodraeth Cymru a Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru, corff y mae'r Llywodraeth Lafur hon, fel y gwyddom i gyd yn rhy dda, wedi bod yn gyfrifol amdanynt ers oes pys.
Felly, gyda hyn mewn golwg, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a ydych chi'n cytuno â mi y dylid monitro gollyngiadau carthion amrwd yn agosach ac y dylid rhoi sancsiynau llymach ar waith i Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru a Dŵr Cymru, fel ein bod yn dechrau gweld gostyngiad yn y cyfraddau hyn o'r diwedd a gwella ansawdd afonydd o dan y Llywodraeth Lafur hon i bobl Cymru? Diolch.
Two points in response, Natasha, and thank you for the question. One is it needs to be a shared approach to this on the Wye catchment, the same with the Usk and the Severn, and the rivers that respect no borders, they flow from Wales into England, from the Plynlimon hills down through areas in the border countries and then back into our major estuaries. So, it has to be a shared approach, and I'm really delighted, I have to say, that within 48 hours of the UK Government coming into place, the new UK Government, I had that discussion with Steve Reed, the new Secretary. It was one of the items we discussed, the desire to actually work closer and more collaboratively, not only at a ministerial level, but, actually, at an official level as well. There has been some good working, but it hasn't been a full 110 per cent. I want to see that happening, so I'm looking forward to following that up.
We do have a role, of course, specifically to play in Wales, and there are a number of issues. We touched on agricultural diffuse pollution. There are also building and development issues as well, and there are the issues of sewage. Our approach in Wales is very forthright. We want everybody to play their part—everybody who contributes to the pollution. We notice that the price review, PR24, has just come out, the draft determination. There's a significant uplift in that, and we have to guard against the undue impact, particularly on vulnerable customers, of the costs of that. But what it does do is show a step improvement in the scale of investment in tackling combined sewer overflows and sewage discharge. We need every part of this jigsaw to be put together if we're going to clean up those rivers, so everybody can enjoy them in the way that we have traditionally enjoyed them. When we want to bring tourists to Wales and people visit us, as well as local communities, we need those rivers to be sparkling and full of life.
Mae gennyf ddau bwynt i'w gwneud mewn ymateb, Natasha, a diolch am y cwestiwn. Y pwynt cyntaf yw bod angen iddo fod yn ddull ar y cyd o ymdrin â hyn yn nalgylch afon Gwy, a'r un fath gyda'r Wysg a'r Hafren, a'r afonydd nad ydynt yn parchu ffiniau, maent yn llifo o Gymru i Loegr, o fryniau Pumlumon i lawr drwy ardaloedd ar y ffin ac yna'n ôl i'n haberoedd mawr. Felly, mae'n rhaid iddo fod yn ddull ar y cyd, ac mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, o fewn 48 awr wedi i Lywodraeth y DU ddod i rym, Llywodraeth newydd y DU, rwy'n falch iawn fy mod wedi cael y drafodaeth honno gyda Steve Reed, yr Ysgrifennydd newydd. Roedd yn un o'r pethau y gwnaethom eu trafod, yr awydd i weithio'n agosach ac yn fwy cydweithredol, nid yn unig ar lefel weinidogol, ond ar lefel swyddogol hefyd. Mae peth cydweithio da wedi bod, ond ni fu'n 110 y cant llawn. Rwyf eisiau gweld hynny'n digwydd, felly rwy'n edrych ymlaen at fynd ar drywydd hynny.
Mae gennym ni rôl i'w chwarae yng Nghymru yn benodol wrth gwrs, ac mae yna nifer o faterion yn codi. Fe wnaethom ni gyffwrdd â llygredd gwasgaredig amaethyddol. Mae yna hefyd faterion yn codi ym maes adeiladu a datblygu, yn ogystal â materion yn ymwneud â charthffosiaeth. Mae ein dull ni yng Nghymru yn glir. Rydym eisiau i bawb chwarae eu rhan—pawb sy'n cyfrannu at y llygredd. Rydym yn sylwi bod yr adolygiad pris, PR24, newydd gael ei gyhoeddi, y penderfyniad drafft. Mae cynnydd sylweddol yn hwnnw, ac mae'n rhaid inni amddiffyn rhag effaith amhriodol y costau hynny, yn enwedig ar gwsmeriaid agored i niwed. Ond yr hyn y mae'n ei wneud yw dangos gwelliant sylweddol yng ngraddfa'r buddsoddiad i fynd i'r afael â gorlifoedd carthffosiaeth gyfun a gollyngiadau carthion. Mae angen rhoi pob darn o'r jig-so hwn at ei gilydd os ydym am lanhau'r afonydd, fel y gall pawb eu mwynhau yn y ffordd yr ydym wedi eu mwynhau yn draddodiadol. Pan fyddwn eisiau denu twristiaid i Gymru a phan fyddwn eisiau i bobl ymweld â ni, yn ogystal â chymunedau lleol, mae angen i'r afonydd fod yn pefrio ac yn llawn bywyd.
I'd like to ask you, Cabinet Secretary, about the water quality regulations, because we know that slurry storage requirements are kicking in on 1 August. Now, some farms, regrettably, won't be ready in time because maybe planning applications for increased slurry storage infrastructure might be stuck in the planning system somewhere. With the wet weather we've had, they've been unable to empty their slurry stores in order to expand them, or, indeed, there may still be outstanding issues between landlords and tenants in some respects. So, I'd like to know what will your advice be to the enforcement agency when it comes to taking a pragmatic and reasonable approach to those who aren't able to meet the new requirements through no fault of their own.
Hoffwn ofyn i chi, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, am y rheoliadau ansawdd dŵr, oherwydd gwyddom fod gofynion storio slyri yn dechrau ar 1 Awst. Nawr, ni fydd rhai ffermydd, yn anffodus, yn barod mewn pryd oherwydd efallai y gallai ceisiadau cynllunio ar gyfer mwy o seilwaith storio slyri fod yn sownd yn y system gynllunio yn rhywle. Gyda'r tywydd gwlyb rydym wedi'i gael, efallai nad ydynt wedi gallu gwagio eu storfeydd slyri er mwyn eu hehangu, neu'n wir, efallai fod materion heb eu datrys rhwng landlordiaid a thenantiaid mewn rhai achosion. Felly, hoffwn wybod beth fydd eich cyngor i'r asiantaeth orfodi mewn perthynas â mabwysiadu ymagwedd bragmataidd a rhesymol tuag at y rhai nad ydynt yn gallu bodloni'r gofynion newydd heb unrhyw fai arnynt hwy.
Llyr, it's a really good question, because we know that there are multiple challenges facing farmers at the moment: the planning system and the backlog within that and the stretch that there is within the planning system—something, by the way, I've discussed with my former Cabinet Secretary colleague. And I hope to continue that discussion on how we can work together, even recognising the constraints on resources, to see if we can streamline through that process and work together collaboratively. But there is also the wet weather that we've been having, so even if you get the planning, can you actually get on with it? And then there's the whole regulatory and consenting process.
Now, my advice or my steer is to take a pragmatic case-by-case approach, but we have to do it within the regulatory system that we have. We can't just throw that out; it has to be within that. But my encouragement would be to front-line officials to work with the farming community on a case-by-case basis, because each one will be different, in order to see if there is a way forward. I know there's a desire in the farming community to get ahead with this. We've put a significant amount of money now into assisting the farming community to do this, as well, but there are constraints on the ability to move forward at speed, so I hope what we will see is a pragmatic approach, case by case, but working within the regulatory structure as well.
Llyr, mae'n gwestiwn da iawn, oherwydd rydym yn gwybod bod sawl her yn wynebu ffermwyr ar hyn o bryd: y system gynllunio a'r ôl-groniad o fewn y system honno, y pwysau sydd ar y system gynllunio—rhywbeth, gyda llaw, rwyf wedi'i drafod gyda fy nghyd-Aelod, cyn-Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Ac rwy'n gobeithio parhau â'r drafodaeth honno ar sut y gallwn weithio gyda'n gilydd, gan gydnabod y cyfyngiadau ar adnoddau hyd yn oed, i weld a allwn symleiddio'r broses honno a gweithio ar y cyd. Ond mae'n rhaid ystyried y tywydd gwlyb yr ydym wedi'i gael hefyd, felly hyd yn oed os ydych chi'n cael caniatâd cynllunio, a allwch chi fwrw ymlaen â'r gwaith mewn gwirionedd? Ac yna mae gennych y broses reoleiddio a chydsynio hefyd.
Nawr, fy nghyngor i neu fy arweiniad i yw mabwysiadu dull pragmataidd fesul achos, ond mae'n rhaid inni ei wneud o fewn y system reoleiddio sydd gennym. Ni allwn gael gwared arni; mae'n rhaid inni ei wneud o fewn y system honno. Ond byddwn yn annog swyddogion rheng flaen i weithio gyda'r gymuned ffermio fesul achos, oherwydd bydd pob un yn wahanol, er mwyn gweld a oes yna ffordd ymlaen. Rwy'n gwybod bod awydd yn y gymuned ffermio i fwrw ymlaen â hyn. Rydym wedi rhoi swm sylweddol o arian i gynorthwyo'r gymuned ffermio i wneud hyn, yn ogystal, ond mae yna gyfyngiadau ar y gallu i fwrw ymlaen yn gyflym, felly rwy'n gobeithio y byddwn yn gweld dull pragmataidd, fesul achos, ond gan weithio o fewn y strwythur rheoleiddio hefyd.
Good afternoon, Cabinet Secretary. Just to follow up on some of those issues as well, but just concentrating on the agency here in Wales that we rely on in order to monitor our rivers, and that's NRW, Natural Resources Wales. We know that whistleblowers earlier this week came forward with alarming testimonies, describing NRW as paralysed by bureaucracy and inaction, and then there were internal documents showing that 80 per cent of discharge permits were not being monitored. And then, additionally, research by Y Byd Ar Bedwar also showed that NRW failed to attend more than half of reported pollution incidents between January 2023 and January 2024.
So, this is a real concern around the capacity and the capabilities of NRW, occurring against a backdrop, actually, of us here in Wales paying more for our water, in fact, more than in England. So, could I ask you specifically what response you have to those testimonies, and also what you're doing in order to increase the staffing levels and capacity within NRW? Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Prynhawn da, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Hoffwn ddilyn trywydd rhai o'r materion hynny hefyd, ond hoffwn ganolbwyntio ar yr asiantaeth yr ydym yn dibynnu arni yma yng Nghymru er mwyn monitro ein hafonydd, sef CNC, Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru. Rydym yn gwybod bod chwythwyr chwiban wedi cyflwyno tystiolaeth frawychus yn gynharach yr wythnos hon, gan ddisgrifio CNC fel sefydliad sydd wedi'i barlysu gan fiwrocratiaeth a diffyg gweithredu, ac roedd yna ddogfennau mewnol yn dangos nad oedd 80 y cant o drwyddedau gollyngiadau yn cael eu monitro. Yn ogystal â hynny, dangosodd ymchwil gan Y Byd Ar Bedwar fod CNC wedi methu rhoi sylw i fwy na hanner y digwyddiadau llygredd a gofnodwyd rhwng mis Ionawr 2023 a mis Ionawr 2024.
Felly, mae hwn yn bryder gwirioneddol ynghylch gallu a galluoedd CNC, sy'n digwydd yn erbyn cefndir lle rydym ni yma yng Nghymru yn talu mwy am ein dŵr, mewn gwirionedd, nag a wnânt yn Lloegr. Felly, a gaf i ofyn yn benodol i chi pa ymateb sydd gennych chi i'r dystiolaeth honno, a hefyd beth rydych chi'n ei wneud i gynyddu'r lefelau staffio a'r capasiti o fewn CNC? Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Thank you for the question. I watched the Y Byd ar Bedwar programme and saw the testimonies of people who'd worked within NRW and the honest reflection on what they saw as the constraints on NRW to carry out their statutory and regulatory duties. The first thing I would say is, I would encourage anybody who works in any organisation or any agency to actually raise those concerns and not be fearful of doing it; we need to support the ability, not simply of whistleblowers, as we know them technically, but actually, to raise legitimate concerns. That's the first point to make and I think it's important.
The second thing is we have high expectations of NRW, of all of its staff, from the senior management all the way down, to actually carry out their statutory and regulatory duties. In recent years—and in fact, I featured on that programme, so let me reiterate the points that I very clearly made. NRW, in fact, when I was on the committee under Llyr's stewardship, when we interrogated NRW regularly, we were keen to see them carry out a baseline review of their functions and their remit, which they did. On the back end of that, we invested an additional £18.5 million into NRW, but they've also undertaken a full cost-recovery regime, so that they can make sure that they're not subsidising activities, that they can actually gain the commensurate income on a cost-recovery basis. So, all of those things are in place, but we do expect—our expectation is from Government that NRW carry out their statutory and regulatory functions. They're an arm's-length organisation, but they are our environmental organisation.
And my final point—my apologies, Llywydd, for exercising your patience here—is just to thank the NRW staff throughout the organisation for what they do. Because very often, NRW comes in for criticism after criticism and yet they are passionate, as we saw in that programme, curiously, they are passionate, dedicated individuals who want to improve the country that we live in and the environmental conditions. So, yes, it was a difficult watch. I'm sure NRW are taking those concerns seriously, and when I next meet with NRW themselves, I'll be raising those concerns as well, clearly.
Diolch am y cwestiwn. Gwyliais raglen Y Byd ar Bedwar a gwelais dystiolaeth pobl a oedd wedi gweithio o fewn CNC a'r myfyrio gonest ar yr hyn yr oeddent yn ei ystyried yn gyfyngiadau ar CNC i gyflawni eu dyletswyddau statudol a rheoleiddiol. Y peth cyntaf y byddwn i'n ei ddweud yw y byddwn yn annog unrhyw un sy'n gweithio mewn unrhyw sefydliad neu unrhyw asiantaeth i godi'r pryderon hynny a pheidio â bod ofn gwneud hynny; mae angen inni gefnogi'r gallu, nid dim ond chwythwyr chwiban, fel rydym yn eu galw'n dechnegol, ond mewn gwirionedd, i godi pryderon dilys. Dyna'r pwynt cyntaf i'w wneud ac rwy'n credu ei fod yn bwysig.
Yr ail beth yw bod gennym ddisgwyliadau uchel o CNC, o'i holl staff, o'r uwch reolwyr yr holl ffordd i lawr, i gyflawni eu dyletswyddau statudol a rheoleiddiol. Yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf—ac roeddwn i'n ymddangos ar y rhaglen honno, felly gadewch imi ailadrodd y pwyntiau a wneuthum yn glir iawn. Mewn gwirionedd, pan oeddwn ar y pwyllgor o dan stiwardiaeth Llyr, pan oeddem yn holi CNC yn rheolaidd, roeddem yn awyddus i'w gweld yn cynnal adolygiad sylfaenol o'u swyddogaethau a'u cylch gwaith, ac fe wnaethant hynny. Yn dilyn hynny, rydym wedi buddsoddi £18.5 miliwn ychwanegol yn CNC, ond maent hefyd wedi ymgymryd â threfn adennill costau lawn, fel y gallant sicrhau nad ydynt yn sybsideiddio gweithgareddau, ac fel y gallant ennill yr incwm cymesur ar sail adennill costau. Felly, mae'r holl bethau hynny yn eu lle, ond rydym yn disgwyl—rydym ni fel Llywodraeth yn disgwyl bod CNC yn cyflawni eu swyddogaethau statudol a rheoleiddiol. Maent yn sefydliad hyd braich, ond nhw yw ein sefydliad amgylcheddol.
A fy mhwynt olaf—rwy'n ymddiheuro, Lywydd, am drethu eich amynedd yma—hoffwn ddiolch i holl staff CNC am yr hyn a wnânt. Oherwydd mae CNC yn destun beirniadaeth yn aml iawn ac eto maent yn angerddol, fel y gwelsom yn y rhaglen honno, maent yn unigolion angerddol, ymroddedig sydd eisiau gwella'r wlad yr ydym yn byw ynddi a'r amodau amgylcheddol. Felly, oedd, roedd gwylio'r rhaglen honno'n anodd. Rwy'n siŵr fod CNC o ddifrif ynghylch y pryderon hynny, a phan fyddaf yn cyfarfod ag CNC eu hunain nesaf, byddaf yn codi'r pryderon hynny hefyd, yn amlwg.
I'm very pleased that the Office of Water Services is finally taking steps to reduce water pollution. We have seen raw sewage released from the Trebanos treatment works due to storm overflow into the Tawe and then into the sea. Water is uniquely vulnerable to pollution. Known as a universal solvent, water can dissolve more substances than any other liquid. It is why water is so easily polluted. Be it sewage or toxic substances from farms, towns or factories, it readily dissolves in water, causing water pollution. What action is being taken to reduce non-sewage river pollution?
Rwy'n falch iawn fod y Swyddfa Gwasanaethau Dŵr yn cymryd camau i leihau llygredd dŵr o'r diwedd. Rydym wedi gweld carthion amrwd yn cael ei ollwng o waith trin dŵr gwastraff Trebanos oherwydd gorlif storm i'r Tawe ac yna i'r môr. Mae dŵr yn unigryw o agored i lygredd. Fel toddydd cyffredinol, gall dŵr doddi mwy o sylweddau nag unrhyw hylif arall. Dyna pam mae dŵr mor hawdd i'w lygru. Boed yn garthion neu'n sylweddau gwenwynig o ffermydd, trefi neu ffatrïoedd, maent yn toddi'n hawdd mewn dŵr, gan achosi llygredd dŵr. Pa gamau sy'n cael eu cymryd i leihau llygredd afonydd nad yw'n cael ei achosi gan garthion?
Mike, thank you very much. And to draw back to our initial questions on this, I think the river catchment approach that we take, including the river summits, where we pull everybody together and say, 'You all have a responsibility to uplift this, whether you are developers, whether you are members of the agricultural and farming community, or whether you are sewerage and water companies, WASCOs', they all have a role to play. If we only tackle one point source of this pollution, we will not solve the problem, because we want to build affordable homes, but we've got to actually manage the pressures that come with that with phosphate load. We want to actually have a viable farming future, but we've got to manage the nitrate and the phosphate load from that. We also want to see the proper investment from the water and sewerage companies in the network, but this is difficult, because we also have to make sure that we protect the most vulnerable customers. There is, as I mentioned, a draft determination out that will take, probably, six months or more to actually receive representations, including from the consumer bodies, as well, to make sure that those voices are heard. But the truth is, Mike, as you absolutely say, we need to resolve the issues of multiple sources of pollution in all our rivers, not just for the anglers, but for everybody who wants to see the ecological status better and those people who are driving to get bathing water quality within their rivers as well.
Mike, diolch yn fawr iawn. Ac i droi'n ôl at ein cwestiynau cychwynnol ar hyn, rwy'n credu bod ein dull dalgylch afon, gan gynnwys yr uwchgynadleddau afonydd, lle rydym yn dod â phawb at ei gilydd ac yn dweud, 'Mae yna gyfrifoldeb ar bob un ohonoch i wella hyn, boed yn ddatblygwyr, boed yn aelodau o'r gymuned amaethyddol a ffermio, neu boed yn gwmnïau carthffosiaeth a dŵr, mae gan bob un ohonynt rôl i'w chwarae. Os ydym ond yn mynd i'r afael ag un ffynhonnell i'r llygredd hwn, ni fyddwn yn datrys y broblem, oherwydd rydym eisiau adeiladu cartrefi fforddiadwy, ond mae'n rhaid inni reoli'r pwysau sy'n dod yn sgil hynny gyda llwyth ffosffad. Rydym eisiau sicrhau dyfodol ffermio hyfyw, ond mae'n rhaid inni reoli'r llwyth nitrad a ffosffad yn sgil hynny. Rydym hefyd eisiau gweld y buddsoddiad cywir gan y cwmnïau dŵr a charthffosiaeth yn y rhwydwaith, ond mae hyn yn anodd, oherwydd mae'n rhaid inni hefyd sicrhau ein bod yn diogelu'r cwsmeriaid mwyaf agored i niwed. Fel y soniais, mae yna benderfyniad drafft a fydd yn cymryd chwe mis neu fwy, mae'n debyg, i dderbyn sylwadau, gan gynnwys gan y cyrff defnyddwyr hefyd, i sicrhau bod y lleisiau hynny'n cael eu clywed. Ond y gwir amdani, Mike, fel rydych chi'n ei ddweud, yw bod angen inni ddatrys problemau o sawl ffynhonnell o lygredd yn ein afonydd, nid yn unig i'r pysgotwyr, ond i bawb sydd eisiau sicrhau statws ecolegol gwell a'r bobl sy'n brwydro i sicrhau ansawdd dŵr ymdrochi yn eu hafonydd hefyd.
2. Sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio gyda phartneriaid Llywodraeth y DU i gefnogi'r diwydiant cwrw a thafarndai? OQ61466
2. How is the Welsh Government working with UK Government partners to support the beer and pubs industry? OQ61466
Thank you, Jack. I'm really looking forward to working with the new UK Government when the opportunities arise to work in partnership to boost the beer and pub industries. This will include collaborating on implementing the deposit-return scheme in 2027.
Diolch yn fawr, Jack. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen yn fawr at weithio gyda Llywodraeth newydd y DU pan fydd y cyfleoedd yn codi i weithio mewn partneriaeth i hybu'r diwydiannau cwrw a thafarndai. Bydd hyn yn cynnwys cydweithio ar weithredu'r cynllun dychwelyd ernes yn 2027.
I’m grateful to the Cabinet Secretary for that answer. I know that the Cabinet Secretary is passionate about the industry and his support for the cross-party group on beer and pubs has been instrumental throughout his time in post and previous posts as well. It’s great to see him in his parliamentary tie this afternoon as well.
Cabinet Secretary, I welcome your engagement with the industry. Through this, you will be aware of the concerns around the DRS and non-domestic rates. Will you again commit on the floor of the Senedd to engaging further with partners in the UK Government and the industry directly to ensure that we get the right solutions to these problems so that the beer and pubs industry can thrive in Cymru? Diolch.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet am yr ateb hwnnw. Gwn fod Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn angerddol am y diwydiant ac mae ei gefnogaeth i'r grŵp trawsbleidiol ar gwrw a thafarndai wedi bod yn allweddol drwy gydol ei gyfnod yn y swydd a swyddi blaenorol hefyd. Mae'n wych ei weld yn ei dei seneddol y prynhawn yma hefyd.
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, rwy'n croesawu eich ymgysylltiad â'r diwydiant. Drwy hyn, fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol o'r pryderon ynghylch y cynllun dychwelyd ernes ac ardrethi annomestig. A wnewch chi ymrwymo eto ar lawr y Senedd i ymgysylltu ymhellach â phartneriaid yn Llywodraeth y DU a'r diwydiant yn uniongyrchol i sicrhau ein bod yn cael yr atebion cywir i'r problemau hyn fel y gall y diwydiant cwrw a thafarndai ffynnu yng Nghymru? Diolch.
I will indeed recommit to that, Jack. We need to bring forward a DRS that works, not only across the four nations, but respecting our position as well in Wales, that we have a desire to go forward with the all-in scheme, including glass as well. But we want to work with the sector to make that happen. We recognise the cruciality of the hospitality and retail sectors as part of our economy, so I’m committed to working with them.
I’m also committed, by the way, to working, as I said in my initial response to you, Jack, with other Governments right across the UK, including the new UK Government. I had, by the way, met with them in advance of the election in case, and we’d started exploring these issues. I spoke to Steve Reed, and this was mentioned on the agenda within 48 hours. I’m looking forward now with him and his team to getting into the detail of this, and our officials have started working together very closely as well. But we will work with the industry.
And I should say, Llywydd, just to note, on the tie, my membership previously, when I was a UK parliamentarian, of the all-party group—I’m pleased to wear the tie today—has been declared in my ministerial interests.
Byddaf yn bendant yn ail-ymrwymo i hynny, Jack. Mae angen inni gyflwyno cynllun dychwelyd ernes sy'n gweithio, nid yn unig ar draws y pedair gwlad, ond gan barchu ein safbwynt yng Nghymru hefyd, a bod gennym awydd i fwrw ymlaen â'r cynllun ar gyfer popeth, gan gynnwys gwydr hefyd. Ond rydym am weithio gyda'r sector i wneud i hynny ddigwydd. Rydym yn cydnabod pwysigrwydd y sectorau lletygarwch a manwerthu fel rhan o'n heconomi, felly rwyf wedi ymrwymo i weithio gyda nhw.
Rwyf hefyd wedi ymrwymo, gyda llaw, i weithio, fel y dywedais yn fy ymateb cychwynnol i chi, Jack, gyda Llywodraethau eraill ledled y DU, gan gynnwys Llywodraeth newydd y DU. Gyda llaw, roeddwn i wedi cyfarfod â nhw cyn yr etholiad, ac roeddem wedi dechrau archwilio'r materion hyn. Siaradais â Steve Reed, a soniwyd am hyn ar yr agenda o fewn 48 awr. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at fanylu ar hyn gydag ef a'i dîm nawr, ac mae ein swyddogion wedi dechrau cydweithio'n agos iawn hefyd. Ond byddwn yn gweithio gyda'r diwydiant.
A dylwn nodi am y tei, Lywydd, mae fy aelodaeth flaenorol o'r grŵp hollbleidiol pan oeddwn yn seneddwr y DU—rwy'n falch o wisgo'r tei heddiw—wedi cael ei ddatgan yn fy rhestr o fuddiannau gweinidogol.
I always feel particularly excluded when men politicians start to discuss the tie that they're wearing. No scarves, no ties.
Rwyf bob amser yn teimlo wedi fy eithrio'n llwyr pan fydd gwleidyddion gwrywaidd yn dechrau trafod y tei y maent yn ei wisgo. Dim sgarffiau, dim teis.
Diolch, Llywydd. I’m grateful to Jack Sargeant for raising this important question here today with the Cabinet Secretary. Cabinet Secretary, you talk about your work with the UK Government, and you know full well that the last UK Government—the Conservative Government—provided rate relief of 75 per cent to our pubs and hospitality industry in England and passed that money on to you, as the Welsh Government, to enable the same level of relief for our pubs here in Wales. You decided not to do that. Pubs here in Wales get 40 per cent rate relief, and therefore are at a competitive disadvantage compared to companies just over the border. So, if you’re really serious about supporting this industry, why don’t you just get that rate relief back up to 75 per cent?
Diolch, Lywydd. Rwy'n ddiolchgar i Jack Sargeant am ofyn y cwestiwn pwysig hwn heddiw i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, rydych chi'n siarad am eich gwaith gyda Llywodraeth y DU, ac rydych chi'n gwybod yn iawn fod Llywodraeth ddiwethaf y DU—y Llywodraeth Geidwadol—wedi darparu rhyddhad ardrethi o 75 y cant i'n diwydiant tafarndai a lletygarwch yn Lloegr ac wedi trosglwyddo'r arian hwnnw ymlaen i chi, fel Llywodraeth Cymru, i alluogi'r un lefel o ryddhad i'n tafarndai yma yng Nghymru. Fe wnaethoch chi benderfynu peidio â gwneud hynny. Mae tafarndai yma yng Nghymru yn cael rhyddhad ardrethi o 40 y cant, ac felly maent dan anfantais gystadleuol o gymharu â chwmnïau dros y ffin. Felly, os ydych chi o ddifrif ynglŷn â chefnogi'r diwydiant hwn, pam na wnewch chi godi'r rhyddhad ardrethi yn ôl i 75 y cant?
Rate relief is one factor. I've got to say, Sam, that I’m pleased that we are still providing business rates relief for the sector, in fact, to the tune of an additional £78 million, to provide the fifth successive year of support with non-domestic rates bills. This does build on the almost £1 billion support provided through our retail, leisure and hospitality rates relief scheme since 2020-21. But that isn’t all of it either.
Hospitality businesses were also able to apply for the £20 million futureproofing fund from the Welsh Government, which ran for 2024-25, designed to help them futureproof their businesses. There’s financial support available as well from Visit Wales to those parts of the hospitality sector that form part of the tourism offer, such as high-end or destination restaurants. The Wales tourism investment fund puts money into the sector as well. And there’s more that I could go on with.
On the particular issue that you push at, I’m pleased that we are able to retain support through the rate relief scheme for the fifth year running, but there’s wider support that is also available to the sector, which reflects, I think, our commitment to it and our recognition of how much it contributes to the Welsh economy. And we’ll continue to work with the sector so that we can continue that support on an ongoing basis.
Mae rhyddhad ardrethi yn un ffactor. Rhaid imi ddweud, Sam, fy mod yn falch ein bod yn dal i ddarparu rhyddhad ardrethi busnes i'r sector, hyd at £78 miliwn ychwanegol mewn gwirionedd, i ddarparu'r bumed flwyddyn yn olynol o gymorth gyda biliau ardrethi annomestig. Mae hyn yn adeiladu ar y gefnogaeth o bron i £1 biliwn a ddarparwyd drwy ein cynllun rhyddhad ardrethi i'r sector manwerthu, hamdden a lletygarwch ers 2020-21. Ond nid dyna'r cyfan ychwaith.
Roedd busnesau lletygarwch hefyd yn gallu gwneud cais am y gronfa baratoi at y dyfodol gwerth £20 miliwn gan Lywodraeth Cymru, a gynigiwyd ar gyfer 2024-25, ac a gynlluniwyd i'w helpu i ddiogelu eu busnesau at y dyfodol. Mae cymorth ariannol ar gael hefyd gan Croeso Cymru i'r rhannau o'r sector lletygarwch sy'n rhan o'r cynnig twristiaeth, fel bwytai cyrchfan neu fwytai ym mhen uchaf y farchnad. Mae'r gronfa fuddsoddi yn nhwristiaeth Cymru yn rhoi arian i'r sector hefyd. Ac mae mwy y gallwn siarad amdano.
Ar y mater penodol y cyfeiriwch ato, rwy'n falch ein bod yn gallu cadw cefnogaeth drwy'r cynllun rhyddhad ardrethi am y bumed flwyddyn yn olynol, ond mae cefnogaeth ehangach ar gael i'r sector hefyd, sy'n adlewyrchu ein hymrwymiad iddo a'n cydnabyddiaeth o faint y mae'n ei gyfrannu at economi Cymru. A byddwn yn parhau i weithio gyda'r sector fel y gallwn barhau â'r gefnogaeth honno ar sail barhaus.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau.
Questions now from the party spokespeople.
Diolch, Llywydd. I'm going to take you back to water pollution. Can I thank everybody who has raised the current issues we have here in Wales in terms of water pollution? Like many others in this Chamber, I hope, I've welcomed the King's Speech and the future commitments of the new UK Labour Government. Our King said:
'My Government recognises the need to improve water quality and a Bill will be introduced to strengthen the powers of the water regulator.'
I think we’re all going to be welcoming that. I’m hoping that you welcome the attention that’s now being given by the UK Government to this.
Here in Wales, we have many wild swimmers, and, quite often, they’re unable to participate in the sport they love because of our polluted rivers and seas. Wales has four times as many sewage discharges proportionately than England, and this week we have described Natural Resources Wales as being ‘missing in action’. What action are you taking to review NRW and its approach to enforcement when incidents arise, and, in general, to tackling the water pollution that is so widespread across Wales?
Diolch, Lywydd. Fe af â chi'n ôl at lygredd dŵr. A gaf i ddiolch i bawb sydd wedi cyfeirio at y problemau presennol sydd gennym yma yng Nghymru mewn perthynas â llygredd dŵr? Fel llawer o rai eraill yn y Siambr hon, rwy'n gobeithio, rwyf wedi croesawu Araith y Brenin ac ymrwymiadau Llywodraeth Lafur newydd y DU yn y dyfodol. Dywedodd ein Brenin:
'Mae fy Llywodraeth yn cydnabod yr angen i wella ansawdd dŵr a bydd Bil yn cael ei gyflwyno i gryfhau pwerau'r rheoleiddiwr dŵr.'
Rwy'n credu y byddwn i gyd yn croesawu hynny. Rwy'n gobeithio eich bod yn croesawu'r sylw sydd bellach yn cael ei roi i hyn gan Lywodraeth y DU.
Yma yng Nghymru, mae gennym lawer o nofwyr gwyllt, ac yn aml iawn, nid ydynt yn gallu cymryd rhan yn y gamp y maent yn ei charu am fod ein hafonydd a'n moroedd wedi'u llygru. Mae gan Gymru bedair gwaith cymaint o ollyngiadau carthion yn gyfrannol o gymharu â Lloegr, a'r wythnos hon fe wnaethom nodi bod Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru wedi colli ei ffordd. Pa gamau rydych chi'n eu cymryd i adolygu Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru a'i ddull o orfodi pan fydd digwyddiadau'n codi, ac yn gyffredinol, i fynd i'r afael â'r llygredd dŵr sydd mor gyffredin ledled Cymru?
Thank you for the question. I hope as I made clear earlier on, there is an aspect of this to deal with all sources of pollution. But particularly in terms of the role of NRW, I’ve made clear today, and will repeat, that they have clear statutory and regulatory duties to discharge as the environmental protector, and we expect them to discharge those. They are undoubtedly stretched, and I made clear in response to the Y Byd ar Bedwar programme that it is a hard reality that the past 10 years and more have really stretched them, as they have every public agency, local authorities and everybody else.
But we will continue to support them. We have put £18.5 million into them following the baseline review. They have, in that baseline review, looked at the remit, how they focus on the right priorities, including their statutory and regulatory enforcement. And they have powers to enforce as well, and we expect them to use those enforcement powers. NRW’s approach, by and large, is to try and work with those in the sector to get everybody to lift up their standards, including on sewage discharges, but they will also fine, and they will take prosecutions as well.
Diolch am y cwestiwn. Fel yr eglurais yn gynharach, rwy'n gobeithio, un agwedd ar hyn yw mynd i'r afael â phob ffynhonnell llygredd. Ond yn enwedig o ran rôl CNC, rwyf wedi ei gwneud yn glir heddiw, ac rwyf am ailadrodd, fod ganddynt ddyletswyddau statudol a rheoleiddiol clir i'w cyflawni fel corff diogelu'r amgylchedd, ac rydym yn disgwyl iddynt gyflawni'r rheini. Heb os, maent o dan bwysau, a dywedais yn glir mewn ymateb i raglen Y Byd ar Bedwar mai'r realiti caled yw bod y 10 mlynedd a mwy diwethaf wedi rhoi pwysau mawr arnynt, fel ar bob asiantaeth gyhoeddus, awdurdod lleol a phawb arall.
Ond byddwn yn parhau i'w cefnogi. Rydym wedi rhoi £18.5 miliwn iddynt yn dilyn yr adolygiad sylfaenol. Yn yr adolygiad sylfaenol hwnnw, maent wedi edrych ar y cylch gwaith, sut maent yn canolbwyntio ar y blaenoriaethau cywir, gan gynnwys eu gorfodaeth statudol a rheoleiddiol. Ac mae ganddynt bwerau i orfodi hefyd, ac rydym yn disgwyl iddynt ddefnyddio'r pwerau gorfodi hynny. Dull CNC ar y cyfan, yw ceisio gweithio gyda'r rhai yn y sector i gael pawb i godi eu safonau, gan gynnwys ar ollyngiadau carthion, ond byddant hefyd yn dirwyo, a byddant yn erlyn hefyd.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. I suppose one could argue that, over the last 26 years of this place, and Welsh devolution, it’s fair to say that there have been 12 years under a Labour Government in the UK, and, of course, the last 14 years under a Conservative Government, during which, for my 13 years here, there was much criticism about a lack of resources from the UK Government to here, despite the fact that, for every £1 spent in England, £1.20 was given to Wales and provided to the Welsh Government. Am I to believe, then, that there will be more funding coming now from the UK Labour Government in terms of helping us with our water pollution? Will you be taking the steps that the UK Labour Government are taking now by bringing forward a Bill, or working with them on how we can replicate the actions that they’re doing here?
I’ve previously pointed out that it is a weakness that NRW cannot accept environmental undertakings for breaches under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016, unlike the Environment Agency in England, to stop environmental fine revenues from leaving Wales and going to the UK Treasury. When I’ve criticised NRW, they just turn around to me and say, ‘But, Janet, that funding goes into the UK Treasury.' So, Cabinet Secretary, what steps are you taking to work with the UK Government now to keep that money here in Wales? A classic example is Jeff Lane. He caused a devastating loss to the environment by the illegal felling of 2,000 trees in 2019. He was fined nearly £13,000 in total, and handed a confiscation order. If we could have had that £13,000 fine retained here, then that money could have gone back into the environment when there's been a breach. They could have used the money for planting trees.
Diolch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Mae'n debyg y gallai rhywun ddadlau, dros y 26 mlynedd diwethaf yn y lle hwn, a datganoli Cymru, ei bod yn deg dweud bod 12 mlynedd wedi bod o dan Lywodraeth Lafur yn y DU, ac wrth gwrs, y 14 mlynedd diwethaf o dan Lywodraeth Geidwadol, ac am fy 13 mlynedd yma, roedd llawer o feirniadaeth ynglŷn â diffyg adnoddau gan Lywodraeth y DU i'r fan hon, er bod £1.20 am bob £1 a werir yn Lloegr yn cael ei roi i Gymru a'i ddarparu i Lywodraeth Cymru. A yw'n wir, felly, y bydd mwy o gyllid yn dod nawr gan Lywodraeth Lafur y DU i'n helpu gyda'n llygredd dŵr? A fyddwch chi'n cymryd y camau y mae Llywodraeth Lafur y DU yn eu cymryd nawr drwy gyflwyno Bil, neu'n gweithio gyda nhw ar sut y gallwn efelychu'r camau y maent yn eu cymryd yma?
Rwyf wedi nodi o'r blaen ei bod yn wendid na all CNC dderbyn ymgymeriadau amgylcheddol am dorri rheolau o dan Reoliadau Trwyddedu Amgylcheddol (Cymru a Lloegr) 2016, yn wahanol i Asiantaeth yr Amgylchedd yn Lloegr, er mwyn atal refeniw dirwyon amgylcheddol rhag gadael Cymru a mynd i Drysorlys y DU. Pan fyddaf yn beirniadu CNC, maent yn dweud wrthyf, 'Ond, Janet, mae'r cyllid hwnnw'n mynd i Drysorlys y DU.' Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, pa gamau rydych chi'n eu cymryd i weithio gyda Llywodraeth y DU nawr i gadw'r arian hwnnw yma yng Nghymru? Enghraifft glasurol yw Jeff Lane. Achosodd golled ddinistriol i'r amgylchedd drwy gwympo 2,000 o goed yn anghyfreithlon yn 2019. Cafodd ddirwy o bron i £13,000 i gyd, a chafodd orchymyn atafaelu. Pe gallem fod wedi cadw'r ddirwy o £13,000 yma, gallai'r arian hwnnw fod wedi mynd yn ôl i mewn i'r amgylchedd pan fu tramgwydd. Gallent fod wedi defnyddio'r arian i blannu coed.
I’ve allowed you over two minutes for your second question. I think there's enough to answer there, Cabinet Secretary.
Rwyf wedi caniatáu mwy na 2 funud i chi ar gyfer eich ail gwestiwn. Rwy'n credu bod digon i'w ateb yno, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet.
Would you agree that it's better if that money is kept in Wales, and will you work towards that aim?
A fyddech chi'n cytuno ei bod hi'n well pe bai'r arian hwnnw'n cael ei gadw yng Nghymru, ac a wnewch chi weithio tuag at y nod hwnnw?
I’ll certainly be, as I said in my response to the earlier question, very keen to work with the UK Government on this. I’m pleased to see that there is legislation proposed that the UK Government will be bringing forward. I think they’ve made clear within that that some of that will be to send the right signals to water companies and others that they will be held very accountable with new measures being brought forward. So, we’re looking forward to working with that legislation as the detail becomes clear in very much a partnership approach.
In respect of the question you asked about more funding, 'I don’t know yet' is the answer. Rachel Reeves has made very clear, as the new Chancellor incoming, that she does not like the look of what she has now seen. We have to see the detail of what comes forward in the budget, but I think there’s no great expectation that taps will suddenly be turned on—not in the immediate future, without a doubt. In which case, we, NRW, everybody here within Wales, will need to work within the current financial constraints that we have, but to do it in the way that we do in Wales, which is working in partnership to say to everybody, ‘You’ve all got a role to play; within your constraints, make sure that you are clear on your statutory responsibilities and this is a shared endeavour to clean up our rivers.’ I’m very pleased, by the way, that the public focus on this is so intense, because that helps drive all of us then as politicians to do the right thing.
Fel y dywedais yn fy ateb i'r cwestiwn cynharach, byddaf yn sicr yn awyddus iawn i weithio gyda Llywodraeth y DU ar hyn. Rwy'n falch o weld bod deddfwriaeth wedi ei chynnig y bydd Llywodraeth y DU yn ei chyflwyno. Rwy'n credu eu bod wedi nodi'n glir o'i mewn mai peth o hynny fydd anfon yr arwyddion cywir at gwmnïau dŵr ac eraill y byddant yn cael eu dwyn i gyfrif yn bendant iawn gyda'r mesurau newydd sy'n cael eu cyflwyno. Felly, rydym yn edrych ymlaen at weithio gyda'r ddeddfwriaeth honno wrth i'r manylion ddod yn glir mewn dull partneriaeth pendant iawn.
Ar y cwestiwn a ofynnoch chi am fwy o gyllid, 'Nid wyf yn gwybod eto' yw'r ateb. Mae Rachel Reeves wedi dweud yn glir iawn, fel Canghellor newydd, nad yw'n hoffi'r hyn y mae wedi ei weld nawr. Mae'n rhaid inni weld manylion yr hyn sy'n dod yn y gyllideb, ond rwy'n credu nad oes disgwyl mawr y bydd tapiau'n sydyn yn cael eu hagor—nid yn y dyfodol agos yn sicr. Os felly, bydd angen i ni, Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru, pawb yma yng Nghymru, weithio o fewn y cyfyngiadau ariannol presennol sydd gennym, ond ei wneud yn y ffordd y'i gwnawn yng Nghymru, sef gweithio mewn partneriaeth a dweud wrth bawb, 'Mae gennych chi i gyd ran i'w chwarae; o fewn eich cyfyngiadau, gwnewch yn siŵr eich bod yn glir ynghylch eich cyfrifoldebau statudol ac mae hon yn ymdrech ar y cyd i lanhau ein hafonydd.' Rwy'n falch iawn, gyda llaw, fod ffocws y cyhoedd mor gadarn ar hyn, oherwydd mae hynny'n helpu i ysgogi pob un ohonom fel gwleidyddion i wneud y peth iawn.
In terms of Rachel Reeves, it's fair to say at least the outgoing Chancellor didn't leave a note saying there's absolutely no money left.
Finally, in two weeks, farmers across Wales are going to feel the full force of the Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021. The impact will be severe on many of our farms—many of our innocent farmers who have never polluted in their lifetime. Even where a farm has no record of agricultural pollution, they are technically being fined financially. For example, a dairy farm in north Wales is required to make a £50,000 capital investment to extend a lagoon so as to increase capacity to cope with the closed periods. Will you now look at this and try to work with our farmers, and acknowledge once and for all that very rarely are the pollution incidents the fault of farmers?
In my own constituency, we’ve had several, and they’ve all been water company related. And I don’t blame Dŵr Cymru for all of those. Too often we—. Well, I don’t, actually, but individuals flush wipes and things down the toilet and that then can cause a major blockage. In one instance, hundreds of fish died in a river in Aberconwy and it was purely because everything stalled to a halt because of people—. When are you going to start putting out real guidance, real education, that it is not acceptable that those items are flushable? Thank you.
O ran Rachel Reeves, mae'n deg dweud o leiaf na adawodd y Canghellor sy'n gadael nodyn yn dweud nad oes arian ar ôl.
Yn olaf, mewn pythefnos, mae ffermwyr ledled Cymru yn mynd i deimlo grym llawn Rheoliadau Adnoddau Dŵr (Rheoli Llygredd Amaethyddol) (Cymru) 2021. Bydd yr effaith yn ddifrifol ar lawer o'n ffermydd—ar lawer o'n ffermwyr diniwed sydd erioed yn eu bywydau wedi llygru. Hyd yn oed lle nad oes gan fferm hanes o lygredd amaethyddol, yn dechnegol fe gânt ddirwy ariannol. Er enghraifft, mae'n ofynnol i fferm laeth yng ngogledd Cymru wneud buddsoddiad cyfalaf o £50,000 i ymestyn merllyn er mwyn cynyddu'r gallu i ymdopi â'r cyfnodau gwaharddedig. A wnewch chi edrych ar hyn nawr a cheisio gweithio gyda'n ffermwyr, a chydnabod unwaith ac am byth mai prin iawn yw'r achosion o lygredd sy'n fai ar ffermwyr?
Yn fy etholaeth i, rydym wedi cael sawl achos, ac maent i gyd wedi bod yn gysylltiedig â chwmni dŵr. Ac nid wyf yn beio Dŵr Cymru am bob un o'r rheini. Yn rhy aml rydym—. Wel, nid wyf i, mewn gwirionedd, ond mae unigolion yn fflysio weips gwlyb a phethau i lawr y toiled a gall hynny achosi rhwystr mawr wedyn. Mewn un achos, bu farw cannoedd o bysgod mewn afon yn Aberconwy a hynny am fod popeth wedi arafu i stop oherwydd bod pobl—. Pryd ydych chi'n mynd i ddechrau rhoi arweiniad go iawn, addysg go iawn, nad yw'n dderbyniol i bobl fflysio'r eitemau hynny? Diolch.
Thank you very much. I’m pleased this has been raised again on the floor today. Genuinely, I’m pleased it has been raised. There are multiple sources of pollution, of course, but where agricultural pollution through slurry management is the issue, we do need to tackle it. But I’ll repeat what I’ve made clear already today on the floor of the Siambr, which is that, within the regulatory structure, we would hope and anticipate that those on the front line would work with farmers on a case-by-case basis to look at each example. If there are issues where farmers have genuine pressures and constraints that mean they cannot get the stores in place, get the management in place, and so on, we’d expect that to be looked at on a case-by-case basis. But we have to comply with the regulatory structure, which is designed to ensure that we are avoiding preventable incidents of slurry and effluent washing into our rivers and watercourses, because of the earlier questions—exactly what we were saying. A pragmatic case-by-case approach but within the regulatory constraints that we operate is what I would hope and expect to be happening.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Rwy'n falch fod hyn wedi ei godi eto ar y llawr heddiw. O ddifrif, rwy'n falch ei fod wedi cael ei godi. Mae sawl ffynhonnell o lygredd, wrth gwrs, ond lle mae'r broblem yn deillio o lygredd amaethyddol yn sgil rheoli slyri, mae angen inni fynd i'r afael â hi. Ond rwyf am ailadrodd yr hyn a wneuthum yn glir ar lawr y Siambr eisoes heddiw, sef y byddem yn gobeithio ac yn rhagweld, o fewn y strwythur rheoleiddiol, y byddai'r rhai ar y rheng flaen yn gweithio gyda ffermwyr fesul achos i edrych ar bob enghraifft. Os oes problemau lle mae ffermwyr o dan bwysau a chyfyngiadau gwirioneddol sy'n golygu na allant gael y storfeydd i'w lle, a'r rheolaeth ar waith ac yn y blaen, byddem yn disgwyl i hynny gael ei ystyried fesul achos. Ond mae'n rhaid inni gydymffurfio â'r strwythur rheoleiddiol, sydd wedi'i gynllunio i sicrhau ein bod yn osgoi digwyddiadau y gellir eu hatal o slyri ac elifiant yn golchi i mewn i'n hafonydd a'n cyrsiau dŵr, oherwydd y cwestiynau cynharach—yn union yr hyn yr oeddem yn ei ddweud. Dull pragmataidd fesul achos ond o fewn y cyfyngiadau rheoleiddio a weithredwn yw'r hyn y byddwn yn gobeithio ac yn disgwyl ei weld yn digwydd.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Delyth Jewell.
Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Delyth Jewell.
Diolch, Llywydd. Cabinet Secretary, I’d like to ask you about devolving the Crown Estate, please, which would empower Wales to directly manage and benefit from our natural resources and generate potentially billions of pounds in revenue and local economic growth. Despite repeated assertions of support from the Welsh Government for its devolution, it appears that it remains neither a priority for the First Minister nor even an afterthought for the UK Labour Government. This lack of urgency is undermining our ability to plan for our future. So, would you outline, please, how you’ve been working with the former Cabinet Secretary for energy to press the UK Government for the devolution of the Crown Estate?
Diolch, Lywydd. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, hoffwn ofyn i chi ynglŷn â datganoli Ystad y Goron, os gwelwch yn dda, a fyddai'n grymuso Cymru i reoli'n uniongyrchol ac elwa o'n hadnoddau naturiol a chynhyrchu biliynau o bunnoedd posibl mewn refeniw a thwf economaidd lleol. Er gwaethaf honiadau dro ar ôl tro o gefnogaeth gan Lywodraeth Cymru i'w datganoli, ymddengys nad yw'n parhau i fod yn flaenoriaeth i'r Prif Weinidog na hyd yn oed yn ôl-ystyriaeth i Lywodraeth Lafur y DU. Mae'r diffyg diddordeb hwn yn tanseilio ein gallu i gynllunio ar gyfer ein dyfodol. Felly, a wnewch chi amlinellu, os gwelwch yn dda, sut rydych chi wedi bod yn gweithio gyda chyn Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros ynni i bwyso ar Lywodraeth y DU i ddatganoli Ystad y Goron?
Both the former Cabinet Secretary for the economy and energy and I, in discussions that we’ve had—and other Cabinet colleagues have had—with the Crown Estate, have made clear that we want to make sure that the huge opportunities that can be seized all along Wales’s coast are optimised by making sure that we capture the social value and the local supply chains during the bidding process in particular so that those opportunities can be truly transformative. I hope, if the Crown Estate is once again listening to proceedings here today, as I know they do, they will get that message very clearly. There is a way of taking forward the bidding process in seeking to sustainably achieve those opportunities there, particularly with things like floating offshore wind, so that they can benefit the communities within Wales, and the supply chain and the manufacturing and so on.
Just to say, the changes that have been proposed, I understand, today, and what we've heard about within the proposals with the UK Government, seem to be a step in the right direction. And we really welcome the opportunity to collaborate now with the UK Government on the proposals and the progression towards the devolution of the Crown Estate in Wales, which remains our aspiration. There are details that have to be worked out on that as well, but I think the positive engagement that we've seen so far from the UK Government on maximising the benefits of the way that the Crown Estate operates currently within Wales bodes well for the future as well.
Mae cyn-Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr economi ac ynni a minnau, mewn trafodaethau a gawsom—ac y mae cyd-Aelodau eraill yn y Cabinet wedi'u cael—gydag Ystad y Goron, wedi dweud yn glir ein bod am wneud yn siŵr fod y cyfleoedd enfawr y gellir manteisio arnynt ar hyd arfordir Cymru yn cael eu hoptimeiddio drwy sicrhau ein bod yn cael y gwerth cymdeithasol a'r cadwyni cyflenwi lleol yn ystod y broses geisiadau yn enwedig fel y gall y cyfleoedd hynny fod yn wirioneddol drawsnewidiol. Os yw Ystad y Goron unwaith eto yn gwrando ar y trafodion yma heddiw, fel y gwn eu bod yn ei wneud, rwy'n gobeithio y byddant yn cael y neges honno'n glir iawn. Mae yna ffordd o ddatblygu'r broses geisiadau a cheisio sicrhau'r cyfleoedd hynny'n gynaliadwy, yn enwedig gyda phethau fel ffermydd gwynt arnofiol ar y môr, fel y gallant fod o fudd i'r cymunedau yng Nghymru, a'r gadwyn gyflenwi a'r gweithgynhyrchu ac yn y blaen.
Os caf ddweud, mae'n ymddangos bod y newidiadau sydd wedi'u cynnig heddiw, rwy'n deall, a'r hyn y clywsom amdano yn y cynigion gan Lywodraeth y DU, yn gam i'r cyfeiriad cywir. Ac rydym o ddifrif yn croesawu'r cyfle i gydweithio gyda Llywodraeth y DU nawr ar y cynigion a chamu ymlaen tuag at ddatganoli Ystad y Goron yng Nghymru, sef ein huchelgais o hyd. Mae manylion y mae'n rhaid gweithio drwyddynt ar hynny hefyd, ond credaf fod yr ymgysylltiad cadarnhaol a welsom hyd yma gan Lywodraeth y DU ar wneud y mwyaf o fanteision y ffordd y mae Ystad y Goron yn gweithredu yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd yn argoeli'n dda ar gyfer y dyfodol hefyd.
Diolch am hynna. Byddai datganoli Ystâd y Goron, wrth gwrs, yn rhoi'r gallu i ni osod termau prosiectau ynni yn y dyfodol. Byddai e'n ein galluogi ni i sicrhau bod y prosiectau yn cyd-fynd â'n targedau amgylcheddol ac anghenion ein cymunedau. Mae gosod rhain, efallai, mewn termau cymdeithasol—. Rwy'n poeni ychydig byddai hwnna'n amhosibl heb ddatganoli'r pwerau hyn—rhai o'r newidiadau cymdeithasol dŷch chi eisiau gwneud.
Rwy'n croesawu'r ffaith eich bod chi'n dweud bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn dal â hyn fel aspiration. Buaswn i eisiau clywed gennych chi fod hyn nid dim ond yn aspriation, ond fod hyn yn rhywbeth dŷch chi'n mynd i fynnu gan San Steffan. A allwch chi osod mas i ni sut ŷch chi'n meddwl bydd datganoli Ystâd y Goron yn galluogi Cymru i ddatblygu'r prosiectau hyn ar gyfer ein hanghenion ni yn y dyfodol? Ydych chi'n cytuno â fi fod datganoli Ystâd y Goron nid dim ond yn bwysig, ond yn hanfodol i ni gyrraedd ein nodau newid hinsawdd ac amgylcheddol ni?
Thank you for that. Devolving the Crown Estate, of course, would provide us the opportunity to set the terms of energy projects in the future. It would enable us to ensure that those projects align with our environmental targets and the needs of our communities. Setting this in social terms, I'm concerned that that would be impossible to do without the devolution of these powers—some of those social changes that you wish to see being made.
I welcome the fact that you say that the Welsh Government still has this as an aspiration. I would want to hear an assurance from you that this isn't just an aspiration, but something that you will be demanding from Westminster. So, could you set out how the devolution of the Crown Estate would enable Wales to develop these projects for our energy requirements in the future? Do you agree with me that devolving the Crown Estate isn't just important, but it is vital so that we reach our climate change and environmental targets?
What is absolutely crucial is that the Crown Estate works with us, either under future devolution or actually right here, right now, because the work that's going on with the port authorities in Milford Haven and Port Talbot and elsewhere, the work that's going on in the supply chain to maximise the opportunities and drive those opportunities here within Wales, and the jobs and green growth that will come with that, requires the Crown Estate to actively work with us now. I've got to say, my predecessor—sorry, my predecessor in the climate change role—and the former Cabinet Secretary as well was always very clear in very productive meetings with the Crown Estate that there was an expectation that they work with us right here, right now. And they have done so and they are keen to work. They understand the social value and the economic value that we want to deliver here in Wales. So, regardless of the devolution of the Crown Estate, we should be doing this anyway; Crown Estate should be working with us. And we are hopeful that they will continue to do that and that they will listen to the overtures being made, which means that they tailor the way that they take forward this process in a way that is of benefit to Wales, and delivers those green jobs here and doesn't automatically offshore that green growth to other nations. Good as that will be for those nations, we want them here in Wales. I'm smiling as I say that because I really hope they are reading the transcript here, and I think they are.
Yr hyn sy'n gwbl hanfodol yw bod Ystad y Goron yn gweithio gyda ni, naill ai o dan ddatganoli yn y dyfodol neu yma nawr mewn gwirionedd, oherwydd mae'r gwaith sy'n digwydd gydag awdurdodau'r porthladd yn Aberdaugleddau a Phort Talbot a mannau eraill, y gwaith sy'n digwydd yn y gadwyn gyflenwi i wneud y mwyaf o'r cyfleoedd a gyrru'r cyfleoedd hynny yma yng Nghymru, a'r swyddi a'r twf gwyrdd a ddaw yn sgil hynny, yn ei gwneud yn ofynnol i Ystad y Goron fynd ati i weithio gyda ni nawr. Mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, roedd fy rhagflaenydd—fy rhagflaenydd yn y rôl newid hinsawdd, mae'n ddrwg gennyf—a chyn-Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet hefyd bob amser yn glir iawn mewn cyfarfodydd cynhyrchiol iawn gydag Ystad y Goron fod yna ddisgwyliad eu bod yn gweithio gyda ni yma, nawr. Ac maent wedi gwneud hynny ac maent yn awyddus i weithio. Maent yn deall y gwerth cymdeithasol a'r gwerth economaidd yr ydym am ei gyflawni yma yng Nghymru. Felly, ni waeth am ddatganoli Ystad y Goron, dylem fod yn gwneud hyn beth bynnag; dylai Ystad y Goron fod yn gweithio gyda ni. Ac rydym yn obeithiol y byddant yn parhau i wneud hynny ac y byddant yn gwrando ar y sylwadau a wneir, er mwyn iddynt deilwra'r ffordd y maent yn bwrw ymlaen â'r broses hon mewn ffordd sydd o fudd i Gymru, ac yn darparu'r swyddi gwyrdd hynny yma ac nad yw'n awtomatig yn tramori'r twf gwyrdd hwnnw i wledydd eraill. Er mor dda y byddai i'r gwledydd hynny, rydym ei eisiau yma yng Nghymru. Rwy'n gwenu wrth imi ddweud hynny oherwydd rwy'n gobeithio'n wirioneddol eu bod yn darllen y trawsgrifiad fan hyn, ac rwy'n meddwl eu bod.
Diolch. Well, I hope that they're reading the transcript as well. And certainly, in terms of what happens in the here and now, of course, I agree with you. But I would like to press you on that point, because you said it's regardless of whether it's devolved. Do you believe that it isn't just a nice-to-have and it wouldn't just help, but that it is essential for us to have those powers here in Wales? And, if you do believe that it will be essential for us to actually achieve the level of ambition that we want in terms of harnessing our resources and benefiting our communities, if you think that that is essential, how will you convince some members of Keir Starmer's Cabinet that that is the case, that this isn't about processes or tinkering with processes, that this isn't even just about principles, but it's about Wales's climate future, it's about future skills, the needs of our communities today and tomorrow? So, do you believe that it is essential, and how will you convince Keir Starmer's Cabinet?
Diolch. Wel, rwy'n gobeithio eu bod yn darllen y trawsgrifiad hefyd. Ac yn sicr, o ran yr hyn sy'n digwydd yma nawr wrth gwrs, rwy'n cytuno â chi. Ond hoffwn bwyso arnoch ar y pwynt hwnnw, oherwydd fe ddywedoch chi 'ni waeth am ei ddatganoli'. A ydych chi'n credu mai peth braf i'w gael yn unig ydyw ac mai helpu'n unig a wnâi, yn hytrach na'i bod yn hanfodol i ni gael y pwerau hynny yma yng Nghymru? Ac os ydych chi'n credu y bydd yn hanfodol i ni gyflawni'r lefel o uchelgais yr ydym ei heisiau i harneisio ein hadnoddau a bod o fudd i'n cymunedau, os ydych chi'n credu bod hynny'n hanfodol, sut y gwnewch chi argyhoeddi aelodau o Gabinet Keir Starmer ei fod yn hanfodol, ei fod yn fwy na phrosesau a ffidlan gyda phrosesau, yn fwy na mater o egwyddor yn unig, ond yn hytrach ei fod yn ymwneud â dyfodol hinsawdd Cymru, â sgiliau'r dyfodol, anghenion ein cymunedau heddiw ac yfory? Felly, a ydych chi'n credu ei fod yn hanfodol, a sut y gwnewch chi argyhoeddi Cabinet Keir Starmer?
Yes, how do we convince? It is the classic conundrum of politics. It's to do with the quality of engagement. What I have noticed in the last few days, last couple of weeks—is it that long already since the general election—is simply that the quality of engagement now is there, and the regularity of engagement that we now anticipate as well. And that enables us to have those productive discussions so that we can progress towards devolution of the Crown Estate, but working through, as well, the details. What we don't want is unintended consequences. We've seen this too often in areas of devolution before. So, we need to make sure that we've got a productive engagement with it so that, if we get to that point where we have full devolution of the Crown Estate, it also works very well for Wales. But, in the meantime, our focus is saying to the Crown Estate, 'Keep on working with us, because we need to maximise the benefits here and now', as we seek to maximise the opportunities from things such as offshore wind.
Ie, sut mae argyhoeddi? Mae'n benbleth clasurol mewn gwleidyddiaeth. Mae'n ymwneud ag ansawdd yr ymgysylltiad. Yr hyn a nodais yn ystod y dyddiau diwethaf, yr wythnos neu ddwy ddiwethaf—a oes cymaint â hynny'n barod ers yr etholiad cyffredinol—yw bod ymgysylltiad o ansawdd yno nawr, ac rydym yn rhagweld y bydd ymgysylltu rheolaidd bellach hefyd. Ac mae hynny'n ein galluogi i gael trafodaethau cynhyrchiol fel y gallwn symud ymlaen tuag at ddatganoli Ystad y Goron, ond gan weithio drwy'r manylion hefyd. Nid ydym eisiau canlyniadau anfwriadol. Rydym wedi gweld hyn yn rhy aml mewn meysydd datganoli o'r blaen. Felly, mae angen inni sicrhau bod gennym ymgysylltiad cynhyrchiol fel ei fod yn gweithio'n dda iawn i Gymru os cyrhaeddwn y pwynt lle caiff Ystad y Goron ei datganoli'n llawn. Ond yn y cyfamser, rydym yn canolbwyntio ar ddweud wrth Ystad y Goron, 'Daliwch ati i weithio gyda ni, oherwydd mae angen inni sicrhau'r buddion mwyaf posibl yma nawr', wrth inni geisio manteisio i'r eithaf ar y cyfleoedd o bethau fel gwynt ar y môr.
3. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i hyrwyddo mynediad diogel i ddyfrffyrdd? OQ61479
3. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to promote safe access to waterways? OQ61479
Thank you, Altaf. On 8 May, I had the privilege of attending a Water Safety Wales event in the Senedd, highlighting the new partnership between Water Safety Wales and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents to promote water safety across Wales, which this Government is funding. It will support key partners to enhance water safety right across Wales.
Diolch, Altaf. Ar 8 Mai, cefais y fraint o fynychu digwyddiad Diogelwch Dŵr Cymru yn y Senedd, i dynnu sylw at y bartneriaeth newydd rhwng Diogelwch Dŵr Cymru a'r Gymdeithas Frenhinol er Atal Damweiniau i hyrwyddo diogelwch dŵr ledled Cymru y mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn ei chyllido. Bydd yn cefnogi partneriaid allweddol i wella diogelwch dŵr ledled Cymru.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. As we enter the last few days before the school holidays, it is vital that we do everything we can to remind children of the dangers of our waterways and bodies of water. The allure of a pond, lake, river or canal can be too tempting, especially if summer ever makes an appearance, which I think may be this weekend. However, in recent years, we have seen the tragic consequences of not understanding the dangers lurking beneath the glittery surface. Far too many young people have drowned playing on or near bodies of water. Therefore, Cabinet Secretary, what steps are the Welsh Government taking to warn children and young people of the dangers of open water, and what are you doing to promote safer alternatives to unmonitored waterways and bodies of water?
Diolch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Ar drothwy gwyliau'r ysgol, mae'n hanfodol ein bod yn gwneud popeth yn ein gallu i atgoffa plant o beryglon ein dyfrffyrdd a'n crynofeydd dŵr. Gall atyniad pwll dŵr, llyn, afon neu gamlas fod yn ormod o demtasiwn, yn enwedig os daw'r haf i'r golwg, a chredaf y gallai hynny ddigwydd y penwythnos hwn. Fodd bynnag, yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf, rydym wedi gweld canlyniadau trasig peidio â deall y peryglon sy'n llechu o dan yr wyneb disglair. Mae llawer gormod o bobl ifanc wedi boddi yn chwarae ar neu ger crynofeydd dŵr. Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i rybuddio plant a phobl ifanc am beryglon dŵr agored, a beth ydych chi'n ei wneud i hyrwyddo dewisiadau amgen mwy diogel yn lle dyfrffyrdd a chrynofeydd dŵr heb eu monitro?
Altaf, thank you, and other Members, for championing this, and it's a timely moment in the year, as many of our young people, and others, will seek to go out and enjoy the countryside, including some of the inland and coastal areas of water. But we need to understand the risks, and educate about the risks within that as well, so that people know their limitations, as well as enjoying safely the outdoor environment.
I mentioned briefly the event that we held in the Pierhead as part of a Senedd event here. As part of that, that brings together educational programmes targeting schools, communities and families on water safety; it brings together a new partnership that seeks to enhance water safety measures at high-risk locations, and it is those sorts of locations that my three sons used to go to. I won't mention where it is, but it's an inland area where loads of local people will go to on a hot day, not fully aware of the risks of it and the depth of the water and so on there. Parents will have their heart really beating away as they hope their children are safe and sound. So, some of the partnership approaches are to do with improved signage at these high-risk locations, the installation of life-saving equipment, as appropriate, conducting regular risk assessments as well, and also it's to do with raising awareness and educating the public on water safety, so we can actually empower individuals to enjoy our waterways, but do it safely. We're also, by the way, Llywydd, illuminating our Cathays Park office blue on Tuesday 25 July to mark World Drowning Prevention Day. This highlights the importance of water safety, particularly as children and young people are amongst the most vulnerable in our country. So, thank you for the question.
Altaf, diolch i chi, ac i Aelodau eraill, am hyrwyddo hyn, ac mae'n foment amserol yn y flwyddyn, gan y bydd llawer o'n pobl ifanc, ac eraill, yn mynd allan i fwynhau cefn gwlad, gan gynnwys dŵr mewndirol ac ar yr arfordir. Ond mae angen inni ddeall y risgiau, ac addysgu am y risgiau o fewn hynny hefyd, fel bod pobl yn ymwybodol o'u galluoedd, yn ogystal â gallu mwynhau'r amgylchedd awyr agored yn ddiogel.
Soniais yn fyr am y digwyddiad a gynhaliwyd gennym yn y Pierhead fel rhan o ddigwyddiad Senedd yma. Rhan ohono yw dod â rhaglenni addysgol at ei gilydd i dargedu ysgolion, cymunedau a theuluoedd ar ddiogelwch dŵr; mae'n dod â phartneriaeth newydd at ei gilydd sy'n ceisio gwella mesurau diogelwch dŵr mewn lleoliadau risg uchel, a'r mathau hynny o leoliadau yr arferai fy nhri mab fynd iddynt. Ni wnaf sôn lle mae, ond mae'n ardal fewndirol lle bydd llwyth o bobl leol yn mynd ar ddiwrnod poeth, heb fod yn llwyr ymwybodol o'r risgiau a dyfnder y dŵr ac yn y blaen. Bydd calonnau rhieni'n curo'n gyflym wrth iddynt obeithio bod eu plant yn ddiogel. Felly, mae rhai o'r dulliau partneriaeth yn ymwneud â gwell arwyddion yn y lleoliadau risg uchel hyn, gosod offer achub bywyd, fel y bo'n briodol, cynnal asesiadau risg rheolaidd hefyd, a hefyd mae'n ymwneud â chodi ymwybyddiaeth ac addysgu'r cyhoedd ynglŷn â diogelwch dŵr, fel y gallwn rymuso unigolion i fwynhau ein dyfrffyrdd, ond ei wneud yn ddiogel. Gyda llaw, Lywydd, rydym hefyd yn goleuo ein swyddfa ym Mharc Cathays yn las ddydd Mawrth 25 Gorffennaf i nodi Diwrnod Atal Boddi y Byd. Mae'n tynnu sylw at bwysigrwydd diogelwch dŵr, yn enwedig gan fod plant a phobl ifanc ymhlith y rhai mwyaf agored i niwed yn ein gwlad. Felly, diolch am y cwestiwn.
4. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i fynd i'r afael â thipio anghyfreithlon? OQ61477
4. What action is the Welsh Government taking to address fly-tipping? OQ61477
We continue to support local authorities and others across Wales through funding the Fly-tipping Action Wales programme. This team co-ordinates partner interventions, it provides technical support and assists with successful enforcement actions. It also delivers national campaigns that raise awareness of the impacts of fly-tipping and it encourages responsible waste disposal.
Rydym yn parhau i gefnogi awdurdodau lleol ac eraill ledled Cymru drwy ariannu rhaglen Taclo Tipio Cymru. Mae'r tîm yn cydlynu ymyriadau partner, mae'n darparu cymorth technegol ac yn cynorthwyo gyda chamau gorfodi llwyddiannus. Mae hefyd yn darparu ymgyrchoedd cenedlaethol sy'n codi ymwybyddiaeth o effeithiau tipio anghyfreithlon ac mae'n annog gwaredu gwastraff yn gyfrifol.
Fly-tipping, Cabinet Secretary, is a blight on our communities across Wales and, unfortunately, it's becoming increasingly common in Labour-run Denbighshire, which has just rolled out an absolutely shambolic new recycling system. It's resulting in waste going uncollected for up to seven weeks at some people's properties and, as a result of that, many people are taking action to get rid of the waste from their properties by breaking the law and dumping it on streets, dumping it next to waste bins, public waste bins, and dumping it in alleyways. Clearly, that is unacceptable behaviour that needs to be addressed, but the root cause of this is the shambolic operation of that new recycling system. What action is the Welsh Government taking to make sure that people get their waste collected frequently, on schedule without the sort of problems that residents in Denbighshire are having to face?
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae tipio anghyfreithlon yn falltod ar ein cymunedau ledled Cymru ac yn anffodus, mae'n dod yn fwyfwy cyffredin yn sir Ddinbych dan arweiniad Llafur, sydd newydd gyflwyno system ailgylchu newydd hollol ddi-drefn. Mae'n arwain at wastraff yn mynd heb ei gasglu am hyd at saith wythnos yn eiddo rhai pobl ac o ganlyniad i hynny, mae llawer o bobl yn cymryd camau i gael gwared ar y gwastraff oddi ar eu heiddo drwy dorri'r gyfraith a'i adael ar strydoedd, ei adael wrth ymyl biniau gwastraff, biniau gwastraff cyhoeddus, a'i daflu i alïau. Yn amlwg, mae hynny'n ymddygiad annerbyniol y mae angen mynd i'r afael ag ef, ond gwraidd hyn yw gweithrediad anhrefnus y system ailgylchu newydd. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i sicrhau bod pobl yn cael eu gwastraff wedi ei gasglu'n aml, yn ôl yr amserlen heb y math o broblemau y mae'n rhaid i drigolion sir Ddinbych eu hwynebu?
There are two issues you raise there, and let me say first of all, in terms of Denbighshire, the Welsh Government's expert advisers from WRAP Cymru and local partnership are providing Denbighshire County Council with advice and practical support, and this includes identifying and rectifying the uncollected waste and associated litter problems caused by the recent changes. This support will continue until the matter is resolved, and we continue to monitor the situation. But, just to say, the pains that Denbighshire are going through are not dissimilar from pains that other local authorities have gone through on the journey to taking us to the point of being second in the world in recycling. Our intention is to move up to first in that table, if we have the support of Members like you to continue on that trajectory. But it is difficult and it can be painful, and I've seen it in my own area when we went through this some years before. But we continue to work with local authorities to help them in that transition.
But the opening point you raised was on the issue of fly-tipping. Let's be absolutely clear across this Chamber that fly-tipping is never justified under any circumstances. Everyone has to take responsibility for ensuring their own waste is disposed of legally, and we will continue to target those who choose to break the law. We have doubled the funding now for Fly-tipping Action Wales over three years—£1.2 million now to enable it to focus on strengthening enforcement action across Wales. It includes new enforcement officers to target known fly-tipping hotspots, and, of course, we're also working with enforcement officers, for example in north Wales, targeting those hotspots in north Wales. There have been several successful investigations and surveillance exercises that have led to prosecutions. So, we need to keep on this and, when we have those prosecutions, we need to publicise them well to get the message out there to people: it's your responsibility to legally dispose of waste.
Rydych chi'n codi dau fater yno, a gadewch imi ddweud yn gyntaf, o ran sir Ddinbych, mae cynghorwyr arbenigol Llywodraeth Cymru o WRAP Cymru a'r bartneriaeth leol yn rhoi cyngor a chymorth ymarferol i Gyngor Sir Ddinbych, ac mae hyn yn cynnwys nodi ac unioni problemau gwastraff heb ei gasglu a sbwriel cysylltiedig a achoswyd gan y newidiadau diweddar. Bydd y gefnogaeth hon yn parhau hyd nes y bydd y mater wedi ei ddatrys, ac rydym yn parhau i fonitro'r sefyllfa. Ond os caf ddweud, nid yw'r poenau y mae sir Ddinbych yn eu dioddef yn annhebyg i'r poenau y mae awdurdodau lleol eraill wedi eu dioddef ar y daith i fynd â ni i'r pwynt o fod yn ail yn y byd am ailgylchu. Ein bwriad yw symud i frig y tabl, os cawn gefnogaeth Aelodau fel chi i barhau ar y trywydd hwnnw. Ond mae'n anodd ac mae'n gallu bod yn boenus, ac rwyf wedi ei weld yn fy ardal i pan aethom drwy hyn rai blynyddoedd yn ôl. Ond rydym yn parhau i weithio gydag awdurdodau lleol i'w helpu drwy'r cyfnod pontio.
Ond roedd y pwynt agoriadol a godwyd gennych ar fater tipio anghyfreithlon. Gadewch inni fod yn gwbl glir ar draws y Siambr hon nad oes modd cyfiawnhau tipio anghyfreithlon mewn unrhyw amgylchiadau. Mae'n rhaid i bawb gymryd cyfrifoldeb am sicrhau bod eu gwastraff eu hunain yn cael ei waredu'n gyfreithlon, a byddwn yn parhau i dargedu'r rhai sy'n dewis torri'r gyfraith. Rydym wedi dyblu'r cyllid i Taclo Tipio Cymru dros dair blynedd—£1.2 miliwn nawr i'w galluogi i ganolbwyntio ar gryfhau camau gorfodi ledled Cymru. Mae'n cynnwys swyddogion gorfodi newydd i dargedu mannau problemus hysbys lle ceir tipio anghyfreithlon, ac wrth gwrs, rydym hefyd yn gweithio gyda swyddogion gorfodi, er enghraifft yng ngogledd Cymru, i dargedu'r mannau problemus hynny yng ngogledd Cymru. Cafwyd sawl ymchwiliad llwyddiannus ac ymarferion gwyliadwriaeth sydd wedi arwain at erlyniadau. Felly, mae angen inni barhau i wneud hyn a phan gawn yr erlyniadau hynny, mae angen inni roi cyhoeddusrwydd da iddynt er mwyn cyfleu'r neges i bobl: eich cyfrifoldeb chi yw gwaredu gwastraff yn gyfreithiol.
5. Pa gamau y bydd yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet yn eu cymryd i annog gweithredu cymunedol dros natur? OQ61461
5. What steps will the Cabinet Secretary take to encourage community action for nature? OQ61461
The Welsh Government supports a range of initiatives to encourage community action for nature, including the nature networks fund, Local Places for Nature and the Bee Friendly scheme. Local nature partnerships are key in helping co-ordinate local action connecting people with nature, whilst helping to tackle the nature and climate emergencies.
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi amrywiaeth o gynlluniau i annog gweithredu cymunedol dros natur, gan gynnwys y gronfa rhwydweithiau natur, Lleoedd Lleol ar gyfer Natur a'r cynllun Caru Gwenyn. Mae partneriaethau natur lleol yn allweddol i helpu i gydlynu gweithredu lleol sy'n cysylltu pobl â natur, gan helpu i fynd i'r afael â'r argyfyngau natur a hinsawdd.
Thank for that answer, Cabinet Secretary. It's really important, I think, that we have as much land available for nature as possible so that we can connect people with those areas, we can encourage volunteering, we can improve biodiversity and access. In my constituency of Newport East, we recently saw Gwent Wildlife Trust open up Bridewell common, an area of land that they've improved and worked on for nature and public access. We're lucky that we have the Gwent levels and the RSPB wetlands reserve, and, of course, the Living Levels partnership working to connect our communities with nature on the Gwent levels. One aspect of all of this, Cabinet Secretary, is, following the decision not to have an M4 relief road, the land that was purchased for that road that will now be available for other uses. Would you agree with me that as much of that land as possible should be used for nature, for biodiversity, for our communities?
Diolch am yr ateb hwnnw, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig iawn fod gennym gymaint o dir â phosibl ar gyfer natur fel y gallwn gysylltu pobl â'r mannau hynny, gallwn annog gwirfoddoli, gallwn wella bioamrywiaeth a mynediad. Yn fy etholaeth i yn Nwyrain Casnewydd, gwelsom Ymddiriedolaeth Bywyd Gwyllt Gwent yn agor Comin Bridewell yn ddiweddar, ardal o dir y maent wedi'i wella ac wedi gweithio arno ar gyfer natur a mynediad i'r cyhoedd. Rydym yn ffodus fod gennym wastadeddau Gwent a gwarchodfa gwlyptiroedd yr RSPB, ac wrth gwrs, y bartneriaeth Gwastadeddau Byw sy'n gweithio i gysylltu ein cymunedau â natur ar wastadeddau Gwent. Un agwedd ar hyn oll, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, yn dilyn y penderfyniad i beidio â chael ffordd liniaru'r M4, yw y bydd y tir a brynwyd ar gyfer y ffordd honno ar gael at ddefnydd arall nawr. A fyddech chi'n cytuno â mi y dylid defnyddio cymaint o'r tir hwnnw â phosibl ar gyfer natur, ar gyfer bioamrywiaeth, ar gyfer ein cymunedau?
John, my thanks for that supplementary, and for your championing of this alongside the Gwent levels working group and the Living Levels landscape partnership. They’re doing incredible work to engage with communities and land managers to help manage and restore, indeed, the biodiversity and the landscape features along the Gwent levels.
Now, some of the land that you mentioned is within the M4 CAN site strategic enhancement plan, so the Welsh Government has been looking at the land assets held for the M4, the M4 CAN sites on or adjacent to the Gwent levels SSSIs, to assess whether they could indeed be more beneficially used to enhance biodiversity, ecosystems and, indeed, sustainable recreation in the context of the levels. So, some of these could, indeed, John, present a unique opportunity to not only improve the quality of the SSSIs in some key areas, but also provide public access, education in the outdoors and exemplar or gateway sites to the Gwent levels. So, the strategic enhancement plan has been produced to inform our approach to this. Advice has been submitted on publishing the strategic enhancement plan, and it's awaiting the decision, but there is real potential, John, and my thanks to you and other volunteers for championing this.
John, diolch am y cwestiwn atodol, ac am hyrwyddo hyn ochr yn ochr â gweithgor gwastadeddau Gwent a phartneriaeth tirwedd Gwastadeddau Byw. Maent yn gwneud gwaith anhygoel ar ymgysylltu â chymunedau a rheolwyr tir i helpu i reoli ac adfer bioamrywiaeth a nodweddion tirwedd ar hyd gwastadeddau Gwent.
Nawr, mae rhywfaint o'r tir y sonioch chi amdano o fewn cynllun gwella safle strategol coridor yr M4 o amgylch Casnewydd (M4 CAN), felly mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn edrych ar yr asedau tir a ddelir ar gyfer yr M4, y safleoedd M4 CAN ar neu gerllaw SoDdGA gwastadeddau Gwent, i asesu a ellid eu defnyddio'n fwy buddiol i wella bioamrywiaeth, ecosystemau a hamdden cynaliadwy yng nghyd-destun y gwastadeddau. Felly, gallai rhai o'r rhain gynnig cyfle unigryw, John, nid yn unig i wella ansawdd y SoDdGA mewn rhai mannau allweddol, ond hefyd i ddarparu mynediad i'r cyhoedd, addysg yn yr awyr agored a safleoedd enghreifftiol neu borth i wastadeddau Gwent. Felly, mae'r cynllun gwella strategol wedi'i lunio i lywio ein dull o ymdrin â hyn. Mae cyngor wedi'i gyflwyno ar gyhoeddi'r cynllun gwella strategol, ac rydym yn aros am y penderfyniad, ond mae gwir botensial, John, a diolch i chi a gwirfoddolwyr eraill am hyrwyddo hyn.
In the Vale of Clwyd, we have Rhyl Cut and Prestatyn Gutter, which are often subject to littering, similar to what Darren Millar mentioned. You name it, it goes in there—shopping trolleys and large items, to say the least—and one of the solutions to this that we've identified with the local authority is making the walkway—we call them 'destiny paths'—but opening those destiny paths to walkways, active travel routes, to take back some of that community pride in the local area, open it up to active travel routes, increase our tourism, promote healthy living and exercise. So, what conversations could you have with Denbighshire County Council, Natural Resources Wales and Welsh Water in terms of making this happen so that everybody can enjoy the best of what the Vale of Clwyd has to offer?
Yn Nyffryn Clwyd, mae gennym Ffos y Rhyl a Gwter Prestatyn, sy'n aml yn dioddef yn sgil taflu sbwriel, yn debyg i'r hyn a grybwyllodd Darren Millar. Beth bynnag y bo, mae'n mynd i mewn yno—trolïau siopa ac eitemau mawr, a dweud y lleiaf—ac un o'r atebion i hyn a nodwyd gennym gyda'r awdurdod lleol yw gwneud y rhodfa—rydym yn eu galw'n 'destiny paths'—ond agor y llwybrau hynny i rodfeydd, llwybrau teithio llesol, i adfer peth o'r balchder cymunedol yn yr ardal leol, eu hagor i lwybrau teithio llesol, cynyddu ein twristiaeth, hyrwyddo byw'n iach ac ymarfer corff. Felly, pa sgyrsiau y gallech eu cael gyda Chyngor Sir Ddinbych, Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru a Dŵr Cymru ynglŷn â gwneud i hyn ddigwydd fel y gall pawb fwynhau'r gorau o'r hyn sydd gan Ddyffryn Clwyd i'w gynnig?
Thank you for that question, and I think it's exciting when there are multiple benefits that can be delivered through projects. Now, I don't know the particular project that you're alluding to there, but, by all means, write to me with some more detail so I can have a look at it. And very often, this does rely on bringing partners together at a local and regional level to see how they can contribute to driving that forward, and meet all their shared objectives—things you mentioned such as active travel, biodiversity restoration, community networks and so on. But this is where the exciting potential does lie. It's not in one big scheme, it's actually partnership led and grass-roots led, community-led initiatives of that sort. But as I said, I don't know the particular project, but write to me and I'll happily come back to you.
Diolch am y cwestiwn hwnnw, ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn gyffrous pan fydd nifer o fanteision y gellir eu darparu trwy brosiectau. Nawr, nid wyf yn ymwybodol o'r prosiect penodol yr ydych chi'n cyfeirio ato yno, ond ar bob cyfrif, ysgrifennwch ataf gyda rhagor o fanylion fel y gallaf edrych ar hynny. Ac yn aml iawn, mae hyn yn dibynnu ar ddod â phartneriaid at ei gilydd ar lefel leol a rhanbarthol i weld sut y gallant gyfrannu at ddatblygu hynny, a bodloni eu holl amcanion cyffredin—pethau y sonioch chi amdanynt megis teithio llesol, adfer bioamrywiaeth, rhwydweithiau cymunedol ac yn y blaen. Ond dyma lle mae'r potensial cyffrous. Nid mewn un cynllun mawr y mae, ond mewn mentrau o'r fath a arweinir gan bartneriaeth, a arweinir ar lawr gwlad, a arweinir gan y gymuned. Ond fel y dywedais, nid wyf yn ymwybodol o'r prosiect penodol, ond ysgrifennwch ataf a byddaf yn hapus i ddod yn ôl atoch.
6. Pa asesiad mae'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet wedi'i wneud o lwyddiant polisïau Llywodraeth Cymru i ddatblygu cadwyni cyflenwi bwyd lleol? OQ61472
6. What assessment has the Cabinet Secretary made of the success of the Welsh Government's policies to develop local food supply chains? OQ61472
Diolch, Siân. Our strategic vision and the associated business support programmes provide vital support to our food and drink industry and its supply chains. Building and strengthening successful partnership working is a priority for the community food strategy. The community food strategy will be published later this year.
Diolch, Siân. Mae ein gweledigaeth strategol a'r rhaglenni cymorth busnes cysylltiedig yn darparu cymorth hanfodol i'n diwydiant bwyd a diod a'i gadwyni cyflenwi. Mae adeiladu a chryfhau gwaith partneriaeth llwyddiannus yn flaenoriaeth i'r strategaeth bwyd cymunedol. Bydd y strategaeth bwyd cymunedol yn cael ei chyhoeddi yn ddiweddarach eleni.
Diolch yn fawr. Mewn datganiad gan y Llywodraeth yn 2022 fe ddywedwyd hyn:
'Mae sicrhau y bydd pob plentyn ysgol gynradd yng Nghymru yn cael prydau ysgol am ddim erbyn 2024, yn cyflwyno cyfle go iawn am newid sylweddol mewn polisi ac ymarfer i drawsnewid y system fwyd'.
A dwy flynedd yn ôl, fe lansiwyd adnodd caffael bwyd arlein, un newydd o'r enw 'Prynu Bwyd Addas at y Dyfodol'. Cyn i hwn gael ei gyflwyno, roedd caffael bwyd yn y sector cyhoeddus werth tua £85 miliwn y flwyddyn, ond dim ond tua chwarter o'r bwyd yna oedd yn tarddu o Gymru. Felly, hoffwn i wybod pa welliant sydd wedi bod ers cyflwyno'r adnodd newydd yma, a pha ganran o fwyd sector cyhoeddus sydd bellach yn tarddu o Gymru? Diolch.
Thank you very much. In a Government statement in 2022 this was said:
'Ensuring that all primary school children in Wales will get free school meals by 2024, presents real opportunity for a major step change in policy and practice to transform the food system'.
And two years ago, a food procurement resource was launched online, a new one called 'Buying Food Fit for the Future'. Before this was introduced, the procurement of food in the public sector was worth around £85 million per annum, but only around a quarter of that food was originally from Wales. So, I'd like to know what improvements there has been since the introduction of that new resource, and what percentage of public sector food now originates from Wales? Thank you.
I don't have the statistics, the data, to hand. I know you wouldn't expect me to have all that at the tip of my fingertips, but I'll happily come back to you on it. But just to say, there is more work to be done in this area, but I think we're starting to show the inroads into it. As you mentioned, we're working very closely now with local authorities and, indeed, NHS colleagues, Cabinet Secretary, to increase the supply of local food into schools and onto hospital plates. And it's also to do with changing mindsets on food procurement, where needed, to one of value creation as opposed to cash savings. Now, that is a crucial step change we need to make with those who are doing the procuring decisions, and there are practical constraints as well, and capacity and capability issues, but we're working on this.
So, to help with this, the new food procurement guidance has been produced. It is catchily titled 'Harnessing the Purchasing Power of the Public Plate: a Legal Guide to Embedding Sustainability into Food Procurement for a Healthier, Wealthier Wales'. That rolls off the tongue. And it's hosted on the new food procurement online resource, 'Buying Food Fit for the Future'. We want to do more now to make sure that we tip the balance in favour of local and regional food firms, whilst remaining compliant with procurement rules. So, we know there's more to do, but I think we're pushing now in the right direction.
Nid oes gennyf yr ystadegau, y data, wrth law. Rwy'n gwybod na fyddech yn disgwyl imi gael hynny i gyd ar flaenau fy mysedd, ond byddaf yn hapus i ddod yn ôl atoch. Ond os caf ddweud, mae rhagor o waith i'w wneud yn y maes, ond rwy'n credu ein bod yn dechrau dangos cynnydd. Fel y nodoch chi, rydym yn gweithio'n agos iawn nawr gydag awdurdodau lleol, a chydweithwyr yn y GIG yn wir, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, i gynyddu'r cyflenwad o fwyd lleol i ysgolion ac ar blatiau ysbytai. Ac mae hefyd yn ymwneud â newid meddylfryd ar gaffael bwyd, lle bo angen, i un sy'n creu gwerth yn hytrach nag arbed arian. Nawr, mae hynny'n newid allweddol y mae angen inni ei wneud gyda'r rhai sy'n gwneud y penderfyniadau caffael, ac mae cyfyngiadau ymarferol hefyd, a materion capasiti a gallu, ond rydym yn gweithio ar hyn.
Felly, er mwyn helpu gyda hyn, mae'r canllawiau newydd ar gaffael bwyd wedi'u cynhyrchu. Mae'n dwyn y teitl bachog 'Pŵer Prynu'r Plât Cyhoeddus: Canllaw Cyfreithiol i Fewnosod Cynaliadwyedd wrth Gaffael Bwyd i greu Cymru Iachach, Fwy Cyfoethog'. Mae'n llifo'n rhwydd. Ac fe'i gwelir ar yr adnodd caffael bwyd ar-lein newydd, 'Prynu Bwyd Addas at y Dyfodol'. Rydym am wneud mwy nawr i sicrhau ein bod yn gogwyddo tuag at gwmnïau bwyd lleol a rhanbarthol, gan barhau i gydymffurfio â rheolau caffael. Felly, rydym yn gwybod bod mwy i'w wneud, ond rwy'n credu ein bod yn gwthio i'r cyfeiriad cywir nawr.
Mae cwestiwn 7 [OQ61476] wedi ei dynnu nôl. Cwestiwn 8 yn olaf, Peredur Owen Griffiths.
Question 7 [OQ61476] has been withdrawn. Finally, question 8, Peredur Owen Griffiths.
8. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet roi diweddariad ar gynlluniau'r Llywodraeth i hyrwyddo perchnogaeth gyfrifol ar gŵn? OQ61462
8. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the Government's plans to promote responsible dog ownership? OQ61462
Diolch, Pered. An update on responsible dog breeding and ownership was published on 13 March this year. Officials in the animal welfare team are continuing to take a multi-agency collaborative approach, working closely with third sector organisations and police forces and local authority colleagues to promote and deliver responsible dog breeding and ownership.
Diolch, Pered. Cafodd diweddariad ar fridio cyfrifol a pherchnogaeth gyfrifol ar gŵn ei gyhoeddi ar 13 Mawrth eleni. Mae swyddogion yn y tîm lles anifeiliaid yn parhau i weithredu dull cydweithredol amlasiantaethol, gan weithio'n agos gyda sefydliadau'r trydydd sector a heddluoedd a chydweithwyr yn yr awdurdodau lleol i hyrwyddo bridio cyfrifol a pherchnogaeth gyfrifol ar gŵn.
Diolch am yr ateb yna a'r update yna.
Thank you for that response and that update.
As you know, Cabinet Secretary, there have been some tragic incidents involving dogs within my region. Banning the XL bully is one tool that's been deployed, but it's not enough in my view. There needs to be a wholescale change in the culture of dog ownership that places more onus on the owner. This is especially needed in light of the increased dog ownership numbers and the number of dog attacks in recent years. I've pushed the Government on this matter, and your predecessor subsequently held a summit and workshop on the matter. Can you reassure us that this issue has not been placed on the back burner and this will be a priority for you? Can you also give an indication of the timeline for change on this matter? In recent weeks there have been even more dog attacks in my region, so we cannot afford to kick this can down the road any longer.
Fel y gwyddoch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, bu rhai digwyddiadau trasig yn ymwneud â chŵn yn fy rhanbarth. Mae gwahardd y bwli XL yn un offeryn sydd wedi'i ddefnyddio, ond nid yw'n ddigon yn fy marn i. Mae angen newid mawr yn niwylliant perchnogaeth ar gŵn sy'n rhoi rhagor o faich ar y perchennog. Mae angen hyn yn arbennig yng ngoleuni'r niferoedd cynyddol o bobl sy'n berchen ar gŵn a nifer yr ymosodiadau gan gŵn yn y blynyddoedd diwethaf. Rwyf wedi gwthio'r Llywodraeth ar y mater hwn, ac wedi hynny, fe gynhaliodd eich rhagflaenydd uwchgynhadledd a gweithdy ar y mater. A allwch chi ein sicrhau nad yw'r mater hwn wedi'i roi o'r neilltu ac y bydd hyn yn flaenoriaeth i chi? A allwch chi hefyd roi syniad o'r amserlen ar gyfer newid ar y mater hwn? Yn ystod yr wythnosau diwethaf, gwelwyd mwy fyth o ymosodiadau gan gŵn yn fy rhanbarth, felly ni allwn fforddio gohirio hyn mwyach.
Peredur, thank you for the supplementary. I've stood for too long in two different Parliaments and seen, week after week, month after month, year after year, dog attacks, and it hasn't only been one breed. This is why the focus really has to be on responsible ownership as well, and I think the approach we are taking in Wales, bringing together those partners I mentioned, to focus on this, is the right approach. We need to do far more in all parts of our community to instil the idea that owning a dog carries significant responsibilities, not least in the way that you keep and you care and you look after that dog and its welfare, and those who are close to that dog as well.
So, as I mentioned—and thank you for pushing on this as well—following the responsible dog ownership summit, which we had back in October 2023, we've had a series of events now, and the momentum is continuing throughout 2024 to explore the next steps that we go on this journey, further recommendations to promote and support responsible dog breeding and ownership. So, you have my commitment: we are keeping this very much front and centre in our objectives within Government, and we'll do it by working with those people who have been affected, the tragedies, but also third sector organisations and those who have been campaigning for so long and so hard for the welfare of dogs and the safety of the general public.
Peredur, diolch am y cwestiwn atodol. Rwyf wedi sefyll yn rhy hir mewn dwy Senedd wahanol ac wedi gweld ymosodiadau gan gŵn wythnos ar ôl wythnos, fis ar ôl mis, flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn, ac nid gan un brîd yn unig. Dyna pam y mae'n rhaid canolbwyntio ar berchnogaeth gyfrifol hefyd, a chredaf mai'r dull rydym yn ei fabwysiadu yng Nghymru, gan ddod â'r partneriaid y soniais amdanynt ynghyd i ganolbwyntio ar hyn, yw'r dull cywir. Mae angen inni wneud llawer mwy ym mhob rhan o'n cymuned i wreiddio'r syniad fod bod yn berchen ar gi yn cynnwys cyfrifoldebau sylweddol, yn enwedig o ran y ffordd y byddwch yn cadw ac yn gofalu am y ci hwnnw a'i les, a'r rhai sy'n agos at y ci hwnnw hefyd.
Felly, fel y soniais—a diolch i chi am wthio hyn hefyd—yn dilyn yr uwchgynhadledd perchnogaeth gyfrifol ar gŵn a gawsom yn ôl ym mis Hydref 2023, rydym wedi cael cyfres o ddigwyddiadau bellach, ac mae'r momentwm yn parhau trwy gydol 2024 i archwilio'r camau nesaf y byddwn yn eu cymryd ar y daith hon, argymhellion pellach i hyrwyddo a chefnogi bridio cyfrifol a pherchnogaeth gyfrifol ar gŵn. Felly, mae gennych fy ymrwymiad: rydym yn cadw hyn yn flaenllaw yn ein hamcanion yn y Llywodraeth, a byddwn yn ei wneud drwy weithio gyda'r bobl yr effeithiwyd arnynt, y trasiedïau, a sefydliadau'r trydydd sector hefyd a'r rhai sydd wedi bod yn ymgyrchu cyhyd ac mor galed dros les cŵn a diogelwch y cyhoedd yn gyffredinol.
Diolch i'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet.
I thank the Cabinet Secretary.
Yr eitem nesaf fydd y cwestiwn amserol. Y cwestiwn heddiw i'w ateb gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros iechyd ac i'w ofyn gan Mabon ap Gwynfor.
The next item will be the topical question. Today's question is 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 y fframwaith mesurau arbennig newydd ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr? TQ1157
1. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the new special measures framework at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board? TQ1157
Mae fframwaith mesurau arbennig newydd, gan gynnwys meini prawf isgyfeirio, sy'n gosod blaenoriaethau clir a disgwyliadau ar gyfer cyfnod nesaf ymyrraeth mesurau arbennig presennol, wedi'i gytuno rhwng prif weithredwr yr NHS yng Nghymru a phrif weithredwr Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr. Cafodd y fframwaith ei ystyried yng nghyfarfod cyhoeddus y bwrdd ar 30 Mai.
The new special measures framework, including de-escalation criteria, which sets clear expectations on the next period of the current escalation intervention arrangements, has been agreed between the NHS chief executive in Wales and the chief executive of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The framework was considered at a public meeting of the board on 30 May.
Thank you for the response, Cabinet Secretary, but you'll recall when the overhaul of the Wales-wide special measures framework was announced earlier in the year, I expressed my concerns that it had grown in complexity without providing much clarity as to whether it could effectively embed improvements in standards on a permanent basis. Having read through the changes to the arrangements at Betsi Cadwaladr, which, let's not forget, has spent over two thirds of its entire existence in special measures, I'm afraid to say that I remain thoroughly unconvinced they will provide a clear and sustainable path back to normality.
I was particularly struck in this respect by some of the de-escalation criteria listed in the board minutes. For example, there is an ambition to maintain a 55 per cent performance target for cancer pathways over four months, despite the fact that the continuous minimum performance target across Wales is meant to be 75 per cent. Similarly, the criteria for diagnostic and therapy waits of over eight week and 14 weeks respectively should be compared against the fact that the Government was supposed to have completely eliminated all such waits in March of this year. I’d also like to pick up on the following sentence from the preamble to the criteria:
'De-escalation decisions will be based on an overall assessment of progress across the domains rather than absolute achievement of every one of the criteria under each domain.'
This implies that moderate or partial improvements in certain areas will be considered sufficient for de-escalation purposes. The overriding impression, therefore, is that the thresholds for de-escalation are lower than the Government’s official expectations of how the NHS in Wales should be performing at a bare minimum. Of course, the regrettable reality is that the Government’s performance targets on healthcare have largely been nominal for some time anyway. So, is this revised framework a tacit acknowledgement that the Government is giving up on its own targets for healthcare and that the goalposts are being shifted accordingly?
Diolch am yr ateb, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ond fe fyddwch yn cofio pan gyhoeddwyd yr archwiliad o fframwaith mesurau arbennig Cymru gyfan yn gynharach eleni, mynegais fy mhryderon ei fod wedi tyfu mewn cymhlethdod heb roi llawer o eglurder ynghylch a allai ymgorffori gwelliannau mewn safonau yn effeithiol ar sail barhaol. Ar ôl darllen drwy'r newidiadau i'r trefniadau yn Betsi Cadwaladr, sydd, gadewch inni beidio ag anghofio, wedi treulio dros ddwy ran o dair o'i fodolaeth gyfan mewn mesurau arbennig, mae arnaf ofn fy mod yn parhau i fod heb fy argyhoeddi o gwbl y byddant yn darparu llwybr clir a chynaliadwy yn ôl i normalrwydd.
Cefais fy nharo'n arbennig yn hyn o beth gan rai o'r meini prawf isgyfeirio a restrir yng nghofnodion y bwrdd. Er enghraifft, mae uchelgais i gynnal targed perfformiad o 55 y cant ar gyfer llwybrau canser dros bedwar mis, er mai'r isafswm targed perfformiad parhaus ledled Cymru yw 75 y cant. Yn yr un modd, dylid cymharu'r meini prawf ar gyfer arosiadau diagnostig a therapi, sydd dros wyth wythnos a 14 wythnos yn y drefn honno, â'r ffaith bod y Llywodraeth i fod i gael gwared ar yr holl arosiadau o'r fath yn llwyr ym mis Mawrth eleni. Hoffwn gyfeirio hefyd at y frawddeg ganlynol yn y rhagymadrodd i'r meini prawf:
'Bydd penderfyniadau ar isgyfeirio yn seiliedig ar asesiad cyffredinol o'r cynnydd ar draws y meysydd yn hytrach na chyflawniad absoliwt pob un o'r meini prawf o dan bob maes.'
Mae hyn yn awgrymu y bydd gwelliannau cymedrol neu rannol mewn rhai meysydd yn cael eu hystyried yn ddigonol at ddibenion isgyfeirio. Yr argraff bennaf, felly, yw bod y trothwyon ar gyfer isgyfeirio yn is na disgwyliadau swyddogol y Llywodraeth o ran sut y dylai'r GIG yng Nghymru fod yn perfformio fel isafswm. Wrth gwrs, y realiti anffodus yw bod targedau perfformiad y Llywodraeth ar gyfer gofal iechyd wedi bod mewn enw'n unig i raddau helaeth am beth amser beth bynnag. Felly, a yw'r fframwaith diwygiedig hwn yn gydnabyddiaeth ddealledig fod y Llywodraeth yn rhoi'r gorau i'w thargedau ei hun ar gyfer gofal iechyd a bod y pyst gôl yn cael eu symud yn unol â hynny?
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (David Rees) i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (David Rees) took the Chair.
No, they’re definitely not being shifted, but I think we’ve got to live in the realms of reality, and the fact is that if you’re in special measures, you need to know where the steps are, you’ve got to provide something that allows you to go into that de-escalation framework. The whole point of this is that these are operational matters, they’re matters that are agreed between the chief executive of the NHS and the individual health board chief executive, so they have agreed what is possible within the realms of what they can do with the capacity that they have at the moment. So, I think it is important that we are clear that there is a pathway. We’ve always been clear that special measures is not going to be something that the health board will be able to get out of overnight, and what we’re providing here is a pathway for de-escalation. It is up to the health board, of course, to make sure that they comply with that de-escalation.
Nac ydy, yn bendant nid ydynt yn cael eu symud, ond rwy'n credu bod yn rhaid inni fyw mewn realiti, a'r gwir amdani yw, os ydych chi'n destun mesurau arbennig, mae angen ichi wybod ble mae'r camau, mae'n rhaid ichi ddarparu rhywbeth sy'n eich galluogi i fynd i mewn i'r fframwaith isgyfeirio hwnnw. Holl bwynt hyn yw bod y rhain yn faterion gweithredol, maent yn faterion y cytunir arnynt rhwng prif weithredwr y GIG a phrif weithredwr y bwrdd iechyd unigol, felly maent wedi cytuno ar yr hyn sy'n bosibl o fewn yr hyn y gallant ei wneud gyda'r capasiti sydd ganddynt ar hyn o bryd. Felly, rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig ein bod yn glir fod yna lwybr. Rydym bob amser wedi bod yn glir nad yw mesurau arbennig yn mynd i fod yn rhywbeth y bydd y bwrdd iechyd yn gallu dod allan ohonynt dros nos, a'r hyn a ddarparwn yma yw llwybr ar gyfer isgyfeirio. Mater i'r bwrdd iechyd, wrth gwrs, yw sicrhau eu bod yn cydymffurfio â'r isgyfeirio hwnnw.
I’m grateful to Mabon ap Gwynfor for submitting this topical question today, because, indeed, it is topical—topical for the people of north Wales in the fact that, for far too long, people in north Wales have been badly served by this Welsh Government, in particular in its oversight of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, which for far too long, as we know, for context, has been completely unacceptable, and we see it day in, day out in the casework that myself and colleagues receive in our inbox.
Imagine the exasperation by constituents of mine and others in this room when instead of weeks like this—in recent weeks, instead of straining every sinew to fix those long-running issues, we have this chaos of backstabbing and in-fighting of the Labour Party here in the Senedd, seemingly having a complete lack of regard for the suffering that people in north Wales are facing. Whilst it is welcome to see a framework in place, to see that something is there that a health board can work towards, I certainly share my colleagues’ concerns that it seems as though there's an expected standard of conditions in north Wales that is much further below that for other people here in Wales, and I think that is frankly unacceptable.
So, Cabinet Secretary, as well as a framework, which we’re seemingly not necessarily convinced about in this place at the moment—I’m not convinced it’s going to serve our residents in the best possible way—we also need to see a sustainable long-term plan to get Betsi out of the mess that it continues to be in. This includes writing and implementing a workforce plan to boost those staffing numbers, in addition to spending every penny available to it through the Barnett consequential on health services. So, I wonder, with the knowledge of this framework now in place, if you can give a date as to when you expect Betsi Cadwaladr health board to be taken out of special measures, and when that does happen, does this framework guarantee that we won’t be plunged back into those special measures just a few months later? Let’s hope we don’t see a repeat of what we saw before the last Senedd election. Further, what is the status of the workforce plan to make sure Betsi is actually fit for purpose, not just during its time in special measures but for years and decades to come, so that my residents in north Wales don’t have to worry every time they fall ill or have an accident? Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i Mabon ap Gwynfor am gyflwyno'r cwestiwn amserol hwn heddiw, oherwydd mae'n sicr yn amserol—yn amserol i bobl gogledd Cymru yn y ffaith bod pobl yng ngogledd Cymru wedi cael eu gwasanaethu'n wael am ormod o amser gan y Llywodraeth hon, yn enwedig yn ei goruchwyliaeth o Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr, sydd ers yn rhy hir, fel y gwyddom, fel cyd-destun, wedi bod yn gwbl annerbyniol, ac rydym yn ei weld bob dydd yn y gwaith achos yr wyf innau a chyd-Aelodau yn ei weld yn ein mewnflychau.
Dychmygwch y dicter gan etholwyr i mi ac eraill yn yr ystafell hon, yn hytrach nag wythnosau fel hon—yn ystod yr wythnosau diwethaf, yn lle gwneud eu gorau glas i ddatrys y problemau hirhoedlog hynny, mae gennym anhrefn y brad a'r ymladd mewnol ymhlith y Blaid Lafur yma yn y Senedd, sydd, yn ôl pob golwg, yn malio dim am y dioddefaint y mae pobl yng ngogledd Cymru yn ei wynebu. Er bod croeso i weld fframwaith yn ei le, i weld bod rhywbeth yno y gall bwrdd iechyd weithio tuag ato, rwy'n sicr yn rhannu pryderon fy nghyd-Aelodau ei bod yn ymddangos fel pe bai safon ddisgwyliedig yr amodau yng ngogledd Cymru yn llawer is na'r hyn a geir ar gyfer pobl eraill yma yng Nghymru, ac rwy'n credu bod hynny'n annerbyniol a dweud y gwir.
Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, yn ogystal â fframwaith, nad ydym o reidrwydd yn argyhoeddedig yn ei gylch yn y lle hwn ar hyn o bryd—nid wyf wedi fy argyhoeddi ei fod yn mynd i wasanaethu ein trigolion yn y ffordd orau bosibl—mae angen inni weld cynllun hirdymor cynaliadwy hefyd i ryddhau Betsi o'r llanast y mae'n parhau i fod ynddo. Mae hyn yn cynnwys ysgrifennu a gweithredu cynllun gweithlu i hybu niferoedd staffio, yn ogystal â gwario pob ceiniog sydd ar gael iddo drwy gyllid canlyniadol Barnett ar wasanaethau iechyd. Felly, gyda'r wybodaeth fod y fframwaith hwn bellach ar waith, tybed a allwch chi roi dyddiad ar gyfer pryd y disgwyliwch i fwrdd iechyd Betsi Cadwaladr gael ei ryddhau o fesurau arbennig, a phan fydd hynny'n digwydd, a yw'r fframwaith hwn yn sicrhau na fyddwn yn suddo'n ôl i'r mesurau arbennig hynny ychydig fisoedd yn ddiweddarach? Gobeithio na welwn ailadrodd yr hyn a welsom cyn etholiad diwethaf y Senedd. Ymhellach, beth yw statws y cynllun ar gyfer y gweithlu i sicrhau bod Betsi yn addas i'r diben, nid yn unig yn ystod y cyfnod lle mae'n destun mesurau arbennig ond am flynyddoedd a degawdau i ddod, fel nad oes rhaid i drigolion gogledd Cymru boeni bob tro y byddant yn mynd yn sâl neu'n cael damwain? Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Well, thanks very much. Well, I'm afraid it's not really topical. This was published by the health board on 30 May. So, if you are genuinely interested, it would make sense for you to keep an eye out for the board papers, where this was published. So, I just think, in terms of—. And I did want to make sure I drew the attention of Members for North Wales to this, but, actually, it is a health board paper, and I was doing you a courtesy to draw your attention to the fact that this existed.
So, just in terms of when will it be taken out of special measures, there is a lot of work to be done in Betsi, and I know that because I have monthly meetings with the chair, I have regular meetings with the board. I had a question from a member of the public recently asking me how much time do I spend on Betsi. And I think they'd be very surprised by how much time I do spend on Betsi. I spend a huge amount of my time making sure that we are keeping the pressure on a very challenged health board. I think there have been changes.
Just in terms of what is expected, there are certain domains. There are about six domains where they have to focus. So, there's finance, performance, fragile services, governance, leadership and quality of care. So, all of those things, each have criteria beneath them, but they're specific, so they're supposed to be trying to work towards them. They are specific, but, when it comes to overall making a decision as to whether they come out or not, that will be up to the NHS, to the civil service here, to give me advice on whether, in general, they are in the right place, and, of course, they need to be confident that we won't go backwards. So, we can't have that situation where we take them out and then they fall back in. So, sustainability is absolutely critical here.
And just in terms of the workforce, there are more people working in Betsi Cadwaladr today—significantly more—than there have been ever before. It's gone up significantly since 2019. I think we're expecting the formal numbers to be published tomorrow. I think it's very interesting to just mark, despite the fact that there are huge financial pressures in the NHS, that there has still been an opportunity to recruit to the workforce in the NHS, particularly in Betsi. So, we spend £250 million a year training people, training the next generation, making sure that we have the workforce of the future ready for the future. The fact is that the demand just keeps on coming, and that's not going to change, so we do have to think about new ways of doing things, including, for example, digital transformation, which is another area I spend a lot of time on.
Wel, diolch yn fawr. Rwy'n ofni nad yw'n amserol mewn gwirionedd. Cafodd ei gyhoeddi gan y bwrdd iechyd ar 30 Mai. Felly, os oes gennych chi ddiddordeb go iawn, byddai'n gwneud synnwyr i chi gadw llygad am bapurau'r bwrdd, lle cafodd ei gyhoeddi. Felly, rwy'n meddwl, o ran —. Ac roeddwn am sicrhau fy mod yn tynnu sylw Aelodau Gogledd Cymru ato, ond mewn gwirionedd, papur y bwrdd iechyd ydyw, a mater o gwrteisi oedd tynnu eich sylw at y ffaith ei fod yn bodoli.
Felly, o ran pryd y caiff ei ryddhau o fesurau arbennig, mae llawer o waith i'w wneud yn Betsi, ac rwy'n gwybod hynny oherwydd fy mod yn cael cyfarfodydd misol gyda'r cadeirydd, rwy'n cael cyfarfodydd rheolaidd gyda'r bwrdd. Cefais gwestiwn gan aelod o'r cyhoedd yn ddiweddar yn gofyn imi faint o amser rwy'n ei dreulio ar Betsi. Ac rwy'n credu y byddent yn synnu faint o amser rwy'n ei dreulio ar Betsi. Rwy'n treulio llawer iawn o fy amser yn sicrhau ein bod yn cadw'r pwysau ar fwrdd iechyd heriol iawn. Rwy'n credu bod newidiadau wedi digwydd.
O ran yr hyn a ddisgwylir, mae yna rai meysydd. Mae tua chwe maes y mae'n rhaid iddynt ganolbwyntio arnynt. Felly, cyllid, perfformiad, gwasanaethau bregus, llywodraethu, arweinyddiaeth ac ansawdd gofal. Felly, mae gan bob un o'r pethau hynny feini prawf ar eu cyfer, ond maent yn benodol, felly maent i fod i geisio gweithio tuag atynt. Maent yn benodol, ond o ran gwneud penderfyniad cyffredinol ynglŷn ag a ydynt yn cael eu rhyddhau ai peidio, mater i'r GIG, i'r gwasanaeth sifil yma, fydd hynny, i roi cyngor i mi ynglŷn ag a ydynt, yn gyffredinol, yn y lle cywir, ac wrth gwrs, mae angen iddynt fod yn hyderus na fyddwn yn mynd tuag yn ôl. Felly, ni allwn gael sefyllfa lle rydym yn eu rhyddhau a'u bod yn mynd yn ôl i mewn wedyn. Felly, mae cynaliadwyedd yn gwbl allweddol yma.
Ac o ran y gweithlu, mae mwy o bobl yn gweithio yn Betsi Cadwaladr heddiw—cryn dipyn yn fwy—nag sydd erioed wedi bod o'r blaen. Mae wedi cynyddu'n sylweddol ers 2019. Rwy'n credu ein bod yn disgwyl i'r niferoedd ffurfiol gael eu cyhoeddi yfory. Er bod pwysau ariannol enfawr yn y GIG, rwy'n credu ei bod yn ddiddorol iawn nodi y bu cyfle o hyd i recriwtio i'r gweithlu yn y GIG, yn enwedig yn Betsi. Felly, rydym yn gwario £250 miliwn y flwyddyn yn hyfforddi pobl, yn hyfforddi'r genhedlaeth nesaf, gan sicrhau bod gweithlu'r dyfodol yn barod ar gyfer y dyfodol. Y gwir amdani yw bod y galw yn parhau i ddod, ac nid yw hynny'n mynd i newid, felly mae'n rhaid inni feddwl am ffyrdd newydd o wneud pethau, gan gynnwys trawsnewid digidol, er enghraifft, sy'n faes arall rwy'n treulio llawer o amser arno.
Thank you, Minister, for the responses you've already given. I too was rather surprised when I read through the document setting out the route out of special measures for the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. It did appear to me, and those constituents I've spoken to, that the targets that the health board has been set are far too easy to achieve, and the fact that they can even be missed and the health board still withdrawn from special measures seems pretty extraordinary.
I think people in Wales are still also very surprised that it's still politicians who make a decision on whether a health board goes into special measures or not. That's entirely inappropriate, it's not what happens in some other parts of the UK, where there's a completely independent process in order to place an organisation in the NHS in special measures or not, and we need that independence here as well, I would posit to you. So, what action is the Welsh Government taking to make sure that there's a completely transparent and independent process that takes Ministers like you out of that process altogether?
And I raised in the business statement yesterday the importance of complaints helping to triangulate whether there are actual improvements being delivered. We all know that one of the challenges that we've had in the Betsi Cadwaladr health board over the years has been an over-reliance, by Ministers, and by others making these key decisions, on false assurances about improvement that have been given by the health board, and they have not been a true representation of the actual facts on the ground in terms of delivery. Now, one way you can overcome whether there have been any false assurances is to listen to the lived experience of patients in the NHS who are engaging with services. There's nothing in that escalation framework or de-escalation document, which I read in detail from start to finish, that mentions the role of complaints in helping to inform those decisions. I think that's a huge deficiency that must be addressed, and I would urge you, Minister, to take a look at revising that document, with agreement with the other parties in the tripartite arrangements, to make sure that complaints are factored in. I know that you were nodding in agreement yesterday when I was mentioning the role of complaints, and I was encouraged by that, so can you tell us how you will incorporate complaints into that mix? Thank you.
Diolch, Weinidog, am yr ymatebion a roesoch chi eisoes. Cefais fy synnu braidd pan ddarllenais drwy'r ddogfen yn nodi'r llwybr allan o fesurau arbennig ar gyfer Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr. Roedd yn ymddangos i mi, a'r etholwyr y siaradais â nhw, fod y targedau y mae'r bwrdd iechyd wedi'u gosod yn llawer rhy hawdd i'w cyflawni, ac mae'r ffaith y gellir methu eu cyrraedd nhw hyd yn oed a bod y bwrdd iechyd yn dal i gael ei ryddhau o fesurau arbennig yn ymddangos yn eithaf rhyfeddol.
Rwy'n credu bod pobl Cymru yn dal i synnu mai gwleidyddion sy'n dal i wneud penderfyniad ynglŷn ag a yw bwrdd iechyd yn mynd yn destun mesurau arbennig ai peidio. Mae hynny'n gwbl amhriodol, nid dyna sy'n digwydd mewn rhannau eraill o'r DU, lle ceir proses gwbl annibynnol er mwyn gosod sefydliad yn y GIG dan fesurau arbennig, a hoffwn awgrymu bod angen yr annibyniaeth honno yma hefyd. Felly, pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i sicrhau bod yna broses gwbl dryloyw ac annibynnol sy'n tynnu Gweinidogion fel chi allan o'r broses honno'n gyfan gwbl?
Ac yn y datganiad busnes ddoe nodais bwysigrwydd cwynion sy'n helpu i driongli a oes gwelliannau gwirioneddol yn cael eu cyflawni. Gwyddom i gyd mai un o'r heriau a gawsom ym mwrdd iechyd Betsi Cadwaladr dros y blynyddoedd fu gorddibyniaeth, gan Weinidogion a chan eraill sy'n gwneud y penderfyniadau allweddol hyn, ar sicrwydd ffug a roddwyd gan y bwrdd iechyd ynglŷn â gwelliant, ac nad ydynt wedi cynrychioli'r ffeithiau gwirioneddol ar lawr gwlad o ran cyflawni. Nawr, un ffordd y gallwch ganfod a yw'r sicrwydd a roddir yn ffug yw gwrando ar brofiad bywyd cleifion yn y GIG sy'n ymgysylltu â gwasanaethau. Ni cheir unrhyw beth yn y fframwaith uwchgyfeirio na'r ddogfen isgyfeirio, a ddarllenais yn fanwl o'r dechrau i'r diwedd, sy'n sôn am rôl cwynion i helpu i lywio'r penderfyniadau hynny. Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n ddiffyg enfawr y mae'n rhaid mynd i'r afael ag ef, a hoffwn eich annog, Weinidog, i edrych ar adolygu'r ddogfen honno, gyda chytundeb y partïon eraill yn y trefniadau teirochrog, i sicrhau bod cwynion yn cael eu hystyried. Rwy'n gwybod eich bod chi'n nodio'ch pen mewn cytundeb ddoe pan oeddwn yn sôn am rôl cwynion, a chefais fy nghalonogi gan hynny, felly a allwch chi ddweud wrthym sut y byddwch yn ymgorffori cwynion yn hynny? Diolch.
Thanks very much. Of course, as a Minister, yes, I'm the one who, ultimately, decides, but I act on the advice that comes from the civil service, but also from HIW and Audit Wales, so there is a clear approach to how escalation happens. I published the NHS oversight and escalation framework in January, and it's all clearly set out there.
On the complaints, you'll be delighted to hear, Darren, that I do listen to you in the Chamber, and that I did go back and ask what is the situation in particular in relation to this, and, if you look at the framework as is set out, actually on page 19 it does talk about reviewing data surrounding incidents, complaints, Datix, never events, to establish any patterns and investigate the extent to which learning is taking place across the organisation. So, it is there. [Interruption.] It is there, so I think it is important to recognise that it's actually written in. Darren, you asked me if it's in there. You told me you read the report in detail—
Diolch yn fawr. Wrth gwrs, fel Gweinidog, ie, fi yw'r un sydd, yn y pen draw, yn penderfynu, ond rwy'n gweithredu ar y cyngor sy'n dod o'r gwasanaeth sifil, ond hefyd gan Arolygiaeth Gofal Iechyd Cymru ac Archwilio Cymru, felly mae dull clir o weithredu'r ffordd y mae uwchgyfeirio'n digwydd. Cyhoeddais fframwaith goruchwyliaeth ac uwchgyfeirio'r GIG ym mis Ionawr, ac mae'r cyfan wedi'i nodi'n glir yno.
Ar y cwynion, fe fyddwch yn falch iawn o glywed, Darren, fy mod yn gwrando arnoch yn y Siambr, a fy mod wedi mynd yn ôl a gofyn beth yw'r sefyllfa yn benodol mewn perthynas â hyn, ac os edrychwch chi ar y fframwaith fel y mae wedi ei osod, ar dudalen 19, mae'n sôn am adolygu data ynghylch digwyddiadau, cwynion, Datix, digwyddiadau 'byth', i sefydlu unrhyw batrymau ac ymchwilio i ba raddau y mae dysgu'n digwydd ar draws y sefydliad. Felly, mae yno. [Torri ar draws.] Mae yno, felly rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig cydnabod ei fod wedi'i gynnwys. Darren, fe wnaethoch chi ofyn i mi os yw yno. Fe ddywedoch chi wrthyf eich bod wedi darllen yr adroddiad yn fanwl—
Take a look. You were nodding in agreement yesterday because—
Edrychwch arno. Roeddech chi'n nodio'ch pen mewn cytundeb ddoe oherwydd—
Darren, let the Minister respond. Darren, let the Minister respond.
Darren, gadewch i'r Gweinidog ymateb. Darren, gadewch i'r Gweinidog ymateb.
I pointed out to you precisely the wording that you told me wasn't there, and there it is. Thank you.
Tynnais eich sylw at yr union eiriad y dywedoch chi wrthyf nad oedd yno, ac mae yno. Diolch.
Ac yn olaf, Gareth Davies.
And finally, Gareth Davies.
Diolch, Deputy Llywydd. As the Member for Dwyfor Meirionnydd said, one of the qualifying criteria for de-escalation is indeed the reduction of waiting times, and, as you know and as I know and as most people know, the waiting times at A&E in Glan Clwyd Hospital are chronic. It's only getting worse, and obviously if that's one of the de-escalation qualifying criteria then it's never going to come out of special measures. And one of the solutions to the chronic waiting times at Glan Clwyd A&E department is the building of north Denbighshire community hospital in Rhyl, which is long seen to be a solution to some of those waiting times, as it will cure the walking wounded, if you like, leaving A&E services at Glan Clwyd to deal with the most severe cases. Obviously, it's been promised for over a decade now, without any delivery, much to the frustration of many of my constituents in Rhyl, Prestatyn and in some of the surrounding towns and villages in north Denbighshire. So, obviously, in responses to my questions on these previously, you've previously blamed UK Governments or UK Conservative Governments. We've now got a UK Labour Government in charge, so what conversations can you have to ensure funding for this vital project for my constituents, in conversations with the health board and other external Governments across the UK, to ensure that my constituents can have good and safe access to primary care services in north Denbighshire? Thank you.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Fel y dywedodd yr Aelod dros Ddwyfor Meirionnydd, un o'r meini prawf cymhwyso ar gyfer isgyfeirio yn wir yw lleihau amseroedd aros, ac fel y gwyddoch ac fel y gwn i, ac fel y gŵyr y rhan fwyaf o bobl, mae'r amseroedd aros yn adran damweiniau ac achosion brys Ysbyty Glan Clwyd yn ofnadwy. Maent yn gwaethygu, ac yn amlwg os yw hynny'n un o'r meini prawf cymhwyso ar gyfer isgyfeirio, yna nid yw byth yn mynd i gael ei ryddhau o fesurau arbennig. Ac un o'r atebion i'r amseroedd aros ofnadwy yn adran damweiniau ac achosion brys Glan Clwyd yw adeiladu ysbyty cymunedol gogledd sir Ddinbych yn y Rhyl, a welir ers tro fel ateb i rai o'r amseroedd aros hynny, gan y bydd yn gwella'r clwyfedig sy'n gallu cerdded, os mynnwch, gan adael gwasanaethau damweiniau ac achosion brys Glan Clwyd i ymdopi â'r achosion mwyaf difrifol. Yn amlwg, mae wedi cael ei addo ers dros ddegawd bellach, heb unrhyw gyflawniad, er mawr rwystredigaeth i lawer o fy etholwyr yn y Rhyl, Prestatyn ac yn rhai o'r trefi a'r pentrefi cyfagos yng ngogledd sir Ddinbych. Felly, yn amlwg, mewn ymateb i fy nghwestiynau ar hyn o'r blaen, rydych chi wedi beio Llywodraethau'r DU neu Lywodraethau Ceidwadol y DU. Bellach, mae gennym Lywodraeth Lafur y DU wrth y llyw, felly pa sgyrsiau y gallwch chi eu cael i sicrhau cyllid ar gyfer y prosiect hanfodol hwn i fy etholwyr, mewn sgyrsiau â'r bwrdd iechyd a Llywodraethau allanol eraill ledled y DU, i sicrhau bod fy etholwyr yn gallu cael mynediad da a diogel at wasanaethau gofal sylfaenol yng ngogledd sir Ddinbych? Diolch.
Thanks very much You'll be aware that, looking at the reduction of waiting times, this is actually my No. 1 priority. I spend a huge amount of time on this as well. I meet with my civil servants every two weeks to go through the detail of what is happening where, under which different conditions, and where we are. I get into absolute detail on some of this; I can probably name you the people on the waiting lists who have been there longest. So, waiting times is absolutely where my sights are fixed. The other thing is on Glan Clwyd. Of course, this comes under fragile services, which is one of those domains that has been set out in the escalation criteria and de-escalation criteria. Glan Clwyd urgent care is on that list, so there are some specific suggestions there in terms of what they should be doing. Obviously, we're still waiting for the business case from the health board in relation to Rhyl, and I do think it's probably worth setting out, first of all, that inflation has also played a part in the fact that, actually, when the initial proposal came in it was around £20 million to £30 million; today, it's way above that and not possible for us to do. And you're quite right, it would be lovely if we got more money from the UK Labour Government, but you have left the economy in such a mess. And let's not forget that we had £1 million—[Interruption.] We had £1 million additional capital—[Interruption.] No, wait a minute. We've actually spent hundreds of millions in north Wales over the past few years as well. So, £1 million additional capital—the finance Secretary is in her place—for the whole—for the whole—of Welsh Government expenditure. So, that is very difficult for us. So, obviously, we will have to set this against the other priorities that the health board want to see in north Wales.
Diolch yn fawr. Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol, o edrych ar y gostyngiad mewn amseroedd aros, mai dyma fy mhrif flaenoriaeth mewn gwirionedd. Rwy'n treulio llawer o amser ar hyn hefyd. Rwy'n cyfarfod â fy ngweision sifil bob pythefnos i fynd drwy fanylion yr hyn sy'n digwydd ble, o dan ba amodau gwahanol, a ble'r ydym arni. Rwy'n edrych ar hyn yn fanwl iawn; mae'n siŵr y gallaf enwi'r bobl sydd wedi bod ar y rhestrau aros hiraf. Felly, amseroedd aros yw'r hyn rwy'n canolbwyntio arno. Y peth arall yw Glan Clwyd. Wrth gwrs, daw hyn o dan wasanaethau bregus, sef un o'r meysydd a nodwyd yn y meini prawf uwchgyfeirio a'r meini prawf isgyfeirio. Mae gofal brys Glan Clwyd ar y rhestr honno, felly mae rhai awgrymiadau penodol yno o ran yr hyn y dylent fod yn ei wneud. Yn amlwg, rydym yn dal i aros am yr achos busnes gan y bwrdd iechyd mewn perthynas â'r Rhyl, ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn werth nodi, yn gyntaf oll, fod chwyddiant hefyd wedi chwarae rhan yn y ffaith, pan ddaeth y cynnig cychwynnol i mewn, ei fod tua £20 miliwn i £30 miliwn; heddiw, mae'n llawer uwch na hynny ac nid yw'n bosibl i ni ei wneud. Ac rydych chi'n hollol iawn, byddai'n hyfryd pe baem yn cael rhagor o arian gan Lywodraeth Lafur y DU, ond rydych chi wedi gadael yr economi mewn cymaint o lanast. A gadewch inni beidio ag anghofio ein bod wedi cael £1 filiwn—[Torri ar draws.] Cawsom £1 filiwn o gyfalaf ychwanegol—[Torri ar draws.] Na, arhoswch eiliad. Rydym wedi gwario cannoedd o filiynau yng ngogledd Cymru dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf hefyd. Felly, £1 filiwn o gyfalaf ychwanegol—mae'r Ysgrifennydd cyllid yn ei sedd—ar gyfer holl—ar gyfer holl wariant Llywodraeth Cymru. Felly, mae hynny'n anodd iawn i ni. Felly, yn amlwg, fe fydd yn rhaid inni osod hyn yn erbyn y blaenoriaethau eraill y mae'r bwrdd iechyd am eu gweld yng ngogledd Cymru.
Diolch i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet.
I thank the Cabinet Secretary.
Eitem 4 yw'r datganiadau 90 eiliad. Dim ond un datganiad sydd heddiw, a bydd hwnnw gan Siân Gwenllian.
Item 4 is the 90-second statements. There is just one statement today, and I call on Siân Gwenllian.
Diolch yn fawr. Yn 1984, fe ysbrydolwyd R. Gwynn Davies o Waunfawr gan amgylchiadau personol i drawsnewid canfyddiad pobl o rôl unigolion ag anableddau dysgu mewn cymdeithas. Aeth ati i sefydlu Antur Waunfawr i ddarparu cyfleon i bobl ag anableddau dysgu o fewn y gymuned, yn hytrach na rhoi gofal a gwaith mewn canolfannau arbenigol, ynysig. Mae’n anodd cyfleu gweledigaeth mor arloesol oedd hwn yn y 1980au.
Ddeugain mlynedd yn ddiweddarach, mae’r Antur yn dal i ddatblygu. Mae ganddi amrywiaeth o fusnesau cynaliadwy llewyrchus, ac mae’n cynnig cyfleon cyflogaeth, hyfforddiant, lles a gwirfoddoli i unigolion. Mae gwaith yr Antur hefyd yn helpu i daclo her newid hinsawdd; boed hynny ar y safle ailgylchu ar ystad ddiwydiannol Cibyn, yn siop ddodrefn ail-law y Warws Werdd, gyda’u cynllun ailgylchu dillad, neu gyda’u siop feics reit yng nghanol tref Caernarfon, mae Antur Waunfawr yn parhau i fod ar flaen y gad, fel ag yr oedd hi yn 1984.
Chwalu rhwystrau ydy’r egwyddor sydd wedi bod wrth galon gwaith yr Antur ers ei sefydlu yn 1984, ac er bod cymaint yn fwy y gallwn ei ddweud am y fenter arbennig yma, digon am y tro ydy dweud, 'Pen-blwydd hapus iawn i Antur Waunfawr yn 40', gan obeithio y caiff y criw hwyl dda arni wrth ddathlu. Diolch.
Thank you very much. In 1984, R. Gwynn Davies from Waunfawr was inspired by personal circumstances to transform people’s perceptions of the role of individuals with learning disabilities in society. Antur Waunfawr was established to provide opportunities to people with learning disabilities within the community, rather than providing care and employment opportunities in isolated specialist centres. It’s difficult to convey how innovative a step this was in the 1980s.
Forty years on, Antur continues to develop, and it now encompasses a variety of flourishing, sustainable businesses, and provides employment, training, welfare and volunteering opportunities to individuals. Antur’s work is also crucial in responding to the climate change challenge; be that at the recycling site at Cibyn industrial estate, the Warws Werdd second-hand furniture shop, the recycled clothing scheme or the cycle shop in the very heart of Caernarfon, Antur Waunfawr continues to be in the vanguard, as it was in 1984.
Breaking down barriers has been the guiding principle behind Antur Waunfawr’s work since it was established, and although there is so much more I could say about this very special initiative, for now I will simply wish Antur Waunfawr a very happy fortieth birthday and hope that everyone involved enjoys the celebrations. Thank you.
Nesaf yw'r cynigion i ethol Aelodau i bwyllgorau. Yn unol â Rheolau Sefydlog 12.24 ac 12.40, os nad oes unrhyw wrthwynebiad, rwy'n cynnig bod y cynigion i ethol Aelodau i bwyllgorau yn cael eu grwpio ar gyfer eu trafod a'r pleidleisio. A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Na, gwelaf nad oes unrhyw wrthwynebiad.
Next are 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? No, I see that there is no objection.
Felly, galwaf ar aelod o'r Pwyllgor Busnes i wneud yn cynigion yn ffurfiol. Darren Millar.
I call, therefore, on a member of the Business Committee to move the motions formally. Darren Millar.
Cynnig NNDM8646 Elin Jones
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 17.14, yn ethol Samuel Kurtz (Ceidwadwyr Cymreig) yn lle Natasha Asghar (Ceidwadwyr Cymreig) yn aelod o’r Pwyllgor Safonau Ymddygiad.
Motion NNDM8646 Elin Jones
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 17.14, elects Samuel Kurtz (Welsh Conservatives) in place of Natasha Asghar (Welsh Conservatives) as a member of the Standards of Conduct Committee.
Cynnig NNDM8647 Elin Jones
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 17.14, yn ethol Natasha Asghar (Ceidwadwyr Cymreig) yn lle Samuel Kurtz (Ceidwadwyr Cymreig).yn aelod o’r Pwyllgor Deddfwriaeth, Cyfiawnder a’r Cyfansoddiad.
Motion NNDM8647 Elin Jones
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 17.14, elects Natasha Asghar (Welsh Conservatives) in place of Samuel Kurtz (Welsh Conservatives) as a member of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee.
Cynigiwyd y cynigion.
Motions moved.
I move.
Rwy'n cynnig.
Y cwestiwn yw: a ddylid derbyn y cynigion? A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Na. Felly, derbynnir y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
The proposal is to agree the motions. Does any Member object? There are no objections. 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.
Nesaf yw'r cynnig i atal Rheolau Sefydlog dros dro er mwyn caniatau i eitem 5 gael ei drafod. Galwaf ar aelod o'r Pwyllgor Busnes i wneud y cynnig yn ffurfiol. Darren Millar.
Next is the motion to suspend Standing Orders to allow item 5 to be debated. I call on a member of the Business Committee to formally move the motion. Darren Millar.
Cynnig NNDM8649 Elin Jones
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheolau Sefydlog 33.6 a 33.8:
Yn atal dros dro Reol Sefydlog 12.20(i) er mwyn caniatáu i NNDM8648 gael ei ystyried yn y Cyfarfod Llawn ddydd Mercher 17 Gorffennaf 2024.
Motion NNDM8649 Elin Jones
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Orders 33.6 and 33.8:
Suspends Standing Order 12.20(i) in order to allow NNDM8648 to be considered in Plenary on Wednesday 17 July 2024.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
I move.
Rwy'n cynnig.
Y cynnig yw i atal Rheolau Sefydlog dros dro. A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Na. Felly, derbynnir y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
The proposal is to suspend Standing Orders. 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.
Eitem 5 yw'r cynnig o dan Reol Sefydlog 26.17(iii) mewn perthynas â Bil Senedd Cymru (Rhestrau Ymgeiswyr Etholiadol). Galwaf ar aelod o'r Pwyllgor Busnes i wneud y cynnig yn ffurfiol. Darren Millar.
Item 5 is a motion under Standing Order 26.17(iii) in relation to the Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill. I call on a member of the Business Committee to move the motion formally. Darren Millar.
Cynnig NNDM8648 Elin Jones
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 26.17(iii), yn cytuno y dylai trafodion Cyfnod 2 Bil Senedd Cymru (Rhestrau Ymgeiswyr Etholiadol) gael eu hystyried gan Bwyllgor o’r Senedd Gyfan.
Motion NNDM8648 Elin Jones
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 26.17(iii), agrees that Stage 2 proceedings of the Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill be considered by a Committee of the Whole Senedd.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
I move.
Rwy'n cynnig.
Y cwestiwn yw: a ddylid derbyn y cynnig? A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Na. Felly, derbynnir y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
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.
Eitem 6 heddiw yw datganiad gan Gadeirydd y Pwyllgor Safonau Ymddygiad—atebolrwydd Aelodau unigol. Galwaf ar Gadeirydd y pwyllgor, Vikki Howells.
Item 6 today is a statement by the Chair of the Standards of Conduct Committee—individual Member accountability. I call on the Chair of the committee, Vikki Howells.
Dirprwy Lywydd, during the course of this year, the question of how to hold individual Members to account has been raised in several contexts, in addition to the work under way in the Standards of Conduct Committee. Today, I would like to take the opportunity to set out to the Senedd the context for why this is important, the work that the committee has undertaken so far, and what it intends to do with its inquiry into individual Member accountability.
Ddirprwy Lywydd, yn ystod eleni, codwyd y cwestiwn ynghylch sut i ddwyn Aelodau unigol i gyfrif mewn sawl cyd-destun, yn ogystal â'r gwaith sydd ar y gweill yn y Pwyllgor Safonau Ymddygiad. Heddiw, hoffwn fanteisio ar y cyfle i nodi i'r Senedd y cyd-destun pam mae hyn yn bwysig, y gwaith y mae'r pwyllgor wedi'i wneud hyd yma, a'r hyn y mae'n bwriadu ei wneud gyda'i ymchwiliad i atebolrwydd Aelodau unigol.
Dirprwy Lywydd, the record low levels of trust in politicians has been widely discussed in the media and in conversations in the street. As elected representatives, it is incumbent on us to do all we can to rebuild and maintain trust in us. Much of this rebuilding will be done through our actions and how we conduct ourselves.
Some of the themes emerging from recent reports of the Standards of Conduct Committee show there is a need for all Members to ensure our exchanges are carried out in a respectful manner. This is not to say we cannot be robust, only that in expressing our opinions and arguments, we do so with respect and consideration. However, another important facet in building this trust is developing accountability, allowing those that have put their trust in us to have a say when our standards have fallen far below what is expected of elected representatives.
As Members will be aware, there is already a robust independent process in place to deal with complaints against Members of the Senedd. However, in the evidence sessions held by the committee, a clear message has come across that the way in which Members are held to account can be reviewed and, in places, enhanced.
One option for achieving this is by introducing a mechanism for recalling Members, where the electorate is given an option to remove a Member from the Senedd when a complaint of misconduct has been upheld. The committee has agreed to prioritise consideration of this area of individual Member accountability. Once we have considered the evidence we have heard from witnesses, our aim is to reach a conclusion that will inform the Welsh Government’s ambitious commitment of legislating in this area by the end of this Senedd.
The committee has already heard from a broad range of stakeholders and this input has helped inform a consultation document, which we will be publishing next week. It's important to stress that the committee is maintaining an open mind on these topics of consideration, and we look forward to taking evidence from a wide range of respondents in the autumn term.
We decided to invite witnesses to give evidence before consulting, to make sure the consultation was an informed and thorough document that asked the right questions. Currently, the House of Commons is the only UK Parliament to have a recall system and the committee has heard much in support of the model it uses. However, through our initial consideration, it has become clear to the committee that we need to adapt and develop a system that will work for Wales, and this position forms the basis of our consultation.
I would like to share some of the considerations for the committee. First, the Senedd will move to a closed-list electoral system in the seventh Senedd. The committee is therefore considering how a potential recall system would work with this system of proportional representation. Any system for recalling Members will need to be designed in accordance with the new electoral system.
Second, the committee has been considering the circumstances that would trigger a recall process. The committee would welcome views on this, in particular whether, as is the case in Westminster, there should be a certain number of days exclusion from Senedd proceedings that triggers the recall process; whether there should be a provision for the recall process being triggered where a Member joins a different party, although the majority of witnesses were not in favour of this; and whether the recall process would be triggered when a Member does not participate in Senedd proceedings for a specified period of time without good reason.
Third, the Westminster model of recall currently requires 10 per cent of the electorate to sign a petition calling for a Member to be recalled, which can be done at a number of designated places. If 10 per cent have signed the petition at the expiry of the six-week signing period, a by-election is triggered. The committee has been considering matters such as the percentage threshold of the electorate required to remove the Member; the time frame for running a petition; whether there should be an option to express a preference in support of retaining the Member; and the number of designated places available for signing a petition, which we heard varies significantly at present.
Alongside recall, the committee has considered if there are any conduct matters that should result in Members being disqualified from the Senedd. For instance, currently any Member who receives a custodial sentence of 12 months or more is disqualified from the Senedd. The committee is keen to hear whether a shorter period of custody should result in a Member being disqualified.
On the matter of disqualification, the committee welcomes the work that has been undertaken by Members developing the proposals for an offence of deception becoming a reason for disqualification. It is certainly an interesting area for the committee to consider, and we look forward to working with a wider group of Members in order to come to a view on this.
The committee will publish its full consultation next week, and I encourage as many people as possible to engage with it. We intend to continue looking at individual Member accountability in the autumn term. Our aim is to conclude our work in a timely manner to inform any legislative proposals that Welsh Government may bring forward ahead of the 2026 elections.
With the passing of the Senedd (Cymru) Members and Elections Act 2024, this Senedd has taken important steps to ensure that Wales has the necessary representation to be an effective and truly representative Parliament. But as the old adage goes, with power comes responsibility, and it is essential that as Members of the Senedd we accept this responsibility and acknowledge the need for stronger accountability to our electorate. I hope the work of the Standards of Conduct Committee will be an important building block in strengthening our democracy.
Ddirprwy Lywydd, bu cryn drafod ar y lefelau isaf erioed o ymddiriedaeth mewn gwleidyddion yn y cyfryngau ac mewn sgyrsiau ar y stryd. Fel cynrychiolwyr etholedig, mae'n ddyletswydd arnom i wneud popeth a allwn i ailadeiladu a chynnal ymddiriedaeth ynom. Bydd llawer o'r gwaith ailadeiladu'n digwydd drwy ein gweithredoedd a'r ffordd rydym yn ymddwyn.
Mae rhai o'r themâu sy'n dod i'r amlwg yn adroddiadau diweddar y Pwyllgor Safonau Ymddygiad yn dangos bod angen i bob Aelod sicrhau bod ein trafodaethau'n cael eu cynnal mewn modd parchus. Nid yw hyn yn golygu na allwn fod yn gadarn, ond ein bod yn mynegi ein barn a'n dadleuon gyda pharch ac ystyriaeth. Fodd bynnag, agwedd bwysig arall ar adeiladu’r ymddiriedaeth hon yw datblygu atebolrwydd, gan ganiatáu i’r rheini sydd wedi ymddiried ynom gael dweud eu dweud pan fydd ein safonau wedi gostwng ymhell islaw’r hyn a ddisgwylir gan gynrychiolwyr etholedig.
Fel y gŵyr yr Aelodau, mae proses annibynnol gadarn eisoes ar waith i ymdrin â chwynion yn erbyn Aelodau o’r Senedd. Fodd bynnag, yn y sesiynau tystiolaeth a gynhelir gan y pwyllgor, mae neges glir wedi dod i’r amlwg y gellir adolygu, ac mewn mannau, gwella’r