Y Cyfarfod Llawn
Plenary
02/10/2024Cynnwys
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. Yr eitem gyntaf ar ein hagenda ni fydd y cwestiynau i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Lywodraeth Leol a Thai, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Jenny Rathbone.
Good afternoon and welcome to this Plenary meeting. The first item on our agenda this afternoon will be questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, and the first question is from Jenny Rathbone.
1. Pa safonau gofal i denantiaid y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu disgwyl gan gymdeithasau tai? OQ61604
1. What standards of care for tenants does the Welsh Government expect from housing associations? OQ61604
The regulatory standards set the Welsh Government’s expectations for housing associations. These standards require associations to provide high-quality services and safe homes, as well as requiring that tenants should be able to influence strategic decisions and service delivery. Compliance with the standards is monitored and reported on through regulatory judgments.
Mae’r safonau rheoleiddiol yn nodi disgwyliadau Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer cymdeithasau tai. Mae'r safonau hyn yn ei gwneud yn ofynnol i gymdeithasau ddarparu gwasanaethau o ansawdd uchel a chartrefi diogel, yn ogystal â'i gwneud yn ofynnol i denantiaid allu dylanwadu ar benderfyniadau strategol a darpariaeth gwasanaethau. Caiff cydymffurfiaeth â'r safonau ei fonitro ac adroddir arno drwy ddyfarniadau rheoleiddio.
So, in the context of the need to try and get anybody who’s missing out on the pension credit in order to get the winter fuel payment, I’ve been speaking to the housing associations in my constituency of Cardiff Central to see what duty of care they have to the well-being of their tenants to make sure they’re actually getting what they’re entitled to and know how to apply for it before 21 December. I’m very pleased to say that Cardiff Community Housing Association is taking proactive steps to contact all relevant tenants, but others are only assisting residents when they get asked for information. And I just feel that this well-being issue, to ensure that people are getting the income that they need and are entitled to at this difficult time in terms of the fuel bills going up, is something we need to pursue. So, what discussions are you having with housing associations on your expectations about the well-being of tenants as well as local authorities to proactively ensure that anybody who’s in danger of missing out on pension credit and the winter fuel allowance doesn’t get missed out simply because they are not able to apply digitally or they don’t have a family member to do it for them.
Felly, yng nghyd-destun yr angen i geisio nodi unrhyw un sy'n mynd heb gredyd pensiwn i allu cael taliad tanwydd y gaeaf, rwyf wedi bod yn siarad â'r cymdeithasau tai yn fy etholaeth i yng Nghanol Caerdydd i weld pa ddyletswydd gofal sydd ganddynt i les eu tenantiaid er mwyn sicrhau eu bod yn cael yr hyn y mae ganddynt hawl iddo a'u bod yn gwybod sut i wneud cais amdano cyn 21 Rhagfyr. Rwy’n falch iawn o ddweud bod Cymdeithas Tai Cymunedol Caerdydd yn cymryd camau rhagweithiol i gysylltu â’r holl denantiaid perthnasol, ond nad yw eraill ond yn cynorthwyo preswylwyr pan ofynnir iddynt am wybodaeth. Ac rwy'n teimlo bod y mater llesiant hwn, i sicrhau bod pobl yn cael yr incwm sydd ei angen arnynt ac y mae ganddynt hawl iddo ar yr adeg anodd hon o ran biliau tanwydd cynyddol, yn rhywbeth y mae angen inni fynd ar ei drywydd. Felly, pa drafodaethau rydych chi'n eu cael gyda chymdeithasau tai ynghylch eich disgwyliadau ynghylch llesiant tenantiaid yn ogystal â bod awdurdodau lleol yn mynd ati'n rhagweithiol i sicrhau nad oes unrhyw un sydd mewn perygl o golli credyd pensiwn a lwfans tanwydd y gaeaf yn cael eu hamddifadu am na allant wneud cais digidol, neu am nad oes ganddynt aelod o'r teulu i wneud hynny drostynt.
Thank you for the question, Jenny—it’s a really important one, and I commend you on the work that you’re doing in your area in particular, and I’m sure other Members will be doing that as well to do everything we can to ensure that people claim everything that they’re entitled to. The Welsh Government is committed to ensuring that people in Wales claim every pound to which they’re entitled. We’ve got our flagship 'Claim what’s yours’ programme take-up campaign, which we’ve seen deliver some really positive results and we’re making sure that we keep on going in that vein.
We’re working collaboratively with the UK Government and our partners, including Community Housing Cymru, to increase that pension credit take-up in Wales, and CHC has developed a cost-of-living support hub to share learning advice and good practice across all housing associations to support tenants in financial difficulties. We would encourage all RSLs and local authorities to work with us and our partners to help maximise benefit take-up, as we know that this is often the gateway for people to access further financial support. So, it’s really important and I’ll continue to monitor this as well, along with Cabinet colleagues.
Diolch am eich cwestiwn, Jenny—mae'n un hynod bwysig, ac rwy'n eich canmol am y gwaith a wnewch yn eich ardal yn arbennig, ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd Aelodau eraill yn gwneud hynny hefyd er mwyn gwneud popeth a allwn i sicrhau bod pobl yn hawlio popeth y mae ganddynt hawl iddo. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo i sicrhau bod pobl Cymru yn hawlio pob punt y mae ganddynt hawl iddi. Mae gennym ein hymgyrch flaenllaw i sicrhau bod pobl yn manteisio ar raglen ‘Hawliwch yr hyn sy’n ddyledus i chi’, sydd wedi sicrhau canlyniadau cadarnhaol iawn, ac rydym yn sicrhau ein bod yn parhau i fynd ar drywydd hynny.
Rydym yn gweithio ar y cyd â Llywodraeth y DU a’n partneriaid, gan gynnwys Cartrefi Cymunedol Cymru, i gynyddu’r nifer sy’n hawlio credyd pensiwn yng Nghymru, ac mae Cartrefi Cymunedol Cymru wedi datblygu hyb cymorth costau byw i rannu cyngor dysgu ac arferion da ymhlith pob cymdeithas dai er mwyn gefnogi tenantiaid mewn trafferthion ariannol. Hoffem annog pob landlord cymdeithasol cofrestredig ac awdurdod lleol i weithio gyda ni a’n partneriaid i helpu i gynyddu’r nifer sy’n hawlio budd-daliadau, gan y gwyddom mai dyma’r porth yn aml i bobl gael mynediad at gymorth ariannol pellach. Felly, mae’n bwysig iawn, a byddaf yn parhau i fonitro hyn hefyd gyda fy nghyd-Aelodau yn y Cabinet.
Housing associations have raised concerns with me that, because they’re taking more tenant allocations from priority lists and therefore working with people in crisis or post crisis, this is having a big impact, where the needs of tenants are becoming more complex and the demands on them are increasing as they work with affected families and maintain their homes, and that they’re also struggling with Welsh Government aspirations over decarbonisation, where their actual ability to deliver is, quote, 'a moot point', with a massive black hole in funding to do it the way they’re being asked to and that there’s a need to balance the ambition with what is realistic, working out with tenants the best way for individual homes. So, in determining the standards of tenant care that it expects housing associations to provide, what consideration is the Welsh Government therefore giving to these concerns?
Mae cymdeithasau tai wedi dweud pryderon wrthyf, am eu bod yn cymryd mwy o denantiaid oddi ar restrau blaenoriaeth ac felly’n gweithio gyda phobl sydd mewn argyfwng neu sydd wedi bod mewn argyfwng, fod hyn yn cael effaith fawr, lle mae anghenion tenantiaid yn dod yn fwyfwy cymhleth a’r galwadau arnynt yn cynyddu wrth iddynt weithio gyda theuluoedd yr effeithir arnynt a chynnal eu cartrefi, a'u bod hefyd yn ei chael hi'n anodd gyda dyheadau Llywodraeth Cymru i ddatgarboneiddio lle mae eu gallu i gyflawni mewn gwirionedd, a dyfynnaf, yn 'amherthnasol', gyda thwll du enfawr yn y cyllid i'w wneud yn y ffordd y gofynnir iddynt ei wneud, a bod angen cydbwyso'r uchelgais gyda'r hyn sy'n realistig, gan weithio gyda thenantiaid i bennu'r ffordd orau ar gyfer cartrefi unigol. Felly, wrth bennu'r safonau y mae’n disgwyl i gymdeithasau tai eu darparu o ran gofal tenantiaid, pa ystyriaeth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei rhoi i’r pryderon hyn?
Thank you, Mark. As I said, we’re working very closely with RSLs, and I think that’s an important partnership approach, as well as with local government, because we all want to see as many people gaining access to their entitlement, as they are. Community Housing Cymru, as I said, have developed a cost-of-living support hub to share that learning, advice and best practice to housing associations, giving essential cost-of-living support to their tenants. So, there is work ongoing. Social landlords do have a duty of care to their tenants though various landlord and tenant legislation, including the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. But, as I said, there is a lot of work going on in this area. We’re very, very alert to it. The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice is chairing the next Interministerial Group on Work and Pensions, and she’ll discuss the importance of both Governments working together to address the reason why older people fail to take up their entitlements. There is a lot of focus in this area, and I’m sure Members will be kept up to date on this in due course.
Diolch, Mark. Fel y dywedais, rydym yn gweithio’n agos iawn gyda landlordiaid cymdeithasol cofrestredig, a chredaf fod hwnnw’n ddull partneriaeth pwysig, yn ogystal â llywodraeth leol, gan fod pob un ohonom am weld cymaint o bobl â phosibl yn cael mynediad at yr hyn y mae ganddynt hawl iddo. Mae Cartrefi Cymunedol Cymru, fel y dywedais, wedi datblygu hyb cymorth costau byw i rannu dysgu, cyngor ac arferion gorau â chymdeithasau tai, gan roi cymorth costau byw hanfodol i’w tenantiaid. Felly, mae gwaith yn mynd rhagddo. Mae gan landlordiaid cymdeithasol ddyletswydd gofal i’w tenantiaid drwy wahanol ddeddfwriaeth landlordiaid a thenantiaid, gan gynnwys Deddf Rhentu Cartrefi (Cymru) 2016. Ond fel y dywedais, mae llawer o waith yn mynd rhagddo yn y maes hwn. Rydym yn ymwybodol iawn ohono. Bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Gyfiawnder Cymdeithasol yn cadeirio’r Grŵp Rhyngweinidogol ar Waith a Phensiynau nesaf, a bydd yn trafod pa mor bwysig yw hi fod y ddwy Lywodraeth yn gweithio gyda’i gilydd i fynd i’r afael â’r rheswm pam nad yw pobl hŷn yn manteisio ar eu hawliau. Mae llawer o ffocws yn y maes hwn, ac rwy’n siŵr y bydd yr Aelodau’n cael y wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am hyn maes o law.
2. Sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio gyda llywodraeth leol yn Islwyn i sicrhau bod cyfleusterau cymunedol yn cael eu diogelu? OQ61623
2. How is the Welsh Government working with local government in Islwyn to ensure that community facilities are protected? OQ61623
Our Transforming Towns regeneration programme provides a co-ordinated package of support, providing local authorities with the opportunity to invest in town centres across Wales. Individual towns can benefit by identifying the mix of interventions that best suits their specific characteristics, local strengths, culture and heritage.
Mae ein rhaglen adfywio Trawsnewid Trefi yn darparu pecyn cymorth cydgysylltiedig, gan roi cyfle i awdurdodau lleol fuddsoddi yng nghanol trefi ledled Cymru. Gall trefi unigol elwa drwy nodi'r cymysgedd o ymyriadau sy'n gweddu orau i'w cryfderau lleol, diwylliant, treftadaeth a nodweddion penodol.
Diolch. Caerphilly County Borough Council have stated that they have a £45 million deficit to plug in their finances. The Blackwood Miners' Institute has been threatened with closure as a result, and the timeline saw the first announcement at the end of July of a potential closure a mere five months later at the end of December. So, following a large-scale protest and march through Blackwood, and a petition of thousands, the proposal has paused as the council seeks legal authority of their legal decision-making powers due to the charitable status of the 'stute'.
Cabinet Secretary, the case study of the Blackwood Miners' Institute and the financial situation faced by Welsh councils demands urgent action and an interventionist approach into what is happening at local government level. Harold Macmillan once warned of the consequences of Thatcherism as selling off the family silver. The sale of assets is
'common with individuals or estates, when they run into financial difficulties.... First, the Georgian silver goes, then all that nice furniture that used to be in the saloon, and then the Canalettos go'.
So, what does the Welsh Government propose to do to ensure that safeguards are in place, so that local authorities have the expertise, support and requirements to work with external partners to ensure that highly treasured community assets are not sacrificed at the altar of accountancy?
Diolch. Mae Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Caerffili wedi datgan bod ganddynt ddiffyg o £45 miliwn i'w lenwi yn eu cyllid. Mae bygythiad y bydd Sefydliad y Glowyr, Coed-duon yn cau o ganlyniad, gyda'r cyhoeddiad cyntaf ddiwedd mis Gorffennaf y byddai’n cau, o bosibl, bum mis yn ddiweddarach ar ddiwedd mis Rhagfyr. Felly, yn dilyn protest fawr a gorymdaith drwy Goed-duon, a deiseb wedi'i llofnodi gan filoedd, mae’r cynnig wedi'i oedi wrth i’r cyngor geisio awdurdod cyfreithiol i’w pwerau i wneud penderfyniadau cyfreithiol oherwydd statws elusennol y 'stiwt'.
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae’r astudiaeth achos o Sefydliad y Glowyr, Coed-duon a’r sefyllfa ariannol a wynebir gan gynghorau Cymru yn galw am gamau gweithredu brys a dull ymyraethol o ran yr hyn sy’n digwydd ar lefel llywodraeth leol. Rhybuddiodd Harold Macmillan unwaith fod canlyniadau Thatcheriaeth fel gwerthu llestri arian y teulu. Mae gwerthu asedau
'yn gyffredin ymhlith unigolion ac ystadau pan fyddant yn mynd i drafferthion ariannol…. Yn gyntaf, mae'r llestri arian Sioraidd yn mynd, wedyn yr holl gelfi hyfryd a arferai fod yn yr ystafelloedd cyhoeddus, ac yna mae'r Canalettos yn mynd.'
Felly, beth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn bwriadu ei wneud i sicrhau bod mesurau diogelu ar waith, fel bod gan awdurdodau lleol yr arbenigedd, y gefnogaeth a'r hyn sy'n ofynnol i weithio gyda phartneriaid allanol i sicrhau nad yw asedau cymunedol hynod werthfawr yn cael eu haberthu ar allor cyfrifyddiaeth?
Thank you for the question, Rhianon, and I am aware of the situation that you’ve mentioned. The Welsh Government does recognise the key role culture plays within communities across Wales, its contribution in terms of health and well-being, economic impacts, visitor attractions, resources for schools and life-long learning, and that’s all vital. The Welsh Government is aware of the very difficult options that must be explored in the current financial climate. The management and funding of venues such as the Blackwood Miners' Institute is a matter for the governing body. In this case, that’s Caerphilly County Borough Council. I know that the Arts Council of Wales have been in discussion with Caerphilly council regarding the consultation that the local authority has had, and I know that the officers there have been in regular contact with the team at the institute, and they’ve offered support and are keeping the Welsh Government updated on developments.
Diolch am eich cwestiwn, Rhianon, ac rwy’n ymwybodol o’r sefyllfa yr ydych wedi'i nodi. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cydnabod y rôl allweddol y mae diwylliant yn ei chwarae mewn cymunedau ledled Cymru, ei gyfraniad i iechyd a llesiant, effeithiau economaidd, atyniadau i ymwelwyr, adnoddau ar gyfer ysgolion a dysgu gydol oes, ac mae'r pethau hyn oll yn hanfodol. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ymwybodol o’r opsiynau anodd iawn y mae’n rhaid eu harchwilio yn yr hinsawdd ariannol sydd ohoni. Mater i'r corff llywodraethu yw rheoli ac ariannu lleoliadau fel Sefydliad y Glowyr, Coed-duon. Yn yr achos hwn, Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Caerffili yw hwnnw. Gwn fod Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru wedi bod yn trafod gyda chyngor Caerffili ynghylch yr ymgynghoriad y mae’r awdurdod lleol wedi’i gael, a gwn fod y swyddogion yno wedi bod mewn cysylltiad rheolaidd â thîm y sefydliad, a'u bod wedi cynnig cymorth ac yn rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i Lywodraeth Cymru ynglŷn â datblygiadau.
Cabinet Secretary, I fully support Rhianon Passmore’s concern about Caerphilly Labour council’s lack of support for community venues. However, a quick look at the council’s accounts tells you the problem can be solved. Caerphilly Labour council are sitting on £220 million of reserves. By contrast, Monmouthshire council has £20 million in reserves. Nearly £0.25 billion is sitting in a bank doing nothing while people mourn the loss of important facilities, and, as you say, Cabinet Secretary, cultural assets. Does the Minister agree with me that it’s absolutely obscene that this much-loved community facility in Islwyn—both facilities in Islwyn—are due to close due to lack of funds, when there are huge amounts piling up in bank accounts? Will the Cabinet Secretary have a meeting with the arts council and Caerphilly council to make them try and get some money out of their bank and into the community where it belongs?
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, rwy’n llwyr gefnogi pryder Rhianon Passmore ynghylch diffyg cefnogaeth cyngor Llafur Caerffili i leoliadau cymunedol. Fodd bynnag, mae cipolwg cyflym ar gyfrifon y cyngor yn dweud wrthych y gellir datrys y broblem. Mae cyngor Llafur Caerffili yn eistedd ar £220 miliwn o gronfeydd wrth gefn. Mewn cyferbyniad, mae gan gyngor sir Fynwy £20 miliwn mewn cronfeydd wrth gefn. Mae bron i £0.25 biliwn yn eistedd mewn banc yn gwneud dim tra bo pobl yn galaru am golli cyfleusterau pwysig, ac asedau diwylliannol, fel y dywedwch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. A yw’r Gweinidog yn cytuno â mi ei bod yn gwbl warthus fod y cyfleuster cymunedol poblogaidd hwn yn Islwyn—y ddau gyfleuster yn Islwyn—yn mynd i gau oherwydd diffyg arian, pan fo symiau enfawr yn cronni mewn cyfrifon banc? A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet gyfarfod gyda chyngor y celfyddydau a chyngor Caerffili i wneud iddynt geisio rhoi rhywfaint o'r arian sydd ganddynt yn y banc i'r gymuned lle dylai fod?
Thank you, Laura. We understand how these are difficult decisions for local authorities. As I said, this is a matter for the local authority. I think there’s a conflation there about what the reserves are for, but we are aware of the situation. We know that the local authority has engaged with the public. There’s been a full consultation and effective scrutiny by those elected members, and that is an important element of local decisions on the provisions and the services that are provided. So, as I said, there are discussions within—. The Arts Council of Wales are involved—officers are there. We have been asked to keep in touch with those discussions, so I can assure you that that is happening.
Diolch, Laura. Rydym yn deall sut y mae’r rhain yn benderfyniadau anodd i awdurdodau lleol. Fel y dywedais, mater i’r awdurdod lleol yw hwn. Credaf eich bod yn cyfuno dau beth ynghylch pwrpas y cronfeydd wrth gefn, ond rydym yn ymwybodol o’r sefyllfa. Gwyddom fod yr awdurdod lleol wedi ymgysylltu â’r cyhoedd. Bu ymgynghoriad llawn a chraffu effeithiol gan yr aelodau etholedig, ac mae honno’n elfen bwysig o benderfyniadau lleol ar y darpariaethau a’r gwasanaethau a ddarperir. Felly, fel y dywedais, mae trafodaethau o fewn—. Mae Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru yn rhan o'r trafodaethau—mae swyddogion yno. Gofynnwyd inni gadw mewn cysylltiad â’r trafodaethau hynny, felly gallaf roi sicrwydd i chi fod hynny’n digwydd.
Cabinet Secretary, the fate of Blackwood Miners' Institute hangs in the balance, and residents and staff are deeply worried, particularly after the news last week that Llancaiach Fawr was to close. Caerphilly council, as has been said, has had to pause their decision about the miners' future, but there are many questions that local campaigners are asking. The miners' institute has received funding from the arts council. It was meant to have been awarded money from the shared prosperity fund—the money earmarked for the institute may have already been given to other sources. What urgent support can the Welsh Government give—I do believe that this is something that the Welsh Government should be giving support to—to ensure that a cornerstone of cultural life in the community remains open? There is a real risk that productions will put out before a decision is even made because of the ongoing uncertainty, and staff morale is shockingly low, particularly, again, because of the decision last week about Llancaiach Fawr. Can urgent support be given by the Government, because national support should be given to venues that are of national importance?
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae tynged Sefydliad y Glowyr, Coed-duon yn y fantol, ac mae trigolion a staff yn bryderus iawn, yn enwedig ar ôl y newyddion yr wythnos diwethaf y bydd Llancaiach Fawr yn cau. Mae cyngor Caerffili, fel y dywedwyd, wedi gorfod oedi eu penderfyniad ynglŷn â dyfodol sefydliad y glowyr, ond mae gan ymgyrchwyr lleol lawer o gwestiynau. Mae sefydliad y glowyr wedi derbyn arian gan gyngor y celfyddydau. Roedd i fod i gael arian o'r gronfa ffyniant gyffredin—efallai fod yr arian a glustnodwyd ar gyfer y sefydliad eisoes wedi'i roi i ffynonellau eraill. Pa gymorth brys y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei roi—credaf fod hyn yn rhywbeth y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru ei gefnogi—i sicrhau bod un o gonglfeini bywyd diwylliannol yn y gymuned yn parhau i fod ar agor? Mae risg wirioneddol y bydd cynyrchiadau’n tynnu allan hyd yn oed cyn i benderfyniad gael ei wneud oherwydd yr ansicrwydd parhaus, ac mae ysbryd staff yn syfrdanol o isel, yn rhannol, unwaith eto, oherwydd y penderfyniad yr wythnos diwethaf ynglŷn â Llancaiach Fawr. A all y Llywodraeth roi cymorth brys, gan y dylid rhoi cymorth cenedlaethol i leoliadau sydd o bwysigrwydd cenedlaethol?
Thank you, Delyth. I understand, from all Members, the passionate views that they have on Blackwood Miners' Institute. I know there's been that consultation with Caerphilly County Borough Council that has been ongoing. As I said, the Arts Council of Wales are involved. As you mention, they have funded the Blackwood Miners' Institute, but I know those discussions are ongoing. So, I understand the importance of the building. This is very much a decision for Caerphilly County Borough Council, and, as I say, I really do appreciate the real financial backdrop to all of this as well.
Diolch, Delyth. Rwy'n deall y safbwyntiau angerddol sydd gan bob Aelod ynghylch Sefydliad y Glowyr, Coed-duon. Gwn fod ymgynghoriad yn mynd rhagddo gyda Chyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Caerffili. Fel y dywedais, mae Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru yn rhan o'r trafodaethau. Fel y soniwch, maent wedi ariannu Sefydliad y Glowyr, Coed-duon, ond gwn fod y trafodaethau hynny’n parhau. Felly, rwy’n deall pwysigrwydd yr adeilad. Mae hwn yn benderfyniad i Gyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Caerffili, ac fel y dywedaf, rwy'n deall y cefndir ariannol i hyn oll hefyd.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Peter Fox.
Questions now from party spokespeople. The Conservatives' spokesperson, Peter Fox.
Diolch, Llywydd. Can I firstly welcome you to your new post, Cabinet Secretary? I sincerely wish you the very best, and I'll do my best to be as supportive as I can.
Cabinet Secretary, the First Minister has announced her priorities for this Government. I hope you will bring new ideas and perspectives on the matter of local government finances. Cabinet Secretary, what will your plans be for sustainable local government funding?
Diolch, Lywydd. Yn gyntaf, a gaf i eich croesawu i’ch swydd newydd, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet? Rwy'n ddiffuant yn dymuno'r gorau i chi, a byddaf yn gwneud fy ngorau i fod mor gefnogol ag y gallaf.
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae’r Prif Weinidog wedi cyhoeddi ei blaenoriaethau ar gyfer y Llywodraeth hon. Rwy'n gobeithio y dowch â syniadau a safbwyntiau newydd ar fater cyllid llywodraeth leol. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, beth fydd eich cynlluniau ar gyfer cyllid cynaliadwy i lywodraeth leol?
Diolch, Peter. Thank you very much for the warm welcome and I look forward to working with you and other colleagues across the Chamber on this portfolio.
I'm early into this—it's really the first month, I think, or the first couple of weeks anyway. We're jointly developing with local authorities a real protocol, looking at how we can go forward in terms of if there was a significant financial challenge. So, we are trying to get some sort of bottom-out of that, really, with local authorities. I'm looking forward to having discussions with local authority leaders across Wales—I've already started that—and looking forward to working with the WLGA. So, I'm keen to get out and about and speak to local authorities directly and hear from them some of the challenges and the opportunities that they face.
Diolch, Peter. Diolch yn fawr iawn am y croeso cynnes, ac edrychaf ymlaen at weithio gyda chi a chyd-Aelodau eraill ar draws y Siambr ar y portffolio hwn.
Mae'n ddyddiau cynnar i mi ar hyn—yn wir, dyma'r mis cyntaf, rwy'n credu, neu'r ychydig wythnosau cyntaf, beth bynnag. Rydym yn datblygu protocol real ar y cyd ag awdurdodau lleol, gan edrych ar sut y gallwn symud ymlaen i weld a oes yna her ariannol sylweddol. Felly, rydym yn ceisio mynd at wraidd hynny, mewn gwirionedd, gydag awdurdodau lleol. Edrychaf ymlaen at gael trafodaethau gydag arweinwyr awdurdodau lleol ledled Cymru—rwyf eisoes wedi dechrau ar hynny—ac edrychaf ymlaen at weithio gyda CLlLC. Felly, rwy’n awyddus i siarad ag awdurdodau lleol yn uniongyrchol a chlywed ganddynt ynglŷn â rhai o’r heriau a’r cyfleoedd y maent yn eu hwynebu.
Thank you for that, Cabinet Secretary. That's pleasing to know, and I encourage you to have those conversations as soon as possible. We only heard last week, didn't we, from the leader of Flintshire how the local authority there was in a position where it may end up having to declare bankruptcy at some point. And then we heard later on, didn't we, a few days later, similar messages from Neath Port Talbot. We know, and I know, that there will be many other authorities who are extremely concerned about the situation. We know that last year's budget levelled a real-terms cut of around 5 per cent on councils, and the implications of this, and the previous difficult years, are threatening the sustainability of local government in its current form. With this in mind, what actions will the Government be taking to ensure that all councils can continue to deliver the many vital services that our communities pay for and expect? Will you want to review current arrangements for the funding of local government? I know you've said you're going to talk to the WLGA and leaders, but is there an appetite within your portfolio, within the Government, to really look at that local government funding formula?
Diolch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Mae'n braf clywed hynny, ac rwy'n eich annog i gael y sgyrsiau hynny cyn gynted â phosibl. Yr wythnos diwethaf, clywsom gan arweinydd sir y Fflint ynglŷn â sut oedd yr awdurdod lleol yno mewn sefyllfa lle gallai fod angen iddynt ddatgan methdaliad ar ryw bwynt. Ac yna clywsom negeseuon tebyg yn nes ymlaen, oni wnaethom, ychydig ddyddiau'n ddiweddarach, gan Gastell-nedd Port Talbot. Fe wyddom y bydd llawer o awdurdodau eraill yn hynod bryderus ynglŷn â'r sefyllfa. Gwyddom fod cyllideb y llynedd wedi golygu toriad mewn termau real o oddeutu 5 y cant i gynghorau, ac mae goblygiadau hyn, a’r blynyddoedd anodd blaenorol, yn bygwth cynaliadwyedd llywodraeth leol ar ei ffurf bresennol. Gyda hyn mewn golwg, pa gamau y bydd y Llywodraeth yn eu cymryd i sicrhau y gall pob cyngor barhau i ddarparu’r amryw wasanaethau hanfodol y mae ein cymunedau’n talu amdanynt ac yn eu disgwyl? A fyddwch chi eisiau adolygu’r trefniadau presennol ar gyfer cyllid llywodraeth leol? Gwn eich bod wedi dweud y byddwch yn siarad â CLlLC ac arweinwyr, ond a oes awydd yn eich portffolio, o fewn y Llywodraeth, i edrych yn agos ar fformiwla gyllido llywodraeth leol?
Thank you for that, Peter. I think there’s an opportunity here also to pay tribute to all those people who work in local authorities and the officers who work hard, day in, day out, to make sure that those services are provided for our local communities. So, I’m very pleased that I have the responsibility for local government within my portfolio, and I just want to pay tribute to the workforce who work hard in difficult situations.
As just mentioned, we are jointly developing with local authorities a protocol to apply in case of significant financial challenge. Once finalised, that protocol will be agreed through the finance sub-group. It’s going to set out a range of potential options for support. This will not include access, though, to additional funding, but rather to non-financial and technical steps, including, where appropriate, capitalisation directions. So, there’s something there that we’re looking at in case, because I recognise the stress on the system at the moment and what we’ve seen across the border as well. So, we’re making sure we’re working with local government to prepare. So, as I said, I’m really keen to have those discussions with local authority leaders and the WLGA, and I’m sure I’ll hear some of those points that you’ve raised today.
Diolch, Peter. Credaf fod cyfle yma hefyd i dalu teyrnged i’r holl bobl sy’n gweithio yn yr awdurdodau lleol a’r swyddogion sy’n gweithio’n galed bob dydd i sicrhau bod y gwasanaethau hynny’n cael eu darparu ar gyfer ein cymunedau lleol. Felly, rwy’n falch iawn fod gennyf y cyfrifoldeb dros lywodraeth leol yn fy mhortffolio, a hoffwn dalu teyrnged i’r gweithlu sy’n gweithio’n galed mewn sefyllfaoedd anodd.
Fel y nodwyd nawr, rydym yn datblygu protocol ar y cyd gydag awdurdodau lleol i'w ddefnyddio pan fydd yna her ariannol sylweddol. Pan fydd wedi'i gwblhau, bydd yr is-grŵp cyllid yn cytuno ar y protocol hwnnw. Mae’n mynd i nodi ystod o opsiynau posibl ar gyfer cymorth. Fodd bynnag, ni fydd hyn yn cynnwys mynediad at gyllid ychwanegol, ond yn hytrach at gamau anariannol a thechnegol, gan gynnwys, lle bo'n briodol, cyfarwyddiadau cyfalafu. Felly, mae rhywbeth yno yr ydym yn edrych arno rhag ofn, gan fy mod yn cydnabod y straen sydd ar y system ar hyn o bryd a’r hyn a welsom dros y ffin hefyd. Felly, rydym yn sicrhau ein bod yn gweithio gyda llywodraeth leol i baratoi. Felly, fel y dywedais, rwy’n awyddus iawn i gael y trafodaethau hynny gydag arweinwyr awdurdodau lleol a CLlLC, ac rwy’n siŵr y byddaf yn clywed rhai o’r pwyntiau a godwyd gennych heddiw.
Thank you for that. I’m sure those conversations will be productive. I think it’s important and incumbent on me to highlight the wider issues. As you know, with my past experience, I know there is a significant difference in the resilience that many councils have. We heard a case earlier about levels of reserves. I’m not going to talk about reserves, because I know they’re currently being used. However, there is a vulnerability that some have because they haven’t got the resilience, and that’s a result of the funding system and that is not sustainable.
Moving on, Cabinet Secretary, a massive headache for councils, as you’ll very well know, is the pressure surrounding social care. Local authorities faced, last year, around a £260 million financial black hole to address social care, but you’ll know that they received only about 10 per cent of the extra funding from the Welsh Government. That contradicted the need to address the well-being situation, recognising how much money went into health. Clearly, then, there’s a lack of a holistic approach by the Government when it comes to health and well-being. Local government plays an absolutely fundamental role in maintaining our communities' wellness. So, with this in mind, Cabinet Secretary, what can the local government family expect to see from you and your colleagues to put things right for social care?
Diolch. Rwy’n siŵr y bydd y sgyrsiau hynny’n gynhyrchiol. Credaf ei bod yn bwysig ac yn ddyletswydd arnaf i dynnu sylw at y materion ehangach. Fel y gwyddoch, o'm profiad yn y gorffennol, gwn fod gwahaniaeth sylweddol yn y gwytnwch sydd gan lawer o gynghorau. Clywsom achos yn gynharach am lefelau’r cronfeydd wrth gefn. Nid wyf am sôn am gronfeydd wrth gefn, gan y gwn eu bod eisoes yn cael eu defnyddio. Fodd bynnag, mae rhai mewn sefyllfa fregus am nad ydynt yn wydn, ac mae hynny o ganlyniad i’r system ariannu ac nid yw’n gynaliadwy.
Gan symud ymlaen, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, cur pen enfawr i gynghorau, fel y gwyddoch yn iawn, yw’r pwysau sy'n gysylltiedig â gofal cymdeithasol. Y llynedd, roedd awdurdodau lleol yn wynebu twll du ariannol o oddeutu £260 miliwn i fynd i’r afael â gofal cymdeithasol, ond fe fyddwch yn gwybod mai dim ond oddeutu 10 y cant o’r cyllid ychwanegol a gawsant gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Roedd hynny’n groes i'r angen i fynd i’r afael â’r sefyllfa o ran lles, gan gydnabod faint o arian sy'n mynd i faes iechyd. Yn amlwg, felly, mae yna ddiffyg ymagwedd gyfannol gan y Llywodraeth mewn perthynas ag iechyd a lles. Mae llywodraeth leol yn chwarae rhan hollbwysig yn cynnal lles ein cymunedau. Felly, gyda hyn mewn golwg, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, beth y gall y teulu llywodraeth leol ddisgwyl ei weld gennych chi a'ch cyd-Aelodau i unioni'r sefyllfa ar gyfer gofal cymdeithasol?
Thank you, Peter. Again, thank you for all the work that you’ve done in your past life, before coming here, in local government. You talk about the resilience of local authorities, and I know again that people are working really hard within those local authorities, against a difficult backdrop in terms of financial pressures, expectations of services and what local authorities deliver, and as you’ve mentioned, social care is such a crucial aspect of that. We know, and I’ve heard myself already from local authority leaders and councillors, about the pressures that local authorities are under because of social care. I’m keen to work with the Cabinet Member for social care as well, the Minister for social care, around this, and the Cabinet Member for health and social care, because if there’s a way that we can have a real focus in this area, especially in terms of getting people out of hospitals, I know that’s something the First Minister has talked about over time now. So, having that focus and working together across portfolios, I think, will be helpful, as well as with local government, which is really crucial.
Diolch, Peter. Unwaith eto, diolch am yr holl waith a wnaethoch yn eich bywyd blaenorol, cyn dod yma, ym maes llywodraeth leol. Rydych chi'n sôn am wydnwch awdurdodau lleol, a gwn unwaith eto fod pobl yn gweithio’n galed iawn yn yr awdurdodau lleol hynny, mewn cyd-destun anodd o ran pwysau ariannol, disgwyliadau gan wasanaethau a’r hyn y mae awdurdodau lleol yn ei ddarparu, ac fel rydych chi wedi'i nodi, mae gofal cymdeithasol yn elfen mor hanfodol o hynny. Fe wyddom, ac rwyf eisoes wedi clywed fy hun gan arweinwyr awdurdodau lleol a chynghorwyr, am y pwysau sydd ar awdurdodau lleol oherwydd gofal cymdeithasol. Rwy’n awyddus i weithio gydag Aelod y Cabinet dros ofal cymdeithasol hefyd, y Gweinidog gofal cymdeithasol, ar hyn, ac Aelod y Cabinet dros iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol, oherwydd os oes ffordd y gallwn gael ffocws go iawn yn y maes hwn, yn enwedig i gael pobl allan o ysbytai, gwn fod hynny'n rhywbeth y mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi sôn amdano dros beth amser bellach. Felly, credaf y bydd cael y ffocws hwnnw a chydweithio ar draws portffolios o gymorth hefyd gyda llywodraeth leol, sy’n wirioneddol hanfodol.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Siân Gwenllian.
Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Siân Gwenllian.
Diolch, Llywydd. Rydw innau’n edrych ymlaen at gydweithio efo chi ar y portffolio tai. Ddoe, fe fuon ni’n trafod canfyddiadau adroddiad Archwilio Cymru oedd yn dweud na fydd targed 20,000 o gartrefi cymdeithasol Llywodraeth Cymru yn cael ei gyrraedd heb wariant ychwanegol sylweddol. I fod yn benodol, mae Archwilydd Cyffredinol Cymru yn dweud bod angen cymaint â rhwng £580 miliwn a £740 miliwn o gyfalaf ychwanegol ar ben tybiaethau cyllidebol presennol i fynd yn agos at gyrraedd y targed erbyn mis Mawrth 2026. Ydych chi'n cytuno efo canfyddiadau'r adroddiad yma? A beth ydy eich ymateb chi i hynny?
Thank you, Llywydd. I also look forward to working with you on the housing portfolio. Yesterday, we discussed the findings of the Audit Wales report that stated that the Welsh Government target of 20,000 social homes won't be reached without significant additional expenditure. To be specific, the Auditor General for Wales states that there's a need for as much as between £580 million and £740 million of capital expenditure in addition to the current financial assumptions to get close to that target by March 2026. Do you agree with the findings of this report? And how do you respond to that?
Thank you, Siân. Diolch. As I said, thank you again for your warm welcome as well—I look forward to working with you in this portfolio—and for the work that you've done in your previous capacity as well in local authorities. As I mentioned yesterday, I welcome the Audit Wales report and I put on record my thanks to them for the work that they've done. I have accepted all of the recommendations within that report and officials have responded to that.
Diolch, Siân. Fel y dywedais, diolch eto am eich croeso cynnes hefyd—edrychaf ymlaen at weithio gyda chi yn y portffolio hwn—ac am y gwaith awdurdod lleol a wnaethoch chi'n flaenorol. Fel y soniais ddoe, rwy'n croesawu adroddiad Archwilio Cymru, a hoffwn gofnodi fy niolch iddynt am y gwaith y maent wedi'i wneud. Rwyf wedi derbyn pob un o’r argymhellion yn yr adroddiad hwnnw ac mae swyddogion wedi ymateb i hynny.
Iawn. Ond dydy hynny ddim yn ateb y cwestiwn ynglŷn â'r cyllid maen nhw'n ei adnabod sydd yn hanfodol ar gyfer symud pethau ymlaen.
Fodd bynnag, fe nodwyd ddoe fod bron i 140,000 o bobl ar restrau aros tai cymdeithasol. Er bod y bobl yma yn aros am dai fforddiadwy, fydd yna lawer yn cael eu gwthio i ddigartrefedd, i ddyled ac i dlodi. Rydym ni yn gwybod bod y pwysau presennol ar wasanaethau digartrefedd yn aruthrol ac yn anghynaliadwy, ac rydym ni'n gwybod hefyd mai'r ffordd orau o helpu pobl a lleihau'r pwysau ar wasanaethau ydy symud pobl i lety hirdymor addas. Fydd hynny ddim yn bosib oni bai eich bod chi'n tyfu'r stoc tai cymdeithasol. Gaf i ofyn, felly, o faint ydych chi'n anelu at leihau rhestrau aros tai cymdeithasol erbyn diwedd tymor y Senedd yma? Neu, mewn geiriau eraill, faint o bobl ydych chi'n rhagweld bydd yn cael eu symud i dai cymdeithasol erbyn diwedd tymor y Senedd yma?
Okay. But that didn't answer the question on the additional finance that they've identified as being essential to move things forward.
However, it was noted yesterday that almost 140,000 people were on social housing waiting lists. Although these people are waiting for affordable accommodation, many will be pushed into homelessness, into debt and into poverty. We do know that current pressures on homelessness services are unsustainable and vast, and we also know that the best way of helping people and reducing the pressure on services is to move people to long-term appropriate accommodation. But that won't be possible unless you enhance the social housing stock. So, can I ask, therefore, by how many are you looking to reduce the waiting list for social housing by the end of this Senedd? Or, in other words, how many people do you anticipate will be moved into social housing by the end of this Senedd term?
Diolch, Siân. And I should have said in response to the first question, in terms of the number that was referred to in the Audit Wales report, you know, it is a complex picture. They've talked about finance, but there are other aspects to the supply that are needed in terms of skills. It's not just a financial issue. I think the other point I'd like to make on that report, really, is that we have looked at that, we've accepted that, we accepted the recommendations within that. And in terms of how I see this part of the portfolio, it's how can we unlock the potential that we already have. You know, I wrote a letter, earlier in the summer, to ask all local authorities and RSLs about where they are, how we can do more, and what are the knotty bits within their areas, just to get some real granular detail, and I'm going to be looking at that very closely to see what else we need to do. So, I don't think all of it is necessarily financial.
And in terms of the list, we do know we need more homes. You know, we all have a real appetite to see as many homes built as possible, and we want that to happen as quickly as possible, as I said in my statement yesterday, but we've really got to focus on some of the real issues that we're facing in different areas around Wales.
Diolch, Siân. A dylwn fod wedi dweud mewn ymateb i’r cwestiwn cyntaf, o ran y ffigur y cyfeiriwyd ato yn adroddiad Archwilio Cymru, wyddoch chi, mae’n ddarlun cymhleth. Maent wedi sôn am gyllid, ond mae agweddau eraill ar y cyflenwad sydd eu hangen o ran sgiliau. Nid mater ariannol yn unig mohono. Credaf mai'r pwynt arall yr hoffwn ei wneud ar yr adroddiad hwnnw, mewn gwirionedd, yw ein bod wedi edrych ar yr adroddiad, rydym wedi'i dderbyn, rydym wedi derbyn yr argymhellion ynddo. Ac o ran sut rwy'n edrych ar y rhan hon o'r portffolio, mae a wnelo â sut y gallwn ddatgloi'r potensial sydd gennym eisoes. Wyddoch chi, fe ysgrifennais lythyr, yn gynharach yn yr haf, i holi pob awdurdod lleol a landlord cymdeithasol cofrestredig ynglŷn â'u sefyllfa, sut y gallwn wneud mwy, a beth yw'r mannau problemus o fewn eu hardaloedd, er mwyn cael y manylion, a byddaf yn edrych ar hynny'n agos iawn i weld beth arall sydd angen i ni ei wneud. Felly, nid wyf yn credu bod y cyfan yn ariannol o reidrwydd.
Ac o ran y rhestr, gwyddom fod angen mwy o gartrefi arnom. Wyddoch chi, mae gan bob un ohonom awydd gwirioneddol i weld cymaint â phosibl o gartrefi’n cael eu hadeiladu, ac rydym am i hynny ddigwydd cyn gynted â phosibl, fel y dywedais yn fy natganiad ddoe, ond mae'n rhaid inni ganolbwyntio ar rai o’r problemau real a wynebwn mewn gwahanol ardaloedd ledled Cymru.
Diolch yn fawr. Felly, rydych chi'n dweud bod yna yn fwy iddi na'r rhwystrau ariannol, ond mae'n hollol amlwg, onid yw, nad oes yna ddigon o arian ar gael i gyrraedd targed Llywodraeth Cymru, fel mae pethau ar hyn o bryd. Ac mae canlyniadau hynny eisoes yn hysbys i ni: mwy o bobl yn cael eu gwthio i ddyled a thlodi a digartrefedd. Yn ddiweddar, mae'r Dirprwy Brif Weinidog yn San Steffan, Angela Rayner, wedi bod yn awgrymu pecyn mawr o adeiladu tai cymdeithasol yn yr adolygiad o wariant fis nesaf. Mae hi wedi disgrifio hyn fel y don fwyaf o dai cyngor mewn cenhedlaeth,
Thank you very much. So, you're saying there's more to this than just financial barriers, but it's entirely clear, isn't it, that there isn't enough money available to reach the Welsh Government's target, as things currently stand. And the results of that are already known to us: more and more people pushed into debt and poverty and homelessness. Recently, the Deputy Prime Minister in Westminster, Angela Rayner, has been suggesting a major package of social housing building in the spending review next month. She's described this as,
'the biggest wave of social...housing for a generation.'
'y don fwyaf o dai cymdeithasol ers cenhedlaeth.'
Mae'r elusen dai Shelter wedi dweud y byddai'n rhaid i Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig adeiladu 90,000 o dai a fflatiau rhent cymdeithasol yn Lloegr i fodloni ymrwymiadau adeiladu tai Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig, sef 1.5 miliwn. Yn ôl Shelter, mi fyddai hynny'n costio £11.8 biliwn i'r Llywodraeth yn San Steffan. Felly, pa drafodaethau ydych chi yn eu cael efo'r Llywodraeth honno ynglŷn â'u bwriadau i gynyddu cyllideb adeiladu tai cymdeithasol? Ac yn bwysicach na hynny, yn hytrach na dim ond trafod, beth fydd y goblygiadau o ran cyllid canlyniadol posib i Gymru? Sef, beth fydd y consequentials tebygol all ddod, sydd ynghlwm efo’r don fawr yma o dai cymdeithasol sydd yn mynd i gyrraedd, yn ôl Angela Rayner?
The housing charity, Shelter, has said that the UK Government would have to build 90,000 homes and flats for social rent in England to meet the UK Government's house building commitments, namely 1.5 million. According to Shelter, that would cost £11.8 billion to the Government in Westminster. So, what discussions are you having with that Government about its intention to increase the budget for building social housing? And more importantly, rather than just having discussions on the issue, what will be the implications in terms of possible consequentials for Wales? That is, what will be the likely consequentials that could emerge in relation to this big wave of social housing that’s going to be built, according to Angela Rayner?
Diolch, Siân. You touched on some of the issues around people. As I said again yesterday, the numbers that we know in temporary accommodation, or people who are homeless, we hear the numbers and the figures, but it’s individuals behind this, and the stress that people are under as well cannot be underestimated.
One of the points I also want to make is around the taskforce that I’ve announced, and that will be happening, and we’ll have further details on that which I’ll bring to the Senedd again. That’s looking at how we can unblock certain areas and have a real focus on how we can build more social homes in Wales.
I have had discussions with colleagues in Westminster. I was at the British-Irish Council recently, and there, I was able to have a discussion with Baroness Stevenage, who’s in the housing portfolio there, and we discussed some of the issues, the challenges we were finding here in Wales. Similarly in England, and looking at how we can work together where we can.
In terms of the figures that you asked for, I don’t have those, and that’s something that I can share when I know more information.
Diolch, Siân. Fe sonioch chi am rai o'r materion sy'n ymwneud â phobl. Fel y dywedais eto ddoe, mae’r niferoedd y gwyddom eu bod mewn llety dros dro, neu'n bobl ddigartref, rydym yn clywed y niferoedd a’r ffigurau, ond unigolion yw'r rhain, ac ni ellir diystyru’r straen sydd ar bobl ychwaith.
Mae un o'r pwyntiau eraill yr hoffwn eu gwneud yn ymwneud â'r tasglu a gyhoeddais, a bydd hynny'n digwydd, ac fe gawn ragor o fanylion ynglŷn â hynny y byddaf yn eu cyflwyno i'r Senedd. Mae'n cynnwys edrych ar sut y gallwn ddadflocio rhai ardaloedd penodol a chael ffocws gwirioneddol ar sut y gallwn adeiladu mwy o gartrefi cymdeithasol yng Nghymru.
Rwyf wedi cael trafodaethau gyda swyddogion yn San Steffan. Roeddwn yn y Cyngor Prydeinig-Gwyddelig yn ddiweddar, ac yno, llwyddais i gael trafodaeth gyda’r Farwnes Stevenage, sydd yn y portffolio tai yno, a buom yn trafod rhai o’r problemau, yr heriau sy'n ein hwynebu yma yng Nghymru. Yn yr un modd, yn Lloegr, ac edrych ar sut y gallwn gydweithio lle gallwn.
O ran y ffigurau y gofynnoch chi amdanynt, nid yw’r rheini gennyf, ac mae hynny’n rhywbeth y gallaf ei rannu pan fydd gennyf fwy o wybodaeth.
Cwestiwn 3, Joyce Watson.
Question 3, Joyce Watson.
Diolch, Llywydd. I welcome the Cabinet Secretary to her new role.
Diolch, Lywydd. Rwy'n croesawu Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet i’w rôl newydd.
3. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet roi diweddariad ar safon ansawdd tai Cymru? OQ61597
3. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the Welsh housing quality standard? OQ61597
Diolch. The new Welsh housing quality standard was launched in October 2023 and implemented from 1 April 2024. Social landlords are already working towards meeting this bold and ambitious standard. The first reporting on progress towards meeting the standard will be in summer 2025.
Diolch. Lansiwyd safon ansawdd tai Cymru newydd ym mis Hydref 2023 ac fe’i rhoddwyd ar waith o 1 Ebrill 2024 ymlaen. Mae landlordiaid cymdeithasol eisoes yn gweithio tuag at fodloni'r safon feiddgar ac uchelgeisiol hon. Bydd yr adroddiadau cyntaf ar gynnydd tuag at fodloni'r safon yn cael eu llunio yn ystod haf 2025.
Diolch for that answer. The Welsh Government, we know, has led the way on setting out a robust set of standards that have helped to transform some of the social housing stock in my area in Mid and West Wales. The recent update to the standard, which, as you said, came into effect in April, will further improve the social housing stock. I welcome the investment from Welsh Government to local authorities and social landlords in my region for 2024-25, and I hope that will, in turn, help them achieve the changes set out by the updated standard. Cabinet Secretary, do you agree with me that it’s vitally important that the Welsh housing quality standard continues to reflect the way people live, work, and also feel about their homes?
Diolch am eich ateb. Gwyddom fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi arwain y ffordd o ran gosod set gadarn o safonau sydd wedi helpu i drawsnewid rhywfaint o’r stoc dai cymdeithasol yn fy ardal i yng Nghanolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru. Bydd y diweddariad diweddar i’r safon, a ddaeth i rym, fel y dywedoch chi, ym mis Ebrill, yn gwella’r stoc dai cymdeithasol ymhellach. Rwy'n croesawu'r buddsoddiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru i awdurdodau lleol a landlordiaid cymdeithasol yn fy rhanbarth ar gyfer 2024-25, ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd hynny, yn ei dro, yn eu helpu i gyflawni’r newidiadau a osodwyd gan y safon newydd. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a ydych chi'n cytuno â mi ei bod yn hollbwysig fod safon ansawdd tai Cymru yn parhau i adlewyrchu'r ffordd y mae pobl yn byw, yn gweithio, a hefyd yn teimlo am eu cartrefi?
Diolch, Joyce, and thank you for your question, and absolutely, I do agree that that is important. The last few years have brought about some real rapid and unexpected changes, not least with the global pandemic, and that’s fundamentally changed how people live and work and what they need from a home. I think we've all thought about our homes after sitting there through the pandemic. But appreciation of our homes is really higher than ever, which is why the new Welsh housing quality standard is so firmly focused on tenants, and I think that’s really, really important. The standard is about more than bricks and mortar, it’s about creating those homes that are safe, comfortable and sustain that healthy lifestyle. So, I'm really keen that this is followed. I'm glad to see this happening, and I think I wholeheartedly agree with your question.
Diolch, Joyce, a diolch am eich cwestiwn, ac yn sicr, rwy’n cytuno bod hynny’n bwysig. Mae'r ychydig flynyddoedd diwethaf wedi arwain at newidiadau gwirioneddol gyflym ac annisgwyl, yn enwedig gyda'r pandemig byd-eang, ac mae hynny wedi newid yn llwyr sut y mae pobl yn byw ac yn gweithio a'r hyn sydd ei angen arnynt mewn cartref. Credaf fod pob un ohonom wedi meddwl am ein cartrefi ar ôl eistedd yno drwy'r pandemig. Ond mae gwerthfawrogiad o'n cartrefi yn uwch nag erioed, a dyna pam fod y safon ansawdd tai Cymru newydd yn canolbwyntio i'r fath raddau ar denantiaid, a chredaf fod hynny'n wirioneddol bwysig. Mae'r safon yn ymwneud â mwy na brics a morter, mae a wnelo â chreu cartrefi sy'n ddiogel, yn gyfforddus ac sy'n cynnal ffordd o fyw iach. Felly, rwy'n awyddus iawn fod hyn yn cael ei ddilyn. Rwy'n falch o weld hyn yn digwydd, ac rwy'n credu fy mod yn cytuno'n llwyr â'ch cwestiwn.
I’m grateful to Joyce Watson for raising the question on the housing quality standard because, Cabinet Secretary, the requirements within the standards are of course extensive and admirable, but you will know more than anybody that there are thousands of people, around 67,000 people, currently on a social housing waiting list, and the requirements in the housing quality standard, both in terms of retrofit and in terms of new build, are making it more difficult for new houses to be built, and for more houses to be built to support those people who are currently either homeless, living in bed and breakfast or desperately in need of a home of their own. Do you think you've got the balance right at the moment in terms of doing our bit to tackle climate change and ensuring that our houses are the right standard to support that for future generations, whilst also ensuring that today's generation have a house to live in?
Rwy’n ddiolchgar i Joyce Watson am godi’r cwestiwn ar y safon ansawdd tai oherwydd, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae’r gofynion yn y safonau yn helaeth ac yn gymeradwy, wrth gwrs, ond fe fyddwch yn gwybod yn well na neb fod miloedd o bobl, oddeutu 67,000 o bobl, ar restr aros am dai cymdeithasol ar hyn o bryd, ac mae’r gofynion yn y safon ansawdd tai, o ran ôl-osod ac o ran cartrefi newydd, yn ei gwneud yn anos adeiladu tai newydd, ac i fwy o dai gael eu hadeiladu i gefnogi’r bobl sydd ar hyn o bryd naill ai’n ddigartref, yn byw mewn gwely a brecwast neu angen eu cartref eu hunain yn ddybryd. A ydych chi'n credu bod y cydbwysedd yn iawn gennych ar hyn o bryd o ran chwarae ein rhan i fynd i’r afael â newid hinsawdd a sicrhau bod ein tai o safon briodol i gefnogi hynny ar gyfer cenedlaethau’r dyfodol, gan sicrhau hefyd fod gan genhedlaeth heddiw dŷ i fyw ynddo?
Thank you, Sam. I think it is really important to think about that, but it's a real balance, because we mustn't compromise on the standards where we're asking people to live. As I said, this is a home, and we want people to live in good-quality homes and accommodation. The standard does build on the excellent achievements of its predecessor, but the new standard keeps that anti-poverty requirement at its heart and improves energy efficiency with the aim of putting more money into tenants' pockets and supporting their comfort and well-being. It is a bold and progressive standard. I think it's important that we don't compromise, but it is crucial to look at the balance, because we do, as you rightly say, need more homes.
Diolch, Sam. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn meddwl am hynny, ond mae'n gydbwysedd go iawn, oherwydd rhaid inni beidio â chyfaddawdu ar y safonau yn y llefydd y gofynnwn i bobl fyw ynddynt. Fel y dywedais, cartref yw hwn, ac rydym am i bobl fyw mewn cartrefi a thai o ansawdd da. Mae'r safon yn adeiladu ar gyflawniadau rhagorol ei rhagflaenydd, ond mae'r safon newydd yn cadw'r gofyniad gwrth-dlodi sy'n sail i'r gwaith ac yn gwella effeithlonrwydd ynni gyda'r nod o roi mwy o arian ym mhocedi tenantiaid a chefnogi eu cysur a'u llesiant. Mae'n safon feiddgar a blaengar. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig nad ydym yn cyfaddawdu, ond mae'n hanfodol edrych ar y cydbwysedd, oherwydd fel y dywedwch yn gywir ddigon, mae angen mwy o gartrefi arnom.
4. Sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio gydag awdurdodau lleol i fynd i'r afael â chysgu allan? OQ61611
4. How is the Welsh Government working with local authorities to tackle rough-sleeping? OQ61611
Diolch, John. Rough-sleeping is a complex issue, and we continue to work with local authorities to provide supportive assertive outreach to not only assist people off the streets into accommodation, but to ensure they have the support to help them sustain accommodation.
Diolch, John. Mae cysgu allan yn fater cymhleth, ac rydym yn parhau i weithio gydag awdurdodau lleol i ddarparu allgymorth dyfal cefnogol nid yn unig i gynorthwyo pobl oddi ar y strydoedd i mewn i lety, ond i sicrhau eu bod yn cael cymorth i'w helpu i aros mewn llety.
Thank you for that, Cabinet Secretary. One significant aspect of homelessness concerns prisoners released from custody. Thirteen per cent of prisoners in England and Wales are released without a home to go to, and the Chief Inspector of Probation says homelessness is the biggest driving factor in people reoffending or breaching their licence. Ministry of Justice figures show that some 332 people managed by the Welsh probation services were sleeping on the streets in 2022-23, which was a 210 per cent increase compared with the previous year. So, it's an important part of addressing rough-sleeping in Wales, Cabinet Secretary. Obviously, these people are vulnerable, and if we want them to be rehabilitated and not to reoffend, which would be such a boon to themselves, their families and their communities, we need to make sure that they have a stable and adequate home. Cabinet Secretary, I wonder, especially given the current UK Government's policy of early release from prison, which, obviously, is resulting in a lot more people coming out of custody and needing a home, whether you will look at working with local authorities, prisons and others to see what steps, what measures can be put in place to ensure that all of those released from prison in Wales have a home to go to.
Diolch am hynny, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Mae a wnelo un agwedd arwyddocaol ar ddigartrefedd â charcharorion a ryddheir o'r ddalfa. Mae 13 y cant o garcharorion Cymru a Lloegr yn cael eu rhyddhau heb gartref i fynd iddo, ac mae'r Prif Arolygydd Prawf yn dweud mai digartrefedd yw'r ffactor mwyaf sy'n gwneud i bobl aildroseddu neu'n dorri amodau eu trwydded. Mae ffigurau'r Weinyddiaeth Gyfiawnder yn dangos bod tua 332 o bobl a reolir gan wasanaethau prawf Cymru yn cysgu allan yn 2022-23, sef cynnydd o 210 y cant o'i gymharu â'r flwyddyn flaenorol. Felly, mae'n rhan bwysig o fynd i'r afael â chysgu allan yng Nghymru, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Yn amlwg, mae'r bobl hyn yn agored i niwed, ac os ydym am iddynt gael eu hadsefydlu a pheidio ag aildroseddu, a fyddai'n gymaint o hwb iddynt eu hunain, eu teuluoedd a'u cymunedau, mae angen inni sicrhau bod ganddynt gartref sefydlog a digonol. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, yn enwedig o ystyried polisi presennol Llywodraeth y DU o ryddhau'n gynnar o'r carchar, sydd, yn amlwg, yn arwain at lawer mwy o bobl yn gadael y ddalfa ac angen cartref, a wnewch chi ystyried gweithio gydag awdurdodau lleol, carchardai ac eraill i weld pa gamau, pa fesurau y gellir eu rhoi ar waith i sicrhau bod gan bawb sy'n cael eu rhyddhau o'r carchar yng Nghymru gartref i fynd iddo.
Diolch, John. Absolutely, it's important, and, again, the figures that you raised are individuals, aren't they, and there are the pressures that we do know are on local authorities at the moment in terms of how many people are needing a home. As you've rightly said, there are a number of partners that have to work together on this, because it's not just one responsibility. I think one of the crucial elements is that timely sharing of the high-quality information between the prison service and local authorities that is crucial in ensuring that the housing options teams, who do such great work, can plan effectively to ensure people leaving the secure estate are not at risk of homelessness, so trying to do that at an early stage.
I know that the Welsh Local Government Association is reporting that the first tranche of releases under the UK Government scheme on 10 September went broadly well, so we are learning from that. That was supported by some really effective partnership. We know that devolved services like housing can play a really important role in preventing people from reoffending, and, as I said, we're working closely with HM Prison and Probation Service to give this as much thought as we possibly can. Local authorities are working at pace to source accommodation. I think, sometimes, it might seem a small number in each local authority area, but sometimes that can actually be a pushover, really. So, the presentations for homelessness assistance do remain high. But I know local authorities are working really hard in this area, lots of teams are, and I thank them for all the work they're doing on this, because it is really important that we do as much as we can to prevent that before people are at risk of homelessness.
Diolch, John. Yn bendant, mae'n bwysig, ac unwaith eto, mae'r ffigurau a nodwyd gennych yn unigolion, onid ydynt, ac fe wyddom fod pwysau ar awdurdodau lleol ar hyn o bryd o ran faint o bobl sydd angen cartref. Fel rydych chi wedi dweud yn gywir ddigon, rhaid i nifer o bartneriaid weithio gyda'i gilydd ar hyn, oherwydd nid un cyfrifoldeb yn unig ydyw. Rwy'n credu mai un o'r elfennau hanfodol yw bod rhannu gwybodaeth o ansawdd uchel rhwng y gwasanaeth carchardai ac awdurdodau lleol yn amserol yn allweddol er mwyn sicrhau bod y timau opsiynau tai, sy'n gwneud gwaith mor wych, yn gallu cynllunio'n effeithiol i sicrhau nad yw pobl sy'n gadael sefydliadau diogel mewn perygl o fod yn ddigartref, felly ceisio gwneud hynny'n gynnar.
Gwn fod Cymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru yn adrodd bod rhyddhau'r gyfran gyntaf o bobl o dan gynllun Llywodraeth y DU ar 10 Medi wedi mynd yn weddol dda, felly rydym yn dysgu o hynny. Cefnogwyd hyn gan waith partneriaeth effeithiol iawn. Rydym yn gwybod y gall gwasanaethau datganoledig fel tai chwarae rhan bwysig iawn yn atal pobl rhag aildroseddu, ac fel y dywedais, rydym yn gweithio'n agos gyda Gwasanaeth Carchardai a Phrawf EF i roi cymaint o feddwl i hyn ag y gallwn. Mae awdurdodau lleol yn gweithio'n gyflym i ddod o hyd i lety. Rwy'n credu, weithiau, y gallai ymddangos yn nifer fach ym mhob ardal awdurdod lleol, ond weithiau gall hynny fynd â nhw dros y dibyn, mewn gwirionedd. Felly, mae'r nifer sydd angen cymorth digartrefedd yn parhau'n uchel. Ond rwy'n gwybod bod awdurdodau lleol yn gweithio'n galed iawn yn y maes hwn, mae llawer o dimau'n gwneud hynny, ac rwy'n ddiolchgar iddynt am yr holl waith a wnânt ar hyn, oherwydd mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod yn gwneud cymaint ag y gallwn i atal hynny cyn bod pobl mewn perygl o ddigartrefedd.
Thanks, John, for raising this important issue. Cabinet Secretary, sadly, we have seen a 65 per cent increase in the number of rough-sleepers over the past 12 months. In towns across my region, and indeed, Wales-wide, people are forced to sleep in tents on any scrap of available land. In Porthcawl, this includes the roundabout on the main route into the town. However, what shocked me more was yesterday's Sky News special report, which spoke to prisoners on early release who had been forced to rough-sleep. One man interviewed said that he was living in a graveyard in Bridgend and was considering reoffending before the winter so that he would have somewhere warm to stay. Cabinet Secretary, how are you working with local authorities across Wales and the Ministry of Justice to ensure that ex-offenders are provided with accommodation upon release from prison? Thank you.
Diolch, John, am godi'r mater pwysig hwn. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, yn anffodus, rydym wedi gweld cynnydd o 65 y cant yn nifer y bobl sy'n cysgu allan dros y 12 mis diwethaf. Mewn trefi ar draws fy rhanbarth i, a ledled Cymru yn wir, gorfodir pobl i gysgu mewn pebyll ar unrhyw ddarn o dir sydd ar gael. Ym Mhorthcawl, mae hyn yn cynnwys y gylchfan ar y prif lwybr i mewn i'r dref. Fodd bynnag, yr hyn a wnaeth fy synnu'n fwy oedd adroddiad arbennig Sky News ddoe, a siaradodd â charcharorion wedi eu rhyddhau'n gynnar a oedd wedi cael eu gorfodi i gysgu allan. Dywedodd un dyn a gafodd ei gyfweld ei fod yn byw mewn mynwent ym Mhen-y-bont ar Ogwr a'i fod yn ystyried aildroseddu cyn y gaeaf er mwyn iddo gael rhywle cynnes i fyw. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, sut ydych chi'n gweithio gydag awdurdodau lleol ledled Cymru a'r Weinyddiaeth Gyfiawnder i sicrhau bod cyn-droseddwyr yn cael llety ar ôl cael eu rhyddhau o'r carchar? Diolch.
Diolch, Altaf. As I said, there is a lot of work going on in this area and it's working across Governments, across partnerships. The local authorities are really playing their role within this, and the housing teams that are tasked to do this said that they might seem small in number sometimes, but actually, it can really be quite a critical point for local authorities.
As you know, offender management is the responsibility of the UK Government, but HMPPS are leading to ensure that people in custody and the community are effectively managed so that the risk of reoffending is reduced, and that they are supported towards rehabilitation. So, there is a lot of work going on on this. As I said, we're learning as we go here, because the first tranche of that scheme was on 10 September, so it's still early days, but we will keep a watchful eye on this and continue to work with all involved as closely as possible.
Diolch, Altaf. Fel y dywedais, mae llawer o waith yn digwydd yn y maes hwn ac mae'n waith ar draws Llywodraethau, ar draws partneriaethau. Mae'r awdurdodau lleol yn chwarae eu rôl yn dda, ac mae'r timau tai sydd â'r dasg o wneud hyn yn dweud y gallent ymddangos yn nifer fach weithiau, ond mewn gwirionedd, gall fod yn bwynt critigol i awdurdodau lleol.
Fel y gwyddoch, Llywodraeth y DU sy'n gyfrifol am reoli troseddwyr, ond mae Gwasanaeth Carchardai a Phrawf EF yn arwain ar sicrhau bod pobl yn y ddalfa a'r gymuned yn cael eu rheoli'n effeithiol fel bod y risg o aildroseddu'n cael ei lleihau, a'u bod yn cael cefnogaeth i adsefydlu. Felly, mae llawer o waith yn digwydd ar hyn. Fel y dywedais, rydym yn dysgu wrth inni fynd yn ein blaenau yma, am mai ar 10 Medi y cafwyd y gyfran gyntaf yn y cynllun hwnnw, felly mae'n ddyddiau cynnar o hyd, ond byddwn yn cadw llygad barcud ar hyn ac yn parhau i weithio mor agos â phosibl gyda phawb sy'n gysylltiedig â'r mater.
5. Beth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i ddiogelu awdurdodau lleol rhag toriadau cyllid? OQ61595
5. What is the Welsh Government doing to protect local authorities from funding cuts? OQ61595
As a Government, we have protected front-line public services as far as possible. Local authorities have a settlement of £5.72 billion this year, an increase of 3.3 per cent on a like-for-like basis compared to 2023-24.
Fel Llywodraeth, rydym wedi diogelu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus rheng flaen cyn belled ag y bo modd. Mae awdurdodau lleol wedi cael setliad o £5.72 biliwn eleni, cynnydd o 3.3 y cant ar sail debyg am debyg o'i gymharu â 2023-24.
Thank you for your answer, Cabinet Secretary. The Liberal Democrats that are running Powys County Council this year put council tax up by 7.5 per cent and are forecasting putting it up next year by 5 per cent. This has all come to light at a time when the number of senior managers in Powys County Council on over £70,000 a year has doubled. While they've doubled that number, they've decided to cut community cardboard recycling services, take away leisure services in towns and also revert some of our roads back to chippings, all to save money. Cabinet Secretary, what can you do to ensure that the Liberal Democrats in Powys County Council spend the money more wisely and protect front-line services from funding cuts? Because if something isn't done to protect Powys County Council from the Liberal Democrats, all we're going to have is senior managers and no front-line staff to deliver the services that we all need.
Diolch am eich ateb, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Fe wnaeth y Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol sy'n rhedeg Cyngor Sir Powys godi'r dreth gyngor 7.5 y cant eleni ac maent yn rhagweld y bydd yn codi 5 y cant y flwyddyn nesaf. Mae hyn i gyd wedi dod yn amlwg ar adeg pan fo nifer yr uwch-reolwyr yng Nghyngor Sir Powys sy'n cael dros £70,000 y flwyddyn wedi dyblu. Er eu bod wedi dyblu'r nifer honno, maent wedi penderfynu torri gwasanaethau ailgylchu cardbord cymunedol, wedi dileu gwasanaethau hamdden mewn trefi a hefyd wedi gadael i rai o'n ffyrdd fynd yn ôl i fod yn ddim ond cerrig mân, a'r cyfan er mwyn arbed arian. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, beth y gallwch chi ei wneud i sicrhau bod y Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol yng Nghyngor Sir Powys yn gwario'r arian yn ddoethach ac yn diogelu gwasanaethau rheng flaen rhag toriadau ariannol? Oherwydd os na fydd rhywbeth yn cael ei wneud i amddiffyn Cyngor Sir Powys rhag y Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol, y cyfan a fydd gennym fydd uwch-reolwyr a dim staff rheng flaen i ddarparu'r gwasanaethau sydd eu hangen arnom i gyd.
Diolch, James. I see what you're trying to do there, but thank you for the question. The core funding, as you know, is unhypothecated; it's for local authorities to determine the allocation of funding for its services. Local authorities have prioritised social care and education for many years, and this has inevitably meant that other services have borne greater pressure for savings and efficiencies. I look forward to visiting Powys County Council shortly and will hopefully see them soon. I look forward to working with them, as I will with other local authorities in Wales.
Diolch, James. Rwy'n gweld beth rydych chi'n ceisio ei wneud, ond diolch am y cwestiwn. Mae'r cyllid craidd heb ei neilltuo, fel y gwyddoch; awdurdodau lleol sydd i benderfynu ar ddyraniad cyllid ar gyfer eu gwasanaethau. Mae awdurdodau lleol wedi blaenoriaethu gofal cymdeithasol ac addysg ers blynyddoedd lawer, ac mae hyn yn anochel wedi golygu bod gwasanaethau eraill wedi bod o dan fwy o bwysau am arbedion effeithlonrwydd. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at ymweld â Chyngor Sir Powys cyn bo hir a gobeithio y byddaf yn eu gweld yn fuan. Edrychaf ymlaen at weithio gyda nhw, fel gydag awdurdodau lleol eraill yng Nghymru.
Following over a decade of austerity, massive inflationary pressures and rising needs, councils are now, actually, on their knees. They've reorganised, restructured and reformed, with each council having to make millions of pounds of savings. The Welsh Local Government Association financial spokesperson, Anthony Hunt, said that this year is crucial. They're hoping that next year inflationary pressures will level out, so I would like to ask the Cabinet Secretary: would you agree that delegated ring-fenced funding direct to local authorities would help matters so they didn't have to go through long, resource-heavy grant submissions? Also, what representations are you making to the UK Government? They're talking about it taking a while to deal with the deficit and that the future will be better, but this year is absolutely crucial to local authorities, as councils right across the UK, not just in Wales, are facing bankruptcy. Thank you.
Yn dilyn dros ddegawd o gyni, pwysau chwyddiant enfawr ac anghenion cynyddol, mae cynghorau bellach ar eu gliniau. Maent wedi ad-drefnu, ailstrwythuro a diwygio, gyda phob cyngor yn gorfod gwneud miliynau o bunnoedd o arbedion. Dywedodd llefarydd ariannol Cymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru, Anthony Hunt, fod eleni'n hollbwysig. Maent yn gobeithio y bydd pwysau chwyddiant y flwyddyn nesaf yn lleihau, felly hoffwn ofyn i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet: a ydych chi'n cytuno y byddai cyllid dirprwyedig wedi'i glustnodi'n uniongyrchol i awdurdodau lleol yn helpu pethau fel na fyddai'n rhaid iddynt fynd trwy broses hir a thrwm ar adnoddau o gyflwyno ceisiadau am grantiau? Hefyd, pa sylwadau a gyflwynir gennych i Lywodraeth y DU? Maent yn sôn y bydd yn cymryd amser i ymdrin â'r diffyg ac y bydd y dyfodol yn well, ond mae eleni'n gwbl hanfodol i awdurdodau lleol, gan fod cynghorau ledled y DU, nid yng Nghymru'n unig, yn wynebu methdaliad. Diolch.
Thank you, Carolyn, for the supplementary question. We are very sympathetic to the financial pressures that local authorities are under, particularly from pay, including that real living wage in social care. We are doing everything we can, but we are really alive to the pressures that are on them. We are looking at reducing unnecessary burdens for local authorities. Within grants, there has been some work that's been done already, and I'm keen to look at other ways that we can do that. That will be done in discussion and in collaboration with local authorities, and I'm sure that this will be something that will be raised with me on my many visits that I look forward to in the coming weeks and months.
Diolch am y cwestiwn, Carolyn. Rydym yn cydymdeimlo'n fawr â'r pwysau ariannol sydd ar awdurdodau lleol, yn enwedig cyflogau, gan gynnwys y cyflog byw gwirioneddol mewn gofal cymdeithasol. Rydym yn gwneud popeth y gallwn ei wneud, ond rydym yn effro iawn i'r pwysau sydd arnynt. Rydym yn edrych ar leihau beichiau diangen ar awdurdodau lleol. O ran grantiau, gwnaed rhywfaint o waith eisoes, ac rwy'n awyddus i edrych ar ffyrdd eraill y gallwn wneud hynny. Bydd hynny'n cael ei wneud drwy drafod ac mewn cydweithrediad ag awdurdodau lleol, ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd hyn yn rhywbeth a godir gyda mi ar yr ymweliadau niferus yr edrychaf ymlaen atynt yn ystod yr wythnosau a'r misoedd nesaf.
Cwestiwn 6, Mike Hedges.
Question 6, Mike Hedges.
Sorry, I was waiting to be unmuted then.
Mae'n ddrwg gennyf, roeddwn yn aros i fy meicroffon gael ei agor.
6. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet roi diweddariad ar waith adfer sy'n cael ei wneud ar adeiladau preswyl tal sydd mewn perchnogaeth breifat yng Nghymru yn dilyn tân Tŵr Grenfell? OQ61584
6. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on remediation works being carried out on privately owned tall residential buildings in Wales following the Grenfell Tower fire? OQ61584
Our remediation programme is progressing well. Works are under way on 50 private sector buildings, and all 12 major developers have signed up to our developers' contract.
Mae ein rhaglen adfer yn mynd rhagddi'n dda. Mae gwaith ar y gweill ar 50 o adeiladau'r sector preifat, ac mae pob un o'r 12 datblygwr mawr wedi ymrwymo i'n cytundeb datblygwyr.
Bellway Homes last September signed a legal agreement with the Welsh Government regarding the Altamar development. The agreement required an independent survey to be carried out, and this was done in February 2024. Bellway only released the survey results at the start of this month. Bellway have since advised that further surveys need to be done on fire doors and structural steel. When can people living in developments like this expect the remediation work to actually be started?
Fis Medi diwethaf, fe wnaeth Bellway Homes arwyddo cytundeb cyfreithiol gyda Llywodraeth Cymru ynglŷn â datblygiad Altamar. Roedd y cytundeb yn ei gwneud yn ofynnol cynnal arolwg annibynnol, a gwnaed hyn ym mis Chwefror 2024. Dim ond ar ddechrau'r mis hwn y rhyddhaodd Bellway ganlyniadau'r arolwg. Ers hynny mae Bellway wedi dweud bod angen gwneud arolygon pellach ar ddrysau tân a dur adeiladu. Pryd y gall pobl sy'n byw mewn datblygiadau fel hyn ddisgwyl i'r gwaith adfer ddechrau?
Diolch, Mike, for that question, and I understand your long-standing interest in building safety here in the Senedd in particular. Our remediation programme has adopted a whole-building approach, which considers both the internal and external fire safety, so not just external cladding, and it really does put people's safety first. There are currently 238 private tenure buildings in Wales; three buildings have been confirmed as complete, and works have started on site on those 50 buildings that I mentioned. We've been informed that seven buildings do not require fire safety work. Specifically on your point around Altamar in your constituency, officials are working closely with Bellway, the developer for Altamar, ensuring that progress is made and work is started as soon as possible.
Diolch am y cwestiwn, Mike, ac fe wn am eich diddordeb hirsefydlog mewn diogelwch adeiladu yma yn y Senedd yn arbennig. Mae ein rhaglen adfer wedi mabwysiadu dull o weithredu ar sail adeilad cyfan, sy'n ystyried diogelwch tân mewnol ac allanol, felly nid cladin allanol yn unig, ac mae'n rhoi diogelwch pobl yn gyntaf. Ar hyn o bryd mae yna 238 o adeiladau daliadaeth breifat yng Nghymru; cadarnhawyd bod tri adeilad wedi'u cwblhau, ac mae gwaith wedi dechrau ar y safle ar y 50 adeilad y soniais amdanynt. Rydym wedi cael gwybod nad oes angen gwaith diogelwch tân ar saith adeilad. Ar eich pwynt penodol am Altamar yn eich etholaeth, mae swyddogion yn gweithio'n agos gyda Bellway, datblygwr Altamar, i sicrhau bod cynnydd yn cael ei wneud a bod gwaith yn dechrau cyn gynted â phosibl.
Cabinet Secretary, I'm sure many of us here receive several e-mails every day from high-rise residents with concerns about fire safety, the slowness of remediation work and the costs that they are required to pay. They are at their wits' end and they, frankly, feel totally ignored. Following the frightening scenes at the end of August at a high-rise in Dagenham, the Welsh Cladiators wrote to you twice asking to meet. To say they were gutted by your refusal would be an understatement. They have said on several occasions that they don't believe that the stakeholder group is the proper forum to air their concerns, and those of us who have met with them can attest to the powerful testimony that they have, and the very moving testimony. I appreciate that you are very busy—you have a wide portfolio—but could you please reconsider and agree to meet with the campaign group of the building safety scandal here in Wales? Diolch yn fawr.
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, rwy'n siŵr fod llawer ohonom yma yn cael sawl e-bost bob dydd gan breswylwyr adeiladau uchel sy'n pryderu am ddiogelwch tân, arafwch y gwaith adfer a'r costau y mae'n ofynnol iddynt eu talu. Maent wedi cyrraedd pen eu tennyn, ac yn teimlo eu bod yn cael eu hanwybyddu'n llwyr a dweud y gwir. Yn dilyn y golygfeydd brawychus ddiwedd mis Awst mewn adeilad uchel yn Dagenham, ysgrifennodd y Welsh Cladiators atoch ddwywaith yn gofyn am gyfarfod. Byddai dweud eu bod wedi eu siomi'n ddirfawr gan eich gwrthodiad yn danosodiad. Maent wedi dweud ar sawl achlysur nad ydynt yn credu mai'r grŵp rhanddeiliaid yw'r fforwm priodol i leisio eu pryderon, a gall y rhai ohonom sydd wedi cyfarfod â hwy dystio i'r dystiolaeth bwerus sydd ganddynt, a'r dystiolaeth emosiynol iawn. Rwy'n deall eich bod yn brysur iawn—mae gennych bortffolio eang—ond a wnewch chi ailystyried a chytuno i gyfarfod â grŵp ymgyrchu y sgandal diogelwch adeiladau yma yng Nghymru? Diolch yn fawr.
Diolch, Rhys, and, again, I recognise your work in this area as well. Just to say, I did attend a meeting of the building safety strategic stakeholder group yesterday, in which there were representatives from the Cladiators, as well as others within that group who participate, which is really helpful. I think it's a general feeling, as I did ask how people felt about the group, and if they were able to discuss things there, and I think there was a strong feeling that the group was working well. There was an update on developers and remediation works at that meeting. I thought that that was probably the best meeting to go to straight away, as I've only been in post for a short time. This gave me an opportunity to hear from everybody who's interested in this area and focused on that work. I'm always happy to meet with people on specific issues, but I think, for the first instance, the meeting was yesterday, and everybody had that opportunity to speak to me in that area. But I'm always happy to meet.
Diolch, Rhys, ac unwaith eto, rwy'n cydnabod eich gwaith chi yn y maes hwn hefyd. Mynychais gyfarfod o'r grŵp rhanddeiliaid strategol ar ddiogelwch adeiladu ddoe, lle roedd cynrychiolwyr o'r Cladiators, yn ogystal ag eraill yn y grŵp hwnnw sy'n cymryd rhan, ac mae hynny'n ddefnyddiol iawn. Rwy'n credu ei fod yn deimlad cyffredinol, gan imi ofyn sut oedd pobl yn teimlo am y grŵp, ac a oeddent yn gallu trafod pethau yno, ac rwy'n credu bod yna deimlad cryf fod y grŵp yn gweithio'n dda. Cafwyd diweddariad ar ddatblygwyr a gwaith adfer yn y cyfarfod hwnnw. Roeddwn i'n meddwl mai dyna'r cyfarfod gorau i fynd iddo ar unwaith mae'n debyg, gan mai ers amser byr yn unig y bûm yn y swydd. Rhoddodd hyn gyfle i mi glywed gan bawb sydd â diddordeb yn y maes ac sy'n canolbwyntio ar y gwaith hwnnw. Rwyf bob amser yn hapus i gyfarfod â phobl i drafod materion penodol, ond ar y cychwyn, rwy'n credu mai ddoe oedd y cyfarfod, a chafodd pawb gyfle i siarad â mi am hynny. Ond rwyf bob amser yn hapus i gyfarfod.
7. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet sefydlu cymuned ymarfer ar gyfer y grant tai cymdeithasol? OQ61614
7. Will the Cabinet Secretary establish a community of practice for the social housing grant? OQ61614
While we currently don't have a specific community of practice for social housing grant, we do have extensive collaboration and strong relationships across the housing sector, with both registered social landlords and local authorities. We are, however, open to exploring a more formal community of practice.
Er nad oes gennym gymuned ymarfer benodol ar gyfer y grant tai cymdeithasol ar hyn o bryd, mae gennym gydweithrediad helaeth a chysylltiadau cryf ar draws y sector tai, gyda landlordiaid cymdeithasol cofrestredig ac awdurdodau lleol. Fodd bynnag, rydym yn agored i archwilio cymuned ymarfer fwy ffurfiol.
Thank you for the answer. Communities of practice have been successfully used in different areas of Welsh Government activity, including the foundational economy and, in fact, the Welsh Government's decarbonisation programme, where, every other month, 70 participants from all sectors meet together to look at how they can spread and scale good practice. Given that the social housing grant accounts for some £250 million of spend every year, and the Government is being challenged to meet its target of 20,000 new homes, would the Minister consider setting up a specific task in order to support the sector, to drive the use of local materials, support the foundational economy, and help different actors to meet our target?
Diolch am yr ateb. Mae cymunedau ymarfer wedi cael eu defnyddio'n llwyddiannus mewn gwahanol feysydd o weithgarwch Llywodraeth Cymru, gan gynnwys yr economi sylfaenol a rhaglen ddatgarboneiddio Llywodraeth Cymru, lle mae 70 o gyfranogwyr o bob sector yn cyfarfod bob yn ail fis i edrych ar sut y gallant ledaenu a chwyddo arferion da. O ystyried bod oddeutu £250 miliwn o wariant ar y grant tai cymdeithasol bob blwyddyn, a bod y Llywodraeth yn cael ei herio i gyrraedd ei tharged o 20,000 o gartrefi newydd, a fyddai'r Gweinidog yn ystyried sefydlu tasg benodol i gefnogi'r sector, i yrru'r defnydd o ddeunyddiau lleol, cefnogi'r economi sylfaenol, a helpu gweithredwyr gwahanol i gyrraedd ein targed?
Diolch, Lee. Thank you for that. I know you raised with me this point generally in the Local Government and Housing Committee a couple of weeks ago, and, following that, I have asked my officials to review the existing networks and forums, and to explore whether a more formalised social housing grant community of practice would be something that could be of real value. So, I will keep you updated on that, but we are looking into that. So, thank you for the suggestion.
Diolch, Lee. Diolch am hynny. Rwy'n gwybod eich bod wedi codi'r pwynt hwn gyda mi yn gyffredinol yn y Pwyllgor Llywodraeth Leol a Thai ychydig wythnosau yn ôl, ac yn sgil hynny, rwyf wedi gofyn i fy swyddogion adolygu'r rhwydweithiau a'r fforymau presennol, ac i archwilio a fyddai cymuned ymarfer grant tai cymdeithasol mwy ffurfiol yn rhywbeth a allai fod o werth gwirioneddol. Felly, fe roddaf y wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i chi am hynny, ond rydym yn ymchwilio i'r mater. Felly, diolch am yr awgrym.
Cwestiwn 8, yn olaf, Peredur Owen Griffiths.
Finally, question 8, Peredur Owen Griffiths.
8. Pa gymorth y mae'r Llywodraeth yn ei roi i awdurdodau lleol i gynnal swyddogaethau anstatudol? OQ61600
8. What support is the Government providing to local authorities to sustain non-statutory functions? OQ61600
Diolch, Peredur. In 2024-25, the Government is providing unhypothecated revenue funding of over £5.72 billion and over £1 billion in specific grant funding to support local authorities to deliver both statutory and non-statutory services. Local councils are directly elected bodies with responsibility for the choices they make on local service priorities.
Diolch, Peredur. Yn 2024-25, mae'r Llywodraeth yn darparu cyllid refeniw heb ei neilltuo o dros £5.72 biliwn a thros £1 biliwn mewn cyllid grant penodol i gefnogi awdurdodau lleol i ddarparu gwasanaethau statudol ac anstatudol. Mae cynghorau lleol yn gyrff a etholir yn uniongyrchol gyda chyfrifoldeb am y dewisiadau a wnânt ynghylch blaenoriaethau gwasanaethau lleol.
Diolch am yr ateb, a chroeso i'ch rôl.
Thank you for that response, and welcome to your role.
Another method for doing this could be a community right to buy. I note the recent Government statement on the community asset commission, which was issued on 24 September. My question is not in any way a criticism of the people or organisations involved in that commission, but I have to say how deeply disappointing it is that Wales, in 2024, is still without legislation giving communities the right to buy local assets. This is something that communities in England have enjoyed for nearly a decade and a half, and the SNP Government has also introduced similar but much stronger legislation in Scotland. Is it any wonder that the Institute of Welsh Affairs think tank has described Welsh communities as the least empowered in Britain when it comes to the protection of land and assets? This is of particular interest in the region I represent, where Caerphilly's Labour cabinet has just decided to mothball the magnificent Tudor mansion and living museum, Llancaiach Fawr. This type of legislation would have been an alternative option for the local authority and the local community. How long will Welsh communities have to wait to enjoy the rights and benefits of community assets that their counterparts in the UK have had for years? How long will local authorities have to wait for extra tools to be able to help in this field? And how many more buildings will our communities lose before this Government gets its act together?
Dull arall posibl o wneud hyn fyddai hawl gymunedol i brynu. Rwy'n nodi datganiad diweddar y Llywodraeth ar y comisiwn asedau cymunedol, a gyhoeddwyd ar 24 Medi. Nid yw fy nghwestiwn mewn unrhyw fodd yn beirniadu'r bobl neu'r sefydliadau sy'n ymwneud â'r comisiwn hwnnw, ond mae'n rhaid imi ddweud pa mor siomedig yw hi fod Cymru, yn 2024, yn dal heb ddeddfwriaeth sy'n rhoi hawl i gymunedau brynu asedau lleol. Mae hyn yn rhywbeth y mae cymunedau yn Lloegr wedi ei fwynhau ers bron i ddegawd a hanner, ac mae'r Llywodraeth SNP hefyd wedi cyflwyno deddfwriaeth debyg ond llawer cryfach yn yr Alban. A yw'n syndod fod melin drafod y Sefydliad Materion Cymreig wedi disgrifio cymunedau Cymru fel y rhai sydd wedi'u grymuso leiaf ym Mhrydain o ran diogelu tir ac asedau? Mae hyn o ddiddordeb arbennig yn y rhanbarth a gynrychiolir gennyf, lle mae cabinet Llafur Caerffili newydd benderfynu cau plasty Tuduraidd gwych ac amgueddfa fyw Llancaiach Fawr. Byddai deddfwriaeth o'r fath wedi bod yn opsiwn amgen i'r awdurdod lleol a'r gymuned leol. Am ba hyd y bydd yn rhaid i gymunedau Cymru aros i fwynhau hawliau a manteision asedau cymunedol y mae eu cymheiriaid yn y DU wedi gallu ei wneud ers blynyddoedd? Am ba hyd y bydd yn rhaid i awdurdodau lleol aros am ddulliau ychwanegol i allu helpu yn y maes hwn? A faint mwy o adeiladau y bydd ein cymunedau yn eu colli cyn i'r Llywodraeth hon fynd i'r afael â hyn?
Diolch, Peredur. Just on the community asset commission that you mentioned, a written statement was published on 24 September. The Welsh Government is committed to ensuring that, wherever possible, community facilities are protected. This commitment has led to the establishment of that commission, following the work undertaken by the Senedd’s Local Government and Housing Committee, which my colleague John Griffiths chairs. Ystadau Cymru developed and published a community asset transfer best practice guide in 2019, and this included a due diligence guide, a practical example of the transfer process and real-life case studies. The guidance is scheduled for review in 2025, in line with recommendations made by the community asset commission. So, there are initiatives ongoing. We know how important community assets are, and I've seen examples where that's worked really, really well. But as I said, there will be a review of that scheduled in 2025.
Diolch, Peredur. Ar y comisiwn asedau cymunedol y sonioch chi amdano, cyhoeddwyd datganiad ysgrifenedig ar 24 Medi. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo i sicrhau bod cyfleusterau cymunedol yn cael eu diogelu lle bynnag y bo'n bosibl. Mae'r ymrwymiad hwn wedi arwain at sefydlu'r comisiwn hwnnw, yn dilyn y gwaith a wnaed gan Bwyllgor Llywodraeth Leol a Thai y Senedd, y mae fy nghyd-Aelod John Griffiths yn ei gadeirio. Fe ddatblygodd ac fe gyhoeddodd Ystadau Cymru ganllaw arferion gorau ar gyfer trosglwyddo asedau cymunedol yn 2019, ac roedd yn cynnwys canllaw ar ddiwydrwydd dyladwy, enghraifft ymarferol o'r broses drosglwyddo ac astudiaethau achos go iawn. Mae'r canllawiau i gael eu hadolygu yn 2025, yn unol ag argymhellion gan y comisiwn asedau cymunedol. Felly, mae yna gynlluniau ar y gweill. Fe wyddom pa mor bwysig yw asedau cymunedol, ac rwyf wedi gweld enghreifftiau lle mae hynny wedi gweithio'n dda dros ben. Ond fel y dywedais, trefnwyd adolygiad o hynny ar gyfer 2025.
Diolch i'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet.
I thank the Cabinet Secretary.
Yr eitem nesaf fydd y cwestiynau i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Addysg. Y cwestiwn cyntaf, Janet Finch-Saunders.
The next item will be the questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education. The first question is from Janet Finch-Saunders.
1. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet ddatganiad am y defnydd o unedau cyfeirio disgyblion yn Aberconwy? OQ61603
1. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the use of pupil referral units in Aberconwy? OQ61603
Conwy County Borough Council has one pupil referral unit, Canolfan Addysg Conwy, which provides education to children between the ages of five to 16. The pupil referral unit is set over three sites based in Penmaenrhos, Penrhos and Llandudno.
Mae gan Gyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy un uned cyfeirio disgyblion, Canolfan Addysg Conwy, sy'n darparu addysg i blant rhwng pump ac 16 oed. Mae'r uned cyfeirio disgyblion wedi'i lleoli ar dri safle ym Mhenmaenrhos, Penrhos a Llandudno.
Thank you. I understand that they were contacted for a response to this question, which is very interesting. According to Estyn's annual report, there are 22 pupil referral units in Wales supporting 969 students. PRUs were once the most commonly used setting, accounting for nearly 50 per cent of all enrolments. Estyn have noted that, since the pandemic, local authorities have reported an increase in referral rates. Having spoken to Conwy council myself, they have observed an increase in requests for local authority funded and moderated additional learning provision over recent years, and indeed on a visit around my local schools, they are saying that they're really struggling to get into the PRUs there. That means that these PRUs, and any support for additional need, requires additional funding.
Now, I've raised so many times here about the funding formula being totally inadequate for Conwy County Borough Council, both in the older demographic, but clearly here we need some targeted funding to support those children who really are struggling. What additional funding, therefore, will you provide in 2025-26 to assist with the increased demand for additional learning provision? Diolch.
Diolch. Deallaf fod rhywun wedi cysylltu â hwy am ymateb i'r cwestiwn hwn, sy'n ddiddorol iawn. Yn ôl adroddiad blynyddol Estyn, mae 22 uned cyfeirio disgyblion yng Nghymru yn cefnogi 969 o fyfyrwyr. Ar un adeg, yr unedau cyfeirio disgyblion oedd y lleoliad a ddefnyddid amlaf, gyda bron 50 y cant o'r holl gofrestriadau. Mae Estyn wedi nodi, ers y pandemig, fod awdurdodau lleol wedi nodi cynnydd yn y cyfraddau cyfeirio. Ar ôl siarad â chyngor Conwy fy hun, maent wedi gweld cynnydd yn y ceisiadau am ddarpariaeth ddysgu ychwanegol wedi'i hariannu a'i safoni gan yr awdurdod lleol dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf, ac yn wir ar ymweliad o amgylch fy ysgolion lleol, maent yn dweud eu bod yn ei chael hi'n anodd iawn cael lle yn yr unedau cyfeirio disgyblion yno. Mae hynny'n golygu bod yr unedau hyn, ac unrhyw gymorth ar gyfer anghenion ychwanegol, angen cyllid ychwanegol.
Nawr, ar nifer o achlysuron nodais fod y fformiwla ariannu'n gwbl annigonol i Gyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy, yn y ddemograffeg hŷn, ond yn amlwg yma mae angen cyllid wedi'i dargedu i gefnogi plant sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd iawn. Pa gyllid ychwanegol, felly, y byddwch chi'n ei ddarparu yn 2025-26 i gynorthwyo gyda'r galw cynyddol am ddarpariaeth ddysgu ychwanegol? Diolch.
Can I thank Janet Finch-Saunders for that question, and also welcome her commitment to the young people who are receiving education in education otherwise than at school settings? I know that it's something she's had a long-standing interest in. As she knows, PRUs are an essential part of ensuring that children who cannot attend school receive a suitable education, and they support learners to overcome the challenges they face, to achieve their potential and to make positive transitions back to school, on to college or into work.
As she rightly said, we are aware that, since the pandemic, demand for places at PRUs has increased in Wales substantially, and local authorities are working to respond to this increase and are increasing the places available in PRUs. As you highlighted, officials did contact your local authority and I'm pleased to say that they don't currently have a waiting list for their PRU. [Interruption.] Well, that's what officials have been informed by your local authority. There are no learners waiting, we have been informed by the council, for a placement in Conwy. They have, however, observed an increase in requests for local authority-funded additional learning provision, and have also extended the specialist provision offer for neurodivergent learners in particular.
I'm sure the Member will be pleased to know as well that we're putting in place arrangements to collect data about waiting times for EOTAS and PRU placements nationally, and if the Member is aware of cases that she feels are waiting that the council aren't aware of, then can I suggest that she writes to me?
A gaf i ddiolch i Janet Finch-Saunders am y cwestiwn hwnnw, a chroesawu ei hymrwymiad hefyd i'r bobl ifanc sy'n derbyn addysg mewn lleoliadau heblaw yn yr ysgol? Rwy'n gwybod ei fod yn rhywbeth y mae hi wedi bod â diddordeb ynddo ers amser maith. Fel y gŵyr, mae unedau cyfeirio disgyblion yn rhan hanfodol o sicrhau bod plant na allant fynychu ysgol yn cael addysg addas, ac maent yn cefnogi dysgwyr i oresgyn yr heriau sy'n eu hwynebu, i gyflawni eu potensial ac i drosglwyddo'n gadarnhaol yn ôl i'r ysgol, i'r coleg neu i mewn i waith.
Fel y dywedodd yn gywir ddigon, rydym yn ymwybodol, ers y pandemig, fod y galw am leoedd yn yr unedau cyfeirio disgyblion wedi cynyddu'n sylweddol yng Nghymru, ac mae awdurdodau lleol yn gweithio i ymateb i'r cynnydd hwn ac yn cynyddu nifer y lleoedd sydd ar gael mewn unedau cyfeirio disgyblion. Fel y sonioch chi, fe gysylltodd swyddogion â'ch awdurdod lleol ac rwy'n falch o ddweud nad oes ganddynt restr aros ar gyfer eu hunedau cyfeirio disgyblion ar hyn o bryd. [Torri ar draws.] Wel, dyna a ddywedodd eich awdurdod lleol chi wrth swyddogion. Cawsom wybod gan y cyngor nad oes unrhyw ddysgwyr yn aros am leoliad yng Nghonwy. Fodd bynnag, maent wedi gweld cynnydd yn y ceisiadau am ddarpariaeth ddysgu ychwanegol a ariennir gan awdurdodau lleol, ac maent hefyd wedi ymestyn y ddarpariaeth arbenigol ar gyfer dysgwyr niwrowahanol yn enwedig.
Rwy'n siŵr y bydd yr Aelod yn falch o wybod hefyd ein bod yn rhoi trefniadau ar waith i gasglu data am amseroedd aros ar gyfer lleoliadau addysg heblaw yn yr ysgol ac unedau cyfeirio disgyblion yn genedlaethol, ac os yw'r Aelod yn ymwybodol o achosion lle mae'n teimlo nad yw'r cyngor yn ymwybodol eu bod yn aros, a gaf i awgrymu ei bod hi'n ysgrifennu ataf?
2. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i ddarparu cyfleoedd dysgu proffesiynol i staff yn y sector addysg? OQ61609
2. What action is Welsh Government taking to provide staff in the education sector with professional learning opportunities? OQ61609
Ensuring all practitioners can access career-long professional learning is integral to our vision for education in Wales. The national professional learning entitlement, which launched in 2022, is already playing a key role in providing our practitioners with access to high-quality professional learning from early career to system leadership.
Mae sicrhau bod pob addysgwr yn gallu cael mynediad at ddysgu proffesiynol gydol eu gyrfa yn rhan annatod o'n gweledigaeth ar gyfer addysg yng Nghymru. Mae'r hawl i ddysgu proffesiynol cenedlaethol, a lansiwyd yn 2022, eisoes yn chwarae rhan allweddol yn darparu mynediad i'n haddysgwyr at ddysgu proffesiynol o ansawdd uchel o ddechrau eu gyrfa i arweinyddiaeth systemau.
Rai wythnosau nôl, gofynnais i gwestiwn ysgrifenedig i chi ar y mater hwn, gan ofyn yn syml: faint o gyfleoedd dysgu proffesiynol sydd wedi bod ar gael i staff yn y proffesiwn addysg dros y bum mlynedd ddiwethaf? Nawr, fe ges i fy synnu'n fawr gyda'r ateb ges i wrthoch chi, sef, ac rwy'n dyfynnu:
'Nid yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn casglu’r wybodaeth y gofynnwyd amdani.'
Ac fe wnaethoch chi fy annog i gysylltu â rhanddeiliad eraill er mwyn cael yr ateb. Nawr, mae'n bwysig inni atgoffa ein gilydd bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwario bron i £36 miliwn ar gynlluniau datblygu dysgu proffesiynol, a bod y Gweinidog addysg blaenorol wedi gwneud dau ddatganiad yn y Senedd hon ar y pwnc yma, gan amlinellu gwaith y Llywodraeth yn y maes yma. Felly, sut ar y ddaear gall yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet fesur effeithiolrwydd ei chynlluniau o ran cyfleoedd dysgu proffesiynol os nad yw'r data mwyaf sylfaenol ar y mater yn cael ei gasglu a'i ddadansoddi?
Some weeks ago, I asked a written question of you on this issue, asking simply: how many professional learning opportunities have been available to staff in the education profession over the past five years? Now, I was shocked by the answer that I received, namely, and I quote:
'The Welsh Government does not collect the requested information.'
And you encouraged me to contact other stakeholders to get a response to my question. Now, it's important that we should remind each other that the Welsh Government has spent almost £36 million on professional learning opportunities, and that the previous education Minister had made two statements in this Senedd on this issue, outlining the work of Government in this area. So, how on earth can the Cabinet Secretary measure the effectiveness and efficiency of her CPD provision if the most fundamental data on the issue isn't gathered and analysed?
Can I thank Cefin Campbell for that question? And, obviously, I fully recall the written answer that I gave you. Professional learning is a priority for us; it is the absolute baseline for ensuring that we can raise standards in schools. The national professional learning entitlement outlines our commitment to ensuring that all education practitioners can access high-quality professional learning throughout their career. I do, however, recognise that particularly in the responses we received in the work around the middle-tier review, now the school improvement partnership programme, there was lots of concern amongst practitioners and school leaders about what was described as the 'white heat' around professional learning. And I think, in what you've highlighted in terms of the Education Workforce Council data, that is an example of that.
We are starting to provide a more coherent centralised system, so we now have a single point of access to high-quality professional learning via a new professional learning area launched on Hwb last year. And we've also taken steps now to guarantee access to high-quality professional learning through a new rigorous endorsement process, launched in March this year, which is led by a national endorsement panel chaired by Professor Ken Jones.
I'm grateful for your acknowledgement of the funding that we have invested in professional learning, and we have continued to sustain that with a further £12 million awarded directly to schools this year to enable all practitioners to take part in professional learning. And I know from my conversations with schools that they really value that opportunity. It is also the case, though, that we have more work to do in this space. As you're aware, we're working on the school improvement partnership programme. There'll be further announcements about that in due course, and I'll be in a position to say what more we're going to do around a coherent national professional learning offer in that space.
A gaf i ddiolch i Cefin Campbell am y cwestiwn hwnnw? Ac yn amlwg, rwy'n cofio'n iawn yr ateb ysgrifenedig a roddais i chi. Mae dysgu proffesiynol yn flaenoriaeth i ni; dyma'r llinell sylfaen absoliwt ar gyfer sicrhau y gallwn godi safonau mewn ysgolion. Mae'r hawl i ddysgu proffesiynol cenedlaethol yn dangos ein hymrwymiad i sicrhau bod pob addysgwr yn gallu cael mynediad at ddysgu proffesiynol o ansawdd drwy gydol eu gyrfa. Fodd bynnag, rwy'n cydnabod, yn enwedig yn yr ymatebion a gawsom yn y gwaith ar yr adolygiad haen ganol, sef y rhaglen partneriaeth gwella ysgolion bellach, fod llawer o bryder ymhlith addysgwyr ac arweinwyr ysgolion am yr hyn a ddisgrifiwyd fel y cynnwrf ynghylch dysgu proffesiynol. Ac yn yr hyn a nodwyd gennych am y data Cyngor y Gweithlu Addysg, mae hyn yn enghraifft o hynny.
Rydym yn dechrau darparu system ganolog fwy cydlynol, felly mae gennym un pwynt mynediad bellach at ddysgu proffesiynol o ansawdd drwy fan dysgu proffesiynol newydd a lansiwyd ar Hwb y llynedd. Ac rydym hefyd wedi rhoi camau ar waith nawr i warantu mynediad at ddysgu proffesiynol o ansawdd trwy broses ardystio drylwyr newydd, a lansiwyd ym mis Mawrth eleni, sy'n cael ei harwain gan banel cymeradwyo cenedlaethol dan gadeiryddiaeth yr Athro Ken Jones.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i chi am gydnabod y cyllid a fuddsoddwyd gennym mewn dysgu proffesiynol, ac rydym wedi parhau i'w gynnal gyda £12 miliwn arall wedi ei roi'n uniongyrchol i ysgolion eleni i alluogi pob addysgwr i gymryd rhan mewn dysgu proffesiynol. Ac rwy'n gwybod o fy sgyrsiau gydag ysgolion eu bod yn gwerthfawrogi'r cyfle hwnnw'n fawr. Mae hefyd yn wir, fodd bynnag, fod gennym fwy o waith i'w wneud yn y gofod hwn. Fel y gwyddoch, rydym yn gweithio ar y rhaglen partneriaeth gwella ysgolion. Bydd cyhoeddiadau pellach am hynny maes o law, a byddaf mewn sefyllfa i ddweud beth arall y byddwn yn ei wneud ynglŷn â chynnig dysgu proffesiynol cenedlaethol cydlynol yn y gofod hwnnw.
Cabinet Secretary, when I go and talk to teachers and school leaders across my constituency, and in my time on the Children, Young People and Education Committee, a lot of teachers and school leaders will say to me that the additional burdens that are placed on them are actually denying them time to do that CPD and professional learning, whether that's the additional requirements that teachers are having to do around additional learning needs, or around not having enough teachers or school support staff in the classroom to enable them to go and do that. So, what steps are you doing to actually try and reduce the burden on our teachers and school leaders so they can actually go and do the CPD, because if they're not doing that, the people who we are letting down are those teachers and the young people in the classroom who are not getting the most up-to-date methods of teaching that we want to see our young people having, so that they can come out being full and rounded citizens going into the workplace after they leave school?
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, pan fyddaf yn mynd i siarad ag athrawon ac arweinwyr ysgolion ar draws fy etholaeth, ac yn fy amser ar y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg, bydd llawer o athrawon ac arweinwyr ysgolion yn dweud wrthyf fod y beichiau ychwanegol sy'n cael eu rhoi arnynt yn eu hamddifadu o amser i wneud y dysgu proffesiynol parhaus a dysgu proffesiynol, boed yn ofynion ychwanegol y mae'n rhaid i athrawon eu gwneud mewn perthynas ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, neu'n gysylltiedig â methu cael digon o athrawon neu staff cymorth ysgol yn yr ystafell ddosbarth i'w galluogi i fynd i wneud hynny. Felly, pa gamau rydych chi'n eu cymryd i geisio lleihau'r baich ar ein hathrawon ac arweinwyr ysgolion fel y gallant wneud y dysgu proffesiynol parhaus, oherwydd os nad ydynt yn ei wneud, rydym yn gwneud cam â'r athrawon hynny a'r bobl ifanc yn yr ystafell ddosbarth nad ydynt yn cael y dulliau addysg diweddaraf yr ydym am weld ein pobl ifanc yn eu cael, fel y gallant adael yr ysgol a chyrraedd y gweithle yn ddinasyddion llawn a chyflawn?
Thank you very much, James. And you're absolutely right, high-quality professional learning is absolutely crucial, and we want our teachers and our support staff to be able to have access to that. And it is a challenge, and I've said numerous times in this Chamber that we are asking a lot of our schools with the mission to raise standards, curriculum reform and ALN, and I am extremely mindful of that. That's one of the reasons why we've provided the additional funding for professional learning that can be used in some schools, if they choose to, to release staff to take up professional learning opportunities and that’s very important.
But you also make a really important point about workload. You’ll be aware that this is something that we’re working on closely with our trade union partners. We have a strategic workload group in partnership with the trade unions in Welsh Government—that has three workstreams—and we’re also developing a workload impact tool, which we are using in Welsh Government so that we can assess the likely burden arising from any new duties that we’re going to place on them. So, we are working on this, but recognise there’s more work to do.
Diolch, James. Ac rydych chi'n llygad eich lle, mae dysgu proffesiynol o ansawdd yn gwbl hanfodol, ac rydym am i'n hathrawon a'n staff cymorth allu cael mynediad at hynny. Ac mae'n her, ac rwyf wedi dweud droeon yn y Siambr hon ein bod yn gofyn llawer gan ein hysgolion gyda'r genhadaeth i godi safonau, diwygio'r cwricwlwm ac anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, ac rwy'n hynod ymwybodol o hynny. Dyna un o'r rhesymau pam ein bod wedi darparu'r cyllid ychwanegol ar gyfer dysgu proffesiynol y gellir ei ddefnyddio mewn rhai ysgolion, os ydynt yn dewis gwneud hynny, i ryddhau staff i fanteisio ar gyfleoedd dysgu proffesiynol ac mae hynny'n bwysig iawn.
Ond rydych chi hefyd yn gwneud pwynt pwysig iawn am lwyth gwaith. Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol fod hyn yn rhywbeth yr ydym yn gweithio'n agos arno gyda'n partneriaid yn yr undebau llafur. Mae gennym grŵp strategol ar lwyth gwaith mewn partneriaeth â'r undebau llafur yn Llywodraeth Cymru—mae iddo dair ffrwd waith—ac rydym hefyd yn datblygu offeryn effaith llwyth gwaith a ddefnyddir gennym yn Llywodraeth Cymru i asesu'r baich tebygol sy'n codi o unrhyw ddyletswyddau newydd a osodwn arnynt. Felly, rydym yn gweithio ar hyn, ond yn cydnabod bod mwy o waith i'w wneud.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Tom Giffard.
Questions now from the party spokespeople. Welsh Conservative spokesperson, Tom Giffard.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd. Cabinet Secretary, ITV reported on Thursday last week that 20 per cent of our children in Wales are functionally illiterate at the time they enter secondary school. We also have the worst reading skills of anywhere in the United Kingdom. That's not a record to be proud of after 25 years of Labour running our education system in Wales. And part of the reason is the way in which reading is taught in Wales. 'Cueing'—the practice of teaching reading through using pictures as cues—is an internationally discredited practice, and yet that's how children in much of Wales are being taught to read.
Education expert Rhona Stainthorp, after looking at the way in which reading is taught in Wales, told ITV
'I'm speechless. I really am speechless. I think that is unbelievably awful.'
She went on to say:
'All the evidence from...America, Australia and the UK, is that you must teach young children to read the words. The pictures might be nice and pretty, but they don’t help you to read.'
So, why is cueing still being taught in Welsh schools?
Diolch, Lywydd. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, adroddodd ITV ddydd Iau diwethaf fod 20 y cant o'n plant yng Nghymru yn ymarferol anllythrennog ar yr adeg y byddant yn mynd i'r ysgol uwchradd. Gennym ni hefyd y mae'r sgiliau darllen gwaethaf yn unman yn y Deyrnas Unedig. Nid yw honno'n record i fod yn falch ohoni ar ôl 25 mlynedd o Lafur yn rhedeg ein system addysg yng Nghymru. A rhan o'r rheswm yw'r ffordd y caiff plant eu dysgu i ddarllen yng Nghymru. Mae dangos ciwiau—yr arfer o ddysgu darllen drwy ddefnyddio lluniau fel ciwiau—yn arfer sydd wedi ei feirniadu'n rhyngwladol, ac eto dyna sut y mae plant mewn rhannau helaeth o Gymru yn cael eu dysgu i ddarllen.
Dywedodd yr arbenigwr addysg, Rhona Stainthorp, ar ôl edrych ar y ffordd y caiff plant eu dysgu i ddarllen yng Nghymru, wrth ITV:
'Rwyf wedi fy synnu. Rwyf wedi fy synnu'n fawr. Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n erchyll.'
Aeth ymlaen i ddweud:
'Yr holl dystiolaeth o... America, Awstralia a'r DU, yw bod yn rhaid ichi ddysgu plant ifanc i ddarllen y geiriau. Efallai fod y lluniau'n braf ac yn bert, ond nid ydynt yn eich helpu i ddarllen.'
Felly, pam mae ciwiau'n dal i gael eu defnyddio yn ysgolion Cymru?
Thank you very much, Tom. I think I’ve been very, very clear with everybody in this Chamber that raising standards is a priority, that improving literacy is a key part of that and that we are not in any way complacent as a Government about the work that we are doing in this. I’ve been clear that literacy’s a top priority for me, and I’ve also already set out in this Chamber a range of additional steps that we’re taking to support literacy, which you will recall from my curriculum statement back in the summer.
I want to be really clear with you, though, that phonics is an absolute expectation that we want to see taught in our schools in Wales. We expect all schools to be using phonics to teach reading. Can I also say that the report that you referred to, which was reported on the ITV piece, was the 2012 Estyn report, so that is now 12 years old? But that doesn’t mean that we’re in any way complacent about the challenges that we face. Our personalised assessment results were concerning, so, this is absolutely a focus, and I also recognise that we do need to do more to be clear with schools about the expectations around phonics.
Diolch, Tom. Rwy'n credu fy mod wedi bod yn glir iawn gyda phawb yn y Siambr hon fod codi safonau yn flaenoriaeth, fod gwella llythrennedd yn rhan allweddol o hynny ac nad ydym yn llaesu dwylo fel Llywodraeth mewn unrhyw ffordd ynglŷn â'r gwaith a wnawn ar hyn. Rwyf wedi bod yn glir fod llythrennedd yn brif flaenoriaeth i mi, a nodais eisoes yn y Siambr hon amrywiaeth o gamau ychwanegol a gymerwn i gefnogi llythrennedd, y byddwch yn eu cofio o fy natganiad cwricwlwm yn ôl yn yr haf.
Rwyf am fod yn glir iawn gyda chi, serch hynny, ein bod yn llwyr ddisgwyl i ffoneg gael ei addysgu yn ein hysgolion yng Nghymru. Rydym yn disgwyl i bob ysgol ddefnyddio ffoneg i ddysgu plant i ddarllen. A gaf i ddweud hefyd mai adroddiad Estyn 2012 oedd yr adroddiad y cyfeirioch chi ato, ac a nodwyd yn y darn gan ITV, felly mae hwnnw bellach yn 12 oed? Ond nid yw hynny'n golygu ein bod mewn unrhyw ffordd yn llaesu dwylo ynghylch yr heriau sy'n ein hwynebu. Roedd canlyniadau ein hasesiadau personol yn peri pryder, felly, mae hyn yn sicr yn ffocws, ac rwyf hefyd yn cydnabod bod angen inni wneud mwy i fod yn glir gydag ysgolion am y disgwyliadau ynghylch ffoneg.
I think the ITV piece was very clear that schools and teachers were not the problem and it was the advice given by Welsh Government that was the problem in this area. And part of that advice is the statement issued by the Welsh Government saying that it didn't advocate a particular method of teaching reading, which contradicts what you've just said about phonics. But that's exactly the problem: cueing, which is being widely taught in Welsh schools, has been actively described as not only an ineffective way of teaching young people to read, but even damaging for young children, confusing them, and even having the effect of cancelling the benefits of phonics. Cueing was banned in England in 2005 for this exact reason.
The First Minister said yesterday that you'd make a statement on this in the coming months, but you've known about this problem for 20 years. And since abolishing cueing in England, reading levels there are one of the best in the world, and instead, in Wales, we have children going to school functionally illiterate—a record that your party should be ashamed of. So, having known about the impact that cueing is having on people for 20 years, why on earth hasn't the Welsh Government banned it sooner?
Rwy'n credu bod y darn gan ITV yn glir iawn nad ysgolion ac athrawon oedd y broblem ac mai'r cyngor a roddir gan Lywodraeth Cymru oedd y broblem yn y maes hwn. A rhan o'r cyngor hwnnw yw'r datganiad a gyhoeddwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn dweud nad oedd yn hyrwyddo dull penodol o addysgu darllen, sy'n gwrth-ddweud yr hyn a ddywedoch chi nawr am ffoneg. Ond dyna'n union yw'r broblem: mae addysgu drwy ddefnyddio ciwiau, fel sy'n cael ei wneud yn helaeth yn ysgolion Cymru, wedi cael ei disgrifio nid yn unig fel ffordd aneffeithiol o ddysgu pobl ifanc i ddarllen, ond ei bod yn niweidiol i blant ifanc, gan eu drysu, a hyd yn oed yn diddymu manteision ffoneg. Gwaharddwyd defnyddio ciwiau yn Lloegr yn 2005 am yr union reswm hwn.
Dywedodd y Prif Weinidog ddoe y byddech chi'n gwneud datganiad ar hyn yn ystod y misoedd nesaf, ond rydych chi'n gwybod am y broblem hon ers 20 mlynedd. Ac ers diddymu ciwiau yn Lloegr, mae'r lefelau darllen yno ymhlith y goreuon yn y byd, ac yn lle hynny, yng Nghymru, mae gennym blant yn mynd i'r ysgol yn ymarferol anllythrennog—record y dylai eich plaid fod â chywilydd ohoni. Felly, ar ôl gwybod am yr effaith y mae ciwiau yn ei chael ar bobl ers 20 mlynedd, pam ar y ddaear nad yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwahardd hyn yn gynt?
Well, first of all, can I say that I didn't say that schools and teachers were the problem—those are your words, not mine? I have said that we have a clear expectation that all schools will use synthetic phonics to teach reading. I've also said that we are looking at what more we can do to re-emphasise that expectation. If you’d been here for my curriculum statement back in the summer, you would recall that one of the things I announced was that we’re reviewing our literacy and numeracy framework and we’re putting that on a statutory footing. That will provide a further opportunity to strengthen the expectations of schools around phonics. The actual curriculum has it written in law as part of the curriculum framework that phonics have to be taught in languages and communication. So, that is very clear.
Now, in terms of cueing, I think it’s important to recognise that teachers are professionals, they know their learners, and there will be some children who may not be ready for phonics. There might be children—. We know that we’re seeing more children with speech and language problems, especially since the pandemic, so there might be children coming to school who haven't got sufficient knowledge of speech to be able to break down words in the way that synthetic phonics requires. So, on that basis, teachers will have other tools in their toolbox to support the learners, who they know best, but, again, we’re absolutely clear—synthetic phonics are what we expect as the building blocks of reading in Wales.
Wel, yn gyntaf oll, a gaf i ddweud na ddywedais mai ysgolion ac athrawon oedd y broblem—eich geiriau chi oedd hynny, nid fy rhai i? Rwyf wedi dweud bod gennym ddisgwyliad clir y bydd pob ysgol yn defnyddio ffoneg synthetig i addysgu darllen. Rwyf hefyd wedi dweud ein bod yn edrych ar beth arall y gallwn ei wneud i ail-bwysleisio'r disgwyliad hwnnw. Pe baech chi wedi bod yma ar gyfer fy natganiad cwricwlwm yn ôl yn yr haf, byddech yn cofio mai un o'r pethau a gyhoeddais oedd ein bod yn adolygu ein fframwaith llythrennedd a rhifedd ac rydym yn rhoi hynny ar sail statudol. Bydd hynny'n rhoi cyfle pellach i gryfhau disgwyliadau ar gyfer ysgolion mewn perthynas â ffoneg. Mae hyn wedi ei ysgrifennu mewn cyfraith yn y cwricwlwm ei hun yn rhan o fframwaith y cwricwlwm fod yn rhaid dysgu ffoneg ar gyfer ieithoedd a chyfathrebu. Felly, mae hynny'n glir iawn.
Nawr, o ran ciwiau, rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig cydnabod bod athrawon yn weithwyr proffesiynol, eu bod yn adnabod eu dysgwyr, ac y bydd rhai plant efallai nad ydynt yn barod ar gyfer ffoneg. Efallai fod yna blant—. Rydym yn gwybod ein bod yn gweld mwy o blant â phroblemau lleferydd ac iaith, yn enwedig ers y pandemig, felly efallai y bydd plant yn dod i'r ysgol heb ddigon o leferydd i allu hollti geiriau yn y ffordd y mae ffoneg synthetig yn galw am ei wneud. Felly, ar y sail honno, bydd gan athrawon ddulliau eraill yn eu harfogaeth i gefnogi'r dysgwyr hynny y maent hwy'n eu hadnabod yn well na neb arall, ond unwaith eto, rydym yn hollol glir—ffoneg synthetig yw'r hyn rydym yn ei ddisgwyl fel y blociau adeiladu ar gyfer darllen yng Nghymru.
You said you had clearly advocated for phonics. This is your statement from last week. Quote: the Welsh Government
'do not advocate any one specific method to teach reading'.
That’s your quote from last week. No wonder schools don’t think you’ve been clear, Cabinet Secretary. I can tell you, though, why reading standards in Wales are so poor. It’s the Welsh Labour Government continuing to prioritise ideology over evidence, a desire to do things differently, even if the outcome is worse. Again, to give you an idea of the scale of the issue we’re talking about here, Professor Rhona Stainthorp again—quote—
'That is not something that I would expect to read about teaching in a school in the 21st century. We’ve just moved light years away from that'.
And when concerned parents watched that ITV report on our paltry reading standards in Wales, looking for reassurance from the Welsh Labour Government, what did they see? A Cabinet Secretary who was asked multiple times to speak to ITV to discuss the matter, but refused. They also sent a list of questions to your department and they were not answered. Where were you? I’ll tell you where you were: complacent, missing in action, asleep at the wheel, burying your head in the sand and pretending it isn’t a problem. And that’s just not going to work. It will fail our young people. So, will you commit, for once, to follow the evidence over the ideology, change the guidance today, so no more pupils are the victims of Labour’s educational incompetence?
Fe ddywedoch chi eich bod wedi hyrwyddo ffoneg yn glir. Dyma eich datganiad yr wythnos diwethaf. Dyfyniad: nid yw Llywodraeth Cymru
'yn hyrwyddo unrhyw un dull penodol ar gyfer addysgu darllen'.
Dyna oedd eich dyfyniad yr wythnos diwethaf. Nid oes ryfedd nad yw ysgolion yn credu eich bod wedi bod yn glir, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Serch hynny, gallaf ddweud wrthych pam fod safonau darllen yng Nghymru mor wael. Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru sy'n parhau i flaenoriaethu ideoleg dros dystiolaeth; awydd i wneud pethau'n wahanol, hyd yn oed os yw'r canlyniad yn waeth. Unwaith eto, i roi syniad i chi o raddfa'r broblem yr ydym yn sôn amdani yma, rwy'n dyfynnu yr Athro Rhona Stainthorp eto,
'Nid yw hynny'n rhywbeth y buaswn yn disgwyl ei ddarllen am addysgu mewn ysgol yn yr 21ain ganrif. Rydym wedi symud yn bell eithriadol oddi wrth hynny.'
A phan oedd rhieni pryderus yn gwylio'r adroddiad hwnnw gan ITV ar ein safonau darllen truenus yng Nghymru, gan chwilio am sicrwydd gan Lywodraeth Lafur Cymru, beth a welsant? Ysgrifennydd Cabinet y gofynnwyd iddi siarad ag ITV sawl gwaith i drafod y mater, ond a wrthododd wneud hynny. Fe wnaethant hefyd anfon rhestr o gwestiynau at eich adran ac ni chawsant mo'u hateb. Ble oeddech chi? Fe ddywedaf wrthych ble oeddech chi: yn llaesu dwylo, yn absennol o'r gwaith, yn cysgu wrth y llyw, yn claddu eich pen yn y tywod ac yn esgus nad yw'n broblem. Ac nid yw hynny'n mynd i weithio. Bydd yn gwneud cam â'n pobl ifanc. Felly, a wnewch chi ymrwymo, am unwaith, i ddilyn y dystiolaeth yn hytrach na'r ideoleg, a newid y canllawiau heddiw, fel nad oes rhagor o ddisgyblion yn dioddef oherwydd anghymhwysedd Llafur ym maes addysg?
Well, Tom, I think if you knew me better, you would know that I am the very last person you could describe as being missing in action. I’m also the last person you would expect to put ideology over the needs of children and young people. I have been really clear since coming into this post that that is the only thing I am interested in delivering in this portfolio: what is best for children and young people. That’s why, when I came into post, one of the first things I did was identify that schools needed more support with the curriculum, and that includes literacy and numeracy, and we announced in July that we are delivering that support. Part of that work is nationally intensive support with literacy that we are rolling out now right across Wales.
And if we can just get away from the political point scoring for just a moment, I do think it is important that we also recognise the very good work that happens in our schools. For instance, Estyn’s most recent, 2022-23, annual report identified that most primary schools planned effectively to develop pupils’ speaking, listening and reading skills, and that the reading and writing skills of many pupils were developed appropriately by practitioners. In secondary schools, the report noted that many pupils demonstrated sound basic reading skills.
But I don’t have a complacent bone in my body. We recognise there’s more work that we have to do. That’s why we are not just rolling out this intensive national support, but we are placing the framework on a statutory footing. We are gathering data through our personalised assessments, which isn’t something that they do in England. We are publishing that information, so that it is open and accessible. And I’m confident that, working together with our excellent teaching professionals, we will make progress.
Wel, Tom, rwy'n credu pe baech yn fy adnabod yn well, y byddech yn gwybod mai fi yw'r person olaf y gallech ei disgrifio fel rhywun sy'n absennol o'i gwaith. Fi hefyd yw'r person olaf y byddech yn disgwyl iddi flaenoriaethu ideoleg dros anghenion plant a phobl ifanc. Rwyf wedi bod yn glir iawn ers dechrau'r swydd hon mai dyna'r unig beth y mae gennyf ddiddordeb yn ei gyflawni yn y portffolio hwn: yr hyn sydd orau i blant a phobl ifanc. Dyna pam mai un o'r pethau cyntaf a wneuthum pan ddechreuais yn y swydd oedd nodi bod angen mwy o gefnogaeth ar ysgolion gyda'r cwricwlwm, ac mae hynny'n cynnwys llythrennedd a rhifedd, ac fe wnaethom gyhoeddi ym mis Gorffennaf ein bod yn darparu'r gefnogaeth honno. Rhan o'r gwaith hwnnw yw'r gefnogaeth genedlaethol ddwys ar gyfer llythrennedd yr ydym yn ei chyflwyno ledled Cymru nawr.
Ac os gallwn osgoi'r sgorio pwyntiau gwleidyddol am eiliad, credaf ei bod yn bwysig ein bod hefyd yn cydnabod y gwaith da iawn sy'n digwydd yn ein hysgolion. Er enghraifft, nododd adroddiad blynyddol diweddaraf Estyn ar gyfer 2022-23 fod y rhan fwyaf o ysgolion cynradd yn cynllunio'n effeithiol i ddatblygu sgiliau siarad, gwrando a darllen disgyblion, a bod sgiliau darllen ac ysgrifennu llawer o ddisgyblion yn cael eu datblygu'n briodol gan addysgwyr. Mewn ysgolion uwchradd, nododd yr adroddiad fod llawer o ddisgyblion yn dangos sgiliau darllen sylfaenol cadarn.
Ond nid oes gennyf asgwrn hunanfodlon yn fy nghorff. Rydym yn cydnabod bod rhagor o waith y mae'n rhaid inni ei wneud. Dyna pam ein bod yn gwneud mwy na chyflwyno'r gefnogaeth genedlaethol ddwys hon yn unig, rydym yn gosod y fframwaith ar sail statudol. Rydym yn casglu data drwy ein hasesiadau personol, sy'n rhywbeth nad ydynt yn ei wneud yn Lloegr. Rydym yn cyhoeddi'r wybodaeth honno fel ei bod yn agored ac yn hygyrch. A thrwy gydweithio â'n gweithwyr addysgu proffesiynol rhagorol, rwy'n hyderus y byddwn yn gwneud cynnydd.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Cefin Campbell.
Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Cefin Campbell.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd. Sawl blwyddyn gyfunol o brofiad sydd wedi gadael y proffesiwn addysgu yng Nghymru ers 2016?
Thank you very much, Llywydd. How many combined years of experience have left the teaching profession in Wales since 2016?
How many combined years of experience have left—
Sawl blwyddyn gyfunol o brofiad sydd wedi gadael—
Yes—have left the teaching profession since 2016.
Ie—sydd wedi gadael y proffesiwn addysgu ers 2016.
Well, I don't believe that we would have that data, Cefin.
Wel, nid wyf yn credu bod y data hwnnw gennym, Cefin.
Well, if you haven’t got the data, I can give you the data right now. According to your own statistics, almost 100,000—well, about 92,000, to be precise—of combined years of experience have left the teaching profession in Wales in the last eight years. Those are your statistics. That leaves a huge gap to fill. But, in that time, the Welsh Government has consistently failed to meet its own recruitment targets, and the number of teachers leaving the profession early in their career is at its highest level ever—over 1,200 since 2016 alone. Cabinet Secretary, my question is very simple: 'yes' or 'no', is this sustainable?
Wel, os nad oes gennych y data, gallaf roi'r data i chi nawr. Yn ôl eich ystadegau eich hun, mae bron i 100,000—wel, tua 92,000, i fod yn fanwl gywir—o flynyddoedd cyfunol o brofiad wedi gadael y proffesiwn addysgu yng Nghymru yn ystod yr wyth mlynedd diwethaf. Eich ystadegau chi yw'r rheini. Mae hynny'n gadael bwlch enfawr i'w lenwi. Ond yn y cyfnod hwnnw, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi methu cyrraedd ei thargedau recriwtio ei hun yn gyson, ac mae nifer yr athrawon sy'n gadael y proffesiwn yn gynnar yn eu gyrfaoedd ar y lefel uchaf erioed—dros 1,200 ers 2016 yn unig. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae fy nghwestiwn yn syml iawn: 'ydy' neu 'nac ydy', a yw hyn yn gynaliadwy?
Well, in terms of the figures that you've presented, I will certainly go back and look at those, although I find it very hard to believe that the figures are presented in that way in terms of years of experience, because my experience of Welsh Government data is that the granular detail doesn't go down that far, but I will take a look at that. But, of course, I am not in any way disputing that we face challenges in terms of recruiting and retaining our teachers, and that is something that we've discussed on numerous occasions here in this Chamber. That is a complex picture, isn't it, especially since the pandemic, and there is no one silver bullet in terms of retaining our teachers. It's about well-being support, it's about making sure that our schools are appealing places for teachers to work, it's about how we remunerate them, how we reduce the pressures on their workload.
Now, in terms of recruitment targets, as you call them—. They're actually called allocations now, but we do specify allocations, particularly for shortage subjects. You'll be aware from the response I sent the Children, Young People and Education Committee recently that we're doing really well on primary recruitment; secondary recruitment is much more challenging. It's not just much more challenging in Wales; it's much more challenging across the border as well. That's why we have the priority subject incentives, which provide additional money for subjects like science, technology, engineering and maths, Welsh language, modern foreign languages. But there is always more that we can do, and I very much welcome the inquiry that the committee is doing, and I'm looking forward to hearing your views, based on the evidence that you've taken, about whether there's anything further that we can do in this space.
Wel, o ran y ffigurau yr ydych wedi'u cyflwyno, byddaf yn sicr yn mynd yn ôl i edrych ar y rheini, er fy mod yn ei chael hi'n anodd iawn credu bod y ffigurau'n cael eu cyflwyno yn y ffordd honno o ran blynyddoedd o brofiad, oherwydd fy mhrofiad i o ddata Llywodraeth Cymru yw nad yw'r manylion yn mynd i lawr mor bell â hynny, ond fe edrychaf ar hynny. Ond wrth gwrs, nid wyf yn dadlau mewn unrhyw ffordd nad ydym yn wynebu heriau o ran recriwtio a chadw ein hathrawon, ac mae hynny'n rhywbeth yr ydym wedi'i drafod sawl gwaith yma yn y Siambr. Mae hwnnw'n ddarlun cymhleth, onid yw, yn enwedig ers y pandemig, ac nid oes un ateb syml ar gyfer cadw ein hathrawon. Mae'n ymwneud â chymorth llesiant, mae'n ymwneud â sicrhau bod ein hysgolion yn fannau apelgar i athrawon weithio ynddynt, mae'n ymwneud â sut rydym yn eu gwobrwyo, sut rydym yn lleihau'r pwysau ar eu llwyth gwaith.
Nawr, o ran targedau recriwtio, fel rydych chi'n eu galw—. Fe'u gelwir yn ddyraniadau bellach, ond rydym yn nodi dyraniadau, yn enwedig ar gyfer pynciau â phrinder. Fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol o'r ymateb a anfonais at y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg yn ddiweddar ein bod yn gwneud yn dda iawn ar recriwtio cynradd; mae recriwtio uwchradd yn llawer mwy heriol. Mae'n llawer mwy heriol yng Nghymru, ac mae'n llawer mwy heriol dros y ffin hefyd. Dyna pam y mae gennym y cymhellion ar gyfer pynciau â blaenoriaeth, sy'n darparu arian ychwanegol ar gyfer pynciau fel gwyddoniaeth, technoleg, peirianneg a mathemateg, y Gymraeg, ieithoedd tramor modern. Ond mae mwy y gallwn ei wneud bob amser, ac rwy'n croesawu'r ymchwiliad y mae'r pwyllgor yn ei wneud yn fawr, ac rwy'n edrych ymlaen at glywed eich barn, yn seiliedig ar y dystiolaeth a gasglwyd gennych, i weld a oes unrhyw beth pellach y gallwn ei wneud yn y gofod hwn.
Wel, dwi ddim yn siŵr iawn a ydw i wedi cael yr ateb 'ie' neu 'nage' roeddwn i'n chwilio amdano fe, ond, jest ar gyfer y cofnod, mae Plaid Cymru a'r undebau'n gwbl glir nad yw'r sefyllfa bresennol o ran recriwtio a chadw athrawon yn gynaliadwy o gwbl. Nawr, mewn atebion i gwestiynau ysgrifenedig a gyflwynais i i chi dros yr haf, mae'n rhaid i fi gyfaddef i mi gael sioc o glywed bod bwrdd cynghori recriwtio a chadw athrawon Llywodraeth Cymru, a sefydlwyd i ffanffer fawr yn y Senedd ddiwethaf i roi cyngor arbenigol i chi ar y mater hwn, wedi cael ei ddiddymu y llynedd, yn dawel bach, heb yna siw na miw. Hefyd, trwy eich cyfaddefiad chi eich hunan, dyw Llywodraeth Cymru ddim yn casglu hyd yn oed y data mwyaf sylfaenol ar effeithiolrwydd eu cynlluniau cymhelliant hyfforddi athrawon.
Well, I'm not sure if I got the simple 'yes' or 'no' answer I was looking for, but, just for the record, it’s Plaid Cymru’s view, and the unions' view, very clearly, that the current situation when it comes to teacher recruitment and retention is not sustainable at all. Now, in answers to written questions that I tabled to you over the summer, I must admit that I was shocked to learn that the Welsh Government’s teacher recruitment and retention advisory board, which was set up to much fanfare in the last Senedd to provide expert advice to you on this issue, was disbanded last year, quietly and without a trace. Also, by your own admission, the Welsh Government doesn't gather even the most basic data on the effectiveness of its teacher training incentive schemes.
Cabinet Secretary, how many incentive schemes have to be left unmeasured, experts ignored, recruitment targets missed and years of teaching experience lost before this Welsh Government will admit that what they've been doing for the last 25 years hasn’t been working?
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, faint o gynlluniau cymhelliant a fydd heb eu mesur, arbenigwyr a fydd yn cael eu hanwybyddu, targedau recriwtio a fydd yn cael eu methu a blynyddoedd o brofiad addysgu a fydd wedi'u colli cyn y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn cyfaddef nad yw'r hyn y maent wedi bod yn ei wneud dros y 25 mlynedd diwethaf wedi gweithio?
Thank you for those questions. Obviously, the panel that you've referred to was disbanded before I came into post. That doesn't mean that we don't have expert advice on the recruitment and retention of teachers. We're currently doing a piece of work, actually, with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to look at some of the issues around why it’s difficult to recruit and retain teachers. So, we are taking advice, and we’re taking advice from a range of sources. It’s also not the case to say that the priority subject incentives are not measured, because, as I’ve said to you in a previous answer, that is something that we are doing. It’s not something that you can do really quickly. So, for example, with the Welsh-medium incentives, it’s going to take a little while for Welsh-medium teachers to go through the system, do their training, get their qualified teacher status, do their induction. But I am very committed. I think data is incredibly important—it really is. It’s something I learnt in my previous role. I’m constantly asking for more data and looking at what we can do to improve the data so that we can measure progress.
Diolch am y cwestiynau hynny. Yn amlwg, cafodd y panel y cyfeirioch chi ato ei ddiddymu cyn imi ddod i'r swydd. Nid yw hynny'n golygu nad ydym yn cael cyngor arbenigol ar recriwtio a chadw athrawon. Ar hyn o bryd, rydym yn gwneud gwaith gyda'r Sefydliad ar gyfer Cydweithrediad a Datblygiad Economaidd i edrych ar rai o'r problemau'n ymwneud â pham ei bod yn anodd recriwtio a chadw athrawon. Felly, rydym yn derbyn cyngor, ac rydym yn derbyn cyngor o amrywiaeth o ffynonellau. Nid yw'n wir dweud ychwaith na chaiff y cymhellion ar gyfer pynciau â blaenoriaeth mo'u mesur, oherwydd, fel y dywedais wrthych mewn ateb blaenorol, mae hynny'n rhywbeth yr ydym yn ei wneud. Nid yw'n rhywbeth y gallwch ei wneud yn gyflym iawn. Felly, er enghraifft, gyda'r cymhellion cyfrwng Cymraeg, mae'n mynd i gymryd ychydig o amser i athrawon cyfrwng Cymraeg fynd drwy'r system, gwneud eu hyfforddiant, cael eu statws athro cymwysedig, dilyn eu proses sefydlu. Ond rwy'n gwbl ymrwymedig. Rwy'n meddwl bod data yn bwysig—mae'n eithriadol o bwysig. Mae'n rhywbeth a ddysgais yn fy rôl flaenorol. Rwy'n gofyn yn gyson am ragor o ddata ac yn edrych ar yr hyn y gallwn ei wneud i wella'r data fel y gallwn fesur cynnydd.
3. Pa asesiad y mae'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet wedi'i wneud o'r cyfraniad y mae ysgolion annibynnol yn ei wneud i addysg disgyblion yng Nghymru? OQ61587
3. What assessment has the Cabinet Secretary made of the contribution that independent schools make to the education of pupils in Wales? OQ61587
Independent schools make up 5.3 per cent of the total number of schools in Wales and contribute to the education of 2.1 per cent of all pupils. Estyn inspect all independent schools to evaluate the quality of education and to ensure each school maintains their compliance with the independent school legislative standards.
Ysgolion annibynnol yw 5.3 y cant o gyfanswm yr ysgolion yng Nghymru ac maent yn cyfrannu at addysg 2.1 y cant o'r holl ddisgyblion. Mae Estyn yn arolygu pob ysgol annibynnol i werthuso ansawdd yr addysg ac i sicrhau bod pob ysgol yn cydymffurfio â'r safonau deddfwriaethol ar gyfer ysgolion annibynnol.
Thank you. Cabinet Secretary, independent schools like Haberdashers’ in Monmouth make an enormous contribution not just to the education of children, but also to the local economy, being the town’s largest employer and drawing in visitors who support local businesses. Labour’s proposal to levy VAT on school fees poses a direct threat to the future of this school and other like it, which could force more pupils into the already overstretched state sector. In Monmouthshire, we’ve seen issues with overcrowding, underfunding, lack of teachers in state schools, with pupils in Caldicot, for example, being taught in a maths class of 60. Does the Cabinet Secretary recognise the critical role that independent schools play in alleviating the pressure on the state sector? Where would all these children go if Haberdashers’ in Monmouth, for example, and other schools like it, close? Will you commit to opposing any policies that threaten the viability of independent schools in Wales, which would exacerbate the existing challenges that you’ve already outlined today? Thank you.
Diolch. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae ysgolion annibynnol fel Haberdashers yn Nhrefynwy yn gwneud cyfraniad enfawr nid yn unig i addysg plant, ond hefyd i'r economi leol, gan mai nhw yw cyflogwyr mwyaf y dref ac mae'n denu ymwelwyr sy'n cefnogi busnesau lleol. Mae cynnig Llafur i godi TAW ar ffioedd ysgol yn fygythiad uniongyrchol i ddyfodol yr ysgol hon ac eraill sy'n debyg iddi, a gallai orfodi rhagor o ddisgyblion i fynd i'r sector gwladol sydd eisoes dan bwysau. Yn sir Fynwy, rydym wedi gweld problemau gyda gorlenwi, tanariannu, prinder athrawon mewn ysgolion gwladol, gyda disgyblion yng Nghil-y-coed, er enghraifft, yn cael eu haddysgu mewn dosbarth mathemateg ag ynddo 60 disgybl. A yw Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn cydnabod y rôl hanfodol y mae ysgolion annibynnol yn ei chwarae yn lliniaru'r pwysau ar y sector gwladol? Ble fyddai'r plant yma i gyd yn mynd os byddai Haberdashers yn Nhrefynwy, er enghraifft, ac ysgolion eraill tebyg iddi, yn cau? A wnewch chi ymrwymo i wrthwynebu unrhyw bolisïau sy'n bygwth hyfywedd ysgolion annibynnol yng Nghymru, a fyddai'n gwaethygu'r heriau presennol yr ydych chi eisoes wedi'u hamlinellu heddiw? Diolch.
Thank you very much, Laura. Well, I'm sure you won't be surprised to learn that investment in our mainstream public education system and schools is my priority. As you've highlighted, there are plans to levy VAT on private schools. That is a UK Government policy that is not devolved, but one that we are liaising with them closely on to make sure that we get the best possible deal and have the needs of our pupils in Wales taken fully into account.
In terms of those pupils who may not continue to go to private schools putting pressure on the state sector, that’s not really something we are particularly worried about at the moment, because there are 10,126 independent school pupils in Wales, and our latest figures show we have 78,970 surplus places in our state schools in Wales. Can I also say to the Member that she may wish to look at the Institute for Fiscal Studies report on this policy proposal, which concluded that there was likely to be little impact in terms of numbers of people going to private schools as a result of this policy. But you’ll also be pleased to know that we have written to all private schools in Wales and all local authorities, encouraging them to respond to the UK Government’s consultation on this, which has now closed. I know that there was an impact assessment undertaken and that the outcome of that will be made known at the budget on 30 October.
Diolch, Laura. Wel, rwy'n siŵr na fyddwch yn synnu clywed mai buddsoddi yn ein system addysg gyhoeddus ac ysgolion prif ffrwd yw fy mlaenoriaeth. Fel y gwnaethoch chi nodi, mae cynlluniau i godi TAW ar ysgolion preifat. Polisi gan Lywodraeth y DU yw hwnnw, ac nid yw wedi'i ddatganoli, ond mae'n un yr ydym yn cysylltu'n agos â nhw yn ei gylch i sicrhau ein bod yn cael y fargen orau bosibl a bod anghenion ein disgyblion yng Nghymru yn cael eu hystyried yn llawn.
O ran y disgyblion na fyddant efallai'n parhau i fynd i ysgolion preifat yn rhoi pwysau ar y sector gwladol, nid yw hynny'n rhywbeth yr ydym yn arbennig o bryderus yn ei gylch ar hyn o bryd, oherwydd mae 10,126 o ddisgyblion ysgolion annibynnol yng Nghymru, ac mae ein ffigurau diweddaraf yn dangos bod gennym 78,970 o leoedd gwag yn ein hysgolion gwladol yng Nghymru. A gaf i ddweud hefyd wrth yr Aelod y gallai fod eisiau edrych ar adroddiad y Sefydliad Astudiaethau Cyllid ar y cynnig polisi hwn, a ddaeth i'r casgliad nad oedd yn debygol y byddai fawr o effaith ar niferoedd y bobl sy'n mynd i ysgolion preifat o ganlyniad i'r polisi hwn. Ond fe fyddwch hefyd yn falch o wybod ein bod wedi ysgrifennu at bob ysgol breifat yng Nghymru a phob awdurdod lleol, yn eu hannog i ymateb i ymgynghoriad Llywodraeth y DU ar hyn, ac mae'r ymgynghoriad hwnnw wedi dod i ben bellach. Rwy'n gwybod bod asesiad effaith wedi'i gynnal ac y bydd canlyniad hwnnw'n dod yn hysbys yn y gyllideb ar 30 Hydref.
4. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet roi diweddariad ar waith grŵp llywio cenedlaethol anghenion dysgu ychwanegol cyfrwng Cymraeg? OQ61588
4. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the work of the Welsh medium additional learning needs national steering group? OQ61588
The Welsh-medium ALN steering group advises on matters relating to improving and increasing Welsh-medium provision for learners with ALN. The Welsh language ALN national implementation lead has been in post since the spring and will take over as chair of the group this month to drive forward priorities.
Mae'r grŵp llywio anghenion dysgu ychwanegol cyfrwng Cymraeg yn cynghori ar faterion sy'n ymwneud â gwella a chynyddu darpariaeth cyfrwng Cymraeg i ddysgwyr ag ADY. Mae'r arweinydd gweithredu cenedlaethol ADY cyfrwng Cymraeg wedi bod yn ei swydd ers y gwanwyn a bydd yn cymryd yr awenau fel cadeirydd y grŵp y mis hwn i yrru blaenoriaethau yn eu blaen.
Diolch yn fawr am yr ateb hynny. Diolch i waith arloeswyr fel Michael ac Ethni Jones, a'r ddiweddar annwyl Beryl Williams, a fu farw bythefnos yn ôl, ac a roddodd ddegawdau o waith yn y maes yma, mae yna draddodiad clodwiw o addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg i blant ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol yma yng Nghaerdydd. Cyn hynny, gall nifer o deuluoedd, gan gynnwys fy nheulu i, roi esiamplau i chi o blant gafodd eu gwrthod i dderbyn addysg yn eu mamiaith. Ond, yn anffodus, dangosodd rhaglen deledu ddiweddar, Y Gymraeg: Hawl Pob Plentyn, fod y frwydr yn parhau. Dyw'r ddarpariaeth Gymraeg ddim byd tebyg i'r ddarpariaeth yn Saesneg. Dwy enghraifft yn unig i chi, Weinidog: mae yna uned benodol Saesneg ar gyfer awtistiaeth yn ne Cymru, ond does dim un Cymraeg; a does dim ysgol arbenigol ddwys cyfrwng Cymraeg yma yn ne Cymru. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn mynd i sicrhau bod pob plentyn, beth bynnag yr anghenion, yn gallu derbyn addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg? Diolch.
Thank you for that response. Thanks to the work of pioneers like Michael and Ethni Jones, and the late beloved Beryl Williams, who died two weeks ago, who worked in this area for decades, there is a commendable tradition of Welsh education for children with additional learning needs here in Cardiff. Before then, a number of families, including my own family, can give you examples of children who were rejected from receiving education in their native language. Unfortunately, the recent tv programme, Y Gymraeg: Hawl Pob Plentyn—every child's right—showed that the fight continues. The Welsh provision is nothing like the English provision. Two examples for you, Minister: there is a specific English unit for autism in south Wales, but there is no Welsh-medium unit; and there is no intensive specialist school through the medium of Welsh here in south Wales. So, how is the Welsh Government going to ensure that all children, whatever their needs, can access Welsh-medium education?
Thank you for those important points. My early experience of the local authority in Cardiff is that they are working very hard on their Welsh-medium provision. I was at an immersion unit last week and they were pulling out all the stops, and it was really very impressive to see the commitment that was there. You're aware that, if a child or young person needs additional learning provision in Welsh, that should be documented in their individual development plan and all reasonable steps must be taken to secure the provision in Welsh. I am, of course, aware of the challenges in relation to ALN and the Welsh language. Welsh-medium providers and families continue to express concerns around the availability of Welsh language workforce, assessments and resources to support ALN identification and provision. That's why the appointment of our Welsh language ALN lead is really important, because that will help join up this provision across Wales. That lead is focused on mapping the availability of Welsh language ALN provision and resources across Wales, improving the quality and availability of resources and supporting the workforce in pursuit of better educational experiences for children and young people with ALN who are accessing Welsh-medium education.
Can I say as well that the Welsh Government are also working with partners, including Adnodd, which is the bilingual educational resources company, to improve Welsh-medium additional learning provision, so that all learners have got the same opportunity to learn and develop, and to also add that I'm very pleased that we've got work being developed on a much called for literacy assessment tool, which is being developed by Cardiff Metropolitan University, to help with standardised tests aimed at improving the identification of literacy difficulties in secondary school pupils who speak Welsh? So, you know, I recognise there's more work to do and ALN is a priority for the Government. And you'll also be aware that the Welsh in education strategic plans are key to this and also have to set out how the local authorities are meeting their additional learning provision demands as well. All the WESPS are now in with the Welsh Government for this year, they're being assessed, and local authorities will have feedback on that, and I can assure you that if we find any particular shortcomings, I will be pursuing those with the local authorities.
Diolch am y pwyntiau pwysig hyn. Fy mhrofiad cynnar o'r awdurdod lleol yng Nghaerdydd yw eu bod yn gweithio'n galed iawn ar eu darpariaeth cyfrwng Cymraeg. Roeddwn mewn uned drochi yr wythnos diwethaf ac roeddent yn rhoi pob gewyn ar waith, ac roedd yn drawiadol iawn gweld yr ymrwymiad a oedd yno. Os oes angen darpariaeth ddysgu ychwanegol ar blentyn neu berson ifanc yn Gymraeg, rydych chi'n ymwybodol y dylid cofnodi hynny yn eu cynllun datblygu unigol a rhaid rhoi pob cam rhesymol ar waith i gael y ddarpariaeth yn Gymraeg. Wrth gwrs, rwy'n ymwybodol o'r heriau mewn perthynas ag ADY a'r Gymraeg. Mae darparwyr a theuluoedd cyfrwng Cymraeg yn parhau i fynegi pryderon ynghylch argaeledd gweithlu, asesiadau ac adnoddau cyfrwng Cymraeg i gefnogi'r gwaith o nodi ADY a darparu ar eu cyfer. Dyna pam y mae penodiad ein harweinydd ADY Cymraeg yn bwysig iawn, oherwydd bydd hynny'n helpu i gydgysylltu'r ddarpariaeth hon ledled Cymru. Mae'r arweinydd hwnnw'n canolbwyntio ar fapio argaeledd darpariaeth ac adnoddau ADY Cymraeg ledled Cymru, gwella ansawdd ac argaeledd adnoddau a chefnogi'r gweithlu i fynd ar drywydd gwell profiadau addysgol i blant a phobl ifanc ag ADY sy'n cael addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg.
A gaf i ddweud yn ogystal fod Llywodraeth Cymru hefyd yn gweithio gyda phartneriaid, gan gynnwys Adnodd, sef y cwmni adnoddau addysgol dwyieithog, i wella'r ddarpariaeth ddysgu ychwanegol cyfrwng Cymraeg, fel bod pob dysgwr yn cael yr un cyfle i ddysgu a datblygu, ac ychwanegu hefyd fy mod yn falch iawn fod gennym waith yn cael ei ddatblygu ar offeryn asesu llythrennedd y mae â galw mawr amdano, sy'n cael ei ddatblygu gan Brifysgol Metropolitan Caerdydd, i helpu gyda phrofion safonol gyda'r nod o wella'r broses o nodi anawsterau llythrennedd ymhlith disgyblion ysgolion uwchradd sy'n siarad Cymraeg? Felly, rwy'n cydnabod bod rhagor o waith i'w wneud ac mae ADY yn flaenoriaeth i'r Llywodraeth. Ac fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol hefyd fod y cynlluniau strategol Cymraeg mewn addysg yn allweddol i hyn a bod yn rhaid iddynt nodi sut y mae'r awdurdodau lleol yn bodloni eu gofynion o ran y ddarpariaeth ddysgu ychwanegol hefyd. Mae pob un o'r cynlluniau strategol Cymraeg mewn addysg bellach yn nwylo Llywodraeth Cymru am eleni, maent yn cael eu hasesu, a bydd awdurdodau lleol yn cael adborth ar hynny, ac os down o hyd i unrhyw ddiffygion penodol, gallaf eich sicrhau y byddaf yn mynd ar drywydd y rheini gyda'r awdurdodau lleol.
5. Pa asesiad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud o ansawdd y ddarpariaeth addysgol yn Islwyn? OQ61622
5. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the quality of educational provision in Islwyn? OQ61622
I was pleased to read Estyn's recent inspection of Caerphilly education service, which, according to the report, put the best interests of children and young people at the heart of the decisions they make. The report highlights positive findings regarding the authority's education provision, approaches and practices.
Roeddwn yn falch o ddarllen arolygiad diweddar Estyn o wasanaeth addysg Caerffili, a oedd, yn ôl yr adroddiad, yn rhoi buddiannau pennaf plant a phobl ifanc wrth wraidd y penderfyniadau a wnânt. Mae'r adroddiad yn tynnu sylw at ganfyddiadau cadarnhaol yn ymwneud â darpariaeth, dulliau ac arferion addysg yr awdurdod.
Diolch. Caerphilly County Borough Council has 27,576 pupils across 86 schools, including 73 primary schools and one special school. As you said, Estyn, the education watchdog, carried out an in-depth inspection of the council's education services in June. In September, Estyn published their conclusions. Caerphilly County Borough Council's education service received a glowing review. Estyn stated:
'Caerphilly’s education services are led very capably by the Chief Education Officer and her senior team. The team put the best interests of children and young people at the heart of the decisions they make. The education service receives effective support from the corporate management team. The service makes a strong contribution to the Council’s vision to secure "better futures for all" in Caerphilly.'
Cabinet Secretary, will you join me in congratulating the Labour-run Caerphilly County Borough Council's leadership in ensuring high educational standards for Islwyn children, and will you visit with us in Islwyn to see first-hand the good work taking place?
Diolch. Mae gan Gyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Caerffili 27,576 o ddisgyblion ar draws 86 o ysgolion, gan gynnwys 73 o ysgolion cynradd ac un ysgol arbennig. Fel y dywedoch chi, fe gynhaliodd Estyn, y corff gwarchod addysg, arolygiad manwl o wasanaethau addysg y cyngor ym mis Mehefin. Ym mis Medi, cyhoeddodd Estyn eu casgliadau. Cafodd gwasanaeth addysg Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Caerffili adolygiad disglair. Dywedodd Estyn:
'Mae gwasanaethau addysg Caerffili yn cael eu harwain yn alluog iawn gan y Prif Swyddog Addysg a’i huwch dîm. Mae’r tîm yn rhoi pennaf les plant a phobl ifanc wrth wraidd y penderfyniadau a wnânt. Mae’r gwasanaeth addysg yn cael cymorth effeithiol gan y tîm rheoli corfforaethol. Mae’r gwasanaeth yn gwneud cyfraniad cryf at weledigaeth y Cyngor i sicrhau ‘dyfodol gwell i bawb’ yng Nghaerffili.'
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a wnewch chi ymuno â mi i longyfarch arweinwyr Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Caerffili dan arweiniad Llafur am sicrhau safonau addysgol uchel i blant Islwyn, ac a wnewch chi ymweld â ni yn Islwyn i weld drosoch eich hun y gwaith da sy'n digwydd?
Thank you very much, Rhianon, and you've done a better job than I could there of highlighting the positive points from the inspection report. I'd just like to thank all the teachers, support staff, headteachers and local authority staff collectively in the local authority for their work, which has led to this excellent report, which was really lovely to read. As you said, there's a clear strategy for school improvement. It was great to see the feedback on the leadership of the chief education officer, who provides
'strategic, empathetic yet firm leadership',
and also great to hear about their approach to managing vacancies among leaders in schools, which means that the schools are working very sustainably in terms of staffing. So, I'm very happy to come to Islwyn to talk to the local authority and maybe visit one of your schools. And I'd just place on record again my thanks to the authority and everybody else in the area for their hard work.
Diolch, Rhianon, ac rydych chi wedi gwneud gwaith gwell nag y gallwn i ei wneud yn tynnu sylw at y pwyntiau cadarnhaol o adroddiad yr arolygiad. Hoffwn ddiolch i holl athrawon, staff cymorth, penaethiaid a staff yr awdurdod lleol gyda'i gilydd yn yr awdurdod lleol am eu gwaith, sydd wedi arwain at yr adroddiad rhagorol hwn, a oedd yn hyfryd iawn i'w ddarllen. Fel y dywedoch chi, mae yna strategaeth glir ar gyfer gwella ysgolion. Roedd yn wych gweld yr adborth ar arweinyddiaeth y prif swyddog addysg, sy'n darparu
'arweinyddiaeth strategol, empathetig, ac eto cadarn',
ac roedd hefyd yn wych clywed am eu dull o reoli swyddi gwag ymhlith arweinwyr ysgolion, sy'n golygu bod yr ysgolion yn gweithio'n gynaliadwy iawn o ran staffio. Felly, rwy'n hapus iawn i ddod i Islwyn i siarad â'r awdurdod lleol ac efallai i ymweld ag un o'ch ysgolion. A hoffwn gofnodi fy niolch eto i'r awdurdod a phawb arall yn yr ardal am eu gwaith caled.
Cabinet Secretary, as you know, swimming and water competence is part of the national curriculum for all key stage 2 schoolchildren in Wales. In the curriculum it details that
'Pupils should be taught to:
'develop skills of water safety and personal survival
'swim unaided for a sustained period of time'.
However, Cabinet Secretary, a report co-produced by Disability Sport Wales and the fantastic charity Sparkle in my region of south-east Wales has revealed that children with additional needs in Wales are not being taught these essential skills. The report evaluates specialist swimming lessons offered to children with disabilities in Serennu, in Newport, in comparison with parents' experiences when trying to access school or community swimming lessons for those children without these specialised facilities. So, Cabinet Secretary, currently there are 100 children on a waiting list for swimming lessons in Gwent alone. So, given the curriculum states that all children should have access to these essential skills within their education, what can you do to support organisations such as Sparkle in providing access to this part of curriculum and ensure that children with significant disabilities or learning disabilities are not excluded from this vital task of swimming? Thank you.
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, fel y gwyddoch, mae cymhwysedd nofio a dŵr yn rhan o'r cwricwlwm cenedlaethol ar gyfer pob plentyn ysgol yng nghyfnod allweddol 2 yng Nghymru. Yn y cwricwlwm, mae'n nodi:
'Dylai disgyblion gael eu dysgu i:
'ddatblygu sgiliau diogelwch yn y dŵr a goroesi personol
'nofio heb gymorth am gyfnod penodol o amser'.
Fodd bynnag, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae adroddiad a gyd-gynhyrchwyd gan Chwaraeon Anabledd Cymru a'r elusen wych Sparkle yn fy rhanbarth yn ne-ddwyrain Cymru wedi datgelu nad yw'r sgiliau hanfodol hyn yn cael eu haddysgu i blant ag anghenion ychwanegol yng Nghymru. Mae'r adroddiad yn gwerthuso gwersi nofio arbenigol a gynigir i blant ag anableddau yn Serennu, yng Nghasnewydd, o'i gymharu â phrofiadau rhieni wrth geisio cael mynediad at wersi nofio ysgolion neu gymunedol ar gyfer y plant hynny heb y cyfleusterau arbenigol hyn. Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ar hyn o bryd, mae 100 o blant ar restr aros am wersi nofio yng Ngwent yn unig. Felly, o ystyried bod y cwricwlwm yn nodi y dylai pob plentyn gael mynediad at y sgiliau hanfodol hyn yn eu haddysg, beth allwch chi ei wneud i gefnogi sefydliadau fel Sparkle i ddarparu mynediad at y rhan hon o'r cwricwlwm a sicrhau nad yw plant ag anableddau sylweddol neu anableddau dysgu yn cael eu heithrio o sgìl allweddol nofio? Diolch.
Thank you, Natasha, and, just for transparency, I'm aware of the report that you refer to because I met Sparkle myself, in my MS capacity, to discuss their concerns about disabled swimming. I was very concerned to hear about the situation, and I will be discussing that with officials and will also discuss it with my colleague Jayne Bryant. I understand that the issues around it are quite complex, because it's around temperature of water, staffing, appropriate hoists, but I am really keen that disabled children have the same opportunities as non-disabled children, so I will follow that up with officials and write to you.
Diolch, Natasha, ac i fod yn dryloyw, rwy'n ymwybodol o'r adroddiad y cyfeiriwch ato oherwydd cyfarfûm â Sparkle fy hun, yn rhinwedd fy swydd fel Aelod o'r Senedd, i drafod eu pryderon am nofio i blant anabl. Roeddwn yn bryderus iawn o glywed am y sefyllfa, a byddaf yn trafod hynny gyda swyddogion a byddaf hefyd yn ei drafod gyda fy nghyd-Aelod, Jayne Bryant. Rwy'n deall bod y materion sy'n codi yn ei gylch yn eithaf cymhleth, oherwydd mae'n ymwneud â thymheredd dŵr, staffio, offer codi priodol, ond rwy'n awyddus iawn i blant anabl gael yr un cyfleoedd â phlant nad ydynt yn anabl, felly byddaf yn mynd ar drywydd hynny gyda swyddogion ac yn ysgrifennu atoch.
6. Pa asesiad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud o effaith penderfyniad Llywodraeth y DU, sef codi TAW ar ysgolion preifat, ar ysgolion yng Nghymru? OQ61615
6. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the impact on schools in Wales of the UK Government’s decision to charge VAT on private schools? OQ61615
Policies around value added tax are non-devolved, and Welsh Ministers do not have any powers in this area. Details of the UK Government’s assessment of the expected impacts of these policy changes are expected to be published at the autumn budget on 30 October.
Nid yw polisïau ynghylch treth ar werth wedi'u datganoli, ac nid oes gan Weinidogion Cymru unrhyw bwerau yn y maes hwn. Mae disgwyl i fanylion asesiad Llywodraeth y DU o effeithiau disgwyliedig y newidiadau polisi hyn gael eu cyhoeddi yng nghyllideb yr hydref ar 30 Hydref.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, and I'm conscious that you've answered some of my points in your previous response to Laura Anne Jones. But, contrary to common belief, private schools are not just for children of millionaires; many aspiring parents want the best education for their children and have sacrificed and saved up for years to put their children into these schools. Unfortunately, the VAT, which will be levelled from, we know, 1 January next year, will put a burden on schools. I was with Haberdashers' in Monmouth yesterday, and they are under no illusion this will have an implication for people, especially on partial bursaries and the like, and it will force some parents to pull their children out of schools. And, whilst the numbers may be small for individual schools, state schools, that may have to receive children, it will no doubt still be a significant amount when collected across Wales. And, as we heard earlier, we know that a school even, next to where I live in Caldicot, is currently operating with 60 students in a maths class, so they're under immense pressure. So, with that in mind, Cabinet Secretary, what assurances have you been given that money raised via VAT from schools in Wales will be passed on to the Welsh Government and not redistributed into schools in England?
Diolch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ac rwy'n ymwybodol eich bod wedi ateb rhai o fy mhwyntiau yn eich ymateb blaenorol i Laura Anne Jones. Ond yn groes i'r gred gyffredin, nid pethau ar gyfer plant miliwnyddion yn unig yw ysgolion preifat; mae llawer o rieni uchelgeisiol am gael yr addysg orau i'w plant ac wedi aberthu a chynilo am flynyddoedd i roi eu plant yn yr ysgolion hyn. Yn anffodus, bydd y TAW, a fydd yn cael ei osod o 1 Ionawr y flwyddyn nesaf, fel y gwyddom, yn rhoi baich ar ysgolion. Roeddwn gyda Haberdashers yn Nhrefynwy ddoe, ac nid ydynt o dan unrhyw gamargraff na fydd hyn yn effeithio ar bobl, yn enwedig ar fwrsarïau rhannol ac ati, a bydd yn gorfodi rhai rhieni i dynnu eu plant allan o ysgolion. Ac er y gallai'r niferoedd fod yn fach yn achos ysgolion unigol, ysgolion gwladol, a allai orfod derbyn plant, fe fydd, heb os, yn swm sylweddol pan gaiff ei gasglu ledled Cymru. Ac fel y clywsom yn gynharach, gwyddom fod ysgol yn agos at ble rwy'n byw yng Nghil-y-coed, ar hyn o bryd yn gweithredu gyda 60 o fyfyrwyr mewn dosbarth mathemateg, felly maent dan bwysau aruthrol. Felly, gyda hynny mewn golwg, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, pa sicrwydd a roddwyd i chi y bydd yr arian a godir drwy TAW gan ysgolion yng Nghymru yn cael ei drosglwyddo i Lywodraeth Cymru ac na chaiff ei ailddosbarthu i ysgolion yn Lloegr?
Thank you very much, Peter. As I've said, officials have been having discussions with UK Government officials on this, to make sure that we get the maximum benefits for Wales from this policy. I myself met with one of the Treasury Ministers shortly after the election, and have obviously emphasised to the UK Government that any money that is spent from this policy on devolved services, we would expect to receive a consequential for in Wales. That's very, very important to us. We're also aware that there are provisions being made for those children who are in private schools because of IDP ALN placements, and we've been really clear with the UK Government that it's vital, where local authorities are funding those places because of ALN, that they're able to claim back the money. So, we're very focused on proactively protecting the interests of Wales and making sure that we benefit from any funding that arises from this policy.
Diolch, Peter. Fel y dywedais, mae swyddogion wedi bod yn cael trafodaethau gyda swyddogion Llywodraeth y DU ynglŷn â hyn, i sicrhau bod y polisi hwn yn arwain at y manteision mwyaf sy'n bosibl i Gymru. Cyfarfûm ag un o Weinidogion y Trysorlys yn fuan ar ôl yr etholiad, ac yn amlwg, rwyf wedi pwysleisio wrth Lywodraeth y DU y byddem yn disgwyl cyllid canlyniadol yng Nghymru yn sgil unrhyw arian a gaiff ei wario o’r polisi hwn ar gyfer gwasanaethau datganoledig. Mae hynny'n bwysig iawn i ni. Rydym hefyd yn ymwybodol fod darpariaethau’n cael eu gwneud ar gyfer plant sydd mewn ysgolion preifat oherwydd lleoliadau ADY cynlluniau datblygu unigol, ac rydym wedi dweud yn glir iawn wrth Lywodraeth y DU ei bod yn hanfodol, lle mae awdurdodau lleol yn ariannu’r lleoedd hynny oherwydd ADY, eu bod yn gallu hawlio'r arian hwnnw yn ôl. Felly, rydym yn canolbwyntio ar fynd ati'n rhagweithiol i ddiogelu buddiannau Cymru a sicrhau ein bod yn elwa o unrhyw gyllid sy'n deillio o'r polisi hwn.
7. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet wedi’u cael ag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Drafnidiaeth a Gogledd Cymru ynglŷn ag effaith y Mesur Teithio gan Ddysgwyr (Cymru) ar ddisgyblion yn y de-ddwyrain? OQ61586
7. What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary had with the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales regarding the impact of the Learner Travel (Wales) Measure on pupils in the south-east? OQ61586
The Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales and I have discussed a range of issues relating to learner travel on different occasions. We met again earlier this week to discuss this important issue, and we recognise how important it is for effective learning.
Mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Drafnidiaeth a Gogledd Cymru a minnau wedi trafod amrywiaeth o faterion yn ymwneud â theithio gan ddysgwyr ar wahanol achlysuron. Cyfarfuom eto yn gynharach yr wythnos hon i drafod y mater pwysig hwn, ac rydym yn cydnabod pa mor bwysig yw hyn ar gyfer dysgu effeithiol.
Diolch yn fawr iawn am hynna. Mae gormod o rieni ar draws y de-ddwyrain yn ei ffeindio hi'n anodd danfon eu plant i ysgolion Cymraeg, a gall newidiadau i gynlluniau teithio i'r ysgol ychwanegu at yr heriau. Mae Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Caerffili yn ymgynghori ar gwtogi'r rhaglen cludiant i'r ysgol, sy'n debyg i ymgynghoriadau a welwyd dros yr haf mewn siroedd eraill, fel yn sir Fynwy. Mae risg real yma y gall cwtogi ar y cynlluniau danseilio blynyddoedd o waith yn y cymunedau hynny i roi cyfleoedd i blant i gael mynediad at addysg Gymraeg. Mae cymaint o rieni yn yr ardaloedd yn bobl sydd ddim yn siarad yr iaith eu hunain, ond maen nhw wedi brwydro i roi'r cyfle hwn i'w plant—cyfle na chawsant eu hunain. Ond heb fynediad at gludiant saff, rhad ac am ddim, gall mwy a mwy o rieni benderfynu peidio cymryd y naid honno. Dyw e ddim yn realistig, nac yn saff, nac yn deg i ddisgwyl i blant gerdded milltiroedd i'r ysgol ym mhob tywydd, a chofiwn, mewn lot o'r ardaloedd hyn, mae cyfraddau'r teuluoedd sydd â char preifat yn is. Felly, beth fydd y Llywodraeth yn ei wneud i wella'r sefyllfa, i roi hyder newydd i rieni, a rhoi'r cyfle euraidd hwn i'r plant i allu dysgu trwy'r iaith Gymraeg?
Thank you very much for that. Too many parents across the south-east experience difficulty in sending their children to Welsh schools, and changes to school transport schemes can exacerbate these challenges. Caerphilly County Borough Council is consulting on curtailing its home-to-school transport programme, which is similar to consultations seen over the summer in other counties, such as Monmouthshire. There is a very real risk here that cutting back on these schemes could undermine years of work in those communities to give children opportunities to access Welsh-medium education. So many parents in these areas are people who don't speak the language themselves, but they have fought to give their children this opportunity—an opportunity they didn't have themselves. But without access to safe, free transport, more and more parents may decide not to take that step. It's not realistic, safe, or fair to expect children to walk miles to school in all weathers, and we remember, in many of these areas, the rates of families who own a private car are lower. So, what will the Government do to improve the situation, to give new confidence to parents, and to provide this golden opportunity for children to be able to learn through the medium of the Welsh language?
Thank you very much, Delyth. As you're aware, the Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008, which my Cabinet colleague leads on, sets out the duties for the local authority to assess the travel needs of learners in their area and provide free learner transport if eligible, based on age, distance, aptitude and safety criteria to the learner's nearest suitable school as determined by the local authority in accordance with the schools admission policy.
Local authorities are responsible for assessing the needs of learners in their area, and they do have discretionary powers to provide transport according to these needs, for example, below the mileage thresholds to a Welsh-medium school or even for post-16 learners, and it is up to local authorities to decide on their transport provision. As you know, funding for school transport is through the revenue support grant, so local authorities can prioritise their funding according to local need, and we recognise the financial challenges faced by local authorities with regard to delivering learner transport.
As I think you're probably aware, work has commenced on updating the statutory operational guidance document that accompanies the learner travel Measure, setting out legal duties as well as best practice for the provision of transport to schools. This updated guidance reflects the feedback from stakeholders, as well as children and young people and their families, to provide greater clarity on roles and responsibilities and to further amplify relevant legislation.
Diolch, Delyth. Fel y gwyddoch, mae Mesur Teithio gan Ddysgwyr (Cymru) 2008, y mae fy nghyd-Aelod o'r Cabinet yn arwain arno, yn nodi dyletswyddau'r awdurdod lleol i asesu anghenion teithio dysgwyr yn eu hardal a darparu cludiant am ddim i ddysgwyr os ydynt yn gymwys, yn seiliedig ar oedran, pellter, cymhwyster a meini prawf diogelwch i ysgol addas agosaf y dysgwr fel y'i pennir gan yr awdurdod lleol yn unol â'r polisi derbyn i ysgolion.
Awdurdodau lleol sy’n gyfrifol am asesu anghenion dysgwyr yn eu hardal, ac mae ganddynt bwerau disgresiynol i ddarparu cludiant yn unol â’r anghenion hyn, er enghraifft, islaw’r trothwyon milltiredd i ysgol cyfrwng Cymraeg neu hyd yn oed ar gyfer dysgwyr ôl-16, mater i awdurdodau lleol yw penderfynu ar eu darpariaeth cludiant. Fel y gwyddoch, darperir cyllid ar gyfer cludiant i'r ysgol drwy’r grant cynnal refeniw, felly gall awdurdodau lleol flaenoriaethu eu cyllid yn ôl angen lleol, ac rydym yn cydnabod yr heriau ariannol a wynebir gan awdurdodau lleol o ran darparu cludiant i ddysgwyr.
Fel y gwyddoch, mae'n debyg, mae gwaith wedi dechrau ar ddiweddaru’r ddogfen canllawiau gweithredol statudol sy’n cyd-fynd â’r Mesur teithio gan ddysgwyr, gan nodi dyletswyddau cyfreithiol yn ogystal ag arferion gorau ar gyfer darparu cludiant i ysgolion. Mae’r canllawiau diwygiedig hyn yn adlewyrchu’r adborth gan randdeiliaid, yn ogystal â phlant a phobl ifanc a’u teuluoedd, i roi mwy o eglurder ynghylch rolau a chyfrifoldebau ac i ymhelaethu ymhellach ar ddeddfwriaeth berthnasol.
Diolch i'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet.
I thank the Cabinet Secretary.
Yr eitem nesaf yw'r cwestiwn amserol, i gael ei ateb gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Newid Hinsawdd a Materion Gwledig heddiw, ac i'w ofyn gan James Evans.
The next item is the topical question, to be answered by the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, and the question is to be asked by James Evans.
1. Pa drafodaethau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cael gyda'r Asiantaeth Iechyd Anifeiliaid a Phlanhigion i roi arweiniad i ffermwyr, ac i leihau lledaeniad y tafod glas, yng ngoleuni canfod yr achosion cyntaf mewn defaid yng Nghymru? TQ1185
1. What discussions is the Welsh Government having with the Animal and Plant Health Agency to provide guidance to farmers, and reduce the spread of bluetongue, in light of the first cases being found in sheep in Wales? TQ1185
Diolch, James. I have issued a statement today setting out the latest position in Wales and my advice to farmers. My officials are in daily contact with the Animal and Plant Health Agency and other partners to control bluetongue. Although the virus has been detected in some sheep bought in to north Wales, we currently have no evidence of active infection here, and my policy goal continues to be to keep Wales free of this new disease.
Diolch, James. Rwyf wedi cyhoeddi datganiad heddiw yn nodi’r sefyllfa ddiweddaraf yng Nghymru a fy nghyngor i ffermwyr. Mae fy swyddogion mewn cysylltiad dyddiol â'r Asiantaeth Iechyd Anifeiliaid a Phlanhigion (APHA) a phartneriaid eraill i reoli'r tafod glas. Er bod y feirws wedi’i ganfod mewn rhai defaid a brynwyd i mewn i ogledd Cymru, nid oes gennym unrhyw dystiolaeth o haint actif yma ar hyn o bryd, a fy nod polisi o hyd yw cadw Cymru’n rhydd rhag y clefyd newydd hwn.
Thank you for your answer, Cabinet Secretary. I also thank the Presiding Officer for accepting this very important topical question today. I did notice, as you say, after my topical question was accepted, that the Welsh Government released a written statement on the spread of bluetongue, which was great timing, I must say. But it was a shame that the Welsh Government couldn't bring forward an oral statement yesterday, because it's a very important issue for farmers across Wales, and it's a shame that we've had to come this way to get you to the Chamber.
As outlined in your response, Cabinet Secretary, and indeed in your written statement, the spread of bluetongue is extremely concerning for our farming community, and it is crucial that we deal with this head on. I welcome the actions that have already been taken, including extensive sampling and laboratory testing, which has been carried out by APHA and the Pirbright Institute.
Nevertheless, Cabinet Secretary, there have been cases of bluetongue in the south-east of England since August, and plans and precautions have been put in place in England by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and APHA, but, regrettably, this doesn't seem to be the case in Wales. In light of this, can you elaborate on what discussions you're having with your counterparts in DEFRA regarding the spread? And will you be putting in any biosecurity measures, such as restricted zones and infected areas, which have occurred in England? Because I think that's something we could see in north Wales, and I wonder if you're willing to take that.
Also, we're actually at the height of the stock-buying season at the minute, on breeding stock. So, I'm just interested in what advice you're going to be giving to farmers, through Farming Connect or other agencies, around the purchasing of stock from those high-risk areas in England, because an awful lot of farmers in my constituency are heading off into England to buy their stock ready for next year.
And, in addition to this, something I've heard from farmers is about the messaging from the Welsh Government, that they're getting lots of updates from APHA about cases in England, but there's actually nothing coming through from the Welsh Government. So, I'm just interested in whether you would consider sending mobile alerts to farmers in Wales about cases that are emerging, because I think that would be something that we do need to hear about.
And also, finally, about the compensation regime for our farmers in Wales. Can you explain how that is going to work to make sure that our farmers in Wales are compensated properly for the stock that they lose to bluetongue? Thank you, Llywydd.
Diolch am eich ateb, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Diolch hefyd i’r Llywydd am dderbyn y cwestiwn amserol pwysig hwn heddiw. Sylwais, fel y dywedwch, ar ôl i fy nghwestiwn amserol gael ei dderbyn, fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cyhoeddi datganiad ysgrifenedig ar ledaeniad y tafod glas, a oedd yn amseru gwych, rhaid dweud. Ond roedd yn drueni na allai Llywodraeth Cymru gyflwyno datganiad llafar ddoe, gan ei fod yn fater pwysig iawn i ffermwyr ledled Cymru, ac mae'n drueni ein bod wedi gorfod dod y ffordd hon er mwyn dod â chi i'r Siambr.
Fel yr amlinellwyd yn eich ymateb, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ac yn wir, yn eich datganiad ysgrifenedig, mae lledaeniad y tafod glas yn peri cryn bryder i’n cymuned ffermio, ac mae’n hollbwysig ein bod yn mynd i'r afael â hyn ar unwaith. Rwy'n croesawu'r camau a gymerwyd eisoes, gan gynnwys samplu helaeth a phrofion labordy, a wnaed gan APHA a Sefydliad Pirbright.
Serch hynny, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae achosion o’r tafod glas wedi'u nodi yn ne-ddwyrain Lloegr ers mis Awst, ac mae cynlluniau a rhagofalon wedi’u rhoi ar waith yn Lloegr gan Adran yr Amgylchedd, Bwyd a Materion Gwledig (DEFRA) ac APHA, ond yn anffodus, nid yw'n ymddangos bod hyn wedi digwydd yng Nghymru. Yng ngoleuni hyn, a allwch chi ymhelaethu ar ba drafodaethau rydych chi'n eu cael gyda'ch swyddogion cyfatebol yn DEFRA ynglŷn â'r lledaeniad? Ac a fyddwch chi'n cyflwyno unrhyw fesurau bioddiogelwch, megis parthau dan gyfyngiadau ac ardaloedd heintiedig, sydd wedi eu cyflwyno yn Lloegr? Oherwydd credaf fod hynny'n rhywbeth y gallem ei weld yng ngogledd Cymru, ac a ydych chi'n fodlon gwneud hynny.
Hefyd, rydym ar anterth y tymor prynu stoc ar hyn o bryd, stoc bridio. Felly, mae gennyf ddiddordeb yn y cyngor y byddwch yn ei roi i ffermwyr, drwy Cyswllt Ffermio neu asiantaethau eraill, ynghylch prynu stoc o ardaloedd risg uchel yn Lloegr, gan fod llawer iawn o ffermwyr yn fy etholaeth yn mynd i Loegr i brynu eu stoc yn barod ar gyfer y flwyddyn nesaf.
Ac yn ogystal â hyn, clywais gan ffermwyr nad oes unrhyw negeseuon gan Lywodraeth Cymru, er eu bod yn cael llawer o ddiweddariadau gan APHA am achosion yn Lloegr. Felly, hoffwn wybod a fyddech chi'n ystyried anfon hysbysiadau ffôn symudol at ffermwyr yng Nghymru ynglŷn ag achosion newydd, gan y credaf y byddai hynny'n rhywbeth y mae angen inni glywed amdano.
A hefyd, yn olaf, y drefn iawndal ar gyfer ein ffermwyr yng Nghymru. A allwch chi egluro sut y mae hynny’n mynd i weithio er mwyn sicrhau bod ein ffermwyr yng Nghymru yn cael iawndal priodol am y stoc y maent yn ei golli i’r tafod glas? Diolch, Lywydd.
James, thank you for those questions, and, Llywydd, just to clarify, we had, in discussion with the chief veterinary officer and officials from APHA, planned to bring to bring forward a statement today, which we brought forward—the written statement—when we knew all the details of the current infected animals that had been brought into Gwynedd, and not before, because we wanted to have a proper statement when we could give all the facts and details. So, I hope you'll understand that the timing of bringing forward the written statement was to bring it forward with the full information, rather than premature information. So, I was glad to bring that statement forward.
You raised a number of questions. First of all, it's not the case in any respect whatsoever that the Welsh Government or APHA or the CVO are late to the game. In fact, a Great Britain bluetongue control strategy has been in place since August 2014, and it's been reviewed regularly. We, in Welsh Government, and our officials and our CVO have had intensive engagement with our UK counterparts and disease experts in the UK, and indeed across Europe, intensifying in fact since the BTV-3 incursion into the Netherlands in September 2023, which brought it closer to us. So, the intensity of engagement stepped up.
We've been raising awareness with the farming and the veterinary community since the incursion into the Netherlands, and more intensively since the disease incursions into England last November and this August. The CVO has established an industry stakeholder workshop. It meets regularly to discuss the risks and the Welsh Government response to an incursion or an outbreak of bluetongue in Wales. I'm making clear, once again, Llywydd, this is not a midge-borne outbreak in Wales: these are three animals that we've identified, because of the efficacy of the whole tracking system here, that have been brought into Wales at this moment. It's not midge borne. This group, the stakeholder group, is updated on the disease picture in Europe, in England, and the increasing risk to Wales at every meeting, and the decision to allow movements from restricted zones to slaughter only at designated abattoirs was taken in consultation with this group.
We're in regular close contact with farming unions and organisations like the National Sheep Association. They're very important partners with us on this group, and they cascade information on the risks to their members. We're very grateful for their co-operation and for their reach into the agricultural communities. We've also run, through the Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer, Llywydd, webinars for vets in practice, to raise awareness, to share details of the clinical signs, so that vets can discuss the disease with their clients. And we do encourage keepers to seek veterinary advice before sourcing animals from high-risk areas, so they can make an informed assessment.
But crucially, Llywydd, currently we have no evidence of active bluetongue infection in Wales. In recent days, what we have is a small number of sheep brought into Wales from the east of England. This does not constitute an outbreak or a midge-borne infection in Wales. And we have to reinforce that message, but we are asking people to be very vigilant.
You mentioned, I think, the issue of compensation. For the three animals that have been culled, compensation has been paid to the farmer affected. Farmers will receive compensation if bluetongue is diagnosed and the chief veterinary officer or the deputy chief veterinary officer orders the killing of affected animals, and that's in line with our normal protocol. I hope that helps to answer some of your questions. I can go into more detail, of course, but I'm conscious of the time as well.
James, diolch am eich cwestiynau, a Lywydd, dylwn egluro, mewn trafodaeth gyda'r prif swyddog milfeddygol a swyddogion APHA, roeddem wedi bwriadu cyflwyno datganiad heddiw—datganiad ysgrifenedig—pan oeddem yn gwybod holl fanylion yr anifeiliaid heintiedig presennol a gafodd eu prynu i mewn i Wynedd, ac nid cyn hynny, oherwydd roeddem yn awyddus i wneud datganiad priodol pan allem roi’r holl ffeithiau a manylion. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio y byddwch yn deall mai'r rheswm dros yr amseru o ran cyflwyno’r datganiad ysgrifenedig oedd er mwyn ei gyflwyno gyda’r wybodaeth lawn, yn hytrach na gwybodaeth gynamserol. Felly, roeddwn yn falch o gyflwyno’r datganiad hwnnw.
Fe ofynnoch chi nifer o gwestiynau. Yn gyntaf, nid yw'n wir mewn unrhyw ffordd fod Llywodraeth Cymru neu APHA neu'r prif swyddog milfeddygol wedi bod yn hwyr yn ymateb i hyn. Mewn gwirionedd, mae strategaeth Prydain ar gyfer rheoli’r tafod glas wedi bod ar waith ers mis Awst 2014, ac mae wedi’i hadolygu’n rheolaidd. Rydym ni yn Llywodraeth Cymru a’n swyddogion a’n prif swyddog milfeddygol wedi ymgysylltu'n ddwys â’n swyddogion cyfatebol ar lefel y DU ac arbenigwyr clefydau yn y DU, a ledled Ewrop yn wir, gan wneud mwy o hynny, mewn gwirionedd, ers ymlediad BTV-3 yn yr Iseldiroedd ym mis Medi 2023, a ddaeth â'r clefyd yn nes atom. Felly, cynyddodd dwyster yr ymgysylltu.
Rydym wedi bod yn codi ymwybyddiaeth ymhlith y gymuned ffermio a milfeddygol ers yr ymlediad yn yr Iseldiroedd, ac yn fwy dwys felly ers ymlediad y clefyd yn Lloegr fis Tachwedd diwethaf ac ym mis Awst eleni. Mae'r prif swyddog milfeddygol wedi sefydlu gweithdy ar gyfer rhanddeiliaid y diwydiant. Mae’n cyfarfod yn rheolaidd i drafod y risgiau ac ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru i ymlediad neu brigiad o achosion yng Nghymru. Nodaf yn glir, unwaith eto, Lywydd, nad yw hwn yn haint a gludir gan wybed yng Nghymru: tri anifail yw'r rhain a nodwyd gennym, oherwydd effeithiolrwydd y system dracio gyfan yma, fel rhai a brynwyd i mewn i Gymru ar hyn o bryd. Nid yw'n haint a gludir gan wybed. Mae’r grŵp hwn, y grŵp rhanddeiliaid, yn cael y wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y darlun o’r clefyd yn Ewrop, yn Lloegr, a’r risg gynyddol i Gymru ym mhob cyfarfod, ac fe wnaed y penderfyniad i ganiatáu symud anifeiliaid o barthau dan gyfyngiadau i gael eu lladd mewn lladd-dai dynodedig yn unig mewn ymgynghoriad â'r grŵp hwn.
Rydym mewn cysylltiad agos rheolaidd ag undebau ffermio a sefydliadau fel y Gymdeithas Ddefaid Genedlaethol. Maent yn bartneriaid pwysig iawn gyda ni yn y grŵp hwn, ac maent yn rhaeadru gwybodaeth ynglŷn â'r risgiau i'w haelodau. Rydym yn ddiolchgar iawn am eu cydweithrediad ac am eu hymwneud â'r cymunedau amaethyddol. Rydym hefyd wedi cynnal gweminarau drwy Swyddfa'r Prif Swyddog Milfeddygol, Lywydd, ar gyfer practisau milfeddygon er mwyn codi ymwybyddiaeth a rhannu manylion am yr arwyddion clinigol, fel y gall milfeddygon drafod y clefyd gyda'u cleientiaid. Ac rydym yn annog ceidwaid anifeiliaid i geisio cyngor milfeddygol cyn caffael anifeiliaid o ardaloedd risg uchel, fel y gallant wneud asesiad gwybodus.
Ond yn hollbwysig, Lywydd, ar hyn o bryd, nid oes gennym unrhyw dystiolaeth o haint tafod glas actif yng Nghymru. Yn ystod y dyddiau diwethaf, yr hyn a welsom yw nifer fach o ddefaid a brynwyd i mewn i Gymru o ddwyrain Lloegr. Nid yw hyn yn gyfystyr â brigiad o achosion neu haint a gludir gan wybed yng Nghymru. Ac mae'n rhaid inni atgyfnerthu’r neges honno, ond rydym yn gofyn i bobl fod yn wyliadwrus iawn.
Rwy'n credu eich bod wedi codi mater iawndal. Am y tri anifail sydd wedi eu difa, talwyd iawndal i'r ffermwr yr effeithiwyd arnynt. Bydd ffermwyr yn cael iawndal os ceir diagnosis o'r tafod glas a bod y prif swyddog milfeddygol neu’r dirprwy brif swyddog milfeddygol yn gorchymyn lladd anifeiliaid yr effeithiwyd arnynt, a hynny’n unol â’n protocol arferol. Rwy'n gobeithio y bydd hynny'n helpu i ateb rhai o'ch cwestiynau. Gallaf fanylu ymhellach wrth gwrs, ond rwy'n ymwybodol o'r amser hefyd.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (David Rees) i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (David Rees) took the Chair.
It's heartening to hear what you say about confirming that compensation will be available for those who are directly impacted and where they experience, maybe, the culling and disposal of infected animals, but there is a wider question about the impact within a restricted zone or a controlled zone, isn't there, really, because I'm aware from examples in England—. There was a farm in Suffolk, for example, who say that they've lost upwards of £50,000 this year, due to operating within that bluetongue restriction zone. They haven't had any cases directly on their own farm, but of course they say it's impossible to sell animals, and of course the restriction on movement does have a knock-on effect. So, I'd be interested in understanding your thinking around the potential of working with the industry, maybe, to try and support them through those more indirect impacts, potentially, because thankfully with this case, we have a little bit of time, potentially, to consider those issues.
Similarly with the vaccine, I understand that three unauthorised vaccines have been approved by DEFRA. Can you confirm whether those are available in Wales, if required? And we know the vaccine isn't 100 per cent effective. I believe it's quite expensive. So, what can you tell us about the availability and the affordability of vaccines for Welsh farmers?
And I would reiterate the point about the communications. I think this is an opportunity, isn't it, really, to really hammer home the messages, because people will be much more mindful about the potential impacts of bluetongue after this isolated case in Gwynedd. Some farmers have told me, for example, that they hadn't realised how large the restricted area is in England, and when that comes to, as you mentioned, informed purchasing et cetera, that's very, very critical.
Mae’n galonogol clywed yr hyn a ddywedwch ynglŷn â chadarnhau y bydd iawndal ar gael i’r rhai yr effeithir arnynt yn uniongyrchol a lle maent o bosibl yn gorfod difa a chael gwared ar anifeiliaid heintiedig, ond mae cwestiwn ehangach yma ynghylch yr effaith o fewn parthau dan gyfyngiadau neu barthau dan reolaeth, onid oes, gan fy mod yn ymwybodol o enghreifftiau yn Lloegr—. Roedd yna fferm yn Suffolk, er enghraifft, sy'n dweud eu bod wedi colli mwy na £50,000 eleni, gan eu bod yn gweithredu o fewn parth dan gyfyngiadau tafod glas. Nid ydynt wedi cael unrhyw achosion uniongyrchol ar eu fferm eu hunain, ond wrth gwrs, maent yn dweud ei bod yn amhosibl gwerthu anifeiliaid, ac wrth gwrs, mae'r cyfyngiad ar symud anifeiliaid yn cael effaith ganlyniadol. Felly, hoffwn wybod beth yw eich barn ynglŷn â photensial gweithio gyda'r diwydiant, efallai, i geisio eu cefnogi drwy'r effeithiau mwy anuniongyrchol hynny, oherwydd diolch byth, gyda'r achos hwn, mae gennym rywfaint o amser, o bosibl, i ystyried y pethau hyn.
Felly hefyd gyda’r brechlyn, deallaf fod tri brechlyn anawdurdodedig wedi’u cymeradwyo gan DEFRA. A allwch chi gadarnhau bod y rheini ar gael yng Nghymru pe bai eu hangen? A gwyddom nad yw'r brechlyn yn effeithiol 100 y cant. Credaf ei fod yn eithaf drud. Felly, beth y gallwch ei ddweud wrthym ynglŷn ag argaeledd a fforddiadwyedd brechlynnau i ffermwyr Cymru?
A hoffwn ailadrodd y pwynt ynglŷn â chyfathrebu. Credaf fod hwn yn gyfle, onid yw, i bwysleisio'r negeseuon, gan y bydd pobl yn llawer mwy ystyriol o effeithiau posibl y tafod glas ar ôl yr achos ynysig hwn yng Ngwynedd. Mae rhai ffermwyr wedi dweud wrthyf, er enghraifft, nad oeddent wedi sylweddoli pa mor fawr yw’r ardal dan gyfyngiadau yn Lloegr, a phan fo hynny'n ymwneud â phrynu gwybodus ac ati, fel y sonioch chi, mae hynny’n allweddol.
Indeed. Absolutely. And I think one of the biggest services we can do to our constituents, and to keep Wales free of this disease, is to ram home these messages today, and it is the work we've been doing over not just several months, but since we've been aware of this disease approaching us from the near continent. We should emphasise that this is a midge-borne disease. The purpose of us taking the decisive action that we have taken—and my thanks for the work being done by APHA and our CVO and his officials as well—is to take decisive action. The tracking is very effective. What we have been doing is recognising that the situation is very, very different at the moment in the east of England, and our sympathies go to them as well, because they're having to deal with large areas where they've had to lock down movements entirely, but that's part of the response. The animals that have arrived in north Wales, unfortunately, have not arrived there out of the rules or out of the protocol. It's been identified subsequently, when those livestock in the east of England, that it's been identified that it is circulating there, including midge-borne infection, then we've done the tracking of where those have been sold through auction and where they've gone to, and we'll keep on doing that as well.
But it is important that the emphasis of our ongoing campaign of communications is on the safe sourcing of livestock—I think that a lot of farmers around Wales are now going, 'Well, we can see the extent of this in the east of England, we must take care to not bring in from high-risk areas.' We'll keep on reinforcing those through our regular meetings with stakeholders, representatives, veterinary professions, Gwlad, other news articles, other social media posts. The chief vet himself, in fact, has been regularly putting this on social media over the run of the last year as well, on his own Twitter account. So, we're trying to use every possible way of doing it.
In terms of compensation, I can only reiterate that there are very well-established protocols. So, where there has been extensive infection and circulatory infection from midges in the east of England, they have paid a substantial amount of compensation out. We are trying to avoid that situation here in Wales, of course, by keeping the disease out. But, if this were to happen, then clearly those same protocols and compensation would apply. But we have to be cognisant as well of the added trauma for the farmers involved, because if you have lockdown areas, that's quite significant.
Just to say on vaccination, the situation is very different in the near continent, it's very different in the east of England at the moment. The advice at the moment from our CVO, and in his discussions with UK counterparts as well, is that there is very little purpose in using and deploying the vaccine in Wales while Wales is actually disease free. What we've got are animals who have introduced the disease into a herd, and we're taking the right measures. There are significant issues, and you alluded to this, with the use of some vaccines that are out there at the moment, including, I have to say, unauthorised vaccines. We need to consider this properly. We are keeping the use of vaccines under review, particularly looking at the status of the disease in Wales, which is not the same as it is in England currently. But licensing the use of vaccine in Wales would be considered if there is evidence of circulating bluetongue virus. There is no evidence at the moment that the virus is circulating locally in midges, but we will keep that under review, Llyr.
Yn sicr. Yn hollol. Ac rwy'n credu mai un o’r cymwynasau mwyaf y gallwn eu gwneud â'n hetholwyr, ac i gadw Cymru’n rhydd rhag y clefyd hwn, yw pwysleisio'r negeseuon hyn heddiw, a dyna’r gwaith y buom yn ei wneud nid yn unig ers sawl mis, ond ers inni ddod yn ymwybodol fod yr afiechyd hwn yn dod atom o'r cyfandir agos. Dylem bwysleisio mai clefyd a gludir gan wybed yw hwn. Diben cymryd y camau pendant a gymerwyd gennym—a diolch am y gwaith a wnaed gan APHA a’n prif swyddog milfeddygol a’i swyddogion hefyd—yw gweithredu'n bendant. Mae'r gwaith tracio'n effeithiol iawn. Yr hyn y buom yn ei wneud yw cydnabod bod y sefyllfa’n wahanol iawn ar hyn o bryd yn nwyrain Lloegr, ac rydym yn cydymdeimlo â hwy hefyd, gan eu bod yn gorfod ymdrin ag ardaloedd mawr lle maent wedi gorfod cyfyngu'n llwyr ar symud unrhyw anifeiliaid, ond mae hynny'n rhan o'r ymateb. Nid yw’r anifeiliaid sydd wedi cyrraedd gogledd Cymru, yn anffodus, wedi cyrraedd yno drwy dorri rheolau na phrotocol. Ni chafodd ei ganfod tan yn ddiweddarach, wedi i'r da byw hynny ddod o ddwyrain Lloegr, a chanfod bod y clefyd yn lledaenu yno, gan gynnwys haint a gludir gan wybed, ac yna fe wnaethom dracio ble y cawsant eu gwerthu drwy arwerthiant ac i ble yr aethant, a byddwn yn parhau i wneud hynny hefyd.
Ond mae'n bwysig fod ein hymgyrch gyfathrebu barhaus yn rhoi pwyslais ar brynu da byw yn ddiogel—credaf fod llawer o ffermwyr ledled Cymru bellach yn meddwl, 'Wel, gallwn weld maint y broblem yn nwyrain Lloegr, mae'n rhaid inni ofalu nad ydym yn prynu o ardaloedd risg uchel.' Byddwn yn parhau i atgyfnerthu hyn drwy ein cyfarfodydd rheolaidd â rhanddeiliaid, cynrychiolwyr, proffesiynau milfeddygol, Gwlad, erthyglau newyddion eraill, negeseuon eraill ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol. Mewn gwirionedd, mae'r prif filfeddyg ei hun wedi bod yn nodi hyn ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol yn rheolaidd dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, ar ei gyfrif Twitter ei hun. Felly, rydym yn ceisio defnyddio pob ffordd bosibl o'i wneud.
O ran iawndal, ni allaf ond ailadrodd bod yna brotocolau wedi’u hen sefydlu. Felly, lle cafwyd heintio helaeth a heintio cylchredol gan wybed yn nwyrain Lloegr, maent wedi talu swm sylweddol o iawndal. Rydym yn ceisio osgoi’r sefyllfa honno yma yng Nghymru, wrth gwrs, drwy gadw’r clefyd allan. Ond pe bai hyn yn digwydd, yn amlwg, byddai'r un protocolau ac iawndal yn berthnasol. Ond mae'n rhaid inni fod yn ystyriol hefyd o'r trawma ychwanegol i'r ffermwyr dan sylw, oherwydd os oes gennych ardaloedd dan gyfyngiadau, mae hynny'n eithaf difrifol.
Ar frechu, mae'r sefyllfa'n wahanol iawn ar y cyfandir agos, mae'n wahanol iawn yn nwyrain Lloegr ar hyn o bryd. Y cyngor ar hyn o bryd gan ein prif swyddog milfeddygol, ac yn ei drafodaethau gyda swyddogion cyfatebol ar lefel y DU hefyd, yw mai ychydig iawn o ddiben sydd mewn cyflwyno a defnyddio’r brechlyn yng Nghymru tra bo Cymru'n rhydd rhag y clefyd. Yr hyn sydd gennym yw anifeiliaid sydd wedi cyflwyno'r clefyd i fuches, ac rydym yn cymryd y camau cywir. Mae materion sylweddol yn codi, ac fe gyfeirioch chi at hyn, gyda’r defnydd o rai o'r brechlynnau sydd ar gael ar hyn o bryd, gan gynnwys, mae’n rhaid imi ddweud, brechlynnau anawdurdodedig. Mae angen inni ystyried hyn yn ofalus. Rydym yn parhau i adolygu’r defnydd o frechlynnau, gan edrych yn arbennig ar statws y clefyd yng Nghymru nad yw yr un fath ag yn Lloegr ar hyn o bryd. Ond byddem yn ystyried trwyddedu'r defnydd o frechlyn yng Nghymru os ceir tystiolaeth fod feirws y tafod glas yn lledaenu. Nid oes tystiolaeth ar hyn o bryd fod y feirws yn lledaenu'n lleol mewn gwybed, ond byddwn yn parhau i adolygu hyn, Llyr.
Diolch i'r Dirprwy Brif Weinidog.
I thank the Deputy First Minister.
Eitem 4 sydd nesaf, datganiadau 90 eiliad, ac yn gyntaf, Russell George.
Item 4 is next, the 90-second statements, and the first is from Russell George.
Just imagine not just running up each of Wales's three peaks, but running to and between each one of them, all within 34 hours. Well, that's what six people did as part of a relay to raise awareness and highlight the work of the charity Max Appeal. Max Appeal's mission is to increase awareness of, the understanding of and the co-ordination of care for people who have been diagnosed with the genetic disorder 22q11.2 deletion or DiGeorge syndrome, which affects as many as one in 1,000 people in Wales. The disorder can affect health and quality of life from birth, through childhood and into adult life, with over 180 physical, functional and psychological associations having been reported.
Six of my constituents completed the Welsh three peaks challenge as part of a relay team. They started from Plas Robin Rural Retreats in Llandyssil, Montgomeryshire, to Pen y Fan in the beacons, to Cadair Idris, and finishing with Snowdon—not only tackling these three mountains as quickly as possible, but they ran the whole route from start to finish. That's 200 miles, which is the equivalent of seven and a half marathons performed back to back. Congratulations to Jordan Powell, who led the team, and also to Ria Davey, Connor Parry, Cameron Parry, Huw McGrath and Tim Davies. They have almost raised £2,000, I think, which is a fantastic achievement, as well as raising awareness of this condition. And thanks should also be given to the sponsors and the many people who supported them to complete the challenge in aid of Max Appeal.
Dychmygwch redeg nid yn unig i fyny pob un o dri chopa Cymru, ond rhedeg i a rhwng bob un ohonynt, i gyd o fewn 34 awr. Wel, dyna a wnaeth chwech o bobl fel rhan o daith gyfnewid i godi ymwybyddiaeth a thynnu sylw at waith elusen Max Appeal. Cenhadaeth Max Appeal yw cynyddu ymwybyddiaeth, dealltwriaeth a chydgysylltu gofal ar gyfer pobl sydd wedi cael diagnosis o anhwylder genetig dileu 22q11.2 neu syndrom DiGeorge, sy'n effeithio ar gymaint ag un o bob 1,000 o bobl yng Nghymru. Gall yr anhwylder effeithio ar iechyd ac ansawdd bywyd o enedigaeth, drwy blentyndod ac i fywyd fel oedolyn, gyda thros 180 o effeithiau corfforol, gweithredol a seicolegol wedi'u nodi.
Cwblhaodd chwech o fy etholwyr her tri chopa Cymru fel rhan o dîm cyfnewid. Fe wnaethant gychwyn o Plas Robin Rural Retreats yn Llandysul, sir Drefaldwyn, i Ben y Fan yn y Bannau, i Gadair Idris, a gorffen gyda’r Wyddfa—gan ddringo'r tri mynydd mor gyflym â phosibl, a rhedeg y llwybr cyfan o’r dechrau i’r diwedd. Mae'n 200 milltir, sy'n cyfateb i saith marathon a hanner gefn wrth gefn. Llongyfarchiadau i Jordan Powell, a arweiniodd y tîm, a hefyd i Ria Davey, Connor Parry, Cameron Parry, Huw McGrath a Tim Davies. Maent wedi codi bron i £2,000, rwy'n credu, sy’n gyflawniad gwych, yn ogystal â chodi ymwybyddiaeth o’r cyflwr hwn. A dylid diolch hefyd i’r noddwyr a’r llu o bobl a’u cefnogodd i gwblhau’r her er budd Max Appeal.
I'd like to take this opportunity to wish The New Saints well, in what is a historic moment for both the club and, of course, for Welsh football, because the Cymru Premier champions, TNS, have become the first Welsh team ever to qualify for the group stages of European club football. And, as a consequence, tomorrow night, of course, they will face Fiorentina in the UEFA Conference League.
As we all know, TNS is one of the most successful teams in the history of domestic Welsh football. They've won the Cymru Premier title a record 16 times. The current squad are full-time professionals, of course, led by manager Craig Harrison. And whilst the club almost invariably qualifies for European competitions, it has always been the dream, particularly of the club's chairman, Mike Harris, to qualify for the group stages, and this time, of course, they've done it.
In becoming the first Cymru Premier team to qualify for the group stage, they now face the daunting prospect of playing some of the big names in European football, and the first historic game, of course, will be played tomorrow night against Italian giants Fiorentina at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, with a capacity of 43,000 fans, some away off the 2,000 capacity of TNS's Park Hall ground. And Fiorentina, by the way, have been the losing finalists in this competition for the last two seasons, so it's going to be one mighty experience for Craig Harrison's team.
Hoffwn achub ar y cyfle hwn i ddymuno’n dda i’r Seintiau Newydd, ar foment hanesyddol i’r clwb, ac wrth gwrs, i bêl-droed Cymru, gan mai pencampwyr Uwch Gynghrair Cymru, TNS, yw'r tîm cyntaf erioed yng Nghymru i gyrraedd cymal y grwpiau yng nghystadlaethau pêl-droed y clybiau Ewropeaidd. Ac o ganlyniad, nos yfory byddant yn wynebu Fiorentina yng Nghyngres UEFA.
Fel y gŵyr pob un ohonom, TNS yw un o’r timau mwyaf llwyddiannus yn hanes pêl-droed domestig Cymru. Maent wedi ennill teitl Uwch Gynghrair Cymru 16 o weithiau. Mae'r garfan bresennol yn chwaraewyr proffesiynol amser llawn dan arweiniad y rheolwr, Craig Harrison. Ac er bod y clwb yn cyrraedd cystadlaethau Ewropeaidd bron yn ddieithriad, mae wedi bod yn freuddwyd o hyd, yn enwedig gan gadeirydd y clwb, Mike Harris, i gyrraedd cymal y grwpiau, a’r tro hwn, maent wedi llwyddo.
Fel y tîm cyntaf o Uwch Gynghrair Cymru i gyrraedd cymal y grwpiau, maent bellach yn wynebu’r posibilrwydd anodd o chwarae rhai o enwau mawr pêl-droed Ewrop, a bydd y gêm hanesyddol gyntaf, wrth gwrs, yn cael ei chwarae nos yfory yn erbyn y cewri o’r Eidal, Fiorentina, yn y Stadio Artemio Franchi, sydd â lle i 43,000 o gefnogwyr, tipyn mwy na'r lle i 2,000 sydd gan TNS yn stadiwm Neuadd y Parc. Ac mae Fiorentina, gyda llaw, wedi colli yn rownd derfynol y gystadleuaeth hon yn y ddau dymor diwethaf, felly mae’n mynd i fod yn dipyn o brofiad i dîm Craig Harrison.
Mae sawl un yn cofio Bangor yn curo Napoli nôl yn 1962. Bydd ambell un yn cofio Merthyr yn curo Atalanta yn 1987. Wel, ai’r Seintiau, ys gwn i, fydd y tîm nesaf o Gymru i guro un o gewri’r Eidal yn Ewrop? Pob lwc i'r Seintiau Newydd gan bawb yn Senedd Cymru. Rhowch hell iddyn nhw, hogia. [Chwerthin.]
Many will remember Bangor beating Napoli back in 1962. Some will remember Merthyr beating Atalanta in 1987. Well, will The New Saints be the next Welsh team to beat an Italian giant in Europe? All the best to The New Saints from everyone in the Welsh Parliament. Give them hell. [Laughter.]
Eitem 5 heddiw yw dadl Aelodau o dan Reol Sefydlog 11.21 ar ofal iechyd menywod, a galwaf ar Delyth Jewell i wneud y cynnig.
Item 5 today is a Member debate under Standing Order 11.21 on women's healthcare, and I call on Delyth Jewell to move the motion.
Cynnig NDM8566 Delyth Jewell, Jenny Rathbone, Jane Dodds, Carolyn Thomas
Cefnogwyd gan Cefin Campbell, Hannah Blythyn, Lee Waters, Llyr Gruffydd, Mabon ap Gwynfor, Peredur Owen Griffiths, Rhianon Passmore, Rhun ap Iorwerth, Rhys ab Owen, Russell George, Samuel Kurtz, Siân Gwenllian, Sioned Williams
Cynnig bod y Senedd:
1. Yn gresynu bod poen corfforol ac emosiynol menywod yn cael ei normaleiddio yn eu gofal iechyd, yn ogystal â'r disgwyliad bod poen yn agwedd anffodus ar iechyd menywod ond yn un na ellir ei hosgoi.
2. Yn credu, drwy ymgynghori â gynaecolegwyr, bydwragedd a grwpiau iechyd menywod, y dylai gweithwyr iechyd proffesiynol anelu at leihau sefyllfaoedd lle y mae poen yn ddisgwyliedig ac yn cael ei dderbyn fel rhywbeth normal yng ngofal iechyd y GIG.
3. Yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i:
a) cryfhau'r disgwyliadau ar gyfer gwasanaethau'r GIG yn y Datganiad Ansawdd ar gyfer iechyd menywod a merched;
b) sefydlu gofyniad cyfreithiol i ddarparwyr gofal iechyd gasglu adborth yn rheolaidd gan gleifion benywaidd am eu profiadau a'u bodlonrwydd â'r gofal a gânt, yn enwedig mewn perthynas ag apwyntiadau gynaecolegol, bydwreigiaeth a gwasanaethau ôl-enedigol, iechyd meddwl amenedigol a menopos; ac
c) cyflwyno rhwymedigaethau statudol ar gyfer datblygu, cydgysylltu a gweithredu'r Cynllun Iechyd Menywod a ddatblygwyd gan GIG Cymru y mae gynaecolegwyr, bydwragedd a grwpiau iechyd menywod wedi ymgynghori arno, a ddylai gynnwys mesurau i fynd i'r afael â normaleiddio poen ym maes gofal iechyd menywod, ac atal y normaleiddio hwnnw.
Motion NDM8566 Delyth Jewell, Jenny Rathbone, Jane Dodds, Carolyn Thomas
Supported by Cefin Campbell, Hannah Blythyn, Lee Waters, Llyr Gruffydd, Mabon ap Gwynfor, Peredur Owen Griffiths, Rhianon Passmore, Rhun ap Iorwerth, Rhys ab Owen, Russell George, Samuel Kurtz, Siân Gwenllian, Sioned Williams
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Regrets the normalisation of women’s physical and emotional pain in their healthcare, as well as the expectation that pain is a regrettable but unavoidable aspect of women's health.
2. Believes that by consulting with gynaecologists, midwives and women's health groups, health professionals should aim to reduce situations where pain is expected and accepted as normal in NHS healthcare.
3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:
a) strengthen the expectations for NHS services in the Quality Statement for women and girls’ health;
b) establish a legal requirement for healthcare providers to regularly collect feedback from female patients about their experiences and satisfaction with the care they receive, especially in relation to gynaecological appointments, midwifery and postnatal services, perinatal mental health and menopause; and
c) introduce statutory obligations for the development, coordination and implementation of the Women’s Health Plan developed by the Welsh NHS and consulted on with gynaecologists, midwives and women's health groups, which should include measures to address and counter the normalisation of pain in women’s healthcare.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Most women at some point in their lives will hear the words, 'This might hurt'. Not from an aggressor, but from their doctor or nurse, because too many intimate procedures in women's healthcare involve pain. Women are expected to tolerate that pain. And this isn't the fault of individual doctors or nurses, it's because not enough focus or resource has been given to challenging that expectation. The procedures we have, be they smear tests, coil fittings or hysteroscopies, are painful, they're uncomfortable, and all too often as a result, women put off getting the help they need, because they are worried about that pain.
This isn't the only way in which women are expected to put up with pain. The stubbornly grim statistics for gynaecological cancers can partly be put down to the fact that when women talk to their doctors about the pain they're feeling in those parts of the body that are more awkward to talk about, they are not believed. Target Ovarian Cancer research has found that one quarter of women in Wales report visiting their GP three or more times before being referred for tests, and one third report waiting more than three months from their first appointment with the GP to receiving a diagnosis.
Doctors either don't have the training to recognise symptoms of some cancers, or not enough research has been done into finding more accurate ways of interpreting those indistinct types of pain. And then, there are those debilitating conditions affecting women that we still don't know enough about, because of a lack of research or understanding. Endometriosis is a condition that affects roughly one in 10 women and occurs when the tissue inside the uterus begins to grow outside it, leading to chronic pain.
As the British Pregnancy Advisory Service points out, despite the prevalence of endometriosis, it remains underdiagnosed and too often misunderstood. With this condition and so many others, women are too often either gaslit, told not to worry, to wait to see if things get worse, or they're psychologised, asked whether they suffer with anxiety. And all of that makes women, again, less likely to seek out help, because their pain is, if not trivialised, then minimised, played down. They are told not to trust their own gut instincts that something is wrong.
How many women's lives are lost or made miserable through pain because they fall into a gap in our healthcare system where their words aren't trusted, their instincts dismissed, where women are told that they don't understand their own bodies and how they work? In procedures, the pain that is inflicted on women is accepted as normal or downplayed, and the pain women speak about or seek help for is also lessened.
Why should we have to put up with so much pain? Why is that normal? There was a letter in a mainstream newspaper a few years ago where a woman spoke about the pain she endured when having a hysteroscopy—that is where a camera is inserted into the vagina and cervix, into the uterus. No anaesthetic or sedation was offered to her, but some years later when that same woman had to have a colonoscopy for another condition, it was done under sedation. As she said in her letter, 'There was no question of doing it without.'
With more regular procedures too, like smear tests, a certain amount of pain is just expected as normal. We have had debates in this Senedd in recent years focused on the alarmingly low take-up rates of smear tests. The awkwardness and uncomfortableness of the procedure will surely play its part in driving down those figures. I'm not a medical professional, and what's more, I have the utmost respect for those who dedicate their professional lives to helping others. I'm sure the vast majority of doctors, of nurses and healthcare professionals find this situation deeply concerning too.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Bydd y rhan fwyaf o fenywod, ar ryw adeg yn eu bywydau, yn clywed y geiriau, 'Efallai y bydd hyn yn brifo'. Nid gan ymosodwr, ond gan eu meddyg neu nyrs, gan fod gormod o driniaethau personol mewn gofal iechyd menywod yn rhai poenus. Mae disgwyl i fenywod oddef y poen hwnnw. Ac nid bai meddygon neu nyrsys unigol mo hyn, ond oherwydd nad oes digon o ffocws nac adnoddau wedi'u rhoi i herio'r disgwyliad hwnnw. Mae'r triniaethau a gawn, boed yn brawf ceg y groth, gosod coil neu hysterosgopi yn boenus, maent yn anghyfforddus, ac o'r herwydd, yn rhy aml o lawer, mae menywod yn oedi rhag cael y cymorth sydd ei angen arnynt am eu bod yn poeni am y poen hwnnw.
Nid dyma'r unig ffordd y disgwylir i fenywod oddef poen. Mae'r ystadegau ofnadwy ar gyfer canserau gynaecolegol yn deillio'n rhannol o'r ffaith nad yw menywod yn cael eu credu pan fyddant yn siarad â'u meddygon am y poen y maent yn ei deimlo mewn rhannau o'r corff sy'n fwy lletchwith i sôn amdanynt. Mae ymchwil gan Target Ovarian Cancer wedi canfod bod chwarter menywod Cymru yn dweud eu bod wedi ymweld â’u meddyg teulu dair gwaith neu fwy cyn cael eu hatgyfeirio am brofion, a thraean yn dweud eu bod wedi aros mwy na thri mis ar ôl eu hapwyntiad cyntaf gyda’r meddyg teulu cyn cael diagnosis.
Mae meddygon naill ai heb gael yr hyfforddiant i nodi symptomau rhai canserau, neu nad oes digon o ymchwil wedi'i wneud i ddod o hyd i ffyrdd mwy cywir o ddehongli'r mathau aneglur hynny o boen. Wedyn, mae gennych y cyflyrau gwanychol sy'n effeithio ar fenywod nad ydym yn gwybod digon amdanynt o hyd, oherwydd diffyg ymchwil neu ddealltwriaeth. Mae endometriosis yn gyflwr sy'n effeithio ar oddeutu un o bob 10 menyw, ac mae'n cael ei achosi pan fydd y meinwe y tu mewn i'r groth yn dechrau tyfu y tu allan iddi, gan arwain at boen cronig.
Fel y mae Gwasanaeth Cynghori ar Feichiogrwydd Prydain yn ei nodi, er mor gyffredin yw endometriosis, nid yw'n cael ei ddiagnosio'n ddigon aml, ac yn rhy aml, caiff ei gamddeall. Gyda'r cyflwr hwn a chymaint o gyflyrau eraill, yn rhy aml caiff menywod eu dibwyllo, eu cynghori i beidio â phoeni, i aros i weld a yw pethau'n gwaethygu, neu cânt eu seicolegu, a gofynnir iddynt a ydynt yn dioddef o orbryder. Ac mae hyn oll yn gwneud menywod, unwaith eto, yn llai tebygol o ofyn am gymorth, am fod eu poen yn cael ei fychanu, os nad ei ddiystyru. Dywedir wrthynt am beidio ag ymddiried yn eu greddf eu hunain sy'n dweud wrthynt fod rhywbeth o'i le.
Faint o fywydau menywod sy'n cael eu colli neu eu gwneud yn annioddefol oherwydd poen am eu bod yn syrthio drwy'r rhwyd yn ein system gofal iechyd lle nad yw eu geiriau'n cael eu credu, lle caiff eu greddf ei hanwybyddu, lle caiff menywod glywed nad ydynt yn deall eu cyrff eu hunain a sut y maent yn gweithio? Mewn triniaethau, mae'r poen a achosir i fenywod yn cael ei dderbyn fel rhywbeth sy'n normal, neu'n cael ei fychanu, ac mae'r poen y mae menywod yn sôn amdano neu'n ceisio cymorth ar ei gyfer hefyd yn cael ei fychanu.
Pam y dylem orfod dioddef cymaint o boen? Pam y mae hynny'n normal? Roedd llythyr mewn papur newydd prif ffrwd ychydig flynyddoedd yn ôl lle roedd menyw'n sôn am y poen a ddioddefodd wrth gael hysterosgopi—lle caiff camera ei roi drwy'r wain a cheg y groth i mewn i'r groth. Ni chynigiwyd unrhyw anesthetig neu dawelydd iddi, ond rai blynyddoedd yn ddiweddarach, pan fu'n rhaid i'r un fenyw gael colonosgopi ar gyfer cyflwr arall, fe'i gwnaed dan dawelydd. Fel y dywedodd yn ei llythyr, 'Nid oedd unrhyw gwestiwn o'i wneud hebddo.'
Gyda thriniaethau mwy cyffredin hefyd, fel profion ceg y groth, disgwylir i fenywod oddef rhywfaint o boen fel pe bai'n normal. Rydym wedi cael dadleuon yn y Senedd hon dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf sy’n canolbwyntio ar y niferodd brawychus o isel o bobl sy’n manteisio ar brofion ceg y groth. Bydd lletchwithdod ac anghyfforddusrwydd y driniaeth, heb os, yn rhan o'r rheswm pam fod y ffigurau hynny mor isel. Nid wyf yn weithiwr meddygol proffesiynol, ac yn fwy na hynny, mae gennyf y parch mwyaf at y rheini sy'n rhoi eu bywydau proffesiynol i helpu eraill. Rwy'n siŵr fod y sefyllfa hon yn peri cryn bryder i'r mwyafrif helaeth o feddygon, nyrsys a gweithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol hefyd.
Again, this is not about individuals; it's about the systemic lack of research, resource and thoughts given over to lessening the need for pain in gynaecological procedures. The absence of a dedicated women and girls' health plan in Wales is unquestionably part of the problem. Other Governments, like the Scottish Government, the Norwegian Government, the Swedish Government, the Canadian Government have published women and girls' health plans, and those have allowed those countries to focus more on ensuring that women's voices are central to their healthcare. Wales is lagging behind. Our first female First Minister has laudably spoken about tackling this issue at long last, but it should not have taken so long. Again, how many women have been lost or have had to endure unacceptable levels of pain because of this delay? It is a delay that has surely cost lives.
Figures sent to me by Claire's Campaign highlight the magnitude of the problem. The target for women starting their gynaecological cancer treatment within 62 days is 75 per cent, yet in July of this year, only 26.9 per cent of women in the Aneurin Bevan health board area managed this. That is only seven in every 26 patients. Between 20 and 30 patients receive a gynaecological cancer diagnosis every month, but the health board only manages to get seven or eight women through to treatment within the target. This is only one reason why I'd agree with Claire's Campaign that the women's health plan must include a specific focus on gynaecological cancers. I'd be grateful to know whether this will happen and whether the plan will also look at clinical culture and some of the hindrances that are costing women's lives.
The women's health plan must learn from the experiences of patients, gynaecologists, midwives and women's health groups. That is why my motion would ensure establishing a legal requirement for healthcare providers to collect feedback from female patients about their experiences, especially gynaecological appointments, midwifery and postnatal services, perinatal health and menopause. Too many women are left feeling isolated, violated and in pain after these appointments. It shouldn't be normal. We have an obligation to ensure that it isn't.
There are so many levers within the Welsh Government's control that they can take to address this endemic problem. The Welsh Government has the ability to influence the curriculums of healthcare courses that are delivered and funded within Wales to provide additional training in women's healthcare. It can influence national regulatory bodies like the General Medical Council and the Royal College of General Practitioners to tailor aspects of its training standards or to implement initiatives to better address women's health.
It can issue guidance as well, Dirprwy Lywydd, to NHS institutions within Wales, and I'd want that guidance in particular to focus on addressing gender bias in pain management. That guidance must surely be coupled with the legal requirement for NHS institutions in Wales to collect feedback from female patients, as I've already mentioned, to identify areas for improvement on addressing the physical and the psychological pain that is accepted as normal in women's healthcare. The Welsh Government should support research into women's health issues, particularly into pain perception and gynaecological cancers. We should be learning from other parts of the world that have found innovative ways of tackling low and late diagnosis rates, like introducing mail-in testing kits for cervical cancer. That happens in Denmark.
I know that some other Members will also be focusing remarks on how we must improve treatment for women going through the menopause and women suffering with postnatal depression. The pain suffered by women in their healthcare can be physical; it can also be psychological. And it is unacceptable, it is costing lives. I hope that if this motion passes it will result in improved guidance, in changes in procedures and better training for health professionals. Women make up half our population. Their suffering should not be treated as normal.
Unwaith eto, nid yw hyn yn ymwneud ag unigolion; mae a wnelo â'r diffyg ymchwil, adnoddau a meddwl systemig a roddir i leihau'r angen am boen mewn triniaethau gynaecolegol. Heb os, mae absenoldeb cynllun iechyd penodol i fenywod a merched yng Nghymru yn rhan o'r broblem. Mae Llywodraethau eraill, fel Llywodraeth yr Alban, Llywodraeth Norwy, Llywodraeth Sweden a Llywodraeth Canada wedi cyhoeddi cynlluniau iechyd ar gyfer menywod a merched, ac mae’r rheini wedi caniatáu i’r gwledydd hynny ganolbwyntio mwy ar sicrhau bod lleisiau menywod yn ganolog i’w gofal iechyd. Mae Cymru ar ei hôl hi. Mae'n ganmoladwy fod ein Prif Weinidog benywaidd cyntaf wedi siarad am fynd i’r afael â’r mater o’r diwedd, ond ni ddylai fod wedi cymryd cyhyd. Unwaith eto, faint o fenywod sydd wedi cael eu colli neu wedi gorfod dioddef lefelau annerbyniol o boen oherwydd yr oedi hwn? Mae’n oedi sy'n sicr wedi costio bywydau.
Mae ffigurau a anfonwyd ataf gan Ymgyrch Claire yn amlygu maint y broblem. Y targed ar gyfer menywod sy'n dechrau eu triniaeth ar gyfer canser gynaecolegol o fewn 62 diwrnod yw 75 y cant, ac eto, ym mis Gorffennaf eleni, 26.9 y cant yn unig o fenywod yn ardal bwrdd iechyd Aneurin Bevan a lwyddodd i wneud hyn. Dim ond saith o bob 26 claf yw hynny. Mae rhwng 20 a 30 o gleifion yn cael diagnosis o ganser gynaecolegol bob mis, ond dim ond saith neu wyth o fenywod sy'n dechrau eu triniaeth o fewn y targed yn y bwrdd iechyd. Dyma un rheswm yn unig pam y buaswn yn cytuno ag Ymgyrch Claire fod yn rhaid i gynllun iechyd menywod gynnwys ffocws penodol ar ganserau gynaecolegol. Buaswn yn falch o wybod a fydd hyn yn digwydd ac a fydd y cynllun hefyd yn edrych ar ddiwylliant clinigol a rhai o'r rhwystrau sy'n costio bywydau menywod.
Mae'n rhaid i'r cynllun iechyd menywod ddysgu o brofiadau cleifion, gynaecolegwyr, bydwragedd a grwpiau iechyd menywod. Dyna pam y byddai fy nghynnig yn sefydlu gofyniad cyfreithiol i ddarparwyr gofal iechyd gasglu adborth gan gleifion benywaidd am eu profiadau, yn enwedig apwyntiadau gynaecolegol, bydwreigiaeth a gwasanaethau ôl-enedigol, iechyd amenedigol a menopos. Mae gormod o fenywod yn cael eu gadael i deimlo'n ynysig, yn doredig ac mewn poen ar ôl yr apwyntiadau hyn. Ni ddylai hyn fod yn normal. Mae dyletswydd arnom i sicrhau nad yw'n normal.
Mae cymaint o ysgogiadau o fewn rheolaeth Llywodraeth Cymru i fynd i’r afael â’r broblem endemig hon. Mae gan Lywodraeth Cymru allu i ddylanwadu ar gwricwlwm cyrsiau gofal iechyd a ddarperir ac a ariennir yng Nghymru i ddarparu hyfforddiant ychwanegol mewn gofal iechyd menywod. Gall ddylanwadu ar gyrff rheoleiddio cenedlaethol fel y Cyngor Meddygol Cyffredinol a Choleg Brenhinol yr Ymarferwyr Cyffredinol i deilwra agweddau ar ei safonau hyfforddi neu i roi mentrau ar waith i fynd i'r afael ag iechyd menywod yn well.
Ddirprwy Lywydd, gall gyhoeddi canllawiau hefyd i sefydliadau'r GIG yng Nghymru, a buaswn am i'r canllawiau hynny ganolbwyntio'n arbennig ar fynd i'r afael â rhagfarn ar sail rhywedd mewn perthynas â rheoli poen. Rhaid i’r canllawiau hynny ddod law yn llaw â’r gofyniad cyfreithiol i sefydliadau’r GIG yng Nghymru gasglu adborth gan gleifion benywaidd, fel y crybwyllais eisoes, i nodi meysydd y mae angen eu gwella o ran mynd i’r afael â’r poen corfforol a seicolegol sy'n cael ei dderbyn fel elfen normal o ofal iechyd menywod. Dylai Llywodraeth Cymru gefnogi ymchwil i faterion iechyd menywod, yn enwedig i ganfyddiad o boen a chanserau gynaecolegol. Dylem fod yn dysgu gan rannau eraill o'r byd sydd wedi dod o hyd i ffyrdd arloesol o fynd i'r afael â chyfraddau diagnosis isel a hwyr, fel cyflwyno pecynnau profion canser ceg y groth i'w hanfon drwy'r post. Mae hynny'n digwydd yn Denmarc.
Gwn y bydd sylwadau rhai o'r Aelodau eraill hefyd yn canolbwyntio ar sut y mae'n rhaid inni wella’r driniaeth ar gyfer menywod sy’n mynd drwy’r menopos a menywod sy’n dioddef o iselder ôl-enedigol. Gall y poen a ddioddefir gan fenywod yn eu gofal iechyd fod yn gorfforol; gall fod yn seicolegol hefyd. Ac mae'n annerbyniol, mae'n costio bywydau. Os caiff y cynnig hwn ei dderbyn, rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yn arwain at ganllawiau gwell, at newidiadau mewn triniaethau a gwell hyfforddiant i weithwyr iechyd proffesiynol. Menywod yw hanner ein poblogaeth. Ni ddylid trin eu dioddefaint fel rhywbeth normal.
I would like to thank the Member, Delyth Jewell, for bringing this important debate here today. Throughout life, women have to put up with a lot: periods, childbirth, often being the main carer, the organiser, and then the menopause comes along. And it’s often seen as a weakness rather than, actually, showing how strong women are, putting up with it all and doing all that they do. All these can be debilitating, physically, mentally and hormonally, all while trying to keep up appearances, juggling responsibilities and trying to look after dependents. When, as a woman, you may be feeling unwell, the presumption is down to one of these, and then it’s okay, because it’s considered normal for women to live in discomfort and pain. Many illnesses have been hidden behind these presumptions.
Many of you will know about Claire’s campaign for policy changes for gynaecological cancers. Claire was diagnosed with cancer in her uterus two years after first raising her symptoms with her GP, and she was misdiagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome. The survival rate of this aggressive cancer is 65 per cent. If caught at a later stage, then only 14 per cent of people survive up to five years. And very sadly, Claire’s cancer is incurable, and she is bravely fighting for a much-needed culture change within our healthcare system. Women need to be listened to and heard and I pay tribute to Claire for all that she does.
Hormonal changes throughout a woman’s life can have a huge impact on your body. It makes it even harder to cope with the amount of pressure society puts on women’s appearances. During childbirth, hair can thicken, and then you lose it afterwards when going through the menopause. During periods, stomachs can swell. After giving birth, society expects you to soon fit back into your pre-pregnancy clothes. The pain of periods, the awkwardness, the frustration that stops you from functioning normally. I’ve spoken to several women who have been told by a doctor that they likely have endometriosis, but that being diagnosed is a painful process and will make little difference to their condition due to a lack of treatment options. 'Grin and bear it' shouldn’t be the default advice for women struggling with menstrual problems.
The expectation that women should be responsible for contraception, giving up time for multiple doctor appointments, having to deal with hormonal repercussions and sometimes undergoing painful procedures without pain relief, is also something women have to bear. And I totally agree with the motion’s premise that healthcare professionals should aim to reduce situations where pain is expected and accepted as normal in NHS healthcare. This would make such a difference to the experience of so many women.
Above all, we need to recognise that women understand their bodies and the changes they are experiencing—they should be taken seriously. It’s so important in healthcare that patients feel listened to and understood, not feel dismissed and unheard. When I had a baby in hospital, nobody accepted that I was in labour. I knew it, but they didn’t accept it. So, I coped mostly on my own. And I decided to have my last one at home. I remember in the hospital being praised for giving birth without pain relief. Suffering pain is not a badge of honour. In reality, giving birth can be extremely traumatic. The mental health repercussions can be devastating. Unfortunately, many women dislike going for health checks because they don’t like to waste time—I think I’m one of those people as well—both their own, as often the main carer as well, or that of the health professional, who can be dismissive.
At Petitions Committee this week, petitioner Delyth Owen of Ynys Môn wanted to raise awareness of a lack of services in Ysbyty Gwynedd. They have to travel to Wrexham, which could mean a three-hour round trip. And so, if you are a carer, that’s really difficult, trying to juggle all of that, and so, very often, they just don’t bother.
I think women should be invited for regular health checks, if they haven’t seen someone in a while, with someone who’s sympathetic. It would make them actually go and discuss things with somebody. It would be an opportunity to raise issues without a woman thinking they might be wasting their own time or the professional’s time. Whilst check-ups may be routine for the doctor or nurse carrying them out, it can be an uncomfortable experience for women.
We also need to see the women’s health plan come forward, as promised. Taking time to explain the procedure and listening to concerns can make a huge difference to whether someone will come back for their next appointment. And I think that regularly collecting feedback after appointments would hopefully encourage a positive patient-led change in how appointments are run, and I’d like to see that being carried forward.
My daughter gave birth to her second child last week. Both are doing really well, and she’s beautiful—well, my daughter and her baby [Laughter.] But I was upset to hear a young mother in the bed next to her sobbing. It was really sad, and she had the curtains around. So, my daughter said that she’s become her friend and she was going to make sure she’s okay, but that was, you know—
Hoffwn ddiolch i'r Aelod, Delyth Jewell, am ddod â'r ddadl bwysig hon yma heddiw. Drwy gydol eu bywydau, mae'n rhaid i fenywod ddioddef llawer: y mislif, genedigaeth, bod yn brif ofalwr yn aml, y trefnydd, ac yna daw'r menopos. Ac yn aml caiff ei weld fel gwendid yn hytrach na dangos pa mor gryf yw menywod, sy'n goddef y cyfan ac yn gwneud popeth a wnânt. Gall y rhain i gyd fod yn wanhaol, yn gorfforol, yn feddyliol ac yn hormonaidd, gan geisio dal i fynd ar yr un pryd, jyglo cyfrifoldebau a cheisio gofalu am ddibynyddion. Pan fydd menyw'n teimlo'n sâl, y rhagdybiaeth yw mai un o'r rhain yw'r rheswm, ac felly mae popeth yn iawn, oherwydd fe'i hystyrir yn normal i fenywod fyw mewn poen ac anghysur. Cafodd llawer o afiechydon eu cuddio y tu ôl i'r rhagdybiaethau hyn.
Bydd llawer ohonoch yn gwybod am ymgyrch Claire dros newidiadau polisi ar gyfer canserau gynaecolegol. Cafodd Claire ddiagnosis o ganser y groth ddwy flynedd ar ôl sôn wrth ei meddyg teulu gyntaf am ei symptomau, a chafodd gamddiagnosis o syndrom coluddyn llidus. Cyfradd oroesi canser y groth, sy'n ganser ymosodol, yw 65 y cant. Os caiff ei ddal ar gam diweddarach, dim ond 14 y cant o bobl sy'n goroesi hyd at bum mlynedd. Ac yn drist iawn, nid oes modd gwella canser Claire, ac mae hi'n brwydro'n ddewr dros y newid diwylliant sydd ei angen yn fawr yn ein system gofal iechyd. Mae angen gwrando ar fenywod a'u clywed ac rwy'n talu teyrnged i Claire am bopeth a wna.
Gall newidiadau hormonaidd trwy gydol bywyd menyw gael effaith enfawr ar eich corff. Mae'n ei gwneud hi hyd yn oed yn anos ymdopi â'r pwysau y mae cymdeithas yn ei roi ar ymddangosiad menywod. Yn ystod genedigaeth, gall y gwallt dewhau, a byddwch yn ei golli wedyn wrth fynd trwy'r menopos. Yn ystod y mislif gall y stumog chwyddo. Ar ôl rhoi genedigaeth, mae cymdeithas yn disgwyl i chi allu ffitio'n ôl i'ch dillad cyn beichiogrwydd yn fuan. Poen mislif, y lletchwithdod, y rhwystredigaeth sy'n eich atal rhag byw'n normal. Rwyf wedi siarad â sawl menyw y dywedwyd wrthynt gan feddyg ei bod yn debygol fod ganddynt endometriosis, ond bod cael diagnosis yn broses boenus ac na fyddai'n gwneud fawr o wahaniaeth i'w cyflwr oherwydd diffyg opsiynau triniaeth. Ni ddylai 'dioddefwch a daliwch i wenu' fod yn gyngor diofyn i fenywod sy'n cael trafferth gyda phroblemau mislif.
Mae'r disgwyliad y dylai menywod fod yn gyfrifol am atal cenhedlu, neilltuo amser ar gyfer apwyntiadau meddyg lluosog, gorfod ymdopi ag ôl-effeithiau hormonaidd a chael triniaethau poenus weithiau heb gyffur lleddfu poen, hefyd yn rhywbeth y mae'n rhaid i fenywod ei ddioddef. Ac rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â chynsail y cynnig y dylai gweithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol anelu at leihau sefyllfaoedd lle caiff poen ei ddisgwyl a'i dderbyn fel rhywbeth normal yng ngofal iechyd y GIG. Byddai hyn yn gwneud cymaint o wahaniaeth i brofiad cymaint o fenywod.
Yn anad dim, mae angen inni gydnabod bod menywod yn deall eu cyrff a'r newidiadau a brofant—dylid eu cymryd o ddifrif. Mae mor bwysig mewn gofal iechyd i gleifion deimlo eu bod yn cael eu clywed a'u deall, heb deimlo eu bod yn cael eu diystyru a bod neb yn eu clywed. Pan gefais fabi yn yr ysbyty, nid oedd neb yn derbyn fy mod i yn y broses o esgor. Roeddwn i'n gwybod hynny, ond nid oeddent hwy'n ei dderbyn. Felly, fe ymdopais ar fy mhen fy hun i raddau helaeth. Penderfynais gael fy mabi olaf gartref. Rwy'n cofio cael fy nghanmol yn yr ysbyty am roi genedigaeth heb gyffur lleddfu poen. Nid oes unrhyw anrhydedd mewn dioddef poen. Mewn gwirionedd, gall rhoi genedigaeth fod yn hynod o drawmatig. Gall y sgil-effeithiau iechyd meddwl fod yn drychinebus. Yn anffodus, mae llawer o fenywod yn casáu mynd am archwiliadau iechyd am nad ydynt yn hoffi gwastraffu amser—rwy'n meddwl fy mod i'n un o'r bobl hynny hefyd—eu hamser eu hunain, fel prif ofalwr hefyd, neu amser y gweithiwr iechyd proffesiynol, sy'n gallu bod yn ddiystyriol.
Yn y Pwyllgor Deisebau yr wythnos hon, roedd y deisebydd Delyth Owen o Ynys Môn eisiau codi ymwybyddiaeth o ddiffyg gwasanaethau yn Ysbyty Gwynedd. Mae'n rhaid iddynt deithio i Wrecsam, a allai olygu taith o dair awr i gyd. Felly, os ydych chi'n ofalwr, mae hynny'n anodd iawn, a cheisio jyglo hynny i gyd, ac felly, yn aml iawn, ni fyddant yn trafferthu.
Rwy'n credu y dylid gwahodd menywod i gael archwiliadau iechyd rheolaidd, os nad ydynt wedi gweld rhywun ers tro, a hynny gyda rhywun sy'n cydymdeimlo. Byddai'n gwneud iddynt fynd i drafod pethau gyda rhywun. Byddai'n gyfle i leisio pryderon heb i fenyw feddwl y gallai fod yn gwastraffu ei hamser ei hun neu amser y gweithiwr proffesiynol. Er y gall archwiliadau fod yn brofiadau cyffredin i'r meddyg neu'r nyrs sy'n eu cyflawni, gall fod yn brofiad anghyfforddus i fenywod.
Hefyd, mae angen inni weld cynllun iechyd menywod yn cael ei gyflwyno, fel yr addawyd. Gall rhoi amser i esbonio'r driniaeth a gwrando ar bryderon wneud gwahaniaeth enfawr i barodrwydd rhywun i ddod yn ôl ar gyfer eu hapwyntiad nesaf. Ac rwy'n credu y byddai casglu adborth yn rheolaidd ar ôl apwyntiadau yn annog newid cadarnhaol wedi ei arwain gan gleifion yn y ffordd y caiff apwyntiadau eu cynnal, a hoffwn weld hynny'n cael ei barhau.
Fe wnaeth fy merch roi genedigaeth i'w hail blentyn yr wythnos diwethaf. Mae'r ddau'n gwneud yn dda iawn, ac mae hi'n brydferth—wel, fy merch a'i babi [Chwerthin.] Ond roedd yn ofidus clywed mam ifanc yn y gwely drws nesaf iddi'n beichio crio. Roedd yn drist iawn, ac roedd y llenni wedi'u tynnu o'i chwmpas. Felly, dywedodd fy merch ei bod wedi dod yn ffrind iddi a'i bod hi'n mynd i wneud yn siŵr ei bod hi'n iawn, ond roedd hynny—
Carolyn, I'm going to ask you to conclude because we've got a lot of speakers.
Carolyn, rwy'n mynd i ofyn i chi ddod i ben oherwydd mae gennym lawer o siaradwyr.
Yes, I will, sorry. I'm just proud to be co-submitting the motion, and I hope others in the Chamber will support it. Thank you.
Iawn, fe wnaf, mae'n ddrwg gennyf. Rwy'n falch o gyd-gyflwyno'r cynnig, ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd eraill yn y Siambr yn ei gefnogi. Diolch.
Mae yn siomedig, mae’n rhaid imi ddweud—. Dwi’n gwybod bod y Gweinidog yma sydd â chyfrifoldeb dros iechyd menywod, ond fe wnaeth y Prif Weinidog ddweud wrthon ni, a gwneud sioe fawr o’r ffaith, ei bod hi’n gwrando, a bod iechyd menywod yn rhywbeth roedd hi wedi clywed, ond, yn anffodus, dyw hi ddim yma y prynhawn yma i glywed y ddadl bwysig hon.
Mae gan Lywodraeth SNP yr Alban gynllun iechyd menywod ers 2021, ac er inni gael addewidion gan Lywodraeth Cymru, a’r Prif Weinidog ei hunan, oedd yn gyfrifol, wrth gwrs, am iechyd ers y flwyddyn honno tan Awst eleni, rŷn ni’n dal i aros.
Hoffwn i ganolbwyntio yn fy nghyfraniad i ar effaith y diffyg blaenoriaeth, pwyslais a chyflawni o ran gofal iechyd menywod o safbwynt un peth sy'n taro pob un sydd â chroth—dros hanner ein poblogaeth, felly—sef y menopos. Mae nifer o ymgyrchoedd uchel eu cloch wedi bod, yn rhoi sylw i'r symptomau, ceisio sicrhau bod gweithleoedd a chyflogwyr yn ystyriol o bobl sy'n eu profi, ac rŷn ni wedi cael sawl trafodaeth yn y Siambr hon am bwysigrwydd addysgu pobl am y menopos ac i dorri'r tabŵ hanesyddol yn ei gylch. Ond mae'r diffyg cynllun penodol o ran sut mae'r gwasanaeth iechyd yn cefnogi cleifion sydd â symptomau menopos, ac yn cynnig triniaeth amserol a phriodol iddynt, yn creu sefyllfa cwbl annerbyniol.
Er y clywon ni Eluned Morgan, er enghraifft, yn mynnu na ddylai neb yng Nghymru bellach gael eu gorfodi i aros yn y ciw 8 o'r gloch yna ar y ffôn os ŷn nhw am weld eu meddyg, dyw hynny ddim yn arfer cyson dros Gymru, os ydych chi'n moyn apwyntiad o flaen llaw ac nid apwyntiad brys, ac mae nifer o feddygfeydd yn dal i fethu â chynnig modd i bobl fwcio apwyntiad wyneb yn wyneb o flaen llaw. Mae nifer o'm hetholwyr wedi cysylltu â fi yn cadarnhau ac yn cwyno am hynny. Achos os nad ŷch chi off gwaith yn sâl, gallwch chi ddim aros am oriau ac oriau am yr alwad ffôn yna i ddod yn ôl atoch chi, ac wedyn oriau ac oriau i gael y sgwrs yna gyda’ch meddyg, achos rŷch chi’n gorfod gweithio. Ac os ŷch chi am drafod y menopos, mae’n ddealladwy hefyd eich bod chi eisiau gwneud apwyntiad gyda’ch meddyg, wyneb yn wyneb, i allu gwneud hynny, yn unol â’r rhesymau gwnaeth Carolyn osod mas.
Rwyf am rannu profiad un fenyw oedd am gael sgwrs gyda'i meddyg teulu am y symptomau, gan eu bod yn effeithio ar ei hiechyd corfforol a'i hiechyd meddwl. Roedd hi wedi aros yn y ciw boreol yna, ac wedyn fe wnaethon nhw ddweud wrthi hi nad oedd modd iddi fwcio apwyntiad o flaen llaw. Cafodd hi alwad ffôn nôl gan y meddyg ar yr un dydd, er doedd dim modd rhoi ryw fath o slot amser iddi hi o awr neu ddwy, felly roedd hi wedi methu â sicrhau ei bod hi mewn man preifat i dderbyn yr alwad. Ac roedd rhai o'r symptomau oedd ganddi hefyd yn rhai corfforol roedd hi am eu dangos i'r meddyg. Dywedwyd wrthi fod angen i'r meddyg, wedyn, orffen yr alwad ar ôl rhai munudau gan fod ganddo restr hir iawn o bobl i'w galw. Gofynnodd hi a oedd yna ryw fath o glinig neu nyrs y gallai hi fynd atyn nhw i gael sgwrs ynglŷn â'r symptomau ac unrhyw driniaethau posib. Dywedwyd wrthi nad oedd.
Dywedodd wrtha i ei bod hi wedi cael ei gwneud i deimlo fel ei bod hi’n niwsans, ei bod hi’n poeni'r meddyg am ddim byd. Doedd hi ddim yn beio’r meddyg am hyn; roedd hi’n dweud ei bod yn gallu clywed y blinder a'r straen yn llais y meddyg. Ond mae’n amlwg nad yw'r modd rŷn ni’n cynnig gwasanaethau menopos yn iawn. Rhoddodd hi’r gorau i geisio cael triniaeth, ac mae hi nawr jest wedi penderfynu rhoi lan gyda'r poenau yn ei chymalau, y trafferthion cysgu, y cyfnodau o fwd isel. Yr hyn oedd waethaf, meddai, oedd ei bod yn gwybod bod rhai o'i chyfeillion oedd yr un oedran wedi cael profiad hollol wahanol ac yn cael gwellhad yn sgil derbyn therapïau a meddyginiaeth gan eu meddyg. Felly, mae yna ddarlun anghyson iawn dros Gymru.
Y meddyg teulu yw'r allwedd ar gyfer y drws at ofal iechyd cyson, safonol, sy'n ystyried ac yn cwrdd yn effeithiol ag anghenion penodol menywod. Ond mae'r pwysau sydd ar y system gofal sylfaenol, ynghyd â'r diffyg cynllun yna i sicrhau cysondeb a thegwch i bob menyw yng Nghymru, yn golygu bod yr un hen stori yn dal i fod yn wir i nifer o fenywod, sef gorfod rhoi lan gydag effeithiau y menopos heb gymorth—dioddef yn dawel, sydd wrth gwrs yn medru cael effaith ddifrifol ar iechyd meddwl, ynghyd ag iechyd corfforol, y gallu i weithio a llwyddo yn eich gwaith, y gallu i ofalu, y gallu i gadw'n heini, y gallu i chwarae rhan lawn mewn cymdeithas.
Felly, dyw hi ddim yn ddigon i drafod y menopos, i gynnal ymgyrchoedd gwleidyddol i godi ymwybyddiaeth, heb gynllun iechyd penodol i sicrhau bod y dyddiau o ddioddef yn dawel ar ben am byth.
It is disappointing, I have to say—. I know that the Minister with responsibility for women’s health is here, but the First Minister told us, and made a great show of the fact, that she was listening, and that women’s health was an issue that she’d heard, but, unfortunately, she’s not here this afternoon to hear this important debate.
The Scottish SNP Government has had a women's health plan in place since 2021, and although we’ve had pledges from the Welsh Government, and the First Minister herself, who had responsibility, of course, for health from that year until August this year, we are still waiting.
I’d like to focus in my contribution on the effect of the lack of priority, emphasis and delivery in terms of women's health from the point of view of one thing that affects everyone who has a womb—over half of our population, therefore—namely, the menopause. There have been a number of high-profile campaigns seeking to draw attention to the symptoms, and trying to ensure that workplaces and employers are considerate of people who experience them, and we’ve had several discussions in this Chamber about the importance of educating people about the menopause and to break the historical taboo about it. But the lack of a specific plan in terms of how the health service supports patients with menopause symptoms, and offers them timely and appropriate treatment, has created an entirely unacceptable situation.
Although we’ve heard Eluned Morgan, for example, insisting that nobody in Wales now should be forced to wait in that 8 o'clock queue on the phone if they want to see their GP, that isn’t the norm across Wales, if you want an appointment in advance rather than an emergency appointment, and many surgeries are still failing to provide a way for people to book a face-to-face appointment in advance. Many of my constituents have contacted me to confirm and complain about that. Because if you're not off work sick, you can't spend hours and hours waiting for that phone call to get back to you, and then wait further hours to get that conversation with your doctor, because you have to work. And if you want to discuss the menopause, it’s also understandable that you want to make an appointment with your GP, on a face-to-face basis, to have that discussion, for the reasons that Carolyn set out.
I want to share the experience of one woman who wanted to have a chat with her GP about the symptoms, as they were affecting her physical and mental health. She’d waited in that morning queue, and then she was told that she couldn’t book an advance appointment. She was then phoned back by the doctor on the same day, although they couldn’t provide her with a time slot within an hour or two, so she failed to ensure that she was able to receive that call in a private area. And some of the symptoms that she had were also physical, and she wanted to show the doctor. She was then told that the doctor would have to conclude the call after some minutes as he had a very long list of people to call. She asked if there was some sort of clinic or nurse that she could go to to discuss her symptoms and any possible treatment. She was told that there wasn’t.
She told me that she had been made to feel like she was a nuisance, that she was bothering the doctor over nothing. She didn’t blame the GP for this; she said she could hear the stress and fatigue in the doctor’s voice. But it’s clear that the way we’re providing menopause services is not right. She gave up trying to seek treatment, and she has now just decided to put up with the joint pain, the difficulty sleeping, the periods of low mood. What was worse, she said, was that she knew that some of her friends who were the same age had had an entirely different experience, and were recovering as a result of therapies and drugs provided by their GP. So, there’s a very inconsistent picture across Wales.
The GP is the key to the door in terms of consistent, standardised healthcare that meets the specific needs of women effectively. But the pressure on the primary care system, together with the lack of a plan to ensure consistency and fairness for every woman in Wales, means that it’s the same old story that’s the true for many women, namely having to put up with the effects of the menopause without support—suffering in silence, which of course can have a grave impact on mental health, as well as physical health, the ability to work and to succeed in your work, the ability to care, the ability to keep fit, the ability to play a full part in society.
So, it is not enough to discuss the menopause, to have political campaigns to raise awareness, without a specific health plan to ensure that the days of suffering in silence are gone forever.
I'm really grateful to Delyth Jewell for bringing forward this debate today on women's healthcare, in which the motion highlights the need for recognition of the unique and often considerably painful aspects of women's health. In all areas of women's health, our anatomy often brings unique struggles and complications, which are just accepted as the norm and something women and girls must just suck up and deal with. Whether it's intrusive tests, undiagnosed symptoms or monthly struggles, we are inclined to accept an inordinate amount of pain, hormonal fluctuations and general discomfort, due to the incredible, often arduous, and severe journey our bodies go on, and, of course, over the course of our lifetime as well. From conditions such as premenstrual syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome and endometriosis, to pregnancy, fertility, pelvic health and the menopause, there are an abundance of conditions as well as physical and mental challenges that come with them too. We often see them accepted within society, and, quite frankly, they aren't discussed enough. Whilst I do believe that it is important to note advancements to women's healthcare in recent years, not only technical aspects, such as testing, but even discussions around an increasing number of options we now have are indeed improving, we still have a long way to go.
There are so many points I could raise within this debate. However, I want to focus my contribution on one specific area here today. Just this week I had the pleasure of meeting with Breast Cancer Now, a fantastic organisation supporting people going through breast cancer diagnosis, as well as their families. We spoke about the greater need for discussion around the science and symptoms of breast cancer, alongside the need for a holistic approach towards women's healthcare, and screening for conditions such as breast cancer within health hubs. Improving data collection for breast cancer patients specifically, as well as increasing sites where the tests can take place, in tandem with boosting awareness of the signs and symptoms, would not only alleviate pressures on GPs and hospitals, but would ultimately help so many people catch the signs of cancer earlier on, and, therefore, hopefully prevent the later stage diagnoses.
Something else we touched upon was the need for surgery—in many women's cases, this is reconstructive surgery, following breast cancer treatments and procedures—to be seen and included in part of the treatment, and, ultimately, the healing journey as well. Otherwise, if not, we risk many women being left waiting years for their reconstructive surgery, as it is seen often as a separate entity in the healthcare system, and it's something that can have a severe impact on their mental health as well as overall well-being following such intensive treatments.
This conversation led us naturally only to the Welsh Government's proposed women's health plan for Wales and the difference between healthcare plans being created in Northern Ireland, Scotland and England. In Wales, as we know, the NHS Wales Executive and health boards are creating and implementing the women and cancer improvement healthcare plans. However, in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, the Governments facilitate these plans. I do sincerely believe we do need accountability in this area, and where the Welsh Government have come up with the health plan initiative, there should be a strategic direction that they can then provide to health boards, as well as the NHS Wales Executive team, to help guide and implement this critical piece of work, which could benefit so many women and girls all across Wales.
In addition, it is important to note that these aspects, such as reconstructive surgery, were not included in the cancer improvement plan from 2023 to 2026, and, as I understand it, cancer is not set to be included in the women's healthcare plan either. I do strongly believe it should be, as there are many female-specific cancers that we must continue to raise awareness around and support those going through them. Many see that the outcomes of those could be improved through inclusion being within the plan itself.
So, in conclusion, Deputy Presiding Officer, I would just like to close by again thanking Delyth Jewell for tabling this incredibly important debate here today. I hope that we collectively hold the Government to account in this area, to ensure that the best possible care and outcomes are in place for women and girls, from all corners of Wales. Thank you.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn i Delyth Jewell am gyflwyno'r ddadl hon heddiw ar ofal iechyd menywod, lle mae'r cynnig yn amlygu'r angen am gydnabyddiaeth i'r agweddau unigryw a phoenus iawn yn aml ar iechyd menywod. Ym mhob maes iechyd menywod, mae ein hanatomeg yn aml yn creu anawsterau a chymhlethdodau unigryw, sy'n cael eu derbyn fel y norm a rhywbeth y mae'n rhaid i fenywod a merched eu dioddef ac ymdopi â hwy. Boed yn brofion ymwthiol, symptomau heb eu diagnosio neu drafferthion mislif, rydym yn dueddol o oddef gormodedd o boen, amrywiadau hormonaidd ac anghysur cyffredinol, oherwydd y daith anhygoel, llafurus ac anodd yn aml y mae ein cyrff yn mynd arni, a hynny ar hyd ein hoes. O gyflyrau fel syndrom cyn mislif, syndrom ofari polysystig ac endometriosis, i feichiogrwydd, ffrwythlondeb, iechyd y pelfis a'r menopos, fe geir llu o gyflyrau yn ogystal â heriau corfforol a meddyliol sy'n dod gyda nhw hefyd. Rydym yn aml yn eu gweld yn cael eu derbyn mewn cymdeithas, ac a dweud y gwir, nid oes digon o drafod arnynt. Er fy mod yn credu ei bod yn bwysig nodi bod datblygiadau i ofal iechyd menywod yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf, o ran agweddau technegol, megis profion, a thrafodaethau ynghylch y nifer gynyddol o opsiynau sydd gennym bellach yn gwella, mae gennym ffordd bell i fynd.
Mae cymaint o bwyntiau y gallwn eu nodi yn y ddadl hon. Fodd bynnag, rwyf am ganolbwyntio fy nghyfraniad ar un maes penodol yma heddiw. Yr wythnos hon cefais y pleser o gyfarfod â Breast Cancer Now, sefydliad gwych sy'n cefnogi pobl sy'n cael diagnosis o ganser y fron, yn ogystal â'u teuluoedd. Buom yn siarad am yr angen am fwy o drafodaeth ynglŷn â gwyddoniaeth a symptomau canser y fron, ochr yn ochr â'r angen am ddull holistaidd o fewn gofal iechyd menywod, a sgrinio ar gyfer cyflyrau fel canser y fron mewn canolfannau iechyd. Byddai gwella trefniadau casglu data ar gyfer cleifion canser y fron yn benodol, yn ogystal â chynyddu nifer y safleoedd lle gellir cynnal y profion, ochr yn ochr â hybu ymwybyddiaeth o'r arwyddion a'r symptomau, nid yn unig yn lleihau'r pwysau ar feddygon teulu ac ysbytai, ond yn y pen draw byddai'n helpu cymaint o bobl i nodi arwyddion o ganser yn gynharach, ac felly'n atal diagnosis ar gam diweddarach, gobeithio.
Rhywbeth arall y gwnaethom gyffwrdd ag ef oedd yr angen i lawdriniaeth—i lawer o fenywod, llawdriniaeth adluniol yw hon, yn dilyn triniaethau a llawdriniaethau ar gyfer canser y fron—gael ei gweld a'i chynnwys yn rhan o'r driniaeth, a'r daith iachau hefyd yn y pen draw. Fel arall, os na wneir hynny, rydym mewn perygl y bydd llawer o fenywod yn aros blynyddoedd am eu llawdriniaeth adluniol, gan ei bod yn aml yn cael ei hystyried fel rhywbeth ar wahân yn y system gofal iechyd, ac mae'n rhywbeth a all gael effaith ddifrifol ar eu hiechyd meddwl yn ogystal â'u llesiant cyffredinol yn dilyn triniaethau dwys o'r fath.
Arweiniodd y sgwrs hon yn naturiol at gynllun iechyd menywod arfaethedig Llywodraeth Cymru a'r gwahaniaeth rhwng cynlluniau gofal iechyd sy'n cael eu creu yng Ngogledd Iwerddon, yr Alban a Lloegr. Yng Nghymru, fel y gwyddom, mae Gweithrediaeth GIG Cymru a byrddau iechyd yn creu ac yn gweithredu'r cynlluniau gofal iechyd i fenywod a gwella canser. Fodd bynnag, yn Lloegr, Gogledd Iwerddon a'r Alban, y Llywodraethau sy'n darparu'r cynlluniau hyn. Rwy'n credu'n ddiffuant fod angen atebolrwydd yn y maes hwn, a lle mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dyfeisio'r cynllun iechyd, dylai fod cyfeiriad strategol y gallant ei ddarparu wedyn i fyrddau iechyd, yn ogystal â thîm Gweithrediaeth GIG Cymru, i helpu i arwain a gweithredu'r gwaith hanfodol hwn, a allai fod o fudd i gynifer o fenywod a merched ledled Cymru.
Yn ogystal, mae'n bwysig nodi na chafodd yr agweddau hyn, fel llawdriniaeth adluniol, eu cynnwys yn y cynllun gwella canser 2023 i 2026, ac yn ôl yr hyn a ddeallaf, nid yw canser yn debygol o gael ei gynnwys yn y cynllun gofal iechyd menywod ychwaith. Rwy'n credu'n gryf y dylai, gan fod llawer o ganserau menywod y mae'n rhaid inni barhau i godi ymwybyddiaeth yn eu cylch a chefnogi'r rhai sy'n eu cael. Mae llawer yn gweld y gellid gwella canlyniadau'r rheini drwy eu cynnwys yn y cynllun ei hun.
Felly, i gloi, Ddirprwy Lywydd, hoffwn ddiolch unwaith eto i Delyth Jewell am gyflwyno'r ddadl hynod bwysig hon yma heddiw. Rwy'n gobeithio ein bod gyda'n gilydd yn dwyn y Llywodraeth i gyfrif yn y maes hwn, er mwyn sicrhau bod y gofal a'r canlyniadau gorau posibl ar gael i fenywod a merched ym mhob cwr o Gymru. Diolch.
Fedraf i ddim dirnad beth mae merched yn gorfod ei ddioddef. Wrth gwrs, mae gennym ni yma yng Nghymru ddeilliannau gwaith mewn gofal canser, iechyd y llygad—a byddaf i'n cyfeirio at hynny maes o law, mewn dadl arall. Rydyn ni'n gweld gwasanaethau mamolaeth yn gwegian, a gwasanaethau erthylu sydd ddim yn bodoli mewn sawl ardal yng Nghymru. Ond mae gen i empathi, ac mae gen i gariad—cariad at wraig, dwy ferch, mam a chwaer, a'r holl ferched eraill sydd wedi bod yn rhan mor bwysig o’m mywyd i. Mae clywed straeon y merched sydd yn dod i fy nghymorthfeydd i yn gyrru ias lawr fy nghefn.
Cyn cael fy ethol i’r lle yma, doeddwn i byth wedi clywed am endometriosis. Ond, yn fuan iawn ar ôl cael fy ethol, fe ddaeth etholwraig i un o fy nghymorthfeydd a rhannu ei stori. Roedd hi wedi dioddef mewn poen ers blynyddoedd maith, a’r meddyg yn methu adnabod y gŵyn. Oherwydd ei bod hi’n dioddef o ffibro hefyd, fe gymerodd y meddygon yn ganiataol mai dyma oedd gwraidd y broblem a’i chyfeirio at arbenigwyr yn y maes yna ym Manceinion. Ond doedd yna ddim gwellhad i’w chyflwr. Fe gafodd hi ddiagnosis pellach o IBS, ac yna ME, ond eto doedd dim gwellhad. O ganlyniad, mae hi wedi gorfod talu miloedd o bunnoedd am wahanol sganiau a chyngor meddygol preifat. Y pen draw oedd ei bod hi wedi gorfod cael hysterectomi llwyr—a hynny yn erbyn ei hewyllys, gyda llaw. Ond, wrth gario allan y driniaeth yna, bu iddyn nhw ddarganfod ei bod hi’n dioddef o endometriosis, sydd bellach wedi lledaenu. Mae’r ddynes yma bellach yn ei 50au. Mae hi wedi bod yn dioddef ers ei bod hi’n 18 oed, ac wedi talu dros £12,000 yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf er mwyn ceisio cael diagnosis. Mae’r cyfan yn deillio o gamddiagnosis gwreiddiol, a methiant y proffesiwn meddygol i adnabod ei symptomau.
Mae gen i ferched yn eu harddegau wedi dod ataf yn byw efo endometriosis. Mae un ohonyn nhw newydd orfod talu £8,000 am driniaeth, ac un arall ar restr aros o bron i ddwy flynedd, a hithau eisoes wedi aros dros chwe mis. Nid yn unig mae eu cyflwr nhw’n cael effaith niweidiol corfforol, ond maen nhw’n dioddef yn feddyliol hefyd, ynghyd â’u hanwyliaid, a hefyd yn methu â chadw gwaith i lawr, er eu bod nhw yn ferched dawnus ac abl. Ond ym mhob un achos—o’r fferyllfa drwy’r feddygfa ac ymlaen i’r ysbyty ac arbenigwyr clinigol—mae’r merched yma, dro ar ôl tro, wedi cael eu gadael i lawr, a hynny oherwydd y diffyg dealltwriaeth a chydnabyddiaeth o ddifrifoldeb eu sefyllfa. Ac un cyflwr yn unig ydy endo, wrth gwrs.
Roedd y dystiolaeth a dderbyniodd y pwyllgor iechyd ar ganserau gynaecolegol yn hynod bwerus, a phob un yn adrodd stori debyg o sut yr oedden nhw’n cael eu hanwybyddu ac yn cael eu pasio o biler i bostyn oherwydd naill ai sexism systematig yn y system neu ddiffyg dealltwriaeth elfennol o’r corff benywaidd. Dylai’r ffaith bod ystadegau diagnosis canser yn parhau i fod yn beryglus o isel mewn rhai ardaloedd, gyda merched yn cael ei heffeithio yn arbennig o wael oherwydd y methiant i adnabod y clefyd, fod yn bryder anferthol i’r Llywodraeth yma, ac mae angen dysgu gwersi ar fyrder.
Oherwydd dydy’r cynnig yma ddim yn gofyn am lawer, mewn gwirionedd. Bobl bach, os edrychwch chi ar y cynnig, mae’n sôn am gasglu adborth am brofiadau merched, ac mi ddylai hynny fod yn rhan gwbl elfennol o unrhyw broses iechyd. Mae eBay, Amazon a bron i bob cwmni yn casglu adborth am brofiadau eu defnyddwyr. Mae’n synnwyr cyffredin os ydy rhywun am ddysgu a gwella. Ond nid, mae’n ymddangos, pan fo’n dod at brofiad merched o’u triniaethau meddygol.
Data cyfoethog a defnyddiol ydy sylfaen unrhyw fusnes neu sector neu fudiad llwyddiannus. Mae hyn wedi bod yn arferiad ers i’r Swmeriaid gasglu data am gynaeafau ar dabledi clai dros 5,000 o flynyddoedd yn ôl, ond dydyn ni ddim yn ei wneud o yn y sector iechyd yng Nghymru. Ac mae'n resyn ein bod ni’n dal i aros, felly, am gynllun iechyd merched cynhwysfawr heddiw. Felly, diolch i bawb sydd wedi cyflwyno’r cynnig yma—diolch i Delyth am y geiriau agoriadol—a hyderaf y bydd y Senedd yma yn gweld yn dda i’w gefnogi.
I can't comprehend what women have to endure. Of course, here in Wales we have work outcomes in cancer care, eye care—and I'll be referring to that later, in another debate. We see maternity services creaking, and abortion services that don't exist in many areas of Wales. But I do have empathy, and I do have love—love for my wife, two daughters, mother and sister, and all the other women who have been such an important part of my life. Hearing the stories of the women who come to my surgeries sends a cold shiver down my back.
Before being elected to this place, I had never heard of endometriosis. But, very soon after being elected, a constituent came to one of my surgeries and shared her story. She had been suffering pain for many years, and the doctor could not identify the complaint. Because she also suffers from fibro, the doctors assumed that this was the root cause of the problem and referred her to specialists in that area in Manchester. But there was no improvement in her condition. She was further diagnosed with IBS, and then ME, but, again, there was no improvement. As a result, she has had to pay thousands of pounds for different scans and private medical advice. The end result was that she had to have a complete hysterectomy—against her will, by the way. But, when this procedure was carried out, it was discovered that she was suffering from endometriosis, which has now spread. This woman is now in her 50s. She has been suffering since she was 18, and has paid out over £12,000 in recent years to try and obtain a diagnosis. This all stems from an original misdiagnosis and the failure of the medical profession to recognise her symptoms.
I have had teenage girls come to me living with endometriosis. One of them has just had to pay £8,000 for treatment, and another is on a two-year waiting list, having already waited for over six months. Not only does their condition have harmful physical effects, but these women also suffer mentally, as do their loved ones, and they are also unable to hold down a job, even though they are talented and able women. But, in every case—from the pharmacy through to the surgery and on to the hospital and the clinical specialists—these women are repeatedly let down because of a lack of understanding and acknowledgement of the severity of their situation. And endo is just one condition, of course.
The evidence received by the health committee on gynaecological cancers was extremely powerful, with all of the witnesses telling a similar story of how they had been ignored and passed from pillar to post, either because of systematic sexism in the system or a basic lack of understanding of the female body. The fact that cancer diagnosis statistics continue to be dangerously low in some areas, with women being particularly badly affected due to a failure to identify the disease, should be a huge concern for the Government here, and there are lessons that need to be learned urgently.
Because this motion doesn't really ask for much, in truth. Goodness me, if you look at the motion, it speaks of gathering feedback about women's experiences, which should be an absolutely fundamental part of any health process. Amazon, eBay and almost all companies collect feedback about their users' experiences. It's common sense if someone wants to learn and improve. But not, it seems, when it comes to women's experiences of their medical treatments.
Comprehensive and useable data are the foundation of any successful business or sector or organisation. This has been routine since the Sumerians gathered data about harvests on clay tablets over 5,000 years ago, but we don’t do it in the health sector in Wales. It’s such a shame that we're still waiting, therefore, for a comprehensive women's health plan today. So, thank you to everyone who has brought forward this motion—I thank Delyth for the opening remarks—and I trust that this Senedd here will see fit to support it.
I want to thank Delyth and her co-submitters and supporters for raising what is an incredibly important issue. We all know that, for too long, women’s experience of pain, be it menstrual, reproductive or chronic, has been dismissed or trivialised. It’s not a matter of individual health, but it’s a systematic failure that impacts the well-being of over half our population. Women often face longer waiting times for diagnosis and treatment and their concerns are frequently overlooked in clinical settings. This normalisation creates a culture where women feel unheard and often unsupported and, in turn, exacerbates the problems that they are presenting with.
One specific women's health condition where this is often the case concerns period pain. The normalisation of pain around periods can cause severe delays in diagnosis for gynaecological conditions, particularly like endometriosis, and those delays can have extremely serious repercussions, impacting the women's physical and mental well-being, their day-to-day life and potentially their chances of conceiving, if they want to have children. I appreciate that Welsh Government is working to address some of these issues and, in the case of endometriosis, a specialist nurse has been employed for each health board region. Of course, I would question whether one specialist health nurse for each healthcare region is a serious commitment. But, above anything, we have to challenge the stigma around women's pain and ensure that healthcare professions are trained to recognise and address it properly. We are developing a women's healthcare plan, and we must have a focus in that plan for this particular area.
But I'm also going to raise a question that hasn't been raised yet, and that is the difference in treatment and expectation of pain when it comes to black and Indian women. There have been many, many reports—multiple reports—and the BBC have also done investigations into it in England, where women have been called 'princess', where they are being referred to in a different way than white women would be, where their pain has been trivialised and where they have been completely ignored. So, what I would call for today, as well as those things in this report, is that we speak with that community or communities of women and get an understanding of their feeling, and also let their voices be heard, because ultimately this is only a form of racism when you are referring to people in a way you wouldn't refer to white people, when you are denying them their voice and when you are ignoring their concerns. It's not an area that we've looked at on the health committee; it wasn't looked at when we were doing our investigation. But I think if we're going to truly represent not only the 50 per cent of the population, but all the people within that 50 per cent, we've got to change our focus and widen it as well.
Hoffwn ddiolch i Delyth a'i chyd-gyflwynwyr a'i chefnogwyr am godi mater hynod o bwysig. Rydym i gyd yn gwybod, ers gormod o amser, fod profiad menywod o boen, boed yn fislif, yn atgenhedlol neu'n gronig, wedi cael ei ddiystyru neu ei fychanu. Nid mater iechyd unigol mohono, ond methiant systematig sy'n effeithio ar les dros hanner ein poblogaeth. Mae menywod yn aml yn wynebu amseroedd aros hirach cyn cael diagnosis a thriniaeth ac mae eu pryderon yn aml yn cael eu hanwybyddu mewn lleoliadau clinigol. Mae'r normaleiddio hwn yn creu diwylliant lle mae menywod yn teimlo nad oes neb yn eu clywed ac yn aml heb eu cefnogi ac yn ei dro, mae hynny'n gwaethygu'r problemau iechyd sydd ganddynt.
Mae un cyflwr iechyd menywod penodol lle mae hyn i'w weld yn aml yn ymwneud â phoen mislif. Gall normaleiddio poen mislif achosi oedi difrifol cyn cael diagnosis o gyflyrau gynaecolegol, yn enwedig endometriosis, a gall yr oedi hwnnw gael ôl-effeithiau difrifol iawn, gan effeithio ar les corfforol a meddyliol menywod, eu bywyd o ddydd i ddydd ac o bosibl eu gobaith o feichiogi, os ydynt am gael plant. Rwy'n derbyn bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio i fynd i'r afael â rhai o'r materion hyn ac yn achos endometriosis, mae nyrs arbenigol wedi'i chyflogi ar gyfer pob ardal bwrdd iechyd. Wrth gwrs, buaswn yn cwestiynu a yw un nyrs iechyd arbenigol ar gyfer pob ardal gofal iechyd yn ymrwymiad difrifol. Ond yn fwy na dim, mae'n rhaid inni herio'r stigma sy'n gysylltiedig â phoen menywod a sicrhau bod proffesiynau gofal iechyd yn cael eu hyfforddi i'w adnabod a mynd i'r afael ag ef yn briodol. Rydym yn datblygu cynllun gofal iechyd menywod, ac mae'n rhaid inni ganolbwyntio yn y cynllun hwnnw ar y maes penodol hwn.
Ond rwyf hefyd am godi cwestiwn nad yw wedi ei godi eto, sef y gwahaniaeth mewn triniaeth a'r disgwyliad o boen yn achos menywod du ac Indiaidd. Cafwyd llawer o adroddiadau—adroddiadau lluosog—ac mae'r BBC hefyd wedi gwneud ymchwiliadau iddo yn Lloegr, lle cafodd menywod eu galw'n 'princess', lle cyfeirir atynt mewn ffordd wahanol i'r ffordd y cyfeirir at fenywod gwyn, lle cafodd eu poen ei fychanu a lle cawsant eu hanwybyddu'n llwyr. Felly, yn ogystal â'r pethau yn yr adroddiad hwn, rwyf am alw heddiw am inni siarad â'r gymuned honno neu'r cymunedau hynny o fenywod a chael dealltwriaeth o'r hyn a deimlant, a gadael i'w lleisiau gael eu clywed, oherwydd yn y pen draw math o hiliaeth ydyw pan fyddwch chi'n cyfeirio at bobl mewn ffordd na fyddech chi'n cyfeirio at bobl wyn, pan fyddwch yn eu hamddifadu o lais a phan fyddwch chi'n anwybyddu eu pryderon. Nid yw'n faes yr ydym wedi edrych arno ar y pwyllgor iechyd; ni chafodd ei ystyried pan oeddem yn cynnal ein hymchwiliad. Ond os ydym o ddifrif eisiau cynrychioli nid yn unig yr 50 y cant o'r boblogaeth, ond yr holl bobl o fewn yr 50 y cant, mae'n rhaid inni newid ein ffocws a'i ymestyn hefyd.