Y Cyfarfod Llawn

Plenary

05/02/2025

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.

1. Cwestiynau i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Drafnidiaeth a Gogledd Cymru
1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales

Prynhawn da a chroeso, bawb, i'r Cyfarfod Llawn. Y Cwestiynau i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Drafnidiaeth a Gogledd Cymru sydd gyntaf y prynhawn yma. Mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Janet Finch-Saunders.

Good afternoon and welcome to this afternoon's Plenary meeting. The first item on the agenda is questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales. The first question is from Janet Finch-Saunders.

Metro Gogledd Cymru
North Wales Metro

1. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet roi diweddariad ar gynnydd metro gogledd Cymru, a sut y mae'r prosiect yn cyd-fynd â nodau trafnidiaeth a datblygu economaidd ehangach ar gyfer y rhanbarth? OQ62248

1. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the progress of the north Wales metro, and how the project is aligning with broader transport and economic development goals for the region? OQ62248

Sure. The north Wales metro will transform the borderlands railway line, with integrated bus services and the end goal of a direct rail link between Wrexham and Liverpool. And this will complement increased provision of 50 per cent more train services along the north Wales main line from next year. 

Wrth gwrs. Bydd metro gogledd Cymru yn trawsnewid lein y gororau, gyda gwasanaethau bws integredig a’r nod yn y pen draw o gael cysylltiad rheilffordd uniongyrchol rhwng Wrecsam a Lerpwl. A bydd hyn yn ategu darpariaeth gynyddol o 50 y cant yn rhagor o wasanaethau trên ar hyd prif lein y gogledd o'r flwyddyn nesaf ymlaen.

Thank you. Members of my committee went along to the south Wales metro, and it's fair to say that it's just so impressive, and I was slightly envious and wanting the same, albeit maybe on a smaller scale, up in the north. We have to remember that the south Wales metro project has ballooned to over £1 billion from £734 million, and there is a disparity at the moment in investment between south Wales and north Wales. This imbalance is not only unfair, but detrimental to the region's economy and connectivity. Improved rail links are essential for boosting tourism, business and our local communities, yet north Wales still continues to struggle with outdated tracks. I've always said, since I came here, we have to shout so much harder on these benches about support for north Wales. Only last week, I had constituents, yet again, highlighting the utter unfairness. Is it not time, Cabinet Secretary, for the Welsh Government now to address this regional disparity, commit to a fair and more balanced approach to rail, and to please give us some scale of timetable as to when we will have a north Wales metro?

Diolch. Aeth aelodau o fy mhwyllgor draw i ymweld â metro de Cymru, ac mae'n deg dweud ei fod yn hynod drawiadol, ac roeddwn braidd yn genfigennus ac eisiau yr un peth, er efallai ar raddfa lai, i fyny yn y gogledd. Mae’n rhaid inni gofio bod prosiect metro de Cymru wedi cynyddu o £734 miliwn i dros £1 biliwn, ac mae gwahaniaeth mewn buddsoddiad ar hyn o bryd rhwng y de a'r gogledd. Nid yn unig fod yr anghydbwysedd hwn yn annheg, mae'n niweidiol i economi a chysylltedd y rhanbarth. Mae gwell cysylltiadau rheilffordd yn hanfodol ar gyfer hybu twristiaeth, busnes a’n cymunedau lleol, ac eto mae gogledd Cymru yn dal i orfod ymdopi â thraciau sydd wedi dyddio. Rwyf bob amser wedi dweud, ers dod yma, fod yn rhaid inni weiddi cymaint yn uwch ar y meinciau hyn am gymorth i ogledd Cymru. Yr wythnos diwethaf, tynnodd etholwyr fy sylw, unwaith eto, at yr annhegwch llwyr. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, onid yw'n bryd i Lywodraeth Cymru fynd i’r afael â’r anghyfartaledd rhanbarthol hwn nawr, ymrwymo i ddull gweithredu teg a mwy cytbwys mewn perthynas â’r rheilffyrdd, a rhoi rhyw fath o amserlen i ni, os gwelwch yn dda, o ran pryd y bydd gennym fetro yng ngogledd Cymru?

Well, can I thank the Member for the opportunity to highlight what is a very complicated landscape insofar as rail infrastructure outside of the core Valleys line—the south-east Wales metro area—remains in the hands of UK Government? For far too long, it's been neglected by a Tory Government that, I'm afraid, delivered nothing for the north Wales main line or for the borderlands line. Now, in addressing the underinvestment that you rightly point to, we have agreed with UK Government on a pipeline of enhancements to Welsh rail infrastructure, and right at the top of that list are metro north Wales projects—a series of interventions that will do exactly as you wish: to deliver a metro in north Wales with the sort of tap-on, tap-off technology that we're seeing emerge in south Wales and with four trains per hour directly linking places along the Wrexham-Bidston line through to Liverpool. In tandem with that, on a horizontal basis, we're going to be seeing a 50 per cent increase in rail services along the north Wales main line from next year, and that’s because of a very, very early decision by the UK Government to start addressing that underinvestment and to invest in the main line so that we can put more trains on that particular route through Transport for Wales.

In terms of the time frame, it's my intention to bring forward a statement on the north Wales metro, because we've made, I think, fabulous progress since the UK general election, in engaging, not just with UK Ministers, but also with colleagues across the border who will be supporting our bid for funding in order to deliver that four-trains-per-hour metro service in north Wales.

Wel, a gaf i ddiolch i'r Aelod am y cyfle i dynnu sylw at ddarlun sy'n gymhleth iawn, i'r graddau fod seilwaith rheilffyrdd y tu allan i linell graidd y Cymoedd—ardal metro de-ddwyrain Cymru—yn parhau i fod yn nwylo Llywodraeth y DU? Ers llawer gormod o amser, mae wedi cael ei hesgeuluso gan Lywodraeth Dorïaidd na chyflawnodd unrhyw beth, mae arnaf ofn, ar gyfer prif lein gogledd Cymru na lein y gororau. Nawr, wrth fynd i'r afael â'r tanfuddsoddi y tynnwch chi sylw ato, a hynny'n gwbl briodol, rydym wedi cytuno â Llywodraeth y DU ar welliannau arfaethedig i seilwaith rheilffyrdd Cymru, ac ar frig y rhestr honno, mae prosiectau metro gogledd Cymru—cyfres o ymyriadau a fydd yn gwneud yn union fel y dymunwch: darparu metro yn y gogledd gyda'r math o dechnoleg tapio i mewn ac allan a welwn yn datblygu yn ne Cymru a phedwar trên yr awr yn darparu cysylltiad uniongyrchol rhwng mannau ar lein Wrecsam-Bidston drwodd i Lerpwl. Ochr yn ochr â hynny, ar sail lorweddol, byddwn yn gweld cynnydd o 50 y cant mewn gwasanaethau rheilffyrdd ar hyd prif linell reilffordd y gogledd o’r flwyddyn nesaf ymlaen, a hynny oherwydd penderfyniad cynnar iawn gan Lywodraeth y DU i ddechrau mynd i’r afael â’r tanfuddsoddiad a buddsoddi yn y brif linell reilffordd fel y gallwn roi mwy o drenau ar y llwybr hwnnw drwy Trafnidiaeth Cymru.

O ran yr amserlen, fy mwriad yw cyflwyno datganiad ar fetro gogledd Cymru, gan y credaf ein bod wedi gwneud cynnydd gwych ers etholiad cyffredinol y DU, o ran ymgysylltu, nid yn unig â Gweinidogion y DU, ond hefyd â chymheiriaid dros y ffin a fydd yn cefnogi ein cais am gyllid er mwyn darparu gwasanaeth metro pedwar trên yr awr yng ngogledd Cymru.

Cabinet Secretary, can I start by thanking you for meeting earlier this week with representatives of Hollywell Town Council regarding a new station at Greenfield. I know that you've supported the group previously, and I look forward to working to get plans back on track.  But clearly this fits with wider plans for a transport system that properly serves the people of north Wales. I think that talk of metro often brings to mind things like subways and rapid transit, but, for many people in the communities that I serve and you do too, it's all about better buses as well and how they join up, and also seeking smarter, cost-effective solutions to the existing problems on our roads.

I know that you are as familiar as I am with the A55, and whilst we don't want old proposals back on the table nor to see analogue solutions to digital problems—I'm aware that there's both business and citizen support for interventions like a crawler lane near Halkyn—other things that could futureproof the gateway to north Wales also form part of wider transport improvements. So, can I ask is this something that you are talking to partners about? And do you agree that we need integrated and innovative solutions to infrastructure in north Wales to unlock our potential? Diolch.

Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a gaf i ddechrau drwy ddiolch i chi am gyfarfod yn gynharach yr wythnos hon â chynrychiolwyr Cyngor Tref Treffynnon ynghylch gorsaf newydd ym Maes Glas? Gwn eich bod wedi cefnogi’r grŵp hwn yn y gorffennol, ac edrychaf ymlaen at weithio i roi'r cynlluniau yn ôl ar y trywydd iawn. Ond yn amlwg, mae hyn yn cyd-fynd â chynlluniau ehangach ar gyfer system drafnidiaeth sy'n gwasanaethu pobl y gogledd yn briodol. Credaf fod sôn am fetro yn aml yn gwneud i bobl feddwl am bethau fel tanlwybrau a thrafnidiaeth gyflym, ond i lawer o bobl yn y cymunedau rwy'n eu gwasanaethu, a chithau hefyd, mae’n ymwneud â bysiau gwell hefyd, a sut y maent yn cysylltu â'i gilydd, a cheisio dod o hyd i atebion mwy craff a chosteffeithiol i’r problemau sy'n bodoli eisoes ar ein ffyrdd.

Gwn eich bod mor gyfarwydd â minnau â'r A55, ac er nad ydym am weld hen gynigion yn ôl ar y bwrdd, na gweld atebion analog i broblemau digidol—rwy'n ymwybodol fod cefnogaeth gan fusnesau a dinasyddion i ymyriadau fel lôn araf ger Helygain—mae pethau eraill a allai ddiogelu'r porth i ogledd Cymru at y dyfodol hefyd yn rhan o welliannau trafnidiaeth ehangach. Felly, a gaf i ofyn a yw hyn yn rhywbeth rydych chi'n siarad â phartneriaid yn ei gylch? Ac a ydych chi'n cytuno bod angen atebion integredig ac arloesol i seilwaith yn y gogledd er mwyn datgloi ein potensial? Diolch.

Well, can I thank the Member for her question? I'd agree entirely that it's not just rail investment that will lead to the delivery of the metro, it's also bus investment and the delivery of franchising. With regard to the A55, I understand that the crawler lane was paused as part of the roads review work. However, it's vitally important that we give local authorities, through the corporate joint committee in north Wales, the greatest freedom and flexibility to be able to identify priorities. The crawler lane has long been touted as a solution to transport woes across north Wales, because it does create such a bottleneck. So, I'm very keen that we support the corporate joint committee in their work on the regional transport plan, which is currently out for consultation. I'd encourage all Members with an interest in transport in north Wales to provide feedback on what I believe is an outstanding piece of work.

Wel, a gaf i ddiolch i’r Aelod am ei chwestiwn? Rwy'n cytuno’n llwyr nad buddsoddiad yn y rheilffyrdd yn unig a fydd yn arwain at gyflawni’r metro, mae hefyd yn golygu buddsoddi mewn bysiau a chyflwyno masnachfreinio. O ran yr A55, deallaf fod y lôn araf wedi’i gohirio fel rhan o waith yr adolygiad ffyrdd. Fodd bynnag, mae'n hanfodol bwysig ein bod yn rhoi'r rhyddid a'r hyblygrwydd mwyaf i awdurdodau lleol, drwy'r cyd-bwyllgor corfforedig yng ngogledd Cymru, i allu nodi blaenoriaethau. Mae’r lôn araf wedi’i hybu ers tro fel ateb i broblemau trafnidiaeth ar draws y gogledd, gan eu bod yn creu cymaint o dagfa. Felly, rwy'n awyddus iawn inni gefnogi'r cyd-bwyllgor corfforedig yn eu gwaith ar y cynllun trafnidiaeth rhanbarthol, sy'n destun ymgynghoriad ar hyn o bryd. Rwy'n annog pob Aelod sydd â diddordeb mewn trafnidiaeth yn y gogledd i roi adborth ar y gwaith hwn, sy'n rhagorol fy marn i.

13:35
Digonolrwydd Gwasanaethau Bysiau
Adequacy of Bus Services

2. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet wedi'u cael gydag awdurdodau lleol yng Ngorllewin De Cymru ynghylch digonolrwydd gwasanaethau bysiau? OQ62262

2. What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary had with local authorities in South Wales West regarding the adequacy of bus services? OQ62262

Well, I've had numerous discussions with local authorities about bus services, including in South Wales West, where we will begin the roll-out of bus franchising. Last week, I had a very positive meeting with all local authority leaders to discuss our plans for bus reform.

Wel, rwyf wedi cael llawer o drafodaethau gydag awdurdodau lleol am wasanaethau bysiau, gan gynnwys yng Ngorllewin De Cymru, lle byddwn yn dechrau'r gwaith o gyflwyno masnachfreinio bysiau. Yr wythnos diwethaf, cefais gyfarfod cadarnhaol iawn gydag arweinwyr pob awdurdod lleol i drafod ein cynlluniau ar gyfer diwygio bysiau.

That is welcome news, of course. Bus services at the moment are in a dire situation. In many parts of my region, some communities are being cut off entirely after 6 p.m. because of a lack of bus services running to their towns. In Cefn Cribwr, they end just after seven o'clock, and, even in Pencoed, some services are finishing just after seven or eight o'clock. Local authorities are really struggling to fund services, and that is why the long-awaited bus Bill is so important to our communities and to many stakeholders. But a podcast called Y Pumed Llawr—I don't know if you've heard that podcast, Cabinet Secretary—does shed a lot of concern, a lot of light and a lot of concern, on the process within Government about delivering this bus Bill. We've been waiting since 2021, and it's become apparent, through some of those interviews, as to why we've been waiting so long. So, what I'm seeking today is a guarantee from the Cabinet Secretary that we'll see this Bill delivered this side of the summer recess—and, when I say 'delivered', I mean tabled—so that we can get on with the important work of actually reforming our bus services.

Mae hynny’n newyddion i’w groesawu, wrth gwrs. Mae gwasanaethau bysiau mewn sefyllfa enbyd ar hyn o bryd. Mewn sawl rhan o fy rhanbarth i, mae rhai cymunedau'n cael eu torri i ffwrdd yn gyfan gwbl ar ôl 6 p.m. oherwydd diffyg gwasanaethau bysiau i'w trefi. Yng Nghefn Cribwr, maent yn gorffen toc ar ôl saith o’r gloch, a hyd yn oed ym Mhencoed, mae rhai gwasanaethau’n gorffen ychydig ar ôl saith neu wyth o’r gloch. Mae awdurdodau lleol yn ei chael hi'n wirioneddol anodd ariannu gwasanaethau, a dyna pam fod y Bil bysiau hirddisgwyliedig mor bwysig i’n cymunedau ac i lawer o randdeiliaid. Ond mae podlediad o'r enw Y Pumed Llawr—nid wyf yn gwybod a ydych chi wedi clywed y podlediad hwnnw, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet—yn mynegi llawer o bryder, yn taflu llawer o oleuni ac yn mynegi llawer o bryder, am y broses o fewn y Llywodraeth ynghylch cyflwyno'r Bil bysiau hwn. Rydym wedi bod yn aros ers 2021, ac mae wedi dod yn amlwg, drwy rai o’r cyfweliadau hynny, pam ein bod wedi bod yn aros cyhyd. Felly, yr hyn rwy'n ei geisio heddiw yw gwarant gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet y byddwn yn gweld y Bil hwn yn cael ei gyflawni cyn toriad yr haf—a phan fyddaf yn dweud 'cyflawni', rwy'n golygu ei gyflwyno—fel y gallwn fwrw ymlaen â'r gwaith pwysig o ddiwygio ein gwasanaethau bysiau.

Can I thank Luke Fletcher for his question, and for the very important points that he's raised today, which illustrate, I think, how the current model of deregulated bus services has failed the people of Wales and needs to be addressed? When I returned to Government, I declared that this would be my No. 1 priority. I'm pleased to say that I will be introducing it in March, and our hope is that we will receive Royal Assent in January of next year, ready for the franchise process to begin in earnest.

A gaf i ddiolch i Luke Fletcher am ei gwestiwn, ac am y pwyntiau pwysig iawn y mae wedi’u codi heddiw, sy’n dangos, rwy’n credu, sut y mae'r model presennol o wasanaethau bysiau wedi’u dadreoleiddio wedi methu ar ran pobl Cymru, a bod angen mynd i’r afael ag ef? Pan ddychwelais i’r Llywodraeth, datganais mai dyma fyddai fy mhrif flaenoriaeth. Rwy’n falch o ddweud y byddaf yn ei gyflwyno ym mis Mawrth, a’n gobaith yw y byddwn yn cael Cydsyniad Brenhinol ym mis Ionawr y flwyddyn nesaf, yn barod i'r broses fasnachfreinio ddechrau o ddifrif.

Cabinet Secretary, our constituents depend on bus services not only to get to work, important health appointments and buy food, but they also provide a vital link to important leisure destinations. Regrettably, an absolute lack of public transport to Ton Kenfig and Maudlam has prevented people accessing the Kenfig nature reserve in my region. What actions are the Government taking to ensure everyone can conveniently and affordably access national nature reserves like the excellent Kenfig nature reserve in our region?

Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae ein hetholwyr yn dibynnu ar wasanaethau bysiau nid yn unig i gyrraedd y gwaith, apwyntiadau iechyd pwysig a phrynu bwyd, ond maent hefyd yn darparu cyswllt hanfodol â chyrchfannau hamdden pwysig. Yn anffodus, mae diffyg unrhyw drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus i Don Cynffig a Mawdlam wedi atal pobl rhag cael mynediad i warchodfa natur Cynffig yn fy rhanbarth i. Pa gamau y mae’r Llywodraeth yn eu cymryd i sicrhau y gall pawb gael mynediad cyfleus a fforddiadwy i warchodfeydd natur cenedlaethol fel gwarchodfa natur ardderchog Cynffig yn ein rhanbarth?

Can I thank Altaf Hussain for his question? Public transport plays a vital role in ensuring that people aren't isolated and, therefore, it's a major contributor to well-being as well. You pointed out one particular example of a place that people frequent in order to feel better about life. So, through franchising, what we're going to be able to do is identify routes, such as the ones that you've outlined today, and timetables that serve passenger needs, because the current model means that commercial operations will take place on the basis of bus companies' decisions, but then all other routes have to be subsidised. And in an age of austerity, that is incredibly stretching for local authorities. So, the franchising process will ensure that we've got timetables and routes that meet the needs of passengers, and which, importantly, as well are integrated with rail services. Our aspiration is to have an integrated ticket between rail and buses, potentially, within five years, through franchising, and through the technology that's emerging, right across Wales.

A gaf i ddiolch i Altaf Hussain am ei gwestiwn? Mae trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn chwarae rhan hanfodol yn sicrhau nad yw pobl yn cael eu hynysu, ac felly, mae'n cyfrannu'n fawr at lesiant hefyd. Fe nodoch chi un enghraifft benodol o le y mae pobl yn ei fynychu’n aml er mwyn teimlo’n well am fywyd. Felly, drwy fasnachfreinio, yr hyn y gallwn ei wneud yw nodi llwybrau, fel y rhai rydych chi wedi'u hamlinellu heddiw, ac amserlenni sy'n diwallu anghenion teithwyr, gan fod y model presennol yn golygu y bydd gweithrediadau masnachol yn digwydd ar sail penderfyniadau cwmnïau bysiau, ond mae'n rhaid sybsideiddio pob llwybr arall wedyn. Ac mewn oes o gyni, mae hynny'n hynod anodd i awdurdodau lleol. Felly, bydd y broses fasnachfreinio'n sicrhau bod gennym amserlenni a llwybrau sy'n diwallu anghenion teithwyr, ac sydd, yn bwysig, wedi'u hintegreiddio hefyd â gwasanaethau rheilffyrdd. Ein dyhead yw cael tocyn integredig rhwng rheilffyrdd a bysiau, o fewn pum mlynedd o bosibl, drwy fasnachfreinio, a thrwy'r dechnoleg sy'n datblygu ledled Cymru gyfan.

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

Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Gareth Davies.

Questions now from the party spokespeople. The Conservatives' spokesperson, Gareth Davies.

Diolch, Llywydd. Firstly, I'd like to raise value for money on Transport for Wales's services in north Wales and delays to the introduction of new rolling stock. Despite the improvements in punctuality made by TfW last year, they are still significantly short of what they should be. In north Wales, punctuality is poor, overcrowding is common, and customer satisfaction is low. Every train station in Flintshire is rated amongst the worst 500 in the UK for service reliability and punctuality, with one exception in Pen-y-ffordd. In data published last week, Hawarden station ranked two thousand, four hundred and fourty-fifth in the UK, with 83 per cent of services arriving late, and, over the last three months, just 2 per cent of services to Hawarden were on time. So, it’s clear that the bar needs to be raised, Cabinet Secretary.

There has also been a slow introduction of new rolling stock on many lines across the network, which has been a consistent bugbear for years. To take the class 756 trains for example, they were ordered back in 2019 by Keolis Amey, before Welsh Government nationalisation, but were only introduced to the line in November 2024. My colleague Russell George was also told that the new rolling stock on the Cambrian line had been delayed yet again to the end of this year, despite being promised back in 2023. So, can the Cabinet Secretary outline how he is working with TfW to hold them accountable for punctuality on the north Wales services, and can he provide further clarity as to why there are still delays to the introduction of new rolling stock, and what the consequences of this are financially? Thank you.

Diolch, Lywydd. Yn gyntaf, hoffwn godi gwerth am arian ar wasanaethau Trafnidiaeth Cymru yn y gogledd ac oedi cyn cyflwyno cerbydau newydd. Er gwaethaf y gwelliannau mewn prydlondeb a wnaed gan Trafnidiaeth Cymru y llynedd, maent yn dal ymhell ar ôl yr hyn y dylent fod. Yn y gogledd, mae prydlondeb yn wael, mae trenau gorlawn yn gyffredin, ac mae bodlonrwydd cwsmeriaid yn isel. Mae pob gorsaf drenau yn sir y Fflint ymhlith y 500 gorsaf waethaf yn y DU o ran dibynadwyedd a phrydlondeb gwasanaethau, gydag un eithriad ym Mhen-y-ffordd. Mewn data a gyhoeddwyd yr wythnos diwethaf, roedd gorsaf Penarlâg yn safle 2,445 yn y DU, gydag 83 y cant o wasanaethau yn cyrraedd yn hwyr, ac yn y tri mis diwethaf, dim ond 2 y cant o wasanaethau i Benarlâg a oedd ar amser. Felly, mae’n amlwg fod angen codi’r bar, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet.

Mae'r gwaith o gyflwyno cerbydau newydd wedi bod yn araf ar lawer o linellau rheilffyrdd ar draws y rhwydwaith, ac mae hyn wedi bod yn broblem ers blynyddoedd. O ran y trenau dosbarth 756, er enghraifft, cawsant eu harchebu yn ôl yn 2019 gan Keolis Amey, cyn i Lywodraeth Cymru wladoli gwasanaethau, ond ni chawsant eu cyflwyno ar y llinell reilffordd tan fis Tachwedd 2024. Dywedwyd wrth fy nghyd-Aelod Russell George hefyd fod y cerbydau newydd ar reilffordd y Cambrian wedi’u gohirio eto hyd at ddiwedd y flwyddyn hon, er iddynt gael eu haddo yn ôl yn 2023. Felly, a all Ysgrifennydd Cabinet amlinellu sut y mae'n gweithio gyda Trafnidiaeth Cymru i'w dwyn i gyfrif am brydlondeb ar wasanaethau gogledd Cymru, ac a all roi rhagor o eglurder ynghylch y rhesymau dros yr oedi parhaus cyn cyflwyno cerbydau newydd, a beth yw canlyniadau ariannol hyn? Diolch.

13:40

Well, can I thank the Member for his questions? First of all, around about 44 per cent of delays and lost minutes are attributed to Network Rail issues—issues with the infrastructure—and that’s because of the lack of investment that’s taken place over far too long. Now, I would agree that, in 2023, performance was not where we would wish it to be. In 2024, we did see a remarkable improvement. We saw customer satisfaction improve by around 16 per cent. We now see, in the latest period, punctuality is at 79 per cent—79 per cent of trains are on time. And we’ve seen a 12 per cent increase in passenger journeys. So, it’s heading in the right direction, but there is always room for improvement, I would agree. And that’s why I hold very regular scrutiny sessions with the chair and the chief executive of Transport for Wales, to ensure that we’re getting best possible value for money from our investment.

Now, I should say, as well, that, back in 2018, when we inherited Arriva Trains Wales’s stock of trains, we inherited one of the oldest in Britain, and just 270 trains. By the end of next year, we’ll have one of the newest fleets of trains, in excess of 480. That’s an incredible uplift that will enable us to provide more capacity right across Wales, including in north Wales.

Now, there is one other important point that I’d like to raise in response to the first question the Member has asked today, and that is that the December timetable change is already making quite significant improvement in terms of punctuality and reliability. And we’ve been able, through the timetable change, to ensure that we get more trains where there is greatest demand. I know that that’s led to some very difficult decisions in other areas, but it has meant that, for example, on the popular Marches line, and on the north-to-south service as a whole, we’re seeing more five-carriage trains being introduced. And that’s what we’re going to see more of as we get more trains delivered. Yes, there have been delays, and that’s regrettable, but we’re making sure that pressure is applied to the manufacturers to deliver them as soon as possible.

Wel, a gaf i ddiolch i’r Aelod am ei gwestiynau? Yn gyntaf oll, mae oddeutu 44 y cant o’r oedi a’r munudau a gollwyd oherwydd problemau Network Rail—problemau'n ymwneud â’r seilwaith—ac mae hynny oherwydd diffyg buddsoddiad ers llawer rhy hir. Nawr, rwy'n cytuno nad oedd y perfformiad, yn 2023, cystal ag y byddem yn dymuno iddo fod. Yn 2024, gwelsom welliant rhyfeddol. Gwelsom fodlonrwydd cwsmeriaid yn gwella oddeutu 16 y cant. Gwelwn yn y cyfnod diweddaraf, fod prydlondeb ar 79 y cant—mae 79 y cant o drenau ar amser. Ac rydym wedi gweld cynnydd o 12 y cant mewn teithiau gan deithwyr. Felly, mae'n mynd i'r cyfeiriad cywir, ond rwy'n cytuno bod lle i wella bob amser. A dyna pam fy mod yn cynnal sesiynau craffu rheolaidd iawn gyda chadeirydd a phrif weithredwr Trafnidiaeth Cymru, i sicrhau ein bod yn cael y gwerth gorau posibl am arian o’n buddsoddiad.

Nawr, dylwn ddweud, hefyd, yn ôl yn 2018, pan wnaethom etifeddu stoc drenau Trenau Arriva Cymru, ein bod wedi etifeddu un o’r stociau hynaf ym Mhrydain, a dim ond 270 o drenau. Erbyn diwedd y flwyddyn nesaf, bydd gennym un o'r fflydoedd mwyaf newydd o drenau, dros 480. Mae hynny'n gynnydd anhygoel a fydd yn ein galluogi i ddarparu mwy o gapasiti ledled Cymru, gan gynnwys yn y gogledd.

Nawr, mae un pwynt pwysig arall yr hoffwn ei godi mewn ymateb i'r cwestiwn cyntaf y mae'r Aelod wedi'i ofyn heddiw, sef bod y newid i'r amserlen ym mis Rhagfyr eisoes wedi arwain at welliant go sylweddol o ran prydlondeb a dibynadwyedd. Ac rydym wedi gallu sicrhau, drwy'r newid i'r amserlen, fod gennym fwy o drenau lle mae'r galw mwyaf. Gwn fod hynny wedi arwain at rai penderfyniadau anodd iawn mewn ardaloedd eraill, ond mae wedi golygu, er enghraifft, ar lein boblogaidd y gororau, ac ar y gwasanaeth rhwng y gogledd a'r de yn ei gyfanrwydd, ein bod yn gweld mwy o drenau pum cerbyd yn cael eu cyflwyno. Ac fe welwn fwy o hynny wrth i ragor o drenau gael eu darparu. Oes, mae oedi wedi bod, ac mae hynny'n anffodus, ond rydym yn sicrhau bod pwysau'n cael ei roi ar y gweithgynhyrchwyr i'w darparu cyn gynted â phosibl.

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. I note that, earlier in your response, you said that there was a lack of investment from Network Rail, but this is nothing new. This goes back to 1966—the people of north Wales have been waiting for electrification of the line, and we’ve seen investment—significant investment—in our railway lines across the UK, in terms of the TransPennine Express, HS2, and the Oxford-to-Cambridge line, and some of those being announced by Rachel Reeves. And, previously, Rishi Sunak, before the general election, promised to spend £1 billion on the electrification of the north Wales line. So, can you outline how you’re prioritising transport infrastructure in the north and clarify what representations you are making to the UK Government, with your party colleagues now, in respect of rail infrastructure in north Wales, which is significantly lagging behind other areas that have been the priority of the Chancellor of the Exchequer quite recently?

Diolch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Sylwaf ichi sôn, yn gynharach yn eich ymateb, am ddiffyg buddsoddiad gan Network Rail, ond nid yw hyn yn ddim byd newydd. Mae hyn yn mynd yn ôl i 1966—mae pobl y gogledd wedi bod yn aros i'r rheilffordd gael ei thrydaneiddio, ac rydym wedi gweld buddsoddiad—buddsoddiad sylweddol—yn ein rheilffyrdd ledled y DU, o ran y TransPennine Express, HS2, a’r rheilffordd rhwng Rhydychen a Chaergrawnt, a rhai o’r rheini sy’n cael eu cyhoeddi gan Rachel Reeves. A chyn yr etholiad cyffredinol, roedd Rishi Sunak wedi addo gwario £1 biliwn ar drydaneiddio rheilffordd gogledd Cymru. Felly, a allwch chi amlinellu sut rydych chi'n blaenoriaethu seilwaith trafnidiaeth yn y gogledd ac egluro pa sylwadau rydych chi'n eu gwneud i Lywodraeth y DU, gyda chyd-aelodau o'ch plaid nawr, o ran seilwaith rheilffyrdd yn y gogledd, sydd ar ei hôl hi'n sylweddol o gymharu ag ardaloedd eraill sydd wedi bod yn flaenoriaeth i Ganghellor y Trysorlys yn eithaf diweddar?

Well, the announcement by Rishi Sunak very shortly before the UK general election came as quite a shock to not just us, because we hadn’t been engaged in the process of determining that particular announcement and the figures around it, but it came as a shock to the Department for Transport itself and to Network Rail, who were never asked to actually commence any work on it. I rather fear that that promise was made as a panic response to the polls that were being published at the time that showed that there’d be a landslide defeat, which eventually occurred. I think, based on his announcement, it probably is more likely that you’d be able to land on the moon in a bathtub than see electrification delivered under the Tories with their false promise.

Instead, what we have got is an agreed pipeline, through the Wales rail board, of enhancements to north Wales. It forms the top of the list of enhancements. And that comprises of north Wales main line improvements, which are starting this year—they’re starting this year; it includes the borderlands line to deliver the metro services that Janet Finch-Saunders has kindly asked for and which we will deliver; it also includes upgrades to stations and includes new stations; and, crucially, it includes resolving the capacity challenges at Chester, because that’s preventing us from running more services in and out of north Wales. That’s the list; it’s been agreed by the DfT, and now we’re going to deliver it.

Wel, roedd y cyhoeddiad gan Rishi Sunak yn fuan iawn cyn etholiad cyffredinol y DU yn dipyn o syndod nid yn unig i ni, gan nad oeddem wedi bod yn rhan o’r broses o bennu’r cyhoeddiad penodol hwnnw a’r ffigurau o’i gwmpas, ond hefyd i’r Adran Drafnidiaeth ei hun ac i Network Rail, na ofynnwyd iddynt ddechrau unrhyw waith arno. Rwy'n ofni efallai fod yr addewid hwnnw wedi’i wneud fel ymateb byrbwyll i’r arolygon barn a oedd yn cael eu cyhoeddi ar y pryd yn dangos y byddent yn cael eu trechu'n llwyr, sef yr hyn a ddigwyddodd yn y pen draw. Ar sail ei gyhoeddiad, rwy'n credu y byddech chi'n fwy tebygol o allu glanio ar y lleuad mewn bath nag o weld y Torïaid, gyda'u haddewidion ffug, yn trydaneiddio'r rheilffyrdd.

Yn hytrach, yr hyn sydd gennym yw rhestr arfaethedig y cytunwyd arni, drwy fwrdd rheilffyrdd Cymru, o welliannau i ogledd Cymru. Mae ar frig y rhestr o welliannau. Ac mae hynny'n cynnwys gwelliannau i brif linell reilffordd y gogledd, sy'n dechrau eleni—maent yn dechrau eleni; mae’n cynnwys lein y gororau i ddarparu’r gwasanaethau metro y mae Janet Finch-Saunders wedi gofyn yn garedig amdanynt ac y byddwn yn eu darparu; mae hefyd yn cynnwys uwchraddio gorsafoedd a gorsafoedd newydd; ac yn hollbwysig, mae'n cynnwys datrys yr heriau capasiti yng Nghaer, gan fod hynny'n ein hatal rhag darparu mwy o wasanaethau i mewn ac allan o ogledd Cymru. Dyna'r rhestr; mae wedi'i chytuno gan yr Adran Drafnidiaeth, a nawr, rydym yn mynd i'w chyflawni.

13:45

You say that Rishi Sunak’s announcement about the £1 billion investment into the electrification came as a shock, but that was the Prime Minister at the time. Network Rail and other associated companies work under the directorship of the UK Government and indeed the Prime Minister. So, it comes as a shock to me and a shock to many people that that would be received as shock from those in the sector, because they should be reacting to those announcements and making the best of those to ensure that these things are actually delivered and brought over the line.

But finally, I’d just like to raise the issue of funding for safety adaptations on rural roads in north Wales. The law firm JMW compiled a list of the most dangerous roads in Britain, of which the A496, Snowdonia’s mountainous passage, came in at No. 2. Despite having some of the most scenic highways in the UK, we also have a lot of windy and dangerous rural roads. With so much emphasis placed by the Welsh Government on urban roads, I think rural road safety has been somewhat neglected.

The stretch of the B5119 between Rhyl and Dyserth, known as the 'dizzy bends', is also notoriously dangerous, with frequent traffic collisions, yet sadly we hear from campaigners that, despite the high frequency of collisions and near misses on rural roads, nothing is done to remedy the issue until a fatality occurs, sadly, as we tragically saw this week on the A534 near the Holt Lodge in Wrexham.

So, can the Cabinet Secretary outline how the Welsh Government is ensuring that local authorities have improved accessibility to funding to implement road safety improvements on notorious highways to prevent fatal collisions? Thank you.

Rydych chi'n dweud bod cyhoeddiad Rishi Sunak am y buddsoddiad o £1 biliwn yn y gwaith trydaneiddio wedi bod yn syndod, ond roedd yn Brif Weinidog y DU ar y pryd. Mae Network Rail a chwmnïau cysylltiedig eraill yn gweithio dan gyfarwyddiaeth Llywodraeth y DU, a Phrif Weinidog y DU yn wir. Felly, mae'n syndod i mi ac yn syndod i lawer o bobl y byddai hynny'n syndod i'r rheini yn y sector, gan y dylent fod yn ymateb i'r cyhoeddiadau hynny ac yn gwneud y gorau o'r rheini i sicrhau bod y pethau hyn yn cael eu cyflawni a'u cwblhau.

Ond yn olaf, hoffwn godi mater cyllid ar gyfer addasiadau diogelwch ar ffyrdd gwledig y gogledd. Lluniodd y cwmni cyfreithiol JMW restr o'r ffyrdd mwyaf peryglus ym Mhrydain, ac roedd yr A496, llwybr mynyddig Eryri, yn ail. Er bod gennym rai o'r priffyrdd mwyaf golygfaol yn y DU, mae gennym hefyd lawer o ffyrdd gwledig gwyntog a pheryglus. Gyda chymaint o bwyslais gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar ffyrdd trefol, credaf fod diogelwch ffyrdd gwledig wedi’i esgeuluso braidd.

Mae'r rhan o’r B5119 rhwng y Rhyl a Dyserth, a elwir yn ‘dizzy bends’, hefyd yn hynod beryglus, gyda gwrthdrawiadau traffig yn digwydd yn aml, ond yn anffodus, clywn gan ymgyrchwyr, er gwaethaf y nifer uchel o wrthdrawiadau a damweiniau a fu bron â digwydd ar ffyrdd gwledig, nad oes unrhyw beth yn cael ei wneud i fynd i'r afael â'r mater tan fod rhywun yn marw, fel y gwelsom yn drasig yr wythnos hon ar yr A534 ger yr Holt Lodge yn Wrecsam.

Felly, a all Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet amlinellu sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn sicrhau bod gan awdurdodau lleol well mynediad at gyllid i gyflwyno gwelliannau diogelwch ar briffyrdd peryglus er mwyn atal gwrthdrawiadau angheuol? Diolch.

Can I thank you for that question? It is incredibly important that we prioritise safety when we’re considering investment in our roads. From the financial year 2026-27 onwards, we’ll be devolving responsibility and decision making on how to spend local transport funds to local authorities through the CJCs, so that they’ll be able to prioritise road safety spending in the way that you’ve outlined. I think that should be welcomed. It’s long been asked for by local authorities for the purpose that you’ve outlined, and we’re going to be delivering on it.

Just with regard to electrification of the north Wales main line, I was shocked that it was so little, it was so late, and it came as an announcement that not even the DfT seemed to be aware of. So, it really was not an honest pledge, I’m afraid.

A gaf i ddiolch i chi am y cwestiwn hwnnw? Mae'n hynod bwysig ein bod yn blaenoriaethu diogelwch pan fyddwn yn ystyried buddsoddi yn ein ffyrdd. O flwyddyn ariannol 2026-27 ymlaen, byddwn yn datganoli cyfrifoldeb a phenderfyniadau ynglŷn â sut i wario cyllid trafnidiaeth leol i awdurdodau lleol drwy'r cyd-bwyllgorau corfforedig, fel y gallant flaenoriaethu gwariant ar ddiogelwch ffyrdd yn y ffordd a nodwyd gennych. Credaf y dylid croesawu hynny. Mae awdurdodau lleol wedi gofyn am hyn ers tro at y diben a nodwyd gennych, ac rydym yn mynd i'w wneud.

O ran trydaneiddio prif reilffordd gogledd Cymru, roeddwn wedi synnu bod cyn lleied wedi'i gyhoeddi, ac mor hwyr, ac roedd yn gyhoeddiad nad oedd hyd yn oed yr Adran Drafnidiaeth, yn ôl pob golwg, yn ymwybodol ohono. Felly, mae arnaf ofn nad oedd yn addewid gonest mewn gwirionedd.

Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Peredur Owen Griffiths.

Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Peredur Owen Griffiths.

Diolch, Llywydd. Prynhawn da, Cabinet Secretary. In 2022 a report by Sustrans found that half of all rail stations in Wales were not fully accessible to disabled people, with 34 per cent having no access for wheelchair users at all. Three years later, I feel that too little has changed. Across Wales, too many disabled people continue to face unacceptable barriers to mobility and independence. We know this is a real and urgent issue. Just recently, a constituent shared with me the distressing experience of taking their disabled father to Newport station for a day trip to Cardiff only to cancel their plans because the station’s inaccessibility made the journey too distressing. Furthermore, the Pontypool and New Inn train station had its extension completed over a year ago now, but it’s still closed, meaning there is no access to the platform for people with mobility issues, and no extra parking. It’s not just an inconvenience, it’s exclusion. Poor station accessibility is cutting people off from public transport, limiting their access to work, education, healthcare and social opportunities. It is deepening social isolation and inequality, running counter to our legal and ethical commitments under the Equality Act 2010. This issue also affects older people, parents with pushchairs and others with mobility challenges. What is the Welsh Government doing to monitor these issues, and what is the data telling you about a course of action to alleviate them?

Diolch, Lywydd. Prynhawn da, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Yn 2022, canfu adroddiad gan Sustrans nad oedd hanner yr holl orsafoedd rheilffordd yng Nghymru yn gwbl hygyrch i bobl anabl, gyda 34 y cant heb fynediad o gwbl i ddefnyddwyr cadeiriau olwyn. Dair blynedd yn ddiweddarach, teimlaf nad oes digon wedi newid. Ledled Cymru, mae gormod o bobl anabl yn parhau i wynebu rhwystrau annerbyniol i symudedd ac annibyniaeth. Gwyddom fod hwn yn fater real ac yn fater brys. Yn ddiweddar, dywedodd etholwr wrthyf am y profiad trallodus o fynd â’u tad anabl i orsaf Casnewydd am daith undydd i Gaerdydd, a gorfod canslo eu cynlluniau am fod anhygyrchedd yr orsaf yn gwneud y daith yn rhy anodd. Ymhellach, cwblhawyd yr estyniad i orsaf drenau Pont-y-pŵl a New Inn dros flwyddyn yn ôl bellach, ond mae'n dal i fod ar gau, sy'n golygu nad oes mynediad i'r platfform i bobl â phroblemau symudedd, a dim lleoedd parcio ychwanegol. Nid anghyfleustra yn unig yw hyn, ond allgáu. Mae hygyrchedd gwael mewn gorsafoedd yn rhwystro pobl rhag defnyddio trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, gan gyfyngu ar eu mynediad at waith, addysg, gofal iechyd a chyfleoedd cymdeithasol. Mae'n gwaethygu ynysigrwydd cymdeithasol ac anghydraddoldeb, ac yn groes i'n hymrwymiadau cyfreithiol a moesegol o dan Ddeddf Cydraddoldeb 2010. Mae'r mater hwn hefyd yn effeithio ar bobl hŷn, rhieni â phramiau ac eraill â heriau symudedd. Beth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i fonitro’r materion hyn, a beth y mae’r data yn ei ddweud wrthych am gamau gweithredu i’w lleddfu?

13:50

Can I thank the Member for his questions and for his focus today on the need for greater inclusive transport in Wales, and inclusive movement? Some Members will be aware that this is now a particular focus of the Welsh Government, and I gave evidence to your colleague Llyr Huws Gruffydd's committee recently, where I said that we're shifting the focus to inclusive movement. That means that we're going to be placing a greater emphasis on utilising active travel funding for real improvements on the ground, rather than for bureaucratic purposes and administrative purposes. So, we've required local authorities in the coming year to utilise 60 per cent as a minimum of their funding for delivery on the ground to drive inclusive movement—to make sure that pavements are fixed, to make sure that there are dropped kerbs in places as wide as possible, to make sure that there's tactile paving used, to make sure that there are seats that people can access.

I regularly meet with the access and inclusion panel of TfW, and I invited the committee to meet with the panel. The panel have already embraced that opportunity, so I'm hoping that committee members will join the panel very soon. And I do not intend to let up on this particular agenda. It's vital—vital—that transport is accessible to all and that we've got the infrastructure in place in our towns, in our villages, in rural areas, to enable people, regardless of the disabling barriers that they face day in, day out, to access public transport and to be able to move around safely and freely.

A gaf i ddiolch i’r Aelod am ei gwestiynau ac am ei ffocws heddiw ar yr angen am fwy o drafnidiaeth gynhwysol yng Nghymru, a symud cynhwysol? Bydd rhai Aelodau'n ymwybodol fod hyn bellach yn ffocws penodol i Lywodraeth Cymru, a rhoddais dystiolaeth i bwyllgor eich cyd-Aelod Llyr Huws Gruffydd yn ddiweddar, lle dywedais ein bod yn newid y ffocws i symud cynhwysol. Mae hynny'n golygu ein bod yn mynd i fod yn rhoi mwy o bwyslais ar ddefnyddio cyllid teithio llesol ar gyfer gwelliannau real ar lawr gwlad, yn hytrach nag at ddibenion biwrocrataidd a dibenion gweinyddol. Felly, rydym wedi ei gwneud yn ofynnol i awdurdodau lleol, yn y flwyddyn i ddod, ddefnyddio o leiaf 60 y cant o'u cyllid i gyflawni ar lawr gwlad er mwyn ysgogi symud cynhwysol—i sicrhau bod palmentydd yn cael eu hatgyweirio, i sicrhau bod cyrbiau isel mor llydan â phosibl yn cael eu gosod, i sicrhau bod palmentydd botymog yn cael eu defnyddio, i sicrhau bod seddi hygyrch ar gael i bobl.

Rwy'n cyfarfod yn rheolaidd â phanel mynediad a chynhwysiant Trafnidiaeth Cymru, a gwahoddais y pwyllgor i gyfarfod â’r panel. Mae'r panel eisoes wedi manteisio ar y cyfle hwnnw, felly rwy'n gobeithio y bydd aelodau'r pwyllgor yn ymuno â'r panel yn fuan iawn. Ac nid wyf yn bwriadu rhoi'r gorau i fynd ar drywydd yr agenda benodol hon. Mae'n hanfodol—yn hanfodol—fod trafnidiaeth yn hygyrch i bawb a bod gennym y seilwaith yn ein trefi, yn ein pentrefi, yn ein hardaloedd gwledig, i alluogi pobl, ni waeth beth y bo'r rhwystrau y maent yn eu hwynebu o ddydd i ddydd, i gael mynediad at drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus ac i allu symud o gwmpas yn ddiogel ac yn rhydd.

Thank you for that answer. I'd be interested in any data that you could share, because it would be interesting to understand that. But even when the station is fully accessible, that still doesn't guarantee that a disabled person will actually be able to travel. I was recently made aware of a deeply frustrating incident involving a disabled passenger at Cardiff Queen Street station. She was waiting to board a train to Caerphilly when the conductor told her she couldn't get on because there was already a wheelchair user on board. To make matters worse, she was then informed that the next train might also have a wheelchair user on it, meaning that she would have to wait for the third train, which had two designated wheelchair spaces. This is just unacceptable. This happened in January, leaving a women with her young daughter standing in the cold for 30 minutes just because the train service was not designed to accommodate more than one wheelchair user at a time. So, what would have been your expectation of what should have happened in that situation, Cabinet Secretary? How many of Transport for Wales's brand-new fleet currently in operation that can carry more than one wheelchair user? It's not enough just to make the stations accessible, but the trains need to be accessible as well.

Diolch am eich ateb. Byddai gennyf ddiddordeb mewn unrhyw ddata y gallech ei rannu, gan y byddai'n ddiddorol deall hynny. Ond hyd yn oed pan fo'r orsaf yn gwbl hygyrch, nid yw hynny'n gwarantu y bydd unigolyn anabl yn gallu teithio. Cefais wybod yn ddiweddar am brofiad hynod rwystredig a gafodd teithiwr anabl yng ngorsaf Heol y Frenhines Caerdydd. Roedd hi'n aros i fynd ar drên i Gaerffili pan ddywedodd y casglwr tocynnau wrthi na allai ddod ar y trên am fod defnyddiwr cadair olwyn ar y trên yn barod. I wneud pethau’n waeth, cafodd wybod wedyn y gallai fod defnyddiwr cadair olwyn ar y trên nesaf hefyd, gan olygu y byddai’n rhaid iddi aros am y trydydd trên, a oedd â dau le dynodedig ar gyfer cadeiriau olwyn. Mae hyn yn annerbyniol. Digwyddodd hyn ym mis Ionawr, gan adael menyw gyda'i merch ifanc yn sefyll yn yr oerfel am 30 munud am nad oedd y gwasanaeth trên wedi'i gynllunio i ddarparu ar gyfer mwy nag un defnyddiwr cadair olwyn ar y tro. Felly, beth fyddech chi'n disgwyl y dylai fod wedi digwydd yn y sefyllfa honno, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet? Sawl trên yn fflyd newydd sbon Trafnidiaeth Cymru sy'n gallu cludo mwy nag un defnyddiwr cadair olwyn? Nid yw gwneud y gorsafoedd yn hygyrch yn ddigon, mae angen i'r trenau fod yn hygyrch hefyd.

That's a very timely question, because I've asked the disability champion within Welsh Government—or the person who was a disability champion within Welsh Government—to assist in this very area. He himself has recently outlined to me the challenges that are faced by people who wheel where there is a lack of capacity, so I've asked Transport for Wales to provide the data that you point to. My view is that that should not happen. That should not happen anywhere or at any time. Everybody should be able to access public transport, and our trains in particular, when they wish to.

Now, you make a very good point about the lack of access for all at our railway stations across Wales. We bid to UK Government for Access for All funding, but there are still far too many stations that are not fully accessible for people who face disabling barriers. That's why we're asking TfW to assess whether we can make improvements to stations in Wales, jointly with Network Rail—or, as it may be very soon, Great British Railways—because it's gone on for too long and people should be able to expect ease of access to trains.

Now, in the area of infrastructure that we've got full responsibility for—the core Valleys lines—huge improvements have been made with step-free access onto the trains, and we've utilised the expertise and the lived experience of the access and inclusion panel to design better stations, to design the infrastructure that enables people to travel. But on that very example that you've raised, I'd welcome more detail on it, and I will personally raise it with Transport for Wales, because that shouldn't happen. There are dedicated members of staff who should be able to assist people with requirements such as those that you've outlined, and they should be able to guarantee that people are able to move as swiftly as possible and not left waiting for multiple trains.

Mae hwnnw'n gwestiwn amserol iawn, gan fy mod wedi gofyn i'r hyrwyddwr pobl anabl yn Llywodraeth Cymru—neu'r unigolyn a oedd yn hyrwyddwr pobl anabl yn Llywodraeth Cymru—i gynorthwyo yn yr union faes hwn. Mae ef ei hun wedi amlinellu i mi yn ddiweddar yr heriau a wynebir gan bobl sy’n olwyno lle mae diffyg capasiti, felly rwyf wedi gofyn i Trafnidiaeth Cymru ddarparu’r data y cyfeiriwch ato. Fy marn i yw na ddylai hynny ddigwydd. Ni ddylai hynny ddigwydd yn unrhyw le nac ar unrhyw adeg. Dylai pawb allu cael mynediad at drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, a’n trenau yn arbennig, pan fyddant yn dymuno.

Nawr, rydych chi'n gwneud pwynt da iawn ynglŷn â'r diffyg mynediad i bawb yn ein gorsafoedd rheilffordd ledled Cymru. Rydym yn gwneud cais i Lywodraeth y DU am gyllid Mynediad i Bawb, ond mae llawer gormod o orsafoedd o hyd nad ydynt yn gwbl hygyrch i bobl sy’n wynebu rhwystrau. Dyna pam ein bod yn gofyn i Trafnidiaeth Cymru asesu a allwn wneud gwelliannau i orsafoedd yng Nghymru, ar y cyd â Network Rail—neu Great British Railways, fel y bydd yn cael ei alw cyn bo hir o bosib—gan fod hyn wedi bod yn digwydd ers llawer rhy hir, a dylai pobl allu disgwyl mynediad rhwydd i drenau.

Nawr, yn y maes seilwaith y mae gennym gyfrifoldeb llawn amdano—llinellau craidd y Cymoedd—mae gwelliannau enfawr wedi'u gwneud gyda mynediad heb risiau ar y trenau, ac rydym wedi defnyddio arbenigedd a phrofiad bywyd y panel mynediad a chynhwysiant i ddylunio gorsafoedd gwell, i ddylunio'r seilwaith sy'n galluogi pobl i deithio. Ond o ran yr enghraifft benodol a nodwyd gennych, byddwn yn croesawu mwy o fanylion yn ei chylch, a byddaf yn ei chodi'n bersonol gyda Trafnidiaeth Cymru, gan na ddylai hynny ddigwydd. Mae aelodau penodol o staff a ddylai allu cynorthwyo pobl â gofynion fel y rhai a nodwyd gennych, a dylent allu gwarantu y gall pobl symud mor gyflym â phosibl ac nad ydynt yn gorfod aros am drenau eraill.

13:55

Thank you, and thank you for your commitment there to look into it further. That's particularly heartening.

Finally, I wanted to touch on accessibility in travel a bit more broadly. The roll-out of pay-as-you-go travel across several stations in south Wales is a welcome step forward. Pay as you go improves accessibility by simplifying ticketing, reducing physical barriers, enabling flexible travel, capping fares to support affordability and ensuring a seamless, inclusive transport experience. I'm sure you agree with all of that. However, I've been made aware of a recurring issue: that many passengers are unclear about whether their destination station supports pay as you go. This confusion has led to people being charged twice for their journey when they cannot tap out at their destination station, and then having to go through the hassle of requesting a refund. This raises important questions about the phased roll-out of this scheme. Can it ever work as a phased roll-out or should it have been introduced as national from day one, or everything all at once? When will we be able to expect the pay-as-you-go service to be available across the entire network? I hope you agree that a modern accessible transport system should be seamless and easy for everybody to use.

Diolch, a diolch am eich ymrwymiad i ymchwilio i'r mater ymhellach. Mae hynny'n arbennig o galonogol.

Yn olaf, roeddwn am sôn ychydig yn fwy cyffredinol am hygyrchedd teithio. Mae cyflwyno teithiau talu wrth fynd ar draws sawl gorsaf yn ne Cymru yn gam i’w groesawu. Mae talu wrth fynd yn gwella hygyrchedd drwy symleiddio tocynnau, lleihau rhwystrau ffisegol, galluogi teithio hyblyg, capio prisiau i gefnogi fforddiadwyedd a sicrhau profiad teithio di-dor, cynhwysol. Rwy’n siŵr eich bod yn cytuno â hynny i gyd. Fodd bynnag, rwyf wedi cael gwybod am fater sy’n codi dro ar ôl tro: fod llawer o deithwyr yn ansicr a yw gorsaf eu cyrchfan yn cefnogi talu wrth fynd. Mae'r dryswch wedi arwain at bobl yn gorfod talu ddwywaith am eu taith pan na allant dapio allan yn eu cyrchfan, a gorfod mynd drwy'r drafferth o ofyn am ad-daliad. Mae hyn yn codi cwestiynau pwysig ynghylch cyflwyno’r cynllun hwn yn raddol. A all byth weithio fel rhywbeth sy'n cael ei gyflwyno'n raddol, neu a ddylai fod wedi cael ei gyflwyno fel cynllun cenedlaethol o'r diwrnod cyntaf, neu bopeth ar unwaith? Pryd y gallwn ddisgwyl i’r gwasanaeth talu wrth fynd fod ar gael ar draws y rhwydwaith cyfan? Rwy'n gobeithio eich bod yn cytuno y dylai system drafnidiaeth hygyrch fodern fod yn ddi-dor ac yn hawdd i bawb ei defnyddio.

Can I thank you for your final questions this afternoon? The actual technology that's used for this particular service is quite advanced, but I'm afraid the sort of challenge that is faced on the basis of what you've outlined today comes down to communication—making sure that people are aware of the stations that do have tap-out and tap-in facilities and those that do not. I'll raise that very point with Transport for Wales.

In terms of our long-term objective, we wish to see tap-in, tap-out technology utilised not just at all of our railway stations, but also on the bus network. So, we're looking at how we can implement it in a way that runs parallel with the franchising process. Ideally within the next five years we would wish to see tap-in, tap-out technology utilised across the entire public transport network with that single integrated ticket alongside the single integrated network.

A gaf i ddiolch am eich cwestiynau olaf y prynhawn yma? Mae'r dechnoleg a ddefnyddir ar gyfer y gwasanaeth penodol hwn yn eithaf datblygedig, ond mae arnaf ofn fod y math o her a wynebir ar sail yr hyn a nodwyd gennych heddiw yn ymwneud â chyfathrebu—sicrhau bod pobl yn ymwybodol o'r gorsafoedd sydd â chyfleusterau tapio i mewn ac allan a'r rhai nad oes ganddynt y cyfleusterau hynny. Byddaf yn codi'r union bwynt hwnnw gyda Trafnidiaeth Cymru.

O ran ein hamcan hirdymor, rydym yn dymuno gweld technoleg tapio i mewn ac allan yn cael ei defnyddio nid yn unig ym mhob un o’n gorsafoedd rheilffordd, ond hefyd ar y rhwydwaith bysiau. Felly, rydym yn edrych ar sut y gallwn roi hyn ar waith mewn ffordd sy'n cydredeg â'r broses fasnachfreinio. Yn ddelfrydol o fewn y pum mlynedd nesaf, byddem yn dymuno gweld technoleg tapio i mewn ac allan yn cael ei defnyddio ar draws y rhwydwaith trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus cyfan gyda’r tocyn integredig sengl hwnnw ochr yn ochr â’r rhwydwaith integredig sengl.

Rheilffordd Wrecsam i Bidston
The Wrexham to Bidston Rail Line

3. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet roi diweddariad ar y cynnydd tuag at wella rheilffordd Wrecsam i Bidston? OQ62246

3. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on progress towards improving the Wrexham to Bidston rail line? OQ62246

Yes, absolutely. The new UK Government has recognised that rail infrastructure in Wales has been underfunded for too long. We are working in partnership with them on a pipeline of rail enhancement priorities identified by the Wales rail board. This thankfully includes improvements to the Wrexham-Bidston line.

Yn sicr. Mae Llywodraeth newydd y DU wedi cydnabod bod y seilwaith rheilffyrdd yng Nghymru wedi’i danariannu ers gormod o amser. Rydym yn gweithio mewn partneriaeth â hwy ar restr o flaenoriaethau a nodwyd gan fwrdd rheilffyrdd Cymru ar gyfer gwelliannau arfaethedig i'r rheilffyrdd. Yn ffodus, mae hyn yn cynnwys gwelliannau i reilffordd Wrecsam-Bidston.

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. I appreciate the response. You will know that, for north Wales, links with the north-west of England are vital and run deep and are really important for the economy of north-east Wales in particular. I was pleased to be able to raise in the Chamber yesterday with the First Minister the importance of those continued opportunities with north-east Wales and north-west England, and I was pleased with her response, in that she said we should embrace the economic links between England and Wales, and indeed the other many links that bind us together. I wonder if you could expand on your opening remarks to describe some of those conversations you're having with Merseyrail in particular to understand the opportunities for connections beyond Bidston into the Mersey area, and any other opportunities you see that could take place to ensure that people have that ease of access into north-east Wales.

Diolch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Rwy'n gwerthfawrogi'r ymateb. Fe fyddwch yn gwybod, ar gyfer gogledd Cymru, fod cysylltiadau â gogledd-orllewin Lloegr yn hanfodol ac yn ddwfn ac yn wirioneddol bwysig i economi gogledd-ddwyrain Cymru yn arbennig. Roeddwn yn falch o allu codi pwysigrwydd y cyfleoedd parhaus hynny gyda gogledd-ddwyrain Cymru a gogledd-orllewin Lloegr yn y Siambr ddoe gyda’r Prif Weinidog, ac roeddwn yn falch o’i hymateb, lle dywedodd y dylem fanteisio ar y cysylltiadau economaidd rhwng Cymru a Lloegr, ac yn wir, y nifer o gysylltiadau eraill sy’n ein clymu at ein gilydd. Tybed a allech chi ymhelaethu ar eich sylwadau agoriadol i ddisgrifio rhai o'r sgyrsiau rydych chi'n eu cael gyda Merseyrail yn benodol i ddeall y cyfleoedd ar gyfer cysylltiadau y tu hwnt i Bidston i ardal Mersi, ac unrhyw gyfleoedd eraill a welwch y gellir manteisio arnynt i sicrhau bod pobl yn cael mynediad rhwydd i ogledd-ddwyrain Cymru.

Can I thank Sam Rowlands for his question and his keen interest in this particular development? The BBC's Vaughan Roderick interviewed TfW's chief executive officer James Price over the weekend, and they discussed this very project and the need to create direct, four-train-per-hour links between Wrexham, Wales's newest city, and Liverpool, one of the greatest cities in England. There are strong cultural and historic links between north Wales and Liverpool, and Liverpool, of course, has one of the two north-west airports that are frequently used by citizens travelling abroad, and so creating better, more direct services is vitally important. That's recognised within the Mersey area, not just by the city council and the various members there and the leader, who I have to say have been phenomenal allies in arguing for enhancements to that particular line, but also by the city region mayor as well.

A gaf i ddiolch i Sam Rowlands am ei gwestiwn a’i ddiddordeb brwd yn y datblygiad penodol hwn? Bu Vaughan Roderick o’r BBC yn cyfweld â phrif swyddog gweithredol Trafnidiaeth Cymru, James Price, dros y penwythnos, a buont yn trafod yr union brosiect hwn a’r angen i greu cysylltiadau uniongyrchol, pedwar trên yr awr rhwng Wrecsam, dinas fwyaf newydd Cymru, a Lerpwl, un o ddinasoedd mwyaf gwych Lloegr. Mae cysylltiadau diwylliannol a hanesyddol cryf rhwng gogledd Cymru a Lerpwl, ac mae gan Lerpwl un o’r ddau faes awyr yng ngogledd-orllewin Lloegr a ddefnyddir yn aml gan ddinasyddion sy’n teithio dramor, ac felly mae creu gwasanaethau gwell, mwy uniongyrchol yn hanfodol bwysig. Cydnabyddir hynny yn ardal Mersi, nid yn unig gan gyngor y ddinas a’r gwahanol aelodau yno a’r arweinydd, sydd wedi bod yn gynghreiriaid rhyfeddol, mae’n rhaid imi ddweud, wrth ddadlau o blaid gwelliannau i’r rheilffordd benodol honno, ond hefyd gan faer y dinas-ranbarth hefyd.

I believe we're now calling it the Wrexham to Liverpool line rather than the Wrexham to Bidston. Feedback is that the extra timetabling of three journeys per hour is really welcome, and I'd just like to ask you—there were issues with freight on the line at Padeswood, so, as part of the upcoming spending review, we're hoping to get that freight off so we can increase passenger journeys up to that four journeys per hour. And also, again, what conversations are you having with Steve Rotheram, the mayor of Liverpool, so you can do a combined effort to get money in that spending review for that Liverpool to Wrexham line? Thank you.

Rwy'n credu ein bod bellach yn ei galw'n llinell reilffordd Wrecsam i Lerpwl yn hytrach na Wrecsam i Bidston. Yr adborth yw bod amserlennu tair taith yr awr yn ychwanegol wedi'i groesawu’n fawr, a hoffwn ofyn i chi—roedd problemau gyda'r cerbydau cludo nwyddau ar y rheilffordd yn Padeswood, felly, fel rhan o’r adolygiad o wariant sydd ar y ffordd, rydym yn gobeithio cael gwared ar y cerbydau cludo nwyddau hynny fel y gallwn gynyddu nifer y teithiau i deithwyr i bedair taith yr awr. A hefyd, unwaith eto, pa sgyrsiau rydych chi'n eu cael gyda Steve Rotheram, maer Lerpwl, fel y gallwch wneud ymdrech gyfunol i gael arian yn yr adolygiad o wariant ar gyfer y lein rhwng Lerpwl a Wrecsam? Diolch.

14:00

Can I thank you for your question? It's a superb question because the work that's required at Padeswood is actually the first element of the Wrexham to Liverpool upgrade programme, and we are hopeful that we will be able to see actual physical work under way in the next couple of years at that particular site, which, as you say, will then enable us to increase frequency quite substantially on the line as we move towards four trains per hour. And Steve Rotheram, the metro mayor for Liverpool, is an incredible supporter of the project. He has offered to support our call for funding through the comprehensive spending review. He's a keen Liverpool FC fan; as an Evertonian I'll forgive him that, because he is an outstanding—an outstanding—ally of ours. 

A gaf i ddiolch i chi am eich cwestiwn? Mae'n gwestiwn gwych am mai'r gwaith sydd ei angen yn Padeswood mewn gwirionedd yw elfen gyntaf y rhaglen uwchraddio Wrecsam i Lerpwl, ac rydym yn obeithiol y gallwn weld gwaith go iawn ar y gweill yn ystod yr ychydig flynyddoedd nesaf yn y safle penodol hwnnw, a fydd, fel y dywedwch, yn ein galluogi wedyn i gynyddu amlder yn eithaf sylweddol ar y lein wrth inni symud tuag at bedwar trên yr awr. Ac mae Steve Rotheram, maer metro Lerpwl, yn gefnogwr brwd i'r prosiect. Mae wedi cynnig cefnogi ein galwad am gyllid drwy'r adolygiad cynhwysfawr o wariant. Mae'n un o gefnogwyr brwd clwb pêl-droed Lerpwl; fel un o gefnogwyr Everton fe wnaf faddau iddo, oherwydd mae'n gyfaill rhagorol—rhagorol—i ni. 

Cwestiwn 4, Peredur Owen Griffiths. 

Question 4, Peredur Owen Griffiths. 

Hello again, Cabinet Secretary. 

Helo eto, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. 

Teithio Llesol yn Nwyrain De Cymru
Active Travel in South Wales East

4. Beth mae'r Llywodraeth yn ei wneud i hyrwyddo teithio llesol yn Nwyrain De Cymru? OQ62270

4. What is the Government doing to promote active travel in South Wales East? OQ62270

We're supporting local authorities and partners in South Wales East to deliver active travel infrastructure and initiatives. Through Transport for Wales, we're providing support and resources to help local authorities promote safe walking, wheeling and cycling.

Rydym yn cefnogi awdurdodau lleol a phartneriaid yn Nwyrain De Cymru i ddarparu seilwaith a chynlluniau teithio llesol. Drwy Trafnidiaeth Cymru, rydym yn darparu cymorth ac adnoddau i helpu awdurdodau lleol i hyrwyddo cerdded, olwyno a beicio diogel.

Diolch am yr ateb yna. 

Thank you for that response. 

You've touched on some of this this afternoon already, but it's been over a decade since Wales has had the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013. One of the primary aspects of the legislation is a duty placed on Government and councils to continuously improve active travel provision through securing new and improved active travel routes and related facilities. Despite the then Deputy Minister saying, just under two years ago, that the Government was planning to ramp up spending in the years to come, people working to promote cycling are seriously concerned about the merger of regional transport with active travel in the budget line. Gwenda Owen, Cycling UK's Wales advocacy and development lead, has said:

'Without clear government commitment, Wales risks undermining its pioneering achievements in walking and cycling.'

Minister, what's the rationale for merging these budgets, and can you also provide the clarity and the commitment on active travel financing that groups like Cycling UK and Sustrans have been calling for since the publication of the budget? 

Rydych chi wedi cyffwrdd â rhywfaint o hyn y prynhawn yma eisoes, ond mae dros ddegawd wedi bod ers i Gymru gael Deddf Teithio Llesol (Cymru) 2013. Un o brif agweddau'r ddeddfwriaeth yw'r ddyletswydd ar y Llywodraeth a chynghorau i wella'r ddarpariaeth teithio llesol yn barhaus trwy sicrhau llwybrau teithio llesol newydd a gwell a chyfleusterau cysylltiedig. Er i'r Dirprwy Weinidog ar y pryd ddweud, ychydig llai na dwy flynedd yn ôl, fod y Llywodraeth yn bwriadu cynyddu gwariant yn y blynyddoedd i ddod, mae pobl sy'n gweithio i hyrwyddo beicio yn poeni'n ddifrifol am uno trafnidiaeth ranbarthol gyda theithio llesol yn llinell y gyllideb. Dywedodd Gwenda Owen, arweinydd eiriolaeth a datblygu Cymru Cycling UK:

'Heb ymrwymiad clir gan y llywodraeth, mae perygl i Gymru danseilio ei chyflawniadau arloesol mewn cerdded a beicio.'

Weinidog, beth yw'r rhesymeg dros uno'r cyllidebau hyn, ac a allwch chi hefyd ddarparu'r eglurder a'r ymrwymiad i ariannu teithio llesol y mae grwpiau fel Cycling UK a Sustrans wedi bod yn galw amdano ers cyhoeddi'r gyllideb? 

Can I thank you for your question and the opportunity to respond to, I think, some unfounded anxiety? I've already outlined how we are moving our focus to inclusive movement, inclusive travel. That means that we're placing, first and foremost, walking and wheeling that is accessible to all at the forefront of our considerations, but also the continued role that promoting cycling has, not just for the purpose of modal shift to reduce carbon emissions, but also for our health and well-being. 

Now, in terms of funding, we're holding steady, we're holding firm our funding for active travel this year, but the reason that we're devolving responsibility and decision making to the regions from 2026-27 is because we firmly believe that local authorities know best what their communities require in terms of infrastructure and in terms of services. And it's absolutely right, as we ask local authorities to work at a regional level, that we offer them the support and we empower them to make those decisions at a regional level. That includes having the financial resource available without strings attached.

Conversely, some might argue that, perhaps, we should not devolve all of the decision making, just devolve the funding. I don't think that washes at all. I don't think that would be fair. I don't think that would be appropriate. We have to make sure that local authorities can deliver against the regional transport plans that they've worked so hard on. The draft regional transport plan that's already been published in north Wales is outstanding; it identifies the priorities that I think the vast majority of the public would support. And indeed, the public now have a say. The public have a say through to mid April on the regional transport plan, and they'll be able to choose what priorities are invested in, and I think that's right. I may sound like Citizen Smith, but it's people power; that's the reason.

A gaf i ddiolch i chi am eich cwestiwn a'r cyfle i ymateb i orbryder di-sail, yn fy marn i? Rwyf eisoes wedi amlinellu sut rydym yn symud ein ffocws at symud cynhwysol, teithio cynhwysol. Mae hynny'n golygu ein bod yn gosod, yn gyntaf oll, cerdded ac olwyno sy'n hygyrch i bawb ar y blaen yn ein hystyriaethau, ond hefyd y rôl barhaus sydd i hyrwyddo beicio, nid yn unig er mwyn newid dulliau teithio i leihau allyriadau carbon, ond hefyd ar gyfer ein hiechyd a'n lles. 

Nawr, ar gyllid, rydym yn cynnal ein cyllid ar gyfer teithio llesol eleni, ond y rheswm ein bod yn datganoli cyfrifoldeb a phenderfyniadau i'r rhanbarthau o 2026-27 yw oherwydd ein bod yn credu'n gryf mai awdurdodau lleol sy'n gwybod orau beth sydd ei angen ar eu cymunedau o ran seilwaith ac o ran gwasanaethau. Ac wrth inni ofyn i awdurdodau lleol weithio ar lefel ranbarthol, mae'n gwbl gywir ein bod yn cynnig y gefnogaeth iddynt ac yn eu grymuso i wneud y penderfyniadau hynny ar lefel ranbarthol. Mae hynny'n cynnwys cael yr adnoddau ariannol heb amodau ynghlwm wrthynt.

Ar y llaw arall, gallai rhai ddadlau efallai na ddylem ddatganoli'r holl benderfyniadau, dim ond datganoli'r cyllid. Nid wyf yn credu bod hynny'n iawn o gwbl. Nid wyf yn credu y byddai hynny'n deg. Nid wyf yn credu y byddai hynny'n briodol. Mae'n rhaid inni sicrhau y gall awdurdodau lleol gyflawni yn erbyn y cynlluniau trafnidiaeth rhanbarthol y maent wedi gweithio mor galed arnynt. Mae'r cynllun trafnidiaeth rhanbarthol drafft sydd eisoes wedi'i gyhoeddi yng ngogledd Cymru yn rhagorol; mae'n nodi'r blaenoriaethau y credaf y byddai'r mwyafrif helaeth o'r cyhoedd yn eu cefnogi. Ac yn wir, gall y cyhoedd ddweud eu barn nawr. Mae gan y cyhoedd lais hyd at ganol mis Ebrill ar y cynllun trafnidiaeth rhanbarthol, a byddant yn gallu dewis pa flaenoriaethau y buddsoddir ynddynt, ac rwy'n credu bod hynny'n iawn. Efallai fy mod i'n swnio fel Citizen Smith, ond grym y bobl ydyw; dyna'r rheswm.

Cabinet Secretary, you'll be well aware of plans to develop a new active travel route stretching from Usk to Pontypool, and I've raised it with you on a number of occasions here in the Chamber. The project does indeed have cross-party support and is backed by the community, it would provide a safe walking and also cycle route, connecting people with important facilities along the way, such as schools and employment sites. Transport for Wales is currently looking into this project, and there are a few little challenges that need to be addressed, but I'm confident that they will indeed be overcome. I'm also confident this proposal can be delivered and bring some real benefits to the area as a whole. Last week, my office met with the team behind the project, alongside other elected officials, to receive an update and talk about next steps. We're really keen to get you there, Cabinet Secretary, so you can have a first-hand look at the scheme. And, Cabinet Secretary, can I please implore you to take a look at your diary, when you leave this Chamber, and fix a date for this visit? And Presiding Officer, on the record, I'll even throw in a Welsh cake and a cup of tea on me, not the taxpayer. So, thank you very much, Presiding Officer.

Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol iawn o gynlluniau i ddatblygu llwybr teithio llesol newydd sy'n ymestyn o Frynbuga i Bont-y-pŵl, ac rwyf wedi ei godi gyda chi ar sawl achlysur yma yn y Siambr. Yn wir, mae cefnogaeth drawsbleidiol i'r prosiect ac mae'n cael ei gefnogi gan y gymuned, byddai'n darparu llwybr cerdded a beicio diogel, gan gysylltu pobl â chyfleusterau pwysig ar hyd y ffordd, fel ysgolion a safleoedd cyflogaeth. Ar hyn o bryd mae Trafnidiaeth Cymru yn edrych ar y prosiect, ac mae yna rai heriau y mae angen mynd i'r afael â hwy, ond rwy'n hyderus y cânt eu goresgyn. Rwyf hefyd yn hyderus y gellir cyflwyno'r cynnig hwn a dod â buddion go iawn i'r ardal gyfan. Yr wythnos diwethaf, cyfarfu fy swyddfa â'r tîm y tu ôl i'r prosiect, ochr yn ochr â swyddogion etholedig eraill, i dderbyn diweddariad a siarad am y camau nesaf. Rydym yn awyddus iawn i'ch cael chi yno, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, fel y gallwch gael golwg uniongyrchol ar y cynllun. Ac Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a gaf i ofyn i chi edrych ar eich dyddiadur, pan fyddwch chi'n gadael y Siambr, a threfnu dyddiad ar gyfer yr ymweliad hwn? A Lywydd, rwyf am gofnodi y gwnaf i, nid y trethdalwr, dalu am bicen ar y maen a phaned o de. Felly, diolch, Lywydd.

14:05

Thank you. It would be a pleasure to join you. In fact, I'll bring my bike so that I can cycle part of it. I can't fit it in a ministerial car, so I'll probably have to cycle down or use the train to bring the bike, but I will join you. My understanding is that that particular project could be very, very valuable in terms of driving tourism as well in the area, and not just for the purpose of commuting and encouraging people to get out of their cars when they can commute by bike. So, it sounds a very promising project. Transport for Wales are looking into it; I'm aware of that. But, no, I'd be very happy to join the Member at one part of it for a ride.

Diolch. Byddai'n bleser cael ymuno â chi. Mewn gwirionedd, byddaf yn dod â fy meic fel y gallaf feicio rhan ohono. Nid oes lle iddo mewn car gweinidogol, felly mae'n debyg y bydd yn rhaid imi feicio i lawr neu ddefnyddio'r trên i ddod â'r beic, ond fe wnaf ymuno â chi. Fy nealltwriaeth i yw y gallai'r prosiect penodol hwnnw fod yn werthfawr iawn i ysgogi twristiaeth yn yr ardal hefyd, ac nid dim ond cymudo ac annog pobl allan o'u ceir pan allant gymudo ar feic. Felly, mae'n swnio'n brosiect addawol iawn. Mae Trafnidiaeth Cymru yn edrych arno; rwy'n ymwybodol o hynny. Ond na, rwy'n hapus iawn i ymuno â'r Aelod am reid ar un rhan ohono.

Lein y Cambrian
The Cambrian Line

5. Pa asesiad y mae yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet wedi'i wneud o effaith amserlen newydd lein y Cambrian ar drigolion lleol? OQ62241

5. What assessment has the Cabinet Secretary made of the impact of the new Cambrian line timetable on local residents? OQ62241

Transport for Wales rail services were more reliable than all other operators in Wales last year. Service performance has improved further with the introduction of the new timetable in December, including on the Cambrian line.

Roedd gwasanaethau rheilffordd Trafnidiaeth Cymru yn fwy dibynadwy na phob gweithredwr arall yng Nghymru y llynedd. Mae perfformiad y gwasanaeth wedi gwella ymhellach gyda chyflwyno'r amserlen newydd ym mis Rhagfyr, gan gynnwys ar lein y Cambrian.

Thanks for the response. The Cabinet Secretary will be aware of my concerns that the changes to the Cambrian line timetable following previous questions and engagements on the issue. It was great to hear earlier answers on improvements to the south and the north Wales lines, but that's of scant consolation to the people along the Cambrian line. The changes that have come into force are proving to be extremely detrimental to my constituents, people who can't travel to work, can't go shopping or to see their family and friends, and, essentially, pushing people into more expensive and environmentally damaging car use. The changes were justified at the time based on low passenger use, something the Cabinet Secretary himself said in a previous answer to me. But surely the Cabinet Secretary knows that, for most of the last 10 years, the line has been disrupted, from the reconstruction of Pont Briwet 10 years ago, a five-months closure because of weather, winter closures due to Barmouth bridge redevelopment, COVID and other impacts. So, you'll understand why I and my electors doubt the case that has been put forward. We need to see a line that answers the needs of the residents. So, do you accept that the changes have been detrimental, and will you commit to ensure that a more regular train service is reinstated on the Cambrian line?

Diolch am yr ymateb. Bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn ymwybodol o fy mhryderon am y newidiadau i amserlen lein y Cambrian yn dilyn cwestiynau ac ymrwymiadau blaenorol ar y mater. Roedd yn wych clywed atebion cynharach ar welliannau i reilffyrdd y de a'r gogledd, ond nid yw hynny'n fawr o gysur i'r bobl ar hyd lein y Cambrian. Mae'r newidiadau sydd wedi dod i rym yn niweidiol iawn i fy etholwyr, pobl na allant deithio i'r gwaith, na allant fynd i siopa neu i weld eu teulu a'u ffrindiau, ac yn y bôn, mae'n annog pobl i ddefnyddio ceir sy'n ddrutach ac yn niweidiol yn amgylcheddol. Cafodd y newidiadau eu cyfiawnhau ar y pryd ar sail defnydd isel gan deithwyr, rhywbeth a ddywedodd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ei hun mewn ateb blaenorol i mi. Ond rhaid bod Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn gwybod, am y rhan fwyaf o'r 10 mlynedd diwethaf, fod y lein wedi dioddef tarfu, yn sgil ailadeiladu Pont Briwet 10 mlynedd yn ôl, ei chau am bum mis oherwydd y tywydd, ei chau dros y gaeaf oherwydd ailddatblygu pont Abermo, COVID ac effeithiau eraill. Felly, fe fyddwch chi'n deall pam fy mod i a fy etholwyr yn amau'r achos a gyflwynwyd. Mae angen inni weld lein sy'n ateb anghenion y trigolion. Felly, a ydych chi'n derbyn bod y newidiadau wedi bod yn niweidiol, ac a wnewch chi ymrwymo i sicrhau bod gwasanaeth trên mwy rheolaidd yn cael ei adfer ar lein y Cambrian?

Well, can I thank the Member for his question? Difficult decisions were made, as I mentioned earlier, regarding utilisation of rolling stock across Wales. I was pleased, though, that Transport for Wales did engage with passengers, and they amended some of their proposals as a result of that feedback that they received. The December timetable change has led to improved frequency—sorry, improved punctuality—and performance, and it's my hope that, as a result of that, we'll also see an increase in the number of people using that particular line. If we can drive up patronage, that surely helps the argument for increasing service provision, and so we will be assessing the impact that it's had on communities and of further timetable changes. Once we get more trains delivered and we see that huge increase to 483 trains achieved, then we, hopefully, will be able to reinstate more services. But it is finite, the resource that's available to us. Transport for Wales have had a very, very difficult task, I'm afraid, in recent times in determining which services can be maintained against a very, very bleak financial outlook. We've had a much better settlement, obviously, from the UK Government now, so I am hopeful that, in future years, as we see greater investment, but also as we see the farebox increase, we will see more services across Wales.

Wel, a gaf i ddiolch i'r Aelod am ei gwestiwn? Gwnaed penderfyniadau anodd, fel y soniais yn gynharach, ynghylch defnyddio cerbydau ledled Cymru. Roeddwn i'n falch, fodd bynnag, fod Trafnidiaeth Cymru wedi ymgysylltu â theithwyr, ac fe wnaethant ddiwygio rhai o'u cynigion o ganlyniad i'r adborth a gawsant. Mae newid amserlen mis Rhagfyr wedi arwain at wella amlder—mae'n ddrwg gennyf, gwella prydlondeb—a pherfformiad, a fy ngobaith i, o ganlyniad i hynny, yw y byddwn hefyd yn gweld cynnydd yn nifer y bobl sy'n defnyddio'r lein honno. Os gallwn gynyddu nifer y teithwyr, mae hynny'n sicr yn helpu'r ddadl dros gynyddu'r ddarpariaeth o wasanaethau, ac felly byddwn yn asesu'r effaith y mae wedi'i chael ar gymunedau ac effaith newidiadau pellach i'r amserlen. Pan gawn fwy o drenau a phan welwn y cynnydd enfawr i 483 o drenau, gobeithio y gallwn adfer mwy o wasanaethau. Ond mae'r adnoddau sydd ar gael i ni yn gyfyngedig. Mae Trafnidiaeth Cymru wedi cael tasg anodd iawn yn ddiweddar, mae arnaf ofn, o ran penderfynu pa wasanaethau y gellir eu cynnal yn erbyn rhagolwg ariannol llwm iawn. Yn amlwg, rydym wedi cael setliad llawer gwell gan Lywodraeth y DU nawr, felly rwy'n gobeithio, yn y blynyddoedd i ddod, wrth inni weld mwy o fuddsoddiad, ond hefyd wrth inni weld nifer y teithwyr yn cynyddu, y gwelwn fwy o wasanaethau ledled Cymru.

Good afternoon, Cabinet Secretary.

Prynhawn da, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet.

A diolch hefyd i Mabon am y cwestiwn yma.

Thank you very much to Mabon for asking this question.

Yes, it is really concerning, isn't it, that we've had these cuts to the Cambrian line. For example, the early morning Machynlleth to Barmouth return service has been removed. I myself, when I lived in Welshpool, had the same experience in terms of not being able to get to work. When I went for my usual 6.30 a.m. train, it had been cancelled, and the next one was at 9.00 a.m. The Welsh Government have been promising an hourly service on the Cambrian line for over 10 years now, and, still, residents along that line, many of whom use it for work and for things like shopping and attending appointments, they actually rely on it. So, I wonder if we can press you, or at least press you for a date when there will be confirmation about when the new hourly service will be introduced. Because I think information to residents is what we need here, and the earlier that they know, the better, when that line will actually be running at the service level that’s expected. Diolch yn fawr iawn.

Ydy, mae'n peri pryder gwirioneddol, onid yw, ein bod wedi cael y toriadau hyn i lein y Cambrian. Er enghraifft, mae'r gwasanaeth rhwng Machynlleth ac Abermo yn gynnar yn y bore wedi cael ei dorri. Pan oeddwn yn byw yn y Trallwng, cefais yr un profiad o fethu cyrraedd y gwaith. Euthum am fy nhrên arferol am 6.30 a.m., ond roedd wedi ei ganslo, ac ni fyddai'r nesaf yn dod tan 9.00 a.m. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn addo gwasanaeth bob awr ar lein y Cambrian ers dros 10 mlynedd bellach, ac mae llawer o drigolion ar hyd y lein honno'n ei defnyddio ar gyfer y gwaith ac ar gyfer pethau fel siopa a mynychu apwyntiadau. Felly, tybed a gawn ni bwyso arnoch chi, neu o leiaf bwyso arnoch chi am ddyddiad pryd y ceir cadarnhad o pryd y caiff y gwasanaeth newydd bob awr ei gyflwyno. Oherwydd rwy'n credu mai gwybodaeth i breswylwyr yw'r hyn sydd ei angen arnom yma, a gorau po gynharaf y byddant yn gwybod pryd fydd y lein honno'n gweithredu ar y lefel o wasanaeth sy'n ddisgwyliedig. Diolch yn fawr iawn.

14:10

Can I thank Jane Dodds for her question? As I’ve already said, it was a very, very difficult decision for Transport for Wales to make, but they did consult with user groups and passengers. And whilst the 05:07 Machynlleth to Barmouth service was removed and the 06:45 Barmouth to Machynlleth service, they did retain the 08:52 Machynlleth to Pwllheli service and the 11:37 Pwllheli to Machynlleth service. So, they were listening and they did act on what they heard.

New trains are going to be introduced this year. They’ll be more comfortable, they’ll be more reliable, and, from May of this year, a year-round 16:30 service will be introduced between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury. TfW are aiming to introduce an hourly service on this route during the summer months from May of next year.

A gaf i ddiolch i Jane Dodds am ei chwestiwn? Fel y dywedais eisoes, roedd yn benderfyniad anodd iawn i Trafnidiaeth Cymru ei wneud, ond fe wnaethant ymgynghori â grwpiau defnyddwyr a theithwyr. Ac er i'r gwasanaeth 05:07 rhwng Machynlleth ac Abermo gael ei dorri, a gwasanaeth 06:45 Abermo i Fachynlleth, fe wnaethant gadw'r gwasanaeth 08:52 rhwng Machynlleth a Phwllheli a gwasanaeth 11:37 Pwllheli i Fachynlleth. Felly fe wnaethant wrando, ac fe wnaethant weithredu ar yr hyn a glywsant.

Bydd trenau newydd yn cael eu cyflwyno eleni. Byddant yn fwy cyfforddus, byddant yn fwy dibynadwy, ac o fis Mai eleni, bydd gwasanaeth 16:30 drwy gydol y flwyddyn yn cael ei gyflwyno rhwng Aberystwyth ac Amwythig. Mae Trafnidiaeth Cymru yn anelu at gyflwyno gwasanaeth bob awr ar y llwybr hwn yn ystod misoedd yr haf o fis Mai y flwyddyn nesaf.

Prosiectau Cynnal a Chadw Ffyrdd
Road Maintenance Projects

6. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet ddatganiad am brosiectau cynnal a chadw ffyrdd ym Mhreseli Sir Benfro? OQ62233

6. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on road maintenance projects in Preseli Pembrokeshire? OQ62233

Yes. Fixing our roads is one of the Welsh Government’s top priorities and I've established a £25 million dedicated fund in 2025-26 solely for repairing the strategic road network to ensure our communities are safely connected.

Gwnaf. Mae trwsio ein ffyrdd yn un o brif flaenoriaethau Llywodraeth Cymru ac rwyf wedi sefydlu cronfa bwrpasol gwerth £25 miliwn yn 2025-26 yn unswydd ar gyfer atgyweirio'r rhwydwaith ffyrdd strategol i sicrhau bod ein cymunedau'n cael eu cysylltu'n ddiogel.

Cabinet Secretary, as you're aware from my correspondence to you, the closure of the A487 in Newport in my constituency is having a real impact on local businesses in the area. One business has said that the road closure is costing them hundreds of pounds a week and another business has expressed concerns that they believe the closure could actually be extended, and that, of course, if it were to happen, would hurt businesses even more. Given the extensive of period of time that the A487 is closed for, will the Welsh Government now look to provide some financial support to those businesses that are suffering specifically because of this road closure?

Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, fel y gwyddoch o fy ngohebiaeth atoch fod cau'r A487 yng Nghasnewydd yn fy etholaeth yn cael effaith wirioneddol ar fusnesau lleol yn yr ardal. Mae un busnes wedi dweud bod cau'r ffordd yn costio cannoedd o bunnoedd yr wythnos iddynt ac mae busnes arall wedi mynegi pryderon eu bod yn credu y gallai'r cau gael ei ymestyn, ac y byddai hynny'n niweidio busnesau hyd yn oed yn fwy. O ystyried y cyfnod helaeth o amser y mae'r A487 ar gau, a fydd Llywodraeth Cymru nawr yn ceisio darparu rhywfaint o gymorth ariannol i'r busnesau sy'n dioddef yn sgil cau'r ffordd?

There are certain instances where compensation can be offered to businesses, but, in the case of disruption, it's normally business insurance for disruption that should apply. If businesses don't have interruption insurance, that's something that perhaps they should engage Business Wales over. Business Wales can offer comprehensive advice on how to protect businesses during emerging crises and incidents such as road closures. I can say, though, with regard to the A487, that good progress has been made. It was scheduled to end on 5 March, but I'm pleased that it's going to end on 28 February. From 28 February onwards, there will be the use of two-way lights and night-time closures to complete the work. So, we've been able to bring forward the point at which we're able to reopen the road and instead have night-time working in place and two-way traffic. 

Mae rhai achosion lle gellir cynnig iawndal i fusnesau, ond yn achos tarfu, yswiriant busnes ar gyfer tarfu sydd fel arfer yn gymwys. Os nad oes gan fusnesau yswiriant ar gyfer tarfu, mae hynny'n rhywbeth y dylent ymgysylltu â Busnes Cymru yn ei gylch. Gall Busnes Cymru gynnig cyngor cynhwysfawr ar sut i ddiogelu busnesau yn ystod argyfyngau a digwyddiadau sy'n codi megis cau ffyrdd. Gallaf ddweud, fodd bynnag, mewn perthynas â'r A487, fod cynnydd da wedi'i wneud. Roedd i fod i ddod i ben ar 5 Mawrth, ond rwy'n falch o ddweud y bydd yn dod i ben ar 28 Chwefror. O 28 Chwefror ymlaen, defnyddir goleuadau dwy ffordd a chau dros nos er mwyn cwblhau'r gwaith. Felly, rydym wedi gallu cyflymu'r broses o ailagor y ffordd a gweithio dros nos a thraffig dwy ffordd yn lle hynny. 

Rheilffordd Dyffryn Aman
Amman Valley Railway Line

7. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am adfer rheilffordd Dyffryn Aman fel llinell i deithwyr? OQ62255

7. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on restoring the Amman Valley railway line as a passenger line? OQ62255

There are no current plans to restore passenger services on the Amman valley railway line, but we are working with Transport for Wales to improve rail, bus and active travel into a new integrated transport system in the Member's constituency as part of the Swansea bay and west Wales metro.

Nid oes cynlluniau ar hyn o bryd i adfer gwasanaethau teithwyr ar reilffordd Dyffryn Aman, ond rydym yn gweithio gyda Trafnidiaeth Cymru i wella rheilffyrdd, bysiau a theithio llesol yn system drafnidiaeth integredig newydd yn etholaeth yr Aelod fel rhan o fetro bae Abertawe a gorllewin Cymru.

Mae cymoedd Canol De Cymru wedi gweld buddsoddiad o dros £1 biliwn yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf. Mae Cwm Ebwy yn y dwyrain wedi gweld buddsoddiad o dros £160 miliwn wrth ailagor y rheilffordd yn fanna. Pan ydyn ni'n edrych ar gymoedd y gorllewin—sydd yn cynnwys Dyffryn Aman, wrth gwrs—sy'n ymestyn o Gwm Llynfi i Gwm Gwendraeth, sy'n cynnwys bron 300,000 o bobl, dŷn ni ddim wedi gweld dim byd—dim byd. Onid yw hi'n bryd nawr, Ysgrifennydd Cabinet, i weld y buddsoddiad hwnnw? Rydych chi'n mynd i gael £400 miliwn, bron, o arian cyfatebol Barnett oherwydd y buddsoddiad nawr sy'n mynd i fod yn y llinell newydd rhwng Caergrawnt a Rhydychen; byddai'r buddsoddiad yna yn gweddnewid y sefyllfa o ran rheilffyrdd y gorllewin. Felly, allwn ni gael cyfarfod i drafod ein cynllun ni ar gyfer rheilffyrdd y gorllewin, fel ein bod ni'n cael chwarae teg i'r cymoedd yn y gorllewin sydd ddim wedi gweld hynny hyd yma?

The valleys of South Wales Central have seen investment of over £1 billion over the past few years. The Ebbw valley in the east has seen investment of over £160 million in reopening the railway there. When we look at the valleys of the west—which includes the Amman valley, of course—which extend from the Llynfi valley to the Gwendraeth valley, which includes almost 300,000 people, we see have seen nothing—nothing. Is it not time now, Cabinet Secretary, to see that investment? You are going to receive £400 million, almost, of Barnett consequentials as a result of the investment in the new railway line between Cambridge and Oxford; that investment would transform the situation in terms of railway lines in the west. So, can we have a meeting to discuss our plan for the railways in west Wales, so that we can receive fair play for those valleys in the west that haven't seen that fair play hitherto?

14:15

Can I thank the Member for his question? Absolutely. I'd be very pleased to have a meeting to discuss what will be the medium- to long-term aspirations, I'd imagine, of himself and the people that he'll bring as part of a delegation. The reason that projects that have been agreed by the Wales rail board have been prioritised in the way that they have been is because of how worked up the particular projects are.

A huge amount of time, over many years, has gone into the projects around the north Wales metro, and also the South East Wales Transport Commission’s recommendations. That’s why they are at the top of the priority list. But that hasn’t stopped both Transport for Wales and the region, through the corporate joint committee, planning longer term interventions.

The regional transport plan, I believe, is due to be published for consultation in a matter of days’ time. I think it's really important that the sort of priority project that you have outlined, that you are able to impress upon the people who have designed that regional transport plan just how important it is that it is incorporated into it. So, at the point of consultation, I would urge you and your constituents to make representations. 

A gaf i ddiolch i'r Aelod am ei gwestiwn? Yn sicr. Byddwn yn falch iawn o gael cyfarfod i drafod beth fydd ei ddyheadau tymor canolig i dymor hir ef a'r bobl y daw â hwy gydag ef yn rhan o ddirprwyaeth. Y rheswm pam fod prosiectau a gytunwyd gan fwrdd rheilffyrdd Cymru wedi cael blaenoriaeth yn y ffordd y cawsant yw oherwydd y gwaith a wnaed ar y prosiectau penodol hyn.

Mae llawer iawn o amser dros nifer o flynyddoedd wedi mynd i mewn i'r prosiectau sy'n gysylltiedig â metro gogledd Cymru, a hefyd argymhellion Comisiwn Trafnidiaeth De Ddwyrain Cymru. Dyna pam eu bod ar frig y rhestr flaenoriaeth. Ond nid yw hynny wedi atal Trafnidiaeth Cymru a'r rhanbarth, drwy'r cyd-bwyllgor corfforedig, rhag cynllunio ymyriadau mwy hirdymor.

Rwy'n credu y bydd y cynllun trafnidiaeth rhanbarthol yn cael ei gyhoeddi ar gyfer ymgynghori yn ei gylch ymhen ychydig ddyddiau. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn eich bod yn gallu argyhoeddi'r bobl a gynlluniodd y cynllun trafnidiaeth rhanbarthol pa mor bwysig yw hi fod y math o brosiect blaenoriaeth a nodwyd gennych wedi'i ymgorffori ynddo. Felly, wrth ymgynghori, rwy'n eich annog chi a'ch etholwyr i gyflwyno sylwadau. 

Ac yn olaf, cwestiwn 8, Llyr Gruffydd.

And finally, question 8, Llyr Gruffydd.

Darpariaeth Deintyddol y GIG yng Ngogledd Cymru
NHS Dental Provision in North Wales

8. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet wedi'u cael gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol ynglŷn â chyflwr presennol darpariaeth ddeintyddol y GIG yng Ngogledd Cymru? OQ62263

8. What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary had with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care regarding the current state of NHS dental provision in North Wales? OQ62263

I met with the Cabinet Secretary before Christmas to discuss the challenges with NHS dentistry in north Wales. I was assured that the board is focused on this issue and is making progress with increasing service provision across the region.

Cyfarfûm ag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet cyn y Nadolig i drafod yr heriau gyda deintyddiaeth y GIG yng ngogledd Cymru. Cefais sicrwydd fod y bwrdd yn canolbwyntio ar y mater hwn a'i fod yn gwneud cynnydd ar gynyddu darpariaeth gwasanaethau ar draws y rhanbarth.

Last October, of course, we heard that Dant y Coed dental surgery in Coedpoeth near Wrexham was handing back its NHS contract, forcing 12,000 patients to rely on private dental care. Now, when I challenged you on this at the time, here in the Siambr, you said that you could assure people in the county borough of Wrexham that there were 11 practices that provide NHS provision. Of course, what you failed to point out was that none of those are actively taking on new patients—not a single one. All of them have frozen out all new NHS patients. Since then, of course, a further three dental practices have handed back their NHS contracts in north Wales, and that’s just in the first month of this year.

So, could you explain to the 12,000 patients in Wrexham, and the additional 3,000 patients elsewhere in north Wales, who have recently lost their NHS provision—? That’s 15,000 patients scrambling around to find NHS provision in north Wales. Can you tell them where exactly they are meant to be looking?

Fis Hydref diwethaf, clywsom fod deintyddfa Dant y Coed yng Nghoed-poeth ger Wrecsam yn trosglwyddo ei chytundeb GIG yn ôl, gan orfodi 12,000 o gleifion i ddibynnu ar ofal deintyddol preifat. Nawr, pan wneuthum eich herio ar hyn ar y pryd, yma yn y Siambr, fe ddywedoch chi y gallech sicrhau pobl ym mwrdeistref sirol Wrecsam fod 11 practis yn cynnig darpariaeth GIG. Wrth gwrs, yr hyn y methoch chi ei nodi oedd nad oes yr un o'r rheini'n derbyn cleifion newydd—dim un. Mae pob un ohonynt wedi rhewi'r holl gleifion GIG newydd allan. Ers hynny, wrth gwrs, mae tri practis deintyddol arall wedi trosglwyddo eu contractau GIG yn ôl yng ngogledd Cymru yn ystod mis cyntaf y flwyddyn hon yn unig.

Felly, a allech chi egluro i'r 12,000 o gleifion yn Wrecsam, a'r 3,000 o gleifion ychwanegol mewn mannau eraill yng ngogledd Cymru, sydd wedi colli eu darpariaeth GIG yn ddiweddar—? Dyna 15,000 o gleifion yn ymdrechu i ddod o hyd i ddarpariaeth GIG yng ngogledd Cymru. A allwch chi ddweud wrthynt lle'n union y dylent edrych?

Well, after the Member's last question, there was some mischief in the press release that was issued by his office. First of all, we are absolutely committed to reforming the NHS dental contract, around the principles of prevention, risk, need and access.

Over a 13-month period, officials have been engaged in pretty intensive negotiations to deliver a new model of dentistry that is attractive to dentists and also fair to patients. With negotiations for the new contract now concluded, we are moving into a consultation phase, where details of the proposed new arrangements will be set out by the Minister this spring.

Now, my understanding is that, in the meantime, practices have been allowed to have a variation to their UDA contract on a risk and need basis. These arrangements include a requirement to take on new patients. With over 430,000 already having received a full course of treatment since April 2022, my understanding is that it is 82,000 in north Wales.

Wel, ar ôl cwestiwn olaf yr Aelod, roedd rhywfaint o ddiawlineb yn y datganiad i'r wasg a gyhoeddwyd gan ei swyddfa. Yn gyntaf oll, rydym wedi ymrwymo'n llwyr i ddiwygio contract deintyddol y GIG o amgylch egwyddorion atal, risg, angen a mynediad.

Dros gyfnod o 13 mis, mae swyddogion wedi bod mewn trafodaethau dwys i ddarparu model newydd o ddeintyddiaeth sy'n ddeniadol i ddeintyddion a hefyd yn deg i gleifion. Gyda thrafodaethau ar gyfer y contract newydd bellach wedi dod i ben, rydym yn symud i gyfnod ymgynghori, lle bydd manylion y trefniadau newydd arfaethedig yn cael eu nodi gan y Gweinidog y gwanwyn hwn.

Nawr, fy nealltwriaeth i yw bod practisau yn y cyfamser wedi cael amrywiad i'w contract uned o weithgaredd deintyddol ar sail risg ac angen. Mae'r trefniadau hyn yn cynnwys gofyniad i dderbyn cleifion newydd. Gyda dros 430,000 eisoes wedi derbyn cwrs llawn o driniaeth ers mis Ebrill 2022, fy nealltwriaeth i yw ei fod yn 82,000 yng ngogledd Cymru.

Diolch i'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet.

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary.

2. Cwestiynau i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Gyfiawnder Cymdeithasol, y Trefnydd a'r Prif Chwip
2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip

Y cwestiynau nesaf fydd y rhai i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Gyfiawnder Cymdeithasol, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Mabon ap Gwynfor.

We'll next move to questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, and the first question is from Mabon ap Gwynfor.

Prosiect Sbectrwm
The Spectrum Project

1. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet roi diweddariad ar effeithiolrwydd y prosiect Sbectrwm wrth fynd i'r afael â thrais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol? OQ62242

1. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the effectiveness of the Spectrum project in tackling violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence? OQ62242

Member
Jane Hutt 14:19:23
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip

Diolch yn fawr am eich cwestiwn. Hyd yma, mae dros 30,000 o ddisgyblion wedi ymgysylltu â’r prosiect ers 2023. O fis Ebrill 2025, bydd Sbectrwm yn darparu sesiwn ar berthynas iach i holl blant blynyddoedd 2, 6 a 10 yng Nghymru. Bydd hefyd yn datblygu cynllun cyd-fentora i ddisgyblion hŷn.

Thank you very much for your question. To date, over 30,000 pupils have engaged with the project since 2023. From April 2025, Spectrum will deliver a healthy relationships session to every child in years 2, 6 and 10 in Wales. They will also be developing a peer mentor scheme for older pupils.

Diolch yn fawr iawn i'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet am yr ymateb yna. Mae Sbectrwm, wrth gwrs, yn gynllun andros o bwysig gan ei fod yn darparu gwersi am drais yn erbyn menywod, trais domestig a thrais rhywiol i blant a phobl ifanc, ac mae'n dda bod ysgolion yn cael bod yn rhan, felly, o'r cynllun, a dysgu. Yn anffodus, dwi'n cael ar ddeall bod niferoedd ysgolion Gwynedd a Môn sy'n rhan o'r cynllun yn isel iawn, ac er nad oes dadansoddiad trylwyr wedi cael ei wneud o pam fod hynny, y gred ydy ei fod yn ymwneud â'r ffaith mai dim ond un swyddog sydd yn gweithio ar y prosiect yng ngogledd Cymru sy'n medru siarad Cymraeg. Bydd yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet, felly, yn gwerthfawrogi pwysigrwydd y Gymraeg wrth weithio efo ysgolion sy'n gweithredu trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg yng Ngwynedd a Môn. Felly, a wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet edrych i mewn i'r mater yma, a sicrhau bod y prosiect yn medru cydweithio'n llawn gyda phob ysgol yn y gogledd?

Thank you very much for that response, Cabinet Secretary. Spectrum, of course, is a very important programme, as it provides lessons on violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence for children and young people, and it's good that schools can participate in that scheme and learn from it. Unfortunately, I'm given to understand that the number of schools in Gwynedd and Anglesey that are part of the scheme is very low, and although there's been no thorough analysis of why that is the case, the belief is that it relates to the fact that there's only one official working on the project in north Wales that can speak Welsh. The Cabinet Secretary will appreciate the importance of the Welsh language in working with schools that operate through the medium of Welsh in Gwynedd and Anglesey. So, will the Cabinet Secretary look into this issue and ensure that the project can work fully with all schools in north Wales?

14:20

Diolch yn fawr, Mabon. Mae'n bwysig iawn i Sbectrwm drafod gwersi yn y Gymraeg.

Thank you, Mabon. It's very important for Spectrum to discuss Welsh-medium lessons. 

On the Spectrum Project there's very positive feedback from the schools and educational settings that have undertaken sessions, but, in fact, we are working closely with Spectrum to review their delivery model, to ensure that, in future, every child in Wales in primary and secondary education can receive at least one session of health relationships work through their relationships and sex education curriculum. But I will take this forward, in terms of the importance of making sure that there are Welsh speakers delivering Spectrum in our schools in Wales.

Ar y Prosiect Sbectrwm, ceir adborth cadarnhaol iawn o'r ysgolion a'r lleoliadau addysgol sydd wedi cynnal sesiynau, ond mewn gwirionedd, rydym yn gweithio'n agos gyda Sbectrwm i adolygu eu model cyflawni, er mwyn sicrhau, yn y dyfodol, y gall pob plentyn yng Nghymru mewn addysg gynradd ac uwchradd dderbyn o leiaf un sesiwn o waith ar berthynas iach trwy eu cwricwlwm addysg rhyw a chydberthynas. Ond fe wnaf fwrw ymlaen â hyn, a phwysigrwydd sicrhau bod siaradwyr Cymraeg yn darparu Sbectrwm yn ein hysgolion yng Nghymru.

I'm grateful for the opportunity to raise the scourge of sexual violence in north Wales during Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week, and I'm keen to understand how the Welsh Government is assessing the success of educational programmes to curb these offences. The number of reported sexual assault offences in north Wales increased from 2,446 in 2023 to 2,558 offences in 2024. So, in the area of sexual offences, the numbers are actually increasing and are quite shocking, and across the policing area covered by North Wales Police, only 4 per cent of sexual assault complaints resulted in a charge or summons.

So, whilst early education on healthy relationships is essential, sexual offences, like all crimes, will increase if the offenders recognise that there's a very low probability of being arrested and charged for the offence. Even within schools, almost a third of 16 to 18-year-old girls in the UK said that they'd been subjected to unwanted touching at school, which shows the problem is endemic, despite education on the topic. And despite being a reserved matter, the Welsh Government still has a role to educate victims on how to report sexual crimes and provide support to victims to ensure a higher conviction rate.

So, can the Cabinet Secretary outline how the Welsh Government is responding to disappointing results from anti-sexual-violence and healthy relationships education, and how they are considering changing education in a way that empowers the victims to ensure convictions? Diolch.

Rwy'n ddiolchgar am y cyfle i godi malltod trais rhywiol yng ngogledd Cymru yn ystod Wythnos Ymwybyddiaeth Cam-drin Rhywiol a Thrais Rhywiol, ac rwy'n awyddus i ddeall sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn asesu llwyddiant rhaglenni addysgol i gyfyngu ar y troseddau hyn. Cynyddodd nifer y troseddau ymosodiadau rhywiol a adroddwyd yng ngogledd Cymru o 2,446 yn 2023 i 2,558 o droseddau yn 2024. Felly, ym maes troseddau rhywiol, mae'r niferoedd yn cynyddu mewn gwirionedd ac yn eithaf brawychus, ac ar draws ardal plismona Heddlu Gogledd Cymru, dim ond 4 y cant o gwynion am ymosodiadau rhywiol a arweiniodd at gyhuddiad neu wŷs.

Felly, er bod addysg gynnar ar berthynas iach yn hanfodol, bydd troseddau rhywiol, fel pob trosedd, yn cynyddu os yw'r troseddwyr yn gweld bod tebygolrwydd isel iawn o gael eu harestio a'u cyhuddo am y drosedd. Hyd yn oed mewn ysgolion, dywedodd bron i draean o ferched 16 i 18 oed yn y DU eu bod wedi dioddef cyffwrdd digroeso yn yr ysgol, sy'n dangos bod y broblem yn endemig, er gwaethaf addysg ar y pwnc. Ac er ei fod yn fater a gadwyd yn ôl, mae gan Lywodraeth Cymru rôl o hyd i addysgu dioddefwyr ynglŷn â sut i adrodd am droseddau rhywiol a darparu cefnogaeth i ddioddefwyr er mwyn sicrhau cyfradd uwch o euogfarnau.

Felly, a all Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet amlinellu sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ymateb i ganlyniadau siomedig addysg gwrth-drais rhywiol a pherthynas iach, a sut y maent yn ystyried newid addysg mewn ffordd sy'n rhoi grym i ddioddefwyr allu sicrhau euogfarnau? Diolch.

Diolch yn fawr. Thank you also for highlighting the fact that this week is Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week, and thank you for your continuing championing of that, and for giving those statistics today, which are very concerning in terms of the crime and justice issues that you highlight in north Wales. Just on the matter of crime and justice on this issue, we have very strong working relationships with policing in Wales, particularly in north Wales, indeed, with the police and crime commissioners, and of course you have a chief constable, Amanda Blakeman, who is very powerful in leading on these issues.

But you're right to link this to education, and education at every level. We've just talked about Spectrum. What's really important is that Spectrum is not just undertaking their work with pupils, but they're also providing additional training to teachers, at teacher training days, parent and governor meetings, and they have close working relationships with education settings as well. As I've said, we are looking particularly at how we can improve the delivery, extend Spectrum, but also, I think, importantly, the work that we do with the Sound campaign, which helps to provide young men and boys with positive role models, which I know you have recognised, and increasing our funding for all violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence projects for 2025-26, but it is clear that this has to be underpinned by our work in encouraging and developing relationships and sexuality education as a statutory requirement in our schools, and mandatory for all learners. Of course, that impacts on all aspects of life in society.

Diolch yn fawr. Diolch hefyd am dynnu sylw at y ffaith ei bod yn Wythnos Ymwybyddiaeth Cam-drin Rhywiol a Thrais Rhywiol yr wythnos hon, a diolch am eich cefnogaeth barhaus i hynny, ac am roi'r ystadegau hyn heddiw, sy'n peri pryder mawr o ran y materion trosedd a chyfiawnder y tynnwch sylw atynt yng ngogledd Cymru. Ar drosedd a chyfiawnder yn y mater hwn, mae gennym berthynas waith gref iawn gyda phlismona yng Nghymru, yn enwedig yng ngogledd Cymru yn wir, gyda'r comisiynwyr heddlu a throseddu, ac wrth gwrs mae gennych brif gwnstabl, Amanda Blakeman, sy'n bwerus iawn wrth arwain ar y materion hyn.

Ond rydych chi'n iawn i gysylltu hyn ag addysg, ac addysg ar bob lefel. Rydym newydd siarad am Sbectrwm. Yr hyn sy'n bwysig iawn yw bod Sbectrwm yn gwneud mwy na'u gwaith gyda disgyblion yn unig, a'u bod hefyd yn darparu hyfforddiant ychwanegol i athrawon, ar ddiwrnodau hyfforddi athrawon, mewn cyfarfodydd rhieni a llywodraethwyr, a bod ganddynt berthynas waith agos gyda lleoliadau addysg hefyd. Fel y dywedais, rydym yn edrych yn arbennig ar sut y gallwn wella'r ddarpariaeth, ymestyn Sbectrwm ond hefyd, yn bwysig, y gwaith a wnawn gyda'r ymgyrch Iawn, sy'n helpu i ddarparu modelau rôl cadarnhaol i ddynion a bechgyn ifanc, ymgyrch y gwn eich bod wedi ei chydnabod, a chynyddu ein cyllid ar gyfer pob prosiect trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol ar gyfer 2025-26, ond mae'n amlwg fod yn rhaid i hyn gael ei ategu gan ein gwaith ar annog a datblygu addysg cydberthynas a rhywioldeb fel gofyniad statudol yn ein hysgolion, a'i fod yn orfodol i bob dysgwr. Wrth gwrs, mae hynny'n effeithio ar bob agwedd ar fywyd mewn cymdeithas.

14:25

Cabinet Secretary, I've seen at first-hand some of the positive messages pupils have taken away with regard to learning about healthy relationships in school. And, for many, many years, I've worked also with schools, inviting the young people, the pupils, to come up with their own ideas and their own thoughts about what positive relationships look like, under the respect agenda. And I think, in a fast-moving environment where young people access material in many different formats, it's more important now than ever that we help them understand what a good relationship looks like, and also how to protect themselves from outside influences beyond their control. So, would you agree with me that projects like the Spectrum Project, and also others, are essential now and critical in helping to build the positive relationships that we'll see young people carrying with them throughout their lives?

Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, rwyf wedi gweld yn uniongyrchol y negeseuon cadarnhaol y mae disgyblion wedi'u cael o ddysgu am berthynas iach yn yr ysgol. Ac ers blynyddoedd lawer, rwyf wedi gweithio gydag ysgolion, gan wahodd y bobl ifanc, y disgyblion, i feddwl am eu syniadau eu hunain ynglŷn â beth sy'n berthynas gadarnhaol, o dan yr agenda parch. Ac mewn amgylchedd sy'n symud yn gyflym lle mae pobl ifanc yn cyrchu deunydd mewn llawer o wahanol fformatau, rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysicach nag erioed nawr ein bod yn eu helpu i ddeall sut beth yw perthynas dda, a hefyd sut i ddiogelu eu hunain rhag dylanwadau allanol y tu hwnt i'w rheolaeth. Felly, a fyddech chi'n cytuno â mi fod prosiectau fel Prosiect Sbectrwm ac eraill, yn hanfodol nawr ac yn allweddol i helpu i feithrin y perthnasoedd cadarnhaol y byddwn ni'n gweld pobl ifanc yn eu cario gyda hwy drwy gydol eu bywydau?

Well, thank you very much, Joyce Watson, and thank you for continuing to lead—a champion of not only White Ribbon, which is an all-year-round campaign, but also the work that you do in your constituency and with schools and young people. And we know that tackling violence against women requires that societal change, where we have to start with focusing on young people and education and early intervention.

It is Stori Wales that we fund to deliver the Spectrum Project in schools, and it provides all children in Wales with advice and guidance on healthy relationships. Just one extra point I'd like to make about Spectrum, in response to your question, is that they're working today to develop a peer mentor scheme, and that's really important, in terms of older pupils being able to support younger pupils and students in discussions around healthy relationships, creating safe environments for often difficult conversations, and modelling positive behaviours.

Wel, diolch, Joyce Watson, a diolch am barhau i arwain—hyrwyddwr nid yn unig y Rhuban Gwyn, sy'n ymgyrch drwy gydol y flwyddyn, ond hefyd y gwaith a wnewch yn eich etholaeth a chydag ysgolion a phobl ifanc. Ac rydym yn gwybod bod mynd i'r afael â thrais yn erbyn menywod yn galw am newid cymdeithasol, lle mae'n rhaid inni ddechrau gyda chanolbwyntio ar bobl ifanc ac addysg ac ymyrraeth gynnar.

Rydym yn ariannu Stori Cymru i gyflawni'r Prosiect Sbectrwm mewn ysgolion, ac mae'n rhoi cyngor ac arweiniad i bob plentyn yng Nghymru ar berthynas iach. Un pwynt ychwanegol yr hoffwn ei wneud am Sbectrwm mewn ymateb i'ch cwestiwn yw eu bod yn gweithio heddiw i ddatblygu cynllun mentora cymheiriaid, ac mae hynny'n bwysig iawn, o ran gallu disgyblion hŷn i gefnogi disgyblion a myfyrwyr iau mewn trafodaethau ynghylch perthynas iach, gan greu amgylcheddau diogel ar gyfer sgyrsiau anodd yn aml, a modelu ymddygiad cadarnhaol.

Hawlio Budd-daliadau
Claiming Benefits

2. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i sicrhau bod pobl yn Nelyn yn hawlio'r budd-daliadau y mae ganddynt hawl iddynt? OQ62259

2. What action is the Welsh Government taking to ensure people in Delyn are claiming the benefits they are entitled to? OQ62259

Diolch yn fawr, Hannah Blythyn. Our investment in a range of projects, including the 'Claim what's yours' national take-up campaign, free training to empower front-line workers and income maximisation services delivered through the single advice fund, is helping people in Delyn, and across Wales, to claim every pound they're entitled to.

Diolch yn fawr, Hannah Blythyn. Mae ein buddsoddiad mewn amrywiaeth o brosiectau, gan gynnwys ymgyrch genedlaethol 'Hawliwch yr hyn sy'n ddyledus i chi', hyfforddiant am ddim i rymuso gweithwyr rheng flaen a gwasanaethau pwyslais ar incwm a ddarperir trwy'r gronfa gynghori sengl, yn helpu pobl yn Nelyn, ac ar draws Cymru, i hawlio pob punt y mae ganddynt hawl iddi.

Diolch am eich ymateb ac eich gwaith hefyd.

Thank you very much for your response and for all of your work in this area.

I'm pleased that my own local authority, Flintshire County Council, is amongst those working with the Welsh Government and other partners to make benefits, grants and other payments, such as free school meals, the school essentials grant, and the council tax reduction scheme as simple to claim as they possibly can be.

I believe we need to be clear when we're talking about this that it's about fairness, equality and social justice. It is simply what people deserve and are entitled to as part of a civilised society. I also very much recognise the progressive position that the Welsh Government takes on this and what has been done to provide financial support within the constraints the Government has faced and faces. With that said, Cabinet Secretary, you'll know that I've raised with you before the Unite union’s campaign for further financial support for pensioners in Wales, and would ask again that you give that due consideration. Sadly, we know that too many people do not reach out for support, and can suffer as a consequence. Diolch.

Rwy'n falch fod fy awdurdod lleol fy hun, Cyngor Sir y Fflint, ymhlith y rhai sy'n gweithio gyda Llywodraeth Cymru a phartneriaid eraill i wneud budd-daliadau, grantiau a thaliadau eraill, megis prydau ysgol am ddim, y grant hanfodion ysgol, a chynllun gostyngiadau'r dreth gyngor mor syml i'w hawlio ag y gallant fod.

Rwy'n credu bod angen inni fod yn glir pan fyddwn yn siarad am hyn ei fod yn ymwneud â thegwch, cydraddoldeb a chyfiawnder cymdeithasol. Dyma'r hyn y mae pobl yn ei haeddu ac y mae ganddynt hawl iddo fel rhan o gymdeithas wâr. Hefyd, rwy'n cydnabod safbwynt blaengar Llywodraeth Cymru ar hyn, a'r hyn a wnaed i ddarparu cymorth ariannol o fewn y cyfyngiadau y mae'r Llywodraeth wedi'u hwynebu ac yn eu hwynebu. Wedi dweud hynny, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, fe fyddwch yn gwybod fy mod wedi codi ymgyrch undeb Unite i gael cymorth ariannol pellach i bensiynwyr yng Nghymru yn y gorffennol, a hoffwn ofyn eto i chi roi ystyriaeth ddyledus i hynny. Yn anffodus, gwyddom fod gormod o bobl nad ydynt yn estyn allan am gymorth, a gallant ddioddef o ganlyniad i hynny. Diolch.

Diolch yn fawr am eich cwestiwn pwysig iawn.

Thank you very much for your very important supplementary question.

I think Flintshire County Council should be congratulated for their commitment to ensuring that people take up—. These are entitlements. This is about us developing our Welsh benefits system here in Wales, and Flintshire is actively engaged in the Welsh benefits charter, the phase 1 route map that will ensure people only need to present their evidence once to claim council tax reduction, free school meals and school essentials grant in each local authority in Wales, and Flintshire taking an active role in that. And also they have engaged in the Policy in Practice—. Flintshire has engaged, as have other north Wales and other authorities in Wales, with Policy in Practice, to ensure that they can target residents who are missing out on any entitlements, beyond the three that we're particularly focusing on. That's about using a data analytics tool from Policy in Practice. They can identify and target residents who are missing out on their entitlements over the course of the year. So, again, I'm glad that Flintshire has taken this up. It's interesting that, in Flintshire, over 10,000 low-income households are in receipt of the council tax reduction scheme. Over 8,000 households pay no council tax at all in Flintshire.

Another point that I think is relevant is that we continue to maintain entitlements by ensuring the council tax reduction scheme is uprated annually to take account of rises in the cost of living. But following your questions to me at an earlier stage, I am meeting Peter Hughes, Wales secretary of Unite, in the next few weeks. I'm also meeting the Unite pensioners to talk about ways in which we can respond to their fuel payment campaign, and I look forward to doing that. I've got the date in the diary, and in fact, if you're available, I'd like you to join us.

Rwy'n credu y dylid llongyfarch Cyngor Sir y Fflint am eu hymrwymiad i sicrhau bod pobl yn manteisio ar—. Hawliau yw'r rhain. Mae'n ymwneud â ni'n datblygu ein system budd-daliadau Cymreig yma yng Nghymru, ac mae sir y Fflint yn cymryd rhan weithredol yn siarter budd-daliadau Cymru, y cynllun cam 1 a fydd yn sicrhau mai dim ond unwaith y bydd angen i bobl gyflwyno eu tystiolaeth i hawlio gostyngiad yn y dreth gyngor, prydau ysgol am ddim a grant hanfodion ysgol ym mhob awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru, gyda sir y Fflint yn cymryd rhan weithredol yn hynny. A hefyd maent wedi cymryd rhan yn Policy in Practice—. Mae sir y Fflint wedi ymgysylltu, fel y mae awdurdodau eraill yng ngogledd Cymru ac awdurdodau eraill yng Nghymru, gyda Policy in Practice, i sicrhau eu bod yn gallu targedu preswylwyr nad ydynt yn cael yr hyn y mae ganddynt hawl iddo, y tu hwnt i'r tri budd-dal yr ydym yn canolbwyntio'n benodol arnynt. Mae hynny'n ymwneud â defnyddio offeryn dadansoddi data gan Policy in Practice. Gallant nodi a thargedu preswylwyr nad ydynt yn cael yr hyn y mae ganddynt hawl iddo yn ystod y flwyddyn. Felly, unwaith eto, rwy'n falch fod sir y Fflint wedi manteisio ar hyn. Mae'n ddiddorol, yn sir y Fflint, fod dros 10,000 o aelwydydd incwm isel yn cael cynllun gostyngiadau'r dreth gyngor. Nid yw dros 8,000 o aelwydydd yn talu unrhyw dreth gyngor o gwbl yn sir y Fflint.

Pwynt arall sy'n berthnasol yn fy marn i yw ein bod yn parhau i gynnal hawliau drwy sicrhau bod cynllun gostyngiadau'r dreth gyngor yn cael ei uwchraddio'n flynyddol i ystyried cynnydd yng nghostau byw. Ond yn dilyn eich cwestiynau i mi yn gynharach, rwy'n cyfarfod â Peter Hughes, ysgrifennydd undeb Unite yng Nghymru, yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf. Rwyf hefyd yn cyfarfod â phensiynwyr Unite i siarad am ffyrdd y gallwn ymateb i'w hymgyrch taliad tanwydd, ac edrychaf ymlaen at wneud hynny. Mae gennyf y dyddiad yn y dyddiadur, ac os ydych chi ar gael, hoffwn i chi ymuno â ni.

14:30

Despite the figures you use, Flintshire is still nineteenth out of 22 for per capita funding in the local government funding formula.

November's Citizens Advice Flintshire news focused on energy advice and the deadline to claim the non-devolved winter fuel payment. December's Citizens Advice Flintshire news focused on council tax discounts and reductions, which, of course, are devolved.

Questioning you here a year ago on the Welsh benefits charter, I noted that the sector had been calling for a coherent and integrated Welsh benefits system for all the means-tested benefits the Welsh Government is responsible for, as had I, for almost a decade.

The Welsh Government has now published a streamlining Welsh benefits route map to ensure that people can seamlessly claim their entitlement to council tax reduction, free school meals and the school essentials grant in each Welsh local authority by April 2026. This includes:

'Consider how Job Centre Plus signpost to Welsh benefits.'

How will you, therefore, ensure that the call by witnesses to the 2019 Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee inquiry into benefits in Wales and options for better delivery, which I was part of, for Jobcentre Plus offices to act as a single point of access by incorporating a local authority Welsh benefits service is acted upon?

Er gwaethaf y ffigurau a ddefnyddiwch, mae sir y Fflint yn dal i fod yn safle 19 allan o 22 ar gyfer cyllid y pen yn y fformiwla gyllido llywodraeth leol.

Roedd newyddion Cyngor ar Bopeth sir y Fflint ym mis Tachwedd yn canolbwyntio ar gyngor ar ynni a'r dyddiad cau i hawlio taliad tanwydd y gaeaf sydd heb ei ddatganoli. Roedd newyddion Cyngor ar Bopeth sir y Fflint ym mis Rhagfyr yn canolbwyntio ar ddisgowntiau a gostyngiadau'r dreth gyngor, sydd wedi'u datganoli.

Wrth eich holi yma flwyddyn yn ôl ynghylch siarter budd-daliadau Cymru, nodais fod y sector wedi bod yn galw am system fudd-daliadau gydlynol ac integredig i Gymru ar gyfer yr holl fudd-daliadau prawf modd y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gyfrifol amdanynt, fel y gwneuthum innau, am bron i ddegawd.

Mae Llywodraeth Cymru bellach wedi cyhoeddi trywydd symleiddio budd-daliadau Cymru er mwyn sicrhau y gall pobl hawlio eu hawl i ostyngiad yn y dreth gyngor, prydau ysgol am ddim a'r grant hanfodion ysgol ym mhob awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru erbyn mis Ebrill 2026. Mae hyn yn cynnwys:

'Ystyried sut mae'r Ganolfan Byd Gwaith yn cyfeirio at fudd-daliadau Cymru.'

Sut y byddwch chi, felly, yn sicrhau y gweithredir ar alwad tystion i ymchwiliad Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb, Llywodraeth Leol a Chymunedau 2019 i fudd-daliadau yng Nghymru ac opsiynau ar gyfer cyflawni'n well, yr oeddwn i'n rhan ohono, ar swyddfeydd y Ganolfan Byd Gwaith i weithredu fel un pwynt mynediad trwy ymgorffori gwasanaeth budd-daliadau Cymreig i awdurdodau lleol?

Thank you very much, Mark Isherwood. I'm glad you've repeated what I have been answering to Hannah Blythyn: the importance of the Welsh benefits charter and what it is now delivering. It's going much further beyond those really important discussions that you had back when you were engaging with this back in 2019, and, of course, engaging with Citizens Advice and all those providers through the single advice fund.

Importantly, I met with Fran Targett, the chair of the Welsh benefits steering group—we have a Welsh benefits steering group in Wales—with Matthew Evans, Wrexham council head of revenue and benefits and chair of the local authority senior responsible officer group. I met with them in Wrexham only a few weeks ago, and we talked about the steps that they are taking. They are driving and enabling local authorities across Wales to deliver that access and entitlement to benefits. It was very encouraging to see the partners, including, of course, jobcentres, in the way that this has been taken up.

Can I just give you another example for Flintshire? The school essentials grant allocation for Flintshire local authority for the 2025 grant year is over £400,000, and in the first quarter of the grant year, over £570,000 has been awarded, achieving approximately 125 per cent of the allocated budget and supporting over 4,000 children and young people in Flintshire. So, you can see that, already, this phase 1 is actually delivering to children in need and families in Flintshire and across Wales.

Diolch, Mark Isherwood. Rwy'n falch eich bod wedi ailadrodd yr ateb a roddais i Hannah Blythyn: pwysigrwydd siarter budd-daliadau Cymru a'r hyn y mae bellach yn ei gyflawni. Mae'n mynd ymhell y tu hwnt i'r trafodaethau pwysig iawn a gawsoch pan oeddech chi'n ymwneud â hyn yn ôl yn 2019, ac yn ymwneud â Chyngor ar Bopeth a'r holl ddarparwyr hynny trwy'r gronfa gynghori sengl.

Yn bwysig, cyfarfûm â Fran Targett, cadeirydd grŵp llywio budd-daliadau Cymru—mae gennym grŵp llywio budd-daliadau Cymreig yng Nghymru—gyda Matthew Evans, pennaeth refeniw a budd-daliadau cyngor Wrecsam a chadeirydd grŵp uwch swyddogion cyfrifol awdurdodau lleol. Cyfarfûm â hwy yn Wrecsam ychydig wythnosau'n ôl, a buom yn siarad am y camau y maent yn eu cymryd. Maent yn gyrru ac yn galluogi awdurdodau lleol ledled Cymru i ddarparu hawl a mynediad at fudd-daliadau. Roedd yn galonogol iawn gweld y partneriaid, gan gynnwys canolfannau gwaith, yn y ffordd y mae hyn wedi'i wneud.

A gaf i roi enghraifft arall i chi yn sir y Fflint? Mae dyraniad y grant hanfodion ysgol i awdurdod lleol sir y Fflint ar gyfer blwyddyn grant 2025 dros £400,000, ac yn chwarter cyntaf y flwyddyn grant, dyfarnwyd dros £570,000, gan gyflawni tua 125 y cant o'r gyllideb a ddyrannwyd a chefnogi dros 4,000 o blant a phobl ifanc yn sir y Fflint. Felly, fe allwch weld eisoes fod cam 1 yn darparu ar gyfer plant mewn angen a theuluoedd yn sir y Fflint a ledled Cymru.

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

Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Altaf Hussain.

Questions now from the party spokespeople. Welsh Conservative spokesperson, Altaf Hussain.

Diolch, Llywydd. Cabinet Secretary, credit unions form the cornerstone of your Government's financial inclusion strategies, and with more and more high-street banks closing, the role of credit unions has never been so important. I was therefore dismayed last week when one of my local credit unions informed me that they're having to close branches due to the increased cost of employing staff due to the Chancellor's autumn budget. Cabinet Secretary, what discussions have you had with the UK Treasury about the impact increased national insurance contributions is having on credit unions? What steps are you taking to ensure that more branches are not forced to close, resulting in loss of access to low-cost finance for our poorest citizens?

Diolch, Lywydd. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, undebau credyd yw conglfaen strategaethau cynhwysiant ariannol eich Llywodraeth, a chyda mwy a mwy o fanciau'r stryd fawr yn cau, ni fu rôl undebau credyd erioed mor bwysig. Cefais fy siomi felly yr wythnos diwethaf pan roddodd un o fy undebau credyd lleol wybod i mi eu bod yn gorfod cau canghennau oherwydd y gost gynyddol o gyflogi staff oherwydd cyllideb yr hydref y Canghellor. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, pa drafodaethau a gawsoch chi gyda Thrysorlys y DU am yr effaith y mae cynnydd i gyfraniadau yswiriant gwladol yn ei chael ar undebau credyd? Pa gamau rydych chi'n eu cymryd i sicrhau nad oes mwy o ganghennau'n cael eu gorfodi i gau, gan arwain at golli mynediad at gyllid cost isel i'n dinasyddion tlotaf?

14:35

Diolch yn fawr am eich cwestiwn, Altaf Hussain.

Thank you for your question, Altaf Hussain.

I'm really pleased I've got the opportunity to give you an update on credit unions, particularly the Celtic Credit Union in your constituency; indeed, this has been raised across the Chamber. I think it's important to report on the situation in terms of Celtic Credit Union. Actually, it's a number of factors that did drive the closure of the Port Talbot office. It is about how footfall in the branch had reduced dramatically, concerns that people using the branch weren't actually engaging. But they have kept their Neath office open. It is important that we recognise that Celtic Credit Union has taken these decisions to purchase and equip a mobile banking vehicle as part of a move to a different operating model. We've been able to provide a budget uplift of 3 per cent for all grant recipients in the third sector. That's how we're helping them, all our voluntary sector, in these difficult times—3 per cent for all grant recipients. For credit unions, this equates to an additional £13,000, distributed across the projects that we fund, because we give them £500,000 a year. So, we're looking at, clearly, how we can help credit unions, because they are so important, as you say. With the closure of banks, credit unions are the ethical way in which people can save and borrow.

Rwy'n falch iawn fy mod wedi cael cyfle i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i chi am undebau credyd, yn enwedig Undeb Credyd Celtic yn eich etholaeth; yn wir, codwyd hyn ar draws y Siambr. Rwy'n meddwl ei bod yn bwysig adrodd ar sefyllfa Undeb Credyd Celtic. Mewn gwirionedd, fe wnaeth nifer o ffactorau ysgogi cau'r swyddfa ym Mhort Talbot. Mae'n ymwneud â sut roedd nifer cwsmeriaid y gangen wedi lleihau'n sylweddol, pryderon nad oedd pobl a oedd yn defnyddio'r gangen yn ymgysylltu. Ond maent wedi cadw eu swyddfa yng Nghastell-nedd ar agor. Mae'n bwysig ein bod yn cydnabod bod Undeb Credyd Celtic wedi gwneud y penderfyniadau hyn i brynu a chyflenwi cerbyd bancio symudol fel rhan o newid i fodel gweithredu gwahanol. Rydym wedi gallu darparu cynnydd cyllidebol o 3 y cant ar gyfer holl dderbynwyr grantiau yn y trydydd sector. Dyna sut rydym yn eu helpu, ein holl sector gwirfoddol, yn y cyfnod anodd hwn—3 y cant i bob derbynnydd grant. Ar gyfer undebau credyd, mae hyn yn cyfateb i £13,000 ychwanegol, wedi'i ddosbarthu ar draws y prosiectau a ariannwn, oherwydd rydym yn rhoi £500,000 y flwyddyn iddynt. Felly, rydym yn edrych ar sut y gallwn helpu undebau credyd am eu bod mor bwysig, fel rydych chi'n dweud. Wrth i fanciau gau, undebau credyd yw'r ffordd foesegol y gall pobl gynilo a benthyg.

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Of course, the increase in national insurance contributions is not just impacting credit unions, it is also weighing heavily on those organisations seeking to tackle food and fuel poverty. While it's true to say that many of these services depend on volunteers, it is the paid staff that organise the volunteers and manage the services provided to our most vulnerable citizens. Increased employment costs, as well as the inevitable increase in food and fuel costs thanks to the UK Government's decisions, will impact those services and their ability to help mitigate fuel and food poverty. Cabinet Secretary, how will you ensure that services such as foodbanks and warm hubs do not close as a result of financial pressures placed on them as a result of the Treasury's decisions?

Diolch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Wrth gwrs, nid ar undebau credyd yn unig y mae'r cynnydd i gyfraniadau yswiriant gwladol yn effeithio, mae hefyd yn pwyso'n drwm ar y sefydliadau sy'n ceisio mynd i'r afael â thlodi bwyd a thanwydd. Er ei bod yn wir dweud bod llawer o'r gwasanaethau hyn yn dibynnu ar wirfoddolwyr, y staff cyflogedig sy'n trefnu'r gwirfoddolwyr ac yn rheoli'r gwasanaethau a ddarperir i'n dinasyddion mwyaf bregus. Bydd costau cyflogaeth cynyddol, yn ogystal â'r cynnydd anochel mewn costau bwyd a thanwydd diolch i benderfyniadau Llywodraeth y DU, yn effeithio ar y gwasanaethau hynny a'u gallu i helpu i liniaru tlodi tanwydd a bwyd. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, sut y byddwch chi'n sicrhau nad yw gwasanaethau fel banciau bwyd a chanolfannau clyd yn cau o ganlyniad i bwysau ariannol a roddir arnynt o ganlyniad i benderfyniadau'r Trysorlys?

Diolch yn fawr am eich cwestiwn.

Thank you for your question.

It is important that we have given an uplift to the third sector—it's really important to get that message over and to share that with your constituents. We have 40,000 voluntary organisations in Wales, and they're supported by our 19 county voluntary councils and the Wales Council for Voluntary Action. I just wanted to also identify that not only are we providing an uplift of 3 per cent in the third sector, but organisations are also benefiting from three-year funding agreements—that's what they need for stability and sustainability.

There's three-year funding for the third sector partnership council, the 19 county voluntary councils and the WCVA—they're the ones who actually help the local organisations in terms of funding, access to funding, governance. And I do encourage you all, if you have local organisations: in terms of funding needs and issues and challenges, turn to your local county voluntary council. But also, I am, across the portfolio, supporting that 3 per cent increase to third sector grants in line with the 3 per cent uplift also to commissioners and sponsored bodies. So, in fact, third sector infrastructure will receive funding of £25.8 million, a 7 per cent increase on previous years.

I’m also pleased you’ve mentioned warm hubs and volunteers—£1.5 million I’ve announced, of course, for warm hubs this year, and it’s in the draft budget for next year as well. I’ve been visiting warm hubs, where volunteers are making a huge contribution to supporting vulnerable people to access information, advice and guidance, but also breaking down isolation. At Llanddewi Velfrey village hall, after storm Dennis, they brought people together when people lost their electricity supplies. So, the voluntary sector is getting this uplift in the draft budget, and also those longer term three-year funding arrangements.

Mae'n bwysig ein bod wedi rhoi hwb i'r trydydd sector—mae'n bwysig iawn cyfleu'r neges honno a rhannu hynny gyda'ch etholwyr. Mae gennym 40,000 o fudiadau gwirfoddol yng Nghymru, ac fe'u cefnogir gan ein 19 cyngor gwirfoddol sirol a Chyngor Gweithredu Gwirfoddol Cymru. Roeddwn am nodi hefyd ein bod nid yn unig yn darparu cynnydd o 3 y cant yn y trydydd sector, mae sefydliadau hefyd yn elwa o gytundebau cyllido tair blynedd—dyna sydd ei angen arnynt ar gyfer sefydlogrwydd a chynaliadwyedd.

Mae yna gyllid tair blynedd ar gyfer cyngor partneriaeth y trydydd sector, y 19 cyngor gwirfoddol sirol a Chyngor Gweithredu Gwirfoddol Cymru—dyma'r rhai sy'n helpu'r sefydliadau lleol o ran cyllid, mynediad at gyllid, trefniadau llywodraethu. Ac rwy'n eich annog i gyd, os oes gennych sefydliadau lleol: o ran anghenion, materion a heriau cyllid, trowch at eich cyngor gwirfoddol sirol lleol. Ond hefyd, ar draws y portffolio, rwy'n cefnogi'r cynnydd o 3 y cant i grantiau'r trydydd sector yn unol â'r cynnydd o 3 y cant hefyd i gomisiynwyr a chyrff noddedig. Felly, mewn gwirionedd, bydd seilwaith y trydydd sector yn derbyn cyllid o £25.8 miliwn, cynnydd o 7 y cant ar y blynyddoedd blaenorol.

Rwyf hefyd yn falch eich bod wedi sôn am ganolfannau clyd a gwirfoddolwyr—cyhoeddais £1.5 miliwn ar gyfer canolfannau clyd eleni, ac mae yn y gyllideb ddrafft ar gyfer y flwyddyn nesaf hefyd. Rwyf wedi bod yn ymweld â chanolfannau clyd, lle mae gwirfoddolwyr yn gwneud cyfraniad enfawr yn cefnogi pobl fregus i gael gafael ar wybodaeth, cyngor ac arweiniad, a lleihau ynysigrwydd yn ogystal. Yn neuadd bentref Llanddewi Felffre, ar ôl storm Dennis, daethant â phobl at ei gilydd pan gollodd pobl eu cyflenwadau trydan. Felly, mae'r sector gwirfoddol yn cael y cynnydd hwn yn y gyllideb ddrafft, a hefyd y trefniadau cyllido tair blynedd mwy hirdymor hynny.

14:40

I am grateful to you, Cabinet Secretary. With key employers and sectors warning that the Chancellor’s decision will impact jobs and growth, as well as pushing up retail prices, it’s more important than ever that we redouble efforts to tackle poverty in Wales. Independent assessments show that Rachel Reeves’s budget will hit low-paid workers in Wales the hardest. These same households are seeing their fuel bills rise, their water bills go up, and they are dreading the council tax bills dropping on their doorsteps. Cabinet Secretary, what discussions have you had with the Cabinet Secretary for finance on the actions your Government can take to shield low-paid workers in Wales from the hardships to come as a result of the UK Government’s decisions? Thank you.

Rwy'n ddiolchgar ichi, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Gyda chyflogwyr a sectorau allweddol yn rhybuddio y bydd penderfyniad y Canghellor yn effeithio ar swyddi a thwf, yn ogystal â gwthio prisiau manwerthu i fyny, mae'n bwysicach nag erioed ein bod yn dwysáu ymdrechion i fynd i'r afael â thlodi yng Nghymru. Mae asesiadau annibynnol yn dangos y bydd cyllideb Rachel Reeves yn taro gweithwyr ar gyflogau isel yng Nghymru yn galetach nag unman arall. Mae'r un cartrefi'n gweld eu biliau tanwydd yn codi, eu biliau dŵr yn codi, ac maent yn ofni gweld biliau'r dreth gyngor yn cyrraedd. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, pa drafodaethau a gawsoch gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros gyllid ar y camau y gall eich Llywodraeth eu cymryd i warchod gweithwyr ar gyflogau isel yng Nghymru rhag y caledi sydd i ddod o ganlyniad i benderfyniadau Llywodraeth y DU? Diolch.

Thank you. I’ve given you some feedback on the ways in which we’re supporting the third sector in particular. I would say also, just in terms of the support we are giving, we must remember as well—and this applies to smaller organisations and employers—that the employment allowance—that’s the Government initiative that reduces eligible national insurance liability—is, of course, being increased from April of next year to £10,500 for the tax year 2025-26. That is for the smaller charities and employers. It’s important to say that charities and eligible businesses can claim the allowance to reduce their secondary class 1 national insurance contributions. And it helps young people as well. So, we must make sure that information gets through.

But of course, what we are doing in terms of tackling child poverty, which we are taking forward, is not just making sure that everyone takes up the entitlements—we’ve been talking about that in the earlier questions—but also just to recognise the other ways in which we are supporting people who may be affected. I think last week, the fact that we announced that thousands more post-16 learners in colleges and sixth forms will receive the education maintenance allowance, following the decision to uplift the household income thresholds, will result in so many more young people, as well as families and people in work, being able to apply for the education maintenance allowance.

Diolch. Rwyf wedi rhoi rhywfaint o adborth i chi ar y ffyrdd rydym yn cefnogi'r trydydd sector yn arbennig. Hoffwn ddweud hefyd, o ran y cymorth a roddwn, mae'n rhaid inni gofio hefyd—ac mae hyn yn berthnasol i sefydliadau a chyflogwyr llai—fod y lwfans cyflogaeth—sef menter y Llywodraeth sy'n lleihau atebolrwydd yswiriant gwladol cymwys—yn cael ei gynyddu o fis Ebrill y flwyddyn nesaf i £10,500 ar gyfer blwyddyn dreth 2025-26. Mae hynny ar gyfer elusennau a chyflogwyr llai. Mae'n bwysig dweud y gall elusennau a busnesau cymwys hawlio'r lwfans i leihau eu cyfraniadau yswiriant gwladol dosbarth 1 uwchradd. Ac mae hefyd yn helpu pobl ifanc. Felly, mae'n rhaid inni sicrhau bod y wybodaeth honno'n cael ei chyfleu.

Ond wrth gwrs, yr hyn a wnawn i fynd i'r afael â thlodi plant, sy'n symud yn ei flaen gennym, yw nid yn unig sicrhau bod pawb yn manteisio ar yr hawliau—rydym wedi bod yn siarad am hynny yn y cwestiynau cynharach—ond hefyd cydnabod y ffyrdd eraill y cefnogwn bobl a allai gael eu heffeithio. Yr wythnos diwethaf, bydd y ffaith ein bod wedi cyhoeddi y bydd miloedd yn fwy o ddysgwyr ôl-16 mewn colegau ac yn y chweched dosbarth yn derbyn y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg, yn dilyn y penderfyniad i godi trothwyon incwm aelwydydd, yn arwain at alluogi cymaint yn fwy o bobl ifanc, yn ogystal â theuluoedd a phobl mewn gwaith, i wneud cais am y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg.

Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Sioned Williams. 

Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Sioned Williams. 

Diolch, Llywydd. Last week, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation published its latest report on poverty, and the findings are damning. Child poverty is rising across the UK, and Wales is set to have the highest rate. By 2029, over 34 per cent of children in Wales will be living in poverty—more than in England, more than in Northern Ireland. One part of the UK is expected to do better—Scotland. There, child poverty is actually expected to fall. Why? Well, the report says it’s mainly because of the Scottish child payment—a policy Scotland can deliver, of course, because they have more powers over welfare than we do. The UK Labour Government have refused to take crucial steps so far on repairing the social security system, such as scrapping the two-child limit and benefit cap, which used to, of course, be called for by yourselves.

When I’ve asked the First Minister about action on child poverty, she always responds with how economic growth is the answer. But this report argues that we will fail to shift the dial on child poverty if we rely on rising economic growth alone to boost low-income family finances. So, Cabinet Secretary, what’s your response to this report, and Wales being on course for the worst child poverty rates in the UK, even though we have a change of Government in Westminster? Do you agree that Scotland’s ability to control social security has allowed them to take meaningful action on child poverty? Will you make a stronger case for Wales to have these powers?

Diolch, Lywydd. Yr wythnos diwethaf, cyhoeddodd Sefydliad Joseph Rowntree ei adroddiad diweddaraf ar dlodi, ac mae'r canfyddiadau'n ddamniol. Mae tlodi plant yn cynyddu ar draws y DU, ac mae disgwyl i Gymru fod â'r gyfradd uchaf. Erbyn 2029, bydd dros 34 y cant o blant Cymru yn byw mewn tlodi—mwy nag yn Lloegr, mwy nag yng Ngogledd Iwerddon. Mae disgwyl i un rhan o'r DU wneud yn well—yr Alban. Yno, mae disgwyl i dlodi plant ostwng. Pam? Wel, mae'r adroddiad yn dweud ei fod yn bennaf oherwydd taliad plant yr Alban—polisi y gall yr Alban ei gyflawni, wrth gwrs, oherwydd bod ganddynt fwy o bwerau dros les na sydd gennym ni. Mae Llywodraeth Lafur y DU wedi gwrthod cymryd camau hanfodol hyd yma i atgyweirio'r system nawdd cymdeithasol, megis cael gwared ar y terfyn dau blentyn a'r cap ar fudd-daliadau yr oeddech chi eich hunain yn arfer galw amdanynt wrth gwrs.

Pan ofynnaf i'r Prif Weinidog am weithredu ar dlodi plant, mae hi bob amser yn ymateb trwy ddweud mai twf economaidd yw'r ateb. Ond mae'r adroddiad hwn yn dadlau y byddwn yn methu gwneud newid mawr ar dlodi plant os ydym yn dibynnu ar dwf economaidd cynyddol yn unig i hybu cyllidebau teuluoedd incwm isel. Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, beth yw eich ymateb i'r adroddiad hwn, a'r ffaith bod Cymru ar y trywydd i gael y cyfraddau tlodi plant gwaethaf yn y DU, er bod gennym Lywodraeth newydd yn San Steffan? A ydych chi'n cytuno bod gallu'r Alban i reoli nawdd cymdeithasol wedi eu galluogi i gymryd camau ystyrlon ar dlodi plant? A fyddwch chi'n gwneud achos cryfach i Gymru gael y pwerau hyn?

Thank you very much, Sioned Williams. Of course, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report does provide a very stark view of the UK picture for those people living in poverty, and I’m committed, as is the whole Welsh Government, to taking action. It is about working collaboratively both in Government and with people across Wales to address these issues, with our local authorities, our NHS, our third sector. We’re doing all we can, within our powers, to support people and get money into people’s pockets, as I’ve described, and our child poverty strategy sets out long-term ambitions for tackling poverty.

I’m pleased that I actually now work closely with the UK Government and other devolved Governments through the four nations ministerial group on the UK child poverty strategy. That’s really helpful because I’m sitting in a four nations ministerial group with colleagues from Scottish Government, so they can share their experience of what it means to have those powers with the Northern Ireland Executive, with me as Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary, as well as led by UK Government Ministers. So, we are looking at what it means to have those powers, and also looking, I have to say, really importantly, at our social security system, which, of course, in terms of—. We use the levers that we have. But these are all being raised at that ministerial group.

Diolch, Sioned Williams. Wrth gwrs, mae adroddiad Sefydliad Joseph Rowntree yn rhoi darlun llwm iawn ar gyfer y DU o bobl yn byw mewn tlodi, ac rwyf wedi ymrwymo, fel y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei chyfanrwydd wedi gwneud, i weithredu. Mae'n ymwneud â chydweithio yn y Llywodraeth a chyda phobl ledled Cymru i fynd i'r afael â'r materion hyn, gyda'n hawdurdodau lleol, ein GIG, ein trydydd sector. Rydym yn gwneud popeth a allwn, o fewn ein pwerau, i gefnogi pobl a chael arian i bocedi pobl, fel y disgrifiais, ac mae ein strategaeth tlodi plant yn nodi uchelgeisiau tymor hir ar gyfer mynd i'r afael â thlodi.

Rwy'n falch fy mod bellach yn gweithio'n agos gyda Llywodraeth y DU a Llywodraethau datganoledig eraill drwy grŵp gweinidogol y pedair gwlad ar strategaeth tlodi plant y DU. Mae hynny'n ddefnyddiol iawn am fy mod yn rhan o grŵp gweinidogol y pedair gwlad gyda chymheiriaid o Lywodraeth yr Alban, fel y gallant rannu eu profiad o'r hyn y mae'n ei olygu i gael y pwerau hynny, gyda Gweithrediaeth Gogledd Iwerddon, gyda mi fel Ysgrifennydd Cabinet Llywodraeth Cymru, a dan arweiniad Gweinidogion Llywodraeth y DU. Felly, rydym yn edrych ar beth y mae'n ei olygu i gael y pwerau hynny, ac edrych hefyd, rhaid imi ddweud, yn bwysig iawn, ar ein system nawdd cymdeithasol, sydd, wrth gwrs, o ran—. Rydym yn defnyddio'r dulliau sydd gennym. Ond mae hyn i gyd yn cael ei godi yn y grŵp gweinidogol hwnnw.

14:45

That’s good to hear, so I’d like to ask if you could just update us on what’s in the mind of the UK Government as regards devolving those powers and that resource to Wales to be able to make that difference and shift that dial, because, obviously, action is needed. Plaid Cymru, the children’s commissioner and the Senedd’s Equality and Social Justice Committee have long been calling for targets in the child poverty strategy because, without those clear and binding targets, how do we know if we’re even making the difference that we need to make, given the powers that we have?

The Joseph Rowntree report points at Scotland. They’ve introduced legal targets to tackle child poverty, and they’re the only UK nation predicted to see child poverty fall. I don’t think that’s a coincidence; it’s the result of taking action, making commitments, and being held accountable. We’ve got to remember, this isn’t just about statistics; it’s about families, it’s about children, it’s about the future of our nation. Every child will be affected when they’re growing up in poverty— their education, their life chances, their health. So, I’d like to know, in light of this report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, why do you believe that the Welsh Government can truly tackle child poverty without those statutory targets to help drive and measure progress?

Mae hynny'n dda i'w glywed, felly hoffwn ofyn a allech chi roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf inni am yr hyn sydd ym meddwl Llywodraeth y DU mewn perthynas â datganoli'r pwerau hynny a'r adnodd hwnnw i Gymru allu gwneud y gwahaniaeth a'r newid hwnnw, oherwydd, yn amlwg, mae angen gweithredu. Mae Plaid Cymru, y comisiynydd plant a Phwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol y Senedd wedi bod yn galw ers amser maith am dargedau yn y strategaeth tlodi plant oherwydd, heb dargedau clir a gorfodol, sut y gwyddom ein bod yn gwneud y gwahaniaeth y mae angen inni ei wneud, o ystyried y pwerau sydd gennym?

Mae adroddiad Joseph Rowntree yn cyfeirio at yr Alban. Maent wedi cyflwyno targedau cyfreithiol i fynd i'r afael â thlodi plant, a hwy yw'r unig wlad yn y DU y rhagwelir y byddant yn gweld tlodi plant yn gostwng. Nid wyf yn credu bod hynny'n gyd-ddigwyddiad; mae'n ganlyniad gweithredu, gwneud ymrwymiadau, a chael eich dal yn atebol. Mae'n rhaid inni gofio nad ag ystadegau'n unig y mae hyn yn ymwneud; mae'n ymwneud â theuluoedd, mae'n ymwneud â phlant, mae'n ymwneud â dyfodol ein cenedl. Bydd pob plentyn yn cael ei effeithio pan fyddant yn tyfu i fyny mewn tlodi—eu haddysg, eu cyfleoedd mewn bywyd, eu hiechyd. Felly, hoffwn wybod, yng ngoleuni'r adroddiad hwn gan Sefydliad Joseph Rowntree, pam y credwch y gall Llywodraeth Cymru fynd i'r afael â thlodi plant heb y targedau statudol hynny i helpu i ysgogi a mesur cynnydd?

I thank you for that supplementary question. It is important that you already have had or will be having in the Equality and Social Justice Committee a briefing from Professor Rod Hick about ways in which we can assess the impact of our child poverty strategy, given the powers that we have. Of course, the key powers and levers lie in tax and benefits. That’s why it is so important that I am sitting on that four nations ministerial group. Also, as you know, I have been progressing and we are now doing more research about how we could access and follow on our commitments to looking at devolving the administration of benefits to Wales. That is still within our programme for government, and that is what we’re doing. But I would say also that it is important that we do use our powers, and with our local authorities, the Welsh benefits charter, but also the things that we’re doing with Policy in Practice, also funding the Fuel Bank Foundation to help people in fuel crisis. I’ve been raising this at the four nations meeting, that it’s tackling food poverty, tackling fuel poverty and getting a decent social security system that should be a UK-wide ambition.

Diolch am y cwestiwn atodol. Mae'n bwysig eich bod eisoes wedi cael, neu y byddwch yn cael, yn y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol, sesiwn friffio gan yr Athro Rod Hick am ffyrdd y gallwn asesu effaith ein strategaeth tlodi plant, o ystyried y pwerau sydd gennym. Wrth gwrs, mewn treth a budd-daliadau y mae'r pwerau a'r ysgogiadau allweddol. Dyna pam ei bod mor bwysig fy mod yn rhan o grŵp gweinidogol y pedair gwlad. Hefyd, fel y gwyddoch, rwyf wedi bod yn gwneud cynnydd ac rydym bellach yn gwneud mwy o ymchwil ynghylch sut y gallem gyrchu a mynd ar drywydd ein hymrwymiadau i edrych ar ddatganoli gweinyddu budd-daliadau i Gymru. Mae hynny'n dal i fod yn ein rhaglen lywodraethu, a dyna beth a wnawn. Ond hoffwn ddweud hefyd ei bod yn bwysig ein bod yn defnyddio ein pwerau, a chyda'n hawdurdodau lleol, siarter budd-daliadau Cymru, ond hefyd y pethau a wnawn gyda Policy in Practice, ac ariannu'r Sefydliad Banc Tanwydd i helpu pobl mewn argyfwng tanwydd. Rwyf wedi bod yn codi hyn yng nghyfarfod y pedair gwlad, y dylai mynd i'r afael â thlodi bwyd, mynd i'r afael â thlodi tanwydd a chael system nawdd cymdeithasol weddus fod yn uchelgais ledled y DU.

It certainly should be a UK-wide ambition, but we haven’t seen action on it so far from the UK Labour Government. Many reports have shown that women, particularly those from marginalised backgrounds, bear the brunt of economic hardship, whether through the gender pay gap, pension gap, a lack of access to affordable childcare or insecure, low-paid jobs. The Wales Women’s Budget Group and Women’s Equality Network Wales point to the deprioritisation of equalities issues in the last budget, highlighting the urgent need, therefore, for gender budgeting in Wales, and that women in Wales, particularly those facing specific intersectional disadvantages, are being further pushed into debt and poverty. So, it’s essential to prevent decisions that deepen that inequality. Some progress has been made, but we're still waiting for the publication of evaluations of the Welsh Government's remaining three gender budgeting pilots, which were scheduled to end by 2023. These pilots, as I say, are crucial for shaping future policies. So, Cabinet Secretary, when will we see the results of those pilots? What work are you undertaking to progress further the roll-out of gender budgeting, and when can we expect to see the evaluation of those pilots published?

Yn sicr, dylai fod yn uchelgais ledled y DU, ond nid ydym wedi gweld gweithredu arno hyd yma gan Lywodraeth Lafur y DU. Mae llawer o adroddiadau wedi dangos bod menywod, yn enwedig menywod o gefndiroedd a ymyleiddiwyd, yn ysgwyddo baich caledi economaidd, naill ai drwy'r bwlch cyflog rhywedd, y bwlch pensiwn, diffyg mynediad at ofal plant fforddiadwy neu swyddi ansicr ar gyflogau isel. Mae Grŵp Cyllideb Menywod Cymru a Rhwydwaith Cydraddoldeb Menywod Cymru yn cyfeirio at ddiffyg blaenoriaeth i faterion cydraddoldeb yn y gyllideb ddiwethaf, gan dynnu sylw at yr angen brys, felly, ar gyfer cyllidebu ar sail rhywedd yng Nghymru, a bod menywod yng Nghymru, yn enwedig y rhai sy'n wynebu anfanteision croestoriadol penodol, yn cael eu gwthio ymhellach i ddyled a thlodi. Felly, mae'n hanfodol atal penderfyniadau sy'n dyfnhau'r anghydraddoldeb hwnnw. Mae rhywfaint o gynnydd wedi'i wneud, ond rydym yn dal i aros i weld gwerthusiadau o'r tri chynllun peilot cyllidebu ar sail rhywedd sy'n weddill gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn cael eu cyhoeddi, cynlluniau y bwriadwyd iddynt ddod i ben erbyn 2023. Mae'r cynlluniau peilot hyn, fel y dywedais, yn hanfodol ar gyfer llunio polisïau'r dyfodol. Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, pryd y gwelwn ganlyniadau'r cynlluniau peilot hynny? Pa waith a wneir gennych i fwrw ymlaen â chyflwyno cyllidebu ar sail rhywedd ymhellach, a phryd y gallwn ddisgwyl gweld y gwerthusiad o'r cynlluniau peilot hynny'n cael ei gyhoeddi?

14:50

Diolch yn fawr am eich cwestiwn.

Thank you very much for your question.

Those pilots are crucially important, the gender budgeting pilots. And can I say how much I welcome and have always welcomed the work of the Wales Women's Budget Group, to make sure that we are advised not just by people, but women particularly with lived experience, representing people with lived experience, and particularly those who are most marginalised? As you say, this is very intersectional and it's very much reflected in our 'Anti-racist Wales Action Plan' and will be reflected in our disability rights action plan, as well as looking at this particularly from a gender perspective. So, yes, we will be responding on those points to account for the impact of the gender budgeting pilots.

Mae'r cynlluniau peilot hynny'n hanfodol bwysig, y cynlluniau peilot cyllidebu ar sail rhywedd. Ac a gaf i ddweud cymaint rwy'n croesawu a bob amser wedi croesawu gwaith Grŵp Cyllideb Menywod Cymru, i sicrhau ein bod yn cael ein cynghori nid yn unig gan bobl, ond menywod â phrofiad bywyd, yn cynrychioli pobl â phrofiad bywyd, ac yn enwedig y rhai sydd wedi'u hymyleiddio fwyaf? Fel y dywedwch, mae hyn yn groestoriadol iawn ac mae'n cael ei adlewyrchu'n fawr yn ein 'Cynllun Gweithredu Cymru Wrth-hiliol' a bydd yn cael ei adlewyrchu yn ein cynllun gweithredu hawliau anabledd, yn ogystal ag edrych ar hyn yn benodol o safbwynt rhywedd. Felly, byddwn yn ymateb ar y pwyntiau hynny i egluro effaith y cynlluniau peilot cyllidebu ar sail rhywedd.

Y Sector Gwirfoddol
The Voluntary Sector

3. Beth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i gefnogi'r sector gwirfoddol ym Mhreseli Sir Benfro? OQ62239

3. What is the Welsh Government doing to support the voluntary sector in Preseli Pembrokeshire? OQ62239

Diolch yn fawr, Paul Davies. Third Sector Support Wales will receive core funding of £5.677 million in 2024-25, and £221,121 of this funding goes to the Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services, to help local voluntary organisations with fundraising, good governance, safeguarding and volunteering.

Diolch yn fawr, Paul Davies. Bydd Cefnogi Trydydd Sector Cymru yn cael cyllid craidd o £5.677 miliwn yn 2024-25, ac mae £221,121 o'r arian hwn yn mynd i Gymdeithas Gwasanaethau Gwirfoddol Sir Benfro, i helpu sefydliadau gwirfoddol lleol gyda chodi arian, llywodraethu da, diogelu a gwirfoddoli.

Cabinet Secretary, it is crucial that there is support for the sector, given the vital services that charities provide to so many people in our communities. Now, in my own constituency, Adam's Bucketful of Hope is an example of a local charity that has raised huge amounts of money for cancer services, and it also provides support services for those with cancer and their families from its community centre. In fact, its community centre is so popular that the charity needs to move to bigger premises in order to allow them to provide services to more users. Now, the historic Foley House in Haverfordwest has been empty for a number of years, and should Adam's Bucketful of Hope be able to get sufficient funding to secure the building, it would bring an empty building back into use and help the charity to deliver much needed therapies and support in the community. So, Cabinet Secretary, will you join me in acknowledging the role that charities like Adam's Bucketful of Hope play in our local communities, and can you tell us what support is available to help charities like this, who are hoping to acquire bigger premises so that they can continue to support as many people as possible?

Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae'n hanfodol fod yna gymorth i'r sector, o ystyried y gwasanaethau hanfodol y mae elusennau'n eu darparu i gynifer o bobl yn ein cymunedau. Nawr, yn fy etholaeth fy hun, mae Adam's Bucketful of Hope yn enghraifft o elusen leol sydd wedi codi symiau enfawr o arian ar gyfer gwasanaethau canser, ac mae hefyd yn darparu gwasanaethau cymorth i'r rhai sydd â chanser a'u teuluoedd o'i chanolfan gymunedol. Mewn gwirionedd, mae ei chanolfan gymunedol mor boblogaidd fel bod angen i'r elusen symud i safle mwy er mwyn eu galluogi i ddarparu gwasanaethau i fwy o ddefnyddwyr. Nawr, mae adeilad hanesyddol Tŷ Foley yn Hwlffordd wedi bod yn wag ers nifer o flynyddoedd, a phe bai Adam's Bucketful of Hope yn gallu cael digon o arian i brynu'r adeilad, byddai'n dod ag adeilad gwag yn ôl i ddefnydd ac yn helpu'r elusen i ddarparu therapïau a chymorth mawr eu hangen yn y gymuned. Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a wnewch chi ymuno â mi i gydnabod y rôl y mae elusennau fel Adam's Bucketful of Hope yn ei chwarae yn ein cymunedau lleol, ac a allwch chi ddweud wrthym pa gymorth sydd ar gael i helpu elusennau fel hyn, sy'n gobeithio caffael safleoedd mwy fel y gallant barhau i gefnogi cymaint o bobl â phosib?

Thank you very much, Paul Davies, and thank you for giving me the opportunity to praise Adam's Bucketful of Hope, your charity in Pembrokeshire, and, of course, that means praising the volunteers, because I'm sure it's very much volunteer led. When I was recently in Pembrokeshire, visiting Llanddewi Velfrey village hall—I've mentioned this already—following storm Bert, it was so good to meet not just the Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services but many of the voluntary groups that you represent in your constituency. Now, I would suggest that they do approach the Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services for advice on funding routes, but I would say that this looks to me like the opportunity for either a community asset loan or, indeed, the community facilities programme, which we fund and which, of course, has capital grants of up to £300,000 to enable community-led projects to purchase or improve community facilities, and the programme, since 2015, has funded 23 projects in Pembrokeshire, awarding grants worth over £2.5 million.

Diolch, Paul Davies, a diolch am roi cyfle imi ganmol Adam's Bucketful of Hope, eich elusen yn sir Benfro, ac wrth gwrs, mae hynny'n golygu canmol y gwirfoddolwyr, oherwydd rwy'n siŵr ei fod yn cael ei arwain yn helaeth gan wirfoddolwyr. Pan oeddwn yn sir Benfro yn ddiweddar, yn ymweld â neuadd bentref Llanddewi Felffre—rwyf wedi sôn am hyn eisoes—yn dilyn storm Bert, roedd mor dda cyfarfod â Chymdeithas Gwasanaethau Gwirfoddol Sir Benfro, yn ogystal â llawer o'r grwpiau gwirfoddol yr ydych yn eu cynrychioli yn eich etholaeth. Nawr, byddwn yn awgrymu eu bod yn mynd at Gymdeithas Gwasanaethau Gwirfoddol Sir Benfro i gael cyngor ar lwybrau ariannu, ond mae'n ymddangos i mi fod cyfle yma i gael benthyciad asedau cymunedol neu'n wir, y rhaglen cyfleusterau cymunedol, a ariennir gennym ac sydd â grantiau cyfalaf o hyd at £300,000 i alluogi prosiectau a arweinir gan y gymuned i brynu neu wella cyfleusterau cymunedol, ac mae'r rhaglen, ers 2015, wedi ariannu 23 o brosiectau yn sir Benfro, gan ddyfarnu gwerth dros £2.5 miliwn o grantiau.

Tlodi yn Nwyrain De Cymru
Poverty in South Wales East

4. Pa gamau mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i fynd i'r afael â thlodi yn Nwyrain De Cymru? OQ62266

4. What action is the Welsh Government taking to tackle poverty in South Wales East? OQ62266

Thank you, Natasha Asghar. We continue to take action across Wales, including South Wales East, to tackle poverty. We have invested almost £5 billion between 2022 and 2025 in schemes that help people access their entitlements and help keep money in people’s pockets and target support at people who need it most.

Diolch, Natasha Asghar. Rydym yn parhau i weithredu ledled Cymru, gan gynnwys yn Nwyrain De Cymru, i fynd i'r afael â thlodi. Rydym wedi buddsoddi bron i £5 biliwn rhwng 2022 a 2025 mewn cynlluniau sy'n helpu pobl i fanteisio ar eu hawliau a helpu i gadw arian ym mhocedi pobl a thargedu cymorth i'r bobl sydd fwyaf o'i angen.

Thank you for your response. Cabinet Secretary, as of 2018, there were 26,000 households living in fuel poverty in my region of south-east Wales alone. The Welsh Government's Warm Homes scheme was launched to tackle this problem, although we know that progress has been painfully slow, with warnings that it will take more than 100 years to retrofit all homes at risk of fuel poverty. Clearly, there is a big chunk of work that needs to be done here if the Government is going to hit its target and have no more than 5 per cent of households in Wales living in fuel poverty by 2035. We need to be lifting more people out of fuel poverty, Cabinet Secretary, yet it would appear that not everyone sees it like this, with the Labour Chancellor cruelly snatching winter fuel payments away from our pensioners. By your own admission, Cabinet Secretary, this callous and unforgiveable act risks pushing some pensioners into fuel poverty. My Welsh Conservative colleagues and I firmly believe that this Government should create a Welsh winter fuel payment fund to support our pensioners who have been punished by the Labour Government in Westminster. So, will you commit to doing just that, Cabinet Secretary? And if not, what do you say to those pensioners who are facing the tough decision between heating and eating? Thank you.

Diolch am eich ymateb. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, yn 2018, roedd 26,000 o aelwydydd yn byw mewn tlodi tanwydd yn fy rhanbarth yn ne-ddwyrain Cymru yn unig. Lansiwyd cynllun Cartrefi Clyd Llywodraeth Cymru i fynd i'r afael â'r broblem hon, er ein bod yn gwybod bod y cynnydd wedi bod yn boenus o araf, gyda rhybuddion y bydd yn cymryd mwy na 100 mlynedd i ôl-osod pob cartref sydd mewn perygl o dlodi tanwydd. Yn amlwg, mae yna waith mawr sydd angen ei wneud yma os yw'r Llywodraeth yn mynd i gyrraedd ei tharged a bod dim mwy na 5 y cant o aelwydydd yng Nghymru yn byw mewn tlodi tanwydd erbyn 2035. Mae angen inni godi mwy o bobl allan o dlodi tanwydd, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ond mae'n ymddangos nad yw pawb yn ei weld felly, gyda'r Canghellor Llafur yn greulon yn tynnu taliadau tanwydd y gaeaf yn ôl o ddwylo ein pensiynwyr. Yn ôl eich cyfaddefiad eich hun, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae'r weithred ddidostur ac anfaddeuol hon yn creu risg o wthio rhai pensiynwyr i dlodi tanwydd. Mae fy nghyd-Aelodau yn y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig a minnau'n credu'n gryf y dylai'r Llywodraeth hon greu cronfa taliadau tanwydd y gaeaf yng Nghymru i gefnogi ein pensiynwyr sydd wedi cael eu cosbi gan y Llywodraeth Lafur yn San Steffan. Felly, a wnewch chi ymrwymo i wneud hynny, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet? Ac os na, beth a ddywedwch wrth y pensiynwyr hynny sy'n wynebu'r penderfyniad anodd rhwng gwresogi a bwyta? Diolch.

14:55

Well, I hope you did read the written statement that I produced last week on tackling fuel poverty—a key commitment of the Welsh Government. And as I've said more than once this afternoon, an important way to tackle fuel poverty is to get more money into people's pockets. Clearly, that's what we need to do in terms of our powers and our responsibilities, and that strong benefit take-up campaign, which included the pension credit campaign on the take-up of pension credit, which would lead to eligibility for the winter fuel payment. And I do draw attention to our latest media burst for our 'Claim what's yours' national benefits take-up campaign. It started in January and will run through to the end of March, and this is a call to action to signpost people to ensure that they can claim what's theirs. 

You did mention the Warm Homes programme as well, and it is important that we maximise the reach of Warm Homes Nest with the Welsh Local Government Association, the local authorities, and ensure that we leverage funding from Westminster through schemes such as the energy companies obligation scheme.

Wel, rwy'n gobeithio eich bod wedi darllen y datganiad ysgrifenedig a luniais yr wythnos diwethaf ar fynd i'r afael â thlodi tanwydd—ymrwymiad allweddol gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Ac fel y dywedais fwy nag unwaith y prynhawn yma, ffordd bwysig o fynd i'r afael â thlodi tanwydd yw cael mwy o arian i bocedi pobl. Yn amlwg, dyna'n union sydd angen inni ei wneud o ran ein pwerau a'n cyfrifoldebau, a'r ymgyrch gref, sy'n cynnwys yr ymgyrch credyd pensiwn ar y nifer sy'n manteisio ar gredyd pensiwn, a fyddai'n arwain at gymhwysedd i gael taliad tanwydd y gaeaf. Ac rwy'n tynnu sylw at ein hysbysrwydd diweddaraf yn y cyfryngau i'n hymgyrch genedlaethol 'Hawliwch yr hyn sy’n ddyledus i chi'. Dechreuodd ym mis Ionawr a bydd yn rhedeg hyd at ddiwedd mis Mawrth, ac mae'n alwad i gyfeirio pobl er mwyn sicrhau eu bod yn gallu hawlio'r hyn sy'n ddyledus iddynt. 

Fe sonioch chi am y rhaglen Cartrefi Clyd hefyd, ac mae'n bwysig ein bod yn cynyddu cyrhaeddiad Nyth Cartrefi Clyd gyda Chymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru, yr awdurdodau lleol, a sicrhau ein bod yn ysgogi cyllid o San Steffan drwy gynlluniau fel y cynllun rhwymedigaeth cwmnïau ynni.

I wanted to focus on a similar issue. The UK Government's decision to cut the winter fuel allowance for so many thousands of pensioners is cutting cruelly into people's lives. And what makes this worse is that this has been a deliberate decision made by Westminster, which could be reversed. They have the power to change this and they're choosing not to. A survey conducted by Unite in Wales has found that worrying numbers of people have had to change how they live because of this cut. Many have said that they've felt hungry more often or become ill as a result of not having the heating on. One person told Unite that their wife and they have to live in one room and ration themselves to one hot meal a day. This is happening in the twenty-first century in what is meant to be one of the richest places in the world, and it's happening on Westminster's watch. Now, I do commend you for the work that you are doing to, as you say, get more money into people's pockets, but will your Government do all it can to bring pressure on the Westminster Government to change and reverse this terrible policy, which is making people's lives miserable?

Roeddwn am ganolbwyntio ar fater tebyg. Mae penderfyniad Llywodraeth y DU i dorri'r lwfans tanwydd y gaeaf i filoedd o bensiynwyr yn tarfu'n greulon ar fywydau pobl. A'r hyn sy'n ei wneud yn waeth yw mai penderfyniad bwriadol gan San Steffan yw hwn, penderfyniad a allai gael ei wrthdroi. Mae ganddynt bŵer i newid hyn ac maent yn dewis peidio. Mae arolwg a gynhaliwyd gan Unite yng Nghymru wedi canfod bod nifer pryderus o bobl wedi gorfod newid sut y maent yn byw oherwydd y toriad hwn. Mae llawer wedi dweud eu bod wedi teimlo'n llwglyd yn amlach neu'n mynd yn sâl o ganlyniad i beidio â chael y gwres ymlaen. Dywedodd un person wrth Unite fod yn rhaid i'w gwraig a hwythau fyw mewn un ystafell a dogni eu hunain i un pryd poeth y dydd. Mae hyn yn digwydd yn yr unfed ganrif ar hugain yn rhywle sydd i fod yn un o'r lleoedd cyfoethocaf yn y byd, ac mae'n digwydd dan oruchwyliaeth San Steffan. Nawr, rwy'n eich canmol am y gwaith a wnewch, fel y dywedwch, i gael mwy o arian i bocedi pobl, ond a wnaiff eich Llywodraeth chi bopeth yn ei gallu i roi pwysau ar Lywodraeth San Steffan i newid a gwrthdroi'r polisi ofnadwy hwn, sy'n gwneud bywydau pobl yn ddiflas?

Well, thank you for that supplementary question. As I said, I'm very much looking forward to meeting Unite—Hannah Blythyn will be joining me—and the pensioners as well, not just to hear from them but also to be able to tell them and work with them on ways in which we are enabling pensioners, particularly older people, to take up all the benefits that they're entitled to. And I would say that that also includes not just the fuel voucher but discretionary assistance schemes as well as the Warm Homes programme. But I just need to say, of course, and I've said this before in this Chamber, the winter fuel payment is devolved to Northern Ireland and it will be to Scotland from 2025. It's not devolved to Wales, so we're not able to legislate for an equivalent winter fuel payment scheme. But what we need to do is make sure that we do enable people to take up the benefits that they are entitled to in Wales.

Wel, diolch am y cwestiwn atodol. Fel y dywedais, rwy'n edrych ymlaen yn fawr at gyfarfod ag Unite—bydd Hannah Blythyn yn ymuno â mi—a'r pensiynwyr hefyd, nid yn unig i glywed ganddynt ond hefyd i allu dweud wrthynt a gweithio gyda hwy ar ffyrdd o alluogi pensiynwyr, yn enwedig pobl hŷn, i fanteisio ar yr holl fudd-daliadau y mae ganddynt hawl iddynt. Ac mae hynny hefyd yn cynnwys nid yn unig y taleb tanwydd ond cynlluniau cymorth dewisol yn ogystal â'r rhaglen Cartrefi Clyd. Ond mae angen imi ddweud, wrth gwrs, ac rwyf wedi dweud hyn o'r blaen yn y Siambr, fod taliad tanwydd y gaeaf wedi'i ddatganoli i Ogledd Iwerddon ac fe fydd wedi'i ddatganoli i'r Alban o 2025 ymlaen. Nid yw wedi'i ddatganoli i Gymru, felly nid ydym yn gallu deddfu ar gyfer cynllun taliad tanwydd y gaeaf cyfatebol. Ond yr hyn y mae angen inni ei wneud yw sicrhau ein bod yn galluogi pobl i fanteisio ar y budd-daliadau y mae ganddynt hawl iddynt yng Nghymru.

Diogelwch Cymunedol
Community Safety

5. Pa gynlluniau sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru i ehangu'r ddarpariaeth o gamerâu CCTV er mwyn gwella diogelwch cymunedol yn ardaloedd gwledig Ynys Môn? OQ62271

5. What plans does the Welsh Government have to expand the provision of CCTV cameras in order to improve community safety in rural areas of Anglesey? OQ62271

Diolch yn fawr, Rhun ap Iorwerth. Criminal justice is reserved to the UK Government, but we work together with policing partners to protect communities across Wales, and North Wales Police have provided reassurances on their robust approach to supporting communities in Anglesey.

Diolch, Rhun ap Iorwerth. Mae cyfiawnder troseddol wedi'i gadw yn ôl i Lywodraeth y DU, ond rydym yn cydweithio â phartneriaid plismona i ddiogelu cymunedau ledled Cymru, ac mae Heddlu Gogledd Cymru wedi rhoi sicrwydd ynghylch eu dull cadarn o gefnogi cymunedau ar Ynys Môn.

Diolch yn fawr iawn am yr ymateb yna. Mae camerâu cylch cyfyng yn un o'r arfau yna sydd gennym ni er mwyn taclo tor-cyfraith, ond ardaloedd trefol sydd yn fwy tebygol o gael camerâu CCTV, tra bod llawer o'r bobl dwi'n eu cynrychioli yn byw, wrth gwrs, mewn ardaloedd gwledig. Rŵan, mae grŵp cynghorwyr Plaid Cymru Ynys Môn wedi bod yn arwain ar alwadau am adnodd CCTV symudol fyddai'n gallu cael ei gyflwyno er mwyn mynd i’r afael ag achosion o ddwyn amaethyddol, o bosib, neu ymddygiad gwrthgymdeithasol neu ddifrod troseddol mewn ardaloedd mwy gwledig. Wrth gwrs, mi fyddai angen gweithio ar draws gwahanol haenau i ddarparu hyn—Llywodraeth Cymru, Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig, cynghorau sir a chymuned, ac, wrth gwrs, yr heddlu eu hunain a chomisiynwyr heddlu a throsedd. Ond a wnaiff y Gweinidog roi ymrwymiad i fod yn barod i weithio efo'r rhanddeiliaid hynny er mwyn gallu cyflwyno adnoddau a allai sicrhau bod pobl sy’n byw mewn ardaloedd mwy gwledig yn cael teimlo bod gwaith yn cael ei wneud i’w cadw nhw’n ddiogel?

Thank you very much for that response. CCTV cameras are one of those tools that we have in order to tackle criminal behaviour, but it's urban areas that are most likely to have those CCTV cameras, whilst many of the people I represent, of course, live in rural areas. Now, the Plaid Cymru group of councillors on Anglesey have been leading on calls for a mobile CCTV resource that could be introduced in order to tackle cases of agricultural theft, possibly, or anti-social behaviour or criminal damage in more rural areas. Now, of course, there would be a need to work across different agencies to provide this—the UK Government, the Welsh Government, local authorities and community councils, and, of course, the police themselves and police and crime commissioners. But will the Minister provide a commitment to be willing to work with stakeholders in order to introduce resources that could mean that people living in more rural areas can feel that work is being done to keep them safe?

15:00

Diolch yn fawr, Rhun ap Iorwerth, and I think it’s particularly important that you focus on tackling crime and rural crime, and although not directly devolved, and, indeed, use of CCTV is governed by the Information Commissioner’s Office—a really important tool in safeguarding public places and helping to deter crime and enhancing national security. I would say also the partnership with the police in north Wales, and particularly in your constituency—. The police in Anglesey have told us about initiatives like We Don't Buy Crime—I'm sure you're aware of it—and community alerts. But I will engage with the Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales and police chiefs to look at the very issues that you’ve raised today.

Diolch, Rhun ap Iorwerth, ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn arbennig o bwysig eich bod yn canolbwyntio ar fynd i’r afael â throseddu a throseddau gwledig, ac er nad yw wedi’i ddatganoli’n uniongyrchol, ac yn wir, mae’r defnydd o deledu cylch cyfyng yn cael ei lywodraethu gan Swyddfa'r Comisiynydd Gwybodaeth—dull gweithredu hynod bwysig ar gyfer diogelu mannau cyhoeddus a helpu i atal troseddu a gwella diogelwch cenedlaethol. Hoffwn ddweud hefyd fod y bartneriaeth gyda’r heddlu yn y gogledd, ac yn enwedig yn eich etholaeth chi—. Mae’r heddlu ar Ynys Môn wedi sôn wrthym am fentrau fel Dangos y Drws i Drosedd—rwy'n siŵr eich bod yn ymwybodol ohoni—a rhybuddion cymunedol. Ond byddaf yn ymgysylltu â Chomisiynydd Heddlu a Throseddu Gogledd Cymru a phenaethiaid heddluoedd i edrych ar yr union faterion a godwyd gennych heddiw.

Canllawiau ar Safleoedd Sipsiwn a Theithwyr
Guidance on Gypsy and Traveller Sites

6. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am ganllawiau Llywodraeth Cymru ar safleoedd sipsiwn a theithwyr? OQ62258

6. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on Welsh Government guidance on gypsy traveller sites? OQ62258

Diolch yn fawr, Sam Rowlands. My officials will consult on four pieces of Gypsy and Traveller guidance in coming weeks with key stakeholders, aiming to publish final guidance in the summer of 2025. As part of this consultation, direct engagement on the draft guidance documents will also take place with community members.

Diolch, Sam Rowlands. Bydd fy swyddogion yn ymgynghori ar bedwar arweiniad ar safleoedd Sipsiwn a Theithwyr yn yr wythnosau nesaf gyda rhanddeiliaid allweddol, gyda’r nod o gyhoeddi arweiniad terfynol yn ystod haf 2025. Fel rhan o’r ymgynghoriad hwn, byddant yn ymgysylltu'n uniongyrchol ar y dogfennau arweiniad drafft hefyd gydag aelodau’r gymuned.

Thank you for that response, Cabinet Secretary. I joined a meeting recently with Carolyn Thomas and Jack Sargeant with Flintshire County Council, political leaders and officers, and I was really pleased to see the provision that they provide for Gypsies and Travellers in Flintshire, providing more than enough allocated sites, according to the assessed need. But the council shared with us some of the challenges they're having with illegal sites in the council area at the moment, with 10 new illegal sites being established in the county within the last 12 months, meaning there are now currently 15 illegal sites in one county area. And they shared with us that it's taking up to five years to deal with these illegal sites, and that’s causing great pressure on council resources, both personnel and financial; it’s causing huge concern in the communities, but most importantly, it's not helping the cause and needs of the Gypsy and Traveller community on sites that aren't necessarily appropriate for them. So, I wonder, Cabinet Secretary, if you'd be willing to meet, as part of the consultation, perhaps, with myself and perhaps other colleagues in the room, and also with Flintshire County Council to understand the specific issues that they're facing, to help inform some of your work. Diolch yn fawr.

Diolch am eich ymateb, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Ymunais â chyfarfod yn ddiweddar gyda Carolyn Thomas a Jack Sargeant gyda Chyngor Sir y Fflint, arweinwyr gwleidyddol a swyddogion, ac roeddwn yn falch iawn o weld eu darpariaeth ar gyfer Sipsiwn a Theithwyr yn sir y Fflint, gan eu bod yn darparu mwy na digon o safleoedd a neilltuwyd, yn ôl yr angen a aseswyd. Ond fe rannodd y cyngor rai o’r heriau y maent yn eu hwynebu gyda safleoedd anghyfreithlon yn ardal y cyngor ar hyn o bryd, gyda 10 safle anghyfreithlon newydd wedi eu sefydlu yn y sir o fewn y 12 mis diwethaf, sy’n golygu bod 15 o safleoedd anghyfreithlon mewn un ardal sirol ar hyn o bryd. Ac fe wnaethant rannu ei bod yn cymryd hyd at bum mlynedd i ymdrin â'r safleoedd anghyfreithlon hyn, a bod hynny'n rhoi pwysau mawr ar adnoddau'r cyngor, o ran personél ac yn ariannol; mae'n peri pryder enfawr yn y cymunedau, ond yn bwysicaf oll, nid yw'n helpu achos ac anghenion y gymuned Sipsiwn a Theithwyr ar safleoedd nad ydynt o reidrwydd yn addas ar eu cyfer. Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, fel rhan o'r ymgynghoriad, tybed a fyddech chi'n fodlon cyfarfod gyda mi a chyd-Aelodau eraill yn yr ystafell, a hefyd gyda Chyngor Sir y Fflint i ddeall y problemau penodol sy'n eu hwynebu, i helpu i lywio rhywfaint o'ch gwaith. Diolch yn fawr.

Diolch yn fawr, Sam Rowlands. I was aware about the meeting that you held with Flintshire County Council, and I believe with planning officials as well, and with councillors as well as Senedd Members. I think it's going to be really useful that we're consulting on this guidance, which includes managing unauthorised encampments, how you manage Gypsy and Traveller sites in Wales and undertaking those Gypsy and Traveller accommodation assessments, which I have approved for Flintshire, but I would be very happy to engage with you on this issue.

I think it is important also—and I'm glad that you recognise this—that we do understand the needs of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people in terms of what their housing needs are, including unauthorised use, but also the fact that many are now seeking to have private pitches as well as transit pitches. So, I would be glad to engage with you and colleagues, our Senedd Members, who were at that meeting, and Flintshire council.

Diolch yn fawr, Sam Rowlands. Roeddwn yn ymwybodol o’r cyfarfod a gynhalioch chi gyda Chyngor Sir y Fflint, a swyddogion cynllunio hefyd, rwy'n credu, a chyda chynghorwyr yn ogystal ag Aelodau o’r Senedd. Credaf y bydd yn ddefnyddiol iawn ein bod yn ymgynghori ar y canllawiau hyn, sy’n cynnwys rheoli gwersylloedd heb eu hawdurdodi, sut i reoli safleoedd Sipsiwn a Theithwyr yng Nghymru a chynnal asesiadau o anghenion llety Sipsiwn a Theithwyr, ac fe gymeradwyais asesiad sir y Fflint, ond rwy'n fwy na pharod i ymgysylltu â chi ar y mater hwn.

Credaf ei bod yn bwysig hefyd—ac rwy’n falch eich bod yn cydnabod hyn—ein bod yn deall anghenion pobl sy'n Sipsiwn, Roma neu Deithwyr o ran beth yw eu hanghenion tai, gan gynnwys defnydd heb ei awdurdodi, ond hefyd y ffaith bod nifer bellach yn ceisio cael lleiniau preifat yn ogystal â lleiniau tramwy. Felly, byddwn yn falch o ymgysylltu â chi a'n cyd-Aelodau o'r Senedd, a oedd yn y cyfarfod hwnnw, a Chyngor Sir y Fflint.

Carchar i Fenywod yng Nghymru
A Women's Prison in Wales

7. Pa drafodaethau y mae yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet wedi'u cael gydag Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Llywodraeth y DU dros Gyfiawnder ynghylch cyflwyno carchar i fenywod yng Nghymru? OQ62254

7. What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary had with the UK Government Secretary of State for Justice about introducing a women's prison in Wales? OQ62254

Thank you for that question, Laura Anne. I welcome the proposed residential women’s centre in Swansea as an alternative to custody. I engage regularly with Lord Timpson, Minister for prisons, parole, probation and reducing reoffending on this matter.

Diolch am eich cwestiwn, Laura Anne. Rwy'n croesawu'r ganolfan breswyl arfaethedig i fenywod yn Abertawe fel dewis amgen yn lle carchar. Rwy’n ymgysylltu’n rheolaidd â’r Arglwydd Timpson, y Gweinidog carchardai, parôl, y gwasanaeth prawf a lleihau aildroseddu ar y mater hwn.

15:05

Diolch. Cabinet Secretary, there is no prison for women in Wales, and we desperately need one. Women who are arrested in Wales are taken to England. This means that there are long journeys on public transport or in cars from where the prisoners lived to where they are imprisoned. Prisoners who receive visits are 39 per cent less likely to return to prison, and yet we have a prison system here in Wales where women are placed many miles away from family and friends across the border in England. This is clearly no way to rehabilitate offenders, and it's evident in the high rates of reoffending for women in Wales compared with men. Cabinet Secretary, can you look into working with the UK Government to create a women's prison here in Wales, as one is well overdue? Thank you.

Diolch. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, nid oes carchar i fenywod yng Nghymru, ac mae taer angen un arnom. Mae menywod sy'n cael eu harestio yng Nghymru yn cael eu cludo i garchar yn Lloegr. Golyga hyn fod teithiau hir ar drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus neu mewn ceir o ble roedd y carcharorion yn arfer byw i ble y cânt eu carcharu. Mae carcharorion sy’n cael ymweliadau 39 y cant yn llai tebygol o ddychwelyd i’r carchar, ac eto mae gennym system garchardai yma yng Nghymru lle mae menywod yn cael eu lleoli filltiroedd lawer oddi wrth eu teulu a'u ffrindiau dros y ffin yn Lloegr. Mae'n amlwg nad yw hon yn ffordd effeithiol o adsefydlu troseddwyr, ac mae hynny'n amlwg yn y cyfraddau aildroseddu uchel ymhlith menywod yng Nghymru o gymharu â dynion. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a wnewch chi ymchwilio i weithio gyda Llywodraeth y DU i greu carchar i fenywod yma yng Nghymru, gan ei bod yn hen bryd cael un? Diolch.

Thank you very much, Laura Anne, for your supplementary question. I know that you will understand that our policy position remains absolutely clear that there should be no additional prison places in Wales, including for women. This is because our vision for justice is a preventative, trauma-informed approach that addresses those very underlying causes of offending and stops crime happening in the first place. I'm grateful that you acknowledge the fact that we do need—I think the case you make, and the arguments and the evidence you give point us to the importance of having a women's residential centre as an alternative to prison. It's a key priority of the women's justice blueprint, it's a priority, indeed, of the new UK Government, and I emphasised this to Lord Timpson when we met on 18 September.

Diolch am eich cwestiwn atodol, Laura Anne. Gwn y byddwch yn deall bod ein safbwynt polisi yn gwbl glir o hyd na ddylid cael unrhyw leoedd carchar ychwanegol yng Nghymru, gan gynnwys i fenywod. Y rheswm am hyn yw bod ein gweledigaeth ar gyfer cyfiawnder yn ddull ataliol, ystyriol o drawma sy'n mynd i'r afael ag achosion sylfaenol troseddu ac yn atal troseddu rhag digwydd yn y lle cyntaf. Rwy'n ddiolchgar eich bod yn cydnabod y ffaith bod angen—credaf fod yr achos yr ydych yn ei ddadlau, a'r dadleuon a'r dystiolaeth a roddwch yn ein cyfeirio at bwysigrwydd cael canolfan breswyl i fenywod yn hytrach na charchar. Mae'n flaenoriaeth allweddol yn y glasbrint cyfiawnder i fenywod, mae'n flaenoriaeth, yn wir, i Lywodraeth newydd y DU, a phwysleisiais hyn wrth yr Arglwydd Timpson pan gyfarfuom ar 18 Medi.

Diolch, Llywydd. Thank you very much for calling me for this supplementary question, and I do recognise what the Cabinet Secretary has said in response. I've campaigned not to have a women's prison in Wales for many years, along with others in this room, for the reasons that the Cabinet Secretary has given. I think it's very important to remember that over half of the women in prison are mothers, affecting 17,000 children a year in the UK, and it is absolutely essential that we tackle this issue by providing residential centres. I am really very anxious to know what progress is being made on the residential centre planned in Wales and whether the discussions with the UK Government are productive, because we do seem to have been waiting a very long time for this women's residential centre to actually happen.

Diolch, Lywydd. Diolch yn fawr iawn am fy ngalw ar gyfer y cwestiwn atodol hwn, ac rwy’n cydnabod yr hyn y mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet wedi’i ddweud mewn ymateb. Rwyf wedi ymgyrchu dros beidio â chael carchar i fenywod yng Nghymru ers blynyddoedd lawer, ynghyd ag eraill yn yr ystafell hon, am y rhesymau y mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet wedi’u nodi. Credaf ei bod yn bwysig iawn cofio bod dros hanner y menywod yng ngharchar yn famau, sy’n effeithio ar 17,000 o blant y flwyddyn yn y DU, ac mae’n gwbl hanfodol ein bod yn mynd i’r afael â’r mater hwn drwy ddarparu canolfannau preswyl. Rwy’n wirioneddol awyddus i wybod pa gynnydd a wneir ar y ganolfan breswyl arfaethedig yng Nghymru a gweld a yw’r trafodaethau gyda Llywodraeth y DU yn gynhyrchiol, gan ein bod wedi bod yn aros yn hir iawn i’r ganolfan breswyl i fenywod ddigwydd.

Thank you very much for that supplementary question. It is something on which we should unite in this Chamber, shouldn't we, to ensure that we actually get this residential women's centre, because I should have said, responding to Laura Anne earlier on, that it was actually a former Conservative UK Government that announced that we should have a pilot residential women's centre in Wales, back in May 2022. I am as impatient as you are, who campaigned for this residential women's centre, that it should now come to fruition. We have a site now; we've had difficulty in terms of securing that site.

I think it's really important that Laura Anne has mentioned the distances that people have to travel. Well, yes, in the meantime, we are funding Visiting Mum initiatives, supporting women, as we can, who are in prisons, and, indeed, many of us have visited women prisons like Eastwood Park outside of Wales and in Styal outside north Wales. We must get this residential women's centre open, and I believe that the Lord Chancellor in October announced very clearly the establishment of the Women's Justice Board. We've already attended one meeting, and she is in favour of residential women's centres. So, I'm grateful for the questions today, which strengthen that case.

Diolch am eich cwestiwn atodol. Mae'n rhywbeth y dylem uno yn ei gylch yn y Siambr hon, oni ddylem, i sicrhau ein bod yn cael y ganolfan breswyl i fenywod, gan y dylwn fod wedi dweud wrth ymateb i Laura Anne yn gynharach, mai Llywodraeth Geidwadol flaenorol y DU mewn gwirionedd a gyhoeddodd y dylem gael canolfan breswyl beilot i fenywod yng Nghymru, yn ôl ym mis Mai 2022. Rwyf mor ddiamynedd â chi, a fu'n ymgyrchu dros y ganolfan breswyl i fenywod, y dylai ddod i fodolaeth nawr. Mae gennym safle bellach; cawsom anhawster i sicrhau’r safle hwnnw.

Credaf ei bod yn bwysig iawn fod Laura Anne wedi sôn am y pellteroedd y mae’n rhaid i bobl eu teithio. Wel, yn y cyfamser, rydym yn ariannu mentrau Ymweld â Mam, yn cefnogi menywod sydd mewn carchardai, hyd y gallwn, ac yn wir, mae llawer ohonom wedi ymweld â charchardai menywod fel Eastwood Park y tu allan i Gymru a Styal y tu allan i ogledd Cymru. Mae’n rhaid inni sicrhau bod y ganolfan breswyl i fenywod yn agor, ac rwy'n credu bod yr Arglwydd Ganghellor wedi gwneud cyhoeddiad clir iawn ym mis Hydref ynghylch sefydlu'r Bwrdd Cyfiawnder Menywod. Rydym eisoes wedi mynychu un cyfarfod, ac mae hi o blaid canolfannau preswyl i fenywod. Felly, diolch am y cwestiynau heddiw, sy’n cryfhau’r achos hwnnw.

Cwestiwn 8 yn olaf. James Evans.

Question 8 finally. James Evans.

Tlodi Tanwydd ymhlith Perchnogion Cartrefi mewn Parciau
Fuel Poverty among Park Home Owners

8. Sut mae'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet yn mynd i'r afael â thlodi tanwydd ymhlith perchnogion cartrefi mewn parciau? OQ62257

8. How is the Cabinet Secretary addressing fuel poverty among park home owners? OQ62257

Thank you, James Evans. Everyone in fuel poverty, including park homes residents, can receive free energy advice and support through our Warm Homes Nest scheme to heat their homes in a more efficient way. My recent written statement outlined other support, such as fuel vouchers, warm hubs and the discretionary assistance fund.

Diolch, James Evans. Gall pawb sydd mewn tlodi tanwydd, gan gynnwys preswylwyr cartrefi mewn parciau, gael cyngor a chymorth ynni am ddim drwy ein cynllun Nyth Cartrefi Clyd i gynhesu eu cartrefi mewn ffordd fwy effeithlon. Nododd fy natganiad ysgrifenedig diweddar gymorth arall, megis talebau tanwydd, canolfannau clyd a’r gronfa cymorth dewisol.

Thank you for that answer, Cabinet Secretary. Many park home owners across Wales are being charged excessive amounts for water bills, because they're not allowed to install water meters outside their property due to park home owners actually owning the parks themselves not allowing them to do so. That is pushing many people into fuel poverty. Will you and the Welsh Government commit to granting residents of mobile park homes the ability to have a water meter put on their premises to stop park home owners in general making excessive profits out of people for their water bills. I think it's an absolute shame that we don't allow people to do this, and it's something that I think needs to be addressed as soon as possible.

Diolch am eich ateb, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Codir gormod o arian ar lawer o berchnogion cartrefi mewn parciau ledled Cymru am filiau dŵr, gan na chaniateir iddynt osod mesuryddion dŵr y tu allan i'w heiddo am nad yw perchnogion y parciau eu hunain yn caniatáu iddynt wneud hynny. Mae hynny’n gwthio llawer o bobl i dlodi tanwydd. A wnewch chi a Llywodraeth Cymru ymrwymo i roi gallu i breswylwyr cartrefi symudol mewn parciau osod mesurydd dŵr ar eu heiddo i atal perchnogion parciau cartrefi yn gyffredinol rhag gwneud elw gormodol ar filiau dŵr pobl? Rwy'n credu ei bod yn gywilyddus nad ydym yn caniatáu i bobl wneud hyn, ac mae’n rhywbeth y credaf fod angen mynd i'r afael ag ef cyn gynted â phosibl.

15:10

Thank you for drawing attention to this point, James Evans. I mean, park home owners can access the discretionary assistance fund towards fuel and energy costs, and hopefully we can direct your constituents to that, as well as the Fuel Bank Foundation in terms of energy costs. But you've raised an issue about water, the cost and access to water meters to manage the cost of water, and I will certainly be taking this up to give you an answer on that point.

Diolch am dynnu sylw at y pwynt hwn, James Evans. Gall perchnogion cartrefi mewn parciau gael mynediad at y gronfa cymorth dewisol tuag at gostau tanwydd ac ynni, a gobeithio y gallwn gyfeirio eich etholwyr at hynny, yn ogystal â'r Sefydliad Banc Tanwydd o ran costau ynni. Ond rydych chi wedi codi mater ynghylch dŵr, y gost a mynediad at fesuryddion dŵr i reoli cost dŵr, a byddaf yn sicr yn mynd i'r afael â hyn er mwyn rhoi ateb i chi ar y pwynt hwnnw.

Diolch i'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet.

I thank the Cabinet Secretary.

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

Yr eitem nesaf fydd y cwestiynau i Gomisiwn y Senedd, a'r cwestiwn heddiw i'w ateb gan Joyce Watson yw cwestiwn gan James Evans.

The next item will be the questions to the Senedd Commission, and today's question is to be answered by Joyce Watson and the question is to be asked by James Evans.

Cyfamod y Lluoedd Arfog
The Armed Forces Covenant

1. Pa ystyriaeth y mae Comisiwn y Senedd wedi'i rhoi i fod yn llofnodwr Cyfamod y Lluoedd Arfog? OQ62256

1. What consideration has the Senedd Commission given to becoming a signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant? OQ62256

I thank you for that question. The armed forces covenant is a promise ensuring that those who serve or have served in the armed forces are treated fairly. While the Commission is currently not a signatory of the covenant, the Commission is proud to support employees who serve in the reserve or cadet forces. The Commission offers up to five days of paid special leave each year to attend the annual training camp, with further flexibility if additional time is required for training. This is to ensure that our employees can fulfil their training requirements without financial impact. If an employee is called up for service with the reserve forces, the Commission is committed to safeguarding their employment in accordance with the Reserve Forces (Safeguard of Employment) Act 1985. We will ensure that employees can return to the same role, with terms and conditions no less favourable than if they had not been mobilised. Our commitment reflects the value that we place on those who serve, ensuring that they can balance their military and civilian responsibilities with confidence and security.

Diolch am y cwestiwn. Mae cyfamod y lluoedd arfog yn addewid sy’n sicrhau bod y rheini sy’n gwasanaethu neu sydd wedi gwasanaethu yn y lluoedd arfog yn cael eu trin yn deg. Er nad yw’r Comisiwn wedi llofnodi’r cyfamod ar hyn o bryd, mae’r Comisiwn yn falch o gefnogi gweithwyr sy’n gwasanaethu yn y lluoedd wrth gefn neu'n gadetiaid. Mae'r Comisiwn yn cynnig hyd at bum niwrnod o absenoldeb arbennig â thâl bob blwyddyn i fynychu'r gwersyll hyfforddi blynyddol, gyda hyblygrwydd pellach os oes angen amser ychwanegol ar gyfer hyfforddi. Mae hyn er mwyn sicrhau bod ein gweithwyr yn gallu cyflawni eu gofynion hyfforddi heb gael eu heffeithio'n ariannol. Os caiff gweithiwr eu galw i wasanaethu gyda’r lluoedd wrth gefn, mae’r Comisiwn wedi ymrwymo i ddiogelu eu cyflogaeth yn unol â Deddf Lluoedd Wrth Gefn (Diogelu Cyflogaeth) 1985. Byddwn yn sicrhau y gall gweithwyr ddychwelyd i’r un rôl, gyda thelerau ac amodau'r un mor ffafriol â phe na baent wedi’u galw i'r fyddin. Mae ein hymrwymiad yn adlewyrchu’r gwerth a roddwn ar y rheini sy’n gwasanaethu, gan sicrhau y gallant gydbwyso eu cyfrifoldebau milwrol a sifil yn hyderus a diogel.

I'd like to thank the Commissioner for her answer there. It is disappointing that the Senedd Commission will not sign the armed forces covenant. I'd be quite interested to hear from you why the Senedd Commission is not willing to sign the armed forces covenant. Were there any specific policy reasons why you chose not to do that, or is it something, perhaps, that the Commission would look to do in the future? Because there are many opportunities that the armed forces covenant does provide, with encouraging veterans and those who serve in our armed forces who did serve to actually become employees of the Senedd to improve our diversity amongst our staff here as well. Because some of those ex-veterans have got huge skills that they could bring to the Senedd Commission and to our staff base here. So, I'd be very interested to know why the Senedd Commission hasn't signed the armed forces covenant and what work you are doing to increase the amount of veterans who have opportunities to come and work for the Senedd Commission here and bring the skills that they've learnt in our armed forces to benefit our Senedd.

Hoffwn ddiolch i’r Comisiynydd am ei hateb. Mae’n siomedig na fydd Comisiwn y Senedd yn llofnodi cyfamod y lluoedd arfog. Byddai gennyf gryn ddiddordeb mewn clywed gennych pam nad yw Comisiwn y Senedd yn fodlon llofnodi cyfamod y lluoedd arfog. A oedd unrhyw resymau polisi penodol pam y gwnaethoch chi ddewis peidio â gwneud hynny, neu a yw’n rhywbeth, efallai, y byddai’r Comisiwn yn ceisio ei wneud yn y dyfodol? Oherwydd mae cyfamod y lluoedd arfog yn cynnig llawer o gyfleoedd, gan annog cyn-filwyr a’r rheini sy’n gwasanaethu ac sydd wedi gwasanaethu yn ein lluoedd arfog i weithio i’r Senedd, i wella ein hamrywiaeth ymhlith ein staff yma hefyd. Oherwydd mae gan rai o’r cyn-filwyr hynny sgiliau helaeth y gallent eu cyfrannu i Gomisiwn y Senedd ac i’n sylfaen staff yma. Felly, hoffwn wybod pam nad yw Comisiwn y Senedd wedi llofnodi cyfamod y lluoedd arfog a pha waith a wnewch i gynyddu nifer y cyn-filwyr sy'n cael cyfleoedd i ddod i weithio i Gomisiwn y Senedd yma a defnyddio'r sgiliau y maent wedi'u dysgu yn ein lluoedd arfog er budd ein Senedd.

We do recognise the unique challenges that veterans who we employ may face when transitioning into civilian life, and are committed to providing comprehensive support for their well-being. The Commission's employee assistance programme offers a confidential, 24/7 support service designed to help veterans and their line managers navigate both personal and professional challenges, and that service goes beyond counselling, providing expert guidance on debt management, legal advice, couple counselling, management coaching and ensuring that support is tailored to individual needs. The Commission is also exploring implementing a veterans guaranteed interview scheme—a core principle of the covenant—and that aims to provide veterans with the opportunity to demonstrate their ability beyond the initial application stage when applying for jobs with the Commission. Now, those are things that we are already doing, and, of course, we do currently have some of those people under our employment.

You raised the question of why we have not signed it, and it isn't a case of not wanting to—I want to make that perfectly clear—but signing the covenant will require an organisation to follow through on the commitments, and that may require human resource policy changes, training or additional support measures. Employers who support reservists may need to accommodate absences—and we do that already—or deployment, which could impact workforce planning. But there are limited benefits for some organisations, if an organisation has little interaction.

I do know that the House of Commons is a signatory of the covenant, but I also know that no other UK legislature has signed. So, what I’m really saying here is, if it is the will of the Senedd to explore the opportunity of signing the covenant, then we would certainly go along with that wish. That is what I wanted, really, to say. We haven’t had a request as yet, by individual employees or trade unions, to sign it. If we receive any such request, of course, we'd look at it, along with the rest of the Senedd.

Rydym yn cydnabod yr heriau unigryw y gall cyn-filwyr a gyflogwn eu hwynebu wrth bontio i fywyd sifil, ac rydym wedi ymrwymo i ddarparu cymorth cynhwysfawr ar gyfer eu llesiant. Mae rhaglen cymorth i weithwyr y Comisiwn yn cynnig gwasanaeth cymorth cyfrinachol, 24/7 sydd wedi’i gynllunio i helpu cyn-filwyr a’u rheolwyr llinell i ymdopi â heriau personol a phroffesiynol, ac mae’r gwasanaeth hwnnw’n mynd y tu hwnt i gwnsela, gan ddarparu arweiniad arbenigol ar reoli dyledion, cyngor cyfreithiol, cwnsela i gyplau, hyfforddi rheolwyr a sicrhau y caiff cymorth ei deilwra i anghenion unigolion. Mae’r Comisiwn hefyd yn archwilio'r syniad o weithredu cynllun gwarantu cyfweliad i gyn-filwyr—un o egwyddorion craidd y cyfamod—a’r nod yw rhoi cyfle i gyn-filwyr ddangos eu gallu y tu hwnt i’r cam ymgeisio cychwynnol wrth wneud cais am swydd gyda’r Comisiwn. Nawr, mae'r rheini'n bethau yr ydym eisoes yn eu gwneud, ac wrth gwrs, rydym eisoes yn cyflogi rhai o'r bobl hynny.

Fe ofynnoch chi pam nad ydym wedi’i lofnodi, ac nid yw’n fater o ddiffyg awydd i wneud hynny—rwyf am wneud hynny’n berffaith glir—ond bydd llofnodi’r cyfamod yn ei gwneud yn ofynnol i sefydliad gadw at yr ymrwymiadau, ac efallai y byddai angen newidiadau i'r polisi adnoddau dynol, hyfforddiant neu fesurau cymorth ychwanegol er mwyn gwneud hynny. Mae’n bosibl y bydd angen i gyflogwyr sy’n cefnogi milwyr wrth gefn ddarparu ar gyfer cyfnodau o absenoldeb—ac rydym eisoes yn gwneud hynny—neu gael eu galw i'r fyddin, a allai effeithio ar drefniadau cynllunio’r gweithlu. Ond mae manteision cyfyngedig i rai sefydliadau, os nad oes gan sefydliad lawer o ryngweithiad.

Gwn fod Tŷ’r Cyffredin wedi llofnodi’r cyfamod, ond gwn hefyd nad oes unrhyw un arall o ddeddfwrfeydd y DU wedi’i lofnodi. Felly, yr hyn rwy'n ei ddweud yma mewn gwirionedd yw, os mai ewyllys y Senedd yw archwilio'r cyfle i lofnodi'r cyfamod, byddem yn sicr yn cefnogi'r awydd hwnnw. Dyna roeddwn am ei ddweud, mewn gwirionedd. Nid ydym wedi cael cais hyd yma, gan weithwyr unigol nac undebau llafur i'w lofnodi. Pe byddem yn derbyn unrhyw gais o’r fath, wrth gwrs, byddem yn ei ystyried, ynghyd â gweddill y Senedd.

15:15
4. Cwestiynau Amserol
4. Topical Questions

Eitem 4 sydd nesaf, y cwestiynau amserol. Mae'r cyntaf o'r rhain i'w ateb gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Addysg. Adam Price sy'n gofyn y cwestiwn.

Item 4 is next, the topical questions. The first of these questions is to be answered by the Cabinet Secretary for Education. Adam Price will ask the question.

Yr Ymosodiad yn Ysgol Dyffryn Aman
The Attack at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman

1. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet roi diweddariad ar newidiadau i bolisi diogelwch ysgolion wedi i'r achos ddod i ben ynglŷn â'r ymosodiad yn Ysgol Dyffryn Aman? TQ1297

1. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on changes to school safety policy following the conclusion of the trial concerning the attack at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman? TQ1297

Violence against staff and pupils in schools is completely unacceptable, and incidents like the one at Ysgol Dyffryn Amman are very rare. Our guidance is clear on the powers that schools have around the use of reasonable force, searching for weapons and what can be grounds for exclusion.

Mae trais yn erbyn staff a disgyblion mewn ysgolion yn gwbl annerbyniol, ac mae digwyddiadau fel yr un yn Ysgol Dyffryn Aman yn brin iawn. Mae ein canllawiau'n glir ar y pwerau sydd gan ysgolion ynghylch defnyddio grym rhesymol, chwilio am arfau a'r hyn a allai fod yn sail dros wahardd.

I think that the Cabinet Secretary has now confirmed, I believe, that there is going to be a summit on school behaviour—in March, I believe. The NASUWT was the original union that called for this. They describe the current situation as a behaviour crisis. I was wondering if the Cabinet Secretary, in holding the summit, now shares that assessment. Can she say a little bit more about what’s going to be discussed during the summit? Are some of the policy ideas, for example, that have been discussed in the last few days—the use of security guards, the use of scanners in schools, extending the powers of teachers to search without consent, the content of behaviour management policies, the use and resourcing of pupil referral units—are all of these ideas in scope, and are we looking around the world, really, at what works, in order to apply those lessons to Wales?

And talking of lessons, is the Cabinet Secretary able to share with us already today—or will it be shared at the summit—what you think the lessons are that have been learned so far from the incident at Ysgol Dyffryn Amman? As a backdrop to the summit, will there be evidence in terms of what's the scale of the problem in terms of violence, physical and verbal abuse in our schools? And are you committing, Cabinet Secretary—? Beyond the summit itself as an event, are you committing to a process that will result in an action plan of commitments in terms of policy resourcing and all the other important matters, so that we can see those ideas actually put into action?  

Rwy'n credu bod Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet bellach wedi cadarnhau y bydd uwchgynhadledd yn cael ei chynnal ar ymddygiad yn yr ysgol—ym mis Mawrth, rwy'n credu. Cymdeithas Genedlaethol yr Ysgolfeistri ac Undeb yr Athrawesau oedd yr undeb a alwodd am hyn gyntaf. Maent yn disgrifio'r sefyllfa bresennol fel argyfwng ymddygiad. Tybed a yw Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, wrth gynnal yr uwchgynhadledd, bellach yn rhannu’r asesiad hwnnw? A all ddweud ychydig yn rhagor am yr hyn sy'n mynd i gael ei drafod yn yr uwchgynhadledd? A yw rhai o’r syniadau polisi, er enghraifft, a drafodwyd dros y dyddiau diwethaf—y defnydd o swyddogion diogelwch, y defnydd o sganwyr mewn ysgolion, ymestyn pwerau athrawon i chwilio disgyblion heb ganiatâd, cynnwys polisïau rheoli ymddygiad, y defnydd o unedau cyfeirio disgyblion a'u cyllido—a yw’r holl syniadau hyn yn cael eu hystyried, ac a ydym yn edrych ar bob rhan o'r byd, mewn gwirionedd, i weld beth sy’n gweithio, er mwyn rhoi'r gwersi hynny ar waith yng Nghymru?

A sôn am wersi, a yw Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn gallu rhannu gyda ni heddiw—neu a fydd yn cael ei rannu yn yr uwchgynhadledd—beth yn eich barn chi yw'r gwersi a ddysgwyd hyd yma o'r digwyddiad yn Ysgol Dyffryn Aman? Fel cefndir i’r uwchgynhadledd, a fydd tystiolaeth yn cael ei chyflwyno ynglŷn â beth yw hyd a lled y broblem o ran trais, cam-drin corfforol a geiriol yn ein hysgolion? Ac a ydych chi'n ymrwymo, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet— ? Y tu hwnt i’r uwchgynhadledd ei hun fel digwyddiad, a ydych chi'n ymrwymo i broses a fydd yn arwain at gynllun gweithredu o ymrwymiadau mewn perthynas ag adnoddau polisi a’r holl faterion pwysig eraill, fel y gallwn weld y syniadau hynny’n cael eu rhoi ar waith mewn gwirionedd?

Thank you very much, Adam, for those questions. You began by saying that I had now committed to a behaviour summit. I made that commitment quite some time ago now, and that was made on the back of the conversations that I was having, going out and about in Wales and talking to school practitioners, as well as, obviously, our trade union partners.

I am concerned about behaviour in schools. I think that what we are seeing in schools is that we are seeing more and more children and young people with increasing complexity, with additional learning needs, with mental health issues. And we're also, as a result, seeing more challenges with behaviour. I do believe that the situation has become worse since the pandemic. So, that’s why, after discussions with our trade union colleagues, I agreed to hold the summit.

Now, you asked about the summit, and I just wanted to be clear that the summit is not the only thing that we are doing. We were working anyway on a behaviour toolkit to support headteachers and senior leaders in schools in making well-informed decisions about behaviour policies, and also to help with strategies to prevent behavioural issues and to deal with issues when they happen and prevent problems escalating.

We also, though, commissioned Estyn to undertake a thematic review on behaviour in schools, and that work is due to be published in May. And in addition to that, we commissioned Bangor University to undertake research into disruptive classroom behaviours and effective mitigation, and we wanted to understand the nature and volume of challenging and school-based disruptive behaviour. That research will explore the range and effectiveness of measures currently used in schools and settings to address challenging behaviours. So, there’s a range of work going on, and we are holding the summit after Estyn has reported—they’re reporting in May—because I’m really keen that we’ve got the maximum amount of information, and Estyn will be involved in the summit.

You referred to what we would be discussing in the summit. We’re currently working with trade unions and other partners to scope out the summit. It is going to look at a range of issues, and I’m very keen, as part of that, to look at issues such as what’s happened in Ysgol Dyffryn Aman. That’s very important too. We’re going to be taking that work forward through the summit, but I’m really keen that it is action focused, really, and that we have a chance to look at all the issues that are causing problems and come up with a very clear action plan.

Now, you mentioned things like whether schools can search pupils without consent. They can already search pupils without consent for a weapon, such as a knife, so that is already in place. And then, just in terms of the lessons from Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, I just wanted to assure the Member—and you’ll recall that I paid tribute to the way that the school and the local authority had handled the incident at the time. But, following that, we also contacted all local authorities to make sure that they could provide us with assurance that their emergency policies were up to date, and we also reviewed our emergency planning and response guidance in light of the learning from the incident. Now that the trial is over, there will, as I’m sure you can appreciate, be a process that’s gone through to learn the wider lessons of what happened in the run-up to that terrible day in Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, and we’re speaking with the local authority about the best way to understand and learn from what happened. And I’m really keen that we make sure that any lessons then are, obviously, shared across Wales, whether it’s by the behaviour summit, if lessons have emerged by then, or, if not, we will find other routes.

Diolch am eich cwestiynau, Adam. Fe ddechreuoch chi drwy ddweud fy mod bellach wedi ymrwymo i uwchgynhadledd ymddygiad. Gwneuthum yr ymrwymiad hwnnw beth amser yn ôl bellach, ac fe'i gwnaed ar sail y sgyrsiau a gawn wrth fynd o amgylch Cymru yn siarad ag addysgwyr yn ogystal â’n partneriaid yn yr undebau llafur.

Rwy’n pryderu am ymddygiad mewn ysgolion. Rwy'n credu mai’r hyn a welwn mewn ysgolion yw mwy a mwy o blant a phobl ifanc â chymhlethdod cynyddol, ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, â phroblemau iechyd meddwl. Ac rydym hefyd, o ganlyniad, yn gweld mwy o heriau gydag ymddygiad. Credaf fod y sefyllfa wedi gwaethygu ers y pandemig. Felly, dyna pam, ar ôl trafodaethau gyda’n cymheiriaid yn yr undebau llafur, y cytunais i gynnal yr uwchgynhadledd.

Nawr, fe ofynnoch chi am yr uwchgynhadledd, a hoffwn ddweud yn glir nad yr uwchgynhadledd yw'r unig beth a wnawn. Roeddem eisoes yn gweithio ar becyn cymorth ymddygiad i gefnogi penaethiaid ac uwch arweinwyr mewn ysgolion i wneud penderfyniadau gwybodus am bolisïau ymddygiad, a hefyd i helpu gyda strategaethau i atal problemau ymddygiad ac i ymdrin â materion pan fyddant yn codi ac atal problemau rhag gwaethygu.

Fodd bynnag, fe wnaethom hefyd gomisiynu Estyn i gynnal adolygiad thematig o ymddygiad mewn ysgolion, a disgwylir i’r gwaith hwnnw gael ei gyhoeddi ym mis Mai. Ac yn ogystal â hynny, fe wnaethom gomisiynu Prifysgol Bangor i ymchwilio i ymddygiad sy'n tarfu ar eraill yn yr ystafell ddosbarth a mesurau lliniaru effeithiol, ac roeddem am ddeall natur a hyd a lled ymddygiad heriol ac ymddygiad sy'n tarfu ar eraill yn yr ysgol. Bydd yr ymchwil honno’n archwilio ystod ac effeithiolrwydd y mesurau a ddefnyddir ar hyn o bryd mewn ysgolion a lleoliadau i fynd i’r afael ag ymddygiad heriol. Felly, mae amrywiaeth o waith yn mynd rhagddo, ac rydym yn cynnal yr uwchgynhadledd ar ôl i Estyn adrodd—maent yn adrodd ym mis Mai—gan fy mod yn awyddus iawn inni gael cymaint â phosibl o wybodaeth, a bydd Estyn yn cymryd rhan yn yr uwchgynhadledd.

Fe gyfeirioch chi at beth y byddem yn ei drafod yn yr uwchgynhadledd. Ar hyn o bryd, rydym yn gweithio gydag undebau llafur a phartneriaid eraill i baratoi ar gyfer yr uwchgynhadledd. Mae’n mynd i edrych ar ystod o faterion, ac rwy’n awyddus iawn, yn rhan o hynny, i edrych ar faterion fel yr hyn a ddigwyddodd yn Ysgol Dyffryn Aman. Mae hynny'n bwysig iawn hefyd. Byddwn yn bwrw ymlaen â'r gwaith hwnnw drwy'r uwchgynhadledd, ond rwy'n awyddus iawn iddo ganolbwyntio ar weithredu, a bod gennym gyfle i edrych ar yr holl faterion sy'n achosi problemau ac i lunio cynllun gweithredu clir iawn.

Nawr, fe sonioch chi am bethau fel gallu ysgolion i chwilio disgyblion heb ganiatâd. Gallant eisoes chwilio disgyblion heb ganiatâd am arf, fel cyllell, felly mae hynny eisoes ar waith. Ac yna, o ran y gwersi o Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, hoffwn roi sicrwydd i'r Aelod—ac fe fyddwch yn cofio imi dalu teyrnged i'r ffordd y gwnaeth yr ysgol a'r awdurdod lleol ymdrin â'r digwyddiad ar y pryd. Ond yn dilyn hynny, fe wnaethom gysylltu â phob awdurdod lleol i sicrhau y gallent roi sicrwydd i ni fod eu polisïau argyfyngau yn gyfredol, ac fe wnaethom adolygu ein canllawiau cynllunio ac ymateb i argyfyngau yng ngoleuni'r hyn a ddysgwyd o'r digwyddiad. Gan fod yr achos llys wedi bod bellach, fel y gallwch ddeall, rwy'n siŵr, bydd proses wedi'i dilyn i ddysgu’r gwersi ehangach o’r hyn a ddigwyddodd yn y cyfnod cyn y diwrnod ofnadwy hwnnw yn Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, ac rydym yn siarad â’r awdurdod lleol am y ffordd orau o ddeall a dysgu o’r hyn a ddigwyddodd. Ac rwy'n awyddus iawn inni sicrhau bod unrhyw wersi wedyn, yn amlwg, yn cael eu rhannu ledled Cymru, boed hynny gan yr uwchgynhadledd ymddygiad, os daw gwersi i'r amlwg erbyn hynny, neu fel arall, byddwn yn dilyn llwybrau eraill.

15:20

Cabinet Secretary, it’s clear that violence in schools is, concerningly, becoming more and more frequent, and it’s an issue that needs tackling urgently. We’ve talked about the horrific incident in Ammanford, but this is an issue that’s much more widespread and much more deep rooted. In recent weeks, we’ve seen schools in Pembrokeshire, north Port Talbot, Caerphilly and my own patch of Newport placed on lockdown, and only today South Wales Police issued a statement about a knife reportedly being found in a bag of a student at a school in Bridgend. Nobody—and I mean nobody—should be going into work with fears of being attacked, and schools should be a safe place for all pupils, students and everyone else in between.

Of course, as we’ve seen in the news recently, this isn’t just an issue exclusive to Wales. So, what discussions have you had with the UK Government about steps that they’re taking, and are there any practices that we can adopt here in Wales? In the NASUWT’s recent Big Question survey, 23 per cent of professionals said physical assault on teachers caused them the greatest concern when they were in the classroom, with 32 per cent saying it was threatening behaviour, and 41 per cent deeming it to be violence between pupils. From my understanding, Welsh Government guidance says carrying a weapon no longer applies as a reason for exclusion. So, Cabinet Secretary, can you please confirm if this still is the case today, and will you commit to a thorough review of all school safety policies to ensure we protect our school communities going forward? Thank you.

Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae'n amlwg fod trais mewn ysgolion yn digwydd yn amlach ac yn amlach, ac mae'n broblem y mae angen mynd i'r afael â hi ar frys. Rydym wedi sôn am y digwyddiad erchyll yn Rhydaman, ond mae hwn yn fater llawer ehangach sydd â’i wreiddiau’n llawer dyfnach. Yn yr wythnosau diwethaf, rydym wedi gweld ysgolion yn sir Benfro, gogledd Port Talbot, Caerffili a fy ardal fy hun yng Nghasnewydd yn gorfod defnyddio trefniadau cloi a diogelu, a dim ond heddiw, cyhoeddodd Heddlu De Cymru ddatganiad am gyllell y dywedir iddi gael ei chanfod ym mag myfyriwr mewn ysgol ym Mhen-y-bont ar Ogwr. Ni ddylai unrhyw un—ac rwy'n golygu unrhyw un—fod yn mynd i'r gwaith yn ofni ymosodiad, a dylai ysgolion fod yn lle diogel i bob disgybl, myfyriwr a phawb arall.

Wrth gwrs, fel y gwelsom yn y newyddion yn ddiweddar, nid problem yng Nghymru'n unig yw hi. Felly, pa drafodaethau a gawsoch gyda Llywodraeth y DU ynglŷn â'r camau y maent yn eu cymryd, ac a oes unrhyw arferion y gallwn eu mabwysiadu yma yng Nghymru? Yn arolwg diweddar y Cwestiwn Mawr gan NASUWT, dywedodd 23 y cant o weithwyr proffesiynol mai ymosodiad corfforol ar athrawon a oedd wedi achosi’r pryder mwyaf iddynt pan oeddent yn yr ystafell ddosbarth, gyda 32 y cant yn nodi ymddygiad bygythiol, a 41 y cant yn nodi trais rhwng disgyblion. O’r hyn a ddeallaf, mae canllawiau Llywodraeth Cymru yn dweud nad yw bod ag arf yn eich meddiant yn sail dros wahardd mwyach. Felly, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a allwch chi ddweud a yw hyn yn dal yn wir heddiw, ac a wnewch chi ymrwymo i gynnal adolygiad trylwyr o'r holl bolisïau diogelwch ysgolion i sicrhau ein bod yn diogelu ein cymunedau ysgol yn y dyfodol? Diolch.

15:25

Thank you very much, Natasha, and there were quite a few questions there. Can I just be clear that our exclusions guidance does say that schools can exclude a pupil permanently for carrying a weapon? That is the case at the moment, and, as I said to Adam Price, there is also the power to search pupils without consent, and there are further powers to search with consent for other items. But the power without consent deals with actual weapons.

As I said to Adam Price, I am really worried about what we are seeing in schools in terms of behaviour, and I think it does come down to the complexity. We're seeing more and more young people who aren't able to self-regulate in schools. That's why we're putting so much emphasis on mental health. But I hope that, by bringing everybody together now in the summit, we will be able to explore these issues in detail. I was speaking to Bridget Phillipson only this morning, actually, about this issue, and also, obviously, there was the tragic death of the young person in Sheffield on Monday.

In terms of learning from good practice—and I didn't answer Adam's point on that—we're always keen to look at good practice wherever it is. We're very actively involved in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, proactively involved with the OECD, and, when I met the OECD recently, this was one of the issues I discussed with them, around behaviour. We talked about how some schools have maybe not got that sense of belonging anymore, and that that's something that we really need to foster. The OECD are coming to Wales in the spring now, and we're doing a peer learning event with them. But we are very keen to learn from wherever good practice is, and I'll be continuing to discuss these issues with the UK Government.

Diolch, Natasha, ac roedd cryn dipyn o gwestiynau yno. A gaf i ddweud yn gwbl glir fod ein canllawiau ar wahardd o'r ysgol yn dweud y gall ysgolion wahardd disgybl yn barhaol am fod ag arf yn eu meddiant? Mae hynny’n wir ar hyn o bryd, ac fel y dywedais wrth Adam Price, mae ganddynt bŵer hefyd i chwilio disgyblion heb ganiatâd, ac mae ganddynt bwerau pellach i chwilio gyda chaniatâd am eitemau eraill. Ond mae'r pŵer heb ganiatâd yn ymwneud ag arfau.

Fel y dywedais wrth Adam Price, rwy’n bryderus iawn am yr hyn a welwn mewn ysgolion o ran ymddygiad, ac rwy'n credu ei fod yn ymwneud â'r cymhlethdod. Rydym yn gweld mwy a mwy o bobl ifanc nad ydynt yn gallu hunanreoli mewn ysgolion. Dyna pam ein bod yn rhoi cymaint o bwyslais ar iechyd meddwl. Ond trwy ddod â phawb ynghyd nawr yn yr uwchgynhadledd, rwy'n gobeithio y gallwn archwilio’r materion hyn yn fanwl. Y bore yma, bûm yn siarad â Bridget Phillipson ynglŷn â'r mater, a chlywsom hefyd am farwolaeth drasig yr unigolyn ifanc yn Sheffield ddydd Llun.

O ran dysgu o arferion da—ac ni atebais bwynt Adam ar hynny—rydym bob amser yn awyddus i edrych ar arferion da lle bynnag y'u ceir. Rydym yn cymryd rhan weithgar iawn yn y Sefydliad ar gyfer Cydweithrediad a Datblygiad Economaidd, yn ymwneud yn rhagweithiol â'r sefydliad hwnnw, a phan gyfarfûm â hwy yn ddiweddar, roedd ymddygiad yn un o'r materion y buom yn eu trafod. Buom yn siarad ynglŷn â'r ffordd nad oes ymdeimlad o berthyn mewn rhai ysgolion mwyach, a bod hynny'n rhywbeth y mae gwir angen inni ei feithrin. Mae’r Sefydliad ar gyfer Cydweithrediad a Datblygiad Economaidd yn dod i Gymru yn y gwanwyn, ac rydym yn cynnal digwyddiad dysgu rhwng cymheiriaid gyda hwy. Ond rydym yn awyddus iawn i ddysgu o ble bynnag y ceir arferion da, a byddaf yn parhau i drafod y materion hyn gyda Llywodraeth y DU.

Thank you to Adam Price for tabling this important question. Obviously, the incident that we saw in Ammanford was truly shocking, and I just want to pay tribute as well to the staff involved, particularly the staff, I think, that spoke bravely at the conclusion of the case and shared their experience in terms of what they had gone through. Unfortunately, this is an issue that's becoming more and more prevalent. We saw the issue just yesterday in Bryntirion Comprehensive School in Bridgend, where a pupil carried a knife, and the really, really tragic incident we saw on Monday in Sheffield, where a young person lost their life.

Adam mentioned a series of actions that could be taken by the Welsh Government, whether that be security guards and screening, enhanced powers for teaching staff, and, whilst I think those certainly do need to be considered, I think you overlook the root of the problem here, which is that young people and their dynamic and their sense of belonging in a school has changed, and it has changed since the pandemic. So, I wonder what lessons the Welsh Government is learning in terms of how young people's interaction with school, if you like, has changed as a consequence of the pandemic, as a consequence of not attending school on a regular basis, and then what lessons we can learn for that generation and for future generations so that the impacts of the pandemic are truly felt, known and understood.

Diolch i Adam Price am gyflwyno’r cwestiwn pwysig hwn. Yn amlwg, roedd y digwyddiad a welsom yn Rhydaman yn wirioneddol syfrdanol, a hoffwn dalu teyrnged hefyd i’r staff dan sylw, yn enwedig y staff a siaradodd yn ddewr ar ddiwedd yr achos ac a rannodd eu profiad o'r hyn roeddent wedi bod drwyddo. Yn anffodus, mae hwn yn fater sy'n dod yn fwyfwy cyffredin. Gwelsom ddoe ddiwethaf yn Ysgol Gyfun Bryntirion ym Mhen-y-bont ar Ogwr fod cyllell gan ddisgybl yn eu meddiant, a’r digwyddiad gwirioneddol drasig a welsom ddydd Llun yn Sheffield, lle collodd unigolyn ifanc eu bywyd.

Soniodd Adam am gyfres o gamau gweithredu y gallai Llywodraeth Cymru eu cymryd, boed hynny’n swyddogion diogelwch a sgrinio, pwerau gwell i staff addysgu, ac er fy mod yn sicr o'r farn fod angen ystyried y rheini, rwy'n credu eich bod yn anwybyddu gwraidd y broblem yma, sef bod pobl ifanc a’u dynameg a’u hymdeimlad o berthyn mewn ysgol wedi newid, ac mae wedi newid ers y pandemig. Felly, tybed pa wersi y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu dysgu o ran sut y mae rhyngweithiad pobl ifanc â'r ysgol, os mynnwch, wedi newid o ganlyniad i'r pandemig, o ganlyniad i beidio â mynychu'r ysgol yn rheolaidd, a pha wersi y gallwn eu dysgu wedyn ar gyfer y genhedlaeth honno ac ar gyfer cenedlaethau'r dyfodol fel bod effeithiau'r pandemig yn cael eu teimlo, eu nodi a'u deall?

Thank you very much, Tom. I'm aware of the incident in Bryntirion school, which is currently under investigation, so I'm not in a position to comment on that. I most certainly do not overlook the root of the problems. I think I've referred very explicitly to some of the challenges that we're seeing in our schools. We're seeing more and more children and young people who are having emotional problems, who are struggling to self-regulate, more and more children and young people presenting with complex ALN, and behaviour is communication, isn't it? We have to remember that. So, I am acutely aware of the root of the problems, and that's why as a Government we are placing so much emphasis on the mental health and well-being of our learners.

We have a whole-school approach to mental health in Wales, we have counselling available to all learners aged six and above, and that has been the case for years in Wales, unlike over the border. We've got child and adolescent mental health services inreach in schools and we've got mental health as a statutory part of our curriculum. So, we are very much focused on tackling the root of the problem, but one of the things that I’ve been talking about is that what we are seeing is a load of societal problems landing in schools, really. They’re always open, they’re there, and we have also, I think, seen something of a disconnect, maybe a breakdown in that contract between schools and families that we need to address.

So, as part of the work that we’re doing on behaviour, we’re also going to be engaging with young people and with families as well. I do think it preceded the pandemic. Certainly, when I was Chair of the committee, I was hugely concerned about mental health then, and it wasn’t about mental illness, it was about young people who were distressed about what was going on in their lives. But we are committed to tackling that, so the behaviour summit will help.

As I say, we want to engage with children and young people as well, but I’m also keen to work with colleagues across Government, because this is a cross-Government problem—it’s about early years, right back to parent-infant relationships; it’s about early intervention from things like social care; it’s about job opportunities. So, there is a role for everybody in the Government to play to make a brighter future for our young people and hopefully stem this tide of distress that we’re seeing.

Diolch, Tom. Rwy’n ymwybodol o’r digwyddiad yn ysgol Bryntirion, sy’n destun ymchwiliad ar hyn o bryd, felly nid wyf mewn sefyllfa i wneud sylw ar hynny. Yn sicr, nid wyf yn diystyru gwraidd y problemau. Rwy'n credu fy mod wedi cyfeirio'n benodol iawn at rai o'r heriau a welwn yn ein hysgolion. Rydym yn gweld mwy a mwy o blant a phobl ifanc â phroblemau emosiynol, sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd hunanreoli, mwy a mwy o blant a phobl ifanc yn ymgyflwyno ag ADY cymhleth, a chyfathrebu yw ymddygiad, onid e? Mae’n rhaid inni gofio hynny. Felly, rwy’n ymwybodol iawn o wraidd y problemau, a dyna pam ein bod ni fel Llywodraeth yn rhoi cymaint o bwyslais ar iechyd meddwl a lles ein dysgwyr.

Mae gennym ddull ysgol gyfan o weithredu ar iechyd meddwl yng Nghymru, mae gennym wasanaethau cwnsela ar gael i bob dysgwr chwech oed a hŷn, ac mae hynny wedi bod yn wir ers blynyddoedd yng Nghymru, yn wahanol i dros y ffin. Mae gennym wasanaethau mewngymorth iechyd meddwl plant a'r glasoed mewn ysgolion ac mae iechyd meddwl yn rhan statudol o'n cwricwlwm. Felly, rydym yn canolbwyntio’n fawr ar fynd i’r afael â gwraidd y broblem, ond un o’r pethau y bûm yn sôn amdanynt yw mai’r hyn a welwn yw llwyth o broblemau cymdeithasol yn glanio mewn ysgolion. Maent bob amser yn agored, maent yno, ac rydym hefyd wedi gweld rhyw fath o ddatgysylltiad, neu chwalfa o bosibl, yn y contract rhwng ysgolion a theuluoedd ac mae angen inni fynd i'r afael â hynny.

Felly, fel rhan o'r gwaith a wnawn ar ymddygiad, byddwn hefyd yn ymgysylltu â phobl ifanc a theuluoedd. Credaf fod y broblem yn bodoli cyn y pandemig. Yn sicr, pan oeddwn yn Gadeirydd y pwyllgor, roeddwn yn bryderus iawn am iechyd meddwl bryd hynny, ac nid oedd yn ymwneud â salwch meddwl, roedd yn ymwneud â phobl ifanc a oedd yn ofidus ynghylch yr hyn a oedd yn digwydd yn eu bywydau. Ond rydym wedi ymrwymo i fynd i’r afael â hynny, felly bydd yr uwchgynhadledd ymddygiad yn helpu.

Fel y dywedaf, rydym am ymgysylltu â phlant a phobl ifanc hefyd, ond rwyf hefyd yn awyddus i weithio gyda chyd-Aelodau ar draws y Llywodraeth, gan fod hon yn broblem drawslywodraethol—mae a wnelo â'r blynyddoedd cynnar, yn ôl i'r berthynas rhwng rhieni a babanod; mae a wnelo ag ymyrraeth gynnar gan bethau fel gofal cymdeithasol; mae a wnelo â chyfleoedd gwaith. Felly, mae rôl i bawb yn y Llywodraeth ei chwarae yn creu dyfodol mwy disglair i'n pobl ifanc, a gobeithio, i atal y llif o drallod yr ydym yn ei weld.

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

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

15:30

Diolch i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Bydd y cwestiwn amserol nesaf gan Heledd Fychan.

I thank the Cabinet Secretary. The next topical question will be from Heledd Fychan.

Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd
National Museum Cardiff

2. A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennyd Cabinet ddatganiad o ran y sefyllfa sydd wedi arwain at gau Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd heb rybudd? TQ1296

2. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement regarding the situation that has led to the closure, without notice, of Cardiff National Museum? TQ1296

Diolch. National Museum Cardiff is temporarily closed for a few days to deal with a mechanical issue in an isolated area of the building. The repairs are under way and I look forward to the doors being open to the public again very soon.

Diolch. Mae Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd ar gau dros dro am ychydig ddyddiau i ymdopi â mater mecanyddol mewn un rhan o'r adeilad. Mae'r gwaith atgyweirio ar y gweill ac rwy'n edrych ymlaen at weld y drysau ar agor i'r cyhoedd eto yn fuan iawn.

Diolch, Weinidog. I hope you can appreciate why this is of such grave concern, not only to us as Senedd Members, but to members of the public. We’ve heard warnings from Amgueddfa Cymru and Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru for a number of years that the state of the buildings, because of chronic under-investment by this Welsh Labour Government and previous ones, is putting the national collections at risk. We were warned by Jane Richardson, chief executive of Amgueddfa Cymru, when she appeared before the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee on 6 December 2023, that without urgent repairs to the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems at the National Museum Cardiff, our institutions would struggle to function.

We’ve seen pictures of water streaming into galleries. Buckets to cope with leaks from the roof have become as normal a part of the national collections as the works themselves. And yet, you, as Minister, do not think that there is a crisis. You’ve confirmed mechanical failures, and we’ve seen the consequences of this ignorance elsewhere, as I’ve mentioned countless times before, in Brazil, where repeated warnings fell on deaf years and the results were catastrophic: a fire that destroyed 92.5 per cent of their national collections—20 million objects.

And here in Wales, we’ve already had our own close call, with a fire breaking out at the national library a few years ago. So, you can understand, I hope, why we’re concerned to see this happening to National Museum Cardiff. Minister, what assurances can you provide that our national collections are safe? And how do Welsh Government plan to tackle the complete backlog of maintenance across all Amgueddfa Cymru sites and at our national library, not just in next year’s budget, but beyond next year's budget?

Diolch, Weinidog. Rwy'n gobeithio y gallwch ddeall pam fod hyn yn peri pryder mawr, nid yn unig i ni fel Aelodau'r Senedd, ond i'r cyhoedd. Rydym wedi clywed rhybuddion gan Amgueddfa Cymru a Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru ers nifer o flynyddoedd fod cyflwr yr adeiladau, oherwydd tanfuddsoddi cronig gan Lywodraeth Lafur Cymru a rhai blaenorol, yn peryglu'r casgliadau cenedlaethol. Cawsom rybudd gan Jane Richardson, prif weithredwr Amgueddfa Cymru, pan ymddangosodd gerbron y Pwyllgor Diwylliant, Cyfathrebu, y Gymraeg, Chwaraeon a Chysylltiadau Rhyngwladol ar 6 Rhagfyr 2023, y byddai ein sefydliadau'n ei chael hi'n anodd gweithredu heb atgyweiriadau brys i'r systemau mecanyddol, trydanol a phlymio yn Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd.

Rydym wedi gweld lluniau o ddŵr yn llifo i mewn i orielau. Mae bwcedi i ymdopi â dŵr yn gollwng o'r to wedi dod yn rhan mor normal o'r casgliadau cenedlaethol â'r gweithiau eu hunain. Ac eto, nid ydych chi, fel Gweinidog, yn credu bod yna argyfwng. Rydych chi wedi cadarnhau bod yna fethiannau mecanyddol, ac rydym wedi gweld canlyniadau'r anwybodaeth hon mewn mannau eraill, fel y soniais droeon o'r blaen, yn Brasil, lle anwybyddwyd rhybuddion dro ar ôl tro am flynyddoedd gyda chanlyniadau trychinebus: tân a ddinistriodd 92.5 y cant o'u casgliadau cenedlaethol—20 miliwn o wrthrychau.

Ac yma yng Nghymru, rydym eisoes wedi cael damwain y bu ond y dim iddi ddigwydd, gyda thân yn y llyfrgell genedlaethol ychydig flynyddoedd yn ôl. Felly, gobeithio y gallwch ddeall pam ein bod yn pryderu y gallai hyn ddigwydd i Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd. Weinidog, pa sicrwydd y gallwch chi ei roi fod ein casgliadau cenedlaethol yn ddiogel? A sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn bwriadu mynd i'r afael â'r ôl-groniad llawn o waith cynnal a chadw ar draws holl safleoedd Amgueddfa Cymru ac yn ein llyfrgell genedlaethol, nid yn unig yng nghyllideb y flwyddyn nesaf, ond y tu hwnt i gyllideb y flwyddyn nesaf?

Pobl Cymru sydd berchen y casgliadau hyn, nid yr amgueddfa, nid y llyfrgell, nid y Llywodraeth. Ar ran pobl Cymru a chenedlaethau'r dyfodol, dwi'n gofyn ichi ddangos eich bod yn deall pa mor ddifrifol ydy'r sefyllfa yma a bod gennych chi gynllun i fynd i'r afael â hyn.

The people of Wales own these collections, not the museum, not the library, not the Government. It's on behalf of the people of Wales and future generations that I ask you to show that you understand how serious this situation is and that you have a plan to tackle this issue.

Diolch yn fawr, Heledd, for the supplementary question and the opportunity to address the matter today. Llywydd, the Member points to the importance of the collections to the people of Wales, and I couldn't agree any more. That's why I think, when we talk about the national museum, we are talking about an institution that is incredibly close to the hearts of many of us across the country. And in that vein, I have always believed that it is incredibly important, Presiding Officer, to do all that we can to inform ourselves of the facts, before we paint a wider picture to the public.

It was unfortunate that the Member was unable to join the spokespersons' briefing I arranged from the museum yesterday, before taking to the floor of the Senedd—[Interruption.]—before taking to the floor of the Senedd, talking about structural issues that put our collections at risk. I am glad you have now had the opportunity to have the spokespersons' briefing I arranged again today, to understand that situation.

Let me be clear, Presiding Officer, the museum is closed because of a mechanical issue, not a structural issue. Amgueddfa Cymru is working to resolve this issue as quickly as possible. I am in regular contact with the museum. The Member asked for assurances around the national collections. Both the chair and chief executive of Amgueddfa Cymru have assured me that the national collections in their care are safe. The repair team at Amgueddfa Cymru is working diligently to address this issue, and I'm grateful to them for that.

National Museum Cardiff is an almost 100-year-old building, and, as a result, is a complex building. The museum decided to close the building to ensure that the repairs could be undertaken as quickly as possible, with fewer people on site. The Member knows that, in 2024-25, we awarded Amgueddfa Cymru an additional £1.3 million for urgent works at National Museum Cardiff, which is progressing as planned. The Member points to wider issues that I am already aware of in terms of the Amgueddfa Cymru estate and maintaining its estate. That's why, Presiding Officer, we have acted to help address this, with significant investment needed to make those improvements across sites, including in the draft budget that the Member yesterday tried to vote down. Perhaps, Presiding Officer, the Member and her party will want to reflect on that position before the final budget, in terms of supporting the arts sector.

Diolch yn fawr am y cwestiwn atodol, Heledd, a'r cyfle i drafod y mater heddiw. Lywydd, mae'r Aelod yn tynnu sylw at bwysigrwydd y casgliadau i bobl Cymru, ac rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr. Dyna pam rwy'n credu, pan fyddwn yn siarad am yr amgueddfa genedlaethol, ein bod yn sôn am sefydliad sy'n hynod o agos at galonnau llawer ohonom ledled y wlad. Ac o ran hynny, rwyf bob amser wedi credu ei bod yn hynod o bwysig, Lywydd, i wneud popeth a allwn i wybod y ffeithiau, cyn inni baentio darlun ehangach i'r cyhoedd.

Roedd yn anffodus na allodd yr Aelod ymuno â'r briff i'r llefarwyr a drefnais o'r amgueddfa ddoe, cyn dod i lawr y Senedd—[Torri ar draws.]—cyn dod i lawr y Senedd, i siarad am faterion strwythurol sy'n peryglu ein casgliadau. Rwy'n falch eich bod bellach wedi cael cyfle i gael y briff i'r llefarwyr a drefnais eto heddiw, i ddeall y sefyllfa honno.

Gadewch imi fod yn glir, Lywydd, mae'r amgueddfa ar gau oherwydd mater mecanyddol, nid mater strwythurol. Mae Amgueddfa Cymru yn gweithio i ddatrys y mater hwn cyn gynted â phosibl. Rwyf mewn cysylltiad rheolaidd â'r amgueddfa. Gofynnodd yr Aelod am sicrwydd ynghylch y casgliadau cenedlaethol. Mae cadeirydd a phrif weithredwr Amgueddfa Cymru wedi fy sicrhau bod y casgliadau cenedlaethol yn eu gofal yn ddiogel. Mae'r tîm atgyweirio yn Amgueddfa Cymru yn gweithio'n ddiwyd i fynd i'r afael â'r mater hwn, ac rwy'n ddiolchgar iddynt am hynny.

Mae Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd yn adeilad sydd bron yn 100 oed, ac o ganlyniad, mae'n adeilad cymhleth. Penderfynodd yr amgueddfa gau'r adeilad er mwyn sicrhau bod modd gwneud y gwaith atgyweirio cyn gynted â phosib, gyda llai o bobl ar y safle. Mae'r Aelod yn gwybod, yn 2024-25, ein bod wedi dyfarnu £1.3 miliwn ychwanegol i Amgueddfa Cymru ar gyfer gwaith brys yn Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd, ac mae'n mynd rhagddo fel y cynlluniwyd. Mae'r Aelod yn tynnu sylw at faterion ehangach yr wyf eisoes yn ymwybodol ohonynt ar ystad Amgueddfa Cymru a chynnal yr ystad. Dyna pam ein bod wedi gweithredu i helpu i fynd i'r afael â hyn, Lywydd, gyda'r buddsoddiad sylweddol sydd ei angen i wneud y gwelliannau hynny ar draws y safleoedd, gan gynnwys yn y gyllideb ddrafft y pleidleisiodd yr Aelod yn ei herbyn ddoe. Efallai y bydd yr Aelod a'i phlaid am ystyried y safbwynt hwnnw cyn y gyllideb derfynol, o ran cefnogi sector y celfyddydau.

15:35

The establishment of the national museum, at the beginning of the twentieth century, was an important milestone in the history of Wales as a nation. The museum and the University of Wales in Cardiff were among a number of institutions that secured Wales's status as a nation. Of course, unfortunately, the building is more than just the national museum, it's also the national gallery for Wales. So, Wales has no access at the moment to our national museum or our national gallery.

I'm sure you'll find out soon enough, if you haven't already, Gweinidog, with little Noah, how popular the museum is with children. The Sunday before the closure, my children were there for the third time to visit the dinosaurs—the dinosaurs are very, very popular at the museum. For many children in Wales, the national museum is the first experience of history, of art, and of culture.

Now, with everything happening in the culture scene, it's difficult not to feel that there's a decline. The simple question is—. And the national museum is very important on many levels. The memorial service for Baroness Randerson is due to be held there on Monday. Now, my simple question is, or two simple questions: why was it closed so suddenly, without any warning, and what is 'opening very soon'? Diolch yn fawr.

Roedd sefydlu'r amgueddfa genedlaethol ar ddechrau'r ugeinfed ganrif yn garreg filltir bwysig yn hanes Cymru fel cenedl. Roedd yr amgueddfa a Phrifysgol Cymru yng Nghaerdydd ymhlith nifer o sefydliadau a sicrhaodd statws Cymru fel cenedl. Wrth gwrs, yn anffodus, mae'r adeilad yn fwy nag amgueddfa genedlaethol yn unig, mae hefyd yn oriel genedlaethol i Gymru. Felly, nid oes gan Gymru fynediad ar hyn o bryd at ein hamgueddfa genedlaethol na'n horiel genedlaethol.

Rwy'n siŵr y gwelwch chi'n ddigon buan, os nad ydych chi wedi gwneud hynny'n barod, Weinidog, gyda Noah bach, pa mor boblogaidd yw'r amgueddfa ymysg plant. Y dydd Sul cyn y cau, roedd fy mhlant yno am y trydydd tro i ymweld â'r deinosoriaid—mae'r deinosoriaid yn boblogaidd iawn yn yr amgueddfa. I lawer o blant yng Nghymru, yr amgueddfa genedlaethol yw'r profiad cyntaf o hanes, celf, a diwylliant.

Nawr, gyda phopeth sy'n digwydd ym maes diwylliant, mae'n anodd peidio â theimlo bod yna ddirywio. Y cwestiwn syml yw—. Ac mae'r amgueddfa genedlaethol yn bwysig iawn ar sawl lefel. Mae disgwyl i wasanaeth coffa'r Farwnes Randerson gael ei gynnal yno ddydd Llun. Nawr, fy nghwestiwn syml, neu ddau gwestiwn syml, yw: pam ei chau mor sydyn heb unrhyw rybudd, a beth yw ystyr 'agor yn fuan iawn'? Diolch yn fawr.

Diolch, Rhys. I'm grateful for those questions there. He's right to point to the importance of the institution to many, many people. I too had the pleasure of enjoying the dinosaurs at the beginning of this year, but not just the dinosaurs, Presiding Officer. I spent some time with my family there, and my son decided to pick the sign of the supporting the striking miners in the strike exhibition—I suspect just like his dad. So, I'm grateful to the Member for raising those points and the importance to his constituents and the people of Wales and beyond.

The Member pointed to two questions there. Firstly, why was the museum closed so suddenly? Well, mechanical issues do happen, and they happen suddenly on certain occasions—on certain occasions, I should know, Presiding Officer, as I sought to fix many of these types of issues in industry, and it happens all of the time.

Presiding Officer, I hear lots of comments from the Plaid Cymru benches, but I think this deserves the importance and respect of listening to an answer when it’s of this importance. Rhys ab Owen then asks about what is 'opening very soon'. Well, I’m hoping that, very soon, the National Museum Cardiff will be opening its doors to the public, so that he, his constituents and, no doubt, his family, will be able to enjoy the dinosaurs and all of the other things that the museum offers very soon.

Diolch, Rhys. Rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn am y cwestiynau hynny. Mae'n gywir i dynnu sylw at bwysigrwydd y sefydliad i lawer iawn o bobl. Cefais innau hefyd y pleser o fwynhau'r deinosoriaid ddechrau'r flwyddyn hon, ond nid y deinosoriaid yn unig, Lywydd. Treuliais beth amser gyda fy nheulu yno, a phenderfynodd fy mab godi arwydd cefnogi'r glowyr yn arddangosfa'r streic—yn union fel ei dad, rwy'n tybio. Felly, rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Aelod am godi'r pwyntiau hynny a'r pwysigrwydd i'w etholwyr a phobl Cymru a thu hwnt.

Tynnodd yr Aelod sylw at ddau gwestiwn yno. Yn gyntaf, pam y caewyd yr amgueddfa mor sydyn? Wel, mae problemau mecanyddol yn digwydd, ac maent yn digwydd yn sydyn weithiau—dylwn wybod, Lywydd, gan imi geisio unioni llawer o'r mathau hyn o broblemau mewn diwydiant, ac mae'n digwydd trwy'r amser.

Lywydd, rwy'n clywed llawer o sylwadau oddi ar feinciau Plaid Cymru, ond rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig parchu a gwrando ar ateb pan fo mor bwysig â hyn. Mae Rhys ab Owen yn holi am ystyr 'agor yn fuan iawn'. Wel, rwy'n gobeithio, yn fuan iawn, y bydd Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd yn agor ei drysau i'r cyhoedd, fel y bydd ef, ei etholwyr a'i deulu heb os, yn gallu mwynhau'r deinosoriaid a'r holl bethau eraill y mae'r amgueddfa'n eu cynnig yn fuan iawn.

15:40

I’m pleased to speak on this issue this afternoon. It’s a huge disappointment that the national museum in Cardiff has been forced to close, and I hope they are able to reopen their doors as soon as possible.

And I do have to side with you, Minister, there, in saying that it’s a shame that the Plaid Cymru spokesperson was unable to make themselves available for that call yesterday, because information and knowledge are key in these matters. And, I think, if those meetings and briefings would have been attended, then perhaps this debate in the Senedd might not have happened anyway, because I had the reassurances from the chief executive of Cardiff museum myself that all the efforts are being made to indeed reopen.

Rwy'n hapus i siarad ar y pwnc hwn y prynhawn yma. Mae'n siom enfawr fod yr amgueddfa genedlaethol yng Nghaerdydd wedi cael ei gorfodi i gau, ac rwy'n gobeithio y byddant yn gallu ailagor eu drysau cyn gynted â phosibl.

Ac mae'n rhaid imi ochri gyda chi, Weinidog, a dweud ei bod hi'n bechod nad oedd llefarydd Plaid Cymru wedi gallu sicrhau ei bod ar gael ar gyfer yr alwad honno ddoe, oherwydd mae gwybodaeth yn allweddol yn y materion hyn. A phe bai wedi mynychu'r cyfarfodydd briffio hynny, efallai na fyddai'r ddadl hon yn y Senedd wedi digwydd, oherwydd cefais sicrwydd gan brif weithredwr amgueddfa Caerdydd fy hun fod pob ymdrech yn cael ei gwneud i ailagor.

It's a topical question, so it's the question you want to focus on. 

Mae'n gwestiwn amserol, felly dyma'r cwestiwn rydych chi am ganolbwyntio arno. 

Absolutely. One of the questions that I raised in the briefing to the chief executive was indeed the funding, and whether some of those issues might have been negated by better or enhanced funding from the Welsh Government, or indeed other revenue streams that could be available to the museum, in terms of their ability to make money through the selling of things like merchandise, cafe bar facilities, that sort of thing, to enhance people’s experiences, but then also to generate another stream of income.

So, I’m just keen to get an answer from you, Minister, on how you’re going to work with the amgueddfa to ensure that they’ve got the resources that they need, indeed, to reopen their doors as soon as possible, and on what collaborative work you’re going to be doing with them to ensure that this doesn’t happen again, and that the artefacts and the collections can be safe for people now and for future generations in Wales to enjoy.

Yn hollol. Un o'r cwestiynau a godais yn y cyfarfod briffio i'r prif weithredwr yn wir oedd y cyllid, ac a ellid bod wedi dileu rhai o'r problemau drwy gael cyllid gwell gan Lywodraeth Cymru, neu ffrydiau refeniw eraill a allai fod ar gael i'r amgueddfa, o ran eu gallu i wneud arian trwy werthu pethau fel nwyddau, cyfleusterau caffi, y math hwnnw o beth, i wella profiadau pobl, ond i gynhyrchu llif arall o incwm hefyd.

Felly, rwy'n awyddus i gael ateb gennych chi, Weinidog, ynglŷn â sut rydych chi'n mynd i weithio gyda'r amgueddfa i sicrhau bod ganddynt yr adnoddau sydd eu hangen arnynt i ailagor eu drysau cyn gynted â phosibl, a pha waith cydweithredol a wnewch gyda hwy i sicrhau nad yw hyn yn digwydd eto, ac y gall yr arteffactau a'r casgliadau fod yn ddiogel i bobl nawr ac i genedlaethau'r dyfodol yng Nghymru eu mwynhau.

Well, I’m grateful, Gareth, for the questions and for the comments in support of the museum and, more widely, the estate of Amgueddfa Cymru. Presiding Officer, I’m grateful to the Member for finding time yesterday to have that briefing, and as I pointed out earlier, I am grateful to the Plaid spokesperson for taking the time today to be able to understand that situation.

The Member points to a number of things. He references funding and working in collaboration. Well, we’ll go on working in collaboration with Amgueddfa Cymru and the leadership there. I have already met with the chair and chief executive, and I’m receiving regular updates on this particular issue. But I’ll go on working in collaboration with them in the future.

In terms of funding for Amgueddfa Cymru, I mentioned earlier the £1.3 million in the 2024-25 budget for urgent works at National Museum Cardiff. There is more money in terms of capital investment in the draft budget, which all Members have the opportunity to support, Presiding Officer. Gareth then points to alternative opportunities to bring moneys into the museum and the institution. I think he referenced merchandise. Well, Llywydd, I took the opportunity to enter Amgueddfa Cymru’s shop on the way out after my visit with family a few weeks ago, and found myself buying a magnet for the fridge that supported the miners. Maybe I’ll get him one next time.

Wel, Gareth, rwy'n ddiolchgar am y cwestiynau ac am y sylwadau'n cefnogi'r amgueddfa ac ystad Amgueddfa Cymru yn ehangach. Lywydd, rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Aelod am ddod o hyd i amser ddoe i ddod i'r cyfarfod briffio, ac fel y nodais yn gynharach, rwy'n ddiolchgar i lefarydd Plaid Cymru am roi amser heddiw i allu deall y sefyllfa honno.

Mae'r Aelod yn tynnu sylw at nifer o bethau. Mae'n cyfeirio at gyllid a gweithio mewn cydweithrediad. Wel, byddwn yn parhau i gydweithio ag Amgueddfa Cymru a'r arweinyddiaeth yno. Rwyf eisoes wedi cyfarfod â'r cadeirydd a'r prif weithredwr, ac rwy'n cael diweddariadau rheolaidd ar y mater hwn. Byddaf yn parhau i weithio mewn cydweithrediad â hwy yn y dyfodol.

O ran cyllid ar gyfer Amgueddfa Cymru, soniais yn gynharach am y £1.3 miliwn yng nghyllideb 2024-25 ar gyfer gwaith brys yn Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd. Mae mwy o arian buddsoddiad cyfalaf yn y gyllideb ddrafft, y mae pob Aelod yn cael cyfle i'w chefnogi, Lywydd. Wedyn, mae Gareth yn tynnu sylw at gyfleoedd amgen i ddod ag arian i mewn i'r amgueddfa a'r sefydliad. Rwy'n credu ei fod wedi cyfeirio at nwyddau. Wel, Lywydd, manteisiais ar y cyfle i fynd i siop Amgueddfa Cymru ar y ffordd allan ar ôl fy ymweliad gyda'r teulu ychydig wythnosau yn ôl, a phrynais fagned ar gyfer yr oergell a oedd yn cefnogi'r glowyr. Efallai y caf un iddo ef y tro nesaf.

Well, Amgueddfa Cymru, this building is more than a building, of course, but that building is fragile. So, I think that it is something that many members of the public will welcome, the fact that we’ve been able to have this discussion and this clarity on the floor of the Senedd. I think it has definitely been worth while to have this question today.

Could I press the Minister, please, on two issues? In terms of the clarity of funding beyond the next financial year, particularly given the fact that there is not clarity at the moment in terms of the situation with national insurance contributions, any further information he could give us now would be very useful.  And furthermore, because it’s a place that is of such value to so many of us, the culture committee has recommended in the past, after receiving strong evidence on this, that there should be a cross-Government mission to ensure the protection of the national collections. I’m gratified to hear that the national collections were not endangered in this instance, but perhaps we could use this as another opportunity to ensure that, for the future, the responsibility is held across Government in terms of the financing for that, because they are of such value to the nation. Diolch yn fawr.

Wel, mae Amgueddfa Cymru yn fwy nag adeilad wrth gwrs, ond mae'r adeilad yn fregus. Felly, rwy'n credu ei fod yn rhywbeth y bydd llawer o aelodau'r cyhoedd yn ei groesawu, y ffaith ein bod wedi gallu cael y drafodaeth hon a'r eglurhad ar lawr y Senedd. Rwy'n credu ei fod wedi bod yn werth cael y cwestiwn hwn heddiw.

A gaf i ofyn dau beth i'r Gweinidog? O ran eglurder y cyllid y tu hwnt i'r flwyddyn ariannol nesaf, yn enwedig o ystyried nad oes eglurder ar hyn o bryd gyda sefyllfa cyfraniadau yswiriant gwladol, byddai unrhyw wybodaeth bellach y gallai ei rhoi i ni nawr yn ddefnyddiol iawn.  Ac ar ben hynny, oherwydd ei fod yn lle sydd mor werthfawr i gymaint ohonom, mae'r pwyllgor diwylliant wedi argymell yn y gorffennol, ar ôl cael tystiolaeth gref ar hyn, y dylid cael cenhadaeth drawslywodraethol i sicrhau bod y casgliadau cenedlaethol yn cael eu diogelu. Rwy'n falch o glywed nad oedd y casgliadau cenedlaethol mewn perygl yn yr achos hwn, ond efallai y gallem ddefnyddio hwn fel cyfle arall i sicrhau, ar gyfer y dyfodol, fod y cyfrifoldeb yn cael ei ysgwyddo ar draws y Llywodraeth o ran ariannu ar gyfer hynny, oherwydd eu bod mor werthfawr i'r genedl. Diolch yn fawr.

15:45

Diolch, Delyth, for those points. I too am grateful for the opportunity to discuss this important matter on the floor of the Chamber today in the way that we’ve just discussed. The Member pointed to the importance of the institution as well, and I couldn’t agree more.

I’ve already outlined the two particular issues in that question, Presiding Officer. On national insurance, I think the finance Secretary responded to those points in quite some detail yesterday during the budget debate. I don’t have anything further to add to what he said on the floor yesterday afternoon, other than to say, again, that when we do know more, Amgueddfa Cymru and all arm’s-length bodies will know as soon as we do.

On the cross-Government commitment to the estate and estates like Amgueddfa Cymru, the investment shows that commitment in the sector: the £1.3 million for urgent works, which is a Cabinet decision, and the additional moneys in the draft budget, which was a Cabinet decision.

I’m grateful to Delyth Jewell for again highlighting the fact that the collection in the care of National Museum Cardiff on Amgueddfa Cymru’s estate is safe. I just want to repeat that because of the importance of the collection to the people of Wales. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be able to confirm that this afternoon.

Diolch am y pwyntiau hynny, Delyth. Rwyf innau hefyd yn ddiolchgar am y cyfle i drafod y mater pwysig hwn ar lawr y Siambr heddiw yn y ffordd yr ydym newydd ei wneud. Tynnodd yr Aelod sylw at bwysigrwydd y sefydliad, ac rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr.

Rwyf eisoes wedi nodi'r ddau fater penodol yn y cwestiwn hwnnw, Lywydd. Ar yswiriant cenedlaethol, rwy'n credu bod yr Ysgrifennydd cyllid wedi ymateb i'r pwyntiau hynny'n eithaf manwl ddoe yn ystod y ddadl ar y gyllideb. Nid oes gennyf unrhyw beth pellach i'w ychwanegu at yr hyn a ddywedodd ar y llawr brynhawn ddoe, heblaw dweud, unwaith eto, pan fyddwn yn gwybod mwy, y bydd Amgueddfa Cymru a phob corff hyd braich yn gwybod cyn gynted ag y byddwn ni'n gwybod.

Ar yr ymrwymiad trawslywodraethol i'r ystad ac ystadau fel Amgueddfa Cymru, mae'r buddsoddiad yn dangos yr ymrwymiad hwnnw yn y sector: y £1.3 miliwn ar gyfer gwaith brys, sy'n benderfyniad Cabinet, a'r arian ychwanegol yn y gyllideb ddrafft, a oedd yn benderfyniad Cabinet.

Diolch i Delyth Jewell unwaith eto am dynnu sylw at y ffaith bod y casgliad yng ngofal Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd ar ystad Amgueddfa Cymru yn ddiogel. Rwyf am ailadrodd hynny oherwydd pwysigrwydd y casgliad i bobl Cymru. Rwy'n ddiolchgar am y cyfle i allu cadarnhau hynny y prynhawn yma.

Diolch i'r Gweinidog. Cyn symud ymlaen at y cwestiwn amserol olaf—

I thank the Minister. Before we move on to the final topical question—

—I have received a request for a point of order. Heledd Fychan.

—rwyf wedi derbyn cais am bwynt o drefn. Heledd Fychan.

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I would just like to clarify, since I’ve been named by both the Minister and Gareth Davies, that, yes, I did receive a request at 10:15 yesterday morning. The technical briefing was at midday, I was chairing the cross-party group on the arts and health—a cross-party group that you’d both be very welcome to attend in the future, it’s very relevant to your portfolios—and I did attend a technical briefing prior to this. I would have still submitted a topical question because I think it is pertinent. I was also advised that that technical briefing was confidential, which is why I did not reference it at the beginning of my contribution. I am grateful for that technical briefing, but I would appreciate, given the seriousness of the situation, that we could omit from petty political point-scoring on an issue that’s so integral. I would just like to clarify that for the record, that I take my role extremely seriously as spokesperson for culture.

Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Gan imi gael fy enwi gan y Gweinidog a Gareth Davies, hoffwn egluro fy mod wedi derbyn cais am 10:15 fore ddoe. Roedd y briff technegol am hanner dydd, roeddwn yn cadeirio'r grŵp trawsbleidiol ar y celfyddydau ac iechyd—grŵp trawsbleidiol y byddai croeso mawr i'r ddau ohonoch ei fynychu yn y dyfodol, mae'n berthnasol iawn i'ch portffolios—ac fe wneuthum fynychu briff technegol yn gynharach. Byddwn yn dal i fod wedi cyflwyno cwestiwn amserol am fy mod yn credu ei fod yn berthnasol. Dywedwyd wrthyf hefyd fod y briff technegol hwnnw'n gyfrinachol, a dyna pam na wneuthum gyfeirio ato ar ddechrau fy nghyfraniad. Rwy'n ddiolchgar am y briff technegol, ond o ystyried difrifoldeb y sefyllfa, hoffwn pe gallem ymatal rhag sgorio mân bwyntiau gwleidyddol ar fater sydd mor allweddol. Hoffwn egluro hynny ar gyfer y cofnod, fy mod o ddifrif ynglŷn â fy rôl fel llefarydd dros ddiwylliant.

Diolch, and it is now on the record.

Diolch, ac mae wedi ei gofnodi nawr.

Bydd y cwestiwn amserol olaf gan Peredur Owen Griffiths.

The final topical question will be asked by Peredur Owen Griffiths.

Gwasanaethau Tân ac Achub
Fire and Rescue Services

3. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd yn dilyn cyhoeddi adolygiadau diwylliannol o Wasanaeth Tân ac Achub Gogledd Cymru a Gwasanaeth Tân ac Achub Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru? TQ1299

3. What steps is the Welsh Government taking following the publication of the cultural reviews of North Wales and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Services? TQ1299

Diolch, Peredur. I have met the chairs of both fire and rescue authorities and both chief fire officers. I have set out my expectation that clear and decisive action should be taken immediately to dismantle these damaging cultures and ensure staff feel safe and valued in their workplace.

Diolch, Peredur. Rwyf wedi cyfarfod â chadeiryddion yr awdurdodau tân ac achub a'r ddau brif swyddog tân. Rwyf wedi nodi fy nisgwyliad y dylid cymryd camau clir a phendant ar unwaith i ddileu'r diwylliannau niweidiol hyn a sicrhau bod staff yn teimlo'n ddiogel ac wedi eu gwerthfawrogi yn eu gweithle.

Diolch am yr ateb yna.

Thank you for that response.

The reports published earlier into North Wales Fire and Rescue Service and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service are damning. As you have acknowledged in your statement, the reports found evidence of bullying, harassment, misogyny, discrimination, inappropriate management styles and promotion based on favouritism. It is absolutely shocking that 10 per cent of women in the mid and west Wales service have reported experiencing sexual harassment. In the north Wales fire service, 42 per cent of survey respondents reported personal experiences of bullying or harassment since June 2021. The corresponding figure for mid and west was even higher, at 47 per cent. This working environment, described by the FBU as one of fear and mistrust, is a poor reward for brave men and women who put their lives on the line for public safety. 

I want to know what exactly the Welsh Government has been doing whilst these cultures developed within the fire brigades. For example, north Wales fire brigade published their objectives in their strategic equality action plan for 2020-24, where they said they will progress an inclusive culture where leaders and staff demonstrate their commitment to promoting equality and support for a fair and inclusive workforce. Clearly, that didn't happen. It appears that successive Labour Ministers with a responsibility for the fire service in Wales have not been successful in holding fire brigades to account and checking against the delivery of such objectives. If the Government had been successful, then a safer and happier working environment would have been developed for the dedicated men and women working in the fire brigades. Can you account for the lack of monitoring over the years and what are you doing to ensure that the same mistakes are not made under your watch?

Mae'r adroddiadau a gyhoeddwyd yn gynharach ar Wasanaeth Tân ac Achub Gogledd Cymru a Gwasanaeth Tân ac Achub Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru yn ddamniol. Fel y gwnaethoch gydnabod yn eich datganiad, canfu'r adroddiadau dystiolaeth o fwlio, aflonyddu, casineb at fenywod, gwahaniaethu, dulliau rheoli amhriodol a dyrchafiadau'n seiliedig ar ffafriaeth. Mae'n hollol frawychus fod 10 y cant o fenywod yng ngwasanaeth canolbarth a gorllewin Cymru wedi adrodd eu bod wedi profi aflonyddu rhywiol. Yng ngwasanaeth tân gogledd Cymru, dywedodd 42 y cant o ymatebwyr yr arolwg eu bod wedi cael profiadau personol o fwlio neu aflonyddu ers mis Mehefin 2021. Roedd y ffigur cyfatebol ar gyfer y canolbarth a'r gorllewin hyd yn oed yn uwch, sef 47 y cant. Mae'r amgylchedd gwaith hwn, a ddisgrifir gan Undeb y Brigadau Tân fel un o ofn a drwgdybiaeth, yn ffordd wael iawn o wobrwyo dynion a menywod dewr sy'n rhoi eu bywydau yn y fantol er diogelwch y cyhoedd. 

Rwyf am wybod beth yn union y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn ei wneud tra bod y diwylliannau hyn wedi datblygu o fewn y brigadau tân. Er enghraifft, cyhoeddodd brigâd dân gogledd Cymru eu hamcanion yn eu cynllun gweithredu cydraddoldeb strategol ar gyfer 2020-24, lle dywedant y byddant yn datblygu diwylliant cynhwysol lle mae arweinwyr a staff yn dangos eu hymrwymiad i hyrwyddo cydraddoldeb a chefnogaeth i weithlu teg a chynhwysol. Yn amlwg, ni ddigwyddodd hynny. Mae'n ymddangos nad yw Gweinidogion Llafur olynol sydd â chyfrifoldeb am y gwasanaeth tân yng Nghymru wedi llwyddo i ddwyn brigadau tân i gyfrif a gwirio cyflawniad yr amcanion hynny. Pe bai'r Llywodraeth wedi llwyddo i wneud hynny, byddai amgylchedd gwaith mwy diogel a hapusach wedi datblygu i'r dynion a'r menywod ymroddedig sy'n gweithio yn y brigadau tân. A allwch chi roi cyfrif am y diffyg monitro dros y blynyddoedd a beth a wnewch i sicrhau nad yw'r un camgymeriadau yn cael eu gwneud o dan eich goruchwyliaeth chi?

15:50

Diolch, Peredur. Firstly, I'd just like to put again on record my thanks to those people who came forward, those brave people who came forward and have spoken. It's very much appreciated and I think it's really important that we recognise those people who've come forward. As Peredur says, and as I said in the opening remarks and the statement that I've put out, we want all fire service staff to feel safe in their place of work. There is no place for toxic cultures in fire and rescue services in Wales or any other workplace. 

I've spoken with the chairs of the FRAs and both CFOs to discuss how they plan to address the reports and findings. During those meetings, I've set out my very clear expectation about decisive action, and that this must be a priority to effect that cultural change. We'll continue to reflect on the findings and recommendations to determine how to take forward the necessary improvements that need to be made, in discussion with the leaders of those two services. Both CFOs have acknowledged and accepted the issues raised within their reports and have apologised to their staff.

We are developing plans to reform FRS governance using current legislation before the end of this Senedd term, and we're also planning to use primary legislation to make more substantive changes to FRS governance. I've already been in early discussions with key stakeholders through the fire and rescue social partnership forum, and I'll continue to work in social partnership on these matters.

Diolch, Peredur. Yn gyntaf, hoffwn gofnodi unwaith eto fy niolch i'r bobl a gamodd ymlaen, y bobl ddewr a gamodd ymlaen ac sydd wedi siarad. Mae'n cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig iawn ein bod yn cydnabod y bobl sydd wedi codi llais. Fel y dywed Peredur, ac fel y dywedais innau yn y sylwadau agoriadol a'r datganiad a gyhoeddais, rydym am i holl staff y gwasanaeth tân deimlo'n ddiogel yn eu gweithle. Nid oes lle i ddiwylliannau gwenwynig yn y gwasanaethau tân ac achub yng Nghymru nac yn unrhyw weithle arall. 

Rwyf wedi siarad â chadeiryddion yr awdurdodau tân ac achub a'r ddau brif swyddog tân i drafod sut y bwriadant fynd i'r afael â'r adroddiadau a'r canfyddiadau. Yn ystod y cyfarfodydd hynny, rwyf wedi nodi fy nisgwyliad clir iawn ynghylch gweithredu pendant, a bod yn rhaid i hyn fod yn flaenoriaeth er mwyn gweithredu newid diwylliannol. Byddwn yn parhau i ystyried y canfyddiadau a'r argymhellion i benderfynu sut i fwrw ymlaen â'r gwelliannau sydd angen eu gwneud, mewn trafodaeth gydag arweinwyr y ddau wasanaeth. Mae'r ddau brif swyddog tân wedi cydnabod a derbyn y materion a godwyd yn eu hadroddiadau ac wedi ymddiheuro i'w staff.

Rydym yn datblygu cynlluniau i ddiwygio trefniadau llywodraethu awdurdodau tân ac achub gan ddefnyddio deddfwriaeth gyfredol cyn diwedd tymor y Senedd hon, ac rydym hefyd yn bwriadu defnyddio deddfwriaeth sylfaenol i wneud newidiadau mwy sylweddol i drefniadau llywodraethu awdurdodau tân ac achub. Rwyf eisoes wedi bod mewn trafodaethau cynnar gyda rhanddeiliaid allweddol drwy'r fforwm partneriaeth gymdeithasol ar gyfer tân ac achub, a byddaf yn parhau i weithio mewn partneriaeth gymdeithasol ar y materion hyn.

While there are some glimmers of hope—for example, the female chief officer of the north Wales fire and rescue service has had an impact on the numbers of females in operational roles there, and both senior managers and union leaders in north Wales noted that the social partnership duty arising from the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023 has had a positive impact—it's going to take more than just urging the current leadership to do better. We now have three reviews all highlighting very similar problems that are not unique to Wales; they are also present in many, if not most, of the fire and rescue authorities in England as well.

It's good to know that you are planning changes within the current regulations, as well as primary legislation, but I feel that we really do need radical reform in line with our recommendations 5 and 6. I note that, in response to recommendation 6 that we wanted a White Paper that could then enable us to look at the shape of that radical reform in order to reflect it in party manifestos in advance of 2026, the Minister at the time was talking about a statement. I think it needs more than that, and I just wondered if, either now or at some future time, in the near future, you could provide a lot more information about exactly the timetable that we're looking at.

Er bod llygedyn o obaith—er enghraifft, mae prif swyddog benywaidd gwasanaeth tân ac achub gogledd Cymru wedi cael effaith ar nifer y menywod mewn rolau gweithredol yno, a nododd uwch reolwyr ac arweinwyr undebau yng ngogledd Cymru fod y ddyletswydd partneriaeth gymdeithasol sy'n codi o Ddeddf Partneriaeth Gymdeithasol a Chaffael Cyhoeddus (Cymru) 2023 wedi cael effaith gadarnhaol—mae'n mynd i gymryd mwy na dim ond annog yr arweinyddiaeth bresennol i wneud yn well. Bellach, mae gennym dri adolygiad gyda phob un yn tynnu sylw at broblemau tebyg iawn nad ydynt yn unigryw i Gymru; maent hefyd yn bresennol mewn llawer, os nad y rhan fwyaf, o'r awdurdodau tân ac achub yn Lloegr hefyd.

Mae'n dda gwybod eich bod yn cynllunio newidiadau o fewn y rheoliadau cyfredol, yn ogystal â deddfwriaeth sylfaenol, ond rwy'n teimlo bod gwir angen diwygio radical arnom yn unol â'n hargymhellion 5 a 6. Mewn ymateb i argymhelliad 6 ein bod eisiau cael Papur Gwyn a allai ein galluogi wedyn i edrych ar ffurf diwygio radical er mwyn ei adlewyrchu ym maniffestos y pleidiau cyn 2026, roedd y Gweinidog ar y pryd yn siarad am ddatganiad. Rwy'n credu bod angen mwy na hynny, ac roeddwn yn meddwl tybed a allech chi, naill ai nawr neu rywbryd yn y dyfodol, yn y dyfodol agos, ddarparu llawer mwy o wybodaeth am yr amserlen yr ydym yn edrych arni.

15:55

Diolch, Jenny. I'd just like to say thanks to you once again, as Chair of the Equality and Social Justice Committee, and all of the members of the Equality and Social Justice Committee that have looked into this over a number of years. I put on record once again my thanks to the committee for that.

You highlighted in your opening question some of the work that has already gone on. You touched on the north Wales fire service and, as you mentioned, the CFO, in response to this report, has confirmed that she and her senior leadership team will be meticulously reviewing the report and turning recommendations into measurable actions, which includes setting up a confidential hotline and bringing in an external leadership development specialist.

Again, as you mentioned, sadly, this is not something that is unique to one fire service or to Wales. I think this has helped to shine a light on some of those issues that, unfortunately, transpire in services in other parts of the country. But it certainly has shone a light onto that.

On your point around the work that we do now, as I said, work is going on around the governance reform and what we need to see. That has very much been started at the social partnership forum, and we will be doing this in social partnership. I'm very happy, as soon as I'm able to, to make sure that the Senedd is kept up to date with the plans and the timetable for that proposed reform.

Diolch, Jenny. Hoffwn ddiolch i chi unwaith eto, fel Cadeirydd y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol, a holl aelodau'r Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol sydd wedi edrych ar hyn dros nifer o flynyddoedd. Unwaith eto, rwy'n cofnodi fy niolch i'r pwyllgor am hynny.

Fe wnaethoch chi dynnu sylw yn eich cwestiwn agoriadol at rywfaint o'r gwaith sydd eisoes wedi digwydd. Fe wnaethoch chi gyffwrdd â gwasanaeth tân gogledd Cymru ac fel y sonioch chi, mae'r prif swyddog tân, mewn ymateb i'r adroddiad hwn, wedi cadarnhau y bydd hi a'i huwch dîm arweinyddiaeth yn adolygu'r adroddiad yn fanwl ac yn troi argymhellion yn gamau mesuradwy, sy'n cynnwys sefydlu llinell gymorth gyfrinachol a chyflwyno arbenigwr allanol ar ddatblygu arweinyddiaeth.

Unwaith eto, fel y sonioch chi, yn anffodus nid yw hyn yn rhywbeth sy'n unigryw i un gwasanaeth tân nac i Gymru. Rwy'n credu bod hyn wedi helpu i dynnu sylw at rai o'r problemau sy'n digwydd mewn gwasanaethau mewn rhannau eraill o'r wlad. Ond mae'n sicr wedi taflu goleuni ar hynny.

Ar eich pwynt am y gwaith a wnawn nawr, fel y dywedais, mae gwaith yn mynd rhagddo ar ddiwygio trefniadau llywodraethu a'r hyn y mae angen inni ei weld. Mae hynny wedi'i ddechrau yn y fforwm partneriaeth gymdeithasol, a byddwn yn gwneud hyn mewn partneriaeth gymdeithasol. Cyn gynted ag y gallaf wneud hynny, rwy'n hapus iawn i sicrhau bod y Senedd yn cael y wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y cynlluniau a'r amserlen ar gyfer y diwygio arfaethedig.

The reports we've seen today are truly shocking. They're devastating and completely unacceptable, but they're really not surprising. There is an issue of accountability here also, because staff who do such difficult and dangerous roles to keep us safe have suffered terribly. The Equality and Social Justice Committee report into the need to reform governance of the fire and rescue services—instigated, of course, by the Fenella Morris report, and the shocking findings on the culture of the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service—really demonstrated that the basic issue here is the inaction of the Welsh Government, over many years, to reform the governance of the Welsh fire and rescue services. What we see in these culture reviews are the consequences of that failure to deliver reform. The failure to get to grips with this matter earlier has really had this damaging effect on staff, yes, and also on public confidence.

It's appalling, really, that it took the efforts of ITV Wales news journalists to gather testimony from whistleblowers, and pressure from the FBU and Plaid Cymru and others, to get the Government to take the steps it finally took. We need to ensure better and more effective governance, separating the executive role from the scrutiny role of the authorities. This has been apparent for decades. Do you endorse that approach in these discussions that you're beginning to have? You failed to deliver on your former White Paper in 2018, and now we've got these truly shameful consequences. So, no more excuses. You say the work of reform is finally under way. So, how radical will it be, and how will management in these two fire services be held to account?

Mae'r adroddiadau a welwn heddiw yn wirioneddol frawychus. Maent yn ddinistriol ac yn gwbl annerbyniol, ond nid ydynt yn syndod mewn gwirionedd. Mae yna broblem atebolrwydd yma hefyd, gan fod staff sy'n gwneud rolau mor anodd a pheryglus i'n cadw ni'n ddiogel wedi dioddef yn ofnadwy. Roedd adroddiad y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol ar yr angen i ddiwygio trefniadau llywodraethu'r gwasanaethau tân ac achub—a ysgogwyd, wrth gwrs, gan adroddiad Fenella Morris, a'r canfyddiadau ysgytwol ar ddiwylliant Gwasanaeth Tân ac Achub De Cymru—yn dangos yn glir mai'r broblem sylfaenol yma yw diffyg gweithredu ar ran Llywodraeth Cymru dros nifer o flynyddoedd i ddiwygio trefniadau llywodraethu gwasanaethau tân ac achub Cymru. Yr hyn a welwn yn yr adolygiadau o ddiwylliant yw canlyniadau'r methiant i gyflawni diwygiadau. Y methiant i fynd i'r afael â'r mater yn gynharach sydd wedi cael yr effaith niweidiol hon ar staff, ac ar hyder y cyhoedd.

Mae'n warthus ei bod wedi cymryd ymdrechion newyddiadurwyr newyddion ITV Wales i gasglu tystiolaeth gan chwythwyr chwiban, a phwysau gan Undeb y Brigadau Tân a Phlaid Cymru ac eraill, i gael y Llywodraeth i gymryd y camau a gymerodd yn y diwedd. Mae angen inni sicrhau llywodraethu gwell a mwy effeithiol, gan wahanu'r rôl weithredol oddi wrth y rôl graffu ar yr awdurdodau. Mae hyn wedi bod yn amlwg ers degawdau. A ydych chi'n cymeradwyo'r dull hwnnw yn y trafodaethau yr ydych yn dechrau eu cael? Fe wnaethoch chi fethu cyflawni eich Papur Gwyn blaenorol yn 2018, a nawr gwelwn y canlyniadau gwirioneddol gywilyddus hyn. Felly, dim mwy o esgusodion. Rydych chi'n dweud bod y gwaith o ddiwygio ar y gweill o'r diwedd. Felly, pa mor radical fydd y gwaith hwnnw, a sut y caiff rheolwyr yn y ddau wasanaeth tân eu dwyn i gyfrif?

Diolch, Sioned. I know, as a member of the Equality and Social Justice Committee, that this is something—again, with the Chair—that you've followed for a number of years, as other Members have here as well. It is absolutely unacceptable what those reports have found. As I said, we want all fire service staff to feel safe in the place of work; that's what we should expect. There is absolutely no place for that toxic culture in any fire and rescue service in Wales or, as I said, any other workplace.

I've had those discussions, and I've made very clear that I want to see and be aware of absolute action. We've had these reports, the reports have been published today. They're their reports that have been published, and we need to see action now, so I'll be following very closely the work that they're doing. And as I say, I've spoken to them and they've apologised, and they're very clear that they have action points to come out of this as well. But as you say, that's the short-term part. We also have this governance reform that we're very clear—. The key point is we have to get this absolutely right. Obviously, the committee's report feeds into that, but also that social partnership and the discussion that we're having at those meetings. This is very much at the forefront of my mind, what we can do in this Senedd term, as I say, and what potentially could happen in the future. But we do have to get this right, and I think that these reports, very sadly, are, to say the least, deeply depressing and worrying to see. But it is about getting this absolutely right, and sadly, this is not just a reflection on Wales, but this is something that we've seen and we're aware of that is happening across the UK and not just, sadly, in one place.

Diolch, Sioned. Fel aelod o'r Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol, gwn fod hyn yn rhywbeth—unwaith eto, gyda'r Cadeirydd—y buoch chi'n ei ddilyn ers nifer o flynyddoedd, fel y gwnaeth Aelodau eraill yma hefyd. Mae'r hyn a ganfu'r adroddiadau hynny'n gwbl annerbyniol. Fel y dywedais, rydym am i holl staff y gwasanaeth tân deimlo'n ddiogel yn y gweithle; dylent allu disgwyl hynny. Nid oes unrhyw le i ddiwylliant gwenwynig o'r fath mewn unrhyw wasanaeth tân ac achub yng Nghymru nac mewn unrhyw weithle arall, fel y dywedais.

Rwyf wedi cael y trafodaethau hynny, ac rwyf wedi nodi'n glir iawn fy mod eisiau gweld a bod yn ymwybodol o gamau gweithredu pendant. Rydym wedi cael yr adroddiadau hyn, mae'r adroddiadau wedi'u cyhoeddi heddiw. Eu hadroddiadau hwy sydd wedi'u cyhoeddi, ac mae angen inni weld gweithredu nawr, felly byddaf yn dilyn y gwaith a wnânt yn agos iawn. Ac fel y dywedais, rwyf wedi siarad â hwy ac maent wedi ymddiheuro, ac maent yn glir iawn fod ganddynt gamau gweithredu i ddod allan o hyn hefyd. Ond fel y dywedwch, rhywbeth ar gyfer y tymor byr yw hynny. Mae angen diwygio'r trefniadau llywodraethu hefyd, diwygiadau yr ydym yn glir iawn—. Y pwynt allweddol yw bod yn rhaid inni gael hyn yn hollol iawn. Yn amlwg, mae adroddiad y pwyllgor yn bwydo i mewn i hynny, ond hefyd y bartneriaeth gymdeithasol a'r drafodaeth a gawn yn y cyfarfodydd. Mae hyn yn flaenllaw iawn yn fy meddwl, yr hyn y gallwn ei wneud yn nhymor y Senedd hon, fel y dywedaf, a beth allai ddigwydd yn y dyfodol. Ond mae'n rhaid inni gael hyn yn iawn, ac rwy'n credu bod yr adroddiadau hyn yn dorcalonnus a dweud y lleiaf, ac yn destun pryder mawr. Ond mae'n ymwneud â chael hyn yn hollol iawn, ac yn anffodus, nid adlewyrchiad ar Gymru yn unig mohono, mae'n rhywbeth a welsom ac y gwyddom ei fod yn digwydd ledled y DU ac nid mewn un lle'n unig.

16:00
5. Datganiadau 90 Eiliad
5. 90-second Statements

Eitem 5 heddiw yw'r datganiadau 90 eiliad. Bydd y datganiad cyntaf gan Hannah Blythyn.

Item 5 today is the 90-second statements. The first statement will be by Hannah Blythyn.

February marks LGBT+ History Month, an opportunity to reflect on how far we've come on LGBTQ+ rights and to celebrate the lives of LGBTQ+ people who, for too long and too often, have been hidden from our history. The theme for 2025 is activism and social change, a fitting focus to shine a spotlight on the activists that have been central to changing lives and legislation. They may not always have made the headlines, but will nearly always have been lifelines. In line with this year's theme, I look forward to hosting an event in the Senedd next week with Unite Wales, to both remember and to recognise the role activists have played in achieving social change, because not knowing our history risks our future. We cannot be complacent, as progress isn't inevitable.

The alarm is sounding around the world that history risks being repeated, and rights rolled back. But at the same time, it is right that this month we highlight the progress we have made, because much of that progress is part of our all-too-recent history. In my lifetime alone, we could be fired, we couldn't be mentioned in classrooms, we could be refused service and we could not marry the person we loved. So, this LGBT+ History Month, we pay tribute to the activists and the allies, the trailblazers and the history makers. Thank you for your activism. Thank you for being a part of changing and making history.

Mae mis Chwefror yn Fis Hanes LHDT+, cyfle i fyfyrio ar ba mor bell y daethom ar hawliau LHDTC+ ac i ddathlu bywydau pobl LHDTC+ sydd, yn rhy hir ac yn rhy aml, wedi cael eu cuddio o'n hanes. Y thema ar gyfer 2025 yw gweithredu a newid cymdeithasol, ffocws addas i dynnu sylw at yr ymgyrchwyr a fu'n ganolog yn y broses o newid bywydau a deddfwriaeth. Efallai nad ydynt bob amser wedi cyrraedd y penawdau, ond byddant bron bob amser wedi bod yn achubiaeth. Yn unol â’r thema eleni, edrychaf ymlaen at gynnal digwyddiad yn y Senedd yr wythnos nesaf gydag Unite Cymru, i gofio ac i gydnabod y rhan y mae ymgyrchwyr wedi’i chwarae yn cyflawni newid cymdeithasol, gan fod diffyg ymwybyddiaeth o'n hanes yn peryglu ein dyfodol. Ni allwn fod yn hunanfodlon, gan nad yw cynnydd yn anochel.

Mae'r larwm yn canu ledled y byd fod hanes mewn perygl o gael ei ailadrodd ac y bydd hawliau'n cael eu diddymu. Ond ar yr un pryd, mae’n briodol ein bod, y mis hwn, yn tynnu sylw at y cynnydd a wnaethom, gan fod llawer o’r cynnydd hwnnw’n rhan o’n hanes rhy ddiweddar o lawer. Yn ystod fy oes i'n unig, gallem golli ein swyddi, ni ellid sôn amdanom mewn ystafelloedd dosbarth, gellid gwrthod gwasanaeth i ni ac ni allem briodi'r unigolyn roeddem yn ei garu. Felly, y Mis Hanes LHDT+ hwn, rydym yn talu teyrnged i’r ymgyrchwyr a’r cynghreiriaid, yr arloeswyr a’r bobl sy'n creu hanes. Diolch am weithredu. Diolch am fod yn rhan o newid a chreu hanes.

I'd like to take this opportunity to highlight that this week, 3 February to 9 February, is Children's Mental Health Week, and the theme this year is 'know yourself, grow yourself', which aims to equip and empower children and young people across Wales and the United Kingdom to embrace self-awareness and explore what it means for them. It's important now, more than ever, in this rapidly changing world, that young people get to know who they are, which can help them build resilience, grow and develop.

Sadly, new data released by the NSPCC shows that anxiety is the top mental health concern for children in Wales, and as a nation who has enshrined in law the health and well-being of future generations, we need to do everything that we can to remind children and young people that they are not alone.

Finally, Dirprwy Lywydd, I would like to say a huge 'thank you' to all those who work tirelessly in the mental health profession and in organisations such as the NSPCC, Place2Be, Childline and the Salvation Army for providing their ongoing and vital support to those who need it most. Thank you.

Hoffwn achub ar y cyfle hwn i dynnu sylw at y ffaith mai’r wythnos hon, 3 Chwefror i 9 Chwefror, yw Wythnos Iechyd Meddwl Plant, a’r thema eleni yw ‘adnabod dy hun, gwella dy hun’, gyda’r nod o arfogi a grymuso plant a phobl ifanc ledled Cymru a’r Deyrnas Unedig i gofleidio hunanymwybyddiaeth ac archwilio beth y mae’n ei olygu iddynt. Mae'n bwysig nawr yn fwy nag erioed, yn y byd hwn sy'n newid yn gyflym, fod pobl ifanc yn dod i adnabod eu hunain, gan y gall hynny eu helpu i adeiladu gwytnwch, i dyfu ac i ddatblygu.

Yn anffodus, mae data newydd a gyhoeddwyd gan y Gymdeithas Genedlaethol er Atal Creulondeb i Blant yn dangos mai gorbryder yw’r prif bryder iechyd meddwl ymhlith plant yng Nghymru, ac fel cenedl sydd wedi ymgorffori iechyd a lles cenedlaethau’r dyfodol yn y gyfraith, mae angen inni wneud popeth yn ein gallu i atgoffa plant a phobl ifanc nad ydynt ar eu pen eu hunain.

Yn olaf, Ddirprwy Lywydd, hoffwn ddiolch o galon i bawb sy’n gweithio’n ddiflino yn y proffesiwn iechyd meddwl ac mewn sefydliadau fel yr NSPCC, Place2Be, Childline a Byddin yr Iachawdwriaeth am ddarparu eu cymorth parhaus a hanfodol i’r rhai sydd ei angen fwyaf. Diolch.

6. Dadl ar Adroddiad y Pwyllgor Safonau Ymddygiad, 'Pedwerydd adroddiad ar bymtheg i’r Chweched Senedd o dan Reol Sefydlog 22.9'
6. Debate on the Standards of Conduct Committee Report, 'Nineteenth report to the Sixth Senedd under Standing Order 22.9'

Eitem 6 yw'r ddadl ar adroddiad y Pwyllgor Safonau Ymddygiad, 'Y Pedwerydd adroddiad ar bymtheg i’r Chweched Senedd o dan Reol Sefydlog 22.9'. Galwaf ar Gadeirydd y pwyllgor i wneud y cynnig—Hannah Blythyn.

Item 6 is the debate on the Standards of Conduct Committee report, the 'Nineteenth report to the Sixth Senedd under Standing Order 22.9'. I call on the Chair of the committee to move the motion—Hannah Blythyn.

Cynnig NDM8815 Hannah Blythyn

Cynnig bod y Senedd:

1. Yn ystyried Adroddiad y Pwyllgor Safonau Ymddygiad, 'Y Pedwerydd adroddiad ar bymtheg i'r Chweched Senedd', a osodwyd gerbron y Senedd ar 29 Ionawr 2025 yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 22.9.

2. Yn cymeradwyo’r argymhelliad yn yr adroddiad.

Motion NDM8815 Hannah Blythyn

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Considers the Report of the Standards of Conduct Committee, 'Nineteenth Report to the Sixth Senedd', laid before the Senedd on 29 January 2025 in accordance with Standing Order 22.9.

2. Endorses the recommendation in the report.

Cynigiwyd y cynnig.

Motion moved.

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. As the Chair of the Standards of Conduct Committee, I formally move the motion. The committee considered the report from the commissioner for standards in relation to a complaint made against Andrew R.T. Davies MS regarding failure to declare a relevant interest when asking an oral question in Plenary. The Standards of Conduct Committee gave the commissioner's report careful consideration, and our report sets out the committee's judgment that although we consider that the Member has failed to comply with Standing Order 13.8A, we do not consider that any further action is warranted. The facts relating to the complaint and the committee's reason for its recommendation are set out in full in the committee's report.

I'd like to take this opportunity to remind Members of the importance of declaring relevant interests before speaking, whether that is in Plenary or committee proceedings. Advice on declarations is readily available from the Table Office, and if in doubt, it is incumbent on Members to seek such advice before making contributions. In particular, Members should consider whether their interest is something that could be reasonably considered by anyone watching to be relevant, rather than assuming that people outside the Senedd are aware of their interest. This approach will help ensure continued transparency around Members' contributions.

I would also like to draw Members’s attention to the committee's ongoing work on the registration and declaration of interest. Part of this work will involve improving the details of the guidance available around the declaration of interest, and Members are encouraged to come to us with any further suggestions. The motion tabled invites the Senedd to endorse the committee's recommendations. Diolch.

Diolch, Ddirprwy Llywydd. Fel Cadeirydd y Pwyllgor Safonau Ymddygiad, rwy'n gwneud y cynnig yn ffurfiol. Ystyriodd y pwyllgor adroddiad y comisiynydd safonau mewn perthynas â chwyn a wnaed yn erbyn Andrew R.T. Davies AS ynghylch ei fethiant i ddatgan buddiant perthnasol wrth ofyn cwestiwn llafar yn y Cyfarfod Llawn. Rhoddodd y Pwyllgor Safonau Ymddygiad ystyriaeth ofalus i adroddiad y comisiynydd, ac mae ein hadroddiad yn nodi dyfarniad y pwyllgor, er ein bod o'r farn fod yr Aelod wedi methu cydymffurfio â Rheol Sefydlog 13.8A, nad ydym yn ystyried bod angen unrhyw gamau pellach. Mae’r ffeithiau sy'n gysylltiedig â’r gŵyn a rheswm y pwyllgor dros ei argymhelliad wedi’u nodi’n llawn yn adroddiad y pwyllgor.

Hoffwn achub ar y cyfle hwn i atgoffa’r Aelodau o bwysigrwydd datgan buddiannau perthnasol cyn siarad, boed hynny mewn Cyfarfod Llawn neu drafodion pwyllgorau. Mae cyngor ar ddatganiadau ar gael gan y Swyddfa Gyflwyno, ac os oes unrhyw amheuaeth, mae’n ddyletswydd ar yr Aelodau i ofyn am gyngor o’r fath cyn gwneud cyfraniadau. Yn fwyaf arbennig, dylai Aelodau ystyried a yw eu buddiant yn rhywbeth y gallai unrhyw un sy’n gwylio ystyried yn rhesymol ei fod yn berthnasol, yn hytrach na thybio bod pobl y tu allan i’r Senedd yn ymwybodol o’u buddiant. Bydd y dull gweithredu hwn yn helpu i sicrhau tryloywder parhaus ynghylch cyfraniadau'r Aelodau.

Hoffwn dynnu sylw’r Aelodau hefyd at waith parhaus y pwyllgor ar gofrestru a datgan buddiannau. Bydd rhan o'r gwaith hwn yn cynnwys gwella manylion y canllawiau sydd ar gael ynghylch datgan buddiant, ac anogir Aelodau i ddod atom gydag unrhyw awgrymiadau pellach. Mae’r cynnig a gyflwynwyd yn gwahodd y Senedd i gymeradwyo argymhellion y pwyllgor. Diolch.

16:05

Dirprwy Lywydd, I know, by convention, Members don't generally tend to speak on these reports, but I'm quite appalled that the Conservative benches are entirely empty this afternoon. The standards process in this place assumes a degree of shame when censured by the standards of conduct Member of our peers, that it'll be something that Members will reflect on and it'll make them think twice about their conduct in the future. We now have Andrew R.T. Davies being subject to a series of reports by the standards committee. Each time he does not attend the Chamber to take the judgment of his peers. Today all of his colleagues have joined him in boycotting this debate, and I think it does call into question the efficacy of the standards of conduct process in this Chamber if the shaming and the process of reflection is being so wilfully ignored and mocked by the opposition party in this Senedd.

Ddirprwy Lywydd, yn ôl confensiwn, rwy'n gwybod nad yw Aelodau’n tueddu i siarad am yr adroddiadau hyn yn gyffredinol, ond credaf ei bod yn warthus fod meinciau’r Ceidwadwyr yn gwbl wag y prynhawn yma. Mae'r broses safonau yn y lle hwn yn rhagdybio rhywfaint o gywilydd ymhlith y cyd-Aelodau pan gânt eu ceryddu gan yr Aelod safonau ymddygiad, y bydd yn rhywbeth y bydd yr Aelodau'n myfyrio yn ei gylch ac y bydd yn gwneud iddynt feddwl ddwywaith am eu hymddygiad yn y dyfodol. Mae Andrew R.T. Davies wedi bod yn destun cyfres o adroddiadau gan y pwyllgor safonau. Bob tro, nid yw’n mynychu’r Siambr i wynebu barn ei gymheiriaid. Heddiw, mae pob un o'i gyd-Aelodau wedi ymuno ag ef i foicotio’r ddadl hon, a chredaf fod hynny'n codi amheuaeth ynghylch effeithiolrwydd y broses safonau ymddygiad yn y Siambr hon os yw’r cywilyddio a’r broses fyfyrio yn cael eu hanwybyddu a’u gwatwar mor fwriadol gan yr wrthblaid yn y Senedd hon.

Galwaf ar Hannah Blythyn i ymateb.

I call on Hannah Blythyn to reply to the debate.

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I would remind Members that the committee is undertaking a package of reform at the moment where we will be considering changes to the standards of conduct and also the measures that underpin it as well, and we'll take on board any comments made in this place. Diolch.

Diolch, Ddirprwy Llywydd. Hoffwn atgoffa’r Aelodau fod y pwyllgor wrthi'n rhoi pecyn o ddiwygiadau ar waith lle byddwn yn ystyried newidiadau i’r safonau ymddygiad yn ogystal â'r mesurau sy’n sail iddynt, a byddwn yn ystyried unrhyw sylwadau a wneir yn y lle hwn. Diolch.

Y cwestiwn yw: a ddylid derbyn y cynnig? A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Nac oes, felly derbynnir y cynnig, yn unol—

The proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? No. The motion is therefore agreed, in accordance with—

Ocê. Felly, gohiriaf y bleidlais ar yr eitem hon tan y cyfnod pleidleisio.

I will therefore defer voting under this item until voting time.

Gohiriwyd y pleidleisio tan y cyfnod pleidleisio.

Voting deferred until voting time.

7. Dadl ar Gynnig Deddfwriaethol gan Aelod: Bill ar gefnogaeth i ofalwyr di-dâl
7. Debate on a Member's Legislative Proposal: A Bill on support for unpaid carers

Eitem 7 heddiw yw dadl ar gynnig deddfwriaethol gan Aelod: Bil ar gefnogaeth i ofalwyr di-dâl. Galwaf ar Sioned Williams i wneud y cynnig.

Item 7 today is a debate on a Member's legislative proposal: a Bill on support for unpaid carers. I call on Sioned Williams to move the motion.

Cynnig NDM8724 Sioned Williams

Cynnig bod y Senedd:

1. Yn nodi cynnig ar gyfer Bil ar sicrhau cydnabyddiaeth a chefnogaeth i ofalwyr di-dâl.

2. Yn nodi mai diben y Bil hwn fyddai:

a) gwella'r cymorth sydd ar gael gan Lywodraeth Cymru, awdurdodau lleol a lleoliadau gofal iechyd ar gyfer gofalwyr di-dâl, yn seiliedig ar yr hawliau a nodir yn Neddf Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a Llesiant (Cymru) 2014;

b) cadarnhau'r gwaith o gasglu a monitro data ymgysylltu â gofalwyr di-dâl ar draws gwasanaethau statudol i adrodd arnynt o bryd i'w gilydd;

c) sicrhau bod rhagor o ddata gofalwyr di-dâl yn cael eu rhannu, lle bo hynny'n briodol, rhwng gwasanaethau statudol i gefnogi gofalwyr wrth iddynt lywio drwy wasanaethau ac eirioli dros y bobl y maent yn gofalu amdanynt; a

d) gosod dyletswydd ar Lywodraeth Cymru ac awdurdodau lleol i gydnabod gofalwyr di-dâl fel grŵp blaenoriaeth wrth ddylunio a darparu pob ymyriad polisi yn y dyfodol.

Motion NDM8724 Sioned Williams

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes a proposal for a Bill on ensuring recognition and support for unpaid carers.

2. Notes that the purpose of this Bill would be to:

a) improve the support available from the Welsh Government, local authorities and healthcare settings for unpaid carers, based on the rights set out in the Social Services and Wellbeing Act (Wales) 2014;

b) solidify data capture and monitoring of engagement with unpaid carers across statutory services to be reported on periodically;

c) ensure greater sharing of unpaid carers’ data, where appropriate, between statutory services to support carers as they navigate services and advocate for the person(s) they care for; and

d) place a duty on the Welsh Government and local authorities to recognise unpaid carers as a priority group in the design and delivery of all future policy interventions.

Cynigiwyd y cynnig.

Motion moved.

Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Pam fod angen inni ddeddfu er mwyn sicrhau gwell cydnabyddiaeth a chefnogaeth i ofalwyr di-dâl? Wel, mae'r ateb yn syml, mewn gwirionedd, achos mae dros 310,000 o ofalwyr di-dâl yng Nghymru, a dŷn nhw ddim yn derbyn y gydnabyddiaeth a chefnogaeth y maen nhw eu hangen ac yn eu haeddu. Ac mae'r gefnogaeth a'r gydnabyddiaeth hynny’n gwbl hanfodol, achos heb sôn am werth dynol anfesuradwy y gofal sy'n cael ei ddarparu, mae ymchwil yn dangos bod gofalwyr di-dâl yn arbed mwy na £10 biliwn i Lywodraeth Cymru bob blwyddyn. Byddai'n dwll cyllidol anodd iawn i'w lenwi ac yn rhoi pwysau ychwanegol, wrth gwrs, ar wasanaethau cyhoeddus sydd eisoes heb y cyllid digonol i ddarparu'r hyn sydd ei angen ar ein dinasyddion.

Oes, mae yna gymorth ar gael i ofalwyr di-dâl gan Lywodraeth Cymru, awdurdodau lleol a lleoliadau gofal iechyd, ac mae hynny, fel mae fy nghynnig yn nodi, yn seiliedig ar yr hawliau sydd wedi eu nodi yn Neddf Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a Llesiant (Cymru) 2014. Ond fel dwi wedi sôn fwy nag unwaith yn y lle hwn, fel yn y ddadl gyflwynais i i'r Senedd ar yr angen i wella cefnogaeth i ofalwyr nôl ar ddiwedd 2023, ac fel y mae ymchwil sydd wedi ei nodi mewn nifer o adroddiadau diweddar gan Gofalwyr Cymru, a hefyd yng nghanfyddiadau'r ombwdsmon yn ei adroddiad 'Ydyn ni'n gofalu am ein gofalwyr?' y llynedd, does dim modd gwadu bod yna fethiannau sylweddol o ran cefnogaeth i ofalwyr di-dâl ledled Cymru dros nifer o flynyddoedd, er yr hawliau hyn. Achos er bod gan bob gofalwr yng Nghymru hawl gyfreithiol i asesiad anghenion gofalwr, dangosodd adroddiad 'Dilyn y Ddeddf' Gofalwyr Cymru mai dim ond rhwng 0.3 y cant ac 8 y cant o ofalwyr sydd angen asesiad sy'n derbyn un.

Dangosodd adroddiad yr ombwdsmon mai dim ond 2.8 y cant o ofalwyr a oedd yn byw yn yr awdurdodau yr ymchwiliwyd iddynt ganddo fe oedd â'u hanghenion wedi'u hasesu, a dim ond 1.5 y cant o ofalwyr oedd â chynllun cymorth. Mae'r diffygion hyn yn dôn gyfarwydd, yn anffodus. Cyn belled yn ôl â 2019, dywedodd adroddiad Pwyllgor Iechyd, Gofal Cymdeithasol a Chwaraeon y Senedd ar hawliau gofalwyr o dan Ddeddf 2014, a dwi'n dyfynnu:

'O ystyried diffyg effaith y ddeddfwriaeth hyd yma a maint yr her yn y dyfodol, credwn fod angen i Lywodraeth Cymru ddangos arweinyddiaeth genedlaethol gryfach wrth gefnogi gofalwyr.'

Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. Why do we need to legislate to ensure better recognition of and support for unpaid carers? Well, the answer is simple, truth be told, because there are over 310,000 unpaid carers in Wales, and they do not receive the recognition and support that they need and that they deserve. And that recognition and support are crucial, because not to mention the immeasurable human value of the care that is provided, research shows that unpaid carers save the Welsh Government more than £10 billion every year. It would leave a financial black hole that would be very difficult to fill and would place additional pressure, of course, on public services that already do not have adequate funding to provide what is needed for our citizens.  

Yes, there is support available to unpaid carers from the Welsh Government, local authorities and healthcare settings, and this, as my motion notes, is based on rights that have been outlined in the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. But as I have mentioned more than once in this place, such as in a debate I put forward in the Senedd on the need to improve support for carers at the end of 2023, and as research noted in a number of reports by Carers Wales recently, and also in the ombudsman's findings in his report, 'Are we caring for our Carers?' last year, there can be no denying that there have been significant failings in terms of support for unpaid carers across Wales over a number of years, despite these rights being in place. Because although every carer in Wales has a legal right to a carer's needs assessment, Carers Wales's 'Track the Act' report showed that only between 0.3 per cent and 8 per cent of carers who need an assessment receive one.

The ombudsman’s report showed that only 2.8 per cent of carers living in the authorities surveyed by the ombudsman had their needs assessed, and only 1.5 per cent of carers were in receipt of a support package. These deficiencies are a familiar refrain, unfortunately. As far back as 2019, the Senedd’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee's report on carers rights under the 2014 Act noted, and I quote:

'Given the lack of impact of the legislation to date and the scale of the future
challenge, we believe that the Welsh Government needs to demonstrate stronger
national leadership in support for carers.'

Fe wnaeth y pwyllgor argymell bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn paratoi cynllun gweithredu clir ar gyfer mynd i'r afael â methiannau gweithredu a amlygwyd yn yr ymchwiliad. Yn anffodus, mae canfyddiadau'r gwerthusiad annibynnol a gomisiynwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru o'r Ddeddf, ac a gyhoeddwyd ym mis Mawrth 2023, ynghyd ag ymchwiliad ombwdsmon Cymru ac adroddiad 'Dilyn y Ddeddf' Gofalwyr Cymru, yn dangos nad yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cymryd y camau sydd eu hangen yn y pum mlynedd a mwy ers ymchwiliad 2019.

Gallwn ni ddim parhau i fethu â chynnal breichiau gofalwyr di-dâl fel hyn. Rhaid gwneud mwy i gau y bwlch—y bwlch amlwg—rhwng rhethreg y Ddeddf a'r realiti ar lawr gwlad. Felly, dyna ichi'r 'pam'. Dwi nawr am sôn am y 'sut'.

Rhoddodd Deddf 2014 hawliau i ofalwyr di-dâl, i'w darparu gan awdurdodau lleol, sy'n cwmpasu mynediad at wybodaeth, cyngor, cymorth, cael asesiad o anghenion a diwallu anghenion trwy becyn cymorth. O gofio'r pwysau sydd ar ein hawdurdodau lleol, rhaid i Lywodraeth Cymru ddangos mwy o arweiniad drwy fonitro a sicrhau ansawdd, i sicrhau bod yr hawliau a roddwyd i ofalwyr yng nghyfraith Cymru yn cael eu darparu'n gyson. Ac fe allai deddfwriaeth warantu hyn, ynghyd â nodi'r camau angenrheidiol sydd eu hangen i gyrraedd y nod.

Gwendid sylfaenol sy'n cael ei amlygu yn adroddiad 'Dilyn y Ddeddf' yw'r diffyg gwybodaeth a dealltwriaeth o sefyllfa gofalwyr di-dâl o fewn awdurdodau lleol, a'r amrywiaeth ar draws Cymru. Roedd y math o wybodaeth oedd yn cael ei chasglu gan awdurdodau lleol am sut roedden nhw yn cyflawni eu gofynion statudol yn codi cwestiynau mawr am gysondeb y data yma—rhywbeth, wrth gwrs, wedyn, sy'n arwain at oedi a diffygion o ran cefnogaeth.

Amlygwyd yr un anghysondebau rhwng awdurdodau lleol yn adroddiad yr ombwdsmon, ac fe alwodd am gasglu data gwell, cyson a chymaradwy er mwyn galluogi dadansoddi gwell ac i yrru gwelliant. Byddai gosod dyletswydd statudol i gasglu a monitro data mewn modd cyson yn fodd o arwain awdurdodau lleol i sicrhau bod hawliau gofalwyr yn cael eu cyflawni'n gyson a rhwymedigaethau statudol yn cael eu cyflawni'n effeithiol ymhob rhan o Gymru, gan roi diwedd ar y loteri cod post presennol.

Byddai hefyd yn cysoni terminoleg a phrosesau, sy'n gwneud y system, wedyn, yn haws i ofalwyr ei llywio, gan y gall gofalu, wrth gwrs, groesi ffiniau sirol, a byddai Deddf sy'n gosod a gorfodi disgwyliadau cenedlaethol i sicrhau bod yr hawliau sydd gan bob gofalwr di-dâl yn cael eu darparu'n gyson yn annog trefniadau rhannu data o fewn rhanbarthau. Ni fyddai cost fawr i hyn chwaith, ond mae angen fframwaith cadarnach ac arweiniad gwell gan Lywodraeth Cymru.

Yn olaf, hoffwn droi at y rhan o'r cynnig sy'n sôn am osod dyletswydd i gydnabod gofalwyr di-dâl fel grŵp blaenoriaeth wrth ddylunio a darparu pob ymyriad polisi yn y dyfodol. Mae darparu gofal yn aml yn effeithio ar iechyd y gofalwr ei hun. Mae gofalwyr yn fwy tebygol o ddioddef cyflyrau iechyd hirdymor, yn fwy tebygol o fyw mewn tlodi, ac mae cannoedd o ofalwyr yn cael eu gorfodi bob dydd i adael y gweithle yn sgil pwysau gofalu. Trwy gydnabod, felly, eu gwerth anhepgor a'r pwysau neilltuol sydd arnyn nhw, wrth eu trin fel grŵp blaenoriaeth ar bob lefel o benderfyniadau polisi, byddai gwell ymyrraeth i liniaru ar y pwysau sy'n bygwth eu gallu i ofalu, a'r gost, wrth gwrs, economaidd a chymdeithasol o ddiweithdra, afiechyd a thlodi.

Mae ar Gymru ddyled sylweddol i ofalwyr di-dâl, a dyletswydd foesol i roi mwy o gydnabyddiaeth a chymorth iddynt. Mae methu â gwneud hynny ond yn creu costau a phwysau ychwanegol ar wasanaethau ar bob lefel. Felly, os ydych chi'n cytuno bod y ddyled honno yn un mae'n rhaid ei hanrhydeddu, gallai'r gwaith yna ddechrau drwy Ddeddf sy'n sicrhau hynny, a'r cam cyntaf fyddai cefnogi'r cynnig deddfwriaethol hwn.

The committee recommended that the Welsh Government should prepare a clear action plan to tackle the failure to act highlighted in the inquiry. Unfortunately, the findings of the independent evaluation of the Act, commissioned by the Welsh Government, which were published in March 2023, as well as the ombudsman's inquiry and Carers Wales's 'Track the Act' report, demonstrate that the Welsh Government hasn't taken the necessary steps in the five years and more since the 2019 inquiry.

We cannot continue to fail to support unpaid carers like this. We must do more to bridge the gap—the clear gap—between the Act's rhetoric and the reality on the ground. So, that's the 'why'. I now want to talk about the 'how'.

The 2014 Act gave unpaid carers rights, to be administered by local authorities, encompassing access to information, advice, support, an assessment of needs and for these needs to be met through a package of support. Bearing in mind the pressures on our local authorities, the Welsh Government must show greater leadership by monitoring and assuring quality, to ensure that the rights given to carers in Welsh law are consistently provided. And legislation could guarantee this, as well as outline the crucial steps that are needed to achieve the aim.

A fundamental weakness highlighted in Carers Wales's 'Track the Act' report is the lack of information and understanding of the situation facing unpaid carers within local authorities, and the variation across Wales. The type of information gathered by local authorities about how they fulfilled their statutory requirements raised major questions about the consistency of these data—something, of course, that has led to delays and inadequate support.

The same inconsistencies between local authorities were highlighted in the ombudsman's report, which called for better, more consistent and comparable data to be gathered to enable improved analysis and to drive improvement. Imposing a statutory duty to gather and monitor data in a consistent manner would be a way of guiding local authorities to ensure that carers' rights are being consistently met and statutory commitments effectively discharged in all parts of Wales, putting an end to the current postcode lottery.

Standardising terminology and processes would also make the system easier, then, for unpaid carers to navigate, as caring responsibilities can cross county boundaries, and legislation that sets and enforces national expectations to ensure that the rights that every unpaid carer has are met in a consistent manner would encourage the sharing of data within regions. This would not come at a great cost either, but there is a need for a more robust framework and better leadership from the Welsh Government.

Finally, I'd like to turn to the part of the motion that mentions the creation of a duty to recognise unpaid carers as a priority group when designing and delivering every policy intervention in future. Providing unpaid care often impacts the health of the carers themselves. Carers are more likely to suffer long-term health conditions, are more likely to live in poverty, and hundreds of carers are forced to leave work every day due to the pressures of their caring commitments. Through recognising, therefore, their priceless value and the huge pressures that they shoulder, by treating them as a priority group at every level of policy decisions, there would be better interventions to mitigate these pressures that threaten their ability to care, and the economic and social costs, of course, of unemployment, illness and poverty.

Wales owes a great debt to unpaid carers, and we have a moral duty to give them greater recognition and support. Failure to do so only leads to additional costs and pressures for public services at every level. So, if you agree that this debt is one that must be honoured, the work of repaying it could begin with legislation that does just that, and the first step would be to support this legislative proposal.

16:15

Diolch am y cyfle i gymryd rhan yn y ddadl yma. Dwi'n cytuno'n llwyr fod yr amser wedi dod ar gyfer deddfwriaeth i sicrhau cydnabyddiaeth a chefnogaeth i ofalwyr di-dâl. Er bod cymorth ar gael, a hawliau penodol, mae'r dystiolaeth yn glir nad ydy'r mwyafrif mawr o ofalwyr yn ymwybodol o hyn, ac mae perig i garfan gynyddol o’r boblogaeth gael ei hanghofio. Mae yna risgiau mawr i hynny—risgiau cymdeithasol, llesiant, iechyd ac yn y blaen. Mae prinder data yn broblem, a’r diffyg sylweddoliad o gyfraniad enfawr, allweddol a gwerthfawr gofalwyr anffurfiol i’n cymdeithas gyfoes ni.

Mae gofalu am eraill yn rhan annatod o gymdeithas wâr, ac yn weithred reddfol yr ydym yn ei gwneud fel rhieni, fel plant, fel cymdogion, fel teuluoedd, fel cyfeillion. Mae gofalu yn rhan naturiol o’n bywydau ni, ond mae amgylchiadau’r gofalu hwnnw weithiau yn newid, gan olygu bod angen cefnogaeth arnom ni. Mae’r gefnogaeth yn gallu dod gan weithwyr cyflogedig gofal yn y cartref ar hyd a lled y wlad—gofalwyr sydd mor werthfawr ond eto ddim yn cael y statws, y cyflog na’r parch y maen nhw eu hangen. Mi hoffwn i dalu teyrnged iddyn nhw i gyd. Rydym ni, fel teulu, yn ddiolchgar iawn am y cymorth y mae fy mam yn ei gael ers ychydig wythnosau bellach gan dîm o ofalwyr cartref lleol. Mae’r rhain yn bobl broffesiynol, a'u sgiliau pobl yn amhrisiadwy, heb sôn am y cymorth ymarferol y maen nhw’n ei roi.

O dan y Ddeddf gwasanaethau cymdeithasol a llesiant, mae asesiad anghenion gofalwr di-dâl yn hawl gyfreithiol ar gyfer pob gofalwr sy’n gofalu am rywun sy’n anabl, yn sâl, sydd â chyflwr iechyd meddwl, neu sy’n oedrannus. Ers tua dwy flynedd, dwi wedi bod yn rhannu’r gofal o fy mam oedrannus, ond doeddwn i ddim yn ymwybodol o’r asesiad anghenion gofalwr tan yn ddiweddar iawn.

Fel y soniais i, rhyw fis yn ôl, fe ddechreuodd gofalwyr proffesiynol y cyngor sir ymweld â Mam, a dim ond wrth ymchwilio i sut orau i ddiwallu anghenion fy mam mi wnes i ddod ar draws yr hawl yma i gael asesiad gofalwr. Yn amlwg, felly, mae angen hyrwyddo hyn llawer iawn mwy, oherwydd mae’r asesiad yn gallu agor y drws at ffynonellau cefnogaeth pwysig ar gyfer gofalwyr anffurfiol. Wedi’r cyfan, mae gofalu am y gofalwyr teuluol yn hollbwysig i gynnal y gofal o’r unigolyn anghenus. Ond, fel rydym ni wedi'i glywed, dim ond hyd at 10 y cant—neu efallai llai erbyn hyn—o ofalwyr di-dâl sydd wedi cael asesiad, a llai fyth efo cynllun cymorth.

Felly, dwi’n hollol gefnogol i’r bwriad sydd yn y cynnig yma, ac yn credu yn wir y gall o arwain at y newid sydd ei angen. Gall o hefyd hyrwyddo cydweithio rhwng gofalwyr ffurfiol ac anffurfiol, ac dwi’n meddwl bod hynny hefyd yn hollbwysig ac yn rhywbeth sy’n cael ei anghofio. Felly, diolch yn fawr iawn.

Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this debate. I agree entirely that the time has come to legislate in order to provide recognition and support for unpaid carers. Although support and some specific rights are available, the evidence is clear that a large majority of carers are unaware of this, and there is a risk that an increasing cohort of our population will be forgotten. There are great risks to that—social, well-being and health risks. A lack of data is also an issue, as is the lack of awareness of the enormous, crucial and valuable contribution made by informal carers to contemporary society.

Caring for others is an integral part of a civilized society, and is a natural reaction for parents, children, families, friends. Caring is a natural part of our lives, but the circumstances of that care can change, meaning that we need support. The support can come from employed domiciliary care workers the length and breadth of the country—carers who are so valuable but yet don’t get the status, the salary or the respect that they deserve and need. And I would like to pay tribute to them all. We, as a family, are extremely grateful for the support that my mother has been receiving for some weeks now from a team of domiciliary carers at a local level. These are professionals, and their people skills are invaluable, never mind the practical support that they provide.

Under the social services and well-being Act, an unpaid carer’s needs assessment is a legal right for all carers who look after someone who is disabled, ill, who has a mental health condition, or who is elderly. For around two years, I've been sharing my elderly mother’s care, but I wasn’t aware of the carer’s needs assessment until very recently.

As I mentioned, around a month ago, professional carers from the local authority started visiting my mother, and it was only in researching how best to meet my mother’s needs that I came across this right to a carer’s needs assessment. Clearly, therefore, we need to promote this far more, because the assessment can open the door to important sources of support for informal carers. After all, caring for the family carers is crucial in maintaining the care of the individual who requires care. But, as we’ve heard, only around 10 per cent—or perhaps even fewer now—of unpaid carers have had an assessment, and even fewer have a support package.

So, I’m entirely supportive of the intention put forward in this motion, and I strongly believe that it could lead to the change that we need. It could also promote collaboration between formal and informal carers, and I think that that too is crucially important and is something that's often forgotten. So, thank you.   

I'm very pleased to be able to contribute to this debate today, and I’m pleased that Sioned Williams has brought this forward. Because, although the Welsh Government has, already, a duty to unpaid carers under the social services and well-being Act, I think this proposal is important, because it gives us the opportunity to highlight the incredible contribution that unpaid carers make and the need for us to give them as much support as possible. I've met many groups of unpaid carers, both individually and in groups. I've also had personal experience of caring, very similar to the experience that Siân Gwenllian has described, and I thought that she made some very important points in that contribution.

So, I do support the spirit of this legislation, but I do feel that we have made progress in terms of recognising unpaid carers, and that the Government has taken steps that have improved the situation of unpaid carers. I’m sure that the Minister, in her contribution, will be able to highlight what those steps are. But I particularly feel that the development of the short breaks scheme, which is administered by the Carers Trust, which celebrated its fiftieth anniversary here yesterday in the Senedd, is on track to deliver 30,000 additional short break opportunities by the end of March this year, and I think that that's what carers have told us all along, that they want breaks. And so the short breaks scheme I think has been a great step forward, as well as the carers support fund, which I think has been an absolute lifeline, we are told, to carers to access money in a time of financial crisis. And I remember somebody telling me that they'd taken a grant from the carers support fund and they were using it to pay for Christmas dinner, because otherwise they wouldn't have been able to have any Christmas dinner. And I'm very pleased that the Minister is extending that money for those particular projects. 

I'm also very supportive of the Young Carers Festival, which takes place every year. I think that this is so important, because it recognises the huge job that young carers—young unpaid carers—do. Hundreds of young carers from across Wales gather together in Builth Wells, where they have three days of fun and also are able to share their experiences. And it does give a real opportunity to show the appreciation of what they do and recognition. So, I think that bringing forward this proposal does highlight the importance and the needs of carers. 

And there is a lot that we are doing in Wales, but I absolutely agree that we need to do more. Sioned and Siân Gwenllian have highlighted the needs that are there. One point that I particularly wanted to make was about the introduction of the young carers ID card. This was introduced with Government money in order to enable young carers to have an ID card that enabled them to not have to continuously tell their story—everywhere they go, they have to explain the difficulties they have, who they have to look after, why they're late to school sometimes, why they have to pick up the medication—

Rwy’n falch iawn o allu cyfrannu at y ddadl hon heddiw, ac rwy’n falch fod Sioned Williams wedi'i chyflwyno. Oherwydd, er bod gan Lywodraeth Cymru ddyletswydd eisoes i ofalwyr di-dâl o dan y Ddeddf gwasanaethau cymdeithasol a llesiant, credaf fod y cynnig hwn yn bwysig, gan ei fod yn rhoi cyfle inni dynnu sylw at y cyfraniad anhygoel y mae gofalwyr di-dâl yn ei wneud a’r angen inni roi cymaint o gymorth â phosibl iddynt. Rwyf wedi cyfarfod â llawer o grwpiau o ofalwyr di-dâl, yn unigol ac mewn grwpiau. Rwyf hefyd wedi cael profiad personol o ofalu, yn debyg iawn i’r profiad y mae Siân Gwenllian wedi’i ddisgrifio, ac rwy'n credu iddi wneud pwyntiau pwysig iawn yn ei chyfraniad.

Felly, rwy’n cefnogi ysbryd y ddeddfwriaeth hon, ond rwy’n teimlo ein bod eisoes wedi gwneud cynnydd gyda chydnabod gofalwyr di-dâl, a bod y Llywodraeth wedi cymryd camau sydd wedi gwella sefyllfa gofalwyr di-dâl. Rwy’n siŵr y bydd y Gweinidog, yn ei chyfraniad, yn gallu tynnu sylw at beth yw’r camau hynny. Ond rwy'n teimlo o ddifrif fod datblygiad y cynllun seibiant byr, a weinyddir gan yr Ymddiriedolaeth Gofalwyr ac a ddathlodd ei hanner canmlwyddiant yma ddoe yn y Senedd, ar y trywydd iawn i ddarparu 30,000 o gyfleoedd ychwanegol am seibiant byr erbyn diwedd mis Mawrth eleni, a chredaf mai dyna y mae gofalwyr wedi’i ddweud wrthym o'r cychwyn, fod arnynt eisiau seibiannau. Ac felly credaf fod y cynllun seibiant byr wedi bod yn gam gwych ymlaen, yn ogystal â’r gronfa gymorth i ofalwyr, y dywedir wrthym ei bod wedi bod yn achubiaeth lwyr i ofalwyr allu cael arian mewn cyfnod o argyfwng ariannol. A chofiaf rywun yn dweud wrthyf eu bod wedi cael grant o'r gronfa gymorth i ofalwyr a'u bod yn ei ddefnyddio i dalu am ginio Nadolig, oherwydd fel arall, ni fyddent wedi gallu cael unrhyw ginio Nadolig. Ac rwy’n falch iawn fod y Gweinidog yn ymestyn yr arian hwnnw ar gyfer y prosiectau penodol hynny.

Rwyf hefyd yn gefnogol iawn i'r Ŵyl Gofalwyr Ifanc, sy'n cael ei chynnal bob blwyddyn. Credaf fod yr ŵyl hon mor bwysig, gan ei bod yn cydnabod y gwaith aruthrol y mae gofalwyr ifanc—gofalwyr ifanc di-dâl—yn ei wneud. Mae cannoedd o ofalwyr ifanc o bob rhan o Gymru yn ymgynnull yn Llanfair-ym-Muallt, lle maent yn cael tridiau o hwyl ac yn gallu rhannu eu profiadau. Ac mae'n rhoi cyfle gwirioneddol i ddangos gwerthfawrogiad a chydnabyddiaeth o'r hyn y maent yn ei wneud. Felly, credaf fod cyflwyno’r cynnig hwn yn tynnu sylw at bwysigrwydd ac anghenion gofalwyr.

Ac rydym yn gwneud llawer yng Nghymru, ond rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr fod angen inni wneud mwy. Mae Sioned a Siân Gwenllian wedi tynnu sylw at yr anghenion. Roeddwn yn arbennig o awyddus i wneud un pwynt ynghylch cyflwyno cerdyn adnabod gofalwyr ifanc. Fe'i cyflwynwyd gydag arian y Llywodraeth i alluogi gofalwyr ifanc i gael cerdyn adnabod a oedd yn eu galluogi i beidio â gorfod dweud eu stori dro ar ôl tro—ym mhob man, mae’n rhaid iddynt egluro’r anawsterau sydd ganddynt, pwy y mae’n rhaid iddynt ofalu amdanynt, pam eu bod yn hwyr i’r ysgol weithiau, pam y mae'n rhaid iddynt gasglu'r feddyginiaeth—

16:20

You need to conclude now, please, Julie.

Mae angen ichi ddirwyn i ben, os gwelwch yn dda, Julie.

—and an ID card is absolutely great for that. But, of course, it's important that the local authorities issue those ID cards, and we've heard that there are many young carers who cannot get ID cards. So, I support this legislation and I'm glad to have the opportunity to say a few words about it. 

—ac mae cerdyn adnabod yn hollol wych ar gyfer hynny. Ond wrth gwrs, mae'n bwysig fod yr awdurdodau lleol yn cyhoeddi'r cardiau adnabod hynny, ac rydym wedi clywed bod llawer o ofalwyr ifanc yn methu cael cardiau adnabod. Felly, rwy’n cefnogi’r ddeddfwriaeth hon ac rwy’n falch o gael cyfle i ddweud ychydig eiriau amdani.

Os oes yna un garfan o bobl mewn cymdeithas sydd yn cael eu hanwybyddu, eu tanbrisio a’u diystyru, yna gofalwyr di-dâl ydy’r rheini. Fel Cristion, dwi’n meddwl yn aml am sut y gallwn i ddangos cariad at gyd-ddyn yn well, am sut mae dangos y neges Gristnogol yna ar waith i bobl, a does dim byd yn dangos nerth grym cariad yn fwy na’r hyn y mae gofalwyr di-dâl yn ei wneud. Dyna ydy cariad. Nid gweithio er budd ariannol, nid er mantais bersonol, neu weithio allan o unrhyw fudd personol fel yna, ond gweithio allan o gariad, yn aml ar draul eu lles eu hunain—ar draul eu gyrfa, eu hiechyd, eu haddysg, eu lles, a llawer iawn mwy yn dioddef oherwydd eu bod nhw'n caru rhywun neu rywrai gymaint fel eu bod nhw’n rhoi llawer o'r pethau yma i fyny er lles eu hanwyliaid.

Rŵan, yr un peth sy'n gwbl angenrheidiol ar ofalwyr ydy'r gallu am ysbaid. Mae hanes llwyddiannau undebau gwaith yn glir i bawb, o sicrhau deuddydd cyflogedig yn yr wythnos heb waith, cyfyngiadau ar oriau gwaith, tâl sylfaenol a llawer mwy—oll yn gamau pwysig, ond yn gwbl amherthnasol i’r gweithlu gwirfoddol yma sydd yn gofalu am eu hanwyliaid. Nid wythnos waith pum niwrnod, saith awr y diwrnod, gyda 25 diwrnod o wyliau y flwyddyn ydy eu telerau nhw. Does yna ddim rheol yn dweud nad oes hawl i bobl ifanc 16 oed i weithio mwy nag wyth awr yr wythnos i ofalwyr. Ond eto mae yna dros 20,000 o ofalwyr ifanc yng Nghymru yn gweithio'n ddiwyd am eu hanwyliaid, heb y cymorth a’r gefnogaeth angenrheidiol, ar ben eu dyletswyddau eraill a'u haddysg—plant a phobl ifanc sydd yn aberthu eu plentyndod ac yn gorfod tyfu ymhell o flaen eu hamser. Ble mae eu hysbaid nhw? Does dim undeb ar eu cyfer nhw. Ond diolch byth am gyrff a sefydliadau fel Ymddiriedolaeth Gofalwyr Cymru am eu gwaith eirioli ar eu rhan.

Rwy’n deall bod yna ddyletswydd i ddarparu ysbaid i’r gofalwyr hynny sydd wedi cael asesiad, ond ychydig iawn o ofalwyr sydd wedi derbyn asesiad. Fel yr ydym ni eisoes wedi clywed, mae'r niferoedd yn fychan iawn, hyd at 8 y cant yn unig. Felly, heb asesiad, does yna ddim dyletswydd i wneud yn siŵr eu bod yn cael ysbaid, a heb ysbaid yna mae’r gofalwyr yma'n llosgi allan, yn blino ac yn mynd yn sâl eu hunain; mae eu hiechyd meddwl nhw'n dioddef, mae iechyd meddwl eu hanwyliaid nhw'n dioddef, ac mae mwy a mwy o bwysau yn disgyn ar y gwasanaethau cymdeithasol a’r gwasanaethau iechyd. Ac yn sgil hynny, mae pawb yn dioddef. Dydy'r drefn ddim yn gynaliadwy.

Fe wnes i gyfeirio at y ffaith bod yna amcangyfrif o faint o ofalwyr sydd yn derbyn asesiad. Ac mae hyn yn fy arwain i at fy mhwynt olaf, sef methiant llwyr y Llywodraeth, ar draws pob maes polisi mewn gwirionedd, i gasglu data clir. Sut mae posib neilltuo adnoddau a datblygu polisi effeithiol heb y data cywir i fod yn sail i’r gweithredu? Ac mae cynnig Sioned yn mynd i wraidd hyn. Mae parchu ein gofalwyr di-dâl yn golygu ateb eu gofynion a’u hanghenion, a’r unig ffordd i wneud hynny yw trwy gasglu’r data a’r wybodaeth graidd er mwyn gwybod beth sydd yn digwydd. Mae’n rhyfeddol bod yn rhaid gofyn am ddeddfwriaeth i orfodi y camau sylfaenol yna, ond dyna lle’r ydym ni yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd.

Felly cefnogwch y cynnig, a dangoswch yn glir i ofalwyr di-dâl Cymru ein bod ni’n cymryd eu lles nhw o ddifri.

If there is one cohort of people in society that is ignored, undervalued and disregarded, it is unpaid carers. As a Christian, I always think of the ways that the world can better show love and compassion to fellow humans, and how to share that Christian message in practice, and nothing demonstrates the power of love more than the work that unpaid carers do every day. That is what love is. Not working for financial gain, nor for personal advantage or working out of any personal interest, but working out of love, often at their own expense—at the expense of their career, their health, their education, their well-being, and much more suffering because they love another person or persons so much that they give up many if not all of these things for the benefit of their loved ones. 

Now, the one thing that is vital in terms of carers is the ability to access respite. The history of the successes of trade unions is clear to all, from delivering two salaried days off a week, restrictions on working hours, minimum pay and much more—all important steps, but totally irrelevant to this voluntary workforce caring for their loved ones. Their working week is not made up of five working days, seven hours a day, with 25 days of leave every year; those aren’t their terms and conditions. There are no rules to say that young people aged 16 cannot work more than eight hours a week for carers. But, again, there are over 20,000 young carers in Wales working diligently for their loved ones, without the support that they need, on top of their other duties and their education—children and young people sacrificing their childhoods and having to grow up far too soon. Where is their respite? There is no union for them. Thank goodness for organisations such as the Carers Trust Wales for their advocacy on their behalf.

I understand that there is a duty to provide respite to those carers who have received an assessment, but very few carers have been able to access such an assessment. As we’ve already heard, the numbers are very, very small, up to 8 per cent only. So, without an assessment, there is no duty to ensure that they receive respite, and, without respite, carers suffer burnout, they are exhausted and they become ill themselves; their own mental health and that of their loved ones suffers, and greater pressure is shouldered by social services and the health service. And, as a result of that, everyone suffers. The current system is not sustainable.

I referred to the fact that there is an estimate of how many carers receive an assessment. And this leads me to my final point, namely the total failure of this Government, across every policy area, truth be told, to gather clear data. How can resources be allocated and policies developed effectively without accurate data as a foundation for action? Sioned’s motion gets to these very foundations. Respecting our unpaid carers means responding to their needs, and the only way of doing this is by gathering the data and the core information to know what is happening on the ground. It is staggering that we are having to ask for legislation to enforce these basic steps, but that's where we are in Wales at present. 

So, support the motion, and show the unpaid carers of Wales clearly that we take their well-being seriously.

16:25

Galwaf ar y Gweinidog Plant a Gofal Cymdeithasol, Dawn Bowden.

I call on the Minister for Children and Social Care, Dawn Bowden.

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and can I thank Sioned Williams for tabling this motion, and Members who contributed to this very important debate this afternoon? Firstly, I want to go on record to thank all unpaid carers for the huge contributions and sacrifices that we know that they make in caring for their family members and friends, the very point that others in the debate have made today, and I also want to say how much I've appreciated the opportunities that I've had to meet and talk to many unpaid carers about their circumstances and support needs, and I very much welcome the opportunity today to set out our support for unpaid carers and how that is continuing and developing.

The motion today calls for a Bill to ensure recognition and support for unpaid carers and improved service provision. Now, this Government takes very seriously its responsibilities, and I'll outline the work that is already in progress. The social services and well-being Act has rightly been referenced by many contributors to the debate this afternoon, so it's important to say that the Act does already impose duties on local authorities and health boards to promote the well-being of carers. Local authorities have duties to provide information and advice, to undertake assessments of support needs, and to meet those support needs.

Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd, ac a gaf i ddiolch i Sioned Williams am gyflwyno’r cynnig hwn, a’r Aelodau a gyfrannodd at y ddadl bwysig hon y prynhawn yma? Yn gyntaf, hoffwn gofnodi fy niolch i'r holl ofalwyr di-dâl am y cyfraniadau a'r aberth enfawr y gwyddom eu bod yn eu gwneud wrth ofalu am aelodau o'u teulu a'u ffrindiau, yr union bwynt y mae eraill wedi'i wneud yn y ddadl heddiw, a hoffwn ddweud hefyd cymaint rwyf wedi gwerthfawrogi'r cyfleoedd a gefais i gyfarfod a siarad â llawer o ofalwyr di-dâl am eu hamgylchiadau a'u hanghenion cymorth, ac rwy'n croesawu'r cyfle heddiw i nodi beth yw ein cymorth i ofalwyr di-dâl a sut y mae'n parhau ac yn datblygu.

Mae’r cynnig heddiw'n galw am Fil i sicrhau cydnabyddiaeth a chefnogaeth i ofalwyr di-dâl a gwella'r modd y caiff gwasanaethau eu darparu. Nawr, mae’r Llywodraeth hon o ddifrif ynglŷn â'i chyfrifoldebau, ac rwyf am nodi’r gwaith sydd eisoes ar y gweill. Mae llawer o gyfranwyr yn y ddadl y prynhawn yma wedi cyfeirio at y Ddeddf gwasanaethau cymdeithasol a llesiant, a hynny’n gwbl briodol, felly mae’n bwysig dweud bod y Ddeddf eisoes yn gosod dyletswyddau ar awdurdodau lleol a byrddau iechyd i hyrwyddo llesiant gofalwyr. Mae gan awdurdodau lleol ddyletswyddau i ddarparu gwybodaeth a chyngor, i gynnal asesiadau o anghenion cymorth, ac i ddiwallu’r anghenion cymorth hynny.

Will you take an intervention? I accept that point, and they are expected to provide an assessment, but, as we've heard, only a small fraction get an assessment, so 90-plus per cent don't get that assessment and, therefore, they can't get the things that they are owed. So, how can you make sure that the rest of the carers get that assessment?

A wnewch chi dderbyn ymyriad? Rwy’n derbyn y pwynt hwnnw, ac mae disgwyl iddynt ddarparu asesiad, ond fel y clywsom, dim ond cyfran fach sy’n cael asesiad, felly nid yw dros 90 y cant yn cael yr asesiad hwnnw, ac felly ni allant gael y pethau sy’n ddyledus iddynt. Felly, sut y gallwch chi sicrhau bod gweddill y gofalwyr yn cael yr asesiad hwnnw?

Right. I'm only a minute into my contribution, Mabon; I think it will become clear as we go through.

Iawn. Dim ond munud i mewn i fy nghyfraniad rwyf wedi'i gyrraedd, Mabon; rwy'n credu y daw'n amlwg wrth inni fynd drwyddo.

So, as I say, this does include the provision of respite for the carer to have a break from their caring responsibilities. The Act is clear on local authorities' duties, so our work must focus on ensuring that this is consistently embedded and delivered, as was highlighted by many others. Unpaid carers that I've spoken to as well have also told me about how they feel that they can't access timely information or advice and that they've not been able to easily receive an assessment of their support needs, and that should be of great concern to all of us.

The rapid review of carers' rights, which we a Government commissioned in 2022, identified these as areas for improvement, and we are currently working with local authority leaders, with health boards, with national care organisations and unpaid carers through my ministerial advisory group to drive consistent national best practice. We've requested now that all local authorities complete self-assessments of their services to carers, and—to be clear—we have not just asked leaders to complete these assessments, but we have asked front-line workers, so that we can hear first-hand about both the challenges and the good practice within their areas.

We've met with unpaid carers to understand more about their experiences, and to learn from them what 'good' looks like to them. And we're meeting with the heads of adult services this month to agree the next steps in moving forward on improvements that need to be made, but also using this as an opportunity to share the good practice that I talked about earlier. The motion also calls for the data capture of unpaid carers across statutory services and a greater sharing of unpaid carers data between statutory services.

I can advise the Senedd that, again, through the ministerial advisory group for unpaid carers, we have commissioned a new unpaid carers receiving support census, and this census will provide a detailed understanding of carers who receive support from local authorities. And—

Felly, fel y dywedaf, mae hyn yn cynnwys darparu seibiant i'r gofalwr gael toriad o'u cyfrifoldebau gofalu. Mae’r Ddeddf yn glir ar ddyletswyddau awdurdodau lleol, felly mae'n rhaid i’n gwaith ganolbwyntio ar sicrhau bod hyn yn cael ei wreiddio a’i gyflawni’n gyson, fel y nodwyd gan lawer o bobl eraill. Mae'r gofalwyr di-dâl y siaradais â hwy wedi sôn wrthyf hefyd sut y maent yn teimlo na allant gael gwybodaeth neu gyngor amserol ac nad ydynt wedi gallu cael asesiad o’u hanghenion cymorth yn hawdd, a dylai hynny fod yn destun cryn bryder i bob un ohonom.

Nodwyd y rhain fel meysydd i'w gwella yn yr adolygiad cyflym o hawliau gofalwyr a gomisiynwyd gennym ni fel Llywodraeth yn 2022, ac rydym yn gweithio ar hyn o bryd gydag arweinwyr awdurdodau lleol, gyda byrddau iechyd, gyda sefydliadau gofal cenedlaethol a gofalwyr di-dâl drwy fy ngrŵp cynghori gweinidogol i ysgogi arferion gorau cenedlaethol cyson. Rydym bellach wedi gofyn i bob awdurdod lleol gwblhau hunanasesiadau o'u gwasanaethau i ofalwyr, ac—i fod yn glir—nid yn unig ein bod wedi gofyn i arweinwyr gwblhau'r asesiadau hyn, rydym wedi gofyn i weithwyr rheng flaen hefyd, fel y gallwn glywed yn uniongyrchol am yr heriau a'r arferion da yn eu hardaloedd.

Rydym wedi cyfarfod â gofalwyr di-dâl i ddeall mwy am eu profiadau, ac i ddysgu ganddynt beth y mae 'da' yn ei olygu iddynt hwy. Ac rydym yn cyfarfod â phenaethiaid gwasanaethau i oedolion y mis hwn i gytuno ar y camau nesaf ar gyfer symud ymlaen ar welliannau y mae angen eu gwneud, ond gan ddefnyddio hyn fel cyfle hefyd i rannu'r arferion da y soniais amdanynt yn gynharach. Mae’r cynnig hefyd yn galw am gasglu data am ofalwyr di-dâl ar draws y gwasanaethau statudol a rhannu rhagor o ddata am ofalwyr di-dâl rhwng gwasanaethau statudol.

Gallaf hysbysu’r Senedd ein bod, unwaith eto, drwy’r grŵp cynghori gweinidogol ar ofalwyr di-dâl, wedi comisiynu cyfrifiad newydd o ofalwyr di-dâl sy'n cael cymorth, a bydd y cyfrifiad hwn yn rhoi dealltwriaeth fanwl ynglŷn â gofalwyr sy’n cael cymorth gan awdurdodau lleol. Ac—

Will you take an intervention?

A wnewch chi dderbyn ymyriad?

Just on that point there: so does that work to promote best practice and improvement come with additional capacity and resource to allow local authorities to invest in providing, for instance, more information, advice and assistance plus assessments?

Ar y pwynt hwnnw: felly, a yw'r gwaith ar hyrwyddo arferion gorau a gwelliant yn dod gyda chapasiti ac adnoddau ychwanegol i ganiatáu i awdurdodau lleol fuddsoddi mewn darparu mwy o wybodaeth, er enghraifft, a chyngor a chymorth yn ogystal ag asesiadau?

16:30

I think we need to see what the review actually comes out and tells us, but this is a whole budget discussion that we're talking about now, and I don't think that we want to get into budget discussions right at the moment. We're setting out the principles of what we're trying to achieve, and we've seen that local authorities' budgets have been increased significantly in this budget. If you vote for it, that might well be able to help support some of the work that we're looking to do here.

Now, we're also working with health to develop a shared care record and a national data repository, and that will help to provide a single record for people across both health and social care.

The motion further calls for recognition of unpaid carers as a priority group in the design and delivery of policy intentions. I can tell you that we are already working across Government to ensure that unpaid carers are actively considered in a range of strategies and policies, including our new mental health strategy, the child poverty strategy, the suicide prevention strategy, and our strategy for an ageing society. Unpaid carers are a priority area also for the gender equality forum and for the Welsh Government's response to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child's concluding observations 2023 report. We continue to develop our delivery plan for 2025-26, which sits under our national strategy for carers, and this is being co-produced with national care organisations, unpaid carers, local authorities and health boards. Co-production is, of course, a key principle of the social services and well-being Act, and we expect local authorities to ensure the active involvement of unpaid carers when they're developing or commissioning services that affect them.

As was highlighted by Julie Morgan in her contribution, our short breaks scheme and carers support fund were developed in direct response to what carers said they needed in partnership with local authorities and with the third sector. Feedback from unpaid carers has been very positive. We've increased the opportunities for a break from people's caring roles, and we're helping them to access emergency financial support and assistance, directly benefiting their well-being. I was pleased to announce, just last week, that we have further extended that fund by £5.2 million. As Julie also highlighted in her contribution, the scheme that we have to support our young carers through the ID cards is also quite groundbreaking.

Llywydd, once again, I am grateful to Sioned Williams for tabling the motion, giving the Senedd the opportunity of shining a light on the need to support unpaid carers, but I do not see an immediate need for further legislation at this time. Rather, we should direct our energies to ensuring that the current legislation that we have is effectively enabled, and I believe that that's what I've set out today. So, rest assured that this Government will continue to recognise the vital contribution of unpaid carers and deliver on our strategic priorities in collaboration with unpaid carers and our social care partners. Diolch yn fawr.

Rwy'n credu bod angen inni weld beth y mae'r adolygiad yn ei ddweud wrthym mewn gwirionedd, ond mae hon yn drafodaeth ar gyllideb gyfan, ac nid wyf yn credu ein bod am gael trafodaethau cyllidebol ar hyn o bryd. Rydym yn nodi egwyddorion yr hyn y ceisiwn ei gyflawni, ac rydym wedi gweld bod cyllidebau awdurdodau lleol wedi cynyddu'n sylweddol yn y gyllideb hon. Os ydych chi'n pleidleisio drosti, mae'n ddigon posibl y gall helpu i gefnogi peth o'r gwaith y ceisiwn ei wneud yma.

Nawr, rydym hefyd yn gweithio gydag iechyd i ddatblygu cofnod rhannu'r gofal a storfa ddata genedlaethol, a bydd hynny'n helpu i ddarparu un cofnod i bobl ar draws iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol.

Mae'r cynnig yn galw am gydnabod gofalwyr di-dâl ymhellach fel grŵp blaenoriaeth wrth gynllunio a chyflawni bwriadau polisi. Gallaf ddweud wrthych ein bod eisoes yn gweithio ar draws y Llywodraeth i sicrhau bod gofalwyr di-dâl yn cael eu hystyried yn weithredol mewn ystod o strategaethau a pholisïau, gan gynnwys ein strategaeth iechyd meddwl newydd, y strategaeth tlodi plant, y strategaeth atal hunanladdiad, a'n strategaeth ar gyfer cymdeithas sy'n heneiddio. Mae gofalwyr di-dâl yn faes blaenoriaeth hefyd ar gyfer y fforwm cydraddoldeb rhywiol ac ar gyfer ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru i adroddiad arsylwadau terfynol 2023 Pwyllgor y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar Hawliau'r Plentyn. Rydym yn parhau i ddatblygu ein cynllun cyflawni ar gyfer 2025-26, sy'n rhan o'n strategaeth genedlaethol ar gyfer gofalwyr a gaiff ei gydgynhyrchu gyda sefydliadau gofal cenedlaethol, gofalwyr di-dâl, awdurdodau lleol a byrddau iechyd. Mae cydgynhyrchu, wrth gwrs, yn egwyddor allweddol yn y Ddeddf gwasanaethau cymdeithasol a llesiant, ac rydym yn disgwyl i awdurdodau lleol sicrhau cyfranogiad gweithredol gofalwyr di-dâl pan fyddant yn datblygu neu'n comisiynu gwasanaethau sy'n effeithio arnynt.

Fel y nododd Julie Morgan yn ei chyfraniad, datblygwyd ein cynllun seibiant byr a'n cronfa gymorth i ofalwyr mewn ymateb uniongyrchol i'r hyn y dywedodd gofalwyr sydd ei angen arnynt mewn partneriaeth ag awdurdodau lleol a chyda'r trydydd sector. Mae adborth gan ofalwyr di-dâl wedi bod yn gadarnhaol iawn. Rydym wedi cynyddu'r cyfleoedd am seibiant o rolau gofalu pobl, ac rydym yn eu helpu i gael cefnogaeth a chymorth ariannol brys, gan sicrhau budd uniongyrchol i'w lles. Roeddwn yn falch o gyhoeddi, yr wythnos diwethaf, ein bod wedi sicrhau cynnydd pellach o £5.2 miliwn i'r gronfa honno. Fel y nododd Julie yn ei chyfraniad hefyd, mae'r cynllun sydd gennym i gefnogi ein gofalwyr ifanc drwy'r cardiau adnabod hefyd yn eithaf arloesol.

Lywydd, unwaith eto, rwy'n ddiolchgar i Sioned Williams am gyflwyno'r cynnig, gan roi cyfle i'r Senedd daflu goleuni ar yr angen i gefnogi gofalwyr di-dâl, ond nid wyf yn gweld bod angen uniongyrchol i gael deddfwriaeth bellach ar hyn o bryd. Yn hytrach, dylem gyfeirio ein hegni at sicrhau bod y ddeddfwriaeth bresennol sydd gennym yn cael ei gweithredu'n effeithiol, ac rwy'n credu mai dyna a nodais heddiw. Felly, rwy'n eich sicrhau y bydd y Llywodraeth hon yn parhau i gydnabod cyfraniad hanfodol gofalwyr di-dâl ac yn cyflawni ein blaenoriaethau strategol mewn cydweithrediad â gofalwyr di-dâl a'n partneriaid gofal cymdeithasol. Diolch yn fawr.

A galwaf ar Sioned Williams i ymateb i'r ddadl.

And I call on Sioned Williams to reply to the debate.

Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Before I start, I'd just like to say 'hello' and give a shout-out to the unpaid carers who I know are watching us on Senedd.tv today. Of course, they couldn't be here because of their caring duties.

Diolch yn fawr, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Cyn i mi ddechrau, hoffwn ddweud 'helo' wrth y gofalwyr di-dâl y gwn eu bod yn ein gwylio ar Senedd.tv heddiw. Wrth gwrs, ni allent fod yma oherwydd eu dyletswyddau gofalu.

Dwi eisiau diolch i bawb sydd wedi cyfrannu i’r ddadl, yn arbennig i Siân Gwenllian, sydd wedi rhannu o’i phrofiad ei hun o ofalu am ei mam, a dŷn ni wedi cael llawer o sgyrsiau am hynny, a dwi’n meddwl bod y profiad byw yna yn werthfawr iawn yn cyfrannu i’r ddadl yma.

I want to thank everyone who's contributed to the debate, particularly Siân Gwenllian, who's shared her own experience of caring for her mother, and we've had a lot of conversations about that, and I think that that lived experience is very valuable indeed in contributing to this debate.

A few points I'd like to respond to, I know I don't have too much time. Just on the point that Julie Morgan and the Minister raised around the extension of the sustainable social service grant, the short breaks fund and the carers support fund, they're welcome, of course, but they're yet to be transformative in their impact, and they don't go far enough to address the deep injustices faced by unpaid carers in Wales. They've been running for a number of years, and yet we know from the Carers Wales report last year that there are 100,000 unpaid carers living in poverty. We know that, by this year, around 30,000 short breaks will have been provided to carers, and yet the 2021 census shows us there are over 300,000 unpaid carers in Wales. So, what about that other 90 per cent of carers who would benefit from a break from their role?

Of course, the Government, yes, can produce as many charters, delivery plans and strategies as it chooses, and they can be accompanied by warm words in the Senedd and statements during Carers Week and visits to carers centres, but it needs to get a grip of its own legislation, and specifically its effective implementation, otherwise we're going to be coming back here every year, hearing more about unpaid carers who are struggling to make ends meet, who are waiting months or years for their needs to be assessed, and who have given up their jobs because no support was made available to them. So, if the Government doesn't think we need new legislation to fix this mess, then it needs to show leadership and commitment, more than it plans to currently, which includes sufficient resource, to start to make inroads into the injustice faced by hundreds of thousands of people who just want a bit of support to provide some care to the people they love and to live a fulfilling life alongside that.

Hoffwn ymateb i ambell bwynt, ac rwy'n gwybod nad oes gennyf ormod o amser. Ar y pwynt a nododd Julie Morgan a'r Gweinidog ynghylch ymestyn y grant gwasanaethau cymdeithasol cynaliadwy, y gronfa seibiant byr a'r gronfa cymorth i ofalwyr, mae croeso iddynt wrth gwrs, ond maent eto i fod yn drawsnewidiol o ran eu heffaith, ac nid ydynt yn mynd yn ddigon pell i fynd i'r afael â'r anghyfiawnderau dwfn sy'n wynebu gofalwyr di-dâl yng Nghymru. Maent wedi bod yn weithredol ers nifer o flynyddoedd, ac eto fe wyddom o adroddiad Gofalwyr Cymru y llynedd fod 100,000 o ofalwyr di-dâl yn byw mewn tlodi. Gwyddom y bydd tua 30,000 o seibiannau byr wedi'u darparu i ofalwyr erbyn eleni, ac eto mae cyfrifiad 2021 yn dangos bod dros 300,000 o ofalwyr di-dâl yng Nghymru. Felly, beth am y 90 y cant arall o ofalwyr a fyddai'n elwa o seibiant o'u rôl?

Wrth gwrs, gall y Llywodraeth gynhyrchu cymaint o siarteri, cynlluniau cyflawni a strategaethau ag y mae'n dewis, a gallwn gael geiriau cynnes yn y Senedd a datganiadau yn ystod Wythnos y Gofalwyr ac ymweliadau â chanolfannau gofalwyr i fynd gyda'r rheini, ond mae angen iddi gael rheolaeth ar ei deddfwriaeth ei hun, a'i gweithredu'n effeithiol, neu fel arall byddwn yn dychwelyd yma bob blwyddyn, yn clywed mwy am ofalwyr di-dâl sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd cael dau ben llinyn ynghyd, sy'n aros misoedd neu flynyddoedd i'w hanghenion gael eu hasesu, ac sydd wedi rhoi'r gorau i'w swyddi am nad oedd unrhyw gefnogaeth ar gael iddynt. Felly, os nad yw'r Llywodraeth yn credu bod angen deddfwriaeth newydd arnom i ddatrys y llanast, mae angen iddi ddangos arweinyddiaeth ac ymrwymiad, mwy nag y mae'n bwriadu ei wneud ar hyn o bryd, yn cynnwys digon o adnoddau, i ddechrau gwneud cynnydd ar yr anghyfiawnder sy'n wynebu cannoedd o filoedd o bobl sydd ond eisiau ychydig bach o gymorth i ddarparu gofal i'r bobl y maent yn eu caru ac i fyw bywyd boddhaus ochr yn ochr â hynny.

16:35

Y cwestiwn yw: a ddylid nodi'r cynnig? A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Na—

The proposal is to note the proposal. Does any Member object? No—

Yes? [Objection.] 

Ie? [Gwrthwynebiad.] 

Oes. Felly, gohiriaf y bleidlais ar yr eitem hon tan y cyfnod pleidleisio.

Yes. Therefore, I will defer voting under this item until voting time.

Gohiriwyd y pleidleisio tan y cyfnod pleidleisio.

Voting deferred until voting time.

8. Dadl ar Adroddiad y Pwyllgor Llywodraeth Leol a Thai, 'Y cyflenwad o dai cymdeithasol'
8. Debate on the Local Government and Housing Committee Report, 'Social Housing Supply'

Eitem 8, dadl ar adroddiad y Pwyllgor Llywodraeth Leol a Thai, 'Y cyflenwad o dai cymdeithasol'. Galwaf ar Gadeirydd y pwyllgor i wneud y cynnig. John Griffiths.

Item 8 is a debate on the Local Government and Housing Committee report, 'Social Housing Supply'. I call on the Chair of the committee to move the motion. John Griffiths.

Cynnig NDM8817 John Griffiths

Cynnig bod Senedd Cymru:

Yn nodi adroddiad y Pwyllgor Llywodraeth Leol a Thai, ‘Y cyflenwad o dai cymdeithasol’, a osodwyd yn y Swyddfa Gyflwyno ar 20 Tachwedd 2024.

Motion NDM8817 John Griffiths

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the report of the Local Government and Housing Committee, ‘Social Housing Supply’, which was laid in the Table Office on 20 November 2024.

Cynigiwyd y cynnig.

Motion moved.

Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. I am pleased to open today’s debate on the Local Government and Housing Committee’s report on social housing supply. I would like to start by thanking all those who contributed to our inquiry, particularly those who shared their personal experiences with us through our engagement activities. Our report on social housing is part of a series of inquiries relating to our overarching priority of the delivery and availability of appropriate housing in Wales. Our report made 17 recommendations, and I’m pleased that 14 of those were accepted either in full or in principle by the Cabinet Secretary. 

We are in the midst of a housing crisis and, increasingly, the supply of social housing at pace is key to addressing this. The latest statistics show that, as of March 2024, the Welsh Government was less than halfway towards its target of delivering 20,000 low-carbon social homes for rent by the end of this Senedd. We recognise that increasing social housing supply has been particularly challenging in recent years due to headwinds, including the rising cost of materials and labour, but there are opportunities to do more. In our report, we call on the Welsh Government to produce a long-term housing strategy that looks beyond individual Senedd terms, and many of the recommendations in our report discuss what such a strategy should include.

We heard that social housing needs to comprise a critical mass of at least 20 per cent of a nation’s housing stock to create options for people and balance out prices in the private market. The percentage of social housing varies across Europe, with the highest proportions in the Netherlands, 29 per cent; Denmark, 20 per cent; and Austria, 24 per cent. In Scotland, the figure is 23 per cent. Here in Wales on the other hand, social housing currently makes up only about 16 per cent of stock. If we met the 20 per cent figure, we would have in the region of 60,000 more homes, which would make a significant difference to people’s lives. The Welsh Government accepted in principle our recommendation that social housing should form a bigger percentage of Wales’s overall housing stock. We note the Welsh Government’s commitment to undertake analysis to understand the steps needed to secure a higher percentage and to inform timescales. I would be grateful today if the Cabinet Secretary could give us a time frame for this work.

We are pleased that the Welsh Government accepted our recommendation about addressing the need for more one-bed homes. We heard that there is significant demand for such accommodation, but local authorities and housing associations said that this may conflict with establishing mixed communities. It is therefore vital that the Welsh Government delivers the right homes in the right places, and social homes need to reflect the needs of the population.

Diolch yn fawr, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Rwy'n falch o agor y ddadl heddiw ar adroddiad y Pwyllgor Llywodraeth Leol a Thai ar y cyflenwad o dai cymdeithasol. Hoffwn ddechrau drwy ddiolch i bawb a gyfrannodd at ein hymchwiliad, yn enwedig y rhai a rannodd eu profiadau personol gyda ni drwy ein gweithgareddau ymgysylltu. Mae ein hadroddiad ar dai cymdeithasol yn rhan o gyfres o ymchwiliadau sy'n gysylltiedig â'n blaenoriaeth drosfwaol i ddarpariaeth ac argaeledd tai priodol yng Nghymru. Fe wnaeth ein hadroddiad 17 o argymhellion, ac rwy'n falch fod 14 o'r rheini wedi'u derbyn naill ai'n llawn neu mewn egwyddor gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. 

Rydym yng nghanol argyfwng tai ac yn gynyddol, mae cyflenwad cyflym o dai cymdeithasol yn allweddol i fynd i'r afael â hyn. Mae'r ystadegau diweddaraf yn dangos, ym mis Mawrth 2024, fod Llywodraeth Cymru lai na hanner ffordd tuag at ei tharged o ddarparu 20,000 o gartrefi cymdeithasol carbon isel i'w rhentu erbyn diwedd y Senedd hon. Rydym yn cydnabod bod cynyddu'r cyflenwad tai cymdeithasol wedi bod yn arbennig o heriol yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf yn wyneb sawl sialens, yn cynnwys cost gynyddol deunyddiau a llafur, ond mae cyfleoedd i wneud mwy. Yn ein hadroddiad, galwn ar Lywodraeth Cymru i lunio strategaeth dai hirdymor sy'n edrych y tu hwnt i dymhorau Senedd unigol, ac mae llawer o'r argymhellion yn ein hadroddiad yn trafod beth y dylai strategaeth o'r fath ei gynnwys.

Clywsom fod angen i fàs critigol o 20 y cant fan lleiaf o stoc dai gwlad fod yn dai cymdeithasol er mwyn creu opsiynau i bobl a chydbwyso prisiau yn y farchnad breifat. Mae canran y tai cymdeithasol yn amrywio ar draws Ewrop, gyda'r cyfrannau uchaf yn yr Iseldiroedd, 29 y cant; Denmarc, 20 y cant; Awstria, 24 y cant. Yn yr Alban, y ffigur yw 23 y cant. Yma yng Nghymru ar y llaw arall, dim ond tua 16 y cant o'r stoc dai sy'n dai cymdeithasol ar hyn o bryd. Pe byddem yn cyrraedd y ffigur o 20 y cant, byddai gennym oddeutu 60,000 yn fwy o gartrefi, a fyddai'n gwneud gwahaniaeth sylweddol i fywydau pobl. Derbyniodd Llywodraeth Cymru ein hargymhelliad mewn egwyddor y dylai tai cymdeithasol ffurfio canran fwy o'r stoc dai yng Nghymru. Nodwn ymrwymiad Llywodraeth Cymru i gynnal dadansoddiad i ddeall y camau sydd eu hangen i sicrhau canran uwch ac i lywio amserlenni. Byddwn yn ddiolchgar heddiw pe gallai Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet roi amserlen i ni ar gyfer y gwaith hwn.

Rydym yn falch fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi derbyn ein hargymhelliad ynghylch mynd i'r afael â'r angen am fwy o gartrefi un ystafell wely. Clywsom fod galw sylweddol am gartrefi o'r fath, ond dywedodd awdurdodau lleol a chymdeithasau tai y gallai hyn wrthdaro â sefydlu cymunedau cymysg. Felly, mae'n hanfodol fod Llywodraeth Cymru yn darparu'r cartrefi cywir yn y mannau cywir, ac mae angen i gartrefi cymdeithasol adlewyrchu anghenion y boblogaeth.

The Welsh Government should be exploring every opportunity to increase social housing supply. From the evidence received during our inquiry, we believe there is potential to capture more land value to invest in social housing. The Welsh Government currently has no formal mechanisms to capture land value uplift beyond section 106, and we are concerned that this is a missed opportunity. We therefore recommended that the Welsh Government should explore how it can capture more land value for public benefit, and as part of this, it should redouble efforts to seek devolution of powers to introduce a vacant land tax. We also recommended that the Welsh Government works with local authorities on unlocking the potential of smaller sites within existing communities, and call for more transparency around land ownership. We are pleased that these recommendations were accepted by the Welsh Government, either in full or in principle.

Community-led housing is another important element of the 20,000 social homes target. As a committee, we recognise the benefits this approach can bring, including its potential to meet specific housing needs as well as wider benefits. However, in our inquiry into community assets, we heard that difficulty accessing funding was a barrier to the development of this sector. The Welsh Government previously rejected our recommendation that a specific Welsh fund for community housing projects be established, so we are pleased that the Welsh Government has agreed to look afresh at this proposal, given that a lack of appropriately priced and structured finance remains one of the most significant barriers to the development of community-led housing. We are also pleased that the Welsh Government accepted our recommendation to consider funding community housing enablers across all local authorities. Early and effective engagement is integral to identifying needs and opportunities for social housing development, as well as ensuring community buy-in.

Dirprwy Lywydd, I will now turn to the recommendations that were rejected by the Welsh Government. We recommended the creation of an arm’s-length development corporation to lead on the delivery of large-scale sites. There are examples of such bodies in other nations across the world, and indeed in Wales's own recent past. The Welsh Government rejected this recommendation, saying that the place division can deliver the same outcomes at lower cost. Given our concerns around the 20,000 target, we believe the Welsh Government should be taking more responsibility for large-scale residential development, in collaboration with local authorities and housing associations. I would therefore be grateful if the Cabinet Secretary could reassure the committee that the place division has what it needs to do this.

Witnesses suggested that acquisitions could be a bigger part of the supply solution if there was further flexibility in meeting standards, because of the cost involved in bringing properties up to standard. Currently, acquired homes that cannot reach full standard must be sold within 10 years. This means that such homes can only provide temporary accommodation, not stable social homes. To be clear, we do not want to see an overall weakening of standards, but we recommended that the Welsh Government develop a separate standard for acquisitions of permanent social homes that may never achieve the full Welsh housing quality standard, but can still deliver quality. We are disappointed that the Welsh Government rejected this recommendation. Given the number of people in temporary accommodation in Wales, we need more than short-term solutions if we are to see an end to the current housing crisis. So, again, I wonder if the Cabinet Secretary can set out what other options she is exploring to increase the amount of permanent social housing.

Capacity in construction is another challenge facing social landlords. That capacity has been affected by material cost inflation and high interest rates, and current pressures are, in turn, affecting investment in skills. We were told that an extra 12,000 full-time equivalent workers will be needed in Wales by 2028 to deliver decarbonisation. We called on the Cabinet Secretary to work collaboratively with the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership to develop a strategy for attracting more people into the construction industry, including through apprenticeship schemes. The Welsh Government rejected this recommendation, stating that significant actions are already being taken. I would be grateful if the Cabinet Secretary could update us on what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of these actions in increasing capacity in construction and delivering more homes.

Dirprwy Lywydd, as I said earlier, the Welsh Government needs to be exploring every opportunity to increase social housing supply if we want to see an end to this housing crisis. I would like to thank again everyone who has played a part in this report and I—

Dylai Llywodraeth Cymru archwilio pob cyfle i gynyddu'r cyflenwad tai cymdeithasol. O'r dystiolaeth a ddaeth i law yn ystod ein hymchwiliad, credwn fod potensial i gipio gwerth tir i'w fuddsoddi mewn tai cymdeithasol. Ar hyn o bryd nid oes gan Lywodraeth Cymru unrhyw fecanweithiau ffurfiol i gipio cynnydd yng ngwerth tir y tu hwnt i adran 106, ac rydym yn pryderu bod hwn yn gyfle a gollwyd. Felly, fe wnaethom argymell y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru archwilio sut y gall gipio mwy o werth tir er budd y cyhoedd, ac fel rhan o hyn, dylai ddyblu ymdrechion i geisio datganoli pwerau i gyflwyno treth ar dir gwag. Argymhellwyd hefyd fod Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio gydag awdurdodau lleol i ddatgloi potensial safleoedd llai o fewn cymunedau sy'n bodoli'n barod, a galwyd am fwy o dryloywder mewn perthynas â pherchnogaeth tir. Rydym yn falch fod yr argymhellion hyn wedi cael eu derbyn gan Lywodraeth Cymru, naill ai'n llawn neu mewn egwyddor.

Mae tai a arweinir gan y gymuned yn elfen bwysig arall o'r targed o 20,000 o gartrefi cymdeithasol. Fel pwyllgor, rydym yn cydnabod y manteision y gall y dull hwn eu cynnig, gan gynnwys ei botensial i ddiwallu anghenion tai penodol yn ogystal â buddion ehangach. Fodd bynnag, yn ein hymchwiliad i asedau cymunedol, clywsom fod anhawster i gael gafael ar gyllid yn rhwystr rhag datblygu'r sector hwn. Yn flaenorol, gwrthododd Llywodraeth Cymru ein hargymhelliad y dylid sefydlu cronfa benodol yng Nghymru ar gyfer prosiectau tai cymunedol, felly rydym yn falch fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cytuno i edrych o'r newydd ar y cynnig hwn, o gofio bod diffyg cyllid wedi'i brisio a'i strwythuro'n briodol yn parhau i fod yn un o'r rhwystrau mwyaf sylweddol i ddatblygu tai a arweinir gan y gymuned. Rydym hefyd yn falch fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi derbyn ein hargymhelliad i ystyried ariannu swyddogion galluogi tai cymunedol ar draws pob awdurdod lleol. Mae ymgysylltu cynnar ac effeithiol yn rhan annatod o nodi anghenion a chyfleoedd ar gyfer datblygu tai cymdeithasol, yn ogystal â sicrhau cefnogaeth y gymuned.

Ddirprwy Lywydd, Rwyf am droi nawr at yr argymhellion a wrthodwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Fe wnaethom argymell y dylid creu corfforaeth ddatblygu hyd braich i arwain ar ddarparu safleoedd ar raddfa fawr. Mae yna enghreifftiau o gyrff o'r fath mewn gwledydd eraill ar draws y byd, ac yn wir yng ngorffennol diweddar Cymru ei hun. Gwrthododd Llywodraeth Cymru yr argymhelliad hwn, gan ddweud y gall yr is-adran lle sicrhau'r un canlyniadau am gost is. O ystyried ein pryderon ynghylch y targed o 20,000, credwn y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru ysgwyddo mwy o gyfrifoldeb am ddatblygiadau preswyl ar raddfa fawr, mewn cydweithrediad ag awdurdodau lleol a chymdeithasau tai. Felly, byddwn yn ddiolchgar pe gallai Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dawelu meddyliau'r pwyllgor fod gan yr is-adran lle yr hyn sydd ei angen arni i wneud hyn.

Awgrymodd tystion y gallai caffaeliadau fod yn rhan fwy o'r ateb cyflenwi pe ceid hyblygrwydd pellach o ran cyflawni safonau, oherwydd y gost sydd ynghlwm wrth wella safon eiddo. Ar hyn o bryd, rhaid gwerthu cartrefi a gaffaelwyd na allant gyrraedd safon lawn o fewn 10 mlynedd. Mae hyn yn golygu mai dim ond llety dros dro y gall cartrefi o'r fath ei ddarparu, nid cartrefi cymdeithasol sefydlog. I fod yn glir, nid ydym am weld safonau'n gwanhau yn gyffredinol, ond argymhellwyd bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn datblygu safon ar wahân ar gyfer caffael cartrefi cymdeithasol parhaol nad ydynt byth o bosibl yn mynd i gyrraedd safon ansawdd tai Cymru yn llawn, ond sy'n dal i allu cyflawni ansawdd. Rydym yn siomedig fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwrthod yr argymhelliad hwn. O ystyried nifer y bobl mewn llety dros dro yng Nghymru, mae angen mwy na datrysiadau tymor byr arnom os ydym am weld diwedd ar yr argyfwng tai presennol. Felly, unwaith eto, tybed a all Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet nodi pa opsiynau eraill y mae'n eu harchwilio i gynyddu nifer y tai cymdeithasol parhaol.

Mae capasiti adeiladu yn her arall sy'n wynebu landlordiaid cymdeithasol. Mae'r capasiti hwnnw wedi cael ei effeithio gan chwyddiant costau deunyddiau a chyfraddau llog uchel, ac mae'r pwysau presennol, yn ei dro, yn effeithio ar fuddsoddiad mewn sgiliau. Dywedwyd wrthym y bydd angen 12,000 o weithwyr cyfwerth ag amser llawn ychwanegol yng Nghymru erbyn 2028 i allu cyflawni nodau datgarboneiddio. Galwasom ar Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet i gydweithio â'r Gweinidog Diwylliant, Sgiliau a Phartneriaeth Gymdeithasol i ddatblygu strategaeth ar gyfer denu mwy o bobl i'r diwydiant adeiladu, gan gynnwys trwy gynlluniau prentisiaethau. Gwrthododd Llywodraeth Cymru yr argymhelliad hwn, gan ddweud bod camau sylweddol eisoes yn cael eu cymryd. Hoffwn pe gallai Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i ni ar ba asesiad a wnaeth o effeithiolrwydd y camau hyn i gynyddu capasiti yn y maes adeiladu a darparu mwy o gartrefi.

Ddirprwy Lywydd, fel y dywedais yn gynharach, mae angen i Lywodraeth Cymru archwilio pob cyfle i gynyddu'r cyflenwad tai cymdeithasol os ydym am weld diwedd ar yr argyfwng tai. Hoffwn ddiolch eto i bawb a chwaraeodd ran yn yr adroddiad hwn a—

16:45

Would you accept an intervention? 

A wnewch chi dderbyn ymyriad? 

I will, certainly, Carolyn Thomas. 

Gwnaf, yn sicr, Carolyn Thomas.

Thank you. You've just mentioned a shortage of electricians and plumbers, and previously you've mentioned that, very often, they do the first two years but then struggle to find a placement, because of health and safety or whatever, with builders and plumbers et cetera. So, perhaps it's something we could take up with the Minister for skills as well. That could be useful going forward.

Diolch. Rydych chi newydd sôn am brinder trydanwyr a phlymwyr, ac yn flaenorol rydych chi wedi sôn eu bod yn aml iawn yn gwneud y ddwy flynedd gyntaf ond yna'n cael trafferth dod o hyd i leoliad, oherwydd iechyd a diogelwch neu beth bynnag, gydag adeiladwyr a phlymwyr ac ati. Felly, efallai ei fod yn rhywbeth y gallem fynd ar ei drywydd gyda'r Gweinidog sgiliau hefyd. Gallai hynny fod yn ddefnyddiol wrth symud ymlaen.

Yes, absolutely. I have, in fact, discussed it with Ministers and raised it, as you know, Carolyn, here in the Chamber. I think it will be looked at. Certainly, I visited my local college and heard very strongly that, very often, learners do the two years, as you say, and then cannot secure an apprenticeship and drop out of the industry altogether, which is a real shame, isn't it? So, I hope that can be effectively addressed. 

Thank you very much to everyone, as I said, who's played a part in the report. I now look forward to Members' contributions.  

Yn sicr. Rwyf wedi ei drafod gyda Gweinidogion a'i godi yma yn y Siambr, fel y gwyddoch, Carolyn. Rwy'n credu y caiff ei ystyried. Yn sicr, ymwelais â fy ngholeg lleol a chlywais yn glir iawn fod dysgwyr yn aml iawn yn gwneud y ddwy flynedd, fel y dywedwch, ac yna ni allant gael prentisiaeth ac maent yn gadael y diwydiant yn gyfan gwbl, sy'n drueni go iawn, onid yw? Felly, rwy'n gobeithio y gellir mynd i'r afael â hynny'n effeithiol. 

Fel y dywedais, diolch yn fawr i bawb a chwaraeodd ran yn yr adroddiad. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen nawr at gyfraniadau'r Aelodau.  

Firstly, our thanks from the Welsh Conservatives go to the fantastic Chair, John Griffiths, and everyone on the committee who took part in producing this report before my time starting on the committee. Thank you to everybody, including my own Member.

There is, as the Chair has just outlined, a social housing crisis here in Wales at the moment, and yet the Welsh Government has all but given up on building houses. Despite the Welsh Government setting an initial target of building 20,000 new homes for social rent by 2026, they've decided to ditch the idea of building social houses, focusing on delivering houses instead. 

Even after this, they have utterly failed to meet the delivery targets for social housing, delivering under 9,000 homes, which is less than half their target, as was outlined by the Chair. Of those homes, the Bevan Foundation has estimated that around 7,400 of these were actually to be let at social rent, another poor record from the Labour Government. 

Experts say that the social housing stock should be 20 per cent of the housing market, yet in Wales only 16 per cent of housing stock is social housing. This is far below other parts of the UK like Scotland, whose social housing is 23 per cent. As a result, 140,000 people are waiting and desperate to have a roof over their heads in Wales. According to Audit Wales, the Welsh Government would need an extra £740 million to meet their social housing target, yet the draft budget has allocated a measly £81 million extra. 

And how does this Government plan to build the houses when they have massive skills and job shortages in construction, as has been said? Alarmingly, Wales is currently losing 300 construction workers per year and 12,000 builders are needed by 2028 to meet the current demand in the construction industry. Yet the Welsh Government rejected recommendation 10—

Yn gyntaf, diolch gan y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig i'r Cadeirydd gwych, John Griffiths, a phawb ar y pwyllgor a gymerodd ran yn y gwaith o gynhyrchu'r adroddiad hwn cyn fy nghyfnod i ar y pwyllgor. Diolch i bawb, gan gynnwys fy Aelod fy hun.

Fel y mae'r Cadeirydd newydd nodi, mae yna argyfwng tai cymdeithasol yma yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd, ac eto mae Llywodraeth Cymru fwy neu lai wedi rhoi'r gorau i adeiladu tai. Er i Lywodraeth Cymru osod targed cychwynnol o adeiladu 20,000 o gartrefi newydd i'w gosod ar rent cymdeithasol erbyn 2026, maent wedi penderfynu troi cefn ar y syniad o adeiladu tai cymdeithasol, gan ganolbwyntio ar ddarparu tai yn lle. 

Hyd yn oed wedyn, maent wedi methu'n llwyr â chyrraedd y targedau cyflawni ar gyfer tai cymdeithasol, gan ddarparu llai na 9,000 o gartrefi, sy'n llai na hanner eu targed, fel y nododd y Cadeirydd. O'r cartrefi hynny, mae Sefydliad Bevan wedi amcangyfrif mai tua 7,400 o'r rhain a fyddai'n cael eu gosod ar rent cymdeithasol mewn gwirionedd, lefel wael o gyflawniad unwaith eto gan y Llywodraeth Lafur. 

Dywed arbenigwyr y dylai'r stoc tai cymdeithasol fod yn 20 y cant o'r farchnad dai, ond yng Nghymru dim ond 16 y cant o'r stoc dai sy'n dai cymdeithasol. Mae hyn ymhell islaw rhannau eraill o'r DU fel yr Alban, y mae eu stoc dai cymdeithasol yn 23 y cant. O ganlyniad, mae 140,000 o bobl yn aros ac yn ysu am gael to uwch eu pen yng Nghymru. Yn ôl Archwilio Cymru, byddai angen £740 miliwn ychwanegol ar Lywodraeth Cymru i gyrraedd eu targed tai cymdeithasol, ac eto nid yw'r gyllideb ddrafft ond wedi dyrannu £81 miliwn ychwanegol. 

A sut y mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn bwriadu adeiladu'r tai pan fo ganddynt brinder enfawr o sgiliau a swyddi yn y diwydiant adeiladu, fel y dywedwyd? Yn frawychus, mae Cymru yn colli 300 o weithwyr adeiladu bob blwyddyn ar hyn o bryd ac mae angen 12,000 o adeiladwyr erbyn 2028 i ateb y galw presennol yn y diwydiant adeiladu. Eto i gyd, gwrthododd Llywodraeth Cymru argymhelliad 10—

Would you take an intervention? 

A wnewch chi dderbyn ymyriad?

Thank you. You said that the Welsh Government have all but given up with building new social houses, but I've just been informed that there will be 52 more social houses being built across north Wales in three authorities this year alone, which is fantastic, and I'm invited to many such developments across north Wales of new, warm social housing. So, I don't think that's quite right, is it, Laura? We are still building.

Diolch. Fe ddywedoch chi fod Llywodraeth Cymru fwy neu lai wedi rhoi'r gorau i adeiladu tai cymdeithasol newydd, ond rwyf newydd glywed y bydd 52 yn rhagor o dai cymdeithasol yn cael eu hadeiladu ar draws gogledd Cymru mewn tri awdurdod eleni yn unig, sy'n wych, ac rwy'n cael fy ngwahodd i lawer o ddatblygiadau o'r fath o dai cymdeithasol newydd, cynnes ar draws gogledd Cymru. Felly, nid wyf yn credu bod hynny'n gywir, Laura. Rydym yn dal i adeiladu.

I'm delighted to hear that, if that is the case up in north Wales, but the picture for the whole of Wales is quite alarming, and I'm sure you would agree with that as a Member who represents not just north Wales but sitting here for the whole of Wales.

As I was saying about the construction workers per year, 12,000 builders are needed by 2028 to meet the current demand in the construction industry, yet the Welsh Government rejected recommendation 10, as I said, for the Cabinet Secretary for housing to work with the Minister for culture and skills to attract more people into the industry, which I think is a crying shame, particularly since your past role, Cabinet Secretary. So, I'd be delighted to hear what your thoughts are on that.

Last year, the Welsh Government cut funding to apprenticeships by 14 per cent, and although they restored that funding in this draft budget, the damage has already been done. In order to recoup the hundreds of construction workers leaving the industry and get Wales building, the Welsh Government must support construction firms and invest in the training of the next generation of builders. The Welsh Conservatives would develop a support scheme to enable small and medium enterprises to build homes and provide appropriate apprenticeship funding, creating bright careers and the skills that Wales actually needs.

It was also disappointing to see that the Welsh Government rejected recommendation 9 of this report, putting unrealistic standards ahead of providing houses for the homeless. The WLGA stated that the current housing quality standards create a potential trade-off between the quality and the quantity of social housing. Another contributor to the report also stated that social housing landlords will have to divert capital away from developments to meet the standards, ultimately resulting in fewer social homes being delivered due to the increased costs. Thirteen thousand homeless people in Wales are living in a revolving door of temporary accommodation, moving from B&B to B&B. If developing a separate standard for social housing, in collaboration with TPAS Cymru, would allow us to house families and children, then this should be a priority.

Not only that, but the current system is not making the most of what landlords have to offer. Last year, the current acquisitions programme for social housing was oversubscribed by twice its capacity, and properties already compliant with standards. This represented a £200 million investment opportunity for the Welsh Government, an opportunity to provide a starting point for those without a home, yet delays in Labour's planning system are pushing landlords away from providing social housing rather than attracting them to it.

The Welsh Conservative Party, on the other hand, has a clear vision for landlords. We would create a taskforce for planners to tackle the slowest local authorities, creating more social housing. The planning sector is not fit for purpose. According to the Competition and Markets Authority, the Welsh planning system is costly, lengthy and complex. Things have to change.

The Welsh Government should reconsider recommendation 5, finally, and establish a national development corporation to lead on those large-scale sites. This will speed up development, ensuring communities are able to have real input from an early stage. If we want to end families living in B&Bs, the Welsh Government needs to rethink these priorities, invest in the next generation, and prioritise working communities to build homes. I look forward to hearing what the Cabinet Secretary has to say in response to this report.

Rwy'n falch iawn o glywed hynny, os mai dyna sy'n digwydd yng ngogledd Cymru, ond mae'r darlun ar gyfer Cymru gyfan yn eithaf brawychus, ac rwy'n siŵr y byddech chi'n cytuno â hynny fel Aelod sydd nid yn unig yn cynrychioli gogledd Cymru ond sy'n eistedd yma ar ran Cymru gyfan.

Fel roeddwn i'n dweud am y gweithwyr adeiladu bob blwyddyn, mae angen 12,000 o adeiladwyr erbyn 2028 i ateb y galw presennol yn y diwydiant adeiladu, ac eto gwrthododd Llywodraeth Cymru argymhelliad 10, fel y dywedais, y dylai Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros dai weithio gyda'r Gweinidog diwylliant a sgiliau i ddenu mwy o bobl i'r diwydiant, sy'n drueni mawr yn fy marn i, yn enwedig o gofio eich rôl yn y gorffennol, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Felly, hoffwn glywed beth sydd gennych i'w ddweud am hynny.

Y llynedd, fe wnaeth Llywodraeth Cymru gwtogi cyllid i brentisiaethau 14 y cant, ac er iddynt adfer y cyllid hwnnw yn y gyllideb ddrafft hon, mae'r niwed eisoes wedi'i wneud. Er mwyn adennill y cannoedd o weithwyr adeiladu sy'n gadael y diwydiant a chael Cymru i adeiladu, rhaid i Lywodraeth Cymru gefnogi cwmnïau adeiladu a buddsoddi mewn hyfforddiant i'r genhedlaeth nesaf o adeiladwyr. Byddai'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig yn datblygu cynllun cymorth i alluogi mentrau bach a chanolig i adeiladu cartrefi a darparu cyllid prentisiaeth priodol, gan greu gyrfaoedd disglair a'r sgiliau sydd eu hangen ar Gymru mewn gwirionedd.

Roedd hefyd yn siomedig gweld bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwrthod argymhelliad 9 yn yr adroddiad hwn, gan roi safonau afrealistig o flaen darparu tai i'r digartref. Dywedodd Cymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru fod y safonau ansawdd tai presennol yn creu gwrthdaro posibl rhwng ansawdd a nifer y tai cymdeithasol. Dywedodd cyfrannwr arall i'r adroddiad hefyd y bydd yn rhaid i landlordiaid tai cymdeithasol ddargyfeirio cyfalaf oddi wrth ddatblygiadau i gyrraedd y safonau, gan arwain yn y pen draw at ddarparu llai o gartrefi cymdeithasol oherwydd y costau uwch. Mae 13,000 o bobl ddigartref yng Nghymru yn byw rhwng darpariaethau llety dros dro, gan symud o wely a brecwast i wely a brecwast. Os byddai datblygu safon ar wahân ar gyfer tai cymdeithasol, mewn cydweithrediad â TPAS Cymru, yn caniatáu i ni gartrefu teuluoedd a phlant, dylai hynny fod yn flaenoriaeth.

Nid yn unig hynny, ond nid yw'r system bresennol yn gwneud y gorau o'r hyn sydd gan landlordiaid i'w gynnig. Y llynedd, roedd y rhaglen gaffael bresennol ar gyfer tai cymdeithasol wedi'i gordanysgrifio ddwywaith cymaint â'i chapasiti, ac eiddo sydd eisoes yn cydymffurfio â safonau. Roedd hwn yn gyfle buddsoddi gwerth £200 miliwn i Lywodraeth Cymru, cyfle i ddarparu man cychwyn i bobl heb gartref, ond eto mae oedi yn system gynllunio Llafur yn gwneud i landlordiaid droi eu cefnau ar ddarparu tai cymdeithasol, yn hytrach na'u denu.

Ar y llaw arall, mae gan Blaid Geidwadol Cymru weledigaeth glir ar gyfer landlordiaid. Byddem yn creu tasglu i gynllunwyr fynd i'r afael â'r awdurdodau lleol arafaf, gan greu mwy o dai cymdeithasol. Nid yw'r sector cynllunio yn addas i'r diben. Yn ôl yr Awdurdod Cystadleuaeth a Marchnadoedd, mae system gynllunio Cymru yn gostus, yn hir ac yn gymhleth. Mae'n rhaid i bethau newid.

Yn olaf, dylai Llywodraeth Cymru ailystyried argymhelliad 5 a sefydlu corfforaeth ddatblygu genedlaethol i arwain ar safleoedd ar raddfa fawr. Bydd hyn yn cyflymu datblygiad, gan sicrhau bod cymunedau'n gallu cael mewnbwn go iawn o gam cynnar. Os ydym am roi diwedd ar deuluoedd yn byw mewn llety gwely a brecwast, mae angen i Lywodraeth Cymru ailystyried y blaenoriaethau hyn, buddsoddi yn y genhedlaeth nesaf, a blaenoriaethu cymunedau sy'n gweithio i adeiladu cartrefi. Edrychaf ymlaen at glywed yr hyn sydd gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet i'w ddweud mewn ymateb i'r adroddiad hwn.

16:50

Dwi am ganolbwyntio ar ddau argymhelliad pwysig sydd yn yr adroddiad ond sydd wedi cael eu gwrthod gan y Llywodraeth, yn anffodus, sef un am sefydlu Unnos fel corff lled braich o'r Llywodraeth, er mwyn cyflymu adeiladu tai cymdeithasol yng Nghymru, a'r ail un yn ymwneud â hyblygrwydd o ran safonau wrth addasu tai presennol yn gartrefi ar gyfer y sector cymdeithasol.

Dwi'n troi yn gyntaf at argymhelliad 5 yr adroddiad, argymhelliad sydd wedi ei wrthod gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Ond fe gafwyd tystiolaeth helaeth gan randdeiliaid sydd yn cefnogi'n gryf sefydlu corff datblygu cenedlaethol i arwain ar ddatblygu tai mewn ffordd strategol. Mae sefydlu Unnos fel endid hyd braich i yrru'r gwaith o gynyddu'r cyflenwad o gartrefi cymdeithasol yn bolisi Plaid Cymru ers blynyddoedd, ac er yn croesawu cynnwys rhaglen Unnos y Llywodraeth bresennol, ddaeth i fod drwy'r cytundeb cydweithio, mae angen datblygu Unnos fel endid ar wahân efo pwerau penodol. Gwych oedd gweld cefnogaeth gan randdeiliaid, a chymeradwyaeth y pwyllgor i hyn. Galwodd arbenigwyr, gan gynnwys Shelter, y Chartered Institute of Housing, Community Housing Cymru, ac eraill, am gorff annibynnol i ymyrryd yn y farchnad dir a'r system gynllunio.

Ddoe yn y Senedd, fe wnes i gynnal cyfarfod bord gron i drafod argyfwng tai Cymru efo cynrychiolwyr o'r sector tai, ac unwaith eto, fe gafwyd arwyddion clir o gefnogaeth ar gyfer y weledigaeth o Unnos sydd yn cael ei hamlinellu yn adroddiad y pwyllgor, ac roedd hynny'n wych o beth i weld yn digwydd. Mae'r pwyllgor, yn yr adroddiad, yn cydnabod sefydlu is-adran tir o fewn Llywodraeth Cymru—neu is-adran lle, rwy'n meddwl maen nhw'n ei alw fe erbyn hyn—a'r gwaith mae hwnnw yn ei wneud efo datblygwyr a buddsoddwyr i gyflawni safleoedd enghreifftiol ar dir sy'n eiddo i'r Llywodraeth, ond mae llawer o'r rhanddeiliad yn credu y gellir gwneud llawer iawn mwy pe bai'r dull yma yn cael ei ehangu.

Rwy’n nodi nad ydy’r Llywodraeth ar hyn o bryd ddim yn gweld yr angen am gorff o’r math oherwydd sefydlu’r is-adran arbennig yma, ac mae hynny yn siomedig. I fod yn effeithiol, byddai angen i gorff hyd-braich gael pwerau cywir, arbenigaeth broffesiynol a gweledigaeth hirdymor sy’n cyd-fynd â Ddeddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau’r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015. Er bod y Llywodraeth wedi gwrthod yr argymhelliad yma, rwy’n siŵr y bydd y drafodaeth am Unnos yn parhau dros y misoedd nesaf.

Yn ail, rwyf am drafod argymhelliad 9. Mi wnaeth y pwyllgor glywed tystiolaeth helaeth am y prif heriau sy’n wynebu landlordiaid cymdeithasol a'r galw am fwy o hyblygrwydd mewn safonau ansawdd er mwyn cynyddu’r cyflenwad o dai cymdeithasol, ac felly mae'n anffodus fod y Llywodraeth wedi gwrthod argymhelliad y pwyllgor i weithio efo TPAS Cymru a chymdeithasau tenantiaid i ddatblygu safon ar wahân ar gyfer caffael cartrefi cymdeithasol parhaol. Roedd TPAS yn dadlau er bod rhaid cyrraedd safonau iechyd a diogelwch, mai’r flaenoriaeth ydy symud pobl allan o lety dros dro ac i gartrefi parhaol. Ac efo 11,000 o bobl, gan gynnwys 3,000 o blant, mewn llety dros dro, mae'n rhwystredig iawn i lawer ohonom ni nad ydy’r Llywodraeth am fod yn bragmataidd efo’r mater yma.

Mae adeiladau a chartrefi y gellid eu defnyddio fel tai cymdeithasol yn cael eu gadael yn wag oherwydd diffyg hyblygrwydd o gwmpas safonau. Mae cydymffurfio â chyrraedd EPC A yn ychwanegu £15,000 fesul cartref, ac mae cymdeithasau tai wedi dadlau y gallai llacio’r gofyniad i EPC B alluogi darparu 1,000 o gartrefi ychwanegol efo’r un un lefel o gyllid. Mi oedd rhai tystion yn nodi y gallai caffael eiddo presennol—acquisitions—helpu cyflenwi mwy o gartrefi cymdeithasol a helpu gwella cyflwr y stryd fawr, er enghraifft, ond mae'n rhaid i gartrefi sydd wedi cael eu prynu yn y modd yma ac sydd ddim yn cyrraedd y safonau gael eu gwerthu ar ôl 10 mlynedd. Mae angen osgoi hyn drwy gael mwy o hyblygrwydd, tra hefyd, wrth gwrs, yn gweithio efo tenantiaid i ddatblygu safon newydd ar gyfer acquisitions a allai fod yn gartrefi cymdeithasol parhaol ond efallai fyddan nhw byth yn cyrraedd y safon ansawdd yn llawn.

Efo’r sylwadau yna, gaf i ddiolch am gael cyfrannu at waith y pwyllgor ar yr adroddiad pwysig yma? Diolch yn fawr.

I want to focus on two important recommendations contained within the report but rejected by the Government, unfortunately. One is on the establishment of Unnos as an arm's-length body from Government in order to hasten the construction of social housing in Wales, and the second relates to flexibility with standards in adapting current homes into homes for the social housing sector. 

I turn first to recommendation 5 in the report, a recommendation that has been rejected by the Welsh Government. But we did receive a great deal of evidence from stakeholders who strongly support the establishment of a national corporation to lead on housing development in a strategic way. The establishment of Unnos as an arm's-length body to accelerate the work of increasing the supply of social housing has been a Plaid Cymru policy for many years, and although I welcome the content of the Unnos programme of the current Government, which came about through the co-operation agreement, we need to develop Unnos as a separate entity with specific powers. It was wonderful to see support from stakeholders and the support of the committee for this too. Specialists including Shelter, the Chartered Institute of Housing, Community Housing Cymru, and others, called for such an independent body to intervene in the land market and the planning system.

Yesterday in the Senedd, I chaired a round-table meeting to discuss the housing crisis in Wales with representatives of the housing sector, and once again, there were clear signs of support for the vision of Unnos that is outlined in the committee's report, and that was wonderful to see. The committee, in its report, does recognise the establishment of the land division within the Welsh Government—or the place division as it's called now, I think—and the work that that does in terms of working with investors and developers to deliver exemplar sites on Government-owned land, but many stakeholders believe that far more could be done if this approach were expanded.

I note that the Government at the moment doesn't see the need for such a body because of the establishment of that particular division, and that is disappointing. To be effective, an arm's-length body would need the right powers, professional expertise and a long-term vision that aligns with the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. And although the Government has rejected that recommendation, I am sure that the discussion on Unnos will continue over the coming months.

Secondly, I want to focus on recommendation 9. The committee heard a great deal of evidence about the main challenges facing social landlords and the demand for greater flexibility in quality standards in order to increase the supply of social housing, so it's unfortunate that the Government has rejected the committee's recommendation to work with TPAS Cymru and tenants' associations to develop a separate standard for the acquisition of permanent social housing. TPAS argued that although we must achieve health and safety standards, the priority is to move people out of temporary accommodation and into permanent homes. And with 11,000 people, including 3,000 children, in temporary accommodation, it is very frustrating indeed for many of us that the Government isn't willing to be pragmatic on this particular issue.

Buildings and homes that could be used as social housing are left vacant because of a lack of flexibility around standards. Complying with and reaching EPC A adds £15,000 per home, and housing associations have argued that relaxing the requirement to EPC B could allow for the provision of 1,000 additional homes with the same level of funding. There were some witnesses that noted that acquisitions could help to supply more social housing and could help to improve the conditions of our high streets, for example. But homes that have been acquired in this way and don't reach standards have to be sold after 10 years. We need to avoid this by having greater flexibility, whilst also, of course, working with tenants in order to develop a new standard for acquisitions that could be permanent social housing but may never reach the full quality standard.

With those few words, may I thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the work of the committee on this important report? Thank you.

16:55

I was a member of the committee for this inquiry but didn't take part in the final report as I'd just been appointed by the Minister to chair the affordable homes taskforce. In order to avoid a conflict, I should declare an interest in today's proceedings so that people know about those dual roles.

I thought it would be useful just to update the Senedd on the work that the taskforce is doing, how it relates to the inquiry that the committee took on, and how it's taking forward many of the themes that have been already discussed here this afternoon. It's been asked in its terms of reference to look at two things—short-term barriers to affordable housing, and secondly, to look at any system changes that may be required. We're looking to unblock sites that are already in the Welsh Government's 20,000 programme for low-carbon homes for social rent, those that are at a risk of delay, and to look for what's called 'meanwhile use'—that's temporary housing on public land—and we've also been asked to look at streamlining the delivery of new homes.

It's quite clear from the work already that there is no magic bullet, but there are, I think, a series of interventions that can make a difference. On the group, we have people with experience of local government—a cabinet member and a senior officer from north Wales and south Wales—a representative of a housing association—one from north Wales, one from south Wales—a representative from the design commission and from the Royal Town Planning Institute, and we've supplemented that with academics and others who have attended individual discussions. Yesterday I met with housing developers and tomorrow I'm meeting with registered social landlords. So, it's a rapid piece of work. We're aiming to report by the end of March through April, in two phases, and we're looking at practical solutions; this is not a report to come up with further analyses of the problem, but to look at things that might help.

It's quite clear from the representations we've had that developers feel it's too long. It takes too long to try and build homes and to get proposals through the system, and as there is a housing crisis, there is strong support that applications for social housing need to be given priority by planning authorities. There is good practice in Swansea and in Conwy council where they have development teams, so when an application comes before them, they essentially lock everybody in a room and make them work on that application. So, planning, highways, drainage, biodiversity—all the different departments that need to give the go-ahead work on a project together to be able to overcome obstacles and expedite applications—

Roeddwn yn aelod o'r pwyllgor ar gyfer yr ymchwiliad hwn ond ni chymerais ran yn yr adroddiad terfynol gan fy mod newydd gael fy mhenodi gan y Gweinidog i gadeirio'r tasglu cartrefi fforddiadwy. Er mwyn osgoi gwrthdaro, dylwn ddatgan buddiant yn y trafodion heddiw fel bod pobl yn gwybod am y rolau deuol hynny.

Roeddwn i'n meddwl y byddai'n ddefnyddiol rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Senedd am y gwaith y mae'r tasglu'n ei wneud, sut y mae'n ymwneud â'r ymchwiliad a gyflawnodd y pwyllgor, a sut y mae'n bwrw ymlaen â llawer o'r themâu sydd eisoes wedi'u trafod yma y prynhawn yma. Gofynnwyd iddo yn ei gylch gorchwyl i edrych ar ddau beth—rhwystrau tymor byr i dai fforddiadwy, ac yn ail, i edrych ar unrhyw newidiadau y gallai fod eu hangen i'r system. Rydym yn edrych ar ddadflocio safleoedd sydd eisoes yn rhaglen Llywodraeth Cymru o 20,000 o gartrefi carbon isel ar gyfer rhent cymdeithasol, y rheini sy'n wynebu risg o oedi, a chwilio am yr hyn a elwir yn 'ddefnydd yn y cyfamser'—tai dros dro ar dir cyhoeddus—a gofynnwyd inni edrych hefyd ar symleiddio'r ddarpariaeth o gartrefi newydd.

Mae'n eithaf amlwg o'r gwaith a wnaed eisoes nad oes bwled hud, ond mae yna gyfres o ymyriadau a all wneud gwahaniaeth yn fy marn i. Yn y grŵp, mae gennym bobl sydd â phrofiad o lywodraeth leol—aelod cabinet ac uwch swyddog o ogledd Cymru a de Cymru—cynrychiolydd o gymdeithas dai—un o ogledd Cymru, un o dde Cymru—cynrychiolydd o'r comisiwn dylunio ac o'r Sefydliad Cynllunio Trefol Brenhinol, ac rydym wedi cael academyddion ac eraill sydd wedi mynychu trafodaethau unigol i gefnogi hynny. Ddoe, cyfarfûm â datblygwyr tai ac yfory rwy'n cyfarfod â landlordiaid cymdeithasol cofrestredig. Felly, mae'n waith cyflym. Rydym yn bwriadu adrodd erbyn diwedd mis Mawrth a mis Ebrill, mewn dau gam, ac rydym yn edrych ar atebion ymarferol; nid adroddiad i lunio dadansoddiadau pellach o'r broblem yw hwn, ond i edrych ar bethau a allai fod o gymorth.

Mae'n eithaf clir o'r sylwadau a gyflwynwyd i ni fod datblygwyr yn teimlo bod y broses yn rhy hir. Mae'n cymryd gormod o amser i geisio adeiladu cartrefi a chael cynigion drwy'r system, a chan fod argyfwng tai, mae cefnogaeth gref i weld awdurdodau cynllunio'n rhoi blaenoriaeth i geisiadau tai cymdeithasol. Mae arfer da yn Abertawe ac yng nghyngor Conwy lle mae ganddynt dimau datblygu, felly pan ddaw cais ger eu bron, maent i bob pwrpas yn cloi pawb mewn ystafell ac yn gwneud iddynt weithio ar y cais hwnnw. Felly, cynllunio, priffyrdd, draenio, bioamrywiaeth—yr holl adrannau gwahanol y mae angen iddynt roi sêl bendith ar brosiect gyda'i gilydd i allu goresgyn rhwystrau a chyflymu ceisiadau—

17:00

Will you take an intervention?

A wnewch chi dderbyn ymyriad?

Do you mind if I don't, because I've got a lot to get through, and I just want to make sure I update Senedd Members as much as I can?

We're looking to identify further good practice. The question then is how do we get it consistently adopted—how do we spread and scale it? And I think co-production is the way to do that. 

Developers have also told us that planning applications in some counties can be decided by planning officers under delegated powers, but in others it has to go to planning committee, which adds time and uncertainty. I think everybody acknowledges the pressure planning departments are under. After all, since 2010 and the start of austerity, Welsh local councils have lost 40 per cent of their staff, and one of the frustrations developers consistently tell us about is that you can now no longer easily get hold of planning officers to discuss applications face to face, to have those practical conversations to help with resolving issues. That is clearly a problem.

There are also, then, the issues of different interpretations, by landscape officers, for example, in some councils, different to others, duplication of what's called pre-commencement conditions. So, the conditions already covered in planning applications can be then put on again and have to be separately discharged and signed off, potentially further amended by officers, which adds delay and frustration. Some of this can be addressed with training, some can be addressed with a more standardised approach. I think the big question that we need to look at and address is whether or not land identified in a local development plan should come with a presumption for development when the LDP is agreed. This will create greater certainty of land supply and reduce the time and cost of developments. So, once you get permission in principle, should you also get some permitted development rights, as long as it's allied with policy safeguards, to streamline the planning process? There are pros and cons to that, and we're working it through, and we'll come to a collective view on that.

Also, what can be done in the short term to address the unacceptably high number of people in temporary accommodation? In Cardiff, in Llantwit Major, they've used temporary housing on public land to build temporary homes. Can we do more of that? There are mixed views. How can we speed up bringing empty homes back into use? Housing that's considered as 'voids' by social landlords—how can they be brought back into use? Flats above shops in town centres or loft extensions for families facing overcrowding—these are all things that will help address the housing crisis, and those are the issues, Dirprwy Lywydd, we are working through and will report on by the end of April to the Cabinet Secretary. Diolch.

A oes ots gennych os na wnaf, gan fod llawer gennyf i fynd drwyddo, ac rwyf am sicrhau fy mod yn rhoi cymaint â phosibl o'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i Aelodau’r Senedd?

Rydym yn awyddus i nodi arferion da pellach. Y cwestiwn felly yw sut y mae sicrhau y cânt eu mabwysiadu'n gyson—sut y mae eu lledaenu a'u hefelychu ar raddfa fwy? Ac rwy'n credu mai cydgynhyrchu yw'r ffordd o wneud hynny.

Mae datblygwyr hefyd wedi dweud wrthym y gall swyddogion cynllunio benderfynu ar geisiadau cynllunio mewn rhai siroedd o dan bwerau dirprwyedig, ond mewn siroedd eraill, mae’n rhaid iddo fynd i’r pwyllgor cynllunio, sy’n ychwanegu amser ac ansicrwydd. Rwy'n credu bod pawb yn cydnabod y pwysau sydd ar adrannau cynllunio. Wedi’r cyfan, ers 2010 a dechrau cyni, mae cynghorau lleol Cymru wedi colli 40 y cant o’u staff, ac un o’r rhwystredigaethau y mae datblygwyr yn sôn wrthym yn gyson amdanynt yw nad yw bellach yn hawdd cael gafael ar swyddogion cynllunio i drafod ceisiadau wyneb yn wyneb, i gael sgyrsiau ymarferol i helpu i ddatrys materion. Mae hynny’n amlwg yn broblem.

Mae yna broblemau hefyd gyda dehongliadau gwahanol gan wahanol swyddogion tirwedd, er enghraifft, mewn rhai cynghorau, gan ddyblygu'r hyn a elwir yn amodau cyn-gychwyn. Felly, gall amodau sydd eisoes wedi’u bodloni mewn ceisiadau cynllunio gael eu hailgyflwyno, ac mae'n rhaid iddynt gael eu gosod a’u cymeradwyo ar wahân, a chael eu diwygio ymhellach gan swyddogion o bosibl, sy’n ychwanegu at oedi a rhwystredigaeth. Gellir mynd i'r afael â pheth o hyn drwy hyfforddiant, a pheth ohono drwy ddull mwy safonol. Credaf mai’r cwestiwn mawr y mae angen inni edrych arno a mynd i’r afael ag ef yw a ddylai tir a nodir mewn cynllun datblygu lleol ddod gyda rhagdybiaeth ar gyfer datblygu pan gytunir ar y CDLl ai peidio. Bydd hyn yn creu mwy o sicrwydd o gyflenwad tir ac yn lleihau amser a chost datblygiadau. Felly, ar ôl ichi gael caniatâd mewn egwyddor, a ddylech hefyd gael rhai hawliau datblygu a ganiateir, cyhyd â'u bod yn unol â mesurau diogelu polisi, i symleiddio'r broses gynllunio? Mae manteision ac anfanteision i hynny, ac rydym yn gweithio drwy hyn, a byddwn yn ffurfio barn gyfunol ar hynny.

Hefyd, beth y gellir ei wneud yn y tymor byr i fynd i’r afael â’r nifer annerbyniol o uchel o bobl mewn llety dros dro? Yng Nghaerdydd, yn Llanilltud Fawr, maent wedi defnyddio tai dros dro ar dir cyhoeddus i adeiladu cartrefi dros dro. A allwn ni wneud mwy o hynny? Mae yna safbwyntiau cymysg. Sut y gallwn gyflymu’r broses o ddod â thai gwag yn ôl i ddefnydd? Tai sy'n cael eu hystyried yn 'eiddo gwag' gan landlordiaid cymdeithasol—sut y gellir dod â hwy yn ôl i ddefnydd? Fflatiau uwchben siopau yng nghanol trefi neu estyniadau i'r atig ar gyfer teuluoedd sy’n wynebu gorlenwi—mae’r rhain oll yn bethau a fydd yn helpu i fynd i’r afael â’r argyfwng tai, a dyna’r materion rydym yn gweithio drwyddynt, Ddirprwy Lywydd, a byddwn yn adrodd ar hynny i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet erbyn diwedd mis Ebrill. Diolch.

Diolch am y cyfle i siarad yn y drafodaeth yma. Dwi'n cofio pan oeddwn i'n aelod o'r pwyllgor, roeddwn i'n dadlau am yr angen i gynnal ymchwiliad i'r maes, a dwi'n falch iawn gweld bod y pwyllgor wedi cyflawni darn o waith mor drylwyr, ac mae'n flin gen i fy mod i wedi gadael y pwyllgor cyn gallu cymryd rhan yn yr ymchwiliad.

Roeddwn i eisiau pigo i fyny ar un pwynt yn unig, os caf i, sef yr argymhelliad gan y pwyllgor i gynyddu'r stoc dai gyhoeddus i 20 y cant. Dwi am ddadlau nad ydy hyn, mewn gwirionedd, yn ddigonol, ac mae fy safbwynt i felly'n seiliedig ar dystiolaeth—tystiolaeth, dwi'n credu, ddaru chi glywed gan Housing Europe.

Yn gyntaf, os caf i gau lawr unrhyw gyhuddiad mai fy unig uchelgais i ydy i weld pawb yn byw mewn tŷ cymdeithasol—ddim o gwbl. Ystyriwch fathemateg elfennol y sector. Os ydy rhywun yn prynu tŷ ar y farchnad agored, yna mae’n debygol y byddan nhw’n gorfod cael morgais. Ar dŷ gwerth £250,000, gall rhywun fod yn talu morgais yn ôl dros chwarter canrif neu ragor, ac ar gyfraddau heddiw, yn ddibynnol ar wahanol amodau, mi fyddan nhw’n talu dros £1,300 y mis, gan ddiweddu i fyny yn talu allan tua £400,000 am y tŷ yna. A pheidiwch ag anghofio, mae’r taliadau morgais yma bron yn gyfan gwbl, 99.9 y cant, yn mynd allan o Gymru, ac mae yna hyd at £40 biliwn o forgeisi yn fyw yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd—pres sy'n llifo allan o Gymru. Mae hynny’n lot o bres.

Mewn tŷ cymdeithasol, mi fyddai rhywun, yn lle talu £1,300 mewn morgais sy'n mynd allan o Gymru, mi fyddai rhywun yn talu £500 y mis. Mi fuasai hynny yn rhyddhau £800 yn fisol i'r teulu neu’r unigolyn yna i'w wario ar bethau eraill—diddordebau, cynilo ar gyfer taliad ar gyfer tŷ preifat eu hunain—a'r pres yna i gyd yn cael ei droi a’i gylchdroi yn yr economi leol. Mae’n gwneud synnwyr ariannol, felly, i gael tai cymdeithasol. A dyna pam fod pobl yn Awstria, yr Almaen, y Swistir, yn y gwledydd Sgandinafia ac eraill yn rhentu tai. Ond yn fwy na hyn, o rentu tŷ cymdeithasol, mae'r pres nid yn unig aros yn lleol, mae'n mynd nôl i'r stoc dai ac yn galluogi pobl i adeiladu mwy.

Ond ta waeth am hynny, at fy mhrif bwynt: dwi yn awyddus i weld uchelgais o o leiaf 30 y cant o’r stoc dai yn dod o dan berchnogaeth gyhoeddus. Dyma ydy’r ffigur, fel ddaru ni glywed, yn yr Iseldiroedd, ac mae’r Iseldiroedd yn wlad debyg iawn i ni mewn sawl ffordd. Yn wir, dyma oedd y ffigur yng Nghymru nôl yn y 1970au, cyn i Thatcher benderfynu gwerthu’r stoc dai gyhoeddus a chreu yr argyfwng tai presennol.

Dwi wedi cyfeirio sawl gwaith mewn trafodaethau blaenorol at Fienna fel arfer da yn y maes yma, ac mae stoc dai gyhoeddus Fienna yn 60 y cant. Ac mae'r tai yn agored i bawb—yn lawfeddygon, yn benaethiaid diwydiant, yn lanhawyr, yn yrwyr bysus. Ond nid yn unig hyn, maen nhw’n dai o’r ansawdd uchaf, yn amgylcheddol, yn economaidd, ac yn sicrhau mynediad at bethau fel trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, addysg, iechyd, hamdden a llawer iawn mwy o hanfodion bywyd.

Rŵan, rwy’n derbyn na fyddwn ni’n cyrraedd lefelau Fienna yma yng Nghymru, ddim am gyfnod beth bynnag, ond mae 30 y cant o dai o dan berchnogaeth gyhoeddus yn gyraeddadwy. O gael y lefel yma, byddwn ni’n gweld newid trawsnewidiol go iawn yn y farchnad dai, gyda lefelau digartrefedd yn disgyn a neb yn gorfod byw mewn llety dros dro. Wrth gwrs, mi fyddai’n rhaid i’r datblygiadau yma fod yn sympathetig i anghenion cymunedol ac ateb galw lleol er mwyn sicrhau fod cymunedau yn hyfyw.

Felly, dwi’n edrych ymlaen at glywed a ydy’r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet yn gweld rhinwedd yn yr uchelgais yma, a pha gamau mae’r Llywodraeth am eu cymryd er mwyn cynyddu’r stoc dai gyhoeddus yng Nghymru. Diolch.

Thank you for the opportunity to contribute to this discussion. I remember when I was a member of the committee, I was making the case for an inquiry in this area, and I'm very pleased to see that the committee has completed such a thorough and important piece of work, and I'm sorry that I'd left the committee before being able to take part in the inquiry.

I wanted to pick up on one point, if I may, namely the committee's recommendation to increase the public housing stock to 20 per cent. I want to make the case that this is insufficient, and my stance is based on evidence—evidence that I believe that you heard from Housing Europe.

First, if I may shut down any accusation that my only ambition is to see everyone living in social housing—not at all. Consider the basic maths of the sector. If someone buys a house on the open market, then it’s likely they will have to have a mortgage. For a house worth £250,000, a person may have to repay their mortgage over a quarter of a century or more, and at today’s rates, depending on different conditions, they would be paying over £1,300 a month, and will ultimately pay around £400,000 for that property. And remember, the mortgage payments almost entirely, 99.9 per cent, go out of Wales. And there are up to £40 billion-worth of live mortgages in Wales—money that flows out of Wales. That's a lot of money.

In a social home, a person, instead of paying £1,300 in a mortgage that goes out of Wales, would pay £500 a month. That would release £800 every month for that family or individual to spend on other things—hobbies, saving for a deposit on a privately owned home—and all of that money would turn over in the local economy. It makes financial sense, therefore, to have social homes. And that's why people in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Scandinavian nations and others are renting homes. But more than this, by renting a social home, the money not only stays local, but it is ploughed back into the housing stock and enables more homes to be built.

But anyway, on to my main point: I'm eager to see an ambition for at least 30 per cent of housing stock being held under public ownership. That's the figure, as we heard, in the Netherlands, and the Netherlands are a very similar country to us in several ways. Indeed, this was the figure in Wales back in the 1970s, before Thatcher decided to sell the public housing stock, thus creating the current housing crisis.

I’ve referred several times in previous discussions to Vienna as an example of good practice in this area, and the level of public housing stock there is 60 per cent. And these homes are open to all—be they surgeons, heads of industry, cleaners, bus drivers. But not only this, they’re also homes of the highest quality, environmentally and economically, and they allow access to facilities such as public transport, education, healthcare, leisure opportunities and many more of life’s essentials.

Now, I accept that we won’t reach Vienna’s levels here in Wales, not for a while at least, but 30 per cent of homes under public ownership is achievable. With this level, we would see truly transformational change in the property market, with falling homelessness levels and no-one having to live in temporary accommodation. Of course, we would need to ensure that developments were sympathetic to community needs and that they met local demand to ensure that communities are viable. 

So, I look forward to hearing whether the Cabinet Secretary sees merit in this ambition, and what steps the Government will take to increase public housing stock significantly in Wales. Thank you.

17:05

A couple of weeks ago, I was witnessing the opening of 18 carbon-neutral flats delivered on a very small car park at the back of the YMCA hostel at the Walk. They were absolutely lovely, beautiful designed, very light, with each flat heated by air-source heat pumps, so tenants could control the heating to suit their particular needs, with their own front door and a nice communal garden. I think the architect of CFW Architects—Jeff Murray is his name—and the builders who collaborated massively on squeezing the last fine design detail out of what was quite a complex shape—they properly deserve a Royal Institute of British Architects award, frankly. And anybody can go and look at it, because the YMCA has got a cafe that looks out on to this wonderful new building.

These are the first homes built by the YMCA in Cardiff since 1981. I have to say that that must be one of the reasons why we are in such a difficult situation. And their biggest challenge now is how on earth are they going to encourage these new tenants, in their designated temporary accommodation for 18 to 25-year-olds, to move on. Because there's frankly nowhere in Cardiff to move on to.

How can we tax car parking spaces attached to businesses in areas like Cardiff where there are good transport links? We cannot afford to allow these pocket handkerchiefs of land, which could be used for housing people in an urban area like the one I represent, to not be used for housing, given the level of need.

So, the current ambition to build 20,000 homes in this Senedd itself is a drop in the ocean compared to the need, and I appreciate that we are struggling to even achieve that. Cardiff Council has built over 1,600 council houses since 2017 and that is a solid achievement in an area where land is quite expensive, and housing associations have built a further 500 homes, and their ambition is to build a further 4,000 in partnership with other organisations. But the need is overwhelming, and the council has made a huge commitment to keep going with its housing first policy. In order to prevent people living on the street, they've had to convert most of the new social housing that's been built, in my time as the representative, into temporary housing, and of course there are huge consequences to that decision, but I understand why they're doing that, because the cost of temporary housing, in hostels or hotels, which they are also using, is very, very expensive.

So, I absolutely support your proposals for a vacant land tax. We want 'yes' to much bigger council taxes on housing left vacant after six months, 'yes' to the Development Bank of Wales directly funding social housing developments, and a lot more work to be done to convert existing buildings into homes, particularly above shops, as has already been mentioned, and to convert surplus retail that can be converted practically to accommodate residential accommodation in town centres.

The situation for people living in private rented sector accommodation is absolutely dire, and one constituent who is a single adult in her 50s, has just had a 28 per cent rent rise imposed on her. There is no way that she can afford to buy a property, and I doubt if she could meet the requirements of being on the housing register. So, it's very good news to hear that Lee Waters is doing a deep-dive into how we can move forward very quickly out of this situation, but we really do need to get on with it, because otherwise it is fuelling a lot of the populist and simplistic solutions that we have to combat for the good of the community.

Ychydig wythnosau yn ôl, mynychais agoriad 18 o fflatiau carbon niwtral ar faes parcio bach iawn y tu ôl i hostel YMCA yn The Walk. Roeddent yn hyfryd, wedi'u dylunio'n hardd, yn olau iawn, gyda phob fflat yn cael ei chynhesu gan bympiau gwres o'r aer, fel y gallai tenantiaid reoli'r gwres i gyd-fynd â'u hanghenion penodol, gyda'u drws ffrynt eu hunain a gardd gymunedol braf. Rwy'n credu bod pensaer CFW Architects—Jeff Murray yw ei enw—a’r adeiladwyr a gydweithiodd yn wych ar wasgu’r manylion dylunio cain olaf o siâp a oedd yn eithaf cymhleth—maent llwyr haeddu gwobr gan Sefydliad Brenhinol Penseiri Prydain a dweud y gwir. A gall unrhyw un fynd i edrych arno, gan fod caffi gan yr YMCA sy'n edrych allan ar yr adeilad newydd gwych hwn.

Dyma’r cartrefi cyntaf a adeiladwyd gan yr YMCA yng Nghaerdydd ers 1981. Mae'n rhaid imi ddweud ei bod yn rhaid mai dyna un o’r rhesymau pam ein bod mewn sefyllfa mor anodd. A’u her fwyaf nawr yw sut ar y ddaear y maent yn mynd i annog y tenantiaid newydd hyn, yn eu llety dros dro dynodedig ar gyfer pobl ifanc 18 i 25 oed, i symud ymlaen. Oherwydd nid oes unman yng Nghaerdydd i symud ymlaen iddo, a bod yn onest.

Sut y gallwn drethu mannau parcio ceir sy'n gysylltiedig â busnesau mewn ardaloedd fel Caerdydd lle ceir cysylltiadau trafnidiaeth da? Ni allwn fforddio caniatáu i’r lleiniau bychain hyn o dir, y gellid eu defnyddio i gartrefu pobl mewn ardal drefol fel yr un rwy'n ei chynrychioli, beidio â chael eu defnyddio ar gyfer tai, o ystyried lefel yr angen.

Felly, nid yw'r uchelgais presennol i adeiladu 20,000 o gartrefi yn y Senedd hon yn ddim ond diferyn o law yn y môr o gymharu â’r angen, ac rwy’n sylweddoli ein bod yn ei chael hi'n anodd cyflawni hynny hyd yn oed. Mae Cyngor Caerdydd wedi adeiladu dros 1,600 o dai cyngor ers 2017 ac mae hwnnw’n gyflawniad da mewn ardal lle mae tir yn eithaf drud, ac mae cymdeithasau tai wedi adeiladu 500 ychwanegol o gartrefi, a’u huchelgais yw adeiladu 4,000 arall mewn partneriaeth â sefydliadau eraill. Ond mae'r angen yn aruthrol, ac mae'r cyngor wedi gwneud ymrwymiad enfawr i barhau â'i bolisi tai yn gyntaf. Er mwyn atal pobl rhag byw ar y stryd, maent wedi gorfod trosi’r rhan fwyaf o’r tai cymdeithasol newydd a adeiladwyd, yn fy amser i fel y cynrychiolydd, yn dai dros dro, ac wrth gwrs, mae canlyniadau enfawr i’r penderfyniad hwnnw, ond rwy’n deall pam eu bod yn gwneud hynny, gan fod cost llety dros dro, mewn hosteli neu westai, y maent hefyd yn eu defnyddio, yn ddrud iawn.

Felly, rwy’n llwyr gefnogi eich cynigion ar gyfer treth ar dir gwag. Rydym am weld ‘ie’ i drethi cyngor llawer uwch ar dai sy'n wag ar ôl chwe mis, ‘ie’ i weld Banc Datblygu Cymru yn ariannu datblygiadau tai cymdeithasol yn uniongyrchol, a llawer mwy o waith yn mynd rhagddo i drosi adeiladau presennol yn gartrefi, yn enwedig uwchben siopau, fel y crybwyllwyd eisoes, ac i drosi eiddo manwerthu gwag y gellir ei drawsnewid yn ymarferol i ddarparu llety preswyl yng nghanol trefi.

Mae’r sefyllfa i bobl sy’n byw mewn llety yn y sector rhentu preifat yn gwbl enbyd, ac mae un etholwr sy’n oedolyn sengl yn ei 50au newydd gael codiad rhent o 28 y cant wedi’i orfodi arni. Nid oes unrhyw ffordd y gall fforddio prynu eiddo, ac mae'n amheus gennyf a fyddai'n bodloni’r gofynion ar gyfer bod ar y gofrestr tai. Felly, mae'n newyddion da iawn clywed bod Lee Waters yn cynnal archwiliad dwfn o sut y gallwn symud ymlaen yn gyflym iawn o'r sefyllfa hon, ond mae gwir angen inni fwrw ymlaen â'r gwaith, oherwydd fel arall, mae'n bwydo llawer o'r datrysiadau poblyddol a gor-syml y mae'n rhaid inni eu gwrthsefyll er lles y gymuned.

17:10

Galwaf ar Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Lywodraeth Leol a Thai, Jayne Bryant.

I call on the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Jayne Bryant.

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the debate today, and I'd like to start by thanking and welcoming the vast amount of work the committee has undertaken in its inquiry into social housing, and the interest that Members, past and present, have taken in this and the debate, including myself and Mabon ap Gwynfor, who have both been past members of the committee. I would like to thank all those committee members, including the Chair, and all those people who have given evidence to the inquiry.

One of the Government's key priorities is opportunity for every family. We know that opportunity starts in the home, and as such, ensuring a healthy supply of social housing is incredibly important, and I welcome the opportunity to outline what we're doing to support this.

Here in the Senedd, I think we all recognise the importance of good-quality housing in Wales. We know that investing in social housing reduces poverty, improves health, and helps drive economic growth. Good-quality affordable housing can also positively impact on mental health and improve educational outcomes, and this is why the Welsh Government has been steadfast in its support for the most affordable housing—social rent.

The evidence that we need more affordable homes is undeniable. There are still too many people living in temporary accommodation, and one person sleeping rough, or one family without a place to call home, is one too many. And that's why our focus as a Government is on delivering more homes alongside prevention support, in the aim of realising our long-term ambition to end homelessness for good.

Our record levels of investment are paying off. Social housing has received over £1.4 billion this Government term and, despite the challenging global events facing the housing sector, the sector continues to rise to the challenge. Delivery remains at some of the highest levels since records began in 2007-08, including the delivery of nearly 9,000 more homes for rent in the social sector so far this Senedd term. Our sector projections still tell us that there is a strong pipeline of schemes to deliver more homes this Government term and into the next, but I am impatient.

I’d like to take the opportunity to thank the sector for their continued commitment. I advised Members back in October that I had written to local authorities and registered social landlords setting out the clear ambition to do everything within our collective power to deliver every additional home we can. Responses helped inform the work of the affordable homes taskforce, and I’d like to thank Lee Waters for his role in this and the chairing of that, as well as the Members here who have been taking part. They have, as Lee has said, been focusing on unlocking barriers and supporting schemes experiencing potential risks to their delivery timescales.

This work also identified schemes that can start now and deliver by the end of this Government term. We’re providing an additional £10 million for these schemes in 2024-25. This extra funding will support 16 schemes across Wales, enabling the delivery of 238 homes that otherwise wouldn’t have been delivered in this term of Government. And I’m glad that Lee was able to give a flavour of some of the work that has gone on, and I’m keen and eager to see the results of that work.

The committee rightly points out the significant challenges to long-term funding. Giving longer term assurances to the sector will help to strengthen the development pipeline. That is why I've accepted their recommendation to explore how we can emulate other Welsh Government departments to provide longer term financial stability. Through the recent draft budget, we secured an additional £81 million for social housing. This brings the total budget for social housing to the highest ever single year total: £411 million for 2025-26. This is a positive budget with a clear focus on housing supply and prevention services.

Diolch, Ddirprwy Llywydd. Diolch am y cyfle i ymateb i’r ddadl heddiw, a hoffwn ddechrau drwy groesawu a diolch am y gwaith helaeth y mae’r pwyllgor wedi’i wneud yn ei ymchwiliad i dai cymdeithasol, a’r diddordeb y mae Aelodau, yn y gorffennol a’r presennol, wedi’i ddangos yn hyn ac yn y ddadl, gan gynnwys Mabon ap Gwynfor a minnau, yr oeddem ein dau yn gyn-aelodau o’r pwyllgor. Hoffwn ddiolch i'r holl aelodau o’r pwyllgor, gan gynnwys y Cadeirydd, a’r holl bobl a roddodd dystiolaeth i’r ymchwiliad.

Un o flaenoriaethau allweddol y Llywodraeth yw cyfle i bob teulu. Gwyddom fod cyfle yn dechrau yn y cartref, ac o’r herwydd, mae sicrhau cyflenwad iach o dai cymdeithasol yn hynod bwysig, ac rwy'n croesawu'r cyfle i nodi’r hyn a wnawn i gefnogi hyn.

Yma yn y Senedd, rwy'n credu bod pob un ohonom yn cydnabod pwysigrwydd tai o ansawdd da yng Nghymru. Gwyddom fod buddsoddi mewn tai cymdeithasol yn lleihau tlodi, yn gwella iechyd, ac yn helpu i ysgogi twf economaidd. Gall tai fforddiadwy o ansawdd da gael effaith gadarnhaol ar iechyd meddwl hefyd a gwella canlyniadau addysgol, a dyna pam fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn ddiysgog ei chymorth i’r tai mwyaf fforddiadwy—tai rhent cymdeithasol.

Mae’r dystiolaeth fod angen mwy o gartrefi fforddiadwy arnom yn ddiymwad. Mae gormod o bobl yn byw mewn llety dros dro o hyd, ac mae un unigolyn sy’n cysgu allan, neu un teulu heb le i’w alw’n gartref, yn un yn ormod. A dyna pam ein bod yn canolbwyntio fel Llywodraeth ar ddarparu mwy o gartrefi ochr yn ochr â chymorth atal, gyda'r nod o wireddu ein huchelgais hirdymor i roi diwedd ar ddigartrefedd am byth.

Mae ein lefelau uchaf erioed o fuddsoddiad yn dwyn ffrwyth. Mae tai cymdeithasol wedi derbyn dros £1.4 biliwn yn nhymor y Llywodraeth hon, ac er gwaethaf y digwyddiadau byd-eang heriol sy’n wynebu’r sector tai, mae’r sector yn parhau i ymateb i’r her. Mae’r ddarpariaeth yn parhau i fod ar y lefelau uchaf ers dechrau cadw cofnodion yn 2007-08, gan gynnwys darparu bron i 9,000 yn rhagor o gartrefi rhent yn y sector cymdeithasol hyd yma yn ystod tymor y Senedd hon. Mae ein hamcanestyniadau ar gyfer y sector yn dal i ddweud wrthym fod llif cadarn o gynlluniau i ddarparu mwy o gartrefi yn ystod tymor y Llywodraeth hon a'r nesaf, ond rwy’n ddiamynedd.

Hoffwn achub ar y cyfle i ddiolch i’r sector am eu hymrwymiad parhaus. Dywedais wrth yr Aelodau yn ôl ym mis Hydref fy mod wedi ysgrifennu at awdurdodau lleol a landlordiaid cymdeithasol cofrestredig yn nodi’r uchelgais clir i wneud popeth yn ein gallu ar y cyd i ddarparu pob cartref ychwanegol sy'n bosibl. Helpodd yr ymatebion i lywio gwaith y tasglu cartrefi fforddiadwy, a hoffwn ddiolch i Lee Waters am ei rôl yn hyn o beth ac am gadeirio'r tasglu, yn ogystal â’r Aelodau yma sydd wedi bod yn cymryd rhan. Fel y dywedodd Lee, maent wedi bod yn canolbwyntio ar ddatgloi rhwystrau a chefnogi cynlluniau sy’n wynebu risgiau posibl i’w hamserlenni cyflawni.

Nododd y gwaith hwn hefyd gynlluniau a all ddechrau nawr a chyflawni erbyn diwedd tymor y Llywodraeth hon. Rydym yn darparu £10 miliwn ychwanegol ar gyfer y cynlluniau hyn yn 2024-25. Bydd y cyllid ychwanegol hwn yn cefnogi 16 o gynlluniau ledled Cymru, gan alluogi'r ddarpariaeth o 238 o gartrefi na fyddent fel arall wedi cael eu darparu yn ystod tymor y Llywodraeth hon. Ac rwy’n falch fod Lee wedi gallu rhoi blas o rywfaint o’r gwaith sydd wedi mynd rhagddo, ac rwy’n awyddus i weld canlyniadau’r gwaith hwnnw.

Mae’r pwyllgor, yn gywir ddigon, yn tynnu sylw at yr heriau sylweddol i gyllid hirdymor. Bydd rhoi sicrwydd mwy hirdymor i'r sector yn helpu i gryfhau'r llif datblygu. Dyna pam fy mod wedi derbyn eu hargymhelliad i archwilio sut y gallwn gydymgeisio ag adrannau eraill yn Llywodraeth Cymru i ddarparu sefydlogrwydd ariannol mwy hirdymor. Drwy’r gyllideb ddrafft ddiweddar, rydym wedi sicrhau £81 miliwn ychwanegol ar gyfer tai cymdeithasol. Daw hyn â chyfanswm y gyllideb ar gyfer tai cymdeithasol i’r lefel uchaf erioed ar gyfer blwyddyn unigol: £411 miliwn ar gyfer 2025-26. Mae hon yn gyllideb gadarnhaol gyda ffocws clir ar gyflenwi tai a gwasanaethau atal.

17:15

Ond, er hynny, dim ond 4.9 y cant o'r gyllideb ddrafft ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf sydd yn cael ei ddyrannu ar gyfer tai ac adfywio, o dan 5 y cant o gyfanswm gwariant Llywodraeth Cymru. Ydych chi'n meddwl bod hynny'n ddigon?

But, despite that, only 4.9 per cent of the draft budget for the next financial year is allocated for housing and regeneration, under 5 per cent of the total expenditure of the Welsh Government. Do you think that that's adequate?

Diolch, Siân. As I said, this is a real focus for us and we're doing everything we can within the funding that we have available. And we know that, from the UK Government, we've been given extra money in this year than we would have otherwise had, and I've tried to outline how we are investing that additional £10 million that we've been able to find this year. 

Building homes takes time and all social landlords need the ability to meet the immediate housing need through acquisitions, where appropriate. This is why the additional investment will be used across both the social housing grant and the transitional accommodation capital programme. The funding will support the programme for government’s commitment to delivering 20,000 additional homes for rent in the social sector, as well as homes started in 2025-26 and completed in the next Senedd term. 

I'd just like to turn briefly to recommendation 4, which has been mentioned and which I have accepted in principle. I absolutely agree that we should aim for a higher percentage of social housing within the housing stock. However, whilst we're delivering record levels of affordable housing, further increases to the pace and scale of delivery will take time and require a commitment that spans several Government terms. But I am committed to undertaking analysis to understand the steps needed to secure a higher percentage and to inform timescales. 

A number of Members have mentioned recommendations, particularly, and perhaps understandably, focusing on the ones that haven't been accepted. As I said, of the 17 recommendations put forward, I've only rejected three. But, despite these rejections, I don't disagree with some of the principles highlighted in the recommendations, because we must really do more in all three of the areas, but the approach suggested by the committee, I believe, may not always be the right approach for this Government. But I do want to reassure committee members that the rejections do not mean that we simply rest on our laurels in these areas, and I'm committed to using every available lever to deliver as many homes as possible for the people of Wales.

While I disagree with the committee’s recommendation on the need for a separate standard for acquisitions, we've already introduced significant flexibilities within our TACP-funded projects. We will continue to review our standards, working with stakeholders to ensure they provide the pragmatism that is needed, and the early announcement of a continuation of the TAC programme will support our partners in continuing the pipeline of quality projects in this space.

Another one of the recommendations that was focused on was recommendation 5 and the place division, and I think that, just to highlight again, there are things within that we have seen that we are doing well in. Our land and buildings development fund remains open for business, and I'd implore the public sector to take advantage of the scheme, which is designed to advance stalled sites for social and affordable housing, and, to date, the fund has spent £37 million on 51 projects.

Diolch, Siân. Fel y dywedais, mae hwn yn ffocws gwirioneddol i ni ac rydym yn gwneud popeth yn ein gallu o fewn y cyllid sydd ar gael i ni. A gwyddom ein bod wedi cael arian ychwanegol gan Lywodraeth y DU yn y flwyddyn hon na fyddem wedi'i gael fel arall, ac rwyf wedi ceisio amlinellu sut rydym yn buddsoddi'r £10 miliwn ychwanegol y gallasom ddod o hyd iddo eleni.

Mae adeiladu cartrefi'n cymryd amser, ac mae angen y gallu ar bob landlord cymdeithasol i ddiwallu’r angen uniongyrchol am dai drwy gaffael, lle y bo’n briodol. Dyna pam y bydd y buddsoddiad ychwanegol yn cael ei ddefnyddio ar draws y grant tai cymdeithasol a’r rhaglen gyfalaf ar gyfer llety dros dro. Bydd y cyllid yn cefnogi ymrwymiad y rhaglen lywodraethu i ddarparu 20,000 o gartrefi rhent ychwanegol yn y sector cymdeithasol, yn ogystal â chwblhau cartrefi a ddechreuwyd yn 2025-26 yn nhymor nesaf y Senedd. 

Hoffwn droi yn fyr at argymhelliad 4, sydd wedi’i grybwyll ac a dderbyniais mewn egwyddor. Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr y dylem anelu at ganran uwch o dai cymdeithasol yn y stoc dai. Fodd bynnag, er ein bod yn darparu’r lefelau uchaf erioed o dai fforddiadwy, bydd cynnydd pellach i gyflymder a graddfa’r ddarpariaeth yn cymryd amser ac yn galw am ymrwymiad dros sawl tymor Llywodraeth. Ond rwyf wedi ymrwymo i gynnal dadansoddiad i ddeall y camau y mae angen eu cymryd i sicrhau canran uwch ac i lywio amserlenni.

Mae nifer o Aelodau wedi crybwyll argymhellion, ac efallai’n ddealladwy, wedi canolbwyntio ar y rhai sydd heb eu derbyn. Fel y dywedais, o'r 17 argymhelliad a gyflwynwyd, dim ond tri a wrthodais. Ond er fy mod wedi'u gwrthod, nid wyf yn anghytuno â rhai o’r egwyddorion a nodwyd yn yr argymhellion, gan fod yn rhaid inni wneud mwy ym mhob un o’r tri maes, ond efallai nad y dull a awgrymwyd gan y pwyllgor yw’r dull gweithredu cywir i'r Llywodraeth hon bob amser. Ond hoffwn roi sicrwydd i aelodau'r pwyllgor nad yw gwrthod yr argymhellion yn golygu ein bod yn gorffwys ar ein rhwyfau yn y meysydd hyn, ac rwyf wedi ymrwymo i ddefnyddio pob ysgogiad sydd ar gael i mi i ddarparu cymaint o gartrefi â phosibl i bobl Cymru.

Er fy mod yn anghytuno ag argymhelliad y pwyllgor ynglŷn â'r angen am safon ar wahân ar gyfer caffael, rydym eisoes wedi cyflwyno hyblygrwydd sylweddol yn ein prosiectau a ariennir gan y rhaglen gyfalaf ar gyfer llety dros dro. Byddwn yn parhau i adolygu ein safonau, gan weithio gyda rhanddeiliaid i sicrhau eu bod yn darparu'r bragmatiaeth sydd ei hangen, a bydd y cyhoeddiad cynnar ynglŷn â pharhad y rhaglen gyfalaf ar gyfer llety dros dro yn cefnogi ein partneriaid i barhau â'r prosiectau o ansawdd sydd ar y gweill yn y maes hwn.

Un arall o’r argymhellion y canolbwyntiwyd arnynt oedd argymhelliad 5 a’r is-adran lle, a nodaf unwaith eto fod pethau o fewn hynny y gwelsom ein bod yn gwneud yn dda ynddynt. Mae ein cronfa datblygu tir ac adeiladau yn parhau i fod ar agor, ac rwy'n erfyn ar y sector cyhoeddus i fanteisio ar y cynllun, sydd wed'i lunio i ddefnyddio safleoedd segur ar gyfer darparu tai cymdeithasol a fforddiadwy, a hyd yma, mae’r gronfa wedi gwario £37 miliwn ar 51 o brosiectau.

17:20

It's time to conclude now, Cabinet Secretary.

Mae’n bryd dirwyn i ben, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet.

Diolch. Over the remainder of this Government term, I'll be focusing both my and officials' efforts on delivery. That includes the delivery of homes and delivering against the commitments made in response to the committee's recommendations and Audit Wales. And finally, I'd like to reiterate to Members of the Senedd that I have been and will continue to be using all available levers to drive forward and deliver much-needed homes in Wales. Diolch.

Diolch. Dros weddill tymor y Llywodraeth hon, byddaf yn canolbwyntio fy ymdrechion ac ymdrechion fy swyddogion ar gyflawni. Mae hynny’n cynnwys darparu cartrefi a chyflawni yn erbyn yr ymrwymiadau a wnaed mewn ymateb i argymhellion y pwyllgor ac Archwilio Cymru. Ac yn olaf, hoffwn ailadrodd wrth Aelodau'r Senedd fy mod wedi bod ac y byddaf yn parhau i ddefnyddio'r holl ysgogiadau sydd ar gael i fwrw ymlaen â'r gwaith o ddarparu cartrefi sydd eu hangen yn daer yng Nghymru. Diolch.

Cadeirydd y pwyllgor i ymateb i'r ddadl.

The Chair of the committee to reply to the debate.

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Well, I thank Members very much for their contributions to what I think is a very important debate today, Dirprwy Lywydd, and there are some common themes. Laura Anne Jones, for example, mentioned issues with the planning departments of our local authorities, and that was echoed by others, and I think we do know that there is a need to increase that capacity, and that’s one significant part of producing the much greater number of houses that we need, including affordable social homes for rent, and action, I know, is being taken by Welsh Government to look at those issues and to increase capacity, and I think we all hope that that work comes to fruition as quickly as possible.

Siân Gwenllian mentioned the additional homes that we could have, for example, on our high streets and, again, that’s a theme that was mentioned by more than one Member, and of course that would have lots of benefits. It would help regenerate our town and city centres, where we know that extra footfall is very valuable in supporting the retail sector, and of course that would also lend itself to increasing the number of one-bedroomed properties, which again is a significant unmet need that we cover in our report.

I was very grateful to Lee Waters, Dirprwy Lywydd, for providing that very valuable update, I think, for Members on his work for the Cabinet Secretary in looking at where the barriers are, where the pinch-points are, how they might be overcome. That work, as Lee said, has quite an urgent time frame in terms of reporting at the end of March or in April, so I very much look forward, as I’m sure other Members do, to looking at the conclusions and the contribution that can make to necessary progress.

Mabon, I know, takes a great interest in housing and that was very evident when Mabon was a member of the committee and it’s good to see Mabon continuing that interest and taking part in this debate today. Committee, Mabon, would very much agree with you in terms of 20 per cent not being the endpoint in terms of our ambitions for the percentage of our overall housing stock that should be made up of affordable social homes for rent; 30 per cent, I think, is a longer term but achievable strategy. The 20 per cent figure we hope will happen over the next Senedd term, so we’re talking about another five years or so, and if we could build 60,000 additional affordable social homes for rent over that period, that would be a major contribution, I think, to meeting the need that we have.

Jenny, it's always good when, as with Mabon, non-committee members take part in debates on committee reports, so thanks again, very much, for your interest and the example that you gave of the YMCA building, those eight carbon-neutral flats—

Diolch, Ddirprwy Llywydd. Wel, diolch yn fawr iawn i'r Aelodau am eu cyfraniadau i'r ddadl bwysig hon heddiw, Ddirprwy Lywydd, ac mae yna rai themâu cyffredin. Soniodd Laura Anne Jones, er enghraifft, am faterion sy'n codi gydag adrannau cynllunio ein hawdurdodau lleol, ac adleisiwyd hynny gan eraill, a chredaf ein bod yn gwybod bod angen cynyddu’r capasiti, ac mae hynny'n rhan sylweddol o'r gwaith o gynhyrchu’r nifer llawer mwy o dai sydd eu hangen arnom, gan gynnwys cartrefi cymdeithasol fforddiadwy i'w rhentu, a gwn fod camau'n cael eu cymryd gan Lywodraeth Cymru i edrych ar y materion hynny ac i gynyddu capasiti, ac rwy'n credu bod pob un ohonom yn gobeithio y bydd y gwaith hwnnw'n dwyn ffrwyth cyn gynted â phosibl.

Soniodd Siân Gwenllian am y cartrefi ychwanegol y gallem eu cael, er enghraifft, ar ein strydoedd mawr, ac unwaith eto, mae honno’n thema a grybwyllwyd gan fwy nag un Aelod, ac wrth gwrs, byddai llawer o fanteision i hynny. Byddai’n helpu i adfywio canol ein trefi a’n dinasoedd, lle gwyddom fod nifer ychwanegol o ymwelwyr yn werthfawr iawn i gefnogi’r sector manwerthu, ac wrth gwrs, byddai hynny hefyd yn galw am gynyddu nifer yr eiddo un ystafell wely, sydd unwaith eto yn angen pwysig nas diwallwyd a nodir gennym yn ein hadroddiad.

Roeddwn yn ddiolchgar iawn i Lee Waters, Ddirprwy Lywydd, am ddarparu diweddariad gwerthfawr iawn i’r Aelodau ar ei waith i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ar edrych ar ble mae’r rhwystrau, ble mae’r mannau cyfyng, sut y gellid eu goresgyn. Fel y dywedodd Lee, mae i'r gwaith hwnnw ffrâm amser eithaf cyfyng o ran adrodd ddiwedd mis Mawrth neu ym mis Ebrill, felly edrychaf ymlaen yn fawr, fel yr Aelodau eraill rwy'n siŵr, at weld y casgliadau a’r cyfraniad y gall ei wneud i gynnydd angenrheidiol.

Gwn fod cryn ddiddordeb gan Mabon mewn tai, ac roedd hynny’n amlwg iawn pan oedd yn aelod o’r pwyllgor, ac mae’n dda gweld Mabon yn parhau â’r diddordeb hwnnw ac yn cymryd rhan yn y ddadl hon heddiw. Byddai’r Pwyllgor, Mabon, yn cytuno’n fawr â chi nad 20 y cant yw’r nod terfynol i'n huchelgeisiau ar gyfer y ganran o’n stoc dai gyffredinol a ddylai fod yn gartrefi cymdeithasol fforddiadwy i'w rhentu; credaf fod 30 y cant yn strategaeth fwy hirdymor ond un y gellir ei chyflawni. Rydym yn gobeithio y bydd y ffigur o 20 y cant yn cael ei gyflawni dros dymor y Senedd nesaf, felly rydym yn sôn am oddeutu pum mlynedd arall, ac os gallwn adeiladu 60,000 o gartrefi cymdeithasol fforddiadwy ychwanegol i'w rhentu dros y cyfnod hwnnw, byddai hynny’n gyfraniad mawr i'r gwaith o ddiwallu’r angen sydd gennym.

Jenny, mae bob amser yn dda pan fydd aelodau nad ydynt yn aelodau o'r pwyllgor, fel Mabon, yn cymryd rhan mewn dadleuon ar adroddiadau pwyllgorau, felly diolch yn fawr iawn eto am eich diddordeb a'r enghraifft a roesoch o adeilad YMCA, yr wyth fflat carbon niwtral—

17:25

Eighteen, sorry, carbon-neutral flats. I can't read my own handwriting, I'm afraid. Temporary accommodation, but very important, and we know the issue about temporary accommodation and perhaps that leading to permanent housing as we look at some of the standards that apply.

Again, you mentioned properties above shops, and, again, that's very important, and also, of course, the issues with the private rented sector and that rent increase that your constituent faced, because what we do know—. Coming to the Cabinet Secretary's contribution today, I very much welcome the strong commitment that you have, Cabinet Secretary, to engaging with the committee, accepting the big majority of our recommendations, and then also looking at those that were rejected in terms of how we make progress, even if it isn't in the way that the committee suggests. We very much welcome that.

I think there is a shared endeavour, isn't there, across the Senedd and with Welsh Government to see those additional affordable social homes being built here in Wales. What underlies it all, getting back to what Jenny mentioned about that private rented sector example, is that these affordable social homes for rent can give us many more of the safe, secure, affordable homes that we know people in Wales badly need. So, I would say a very important report by the committee, and one that I hope will really lead to the sort of action that we all want to see. Diolch yn fawr.

Deunaw, mae'n ddrwg gennyf, o fflatiau carbon niwtral. Ni allaf ddarllen fy llawysgrifen fy hun, mae arnaf ofn. Llety dros dro, ond pwysig iawn, a gwyddom am y mater sy'n codi gyda llety dros dro’n arwain o bosibl at dai parhaol wrth inni edrych ar rai o’r safonau sy’n berthnasol.

Unwaith eto, fe sonioch chi am eiddo uwchben siopau, ac unwaith eto, mae hynny'n bwysig iawn, a hefyd, wrth gwrs, y problemau gyda'r sector rhentu preifat a'r cynnydd yn y rhent a wynebodd eich etholwr, oherwydd yr hyn a wyddom—. I ddod at gyfraniad Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet heddiw, rwy’n croesawu eich ymrwymiad cryf, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, i ymgysylltu â’r pwyllgor, gan dderbyn y rhan fwyaf o’n hargymhellion, ac i edrych hefyd ar y rhai a wrthodwyd o ran sut i wneud cynnydd, hyd yn oed os nad yw yn y ffordd y mae’r pwyllgor yn ei awgrymu. Rydym yn croesawu hynny’n fawr.

Rwy'n credu bod ymdrech ar y cyd, onid oes, ar draws y Senedd a chyda Llywodraeth Cymru i weld cartrefi cymdeithasol fforddiadwy ychwanegol yn cael eu hadeiladu yma yng Nghymru. Yr hyn sydd wrth wraidd y cyfan, gan ddychwelyd at yr hyn y soniodd Jenny amdano a'r enghraifft a roddodd o’r sector rhentu preifat, yw y gall y cartrefi cymdeithasol fforddiadwy hyn i'w rhentu ddarparu llawer mwy o’r cartrefi diogel, sicr a fforddiadwy y gwyddom fod eu hangen yn daer ar bobl yng Nghymru. Felly, byddwn yn dweud bod hwn yn adroddiad pwysig iawn gan y pwyllgor, ac yn un y gobeithiaf y bydd yn arwain at y math o gamau gweithredu y mae pob un ohonom yn dymuno eu gweld. Diolch yn fawr.

Y cwestiwn yw: a ddylid nodi adroddiad y pwyllgor? Oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Nac oes. Felly, derbynnir y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.

The proposal is to note the committee's report. Does any Member object? No. The motion is therefore agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.

Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

9. Dadl Plaid Cymru: Addysg uwch
9. Plaid Cymru Debate: Higher education

Detholwyd y gwelliannau canlynol: gwelliant 1 yn enw Jane Hutt, a gwelliant 2 yn enw Paul Davies. Os derbynnir gwelliant 1, caiff gwelliant 2 ei ddad-dethol.

The following amendments have been selected: amendment 1 in the name of Jane Hutt, and amendment 2 in the name of Paul Davies. If amendment 1 is agreed, amendment 2 will be deselected.

Eitem 9 heddiw yw dadl Plaid Cymru, addysg uwch, a galwaf ar Cefin Campbell i wneud y cynnig.

Item 9 this afternoon is the Plaid Cymru debate on higher education, and I call on Cefin Campbell to move the motion.

Cynnig NDM8818 Heledd Fychan

Cynnig bod y Senedd:

1. Yn nodi'r cyhoeddiad gan Brifysgol Caerdydd i dorri 400 o swyddi a therfynu sawl cwrs gradd gan gynnwys hanes yr henfyd, ieithoedd modern a chyfieithu, cerddoriaeth, nyrsio, a chrefydd a diwinyddiaeth.

2. Yn gresynu at:

a) methiant Llywodraeth Cymru i sefydlu model ariannu cynaliadwy i brifysgolion yng Nghymru er gwaethaf rhybuddion dro ar ôl tro gan y sector dros nifer o flynyddoedd;

b) effaith y cyhoeddiad ar staff a myfyrwyr, ar yr economi, ac ar enw da Cymru fel cenedl ddysgu; ac

c) y pwysau ariannol cynyddol yn sgil penderfyniad Llywodraeth y DU i gynyddu cyfraniadau Yswiriant Gwladol cyflogwyr a newidiadau i reolau fisa i fyfyrwyr rhyngwladol.

3. Yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i:

a) datblygu, yn unol â'i gyfrifoldeb datganoledig, strategaeth addysg uwch newydd i ddiogelu swyddi a gosod y sector ar sail ariannol gynaliadwy;

b) comisiynu asesiad effaith o'r cynlluniau i gau'r ysgol nyrsio ar lefelau staff nyrsio'r GIG; ac

c) cyhoeddi gwerthusiad o'r pwysau ariannol sy'n wynebu Prifysgolion Cymru.

Motion NDM8818 Heledd Fychan

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the announcement by Cardiff University that it will cut 400 jobs and close several degree courses including ancient history, modern languages and translation, music, nursing, and religion and theology.   

2. Regrets:

a) the failure of the Welsh Government to establish a sustainable funding model for universities in Wales despite repeated warnings from the sector over many years;  

b) the impact the announcement will have on staff and learners, and on the economy as well as Wales’s reputation as a nation of learning; and

c) the increased financial pressure caused by the UK Government’s decision to increase employer National Insurance contributions and changes to visa rules for international students.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) develop, in line with its devolved responsibility, a new higher education strategy to protect jobs and place the sector on a sustainable financial footing;

b) commission an assessment of the impact of the plans to close the nursing school on NHS nursing staff levels; and

c) publish an evaluation of the financial pressures faced by Welsh universities.

Cynigiwyd y cynnig.

Motion moved.

Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd. In solidarity with the hundreds of staff and students who were standing shoulder to shoulder in the rain and wind yesterday on the steps of the Senedd at the University and College Union rally, I move this motion in the name of Heledd Fychan.

Last week, the bombshell announcement from Cardiff University that 400 jobs were at risk, with several degree courses facing the chop, was yet another bitter blow to the higher education sector in Wales. Now, throughout this debate, my Plaid Cymru colleagues and I will outline why Welsh Government must take responsibility for the situation our higher education sector finds itself in, especially when it comes to putting the sector on a sustainable financial footing and ensuring enough nurses are being trained in Wales to properly staff our NHS.

While last week's announcement looms large in our minds and in the context of this debate, we must remember, of course, that Cardiff University are not the only institution treading these troubled waters. The latest information we have, based on university financial statements for 2023-24, shows the sector reporting a deficit of around £70 million. These figures, however, do not reflect more recent pressures, such as increased national insurance contributions, worth around £20 million, or the significant shortfall in international recruitment experienced this academic year, a potential £70 million to £80 million in lost income, indicating a more challenging position for the current financial year.

At Aberystwyth University, for instance, their most recent financial report notes the

‘increased use of a revolving credit facility’.

It beggars belief that the Welsh Government have let the situation get to the stage where one of our higher education institutions is, effectively, using something akin to a credit card to help balance the books. Furthermore, due to budgetary pressures, Trinity St David’s has announced the closure of the historic campus at Lampeter for undergraduate degrees. We cannot let the birthplace of higher education in Wales be the beginning of the end for our university sector.

Last year, around 2,500 jobs were lost as the flames went out at Tata in Port Talbot. With 1,000 jobs already cut from the higher education sector in recent years, and more potentially on the way, we could end up seeing a similar amount of jobs at risk at our universities. It didn't have to end that way in Port Talbot, and it doesn't have to end this way with our universities. Welsh Government should and could do more.

Diolch yn fawr iawn, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Mewn undod â’r cannoedd o staff a myfyrwyr a fu'n sefyll ysgwydd wrth ysgwydd yn y gwynt a’r glaw ddoe ar risiau’r Senedd yn rali'r Undeb Prifysgolion a Cholegau, rwy'n gwneud y cynnig hwn yn enw Heledd Fychan.

Yr wythnos diwethaf, roedd y cyhoeddiad syfrdanol gan Brifysgol Caerdydd fod 400 o swyddi mewn perygl, gyda sawl cwrs gradd yn wynebu cael eu torri, yn ergyd chwerw arall eto i’r sector addysg uwch yng Nghymru. Nawr, drwy gydol y ddadl hon, bydd fy nghyd-Aelodau o Blaid Cymru a minnau’n amlinellu pam y mae'n rhaid i Lywodraeth Cymru gymryd cyfrifoldeb am y sefyllfa y mae ein sector addysg uwch yn ei hwynebu, yn enwedig o ran rhoi’r sector ar sylfaen ariannol gynaliadwy a sicrhau bod digon o nyrsys yn cael eu hyfforddi yng Nghymru i staffio ein GIG yn briodol.

Er bod y cyhoeddiad yr wythnos diwethaf yn llenwi ein meddyliau ac yng nghyd-destun y ddadl hon, mae’n rhaid inni gofio wrth gwrs nad Prifysgol Caerdydd yw'r unig sefydliad sy'n troedio'r dyfroedd cythryblus hyn. Mae’r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf sydd gennym, yn seiliedig ar ddatganiadau ariannol prifysgolion ar gyfer 2023-24, yn dangos bod y sector yn nodi diffyg o oddeutu £70 miliwn. Fodd bynnag, nid yw’r ffigurau hyn yn adlewyrchu pwysau mwy diweddar, megis y cynnydd yng nghyfraniadau yswiriant gwladol cyflogwyr, sydd oddeutu £20 miliwn, neu’r diffyg sylweddol mewn recriwtio rhyngwladol a gafwyd yn y flwyddyn academaidd hon, sef £70 miliwn i £80 miliwn posibl mewn incwm a gollwyd, sy’n awgrymu sefyllfa fwy heriol ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol gyfredol.

Ym Mhrifysgol Aberystwyth, er enghraifft, mae eu hadroddiad ariannol diweddaraf yn nodi'r

'defnydd cynyddol o gyfleuster credyd cylchol'.

Mae'n anhygoel fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gadael i’r sefyllfa gyrraedd y pwynt lle mae un o’n sefydliadau addysg uwch, i bob pwrpas, yn defnyddio dull tebyg i gerdyn credyd i helpu i fantoli’r cyfrifon. Ymhellach, oherwydd pwysau cyllidebol, mae Prifysgol Cymru y Drindod Dewi Sant wedi cyhoeddi y bydd campws hanesyddol Llanbedr Pont Steffan yn cau ar gyfer graddau israddedig. Ni allwn adael i fan geni addysg uwch yng Nghymru fod yn ddechrau'r diwedd i’n sector prifysgolion.

Y llynedd, collwyd oddeutu 2,500 o swyddi wrth i'r fflamau ddiffodd yn Tata ym Mhort Talbot. Gyda 1,000 o swyddi eisoes wedi’u torri o’r sector addysg uwch yn y blynyddoedd diwethaf, a mwy i ddod o bosibl, gallem weld nifer tebyg o swyddi mewn perygl yn ein prifysgolion. Nid oedd rhaid i bethau ddod i ben yn y ffordd honno ym Mhort Talbot, ac nid oes rhaid i bethau ddod i ben yn y ffordd hon gyda’n prifysgolion. Fe allai ac fe ddylai Llywodraeth Cymru wneud mwy.

Daeth y Llywydd i’r Gadair.

The Llywydd took the Chair.

17:30

Fodd bynnag, i ddatrys problem, rhaid yn gyntaf cydnabod bod yna broblem a rhaid cydnabod graddfa'r broblem honno, er mwyn cymryd cyfrifoldeb, dangos arweinyddiaeth a gweithredu. Ar bob cyfrif, mae'n ymddangos bod y Llywodraeth hon yn methu'n llwyr ar y seiliau hynny. Mae Gweinidog gennym ni sydd ddim yn cynnig unrhyw gymorth ychwanegol, sydd yn golchi ei dwylo o gyfrifoldeb, ac yn cuddio y tu ôl i adolygiad gan Lywodraeth San Steffan, adolygiad rŷn ni'n gwybod dim llawer o fanylion amdano, adolygiad efallai fydd ddim yn digwydd o gwbl.

Ym 1966, dywedodd un o brif lenorion Cymru, D.J. Williams, fe ddywedodd e hyn:

'Ni piau Prifysgol Cymru; ein tadau ni a freuddwydiodd amdani yn rhodd i'w gwerin; eu ceiniogau hwy a'u cododd hi. Nid oes hawl gan y bobl yna, na ddeallasant erioed ei hystyr hi i'n cenedl, i'w bylchu a'i chwalu, yn ôl eu mympwy hwy eu hunain; nac i ymyrryd ag un o'r sefydliadau hynny sy'n dwyn ei henw hi. Na orffwysed neb ohonom, na dydd, na nos, hyd nes y bo tynged ein cenedl ni yn nwylo Senedd a Llywodraeth o'r eiddom ni ein hunain, yn ddiogel gadarn ar ddaear Cymru ei hun.'

Sut felly, bron i 60 mlynedd yn ddiweddarach, a dros 25 mlynedd ers i ni greu'r Senedd a'r Llywodraeth honno yn ein dwylo ein hunain, rŷn ni wedi cyrraedd y sefyllfa hon lle mae Llywodraeth ein gwlad yn gadael i'n sefydliadau addysg uwch wywo ar y pren? Beth oedd pwrpas sefydlu'r lle hwn, os nad i sicrhau, pe bai'r amser yn dod, y gallai ein Llywodraeth ni ein hunain, y Llywodraeth hon, gamu i'r adwy a chefnogi ein sefydliadau addysg uwch yn awr eu hangen? Yn hytrach na dangos arweiniad, ac ymladd cornel y sector o amgylch bwrdd y Cabinet, mae'r Gweinidog yn chwifio'r faner wen yn wyneb cannoedd o ddiswyddiadau.

However, to solve a problem, one must first acknowledge that there is a problem and one must acknowledge the scale of that problem, in order to take responsibility, to show leadership and to take action. On every count, it appears that this Government is failing entirely on these grounds. We have a Minister who isn't offering any additional support, who washes her hands of responsibility, and hides behind a UK Government review, a review that we don't even know many details about, a review that may not happen at all. 

In 1966, one of Wales's foremost literary figures, D.J. Williams, said,

'The University of Wales belongs to us; our forebears dreamt of it as a gift to their people; their pennies built it. Those people have no right, those who have never understood its meaning to our nation, to break it and to dismantle it, according to their own whims; nor to interfere with any one of those institutions that bears its name. Let us not rest, by day or by night, until the fate of our nation is in the hands of our own Parliament and Government, safely located on Wales's own soil.'

How then, almost 60 years later, and over 25 years since we established that Senedd and Government in our own hands, have we come to this situation where the Government of our country is allowing our higher education institutions to wither on the vine? What was the point of establishing this place if not to ensure, if the occasion were to arise, that our own Government, this Government, could step into the breach and support our higher education institutions in their hour of need? Rather than showing leadership, and standing up for the sector around the Cabinet table, the Minister is waving the white flag in the face of hundreds of redundancies.

The fact that the Minister raised false hope last autumn, in prematurely revealing the now non-existent transformation fund, has only sought to make matters worse. And it was only last week that we received confirmation from the Minister, in response to questions from me, that the Welsh Government had concluded that, and I quote,

'a transformation fund is not required for the sector at this stage.'

Goodness me, Minister, if not now, when? The Minister also said that Medr would have their own funds to support our institutions. Where are those funds? And for that matter, where is Medr? All we have seen or heard from the newly established organisation over the past week is a paltry four-paragraph statement, half of which was just repeating facts already known in the public domain. For the organisation that was set up to fund and support universities and students, an organisation second only to the Welsh NHS in terms of the size and scale of the budget it gets from Welsh Government, to offer no leadership, no reassurance or solutions, is yet another example of how Welsh Government have failed to properly protect and defend the sector. Medr can't hide behind the Welsh Government, and the Welsh Government can't hide behind Westminster.

We will all have heard the First Minister, in recent weeks, saying she can't answer for issues arising from powers retained by Westminster, and that we should focus all our scrutiny on what the Welsh Government actually have control over. Well, I can only imagine that the Minister for higher education didn't get the memo, seeing as when Members across the Siambr questioned her about these issues last week, she repeatedly stated that there wasn't anything more she could do, and that it was up to a UK Government review to sort it out. In the long term, that may well be the case, but that doesn't mean that the Minister should sit idly by and do nothing now. And how can we trust that this Welsh Government will properly stand up for Welsh universities in those discussions? How can we trust that this UK Government will even listen to Wales?

This is of particular concern given the fact that Plaid Cymru can reveal through FOI responses that, last autumn, despite the supposed partnership in power between Labour in Wales and Westminster, there was no correspondence between Welsh Government and UK Government regarding emergency funds and raising tuition fees in England. No correspondence, even though those policy decisions would have serious knock-on consequences for the higher education sector in Wales. A staggering lack of respect. A partnership in power means nothing if UK Government doesn't ensure Welsh Government are aware of changes to policies that will have far-reaching effects for Welsh higher education institutions.

Last spring, my colleague Heledd Fychan wrote to the Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Education, calling for an emergency review into the state of higher education in Wales. Welsh Government failed to act then, which is why we are now repeating our call for Welsh Government, in line with its devolved responsibility, to develop a new higher education strategy to protect jobs and place the sector on a sustainable financial footing.

Perhaps such a review could consider changes in the way student support is allocated, to recapture around £34 million from maintenance grants that currently go to the 40 per cent of Welsh students who study outside Wales, and to use this to reinvest in our universities, without having a detrimental impact on those, of course, from the most disadvantaged households, as research commissioned by Plaid Cymru has suggested. We could also revisit the Seren scheme, which at present is actively encouraging some of our best and brightest to attend universities outside Wales, to the cost of millions. This is not about stopping anyone from going to study in England, but it's about re-prioritising how we spend money on higher education and better supporting our universities at a time of crisis—at a time of crisis.

Now others—I hear the howls from the benches opposite here—may disagree on that, but surely what we can all agree on is that a Welsh-specific review and strategy is a must if we are to see our universities survive and thrive in the future. Diolch yn fawr.

Mae'r ffaith bod y Gweinidog wedi codi gobaith ffug yr hydref diwethaf, drwy ddatgelu'r gronfa drawsnewid nad yw'n bodoli bellach, wedi gwneud pethau'n waeth. A'r wythnos diwethaf yn unig, cawsom gadarnhad gan y Gweinidog, mewn ymateb i gwestiynau gennyf i, fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dod i'r casgliad,

'nad oes angen cronfa drawsnewid ar gyfer y sector ar hyn o bryd.'

Mawredd, Weinidog, os nad nawr, pryd? Dywedodd y Gweinidog hefyd y byddai gan Medr ei arian ei hun i gefnogi ein sefydliadau. Lle mae'r cronfeydd hynny? Ac o ran hynny, lle mae Medr? Y cyfan a welsom neu a glywsom gan y sefydliad newydd dros yr wythnos ddiwethaf yw datganiad pedwar paragraff pitw, a'i hanner yn ailadrodd ffeithiau a oedd yn hysbys i'r cyhoedd eisoes. Mae i'r sefydliad a sefydlwyd i ariannu a chefnogi prifysgolion a myfyrwyr, sefydliad sy'n ail yn unig i GIG Cymru o ran maint a graddfa'r gyllideb y mae'n ei chael gan Lywodraeth Cymru, fethu cynnig unrhyw arweiniad, na sicrwydd nac atebion, yn enghraifft arall eto o'r modd y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi methu diogelu nac amddiffyn y sector yn iawn. Ni all Medr guddio y tu ôl i Lywodraeth Cymru, ac ni all Llywodraeth Cymru guddio y tu ôl i San Steffan.

Bydd pawb ohonom wedi clywed y Prif Weinidog, yn ystod yr wythnosau diwethaf, yn dweud na all ateb dros faterion sy'n codi o bwerau a gedwir gan San Steffan, ac y dylem ganolbwyntio ein holl graffu ar yr hyn y mae gan Lywodraeth Cymru reolaeth drosto. Wel, ni allaf ond dychmygu na chafodd y Gweinidog addysg uwch y memo, o gofio bod Aelodau ar draws y Siambr wedi ei holi am y materion hyn yr wythnos diwethaf, a'i bod wedi dweud dro ar ôl tro nad oedd unrhyw beth arall y gallai ei wneud, a'i fod yn fater i adolygiad gan Lywodraeth y DU ei ddatrys. Yn y tymor hir, mae'n ddigon posibl fod hynny'n wir, ond nid yw'n golygu y dylai'r Gweinidog eistedd yn segur a gwneud dim. A sut y gallwn fod â ffydd y bydd y Llywodraeth Cymru hon yn sefyll yn briodol dros brifysgolion Cymru yn y trafodaethau hynny? Sut y gallwn ni fod â ffydd y bydd Llywodraeth y DU hyd yn oed yn gwrando ar Gymru?

Mae hyn yn peri pryder arbennig o ystyried y gall Plaid Cymru ddatgelu trwy ymatebion rhyddid gwybodaeth nad oedd unrhyw ohebiaeth rhwng Llywodraeth Cymru a Llywodraeth y DU yr hydref diwethaf ynghylch cronfeydd brys a chodi ffioedd dysgu yn Lloegr, er gwaethaf y bartneriaeth mewn grym honedig rhwng Llafur yng Nghymru a San Steffan. Dim gohebiaeth, er y byddai'r penderfyniadau polisi hynny'n arwain at ganlyniadau difrifol i'r sector addysg uwch yng Nghymru. Diffyg parch syfrdanol. Nid yw partneriaeth mewn grym yn golygu dim os nad yw Llywodraeth y DU yn sicrhau bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn ymwybodol o newidiadau i bolisïau a fydd yn cael effeithiau pellgyrhaeddol ar sefydliadau addysg uwch Cymru.

Y gwanwyn diwethaf, ysgrifennodd fy nghyd-Aelod, Heledd Fychan, at Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Addysg yn Llywodraeth Cymru, yn galw am adolygiad brys o gyflwr addysg uwch yng Nghymru. Methodd Llywodraeth Cymru weithredu bryd hynny, a dyna pam ein bod bellach yn ailadrodd ein galwad ar Lywodraeth Cymru, yn unol â'i chyfrifoldeb datganoledig, i ddatblygu strategaeth addysg uwch newydd i ddiogelu swyddi a gosod y sector ar sylfaen ariannol gynaliadwy.

Efallai y gallai adolygiad o'r fath ystyried newidiadau yn y ffordd y caiff cymorth i fyfyrwyr ei ddyrannu, i adfer tua £34 miliwn o grantiau cynhaliaeth sydd ar hyn o bryd yn mynd i'r 40 y cant o fyfyrwyr o Gymru sy'n astudio y tu allan i Gymru, ac i ddefnyddio hwn i ailfuddsoddi yn ein prifysgolion, heb gael effaith niweidiol ar y rheini o'r aelwydydd mwyaf difreintiedig, fel y mae ymchwil a gomisiynwyd gan Blaid Cymru wedi awgrymu. Gallem ailedrych ar gynllun Seren hefyd, sydd ar hyn o bryd yn annog rhai o'n disgyblion gorau a mwyaf disglair i fynd i brifysgolion y tu allan i Gymru, a hynny ar gost o filiynau. Nid atal unrhyw un rhag mynd i astudio yn Lloegr yw hyn, ond ailflaenoriaethu'r ffordd y gwariwn arian ar addysg uwch a chefnogi ein prifysgolion yn well ar adeg o argyfwng—ar adeg o argyfwng.

Nawr efallai y bydd eraill—rwy'n clywed yr udo oddi ar y meinciau gyferbyn yma—yn anghytuno ynglŷn â hynny, ond does bosibl na allwn i gyd gytuno ei bod yn hanfodol cael adolygiad a strategaeth sy'n benodol i Gymru os ydym am weld ein prifysgolion yn goroesi ac yn ffynnu yn y dyfodol. Diolch yn fawr.

17:35

Rwyf wedi dethol y ddau welliant i'r cynnig. Os derbynnir gwelliant 1, bydd gwelliant 2 yn cael ei ddad-dethol. Dwi'n galw, felly, ar y Gweinidog Addysg Bellach ac Uwch i gynnig yn ffurfiol—formally—gwelliant 1.

I have selected the two amendments to the motion. If amendment 1 is agreed, amendment 2 will be deselected. I call, therefore, on the Minister for Further and Higher Education to move formally amendment 1.

Gwelliant 1—Jane Hutt

Dileu popeth a rhoi yn ei le:

Cynnig bod y Senedd:

1. Yn nodi bod Prifysgol Caerdydd wedi lansio ymgynghoriad ffurfiol 90 diwrnod sy'n cynnwys cynigion i dorri tua 400 o swyddi academaidd.

2. Yn cydnabod:

a) rôl hanfodol prifysgolion fel sefydliadau angori yn ein cymunedau a'n heconomi;

b) effaith sylfaenol ystod o ffactorau ar brifysgolion ledled y DU, gan gynnwys Brexit, newidiadau i ofynion fisa, a chyfraddau llog a chwyddiant uwch; ac

c) cyllid ychwanegol yn ystod y flwyddyn i brifysgolion yng Nghymru sy'n mynd â chyfanswm y cyllid grant i dros £200 miliwn yn 2024-25, a'r incwm ychwanegol a gynhyrchir drwy godi'r cap ar ffioedd dysgu.

3. Yn galw ar Brifysgol Caerdydd i:

a) sicrhau bod egwyddorion partneriaeth gymdeithasol yn ganolog i'r broses ymgynghori, fel bod lleisiau undebau llafur, staff a myfyrwyr yn cael eu clywed; a

b) cefnogi staff a myfyrwyr y mae'r cynigion yn effeithio arnynt, gan gynnwys galluogi'r holl fyfyrwyr cofrestredig i gwblhau eu cyrsiau.

4. Yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i:

a) gweithio gyda Llywodraeth y DU i nodi atebion cynaliadwy ar gyfer dyfodol addysg uwch;

b) gweithio gyda phrifysgolion Cymru i archwilio cyfleoedd ar gyfer cydweithredu ar ddarpariaeth allweddol; ac

c) gweithio gydag Addysg a Gwella Iechyd Cymru i sicrhau nad yw unrhyw benderfyniadau a wneir gan Brifysgol Caerdydd yn effeithio ar nifer y nyrsys a hyfforddir yng Nghymru.

Amendment 1—Jane Hutt

Delete all and replace with:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes that Cardiff University has launched a 90-day formal consultation which includes proposals to cut around 400 academic posts.

2. Recognises:

a) the vital role of universities as anchor institutions in our communities and our economy;

b) the fundamental impact of a range of factors on universities across the UK, including Brexit, changes to visa requirements, higher interest rates and inflation; and

c) the additional in-year funding to universities in Wales which takes total grant funding to over £200 million in 2024-25, and the additional income generated by raising the tuition fee cap.

3. Calls on Cardiff University to:

a) ensure the principles of social partnership are central to the consultation process, so that the voices of trade unions, staff and students are heard; and

b) fully support staff and students affected by the proposals, including enabling all enrolled students to complete their courses.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) work with the UK Government to identify sustainable solutions for the future of higher education;

b) work with Welsh universities to explore opportunities for collaboration on key provision; and

c) work with Health Education and Improvement Wales to ensure any decisions taken by Cardiff University do not impact on the number of nurses trained in Wales.

Cynigiwyd gwelliant 1.

Amendment 1 moved.

I move. 

Rwy'n cynnig.

Ydy, mae'n cael ei gynnig yn ffurfiol. Felly, dwi'n galw nesaf ar Natasha Asghar i gynnig gwelliant 2. Natasha Asghar.

It is formally moved. Therefore, I call next on Natasha Asghar to move amendment 2. Natasha Asghar.

17:40

Gwelliant 2—Paul Davies

Yn is-bwynt 2(c), dileu popeth ar ôl 'cyflogwyr'.

Amendment 2—Paul Davies

In sub-point 2(c), delete all after ‘contributions’.

Cynigiwyd gwelliant 2.

Amendment 2 moved.

Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. The news of Cardiff University last week was deeply concerning, with 400 jobs hanging in the balance and a range of courses, including nursing, poised to be chopped. Whilst these, of course, are proposals and a final decision is expected to be made in June, if this goes ahead the impact will be catastrophic. It'll be catastrophic for staff, it'll be catastrophic for students, future generations, our economy and our country as a whole. Really important departments of Cardiff University, including nursing, are actively being considered for scrapping.

Let's not forget that Cardiff University's nursing course has been ranked No. 1 in Wales and fifth in the UK in the past. I find it utterly bewildering that the nursing course, which currently has around 800 students enrolled, has found itself in the cross hairs, particularly when we are facing a shortfall in the industry itself, so much so that the Welsh Government are offering bursaries to attract students into the nursing profession right now. I'd like to know what discussions have taken place with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care to make up this anticipated shortfall in the workforce. It's vital that a thorough assessment looking at the impact of the proposed nursing school closure will have on our country as a whole, when carried out. 

Financial troubles have been blamed for these brutal proposals, alongside a drop in the number of international students. In my view, something has seriously gone wrong somewhere in our capital city's university. That this department is so reliant on international students is a genuine concern. I'd be curious to know if Cardiff University is still going to be pushing ahead with opening a new campus in Kazakhstan in light of these new challenges. It would be a national disgrace if these closures and job cuts go ahead while the university pushes ahead with its plans for an overseas outlet.

I believe an official agreement is due to be signed this month, with its first cohort expected to arrive in September. This whole saga will be an even more bitter pill to swallow if Cardiff University is going to be prioritising Kazakhstan over Cardiff. I will be taking this point up personally with the vice chancellor in relation to the university's silence on this issue, as it's causing alarm bells to go off for me personally, but I'd really like to know what discussions the Government has had with the university on this front. 

I'd also like to know if the Minister has sought reassurances from Cardiff University that more cuts aren't looming further down the line. I fear that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Universities across Wales are in a similar predicament, but Cardiff University was the first big domino to fall. Last week, I raised the issue of teaching ceasing at Lampeter, our oldest university, and now our biggest university is indeed in trouble. And we saw over the weekend that Swansea University is increasing its cost-cutting plan by £30 million, with more staff potentially leaving on top of the 342 who've already departed. Something is clearly going wrong. 

As we know, the UK Labour Government decided to make changes to employer national insurance contributions, which has, without a doubt, had major impacts on all aspects of society, including our universities. Initial estimates show it will result in an extra £8.4 million in costs for Welsh universities as a consequence of the 1.2 per cent increase, and additional costs of between £9 million to £13 million because of the threshold changes. This places a provisional estimate for the total cost of employer national insurance contributions for just Welsh universities alone at around £20 million per annum from April 2025.

I know during last weekend's Politics Wales show the Minister yet again tried to abdicate responsibility by insisting no extra cash would be made available, but let's be honest, if this was Cardiff Airport or Senedd expansion, the Welsh Government wouldn't be able to whack out its cheque book quickly enough. Ministers seem to always find money when it suits their agenda, and it's really appalling that they're prepared to turn their backs on our higher education sector. 

Research by the London School of Economics highlights the importance of investment in Welsh universities, and estimates the total annual economic impact of Welsh universities on the UK in 2021-22 alone was around £10.97 billion. Not only that, but it found that for every £1 million of public investment in universities, the economy benefits by £13.1 million. That's not a small sum. 

Like I said, there have been some warnings of this bleak financial pressure facing our universities for a while now, and it appears as though Labour Ministers in this place have been asleep at their desks. I posed this question to the Minister during last week's topical questions and I will ask again, because I did feel that she failed to answer it to me before: given that any benefit of tuition fee uplift has been cancelled out by an increase in national insurance contributions, what steps is the Minister taking to ensure increased support for our universities is going to be present through the upcoming budget?

And when the Minister responds to this debate, I would appreciate an update on what discussions she's had with her colleagues in the UK Government in light of any news relating to Cardiff University. All Labour Ministers have done is cut funding for Cardiff University. Currently, it stands at £3.6 million for this academic year alone, and the budget cut of £11 million the Welsh Government made to higher education in 2024-25 has undoubtedly made it more difficult and harder for universities to deliver their core activities. 

In turning their backs on Welsh universities, the Welsh Labour Government has also jeopardised the educational opportunities for those who wish to study and work ultimately here in Wales. The Welsh Government simply cannot abandon our universities, which are integral parts of our country, in their hour of need. Steps must be taken—in the short term, at least—to address this impending situation, and then get around a table with university chiefs to devise a strategy that is robust for the future of our Welsh universities, and include Medr within that, as my colleague Cefin Campbell mentioned. Labour Ministers have been in charge here for the past 26 years now. It's time to take some accountability for your own actions, or, rather, lack of. Thank you, Presiding Officer.

Diolch, Lywydd. Roedd y newyddion am Brifysgol Caerdydd yr wythnos diwethaf yn peri pryder mawr, gyda 400 o swyddi yn y fantol ac ystod o gyrsiau, gan gynnwys nyrsio, i gael eu torri. Er mai cynigion yw'r rhain wrth gwrs, a bod disgwyl i benderfyniad terfynol gael ei wneud ym mis Mehefin, os bydd hyn yn digwydd, bydd yr effaith yn drychinebus. Bydd yn drychinebus i staff, bydd yn drychinebus i fyfyrwyr, i genedlaethau'r dyfodol, i'n heconomi ac i'n gwlad gyfan. Mae adrannau pwysig iawn Prifysgol Caerdydd, yn cynnwys nyrsio, dan ystyriaeth nawr i'w torri.

Gadewch inni beidio ag anghofio bod cwrs nyrsio Prifysgol Caerdydd wedi cael ei raddio'n Rhif 1 yng Nghymru ac yn bumed yn y DU yn y gorffennol. Rwy'n ystyried ei bod hi'n hurt fod y cwrs nyrsio dan fygythiad, cwrs sydd â thua 800 o fyfyrwyr wedi'u cofrestru ar hyn o bryd, yn enwedig a ninnau'n wynebu prinder yn y diwydiant ei hun, cymaint felly fel bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn cynnig bwrsariaethau i ddenu myfyrwyr i'r proffesiwn nyrsio ar hyn o bryd. Hoffwn wybod pa drafodaethau sydd wedi digwydd gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol ar unioni'r diffyg yn y gweithlu. Mae'n hanfodol cael asesiad trylwyr i edrych ar effaith y cynigion i gau'r ysgol nyrsio ar ein gwlad yn ei chyfanrwydd. 

Trafferthion ariannol sydd wedi cael y bai am y cynigion creulon hyn, ochr yn ochr â gostyngiad yn nifer y myfyrwyr rhyngwladol. Yn fy marn i, mae rhywbeth wedi mynd o'i le'n ddifrifol ym mhrifysgol ein prifddinas. Mae'r ffaith bod yr adran hon mor ddibynnol ar fyfyrwyr rhyngwladol yn bryder gwirioneddol. Rwy'n chwilfrydig i wybod a yw Prifysgol Caerdydd yn mynd i barhau i fwrw ymlaen ag agor campws newydd yn Kazakhstan yng ngoleuni'r heriau newydd hyn. Byddai'n warth cenedlaethol pe bai'r cau a'r colli swyddi yn digwydd tra bo'r brifysgol yn bwrw ymlaen â'i chynlluniau ar gyfer campws tramor.

Rwy'n credu bod cytundeb swyddogol i'w lofnodi y mis yma, gyda disgwyl i'w garfan gyntaf gyrraedd ym mis Medi. Bydd y saga gyfan yn bilsen hyd yn oed yn fwy chwerw i'w llyncu os yw Prifysgol Caerdydd yn mynd i fod yn blaenoriaethu Kazakhstan dros Gaerdydd. Byddaf yn gofyn i'r is-ganghellor yn bersonol am hyn yn sgil tawelwch y brifysgol ar y mater, gan ei fod yn achosi i glychau larwm ganu i mi'n bersonol, ond rwy'n awyddus iawn i wybod pa drafodaethau y mae'r Llywodraeth wedi'u cael gyda'r brifysgol ar y mater. 

Hoffwn wybod hefyd a yw'r Gweinidog wedi gofyn am sicrwydd gan Brifysgol Caerdydd na fydd mwy o doriadau i ddod yn nes ymlaen. Rwy'n ofni mai dim ond crib y rhewfryn yw hyn. Mae prifysgolion ar draws Cymru mewn sefyllfa debyg, ond Prifysgol Caerdydd oedd y domino mawr cyntaf i gwympo. Yr wythnos diwethaf, gofynnais gwestiwn ynghylch rhoi'r gorau i addysgu yn Llanbedr Pont Steffan, ein prifysgol hynaf, a bellach mae ein prifysgol fwyaf mewn trafferth. Gwelsom dros y penwythnos fod Prifysgol Abertawe yn ymestyn ei chynllun torri costau £30 miliwn, gyda'r posibilrwydd y bydd mwy o staff yn gadael ar ben y 342 sydd eisoes wedi gadael. Mae rhywbeth yn amlwg yn mynd o'i le. 

Fel y gwyddom, penderfynodd Llywodraeth Lafur y DU wneud newidiadau i gyfraniadau yswiriant gwladol cyflogwyr, sydd, heb amheuaeth, wedi cael effeithiau mawr ar bob agwedd ar gymdeithas, gan gynnwys ein prifysgolion. Mae amcangyfrifon cychwynnol yn dangos y bydd yn arwain at £8.4 miliwn ychwanegol o gostau i brifysgolion Cymru o ganlyniad i'r cynnydd o 1.2 y cant, a chostau ychwanegol o rhwng £9 miliwn a £13 miliwn yn sgil y newidiadau i'r trothwy. Rhydd hyn amcangyfrif amodol o gyfanswm cost cyfraniadau yswiriant gwladol cyflogwyr i brifysgolion Cymru yn unig o oddeutu £20 miliwn y flwyddyn o fis Ebrill 2025.

Yn ystod Politics Wales y penwythnos diwethaf gwn fod y Gweinidog unwaith eto wedi ceisio ymwrthod â chyfrifoldeb trwy fynnu na fyddai arian ychwanegol ar gael, ond gadewch inni fod yn onest, pe bai'n fater o ymestyn Maes Awyr Caerdydd neu'r Senedd, ni fyddai Llywodraeth Cymru yn gallu tynnu ei llyfr sieciau allan yn ddigon cyflym. Mae'n ymddangos bod Gweinidogion bob amser yn dod o hyd i arian pan fydd yn gweddu i'w hagenda, ac mae'n warthus eu bod yn barod i droi eu cefnau ar ein sector addysg uwch. 

Mae ymchwil gan Ysgol Economeg Llundain yn tynnu sylw at bwysigrwydd buddsoddi ym mhrifysgolion Cymru, ac mae'n amcangyfrif bod cyfanswm effaith economaidd flynyddol prifysgolion Cymru ar y DU yn 2021-22 yn unig oddeutu £10.97 biliwn. Nid yn unig hynny, ond am bob £1 filiwn o fuddsoddiad cyhoeddus mewn prifysgolion, mae'r budd i'r economi'n £13.1 miliwn. Nid yw'n swm bach. 

Fel y dywedais, cafwyd rhybuddion fod y pwysau ariannol mawr hwn yn wynebu ein prifysgolion ers tro bellach, ac mae'n ymddangos fel pe bai Gweinidogion Llafur yn y lle hwn wedi bod yn cysgu wrth eu desgiau. Gofynnais y cwestiwn hwn i'r Gweinidog yn ystod y cwestiynau amserol yr wythnos diwethaf ac rwy'n ei ofyn eto, am fy mod yn teimlo ei bod wedi methu ei ateb: o gofio bod unrhyw fudd o godi ffioedd dysgu wedi'i ganslo gan y cynnydd i gyfraniadau yswiriant gwladol, pa gamau y mae'r Gweinidog yn eu cymryd i sicrhau y bydd mwy o gefnogaeth i'n prifysgolion yn y gyllideb sydd i ddod?

A phan fydd y Gweinidog yn ymateb i'r ddadl hon, hoffwn gael diweddariad ar ba drafodaethau y mae wedi'u cael gyda'i chymheiriaid yn Llywodraeth y DU yng ngoleuni unrhyw newyddion yn ymwneud â Phrifysgol Caerdydd. Y cyfan y mae Gweinidogion Llafur wedi'i wneud yw torri cyllid i Brifysgol Caerdydd. Ar hyn o bryd, mae'n £3.6 miliwn ar gyfer y flwyddyn academaidd hon yn unig, ac yn ddi-os mae'r toriad yn y gyllideb o £11 miliwn a wnaeth Llywodraeth Cymru i addysg uwch yn 2024-25 wedi ei gwneud hi'n anos i brifysgolion gyflawni eu gweithgareddau craidd. 

Wrth droi eu cefnau ar brifysgolion Cymru, mae Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru hefyd wedi peryglu'r cyfleoedd addysgol i'r rhai sy'n dymuno astudio a gweithio yma yng Nghymru yn y pen draw. Ni all Llywodraeth Cymru gefnu ar ein prifysgolion, sy'n rhannau annatod o'n gwlad, yn eu hawr o angen. Rhaid cymryd camau—yn y tymor byr, o leiaf—i fynd i'r afael â'r sefyllfa sy'n ein hwynebu, a thrafod gyda phenaethiaid prifysgolion i ddyfeisio strategaeth sy'n gadarn ar gyfer dyfodol ein prifysgolion yng Nghymru, a chynnwys Medr yn rhan o hynny, fel soniodd fy nghyd-Aelod, Cefin Campbell. Mae Gweinidogion Llafur wedi bod wrth y llyw yma ers 26 mlynedd bellach. Mae'n bryd ysgwyddo rhywfaint o atebolrwydd am eich gweithredoedd eich hun, neu'n hytrach, eich diffyg gweithredu. Diolch, Lywydd.

17:45

I'd like to declare an interest, as my son-in-law works at the university, and I did a social work diploma there.

I'm very pleased to have the opportunity to debate this issue today. Since I had a topical question last week on Cardiff University, I've had the opportunity to meet with the UCU and other trade union representatives. I've met many of the academics and students from a number of the different schools that are to be impacted by the impending job cuts and school mergers. I was also pleased to speak to staff on the Senedd steps yesterday. I think the level of trauma that is felt by everyone attached to Cardiff University—and as shown in the reaction from all parties here in this Chamber—shows how deeply we feel about the universities and how the future of Cardiff is so important to all of us.

I want to reflect some of the comments and information that has been given to me by the people that I've met. As we all know, every single member of academic staff in Cardiff has been given notice that their job is under threat, which of course has caused great uncertainty throughout the whole university. The senior leadership team within each of the schools, they say, were not consulted on the proposals before they were issued last week. Many students heard about the job cuts and school closures on the news, and the students that I spoke to were very anxious about their courses and not sure what the future held.

Key information and data has not yet been released in order for people to fully respond to the consultation, but the 90-day clock has already started ticking. I have been told that the data on which some of these decisions have been taken appears to be out of date or arbitrary. Of course, some research posts at the university are jointly funded by the NHS and the university, and no consideration seems to have been given to this.

On Monday, I met three constituents who are academic staff at the School of Geography and Planning, and their school is destined for a merger with the School of Social Sciences. They are the only accredited planning school in Wales, and they are very anxious about the percentage of staff that will be lost from that department. Much of the work they do is very important to the Welsh Government and is very in line with our values. A considerable number of academic and professional staff are also on work visas, and have to be in full-time employment. Because of this, they aren't able to reduce their hours without it impacting on their visas, and if they lose their jobs completely, it's likely that they will have to leave Wales.

I've also been told that the university has offered staff at risk of redundancy a range of mental health support services to help with receiving these letters saying that they are at risk of redundancy. However, when members of staff are contacting these services, they're being told that the services are booked up until March, which is a bitter pill to take when help is being offered, and the help isn't there when they actually reach out for it. The issue of the campus in Kazakhstan has also come up in the discussions, and, again, I've been told that some staff have been told to prepare to teach there from next year.

So, it is a very sad picture at the university. I think we all know that something has to be done, that there is a crisis in funding, and there is a crisis in funding at Cardiff University. I think that we have to use this period of consultation, all of the people who are involved, to do all we possibly can to come up with a better solution than what is being proposed at the moment. Because all the people I've spoken to have all said that they think something has to be done about the funding in Cardiff University, but they feel cut out of the process, there has been no attempt at co-production, and that the implications of what is being proposed are so damaging for Cardiff and for Wales.

This debate has made us realise how crucial our universities are for our economic development, for the well-being of our city, and all that universities bring, as well as for the students and for the teachers, the wealth and the creativity that they bring to the city of Cardiff. I can't speak too highly of it, and I hope that this 90-day period of consultation will enable a better solution to come out of it so that we do not lose so many things that are so vitally important.

Hoffwn ddatgan buddiant, gan fod fy mab-yng-nghyfraith yn gweithio yn y brifysgol, ac fe wneuthum ddiploma gwaith cymdeithasol yno.

Rwy'n falch iawn o'r cyfle i drafod y mater hwn heddiw. Ers imi gael cwestiwn amserol yr wythnos diwethaf ar Brifysgol Caerdydd, rwyf wedi cael cyfle i gyfarfod â'r Undeb Prifysgolion a Cholegau a chynrychiolwyr undebau llafur eraill. Rwyf wedi cyfarfod â llawer o'r academyddion a'r myfyrwyr o nifer o'r gwahanol ysgolion a gaiff eu heffeithio gan y bygythiad i swyddi ac uno ysgolion. Roeddwn hefyd yn falch o siarad â staff ar risiau'r Senedd ddoe. Rwy'n credu bod lefel y trawma sy'n cael ei deimlo gan bawb sy'n gysylltiedig â Phrifysgol Caerdydd—ac fel y dangosir yn yr ymateb gan bob plaid yma yn y Siambr—yn dangos pa mor ddwfn y teimlwn am y prifysgolion a pha mor bwysig yw dyfodol Caerdydd i bob un ohonom.

Rwyf am ystyried rhai o'r sylwadau a'r wybodaeth a roddwyd i mi gan y bobl rwyf wedi'u cyfarfod. Fel y gwyddom i gyd, mae pob aelod o staff academaidd yng Nghaerdydd wedi cael rhybudd fod eu swydd dan fygythiad, sydd wedi achosi ansicrwydd mawr ledled y brifysgol gyfan. Maent yn dweud nad ymgynghorwyd â'r uwch dîm arweinyddiaeth ym mhob ysgol ar y cynigion cyn eu cyhoeddi yr wythnos diwethaf. Clywodd llawer o fyfyrwyr am y toriadau swyddi a chau ysgolion ar y newyddion, ac roedd y myfyrwyr y siaradais â hwy'n bryderus iawn am eu cyrsiau ac yn ansicr beth oedd yn eu hwynebu yn y dyfodol.

Nid oes gwybodaeth a data allweddol wedi'i ryddhau eto i bobl allu ymateb yn llawn i'r ymgynghoriad, ond mae'r cloc 90 diwrnod eisoes wedi dechrau tician. Dywedwyd wrthyf ei bod yn ymddangos bod y data a ddefnyddiwyd i wneud rhai o'r penderfyniadau hyn wedi dyddio neu'n fympwyol. Wrth gwrs, caiff rhai swyddi ymchwil yn y brifysgol eu hariannu ar y cyd rhwng y GIG a'r brifysgol, ac mae'n ymddangos nad oes unrhyw ystyriaeth wedi'i rhoi i hyn.

Ddydd Llun, cyfarfûm â thri etholwr sy'n staff academaidd yn yr Ysgol Daearyddiaeth a Chynllunio, ac mae eu hysgol yn wynebu cael ei huno ag Ysgol y Gwyddorau Cymdeithasol. Dyma'r unig ysgol gynllunio achrededig yng Nghymru, ac maent yn bryderus iawn am ganran y staff a gaiff eu colli o'r adran honno. Mae llawer o'r gwaith a wnânt yn bwysig iawn i Lywodraeth Cymru ac mae'n cyd-fynd yn agos â'n gwerthoedd. Hefyd, mae nifer sylweddol o staff academaidd a phroffesiynol ar fisâu gwaith, ac mae'n rhaid iddynt fod mewn cyflogaeth amser llawn. Oherwydd hyn, ni chânt leihau eu horiau heb iddo effeithio ar eu fisâu, ac os collant eu swyddi yn gyfan gwbl, mae'n debygol y bydd rhaid iddynt adael Cymru.

Cefais wybod hefyd fod y brifysgol wedi cynnig amrywiaeth o wasanaethau cymorth iechyd meddwl i staff sydd mewn perygl o gael eu diswyddo i helpu wrth iddynt gael y llythyrau sy'n dweud eu bod yn wynebu risg o gael eu diswyddo. Fodd bynnag, pan fydd aelodau o staff yn cysylltu â'r gwasanaethau hyn, cânt wybod nad oes lle iddynt tan fis Mawrth, sy'n bilsen chwerw i'w llyncu pan fo cymorth yn cael ei gynnig, ac nad yw yno pan fyddant yn gofyn amdano. Mae mater y campws yn Kazakhstan hefyd wedi codi yn y trafodaethau, ac unwaith eto, dywedwyd wrthyf fod rhai aelodau o staff wedi cael cyfarwyddyd i baratoi i addysgu yno o'r flwyddyn nesaf ymlaen.

Felly, mae'n ddarlun trist iawn yn y brifysgol. Rwy'n credu ein bod i gyd yn gwybod bod yn rhaid gwneud rhywbeth, fod yna argyfwng cyllid, a bod argyfwng cyllid ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd. Rwy'n credu bod rhaid i bawb sy'n gysylltiedig â hyn ddefnyddio'r cyfnod ymgynghori i wneud popeth yn ein gallu i ddod o hyd i ateb gwell na'r hyn sy'n cael ei gynnig ar hyn o bryd. Oherwydd mae'r holl bobl y siaradais â hwy wedi dweud eu bod yn credu bod rhaid gwneud rhywbeth am y cyllid ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd, ond teimlant eu bod wedi'u cau allan o'r broses, na fu unrhyw ymgais i gydgynhyrchu, a bod goblygiadau'r hyn sy'n cael ei gynnig mor niweidiol i Gaerdydd ac i Gymru.

Mae'r ddadl hon wedi gwneud inni sylweddoli pa mor hanfodol yw ein prifysgolion i'n datblygiad economaidd, er lles ein dinas, a phopeth a ddaw yn sgil prifysgolion, yn ogystal ag i'r myfyrwyr a'r athrawon, a'r cyfoeth a'r creadigrwydd y maent yn eu cynnig i ddinas Caerdydd. Mae'r pethau hyn yn werthfawr, ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd y cyfnod ymgynghori o 90 diwrnod yn ei gwneud hi'n bosibl dod o hyd i well ateb fel nad ydym yn colli cymaint o bethau sydd mor hanfodol bwysig.

17:50

Yr wythnos diwethaf, fe gyhoeddodd yr RCN eu hadroddiad diweddaraf ar ofal yn y coridor, arfer hynod beryglus a chwbl annerbyniol sy'n dod yn fwyfwy amlwg yn ein system iechyd. Tra bod yna amryw o ffactorau wedi arwain at y sefyllfa hynod bryderus yma, yn ddi-os, prinder nyrsys ydy un o'r ffactorau mwyaf amlwg. Rydyn ni'n gwybod yn barod bod Cymru'n brin o tua 2,000 o nyrsys ar hyn o bryd. Yn ddi-os, felly, bydd cau ysgol nyrsio Prifysgol Caerdydd, un o ysgolion nyrsio gorau'r Deyrnas Gyfunol, yn gwneud pethau'n waeth. A beth ydy ymateb y Llywodraeth? I olchi eu dwylo o'r cyfan, gan edrych i ffwrdd a dweud nad oes a wnelo nhw ddim byd â'r peth.

Rwy'n derbyn bod y brifysgol yn endid annibynnol o'r Llywodraeth, ond mae gan y Llywodraeth yma strategaethau, targedau, ac, yn wir, deddfwriaeth mewn lle sy'n ddibynnol ar gael niferoedd digonol o nyrsys. Mae Prifysgol Caerdydd yn bartner craidd, felly, wrth ddelifro ar yr addewidion yma. Ddoe, fe wnaethon ni drafod nyrsys o Kerala. Allwch chi ddim dibynnu ar ddenu nyrsys o dramor mewn niferoedd cynyddol i ddiwallu anghenion iechyd a gofal Cymru. Mae hyfforddi nyrsys yma yn fwy effeithiol ac yn rhatach yn yr hirdymor, felly mae dyletswydd ar y Llywodraeth i sicrhau bod gennym ni'r gallu i wneud hynny.

Ac yn fwy na hynny, mae hi'n ysgol ragorol. Fel y dywedodd Helen Whyley, pennaeth yr RCN yng Nghymru, mae gan yr ysgol enw da iawn ymysg y proffesiwn, ac wedi datblygu record lwyddiannus o sicrhau bod y sawl sy'n astudio yno yn aros i weithio yng Nghymru. Hon, wedi'r cyfan, ydy un o'r ysgolion nyrsio gorau yn y Deyrnas Gyfunol. Gall y Llywodraeth yma na Chymru ddim fforddio ei cholli hi.

Yr hyn sy'n synnu rhywun ydy dim ond y flwyddyn ddiwethaf fe fuddsoddodd y brifysgol dros £20 miliwn er mwyn agor campws newydd Heath Park West ar gyfer nyrsio. Felly, os nad ydy'r Llywodraeth yn medru sicrhau dyfodol beth ddylai fod yn un o'r asedau mwyaf gwerthfawr i ymateb i argyfwng yn ein gweithlu iechyd, pam ddylen ni gael unrhyw ffydd yn eu harweinyddiaeth a'u stiwardiaeth o'r NHS? 

Mae'n gwbl angenrheidiol, felly, ein bod ni'n derbyn asesiad y Llywodraeth am sut maen nhw'n bwriadu cynnal lefelau hyfforddi nyrsio yng Nghymru heb ddefnydd ysgol nyrsio orau Cymru a'r pumed orau yn y Deyrnas Gyfunol cyn gynted â phosib, oherwydd mae'n rhaid dweud bod eich record dros y ddegawd ddiwethaf, hyd yn oed gyda'r manteision amlwg y mae'r ysgol yng Nghaerdydd yn eu cyfleu, ddim yn ysbrydoli llawer o hyder.   

Mae yna gwestiynau mawr i'w gofyn hefyd ynglŷn â'r modd y cafodd y newyddion hyn ei gyhoeddi. Bydd y Gweinidog yn ymwybodol bod cwrs nyrsio'r Brifysgol yn cael ei ddarparu drwy gontract sydd gydag Addysg a Gwella Iechyd Cymru, sydd i fod i redeg tan 2027. Fe ddylai unrhyw newidiadau sylweddol i delerau'r cytundeb yma, gan gynnwys y lleoliad a'r goblygiadau o ran adnoddau i staff a myfyrwyr, felly gydymffurfio â chyfraith caffael cyhoeddus a Deddf Cystadleuaeth 1998.

Mae dyletswydd ar brifysgolion Cymru hefyd i ystyried diogelu dysgwyr a lles staff yng nghyd-destun unrhyw drafodaethau ar newidiadau i drefniadau cwrs. Ond wrth glywed rhai o'r sylwadau sydd wedi dod allan dros y diwrnodau diwethaf gan staff a myfyrwyr, heb sôn am yr undebau perthnasol, mae'n amlwg na wnaeth y brifysgol ymgysylltu ac ymgynghori yn ddigonol gyda'r grwpiau yma ynglŷn â'r newidiadau. 

Mae'n hanfodol edrych mewn i hyn, ac mae angen i'r Llywodraeth fod yn gwbl dryloyw ynghylch faint roedden nhw'n ei wybod, a phryd. Rydym ni wedi derbyn adroddiadau credadwy iawn bod y brifysgol wedi bod yn sôn yn breifat am roi'r gorau i'w contract i ddarparu cyrsiau nyrsio ers peth amser—yn groes i'r rheolau caffael y soniais i amdanynt yn gynharach. Felly, unai doedd y Llywodraeth wirioneddol ddim yn ymwybodol o'r ystyriaethau yma tan y funud olaf—sy'n awgrymu bod eu perthynas gyda'r brifysgol yn hollol ddiffygiol—neu roedd gan y Llywodraeth syniad bod symudiadau ar droed yn gynharach nag y maen nhw wedi cyfaddef, ond heb wneud dim. Os felly, beth mae hyn yn ei ddweud am ymrwymiad y Llywodraeth yma i nyrsio yng Nghymru? Felly, pa un ydy o? Diolch.

Last week, the RCN published its latest report on corridor care, a dangerous and totally unacceptable practice that is becoming increasingly common in our health service. Whilst there are a number of factors that have led to this worrying situation, there can be little doubt that a shortage of nurses is one of the most prominent factors, and we know already that Wales has a shortage of around 2,000 nurses at present. There can be no doubt, therefore, that the closure of the nursing school at Cardiff University, one of the most prestigious schools in the UK, will make things worse. And what is the Government's response? To wash their hands, to look away, and to say that it is nothing to do with them.

I accept that the university as an entity is independent of Government, but this Government has strategies, targets and, indeed, legislation in place that are dependent on producing sufficient numbers of nurses. Cardiff University is, therefore, a core partner in delivering on these pledges. Yesterday, we discussed nurses from Kerala. You can't rely on attracting nurses from abroad in sufficient numbers to meet Wales's health and care needs. Training nurses here is more effective and cheaper in the long term. Therefore, the Government has a duty to ensure that we have the ability to do that.

And more than that, it's an excellent school. As Helen Whyley, head of the RCN in Wales, said, the school has an illustrious reputation amongst the profession, and has developed a successful record of ensuring that those studying there remain to work in Wales. This, after all, is one of the best nursing schools in the United Kingdom. This Government, and Wales as a whole, cannot afford to lose it. 

What is staggering is that just last year the university invested over £20 million to open a new campus, Heath Park West, for nursing. So, if the Government cannot ensure the future of what should be one of our most precious assets in responding to the crisis in our health workforce, why should we have any faith in their leadership and their stewardship of our NHS?

It is vital, therefore, that we receive an assessment from the Government on how they intend to sustain nurse training levels in Wales in the absence of Wales's best nursing school and the fifth best school in the UK as a matter of urgency, because it must be said that your record over the past decade, even with the clear advantages that the school in Cardiff has conveyed, doesn't inspire much confidence.

There are serious questions to ask about the way that this news was announced. The Minister will be aware that the university's nursing course is provided through contract with Health Education and Improvement Wales, which is supposed to run until 2027. Any significant changes to the terms of this agreement, including its location and the implications for staff and students, should, therefore, comply with public procurement legislation and the Competition Act 1998.

Wales's universities have a duty too to safeguard the interests of students and staff welfare in the context of any discussions on changes to course arrangements. But having heard some of the comments made over the past few days by staff, students, not to mention the relevant unions, it's clear that the university did not adequately engage and consult with these groups on the changes.

It's vital that we look into this, and the Government must be entirely transparent about what they knew and when. We have received very credible reports that the university had privately discussed giving up its contract to provide nursing courses for some time, contrary to the procurement rules that I mentioned earlier. So, either the Government was genuinely unaware of these considerations until the last minute—which suggests that its relationship with our universities is entirely inadequate—or the Government did have an inkling that these plans were in train earlier than they have admitted, but had done nothing. If so, what does this say about this Government's commitment to nursing in Wales? So, which is it? Thank you.            

17:55

If I can deal firstly with a point that was made earlier, because it was an important one. I don't think that there's any way I'd want to go down the road, when we look at the funding issues facing our universities, of restricting the choices that are available to our students in terms of their aspirations and so on. I think that really is totally the wrong way, to seek about limiting their opportunities.

Os caf ymdrin yn gyntaf â phwynt a wnaed yn gynharach, oherwydd roedd yn un pwysig. Pan edrychwn ar y problemau ariannol sy'n wynebu ein prifysgolion, nid wyf yn meddwl bod unrhyw ffordd y byddwn i eisiau mynd ar drywydd cyfyngu ar y dewisiadau sydd ar gael i'n myfyrwyr o ran eu dyheadau ac yn y blaen. Rwy'n credu mai ceisio cyfyngu ar eu cyfleoedd yw'r ffordd hollol anghywir o'i wneud.

Will you take an intervention?

A wnewch chi dderbyn ymyriad?

I've only just started. Give me—

Newydd ddechrau rwyf i. Rhowch—

It's just on that point. We often hear from the Labour benches, 'What would you cut? How would you reprioritise?' This is one of those instances. We think that we should increase participation in Wales to shore up Welsh institutions. And then if we've got the money to do the rest of it, then fine.

Dim ond ar y pwynt hwnnw. Fe glywn yn aml oddi ar y meinciau Llafur, 'Beth y byddech chi'n ei dorri? Sut y byddech chi'n ailflaenoriaethu?' Dyma un o'r adegau hynny. Rydym yn credu y dylem gynyddu cyfranogiad yng Nghymru i wella sefydliadau Cymru. Ac yna os oes gennym arian i wneud y gweddill, yna iawn.

Well, if your message out to all the aspiring students in Wales is, 'We are going to limit your choice and restrict where you can go', I think that is something that is totally wrong and doesn't contribute to what is a much deeper problem.

We know there is a long-standing problem. We've had 14 years of austerity, and we know the impact that has had across the UK in terms of higher education. We know there are issues with regard to the funding model that need to be addressed. There have also been the issues in terms of immigration policy, which have clearly impacted on universities, and there's also the issue of the EU funding, which has been lost, which has also impacted, and the difficulties with regard to research.

I remember back in the 1970s, and others may as well, that the issue of overseas students was one where we actually felt, even at that stage as it was beginning, that using overseas students as somehow some sort of funder for the overall education system was something that was totally wrong. And I think it's unfortunate that it is such a significant feature, and probably just represents the challenges of austerity over the past 14 years in particular, but I accept it goes back a lot longer than that. And there's no doubt also that there is a need for an all-Wales review, and a review that impacts in terms of our interconnectivity with the whole of the UK system. So, I welcome choices that are being made now, or discussions that are taking place now to try and address those. Really a root-and-branch overall review, and that's something, again, that the Welsh Government certainly can take a lead in in terms of the vice-chancellors and the universities in Wales as part of that particular process.

But the point I really wanted to make is this: we know there is a challenge, and we know that it's a challenge that has to be addressed. But the way in which the university has gone about it, with almost an approach of a 'short, sharp shock' type approach—it seems to me as something that drives a coach and horses through the whole process that we have tried to develop within Wales of social partnership, where we work together, we work together both with the university, those who work within it, and also with the students as well. And it is really, I think, quite tragic that that is something that has almost been bypassed by a member of the social partnership council. I think that is something that really needs to be taken very seriously, and why I thought the suggestion from the Wales TUC of an emergency meeting of that was something that was well worth considering.

I've had many messages from constituents of mine who are affected by this and are actually deeply upset. This is one particular message that I've had. The message, from a person who wanted to remain unnamed, was this: 'This centralised technocratic shambles has been driven by bureaucrats at the centre. It is certainly not co-created, as the vice-chancellor claims. It puts all power into the university’s three central colleges and undermines the heads of schools who, I would suggest, are closer to the challenges of leading and recruitment.'

That seems to me to sum up a fundamental problem—that there is an attempt at a fairly radical reorganisation that has very devastating consequences, that is not a product of engagement or long-term strategies that involves either all the major participants but certainly also the Welsh Government as well. And it seems to me that that is what needs to be addressed, and that is the major contribution I think that we have to make now in terms of developing and taking, I think, the initiative in establishing that strategy, to look for the longer term of our higher education, its sustainability, what we want it to do, how it should do it, within Wales as a whole, but also part of a broader UK-wide higher education system. Diolch, Llywydd.

Wel, os mai eich neges chi i'r holl fyfyrwyr uchelgeisiol yng Nghymru yw, 'Rydym yn mynd i gyfyngu ar eich dewis a chyfyngu ar ble y gallwch fynd', rwy'n credu bod hynny'n rhywbeth sy'n hollol anghywir ac nid yw'n cyfrannu at broblem lawer dyfnach.

Fe wyddom fod yna broblem hirdymor. Rydym wedi cael 14 mlynedd o gyni, ac rydym yn gwybod am yr effaith y mae hynny wedi'i chael ar addysg uwch ar draws y DU. Fe wyddom fod problemau gyda'r model cyllido ac mae angen mynd i'r afael â hwy. Cafwyd problemau yn sgil y polisi mewnfudo hefyd, sydd wedi cael effaith amlwg ar brifysgolion, ac mae mater cyllid yr UE, sydd wedi'i golli, wedi cael effaith hefyd, a'r anawsterau o ran ymchwil.

Rwy'n cofio yn ôl yn y 1970au, ac efallai y bydd eraill yn cofio hefyd, fod mater myfyrwyr tramor yn un lle teimlem, hyd yn oed ar y pwynt hwnnw wrth iddo ddechrau, fod defnyddio myfyrwyr tramor fel rhyw fath o ariannwr i'r system addysg yn gyffredinol yn rhywbeth a oedd yn hollol anghywir. Ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn anffodus ei bod yn nodwedd mor sylweddol, ac mae'n siŵr mai cynrychioli heriau cyni dros y 14 mlynedd diwethaf yn benodol a wna, ond rwy'n derbyn ei fod yn mynd yn ôl yn llawer pellach na hynny. Ac nid oes amheuaeth fod angen adolygiad ar gyfer Cymru gyfan, ac adolygiad sy'n effeithiol o ran ein rhyng-gysylltedd â system gyfan y DU. Felly, rwy'n croesawu dewisiadau sy'n cael eu gwneud nawr, neu drafodaethau sy'n digwydd nawr i geisio mynd i'r afael â'r rheini. Adolygiad trylwyr cyffredinol, ac mae hynny'n rhywbeth, unwaith eto, y gall Llywodraeth Cymru arwain arno o ran yr is-gangellorion a'r prifysgolion yng Nghymru fel rhan o'r broses honno.

Ond roeddwn eisiau gwneud un pwynt: fe wyddom fod yna her, ac fe wyddom ei bod hi'n her y mae'n rhaid mynd i'r afael â hi. Ond mae'r ffordd y mae'r brifysgol wedi mynd ati, drwy ddull 'sioc sydyn'—mae'n ymddangos i mi fel rhywbeth sy'n chwalu'r holl broses partneriaeth gymdeithasol yr ydym wedi ceisio ei datblygu yng Nghymru, lle rydym yn gweithio gyda'n gilydd, rydym yn gweithio gyda'n gilydd gyda'r brifysgol, y rhai sy'n gweithio ynddi, a'r myfyrwyr yn ogystal. Mae'n eithaf trasig fod hynny'n rhywbeth sydd bron wedi cael ei anwybyddu gan aelod o'r cyngor partneriaeth gymdeithasol. Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n rhywbeth y mae gwir angen ei gymryd o ddifrif, a pham fy mod yn credu bod awgrym TUC Cymru o gyfarfod brys o'r cyngor partneriaeth gymdeithasol yn sicr yn rhywbeth a oedd yn werth ei ystyried.

Rwyf wedi cael llawer o negeseuon gan etholwyr i mi y mae hyn yn effeithio arnynt ac sy'n ofidus iawn. Dyma un neges a gefais gan unigolyn a oedd eisiau bod yn ddienw: 'Mae'r llanast technocrataidd canoledig hwn wedi cael ei yrru gan fiwrocratiaid yn y canol. Yn sicr, nid yw wedi ei gyd-greu, fel y mae'r is-ganghellor yn honni. Mae'n rhoi'r holl bŵer i dri choleg canolog y brifysgol ac yn tanseilio penaethiaid ysgolion sydd, rwy'n awgrymu, yn agosach at heriau arwain a recriwtio.'

Mae'n ymddangos i mi fod hynny'n crynhoi problem sylfaenol—fod yna ymgais i ad-drefnu'n weddol radical gyda chanlyniadau dinistriol iawn, nad yw'n gynnyrch ymgysylltu na strategaethau hirdymor sy'n cynnwys naill ai'r holl gyfranogwyr mawr, ond Llywodraeth Cymru hefyd. Ac mae'n ymddangos i mi mai dyna sydd angen mynd i'r afael ag ef, a dyna'r cyfraniad mawr y credaf fod yn rhaid i ni ei wneud nawr o ran datblygu ac achub y blaen ar sefydlu'r strategaeth honno, i edrych ar ein haddysg uwch yn fwy hirdymor, ei chynaliadwyedd, yr hyn rydym am iddi ei wneud, sut y dylai wneud hynny, yng Nghymru, ond hefyd yn rhan o system addysg uwch ehangach ledled y DU. Diolch, Lywydd.

18:00

There's no escaping the fact that the news coming out of the higher education sector isn't just concerning, it's grim. Cardiff University is not just the biggest university in Wales but a long-standing national institution now facing an uncertain future. Before the Senedd, it was institutions like universities, like the national museum and other cultural institutions, that gave us our sense of nationhood. These were the bastions of pride in Welsh identity at a time when the very idea of Wales was under attack. Our cultural and educational institutions defined Wales and they all played a central role in getting us to this point now, where the idea of Welsh nationhood is a fact. And yet, here we are watching them erode.

In the case of Cardiff University, it's a particularly sore point not just because it was my university, but that very university, like many universities in Wales, wasn't founded by the wealthy elite or the political class, it was founded by workers who wanted a better life for their kids. It was paid for by the people, for the people. That's why, on the main building, you'll see etched into the stones murals of workers. Now, I can't shake the feeling that, with each passing disaster, from Tata to what is now happening in our universities, we are being weakened as a nation, setting us up for those who oppose the idea of Wales to knock us down.

Now, I have a lot of respect for the Minister for Further and Higher Education. The work that has been done around EMA shows me that she does get the importance of ensuring that everyone has equal access to education, but we are now in a position, aren't we—and this is a feeling out there—where the Government's stance is almost identical to its response to Tata: 'Nothing to do with us, and we'll just manage the fallout'. The feeling being relayed to me by constituents is rather than stepping in to protect vital institutions, the Welsh Government is content to simply oversee their decline, and from the UK Government, we've had silence. People want action, because the economic fallout could be huge. For each £1 of publicly funded research income, Welsh universities' research and knowledge exchange activities generate approximately £7.60 in economic impact. For every £1 of public funding for their teaching activities, Welsh universities generate approximately £13.60 in economic impact. So, it's key that we find solutions. And there are solutions. Cefin has set out just some of them. There are others in the area of research and innovation. Now, Richard Wyn Jones—and I'll declare an interest; he was both my lecturer and my tutor in my Master's degree—said, and I quote,

'While high on aspiration—and laden with platitudes',

the Welsh Government's current innovation strategy,

'shies away from acknowledging...the factors that contribute to the chronic underperformance'

of the Welsh higher education sector,

'and completely fails to give a sense of what the government thinks success might look like or how to deliver it.'

He also argued that Wales's innovation strategy compares badly against other international examples, particularly Ireland's. So, there's an implied solution here, isn't there? We need a better, comprehensive and clear innovation strategy, co-produced with the HE sector.

We also need to address yet another underfunded sector of the Welsh economy. Wales wins around 3.1 per cent of total UK research and innovation funding annually, while having 5.9 per cent of the UK's population—a gap representing around £153 million a year. Now, we have called for the devolution of Wales's share of research funding to help address this imbalance, but, in the meantime, we need to support our HE institutions to better compete for their fair share. QR funding provides universities with a foundation from which to secure that external funding. So, for this reason, both the Reid and Diamond reports recommended maintaining QR at £71 million a year in real terms. However—and it's important to reflect on this—despite the Welsh Government's acceptance of the recommendation, QR funding has only matched £71 million in real terms in just one financial year since 2016. So, at the minimum, QR funding in Wales should be restored to the £71 million per annum in real terms recommended by both Reid and Diamond. Llywydd, the situation is dire but it's not inevitable, but it does require action.

Nid oes dianc rhag y ffaith bod y newyddion a ddaw o'r sector addysg uwch yn peri pryder, a'i fod yn ddifrifol. Nid prifysgol fwyaf Cymru yn unig yw Prifysgol Caerdydd ond sefydliad cenedlaethol sydd bellach yn wynebu dyfodol ansicr. Cyn y Senedd, sefydliadau fel prifysgolion, fel yr amgueddfa genedlaethol a sefydliadau diwylliannol eraill, oedd yn rhoi inni ein hymdeimlad o genedligrwydd. Y rhain oedd conglfeini ein balchder yn ein hunaniaeth Gymreig ar adeg pan oedd y syniad o Gymru dan ymosodiad. Roedd ein sefydliadau diwylliannol ac addysgol yn diffinio Cymru ac roeddent i gyd yn chwarae rhan ganolog yn dod â ni at y pwynt hwn nawr, lle mae'r syniad o genedligrwydd Cymreig yn ffaith. Ac eto, dyma ni'n eu gwylio'n erydu.

Yn achos Prifysgol Caerdydd, mae'n arbennig o ddolurus, nid yn unig oherwydd mai hi oedd fy mhrifysgol i, ond fel llawer o brifysgolion yng Nghymru, ni chafodd ei sefydlu gan elît cyfoethog na'r dosbarth gwleidyddol, fe'i sefydlwyd gan weithwyr a oedd eisiau bywyd gwell i'w plant. Talwyd amdani gan y bobl, ar gyfer y bobl. Dyna pam y gwelwch furluniau o weithwyr wedi'u hysgythru i'r garreg ar y prif adeilad. Nawr, ni allaf gael gwared ar y teimlad, gyda phob trychineb sy'n digwydd, o Tata i'r hyn sy'n digwydd yn ein prifysgolion nawr, ein bod yn cael ein gwanhau fel cenedl, gan ein gwneud yn agored i'r rhai sy'n gwrthwynebu'r syniad o Gymru allu ein llorio.

Nawr, mae gennyf barch mawr at y Gweinidog Addysg Bellach ac Uwch. Mae'r gwaith sydd wedi ei wneud ar y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg yn dangos i mi ei bod yn deall pa mor bwysig yw sicrhau bod gan bawb fynediad cyfartal at addysg, ond rydym mewn sefyllfa erbyn hyn, onid ydym—ac mae hwn yn deimlad sydd gan bobl allan yno—lle mae safbwynt y Llywodraeth bron yn union yr un fath â'i hymateb i Tata: 'Dim byd i'w wneud â ni, rheoli'r canlyniadau'n unig a wnawn ni'. Y teimlad sy'n cael ei gyfleu i mi gan etholwyr yw bod Llywodraeth Cymru, yn hytrach na chamu i mewn i ddiogelu sefydliadau hanfodol, yn fodlon goruchwylio dros eu dirywiad yn unig, a thawelwch a gawsom o du Llywodraeth y DU. Mae pobl eisiau gweld gweithredu, oherwydd gallai'r argyfwng economaidd fod yn enfawr. Am bob £1 o incwm ymchwil a ariennir yn gyhoeddus, mae gweithgareddau ymchwil a chyfnewid gwybodaeth prifysgolion Cymru yn cynhyrchu tua £7.60 o effaith economaidd. Am bob £1 o gyllid cyhoeddus i'w gweithgareddau addysgu, mae prifysgolion Cymru'n cynhyrchu tua £13.60 o effaith economaidd. Felly, mae'n allweddol ein bod yn dod o hyd i atebion. Ac mae yna atebion. Mae Cefin wedi nodi rhai ohonynt. Mae eraill i'w cael ym maes ymchwil ac arloesi. Nawr, fe ddywedodd Richard Wyn Jones—ac rwy'n datgan buddiant; ef oedd fy narlithydd a fy nhiwtor ar gyfer fy ngradd Meistr—

'Er ei bod yn llawn dyhead—ac yn llwythog o ystrydebau',

mae strategaeth arloesi bresennol Llywodraeth Cymru,

'yn cilio rhag cydnabod... y ffactorau sy'n cyfrannu at danberfformiad cronig'

sector addysg uwch Cymru,

'ac yn methu'n llwyr â rhoi syniad o'r hyn y cred y llywodraeth y dylai llwyddiant ei olygu na sut i'w gyflawni.'

Dadleuodd hefyd fod strategaeth arloesi Cymru yn cymharu'n wael yn erbyn enghreifftiau rhyngwladol eraill, yn enwedig un Iwerddon. Felly, mae yna ateb ymhlyg yma, onid oes? Mae angen strategaeth arloesi well, un gynhwysfawr a chlir arnom, wedi'i chydgynhyrchu gyda'r sector addysg uwch.

Hefyd, mae angen inni fynd i'r afael â sector arall o economi Cymru sydd heb ei ariannu'n ddigonol. Mae Cymru'n ennill tua 3.1 y cant o gyfanswm cyllid ymchwil ac arloesi y DU bob blwyddyn, tra bo ganddi 5.9 y cant o boblogaeth y DU—bwlch o tua £153 miliwn y flwyddyn. Nawr, rydym wedi galw am ddatganoli cyfran Cymru o gyllid ymchwil i helpu i fynd i'r afael â'r anghydbwysedd hwn, ond yn y cyfamser, mae angen inni gefnogi ein sefydliadau addysg uwch i gystadlu'n well am eu cyfran deg. Mae cyllid ymchwil o ansawdd da yn rhoi sylfaen i brifysgolion i sicrhau'r cyllid allanol hwnnw. Felly, am y rheswm hwn, roedd adroddiadau Reid a Diamond yn argymell cynnal ymchwil o ansawdd da ar £71 miliwn y flwyddyn mewn termau real. Fodd bynnag—ac mae'n bwysig ystyried hyn—er bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi derbyn yr argymhelliad, dim ond mewn un flwyddyn ariannol yn unig y cafwyd cyllid cyfatebol ymchwil o ansawdd da o £71 miliwn mewn termau real ers 2016. Felly, fan lleiaf, dylid adfer cyllid ymchwil o ansawdd da yng Nghymru i'r £71 miliwn y flwyddyn mewn termau real a argymhellir gan Reid a Diamond. Lywydd, mae'r sefyllfa'n enbyd ond nid yw'n anochel, ac mae angen gweithredu.

I think people on Plaid Cymru benches could learn a lot from Luke Fletcher, because although I didn't agree with everything he said, it was far less mean spirited than the contribution by Cefin Campbell, and I do feel that you could learn a lot from Luke in the way he delivers his contributions. I need to make a declaration of interest under Standing Order 13.8A—[Interruption.] You're going to want to listen to this. The Minister responsible is my partner, and, perhaps more importantly, as a member of the UCU of 25 years, I also have to declare an interest of continuing membership, and I'm a former lecturer and senior lecturer across two institutions over 16 years. So, my analysis is based not on the position of the Minister but on my contributions and experience in the sector and in-depth discussions I've had over the past weeks with academics in the sector, particularly in Cardiff University and the things that they've said to me about the disastrous path chosen by the leadership of Cardiff University.

Rwy'n credu y gallai pobl ar feinciau Plaid Cymru ddysgu llawer gan Luke Fletcher, oherwydd er nad oeddwn yn cytuno â phopeth a ddywedodd, roedd yn llawer llai culfrydig na'r cyfraniad gan Cefin Campbell, ac rwy'n teimlo y gallech ddysgu llawer gan Luke yn y ffordd y mae'n gwneud ei gyfraniadau. Mae angen imi wneud datganiad o fuddiant o dan Reol Sefydlog 13.8A—[Torri ar draws.] Fe fyddwch chi eisiau gwrando ar hyn. Mae'r Gweinidog sy'n gyfrifol yn bartner i mi, ac yn bwysicach efallai, fel aelod o'r Undeb Prifysgolion a Cholegau ers 25 mlynedd, mae'n rhaid imi ddatgan buddiant hefyd fy mod yn parhau i fod yn aelod, ac rwy'n gyn-ddarlithydd ac uwch ddarlithydd mewn dau sefydliad dros 16 mlynedd. Felly, nid ar safbwynt y Gweinidog y mae fy nadansoddiad yn seiliedig ond ar fy nghyfraniadau a fy mhrofiad yn y sector a thrafodaethau manwl a gefais dros yr wythnosau diwethaf gydag academyddion yn y sector, yn enwedig ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd a'r pethau y maent wedi'u dweud wrthyf am y llwybr trychinebus a ddewiswyd gan arweinyddiaeth Prifysgol Caerdydd.

The HE sector is clearly facing unprecedented challenges, which we've already heard about, which the Welsh Government, working in partnership with the UK Government, must continue to address, and I believe that they are doing that. But there is a feeling among those directly affected in Cardiff University by these decisions that Cardiff University is absolutely focused on pursuing elite-level status by increasing competition for places and ending courses like nursing that actually widen participation, and exactly against that principle of founding that Luke Fletcher mentioned. 

Elite institutions, we know from research, are likely to entrench existing power, wealth and inequality, and all of the academics I spoke to—all of them—told me that the wider challenging HE context is relevant to the plans that Cardiff has unveiled, but it's also being used as a cover, the Welsh Government is being used as a cover, to pursue their elite strategic agenda. There is more going on here than simply is shown in the Plaid Cymru motion. And they're doing that by cutting and merging courses. That strategy is unforgiveable. A smaller university is more likely to become an elite university. Yesterday, the vice-chancellor, I'm told, told staff that the university council had been pressing her for some time for financial remediation. If that had happened using the £0.5 billion unrestricted reserves that they held, then much of that pain could have been avoided. Savings accumulate over time. Why did the vice-chancellor not act much sooner and more gradually, taking staff along with her? Why did the university council not press her harder? What does this say about our systems of university governance? And if we're going to look at anything in the short-term, that system of university governance that allows these situations to arise should be looked at. Today, we hear that UCU Cardiff plan to move forward with a vote of no confidence in the vice-chancellor and the university executive board. That is probably the least surprising of anything that's happened over the past few weeks.

I've also had constituents corresponding with me. One member of staff, a constituent, who is employed in the school of healthcare science told me, in her words that:

'As a profession, even though we are proud to deliver the fundamental basics of care, we also ran our own clinics, prescribed to patients, performed surgical procedures, advanced assessments and treatments and take the pressure off medics because of the shortage of doctors. We work collaboratively across many health and social care fields.'

And she is delivering that. 

Another constituent contacted me about her concerns about the impact on Welsh-speaking student nurses, who now have reduced capacity to train. 

Just in the political context, I believe that Plaid Cymru are actually, today, playing into the strategy of the Cardiff leadership by focusing their motion on the wider issues in HE, which we must discuss, but with no specific mention of Cardiff in context. And to be fair, Natasha Asghar did actually focus on that specific issue, but it isn't contained in enough detail in the motion. There is absolutely a time for a debate on those wider issues facing HE, but if this debate is about Cardiff, then an understanding of what is actually happening there is sorely lacking in this Chamber today. Staff and students in Cardiff at this difficult time do not want politicians turning on each other. They want solidarity and support to expose these callous decisions by the leadership of Cardiff for what they are and identify policy or legislative solutions to address the weakness of university governance. They want to know why the university failed to see this crisis coming. The better news is that, while other HE institutions will be watching closely, as far as I'm aware, there are no current plans in those places—and I speak as chair of the cross-party group on universities—to emulate this terrible course of action. 

Much is made in the Government amendment of social partnership, and that's exactly right. However, in this case, the UCU have already called an industrial dispute due to the actions of the leadership of Cardiff, and so it's a little late in the day to talk about social partnership. We are heading on a path towards industrial action that will be painful for staff and students, it will undoubtedly damage Cardiff University's reputation, but I stand—I stand—with my fellow UCU members if that is what it takes to get the leadership of Cardiff University to ditch these cruel plans.

Fel rydym eisoes wedi clywed, mae'n amlwg fod y sector addysg uwch yn wynebu heriau digynsail y mae'n rhaid i Lywodraeth Cymru, gan weithio mewn partneriaeth â Llywodraeth y DU, barhau i fynd i'r afael â hwy, ac rwy'n credu eu bod yn gwneud hynny. Ond mae teimlad ymhlith y rhai yr effeithiwyd arnynt yn uniongyrchol ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd gan y penderfyniadau hyn fod Prifysgol Caerdydd yn canolbwyntio'n llwyr ar fynd ar drywydd statws lefel elitaidd trwy gynyddu cystadleuaeth am leoedd a rhoi diwedd ar gyrsiau fel nyrsio sy'n ehangu cyfranogiad mewn gwirionedd, ac yn gwbl groes i'r egwyddor y'i sefydlwyd arni fel y soniodd Luke Fletcher. 

Fe wyddom o ymchwil fod sefydliadau elît yn debygol o ddyfnhau grym, cyfoeth ac anghydraddoldeb presennol, ac fe ddywedodd yr holl academyddion y siaradais â hwy—pob un ohonynt—fod y cyd-destun addysg uwch heriol ehangach yn berthnasol i'r cynlluniau y mae Caerdydd wedi'u datgelu, ond bod Llywodraeth Cymru hefyd yn cael ei defnyddio i guddio eu hagenda strategol elitaidd. Mae mwy yn digwydd yma na'r hyn a welir yng nghynnig Plaid Cymru. Ac maent yn gwneud hynny drwy dorri ac uno cyrsiau. Mae'r strategaeth hon yn anfaddeuol. Mae prifysgol lai yn fwy tebygol o ddod yn brifysgol elitaidd. Ddoe, clywais fod yr is-ganghellor wedi dweud wrth staff fod cyngor y brifysgol wedi bod yn pwyso arni ers peth amser i adfer arian. Pe bai hynny wedi digwydd trwy ddefnyddio'r cronfeydd wrth gefn anghyfyngedig o £0.5 biliwn a gadwent, gellid bod wedi osgoi llawer o'r boen. Mae arbedion yn cronni dros amser. Pam na wnaeth yr is-ganghellor weithredu'n llawer cynt ac yn fwy graddol, gan ddod â staff gyda hi? Pam na wnaeth cyngor y brifysgol bwyso'n galetach arni? Beth y mae hyn yn ei ddweud am ein systemau llywodraethu prifysgolion? Ac os ydym yn mynd i edrych ar unrhyw beth yn y tymor byr, dylid edrych ar y system lywodraethu prifysgolion sy'n caniatáu i'r sefyllfaoedd hyn godi. Heddiw, clywn fod Undeb Prifysgolion a Cholegau Caerdydd yn bwriadu symud ymlaen â phleidlais o ddiffyg hyder yn yr is-ganghellor a bwrdd gweithredol y brifysgol. Mae'n debyg mai dyna sy'n peri leiaf o syndod o'r holl bethau sydd wedi digwydd dros yr wythnosau diwethaf.

Rwyf hefyd wedi cael etholwyr yn gohebu â mi. Dywedodd un aelod o staff, etholwr, sy'n cael ei gyflogi yn yr ysgol gwyddorau gofal iechyd, yn ei geiriau hi:

'Fel proffesiwn, er ein bod yn falch o ddarparu hanfodion sylfaenol gofal, roeddem hefyd yn rhedeg ein clinigau ein hunain, yn presgripsiynu i gleifion, yn cyflawni triniaethau llawfeddygol, asesiadau uwch a thriniaethau ac yn tynnu pwysau oddi ar feddygon oherwydd y prinder meddygon. Rydym yn gweithio ar y cyd ar draws nifer o feysydd iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol.'

Ac mae hi'n cyflawni hynny. 

Cysylltodd etholwr arall â mi ynglŷn â'i phryderon am yr effaith ar fyfyrwyr nyrsio sy'n siarad Cymraeg, sydd bellach â llai o allu i hyfforddi. 

Yn y cyd-destun gwleidyddol yn unig, rwy'n credu bod Plaid Cymru yn chwarae i mewn i strategaeth arweinyddiaeth Caerdydd trwy ganolbwyntio eu cynnig ar y problemau ehangach mewn addysg uwch, ac er bod rhaid inni eu trafod, ni ddylid gwneud hynny yng nghyd-destun penodol Caerdydd. Ac i fod yn deg, fe wnaeth Natasha Asghar ganolbwyntio ar y mater penodol hwnnw, ond nid yw wedi'i gynnwys yn ddigon manwl yn y cynnig. Mae yna amser yn sicr i drafod y problemau ehangach sy'n wynebu addysg uwch, ond os yw'r ddadl hon yn ymwneud â Chaerdydd, mae dealltwriaeth o'r hyn sy'n digwydd yno'n brin iawn yn y Siambr heddiw. Nid yw staff a myfyrwyr yng Nghaerdydd ar yr adeg anodd hon eisiau i wleidyddion droi ar ei gilydd. Maent eisiau undod a chefnogaeth i ddatgelu'r penderfyniadau dideimlad hyn gan arweinyddiaeth Caerdydd am yr hyn ydynt a nodi atebion polisi neu ddeddfwriaethol i fynd i'r afael â gwendid trefniadau llywodraethu prifysgolion. Maent eisiau gwybod pam na welodd y brifysgol yr argyfwng hwn yn dod. Er y bydd sefydliadau addysg uwch eraill yn gwylio'n ofalus, y newyddion gwell hyd y gwn i yw nad oes cynlluniau cyfredol yn y lleoedd hynny—ac rwy'n siarad fel cadeirydd y grŵp trawsbleidiol ar brifysgolion—i efelychu'r trywydd ofnadwy hwn. 

Mae llawer yn cael ei wneud yng ngwelliant y Llywodraeth o bartneriaeth gymdeithasol, ac mae hynny'n hollol gywir. Fodd bynnag, yn yr achos hwn, mae'r Undeb Prifysgolion a Cholegau eisoes wedi galw anghydfod diwydiannol oherwydd gweithredoedd arweinyddiaeth Caerdydd, ac felly mae hi ychydig yn hwyr i siarad am bartneriaeth gymdeithasol. Rydym ar y trywydd tuag at weithredu diwydiannol a fydd yn boenus i staff a myfyrwyr, a heb os, bydd yn niweidio enw da Prifysgol Caerdydd, ond rwy'n sefyll gyda fy nghyd-aelodau o'r Undeb Prifysgolion a Cholegau os mai dyna sydd ei angen i gael arweinyddiaeth Prifysgol Caerdydd i ddileu'r cynlluniau creulon hyn.

18:10

Well, if we're looking for some consensus, yes, let's see the Welsh Government make the same demands that you just made now of Cardiff University, and you will have support from these benches. But what's been striking has been the weakness of the Welsh Government's response—[Interruption.] The Welsh Government can amend motions as well, and that's missing in an amendment. So, if we want to work together, let's ask the difficult questions and hear from the Welsh Government the views clearly, because all we've heard has been, 'Nothing to do with us'. So, we want to see today—[Interruption.] No, I will carry on with my response. We want to see today, yes, working together, but also a response from the Welsh Government that constituents have been demanding, because they've been contacting me, saying, 'We want to hear more from the Welsh Government.' It's not about, 'Let's work in social partnership', and taking no responsibility or accountability. So, I hope we will see the strength of that response today.

I'm glad that Luke Fletcher reminded us why these national institutions matter so much in terms of our identity, but also it's not just about the past, is it? It's about our current, yes, but our future, and the skill gaps that come from not having a university, and the Seren network does come into play with this. It's the only Russell Group university in Wales. If there is a reduction in courses, where are our students that want to stay in Wales going to go? So, if we look at the facts here—[Interruption.] Well, they won't be offered there, Mike. You mention Bangor, yes, but that's not a Russell Group university, though, is it? In terms of looking at some of the proposals here—

Wel, os ydym yn chwilio am rywfaint o gonsensws, gadewch inni weld Llywodraeth Cymru yn galw ar Brifysgol Caerdydd nawr fel y gwnaethoch chi, ac fe gewch chi gefnogaeth o'r meinciau hyn. Ond yr hyn sydd wedi bod yn drawiadol yw pa mor wan yw ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod—[Torri ar draws.] Gall Llywodraeth Cymru ddiwygio cynigion hefyd, ac mae hynny ar goll yn y gwelliant. Felly, os ydym am weithio gyda'n gilydd, gadewch inni ofyn y cwestiynau anodd a chlywed y safbwyntiau'n glir gan Lywodraeth Cymru, oherwydd y cyfan a glywsom yw, 'Dim byd i'w wneud â ni'. Felly, rydym eisiau gweld heddiw—[Torri ar draws.] Na, rwyf am barhau â fy ateb. Rydym eisiau gweld cydweithio heddiw, ond hefyd rydym eisiau gweld ymateb gan Lywodraeth Cymru fel y mae etholwyr wedi bod yn galw amdano, oherwydd maent wedi bod yn cysylltu â mi, yn dweud, 'Rydym eisiau clywed mwy gan Lywodraeth Cymru.' Nid yw'n fater o, 'Gadewch inni weithio mewn partneriaeth gymdeithasol', heb ysgwyddo unrhyw gyfrifoldeb nac atebolrwydd. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio y cawn weld ymateb cryf heddiw.

Rwy'n falch fod Luke Fletcher wedi ein hatgoffa pam y mae'r sefydliadau cenedlaethol hyn mor bwysig i'n hunaniaeth, ond mae'n ymwneud â mwy na'r gorffennol yn unig, onid yw? Mae'n ymwneud â'n presennol a'n dyfodol, a'r bylchau sgiliau sy'n dod o beidio â chael prifysgol, ac mae rhwydwaith Seren yn rhan o hyn. Dyma'r unig brifysgol Grŵp Russell yng Nghymru. Os oes llai o gyrsiau, lle mae ein myfyrwyr sydd eisiau aros yng Nghymru yn mynd i fynd? Felly, os edrychwn ar y ffeithiau yma—[Torri ar draws.] Wel, ni fyddant yn cael eu cynnig yno, Mike. Rydych chi'n sôn am Fangor, ond nid yw honno'n brifysgol Grŵp Russell, O edrych ar rai o'r cynigion—

—dwi'n hynod o bryderus o ran y Gymraeg. Mi fyddwch chi'n gwybod bod rhai o’r cynigion hyn yn cadarnhau bod ysgol y Gymraeg yn wynebu toriadau i nifer y staff amser llawn a fydd yn gweithio yn yr adran, a bod lleihad mewn staff mewn adrannau eraill am beryglu’r gallu i gynnig cyrsiau drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg. Mae’r cynnig i uno Ysgol y Gymraeg gydag ysgolion eraill, gan gynnwys yr adran Saesneg, hefyd yn ergyd i statws yr iaith o fewn y brifysgol. Mewn ymateb i’r newyddion, mae’r Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol wedi datgan ei bod hi'n hollbwysig bod Prifysgol Caerdydd yn gwneud popeth yn ei gallu i warchod y ddarpariaeth Gymraeg a dwyieithog helaeth sydd wedi datblygu dros y blynyddoedd gyda chefnogaeth y coleg. Felly, hoffwn glywed gan y Gweinidog yn ei hymateb y camau y mae hi'n eu cymryd o ran hyn, gan bod y ddarpariaeth yn allweddol, wrth gwrs, o ran cyflawni strategaeth 'Cymraeg 2050'. Ac rydym ni hefyd yn gwybod bod yna ddyletswydd statudol ar Medr o ran y Gymraeg, felly mi fuaswn i'n hoffi gwybod pa drafodaethau sydd wedi bod gyda Medr i sicrhau eu bod nhw'n gweithredu eu dyletswyddau statudol o ran yr iaith. 

—I'm extremely concerned for the Welsh language. You will know that some of these proposals confirm that the school of Welsh faces cuts to the number of full-time staff working in the department, and the reduction in staff in other departments will put at risk the ability to provide courses through the medium of Welsh. The proposal to merge the School of Welsh with other schools, including the English department, is also a blow to the status of the language within the university. In response to this news, the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol has declared that it's crucially important that Cardiff University does everything within its power to safeguard the Welsh language and bilingual provision that has been developed over the years with the support of the college. So, I'd like to hear from the Minister in her response what steps she is taking in this regard, because the provision is crucial, of course, in delivering the 'Cymraeg 2050' strategy. And we also know that there is a statutory duty on Medr in relation to the Welsh language, so I would like to know what discussions have taken place with Medr to ensure that they act in accordance with their statutory duties towards the Welsh language.

If we look at what's proposed in terms of modern languages and translation, Cardiff University provides 62 per cent of all language degrees in Wales. This is yet another example of why it's important for the Welsh Government to grasp the seriousness of this situation and the wider impact these cuts will have on the Welsh Government's goals in other areas. In 2021-22, only 30 modern foreign language teachers were recruited in Wales, 50 per cent short of the Welsh Government's target. So, where does the Welsh Government expect the next generation of MFL teachers to come from if Cardiff no longer offers language courses? Additionally, situated within this department at the university is the MFL mentoring project team, which has worked with over 80 per cent of secondary schools in Wales, as well as the Love Reading project—two projects funded by the Welsh Government, aiming to change school students' attitudes to modern languages, as well as boosting literacy rates.

So, this closure would decimate an already fragile language ecosystem and the supply of language teachers and translators in Wales, leading to a significant cold spot for degree-level language provision in south and south-east Wales, and given that language skills are a key requirement for the success of the Welsh economy, having our largest and only Russell Group university unable to train and develop the translation, interpretation and global communication needs of an increasingly global Welsh workforce should worry us all. It cannot be allowed to happen.

Os edrychwn ar yr hyn a gynigir ym maes ieithoedd modern a chyfieithu, mae Prifysgol Caerdydd yn darparu 62 y cant o'r holl raddau iaith yng Nghymru. Dyma enghraifft arall eto o pam ei bod yn bwysig i Lywodraeth Cymru ddeall difrifoldeb y sefyllfa a'r effaith ehangach y bydd y toriadau hyn yn ei chael ar nodau Llywodraeth Cymru mewn meysydd eraill. Yn 2021-22, dim ond 30 o athrawon ieithoedd tramor modern a gafodd eu recriwtio yng Nghymru, 50 y cant yn brin o darged Llywodraeth Cymru. Felly, o ble y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn disgwyl i'r genhedlaeth nesaf o athrawon ieithoedd tramor modern ddod os nad yw Caerdydd yn cynnig cyrsiau iaith mwyach? Yn ogystal, o fewn yr adran hon yn y brifysgol mae tîm y prosiect mentora ieithoedd tramor modern, sydd wedi gweithio gyda dros 80 y cant o ysgolion uwchradd Cymru, yn ogystal â'r prosiect Caru Darllen—dau brosiect a ariennir gan Lywodraeth Cymru, gyda'r nod o newid agweddau myfyrwyr ysgol at ieithoedd modern, yn ogystal â hybu cyfraddau llythrennedd.

Felly, byddai'r cau yn chwalu ecosystem iaith sydd eisoes yn fregus a'r cyflenwad o athrawon iaith a chyfieithwyr yng Nghymru, gan arwain at ddiffyg sylweddol yn y ddarpariaeth iaith lefel gradd yn ne a de-ddwyrain Cymru, ac o ystyried bod sgiliau iaith yn ofyniad allweddol ar gyfer llwyddiant economi Cymru, dylai'r ffaith bod ein hunig brifysgol Grŵp Russell a'n prifysgol fwyaf yn methu hyfforddi a datblygu anghenion cyfieithu, dehongli a chyfathrebu gweithlu Cymreig cynyddol fyd-eang beri pryder i bawb ohonom. Ni ellir caniatáu iddo ddigwydd.

A phan fyddwn ni'n edrych ar gerddoriaeth—

And when we look at music—

—music isn't just an academic subject; it is the foundation of our national identity. As Ianto Williams said:

'Music plays such an important part in Welsh history and Welsh culture. It's the soundtrack to our lives'.

Musician and composer Sir Karl Jenkins, an alumnus of Cardiff University, said:

'It's not just training students through music, it's an investment in the cultural future of our country.'

—nid pwnc academaidd yn unig yw cerddoriaeth; mae'n sylfaen i'n hunaniaeth genedlaethol. Fel y dywedodd Ianto Williams:

'Mae cerddoriaeth yn chwarae rhan mor bwysig yn hanes Cymru a diwylliant Cymru. Mae'n drac sain i'n bywydau.'

Dywedodd y cerddor a'r cyfansoddwr Syr Karl Jenkins, cyn-fyfyriwr ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd:

'Nid hyfforddi myfyrwyr trwy gerddoriaeth yn unig mohono, mae'n fuddsoddiad yn nyfodol diwylliannol ein gwlad.'

Mae yna fwy y gall y Llywodraeth hon ei wneud, mae yna fwy y dylai'r Llywodraeth hon ei wneud. Y cwestiwn mawr ydy: oes gan y Llywodraeth hon y gallu a’r dyhead i wireddu hyn?

There is more that this Government could do, there is more that this Government should do. The big question is: does this Government have the ability and the aspiration to deliver this?

18:15

Cefin Campbell began the debate by saying the Government could and should do more, but as ever with Plaid, I'm afraid, they call for more money for one department without being willing to confront the trade-offs from others, and attacking the Minister, Vikki Howells, is not fair. She is not to blame for a higher education system riddled with flaws. Neither would it be the right thing to do to take money from other parts of education, where, by the way, investing in early years is the single most important thing we can do to improve the life chances of the people of Wales, in order to plug a gap in higher education. So, I think we just need to step back a little here and ask the question: what are universities for? What role do they have to play in contributing to the stronger, fairer and greener Wales that we want to see?

Now, I was part of the last generation to receive a maintenance grant. It was low, but it covered my rent, and it allowed me to become the first in my family to go to university. Since then and the introduction of tuition fees, we have allowed the university sector to be driven by market forces, and the often absurdly highly paid university management were incentivised to follow the money. Teaching and research about Wales, which was never high on the agenda, have simply fallen off by the method of financing higher education that has been driven, and we've seen more and more intense efforts to get an international footprint, rather than think about the role they have in our society and our economy.

Now, it's clear that the current leadership of Cardiff University have handled this deficit crisis very poorly—

Dechreuodd Cefin Campbell y ddadl drwy ddweud y gallai ac y dylai'r Llywodraeth wneud mwy, ond fel bob amser gyda Phlaid Cymru, mae arnaf ofn, maent yn galw am fwy o arian i un adran heb fod yn barod i wynebu cyfaddawdu mewn adrannau eraill, ac nid yw ymosod ar y Gweinidog, Vikki Howells, yn deg. Nid hi sydd ar fai am system addysg uwch sy'n frith o ddiffygion. Ac ni fyddai'n iawn mynd ag arian o rannau eraill o addysg ychwaith i lenwi bwlch mewn addysg uwch, a chofier mai buddsoddi yn y blynyddoedd cynnar yw'r un peth pwysicaf y gallwn ei wneud i wella cyfleoedd bywyd pobl Cymru. Felly, rwy'n credu bod angen inni gamu'n ôl ychydig yma a gofyn y cwestiwn: beth yw pwrpas prifysgolion? Pa rôl sydd ganddynt i'w chwarae yn cyfrannu at y Gymru gryfach, decach a gwyrddach yr ydym am ei gweld?

Nawr, roeddwn yn rhan o'r genhedlaeth olaf i dderbyn grant cynhaliaeth. Roedd yn isel, ond roedd yn talu'r rhent, ac yn caniatáu i mi fod y cyntaf yn fy nheulu i fynd i brifysgol. Ers hynny a chyflwyno ffioedd dysgu, rydym wedi caniatáu i'r sector prifysgolion gael ei yrru gan rymoedd y farchnad, a chafodd rheolwyr prifysgolion, a gâi gyflogau gwirion o uchel yn aml, eu cymell i ddilyn yr arian. Mae addysgu ac ymchwil am Gymru, nad oedd erioed yn uchel ar yr agenda, wedi lleihau'n ddirfawr yn sgil y dull o ariannu addysg uwch sydd wedi'i yrru, ac rydym wedi gweld ymdrechion mwy a mwy dwys i gael ôl troed rhyngwladol, yn hytrach na meddwl am y rôl sydd ganddynt yn ein cymdeithas a'n heconomi.

Nawr, mae'n amlwg fod arweinyddiaeth bresennol Prifysgol Caerdydd wedi ymdrin â'r argyfwng diffyg arian yn wael iawn—

Before he goes on to that, I'm following him closely, I'm just wondering would he accept, though—I totally subscribe to the critique that he's just laid forward of corporatisation, of marketisation and the governance issues that Hefin David also referred to. But doesn't he accept that that is the responsibility of us as legislators, isn't it? We create that policy framework, and so while there are particular issues that need to be addressed now in terms of the crisis, we need to return to these governance issues, the legislative framework, and we need to do that relatively quickly.

Cyn iddo barhau ar hynny, rwy'n ei ddilyn yn agos, rwy'n meddwl tybed a fyddai'n derbyn, serch hynny—rwy'n derbyn yn llwyr y feirniadaeth y mae newydd ei gwneud o gorfforaetholi, o farchnadoli a'r problemau llywodraethu y cyfeiriodd Hefin David atynt hefyd. Ond onid yw'n derbyn mai ein cyfrifoldeb ni fel deddfwyr yw hynny? Ni sy'n creu'r fframwaith polisi, ac felly er bod problemau penodol sy'n galw am sylw nawr o ran yr argyfwng, mae angen inni ddychwelyd at y problemau llywodraethu hyn, y fframwaith deddfwriaethol, ac mae angen inni wneud hynny'n gymharol gyflym.

I agree with that, and I'll come to that, and we as a Senedd and this Government do absolutely have a role in the university sector in Wales. But let me just say about the current handling by Cardiff University that I've just read that the director of nursing at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board said today that in spite of all the rhetoric, no decisions are final and this is out to consultation. They've already been e-mailed by Cardiff University to say there'll no more undergraduate or postgraduate nursing courses from Cardiff University. Now, that is shabby and it is short-sighted.

But the funding shortfall was foreseeable and was foreseen, and it's not just Cardiff—all other Welsh HE institutions have been quietly making voluntary redundancies, and I understand the initial 400 roles in Cardiff are just the first phase, because a business model built on sustaining their edifices by recruiting as many international students as possible is a bubble that is bound to burst. International students enrich our universities and our communities, but when the MBA courses at Wales's premier business school are full of Chinese and Indian students, we must ask if the civic role of our education system is being served. They have lost their way as a place that nurtures our brightest and best and the future of our society and economy. Teaching the Chinese elite seems a very short-sighted strategy to me.

Now, yes, these are independent institutions, and, yes, the drivers are mostly in the hands of the UK Government, but it is our higher education system, a system we prop up. We spend £1.2 billion every year from devolved budgets on funding students. Now, that's an opportunity cost, much of it flowing out of Wales. That was defensible in better times, but is it the best way for us to use finite resources when our basic university infrastructure is being cannibalised? We don't control all the levers, but we do control some of them, and we have choices to make.

Rwy'n cytuno â hynny, ac fe ddeuaf at hynny, ac mae gennym ni fel Senedd a'r Llywodraeth hon rôl yn y sector prifysgolion yng Nghymru yn sicr. Ond gadewch imi ddweud am y modd y mae Prifysgol Caerdydd yn ymdrin â'r mater ar hyn o bryd a'r hyn y darllenais fod cyfarwyddwr nyrsio Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Aneurin Bevan wedi'i ddweud heddiw, er gwaethaf yr holl rethreg nad oes unrhyw benderfyniadau yn derfynol a bod hyn yn destun ymgynghoriad. Maent eisoes wedi cael e-bost gan Brifysgol Caerdydd i ddweud na fydd mwy o gyrsiau nyrsio israddedig nac ôl-raddedig o Brifysgol Caerdydd. Nawr, mae hynny'n wael ac mae'n gibddall.

Ond roedd modd rhagweld y diffyg cyllid ac fe gafodd ei ragweld, ac nid Caerdydd yn unig—mae pob sefydliad addysg uwch arall yng Nghymru wedi bod yn gwneud diswyddiadau gwirfoddol yn dawel, ac rwy'n deall mai cam cyntaf yn unig yw'r 400 o swyddi yng Nghaerdydd, oherwydd mae model busnes sydd wedi'i adeiladu ar gynnal eu hadeiladau trwy recriwtio cymaint o fyfyrwyr rhyngwladol â phosibl yn swigen sy'n siŵr o fyrstio. Mae myfyrwyr rhyngwladol yn cyfoethogi ein prifysgolion a'n cymunedau, ond pan fydd y cyrsiau MBA ym mhrif ysgol fusnes Cymru yn llawn o fyfyrwyr Tsieineaidd ac Indiaidd, rhaid inni ofyn a yw rôl ddinesig ein system addysg yn cael ei gwasanaethu. Maent wedi colli eu ffordd fel lle sy'n meithrin ein myfyrwyr gorau a mwyaf disglair a dyfodol ein cymdeithas a'n heconomi. Mae dysgu'r elît Tsieineaidd yn ymddangos yn strategaeth gibddall iawn i mi.

Nawr, mae'n wir mai sefydliadau annibynnol yw'r rhain, ac mae'r rhan fwyaf o'r dulliau gweithredu yn nwylo Llywodraeth y DU, ond ein system addysg uwch ni yw hi, system yr ydym yn ei chynnal. Rydym yn gwario £1.2 biliwn bob blwyddyn o gyllidebau datganoledig ar ariannu myfyrwyr. Nawr, cost cyfle yw honno, gyda llawer ohoni'n llifo allan o Gymru. Roedd modd amddiffyn hynny mewn amseroedd gwell, ond ai dyma'r ffordd orau inni ddefnyddio adnoddau cyfyngedig pan fydd ein seilwaith prifysgolion sylfaenol yn cael ei ganibaleiddio? Nid ni sy'n rheoli'r holl ddulliau gweithredu, ond rydym yn rheoli rhai ohonynt, ac mae gennym ddewisiadau i'w gwneud.

Dwi'n datgan budd, Llywydd, gan fod fy ngŵr yn gyflogedig gan Brifysgol Abertawe ac yn aelod o UCU, ac roeddwn i’n arfer bod ar bwyllgor UCU ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe pan oeddwn i’n gweithio yno.

I declare an interest, Llywydd, as my husband is employed by Swansea University and is a member of UCU, and I too used to be on the UCU committee at Swansea University when I worked there.

As the wife of a university professor, I can tell you that I've never seen in him and his colleagues such a level of stress, frustration, anger and anxiety, in all the 25 years that he's been lecturing, about the lack of focus by Government here and in Westminster, on the way the higher education workforce in Wales is being threatened, constantly undermined and undervalued.

The week before we heard the announcement, the shocking announcement that 400 academic jobs were at risk in Cardiff, in a question to the Minister I reminded her that the higher education workforce have been facing severe conditions for many years as a result of inaction to support and safeguard the vital contribution they make through our universities. I spoke about the devastating effect of year after year of voluntary severance schemes, which stripped departments of expertise and experience, pay freezes, which caused hardships and crippling demoralisation. And now the hammer blow of the threat of compulsory redundancies, and all of which, of course, as we've heard, is impacting on our students, our global reputation and our variability, and—amen to you, Lee Waters—our ability to analyse and understand and know who we are and what we are and how we can progress as a nation. How many times have we all referenced university research and innovation in our contributions here? In every single policy area, it would be hard to count them all if you check the Record. And what we have to understand is that it's those academics who've been under such pressure who do that crucial work, who teach the future generations who will do that work—work that takes a huge amount of dedication and ultra-specialist skill and insight. And what we saw last week, in sharp relief, is how the workforce are bearing the brunt of a failure to ensure that the contribution of the higher education workforce is valued and sustainably funded.

But every time I've raised the fact that student fees and current Government funding don't meet the costs of teaching undergraduates, let alone go near supporting research and innovation, as we heard from Luke Fletcher, I have been shocked to hear Ministers say that Welsh Government only has a small role to play. This is such a crucially important sector to us in Wales. And we lost hundreds of talented researchers when the impact of the loss of European structural funds hit. Because of Government inaction, we are now losing hundreds more academic staff, and those who are forced to leave—and a lot of people who take the voluntary exit scheme are forced to leave their posts; a lot of pressure is put on them—when they leave, they will find it almost impossible to find a comparable job that will allow them to continue to contribute their expertise, benefiting Wales in all the ways that we've been outlining.

And we can't either forget the impact that these cuts will have on students themselves. Cardiff Students' Union has stated that these cuts jeopardise the quality of education, access to services and student well-being. And actually, the redundancies and course cuts that have already been happening over the years across Wales are already jeopardising those things; options are already being limited.

Again, I have previously raised the need to address one of the factors that plays a part in the current crisis: the decline in student applications. There's been a reduction of around 50 per cent, yes, in the number of foreign students, thanks to the unwise reactionary policies of the Tory Westminster Government on visa conditions, continued by the UK Labour Government. But the proportion of applications by learners from Wales for universities is at a critically low level; only a third of our learners now take A-levels, compared with 50 per cent in England. And the figure is just 11 per cent for learners who are eligible for free school meals. So, instead of spending £11 million over the last five years on a programme that encourages Welsh students to leave Wales to study, we believe that money would be better spent focusing entirely on increasing the participation of Welsh learners and the excellent courses offered by Welsh institutions. And we want the Welsh Government to urge the Labour Westminster Government to reverse those damaging changes made to the visas for foreign students.

The Tories' attempt to delete that part of the motion reflects poorly on them and their understanding of the importance, before we get that crucial reform to the funding level, of international students to the sector in Wales. The current financial position for universities in Wales is not sustainable, as UCU Cymru and NUS Cymru have consistently highlighted. It's the workforce and students who are bearing the brunt and we believe that, ultimately, it is Wales and its people that are paying the price. Diolch.

Fel gwraig i athro prifysgol, gallaf ddweud wrthych nad wyf erioed wedi gweld cymaint o straen, rhwystredigaeth, dicter a phryder ynddo ef a'i gydweithwyr dros y 25 mlynedd y bu'n darlithio, ynglŷn â'r diffyg ffocws gan y Llywodraeth yma ac yn San Steffan, ynghylch y ffordd y mae'r gweithlu addysg uwch yng Nghymru yn cael ei fygwth, ei danseilio a'i danbrisio'n gyson.

Yr wythnos cyn i ni glywed y cyhoeddiad, y cyhoeddiad ysgytwol fod 400 o swyddi academaidd mewn perygl yng Nghaerdydd, mewn cwestiwn i'r Gweinidog fe'i hatgoffais fod y gweithlu addysg uwch wedi bod yn wynebu amodau difrifol ers blynyddoedd lawer o ganlyniad i ddiffyg gweithredu i gefnogi a diogelu'r cyfraniad hanfodol y maent yn ei wneud drwy ein prifysgolion. Siaradais am effaith ddinistriol cynlluniau diswyddo gwirfoddol flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn, cynlluniau a oedd yn amddifadu adrannau o arbenigedd a phrofiad, a'r rhewi cyflogau a achosai galedi a digalondid mawr. A nawr yr ergyd drom yn sgil y bygythiad o ddiswyddiadau gorfodol, a phob un ohonynt, wrth gwrs, fel y clywsom, yn effeithio ar ein myfyrwyr, ein henw da byd-eang a'n hamrywiaeth—amen i chi, Lee Waters—ein gallu i ddadansoddi a deall a gwybod pwy ydym a beth ydym ni a sut y gallwn symud ymlaen fel cenedl. Sawl gwaith y cyfeiriwyd at ymchwil ac arloesedd prifysgolion yn ein cyfraniadau yma? Ym mhob maes polisi, byddai'n anodd eu cyfrif i gyd pe baech chi'n chwilio drwy'r Cofnod. A'r hyn sy'n rhaid inni ei ddeall yw mai'r academyddion sydd wedi bod o dan y fath bwysau yw'r rhai sy'n gwneud y gwaith hanfodol hwnnw, sy'n dysgu cenedlaethau'r dyfodol a fydd yn gwneud y gwaith hwnnw—gwaith sy'n galw am lawer iawn o ymroddiad a sgìl arbenigol a mewnwelediad. A'r hyn a welsom yr wythnos diwethaf, mewn cyferbyniad llwyr, yw'r modd y mae'r gweithlu'n dioddef baich methiant i sicrhau bod cyfraniad y gweithlu addysg uwch yn cael ei werthfawrogi a'i ariannu'n gynaliadwy.

Ond bob tro y nodais nad yw ffioedd myfyrwyr a chyllid cyfredol y Llywodraeth yn talu costau addysgu israddedigion, heb sôn am fynd yn agos at gefnogi ymchwil ac arloesi, fel y clywsom gan Luke Fletcher, cefais syndod o glywed Gweinidogion yn dweud mai rôl fach yn unig sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru i'w chwarae. Mae hwn yn sector mor hanfodol bwysig i ni yng Nghymru. Ac fe gollwyd cannoedd o ymchwilwyr talentog pan darodd effaith colli'r cronfeydd strwythurol Ewropeaidd. Oherwydd diffyg gweithredu ar ran y Llywodraeth, rydym bellach yn colli cannoedd yn fwy o staff academaidd, a'r rhai sy'n cael eu gorfodi i adael—a gorfodir llawer o bobl i adael eu swyddi a derbyn y cynllun ymadael gwirfoddol; mae llawer o bwysau'n cael ei roi arnynt—pan fyddant yn gadael, byddant yn ei chael hi bron yn amhosibl dod o hyd i swydd debyg a fydd yn caniatáu iddynt barhau i gyfrannu eu harbenigedd, a bod o fudd i Gymru yn yr holl ffyrdd a nodwyd gennym.

Ac ni allwn anghofio'r effaith y bydd y toriadau hyn yn ei chael ar fyfyrwyr eu hunain ychwaith. Mae Undeb Myfyrwyr Caerdydd wedi dweud bod y toriadau'n peryglu ansawdd addysg, mynediad at wasanaethau a lles myfyrwyr. Ac mae'r diswyddiadau a'r toriadau i gyrsiau sydd wedi bod yn digwydd eisoes dros y blynyddoedd ar draws Cymru yn peryglu'r pethau hynny'n barod; mae'r opsiynau eisoes yn gyfyngedig.

Unwaith eto, codais yr angen yn flaenorol i fynd i'r afael ag un o'r ffactorau sy'n chwarae rhan yn yr argyfwng presennol: y dirywiad yn nifer y ceisiadau gan fyfyrwyr. Gwelwyd gostyngiad o tua 50 y cant yn nifer y myfyrwyr tramor, diolch i bolisïau adweithiol annoeth Llywodraeth Dorïaidd San Steffan ar amodau fisa, a barhawyd gan Lywodraeth Lafur y DU. Ond mae cyfran y ceisiadau gan ddysgwyr o Gymru i brifysgolion ar lefel hynod o isel; traean yn unig o'n dysgwyr sy'n sefyll arholiadau Safon Uwch erbyn hyn, o'i gymharu â 50 y cant yn Lloegr. Dim ond 11 y cant yw'r ffigur ar gyfer dysgwyr sy'n gymwys i gael prydau ysgol am ddim. Felly, yn lle gwario £11 miliwn dros y pum mlynedd diwethaf ar raglen sy'n annog myfyrwyr o Gymru i adael Cymru i astudio, credwn y byddai'n well gwario arian i ganolbwyntio'n llwyr ar gynyddu cyfranogiad dysgwyr Cymru a'r cyrsiau rhagorol a gynigir gan sefydliadau Cymru. Ac rydym am i Lywodraeth Cymru annog Llywodraeth Lafur San Steffan i wyrdroi'r newidiadau niweidiol a wnaed i fisâu ar gyfer myfyrwyr tramor.

Mae ymgais y Torïaid i ddileu'r rhan honno o'r cynnig yn adlewyrchu'n wael arnynt hwy a'u dealltwriaeth o bwysigrwydd myfyrwyr rhyngwladol, cyn inni weld y diwygio allweddol hwnnw i'r lefel gyllido, i'r sector yng Nghymru. Nid yw'r sefyllfa ariannol bresennol i brifysgolion yng Nghymru yn gynaliadwy, fel y mae Undeb Prifysgolion a Cholegau Cymru ac Undeb Cenedlaethol y Myfyrwyr yng Nghymru wedi nodi'n gyson. Y gweithlu a'r myfyrwyr sy'n ysgwyddo'r baich ac yn y pen draw, credwn mai Cymru a'i phobl sy'n talu'r pris. Diolch.

18:25

The difficulty in our higher education system is not something that has just materialised, as many of the speakers have already said. While the breadth and the depth of the cruel potential cuts were shocking, the announcement was not. Cefin Campbell and Natasha Asghar have already highlighted examples of cuts and deficits at other universities in Wales, and Sioned Williams has given a personal account of the impact on her husband and his colleagues at Swansea University. While the inclusion of nursing—I found it baffling, unless, of course, what Hefin has told us is correct—. We cannot, as Heledd reminded us, forget the other subjects. Just because one subject is totally baffling, we cannot forget the other subjects.

Having a balanced society, which contains experts with deep knowledge across a wide range of subjects, is essential for a country that thrives. And let us remember, the subjects and departments at risk here in Cardiff University created for Wales, for the United Kingdom and for the world the likes of Martin Lewis, Karl Jenkins, as well as Bernice Reubens, the first woman to receive the Booker prize. [Interruption.] Of course.

Nid rhywbeth sydd newydd godi yw'r anhawster yn ein system addysg uwch, fel y mae llawer o'r siaradwyr eisoes wedi'i ddweud. Er bod ehangder a dyfnder y toriadau creulon posibl yn frawychus, nid oedd y cyhoeddiad yn syndod. Mae Cefin Campbell a Natasha Asghar eisoes wedi tynnu sylw at enghreifftiau o doriadau a diffygion mewn prifysgolion eraill yng Nghymru, ac mae Sioned Williams wedi rhoi cyfrif personol o'r effaith ar ei gŵr a'i gydweithwyr ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe. Er bod cynnwys nyrsio—roedd yn peri dryswch i mi, oni bai, wrth gwrs, fod yr hyn y mae Hefin wedi ei ddweud wrthym yn gywir—. Ni allwn anghofio'r pynciau eraill, fel y gwnaeth Heledd ein hatgoffa. Ni allwn anghofio'r pynciau eraill am fod un pwnc yn peri'r fath ddryswch i ni.

Mae cael cymdeithas gytbwys, sy'n cynnwys arbenigwyr â gwybodaeth ddofn ar draws ystod eang o bynciau, yn hanfodol i wlad sy'n ffynnu. A gadewch inni gofio, fe wnaeth y pynciau a'r adrannau sydd mewn perygl yma ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd greu pobl fel Martin Lewis a Karl Jenkins i Gymru, i'r Deyrnas Unedig ac i'r byd, yn ogystal â Bernice Reubens, y fenyw gyntaf i ennill gwobr Booker. [Torri ar draws.] Wrth gwrs.

Thank you very much for giving way. Do you share my regret that, looking at the courses that are going to either be cut or amalgamated if these proposals go ahead at Cardiff, so many of them are humanities subjects? And when it comes to humanities subjects, if we think about music, literature, languages, history, they are the very subjects that allow us to understand where we’ve come from, they allow us to understand ourselves and other people and to give some appreciation to us. They enrich the way that we live our lives, our fragile lives. Isn’t that something that we should be doing everything we can to preserve?

Diolch am ildio. Wrth edrych ar y cyrsiau a fydd naill ai'n cael eu torri neu eu huno os yw'r cynigion hyn yn mynd rhagddynt yng Nghaerdydd, a ydych chi'n rhannu fy ngofid fod cymaint ohonynt yn bynciau yn y dyniaethau? Ac o ran pynciau yn y dyniaethau, os meddyliwn am gerddoriaeth, llenyddiaeth, ieithoedd, hanes, dyna'r union bynciau sy'n ein galluogi i ddeall o ble y daethom, maent yn caniatáu inni ddeall ein hunain a phobl eraill a sicrhau ein bod yn cael ein gwerthfawrogi. Maent yn cyfoethogi'r ffordd yr ydym yn byw ein bywydau, ein bywydau bregus. Onid yw hynny'n rhywbeth y dylem wneud popeth yn ein gallu i'w gadw?

Well, Sioned Williams give Lee Waters an ‘amen’, I’ll second the ‘amen’ to you, Delyth Jewell. Of course, I agree with you completely. Sioned reminded us, with regard to her husband, these cuts impact so many people and their families. I had an e-mail yesterday from an academic who came to Cardiff from Aberdeen last year, to have a job in one of the now threatened departments. They moved to Cardiff, they invested in Wales, the children are in Welsh-medium education, they are learning Welsh and this is how we are repaying them. Simply, as Lee Waters, in a far more eloquent way than I can ever do, said the current model is not sustainable. We are asking our students to pay more and more money and go deeper and deeper into debt, our academics are paid less than the equivalent academics in other English-speaking countries, and despite all this our universities are still facing budgetary holes of millions of pounds.

Wales was late in gaining universities. Lampeter, Llywydd, is a baby compared to St Andrews and Bologna. The dream of Owain Glyndŵr did not materialise. It was not royalty that gave us universities. But as Cefin and Luke have already said, to a great extent, it was the hard-earned money of workers and their families, people who wanted a better life for their children and grandchildren, people who saw university as a continuation of school. They did not see universities as a business or as a way to get into a large amount of debt.

Now, I appreciate the perfect storm that has hit higher education in Wales. We’ve heard of many of them: Brexit, tough immigration laws, austerity, COVID, cost-of-living crisis, the war in Ukraine—all of these work against our universities. And also, as Lee Waters already mentioned, some responsibility also needs to lie with the universities themselves, on poor financial decisions, on inflated management costs. Now, I don’t think anyone here is laying the blame wholly at the door of the Welsh Government. We can all appreciate that the situation is not unique to Wales. But I think it was Sioned Williams that said yesterday, from a sedentary position, this is not unique to Wales, but these institutions are unique for us in Wales. Our communities are reliant on our universities in a way that isn’t true about English university cities. For example, Swansea is far more reliant on its universities than, say, Birmingham or Manchester. Our universities played a crucial role in developing Wales as a nation, as Luke has already said, and now we must find urgent ways to support them. We cannot allow the deterioration to continue, because there’s only one thing that will happen: the situation will get worse, we will lose talented people, and we will then lack the expertise and the knowledge we need to recover. Diolch yn fawr.

Wel, rhoddodd Sioned Williams 'amen' i Lee Waters, ac fe eiliaf yr 'amen' i chi, Delyth Jewell. Wrth gwrs, rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â chi. Fe'n hatgoffwyd gan Sioned, wrth iddi sôn am ei gŵr, fod y toriadau hyn yn effeithio ar gymaint o bobl a'u teuluoedd. Cefais e-bost ddoe gan academydd a ddaeth i Gaerdydd o Aberdeen y llynedd, i gael swydd yn un o'r adrannau sydd bellach dan fygythiad. Fe symudodd i Gaerdydd, fe fuddsoddodd yng Nghymru, mae'r plant mewn addysg Gymraeg, maent yn dysgu Cymraeg a dyma sut rydym yn talu'n ôl iddynt. Fel y dywedodd Lee Waters mewn ffordd lawer mwy huawdl nag y gallaf i ei wneud, nid yw'r model presennol yn gynaliadwy. Rydym yn gofyn i'n myfyrwyr dalu mwy a mwy o arian a mynd yn ddyfnach ac yn ddyfnach i ddyled, mae ein hacademyddion yn cael llai o dâl nag academyddion cyfatebol mewn gwledydd eraill Saesneg eu hiaith, ac er gwaethaf hyn i gyd mae ein prifysgolion yn dal i wynebu tyllau cyllidebol o filiynau o bunnoedd.

Roedd Cymru'n hwyr yn cael prifysgolion. Lywydd, babi yw Llanbedr Pont Steffan o'i chymharu â St Andrews a Bologna. Ni wireddwyd breuddwyd Owain Glyndŵr. Nid brenhiniaeth a roddodd brifysgolion i ni. Ond fel y dywedodd Cefin a Luke eisoes, i raddau helaeth, arian gweithwyr a'u teuluoedd a'u cafodd i ni, pobl a oedd eisiau bywyd gwell i'w plant a'u hwyrion, pobl a welai brifysgol fel parhad o'r ysgol. Nid oeddent yn gweld prifysgolion fel busnes nac fel ffordd o fynd i ddyled fawr.

Nawr, rwy'n derbyn bod storm berffaith wedi taro addysg uwch yng Nghymru. Clywsom am lawer ohonynt: Brexit, deddfau mewnfudo llym, cyni, COVID, argyfwng costau byw, y rhyfel yn Wcráin—mae'r rhain i gyd yn gweithio yn erbyn ein prifysgolion. A hefyd, fel y soniodd Lee Waters eisoes, mae angen i'r prifysgolion eu hunain ysgwyddo peth cyfrifoldeb am benderfyniadau ariannol gwael, am gostau rheoli chwyddedig. Nawr, nid wyf yn credu bod unrhyw un yma yn rhoi'r bai'n gyfan gwbl wrth ddrws Llywodraeth Cymru. Gallwn i gyd ddeall nad yw'r sefyllfa'n unigryw i Gymru. Ond rwy'n meddwl mai Sioned Williams a ddywedodd ddoe, o'i sedd, nad yw hyn yn unigryw i Gymru, ond mae'r sefydliadau hyn yn unigryw i ni yng Nghymru. Mae ein cymunedau'n dibynnu ar ein prifysgolion mewn ffordd nad yw'n wir am ddinasoedd prifysgol Lloegr. Er enghraifft, mae Abertawe yn llawer mwy dibynnol ar ei phrifysgolion na Birmingham neu Fanceinion er enghraifft. Chwaraeodd ein prifysgolion ran hanfodol yn y broses o ddatblygu Cymru fel cenedl, fel y dywedodd Luke eisoes, a nawr mae'n rhaid inni ddod o hyd i ffyrdd o'u cefnogi ar frys. Ni allwn ganiatáu i'r dirywiad barhau, gan mai dim ond un peth a fyddai'n digwydd o wneud hynny: bydd y sefyllfa'n gwaethygu, byddwn yn colli pobl dalentog, ac ni fydd gennym yr arbenigedd a'r wybodaeth sydd ei hangen arnom i wella. Diolch yn fawr.

18:30

Y Gweinidog nawr i gyfrannu i'r ddadl—Vikki Howells.

The Minister now to contribute to the debate—Vikki Howells.

Llywydd, I want to begin by expressing my most sincere sympathy with the staff affected by the announcement at Cardiff University. I recognise the anxiety that these proposals will have for staff and students. Over the past week, I have met with every vice-chancellor, representatives of UCU at yesterday’s protests and the NUS, in order to further understand the pressures facing the sector and explore how Welsh Government can provide support through this difficult period.

These discussions, Llywydd, are conversations that build upon the ongoing dialogue I’ve had with the sector since I was appointed in September. I’ve been clear in my communication with vice-chancellors that I expect institutions to adhere to the principles of social partnership and work in a spirit of honest collaboration with the trade unions and the affected workforce on any proposed restructuring. I also want to say to students and applicants that universities in Wales are and will remain an excellent place to study.

Llywydd, we do need to be clear about the challenges facing our higher education sector, but I also want to dispel several misconceptions surrounding the financial state of our universities and Welsh Government support for them. Our universities in Wales are not underfunded. OECD data suggests that universities in the UK are some of the best funded in the world. And when it comes to Wales, analysis by London Economics published last year has found that income for universities per full-time home student in 2023-24 was only slightly less than in England. Crucially, this analysis was conducted before the increases to the tuition fee cap in the past two years.

Furthermore, when including student maintenance grants, the analysis showed that the Welsh Government provides double the contribution to the overall cost of university compared to the UK Government, whilst also providing 20 per cent more income to universities compared to Scotland and Northern Ireland. We have overseen a decade of significant growth in the university sector in Wales, which, in 2024, employed 2,000 more full-time workers than it did in 2014, and, in 2022-23, had enrolled over 22,000 more students than in 2014-15.

But we also need to be frank: even if we were to cut grants for students or divert funding away from the NHS, schools or local government to increase funding for our universities, as some Members opposite would have us do, universities would still need to change in response to external challenges, particularly the significant drop in international postgraduate enrolment, the loss of millions of pounds of EU structural funding, and these are challenges faced by universities across the UK.

It is vital to repeat the message of Professor Paul Boyle, vice-chancellor of Swansea University and chair of Universities Wales, that our universities are not on the brink of financial collapse, in spite of the challenges they face. Indeed, it is irresponsible of some Members opposite to be suggesting this.

Lywydd, rwyf am ddechrau drwy fynegi fy nghydymdeimlad mwyaf diffuant â'r staff yr effeithiwyd arnynt gan y cyhoeddiad ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd. Rwy'n cydnabod y pryder y bydd y cynigion hyn yn ei achosi i staff a myfyrwyr. Dros yr wythnos ddiwethaf, rwyf wedi cyfarfod â phob is-ganghellor, cynrychiolwyr yr Undeb Prifysgolion a Cholegau yn y protestiadau ddoe ac Undeb Cenedlaethol y Myfyrwyr, er mwyn deall ymhellach y pwysau sy'n wynebu'r sector ac archwilio sut y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ddarparu cymorth trwy'r cyfnod anodd hwn.

Mae'r trafodaethau hyn, Lywydd, yn sgyrsiau sy'n adeiladu ar y ddeialog barhaus a gefais gyda'r sector ers imi gael fy mhenodi ym mis Medi. Rwyf wedi bod yn glir yn fy nghyfathrebiadau ag is-gangellorion fy mod yn disgwyl i sefydliadau lynu wrth egwyddorion partneriaeth gymdeithasol a gweithio mewn ysbryd o gydweithio gonest â'r undebau llafur a'r gweithlu yr effeithir arnynt ar unrhyw ailstrwythuro arfaethedig. Rwyf eisiau dweud wrth fyfyrwyr ac ymgeiswyr hefyd fod prifysgolion Cymru'n parhau i fod yn llefydd ardderchog i astudio ynddynt.

Lywydd, mae angen inni fod yn glir ynghylch yr heriau sy'n wynebu ein sector addysg uwch, ond rwyf hefyd am chwalu sawl camsyniad ynghylch cyflwr ariannol ein prifysgolion a chefnogaeth Llywodraeth Cymru iddynt. Nid yw ein prifysgolion yng Nghymru yn cael eu tanariannu. Mae data'r Sefydliad ar gyfer Cydweithrediad a Datblygiad Economaidd yn awgrymu bod prifysgolion y DU ymhlith y rhai sy'n cael eu hariannu orau yn y byd. Ac o ran Cymru, mae dadansoddiad gan London Economics a gyhoeddwyd y llynedd wedi canfod nad yw'r incwm i brifysgolion fesul myfyriwr cartref amser llawn yn 2023-24 ond ychydig llai nag yn Lloegr. Yn allweddol, cynhaliwyd y dadansoddiad hwn cyn y cynnydd i'r cap ffioedd dysgu yn ystod y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf.

Ar ben hynny, wrth gynnwys grantiau cynhaliaeth myfyrwyr, dangosodd y dadansoddiad fod Llywodraeth Cymru yn darparu dwbl y cyfraniad at gost gyffredinol prifysgol o'i gymharu â Llywodraeth y DU, a hefyd yn darparu 20 y cant yn fwy o incwm i brifysgolion o'i gymharu â'r Alban a Gogledd Iwerddon. Rydym wedi goruchwylio dros ddegawd o dwf sylweddol yn y sector prifysgolion yng Nghymru, a oedd, yn 2024, yn cyflogi 2,000 yn fwy o weithwyr amser llawn nag yn 2014, ac yn 2022-23, roedd dros 22,000 yn fwy o fyfyrwyr wedi'u cofrestru ynddynt nag yn 2014-15.

Ond mae angen inni fod yn onest hefyd: hyd yn oed pe baem yn torri grantiau i fyfyrwyr neu'n dargyfeirio cyllid oddi wrth y GIG, ysgolion neu lywodraeth leol i gynyddu cyllid i'n prifysgolion, fel y byddai rhai o'r Aelodau gyferbyn am inni ei wneud, byddai'n dal i fod angen i brifysgolion newid mewn ymateb i heriau allanol, yn enwedig y gostyngiad sylweddol yn nifer y myfyrwyr ôl-raddedig rhyngwladol, a cholli miliynau o bunnoedd o gyllid strwythurol yr UE, ac mae'r rhain yn heriau sy'n wynebu prifysgolion ledled y DU.

Mae'n hanfodol ailadrodd neges yr Athro Paul Boyle, is-ganghellor Prifysgol Abertawe a chadeirydd Prifysgolion Cymru, nad yw ein prifysgolion ar drothwy chwalfa ariannol, er gwaethaf yr heriau sy'n eu hwynebu. Yn wir, mae'n anghyfrifol fod rhai o'r Aelodau gyferbyn wedi awgrymu hyn.

Will you take an intervention on that?

A wnewch chi dderbyn ymyriad ar hynny?

Something else that Paul Boyle said on Politics Wales, which you appeared on in a pre-recorded interview as well, was that he’d never seen in all his long career in higher education such a financial crisis. So, I just wanted to know if you were going to acknowledge that. You can’t shut that down.

Rhywbeth arall a ddywedodd Paul Boyle ar Politics Wales, yr ymddangosoch chi arni hefyd mewn cyfweliad a recordiwyd ymlaen llaw, oedd nad oedd erioed wedi gweld argyfwng ariannol o'r fath yn ei holl yrfa hir ym maes addysg uwch. Felly, roeddwn eisiau gwybod a oeddech chi'n mynd i gydnabod hynny. Ni allwch anwybyddu hynny.

Yes. I do recognise that, Sioned, and I'm just about to go on to that, I can assure you.

So, as a Government, we do not shrink from the challenges that our universities are now facing, and we have taken and will continue to take appropriate action in our areas of devolved responsibility. We’ve taken the difficult decision to raise tuition fees in the next academic year. Combined with a fee increase in the current academic year, we estimate this will have provided an additional £36 million in fee income for the sector. Furthermore, we’ve been able to provide an additional £10 million in-year grant funding to the sector following the autumn statement. I’m assured that Medr is diligently performing its duties as sector regulator and providing appropriate monitoring, oversight and constructive challenge to institutions on the state of their finances. Health Education and Improvement Wales is working closely with Welsh Government, health boards and other HE providers that deliver nursing education to safeguard the ongoing training of nurses in the Cardiff area, and we are confident that, through the options being explored, we will maintain the same number of overall nursing places in the region. 

Looking forward, there is more that we can and will do to ensure a sustainable and successful future for higher education in Wales, one that continues our universities' significant contributions to culture, public services and local and national economies. As I’ve already said, this is an ambition we share with the UK Government. That is why the Cabinet Secretary for Education and I met with the UK Minister for skills on Monday to discuss how the Welsh and UK Governments can work together on higher education reform.

But we are also taking the necessary action within Wales to address the current challenges. Despite its many merits, it is still right and proper that we ensure we are getting the best value for Wales from our student funding system. That is why we have commenced an evaluation of the Diamond student funding reforms, and that will publish initial findings in the autumn. I’ll also be asking Medr to begin an overview of the demand, provision and distribution of subject areas in HE in Wales, and to consider what might be required to ensure strategically important subject areas can continue.

Finally, I want us to continue to promote Wales as a place to study, both for our own students and those from abroad, and that is why, today, I can confirm that we will continue to fund the Global Wales programme beyond July for a further transition year. This will continue to support the international recruitment that is so vital.

The Seren Academy has been working closely with Welsh universities for many years, and I will be inviting those universities to consider again which of their courses they think we should be focusing on in the context of this programme. I’m committed to ensuring that there is a strong link between every university in Wales and the Seren Academy.

I’d just like to turn to our other universities in Wales in the context of the courses that Cardiff is proposing to close. Nursing is offered at Bangor, Swansea, the University of South Wales, Wrexham and the Open University. Music is offered by Bangor, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, the Open University and, most significantly, of course, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Ancient history is offered by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, modern foreign languages by Aberystwyth, Bangor, Swansea, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David and the Open University, and religion and theology by Bangor, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David and the OU. It is vital that we focus on the variety of courses across our institutions in Wales.

Llywydd, contrary to the motion, our HE funding system has presided over significant investment and growth in our universities, thanks to a progressive funding system that was once endorsed by representatives of all the major parties in this Chamber. Our universities are now facing financial challenges due to a range of external factors. We’ve already implemented several measures to address these challenges, and will continue to work closely with universities, Medr and the UK Government to ensure the continued success of our university sector. I therefore urge Members to vote against the original motion and support the Government amendment.

Ydw. Rwy'n cydnabod hynny, Sioned, ac rwyf ar fin mynd ymlaen i siarad am hynny, gallaf eich sicrhau.

Felly, fel Llywodraeth, nid ydym yn cilio rhag yr heriau y mae ein prifysgolion yn eu hwynebu nawr, ac rydym wedi cymryd camau priodol a byddwn yn parhau i gymryd camau priodol yn ein meysydd cyfrifoldeb datganoledig. Rydym wedi gwneud y penderfyniad anodd i godi ffioedd dysgu yn y flwyddyn academaidd nesaf. Ynghyd â chynnydd mewn ffioedd yn y flwyddyn academaidd bresennol, rydym yn amcangyfrif y bydd hyn wedi darparu £36 miliwn ychwanegol mewn incwm ffioedd i'r sector. Ar ben hynny, rydym wedi gallu darparu cyllid grant ychwanegol o £10 miliwn yn ystod y flwyddyn i'r sector yn dilyn datganiad yr hydref. Rwy'n sicr fod Medr yn cyflawni ei ddyletswyddau'n ddiwyd fel rheoleiddiwr y sector ac yn darparu her briodol ac adeiladol o ran goruchwylio a monitro i sefydliadau ar gyflwr eu cyllid. Mae Addysg a Gwella Iechyd Cymru yn gweithio'n agos gyda Llywodraeth Cymru, byrddau iechyd a darparwyr addysg uwch eraill sy'n darparu addysg nyrsio i ddiogelu hyfforddiant parhaus nyrsys yn ardal Caerdydd, ac rydym yn hyderus, drwy'r opsiynau sy'n cael eu harchwilio, y byddwn yn cynnal yr un nifer o leoedd nyrsio yn gyffredinol yn y rhanbarth. 

Wrth edrych ymlaen, mae mwy y gallwn ac y byddwn yn ei wneud i sicrhau dyfodol cynaliadwy a llwyddiannus i addysg uwch yng Nghymru, un sy'n parhau cyfraniadau sylweddol ein prifysgolion i ddiwylliant, gwasanaethau cyhoeddus ac economïau lleol a chenedlaethol. Fel y dywedais eisoes, mae hwn yn uchelgais yr ydym yn ei rannu â Llywodraeth y DU. Dyna pam y cyfarfu Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Addysg a minnau â Gweinidog sgiliau'r DU ddydd Llun i drafod sut y gall Llywodraethau Cymru a'r DU gydweithio ar ddiwygio addysg uwch.

Ond rydym hefyd yn cymryd y camau angenrheidiol yng Nghymru i fynd i'r afael â'r heriau presennol. Er gwaethaf ei rhinweddau niferus, mae'n dal yn iawn ac yn briodol ein bod yn sicrhau ein bod yn cael y gwerth gorau i Gymru o'n system ariannu myfyrwyr. Dyna pam ein bod wedi dechrau gwerthusiad o ddiwygiadau Diamond i gyllid myfyrwyr a bydd yn cyhoeddi canfyddiadau cychwynnol yn yr hydref. Byddaf hefyd yn gofyn i Medr ddechrau trosolwg o'r galw, y ddarpariaeth a dosbarthiad meysydd pwnc mewn addysg uwch yng Nghymru, ac i ystyried yr hyn y gallai fod ei angen i sicrhau y gall meysydd pwnc strategol bwysig barhau.

Yn olaf, rwyf am inni barhau i hyrwyddo Cymru fel lle i astudio, ar gyfer ein myfyrwyr ein hunain a'r rhai o dramor, a dyna pam y gallaf gadarnhau heddiw y byddwn yn parhau i ariannu rhaglen Cymru Fyd-eang y tu hwnt i fis Gorffennaf am flwyddyn bontio arall. Bydd hyn yn parhau i gefnogi recriwtio rhyngwladol sydd mor hanfodol.

Mae Academi Seren wedi bod yn gweithio'n agos gyda phrifysgolion Cymru ers blynyddoedd lawer, a byddaf yn gwahodd y prifysgolion hynny i ystyried eto pa rai o'u cyrsiau y credant y dylem fod yn canolbwyntio arnynt yng nghyd-destun y rhaglen hon. Rwyf wedi ymrwymo i sicrhau bod cysylltiad cryf rhwng pob prifysgol yng Nghymru ac Academi Seren.

Hoffwn droi at ein prifysgolion eraill yng Nghymru yng nghyd-destun y cyrsiau y mae Caerdydd yn argymell eu cau. Cynigir nyrsio ym Mangor, Abertawe, Prifysgol De Cymru, Wrecsam a'r Brifysgol Agored. Cynigir cerddoriaeth gan Fangor, Prifysgol Cymru y Drindod Dewi Sant, y Brifysgol Agored, ac yn bwysicaf oll wrth gwrs, Coleg Brenhinol Cerdd a Drama Cymru. Cynigir hanes yr hen fyd gan Brifysgol Cymru y Drindod Dewi Sant, ieithoedd tramor modern gan Aberystwyth, Bangor, Abertawe, Prifysgol Cymru y Drindod Dewi Sant a'r Brifysgol Agored, a chrefydd a diwinyddiaeth gan Fangor, Prifysgol Cymru y Drindod Dewi Sant a'r Brifysgol Agored. Mae'n hanfodol ein bod yn canolbwyntio ar yr amrywiaeth o gyrsiau ar draws ein sefydliadau yng Nghymru.

Lywydd, yn groes i'r cynnig, mae ein system ariannu addysg uwch wedi gweld buddsoddiad a thwf sylweddol yn ein prifysgolion, diolch i system ariannu flaengar a gafodd ei chymeradwyo ar un adeg gan gynrychiolwyr yr holl brif bleidiau yn y Siambr hon. Mae ein prifysgolion bellach yn wynebu heriau ariannol oherwydd amrywiaeth o ffactorau allanol. Rydym eisoes wedi gweithredu sawl mesur i fynd i'r afael â'r heriau hyn, a byddwn yn parhau i weithio'n agos gyda phrifysgolion, Medr a Llywodraeth y DU i sicrhau llwyddiant parhaus ein sector prifysgolion. Felly, rwy'n annog yr Aelodau i bleidleisio yn erbyn y cynnig gwreiddiol a chefnogi gwelliant y Llywodraeth.

18:35

Cefin Campbell nawr i ymateb i'r ddadl.

Cefin Campbell now to reply to the debate.

Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd, a diolch o galon i bawb am eu cyfraniadau yma. Mae hon wedi bod yn ddadl bwysig iawn ac yn un yn sicr sydd yn ddylanwadol o ran mesur tymheredd y Siambr o ran ein cefnogaeth ni i’r sector.

Thank you very much, Llywydd, and thank you to everyone for their contributions. This has been a very important debate and one certainly that is influential in terms of measuring the temperature in the Senedd with regard to our support for the sector.

I’m grateful for the contributions; I can’t, obviously, with the time I have, respond to all of them. But I just would like to pick up on a few points that have been made. I think we need an honest debate and a conversation about the future of our universities in Wales. We need an honest debate about a funding model that is totally unsustainable at the moment. Lee Waters asked a very important question about where do our universities go in future, what is their role and whether universities should be collaborating more together. Those are genuinely grown-up discussions that we should be having in this place, but because of time restrictions—. And by the way, Llywydd, I should have declared an interest right at the beginning; my daughter's a third-year student in Cardiff University, so I'll just put that on the record. But I'd like to maybe home in on some of the responses we've heard from the Minister, and I genuinely refer to her not at a personal level, but as the spokesperson throughout this unfortunate time for universities, the spokesperson for the Government, and that's the context that I'm presenting my final comments in.

What I have found, and my colleagues here in particular have seen, is that the reality of the Welsh Government's case has not been matched much in their rhetoric, and let me explain. Firstly, a claim has been made today that this year the sector has received a total of £200 million from Welsh Government. Yes, but, when spread across eight institutions, that barely touches the sides in terms of the deficit they currently have and will have in future. So we need to invest because it is a time of crisis. [Interruption.] We understand it's across the UK, but I'm concerned about our universities now. They need an investment to get them out of the hole that they're in now, so that we can plan for the future.

Then the claim that we have given them an extra £10 million from the autumn statement. This, in essence, is merely a reversal of the initial £11 million cut that you made to the sector's budget at the start of the 2024-25 financial year, so no gain there. Thirdly, the claim made on Politics Wales on Sunday that the Government, and I quote, are prioritising the education budget instead. I'm not quite sure what that means, because what do you think as a Government the ‘E’ stands for in HE? If education is being prioritised, why stop at age 18? Should Government not be prioritising education as a whole, including HE?

And then the claim that universities are autonomous institutions who only receive 10 per cent of their funding from Welsh Government. This is a misreading of the Higher Education Statistics Agency data. According to the latest figures, around 50 per cent of the university's income derives from tuition fees. Now, does the Minister not consider this vast amount from the Student Loan Company, itself funded by the Government, as public funds? Could those funds not be used—

Rwy'n ddiolchgar am y cyfraniadau; ni allaf ymateb i bob un ohonynt, yn amlwg, gyda'r amser sydd gennyf. Ond hoffwn nodi ychydig o bwyntiau sydd wedi'u gwneud. Rwy'n credu bod angen trafodaeth onest a sgwrs am ddyfodol ein prifysgolion yng Nghymru. Mae angen trafodaeth onest am fodel ariannu sy'n gwbl anghynaladwy ar hyn o bryd. Gofynnodd Lee Waters gwestiwn pwysig iawn ynglŷn â ble mae ein prifysgolion yn mynd yn y dyfodol, beth yw eu rôl ac a ddylai prifysgolion gydweithio mwy gyda'i gilydd. Mae'r rheini'n drafodaethau gwirioneddol aeddfed y dylem eu cael yn y lle hwn, ond oherwydd cyfyngiadau amser—. A chyda llaw, Lywydd, dylwn fod wedi datgan buddiant ar y dechrau un; mae fy merch yn fyfyrwraig yn y drydedd flwyddyn ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd, felly rwyf am gofnodi hynny. Ond hoffwn ganolbwyntio ar rai o'r ymatebion a glywsom gan y Gweinidog, ac rwy'n cyfeirio ati nid ar lefel bersonol, ond fel y llefarydd drwy gydol y cyfnod anffodus hwn i brifysgolion, llefarydd y Llywodraeth, a dyna'r cyd-destun y cyflwynaf fy sylwadau terfynol ynddo.

Yr hyn a welais, a'r hyn a welodd fy nghyd-Aelodau yma yn enwedig, yw nad yw realiti dadl Llywodraeth Cymru yn cyd-fynd â'u rhethreg, a gadewch imi esbonio. Yn gyntaf, mae honiad wedi'i wneud heddiw fod y sector eleni wedi derbyn cyfanswm o £200 miliwn gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Do, ond pan gaiff ei rannu ar draws wyth sefydliad, prin fod hynny'n cyffwrdd â'r ochrau o ran y diffyg sydd ganddynt ar hyn o bryd ac a fydd ganddynt yn y dyfodol. Felly mae angen inni fuddsoddi oherwydd ei bod yn adeg o argyfwng. [Torri ar draws.] Rydym yn deall ei fod ar draws y DU, ond rwy'n poeni am ein prifysgolion nawr. Mae angen buddsoddiad arnynt i'w cael allan o'r twll y maent ynddo nawr, fel y gallwn gynllunio ar gyfer y dyfodol.

Wedyn, yr honiad ein bod wedi rhoi £10 miliwn ychwanegol iddynt yn sgil datganiad yr hydref. Nid yw hwn, yn ei hanfod, ond yn gwrthdroi'r toriad cychwynnol o £11 miliwn a wnaethoch i gyllideb y sector ar ddechrau blwyddyn ariannol 2024-25, felly dim elw yno. Yn drydydd, yr honiad a wnaed ar Politics Wales ddydd Sul fod y Llywodraeth, ac rwy'n dyfynnu, yn blaenoriaethu'r gyllideb addysg yn lle hynny. Nid wyf yn hollol siŵr beth y mae hynny'n ei olygu, oherwydd beth ydych chi fel Llywodraeth yn ei feddwl yw'r 'A' yn AU? Os yw addysg yn cael blaenoriaeth, pam dod i stop yn 18 oed? Oni ddylai'r Llywodraeth flaenoriaethu addysg yn ei chyfanrwydd, gan gynnwys addysg uwch?

Ac yna'r honiad fod prifysgolion yn sefydliadau ymreolaethol sydd ond yn derbyn 10 y cant o'u cyllid gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Dyma gamddarlleniad o ddata'r Asiantaeth Ystadegau Addysg Uwch. Yn ôl y ffigurau diweddaraf, mae tua 50 y cant o incwm y brifysgol yn deillio o ffioedd dysgu. Nawr, onid yw'r Gweinidog yn ystyried mai arian cyhoeddus yw'r swm enfawr hwn gan y Cwmni Benthyciadau Myfyrwyr, sydd ei hun yn cael ei gyllido gan y Llywodraeth ei hun? Oni ellid defnyddio'r cronfeydd hynny—

18:40

I've been very generous with your time, Cefin Campbell. 

Rwyf wedi bod yn hael iawn gyda'ch amser, Cefin Campbell. 

Right, okay. Thank you, Llywydd.

Iawn, o'r gorau. Diolch, Lywydd.

You'll need to come to a conclusion.

Bydd angen i chi ddod i ben.

I'll finish by saying this. So, the £22 million extra has been wiped out by national insurance contributions.

Llywydd, I’ll finish by saying this. Education is in our DNA as a country. Wales has a proud record of learning, as a learning nation, and, whilst universities may rethink their plans, we must support jobs moving forward, and the students, of course. We can't let the promise of those who contributed—the colliers, the farm labourers and the slate quarry miners—be taken away from future generations. That is what's at stake here, and I urge the Welsh Government to listen. Doing nothing is not an option. To respect our past—

Rwyf am orffen drwy ddweud hyn. Felly, mae'r £22 miliwn ychwanegol wedi cael ei ddileu gan gyfraniadau yswiriant gwladol.

Lywydd, fe wnaf orffen trwy ddweud hyn. Mae addysg yn ein DNA fel gwlad. Mae gan Gymru hanes balch o ddysgu, fel cenedl sy'n dysgu, ac er y gall prifysgolion ailfeddwl eu cynlluniau, rhaid i ni gefnogi swyddi wrth symud ymlaen, a'r myfyrwyr, wrth gwrs. Ni allwn adael i genedlaethau'r dyfodol gael eu hamddifadu o addewid y rhai a gyfrannodd—y glowyr, y gweithwyr fferm a'r chwarelwyr. Dyna sydd yn y fantol yma, ac rwy'n annog Llywodraeth Cymru i wrando. Nid yw gwneud dim yn opsiwn. Er mwyn parchu ein gorffennol—

I've been even more generous.

Rwyf wedi bod hyd yn oed yn fwy hael.

—and preserve our future, I urge all Members to vote for the motion. Thank you.

—a gwarchod ein dyfodol, rwy'n annog pob Aelod i bleidleisio dros y cynnig. Diolch.

Okay, we'll come to that, then. 

Iawn, fe ddown at hynny felly. 

Y cwestiwn yw: a ddylid derbyn y cynnig heb ei ddiwygio? A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? [Gwrthwynebiad.] Oes, mae yna wrthwynebiad. Felly, fe wnawn ni ohirio'r bleidlais tan y cyfnod pleidleisio.

The proposal is to agree the motion without amendment. Does any Member object? [Objection.] There are objections. We will therefore defer voting until voting time.

Gohiriwyd y pleidleisio tan y cyfnod pleidleisio.

Voting deferred until voting time.

10. Cyfnod Pleidleisio
10. Voting Time

Rŷn ni'n cyrraedd y cyfnod pleidleisio, ac oni bai fod tri Aelod yn dymuno i fi ganu'r gloch fe wnawn ni symud i'r bleidlais gyntaf. Ac mae'r bleidlais gyntaf prynhawn yma ar eitem 6. Y bleidlais honno yw'r bleidlais ar ddadl ar adroddiad y Pwyllgor Safonau Ymddygiad, 'Y Pedwerydd Adroddiad ar Bymtheg i'r Chweched Senedd o dan Reol Sefydlog 22.9'. Dwi'n galw am bleidlais ar y cynnig yn enw Hannah Blythyn. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid 54, un yn ymatal, neb yn erbyn, ac felly mae'r cynnig yna wedi ei dderbyn.

That brings us to voting time, and unless three Members wish for the bell to be rung we will proceed to our first vote. And the first vote this afternoon is on item 6. That is the Standards of Conduct Committee report, the 'Nineteenth Report to the Sixth Senedd under Standing Order 22.9'. I call for a vote on the motion tabled in the name of Hannah Blythyn. Open the vote. Close the vote. In favour 54, one abstention, none against, and therefore the motion is agreed.

18:45

Eitem 6. Dadl ar Adroddiad y Pwyllgor Safonau Ymddygiad - Pedwerydd adroddiad ar bymtheg i’r Chweched Senedd o dan Reol Sefydlog 22.9: O blaid: 54, Yn erbyn: 0, Ymatal: 1

Derbyniwyd y cynnig

Item 6. Debate on the Standards of Conduct Committee report - Nineteenth report to the Sixth Senedd under Standing Order 22.9: For: 54, Against: 0, Abstain: 1

Motion has been agreed

Y bleidlais ar eitem 7 sydd nesaf. Y ddadl ar gynnig deddfwriaethol gan Sioned Williams yw hon, ar y Bil ar gefnogaeth i ofalwyr di-dâl. Dwi'n galw am bleidlais felly ar y cynnig a gyflwynwyd yn enw Sioned Williams. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid 31, 22 yn ymatal, dau yn erbyn, ac felly mae'r cynnig yna yn cael ei gymeradwyo.  

The next vote is on item 7. This is the debate on a Member's legislative proposal from Sioned Williams, a Bill on support for unpaid carers. I call for a vote on the motion tabled in the name of Sioned Williams. Open the vote. Close the vote. In favour 31, 22 abstentions, two against, and therefore the motion is agreed.

Eitem 7. Dadl ar Gynnig Deddfwriaethol gan Aelod - Bil ar gefnogaeth i ofalwyr di-dâl: O blaid: 31, Yn erbyn: 2, Ymatal: 22

Derbyniwyd y cynnig

Item 7. Debate on a Member's Legislative Proposal - A Bill on support for unpaid carers: For: 31, Against: 2, Abstain: 22

Motion has been agreed

Y pleidleisiau ar eitem 9 sydd nesaf ar ddadl Plaid Cymru ar addysg uwch. Mae'r bleidlais gyntaf ar y cynnig heb ei ddiwygio. Agor y bleidlais felly ar y cynnig yn enw Heledd Fychan. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid 12, neb yn ymatal, 43 yn erbyn. Mae'r cynnig yn cael ei wrthod. 

We now move to item 9, the Plaid Cymru debate on higher education. The first vote is on the motion without amendment. Open the vote on the motion in the name of Heledd Fychan. Open the vote. Close the vote. In favour 12, no abstentions, 43 against. The motion is therefore not agreed. 

Eitem 9. Dadl Plaid Cymru - Addysg uwch. Cynnig heb ei ddiwygio: O blaid: 12, Yn erbyn: 43, Ymatal: 0

Gwrthodwyd y cynnig

Item 9. Plaid Cymru Debate - Higher education. Motion without amendment: For: 12, Against: 43, Abstain: 0

Motion has been rejected

Mae'r bleidlais nesaf ar welliant 1, ac os derbynnir gwelliant 1, bydd gwelliant 2 yn cael ei ddad-ddethol. Agor y bleidlais ar welliant 1 yn enw Jane Hutt. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid 29, neb yn ymatal, 26 yn erbyn. Mae gwelliant 1 yn cael ei gymeradwyo ac mae gwelliant 2 felly yn cwympo. 

The next vote is on amendment 1, and if amendment 1 is agreed, amendment 2 will be deselected. Open the vote on amendment 1, tabled in the name of Jane Hutt. Close the vote. In favour 29, no abstentions, 26 against. Therefore, amendment 1 is agreed and amendment 2 is deselected.  

Eitem 9. Dadl Plaid Cymru - Addysg uwch. Gwelliant 1, cyflwynwyd yn enw Jane Hutt: O blaid: 29, Yn erbyn: 26, Ymatal: 0

Derbyniwyd y gwelliant

Item 9. Plaid Cymru Debate - Higher education. Amendment 1, tabled in the name of Jane Hutt: For: 29, Against: 26, Abstain: 0

Amendment has been agreed

Cafodd gwelliant 2 ei ddad-ddethol.

Amendment 2 deselected.

Ac mae'r bleidlais olaf ar y cynnig wedi ei ddiwygio.

And the final vote is on the motion as amended.

Cynnig NDM8818 fel y'i diwygiwyd: 

Cynnig bod y Senedd:

1. Yn nodi bod Prifysgol Caerdydd wedi lansio ymgynghoriad ffurfiol 90 diwrnod sy'n cynnwys cynigion i dorri tua 400 o swyddi academaidd.

2. Yn cydnabod:

a) rôl hanfodol prifysgolion fel sefydliadau angori yn ein cymunedau a'n heconomi;

b) effaith sylfaenol ystod o ffactorau ar brifysgolion ledled y DU, gan gynnwys Brexit, newidiadau i ofynion fisa, a chyfraddau llog a chwyddiant uwch; ac

c) cyllid ychwanegol yn ystod y flwyddyn i brifysgolion yng Nghymru sy'n mynd â chyfanswm y cyllid grant i dros £200 miliwn yn 2024-25, a'r incwm ychwanegol a gynhyrchir drwy godi'r cap ar ffioedd dysgu.

3. Yn galw ar Brifysgol Caerdydd i:

a) sicrhau bod egwyddorion partneriaeth gymdeithasol yn ganolog i'r broses ymgynghori, fel bod lleisiau undebau llafur, staff a myfyrwyr yn cael eu clywed; a

b) cefnogi staff a myfyrwyr y mae'r cynigion yn effeithio arnynt, gan gynnwys galluogi'r holl fyfyrwyr cofrestredig i gwblhau eu cyrsiau.

4. Yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i:

a) gweithio gyda Llywodraeth y DU i nodi atebion cynaliadwy ar gyfer dyfodol addysg uwch;

b) gweithio gyda phrifysgolion Cymru i archwilio cyfleoedd ar gyfer cydweithredu ar ddarpariaeth allweddol; ac

c) gweithio gydag Addysg a Gwella Iechyd Cymru i sicrhau nad yw unrhyw benderfyniadau a wneir gan Brifysgol Caerdydd yn effeithio ar nifer y nyrsys a hyfforddir yng Nghymru.

Motion NDM8818 as amended: 

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes that Cardiff University has launched a 90-day formal consultation which includes proposals to cut around 400 academic posts.

2. Recognises:

a) the vital role of universities as anchor institutions in our communities and our economy;

b) the fundamental impact of a range of factors on universities across the UK, including Brexit, changes to visa requirements, higher interest rates and inflation; and

c) the additional in-year funding to universities in Wales which takes total grant funding to over £200 million in 2024-25, and the additional income generated by raising the tuition fee cap.

3. Calls on Cardiff University to:

a) ensure the principles of social partnership are central to the consultation process, so that the voices of trade unions, staff and students are heard; and

b) fully support staff and students affected by the proposals, including enabling all enrolled students to complete their courses.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) work with the UK Government to identify sustainable solutions for the future of higher education;

b) work with Welsh universities to explore opportunities for collaboration on key provision; and

c) work with Health Education and Improvement Wales to ensure any decisions taken by Cardiff University do not impact on the number of nurses trained in Wales.

Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid 29, 14 yn ymatal, 12 yn erbyn. Mae'r cynnig wedi ei gymeradwyo.

Open the vote. Close the vote. In favour 29, 14 abstentions, 12 against. Therefore, the motion is agreed. 

Eitem 9. Dadl Plaid Cymru - Addysg uwch. Cynnig wedi'i ddiwygio: O blaid: 29, Yn erbyn: 12, Ymatal: 14

Derbyniwyd y cynnig fel y'i diwygiwyd

Item 9. Plaid Cymru Debate - Higher education. Motion as amended: For: 29, Against: 12, Abstain: 14

Motion as amended has been agreed

Dyna ni. Dyna ddiwedd ar y pleidleisio.

That concludes voting for this evening. 

11. Dadl Fer: Technolegau hedfan y dyfodol: Sut allwn fanteisio i’r eithaf ar gyfleoedd am dwf tra hefyd yn sicrhau cefnogaeth y cyhoedd?
11. Short Debate: Future flight technologies: How do we maximise growth opportunities whilst ensuring public support?

Ac mae'r ddadl fer nesaf. Mae'r ddadl fer y prynhawn yma gan Hefin David, ac fe gaiff Hefin David gychwyn pan fydd yr Aelodau wedi tawelu. 

And we will now move to the short debate. And this evening's short debate is to be presented by Hefin David, and Hefin David may start when Members have given us some quiet. 

I'd like to say thank you to everybody who said, 'Sorry for leaving.'

My eyes were opened to this subject, future flight technologies, when on 11 September I stepped in for Ken Skates to chair a future flight technology Senedd Cymru round-table. I was half expecting Ken to be responding today, but Rebecca has drawn the long straw. This round-table kicked off a series of events across the UK and was hosted in partnership with the future flight social science research programme at the University of Birmingham, and I genuinely did go along thinking they're going to start talking about flying cars, Back to the Future style, but it was nothing like that.

Professor Fern Elsdon-Baker who directs the programme—without whose assistance, by the way, this short debate wouldn't make any sense whatsoever—told us about the three potentially transformative flight technologies. That's non-passenger-carrying drones—I hope, Cabinet Secretary, you're going to say, 'I know all about these, I knew this all along'; electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles, which henceforth are referred to as eVTOLs—I hope that's right; and electric-hydrogen regional air mobility, which is known as RAM. 

The Department for Transport's 2024 'UK Future of Flight Action Plan' identified numerous use cases for these kinds of future flight technologies, and they were particularly economic benefit, regional mobility and postal and medical services. So, we were really keen to explore—. There was also agriculture use as well. We were really keen to explore, 'Well, if you applied this to Wales, what is it going to look like?' Well, here are some Wales examples and perhaps some examples from elsewhere in the UK as well.

Wales is one of the main areas in the UK in which future flight technologies are being designed and adopted, including six projects receiving UKRI future flight funding. So, it's perhaps just as well the Minister for Further and Higher Education is here to hear that. Several of these are supported by the Welsh Government. Wales is therefore leading the way on the development of policy around flight technologies, and the purpose of this debate today is to explore what we can build on and what we're already doing, what more we can do, and how the Welsh Government can be supportive. I'm hoping to attend a round-table in Westminster later this year—perhaps in the spring—where I can present to the round-table exactly what the Welsh Government is doing.

Hoffwn ddiolch i bawb a ddywedodd, 'Mae'n ddrwg gennyf am adael.'

Agorwyd fy llygaid i'r pwnc hwn, technolegau hedfan y dyfodol, pan gymerais le Ken Skates ar 11 Medi fel cadeirydd bord gron Senedd Cymru ar dechnoleg hedfan y dyfodol. Roeddwn yn hanner disgwyl i Ken fod yn ymateb heddiw, ond Rebecca sydd wedi tynnu'r gwelltyn hir. Y drafodaeth ford gron hon oedd y digwyddiad cyntaf mewn cyfres o ddigwyddiadau ledled y DU ac fe'i cynhaliwyd mewn partneriaeth â rhaglen ymchwil y gwyddorau cymdeithasol ar hedfan yn y dyfodol ym Mhrifysgol Birmingham, ac euthum yno'n meddwl o ddifrif y byddent yn dechrau siarad am geir hedfan, fel Back to the Future, ond nid oedd yn ddim byd felly.

Soniodd yr Athro Fern Elsdon-Baker sy'n cyfarwyddo'r rhaglen—heb ei chymorth hi, gyda llaw, ni fyddai'r ddadl fer hon yn gwneud unrhyw synnwyr o gwbl—am y tair technoleg hedfan a allai fod yn drawsnewidiol, sef dronau nad ydynt yn cludo teithwyr—rwy'n gobeithio, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, eich bod chi'n mynd i ddweud, 'Rwy'n gwybod popeth am y rhain, roeddwn i'n gwybod hyn yn barod'; cerbydau trydan sy'n codi a glanio'n fertigol, y cyfeirir atynt o hyn ymlaen fel cerbydau eVTOL—gobeithio bod hynny'n gywir; a symudedd aer rhanbarthol trydan-hydrogen, a elwir yn RAM. 

Nododd y cynllun gweithredu ar ddyfodol hedfan yn y DU gan yr Adran Drafnidiaeth yn 2024 nifer o resymau dros ddefnyddio'r mathau hyn o dechnolegau hedfan yn y dyfodol, ac yn fwyaf arbennig, roeddent yn cynnwys budd economaidd, symudedd rhanbarthol a gwasanaethau post a meddygol. Felly, roeddem yn awyddus iawn i archwilio—. Roedd defnydd amaethyddol yn un hefyd. Roeddem yn awyddus iawn i archwilio, 'Wel, os byddech yn cymhwyso hyn i Gymru, sut olwg fyddai arno?' Wel, dyma rai enghreifftiau Cymreig a rhai enghreifftiau o lefydd eraill yn y DU hefyd.

Cymru yw un o'r prif ardaloedd yn y DU lle mae technolegau hedfan y dyfodol yn cael eu cynllunio a'u mabwysiadu, gan gynnwys chwe phrosiect sy'n derbyn cyllid hedfan y dyfodol gan UKRI. Felly, efallai ei bod hi lawn cystal fod y Gweinidog Addysg Bellach ac Uwch yma i glywed hynny. Mae nifer o'r rhain yn cael eu cefnogi gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Mae Cymru felly'n arwain y ffordd ar ddatblygu polisi ar dechnolegau hedfan, a diben y ddadl hon heddiw yw archwilio'r hyn y gallwn adeiladu arno a beth a wnawn eisoes, beth arall y gallwn ei wneud, a sut y gall Llywodraeth Cymru fod yn gefnogol. Rwy'n gobeithio mynychu bord gron yn San Steffan yn ddiweddarach eleni—yn y gwanwyn efallai—lle gallaf gyflwyno i'r ford gron beth yn union y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud.

18:50

Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd i’r Gadair.

The Deputy Presiding Officer took the Chair.

To give you an example, the Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust are leading the Welsh health drone innovation partnership and working with Snowdonia Aerospace and drone developer SLiNK-TECH, to develop plans for a trans-Wales medical drone delivery network. So, you're actually transporting blood—you could even, one day, be transporting organs—without needing to be on the road, to district general hospitals in Betsi Cadwaladr, Hywel Dda, and Powys local health boards. This is a very real solution. In the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, the sustainable aviation test environment project has been testing the use of drones for NHS activities as well. And the drone company Windracers has been trialling delivering Royal Mail postal services to the Orkney Islands.

We also discussed possible use of this kind of technology for Transport for Wales. So, therefore, you could use that drone technology for rail maintenance without having to introduce bus replacement services, which would be a really interesting opportunity. To the damage caused by recent storms and floods, we could also have exactly the same approach, with drones being used to repair National Grid powerlines, freeing up skilled line workers to focus on specialist skills rather than, for example, the collection of data. And recent concerns about sewage in our estuarine and coastal waters and its impacts on tourism may be a thing of the past, with companies like Makutu and Skyports working with Northumbrian Water to use drones to monitor water quality in hard-to-reach areas, helping water companies to proactively respond to problems and improve worker safety.

Zero-emission vertical take-off and landing vehicles, the eVTOLs, designed to carry up to four passengers, are being built and tested by Bristol-based company, Vertical Aerospace. So, still not quite flying cars, but you can get the idea. Far from being the stuff of sci-fi, these air vehicles are actually working. I invite the Minister to try one. [Laughter.] We'll get one off Temu. This is not an idea that is that far off in the distant future; these vehicles are just around the corner, and, actually, some of the companies that I was talking to were talking as early as 2027 for marketing some of the products that I've referred to here.

Airbus also told me that the next generation of aircraft, in Broughton and Newport, will be produced, powered by green hydrogen. They wanted to make a case for that as part of this process. Hydrogen in aviation provides an opportunity to further the opportunities of bringing hydrogen aircraft to market by 2035. And also, they've mentioned to me CityAirbus, an all-electrical aerial transporter, and part of the Airbus urban mobility project. It's designed to make cities and communities smaller, and first originated from the belief that urban and advanced mobility can be moved into the sky and will provide communities with additional ways to reach their destination. So, Airbus are working on that too.

Public attitudes: this is where the difficulty might lie. Public attitudes to both the ethical concerns of drone technology, which we'll look at in a second, but also the nuisance concerns of drone technology. Electric flight future technologies are undergoing a pivotal moment, where now is the chance to win the argument for them. The UK is currently at the forefront of technological innovation, in part thanks to the UKRI future flight challenge fund. But if we are to take it forward, then we're going to have to take the public with us. There's an increasing awareness of the growing opportunities and potential environmental, social and economic benefits offered by such technologies. However, there are those legitimate public concerns, and the expectations that will need to be engaged with, to ensure that these technologies benefit all our communities.

So, using some of that UKRI funding, the University of Birmingham commissioned YouGov to undertake a social science survey, which has shown that people in Wales, Wales-based, have been broadly supportive of the potential benefits of drones and eVTOLs. The majority of the Welsh public—seven out of 10 people—felt that using drones to deliver medical supplies and blood samples, or for the inspection and maintenance of infrastructure like our power lines, would be beneficial in Welsh communities, in rural or remote communities, in spite of the fact that there may be that additional noise and nuisance associated with them. Again, the same number, seven out of 10, felt that using drones would be beneficial to support UK-based environmental conservation and monitoring. Over half of Welsh people—and this is the interesting one, because it's the first thing people think of when they think of drone technology—felt that using drones to deliver mail, parcels or packages to individual households would be beneficial to communities in rural, remote or isolated areas.

When it came to the use of the eVTOLs, over half of people said using them to transport people between cities and towns that are not currently well served by public transport services would be beneficial, as that technology develops. Obviously, there were concerns, naturally, about a new technology and safety concerns. Meanwhile, the majority of respondents, seven out of 10 asked, felt that those methods of transport between towns and villages would be beneficial, and eight in 10 felt that drones and eVTOLs would be beneficial in providing more convenient access to isolated areas in the UK.

The Welsh public did see the drawbacks, and those drawbacks included concerns over cyber security threats, that they can be very easily manipulated; safety, which I've just mentioned; equitable access, because of the cost; and impact on wildlife and animals; privacy; and noise. But 65 per cent of people surveyed felt the potential benefits of using drones outweighed the potential drawbacks, and 50 per cent asked felt the potential benefits of using eVTOLs outweighed the potential drawbacks. So, there is a real opportunity, and I'm hoping, just because I chaired this and heard these arguments, not to become an unquestioning advocate for these technologies, but I certainly think the Welsh Government's got an opportunity to explore now the opportunities that they may provide, particularly in the provision of those public services, such as in the NHS and Transport for Wales, which I've already mentioned. Transport for Wales were actually at the round-table, as was the NHS, and both were very keen to see that technology being developed.

I roi enghraifft i chi, mae Ymddiriedolaeth Brifysgol GIG Gwasanaethau Ambiwlans Cymru yn arwain partneriaeth arloesi dronau iechyd Cymru ac yn gweithio gyda Snowdonia Aerospace a'r datblygwr dronau SLiNK-TECH, i ddatblygu cynlluniau ar gyfer rhwydwaith cyflenwi dronau meddygol ar draws Cymru. Felly, rydych chi'n cludo gwaed—fe allech chi fod yn cludo organau hyd yn oed, rhyw ddydd—heb fod angen bod ar y ffordd, i ysbytai cyffredinol dosbarth ym myrddau iechyd lleol Betsi Cadwaladr, Hywel Dda, a Phowys. Mae hwn yn ateb real iawn. Yn Ucheldiroedd ac Ynysoedd yr Alban, mae'r prosiect amgylchedd cynaliadwy ar gyfer profion hedfan wedi bod yn treialu'r defnydd o dronau ar gyfer gweithgareddau'r GIG hefyd. Ac mae'r cwmni dronau Windracers wedi bod yn treialu darparu gwasanaethau post y Post Brenhinol i Ynysoedd Orkney.

Buom hefyd yn trafod y defnydd posibl o'r math hwn o dechnoleg ar gyfer Trafnidiaeth Cymru. Felly, gallech ddefnyddio'r dechnoleg dronau ar gyfer gwaith cynnal a chadw ar y rheilffyrdd heb orfod cyflwyno gwasanaethau bysiau yn lle trenau, a fyddai'n gyfle diddorol iawn. Gallem ddefnyddio'r un dull ar gyfer difrod a achoswyd gan stormydd a llifogydd diweddar, gyda dronau'n cael eu defnyddio i atgyweirio llinellau pŵer y Grid Cenedlaethol, gan ryddhau gweithwyr llinell medrus i ganolbwyntio ar sgiliau arbenigol yn hytrach na chasglu data er enghraifft. Ac efallai fod pryderon diweddar am garthffosiaeth yn ein dyfroedd aberoedd ac arfordirol a'i effeithiau ar dwristiaeth yn rhywbeth sy'n perthyn i'r gorffennol, gyda chwmnïau fel Makutu a Skyports yn gweithio gyda Northumbrian Water ar y defnydd o ddronau i fonitro ansawdd dŵr mewn ardaloedd anodd eu cyrraedd, gan helpu cwmnïau dŵr i ymateb yn rhagweithiol i broblemau a gwella diogelwch gweithwyr.

Mae cerbydau esgyn a glanio fertigol di-allyriadau, y cerbydau eVTOL, a gynlluniwyd i gario hyd at bedwar teithiwr, yn cael eu hadeiladu a'u treialu gan gwmni o Fryste, Vertical Aerospace. Felly, er nad ydynt yn geir sy'n hedfan yn hollol, maent yn ddigon tebyg. Ymhell o fod yn perthyn i ffuglen wyddonol yn unig, mae'r cerbydau awyr hyn yn gweithio. Rwy'n gwahodd y Gweinidog i roi cynnig ar un. [Chwerthin.] Fe gawn un oddi ar Temu. Nid syniad sy'n bell i ffwrdd yn y dyfodol pell mohono; mae'r cerbydau hyn rownd y gornel, ac mewn gwirionedd, roedd rhai o'r cwmnïau y siaradais â hwy yn dweud y byddai rhai o'r cynhyrchion y cyfeiriais atynt yma ar gael i'w marchnata mor gynnar â 2027.

Dywedodd Airbus wrthyf hefyd y bydd y genhedlaeth nesaf o awyrennau, ym Mrychdyn a Chasnewydd, yn cael eu cynhyrchu, ac yn cael eu pweru gan hydrogen gwyrdd. Roeddent eisiau cyflwyno'r achos dros hynny fel rhan o'r broses hon. Mae hydrogen ym maes hedfan yn rhoi cyfle i ddatblygu cyfleoedd i ddod ag awyrennau hydrogen i'r farchnad erbyn 2035. A hefyd, fe wnaethant sôn wrthyf am CityAirbus, cludwr awyr trydanol, a rhan o brosiect symudedd trefol Airbus. Fe'i cynlluniwyd i wneud dinasoedd a chymunedau'n llai, a deilliodd yn wreiddiol o'r gred y gellir symud symudedd trefol ac uwch i'r awyr a bydd yn darparu ffyrdd ychwanegol i gymunedau gyrraedd eu cyrchfan. Mae Airbus yn gweithio ar hyn hefyd.

Agweddau'r cyhoedd: dyma ble gallai'r anhawster fod. Agweddau'r cyhoedd at bryderon moesegol ynghylch technoleg dronau, y byddwn yn edrych arnynt mewn eiliad, ond hefyd pryderon ynghylch niwsans technoleg dronau. Mae technolegau hedfan trydan y dyfodol yn mynd trwy gyfnod tyngedfennol, a nawr yw'r cyfle i ennill y ddadl drostynt. Ar hyn o bryd mae'r DU ar flaen y gad o ran arloesedd technolegol, diolch yn rhannol i gronfa her hedfan y dyfodol UKRI. Ond os ydym am fwrw ymlaen ag ef, bydd rhaid inni ddod â'r cyhoedd gyda ni. Ceir ymwybyddiaeth gynyddol o'r cyfleoedd cynyddol a'r manteision amgylcheddol, cymdeithasol ac economaidd posibl a gynigir gan dechnolegau o'r fath. Fodd bynnag, mae yna bryderon cyhoeddus dilys a disgwyliadau y bydd angen rhoi sylw iddynt, er mwyn sicrhau bod y technolegau hyn o fudd i'n holl gymunedau.

Felly, gan ddefnyddio rhywfaint o'r cyllid gan UKRI, comisiynodd Prifysgol Birmingham YouGov i gynnal arolwg gwyddorau cymdeithasol, sydd wedi dangos bod pobl yng Nghymru, sy'n byw yng Nghymru, wedi bod yn gefnogol ar y cyfan i fuddion posibl dronau a cherbydau eVTOL. Roedd mwyafrif y cyhoedd yng Nghymru—saith o bob 10 o bobl—yn teimlo y byddai defnyddio dronau i ddarparu cyflenwadau meddygol a samplau gwaed, neu ar gyfer arolygu a chynnal seilwaith fel ein llinellau pŵer, o fudd yng nghymunedau Cymru, mewn cymunedau gwledig neu anghysbell, er y gallai fod sŵn a niwsans ychwanegol yn gysylltiedig â hwy. Unwaith eto, roedd yr un nifer, saith o bob 10 o bobl, yn teimlo y byddai defnyddio dronau yn fuddiol i gefnogi cadwraeth a monitro amgylcheddol yn y DU. Roedd dros hanner pobl Cymru—a dyma'r un diddorol, oherwydd dyma'r peth cyntaf y bydd pobl yn meddwl amdano wrth feddwl am dechnoleg dronau—yn teimlo y byddai defnyddio dronau i ddanfon post, parseli neu becynnau i aelwydydd unigol o fudd i gymunedau mewn ardaloedd gwledig, anghysbell neu ynysig.

Ar ddefnyddio cerbydau eVTOL, dywedodd dros hanner y bobl y byddai eu defnyddio i gludo pobl rhwng dinasoedd a threfi nad ydynt yn cael eu gwasanaethu'n dda ar hyn o bryd gan wasanaethau trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn fuddiol, wrth i'r dechnoleg honno ddatblygu. Yn amlwg, roedd yna bryderon, yn naturiol, am dechnoleg newydd a phryderon ynglŷn â diogelwch. Yn y cyfamser, roedd y mwyafrif o'r ymatebwyr, saith o bob 10 o bobl y gofynnwyd iddynt, yn teimlo y byddai'r dulliau teithio hynny rhwng trefi a phentrefi yn fuddiol, ac roedd wyth o bob 10 o bobl yn teimlo y byddai dronau a cherbydau eVTOL o fudd wrth ddarparu mynediad mwy cyfleus at ardaloedd ynysig yn y DU.

Roedd y cyhoedd yng Nghymru yn gweld yr anfanteision, ac roedd yr anfanteision hynny'n cynnwys pryderon ynghylch bygythiadau seiberddiogelwch, y gellid eu camdrin yn hawdd iawn; diogelwch, fel rwyf newydd ei grybwyll; mynediad teg, oherwydd y gost; a'r effaith ar fywyd gwyllt ac anifeiliaid; preifatrwydd; a sŵn. Ond roedd 65 y cant o'r bobl a holwyd yn teimlo bod manteision posibl defnyddio dronau yn gorbwyso'r anfanteision posibl, ac roedd 50 y cant o'r bobl a holwyd yn teimlo bod manteision posibl defnyddio cerbydau eVTOL yn gorbwyso'r anfanteision posibl. Felly, mae yna gyfle go iawn, ac rwy'n gobeithio na fyddaf yn dod yn hyrwyddwr digwestiwn i'r technolegau hyn, am imi gadeirio hyn a chlywed y dadleuon, ond rwy'n sicr yn credu bod cyfle nawr i Lywodraeth Cymru archwilio'r cyfleoedd y gallent eu darparu, yn enwedig y gwasanaethau cyhoeddus hynny, megis yn y GIG a Trafnidiaeth Cymru, a grybwyllais eisoes. Mewn gwirionedd, roedd Trafnidiaeth Cymru yn y cyfarfod bord gron, fel roedd y GIG, ac roedd y ddau'n awyddus iawn i weld y dechnoleg honno'n cael ei datblygu.

18:55

Will you take an intervention?

A wnewch chi dderbyn ymyriad?

No, you can only intervene on the Minister in a short debate. Sorry, Andrew.

Na, dim ond ar y Gweinidog y cewch chi wneud ymyriad mewn dadl fer. Mae'n ddrwg gennyf, Andrew.

There we are. You'll have to wait. You'll have to ask your question to Rebecca Evans. I'm learning as I'm going along, to be honest with you.

In Wales, we provide a unique test bed, given our population size. So, the geography, the terrain, the nature of our environment, we've got a real opportunity to be a market leader with the technology, as it's being developed. And it's not just an opportunity to trial the new and innovative ways of providing better services that I've mentioned in emergency and transport; it's an opportunity to provide better connectivity across those isolated communities that I've mentioned too. And I think that will lead to jobs and business opportunities as well, connecting those isolated communities in a way that, previously, we've been unable to do.

It's also an industrial opportunity, because I think we've got a sector here that we can develop in Wales. I've met companies that are Wales-based that are doing these things. Airbus are keen to see some of these things develop. There's a real opportunity to see how we can create this new market here in Wales. And, of course, maintenance and repair is another area, not just the innovation and the development of the technology; the maintenance and repair will come in as well.

So, I'm going to ask you some questions, Minister. Do you want me to go slowly, so you can write them down as I'm going? What do we want from the Welsh Government? How do we achieve this transition to a fundamental new and innovative net-zero delivery of connectivity, goods and services, in a way that is socially just? How do we deliver this in a way that brings people with us? What we'd really like to see—and this is a genuine ask, a genuine ask, and perhaps you could speak to the Cabinet Secretary for transport alongside this—is the establishment of a dedicated working group, to consider in detail how we can integrate these emerging technologies into the broader economic and transport goals involving wider society. So, we'd really love to see perhaps a Welsh Government advisory group, something set up to enable us to garner that knowledge from the sector.

We think the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales has a role here too. We'd like to see the Welsh Government ensure that all key stakeholders are integrated into devolved decision making, and we think the future generations commissioner's office would be a natural place to be a repository for stakeholder evidence, information, and even perhaps chair the working group. He's coming, actually, to Caerphilly very soon—I'm not sure if it's this Friday—and I'm hoping to have a discussion with Derek Walker then.

And better engagement with Westminster, so I'm off to Westminster. I'm going to go to Westminster on 26 March, I think—providing the Chief Whip gives me a pair—and I'm hoping that I'll meet with the round-table there and report back what you've said today and maybe further discussions we could have later. Because I want to go back and say the Senedd and the Welsh Government are really positive about this, so I'm hoping to go back. So, we're asking you to lobby the UK Government, then, if you agree, to include the devolved Governments in the wider civil society discussion on future flight. The University of Birmingham are absolutely keen; they've met with the metro mayors, they've met with the Scottish Parliament, they're now meeting in Westminster and they're inviting us all back to have that discussion.

It's vital we engage with the communities across Wales and that what we take forward is evidence based and we properly consider the implications, as I've said. So, there are some asks for you there, Cabinet Secretary. So, I'm looking forward—it is 26 March, my notes are telling me now that I'll be going to the House of Commons; it's an event sponsored by Liam Conlon MP—to have that discussion, showcase not only what's happening with the metro mayors and the Scottish Parliament, but also what's happening here. We can be a prime mover in this infrastructure, but if we don't act now, we're going to miss the opportunity. These are exciting technologies; there are companies building on them, there's technology being developed and being put out there. Let's get part of it. Let's get amongst it. Cabinet Secretary, I'd like to hear how you will respond to that and tell us what you've got planned.

Dyna ni. Bydd yn rhaid i chi aros. Bydd angen i chi ofyn eich cwestiwn i Rebecca Evans. Rwy'n dysgu wrth imi fynd ymlaen, i fod yn onest gyda chi.

Yng Nghymru, rydym yn darparu ardal dreialu unigryw, o ystyried maint ein poblogaeth. Felly, y ddaearyddiaeth, y tir, natur ein hamgylchedd, mae gennym gyfle go iawn i fod yn arweinydd y farchnad gyda'r dechnoleg, wrth iddi gael ei datblygu. Ac mae'n fwy na chyfle i dreialu'r ffyrdd newydd ac arloesol o ddarparu gwell gwasanaethau a nodais ym maes trafnidiaeth ac argyfwng; mae'n gyfle i ddarparu gwell cysylltedd ar draws y cymunedau ynysig y soniais amdanynt hefyd. Ac rwy'n credu y bydd hynny'n arwain at swyddi a chyfleoedd busnes yn ogystal, gan gysylltu cymunedau ynysig mewn ffordd nad ydym wedi gallu ei wneud o'r blaen.

Mae hefyd yn gyfle diwydiannol, oherwydd rwy'n credu bod gennym sector yma y gallwn ei ddatblygu yng Nghymru. Rwyf wedi cyfarfod â chwmnïau sydd wedi'u lleoli yng Nghymru sy'n gwneud y pethau hyn. Mae Airbus yn awyddus i weld rhai o'r pethau hyn yn datblygu. Mae cyfle gwirioneddol i weld sut y gallwn greu'r farchnad newydd hon yma yng Nghymru. Ac wrth gwrs, mae cynnal a chadw ac atgyweirio yn faes arall, nid arloesi a datblygu'r dechnoleg yn unig; daw'r gwaith cynnal a chadw i mewn iddo hefyd.

Felly, rwy'n mynd i ofyn cwestiynau i chi, Weinidog. A ydych chi am i mi arafu, fel y gallwch eu hysgrifennu wrth i mi fynd? Beth rydym ei eisiau gan Lywodraeth Cymru? Sut rydym ni'n cyflawni'r newid hwn i ddarpariaeth sero net newydd sylfaenol ac arloesol o gysylltedd, nwyddau a gwasanaethau, mewn ffordd sy'n gymdeithasol gyfiawn? Sut y mae cyflawni hyn mewn ffordd sy'n dod â phobl gyda ni? Yr hyn yr hoffem ei weld mewn gwirionedd—ac mae'n ofyniad go iawn, ac efallai y gallech siarad am hyn gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros drafnidiaeth—yw sefydlu gweithgor pwrpasol, i ystyried yn fanwl sut y gallwn integreiddio'r technolegau hyn sy'n datblygu yn y nodau economaidd a thrafnidiaeth ehangach gan gynnwys y gymdeithas ehangach. Felly, byddem wrth ein bodd yn gweld grŵp cynghori Llywodraeth Cymru efallai, rhywbeth wedi'i sefydlu i'n galluogi i gasglu'r wybodaeth honno gan y sector.

Credwn fod gan Gomisiynydd Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol Cymru rôl yma hefyd. Hoffem weld Llywodraeth Cymru yn sicrhau bod yr holl randdeiliaid allweddol yn cael eu hintegreiddio mewn penderfyniadau datganoledig, ac rydym yn credu y byddai swyddfa comisiynydd cenedlaethau'r dyfodol yn lle naturiol i fod yn storfa ar gyfer tystiolaeth rhanddeiliaid, gwybodaeth, a hyd yn oed ar gyfer cadeirio'r gweithgor o bosib. Mae'n dod i Gaerffili yn fuan iawn—nid wyf yn siŵr ai'r dydd Gwener hwn—ac rwy'n gobeithio cael trafodaeth gyda Derek Walker bryd hynny.

Ac ymgysylltu gwell â San Steffan, felly rwy'n mynd i San Steffan. Rwy'n mynd i San Steffan ar 26 Mawrth, rwy'n meddwl—cyhyd â bod y Prif Chwip yn barod i wrando arnaf—ac rwy'n gobeithio cyfarfod â'r ford gron yno ac adrodd yr hyn a ddywedwch heddiw a thrafodaethau pellach y gallem eu cael yn nes ymlaen efallai. Oherwydd rwyf am fynd yno a dweud bod y Senedd a Llywodraeth Cymru yn gadarnhaol iawn ynglŷn â hyn, felly rwy'n gobeithio mynd yn ôl. Felly, rydym yn gofyn i chi lobïo Llywodraeth y DU, felly, os ydych chi'n cytuno, i gynnwys y Llywodraethau datganoledig yn nhrafodaethau'r gymdeithas sifil ehangach ar hedfan y dyfodol. Mae Prifysgol Birmingham yn awyddus iawn; maent wedi cyfarfod â'r meiri metro, maent wedi cyfarfod â Senedd yr Alban, maent yn cyfarfod yn San Steffan nawr ac maent yn ein gwahodd ni i gyd yn ôl i gael y drafodaeth honno.

Mae'n hanfodol ein bod yn ymgysylltu â'r cymunedau ledled Cymru a bod yr hyn rydym yn bwrw ymlaen ag ef yn seiliedig ar dystiolaeth a'n bod yn ystyried y goblygiadau'n iawn, fel y dywedais. Felly, mae rhai gofynion i chi yno, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Felly, rwy'n edrych ymlaen—yn ôl fy nodiadau, byddaf yn mynd i Dŷ'r Cyffredin ar 26 Mawrth; mae'n ddigwyddiad a noddir gan Liam Conlon AS—i gael y drafodaeth honno, i arddangos nid yn unig yr hyn sy'n digwydd gyda'r meiri metro a Senedd yr Alban, ond hefyd yr hyn sy'n digwydd yma. Gallwn fod yn brif symudwr yn y seilwaith hwn, ond os na fyddwn yn gweithredu nawr, byddwn yn colli'r cyfle. Mae'r rhain yn dechnolegau cyffrous; mae yna gwmnïau'n adeiladu arnynt, mae technoleg yn cael ei datblygu ac yn cael ei rhoi allan yno. Gadewch inni fod yn rhan ohono. Gadewch inni ymwneud ag ef. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, hoffwn glywed sut rydych chi'n ymateb i hynny a beth yw eich cynlluniau chi.

19:00

Galwaf ar yr Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr Economi, Ynni a Chynllunio i ymateb i'r ddadl—Rebecca Evans.

I call on the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning to reply to the debate—Rebecca Evans.

Great. Thank you very much. I was hastily writing a different speech because my original one was all about flying cars, but maybe we'll save that for another short debate. The aviation industry has and will always be driven by technology and by innovation, and as we've heard right now, the sector is really opening up many and varied possibilities for future flight technologies that can transform how we connect with people, how we transport goods and how we deliver services in a sustainable way that delivers socioeconomic benefits. And to engage with these opportunities, we should start by recognising what propositions we already have here in Wales today.

So, in terms of businesses, we have a significant aerospace presence with Airbus and GE Aerospace each having sizeable operations. And other companies with a presence in Wales also include the BAE Systems, British Airways Engineering, Conetic and Babcock. Research assets include Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre Cymru, based at the Airbus Broughton site, and part of the UK Higher Value Manufacturing Catapult, the Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult, and also the TWI's Advanced Engineering and Materials Research Institute. So, we already have, I think, a really good ecosystem to put us at the forefront of this particular agenda.

Other assets include our sites for uncrewed flight off the coast of west Wales. And at Llanbedr in Gwynedd and Aberporth in Ceredigion, we have an area of more than 7,000 square kilometres of segregated airspace of unlimited height over land and sea. And these are specifically designated areas for the testing and certification of civil and defence aircraft and the systems needed to ensure their safe integration into commercial airspace.

Llanbedr's recent focus has been on developing a space test centre, but it does continue to attract the large test-flight programmes for uncrewed aerial vehicles or drones on a project-by-project basis. Aberporth has also been successful in attracting new companies to the business park beside the runway, and a recent example is TEKEVER, who were attracted by Aberporth's ability to provide safe and segregated airspace, enabling the testing and evaluation of drone software and hardware. Between 2023 and 2026, TEKEVER plan to create an additional 200 jobs between its sites in Southampton and Aberporth.

We've also seen success with the UK Research and Innovation's future flight challenge competition, which we've heard about this evening, where a consortium spearheaded by Snowdonia Aerospace, in collaboration with Bristol-based company SLiNK-TECH and the Welsh health drone innovation partnership is embracing drone technology for transporting blood products. And Cardiff Airport was also a partner in the SafeZone project, which was undertaken to improve the safety of and effectiveness of uncrewed aerial vehicles in an urban environment, with flight trials taking place around the airport.

New opportunities around future flight technologies now present the Welsh Government, our universities and our businesses with the opportunity to work together to ensure innovation delivers economic, environmental and social benefits in this emerging sector. We already actively promote our strengths and our capabilities, and the Welsh aerospace sector more generally, at key global events, such as Farnborough and Paris air shows, and I look forward to joining our Welsh Government delegation to Paris this year in July, and I'll be meeting with the companies that are key to the strategic development of the sector in Wales.

Gwych. Diolch yn fawr. Roeddwn yn ysgrifennu araith wahanol ar frys oherwydd roedd fy un wreiddiol yn ymwneud â cheir sy'n hedfan, ond efallai y cawn gadw honno ar gyfer dadl fer arall. Mae'r diwydiant hedfan bob amser wedi, a bydd bob amser yn cael ei yrru gan dechnoleg a chan arloesedd, ac fel y clywsom nawr, mae'r sector yn agor posibiliadau niferus ac amrywiol ar gyfer technolegau hedfan y dyfodol a all drawsnewid y ffordd rydym yn cysylltu â phobl, sut rydym yn cludo nwyddau a sut rydym yn darparu gwasanaethau mewn ffordd gynaliadwy sy'n darparu buddion economaidd-gymdeithasol. Ac i fanteisio ar y cyfleoedd hyn, dylem ddechrau drwy gydnabod pa gynigion sydd gennym yma yng Nghymru heddiw.

Felly, o ran busnesau, mae gennym bresenoldeb awyrofod sylweddol gydag Airbus a GE Aerospace â gweithfeydd sylweddol eu maint. Ac mae cwmnïau eraill sydd â phresenoldeb yng Nghymru hefyd yn cynnwys BAE Systems, British Airways Engineering, Conetic a Babcock. Mae asedau ymchwil yn cynnwys Canolfan Ymchwil Gweithgynhyrchu Uwch Cymru, sydd wedi'i lleoli ar safle Airbus ym Mrychdyn, a rhan o Gatapwlt Gweithgynhyrchu Gwerth Uwch y DU, y Catapwlt Cymwysiadau Lled-ddargludyddion Cyfansawdd, a hefyd Sefydliad Ymchwil Peirianneg a Deunyddiau Uwch TWI. Felly, mae gennym eisoes ecosystem dda iawn i'n rhoi ar y blaen gyda'r agenda benodol hon.

Mae asedau eraill yn cynnwys ein safleoedd ar gyfer hedfan heb griw oddi ar arfordir gorllewin Cymru. Ac yn Llanbedr yng Ngwynedd ac Aberporth yng Ngheredigion, mae gennym ardal o fwy na 7,000 cilomedr sgwâr o ofod awyr neilltuedig o uchder diderfyn dros dir a môr. Ac mae'r rhain yn ardaloedd dynodedig penodol ar gyfer treialu ac ardystio awyrennau sifil ac amddiffyn a'r systemau sydd eu hangen i sicrhau eu bod yn cael eu hintegreiddio'n ddiogel i ofod awyr masnachol.

Mae ffocws diweddar Llanbedr wedi bod ar ddatblygu canolfan dreialu y gofod, ond mae'n parhau i ddenu'r rhaglenni treialon hedfan mawr ar gyfer cerbydau neu dronau awyr heb griw ar sail prosiectau unigol. Mae Aberporth hefyd wedi llwyddo i ddenu cwmnïau newydd i'r parc busnes wrth ymyl y rhedfa, ac enghraifft ddiweddar yw TEKEVER, a ddenwyd gan allu Aberporth i ddarparu gofod awyr diogel a neulltiedig, gan ei gwneud hi'n bosibl treialu a gwerthuso meddalwedd a chaledwedd dronau. Rhwng 2023 a 2026, mae TEKEVER yn bwriadu creu 200 o swyddi ychwanegol rhwng ei safleoedd yn Southampton ac Aberporth.

Rydym hefyd wedi gweld llwyddiant gyda chystadleuaeth her hedfan y dyfodol Ymchwil ac Arloesi y DU, y clywsom amdani heno, lle mae consortiwm dan arweiniad Snowdonia Aerospace, mewn cydweithrediad â chwmni SLiNK-TECH ym Mryste a phartneriaeth arloesi dronau iechyd Cymru yn croesawu technoleg dronau ar gyfer cludo cynhyrchion gwaed. Ac roedd Maes Awyr Caerdydd hefyd yn bartner ym mhrosiect SafeZone, a gynhaliwyd i wella diogelwch ac effeithiolrwydd cerbydau awyr heb griw mewn amgylchedd trefol, gyda threialon hedfan yn digwydd o amgylch y maes awyr.

Mae cyfleoedd newydd yn gysylltiedig â thechnolegau hedfan y dyfodol bellach yn cynnig cyfle i Lywodraeth Cymru, ein prifysgolion a'n busnesau gydweithio i sicrhau bod arloesi'n darparu buddion economaidd, amgylcheddol a chymdeithasol yn y sector hwn sy'n datblygu. Rydym eisoes yn hyrwyddo ein cryfderau a'n galluoedd, a'r sector awyrofod yng Nghymru yn fwy cyffredinol, mewn digwyddiadau byd-eang allweddol, fel sioeau awyr Farnborough a Pharis, ac edrychaf ymlaen at ymuno â'n dirprwyaeth o Lywodraeth Cymru i Baris eleni ym mis Gorffennaf, a byddaf yn cyfarfod â'r cwmnïau sy'n allweddol i ddatblygiad strategol y sector yng Nghymru.

19:05

We'll have to look into that, Hefin, and see what the art of the allowed is on that one. [Laughter.] Of course, Hefin was absolutely right to frame this debate in terms of developing the propositions, whilst also retaining public support, because that's, obviously, really critical. And, of course, the aviation sector generally can arouse some really strong opinions. We've seen that around plans in relation to the expansion of Heathrow, for example, and future flight technologies are certainly going to arouse the same strong opinions. And like artificial intelligence, there is huge potential here to do a lot of good, but also people recognise that there are possibilities for harm.

So, the advantages and the opportunities of future flight technologies are undeniable. Cargo-carrying drones increasing connectivity to remote rural and isolated communities and, as I've said and as Hefin has said, drones carrying medical treatment, as well as solar-powered aircraft and the reduction of fossil fuels are all benefits that we can see in this space. But alongside the benefits, there’ll be huge opportunities to create new green skilled jobs in areas such as manufacturing, drone pilots and airspace management.

However, there is some resistance to unmanned aerial technology, as some people make that link with military platforms, with the use of drones for covert surveillance, reconnaissance and warfare and so on, and Hefin also outlined a range of other concerns that have been raised in this space. Another, I would say, would be developments in sustainable aviation fuel—they can be contentious. The world isn't producing enough to meet the current demands from the industry and there are numerous ways of producing it, including from some specific crops and feed stocks, but, of course, vast areas of farmland, then, would need to be turned over to meet the global demand there. And many people do have views about aircraft powered by electricity and hydrogen. For example, they'll be mindful of the carbon footprint of producing the necessary batteries, including the mining of raw earth materials, minerals, and the carbon footprint of the production of hydrogen.

And Hefin talked about the meeting that he chaired in the Senedd in December where those wider social and economic impacts of the future flight technologies were discussed, and I think, in recognising all of the benefits in that space, it's also important that we do engage with those potential challenges as well. And I know that at the meeting, the Future Flights Social Insight programme at the University of Birmingham reported on their public survey, and we've heard some key findings from that this evening. And as is the case with AI, there was notable public concern over the need for transparent and accountable governance structures for these new technologies, which I think we would all support the need for. Safe ground infrastructure, regulations and control systems will be crucial factors for deliberation in that space, and concerns around safety, cyber security, noise, privacy and environmental impact do need to be understood and they need to be addressed.

So, for future flight technology to be adopted, these technologies must be able to strengthen our sustainability, provide accessibility and affordability, and ensure that the Welsh public is fully aware of the benefits and the opportunities that we're working to realise.

Bydd rhaid inni edrych ar hynny, Hefin, a gweld beth yw celfyddyd yr hyn a ganiateir ar hynny. [Chwerthin.] Wrth gwrs, roedd Hefin yn llygad ei le i fframio'r ddadl hon o gwmpas datblygu'r cynigion, gan gadw cefnogaeth y cyhoedd ar yr un pryd, oherwydd mae hynny, yn amlwg, yn wirioneddol allweddol. Ac wrth gwrs, yn gyffredinol gall y sector hedfan ennyn safbwyntiau cryf iawn. Gwelsom hynny gyda chynlluniau i ehangu Heathrow, er enghraifft, ac mae technolegau hedfan y dyfodol yn sicr yn mynd i ennyn yr un safbwyntiau cryfion. Ac fel deallusrwydd artiffisial, mae potensial enfawr yma i wneud llawer o les, ond hefyd mae pobl yn cydnabod bod perygl o niwed.

Felly, mae manteision a chyfleoedd technolegau hedfan y dyfodol yn ddiymwad. Mae dronau cario cargo yn cynyddu cysylltedd â chymunedau gwledig ac ynysig anghysbell ac fel y dywedais i ac fel y dywedodd Hefin, mae dronau sy'n cludo triniaeth feddygol, yn ogystal ag awyrennau sy'n cael eu pweru gan yr haul a lleihau tanwydd ffosil oll yn fanteision y gallwn eu gweld yn y maes. Ond ochr yn ochr â'r manteision, bydd cyfleoedd enfawr i greu swyddi sgiliau gwyrdd newydd mewn meysydd fel gweithgynhyrchu, peilotiaid dronau a rheoli gofod awyr.

Fodd bynnag, mae rhywfaint o wrthwynebiad i dechnoleg awyr ddi-griw, gan fod rhai pobl yn gwneud y cysylltiad â phlatfformau milwrol, gyda'r defnydd o ddronau ar gyfer cuddwylio, rhagchwilio a rhyfela ac ati, a nododd Hefin amryw o bryderon eraill a godwyd yn y maes. Byddwn i'n dweud mai un arall fyddai datblygiadau mewn tanwydd hedfan cynaliadwy—gallant fod yn ddadleuol. Nid yw'r byd yn cynhyrchu digon i ateb gofynion presennol y diwydiant ac mae nifer o ffyrdd o'i gynhyrchu, gan gynnwys o gnydau penodol a stociau porthiant, ond wrth gwrs, byddai angen trosi ardaloedd helaeth o dir fferm i ateb y galw byd-eang yno. Ac mae gan lawer o bobl farn am awyrennau sy'n cael eu pweru gan drydan a hydrogen. Er enghraifft, byddant yn ymwybodol o ôl troed carbon cynhyrchu'r batris angenrheidiol, gan gynnwys mwyngloddio deunyddiau crai o'r ddaear, mwynau ac ôl troed carbon cynhyrchu hydrogen.

A siaradodd Hefin am y cyfarfod a gadeiriodd yn y Senedd ym mis Rhagfyr lle trafodwyd effeithiau cymdeithasol ac economaidd ehangach technolegau hedfan y dyfodol, ac wrth gydnabod yr holl fanteision, rwy'n credu ei bod hefyd yn bwysig ein bod yn rhoi sylw i'r heriau posib. Ac rwy'n gwybod, yn y cyfarfod, fod rhaglen Future Flights Social Insight ym Mhrifysgol Birmingham wedi adrodd ar eu harolwg cyhoeddus, a chlywsom rai o'i ganfyddiadau allweddol heno. Ac fel sy'n wir am ddeallusrwydd artiffisial, roedd pryder cyhoeddus clir ynghylch yr angen am strwythurau llywodraethu tryloyw ac atebol ar gyfer y technolegau newydd hyn, y credaf y byddem i gyd yn cefnogi'r angen amdanynt. Bydd seilwaith diogel ar y ddaear, rheoliadau a systemau rheoli'n ffactorau hanfodol ar gyfer trafod y pethau hyn, ac mae angen deall pryderon ynghylch diogelwch, seiberddiogelwch, sŵn, preifatrwydd ac effaith amgylcheddol a rhoi sylw iddynt.

Felly, er mwyn mabwysiadu technoleg hedfan y dyfodol, rhaid i'r technolegau hyn allu cryfhau ein cynaliadwyedd, darparu hygyrchedd a fforddiadwyedd, a sicrhau bod y cyhoedd yng Nghymru yn gwbl ymwybodol o'r manteision a'r cyfleoedd yr ydym yn gweithio i'w gwireddu.

Thank you both. And for your information, I am supporting an event in the Farchnad in two weeks on sustainable aviation fuel, so pop along.

Diolch i'r ddau ohonoch. Ac er gwybodaeth, rwy'n cefnogi digwyddiad yn y Farchnad ymhen pythefnos ar danwydd hedfan cynaliadwy, felly galwch draw.

 Daw hynny â thrafodion heddiw i ben.

That brings today's proceedings to a close.

19:10

Daeth y cyfarfod i ben am 19:10.

The meeting ended at 19:10.