Y Cyfarfod Llawn - Y Bumed Senedd
Plenary - Fifth Senedd
22/11/2016Cynnwys
Contents
Cyfarfu’r Cynulliad am 13:30 gyda’r Llywydd (Elin Jones) yn y Gadair.
The Assembly met at 13:30 with the Llywydd (Elin Jones) in the Chair.
Trefn. Galw’r Cynulliad Cenedlaethol i drefn.
Order. I call the National Assembly to order.
Mae [R] yn dynodi bod yr Aelod wedi datgan buddiant. Mae [W] yn dynodi bod y cwestiwn wedi’i gyflwyno yn Gymraeg.
[R] signifies the Member has declared an interest. [W] signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.
Yr eitem gyntaf ar ein hagenda ni y prynhawn yma yw cwestiynau i’r Prif Weinidog, a’r cwestiwn cyntaf, Leanne Wood.
The first item on our agenda this afternoon is questions to the First Minister, and the first question, Leanne Wood.
Allforion Tramor
Overseas Exports
1. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am werth allforion tramor i economi Cymru? OAQ(5)0280(FM)
1. Will the First Minister make a statement about the value of overseas exports to the Welsh economy? OAQ(5)0280(FM)

Increasing the value of exports and the number of exporters in Wales have both been central pillars of our economic strategy for some time. We know that trade is a key driver of economic growth, which, in turn, boosts incomes.
Mae cynyddu gwerth allforion a nifer yr allforwyr yng Nghymru wedi bod yn golofnau canolog o’n strategaeth economaidd ers cryn amser. Rydym yn gwybod bod masnach yn sbardun allweddol o dwf economaidd, sydd, yn ei dro, yn rhoi hwb i incymau.

The Welsh Government is organising a subsidised trade mission to Saudi Arabia in March of next year, and I’m sure I don’t need to remind Members that Saudi Arabia is a place where people are executed for crimes, such as speaking out against the regime. With the help of UK exports, they’re also waging a brutal war against Yemen, which has claimed the lives of thousands, and the blockade of Yemen has caused a humanitarian crisis. Amid all of this brutality, is it appropriate to cosy up to Saudi Arabia? Don’t you think that you should be taking a stand on this question? And given the news today that arms sold to Saudi have ended up in the arms of ISIS fighters, can you reassure us today that this mission has nothing whatsoever to do with the defence or the arms industry?
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn trefnu taith fasnach gyda chymhorthdal i Saudi Arabia ym mis Mawrth y flwyddyn nesaf, ac rwy'n siŵr nad oes angen i mi atgoffa’r Aelodau bod Saudi Arabia yn fan lle mae pobl yn cael eu dienyddio am droseddau, fel lleisio barn yn erbyn y gyfundrefn. Gyda chymorth allforion y DU, maen nhw hefyd yn cynnal rhyfel creulon yn erbyn Yemen, sydd wedi hawlio bywydau miloedd, ac mae gwarchae Yemen wedi achosi argyfwng dyngarol. Yng nghanol yr holl greulondeb hwn, a yw'n briodol cyfeillio â Saudi Arabia? Onid ydych chi’n meddwl y dylech chi fod yn gwneud safiad ar y cwestiwn hwn? Ac o ystyried y newyddion heddiw bod arfau a werthwyd i Saudi wedi mynd i ddwylo ymladdwyr ISIS, a allwch chi ein sicrhau heddiw nad oes gan y genhadaeth hon unrhyw beth o gwbl i'w wneud â'r diwydiant amddiffyn neu'r diwydiant arfau?

Well, trade missions are all-encompassing. It’s right to say that we do trade with companies whose values we would not share. There are issues with a number of countries around the world, where we would prefer it if their systems were more open, and their systems were closer to ours. But I believe that, through trading with these countries, it’s possible to show that there is a way of government that is different and, to my mind, better than the ones that exist in their countries. It’s a matter for them, of course, how they govern themselves, but, nevertheless, we are guided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as to whether it’s appropriate to have trade links with countries or not.
Wel, mae teithiau masnach yn holl-gwmpasol. Mae'n iawn i ddweud ein bod ni’n masnachu gyda chwmnïau na fyddem yn rhannu eu gwerthoedd. Ceir problemau gyda nifer o wledydd ledled y byd, lle byddai'n well gennym ni pe byddai eu systemau yn fwy agored, a phe byddai eu systemau yn agosach i’n system ni. Ond rwy’n credu, trwy fasnachu gyda’r gwledydd hyn, ei bod yn bosibl dangos bod ffordd o lywodraethu sy'n wahanol ac, yn fy marn i, yn well na'r rhai sy'n bodoli yn eu gwledydd nhw. Mater iddyn nhw, wrth gwrs, yw sut y maen nhw’n llywodraethu eu hunain, ond, serch hynny, cawn ein harwain gan y Swyddfa Dramor a Chymanwlad pa un a yw'n briodol cael cysylltiadau masnach â gwledydd ai peidio.
First Minister, Wales is a small but passionate country that punches above its weight. I note that the value of exports for Wales for the year up to and including June 2016 was £12.1 billion, with exports to the European Union accounting for almost 40 per cent of Welsh exports. The First Minister is a passionate and successful advocate of selling Wales to the world. So, what future plans have the Welsh Government put in place to ensure that Welsh goods and services can continue to be exported to the world?
Brif Weinidog, mae Cymru yn wlad fach ond angerddol sy'n gwneud yn well nag y gellid disgwyl. Nodaf mai £12.1 biliwn oedd gwerth allforion Cymru ar gyfer y flwyddyn hyd at ac yn cynnwys Mehefin 2016, ac roedd allforion i'r Undeb Ewropeaidd yn cyfrif am bron i 40 y cant o’r allforion o Gymru. Mae’r Prif Weinidog yn eiriolwr brwd a llwyddiannus o werthu Cymru i'r byd. Felly, pa gynlluniau ar gyfer y dyfodol y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi eu rhoi ar waith i sicrhau y gall nwyddau a gwasanaethau Cymru barhau i gael eu hallforio i'r byd?

We’re in the process of planning our overseas activity for 2016-17. That programme will include a balance of traditional markets that we need to maintain, and seeking new markets. And there will be six trade missions that will take place over the next six months.
Rydym ni wrthi’n cynllunio ein gweithgareddau tramor ar gyfer 2016-17. Bydd y rhaglen honno’n cynnwys cydbwysedd o farchnadoedd traddodiadol y mae angen i ni eu cynnal, a chwilio am farchnadoedd newydd. A bydd chwe thaith fasnach a fydd yn digwydd dros y chwe mis nesaf.
First Minister, the Welsh business barometer, from the South Wales Chamber of Commerce report, said the number of small and medium-sized enterprises that were reporting a growth in export sales and orders has fallen in the third quarter of 2016. My own postbag is growing with small businesses contacting me concerned about the potential increase in their business rates. Will you consider increasing the funding that you’ve put in place for support with the transition, because, clearly, that would help a lot of small businesses who remain very uncertain about how their business rates are going to be after 2017?
Brif Weinidog, dywedodd baromedr busnesau Cymru, o adroddiad Siambr Fasnach De Cymru, bod nifer y mentrau bach a chanolig eu maint a oedd yn adrodd twf o ran gwerthiant ac archebion allforio wedi gostwng yn nhrydydd chwarter 2016. Mae fy mag post fy hun yn tyfu wrth i fusnesau bach gysylltu â mi yn pryderu am y cynnydd posibl i’w hardrethi busnes. A wnewch chi ystyried cynyddu'r cyllid yr ydych chi wedi ei roi ar gael ar gyfer cymorth pontio, oherwydd, yn amlwg, byddai hynny’n helpu llawer o fusnesau bach sy’n dal i fod yn ansicr iawn am faint eu hardrethi busnes ar ôl 2017?

Well, we’ll be able to give full consideration to that issue once we know what the Chancellor has announced in his autumn statement. If he is generous, then so, of course, can we be.
Wel, byddwn yn gallu rhoi ystyriaeth lawn i'r mater hwnnw pan fyddwn ni’n gwybod yr hyn y mae'r Canghellor wedi ei gyhoeddi yn ei ddatganiad yr hydref. Os yw'n hael, yna gallwn ninnau fod yn hael hefyd, wrth gwrs.

Can I commend the First Minister on his response to the first question today, whilst agreeing with the leader of Plaid Cymru’s strictures upon the activities of the Saudi Government in Yemen? Nevertheless, it is vitally important to Wales that we improve our trade links with Saudi Arabia. It’s a small amount of trade—£240 million in exports last year—but, nevertheless, that’s very important. But trade with the rest of the world, outside the EU, is going to become of growing importance to us as a nation. Rhianon Passmore referred to the fact that 40 per cent of our exports go to the EU; it was 60 per cent 10 years ago—the position vis-à-vis Wales and the rest of the world has reversed. So, will the First Minister agree that it’s vitally important that we have trade missions to the rest of the world, to capitalise upon this growing imbalance?
A gaf i ganmol y Prif Weinidog ar ei ymateb i'r cwestiwn cyntaf heddiw, gan gytuno â beirniadaeth arweinydd Plaid Cymru o weithgareddau Llywodraeth Saudi yn Yemen? Serch hynny, mae'n hanfodol bwysig i Gymru ein bod ni’n gwella ein cysylltiadau masnach gyda Saudi Arabia. Dim ond ychydig o fasnach ydyw—£240 miliwn mewn allforion y llynedd—ond, serch hynny, mae hynny'n bwysig iawn. Ond mae masnach gyda gweddill y byd, y tu allan i'r UE, yn mynd i ddod yn gynyddol bwysig i ni fel cenedl. Cyfeiriodd Rhianon Passmore at y ffaith fod 40 y cant o'n hallforion yn mynd i'r UE; roedd yn 60 y cant 10 mlynedd yn ôl—mae'r sefyllfa parthed Cymru a gweddill y byd wedi gwrthdroi. Felly, a wnaiff y Prif Weinidog gytuno ei bod yn hanfodol bwysig bod gennym ni deithiau masnach i weddill y byd, i fanteisio ar yr anghydbwysedd cynyddol hwn?

Well, we do that. I mean, there will be trade missions to the US and to the United Arab Emirates, which is a major export market for us. We must guard against a scenario, however, where we have barriers in place in terms of accessing the European market and the American market. I am totally unconvinced that we will see a free trade deal with the US that will do anything other than benefit the US. That’s exactly what the President-elect, Trump, was elected to do. So, I don’t share the optimism that some have that, somehow, the UK will be in a privileged position with regard to the US. Nevertheless, we continue to run our trade missions to look at our important markets, to conserve those, and also, of course, to look for new ones.
Wel, rydym ni’n gwneud hynny. Hynny yw, bydd teithiau masnach i'r Unol Daleithiau ac i'r Emiraethau Arabaidd Unedig, sy'n farchnad allforio fawr i ni. Mae'n rhaid i ni fod yn wyliadwrus rhag bod mewn sefyllfa, er hynny, lle mae gennym ni rwystrau o ran cael mynediad at y farchnad Ewropeaidd a'r farchnad Americanaidd. Nid wyf wedi fy argyhoeddi o gwbl y byddwn ni’n gweld cytundeb masnach rydd gyda'r Unol Daleithiau a fydd yn gwneud unrhyw beth heblaw bod o fudd i’r Unol Daleithiau. Dyna'n union yr etholwyd y darpar Arlywydd, Trump, i’w wneud. Felly, nid wyf yn rhannu’r gobaith sydd gan rai y bydd y DU, rywsut, mewn sefyllfa freintiedig o ran yr Unol Daleithiau. Serch hynny, rydym ni’n parhau i gynnal ein teithiau masnach i edrych ar ein marchnadoedd pwysig, i ddiogelu’r rheini, a hefyd, wrth gwrs, i chwilio am rai newydd.
Tynnwyd cwestiwn 2 [OAQ(5)0273(FM)] yn ôl.
Question 2 [OAQ(5)0273(FM)] was withdrawn.
'Cwricwlwm i Gymru—Cwricwlwm am Oes'
'A Curriculum for Wales—A Curriculum for Life'
3. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am weithredu 'Cwricwlwm i Gymru—Cwricwlwm am Oes'? OAQ(5)0286(FM)
3. Will the First Minister provide and update on the implementation of 'A Curriculum for Wales—A Curriculum for Life'? OAQ(5)0286(FM)

Yes. As set out in ‘A Curriculum for Wales’, the digital competence framework was made available to schools and settings on 1 September, and development of the wider curriculum and assessment arrangements is on track to be available from September 2018, to support learning and teaching from September 2021.
Gwnaf. Fel y nodir yn 'Cwricwlwm i Gymru', rhoddwyd y fframwaith cymhwysedd digidol ar gael i ysgolion a lleoliadau ar 1 Medi, ac mae datblygiad y cwricwlwm ehangach a threfniadau asesu ar y trywydd iawn i fod ar gael o fis Medi 2018, i gefnogi dysgu ac addysgu o fis Medi 2021.
With that in mind, would the First Minister, in preparation for the new curriculum, answer how the Welsh Government will ensure that all teachers and teaching assistants have an understanding of appropriate pedagogy associated with the inclusive classroom?
Gyda hynny mewn golwg, a wnaiff y Prif Weinidog, wrth baratoi ar gyfer y cwricwlwm newydd, ateb sut y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn sicrhau bod gan yr holl athrawon a chynorthwywyr addysgu ddealltwriaeth o addysgeg briodol sy'n gysylltiedig â'r ystafell ddosbarth gynhwysol?

We are committed to creating an inclusive education system for all learners, and delivery of that reform can only happen if we have such a system and a workforce that embraces inclusive education and delivers for every learner in every classroom. So, we will work with the teaching profession, of course, to make sure that the right level of support and training is available to them to ensure that that becomes a reality.
Rydym ni wedi ymrwymo i greu system addysg gynhwysol i bob dysgwr, a gall cyflawni’r diwygiadau hynny ddigwydd dim ond os oes gennym ni system o'r fath a gweithlu sy'n croesawu addysg gynhwysol ac yn cyflawni ar gyfer pob dysgwr ym mhob ystafell ddosbarth. Felly, byddwn yn gweithio gyda'r proffesiwn addysgu, wrth gwrs, i wneud yn siŵr bod y lefel cywir o gymorth a hyfforddiant ar gael iddyn nhw i sicrhau bod hynny'n cael ei wireddu.
First Minister, one of the features of your Government is that very good schools, which are delivering the national curriculum, have been closing across the country, particularly in rural parts of Wales. Now, I note that there is additional assistance, which is on the way, and some changes in terms of the way that local authorities will have to think about their schools in the future. But what will you say to people in my constituency who are supporters of Ysgol Llanbedr, which is threatened with closure for the second time, and will you intervene personally to secure the future of that school, which has growing numbers of pupils, as parents are putting their confidence in the ability of that school to deliver for their children?
Brif Weinidog, un o nodweddion eich Llywodraeth yw bod ysgolion da iawn, sy'n darparu'r cwricwlwm cenedlaethol, wedi bod yn cau ar draws y wlad, yn enwedig yn ardaloedd gwledig Cymru. Nawr, rwy’n sylwi bod cymorth ychwanegol, sydd ar y ffordd, a rhai newidiadau o ran y ffordd y bydd yn rhaid i awdurdodau lleol feddwl am eu hysgolion yn y dyfodol. Ond beth fyddwch chi’n ei ddweud wrth bobl yn fy etholaeth i sy’n gefnogwyr Ysgol Llanbedr, sydd o dan fygythiad o gael ei chau am yr ail dro, ac a wnewch chi ymyrryd yn bersonol i sicrhau dyfodol yr ysgol honno, sydd â nifer gynyddol o ddisgyblion, gan fod rhieni yn rhoi eu ffydd yng ngallu’r ysgol honno i gyflawni ar ran eu plant?

The Member knows full well that it’s a local authority decision, and he should direct his anger at the local authority and not at Welsh Government. He knows full well that Welsh Government only intervenes under certain circumstances. I wonder if he has made those representations to the local authority; I’m sure his constituents would want to find out. But, generally, as the education Secretary has already announced, we are looking at ways to help and support rural schools, and looking at new models in order to enable them to deliver better and to stay open in the future—some of them—and I suggest that he goes to his local authority and makes such suggestions to them.
Mae’r Aelod yn gwybod yn iawn mai penderfyniad i’r awdurdod lleol yw hwn, a dylai gyfeirio ei ddicter at yr awdurdod lleol ac nid at Lywodraeth Cymru. Mae'n gwybod yn iawn mai dim ond o dan amgylchiadau penodol yn unig y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ymyrryd. Tybed a yw wedi gwneud y sylwadau hynny i'r awdurdod lleol; rwy'n siŵr y byddai ei etholwyr eisiau cael gwybod. Ond, yn gyffredinol, fel y mae’r Ysgrifennydd addysg wedi ei gyhoeddi eisoes, rydym ni’n edrych ar ffyrdd o helpu a chefnogi ysgolion gwledig, ac yn edrych ar fodelau newydd i’w galluogi i ddarparu’n well ac i aros ar agor yn y dyfodol—rhai ohonyn nhw—ac awgrymaf iddo fynd at ei awdurdod lleol a gwneud awgrymiadau o'r fath iddyn nhw.
Un o’r elfennau canolog, wrth gwrs, o ddiwygio’r cwricwlwm, yw rôl yr ysgolion arloesi. Ond mae yna gonsýrn yn cael ei fynegi’n gynyddol nawr bod ysgolion sydd ddim yn ysgolion arloesi yn teimlo eu bod nhw y tu fas i’r broses yna. Mae’r undebau athrawon yn sicr wedi dweud mai breuddwyd gwrach yw sefyllfa lle mae’r trefniant newydd yn cael ei adeiladu gan y proffesiwn ar gyfer y proffesiwn, ac mae hyd yn oed y Cyngor Gweithlu Addysg yn dweud bod perig nawr ein bod ni’n wynebu sefyllfa dau ‘tier’, lle mae rhai yn teimlo eu bod nhw tu mewn, a rhai yn teimlo bod nhw tu fas. Beth mae eich Llywodraeth chi yn ei wneud i sicrhau bod pawb yn teimlo perchnogaeth o’r cwricwlwm newydd er mwyn sicrhau ei fod yn cael ei ddelifro ar amser?
One of the central elements of curriculum reform, of course, is the role of the innovative schools, but concern is being increasingly expressed that schools that aren’t within that category feel excluded. The teachers’ unions have said that the situation where the new arrangements are being built by the profession for the profession is a pipe dream, and even the Education Workforce Council has said that we are now facing a two-tier situation, where some feel that they are inside the system and some feel that they are outside. What is your Government doing to ensure that everyone feels ownership of the new curriculum in order to ensure that it is delivered in a timely manner?

Wel, rŷm ni’n gwybod, wrth gwrs, ei bod yn hollbwysig i sicrhau bod gyda ni ffordd effeithiol o weithio gyda’r proffesiwn. Rŷm ni yn delio gyda hyfforddi a hyfforddiant, er enghraifft, ond nid gyda thelerau a phae. Mae hynny’n mynd i newid, wrth gwrs, yn y dyfodol. Rhyw fath o wahaniaeth artiffisial yw e rhwng hyfforddi athrawon a thalu athrawon, yn fy marn i. Wrth wneud hynny, bydd yn rhwyddach inni weithio gyda’r proffesiwn yn y pen draw i greu pecyn sydd yn gynhwysfawr iddyn nhw.
Well, of course, we know that it’s vital to ensure that we have an effective manner of working with the profession. We are dealing with training, for example, but we don’t deal with terms and conditions and pay, and that will change in the future. There is a kind of artificial distinction between teacher training and remunerating teachers, in my view. Of course, by doing that, it would be easier for us to work with the profession, ultimately, to get a comprehensive package for the profession.
Cwestiynau Heb Rybudd gan Arweinwyr y Pleidiau
Questions Without Notice from the Party Leaders
Cwestiynau nawr gan arweinwyr y pleidiau. Arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Questions now from the party leaders. Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew R.T. Davies.

Thank you, Presiding Officer. First Minister, the Circuit of Wales offers a huge potential to regenerate a very poor part of Wales, and offer opportunities, both in regeneration terms and job prospects for the Blaenau Gwent and south Wales area—in fact, the whole of Wales—transforming its image into being a high-value destination for tourists and the engineering industry. But, sadly, the Heads of the Valleys company that is promoting this project has been suffering really bad headlines of late, and there’s been a slow, slow drip effect—[Interruption.] There’s been a slow, slow drip effect of evidence to point that they really aren’t the best partners to actually deliver this project. Do you have confidence in the leadership of the company to deliver the Circuit of Wales project?
Diolch i chi, Lywydd. Brif Weinidog, mae Cylchffordd Cymru yn cynnig potensial enfawr i adfywio rhan dlawd iawn o Gymru, ac yn cynnig cyfleoedd, o ran adfywio a gobaith am swyddi i ardal Blaenau Gwent a de Cymru—i Gymru gyfan a dweud y gwir—weddnewid ei delwedd i fod yn gyrchfan gwerth uchel i dwristiaid a'r diwydiant peirianneg. Ond, yn anffodus, mae’r cwmni Blaenau'r Cymoedd sy'n hyrwyddo'r prosiect hwn wedi bod yn dioddef penawdau gwael iawn yn ddiweddar, a bu effaith ddiferu araf iawn— [Torri ar draws.] Bu effaith ddiferu araf iawn o dystiolaeth i ddangos nad y rhain yw’r partneriaid gorau i gyflawni'r prosiect hwn mewn gwirionedd. A oes gennych chi ffydd yn arweinyddiaeth y cwmni i gyflawni prosiect Cylchffordd Cymru?

I have to say to the leader of the Welsh Conservatives that it’s a member of his party that has provided that drip, drip of criticism—not him, I accept, but certainly a member of his party. Do we have confidence in the company? That’s a matter for them, of course. We have to make sure that we are prudent in terms of public money being made accessible, and we’ve done just that, to make sure that any project is only financed if there’s a fair division of risk between the private and public sectors, and that is not the situation here.
Mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud wrth arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig mai aelod o'i blaid ef sydd wedi diferu’r feirniadaeth honno—nid fe, rwy’n derbyn, ond aelod o'i blaid yn sicr. A oes gennym ni ffydd yn y cwmni? Mater iddyn nhw yw hynny, wrth gwrs. Mae'n rhaid i ni wneud yn siŵr ein bod ni’n ddarbodus o ran arian cyhoeddus yn cael ei roi ar gael, ac rydym ni wedi gwneud yn union hynny, er mwyn sicrhau bod unrhyw brosiect yn cael ei ariannu dim ond os oes ymraniad teg o risg rhwng y sectorau preifat a chyhoeddus, ac nid dyna’r sefyllfa yma.
First Minister, I noticed you didn’t say you had confidence. You talked at length that there is potential within the project, but freedom of information requests from your Government, which I hope you’re aware of, from the director general of the department for the economy, James Price, clearly show that civil servants raised concerns with Ministers over the plans for the Heads of the Valleys Development Company, owned by Michael Carrick, to pay Aventa Capital Partners Ltd—100 per cent owned by Michael Carrick—almost £1 million in consultancy fees, effectively paying themselves to advise themselves. Now, that clearly cannot be right especially if there hasn’t been a robust tendering process, and, indeed, when the civil servants themselves, the director general, is offering such advice to Ministers. Why would Ministers go against that advice and approve such a transaction?
Brif Weinidog, rwy’n sylwi na wnaethoch chi ddweud bod gennych chi ffydd Soniasoch yn faith bod potensial o fewn y prosiect, ond mae ceisiadau rhyddid gwybodaeth gan eich Llywodraeth, yr wyf yn gobeithio eich bod yn ymwybodol ohonynt, gan gyfarwyddwr cyffredinol adran yr economi, James Price, yn dangos yn eglur bod gweision sifil wedi codi pryderon gyda Gweinidogion ynghylch y cynlluniau i Gwmni Datblygu Blaenau'r Cymoedd, sy'n eiddo i Michael Carrick, dalu bron i £1 filiwn mewn ffioedd ymgynghori i Aventa Capital Partners Ltd—sy’n eiddo 100 y cant i Michael Carrick—gan dalu eu hunain i gynghori eu hunain, i bob pwrpas. Nawr, does bosib y gall hynny fod yn iawn, yn enwedig os na fu proses dendro gadarn, ac, yn wir, pan fo’r gweision sifil eu hunain, y cyfarwyddwr cyffredinol, yn cynnig cyngor o'r fath i Weinidogion. Pam y byddai Gweinidogion yn mynd yn groes i’r cyngor hwnnw a chymeradwyo trafodiad o'r fath?

Well, that’s a matter for the Minister who was in place at that time, who is no longer a Member of this Assembly. What I can say, as far as this Government is concerned, is that we will seek to ensure, as she did, that there is prudence in terms of money that’s accessed from the public purse. And that’s why, despite criticism from his party and others in this Chamber, we didn’t release the money for the project to proceed some months ago, on the basis that we were not convinced that the project was robust enough in terms of the sharing of risk for the project to proceed with public money.
Wel, mater i'r Gweinidog a oedd yn y swydd ar y pryd yw hwnnw, nad yw’n Aelod o'r Cynulliad hwn mwyach. Yr hyn y gallaf ei ddweud, cyn belled ag y mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn y cwestiwn, yw y byddwn yn ceisio sicrhau, fel y gwnaeth hi, ein bod yn gweithredu’n ddoeth o ran arian sy'n deillio o'r pwrs cyhoeddus. A dyna pam, er gwaethaf beirniadaeth gan ei blaid ef ac eraill yn y Siambr hon, na ryddhawyd yr arian gennym i’r prosiect fynd yn ei flaen ychydig fisoedd yn ôl, ar y sail nad oeddem yn argyhoeddedig bod y prosiect yn ddigon cadarn o ran rhannu risg i’r prosiect fynd yn ei flaen gydag arian cyhoeddus.
Well, First Minister, public money has gone to this company, as I’ve highlighted—£1 million just on consultancy fees, £9 million in total, with bank loan guarantees paid by the Welsh Government. And we do know of other things that have been paid: there’s a loss-making race at Silverstone; £35,000 for gardening and also the purchasing of a motorbike company, FTR Moto, for £400,000, that has gone bankrupt. It’s hardly a success story, when the evidence is clearly pointing that civil servants were warning Ministers about making this money available and wanting more information. We saw last week that the governance chairman, Lord Kinnock, of the company, was lobbying excessively, I would suggest, with at least five or six calls to the leader of Blaenau Gwent council, as well as using House of Lords notepaper to actually write letters on to make the point that he wanted to make. That cannot be acceptable and now I have invoices here—[Interruption.]—invoices here—[Interruption.]—invoices here that show at least £750 paid for an event in north Wales to the Labour Party, £2,400 again to the Labour Party, and £960 paid to the Labour Party—three different invoices paid by Aventa and Michael Carrick, to have access to Welsh Government Ministers, I would suggest. Are you confident that there has been the proper transparency and, above all, the assurances when the initial £9 million was being handed over, because, as I said in my opening remarks this project does offer great opportunity but it is the execution—? [Interruption.] And the company that has been brought forward to promote this company clearly has evidence to the contrary of having the—[Inaudible.]
Wel, Brif Weinidog, mae arian cyhoeddus wedi mynd i’r cwmni hwn, fel yr wyf wedi ei amlygu—£1 filiwn ar ffioedd ymgynghori yn unig, cyfanswm o £9 miliwn, a gwarantau benthyciadau banc yn cael eu talu gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Ac rydym ni’n gwybod am bethau eraill sydd wedi eu talu: ceir ras a wnaeth golled yn Silverstone; £35,000 ar gyfer garddio yn ogystal â phrynu cwmni beiciau modur, FTR Moto, am £400,000, sydd wedi mynd yn fethdalwr. Nid yw’n hanes o lwyddiant a dweud y lleiaf, pan fo’r dystiolaeth yn nodi’n eglur bod gweision sifil yn rhybuddio Gweinidogion am roi’r arian hwn ar gael ac eisiau mwy o wybodaeth. Gwelsom yr wythnos diwethaf fod cadeirydd llywodraethu’r cwmni, yr Arglwydd Kinnock, yn lobïo yn ormodol, byddwn yn awgrymu, gydag o leiaf pump neu chwech o alwadau i arweinydd Cyngor Blaenau Gwent, yn ogystal â defnyddio papur ysgrifennu Tŷ'r Arglwyddi i ysgrifennu llythyrau arno i wneud y pwynt yr oedd eisiau ei wneud. Ni all hynny fod yn dderbyniol a nawr mae gen i anfonebau yma— [Torri ar draws.]—anfonebau yma—[Torri ar draws.]—anfonebau yma sy'n dangos o leiaf £750 a dalwyd am ddigwyddiad yn y gogledd i'r Blaid Lafur, £2,400 i’r Blaid Lafur eto, a £960 a dalwyd i'r Blaid Lafur—tair gwahanol anfoneb a dalwyd gan Aventa a Michael Carrick, i gael mynediad at Weinidogion Llywodraeth Cymru, byddwn yn awgrymu. A ydych chi’n ffyddiog y bu tryloywder priodol ac, yn anad dim, y sicrwydd pan roddwyd y £9 miliwn cychwynnol, oherwydd, fel y dywedais yn fy sylwadau agoriadol, mae’r prosiect hwn yn cynnig cyfle gwych ond a yw’r gweithredu—? [Torri ar draws.] Ac mae gan y cwmni sydd wedi dod yn ei flaen i hyrwyddo'r cwmni hwn dystiolaeth eglur i'r gwrthwyneb o fod â’r—[Anghlywadwy.]

He can’t have his cake and eat it. He can’t say, on the one hand, ‘This is a good project’ and on the other hand say, ‘Well, this project shouldn’t have been financed in its initial stages.’ If he’s suggesting that, in some way, it was possible for the company to sponsor events in order to get the decision they wanted—well, they didn’t, did they? The whole point was that if it was the case that somehow influence could be bought, they would have had the funding for the Circuit of Wales by now, but that’s not the situation that occurred. We took the decision that we wished to—. I mean, he talks about £9 million. If he could only see the money that’s wasted by his Government in Westminster. The amount of money that’s hosed away—hosed away—on NHS reorganisations that don’t happen, hosed away on rail privatisation—we could go on. The reality is that we as a Government took the view that initial finance—[Interruption.] If he listened, he’d learn. As a Government we will provide amounts of money for businesses in order to take them to the next stage of business development and a project in terms of development. But there comes a point when it’s absolutely right to say to any business, ‘We will not finance the project unless you find enough private backing that will take the project ahead without there being 100 per cent guarantee from the public sector.’ That is something that we were not prepared to do and that represents value for money for the taxpayer.
Ni all ei chael hi’r ddwy ffordd. Ni all ddweud, ar y naill law, 'Mae hwn yn brosiect da' ac ar y llaw arall dweud, 'Wel, ni ddylai’r prosiect hwn fod wedi cael ei ariannu yn ei gamau cychwynnol.' Os yw'n awgrymu, mewn rhyw ffordd, ei bod yn bosibl i'r cwmni noddi digwyddiadau er mwyn cael y penderfyniad yr oedd ei eisiau—wel, ni wnaethant, naddo? Yr holl bwynt oedd pe byddai’n wir y gellid prynu dylanwad rywsut, y bydden nhw wedi cael y cyllid ar gyfer Cylchffordd Cymru erbyn hyn, ond nid dyna'r sefyllfa a ddigwyddodd. Gwnaethom y penderfyniad ein bod ni’n dymuno—. Hynny yw, mae'n sôn am £9 miliwn. Pe byddai ond yn gallu gweld yr arian sy'n cael ei wastraffu gan ei Lywodraeth ef yn San Steffan. Y swm o arian sy'n cael ei dywallt i ffwrdd—ei dywallt i ffwrdd—ar ad-drefniadau’r GIG nad ydynt yn digwydd, yn cael ei dywallt i ffwrdd ar breifateiddio rheilffyrdd—gallem ni barhau. Y gwir amdani yw ein bod ni fel Llywodraeth wedi cymryd y farn bod cyllid cychwynnol—[Torri ar draws.] Pe byddai’n gwrando, byddai’n dysgu. Fel Llywodraeth, byddwn yn darparu symiau o arian i fusnesau er mwyn mynd â nhw i'r cam nesaf o ran datblygu busnes a phrosiect o ran datblygu. Ond daw adeg pan mae'n hollol iawn i ddweud wrth unrhyw fusnes, "Ni fyddwn yn ariannu'r prosiect oni bai eich bod chi’n dod o hyd i ddigon o gefnogaeth breifat a fydd yn bwrw’r prosiect yn ei flaen heb warant 100 y cant gan y sector cyhoeddus. ' Mae hynny'n rhywbeth nad oeddem yn barod i’w wneud ac mae hynny’n cynrychioli gwerth am arian i'r trethdalwr.
Arweinydd Plaid Cymru, Leanne Wood.
Plaid Cymru leader, Leanne Wood.

Diolch, Lywydd. Will the First Minister make a statement on the proposed takeover of Dee Valley Water by Severn Trent Water?
Diolch, Lywydd. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am yr achos arfaethedig o Severn Trent Water yn cymryd Dŵr Dyffryn Dyfrdwy drosodd?

This is a matter of concern. It’s been raised by Members. The concern is, of course, that it will reduce consumer choice. It will see increased prices, and this is something that, to my mind, would not be acceptable for the people of Wales. I do not believe that that people would accept higher prices for their water when they can see the reservoirs in their locality that provide that water.
Mae hyn yn destun pryder. Fe’i codwyd gan Aelodau. Y pryder yw, wrth gwrs, y bydd yn lleihau dewis i ddefnyddwyr. Bydd yn arwain at brisiau uwch, ac mae hyn yn rhywbeth, yn fy marn i, na fyddai'n dderbyniol i bobl Cymru. Nid wyf yn credu y byddai pobl yn derbyn prisiau uwch am eu dŵr pan maen nhw’n gallu gweld y cronfeydd dŵr yn eu hardal sy'n darparu’r dŵr hwnnw.
Thank you for that answer, First Minister. There are fears that the company’s strong Welsh identity and interest in this country could be lost with this takeover. Dee Valley Water works with 80 local suppliers, and there are real concerns amongst the workforce about job security. The fear is that centralisation will lead to fewer local jobs. Can you tell us, First Minister, what contact you’ve had with the parties involved?
Diolch i chi am yr ateb yna, Brif Weinidog. Ceir pryderon y gallai hunaniaeth Gymreig gref y cwmni a’i ddiddordeb yn y wlad hon gael eu colli ar ôl iddo gael ei gymryd drosodd. Mae Dŵr Dyffryn Dyfrdwy yn gweithio gydag 80 o gyflenwyr lleol, a cheir pryderon gwirioneddol ymhlith y gweithlu am ddiogelwch swyddi. Y pryder yw y bydd canoli yn arwain at lai o swyddi lleol. A allwch chi ddweud wrthym, Brif Weinidog, pa gysylltiad ydych chi wedi ei gael â’r partïon dan sylw?

I know that the Minister is looking at this very carefully. She has received representations, I know, from constituency members and concern will be expressed from us as a Government along the lines that I’ve just mentioned.
Gwn fod y Gweinidog yn edrych ar hyn yn ofalus iawn. Mae hi wedi derbyn sylwadau, rwy’n gwybod, gan aelodau etholaethol a bydd pryder yn cael ei fynegi gennym ni fel Llywodraeth ar y sail yr wyf newydd ei chrybwyll.
First Minister, I’m surprised that you can’t even tell me that you’ve written a few letters about this, given the concerns. Perhaps today’s question will push you into some kind of action. This proposed takeover raises serious questions about the future of our natural resources. Those resources should be benefiting the people in this country, but they are being bought and sold as we speak. Has the First Minister considered what impact this takeover bid could have on the water industry in Wales, bearing in mind that the competitive model being pushed in England has been rejected here? And will you join me in making an absolutely clear statement today that Welsh water services should be run from Wales, and not from Coventry for a bunch of multinational shareholders?
Brif Weinidog, rwy'n synnu na allwch chi hyd yn oed ddweud wrthyf eich bod wedi ysgrifennu llythyr neu ddau am hyn, o ystyried y pryderon. Efallai y bydd cwestiwn heddiw yn eich gwthio i weithredu mewn rhyw ffordd. Mae’r achos arfaethedig hwn o gymryd cwmni drosodd yn codi cwestiynau difrifol am ddyfodol ein hadnoddau naturiol. Dylai’r adnoddau hynny fod o fudd i'r bobl yn y wlad hon, ond maen nhw’n cael eu prynu a'u gwerthu wrth i ni siarad. A yw’r Prif Weinidog wedi ystyried pa effaith y gallai’r cais hwn i gymryd cwmni drosodd ei chael ar y diwydiant dŵr yng Nghymru, o gofio bod y model cystadleuol sy’n cael ei wthio yn Lloegr wedi ei wrthod yma? Ac a wnewch chi ymuno â mi i wneud datganiad cwbl eglur heddiw y dylai gwasanaethau dŵr Cymru gael eu rhedeg o Gymru, ac nid o Coventry ar ran criw o gyfranddalwyr amlwladol?

We’ve been absolutely clear that we want to see powers over water devolved. That has been conceded by the UK Government. It was always a matter of great regret—and that’s probably saying it mildly—to me that the people of Wales did not have control over one of their major natural resources. That will change in 2018. I very much welcome that. That will give us the opportunity to look at how that resource can be developed as far as the people of Wales are concerned. But until that concession was made by the UK Government, we were still in a position where we did not have control over our water. That I welcome, and that gives us the opportunity to avoid situations like this occurring in the future.
Rydym ni wedi bod yn gwbl eglur ein bod ni eisiau gweld pwerau dros ddŵr yn cael eu datganoli. Ildiwyd hynny gan Lywodraeth y DU. Roedd bob amser yn destun edifeirwch mawr i mi—ac mae hynny a dweud y lleiaf mae’n debyg—nad oedd gan bobl Cymru reolaeth dros un o'u prif hadnoddau naturiol. Bydd hynny'n newid yn 2018. Rwy’n croesawu hynny'n fawr. Bydd hynny'n rhoi’r cyfle i ni edrych ar sut y gellir datblygu’r adnodd hwnnw cyn belled ag y mae pobl Cymru yn y cwestiwn. Ond tan i’r consesiwn hwnnw gael ei wneud gan Lywodraeth y DU, roeddem ni’n dal i fod mewn sefyllfa lle nad oedd gennym ni reolaeth dros ein dŵr. Rwy’n croesawu hynny, ac mae’n rhoi’r cyfle i ni osgoi sefyllfaoedd fel hyn rhag digwydd yn y dyfodol.
Arweinydd grŵp UKIP, Neil Hamilton.
The leader of the UKIP group, Neil Hamilton.

Diolch, Lywydd. In his evidence to the Assembly’s Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister last week, the First Minister asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to do something about energy prices in the autumn statement in order to help the steel industry in Wales, something which I wholly support him in. He pointed out that energy prices in Britain are 46 per cent higher than in some other places in Europe. Does he not agree that one of the principal reasons for that is the Climate Change Act 2008, passed by the then Labour Government, which has committed Britain uniquely in the world to a legally binding obligation of cutting carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, and as a result of which we are actually placing a millstone around the necks of people like British steelmakers, who are placed at a competitive disadvantage with countries like Germany?
Diolch, Lywydd. Yn ei dystiolaeth i Bwyllgor Craffu ar Waith y Prif Weinidog y Cynulliad yr wythnos diwethaf, gofynnodd y Prif Weinidog i Ganghellor y Trysorlys wneud rhywbeth ynghylch prisiau ynni yn natganiad yr hydref er mwyn helpu'r diwydiant dur yng Nghymru, rhywbeth yr wyf yn ei gefnogi’n llwyr yn ei gylch. Nododd fod prisiau ynni ym Mhrydain 46 y cant yn uwch nag mewn rhai mannau eraill yn Ewrop. Onid yw'n cytuno mai un o'r prif resymau am hynny yw Ddeddf Newid yn yr Hinsawdd 2008, a basiwyd gan y Llywodraeth Lafur ar y pryd, sydd wedi ymrwymo Prydain yn unigryw yn y byd i rwymedigaeth gyfreithiol o dorri allyriadau carbon gan 80 y cant erbyn 2050, ac o ganlyniad i hynny yr ydym ni’n rhoi maen o amgylch gyddfau pobl fel cynhyrchwyr dur Prydain, sy'n cael eu rhoi dan anfantais gystadleuol gyda gwledydd fel yr Almaen?

No. The issues is this: energy prices in Germany, for example, are around 20 per cent cheaper; in Spain, they’re 37 per cent cheaper. It’s nothing to do with renewables, because the amount of renewables that feed into their national grids is roughly the same in percentage terms as ours, if not more. It’s simply to do with the obscurity of the market within Great Britain and the fact that discounts are not available for energy-intensive industries. We have to look at nuclear, yes, but we also have to look at harnessing the power of the tide that sits not far from this building, and will always be there, rather than rely on imported coal, which I know is something that he has suggested in weeks gone by.
Nac ydw. Y broblem yw hyn: mae prisiau ynni yn yr Almaen, er enghraifft, tua 20 y cant yn rhatach; yn Sbaen, maen nhw 37 y cant yn rhatach. Nid yw’n ddim i'w wneud ag ynni adnewyddadwy, gan fod faint o ynni adnewyddadwy sy'n bwydo i mewn i'w gridiau cenedlaethol fwy neu lai yr un fath â’n grid ni o ran canran, os nad yn fwy. Mae'n ymwneud yn syml ag aneglurder y farchnad ym Mhrydain Fawr a'r ffaith nad oes gostyngiadau ar gael i ddiwydiannau ynni-ddwys. Mae'n rhaid i ni edrych ar niwclear, oes, ond mae’n rhaid i ni hefyd edrych ar harneisio pŵer y llanw nad yw nepell o’r adeilad hwn, ac a fydd yno am byth, yn hytrach na dibynnu ar lo wedi'i fewnforio, y gwn sy’n rhywbeth y mae ef wedi ei awgrymu yn yr wythnosau diwethaf.
But Germany has been opening new coal-fired power stations; in fact, 11 GW of capacity in the last five years, which is equivalent to 15 per cent of the entire electricity output of Germany. Sigmar Gabriel, who is the Vice-chancellor of Germany and is the chairman of the German social democratic party, and is their energy Minister, has said that Germany will not be phasing out brown coal-fired power stations before 2040, as the Government looks for ways to ensure minimisation of job losses in coal regions. So, the German Government is doing what it can to minimise job losses in its coal regions at the expense of British steelmakers.
Ond mae’r Almaen wedi bod yn agor gorsafoedd ynni glo newydd; a dweud y gwir, 11 GW o gapasiti yn y pum mlynedd diwethaf, sy'n cyfateb i 15 y cant o holl allbwn trydan yr Almaen. Mae Sigmar Gabriel, sef Is-ganghellor yr Almaen a chadeirydd plaid democrataidd cymdeithasol yr Almaen, a’u Gweinidog ynni, wedi dweud na fydd yr Almaen yn dechrau cael gwared ar orsafoedd ynni glo brown cyn 2040, wrth i’r Llywodraeth chwilio am ffyrdd o sicrhau bod cyn lleied o swyddi â phosibl yn cael eu colli mewn rhanbarthau glo. Felly, mae Llywodraeth yr Almaen yn gwneud yr hyn y mae’n gallu ei wneud i sicrhau cyn lleied o golledion swyddi â phosibl yn ei rhanbarthau glo ar draul cynhyrchwyr dur Prydain.

I’m going to pause for a second at the irony of that, and at the fact that in the 1980s—again he returns to this point—
Rwyf am oedi am eiliad at eironi hynna, a’r ffaith yn y 1980au—unwaith eto mae'n dychwelyd at y pwynt hwn—
Oh, here we go again.
O, dyma ni’n mynd eto.

[Continues.]—he sat there while thousands upon thousands—30,000 jobs—were lost in the mining industry in Wales. And now he is saying that we’re not doing enough to protect coal jobs. The reality is that if we were to have more coal-fired power stations, we would have to import the coal. Germany is in a difficult position because it relies heavily on Russia for the gas that it has to import, and given the current state of world affairs, that is an uncomfortable situation for Germany to be in. I do not think, in terms of energy security for Britain, that importing more of our energy in the form of coal is the way forward.
[Yn parhau.]—eisteddodd yno tra bod miloedd ar filoedd—30,000 o swyddi—yn cael eu colli yn y diwydiant glo yng Nghymru. A nawr mae’n dweud nad ydym ni’n gwneud digon i ddiogelu swyddi glo. Y gwir yw, pe byddai gennym ni fwy o orsafoedd ynni glo, byddai'n rhaid i ni fewnforio’r glo. Mae’r Almaen mewn sefyllfa anodd gan ei bod yn dibynnu'n helaeth ar Rwsia am y nwy y mae’n rhaid iddi ei fewnforio, ac o ystyried y sefyllfa sydd ohoni yn y byd, mae honno'n sefyllfa anghyfforddus i’r Almaen fod ynddi. Nid wyf yn credu, o ran diogelwch ynni i Brydain, mai mewnforio mwy o'n hynni ar ffurf glo yw'r ffordd ymlaen.
We are proposing to close down existing coal-fired capacity in Britain, which is the cheapest form of power generation. That doesn’t seem to me to be an economically sensible or commercially sensible thing to do. We have another climate change conference in Marrakech coming up—[Interruption.]—well, it was last week—where a lot of hot air was expended.
Developing countries like India and China are not planning to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions at all. In fact, they’re increasing their coal-fired generating capacity. China proposes to double its coal-fired capacity within 15 years and India promises to treble its output of carbon dioxide emissions. Isn’t Britain, generally, and Wales in particular, placing itself at a vast competitive disadvantage by forcing up energy prices, which are the lifeblood of industries like the steelmakers of Wales?
Rydym ni’n cynnig cau’r capasiti ynni glo presennol ym Mhrydain, sef y ffordd rataf o gynhyrchu pŵer. Nid yw'n ymddangos i mi fod hynny’n beth synhwyrol i’w wneud yn economaidd nac yn fasnachol. Mae gennym ni gynhadledd newid hinsawdd arall yn Marrakech ar fin cael ei chynnal—[Torri ar draws.]—wel, yr wythnos diwethaf oedd hi—lle cynhyrchwyd llawer o aer poeth.
Nid yw gwledydd datblygol fel India a Tsieina yn bwriadu lleihau eu hallyriadau carbon deuocsid o gwbl. A dweud y gwir, maen nhw’n cynyddu eu gallu cynhyrchu ynni glo. Mae Tsieina yn bwriadu dyblu ei chapasiti ynni glo o fewn 15 mlynedd ac mae India yn addo treblu ei hallbwn o allyriadau carbon deuocsid. Onid yw Prydain, yn gyffredinol, a Chymru yn arbennig, yn rhoi ei hun o dan anfantais gystadleuol enfawr trwy orfodi prisiau ynni i gynyddu, sef anadl einioes diwydiannau fel cynhyrchwyr dur Cymru?

There are plenty of other countries that do not rely on coal where energy prices are lower. Spain is one example of that, where coal is not a major factor in terms of energy production. What he’s suggesting—. He’s wrong about China. China is moving—. Coal is yesterday’s technology. Apart from in America, people are not looking to build more and more coal-fired power stations—
Ceir digonedd o wledydd eraill nad ydynt yn dibynnu ar lo lle mae prisiau ynni yn is. Mae Sbaen yn un enghraifft o hynny, lle nad yw glo yn ffactor pwysig o ran cynhyrchu ynni. Yr hyn y mae’n ei awgrymu—. Mae'n anghywir am Tsieina. Mae Tsieina yn symud—. Technoleg y gorffennol yw glo. Ar wahân i America, nid yw pobl yn bwriadu adeiladu mwy a mwy o orsafoedd ynni glo—
They’re building one a week.
Maen nhw’n adeiladu un yr wythnos.

[Continues.]—as a matter of energy policy. China has a problem with pollution. It knows it; it sees the smog in Beijing, it sees the smog in its major cities and it knows its population will not put up with that. What he’s suggesting, if he thinks about it, is, first of all, we should have more air pollution so that people find that that is a problem for their health. Secondly, we should import coal. That means (a) the price of coal is increasing and that means more cost, and (b) less energy security, as far as Britain is concerned, which I cannot agree with him on. And, of course, what he is saying, in effect, is that we should look to build more coal-fired power stations. Well, good luck to him on that. If he wants to see people being angry and annoyed, putting a coal-fired power station next to them is a sure-fire way—pardon the pun—of doing that. No, I can’t agree with him. I don’t accept that renewable energy—energy that is there; tidal energy that is there will always be there as long as the moon is there, and hasn’t yet been properly harnessed—that technology, should not be developed for the future energy needs of Wales, rather than relying on fossil fuels that have to be imported. I cannot see how that is a secure energy policy for the future.
[Yn parhau.] —fel mater o bolisi ynni. Mae gan Tsieina broblem gyda llygredd. Mae'n gwybod hynny; mae’n gweld y mwrllwch yn Beijing, mae'n gweld y mwrllwch yn ei dinasoedd mawr ac mae'n gwybod na wnaiff ei phoblogaeth oddef hynny. Yr hyn y mae'n ei awgrymu, os gwnaiff feddwl am y peth, yn gyntaf oll, yw y dylem ni gael mwy o lygredd aer, fel bod pobl yn canfod bod hynny'n broblem i’w hiechyd. Yn ail, dylem ni fewnforio glo. Mae hynny'n golygu (a) bod pris glo yn cynyddu ac mae hynny'n golygu mwy o gost, a (b) llai o ddiogelwch ynni, cyn belled ag y mae Prydain yn y cwestiwn, ac ni allaf gytuno ag ef ar hynny. Ac, wrth gwrs, yr hyn y mae'n ei ddweud, i bob pwrpas, yw y dylem ni ystyried adeiladu mwy o orsafoedd ynni glo. Wel, pob lwc iddo gyda hynny. Os yw eisiau gweld pobl yn ddig ac yn flin, mae rhoi gorsaf ynni glo wrth eu hymyl yn ffordd sicr o wneud hynny. Na, ni allaf gytuno ag ef. Nid wyf yn derbyn na ddylai ynni adnewyddadwy—ynni sydd yno; bydd ynni'r llanw sydd yno nawr yno am byth cyn belled ag y bo’r lleuad yno, ac nid yw wedi ei harneisio’n iawn eto—y dechnoleg honno, gael ei ddatblygu ar gyfer anghenion ynni Cymru yn y dyfodol, yn hytrach na dibynnu ar danwyddau ffosil y mae’n rhaid eu mewnforio. Ni allaf weld sut mae hynny'n bolisi ynni diogel ar gyfer y dyfodol.
Metro De Cymru
South Wales Metro
4. A yw'r Prif Weinidog wedi ystyried potensial y cynnig o ran canolbwynt trafnidiaeth Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr fel rhan o gyflwyno Metro De Cymru yn raddol? OAQ(5)0276(FM)
4. Has the First Minister considered the potential of the 'Bridgend Hub' transport proposal as part of the phased roll-out of the South Wales Metro? OAQ(5)0276(FM)

It has huge potential and we know that integration of public transport is an important aim of the south Wales metro. The next phase of metro development will be focused on the core Valleys lines. Proposals such as the hub will be considered in future phases.
Mae ganddo botensial enfawr ac rydym ni’n gwybod bod integreiddio cludiant cyhoeddus yn un o nodau pwysig metro de Cymru. Bydd cam nesaf datblygiad y metro yn canolbwyntio ar reilffyrdd craidd y Cymoedd. Bydd cynigion fel y canolbwynt yn cael eu hystyried yng nghamau’r dyfodol.
I very much welcome that response and I know that funding for the successive phases of the roll-out is now a little bit more precarious, post Brexit. But it does provide some exciting potential here, the hub within Bridgend, which is still sitting along that area, which is the sixth biggest manufacturing area and employment area within the UK as well. It has enormous potential. If we’re to seize the benefits of a genuine south Wales metro, we have to push it up the Valleys and also westwards as well. So, perhaps, if he’ll take his hat off as First Minister and come down with me and meet with Councillor Huw David, the new leader of Labour-controlled Bridgend authority, we’ll sit down and discuss it together over a cup of tea.
Rwy’n croesawu’n fawr yr ymateb yna a gwn fod cyllid ar gyfer camau olynol y cyflwyniad ychydig yn fwy ansicr erbyn hyn, ar ôl Brexit. Ond mae'n cynnig rhywfaint o botensial cyffrous yma, y canolbwynt ym Mhen-y-bont ar Ogwr, sy'n dal i eistedd ar hyd yr ardal honno, sef y chweched ardal weithgynhyrchu ac ardal gyflogaeth fwyaf yn y DU hefyd. Mae ganddo botensial enfawr. Os ydym ni’n mynd i elwa ar fanteision metro de Cymru gwirioneddol, mae'n rhaid i ni ei wthio i fyny’r Cymoedd a thua'r gorllewin hefyd. Felly, efallai, os gwnaiff dynnu ei het Prif Weinidog i ffwrdd a dod i lawr gyda mi i gyfarfod â’r Cynghorydd Huw David, arweinydd newydd awdurdod Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr a reolir gan Lafur, gallwn eistedd i lawr a’i drafod gyda'n gilydd dros baned o de.

I will pass that message on to the AM for Bridgend. [Laughter.] He is right; for Bridgend railway station, like so many others, it’s not practical for buses to go there and that’s part of the problem. Originally, there was a plan to put buses in the car park behind. The police objected and now the police have moved. So, there is an issue there. So, we have to look at new alternatives in terms of delivering a proper public transport hub, along the lines of Caerphilly, for example, where there’s a good example. In the future, rather than saying that we’re just going to live with the situation, where the main bus station and the main railway station are up—well, one is uphill from the other, and therefore inaccessible for people with mobility problems—new thinking will be needed as part of the metro project as to how we deliver those hubs in the future.
Byddaf yn pasio'r neges honno i'r AC dros Ben-y-bont ar Ogwr. [Chwerthin.] Mae’n iawn; i orsaf reilffordd Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr, fel cynifer o rai eraill, nid yw'n ymarferol i fysiau fynd yno a dyna ran o'r broblem. Yn wreiddiol, roedd cynllun i roi bysiau yn y maes parcio yn y cefn. Gwrthwynebodd yr heddlu a nawr mae’r heddlu wedi symud. Felly, ceir problem yn y fan yna. Felly, mae'n rhaid i ni edrych ar ddewisiadau eraill newydd o ran darparu canolbwynt trafnidiaeth cyhoeddus priodol, tebyg i Gaerffili, er enghraifft, lle y ceir enghraifft dda. Yn y dyfodol, yn hytrach na dweud ein bod ni'n mynd i fyw gyda'r sefyllfa, lle mae'r brif orsaf fysiau a'r brif orsaf reilffordd i fyny—wel, mae un i fyny'r rhiw o’r llall, ac felly yn anhygyrch i bobl â phroblemau symudedd—bydd angen syniadau newydd yn rhan o'r prosiect metro ynghylch sut yr ydym ni’n cyflenwi’r canolbwyntiau hynny yn y dyfodol.
I thank Huw Irranca-Davies for his question, because I must admit, I’m a little bit sceptical about the attention that my region has been given in the course of all this—even that non-specific third phase that we’re talking about, in a number of years to come. There’s talk about things like a fast bus for Porthcawl, rather than anything more integrated. My constituents, including those from the western part of the region, don’t see the lines on the maps between projects like the Swansea bay city region and the Cardiff capital region, or even the south Wales metro. So, what will your Government do to ensure that all these projects dovetail properly for my constituents, rather than create cracks between them, through which those communities on the periphery are likely to fall?
Diolchaf i Huw Irranca-Davies am ei gwestiwn, oherwydd mae’n rhaid i mi gyfaddef, rwyf braidd yn amheus ynghylch y sylw a roddwyd i’m rhanbarth i yn ystod hyn i gyd—hyd yn oed y trydydd cam amhenodol hwnnw yr ydym ni’n siarad amdano, mewn nifer o flynyddoedd i ddod. Mae sôn am bethau fel bws cyflym i Borthcawl, yn hytrach nag unrhyw beth mwy integredig. Nid yw fy etholwyr i, gan gynnwys y rhai o ran orllewinol y rhanbarth, yn gweld y llinellau ar y mapiau rhwng prosiectau fel dinas-ranbarth Bae Abertawe a phrifddinas-ranbarth Caerdydd, na metro de Cymru hyd yn oed. Felly, beth fydd eich Llywodraeth yn ei wneud i sicrhau bod yr holl brosiectau hyn yn plethu’n briodol ar gyfer fy etholwyr, yn hytrach na chreu craciau rhyngddynt, y mae’r cymunedau hynny ar yr ymylon yn debygol o ddisgyn drwyddynt?

The railway line for Porthcawl was closed by a Conservative Government in 1963.
Caewyd y rheilffordd i Borthcawl gan Lywodraeth Geidwadol ym 1963.
What’s that got to do with my question?
Beth sydd a wnelo hynny â’m cwestiwn?

I don’t hold her personally responsible for that, but that’s the reality of it. The line coming into the town was built over many, many years ago, and it’s now a dual-carriageway road and much of the line has gone. So, it would be impractical to reinstate the line from Heol y Sheet junction in Pyle, through the Nottage tunnel, long gone, into Porthcawl itself. So, we have to consider other alternatives for towns like Porthcawl in the future, given the fact that they were cut off from the rail network in the early 1960s. One suggestion is a fast bus; there are other possibilities that can be made available for towns that are a distance away from the heavy-rail network in the future.
Nid wyf yn dweud ei bod hi’n bersonol gyfrifol am hynny, ond dyna'r gwirionedd. Adeiladwyd dros y rheilffordd a oedd yn dod i mewn i'r dref flynyddoedd lawer iawn yn ôl, ac mae'n ffordd ddeuol erbyn hyn ac mae llawer o'r rheilffordd wedi mynd. Felly, byddai'n anymarferol adfer y rheilffordd o gyffordd Heol y Sheet yn y Pîl, trwy dwnnel Notais, sydd wedi hen fynd, i mewn i Borthcawl ei hun. Felly, mae'n rhaid i ni ystyried dewisiadau eraill ar gyfer trefi fel Porthcawl yn y dyfodol, o ystyried y ffaith iddyn nhw gael eu torri i ffwrdd o’r rhwydwaith rheilffyrdd ar ddechrau’r 1960au. Un awgrym yw bws cyflym; ceir posibiliadau eraill y gellir eu rhoi ar gael ar gyfer trefi sydd gryn bellter i ffwrdd o’r rhwydwaith rheilffyrdd trwm yn y dyfodol.
Dai Lloyd. Oh, I can’t see him. Caroline Jones.
Dai Lloyd. O, ni allaf ei weld. Caroline Jones.
First Minister, in order for the south Wales metro to successfully deliver upon its stated outcome of lowering private car use, it must offer multimodal transport across the region. Therefore, are you as disappointed as I am that the Bridgend interchange will not be completed for another 10 to 15 years? Will the south Wales metro project be able to deliver the interchange sooner than envisioned in the Bridgend local transport plan?
Brif Weinidog, er mwyn i fetro de Cymru gyflawni ei ganlyniad datganedig o leihau’r defnydd o geir preifat yn llwyddiannus, mae’n rhaid iddo gynnig cludiant amlfoddol ar draws y rhanbarth. Felly, a ydych chi mor siomedig â mi na fydd cyfnewidfa Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr yn cael ei chwblhau am 10 i 15 mlynedd arall? A fydd prosiect metro de Cymru yn gallu cyflwyno'r gyfnewidfa yn gynt nag y rhagwelwyd yng nghynllun trafnidiaeth lleol Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr?

That depends, of course, on that EU money that we’re going to lose—£125 million; forgive the irony there—being made up by the UK Government. The reality is that that will put a hole in the budget. It’s not fatal to the metro project, but without that money, it’ll be far more difficult to advance or to quicken the projects along the lines of the one that she’s just mentioned.
Mae hynny'n dibynnu, wrth gwrs, ar arian yr UE yr ydym ni’n mynd i’w golli—£125 miliwn; maddewch yr eironi yn y fan yna—yn cael ei ddarparu gan Lywodraeth y DU yn hytrach. Y gwir yw y bydd hynny yn rhoi twll yn y gyllideb. Nid yw’n angheuol i'r prosiect metro, ond heb yr arian hwnnw, bydd yn llawer anoddach symud y prosiectau ymlaen neu eu cyflymu yn debyg i’r un y mae newydd ei grybwyll.
Ailbrisio Ardrethi Busnes
Business Rate Revaluation
5. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog roi’r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am ei drafodaethau ag awdurdodau lleol ynghylch ailbrisio ardrethi busnes? OAQ(5)0277(FM)
5. Will the First Minister provide an update on his discussions with local authorities regarding business rate revaluation? OAQ(5)0277(FM)

The Valuation Office Agency is the independent, statutory body responsible for carrying out the revaluation for non-domestic rating purposes. It published the draft rating list on 30 September, and ratepayers can check their valuations prior to the new list coming into force on 1 April next year.
Asiantaeth y Swyddfa Brisio yw'r corff annibynnol, statudol sy'n gyfrifol am gyflawni’r ailbrisiad at ddibenion ardrethu annomestig. Cyhoeddodd y rhestr ardrethi ddrafft ar 30 Medi, a gall trethdalwyr wirio eu prisiadau cyn i'r rhestr newydd ddod i rym ar 1 Ebrill y flwyddyn nesaf.
Thank you, First Minister. As you know, the impending business rate revaluation continues to be a source of considerable concern for businesses, in some parts of Wales—I accept, not all, but certainly in my area of Wales. The Monmouth chamber of commerce met yesterday to discuss the hike in rates that many of the members are facing, and only this morning, I’ve received an e-mail from a business in Chepstow that is facing a potential doubling of its rates next year. This threatens the future viability of many of these businesses. Can you update us on your discussions with chambers of commerce across Wales and, indeed, other stakeholders and businesses, and tell us what you’re going to do to allay these concerns? I know you’re going to be making an announcement in due course about business rate relief. How will you tailor that to the needs of those businesses that are going to be worst affected by the revaluation?
Diolch yn fawr, Brif Weinidog. Fel y gwyddoch, mae'r ailbrisio ardrethi busnes sydd ar fin digwydd yn parhau i fod yn ffynhonnell o bryder sylweddol i fusnesau, mewn rhai rhannau o Gymru—nid pob rhan, rwy’n derbyn, ond yn sicr yn fy ardal i o Gymru. Cyfarfu siambr fasnach Trefynwy ddoe i drafod y cynnydd i ardrethi y mae llawer o'r aelodau yn ei wynebu, a dim ond y bore yma, derbyniais e-bost gan fusnes yng Nghas-gwent sy'n wynebu dyblu posibl i’w ardrethi y flwyddyn nesaf . Mae hyn yn bygwth hyfywedd llawer o'r busnesau hyn yn y dyfodol. A allwch chi roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i ni am eich trafodaethau gyda siambrau masnach ledled Cymru ac, yn wir, rhanddeiliaid a busnesau eraill, a dweud wrthym beth yr ydych chi'n mynd i'w wneud i leddfu'r pryderon hyn? Gwn eich bod yn mynd i fod yn gwneud cyhoeddiad maes o law am ryddhad ardrethi busnes. Sut gwnewch chi deilwra hynny i anghenion y busnesau hynny sy’n mynd i gael eu heffeithio waethaf gan yr ailbrisio?

The point he makes is a fair one. We have a consultation ongoing at the moment. The responses to that consultation have come almost entirely from Monmouth and Cowbridge, so, clearly, there is an issue there for businesses in those two towns. Those who have benefited tend to be silent on these issues. So, in examining the issues that they have raised, that will help us to put in place a transitional scheme that will be as effective as possible for those two towns. I’m not saying it only applies in those two towns, but the effect has been most marked there. Of course, it’s a matter for the Valuation Office Agency as to how these valuations take place, but we want to make sure that, by listening to businesses, we can get the right scheme in place for the transitional phase.
Mae’r pwynt y mae'n ei wneud yn un teg. Mae gennym ni ymgynghoriad ar y gweill ar hyn o bryd. Mae’r ymatebion i'r ymgynghoriad hwnnw wedi dod bron yn gyfan gwbl o Drefynwy a'r Bont-faen, felly, yn amlwg, ceir problem yn y fan yna i fusnesau yn y ddwy dref hynny. Mae'r rhai sydd wedi elwa yn tueddu i gadw’n dawel ynghylch y materion hyn. Felly, o archwilio'r materion a godwyd ganddynt, bydd yn hynny’n ein helpu i roi cynllun pontio ar waith a fydd mor effeithiol â phosibl i’r ddwy dref hynny. Nid wyf yn dweud ei fod yn berthnasol i’r ddwy dref hynny yn unig, ond mae'r effaith wedi bod fwyaf amlwg yno. Wrth gwrs, mater i Asiantaeth y Swyddfa Brisio yw sut y mae’r prisiadau hyn yn cael eu pennu, ond rydym ni eisiau gwneud yn siŵr, trwy wrando ar fusnesau, y gallwn gael y cynllun cywir ar waith ar gyfer y cyfnod pontio.
I think the First Minister will know that I’ve raised with him other cases from north Wales, actually, when I asked him about the effects of the revaluation and the hikes that businesses there have been experiencing. So, I think it is clear that a number of businesses throughout Wales are facing an extreme increase in their liabilities as a result of the revaluation. So, would he look again at the level of transitional relief that is provided and whether more can be done there? We are in this odd position of the revaluation happening and then, a year later, there is going to be a more fundamental reform of the business rate scheme. As a result of that, wouldn’t it be sensible to look as to whether the transitional relief provided is sufficient to provide succour to some of the businesses affected?
Rwy'n credu y bydd y Prif Weinidog yn gwybod fy mod i wedi codi gydag ef achosion eraill o’r gogledd, mewn gwirionedd, pan ofynnais iddo am effeithiau’r ailbrisio a'r codiadau y mae busnesau yno wedi eu dioddef. Felly, rwy’n meddwl ei bod ni’n eglur bod nifer o fusnesau ledled Cymru yn wynebu cynnydd eithafol i’w rhwymedigaethau o ganlyniad i'r ailbrisio. Felly, a wnaiff ef edrych eto ar lefel y rhyddhad trosiannol a ddarperir ac a ellir gwneud mwy yn hynny o beth? Rydym ni yn y sefyllfa ryfedd hon o’r ailbrisio yn digwydd ac yna, flwyddyn yn ddiweddarach, bydd y cynllun ardrethi busnes yn cael ei ddiwygio’n fwy sylfaenol. O ganlyniad i hynny, oni fyddai'n synhwyrol edrych a yw’r rhyddhad trosiannol a ddarperir yn ddigonol i gynorthwyo rhai o'r busnesau yr effeithir arnynt?

Yes, and we’ll do that as part of the consultation. He’s right, there will be businesses that have seen a significant increase in business rates; others will have seen the exact opposite. It’s revenue neutral in its intention, in any event, but, yes, the transitional scheme is designed to be brought in as soon as is possible after the consultation has taken place, in order to provide help on a transitional basis, and then, of course, we will look at what the permanent scheme actually looks like.
Byddai, a byddwn yn gwneud hynny yn rhan o'r ymgynghoriad. Mae e'n iawn, bydd busnesau sydd wedi gweld cynnydd sylweddol i ardrethi busnes; bydd eraill wedi gweld y gwrthwyneb llwyr. Mae'n niwtral o ran refeniw yn ei fwriad, beth bynnag, ond, ydy, mae'r cynllun pontio wedi ei gynllunio i gael ei gyflwyno cyn gynted â phosibl ar ôl cynnal yr ymgynghoriad, er mwyn darparu cymorth ar sail drosiannol, ac yna, wrth gwrs, byddwn yn edrych ar sut y mae’r cynllun parhaol yn edrych mewn gwirionedd.
Nifer y Bobl sy’n Goroesi Canser
Survival Rates for Cancer
6. Pa gynnydd y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud o ran gwella nifer y bobl sy’n goroesi canser? OAQ(5)0278(FM)
6. What progress is the Welsh Government making in improving survival rates for cancer? OAQ(5)0278(FM)

Well, cancer survival rates do continue to improve year on year. One-year survival has now reached 70 per cent and five-year survival has reached 50 per cent. We will continue this progress through the refreshed cancer delivery plan, which was published on the fifteenth of this month.
Wel, mae cyfraddau goroesi canser yn parhau i wella o flwyddyn i flwyddyn. Mae goroesiad blwyddyn wedi cyrraedd 70 y cant erbyn hyn a goroesiad pum mlynedd wedi cyrraedd 50 y cant. Byddwn yn parhau’r cynnydd hwn drwy'r cynllun cyflawni ar ganser wedi’i adnewyddu, a gyhoeddwyd ar y pymthegfed o'r mis hwn.
Diolch, First Minister. Last week, the Member for Cynon Valley, Vikki Howells, and myself had the great privilege to tour the laboratories of Cancer Research Wales. We were able to witness the internationally renowned groundbreaking work that is now taking place here in Wales to increase scientific understanding of how cancer attacks the immune system. Therefore, may I welcome warmly the Welsh Government’s revised cancer delivery plan that has just been launched? All of us can applaud the fact that patient satisfaction remains positive. Investment on spending on cancer services has risen from £347 million in 2011-12 to £409 million in 2014-15. So, First Minister, what can the Welsh Government do, going forward, to equip the scientists at Cancer Research Wales with the tools they need to improve survival rates by improving the early detection of cancer?
Diolch, Brif Weinidog. Yr wythnos diwethaf, cafodd yr Aelod dros Gwm Cynon, Vikki Howells, a minnau y fraint fawr o fynd ar daith o gwmpas labordai Ymchwil Canser Cymru. Roeddem ni’n gallu gweld y gwaith arloesol mawr ei fri yn rhyngwladol sy’n digwydd yma yng Nghymru bellach i gynyddu dealltwriaeth wyddonol o sut y mae canser yn ymosod ar y system imiwnedd. Felly, a gaf i groesawu'n gynnes cynllun cyflawni ar ganser diwygiedig Llywodraeth Cymru sydd newydd ei lansio? Gall pob un ohonom ni gymeradwyo'r ffaith bod boddhad cleifion yn parhau i fod yn gadarnhaol. Mae buddsoddiad mewn gwario ar wasanaethau canser wedi cynyddu o £347 miliwn yn 2011-12 i £409 miliwn yn 2014-15. Felly, Brif Weinidog, beth all Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud, yn y dyfodol, i sicrhau bod gan y gwyddonwyr yn Ymchwil Canser Cymru yr adnoddau sydd eu hangen arnynt i wella cyfraddau goroesi trwy wella’r gallu i ganfod canser yn gynnar?

Well, we are investing £4.5 million of funding over three years in the new Wales Cancer Research Centre, which was launched in October last year. In addition, roughly £4.7 million is invested annually in support of recruiting patients to trials or studies and supporting health board research activity.
Wel, rydym ni’n buddsoddi £4.5 miliwn o gyllid dros dair blynedd yng Nghanolfan Ymchwil Canser newydd Cymru, a lansiwyd ym mis Hydref y llynedd. Hefyd, caiff tua £4.7 miliwn ei fuddsoddi bob blwyddyn i gynorthwyo’r gwaith o recriwtio cleifion i dreialon neu astudiaethau a chefnogi gweithgarwch ymchwil y bwrdd iechyd.
Mae hi yn wybyddus bod cyfraddau y rhai sy’n goroesi canser yn is i’r rheini sy’n cael diagnosis drwy adrannau brys mewn ysbyty. Mae hi hefyd yn hysbys bod annhegwch o ran pwy sy’n debyg o fod yn mynd i gael diagnosis mewn adran frys, a bod y llai cyfoethog yn fwy tebygol o fynd drwy’r broses honno yn hytrach na mynd drwy brosesau a thrio neidio dros rwystrau o ran mynd i weld y GP ac ati. A ydy’r Prif Weinidog yn cytuno efo fi y gallai’r Llywodraeth edrych ar gyflwyno canolfannau cerdded i mewn fel bod pobl sydd â symptomau, o bosibl sydd wedi bod ganddyn nhw ers tro, yn gallu mynd i gael ‘check-up’ heb fynd drwy brosesau y system GP llawn?
It is well-known that survival rates of cancer are lower for those who receive a diagnosis through accident and emergency departments in hospitals. It’s also known that there is some inequality in terms of who is likely to get a diagnosis in an A&E department, and that the less wealthy are more likely to go through that process rather than going through alternative processes and getting over barriers in going to see their GP and so on. So, would the First Minister agree with me that the Government could look at introducing walk-in centres so that people who do have symptoms that they may have had for some time can actually go and get a check-up without going through the GP process in full?

Wel, y broblem, rwy’n credu, gyda llawer o wahanol gancrau, yw eu bod nhw’n ymddangos pan fo rhywun yn mynd i’r adran frys o achos y ffaith nad yw’r symptomau yn mynd yn ddifrifol nes eu bod nhw’n mynd fanna. Mae cancr pancreatig yn un enghraifft o hynny, lle mae llawer o bobl yn cael diagnosis dim ond unwaith maen nhw’n mynd i adran frys, o achos y ffaith ei bod hi’n mor anodd i roi diagnosis am gancr fel yna. Mae rhai pobl yn teimlo poen ond efallai nid ydyn nhw’n gwneud dim byd amdano fe—rydym ni’n gwybod bod rhai fel yna. Wedyn, wrth gwrs, maen nhw mewn sefyllfa lle mae’n rhaid iddyn nhw gael triniaeth. Rydym ni wedi bod yn gweithio gyda meddygon er mwyn iddyn nhw allu symud pobl ymlaen drwy’r system er mwyn iddyn nhw allu cael diagnosis o ganser cyn gynted ag sydd yn bosib. Rydym ni’n gweld, wrth gwrs, fod y mwyafrif mawr o bobl yn mynd drwy’r system ac yn cael diagnosis cyn gynted ag sydd yn bosib.
Well, the problem, I believe, with many of the various cancers, is that they just present when one goes to an A&E department because of the fact that the symptoms aren’t serious or don’t become serious until you actually have to go to A&E. Pancreatic cancer is an example of that, where many people only get the diagnosis once they go into A&E, because it’s so difficult to give a diagnosis for that kind of cancer. Others might feel some pain and they do nothing about it—we know that some are like that. Then, of course, they’re in a position where they have to have treatment. We’ve been working with doctors to ensure that GPs can move people through the system so that they can have a cancer diagnosis as soon as is possible, and we see, of course, that the vast majority of people do go through the system and get a diagnosis as soon as possible.
First Minister, the key to improving cancer survival rates is early diagnosis. It is therefore hugely welcome that the new cancer delivery plan for Wales is overhauling the GP cancer referrals by piloting diagnostic centres in Cwm Taf Local Health Board and Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health Board. However, the delivery plan states that improving access to diagnostics is an enormous challenge. What actions are you taking to address the shortages of equipment and staff in pathology, radiography and oncology identified in the delivery plan?
Brif Weinidog, diagnosis cynnar yw’r allwedd i wella cyfraddau goroesi canser. Felly, mae i’w groesawu’n enfawr bod y cynllun cyflawni ar ganser newydd i Gymru yn ailwampio atgyfeiriadau canser meddygon teulu trwy dreialu canolfannau diagnostig ym Mwrdd Iechyd Lleol Cwm Taf a Bwrdd Iechyd Lleol Prifysgol Abertawe Bro Morgannwg. Fodd bynnag, mae'r cynllun cyflawni yn nodi bod gwella mynediad at ddiagnosteg yn her enfawr. Pa gamau ydych chi’n eu cymryd i fynd i'r afael â'r prinder offer a staff ym meysydd patholeg, radiograffeg ac oncoleg a nodir yn y cynllun cyflawni?

Well, three examples: we are investing nearly £10 million in new linear accelerators so that patients can have access to the latest radiotherapy techniques. Our regional centres perform well in terms of the rate of intensity-modulated radiotherapy. We are committed to a new £200 million Velindre cancer centre, and, through the transforming cancer services programme, we will revolutionise the way that cancer services are delivered in the south-east of Wales. We have agreed £3 million of funding for decontamination facilities in endoscopy units and at least £6 million for a pilot diagnostic hub in Cwm Taf, as the Member has mentioned. All of these things, taken together, will continue to improve the outlook for so many of those who are living with cancer—to use the correct terminology.
Wel, tair enghraifft: rydym ni’n buddsoddi bron i £10 miliwn mewn cyflymyddion llinol newydd fel y gall cleifion gael mynediad at y technegau radiotherapi diweddaraf. Mae ein canolfannau rhanbarthol yn perfformio'n dda o ran y gyfradd radiotherapi modiwleiddio dwyster. Rydym ni wedi ymrwymo i ganolfan ganser Felindre newydd gwerth £200 miliwn, a, thrwy’r rhaglen gweddnewid gwasanaethau canser, byddwn yn chwyldroi'r ffordd y caiff gwasanaethau canser eu darparu yn y de-ddwyrain. Rydym ni wedi cytuno £3 miliwn o gyllid ar gyfer cyfleusterau diheintio mewn unedau endosgopi ac o leiaf £6 miliwn ar gyfer canolfan ddiagnostig arbrofol yng Nghwm Taf, fel y mae’r Aelod wedi sôn. Bydd yr holl bethau hyn, gyda'i gilydd, yn parhau i wella'r rhagolygon i gynifer o'r rhai sy'n byw gyda chanser—i ddefnyddio'r derminoleg gywir.
Tollau ar Bontydd Hafren
Tolls on the Severn Bridges
7. Pryd y gwnaeth y Prif Weinidog ei alwad gyntaf am ddileu tollau ar bontydd Hafren? OAQ(5)0282(FM)
7. When did the First Minister first call for the abolition of tolls on the Severn bridges? OAQ(5)0282(FM)

It was in our manifesto in May. I’ll send him a copy if he wants.
Roedd yn ein maniffesto ym mis Mai. Byddaf yn anfon copi ato os yw'n dymuno.
I’ve read the manifesto—
Rwyf wedi darllen y maniffesto—

I thought he might have done. [Laughter.]
Roeddwn i'n meddwl efallai ei fod wedi. [Chwerthin.]
My previous quote was:
‘We couldn't abolish the tolls, let's be perfectly frank about that. But of course any money that is raised could be applied to the M4’.
But that was in 2012, and I credit the First Minister for the position he now adopts. I've raised with him the issue that the UK Government's own powers to levy tolls under the Severn Bridges Act 1992 expire after a certain amount of money has been raised, recently estimated at £88 million. And, on a half toll, those powers wouldn't take it beyond 2019. Will the First Minister commit to exploiting his Government’s and this Assembly's powers to the maximum possible extent to prevent tolling thereafter?
Fy nyfyniad blaenorol oedd:
Ni fyddem yn gallu diddymu'r tollau, gadewch i ni fod yn gwbl onest am hynny. Ond, wrth gwrs, gallai unrhyw arian a godir gael ei neilltuo i’r M4.
Ond roedd hynny yn 2012, ac rwy’n cymeradwyo’r Prif Weinidog ar y safbwynt y mae’n ei fabwysiadu nawr. Rwyf wedi codi gydag ef y mater bod pwerau Llywodraeth y DU ei hun i godi tollau o dan Ddeddf Pontydd Hafren 1992 yn dod i ben ar ôl codi swm penodol o arian, a amcangyfrifwyd i fod yn £88 miliwn yn ddiweddar. Ac, ar hanner toll, ni fyddai’r pwerau hynny yn mynd ag ef y tu hwnt i 2019. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ymrwymo i fanteisio ar bwerau ei Lywodraeth ef a’r Cynulliad hwn i'r graddau mwyaf posibl i atal codi tollau ar ôl hynny?

Yes. I should've known you would have read the manifesto, of course, but, yes, I will make that commitment. I reiterate what I said to him in the committee on Friday, that that is something that needs to be examined carefully.
Gwnaf. Dylwn fod wedi gwybod y byddech chi wedi darllen y maniffesto, wrth gwrs, ond, gwnaf, mi wnaf yr ymrwymiad hwnnw. Ailadroddaf yr hyn a ddywedais wrtho yn y pwyllgor ddydd Gwener, bod hynny'n rhywbeth y mae angen ei archwilio’n ofalus.
At a recent meeting of the Welsh Affairs Committee, the UK Government transport Minister, Andrew Jones, said that income from tolls on the Severn bridges would not be used as a profit-making exercise once they are returned to public ownership. Given that the bridges generate more than £90 million a year in revenue, but cost only £14 million to maintain, will the First Minister join me in welcoming this indication of a significant cut in tolls in the near future in Wales?
Mewn cyfarfod diweddar o’r Pwyllgor Materion Cymreig, dywedodd Gweinidog trafnidiaeth Llywodraeth y DU, Andrew Jones, na fyddai incwm o'r tollau ar bontydd Hafren yn cael ei ddefnyddio fel ymarfer gwneud elw ar ôl eu dychwelyd i berchnogaeth gyhoeddus. O ystyried bod y pontydd yn cynhyrchu mwy na £90 miliwn y flwyddyn mewn refeniw, ond yn costio dim ond £14 miliwn i’w cynnal, a wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ymuno â mi i groesawu’r arwydd hwn o doriad sylweddol i dollau yn y dyfodol agos yng Nghymru?

Well, I’d prefer it if we controlled the tolls ourselves—they are in Wales, after all. That would be a significant step forward. I think the problem is that I have seen so many different figures for the maintenance of both bridges. They range from £20 million plus to over £100 million, I've seen as well. I think the issue is what the condition of the original bridge is. So, I think it's hugely important that there is a proper survey of both bridges, so it's understood what the liabilities that surround those bridges are, and also what the maintenance costs are likely to be going forward. Then we’ll have a better idea of what money needs to be found in order for the tolls to be abolished.
Wel, byddai'n well gen i pe byddem ni’n rheoli’r tollau ein hunain—yng Nghymru maen nhw, wedi'r cyfan. Byddai hwnnw'n gam sylweddol ymlaen. Rwy'n meddwl mai’r broblem yw fy mod i wedi gweld cymaint o wahanol ffigurau ar gyfer cynnal a chadw’r ddwy bont. Maen nhw’n amrywio o £20 miliwn a mwy i dros £100 miliwn, yr wyf wedi ei weld hefyd. Rwy'n meddwl mai’r broblem yw beth yw cyflwr y bont wreiddiol. Felly, rwy’n credu ei bod yn hynod bwysig y ceir arolwg priodol o’r ddwy bont, fel bod dealltwriaeth o’r rhwymedigaethau sy'n gysylltiedig â’r pontydd hynny, a hefyd faint yw’r costau cynnal a chadw yn debygol o fod yn y dyfodol. Yna, bydd gennym ni well syniad o'r arian y mae angen dod o hyd iddo er mwyn gallu diddymu’r tollau.
First Minister, last week, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure met the UK Tory Government transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, and told him in no uncertain terms that the tolls should be scrapped and that, if the UK Government was not prepared to do that, it should not make a profit, but simply charge the actual cost of maintenance. Maybe the Member for South Wales East, Mark Reckless, could place in the Assembly Library his contributions from Hansard when he raged against his Tory UK Government's exploitation of the Welsh economy by their refusal to scrap or minimise the Severn bridge tolls, but I doubt it. Will the First Minister state how the Welsh Government can continue to stand up for the people of Wales in the face of a UK Tory Government that is literally profiteering at their expense?
Brif Weinidog, yr wythnos diwethaf, cafodd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr Economi a Seilwaith gyfarfod gydag Ysgrifennydd trafnidiaeth Llywodraeth Dorïaidd y DU, Chris Grayling, a dywedodd wrtho’n blwmp ac yn blaen y dylai'r tollau gael eu diddymu ac, os nad oedd Llywodraeth y DU yn barod i wneud hynny, ni ddylai wneud elw, ond yn hytrach codi cost wirioneddol y gwaith cynnal a chadw. Efallai y gallai'r Aelod dros Ddwyrain De Cymru, Mark Reckless, roi yn Llyfrgell y Cynulliad ei gyfraniadau o Hansard pan fu’n rhuo yn erbyn camfanteisio ei Lywodraeth Dorïaidd y DU ar economi Cymru trwy ei gwrthodiad i ddiddymu neu ostwng tollau pont Hafren, ond rwy’n amau y gwnaiff hynny. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatgan sut y gall Llywodraeth Cymru barhau i sefyll dros bobl Cymru yn wyneb Llywodraeth Dorïaidd y DU sy’n gorelwa’n llythrennol ar eu traul?

Well, we did suggest that we should take over the running of the bridges, subject, of course, to a proper survey and a proper understanding of the maintenance of those bridges. That was rejected. At the time, we were told that the tolls would remain because they provided a source of income for the Department of Transport for spending on roads in England—not a penny was going to come to Wales at that point. I think it's worth emphasising, of course, that, as we look at the tolls, if we move to a situation where the tolls are abolished, or if the UK Government at some point looks at e-tolling, that would cause traffic to arrive more quickly at the Brynglas tunnels, therefore adding to congestion at the Brynglas tunnels. So, the issue of Brynglas and the issue of the bridges needs to be considered carefully, because of the impact that toll reduction has on traffic arriving then in Newport.
Wel, fe wnaethom awgrymu y dylem ni gymryd drosodd y gwaith o redeg y pontydd, yn amodol, wrth gwrs, ar arolwg priodol a dealltwriaeth briodol o gynnal a chadw’r pontydd hynny. Gwrthodwyd hynny. Ar y pryd, dywedwyd wrthym y byddai'r tollau’n parhau gan eu bod yn ffynhonnell o incwm i’r Adran Drafnidiaeth ei wario ar ffyrdd yn Lloegr—nid oedd ceiniog yn mynd i ddod i Gymru ar yr adeg honno. Rwy'n credu ei bod hi’n werth pwysleisio, wrth gwrs, wrth i ni edrych ar y tollau, os symudwn ni at sefyllfa lle mae'r tollau’n cael eu diddymu, neu os bydd Llywodraeth y DU ar ryw adeg yn ystyried e-dollau, y byddai hynny'n achosi traffig i gyrraedd twneli Brynglas yn gyflymach, gan ychwanegu at dagfeydd yn nhwneli Brynglas. Felly, mae angen ystyried y mater o Frynglas a mater y pontydd yn ofalus, oherwydd yr effaith y mae gostwng tollau yn ei chael ar draffig sy'n cyrraedd Casnewydd wedyn.
Comisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru
The National Infrastructure Commission for Wales
8. Pa ystyriaeth y mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi'i roi i Gomisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru gael swyddogaeth banc seilwaith? OAQ(5)0279(FM)
8. What consideration has the First Minister given to the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales having the function of an infrastructure bank? OAQ(5)0279(FM)

Rydym ni’n ymgynghori ar hyn o bryd ynglŷn â sefydlu comisiwn i gynghori ar anghenion seilwaith strategol tymor hir i gefnogi fframwaith buddsoddi mwy sefydlog ar gyfer y dyfodol. Ni fydd swyddogaethau benthyca gan y corff fel y mae’n cael ei gynnig ar hyn o bryd, ond, wrth gwrs, bydd yna fanc datblygu’n cael ei sefydlu er mwyn bod mwy o gymorth cyllidol ar gael i fusnesau.
We are currently out to consultation on establishing a commission to advise on long-term strategic infrastructure needs to support a more stable investment framework for the future. The body as proposed would not have lending functions, but, of course, a development bank will be developed so that more financial support will be available to businesses.
Yn barod y mis yma, mae Prif Weinidog Canada, Justin Trudeau, wedi cyhoeddi banc seilwaith i Ganada, ac mae cyn-Brif Weinidog Awstralia, Paul Keating, wedi galw am yr un peth i Awstralia. Mi oedd Hillary Clinton wedi ymgyrchu o blaid banc seilwaith, ac, er bod Trump wedi’i wrthwynebu, mae’r darpar-Arlywydd newydd ddweud ei fod am greu banc seilwaith i’r Unol Daleithiau. Onid yw hi’n bryd i ni yng Nghymru nawr gymryd y cyfle yma, yn arbennig oherwydd ein bod ni ar fin colli’r unig fanc seilwaith sydd gyda ni ar hyn o bryd, sef yr EIB?
Already this month the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, has announced the establishment of an infrastructure bank for Canada. The former Australian Prime Minister, Paul Keating, has called for the same for Australia. Hillary Clinton had campaigned in favour of an infrastructure bank, and, although Trump had opposed that, the President-elect has just said that he wishes to create an infrastructure bank for the United States. Isn’t it time for us in Wales now to take this opportunity, particularly as we’re about to lose the only infrastructure bank that we have at present, which is the EIB?

Nid yw’n glir ein bod ni’n mynd i golli’r EIB. Mae swyddogion wedi bod mewn trafodaethau gyda’r EIB. Nid oes yna ddim rheswm pam na allai neb gael cyllid o’r EIB os ydyn nhw’r tu fas i’r Undeb Ewropeaidd ond, os mae’r Deyrnas Unedig tu fas i’r Undeb Ewropeaidd, byddai llai o arian ar gael i’r banc. So, felly, dyna beth yw’r sefyllfa fel y mae’r banc yn dweud wrthym ni ar hyn o bryd, so, felly, byddai’n dal i fod yn agored.
Rydym ni eisiau sicrhau, wrth gwrs, bod y banc datblygu yn gallu helpu busnesau hefyd, ond, ar hyn o bryd, mae’r gwaith ar y comisiwn yn cael ei ddatblygu. Nid ydw i o blaid cael corff sydd yn hollol annibynnol, rhyw fath o gwango, ond rydym ni’n moyn sicrhau bod y comisiwn, wrth gwrs, yn rhywbeth sy’n gallu datblygu a chynllunio er mwyn cael y seilwaith gorau i Gymru yn y dyfodol.
It’s not clear that we are going to lose the EIB. Officials have been in discussions with the EIB and there is no reason why people outwith the European Union can’t receive funding, but, of course, if the United Kingdom is outside the European Union, there would be less money available to the bank itself. So that’s what the position is at present according to the bank, so it would still be open.
We want to ensure that the development bank will be able to support businesses, but, at the present time, the work on the commission is being developed. I’m not in favour of a totally independent body, some kind of quango, but we want to ensure that the commission is a body that can develop and plan ahead for the best infrastructure for Wales for the future.
The Welsh Government consultation document on the commission makes it clear that the commission would be advisory and non-statutory, and that Ministers would retain control over investment decisions. If, as you’ve just indicated, the evolution of Finance Wales into a development bank for Wales might incorporate some infrastructure bank functions, how will you ensure that it complies with the sustainable development principle implemented by the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, given that we understand from evidence to committee that it won’t be bound by Bank of England prudential requirements or EU rules on capital requirements requiring risk-sensitive and enhanced risk management?
Mae dogfen ymgynghori Llywodraeth Cymru ar y comisiwn yn ei gwneud yn eglur y byddai'r comisiwn yn gynghorol ac anstatudol, ac y byddai Gweinidogion yn cadw rheolaeth dros benderfyniadau buddsoddi. Os, fel yr ydych chi newydd ei nodi, gallai esblygiad Cyllid Cymru i fanc datblygu i Gymru gynnwys rhai swyddogaethau banc seilwaith, sut gwnewch chi sicrhau ei fod yn cydymffurfio â’r egwyddor datblygu cynaliadwy a gyflwynwyd gan Ddeddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015, o ystyried ein bod yn deall o dystiolaeth i'r pwyllgor na fydd yn cael ei rwymo gan ofynion darbodus Banc Lloegr na rheolau'r UE ar ofynion cyfalaf gan wneud rheoli risg-sensitif a risg uwch yn ofynnol?

That’s correct, but we expect all public bodies to adhere to the principles of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and its seven goals. With regard to the progress of the development bank, that progress is going well in order to achieve the correct certification so the bank can operate, and we’re confident, of course, that it’s on time.
Mae hynny'n gywir, ond rydym ni’n disgwyl i bob corff cyhoeddus gydymffurfio ag egwyddorion Deddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015 a’i saith nod. O ran cynnydd y banc datblygu, mae’r cynnydd hwnnw’n datblygu’n dda i sicrhau’r ardystiad cywir fel y gall y banc weithredu, ac rydym ni’n ffyddiog, wrth gwrs, ei fod ar amser.
Twf Economaidd yng Nghymoedd y De
Economic Growth in the South Wales Valleys
9. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am y rhagolygon ar gyfer twf economaidd yng nghymoedd y de? OAQ(5)0289(FM)
9. Will the First Minister make a statement on the prospects for economic growth in the south Wales valleys? OAQ(5)0289(FM)

We are delivering a range of actions to support a strong, prosperous economy in the Valleys. That includes business support, advice and investment in digital and transport infrastructure. We’ll continue to tailor our approach in response to the outcomes of the Valleys taskforce.
Rydym ni’n darparu amrywiaeth o gamau i gefnogi economi gref, lewyrchus yn y Cymoedd. Mae hynny'n cynnwys cymorth busnes, cyngor a buddsoddiad mewn seilwaith digidol a thrafnidiaeth. Byddwn yn parhau i deilwra ein dull mewn ymateb i ganlyniadau tasglu’r Cymoedd.
Thank you for that statement, First Minister. I recently met with the Bevan Foundation to discuss ideas and strategies for economic regeneration in my constituency. Part of those discussions focused on the Cardiff capital region and the metro. The Cardiff capital region will undoubtedly bring significant benefits to the south Wales area, but there is a danger that areas like Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney may not benefit fully because of their distance from Cardiff, and, in reality, Cardiff in itself could not provide enough jobs for the needs of the Valleys areas.
Given that within 20 minutes of Merthyr Tydfil there is a population base of around 175,000, it’s a key transport intersection between the A470 and the A465, and it will have a metro terminus providing good public transport links across the Valleys, does the First Minister agree with both the Bevan Foundation and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation that Merthyr Tydfil is ideally placed to be a growth hub for the south-east Valleys to act as a counter-balance to Cardiff, and that this should be considered as an integral part of the Government’s economic strategy?
Diolch i chi am y datganiad yna, Brif Weinidog. Cefais gyfarfod â Sefydliad Bevan yn ddiweddar i drafod syniadau a strategaethau ar gyfer adfywio economaidd yn fy etholaeth i. Canolbwyntiodd rhan o'r trafodaethau hynny ar brifddinas-ranbarth Caerdydd a’r metro. Nid oes amheuaeth y bydd prifddinas-ranbarth Caerdydd yn dod â manteision sylweddol i ardal de Cymru, ond ceir perygl na fydd ardaloedd fel Merthyr Tudful a Rhymni yn elwa’n llawn oherwydd eu pellter o Gaerdydd, ac, mewn gwirionedd, ni allai Caerdydd ei hun ddarparu digon o swyddi ar gyfer anghenion ardaloedd y Cymoedd.
O ystyried bod poblogaeth sefydlog o tua 175,000 o fewn 20 munud o Ferthyr Tudful, mae'n groesffordd drafnidiaeth allweddol rhwng yr A470 a'r A465, a bydd yno derminws metro yn cynnig cysylltiadau trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus da ar draws y Cymoedd, a yw'r Prif Weinidog yn cytuno gyda Sefydliad Bevan a Sefydliad Joseph Rowntree bod Merthyr Tudful mewn lleoliad delfrydol i fod yn ganolbwynt twf ar gyfer Cymoedd y de-ddwyrain i weithredu fel gwrthbwys i Gaerdydd, ac y dylid ystyried hyn yn rhan annatod o strategaeth economaidd y Llywodraeth?

Yes, I do. Merthyr is in a good place in terms of transport. The metro will benefit it greatly; the dualling of the Heads of the Valleys is hugely important for the town and the surrounding area. The town centre, of course, has seen huge amounts of—ironically—European money spent on it to get to a position where it’s far more attractive for businesses, and, of course, the businesses who’ve come to the developments outside the town have complemented the town centre, it seems to me.
We see, of course, jobs coming to Merthyr. Many years ago, the Welsh Government set up an office in Merthyr. We’ve seen Tenneco, of course, General Dynamics, Trago Mills—these are all signs to me that Merthyr has a great future, and great potential to act as an engine to drive the economy, not just in the town, but in the surrounding towns and villages as well.
Ydw, mi ydwyf. Mae Merthyr mewn lle da o ran trafnidiaeth. Bydd y metro o fudd mawr iddo; mae deuoli Blaenau'r Cymoedd yn hynod bwysig i’r dref a'r cyffiniau. Gwariwyd symiau enfawr o arian Ewropeaidd—yn eironig—ar ganol y dref, wrth gwrs i gael i sefyllfa lle mae'n llawer mwy deniadol i fusnesau, ac, wrth gwrs, mae’r busnesau sydd wedi dod i'r datblygiadau y tu allan i'r dref wedi ategu canol y dref, mae'n ymddangos i mi.
Rydym ni’n gweld, wrth gwrs, swyddi yn dod i Ferthyr. Flynyddoedd lawer yn ôl, sefydlodd Llywodraeth Cymru swyddfa ym Merthyr. Rydym ni wedi gweld Tenneco, wrth gwrs, General Dynamics, Trago Mills—mae'r rhain i gyd yn arwyddion i mi bod gan Ferthyr ddyfodol gwych, a photensial helaeth i weithredu fel peiriant i yrru’r economi, nid yn unig yn y dref, ond yn y trefi a’r pentrefi cyfagos hefyd.
Prinder Meddygon Teulu
GP Shortages
10. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am brinder meddygon teulu yng Nghymru? OAQ(5)0288(FM)[W]
10. Will the First Minister make a statement on GP shortages in Wales? OAQ(5)0288(FM)[W]

Mae meddygon teulu a gofal sylfaenol yn parhau i fod yn allweddol i lwyddiant y gwasanaeth iechyd yng Nghymru. Rydym ni’n parhau i ymateb i’r heriau sy’n wynebu meddygon teulu nawr ac yn y dyfodol, ac mae ymgyrch, wrth gwrs, gyda ni sydd yn marchnata Cymru fel lle braf er mwyn cael gyrfa ac, wrth gwrs, i fyw ac i weithio.
General practitioners in primary care remain critical to the success of the NHS in Wales. We continue to respond to the current and future challenges for GPs and, of course, we have our campaign to market Wales as an attractive place for doctors’ careers and in which to live and work.
Wel, Brif Weinidog, mae’r prinder yn argyfyngus mewn ambell i ardal—nid dros Gymru i gyd, rwy’n cytuno, ond mewn ambell i ardal, megis de sir Benfro, mae yna brinder difrifol am feddygon teulu. Mae yna ymgyrch i recriwtio mwy, rwy’n derbyn hynny, ond, yn y cyfamser, beth ydych chi’n ei wneud i sicrhau bod gofal sylfaenol ar gael i bawb mewn ardaloedd megis de sir Benfro drwy ddefnyddio fferyllfeydd, drwy ddefnyddio ymarferwyr nyrsio, drwy ddefnyddio dulliau eraill o gyflogi meddygon teulu yn uniongyrchol?
Well, First Minister, the shortage is critical in some areas—not across Wales, I would agree, but, in certain areas, such as southern Pembrokeshire, there is a grave shortage of GPs. There is a recruitment campaign ongoing, I accept that, but, in the meantime, what are you doing to ensure that primary care is available to all in areas such as southern Pembrokeshire by using pharmacies and using nurse practitioners and alternative methods of employing of employing GPs directly?

Mae’r Aelod, wrth gwrs, yn sôn am Dewis Doeth—Choose Well—sef ymgais sydd gyda ni er mwyn sicrhau bod pobl yn mynd i’r fferyllydd yn gyntaf, wedyn at nyrs mewn meddygfa deuluol a dim ond wedyn yn mynd at feddyg teulu. Mae hynny’n hollbwysig i dynnu pwysau bant o feddygon teulu. Lle mae meddygfeydd yn cau, mae’r byrddau iechyd yn eu cymryd nhw drosodd ac mae’r gwasanaeth yn dal i fynd. Ond, mae yna gwestiwn i’r proffesiwn yn y pen draw. Mae mwy a mwy o ddoctoriaid ifanc eisiau cael cyflog ac nid prynu i mewn i bractis, ac mae hynny’n rhywbeth bydd y proffesiwn yn gorfod delio ag ef dros y blynyddoedd nesaf.
The Member is talking about Choose Well, an initiative that we have to ensure that patients go to see the pharmacist first, and then nurses in surgeries. Then, only after that, they would go to the GP surgery, and that would take the pressure off them. Where GPs surgeries are closing down, the service is then taken over by the health boards and the service continues. But, there is a question for the profession at the end of the day. More and more young GPs want to be salaried and not have to buy in to a surgery, and that’s something the profession will have to deal with over the coming years.
Diolch i’r Prif Weinidog.
I thank the First Minister.
Mae [R] yn dynodi bod yr Aelod wedi datgan buddiant. Mae [W] yn dynodi bod y cwestiwn wedi'i gyflwyno yn Gymraeg.
[R] signifies the Member has declared an interest. [W] signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.
Rwyf wedi dewis tri chwestiwn brys o dan Reol Sefydlog 12.66 ac rwy’n galw ar Bethan Jenkins i ofyn y cwestiwn brys cyntaf.
I have selected three urgent questions under Standing Order 12.66 and I call on Bethan Jenkins to ask the first urgent question.
A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am lefelau staffio yn safle Tata ym Mhort Talbot? EAQ(5)0075(EI)
Will the Minister make a statement on staffing levels at Tata's Port Talbot site? EAQ(5)0075(EI)

Yes. Tata Steel directly employs around 3,600 people at Port Talbot. Tata is currently recruiting 49 experienced agency staff to replace 21 vacancies arising from natural attrition and 28 as a result of voluntary severance.
Gwnaf. Mae Tata Steel yn cyflogi tua 3,600 o bobl ym Mhort Talbot. Ar hyn o bryd mae Tata yn recriwtio 49 o staff asiantaeth profiadol i gymryd lle 21 o swyddi gwag yn sgil gadael naturiol a 28 o ganlyniad i ddiswyddo gwirfoddol.
Thank you for that detail. I’m raising this now because worried steelworkers have come to me very recently to say the company, as you have said, are in the process of employing staff at Port Talbot—although they quoted to me 200 to 250. So, it would be good if we could have a breakdown on that. You know that they obviously declared the cuts of 750 workers earlier this year. Staff want to know if this extra recruitment is being done for safety reasons, as many of them continue to be concerned about safe staffing levels in light of the announcements that were made earlier this year. I have previously raised these concerns with you and with other Ministers and I know that much of it is down to confidence, we’ve been told, by the trade union and by Tata. But, as you will understand, nothing should compromise safety under any circumstances.
You said in your reply to me that there are going to be agency staff that are going to be employed. I was wondering if you could tell me if any of those who are going to be employed are former full-time Tata employees, because of course many of them are concerned that they are not being prioritised in this process that is currently being undertaken by Tata. Are you aware of that? What discussions are you having with them so that we can make sure that any employment in that area is sustainable employment?
Diolch am y manylion yna. Rwy’n codi hyn yn awr oherwydd bod gweithwyr dur pryderus wedi dod ataf yn ddiweddar iawn, a dweud bod y cwmni, fel yr ydych chi wedi’i ddweud, yn y broses o gyflogi staff ym Mhort Talbot—er eu bod wedi dyfynnu 200 i 250 i mi. Felly, byddai'n dda pe gallem gael dadansoddiad o hynny. Rydych yn gwybod eu bod yn amlwg wedi datgan y byddai toriadau o 750 o weithwyr yn gynharach eleni. Mae'r staff yn awyddus i gael gwybod os yw’r recriwtio ychwanegol hyn yn digwydd am resymau diogelwch, gan fod llawer ohonyn nhw’n dal i bryderu am lefelau staffio diogel yn sgil y cyhoeddiadau a wnaethpwyd yn gynharach eleni. Rwyf wedi codi'r pryderon hyn gyda chi a gyda Gweinidogion eraill yn flaenorol a gwn fod llawer o hyn yn ymwneud â ffydd, fel y dywedwyd wrthym, gan yr undeb llafur a chan Tata. Ond, fel y byddwch chi’n deall, ni ddylai unrhyw beth beryglu diogelwch o dan unrhyw amgylchiadau.
Dywedasoch yn eich ateb i mi y bydd staff asiantaeth yn cael eu cyflogi. Roeddwn i’n meddwl tybed a wnewch chi ddweud wrthyf a fydd unrhyw rai o’r rheini a fydd yn cael eu cyflogi yn gyn-weithwyr llawn amser Tata, oherwydd, wrth gwrs, mae llawer ohonyn nhw’n pryderu nad ydyn nhw’n cael eu blaenoriaethu yn y broses hon sydd ar waith ar hyn o bryd gan Tata. A ydych chi’n ymwybodol o hynny? Pa drafodaethau ydych chi’n eu cael â nhw er mwyn i ni allu sicrhau bod unrhyw gyflogaeth yn yr ardal honno yn gyflogaeth gynaliadwy?
I’d agree entirely with the Member that nothing should compromise health and safety in the workplace, be it in the steel sector or any other sector for that matter. My understanding is that the 49 workers are over and above the 750 tranche that the Member refers to. All are trained and hold safety passports. It’s also my understanding that the unions and management have agreed to this recruitment approach. There is no evidence to suggest that the recruitment of 49 agency staff in any way relates to concerns around health and safety at the site but, if any members of the workforce do have concerns regarding health and safety, they should be reported.
Rwyf yn cytuno’n llwyr â'r Aelod na ddylai unrhyw beth beryglu iechyd a diogelwch yn y gweithle, boed hynny yn y sector dur neu unrhyw sector arall o ran hynny. Fy nealltwriaeth i yw bod y 49 o weithwyr yn ychwanegol i'r gyfran o 750 y mae'r Aelod yn cyfeirio ati. Mae pob un wedi ei hyfforddi ac â phasbort diogelwch. Rwyf hefyd ar ddeall bod yr undebau a'r rheolwyr wedi cytuno i'r dull recriwtio hwn. Nid oes unrhyw dystiolaeth i awgrymu bod recriwtio 49 o staff asiantaeth yn ymwneud mewn unrhyw ffordd â phryderon ynghylch iechyd a diogelwch ar y safle, ond, os oes gan unrhyw aelodau o'r gweithlu bryderon ynghylch iechyd a diogelwch, dylid rhoi gwybod amdanyn nhw.
Cabinet Secretary, I join you in expressing concerns that health and safety is a priority and we must ensure that everything is done to ensure the safety of our workers, particularly 15 years after the horrific accident that occurred in blast furnace No. 5. But, do you join me in congratulating the actual workforce? Because the result of taking on new employees—and they are going to be Tata employees, they’re not agency staff that will be employed, it’s Tata employees they’ll be employed as—through an agreement between trade unions and management shows that the level of production that has been achieved because of the bridge is actually succeeding and the works is actually going from strength to strength?
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ymunaf â chi wrth fynegi pryderon bod iechyd a diogelwch yn flaenoriaeth ac mae’n rhaid i ni sicrhau y gwneir popeth i sicrhau diogelwch ein gweithwyr, yn arbennig 15 mlynedd ar ôl y ddamwain erchyll yn ffwrnais chwyth Rhif 5. Ond, a wnewch chi ymuno â mi i longyfarch y gweithlu ei hun? Oherwydd bod cyflogi gweithwyr newydd—a gweithwyr Tata fyddan nhw, nid staff asiantaeth fydd yn cael eu cyflogi, ond gweithwyr fydd yn cael eu cyflogi fel—drwy gytundeb rhwng yr undebau llafur a’r rheolwyr sy’n dangos bod lefel y cynhyrchu sydd wedi'i gyflawni oherwydd y bont yn llwyddo mewn gwirionedd a bod y gwaith mewn gwirionedd yn mynd o nerth i nerth?
Yes, I would join with the Member in welcoming the recruitment of 49 additional workers, which is to support production. I think it’ll send a message that the bridge has indeed worked, is working, and the steel sector in Wales is in a position of relative strength compared to where it was back in January of this year. We will go on working with Tata and with all steel companies in Wales to ensure that the sector has a prosperous future.
Gwnaf, ymunaf â'r Aelod wrth groesawu recriwtio 49 o weithwyr ychwanegol, sy'n cefnogi’r gwaith cynhyrchu. Rwy'n credu y bydd hyn yn anfon neges bod y bont yn sicr wedi gweithio, yn gweithio, a bod y sector dur yng Nghymru mewn sefyllfa gymharol gref o gymharu â lle yr oedd ym mis Ionawr eleni. Byddwn yn parhau i weithio gyda Tata a phob cwmni dur yng Nghymru i sicrhau bod gan y sector ddyfodol llewyrchus.
I just wonder if you can clarify this, because I don’t think you actually answered the question that Bethan Jenkins put to you in a way that I understood. Are these agency staff or not? Because David Rees seems to suggest they’re not. In your response to us originally, you suggested that they are. They may be agency staff, but they may be former Tata employees. Can you clarify that? If they’re not Tata’s former employees, can you tell me what the taskforce has done—obviously, part of their role is to deal with employment—to ensure that Tata’s first pick is always its former employees, where that’s relevant? Can you tell me also, if there is to be a $500 million investment in the plant, which is suggested at the moment, is this period of employment, or are these employees, part of a more strategic plan from Tata to take on more staff, or is this just covering over a sort of temporary need to backfill some jobs that have disappeared?
Tybed a allwch chi egluro hyn, oherwydd nid wyf yn credu eich bod mewn gwirionedd wedi ateb y cwestiwn y gofynnodd Bethan Jenkins i chi mewn modd yr wyf i’n ei ddeall. Ai staff asiantaeth yw'r rhain ai peidio? Oherwydd ymddengys bod David Rees yn awgrymu nad dyna ydyn nhw. Yn eich ateb gwreiddiol i ni, fe wnaethoch awgrymu mai dyna oedden nhw. Efallai mai staff asiantaeth ydyn nhw, ond efallai mai cyn-weithwyr Tata ydyn nhw. A allwch chi egluro hynny? Os nad cyn-weithwyr Tata ydyn nhw, a allwch chi ddweud wrthyf beth y mae’r tasglu wedi ei wneud—yn amlwg, rhan o'i waith yw ymdrin â chyflogaeth—i sicrhau mai dewis cyntaf Tata yw ei gyn-weithwyr bob tro, pan fo hynny'n berthnasol? A allwch chi ddweud wrthyf hefyd, os bydd buddsoddiad o $500 miliwn yn y gwaith dur, fel yr awgrymir ar hyn o bryd, a yw’r cyfnod hwn o gyflogaeth, neu a yw’r gweithwyr hyn, yn rhan o gynllun mwy strategol gan Tata i gyflogi rhagor o staff, neu ai yw hyn ddim ond yn ateb angen dros dro o ryw fath i lenwi rhai o’r swyddi sydd wedi diflannu?
My understanding is that this is strategic, and it was remiss of me not to give more detail to Bethan Jenkins regarding the question about the agency workers. These are Tata staff—former Tata staff—who have been laid off. They are being brought back into work, and I’m sure that that’s something that we should all welcome.
Rwyf i ar ddeall mai strategol yw hyn, ac roedd bai arnaf am beidio â rhoi rhagor o fanylion i Bethan Jenkins o ran y cwestiwn ynglŷn â’r gweithwyr asiantaeth. Staff Tata yw’r rhain—cyn-staff Tata—sydd wedi eu diswyddo. Maen nhw’n cael eu tynnu yn ôl i weithio, ac rwy'n sicr bod hynny yn rhywbeth y dylem ni i gyd ei groesawu.
Cabinet Secretary, in recent weeks, the media have been reporting that Tata plans to make a significant investment in the Port Talbot plant of around £0.5 billion. What discussions have the Welsh Government had with Tata regarding their investment plans? Do you know whether they plan to reline the blast furnaces or introduce arc furnaces to the Port Talbot site? Thank you.
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, yn ystod yr wythnosau diwethaf, bu'r cyfryngau yn adrodd bod Tata yn bwriadu buddsoddi’n sylweddol yn y gwaith ym Mhort Talbot o oddeutu £0.5 biliwn. Pa drafodaethau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi eu cael â Tata ynghylch eu cynlluniau buddsoddi? A wyddoch chi pa un a ydynt yn bwriadu ail-leinio'r ffwrneisi chwyth neu gyflwyno ffwrneisi arc i safle Port Talbot? Diolch.
We continue to have discussions with Tata regarding steel sites in Wales, but I’m unable to go into any detail about these projects due to the ongoing negotiations that are taking place and the discussions that are being carried out right now. But, I do hope to be in a position in the coming weeks to make an announcement.
Rydym yn parhau i drafod â Tata ynglŷn â’r safleoedd dur yng Nghymru, ond ni allaf roi unrhyw fanylion am y prosiectau hyn oherwydd bod y trafodaethau yn parhau ac yn cael eu cynnal ar hyn o bryd. Ond, rwyf yn gobeithio bod mewn sefyllfa yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf i wneud cyhoeddiad.
Diolch i’r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet.
I thank the Cabinet Secretary.
Mae [R] yn dynodi bod yr Aelod wedi datgan buddiant. Mae [W] yn dynodi bod y cwestiwn wedi'i gyflwyno yn Gymraeg.
[R] signifies the Member has declared an interest. [W] signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.
Galwaf ar Eluned Morgan i ofyn yr ail gwestiwn brys.
I call on Eluned Morgan to ask the second urgent question.
A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am yr opsiynau a gyflwynodd Bwrdd Iechyd Hywel Dda i leihau gwasanaethau paediatrig dros dro yn Ysbyty Llwynhelyg? EAQ(5)0077(HWS)
Will the Minister make a statement on the options put forward by Hywel Dda Health Board to temporarily reduce paediatric services at Withybush Hospital? EAQ(5)0077(HWS)

Thank you for the question. At its public board meeting on 24 November, Hywel Dda university health board will consider options for temporary changes to the opening hours of the paediatric ambulatory care unit at Withybush hospital. This is an operational matter for the health board.
Diolch am y cwestiwn. Yn ei gyfarfod bwrdd cyhoeddus ar 24 Tachwedd, bydd bwrdd iechyd prifysgol Hywel Dda yn ystyried dewisiadau ar gyfer newidiadau dros dro i oriau agor yr uned triniaethau dydd pediatrig yn Ysbyty Llwynhelyg. Mater gweithredol i'r bwrdd iechyd yw hwn.
Cabinet Secretary, you’ll be acutely aware of the concerns of residents in Pembrokeshire with regard to the changes in the way health services are delivered there. Hywel Dda health board will discuss a series of options this Thursday that seek to reduce the opening of the paediatric ambulatory care unit at Withybush hospital due to recruitment difficulties. Amongst the set of options is the full closure of the paediatric unit, which would be totally unacceptable to me and the people I represent.
Cabinet Secretary, I would like to ask you to ask the health board, as I have, how a single mother who lives in Fishguard with three children, one of them sick, with no transport and on a low income is going to get to and from Glangwili in Camarthen after 6 o’clock at night. Those who arrive by ambulance can expect to pay about £100 in a taxi to get home or face a four-hour journey via public transport. Please could you press the health board on this issue of transport to and from the hospital during this temporary period of closure? Will you ask the health board to ensure that accident and emergency at Withybush continues to assess all patients, regardless of age? Will the Welsh Government commit to support the recruitment of urgently needed posts to the paediatric unit in Haverfordwest? Finally, could you ask the health board to give a categorical assurance that this situation is only temporary?
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, byddwch chi’n ymwybodol iawn o bryderon y trigolion yn Sir Benfro o ran y newidiadau i’r ffordd y caiff gwasanaethau iechyd eu darparu yno. Bydd Bwrdd Iechyd Hywel Dda yn trafod cyfres o ddewisiadau ddydd Iau sy'n ceisio lleihau oriau agor yr uned triniaethau dydd pediatrig yn Ysbyty Llwynhelyg oherwydd anawsterau recriwtio. Mae cau'r uned bediatrig yn llwyr ymhlith y gyfres o ddewisiadau, a fyddai'n gwbl annerbyniol i mi ac i'r bobl yr wyf i’n eu cynrychioli.
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, hoffwn ofyn i chi ofyn i'r bwrdd iechyd, fel yr wyf i wedi ei wneud, sut y bydd mam sengl sy'n byw yn Abergwaun gyda thri o blant ac un ohonynt yn sâl, heb unrhyw gludiant ac sydd ar incwm isel, yn mynd i gyrraedd Glangwili yng Nghaerfyrddin ac yn ôl ar ôl 6 o'r gloch y nos. Gall y rhai sy'n cyrraedd mewn ambiwlans ddisgwyl talu tua £100 mewn tacsi i fynd adref neu wynebu taith pedair awr ar gludiant cyhoeddus. A wnewch chi bwyso ar y bwrdd iechyd ar y mater cludiant hwn rhwng yr ysbyty a’r cartref yn ystod y cyfnod cau dros dro hwn os gwelwch yn dda? A wnewch chi ofyn i'r bwrdd iechyd sicrhau bod yr adran damweiniau ac achosion brys yn Ysbyty Llwynhelyg yn parhau i asesu'r holl gleifion, waeth beth fo'u hoedran? A wnaiff Llywodraeth Cymru ymrwymo i gefnogi’r broses o recriwtio i swyddi sydd eu hangen ar frys yn yr uned bediatrig yn Hwlffordd? Yn olaf, a wnewch chi ofyn i'r bwrdd iechyd roi sicrwydd pendant mai sefyllfa dros dro yn unig yw hon?
I thank the Member for the follow-up points. On your first one, which you made earlier, as well, about the possibility of full closure, that’s not the planned option. I’ve seen that the recommended option is, indeed, a temporary reduction in hours, before returning to a 12-hour ambulatory care unit, supported by consultant cover in addition on rota from Glangwili. I’m clear that that’s their preferred option, and I’ll check myself with the health board that that is the option they’re pursuing—a temporary reduction with a plan to return to the previous service.
Indeed, I’m happy to reassure you about the point that I expect every hospital with an A&E to undertake proper assessment of every patient that comes through the door and understand where is the most appropriate point for the next part of care to take place. It may be that they can be seen, treated and discharged at that point, it may be that they need further care in that setting or in a different one, and I expect that to continue to be the case.
I think that the first point, though, is that this is because of recruitment challenges. This is the very real and unavoidable truth—that if you can’t recruit the staff, you can’t run a safe service. So, I’m pleased that they’ve made some recruitment. They’ve got further interviews, and it’s really important that that’s successful. Actually, we all have a job of work to do to support the health board in making it an attractive place to come and work in, with a model of care in which consultants want to work, middle-grade doctors want to work, and where trainees want to be part of the work environment as well, supported by a nurse group of staff who have more skills to do more than nurses could do in the past. Advanced paediatric nurse practitioners will be part of the future of care in this part of Wales and the rest of Wales. And I’m happy to indicate that I expect the health board to properly cover transport issues as well. I understand it’s a very real concern, not just in west Wales, but in other parts of the country, too, that access, physical access to services, has to be there as well. So, I’m pleased to see that you’ve taken this up directly with the health board and I’ll happily contact them afterwards to make sure your questions do get an answer.
Diolch i'r Aelod am y pwyntiau dilynol. O ran eich pwynt cyntaf, y gwnaethoch yn gynharach, hefyd, ynglŷn â’r posibilrwydd o gau yn llwyr, nid dyna'r dewis a fwriedir. Rwyf wedi gweld mai’r dewis a argymhellir, mewn gwirionedd, yw lleihau nifer yr oriau am gyfnod dros dro, cyn dychwelyd i uned triniaethau dydd 12 awr, gyda chymorth meddygon ymgynghorol yn ogystal ar rota o Glangwili. Rwy'n glir mai dyna yw’r dewis a ffefrir ganddyn nhw, a byddaf i fy hun yn holi’r bwrdd iechyd i sicrhau mai dyna'r dewis y maen nhw’n ei fwriadu—lleihau oriau dros dro a chynllun i ddychwelyd i'r gwasanaeth blaenorol.
Yn wir, rwy’n hapus i roi sicrwydd i chi am y pwynt fy mod i’n disgwyl i bob ysbyty ag uned damweiniau ac achosion brys gynnal asesiad priodol o bob claf a ddaw drwy'r drws a deall ble yw'r man mwyaf priodol ar gyfer y cam nesaf o’r gofal. Mae'n bosibl y gellir eu gweld, eu trin a'u rhyddhau ar yr adeg honno, efallai y bydd angen gofal pellach arnyn nhw yn y lleoliad hwnnw neu yn rhywle gwahanol, ac rwyf yn disgwyl i hynny barhau i fod yn wir.
Credaf mai’r pwynt cyntaf, fodd bynnag, yw bod hyn oherwydd heriau recriwtio. Dyma’r gwirionedd real ac anochel—os nad ydych chi’n gallu recriwtio'r staff, ni allwch ddarparu gwasanaeth diogel. Felly, rwy'n falch eu bod wedi gwneud rhywfaint o recriwtio. Maen nhw’n cynnal cyfweliadau pellach, ac mae'n wirioneddol bwysig bod hynny'n llwyddiannus. A dweud y gwir, mae gan bob un ohonom ni waith i'w wneud i gefnogi'r bwrdd iechyd i’w wneud yn lle deniadol i ddod i weithio iddo, gyda model o ofal y mae meddygon ymgynghorol yn awyddus i weithio ynddo, lle mae meddygon gradd ganol yn awyddus i weithio, a lle mae hyfforddeion eisiau bod yn rhan o'r amgylchedd gwaith hefyd, gyda chymorth grŵp o staff nyrsio sydd â rhagor o sgiliau i wneud mwy nag y gallai nyrsys ei wneud yn y gorffennol. Bydd ymarferwyr nyrsio pediatrig Uwch yn rhan o ddyfodol gofal yn y rhan hon o Gymru a gweddill Cymru. Ac rwy’n hapus i ddangos fy mod i’n disgwyl i'r bwrdd iechyd ymdrin yn briodol â materion cludiant hefyd. Rwy’n deall ei fod yn bryder gwirioneddol iawn, nid dim ond yn y gorllewin, ond mewn rhannau eraill o'r wlad hefyd, bod angen i fynediad, mynediad ffisegol at wasanaethau, fod ar gael hefyd. Felly, rwy'n falch o weld eich bod wedi dod â’r mater hwn yn uniongyrchol i sylw’r bwrdd iechyd a byddaf yn hapus i gysylltu â nhw wedyn i sicrhau y byddwch yn cael ateb i’ch cwestiynau.
Cabinet Secretary, a few weeks ago, you made it clear in this very Chamber that, and I quote,
‘local families are being assured that they can continue to access services as they do now and do not need to make changes in how they access care.’
Well, it looks like that’s not the case in the short term, should these changes go ahead. Once again, the people of Pembrokeshire will see more and more services removed from their local hospital. Cabinet Secretary, you will not be surprised that I believe families in Pembrokeshire deserve a full-time paediatrics unit at their local hospital. Now, you made it clear two weeks ago that it would not be sensible to try to reinstate a 24-hour paediatric ambulatory care service, but surely, Cabinet Secretary, you cannot seriously support any changes that will result in a service that’s only open during office hours. Therefore, can you give us reassurances today that these changes, if they go ahead, will be on a temporary basis only?
Now, as we know, it’s a previous Welsh Government that has approved the reduction of a full-time paediatric service at Withybush hospital in the first place. So, do you agree with me that reducing services at a hospital could affect the sustainability of those remaining services? Therefore, can you provide cast-iron guarantees that there will be no impact on the sustainability of other services, and do you also agree with me that urgent intervention is now needed to protect those other services? And finally, Llywydd, Cabinet Secretary, you’ve made it clear that any decisions taken regarding Withybush hospital have been based on expert advice. As you know, the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, who are also experts, have endorsed an NHS England report that states, and I quote,
‘Hospitals providing emergency care to children must have comprehensive paediatric facilities, 24/7 paediatric cover and paediatric nursing and anaesthetic support.’
In light of those comments, will you now change your Government’s policy and aspire to restore full-time paediatric services at Withybush hospital?
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ychydig wythnosau yn ôl, gwnaethoch chi’n glir yn y Siambr hon, ac yr wyf yn dyfynnu,
mae teuluoedd lleol yn cael eu sicrhau y gallant barhau i gael gafael ar wasanaethau fel y maent yn ei wneud ar hyn o bryd ac nad oes angen iddyn nhw wneud newidiadau i’r modd y maen nhw’n cael gafael ar ofal.’
Wel, nid yw’n edrych fel petai hynny'n wir yn y tymor byr, pe byddai’r newidiadau hyn yn mynd yn eu blaenau. Unwaith eto, bydd pobl Sir Benfro yn gweld mwy a mwy o wasanaethau yn cael eu tynnu oddi ar eu hysbyty lleol. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ni fyddwch yn synnu fy mod i’n credu bod teuluoedd yn Sir Benfro yn haeddu uned baediatreg llawn amser yn eu hysbyty lleol. Nawr, fe wnaethoch ei gwneud yn glir bythefnos yn ôl na fyddai'n ddoeth ceisio adfer gwasanaeth triniaethau dydd pediatrig 24 awr, ond does bosib, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, nad ydych chi’n cefnogi o ddifrif unrhyw newidiadau a fydd yn arwain at wasanaeth nad yw ond ar agor yn ystod oriau swyddfa. Felly, a wnewch chi roi sicrwydd i ni heddiw y bydd y newidiadau hyn, os byddan nhw’n mynd yn eu blaenau, yn rhai dros dro yn unig?
Nawr, fel y gwyddom, Llywodraeth Cymru flaenorol gymeradwyodd y lleihad i’r gwasanaeth pediatrig llawn amser yn ysbyty Llwynhelyg yn y lle cyntaf. Felly, a ydych chi’n cytuno â mi y gallai lleihau gwasanaethau mewn ysbyty effeithio ar gynaliadwyedd y gwasanaethau hynny sy’n dal yno? Felly, a allwch chi roi sicrwydd cwbl bendant na fydd unrhyw effaith ar gynaliadwyedd y gwasanaethau eraill, ac a ydych chi hefyd yn cytuno â mi bod angen ymyrryd ar frys nawr i ddiogelu’r gwasanaethau eraill hynny? Ac yn olaf, Lywydd, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, rydych chi wedi ei gwneud yn glir bod unrhyw benderfyniadau a wnaed ynghylch Ysbyty Llwynhelyg wedi eu seilio ar gyngor arbenigol. Fel y gwyddoch, mae’r Coleg Brenhinol Meddygaeth Frys, sydd hefyd yn arbenigwyr, wedi cymeradwyo adroddiad y GIG yn Lloegr sy'n datgan,
Mae'n rhaid i ysbytai sy'n darparu gofal brys i blant fod â chyfleusterau pediatrig cynhwysfawr, gwasanaeth pediatrig ddydd a nos bob dydd o’r wythnos a nyrsio pediatrig a chymorth anestheteg.
Yn sgil y sylwadau hynny, a fyddwch chi bellach yn newid polisi eich Llywodraeth a cheisio adfer gwasanaethau pediatrig llawn amser yn ysbyty Llwynhelyg?
I’m happy to reassure you that local families do not need to change access to care. You’ll have heard me answer Eluned Morgan’s question, and in particular the point about transport and access to care, and, indeed, if there is a need for a child to be transported to a different point to receive their care, then the health board, together with the Welsh ambulance service trust, should make those arrangements available—and have that potential planned in, rather than waiting for a situation to occur that hasn’t been anticipated.
I am happy to reiterate the point that Eluned Morgan made again: that this is a planned temporary change in response to an inability to recruit in the short term, with further recruitment being planned. I don’t accept or recognise your point that urgent intervention is needed to protect other services. To try to expand this out and to spread more mistrust and fear about the future of those services I think is highly irresponsible. When it comes to acting on expert advice, you will of course know that, in many other parts of the United Kingdom, paediatric support is provided by expert nursing staff who are appropriately qualified and provide support for accident and emergency departments to continue; that is not an unusual service model.
Indeed, we come back to the nub of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health’s recommendations about what is an appropriate service and what is the best possible service to provide in this part of Wales. And indeed, those recommendations in that review indicate the previous model is not safe, not sustainable and not the right thing to do for patients. I reiterate: I am being guided by expert advice in this field, by people who understand the need to run these services safely and effectively, by people who have run these services safely and effectively in a variety of different settings across the United Kingdom, including in significantly rural healthcare places, and I will not go back to a system where that expert advice says it would be a worse service delivering worse outcomes for people in Pembrokeshire; I believe they deserve much better than that.
Rwy'n hapus i’ch sicrhau nad oes angen i deuluoedd lleol newid eu modd o gael gafael ar ofal. Byddwch chi wedi fy nghlywed yn ateb cwestiwn Eluned Morgan, ac yn arbennig y pwynt am gludiant a chael gafael ar ofal, ac, yn wir, os oes angen i blentyn gael ei gludo i rywle gwahanol i gael gofal, dylai’r bwrdd iechyd, ynghyd ag ymddiriedolaeth gwasanaeth ambiwlans Cymru, sicrhau bod y trefniadau hynny ar gael—a bod y potensial hwnnw wedi’i gynllunio, yn hytrach nag aros i sefyllfa godi nad yw wedi ei rhagweld.
Rwyf yn hapus i ailadrodd y pwynt a wnaeth Eluned Morgan eto: mai newid dros dro a gynlluniwyd yw hwn mewn ymateb i anallu i recriwtio yn y tymor byr, gyda recriwtio pellach wedi’i gynllunio. Nid wyf yn derbyn nac yn cydnabod eich pwynt bod angen ymyrryd ar frys i ddiogelu gwasanaethau eraill. Mae ceisio ehangu hyn a lledu rhagor o ddrwgdybiaeth ac ofn am ddyfodol y gwasanaethau hynny yn anghyfrifol iawn yn fy marn i. Wrth sôn am weithredu ar gyngor arbenigol, byddwch chi wrth gwrs yn gwybod, mewn llawer o rannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig, bod cymorth pediatrig yn cael ei ddarparu gan staff nyrsio arbenigol sydd â’r cymwysterau priodol ac sy’n darparu cymorth i adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys i barhau; nid yw hynny’n fodel gwasanaeth anarferol.
Yn wir, rydym yn dychwelyd i graidd argymhellion y Coleg Brenhinol Pediatreg ac Iechyd Plant am beth yw gwasanaeth priodol a beth yw'r gwasanaeth gorau posibl i’w ddarparu yn y rhan hon o Gymru. Ac yn wir, mae’r argymhellion hynny yn yr adolygiad hwnnw yn dangos nad yw’r model blaenorol yn ddiogel, nac yn gynaliadwy ac nad yw’r peth iawn i wneud i gleifion. Ailadroddaf: Rwyf yn cael fy arwain gan gyngor arbenigol yn y maes hwn, gan bobl sy'n deall yr angen i gynnal y gwasanaethau hyn yn ddiogel ac yn effeithiol, gan bobl sydd wedi cynnal y gwasanaethau hyn yn ddiogel ac yn effeithiol mewn amrywiaeth o wahanol leoliadau ledled y Deyrnas Unedig, gan gynnwys mewn mannau gofal iechyd sylweddol wledig, ac ni fyddaf yn dychwelyd i system y dywed y cyngor arbenigol hwnnw y byddai'n wasanaeth gwaeth a fyddai’n cyflawni canlyniadau gwaeth i bobl Sir Benfro; credaf eu bod yn haeddu llawer gwell na hynny.
Would the Cabinet Secretary please say which part of the review that he just called in aid says that a reduction to an office hours, closing-at-six-o’clock service would be acceptable, because I don’t recall that in the review at all? Please tell us if that is the case. What assessment have you made of your decision—your Government’s decision—to approve the closure of the 24-hour paediatric service on the now inability of Hywel Dda to recruit to a 12-hour—and declining—paediatric service? Surely, there’s a link, because the best consultants want to work in the 24-hour service, where they will have support, and will see that as part of the support. When this was last raised, I asked you, Cabinet Secretary, whether you would have confidence, as a parent, in the services provided at Withybush under the old regime. With the new proposed closures, I certainly can’t stand and support these, and I ask you to take action.
A fyddai Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet cystal â dweud pa ran o'r adolygiad y mae newydd gyfeirio ato sy’n dweud y byddai lleihad i wasanaeth oriau swyddfa, sy’n cau am chwech o'r gloch yn dderbyniol, oherwydd nid wyf yn cofio hynny yn yr adolygiad o gwbl? Dywedwch wrthym os mai dyna sy’n wir. Pa asesiad ydych chi wedi'i wneud o’ch penderfyniad—penderfyniad eich Llywodraeth—i gymeradwyo cau’r gwasanaeth pediatrig 24 awr ar anallu presennol Hywel Dda i recriwtio, i wasanaeth pediatrig 12 awr—ac sy’n lleihau? Mae’n rhaid bod cysylltiad, oherwydd bod y meddygon ymgynghorol gorau eisiau gweithio yn y gwasanaeth 24 awr, lle bydd cymorth ar gael iddynt, a byddan nhw’n gweld hynny yn rhan o'r gefnogaeth. Pan godwyd hyn ddiwethaf, gofynnais i chi, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a fyddai gennych chi ffydd, fel rhiant, yn y gwasanaethau a ddarparwyd yn Ysbyty Llwynhelyg o dan yr hen drefn. O ran y cau newydd arfaethedig, ni allaf i, yn sicr, sefyll a chefnogi hyn, a gofynnaf i chi weithredu.
I thank the Member for the points that he’s made. Now, I go back to the fact that we’re talking about options for a temporary change to the service, and that’s the point. To try and talk about these as if this is a done deal for the long-term future of the service is simply not the case. That is simply not what the health board are proposing to do. And it really is important that Members of any and every political party behave in a responsible manner about really important choices for families in the Pembrokeshire area. And so, that is a temporary change.
The long-term ambition is to have a 12-hour, seven-days-a-week service, properly staffed and supported, both in the community and by consultants, in the way that the rota works—again, following the expert advice provided by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. Actually, if you read the board papers, and if you read the previous review, then they indicated that, actually, not changing the service model would make it more difficult to recruit, would mean that the service is more fragile and would deliver worse outcomes. And, indeed, not taking these changes means that, actually, the training ability is going to be compromised as well. Part of the complaints trainees at present have is that there isn’t enough work for them to undertake their training appropriately and properly.
So, there really is a point here about high-quality training, but also a service that genuinely delivers the best outcomes, and based on the best evidence and advice. And I will support every health board in Wales in delivering healthcare on that basis, to deliver the right outcomes for people in every single part of the country.
Diolch i'r Aelod am y pwyntiau y mae wedi eu gwneud. Nawr, rwyf am ddychwelyd at y ffaith ein bod yn sôn am y dewisiadau ar gyfer newid dros dro i'r gwasanaeth, a dyna'r pwynt. Nid yw ceisio trafod hyn fel pe byddai wedi’i benderfynu ar gyfer dyfodol hirdymor y gwasanaeth, yn syml, yn cynrychioli’r sefyllfa. Nid dyna, yn syml, beth y mae'r bwrdd iechyd yn cynnig ei wneud. Ac mae’n bwysig iawn bod Aelodau unrhyw blaid a phob plaid wleidyddol yn ymddwyn mewn modd cyfrifol am ddewisiadau pwysig iawn i deuluoedd yn ardal Sir Benfro. Ac felly, newid dros dro yw hynny.
Yr uchelgais hirdymor yw cael gwasanaeth 12 awr am saith diwrnod yr wythnos, wedi’i staffio yn briodol a’i gefnogi, yn y gymuned a gan feddygon ymgynghorol, yn y ffordd y mae'r rota yn gweithio—unwaith eto, trwy ddilyn y cyngor arbenigol gan y Coleg Brenhinol Pediatreg ac Iechyd Plant. Mewn gwirionedd, os ydych chi’n darllen papurau’r bwrdd, ac os ydych chi’n darllen yr adolygiad blaenorol, maen nhw’n dangos, mewn gwirionedd, y byddai peidio â newid y model gwasanaeth yn ei gwneud yn fwy anodd recriwtio, gan olygu bod y gwasanaeth yn fwy bregus ac y byddai'n cyflawni canlyniadau gwaeth. Ac, yn wir, mae peidio â chyflawni’r newidiadau hyn yn golygu, mewn gwirionedd, y bydd y gallu i hyfforddi yn cael ei beryglu hefyd. Rhan o'r cwynion sydd gan hyfforddeion ar hyn o bryd yw nad oes digon o waith iddyn nhw wneud eu hyfforddiant yn briodol ac yn gywir.
Felly, mae pwynt gwirioneddol yma am hyfforddiant o ansawdd uchel, ond hefyd gwasanaeth sy’n darparu’r canlyniadau gorau mewn gwirionedd, wedi’u seilio ar y dystiolaeth a'r cyngor gorau. A byddaf yn cefnogi pob bwrdd iechyd yng Nghymru mewn darparu gofal iechyd ar y sail honno, i gyflawni'r canlyniadau iawn i bobl ym mhob rhan unigol o'r wlad.
Cabinet Secretary, I don’t—or I would hope that there isn’t anybody in this room who would accept the health board’s decision to take the appropriate action in this case. Because in this case, as things are now existing on the ground, it seems that, sadly, patient safety, which has to be the No. 1 priority, could be put at risk. And that is simply as a consequence of the recruitment problems that several people have mentioned here this afternoon.
So, my question is this: I want to know whether there has been a conversation—I’ve certainly written to Hywel Dda, and spoken to them—about recruiting that paediatric consultant to the paediatric ambulatory care unit. But I think there’s also a wider picture that needs addressing here, and you’ve slightly alluded to it, and that is the care that happens within the community, because an awful lot of the children who are accessing care in Withybush hospital are children who need long-term care. And, very often, it’s about crisis management of their long-term condition that sees them arrive at Withybush hospital in an untimely and unscheduled fashion. I remember, when we were both at the paediatric unit in Withybush, that there was talk about moving forward into delivering that care, very often in the homes of those children, so they don’t need to travel at all. So, I think we need to widen the debate. I think that people are hugely concerned, and mostly it’s the parents of the children who I’ve just described. So, if you have anything further to add to that, I would be most grateful.
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, nid wyf—neu byddwn i’n gobeithio nad oes unrhyw un yn yr ystafell hon a fyddai'n derbyn penderfyniad y bwrdd iechyd i gymryd y camau priodol yn yr achos hwn. Oherwydd yn yr achos hwn, fel y mae pethau ar hyn o bryd ar lawr gwlad, ymddengys, yn anffodus, y gallai diogelwch cleifion, sy’n gorfod bod y flaenoriaeth fwyaf, fod mewn perygl. A hynny, yn syml, yn sgil y problemau recriwtio y mae nifer o bobl wedi eu crybwyll y prynhawn yma.
Felly, dyma fy nghwestiwn: Rwyf eisiau gwybod a fu sgwrs—rwyf innau yn sicr wedi ysgrifennu at Hywel Dda, ac wedi siarad â nhw—am recriwtio’r meddyg ymgynghorol pediatrig hwnnw i'r uned triniaethau dydd pediatrig. Ond rwy’n credu hefyd bod darlun ehangach y mae angen mynd i'r afael ag ef yma, ac rydych wedi cyfeirio ychydig ato, a hwnnw yw’r gofal sy'n digwydd yn y gymuned, oherwydd mae llawer iawn o'r plant sy'n cael mynediad at ofal yn ysbyty Llwynhelyg yn blant sydd angen gofal hirdymor. Ac, yn aml iawn, rheoli argyfwng eu cyflwr hirdymor sy'n arwain atyn nhw’n cyrraedd ysbyty Llwynhelyg mewn modd anamserol ac annisgwyl. Rwy’n cofio, pan oeddem ni’n dau yn yr uned bediatrig yn Ysbyty Llwynhelyg, bod sôn am symud ymlaen i gyflenwi'r gofal hwnnw, yn aml iawn yng nghartrefi’r plant hynny, fel nad oes angen iddyn nhw deithio o gwbl. Felly, rwy’n credu bod angen i ni ehangu'r drafodaeth. Rwy’n credo bod pobl yn pryderu’n fawr, ac yn bennaf rhieni'r plant yr wyf newydd eu disgrifio yw’r rhain. Felly, os oes gennych chi unrhyw beth i'w ychwanegu at hynny, byddwn i’n ddiolchgar iawn.
Thank you for the points made. And, again, I recognise and recall the same conversation about improving the community service in paediatrics, to make sure that children’s care is properly anticipated and managed. It’s much better for the families and much better for the child to make sure that, wherever that care is being undertaken, it’s undertaken in as planned a manner as possible. And that has to be the direction of travel, not just in Pembrokeshire, but right across the country, in other rural settings, but also in urban and Valleys settings as well. It’s actually the right thing to do for the child in that whole context.
I’m happy to go back to the point about recruitment. This is a planned temporary change, in response to a failure to recruit, and there are interviews being stated for early January to try and fill the particular vacancies. And I think you’re right to remind us all that the worst thing for the health board to do is not to act in the face of a staffing shortage. That would mean running short—it would mean running a service where I do not think individual professionals could or should be assured, or even the health board could be assured, that they’re providing a safe and high-quality service that people in Pembrokeshire really do deserve. So, there is a need to act. I’m pleased the health board are acting, both in terms of their options and their choice about what to do with the service now, but also in the longer-term future, both in the community and in the hospital setting as well.
Diolch i chi am y pwyntiau a wnaed. Ac, unwaith eto, rwy’n cydnabod ac yn cofio yr un sgwrs am wella'r gwasanaeth cymunedol ym maes pediatreg, i sicrhau bod gofal plant yn cael ei ragweld a'i reoli’n briodol. Mae'n llawer gwell i deuluoedd ac yn llawer gwell i'r plentyn i sicrhau, lle bynnag y rhoddir y gofal hwnnw, ei fod yn cael ei roi mewn modd a gynllunnir cyn belled ag y mae hynny’n bosibl. Ac mae’n rhaid i hynny fod yn gyfeiriad y daith, nid yn unig yn Sir Benfro, ond ledled y wlad, mewn lleoliadau gwledig eraill, ond hefyd mewn lleoliadau trefol ac yn y Cymoedd. Dyma’r peth iawn, mewn gwirionedd, i'w wneud ar gyfer y plentyn yn y cyd-destun cyfan hwnnw.
Rwy’n hapus i ddychwelyd at y pwynt am recriwtio. Newid dros dro a gynlluniwyd yw hwn, mewn ymateb i fethu â recriwtio, ac mae cyfweliadau yn cael eu trefnu ddechrau mis Ionawr i geisio llenwi'r swyddi gwag penodol. Ac rwy’n credu eich bod yn iawn i’n hatgoffa ni i gyd mai’r peth gwaethaf y gall y bwrdd iechyd ei wneud yw peidio â gweithredu yn wyneb prinder staffio. Byddai hynny'n golygu rhedeg mewn diffyg—byddai’n golygu cynnal gwasanaeth lle nad wyf i’n credu y gallai nac y dylai gweithwyr proffesiynol unigol fod â sicrwydd, neu hyd yn oed y bwrdd iechyd fod â sicrwydd, eu bod yn darparu gwasanaeth diogel o ansawdd uchel y mae pobl Sir Benfro yn ei haeddu mewn gwirionedd. Felly, mae angen gweithredu. Rwy'n falch bod y bwrdd iechyd yn gweithredu, o ran y dewisiadau sydd ar gael iddyn nhw a’u dewis am beth i'w wneud gyda'r gwasanaeth yn awr, ond hefyd yn y dyfodol tymor hwy, yn y gymuned ac yn lleoliad yr ysbyty hefyd.
The Cabinet Secretary will recognise that there is universal concern across the party divide in this Assembly over this regrettable situation. And this arises because it coincides with the retirement of a Pembrokeshire paediatric consultant and the maternity leave of another. The retirement of one paediatric consultant surely is reasonably foreseeable, and there should have been some provision for this situation arising. There are many people in Pembrokeshire who think this is part of a long-term plan to close these services, because, three years ago, the service was downgraded from 24 hours to 12—now it’s been downgraded to eight. This is, apparently, a temporary change, but who knows. The Cabinet Secretary has given us tentative assurances, but on the other hand has said it’s not actually his decision or responsibility—it’s that of the local health board. This is a board that is in targeted intervention. Why doesn’t the health Secretary target his intervention on this very pressing need, which is going to affect, particularly people in north Pembrokeshire and west Pembrokeshire, because Glangwili is a very long way to go, especially late at night?
Bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn cydnabod bod pryder cyffredinol ar draws rhaniad y pleidiau yn y Cynulliad hwn ynglŷn â’r sefyllfa anffodus hon. Ac mae hyn yn codi oherwydd ei fod yn cyd-amseru ag ymddeoliad meddyg ymgynghorol pediatrig yn Sir Benfro ac absenoldeb un arall ar gyfnod mamolaeth. Does bosib nad yw’n rhesymol rhagweld ymddeoliad un meddyg ymgynghorol pediatrig, a dylid bod gwneud rhyw ddarpariaeth ar gyfer y sefyllfa hon. Mae llawer o bobl yn Sir Benfro sy'n credu bod hyn yn rhan o gynllun hirdymor i gau’r gwasanaethau hyn, oherwydd, dair blynedd yn ôl, lleihawyd y gwasanaeth o 24 awr i 12 awr—nawr mae wedi ei leihau i wyth awr. Newid dros dro, yn ôl pob golwg, yw hyn, ond pwy a ŵyr. Mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet wedi rhoi sicrwydd petrus ni, ond ar y llaw arall wedi dweud nad ei gyfrifoldeb na’i benderfyniad ef yw hwn mewn gwirionedd—cyfrifoldeb y bwrdd iechyd lleol ydyw. Dyma fwrdd sydd mewn categori ymyrraeth wedi’i thargedu. Pam nad yw'r Ysgrifennydd Iechyd yn targedu ei ymyrraeth ar yr angen dybryd iawn hwn, a fydd yn effeithio, yn arbennig, ar bobl yng ngogledd Sir Benfro a gorllewin Sir Benfro, oherwydd mae Glangwili yn ffordd bell iawn i fynd, yn enwedig yn hwyr yn y nos?
I thank the Member for the points that he’s made, which largely restate points made by other Members in terms of the questions. I’m happy to indicate again that the health board indicate it’s their option to have a temporary change in the service to reflect the fact that they’re not able to provide all of the consultant cover for the model of care to be provided safely for children and their families. It is important to me, as I expect that it is to everyone else in this Chamber, that the service is provided in a manner that is properly safe, and we do not take risks with children and their families in the manner in which care is provided. I expect the health board to follow through on their commitment to return to a 12-hour service. I expect the health board to follow through on their commitments to make all reasonable efforts to recruit people into this service, and to manage and to try and plan properly for anticipated staff absences and retirements. We know this is a particularly pressed area right across the United Kingdom, but it is a challenge that this health board and others will need to manage.
Diolch i'r Aelod am y pwyntiau y mae wedi eu gwneud, sydd i raddau helaeth yn ailddatgan y pwyntiau a wnaed gan Aelodau eraill o ran y cwestiynau. Rwy'n hapus i nodi unwaith eto bod y bwrdd iechyd yn nodi mai eu dewis nhw yw cael newid dros dro yn y gwasanaeth i adlewyrchu'r ffaith nad ydyn nhw’n gallu darparu meddygon ymgynghorol drwy’r amser er mwyn gallu darparu’r model gofal yn ddiogel i blant a'u teuluoedd. Mae'n bwysig i mi, fel yr wyf yn disgwyl y bydd i bawb arall yn y Siambr hon, y caiff y gwasanaeth ei ddarparu mewn modd sy'n briodol o ddiogel, ac nad ydym yn cymryd risgiau gyda phlant a'u teuluoedd yn y modd y darperir gofal. Rwy’n disgwyl i'r bwrdd iechyd gadw at ei ymrwymiad i ddychwelyd i wasanaeth 12 awr. Rwy’n disgwyl i'r bwrdd iechyd gadw at ei ymrwymiadau i wneud pob ymdrech resymol i recriwtio pobl i’r gwasanaeth hwn, ac i reoli a cheisio cynllunio yn briodol ar gyfer absenoldebau ac ymddeoliadau staff a ragwelir. Gwyddom fod hwn yn faes lle y ceir pwysau arbennig ledled y Deyrnas Unedig, ond mae'n her y bydd angen i’r bwrdd iechyd hwn ac eraill ei rheoli.
Diolch i’r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet.
I thank the Cabinet Secretary.
Mae [R] yn dynodi bod yr Aelod wedi datgan buddiant. Mae [W] yn dynodi bod y cwestiwn wedi'i gyflwyno yn Gymraeg.
[R] signifies the Member has declared an interest. [W] signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.
Rwyf nawr yn galw ar Russell George i ofyn y trydydd cwestiwn brys.
I now call on Russell George to ask the third urgent question.
A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am gynlluniau i symleiddio byrddau cynghori economaidd Llywodraeth Cymru? EAQ(5)0076(EI)
Will the Minister make a statement on plans to streamline the Welsh Government’s economic advisory boards? EAQ(5)0076(EI)

Yes. I’ve been very clear that I am working on refreshing economic priorities as part of a wider piece of work. I’m considering the range of panels, bodies and groups that provide advice to me.
Gwnaf. Rwyf wedi bod yn glir iawn fy mod i’n gweithio ar adnewyddu blaenoriaethau economaidd yn rhan o waith ehangach. Rwy’n ystyried yr amrywiaeth o baneli, cyrff a grwpiau sy'n rhoi cyngor i mi.
Can I thank the Presiding Officer for accepting the urgent question, and the Cabinet Secretary for his answer? This does seem to be a significant change in the way that Welsh Government receives advice and makes decisions in regard to economic development. So, perhaps you could outline why this was released, or reported in the media, before being made available to Assembly Members in a statement.
Now, past Welsh Governments have spoken very highly of the advisory model, comprising nine different panels and 40 different organisations, which, of course, fed into Welsh Government decision making. You’ve now outlined a different approach that you’ll be taking. Is it your view that the past model was ineffective? What are your views on that?
Professor Brian Morgan, who sat on a number of these panels, himself has said that this were a bit of a talking shop, some of the past advisory boards. I wonder if you agree with that. He did make a quote that this cumbersome and under-resourced advisory model has hindered the Welsh Government’s ability to make responsive decisions, and, therefore, has had a detrimental impact on the Welsh economy. I’d appreciate your views on his views, and if you do agree, is it your view that you should look at past decisions that were made as a result of receiving that advice?
And finally, how is the new model going to feed into the new economic strategy that you’re developing?
Diolchaf i'r Llywydd am dderbyn y cwestiwn brys, ac i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet am ei ateb. Ymddengys bod hyn yn newid sylweddol i’r ffordd y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn derbyn cyngor ac yn gwneud penderfyniadau o ran datblygu economaidd. Felly, efallai y gallech chi amlinellu pam y rhyddhawyd hyn, neu yr adroddwyd arno yn y cyfryngau, cyn ei fod ar gael i Aelodau'r Cynulliad mewn datganiad.
Nawr, mae Llywodraethau Cymru yn y gorffennol wedi siarad â pharch mawr am y model ymgynghorol, a oedd yn cynnwys naw o wahanol baneli a 40 o wahanol sefydliadau, ac a oedd, wrth gwrs, yn llywio proses gwneud penderfyniadau Llywodraeth Cymru. Rydych yn awr wedi amlinellu dull gwahanol y byddwch chi’n ei ddefnyddio. A ydych chi o’r farn bod y model blaenorol yn aneffeithiol? Beth yw eich barn ar hynny?
Dywedodd yr Athro Brian Morgan ei hun, a oedd yn eistedd ar nifer o’r paneli hyn, mai dipyn o siop siarad oedden nhw, rhai o'r byrddau cynghori yn y gorffennol. Tybed a ydych chi’n cytuno â hynny. Gwnaeth ddyfyniad bod y model ymgynghorol beichus hwn, nad oes ganddo’r adnoddau digonol, wedi rhwystro gallu Llywodraeth Cymru i wneud penderfyniadau ymatebol, ac, felly, ei fod wedi cael effaith andwyol ar economi Cymru. Byddwn i’n gwerthfawrogi eich barn ar ei safbwynt, ac os ydych chi’n cytuno, a ydych chi o’r farn y dylech chi edrych ar benderfyniadau a wnaed yn y gorffennol o ganlyniad i dderbyn y cyngor hwnnw?
Ac yn olaf, sut bydd y model newydd yn llywio'r strategaeth economaidd newydd yr ydych chi yn ei datblygu?
I’d like to thank the Member for his questions and say that it’s not necessarily urgent, this question, because it is part of that process of consulting on a new economic strategy, a strategy to make Wales more prosperous and secure—work that is going on, work that has been going on over the summer and the autumn through the winter and into the spring, and so, consequently, this is an ongoing piece of work. No announcement’s been made, no decision has been taken. This is part of an open consultation, which I’ve invited Members opposite to take part in, and so, as I say again, no decision has been made on the form or shape of the panels and the advisory boards that will be put together. But I very much welcome the contribution that people such as Professor Morgan have made. They recognise—just as many businesses have spoken with me about this—that there is a need to simplify and streamline the amount of advice and the amount of boards and the processes by which businesses and experts are able to give me expert advice.
At the moment, there is something in the region of 50 panels and boards offering advice and guidance. That’s helpful in many respects, but I think, as Professor Morgan has outlined, we need to make sure that the time and resource that experts and business leaders put in to giving me advice is used effectively and that I am able to draw on all of that advice. At the moment, there are simply too many boards and panels in existence. Many have been established on a task and finish basis. Some should perhaps be wound up as a consequence of that. At the moment this work is ongoing. We’re consulting widely with the whole of society and I would invite the Member to participate if he feels a wish to.
Hoffwn ddiolch i'r Aelod am ei gwestiynau a dweud nad yw o reidrwydd yn un brys, y cwestiwn hwn, oherwydd ei fod yn rhan o'r broses honno o ymgynghori ar strategaeth economaidd newydd, strategaeth i wneud Cymru yn fwy llewyrchus a diogel—gwaith sy'n cael ei wneud, gwaith sydd wedi bod yn cael ei wneud yn ystod yr haf a'r hydref, drwy'r gaeaf ac ymlaen i'r gwanwyn, felly, o ganlyniad i hyn, mae hwn yn waith parhaus. Nid oes unrhyw gyhoeddiad wedi ei wneud, nid oes unrhyw benderfyniad wedi ei wneud. Mae hyn yn rhan o ymgynghoriad agored, yr wyf wedi gwahodd yr Aelodau gyferbyn i gymryd rhan ynddo, ac felly, fel y dywedaf eto, nid oes unrhyw benderfyniad wedi ei wneud ar ffurf na siâp y paneli na'r byrddau ymgynghorol a fydd yn cael eu hymgynnull. Ond rwy’n croesawu'n fawr iawn y cyfraniad y mae pobl fel yr Athro Morgan wedi ei wneud. Maen nhw’n cydnabod—yn union fel y mae llawer o fusnesau wedi siarad â mi am hyn—bod angen symleiddio faint o gyngor a nifer y byrddau a’r prosesau y gall busnesau ac arbenigwyr roi cyngor arbenigol i mi drwyddynt.
Ar hyn o bryd, mae rhyw 50 o baneli a byrddau yn cynnig cyngor ac arweiniad. Mae hynny'n ddefnyddiol mewn sawl ffordd, ond rwy’n credu, fel y mae’r Athro Morgan wedi’i amlinellu, bod angen i ni sicrhau bod yr amser a'r adnoddau y mae arbenigwyr ac arweinwyr busnes yn eu buddsoddi mewn rhoi cyngor i mi yn cael eu defnyddio yn effeithiol ac fy mod i’n gallu tynnu ar yr holl gyngor hwnnw. Ar hyn o bryd, yn syml, mae gormod o fyrddau a phaneli yn bodoli. Mae llawer wedi eu sefydlu ar sail gorchwyl a gorffen. Dylid dirwyn rhai i ben efallai o ganlyniad i hynny. Mae'r gwaith hwn yn mynd rhagddo ar hyn o bryd. Rydym ni’n ymgynghori'n eang â'r gymdeithas gyfan, ac rwyf yn gwahodd yr Aelod i gymryd rhan os yw’n teimlo ei fod yn dymuno gwneud hynny.
The Labour Government does seem to go through these periodic phases where it abolishes bodies that it established and then seeks to claim the credit for it. I suppose we’ll have to call this one the mini bonfire of the mini quangos. But I have some sympathy with him. I don’t often doodle in the Chamber—I promise—but I tried to do a little organogram of his department—I stopped at about 42—with all the dotted lines, of course, responding to him. Even if you met one a week, you’d just spend your time taking advice, and it’s very difficult to separate the signal from the noise in that context. So, I sympathise with the proposal to streamline, but can I ask him to focus, crucially, not just on what you’re going to remove but what you replace it with? And wouldn’t it be better, as Professor Morgan was hinting, to have fewer larger, better-resourced, more expert bodies actually providing the strategic direction that the Welsh economy needs?
Mae’n ymddangos bod y Llywodraeth Lafur yn mynd trwy’r cyfnodau hyn pan ei bod yn diddymu cyrff y mae wedi eu sefydlu ac wedyn yn ceisio hawlio'r clod am hynny. Mae'n debyg y bydd yn rhaid i ni alw hyn yn goelcerth fach y cwangos bach. Ond rwyf yn cydymdeimlo rhywfaint ag ef. Nid wyf i’n aml yn dwdlo yn y Siambr—rwy’n addo i chi—ond ceisiais i wneud organogram bach o’i adran—stopiais ar tua 42—gyda'r holl linellau dotiog, wrth gwrs, yn ymateb iddo ef. Hyd yn oed wrth gwrdd unwaith yr wythnos, byddech chi’n treulio eich amser i gyd yn cael cyngor, ac mae'n anodd iawn gwahanu'r signal o’r sŵn yn y cyd-destun hwnnw. Felly, rwyf i’n cydymdeimlo â'r cynnig i symleiddio, ond a gaf i ofyn iddo ganolbwyntio, yn hollbwysig, nid yn unig ar yr hyn y byddwch yn cael gwared arno, ond yr hyn a fydd yn cymryd ei le? Ac oni fyddai'n well, fel yr oedd yr Athro Morgan yn awgrymu, cael llai o gyrff mwy o faint, sydd â gwell adnoddau, ac yn fwy arbenigol sy’n darparu'r cyfeiriad strategol y mae economi Cymru ei angen mewn gwirionedd?
Can I thank Adam Price for his questions? I’m pleased that he welcomes the work that I’m undertaking at the moment in looking at the entire landscape of advisory boards. It is extensive and I’ve drawn similar diagrams to understand exactly how many boards and organisations there are. We’ve not reached a final decision as of yet in terms of what boards will be created, but I would agree that we do need to have fewer stronger boards and advisory groups that are able to not just advise me in a timely fashion, but also make best use of the time of the experts who are actually on those boards.
Hoffwn ddiolch i Adam Price am ei gwestiynau. Rwy'n falch ei fod yn croesawu'r gwaith yr wyf yn ei wneud ar hyn o bryd sy’n edrych ar dirwedd gyfan y byrddau ymgynghorol. Mae'n helaeth ac rwyf innau wedi llunio diagramau tebyg i ddeall yn union faint o fyrddau a chyrff sydd gennym. Nid ydym wedi cyrraedd penderfyniad terfynol hyd yma o ran y byrddau a fydd yn cael eu creu, ond byddwn i’n cytuno bod angen llai o fyrddau a grwpiau ymgynghorol, sy’n gryfach ac sy'n gallu rhoi cyngor i mi mewn modd amserol, a hefyd gwneud y defnydd gorau o amser yr arbenigwyr sydd ar y byrddau hynny mewn gwirionedd.
I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his answer to the urgent question.
Diolchaf i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet am ei ateb i'r cwestiwn brys.
Eitem 2 ar yr agenda yw’r datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes ac rwy’n galw ar Jane Hutt.
Item 2 on the agenda is the business statement and announcement and I call on Jane Hutt.

Llywydd, I’ve added an oral statement on the Diamond review of higher education and student finance arrangements in Wales to today’s agenda. The Business Committee has agreed to reduce time allocated to Assembly Commission questions tomorrow. Business for the next three weeks is as shown on the business statement announcement, found among the meeting papers available to Members electronically.
Lywydd, rwyf wedi ychwanegu datganiad llafar ar adolygiad Diamond o drefniadau cyllido addysg uwch a chyllid myfyrwyr yng Nghymru at agenda heddiw. Mae'r Pwyllgor Busnes wedi cytuno i leihau’r amser a neilltuwyd ar gyfer cwestiynau yn ymwneud â Chomisiwn y Cynulliad yfory. Mae'r busnes ar gyfer y tair wythnos nesaf fel a ddangosir ar y cyhoeddiad datganiad busnes, sydd i’w weld ymhlith papurau'r cyfarfod sydd ar gael i'r Aelodau yn electronig.
Leader of the house, is it possible to have a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for health, please, in relation to the situation that the accident and emergency department at the University Hospital of Wales found itself in on Sunday? I appreciate these pressures are across the United Kingdom and I appreciate they do spike at certain times of the year, but when you do have a paramedic saying that this particular event has driven him to the edge and
‘I fully intend to seek alternative employment as I am mentally beaten’,
that really should cause huge alarm bells to ring in Cathays Park and, indeed, in the Cardiff and Vale health board area, which is responsible for the provision of the A&E department, and obviously the ambulance trust, which had 12 of their vehicles parked up outside the A&E department on Sunday afternoon. I’m not trying to say that this doesn’t happen in other A&E departments, but this is the largest A&E department in Wales, and when you have 12 ambulances and you have paramedics and ambulance staff quoted in the press as saying that they are mentally beaten by the experience that they are going through, this really does call for action from the Welsh Government and, in particular, the Cabinet Secretary to work with the health board to deal with these spikes in demand, so that people do not feel that when they go into work, they find themselves mentally beaten.
Arweinydd y tŷ, a yw'n bosibl cael datganiad gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros iechyd, os gwelwch yn dda, ynglŷn â'r sefyllfa yr oedd yr adran damweiniau ac achosion brys yn Ysbyty Athrofaol Cymru ynddi ddydd Sul? Rwy’n gwerthfawrogi bod y pwysau hyn yn bodoli ledled y Deyrnas Unedig ac rwy’n gwerthfawrogi bod mwy o bwysau ar adegau penodol o'r flwyddyn, ond pan fo gennych chi barafeddyg yn dweud bod y digwyddiad arbennig hwn wedi’i wthio i’r eithaf a’i fod
yn llwyr fwriadu chwilio am waith arall gan fy mod wedi dod i’r pen yn feddyliol,
dylai hynny wir beri i larymau rhybudd ganu yn uchel ym Mharc Cathays ac, yn wir, yn ardal bwrdd iechyd Caerdydd a'r Fro, sy'n gyfrifol am ddarparu’r Adran Damweiniau ac Achosion Brys, ac yn amlwg yr ymddiriedolaeth ambiwlans, yr oedd 12 o’u cerbydau wedi’u parcio y tu allan i'r adran damweiniau ac achosion brys brynhawn Sul. Nid wyf yn ceisio dweud nad yw hyn yn digwydd mewn adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys eraill, ond hon yw’r adran Damweiniau ac Achosion Brys fwyaf yng Nghymru, a phan fo gennych chi 12 o ambiwlansys a phan fo gennych chi barafeddygon a staff ambiwlans yn cael eu dyfynnu yn y wasg yn dweud eu bod dan straen meddyliol oherwydd y profiad y maen nhw’n mynd drwyddo, mae hyn wir yn galw am i Lywodraeth Cymru weithredu ac, yn arbennig, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet i weithio gyda'r bwrdd iechyd i ymdrin â'r cyfnodau prysur hyn o ran galw, fel nad yw pobl yn teimlo wrth iddynt fynd i’r gwaith, eu bod wedi dod i’r pen yn feddyliol.
As you say, there is significant pressure across the UK in terms of calls on our accident and emergency services, and the impact that that has on ambulance services. But as the Member will be aware, and as Members across the Chamber will be aware, we do have escalation plans. All health boards have escalation plans that are used when there’s rising demand, particularly when there are demands above expected levels. And the health board did respond to this increase in demand using those plans, in line with their level 4 status. They managed, of course, throughout the day in line with the health board’s responsibilities. There were exceptional pressures on Sunday. Importantly, attendances were a third higher on Sunday than the previous day. This did require a broader range of actions to take place to support both patients and front-line staff. In fact, the health board does remain at level 4 status, but once this reduces it de-escalates its status. But I would also, finally, say that despite the pressures, ambulance response rates in the Cardiff area for life-threatening calls were at 80 per cent on Sunday, and this included 20 in one hour in terms of arrivals. We must pay tribute to the staff who, of course, are managing these pressures.
Fel yr ydych chi’n dweud, mae pwysau sylweddol ledled y DU o ran galwadau ar ein gwasanaethau damweiniau ac achosion brys, a'r effaith y mae hynny’n ei gael ar y gwasanaethau ambiwlans. Ond fel y bydd yr Aelod yn ymwybodol, ac fel y bydd Aelodau ar draws y Siambr yn gwybod, mae gennym ni gynlluniau ar gyfer galw uwch. Mae gan bob bwrdd iechyd gynlluniau ar gyfer galw uwch a chânt eu defnyddio pan fo’r galw yn cynyddu, yn enwedig pan fo galw sy’n uwch na'r lefelau disgwyliedig. Ac fe wnaeth y bwrdd iechyd ymateb i'r cynnydd hwn mewn galw gan ddefnyddio’r cynlluniau hynny, yn unol â'i statws lefel 4. Mi wnaethon nhw ymdopi, wrth gwrs, drwy’r dydd yn unol â chyfrifoldebau’r bwrdd iechyd. Roedd pwysau eithriadol ddydd Sul. Yn bwysig, roedd nifer y rhai a ddaeth yno draean yn uwch ddydd Sul na'r diwrnod cynt. Roedd hyn yn golygu bod angen cael amrywiaeth ehangach o gamau gweithredu i gefnogi cleifion ac aelodau staff rheng flaen. Mewn gwirionedd, mae'r bwrdd iechyd yn parhau i fod ar statws lefel 4, ond ar ôl i hyn leihau bydd ei statws yn gostwng. Ond byddwn yn dweud hefyd, yn olaf, er gwaethaf y pwysau, bod cyfraddau ymateb ambiwlansys yn ardal Caerdydd ar gyfer galwadau lle’r oedd bywyd yn y fantol yn 80 y cant ddydd Sul, ac roedd hyn yn cynnwys 20 mewn un awr o ran ambiwlansys yn cyrraedd. Mae'n rhaid i ni dalu teyrnged i'r aelodau staff sydd, wrth gwrs, yn rheoli'r pwysau hyn.
There have been allegations that the Ministry of Defence has conducted a sham competition for a £3 billion contract to supply it with armoured vehicles. It is alleged that the process has been skewed in favour of the German company Rheinmetall, and its Boxer vehicle, which will cost up to 40 per cent more than the Welsh alternative constructed in Gwent. Can we have a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for the economy or, indeed, the First Minister, to hear what representations have been made by Welsh Government to the MOD regarding this process, and the attempts made by the Welsh Government to secure a level playing field in this particular case?
Bu honiadau bod y Weinyddiaeth Amddiffyn wedi cynnal cystadleuaeth ffug am gontract gwerth £3 biliwn i’w chyflenwi â cherbydau arfog. Honnir bod y broses wedi’i gwyro o blaid y cwmni Almaenig Rheinmetall, a’i gerbyd Boxer, a fydd yn costio hyd at 40 y cant yn fwy na'r dewis arall o Gymru a gaiff ei adeiladu yng Ngwent. A gawn ni ddatganiad gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr economi, neu, yn wir, y Prif Weinidog, i glywed pa sylwadau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi’u gwneud i'r Weinyddiaeth Amddiffyn ynglŷn â'r broses hon, a’r ymdrechion a wnaed gan Lywodraeth Cymru i sicrhau chwarae teg i bawb yn yr achos penodol hwn?
Steffan Lewis raises an important point in terms of our relationship in terms of powers and responsibilities for procurement with the MOD contract that, of course, we would seek to influence within the responsibilities and powers that we have to make sure that it is indeed a level playing field. But, obviously, this is something that the Cabinet Secretary will take a note of in terms of the point the Member was raising this afternoon.
Mae Steffan Lewis yn codi pwynt pwysig ynglŷn â’n perthynas o ran pwerau a chyfrifoldebau ar gyfer caffael, yn ymwneud â’r contract â’r Weinyddiaeth Amddiffyn y byddwn ni, wrth gwrs, yn ceisio dylanwadu arno o fewn y cyfrifoldebau a'r pwerau sydd gennym ni, i wneud yn siŵr fod pob chwarae teg yn cael ei sicrhau mewn gwirionedd. Ond, yn amlwg, mae hyn yn rhywbeth y bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn ei nodi o ran y pwynt yr oedd yr Aelod yn ei godi y prynhawn yma.
Our thoughts go out to all those affected by the floods over the weekend, including many in my own constituency in the Llynfi, Garw and Ogmore valleys, and on lower lying areas in Heol-y-Cyw, Pencoed and elsewhere. And our thanks and praise go to all those who’ve helped respond to the emergency and to the clean-up, which is ongoing.
Much of this is as a result of flash flooding, which is a more regular event now, as our weather patterns change due to global warming. It’s affecting areas previously not thought liable to repeat flooding, but I’ve met residents where this is their third flood event in a decade, causing problems with unaffordable insurance, as well as immediate distress and devastation with their homes and belongings wrecked by flood water, mud and mess. Would the business manager seek a statement on flood resilience—and I notice the Cabinet Secretary is here and she’s very aware of this—so we can explore what more can be done at a community level, at a street level and at a household level to build greater resilience to these flood events? And can we include within that statement the need to develop further local flood forums, so that local people are part of the solution to this increasingly regular and increasingly traumatic river and surface-water flood events?
Rydym ni i gyd yn cydymdeimlo â phawb yr effeithwyd arnynt gan y llifogydd dros y penwythnos, gan gynnwys llawer yn fy etholaeth i yng nghymoedd Llynfi, Garw ac Ogwr, ac mewn ardaloedd ar dir is yn Heol-y-Cyw, Pencoed ac mewn mannau eraill. Ac rydym ni’n diolch ac yn canmol pawb sydd wedi helpu i ymateb i'r argyfwng a’r glanhau, sy’n parhau.
Mae llawer o hyn o ganlyniad i lifogydd sydyn, sy'n ddigwyddiad yn fwy rheolaidd erbyn hyn, gan fod ein patrymau tywydd yn newid o ganlyniad i gynhesu byd-eang. Mae'n effeithio ar ardaloedd nad ystyriwyd eu bod yn agored i lifogydd mynych o'r blaen, ond rwyf wedi cwrdd â thrigolion y mae hyn y trydydd digwyddiad o lifogydd mewn degawd iddynt, gan achosi problemau o ran yswiriant anfforddiadwy, yn ogystal â gofid a dinistr uniongyrchol ynghylch eu cartrefi a’u heiddo wedi’u difetha gan ddŵr llifogydd, mwd a llanast. A wnaiff y rheolwr busnes ofyn am ddatganiad ar wrthsefyll llifogydd—ac rwy’n sylwi bod Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yma ac mae hi’n ymwybodol iawn o hyn—fel y gallwn archwilio beth arall y gellir ei wneud ar lefel cymunedol, ar lefel y stryd ac ar lefel yr aelwyd i allu gwrthsefyll y digwyddiadau llifogydd hyn yn well? Ac a gawn ni gynnwys o fewn y datganiad hwnnw, yr angen i ddatblygu rhagor o fforymau llifogydd lleol, fel bod pobl leol yn rhan o'r ateb i’r digwyddiadau cynyddol ysgytiol hyn o lifogydd afon a dŵr arwyneb sy’n gynyddol reolaidd?
Huw Irranca-Davies raises an important point, and I’d like to add my thanks to the services that came out to support constituents in my area who were flooded, including many volunteers as well, such as the Cardiff and Vale Rescue Association, who played their part as well. The written statement was produced by Lesley Griffiths, the Cabinet Secretary, yesterday, and she will want to give an update on this statement. I think it’s important, if you look at that written statement, to take note of Floodline—I will, for the record, say it’s 0345 9881188—and the fact that further local authority investigations are taking place to confirm the numbers affected, and also to determine the cause of flooding in each location.
In terms of allocation of funding for flood alleviation, of course, we have a good record on this, but I know that the Cabinet Secretary will want to take account of this occurrence, these flooding events over the weekend, on the night of Saturday, 19 November, which has caused devastation, and not just in terms of the devastation to individuals in terms of their homes, which is the worst, but the inconvenience in terms of business, the impact on roads, rail, schools and everything else that has been recorded from yesterday.
Mae Huw Irranca-Davies yn codi pwynt pwysig, a hoffwn innau ychwanegu fy niolch i'r gwasanaethau a ddaeth allan i gefnogi etholwyr yn fy ardal i a oedd yn dioddef llifogydd, gan gynnwys llawer o wirfoddolwyr hefyd, megis Cymdeithas Achub Caerdydd a'r Fro, a chwaraeodd eu rhan hefyd. Lluniwyd y datganiad ysgrifenedig gan Lesley Griffiths, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ddoe, a bydd hi’n awyddus i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y datganiad hwn. Rwy'n credu ei bod hi’n bwysig, os edrychwch chi ar y datganiad ysgrifenedig, i gymryd sylw o’r llinell rhybuddion llifogydd—rwyf am ddweud er mwyn y cofnod, mai’r rhif yw 0345 9881188—a'r ffaith bod rhagor o ymchwiliadau yn cael eu cynnal gan awdurdodau lleol i gadarnhau'r niferoedd yr effeithir arnynt, a hefyd i nodi achos y llifogydd ym mhob lleoliad.
O ran dyrannu cyllid ar gyfer lliniaru llifogydd, wrth gwrs, mae gennym hanes da ynglŷn â hyn, ond gwn y bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn awyddus i ystyried y digwyddiad hwn, y llifogydd hyn dros y penwythnos, nos Sadwrn, 19 Tachwedd, sydd wedi achosi dinistr, ac nid dim ond o ran y dinistr i unigolion wrth sôn am eu cartrefi, sef y peth gwaethaf, ond o ran yr anhwylustod o safbwynt busnes, yr effaith ar ffyrdd, rheilffyrdd, ysgolion a phopeth arall a gofnodwyd o ddoe.
Can I ask for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children on the support for a project that previously benefited from the Communities First programme? The Dowlais Engine House is a project open to children and young people of all abilities and provides an inclusive range of sporting activities, dance and drama, reading and homework clubs, and encourages healthy lifestyles. The project supports young people needing to gain independence, confidence and life skills in their deprived communities, but they’re very concerned that it could come to an end, due to the end of the Communities First programme. When will the Welsh Government be in a position to reassure groups such as the Dowlais Engine House that they will continue to get funding from this Government in the future in Wales? Thank you.
A gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Gymunedau a Phlant ynglŷn â’r gefnogaeth ar gyfer prosiect a oedd yn elwa o’r blaen ar y rhaglen Cymunedau yn Gyntaf? Mae'r prosiect Dowlais Engine House yn brosiect sy’n agored i blant a phobl ifanc o bob gallu ac yn darparu amrywiaeth gynhwysol o weithgareddau chwaraeon, dawns a drama, clybiau darllen a chlybiau gwaith cartref, ac sy’n annog ffyrdd iach o fyw. Mae'r prosiect yn cefnogi pobl ifanc sydd angen bod yn annibynnol, sydd angen magu hyder ac sydd angen dysgu sgiliau bywyd yn eu cymunedau difreintiedig, ond maen nhw’n bryderus iawn y gallai ddod i ben, oherwydd bod y rhaglen Cymunedau yn Gyntaf yn dod i ben. Pryd y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru mewn sefyllfa i roi sicrwydd i grwpiau fel y Dowlais Engine House y byddant yn parhau i gael cyllid gan y Llywodraeth hon yn y dyfodol yng Nghymru? Diolch.
The Member does raise an important point about a project in his region, which clearly has beneficial outcomes. You will know that the communities Secretary is seeking views on the impact of the possible phasing out of Communities First, and really seeking views, of course, for communities’ representatives to respond to, so that they can have their say in terms of those areas of investment that are making a beneficial impact.
Mae’r Aelod yn codi pwynt pwysig am brosiect yn ei ranbarth ef, sydd â chanlyniadau buddiol yn amlwg. Byddwch chi’n gwybod bod yr ysgrifennydd dros gymunedau yn ceisio barn pobl ar effaith y posibilrwydd o ddiddymu’n raddol y rhaglen Cymunedau yn Gyntaf, ac yn wir yn ceisio barn, wrth gwrs, i gynrychiolwyr cymunedol ymateb iddi, fel y gallant ddweud eu dweud o ran y meysydd hynny o fuddsoddiad sy'n cael effaith fuddiol.
I said last week in this Chamber that class A drugs were being sold openly within a stone’s throw of this Assembly, and that a 13-year-old girl, in a public meeting, said that she was frightened to go out because of the drug dealers. We’re in a situation where front-line police officers don’t have the resources to do the job properly and the commissioner is invisible. When will the Government make a statement about this and a statement of intent to do something about it?
Secondly, there’s another matter, which came up in the Public Accounts Committee last week, when it was revealed that the instrument landing system at St Athan is not fully operational. You’ve had four years to get it operational fully and it’s still not happened. It was revealed, furthermore, that, as a result of this, a contract with EasyJet worth millions of pounds has been lost. Thirdly, it was confirmed that Cardiff Aviation has paid no rent. Now, without a landing system, I don’t blame them, quite frankly.
There’s also another issue about due diligence and the finance through Finance Wales. So, when will the Government be making a statement about this most important matter, which you’ve had four years to sort out and you still haven’t?
Dywedais yr wythnos diwethaf yn y Siambr hon fod cyffuriau dosbarth A yn cael eu gwerthu yn agored o fewn tafliad carreg i’r Cynulliad hwn, a bod merch 13 oed, mewn cyfarfod cyhoeddus, wedi dweud ei bod yn ofni mynd allan oherwydd y gwerthwyr cyffuriau. Rydym ni mewn sefyllfa lle nad oes gan swyddogion rheng flaen yr heddlu yr adnoddau i wneud y gwaith yn iawn ac mae'r comisiynydd yn anweledig. Pryd y bydd y Llywodraeth yn gwneud datganiad am hyn a datganiad o fwriad i wneud rhywbeth am y peth?
Yn ail, mae yna fater arall, a gafodd ei grybwyll yn y Pwyllgor Cyfrifon Cyhoeddus yr wythnos diwethaf, pan ddatgelwyd nad yw'r system glanio yn ôl deialau yn Sain Tathan yn gwbl weithredol. Rydych chi wedi cael pedair blynedd i sicrhau ei fod yn gwbl weithredol ac nid yw hynny wedi digwydd o hyd. Datgelwyd, hefyd, o ganlyniad i hyn, fod contract gyda Easyjet sydd werth miliynau o bunnoedd wedi’i golli. Yn drydydd, cadarnhawyd nad yw Aviation Caerdydd wedi talu unrhyw rent. Nawr, heb system lanio, nid wyf yn gweld bai arnyn nhw, a dweud y gwir.
Ceir mater arall hefyd ynglŷn â diwydrwydd dyladwy a'r cyllid gan Gyllid Cymru. Felly, pryd fydd y Llywodraeth yn gwneud datganiad am y mater hollbwysig hwn yr ydych chi wedi cael pedair blynedd i’w ddatrys ac yn dal heb wneud hynny?
On your first question, you will be aware, of course, I know, of our substance misuse delivery plan and that’s the delivery plan from 2016 to 2018, ‘Working Together to Reduce Harm’, which is precisely why that delivery plan is so important, in terms of answering your question. It does explain what the Welsh Government’s doing over the next two years to improve the outcomes of those affected by substance misuse. Of course, it is important that we look at this in terms of the review of what works, and I responded to this question from the Member last week. We do have to look at new ways of reducing harm to both individuals, as you’re described, and also to communities. So, this isn’t straightforward, but the substance misuse delivery plan is addressing this specifically.
On your second point, I’m interested that this was an issue that’s being considered by the Public Accounts Committee and I think that’s the place for this to be considered. If this is an issue that is of relevance and importance to us as a Government—and I’m sure the MOD comes into it as well as far as St Athan is concerned, and the particular system that you mentioned—this is something that, of course, the Cabinet Secretary would want to respond to. I’m sure he will have an opportunity in questions to the Cabinet Secretary in due course.
O ran eich cwestiwn cyntaf, byddwch chi’n ymwybodol, wrth gwrs, mi wn, o'n cynllun cyflawni camddefnyddio sylweddau a hwnnw yw’r cynllun cyflawni o 2016 i 2018, 'Gweithio Gyda'n Gilydd i Leihau Niwed', sef yr union reswm pam mae’r cynllun cyflawni mor bwysig, o ran ateb eich cwestiwn. Mae hyn yn egluro beth y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud dros y ddwy flynedd nesaf i wella canlyniadau'r rhai hynny yr effeithir arnynt drwy gamddefnyddio sylweddau. Wrth gwrs, mae'n bwysig ein bod ni’n ystyried hyn o ran adolygiad o beth sy'n gweithio, ac fe wnes i ymateb i'r cwestiwn hwn gan yr Aelod yr wythnos diwethaf. Mae’n rhaid i ni ystyried ffyrdd newydd o leihau niwed i’r unigolion, fel yr ydych chi wedi’i ddisgrifio, a hefyd i gymunedau. Felly, nid yw hyn yn syml, ond mae'r cynllun cyflawni camddefnyddio sylweddau yn mynd i’r afael â hyn yn benodol.
Ynglŷn â’ch ail bwynt, mae gennyf ddiddordeb yn y ffaith bod hwn yn fater sy'n cael ei ystyried gan y Pwyllgor Cyfrifon Cyhoeddus, ac rwy'n credu mai dyna'r lle y dylid ei ystyried. Os yw hwn yn fater sydd o berthnasedd a phwysigrwydd i ni fel Llywodraeth—ac rwy'n siŵr bod y Weinyddiaeth Amddiffyn yn rhan o hyn hefyd cyn belled â bod Sain Tathan yn y cwestiwn, a'r system benodol y soniasoch chi amdani—mae hyn yn rhywbeth, wrth gwrs, y byddai Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn awyddus i ymateb iddo. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd yn cael cyfle yn ystod y cwestiynau i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet maes o law.
I call for a single statement, or even better a debate in Government time, on the changing Welsh Government fuel poverty strategy. A number of small matters I’ll touch on, which are significant for many. In light of the Welsh Government’s review of building regulations, we need to explore Welsh Government’s position in respect of energy performance certificates, which can go up or down solely based on the cost of the fuel, and not on whether the actual efficiency of the home has improved. We need to know whether the Welsh Government believes it should be using cost or carbon savings, or both, as the scoring method for its energy efficiency schemes, particularly if they’re looking to address fuel poverty.
The Welsh Government’s consultation on the future demand-led fuel poverty scheme proposes to introduce age requirements to the eligibility criteria, alongside property characteristics and financial criteria, effectively removing working-age households from eligibility unless a member has certain health conditions. The Fuel Poverty Coalition Cymru are concerned that this will deny help to many households who would currently otherwise be eligible, and risk them being caught in fuel poverty. So, we need to know the Welsh Government’s reasoning for so many, potentially, fuel households losing eligibility, and what support will be available to those households to reduce energy costs and have a warm home?
The Welsh Government consultation also proposes to remove the private rented sector from eligibility, arguing that the Welsh Government’s home improvement loan scheme can fill the gap. But the Fuel Poverty Coalition Cymru are concerned that landlords will not be motivated to take out these loans, leaving private rented tenants without a source of help if they’re in fuel poverty. So, we need to know what data the Welsh Government has on the uptake of home improvement loans by private landlords for energy efficiency measures so far, and an explanation of how it will incentivise landlords to take out such loans in the future.
Ultimately and finally, we need to know where the intervention and prevention agenda fits into this, not only improving lives, but saving money for statutory services. And where are the well-being of future generations indicators that include energy efficiency?
Rwy’n galw am ddatganiad sengl, neu hyd yn oed yn well, ddadl yn amser y Llywodraeth, ar y newid yn strategaeth tlodi tanwydd Llywodraeth Cymru. Rwyf am sôn am nifer o faterion bach, sy'n bwysig i lawer. Yng ngoleuni adolygiad Llywodraeth Cymru o reoliadau adeiladu, mae angen i ni ystyried safbwynt Llywodraeth Cymru ynglŷn â thystysgrifau perfformiad ynni, a all godi neu ostwng yn seiliedig ar gost y tanwydd yn unig, ac nid yn seiliedig ar ba un a yw effeithlonrwydd y cartref mewn gwirionedd wedi gwella. Mae angen i ni wybod a yw Llywodraeth Cymru o'r farn y dylai fod yn defnyddio arbedion cost neu garbon, neu'r ddau, fel y dull sgorio ar gyfer ei chynlluniau effeithlonrwydd ynni, yn enwedig os oes ganddi’r bwriad o fynd i'r afael â thlodi tanwydd.
Mae ymgynghoriad Llywodraeth Cymru ar y cynllun tlodi tanwydd a arweinir gan alw a gaiff ei weithredu yn y dyfodol, yn bwriadu cyflwyno gofynion o ran oedran i'r meini prawf cymhwysedd, ochr yn ochr â nodweddion eiddo a meini prawf ariannol, gan gael gwared mewn gwirionedd ar aelwydydd o oedran gweithio rhag bod yn gymwys oni bai bod gan aelod gyflyrau iechyd penodol. Mae Cynghrair Tlodi Tanwydd Cymru yn pryderu y bydd hyn yn gwadu cymorth i lawer o aelwydydd a fyddai fel arall, ar hyn o bryd, yn gymwys, ac yn peri risg iddynt ddioddef tlodi tanwydd. Felly, mae angen inni wybod beth yw rhesymeg Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer cymaint o gartrefi tanwydd, o bosibl, yn peidio â bod yn gymwys mwyach, a pha gefnogaeth fydd ar gael i’r aelwydydd hynny i leihau costau ynni a chael cartref cynnes?
Mae ymgynghoriad Llywodraeth Cymru hefyd yn bwriadu hepgor y sector rhentu preifat o’r gofynion cymhwysedd, gan ddadlau y gall cynllun benthyciadau gwella cartrefi Llywodraeth Cymru lenwi'r bwlch. Ond mae Cynghrair Tlodi Tanwydd Cymru yn pryderu na fydd landlordiaid yn cael eu hannog i gymryd y benthyciadau hyn, gan olygu na fydd gan denantiaid sy’n rhentu’n breifat ffynhonnell o gymorth os ydynt yn dioddef o dlodi tanwydd. Felly, mae angen inni wybod pa ddata sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar y nifer o landlordiaid preifat sydd wedi manteisio ar fenthyciadau gwella cartrefi ar gyfer mesurau effeithlonrwydd ynni hyd yn hyn, ac esboniad o sut y bydd yn annog landlordiaid i gymryd benthyciadau o'r fath yn y dyfodol.
Yn y pen draw ac yn olaf, mae angen inni wybod pa ran sydd gan yr agenda ymyrraeth ac atal yn hyn, nid dim ond o ran gwella bywydau, ond o ran arbed arian ar gyfer gwasanaethau statudol. A lle mae’r dangosyddion llesiant cenedlaethau'r dyfodol sy'n cynnwys effeithlonrwydd ynni?
Mark Isherwood does raise a question that, of course, is being considered through consultation. That is the way in which we certainly want to take forward Government policy: as a result of consultation. Particularly consulting and engaging with those who are experts in the field, and of course that’s what the Cabinet Secretary will be doing.
Mae Mark Isherwood yn codi cwestiwn sydd, wrth gwrs, yn cael ei ystyried drwy ymgynghoriad. Dyna'r ffordd yr ydym ni’n bendant yn awyddus i ddatblygu’r broses o lunio polisïau’r Llywodraeth: o ganlyniad i ymgynghori. Yn enwedig drwy ymgynghori ac ymgysylltu â'r rhai hynny sy'n arbenigwyr yn y maes, ac wrth gwrs dyna’r hyn y bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn ei wneud.
A gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ar fwriad Dŵr Severn Trent i brynu Dŵr Dyffryn Dyfrdwy? Rŷm ni’n gwybod, wrth gwrs, fod yna gonsyrn ynglŷn â’r 190 o swyddi—rhai o bosib yn mynd i gael eu colli, eraill yn mynd i gael eu trosglwyddo i Loegr. Rŷm ni eisoes hefyd wedi clywed am yr 80 o gwmnïau lleol sydd yn rhan o gadwyn gyflenwi Dŵr Dyffryn Dyfrdwy, a’r gofid efallai ynglŷn â’u dyfodol nhw. Mae hwn hefyd yn codi cwestiwn ehangach ynglŷn â phwy, mewn gwirionedd, sydd yn biau un o’n hadnoddau naturiol pwysicaf ni fel cenedl. Mae Severn Trent, wrth gwrs, yn prynu’r hawl i fonopoli yn fan hyn o safbwynt gwasanaethau dŵr, ac mae’n rhaid gofyn lle mae llais y cwsmer yn hyn i gyd. Onid oes gan y cwsmeriaid yr hawl i ddweud pa fath o gwmni neu fenter sy’n edrych ar ôl eu gwasanaethau dŵr nhw? Felly, nid mater yn unig i gyfranddalwyr yw hyn, ond mater i holl gwsmeriaid y cwmni.
Mae’n rhaid imi ddweud, roedd ymateb y Prif Weinidog i gwestiwn gan arweinydd Plaid Cymru, Leanne Wood, pan awgrymodd e fod y Llywodraeth yn mynd i ohebu â’r cwmnïau, yn destun braw a dweud y lleiaf, oherwydd mae hwn y gyhoeddus, wrth gwrs, ers wythnos diwethaf. Mae angen datganiad buan, oherwydd os mai dyma yw cyflymder y Llywodraeth yn ymateb i’r sefyllfa yma, yna mae hynny yn gwbl annerbyniol.
May I ask for a statement by the Cabinet Secretary on the intention of Severn Trent Water to buy Dee Valley Water? There are concerns about the 190 jobs—some of which are to be lost, and others are to be transferred to England. We’ve also heard about the 80 local companies that are part of the supply chain of the Dee Valley Water Company, and I wanted to ask about their future too. This also raises a broader question as to who actually owns one of our most important natural resources as a nation. Severn Trent, of course, is buying a right to a monopoly here in terms of water services and you have to ask where the consumer voice is in all of this. Doesn’t the consumer have a right to say what sort of company or enterprise looks after their water services? And so it’s not just a matter for shareholders, but also a matter for all of the company’s customers.
I have to say that the First Minister’s response to a question from the Plaid Cymru leader, Leanne Wood, when he suggested that the Government is going to correspond with the companies on this, was shocking, to say the least, because this has been public since last week. We need an urgent statement, because if that is the pace of the Government’s response to the situation, that’s quite unacceptable.
It does go back to—as the First Minister said in response to a question from the leader of Plaid Cymru—what intervention, what levers and what powers we’ve got. Of course, he did mention the possible prospect of the devolution of those powers. It is obviously of huge significance and importance, and the First Minister did say that in response to the question this afternoon. I’m sure he will want to share with Members the way in which he, and, indeed, the Cabinet Secretary, is able to make our views known, and that’s really all we can do at this stage.
Mae’n mynd yn ôl i—fel y dywedodd y Prif Weinidog mewn ymateb i gwestiwn gan arweinydd Plaid Cymru—pa ymyrraeth, pa ddulliau a pha bwerau sydd gennym ni. Wrth gwrs, fe wnaeth sôn am y posibilrwydd o ddatganoli’r pwerau hynny. Mae arwyddocâd a phwysigrwydd enfawr i hyn yn amlwg, ac fe wnaeth y Prif Weinidog ddweud hynny wrth ymateb i'r cwestiwn y prynhawn yma. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd yn dymuno rhannu â'r Aelodau y modd y gall ef, ac, yn wir, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, wneud ein barn yn hysbys, a dyna’r cyfan, mewn gwirionedd, y gallwn ei wneud ar hyn o bryd.
Leader of the house, as Huw Irranca-Davies highlighted in his comments to you earlier, the last few days of heavy rain have seen flooding across the country. They’ve also seen the usual and predictable seasonal flooding of the A4042 at Llanellen bridge in my constituency. This is a major trunk route. The annual flooding causes much inconvenience to commuters and local residents, and it could be avoided if changes were made to drainage of neighbouring fields and, indeed, to the structure of the road itself. It’s an ongoing problem. Could we have a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for infrastructure and transport on the winter resilience of our trunk road network and, perhaps, a review of trouble spots such as that I’ve outlined on the A4042 at Llanellen bridge so that necessary improvements can be planned for so that our trunk road network is able to meet the winter challenges as best as it possibly can?
Arweinydd y tŷ, fel yr amlygodd Huw Irranca-Davies yn ei sylwadau i chi yn gynharach, mae’r dyddiau diwethaf o law trwm wedi arwain at lifogydd ledled y wlad. Mae hefyd wedi arwain at y llifogydd tymhorol arferol a rhagweladwy ar yr A4042 wrth bont Llanelen yn fy etholaeth i. Mae hwn yn llwybr cefnffordd pwysig. Mae'r llifogydd blynyddol yn achosi llawer o anghyfleustra i gymudwyr a thrigolion lleol, a gellid ei osgoi pe gwnaed newidiadau i ddraenio caeau cyfagos ac, yn wir, i strwythur y ffordd ei hun. Mae'n broblem barhaus. A gawn ni ddatganiad gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros seilwaith a thrafnidiaeth ar gadernid ein rhwydwaith cefnffyrdd yn y gaeaf ac, efallai, adolygiad o fannau sy’n achosi problemau, fel hwnnw yr wyf wedi’i amlinellu ar yr A4042 ym mhont Llanelen, er mwyn gallu cynllunio ar gyfer y gwelliannau angenrheidiol fel bod ein rhwydwaith cefnffyrdd yn gallu ateb heriau’r gaeaf cystal ag y gall wneud hynny?
Thank you, Nick Ramsay, and I have already, in answer to Huw Irranca-Davies, said that the Cabinet Secretary will make a statement. I think it’s appropriate for her to make a statement following her written statement when some of those investigations have taken place by local authorities and by Natural Resources Wales so that we can respond in terms of what may be in the planning in terms of flood alleviation works. We know that, yesterday, there were a lot of blocked culverts. Also, it’s the nature of the incident, which I think Huw Irranca referred to, that had a particularly devastating impact, not just on homes and households, but on our infrastructure. So, the Cabinet Secretary will come back with a statement following that review of the incidents over the weekend.
Diolch i chi, Nick Ramsay, ac rwyf eisoes, wrth ateb Huw Irranca-Davies, wedi dweud y bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn gwneud datganiad. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn briodol iddi wneud datganiad yn dilyn ei datganiad ysgrifenedig pan fydd rhai o'r ymchwiliadau hynny wedi’u cynnal gan awdurdodau lleol a chan Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru er mwyn i ni allu ymateb i’r hyn a allai fod yn cael ei gynllunio o ran y gwaith o liniaru llifogydd. Gwyddom, ddoe, bod llawer o ffosydd wedi cau. Hefyd, cafodd natur y digwyddiad, ac rwy’n meddwl bod Huw Irranca wedi cyfeirio at hyn, effaith arbennig o ddinistriol, nid yn unig ar gartrefi ac aelwydydd, ond ar ein seilwaith. Felly, bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn dod yn ôl â datganiad yn dilyn yr adolygiad hwnnw o'r digwyddiadau dros y penwythnos.
I wonder if I could ask for a statement from the health Secretary, or possibly from the Minister for public health, about the provision of publicly accessible defibrillators in Wales. In particular, I’d like know about Wales’s response to the European Restart A Heart Day initiative and what support and advice Welsh Government has been giving to community councils about the options for them to be able to provide defibrillators. The Minister for public health will be familiar with the excellent example set by community councils and other organisations in Gower in my region, as, of course, it’s also her constituency. Could the statement also outline how much training cover is available across Wales? Obviously, this is on offer from a number of organisations, sometimes at no cost, but it would be helpful to know where the geographical gaps are, if you like. Could it also update us on the ambulance trust’s mapping of where defibrillators are currently found?
In connection with this, could I ask for a second statement from the education Secretary about the uptake of voluntary teaching of emergency life-saving skills in schools? Members from all parties were very supportive of my call in the last Assembly to make the age-appropriate teaching of these skills compulsory in schools and I hope that the new Members, as well as the education Secretary, will be as enthusiastic as I still am. Thank you.
Tybed a gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad gan yr Ysgrifennydd Iechyd, neu o bosibl gan Weinidog iechyd y cyhoedd, ar ddarparu diffibrilwyr sydd ar gael i'r cyhoedd yng Nghymru. Yn benodol, hoffwn wybod am ymateb Cymru i’r fenter Ewropeaidd Diwrnod Restart a Heart a pha gymorth a chyngor y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn ei roi i gynghorau cymuned ar y dewisiadau sydd ar gael iddyn nhw allu darparu diffibrilwyr. Bydd y Gweinidog iechyd y cyhoedd yn gyfarwydd â'r esiampl wych a osodwyd gan gynghorau cymuned a chyrff eraill ym Mro Gwyr yn fy rhanbarth i, sydd, wrth gwrs, yn ei hetholaeth hithau hefyd. A allai’r datganiad hefyd amlinellu faint o sicrwydd hyfforddiant sydd ar gael ledled Cymru? Yn amlwg, mae hyn ar gael gan nifer o sefydliadau, weithiau heb gost, ond byddai'n ddefnyddiol gwybod ble y mae'r bylchau daearyddol, os mynnwch chi. A allai’r datganiad hefyd roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i ni ar fapio yr ymddiriedolaeth ambiwlans o ble y mae diffibrilwyr ar gael ar hyn o bryd?
Mewn cysylltiad â hyn, a gaf i ofyn am ail ddatganiad gan yr Ysgrifennydd addysg am y ganran a gafodd addysg wirfoddol o sgiliau achub bywyd brys mewn ysgolion? Roedd aelodau o bob plaid yn gefnogol iawn i fy ngalwad yn y Cynulliad diwethaf i wneud yr addysg briodol i oedran o'r sgiliau hyn yn orfodol mewn ysgolion a gobeithiaf y bydd yr Aelodau newydd, yn ogystal â'r Ysgrifennydd dros addysg, yr un mor frwdfrydig ag yr wyf i’n dal i fod. Diolch.
Suzy Davies does raise a very important point. There is a vast amount of voluntary activity going on across Wales. There is a strategic approach and, actually, that strategic approach includes the third sector as well as the statutory sector in terms of emergency response. It is prevention, it is about training and, particularly, in terms of life-saving techniques being spread through education, the Cabinet Secretary for Education is already indicating that she would like to respond, so I think it looks as though we could move on a joint statement from Cabinet Secretaries and Ministers on this issue.
Mae Suzy Davies yn codi pwynt pwysig iawn. Mae llawer iawn o weithgarwch gwirfoddol yn digwydd ledled Cymru. Ceir dull strategol ac, mewn gwirionedd, mae’r dull strategol hwnnw yn cynnwys y trydydd sector, yn ogystal â'r sector statudol o ran ymateb brys. Mae'n atal, mae'n ymwneud â hyfforddiant ac, yn arbennig, o ran technegau achub bywyd yn cael eu lledaenu drwy addysg, mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Addysg eisoes yn nodi yr hoffai ymateb, felly credaf ei fod yn edrych fel pe gallem symud ymlaen ar ddatganiad ar y cyd gan Ysgrifenyddion y Cabinet a Gweinidogion ar y mater hwn.
Diolch i’r Gweinidog.
I thank the Minister.
Rydym ni’n symud nawr at ddatganiad gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Addysg ar adolygiad Diamond o addysg uwch a chyllid myfyrwyr. Rydw i’n galw ar yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet, Kirsty Williams.
We now move to a statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Education on the Diamond review of higher education and student finance arrangements. I call on the Cabinet Secretary, Kirsty Williams.

Thank you very much. Llywydd, I have today published the Government's response to the recommendations from the review of higher education and student finance in Wales. I am keen to reiterate my appreciation for the time and effort that Professor Diamond and his panel members, from across the political parties, sector and industry, dedicated to the review between April 2014 and this summer.
Since publication of the report in September, there has been much interest from Assembly committees, parents, students, and the wider higher education sector, including policy and funding experts.
I welcome that interest, scrutiny and constructive engagement. Indeed, observers from elsewhere in the UK suggest that we in Wales are leading the way in fundamentally shifting higher education finance towards a progressive, stable and sustainable system. Therefore, I have given a great deal of thought to the practical implications of implementing the review panel’s recommendations, seeking to ensure stability and sustainability. I’m clear that Wales needs a sustainable and progressive higher education funding settlement that supports students when they most need it, and enables our universities to compete internationally.
As I made clear on 27 September, Cabinet endorsed the principles contained within the report, but our response builds on our key established principles: that we maintain the principle of universalism within a progressive system, that we have a whole-system approach, that investment is shared between Government and those who directly benefit, that we enhance accessibility, tackling barriers such as living costs, and that student support is portable across the UK. I can confirm that, subject to full Treasury approval, we will implement changes to student support funding, covering full-time, part-time undergraduate and postgraduate students from 2018-19.
In the context of austerity in the United Kingdom, the fundamental shift to improved and progressive maintenance support across modes and levels of study can only be achieved by releasing funds currently used to provide tuition fee grants for full-time undergraduates. The Diamond report modelled a range of household income thresholds for those eligible for means-tested support. We have decided to go with the proposal to set the upper threshold at £59,200. This is an increase of around £8,000 on current arrangements for means-testing. I believe this to be a fair and sustainable arrangement. Under this proposed system, we expect more than a third of Welsh students to be eligible for the maximum grant and the average student to receive £7,000 a year in grant support. The revised system of support will mean that students will receive the equivalent of the national living wage during term time while they study, with a maximum level of support of over £9,000 a year for full-time students and a pro-rata version available for part-time students.
I am proud to confirm the Government’s intention to deliver the first system in the UK and be an international model of best practice that is consistent, progressive and fair in its support for full and part-time undergraduates and for postgraduate students.
As set out in my agreement with the First Minister and our programme for government, we are committed to promoting and enhancing both academic and vocational routes into and through further and higher education, including both full and part-time opportunities that will benefit learners of all ages, employers and communities. Our response recognises the consensus that it is the fear of not being able to meet your daily living costs, rather than the prospect of paying back loans once in work, that is the bigger issue for accessing and progressing through higher education. Securing the stability and sustainability of our higher education and student finance arrangements is crucial. I can therefore confirm that we are implementing, with only minor modifications, the full Diamond package, whilst also delivering a future dividend for further and higher education. This, of course, would be subject to normal Government budget negotiations and process.
It is important that we do not implement policy that would have unintended consequences. Therefore, there are some areas where I believe it is sensible for the Government to pause and consider the next steps. These areas include recommendations on the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, which need to be considered alongside the recently announced task and finish group, the implementation of monthly maintenance payments, incentives for graduates, the University of Wales Press, and the sharing of risk between Government, institution and student. Through the consultation exercise we invite those with specific interest to engage on these matters.
Similarly, given the current economic climate, there are a number of recommendations with financial implications that will need to be considered as part of future budgeting rounds. These include recommendations on quality research funding, knowledge transfer, the Learned Society of Wales, and the unhypothecated amount allocated to the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales’s recurrent budget. However, I will be asking my officials to work with HEFCW so that they can gain an understanding of the projected financial implications for their budget.
To ensure stability and sustainability, I have decided to maintain the current intensity threshold on support for part-time study. However, we will continue to work with the sector on ways to support and promote study at lower intensities. We will also maintain current equivalent or lower qualification controls, but commit to exploring extending those subjects and priority areas that will be exempt. Alongside publication of our full response, we have published a consultation on student support funding. I welcome the consensus that greeted the principles of Professor Diamond’s report, and, in that spirit, Presiding Officer, I now seek views on the practical implementation of our proposals.
Llywydd, it was the 'pence of the poor' that helped found and build our great civic universities. It was the great reforming progressive individuals, communities and Governments that helped open up higher education through institutions such as the Open University. It is the work of NUS Wales, through their ‘The Pound in Your Pocket’ research, that was bold enough to address student funding priorities head-on. And it this Government now—working, I hope, with parties across the Chamber—that will secure a stable and sustainable higher education funding and student finance package that can help transform the lives of our citizens and of our nation.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Lywydd, heddiw rwyf wedi cyhoeddi ymateb y Llywodraeth i argymhellion yr adolygiad o addysg uwch a chyllid myfyrwyr yng Nghymru. Rwy’n awyddus i ailadrodd fy ngwerthfawrogiad am yr amser a'r ymdrech y mae'r Athro Diamond ac aelodau ei banel, o’r holl bleidiau gwleidyddol, y sector a diwydiant, wedi ei roi i’r adolygiad rhwng mis Ebrill 2014, a’r haf hwn.
Ers cyhoeddi'r adroddiad ym mis Medi, bu llawer o ddiddordeb gan bwyllgorau'r Cynulliad, rhieni, myfyrwyr, a'r sector addysg uwch ehangach, gan gynnwys arbenigwyr polisi a chyllid.
Rwy’n croesawu’r diddordeb, y gwaith craffu a’r ymgysylltiad adeiladol hwnnw. Yn wir, mae arsylwyr o fannau eraill yn y DU yn awgrymu ein bod ni yng Nghymru yn arwain y ffordd wrth symud cyllid addysg uwch yn sylfaenol tuag at system flaengar, sefydlog a chynaliadwy. Felly, rwyf wedi rhoi llawer iawn o ystyriaeth i oblygiadau ymarferol gweithredu argymhellion y panel adolygu, gan geisio sicrhau sefydlogrwydd a chynaliadwyedd. Rwy'n glir bod angen setliad ariannu addysg uwch gynaliadwy a blaengar ar Gymru sy'n cefnogi myfyrwyr pan fyddant ei angen fwyaf, ac yn galluogi ein prifysgolion i gystadlu'n rhyngwladol.
Fel yr eglurais ar 27 Medi, cymeradwyodd y Cabinet yr egwyddorion a geir yn yr adroddiad, ond mae ein hymateb yn adeiladu ar ein hegwyddorion allweddol sefydledig: sef ein bod yn cynnal yr egwyddor o gyffredinoliaeth o fewn system flaengar, bod gennym ymagwedd system gyfan, bod y buddsoddiad hwnnw yn cael ei rannu rhwng y Llywodraeth a'r rhai sy'n elwa'n uniongyrchol, ein bod yn gwella hygyrchedd, yn mynd i'r afael â rhwystrau megis costau byw, a bod modd defnyddio’r cymorth i fyfyrwyr ledled y DU. Gallaf gadarnhau, yn amodol ar gymeradwyaeth lawn y Trysorlys, y byddwn yn gweithredu newidiadau i gyllid cymorth i fyfyrwyr, sy'n cwmpasu myfyrwyr israddedig ac ôl-raddedig amser llawn a rhan-amser o 2018-19.
Yng nghyd-destun cyni yn y Deyrnas Unedig, yr unig ffordd o gyflawni newid sylfaenol i gymorth cynhaliaeth gwell a blaengar ar draws dulliau a lefelau astudio yw trwy ryddhau arian a ddefnyddir ar hyn o bryd i ddarparu grantiau ffioedd dysgu i israddedigion amser llawn. Gwnaeth adroddiad Diamond fodelu amrywiaeth o drothwyon incwm aelwydydd ar gyfer y rhai hynny sy'n gymwys i gael cymorth ar sail prawf modd. Rydym wedi penderfynu dewis y cynnig i osod y trothwy uchaf ar £59,200. Mae hyn yn gynnydd o tua £8,000 ar y trefniadau presennol ar gyfer profi modd. Rwyf o’r farn bod hwn yn drefniant teg a chynaliadwy. O dan y system arfaethedig hon, rydym yn disgwyl y bydd mwy na thraean o’r myfyrwyr o Gymru yn gymwys ar gyfer y grant uchaf a bydd y myfyriwr cyfartalog yn derbyn £7,000 y flwyddyn mewn cymorth grant. Bydd y system ddiwygiedig o gymorth yn golygu y bydd myfyrwyr yn derbyn yr hyn sy'n cyfateb i’r cyflog byw cenedlaethol yn ystod y tymor tra byddant yn astudio, a’r lefel uchaf o gymorth yn fwy na £9,000 y flwyddyn ar gyfer myfyrwyr amser llawn, a bydd fersiwn pro-rata ar gael i fyfyrwyr rhan-amser.
Rwy’n falch o gadarnhau bwriad y Llywodraeth i ddarparu'r system gyntaf yn y DU a bod yn fodel rhyngwladol o arfer gorau sy'n gyson, yn flaengar ac yn deg yn ei gymorth i israddedigion amser llawn a rhan-amser a myfyrwyr ôl-raddedig.
Fel y nodwyd yn fy nghytundeb â’r Prif Weinidog a’n rhaglen lywodraethu, rydym wedi ymrwymo i hyrwyddo a gwella llwybrau academaidd a galwedigaethol i addysg bellach ac addysg uwch a thrwyddynt, gan gynnwys cyfleoedd amser llawn a rhan-amser a fydd o fudd i ddysgwyr o bob oedran, cyflogwyr a chymunedau. Mae ein hymateb yn cydnabod y consensws mai’r ofn o fethu â thalu eich costau byw o ddydd i ddydd, yn hytrach na'r posibilrwydd o dalu benthyciadau yn ôl ar ôl i chi gael gwaith, dyna'r broblem fawr ar gyfer cael mynediad a symud ymlaen trwy addysg uwch. Mae sicrhau sefydlogrwydd a chynaliadwyedd ein trefniadau addysg uwch a chyllid myfyrwyr yn hanfodol. Gallaf gadarnhau felly ein bod yn gweithredu, gyda dim ond mân newidiadau, y pecyn Diamond llawn, gan hefyd ddarparu difidend yn y dyfodol ar gyfer addysg bellach ac addysg uwch. Bydd hyn, wrth gwrs, yn amodol ar drafodaethau a phrosesau arferol y Llywodraeth ar gyfer y gyllideb.
Mae'n bwysig nad ydym yn gweithredu polisi a fyddai'n arwain at ganlyniadau anfwriadol. Felly, ceir rhai meysydd lle’r wyf yn credu ei bod yn synhwyrol i'r Llywodraeth oedi ac ystyried y camau nesaf. Mae'r meysydd hyn yn cynnwys argymhellion ar y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, y mae angen eu hystyried ochr yn ochr â'r grŵp gorchwyl a gorffen a gyhoeddwyd yn ddiweddar, gweithrediad taliadau cynhaliaeth misol, cymhellion i raddedigion, Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru, a rhannu risg rhwng y Llywodraeth, y sefydliad a’r myfyriwr. Rydym yn gwahodd y bobl hynny sydd â diddordeb penodol i ymgysylltu ar y materion hyn drwy'r ymarfer ymgynghori.
Yn yr un modd, o ystyried yr hinsawdd economaidd sydd ohoni, mae nifer o argymhellion sydd â goblygiadau ariannol y bydd angen eu hystyried yn rhan o rowndiau cyllidebu yn y dyfodol. Mae'r rhain yn cynnwys argymhellion ar gyllid ar gyfer ymchwil o ansawdd, trosglwyddo gwybodaeth, Cymdeithas Ddysgedig Cymru, a'r swm sydd heb ei neilltuo a ddyrannwyd i Gyngor Cyllido Addysg Uwch Cymru ar gyfer y gyllideb reolaidd. Fodd bynnag, byddaf yn gofyn i fy swyddogion weithio gyda CCAUC er mwyn iddynt gael dealltwriaeth o'r goblygiadau ariannol rhagamcanol ar gyfer eu cyllideb.
Er mwyn sicrhau sefydlogrwydd a chynaliadwyedd, rwyf wedi penderfynu cynnal y trothwy dwyster cyfredol ar gymorth ar gyfer astudio rhan-amser. Fodd bynnag, byddwn yn parhau i weithio gyda'r sector ar ffyrdd o gefnogi a hyrwyddo astudio ar ddwyster is. Byddwn hefyd yn cynnal dulliau rheoli cymwysterau cyfredol cyfwerth neu is, ond yn ymrwymo i archwilio ymestyn y pynciau hynny a’r meysydd blaenoriaeth a fydd yn cael eu heithrio. Ochr yn ochr â chyhoeddi ein hymateb llawn, rydym wedi cyhoeddi ymgynghoriad ar gyllid cymorth myfyrwyr. Rwy’n croesawu'r consensws a gafwyd wrth gefnogi egwyddorion adroddiad yr Athro Diamond, ac, yn yr ysbryd hwnnw, Lywydd, yr wyf yn awr yn ceisio barn ar y modd ymarferol o weithredu ein cynigion.
Lywydd, ceiniogau’r tlodion a helpodd i sefydlu ac adeiladu ein prifysgolion dinesig mawr. Unigolion, cymunedau a Llywodraethau blaengar yn ymgymryd â diwygio mawr a helpodd i agor addysg uwch drwy sefydliadau fel y Brifysgol Agored. Gwaith UCM Cymru, trwy eu hymchwil ‘Y Bunt yn Eich Poced’, a oedd yn ddigon dewr i ymdrin â blaenoriaethau ariannu myfyrwyr yn uniongyrchol. A’r Llywodraeth hon yn awr—gan weithio, gobeithio, gyda phartïon ar draws y Siambr—fydd yn sicrhau pecyn ariannu addysg uwch a chyllid myfyrwyr sefydlog a chynaliadwy sy'n gallu helpu i drawsnewid bywydau ein dinasyddion a'n cenedl.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your statement. I think it's impressive that you've managed to turn around a Welsh Government response to such a hefty report as the Diamond review report in such a short period of time. I do welcome, as well, the consultation that will now flow from your response; I think it's entirely appropriate that there’s a wider opportunity for public discussion on the proposals that you have indeed outlined.
I am a little surprised that you've claimed that the Welsh Government is implementing with only minor modifications the full Diamond package. Certainly, you're stepping in the direction of implementing the Diamond package, but there's no doubt in my mind that the significant change that you're making to the upper income threshold for support by reducing it by £20,000 is going to have an impact on the squeezed middle, which Professor Diamond was determined to protect, and, indeed, the other panellists were determined to protect as well. And, in addition to that, you are of course rejecting a number of recommendations in terms of apprenticeships and higher-cost postgraduate course teaching subsidies. So, let's be real about this: it's not a wholehearted endorsement of the Diamond report; there are actually some things that you’re not going to immediately implement, and there are some things that you're downright rejecting.
Now, that's not to say that I don't welcome much of what you have said and much of what's in the Welsh Government response. I welcome the fact that you're looking at implementing this in the academic year commencing 2018. I think that that's an important deadline that we need to work to. I welcome the fact that you’re trying to get the system onto a more sustainable footing, and, of course, the reduction in that upper earnings threshold is an important way of achieving that. I understand, Cabinet Secretary, that the change in that threshold will save the Welsh Government around £40 million per annum once the proposal is fully implemented, and, of course, that saving is on top of the £48.25 million on an annual basis that Professor Diamond's original recommendations said they were going to save. And I wonder where that £88.25 million is going to be reinvested. The First Minister made a very clear commitment that none of that cash would be lost to the HE budget. I suspect that he’s going to be trying to sidestep some of those commitments that he’s made, because you and I both know, Cabinet Secretary, that we need to see some more investment into our FE institutions as well, and in terms of widening access to FE and giving some support to students in our further education system as well, particularly if that vision that we all share in this Chamber, which is to give further education parity with higher education, is to be absolutely realised. I'm also very pleased, of course, to hear the confirmation of support arrangements for part-time study and, indeed, the support for postgraduates as well. I think that they’re very important commitments.
You mentioned that there’s going to be a working group that is going to have a look at this issue of sustainability and whether to maintain the link in the future to the national living wage. I think that that’s very important—that those links are maintained—because what we don’t want to see is inflation eating away into the opportunities that students can have to have this support in the future. So, there has to be some way of index linking this support to make sure that it’s going to be there in full in the future.
But I am a little bit concerned to read in your response of wanting to control student numbers and regulate student numbers. That implies that there are going to be caps on students who are going to be eligible for support in the future, which will limit access to higher education and indeed will limit learner choice, which I think is very regrettable indeed. Can I also ask you, Minister, whether that is what you’re hoping to achieve—some sort of cap? Who is going to sit on these working groups making those decisions? Will they be cross-party? That’s been the nature of the approach to Diamond so far. I think it’s important that we maintain some cross-party working on these issues, and I would be very happy to nominate a Conservative representative should you give us an opportunity to.
I’m disappointed to see no guarantee of funding of a minimum of £5.8 million to Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol in the next financial year. I know that there’s a review, which is ongoing at the moment, but that is a recommendation that you said you wanted to consult on, and you couldn’t guarantee that that money would be there in the future. I heard what you said in your statement. Perhaps you can just clarify what the situation will be in the next financial year and also going forward. I would appreciate that very much indeed.
I’m also a little bit concerned about the comments in relation to the intensity threshold, because one thing that I know that both you and I are passionate about is making sure that all the people of Wales who want access to higher education opportunities, including those who might have to, because of their situations or because of disabilities, for example, have lower-intensity courses. I wonder whether the outcome of your decision not to progress with lowering that threshold, as was the recommendation of Professor Diamond, will have a disproportionate impact on those individuals that may be disabled or perhaps have some learning needs or disabilities.
So, I do welcome the direction of travel. I think there’s an awful lot that is good in the response that you have published today, but I do think we need some clarity on these important issues, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Diolch i chi, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, am eich datganiad. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn anhygoel eich bod wedi llwyddo i lunio ymateb gan Lywodraeth Cymru i adroddiad mor drwm ag adroddiad adolygiad Diamond mewn cyfnod mor fyr o amser. Rwy’n croesawu hefyd yr ymgynghoriad a fydd yn awr yn llifo o’ch ymateb; rwy'n credu ei bod yn gwbl briodol bod yna gyfle ehangach ar gyfer trafodaeth gyhoeddus ar y cynigion yr ydych wedi’u hamlinellu.
Rwy’n synnu braidd eich bod wedi honni bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithredu, gyda dim ond mân addasiadau, y pecyn Diamond llawn. Yn sicr, rydych chi’n camu i gyfeiriad gweithredu pecyn Diamond, ond nid oes amheuaeth yn fy meddwl i bod y newid sylweddol yr ydych yn ei wneud i’r trothwy incwm uchaf ar gyfer cymorth trwy ei leihau gan £20,000 yn mynd i gael effaith ar y rhai hynny yn y canol sy’n ei chael yn anodd yn ariannol, yr oedd yr Athro Diamond yn benderfynol o’u diogelu, ac, yn wir, yr oedd y panelwyr eraill yn benderfynol o’u diogelu hefyd. Ac, yn ychwanegol at hynny, rydych wrth gwrs yn gwrthod nifer o’r argymhellion ar gyfer prentisiaethau a chymorthdaliadau ar gyfer cyrsiau addysgu ôl-radd cost uwch. Felly, gadewch i ni fod yn onest am hyn: nid yw'n gymeradwyaeth lwyr o adroddiad Diamond; mae rhai pethau mewn gwirionedd nad ydych chi’n mynd i’w gweithredu ar unwaith, ac mae rhai pethau yr ydych yn eu gwrthod yn llwyr.
Nawr, nid yw hynny'n dweud nad wyf yn croesawu llawer o'r hyn yr ydych wedi'i ddweud a llawer o'r hyn sydd yn ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru. Croesawaf y ffaith eich bod yn edrych ar weithredu hyn yn y flwyddyn academaidd sy'n dechrau yn 2018. Credaf fod hwnnw'n ddyddiad pwysig y mae angen i ni weithio tuag ato. Croesawaf y ffaith eich bod yn ceisio cael y system ar sylfaen fwy cynaliadwy, ac, wrth gwrs, mae’r gostyngiad hwnnw yn y trothwy enillion uchaf yn ffordd bwysig o gyflawni hynny. Rwy’n deall, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, y bydd y newid yn y trothwy hwnnw yn arbed tua £40 miliwn y flwyddyn i Lywodraeth Cymru pan fydd y cynnig yn cael ei weithredu'n llawn, ac, wrth gwrs, mae’r arbediad hwnnw yn ychwanegol at y £48.25 miliwn yn flynyddol yr oedd argymhellion gwreiddiol yr Athro Diamond yn dweud eu bod yn mynd i’w arbed. Ac rwy’n meddwl tybed ble y bydd yr £88,25 miliwn hwnnw yn cael ei ail-fuddsoddi. Gwnaeth y Prif Weinidog ymrwymiad clir iawn na fyddai dim o'r arian hwnnw yn cael ei golli o’r gyllideb Addysg Uwch. Rwy’n amau y bydd yn ceisio osgoi rhai o'r ymrwymiadau hynny y mae wedi’u gwneud, oherwydd rydych chi a fi yn gwybod, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, bod angen i ni weld mwy o fuddsoddiad yn ein sefydliadau addysg bellach hefyd, ac i ehangu mynediad i addysg bellach a rhoi rhywfaint o gefnogaeth i fyfyrwyr yn ein system addysg bellach hefyd, yn enwedig os yw'r weledigaeth yr ydym ni i gyd yn ei rhannu yn y Siambr hon, sef gwneud addysg bellach yn gydradd ag addysg uwch, i’w gwireddu yn llwyr. Rwy'n falch iawn hefyd, wrth gwrs, i glywed bod y trefniadau cymorth ar gyfer astudio rhan-amser wedi’u cadarnhau ac, yn wir, y cymorth i ôl-raddedigion hefyd. Rwy’n meddwl eu bod yn ymrwymiadau pwysig iawn.
Soniasoch y bydd gweithgor yn edrych ar y mater hwn o gynaliadwyedd a pha un a ddylid cynnal y cysylltiad â’r cyflog byw cenedlaethol yn y dyfodol. Credaf fod hynny'n bwysig iawn—bod y cysylltiadau hynny yn cael eu cynnal—oherwydd yr hyn nad ydym yn dymuno ei weld yw chwyddiant yn erydu’r cyfleoedd y gall myfyrwyr eu cael i dderbyn y cymorth hwn yn y dyfodol. Felly, mae'n rhaid cael rhyw ffordd o gysylltu’r cymorth hwn â’r mynegai i wneud yn siŵr ei fod yn mynd i fod yno yn llawn yn y dyfodol.
Ond rwyf ychydig yn bryderus i ddarllen yn eich ymateb eich bod chi eisiau rheoli niferoedd myfyrwyr. Mae hynny'n awgrymu y bydd capiau ar fyfyrwyr sy'n mynd i fod yn gymwys i gael cymorth yn y dyfodol, a fydd yn cyfyngu ar fynediad at addysg uwch, ac yn wir yn cyfyngu ar ddewis y dysgwyr, a chredaf fod hynny’n anffodus iawn yn wir. A gaf i ofyn i chi hefyd, Weinidog, ai dyna yr ydych yn gobeithio ei gyflawni—rhyw fath o gap? Pwy sy'n mynd i fod yn rhan o’r gweithgorau hyn sy’n gwneud y penderfyniadau hynny? A fyddant yn drawsbleidiol? Dyna fu dull Diamond hyd yn hyn. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig ein bod yn cynnal peth gwaith trawsbleidiol ar y materion hyn, a byddwn yn hapus iawn i enwebu cynrychiolydd Ceidwadol pe byddech yn rhoi cyfle i ni wneud hynny.
Rwy'n siomedig i weld nad oes unrhyw warant ar gyfer isafswm o £5.8 miliwn o gyllid i’r Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol yn y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf. Gwn fod yna adolygiad, sy'n mynd rhagddo ar hyn o bryd, ond mae hynny'n argymhelliad y dywedasoch eich bod eisiau ymgynghori arno, ac ni allech warantu y byddai'r arian yno yn y dyfodol. Clywais yr hyn a ddywedasoch yn eich datganiad. Efallai y gallwch egluro beth fydd y sefyllfa yn y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf a hefyd yn y dyfodol. Byddwn yn gwerthfawrogi hynny'n fawr iawn yn wir.
Rydw i hefyd ychydig yn bryderus ynghylch y sylwadau ynglŷn â'r trothwy dwyster, oherwydd rwy’n gwybod eich bod chi a mi yn angerddol am wneud yn siŵr bod yr holl bobl o Gymru sydd am gael mynediad at gyfleoedd addysg uwch, gan gynnwys y rhai hynny y gallai fod angen iddynt ddilyn cyrsiau dwyster is, oherwydd eu sefyllfaoedd neu oherwydd anableddau, er enghraifft. Tybed a fydd canlyniad eich penderfyniad i beidio â symud ymlaen i ostwng y trothwy hwnnw, fel yr oedd yr Athro Diamond yn ei argymell, yn cael effaith anghymesur ar yr unigolion hynny a allai fod yn anabl neu fod â rhywfaint o anghenion dysgu neu anableddau.
Felly, rwy’n croesawu’r cyfeiriad hwn. Rwy'n credu bod llawer iawn sy'n dda yn yr ymateb yr ydych chi wedi’i gyhoeddi heddiw, ond rwy’n credu bod angen rhywfaint o eglurder ar y materion pwysig hyn, ac edrychaf ymlaen at glywed gennych chi.
Thank you very much, Darren. Could I begin by acknowledging the point you made about how quickly we’ve been able to turn this around? This is down to the incredible hard work by officials in the department. They have worked at this pace because we need to move to a more sustainable situation for funding both students and our institutions as quickly as possible. I want to commend the hard work that they have put into this.
The Member, Presiding Officer, says that we are saving money by not implementing the higher threshold of £80,000. Of course, that is a notional saving. That money doesn’t exist. That was a suggestion of where the threshold should be, so it’s not correct for the Member to say that this is a saving that has accrued.
Let me be absolutely clear: when I published the Diamond report in September, I wanted to secure a stable and sustainable student support and higher education funding system for our country. I have analysed the latest projections and I have had to take into consideration cohort protection, expected growth in the national wage and inflationary forecasts, whilst delivering for part-time, full-time and postgraduate students, and I’ve had to do that in the round. That means there has had to be some give in the system, but let me be absolutely clear: one third of students in Wales will receive the full package of support of over £9,000. Seventy per cent of students in Wales will be in receipt of some means-tested grant under this system, and the average student will be in receipt of approximately £7,000. I have to say, Darren, considering what your party has done to maintenance grants across the border, which are no longer available, this represents a good deal for Welsh students in the current climate that we find ourselves in.
Can I turn to the issue of the two recommendations that have been rejected? The first is around apprenticeships. The apprenticeship levy and apprenticeship policy is being developed by my Cabinet colleague and we have a very clear way forward on how we will meet this Government’s commitment to additional apprenticeships in Wales. That is being developed separate to these proposals. With regard to higher cost, the Welsh Government does not intend to regulate post-graduate provision. So, together with that principle and the lack of available data about the actual cost of teaching, we don’t think it’s sustainable to provide additional funding in that way at the moment, but the consultation exercise is there to engage with people around some of these issues.
It is not my intention to introduce caps but, at the same time, I can’t take anything off the table in the future working of that group. The group will be made up of officials from within Government, but it will also have external advice from the sector and from those people who have a direct interest in this. I will consider further whether I will extend that invitation to political parties, but I will need them to demonstrate some in-depth knowledge of the workings of the HE sector before I consider that further.
Can I be absolutely clear about the future of the Coleg? This Government has taken the decision to remove funding of the Coleg from HEFCW, actually to fund the Coleg directly from Welsh Government, which we will do to the tune of £5 million in the new financial year. It is a matter that was welcomed recently in committee—I appreciate that you weren’t there. This matter was recently welcomed in the committee and has been welcomed by the Coleg themselves.
Intensity levels—we have agreed to look at the intensity levels starting at 25 per cent, but the consultation exercise specifically asks about how we could regulate lower intensity levels in the future. But we are starting—for the first time, we will have parity of esteem for our part-time students. That has not been achieved before. It is not available anywhere else in the UK. In fact, I haven’t yet been able to find a country in Europe that provides this package across all modes of study. We are leading the way. I can tell you, officials from the Scottish Government and the Northern Irish Government have already been on the phone asking how the Welsh Government is delivering this innovative package of support.
With regards to disability, I want to make it absolutely clear: we will continue to fund specialist payments for disability that are available under the current system. They will continue under the new system.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Darren. A gaf i ddechrau trwy gydnabod y pwynt a wnaethoch ynghylch pa mor gyflym yr ydym wedi gallu llunio’r ymateb? Mae hyn o ganlyniad i waith caled anhygoel gan swyddogion yn yr adran. Maent wedi gweithio ar y cyflymder hwn oherwydd bod angen inni symud i sefyllfa fwy cynaliadwy ar gyfer ariannu myfyrwyr a'n sefydliadau cyn gynted â phosibl. Rwyf yn dymuno canmol y gwaith caled y maent wedi'i wneud ar hyn.
Dywed yr Aelod, Lywydd, ein bod yn arbed arian drwy beidio â gweithredu’r trothwy uwch o £80,000. Wrth gwrs, mae hynny'n arbediad tybiannol. Nid yw’r arian hwnnw’n bodoli. Awgrym oedd hwnnw o ble y dylai'r trothwy fod, felly nid yw'n gywir i’r Aelod ddweud bod hyn yn arbediad sydd wedi’i gronni.
Gadewch i mi fod yn gwbl glir: pan gyhoeddais adroddiad Diamond ym mis Medi, roeddwn i eisiau sicrhau cymorth sefydlog a chynaliadwy i fyfyrwyr a system gyllido addysg uwch ar gyfer ein gwlad. Rwyf wedi dadansoddi'r rhagamcanion diweddaraf ac rwyf wedi gorfod ystyried diogelu carfannau, y twf a ddisgwylir yn y cyflog cenedlaethol a rhagolygon chwyddiant, a hynny wrth gyflawni dros fyfyrwyr rhan-amser, amser llawn a myfyrwyr ôl-raddedig, ac rwyf wedi gorfod gwneud hynny yn ei holl agweddau. Mae'n golygu ei bod yn ofynnol cael peth hyblygrwydd yn y system, ond gadewch i mi fod yn gwbl glir: bydd traean o’r myfyrwyr yng Nghymru yn cael y pecyn llawn o gymorth o dros £9,000. Bydd saith deg y cant o fyfyrwyr yng Nghymru yn derbyn rhywfaint o grant ar sail prawf modd o dan y system hon, a bydd y myfyriwr cyffredin yn derbyn oddeutu £7,000. Mae’n rhaid i mi ddweud, Darren, o ystyried yr hyn y mae eich plaid wedi ei wneud i grantiau cynhaliaeth dros y ffin, nad ydynt bellach ar gael, bod hyn yn cynrychioli bargen dda i fyfyrwyr Cymru yn yr hinsawdd bresennol yr ydym ynddi.
A gaf i droi at fater y ddau argymhelliad sydd wedi’u gwrthod? Y cyntaf yw prentisiaethau. Mae'r ardoll prentisiaethau a’r polisi prentisiaethau yn cael eu datblygu gan fy nghydweithiwr yn y Cabinet ac mae gennym ffordd ymlaen glir iawn o ran sut y byddwn yn cyflawni ymrwymiad y Llywodraeth hon i brentisiaethau ychwanegol yng Nghymru. Mae hynny’n cael ei ddatblygu ar wahân i'r cynigion hyn. O ran cost uwch, nid yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn bwriadu rheoleiddio darpariaeth ôl-raddedig. Felly, ynghyd â'r egwyddor honno a'r diffyg data sydd ar gael am gost wirioneddol yr addysgu, nid ydym yn credu ei bod yn gynaliadwy i ddarparu cyllid ychwanegol yn y ffordd honno ar hyn o bryd, ond mae’r ymarfer ymgynghori yno i ymgysylltu â phobl ar rai o'r materion hyn.
Nid wyf yn bwriadu cyflwyno capiau ond, ar yr un pryd, ni allaf dynnu unrhyw beth o’r ystyriaeth yng ngwaith y grŵp hwnnw yn y dyfodol. Bydd y grŵp yn cynnwys swyddogion o’r tu fewn i’r Llywodraeth, ond bydd hefyd yn cael cyngor allanol gan y sector a chan y bobl hynny sydd â buddiant uniongyrchol yn hyn. Byddaf yn ystyried ymhellach a fyddaf yn estyn y gwahoddiad hwnnw i bleidiau gwleidyddol, ond bydd angen iddynt feddu ar wybodaeth fanwl o waith y sector addysg uwch cyn i mi ystyried hynny ymhellach.
A gaf i fod yn gwbl glir am ddyfodol y Coleg? Mae'r Llywodraeth hon wedi gwneud y penderfyniad i symud cyllid y Coleg oddi wrth CCAUC, ac ariannu'r Coleg mewn gwirionedd yn uniongyrchol gan Lywodraeth Cymru, a byddwn yn gwneud hynny â swm o oddeutu £5 miliwn yn y flwyddyn ariannol newydd. Mae'n fater a gafodd ei groesawu yn ddiweddar yn y pwyllgor—rwy’n sylweddoli nad oeddech chi yno. Croesawyd y mater hwn yn ddiweddar yn y pwyllgor ac mae wedi cael ei groesawu gan y Coleg ei hun.
Lefelau dwyster—rydym wedi cytuno i edrych ar lefelau dwyster yn dechrau ar 25 y cant, ond mae’r ymarfer ymgynghori yn gofyn yn benodol am sut y gallem reoli lefelau dwyster is yn y dyfodol. Ond rydym yn dechrau—am y tro cyntaf, bydd gennym barch cydradd ar gyfer ein myfyrwyr rhan-amser. Nid yw hynny wedi ei gyflawni o'r blaen. Nid yw ar gael yn unman arall yn y DU. Yn wir, nid wyf wedi gallu dod o hyd i wlad yn Ewrop sy'n darparu’r pecyn hwn ar draws yr holl ddulliau o astudio eto. Rydym ar flaen y gad. Gallaf ddweud wrthych fod swyddogion o Lywodraeth yr Alban a Llywodraeth Gogledd Iwerddon eisoes wedi bod ar y ffôn yn gofyn sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn darparu’r pecyn arloesol hwn o gefnogaeth.
O ran anabledd, rwyf am ei gwneud yn gwbl glir: byddwn yn parhau i ariannu taliadau arbenigol ar gyfer anabledd sydd ar gael o dan y system bresennol. Byddant yn parhau o dan y system newydd.
A gaf i ddiolch i chi, Ysgrifennydd Cabinet, am eich datganiad ac ategu'r diolch eto, wrth gwrs, i’r Athro Diamond a’r grŵp fuodd wrthi yn paratoi'r adroddiad a’r argymhellion?
Rwy’n croesawu eich datganiad chi. Mae’n dda gweld y broses nawr yn symud at weithredu'r argymhellion. Mae hynny yn rhywbeth rwy’n siŵr y byddem ni i gyd yn ei groesawu. Rwyf hefyd yn croesawu’r pwynt canolog yr oeddech chi’n ei danlinellu nawr, sef bod astudio llawn-amser, rhan-amser ac ôl radd yn mynd i gael eu hystyried yn gydradd ac yn mynd i gael mynediad at gefnogaeth debyg i’w gilydd a bod hynny yn mynd i greu tirlun tipyn yn haws i’w ddeall hefyd i nifer o bobl lle, yn aml iawn, mae amrywiaeth wedi bod sy’n arwain at ddryswch a chymhlethdodau.
Rwy’n croesawu nifer o agweddau, yn arbennig y peilot rydych chi’n sôn amdano i edrych ar ymarferoldeb ymestyn y gefnogaeth i fyfyrwyr sy’n astudio yn yr Undeb Ewropeaidd. Yn sicr, mae hynny yn gydnaws ag un o alwadau polisi Plaid Cymru yn yr etholiad rai misoedd yn ôl. Efallai y byddwch chi’n gallu ymhelaethu ychydig ynglŷn â sut rydych chi’n bwriadu ceisio cyflwyno’r peilot yna.
Rwy’n croesawu hefyd yr ymrwymiad rydych chi wedi’i roi yn yr adroddiad i addysg alwedigaethol a thechnegol uwch. Mae yna deimlad yn y Cynulliad y tro yma fod angen inni godi statws addysg alwedigaethol ar draws y sbectrwm. Rwy’n cymryd mai’r cam cyntaf mewn nifer o gamau yw hynny, ac mae hynny i’w groesawu.
Rwyf hefyd yn croesawu eich bod chi’n edrych ar fodel Cymreig o’r Cwmni Benthyciadau Myfyrwyr, oherwydd mae’r sefyllfa bresennol, rwy’n teimlo, yn llesteirio symud ar y cyflymdra y byddem ni’n licio ei weld. Mae’n gwneud hi’n anodd i ni, yma yng Nghymru, i ymateb i amgylchfyd sydd yn gallu newid oherwydd dylanwadau allanol, ac mae’n creu sefyllfa anodd.
Mae’n gyhoeddiad arwyddocaol, wrth gwrs, mewn sawl ffordd, ac efallai, gan mai sôn am sgopio opsiynau amgen rydych chi ar hyn o bryd, efallai y byddwch chi’n gallu ymhelaethu ynglŷn ag unrhyw amserlenni mwy manwl sydd gyda chi mewn golwg. Mae symud i daliadau misol a chefnogaeth i rhai ag anghenion penodol i gyd hefyd yn agweddau i’w croesawu.
Rydych chi’n dweud, wrth gwrs, ac rydych chi wedi dweud cyn hyn, eich bod chi am barhau i edrych ar lefel y ffioedd y mae sefydliadau addysg uwch yn cael eu codi yma yng Nghymru—wedi’i phennu ar £9,000 ar hyn o bryd, neu £9,250, wrth gwrs, yn Lloegr. Yn wyneb heriau ariannol difrifol—rŷm ni’n ymwybodol o hynny—ac yn wyneb y ffaith bod y sefydliadau yma yn gweithredu mewn marchnad gystadleuol iawn, a allwch chi, efallai, rannu gyda ni pa ffactorau fydd yn dylanwadu ar eich ystyriaethau chi pan fyddwch chi’n edrych ar lefel y ffioedd yr ydych yn eu pennu? Oherwydd mae yna berygl—rydym ni’n ymwybodol ohono—fod y bwlch cyllido rhwng y sefydliadau yng Nghymru ac yn Lloegr yn agor. Mae yna bosibiliad y bydd yna ganfyddiad, efallai, fod ansawdd y cyrsiau yng Nghymru, oherwydd eu bod nhw’n rhatach, ddim cystal. Byddai ambell un, efallai, yn dweud y byddai mantais gystadleuol o gael ffioedd gwahanol—pwy a ŵyr? Yn ei hanfod, a ydych chi’n credu ei bod hi’n anochel, oherwydd yr hinsawdd yr ydym ni ynddi, os ydyn nhw yn codi ffioedd yn Lloegr, ar ryw bwynt bod yn rhaid iddyn nhw godi yng Nghymru, neu a ydych chi’n ystyried modelau amgen? Oherwydd mae’n anodd gweld, i bob pwrpas, sut mae modd gwrthsefyll hynny, mewn sawl ffordd.
Wrth gwrs, ni fyddai’n ddatganiad ar adroddiad gan yr Athro Diamond oni bai fy mod i’n codi’r angen i ddenu myfyrwyr yn ôl i Gymru, ac i gadw'r myfyrwyr sydd yn astudio yng Nghymru yma, a’r angen i greu cymhelliad. Rydych chi’n dweud, wrth gwrs, yn eich ymateb i’r argymhellion eich bod chi’n parhau i edrych ar yr opsiynau, yn annog syniadau ac yn annog pobl i ymateb i’r ymgynghoriad. Ond, wrth edrych ar y ddogfen ymgynghorol, nid oes cyfeiriad penodol at greu cymhelliad i ddenu myfyrwyr yn ôl i Gymru, hyd y gwelaf i. Nid wyf yn gwybod a yw hynny’n gamgymeriad, neu a ydych chi’n bwriadu, efallai, creu rhyw fath o broses ymgynghorol ar wahân—mae’n bosibl y gallwch chi ddweud wrthym ni.
Yn olaf, mae’r drafodaeth, neu ffocws y drafodaeth, ar gynaliadwyedd wedi bod yn un ariannol—yn bennaf, beth bynnag. A gaf i ofyn pa ystyriaeth sydd wedi’i roi i’r tariff pwyntiau mynediad i sefydliadau addysg uwch yng Nghymru? A yw’r Llywodraeth wedi gwneud unrhyw ddadansoddiad ar hyn ac unrhyw arwyddocâd ehangach hynny i’r sector? Mae’r rhan fwyaf wedi gweld dirywiad yn y metrig yma, gyda tri o’n sefydliadau ni nawr â chyfartaledd o dan 300, a hynny, wrth gwrs, yn erbyn cefndir lle mae canlyniadau lefel A yn mynd i’r cyfeiriad arall. Byddai gennyf ddiddordeb i wybod pa ddylanwad y mae hynny’n ei gael ar gynaliadwyedd y sector.
May I thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your statement, and reiterate the thanks to Professor Diamond and the group that has been preparing this report and the recommendations?
I welcome your statement. It’s good to see the process moving towards implementation of those recommendations. That is something I’m sure we would all welcome. I also welcome the central point that you highlighted there, namely that full-time, part-time and postgraduate study will be considered equally, and will have access to similar support, and that will create a more comprehensible landscape for many people, where very often there has been some divergence, which can lead to confusion and complexity.
I welcome many aspects, particularly the pilot that you mentioned to look at the practicality of extending support to students studying in the European Union. That is certainly in keeping with one of the policy demands of Plaid Cymru in the election some months ago, and perhaps you could expand a little on how you intend to introduce that pilot.
I also welcome the commitment that you’ve given in your report to vocational and technical education at a higher level. Of course, there is a feeling in this Assembly that we do need to enhance the status of vocational education across the spectrum, and I assume that this is the first of many steps in order to achieve that, and that is to be welcomed.
I also welcome the fact that you are looking at a Welsh model of the Student Loans Company, because the current situation I feel is a barrier to movement at the pace that we would like to see, and it makes it difficult for us in Wales to respond to a changing environment because of external forces, and it does create a difficult situation.
It is a significant announcement, in many ways, and, as we are talking about scoping alternative options at the moment, perhaps you could expand on any more detailed timetables that you have in mind. Moving toward monthly payment and support for those with specific needs are all aspects to be welcomed.
You’ve stated, and you’ve stated previously, that you want to continue to look at the level of fees that HE institutions can charge here in Wales, which has been capped at £9,000 at the moment, or £9,250, of course, in England. In light of financial challenges—and we are very aware of those challenges—and the fact that the institutions are operating in a competitive market, could you actually tell us what factors will influence your considerations when you look at the fee level that you have in place? Because there is a risk that the funding gap between institutions in Wales and England could widen. There’s a possible perception that the quality of courses in Wales—that because they’re cheaper they’re not as good, and some would say that there may be a competitive advantage to having different fees. Who knows? But, essentially, do you think that it’s inevitable, because of the current climate, that, if they do increase fees in England at some point, they will have to be increased in Wales, or are you considering alternative models? Because it’s difficult to see how you can withstand such a move, in many ways.
Now, of course, it wouldn’t be a statement on the Diamond report unless I raised the need to actually attract students back to Wales and to retain Welsh students here and the need to create incentives. You say in your response to the recommendations that you will continue to look at the options and encourage ideas, encouraging people to respond to the consultation. But, in looking at the consultation document, there is no specific reference to creating incentives to attract students back to Wales, as far as I can see. So, I don’t know if that’s an error, or whether you intend to create some sort of separate consultation process for that. Perhaps you could tell us.
Finally, the focus of the debate on sustainability has been looked at through a financial prison, mainly. Can I ask you what consideration has been given to the access points tariff to HE institutions in Wales? Has the Government actually carried out any analysis of this and is there any broader significance to this for the sector? Because most have seen a decline in this metric, with three of our institutions now with an average of less than 300, against a background where A-level results are going in the other direction. I’d be interested to know what influence that is having on the sustainability of the sector.
Llyr, can I thank you for your comments this afternoon and your willingness to share ideas about how we can take this area of policy forward?
With regard to the pilot, I don’t want to put a limit on the aspirations of any Welsh student. Your colleague sitting next to you will have benefitted hugely, I’m sure, from his time spent at Harvard, and I think giving opportunities for more