Y Cyfarfod Llawn - Y Bumed Senedd
Plenary - Fifth Senedd
23/02/2021Cynnwys
Contents
Yn y fersiwn ddwyieithog, mae’r golofn chwith yn cynnwys yr iaith a lefarwyd yn y cyfarfod. Mae’r golofn dde yn cynnwys cyfieithiad o’r areithiau hynny.
In the bilingual version, the left-hand column includes the language used during the meeting. The right-hand column includes a translation of those speeches.
Cyfarfu'r Senedd drwy gynhadledd fideo am 13:30 gyda'r Llywydd (Elin Jones) yn y Gadair.
The Senedd met by video-conference at 13:30 with the Llywydd (Elin Jones) in the Chair.
Prynhawn da, a chroeso i'r Cyfarfod Llawn. Cyn i ni ddechrau, dwi eisiau nodi ychydig o bwyntiau. Mae Cyfarfod Llawn a gynhelir drwy gynhadledd fideo, yn unol â Rheolau Sefydlog Senedd Cymru, yn gyfystyr â thrafodion y Senedd at ddibenion Deddf Llywodraeth Cymru 2006. Bydd rhai o ddarpariaethau Rheol Sefydlog 34 yn gymwys ar gyfer Cyfarfod Llawn heddiw, ac mae'r rheini wedi'u nodi ar eich agenda chi. A dwi eisiau atgoffa Aelodau hefyd fod y Rheolau Sefydlog sy'n ymwneud â threfn yn y Cyfarfod Llawn yn berthnasol i'r cyfarfod yma.
Good afternoon and welcome to this Plenary session. Before we begin, I want to set out a few points. A Plenary meeting held by video-conference, in accordance with the Standing Orders of the Welsh Parliament, constitutes Senedd proceedings for the purposes of the Government of Wales Act 2006. Some of the provisions of Standing Order 34 will apply for today's Plenary meeting, and these are noted on your agenda. I would also remind Members that Standing Orders relating to order in Plenary meetings apply to this meeting.
Yr eitem gyntaf, felly, yw'r cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Vikki Howells.
The first item is questions to the First Minister, and the first question is from Vilkki Howells.
1. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i wella mynediad at ofal iechyd meddwl brys? OQ56338
1. What is the Welsh Government doing to improve access to emergency mental health care? OQ56338
Llywydd, on 21 December, the Minister for mental health, Eluned Morgan, published 'Beyond the Call', the Welsh Government review of urgent access to mental health services. Cabinet agreement has since been secured to implementation of the report’s recommendations across the range of ministerial responsibilities.
Llywydd, ar 21 Rhagfyr, cyhoeddodd y Gweinidog iechyd meddwl, Eluned Morgan, 'Tu Hwnt i'r Alwad', adolygiad Llywodraeth Cymru o fynediad brys at wasanaethau iechyd meddwl. Ers hynny, sicrhawyd cytundeb y Cabinet i weithredu argymhellion yr adroddiad ar draws yr ystod o gyfrifoldebau gweinidogol.
Thank you, First Minister, for that answer. I'm particularly concerned about our children and young people accessing the appropriate care in terms of the pressures placed on them during the pandemic. So, it's welcome that the Welsh Government has prioritised them with the recent £9.4 million for the schools in-reach pilot and children and mental health adolescent services. However, the pandemic has also highlighted the all too real health inequalities faced by far too many communities across Wales, including in my own constituency of Cynon Valley. How is the Welsh Government tackling this in service provision?
Diolch, Prif Weinidog, am yr ateb yna. Rwy'n pryderu yn arbennig am ein plant a'n pobl ifanc yn gallu cael y gofal priodol o ran y pwysau a roddwyd arnyn nhw yn ystod y pandemig. Felly, mae i'w groesawu bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi eu blaenoriaethu gyda'r £9.4 miliwn diweddar ar gyfer y cynllun arbrofol mewngymorth ysgolion a gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl plant a'r glasoed. Fodd bynnag, mae'r pandemig hefyd wedi amlygu'r anghydraddoldebau iechyd gwirioneddol iawn a wynebir gan lawer gormod o gymunedau ledled Cymru, gan gynnwys yn fy etholaeth i, sef Cwm Cynon. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn mynd i'r afael â hyn wrth ddarparu gwasanaethau?
Llywydd, I thank Vikki Howells for that supplementary question. It gives me an opportunity, hearing her mention health inequalities, to remind colleagues here that this week is the fiftieth anniversary of Dr Julian Tudor Hart's paper in The Lancet on the inverse care law, a paper that has had a genuinely global impact far beyond Wales. It was sent to me, Llywydd, again this week by our former colleague Dr Brian Gibbons, reminding me of the continued relevance of that 50-year-old seminal piece of work. And, of course, Vikki Howells is right, as was Dr Gibbons, that the pandemic has exposed those fault lines in our society all over again. And in emergency mental health services, Llywydd, we know that those people who have the least access to mainstream services often have to gain and obtain health services through emergency routes. It's why the 'Beyond the Call' review was so important, to make sure that those routes are as clear and as easy as possible for people to read.
Members who've had a chance to have a look at it will know that it tracks the 950 calls every day that come into emergency and out-of-normal-hours services across Wales from people with a mental health need of one sort or another. It looks to see what happens to those people, and only three out of 10 of them, Llywydd, turn out to need simply an NHS response; there are other aspects of their lives that need attention as well. So, the report's focus is on collaboration, on timeliness, on crisis planning for people who are known to have a pre-existing condition, on a missing person protocol, particularly important for young people, as Vikki Howells focused on in her supplementary question, and a single point of entry to help those who need help to get it in a crisis. And I'm very pleased to say that we've now got pilots, 111 pilots, in Swansea Bay, Hywel Dda and Aneurin Bevan health boards, all designed to put that aspect of the report into practice, so that we can do better in the way that Vikki Howells asked in her original question, to make sure that emergency mental health care is available to people at that point of need.
Llywydd, diolchaf i Vikki Howells am y cwestiwn atodol yna. Mae'n rhoi cyfle i mi, o'i chlywed yn sôn am anghydraddoldebau iechyd, i atgoffa cyd-Aelodau yn y fan yma mai'r wythnos hon yw hanner can mlwyddiant papur Dr Julian Tudor Hart yn The Lancet ar y gyfraith gofal gwrthdro, papur sydd wedi cael effaith wirioneddol fyd-eang ymhell y tu hwnt i Gymru. Fe'i hanfonwyd ataf, Llywydd, eto yr wythnos hon gan ein cyn-gyd-Aelod Dr Brian Gibbons, yn fy atgoffa o berthnasedd parhaus y darn arloesol hwnnw o waith sy'n 50 mlwydd oed. Ac, wrth gwrs, mae Vikki Howells yn iawn, fel yr oedd Dr Gibbons, bod y pandemig wedi amlygu'r mannau gwan hynny yn ein cymdeithas unwaith yn rhagor. Ac mewn gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl brys, Llywydd, rydym ni'n gwybod bod yn rhaid yn aml i'r bobl hynny sydd â'r lleiaf o fynediad at wasanaethau prif ffrwd gaffael a chael gwasanaethau iechyd trwy lwybrau brys. Dyna pam yr oedd yr adolygiad 'Tu Hwnt i'r Alwad' mor bwysig, i wneud yn siŵr bod y llwybrau hynny mor eglur ac mor hawdd â phosibl i bobl eu darllen.
Bydd aelodau sydd wedi cael cyfle i edrych arno yn gwybod ei fod yn olrhain y 950 o alwadau bob dydd sy'n cael eu derbyn gan wasanaethau brys a gwasanaethau y tu allan i oriau arferol ledled Cymru gan bobl sydd ag angen yn ymwneud ag iechyd meddwl o ryw fath neu'i gilydd. Mae'n edrych i weld beth sy'n digwydd i'r bobl hynny, a dim ond tri o bob 10 ohonyn nhw, Llywydd, y darganfyddir mai dim ond ymateb GIG sydd ei angen arnyn nhw yn y pen draw; ceir agweddau eraill ar eu bywydau y mae angen rhoi sylw iddyn nhw hefyd. Felly, mae'r adroddiad yn canolbwyntio ar gydweithredu, ar brydlondeb, ar gynllunio ar gyfer argyfwng i bobl y gwyddys bod ganddyn nhw gyflwr sy'n bodoli eisoes, ar brotocol person coll, sy'n arbennig o bwysig i bobl ifanc, fel y canolbwyntiodd Vikki Howells arno yn ei chwestiwn atodol, ac un pwynt mynediad i helpu'r rhai sydd angen cymorth ei gael mewn argyfwng. Ac rwy'n falch iawn o ddweud bod gennym ni gynlluniau arbrofol erbyn hyn, 111 o gynlluniau arbrofol, ym myrddau iechyd Bae Abertawe, Hywel Dda ac Aneurin Bevan, pob un â'r nod o roi'r agwedd honno ar yr adroddiad ar waith, fel y gallwn ni wneud yn well yn y ffordd y gofynnodd Vikki Howells yn ei chwestiwn gwreiddiol, i wneud yn siŵr bod gofal iechyd meddwl brys ar gael i bobl ar yr adeg honno o angen.
First Minister, do you agree with me that priority needs to be given to capital investment in modern acute facilities? It's still the case that some are old fashioned, inappropriate, too large, with adolescents, for instance, in adult facilities, and anyone suffering acute mental distress and/or psychosis can find their trauma is increased by grossly inappropriate facilities sometimes, including being held in prison cells whilst placements are sought. This is unacceptable in the modern age.
Prif Weinidog, a ydych chi'n cytuno â mi bod angen rhoi blaenoriaeth i fuddsoddiad cyfalaf mewn cyfleusterau acíwt modern? Mae'n dal yn wir bod rhai yn hen ffasiwn, yn anaddas, yn rhy fawr, gyda phobl ifanc, er enghraifft, mewn cyfleusterau oedolion, a gall unrhyw un sy'n dioddef trallod meddwl acíwt a/neu seicosis ganfod bod eu trawma yn cael ei gynyddu gan gyfleusterau anaddas iawn weithiau, gan gynnwys cael eu cadw mewn celloedd carchar wrth chwilio am leoliadau. Mae hyn yn annerbyniol yn yr oes fodern.
Llywydd, I do absolutely agree with David Melding that people should get the help they need in the right setting. It's completely unacceptable that someone who has primarily a mental health need or condition should end up in a criminal justice context. I know that David Melding will be pleased that one of the 'Beyond the Call' recommendations that has been implemented is that we should have conveyance pilots—that people who are in acute mental distress should not be taken to where they can get help in the back of a police car. And we have three of those pilots going on at the moment with St John Ambulance Cymru—in Swansea Bay, Cwm Taf Morgannwg, and here in Cardiff and the Vale. And it's precisely in order to address the sorts of circumstances that David Melding has referenced—that those people should get the help they need in a way that is sensitive to the distress that they are experiencing, and not in places or by means that add to that distress. And that will need further investment. I'm very pleased to say that we still hope that the Tonna in-patient perinatal mental health service will open to patients in April of this year, and that will be in physical conditions that meet the standards of the twenty-first century.
Llywydd, rwy'n cytuno yn llwyr â David Melding y dylai pobl gael y cymorth sydd ei angen arnyn nhw yn y lleoliad iawn. Mae'n gwbl annerbyniol y dylai rhywun sydd ag angen neu gyflwr iechyd meddwl yn bennaf ganfod eu hunain mewn cyd-destun cyfiawnder troseddol. Gwn y bydd David Melding yn falch mai un o argymhellion 'Tu Hwnt i'r Alwad' a roddwyd ar waith yw y dylem ni gael cynlluniau arbrofol trawsgludiad—na ddylid mynd â phobl sydd mewn trallod meddwl acíwt i le y gallan nhw gael cymorth yng nghefn car heddlu. Ac mae gennym ni dri o'r cynlluniau arbrofol hynny yn cael eu cynnal ar hyn o bryd gydag Ambiwlans Sant Ioan Cymru—ym Mae Abertawe, Cwm Taf Morgannwg, ac yma yng Nghaerdydd a'r Fro. Ac mae'n union er mwyn mynd i'r afael â'r mathau o amgylchiadau y mae David Melding wedi cyfeirio atyn nhw—y dylai'r bobl hynny gael y cymorth sydd ei angen arnyn nhw mewn ffordd sy'n sensitif i'r trallod y maen nhw'n ei ddioddef, ac nid mewn mannau neu drwy ddulliau sy'n ychwanegu at y trallod hwnnw. A bydd angen buddsoddiad pellach ar gyfer hynny. Rwy'n falch iawn o ddweud ein bod ni'n dal i obeithio y bydd gwasanaeth iechyd meddwl amenedigol cleifion mewnol Tonna yn agor i gleifion ym mis Ebrill eleni, a bydd hynny mewn amodau ffisegol sy'n bodloni safonau'r unfed ganrif ar hugain.
First Minister, I've raised this matter of the mental health effects of the lockdown policy since it was evident that the three weeks to flatten the curve was nothing of the sort. We won't know the full effects of lockdown policy in terms of suicide, mental health crises, cancers and waiting times for a long time yet. That said, your Government seems to be investing heavily in mental health services, with £10 million additional funding to deal with the effects of lockdown. Can you tell the Chamber how this sum was calculated, please, and how, specifically, it will benefit those unfortunate enough to need access to emergency mental health services? Thank you.
Prif Weinidog, rwyf i wedi codi'r mater hwn o effeithiau'r polisi cyfyngiadau symud ar iechyd meddwl gan ei bod yn amlwg nad oedd y tair wythnos i lyfnhau'r gromlin yn ddim byd o'r fath. Ni fyddwn ni'n gwybod effeithiau llawn polisi'r cyfyngiadau symud o ran hunanladdiad, argyfyngau iechyd meddwl, canserau ac amseroedd aros am amser maith hyd yma. Wedi dweud hynny, mae'n ymddangos bod eich Llywodraeth yn buddsoddi yn helaeth mewn gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl, gyda £10 miliwn o gyllid ychwanegol i ymdrin ag effeithiau'r cyfyngiadau symud. A allwch chi ddweud wrth y Siambr sut y cyfrifwyd y swm hwn, os gwelwch yn dda, a sut, yn benodol, y bydd o fudd i'r rhai hynny sy'n ddigon anffodus o fod angen mynediad at wasanaethau iechyd meddwl brys? Diolch.
I thank the Member for her question. Of course, we have recognised throughout that there is more than one sort of harm that comes from coronavirus, and the impact on people's mental health and well-being is certainly one of the things to which we have always attempted to pay close attention. I know the Member will be pleased that the British Medical Journal recently reported on evidence that there has not been a rise in suicide rates in the early part of the pandemic. But I agree with what Mandy Jones said that these are early days, and that the impact of the pandemic will go on for many months, and longer than that, to come. But it was at least encouraging that the worst feared impacts in those early days did not appear to have materialised.
The additional investment in mental health is actually £43 million in the draft budget. That comes on top of the fact that mental health is the single largest budget line within the health service here in Wales. That £43 million has to do an awful lot, Llywydd, of course: it has to strengthen services in the community; it has to make sure that young people do not, as David Melding alluded, end up in age-inappropriate settings if they need in-patient treatment; it has to make sure that we go on improving services for people with dementia and the need for mental health services later on in life. But it will have been calculated in the normal ways, in partnership with the health service, the third sector and those who do so much to help provide services for people in Wales with a mental health condition.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod am ei chwestiwn. Wrth gwrs, rydym ni wedi cydnabod o'r cychwyn bod mwy nag un math o niwed sy'n dod o coronafeirws, ac mae'r effaith ar iechyd meddwl a llesiant pobl yn sicr yn un o'r pethau yr ydym ni wedi ceisio rhoi sylw gofalus iddo erioed. Gwn y bydd yr Aelod yn falch bod y British Medical Journal wedi adrodd yn ddiweddar ar dystiolaeth na fu cynnydd i gyfraddau hunanladdiad yn ystod cyfnod cynnar y pandemig. Ond rwy'n cytuno â'r hyn a ddywedodd Mandy Jones mai dyddiau cynnar yw'r rhain, ac y bydd effaith y pandemig yn parhau am fisoedd lawer, ac yn hwy na hynny, i ddod. Ond roedd o leiaf yn galonogol nad oedd yn ymddangos bod yr effeithiau gwaethaf a ofnwyd yn y dyddiau cynnar hynny wedi dod i'r amlwg.
Y buddsoddiad ychwanegol mewn iechyd meddwl yn y gyllideb ddrafft yw £43 miliwn mewn gwirionedd. Daw hynny ar ben y ffaith mai iechyd meddwl yw'r llinell gyllideb unigol fwyaf yn y gwasanaeth iechyd yma yng Nghymru. Mae'n rhaid i'r £43 miliwn hwnnw wneud llawer iawn, Llywydd, wrth gwrs: mae'n rhaid iddo gryfhau gwasanaethau yn y gymuned; mae'n rhaid iddo sicrhau nad yw pobl ifanc, fel y soniodd David Melding, yn mynd i leoliadau sy'n amhriodol i'w hoedran os oes angen triniaeth arnyn nhw fel cleifion mewnol; mae'n rhaid iddo wneud yn siŵr ein bod ni'n parhau i wella gwasanaethau i bobl â dementia a'r angen am wasanaethau iechyd meddwl yn ddiweddarach mewn bywyd. Ond bydd wedi cael ei gyfrifo yn y ffyrdd arferol, mewn partneriaeth â'r gwasanaeth iechyd, y trydydd sector a'r rhai sy'n gwneud cymaint i helpu i ddarparu gwasanaethau i bobl yng Nghymru sydd â chyflwr iechyd meddwl.
2. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am ailagor ysgolion? OQ56303
2. Will the First Minister make a statement on the reopening of schools? OQ56303
Llywydd, opening up education remains the Welsh Government’s main priority. Our youngest learners started to return to schools this week. As announced on Friday, if the public health situation continues to improve, more children will return to their classrooms from 15 March, in a safe and flexible way.
Llywydd, agor addysg yw prif flaenoriaeth Llywodraeth Cymru o hyd. Dechreuodd ein dysgwyr ieuengaf ddychwelyd i ysgolion yr wythnos hon. Fel y cyhoeddwyd ddydd Gwener, os bydd sefyllfa iechyd y cyhoedd yn parhau i wella, bydd mwy o blant yn dychwelyd i'w hystafelloedd dosbarth o 15 Mawrth, mewn modd diogel a hyblyg.
Thank you, First Minister, for your answer. I certainly welcome that schools have reopened as of yesterday for younger children. A concern raised with me is that school uniform seems to be classed as a non-essential item and is unable to be purchased. Shoe shops are closed, meaning that children cannot be measured to get approximate-sized shoes. So, what advice can you provide to parents in supporting them to obtain school uniforms and shoes before their children return to school? And what consideration has been given to relaxing the wearing of school uniforms in schools, given the fact that children grow out of clothes and shoes so quickly and schools are closed for such long periods of time?
Diolch, Prif Weinidog, am eich ateb. Rwy'n sicr yn croesawu'r ffaith bod ysgolion wedi ailagor ddoe ar gyfer plant iau. Un pryder a godwyd gyda mi yw ei bod hi'n ymddangos bod gwisg ysgol yn cael ei hystyried yn eitem nad yw'n hanfodol ac na ellir ei phrynu. Mae siopau esgidiau ar gau, sy'n golygu na ellir mesur plant i gael esgidiau maint bras. Felly, pa gyngor allwch chi ei roi i rieni i'w cynorthwyo i gael gwisg ysgol ac esgidiau cyn i'w plant ddychwelyd i'r ysgol? A pha ystyriaeth sydd wedi ei rhoi i lacio gwisgo gwisgoedd ysgol mewn ysgolion, o ystyried y ffaith fod plant yn tyfu allan o ddillad ac esgidiau mor gyflym a bod ysgolion ar gau am gyfnodau mor faith?
Well, Llywydd, I thank Russell George for those points, which are all points that I think are absolutely right ones to raise in this context. The instruction of the Welsh Government to schools is that they must take a flexible approach to uniforms in these extraordinary periods. No child should be sent home from school in Wales because they're unable to obtain a uniform in the extraordinary circumstances of recent weeks, and I'm sure that schools will exercise good sense in the way that they approach this matter.
We're in discussions with the retail sector to see if there's anything we can do to help meet emergency needs when children don't have shoes, in the way that the Member explained, and I know that schools themselves will look to assist where there are genuine difficulties of that sort. The system just needs to react to the circumstances in the way that shows some flexibility and simple good sense in order to make sure that families do not find themselves facing additional difficulties on the journey back into education.
Wel, Llywydd, diolchaf i Russell George am y pwyntiau yna, sydd i gyd yn bwyntiau yr wyf i'n credu eu bod nhw'n gwbl gywir i'w codi yn y cyd-destun hwn. Cyfarwyddyd Llywodraeth Cymru i ysgolion yw bod yn rhaid iddyn nhw fabwysiadu agwedd hyblyg at wisgoedd yn y cyfnodau eithriadol hyn. Ni ddylid anfon unrhyw blentyn adref o'r ysgol yng Nghymru oherwydd nad yw'n gallu cael gwisg ysgol o dan amgylchiadau eithriadol yr wythnosau diwethaf, ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd ysgolion yn arfer synnwyr da yn y ffordd y maen nhw'n ymdrin â'r mater hwn.
Rydym ni'n cynnal trafodaethau gyda'r sector manwerthu i weld a oes unrhyw beth y gallwn ni ei wneud i helpu i ddiwallu anghenion brys pan nad oes gan blant esgidiau, yn y ffordd yr esboniodd yr Aelod, a gwn y bydd yr ysgolion eu hunain yn ceisio cynorthwyo lle ceir anawsterau gwirioneddol o'r math hwnnw. Mae angen i'r system ymateb i'r amgylchiadau yn y ffordd sy'n dangos rhywfaint o hyblygrwydd a synnwyr da syml er mwyn gwneud yn siŵr nad yw teuluoedd yn wynebu anawsterau ychwanegol ar y daith yn ôl i addysg.
Cwestiynau nawr gan arweinwyr y pleidiau. Arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Questions now from the party leaders. The leader of the Conservatives, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Thank you, Presiding Officer. First Minister, in response to Russell George's question, you said that education and reopening of education was your No. 1 priority, and I think we'd all subscribe to that. But, regrettably, Ministers have confirmed that some year groups going back to school will not return to school until after the Easter break. So, if you're in years 7, 8, 9 or 10, you will not be returning until after the Easter break, under the current conditions that your Government has outlined. How can you allow, if there's any headroom going through the month of March, for schoolchildren to remain out of school and be opening up other parts of the economy by lifting the restrictions? Has education slipped down your priority list? Or, if it still your No. 1 priority, will you make sure that any headroom that develops through the month of March sees schoolchildren return across all year groups in Wales?
Diolch, Llywydd. Prif Weinidog, mewn ymateb i gwestiwn Russell George, dywedasoch mai addysg ac ailagor addysg oedd eich prif flaenoriaeth, ac rwy'n credu y byddem ni i gyd yn cytuno â hynny. Ond, yn anffodus, mae Gweinidogion wedi cadarnhau na fydd rhai grwpiau blwyddyn sy'n mynd yn ôl i'r ysgol yn dychwelyd i'r ysgol tan ar ôl gwyliau'r Pasg. Felly, os ydych chi ym mlynyddoedd 7, 8, 9 neu 10, ni fyddwch chi'n dychwelyd tan ar ôl gwyliau'r Pasg, o dan yr amodau presennol y mae eich Llywodraeth wedi eu hamlinellu. Sut gallwch chi ganiatáu, os oes unrhyw hyblygrwydd wrth fynd trwy fis Mawrth, i blant ysgol aros allan o'r ysgol a bod yn agor rhannau eraill o'r economi drwy godi'r cyfyngiadau? A yw addysg wedi llithro i lawr eich rhestr o flaenoriaethau? Neu, os mai addysg yw eich prif flaenoriaeth o hyd, a wnewch chi wneud yn siŵr bod unrhyw hyblygrwydd sy'n datblygu trwy fis Mawrth yn golygu bod plant ysgol yn dychwelyd ar draws pob grŵp blwyddyn yng Nghymru?
Well, Llywydd, returning children and young people to face-to-face learning is the top priority of this Government, but we will do so in a way that is consistent with the science and the advice that we have. Members here will have seen the TAC report, published on 5 February, which sets out that advice and which echoes the advice that has been provided by SAGE. And that advice is simple: that if we were to return all children to school on a single day in Wales, that would raise the R number in Wales between 10 per cent and 50 per cent. We are, therefore, very specifically recommended not to do that. What we are recommended to do is to return children to school in tranches, to pause between those tranches, so that we can properly gather the evidence of the impact of that return on the circulation of the virus here in Wales. So, it is not as simple as saying, 'If you have the headroom, return all children to school' because to do so in that way would involve very significant risks of its own.
We will return the foundation phase this week. We will pause and we will review the evidence that emerges from that return. Provided the evidence is positive, all primary-aged children will return to school on 15 March, together with examination students in secondary school. We will then pause, as the scientific advice requires us to do, to review the impact of that, and, provided that goes well, then we will return other students to school, where we want them to be. If, in the meantime, that means we are able to offer any further easements in other areas, to allow our economy or our daily lives to begin—to begin—the journey back to normality, then, of course, we would want to do that.
Wel, Llywydd, dychwelyd plant a phobl ifanc i ddysgu wyneb yn wyneb yw prif flaenoriaeth y Llywodraeth hon, ond byddwn ni'n gwneud hynny mewn ffordd sy'n gyson â'r wyddoniaeth a'r cyngor yr ydym yn ei gael. Bydd yr Aelodau yn y fan yma wedi gweld adroddiad y gell cyngor technegol, a gyhoeddwyd ar 5 Chwefror, sy'n cyflwyno'r cyngor hwnnw ac sy'n adleisio'r cyngor a ddarparwyd gan SAGE. Ac mae'r cyngor hwnnw yn syml: pe byddem ni'n dychwelyd pob plentyn i'r ysgol ar un diwrnod yng Nghymru, byddai hynny'n codi'r rhif R yng Nghymru rhwng 10 y cant a 50 y cant. Felly, rydym ni'n cael ein hargymell yn benodol iawn i beidio â gwneud hynny. Yr hyn yr argymhellir i ni ei wneud yw dychwelyd plant i'r ysgol mewn cyfrannau, i oedi rhwng y cyfrannau hynny, fel y gallwn ni gasglu yn iawn y dystiolaeth o effaith y dychweliad hwnnw ar gylchrediad y feirws yma yng Nghymru. Felly, nid yw mor syml â dweud, 'Os yw'r hyblygrwydd gennych chi, dychwelwch bob plentyn i'r ysgol' oherwydd byddai gwneud hynny yn y ffordd honno yn golygu risgiau sylweddol iawn ei hun.
Byddwn yn dychwelyd y cyfnod sylfaen yr wythnos hon. Byddwn yn oedi a byddwn yn adolygu'r dystiolaeth sy'n deillio o'r dychweliad hwnnw. Cyn belled â bod y dystiolaeth yn gadarnhaol, bydd pob plentyn oedran cynradd yn dychwelyd i'r ysgol ar 15 Mawrth, ynghyd â myfyrwyr arholiad yn yr ysgol uwchradd. Byddwn wedyn yn oedi, fel y mae'r cyngor gwyddonol yn ei gwneud yn ofynnol i ni ei wneud, i adolygu effaith hynny, ac, ar yr amod bod hynny yn mynd yn dda, yna byddwn yn dychwelyd myfyrwyr eraill i'r ysgol, lle'r ydym ni eisiau iddyn nhw fod. Os yw hynny'n golygu, yn y cyfamser, y gallwn ni gynnig unrhyw hawddfreintiau pellach mewn meysydd eraill, i ganiatáu i'n heconomi neu ein bywydau beunyddiol gychwyn—cychwyn—y daith yn ôl i normalrwydd, yna, wrth gwrs, byddem ni eisiau gwneud hynny.
First Minister, it is a matter of regret that certain cohorts of children will not be going back to school until after Easter, and that is the choice that you are taking, despite saying it is your No. 1 priority to get schoolchildren back to face-to face learning as quickly as possible. I was very specific in the way I asked the question about using the headroom that is available through the month of March to allow this to happen in a more timely manner. Regrettably, you chose not to engage with that, and it is a fact that the Government will be leaving a significant cohort of pupils out of school. That is a choice that the Government is taking.
If we look at choices and priorities, the Federation of Small Businesses have talked about radio silence coming from the Government today when it comes to interacting with business over the conditions that the Government would expect to see before opening up swathes of the economy. It is unfortunate that such a substantial business organisation has referred to radio silence coming from the Welsh Government and a lack of a road map being put in place so business can understand what would be expected of them from the Government before they reopen. Can you use this Plenary opportunity to put on the record what conditions you expect to be in place before parts of the economy are reopened and business can plan accordingly? Will you confirm whether you will be bringing forward a road map that has clear gateways and conditions to travel through so that businesses know when they will be able to reopen and begin trading? Because that would be the best recovery any business can expect to have—by trading under normal conditions.
Prif Weinidog, mae'n destun gofid na fydd rhai carfannau o blant yn mynd yn ôl i'r ysgol tan ar ôl y Pasg, a dyna'r dewis yr ydych chi'n ei wneud, er i chi ddweud mai eich prif flaenoriaeth yw cael plant ysgol i fynd yn ôl i ddysgu wyneb yn wyneb cyn gynted â phosibl. Roeddwn i'n benodol iawn yn y ffordd y gofynnais y cwestiwn am ddefnyddio'r hyblygrwydd sydd ar gael trwy fis Mawrth i ganiatáu i hyn ddigwydd yn fwy prydlon. Yn anffodus, fe wnaethoch chi ddewis peidio ag ymgysylltu â hynny, ac mae'n ffaith y bydd y Llywodraeth yn gadael carfan sylweddol o ddisgyblion allan o'r ysgol. Mae hwnnw yn ddewis y mae'r Llywodraeth yn ei wneud.
Os edrychwn ni ar ddewisiadau a blaenoriaethau, mae'r Ffederasiwn Busnesau Bach wedi sôn am dawelwch llwyr gan y Llywodraeth heddiw pan ddaw'n fater o ryngweithio â'r byd busnes ynghylch yr amodau y byddai'r Llywodraeth yn disgwyl eu gweld cyn agor rhannau helaeth o'r economi. Mae'n anffodus bod sefydliad busnes mor sylweddol wedi cyfeirio at dawelwch llwyr gan Lywodraeth Cymru a diffyg map ffyrdd yn cael ei roi ar waith fel y gall byd busnes ddeall yr hyn y byddai'r Llywodraeth yn ei ddisgwyl ganddyn nhw cyn iddyn nhw ailagor. A allwch chi ddefnyddio'r cyfle hwn yn y Cyfarfod Llawn i gofnodi pa amodau yr ydych chi'n disgwyl iddyn nhw fod ar waith cyn ailagor rhannau o'r economi ac y gall byd busnes gynllunio yn unol â hynny? A wnewch chi gadarnhau pa un a fyddwch chi'n cyflwyno map ffyrdd sydd â phyrth ac amodau eglur i deithio drwyddyn nhw fel bod busnesau yn gwybod pryd y byddan nhw'n cael ailagor a dechrau masnachu? Oherwydd dyna fyddai'r adferiad gorau y gall unrhyw fusnes ddisgwyl ei gael—trwy fasnachu o dan amodau arferol.
Let me just help the Member a second time in relation to schools. We will return students to schools as fast as it is safe to do so. The advice we have is that it would not be safe to do what he is suggesting. If it is the policy of the Conservative Party in Wales to return children to conditions that are not safe for them or for their staff, then let him say so. This Government will not do that; we will follow the science, whatever happens elsewhere. The science is that you must return children in tranches and you must pause between each one. I set out the road map of the Welsh Government in December; we updated it again on Friday of last week. I hope the Member has had a chance to consider that. He wouldn't need to ask me for one if he had taken the trouble to do so. That sets out the way in which we will lift the restrictions that currently are necessary for businesses and in our personal lives. It's clear from what he's said today that businesses in Wales would know where they were if he were to be in charge, because they wouldn't be going back at all, because it would be clear that he wouldn't be able to do that and do what he has just said in relation to education. The Welsh Government will not follow his advice on that. If we are in a position to begin the reopening of businesses in Wales earlier than he would be able to do so, then that is what we will do. We will do it in partnership, of course, with business organisations, as we always do, and we will be discussing those possibilities with them during the three weeks that we now have before the next review has to conclude.
Gadewch i mi helpu'r Aelod yr eildro o ran ysgolion. Byddwn yn dychwelyd myfyrwyr i ysgolion cyn gynted ag y bydd yn ddiogel i wneud hynny. Y cyngor sydd gennym ni yw na fyddai'n ddiogel gwneud yr hyn y mae e'n ei awgrymu. Os mai polisi'r Blaid Geidwadol yng Nghymru yw dychwelyd plant i amodau nad ydyn nhw'n ddiogel iddyn nhw na'u staff, yna gadewch iddo ddweud hynny. Ni wnaiff y Llywodraeth hon hynny; byddwn yn dilyn y wyddoniaeth, beth bynnag sy'n digwydd mewn mannau eraill. Y wyddoniaeth yw bod yn rhaid i chi ddychwelyd plant mewn cyfrannau ac mae'n rhaid i chi oedi rhwng pob un. Cyflwynais fap ffyrdd Llywodraeth Cymru ym mis Rhagfyr; fe'i diweddarwyd gennym ni unwaith eto ddydd Gwener yr wythnos diwethaf. Rwy'n gobeithio bod yr Aelod wedi cael cyfle i ystyried hwnnw. Ni fyddai angen iddo ofyn i mi am un pe byddai wedi mynd i'r drafferth i wneud hynny. Mae hwnnw yn nodi'r ffordd y byddwn ni'n codi'r cyfyngiadau sy'n angenrheidiol ar hyn o bryd i fusnesau ac yn ein bywydau personol. Mae'n amlwg o'r hyn y mae ef wedi ei ddweud heddiw y byddai busnesau yng Nghymru yn gwybod ble'r oedden nhw pe byddai ef wrth y llyw, oherwydd ni fydden nhw'n dychwelyd o gwbl, oherwydd byddai'n eglur na fyddai'n gallu gwneud hynny a gwneud yr hyn y mae newydd ei ddweud o ran addysg. Ni fydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn dilyn ei gyngor ar hynny. Os byddwn ni mewn sefyllfa i ddechrau ailagor busnesau yng Nghymru yn gynharach nag y byddai ef yn gallu gwneud hynny, yna dyna fyddwn ni'n ei wneud. Byddwn ni'n gwneud hynny mewn partneriaeth, wrth gwrs, â sefydliadau busnes, fel y byddwn ni yn ei wneud bob amser, a byddwn yn trafod y posibiliadau hynny gyda nhw yn ystod y tair wythnos sydd gennym ni nawr cyn i'r adolygiad nesaf ddod i ben.
First Minister, you've taken your usual condescending tone. You might be the professor in the Bay, but you're the professor without a plan out of lockdown and that's a real problem for the economy and for schoolchildren the length and breadth of Wales. What you can do with the powers that are available to you is put some support in for businesses by extending the business rate relief scheme. Will you at least in this third question engage positively and commit today to extending the business rate relief scheme that has been extended in other parts of the UK and would be a relief to many businesses facing business rate demands? Because in the absence of any coherent plan to bring the economy out of lockdown and with the evidence provided by the Federation of Small Businesses that there's radio silence coming from the Welsh Government, try and pull one lever at least to help the economy regain its confidence.
Prif Weinidog, rydych chi wedi mabwysiadu eich tôn nawddoglyd arferol. Efallai mai chi yw'r athro yn y Bae, ond chi yw'r athro heb gynllun allan o'r cyfyngiadau symud ac mae hynny yn broblem wirioneddol i'r economi ac i blant ysgol ar hyd a lled Cymru. Yr hyn y gallwch chi ei wneud gyda'r pwerau sydd ar gael i chi yw rhoi rhywfaint o gymorth i fusnesau drwy ymestyn y cynllun rhyddhad ardrethi busnes. A wnewch chi o leiaf yn y trydydd cwestiwn hwn ymateb yn gadarnhaol ac ymrwymo heddiw i ymestyn y cynllun rhyddhad ardrethi busnes sydd wedi cael ei ymestyn mewn rhannau eraill o'r DU ac a fyddai'n rhyddhad i lawer o fusnesau sy'n wynebu biliau ardrethi busnes? Oherwydd yn absenoldeb unrhyw gynllun cydlynol i ddod â'r economi allan o'r cyfyngiadau symud a chyda'r dystiolaeth a ddarparwyd gan y Ffederasiwn Busnesau Bach bod distawrwydd llwyr yn dod gan Lywodraeth Cymru, ceisiwch dynnu un ysgogiad o leiaf i helpu'r economi adennill ei hyder.
Llywydd, 64,000 businesses in Wales have already received rate relief as a result of the decisions of this Welsh Government. I understand how important that is to businesses, but we will wait until Wednesday of next week, 3 March, to see the Chancellor's budget, so that we are clear about how much money we have as a Government for all the different purposes that we have to discharge in the next financial year. If the Chancellor makes provision for rate relief, then we will be able to provide rate relief here in Wales. I'm not prepared to commit to using the money we have next year until I am clear on the quantum of funding that will be available not just for businesses, but to support the health service during this pandemic, to support local authorities in the work that they do, to make sure that third sector organisations, the arts, all those many things that we have to attend to—until I know how much money is available to the Welsh Government next year, I'm not prepared to come to a conclusion on any one aspect of it. To do so would be simply irresponsible. Once we know, on Wednesday of next week, whether Wales is to have money taken away from us next year again, as we have on so many occasions during the 10 years that his Government has imposed austerity on Wales, or whether we have the money that we need to attend to the calls of businesses and others—once we know, this Government will make allocations to those key sectors during the month of March. I hope very much that we will be in a position to do as the leader of the Conservatives here has suggested, and to offer further help to businesses in Wales, but we won't be in a position to do that until we know what his Government in Westminster has got in store for us.
Llywydd, mae 64,000 o fusnesau yng Nghymru eisoes wedi cael rhyddhad ardrethi o ganlyniad i benderfyniadau'r Llywodraeth hon yng Nghymru. Rwy'n deall pa mor bwysig yw hynny i fusnesau, ond byddwn yn aros tan ddydd Mercher yr wythnos nesaf, 3 Mawrth, i weld cyllideb y Canghellor, fel ein bod ni'n eglur ynghylch faint o arian sydd gennym ni fel Llywodraeth at yr holl wahanol ddibenion y mae'n rhaid i ni eu cyflawni yn y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf. Os bydd y Canghellor yn darparu ar gyfer rhyddhad ardrethi, yna byddwn ni'n gallu darparu rhyddhad ardrethi yma yng Nghymru. Nid wyf i'n barod i ymrwymo i ddefnyddio'r arian sydd gennym ni y flwyddyn nesaf tan fy mod i'n eglur ynghylch cwantwm y cyllid a fydd ar gael nid yn unig i fusnesau, ond i gynorthwyo'r gwasanaeth iechyd yn ystod y pandemig hwn, i gynorthwyo awdurdodau lleol yn y gwaith y maen nhw'n ei wneud, i wneud yn siŵr bod sefydliadau'r trydydd sector, y celfyddydau, yr holl bethau niferus hynny y mae'n rhaid i ni roi sylw iddyn nhw—tan yr wyf i'n gwybod faint o arian sydd ar gael i Lywodraeth Cymru y flwyddyn nesaf, nid wyf i'n barod i ddod i gasgliad ar unrhyw un agwedd arno. Byddai gwneud hynny yn anghyfrifol. Cyn gynted ag y byddwn ni'n gwybod, ddydd Mercher yr wythnos nesaf, pa un a fydd Cymru yn colli arian unwaith eto y flwyddyn nesaf, fel sydd wedi digwydd ar gynifer o achlysuron yn ystod y 10 mlynedd y mae ei Lywodraeth ef wedi gorfodi cyni cyllidol ar Gymru, neu pa un a yw'r arian sydd ei angen arnom ni gennym ni i ymateb i alwadau busnesau ac eraill—cyn gynted ag y byddwn ni'n gwybod, bydd y Llywodraeth hon yn gwneud dyraniadau i'r sectorau allweddol hynny yn ystod mis Mawrth. Rwy'n gobeithio'n fawr y byddwn ni mewn sefyllfa i wneud fel y mae arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr yn y fan yma wedi ei awgrymu, a chynnig cymorth pellach i fusnesau yng Nghymru, ond ni fyddwn ni mewn sefyllfa i wneud hynny tan y byddwn ni'n gwybod beth sydd gan ei Lywodraeth ef yn San Steffan ar y gweill ar ein cyfer.
Arweinydd Plaid Cymru, Adam Price.
Plaid Cymru leader, Adam Price.
First Minister, how many care workers in Wales currently receive less than the real living wage?
Prif Weinidog, faint o weithwyr gofal yng Nghymru sy'n cael llai na'r cyflog byw gwirioneddol ar hyn o bryd?
I'm quite sure the Member will be able to give me an answer to that question. I'm well aware that publicly provided social care in most parts of Wales does provide the real living wage, and in the private sector, where most residential care is provided, there are employers who are yet to do so. We are using our grant in aid to the sector to encourage the provision of the real living wage, and we hope that we will be able to make significant progress as a result of the additional money that we provide.
Rwy'n eithaf sicr y bydd yr Aelod yn gallu rhoi ateb i mi i'r cwestiwn hwnnw. Rwy'n gwbl ymwybodol bod gofal cymdeithasol a ddarperir yn gyhoeddus yn y rhan fwyaf o Gymru yn darparu'r cyflog byw gwirioneddol, ac yn y sector preifat, lle darperir y rhan fwyaf o ofal preswyl, ceir cyflogwyr nad ydyn nhw wedi gwneud hynny hyd yn hyn. Rydym ni'n defnyddio ein cymorth grant i'r sector i annog y ddarpariaeth o'r cyflog byw gwirioneddol, ac rydym ni'n gobeithio y byddwn ni'n gallu gwneud cynnydd sylweddol o ganlyniad i'r arian ychwanegol yr ydym ni'n ei ddarparu.
According to the Resolution Foundation, First Minister, more than half of all care workers in Wales currently receive less than the real living wage—poverty wages, in other words. That was unacceptable before the pandemic and it's certainly unacceptable now. That's not just my view; it's also the view expressed recently by your party's deputy leader, Angela Rayner, who has called for the Government in England to commit to a care worker minimum wage of £10 an hour. Are you prepared to match that commitment to a £10 an hour minimum wage for all care workers here in Wales?
Yn ôl y Resolution Foundation, Prif Weinidog, mae mwy na hanner yr holl weithwyr gofal yng Nghymru yn cael llai na'r cyflog byw gwirioneddol ar hyn o bryd—cyflogau tlodi, mewn geiriau eraill. Roedd hynny yn annerbyniol cyn y pandemig ac mae'n sicr yn annerbyniol nawr. Nid fy marn i yn unig yw hynny; dyna'r farn a fynegwyd hefyd yn ddiweddar gan ddirprwy arweinydd eich plaid, Angela Rayner, sydd wedi galw ar y Llywodraeth yn Lloegr i ymrwymo i isafswm cyflog o £10 yr awr i weithwyr gofal. A ydych chi'n barod i gyfateb yr ymrwymiad hwnnw i isafswm cyflog o £10 yr awr i'r holl weithwyr gofal yma yng Nghymru?
I certainly agree with the Member that it's unacceptable that people who have done so much at the front line during the pandemic are not paid at a level that recognises the value and importance of the work that they do. Of course, if my party at Westminster succeeds in persuading the UK Government to make such a payment, there will be money that will come to Wales to allow us to fund such a commitment. But I always have to ask myself where the money will come from. Week by week, he asks me to spend money that he hasn't got and I haven't got, and I'm keeping a running total of his many, many unfunded commitments that he constantly tries to press upon me. The Welsh Government is using the money we have in a way that would promote the payment of the real living wage in the social care sector. That is a business investment, in my view, for those private organisations that fail to do so at the moment. In the money that we provide, we are doing everything we can to make sure that that is made their priority. If more money comes our way, we'll be able to do even more.
Rwy'n sicr yn cytuno â'r Aelod ei bod hi'n annerbyniol nad yw pobl sydd wedi gwneud cymaint yn y rheng flaen yn ystod y pandemig yn cael eu talu ar lefel sy'n cydnabod gwerth a phwysigrwydd y gwaith y maen nhw'n ei wneud. Wrth gwrs, os bydd fy mhlaid i yn San Steffan yn llwyddo i berswadio Llywodraeth y DU i wneud taliad o'r fath, bydd arian a fydd yn dod i Gymru i ganiatáu i ni ariannu ymrwymiad o'r fath. Ond mae'n rhaid i mi ofyn i mi fy hun bob amser o ble fydd yr arian yn dod. Wythnos ar ôl wythnos, mae'n gofyn i mi wario arian nad yw ganddo ef ac nad yw gennyf i, ac rwy'n cadw cyfanswm o'i ymrwymiadau niferus iawn sydd heb eu hariannu, y mae'n ceisio eu pwyso arnaf i yn gyson. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn defnyddio'r arian sydd gennym ni mewn ffordd a fyddai'n hyrwyddo talu'r cyflog byw gwirioneddol yn y sector gofal cymdeithasol. Buddsoddiad busnes yw hwnnw, yn fy marn i, i'r sefydliadau preifat hynny sy'n methu â gwneud hynny ar hyn o bryd. Yn yr arian yr ydym ni'n ei ddarparu, rydym ni'n gwneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i wneud yn siŵr bod hynny yn cael ei wneud yn flaenoriaeth iddyn nhw. Os daw mwy o arian i ni, byddwn yn gallu gwneud hyd yn oed mwy.
First Minister, the Scottish Government has already committed last year to ensuring that all care workers in Scotland receive the real living wage. Why aren't you prepared to make that commitment here in Wales? The unions are calling for it, the care sector is calling for it, the Bevan Foundation is calling for it. Yes, you're absolutely right, it would be a priority to deliver for a Plaid Cymru Government. The Labour Party is committed to supporting it in England and Scotland. They just put an amendment there this week to go further than the current commitment of the Scottish Government. Why won't you commit to doing it as a Government, to making the same commitment, where you have the power to make such a difference to tens of thousands of care workers' lives, and the people who depend upon them?
Prif Weinidog, mae Llywodraeth yr Alban eisoes wedi ymrwymo y llynedd i sicrhau bod pob gweithiwr gofal yn yr Alban yn cael y cyflog byw gwirioneddol. Pam nad ydych chi'n barod i wneud yr ymrwymiad hwnnw yma yng Nghymru? Mae'r undebau yn galw amdano, mae'r sector gofal yn galw amdano, mae Sefydliad Bevan yn galw amdano. Byddai, rydych chi yn llygad eich lle, byddai'n flaenoriaeth i'w gyflawni i Lywodraeth Plaid Cymru. Mae'r Blaid Lafur wedi ymrwymo i'w gefnogi yn Lloegr a'r Alban. Maen nhw newydd gynnig gwelliant yno yr wythnos hon i fynd ymhellach nag ymrwymiad presennol Llywodraeth yr Alban. Pam na wnewch chi ymrwymo i'w wneud fel Llywodraeth, i wneud yr un ymrwymiad, lle mae gennych chi'r grym i wneud cymaint o wahaniaeth i ddegau o filoedd o fywydau gweithwyr gofal, a'r bobl sy'n dibynnu arnyn nhw?
The only priority the leader of Plaid Cymru has is to make fine-sounding speeches in which he promises anybody that he will be able to solve their problems. So, this is a priority for him—well, that's good to know. Last week, it was a priority for him to spend money on free school meals. The week before that, it was a priority for him to provide childcare for all families with a child above the age of one. The week before that it was to spend £6 billion on investment, which he hasn't got. Priorities, Llywydd, mean not just simply saying things that he thinks people will want to hear. It means having to make decisions that match the harsh realities of budgets with the ambitions that we have. This Government had a real ambition to improve conditions in the social care workforce. It's why we decided that it would be a registered profession. We have a real ambition to make sure that people are properly paid in it, and we will find the money to match our priorities. Simply adding, week after week, to totally uncosted wish lists, which is all he ever has to offer me, really is a remarkable performance of voodoo economics that he conjures up here on a weekly basis, and he's done it again today.
Yr unig flaenoriaeth sydd gan arweinydd Plaid Cymru yw gwneud areithiau sy'n swnio'n dda lle mae'n addo i unrhyw un y bydd yn gallu datrys eu problemau. Felly, mae hyn yn flaenoriaeth iddo fe—wel, mae'n braf cael gwybod hynny. Yr wythnos diwethaf, roedd yn flaenoriaeth iddo wario arian ar brydau ysgol am ddim. Yr wythnos cyn hynny, roedd yn flaenoriaeth iddo ddarparu gofal plant i bob teulu â phlentyn dros un oed. Yr wythnos cyn hynny y flaenoriaeth oedd gwario £6 biliwn ar fuddsoddiad, nad oes ganddo. Mae blaenoriaethau, Lywydd, yn golygu nid yn unig dweud pethau y mae'n credu y bydd pobl eisiau eu clywed. Mae'n golygu gorfod gwneud penderfyniadau sy'n cyd-fynd â realiti llym cyllidebau â'r uchelgeisiau sydd gennym ni. Roedd gan y Llywodraeth hon uchelgais wirioneddol i wella amodau yn y gweithlu gofal cymdeithasol. Dyna pam y gwnaethom ni benderfynu y byddai'n broffesiwn cofrestredig. Mae gennym ni uchelgais wirioneddol i wneud yn siŵr bod pobl yn cael eu talu yn briodol ynddo, a byddwn yn dod o hyd i'r arian i gyflawni ein blaenoriaethau. Mae ychwanegu, wythnos ar ôl wythnos, at restrau dymuniadau heb eu costio o gwbl, sef y cwbl sydd ganddo ef byth i'w gynnig i mi, wir yn berfformiad rhyfeddol o economeg fwdw y mae'n ei gonsurio yn y fan yma bob wythnos, ac mae wedi gwneud hynny unwaith eto heddiw.
3. Pa gamau penodol y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'u cymryd i leihau effaith pandemig COVID-19 ar fenywod yn y gweithle? OQ56335
3. What specific actions has the Welsh Government taken to lessen the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women in the workplace? OQ56335
To provide just two specific actions, the Working Wales service has been used by over 6,500 women across Wales during lockdown, and the business start-up grant has attracted 60 per cent of its applications from women. All of this and more is drawn together in today's publication of our economic resilience and construction mission.
I roi dim ond dau gam gweithredu penodol, mae dros 6,500 o fenywod ledled Cymru wedi defnyddio gwasanaeth Cymru'n Gweithio yn ystod y cyfyngiadau symud, ac mae'r grant dechrau busnes wedi denu 60 y cant o'i geisiadau oddi wrth fenywod. Mae hyn i gyd a mwy yn cael ei ddwyn ynghyd yng nghyhoeddiad heddiw o'n cenhadaeth cydnerthedd economaidd ac adeiladu.
Thank you for the response. We know that women have been, sadly, disproportionately affected by the pandemic, with women making up 80 per cent of childcare, care and leisure services, 75 per cent in administrative and secretarial, and 60 per cent working in sales and customer services—sectors that have been hit hard. We've just talked about childcare, but I think one of the most essential changes that you could make would be that women seeking employment and/or training have access to childcare, as well as those who are in the current scheme, so that they can feel empowered to go out to work again. We are awaiting judgment as to whether the UK Government have acted illegally in reducing the self-employment income support scheme payments for women who have taken maternity leave. I would like to know here today whether the Welsh Government have taken any action to support new mothers in Wales, who will have taken an unfair financial hit by this failure. What risks were flagged in your build back better scheme? We know that school closures have affected women, who are doing a lot of the childcare and the schooling. How will the Welsh Government ensure that Wales will not only build back better, but build back equal?
Diolch am yr ymateb. Rydym ni'n gwybod bod menywod, yn anffodus, wedi cael eu heffeithio yn anghymesur gan y pandemig, gan fod menywod yn cynrychioli 80 y cant o wasanaethau gofal plant, gofal a hamdden, 75 y cant mewn gwasanaethau gweinyddol ac ysgrifenyddol, a 60 y cant yn gweithio ym maes gwerthu a gwasanaethau cwsmeriaid—sectorau sydd wedi eu taro'n galed. Rydym ni newydd siarad am ofal plant, ond rwy'n credu mai un o'r newidiadau mwyaf hanfodol y gallech chi ei wneud fyddai bod gan fenywod sy'n chwilio am waith a/neu hyfforddiant fynediad at ofal plant, yn ogystal â'r rhai sydd yn y cynllun presennol, fel y gallan nhw deimlo eu bod wedi'u grymuso i fynd allan i weithio eto. Rydym ni'n aros i weld a yw Llywodraeth y DU wedi gweithredu yn anghyfreithlon i leihau taliadau'r cynllun cymhorthdal incwm hunangyflogaeth i fenywod sydd wedi cymryd absenoldeb mamolaeth. Hoffwn wybod yn y fan yma heddiw pa un a yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cymryd unrhyw gamau i gynorthwyo mamau newydd yng Nghymru, a fydd wedi cael ergyd ariannol annheg gan y methiant hwn. Pa risgiau a nodwyd yn eich cynllun ailgodi'n gryfach? Rydym ni'n gwybod bod cau ysgolion wedi effeithio ar fenywod, sy'n gwneud llawer o'r gofal plant a'r addysgu. Sut gwnaiff Llywodraeth Cymru sicrhau y bydd Cymru nid yn unig yn ailgodi’n gryfach, ond yn ailgodi'n gyfartal?
Let me begin by agreeing with the sentiments that Bethan Sayed was expressing at the very end of her supplementary question. I've never myself used the mantra 'build back better'; I always say 'build back fairer', because if it isn't fairer, it's not going to be better. She's right to point out the disproportionate impact that the last 12 months has had on women in Wales, as it has on young people, as it has on people from BAME communities. The Welsh Government lobbies the UK Government all the time when it taken actions of which we disapprove and that do not fit with our wish to create a more equal Wales, as the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 requires us to do. When we publish our spending decisions and the decisions that we have made during lockdown, we accompany them with an equality impact assessment, because we try to see all those decisions through the lens of the equality impact that those decisions have on people. We publish those equality impacts alongside the decisions that we make.
I'm very glad indeed that we have a fertile debate here in Wales all the time about how we can do more and do better to make sure that the decisions that we make during the pandemic, and especially as we come out of it, are focused on those people whose needs are the greatest, where the adverse impact has been the most profound, and where we can use the powers that we have to make a real difference. In that sense, my starting point and the starting point of the Member are the same. We might come to different conclusions about the practical implementation of some of those things, but I don't for a minute dissent from the underlying thrust of what she's said this afternoon.
Gadewch i mi ddechrau drwy gytuno â'r safbwyntiau yr oedd Bethan Sayed yn eu mynegi ar ddiwedd ei chwestiwn atodol. Nid wyf i erioed wedi defnyddio'r mantra 'ailgodi'n gryfach' fy hun; rwyf i bob amser yn dweud 'ailgodi'n decach', oherwydd os nad yw'n decach, nid yw'n mynd i fod yn well. Mae hi'n iawn i dynnu sylw at yr effaith anghymesur y mae'r 12 mis diwethaf wedi ei chael ar fenywod yng Nghymru, fel y mae ar bobl ifanc, fel y mae ar bobl o gymunedau BAME. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn lobïo Llywodraeth y DU drwy'r amser pan ei bod wedi cymryd camau nad ydym ni'n eu cymeradwyo ac nad ydyn nhw'n cyd-fynd â'n dymuniad i greu Cymru fwy cyfartal, fel y mae Deddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015 yn ei gwneud yn ofynnol i ni ei wneud. Pan fyddwn ni'n cyhoeddi ein penderfyniadau gwario a'r penderfyniadau yr ydym ni wedi eu gwneud yn ystod y cyfyngiadau symud, rydym ni'n eu hategu gydag asesiad o'r effaith ar gydraddoldeb, gan ein bod ni'n ceisio gweld yr holl benderfyniadau hynny drwy lens yr effaith ar gydraddoldeb y mae'r penderfyniadau hynny yn ei chael ar bobl. Rydym ni'n cyhoeddi'r effeithiau hynny ar gydraddoldeb ochr yn ochr â'r penderfyniadau yr ydym ni'n eu gwneud.
Rwy'n falch iawn yn wir ein bod ni'n cael dadl ffrwythlon yma yng Nghymru drwy'r amser ynglŷn â sut y gallwn ni wneud mwy a gwneud yn well i wneud yn siŵr bod y penderfyniadau yr ydym ni'n eu gwneud yn ystod y pandemig, ac yn enwedig wrth i ni ddod allan ohono, yn canolbwyntio ar y bobl hynny y mae eu hanghenion fwyaf, lle mae'r effaith niweidiol wedi bod y mwyaf dwys, a lle y gallwn ni ddefnyddio'r pwerau sydd gennym ni i wneud gwahaniaeth gwirioneddol. Yn yr ystyr hwnnw, mae fy man cychwyn i a man cychwyn yr Aelod yr un fath. Efallai y byddwn ni'n dod i wahanol gasgliadau ynghylch gweithrediad ymarferol rhai o'r pethau hynny, ond nid wyf am funud yn anghydweld â byrdwn sylfaenol yr hyn y mae hi wedi ei ddweud y prynhawn yma.
I think that's the same for all of us, First Minister. Let's just have a quick look at that disproportionate effect. We've got 72 per cent of working mothers working fewer hours and cutting their earnings due to lack of child care, and during lockdown mothers were doing 35 per cent of uninterrupted work hours that the average father did. I'm sure that those figures from the Chwarae Teg 'State of the Nation' report didn't really surprise you. But what about the fact that women in Wales are twice as likely as men to be key workers, because if you look at those figures together, it's clear that a serious proportion of women key workers stepped back from work because of other COVID-driven demands on them? Regardless of the school hub provision, where attendance was lower than anticipated and I'm sure you'll be asking 'why?' yourself, in due course, it's women who have had to—and I mean 'had to'—put their employers second. As most of those key workers will be public sector workers—obviously, there are private sector workers as well—what levers are at your disposal to ensure that their pay and promotion prospects are not compromised by their COVID-period work record?
Rwy'n credu bod hynny yr un fath i bob un ohonom ni, Prif Weinidog. Gadewch i ni edrych yn gyflym ar yr effaith anghymesur honno. Mae gennym ni 72 y cant o famau sy'n gweithio yn gweithio llai o oriau ac yn torri eu henillion oherwydd diffyg gofal plant, ac yn ystod y cyfyngiadau symud roedd mamau yn gwneud 35 y cant o oriau gwaith di-dor yr oedd y tad cyffredin yn ei wneud. Rwy'n siŵr nad oedd y ffigurau hynny o adroddiad 'Cyflwr y Genedl' Chwarae Teg yn eich synnu rhyw lawer. Ond beth am y ffaith bod menywod yng Nghymru ddwywaith mor debygol â dynion o fod yn weithwyr allweddol, oherwydd os edrychwch chi ar y ffigurau hynny gyda'i gilydd, mae'n amlwg bod cyfran sylweddol o weithwyr allweddol benywaidd wedi camu yn ôl o'r gwaith oherwydd gofynion eraill arnyn nhw a ysgogwyd gan COVID? Ni waeth beth fo'r ddarpariaeth canolfannau ysgol, lle'r oedd presenoldeb yn is na'r disgwyl ac rwy'n siŵr y byddwch chi'n gofyn 'pam?' eich hun, maes o law, menywod sydd wedi gorfod—ac rwy'n golygu 'gorfod'—rhoi eu cyflogwyr yn ail. Gan mai gweithwyr sector cyhoeddus fydd y rhan fwyaf o'r gweithwyr allweddol hynny—yn amlwg, ceir gweithwyr sector preifat hefyd—pa ysgogiadau sydd ar gael i chi i sicrhau nad yw eu rhagolygon o ran cyflog a dyrchafiad yn cael eu peryglu gan eu hanes gwaith yn ystod cyfnod COVID?
I agree that the final point is an important one. I'm afraid I don't think we all do start from the same place. If we did, we wouldn't have a Government that is still not prepared to guarantee that the £20 additional each week for people claiming universal credit is going to be continued beyond the end of March, would we? That's a decision that will fall very disproportionately indeed on women and the work that they do in families. Nor is the furlough scheme based on the sort of principles that the Member has just outlined. Seven in 10 requests for furlough turned down for working mothers—that's what the TUC found in the report that they have recently published. So, I'm afraid it's not as easy as saying, 'We all want to do the right thing', because not everybody seems to me to be in that position. I agree, however, with the final thing that Suzy Davies said, that there will be things that we may be able to do as people return to work, beyond coronavirus and certainly in the public services, that where people have gaps in their employment because they have had to deal with the many different demands that coronavirus has placed on them, they should not be disadvantaged into the long term because of the way in which they have had to make decisions to deal with the many pressures that devolve on them during a crisis.
Rwy'n cytuno bod y pwynt olaf yn un pwysig. Rwy'n ofni nad wyf i'n meddwl ein bod ni i gyd yn dechrau o'r un lle. Pe byddem ni, ni fyddai gennym ni Lywodraeth nad yw'n barod o hyd i sicrhau y bydd yr £20 ychwanegol bob wythnos i bobl sy'n hawlio credyd cynhwysol yn parhau y tu hwnt i ddiwedd mis Mawrth, oni fyddai? Mae hwnnw yn benderfyniad a fydd yn disgyn yn anghymesur iawn yn wir ar fenywod a'r gwaith y maen nhw'n ei wneud mewn teuluoedd. Ac nid yw'r cynllun ffyrlo ychwaith yn seiliedig ar y math o egwyddorion y mae'r Aelod newydd eu hamlinellu. Gwrthodwyd saith o bob 10 cais am ffyrlo i famau sy'n gweithio—dyna a ganfu'r TUC yn yr adroddiad y maen nhw wedi ei gyhoeddi yn ddiweddar. Felly, mae gen i ofn nad yw mor hawdd â dweud, 'Rydym ni i gyd eisiau gwneud y peth iawn', oherwydd nid yw'n ymddangos i mi bod pawb yn y sefyllfa honno. Rwy'n cytuno, fodd bynnag, â'r peth olaf a ddywedodd Suzy Davies, sef y bydd pethau y gallem ni eu gwneud efallai wrth i bobl ddychwelyd i'r gwaith, y tu hwnt i coronafeirws ac yn sicr yn y gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, lle mae gan bobl fylchau yn eu cyflogaeth oherwydd y bu'n rhaid iddyn nhw ymdrin â'r gwahanol ofynion niferus y mae coronafeirws wedi eu gorfodi arnyn nhw, ni ddylen nhw fod o dan anfantais i'r hirdymor oherwydd y ffordd y bu'n rhaid iddyn nhw wneud penderfyniadau i ymdrin â'r pwysau niferus sy'n disgyn arnyn nhw yn ystod argyfwng.
First Minister, as you've said so often, it is women in the workplace who have been disproportionately at the front end of exposure to the pandemic. They work in retail and care and health and other public-facing roles disproportionately, and in low-paid or casual roles where sometimes the unionised voice for the workforce can be regrettably weaker, yet the pressure can be greater to turn up for work at all costs, including personal health and well-being, and the domestic pressures to put food on the table and pay the bills is also acute.
So, First Minister, as the vaccine roll-out progresses and we can hopefully anticipate more return in the weeks and months ahead to many workplaces, including non-essential retail and personal services and hospitality, where women are over-represented once again in customer-facing roles, then what more can we do than we did last year to ensure that employers put in place every measure possible to protect their staff and customers at work and that the UK Government and Welsh Government have the right measures in place to support those who have to withdraw from the workplace for COVID-related reasons, and not least that the UK Government does not cut that £20 a week from universal credit, because that will hammer women at work and at home too?
Prif Weinidog, fel yr ydych chi wedi ei ddweud mor aml, menywod yn y gweithle sydd wedi bod yn anghymesur ar y rheng flaen o ran amlygiad i'r pandemig. Maen nhw'n gweithio ym meysydd manwerthu a gofal ac iechyd a swyddi eraill sy'n wynebu'r cyhoedd yn anghymesur, ac mewn swyddi achlysurol neu â chyflogau isel lle gall llais undebol y gweithlu fod yn wannach yn anffodus, ac eto gall y pwysau fod yn fwy i ddod i weithio ar bob cyfrif, gan gynnwys iechyd a llesiant personol, ac mae'r pwysau domestig i roi bwyd ar y bwrdd a thalu'r biliau hefyd yn ddifrifol.
Felly, Prif Weinidog, wrth i'r broses o gyflwyno'r brechlyn fynd rhagddi a'r gobaith yw y gallwn ni ragweld mwy o enillion yn yr wythnosau a'r misoedd nesaf i lawer o weithleoedd, gan gynnwys gwasanaethau manwerthu a phersonol nad ydynt yn hanfodol a lletygarwch, lle mae menywod wedi'u gorgynrychioli unwaith eto mewn swyddi sy'n wynebu cwsmeriaid, yna beth arall allwn ni ei wneud na wnaethom ni y llynedd i sicrhau bod cyflogwyr yn rhoi pob mesur posibl ar waith i ddiogelu eu staff a'u cwsmeriaid yn y gwaith a bod gan Lywodraeth y DU a Llywodraeth Cymru y mesurau cywir ar waith i gynorthwyo'r rhai y mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw fod yn absennol o'r gweithle am resymau sy'n ymwneud â COVID, ac yn bwysig nad yw Llywodraeth y DU yn torri'r £20 yr wythnos hwnnw o gredyd cynhwysol, oherwydd bydd hynny yn ergyd drom i fenywod yn y gwaith ac yn y cartref hefyd?
Well, Llywydd, I'm sure that Huw Irranca-Davies will recognise the actions that the Welsh Government has already taken to protect workforces where women are disproportionately represented, so our decision early on to make PPE available free in the social care sector was a really important guarantee that those workers knew they would have the protection that that has provided. As you know, it's charged to care homes across our border, where we made the decision from the beginning that the protection of those workers was our top priority and getting them the protection they needed and getting it to them free was an investment by us in the well-being of that workforce, as is the continued scheme that we have to make sure that people are paid sick pay fully in the social care sector, so that they don't feel, as Huw Irranca said, obliged to come back to work when they know that it's not right for them to do so. And in the retail sphere where, again, women are disproportionately part of the workforce, we announced in January that workplaces would have to carry out new risk assessments with higher standards to make sure that workplaces are safe against the new variant of the disease. And we were supported in doing so by employers here in Wales. And those higher standards—making sure that workplaces are properly protected and everything is done to make sure that workers and people who use those settings are kept safe—will continue to be at the forefront of everything that we do as a Government during the rest of this calendar year, when coronavirus is still going to be part of our lives.
And I'll say again, because I so much agree with Huw Irranca-Davies: the thought that up to a third of working families in Wales could find themselves with £1,000 less to meet the needs of their families—people who use that money to do simple things like keep the lights on and keep food on the table—the thought that this Government has kept those families waiting, not knowing what their position would be, it's genuine cruelty. Imagine living in those conditions and knowing that, in just a few weeks' time, you wouldn't have that extra support. I think it's shameful, and I really, really hope that, on 3 March, the Chancellor will finally make good the distress that that has caused to those families.
Wel, Llywydd, rwy'n siŵr y bydd Huw Irranca-Davies yn cydnabod y camau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru eisoes wedi eu cymryd i ddiogelu gweithluoedd lle mae menywod wedi'u cynrychioli yn anghymesur, felly roedd ein penderfyniad yn gynnar i sicrhau bod cyfarpar diogelu personol ar gael am ddim yn y sector gofal cymdeithasol yn sicrwydd pwysig iawn bod y gweithwyr hynny yn gwybod y bydden nhw'n cael yr amddiffyniad y mae hynny wedi ei ddarparu. Fel y gwyddoch, mae cartrefi gofal dros ein ffin yn gorfod talu amdano, ond gwnaethom ni'r penderfyniad o'r cychwyn mai amddiffyn y gweithwyr hynny oedd ein prif flaenoriaeth ac roedd cael yr amddiffyniad yr oedd ei angen arnyn nhw a'i gael iddyn nhw am ddim yn fuddsoddiad gennym ni yn llesiant y gweithlu hwnnw, ac felly hefyd y cynllun parhaus sydd gennym ni i wneud yn siŵr bod pobl yn cael tâl salwch llawn yn y sector gofal cymdeithasol, fel nad ydyn nhw'n teimlo, fel y dywedodd Huw Irranca, bod yn rhaid iddyn nhw ddod yn ôl i'r gwaith pan fyddan nhw'n gwybod nad yw'n iawn iddyn nhw wneud hynny. Ac yn y maes manwerthu lle mae menywod, unwaith eto, yn rhan anghymesur o'r gweithlu, cyhoeddasom ym mis Ionawr y byddai'n rhaid i weithleoedd gynnal asesiadau risg newydd gyda safonau uwch i wneud yn siŵr bod gweithleoedd yn ddiogel rhag amrywiolion newydd y clefyd. Ac fe'n cynorthwywyd i wneud hynny gan gyflogwyr yma yng Nghymru. A bydd y safonau uwch hynny—gwneud yn siŵr bod gweithleoedd yn cael eu diogelu yn briodol a bod popeth yn cael ei wneud i wneud yn siŵr bod gweithwyr a phobl sy'n defnyddio'r lleoliadau hynny yn cael eu cadw'n ddiogel—yn parhau i fod yn flaenllaw ym mhopeth yr ydym ni'n ei wneud fel Llywodraeth yn ystod gweddill y flwyddyn galendr hon, pan fydd coronafeirws yn dal i fod yn rhan o'n bywydau.
Ac fe ddywedaf eto, gan fy mod i'n cytuno gymaint â Huw Irranca-Davies: mae'r syniad y gallai hyd at draean o deuluoedd sy'n gweithio yng Nghymru ganfod eu hunain gyda £1,000 yn llai i ddiwallu anghenion eu teuluoedd—pobl sy'n defnyddio'r arian hwnnw i wneud pethau syml fel cadw'r goleuadau ymlaen a chadw bwyd ar y bwrdd—mae'r syniad bod y Llywodraeth hon wedi cadw'r teuluoedd hynny yn aros, heb wybod beth fyddai eu sefyllfa, mae'n greulondeb gwirioneddol. Dychmygwch fyw o dan yr amodau hynny a gwybod na fyddech chi, ymhen ychydig wythnosau'n unig, yn cael y cymorth ychwanegol hwnnw. Rwy'n credu ei fod yn gywilyddus, ac rwy'n gobeithio'n fawr iawn y bydd y Canghellor, ar 3 Mawrth, o'r diwedd yn gwneud iawn am y trallod y mae hynny wedi ei achosi i'r teuluoedd hynny.
4. Pa gymorth ariannol y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i ddarparu i yrwyr tacsis i'w helpu drwy'r pandemig? OQ56337
4. What financial support has the Welsh Government provided for taxi drivers to help them through the pandemic? OQ56337
I thank Jenny Rathbone for that, Llywydd. During the pandemic, taxi drivers have been able to obtain financial support from the economic recovery fund, including four rounds of discretionary grants. A further £1.1 million has been allocated for free personal protective equipment and cleaning products for drivers to help them protect themselves and passengers from COVID-19.
Diolchaf i Jenny Rathbone am hynna, Llywydd. Yn ystod y pandemig, mae gyrwyr tacsis wedi gallu cael cymorth ariannol gan y gronfa adfer economaidd, gan gynnwys pedair rownd o grantiau dewisol. Dyrannwyd £1.1 miliwn arall ar gyfer cyfarpar diogelu personol am ddim a chynhyrchion glanhau i yrwyr i'w helpu i amddiffyn eu hunain a theithwyr rhag COVID-19.
Thank you, First Minister. I'd like to pay tribute to the Unite union for having highlighted the extent to which taxi drivers were suffering from being unable to qualify for the UK Government grants. And also to pay tribute to the Welsh Government for reaching out to taxi drivers and enabling them to get some targeted compensation for the disappearance of most of their customers as a result of the pandemic restrictions. I think it's an excellent example of how the Government has used its limited resources to fill gaps in support to small businesses and freelancers that's not available elsewhere. But I also want to pay tribute to the taxi drivers themselves, because as a result of these really quite small sums of money that you've made available to them, they decided to reciprocate by raising over £10,000 in Cardiff for three local foodbanks, and it was quite humbling to witness the handing over of a cheque at the Al-Ikhlas centre in Adamsdown, which has been providing weekly food parcels to people in desperate need for over a year. So, I think—
Diolch yn fawr, Prif Weinidog. Hoffwn dalu teyrnged i undeb Unite am dynnu sylw at y graddau yr oedd gyrwyr tacsis yn dioddef o fethu â bod yn gymwys ar gyfer grantiau Llywodraeth y DU. A hefyd i dalu teyrnged i Lywodraeth Cymru am estyn allan at yrwyr tacsis a chaniatáu iddyn nhw gael rhywfaint o iawndal wedi'i dargedu am ddiflaniad y rhan fwyaf o'u cwsmeriaid o ganlyniad i gyfyngiadau'r pandemig. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn enghraifft wych o sut mae'r Llywodraeth wedi defnyddio ei hadnoddau cyfyngedig i lenwi bylchau mewn cymorth i fusnesau bach a gweithwyr llawrydd nad yw ar gael mewn mannau eraill. Ond rwyf i hefyd eisiau talu teyrnged i'r gyrwyr tacsis eu hunain, oherwydd o ganlyniad i'r symiau eithaf bach hyn o arian yr ydych chi wedi eu darparu iddyn nhw, fe wnaethon nhw benderfynu ymateb trwy godi dros £10,000 yng Nghaerdydd i dri banc bwyd lleol, ac roedd yn deimlad eithaf diymhongar gweld siec yn cael ei roi yng nghanolfan Al-Ikhlas yn Adamsdown, sydd wedi bod yn darparu parseli bwyd wythnosol i bobl mewn angen dybryd ers dros flwyddyn. Felly, rwy'n meddwl—
Can you come to your question, now, Jenny Rathbone?
A allwch chi ddod at eich cwestiwn, nawr, Jenny Rathbone?
Yes, thank you. So, looking to the future and our need to ensure that we have a clean, decarbonised public transport system, what financial support could be made available to taxi drivers to enable them to upgrade their vehicles to the clean air standards that we're going to be requiring in the future, so that they'll be able to continue serving the communities that they obviously have such regard for?
Gallaf, diolch. Felly, gan edrych i'r dyfodol a'n hangen i sicrhau bod gennym ni system cludiant cyhoeddus lân, wedi'i datgarboneiddio, pa gymorth ariannol ellid ei ddarparu i yrwyr tacsis i ganiatáu iddyn nhw uwchraddio eu cerbydau i'r safonau aer glân y byddwn yn eu gwneud yn ofynnol yn y dyfodol, fel y byddan nhw'n gallu parhau i wasanaethu'r cymunedau y mae'n amlwg bod ganddyn nhw gymaint o feddwl ohonyn nhw?
Well, Llywydd, I thank Jenny Rathbone. I want to join her in paying tribute to the work of taxi drivers here in Cardiff, who've worked so hard to be able to support those foodbanks. She and I—and I'm sure many other Members in the Senedd today—have significant numbers of taxi drivers who live in our constituencies, and the pandemic hit them really hard—really hard. I'm very glad that our discretionary funds particularly have had an impact on the sector. Cardiff Council, as of Friday last week, had approved over 2,700 discretionary grants to those with the stated occupation of 'taxi driver', worth over £5 million. And the latest round—the £30 million announced on the fifth of this month—will provide a further £2,000 grant for self-employed taxi drivers.
The modernisation of the fleet is a real challenge for them. It's why we have been very glad to develop a number of green taxi pilot schemes in the Cardiff capital region, in Pembrokeshire and in Denbighshire, to allow drivers to use zero-emission vehicles on a free try-before-you-buy basis. Fifty taxis are being purchased, with 30 days for a taxi drivers to use them free of charge, in the hope that that will stimulate demand within the sector for the sort of transport that Jenny Rathbone has very long championed. We're looking, as a Government, at options for grants, leasing arrangements and so on, so that we can stimulate the appetite for that sort of provision. We'll be there to support the sector in that, as well.
Wel, Llywydd, diolchaf i Jenny Rathbone. Hoffwn ymuno â hi i dalu teyrnged i waith gyrwyr tacsis yma yng Nghaerdydd, sydd wedi gweithio mor galed i allu cynorthwyo'r banciau bwyd hynny. Mae ganddi hi a minnau—a llawer o Aelodau eraill yn y Senedd heddiw, rwy'n siŵr—nifer sylweddol o yrwyr tacsis sy'n byw yn ein hetholaethau, ac fe'u tarwyd yn galed iawn gan y pandemig—yn galed iawn. Rwy'n falch iawn bod ein cronfeydd dewisol yn arbennig wedi cael effaith ar y sector. Roedd Cyngor Caerdydd, erbyn dydd Gwener yr wythnos diwethaf, wedi cymeradwyo dros 2,700 o grantiau dewisol i'r rhai â'r alwedigaeth ddatganedig 'gyrrwr tacsi', gwerth dros £5 miliwn. A bydd y rownd ddiweddaraf—y £30 miliwn a gyhoeddwyd ar y pumed o'r mis hwn—yn darparu grant pellach o £2,000 i yrwyr tacsi hunangyflogedig.
Mae moderneiddio'r fflyd yn her wirioneddol iddyn nhw. Dyna pam yr ydym ni wedi bod yn falch iawn o ddatblygu nifer o gynlluniau arbrofol tacsis gwyrdd ym mhrifddinas-ranbarth Caerdydd, yn sir Benfro ac yn Sir Ddinbych, i ganiatáu i yrwyr ddefnyddio cerbydau dim allyriadau ar sail ceisio cyn prynu am ddim. Mae hanner cant o dacsis yn cael eu prynu, gyda 30 diwrnod i yrwyr tacsi eu defnyddio yn rhad ac am ddim, yn y gobaith y bydd hynny yn ysgogi galw yn y sector am y math o drafnidiaeth y mae Jenny Rathbone wedi ei hyrwyddo ers amser maith. Rydym ni'n edrych, fel Llywodraeth, ar ddewisiadau ar gyfer grantiau, trefniadau prydlesu ac yn y blaen, fel y gallwn ni ysgogi'r awydd am y math hwnnw o ddarpariaeth. Byddwn ni yno i gynorthwyo'r sector yn hynny hefyd.
5. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i annog mwy o fenywod a merched i astudio a dilyn gyrfaoedd mewn gwyddoniaeth, technoleg, peirianneg a mathemateg? OQ56339
5. What is the Welsh Government doing to encourage more women and girls to study and follow careers in science, technology, engineering and maths? OQ56339
Llywydd, the Welsh Government actively supports all girls and young women in Wales to study STEM subjects and pursue careers in STEM. We provide annual funding to STEM organisations within the education sector. This year, the Welsh Government will support the International Women’s Day event on gender equality in STEM subjects, to be held here in Wales.
Llywydd, mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn rhoi cymorth gweithredol i bob merch a menyw ifanc yng Nghymru i astudio pynciau STEM a dilyn gyrfaoedd STEM. Rydym ni'n darparu cyllid blynyddol i sefydliadau STEM yn y sector addysg. Eleni, bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi digwyddiad Diwrnod Rhyngwladol y Menywod ar gydraddoldeb rhywiol mewn pynciau STEM, i'w gynnal yma yng Nghymru.
Thank you, First Minister. Throughout the pandemic, we've seen some remarkable work and achievements of scientists and engineers. From producing vaccines in record time to testing systems, identifying new variants, producing data analysis and the development of new medicines and protective equipment, the pandemic has highlighted the vital role of STEM.
Amongst those achievements have been some amazing women leading: Dr Moore, who led the effort to establish COVID testing in Wales; Dr Hayhurst, who is the lead scientist on a new form of rapid testing; and, of course, Dr Gillian Richardson, who leads our fantastic COVID vaccination programme in Wales, which is the quickest of all the UK nations. These women are leading in their fields, but, sadly, we all know that women and girls are far less likely to pursue STEM subjects in school, and, as such, do not follow on into these careers.
The pandemic has elevated our scientists and engineers onto a public platform, and highlighted how important their work is for all of us. How can we use this last year to promote STEM subjects to our young women and girls, and make sure that we get more Dr Moores, Dr Hayhursts and Dr Richardsons in the future?
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. Drwy gydol y pandemig, rydym ni wedi gweld gwaith a llwyddiannau rhyfeddol gwyddonwyr a pheirianwyr. O gynhyrchu brechlynnau yn yr amser cyflymaf erioed i systemau profi, nodi amrywiolion newydd, cynhyrchu dadansoddiadau data a datblygu meddyginiaethau a chyfarpar diogelu newydd, mae'r pandemig wedi tynnu sylw at swyddogaeth hanfodol STEM.
Ymhlith y llwyddiannau hynny bu rhai menywod anhygoel yn arwain: Dr Moore, a arweiniodd yr ymdrech i sefydlu profion COVID yng Nghymru; Dr Hayhurst, sef y prif wyddonydd ar ffurf newydd o brofion cyflym; ac, wrth gwrs, Dr Gillian Richardson, sy'n arwain ein rhaglen frechu COVID wych yng Nghymru, sef y cyflymaf o holl wledydd y DU. Mae'r menywod hyn yn arwain yn eu meysydd, ond, yn anffodus, rydym ni i gyd yn gwybod bod menywod a merched yn llawer llai tebygol o astudio pynciau STEM yn yr ysgol, ac, o'r herwydd, nid ydyn nhw'n dilyn ymlaen i'r gyrfaoedd hyn.
Mae'r pandemig wedi dyrchafu ein gwyddonwyr a'n peirianwyr i lwyfan cyhoeddus, ac wedi tynnu sylw at ba mor bwysig yw eu gwaith i bob un ohonom ni. Sut gallwn ni ddefnyddio'r flwyddyn ddiwethaf hon i hyrwyddo pynciau STEM i'n menywod ifanc a'n merched, a gwneud yn siŵr ein bod ni'n cael mwy fel Dr Moore, Dr Hayhurst a Dr Richardson yn y dyfodol?
I thank Jayne Bryant for that and agree with her about the outstanding quality of individuals we have here in Wales as role models for young women thinking of careers in STEM subjects. There's been some good progress in recent times; more girls than boys now study biology, physics and chemistry in Wales at GCSE level, and over half of our nearly 20,000 STEM apprenticeships in Wales are now taken up by young women rather than young men. So, there are some breakthroughs that are happening.
Role models are really important in that. The women in STEM board that we have here in Wales—it met last October and was attended by our colleagues Jane Hutt and Kirsty Williams to make clear the Welsh Government's support for the leadership of women in those subjects here in Wales and in those jobs that Jayne Bryant highlighted, and the way in which they can inspire others to follow in their footsteps.
I know that Jayne Bryant will be interested that, at the start of March, Careers Wales is holding an event very close to her part of the world, designed specifically to try to attract young women into the jobs in semiconductor professions and so on that are clustered around the south-east of Wales, and where persuading young women to think of those jobs as their futures is absolutely part of the way in which that event is being organised.
Diolchaf i Jayne Bryant am hynna ac rwy'n cytuno â hi am ansawdd rhagorol unigolion sydd gennym ni yma yng Nghymru fel esiamplau i fenywod ifanc sy'n ystyried gyrfaoedd mewn pynciau STEM. Cafwyd rhywfaint o gynnydd da yn ddiweddar; mae mwy o ferched na bechgyn yn astudio bioleg, ffiseg a chemeg yng Nghymru ar lefel TGAU erbyn hyn, ac mae dros hanner ein bron i 20,000 o brentisiaethau STEM yng Nghymru bellach wedi'u llenwi gan fenywod ifanc yn hytrach na dynion ifanc. Felly, ceir rhai datblygiadau arloesol sy'n digwydd.
Mae esiamplau yn bwysig iawn yn hynny o beth. Y bwrdd menywod mewn STEM sydd gennym ni yma yng Nghymru—cyfarfu fis Hydref diwethaf ac roedd ein cyd-Aelodau Jane Hutt a Kirsty Williams yn bresennol i egluro cefnogaeth Llywodraeth Cymru i arweinyddiaeth menywod yn y pynciau hynny yma yng Nghymru ac yn y swyddi hynny y tynnodd Jayne Bryant sylw atynt, a'r ffordd y gallan nhw ysbrydoli eraill i ddilyn yn ôl eu traed.
Gwn y bydd gan Jayne Bryant ddiddordeb bod Gyrfa Cymru, ddechrau mis Mawrth, yn cynnal digwyddiad sy'n agos iawn at ei rhan hi o'r byd, wedi ei gynllunio yn benodol i geisio denu menywod ifanc i'r swyddi mewn proffesiynau lled-ddargludyddion ac yn y blaen sydd wedi'u clystyru o amgylch de-ddwyrain Cymru, a lle mae perswadio menywod ifanc i feddwl am y swyddi hynny fel eu dyfodol yn rhan bendant o'r ffordd y mae'r digwyddiad hwnnw yn cael ei drefnu.
First Minister, I'm 42 now and had a couple of friends—strong-willed ladies—who broke the mould all those many, many moons ago, when I was younger, and had glittering careers as engineers in a very, very male-dominated environment; it was virtually unheard of when I was younger. The situation, as has been outlined just now, has got an awful lot of better, but it still has a long way to go to be how it should be.
These are vital areas that we need our future generations of all genders to excel at now, making it particularly more accessible for women, obviously, and women to be encouraged to sign up to. As you've outlined, the take-up for apprenticeships has got better, but it still has a long way to go. Career advice in schools tends to guide women towards apprenticeships that are in sectors where pay is less than those dominated by men. But what is the Welsh Government doing to tackle the gender imbalance in career advice in schools? And how are you working with the Fair Work Commission to stop the perpetuation of gender inequality and to meet the equality objectives that your Government has set? Thank you.
Prif Weinidog, rwy'n 42 oed erbyn hyn ac roedd gen i un neu ddau o ffrindiau—menywod cryf—a oedd y cyntaf o'u math, flynyddoedd lawer iawn yn ôl, pan oeddwn i'n iau, a gafodd yrfaoedd disglair fel peirianwyr mewn amgylchedd sy'n cael ei reoli yn llwyr gan ddynion; nid oedd yn bodoli bron pan oeddwn i'n iau. Mae'r sefyllfa, fel yr amlinellwyd nawr, wedi gwella'n fawr iawn, ond mae ganddi ffordd bell i fynd o hyd i fod fel y dylai fod.
Mae'r rhain yn feysydd hanfodol yr ydym ni angen i genedlaethau'r dyfodol o bob rhyw ragori ynddyn nhw nawr, gan ei gwneud yn fwy hygyrch i fenywod yn arbennig, yn amlwg, ac annog menywod i ymrwymo iddyn nhw. Fel yr ydych chi wedi ei amlinellu, mae'r nifer sy'n manteisio ar brentisiaethau wedi gwella, ond mae ffordd bell i fynd o hyd. Mae cyngor gyrfaoedd mewn ysgolion yn tueddu i lywio menywod tuag at brentisiaethau sydd mewn sectorau lle mae cyflog yn llai na'r rhai sy'n llawn dynion. Ond beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i fynd i'r afael â'r anghydbwysedd rhwng y rhywiau o ran cyngor gyrfaoedd mewn ysgolion? A sut ydych chi'n gweithio gyda'r Comisiwn Gwaith Teg i atal anghydraddoldeb rhwng y rhywiau rhag parhau ac i gyflawni'r amcanion cydraddoldeb y mae eich Llywodraeth wedi eu pennu? Diolch.
Well, Llywydd, the event that I referred to in answering Jayne Bryant's question is an event that will be run by the careers service, so I would be very disappointed if it were the case that the careers service is actively continuing stereotypical directions for young men or young women in the workplace, and I'm sure that that is not the intention of the service.
It's an uphill battle, as the Member will know. I agree with her that there's far more that needs to be done. I have a young grandson, and you have to work really hard to make sure that you don't end up just buying things that are pushed at us all as being the right things for young boys to have, rather than offering a more rounded idea of what life could be like. And that is certainly true for young women who have got all of those things pushed at them by the commercial world and so on. So, the Welsh Government puts its shoulder to the wheel in the opposite direction, using the services that we have, and the many people who are there in private businesses as well as in the public service who want to make sure that that wider range of opportunities is positively promoted to young women and girls entering the workplace. We do it in a world that still has some pretty deep-seated conventional attitudes and so on, but that just means that that work is all the more necessary.
Wel, Llywydd, mae'r digwyddiad y cyfeiriais ato wrth ateb cwestiwn Jayne Bryant yn ddigwyddiad a fydd yn cael ei redeg gan y gwasanaeth gyrfaoedd, felly byddwn yn siomedig iawn pe byddai'r gwasanaeth gyrfaoedd yn parhau yn fwriadol â chyfarwyddiadau ystrydebol i ddynion ifanc neu fenywod ifanc yn y gweithle, ac rwy'n siŵr nad dyna yw bwriad y gwasanaeth.
Mae'n frwydr galed, fel y bydd yr Aelod yn gwybod. Rwy'n cytuno â hi bod llawer mwy y mae angen ei wneud. Mae gen i ŵyr ifanc, ac mae'n rhaid i chi weithio yn galed iawn i wneud yn siŵr nad ydych chi'n prynu pethau sy'n cael eu gwthio atom ni i gyd fel y pethau iawn i fechgyn ifanc eu cael, yn hytrach na chynnig syniad mwy cytbwys o sut y gallai bywyd fod. Ac mae hynny'n sicr yn wir i fenywod ifanc sydd wedi cael yr holl bethau hynny wedi eu gwthio atyn nhw gan y byd masnachol ac yn y blaen. Felly, mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn torchi ei llewys ac yn gwthio i'r cyfeiriad arall, gan ddefnyddio'r gwasanaethau sydd gennym ni, a'r nifer fawr o bobl sydd yno mewn busnesau preifat yn ogystal ag yn y gwasanaeth cyhoeddus sydd eisiau gwneud yn siŵr bod yr amrywiaeth ehangach honno o gyfleoedd yn cael ei hyrwyddo yn gadarnhaol i fenywod ifanc a merched sy'n dod i mewn i'r gweithle. Rydym ni'n gwneud hynny mewn byd sydd yn dal i fod â rhai agweddau confensiynol eithaf dwfn ac yn y blaen, ond mae hynny'n golygu bod y gwaith hwnnw yn fwy angenrheidiol byth.
Cwestiwn 6, Helen Mary Jones.
Question 6, Helen Mary Jones.
[Inaudible.]
[Anghylwadwy.]
I'm not hearing Helen Mary's question.
Nid wyf i'n clywed cwestiwn Helen Mary.
I'm sorry, Llywydd, I think my microphone was in the incorrect position.
Mae'n ddrwg gen i, Llywydd, rwy'n credu bod fy meicroffon yn y lle anghywir.
Yes, it was on top of your head. [Laughter.]
Oedd, roedd ar dop eich pen. [Chwerthin.]
Clearly the incorrect position. I do apologise. [Laughter.]
Y lle anghywir, yn amlwg. Mae'n ddrwg gen i. [Chwerthin.]
Carry on.
Ewch ymlaen.
6. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am gyflwyno'r brechlyn yng Nghanolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru? OQ56315
6. Will the First Minister make a statement on the vaccination roll-out in Mid and West Wales? OQ56315
Llywydd, I thank the Member for that question. Vaccines are currently being administered in 260 sites in the health boards that cover Mid and West Wales. We remain on track in all parts of Wales to deliver the milestone set out in our national vaccination strategy. In the coming days, we will exceed 1 million doses of vaccine delivered here in Wales.
Llywydd, diolchaf i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn yna. Mae brechlynnau'n cael eu rhoi ar hyn o bryd mewn 260 o safleoedd yn y byrddau iechyd sy'n cwmpasu Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru. Rydym ni'n dal ar y trywydd iawn ym mhob rhan o Gymru i gyflawni'r garreg filltir a nodwyd yn ein strategaeth frechu genedlaethol. Yn y dyddiau nesaf, byddwn yn mynd y tu hwnt i 1 filiwn dos o frechlyn a roddwyd yma yng Nghymru.
I thank the First Minister for his answer and I know that we are all very impressed by the amazing work that's gone into delivering the vaccination programme. But the First Minister will be aware that the families and friends of people with learning disabilities living in residential settings continue to be very concerned about the fact that those people they care about so much have not yet been prioritised. I've personally lost count of the number of representations I've received—from Llanelli to Powys, from Pembrokeshire to Pen Llŷn—from families who are concerned, and given that Mencap estimate that there are only about 3,500 people in that category of learning disabled people who live in residential settings.
I was encouraged the hear the health Minister, Vaughan Gething, on ITV saying last night that there may be guidance available in a day or two to enable the Welsh Government to provide those vaccines. Now, if this is able to go ahead, can I ask the First Minister if he and the health Minister will place a priority on learning disabled people within priority group 6? The local health board tells me that that priority group is very large indeed, and I'm sure it would be a huge reassurance to those families and friends if the First Minister and his health Minister were able to prioritise learning disabled people within priority 6, if indeed they are to be included in that priority.
Diolchaf i'r Prif Weinidog am ei ateb a gwn fod y gwaith anhygoel sydd wedi ei wneud i gyflawni'r rhaglen frechu wedi creu argraff fawr arnom ni i gyd. Ond bydd y Prif Weinidog yn ymwybodol bod teuluoedd a chyfeillion pobl ag anableddau dysgu sy'n byw mewn lleoliadau preswyl yn parhau i bryderu'n fawr am y ffaith nad yw'r bobl hynny y maen nhw'n poeni amdanyn nhw gymaint wedi cael eu blaenoriaethu hyd yma. Rwyf i'n bersonol wedi colli cyfrif o nifer y sylwadau yr wyf i wedi eu derbyn—o Lanelli i Bowys, o sir Benfro i Ben Llŷn—gan deuluoedd sy'n pryderu, ac o gofio bod Mencap yn amcangyfrif mai dim ond tua 3,500 o bobl yn y categori hwnnw o bobl ag anabledd dysgu sy'n byw mewn lleoliadau preswyl.
Roedd yn galonogol clywed y Gweinidog iechyd, Vaughan Gething, ar ITV yn dweud neithiwr y gallai fod canllawiau ar gael mewn diwrnod neu ddau i alluogi Llywodraeth Cymru i ddarparu'r brechlynnau hynny. Nawr, os gall hyn ddigwydd, a gaf i ofyn i'r Prif Weinidog a fydd ef a'r Gweinidog iechyd yn rhoi blaenoriaeth i bobl ag anabledd dysgu yng ngrŵp blaenoriaeth 6? Mae'r bwrdd iechyd lleol yn dweud wrthyf i bod y grŵp blaenoriaeth hwnnw yn hynod o fawr, ac rwy'n siŵr y byddai'n gysur enfawr i'r teuluoedd a'r ffrindiau hynny pe byddai'r Prif Weinidog a'i Weinidog iechyd yn gallu blaenoriaethu pobl ag anableddau dysgu o fewn blaenoriaeth 6, os eu bod nhw mewn gwirionedd yn mynd i gael eu cynnwys yn y flaenoriaeth honno.
Well, Llywydd, I thank Helen Mary Jones for that important supplementary question, and I think there is some good news coming for those families who are absolutely understandably concerned. I've seen the advice that the Minister will consider today on this matter in relation to prioritisation of group 6. Helen Mary Jones will know that the broad category of number 6 is underlying health conditions, and within that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation identifies people with severe and profound learning disabilities. But the advice that I've seen going to the Minister advocates an inclusive approach, where the approach is less on gatekeeping than on ensuring that nobody entitled to vaccination is missed out.
So, the proposal is to use GP registers of people with a learning disability as the basis of identifying eligible individuals, and that that should be supplemented by professional judgment and wider local knowledge, held, for example, by third sector organisations or by local authorities. And the advice goes beyond simple identification to creating the right conditions for people with a learning disability to be able to come forward comfortably, to feel at ease in receiving vaccination and thus to maximise take-up. So, the Minister will be considering that advice today, but I hope the Member is reassured that the approach that it takes is not one in which we take 'severe and profound' as a definition designed to minimise the number of people who can come through in that group, but to take a more inclusive approach, making sure that nobody who is entitled misses out. That is the approach we will want to take in Wales.
And, Llywydd, maybe I should just say that the fact that we have GP registers of people with a learning disability, of course, is due to a very early decision made in the very first term of devolution, when David Melding brought forward a proposition for an annual health check for people with learning disabilities, supported around the Chamber at the time, and, as a result, we have these registers and are able now to use them, put them to good work, to make sure that people with learning disabilities are able to be vaccinated in line with that group 6 priority.
Wel, Llywydd, diolchaf i Helen Mary Jones am y cwestiwn atodol pwysig yna, ac rwy'n credu bod rhywfaint o newyddion da yn dod i'r teuluoedd hynny sy'n bryderus, a hynny'n gwbl ddealladwy. Rwyf i wedi gweld y cyngor y bydd y Gweinidog yn ei ystyried heddiw ar y mater hwn o ran blaenoriaethu grŵp 6. Bydd Helen Mary Jones yn gwybod mai cyflyrau iechyd sylfaenol yw categori eang rhif 6, ac o fewn hynny mae'r Cyd-bwyllgor ar Imiwneiddio a Brechu yn nodi pobl ag anableddau dysgu difrifol a dwys. Ond mae'r cyngor yr wyf i wedi ei weld yn mynd at y Gweinidog yn argymell dull cynhwysol, lle mae'r dull yn canolbwyntio llai ar borthgadw nag ar sicrhau nad oes neb sydd â hawl i gael brechiad yn cael ei fethu.
Felly, y cynnig yw defnyddio cofrestrau meddygon teulu o bobl ag anabledd dysgu fel y sail i nodi unigolion cymwys, ac y dylai hynny gael ei ategu gan farn broffesiynol a gwybodaeth leol ehangach, a ddelir, er enghraifft, gan sefydliadau trydydd sector neu gan awdurdodau lleol. Ac mae'r cyngor yn mynd y tu hwnt i nodi syml i greu'r amodau cywir i bobl ag anabledd dysgu allu dod ymlaen yn gyfforddus, i deimlo'n hapus i dderbyn brechiad ac felly i sicrhau bod cymaint â phosibl yn manteisio arno. Felly, bydd y Gweinidog yn ystyried y cyngor hwnnw heddiw, ond rwy'n gobeithio bod yr Aelod yn fwy tawel ei meddwl nad yw'r dull y mae'n ei fabwysiadu yn un lle'r ydym ni'n cymryd 'difrifol a dwys' fel diffiniad sydd â'r bwriad o sicrhau y gall cyn lleied â phosibl o bobl ddod drwodd yn y grŵp hwnnw, ond i fabwysiadu dull mwy cynhwysol, gan wneud yn siŵr nad oes neb sydd â hawl yn cael eu methu. Dyna'r dull y byddwn ni eisiau ei fabwysiadu yng Nghymru.
A, Llywydd, efallai y dylwn i ddweud bod y ffaith bod gennym ni gofrestrau meddygon teulu o bobl ag anabledd dysgu, wrth gwrs, yn ganlyniad i benderfyniad cynnar iawn a wnaed yn nhymor cyntaf un datganoli, pan gyflwynodd David Melding gynnig o archwiliad iechyd blynyddol i bobl ag anableddau dysgu, a gefnogwyd ym mhob rhan o'r Siambr ar y pryd , ac, o ganlyniad, mae gennym ni'r cofrestrau hyn ac rydym ni bellach yn gallu eu defnyddio, gwneud gwaith da gyda nhw, i wneud yn siŵr bod pobl ag anableddau dysgu yn gallu cael eu brechu yn unol â'r flaenoriaeth grŵp 6 honno.
First Minister, that's really good news on the learning disability issue. Are you able to offer equally good news for unpaid carers? Because my inbox, and I'm sure every other Senedd Member's inbox, is absolutely full of people who are unpaid carers, desperate to have a vaccine, because if they get sick, the people who need their help—the elderly relative or the disabled child, whoever it may be—don't have anyone else to look after them. I note with the JCVI that they do talk about the whole caring situation, and they do have an addendum, and it says:
'Other groups at higher risk, including those who are in receipt of a carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill, should also be offered vaccination alongside these groups.'
There's a number of instances where either you or the health Minister has said, 'Yes, the decision's coming; it's going to happen', and then it's been put off while you're waiting to see what the JCVI say. They already say that, so are you able to offer the same kind of hope to those unpaid carers who are so desperate and so worried over this issue?
Prif Weinidog, mae hynny'n newyddion da iawn am y mater anabledd dysgu. A allwch chi gynnig newyddion yr un mor dda i ofalwyr di-dâl? Oherwydd mae fy mewnflwch i, ac rwy'n siŵr bod mewnflwch pob Aelod arall o'r Senedd, yn llawn i'r ymylon o bobl sy'n ofalwyr di-dâl, yn awyddus iawn i gael brechlyn, oherwydd os byddan nhw'n mynd yn sâl, nid oes gan y bobl sydd angen eu cymorth—y perthynas oedrannus neu'r plentyn anabl, pwy bynnag y bo—neb arall i ofalu amdanyn nhw. Rwy'n sylwi gyda'r Cyd-bwyllgor ar Imiwneiddio a Brechu eu bod nhw'n siarad am yr holl sefyllfa ofalu, ac mae ganddyn nhw adendwm, ac mae'n dweud:
Dylid hefyd cynnig brechiad i grwpiau eraill sydd mewn mwy o berygl, gan gynnwys y rhai sy'n cael lwfans gofalwr, neu'r rhai sy'n brif ofalwr am berson oedrannus neu anabl y gallai ei les fod mewn perygl os bydd y gofalwr yn mynd yn sâl, ochr yn ochr â'r grwpiau hyn.
Ceir nifer o achosion lle'r ydych chi neu'r Gweinidog iechyd wedi dweud, 'Ydy, mae'r penderfyniad yn dod; mae'n mynd i ddigwydd', ac yna mae wedi cael ei ohirio tra byddwch chi'n aros i weld beth mae'r cyd-bwyllgor yn ei ddweud. Maen nhw eisoes yn dweud hynny, felly a allwch chi gynnig yr un math o obaith i'r gofalwyr di-dâl hynny sydd mor ddiobaith ac mor bryderus ynghylch y mater hwn?
Well, I don't recognise what the Member says about decisions made and then delayed. We have said all along we will follow the JCVI advice and that includes including unpaid carers within priority group 6. Alongside the advice we will publish on people with learning disabilities, we will publish this week the definitions that we will use to make sure that unpaid carers are able to come forward and be vaccinated as part of that group. It cannot be, as the Member will understand, a simple self-certification, otherwise anybody would be able to walk through the door and get vaccinated on their own say-so. All four Governments in the UK are agreed that we cannot do that. We therefore do have to use definitions to make sure that the right people are prioritised, and we're trying to do that on an aligned basis across the UK to make sure that those definitions are common between us. We'll publish the detailed guidance on that this week. I'm very keen indeed, of course, that people who are unpaid carers get the vaccination as fast as possible because of the enormously valuable work they do and the vulnerability of those people who rely on their care.
Wel, nid wyf i'n cydnabod yr hyn y mae'r Aelod yn ei ddweud am benderfyniadau yn cael eu gwneud ac yna eu hoedi. Rydym ni wedi dweud o'r cychwyn y byddwn ni'n dilyn cyngor y Cyd-bwyllgor ar Imiwneiddio a Brechu ac mae hynny yn cynnwys cynnwys gofalwyr di-dâl yng ngrŵp blaenoriaeth 6. Ochr yn ochr â'r cyngor y byddwn ni'n ei gyhoeddi ar bobl ag anableddau dysgu, byddwn yn cyhoeddi yr wythnos hon y diffiniadau y byddwn ni'n eu defnyddio i wneud yn siŵr bod gofalwyr di-dâl yn gallu dod ymlaen a chael eu brechu yn rhan o'r grŵp hwnnw. Ni all fod, fel y bydd yr Aelod yn deall, yn hunanardystiad syml, neu fel arall byddai unrhyw un yn gallu cerdded drwy'r drws a chael ei frechu ar sail yr hyn y mae'n ei ddweud ei hun. Mae pob un o'r pedair Llywodraeth yn y DU yn cytuno na allwn ni wneud hynny. Felly, mae'n rhaid i ni ddefnyddio diffiniadau i wneud yn siŵr bod y bobl iawn yn cael blaenoriaeth, ac rydym ni'n ceisio gwneud hynny ar sail gyson ledled y DU i wneud yn siŵr bod y diffiniadau hynny yn gyffredin rhyngom ni. Byddwn yn cyhoeddi'r canllawiau manwl ar hynny yr wythnos hon. Rwy'n awyddus iawn, wrth gwrs, bod pobl sy'n ofalwyr di-dâl yn cael y brechiad cyn gynted â phosibl oherwydd y gwaith hynod werthfawr y maen nhw'n ei wneud a natur agored i niwed y bobl hynny sy'n dibynnu ar eu gofal.
7. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am gefnogaeth Llywodraeth Cymru i blant a phobl ifanc sy'n dysgu gartref? OQ56340
7. Will the First Minister make a statement on Welsh Government support for children and young people learning at home? OQ56340
Llywydd, getting children and young people back into school remains our top priority. The range of measures to support remote learning include additional support for practitioners, significant investment in devices, support for learners with additional needs and the £29 million Recruit, Recover and Raise Standards programme.
Llywydd, cael plant a phobl ifanc yn ôl i'r ysgol yw ein prif flaenoriaeth o hyd. Mae'r ystod o fesurau i gynorthwyo dysgu o bell yn cynnwys cymorth ychwanegol i ymarferwyr, buddsoddiad sylweddol mewn dyfeisiau, cymorth i ddysgwyr ag anghenion ychwanegol a'r rhaglen Recriwtio, Adfer a Chodi Safonau gwerth £29 miliwn.
Thank you, First Minister, and it was absolutely fantastic to see our youngest children going back to school yesterday, and unlike Andrew R.T. Davies and, it seems, Boris Johnson, I think it's really important that Governments should follow their own scientific advice, which means that our children in Wales will be learning at home for a longer period, as we manage that return to school safely. With this in mind, and given the recognition that there's been from the Education Policy Institute about the pace—and very welcome pace—with which Welsh Government has got digital support out there to families, what further investment is planned to ensure that all children and young people can learn at home for the period that we now hope will be as short as possible?
Diolch, Prif Weinidog, ac roedd yn hollol wych gweld ein plant ieuengaf yn mynd yn ôl i'r ysgol ddoe, ac yn wahanol i Andrew R.T. Davies ac, mae'n ymddangos, Boris Johnson, rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig iawn i Lywodraethau ddilyn eu cyngor gwyddonol eu hunain, sy'n golygu y bydd ein plant yng Nghymru yn dysgu gartref am gyfnod hwy, wrth i ni reoli'r dychweliad hwnnw i'r ysgol yn ddiogel. Gyda hyn mewn golwg, ac o gofio'r gydnabyddiaeth a gafwyd gan y Sefydliad Polisi Addysg am y cyflymder—a chyflymder sydd i'w groesawu'n fawr—y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi sicrhau bod cymorth digidol ar gael i deuluoedd, pa fuddsoddiad pellach sydd wedi ei gynllunio i sicrhau y gall pob plentyn a pherson ifanc ddysgu gartref am y cyfnod yr ydym ni'n gobeithio erbyn hyn y bydd mor fyr â phosibl?
Well, Llywydd, I thank Lynne Neagle for that, and thank her for the work that she and her committee have carried out in support of returning children and young people to face-to-face learning as quickly but as safely as we need to. I've seen her letter to the education Minister of earlier this month, which, I think, sets out very fairly indeed the balance that has to be there between the urgency of the need to get those young people back into education, but always doing so in line with the best scientific advice to keep them and those who look after them in that setting safe from this deadly disease.
I thank the Member for what she has said about investment in the Hwb edtech programme. We're very lucky, Llywydd, I think, that when coronavirus hit, we'd already had nearly £100 million-worth of investment in Hwb. It genuinely is a global-leading set of resources that we've been able to mobilise for young people here in Wales. And, as Lynne Neagle will know, earlier this month, the education Minister decided to invest a further £15 million in education technology in schools next year, and that is very much focused on ensuring that there are devices available for young people who need them, but also that there is connectivity for digitally excluded learners. And the £15 million that we were able to announce just a few days ago now means we can be sure that we can support those learners right through to the end of this academic year.
Wel, Llywydd, diolchaf i Lynne Neagle am hynna, a diolchaf iddi am y gwaith y mae hi a'i phwyllgor wedi ei wneud i gynorthwyo dychwelyd plant a phobl ifanc i ddysgu wyneb yn wyneb mor gyflym ond mor ddiogel ag y mae angen i ni ei wneud. Rwyf i wedi gweld ei llythyr at y Gweinidog Addysg yn gynharach y mis hwn, sydd, rwy'n credu, yn nodi yn deg iawn y cydbwysedd y mae'n rhaid ei sicrhau rhwng brys yr angen i gael y bobl ifanc hynny yn ôl i addysg, ond gwneud hynny bob amser yn unol â'r cyngor gwyddonol gorau i'w cadw nhw a'r rhai sy'n gofalu amdanyn nhw yn y lleoliad hwnnw yn ddiogel rhag y clefyd marwol hwn.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod am yr hyn y mae hi wedi ei ddweud am fuddsoddi yn rhaglen technoleg addysg Hwb. Rydym ni'n ffodus iawn, Llywydd, rwy'n credu, pan darodd coronafeirws, ein bod ni eisoes wedi cael gwerth bron i £100 miliwn o fuddsoddiad yn Hwb. Mae wir yn gyfres o adnoddau sy'n arwain y byd yr ydym ni wedi gallu ei chyflwyno ar gyfer pobl ifanc yma yng Nghymru. Ac, fel y bydd Lynne Neagle yn gwybod, yn gynharach y mis hwn, penderfynodd y Gweinidog Addysg fuddsoddi £15 miliwn arall mewn technoleg addysg mewn ysgolion y flwyddyn nesaf, ac mae hynny yn rhoi pwyslais mawr ar sicrhau bod dyfeisiau ar gael i bobl ifanc sydd eu hangen, ond hefyd bod cysylltedd i ddysgwyr sydd wedi'u hallgáu yn ddigidol. Ac mae'r £15 miliwn yr oeddem ni'n gallu ei gyhoeddi ychydig ddyddiau yn ôl yn golygu erbyn hyn y gallwn ni fod yn siŵr y gallwn ni gynorthwyo'r dysgwyr hynny yr holl ffordd hyd at ddiwedd y flwyddyn academaidd hon.
Ac yn olaf, cwestiwn 8, Llyr Gruffydd.
Finally, question 8, Llyr Gruffydd.
8. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am y defnydd o'r iaith Gymraeg yng ngharchar Berwyn yn Wrecsam? OQ56309
8. Will the First Minister make a statement on the use of the Welsh language in Berwyn prison in Wrexham? OQ56309
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Ysgrifennodd y Gweinidog Iechyd Meddwl, Llesiant a'r Gymraeg at yr Is-Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Seneddol yn y Weinyddiaeth Gyfiawnder ar 16 Chwefror i fynegi pryder am yr honiadau am brofiadau siaradwyr Cymraeg yng ngharchar y Berwyn, ac yn gofyn am eglurder am yr amserlen i weithredu mesurau i wella'r sefyllfa.
Thank you very much, Llywydd. The Minister for Mental Health, Well-being and the Welsh Language wrote to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Ministry for Justice on 16 February to express concern about the allegations made about the experiences of Welsh speakers at Berwyn prison, and to seek clarity on the timescale for implementing changes to improve the situation.
Byddwch chi'n gwybod bod carchar y Berwyn, wrth gwrs, wedi cael ei feirniadu'n gryf gan y bwrdd monitro annibynnol y llynedd am fethu darparu ar gyfer carcharorion Cymraeg eu hiaith, ac wrth gwrs wedi gwadu rhai hawliau i'r carcharorion hynny am eu bod nhw'n siarad Cymraeg. Nawr, chwe mis yn ddiweddarach, mewn gohebiaeth â mi, mae'r carchar wedi cadarnhau eu bod nhw ddim hyd yn oed yn gwybod faint o'u staff nhw eu hunain sy'n medru'r Gymraeg, felly sut y gallan nhw honni eu bod nhw'n sicrhau y ddarpariaeth angenrheidiol, dwi ddim yn siŵr. Ac mae yna honiad difrifol wedi bod hefyd—dwi'n siŵr eich bod chi'n ymwybodol o hyn—fod un carcharor wedi dioddef ymosodiad oherwydd y sylw a gafodd ei achos ef o safbwynt yr iaith Gymraeg yn y cyfryngau.
Nawr, mae'r holl sefyllfa yma yn amlygu methiant llwyr i gwrdd â hawliau sylfaenol siaradwyr Cymraeg. Dwi'n gwybod bod carchardai ddim wedi'u datganoli, ond mae elfennau ynglŷn â'r iaith wedi'u datganoli, ac, wrth gwrs, mae hyn yn digwydd yng Nghymru. Mae mwy o siaradwyr Cymraeg yn dal i fod mewn carchardai y tu allan i Gymru na sydd yna yng ngharchar y Berwyn, sy'n profi i fi fod yr addewid gwreiddiol y byddai Berwyn yn helpu i gwrdd ag anghenion Cymru yn gelwydd noeth. Felly, byddwn i'n eich annog chi yn y modd cryfaf posibl i sicrhau bod y sefyllfa yma'n newid. Y cwestiwn sylfaenol yw: pam ein bod ni'n dal i weld siaradwyr Cymraeg yn cael eu trin yn eilradd yma yng Nghymru?
You will be aware that Berwyn prison has been harshly criticised by the independent monitoring board last year for failing to provide for Welsh-speaking prisoners, and had denied certain rights to those prisoners because they were Welsh speaking. Now, six months later, the prison has confirmed, in correspondence with me, that they don't even know how many of their own staff are able to communicate through the medium of Welsh, so how can they claim that they are securing the necessary provision, I'm not sure. And there's been a serious allegation too—and I'm sure you'll be aware of this—that one prisoner had suffered an attack because of the coverage given to his case in the media in relation to the Welsh language.
Now, this whole situation highlights a fundamental failure in meeting the rights of Welsh speakers. I know that prisons are not devolved, but elements to do with the Welsh language are, and this is happening in Wales. There are still more Welsh speakers in prisons outside Wales than there are in Berwyn prison, which proves to me that the original pledge that Berwyn would help to meet the needs of Wales was completely misleading. So, I would encourage you in the strongest possible terms to ensure that this situation changes. The fundamental question is: why are we still seeing Welsh speakers being treated as second-class citizens here in Wales?
Llywydd, diolch yn fawr i Llyr Gruffydd am y cwestiynau ychwanegol yna. Mae'n hollol annerbyniol i fi os yw pobl yn y Berwyn ddim yn cael eu trin dan y gyfraith sydd gyda ni yma yng Nghymru. A dwi wedi gweld adroddiad blynyddol y bwrdd monitro annibynnol yn y Berwyn, sydd yn codi pryderon am ddefnydd o'r Gymraeg yn y carchar. Dyna pam mae Eluned Morgan wedi ysgrifennu at Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig yn gofyn am sicrwydd bod cynllun iaith Cymraeg y Berwyn yn cael ei weithredu. Nawr, dwi'n siŵr y bydd Llyr Gruffydd yn gwybod bod gan Gomisiynydd y Gymraeg gyfarfod ar yr 2 Mawrth gyda'r bobl yn y Berwyn am y mater hwn. Mae'r awdurdodau yn y Berwyn wedi nodi'r camau y maent yn eu cymryd i sicrhau bod hawliau i ddefnyddio'r Gymraeg yn cael eu cynnal, a nawr mae angen i ni weld y camau hynny'n cael eu cymryd, nid jest ar bapur, ond yn mywydau'r bobl yn y carchar, fel mae Llyr Gruffydd wedi awgrymu y prynhawn yma.
Llywydd, I'd like to thank Llyr Gruffydd for those supplementary questions. It is entirely unacceptable to me if people in Berwyn are not being treated according to the laws that we have in place here in Wales. And I have seen the annual report of the independent monitoring board in the Berwyn, which does raise concerns about the use of the Welsh language within the prison. That's why Eluned Morgan has written to the UK Government seeking assurances that the Welsh language scheme at Berwyn is being implemented. Now, I'm sure that Llyr Gruffydd will be aware that the Welsh Language Commissioner has a meeting on the 2 March with representatives of Berwyn prison to discuss this very issue. The authorities at Berwyn prison have outlined steps that they're taking to ensure that rights to use the Welsh language are supported, and we now need to see those steps being taken. We don't just want to see them on paper, but we want to see them having an impact on the lives of those in the prison, as Llyr Gruffydd has suggested this afternoon.
Diolch i'r Prif Weinidog.
Thank you, First Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r dataganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes, a dwi'n galw ar y Trefnydd i wneud y datganiad hynny. Rebecca Evans.
The next item is the business statement and announcement, and I call on the Trefnydd to make that statement. Rebecca Evans.
Diolch, Llywydd. There are no changes to this week's business. The draft business for the next three weeks is set out on the business statement and announcement, which can be found amongst the meeting papers available to Members electronically.
Diolch, Llywydd. Nid oes unrhyw newidiadau i fusnes yr wythnos hon. Mae'r busnes drafft ar gyfer y tair wythnos nesaf wedi'i nodi ar y datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes, sydd i'w weld ymhlith papurau'r cyfarfod sydd ar gael i'r Aelodau'n electronig.
Organiser, could I seek a statement please from the planning Minister in relation to guidance that has come out from Natural Resources Wales to planning authorities in Wales regarding phosphates and the calculations that planning authorities need to use in determining applications when it comes to phosphates on land and in building projects? I'm led to believe that many applications now are being held up because local authorities do not have the expertise to deal with this particular guidance, and NRW are unable to provide real detailed guidance to help local authorities determine applications. This is having a big impact economically because, obviously, the planning process is at the heart of many economic developments. And for NRW to have issued such guidance without the help and support that planning authorities, and in particular planning officers, would need is almost reckless, I would suggest. So, could we have a statement from the planning Minister as to what her thoughts are around this guidance being issued by NRW, but, more importantly, what assistance she would expect to see from NRW to planning authorities to help them determine applications across Wales?
Trefnydd, a gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad os gwelwch yn dda gan y Gweinidog cynllunio ynglŷn â chanllawiau sydd wedi dod gan Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru at awdurdodau cynllunio yng Nghymru ynghylch ffosffadau a'r cyfrifiadau y mae angen i awdurdodau cynllunio eu defnyddio wrth benderfynu ar geisiadau pan ddaw'n fater o ffosffadau ar dir ac mewn prosiectau adeiladu? Rwy'n cael fy arwain i gredu bod oedi i lawer o geisiadau ar hyn o bryd gan nad oes gan awdurdodau lleol yr arbenigedd i ymdrin â'r canllawiau penodol hyn, ac ni all CNC ddarparu canllawiau manwl gwirioneddol i helpu awdurdodau lleol i benderfynu ar geisiadau. Mae hyn yn cael effaith fawr yn economaidd oherwydd, yn amlwg, mae'r broses gynllunio wrth wraidd llawer o ddatblygiadau economaidd. Ac fe fyddwn i'n awgrymu bod CNC wedi bod yn ddi-hid yn cyhoeddi canllawiau o'r fath heb y cymorth a'r gefnogaeth y byddai eu hangen ar awdurdodau cynllunio, ac yn enwedig swyddogion cynllunio. Felly, a gawn ni ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog cynllunio ynghylch beth yw ei barn hi am y canllawiau hyn sy'n cael eu cyhoeddi gan Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru, ond, yn bwysicach, pa gymorth y byddai hi'n disgwyl ei weld gan CNC i awdurdodau cynllunio i'w helpu i benderfynu ar geisiadau ledled Cymru?
Thank you to Andrew R.T. Davies for raising the issue of planning guidance and phosphates on land and building projects. I might, on this occasion, suggest that he raises this specific issue with the Minister through correspondence, given that it is a detailed matter, and I think a detailed response through correspondence might be more appropriate on this occasion rather than seeking a statement on the floor of the Senedd, especially since we only have now four weeks of term left in which to accommodate the requests that colleagues are coming forward with. But I know that the Minister will be keen to provide a detailed response in writing.
Diolch i Andrew R.T. Davies am godi mater canllawiau cynllunio a ffosffadau ar brosiectau tir ac adeiladu. Fe fyddwn i'n awgrymu, y tro hwn, ei fod yn codi'r mater penodol hwn gyda'r Gweinidog drwy ohebiaeth, o ystyried ei fod yn fater manwl. Rwy'n credu y gallai ymateb manwl drwy ohebiaeth fod yn fwy priodol y tro hwn yn hytrach na gofyn am ddatganiad ar lawr y Senedd, yn enwedig gan mai dim ond pedair wythnos o'r tymor sydd gennym ni ar ôl bellach i ddarparu ar gyfer y ceisiadau y mae cyd-Aelodau'n eu cyflwyno. Ond rwy'n gwybod y bydd y Gweinidog yn awyddus i ddarparu ymateb manwl yn ysgrifenedig.
I'd like to ask for a statement about vaccinating people with learning disabilities and unpaid carers. I wrote to the First Minister and health Minister two weeks ago, setting out the evidence base for prioritising people with learning disabilities living in care homes for vaccination. I haven't received a reply to the letter, although the First Minister did just confirm in Plenary that a decision is imminent, given that the health Minister has received updated advice. Now, it is a real shame, Trefnydd, that he couldn't make the decision in advance of his statement on vaccinations today, which would have allowed Members an opportunity to scrutinise the circumstances surrounding these events. I'd like to know, for example, why it was necessary for the Welsh Government to wait for the advice, which has presumably come from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, when it could unilaterally move police medics up to group 2 without receiving new advice. I'd also like to know why this group of people with learning disabilities was allowed to fall through the gap initially, meaning that it took a dedicated campaign for the correct decision to be made.
A similar issue exists for unpaid carers. I've spoken to staff in both the Aneurin Bevan health board and Cwm Taf, and they're both waiting to have guidance about how to identify unpaid carers so that they can work with GPs to make sure that they get the priority. This surely goes to the heart of why we need a register of unpaid carers in Wales. It speaks to how unappreciated these people are that the Government doesn't have an easy way of finding out who they are. Something is so wrong with how we treat these selfless, brave people. So, I hope the Trefnydd can press upon the health Minister the need for these issues to be scrutinised in the Senedd in the interests of transparency, so that we can be assured that lessons will be learned.
Hoffwn i ofyn am ddatganiad ynghylch brechu pobl ag anableddau dysgu a gofalwyr di-dâl. Ysgrifennais at y Prif Weinidog a'r Gweinidog iechyd bythefnos yn ôl, yn nodi'r sylfaen dystiolaeth ar gyfer blaenoriaethu brechu pobl ag anableddau dysgu sy'n byw mewn cartrefi gofal. Nid wyf wedi cael ateb i'r llythyr, er i'r Prif Weinidog newydd gadarnhau yn y Cyfarfod Llawn fod penderfyniad ar fin digwydd, o gofio bod y Gweinidog iechyd wedi cael y cyngor diweddaraf. Nawr, mae'n drueni mawr, Trefnydd, na fyddai wedi gallu gwneud y penderfyniad cyn ei ddatganiad ar frechiadau heddiw, gan y byddai hynny wedi rhoi cyfle i'r Aelodau graffu ar yr amgylchiadau sy'n gysylltiedig â'r digwyddiadau hyn. Hoffwn i wybod, er enghraifft, pam yr oedd angen i Lywodraeth Cymru aros am y cyngor, sydd fwy na thebyg wedi dod gan y Cyd-bwyllgor ar Frechu ac Imiwneiddio, pan oedd modd iddi symud meddygon yr heddlu yn unochrog i fyny i grŵp 2 heb gael cyngor newydd. Hoffwn i wybod hefyd pam y caniatawyd i'r grŵp hwn o bobl ag anableddau dysgu ddisgyn drwy'r bwlch yn y lle cyntaf, sy'n golygu ei bod wedi cymryd ymgyrch bwrpasol i wneud y penderfyniad cywir.
Mae mater tebyg yn bodoli o ran gofalwyr di-dâl. Rwyf wedi siarad â staff ym mwrdd iechyd Aneurin Bevan a Chwm Taf, ac mae'r ddau fwrdd yn aros i gael arweiniad ar sut i nodi gofalwyr di-dâl fel y gallan nhw weithio gyda meddygon teulu i sicrhau eu bod yn cael y flaenoriaeth. Mae'n sicr bod hyn yn mynd at wraidd y rheswm pam mae angen inni gael cofrestr o ofalwyr di-dâl yng Nghymru. Mae'n dangos i ba raddau nad yw'r bobl hyn yn cael eu gwerthfawrogi nad oes gan y Llywodraeth ffordd hawdd o ddarganfod pwy ydyn nhw. Mae rhywbeth o'i le ynghylch y ffordd yr ydym ni'n trin y bobl anhunanol a dewr hyn. Felly, gobeithio y gall y Trefnydd bwyso ar y Gweinidog iechyd fod angen i'r materion hyn gael eu craffu yn y Senedd er mwyn sicrhau tryloywder, fel y gallwn ni fod yn sicr y bydd gwersi'n cael eu dysgu.
Thank you to Delyth Jewell for raising this, and, of course, the First Minister responded to both of these issues, about people with learning disabilities and unpaid carers, in his contribution during First Minister's questions this afternoon. We have put on the business statement for the coming weeks a statement every single week on vaccinations from the Minister for Health and Social Services, in order to provide that opportunity for colleagues—to provide that robust scrutiny on the various issues affecting their constituents in relation to vaccination, and that's the next item of business this afternoon. But there will be further opportunities to have that detailed discussion too.
Diolch i Delyth Jewell am godi hyn, ac, wrth gwrs, ymatebodd y Prif Weinidog i'r ddau fater hyn, o ran pobl ag anableddau dysgu a gofalwyr di-dâl, yn ei gyfraniad yn ystod cwestiynau'r Prif Weinidog y prynhawn yma. Rydym ni wedi rhoi datganiad ar frechiadau gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol bob wythnos ar y datganiad busnes ar gyfer yr wythnosau nesaf, er mwyn rhoi'r cyfle hwnnw i gyd-Aelodau—i ddarparu'r craffu cadarn hwnnw ar y gwahanol faterion sy'n effeithio ar eu hetholwyr o ran brechu, a dyna'r eitem nesaf o fusnes y prynhawn yma. Ond bydd cyfleoedd pellach i gael y drafodaeth fanwl honno hefyd.
Trefnydd, I wonder if we can find time for a debate before we break for the election in May on the remarkable history and enduring legacy of Robert Owen, son of Newtown and of Wales, and, indeed, of the world? Textile manufacturer, philanthropist, social reformer, and of course one of the founders of the co-operative movement and of utopian socialism too. And to paraphrase Oscar Wilde, what is the point of a map without utopia on it? On 14 May this year, we will mark the two-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary of the birth of this visionary individual, Robert Owen, who championed working people, who sought to improve their working and living conditions, and whose work led to the development not only of the co-operative movement, but of the trade union movement. He supported free co-educational establishments and legislation on child labour. So, as nations and parliaments around the world celebrate the global legacy of this our son of Wales, should we not also find the opportunity to mark his legacy here at home, here in this Senedd, our Parliament of Wales, and, as we look to the sixth Senedd term, consider how we further his ambitions for a fairer and more just society and economy in which all have an equal say and an equal stake?
And on a related theme, Trefnydd, we are at the start of Fairtrade Fortnight in Wales. It's a celebration of the Fairtrade movement worldwide, and something that goes to the very heart of the co-operative movement, and indeed something at the heart of the Co-operative Party in Wales. And Members here—of the Co-operative Party and other groups—will be taking part in online events, highlighting the work done across the world to promote worker-run and worker-owned fair-trade production. So, could we have at least a statement from Welsh Government on support for the Fairtrade movement, which could also highlight the Fairtrade Fortnight events in Wales, including climate change chats with Jennifer, a Fairtrade coffee farmer from Uganda, Fairtrade recipe and cooking events, educational events, poetry readings, and more? Surely it's important now more than ever, with the added challenge of the global pandemic, as well as climate change, that we reassert our support in Wales for the Fairtrade movement. So, I hope, Trefnydd, we can have a statement on this during Fairtrade Fortnight, if not a full debate here in our Senedd.
Trefnydd, tybed a gawn ni ddod o hyd i amser ar gyfer dadl cyn inni dorri ar gyfer yr etholiad ym mis Mai ar hanes rhyfeddol ac etifeddiaeth barhaus Robert Owen, un o feibion y Drenewydd a Chymru, ac, yn wir, y byd? Gwneuthurwr tecstiliau, dyngarwr, diwygiwr cymdeithasol, ac wrth gwrs un o sylfaenwyr y mudiad cydweithredol a sosialaeth iwtopaidd hefyd. Ac i aralleirio Oscar Wilde, beth yw pwynt map heb iwtopia arno? Ar 14 Mai eleni, byddwn ni'n nodi dau gant a hanner can mlwyddiant geni'r unigolyn llawn gweledigaeth hwn, Robert Owen. Roedd yn lladmerydd o blaid pobl sy'n gweithio, ac fe geisiodd wella eu hamodau gweithio a byw, ac fe arweiniodd ei waith at ddatblygu nid yn unig y mudiad cydweithredol, ond y mudiad undebau llafur. Roedd yn cefnogi sefydliadau cyd-addysgol am ddim a deddfwriaeth ar lafur plant. Felly, wrth i genhedloedd a seneddau ledled y byd ddathlu etifeddiaeth fyd-eang un o feibion Cymru, oni ddylem ni hefyd ddod o hyd i'r cyfle i nodi ei etifeddiaeth yma gartref, yma yn y Senedd hon, yn Senedd Cymru ac, wrth inni edrych ar chweched tymor y Senedd, ystyried sut yr ydym ni'n hyrwyddo ei uchelgeisiau ar gyfer cymdeithas ac economi decach a mwy cyfiawn lle mae gan bawb lais cyfartal a chyfran gyfartal?
Ac ar thema gysylltiedig, Trefnydd, mae'n gychwyn ar Bythefnos Masnach Deg yng Nghymru. Mae'n dathlu'r mudiad Masnach Deg ledled y byd, ac yn rhywbeth sy'n mynd at galon y mudiad cydweithredol, ac yn wir mae'n rhywbeth sydd wrth wraidd y Blaid Gydweithredol yng Nghymru. Ac fe fydd yr Aelodau yma—o'r Blaid Gydweithredol a grwpiau eraill—yn cymryd rhan mewn digwyddiadau ar-lein, gan dynnu sylw at y gwaith a gaiff ei wneud ledled y byd i hyrwyddo cynhyrchu masnach deg sy'n eiddo i weithwyr a gweithwyr. Felly, a gawn ni o leiaf ddatganiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi'r mudiad Masnach Deg, a allai hefyd dynnu sylw at ddigwyddiadau Pythefnos Masnach Deg yng Nghymru, gan gynnwys sgyrsiau newid hinsawdd gyda Jenipher, ffermwr coffi Masnach Deg o Uganda, a digwyddiadau ryseitiau a choginio Masnach Deg, digwyddiadau addysgol, darlleniadau barddoniaeth, a mwy? Siawns nad yw'n bwysig nawr yn fwy nag erioed, gyda her ychwanegol y pandemig byd-eang, yn ogystal â newid hinsawdd, ein bod ni'n cadarnhau drachefn ein cefnogaeth yng Nghymru i'r mudiad Masnach Deg. Felly, gobeithio, Trefnydd, y gallwn ni gael datganiad ynghylch hyn yn ystod Pythefnos Masnach Deg, os nad dadl lawn yma yn ein Senedd ni.
Thank you to Huw Irranca-Davies for raising both of those issues this afternoon. I'm really pleased to say that the Welsh Government is exploring working with the Arts Council of Wales to celebrate the two-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary of the birth of Robert Owen. An artist in residence was appointed in August to engage with the local community in Newtown, and now the artist has produced a report, with several recommendations, which are currently under review. So, I'm sure that we'll be able to say more on those plans in due course. Of course, co-operation is at the heart of everything the Welsh Government does, and I'm really pleased that my colleague Lee Waters will be making a statement on the foundational economy this afternoon. I think that's one of those areas where you can really see our co-operative approaches coming to life and being delivered through the choices that we're making.
And, absolutely, we reiterate our support for the Fairtrade movement. I know, in normal times, when we're not meeting on Zoom, in years previously we've all really enjoyed meeting farmers from Uganda who've come to the Senedd and talked to us about their experiences and what a difference it makes to them when we all commit to fair trade. So, I think it's very much at the heart of our delivery and living up to our Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, of being a globally responsible Wales, to ensure that we do take the opportunities to support fair trade when they are presented.
Diolch i Huw Irranca-Davies am godi'r ddau fater hynny y prynhawn yma. Rwy'n falch iawn o ddweud bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn edrych ar y posibilrwydd o weithio gyda Chyngor Celfyddydau Cymru i ddathlu dau gant a hanner can mlwyddiant geni Robert Owen. Cafodd artist preswyl ei benodi ym mis Awst i ymgysylltu â'r gymuned leol yn y Drenewydd, ac erbyn hyn mae'r artist wedi cynhyrchu adroddiad, gyda nifer o argymhellion, sy'n cael eu hadolygu ar hyn o bryd. Felly, rwy'n siŵr y byddwn ni'n gallu dweud mwy am y cynlluniau hynny maes o law. Wrth gwrs, mae cydweithredu wrth wraidd popeth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud, ac rwy'n falch iawn y bydd fy nghydweithiwr Lee Waters yn gwneud datganiad ynghylch yr economi sylfaenol y prynhawn yma. Rwy'n credu mai dyna un o'r meysydd hynny lle y gallwch weld ein dulliau cydweithredol yn dod yn fyw ac yn cael eu darparu drwy'r dewisiadau yr ydym ni'n eu gwneud.
Ac, yn sicr, rydym ni'n ailadrodd ein cefnogaeth i'r mudiad Masnach Deg. Rwy'n gwybod, fel rheol, pan nad ydym ni'n cyfarfod ar Zoom, yn y blynyddoedd a fu, rydym i gyd wedi mwynhau cwrdd â ffermwyr o Uganda sydd wedi dod i'r Senedd a siarad â ni am eu profiadau a pha wahaniaeth y mae'n ei wneud iddyn nhw pan fyddwn ni i gyd yn ymrwymo i fasnach deg. Felly, rwy'n credu ei fod yn bendant wrth wraidd ein darpariaeth ni ac yn cyflawni ein Deddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015, o fod yn Gymru sy'n gyfrifol yn fyd-eang, er mwyn sicrhau ein bod yn manteisio ar y cyfleoedd i gefnogi masnach deg pan gânt eu cyflwyno.
Trefnydd, can I call for two statements today? The first is a request for a statement on the impact of people taking abortion medication at home. You'll be aware that the Welsh Government, the health Minister, announced that he was changing the rules regarding the ability to take abortion medication at home at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. But the problem is that between 1 April, when the arrangements changed, and 31 December last year, they saw a doubling of the numbers of call-outs to 999 for the ambulance service and a doubling of the number of ambulances that had to be dispatched to women who had taken abortion medication at home. I'm very concerned about that, because I know that the Welsh Government has just completed a consultation period about the possibility of these arrangements becoming permanent. But there are people who are very concerned about the increased call-outs to the ambulance service, the lack of medical supervision that these women experience and, of course, the fact that there are no safeguards to ensure that these women are not being coerced by partners.
The second statement that I'd like to see is a statement on big cats in the Welsh countryside from the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs. You'll be aware that in north-east Wales there's been a spate of sightings of big cats in the Welsh countryside in recent months. Many members of the farming community in particular are concerned about the impact that these may have on their livestock in the future, yet we are without any statement from the Welsh Government at the moment as to what investigations are being undertaken into these sightings. Can I ask for an urgent statement on that from the Welsh Government Minister for rural affairs as soon as possible? Thank you.
Trefnydd, a gaf i alw am ddau ddatganiad heddiw? Y cyntaf yw cais am ddatganiad ar effaith pobl sy'n cymryd meddyginiaeth erthylu gartref. Byddwch chi'n ymwybodol bod Llywodraeth Cymru, y Gweinidog iechyd, wedi cyhoeddi ar ddechrau pandemig y coronafeirws, ei fod yn newid y rheolau ynglŷn â'r gallu i gymryd meddyginiaeth erthylu gartref. Ond y broblem yw, rhwng 1 Ebrill, pan newidiodd y trefniadau, a 31 Rhagfyr y llynedd, eu bod wedi gweld nifer y galwadau i 999 yn dyblu ar gyfer y gwasanaeth ambiwlans a dyblu yn nifer yr ambiwlansys y bu'n rhaid eu hanfon at fenywod a oedd wedi cymryd meddyginiaeth erthylu gartref. Rwy'n pryderu'n fawr ynghylch hynny, oherwydd rwy'n gwybod bod Llywodraeth Cymru newydd gwblhau cyfnod ymgynghori ynglŷn â'r posibilrwydd y bydd y trefniadau hyn yn dod yn rhai parhaol. Ond mae yna bobl sy'n pryderu'n fawr am y galwadau cynyddol i'r gwasanaeth ambiwlans, y diffyg goruchwyliaeth feddygol a brofir gan y menywod hyn ac, wrth gwrs, y ffaith nad oes unrhyw fesurau diogelu i sicrhau nad yw'r menywod hyn yn cael eu gorfodi gan bartneriaid.
Yr ail ddatganiad yr hoffwn i ei weld yw datganiad ar gathod mawr yng nghefn gwlad Cymru gan Weinidog yr Amgylchedd, Ynni a Materion Gwledig. Byddwch chi'n ymwybodol, yng ngogledd-ddwyrain Cymru, bod nifer fawr o gathod mawr wedi'u gweld yng nghefn gwlad Cymru yn ystod y misoedd diwethaf. Mae llawer o aelodau'r gymuned ffermio yn arbennig yn pryderu am yr effaith y gallai'r rhain ei chael ar eu da byw yn y dyfodol, ac eto nid ydym ni wedi cael unrhyw ddatganiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar hyn o bryd ynghylch pa ymchwiliadau sy'n cael eu cynnal i'r achosion hyn. A gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad brys ynghylch hynny gan Weinidog Materion Gwledig Llywodraeth Cymru cyn gynted â phosibl? Diolch.
Thank you. On the first issue that Darren Millar raised, which was the issue of abortion medication to be taken at home, as he says, the consultation ended, I believe, today, in terms of whether or not to make those arrangements permanent. I know that the Minister will be listening very carefully to representations that he's made this afternoon, but also those representations that have been made through that consultation process, with a view to coming to an informed decision on the way forward there.
In relation to big cats in the Welsh countryside and the concern that that raises amongst the farming community, particularly in the area that he represents, I know that the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs will have been listening very carefully to that request for further information and a further statement on that.
Diolch. O ran y mater cyntaf a gododd Darren Millar, sef mater meddyginiaeth erthylu i'w chymryd gartref, fel y mae yn ei ddweud, daeth yr ymgynghoriad i ben heddiw, rwy'n credu, o ran a ddylai'r trefniadau hynny gael eu gwneud yn barhaol ai peidio. Rwy'n gwybod y bydd y Gweinidog yn gwrando'n astud iawn ar sylwadau a gafodd eu cyflwyno ganddo y prynhawn yma, ond hefyd y sylwadau hynny a gafodd eu cyflwyno drwy gydol y broses ymgynghori honno, gyda'r bwriad o ddod i benderfyniad gwybodus ar y ffordd ymlaen.
O ran cathod mawr yng nghefn gwlad Cymru a'r pryder y mae hynny'n ei godi ymysg y gymuned ffermio, yn enwedig yn yr ardal y mae'n ei chynrychioli, rwy'n gwybod y bydd Gweinidog yr Amgylchedd, Ynni a Materion Gwledig wedi bod yn gwrando'n astud iawn ar y cais hwnnw am ragor o wybodaeth a datganiad pellach ynghylch hynny.
We are seriously lacking in charging points for electric vehicles in the Rhondda. The map of Wales shows that there is nothing in the Rhondda Fach or in the Rhondda Fawr, and the nearest charging points, depending on where you live in the Rhondda, are Hirwaun, Aberdare or just outside Llantrisant. Now, it's no wonder that only 0.17 per cent of vehicles used in Wales are currently electric. A recent consultation and electric vehicle strategy have recently been announced by your Government, with a vague target of ensuring that
'by 2025, all users of electric cars and vans in Wales are confident that they can access electric vehicle charging infrastructure when and where they need it.'
But this vehicle technology exists now. We can't wait until 2025. Why can't they be installed in public car parks now, for example? People want to make the switch to electric vehicles and we're in the middle of a climate crisis. People want to be able to make their own contribution to that. Given that there are plans to phase out petrol and diesel cars, don't you think there should be much, much more urgency on this? So, can we have a statement from the Government to explain when we can see movement on this and what your plans are to see some sort of swift legislation? Clearly, it may not be possible within this Senedd term, but is it something that you would be supportive of in the next Senedd term, when Plaid Cymru is running the Government?
Mae yna brinder affwysol o fannau gwefru ar gyfer cerbydau trydan yn y Rhondda. Mae map Cymru yn dangos nad oes dim byd yn y Rhondda Fach nac yn y Rhondda Fawr, a'r pwyntiau gwefru agosaf, yn dibynnu ar ble yr ydych chi'n byw yn y Rhondda, yw Hirwaun, Aberdâr neu ychydig y tu allan i Lantrisant. Nawr, nid yw'n syndod mai dim ond 0.17 y cant o gerbydau trydan sy'n cael eu defnyddio yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd. Mae gan ymgynghoriad a strategaeth cerbydau trydan a gafodd eu cyhoeddi yn ddiweddar gan eich Llywodraeth chi, y targed amwys o sicrhau
'erbyn 2025, bod holl ddefnyddwyr ceir a faniau trydan yng Nghymru yn hyderus y gallan nhw gael mynediad i seilwaith gwefru cerbydau trydan pryd a ble y mae ei angen arnyn nhw.'
Ond mae'r dechnoleg gwefru cerbydau yn bodoli nawr. Ni allwn aros tan 2025. Pam nad oes modd eu gosod mewn meysydd parcio cyhoeddus nawr, er enghraifft? Mae pobl eisiau newid i gerbydau trydan ac rydym yng nghanol argyfwng hinsawdd. Mae pobl eisiau gallu gwneud eu cyfraniad nhw eu hunain i hynny. O ystyried bod cynlluniau i ddiddymu'n raddol geir petrol a diesel, onid ydych chi'n credu y dylai fod llawer mwy o frys ar hyn? Felly, a gawn ni ddatganiad gan y Llywodraeth i egluro pryd y gallwn ni weld cynnydd o ran hyn a beth yw eich cynlluniau i weld rhyw fath o ddeddfwriaeth gyflym? Yn amlwg, efallai na fydd yn bosibl o fewn tymor y Senedd hon, ond a yw'n rhywbeth y byddech chi'n gefnogol iddo yn nhymor nesaf y Senedd, pan fydd Plaid Cymru yn rhedeg y Llywodraeth?
Thank you to Leanne Wood for raising the issue this afternoon. I do know that the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales is considering how best to update colleagues on the transport strategy, which, of course, includes a section on vehicles and ensuring that we move to a more sustainable picture in Wales in terms of vehicles, specifically relating to electric vehicles and ensuring that people have access to those charging points that they need in order to make that transition. So, I do know that he's considering how best to provide that update in the time that we have left. But in the meantime, before he is able to do that, I will ask him to provide a written update on this specific issue to Leanne Wood to address those concerns that she's raised this afternoon.FootnoteLink
Diolch i Leanne Wood am godi'r mater hwn y prynhawn yma. Rwy'n gwybod bod Gweinidog yr Economi, Trafnidiaeth a'r Gogledd yn ystyried y ffordd orau o roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i gyd-Aelodau am y strategaeth drafnidiaeth, sydd, wrth gwrs, yn cynnwys adran ar gerbydau a sicrhau ein bod ni'n symud tuag at ddarlun mwy cynaliadwy yng Nghymru o ran cerbydau, gan ymwneud yn benodol â cherbydau trydan, a sicrhau y gall pobl gael gafael ar y pwyntiau gwefru hynny y mae arnyn nhw eu hangen i gyflawni'r newid hwnnw. Felly, rwy'n gwybod ei fod yn ystyried beth yw'r ffordd orau o ddarparu'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf ar hynny yn yr amser sydd gennym ni ar ôl. Ond yn y cyfamser, cyn iddo allu gwneud hynny, gofynnaf iddo roi diweddariad ysgrifenedig ar y mater penodol hwn i Leanne Wood i fynd i'r afael â'r pryderon hynny a godwyd ganddi hi y prynhawn yma.FootnoteLink
Will the Government make a statement condemning the appalling behaviour of the European Commission in banning the import of live bivalve molluscs from the UK? Although they say they are implementing restrictions on all non-European countries, it was agreed that they would not do this in the negotiations that took place prior to Brexit. Even the chairman of the European Parliament Committee on Fisheries, Pierre Karleskind, condemned the move, saying he was on Britain's side in this matter. As he says, the waters around the coast of the UK have not suddenly become polluted because of Brexit. This move will, of course, open up the possibility of tit-for-tat measures by the British Government, so will the Welsh Government back, in particular, the Welsh fishing community, which is very dependent upon this trade, by voicing its condemnation of this disgraceful act?
A wnaiff y Llywodraeth ddatganiad yn condemnio ymddygiad gwarthus y Comisiwn Ewropeaidd wrth wahardd mewnforio molysgiaid deufalf byw o'r DU? Er eu bod yn dweud eu bod yn gweithredu cyfyngiadau ar bob gwlad nad yw'n rhan o Ewrop, cytunwyd na fydden nhw'n gwneud hyn yn y trafodaethau a gynhaliwyd cyn Brexit. Roedd hyd yn oed cadeirydd Pwyllgor Pysgodfeydd Senedd Ewrop, Pierre Karleskind, yn condemnio'r weithred, gan ddweud ei fod yn ochri â Phrydain yn y mater hwn. Fel y dywed, nid yw'r dyfroedd o amgylch arfordir y DU wedi cael eu llygru'n sydyn oherwydd Brexit. Bydd y cam hwn, wrth gwrs, yn agor y posibilrwydd o fesurau talu'r pwyth yn ôl gan Lywodraeth Prydain, felly a wnaiff Llywodraeth Cymru gefnogi, yn benodol, gymuned bysgota Cymru, sy'n ddibynnol iawn ar y fasnach hon, drwy fynegi ei chondemniad o'r weithred warthus hon?
I do know that the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs is involved in the discussions on this particular issue and I will ask her to provide an update to colleagues on where we are in relation to the export issues that David Rowlands has just described.
Rwy'n gwybod bod Gweinidog yr Amgylchedd, Ynni a Materion Gwledig yn rhan o'r trafodaethau ar y mater penodol hwn a byddaf i'n gofyn iddi roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i gyd-Aelodau ynghylch ein sefyllfa ni o ran y materion allforio y mae David Rowlands newydd eu disgrifio.
Can I ask for two statements and a general debate, if I could, please? The first statement follows on from the previous question, in fact. In terms of our experience of Brexit so far, no matter where you stood on the question itself, I think it's fair to say that it's been pretty much a disaster for these last two months. We haven't just seen the fishing industry affected, we've seen most of our major manufacturers and industries affected by the very poor deal that was agreed before Christmas, and the consequences of being a third country now are having a real implication for our economy and for people and their jobs and livelihoods. Is it possible for the Government to bring forward a statement on the impact of Brexit and the damage that Brexit is doing to our economy so that we can discuss these matters before dissolution?
The second statement I'd like to ask for, Minister, is on the governance of the United Kingdom. The Counsel General gave some very striking evidence to the external affairs committee yesterday, where he described the deterioration in relationships between the Governments of the United Kingdom. It is important, I think, that we have a debate on these matters so that we can understand fully what the difficulties are, and also, then, understand the measures that may be taken by this Senedd in terms of addressing them.
The final issue, Minister, is a general debate on the organisation of business in this Senedd. We will be, at the end of next month, losing a number of highly experienced and respected Members, and I think it is a very good practice to debate not only our Standing Orders, but how we organise ourselves at the end of a Senedd to learn the lessons from what has happened over the previous years. I would certainly be interested to hear particularly from those Members who have said that they do not intend to return in the next Senedd to understand from their experience how they believe the way we manage ourselves and manage business can be improved in the sixth Senedd. Thank you.
A gaf i ofyn am ddau ddatganiad a dadl gyffredinol, os caf i, os gwelwch chi'n dda? Mae'r datganiad cyntaf yn dilyn y cwestiwn blaenorol, mewn gwirionedd. O ran ein profiad o Brexit hyd yn hyn, ni waeth ble'r oeddech chi'n sefyll ar y cwestiwn ei hun, rwy'n credu ei bod yn deg dweud ei fod wedi bod yn drychineb yn ystod y ddau fis diwethaf. Nid yn unig yr ydym wedi gweld yr effaith ar y diwydiant pysgota, ond rydym wedi gweld effaith y fargen wael iawn, y cytunwyd arni cyn y Nadolig, ar y rhan fwyaf o'n prif weithgynhyrchwyr a diwydiannau. Ac mae canlyniadau bod yn drydedd wlad bellach yn golygu goblygiadau gwirioneddol i'n heconomi ac i bobl a'u swyddi a'u bywoliaeth. A yw'n bosibl i'r Llywodraeth gyflwyno datganiad ynghylch effaith Brexit a'r niwed y mae Brexit yn ei wneud i'n heconomi fel y gallwn ni drafod y materion hyn cyn diddymu'r Senedd?
Mae'r ail ddatganiad yr hoffwn i ofyn amdano, Gweinidog, yn ymwneud â llywodraethu'r Deyrnas Unedig. Rhoddodd y Cwnsler Cyffredinol dystiolaeth drawiadol iawn i'r pwyllgor materion allanol ddoe, pan ddisgrifiodd y dirywiad yn y berthynas rhwng Llywodraethau'r Deyrnas Unedig. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig inni gael dadl ar y materion hyn fel y gallwn ddeall yn iawn beth yw'r anawsterau, a hefyd, felly, ddeall y mesurau y gallai'r Senedd hon eu cymryd o ran mynd i'r afael â nhw.
Y mater olaf, Gweinidog, yw dadl gyffredinol ar drefniant busnes yn y Senedd hon. Byddwn ni, ddiwedd y mis nesaf, yn colli nifer o Aelodau profiadol ac uchel eu parch, ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn arfer da iawn trafod nid yn unig ein Rheolau Sefydlog, ond sut yr ydym ni'n trefnu ein hunain ar ddiwedd Senedd i ddysgu gwersi o'r hyn sydd wedi digwydd yn ystod y blynyddoedd blaenorol. Yn sicr, byddai gennyf i ddiddordeb mewn clywed yn benodol gan yr Aelodau hynny sydd wedi dweud nad ydyn nhw'n bwriadu dychwelyd yn y Senedd nesaf, er mwyn deall o'u profiad nhw sut y credant y byddai modd gwella'r ffordd yr ydym ni'n rheoli ein hunain ac yn rheoli busnes yn y chweched Senedd. Diolch.
That's an interesting idea that I'll certainly pursue in the first instance with the Llywydd in terms of understanding how we as an organisation can learn from the experiences of those colleagues who made the decision not to return next time, or not to seek re-election, certainly, to be returned. I think that will be an interesting piece of work. On the Business Committee, we've been looking at our Standing Orders, and we'll be bringing forward a range of potential changes for colleagues to have the opportunity to debate and vote on in the coming weeks. Obviously, that will then need to have accompanying guidance issued for colleagues as well. But I'll take that point up with the Llywydd straight away.
In terms of those really important strategic issues that you've talked about—the governance of the UK and also the impact, overall, of Brexit—I'll make sure that I have a discussion with the Counsel General and Minister for European Transition in the first instance to explore what's the best way to have those discussions and provide those updates.
Mae hynny'n syniad diddorol a byddaf i'n sicr yn ei ddilyn, yn y lle cyntaf gyda'r Llywydd, o ran deall sut y gallwn ni fel sefydliad ddysgu o brofiadau'r cydweithwyr hynny a wnaeth y penderfyniad i beidio â dychwelyd y tro nesaf, neu i beidio â cheisio cael eu hail ailethol, yn sicr, i gael eu dychwelyd. Rwy'n credu y bydd hwnnw'n ddarn diddorol o waith. O ran y Pwyllgor Busnes, rydym wedi bod yn edrych ar ein Rheolau Sefydlog, a byddwn yn cyflwyno amrywiaeth o newidiadau posibl i gydweithwyr gael y cyfle i drafod a phleidleisio arnyn nhw yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf. Yn amlwg, bydd angen cyhoeddi canllawiau cysylltiedig ar gyfer cydweithwyr wedyn hefyd. Ond byddaf i'n codi'r pwynt hwnnw gyda'r Llywydd ar unwaith.
O ran y materion strategol pwysig iawn hynny yr ydych wedi sôn amdanynt—llywodraethu'r DU a hefyd effaith Brexit, yn gyffredinol—byddaf i'n sicrhau fy mod yn cael trafodaeth gyda'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol a'r Gweinidog Pontio Ewropeaidd yn y lle cyntaf i geisio dod o hyd i'r ffordd orau o gael y trafodaethau hynny a darparu'r diweddariadau hynny.
Trefnydd, can I request a statement from the health Minister about the vaccination of adults with learning disabilities in residential settings? I heard what the First Minister said in response to an earlier question about the prioritisation of people with learning disabilities, because people with learning disabilities are more likely to be at serious risk of complications should they catch COVID-19. I've been contacted by a number of organisations in my constituency who are very worried that residents will have to be transported at different times for their individual vaccinations. I appreciate that the health Minister is already looking at the prioritisation issue, which I very much welcome, but given the distress this could cause, I'd be grateful if the Welsh Government could provide some clarity on the administering of vaccines to people with learning disabilities in care settings and outline what steps are being taken to ensure that residents in care facilities are able to receive their vaccines in the comfort of their own setting, rather than each resident having to travel for their vaccine appointment. I appreciate that, in response to Delyth Jewell, you said that there would be an opportunity to ask questions during the next agenda item, but I think a clear statement on this issue from the Government is important and would be very helpful.
Secondly, could I also request a statement on support for care homes generally during the pandemic? Care Forum Wales has made it clear that, without vital financial support, some care homes across Wales are at risk of closure. During the pandemic, costs have gone up as care homes have had to increase staffing and implement additional infection control measures, therefore it's vital that the Welsh Government commits to a funding model that provides those settings with stability to protect those residents living in care settings and to protect future provision and ensure that the whole sector is sustainable for the future. Therefore I'd be very grateful if the Welsh Government could make time to provide a statement on its support for the sector and its plans to safeguard care homes in Wales before the end of the Senedd term.
Trefnydd, a gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog iechyd am frechu oedolion ag anableddau dysgu mewn lleoliadau preswyl? Clywais i'r hyn a ddywedodd y Prif Weinidog mewn ymateb i gwestiwn cynharach am flaenoriaethu pobl ag anableddau dysgu, oherwydd mae pobl ag anableddau dysgu yn fwy tebygol o fod mewn perygl difrifol o gael cymhlethdodau os ydyn nhw'n dal COVID-19. Mae nifer o sefydliadau yn fy etholaeth i wedi cysylltu â mi sy'n poeni'n fawr y bydd yn rhaid cludo trigolion ar wahanol adegau ar gyfer eu brechiadau unigol. Rwy'n sylweddoli bod y Gweinidog iechyd eisoes yn edrych ar y mater blaenoriaethu, ac rwy'n croesawu hynny'n fawr. Ond o ystyried y trallod y gallai hyn ei achosi, byddwn i'n ddiolchgar pe gallai Llywodraeth Cymru roi rhywfaint o eglurder ynghylch rhoi brechlynnau i bobl ag anableddau dysgu mewn lleoliadau gofal ac amlinellu pa gamau sy'n cael eu cymryd i sicrhau bod preswylwyr mewn cyfleusterau gofal yn gallu cael eu brechlynnau yng nghysur eu lleoliad eu hunain, yn hytrach na bod pob preswylydd yn gorfod teithio ar gyfer ei apwyntiad brechlyn. Rwy'n sylweddoli ichi ddweud, mewn ymateb i Delyth Jewell, y byddai cyfle i ofyn cwestiynau yn ystod yr eitem nesaf ar yr agenda, ond rwy'n credu bod datganiad clir ar y mater hwn gan y Llywodraeth yn bwysig ac y byddai'n ddefnyddiol iawn.
Yn ail, a gaf i hefyd ofyn am ddatganiad ar gymorth i gartrefi gofal yn gyffredinol yn ystod y pandemig? Mae Fforwm Gofal Cymru wedi egluro bod rhai cartrefi gofal ledled Cymru mewn perygl o gau heb gymorth ariannol hanfodol. Yn ystod y pandemig, mae costau wedi codi wrth i gartrefi gofal orfod cynyddu nifer eu staff a gweithredu mesurau rheoli heintiau ychwanegol. Felly mae'n hanfodol bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn ymrwymo i fodel ariannu sy'n rhoi sefydlogrwydd i'r lleoliadau hynny i ddiogelu'r preswylwyr sy'n byw mewn lleoliadau gofal ac i ddiogelu darpariaeth yn y dyfodol a sicrhau bod y sector cyfan yn gynaliadwy ar gyfer y dyfodol. Felly, byddwn i'n ddiolchgar iawn pe gallai Llywodraeth Cymru roi'r amser i ddarparu datganiad ar ei chefnogaeth i'r sector a'i chynlluniau i ddiogelu cartrefi gofal yng Nghymru cyn diwedd tymor y Senedd.
On the first issue relating to vaccinations for people with a learning disability, clearly this is an extremely important issue and all of us will care very deeply in ensuring that the people who are affected should get their vaccine as quickly as possible and in as convenient and as problem-free a way as possible. I'm sure that, when the Minister does provide his update to colleagues on this issue, he will seek to address those specific points that Paul Davies and others today have described in their contributions so far.
We did have the opportunity last week to have a statement on the future of social care from the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services, and that sets out the approach that the Welsh Government is taking in terms of working with the sector to try to ensure that it does have a really positive and sustainable future. Also, I do know that the Minister for Health and Social Services is considering how best to update the Senedd on the work of the inter-ministerial group on paying for care. So, there will be a further opportunity I think before the end of term—time allowing—for us to have some further discussions on that important issue, too.
O ran y mater cyntaf sy'n ymwneud â brechiadau i bobl ag anabledd dysgu, mae'n amlwg bod hwn yn fater eithriadol o bwysig a bydd pob un ohonom ni'n poeni'n fawr iawn ynghylch sicrhau y dylai'r bobl sydd wedi'u heffeithio yn cael eu brechlyn cyn gynted â phosibl ac mewn ffordd mor gyfleus ac mor ddi-broblem â phosibl. Rwy'n siŵr, pan fydd y Gweinidog yn rhoi ei ddiweddariad i gydweithwyr ar y mater hwn, y bydd yn ceisio mynd i'r afael â'r pwyntiau penodol hynny y mae Paul Davies ac eraill wedi'u disgrifio heddiw yn eu cyfraniadau hyd yma.
Cawsom gyfle yr wythnos ddiwethaf i gael datganiad ar ddyfodol gofal cymdeithasol gan y Dirprwy Weinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol, ac mae hynny'n nodi'r dull y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei ddefnyddio o ran gweithio gyda'r sector i geisio sicrhau bod ganddo ddyfodol cadarnhaol a chynaliadwy iawn. Hefyd, gwn fod y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol yn ystyried y ffordd orau o roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Senedd am waith y grŵp rhyng-weinidogol ar dalu am ofal. Felly, bydd cyfle pellach, fe gredaf, cyn diwedd y tymor— os yw amser yn caniatáu—inni gael trafodaethau pellach ar y mater pwysig hwnnw hefyd.
I appreciate that we're going to be looking at an inquiry into the Welsh Government's COVID response in the next Senedd, Trefnydd, but I wonder whether it would be possible to have a statement from the education Minister, or maybe even the local government Minister, actually, before April on any early findings of an evaluation of the school or hub provision for vulnerable children and children of key workers. I'm sure we'll both have constituents, Trefnydd, who have complained about the initial criteria set by Swansea council, for example, who then changed their minds. But there has been inconsistency across Wales on criteria and a level of uncertainty about exactly what learners are doing when they attend these hubs or their schools. I think we really need to know why attendance turned out to be so low in the end, and in particular why only 4 per cent of vulnerable children made use of the provision. Thanks
Rwy'n gwerthfawrogi y byddwn ni'n ystyried ymchwiliad i ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru i COVID yn y Senedd nesaf, Trefnydd, ond tybed a fyddai'n bosibl cael datganiad cyn mis Ebrill gan y Gweinidog Addysg, neu efallai hyd yn oed y Gweinidog llywodraeth leol, mewn gwirionedd, ar unrhyw ganlyniadau cynnar o werthusiad o ddarpariaeth ysgolion neu hybiau ar gyfer plant a phlant sy'n agored i niwed a phlant gweithwyr allweddol. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd gan y ddau ohonom ni etholwyr, Trefnydd, sydd wedi cwyno ynghylch y meini prawf cychwynnol a bennwyd gan gyngor Abertawe, er enghraifft, ac yna fe newidion nhw eu meddyliau. Ond mae anghysondeb wedi bod ledled Cymru o ran meini prawf a lefel o ansicrwydd ynghylch beth yn union y mae dysgwyr yn ei wneud pan fyddan nhw'n mynychu'r canolfannau hyn neu eu hysgolion. Rwy'n credu bod gwir angen inni wybod pam mae'r presenoldeb wedi bod mor isel yn y pen draw, ac yn enwedig pam mai dim ond 4 y cant o blant agored i niwed a ddefnyddiodd y ddarpariaeth. Diolch
Thank you for raising the issue this afternoon. I do know that the Minister for Education will obviously have been listening very carefully to that request for a deeper analysis, if you like, of the way in which the hub provision has been used and the pupils who have benefited from it, and a better understanding of why those who haven't engaged with that didn't do so. I know that she'll give that particular request some serious thought.
Diolch am godi'r mater y prynhawn yma. Rwy'n gwybod y bydd y Gweinidog Addysg yn amlwg wedi bod yn gwrando'n astud iawn ar y cais hwnnw am ddadansoddiad dyfnach, os hoffech chi, o'r ffordd y cafodd y ddarpariaeth hyb ei defnyddio a'r disgyblion sydd wedi elwa ohoni, a gwell dealltwriaeth o'r rhesymau pam na wnaeth rhai ohonynt ymgysylltu â hynny. Rwy'n gwybod y bydd hi'n ystyried y cais penodol hwnnw o ddifrif.
Finally, Nick Ramsay.
Yn olaf, Nick Ramsay.
Two issues, if I may, Trefnydd. Firstly, can I echo the sentiments of Huw Irranca-Davies in his issues earlier regarding Fairtrade Fortnight? Normally, I would be attending the local launch of Fairtrade Fortnight in my local constituency town of Abergavenny, but understandably, this year that's not possible due to the pandemic, so it has been substituted with online events. I think we should still recognise the localism of fair trade and promote that, so I wonder if we could have a statement, as Huw called for, on how we can better support fair trade and recognise the important role it can play, not just across the world, but locally as we build back better and build back fairer.
Secondly and finally, my usual call at this time of the year for a statement on the effect of flooding on the trunk road network. The usual heavy flooding closed the A4042 at Llanellen recently, during the heavy rain. I know that some remedial work has been done and the economy and transport Minister announced this not so long ago, but concerns remain about access to the new Grange University Hospital at this time of year. So, I wonder if we could have an update from the Minister on what is being done to make sure that at this time of the year, that road and other key roads in the trunk road network are passable and certainly fit for ambulances and emergency vehicles.
Dau fater, os caf i, Trefnydd. Yn gyntaf, a gaf i adleisio teimladau Huw Irranca-Davies yn ei faterion yn gynharach ynghylch Pythefnos Masnach Deg? Fel rheol, fe fyddwn i'n mynd i lansiad lleol Pythefnos Masnach Deg yn fy nhref etholaeth leol yn y Fenni, ond yn ddealladwy, eleni nid yw hynny'n bosibl oherwydd y pandemig, ac mae digwyddiadau ar-lein wedi cymryd ei le. Rwy'n credu y dylem ni barhau i gydnabod elfen leol masnach deg a hyrwyddo hynny, felly tybed a gawn ni ddatganiad, fel y galwodd Huw amdano, ar sut y gallwn ni gefnogi masnach deg yn well a chydnabod y rhan bwysig y gall ei chwarae, nid yn unig ledled y byd, ond yn lleol wrth inni adeiladu'n ôl yn well ac adeiladu'n ôl yn decach.
Yn ail ac yn olaf, fy ngalwad arferol ar yr adeg hon o'r flwyddyn am ddatganiad ar effaith llifogydd ar y rhwydwaith cefnffyrdd. Caeodd y llifogydd trwm arferol yr A4042 yn Llanelen yn ddiweddar, yn ystod y glaw trwm. Rwy'n gwybod bod rhywfaint o waith adfer wedi'i wneud a chyhoeddodd Gweinidog yr economi a thrafnidiaeth hyn ychydig o amser yn ôl, ond mae pryderon yn parhau ynghylch mynediad i'r Ysbyty Athrofaol y Faenor newydd ar yr adeg hon o'r flwyddyn. Felly, tybed a gawn ni'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf gan y Gweinidog ynghylch yr hyn sy'n cael ei wneud i sicrhau, ar yr adeg hon o'r flwyddyn, fod y ffordd honno a ffyrdd allweddol eraill yn y rhwydwaith cefnffyrdd yn glir, ac yn sicr yn addas ar gyfer ambiwlansys a cherbydau brys.
I recognise the support that Nick Ramsay has always given to the fair-trade movement, and I'm pleased again to reiterate the Welsh Government's support for fair trade and our recognition of the difference that it can make to the lives of so many people.
In terms of the request for a statement on flooding, Nick Ramsay specifically has an interest in the trunk road network, and how we can keep that moving. I would invite him to write to the Minister in relation to the specific roads and the specific areas where he has a local concern, but I can say that the Welsh Government has already met its commitment to invest in flood defences and by the end of this Senedd term, we will have invested over £390 million in flood and coastal erosion risk management. That's reduced the risk to over 47,000 properties here in Wales and I think that that does speak to the level of investment that we are putting in, but also the level of risk that there is to property. It's clearly an area where we in Wales will need to continue focusing our efforts in future.
Rwy'n cydnabod y gefnogaeth barhaol a roddodd Nick Ramsay i'r mudiad masnach deg ac, unwaith eto, rwy'n falch o ailfynegi cefnogaeth Llywodraeth Cymru i fasnach deg a'n cydnabyddiaeth ni o'r gwahaniaeth y gall hyn ei wneud i fywydau llaweroedd o bobl.
O ran y cais am ddatganiad ynglŷn â llifogydd, mae gan Nick Ramsay ddiddordeb penodol yn y rhwydwaith cefnffyrdd, a sut y gallwn ni barhau i gael symudiad ar hwnnw. Fe fyddwn i'n ei wahodd ef i ysgrifennu at y Gweinidog ynglŷn â'r ffyrdd a'r meysydd arbennig hyn y mae ganddo ef bryderon amdanyn nhw'n lleol, ond fe allaf i ddweud bod Llywodraeth Cymru eisoes wedi cyflawni ei hymrwymiad i fuddsoddi mewn amddiffynfeydd rhag llifogydd ac erbyn diwedd y tymor Seneddol hwn, fe fyddwn ni wedi buddsoddi dros £390 miliwn mewn rheoli peryglon llifogydd ac erydu arfordirol. Mae hynny wedi lleihau'r risg i fwy na 47,000 o dai yma yng Nghymru ac rwyf i o'r farn fod hynny'n tystiolaethu i lefel ein buddsoddiad ni yn hynny o beth, ond i ddifrifoldeb y peryglon sydd yna i eiddo hefyd. Mae hwn yn amlwg yn faes lle bydd angen i ni yng Nghymru barhau i ganolbwyntio ein hymdrechion i'r dyfodol.
Diolch i'r Trefnydd.
Thank you, Trefnydd.
Yr eitem nesaf yw'r datganiad gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol ar y wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am frechiadau COVID-19. Dwi'n galw ar y Gweinidog i wneud ei ddatganiad. Vaughan Gething.
The next item is a statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services on COVID-19 vaccinations. I call on the Minister to make that statement. Vaughan Gething.
On 11 January, I published our vaccination strategy for Wales. A huge amount has happened in just over six weeks. Our programme has gone from strength to strength. Later this week, I'll publish an update to the strategy, to both reflect on progress and to provide some further detail on our current and upcoming priorities.
More than 860,000 people in Wales, all of whom are amongst the groups of people most likely to suffer serious harm from coronavirus, have now received their first dose of the vaccine. Second doses, which are important for longer-term protection in particular, are also being rolled out, with almost 50,000 people having had theirs already. This is an incredible effort from team Wales. My thanks go to all those involved from our NHS Wales, public and private sector partners, the military support, and the many volunteers who have stepped up. My thanks also go to the hundreds of thousands of people that have taken up their offer of the vaccine and in doing so have played their part in our national effort to keep Wales safe. The evidence is still emerging, but confidence is building that the vaccine programme is a critical factor in our journey out of lockdown and on to a brighter future.
Members, I hope, will have seen the really encouraging research that emerged from Scotland and England yesterday. There is a long way to go still, but the impressive start to our vaccine programme has brought with it hope for all of us. Members will have seen the announcements from the UK Government over recent days about speeding up vaccine roll-out. We have always said that our vaccination programme can go faster, but is subject to increased predictable vaccine supply. Late yesterday evening, we received confirmation that we should expect to see some of our vaccine supplies earlier than originally expected. So, we are now urgently working through plans to match delivery capacity to that supply profile. We want to ensure that as many people as possible can be vaccinated as soon as those earlier supplies allow.
As I say, we've said for some time that we could move faster with more supply. I expect that here in Wales we will be able to match the pace of England in rolling out the vaccination programme, and people should have high confidence in our ability to do so given the success of the Wales programme to date. I will have more to say in the coming days once my officials and our NHS have had time to work through last night’s information. Thank you, Llywydd.
Ar 11 Ionawr, fe gyhoeddais i ein strategaeth frechu ar gyfer Cymru. Mae llawer iawn wedi digwydd mewn ychydig dros chwe wythnos. Mae ein rhaglen ni wedi mynd o nerth i nerth. Yn ddiweddarach yr wythnos hon, fe fyddaf yn cyhoeddi diweddariad i'r strategaeth, i fwrw golwg yn ôl ar y cynnydd a rhoi rhagor o fanylion am ein blaenoriaethau presennol ni yn ogystal â'n blaenoriaethau i'r dyfodol.
Mae dros 860,000 o bobl yng Nghymru, sydd i gyd yn y grwpiau o bobl sydd fwyaf tebygol o ddioddef niwed difrifol oherwydd coronafeirws, wedi derbyn eu dos cyntaf nhw o'r brechlyn erbyn hyn. Hefyd, mae ail ddosau, sy'n bwysig ar gyfer amddiffyniad yn y tymor hwy yn arbennig, yn cael eu gweinyddu, gyda bron 50,000 o bobl wedi cael eu rhai nhw eisoes. Mae hon yn ymdrech anhygoel gan y tîm cenedlaethol. Rwy'n diolch i bawb sy'n gysylltiedig â'r GIG yng Nghymru, ein partneriaid ni yn y sectorau cyhoeddus a phreifat, y gefnogaeth gan y lluoedd arfog, a'r llu o wirfoddolwyr sydd wedi dod i'r adwy. Rwy'n diolch i'r cannoedd o filoedd o bobl hefyd sydd wedi derbyn y cynnig a roddwyd iddyn nhw o'r brechlyn ac wrth wneud hynny maen nhw wedi chwarae eu rhan yn ein hymdrech genedlaethol ni i gadw Cymru'n ddiogel. Mae'r dystiolaeth yn parhau i ddod i'r amlwg, ond mae'r hyder yn magu yn y rhaglen frechu fel ffactor hollbwysig yn ein taith ni allan o'r cyfyngiadau symud ac ymlaen i ddyfodol sy'n fwy disglair.
Rwy'n gobeithio bod yr Aelodau wedi gweld yr ymchwil galonogol iawn o'r Alban a Lloegr a ddaeth i'r amlwg ddoe. Mae llawer i'w wneud eto, ond mae'r dechrau arbennig o dda i'n rhaglen frechu ni wedi dod â gobaith i bob un ohonom ni. Mae'r Aelodau wedi gweld y cyhoeddiadau gan Lywodraeth y DU dros y dyddiau diwethaf ynghylch cyflymu'r broses o gyflwyno brechlynnau. Rydym ni wedi dweud bob amser y gallai ein rhaglen frechu ni gyflymu, ond mae hynny'n dibynnu ar gyflenwad mwy o frechlynnau y gellir ei ragweld. Yn hwyr neithiwr, fe gawsom ni gadarnhad y dylem weld rhai o'n cyflenwadau ni o frechlynnau yn cyrraedd yn gynt na'r disgwyl. Felly, rydym ni'n gweithio, fel mater o frys, ar gynlluniau i sicrhau bod ein capasiti ni i weinyddu yn cyfateb i'r cyflenwad a ragwelir nawr. Rydym ni'n awyddus i sicrhau y gellir brechu cymaint o bobl â phosibl cyn gynted ag y bydd y cyflenwadau cynharach nawr yn caniatáu hynny.
Fel y dywedaf, rydym wedi mynegi ers peth amser y gallem symud yn gynt pe byddai'r cyflenwad yn fwy. Rwy'n disgwyl y byddwn ni yma yng Nghymru yn gallu mynd ar yr un cyflymder â Lloegr wrth gyflwyno'r rhaglen frechu, ac fe ddylai pobl fod yn hyderus iawn o ran ein gallu i gyflawni hynny o ystyried llwyddiant rhaglen Cymru hyd yn hyn. Fe fydd gennyf i ragor i'w ddweud yn y dyddiau nesaf pan fydd fy swyddogion i a'r GIG yng Nghymru wedi cael amser i weithio drwy'r wybodaeth a gyflwynwyd neithiwr. Diolch, Llywydd.
Minister, thank you very much for your statement today. It is clearly good news. I don't use the word 'phenomenal' very often, but I do think that the vaccine roll-out in both the whole of the UK, in all our four nations, and in Wales has been absolutely phenomenal. I'm really pleased to hear you say that you believe that you'll be able to keep pace with the speed of the vaccine programme in England, and I just want to, like you, say an enormous, heartfelt 'thank you' to everybody involved in this programme. I think it is a real testament to humankind's ability to fight back against a virus that is very keen to try to cause us as much damage as it possibly can, and I congratulate all involved.
I've got just a couple of questions in three areas. The first is about the second dose. There doesn't seem to be consistency in provision of dates for second jabs. Some people are offered an appointment on receipt of the first jab, others are told they will be contacted, and it seems to be different not just between health boards, but within health boards. I wonder if you could offer some clarity on that. And what happens if somebody misses their second dose because they can't get to the appointment, and it's beyond that little time window that we've been given? Is there a problem? Do they have to start again? These are questions that have been raised with me by a number of people, and if you have any clarity you can offer there, I'd be very grateful.
My second area of questioning is about fairness. We have a very clear priority system, and we also have, sometimes, doses that are not used up at the end of the day, and therefore the organisations handing these out are trying to find people to come in and take up those doses. That's great. However, Dyfed-Powys police officers have been telling me that they have received an e-mail from within their force saying that they're not allowed to receive the vaccine if they are not in the appropriate JCVI group, even if they're called at a session where there are spare doses going. I wonder if you can look into this, because I've also had a few reports from other forces that have different views, and I just wonder if we can have some clarity, because I know that police officers feel that they are on the front line, and they do not feel that they're being treated with fairness. They're not asking for priority here—they just want to be fair, and if I can walk by a centre and be offered a spare dose, why can't a police officer?
Finally, I do have to just return to the question of carers, because it is a confusing situation. Yesterday, you said that unpaid carers and people with learning disabilities could be put into priority group 6 for vaccines, but on 2 February you were quoted by BBC Wales as saying that unpaid carers would be in priority group 6, in line with the JCVI advice. Now, this uncertainty is causing concern and worry for people who are vulnerable or looking after vulnerable people. I see that both NHS England and Scotland are already outlining guidance on vaccinating unpaid carers in group 6. NHS England wrote to local trusts on how to identify them on 20 February, and NHS Scotland have revised their guidance in the last 24 hours. You'll be aware that the green book on immunisation against infectious diseases states that vaccination of unpaid carers in priority group 6 should include
'Those who are eligible for a carer’s allowance, or those who are the sole or primary carer of an elderly or disabled person who is at increased risk of COVID-19 mortality'.
It also clarifies that
'those clinically vulnerable to COVID include children with severe neuro-disabilities, those who are designated Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV), adults who have underlying health conditions, and those who need care because of advanced age.'
So, carers are saying to me that the JCVI are already very clearly saying that, if you're in receipt of a carer's allowance, you are allowed to go into category 6. They are saying that when they go and ask the health board, their local GP, 'Can I have that vaccination?', they are told, 'No, we've got to wait for guidance, you have to wait for decisions from the Welsh Government'. I know that the First Minister mentioned that there would be something coming through during First Minister's questions today, but carers, to be frank, are feeling that they were promised one thing, now the goalposts have changed again. Are you able to offer any clarity today to carers—unpaid carers who perform such a vital role in our society—and actually offer them a real, consistent and clear message as to when they will be able to have their vaccine? I would really appreciate if you could shed any light on that subject. Thank you very much, Minister.
Gweinidog, diolch yn fawr i chi am eich datganiad heddiw. Newydd da yw hwn yn amlwg. Nid wyf i'n defnyddio'r gair 'gwyrthiol' yn aml iawn, ond rwy'n credu bod cyflwyniad y brechlyn drwy'r holl DU, ym mhob un o'r pedair gwlad sydd ynddi, ac yng Nghymru, wedi bod yn gwbl wyrthiol. Rwy'n falch iawn o'ch clywed chi'n dweud y credwch y gallwch fynd ar yr un cyflymder â'r rhaglen frechu yn Lloegr, ac rwy'n awyddus iawn i ddweud diolch o galon, fel y gwnaethoch chi, wrth bawb sydd â rhan yn y rhaglen hon. Rwyf i o'r farn ei bod yn tystiolaethu i allu'r ddynolryw i wrthsefyll feirws sy'n awyddus iawn i achosi cymaint o niwed ag sy'n bosibl, ac rwy'n llongyfarch pawb sy'n gysylltiedig â hyn.
Dim ond ychydig o gwestiynau sydd gennyf i, a hynny mewn tri maes. Mae'r cyntaf yn ymwneud â'r ail ddos. Nid yw'n ymddangos bod unrhyw gysondeb o ran rhoi dyddiadau ar gyfer ail bigiadau. Fe gaiff rhai gynnig apwyntiad yn syth ar ôl cael y pigiad cyntaf, fe ddywedir wrth eraill y bydd rhywun yn cysylltu â nhw, ac mae'n ymddangos bod gwahaniaethau nid yn unig rhwng byrddau iechyd, ond o fewn byrddau iechyd unigol. Tybed a wnewch chi daflu rhywfaint o oleuni ar hynny. A beth sy'n digwydd pe bai rhywun yn methu ei ail ddos oherwydd iddyn nhw gael eu rhwystro ar ddiwrnod yr apwyntiad, ac mae wedi mynd yn hwyrach na'r cyfnod byr hwnnw o amser a bennwyd ar ein cyfer ni? A yw hynny'n broblem? A fyddai'n rhaid iddyn nhw ddechrau o'r dechrau? Cwestiynau yw'r rhain y mae nifer o bobl wedi eu codi gyda mi, a phe byddai gennych chi unrhyw eglurder y gallech chi ei gynnig yn hyn o beth, fe fyddwn i'n ddiolchgar iawn.
Mae ail faes fy ymholiadau yn ymwneud â thegwch. Mae gennym system eglur iawn o flaenoriaethau, ac rydym ni'n gweld dosau weithiau nad ydynt wedi eu defnyddio ar derfyn dydd, ac felly mae'r sefydliadau sy'n gweinyddu'r rhain yn ceisio dod o hyd i bobl i ddod i mewn i gael y dosau hynny. Wel, da iawn hynny wir. Eto i gyd, mae swyddogion yn heddlu Dyfed-Powys wedi dweud wrthyf i eu bod wedi cael e-bost mewnol gan eu heddlu nhw'n dweud nad oes hawl ganddynt i gael y brechlyn os nad ydyn nhw yn y grŵp priodol yn ôl y Cyd-bwyllgor ar Imiwneiddio a Brechu, hyd yn oed pe bydden nhw'n cael eu galw i sesiwn lle mae'r dosau dros ben yn cael eu rhannu. Tybed a wnewch chi ymchwilio i hyn, oherwydd rwyf wedi clywed sawl adroddiad gan luoedd eraill yr heddlu yn mynegi safbwyntiau sy'n wahanol. Felly tybed a gawn ni rywfaint o eglurder, oherwydd fe wn i fod swyddogion yr heddlu'n teimlo eu bod nhw ar y rheng flaen, ac nid ydynt yn teimlo eu bod yn cael eu trin yn iawn. Nid gofyn am flaenoriaeth y maen nhw—gofyn am degwch, ac os wyf i'n cael cerdded i mewn i ganolfan a chael cynnig dos sydd dros ben, pam na chaiff swyddog yn yr heddlu wneud hynny?
Yn olaf, mae'n rhaid imi ddychwelyd at fater gofalwyr, oherwydd mae'r sefyllfa'n un ddryslyd. Ddoe, roeddech chi'n dweud y gellid rhoi gofalwyr di-dâl a phobl ag anableddau dysgu yng ngrŵp blaenoriaeth 6 ar gyfer brechlynnau, ond ar 2 Chwefror fe gawsoch chi eich dyfynnu gan BBC Wales yn dweud y byddai gofalwyr di-dâl yng ngrŵp blaenoriaeth 6, yn unol â chyngor y Cyd-bwyllgor ar Imiwneiddio a Brechu. Nawr, mae'r ansicrwydd hwn yn peri pryder i bobl sy'n agored i niwed neu sy'n gofalu am bobl sy'n agored i niwed. Rwy'n sylwi bod y GIG yn Lloegr a'r Alban yn amlinellu canllawiau eisoes ar frechu gofalwyr di-dâl yng ngrŵp 6. Fe ysgrifennodd y GIG yn Lloegr at yr ymddiriedolaethau lleol ynglŷn â sut i'w hadnabod nhw ar 20 Chwefror, ac mae'r GIG yn yr Alban wedi diwygio eu canllawiau nhw yn ystod y 24 awr ddiwethaf. Rydych chi'n ymwybodol bod y llyfr gwyrdd ar imiwneiddio rhag clefydau heintus yn nodi y dylai brechu gofalwyr di-dâl yng ngrŵp blaenoriaeth 6 gynnwys
Y rhai sy'n gymwys i gael lwfans gofalwr, neu'r rhai sy'n unig ofalwr neu'n brif ofalwr i unigolyn oedrannus neu anabl sydd mewn mwy o berygl o farwolaeth oherwydd COVID-19.
Mae hwn yn egluro hefyd fod
y rhai sy'n glinigol agored i niwed oherwydd COVID yn cynnwys plant â niwro-anableddau difrifol, y rhai a gaiff eu dynodi yn Glinigol Eithriadol o Agored i Niwed (CEV), oedolion sydd â chyflyrau iechyd isorweddol, a'r rhai sydd ag angen gofal oherwydd oedran mawr.
Felly, mae gofalwyr yn dweud wrthyf i fod y Cyd-bwyllgor ar Imiwneiddio a Brechu yn dweud yn glir iawn eisoes, os ydych chi'n cael lwfans gofalwr, mae yna ganiatâd ichi fod yng nghategori 6. Mae gofalwyr yn dweud, pan fyddan nhw'n mynd i ofyn i'r bwrdd iechyd, neu eu meddyg teulu lleol a allan nhw gael y brechiad, yr ateb yw, 'Na chewch, mae'n rhaid i ni aros am arweiniad, mae'n rhaid i chi aros am benderfyniadau gan Lywodraeth Cymru'. Fe wn i fod y Prif Weinidog wedi sôn y byddai rhywbeth yn dod i'r amlwg yn ystod cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog heddiw, ond mae gofalwyr, a dweud y gwir, yn teimlo eu bod wedi cael addewid, ac yna mae'r amodau wedi newid eto. A wnewch chi heddiw roi eglurder i ofalwyr—gofalwyr di-dâl sy'n cyflawni swyddogaeth mor hanfodol yn ein cymdeithas ni—a chynnig neges wirioneddol, gyson a chlir iddyn nhw o ran pryd y byddan nhw'n gallu cael eu brechu? Fe fyddwn i'n falch iawn pe byddech chi'n taflu rhywfaint o oleuni ar y pwnc hwn. Diolch yn fawr iawn, Gweinidog.
Thank you. I'll start with that final question because unpaid carers will be dealt with in group 6. I've answered lots of questions on that, and I'm really happy to restate the position to try to deal with some of the understandable concern that some people will have. So, we have had to work through—and we've done this deliberately with national carers organisations—how we define unpaid carers in such a way that we can get those people invited. And one of the examples I've given is that I regularly take my mother her shopping, so I deliver it to her house, but I wouldn't say that that act means that I would get through into priority group 6. I will be in priority group 6, but that's because I have an underlying chronic kidney condition. So, that's the reason why I'll get an invite for priority group 6. So, we've been working through with carers organisations to try to agree an approach that makes sense.
Now, what England have done is they're looking to identify people through general practice lists. That was an approach we considered but, ultimately, I've decided not to do that because that would essentially mean that looking at GPs lists—the extra requirements we'd then have for GPs, and you can anticipate the extra number of calls that GPs would get. I don't think that would be a sensible and efficient way to take unpaid carers through. So, I'm expecting imminently to be able to confirm some guidance for unpaid carers and for health boards to deliver that, and it is literally a matter of a number of days, and I expect that guidance will be published, and that should then give the clarity in public for everyone who is asking for it, but I'm making it really clear: unpaid carers are in group 6, and it's how we make sure that they're invited for their appointment rather than if, and that's a really important point to make.
On your point about fairness about spare end-of-day vaccine, well, I know you said that if you could be offered an end-of-day vaccine, why can't a police officer? That's because I suspect you're just a day or two older than 50, so you're within priority groups up to one to nine, Angela, whereas police officers, many of them won't be. What we have done, though, is been really clear in the guidance we've given out internally, and I think Gill Richardson, the senior responsible officer for the vaccine programme has said so in public as well, and sent a note out more broadly to say we're now in a position where groups 5 to 9 are a big chunk of the population, and we would expect health boards to be able to manage that group and, certainly, at this point in going through groups 5 to 9, to have spare groups of people at the end of the day that can be called on, because, actually, for people over the age of 50, lots of those people will be mobile and able to attend at very short notice.
If it isn't possible to do that then, yes, we do think it's appropriate to offer other people that end-of-day vaccine to make sure that doses aren't wasted. I don't think we're going to find high numbers, but if for the sake of dealing with six potential vaccines, whether that's a firefighter or a police officer or somebody else, then the Welsh Government certainly isn't saying, 'You cannot have that vaccine—it must be thrown away'. That clearly doesn't make sense, and that isn't the position we're adopting. And, as I say, we've sent a note out to clarify that within the system as well. So, the challenge of the message that you refer to I don't think reflects our stated position, and it should not represent practice. And I hope that helps to resolve that issue, not just in Dyfed Powys but more generally; I've heard the same sort of urban myth and concern being spoken about elsewhere as well.
On the second doses, I'm happy to confirm that we do expect that late doses can still be provided. So, we all understand that there are different reasons in life why a second dose appointment may be missed; someone may be ill, there may be a good reason why they can't attend on the stated time. That second dose can be rearranged, and my understanding is that it doesn't mean that there is no value in the person having to start again from dose 1 and going through dose 2. Actually, there's good data on the inter-dose interval being longer being a good thing in terms of the level of protection and the longevity of it. So, if someone gets their second dose in week 13 instead of week 11 or 12, that in itself shouldn't be a problem for their protection long term. Equally, if you miss your second appointment and need to rearrange it, it doesn't mean you are somehow being told to go back, do not pass 'Go' and collect £200—it isn't that sort of approach that we're taking.
And then on the consistency, a number of appointments have actually been rearranged to bring doses forward, particularly for those people receiving the Pfizer jab. I expect there will be a consistent approach in that everyone will be directly told when their appointment is. Some people have been given an indication for their second date at the point of the first vaccination. More and more, though, we're expecting to advise people, after they've had their first dose, when that second dose will be. I think the most important thing is to make sure that people aren't left behind. I agree with you: this has been a phenomenal effort in Wales. It's a pleasure to be leading other UK nations, but every one of the four UK nations can take some real pride in the way that our collective NHSes have delivered the programme.
Diolch. Rwyf am ddechrau gyda'r cwestiwn olaf oherwydd bydd gofalwyr di-dâl yn cael eu rhoi yng ngrŵp 6. Rwyf wedi ateb llawer o gwestiynau ynglŷn â hynny, ac rwy'n hapus iawn i ailddatgan y sefyllfa i geisio ymgodymu â rhywfaint o'r pryder a fydd gan rai, yn ddealladwy iawn. Felly, fe fu'n rhaid inni weithio trwy—ac rydym wedi gwneud hyn yn fwriadol gyda gofalwyr a sefydliadau cenedlaethol—ddull o ddiffinio gofalwyr di-dâl yn y fath fodd fel y gallwn sicrhau gwahoddiad i'r bobl hynny. Ac un o'r enghreifftiau a roddais i yw fy mod i'n mynd â nwyddau o'r siop at fy mam yn rheolaidd, felly rwy'n mynd â'r nwyddau i'w thŷ hi, ond ni fyddwn i'n ystyried bod y weithred honno'n golygu fy mod yn cael fy nghyfrif yn grŵp blaenoriaeth 6. Fe fyddaf i yng ngrŵp blaenoriaeth 6, ond y rheswm am hynny yw bod gennyf gyflwr cronig sylfaenol ar yr arennau. Felly, dyna'r rheswm pam y byddaf i'n cael fy ngwahodd yng ngrŵp blaenoriaeth 6. Felly, rydym wedi bod yn gweithio gyda sefydliadau gofalwyr i geisio cytuno ar ddull sy'n gwneud synnwyr.
Nawr, yr hyn y maen nhw'n ei wneud yn Lloegr yw ceisio nodi pobl yn ôl rhestrau'r meddygfeydd. Roedd hwnnw'n ddull a ystyriwyd gennym ni ond, yn y pen draw, rwyf wedi penderfynu peidio â gwneud hynny oherwydd fe fyddai'n golygu, yn ei hanfod, wrth edrych ar restrau meddygon teulu—gofynion ychwanegol ar feddygon teulu wedyn, ac fe allwch chi ragweld y galwadau ychwanegol niferus y byddai'r meddygon teulu yn eu cael. Nid wyf i o'r farn y byddai honno wedi bod yn ffordd synhwyrol ac effeithlon o gynnwys gofalwyr yn y grŵp. Felly, rwy'n disgwyl gallu cadarnhau rhywfaint o arweiniad yn fuan i ofalwyr di-dâl a'r byrddau iechyd ar gyfer cyflawni hynny, a mater o ychydig ddyddiau yw hynny, yn llythrennol, ac rwy'n disgwyl y caiff canllawiau eu cyhoeddi, ac fe ddylai hynny roi'r eglurder wedyn yn gyhoeddus i bawb sy'n gofyn amdano. Ond rwy'n ei gwneud hi'n eglur iawn : mae gofalwyr di-dâl yng ngrŵp 6, ac mae'n ymwneud â sut yr ydym am wneud yn siŵr eu bod yn cael eu gwahodd i'w hapwyntiadau yn hytrach nag os ydyn nhw'n cael eu gwahodd, ac mae hwnnw'n bwynt pwysig iawn i'w wneud.
O ran eich pwynt chi ynglŷn â thegwch o ran brechiadau sydd ar ôl ar derfyn dydd, wel, gwn eich bod wedi dweud, pe byddech chi'n cael cynnig brechlyn ar derfyn dydd, pam ddim un o swyddogion yr heddlu? Y rheswm am hynny yw eich bod chi, rwy'n amau, ryw ychydig bach dros eich hanner cant, felly rydych chi o fewn grwpiau blaenoriaeth o un i naw, Angela, ac ni fydd llawer iawn o swyddogion yr heddlu yn yr un sefyllfa. Yr hyn a wnaethom ni, er hynny, yw bod yn eglur iawn yn y canllawiau a ddosbarthwyd yn fewnol. Ac rwy'n credu bod Gill Richardson, yr uwch swyddog sy'n gyfrifol am y rhaglen frechu wedi dweud hynny'n gyhoeddus hefyd, ac wedi anfon nodyn yn fwy cyffredinol i ddweud ein bod ni mewn sefyllfa erbyn hyn lle mae grwpiau 5 i 9 yn gyfran helaeth o'n poblogaeth ni. Fe fyddem ni'n disgwyl i fyrddau iechyd allu rheoli'r garfan honno ac, yn sicr, ar hyn o bryd wrth fynd drwy grwpiau 5 i 9, i fod â grwpiau dros ben o bobl ar ddiwedd y dydd y gellir galw arnyn nhw, oherwydd, mewn gwirionedd, i bobl dros 50 oed, fe fydd llawer o'r rhain yn hyblyg ac yn gallu mynd i mewn ar fyr rybudd.
Os nad yw'n bosibl gwneud felly, yna rydym ni o'r farn ei bod hi'n briodol cynnig y brechlyn i bobl eraill ar derfyn y dydd i sicrhau nad oes dosau yn mynd yn wastraff. Nid wyf yn credu y gwelwn ni niferoedd uchel, ond ar gyfer ymdrin â chwe brechlyn o bosibl, i ddiffoddwr tân neu i swyddog heddlu neu i rywun arall, yna yn sicr nid yw Llywodraeth Cymru am ddweud, 'Nid yw'r brechlyn hwn ar eich cyfer chi—mae'n rhaid ei daflu i ffwrdd'. Mae'n amlwg nad yw hynny'n gwneud unrhyw synnwyr, ac nid ydym yn gwneud y safiad hwnnw. Ac, fel y dywedais, rydym wedi anfon nodyn allan i egluro hynny o fewn y system hefyd. Felly, nid wyf i o'r farn fod her y neges yr ydych chi'n cyfeirio ati yn adlewyrchiad cywir o'n safbwynt ni, ac ni ddylai hynny fod yn arfer ar lawr gwlad. Gobeithio bod hynny'n helpu i ddatrys y mater hwnnw, nid yn unig yn ardal Dyfed Powys ond yn fwy cyffredinol; rwyf wedi clywed chwedlau a phryderon o'r fath yn cael eu mynegi mewn mannau eraill hefyd.
Ynglŷn â'r ail ddos, rwy'n hapus i gadarnhau ein bod ni'n disgwyl y gellir parhau i weinyddu dosau'n hwyr. Felly, rydym ni i gyd yn deall y ceir gwahanol resymau mewn bywyd am golli apwyntiad am ail ddos; fe all rhywun fod yn sâl, efallai y bydd rheswm da arall pan na allan nhw fod yn bresennol ar yr amser penodedig. Fe ellir aildrefnu'r ail ddos hwnnw, a'm dealltwriaeth i yw nad oes unrhyw werth i'r unigolyn orfod dechrau eto gyda dos 1 ac ymlaen wedyn i ddos 2. Mewn gwirionedd, mae data cadarn ar gael bod cyfnod hwy rhwng dosau yn beth da mewn gwirionedd o ran lefel yr amddiffyniad a'i hirhoedledd. Felly, os bydd rhywun yn cael ei ail ddos yn ystod wythnos 13 yn hytrach nag wythnos 11 neu 12, ni ddylai hynny ynddo'i hun achosi problem o ran ei ddiogelu yn yr hirdymor. Yn yr un modd, pe byddech chi'n colli eich ail apwyntiad a bod angen ichi ad-drefnu, nid yw hynny'n golygu y bydd rhywun yn dweud wrthych chi am fynd yn ôl i ddechrau'r gêm—nid hwnnw yw ein dull ni o weithredu.
Ac yna, o ran cysondeb, fe gafodd nifer o apwyntiadau eu had-drefnu er mwyn cyflymu'r gwaith o gyflwyno'r dosau, yn arbennig felly i'r bobl hynny sy'n cael y pigiad Pfizer. Rwy'n disgwyl y bydd yna ddull cyson o weithredu ac y caiff pawb wybod yn uniongyrchol pa bryd y bydd eu hapwyntiad nhw. Mae rhai pobl wedi cael rhyw syniad o'u hail ddyddiad wrth gael eu brechlyn cyntaf. Yn gynyddol, serch hynny, rydym ni'n disgwyl rhoi gwybod i bobl, ar ôl iddyn nhw gael eu dos cyntaf, pryd y gweinyddir eu hail ddos. Rwy'n credu mai'r peth pwysicaf yw sicrhau nad yw pobl yn cael eu gadael ar ôl. Rwy'n cytuno â chi: mae hon wedi bod yn ymdrech aruthrol yng Nghymru. Mae'n hyfryd bod ar y blaen i wledydd eraill y DU, ond fe all pob un o bedair gwlad y DU ymfalchïo'n fawr yn y ffordd y mae ein gwasanaethau iechyd gwladol cyfunol ni wedi cyflwyno'r rhaglen hon.
Diolch. Thank you for the statement and, again, I would want to thank everybody involved in the quite remarkable vaccination efforts in all parts of Wales. The first issue I want to raise is on communication. The First Minister said, a week ago, on the Radio 4 Today programme, that people aged over 50 were imminently about to receive their invitations for their vaccine. He said, and I quote, that
'People aged over 50 will already be booked in for their appointments next week... and those people will be getting their vaccine from Monday onwards.'
We know that's not the case. We haven't reached the 50-somethings in large numbers yet. Priority groups will be done in turn. Now, I'm sure the First Minister wasn't trying to mislead, but it did cause a lot of confusion, so please can we be careful with communication?
I want to turn to the possible broadening of vaccination priority categories. Again, I have regularly called for bringing into the prioritisation lists those working in key roles, in schools, in public transport, the police, other emergency services and so on. Your Government has consistently said, 'No, we'll stick with the JCVI advice', but can I urge you to consider a different approach? There's nothing wrong at all in the JCVI priority list; the older you are and the more fragile your health is, you are more at risk as an individual—I think that's clear enough. But there's another risk factor, and that's how much you're exposed to the virus. Say you have two 45-year-olds, both healthy, not in the top nine priority groups. The one who goes in to clean a school or teach or assist in classes full of pupils and other staff faces more of a risk of being exposed to the virus than the 45-year-old working, say, in an administrative job and working from home. To me, it makes absolute sense that the former should be prioritised somewhat over the latter.
Also, can I encourage again a very early change in the rules on vaccinating people with learning disabilities? We're hearing positive noises. We're talking about people who may be vulnerable not just physically but also vulnerable in terms of being able to cope with contracting COVID; just get them through the vaccination system, please.
And with unpaid carers too, there's still confusion on this. Yes, we know that unpaid carers in general are now in group 6, but we're desperate to have those clear national guidelines so people know where they stand.
And finally, I've been in contact with a care home owner today. He described a hole in the wall of protecting care homes, with 6,000 unvaccinated care workers, and that's certainly a worry, but the point he wanted to make with me was that three of his staff have been told they can't have their vaccine for a number of weeks—that's something I'm going to be taking up with the health board—but he's concerned about a number of staff who don't want to receive the vaccine because they have believed some of the anti-vaccine mantra so prevalent in parts of social media. I know this is something that you're concerned about as well. I asked you last week during a briefing session what work Welsh Government is doing to share a counter-narrative debunking those myths, so I wonder if you could update us on work being done in that arena. Thank you.
Diolch. Diolch i chi am y datganiad ac, unwaith eto, fe hoffwn i ddiolch i bawb sydd â rhan yn yr ymdrech gwbl ryfeddol i frechu ym mhob rhan o Gymru. Mae'r mater cyntaf yr wyf i'n awyddus i'w godi'n ymwneud â chyfathrebu. Fe ddywedodd y Prif Weinidog, wythnos yn ôl, ar raglen Today Radio 4, fod pobl dros 50 oed ar fin cael eu gwahodd ar gyfer eu brechlynnau. Fe ddywedodd ef, ac rwy'n dyfynnu,-
Fe fydd pobl dros 50 oed yn dechrau cael eu hapwyntiadau nhw wythnos nesaf... a bydd y rhain yn cael eu brechlynnau o ddydd Llun ymlaen.
Fe wyddom nad yw hynny wedi digwydd. Nid ydym wedi cyrraedd y grŵp yn eu 50au i raddau helaeth eto. Bydd y grwpiau blaenoriaeth yn cael eu trin yn eu tro. Nawr, rwy'n siŵr nad oedd y Prif Weinidog yn ceisio camarwain unrhyw un, ond achosodd dipyn o ddryswch, felly a gawn ni fod yn fwy gofalus gyda'n cyfathrebu?
Fe hoffwn i droi at y posibilrwydd o ehangu'r categorïau blaenoriaeth ar gyfer brechu. Unwaith eto, rwyf i wedi galw'n barhaus am gynnwys rhai sy'n gweithio mewn swyddi allweddol, mewn ysgolion, ym maes trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, yr heddlu, gwasanaethau brys eraill ac yn y blaen ar y rhestrau blaenoriaeth. Mae eich Llywodraeth chi wedi dweud yn gyson, 'Na, rydym am lynu wrth gyngor y Cyd-bwyllgor ar Imiwneiddio a Brechu'. Ond a gaf i bwyso arnoch chi i ystyried dull gwahanol o weithredu? Nid oes dim o'i le o gwbl ar restrau blaenoriaeth y Cyd-bwyllgor ar Imiwneiddio a Brechu; os ydych chi'n hŷn neu'n fregus eich iechyd, rydych chi mewn mwy o berygl fel unigolyn—rwy'n credu bod hynny'n ddigon amlwg. Ond mae yna ffactor risg arall, sef pa mor debygol yr ydych chi o fod mewn cysylltiad â'r feirws. Bwriwch fod gennych chi ddau unigolyn 45 oed, sy'n iach, heb fod yn y naw prif grŵp blaenoriaeth. Mae'r un sy'n mynd i lanhau neu i ddysgu neu i gynorthwyo mewn dosbarthiadau mewn ysgol sy'n llawn disgyblion a staff eraill yn wynebu mwy o risg o ddod i gysylltiad â'r feirws na'r unigolyn 45 oed sy'n gweithio, dywedwch, mewn swydd weinyddol ac o gartref. Yn fy marn i, mae'n gwneud synnwyr pur y dylid blaenoriaethu rhywfaint ar y cyntaf dros yr olaf.
Yn ogystal â hynny, a gaf i bwyso unwaith eto am newid yn fuan iawn yn y rheolau ynglŷn â brechu pobl ag anableddau dysgu? Rydym yn clywed sibrydion cadarnhaol. Rydym yn sôn am bobl a allai fod yn agored i niwed nid yn unig yn gorfforol ond yn agored i niwed o ran y gallu i ymdopi â dioddef COVID; mynnwch eu bod nhw'n cael mynd drwy'r system frechu, os gwelwch chi fod yn dda.
Ac o ran gofalwyr di-dâl hefyd, fe geir dryswch o hyd ynglŷn â hyn. Ydym, rydym ni'n gwybod bod gofalwyr di-dâl yng ngrŵp 6 ar y cyfan erbyn hyn, ond rydym yn awyddus iawn i gael y canllawiau cenedlaethol clir hynny fel bod pobl yn gwybod ble maen nhw'n sefyll.
Ac yn olaf, rwyf wedi bod mewn cysylltiad â pherchennog cartref gofal heddiw. Roedd yntau'n disgrifio twll yn y mur sy'n diogelu cartrefi gofal, gyda 6,000 o weithwyr gofal heb eu brechu, ac mae hynny'n destun gofid yn sicr. Ond y pwynt yr oedd ef yn awyddus i'w wneud gyda mi oedd bod tri o'i staff ef wedi cael gwybod na allan nhw gael eu brechu am nifer o wythnosau—mae hynny'n rhywbeth y byddaf i'n ei godi gyda'r bwrdd iechyd—ond mae e'n pryderu am nifer o'r staff nad ydyn nhw'n dymuno cael eu brechu oherwydd eu bod nhw wedi credu rhai o'r chwedlau gwrth-frechlyn sy'n frith mewn rhannau o'r cyfryngau cymdeithasol. Fe wn i eich bod chi'n pryderu am hyn hefyd. Fe ofynnais ichi'r wythnos diwethaf yn ystod sesiwn friffio pa waith y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i gyfathrebu gwybodaeth i danseilio'r chwedlau hynny, felly tybed a wnewch chi roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i ni am y gwaith sy'n cael ei wneud yn y maes hwnnw. Diolch.
I'll deal with the last point first, because there is a real concern about the level of misinformation and dishonesty in trying to dissuade people from having the vaccine and a range of scare stories that are being promoted. And I should say that I'm grateful for the way that Members across the political spectrum have looked to be really consistent in urging people to take the vaccine. You'll have seen not just the celebrities who have gone out and encouraged people from black and Asian origin groups to have the vaccine, but also you saw politicians from across the political divide doing the same thing as well. You wouldn't normally have Diane Abbott and James Cleverly endorsing the same message, but it very much has happened.
The sewer of misinformation that is available is a real concern for all of us, and in particular as we go through the age groups, the concerns that have been given are a real threat to all of us. So, we know that employers in each of those areas are reinforcing those messages, and we know that, locally, our general practitioners and others are doing it and to the point of vaccination, those conversations take place. But it's really about the amount of information we're able to get out earlier, and some of that is because it's the organic spread of this, whether it's through WhatsApp or Facebook or other social media platforms, it's being able to combat that in those areas as well. You'll see that this is a challenge, not just in the Government, about who the message comes from, because while some people will believe what I have to say when I say that I've spoken to our chief medical officer and this is the advice, but there are many others who need to hear that directly from others. So, it's a multiplicity of voices, especially those people who are from those communities of concern, other care workers talking about their experiences and in particular independent medics, as opposed to others. And you'll see that we're promoting that on Welsh Government platforms and others, and I hope that Members do find it easy enough to find sources of information if you're getting concerns about this. If Members do have concerns about where that information is, then please do contact me and I'll happily make sure that something goes out to Members more generally to point people to reliable sources of information.
On your starting point about the clarity in communications, groups 5 to 9 include all people over the age of 50 and that's the point the First Minister was making. We're working through that in terms of priorities. We're into groups 5 and 6 already, people will be receiving invites and will be going through in turn. I do expect, as I said earlier, to be able to at least match the pace of the roll-out in England, which means that we should be able to do that earlier than the end of April, which is good news for everyone, and then to start with the rest of the adult population.
And that gets me, I guess, into your middle question, which is about broadening vaccine priorities. I know that you say you're not looking to de-prioritise other people, but the reality is that if you broaden vaccination categories, if you add more people in over and above the JCVI prioritisation, then you are de-prioritising other people. And I take on board your point about who these people are. It's either a choice—and we've asked JCVI for advice—of whether there are particular occupations that should be prioritised above age groups or together with other age groups. And then there may be some difficult value questions, because actually, if you work in retail, or if you're a taxi driver, or if you're a post office worker, then you have different risks to other people, and I know that lots of the conversation is about teachers or the police, but if there are other groups with a larger occupational profile in terms of acquiring COVID. So, we may face a challenge—and it depends what the JCVI says—about whether we have key workers as a category or individual workers, and within that, I'll be interested in advice around how specific that advice would be and how quickly our whole programme can move. Now, I need to receive and consider that JCVI advice and I'm expecting that that isn't very far into the future, so this isn't going to be theoretical for much longer. I'll need to make an actual decision and as soon as I have made a decision, I'll be clear about what that is and provide that to the public as well as Members, and of course, we'll have the published advice from the JCVI to work from. So, I understand the case that the Member makes, but I have to say that, without clarity in how that would work and making sure that we protect people at the greatest risk as soon as possible, it's not a position that I think should affect groups 5 to 9, who are still progressing through at some pace.
Fe wnaf i ymdrin â'r pwynt olaf yn gyntaf, oherwydd mae yna bryder gwirioneddol ynghylch y lefel o wybodaeth gyfeiliornus a'r anonestrwydd wrth geisio perswadio pobl i beidio â chael y brechlyn ac mae yna gasgliad o straeon arswyd sy'n cael eu hyrwyddo. Ac fe ddylwn i ddweud fy mod i'n ddiolchgar am y ffordd y mae'r Aelodau o bob lliw gwleidyddol wedi bod yn gyson iawn yn eu hanogaeth i bobl gael y brechlyn. Rydym wedi gweld nid yn unig enwogion yn mynd allan ac yn cymell pobl o grwpiau o darddiad du ac Asiaidd i gael y brechlyn, ond rydym wedi gweld gwleidyddion o bob argyhoeddiad gwleidyddol yn gwneud yr un fath hefyd. Fel arfer, ni fyddai Diane Abbott a James Cleverly yn cymeradwyo'r un genadwri, ond mae hyn wedi digwydd i raddau helaeth iawn.
Mae'r domen o wybodaeth gyfeiliornus sydd ar gael i'r cyhoedd yn bryder gwirioneddol i bob un ohonom ni, ac yn arbennig wrth inni fynd trwy'r grwpiau oedran, mae'r pryderon a fynegwyd yn fygythiad gwirioneddol i bob un ohonom ni. Felly, fe wyddom fod y cyflogwyr ym mhob un o'r meysydd hynny'n ategu'r genadwri honno, ac fe wyddom fod y meddygon teulu ac eraill, yn lleol, yn gwneud hynny, a hyd at y safle brechu mae sgyrsiau felly'n digwydd. Ond mae'n ymwneud mewn gwirionedd â faint o wybodaeth y gallwn ni ei chyfathrebu'n gynharach, mae hynny i ryw raddau oherwydd natur systemig ymlediad y straeon hyn, boed hynny drwy WhatsApp neu Facebook neu lwyfannau eraill yn y cyfryngau cymdeithasol, mae'n golygu gallu gwrthsefyll yr wybodaeth anghywir yn y mannau hynny hefyd. Fe welwch chi faint yr her, nid yn unig yn y Llywodraeth, ynglŷn â phwy sy'n cyfathrebu'r neges, oherwydd er y bydd rhai pobl yn credu'r hyn a ddywedaf pan wyf yn dweud fy mod i wedi siarad â'n prif swyddog meddygol ac mai dyma'r cyngor, ond mae llawer o bobl eraill y mae angen iddyn nhw gael clywed hynny'n uniongyrchol gan rywun arall. Felly, mae'n rhaid wrth lawer o leisiau, yn enwedig i'r bobl hynny sy'n dod o'r cymunedau sy'n peri fwyaf o bryder, a gweithwyr gofal eraill yn siarad am eu profiadau nhw ac yn benodol feddygon annibynnol, yn hytrach nag eraill. Ac fe fyddwch chi'n gweld ein bod ni'n hyrwyddo hynny ar lwyfannau Llywodraeth Cymru a llwyfannau eraill, ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yr Aelodau yn ei chael hi'n ddigon hawdd dod o hyd i ffynonellau o wybodaeth os ydych chi'n clywed pryderon am hyn. Os oes gan Aelodau bryderon ynghylch ble mae'r wybodaeth honno ar gael, cysylltwch â mi ac fe fyddaf yn hapus i sicrhau bod rhywbeth yn cael ei anfon allan at yr Aelodau yn fwy cyffredinol i dynnu sylw pobl at ffynonellau dibynadwy o wybodaeth.
O ran eich pwynt cychwynnol ar eglurder o ran cyfathrebu, mae grwpiau 5 i 9 yn cynnwys pawb dros 50 oed a dyna'r pwynt yr oedd y Prif Weinidog yn ei wneud. Rydym ni'n gweithio drwy'r rhain o ran y blaenoriaethau. Rydym wedi cyrraedd grwpiau 5 a 6 yn barod, ac fe fydd pobl yn cael eu gwahoddiadau ac fe fyddan nhw'n cael mynd drwodd yn eu tro. Rwy'n disgwyl, fel y dywedais i'n gynharach, y byddwn o leiaf yn gallu mynd ar yr un cyflymder â'r cyflwyniad yn Lloegr, sy'n golygu y dylem ni allu gwneud hynny'n gynharach na diwedd mis Ebrill, sy'n newydd da i bawb, ac yna i ddechrau ar weddill y boblogaeth sy'n oedolion.
Ac mae hynny'n fy arwain i, rwy'n credu, at ateb y cwestiwn yn y canol, sy'n ymwneud ag ehangu blaenoriaethau'r brechlyn. Fe wn i eich bod chi'n dweud nad ydych chi'n ceisio dadflaenoriaethu pobl eraill, ond y gwir amdani yw, pe byddech chi'n ehangu'r categorïau ar gyfer brechu, pe byddech chi'n ychwanegu mwy o bobl at y grwpiau sydd gan y Cyd-bwyllgor ar Imiwneiddio a Brechu i'w blaenoriaethu, yna fe fyddwch chi'n amddifadu pobl eraill o'r flaenoriaeth. Ac rwy'n deall eich pwynt chi ynglŷn â gofyn pwy yw'r unigolion hyn. Dewis yw hwn, felly—ac rydym ni wedi gofyn i'r Cyd-bwyllgor ar Imiwneiddio a Brechu am gyngor—ynghylch a oes yna alwedigaethau penodol y dylid eu blaenoriaethu uwchlaw grwpiau oedran neu ynghyd â grwpiau oedran eraill. Ac yna efallai y bydd rhai cwestiynau anodd o ran ein gwerthoedd ni, oherwydd mewn gwirionedd, os ydych chi'n gweithio ym maes manwerthu, neu os ydych chi'n gyrru tacsi, neu os ydych chi'n gweithio yn swyddfa'r post, yna mae eich risgiau chi'n wahanol i risgiau pobl eraill, a gwn fod llawer o'r drafodaeth hon yn ymwneud ag athrawon neu'r heddlu, ond a oes yna grwpiau eraill â phroffil galwedigaethol mwy o ran caffael COVID. Felly, fe allem ni fod yn wynebu her—ac mae hyn yn dibynnu ar yr hyn a ddywed y Cyd-bwyllgor ar Imiwneiddio a Brechu—ynghylch a ydym ni'n cynnwys gweithwyr allweddol mewn categori neu weithwyr unigol, ac o fewn hynny, fe hoffwn i gael cyngor ynghylch pa mor benodol y gallai'r cyngor hwnnw fod a pha mor gyflym y gall ein rhaglen gyfan ni symud. Nawr, mae angen imi gael y cyngor hwnnw gan y Cyd-bwyllgor ar Imiwneiddio a Brechu a'i ystyried, ac rwy'n disgwyl na fydd raid imi aros yn hir iawn, felly nid rhywbeth damcaniaethol fydd hyn am lawer mwy o amser. Fe fydd angen imi wneud penderfyniad gwirioneddol a chyn gynted ag y byddaf i wedi gwneud penderfyniad, fe fyddaf yn mynegi hwnnw'n eglur ac yn cyfathrebu hwnnw i'r cyhoedd yn ogystal ag i'r Aelodau, ac wrth gwrs, fe fyddwn yn gweithio ar sail y cyngor a gyhoeddir gan y Cyd-bwyllgor ar Imiwneiddio a Brechu. Felly, rwy'n deall y ddadl sydd gan yr Aelod. Ond rhaid dweud, heb eglurder am sut y byddai hynny'n gweithio a sicrhau ein bod yn amddiffyn y bobl sydd yn y perygl mwyaf cyn gynted â phosibl, nid yw'r safbwynt hwnnw'n un a fyddai'n effeithio ar grwpiau 5 i 9, sy'n parhau i symud ymlaen ar beth cyflymder.
Thank you for your statement, Minister. I would like to, once again, thank all those who have made this enormous task possible and all those who will move heaven and earth to vaccinate us all in the coming months. I'm pleased to say that, last Thursday, in Margam, they had 100 per cent turnout, which is a tremendous result.
In a few weeks, we will have delivered vaccines to all those in the priority groups and will move on to the remaining population. So, Minister, how will you approach that programme? Will there be a prioritisation list? Have you given any consideration to those who are at greater risk, but not included in the earlier JCVI list, such as asthma sufferers and adults with learning disabilities, particularly those in assisted living, as well as carers, from whom I've had many, many e-mails? Minister, I would also urge you to consider prioritising those in the at-risk professions, such as teachers, police officers, firefighters, prison officers and, of course, our customer-facing retail staff.
Finally, Minister, it is concerning that there are those working in health and care who are refusing to get vaccinated. Whilst that is their right, we cannot allow their choices to put others at risk. So, will you ensure that staff who choose not to get vaccinated are prevented from having face-to-face contact with vulnerable patients until the completion of the vaccination programme? Thank you very much. Diolch yn fawr.
Diolch i chi am eich datganiad, Gweinidog. Fe hoffwn i, unwaith eto, ddiolch i bawb sydd wedi gwneud y dasg enfawr hon yn bosibl a phawb a fydd yn gwneud y gwaith aruthrol o'n brechu ni i gyd yn ystod y misoedd nesaf. Rwy'n falch o ddweud, ddydd Iau diwethaf, ym Margam, fod 100 y cant wedi cadw eu hapwyntiadau, sy'n ganlyniad rhagorol.
Ymhen ychydig wythnosau, fe fyddwn ni wedi rhoi brechlynnau i bawb yn y grwpiau blaenoriaeth ac fe fyddwn ni'n symud ymlaen at weddill y boblogaeth. Felly, Gweinidog, sut ydych chi am fynd ati gyda'r rhaglen honno? A fydd yna restr blaenoriaeth? A ydych chi wedi rhoi unrhyw ystyriaeth i'r rhai sydd mewn mwy o berygl, ond nad ydyn nhw wedi eu cynnwys yn y rhestr gynharach o eiddo'r Cyd-bwyllgor ar Imiwneiddio a Brechu, fel dioddefwyr asthma ac oedolion ag anableddau dysgu, yn enwedig y rhai sy'n cael cymorth i fyw, yn ogystal â gofalwyr, yr wyf i wedi cael llawer iawn o negeseuon e-bost ganddyn nhw? Gweinidog, rwyf i am eich annog chi hefyd i ystyried blaenoriaethu'r rhai sydd yn y proffesiynau mwy peryglus, fel athrawon, swyddogion yr heddlu, diffoddwyr tân, swyddogion carchardai ac, wrth gwrs, y staff manwerthu sy'n wynebu cwsmeriaid.
Yn olaf, Gweinidog, mae yna rai sy'n gweithio ym maes iechyd a gofal sy'n gwrthod cael eu brechu, ac mae hynny'n peri pryder. Er bod ganddyn nhw'r hawl i wrthod, ni allwn ganiatáu i'w dewisiadau nhw roi pobl eraill mewn perygl. Felly, a wnewch chi sicrhau bod staff sy'n dewis peidio â chael eu brechu yn cael eu hatal rhag cael cyswllt wyneb yn wyneb â chleifion sy'n agored i niwed hyd nes bydd y rhaglen frechu wedi dod i ben? Diolch yn fawr iawn. Diolch.
In respect of the questions about the next phase after we've completed priority groups 5 to 9, I think I've dealt with those at some length in response to both Angela Burns and Rhun ap Iorwerth, including the point about at-risk professions and people with learning disabilities that I've committed to dealing with in the very near future. I certainly hope that I will have dealt with people with learning disabilities and how that advice will be effected prior to answering questions in the Chamber tomorrow. Members will then get an opportunity to ask me questions about a choice that I hope will be made public by then.
On vaccine refusal, I think this is rather more difficult. I understand the point that the Member makes about whether people who have refused a vaccine or not had a vaccine, whether they should be prevented from going into certain patient-facing areas. This is what we get into going back into a debate about whether the vaccine is, essentially, compulsory. That would, essentially, make the vaccine compulsory for front-line members of staff in health and social care. It's an issue we're working through with not just leaders in those areas but trade unions and others about what the ethical interplay is between this, because there isn't a requirement, a legal requirement, for people to take the vaccine. We do, then, need to think through what that means and it's not a straightforward point.
It's also a broader question not just for health and care, but for a range of other professions, where if people are returning to work and social distancing isn't possible, then what does that mean? To give you an example, one of the occupational groups that has had significant mortality from COVID is chefs and kitchen workers. If you remember the time when we were able to eat out, you'd often see people in a kitchen and social distancing wasn't always possible. Yet, actually, if we get back to being able to reopen that part of hospitality, some employers will be thinking through what they're going to do if people are not going to take the vaccine.
It's a difficult question, where people will express a degree of keenness or reluctance to work with others. This is not straightforward in terms of people disclosing the form of treatment they have and haven't had, and the vaccination is very much part of it. So, I recognise the point the Member is making, but I don't think it's quite as simple as, 'You can't undertake duties unless you prove that you've had the vaccine.' I think this is a debate that we're a long way from concluding.
O ran y cwestiynau am y cam nesaf ar ôl inni gwblhau grwpiau blaenoriaeth 5 i 9, rwy'n credu fy mod i wedi ymdrin â'r rhain yn drylwyr iawn mewn ymatebion i Angela Burns a Rhun ap Iorwerth, gan gynnwys y pwynt am broffesiynau sydd mewn perygl a phobl ag anableddau dysgu yr wyf i wedi ymrwymo i ymdrin â nhw yn y dyfodol agos iawn. Rwy'n sicr yn gobeithio y byddaf i wedi ymdrin â phobl ag anableddau dysgu a sut i roi'r cyngor hwnnw ar waith cyn ateb cwestiynau yn y Siambr yfory. Fe gaiff yr Aelodau gyfle wedyn i ofyn cwestiynau i mi ynglŷn â dewis a fydd, rwy'n gobeithio, wedi cael ei wneud yn gyhoeddus erbyn hynny.
O ran y rhai sy'n gwrthod brechlynnau, mae hwn yn fater sydd braidd yn fwy dyrys, yn fy marn i. Rwy'n deall y pwynt y mae'r Aelod yn ei wneud ynghylch pobl sydd wedi gwrthod brechlyn neu heb gael brechlyn, a gofyn a ddylid eu hatal nhw rhag bod mewn ardaloedd lle maen nhw'n dod wyneb yn wyneb â chleifion. Yma rydym yn mynd yn ôl i'r ddadl ynghylch a yw'r brechlyn, yn ei hanfod, yn rhywbeth a ddylai fod yn orfodol. Fe fyddai hynny, yn ei hanfod, yn gwneud y brechlyn yn orfodol i aelodau rheng flaen y staff ym maes iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol. Mae hwn yn fater yr ydym ni'n gweithio drwyddo nid yn unig o ran yr arweinyddiaeth yn yr ardaloedd hynny ond gydag undebau llafur ac eraill ynglŷn â'r hyn sydd ar waith yn foesegol, oherwydd nid oes gofyniad cyfreithiol i bobl gael y brechlyn. Mae angen inni feddwl, felly, am yr hyn y mae hynny'n ei olygu ac nid pwynt syml mohono.
Mae hwn yn gwestiwn ehangach hefyd, nid yn unig ar gyfer iechyd a gofal, ond ar gyfer ystod o broffesiynau eraill. Os yw pobl yn mynd yn ôl i'w gwaith ac nad oes modd cadw pellter cymdeithasol yno, beth mae hynny'n ei olygu? I roi enghraifft ichi, un o'r grwpiau galwedigaethol sydd wedi gweld cyfraddau marwolaeth sylweddol oherwydd COVID yw cogyddion a gweithwyr cegin. Os ydych chi'n cofio'r cyfnod pan oeddem ni'n gallu bwyta allan, roeddech chi'n gweld pobl mewn cegin yn aml ac nid oedd cadw pellter cymdeithasol yn bosibl bob amser iddyn nhw. Ac eto, mewn gwirionedd, os byddwn yn mynd yn ôl i allu ailagor y rhan honno o letygarwch, fe fydd rhai cyflogwyr yn meddwl am beth i'w wneud pe na fyddai pobl yn barod i gael y brechlyn.
Mae hwn yn gwestiwn anodd, ac fe fydd pobl yn mynegi rhyw gymaint o ddyhead neu amharodrwydd i weithio gyda phobl eraill. Nid yw hyn yn fater syml o ran gwneud i bobl ddatgelu pa driniaethau a gawsant neu beidio, ac mae'r brechiad yn rhan hanfodol o hyn. Felly, rwy'n cydnabod y pwynt y mae'r Aelod yn ei wneud. Ond nid wyf yn credu bod hynny mor syml â dweud, 'Ni chewch ymgymryd â dyletswyddau oni bai eich bod yn gallu profi eich bod wedi cael y brechlyn.' Rydym ymhell o ddatrys y ddadl hon, yn fy marn i.
Minister, the vaccine roll-out is proceeding very effectively and efficiently, which we're all very grateful for, but, obviously, we need a very good take-up of the vaccine if we are going to have Wales as protected as we would like it to be. It is good, generally, but there are some gaps, and you've referred already to black and ethnic minorities, for example. I know there's emerging information in terms of some our more deprived communities not taking up the vaccine opportunities in the numbers that we would like. You've already talked about role models, Minister, and communication and messaging. As this information becomes available, in terms of gaps in vaccine take-up, how will you be monitoring that and responding to it, in terms of adapting messaging and communication, and working with those who reach out into these communities and can help to improve the position as we go through this programme?
Gweinidog, mae'r broses o gyflwyno'r brechlyn yn mynd rhagddi'n effeithiol ac yn effeithlon iawn, ac rydym ni i gyd yn ddiolchgar iawn am hynny ond, yn amlwg, mae angen i gymaint â phosibl fanteisio ar y brechlyn os ydym ni am ddiogelu Cymru fel y byddem ni'n dymuno ei wneud. Mae pethau'n mynd yn dda, yn gyffredinol, ond mae yna rai bylchau, ac rydych chi wedi cyfeirio eisoes at leiafrifoedd du ac ethnig, er enghraifft. Fe wn i fod gwybodaeth wedi dod i'r amlwg, o ran rhai o'n cymunedau mwy difreintiedig ni, nad ydyn nhw'n manteisio ar y cyfleoedd i frechu yn y niferoedd yr hoffem eu gweld. Rydych wedi sôn yn barod am batrymau ymddygiad, Gweinidog, a chyfathrebu a chenadwri. Wrth i'r wybodaeth hon ddod i'r amlwg, o ran y bylchau yn y niferoedd sy'n manteisio ar y brechlyn, sut wnewch chi fonitro ac ymateb i hynny, o ran addasu'r genadwri a'r cyfathrebu, a gweithio gyda'r rhai sy'n mynd â'r newydd allan i'r cymunedau hyn ac sy'n gallu helpu i wella'r sefyllfa wrth inni fwrw ymlaen â'r rhaglen hon?
Thank you for the question. In terms of take-up, we are already seeing evidence of a differential in take-up, both through our most advantaged and least advantaged communities. So, the least well-off 20 per cent of the population have a 5 per cent to 6 per cent differential in take-up compared to our most advantaged population group, and we've seen that in groups 1 to 4. We do though also see a bigger differential between some different groups. So, black Afro-Caribbean and some Asian groups have a much lower take-up. That isn't complete data, but we do know that there is a material difference. So, there's work that's already been done, not just at the round-table that I've joined, but there's a wide range of work being done positively and proactively.
You'll have seen Muslim doctors undertaking a range of work and you'll see leadership in different faith groups as well. And I think we all have a role to play as well in terms of what we can do, and I look forward to joining you and Jayne Bryant for an event this week to talk about vaccine take-up within Newport. We are also deliberately working with a range of people in the faith community and a range of voluntary groups to promote take-up, because this is the best thing people can do for themselves, their family and their community, to get a vaccine that is safe and effective, and one that has gone through a rigorous assessment. So, I think the more we can do to really promote that the better. Health boards themselves, of course, also have outreach workers. Every health board has got outreach workers to work with different communities within their health board area. So, that deliberate and positive outreach, together with the approach of others, and also our ability to interrogate the data to see where there may still be a gap and to think what we may need to do. So, you may well be seeing more direct messages from not just faith leaders, but the potential to use some of those venues as vaccination centres to encourage more people to come forward.
Diolch am y cwestiwn. O ran y nifer sy'n manteisio ar y brechlyn, rydym ni eisoes yn gweld tystiolaeth o wahaniaeth yn y niferoedd sy'n manteisio ar y cyfle, yn ein cymunedau mwyaf breintiedig a lleiaf breintiedig fel ei gilydd. Felly, mae gan yr 20 y cant sydd dlotaf yn ariannol yn y boblogaeth niferoedd rhwng 5 y cant i 6 y cant yn llai na'r niferoedd sy'n manteisio ar y brechlyn yn grŵp poblogaeth mwyaf cefnog, ac rydym wedi gweld hynny yn grwpiau 1 i 4. Er hynny, rydym ni'n gweld gwahaniaeth hefyd sy'n fwy ymysg rhai grwpiau amrywiol. Mae gan bobl o dras Affro-Caribïaidd du a rhai grwpiau o dras Asiaidd niferoedd sy'n llawer llai. Nid yw'r data hynny'n gyflawn, ond fe wyddom fod yna wahaniaeth sylweddol. Felly, fe gafodd gwaith ei wneud eisoes, nid yn unig wrth y bwrdd crwn yr wyf i wedi ymuno ag ef, ond fe geir ystod eang o waith sy'n cael ei wneud mewn dull cadarnhaol a rhagweithiol.
Rydych wedi gweld meddygon Mwslimaidd yn ymgymryd ag ystod o waith ac wedi gweld arweiniad gan wahanol grwpiau ffydd hefyd. Ac rwy'n credu bod gan bob un ohonom ni ran yn y gwaith hefyd o ran yr hyn y gallwn ni ei wneud, ac rwy'n edrych ymlaen at ymuno â chi a Jayne Bryant ar gyfer digwyddiad yr wythnos hon i drafod y brechlynnau yng Nghasnewydd. Rydym yn gweithio'n fwriadol gydag amrywiaeth o bobl yn y gymuned ffydd yn ogystal ag amrywiaeth o grwpiau gwirfoddol i gynyddu'r niferoedd sy'n manteisio ar y brechlynnau, oherwydd dyma'r peth gorau y gall pobl ei wneud er eu lles nhw eu hunain, eu teuluoedd, a'u cymunedau, sef cael triniaeth ddiogel ac effeithiol, ac un sydd wedi mynd drwy asesiad trwyadl. Felly, po fwyaf y gwnawn ni i hyrwyddo hynny, gorau i gyd, yn fy marn i. Wrth gwrs, mae gan y byrddau iechyd eu hunain weithwyr allgymorth hefyd. Mae gan bob bwrdd iechyd weithwyr allgymorth i weithio gyda gwahanol gymunedau yn ardal eu bwrdd iechyd nhw. Felly, yr allgymorth pwrpasol a chadarnhaol hwnnw, ynghyd â dulliau pobl eraill, a'n gallu ninnau hefyd i graffu ar y data i weld lle y gall bwlch fodoli o hyd ac ystyried yr hyn y gellid bod angen inni ei wneud. Felly, mae'n ddigon posibl y byddwch chi'n gweld cenadwri fwy uniongyrchol nid yn unig gan arweinwyr ffydd, ond y posibilrwydd o ddefnyddio rhai o'r lleoliadau hyn fel canolfannau brechu er mwyn annog mwy o bobl i ddod am eu brechiad.
I congratulate everybody who is involved in not only closing the initial first-dose gap with England and Scotland, but also now closing the second-dose gap also. So, credit where it's due. I know I raised that with you previously and you said there would be good news ahead and you were right. So, well done.
But what assurance can you give to the constituent whose daughter is an elite Paralympic F20 world champion shot putter, hoping to go to Tokyo to the Paralympic games this summer, who may need to go to the Europeans in Poland at the end of May to qualify for Tokyo, but who's in vaccination priority group 6, has not yet had a vaccination, and where her mother rightly states it would be a real shame if she missed the opportunity to go to Poland and therefore jeopardise her chances of a gold medal in Tokyo because she's not been vaccinated in time?
And secondly and finally, how do you respond to the Chirk patient who contacted me yesterday, stating that contrary to the Welsh Government's proclamation about getting all of its over-70s vaccinated a day before England, Chirk surgery only completed the last of the first doses for people in this category today—i.e. yesterday; and, people in younger age groups who would already have been vaccinated if they lived in Shropshire, 100 yards away, are facing a two to three-week wait? Chirk's flu vaccine service is consistently excellent, so it plainly isn't their fault. The political borders in this area often don't match other lines, such as the divisions between GP practices, and in this particular instance, the problem is with the supply of vaccines to Chirk surgery, which is in Wales and part of the Welsh NHS system. Thank you.
Rwy'n llongyfarch pawb sydd wedi bod â rhan nid yn unig yng nghau'r bwlch a oedd ar y dechrau rhwng Cymru â Lloegr a'r Alban o ran gweinyddu'r dos cyntaf, ond wrth gau'r bwlch o ran yr ail ddos nawr hefyd. Felly, mae'n rhaid canmol hynny. Fe wn imi godi hynny gyda chi o'r blaen ac roeddech chi'n dweud y byddai newyddion da i ddod ac roeddech chi'n iawn. Felly, da iawn wir.
Ond pa sicrwydd y gallwch chi ei roi i'r etholwraig y mae ei merch hi'n bencampwraig y byd Paralympaidd F20 am daflu maen, sy'n gobeithio mynd i Tokyo i'r gemau Paralympaidd yn yr haf eleni, y gallai fod angen iddi fynd i'r gemau Ewropeaidd yng Ngwlad Pwyl ar ddiwedd mis Mai i fod yn gymwys ar gyfer Tokyo, ond sydd yng ngrŵp 6 o'r blaenoriaethau brechu, a heb gael ei brechiad eto. Mae ei mam yn dweud calon y gwir y byddai'n drueni mawr pe bai'n colli'r cyfle i fynd i Wlad Pwyl ac felly'n peryglu ei chyfle i ennill medal aur yn Tokyo am nad yw wedi ei brechu mewn digon o amser?
Ac yn ail ac yn olaf, sut ydych chi am ymateb i glaf o'r Waun a gysylltodd â mi ddoe, gan ddweud, yn groes i'r datganiad a wnaeth Llywodraeth Cymru bod pawb dros 70 oed wedi eu brechu ddiwrnod o flaen Lloegr, mai heddiw'n unig—hynny yw ddoe y gorffennodd meddygfa'r Waun roi'r dosau olaf o'r brechlyn cyntaf i bobl yn y categori hwn; ac mae pobl mewn grwpiau oedran iau a fyddai eisoes wedi eu brechu pe bydden nhw'n byw yn Swydd Amwythig, rhyw 100 llath i lawr y ffordd, yn wynebu aros am bythefnos i dair wythnos? Mae gwasanaeth brechu'r Waun yn rhagorol bob amser o ran brechlynnau ffliw, felly mae'n amlwg nad arnyn nhw y mae'r bai. Yn aml, nid yw'r ffiniau gwleidyddol yn yr ardal hon yn cyfateb i ffiniau eraill, fel y ffiniau rhwng practisau meddygon teulu, ac yn yr achos penodol hwn, y broblem yw'r cyflenwad o frechlynnau i feddygfa'r Waun, sydd yng Nghymru ac yn rhan o system GIG Cymru. Diolch.
Thank you. On your first point, as you're aware, the time in the first few weeks when there was criticism over the vaccine roll-out programme in Wales was a time when we were building our infrastructure, and I think it's been proven that that was the right thing to do. We built a way to deliver that meant we could move at real pace in a sustained manner. So, that's why we are still at present the leading UK nation when it comes to the proportion of the population for first doses—more than a third of the adult population have already had their first dose. And we are in second place within the UK nations, just behind Northern Ireland, when it comes to the percentage of second doses we've delivered. And that's in particular the material progress we've made over the last week or so on delivering more and more second doses.
In terms of your constituent and her concern that she's in group 6 and has yet to have her vaccine, I expect that we will, as I said, match the pace in England where they think they can complete all groups up to priority group 9 by the middle of April. So, I don't think that your constituent will have to wait very much longer. The additional supply that we've been told will be brought forward will allow us to deliver at a much quicker pace, because every part of our system has said that with more certainty over supply and clarity of early supply, we can go even faster. So, I hope that will give your constituent and many others confidence in the weeks ahead. And when it comes to groups 1 to 4, we pledged that we'd have the offer for everyone in groups 1 to 4, and it was the same in every other UK nation. There will have been some catch-up in terms of the actual delivery.
When it comes to vaccine supply, of course, this does rely on the supplies we're getting through UK procurement. I should say that procuring the vaccine for the whole of the UK is a UK Government responsibility, but it's a responsibility that has broadly been done well. We have had significant volumes of vaccine supply to help us get on with our job of delivering that vaccine. We've had some smoothing out and a dip in the last two weeks in vaccine supply. That was predicted and expected. That's why we've seen a minor dip within that. I think within Wales, within England, within every country, you could have vaccine delivery centres that have a slightly different supply compared to each other, but overall, we're going very fast. I think that trying to look at Wales as somehow being responsible for a problem in vaccine supply is not an accurate way to go about describing the challenges that we have, and in any event, I think the speed of the roll-out in Wales, and in every other UK nation, is something we could all take a deal of pride in.
Diolch. O ran eich pwynt cyntaf, fel y gwyddoch chi, roedd y cyfnod yn ystod yr wythnosau cyntaf, pan oedd y rhaglen i weinyddu brechlynnau yng Nghymru yn cael ei beirniadu, yn gyfnod pan oeddem ni'n adeiladu ein seilwaith ni, ac rwy'n credu i hynny gael ei gyfiawnhau. Fe wnaethom drefnu ffordd o gyflawni a oedd y golygu y gallem symud ar gyflymder gwirioneddol mewn modd cynaliadwy. Felly, dyna pam rydym ni'n parhau i fod ar y blaen yn y DU ar hyn o bryd o ran cyfran y boblogaeth sydd wedi cael y dosau cyntaf—mae mwy na thraean o'r boblogaeth oedolion wedi cael eu dos cyntaf nhw eisoes. Ac rydym ni yn yr ail safle ymysg gwledydd y DU, ychydig y tu ôl i Ogledd Iwerddon, o ran canran yr ail ddosau yr ydym ni wedi eu gweinyddu. A dyna'r cynnydd gwirioneddol a wnaed dros yr wythnos neu'r pythefnos diwethaf o ran gweinyddu mwy a mwy o ail ddosau.
O ran eich etholwraig chi a'i phryder bod ei merch yng ngrŵp 6 ac nad yw wedi cael ei brechlyn eto, rwy'n disgwyl y byddwn ni, fel y dywedais i, yn mynd ar yr un cyflymder â Lloegr lle maen nhw'n credu y gallan nhw gwblhau pob grŵp hyd at grŵp blaenoriaeth 9 erbyn canol mis Ebrill. Felly, nid wyf yn credu y bydd yn rhaid i'ch etholwraig aros llawer mwy eto. Fe fydd y cyflenwad ychwanegol y dywedwyd wrthym ei fod ar y ffordd yn ein galluogi ni i gyflawni'n gynt o lawer, oherwydd mae pob rhan o'n system ni wedi dweud, gyda mwy o sicrwydd ynghylch cyflenwad ac eglurder cyflenwad cynnar, y gallwn ni fynd yn gyflymach eto hyd yn oed. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio y bydd hynny o gysur i'ch etholwraig chi a llawer un arall yn yr wythnosau i ddod. Ac o ran grwpiau 1 i 4, fe wnaethom ni addo y byddai pawb yng ngrwpiau 1 i 4 yn cael cynnig y brechlyn, ac felly yr oedd hi ym mhob gwlad arall yn y DU. Fe fydd yna rywfaint o ddal i fyny wedi bod o ran y ddarpariaeth wirioneddol.
O ran y cyflenwad o frechlynnau, wrth gwrs, mae hyn yn dibynnu ar y cyflenwadau yr ydym yn eu cael drwy gaffael yn y DU. Fe ddylwn i ddweud mai cyfrifoldeb Llywodraeth y DU yw caffael y brechlyn ar gyfer y DU gyfan, ond fe lwyddwyd yn dda iawn ar y cyfan o ran y cyfrifoldeb hwn. Rydym wedi cael llawer iawn o frechlynnau i'n helpu ni i fwrw ymlaen â'n gwaith ni o weinyddu'r brechlyn hwn. Rydym wedi gweld y cyflenwad o'r brechlyn yn gwastatáu ac yn gostwng ychydig yn ystod y pythefnos diwethaf. Cafodd hynny ei ragweld ac roedd hynny i'w ddisgwyl. Dyna pam rydym ni wedi gweld gostyngiad bach yn hynny o beth. Rwy'n credu y gallech chi, yng Nghymru, yn Lloegr, ym mhob gwlad, fod â chanolfannau gweinyddu brechlynnau sy'n cael cyflenwad ychydig yn wahanol o'u cymharu â'i gilydd, ond ar y cyfan, rydym ni'n mynd yn gyflym iawn. Nid wyf yn credu mai ystyried Cymru yn gyfrifol, rywsut, am y broblem gyda'r cyflenwad o frechlynnau yw'r ffordd gywir o fynd ati i ddisgrifio'r heriau sydd gennym, a beth bynnag, rwy'n credu bod cyflymder y cyflwyniad yng Nghymru, ac ym mhob gwlad arall yn y DU, yn rhywbeth y gallem ni i gyd ymfalchïo'n fawr ynddo.
Minister, you probably enjoyed, as I did, watching Sir Gareth Edwards's video the other day of his visit to the vaccination centre in Bridgend behind the rugby club. He said in the video that it wasn't true that it was always the case that he enjoyed every visit to the Brewery Field in Bridgend. But it was a great message to all my constituents about the desirability of getting the vaccination and responding to it and getting down to do it. I look forward as well, Minister, to the opening of the Maesteg community vaccination centre in the recreation centre on 1 March. That's really welcome.
Minister, could I ask you—? I watched the Prime Minister's press conference yesterday evening, which lauded, as we all do, the incredible speed of the roll-out of the vaccination across all parts of the UK, including here in Wales. But, sometimes, he has a tendency to look a little bit too far in the future and to overpromise and underdeliver. We heard last night that, from the end of May, we might be looking at international flights for tourism and holidays, and that nightclubs would be opening on 21 June on the back of mass testing of people in the queues before they go in.
Could you, Minister, comment on those announcements, which have significantly heightened expectations because of the BBC spread across the UK, that nightclubs will be opening, flights will be running from the end of May and so on? How confident can we be, Minister, this far out, that we do not risk rerunning past mistakes of going too far too fast, particularly by the UK Government, and introducing new strains of the virus from around the world, and that we avoid having a devastating resurgence of this virus and new strains throughout next winter? Let's be cautious, step by step, and in some ways, underpromise but overdeliver.
Gweinidog, fe wnaethoch chi, mae'n debyg, fwynhau, fel y gwnes innau, wylio fideo Syr Gareth Edwards y diwrnod o'r blaen o'i ymweliad ef â'r ganolfan frechu ym Mhen-y-bont ar Ogwr y tu cefn i'r clwb rygbi yno. Fe ddywedodd ef yn y fideo nad oedd bob amser wedi mwynhau pob ymweliad â Maes y Bragdy ym Mhen-y-bont ar Ogwr, mewn gwirionedd. Ond roedd honno'n neges ardderchog i'm hetholwyr i am y fantais fawr o gael gwahoddiad am frechiad ac ymateb i hynny a mynd i'w gael. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen hefyd, Gweinidog, at agor canolfan frechu gymunedol Maesteg yn y ganolfan hamdden ar 1 Mawrth. Mae hynny i'w groesawu'n fawr.
Gweinidog, a gaf i ofyn i chi—? Fe wyliais i gynhadledd Prif Weinidog y DU i'r wasg neithiwr, a oedd yn canmol, fel y gwna pawb ohonom ni, y cyflymder anhygoel wrth gyflwyno'r brechiadau ledled y DU gyfan, gan gynnwys yma yng Nghymru. Ond, weithiau, mae ganddo duedd i edrych ychydig yn rhy bell i'r dyfodol ac addo gormod a methu â chyrraedd y nod. Fe glywsom ni neithiwr y gallem ni, o ddiwedd mis Mai, fod yn edrych ar deithiau awyr rhyngwladol ar gyfer twristiaeth a gwyliau, ac y byddai clybiau nos yn agor ar 21 Mehefin ar ôl cynnal profion torfol ar bobl yn y ciwiau cyn iddyn nhw gael mynediad.
A wnewch chi, Gweinidog, roi eich sylwadau chi ar y cyhoeddiadau hynny, sydd wedi cynyddu disgwyliadau yn sylweddol oherwydd darllediad y BBC ledled y DU, y bydd y clybiau nos yn agor, y bydd teithiau awyr yn hedfan o ddiwedd mis Mai ac yn y blaen? Pa mor hyderus y gallwn ni fod, Gweinidog, mor gynnar â hyn, nad oes yna berygl inni ailadrodd camgymeriadau'r gorffennol o fynd yn rhy gyflym o lawer unwaith eto, yn enwedig gan Lywodraeth y DU, a chyflwyno mathau newydd o'r feirws o bob cwr o'r byd, a'n bod ni'n osgoi gweld y feirws dinistriol hwn yn ailgodi a mathau newydd yn ymledu drwy gydol y gaeaf nesaf? Gadewch inni fod yn ofalus, gam wrth gam, ac mewn rhai ffyrdd, beidio ag addo gormod ond gwneud yn well na'r disgwyl.
Thank you for the question. I did see the clip of Sir Gareth Edwards, the greatest living Welshman, talking to the First Minister. I think it was very positive in terms of his own experience and what that meant. I hope that other people have had a chance to watch that, and that it will encourage others to make sure that they too go and get their vaccine and receive a warm welcome in the Brewery Field.
On the Prime Minister's conference yesterday, I think the first point to make is that it's a much better conversation to be having about what we can do in the future, rather than talk about the things we still can't do. We should all have a sense of optimism about the future, but the future is not certain. We have made a deliberate choice to be faithful to the scientific evidence and public health advice that we receive, which is why we have a different approach to school opening in Wales. It is directly in line with the evidence and advice we've had. They've made a different policy choice in England, as they're entitled to do. So, they're storing up to have, if you like, a 'big bang' approach on 8 March. That isn't what our advice says that we should do. It's a choice for English Ministers to do that, and they're entitled to do so, but our risk appetite is different, which is why we're following the advice.
When I think about international travel, it is one of the things that really bothers me about the future and reimportation, because, by May, we won't have completed the adult population with their first dose, let alone the second dose as well. I remember very well last summer's experience where I changed the rules on quarantine and what people could expect to do when a flight from Zante was in mid-air. We did that because the evidence was mounting at that point about reimportation of coronavirus when we had very low coronavirus levels. Remember that we had levels of two to three in 100,000 at one point in the summer, and we're now talking about the rates being much lower when we're just about 80 in 100,000. So, there has to be real caution for the future.
You may or may not have heard the deputy chief medical officer this morning on Radio Wales, making very clear the point that we simply can't predict months and months into the future what the position will be with the spread of coronavirus with a much more virulent strain, in the sense of its ability to transmit, so much, much more likely to spread. To give, somehow, a baked-in roadmap, with dates not data, going into the middle of the summer, I don't think is the right approach. I think we need to manage people's expectations, and understand that most people are cautious, and want to be assured that, coming out of this, we're not going to lurch into the future and then have to lurch back into lockdown, if at all possible.
I just don't think it's realistic that nightclubs are going to be open in the way that is described in June. I'd be delighted to be wrong, but I'm much more interested in keeping Wales safe, in keeping people alive and well, and not having to introduce much more restrictive measures to restrict national life, with all the public health harm that you'd have to avoid in doing so, but also the economic damage you'd do in bringing back sectors of the economy that we hope to open in a sustained fashion. So, we'll continue to take our approach as to how we keep Wales safe in a cautious, evidence-led way.
Diolch am y cwestiwn. Do, fe welais i'r clip o Syr Gareth Edwards, un o fawrion y genedl, yn siarad â'r Prif Weinidog. Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n beth cadarnhaol iawn o ran ei brofiad ef ei hun a'r hyn yr oedd hynny'n ei olygu i bobl Cymru. Rwy'n gobeithio bod pobl eraill wedi cael cyfle i wylio'r clip hwnnw, ac y bydd hynny'n eu hannog nhw i wneud yn siŵr eu bod yn mynd i gael y brechlyn hefyd ac yn cael croeso cynnes ym Maes y Bragdy.
O ran cynhadledd Prif Weinidog y DU ddoe, rwy'n credu mai'r pwynt cyntaf i'w wneud yw ei bod yn well o lawer cael sgwrs am yr hyn y byddwn ni'n gallu ei wneud yn y dyfodol, yn hytrach na siarad am y pethau na allwn ni eu gwneud nhw heddiw. Fe ddylem ni i gyd gael teimlad o obaith ynglŷn â'r dyfodol, ond nid yw'r dyfodol yn sicr. Rydym wedi gwneud dewis bwriadol i lynu'n dynn wrth y dystiolaeth wyddonol a'r cyngor iechyd cyhoeddus a gawn ni, a dyna pam mae gennym ni ddull gwahanol o agor ysgolion yng Nghymru. Mae hynny'n cyd-fynd yn uniongyrchol â'r dystiolaeth a'r cyngor a gawsom ni. Maen nhw wedi gwneud dewis polisi gwahanol yn Lloegr, ac mae'r hawl ganddyn nhw i wneud hynny. Felly, maen nhw'n dal yn ôl nes cael 'clec fawr' ar 8 Mawrth, os hoffech chi. Nid oedd y cyngor a gawsom ni yn dweud y dylem wneud hynny. Dewis Gweinidogion Lloegr yw gwneud hynny, ac mae ganddyn nhw'r hawl i wneud hynny, ond mae ein harchwaeth ni am risg yn un gwahanol, a dyna pam rydym ni'n dilyn y cyngor.
Pan fyddaf yn meddwl am deithio rhyngwladol, dyma un o'r pethau sy'n fy ngofidio i'n fawr ynglŷn â'r dyfodol ac ailgyflwyniad posibl, oherwydd erbyn mis Mai, ni fyddwn wedi cwblhau rhoi'r dos cyntaf i'r boblogaeth gyfan o oedolion, heb sôn am ail ddos. Rwy'n cofio profiad haf y llynedd yn dda iawn, pan newidiais i'r rheolau ynglŷn â'r cwarantîn a'r hyn y gallai pobl ddisgwyl ei wneud pan oedd awyren o Zante yn yr awyr. Fe wnaethom hynny oherwydd bod y dystiolaeth yn cynyddu bryd hynny o ran ailgyflwyno'r coronafeirws, pan oedd gennym ni lefelau isel iawn o'r coronafeirws. Fe gofiwch mai lefelau o ddau hyd dri ym mhob 100,000 oedd gennym ni ar un amser yn ystod yr haf, ac rydym ni'n sôn erbyn hyn fod y lefelau'n is o lawer pan fyddwn ni wedi cyrraedd 80 ym mhob 100,000. Felly, fe fydd yn rhaid bod yn ofalus iawn i'r dyfodol.
Efallai eich bod wedi clywed y dirprwy brif swyddog meddygol ar Radio Wales fore heddiw yn egluro'r pwynt yn dda iawn na allwn ragweld misoedd lawer i'r dyfodol beth fydd y sefyllfa o ran ymlediad y coronafeirws gydag amrywiad llawer mwy ffyrnig, yn yr ystyr o'i allu i drosglwyddo rhwng pobl, fel y gallai fod yn llawer mwy tebygol o ymledu. Nid wyf i o'r farn, rywsut, fod gosod cynllun cadarn, gyda dyddiadau ac nid data, sy'n ymestyn hyd yr haf, yn ddull addas o gyflawni hyn. Rwy'n credu bod angen inni reoli disgwyliadau pobl, a deall bod y rhan fwyaf o bobl yn ofalus, ac yn dymuno cael sicrwydd nad ydym ni, wrth ddod allan o hyn, yn troedio'n simsan i'r dyfodol ac yna'n gorfod troedio yn ôl i lawr yn simsan i gyfyngiadau symud, os oes modd o gwbl osgoi hynny.
Nid wyf i'n credu ei bod yn realistig agor y clybiau nos ym mis Mehefin yn y ffordd a gaiff ei disgrifio. Fe fyddwn i'n falch o fod yn anghywir, ond mae gennyf i lawer mwy o ddiddordeb mewn diogelwch Cymru, a chadw pobl yn fyw ac yn iach, na gorfod cyflwyno mesurau llawer mwy cyfyngol i gyfyngu ar fywyd cenedlaethol, gyda'r holl niwed i iechyd y cyhoedd y byddai'n rhaid i chi ei osgoi wrth wneud hynny, ond hefyd y niwed economaidd y byddech chi'n ei achosi o ran ailgychwyn sectorau o'r economi yr ydym ni'n gobeithio eu hagor mewn modd cynaliadwy. Felly, fe fyddwn ni'n dal ati i ymdrin â'r ffordd yr ydym ni am gadw Cymru'n ddiogel mewn ffordd ofalus sy'n cael ei harwain gan dystiolaeth.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog.
Thank you, Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf yw'r datganiad gan Weinidog yr Economi, Trafnidiaeth a Gogledd Cymru ar y genhadaeth o ran cadernid ac ailadeiladu economaidd. Mi fyddaf i'n trosglwyddo'r Gadair nawr i'r Dirprwy Lywydd, Ann Jones. I wneud y datganiad, felly, Ken Skates.
The next item is a statement by the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales on the economic resilience and reconstruction mission. I will now pass the Chair to the Deputy Llywydd, Ann Jones. I call on Ken Skates to make the statement.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (Ann Jones) i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Ann Jones) took the Chair.
This last year has been incredibly difficult for everyone—for the business having to close to prevent the spread of the virus, for the young person unable to find their first job, or the family struggling to get by because of a drop in household income. It has been one of the most challenging any of us have ever experienced. Whilst the work to combat the virus obviously goes on, it is important to consider how Wales can emerge from the direct impact of the virus and tackle with renewed vigour the deep-seated challenges that Wales faces, and to help our people, businesses and communities to prevail and to prosper. Over the last few months, I've been discussing these important issues with partners, and today we publish our economic resilience and recovery mission. It sets out what many people told me directly—that in Wales we have the talent, the energy and the ideas to rebuild our economy in a better and fairer way. Our mission offers grounded optimism against a backdrop of the most challenging circumstances.
We've responded at pace to minimise the pandemic's impacts on business and workers. Our support package of more than £2 billion is the most generous business support package anywhere in the United Kingdom. For small, medium and large businesses in the hospitality, leisure and tourism sector, and related supply chain, we are now adding a further £30 million of emergency financial support for operating cost grants. Our targeted rates relief scheme has already allowed us to provide more support to thousands of smaller businesses, whilst ensuring that major essential retailers, such as large supermarkets, continue to pay rates. The UK Government has yet to confirm whether it will extend non-domestic rates support in England. I urge them to do so, and to do this as quickly as possible, so that we can have absolute certainty on the funding available for Wales as a result. We are making all of the preparations necessary to support a rapid response for Welsh businesses as soon as the Chancellor provides us with certainty on the funding that is required.
As we look to move forward, we recognise that there are businesses that are integral to the visitor economy, such as events and the late-night economy, that are likely to be hard hit in the longer term, and we’ll actively review our options for providing further support here. Despite our unequalled support, over the next 12 months, unemployment in Wales and across the UK will grow. Too many of our citizens will see their jobs go or the hours they work reduce, and be faced with few job vacancies on offer. This will be worse for young workers, women, people from minority ethnic communities, older workers, disabled people, those with health conditions, and those in low-skill occupations. So, our reconstruction work must support these hardest-hit individuals. The impact of the pandemic, coupled with exiting the European Union, threatens to reverse the progress that we've made in reducing unemployment and economic inactivity in Wales over the last decade. There will be profound implications for the future of work, our communities and our well-being, as well as the physical fabric of our town centres and our transport system.
Mae'r flwyddyn ddiwethaf hon wedi bod yn eithriadol o anodd i bawb—i'r busnes a oedd yn gorfod cau i atal lledaeniad y feirws, i'r person ifanc sy'n methu dod o hyd i'w swydd gyntaf, neu'r teulu sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd ymdopi oherwydd lleihad yn incwm y cartref. Bu'n un o'r blynyddoedd mwyaf heriol y mae unrhyw un ohonom ni wedi eu profi erioed. Er bod y frwydr yn erbyn y feirws yn amlwg yn parhau, mae'n bwysig ystyried sut y gall Cymru ddod trwy effaith uniongyrchol y feirws a mynd i'r afael ag egni o'r newydd â'r heriau dwfn y mae Cymru'n eu hwynebu, a helpu ein pobl, ein busnesau a'n cymunedau i orchfygu a ffynnu. Dros y misoedd diwethaf, rwyf wedi bod yn trafod y materion pwysig hyn gyda phartneriaid, a heddiw rydym ni'n cyhoeddi ein cenhadaeth o ran cadernid ac ailadeiladu economaidd. Mae'n nodi'r hyn a ddywedodd llawer o bobl wrthyf yn uniongyrchol—bod gennym ni yng Nghymru y ddawn, yr egni a'r syniadau i ailadeiladu ein heconomi mewn ffordd well a thecach. Mae ein cenhadaeth yn cynnig optimistiaeth sylfaenol yn wyneb yr amgylchiadau mwyaf heriol.
Rydym wedi ymateb yn gyflym i leihau effeithiau'r pandemig ar fusnesau a gweithwyr. Ein pecyn cymorth o fwy na £2 biliwn yw'r pecyn cymorth busnes mwyaf hael yn unman yn y Deyrnas Unedig. I fusnesau bach, canolig a mawr yn y sector lletygarwch, hamdden a thwristiaeth, a'r gadwyn gyflenwi gysylltiedig, rydym ni nawr yn ychwanegu £30 miliwn arall o gymorth ariannol brys ar ffurf grantiau ar gyfer costau gweithredu. Mae ein cynllun rhyddhad ardrethi penodol eisoes wedi ein galluogi ni i roi mwy o gymorth i filoedd o fusnesau llai, gan sicrhau bod manwerthwyr hanfodol mawr, megis archfarchnadoedd mawr, yn parhau i dalu ardrethi. Nid yw Llywodraeth y DU wedi cadarnhau eto a fydd yn ymestyn cymorth ardrethi annomestig yn Lloegr. Rwy'n ei hannog i wneud hynny, ac i wneud hyn cyn gynted â phosibl, fel y gallwn ni gael sicrwydd llwyr ynghylch y cyllid sydd ar gael i Gymru o ganlyniad. Rydym ni'n gwneud yr holl baratoadau angenrheidiol er mwyn ymateb yn gyflym i fusnesau Cymru cyn gynted ag y bydd y Canghellor yn rhoi sicrwydd inni ynghylch y cyllid sydd ei angen.
Wrth inni geisio symud ymlaen, rydym yn cydnabod bod busnesau sy'n rhan annatod o'r economi ymwelwyr, megis digwyddiadau ac economi hwyr y nos, sy'n debygol o gael eu taro'n galed yn y tymor hwy, a byddwn yn mynd ati i adolygu ein dewisiadau ar gyfer darparu cymorth pellach yma. Er gwaethaf ein cefnogaeth ddihafal, dros y 12 mis nesaf, bydd diweithdra yng Nghymru a ledled y DU yn cynyddu. Bydd gormod o'n dinasyddion yn gweld eu swyddi'n diflannu neu eu horiau gwaith yn lleihau, gydag ychydig o swyddi gwag ar gael i ddewis o'u plith. Bydd hyn yn waeth i weithwyr ifanc, menywod, pobl o gymunedau lleiafrifoedd ethnig, gweithwyr hŷn, pobl anabl, y rhai â chyflyrau iechyd, a'r rhai mewn galwedigaethau sgiliau isel. Felly, rhaid i'n gwaith ailadeiladu gefnogi'r unigolion hyn sydd wedi dioddef waethaf. Mae effaith y pandemig, ynghyd ag ymadael â'r Undeb Ewropeaidd, yn bygwth gwrthdroi'r cynnydd yr ydym ni wedi'i wneud o ran lleihau diweithdra ac anweithgarwch economaidd yng Nghymru dros y degawd diwethaf. Bydd goblygiadau dwfn i ddyfodol gwaith, ein cymunedau a'n llesiant, yn ogystal â gwead ffisegol canol ein trefi a'n system drafnidiaeth.
Our mission sets out our vision for a well-being economy that drives prosperity, is environmentally sound, and helps everybody realise their potential. It should be seen alongside the other important work that we are doing right across Government to build a stronger, fairer and greener future, including obviously our new Wales transport strategy, the manufacturing action plan, which will be published later this week, and our determination to meet our new stretching climate change targets. A prosperous Wales is one in which Wales has a steady focus on resilience with a capacity for transformation, and we'll take action to support a diverse base of outward-looking firms with positive innovation programmes, good productivity levels and an engaged workforce equipped with the skills in a changing world.
A green economy demands high levels of circularity, where resources are kept in use, adding economic value and where waste is avoided. A truly green economy is integral to a low-carbon society, so we will invest in low-carbon and climate resilience infrastructure, renewable energy projects and sustainable homes, in turn, using these as opportunities for business innovation and the chance to create good-quality, grounded jobs of the future here in Wales. An equal society and an equal economy means investing in the productive potential of all people, making sure that nobody is left behind. We'll build ambition, encourage learning for life and support people to make the most of their potential. Our regional approach will support a fair distribution of opportunities and we'll continue to demand, to advocate for and to champion fair work.
First of all, we must strengthen the foundational economy. The crisis has reinforced the vital importance of key workers, and the critical role they play in our well-being and in every sector of our economy. We need to radically rethink the places we live in and the way our homes and our communities work, putting into practice the 'town centre first' principle and developing regional co-working hubs, as part of our transforming towns programme of work. We must realise the potential and the opportunity of putting new footfall back onto our high streets so that they can again become the vibrant hubs for the people who live there. Secondly, we will pursue our COVID commitment so that the impact of the pandemic levels across Wales leaves nobody behind, creating opportunities to retain and upskill. We need to harness an invigorated entrepreneurial culture, renewed enthusiasm for volunteering and an appetite for lifelong and online learning. New technology can, of course, reduce the isolation of some communities, creating opportunities to live, work and learn from all corners of Wales.
Thirdly, we should accelerate adaptation by business for the future. We'll provide support to innovate and diversify, which meets the dual challenges of COVID-19 and EU exit, and make businesses fit and sustainable for the future. The Development Bank of Wales will, therefore, receive an additional £270 million for the expansion of the Wales flexible investment fund to continue investing in general business loans and equity through what we expect to be an extended period of economic reconstruction and adjustment. We'll also speed up business decarbonisation and boost circularity of resource use. Driving digital innovation and tackling digital exclusion are central to our commitment to promote equality and help people realise their potential.
Fourthly, we'll maximise the impact of future major investments as magnet projects to embrace and exploit new and disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence, pulling in employment, skills, expertise and development to Wales. This will include a strong emphasis on research and development, innovation, regional stimulus plans, clustering of SMEs and development of new skills. Finally, we will fortify our pursuit for social value in our relationships with business. We'll refresh and strengthen the economic contract so that businesses properly embrace and incorporate its values, embedding fair work, low carbon and climate resilience. Valuing deeply the well-being of all Welsh citizens frames our response to this pandemic. The fundamentals of our economy—the people, the communities and the businesses within it—are strong, and together I know that we can succeed.
Mae ein cenhadaeth yn amlinellu ein gweledigaeth ar gyfer economi llesiant sy'n creu ffyniant, sy'n amgylcheddol gadarn, ac yn helpu pawb i wireddu eu potensial. Dylid ei gweld ochr yn ochr â'r gwaith pwysig arall yr ydym ni'n ei wneud ym mhob rhan o'r Llywodraeth i adeiladu dyfodol cryfach, tecach a gwyrddach, gan gynnwys yn amlwg ein strategaeth drafnidiaeth newydd i Gymru, y cynllun gweithredu ar weithgynhyrchu, a gyhoeddir yn ddiweddarach yr wythnos hon, a'n penderfyniad i gyrraedd ein targedau newid hinsawdd heriol newydd. Mae Cymru ffyniannus yn un lle mae Cymru yn rhoi pwyslais cyson ar gydnerthedd gyda'r gallu i drawsnewid, a byddwn yn mynd ati i gefnogi sylfaen amrywiol o gwmnïau blaengar sydd â rhaglenni arloesi cadarnhaol, lefelau cynhyrchiant da a gweithlu brwdfrydig sydd â'r sgiliau mewn byd sy'n newid.
Mae economi werdd yn gofyn am fwy o gylchdroi, lle parheir i ddefnyddio adnoddau, gan ychwanegu gwerth economaidd a lle caiff gwastraff ei osgoi. Mae economi wirioneddol werdd yn rhan annatod o gymdeithas carbon isel, felly byddwn yn buddsoddi mewn seilwaith carbon isel a chydnerthedd yn yr hinsawdd, prosiectau ynni adnewyddadwy a chartrefi cynaliadwy, yn eu tro, gan ddefnyddio'r rhain yn gyfleoedd ar gyfer arloesi ym myd busnes a'r posibilrwydd o greu swyddi o ansawdd da yn y dyfodol yma yng Nghymru. Mae cymdeithas gyfartal ac economi gyfartal yn golygu buddsoddi ym mhotensial cynhyrchiol pawb, gan sicrhau na chaiff neb ei esgeuluso. Byddwn yn meithrin uchelgais, yn annog dysgu am oes ac yn cefnogi pobl i fanteisio i'r eithaf ar eu potensial. Bydd ein dull rhanbarthol yn cefnogi dosbarthu cyfleoedd yn deg a byddwn yn parhau i fynnu, i eiriol dros waith teg ac i'w hyrwyddo.
Yn gyntaf oll, rhaid inni gryfhau'r economi sylfaenol. Mae'r argyfwng wedi atgyfnerthu pwysigrwydd hanfodol gweithwyr allweddol, a'u swyddogaeth hollbwysig yn ein llesiant ac ym mhob sector o'n heconomi. Mae angen inni ailystyried yn sylweddol y lleoedd yr ydym ni'n byw ynddyn nhw a'r ffordd y mae ein cartrefi a'n cymunedau'n gweithio, gan weithredu'r egwyddor 'canol tref yn gyntaf' a datblygu canolfannau cydweithio rhanbarthol, yn rhan o'n rhaglen waith trawsnewid trefi. Rhaid inni sylweddoli'r posibilrwydd a'r cyfle i gael ymwelwyr newydd yn ôl ar ein strydoedd mawr fel y gallan nhw unwaith eto ddod yn ganolfannau bywiog i'r bobl sy'n byw yno. Yn ail, byddwn yn parhau gyda'n hymrwymiad i COVID fel nad yw effaith y lefelau pandemig ledled Cymru yn gadael neb ar ôl, gan greu cyfleoedd i gadw pobl mewn swyddi a chynyddu eu sgiliau. Mae angen i ni harneisio diwylliant entrepreneuraidd bywiog, brwdfrydedd o'r newydd dros wirfoddoli ac awydd am ddysgu gydol oes ac ar-lein. Gall technoleg newydd, wrth gwrs, leihau pa mor ynysig yw rhai cymunedau, gan greu cyfleoedd i fyw, gweithio a dysgu o bob cwr o Gymru.
Yn drydydd, dylem helpu busnesau i addasu'n gynt ar gyfer y dyfodol. Byddwn yn darparu cymorth i arloesi ac arallgyfeirio, sy'n ymateb i heriau deuol COVID-19 ac ymadael â'r UE, ac yn gwneud busnesau'n addas ac yn gynaliadwy ar gyfer y dyfodol. Felly, bydd Banc Datblygu Cymru yn cael £270 miliwn ychwanegol ar gyfer ehangu cronfa fuddsoddi hyblyg Cymru i barhau i fuddsoddi mewn benthyciadau busnes cyffredinol ac ecwiti drwy'r hyn y disgwyliwn y bydd yn gyfnod estynedig o ailadeiladu ac addasu economaidd. Byddwn hefyd yn cyflymu'r broses o ddatgarboneiddio busnesau ac yn rhoi hwb i gylcholdeb defnyddio adnoddau. Mae ysgogi arloesedd digidol a mynd i'r afael ag allgáu digidol yn ganolog i'n hymrwymiad i hyrwyddo cydraddoldeb a helpu pobl i wireddu eu potensial.
Yn bedwerydd, byddwn yn manteisio i'r eithaf ar effaith buddsoddiadau mawr yn y dyfodol fel prosiectau atynnu i gofleidio a manteisio ar dechnolegau newydd a tharfol megis deallusrwydd artiffisial, gan ddenu cyflogaeth, sgiliau, arbenigedd a datblygiad i Gymru. Bydd hyn yn cynnwys pwyslais cryf ar ymchwil a datblygu, arloesi, cynlluniau ysgogi rhanbarthol, clystyru busnesau bach a chanolig a datblygu sgiliau newydd. Yn olaf, byddwn yn dwysáu ein hymgyrch am werth cymdeithasol yn ein perthynas â busnesau. Byddwn yn adnewyddu ac yn cryfhau'r contract economaidd fel bod busnesau'n croesawu ac yn ymgorffori ei werthoedd yn briodol, gan ymgorffori gwaith teg, carbon isel a chydnerthedd o ran yr hinsawdd. Mae gwerthfawrogi llesiant holl ddinasyddion Cymru yn sail i'n hymateb i'r pandemig hwn. Mae hanfodion ein heconomi—y bobl, y cymunedau a'r busnesau oddi mewn iddi—yn gryf, a gyda'n gilydd rwy'n gwybod y gallwn ni lwyddo.
Can I thank the Minister for his statement today and the advanced copy, as always? I think, from my perspective, Minister, any additional support for Welsh businesses has to be welcomed, so, certainly, from my perspective, I and colleagues welcome the additional support for the Development Bank of Wales. There are large elements of what you said that I can agree with. Clearly, I'm going to focus on some areas that I think that you've missed in your plan and statement today.
What the statement doesn't set out today is clarity for businesses in terms of coming out of the lockdown. That's not just my view, that is the view of the Federation of Small Businesses, business groups. I had an example this morning of a retail business operating a number of outlets in my constituency: 'Can we order stock or not?' They order seasonal stock. So, they believe that their comparison companies in other parts of the UK have got more of a plan of where they're going than they do here in Wales. And they accept that dates change and priorities change, but to have that indicative plan in place.
Minister, you say that the new funding for the Development Bank of Wales will improve the supply for the long term of accessible business finance. That is something that I think is desperately needed, so I agree with that. I think what is disappointing is that the Government's been slow on the implementation of the fourth phase of business support. Businesses are crying out for clarity, for you to provide an aspirational timetable for a route out of this crisis. I think what businesses do need is, they need to hear from you on extending the business rates holiday, providing additional support for the hospitality sector, for example, and by using the underspend from the sector-specific fund to ensure that any unused financial support is allocated quickly and where needed. So, of course, I welcome your comments on that.
You refer to health, well-being, decarbonisation, foundational economy, digital skills, regenerating town centres, green economy, all these areas are right, and I agree with all that you've said in that regard. But what your statement doesn't talk about—and there seems to be a lack of information in your plan, your mission, with regard to supporting the productivity and the competitiveness and job creation. And, if I'm honest, what I was most disappointed in, actually, is there's no mention of entrepreneurship, the support for start-ups, and there's very little detail in the 30-page document. So, how are you going to do this? When we came out of the first lockdown across the UK, there was great entrepreneurial spirit across the UK, and that needs to be enhanced. Those who are bringing forward that entrepreneurial spirit need to be encouraged. So, other parts of the UK have schemes that do that; what are you doing in Wales in terms of encouraging that entrepreneurship here in Wales?
You were quite optimistic, Minister, when I previously referred to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development report and setting up an arm's length body: you said that that is something to explore and examine. So, I very much welcomed that at the time. I think we do need an arm's length body to sell Wales to the world, support our indigenous businesses, promote Wales, bring forward that inward investment. I agree with the OECD report in terms of that arm's length agency, and I do think we need cross-party support if we're going to bring back such an agency as well. So, I'd welcome your views on that.
Minister, I'd ask you how you would respond to this morning's analysis from Professor Dylan Jones-Evans, who has said that he is perplexed that the Welsh Government does not consider productivity as a key issue for the economy, given that Wales is the least productive country in the UK without a clear strategy to close the gap. You say, Minister, that you've outlined plans to work with the tourism and hospitality sectors to develop a recovery plan to provide short-term support to develop resilience and profitability over the longer term. Can you set out your thinking on what the recovery plan might include on the short-term support from Welsh Government, and in terms of the long term in providing through that plan?
And finally, your plan, or your mission, sets out plans to repurpose town centres away from the traditional high street as, as you said, we no longer rely on retail alone. How will you balance the support for repurposing town and city centres with supporting the retail sector, so that it can continue to play a key role in the Welsh economy?
A gaf i ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am ei ddatganiad heddiw a'r copi ymlaen llaw, fel bob amser? Credaf, o'm safbwynt i, Gweinidog, fod yn rhaid croesawu unrhyw gymorth ychwanegol i fusnesau Cymru, felly, yn sicr, o'm safbwynt i, rwyf i a'm cyd-Aelodau'n croesawu'r gefnogaeth ychwanegol i Fanc Datblygu Cymru. Gallaf gytuno â llawer iawn o'r hyn a ddywedoch chi. Yn amlwg, rwy'n mynd i ganolbwyntio ar rai meysydd y credaf eich bod wedi'u hesgeuluso yn eich cynllun a'ch datganiad heddiw.
Yr hyn nad yw'r datganiad yn ei amlinellu heddiw yw eglurder i fusnesau o ran dod allan o'r cyfyngiadau symud. Nid fy marn i yn unig yw hynny, dyna farn y Ffederasiwn Busnesau Bach, grwpiau busnes. Cefais enghraifft y bore yma o fusnes manwerthu'n sy'n gweithredu nifer o allfeydd yn fy etholaeth: 'Allwn ni archebu stoc ai peidio?' Maen nhw'n archebu stoc dymhorol. Felly, maen nhw'n credu bod gan gwmnïau tebyg iddyn nhw mewn rhannau eraill o'r DU fwy o gynllun ar gyfer y dyfodol na sydd gan rai yng Nghymru. Ac maen nhw'n derbyn bod dyddiadau'n newid a blaenoriaethau'n newid, ond bod y cynllun dangosol hwnnw ar waith.
Gweinidog, rydych chi'n dweud y bydd y cyllid newydd ar gyfer Banc Datblygu Cymru yn gwella'r cyflenwad ar gyfer cyllid busnes hygyrch yn y tymor hir. Mae hynny'n rhywbeth y credaf fod ei angen yn ddybryd, felly cytunaf â hynny. Credaf mai'r hyn sy'n siomedig yw y bu'r Llywodraeth yn araf ynghylch gweithredu pedwerydd cam y cymorth busnes. Mae busnesau'n crefu am eglurder, er mwyn ichi ddarparu amserlen uchelgeisiol ar gyfer llwybr allan o'r argyfwng hwn. Credaf mai'r hyn y mae ar fusnesau ei angen yw, mae angen iddyn nhw glywed gennych chi am ymestyn y cyfnod o hepgor ardrethi busnes, darparu cymorth ychwanegol i'r sector lletygarwch, er enghraifft, a thrwy ddefnyddio'r tanwariant o'r gronfa sector-benodol i sicrhau y caiff unrhyw gymorth ariannol na chafodd ei ddefnyddio ei ddyrannu'n gyflym ac i le y mae ei angen. Felly, wrth gwrs, croesawaf eich sylwadau ar hynny.
Rydych chi'n cyfeirio at iechyd, llesiant, datgarboneiddio, economi sylfaenol, sgiliau digidol, adfywio canol trefi, economi werdd, mae'r holl feysydd hyn yn iawn, a chytunaf â'r cyfan yr ydych chi wedi'i ddweud yn hynny o beth. Ond yr hyn nad yw eich datganiad yn sôn amdano—ac mae'n ymddangos bod diffyg gwybodaeth yn eich cynllun, eich cenhadaeth, o ran cefnogi'r cynhyrchiant a chystadleurwydd a chreu swyddi. Ac, os ydw i'n onest, yr hyn yr oeddwn yn siomedig iawn ynddo, mewn gwirionedd, yw nad oes sôn am entrepreneuriaeth, y gefnogaeth i fusnesau newydd, ac ychydig iawn o fanylion sydd yn y ddogfen 30 tudalen. Felly, sut ydych chi'n mynd i wneud hyn? Pan ddaethom ni allan o'r cyfyngiadau symud cyntaf ledled y DU, roedd ysbryd entrepreneuraidd mawr ledled y DU, ac mae angen gwella hynny. Mae angen annog y rhai sy'n meithrin yr ysbryd entrepreneuraidd hwnnw. Felly, mae gan rannau eraill o'r DU gynlluniau sy'n gwneud hynny; beth ydych chi'n ei wneud yng Nghymru o ran annog yr entrepreneuriaeth honno yma yng Nghymru?
Roeddech chi yn eithaf cadarnhaol, Gweinidog, pan gyfeiriais o'r blaen at adroddiad y Sefydliad ar gyfer Cydweithrediad a Datblygiad Economaidd a sefydlu corff hyd braich: fe ddywedoch chi fod hynny'n rhywbeth i'w ystyried a'i gloriannu. Felly, roeddwn yn croesawu hynny'n fawr ar y pryd. Credaf fod angen corff hyd braich arnom ni i werthu Cymru i'r byd, cefnogi ein busnesau cynhenid, hyrwyddo Cymru, cyflwyno'r mewnfuddsoddiad hwnnw. Cytunaf ag adroddiad y Sefydliad ar gyfer Cydweithrediad a Datblygiad Economaidd o ran yr asiantaeth hyd braich honno, ac rwyf yn credu bod angen cefnogaeth drawsbleidiol arnom ni os ydym ni eisiau ailsefydlu asiantaeth o'r fath hefyd. Felly, byddwn yn croesawu eich barn ar hynny.
Gweinidog, byddwn yn gofyn i chi sut y byddech yn ymateb i ddadansoddiad y bore yma gan yr Athro Dylan Jones-Evans, sydd wedi dweud ei fod mewn dryswch ynglŷn â pham nad yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn ystyried cynhyrchiant yn fater allweddol i'r economi, o gofio mai Cymru yw'r wlad leiaf cynhyrchiol yn y DU heb strategaeth glir i gau'r bwlch. Rydych chi'n dweud, Gweinidog, eich bod wedi amlinellu cynlluniau i weithio gyda'r sectorau twristiaeth a lletygarwch i ddatblygu cynllun adfer i ddarparu cymorth tymor byr i ddatblygu cydnerthedd a phroffidioldeb dros y tymor hwy. A allwch chi roi eich barn am yr hyn y gallai'r cynllun adfer ei gynnwys ynglŷn â'r cymorth tymor byr gan Lywodraeth Cymru, ac o ran y tymor hir wrth ddarparu drwy'r cynllun hwnnw?
Ac yn olaf, mae eich cynllun, neu eich cenhadaeth, yn amlinellu cynlluniau i roi diben newydd i ganol trefi a chefnu ar y stryd fawr draddodiadol gan nad ydym ni, fel y dywedoch chi, yn dibynnu mwyach ar fanwerthu yn unig. Sut y byddwch yn cydbwyso'r gefnogaeth i greu diben newydd i ganol trefi a dinasoedd â chefnogi'r sector manwerthu, fel y gall barhau i fod â rhan allweddol yn economi Cymru?
Can I thank Russell George for his comments and his questions? As always, Russell has been incredibly constructive, not just today, in terms of the critique that he's offered and the questions that he poses, but also in the many weeks and months prior to the announcement of this mission today when he was able to offer, during a series of discussions, very constructive points to me and my officials. And we're very grateful to him and other Members across the entire Chamber for their contributions to the work that we have concluded today with the publication of the mission.
Dirprwy Lywydd, first of all, in terms of additional support, obviously the £270 million additional investment for the Development Bank of Wales brings the total fund for the Wales flexible investment fund to £500 million, which in turn will lever in a significant sum in private investment, taking the total fund to around about £1 billion of investment in businesses, which is a huge sum of money to be seeing invested in Welsh businesses in the years to come, and it will support and create tens of thousands of jobs. And, of course, I've already announced that there will be the further £30 million of support for hospitality and tourism, and during the course of my statement I also confirmed that we are awaiting word from the Chancellor regarding the business rates holiday in England, which would enable us, then, to progress such a scheme here in Wales with the consequentials that would follow.
I have to say that, in terms of the road map, the First Minister earlier confirmed that the control plan that was produced in December is still our guiding document, and that it was updated, obviously, last week. The First Minister has given a very clear signal for what's being considered as part of the regular three-week review period, and prior to this statement, the health Minister, I think, gave a very convincing argument as to why setting dates at this stage for all forms of activity is very dangerous indeed. We know that new variants are incredibly disruptive in terms of time frames for how we would wish to reopen the economy, and so promising dates that can't necessarily be delivered against, I think, could be very damaging for the economy and for businesses that would expect to be able to reopen, but which, at a very, very short notice, as the health Minister has already said today, perhaps would be left very disappointed indeed.
I think productivity and entrepreneurship actually run right through the mission. I think, within the document, there are various beacons, as we have called them, that would lead to productivity and entrepreneurship improving. In terms of productivity, obviously, the focus is on skills and on magnetising investment and a design to drive up productivity. And in terms of entrepreneurship, the COVID commitment contains direct support for individuals wishing to start their own business—in particular, the barriers fund, which provides grants for people who are furthest from the employment market to start up their business, and to do so with the support, obviously, and the guidance of Business Wales.
I don't think we can use productivity alone as the measure of success or failure of an economy. An economy must serve the purpose of enhancing the well-being of its citizens, and the measure of productivity does not do that in isolation, and that's why we are keen to ensure that the national indicators are used as the measure of success for the economy. But, obviously, today's labour market statistics demonstrate just how valuable a devolved administration can be in keeping a cap on joblessness, and today we saw the unemployment figures published, and in Wales, during the latest period, unemployment has fallen; in the UK it has risen. There is now a gap of around 0.7 per cent between Wales and the UK average. Now, there is a long, long journey ahead of us, but that gap does demonstrate just how valuable our support for businesses has been. We've been able to secure something in the region of, according to the very latest data that I've had through today, about 145,000 jobs in Wales, which would explain, therefore, the gap in unemployment. And we will go on ensuring that support is available for businesses in Wales as we move through this pandemic. We've already completed the fourth round of the economic resilience fund and we intend to use any commitment made to date wherever possible to maximise support for businesses that offer value for money.
Of course, in regard to some of the other points that Russell George made in terms of town centres and city centres and the relationship between our transforming towns initiative and retail, well, retail is really very much at the heart of the transforming towns initiative, because unless town are transformed into more vibrant environments, then retail will continue to struggle. People must want to access their town centres, and in so doing, they will then utilise services that are contained within them. So, retail does, without a doubt, have a bright future within town centres, but that bright future will only be delivered if town centres are attractive places for people to visit, to live in and to work in. That's why the transforming towns initiative is so vitally important in delivering vibrant environments within urban areas.
A gaf i ddiolch i Russell George am ei sylwadau a'i gwestiynau? Fel bob amser, mae Russell wedi bod yn anhygoel o adeiladol, nid heddiw'n unig, o ran y feirniadaeth y mae wedi'i chynnig a'r cwestiynau y mae'n eu gofyn, ond hefyd yn yr wythnosau a'r misoedd lawer cyn cyhoeddi'r genhadaeth hon heddiw ble gallodd gynnig, yn ystod cyfres o drafodaethau, sylwadau adeiladol iawn i mi a'm swyddogion. Ac rydym ni'n ddiolchgar iawn iddo ef ac Aelodau eraill ym mhob rhan o'r Siambr am eu cyfraniadau i'r gwaith yr ydym ni wedi'i gwblhau heddiw gyda chyhoeddi'r genhadaeth.
Dirprwy Lywydd, yn gyntaf oll, o ran cymorth ychwanegol, mae'n amlwg bod y buddsoddiad ychwanegol o £270 miliwn i Fanc Datblygu Cymru yn dod â chyfanswm y gronfa ar gyfer cronfa fuddsoddi hyblyg Cymru i £500 miliwn, a fydd yn ei dro yn denu swm sylweddol mewn buddsoddiad preifat, gan fynd â chyfanswm y gronfa i tua £1 biliwn o fuddsoddiad mewn busnesau, sy'n swm enfawr o arian i'w weld yn cael ei fuddsoddi mewn busnesau yng Nghymru yn y blynyddoedd i ddod, a bydd yn cefnogi ac yn creu degau o filoedd o swyddi. Ac, wrth gwrs, rwyf eisoes wedi cyhoeddi y bydd y £30 miliwn ychwanegol o gymorth ar gyfer lletygarwch a thwristiaeth, ac yn ystod fy natganiad, cadarnheais hefyd ein bod yn aros am air gan y Canghellor ynglŷn â'r gwyliau ardrethi busnes yn Lloegr, a fyddai'n ein galluogi ni, felly, i ddatblygu cynllun o'r fath yma yng Nghymru gyda'r symiau canlyniadol a fyddai'n dilyn.
Mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, o ran y map ffordd, fod y Prif Weinidog wedi cadarnhau'n gynharach mai'r cynllun rheoli a gynhyrchwyd ym mis Rhagfyr yw ein dogfen arweiniol o hyd, a'i fod wedi'i ddiweddaru, yn amlwg, yr wythnos diwethaf. Mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi rhoi arwydd clir iawn o'r hyn sy'n cael ei ystyried yn rhan o'r cyfnod adolygu rheolaidd o dair wythnos, a chyn y datganiad hwn, cyflwynodd y Gweinidog iechyd, rwy'n credu, ddadl argyhoeddiadol iawn ynghylch pam y mae pennu dyddiadau ar hyn o bryd ar gyfer pob math o weithgaredd yn beryglus iawn yn wir. Gwyddom fod amrywiolion newydd yn tarfu'n fawr ar y ffordd y byddem yn dymuno ailddechrau'r economi, ac felly gallai addo dyddiadau na ellir eu cyflawni o reidrwydd, rwy'n credu, fod yn niweidiol iawn i'r economi ac i fusnesau a fyddai'n disgwyl gallu ailagor, ond a fyddai, ar fyr rybudd, fel y dywedodd y Gweinidog iechyd eisoes heddiw, efallai yn siomedig iawn yn wir.
Rwy'n credu bod cynhyrchiant ac entrepreneuriaeth yn rhan greiddiol o'r genhadaeth. Credaf, yn y ddogfen, fod gwahanol lusernau, fel yr ydym ni wedi'u galw nhw, a fyddai'n arwain at welliant o ran cynhyrchiant ac entrepreneuriaeth. O ran cynhyrchiant, yn amlwg, mae'r pwyslais ar sgiliau ac ar ddenu buddsoddiad a dyluniad i gynyddu cynhyrchiant. Ac o ran entrepreneuriaeth, mae ymrwymiad COVID yn cynnwys cymorth uniongyrchol i unigolion sy'n dymuno dechrau eu busnes eu hunain—yn arbennig, y gronfa rwystrau, sy'n darparu grantiau i bobl sydd bellaf o'r farchnad gyflogaeth i ddechrau eu busnes, ac i wneud hynny gyda chymorth, yn amlwg, ac arweiniad Busnes Cymru.
Dydw i ddim yn credu y gallwn ni ddefnyddio cynhyrchiant yn unig yn fesur o lwyddiant neu fethiant economi. Rhaid i economi wasanaethu'r diben o wella llesiant ei dinasyddion, ac nid yw mesur cynhyrchiant yn gwneud hynny ar wahân, a dyna pam yr ydym yn awyddus i sicrhau y caiff y dangosyddion cenedlaethol eu defnyddio fel modd o fesur llwyddiant yr economi. Ond, yn amlwg, mae ystadegau'r farchnad lafur heddiw'n dangos pa mor werthfawr y gall gweinyddiaeth ddatganoledig fod o ran nodi uchafswm nifer ar gyfer ddiweithdra, a heddiw gwelsom gyhoeddi'r ffigurau diweithdra, ac yng Nghymru, yn ystod y cyfnod diweddaraf, mae diweithdra wedi gostwng; yn y DU mae wedi codi. Erbyn hyn mae bwlch o tua 0.7 y cant rhwng Cymru a chyfartaledd y DU. Nawr, mae taith hir, hir o'n blaenau, ond mae'r bwlch hwnnw'n dangos pa mor werthfawr fu ein cefnogaeth i fusnesau. Rydym ni wedi gallu sicrhau oddeutu 145,000 o swyddi yng Nghymru, yn ôl y data diweddaraf yr wyf wedi ei gael heddiw, a fyddai'n esbonio, felly, y bwlch mewn diweithdra. A byddwn yn parhau i sicrhau bod cymorth ar gael i fusnesau yng Nghymru wrth i ni fynd drwy'r pandemig hwn. Rydym ni eisoes wedi cwblhau pedwerydd cylch y gronfa cadernid economaidd ac rydym ni'n bwriadu defnyddio unrhyw ymrwymiad a wnaed hyd yma lle bynnag y bo modd er mwyn sicrhau'r cymorth mwyaf posibl i fusnesau sy'n cynnig gwerth am arian.
Wrth gwrs, o ran rhai o'r sylwadau eraill a wnaeth Russell George ynghylch canol trefi a chanol dinasoedd a'r berthynas rhwng ein menter trawsnewid trefi a manwerthu, wel, mae manwerthu wrth wraidd y fenter trawsnewid trefi, oherwydd oni chaiff trefi eu trawsnewid yn fannau mwy bywiog, yna bydd y sector manwerthu'n parhau i frwydro. Rhaid i bobl fod eisiau mynd i ganol eu trefi, ac wrth wneud hynny, byddant wedyn yn defnyddio gwasanaethau sydd wedi'u cynnwys ynddyn nhw. Felly, yn ddi-os, mae gan fanwerthu ddyfodol disglair yng nghanol trefi, ond dim ond os yw canol trefi yn lleoedd deniadol i bobl ymweld â nhw, i fyw ynddyn nhw ac i weithio ynddyn nhw y caiff y dyfodol disglair hwnnw ei gyflawni. Dyna pam y mae'r fenter trawsnewid trefi mor hanfodol bwysig o ran darparu mannau bywiog mewn ardaloedd trefol.
I'd like to give a broad welcome to the economic resilience and reconstruction mission that the Minister has published today, and be grateful to him for his statement and for the advanced copy as always. The direction of travel echoes very much what Plaid Cymru has been saying, and the Minister is right to say that I'm sure there's broad support for the general direction across much of this Chamber, and I do look forward to studying in more detail, particularly with regard to the targets, what the Minister is setting out.
I think I need to begin to say, though, Dirprwy Lywydd, that I think we need to be a bit more ambitious. Now, we obviously need to be realistic about what we can achieve, but I think it's clear that the aftermath of the COVID crisis does give us an opportunity to do things differently, and I think we should be aiming for a prosperous, not just a more prosperous Wales; a green, not just a greener economy, because greener than what, with some of the challenges that we face in terms of decarbonisation; and an equal or a fair economy, not just more equal. I was struck by what the First Minister said earlier about not talking about building back better, but building back in a fair way. So, I think that just some of that language perhaps needs to be a little bit more ambitious.
I want to begin by asking the Minister a little bit more about the process for developing these ideas. He sets out a goal for a well-being economy, which we would very strongly support, as he knows. But I wonder if the Minister can tell us how the well-being goals within the future generations and well-being Act have been built into the design of this reconstruction mission and something about the process by which that was done, because that does, of course, involve asking people to do things in really quite a different way. If he can tell us a little bit more specifically about the involvement of business in the process, because, obviously, as the Minister himself has said, businesses will be absolutely key in delivering the building of this new economy, and I'm very much hoping to hear from the Minister—they've been there on the ground. If he can also say something about the role of local government in helping to design this mission—if we've learnt anything through this crisis, it's how important that local knowledge is in terms of delivering national priorities.
I'd like to turn, Dirprwy Lywydd, if I may, to targets, and I'm very pleased to say that there are some, and I want to spend some more time looking specifically at those, but I do have some initial thoughts. I was pleased to see that there are equality targets there, and there is a specific target around levelling the playing field between women and men. But I know that the Minister is very well aware that black people and people of colour have been really disproportionately affected by the impact of COVID, which, of course, has compounded long-standing inequalities in that regard in our economy. I hope that as this process goes on, the Minister will be able to work with those communities to develop some targets to help address those inequalities, and I'd also want to say that there have been some positives, of course, perhaps from the working-from-home agenda for disabled workers, and I'd also like to see some specific targets in there about how we can make sure that the gains are not lost, but that it also doesn't lead to disabled workers ending up being more isolated.
With regard to the poverty target, I wonder if the Minister can tell us why we're measuring ourselves against a UK median here. That seems singularly unambitious. We know the gap between the rich and poor across the UK is bad. I'm sure the Minister will probably agree with me that there's a real danger in the next couple of years that it gets worse, rather than better, given the approach in some ways of the UK Government. So, I wonder if the Minister can look at that again.
Now, with regard to productivity, I absolutely heard what the Minister said to Russell George, that we can't use productivity as a measure in isolation, but I hope the Minister would agree with me that the fact that people work very hard in Wales and that productivity stays low is not good for people's well-being. And I wonder if he will consider—I take what he says about a cross-cutting theme on productivity, but that would be true of some of the other areas where he has chosen to set targets—and whether he will consider looking at some specific productivity targets, perhaps in specific sectors.
Now, this will obviously be predominantly for the next Welsh Government to deliver, and we would want to see that Government being more ambitious, and I want to ask the Minister some questions about resourcing. If we're to make some of the major investments that we need to make to create the jobs that the Minister knows are going to be lost, we will need to borrow to invest. And I know the Welsh Government will ask the UK Government for permission to do that, but we need a plan B if that doesn't happen. So, can the Minister assure us today that he will use, if he is in Government after the election, all the Welsh Government's powers in full to borrow to invest? And will he have further discussions with local authorities to see what can be done to utilise their borrowing powers and for the Welsh Government to resource that borrowing? That is certainly something that a Plaid Cymru Government would do.
I wonder if the Minister can tell us, in driving this mission forward, whether there are things that he would be envisaging stopping doing. Because with some of the new plans, if we don't have masses of extra resources and there are elements of activity that are not delivering to these goals, will he examine what he needs to stop doing? And with regard to monitoring and evaluation, can the Minister say very specifically how the targets will be monitored? And one quite small, specific, but important point is how he would be envisaging compliance with the economic contract being monitored. We in Plaid Cymru strongly support the economic contract, but it becomes a piece of paper unless businesses are aware that there will be some form of monitoring of their compliance.
Finally, Deputy Presiding Officer, I just want to say that I regard this mission as a valuable step in the right direction, but we on these benches believe it is time for much more ambition. Perhaps we need a leap, rather than a step.
Hoffwn roi croeso gwresog i'r genhadaeth o ran cadernid ac ailadeiladu economaidd y mae'r Gweinidog wedi'i chyhoeddi heddiw, a bod yn ddiolchgar iddo am ei ddatganiad ac am y copi ymlaen llaw fel bob amser. Mae'r cyfeiriad yn adleisio'n fawr yr hyn y mae Plaid Cymru wedi bod yn ei ddweud, ac mae'r Gweinidog yn iawn wrth ddweud fy mod yn siŵr bod cefnogaeth sylweddol i'r cynnwys ar y cyfan yn sawl rhan o'r Siambr hon, ac edrychaf ymlaen at astudio'n fanylach, yn enwedig o ran y targedau, yr hyn y mae'r Gweinidog yn ei amlinellu.
Credaf fod angen imi ddechrau dweud, serch hynny, Dirprwy Lywydd, fy mod yn credu bod angen inni fod ychydig yn fwy uchelgeisiol. Nawr, mae'n amlwg bod angen i ni fod yn realistig ynglŷn â'r hyn y gallwn ni ei gyflawni, ond rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n glir bod canlyniadau argyfwng COVID yn rhoi cyfle i ni wneud pethau'n wahanol, ac rwy'n credu y dylem ni fod yn anelu at Gymru ffyniannus, nid dim ond Cymru fwy ffyniannus; economi werdd, nid un fwy gwyrdd yn unig oherwydd, mwy gwyrdd na beth, gyda rhai o'r heriau sy'n ein hwynebu o ran datgarboneiddio; ac economi gyfartal neu deg, nid mwy cyfartal yn unig. Fe'm trawyd gan yr hyn a ddywedodd y Prif Weinidog yn gynharach am beidio â sôn am ailgodi'n gryfach, ond ailgodi mewn ffordd deg. Felly, credaf y dylai rhywfaint o'r iaith honno fod ychydig yn fwy uchelgeisiol.
Hoffwn ddechrau drwy ofyn ychydig mwy i'r Gweinidog am y broses ar gyfer datblygu'r syniadau hyn. Mae'n gosod nod ar gyfer economi llesiant, y byddem yn ei chefnogi'n gryf iawn, fel y mae'n gwybod. Ond tybed a wnaiff y Gweinidog ddweud wrthym ni sut y mae'r nodau llesiant yn Neddf llesiant cenedlaethau'r dyfodol wedi'u cynnwys yng nghysyniad y genhadaeth ailadeiladu hon a rhywbeth am y broses o wneud hynny, oherwydd mae hynny, wrth gwrs, yn golygu gofyn i bobl wneud pethau mewn ffordd wahanol iawn. Os gall ddweud ychydig mwy wrthym ni am gynnwys busnesau yn y broses, oherwydd, yn amlwg, fel y dywedodd y Gweinidog ei hun, bydd busnesau'n gwbl allweddol wrth adeiladu'r economi newydd hon, ac rwy'n gobeithio clywed gan y Gweinidog—maen nhw wedi bod yno ar lawr gwlad. Os gall hefyd ddweud rhywbeth am swyddogaeth llywodraeth leol wrth helpu i gynllunio'r genhadaeth hon—os ydym ni wedi dysgu unrhyw beth drwy'r argyfwng hwn, pa mor bwysig yw'r wybodaeth leol honno o ran cyflawni blaenoriaethau cenedlaethol yw hwnnw.
Hoffwn droi, Dirprwy Lywydd, os caf i, at dargedau, ac rwy'n falch iawn o ddweud bod rhai, ac rwyf eisiau treulio mwy o amser yn edrych yn benodol ar y rheini, ond mae gennyf rai syniadau cychwynnol. Roeddwn yn falch o weld bod targedau cydraddoldeb wedi eu cynnwys, ac mae targed penodol ynghylch cael mwy o gydraddoldeb rhwng menywod a dynion. Ond rwy'n gwybod bod y Gweinidog yn ymwybodol iawn bod effaith COVID wedi effeithio'n anghymesur ar bobl dduon a phobl groenliw, sydd, wrth gwrs, wedi dwysáu anghydraddoldebau hirsefydlog yn hynny o beth yn ein heconomi. Gobeithio, wrth i'r broses hon fynd rhagddi, y bydd y Gweinidog yn gallu gweithio gyda'r cymunedau hynny i ddatblygu rhai targedau i helpu i fynd i'r afael â'r anghydraddoldebau hynny, ac rwyf hefyd eisiau dweud y bu rhai pethau cadarnhaol, wrth gwrs, efallai o'r agenda gweithio gartref ar gyfer gweithwyr anabl, a hoffwn hefyd weld rhai targedau penodol yn hynny o beth ynglŷn â sut y gallwn ni sicrhau na chollir yr enillion, ond nad yw ychwaith yn arwain at weithwyr anabl yn y pen draw yn fwy ynysig.
O ran y targed tlodi, tybed a wnaiff y Gweinidog ddweud wrthym pam yr ydym ni'n mesur ein hunain yn erbyn canolrif y DU yn y fan yma. Mae hynny'n ymddangos yn gwbl ddi-uchelgais. Gwyddom fod y bwlch rhwng y cyfoethog a'r tlawd ledled y DU yn wael. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd y Gweinidog fwy na thebyg yn cytuno â mi fod perygl gwirioneddol yn ystod yr ychydig flynyddoedd nesaf y bydd yn gwaethygu, yn hytrach na gwella, o ystyried sut mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi mynd ati mewn rhai agweddau. Felly, tybed a wnaiff y Gweinidog ystyried hynny eto.
Nawr, o ran cynhyrchiant, clywais yn llwyr yr hyn a ddywedodd y Gweinidog wrth Russell George, na allwn ni ddefnyddio cynhyrchiant yn fesur ar ei ben ei hun, ond gobeithio y byddai'r Gweinidog yn cytuno â mi nad yw'r ffaith bod pobl yn gweithio'n galed iawn yng Nghymru a bod cynhyrchiant yn aros yn isel yn dda i lesiant pobl. A tybed a fydd yn ystyried—rwy'n derbyn yr hyn y mae'n ei ddweud am thema drawsbynciol o ran cynhyrchiant, ond byddai hynny'n wir am rai o'r meysydd eraill lle y mae wedi dewis gosod targedau—ac a fydd yn ystyried dal sylw ar rai targedau cynhyrchiant penodol, efallai mewn sectorau penodol.
Nawr, mae'n amlwg mai mater i Lywodraeth nesaf Cymru ei gyflawni fydd hyn yn bennaf, a byddem ni eisiau gweld y Llywodraeth honno'n bod yn fwy uchelgeisiol, ac fe hoffwn i ofyn rhai cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog am adnoddau. Os ydym ni eisiau gwneud rhai o'r buddsoddiadau mawr y mae angen inni eu gwneud i greu'r swyddi y mae'r Gweinidog yn gwybod y cânt eu colli, bydd angen inni fenthyca i fuddsoddi. Ac rwy'n gwybod y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn gofyn i Lywodraeth y DU am ganiatâd i wneud hynny, ond mae angen cynllun B arnom ni os na fydd hynny'n digwydd. Felly, a all y Gweinidog ein sicrhau ni heddiw y bydd yn defnyddio, os yw'n rhan o'r Llywodraeth ar ôl yr etholiad, holl bwerau Llywodraeth Cymru yn llawn i fenthyca i fuddsoddi? Ac a fydd yn cael trafodaethau pellach gydag awdurdodau lleol i weld beth y gellir ei wneud i ddefnyddio eu pwerau benthyca ac i Lywodraeth Cymru ddarparu adnoddau ar gyfer y benthyca hwnnw? Mae hynny'n sicr yn rhywbeth y byddai Llywodraeth Plaid Cymru yn ei wneud.
Tybed a all y Gweinidog ddweud wrthym ni, wrth yrru'r genhadaeth hon yn ei blaen, a oes pethau y byddai'n rhagweld rhoi'r gorau i'w gwneud. Oherwydd gyda rhai o'r cynlluniau newydd, os nad oes gennym ni lwythi o adnoddau ychwanegol a bod elfennau o weithgaredd nad ydynt yn cyflawni'r nodau hyn, a wnaiff ystyried yr hyn y mae angen iddo roi'r gorau i'w gwneud? Ac o ran monitro a gwerthuso, a all y Gweinidog ddweud yn benodol iawn sut y caiff y targedau eu monitro? Ac un sylw cymharol fach, penodol, ond pwysig yw sut y byddai'n rhagweld monitro cydymffurfiaeth â'r contract economaidd. Rydym ni ym Mhlaid Cymru yn cefnogi'r contract economaidd yn gryf, ond ni fydd yn fwy na darn o bapur oni bai fod busnesau'n ymwybodol y bydd rhyw fath o fonitro ar eu cydymffurfiaeth.
Yn olaf, Dirprwy Lywydd, hoffwn ddweud fy mod yn ystyried y genhadaeth hon yn gam gwerthfawr i'r cyfeiriad cywir, ond rydym ni ar y meinciau hyn yn credu ei bod hi'n bryd cael llawer mwy o uchelgais. Efallai fod angen naid arnom ni, yn hytrach na cham.
Can I thank Helen Mary Jones for her contribution, and, like Russell George, Helen Mary Jones's really incredibly constructive critique over many months, and also incredibly constructive suggestions over many months as well? I've been very fortunate as a Minister, I think, to have been able to work with excellent opposition spokespeople who have been genuinely and sincerely determined to work together with me and my officials in pursuing the best interests of Wales. And some of the suggestions that Helen Mary Jones has made today obviously are very constructive, they are very worth while in considering them.
I think the point made about ambition, obviously we'd never wish to appear to be arrogant, but there is a huge success story that I think should be recognised in Wales over the last decade or more, in terms of how we've driven down unemployment to record lows. We've created a record number of jobs, a record number of businesses, and perhaps the most startling of all stats concerns economic inactivity, which still is at a rate that we would not wish to see and we will endeavour to bring that down continually, but the reduction in the level of economic inactivity to around the UK level was something many economists did not believe could happen, but we have succeeded in achieving that. So, we are incredibly ambitious, but, as I said, we don't wish to appear at any time arrogant about our ambition as a country or as a Government.
I can assure Members today that, in terms of reflecting on the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, the future generations commissioner was part of the Ffenics group, which was led by Chris Nott. That convened employer organisations, key businesses with an interest in building back better, and they were able to provide us with ideas and they were able to critique our mission, and they were proving, in my view, to be invaluable in shaping a strong plan for reconstruction and recovery. And also in terms of some of the other fora in place, we obviously have the council for economic development that was utilised and we have regional working arrangements now in place with local authorities, so we were able to raise the mission at a regional level with our colleagues in local government. And it has to be said that the way that local governments have responded to the beacons has been incredibly positive. They share our belief in the 'town centre first' principle, and in investing wherever and whenever first and foremost within town centres, and I'm sure that they will help to deliver against that beacon in the months and years to come.
A gaf i ddiolch i Helen Mary Jones am ei chyfraniad, ac, fel Russell George, am feirniadaeth wirioneddol adeiladol Helen Mary Jones dros fisoedd lawer, a hefyd awgrymiadau anhygoel o adeiladol dros fisoedd lawer hefyd? Rwyf wedi bod yn ffodus iawn fel Gweinidog, rwy'n credu, fy mod wedi gallu gweithio gyda llefarwyr rhagorol y gwrthbleidiau sydd wedi bod ac yn wirioneddol benderfynol o gydweithio â mi a'm swyddogion a hynny'n gwbl ddiffuant i geisio'r hyn sydd orau i Gymru. Ac mae rhai o'r awgrymiadau y mae Helen Mary Jones wedi'u gwneud heddiw yn amlwg yn adeiladol iawn, mae hi'n briodol iawn eu hystyried.
Rwy'n credu bod y sylw a wnaed am uchelgais, yn amlwg ni fyddem ni byth yn dymuno ymddangos yn drahaus, ond mae llwyddiant ysgubol y credaf y dylid ei gydnabod yng Nghymru dros y degawd diwethaf neu fwy, o ran sut yr ydym ni wedi lleihau diweithdra i'r nifer isaf erioed. Rydym ni wedi creu'r nifer fwyaf erioed o swyddi, y nifer fwyaf erioed o fusnesau, ac efallai fod y mwyaf syfrdanol o'r holl ystadegau yn ymwneud ag anweithgarwch economaidd, sy'n dal i fod ar gyfradd nad ydym ni eisiau ei gweld a byddwn yn ymdrechu i ostwng hynny'n barhaus, ond roedd y gostyngiad yn lefel anweithgarwch economaidd i oddeutu lefel y DU yn rhywbeth nad oedd llawer o economegwyr yn credu y gallai ddigwydd, ond rydym ni wedi llwyddo i gyflawni hynny. Felly, rydym ni'n anhygoel o uchelgeisiol, ond, fel y dywedais, nid ydym ni byth eisiau ymddangos yn uchelfryd o ran ein huchelgais fel gwlad neu fel Llywodraeth.
Gallaf sicrhau'r Aelodau heddiw, o ran myfyrio ar Ddeddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015, fod comisiynydd cenedlaethau'r dyfodol yn rhan o'r grŵp Ffenics, a arweiniwyd gan Chris Nott. Aeth y grŵp hwnnw ar ofyn sefydliadau cyflogwyr, busnesau allweddol â diddordeb mewn ailgodi'n well, ac roeddent yn gallu rhoi syniadau inni ac roedden nhw'n gallu beirniadu ein cenhadaeth, ac roedden nhw, yn fy marn i, yn amhrisiadwy wrth lunio cynllun cryf ar gyfer ailadeiladu ac adfer. A hefyd o ran rhai o'r fforymau eraill a sefydlwyd, mae'n amlwg bod gennym ni'r cyngor datblygu economaidd a ddefnyddiwyd ac mae gennym ni drefniadau gweithio rhanbarthol bellach ar waith gydag awdurdodau lleol, felly roeddem yn gallu sôn am y genhadaeth ar lefel ranbarthol gyda'n cydweithwyr mewn llywodraeth leol. Ac mae'n rhaid dweud bod y ffordd y mae llywodraethau lleol wedi ymateb i'r llusernau wedi bod yn anhygoel o gadarnhaol. Maen nhw'n rhannu ein cred yn yr egwyddor 'canol tref yn gyntaf', ac wrth fuddsoddi lle bynnag a phryd bynnag yn bennaf yng nghanol trefi, ac rwy'n siŵr y byddant yn helpu i gyflawni yn unol â'r llusern honno yn y misoedd a'r blynyddoedd i ddod.
Likewise, we've been able to discuss regional stimulus plans as part of the reconstruction and recovery mission. I think that's been very valuable in drawing together local authorities at a regional level. And just in response to something that Russell George mentioned in his questions—I wasn't able in the time to respond directly—that is, the recommendation by the OECD, of course corporate joint committees are the first step in bringing together local authorities on a regional basis to drive economic development and to consolidate capabilities and expertise within bodies at a regional level.
In terms of indicators, targets and the point that was raised about equality, of course we have just announced, in terms of support for people from minority ethnic communities, the barriers fund, which was very much shaped for people who are so far from a jobs market that require additional support in developing businesses in an entrepreneurial way. We also incorporated into the COVID commitment the incentive scheme for employers to take on apprentices aged under 25, with grants of up to £3,000 available for taking on apprentices. We've appointed disability champions across Wales to work with businesses to make sure that businesses are embracing the principles of the economic contract and the need for fair work and opportunities for all.
And in terms of the measurement against the UK median, obviously welfare is something that is reserved for the UK Government and, therefore, that is why we believe that it makes sense to set our target and our ambitions against UK levels. However, I do take the point that Helen Mary Jones raises, and certainly I'll consider whether we can look at other levels that could offer a more appropriate comparison.
I think productivity—again, just to touch on productivity—the measure of productivity within an economy can't be seen in isolation, but it must be set against, obviously, other measures. I've already talked about unemployment and economic inactivity, I've talked about employment level, business growth, and so forth, but it's a fact that as we went into the pandemic, productivity was rising faster in Wales than the UK as a whole. So, again, we had a very positive story to tell about productivity and we wish to make sure that we further boost prospects in terms of productivity by placing a very sharp focus on skills and on research and development, and we wish to see Wales capture as much of the new UK Government R&D road map funding as possible. There will be a significant increase in R&D funding and we want to make sure that it is channelled through to some of those magnet projects that are going to be focused so strongly on the clustering of SMEs, on research, development and innovation. And there are a few examples that I can throw in there: the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, the global centre for rail excellence, the compound semiconductor cluster, the very obvious creative industries cluster. There are opportunities to lever in more research and development, and in so doing, we can use them as magnets for investment rather than having to use a cheque book in order to basically pay for an inward investor to come to Wales, often with only a short-term view of investing in our citizens and our country.
And so, when Helen Mary Jones asks, 'What are you looking at stopping?' well, first of all, we're looking at magnetising through strength, rather than through having an open cheque book. We want to make sure that we build these resilient projects, the magnet projects that will be able to attract investors not just for years to come, but for decades to come, so that we become known as a country with an excellence in certain technical fields, whether it be in artificial intelligence, in advanced manufacturing and materials, particularly in the aerospace sector, or whether it be in compound semiconductors, cyber security, rail and transport research and development. We want to make sure that we grow and cement those specialisms within Welsh communities.
In terms of some of the other work where we are adding value, well, obviously the £270 million of funds for the development bank will see more money utilised for loans and equity purposes, and this is something that economy committees for years, if not decades, have been calling on Government to do, to try to shift away from just utilising grants to more loans and equity-based support, and this is what we're doing with that additional £270 million. That of course will enable some recycling of funding that will further enable growth into the future, and particularly with a focus on microbusiness start-ups and SMEs. The success story of start-ups in recent years really needs to be celebrated, and of course we developed a start-up fund during the pandemic to ensure that we didn't lose those excellent enterprises that innovative and creative people were able to commence prior to COVID-19.
Then, finally, on the point regarding borrowing, obviously this is something that the finance Minister will consider. I know that the finance Minister is keen to consider all creative opportunities to raise funding to invest in our communities and in our businesses. I'm sure that she will have taken a very keen note of what Helen Mary Jones had to say.
Oh, sorry, one more point, Dirprwy Lywydd, and this regards the economic contract. That's a relationship between business and Government; it's a partnership, it's not a one-off agreement. It requires consistent communication and collaboration between Welsh Government officials, also local government officials, and businesses, but as we see that economic contract strengthened and deepened, I'm really keen to see the business community itself embrace the role of peer reviewing one another to ensure that those economic contracts actually mean something. Because, to be honest, it's businesses that can promote the success that they enjoy in terms of utilising the economic contact better than anybody else.
Yn yr un modd, rydym ni wedi gallu trafod cynlluniau ysgogi rhanbarthol yn rhan o'r genhadaeth ailadeiladu ac adfer. Rwy'n credu y bu hynny yn werthfawr iawn o ran dwyn ynghyd awdurdodau lleol ar lefel ranbarthol. Ac mewn ymateb i rywbeth y soniodd Russell George amdano yn ei gwestiynau—nid oeddwn yn gallu ymateb yn uniongyrchol yn yr amser oedd gennyf—hynny yw, argymhelliad Y Sefydliad ar gyfer Cydweithrediad a Datblygiad Economaidd, wrth gwrs mai cydbwyllgorau corfforaethol yw'r cam cyntaf tuag at ddod ag awdurdodau lleol at ei gilydd ar sail ranbarthol i sbarduno datblygu economaidd ac i atgyfnerthu galluoedd ac arbenigedd o fewn cyrff ar lefel ranbarthol.
O ran dangosyddion, targedau a'r sylw a wnaed am gydraddoldeb, wrth gwrs rydym ni newydd gyhoeddi, o ran cymorth i bobl o gymunedau lleiafrifoedd ethnig, y gronfa rwystrau, a luniwyd yn i raddau helaeth iawn ar gyfer pobl sydd mor bell o farchnad swyddi y mae angen cymorth ychwanegol arnyn nhw i ddatblygu busnesau mewn ffordd entrepreneuraidd. Fe wnaethom ni hefyd ymgorffori yn ymrwymiad COVID y cynllun cymhelliant i gyflogwyr gyflogi prentisiaid o dan 25 oed, gyda grantiau o hyd at £3,000 ar gael i gyflogi prentisiaid. Rydym ni wedi penodi hyrwyddwyr anabledd ledled Cymru i weithio gyda busnesau i sicrhau bod busnesau'n croesawu egwyddorion y contract economaidd a'r angen am waith teg a chyfleoedd i bawb.
Ac o ran y mesur o'i gymharu â chanolrif y DU, mae llesiant yn amlwg yn rhywbeth sydd wedi'i neilltuo ar gyfer Llywodraeth y DU ac, felly, dyna pam y credwn ni ei bod hi'n gwneud synnwyr gosod ein targed a'n huchelgeisiau yn erbyn lefelau'r DU. Fodd bynnag, rwyf yn derbyn y sylw y mae Helen Mary Jones yn ei wneud, ac yn sicr byddaf yn ystyried a allwn ni edrych ar lefelau eraill a allai gynnig cymhariaeth fwy priodol.
Rwy'n credu o ran cynhyrchiant—unwaith eto, dim ond er mwyn crybwyll cynhyrchiant—ni ellir ystyried mesur cynhyrchiant mewn economi yn rhywbeth ar wahân, ond mae'n rhaid ei gymharu â mesurau eraill, yn amlwg. Rwyf eisoes wedi sôn am ddiweithdra ac anweithgarwch economaidd, rwyf wedi sôn am lefel cyflogaeth, twf busnes, ac ati, ond mae'n ffaith bod cynhyrchiant, wrth i'r pandemig ddod ar ein gwarthaf, yn codi'n gyflymach yng Nghymru na'r DU gyfan. Felly, unwaith eto, cawsom stori gadarnhaol iawn i'w hadrodd am gynhyrchiant ac fe hoffem ni sicrhau ein bod yn rhoi hwb pellach i ragolygon o ran cynhyrchiant drwy roi pwyslais manwl iawn ar sgiliau ac ar ymchwil a datblygu, ac fe hoffem ni weld Cymru'n cael cymaint â phosibl o gyllid map ffordd ymchwil a datblygu newydd Llywodraeth y DU. Bydd cynnydd sylweddol mewn cyllid ymchwil a datblygu ac rydym ni eisiau sicrhau y bydd yn cyrraedd rhai o'r prosiectau atynnu hynny a fydd yn canolbwyntio'n fawr iawn ar glystyru busnesau bach a chanolig, ar ymchwil, datblygu ac arloesi. Ac mae rhai enghreifftiau y gallaf i eu crybwyll yn y fan yna: y Ganolfan Ymchwil Gweithgynhyrchu Uwch, y ganolfan fyd-eang ar gyfer rhagoriaeth rheilffyrdd, y clwstwr lled-ddargludyddion cyfansawdd, y clwstwr diwydiannau creadigol amlwg iawn. Mae cyfleoedd i ddenu mwy o ymchwil a datblygu, ac wrth wneud hynny, fe allwn ni eu defnyddio yn fodd o ddenu buddsoddi yn hytrach na gorfod defnyddio llyfr siec er mwyn talu i bob diben i fewnfuddsoddwyr ddod i Gymru, yn aml gyda dim ond golwg tymor byr ar fuddsoddi yn ein dinasyddion a'n gwlad.
Ac felly, pan fydd Helen Mary Jones yn gofyn, 'Beth ydych chi'n ystyried rhoi'r gorau iddo?' wel, yn gyntaf oll, rydym ni'n ystyried denu drwy nerth, yn hytrach na thrwy gael llyfr siec agored. Rydym ni eisiau sicrhau ein bod yn adeiladu'r prosiectau cydnerth hyn, y prosiectau atynnu a fydd yn gallu denu buddsoddwyr nid yn unig am flynyddoedd i ddod, ond am ddegawdau i ddod, er mwyn inni ddod yn wlad sydd â rhagoriaeth mewn rhai meysydd technegol, boed hynny mewn deallusrwydd artiffisial, mewn gweithgynhyrchu a deunyddiau uwch, yn enwedig yn y sector awyrofod, neu mewn lled-ddargludyddion cyfansawdd, seiberddiogelwch, ymchwil a datblygu rheilffyrdd a thrafnidiaeth. Rydym ni eisiau sicrhau ein bod yn tyfu ac yn cadarnhau'r arbenigeddau hynny yng Nghymru.
O ran rhywfaint o'r gwaith arall lle yr ydym ni'n ychwanegu gwerth, wel, mae'n amlwg y bydd y £270 miliwn o arian i'r banc datblygu yn gweld mwy o arian yn cael ei ddefnyddio at ddibenion benthyciadau ac ecwiti, ac mae hyn yn rhywbeth y mae pwyllgorau'r economi ers blynyddoedd, os nad degawdau, wedi bod yn galw ar y Llywodraeth i'w wneud, i geisio symud oddi wrth ddefnyddio grantiau'n unig i fwy o fenthyciadau a chymorth ar sail ecwiti, a dyma beth yr ydym yn ei wneud gyda'r £270 miliwn ychwanegol hwnnw. Bydd hynny, wrth gwrs, yn galluogi rhywfaint o ailgylchu cyllid a fydd yn galluogi twf ymhellach i'r dyfodol, ac yn enwedig gan ganolbwyntio ar ficrofusnesau newydd a busnesau bach a chanolig. Mae gwir angen dathlu llwyddiant busnesau newydd yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf, ac wrth gwrs fe wnaethom ni ddatblygu cronfa dechrau busnes yn ystod y pandemig i sicrhau na wnaethom ni golli'r mentrau rhagorol hynny y gallodd pobl arloesol a chreadigol ddechrau cyn COVID-19.
Yna, yn olaf, o ran benthyca, mae'n amlwg bod hyn yn rhywbeth y bydd y Gweinidog Cyllid yn ei ystyried. Rwy'n gwybod bod y Gweinidog Cyllid yn awyddus i ystyried pob cyfle creadigol i godi arian i fuddsoddi yn ein cymunedau ac yn ein busnesau. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd wedi dal sylw manwl ar yr hyn a oedd gan Helen Mary Jones i'w ddweud.
O, mae'n ddrwg gennyf, un sylw arall, Dirprwy Lywydd, ac mae hyn yn ymwneud â'r contract economaidd. Perthynas yw hynny rhwng byd busnes a'r Llywodraeth; mae'n bartneriaeth, nid cytundeb untro mohono. Mae'n gofyn am gyfathrebu a chydweithredu cyson rhwng swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru, hefyd swyddogion llywodraeth leol a busnesau, ond wrth i ni weld y contract economaidd hwnnw'n cael ei gryfhau a'i ddyfnhau, rwy'n awyddus iawn i weld y gymuned fusnes ei hun yn croesawu'r swyddogaeth hon o adolygu ei gilydd er mwyn sicrhau bod y contractau economaidd hynny'n golygu rhywbeth mewn gwirionedd. Oherwydd, a dweud y gwir, busnesau yn fwy na neb arall sy'n gallu hyrwyddo'r llwyddiant y maen nhw yn ei fwynhau o ran defnyddio'r contract economaidd.
Thank you. We have less than 10 minutes and four speakers, so I'll just put that out there. People need to think about that.
Diolch. Mae gennym ni lai na 10 munud a phedwar siaradwr, felly dim ond i ddweud hynny. Mae angen i bobl feddwl am hynny.
Apologies. Sorry.
Ymddiheuriadau. Mae'n ddrwg gennyf.
Jenny Rathbone.
Jenny Rathbone.
Thank you very much. In 'Our Economic Resilience & Reconstruction Mission' you highlight that nearly half of NHS Wales's food budget is spent outside of Wales, and so that's at least £10 million that we could be recirculating into the Welsh economy. I would guess that the local authorities' catering budget for school meals and for care homes would be of a similar order. So, this is a really important issue, particularly if we're going to do more around school meals. We need to be spending more of that money in Wales. So, it's a bit of a chicken-and-egg scenario here, because until we grow more, we can't buy more. So, I just wondered if you could tell us a little bit about how you're going to square that. The farmers will grow anything if they've got a market, so how are we going to ensure that they know about the contracts that we want to offer them?
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Yn 'Ein Cenhadaeth o ran Cadernid ac Ailadeiladu Economaidd' rydych chi'n tynnu sylw at y ffaith bod bron i hanner cyllideb fwyd GIG Cymru yn cael ei gwario y tu allan i Gymru, ac felly mae hynny'n £10 miliwn o leiaf y gallem ni fod yn ei ailgylchu i economi Cymru. Byddwn yn dyfalu y byddai cyllideb arlwyo'r awdurdodau lleol ar gyfer prydau ysgol ac ar gyfer cartrefi gofal rywbeth yn debyg. Felly, mae hwn yn fater pwysig iawn, yn enwedig os ydym ni eisiau gwneud mwy ynghylch prydau ysgol. Mae angen inni wario mwy o'r arian hwnnw yng Nghymru. Felly, mae'n dipyn o sefyllfa'r wy a'r iâr, oherwydd nes i ni dyfu mwy, allwn ni ddim prynu mwy. Felly, meddwl oeddwn i tybed a allech chi ddweud ychydig wrthym am sut yr ydych chi'n mynd i gysoni hynny. Bydd y ffermwyr yn tyfu unrhyw beth os oes ganddynt farchnad, felly sut ydym ni'n mynd i sicrhau eu bod yn gwybod am y contractau mae arnom ni eisiau eu cynnig iddyn nhw?
Can I thank Jenny Rathbone for her question? It's a really important point to make that the foundational economy can be supported through better procurement, through local sourcing of goods and services. We recently launched the foundational economy challenge fund, which has been promoted by Lee Waters. It's been an incredible initiative, it's risen in value quite considerably from the initial intention of investing £1 million to several million pounds, and that's demonstrated through a number of examples how better procurement can lead to more employment opportunities in local communities. The next step is then to learn from some of these initiatives and to make sure that they're mainstreamed across the economy. It can happen. It can happen. We've seen it happen in places like Preston, and what we want to do is make sure that, here in Wales, we do just the same. That's why the challenge fund has been so very important, and that's why we're making the strengthening of the foundational economy one of the five beacons within our mission.
A gaf i ddiolch i Jenny Rathbone am ei chwestiwn? Mae'n bwynt pwysig iawn i sicrhau y gellir cefnogi'r economi sylfaenol drwy well caffael, drwy gyrchu nwyddau a gwasanaethau yn lleol. Yn ddiweddar, lansiwyd y gronfa her economi sylfaenol gennym ni, sydd wedi cael ei hyrwyddo gan Lee Waters. Mae wedi bod yn fenter anhygoel, mae wedi codi mewn gwerth yn eithaf sylweddol o'r bwriad cychwynnol o fuddsoddi miliwn o bunnau i sawl miliwn o bunnau, ac mae hynny wedi'i ddangos drwy nifer o enghreifftiau sut y gall gwell caffael arwain at fwy o gyfleoedd cyflogaeth mewn cymunedau lleol. Y cam nesaf wedyn yw dysgu o rai o'r mentrau hyn a sicrhau eu bod yn cael eu prif ffrydio ar draws yr economi. Fe all hynny ddigwydd. Fe all hynny ddigwydd. Rydym ni wedi'i weld yn digwydd mewn lleoedd fel Preston, a'r hyn rydym ni eisiau ei wneud yw sicrhau ein bod ni, yma yng Nghymru, yn gwneud yr un peth. Dyna pam mae'r gronfa her wedi bod mor bwysig, a dyna pam mai cryfhau'r economi sylfaenol yw un o'r pum llusern yn ein cenhadaeth.
Can I thank the Minister for his statement this afternoon? I'd also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the generous support you've afforded businesses across Wales in the response to COVID-19, again witnessed by the extra £270 million you announced today. But as we all know, despite the Welsh Government's endeavours, there is and will be a catastrophic consequence for the Welsh economy as a result of lockdown. I'm sure, therefore, that all of us in the Senedd will support you in your cause for greater financial help from the UK Government. The devastation has been so great that only the UK Government has the financial resources to build the UK economies, and that must include Wales.
Of course, I understand that the measures laid out in the statement are designed to mitigate the effects of the pandemic, and to bring us out of the economic downturn as soon as possible, and I welcome your emphasis on high-tech industries. The strange statistic that average wages in Wales have risen during this lockdown period masks the fact that this is because the lockdown has impacted on lower-wage earners far greater than those in the higher pay brackets. This means, of course, that the worst affected have been the poorest in society. Many of these low-wage earners are from those sectors hardest hit by the lockdown—the hospitality industry, pubs, restaurants, accommodation establishments. I would therefore call upon the Government to prioritise this sector when you're building the economy, not just because of the sector itself but because this sector has the ability to bounce out of the economic downturn far quicker than others.
A gaf i ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am ei ddatganiad y prynhawn yma? Hoffwn hefyd fanteisio ar y cyfle hwn i gydnabod y gefnogaeth hael yr ydych chi wedi'i rhoi i fusnesau ledled Cymru yn yr ymateb i COVID-19, a welwyd unwaith eto yn y £270 miliwn ychwanegol a gyhoeddwyd gennych chi heddiw. Ond fel y gwyddom ni i gyd, er gwaethaf ymdrechion Llywodraeth Cymru, mae, a bydd canlyniad trychinebus i economi Cymru o ganlyniad i'r cyfyngiadau symud. Rwy'n siŵr, felly, y bydd pob un ohonom ni yn y Senedd yn eich cefnogi yn eich cais am fwy o gymorth ariannol gan Lywodraeth y DU. Mae'r dinistr wedi bod mor fawr fel mai dim ond Llywodraeth y DU sydd â'r adnoddau ariannol i adeiladu economïau'r DU, a rhaid i hynny gynnwys Cymru.
Wrth gwrs, deallaf fod y mesurau a nodir yn y datganiad wedi'u cynllunio i liniaru effeithiau'r pandemig, ac i ddod â ni allan o'r dirywiad economaidd cyn gynted ag y bo modd, a chroesawaf eich pwyslais ar ddiwydiannau uwch-dechnoleg. Mae'r ystadegyn rhyfedd fod cyflogau cyfartalog yng Nghymru wedi codi yn ystod y cyfyngiadau symud hyn yn cuddio'r ffaith mai'r rheswm am hyn yw bod y cyfyngiadau symud wedi effeithio llawer mwy ar y rhai sy'n ennill cyflog is na'r rhai yn y dosbarthiadau cyflog uwch. Mae hyn yn golygu, wrth gwrs, mai'r rhai yr effeithiwyd arnyn nhw waethaf fu'r tlotaf mewn cymdeithas. Mae llawer o'r bobl hyn sydd ar gyflogau bychain yn dod o'r sectorau hynny a gafodd eu taro galetaf gan y cyfyngiadau symud—y diwydiant lletygarwch, tafarndai, bwytai, sefydliadau llety. Felly, byddwn yn galw ar y Llywodraeth i flaenoriaethu'r sector hwn pan fyddwch yn adeiladu'r economi, nid yn unig oherwydd y sector ei hun ond oherwydd bod gan y sector hwn y gallu i ymgodi o'r dirywiad economaidd yn llawer cyflymach nag eraill.
Can I thank David Rowlands for his contribution and his question? I'd agree with him entirely on the points that he's raised, first of all in terms of the support that can be brought forward by the UK Government. The job retention scheme has been crucial in avoiding catastrophic levels of unemployment to date, and therefore it has to continue for as long as it is needed. Similar schemes on the continent have been utilised for over a decade, and can be reintroduced at very short notice by European Governments. I would wish to see the job retention scheme retained for the long term and introduced whenever necessary, should further events of this nature occur.
In terms of people on lower incomes, it's a fact that people who earn more during the pandemic have been able to save more, and the UK Government, obviously, during the course of the last week, in many statements, has been indicating that it is relying on those people who have been able to save during the pandemic to release their savings to stimulate economic activity. But, of course, we have a very significant number of people who do not enjoy higher levels of income. In turn, we must therefore intervene to support those people who have been hardest hit, and we will go on doing that through direct support for those sectors that are vulnerable. We'll make sure that they are able to grow in a more sustainable way through the beacon activity that I've outlined, through business development grants, through the Development Bank of Wales offering that significant increase in the flexible investment fund, and through, of course, the prospect of collaboration through some of the magnet projects.
A gaf i ddiolch i David Rowlands am ei gyfraniad a'i gwestiwn? Byddwn yn cytuno'n llwyr ag ef o ran y pwyntiau y mae wedi'u crybwyll, yn gyntaf oll o ran y gefnogaeth y gall Llywodraeth y DU ei chyflwyno. Mae'r cynllun cadw swyddi wedi bod yn hollbwysig er mwyn osgoi lefelau trychinebus o ddiweithdra hyd yma, ac felly mae'n rhaid iddo barhau cyhyd ag y bo'i angen. Defnyddiwyd cynlluniau tebyg ar y cyfandir ers dros ddegawd, a gellir eu hailgyflwyno ar fyr rybudd gan Lywodraethau Ewrop. Hoffwn weld y cynllun cadw swyddi'n cael ei gadw ar gyfer y tymor hir a'i gyflwyno pryd bynnag y bo angen, pe bai digwyddiadau pellach o'r math hwn.
O ran pobl ar incwm llai, mae'n ffaith bod pobl sy'n ennill mwy yn ystod y pandemig wedi gallu cynilo mwy, ac mae Llywodraeth y DU, yn amlwg, yn ystod yr wythnos diwethaf, mewn llawer o ddatganiadau, wedi bod yn nodi ei bod hi'n dibynnu ar y bobl hynny sydd wedi gallu cynilo yn ystod y pandemig i ryddhau eu cynilion i ysgogi gweithgarwch economaidd. Ond, wrth gwrs, mae gennym ni nifer sylweddol iawn o bobl nad ydyn nhw yn mwynhau incwm sylweddol. Yn ei dro, rhaid inni felly ymyrryd i gefnogi'r bobl hynny sydd wedi cael eu taro galetaf, a byddwn yn parhau i wneud hynny drwy roi cymorth uniongyrchol i'r sectorau hynny sy'n agored i niwed. Byddwn yn sicrhau eu bod yn gallu tyfu mewn ffordd fwy cynaliadwy drwy'r gweithgaredd llusern yr wyf wedi'i amlinellu, drwy grantiau datblygu busnes, drwy Fanc Datblygu Cymru sy'n cynnig y cynnydd sylweddol hwnnw yn y gronfa fuddsoddi hyblyg, a thrwy, wrth gwrs, y posibilrwydd o gydweithio drwy rai o'r prosiectau atynnu.
Minister, we know that the pandemic has accelerated pre-existing trends that make it very difficult for our town and city centres to thrive. There are far too many empty shops, including large empty shops such as the Debenhams store in Newport at the moment, and we know that we need to continue our efforts to diversify, repurpose and reinvigorate those city-centre buildings. You will know, I'm sure, Minister, that a recent initiative has been announced by the leaders of Newport, Cardiff and Swansea councils to work with the Welsh Government to take forward that reinvigoration and repurposing. In Newport, key to that is the knowledge quarter, which would see the relocation of Coleg Gwent to the city centre, and a new leisure centre. Will you be looking very carefully at how you can support these projects, Minister, which will create jobs, both within construction but also on an ongoing basis, and could provide a very important example of that much-needed partnership between local government, Welsh Government and business?
Gweinidog, gwyddom fod y pandemig wedi cyflymu tueddiadau sy'n bodoli eisoes sy'n ei gwneud hi'n anodd iawn i ganol ein trefi a'n dinasoedd ffynnu. Mae llawer gormod o siopau gwag, gan gynnwys siopau gwag mawr fel siop Debenhams yng Nghasnewydd ar hyn o bryd, a gwyddom fod angen inni barhau â'n hymdrechion i arallgyfeirio ac adfywio'r adeiladau hynny yng nghanol y ddinas, a chreu diben newydd iddynt. Byddwch yn gwybod, rwy'n siŵr, Gweinidog, fod menter ddiweddar wedi'i chyhoeddi gan arweinwyr cynghorau Casnewydd, Caerdydd ac Abertawe i weithio gyda Llywodraeth Cymru i ddatblygu'r adfywio a'r enw da hwnnw. Yng Nghasnewydd, yr allwedd i hynny yw'r ardal wybodaeth, a fyddai'n gweld adleoli Coleg Gwent i ganol y ddinas, a chanolfan hamdden newydd. A wnewch chi ystyried yn ofalus iawn sut y gallwch chi gefnogi'r prosiectau hyn, Gweinidog, a fydd yn creu swyddi, yn y diwydiant adeiladu ond hefyd yn barhaol, ac a allai ddarparu enghraifft bwysig iawn o'r bartneriaeth honno y mae mawr ei hangen rhwng llywodraeth leol, Llywodraeth Cymru a byd busnes?
Can I thank John Griffiths and say that I agree with him entirely? I think there is a crucial role for local authorities to play in promoting the 'town centre first' initiative, and John Griffiths has highlighted one particularly good example of how, at a local authority and a local level, thought is being given to reintroducing activity within the city centre that could lead to increased footfall and a more vibrant community setting. We are keen to explore all options across Wales, and that's why we're driving forward the agenda concerning the remote working hubs, planting within town centres opportunities for people to commute less but work with others across the public, private and third sector in a really innovative, creative way. They've proven already, in some parts of the world where they operate, to drive productivity, to drive creativity and innovation, so we'll be leading on this effort across Wales. We're looking at the early pilot projects that will be able to demonstrate just how successful this can be, and how, through direct intervention, we're able to breathe new life into town centres and city centres across Wales.
A gaf i ddiolch i John Griffiths a dweud fy mod yn cytuno'n llwyr ag ef? Credaf fod swyddogaeth hollbwysig i awdurdodau lleol wrth hyrwyddo'r fenter 'canol tref yn gyntaf', ac mae John Griffiths wedi tynnu sylw at un enghraifft arbennig o dda o sut, ar lefel awdurdod lleol ac yn lleol, yr ystyrir dod â bwrlwm yn ôl i ganol y ddinas a allai arwain at fwy o ymwelwyr a lleoliad cymunedol mwy bywiog. Rydym yn awyddus i ystyried yr holl bosibiliadau ledled Cymru, a dyna pam yr ydym ni'n bwrw ymlaen â'r agenda sy'n ymwneud â'r canolfannau gweithio o bell, gan greu cyfleoedd yng nghanol trefi i bobl gymudo llai ond gweithio gydag eraill ar draws y sector cyhoeddus, y sector preifat a'r trydydd sector mewn ffordd wirioneddol arloesol a chreadigol. Gwelwyd eisoes, mewn rhai rhannau o'r byd lle maen nhw'n gweithredu, eu bod yn ysgogi cynhyrchiant, yn ysgogi creadigrwydd ac arloesedd, felly byddwn yn arwain ar yr ymdrech hon ledled Cymru. Rydym yn edrych ar y prosiectau treialu cynnar a fydd yn gallu dangos pa mor llwyddiannus y gall hyn fod, a sut, drwy ymyrraeth uniongyrchol, y gallwn ni anadlu bywyd newydd i ganol trefi a chanol dinasoedd ledled Cymru.
I'm grateful to the Minister for the statement he's made this afternoon. I specifically welcome the Government's commitment that the economic impact of the crisis will not result in people and communities being left behind. But what of those communities, Minister, who already feel that they have been left behind? As people in Blaenau Gwent and across the Valleys remember all too well, in the economic crises of the 1980s and earlier, we have often been left alone to shoulder the burden and bear the brunt of these economic issues. I want to ensure that this Government understands that, and that this Government will not simply be investing in every community equally, but will be investing in those communities that have suffered disproportionately as a consequence of the COVID crisis. That means communities like Blaenau Gwent, where not only have we seen the suffering greater amongst people, but the economic impact greater as well. How will our town centres here be supported by the Welsh Government? How will we create a new economic foundation that can bring wealth into these communities, generate wealth, generate incomes and jobs for people who have already suffered enough?
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Gweinidog am y datganiad y mae wedi'i wneud y prynhawn yma. Croesawaf yn benodol ymrwymiad y Llywodraeth na fydd effaith economaidd yr argyfwng yn arwain at adael pobl a chymunedau ar ôl. Ond beth am y cymunedau hynny, Gweinidog, sydd eisoes yn teimlo eu bod wedi cael eu gadael ar ôl? Fel y mae pobl ym Mlaenau Gwent ac ar draws y Cymoedd yn cofio'n iawn, yn argyfyngau economaidd y 1980au ac yn gynharach, rydym yn aml wedi cael ein gadael ar ein pen ein hunain i ysgwyddo'r baich a chario pwysau y materion economaidd hyn. Rwyf eisiau sicrhau bod y Llywodraeth hon yn deall hynny, ac na fydd y Llywodraeth hon yn buddsoddi ym mhob cymuned yn gyfartal yn unig, ond y bydd yn buddsoddi yn y cymunedau hynny sydd wedi dioddef yn anghymesur o ganlyniad i argyfwng COVID. Mae hynny'n golygu cymunedau fel Blaenau Gwent, lle rydym nid yn unig wedi gweld y dioddefaint yn fwy ymhlith pobl, ond yr effaith economaidd yn fwy hefyd. Sut y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi canol ein trefi yma? Sut y byddwn yn creu sylfaen economaidd newydd a all ddod â chyfoeth i'r cymunedau hyn, creu cyfoeth, cynhyrchu incwm a swyddi i bobl sydd eisoes wedi dioddef digon?
Can I thank Alun Davies for his question and the points that he outlines? He's absolutely right that many communities that have felt left behind through the course of deindustrialisation have felt over the past 12 months left even further behind, as they've suffered even more acutely from the economic impact of coronavirus. But I can assure Alun Davies that at both the Welsh Government and local authority level, through embracing this mission, consideration and support for business development and inward investment will be prioritised for those communities that have felt left behind for far too long, and that includes communities like Blaenau Gwent. I am hopeful that announcements will be made very soon that will demonstrate just how serious we are taking this initiative, working with local authorities.
I think, in the past, there was a 'cities first' approach whereby success followed success, and without direct intervention in other communities, particularly satellite towns, we saw people feel despondent about economic growth, which was seen as something that was being enjoyed more by those people who lived in the most successful and most urban areas of the UK, principally in the south-east of England and in London. Other Governments were already looking at the economic action plan; they are now looking at this mission. I think there is recognition that intervention is required in placemaking in particular, in ensuring that you prioritise finite resource in developing business opportunities in communities that have suffered the scars of deindustrialisation. But we're always open for learning from others, and that is why we introduced the OECD to this work and why we're keen to learn from exemplar projects and exemplar countries across Europe as we strive to drive down levels of poverty and as we try to narrow inequality within Wales and within the communities of Wales.
A gaf i ddiolch i Alun Davies am ei gwestiwn a'r pwyntiau y mae'n eu hamlinellu? Mae'n llygad ei le bod llawer o gymunedau sydd wedi teimlo eu bod wedi'u gadael ar ôl yn ystod y broses o ddad-ddiwydiannu wedi teimlo dros y 12 mis diwethaf eu bod wedi'u gadael hyd yn oed ymhellach ar ôl, gan eu bod wedi dioddef effaith economaidd y coronafeirws hyd yn oed yn fwy difrifol. Ond gallaf sicrhau Alun Davies y bydd ystyriaeth a chefnogaeth ar gyfer datblygu busnes a mewnfuddsoddiad yn cael eu blaenoriaethu ar gyfer y cymunedau hynny sydd wedi teimlo eu bod wedi'u gadael ar ôl yn rhy hir o lawer, ac sy'n cynnwys cymunedau fel Blaenau Gwent, drwy groesawu'r genhadaeth hon ar lefel Llywodraeth Cymru ac ar lefel awdurdodau lleol. Rwy'n obeithiol y gwneir cyhoeddiadau'n fuan iawn a fydd yn dangos pa mor ddifrifol yr ydym ni'n ymgymryd â'r fenter hon, gan weithio gydag awdurdodau lleol.
Credaf, yn y gorffennol, fod dull 'dinasoedd yn gyntaf' lle yr oedd llwyddiant yn dilyn llwyddiant, a heb ymyrraeth uniongyrchol mewn cymunedau eraill, yn enwedig trefi dibynnol, gwelsom bobl yn teimlo'n anobeithio ynghylch twf economaidd, a oedd yn cael ei ystyried yn rhywbeth i'w fwynhau'n fwy gan y bobl hynny a oedd yn byw yn ardaloedd mwyaf llwyddiannus a mwyaf trefol y DU, yn bennaf yn ne-ddwyrain Lloegr ac yn Llundain. Roedd Llywodraethau eraill eisoes yn edrych ar y cynllun gweithredu economaidd; maen nhw bellach yn edrych ar y genhadaeth hon. Credaf fod cydnabyddiaeth bod angen ymyrryd yn benodol, wrth sicrhau eich bod yn blaenoriaethu adnoddau cyfyngedig wrth ddatblygu cyfleoedd busnes mewn cymunedau sydd wedi dioddef creithiau dad-ddiwydiannu. Ond rydym ni bob amser yn agored i ddysgu gan eraill, a dyna pam y gwnaethom ni gyflwyno'r Sefydliad ar gyfer Cydweithrediad a Datblygiad Economaidd i'r gwaith hwn a pham yr ydym yn awyddus i ddysgu o brosiectau enghreifftiol a gwledydd enghreifftiol ledled Ewrop wrth i ni ymdrechu i leihau lefelau tlodi ac wrth i ni geisio lleihau anghydraddoldeb yng Nghymru ac o fewn cymunedau Cymru.
Thank you very much, Minister.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Gweinidog.
Item 5 on our agenda is a statement by the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs on the future domestic rural development programme. I call on the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths.
Mae eitem 5 ar ein hagenda yn ddatganiad gan Weinidog yr Amgylchedd, Ynni a Materion Gwledig ar y rhaglen ddatblygu gwledig ddomestig yn y dyfodol. Galwaf ar Lesley Griffiths, Gweinidog yr Amgylchedd, Ynni a Materion Gwledig.
I wish to update Members on the Welsh Government's priorities for the future of rural development in Wales. In partnership with the EU, Wales will invest a total of £834 million in our EU RDP by the end of 2023. This has helped deliver significant value and resilience in our rural communities.
During the period of the present RDP, we have witnessed the extraordinary rise of the Welsh food and drink sector. We exceeded our target, set in 2014, to grow the sector to £7 billion turnover by the end of 2020, reaching £7.4 billion a full year earlier than we had anticipated. Export growth has been a significant driver of this success, increasing £160 million since 2015 to reach £565 million in 2019, built on our reputation for world-class produce with high welfare and environmental standards. A recent independent evaluation showed that our Farming Connect service had played a crucial role in creating the foundations for change, with a substantial impact on improved business and technical skills, and evidence of widespread benefits in terms of biodiversity and on animal health, notably in terms of reduced antibiotic and fertiliser use.
Hoffwn roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelodau am flaenoriaethau Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer dyfodol datblygu gwledig yng Nghymru. Mewn partneriaeth â'r UE, bydd Cymru'n buddsoddi cyfanswm o £834 miliwn yn ein Cynllun Datblygu Gwledig yr UE erbyn diwedd 2023. Mae hyn wedi helpu i sicrhau gwerth a chydnerthedd sylweddol yn ein cymunedau gwledig.
Yn ystod cyfnod y Cynllun Datblygu Gwledig presennol, rydym ni wedi gweld cynnydd eithriadol yn sector bwyd a diod Cymru. Gwnaethom ragori ar ein targed, a osodwyd yn 2014, i dyfu'r sector i drosiant o £7 biliwn erbyn diwedd 2020, gan gyrraedd £7.4 biliwn flwyddyn gyfan yn gynharach nag yr oeddem wedi'i ragweld. Mae twf allforio wedi bod yn sbardun sylweddol i'r llwyddiant hwn, gan gynyddu £160 miliwn ers 2015 i gyrraedd £565 miliwn yn 2019, wedi'i adeiladu ar ein henw da am gynnyrch o'r radd flaenaf gyda safonau lles ac amgylcheddol uchel. Dangosodd gwerthusiad annibynnol diweddar fod ein gwasanaeth Cyswllt Ffermio wedi chwarae rhan hollbwysig wrth greu'r sylfeini ar gyfer newid, gydag effaith sylweddol ar well sgiliau busnes a thechnegol, a thystiolaeth o fuddion eang o ran bioamrywiaeth ac iechyd anifeiliaid, yn enwedig o ran defnyddio llai o wrthfiotigau a gwrtaith.
The sustainable management scheme is delivering whole-landscape nature restoration in every part of Wales. This includes connecting and restoring dune habitats, trialling natural flood management to improve our climate resilience whilst creating woodland and wetland habitats, restoring hundreds of hectares of peatlands, and connecting thousands of people to the landscapes in their areas by creating new volunteering and recreational opportunities. The Welsh Government has some of the most sophisticated environmental monitoring capability of any European nation. Their work provides indications of some positive progress made through our agri-environment schemes, including halting the decline in the populations of upland farmland birds and an increase in woodland bird species, a positive recovery in soil acidity, consistent improvements in the condition of blanket bogs, and a growth in the overall land-use carbon sink, which in the decade prior to devolution was, in fact, a source of emissions.
Last year, I was able to repurpose the LEADER scheme to support rural communities in responding to the devastating effects of the pandemic. Those local action groups truly rose to the challenge, from the Conwy farm assistance scheme, a cohort of volunteers practically supporting farmers affected by COVID, through to Menter Môn's Neges project, which I was privileged to see in the summer—a food delivery service to ensure that vulnerable people and front-line workers were fed during the pandemic. It delivered 10,000 meals to NHS staff and 4,000 food parcels to vulnerable people. These efforts are a perfect example of how the rural development plan has helped to build resilience into rural communities. The local knowledge and agility of LEADER groups meant that they were there when their communities needed them. These are just a very small number of examples of the achievements supported by the RDP, and further evaluation will be completed as the present scheme draws to a close.
Today, I am laying agricultural support regulations that make provision to amend retained EU law in Wales to put in place a domestic framework to fund new rural development schemes. This would begin the multiyear transition, ahead of the introduction of the agriculture Bill in the next term of Government.
Before I move on to talk about the priorities for the future of rural development in Wales, I would like to place on record my deep frustration and disappointment shared by many in Wales's rural communities with the way in which UK Government has decided to renege on their commitment to replace the rural development funding that we are losing as a result of our exit from the European Union. Rather than replace the funding in full, they have taken the decision to subtract from replacement funds the amount we are still receiving from the European Union, as well as a proportion of those funds used to deliver the RDP. This has created a £137 million loss to the rural economy of Wales in next financial year alone.
Some have argued that rather than seek to recover these funds from the UK Government through a reversal of this decision, we should instead take funding away from other areas, including our COVID-19 response, in order to fill the gap left by the UK Government's decision. Besides being a perverse suggestion—to restore the losses to the rural economy by creating losses elsewhere—this is a matter where I believe the public would expect the Senedd to speak with one voice in calling on the UK Government to respect the importance of the rural economy to Wales and the UK, and to reverse this damaging decision.
The first in a series of consultations on the delivery of a new rural development programme is planned for summer 2021, to be brought forward by the new Government in the new Senedd, with the aim of launching a new rural development programme in 2024. As we begin that period of engagement, I believe there is a clear set of priorities emerging that reflects the desire amongst the public for a future very different from the past as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of the growing severity of the climate and nature emergency. The future of rural development will need to support social justice in the transition to a net-zero economy. The future RDP will need to support skills and employment that enable the greening of rural industries whilst promoting inclusion, fair work and use of the Welsh language.
The future rural economy of Wales also needs to be nature positive, achieving the sustainable management of natural resources. A future RDP will need to support innovation that can deliver greater direct benefits for the resilience of ecosystems and our wider well-being, sharing the benefits of our natural environment more fairly. We need to keep Welsh farmers on the land by further strengthening their reputation for high animal welfare and environmental standards, supporting the whole supply chain to increase the value of the goods they produce and capturing more domestic and international demand for truly sustainable produce. We need to strengthen the vibrancy of our rural towns and villages, including by supporting a circular economy that retains more value locally whilst avoiding waste and pollution, and by taking advantage of the opportunities for remote working to draw more economic activity into rural areas.
We need to see a major growth in our national capacity for land management beyond farming, including fostering a larger domestic timber industry that can supply low-carbon building materials, and supporting the development of our Welsh nature conservation sector with secure and diverse means of generating income. The progress we have seen under the RDP will provide a solid basis for developing a new rural development programme that is focused on supporting a socially just transition to a zero-carbon and zero-waste economy, achieving the sustainable management of natural resources and sharing the benefits of our rich natural heritage more fairly. Diolch.
Mae'r cynllun rheoli cynaliadwy yn adfer natur tirwedd gyfan ym mhob rhan o Gymru. Mae hyn yn cynnwys cysylltu ac adfer cynefinoedd twyni, treialu rheoli llifogydd naturiol er mwyn gwella ein cydnerthedd hinsawdd wrth i ni greu coetiroedd a chynefinoedd gwlypdir, adfer cannoedd o hectarau o fewndiroedd, a chysylltu miloedd o bobl â'r tirweddau yn eu hardaloedd drwy greu cyfleoedd gwirfoddoli a hamdden newydd. Mae gan Lywodraeth Cymru rai o alluoedd monitro amgylcheddol mwyaf soffistigedig unrhyw genedl yn Ewrop. Mae eu gwaith yn dangos arwyddion o rywfaint o gynnydd cadarnhaol a wnaed drwy ein cynlluniau amaeth-amgylcheddol, gan gynnwys atal y dirywiad ym mhoblogaethau adar tir fferm yr ucheldir a chynnydd mewn rhywogaethau adar coetiroedd, adferiad cadarnhaol mewn asidedd pridd, gwelliannau cyson yng nghyflwr gorgorsydd, a thwf yn y ddalfa garbon o ddefnydd tir cyffredinol, a oedd yn y ddegawd cyn datganoli, mewn gwirionedd, yn ffynhonnell allyriadau.
Y llynedd, roeddwn yn gallu ail-bwrpasu'r cynllun LEADER i gefnogi cymunedau gwledig i ymateb i effeithiau dinistriol y pandemig. Derbyniodd y grwpiau gweithredu lleol hynny'r her, o gynllun cymorth fferm Conwy, carfan o wirfoddolwyr sy'n cefnogi ffermwyr yr effeithiwyd arnynt gan COVID yn ymarferol, i brosiect Neges Menter Môn, y cefais y fraint o'i weld yn yr haf—gwasanaeth dosbarthu bwyd i sicrhau bod pobl agored i niwed a gweithwyr rheng flaen yn cael eu bwydo yn ystod y pandemig. Dosbarthodd 10,000 o brydau bwyd i staff y GIG a 4,000 o barseli bwyd i bobl sy'n agored i niwed. Mae'r ymdrechion hyn yn enghraifft berffaith o sut mae'r cynllun datblygu gwledig wedi helpu i feithrin cydnerthedd mewn cymunedau gwledig. Roedd gwybodaeth leol ac ystwythder grwpiau LEADER yn golygu eu bod yno pan oedd eu cymunedau eu hangen. Dim ond nifer fach iawn o enghreifftiau yw'r rhain o'r cyflawniadau a gefnogir gan y cynllun datblygu gwledig, a bydd gwerthusiad pellach yn cael ei gwblhau wrth i'r cynllun presennol ddirwyn i ben.
Heddiw, rwy'n gosod rheoliadau cymorth amaethyddol sy'n gwneud darpariaeth i ddiwygio cyfraith wrth gefn yr UE yng Nghymru i sefydlu fframwaith domestig i ariannu cynlluniau datblygu gwledig newydd. Byddai hyn yn dechrau'r cyfnod pontio aml-flwyddyn, cyn cyflwyno'r Bil amaethyddiaeth yn nhymor nesaf y Llywodraeth.
Cyn imi symud ymlaen i sôn am y blaenoriaethau ar gyfer dyfodol datblygu gwledig yng Nghymru, hoffwn gofnodi fy rhwystredigaeth a'm siom fawr a rennir gan lawer yng nghymunedau gwledig Cymru gyda'r ffordd y mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi penderfynu torri eu haddewid i ymrwymo i ddodi rhywbeth yn lle'r cyllid datblygu gwledig yr ydym yn ei golli o ganlyniad i'n hymadawiad â'r Undeb Ewropeaidd. Yn hytrach nac ailosod cyllid yn llawn, maen nhw wedi penderfynu tynnu o gronfeydd newydd y swm yr ydym yn dal i'w gael gan yr Undeb Ewropeaidd, yn ogystal â chyfran o'r arian hwnnw a ddefnyddir i gyflawni'r cynllun datblygu gwledig. Mae hyn wedi creu colled o £137 miliwn i economi wledig Cymru yn y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf yn unig.
Mae rhai wedi dadlau, yn hytrach na cheisio adennill yr arian hwn oddi wrth Lywodraeth y DU drwy wrthdroi'r penderfyniad hwn, y dylem yn hytrach gymryd cyllid oddi wrth feysydd eraill, gan gynnwys ein hymateb i COVID-19, er mwyn llenwi'r bwlch a adawyd gan benderfyniad Llywodraeth y DU. Ar wahân i fod yn awgrym gwrthnysig—adfer y colledion i'r economi wledig drwy greu colledion mewn mannau eraill—mae hwn yn fater lle credaf y byddai'r cyhoedd yn disgwyl i'r Senedd siarad ag un llais wrth alw ar Lywodraeth y DU i barchu pwysigrwydd yr economi wledig i Gymru a'r DU, ac i wrthdroi'r penderfyniad niweidiol hwn.
Bwriedir cyflwyno'r cyntaf mewn cyfres o ymgynghoriadau ar gyflawni rhaglen ddatblygu gwledig newydd ar gyfer haf 2021, i'w gyflwyno gan y Llywodraeth newydd yn y Senedd newydd, gyda'r nod o lansio rhaglen ddatblygu gwledig newydd yn 2024. Wrth i ni ddechrau'r cyfnod ymgysylltu hwnnw, credaf fod cyfres glir o flaenoriaethau'n dod i'r amlwg sy'n adlewyrchu'r awydd ymhlith y cyhoedd am ddyfodol sy'n wahanol iawn i'r gorffennol wrth i ni ddod allan o bandemig COVID-19 yng nghyd-destun difrifoldeb cynyddol yr argyfwng hinsawdd a natur. Bydd angen i ddyfodol datblygu gwledig gefnogi cyfiawnder cymdeithasol wrth drosglwyddo i economi net-sero. Bydd angen i'r cynllun datblygu gwledig yn y dyfodol gefnogi sgiliau a chyflogaeth sy'n fodd o wneud diwydiannau gwledig yn fwy gwyrdd gan hyrwyddo cynhwysiant, gwaith teg a defnydd o'r Gymraeg.
Mae angen i economi wledig Cymru yn y dyfodol hefyd fod yn gadarnhaol o ran natur, gan sicrhau bod adnoddau naturiol yn cael eu rheoli'n gynaliadwy. Bydd angen i CDG yn y dyfodol gefnogi arloesedd a all sicrhau mwy o fanteision uniongyrchol i gydnerthedd ecosystemau a'n lles ehangach, gan rannu manteision ein hamgylchedd naturiol yn decach. Mae angen inni gadw ffermwyr Cymru ar y tir drwy gryfhau ymhellach eu henw da am safonau lles anifeiliaid ac amgylcheddol uchel, gan gefnogi'r gadwyn gyflenwi gyfan i gynyddu gwerth y nwyddau y maen nhw'n eu cynhyrchu a chreu mwy o alw domestig a rhyngwladol am gynnyrch gwirioneddol gynaliadwy. Mae angen inni gryfhau bywiogrwydd ein trefi a'n pentrefi gwledig, gan gynnwys drwy gefnogi economi gylchol sy'n cadw mwy o werth yn lleol gan osgoi gwastraff a llygredd, a thrwy fanteisio ar y cyfleoedd i weithio o bell i ddenu mwy o weithgarwch economaidd i ardaloedd gwledig.
Mae angen inni weld twf mawr yn ein gallu cenedlaethol i reoli tir y tu hwnt i ffermio, gan gynnwys meithrin diwydiant coed domestig mwy a all gyflenwi deunyddiau adeiladu carbon isel, a chefnogi datblygiad ein sector cadwraeth natur yng Nghymru gyda dulliau diogel ac amrywiol o gynhyrchu incwm. Bydd y cynnydd a welsom o dan y cynllun datblygu gwledig yn darparu sylfaen gadarn ar gyfer datblygu rhaglen ddatblygu gwledig newydd sy'n canolbwyntio ar gefnogi newid sy'n deg yn gymdeithasol, i economi ddi-garbon a diwastraff, gan reoli adnoddau naturiol yn gynaliadwy a rhannu manteision ein treftadaeth naturiol gyfoethog yn decach. Diolch.
Thank you for the statement, Minister. To ensure that the future RDP delivers for rural Wales, lessons have to be learnt from the past and the agricultural sector need listening to. Your claim that the progress seen under the RDP—the current one—will provide a solid basis for developing a new rural development programme is not strictly correct.
As this Parliament knows well by now, RDP 2014-2020 has been badly managed, to the extent that £53 million was awarded without ensuring any value for money. So, you cannot achieve that strong basis without agreeing to calls for an independent review of the RDP to be urgently commissioned, to include an analysis of the effectiveness and value for money of RDP projects and measures. So, will you, Minister, please listen? It's the farmers who are telling me this from across Wales. Will you deliver on this, please?
Now, the request is supported by the fact that the latest data shows that as of November, the farm business grants scheme allocation had £453,000 uncommitted, despite huge demand. That scheme was allocated around £10 million less than the enabling natural resources and well-being scheme, which, despite two rounds, has seen zero applications, and only 50 per cent of the total of £835 million has been spent to date.
Clearly, we need an update today as to what is going on with the enabling natural resources and well-being scheme. So, I would be grateful if you could clarify now how you will ensure that, for instance, there is an appropriate, secure electronic system to record, maintain, manage and report statistical information on the programme and its implementation, and why the rural development advisory board is non-statutory. Why won't you consider making the board statutory, so as to ensure that it operates as a programme-monitoring committee, involving our key stakeholders, like the National Farmers' Union Cymru, the Farmers' Union of Wales and the Country Land and Business Association?
There's a real need for such a committee already, because at present you have shown us no plan, hardly any situational analysis, any description of measures, any evaluation plan, a financing plan, an indicator plan, a communication plan, a management and control structure, monitoring and evaluation procedures, nor any information on programme publication and selection criteria. Now, of course, I acknowledge that the first in a series of consultations on the delivery of a new rural development programme will be planned for this summer in 2021, but there are changes and guarantees that we could achieve now. For example, will you honour the £40 million per annum commitment for the domestic RDP and make a full spend under the current EU RDP? Thank you. Diolch.
Diolch ichi am y datganiad, Gweinidog. Er mwyn sicrhau bod y cynllun datblygu gwledig yn y dyfodol yn cyflawni ar gyfer y Gymru wledig, rhaid dysgu gwersi o'r gorffennol ac mae angen gwrando ar y sector amaethyddol. Nid yw eich honiad y bydd y cynnydd a welir o dan y cynllun datblygu gwledig—yr un presennol—yn darparu sylfaen gadarn ar gyfer datblygu rhaglen ddatblygu gwledig newydd yn gwbl gywir.
Fel y gŵyr y Senedd hon yn dda erbyn hyn, mae cynllun datblygu gwledig 2014-2020 wedi'i reoli'n wael, i'r graddau y dyfarnwyd £53 miliwn heb sicrhau unrhyw werth am arian. Felly, ni allwch gyflawni'r sail gref honno heb gytuno i alwadau am gomisiynu adolygiad annibynnol o'r cynllun datblygu gwledig ar frys, i gynnwys dadansoddiad o effeithiolrwydd a gwerth am arian prosiectau a mesurau'r cynllun datblygu gwledig. Felly, a wnewch chi, Gweinidog, wrando, os gwelwch yn dda? Y ffermwyr sy'n dweud hyn wrthyf o bob rhan o Gymru. A wnewch chi gyflawni hyn, os gwelwch yn dda?
Nawr, mae'r cais yn cael ei ategu gan y ffaith bod y data diweddaraf yn dangos bod gan ddyraniad y cynllun grantiau i fusnesau fferm, o fis Tachwedd ymlaen, £453,000 heb ei neilltuo, er gwaethaf y galw enfawr. Dyrannwyd tua £10 miliwn yn llai i'r cynllun hwnnw na'r cynllun galluogi adnoddau naturiol a llesiant, sydd, er gwaethaf dau gylch, heb weld unrhyw geisiadau, a dim ond 50 y cant o'r cyfanswm o £835 miliwn sydd wedi'i wario hyd yma.
Yn amlwg, mae arnom ni angen yr wybodaeth ddiweddaraf heddiw am yr hyn sy'n digwydd gyda'r cynllun galluogi adnoddau naturiol a llesiant. Felly, byddwn yn ddiolchgar pe baech chi'n egluro nawr sut y byddwch yn sicrhau, er enghraifft, bod system electronig briodol a diogel i gofnodi, cynnal, rheoli ac adrodd am wybodaeth ystadegol am y rhaglen a'i gweithredu, a pham nad yw'r bwrdd cynghori ar ddatblygu gwledig yn un statudol. Pam na wnewch chi ystyried gwneud y bwrdd yn statudol, er mwyn sicrhau ei fod yn gweithredu fel pwyllgor monitro rhaglenni, yn cynnwys ein rhanddeiliaid allweddol, megis Undeb Cenedlaethol Amaethwyr Cymru, Undeb Amaethwyr Cymru a'r Gymdeithas Tir a Busnesau Cefn Gwlad?
Mae gwir angen pwyllgor o'r fath eisoes, oherwydd ar hyn o bryd nid ydych wedi dangos unrhyw gynllun i ni, prin ddim dadansoddiad sefyllfaol, nac unrhyw ddisgrifiad o fesurau, nac unrhyw gynllun gwerthuso, cynllun ariannu, cynllun dangosyddion, cynllun cyfathrebu, strwythur rheoli, gweithdrefnau monitro a gwerthuso, nac unrhyw wybodaeth am gyhoeddi rhaglenni a meini prawf dethol. Nawr, wrth gwrs, rwy'n cydnabod y bydd y cyntaf mewn cyfres o ymgynghoriadau ar gyflwyno rhaglen ddatblygu gwledig newydd yn cael ei gynllunio ar gyfer yr haf hwn yn 2021, ond mae newidiadau a gwarantau y gallem eu cyflawni nawr. Er enghraifft, a wnewch chi anrhydeddu'r ymrwymiad o £40 miliwn y flwyddyn ar gyfer y cynllun datblygu gwledig domestig a gwario'n llawn o dan gynllun datblygu gwledig presennol yr UE? Diolch.
Thank you, Janet Finch-Saunders, for those lists of observations and comments and questions. You talked about disallowance and allegations against RDP projects, and I am, obviously, aware of those. Appropriate and proportionate checks are taken to ensure that eligible expenditure is reimbursed, and that includes recovery of payments that have been made during the lifetime of a project, and I think that's really important to understand—that there are a variety of stages during the life of a project.
I should also say that the Welsh Government has obligations to the European Commission—they monitor and they oversee all of the RDPs, and we are meeting and we continue to meet those obligations, and that needs to be recognised, and the Commission has repeatedly articulated their satisfaction with our programme. Our record on disallowance is the best in the UK and it's one of the best in Europe, and it really compares very favourably with the European Union. I think their average is about 2.1 per cent, the UK average is about 2.4 per cent, and the disallowance on our spend is 0.14 per cent. So, I hope that you'll join me in recognising that. I think it's a very naïve approach to public finances to suggest value for money is something that only can be assessed at one stage of a project. Every Member here knows that value for money for public spend has to be assessed at every stage of the project going forward.
You talked about the enabling natural resources and well-being grants, and those projects are being developed along with cross-sector co-operative projects at the right scale. It does predominantly support projects that make improvements in residential areas by delivering benefits for people, for businesses, and their community. And again, each project is required to set out the multiple benefits that we're doing.
I do appreciate that for some organisations, moving away from core funding to a more project-and-outcome-based model was faster, perhaps, than was originally expected, and it caused concern. But we are allowing time and funding for organisations to transition and action the exit plan that they were asked to set in place. Officials continue to meet with organisations to talk through the grant, and we've been very clear that what was considered to be core funding in the past can now be built into the future-based grant applications, and I have to say the feedback that's come back via officials and from myself with engagement with stakeholders has been very positive. This is the first window of the ENRaW funding. All large-scale projects have been issued with 'proceed at risk' letters, and they were required to produce those detailed delivery plans you referred to, and those plans were based on their original applications, and perhaps focused more on the operational delivery.
It is absolutely important that we listen to stakeholders, and as I said, going forward to the new Government when they take the future RDP forward—it is really important that we look to learn from the existing RDP, and it's also really important that we take action in the context of our own Welsh Government priorities. And certainly the climate emergency must be at the fore of that. So, it is really important that we talk to a wide range of stakeholders, not just the ones that you referred to, but also that we look around the world at best practice to bring forward new projects and make sure that that targeted investment has the most benefits and impact. I mentioned the climate emergency. Obviously, we have a biodiversity emergency as well. And, of course, we have Brexit to deal with. So, I think it's not business as usual—that's not an option any more—but we must learn from the current RDP.
Diolch, Janet Finch-Saunders, am y rhestrau yna o arsylwadau a sylwadau a chwestiynau. Sonioch am gosb ariannol a honiadau yn erbyn prosiectau'r cynllun datblygu gwledig, ac rwyf, yn amlwg, yn ymwybodol o'r rheini. Gwneir gwiriadau priodol a chymesur i sicrhau bod gwariant cymwys yn cael ei ad-dalu, ac mae hynny'n cynnwys adennill taliadau sydd wedi'u gwneud yn ystod oes prosiect, a chredaf fod hynny'n bwysig iawn i'w ddeall—bod amrywiaeth o gamau yn ystod oes prosiect.
Dylwn ddweud hefyd fod gan Lywodraeth Cymru rwymedigaethau i'r Comisiwn Ewropeaidd—maen nhw'n monitro ac yn goruchwylio pob cynllun datblygu lleol, ac rydym yn cyfarfod ac rydym yn parhau i gyflawni'r rhwymedigaethau hynny, ac mae angen cydnabod hynny, ac mae'r Comisiwn wedi mynegi eu boddhad â'n rhaglen dro ar ôl tro. Ein hanes o ran y gosb ariannol yw'r gorau yn y DU ac mae'n un o'r goreuon yn Ewrop, ac mae'n cymharu'n ffafriol iawn â'r Undeb Ewropeaidd. Credaf fod eu cyfartaledd tua 2.1 y cant, mae cyfartaledd y DU tua 2.4 y cant, a'r gosb ariannol ar ein gwariant yw 0.14 y cant. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio y byddwch yn ymuno â mi i gydnabod hynny. Rwy'n credu ei fod yn ddull naïf iawn o ymdrin ag arian cyhoeddus i awgrymu bod gwerth am arian yn rhywbeth na ellir ond ei asesu ar un cam o brosiect. Mae pob Aelod yma'n gwybod bod yn rhaid asesu gwerth am arian ar gyfer gwariant cyhoeddus ar bob cam o'r prosiect wrth symud ymlaen.
Sonioch am y grantiau galluogi adnoddau naturiol a llesiant, ac mae'r prosiectau hynny'n cael eu datblygu ynghyd â phrosiectau cydweithredol traws-sector ar y raddfa gywir. Mae'n cefnogi prosiectau sy'n gwneud gwelliannau mewn ardaloedd preswyl yn bennaf drwy sicrhau manteision i bobl, i fusnesau, a'u cymuned. Ac eto, mae'n ofynnol i bob prosiect nodi'r manteision lluosog yr ydym yn eu gwneud.
Rwy'n sylweddoli, i rai sefydliadau, fod symud oddi wrth gyllid craidd i fodel sy'n fwy seiliedig ar brosiectau a chanlyniadau yn gyflymach, efallai, nag a ddisgwylid yn wreiddiol, ac achosodd bryder. Ond rydym yn caniatáu amser a chyllid i sefydliadau bontio a gweithredu'r cynllun ymadael y gofynnwyd iddynt ei sefydlu. Mae swyddogion yn parhau i gyfarfod â sefydliadau i egluro'r grant, ac rydym wedi bod yn glir iawn y gellir cynnwys yr hyn a ystyriwyd yn gyllid craidd yn y gorffennol yn y ceisiadau am grantiau yn y dyfodol, ac mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud y bu'r adborth a gafwyd drwy swyddogion a gennyf fi drwy ymgysylltu â rhanddeiliaid yn gadarnhaol iawn. Dyma ffenestr gyntaf cyllid ENRaW. Mae pob prosiect ar raddfa fawr wedi cael llythyrau 'bwrw ymlaen yn bwyllog', ac roedd yn ofynnol iddynt lunio'r cynlluniau cyflawni manwl hynny y gwnaethoch chi gyfeirio atynt, ac roedd y cynlluniau hynny'n seiliedig ar eu ceisiadau gwreiddiol, ac efallai'n canolbwyntio mwy ar y ddarpariaeth weithredol.
Mae'n hollbwysig ein bod yn gwrando ar randdeiliaid, ac fel y dywedais, wrth symud ymlaen at y Llywodraeth newydd pan fyddant yn bwrw ymlaen â'r cynllun datblygu gwledig yn y dyfodol—mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod yn ceisio dysgu o'r cynllun datblygu gwledig presennol, ac mae hefyd yn bwysig iawn ein bod yn gweithredu yng nghyd-destun ein blaenoriaethau ein hunain yma yn Llywodraeth Cymru. Ac yn sicr mae'n rhaid i'r argyfwng hinsawdd fod yn rhan flaenllaw o hynny. Felly, mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod yn siarad ag ystod eang o randdeiliaid, nid dim ond y rhai y cyfeirioch chi atyn nhw, ond hefyd ein bod yn edrych ledled y byd ar arferion gorau i gyflwyno prosiectau newydd a sicrhau mai'r buddsoddiad hwnnw wedi'i dargedu sy'n cael y manteision a'r effaith fwyaf. Soniais am yr argyfwng hinsawdd. Yn amlwg, mae gennym ni argyfwng bioamrywiaeth hefyd. Ac, wrth gwrs, mae gennym ni Brexit i ymdrin ag ef. Felly, rwy'n credu nad oes modd mynd ati yn ôl yr arfer—nid yw hynny'n ddewis mwyach—ond mae'n rhaid inni ddysgu o'r cynllun datblygu gwledig presennol.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd, a diolch i'r Gweinidog am ei datganiad. Mae hi, wrth gwrs, yn hanfodol bod yna fframwaith penodol ar gyfer cefnogaeth wledig yng Nghymru, gyda mesurau penodol i gefnogi datblygu gwledig er mwyn cyfrannu at hyfywedd cefn gwlad. Ac wrth wneud hynny, wrth gwrs, mae hefyd yn bwysig bod approach y Llywodraeth yn delifro ar draws y nodau sy’n cael eu hadlewyrchu yn Neddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015, sef, wrth gwrs, y nodau amgylcheddol ond hefyd y nodau economaidd, cymdeithasol a diwylliannol, a byddwn i’n gobeithio bod yr RDP yn adlewyrchu'r trawstoriad yna o uchelgais sydd gan bob un ohonom ni, gobeithio, yng Nghymru.
Dwi’n rhannu siom y Gweinidog ynglŷn â’r ffaith bod y Ceidwadwyr wedi torri’u gair ynglŷn ag ariannu. Mae yna ofid—dilys, dwi’n meddwl—bod yna risg y bydd y Llywodraeth yma hefyd yn ffeindio’u hunain ddim yn driw, efallai, i'ch rhan chi o’r fargen ariannu. Mae yna risg yn hynny o beth. Dwi’n croesawu’r ffaith eich bod chi wedi ymrwymo, yn eich datganiad, i wario’r cyfan o gyllideb yr RDP ar gyfer 2014-2020. Dwi’n meddwl ei bod hi’n eironig iawn bod yna Geidwadwr, neu Geidwadwraig, yn y drafodaeth yma, wedi gofyn i chi fod yn driw i’ch lefel chi o ariannu’r RDP ar gyfer y blynyddoedd i ddod, ond mae hynny yn ofyniad dilys. Mi ddylai Llywodraeth Cymru fod yn cyfrannu, ar gyfartaledd, £40 miliwn, sef beth fyddai wedi bod yn arian cyd-ariannu domestig, yr elfen gyfatebol. Dwi eisiau’ch clywed chi’n dweud yn blwmp ac yn blaen y bydd hynny yn ymrwymiad gan y Llywodraeth, wrth symud ymlaen, oherwydd os nad ydych chi’n gwneud hynny, yna mi ydych chi yn gwneud yr un peth ag y mae’r Ceidwadwyr yn ei wneud drwy sicrhau y bydd Cymru ar ei cholled yn sgil gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd.
Mae eich datganiad chi’n dweud y bydd yna werthusiad pellach yn cael ei gwblhau, ac rŷch chi wedi cyfeirio ychydig at hynny, ond dydych chi ddim wedi rhoi dim manylion i ni ynglŷn â beth fydd y gwerthusiad yna, beth fydd e’n ei werthuso. Dwi’n tybio eich ateb chi: fydd e ddim yn werthusiad o effaith a gwerth am arian y rhaglen ddatblygu gwledig cyfan. Efallai mai dim ond edrych ar brosiectau penodol y byddwch chi. Efallai allwch chi roi mwy o wybodaeth inni ynglŷn â hynny. A fydd e’n werthusiad annibynnol neu'n rhywbeth y bydd y Llywodraeth ei hunan yn ei gwblhau? Oherwydd, os ydyn ni yn seilio approach y dyfodol ar fodel y gorffennol, yna mae yn bwysig ein bod ni’n dysgu gwersi, ac mae’n bwysig bod y gwersi hynny yn cael eu hamlygu yn wrthrychol, o’r tu allan i Lywodraeth. A dwi ar y record, wrth gwrs, wedi dweud fy mod i hefyd yn cefnogi adolygiad annibynnol ehangach o’r RDP yn y gorffennol. Felly, mwy o eglurder ynglŷn â beth yw eich bwriad chi yn hynny o beth, os gwelwch yn dda.
Mae’r pwynt ynglŷn â llywodraethiant yn un dilys. Mae gennym ni’r pwyllgor monitro’r rhaglen bresennol ar gyfer yr RDP. Mae yna gonsérn y bydd tryloywder ac atebolrwydd yn cael eu herydu os nad oes yna gorff cyfatebol yng nghyd-destun y cynllun yn y dyfodol. Ac mae’n egwyddor bwysig, dwi’n meddwl, bod rhanddeiliaid yn rhan ganolog ac yn rhan ystyrlon o’r broses o reoli y ffordd y mae’r arian yma yn cael ei weinyddu a’i weithredu.
Rydych chi’n cyfeirio at y ffaith mai hwn fydd y cyntaf mewn cyfres o ymgynghoriadau’n digwydd yn yr haf. Wel, gobeithio y bydd yn fwy ystyrlon na rhai o’r ymgynghoriadau sydd wedi bod yn y blynyddoedd diwethaf, oherwydd rydych chi’n gwybod gyda'r Papur Gwyn ar amaeth, mae nifer o bobl yn teimlo mai bach iawn sydd wedi newid er ein bod ni nawr ar ein trydydd ymgynghoriad. Mi wnaethoch chi ddweud ei bod hi’n bwysig siarad â budd-ddeiliaid; mi fyddwn i’n dweud ei bod hi’n bwysig gwrando ar fudd-ddeiliaid hefyd. Efallai fod angen gwneud ychydig mwy o hynny yn y blynyddoedd i ddod.
Yn olaf, dwi jest eisiau cyfeirio at rywbeth rydych chi’n ei ddweud yn eich datganiad.
Thank you very much, Llywydd, and I thank the Minister for the statement. It's crucial, of course, that there is a specific framework for rural support in Wales, with specific measures to support rural development in order to provide for the viability of our rural areas. In doing so, it's also important that the Government's approach delivers across the aims and objectives outlined in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, which are the environmental goals, but also the economic, social and cultural goals, and I would hope that the RDP would reflect that cross-section of ambition that each and every one of us has, I hope, in Wales.
I share the Minister's disappointment on the fact that the Conservatives have not kept their word on funding. There is valid concern that there is a risk that this Government will also find itself not adhering to your part of the funding deal. Now, I welcome the fact that you've committed, in your statement, to spending the whole of the RDP budget for 2014-2020. I do think it's very ironic that a Conservative involved in this debate has asked you to keep to your level of RDP funding for future years, but that is a valid request. The Welsh Government should be contributing on average £40 million, which is what would have been the joint domestic funding. Now, I want to hear you saying clearly that that will be a commitment from Government in moving forward, because if you don't do that, then you are doing the same as the Conservatives by ensuring that Wales will lose out as a result of leaving the EU.
Your statement does say that there will be a further evaluation completed, and you have made mention of that, but you've not provided us with any detail on what that evaluation will be and what it will evaluate. I assume that you will say that it won't be an evaluation of the impact and value for money for the whole RDP. It perhaps will only look at specific projects, and perhaps you could give us more information on that. Will it be an independent evaluation or something that the Government itself undertakes? Because if we are basing the future approach on the model from the past, then it is important that we learn lessons from the past and it's important that those lessons are objectively assessed outwith Government, and I'm on the record in saying that I also support a broader independent review of the past RDP. So, we need more clarity on your intentions in that regard, please.
The point on governance is valid. We do have the current programme monitoring committee for the RDP, and there is concern that transparency and accountability will be eroded unless there is a corresponding body in the context of the future programme, and it's an important principle, I think, that stakeholders should be a central and meaningful part of that process of managing how this funding is administered and used.
Now, you refer to the fact that this will be the first in a series of consultations undertaken in the summer—well, I hope it'll be more meaningful than some of the consultations that we've had in the past. Because you will know, with the White Paper on agriculture, many people feel that very little has changed, although we're on our third consultation. You said that it was important that we speak to stakeholders; I would say that it's important to listen to stakeholders too. Perhaps we need to do a little more of that in future years.
Finally, I just want to refer to something that you said in your statement.
You say in your statement that
'we need to keep Welsh farmers on the land'—
I couldn't agree more with that, of course—
'by further strengthening their reputation for high animal welfare and environmental standards, supporting the whole supply chain to increase the value of the goods they produce.'
Well, of course, one thing that has to be central to that is growing our processing capacity here in Wales. We know that the majority of our milk leaves Wales to be processed. We know, having lost abattoirs over recent years, that too much of our meat, as well, is leaving Wales. We're still an extracted economy, even when it comes to food, one of the cornerstones of our economy here in Wales, and the RDP has a central role in reversing that trend and retaining more of the value in the associated jobs from the food sector within the Welsh economy. It'll shorten supply chains and cut food miles as well. So, can you just confirm to me that you agree that this has to be a central focus of any new rural development programme moving forward?
Dywedwch yn eich datganiad
'mae angen i ni gadw ffermwyr Cymru ar y tir'—
Ni allwn i gytuno mwy â hynny, wrth gwrs—
'drwy gryfhau ymhellach eu henw da am safonau lles anifeiliaid ac amgylcheddol uchel, gan gefnogi'r gadwyn gyflenwi gyfan i gynyddu gwerth y nwyddau y maent yn eu cynhyrchu.'
Wel, wrth gwrs, un peth y mae'n rhaid iddo fod yn ganolog i hynny yw cynyddu ein capasiti prosesu yma yng Nghymru. Gwyddom fod y rhan fwyaf o'n llaeth yn gadael Cymru i gael ei brosesu. Gwyddom, ar ôl colli lladd-dai dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf, fod gormod o'n cig, hefyd, yn gadael Cymru. Rydym yn dal i fod yn economi echdynnol, hyd yn oed o ran bwyd, un o gonglfeini ein heconomi yma yng Nghymru, ac mae gan y cynllun datblygu gwledig swyddogaeth ganolog o ran gwrthdroi'r duedd honno a chadw mwy o'r gwerth yn y swyddi cysylltiedig o'r sector bwyd yn economi Cymru. Bydd yn byrhau cadwyni cyflenwi ac yn lleihau milltiroedd bwyd hefyd. Felly, a wnewch chi gadarnhau wrthyf eich bod yn cytuno bod yn rhaid i hyn fod yn ganolbwynt i unrhyw raglen ddatblygu gwledig newydd wrth symud ymlaen?
Thank you, Llyr, for those questions and comments. I think what you were saying about the well-being of future generations Act is absolutely vital, and it's really important that the future RDP responds broadly to it, as you say, to enable social, economic, environmental and cultural opportunities across rural sectors. And I think, in my opening statement, I did refer to that.
It has to fit in with Welsh Government's priorities, and listening to the previous oral statement by my colleague Ken Skates, it's really important that we reduce those barriers to economic development that there are in our rural communities, and better position our rural communities to attract and retain jobs and investment. It's also really important that the future RDP continues to respond to the statutory requirements of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016 as well.
You asked me for commitments around funding, and shared my concerns regarding the UK Government reneging on its commitment. Obviously, I can't commit full domestic funding for the next financial year—where would that come from? I go back to what I was saying: it's all very well, as you say, Conservatives telling me that I've got to plug gaps; in Government, you have to budget and make sure that that budget is spread across. Where do you make those choices? So, you know, to take it from somewhere else to make sure the rural communities don't, unfortunately, have that gap, caused by the UK Government, is obviously very difficult. We will continue to co-fund the EU RDP and we stand ready to commit that funding in the future.
I think you raise a very important point around processing, and certainly, prior to COVID-19, we'd seen a loss of some of our processing capacity, which we could ill afford to do, and I think that is an area where there will need to be a focus.
I don't agree with you around any consultation I've ever had not being meaningful; I've always thought that it's absolutely vital that the consultation is meaningful. And, okay, we're having a third one around our sustainable farming management scheme coming forward, but don't tell me you haven't seen changes in those consultations to reflect the previous consultation. I always feel that the consultations have been very welcomed as we go towards having an agricultural Bill, and you'll be aware that I published the White Paper in December ahead of the next term of Government.
Diolch, Llyr, am y cwestiynau a'r sylwadau yna. Rwy'n credu bod yr hyn yr oeddech yn ei ddweud am Ddeddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol yn gwbl hanfodol, ac mae'n bwysig iawn bod y cynllun datblygu gwledig yn y dyfodol yn ymateb yn fras iddo, fel y dywedwch, i alluogi cyfleoedd cymdeithasol, economaidd, amgylcheddol a diwylliannol ar draws y sectorau gwledig. A chredaf, yn fy natganiad agoriadol, imi gyfeirio at hynny.
Mae'n rhaid iddo gyd-fynd â blaenoriaethau Llywodraeth Cymru, ac o wrando ar y datganiad llafar blaenorol gan fy nghyd-Aelod Ken Skates, mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod yn lleihau'r rhwystrau hynny i ddatblygu economaidd sydd yn ein cymunedau gwledig, ac yn rhoi mwy o gyfleoedd i'n cymunedau gwledig ddenu a chadw swyddi a buddsoddiad. Mae hefyd yn bwysig iawn bod cynllun datblygu gwledig y dyfodol yn parhau i ymateb i ofynion statudol Deddf yr Amgylchedd (Cymru) 2016 hefyd.
Gofynnoch imi am ymrwymiadau ynghylch ariannu, ac rydych yn rhannu fy mhryderon ynghylch Llywodraeth y DU yn adnewyddu ei hymrwymiad. Yn amlwg, ni allaf ymrwymo cyllid domestig llawn ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf—o ble y byddai hynny'n dod? Rwy'n dychwelyd at yr hyn yr oeddwn yn ei ddweud: mae'n ddigon hawdd, fel y dywedwch, y Ceidwadwyr yn dweud wrthyf fod yn rhaid i mi lenwi bylchau; mewn Llywodraeth, rhaid ichi gyllidebu a sicrhau bod y gyllideb honno'n ymdrin â sawl agwedd. Ble ydych chi'n gwneud y dewisiadau hynny? Felly, wyddoch chi, mae'n amlwg ei bod yn anodd iawn mynd ag ef o rywle arall i sicrhau nad oes gan gymunedau gwledig yn anffodus y bwlch hwnnw, a achosir gan Lywodraeth y DU. Byddwn yn parhau i gyd-ariannu cynllun datblygu gwledig yr UE; ac rydym yn barod i ymrwymo'r cyllid hwnnw yn y dyfodol.
Rwy'n credu eich bod yn codi pwynt pwysig iawn ynghylch prosesu, ac yn sicr, cyn COVID-19, roeddem wedi gweld colli rhywfaint o'n gallu prosesu, na allem fforddio ei wneud, ac rwy'n credu bod hwnnw'n faes y bydd angen canolbwyntio arno.
Dydw i ddim yn cytuno â chi nad yw unrhyw ymgynghoriadau yr wyf erioed wedi'i gynnal yn ystyrlon; rwyf bob amser wedi credu ei bod yn gwbl hanfodol bod yr ymgynghoriad yn ystyrlon. Ac, iawn, mae gennym ni drydydd un ynghylch ein cynllun rheoli ffermio cynaliadwy ar y ffordd, ond peidiwch â dweud wrthyf nad ydych chi wedi gweld newidiadau yn yr ymgynghoriadau hynny i adlewyrchu'r ymgynghoriad blaenorol. Rwyf bob amser yn teimlo bod yr ymgynghoriadau wedi cael eu croesawu'n fawr wrth i ni fynd tuag at gael Bil amaethyddol, a byddwch yn ymwybodol fy mod wedi cyhoeddi'r Papur Gwyn ym mis Rhagfyr cyn tymor nesaf y Llywodraeth.
I'm sorry, I muted myself there. I was busy thanking the Minister for her statement. There are no further speakers in this statement.
Mae'n ddrwg gen i, fe wnes i dawelu fy hun yn y fan yna. Roeddwn yn brysur yn diolch i'r Gweinidog am ei datganiad. Nid oes siaradwyr eraill yn y datganiad hwn.
So, we go to the statement on student funding reform. The education Minister to make that statement, Kirsty Williams.
Felly, awn at y datganiad ar ddiwygio cyllid myfyrwyr. Y Gweinidog Addysg i wneud y datganiad hwnnw, Kirsty Williams.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Back in autumn 2016, I came to this Senedd to announce the biggest change to student finance in Wales in a generation. As all of us know, student finance reform is a complex and controversial issue. Political parties and Ministers of all stripes, across the United Kingdom and further afield, have taken difficult decisions, and sometimes faced the consequences.
Over recent years in Wales, we have built a consensus and shown that a better way forward is possible. We have delivered a system dealing with up-front costs, while investing in our universities, that is unique in Europe. On coming into office, I agreed a set of principles with the Cabinet, which were our framework for delivering such a large-scale reform. The Diamond report was clear that the previous finance system was unsustainable, and it was questionable whether fee grants for full-time undergraduates was the best investment, whether it supported our institutions, and whether that policy widened access.
Our principles for reform remain our measuring stick for success. They are: that we maintain the principle of universalism within a progressive system; that we have a whole-system approach across modes and levels of study; 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 United Kingdom. Llywydd, it should be a source of national pride that we in Wales have delivered these principles into action. We now have a system that values and supports all of our students, whether they are full-time undergraduates, a postgraduate or a part-time undergraduate, and we have done so whilst delivering more investment into universities: HEFCW’s grant is up 80 per cent since 2016.
Let me turn to what we’ve achieved in terms of student numbers and funding. First-year full-time students from our most deprived areas are up, year on year, since we introduced our reforms. There has been a 51 per cent increase in first-year full-time postgraduates from Wales since 2016, and a 20 per cent increase in part-time equivalents, and this is after a decade of decline in numbers across the United Kingdom. Part-time numbers across the UK have also decreased over the last decade, down by 70 per cent in England alone. But, here in Wales, we are transforming lives through our support for part-time students. If you look at the Open University in Wales alone, Welsh part-time student numbers have gone up by 81 per cent according to official figures. And part-time students from our most deprived areas in Wales have gone up by 23 per cent.
The average non-repayable grant for full-time students from Wales is now more than £7,000, helping students deal directly with up-front costs. We've also introduced a Master’s bursary scheme for science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine subjects and for those who wish to study through the medium of Welsh, incentivising students to remain in or to come home to Wales to undertake postgraduate study. This scheme has supported Wales’s higher education institutions to incentivise the recruitment of the most talented Welsh students, in line with both our economic action plan and my response to the Diamond review. Of course, we have also maintained the education maintenance allowance, invested record amounts to support mental health and well-being, and we have the only higher education real living wage sector in the whole of the United Kingdom.
And what is more, we have supported our students to showcase their talents on the global stage. More partner students from Wales take part in the Yale global scholars programme than any other region or nation outside of the United States. We are only one of two Governments to have a Gilman international partnership with the US State Department, and we have our first ever Fulbright Commission partnership. We have mobility and academic agreements with partners such as Vietnam and we have developed and funded Wales’s first national outward mobility scheme, Global Wales Discover, widening access to overseas mobilities through shorter term opportunities.
Llywydd, we know that our education system thrives when everyone has a shared stake. When we set high standards for all, when we refuse to accept lower expectations and when we speak to the world with confidence, when we do that, we are truly fulfilling our national mission. Together, we can continue to support students of all ages and backgrounds, and build on the success of recent years. Diolch yn fawr.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Yn ôl yn hydref 2016, deuthum i'r Senedd hon i gyhoeddi'r newid mwyaf i gyllid myfyrwyr yng Nghymru mewn cenhedlaeth. Fel y gŵyr pob un ohonom ni, mae diwygio cyllid myfyrwyr yn fater cymhleth a dadleuol. Bu pleidiau gwleidyddol a Gweinidogion o bob argyhoeddiad, ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig a thu hwnt, yn gwneud penderfyniadau anodd, ac weithiau'n wynebu'r canlyniadau.
Dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf yng Nghymru, rydym ni wedi creu consensws ac wedi dangos bod ffordd well ymlaen yn bosibl. Rydym ni wedi darparu system sy'n ymdrin â chostau ymlaen llaw, gan fuddsoddi yn ein prifysgolion, sy'n unigryw yn Ewrop. Wrth ddod i rym, cytunais ar gyfres o egwyddorion gyda'r Cabinet, sef ein fframwaith ar gyfer cyflawni diwygiad mor sylweddol. Roedd adroddiad Diamond yn glir nad oedd y system gyllid flaenorol yn gynaliadwy, ac roedd yn amheus ai grantiau ffioedd i israddedigion amser llawn oedd y buddsoddiad gorau, pa un a oedd yn cefnogi ein sefydliadau, a pha un a oedd y polisi hwnnw'n ehangu mynediad.
Ein hegwyddorion ar gyfer diwygio yw ein ffon fesur ar gyfer llwyddiant o hyd. Y rhain yw: ein bod yn cynnal yr egwyddor o gyffredinoli o fewn system flaengar; bod gennym ni ddull system gyfan ar draws moddau a lefelau astudio; bod y buddsoddiad hwnnw'n cael ei rannu rhwng y Llywodraeth a'r rhai sy'n elwa'n uniongyrchol; ein bod yn gwella hygyrchedd, gan fynd i'r afael â rhwystrau fel costau byw; a bod cymorth i fyfyrwyr ar gael yn unrhyw le yn y Deyrnas Unedig. Llywydd, dylai fod yn destun balchder cenedlaethol ein bod ni yng Nghymru wedi cyflawni'r egwyddorion hyn a'u rhoi ar waith. Bellach mae gennym ni system sy'n gwerthfawrogi ac yn cefnogi pob un o'n myfyrwyr, boed yn israddedigion amser llawn, yn raddedigion neu'n israddedig rhan-amser, ac rydym ni wedi gwneud hynny wrth fuddsoddi mwy mewn prifysgolion: mae grant CCAUC wedi cynyddu 80 y cant ers 2016.
Gadewch imi droi at yr hyn yr ydym ni wedi'i gyflawni o ran niferoedd myfyrwyr a chyllid. Mae myfyrwyr amser llawn blwyddyn gyntaf o'n hardaloedd mwyaf difreintiedig wedi cynyddu, flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn, ers i ni gyflwyno ein diwygiadau. Bu cynnydd o 51 y cant yn nifer yr ôl-raddedigion amser llawn blwyddyn gyntaf o Gymru ers 2016, a chynnydd o 20 y cant yn y rhai rhan-amser cyfatebol, ac mae hyn ar ôl degawd o ddirywiad yn y niferoedd ledled y Deyrnas Unedig. Mae niferoedd y myfyrwyr rhan-amser ledled y DU hefyd wedi gostwng dros y degawd diwethaf, i lawr 70 y cant yn Lloegr yn unig. Ond, yma yng Nghymru, rydym yn trawsnewid bywydau drwy ein cefnogaeth i fyfyrwyr rhan-amser. Os edrychwch chi ar y Brifysgol Agored yng Nghymru yn unig, mae nifer y myfyrwyr rhan-amser yng Nghymru wedi cynyddu 81 y cant yn ôl ffigurau swyddogol. Ac mae myfyrwyr rhan-amser o'n hardaloedd mwyaf difreintiedig yng Nghymru wedi cynyddu 23 y cant.
Mae'r grant cyfartalog nad yw'n ad-daladwy ar gyfer myfyrwyr amser llawn o Gymru bellach yn fwy na £7,000, gan helpu myfyrwyr i ymdrin yn uniongyrchol â chostau ymlaen llaw. Rydym ni hefyd wedi cyflwyno cynllun bwrsariaeth Meistr ar gyfer pynciau gwyddoniaeth, technoleg, peirianneg, mathemateg a meddygaeth ac ar gyfer y rhai sy'n dymuno astudio drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg, gan gymell myfyrwyr i aros yng Nghymru neu i ddod adref i ymgymryd ag astudiaethau ôl-raddedig. Mae'r cynllun hwn wedi cefnogi sefydliadau addysg uwch Cymru i gymell recriwtio'r myfyrwyr mwyaf dawnus yng Nghymru, yn unol â'n cynllun gweithredu economaidd a'm hymateb i adolygiad Diamond. Wrth gwrs, rydym ni hefyd wedi cynnal y lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg, wedi buddsoddi'r symiau mwyaf erioed i gefnogi iechyd meddwl a llesiant, ac mae gennym ni yr unig sector addysg uwch cyflog byw go iawn yn y Deyrnas Unedig gyfan.
A hefyd, rydym ni wedi cefnogi ein myfyrwyr i arddangos eu doniau ar y llwyfan byd-eang. Mae mwy o fyfyrwyr partner o Gymru yn cymryd rhan yn rhaglen ysgolheigion byd-eang Iâl nag unrhyw ranbarth neu genedl arall y tu allan i'r Unol Daleithiau. Dim ond un o ddwy Lywodraeth ydym ni i gael partneriaeth ryngwladol Gilman gyda Gweinyddiaeth Dramor yr Unol Daleithiau, ac mae gennym ni ein partneriaeth Comisiwn Fulbright gyntaf erioed. Mae gennym ni gytundebau symudedd ac academaidd gyda phartneriaid megis Fietnam ac rydym ni wedi datblygu ac ariannu cynllun symudedd allanol cenedlaethol cyntaf Cymru, Cymry Fyd-eang Darganfod gan ehangu mynediad i symudedd tramor drwy gyfleoedd tymor byrrach.
Llywydd, gwyddom fod ein system addysg yn ffynnu pan fydd gan bawb fudd cyffredin. Pan osodwn ni safonau uchel i bawb, pan wrthodwn ni dderbyn disgwyliadau is a phan siaradwn ni â'r byd yn hyderus, pan wnawn ni hynny, rydym ni mewn difrif calon yn cyflawni ein cenhadaeth genedlaethol. Gyda'n gilydd, gallwn barhau i gefnogi myfyrwyr o bob oed a chefndir, ac adeiladu ar lwyddiant y blynyddoedd diwethaf. Diolch yn fawr.
[Inaudible.]—statement, Minister. Can I just begin by thanking everyone in the university sector who's really pulled out the stops to help students through this pandemic? I know we feel the same on that. I think we'll always be grateful to those who stepped up to this overwhelming challenge.
But student finance reform, of course, has given universities greater certainty of funding and has highlighted flexible study, and that is extremely welcome, but it's not achieved protection for students who are incurring huge personal debt yet not getting the education experience specifically that they paid for, whether that's because of strikes or in some cases a drop in quality of provision due to COVID. So, my first questions are: how do you think the next Welsh Government should handle calls for partial tuition fee reimbursements, bearing in mind the principles you've set out earlier on, and what are the long-term prospects for student loan repayments?
Up-front, can I say that I welcome any growth in the figures, of course I do, and also those international connections across the whole globe, not just our doorstep. But you've often played down the idea of a Diamond dividend, and that invites challenge to your claim at the opener of this statement of a transformative impact. I'm going to rely on the Higher Education Statistics Agency data to do that, because there are 1,135 fewer part-time undergraduates than three years ago, the last year before Diamond bit, and 3,000 fewer than five years ago. In that same three years before Diamond, we'd already seen rises, not declines in the actual numbers of full-time undergraduates and both full-time and part-time postgraduates. So, I see that there's been a one-year halt in the downward trend for part-time undergraduates, but I'm not sure that's really transformational when numbers of other students in Wales have been rising anyway, as they have, actually, apart from full-time undergraduates, which I think is interesting, across the whole of the UK, where of course they haven't had the Diamond reforms. And if you're attributing the rise in other student numbers in Wales to Diamond reforms, then the drop in part-time undergraduate figures in 2019-20 must surely also be attributable to the same.
If you compare those last two years with the 2017-18 figures, which is the last year before Diamond, there definitely are more postgraduate students from Wales and other parts of the UK, which is great news, but do you accept that, overall in the UK, there are more postgraduates in universities than two years ago and that, actually, Welsh universities are not getting the full share of the growth, despite Diamond? Numbers may be up, but the percentage of Welsh-domiciled postgrads studying in Welsh universities actually dropped in those last two years, from 69.3 per cent to 63.1 per cent. So, while there are more Welsh-domiciled students in UK universities, they still are choosing to take their talent over the border. So, why do you think that is?
And then, finally, could you give us some idea of the breakdown of postgrad areas of study in Welsh universities at the moment and how that reflects Welsh Government priorities? I accept, of course, that education isn't just about the Welsh economy or public services, but I'd like to see some level of connection between this research and the benefit for Wales. Diolch. Thank you.
[Anghlywadwy.]—datganiad, Gweinidog. A gaf i ddechrau drwy ddiolch i bawb yn y sector prifysgolion sydd wedi torchi llewys i helpu myfyrwyr drwy'r pandemig hwn? Gwn ein bod yn teimlo'r un fath ynghylch hynny. Rwy'n credu y byddwn bob amser yn ddiolchgar i'r rhai a ymatebodd i'r her ysgubol hon.
Ond mae diwygio cyllid myfyrwyr, wrth gwrs, wedi rhoi mwy o sicrwydd o gyllid i brifysgolion ac wedi tynnu sylw at astudio hyblyg, ac mae hynny i'w groesawu'n fawr, ond nid yw wedi diogelu myfyrwyr sy'n wynebu dyled bersonol enfawr ond heb gael y profiad addysg penodol y gwnaethant dalu amdano, boed hynny oherwydd streiciau neu mewn rhai achosion gostyngiad yn ansawdd y ddarpariaeth oherwydd COVID. Felly, fy nghwestiynau cyntaf yw: sut ydych chi'n credu y dylai Llywodraeth nesaf Cymru ymdrin â galwadau am ad-dalu ffioedd dysgu yn rhannol, o gofio'r egwyddorion yr ydych chi wedi'u nodi'n gynharach, a beth yw'r rhagolygon hirdymor ar gyfer ad-dalu benthyciadau myfyrwyr?
A gaf i fod yn agored a dweud fy mod yn croesawu unrhyw dwf yn y ffigurau, wrth gwrs fy mod i, a hefyd y cysylltiadau rhyngwladol hynny ledled y byd, nid dim ond ar ein stepen drws. Ond rydych yn aml wedi bychanu'r syniad o ddifidend Diamond, ac yn hynny o beth mae angen herio eich honiad yn agoriad y datganiad hwn o effaith drawsnewidiol. Rwy'n mynd i ddibynnu ar ddata'r Asiantaeth Ystadegau Addysg Uwch i wneud hynny, oherwydd mae 1,135 yn llai o israddedigion rhan-amser na thair blynedd yn ôl, y flwyddyn ddiwethaf cyn i Diamond frathu, a 3,000 yn llai na phum mlynedd yn ôl. Yn yr un tair blynedd cyn Diamond, roeddem eisoes wedi gweld cynnydd, nid gostyngiad yn nifer wirioneddol yr israddedigion amser llawn ac ôl-raddedigion amser llawn a rhan-amser. Felly, rwy'n gweld y bu saib o flwyddyn yn y duedd tuag i lawr ar gyfer israddedigion rhan-amser, ond nid wyf yn siŵr a yw hynny'n drawsnewidiol iawn pan fo nifer y myfyrwyr eraill yng Nghymru wedi bod yn codi beth bynnag, fel y maen nhw, mewn gwirionedd, ar wahân i israddedigion amser llawn, sydd, yn fy marn i, yn ddiddorol, ar draws y DU gyfan, lle nad ydyn nhw, wrth gwrs, wedi cael diwygiadau Diamond. Ac os ydych chi'n priodoli'r cynnydd yn niferoedd myfyrwyr eraill yng Nghymru i ddiwygiadau Diamond, yna mae'n siŵr y gellir priodoli'r gostyngiad mewn ffigurau israddedig rhan-amser yn 2019-20 i'r un peth hefyd.
Os cymharwch y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf â ffigurau 2017-18, sef y flwyddyn olaf cyn Diamond, yn bendant mae mwy o fyfyrwyr ôl-raddedig o Gymru a rhannau eraill o'r DU, sy'n newyddion gwych, ond a ydych yn derbyn, yn gyffredinol yn y DU, fod mwy o ôl-raddedigion mewn prifysgolion na dwy flynedd yn ôl ac nad yw prifysgolion Cymru, mewn gwirionedd, yn cael y gyfran lawn o'r twf, er gwaethaf Diamond? Efallai fod y niferoedd wedi cynyddu, ond gostyngodd canran y graddedigion sy'n hanu o Gymru sy'n astudio ym mhrifysgolion Cymru mewn gwirionedd yn y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf, o 69.3 y cant i 63.1 y cant. Felly, er bod mwy o fyfyrwyr sy'n hanu o Gymru ym mhrifysgolion y DU, maen nhw'n dal i ddewis mynd â'u talent dros y ffin. Felly, beth yn eich tyb chi sy'n gyfrifol am hynny?
Ac yna, yn olaf, a wnewch chi roi rhyw syniad inni o fanylion meysydd astudio ôl-raddedig ym mhrifysgolion Cymru ar hyn o bryd a sut y mae hynny'n adlewyrchu blaenoriaethau Llywodraeth Cymru? Rwy'n derbyn, wrth gwrs, nad yw addysg yn ymwneud ag economi neu wasanaethau cyhoeddus Cymru yn unig, ond hoffwn weld rhyw faint o gysylltiad rhwng yr ymchwil hon a'r budd i Gymru. Diolch.
Thank you, Suzy, for those comments, and can I thank you for your acknowledgement of the hard work of university lecturers and staff the length and breadth of Wales, who have done everything that they can in the most challenging of situations to support their students? And I'm sure all of us in the Chamber would want to associate ourselves with the comments that people have been working incredibly hard to be able to do that.
Can I say that I'm sorry that the Member doesn't feel that part-time student numbers are a success story for Wales? I'm sure the Member does, like I do, meet with the Open University on many occasions, and they say that the impact of the Diamond reforms has been absolutely transformational, and the number of students that they see now studying on a part-time basis with the Open University in Wales is a source of great pride to them and compares incredibly favourably to the experience of the Open University across the border in England. Indeed, I recently had the pleasure of sharing a platform with the vice-chancellor of the Open University, and he was absolutely fulsome in his praise for the approach that the Welsh Government has taken with regard to the parity of esteem that we place on part-time study and the transformational effect that it has.
The point you made around part time, the average study time is six years, and so the HESA figures that you've referred to do include some of the issues before our reforms, and new students are the true measure of our success. And I think that needs to be taken into consideration when looking at the HESA studies.
With regard to postgraduates, one of the strengths and, indeed, one of the principles that I referred to in my opening statement is that our support is fully portable. If a student has an ambition to study at a postgraduate level at an institution outside Wales, I do not want the lack of finance or, indeed, lack of support from the Welsh Government to be a constraint on that ambition. I believe it's absolutely important that Welsh-domiciled students are able to study at universities where they choose to do so. But what we have done, as I said in my opening statement, is provide additional support with regard to additional bursaries that are available to those students who choose to study at a postgraduate level in Wales, particularly in the field of STEMM, because we know that higher levels of skills in those areas are absolutely crucial to growing the Welsh economy. And there are bursaries again for those wishing to study at that highest level through the medium of Welsh.
And so I think what we're able to deliver is a choice to Welsh students to be able to undertake their postgraduate study knowing that their Government will support them, but there will be additional support to those students should they choose to do so in an area that is particularly beneficial to the Welsh economy at a Welsh university, or to be able to support our opportunities to learn through the medium of Welsh and to develop those skills, and that capacity with our institution, because the ability to do that through the medium of Welsh doesn't benefit just the individual student taking that postgraduate course, but it actually helps build the capacity throughout the university to allow other students to benefit from that capacity.
Undoubtedly, I understand that students will have concerns about the quality of the teaching that they have received this term as a result of COVID, especially where, this term, the majority of that has had to be delivered remotely. Universities have worked hard. They've recruited additional staff to make sure that that teaching experience is a good one, and we monitor very carefully with both our own funding council and the regulatory bodies any levels of complaints where people feel their tuition has not met their standards, and I have to say, to date, we're not seeing a huge amount of increase in complaints on where we were in a usual year. However, I would absolutely acknowledge that that rounded experience above and beyond simply studying has been affected—so, access to all the other things that a university has to offer an individual apart from just merely tuition has been impacted, and we recognise that, for many students, there has been particular hardship. That's why I'm very grateful to Welsh universities for recognising that in terms of rent rebates for those living in their own accommodation, and the Welsh Government has invested, in the most recent round of funding, some £40 million to assist with student hardship. Whilst I can't take COVID away, we are looking to support students to take some of the financial stresses and strains away from students by working in partnership with the sector and HEFCW to be able to increase moneys for hardship. But I thank the Member for her acknowledgement of the efforts that the sector has made to date. Thank you.
Diolch, Suzy, am y sylwadau yna, ac a gaf i ddiolch ichi am eich cydnabyddiaeth o waith caled darlithwyr a staff prifysgolion ar hyd a lled Cymru, sydd wedi gwneud popeth o fewn eu gallu yn y sefyllfaoedd mwyaf heriol i gefnogi eu myfyrwyr? Ac rwy'n siŵr yr hoffai pob un ohonom ni yn y Siambr ategu'r sylwadau y bu pobl yn gweithio'n eithriadol o galed i allu gwneud hynny.
A gaf i ddweud ei bod yn ddrwg gennyf nad yw'r Aelod yn teimlo bod niferoedd myfyrwyr rhan-amser yn llwyddiant i Gymru? Rwy'n siŵr bod yr Aelod, fel fi, yn cyfarfod â'r Brifysgol Agored droeon, ac maen nhw'n dweud bod effaith diwygiadau Diamond wedi bod yn gwbl drawsnewidiol, ac mae nifer y myfyrwyr y maen nhw'n eu gweld nawr yn astudio'n rhan-amser gyda'r Brifysgol Agored yng Nghymru yn destun balchder mawr iddyn nhw ac yn cymharu'n anhygoel o ffafriol â phrofiad y Brifysgol Agored dros y ffin yn Lloegr. Yn wir, cefais y pleser yn ddiweddar o rannu llwyfan gydag is-ganghellor y Brifysgol Agored, ac roedd yn llawn canmoliaeth ynghylch sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi mynd ati o ran y parch cydradd a roddwn ar astudio rhan-amser a'r effaith drawsnewidiol sydd ganddo.
Y pwynt a wnaethoch chi ynghylch astudio yn rhan amser, yr amser astudio cyfartalog yw chwe blynedd, ac felly mae ffigurau HESA yr ydych wedi cyfeirio atynt yn cynnwys rhai materion cyn ein diwygiadau, a myfyrwyr newydd yw gwir fesur ein llwyddiant. A chredaf fod angen ystyried hynny wrth edrych ar astudiaethau HESA.
O ran ôl-raddedigion, un o'r cryfderau ac, yn wir, un o'r egwyddorion y cyfeiriais ato yn fy natganiad agoriadol yw bod ein cefnogaeth ar gael ar gyfer unrhyw le. Os oes gan fyfyriwr uchelgais i astudio ar lefel ôl-raddedig mewn sefydliad y tu allan i Gymru, nid wyf eisiau i'r diffyg cyllid nac, yn wir, diffyg cefnogaeth gan Lywodraeth Cymru gyfyngu'r uchelgais hwnnw. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn gwbl bwysig bod myfyrwyr sy'n hanu o Gymru yn gallu astudio mewn prifysgolion lle maen nhw'n dewis gwneud hynny. Ond yr hyn yr ydym ni wedi'i wneud, fel y dywedais yn fy natganiad agoriadol, yw darparu cymorth ychwanegol o ran bwrsariaethau ychwanegol sydd ar gael i'r myfyrwyr hynny sy'n dewis astudio ar lefel ôl-raddedig yng Nghymru, yn enwedig ym maes STEMM, oherwydd gwyddom fod lefelau uwch o sgiliau yn y meysydd hynny'n gwbl hanfodol i dyfu economi Cymru. Ac mae bwrsariaethau eto i'r rhai sy'n dymuno astudio ar y lefel uchaf honno drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg.
Ac felly rwy'n credu mai'r hyn y gallwn ni ei gyflawni yw rhoi dewis i fyfyrwyr o Gymru i allu ymgymryd â'u hastudiaeth ôl-raddedig gan wybod y bydd eu Llywodraeth yn eu cefnogi, ond bydd cymorth ychwanegol i'r myfyrwyr hynny os byddant yn dewis gwneud hynny mewn ardal sydd o fudd arbennig i economi Cymru mewn prifysgol yng Nghymru, neu i allu cefnogi ein cyfleoedd i ddysgu drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg a datblygu'r sgiliau hynny, a'r capasiti hwnnw gyda'n sefydliad, oherwydd nid yw'r gallu i wneud hynny drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg o fudd i'r myfyriwr unigol sy'n dilyn y cwrs ôl-raddedig hwnnw yn unig, ond mewn gwirionedd mae'n helpu i feithrin y gallu ledled y brifysgol i ganiatáu i fyfyrwyr eraill elwa ar y capasiti hwnnw.
Yn ddiau, deallaf y bydd gan fyfyrwyr bryderon am ansawdd yr addysgu y maen nhw wedi'i gael y tymor hwn o ganlyniad i COVID, yn enwedig lle mae'r rhan fwyaf o hwnnw wedi gorfod cael ei ddarparu o bell y tymor hwn. Mae prifysgolion wedi gweithio'n galed. Maen nhw wedi recriwtio staff ychwanegol i sicrhau bod y profiad addysgu hwnnw'n un da, ac rydym yn monitro'n ofalus iawn gyda'n cyngor cyllido ein hunain a'r cyrff rheoleiddio unrhyw lefelau o gwynion lle mae pobl yn teimlo nad yw eu hyfforddiant wedi bodloni eu safonau, ac mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud, hyd yma, nad ydym yn gweld cynnydd enfawr mewn cwynion o'u cymharu â rhai mewn blwyddyn arferol. Fodd bynnag, byddwn yn cydnabod yn llwyr yr effeithiwyd ar y profiad crwn hwnnw y tu hwnt i astudio yn unig—felly, effeithiwyd ar fynediad i'r holl bethau eraill sydd gan brifysgol i'w cynnig i unigolyn ar wahân i hyfforddiant yn unig, ac rydym yn cydnabod, i lawer o fyfyrwyr, y bu caledi penodol. Dyna pam yr wyf yn ddiolchgar iawn i brifysgolion Cymru am gydnabod hynny o ran ad-daliadau rhent i'r rhai sy'n byw yn eu llety eu hunain, ac mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi buddsoddi tua £40 miliwn, yn y cylch ariannu diweddaraf, i gynorthwyo gyda chaledi myfyrwyr. Er na allaf gael gwared ar COVID, rydym yn awyddus i gefnogi myfyrwyr i dynnu rhywfaint o'r straen a'r pwysau ariannol oddi ar fyfyrwyr drwy weithio mewn partneriaeth â'r sector a CCAUC i allu cynyddu arian ar gyfer caledi. Ond diolch i'r Aelod am ei chydnabyddiaeth o'r ymdrechion y mae'r sector wedi'u gwneud hyd yma. Diolch.
It's true to say, as the Minister said, that this area has been one that has been politically contentious and complex over the years, and now that I'm finishing my elected office, I would like to reminisce and say this is how I started, by being student president at Aberystwyth University and campaigning against the introduction of any fees here in Wales, notwithstanding top-up fees that were eventually introduced sadly by the Labour Government, and that has meant the slippery slope towards more marketisation in higher education institutions whether we like it or not. In an ideal world, I'd like to see universality again, I'd like to see students not having to pay for their education, but the reality is we are where we are and I do believe, Minister, that you have gone further than many other Ministers in making sure that we can look at how students are supported, their living costs, and taking children out of poverty, and I will say that, from my perspective, I would like to congratulate you on that, and to say it will be for other people in future years to take on the mantle to carry this on when we have both gone to other places, should I say.
We've also supported many of the changes in the Diamond reforms, and I think it's important to say that it had quite a lot of cross-party support, especially with regard to part-time learning and flexible learning. I'd like to see that developed post pandemic, because it's a decision people want to make, and I think it's clear that people want to do that and they want to be able to be as flexible as they possibly can with life changes or family situations as they are at the moment.
But I'd like to focus on a few key areas, if that's okay. You told me in an education question response in 2019 that university recruitment was not a question for you, yet we have a situation where almost half of new Welsh undergraduates leave our country every year, and I simply don't think that that's acceptable, and we would like to be able to reverse that. I do recognise that you've done that, and you're working towards doing that with postgraduate study, but when we are seeing so many young people leave Wales, I would want to be trying to look at alternatives to at least try and encourage them back, potentially through postgraduate study, but also to think about staying in Wales in the first place, and I genuinely believe that a Government should have more leadership in this regard and not leave it to the higher education institutions to do that. We want to see a Government take major steps forward. Yes, people will have their own choice of where to go, but if we want to develop our economy, if we want to develop the communities around our HE sector, academics and those in higher education institutions tell me that it's necessary for students to feel that they want to study more so here in Wales, so that whole community network can be progressed here in Wales. So, I'd like to hear your opinion. I think it probably will differ from mine, but we are where we are.
On the resilience of the HE sector, we can't ignore some of the issues that have arisen or come to light in relation to COVID. The fact is that many Welsh universities are struggling financially, and it's not just regarding COVID. Many institutions are struggling to compete in a heavily marketised HE environment. Three of the 21 UK universities identified as most at risk of insolvency are in Wales. So, when we're talking about resilience, what more can we do to ensure that universities here in Wales are protected into the future?
And my final point is that I agree that much has been done to change the outlook in higher education, but we have seen cuts to further education and, of course, many HE courses are delivered in a further education environment. So, I would like to hear your opinion as to how we can try and reverse that decline in the future, albeit I understand that you came to an agreement with Plaid Cymru for additional money in the last budget. But I think further education has been somewhat forgotten sometimes in the debate around these issues, and I would like to see more emphasis on that. But, thank you for all your hard work in this area.
Mae'n wir dweud, fel y dywedodd y Gweinidog, y bu'r maes hwn yn un wleidyddol ddadleuol a chymhleth dros y blynyddoedd, a chan fy mod bellach yn gorffen fy swydd etholedig, hoffwn hel atgofion a dweud mai dyma sut y dechreuais, drwy fod yn llywydd myfyrwyr ym Mhrifysgol Aberystwyth ac ymgyrchu yn erbyn cyflwyno unrhyw ffioedd yma yng Nghymru, er gwaethaf y ffioedd ychwanegol a gyflwynwyd yn y pen draw gan y Llywodraeth Lafur, ac mae hynny wedi golygu'r llwybr llithrig tuag ar farchnadeiddio mewn sefydliadau addysg uwch pa un a ydym yn hoffi hynny ai peidio. Mewn byd delfrydol, hoffwn weld cyffredinolrwydd eto, hoffwn weld myfyrwyr yn peidio â gorfod talu am eu haddysg, ond y gwir amdani yw dyma lle yr ydym ni ac rwy'n credu, Gweinidog, eich bod wedi mynd ymhellach na lawer o Weinidogion eraill i sicrhau y gallwn edrych ar sut y caiff myfyrwyr eu cefnogi, eu costau byw, a chodi plant o dlodi, a dywedaf, o'm safbwynt i, yr hoffwn eich llongyfarch ar hynny, a dweud mai mater i bobl eraill yn y dyfodol fydd ymgymryd â'r gwaith i barhau â hyn pan fydd y ddau ohonom ni wedi mynd i leoedd eraill, dylwn i ddweud.
Rydym hefyd wedi cefnogi llawer o'r newidiadau yn niwygiadau Diamond, ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig dweud ei fod wedi cael cryn dipyn o gefnogaeth drawsbleidiol, yn enwedig o ran dysgu rhan-amser a dysgu hyblyg. Hoffwn weld hynny'n datblygu ar ôl y pandemig, oherwydd y mae'n benderfyniad y mae pobl eisiau ei wneud, ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn glir bod pobl eisiau gwneud hynny ac maen nhw eisiau bod mor hyblyg ag y gallant gyda newidiadau mewn bywyd neu sefyllfaoedd teuluol fel y maen nhw ar hyn o bryd.
Ond fe hoffwn i ganolbwyntio ar rai meysydd allweddol, os yw hynny'n iawn. Dywedoch wrthyf mewn ymateb i gwestiwn addysg yn 2019 nad oedd recriwtio mewn prifysgolion yn gwestiwn i chi, ac eto mae gennym ni sefyllfa lle mae bron hanner yr israddedigion newydd yng Nghymru yn gadael ein gwlad bob blwyddyn, ac nid wyf yn credu bod hynny'n dderbyniol, a hoffem allu gwrthdroi hynny. Rwy'n cydnabod eich bod wedi gwneud hynny, ac rydych yn gweithio tuag at wneud hynny gydag astudiaethau ôl-raddedig, ond pan fyddwn yn gweld cynifer o bobl ifanc yn gadael Cymru, byddwn eisiau ceisio edrych ar ddewisiadau amgen i geisio eu hannog yn ôl o leiaf, o bosibl drwy astudiaethau ôl-raddedig, ond hefyd i feddwl am aros yng Nghymru yn y lle cyntaf, a chredaf o ddifrif y dylai Llywodraeth gynnig mwy o arweiniad yn hyn o beth a pheidio â'i gadael i'r sefydliadau addysg uwch wneud hynny. Rydym ni eisiau gweld Llywodraeth yn cymryd camau mawr ymlaen. Bydd, bydd gan bobl eu dewis eu hunain ynghylch lle i fynd, ond os ydym ni eisiau datblygu ein heconomi, os ydym ni eisiau datblygu'r cymunedau o amgylch ein sector addysg uwch, mae academyddion a'r rhai mewn sefydliadau addysg uwch yn dweud wrthyf ei bod yn angenrheidiol bod myfyrwyr yn teimlo eu bod eisiau astudio mwy yma yng Nghymru, fel y gellir datblygu'r rhwydwaith cymunedol cyfan yma yng Nghymru. Felly, hoffwn glywed eich barn. Credaf y bydd yn wahanol i fy marn i, mae'n debyg, ond dyma lle yr ydym ni.
O ran cydnerthedd y sector addysg uwch, ni allwn anwybyddu rhai o'r materion sydd wedi codi neu sydd wedi dod i'r amlwg mewn cysylltiad â COVID. Y ffaith yw bod llawer o brifysgolion Cymru yn cael trafferthion ariannol, ac nid yw'n ymwneud â COVID yn unig. Mae llawer o sefydliadau'n ei chael hi'n anodd cystadlu mewn amgylchedd addysg uwch sydd ar drugaredd y farchnad i raddau helaeth iawn. Mae tair o'r 21 o brifysgolion yn y DU y nodwyd eu bod yn wynebu'r risg fwyaf o ansolfedd, yng Nghymru. Felly, pan fyddwn yn sôn am gydnerthedd, beth arall y gallwn ei wneud i sicrhau bod prifysgolion yma yng Nghymru yn cael eu diogelu i'r dyfodol?
A'm pwynt olaf yw fy mod yn cytuno bod llawer wedi'i wneud i newid y rhagolygon mewn addysg uwch, ond rydym ni wedi gweld toriadau i addysg bellach ac, wrth gwrs, mae llawer o gyrsiau addysg uwch yn cael eu darparu mewn amgylchedd addysg bellach. Felly, hoffwn glywed eich barn ynghylch sut y gallwn geisio gwrthdroi'r dirywiad hwnnw yn y dyfodol, er fy mod yn deall ichi ddod i gytundeb â Phlaid Cymru ynghylch arian ychwanegol yn y gyllideb ddiwethaf. Ond rwy'n credu bod addysg bellach wedi cael ei hanghofio weithiau yn y ddadl ar y materion hyn, a hoffwn weld mwy o bwyslais ar hynny. Ond, diolch am eich holl waith caled yn y maes hwn.
Thank you to Bethan. She is right—I don't believe any political party can say that they have completely clean hands when it comes to the issue of student fees, and I would remind her of which parties were in Government in Wales in 2009 when the top-up fees were introduced. So, I think all of us have got parties where we've had to make some really difficult decisions, whether it be at Westminster or whether it be in Wales, about how we support the university sector and how we support students.
But the Member is absolutely right to say that what we have been able to achieve in Wales via the Diamond review is a level of consensus that has not been seen to be available in other parts of the United Kingdom, and that's because, I think, all political parties had an opportunity to contribute to the Diamond review, to bring their ideas to the table and to work hard to develop that consensus. So, I think Diamond has provided that opportunity to take some of the hard politics out of these very complex decisions, and has allowed everybody to have a seat at the table and to help develop a consensus that I think has brought real, real dividends not just for the sector, but for individual students.
On the part-time offer, I'm glad that Bethan has acknowledged this, because that ability to study in a different way and to recognise that a student isn't necessarily that traditional 18-year-old school leaver, is really, really, really important. I said in answer to Suzy Davies there's a tremendous impact and a tremendous rise in numbers that we've seen at the OU, but it's also important to recognise that our more traditional universities are also responding to this agenda, not just by offering part-time undergraduate degrees and part-time degrees, but we've seen a growing interest and a growing determination in the sector to offer micro-credentials to be able to support people who are looking for some qualifications and some accreditation that allows them to progress in their field of work or allows them to seek new work. I think that flexibility that is being shown in the sector is very, very welcome and recognises that they know that they have a huge part to play in COVID recovery in our nation going forward. Therefore, it is really important that our universities are in a position to respond positively and work with Welsh Government for that post-COVID recovery, and we've been able to do that by ensuring that we've been able to support our universities via the funding council in a way that we were not previously able to do so under the old system. We have seen a significant amount of money being able to go into HEFCW's budget to support universities, and we've responded positively as a Government during this crisis to be able to support them, going forward.
On this issue of where young people in Wales choose to go to university, Bethan, I don't want choice to simply be available to those students who can afford it, and a differentiation approach I think is one where— . We've tried to do that in postgraduate where there is support above and beyond what you would get, but I really think it is for the individual to decide where they want to go to university. And I don't think we should necessarily see it as a completely bad thing if young people decide to, perhaps, spend a period of time studying anywhere else. I see this in my own family. There's nothing unpatriotic about a young person in Wales who decides that they want to go and study in a different country for a period of time. In fact, if I look around the Cabinet table, I think the vast majority of Ministers studied at universities elsewhere and have come back to make a contribution to Wales. So, I don't want choice and a differential finding system to be put in place, where those who can afford to go to different universities have that choice, and those that are only reliant on support from the Welsh Government have to go to universities that Welsh Government want them to go to. But that's the difference, I guess, between your perspective on life and my perspective, in that I really value that individual choice and that individual freedom to fulfil people's potential.
But what I would say is that Welsh universities are tremendously successful in recruiting from other parts of the United Kingdom. We have a strong offer that is very, very, very attractive to individuals who live here in Wales and who choose to come and study in Wales. We've got something for everybody and a really, really strong reputation. Our universities score higher for student satisfaction than any other sector in the United Kingdom, and the quality of our research means that we outshine the system for our size—we punch above our weight in that regard. So, we have lots to recommend it, but I am not in the business of curtailing where individuals want to go to university by altering the system.
FE does have a really, really important part to play. We need to make sure that FE and HE work in collaboration and do not compete. Bethan is quite right to talk about the marketisation of the approach and the damage sometimes that brings. I think, in Wales, we are too small for that. Our sector and our institutions have something very unique to offer their communities and our nation, and they need to work in partnership with FE. And that's why it's disappointing to me that we've not been able to move forward with our tertiary education reforms, which I believe would have let us create a planning environment that could have cut through some of that competition and some of that marketisation, and we could have had a very clear collaborative agenda between who does what in education in Wales—we play to our strengths and there is a clear path for individual students to move seamlessly between different levels at a time that is right for them.
Diolch i Bethan. Mae hi'n iawn—nid wyf yn credu y gall unrhyw blaid wleidyddol ddweud bod ganddynt ddwylo hollol lân o ran ffioedd myfyrwyr, a hoffwn ei hatgoffa o ba bleidiau oedd mewn Llywodraeth yng Nghymru yn 2009 pan gyflwynwyd y ffioedd ychwanegol. Felly, rwy'n credu bod gan bob un ohonom ni bleidiau lle bu'n rhaid i ni wneud rhai penderfyniadau anodd iawn, boed hynny yn San Steffan neu yng Nghymru, ynglŷn â sut rydym yn cefnogi'r sector prifysgolion a sut rydym yn cefnogi myfyrwyr.
Ond mae'r Aelod yn berffaith iawn i ddweud mai'r hyn yr ydym ni wedi gallu ei gyflawni yng Nghymru drwy adolygiad Diamond yw lefel o gonsensws nad ystyriwyd ei fod ar gael mewn rhannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig, a hynny oherwydd, rwy'n credu, cafodd pob plaid wleidyddol gyfle i gyfrannu at adolygiad Diamond, i ddod â'u syniadau ger bron ac i weithio'n galed i ddatblygu'r consensws hwnnw. Felly, credaf fod Diamond wedi rhoi'r cyfle hwnnw i dynnu rhywfaint o'r wleidyddiaeth galed allan o'r penderfyniadau cymhleth iawn hyn, ac wedi caniatáu i bawb fod yn rhan o'r drafodaeth ac i helpu i ddatblygu consensws sydd, yn fy marn i, wedi dod â budd gwirioneddol, nid yn unig i'r sector, ond i fyfyrwyr unigol.
O ran y cynnig rhan-amser, rwy'n falch bod Bethan wedi cydnabod hyn, oherwydd mae'r gallu hwnnw i astudio mewn ffordd wahanol ac i gydnabod nad y disgybl traddodiadol hwnnw'n gadael ysgol yn 18 oed o reidrwydd yw myfyriwr, yn wirioneddol bwysig. Dywedais wrth ateb Suzy Davies fod effaith aruthrol a chynnydd aruthrol yn y niferoedd a welsom yn y Brifysgol Agored, ond mae hefyd yn bwysig cydnabod bod ein prifysgolion mwy traddodiadol hefyd yn ymateb i'r agenda hon, nid yn unig drwy gynnig graddau israddedig rhan-amser a graddau rhan-amser, ond rydym wedi gweld diddordeb cynyddol a phenderfyniad cynyddol yn y sector i gynnig micro-gymwysterau i allu cefnogi pobl sy'n chwilio am rai cymwysterau a rhai achrediadau sy'n eu galluogi i symud ymlaen yn eu maes gwaith neu'n caniatáu iddyn nhw chwilio am waith newydd. Credaf fod yr hyblygrwydd sy'n cael ei ddangos yn y sector i'w groesawu'n fawr ac yn cydnabod eu bod yn gwybod bod ganddyn nhw ran enfawr i'w chwarae yn adferiad COVID yn ein cenedl wrth symud ymlaen. Felly, mae'n bwysig iawn bod ein prifysgolion mewn sefyllfa i ymateb yn gadarnhaol a gweithio gyda Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer yr adferiad ôl-COVID hwnnw, ac rydym wedi gallu gwneud hynny drwy sicrhau ein bod wedi gallu cefnogi ein prifysgolion drwy'r cyngor cyllido mewn ffordd nad oeddem yn gallu ei wneud o'r blaen o dan yr hen system. Rydym wedi gweld swm sylweddol o arian yn mynd i gyllideb CCAUC i gefnogi prifysgolion, ac rydym wedi ymateb yn gadarnhaol fel Llywodraeth yn ystod yr argyfwng hwn i'w cefnogi, wrth symud ymlaen.
Ar y mater o ble mae pobl ifanc yng Nghymru yn dewis mynd i'r brifysgol, Bethan, nid wyf eisiau i'r dewis fod ar gael i'r myfyrwyr hynny sy'n gallu ei fforddio yn unig, a ffordd wahanol o fynd ati fyddai, yn fy marn i, un lle—. Rydym ni wedi ceisio gwneud hynny ym maes ôl-radd lle mae cefnogaeth y tu hwnt i'r hyn y byddech yn ei gael, ond rwy'n credu mewn gwirionedd mai mater i'r unigolyn yw penderfynu ble y mae eisiau mynd i'r brifysgol. Ac nid wyf yn credu y dylem o reidrwydd ei weld fel peth hollol wael os bydd pobl ifanc yn penderfynu treulio cyfnod o amser yn astudio yn rhywle arall, efallai. Rwy'n gweld hyn yn fy nheulu fy hun. Does dim byd anwlatgar ynghylch person ifanc yng Nghymru yn penderfynu ei fod eisiau mynd i astudio mewn gwlad wahanol am gyfnod o amser. Yn wir, os edrychaf o amgylch bwrdd y Cabinet, credaf fod y mwyafrif llethol o Weinidogion wedi astudio mewn prifysgolion mewn mannau eraill ac wedi dod yn ôl i wneud cyfraniad i Gymru. Felly, nid wyf eisiau gorfodi dewis a system ganfod wahaniaethol, lle mae gan y rhai sy'n gallu fforddio mynd i wahanol brifysgolion y dewis hwnnw, ac mae'n rhaid i'r rhai sy'n dibynnu ar gymorth gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn unig fynd i brifysgolion y mae Llywodraeth Cymru eisiau iddyn nhw fynd iddynt. Ond dyna'r gwahaniaeth, rwy'n dyfalu, rhwng eich persbectif chi ar fywyd a'm persbectif i, gan fy mod yn gwerthfawrogi'r dewis unigol hwnnw a'r rhyddid unigol hwnnw i gyflawni potensial pobl.
Ond yr hyn y byddwn yn ei ddweud yw bod prifysgolion Cymru yn hynod lwyddiannus wrth recriwtio o rannau eraill o'r Deyrnas Unedig. Mae gennym ni gynnig cryf sy'n ddeniadol iawn, iawn, iawn i unigolion sy'n byw yma yng Nghymru ac sy'n dewis dod i astudio yng Nghymru. Mae gennym ni rywbeth i bawb ac enw da iawn yn wir. Mae ein prifysgolion yn sgorio'n uwch o ran boddhad myfyrwyr nag unrhyw sector arall yn y Deyrnas Unedig, ac mae ansawdd ein hymchwil yn golygu ein bod yn rhagori ar y system o ran ein maint—rydym yn cyflawni y tu hwnt i bob disgwyl yn hynny o beth. Felly, mae gennym ni lawer i'w argymell, ond nid wyf eisiau cyfyngu ar le mae unigolion eisiau mynd i'r brifysgol drwy newid y system.
Mae gan addysg bellach ran wirioneddol bwysig i'w chwarae. Mae angen i ni sicrhau bod addysg bellach ac addysg uwch yn cydweithio ac nad ydynt yn cystadlu. Mae Bethan yn llygad ei lle wrth ddweud fod prifysgolion ar drugaredd y farchnad a'r difrod a ddaw yn sgil hynny weithiau. Credaf, yng Nghymru, ein bod yn rhy fach i hynny. Mae gan ein sector a'n sefydliadau rywbeth unigryw iawn i'w gynnig i'w cymunedau a'n cenedl, ac mae angen iddynt weithio mewn partneriaeth ag addysg bellach. A dyna pam y mae'n siomedig i mi nad ydym wedi gallu symud ymlaen gyda'n diwygiadau addysg drydyddol, a fyddai, yn fy marn i, wedi caniatáu i ni greu amgylchedd cynllunio a allai fod wedi torri drwy rywfaint o'r gystadleuaeth honno a rhywfaint o'r marchnadeiddio hwnnw, a gallem fod wedi cael agenda gydweithredol glir iawn rhwng pwy sy'n gwneud beth mewn addysg yng Nghymru—rydym yn manteisio ar ein cryfderau ac mae llwybr clir i fyfyrwyr unigol symud yn ddi-dor rhwng gwahanol lefelau ar adeg sy'n iawn iddyn nhw.
The Minister referenced more consensus in Wales on higher education. I think there probably is something to be said for that. I'm not sure that she's yet entirely got me with the programme on progressive universalism, but I criticised the Diamond report initially for proposing maintenance grants for families with up to £80,000 a year income, which I thought was way too high, but the Minister brought that down, I think, to nearer £50,000. And I agree with much of what she said just now, and I certainly much prefer it to the Plaid spokesperson's approach and demand for leadership for staying in Wales in the first place. I agree with the Minister that it's in no way unpatriotic to decide to go to university outside Wales. I recall the absurd situation where the previous First Minister, I think, attacked Adam Price for having taken up the opportunity to study at Harvard. I think we should all have those opportunities to benefit from study elsewhere.
And where I really agree with what the Minister has said is that student support should be portable across the United Kingdom. I'd just like to say how different the Welsh Government's approach has been from that of the Scottish Government. There was a very interesting article in The Economist last week that referred to the Scottish Government education policy weakening the bonds that unite the kingdom. The Economist suggested that it was the intention of the SNP to do this, to stop people when they're young leaving Scotland and potentially going to England and some perhaps staying there, and to ensure that they stayed in Scotland and therefore were more likely to support the SNP. They get free education at university if they stay in Scotland but have to pay £9,250 a year if they go to England, so it's no surprise that many more stay in Scotland. What that's seen is mobility from Scotland fall very significantly. In Wales, I think 2 per cent of people each year go to another nation or English region, compared to Scotland, where only 0.5 per cent do so, and that's a massive difference. It's really increased, and that, at least in part, I believe, is due to the student finance system. So, I'd like to thank and applaud the Minister for what she's done on this area, even to the extent of giving higher maintenance and support if a student studies in London, because of the higher cost. I think there's a huge difference between what she and the Welsh Government have done compared to what the SNP and Scotland have done and, perhaps, what Plaid might like to happen here. So, well done on that.
Can I also just briefly ask her about COVID? Firstly, is there any chance that students might get some sort of refund for the terrible situations that so many have had over the past year and that still continue in terms of the value they've got? What are her views on that? Second, I recall, about a year ago, the UK Government put in caps—at least in England—to try and protect some of the lower-ranking institutions from seeing lots more students go to the higher-ranking institutions just for that year or two because of the COVID impact and because of not having international students. I think the Minister quite rightly complained about that unilateral action taken by the UK Government that affected Wales and how it would be much better if that had been done on a co-ordinated UK basis. Could she update us as to what's now happening on that issue?
Cyfeiriodd y Gweinidog at fwy o gonsensws yng Nghymru ar addysg uwch. Credaf fod rhywbeth i'w ddweud dros hynny, mae'n debyg. Nid wyf yn siŵr a yw hi wedi fy narbwyllo'n llwyr eto gyda'r rhaglen ar gyffredinoliaeth gynyddol, ond beirniadais adroddiad Diamond i ddechrau am gynnig grantiau cynhaliaeth i deuluoedd sydd â hyd at £80,000 y flwyddyn o incwm, a oedd, yn fy marn i, yn llawer rhy uchel, ond daeth y Gweinidog â hwnnw i lawr, mi gredaf, i rywbeth yn nes at £50,000. A chytunaf â llawer o'r hyn a ddywedodd nawr, ac yn sicr mae'n llawer gwell gennyf hynny na dull llefarydd y Blaid a'r galw am arweinyddiaeth ynghylch aros yng Nghymru yn y lle cyntaf. Rwy'n cytuno â'r Gweinidog nad yw'n anwlatgar o gwbl i benderfynu mynd i brifysgol y tu allan i Gymru. Cofiaf y sefyllfa hurt pan ymosododd y Prif Weinidog blaenorol, mi gredaf, ar Adam Price am fanteisio ar y cyfle i astudio yn Harvard. Credaf y dylem ni i gyd gael y cyfleoedd hynny i elwa ar astudio mewn mannau eraill.
A lle rwy'n cytuno'n wirioneddol â'r hyn y mae'r Gweinidog wedi'i ddweud yw y dylai cymorth i fyfyrwyr fod ar gael ledled y Deyrnas Unedig. Hoffwn ddweud pa mor wahanol fu ymagwedd Llywodraeth Cymru i ymagwedd Llywodraeth yr Alban. Roedd erthygl ddiddorol iawn yn The Economist yr wythnos diwethaf a gyfeiriodd at bolisi addysg Llywodraeth yr Alban yn gwanhau'r bondiau sy'n uno'r deyrnas. Awgrymodd The Economist mai bwriad yr SNP oedd gwneud hyn, atal pobl pan fyddan nhw'n ifanc rhag gadael yr Alban ac o bosibl mynd i Loegr a rhai efallai'n aros yno, ac i sicrhau eu bod yn aros yn yr Alban ac felly'n fwy tebygol o gefnogi'r SNP. Maen nhw'n cael addysg am ddim yn y brifysgol os ydyn nhw'n aros yn yr Alban ond yn gorfod talu £9,250 y flwyddyn os ydyn nhw'n mynd i Loegr, felly nid yw'n syndod bod llawer mwy yn aros yn yr Alban. Yr hyn a welir yw symudedd o'r Alban yn gostwng yn sylweddol iawn. Yng Nghymru, credaf fod 2 y cant o bobl bob blwyddyn yn mynd i wlad arall neu ranbarth arall yn Lloegr, o'i gymharu â'r Alban, lle mae dim ond 0.5 y cant yn gwneud hynny, ac mae hynny'n wahaniaeth enfawr. Mae wedi cynyddu'n fawr, ac mae hynny, yn rhannol o leiaf, rwy'n credu, yn ganlyniad i'r system cyllid myfyrwyr. Felly, hoffwn ddiolch i'r Gweinidog a'i chymeradwyo am yr hyn y mae wedi'i wneud yn y maes hwn, hyd yn oed i'r graddau o roi mwy o gynhaliaeth a chefnogaeth os bydd myfyriwr yn astudio yn Llundain, oherwydd y gost uwch. Rwy'n credu bod gwahaniaeth enfawr rhwng yr hyn y mae hi a Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud o'i gymharu â'r hyn y mae'r SNP a'r Alban wedi'i wneud ac, efallai, yr hyn y byddai Plaid Cymru efallai yn hoffi iddo ddigwydd yma. Felly, da iawn chi am hynny.
A gaf i hefyd ei holi'n fyr am COVID? Yn gyntaf, a oes unrhyw obaith y gallai myfyrwyr gael rhyw fath o ad-daliad am y sefyllfaoedd ofnadwy y mae cynifer wedi'u dioddef dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf ac mae hynny'n dal i barhau o ran y gwerth sydd ganddyn nhw? Beth yw ei barn am hynny? Yn ail, cofiaf, tua blwyddyn yn ôl, fod Llywodraeth y DU wedi rhoi capiau—yn Lloegr o leiaf—i geisio diogelu rhai o'r sefydliadau is eu safle rhag gweld llawer mwy o fyfyrwyr yn mynd i'r sefydliadau uwch eu safle ar gyfer y flwyddyn honno neu fwy oherwydd effaith COVID ac oherwydd nad oedd ganddyn nhw fyfyrwyr rhyngwladol. Credaf fod y Gweinidog, a hynny'n gwbl briodol, wedi cwyno am y camau unochrog hynny a gymerwyd gan Lywodraeth y DU a effeithiodd ar Gymru a sut y byddai wedi bod yn well o lawer pe bai hynny wedi'i wneud ar sail gydgysylltiedig yn y DU. A wnaiff hi roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf inni am yr hyn sy'n digwydd ar hyn o bryd ar y mater hwnnw?
Can I thank Mark Reckless for his comments? As I said, it's an important principle to me that there is portability of the package, allowing students to make choices about where they study. I don't know about deliberately trying to weaken the bonds of the union, but I think where the Welsh system does compare very favourably to Scotland is in terms of social mobility—I don't know about outward mobility, but actually social mobility—in the number of students who go to a university and the backgrounds that they come from. Because there are caps on the number of places, effectively, in Scottish universities, it does mean, I would argue, that perhaps they haven't seen the growth in the number of students from poorer backgrounds going to university that our student finance system has allowed us to do. So, I don't know about outward mobility, but I do think our system compares favourably in supporting social mobility and in ensuring that no matter what your background, you have the opportunity to benefit from higher education if you have the desire and the academic ability to do so, and that is not constrained by your parents or your financial ability to do so. I think that's a really important principle.
With regard to support for the sector and for students, we have created pro rata the largest level of student support during this COVID phase anywhere in the United Kingdom, I believe, with the £50 million that we've made available. As I said in answer to Bethan Jenkins and Suzy Davies, we can't take all the disruption and impact away from COVID, but we can support students at this time who are worried financially or whose well-being has been affected by the experience that they have gone through. That money has been put there to try and address that. At this stage we have no plans for a student fee rebate. That's partly because—and Mr Reckless knows probably as much as anybody in the Chamber about this—the issue of Treasury and the loan book being held in Westminster, and some of the complicating factors that make this not necessarily a decision that is easy to do on a unilateral basis.
With regard to student number controls, it was a source of regret last year that we were not able to work together collaboratively across the United Kingdom. Can I say that I do now meet on a very regular basis with my counterpart Michelle Donelan from the Westminster Government? I'm sure that such a situation would be avoided this year because communications and meetings are much improved. I'm sure that we can avoid a situation this year, because we are committed—myself and Michelle—to avoiding the situation that we found ourselves in last year.
A gaf i ddiolch i Mark Reckless am ei sylwadau? Fel y dywedais, mae'n egwyddor bwysig i mi fod y pecyn ar gael yn unrhyw le, gan ganiatáu i fyfyrwyr wneud dewisiadau ynghylch ble maen nhw'n astudio. Dydw i ddim yn gwybod ynghylch ceisio gwanhau bondiau'r undeb yn fwriadol, ond rwy'n credu mai'r hyn sy'n peri i system Cymru gymharu'n ffafriol iawn â'r Alban yw symudedd cymdeithasol—dydw i ddim yn gwybod am symudedd allanol, ond symudedd cymdeithasol mewn gwirionedd—yn nifer y myfyrwyr sy'n mynd i brifysgol a'r cefndiroedd y maen nhw'n dod ohonyn nhw. Gan fod capiau ar nifer y lleoedd, i bob pwrpas, ym mhrifysgolion yr Alban, mae'n golygu, byddwn yn dadlau, efallai nad ydynt wedi gweld y twf yn nifer y myfyrwyr o gefndiroedd tlotach sy'n mynd i'r brifysgol y mae ein system cyllid myfyrwyr ni wedi ei ganiatáu. Felly, nid wyf yn gwybod am symudedd allanol, ond rwy'n credu bod ein system yn cymharu'n ffafriol wrth gefnogi symudedd cymdeithasol ac o ran sicrhau, ni waeth beth yw eich cefndir, bod gennych chi gyfle i elwa ar addysg uwch os oes gennych yr awydd a'r gallu academaidd i wneud hynny, ac nad yw hynny wedi ei lesteirio gan allu eich rhieni na'ch gallu ariannol i wneud hynny. Rwy'n credu bod honno'n egwyddor bwysig iawn.
O ran cymorth i'r sector ac i fyfyrwyr, rydym wedi creu, pro rata, y lefel fwyaf o gymorth i fyfyrwyr yn ystod y cyfnod COVID hwn o'i gymharu ag unrhyw le yn y Deyrnas Unedig, rwy'n credu, gyda'r £50 miliwn yr ydym ni wedi'i ddarparu. Fel y dywedais wrth ateb Bethan Jenkins a Suzy Davies, ni allwn ddileu'r holl darfu ac effaith COVID, ond gallwn gefnogi myfyrwyr ar hyn o bryd sy'n poeni'n ariannol neu y mae'r profiad y maen nhw wedi mynd drwyddo wedi effeithio ar eu llesiant. Mae'r arian hwnnw wedi ei gyflwyno i geisio mynd i'r afael â hynny. Ar hyn o bryd nid oes gennym unrhyw gynlluniau ar gyfer ad-dalu ffioedd myfyrwyr. Mae hynny'n rhannol oherwydd—ac mae Mr Reckless yn gwybod cymaint ag unrhyw un yn y Siambr am hyn, mae'n debyg—mater y Trysorlys a'r llyfr benthyciadau sy'n cael ei gynnal yn San Steffan, a rhai o'r ffactorau cymhleth sy'n gwneud hwn yn benderfyniad nad yw o reidrwydd yn un hawdd ei wneud ar sail unochrog.
O ran rheoli niferoedd myfyrwyr, roedd hi'n destun gofid y llynedd nad oeddem yn gallu cydweithio ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig. A gaf i ddweud fy mod nawr yn cyfarfod yn rheolaidd iawn â'm cyd-weinidog Michelle Donelan o Lywodraeth San Steffan? Rwy'n siŵr y byddai sefyllfa o'r fath yn cael ei hosgoi eleni oherwydd bod cyfathrebu a chyfarfodydd wedi gwella'n fawr. Rwy'n siŵr y gallwn osgoi sefyllfa eleni, oherwydd rydym ni wedi ymrwymo—fi a Michelle—i osgoi'r sefyllfa y cawsom ein hunain ynddi y llynedd.
Thank you very much, Minister.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Gweinidog.
Item 7 on our agenda is a statement by the Deputy Minister for Economy and Transport on the foundational economy. I call on the Deputy Minister for Economy and Transport, Lee Waters.
Mae eitem 7 ar ein hagenda yn ddatganiad gan Ddirprwy Weinidog yr Economi a Thrafnidiaeth ar yr economi sylfaenol. Galwaf ar Lee Waters, Dirprwy Weinidog yr Economi a Thrafnidiaeth.
Today, we are setting out the plans that will guide our economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. The COVID crisis has shown us very clearly the importance of an economy that is more resilient to external shocks. It has underlined the critical role played by key workers, and the importance of everyday goods and services to the well-being of our communities and to our economy. The limits of low-cost, long global supply chains became apparent very quickly in the early stages of the pandemic. Our orders for personal protective equipment from lower-cost countries too often went unmet. Yes, factories in China can make masks cheaply, but that is of little comfort when the supply chain proves fragile, breaking down when you need it the most.
As we begin to look beyond the pandemic, it’s essential that we draw lessons from the way our economy has fared in the face of the crisis, and set a path for recovery that makes our communities stronger. Today, we set out in our economic resilience and reconstruction mission five priority areas for recovery, and the first one is strengthening the foundational economy. That means making more of the goods and services that we rely on in Wales. This will not only make us safer, but it will create better jobs closer to home, and a growing band of Welsh firms that are rooted in our communities but capable of trading and exporting beyond our borders.
We have made progress in highlighting the role of the foundational economy in the last two years. We set out to experiment, to test approaches. We set aside £4.5 million to fund more than 50 trials in a variety of sectors to test interventions. In Blaenau Gwent, we supported housing associations to look at the local supply chain to help local firms to benefit from spending on new homes. In Carmarthenshire, the council, the health board and the university are working with food producers to get more local food onto local plates. In Treherbert, we’re helping the community to take control of the landscape around their town for generations to come, to use surplus public land and forestry to make a living—the excellent Welcome to Our Woods project, Skyline. Alongside this, we're supporting the creation of a wood centre of excellence to make sure that, instead of using Welsh trees for low-value products, as is so often the case now, like pallets and garden benches, whilst simultaneously importing large amounts of forestry, we can instead use them to build high-quality timber houses in Wales. Innovation and productivity are as important in the foundational economy as in the tradable sector.
We’re using the fund to grow food using new technology, using artificial intelligence to help develop new care models, using procurement to improve the quality of work in social care, and using microbusinesses and social enterprises to develop a more sustainable model for this key foundational sector. We're even importing the Sardinian model of alternative finance into north Wales through the Celyn, an alternative currency that can help stop money leaking out of our economy. It's worked there, so why shouldn't it work here? These are all trials, and we have set up a community of practice to help the projects to learn from each other. We are as interested in learning from what they are struggling with as we are in what’s succeeding. We might be the first Government to say that failure is fine, so long as we learn from it. We’ve set aside a further £3 million in the coming financial year to scale and spread what’s working in these trials, because we know that best practice is often a poor traveller, and we hope that the next Welsh Government will work on getting these innovations into the main stream.
We’ve been learning too from the successes of elsewhere, from Preston council and others in England and Scotland, in building community wealth. Over half the Welsh public services boards set up under the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 are currently working with us to identify those agents for change in their local economy—their local anchor institutions like the further education college, the hospital and the police station that are going nowhere and are currently spending much of their money outside of their areas. Line by line, we are going through their spending to see what opportunity there is to redirect money—public money—back into their own communities to stop the leakage and to help build resilience for our towns and villages in these tough times. Through this work, we've identified that half of the money spent on food by the NHS in Wales goes to food producers and suppliers outside of Wales. In each food category, there are local suppliers who could be sourcing that product.
Procurement is not just a tool for accountants; it's a key lever for social and environmental justice. We are now doing a major piece of work to build in resilience to our food system to support local suppliers and to cut food miles. We are sitting down with some of the major food distributors, like Castell Howell in Cross Hands in my own constituency, to understand how we can work with them to increase the number of made-in-Wales products that they sell into restaurants and schools. We are only just getting started on this wide-ranging and ambitious programme of reform. There is huge potential in the foundational economy agenda to build resilience in our local economies, to create better jobs closer to home and to build stronger local businesses. There is much, much more to do, and this is why we have placed it at the front of our list of measures to guide our journey out of recession. Diolch.
Heddiw, rydym ni'n nodi'r cynlluniau a fydd yn llywio ein hadferiad economaidd o bandemig coronafeirws. Mae argyfwng COVID wedi dangos i ni'n glir iawn pwysigrwydd economi sy'n fwy cadarn i wrthsefyll ergydion allanol. Mae wedi tanlinellu'r rhan hollbwysig mae gweithwyr allweddol yn ei chwarae, a phwysigrwydd nwyddau a gwasanaethau bob dydd i les ein cymunedau ac i'n heconomi. Daeth cyfyngiadau cadwyni cyflenwi hir byd-eang cost isel i'r amlwg yn gyflym iawn yng nghyfnodau cynnar y pandemig. Yn rhy aml, ni chafodd ein harchebion ni ar gyfer cyfarpar diogelu personol o wledydd cost is eu cyflawni. Ydyn, mae ffatrïoedd yn Tsieina yn gallu gwneud mygydau'n rhad, ond nid yw hynny'n fawr o gysur pan fydd y gadwyn gyflenwi'n fregus, gan chwalu pan fydd ei hangen arnoch chi fwyaf.
Wrth i ni ddechrau edrych y tu hwnt i'r pandemig, mae'n hanfodol ein bod ni'n dysgu gwersi o'r ffordd y mae ein heconomi wedi gwneud yn wyneb yr argyfwng, ac ein bod ni'n gosod llwybr ar gyfer adferiad sy'n gwneud ein cymunedau'n gryfach. Heddiw, gwnaethom ni nodi pum maes blaenoriaeth ar gyfer adfer yn ein cenhadaeth cadernid ac ailadeiladu economaidd, a'r cyntaf yw cryfhau'r economi sylfaenol. Mae hynny'n golygu gwneud mwy o'r nwyddau a'r gwasanaethau yr ydym ni'n dibynnu arnyn nhw yng Nghymru. Bydd hyn nid yn unig yn ein gwneud ni'n fwy diogel, ond bydd yn creu gwell swyddi yn nes at adref, a band cynyddol o gwmnïau Cymru sydd wedi'u gwreiddio yn ein cymunedau ond sy'n gallu masnachu ac allforio y tu hwnt i'n ffiniau.
Rydym ni wedi gwneud cynnydd o ran tynnu sylw at swyddogaeth yr economi sylfaenol yn ystod y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf. Rydym yn bwriadu arbrofi, i brofi dulliau gweithredu. Rydym ni wedi neilltuo £4.5 miliwn i ariannu mwy na 50 o dreialon mewn amrywiaeth o sectorau i brofi ymyriadau. Ym Mlaenau Gwent, gwnaethom ni gefnogi cymdeithasau tai i edrych ar y gadwyn gyflenwi leol i helpu cwmnïau lleol i elwa ar wario ar gartrefi newydd. Yn Sir Gaerfyrddin, mae'r cyngor, y bwrdd iechyd a'r brifysgol yn gweithio gyda chynhyrchwyr bwyd i gael mwy o fwyd lleol ar blatiau lleol. Yn Nhreherbert, rydym ni'n helpu'r gymuned i gymryd rheolaeth dros y dirwedd o amgylch eu tref am genedlaethau i ddod, i ddefnyddio tir cyhoeddus a choedwigaeth sy'n weddill i wneud bywoliaeth—prosiect ardderchog Croeso i'n Coed, Skyline. Ochr yn ochr â hyn, rydym ni'n cefnogi creu canolfan ragoriaeth goed i sicrhau, yn hytrach na defnyddio coed Cymru ar gyfer cynhyrchion gwerth isel, fel sy'n digwydd mor aml yn awr, fel paledi a meinciau gardd, gan ar yr un pryd, fewnforio llawer iawn o goedwigaeth ar yr un pryd, y gallwn ni eu defnyddio yn lle hynny i adeiladu tai pren o ansawdd da yng Nghymru. Mae arloesi a chynhyrchiant yr un mor bwysig yn yr economi sylfaenol ag yn y sector nwyddau y gellir eu masnachu.
Rydym ni'n defnyddio'r gronfa i dyfu bwyd gan ddefnyddio technoleg newydd, gan ddefnyddio deallusrwydd artiffisial i helpu i ddatblygu modelau gofal newydd, defnyddio caffael i wella ansawdd gwaith ym maes gofal cymdeithasol, a defnyddio microfusnesau a mentrau cymdeithasol i ddatblygu model mwy cynaliadwy ar gyfer y sector sylfaenol allweddol hwn. Rydym ni hyd yn oed yn mewnforio model Sardinia o gyllid amgen i ogledd Cymru drwy'r Celyn, arian amgen a all helpu i atal arian rhag gollwng o'n heconomi. Mae wedi gweithio yno, felly pam na ddylai weithio yma? Treialon yw'r rhain i gyd, ac rydym ni wedi sefydlu cymuned ymarfer i helpu'r prosiectau i ddysgu oddi wrth ei gilydd. Mae gennym ni gymaint o ddiddordeb mewn dysgu o'r hyn y maen nhw'n ei chael hi'n anodd ag yr ydym ni yn yr hyn sy'n llwyddo. Efallai mai ni yw'r Llywodraeth gyntaf i ddweud bod methiant yn iawn, cyn belled â'n bod ni'n dysgu oddi wrth y mater. Rydym ni wedi neilltuo £3 miliwn arall yn y flwyddyn ariannol sydd i ddod i gynyddu a lledaenu'r hyn sy'n gweithio yn y treialon hyn, oherwydd gwyddom ni fod arfer gorau yn aml yn teithio'n dda, ac rydym ni'n gobeithio y bydd Llywodraeth nesaf Cymru yn gweithio ar gael y datblygiadau arloesol hyn i'r brif ffrwd.
Rydym ni wedi bod yn dysgu hefyd o lwyddiannau mannau eraill, o gyngor Preston ac eraill yn Lloegr a'r Alban, wrth ddatblygu cyfoeth cymunedol. Mae dros hanner y byrddau gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yng Nghymru a gafodd eu sefydlu o dan Ddeddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015 yn gweithio gyda ni ar hyn o bryd i nodi'r asiantau ar gyfer newid hynny yn eu heconomi leol—eu sefydliadau angor lleol fel y coleg addysg bellach, yr ysbyty a'r orsaf heddlu nad ydyn nhw'n mynd i unman ac sydd ar hyn o bryd yn gwario llawer o'u harian y tu allan i'w hardaloedd. Fesul llinell, yr ydym ni'n mynd drwy eu gwariant i weld pa gyfle sydd ar gael i ailgyfeirio arian—arian cyhoeddus—yn ôl i'w cymunedau eu hunain i atal y gollyngiadau ac i helpu i feithrin cadernid ar gyfer ein trefi a'n pentrefi yn y cyfnod anodd hwn. Drwy'r gwaith hwn, rydym ni wedi nodi bod hanner yr arian sy'n cael ei wario ar fwyd gan y GIG yng Nghymru yn mynd i gynhyrchwyr a chyflenwyr bwyd y tu allan i Gymru. Ym mhob categori bwyd, mae cyflenwyr lleol a allai fod yn dod o hyd i'r cynnyrch hwnnw.
Nid arf i gyfrifwyr yn unig yw caffael; mae'n sbardun allweddol ar gyfer cyfiawnder cymdeithasol ac amgylcheddol. Rydym ni ar hyn o bryd yn gwneud darn mawr o waith i wau cadernid i'n system fwyd i gefnogi cyflenwyr lleol ac i leihau milltiroedd bwyd. Rydym ni'n eistedd i lawr gyda rhai o'r prif ddosbarthwyr bwyd, fel Castell Howell yn Cross Hands yn fy etholaeth i fy hun, i ddeall sut y gallwn ni weithio gyda nhw i gynyddu nifer y cynhyrchion wedi'u gwneud yng Nghymru y maen nhw'n eu gwerthu i fwytai ac ysgolion. Ond newydd ddechrau ar y rhaglen ddiwygio eang ac uchelgeisiol hon yr ydym ni. Mae potensial enfawr yn agenda'r economi sylfaenol i feithrin cadernid yn ein heconomïau lleol, i greu gwell swyddi yn nes at adref ac i adeiladu busnesau lleol cryfach. Mae llawer mwy i'w wneud, a dyna pam yr ydym ni wedi'i roi ar flaen ein rhestr o fesurau i lywio ein taith allan o ddirwasgiad. Diolch.
Can I thank the Deputy Minister for his statement? I agree with the Deputy Minister; I think the pandemic has strengthened the case for the foundational economy, for the reasons he outlined.
Fifteen months ago, Deputy Minister, you said that you would be building the road as you travel when it comes to the experimental approach to the foundational economy. Back then, in November 2019, which seems a long time ago now, I provided my party's support. Now that you've laid the road, do you believe that this experimental approach has worked, during what has been a turbulent time, to say the least? How have you reshaped your approach to take into account the challenges of the pandemic, when many businesses, of course, have been closed? What has worked and what hasn't? I suppose that's the question there.
The Federation of Small Businesses and ColegauCymru have presented a number of views that I wanted to raise with you and ask you for your perspective on. How are you going to scale up the approach for the foundational economy to make it relevant to a larger number of firms? That's the question. What is your view on the suggestion that a diverse mix of organisations—so, SMEs, social enterprises and the third sector—should deliver foundational services? How are you going to ensure that public sector procurement is accessible to SMEs within a competitive environment, and that adequate support is available so that they can build capacity and be in a position to capitalise on these opportunities? As the CollegesWales-commissioned report 'Enabling Renewal' says—I'm quoting from them here—
'one of the major Welsh problems is that the publicly funded foundational sectors are not organised to benefit local private contractors even when the work does go to local-grounded firms.'
There's an issue around the missing middle there, so I'd appreciate views in that regard. Then, how successful, Deputy Minister, do you think the Centre for Local Economic Strategies's work with public services boards has been in driving social value in local procurement? Are you now closer to defining what success should look like? Finally, what plans do you have in terms of cross-departmental working within the Welsh Government to address structural issues within the Welsh economy? Which foundational-area policies do you see as priorities? I'm thinking of suggestions here: climate change, housing decarbonisation, food procurement, health and social care, agriculture and construction. What others do you see as challenges that need to be confronted as priorities?
A gaf i ddiolch i'r Dirprwy Weinidog am ei ddatganiad? Rwy'n cytuno â'r Dirprwy Weinidog; rwy'n credu bod y pandemig wedi cryfhau'r achos dros yr economi sylfaenol, am y rhesymau a amlinellodd ef.
Bymtheg mis yn ôl, Dirprwy Weinidog, gwnaethoch chi ddweud y byddech chi'n adeiladu'r ffordd wrth i chi deithio o ran y dull arbrofol o ymdrin â'r economi sylfaenol. Yn ôl bryd hynny, ym mis Tachwedd 2019, sy'n ymddangos yn amser maith yn ôl erbyn hyn, rhoddais i gefnogaeth fy mhlaid. Nawr eich bod chi wedi gosod y ffordd, a ydych chi'n credu bod y dull arbrofol hwn wedi gweithio, yn ystod cyfnod sydd wedi bod yn gythryblus, a dweud y lleiaf? Sut ydych chi wedi ail-lunio eich dull o ystyried heriau'r pandemig, pan fydd llawer o fusnesau, wrth gwrs, wedi'u cau? Beth sydd wedi gweithio a beth sydd heb weithio? Mae'n debyg mai dyna'r cwestiwn yno.
Mae'r Ffederasiwn Busnesau Bach a CholegauCymru wedi cyflwyno nifer o safbwyntiau yr oeddwn i eisiau eu codi gyda chi a gofyn i chi am eich safbwynt arnyn nhw. Sut yr ydych chi'n mynd i gynyddu'r dull gweithredu ar gyfer yr economi sylfaenol i'w gwneud yn berthnasol i nifer fwy o gwmnïau? Dyna'r cwestiwn. Beth yw eich barn chi o ran yr awgrym y dylai cymysgedd amrywiol o sefydliadau—felly, busnesau bach a chanolig, mentrau cymdeithasol a'r trydydd sector—ddarparu gwasanaethau sylfaenol? Sut yr ydych chi'n mynd i sicrhau bod caffael yn y sector cyhoeddus yn hygyrch i fusnesau bach a chanolig mewn amgylchedd cystadleuol, a bod cymorth digonol ar gael fel y gallan nhw feithrin gallu a bod mewn sefyllfa i fanteisio ar y cyfleoedd hyn? Fel y mae'r adroddiad a oedd wedi'i gomisiynu gan ColegauCymru 'Galluogi Adnewyddu'—rwy'n dyfynnu ganddyn nhw yma—
'un o brif broblemau Cymru yw nad yw'r sectorau sylfaenol sydd wedi'u hariannu yn gyhoeddus wedi'u trefnu i fod o fudd i gontractwyr preifat lleol hyd yn oed pan fydd y gwaith yn mynd i gwmnïau lleol.'
Mae problem o ran y canol coll yno, felly byddwn i'n gwerthfawrogi safbwyntiau yn hynny o beth. Yna, pa mor llwyddiannus, Dirprwy Weinidog, ydych chi'n meddwl y mae gwaith y Ganolfan Strategaethau Economaidd Lleol gyda byrddau gwasanaethau cyhoeddus wedi bod yn sbarduno gwerth cymdeithasol mewn caffael lleol? A ydych chi nawr yn nes at ddiffinio sut olwg sydd ar lwyddiant? Yn olaf, pa gynlluniau sydd gennych chi o ran gweithio trawsadrannol o fewn Llywodraeth Cymru i fynd i'r afael â materion strwythurol yn economi Cymru? Pa bolisïau maes sylfaenol ydych chi'n eu gweld fel blaenoriaethau? Rwy'n meddwl am awgrymiadau yma: newid hinsawdd, datgarboneiddio tai, caffael bwyd, iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol, amaethyddiaeth ac adeiladu. Pa bethau eraill ydych chi'n eu gweld fel heriau y mae angen eu hwynebu fel blaenoriaethau?
Well, my goodness, a dozen or so questions, which is going to be impossible to do justice to in the time. So, I'm not sure which one of the dozen Russell George really wants me to answer, because I can't answer them all. So, let me try and give an answer in the round.
He rightly quoted me using the Basque phrase of 'building the road as we travel'. I'd originally road tested a more flippant version—that we were 'making it up as we went', which I now understand has featured in Russell George's and Conservative election material, so I've clearly provided a service to them there. Completely disingenuously distorting the intent of my remarks. We're trying to do a genuinely new and innovative approach here, and this is what happens when you try and do that in party politics.
Wel, bobl bach, tua dwsin o gwestiynau, sy'n mynd i fod yn amhosibl gwneud cyfiawnder â nhw yn yr amser. Felly, nid wyf i'n siŵr pa un o'r dwsin mae Russell George wir eisiau i mi ei ateb, oherwydd ni fedraf i ateb pob un ohonyn nhw. Felly, gadewch i mi geisio rhoi ateb cyffredinol.
Fe wnaeth ef fy nyfynnu'n gywir gan ddefnyddio'r ymadrodd Basgeg o 'adeiladu'r ffordd wrth i ni deithio'. Yn wreiddiol, roeddwn i wedi rhoi cynnal profion ar fersiwn mwy gwamal—ein bod ni'n ei 'ddyfeisio wrth fynd', ac yr wyf i'n deall nawr ei fod wedi ymddangos yn neunydd etholiad Russell George a'r Ceidwadwyr, felly yr wyf i'n amlwg wedi darparu gwasanaeth iddyn nhw yno. Gwyrdroi bwriad fy sylwadau'n llwyr. Rydym ni'n ceisio gweithredu dull gwirioneddol newydd ac arloesol yma, a dyma'r hyn sy'n digwydd pan fyddwch chi'n ceisio gwneud hynny yng ngwleidyddiaeth plaid.
Come on—[Inaudible.]
Dewch nawr—[Anghlywadwy.]
Cheap, cheap points, which on the one hand makes contributions in the Chamber welcoming our different approach, and on the other hand in political propaganda belittling it. So, I was disappointed to see that, but not surprised.
But what we're really trying to do is—. He asked what we'd learnt, and I think through the provision of PPE—. He nods his head, but he can't score cheap political points and then try and elevate himself as a great statesman of the age at the same time—the two don't fit. What we're trying to do, through PPE procurement, we've learned a lot of lessons from this of how difficult it is, because during the pandemic, we have seen the difficulty of getting Welsh firms to be able to supply into the public sector quickly, and there were three particular barriers on PPE that we struggled with. One was procurement policy itself, and we're currently revising the Welsh public policy statement to learn the lessons from that. Secondly, there was the issue of price. We are able to buy masks, certainly in normal times, in China for considerably less than we can buy them in Wales, but as I mentioned in the statement, that supply chain is not resilient, so there's a genuine debate to be had about what is the premium we think it's right to pay for locally sourced goods, and that is an ongoing discussion we're having. And then there was the issue of standards and certification, because you can't simply produce a mask and then flog it to your local hospital. It has to meet medical standards. So, there are some real granular issues there, which definitely have slowed us down and created some genuine policy dilemmas for us, which we are working through.
But we do think there's huge potential in the medium term for this agenda, not just in things like low-cost things in PPE, but in high-cost things like orthopaedics. For example, in hips. The UK imports something like £1.2 billion worth of hips and orthopaedic joints every year from high-cost countries, and we could be making those things ourselves. So, there is a big reform agenda, that if we get it right, Wales's small and medium-sized enterprises can genuinely benefit from.
But the devil is in the detail, and it is difficult, and Russell George rightly pointed out that some of the problems are within the small and medium-sized enterprises themselves—their capacities to be able to win procurement contracts and so on. Cross-departmental working, as he rightly says, is a challenge for us too. None of this is easy, but we are building the road as we travel and we are learning as we go. From the trials that I mentioned, there are a number of successes that we now hope in the next financial year to start scaling, and keeping learning as we go.
Pwyntiau di-urddas iawn sydd ar y naill law yn gwneud cyfraniadau yn y Siambr yn croesawu ein dull gwahanol, ac ar y llaw arall mewn propaganda gwleidyddol yn ei fychanu. Felly, roeddwn i'n siomedig o weld hynny, ond nid oeddwn i'n synnu.
Ond yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ceisio'i wneud mewn gwirionedd yw—. Gofynnodd ef beth yr oeddem ni wedi'i ddysgu, ac rwy'n credu drwy ddarparu cyfarpar diogelu personol—. Mae'n nodio ei ben, ond ni all sgorio pwyntiau gwleidyddol di-urddas ac yna ceisio codi ei hun fel arweinydd gwleidyddol mawr yr oes ar yr un pryd—nid yw'r ddau yn cyd-fynd. Yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ceisio'i wneud, drwy gaffael cyfarpar diogelu personol, yr ydym ni wedi dysgu llawer o wersi o hyn o ba mor anodd ydyw hi, oherwydd yn ystod y pandemig, rydym ni wedi gweld yr anhawster o gael cwmnïau o Gymru i allu cyflenwi i'r sector cyhoeddus yn gyflym, ac roedd tri rhwystr penodol ar gyfarpar diogelu personol yr oeddem ni'n ei chael yn anodd. Polisi caffael ei hun oedd un, ac rydym ni wrthi'n adolygu datganiad polisi cyhoeddus Cymru i ddysgu'r gwersi o hynny. Yn ail, yr oedd mater y pris. Gallwn ni brynu mygydau, yn sicr mewn amseroedd arferol, yn Tsieina am gryn dipyn yn llai nag y gallwn ni eu prynu yng Nghymru, ond fel yr oeddwn i wedi sôn yn y datganiad, nid yw'r gadwyn gyflenwi honno'n gadarn, felly mae dadl wirioneddol i'w chael ynghylch y premiwm y credwn ni ei bod yn iawn talu am nwyddau lleol, ac mae honno'n drafodaeth barhaus yr ydym ni'n ei chael. Ac yna roedd mater safonau ac ardystiad, oherwydd ni allwch chi gynhyrchu masg ac yna ei werthu i'ch ysbyty lleol. Rhaid iddo fodloni safonau meddygol. Felly, mae rhai materion wirioneddol fanwl yno, sydd yn bendant wedi ein harafu ni ac wedi creu cyfyng-gyngor polisïau gwirioneddol i ni, yr ydym ni'n gweithio arnynt.
Ond rydym ni'n credu bod potensial enfawr yn y tymor canolig ar gyfer yr agenda hon, nid yn unig o ran pethau fel pethau cost isel yng nghyfarpar diogelu personol, ond ym mhethau cost uchel fel orthopedeg. Er enghraifft, o ran cluniau. Mae'r DU yn mewnforio gwerth £1.2 biliwn o gluniau a chymalau orthopedig bob blwyddyn o wledydd cost uchel, a gallem ni fod yn gwneud y pethau hynny ein hunain. Felly, mae agenda ddiwygio fawr, os byddwn ni'n gwneud pethau'n iawn, y gall busnesau bach a chanolig Cymru wir elwa o hynny.
Ond gall y manylion fod yn rhwystr, ac mae'n anodd, a nododd Russell George yn gywir fod rhai o'r problemau o fewn y busnesau bach a chanolig eu hunain—eu gallu i ennill contractau caffael ac yn y blaen. Mae gweithio trawsadrannol, fel y mae ef yn gywir yn ei ddweud, yn her i ni hefyd. Nid oes dim o hyn yn hawdd, ond rydym ni'n adeiladu'r ffordd wrth i ni deithio ac rydym ni'n dysgu wrth i ni fynd. O'r treialon y soniais i amdanyn nhw, mae nifer o lwyddiannau yr ydym ni'n gobeithio nawr yn y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf i ddechrau cynyddu, a pharhau i ddysgu wrth i ni fynd.
I'd like to thank the Deputy Minister for his statement. It's encouraging to hear the progress that is being made, and while the Deputy Minister is absolutely right to say we can learn things from other countries and other institutions, as the Welsh Government is clearly seeking to do, personally I don't think there's anything wrong with a little bit of 'making things up as you go along' when you're starting to try to do something that's really innovative and requires massive change. And just a couple of specific questions and points to raise. Is the Deputy Minister able to tell us any more about what are some of the barriers that the trials are identifying? I think it's obviously helpful that there's such a wide variation of trials and that they're in a range of different communities, but I think it would be helpful to understand what some of those barriers are. And I think it would also be helpful to understand how the community of practice, which is really helpful that he's mentioned—how that plan and how he sees that addressing those challenges that he rightly identifies in terms of spreading good practice. I think, Deputy Presiding Officer, we'd all acknowledge that that's one thing in Wales we haven't always been good at. We've had a lot of good innovation, but we haven't always been very good at mainstreaming it. So, I'd be interested in hearing a little bit more about that.
The Deputy Minister mentioned in his statement that over half the public services boards in Wales are currently working on this agenda. I think we'd all aspire to see them all doing that, and I wonder if the Deputy Minister can tell us what plans he has to roll that out. I mean, obviously, this will be a matter for the next Welsh Government, but whoever forms that Welsh Government, I very much hope that they will be wanting to build on this work that's been done.
And a final point, a bit about cross-departmental working: I was very pleased to hear the Deputy Minister mention, for example, that he is working with Castell Howell, one of our leading food firms. Because there are some businesses in the food industry who've been telling me recently that because of this issue that they fall partly within the economy as businesses, but also partly under the environment portfolio, that they're not always sure that they're taken as seriously as they ought to be as contributors to the economy. Now, obviously, they've got an absolutely vital role to play in this agenda, in the foundational economy. So, can I ask the Deputy Minister today to give us a strong commitment that he will work with others across departments so that he is identifying players, particularly in the food in sector, that might not have existing relationships with the economy department but that may, of course, have existing relationships with the department for the environment and agriculture?
Hoffwn i ddiolch i'r Dirprwy Weinidog am ei ddatganiad. Mae'n galonogol clywed y cynnydd sy'n cael ei wneud, ac er bod y Dirprwy Weinidog yn llygad ei le wrth ddweud y gallwn ni ddysgu pethau gan wledydd eraill a sefydliadau eraill, fel y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn amlwg yn ceisio'i wneud, yn bersonol nid wyf i'n credu bod unrhyw beth o'i le gydag ychydig o 'ddyfeisio pethau wrth i chi fynd ymlaen' pan fyddwch chi'n dechrau ceisio gwneud rhywbeth sy'n wirioneddol arloesol ac sy'n gofyn am newid enfawr. A dim ond ychydig o gwestiynau a phwyntiau penodol i'w codi. A yw'r Dirprwy Weinidog yn gallu dweud rhagor wrthym ni am beth yw rhai o'r rhwystrau y mae'r treialon yn eu nodi? Rwy'n credu ei bod yn amlwg yn ddefnyddiol bod cymaint o amrywiaeth o dreialon a'u bod mewn amrywiaeth o wahanol gymunedau, ond rwy'n credu y byddai'n ddefnyddiol deall beth yw rhai o'r rhwystrau hynny. Ac rwy'n credu y byddai hefyd yn ddefnyddiol deall sut y mae'r gymuned ymarfer, sy'n ddefnyddiol iawn, y mae ef wedi'i chrybwyll—sut y mae'r cynllun hwnnw a sut y mae'n gweld hynny'n mynd i'r afael â'r heriau hynny y mae ef yn eu nodi'n briodol o ran lledaenu arfer da. Rwy'n credu, Dirprwy Lywydd, y byddem ni i gyd yn cydnabod mai dyna un peth yng Nghymru nad ydym ni bob amser wedi bod yn dda yn ei wneud. Rydym ni wedi cael llawer o arloesi da, ond nid ydym ni bob amser wedi bod yn dda iawn yn ei brif ffrydio. Felly, byddai gennyf i ddiddordeb mewn clywed ychydig mwy am hynny.
Soniodd y Dirprwy Weinidog yn ei ddatganiad fod dros hanner y byrddau gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yng Nghymru yn gweithio ar yr agenda hon ar hyn o bryd. Rwy'n credu y byddem ni i gyd yn dyheu am eu gweld nhw i gyd yn gwneud hynny, a thybed a all y Dirprwy Weinidog ddweud wrthym ni pa gynlluniau sydd ganddo i gyflwyno hynny. Rwy'n golygu, yn amlwg, mai mater i Lywodraeth nesaf Cymru fydd hyn, ond pwy bynnag sy'n ffurfio Llywodraeth Cymru, rwy'n gobeithio'n fawr y byddan nhw eisiau datblygu'r gwaith hwn sydd wedi'i wneud.
A phwynt olaf, ychydig o ran gweithio trawsadrannol: yr oeddwn i'n falch iawn o glywed y Dirprwy Weinidog yn sôn, er enghraifft, ei fod yn gweithio gyda Chastell Howell, un o'n prif gwmnïau bwyd. Gan fod rhai busnesau yn y diwydiant bwyd sydd wedi bod yn dweud wrthyf i'n ddiweddar, oherwydd y mater hwn eu bod yn dod yn rhannol o fewn yr economi fel busnesau, ond hefyd yn rhannol o dan bortffolio'r amgylchedd, nad ydyn nhw bob amser yn siŵr eu bod yn cael eu cymryd o ddifri ag y dylen nhw fod fel cyfranwyr i'r economi. Nawr, yn amlwg, mae ganddyn nhw ran gwbl hanfodol i'w chwarae yn yr agenda hon, yn yr economi sylfaenol. Felly, a gaf i ofyn i'r Dirprwy Weinidog heddiw roi ymrwymiad cryf i ni y bydd yn gweithio gydag eraill ledled adrannau fel ei fod ef yn nodi cyfranwyr, yn enwedig yn y sector bwyd, efallai nad oes ganddyn nhw berthynas bresennol ag adran yr economi ond a allai, wrth gwrs, fod â pherthynas bresennol ag adran yr amgylchedd ac amaethyddiaeth?
Well, thank you for that and for the endorsement of an experimental approach. Just to take the final point first, I think it's a really legitimate point about businesses in the food sector falling between the food division and the economic development division, and one of the challenges of the foundational economy is it does cut across a number of different silos. And I think that also speaks to the fact that, in traditional economic development terms, a lot of these sectors have been seen as too mundane to bother with, really, because they're not glamorous, they don't produce massive gross value added or productivity gains, they tend not to be in the higher range of the salaries. So, in terms of the legitimate task we set officials working on economic development, it was to fix many of these problems we have. This is not the easiest part of the spectrum to start with, so they have, understandably, focused on other areas where they can get gains faster. And I don't criticise that; I merely observe it, and I think that this is something that we need to address and that we are doing through this work.
So, the work with Castell Howell is very interesting because that's a good example of where we can seduce ourselves with postcode procurement, as it's called. So, the Welsh public sector spends a significant amount with Castell Howell and, on paper, that's good news for Welsh procurement. But, actually, only about 10 per cent of the goods Castell Howell supplies are from Welsh producers. Now, there are all sorts of reasons for that, so we're sitting down, working with them, and they are as keen as mustard to address this. They've been—as Helen Mary Jones knows—keen advocates of local producers for their entire history. But there are real barriers in the way that make it hard for them to get up that figure from 10 per cent. But we're working with them to get that up to 30 per cent and then learning lessons for the rest of the distribution sector for how that can be done. Because often, it is through the buyers that we can make the greatest advances rather than just through the producers themselves. And one of the interesting things, speaking to the Hywel Dda health board director of finance, is that the directors of finance don't have visibility of the business sector. So, they may say, if they were to set themselves a target of increasing spend, for example, they're not connected into knowing what capable businesses there would be in their region who would be able to fill that opportunity. So, that's another thing that we're learning through this and putting right.
So, I think there are lots of exciting and huge potential developments in play, but it remains a fact that the NHS food bill is something like £22 million, whereas the Welsh supermarket household prize is something like 20 times that. If we can get Welsh food suppliers into Welsh supermarkets, that, really, is where the prize is, and, obviously, farmers have been making this argument for a long time. But we need to diversify the food that we grow in Wales and grow far more crops and vegetables year round and find a market for them locally. And that's absolutely on point with all of our agendas, not least the future generations agenda. So, I think we are learning and, as I say, it's frustrating in that progress hasn't been as fast as I would have liked, and COVID hasn't helped that. But we are getting somewhere. We're doing a major piece of work now, as I mentioned, on understanding the potential and the barriers.
Helen Mary Jones asked about the work we're doing with the Centre for Local Economic Strategies, and I shared a platform with them this morning at the NHS Wales Finance Academy conference, where we looked, with NHS finance directors, at these issues in detail to try and get them to see the role they have to play in economic development, not just in healthcare, and they are certainly very much up for that challenge. So, the ambition is, with all public services boards, to mainstream these learnings. We've started off with a smaller group to trial it, but the intention, as always, is to scale—and I'm talking to Vaughan Gething and Andrew Goodall about doing that, and they are very supportive as well.
And to finish with her first question on the community of practice and the barriers—. I mentioned in the answer to Russell George some of the barriers we've been facing. So, the community of practice, again, has been delayed because of COVID, but it has proven useful in the cross-fertilising between projects or the common problems they're having. I think the work we need to do now for the final period of their work is to really get into the guts to understand the barriers, and I am certainly working with senior officials from across different departments to look at the projects relevant to each department, so they know—. And, as I say, I'm as interested in what they've struggled with as what they've succeeded with, because that'll be a symptom of a broader problem.
Wel, diolch am hynny ac am gymeradwyo dull arbrofol. I gymryd y pwynt olaf yn gyntaf, rwy'n credu ei fod yn bwynt dilys iawn ynghylch busnesau yn y sector bwyd yn disgyn rhwng yr is-adran fwyd a'r is-adran datblygu economaidd, ac un o heriau'r economi sylfaenol yw ei fod yn torri ar draws nifer o wahanol seilos. Ac rwy'n credu bod hynny hefyd yn cyfeirio at y ffaith bod llawer o'r sectorau hyn, mewn termau datblygu economaidd traddodiadol, wedi cael eu hystyried yn rhy ddinod i drafferthu â nhw, mewn gwirionedd, gan nad ydyn nhw'n amlwg, nid ydyn nhw'n cynhyrchu gwerth ychwanegol gros enfawr nac enillion cynhyrchiant, maen nhw'n dueddol i beidio â bod yn yr amrediad uwch o gyflogau. Felly, o ran y dasg ddilys yr ydym ni'n ei gosod i swyddogion sy'n gweithio ar ddatblygu economaidd, yr oedd hynny i ddatrys llawer o'r problemau hyn sydd gennym ni. Nid dyma'r rhan hawsaf o'r amrediad i ddechrau arni, felly maen nhw, yn ddealladwy, wedi canolbwyntio ar feysydd eraill lle y mae'n bosibl iddyn nhw gael enillion yn gyflymach. Ac nid wyf i'n beirniadu hynny; rwyf i ond yn sylwi arno, ac rwy'n credu bod hyn yn rhywbeth y mae angen i ni fynd i'r afael ag ef a'n bod ni'n ei gwneud drwy'r gwaith hwn.
Felly, mae'r gwaith gyda Castell Howell yn ddiddorol iawn gan fod hynny'n enghraifft dda o ble y gallwn ni hudo ein hunain gyda chaffael cod post, fel y mae'n cael ei alw. Felly, mae'r sector cyhoeddus yng Nghymru yn gwario swm sylweddol gyda Castell Howell ac, ar bapur, mae hynny'n newyddion da i gaffael yng Nghymru. Ond, mewn gwirionedd, dim ond tua 10 y cant o'r nwyddau y mae Castell Howell yn eu cyflenwi sy'n dod o gynhyrchwyr o Gymru. Nawr, mae pob math o resymau dros hynny, felly rydym ni'n eistedd i lawr, yn gweithio gyda nhw, ac maen nhw'n awyddus iawn i fynd i'r afael â hyn. Maen nhw wedi bod—fel y mae Helen Mary Jones yn gwybod—yn eiriolwyr brwd dros gynhyrchwyr lleol ar hyd eu holl hanes. Ond mae rhwystrau gwirioneddol yn y ffordd sy'n ei gwneud yn anodd iddyn nhw godi'r ffigur hwnnw o 10 y cant. Ond rydym ni'n gweithio gyda nhw i gael hynny hyd at 30 y cant ac yna dysgu gwersi i weddill y sector dosbarthu ar gyfer sut y mae modd gwneud hynny. Oherwydd yn aml, drwy'r prynwyr y gallwn ni wneud y cynnydd mwyaf yn hytrach na dim ond drwy'r cynhyrchwyr eu hunain. Ac un o'r pethau diddorol, wrth siarad â chyfarwyddwr cyllid bwrdd iechyd Hywel Dda, yw nad oes gan y cyfarwyddwyr cyllid olwg o'r sector busnes. Felly, efallai y byddan nhw'n dweud, pe baen nhw'n gosod targed o gynyddu gwariant iddyn nhw eu hunain, er enghraifft, nid ydyn nhw wedi'u cysylltu â gwybodaeth ynghylch pa fusnesau galluog fyddai yn eu rhanbarth a fyddai'n gallu manteisio ar y cyfle hwnnw. Felly, dyna beth arall rydym ni'n ei ddysgu drwy hyn a'i gywiro.
Felly, rwy'n credu bod llawer o ddatblygiadau cyffrous ac enfawr posibl ar waith, ond mae'n dal yn ffaith bod bil bwyd y GIG yn rhywbeth tebyg i £22 miliwn, wrth fod gwobr nwyddau'r cartref archfarchnadoedd Cymru yn rhywbeth tebyg i 20 gwaith hynny. Os gallwn ni gael cyflenwyr bwyd o Gymru i archfarchnadoedd Cymru, dyna'n wir lle mae'r wobr, ac, yn amlwg, mae ffermwyr wedi bod yn dadlau'r hyn ers amser maith. Ond mae angen i ni arallgyfeirio'r bwyd rydym ni'n ei dyfu yng Nghymru a thyfu llawer mwy o gnydau a llysiau drwy gydol y flwyddyn a dod o hyd i farchnad iddyn nhw'n lleol. Ac mae hynny'n cyd-fynd yn llwyr gyda'n holl agendâu, yn enwedig agenda cenedlaethau'r dyfodol. Felly, rwy'n credu ein bod ni'n dysgu ac, fel y dywedais i, mae'n rhwystredig gan nad yw'r cynnydd hwnnw wedi bod mor gyflym ag y byddwn ni ei hoffi, ac nid yw COVID wedi helpu hynny. Ond rydym ni'n gwneud cynnydd. Rydym ni'n gwneud darn mawr o waith nawr, fel y soniais i, ar ddeall y potensial a'r rhwystrau.
Gofynnodd Helen Mary Jones ynghylch y gwaith yr ydym ni'n ei wneud gyda'r Ganolfan Strategaethau Economaidd Lleol, a gwnes i rannu llwyfan gyda nhw y bore yma yng nghynhadledd Academi Gyllid GIG Cymru, lle'r oeddem ni'n edrych, gyda chyfarwyddwyr cyllid y GIG, ar y materion hyn yn fanwl i geisio eu cael i weld y rhan sydd ganddyn nhw i'w chwarae ym maes datblygu economaidd, nid ym maes gofal iechyd yn unig, ac maen nhw'n sicr yn wynebu'r her honno. Felly, yr uchelgais, gyda phob bwrdd gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, yw prif ffrydio'r gwersi hyn. Rydym ni wedi dechrau gyda grŵp llai i'w dreialu, ond y bwriad, fel arfer, yw cynyddu—ac rwy'n siarad â Vaughan Gething ac Andrew Goodall ynghylch gwneud hynny, ac maen nhw'n gefnogol iawn hefyd.
Ac i orffen gyda'i chwestiwn cyntaf ar y gymuned ymarfer a'r rhwystrau—. Soniais i yn yr ateb i Russell George am rai o'r rhwystrau rydym ni wedi bod yn eu hwynebu. Felly, mae'r gymuned ymarfer, unwaith eto, wedi'i gohirio oherwydd COVID, ond mae hi wedi profi'n ddefnyddiol yn y croesffrwythloni rhwng prosiectau neu'r problemau cyffredin y maen nhw'n yn eu cael. Rwy'n credu mai'r gwaith y mae angen i ni ei wneud nawr ar gyfer cyfnod olaf eu gwaith yw mynd i'r afael mewn gwirionedd â deall y rhwystrau, ac yn sicr, rwy'n gweithio gydag uwch swyddogion ledled gwahanol adrannau i ystyried y prosiectau sy'n berthnasol i bob adran, felly maen nhw'n gwybod—. Ac, fel y dywedais i, mae gennyf i gymaint o ddiddordeb yn yr hyn sydd wedi achosi trafferth iddyn nhw â'r hyn y maen nhw wedi llwyddo ag ef, oherwydd bydd hynny'n symptom o broblem ehangach.
Can I first of all thank the Deputy Minister for his statement? Can I also say the post-COVID economy is going to be very different to February 2020? It's not a return to the past.
Of course, there is a difference between the foundation economy and the foundational economy—although people sometimes confuse them. The foundation of Swansea's economy was coal and metal; it is now Government services, insurance, universities and small-scale but highly-skilled manufacturing and services provision. Within Swansea, the foundational economy is mainly the sport economy; the difference between provision of services and goods outside and inside the city's boundaries.
I agree with the Minister that COVID has underlined the critical roles played by key workers—some of these people were not really considered key workers until COVID came in, and now we realise just how much we need them—and the importance of everyday goods and services to the well-being of our communities and our economy. But does the Minister agree that for procurement to work for small companies, or smaller companies, the size of the contract needs to reduce to a size where local companies can bid? And an example has been some road schemes where the size of the contract has been such that only four or five very big, multinational companies were able to bid, where, if they split it down into one and two-mile sections, local companies can bid. And the key is that the bigger the contract you set, the fewer and fewer companies who can bid, and you've got rules that a contract cannot be more than 10 or 20 per cent of the total turnover of the company. So, if you make the bid for the contracts too big, then only a few companies can bid, and the local companies end up sub-contracting, and the property goes elsewhere.
A gaf i ddiolch yn gyntaf i'r Dirprwy Weinidog am ei ddatganiad? A gaf i ddeud hefyd y bydd yr economi ôl-COVID yn wahanol iawn i fis Chwefror 2020? Nid yw'n fater o ddychwelyd i'r gorffennol.
Wrth gwrs, mae gwahaniaeth rhwng yr economi sefydledig a'r economi sylfaenol—er bod pobl weithiau'n eu cymysgu nhw. Sylfaen economi Abertawe oedd glo a metel; erbyn hyn gwasanaethau'r Llywodraeth, yswiriant, prifysgolion a darpariaeth gweithgynhyrchu a gwasanaethau ar raddfa fach ond hyfedr iawn ydyw hi. Yn Abertawe, yr economi chwaraeon yw'r economi sylfaenol yn bennaf; y gwahaniaeth rhwng darparu gwasanaethau a nwyddau y tu allan a'r tu mewn i ffiniau'r ddinas.
Rwy'n cytuno â'r Gweinidog fod COVID wedi tanlinellu'r swyddogaethau hanfodol y mae gweithwyr allweddol yn eu cyflawni—nid oedd rhai o'r bobl hyn wir yn cael eu hystyried yn weithwyr allweddol nes i COVID ddod, ac erbyn hyn, rydym ni nawr yn sylweddoli gymaint sydd eu hangen nhw arnom ni—a phwysigrwydd nwyddau a gwasanaethau bob dydd i les ein cymunedau a'n heconomi. Ond a yw'r Gweinidog yn cytuno, er mwyn i gaffael weithio i gwmnïau bach, neu gwmnïau llai, fod angen i faint y contract ostwng i faint lle gall cwmnïau lleol wneud cais? Ac un enghraifft sydd wedi bod yw rhai cynlluniau ffyrdd lle mae maint y contract wedi golygu mai dim ond pedwar neu bump o gwmnïau rhyngwladol mawr iawn a oedd yn gallu gwneud cais, lle y gallai cwmnïau lleol wneud cais, pe baen nhw yn ei rannu'n adrannau un a dwy filltir. A chraidd y peth yw, po fwyaf yw'r contract yr ydych hi'n ei osod, llai a llai o gwmnïau a all wneud cais, ac mae gennych chi reolau na all contract fod yn fwy na 10 neu 20 y cant o gyfanswm trosiant y cwmni. Felly, os gwnewch chi'r cais am y contractau'n rhy fawr, yna dim ond ychydig o gwmnïau a all wneud cais, ac mae'r cwmnïau lleol yn is-gontractio yn y pen draw, ac mae'r eiddo'n mynd i rywle arall.
Thank you. I entirely agree with that analysis, and the point about key workers, I think, is very well made, and it helps address one of the questions we have: what is the foundational economy? It's a clunky phrase; it's not a terribly elegant political concept. But I think people can see now who key workers are, and how valuable they are, when the chips are down especially, and how they have been neglected. And I think they symbolise, really, the everyday economy that we are trying to harness through this approach.
The point I think on the size of contracts is a really important one, and I think there is a job of work for both parts here, both for those letting the contracts—Government—and for the private sector in upskilling and being able to take advantage of them. And in that, there is some really good work being done by Wynne Construction in Bodelwyddan who have been recognised many times in the industry for the work they've done in developing their own supply chain, and helping smaller firms to be able to get those larger contracts. So, there's definitely a skills issue, and there's partly the nature, particularly in construction, of the size of many Welsh firms, that they simply don't have the back-office functions to be able to do bid writing when competing against much larger multinationals who have teams who know how to get around the scoring system, shall I say.
So, there's definitely a job of helping the private sector to become savvier and to pool their resources for common good, but there's also a job of work for the procurement professionals themselves. And this is an agenda we've been working on for some time, and it's something the First Minister has been championing about raising the status of procurement professionals, moving them from the back room to the board room, in Professor Kevin Morgan's elegant phrase, and giving them the skills and the space to be able to develop contracts that local companies stand a better chance of getting. Because, often, it is the easier solution to come up with one large contract, which is easier to manage, than a whole patchwork of smaller contracts that would help smaller firms, but are a nightmare for an overstretched local authority. So, there's no easy answer to that, but it's something we're hoping to address as part of our reform programme for the profession.
Diolch. Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â'r dadansoddiad hwnnw, ac mae'r pwynt ynghylch gweithwyr allweddol, rwy'n credu, wedi'i wneud yn dda iawn, ac mae'n helpu i fynd i'r afael ag un o'r cwestiynau sydd gennym ni: beth yw'r economi sylfaenol? Mae'n ymadrodd clogyrnaidd; nid yw'n gysyniad gwleidyddol ofnadwy o ddestlus. Ond rwy'n credu y gall pobl weld nawr pwy yw'r gweithwyr allweddol, a pha mor werthfawr y mae nhw, pan fydd pethau'n anodd, yn arbennig, a sut y cawson nhw eu hesgeuluso. Ac rwy'n credu eu bod yn symbol, mewn gwirionedd, o'r economi bob dydd yr ydym ni'n ceisio'i cipio drwy'r dull hwn.
Rwy'n credu bod y pwynt ynghylch maint contractau yn un pwysig iawn, ac rwy'n credu bod gwaith i'r ddwy ran yma, i'r rheini sy'n gosod y contractau—Llywodraeth—ac i'r sector preifat o ran uwchsgilio a gallu manteisio arnyn nhw. Ac yn hynny o beth, mae gwaith da iawn yn cael ei wneud gan Wynne Construction ym Modelwyddan sydd wedi cael eu cydnabod droeon yn y diwydiant am y gwaith y maen nhw wedi'i wneud i ddatblygu eu cadwyn gyflenwi eu hunain, a helpu cwmnïau llai i allu cael y contractau mwy hynny. Felly, yn bendant mae problem sgiliau, ac yn rhannol mae natur, yn enwedig ym maes adeiladu, maint llawer o gwmnïau Cymru, nad oes ganddyn nhw'r swyddogaethau swyddfa gefn i allu gwneud gwaith ysgrifennu ceisiadau wrth gystadlu yn erbyn cwmnïau rhyngwladol llawer mwy sydd â thimau sy'n gwybod sut i gael y gorau ar y system sgorio, fel petai.
Felly, yn bendant mae gwaith o helpu'r sector preifat i ddod yn fwy craff a chyfuno eu hadnoddau er lles pawb, ond mae gwaith hefyd i'r gweithwyr caffael proffesiynol eu hunain. Ac mae hon yn agenda yr ydym ni wedi bod yn gweithio arni ers peth amser, ac mae'n rhywbeth y mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi bod yn ei hyrwyddo ynghylch codi statws gweithwyr caffael proffesiynol, eu symud o'r ystafell gefn i'r ystafell fwrdd, yn ymadrodd destlus yr Athro Kevin Morgan, a rhoi iddyn nhw'r sgiliau a'r lle i allu datblygu contractau y mae gan gwmnïau lleol well cyfle o'u cael. Oherwydd, yn aml, yr ateb yw llunio un contract mawr, sy'n haws ei reoli, na chlytwaith cyfan o gontractau llai a fyddai'n helpu cwmnïau llai, ond sy'n hunllef i awdurdod lleol sydd o dan bwysau. Felly, does dim ateb hawdd i hynny, ond mae'n rhywbeth yr ydym ni'n gobeithio mynd i'r afael â hi yn rhan o'n rhaglen ddiwygio ar gyfer y proffesiwn.
Can I thank the Deputy Minister for his statement? I can say that I share the Deputy Minister's enthusiasm for the foundational economy, as, indeed, I do for the co-operative movement. I believe they both have the ability not just to provide jobs, but also to create a greater degree of community spirit and aspiration.
Whilst I acknowledge that the public sector has a very large part to play in creating and supporting the foundational economy, if it is to be successful, it must also embrace the private sector. The emphasis must be on growing the pie, not redistributing it more equally. I truly believe that if we grow the pie, society as a whole will benefit. This is borne out by the fact that we are all vastly better off than our grandparents or great-grandparents; we have all benefited from the expansion of the economy as a whole, and it must be so for the foundational economy.
Although I believe that Government should be regulating against whatever excesses can apply to free enterprise, I also believe their primary role is to create the conditions under which free enterprise can flourish. The foundational economy gives the Government the opportunity to reinvent a truly co-operative style of business. I'd encourage you to do all that you can to achieve this sea change in Welsh local economies. There is risk in what you are doing and the whole of the political spectrum must accept failure as well as success, and support those—to paraphrase someone else—two imposters just the same. So, will the Deputy Minister take those points into consideration?
A gaf i ddiolch i'r Dirprwy Weinidog am ei ddatganiad? Gallaf i ddweud fy mod i'n rhannu brwdfrydedd y Dirprwy Weinidog dros yr economi sylfaenol, fel yr wyf i'n wir, dros y mudiad cydweithredol. Rwy'n credu bod gan y ddau ohonyn nhw'r gallu nid yn unig i ddarparu swyddi, ond hefyd i greu mwy o ysbryd a dyhead cymunedol.
Er fy mod i'n cydnabod bod gan y sector cyhoeddus ran fawr iawn i'w chwarae wrth greu a chefnogi'r economi sylfaenol, os yw'n mynd i fod yn llwyddiannus, rhaid iddo hefyd groesawu'r sector preifat. Rhaid i'r pwyslais fod ar dyfu'r dorth, nid ei hailddosbarthu'n fwy cyfartal. Rwy'n credu o ddifrif, os byddwn ni'n tyfu'r dorth, y bydd y gymdeithas yn ei chyfanrwydd yn elwa. Mae hyn wedi'i ategu gan y ffaith ein bod ni i gyd yn llawer gwell ein byd na'n neiniau a'n teidiau neu ein hen neiniau a theidiau; yr ydym ni i gyd wedi elwa o ehangu'r economi gyfan, a rhaid iddi fod felly i'r economi sylfaenol.
Er fy mod i'n credu y dylai'r Llywodraeth fod yn rheoleiddio yn erbyn pa bynnag gormodedd a all fod yn berthnasol i fenter rydd, rwy'n credu hefyd mai eu prif swyddogaeth yw creu'r amodau lle y gall menter rydd ffynnu. Mae'r economi sylfaenol yn rhoi cyfle i'r Llywodraeth ailddyfeisio dull busnes gwirioneddol gydweithredol. Byddwn i'n eich annog i wneud popeth o'ch gallu i gyflawni'r newid mawr hwn yn economïau lleol Cymru. Mae perygl yn yr hyn yr ydych chi'n ei wneud a rhaid i'r sbectrwm gwleidyddol cyfan dderbyn methiant yn ogystal â llwyddiant, a chefnogi'r rheini—i aralleirio rhywun arall—dau dwyllwr yr un fath. Felly, a wnaiff y Dirprwy Weinidog ystyried y pwyntiau hynny?
Well, this is a pro-business agenda. It's pro local business, small business, grounded firm, and we want capable Welsh firms to grow, to innovate, to have higher productivity, to export. This isn't about some sleepy backwater of the economy that we want to keep sleepy; we want to disrupt this part of our economy, where fair work is a part of its features and higher wages too.
Thinking of social care, social care should not be seen as a low-wage, low-skill part of the economy. It is an essential part of our well-being and our society, and there is huge potential, with a different business model, for the skills mix and its status to be transformed. So, all of these sort of hidden away, mundane parts of the economy, as they've been characterised—the foundational economy—have within them high-skill and high-wage roles. Think in terms of the pipes and the plumbing and the infrastructure. Think of Dŵr Cymru, think of broadband. These are all foundational, these are the everyday infrastructure of our lives. Once they're not there, society notices.
So, I don't accept the implied premise of the question that—I think the quote was we should be growing the pie, not just redistributing it. This is not some low-value part of the economy where we are going to keep everything cosy and featherbedded. The opposite. We want to change the way this part of the economy works for Wales and our communities, because its potential is so great.
Wel, agenda o blaid busnes yw hon. Mae'n gefnogol i fusnesau lleol, busnesau bach, sydd wedi'u gwreiddio'n gadarn, ac rydym ni eisiau i gwmnïau galluog Cymru dyfu, arloesi, cael cynhyrchiant uwch, i allforio. Nid yw hyn yn ymwneud â rhyw lecyn cysglyd diarffordd o'r economi yr ydym ni eisiau ei gadw'n gysglyd; rydym ni eisiau tarfu ar y rhan hon o'n heconomi, lle mae gwaith teg yn rhan o'i nodweddion a chyflogau uwch hefyd.
Gan feddwl am ofal cymdeithasol, ni ddylai gofal cymdeithasol gael ei ystyried yn rhan cyflog isel, sgiliau isel o'r economi. Mae'n rhan hanfodol o'n lles a'n cymdeithas, ac mae potensial enfawr, gyda model busnes gwahanol, i'r cymysgedd sgiliau a'i statws gael eu trawsnewid. Felly, mae gan bob un o'r mathau hyn o rannau cudd, di-nod yr economi, fel y mae nhw wedi'u nodweddi—yr economi sylfaenol—swyddi sgiliau uchel a chyflog uchel ynddyn nhw. Ystyriwch y pibellau a'r plymio a'r seilwaith. Ystyriwch Dŵr Cymru, ystyriwch fand eang. Mae'r rhain i gyd yn sylfaenol, dyma seilwaith bob dydd ein bywydau. Unwaith nad ydyn nhw yno, mae'r gymdeithas yn sylwi ar hynny.
Felly, nid wyf i'n derbyn y gosodiad ymhlyg y cwestiwn bod—rwy'n credu mai'r dyfyniad oedd y dylem ni fod yn tyfu'r dorth, nid dim ond ei hailddosbarthu. Nid yw hyn yn rhan gwerth isel o'r economi lle'r ydym ni'n mynd i gadw popeth yn glyd ac yn gysurus. I'r gwrthwyneb. Rydym ni eisiau newid y ffordd y mae'r rhan hon o'r economi'n gweithio i Gymru a'n cymunedau, oherwydd mae ei photensial mor fawr.
And finally, Huw Irranca-Davies.
Ac yn olaf, Huw Irranca-Davies.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Minister, I really welcome the statement and I absolutely endorse the idea that we need to experiment with this and try it, but we also need then to roll it out at scale. I just came back at lunch time from a walk down my high street. Now, prior to coronavirus, we were starting to pick things up, and, in fact, we've got a lot of investment here in Maesteg, but I could do the same in the Garw and in the Ogmore valley and elsewhere. We're going to have to have such a pushback for these communities coming back from COVID, and particularly when we've seen some of the announcements over retail, for example, and so on. It strikes me, Minister, that the diversity of the approaches that have been taken in the different pilot areas are excellent, because we can all pick something that would give us strength and a different approach, but what strikes me is that this seems to lend itself to an approach that is not just driven on a regional basis by PSBs and by local authorities, but actually something to do with the fora of local communities that can sit down, can learn from that community that you were talking about, about what has worked, where the difficulties are, and then fashion their own grasp of that future, whether it's around food procurement and delivery into local agencies and authorities, whether it's to do with community ownership and management, whether it's building local enterprise on high streets and within those Valleys communities. There's something here, Minister, about engaging with local people, not just with local authorities, PSBs and so on. Now I'm looking forward to this. I really hope that this will continue, not just now, but after the next election into the sixth term. And if we do that, Minister, what would your advice be on the best way to roll this out, so that this bites deeply into each local community, and each local community throughout Wales can really take this forward? There's something about doing it for yourself, but rolling out that community of practice that says, 'We've got some ideas about how this can work.'
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Gweinidog, rwy'n croesawu'r datganiad yn fawr ac rwy'n cefnogi'r syniad yn llwyr bod angen i ni arbrofi gyda hyn a rhoi cynnig arni, ond mae angen i ni i ei gyflwyno ar raddfa fwy hefyd. Rwyf i newydd ddychwelyd amser cinio o daith gerdded i lawr fy stryd fawr. Nawr, cyn coronafeirws, roeddem ni'n dechrau mynd i'r afael â phethau, ac, mewn gwirionedd, mae gennym ni lawer o fuddsoddiad yma ym Maesteg, ond gallwn ni wneud yr un peth yng nghymoedd y Garw ac Ogwr ac mewn mannau eraill. Bydd yn rhaid i ni gael cymaint o hwb i'r cymunedau hyn sy'n dychwelyd o COVID, ac yn enwedig pan fyddwn i wedi gweld rhai o'r cyhoeddiadau ynghylch manwerthu, er enghraifft, ac yn y blaen. Mae'n fy nharo, i Weinidog, fod amrywiaeth y dulliau sydd wedi'u defnyddio yn y gwahanol ardaloedd treialu yn rhagorol, oherwydd gallwn ni oll ddewis rhywbeth a fyddai'n rhoi cryfder i ni a dull gweithredu wahanol, ond yr hyn sy'n fy nharo i yw ei bod yn ymddangos bod hyn yn addas ar gyfer dull nad yw'n cael ei ysgogi'n rhanbarthol gan Fyrddau Gwasanaethau Cyhoeddus a gan awdurdodau lleol yn unig, ond mewn gwirionedd rhywbeth i'w wneud â fforymau'r gymuned leol yn gallu eistedd i lawr a dysgu gan y gymuned honno yr oeddech chi'n sôn amdani, o ran yr hyn sydd wedi gweithio, ble mae'r anawsterau, ac yna'n llunio eu gafael eu hunain ar y dyfodol hwnnw, boed hynny'n ymwneud â chaffael a darparu bwyd i asiantaethau ac awdurdodau lleol, boed hynny'n ymwneud â pherchnogaeth a rheolaeth gymunedol, p'un ai yw'n adeiladu menter leol ar y stryd fawr ac o fewn y cymunedau hynny yn y Cymoedd. Mae rhywbeth yma, Gweinidog, ynglŷn ag ymgysylltu â phobl leol, nid dim ond gydag awdurdodau lleol, Byrddau Gwasanaethau Cyhoeddus ac yn y blaen. Nawr rwy'n edrych ymlaen at hyn. Rwy'n gobeithio'n fawr y bydd hyn yn parhau, nid yn unig ar hyn o bryd, ond ar ôl yr etholiad nesaf i mewn i'r chweched tymor. Ac os byddwch chi'n gwneud hynny, Gweinidog, beth fyddai'ch cyngor ar y ffordd orau o gyflwyno hyn, fel bod hyn yn treiddio'n ddwfn i bob cymuned leol, a gall pob cymuned leol ledled Cymru ddatblygu hyn mewn gwirionedd? Mae rhywbeth ynghylch ei wneud drosoch chi eich hun, ond cyflwyno'r gymuned ymarfer honno sy'n dweud, 'Mae gennym ni rai syniadau ynghylch sut y gall hyn weithio.'
I think one of the exciting things about the agenda, which also is one of the most difficult things about the agenda, is the richness of its diversity. There are so many different elements to it, but at its heart it is about iteration, experimentation. So it's in that co-operative, guild spirit of local enterprise and adaptation to local circumstances. And so that's why community ownership and social enterprise is very much within the grain of the movement.
When we identified the £4.5 million challenge fund, which originally was a joint agreement with Plaid Cymru that we then built upon, the schemes that we agreed to fund came almost equally from the private sector, the public sector and from the third sector. This is not a monolithic, public sector-led project; it's about a cross-fertilisation of these different areas working together. And I think Huw Irranca-Davies mentioned the high street as quite a useful dashboard, really, of this approach, and Mike Hedges was contributing just earlier. It's interesting that one of the first pieces of work done by the University of Manchester group that has been pioneering this approach intellectually was in Morriston high street, where what they found through understanding what people wanted from their high street was that they valued the social infrastructure: they valued the toilets and the park more than they did free parking, actually. And we've lost a focus on that through austerity. And they also identified a key insight, which was the role of the public sector in placing themselves on the high street. They made the point that, in Morriston, for example, you're within spitting distance of the DVLA and Morriston Hospital, but those two institutions have turned their back on the high street. So, how can we get large institutions like that placing themselves in our shopping areas?
And also, not far from Huw Irranca-Davies's patch, in Bridgend, we've seen another of the challenge fund projects taking work that began in Merthyr on what are called 'meanwhile spaces'. So, in town centres, creating a space, a pop-up shop, possibly, where traders—sole traders, online traders, market traders—can grow and expand and trial having a shop space to see if they can make a success of that before moving on. So, creating a space where they are in the meanwhile between the two parts of their journey. And that's been a really interesting experiment, which has got huge potential to roll out across our town centres.
So, I think one of the challenges of this is how you manage it, because the more you dig into this, the more potential there is to go off in all sorts of different directions, and bringing a degree of discipline and priority to it, I think, has been one of the challenges. And this is definitely an agenda, I think, for the next Welsh Government and the Senedd. We've just begun to scratch the surface, I think, and started to generate an enthusiasm and awareness amongst the groups that we're working with of the potential of this agenda, and I hope that it will grow and grow.
Rwy'n credu mai un o'r pethau cyffrous am yr agenda, sydd hefyd yn un o'r pethau anoddaf am yr agenda, yw cyfoeth ei hamrywiaeth. Mae cymaint o wahanol elfennau iddi, ond wrth ei gwraidd mae'n ymwneud ag iteru, arbrofi. Felly mae yn yr ysbryd cydweithredol, urdd hwnnw o fenter leol ac addasu i amgylchiadau lleol. Ac felly dyna pam mae perchnogaeth gymunedol a menter gymdeithasol yn greiddiol iawn i'r mudiad.
Pan wnaethom nodi'r gronfa her £4.5 miliwn, a oedd yn gytundeb ar y cyd â Plaid Cymru yn wreiddiol ac y gwnaethom ni adeiladu arno wedyn, daeth y cynlluniau y gwnaethom gytuno i'w hariannu bron yn hafal o'r sector preifat, y sector cyhoeddus a'r trydydd sector. Nid prosiect monolithig sy'n cael ei arwain gan y sector cyhoeddus yw hwn; mae'n ymwneud â chyfnewid rhwng y gwahanol feysydd hyn i weithio gyda'i gilydd. Ac rwy'n credu bod Huw Irranca-Davies wedi sôn bod y stryd fawr yn ddangosfwrdd eithaf defnyddiol, mewn gwirionedd, o'r dull hwn, ac roedd Mike Hedges yn cyfrannu ychydig yn gynharach. Mae'n ddiddorol mai un o'r darnau cyntaf o waith a wnaed gan grŵp Prifysgol Manceinion sydd wedi bod yn arloesi'r dull hwn yn ddeallusol oedd yn stryd fawr Treforys, lle yr hyn y gwnaethon nhw ei ddarganfod trwy ddeall yr hyn yr oedd pobl ei eisiau o'u stryd fawr oedd eu bod yn gwerthfawrogi'r seilwaith cymdeithasol: roedden nhw'n gwerthfawrogi'r toiledau a'r parc yn fwy nag yr oedden nhw'n gwerthfawrogi parcio am ddim mewn gwirionedd. Ac rydym ni wedi colli pwyslais ar hynny drwy gyni. Ac fe wnaethon nhw hefyd nodi dirnadaeth allweddol, sef swyddogaeth y sector gyhoeddus o ran rhoi eu hunain ar y stryd fawr. Fe wnaethon nhw'r pwynt eich bod, yn Nhreforys, er enghraifft, o fewn pellter poeri i'r DVLA ac Ysbyty Treforys, ond mae'r ddau sefydliad hynny wedi troi eu cefn ar y stryd fawr. Felly, sut gallwn ni gael sefydliadau mawr fel y rhai hynny i leoli eu hunain yn ein hardaloedd siopa?
A hefyd, nepell o ardal Huw Irranca-Davies, ym Mhen-y-bont ar Ogwr, rydym ni wedi gweld un arall o brosiectau'r gronfa her yn ailafael mewn gwaith a ddechreuodd ym Merthyr ar yr hyn a elwir yn 'fannau cyfamserol'. Felly, mewn canol trefi, gall creu lle, siop dros dro, o bosibl, lle gall masnachwyr—unig fasnachwyr, masnachwyr ar-lein, masnachwyr marchnad—dyfu ac ehangu a threialu bod â lle mewn siop i weld a allan nhw wneud llwyddiant o hynny cyn symud ymlaen. Felly, creu lle iddyn nhw fod yn y cyfamser rhwng dwy ran o'u taith. Ac mae hynny wedi bod yn arbrawf diddorol iawn, sydd â photensial enfawr i'w gyflwyno i'n holl ganol trefi.
Felly, rwyf i'n credu mai un o heriau yn hyn yw sut yr ydych yn ei reoli, oherwydd po fwyaf y byddwch yn ymchwilio i hyn, y mwyaf o botensial sydd i fynd i bob math o gyfeiriadau gwahanol, a dod â rhywfaint o ddisgyblaeth a blaenoriaeth iddo, rwy'n credu, fu un o'r heriau. Ac mae hon yn bendant yn agenda, yn fy marn i, i Lywodraeth a Senedd nesaf Cymru. Rydym ni ond wedi dechrau crafu'r wyneb, rwy'n meddwl, ac wedi dechrau creu brwdfrydedd ac ymwybyddiaeth ymysg y grwpiau yr ydym yn gweithio gyda nhw o botensial yr agenda hon, ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yn tyfu ac yn tyfu.
Thank you very much, Deputy Minister.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Weinidog.
Item 8 on the agenda is the Nurse Staffing Levels (Extension of Situations) (Wales) Regulations 2021, and I call on the Minister for Health and Social Services to move the motion. Vaughan Gething.
Eitem 8 ar yr agenda yw Rheoliadau Lefelau Staff Nyrsio (Estyn Sefyllfaoedd) (Cymru) 2021, a galwaf ar y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol i gynnig y cynnig. Vaughan Gething.
Cynnig NDM7594 Rebecca Evans
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 27.5:
1. Yn cymeradwyo bod y fersiwn ddrafft o Reoliadau Lefelau Staff Nyrsio (Estyn Sefyllfaoedd) (Cymru) 2021 yn cael ei llunio yn unol â’r fersiwn ddrafft a osodwyd yn y Swyddfa Gyflwyno ar 26 Ionawr 2021.
Motion NDM7594 Rebecca Evans
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 27.5:
1. Approves that the draft The Nurse Staffing Levels (Extension of Situations) (Wales) Regulations 2021 is made in accordance with the draft laid in the Table Office on 26 January 2021.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I move the motion before us. The statutory instrument before us today extends the scope of the Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act 2016's second duty to paediatric in-patient wards. It is the intention that these regulations come into force on 1 October 2021. When the 2016 Act was passed, sections 25B-25E were only applicable to adult acute medical and surgical wards. The reasoning for this was that those were the only wards with a suitably developed evidence-based workforce planning tool. That's cited explicitly by the Act as a requisite part of the triangulation calculation methodology. These regulations have been brought forward because, over the last three years, such a tool has been developed for use on paediatric in-patient wards. The regulations do not amend any of the terms or principles from the 2016 Act. Paediatric in-patient wards will simply become subject to the same duties and requirements that I set out in sections 25B, 25C, 25D and 25E of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006, as inserted by the 2016 Act.
The 2016 Act itself was introduced as a means of ensuring appropriate staffing levels were calculated using an evidence-based methodology. All evidence suggests that having the appropriate number of registered nurses reduces morbidity, improves patient outcomes and saves bed days. The regulations before us will extend the full scope of the duties set out in the Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act 2016 to paediatric in-patient wards and ensure that children and young people receive the same level of nursing care as their adult patient counterparts. It marks a further implementation of the legislation originally piloted through the Senedd by my now Government colleague Kirsty Williams. I ask Members to support the regulations before us today.
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Cynigiaf y cynnig ger ein bron. Mae'r offeryn statudol sydd ger ein bron heddiw yn ymestyn cwmpas ail ddyletswydd Deddf Lefelau Staff Nyrsio (Cymru) 2016 i wardiau cleifion mewnol pediatrig. Y bwriad yw y bydd y rheoliadau hyn yn dod i rym ar 1 Hydref 2021. Pan basiwyd Deddf 2016, roedd adrannau 25B-25E yn berthnasol i wardiau meddygol a llawfeddygol acíwt i oedolion yn unig. Y rhesymeg y tu ôl i hyn oedd mai'r wardiau hynny oedd yr unig rai ag offeryn cynllunio gweithlu wedi'i ddatblygu'n briodol ar sail tystiolaeth. Mae'r Ddeddf yn cyfeirio'n benodol at hynny fel rhan ofynnol o'r fethodoleg cyfrifo triongliant. Mae'r rheoliadau hyn wedi eu cyflwyno oherwydd, dros y tair blynedd diwethaf, mae offeryn o'r fath wedi ei ddatblygu i'w ddefnyddio ar wardiau cleifion mewnol pediatrig. Nid yw'r rheoliadau yn diwygio unrhyw delerau nac egwyddorion Deddf 2016. Bydd wardiau cleifion mewnol pediatrig yn syml yn dod yn ddarostyngedig i'r un dyletswyddau a gofynion ag a nodir gen i yn adrannau 25B, 25C, 25D a 25E o Ddeddf y Gwasanaeth Iechyd Gwladol (Cymru) 2006, fel y'i mewnosodwyd gan Ddeddf 2016.
Cyflwynwyd Deddf 2016 ei hun fel ffordd o sicrhau bod lefelau staffio priodol yn cael eu cyfrifo gan ddefnyddio methodoleg sy'n seiliedig ar dystiolaeth. Mae'r holl dystiolaeth yn awgrymu bod cael y nifer priodol o nyrsys cofrestredig yn lleihau afiachusrwydd, yn gwella canlyniadau cleifion ac yn arbed diwrnodau gwely. Bydd y rheoliadau sydd ger ein bron yn ymestyn cwmpas llawn y dyletswyddau a nodir yn Neddf Lefelau Staff Nyrsio (Cymru) 2016 i wardiau cleifion mewnol pediatrig ac yn sicrhau bod plant a phobl ifanc yn cael yr un lefel o ofal nyrsio â'u cleifion cyfatebol sy'n. Mae'n nodi gweithrediad arall o'r ddeddfwriaeth a gafodd ei threialu yn wreiddiol drwy'r Senedd gan fy nghyd-Aelod o'r Llywodraeth erbyn hyn, Kirsty Williams. Gofynnaf i'r Aelodau gefnogi'r rheoliadau sydd ger ein bron heddiw.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd. Mi fyddwn ni'n cefnogi'r rheoliadau yma; yn wir, rydyn ni wedi cefnogi ymestyn y Ddeddf am beth amser. Un cwestiwn, os y caf i: o ystyried digwyddiadau'r flwyddyn ddiwethaf a'r ansicrwydd sydd yna ynglŷn â faint o staff ymroddedig ond blinedig iawn allai ddewis gadael y proffesiwn oherwydd straen y profiad maen nhw wedi bod drwyddo fo, pa mor hyderus ydy'r Gweinidog yn y camau y mae'r Llywodraeth yma wedi'u rhoi mewn lle i alluogi recriwtio a chadw nyrsys er mwyn gallu delifro y rheoliadau yma? A fyddai'r Gweinidog yn derbyn bod eisiau buddsoddiad sylweddol rŵan mewn addysg a hyfforddiant nyrsio i sicrhau bod niferoedd digonol o nyrsus a gweithwyr iechyd proffesiynol eraill yn dod i mewn i'r NHS yn y cyfnod heriol iawn sydd o'n blaenau ni?
Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. We will be supporting these regulations; indeed, we have supported the extension of the Act for some time. One question, if I may: given the events of the past 12 months and the uncertainty that there is in terms of how many committed but very tired staff could choose to leave the profession because of the stresses that they have been through, how confident is the Minister in the steps that this Government has put in place to allow the recruitment and retention of nurses in order to deliver against these regulations? And would the Minister accept that we need significant investment now in education and training for nurses to ensure that there are sufficient numbers of nurses and other health professionals coming into the NHS in the very challenging period that we face?
I have no other speakers and nobody wants an intervention, so, Minister to respond to the debate.
Nid oes gen i unrhyw siaradwyr eraill ac nid oes unrhyw un yn dymuno ymyriad, felly, y Gweinidog i ymateb i'r ddadl.
Yes, I'm happy to indicate that, of course, during the pandemic we've had significant challenges in our nurse numbers, but we've maintained our adherence to the duties. The expansion out, as I've indicated, comes on the back of having a recognised workforce planning tool, and we recognise that in this area and others, we need to continue to train and recruit and retain significant numbers of nurses. I'm proud of the fact that in all of my time as the health Minister, and indeed for some time before, we've increased nurse training on a consistent and persistent basis that puts us in a better position to introduce this duty, but we know we'll need to revise again before the end of this term, and whoever is the Government in the future, to maintain a commitment to continuing to invest in the future education and training of our nursing and wider healthcare workforce. That's why I'm proud to have introduced Health Education and Improvement Wales, amongst other things as well. So, I recognise the points the Member makes, but I hope that we are able to pass these regulations today and I will take some credit for the improved outcomes that we believe these regulations will provide in paediatric in-patient wards.
Ydw, rwy'n hapus i nodi ein bod, wrth gwrs, yn ystod y pandemig wedi cael heriau sylweddol o ran nifer ein nyrsys, ond rydym wedi parhau i ymlynu at y dyletswyddau. Mae'r ymestyn allan, fel y dywedais i, wedi ei seilio ar fod ag offeryn cynllunio gweithlu cydnabyddedig, ac rydym yn cydnabod yn y maes hwn a meysydd eraill, fod angen i ni barhau i hyfforddi a recriwtio a chadw niferoedd sylweddol o nyrsys. Rwy'n falch o'r ffaith ein bod, yn ystod fy holl amser yn Weinidog iechyd, ac yn wir ers cryn amser cyn hynny, wedi cynyddu hyfforddiant nyrsys yn gyson ac yn barhaus sy'n ein rhoi mewn gwell sefyllfa i gyflwyno'r ddyletswydd hon, ond rydym yn gwybod y bydd angen i ni adolygu hyn eto cyn diwedd y tymor hwn, a phwy bynnag y bydd y Llywodraeth yn y dyfodol, i gynnal ymrwymiad i barhau i fuddsoddi mewn addysg a hyfforddiant ein gweithlu nyrsio a gofal iechyd ehangach yn y dyfodol. Dyna pam rwy'n falch o fod wedi cyflwyno Addysg a Gwella Iechyd Cymru, ymysg pethau eraill hefyd. Felly, rwy'n cydnabod y pwyntiau y mae'r Aelod yn eu codi, ond rwy'n gobeithio y gallwn basio'r rheoliadau hyn heddiw a byddaf i yn derbyn rhywfaint o'r clod am y canlyniadau gwell yr ydym yn credu y bydd y rheoliadau hyn yn eu darparu mewn wardiau cleifion mewnol pediatrig.
Thank you. The proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? I don't see any objections, therefore in accordance with Standing Order 12.36, the motion is therefore agreed.
Diolch. Y cynnig yw ein bod yn derbyn y cynnig. A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Nid wyf yn gweld unrhyw wrthwynebiadau, felly yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36, derbynnir y cynnig felly.
Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Item 9 on our agenda this afternoon is the Partnership Arrangements (Amendment) and Regulated Services (Market Stability Reports) (Wales) Regulations 2021. I call on the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services to move the motion. Julie Morgan.
Eitem 9 ar ein hagenda y prynhawn yma yw Rheoliadau Trefniadau Partneriaeth (Diwygio) a Gwasanaethau Rheoleiddiedig (Adroddiadau ar Sefydlogrwydd y Farchnad) (Cymru) 2021. Galwaf ar y Dirprwy Weinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol i gynnig y cynnig. Julie Morgan.
Cynnig NDM7593 Rebecca Evans
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 27.5:
1. Yn cymeradwyo bod y fersiwn ddrafft o Reoliadau Trefniadau Partneriaeth (Diwygio) a Gwasanaethau Rheoleiddiedig (Adroddiadau ar Sefydlogrwydd y Farchnad) (Cymru) 2021 yn cael ei llunio yn unol â’r fersiwn ddrafft a osodwyd yn y Swyddfa Gyflwyno ar 26 Ionawr 2021.
Motion NDM7593 Rebecca Evans
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 27.5:
1. Approves that the draft The Partnership Arrangements (Amendment) and Regulated Services (Market Stability Reports) (Wales) Regulations 2021 is made in accordance with the draft laid in the Table Office on 26 January 2021.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Diolch, Deputy Presiding Officer, and I move the motion. The Partnership Arrangements (Amendment) and Regulated Services (Market Stability Reports) (Wales) Regulations 2021 concern the preparation and publication of market stability reports under section 144B of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. The regulations before you today are supplemented with a code of practice concerning the exercise of local authority functions in respect of market stability reports and statutory guidance relating to partnership arrangements. Although the duty to prepare and publish market stability reports is specifically placed on local authorities, the market stability assessments will be undertaken on a regional footprint by regional partnership boards. This will be consistent with arrangements for population needs assessments and area plans, which section 144B requires local authorities to take into account when drawing up their market stability reports.
It is the intention that these regulations, the code of practice and statutory guidance will come into force on 1 April 2021. Under section 144B, local authorities will be required to prepare and publish a local market stability report, which includes an assessment of the sufficiency of provision of care and support in the local authority area, any other matter relating to the provision of regulated services in the local authority area as may be prescribed by regulations, and the effects on the exercise of the local authority social services functions of the commissioning by the authority of any services in connection with those functions. These regulations, the code of practice and statutory guidance are an important step in helping both health and social care commissioners and providers to understand the nature of the social care market in Wales and support their work to build a diverse and stable market for the future.
Throughout the COVID pandemic, the close working relationship between commissioners and providers has been essential for maintaining safe service delivery for our most vulnerable people. While the social care sector has faced unprecedented challenge and carried a heavy burden during the COVID-19 pandemic, through collaboration the market has responded positively and has managed to continue to operate essential services under extreme circumstances. Market stability reports will provide a useful tool to inform both commissioners and providers about the shape, strengths and risks of their local markets, and identify opportunities to build, strengthen and rebalance for the future. Thank you.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, a chynigiaf y cynnig. Mae Rheoliadau Trefniadau Partneriaeth (Diwygio) a Gwasanaethau Rheoleiddiedig (Adroddiadau ar Sefydlogrwydd y Farchnad) (Cymru) 2021 yn ymwneud â pharatoi a chyhoeddi adroddiadau ar sefydlogrwydd y farchnad o dan adran 144B o Ddeddf Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a Llesiant (Cymru) 2014. Mae'r rheoliadau sydd ger eich bron heddiw wedi eu hategu gan god ymarfer yn ymwneud ag arfer swyddogaethau awdurdodau lleol o ran adroddiadau ar sefydlogrwydd y farchnad a chanllawiau statudol sy'n ymwneud â threfniadau partneriaeth. Er bod y ddyletswydd i baratoi a chyhoeddi adroddiadau ar sefydlogrwydd y farchnad yn cael ei gosod yn benodol ar awdurdodau lleol, bydd yr asesiadau o sefydlogrwydd y farchnad yn cael eu cynnal ar ôl troed rhanbarthol gan fyrddau partneriaeth rhanbarthol. Bydd hyn yn gyson â'r trefniadau ar gyfer asesiadau o anghenion y boblogaeth a chynlluniau ardal, y mae'n ofynnol i awdurdodau lleol eu hystyried wrth lunio eu hadroddiadau ar sefydlogrwydd y farchnad yn ôl adran 144B.
Y bwriad yw y bydd y rheoliadau hyn, y cod ymarfer a'r canllawiau statudol yn dod i rym ar 1 Ebrill 2021. O dan adran 144B, bydd yn ofynnol i awdurdodau lleol baratoi a chyhoeddi adroddiad ar sefydlogrwydd y farchnad leol, sy'n cynnwys asesiad o ddigonolrwydd y ddarpariaeth gofal a chymorth yn ardal yr awdurdod lleol, unrhyw fater arall sy'n ymwneud â darparu gwasanaethau rheoleiddiedig yn ardal yr awdurdod lleol fel y'i rhagnodir gan reoliadau, ac effeithiau ar arfer swyddogaethau gwasanaethau cymdeithasol yr awdurdod lleol yn sgil camau ar ran yr awdurdod i gomisiynu unrhyw wasanaethau mewn cysylltiad â'r swyddogaethau hynny. Mae'r rheoliadau hyn, y cod ymarfer a'r canllawiau statudol yn gam pwysig tuag at helpu comisiynwyr a darparwyr iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol i ddeall natur y farchnad gofal cymdeithasol yng Nghymru a chefnogi eu gwaith i ddatblygu marchnad amrywiol a sefydlog ar gyfer y dyfodol.
Trwy gydol pandemig COVID, mae'r berthynas waith agos rhwng comisiynwyr a darparwyr wedi bod yn hanfodol er mwyn cynnal darpariaeth gwasanaeth diogel i'n pobl fwyaf agored i niwed. Er bod y sector gofal cymdeithasol wedi wynebu her na welwyd ei debyg o'r blaen ac wedi cario baich trwm yn ystod pandemig COVID-19, trwy gydweithio mae'r farchnad wedi ymateb yn gadarnhaol ac wedi llwyddo i barhau i weithredu gwasanaethau hanfodol o dan amgylchiadau eithriadol. Bydd adroddiadau ar sefydlogrwydd y farchnad yn offeryn defnyddiol i hysbysu comisiynwyr a darparwyr ynglŷn â ffurf, cryfderau a risgiau eu marchnadoedd lleol, a nodi cyfleoedd i adeiladu, cryfhau ac ailgydbwyso ar gyfer y dyfodol. Diolch.
Thank you. I have no speakers. Therefore, the proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? No, I don't see any objections. Therefore, the motion is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Diolch. Nid oes gen i unrhyw siaradwyr. Felly, y cynnig yw ein bod yn derbyn y cynnig. A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Na, nid wyf i'n gweld unrhyw wrthwynebiadau. Felly, derbynnir y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Item 10 on the agenda is the Representation of the People (Amendment) (Wales) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021, and I call on the Minister for Housing and Local Government to move the motion—Julie James.
Eitem 10 ar yr agenda yw Rheoliadau Cynrychiolaeth y Bobl (Diwygio) (Cymru) (Coronafeirws) 2021, a galwaf ar y Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol i gynnig y cynnig—Julie James.
Cynnig NDM7592 Rebecca Evans
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 27.5:
1. Yn cymeradwyo bod y fersiwn ddrafft o Reoliadau Cynrychiolaeth y Bobl (Diwygio) (Cymru) (Coronafeirws) 2021 yn cael ei llunio yn unol â’r fersiwn ddrafft a osodwyd yn y Swyddfa Gyflwyno ar 26 Ionawr 2021.
Motion NDM7592 Rebecca Evans
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 27.5:
1. Approves that the draft The Representation of the People (Amendment) (Wales) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021 is made in accordance with the draft laid in the Table Office on 26 January 2021.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Elections are essential to our democracy. Anything that impacts them should be taken seriously, so I am pleased to bring these regulations before you and hear the views of colleagues in the Chamber today on the Representation of the People (Amendment) (Wales) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021.
I want to ensure that local by-elections are conducted safely and in a way that maximises the opportunity for everyone to cast their vote. An emergency proxy is already available to people on medical grounds. Proxy votes allow people who cannot vote in person to have a trusted person vote on their behalf. Currently the deadline for an application for an ordinary proxy vote at an election must be received by the electoral registration officer by 5 p.m. on the sixth day before the election. Emergency proxies can be received by the registration officer by 5 p.m. on the day of the poll, and are available to people on the grounds of blindness or of being a disabled person.
The current rules for an emergency proxy do not take into account the extraordinary circumstances we find ourselves in with coronavirus. Currently, individuals who are following Welsh Government and/or medical advice to self-isolate or shield in order to contain the spread of coronavirus are not eligible for an emergency proxy if they are participating in local government by-elections arising after 1 March 2021. The regulations seek to amend existing regulations by extending the categories of people that can apply for an emergency proxy vote. The extension includes individuals who cannot vote in person because they are following Welsh Government or medical advice by shielding or self-isolating due to coronavirus. Without these amended regulations, a group of people might be disenfranchised if they cannot vote in person because they are following Government advice to isolate. The changes will allow this group of people, who are self-isolating at short notice, to have the same options in front of them as someone who has had a medical emergency. These regulations should not place an attestation requirement on individuals who cannot vote in person because they are following Welsh Government or medical advice to self-isolate or shield. For someone shielding or self-isolating, it would be difficult to obtain the necessary attestation from a suitable independent person. Retaining this requirement could be a barrier to them voting.
These regulations therefore look to provide necessary flexibility to voters as they participate in local government by-elections under the extraordinary circumstances that we find ourselves in. I look forward to hearing the views of Members. Diolch.
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Mae etholiadau'n hanfodol i'n democratiaeth. Dylid ystyried yn ddifrifol unrhyw beth sy'n effeithio arnyn nhw, felly rwy'n falch o ddod â'r rheoliadau hyn ger eich bron i glywed barn cyd-Aelodau yn y Siambr heddiw ar Reoliadau Cynrychiolaeth y Bobl (Diwygio) (Cymru) (Coronafeirws) 2021.
Rwyf i eisiau sicrhau bod isetholiadau lleol yn cael eu cynnal yn ddiogel ac mewn ffordd sy'n manteisio i'r eithaf ar y cyfle i bawb fwrw eu pleidlais. Mae dirprwy brys eisoes ar gael i bobl ar sail feddygol. Mae pleidleisiau drwy ddirprwy yn caniatáu i bobl nad ydyn nhw'n gallu pleidleisio yn bersonol gael unigolyn dibynadwy i bleidleisio ar eu rhan. Ar hyn o bryd, mae'n rhaid i gais arferol am bleidlais drwy ddirprwy mewn etholiad ddod i law y swyddog cofrestru etholiadol erbyn y dyddiad cau am 5pm ar y chweched diwrnod cyn yr etholiad. Gall ceisiadau am ddirprwyon brys ddod i law y swyddog cofrestru erbyn 5pm ar ddiwrnod yr etholiad, ac maen nhw ar gael i bobl ar sail dallineb neu o fod yn berson anabl.
Nid yw'r rheolau presennol ar gyfer dirprwy brys yn ystyried yr amgylchiadau eithriadol yr ydym ni ynddyn nhw gyda'r coronafeirws. Ar hyn o bryd, nid yw unigolion sy'n dilyn cyngor Llywodraeth Cymru a/neu gyngor meddygol i hunanynysu neu warchod er mwyn atal lledaeniad y coronafeirws yn gymwys i gael dirprwy brys os ydyn nhw'n cymryd rhan mewn isetholiadau llywodraeth leol sy'n codi ar ôl 1 Mawrth 2021. Mae'r rheoliadau yn ceisio diwygio'r rheoliadau presennol trwy ymestyn y categorïau o bobl a gaiff wneud cais brys am bleidlais drwy ddirprwy. Mae'r estyniad yn cynnwys unigolion nad ydyn nhw'n gallu pleidleisio yn bersonol oherwydd eu bod yn dilyn cyngor Llywodraeth Cymru neu gyngor meddygol trwy warchod neu hunanynysu oherwydd y coronafeirws. Heb y rheoliadau diwygiedig hyn, gallai grŵp o bobl gael eu difreinio os nad ydyn nhw'n gallu pleidleisio yn bersonol oherwydd eu bod yn dilyn cyngor y Llywodraeth i ynysu. Bydd y newidiadau yn caniatáu i'r grŵp hwn o bobl, sy'n hunanynysu ar fyr rybudd, fod â'r un opsiynau ar gael iddyn nhw â rhywun sydd wedi cael argyfwng meddygol. Ni ddylai'r rheoliadau hyn osod gofyniad tystio ar unigolion nad ydyn nhw'n gallu pleidleisio yn bersonol oherwydd eu bod yn dilyn cyngor Llywodraeth Cymru neu gyngor meddygol i hunanynysu neu warchod. I rywun sy'n gwarchod neu'n hunanynysu, byddai'n anodd cael y dystiolaeth angenrheidiol gan berson annibynnol addas. Gallai cadw'r gofyniad hwn fod yn rhwystr iddyn nhw bleidleisio.
Felly, mae'r rheoliadau hyn yn ceisio darparu'r hyblygrwydd angenrheidiol i bleidleiswyr wrth iddyn nhw gymryd rhan mewn isetholiadau llywodraeth leol o dan yr amgylchiadau eithriadol yr ydym ni ynddyn nhw. Edrychaf ymlaen at glywed barn yr Aelodau. Diolch.
I have no speakers for this debate, and therefore the proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? I don't see any objections. Therefore, in accordance with Standing Order 12.36, that motion is agreed.
Nid oes gen i unrhyw siaradwyr ar gyfer y ddadl hon, ac felly'r cynnig yw ein bod yn derbyn y cynnig. A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Nid wyf i'n gweld unrhyw wrthwynebiadau. Felly, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36, derbynnir y cynnig hwnnw.
Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Item 11 on our agenda is the motion to vary the order of consideration of the Stage 3 amendments to the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill, and I call on the Minister for Education to move the motion—Kirsty Williams.
Eitem 11 ar ein hagenda yw'r cynnig i amrywio trefn ystyried gwelliannau Cyfnod 3 y Bil Cwricwlwm ac Asesu (Cymru), a galwaf ar y Gweinidog Addysg i gynnig y cynnig—Kirsty Williams.
Cynnig NDM7591 Rebecca Evans
Cynnig bod y Senedd, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 26.36:
Yn cytuno i waredu’r adrannau a’r atodlenni i’r Bil Cwricwlwm ac Asesu (Cymru) yng Nghyfnod 3 yn y drefn ganlynol:
a) Adrannau 2-8;
b) Adran 1;
c) Adrannau 10-18;
d) Adran 9;
e) Adrannau 20-25;
f) Adran 19;
g) Adrannau 27-30;
h) Atodlen 1;
i) Adrannau 31-36;
j) Adran 26;
k) Adrannau 38-48;
l) Adran 37;
m) Adrannau 50-55;
n) Adran 49;
o) Adrannau 56-57;
p) Adrannau 59-61;
q) Adran 58;
r) Adrannau 62-71;
s) Atodlen 2;
t) Adrannau 72-83;
u) Teitl hir.
Motion NDM7591 Rebecca Evans
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 26.36:
Agrees to dispose of sections and schedules to the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill at Stage 3 in the following order:
a) Sections 2-8;
b) Section 1;
c) Sections 10-18;
d) Section 9;
e) Sections 20-25;
f) Section 19;
g) Sections 27-30;
h) Schedule 1;
i) Sections 31-36;
j) Section 26;
k) Sections 38-48;
l) Section 37;
m) Sections 50-55;
n) Section 49;
o) Sections 56-57;
p) Sections 59-61;
q) Section 58;
r) Sections 62-71;
s) Schedule 2;
t) Sections 72-83;
u) Long title.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
I move, Deputy Presiding Officer.
Cynigiaf, Dirprwy Lywydd.
Thank you very much, and again we have no speakers. Therefore, the proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? I don't see any objections, so, again, in accordance with Standing Order 12.36, the motion is agreed.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, ac unwaith eto nid oes gennym ni unrhyw siaradwyr. Felly, y cynnig yw ein bod yn derbyn y cynnig. A oes unrhyw Aelod yn gwrthwynebu? Nid wyf i'n gweld unrhyw wrthwynebiadau, felly, unwaith eto, yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36, derbynnir y cynnig.
Derbyniwyd y cynnig yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.36.
Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
We now move on to item 12 on the agenda, which is the signification of Her Majesty's consent to the Renting Homes (Amendment) (Wales) Bill, and I call on the Minister for Housing and Local Government, Julie James.
Symudwn ymlaen yn awr at eitem 12 ar yr agenda, sef dynodi cydsyniad Ei Mawrhydi i'r Bil Rhentu Cartrefi (Diwygio) (Cymru), a galwaf ar y Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol, Julie James.
Diolch, Dirprwy Presiding Officer. I have it in command from Her Majesty the Queen to acquaint the Senedd that Her Majesty, having been informed of the purport of the Renting Homes (Amendment) (Wales) Bill, has given her consent to this Bill.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Rwyf dan orchymyn ei Mawrhydi y Frenhines i hysbysu'r Senedd fod ei Mawrhydi, ar ôl ei hysbysu ynghylch perwyl Bil Rhentu Cartrefi (Diwygio) (Cymru), wedi rhoi ei chydsyniad i'r Bil hwn.
Thank you very much.
Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Item 13 on our agenda is the debate on Stage 4 of the Renting Homes (Amendment) (Wales) Bill, and I call on the Minister for Housing and Local Government to move the motion—Julie James.
Eitem 13 ar ein hagenda yw'r ddadl ar Gyfnod 4 y Bil Rhentu Cartrefi (Diwygio) (Cymru), a galwaf ar y Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol i gynnig y cynnig—Julie James.
Cynnig NDM7600 Julie James
Cynnig bod y Senedd yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 26.47:
Yn cymeradwyo Bil Rhentu Cartrefi (Diwygio) (Cymru).
Motion NDM7600 Julie James
To propose that the Senedd in accordance with Standing Order 26.47:
Approves the Renting Homes (Amendment) (Wales) Bill.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I would like to begin by thanking the Chairs and members of the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee, the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee and the Finance Committee, as well as all other Members who've contributed to the scrutiny of the Renting Homes (Amendment) (Wales) Bill. A special word of thanks also to the committee clerks, Senedd lawyers and other support staff who have worked with Welsh Government officials behind the scenes to help get this Bill through the scrutiny process during such a turbulent period, and in particular for their constructive approach over the recent weeks, which enabled us to include vitally important amendments to the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019 in the Bill. I extend the same thanks to Welsh Government officials who have also pulled out all the stops to get us to this point. I and my Cabinet colleagues recognise and appreciate your efforts.
Finally, a sincere thank you to all of you from our external stakeholders and partners, those who responded to our consultation on the Bill, those who contributed evidence throughout the scrutiny process, and those who worked so tirelessly and with such dedication and commitment to the sectors and individuals they represent and support day in and day out. We will still be counting on that support and professionalism in the coming months as we move on to the work necessary to implement the most fundamental change to the rented sector in decades.
There is still much work to be done. We have a raft of subordinate legislation and guidance to put in place ahead of the coming into force of the 2016 Act, as amended by this Bill, next year, but I'm confident that, with the continued support and constructive challenge provided by our partners and stakeholders, we will get there. This Bill, alongside our other renting homes legislation, will establish fairer and more transparent arrangements for renting in Wales, and I urge all Members to support the Bill. Diolch.
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Hoffwn ddechrau trwy ddiolch i Gadeiryddion ac aelodau'r Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb, Llywodraeth Leol a Chymunedau, y Pwyllgor Deddfwriaeth, Cyfiawnder a’r Cyfansoddiad a'r Pwyllgor Cyllid, yn ogystal â'r holl Aelodau eraill sydd wedi cyfrannu at graffu ar y Bil Rhentu Cartrefi (Diwygio) (Cymru). Gair arbennig o ddiolch hefyd i glercod y pwyllgorau, cyfreithwyr y Senedd a staff cymorth eraill sydd wedi gweithio gyda swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru y tu ôl i'r llenni i helpu i gael y Bil hwn drwy'r broses graffu yn ystod cyfnod mor gythryblus, ac yn arbennig am eu hymagwedd adeiladol dros yr wythnosau diwethaf, a'n galluogodd i gynnwys diwygiadau hanfodol bwysig i Ddeddf Rhentu Cartrefi (Ffioedd ac ati) (Cymru) 2019 yn y Bil. Estynnaf yr un diolch i swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru sydd hefyd wedi gwneud popeth o fewn eu gallu i ni gyrraedd y pwynt hwn. Rwyf i a fy ngyd-Aelodau yn y Cabinet yn cydnabod ac yn gwerthfawrogi eich ymdrechion.
Yn olaf, diolch diffuant i bob un ohonoch, gan gynnwys ein rhanddeiliaid a'n partneriaid allanol, y rhai a ymatebodd i'n hymgynghoriad ar y Bil, y rhai a gyfrannodd dystiolaeth drwy gydol y broses graffu, a'r rhai a weithiodd yn ddiflino a gyda chymaint o ymroddiad ac ymrwymiad i'r sectorau a'r unigolion y maen nhw'n eu cynrychioli ac yn eu cynorthwyo o ddydd i ddydd. Byddwn yn dal i ddibynnu ar y gefnogaeth a'r proffesiynoldeb hynny yn ystod y misoedd nesaf wrth i ni symud ymlaen at y gwaith sydd ei angen i weithredu'r newid mwyaf sylfaenol i'r sector rhentu ers degawdau.
Mae llawer o waith i'w wneud o hyd. Mae gennym ni lu o is-ddeddfwriaeth a chanllawiau i'w rhoi ar waith cyn i Ddeddf 2016, fel y'i diwygiwyd gan y Bil hwn, ddod i rym y flwyddyn nesaf, ond rwy'n hyderus, gyda'r gefnogaeth barhaus a'r her adeiladol a ddarperir gan ein partneriaid a'n rhanddeiliaid, y byddwn yn cyrraedd y nod. Bydd y Bil hwn, ochr yn ochr â'n deddfwriaeth rhentu cartrefi arall, yn sefydlu trefniadau tecach a mwy tryloyw ar gyfer rhentu yng Nghymru, ac anogaf bob Aelod i gefnogi'r Bil. Diolch.
Thank you. Laura Anne Jones. Not present. Delyth Jewell.
Diolch. Laura Anne Jones. Ddim yn bresennol. Delyth Jewell.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. A lot of hard work has gone into this legislation. I do commend the Bill team and the committee staff. There have been lots of positive conversations around the possibilities presented by the Bill. I believe we've started to see the beginnings of change of rebalancing the rights in favour of tenants, but—and there is a 'but', I'm afraid—it's been a real shame that the Government hasn't been able to move more on the notice period in the legislation. An opportunity really has been missed here.
My group tabled a series of amendments to the legislation that offered a wide range of options for compromise on this issue. Members will know that it was a long list because we had to vote on every single one, but each option was defeated, and that was disappointing. Strengthening tenants' rights has to be paramount, and we would have liked to have seen more radical progress. We're living in a time when being radical really is possible, and that is not the time to let opportunities pass us by. So, this is an area I think that we will see revisited in the beginning of the next Senedd term. I'm afraid that we will be voting against the legislation because it does not go far enough and because of the fact that we haven't seen that compromise, as I'd explained during the earlier stages. Diolch.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Mae llawer o waith caled wedi'i wneud ar y ddeddfwriaeth hon. Rwyf i yn cymeradwyo tîm y Bil a staff y pwyllgorau. Cafwyd llawer o sgyrsiau cadarnhaol am y posibiliadau a gyflwynwyd gan y Bil. Rwy'n credu ein bod ni wedi dechrau gweld egin newid i ailgydbwyso'r hawliau o blaid tenantiaid, ond—ac mae yna 'ond', mae arnaf ofn—mae wedi bod yn drueni mawr nad yw'r Llywodraeth wedi gallu symud yn fwy ar y cyfnod rhybudd yn y ddeddfwriaeth. Mae cyfle wedi ei golli yn wirioneddol yn y fan yma.
Cyflwynodd fy ngrŵp gyfres o welliannau i'r ddeddfwriaeth a oedd yn cynnig ystod eang o opsiynau ar gyfer cyfaddawdu ar y mater hwn. Bydd yr Aelodau yn gwybod ei bod yn rhestr hir oherwydd bu'n rhaid i ni bleidleisio ar bob un, ond cafodd pob opsiwn ei drechu, ac roedd hynny'n destun siomedigaeth. Mae'n rhaid i gryfhau hawliau tenantiaid fod o'r pwys mwyaf, a byddem ni wedi hoffi gweld cynnydd mwy radical. Rydym yn byw mewn cyfnod pan fo bod yn radical yn wirioneddol bosibl, ac nid dyna'r amser i ganiatáu i gyfleoedd fynd. Felly, mae hwn yn faes yr wyf i'n credu y byddwn yn ei weld yn cael ei ailystyried ar ddechrau'r tymor Senedd nesaf. Mae arnaf i ofn y byddwn ni yn pleidleisio yn erbyn y ddeddfwriaeth gan nad yw'n mynd yn ddigon pell ac oherwydd y ffaith nad ydym ni wedi gweld y cyfaddawd hwnnw, fel yr oeddwn i wedi ei egluro yn ystod y camau cynharach. Diolch.
Thank you. I think Laura Jones was having some problems with the technology, and therefore I see her now. So, I'm calling you now to speak, Laura.
Diolch. Rwy'n credu yr oedd Laura Jones yn cael problemau gyda'r dechnoleg, ac felly rwy'n ei gweld hi yn awr. Felly, rwy'n eich galw chi nawr i siarad, Laura.
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Yes, I was booted out by the computer at the worst possible time.
Firstly, I would like to place on record my thanks to the clerk and the legal staff for their support. I would also like to confirm that we'll be voting for this Bill today. The failure of this Minister to accept our amendments is regrettable, as these would have protected both the tenants and landlords and ensured a decent supply of housing in the rental sector. However, we support the overarching aim of this legislation, which is to provide greater security of tenure for renters.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a spotlight on the importance of housing and, in particular, a home. During the pandemic, we have all spent far more time at home as a result of the restrictions placed on us. It has become a place of work, a place of study, a place to socialise and a place of support. Security of home, therefore, has never been more important, and I recognise that the provisions of this Bill will help to provide renters with extra certainty, particularly during an uncertain time. However, it is important that legislation is balanced and meets the needs of those who are captured within its provisions. This view has informed the approach that my colleague Mark Isherwood and I have taken during the passage of this Bill. Without repeating the arguments that we've made, we've sought to respond to the concerns of landlords, the wider rental sector and other stakeholders about the Bill's potential unintended consequences. The Minister has previously recognised the concerns about the impact on members of the armed forces living in service accommodation, as well as on ministers of religion and representatives of faith communities. Again, I would like to push the Minister to ensure that these issues are addressed before the election, if possible. It would have been more beneficial for our amendments relating to ministers of religion and the armed forces to be on the face of the Bill.
There are also legitimate concerns from the rental sector about the impact that this Bill may have on the availability of homes, as well as on the annual business cycle in the student rental sector. The rental sector is a core part of the housing landscape in Wales, providing over 400,000 homes. This highlights the importance of ensuring that a balance is struck between the needs of tenants and landlords, particularly as any move that drives decent landlords out of the sector and reduces the housing stock available for rent would be detrimental to tenants in Wales in the long run. Minister, would you be able to outline how you plan to review the impact of the legislation, including any impact on the availability of rental properties, in order to alleviate these concerns and to ensure that any possible unintended consequences do not come to fruition?
Finally, we have also heard that many landlords experience difficulties in regaining possession of their property as a last resort. National Residential Landlords Association figures show that it takes an average of 22.6 weeks to gain possession of their property, despite current rules stating that this would take about nine weeks. Minister, could you provide details of any discussions you and officials have had on how to reduce this backlog, as well as any exploratory work on a future Welsh housing court or tribunal, to ensure landlords are able to access their right to an effective process? Diolch, Minister. Once again, we will be supporting this Bill today.
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Do, cefais fy nhaflu allan gan y cyfrifiadur ar yr eiliad waethaf posibl.
Yn gyntaf, hoffwn i gofnodi fy niolch i'r clerc a'r staff cyfreithiol am eu cymorth. Hoffwn i hefyd gadarnhau y byddwn yn pleidleisio o blaid y Bil hwn heddiw. Mae methiant y Gweinidog hwn i dderbyn ein gwelliannau yn destun gofid, gan y byddai'r rhain wedi diogelu'r tenantiaid a'r landlordiaid ac wedi sicrhau cyflenwad da o dai yn y sector rhentu. Fodd bynnag, rydym ni'n cefnogi nod cyffredinol y ddeddfwriaeth hon, sef darparu mwy o sicrwydd deiliadaeth i rentwyr.
Mae pandemig COVID-19 wedi tynnu sylw at bwysigrwydd tai ac, yn arbennig, cartref. Yn ystod y pandemig, mae pob un ohonom ni wedi treulio llawer mwy o amser gartref o ganlyniad i'r cyfyngiadau a osodwyd arnom. Mae wedi dod yn fan gwaith, yn fan astudio, yn lle i gymdeithasu ac yn lle o gefnogaeth. Felly, ni fu diogelwch cartref erioed yn bwysicach, ac rwy'n cydnabod y bydd darpariaethau'r Bil hwn yn helpu i roi sicrwydd ychwanegol i rentwyr, yn enwedig yn ystod cyfnod ansicr. Fodd bynnag, mae'n bwysig bod deddfwriaeth yn gytbwys ac yn diwallu anghenion y rhai sydd wedi eu cynnwys yn ei darpariaethau. Mae'r farn hon wedi llywio'r dull y mae fy nghyd-Aelod Mark Isherwood a mi wedi ei ddefnyddio yn ystod hynt y Bil hwn. Heb ailadrodd y dadleuon yr ydym wedi eu gwneud, rydym ni wedi ceisio ymateb i bryderon landlordiaid, y sector rhentu ehangach a rhanddeiliaid eraill ynglŷn â chanlyniadau anfwriadol posibl y Bil. Mae'r Gweinidog eisoes wedi cydnabod y pryderon ynglŷn â'r effaith ar aelodau'r lluoedd arfog sy'n byw mewn llety gwasanaeth, yn ogystal ag ar weinidogion crefydd a chynrychiolwyr cymunedau ffydd. Unwaith eto, hoffwn i bwyso ar y Gweinidog i sicrhau yr ymdrinnir â'r materion hyn cyn yr etholiad, os oes modd. Byddai wedi bod yn fwy buddiol i'n gwelliannau sy'n ymwneud â gweinidogion crefydd a'r lluoedd arfog fod ar wyneb y Bil.
Mae pryderon dilys hefyd gan y sector rhentu ynglŷn â'r effaith y gallai'r Bil hwn ei chael ar nifer y cartrefi sydd ar gael, yn ogystal ag ar y cylch busnes blynyddol yn y sector rhentu i fyfyrwyr. Mae'r sector rhentu yn rhan graidd o'r dirwedd dai yng Nghymru, gan ddarparu dros 400,000 o gartrefi. Mae hyn yn amlygu pwysigrwydd sicrhau cydbwysedd rhwng anghenion tenantiaid a landlordiaid, yn enwedig gan y byddai unrhyw gam sy'n gyrru landlordiaid da allan o'r sector ac yn lleihau'r stoc dai sydd ar gael i'w rhentu yn niweidiol i denantiaid yng Nghymru yn y tymor hir. Gweinidog, a wnewch chi amlinellu sut yr ydych yn bwriadu adolygu effaith y ddeddfwriaeth, gan gynnwys unrhyw effaith ar nifer yr eiddo sydd ar gael i'w rhentu, er mwyn lleddfu'r pryderon hyn a sicrhau na fydd unrhyw ganlyniadau anfwriadol posibl yn dwyn ffrwyth?
Yn olaf, rydym ni hefyd wedi clywed bod llawer o landlordiaid yn cael anawsterau wrth adennill meddiant o'u heiddo pan fetho popeth arall. Mae ffigurau Cymdeithas Genedlaethol y Landlordiaid Preswyl yn dangos ei bod yn cymryd 22.6 wythnos ar gyfartaledd i gael meddiant o'u heiddo, er gwaethaf y rheolau presennol sy'n nodi y byddai hyn yn cymryd tua naw wythnos. Gweinidog, a wnewch chi roi manylion unrhyw drafodaethau yr ydych chi a swyddogion wedi eu cael ynghylch sut i leihau'r ôl-groniad hwn, yn ogystal ag unrhyw waith archwiliadol ar lys neu dribiwnlys tai yng Nghymru yn y dyfodol, i sicrhau bod landlordiaid yn gallu cael eu hawl i gael proses effeithiol? Diolch, Gweinidog. Unwaith eto, byddwn yn cefnogi'r Bil hwn heddiw.
Thank you. No Member has indicated they want an intervention. Therefore, I'll call on the Minister for Housing and Local Government to reply to the debate—Julie James.
Diolch. Nid oes unrhyw Aelod wedi nodi ei fod yn dymuno ymyriad. Felly, galwaf ar y Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol i ymateb i'r ddadl—Julie James.
Diolch, Deputy Presiding Officer. The Welsh Government does not agree that a grounds-based approach to possession is currently the right one for Wales, and I reiterate once again that, under our Bill, tenants in Wales will have greater security of tenure in relation to a no-fault notice than anywhere else in the UK. Our six-month notice period represents a reasonable balance between the interests of landlords and contract holders—a position previously supported by the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee in its Stage 1 report on the Bill. Six months provides an appropriate length of time to ensure someone is able to find a suitable home if they are served with a notice. There will always be circumstances where someone might want longer, but we have to consider the impact providing this would have on the rights of the landlord. So, again, I reiterate, this is a suitable balance between the two. Longer or shorter notice periods would upset the balance between the rights of the contract holder and the landlord.
We do not support the introduction of new mandatory grounds within a Bill that is aimed at increasing security of tenure. The basis of the Bill is to provide a minimum of six months' notice to a contract holder who has done nothing wrong during their occupation. I understand a landlord may have good reason to want to sell their property or live in it themselves, but these are not the fault of the contract holder and certainly should not take priority over their ability to find another suitable home. All Members should want to protect the rights of contract holders in these circumstances, and therefore I really do hope that Members will support this Bill today in order to give them those rights.
I'm happy to provide Laura with the reassurance that we are looking into the exemption for serving armed forces personnel. As I explained at Stage 3, it's not possible to put that on the face of the Bill without creating some unintended consequences, and we already have the regulation powers necessary to do that and we are in that discussion. I'm very happy to keep her and other Members briefed on that as we go forward. In relation to church-owned properties, we discussed this at Stage 2 and Stage 3, and I've made the Government's position clear. We're keeping the matter under review and look to use the available subordinate legislation powers to address any issues here if required. We're looking to hear the views of all parties who are potentially affected by the arrangements, and this will be part of our engagement work moving forwards.
I'm grateful to the committee clerks and the members of the committee, in particular in regard to the purpose of the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019, which was to prohibit landlords and letting agents in the commercial sector from requiring payments from contract holders and tenants under standard occupation contracts unless they're permitted under the Act. As I explained at Stage 3, it prohibits the payment of service charges in relation to a minority of tenancies in the social housing sector, which has led to unintended consequences, and I am very pleased that the Senedd will take the opportunity to vote to put that right and protect those tenants in particular.
Overall, Deputy Presiding Officer, I think that we have a reasonable compromise here between the rights of the landlords and our need to ensure that contract holders in Wales have the best protection available anywhere in the United Kingdom. On those grounds, I commend this Act to the Senedd. Diolch.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Nid yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn cytuno mai dull o feddiannu yn seiliedig ar seiliau yw'r un iawn i Gymru ar hyn o bryd, ac ailadroddaf unwaith eto y bydd gan denantiaid yng Nghymru, o dan ein Bil, fwy o sicrwydd deiliadaeth o ran hysbysiad dim bai nag yn unrhyw le arall yn y DU. Mae ein cyfnod rhybudd o chwe mis yn cynrychioli cydbwysedd rhesymol rhwng buddiannau landlordiaid a deiliaid contractau—safbwynt a gefnogwyd yn flaenorol gan y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb, Llywodraeth Leol a Chymunedau yn ei adroddiad Cyfnod 1 ar y Bil. Mae chwe mis yn rhoi amser priodol i sicrhau bod rhywun yn gallu dod o hyd i gartref addas os yw'n cael hysbysiad. Bydd amgylchiadau bob amser lle y gallai rhywun fod eisiau mwy o amser, ond mae'n rhaid i ni ystyried yr effaith y byddai hyn yn ei chael ar hawliau'r landlord. Felly, unwaith eto, rwy'n ailadrodd, mae hwn yn gydbwysedd addas rhwng y ddau. Byddai cyfnodau rhybudd hirach neu fyrrach yn peri gofid i'r cydbwysedd rhwng hawliau deiliad y contract a'r landlord.
Nid ydym yn cefnogi cyflwyno seiliau gorfodol newydd o fewn Bil sydd â'r nod o gynyddu diogelwch deiliadaeth. Sail y Bil yw darparu o leiaf chwe mis o rybudd i ddeiliad contract nad yw wedi gwneud dim o'i le yn ystod ei feddiannaeth. Rwy'n deall y gallai fod gan landlord reswm da dros ddymuno gwerthu ei eiddo neu fyw ynddo'i hun, ond nid bai deiliad y contract yw hyn ac yn sicr ni ddylai hyn gael blaenoriaeth dros ei allu i ddod o hyd i gartref addas arall. Dylai pob Aelod ddymuno diogelu hawliau deiliaid contractau o dan yr amgylchiadau hyn, ac felly rwyf i'n gobeithio yn wirioneddol y bydd yr Aelodau yn cefnogi'r Bil hwn heddiw er mwyn rhoi'r hawliau hynny iddyn nhw.
Rwy'n hapus i roi sicrwydd i Laura ein bod yn ymchwilio i'r eithriad ar gyfer personél y lluoedd arfog sy'n gwasanaethu. Fel yr eglurais yng Nghyfnod 3, nid yw'n bosibl rhoi hynny ar wyneb y Bil heb greu rhai canlyniadau anfwriadol, ac mae gennym ni eisoes y pwerau rheoleiddio sydd eu hangen i wneud hynny ac rydym yn cael y drafodaeth honno. Rwy'n hapus iawn i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf iddi hi ac Aelodau eraill am hynny wrth i ni symud ymlaen. O ran eiddo yr eglwys, trafodwyd hyn yng Nghyfnod 2 a Chyfnod 3, ac rwyf wedi gwneud safbwynt y Llywodraeth yn glir. Rydym yn parhau i adolygu'r mater ac yn ceisio defnyddio'r pwerau is-ddeddfwriaeth sydd ar gael i fynd i'r afael ag unrhyw faterion yma os oes angen. Rydym yn awyddus i glywed barn yr holl bartïon y gallai'r trefniadau effeithio arnyn nhw, a bydd hyn yn rhan o'n gwaith ymgysylltu wrth symud ymlaen.
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i glercod y pwyllgorau ac aelodau'r pwyllgorau, yn enwedig o ran diben Deddf Rhentu Cartrefi (Ffioedd ac ati) (Cymru) 2019, sef gwahardd landlordiaid ac asiantau gosod tai yn y sector masnachol rhag gofyn am daliadau gan ddeiliaid contractau a thenantiaid o dan gontractau meddiannaeth safonol oni bai fod ganddyn nhw ganiatâd i wneud hynny o dan y Ddeddf. Fel yr eglurais yng Nghyfnod 3, mae'n gwahardd talu taliadau gwasanaeth mewn cysylltiad â lleiafrif o denantiaethau yn y sector tai cymdeithasol, sydd wedi arwain at ganlyniadau anfwriadol, ac rwy'n falch iawn y bydd y Senedd yn manteisio ar y cyfle i bleidleisio i gywiro hynny ac amddiffyn y tenantiaid hynny yn benodol.
Yn gyffredinol, Dirprwy Lywydd, rwyf i'n credu bod gennym ni gyfaddawd rhesymol yma rhwng hawliau'r landlordiaid a'n hangen i sicrhau bod deiliaid contractau yng Nghymru yn cael yr amddiffyniad gorau sydd ar gael unrhyw le yn y Deyrnas Unedig. Ar y sail honno, cymeradwyaf y Ddeddf hon i'r Senedd. Diolch.
In accordance with Standing Order 26.50C, a recorded vote must be taken on Stage 4 motions. I defer voting on this motion to voting time.
Yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 26.50C, mae'n rhaid cynnal pleidlais wedi'i chofnodi ar gynigion Cyfnod 4. Gohiriaf y bleidlais ar y cynnig hwn i'r cyfnod pleidleisio.
Gohiriwyd y pleidleisio tan y cyfnod pleidleisio.
Voting deferred until voting time.
In accordance with Standing Order 12.18, I will suspend the meeting before proceeding to voting time. The meeting stands suspended.
Yn unol â Rheol Sefydlog 12.18, byddaf yn atal y cyfarfod cyn symud ymlaen i'r cyfnod pleidleisio. Mae'r cyfarfod wedi'i atal.
Ataliwyd y Cyfarfod Llawn am 18:16.
Ailymgynullodd y Senedd am 18:19, gyda'r Llywydd yn y Gadair.
Plenary was suspended at 18:16.
The Senedd reconvened at 18:19, with the Llywydd in the Chair.
Dyma ni'n cyrraedd y cyfnod pleidleisio. Yr unig bleidlais sydd o'n blaenau ni heddiw yw'r bleidlais yna ar ddadl Cyfnod 4 y Bil Rhentu Cartrefi (Diwygio) (Cymru). Dwi'n galw am bleidlais ar y cynnig hwnnw a gyflwynwyd yn enw Julie James. Agor y bleidlais. Cau'r bleidlais. O blaid 36, neb yn ymatal, 17 yn erbyn, ac felly mae'r cynnig wedi ei dderbyn.
That brings us to today's voting time. The only vote this evening is that vote on Stage 4 of the Renting Homes (Amendment) (Wales) Bill. I call for a vote on the motion tabled in the name of Julie James. Open the vote. Close the vote. In favour 36, no abstentions, and 17 against. Therefore the motion is agreed.
Eitem 13: Dadl: Cyfnod 4 y Bil Rhentu Cartrefi (Diwygio) (Cymru): O blaid: 36, Yn erbyn: 17, Ymatal: 0
Derbyniwyd y cynnig
Item 13: Debate: Stage 4 of the Renting Homes (Amendment) (Wales) Bill: For: 36, Against: 17, Abstain: 0
Motion has been agreed
Dyna ddiwedd ein gwaith am y diwrnod heddiw. Diolch yn fawr i chi i gyd. Prynhawn da.
That concludes our business for today. Thank you all very much. Good evening.
Daeth y cyfarfod i ben am 18:20.
The meeting ended at 18:20.