Y Cyfarfod Llawn - Y Bumed Senedd

Plenary - Fifth Senedd

02/02/2021

Cynnwys

Contents

Datganiad gan y Llywydd Statement by the Llywydd
1. Cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog 1. Questions to the First Minister
Cwestiynau i'r Dirprwy Weinidog a'r Prif Chwip Questions to the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip
2. Datganiad a Chyhoeddiad Busnes 2. Business Statement and Announcement
3. Datganiad gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol: Y Wybodaeth Ddiweddaraf am Frechiadau COVID-19 3. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Update on COVID-19 Vaccinations
4. Datganiad gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol: Diweddariad ar Adolygiad Clinigol Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Cwm Taf Morgannwg 4. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board Clinical Review Update
5. Datganiad gan y Gweinidog Cyllid a’r Trefnydd: Cynnydd o ran Trethi Datganoledig 5. Statement by the Minister for Finance and Trefnydd: Progress on Devolved Taxes
6., 7. & 8. Rheoliadau Treth Gwarediadau Tirlenwi (Cyfraddau Treth) (Cymru) (Diwygio) (Rhif 2) 2020, Rheoliadau Treth Trafodiadau Tir (Bandiau Treth a Chyfraddau Treth) (Cymru) (Diwygio) 2020 a Rheoliadau Treth Trafodiadau Tir (Swm Penodedig o Rent Perthnasol) (Cymru) (Diwygio) 2021 6., 7. & 8. The Landfill Disposals Tax (Tax Rates) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2020, The Land Transaction Tax (Tax Bands and Tax Rates) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 and The Land Transaction Tax (Specified Amount of Relevant Rent) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2021
9. Rheoliadau Diogelu Iechyd (Coronafeirws, Teithio Rhyngwladol a Chyfyngiadau) (Diwygio) (Rhif 3) (Cymru) 2021 9. The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel and Restrictions) (Amendment) (No. 3) (Wales) Regulations 2021
10. Gorchymyn Deddf Llywodraeth Cymru 2006 (Diwygio) 2021 10. The Government of Wales Act 2006 (Amendment) Order 2021
11. & 12. Dadl: Egwyddorion Cyffredinol Bil Etholiadau Cymru (Coronafeirws) a'r penderfyniad ariannol ynghylch Bil Etholiadau Cymru (Coronafeirws) 11. & 12. Debate: The General Principles of the Welsh Elections (Coronavirus) Bill and The financial resolution in respect of the Welsh Elections (Coronavirus) Bill
13. Cyfnod Pleidleisio 13. Voting Time

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.

Datganiad gan y Llywydd
Statement by the Llywydd

Croeso, bawb, 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 y cyfarfod yma heddiw, ac mae'r rheini wedi'u nodi ar eich agenda chi. Dwi eisiau atgoffa Aelodau hefyd fod y Rheolau Sefydlog sy'n ymwneud â threfn yn y Cyfarfod Llawn yn berthnasol i'r cyfarfod yma.

Welcome to this Plenary meeting. 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. 

1. Cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog
1. Questions to the First Minister

Yr eitem gyntaf ar ein hagenda ni y prynhawn yma yw'r cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Suzy Davies. 

The first item on our agenda this afternoon is questions to the First Minister, and the first question is from Suzy Davies.

Atyniadau Ymwelwyr Awyr Agored
Outdoor Visitor Attractions

1. Pa feini prawf y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu defnyddio i benderfynu pryd y bydd atyniadau ymwelwyr awyr agored yn gallu ailagor? OQ56204

1. What criteria will the Welsh Government be using to decide when outdoor visitor attractions will be able to reopen? OQ56204

I thank Suzy Davies for that question. The criteria for reopening outdoor visitors attractions are set out in the Welsh Government's 'Coronavirus Control Plan—Alert Levels in Wales'. We are currently at alert level 4, and outdoor attractions are listed as reopening at alert level 2. 

Diolch i Suzy Davies am y cwestiwn yna. Mae'r meini prawf ar gyfer ailagor atyniadau awyr agored i ymwelwyr wedi eu nodi yng 'Nghynllun Rheoli Coronafeirws—Lefelau Rhybudd yng Nghymru' Llywodraeth Cymru. Ar hyn o bryd rydym ar lefel rhybudd 4, ac mae atyniadau awyr agored wedi'u rhestru fel bod yn ailagor ar lefel rhybudd 2.

Thank you for that answer. Obviously, the sector understands the need to reopen safely, but this is the time of the year when they have to make significant spending decisions, and to that end they're seeking as much information as possible to help them know how long they have to plan to stay closed as opposed to open. I think the prospect of a safe May election has given them some hope that May might be a possibility. Their immediate concerns, apart from workforce planning, though, are the arrival of rates bills and the possibility of travel being permitted elsewhere in the UK but not in Wales, and, of course, that will affect people's holiday decisions. So, what prospect is there of Welsh Government introducing a further business rates holiday for the sector pending reopening, and how important do you think, for the reason I've given—nothing to do with devolution—that some attempt must be made to align the reopening dates across the UK, notwithstanding the different tiers or alert levels, certainly between England and Wales?

Diolch am yr ateb yna. Yn amlwg, mae'r sector yn deall yr angen i ailagor yn ddiogel, ond dyma'r adeg o'r flwyddyn pan fo'n rhaid iddyn nhw wneud penderfyniadau gwario sylweddol, ac i'r perwyl hwnnw maen nhw'n chwilio am gymaint o wybodaeth â phosibl i'w helpu i wybod am ba hyd y mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw gynllunio i aros ar gau yn hytrach nag agor. Rwy'n credu bod y posibilrwydd o etholiad diogel ym mis Mai wedi rhoi rhywfaint o obaith iddyn nhw y gallai mis Mai fod yn bosibilrwydd. Eu pryderon uniongyrchol, ar wahân i gynllunio'r gweithlu, fodd bynnag, yw dyfodiad biliau ardrethi a'r posibilrwydd o ganiatáu teithio mewn mannau eraill yn y DU ond nid yng Nghymru, ac, wrth gwrs, bydd hynny yn effeithio ar benderfyniadau pobl ynghylch gwyliau. Felly, pa obaith sydd yna y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn cyflwyno gwyliau ardrethi busnes ychwanegol i'r sector tan y bydd yn ailagor, a pha mor bwysig ydych chi'n meddwl, am y rheswm yr wyf i wedi ei roi—dim byd i'w wneud â datganoli—bod yn rhaid gwneud rhyw fath o ymdrech i gysoni'r dyddiadau ailagor ledled y DU, gan roi ystyriaeth i'r gwahanol haenau neu lefelau rhybudd, yn sicr rhwng Cymru a Lloegr?

Llywydd, I thank Suzy Davies for those further questions, and in case I don't have a further opportunity to say it, shall I say to her she will be much missed in this Chamber? And her question today is typically constructive in wishing to find answers for a sector that has had a torrid time during coronavirus. If the Welsh Government receives money in the Chancellor's statement in March that funds us to offer a further business rate relief period in the next financial year, then we will definitely look to do that. But our ability to do it, the scale of funding that is required, means that can only be done if that is a genuine, across UK effort. 

As far as co-ordinating dates for reopening are concerned, I hear what the Member has said. I'm pleased to say that we now have regular meetings with the UK Government every Wednesday—and a number of days in between most weeks now—where we are able to talk about common approaches to things that happen in all parts of the United Kingdom. We will all, nonetheless, be calibrating the decisions that we make in the circumstances that we face. As Suzy Davies will know, the number of people falling ill with coronavirus per 100,000 of the population in Wales is falling at the moment every day. It's about half the level that is to be seen across the border in England. I wouldn't want to deny Welsh businesses or outdoor attractions the chance of opening earlier if our circumstances allowed that to happen, but the situation, Llywydd, as Members will know, is highly uncertain. Everyone here will have seen the news overnight about the South African variant and developments in England. At the moment, in Wales, we are progressing in a positive direction. All of us are vulnerable to that changing, and that would inevitably have an impact on our ability to reopen parts of the economy.

Llywydd, diolchaf i Suzy Davies am y cwestiynau ychwanegol yna, a rhag ofn na chaf i gyfle arall i'w ddweud, a gaf i ddweud wrthi y bydd colled mawr ar ei hôl hi yn y Siambr hon? Ac mae ei chwestiwn heddiw, yn ôl yr arfer, yn adeiladol o ran dymuno dod o hyd i atebion i sector sydd wedi cael amser hynod anodd yn ystod cyfnod y coronafeirws. Os bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn cael arian yn natganiad y Canghellor ym mis Mawrth sy'n ein ariannu ni i gynnig cyfnod rhyddhad ardrethi busnes ychwanegol yn y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf, yna byddwn yn sicr yn ceisio gwneud hynny. Ond mae ein gallu i'w wneud, maint y cyllid sydd ei angen, yn golygu mai dim ond os yw hynny yn ymdrech DU gyfan wirioneddol y gellir gwneud hynny.

O ran cydgysylltu dyddiadau ar gyfer ailagor, clywaf yr hyn y mae'r Aelod wedi ei ddweud. Rwy'n falch o ddweud ein bod ni bellach yn cael cyfarfodydd rheolaidd gyda Llywodraeth y DU bob dydd Mercher—a nifer o ddyddiau yn y cyfamser y rhan fwyaf o wythnosau erbyn hyn—lle gallwn ni drafod dulliau cyffredin o ymdrin â phethau sy'n digwydd ym mhob rhan o'r Deyrnas Unedig. Byddwn i gyd, serch hynny, yn pwyso a mesur y penderfyniadau yr ydym ni'n eu gwneud o dan yr amgylchiadau sy'n ein hwynebu. Fel y bydd Suzy Davies yn gwybod, mae nifer y bobl sy'n mynd yn sâl gyda'r coronafeirws fesul 100,000 o'r boblogaeth yng Nghymru yn gostwng bob dydd ar hyn o bryd. Mae ar tua hanner y lefel sydd i'w weld dros y ffin yn Lloegr. Fyddwn i ddim eisiau gwadu cyfle i fusnesau nac atyniadau awyr agored Cymru agor yn gynharach pe byddai ein hamgylchiadau yn caniatáu i hynny ddigwydd, ond mae'r sefyllfa, Llywydd, fel y mae'r Aelodau yn gwybod, yn hynod ansicr. Bydd pawb yn y fan yma wedi gweld y newyddion dros nos am amrywiolyn De Affrica a datblygiadau yn Lloegr. Ar hyn o bryd, yng Nghymru, rydym ni'n symud ymlaen mewn cyfeiriad cadarnhaol. Mae pob un ohonom ni yn agored i newid yn hynny o beth, a byddai hynny yn anochel yn cael effaith ar ein gallu i ailagor rhannau o'r economi.

First Minister, whilst nobody would advocate opening up attractions before it is safe to do so, we also have to accept that the industry has taken massive precautions to make their businesses as secure as they can with regard to COVID. And what the industry really needs is a clear pathway to opening back up. So, First Minister, can you publish guidelines for the reopening of the visitor economy, where it can be contingent perhaps on case rates continuing to fall? We do need a timeline so that the industry can prepare. Diolch.

Prif Weinidog, er na fyddai neb yn argymell agor atyniadau cyn ei bod hi'n ddiogel i wneud hynny, mae'n rhaid i ni hefyd dderbyn bod y diwydiant wedi cymryd rhagofalon enfawr i wneud eu busnesau mor ddiogel ag y gallan nhw o ran COVID. A'r hyn sydd wir ei angen ar y diwydiant yw llwybr eglur i agor unwaith eto. Felly, Prif Weinidog, a allwch chi gyhoeddi canllawiau ar gyfer ailagor yr economi ymwelwyr, lle y gall fod yn amodol efallai ar gyfraddau achosion yn parhau i ostwng? Mae angen  amserlen arnom ni fel y gall y diwydiant ymbaratoi. Diolch.

13:35

Llywydd, I thank Caroline Jones, and I understand the points that she makes, of course. The pathway to reopening is the pathway set out in the coronavirus control plan, and that does include a series of indicators, including positivity rates and prevalence rates in the community, that tell us when it would be safe to allow outdoor visitor attractions to reopen again. I accept everything that the Member said about the efforts the industry itself has made to put itself in the position where people will be confident to visit those attractions again. I honestly don't think there is anything more certain that I could offer that industry, or any other, other than to point to the plan that we set out, with its alert levels and with the criteria that will allow us to move between them, always pointing to the inherent uncertainty of the circumstances in which we continue to live.

Llywydd, diolchaf i Caroline Jones, ac rwy'n deall y pwyntiau y mae'n eu gwneud, wrth gwrs. Y llwybr at ailagor yw'r llwybr a nodir yn y cynllun rheoli coronafeirws, ac mae hwnnw yn cynnwys cyfres o ddangosyddion, gan gynnwys cyfraddau positifrwydd a chyfraddau achosion yn y gymuned, sy'n dweud wrthym ni pryd y byddai'n ddiogel i ganiatáu atyniadau awyr agored i ymwelwyr ailagor unwaith eto. Rwy'n derbyn popeth a ddywedodd yr Aelod am yr ymdrechion y mae'r diwydiant ei hun wedi eu gwneud i roi ei hun yn y sefyllfa lle bydd pobl yn hyderus i ymweld â'r atyniadau hynny eto. Nid wyf i'n credu mewn gwirionedd bod unrhyw beth mwy sicr y gallwn i ei gynnig i'r diwydiant hwnnw, nac unrhyw un arall, ac eithrio cyfeirio at y cynllun a gyflwynwyd gennym, â'i lefelau rhybudd a chyda'r meini prawf a fydd yn caniatáu i ni symud rhyngddyn nhw, gan gyfeirio bob amser at ansicrwydd cynhenid yr amgylchiadau yr ydym ni'n parhau i fyw ynddyn nhw.

Y Gronfa Ffyniant Gyffredin
The Shared Prosperity Fund

2. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am gynigion Llywodraeth y DU ar gyfer y gronfa ffyniant gyffredin? OQ56240

2. Will the First Minister make a statement on the UK Government's proposals for the shared prosperity fund? OQ56240

Llywydd, the UK Government’s proposals for the shared prosperity fund fail to honour repeated commitments that Wales would be no worse off as a result of leaving the European Union, and have grave implications for our devolution settlement.

Llywydd, nid yw cynigion Llywodraeth y DU ar gyfer y gronfa ffyniant gyffredin yn cydnabod yr ymrwymiadau mynych na fyddai Cymru yn ddim gwaeth ei byd o ganlyniad i adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd, ac mae ganddyn nhw oblygiadau difrifol i'n setliad datganoli.

I'm grateful to the First Minister for that. He will have seen the reports and analysis that have been published over the last few weeks, all of which have demonstrated clearly that communities such as Blaenau Gwent and the Heads of the Valleys are likely to suffer a much worse economic impact as a consequence of the coronavirus than many other communities. These communities will therefore require additional investment to help us recover. I agree with him that the shared prosperity fund, as currently proposed, is a real betrayal of all those people not only who voted for Brexit, believing that the EU structural funds will be replaced by UK funding, but also those people who believed that the United Kingdom Government had our best interests at heart. The UK Government seem determined to repeat the mistakes of the past and not learn the lessons for the future. In this way, Blaenau Gwent is being short-changed and will pay the price of Tory dishonesty and Tory incompetence. First Minister, do you agree with me that places like Blaenau Gwent, communities in the Valleys, and the Heads of the Valleys, require additional investment to help us recover from the economic impacts of coronavirus and to create the jobs that we all want to see and need?

Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Prif Weinidog am hynna. Bydd ef wedi gweld yr adroddiadau a'r dadansoddiadau a gyhoeddwyd dros yr wythnosau diwethaf, ac mae pob un ohonyn nhw wedi dangos yn eglur bod cymunedau fel Blaenau Gwent a Blaenau'r Cymoedd yn debygol o ddioddef effaith economaidd lawer gwaeth o ganlyniad i'r coronafeirws na llawer o gymunedau eraill. Felly, bydd angen buddsoddiad ychwanegol ar y cymunedau hyn i'n helpu i adfer. Rwy'n cytuno ag ef bod y gronfa ffyniant gyffredin, fel y'i cynigir ar hyn o bryd, yn fradychiad gwirioneddol o'r holl bobl hynny nid yn unig a bleidleisiodd dros Brexit, gan gredu y bydd cyllid y DU yn cymryd lle cronfeydd strwythurol yr UE, ond hefyd y bobl hynny a oedd yn credu bod ein buddiannau pennaf yn bwysig i Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig. Mae'n ymddangos bod Llywodraeth y DU yn benderfynol o ailadrodd camgymeriadau'r gorffennol a pheidio â dysgu'r gwersi ar gyfer y dyfodol. Yn y modd hwn, mae Blaenau Gwent yn colli arian a bydd yn talu pris anonestrwydd y Torïaid ac aflerwch y Torïaid. Prif Weinidog, a ydych chi'n cytuno â mi bod angen buddsoddiad ychwanegol ar leoedd fel Blaenau Gwent, cymunedau yn y Cymoedd, a Blaenau'r Cymoedd, i'n helpu ni i adfer o sgil effeithiau economaidd y coronafeirws ac i greu'r swyddi yr ydym ni i gyd eisiau eu gweld ac yr ydym eu hangen?

I thank Alun Davies for that, Llywydd. He's right to point to the reports that have been published recently. I was able to read at the weekend the Sheffield Hallam University's report on the impact of the coronavirus crisis on older, industrial Britain, dealing exactly with areas such as the one that Alun Davies represents here in the Senedd. And it does indeed demonstrate the vital importance of continued investment in those communities, of the sort that we have been able to draw down during the period when Wales has been able to deploy the funds that have come to us through the European Union. Now we see that being put into reverse. We get £375 million a year in structural funds and, as the Member will know, you can see the impact of those funds in so many aspects of the infrastructure of the Blaenau Gwent constituency.

The Welsh Affairs Select Committee, chaired by a Conservative Member, back in last year described the shared prosperity fund as having made negligible progress, no clarity as to what it will look like, how it will be administered nor how it will be funded. And when the UK Government responded to the Welsh Affairs Select Committee's report, the same Conservative chair said there are still major questions left unanswered—still no certainty of the size of the fund, the method of distribution, the share of the fund for Wales compared to EU funding, and what role, if any, devolved Governments can be expected to play in the fund's operation—and

'we do not consider this matter to be closed',

the chair of the committee said. I'm quite sure that this Senedd doesn't regard it as closed either.

Diolchaf i Alun Davies am hynna, Llywydd. Mae e'n iawn i dynnu sylw at yr adroddiadau a gyhoeddwyd yn ddiweddar. Llwyddais i ddarllen adroddiad Prifysgol Sheffield Hallam dros y penwythnos ar effaith yr argyfwng coronafeirws ar Brydain hŷn, ddiwydiannol, a oedd yn ymdrin â'r union ardaloedd fel yr un y mae Alun Davies yn ei chynrychioli yn y fan yma yn y Senedd. Ac mae wir yn dangos pwysigrwydd hanfodol parhau i fuddsoddi yn y cymunedau hynny, o'r math yr ydym ni wedi gallu ei dynnu i lawr yn ystod y cyfnod pan fo Cymru wedi gallu defnyddio'r cyllid sydd wedi ein cyrraedd drwy'r Undeb Ewropeaidd. Nawr, rydym ni'n gweld hynny yn cael ei wrthdroi. Rydym ni'n cael £375 miliwn y flwyddyn mewn cronfeydd strwythurol ac, fel y bydd yr Aelod yn gwybod, gallwch weld effaith y cronfeydd hynny mewn cynifer o agweddau ar seilwaith etholaeth Blaenau Gwent.

Dywedodd y Pwyllgor Dethol ar Faterion Cymreig, dan gadeiryddiaeth Aelod Ceidwadol, y llynedd mai prin oedd y cynnydd a wnaed gan y gronfa ffyniant gyffredin, nad oes unrhyw eglurder ynghylch sut y bydd yn edrych, sut y bydd yn cael ei gweinyddu na sut y bydd yn cael ei hariannu. A phan ymatebodd Llywodraeth y DU i adroddiad y Pwyllgor Dethol ar Faterion Cymreig, dywedodd yr un cadeirydd Ceidwadol bod cwestiynau mawr yn dal i fod heb eu hateb—dim sicrwydd o hyd ynghylch maint y gronfa, y dull dosbarthu, cyfran y gronfa i Gymru o'i chymharu â chyllid yr UE, a pha ran, os o gwbl, y gellir disgwyl i Lywodraethau datganoledig ei chwarae yng weithrediad y gronfa—ac

nid ydym yn ystyried y mater hwn fel bod ar ben,

meddai cadeirydd y pwyllgor. Rwy'n eithaf siŵr nad yw'r Senedd hon yn ei weld fel bod ar ben ychwaith.

13:40

First Minister, as you've just said, the chair of the Welsh affairs—the committee, I should say—in Westminster has expressed concerns, and I think we all appreciate that there have been issues with the roll-out and the development of shared prosperity fund. However, according to the UK Government response to the Welsh Affairs Select Committee report, 'Wales and the Shared Prosperity Fund', in December, the fund will, at least, match the current EU structural fund receipts with the intention of targeting places most in need—those mentioned by Alun Davies—such as ex-industrial areas, deprived towns, rural and coastal communities. So, I appreciate that's the UK Government position; it may not be the Welsh Government's position. But how is the Welsh Government planning so that these areas of Wales do indeed ultimately benefit? And how are Welsh Government officials working with or, at least, liaising with the UK Government to make sure that when funding does get up and running those areas will be delivered for? 

Prif Weinidog, fel yr ydych chi newydd ei ddweud, mae cadeirydd y materion Cymreig—y pwyllgor, dylwn i ddweud—yn San Steffan wedi mynegi pryderon, ac rwy'n credu ein bod ni i gyd yn sylweddoli y bu problemau o ran cyflwyno a datblygu cronfa ffyniant gyffredin. Fodd bynnag, yn ôl ymateb Llywodraeth y DU i adroddiad y Pwyllgor Dethol ar Faterion Cymreig, 'Cymru a'r Gronfa Ffyniant Gyffredin', ym mis Rhagfyr, bydd y gronfa, o leiaf, yr un faint â'r hyn a dderbynnir ar hyn o bryd o gronfa strwythurol yr UE gyda'r bwriad o dargedu'r lleoedd mwyaf anghenus—y rhai y cyfeiriodd Alun Davies atyn nhw—fel hen ardaloedd diwydiannol, trefi difreintiedig, cymunedau gwledig ac arfordirol. Felly, rwy'n sylweddoli mai safbwynt Llywodraeth y DU yw hwnnw; efallai nad dyna safbwynt Llywodraeth Cymru. Ond sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cynllunio fel bod yr ardaloedd hyn yng Nghymru yn elwa yn y pen draw? A sut y mae swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio gyda Llywodraeth y DU neu, o leiaf, yn cysylltu â hi i wneud yn siŵr, pan fydd cyllid yn dechrau cael ei ddarparu, y bydd darpariaeth ar gyfer yr ardaloedd hynny?

Well, Llywydd, I just don't agree that it's a matter of a difference of opinion. It is a difference of straightforward fact: Wales gets £375 million a year, in the last round of European funding; the shared prosperity fund next year will have £220 million in it for the whole of the United Kingdom. That is not a difference of opinion. That is a difference of £150 million. If Wales got the whole of the UK shared prosperity fund, we would be £150 million worse off than we would otherwise have been. And that's why, when Alun Davies asked his supplementary question, he said this is a betrayal of everything that people in Wales were told would happen after we left the European Union.

I'm afraid there isn't a great deal of engagement at official level, because every time we ask the question we are simply told that there are no further details that can be shared with us. And that's the same answer we've had now since 2017, when this idea was first suggested by the UK Government—2017 to 2021, in which there are no further details that can be shared with us. Little surprise that not just the Welsh Government but those communities who depend upon this investment to create the sort of economic futures that we need for them have lost patience and confidence in what this UK Government is likely to deliver. 

Wel, Llywydd, nid wyf i'n cytuno ei fod yn fater o wahaniaeth barn. Mae'n wahaniaeth o ffeithiau syml: mae Cymru yn cael £375 miliwn y flwyddyn, yn y cylch diwethaf o gyllid Ewropeaidd; bydd gan y gronfa ffyniant gyffredin y flwyddyn nesaf £220 miliwn ynddi ar gyfer y Deyrnas Unedig gyfan. Nid gwahaniaeth barn yw hynny. Mae hynny'n wahaniaeth o £150 miliwn. Pe byddai Cymru yn cael holl gronfa ffyniant gyffredin y DU, byddem £150 miliwn yn waeth ein byd nag y byddem ni wedi bod fel arall. A dyna pam, pan ofynnodd Alun Davies ei gwestiwn atodol, y dywedodd bod hwn yn fradychiad o bopeth a ddywedwyd wrth bobl yng Nghymru fyddai'n digwydd ar ôl i ni adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd.

Mae arnaf ofn nad oes llawer iawn o ymgysylltu ar lefel swyddogol, oherwydd bob tro y byddwn ni'n gofyn y cwestiwn, dywedir wrthym nad oes rhagor o fanylion y gellir eu rhannu â ni. A dyna'r un ateb yr ydym ni wedi ei gael nawr ers 2017, pan awgrymwyd y syniad hwn gyntaf gan Lywodraeth y DU—2017 i 2021, pan nad oes unrhyw fanylion ychwanegol y gellir eu rhannu â ni. Nid yw'n syndod bod nid yn unig Llywodraeth Cymru ond y cymunedau hynny sy'n dibynnu ar y buddsoddiad hwn i greu'r math o ddyfodol economaidd yr ydym ni ei angen ar eu cyfer wedi colli amynedd a ffydd yn yr hyn y mae Llywodraeth y DU yn debygol o'i ddarparu.

Given how Wales has fared for many decades, through the Thatcher years in the 1980s, 15 years of a Westminster Labour Government that didn't reform the Barnett formula, leaving Wales worse off, 11 years of Tory-led austerity and now the disgrace that it is the shared prosperity fund—and I would associate myself with what the First Minister has said about that—does the First Minister now accept that it is decades since the redistributive potential of the Untied Kingdom, to which he often refers, has come anywhere near to being fulfilled? And does he now agree with me that it's time for us here in Wales to look after ourselves and each other, using the economic levers available to an independent nation to rebuild our economy and end poverty? 

O ystyried hynt Cymru ers degawdau lawer, drwy flynyddoedd Thatcher yn y 1980au, 15 mlynedd o Lywodraeth Lafur yn San Steffan na wnaeth ddiwygio fformiwla Barnett, gan adael Cymru yn waeth ei byd, 11 mlynedd o gyni cyllidol dan arweiniad y Torïaid a'r gronfa ffyniant gyffredin warthus nawr—a byddwn yn cysylltu fy hun â'r hyn y mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi ei ddweud am hynny—a yw'r Prif Weinidog bellach yn derbyn bod degawdau erbyn hyn ers i botensial ailddosbarthu y Deyrnas Unedig, y mae'n cyfeirio ato yn aml, ddod yn agos o gwbl at gael ei wireddu? Ac a yw bellach yn cytuno â mi ei bod hi'n bryd i ni yma yng Nghymru ofalu amdanom ni ein hunain a'n gilydd, gan ddefnyddio'r ysgogiadau economaidd sydd ar gael i wlad annibynnol i ailadeiladu ein heconomi a rhoi terfyn ar dlodi?

No, I don't, Llywydd, as the Member knows, and she's very unfair in her characterisation of the last Labour Government. During the last Labour Government, the cash available to the National Assembly grew by 10 per cent every single year in the first term of this institution. It grew in real terms in every year that Labour was in power. It is absolutely possible to use the United Kingdom as an engine for redistribution, and the last Labour Government demonstrated that year in and year out. The temporary failure of the current occupants of power at Westminster to do that should not be confused for an argument that the system is incapable of delivering what I believe it is capable of doing and which will be in Wales's interests. 

Nac ydw, dydw i ddim, Llywydd, fel y mae'r Aelod yn gwybod, ac mae hi'n annheg iawn yn ei disgrifiad o'r Llywodraeth Lafur ddiwethaf. Yn ystod y Llywodraeth Lafur ddiwethaf, cynyddodd yr arian a oedd ar gael i'r Cynulliad Cenedlaethol gan 10 y cant bob blwyddyn yn nhymor cyntaf y sefydliad hwn. Cynyddodd mewn termau real ym mhob blwyddyn yr oedd Llafur mewn grym. Mae'n gwbl bosibl defnyddio'r Deyrnas Unedig fel peiriant ar gyfer ailddosbarthu, a dangosodd y Llywodraeth Lafur ddiwethaf hynny flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn. Ni ddylid drysu rhwng methiant dros dro deiliaid presennol y grym yn San Steffan i wneud hynny gyda dadl nad yw'r system yn gallu cyflawni'r hyn yr wyf i'n credu y gallai ei gyflawni ac a fydd er lles Cymru.

Cwestiynau Heb Rybudd gan Arweinwyr y Pleidiau
Questions Without Notice from the Party Leaders

Cwestiynau nawr gan arweinwyr y pleidiau. Arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, Andrew R.T. Davies. 

Questions now from the party leaders. The leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew R.T. Davies. 

Thank you, Presiding Officer, and, with your permission, I'd just like to put on the record that our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the three fishermen who are still classed as missing off the north Wales coast, and our gratitude to the search and rescue teams who have been out tirelessly trying to give some comfort to those families in trying to seek out their loved ones. I'm sure all Members' thoughts and prayers are with the families of Alan Minard, Ross Ballantine and Carl McGrath, who are still listed as missing off the north Wales coast.  

First Minister, could you tell me the current state of the pandemic? Because in your earlier response to the question from Suzy Davies, you clearly indicated that we have a long way to go before we can declare the pandemic at an end. We had the Office for National Statistics figures out today about deaths in Wales, and in particular in north Wales, each and every one a tragedy, and our thoughts are with the families who've lost loved ones. And today we have the assessment on the new mutant strain of the Kent variant. So, I think it's important for us to try and understand what your assessment is of the current pandemic and the journey we have to continue on here in Wales.

Diolch, Llywydd, a gyda'ch caniatâd, hoffwn gofnodi bod ein meddyliau a'n gweddïau gyda theuluoedd y tri physgotwr sy'n dal i fod ar goll oddi ar arfordir y gogledd, a'n diolch i'r timau chwilio ac achub sydd wedi bod allan yn ddiflino yn ceisio rhoi rhywfaint o gysur i'r teuluoedd hynny wrth geisio chwilio am eu hanwyliaid. Rwy'n siŵr bod meddyliau a gweddïau'r holl Aelodau gyda theuluoedd Alan Minard, Ross Ballantine a Carl McGrath, sy'n dal wedi eu rhestru fel bod ar goll oddi ar arfordir y gogledd.

Prif Weinidog, a allwch chi ddweud wrthyf i beth yw sefyllfa bresennol y pandemig? Oherwydd yn eich ymateb cynharach i'r cwestiwn gan Suzy Davies, nodwyd yn eglur gennych bod gennym ni ffordd bell i fynd cyn y gallwn ni ddatgan bod y pandemig ar ben. Cawsom ffigurau'r Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol a gyhoeddwyd heddiw ar farwolaethau yng Nghymru, ac yng ngogledd Cymru yn arbennig, a phob un yn drasiedi, ac mae ein meddyliau gyda'r teuluoedd sydd wedi colli anwyliaid. A heddiw mae gennym ni'r asesiad ar straen mwtant newydd amrywiolyn Caint. Felly, rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n bwysig i ni geisio deall beth yw eich asesiad o'r pandemig presennol a'r daith y mae'n rhaid i ni barhau i fod arni yma yng Nghymru.

13:45

I thank Andrew R.T. Davies for those questions and of course associate myself with what he said in opening about the families of those three men who are missing at sea in north Wales. I know there will be people right across Wales who have followed the events in north Wales, including the enormous efforts that have been made to locate the people who are missing, and to offer, as Andrew R.T. Davies said, comfort to their families. This must be the most awful time for them.

My assessment of the state of the pandemic in Wales is this: because of the decisions that were taken to put Wales into a level 4 series of measures before Christmas, we are seeing the benefit of that in the period since the turn of the year. The number of people suffering from coronavirus is going down every day. It's down below 140 per 100,000 today. The positivity rate is going down every day, down to just about 11 per cent today. The number of people in our hospitals with coronavirus has started to come down—it's not down anything like enough, but the trend is now downwards—and we've seen the first impact of that in our critical care capacity as well. All of those are very important achievements, and, alongside the mass vaccination programme, give us hope that, as we go further into this year, it will be possible to restore some of the freedoms to people in Wales that they have had to manage without over recent weeks. But all of that is based on foundations that can shift at any moment, and the examples that the leader of the opposition pointed to—the Kent variant and developments there, the South African variant—while things are moving in the right direction, there's a fragility about all of that. And we've seen, in other parts of the world, including parts of the world very close to us, how a set of promising indicators can turn into a set of very difficult indicators in a matter of just a few short weeks.

Diolchaf i Andrew R.T. Davies am y cwestiynau yna a chysylltaf fy hun wrth gwrs â'r hyn a ddywedodd wrth agor am deuluoedd y tri gŵr hynny sydd ar goll ar y môr yn y gogledd. Gwn y bydd pobl ledled Cymru sydd wedi dilyn y digwyddiadau yn y gogledd, gan gynnwys yr ymdrechion enfawr a wnaed i ddarganfod y bobl sydd ar goll, ac i gynnig cysur i'w teuluoedd, fel y dywedodd Andrew R.T. Davies. Mae'n rhaid bod hwn yn gyfnod cwbl ofnadwy iddyn nhw.

Dyma fy asesiad o sefyllfa'r pandemig yng Nghymru: oherwydd y penderfyniadau a wnaed i roi Cymru mewn cyfres lefel 4 o fesurau cyn y Nadolig, rydym ni'n gweld budd hynny yn y cyfnod ers troad y flwyddyn. Mae nifer y bobl sy'n dioddef o'r coronafeirws yn gostwng bob dydd. Mae wedi gostwng yn is na 140 fesul 100,000 heddiw. Mae'r gyfradd positifrwydd yn gostwng bob dydd, i lawr i ddim ond tua 11 y cant heddiw. Mae nifer y bobl yn ein hysbytai sydd â coronafeirws wedi dechrau gostwng—nid yw wedi gostwng yn ddigonol o bell ffordd, ond mae'r duedd ar i lawr erbyn hyn—ac rydym ni wedi gweld effaith gyntaf hynny yn ein capasiti gofal critigol hefyd. Mae'r rheini i gyd yn gyflawniadau pwysig iawn, ac, ochr yn ochr â'r rhaglen frechu torfol, yn rhoi gobaith i ni, wrth i ni fynd ymhellach i mewn i'r flwyddyn hon, y bydd modd adfer rhywfaint o'r rhyddid i bobl yng Nghymru y bu'n rhaid iddyn nhw ymdopi hebddo dros yr wythnosau diwethaf. Ond mae hynny i gyd yn seiliedig ar sylfeini a allai symud ar unrhyw adeg, a'r enghreifftiau y cyfeiriodd arweinydd yr wrthblaid atyn nhw—amrywiolyn Caint a'r datblygiadau yno, amrywiolyn De Affrica—er bod pethau yn symud i'r cyfeiriad iawn, ceir breuder yn gysylltiedig â hynny i gyd. Ac rydym ni wedi gweld, mewn rhannau eraill o'r byd, gan gynnwys rhannau o'r byd yn agos iawn atom ni, sut y gall cyfres o ddangosyddion addawol droi'n gyfres o ddangosyddion anodd iawn mewn mater o ychydig wythnosau byr yn unig.

I'd agree with your assessment, First Minister; there is some light at the end of the tunnel with some of the numbers that are moving in the right direction now, but we still have a very long, long way to go with this pandemic, and it is right that we adhere to the restrictions and we do all we can as we go into the spring.

What concerns me greatly is when Government Ministers make commitments during this pandemic, such as those the environment Minister has made throughout the pandemic—on seven occasions in the Plenary. Back to 7 May last year, when talking about nitrate vulnerable zones, she said she would not be bringing them forward while we're in the current pandemic period. On 16 September, she said:

'What I have committed to is not bringing them forward whilst we're in the middle of a COVID-19 pandemic.' 

On seven occasions she said that she would not bring the NVZ regulations forward for adoption here in Wales, and last week she issued a statement where she contradicted herself and said she was implementing these NVZ regulations as of 1 April. Would you personally intervene, First Minister, remind the Minister of the commitments that she's made to farmers and the rural economy and to the people of Wales by her comments on the floor of the Plenary, and withhold introducing these regulations until the pandemic is clearly confirmed as being at an end and preparations can be in place to adopt these regulations, if they are approved by the Assembly?

Byddwn yn cytuno â'ch asesiad, Prif Weinidog; mae rhywfaint o oleuni ym mhen draw'r twnnel gyda rhai o'r rhifau sy'n symud i'r cyfeiriad iawn erbyn hyn, ond mae gennym ni ffordd faith iawn o hyd i fynd gyda'r pandemig hwn, ac mae'n iawn ein bod ni'n cadw at y cyfyngiadau a'n bod ni'n gwneud popeth o fewn ein gallu wrth i ni fynd i mewn i'r gwanwyn.

Yr hyn sy'n fy mhoeni i'n fawr yw pan fydd Gweinidogion y Llywodraeth yn gwneud ymrwymiadau yn ystod y pandemig hwn, fel y rhai y mae Gweinidog yr amgylchedd wedi eu gwneud drwy gydol y pandemig—saith gwaith yn y Cyfarfod Llawn. Yn ôl i 7 Mai y llynedd, wrth sôn am barthau perygl nitradau, dywedodd hi na fyddai'n eu cyflwyno tra byddwn ni yn y cyfnod pandemig presennol. Ar 16 Medi, dywedodd:

'Rwyf wedi ymrwymo i beidio â'u cyflwyno tra ein bod ni yng nghanol pandemig COVID-19.'

Ar saith achlysur dywedodd hi na fyddai'n cyflwyno'r rheoliadau Parth Perygl Nitradau i'w mabwysiadu yma yng Nghymru, a chyhoeddodd ddatganiad yr wythnos diwethaf pryd y gwnaeth hi wrth-ddweud ei hun gan ddweud ei bod hi'n gweithredu'r rheoliadau Parth Perygl Nitradau hyn ar 1 Ebrill. A wnewch chi ymyrryd yn bersonol, Prif Weinidog, atgoffa'r Gweinidog o'r ymrwymiadau y mae hi wedi eu gwneud i ffermwyr a'r economi wledig ac i bobl Cymru drwy ei sylwadau ar lawr y Cyfarfod Llawn, a pheidio â chyflwyno'r rheoliadau tan y cadarnheir bod y pandemig ar ben ac y gall paratoadau fod ar waith i fabwysiadu'r rheoliadau hyn, os cânt eu cymeradwyo gan y Cynulliad?

I won't be doing that, Llywydd. We have waited before introducing the regulations until, as I set out in my answer to the first question from Andrew R.T. Davies, the fact that we are moving into, we hope, more benign times as far as the virus is concerned. The need to put control on agricultural pollution in Wales is urgent—three incidents on average every week in each of the last three years. Over 90 per cent of ammonia emissions in Wales are from agriculture. The level of pollution incidents in the agriculture sphere is damaging the reputation of farmers, damaging our environment and damaging the ability of that industry in the longer run to trade with other parts of the world, given that the strength of our industry is the quality of the produce that it delivers. Now is the right time to do this, and delay would not be in the interests of the industry. The implementation of the regulations will be done sensitively, they'll be done alongside the industry, but further delay is neither environmentally, economically or in reputational terms to the advantage of the industry.

Fydda i ddim yn gwneud hynny, Llywydd. Rydym ni wedi aros cyn cyflwyno'r rheoliadau tan, fel y nodais yn fy ateb i'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Andrew R.T. Davies, y ffaith ein bod ni'n symud i gyfnod mwy hynaws, gobeithio, o ran y feirws. Mae'r angen i gyflwyno rheolaethau ar lygredd amaethyddol yng Nghymru yn fater brys—tri digwyddiad ar gyfartaledd bob wythnos ym mhob un o'r tair blynedd diwethaf. Mae dros 90 y cant o allyriadau amonia yng Nghymru yn dod o amaethyddiaeth. Mae lefel y digwyddiadau llygredd yn y maes amaethyddol yn niweidio enw da ffermwyr, yn niweidio ein hamgylchedd ac yn niweidio gallu'r diwydiant hwnnw yn y tymor hwy i fasnachu â rhannau eraill o'r byd, o gofio mai cryfder ein diwydiant yw ansawdd y cynnyrch y mae'n ei ddarparu. Nawr yw'r adeg iawn i wneud hyn, ac ni fyddai oedi er lles pennaf y diwydiant. Bydd gweithredu'r rheoliadau yn cael ei wneud mewn modd sensitif, bydd yn cael ei wneud ochr yn ochr â'r diwydiant, ond nid yw oedi pellach o fantais i'r diwydiant o safbwynt amgylcheddol, economaidd nac o ran enw da.

13:50

With respect, First Minister, I'd agree with you that one pollution incident is one too many, and as someone who is involved in the agriculture industry, I want to see an industry that has as clean a bill of health as possible. But I go back to the point that I've said to you; I've offered you examples where the Minister is on the record as saying that these NVZ regulations would not be introduced while the pandemic was in existence—not once, not twice, but seven times in response to questions in the Plenary that I have a direct record of here. You say that

'When we make a promise, we know in the Labour party that we have to keep it.'

I would suggest that when a Minister of your Government makes such a commitment on the floor of the Plenary, that is a promise, and this promise is being broken. There is no dispute about pressing down on pollution incidents and making sure we bear down on the people who break the regulations, but when the Minister's made such a commitment, and you have made such a statement that when the Labour party makes a promise it has to keep it, surely these promises have to be kept, and we have to come to the end of the pandemic before these regulations are implemented.

Gyda pharch, Prif Weinidog, byddwn yn cytuno â chi bod un digwyddiad llygredd yn ormod, ac fel rhywun sy'n ymwneud â'r diwydiant amaethyddol, rwyf i eisiau gweld diwydiant sydd mor lân â phosibl. Ond rwyf am fynd yn ôl at y pwynt yr wyf i wedi ei ddweud wrthych chi; rwyf i wedi cynnig enghreifftiau i chi lle mae'r Gweinidog wedi dweud ar goedd na fyddai'r rheoliadau Parth Perygl Nitradau hyn yn cael eu cyflwyno tra bod y pandemig yn bodoli—nid unwaith, nid dwywaith, ond saith gwaith mewn ymateb i gwestiynau yn y Cyfarfod Llawn y mae gen i gofnod uniongyrchol ohonyn nhw yn y fan yma. Rydych chi'n dweud

Pan fyddwn ni'n gwneud addewid, rydym ni'n gwybod yn y blaid Lafur bod yn rhaid i ni ei gadw.

Byddwn yn awgrymu, pan fydd un o Weinidogion eich Llywodraeth yn gwneud ymrwymiad o'r fath ar lawr y Cyfarfod Llawn, bod hynny yn addewid, ac mae'r addewid hwn yn cael ei dorri. Nid oes unrhyw ddadl ynglŷn â gostwng nifer yr achosion o lygredd a gwneud yn siŵr ein bod ni'n cosbi'r bobl sy'n torri'r rheoliadau, ond pan fo'r Gweinidog wedi gwneud ymrwymiad o'r fath, a'ch bod chi wedi gwneud datganiad o'r fath pan fydd y blaid Lafur yn gwneud addewid, bod yn rhaid iddi ei gadw, does bosib nad oes yn rhaid cadw'r addewidion hyn, ac mae'n rhaid i ni gyrraedd diwedd y pandemig cyn i'r rheoliadau hyn gael eu gweithredu.

The promise that my party makes is that we will deal with agricultural pollution here in Wales. We have reached the point where I believe, and the Minister believes, that we can put these regulations before the Senedd. We can do so confident that we have worked hard with the industry, and that when it comes to implementing the regulations, we will do that alongside those many, many farmers in Wales who already comply with regulations, who don't pollute our natural environment, and who are let down by those who do. If these were entirely isolated incidents, or even if the incidents were falling, I'd have more sympathy with that the Member has said. In fact, we have seen no diminution in the rate of agricultural pollution. We don't just see one, we see three every single week, week in, week out, year in, year out, here in Wales, in a way that damages the industry and damages the environment that belongs to us all. That is why we will bring forward the regulations. That is the spirit in which we will approach it and we are doing the right thing by the industry and by Wales.

Yr addewid y mae fy mhlaid yn ei wneud yw y byddwn ni'n ymdrin â llygredd amaethyddol yma yng Nghymru. Rydym ni wedi cyrraedd y pwynt pan yr wyf i'n credu, ac mae'r Gweinidog yn credu, y gallwn ni roi'r rheoliadau hyn gerbron y Senedd. Gallwn wneud hynny yn ffyddiog ein bod ni wedi gweithio yn galed gyda'r diwydiant, a phan ddaw'n fater o weithredu'r rheoliadau, byddwn yn gwneud hynny ochr yn ochr â'r nifer fawr hynny o ffermwyr yng Nghymru sydd eisoes yn cydymffurfio â rheoliadau, nad ydyn nhw'n llygru ein hamgylchedd naturiol, ac sy'n cael eu siomi gan y rhai sy'n gwneud hynny. Pe byddai'r rhain yn ddigwyddiadau cwbl ynysig, neu hyd yn oed pe byddai nifer y digwyddiadau yn gostwng, byddwn yn cydymdeimlo yn fwy â'r hyn y mae'r Aelod wedi ei ddweud. Mewn gwirionedd, nid ydym ni wedi gweld unrhyw leihad yng nghyfradd y llygredd amaethyddol. Nid dim ond un yr ydym ni'n ei weld, rydym ni'n gweld tri bob wythnos, wythnos ar ôl wythnos, flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn, yma yng Nghymru, mewn ffordd sy'n niweidio'r diwydiant ac yn niweidio'r amgylchedd sy'n perthyn i bob un ohonom ni. Dyna pam y byddwn ni'n cyflwyno'r rheoliadau. Dyna'r ysbryd y byddwn ni'n mynd i'r afael â'r mater ynddo ac rydym ni'n gwneud y peth iawn ar ran y diwydiant ac ar ran Cymru.

Arweinydd Plaid Cymru, Adam Price.

Leader of Plaid Cymru, Adam Price.

Diolch, Lywydd. Gaf i, yn gyntaf, ategu'r sylwadau, ac ategu bod ein meddyliau a'n gweddïau ni i gyd gyda theuluoedd Alan Minard, Ross Ballantine a Carl McGrath ar yr adeg hynod anodd yma iddyn nhw a'r gymuned gyfan?

Thank you, Llywydd. May I, first of all, echo the comments made earlier and say that our thoughts and prayers are with the families of Alan Minard, Ross Ballantine and Carl McGrath at this very difficult time?

First Minister, the Scottish Government is providing £90 million in extra funding to councils to enable them to freeze council tax next year, offsetting what would have been, on average, a 3 per cent increase. It would cost around £100 million to allow Welsh councils to freeze council tax next year and offset the average 4.8 per cent rise that we saw last year. At this time of great financial uncertainty, are you attracted by the argument of, and following Scotland's lead in, at the same time protecting vital, local services, but also protecting family budgets at such a difficult time? Would you be in a better position to do so if you were able to convince Westminster to allow greater flexibility in carrying unspent money forward to next year?

Prif Weinidog, mae Llywodraeth yr Alban yn darparu £90 miliwn o gyllid ychwanegol i gynghorau i'w caniatáu i rewi'r dreth gyngor y flwyddyn nesaf, gan wrthbwyso'r hyn a fyddai, ar gyfartaledd, wedi bod yn gynnydd o 3 y cant. Byddai'n costio tua £100 miliwn i ganiatáu i gynghorau Cymru rewi'r dreth gyngor y flwyddyn nesaf a gwrthbwyso'r cynnydd cyfartalog o 4.8 y cant a welsom y llynedd. Ar yr adeg hon o ansicrwydd ariannol mawr, a ydych chi'n cael eich denu gan ddadl o ddiogelu gwasanaethau lleol hanfodol, ond hefyd diogelu cyllidebau teuluoedd ar adeg mor anodd, gan ddilyn esiampl yr Alban? A fyddech chi mewn gwell sefyllfa i wneud hynny pe gallech chi argyhoeddi San Steffan i ganiatáu mwy o hyblygrwydd trwy gario arian nad yw'n cael ei wario ymlaen i'r flwyddyn nesaf?

13:55

Of course I see the attraction of what has been proposed for Scotland, but it's £100 million, as the Member has mentioned. Week after week, he puts to me propositions for spending that cost tens or hundreds of millions of pounds. What we have in Wales is the council tax benefit scheme, a unique scheme in Wales, in which we topped up as a Welsh Government the £220 million that we were provided with by the Westminster Government when, against our wishes, devolution of council tax benefit was carried out. We've added fresh Government money to that this year—another £5.4 million, I think—to make sure that that scheme can go on being operated. Over 300,000 families in Wales benefit from it, the vast bulk of them paying no council tax at all. That is a way, I think, of protecting those people who most need protection against rising bills at times of restraint, while requiring others of us to make a contribution that we can better make to sustain public services here in Wales. So, we have our own way of doing it, and I think it has many advantages. As to Mr Price's final point, I do agree with him there. We have asked the UK Government, as has the Government in Scotland and the Northern Ireland Executive, for simple flexibilities to allow us to manage end-of-year expenditure in this extraordinary time. Sadly, we don't appear to be gaining any traction with them.

Wrth gwrs fy mod i'n gweld atyniad yr hyn a gynigiwyd ar gyfer yr Alban, ond mae'n £100 miliwn, fel y mae'r Aelod wedi ei grybwyll. Wythnos ar ôl wythnos, mae'n cyflwyno cynigion i mi ar gyfer gwario sy'n costio degau neu gannoedd o filiynau o bunnoedd. Yr hyn sydd gennym ni yng Nghymru yw cynllun budd-dal y dreth gyngor, cynllun unigryw yng Nghymru, yr ychwanegwyd ato gennym ni fel Llywodraeth Cymru y tu draw i'r £220 miliwn a ddarparwyd i ni gan Lywodraeth San Steffan pan, yn groes i'n dymuniadau, y datganolwyd budd-dal y dreth gyngor. Rydym ni wedi ychwanegu arian newydd gan y Llywodraeth at hynny eleni—£5.4 miliwn arall, rwy'n credu—i wneud yn siŵr y gall y cynllun hwnnw barhau i gael ei weithredu. Mae dros 300,000 o deuluoedd yng Nghymru yn elwa arno, y mwyafrif llethol ohonyn nhw yn talu dim treth gyngor o gwbl. Mae honno'n ffordd, rwy'n credu, o amddiffyn y bobl hynny y mae angen eu hamddiffyn fwyaf rhag biliau cynyddol mewn cyfnod o ataliaeth, gan ei gwneud yn ofynnol i eraill yn ein plith wneud cyfraniad y mae'n haws i ni ei wneud i gynnal gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yma yng Nghymru. Felly, mae gennym ni ein ffordd ein hunain o wneud hyn, ac rwy'n credu bod llawer o fanteision iddi. O ran pwynt olaf Mr Price, rwy'n cytuno ag ef yn hynny o beth. Rydym ni wedi gofyn i Lywodraeth y DU, fel y gwnaeth y Llywodraeth yn yr Alban a Gweithrediaeth Gogledd Iwerddon, am hyblygrwydd syml i ganiatáu i ni reoli gwariant diwedd blwyddyn yn y cyfnod eithriadol hwn. Yn anffodus, nid yw'n ymddangos ein bod ni'n cael unrhyw lwyddiant gyda nhw.

Obviously, the additional £5.5 million increase to the council tax reduction scheme that you referred to, First Minister, is welcome, but it's lower than the increase in council tax arrears, and the people who are most likely to have gone into arrears are those affected by coronavirus, households with children, people with disabilities. Freezing council tax is a short-term measure, though I'm sure it would be very welcome to many of those families; the longer term solution is to reform what the Institute for Fiscal Studies has called an out-of-date, regressive and distortionary council tax system. Why have you allowed this unfair system to persist for so long? 

Yn amlwg, mae'r cynnydd ychwanegol o £5.5 miliwn i gynllun gostyngiadau'r dreth gyngor y cyfeiriasoch ato, Prif Weinidog, i'w groesawu, ond mae'n is na'r cynnydd i ôl-ddyledion y dreth gyngor, a'r bobl sydd fwyaf tebygol o fod wedi mynd i ôl-ddyledion yw'r rhai y mae'r coronafeirws wedi effeithio arnyn nhw, aelwydydd â phlant, pobl ag anableddau. Mae rhewi'r dreth gyngor yn fesur tymor byr, er fy mod i'n siŵr y byddai croeso mawr iddo gan lawer o'r teuluoedd hynny; yr ateb tymor hwy yw diwygio'r hyn y mae'r Sefydliad Astudiaethau Cyllid wedi ei alw yn system dreth gyngor hen, atchweliadol ac afluniol. Pam ydych chi wedi caniatáu i'r system annheg hon barhau cyhyd?

I agree that the system needs reform. The report that the Member quotes is part of the research that this Government has commissioned into the current system to give us proposals as to how it might be reformed. There are very important choices, challenging choices, for anybody who wishes to bring about reform in the current system to grapple with, whether—and this is what the IFS report is primarily about—we should take some radical action to make the current system of council tax fairer and more progressive, including a rebanding exercise, or whether it is better to think of a different system altogether. Very significant work has gone on over the last few years through the Welsh Government to look at whether land value taxation would offer a better model altogether, even than a reformed council tax system drawing on the work of the IFS. So, this Government has been on the case of reform here throughout this Senedd term, making sure that there are practical proposals that can be implemented if a mandate for that is secured at the forthcoming Senedd elections.

Rwy'n cytuno bod angen diwygio'r system. Mae'r adroddiad y mae'r Aelod yn ei ddyfynnu yn rhan o'r gwaith ymchwil y mae'r Llywodraeth hon wedi ei gomisiynu i'r system bresennol i roi cynigion i ni ynghylch sut y gellid ei diwygio. Ceir dewisiadau pwysig iawn, dewisiadau anodd, i unrhyw un sy'n dymuno cyflwyno diwygiadau yn y system bresennol i fynd i'r afael â nhw pa un a ddylem ni—a dyma ddiben adroddiad yr IFS yn bennaf—gymryd camau radical i wneud y system bresennol o dreth gyngor yn decach ac yn fwy blaengar, gan gynnwys ymarfer ailfandio, neu pa un a yw hi'n well meddwl am wahanol system yn gyfan gwbl. Mae gwaith sylweddol iawn wedi ei wneud dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf drwy Lywodraeth Cymru i ystyried a fyddai trethiant gwerth tir yn cynnig gwell model yn gyfan gwbl, hyd yn oed na system dreth gyngor ddiwygiedig sy'n manteisio ar waith yr IFS. Felly, mae'r Llywodraeth hon wedi bod ar drywydd diwygio yma drwy gydol tymor y Senedd hon, gan wneud yn siŵr bod cynigion ymarferol y gellir eu gweithredu os sicrheir mandad ar gyfer hynny yn etholiadau'r Senedd eleni.

You and I have talked about this very issue before, but the question is, of course, what are we going to do now. What we would do in Government is to undertake to revalue more regularly and ensure that the council tax system is more proportional to the value of properties. We know in Blaenau Gwent, for example, we've seen the value of properties increase more than twice as much compared to Wrexham, and properties are increasingly arbitrary in terms of the difference in taxation. And we expect our proposals—. Under our proposals, 20 per cent of households in the bottom fifth of income distribution would see their council tax fall by more than £200, and the IFS report that you referred to shows that that would mean an average bill falling in somewhere like Merthyr Tydfil by £160. That's the medium-term solution. The longer term answer, as you say, absolutely is to replace it with an entirely fairer system related to land value. First Minister, where are you in terms of the medium and long-term vision?

Rydych chi a minnau wedi trafod yr union fater hwn o'r blaen, ond y cwestiwn, wrth gwrs, yw beth yr ydym ni'n mynd i'w wneud nawr. Yr hyn y byddem ni'n ei wneud mewn Llywodraeth yw ymrwymo i ailbrisio yn fwy rheolaidd a sicrhau bod system y dreth gyngor yn fwy cymesur â gwerth eiddo. Rydym ni'n gwybod ym Mlaenau Gwent, er enghraifft, ein bod ni wedi gweld gwerth eiddo yn cynyddu fwy na dwywaith cymaint o'i gymharu â Wrecsam, ac mae eiddo yn gynyddol fympwyol o ran y gwahaniaeth mewn trethiant. Ac rydym ni'n disgwyl i'n cynigion—. O dan ein cynigion ni, byddai treth gyngor 20 y cant o aelwydydd yn y pumed isaf o ddosbarthiad incwm yn gostwng gan fwy na £200, ac mae adroddiad yr IFS y cyfeiriasoch ato yn dangos y byddai hynny yn golygu bod bil cyfartalog yn gostwng gan £160 yn rhywle fel Merthyr Tudful. Dyna'r ateb tymor canolig. Yr ateb tymor hwy, fel y dywedwch, yn sicr yw cyflwyno system gwbl decach yn ei lle sy'n gysylltiedig â gwerth tir. Prif Weinidog, ble ydych chi o ran y weledigaeth tymor canolig a hirdymor?

14:00

Well, I thank the Member for that question and I look forward to going on discussing these matters with him, because they are genuinely serious and they're genuinely challenging in a policy sense. I am attracted not just to regular revaluation but rolling revaluation, in which it would be possible to have a register that is kept up to date all the time so that you don't get the distortions that we see when revaluations are postponed over many years. That will require a different relationship with the Valuation Office Agency, and quite possibly a separate valuation system for Wales, where we're not reliant on the current arrangements. 

The Member quotes the figures from the IFS report about what revaluation and other reforms might mean for people at the bottom end of the income scale, but he doesn't quote the fact that, for people at the top end of the property valuations, that could mean thousands of pounds in additional bills every year. And not everybody who lives in a big house, as he knows, is somebody with a big income. So, there will be a need for very considerable transition arrangements to be put in place in order to protect those who would be adversely affected and don't have incomes to fall back on; albeit that they're asset rich, they're cash poor. So, it will be more complicated than headlines that say that some parts of Wales will be better off, because the system will have to be navigated through in a way that is fair to everybody, and it will not be as simple, I'm afraid, as some of the slogans will suggest.  

Wel, diolchaf i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn yna ac edrychaf ymlaen at barhau i drafod y materion hyn gydag ef, oherwydd eu bod nhw'n wirioneddol ddifrifol ac yn wirioneddol heriol o safbwynt polisi. Rwy'n cael fy nenu nid yn unig at ailbrisio rheolaidd ond ailbrisio treigl, lle byddai'n bosibl cael cofrestr sy'n cael ei diweddaru drwy'r amser fel na fyddwch chi'n cael yr ystumiadau yr ydym ni'n eu gweld pan fydd ailbrisiadau yn cael eu gohirio dros flynyddoedd lawer. Bydd hynny yn gofyn am wahanol berthynas ag Asiantaeth y Swyddfa Brisio, ac o bosibl system brisio ar wahân i Gymru, lle nad ydym ni'n dibynnu ar y trefniadau presennol.

Mae'r Aelod yn dyfynnu'r ffigurau o adroddiad yr IFS am yr hyn y gallai ailbrisio a diwygiadau eraill ei olygu i bobl ar waelod y raddfa incwm, ond nid yw'n dyfynnu'r ffaith y gallai hynny, i bobl ar ben uchaf y prisiadau eiddo, olygu miloedd o bunnoedd mewn biliau ychwanegol bob blwyddyn. Ac nid yw pawb sy'n byw mewn tŷ mawr, fel y mae'n gwybod, yw rhywun sydd ag incwm mawr. Felly, bydd angen rhoi trefniadau pontio sylweddol iawn ar waith er mwyn amddiffyn y rhai a fyddai'n cael eu heffeithio yn andwyol ac nad oes ganddyn nhw incwm wrth gefn; er eu bod nhw'n gyfoethog o ran asedau, maen nhw'n dlawd o ran arian parod. Felly, bydd yn fwy cymhleth na phenawdau sy'n dweud y bydd rhai rhannau o Gymru yn well eu byd, oherwydd bydd yn rhaid llywio'r system drwodd mewn modd sy'n deg i bawb, ac ni fydd mor syml, mae arnaf ofn, ag y bydd rhai o'r sloganau yn ei awgrymu.

Cyllid Cynghorau Lleol
Local Council Funding

3. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad ar ddefnyddio amcangyfrifon poblogaeth fel sail i ddyraniadau cyllid cynghorau lleol? OQ56233

3. Will the First Minister make a statement on using population estimates as a basis for local council funding allocations? OQ56233

Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Amcanestyniadau poblogaeth yw un o amrywiaeth o ddata sy’n cael eu defnyddio fel sail i fformiwla setliad llywodraeth leol. Y prif ffactor sy’n llywio gwariant gwasanaeth yw lefelau poblogaeth, lefelau amddifadedd a thrwch poblogaeth.

Thank you, Llywydd. Population predictions are one of a range of data used to underpin the local government settlement formula. The largest drivers of service expenditure are population levels, deprivation levels and sparsity.

Wel, mae Llywodraeth Cymru, wrth gwrs, newydd gyhoeddi setliad o 2.3 y cant i Gyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Wrecsam, yr ail setliad isaf yng Nghymru. Ac fel roeddech chi'n dweud nawr, mae hwnnw'n rannol seiliedig ar asesiadau newydd o boblogaeth y sir. Nawr, os ydy'r asesiadau newydd yma'n gywir, sef bod poblogaeth y sir yn statig, yn hytrach na'n codi'n sylweddol, pam fod adran gynllunio eich Llywodraeth chi yn mynnu bod y cynllun datblygu lleol yn Wrecsam yn gorfod delio â chynnydd sylweddol yn y boblogaeth? Mae yna anghysondeb difrifol yn fan hyn ar amser, wrth gwrs, pan fod angen cysondeb a chwarae teg er mwyn i gynghorau allu cynllunio at y dyfodol. Felly, efallai y gallwch chi ddweud wrthon ni, Brif Weinidog, pa adran o'ch Llywodraeth chi sy'n gywir yn fan hyn, yr adran sy'n dweud am Wrecsam fod y boblogaeth yno yn statig, neu'r adran sy'n dweud fod y boblogaeth yno'n cynyddu'n sylweddol.

Well, the Welsh Government, of course, has just announced a settlement of 2.3 per cent to Wrexham County Borough Council, the second lowest in Wales. And, as you've just said, this is partially based on new population projections for the county. Now, if these new projections are correct, namely that the population is static, rather than increasing significantly, why is the planning department of your Government insisting that the local development plan in Wrexham has to deal with a significant increase in population? There is a grave inconsistency here at a time when we need consistency and fair play so that councils can plan for the future. So, perhaps you could tell us, First Minister, which department of your Government is right here, the department that says of Wrexham that the population is static or the department that says that the population is increasing substantially. 

Well, Llywydd, I think the Member is mixing up two different sorts of calculations for two different purposes, derived in two different ways. The way that the local government settlement is brought about is the way that I described in my first answer: there is a formula, the formula is agreed with local government here in Wales, the formula is independently verified by the distribution sub-group, which has prominent academics on it who certify every year that the formula has been fairly and accurately applied. Every year, there are local authorities that find themselves gaining because of the way in which factors within the formula move, and there will be local authorities that find themselves not gaining in the way that they would want. But while the formula remains as it is, and as I've always said in the time that I've been responsible for it, if there are proposals that local authorities in Wales can agree on that they wish to bring forward that would allow the formula to be reformed, then of course the Welsh Government will engage in this. But while the formula has the support, as it does, of the Welsh Local Government Association, and while it is based on objective data, independently verified, then we all have to learn to live with it in the years that it suits us and the years when it doesn't.

Wel, Llywydd, rwy'n credu bod yr Aelod yn cymysgu dau wahanol fath o gyfrifiadau at ddau wahanol ddiben, y deuir atynt mewn dwy wahanol ffordd. Y ffordd y caiff y setliad llywodraeth leol ei gyflwyno yw'r ffordd a ddisgrifiais yn fy ateb cyntaf: ceir fformiwla, cytunir ar y fformiwla gyda llywodraeth leol yma yng Nghymru, caiff y fformiwla ei dilysu yn annibynnol gan yr is-grŵp dosbarthu, sydd ag academyddion blaenllaw yn rhan ohono sy'n ardystio bob blwyddyn bod y fformiwla wedi ei chymhwyso yn deg ac yn gywir. Bob blwyddyn, ceir awdurdodau lleol sy'n eu canfod eu hunain yn ennill oherwydd y ffordd y mae ffactorau o fewn y fformiwla yn symud, a bydd awdurdodau lleol a fydd yn canfod nad ydyn nhw'n elwa yn y modd y bydden nhw yn ei ddymuno. Ond tra bod y fformiwla yn aros fel ag y mae, ac fel yr wyf i wedi ei ddweud erioed yn yr amser yr wyf i wedi bod yn gyfrifol amdani, os oes cynigion y gall awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru gytuno arnyn nhw y maen nhw'n dymuno eu cyflwyno a fyddai'n caniatáu i'r fformiwla gael ei diwygio, yna wrth gwrs bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn ymgysylltu â hyn. Ond tra bod gan y fformiwla gefnogaeth, fel sydd ganddi, Cymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru, a thra ei bod yn seiliedig ar ddata gwrthrychol, wedi'u dilysu yn annibynnol, yna mae'n rhaid i bob un ohonom ni ddysgu i fyw gyda hi yn y blynyddoedd y mae'n gweddu i ni a'r blynyddoedd pan nad yw'n gweddu i ni.

14:05

Because the formula has such wide anomalies, it needs a Government to take leadership, because you can never have agreement between winners and losers within the WLGA. Under your Welsh Government's provisional local government settlement, north Wales councils are again losing out with an average 3.4 per cent increase compared to 4.1 per cent in south Wales and 5.6 per cent for top place, Newport, and as we heard, Wrexham receiving just 2.3 per cent. However, Conwy, which again receives a below-average increase, has the highest proportion of its population in the oldest age group of all Welsh counties, with Anglesey also receiving a below-average increase not far behind in third position out of 22, and every north Wales county having a higher proportion of its population in the oldest age group than Newport—second from bottom—and Cardiff, bottom. How can your formula justify this, despite the weekly statements and protestations in this Senedd highlighting the rights and needs of older people and the need to meet and fund these?

Oherwydd bod gan y fformiwla anghysondebau mor eang, mae hi angen Llywodraeth i'w harwain, oherwydd ni allwch chi byth gael cytundeb rhwng enillwyr a chollwyr o fewn CLlLC. O dan setliad llywodraeth leol dros dro Llywodraeth Cymru, mae cynghorau'r gogledd unwaith eto ar eu colled gyda chynnydd o 3.4 y cant ar gyfartaledd o'i gymharu â 4.1 y cant yn y de a 5.6 y cant ar gyfer y prif le, Casnewydd, ac fel y clywsom, Wrecsam yn derbyn dim ond 2.3 y cant. Fodd bynnag, Conwy, sydd unwaith eto yn cael cynnydd is na'r cyfartaledd, sydd â'r gyfran uchaf o'i phoblogaeth yn y grŵp oedran hynaf o holl siroedd Cymru, gydag Ynys Môn hefyd yn cael cynnydd is na'r cyfartaledd nad yw ymhell ar ei hôl hi yn y trydydd safle allan o 22, a phob sir yn y gogledd â chyfran uwch o'i phoblogaeth yn y grŵp oedran hynaf na Chasnewydd—sy'n ail o'r gwaelod—a Chaerdydd, ar y gwaelod. Sut gall eich fformiwla gyfiawnhau hyn, er gwaethaf y datganiadau a'r protestiadau wythnosol yn y Senedd hon sy'n tynnu sylw at hawliau ac anghenion pobl hŷn a'r angen i ddiwallu ac ariannu'r rhain?

Well, Llywydd, as the Member well knows, this is not the Welsh Government's formula; this is the formula that is agreed with local government in Wales.

Wel, Llywydd, fel y mae'r Aelod yn gwybod yn iawn, nid fformiwla Llywodraeth Cymru yw hon; dyma'r fformiwla y cytunir arni gyda llywodraeth leol yng Nghymru.

It is a Welsh Government formula.

Fformiwla Llywodraeth Cymru yw hi.

And I hear what he says, and actually, he is very disrespectful of local government when he claims that it's impossible for them to do a job in this area, so somebody else must take it away from them. We every year sit down with a distribution sub-group, the body of experts that gives us advice; that goes to a group of politicians, the finance sub-group on which local authorities are represented from north Wales as well as everywhere else. The Welsh Government responds to the recommendations of that group.

When I was the Minister for local government and finance, Llywydd, in 2017-18, I remember sitting in that finance sub-group when a report on reform of the personal social services data was discussed. That reform had the effect over two years of moving money away from urban south Wales to rural areas in mid, west and north Wales. That was recommended by the distribution sub-group, and despite the fact that most Members of the finance sub-group would see their own local authorities lose out, it was agreed by that group as well. That's the nature of the formula; you update it, you update it objectively, you use the best data you can, and you implement it, and you implement it in a way that does not look to see where the implementation lands geographically; you look to make sure that it is fair, objective, and defensible, right across Wales.

A chlywaf yr hyn y mae'n ei ddweud, ac mewn gwirionedd, mae'n amharchus iawn tuag at lywodraeth leol pan fydd yn honni ei bod hi'n amhosibl iddyn nhw gyflawni swyddogaeth yn y maes hwn, felly mae'n rhaid i rywun arall ei chymryd oddi arnyn nhw. Rydym ni'n eistedd i lawr bob blwyddyn gydag is-grŵp dosbarthu, y corff o arbenigwyr sy'n rhoi cyngor i ni; mae hwnnw yn mynd at grŵp o wleidyddion, yr is-grŵp cyllid y cynrychiolir awdurdodau lleol arno o'r gogledd yn ogystal â phob man arall. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ymateb i argymhellion y grŵp hwnnw.

Pan oeddwn i'n Weinidog llywodraeth leol a chyllid, Llywydd, yn 2017-18, rwy'n cofio eistedd yn yr is-grŵp cyllid hwnnw pan drafodwyd adroddiad ar ddiwygio'r data gwasanaethau cymdeithasol personol. Cafodd y diwygiad hwnnw yr effaith dros ddwy flynedd o symud arian i ffwrdd o dde Cymru drefol i ardaloedd gwledig yn y canolbarth, y gorllewin a'r gogledd. Argymhellwyd hynny gan yr is-grŵp dosbarthu, ac er gwaethaf y ffaith y byddai'r rhan fwyaf o Aelodau'r is-grŵp cyllid yn gweld eu hawdurdodau eu hunain ar eu colled, fe'i cytunwyd gan y grŵp hwnnw hefyd. Dyna natur y fformiwla; rydych chi'n ei diweddaru, rydych chi'n ei diweddaru yn wrthrychol, rydych chi'n defnyddio'r data gorau y gallwch chi, ac rydych chi'n ei gweithredu, ac rydych chi'n ei gweithredu mewn ffordd nad yw'n ceisio gweld lle mae'r gweithrediad yn glanio yn ddaearyddol; rydych chi'n ceisio gwneud yn siŵr ei bod yn deg, yn wrthrychol ac yn amddiffynadwy, ledled Cymru.

Ansicrwydd Bwyd
Food Insecurity

4. Beth yw strategaeth Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer mynd i'r afael ag ansicrwydd bwyd yng Nghaerdydd? OQ56245

4. What is the Welsh Government's strategy for tackling food insecurity in Cardiff? OQ56245

Llywydd, I thank the Member. The Welsh Government's strategy is to support innovation in both the statutory and third sectors in Cardiff, and then to work with successful initiatives that demonstrate the potential to help tackle food insecurity on a wider scale.

Llywydd, diolchaf i'r Aelod. Strategaeth Llywodraeth Cymru yw cefnogi arloesedd yn y sector statudol a'r trydydd sector yng Nghaerdydd, ac yna gweithio gyda mentrau llwyddiannus sy'n dangos y potensial i helpu i fynd i'r afael ag ansicrwydd bwyd ar raddfa ehangach.

Thank you, First Minister for that answer. We've all seen the photos of cut-up carrots and peppers, which were supposed to be sufficient for making five lunches for free-school-meal families in England, and I'm sure you would share my shock that private companies have been permitted to charge £30 for such utterly inadequate food parcels. In contrast, all free-school-meals children in Cardiff have the security of vouchers to the value of nearly £20, which they can spend in the local supermarket of their choice.

The pandemic has unfortunately exposed how poor diets translate into poor health and makes disadvantaged families so much more likely to catch and die of COVID than families who can afford nourishing food, and that situation is not helped by the disruption to everyday foods imported from the EU. The green recovery action plan devised by Sir David Henshaw and others has some excellent ideas for tackling our insecure food system, including urban agriculture where it's most needed, increasing the number of people who know how to grow food, and connecting growers with local markets. But having spoken to the head of the Trussell Trust in Wales, it's unclear whether this will be sufficient to stem the rise and rise of families needing to turn to foodbanks in these incredibly difficult times. What role can the Welsh Government play, either through its own procurement policies or other strategies, to tackle the food insecurity and poor diet that coronavirus has exposed as such a major contributor to chronic ill health and vulnerability to disease?

Diolch, Prif Weinidog am yr ateb yna. Rydym ni i gyd wedi gweld y lluniau o foron a phupurau wedi'u torri, a oedd i fod yn ddigonol ar gyfer gwneud pum cinio i deuluoedd sy'n cael prydau ysgol am ddim yn Lloegr, ac rwy'n siŵr y byddech chi'n rhannu fy mraw bod cwmnïau preifat wedi cael codi £30 am barseli bwyd mor gwbl annigonol. Mewn cyferbyniad, mae gan bob plentyn sy'n cael prydau ysgol am ddim yng Nghaerdydd y sicrwydd o dalebau gwerth bron i £20, y gallan nhw eu gwario yn yr archfarchnad leol o'u dewis.

Yn anffodus, mae'r pandemig wedi amlygu sut mae deietau gwael yn troi'n iechyd gwael ac yn gwneud teuluoedd difreintiedig gymaint yn fwy tebygol o ddal a marw o COVID na theuluoedd sy'n gallu fforddio bwyd maethlon, ac nid yw'r sefyllfa honno yn cael ei helpu gan y tarfu ar fwydydd bob dydd sy'n cael eu mewnforio o'r UE. Mae'r cynllun gweithredu adferiad gwyrdd a luniwyd gan Syr David Henshaw ac eraill yn cynnwys syniadau ardderchog ar gyfer mynd i'r afael â'n system fwyd ansicr, gan gynnwys amaethyddiaeth drefol lle mae ei hangen fwyaf, cynyddu nifer y bobl sy'n gwybod sut i dyfu bwyd, a chysylltu tyfwyr â marchnadoedd lleol. Ond ar ôl siarad â phennaeth Ymddiriedolaeth Trussell yng Nghymru, nid yw'n eglur pa un a fydd hyn yn ddigon i atal y cynnydd parhaus i nifer y teuluoedd y mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw droi at fanciau bwyd yn y cyfnod hynod anodd hwn. Pa ran all Llywodraeth Cymru ei chwarae, naill ai drwy ei pholisïau caffael ei hun neu strategaethau eraill, i fynd i'r afael â'r ansicrwydd bwyd a'r deiet gwael y mae'r coronafeirws wedi eu hamlygu fel cyfrannwr mor fawr at salwch cronig a bod yn agored i glefydau?

14:10

Llywydd, I thank Jenny Rathbone for those follow-up questions. I'm afraid I'm old enough to remember when, during the Thatcher era, the Conservative-controlled Shropshire County Council served potted meat sandwiches to its free school meals children for Christmas dinner one year. So, it's no surprise to me at all to find that, when a public service delivers something for children in need, then they get a better deal than when this is hived off to profit-making friends of the Conservative Party.

I agree with the Member about the Henshaw report, and I'm very grateful to all those who contributed to it. I was able to meet the group early on in their work, and it does provide us with some very practical ideas of how we can make sure that, as we recover from coronavirus, we're able to do so in a way that puts our environment, and the place that food has in that, at the top of our agenda.

Llywydd, the Member asked for some examples of what the Welsh Government is able to do, and here are, very quickly, just a small number. As I said, what we try and do is invest in ideas and then make those ideas go further when they turn out to be good ones. In my own constituency, Llywydd, the Dusty Forge project is a fantastic project that hosted the first pantry scheme in Wales. That's now gone to other parts of Wales, including, I know, Glenwood church in the Member's own constituency. Just before Christmas, my colleague Lee Waters announced £100,000 to take into Valley communities the Big Box Bwyd scheme that had started in the Vale of Glamorgan, has been successfully demonstrated in two pioneer schools in Barry, and will now be available to five schools in Merthyr, Aberdare, Maesteg and Rhydaman.

I'll give a final example, Llywydd, on a lightly bigger scale—Carmarthenshire County Council, in partnership with its local health board and its local university is using money through the foundational economy challenge fund is finding ways in which the public sector procurement of local food can both provide better food in hospitals, in colleges and in older people's homes, but will also secure supply, strengthen local economies and reduce the carbon footprint. Working with the Centre for Local Economic Strategies, we are also looking to take those ideas and to implant them in other local areas in Wales.

Llywydd, diolchaf i Jenny Rathbone am y cwestiynau dilynol yna. Rwy'n ofni fy mod i'n ddigon hen i gofio pan wnaeth Cyngor Sir Swydd Amwythig, o dan reolaeth y Ceidwadwyr yn ystod cyfnod Thatcher, roi brechdanau pâst cig i'w blant prydau ysgol am ddim fel cinio Nadolig un flwyddyn. Felly, nid yw'n syndod i mi o gwbl i ganfod, pan fydd gwasanaeth cyhoeddus yn darparu rhywbeth i blant mewn angen, yna maen nhw'n cael gwell bargen na phan fydd hyn yn cael ei drosglwyddo i ffrindiau sy'n gwneud elw yn y Blaid Geidwadol.

Rwy'n cytuno â'r Aelod am adroddiad Henshaw, ac rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn i bawb a gyfrannodd ato. Cefais gyfle i gyfarfod â'r grŵp yn gynnar yn eu gwaith, ac mae'n rhoi rhai syniadau ymarferol iawn i ni o sut y gallwn ni wneud yn siŵr, wrth i ni adfer yn sgil y coronafeirws, ein bod ni'n gallu gwneud hynny mewn ffordd sy'n rhoi ein hamgylchedd, a'r lle sydd gan fwyd yn hynny, ar frig ein hagenda.

Llywydd, gofynnodd yr Aelod am rai enghreifftiau o'r hyn y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud, a dyma, yn gyflym iawn, nifer fach yn unig. Fel y dywedais, yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ceisio ei wneud yw buddsoddi mewn syniadau ac yna gwneud i'r syniadau hynny fynd ymhellach pan ganfyddir eu bod nhw'n profi i fod yn rhai da. Yn fy etholaeth i, Llywydd, mae prosiect y Dusty Forge yn brosiect gwych a oedd yn gartref i'r cynllun pantri cyntaf yng Nghymru. Mae hwnnw wedi mynd i rannau eraill o Gymru erbyn hyn, gan gynnwys, rwy'n gwybod, eglwys Glenwood yn etholaeth yr Aelod ei hun. Ychydig cyn y Nadolig, cyhoeddodd fy nghyd-Weinidog Lee Waters £100,000 i fynd â'r cynllun Blwch Mawr Bwyd a oedd wedi dechrau ym Mro Morgannwg i gymunedau'r Cymoedd, ac mae wedi cael ei arddangos yn llwyddiannus mewn dwy ysgol arloesi yn y Barri, a byddan nhw bellach ar gael i bum ysgol ym Merthyr, Aberdâr, Maesteg a Rhydaman.

Rhoddaf un enghraifft olaf, Llywydd, ar raddfa ychydig yn fwy—mae Cyngor Sir Caerfyrddin, mewn partneriaeth â'i fwrdd iechyd lleol a'i brifysgol leol, yn defnyddio arian drwy'r gronfa her economi sylfaenol, yn dod o hyd i ffyrdd y gall caffael bwyd lleol yn y sector cyhoeddus gynnig gwell bwyd mewn ysbytai, mewn colegau ac mewn cartrefi pobl hŷn, ond bydd hefyd yn sicrhau cyflenwad, yn cryfhau economïau lleol ac yn lleihau'r ôl troed carbon. Gan weithio gyda'r Ganolfan Strategaethau Economaidd Lleol, rydym ni hefyd yn awyddus i gymryd y syniadau hynny a'u mewnblannu mewn ardaloedd lleol eraill yng Nghymru.

First Minister, this is a very important area, and I've been very impressed by the food co-operatives that established food clubs whereby members for a modest fee get access to a wide range of fresh fruit and vegetables. But also, they're given the chance to improve their cooking skills if that is required, and indeed, when the pandemic is over and we can meet socially again, meet to share their experiences and prepare food together—skills, then, that obviously they take to their households. These sorts of innovations I think have a lot to recommend them, because I think there's a natural desire to eat well, and cooking, when you have the skills, is not the chore that it can present itself as, if you really don't know how to tackle a lot of the food substances that are available to you.

Prif Weinidog, mae hwn yn faes pwysig iawn, ac mae'r mentrau bwyd cydweithredol a sefydlodd glybiau bwyd lle mae aelodau yn cael mynediad at amrywiaeth eang o ffrwythau a llysiau ffres am bris rhesymol wedi creu argraff fawr arnaf i. Ond hefyd, rhoddir cyfle iddyn nhw wella eu sgiliau coginio os oes angen, ac yn wir, pan fydd y pandemig ar ben ac y gallwn ni gyfarfod yn gymdeithasol unwaith eto, cyfarfod i rannu eu profiadau a pharatoi bwyd gyda'i gilydd—sgiliau, felly, y maen nhw'n amlwg yn eu trosglwyddo i'w haelwydydd. Mae gan y mathau hyn o ddatblygiadau arloesol lawer i'w hargymell yn fy marn i, oherwydd rwy'n credu bod awydd naturiol i fwyta'n dda, ac nid yw coginio, pan fydd gennych chi'r sgiliau, y baich y gall ymddangos i fod, os nad ydych chi wir yn gwybod sut i fynd i'r afael â llawer o'r sylweddau bwyd sydd ar gael i chi.

Well, Llywydd, I think David Melding makes a very important point that the natural human instinct is to share food and to use the sharing of food as the basis for social interaction. I'm sure I'm not the only Member of the Senedd who ate a virtual Christmas dinner this year with family members far away in Wales, and great as it is to see people even in that way, it's no substitute for what David Melding talked about—about people getting around the table together and sharing a meal. But I think his first example—what he talked about in relation to food co-operatives—is very important. The pantry scheme that I referred to, answering Jenny Rathbone, is just an example of that. Everybody pays £5 into the scheme and then is able to draw food out of the collective stock.

And while foodbanks do a fantastic job, sad as it is to require that job to be done, what the pantry scheme does is to get over that sense that people who use foodbanks have of being dependent on them, of being in a client relationship. With the pantry, you're a member, as you are in a co-op, and you've paid in and you take out of it by right, and that changes the whole dynamic. And more developments of that sort would have benefits of the sort that David Melding referred to, but they would have wider benefits as well in giving people that sense of social worth and dignity, which we, I know, would both wish to see. 

Wel, Llywydd, rwy'n credu bod David Melding yn gwneud pwynt pwysig iawn mai'r reddf ddynol naturiol yw rhannu bwyd a defnyddio'r broses o rannu bwyd fel sail ar gyfer rhyngweithio cymdeithasol. Rwy'n siŵr nad fi yw'r unig Aelod o'r Senedd a wnaeth fwyta cinio Nadolig rhithwir eleni gydag aelodau o'r teulu ymhell i ffwrdd yng Nghymru, ac er ei bod hi'n wych gweld pobl hyd yn oed yn y ffordd honno, nid yw cystal â'r hyn y soniodd David Melding amdano—am bobl yn dod o amgylch y bwrdd gyda'i gilydd ac yn rhannu pryd o fwyd. Ond rwy'n credu bod ei enghraifft gyntaf—yr hyn y soniodd amdani o ran mentrau bwyd cydweithredol—yn bwysig iawn. Mae'r cynllun pantri y cyfeiriais ato, wrth ateb Jenny Rathbone, yn enghraifft o hynny. Mae pawb yn talu £5 i mewn i'r cynllun ac yna'n cael tynnu bwyd allan o'r stoc gyfunol.

Ac er bod banciau bwyd yn gwneud gwaith gwych, er ei bod yn drist bod angen i'r gwaith hwnnw gael ei wneud, yr hyn y mae'r cynllun pantri yn ei wneud yw cael dros y synnwyr hwnnw sydd gan bobl sy'n defnyddio banciau bwyd o fod yn ddibynnol arnyn nhw, o fod mewn perthynas cleient. Gyda'r pantri, rydych chi'n aelod, gan eich bod chi mewn menter gydweithredol, ac rydych chi wedi talu i mewn ac rydych chi'n tynnu allan ohono drwy hawl, ac mae hynny yn newid y ddeinameg gyfan. A byddai gan fwy o ddatblygiadau o'r math hwnnw fanteision o'r math y cyfeiriodd David Melding atyn nhw, ond byddai ganddyn nhw fanteision ehangach hefyd o ran rhoi i bobl y synnwyr hwnnw o werth ac urddas cymdeithasol, y byddai'r ddau ohonom ni, mi wn, yn dymuno ei weld.

14:15
Effaith Brexit ar Bobl Ifanc
The Impact of Brexit on Young People

5. Pa asesiad y mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi'i wneud o effaith Brexit ar bobl ifanc yng Nghymru? OQ56249

5. What assessment has the First Minister made of the impact of Brexit on young people in Wales? OQ56249

I thank the Member for that question, Llywydd. Thanks to the fantastic—. I do beg your pardon, Llywydd; I'm turning over too many pages here. It's shameful that our young people will be excluded from the Erasmus programme, the largest international exchange programme in history, will no longer be able to live and work easily in the EU 27, and will suffer from the economic fallout of the UK Government's approach to Brexit.

Diolchaf i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn yna, Llywydd. Diolch i'r—. Mae'n ddrwg iawn gen i, Llywydd; rwy'n troi gormod o dudalennau yn y fan yma. Mae'n gywilyddus y bydd ein pobl ifanc yn cael eu heithrio o raglen Erasmus, ni fydd y rhaglen gyfnewid ryngwladol fwyaf mewn hanes bellach yn gallu byw a gweithio yn rhwydd yn 27 yr UE, a bydd yn dioddef o ganlyniad economaidd dull Llywodraeth y DU o ymdrin â Brexit.

Thank you, First Minister, and, as you know, I've spoken before in the Senedd about how, as a young person from a deprived community who'd never even had a foreign holiday before, I was able to study at the University of Paris thanks to funding and support from the Erasmus programme. There seems to be little doubt that the Turing programme will be a very inferior successor, and there are real fears that, thanks to the UK Government's spiteful, self-defeating and totally unnecessary decision to withdraw from Erasmus+, many young people in Wales will lose out, especially those who are most disadvantaged. Now, there has been some speculation that a way can be found to enable young people in Wales and Scotland to continue to participate in Erasmus, which is something I wholeheartedly welcome. Can the First Minister update the Senedd on any discussions in this regard, and can he assure me that he will pursue every possible avenue to enable Welsh young people to continue to participate in this life-changing scheme? 

Diolch, Prif Weinidog, ac, fel y gwyddoch, rwyf i wedi siarad o'r blaen yn y Senedd am sut, fel person ifanc o gymuned ddifreintiedig nad oedd erioed wedi cael gwyliau tramor o'r blaen, i mi gael cyfle i astudio ym Mhrifysgol Paris diolch i gyllid a chefnogaeth gan raglen Erasmus. Mae'n ymddangos nad oes fawr o amheuaeth y bydd rhaglen Turing yn olynydd israddol iawn, a cheir ofnau gwirioneddol, diolch i benderfyniad sbeitlyd, hunandrechol a chwbl ddiangen Llywodraeth y DU i dynnu yn ôl o Erasmus+, y bydd llawer o bobl ifanc yng Nghymru ar eu colled, yn enwedig y rhai hynny sydd fwyaf difreintiedig. Nawr, bu rhywfaint o sôn y gellir dod o hyd i ffordd o alluogi pobl ifanc yng Nghymru a'r Alban i barhau i gymryd rhan yn Erasmus, sy'n rhywbeth yr wyf i'n ei groesawu yn wresog. A all y Prif Weinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Senedd am unrhyw drafodaethau yn hyn o beth, ac a all ef fy sicrhau y bydd yn mynd ar drywydd pob llwybr posibl i alluogi pobl ifanc Cymru i barhau i gymryd rhan yn y cynllun hwn sy'n newid bywydau?

Llywydd, I entirely agree with Lynne Neagle—it is a life-changing experience to go abroad to work, to study, to meet other young people with different experiences, and it is one of the most awful decisions of this UK Government to deny those opportunities to young people not just in Wales, but across the rest of the UK. The Minister for Education received a letter on 19 January from the Minister of State for Universities in the UK Government. This is what the letter said: 'You raised the possibility of Wales joining Erasmus+ as an independent participant. You do not have the competence to enter into any such agreement'.

So, not only are they determined to deny opportunities by their own actions, but they seek to frustrate the efforts that we would make—and we'd certainly make them alongside the Scottish Government, if that was possible—to find other ways in which those opportunities could be made available. That is not to say, Llywydd, for a moment that we do not go on thinking of every way in which we can to find opportunities for those young people. I met the German ambassador recently. It was a very positive meeting in which he talked about bilateral possibilities for exchanges between young people here and young people in Germany. I discussed the whole Erasmus business with the foreign Minister of the Republic of Ireland recently, again looking to see whether there are any avenues that we might be able to explore there.

We want young people from Wales to be able to visit, to work, to study, to get all the advantages that Lynne Neagle pointed to, and we want young people from other parts of the world to come here to Wales as well—a possibility completely ruled out in the Turing scheme. At the weekend, Llywydd, I gave myself a small treat and listened for half an hour to the World Service. It was an interview with a very distinguished epidemiologist, leading a team at London university, and during the interview the interviewer asked him, 'How did you come to work in London?' and he said, 'Well, I was brought up in Germany, I went to Belfast on an Erasmus scheme, and I've stayed here ever since.' That's what we are turning our back on by the small-minded approach of this UK Government to what has been one of the jewels of the European Union.

Llywydd, rwy'n cytuno yn llwyr â Lynne Neagle—mae'n brofiad sy'n newid bywydau i fynd dramor i weithio, i astudio, i gyfarfod â phobl ifanc eraill sydd â gwahanol brofiadau, ac mae'n un o benderfyniadau mwyaf ofnadwy Llywodraeth y DU hon i gymryd y cyfleoedd hynny oddi wrth bobl ifanc nid yn unig yng Nghymru, ond ar draws gweddill y DU. Derbyniodd y Gweinidog Addysg lythyr ar 19 Ionawr gan y Gweinidog Gwladol dros Brifysgolion yn Llywodraeth y DU. Dyma'r hyn yr oedd y llythyr yn ei ddweud: 'Fe wnaethoch chi godi'r posibilrwydd y gallai Cymru ymuno ag Erasmus+ fel cyfranogwr annibynnol. Nid yw'r cymhwysedd gennych chi i ymrwymo i unrhyw gytundeb o'r fath'.

Felly, nid yn unig y maen nhw'n benderfynol o atal cyfleoedd drwy eu gweithredoedd eu hunain, ond maen nhw'n ceisio rhwystro'r ymdrechion y byddem ni'n eu gwneud—a byddem yn sicr yn eu gwneud nhw ochr yn ochr â Llywodraeth yr Alban, pe byddai hynny yn bosibl—i ddod o hyd i ffyrdd eraill y gellid sicrhau bod y cyfleoedd hynny ar gael. Nid yw hynny'n golygu, Llywydd, am eiliad nad ydym ni'n parhau i feddwl am bob ffordd y gallwn ni i ddod o hyd i gyfleoedd i'r bobl ifanc hynny. Cefais gyfarfod â llysgennad yr Almaen yn ddiweddar. Roedd yn gyfarfod cadarnhaol iawn pryd y soniodd am bosibiliadau dwyochrog ar gyfer trefniadau cyfnewid rhwng pobl ifanc yma a phobl ifanc yn yr Almaen. Trafodais holl fusnes Erasmus gyda Gweinidog tramor Gweriniaeth Iwerddon yn ddiweddar, unwaith eto gyda'r nod o weld a oes unrhyw lwybrau y gallem ni eu harchwilio yno.

Rydym ni eisiau i bobl ifanc o Gymru allu ymweld, gweithio, astudio, cael yr holl fanteision y cyfeiriodd Lynne Neagle atyn nhw, ac rydym ni eisiau i bobl ifanc o rannau eraill o'r byd ddod yma i Gymru hefyd—posibilrwydd sy'n cael ei ddiystyru yn llwyr yng nghynllun Turing. Dros y penwythnos, Llywydd, rhoddais bleser bach i mi fy hun a gwrandewais am hanner awr ar Wasanaeth y Byd. Cyfweliad oedd hwn gydag epidemiolegydd nodedig iawn, yn arwain tîm ym mhrifysgol Llundain, ac yn ystod y cyfweliad gofynnodd y cyfwelydd iddo, 'Sut y daethoch chi i weithio yn Llundain?' a dywedodd, 'Wel, cefais fy magu yn yr Almaen, fe es i i Belfast ar gynllun Erasmus, ac rwyf i wedi aros yma byth ers hynny.' Dyna'r hyn yr ydym ni'n troi ein cefnau arno trwy agwedd fychanfrydig y Llywodraeth hon yn y DU at yr hyn sydd wedi bod yn un o drysorau'r Undeb Ewropeaidd.

14:20
Darparu Brechlyn COVID-19
Delivery of the COVID-19 Vaccine

6. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am ddarparu brechlyn COVID-19 yng Nghaerffili? OQ56227

6. Will the First Minister provide an update on the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine in Caerphilly? OQ56227

Well, Llywydd, there have been fantastic efforts by all those involved in delivering the vaccination programme here in Wales at a rapid and an accelerating pace. In the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, 72 GP practices are participating in the programme right across the board's area, including all the GP surgeries in Caerphilly county borough.

Wel, Llywydd, cafwyd ymdrechion gwych gan bawb sy'n gysylltiedig â chyflawni'r rhaglen frechu yma yng Nghymru ar gyfradd gyflym ac sy'n cyflymu. Ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Aneurin Bevan, mae 72 o feddygfeydd teulu yn cymryd rhan yn y rhaglen ar draws ardal gyfan y bwrdd, gan gynnwys yr holl feddygfeydd teulu ym mwrdeistref sirol Caerffili.

I agree; I think the Aneurin Bevan health board has pulled out all the stops. It's been absolutely incredible to see a vaccine programme start from absolute scratch to what they're producing at the moment, which is 77 per cent of 80-year-olds have been vaccinated. That's probably gone up since the session started today. The concern of a few residents I've been in touch with has been with regard to queuing outside the centres, and one problem is that those people who have to catch buses from areas like Senghenydd, Abertridwr and Nelson will find that they have no choice but to arrive early, because that's how the buses work. I've been in touch with Caerphilly council, who are looking into community transport to try and deliver a better transport service directly to the centre for people. Caerphilly council have got back to me and have said they are investigating those options and would like to run it, also, on a regional basis. Will the First Minister, in recognising the huge progress that's made, also give some support to community transport provision to mass vaccination centres?

Rwy'n cytuno; rwy'n credu bod bwrdd iechyd Aneurin Bevan wedi rhoi pob gewyn ar waith. Mae wedi bod yn gwbl anhygoel gweld rhaglen frechu yn dechrau o ddim i'r hyn y maen nhw'n ei gynhyrchu ar hyn o bryd, sef bod 77 y cant o bobl 80 oed wedi cael eu brechu. Mae'n debyg bod hynny wedi cynyddu ers i'r sesiwn ddechrau heddiw. Pryder rhai trigolion yr wyf i wedi bod mewn cysylltiad â nhw fu ynghylch ciwio y tu allan i'r canolfannau, ac un broblem yw y bydd y bobl hynny y mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw ddal bysiau o ardaloedd fel Senghennydd, Abertridwr a Nelson yn canfod nad oes ganddyn nhw unrhyw ddewis ond cyrraedd yn gynnar, oherwydd dyna sut mae'r bysiau yn gweithio. Rwyf i wedi bod mewn cysylltiad â chyngor Caerffili, sy'n ymchwilio i gludiant cymunedol i geisio darparu gwell gwasanaeth cludiant yn syth i'r ganolfan i bobl. Mae cyngor Caerffili wedi dod yn ôl ataf ac wedi dweud eu bod nhw'n ymchwilio i'r dewisiadau hynny ac yr hoffen nhw ei redeg, hefyd, ar sail ranbarthol. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog, gan gydnabod y cynnydd enfawr sydd wedi ei wneud, hefyd roi rhywfaint o gefnogaeth i ddarpariaeth o gludiant cymunedol i ganolfannau brechu torfol?

Llywydd, I thank Hefin David for that follow-up question, and he's absolutely right about what has been achieved in Caerphilly—over 7,000 people over the age of 80 already vaccinated in the borough. Somebody is vaccinated every five seconds here in Wales, so I'm quite certain, by the time this question is over, somebody in Caerphilly will have been vaccinated as part of that programme, and I think it tells us something, Llywydd, that we're now at that stage in the programme where we are able to focus on not just the huge infrastructure effort that has been made in securing all the mass vaccination centres, the over 400 GPs participating, the mobile units that are out there vaccinating as well, but we're able now to focus on the practical detail of the sort that Hefin David has highlighted this afternoon. Of course, we don't want to see elderly people, particularly, having to queue outside in the January and February weather, and making sure that there are transport opportunities for people who can't rely on their own cars when we ask them to go to a particular location to get vaccination, those are the sorts of details we're now able to grapple with. And in the work that is led by my colleague Vaughan Gething, and I join him every week in a meeting with the top team responsible for vaccination across Wales, we will make sure that we take up the issues that the Member has raised today so that we can assist the efforts of Caerphilly County Borough Council in making sure that the programme goes on being the outstanding success it is today. 

Llywydd, diolchaf i Hefin David am y cwestiwn dilynol yna, ac mae yn llygad ei le ynglŷn â'r hyn sydd wedi ei gyflawni yng Nghaerffili—mae dros 7,000 o bobl dros 80 oed eisoes wedi'u brechu yn y fwrdeistref. Mae rhywun yn cael ei frechu bob pum eiliad yma yng Nghymru, felly rwy'n eithaf sicr, erbyn i'r cwestiwn hwn ddod i ben, y bydd rhywun yng Nghaerffili wedi cael ei frechu yn rhan o'r rhaglen honno, ac rwy'n credu ei fod yn dweud rhywbeth wrthym ni, Llywydd, ein bod ni bellach ar y cam hwnnw yn y rhaglen lle'r ydym ni'n gallu canolbwyntio nid yn unig ar yr ymdrech seilwaith enfawr a wnaed i sicrhau'r holl ganolfannau brechu torfol, y tros 400 o feddygon teulu sy'n cymryd rhan, yr unedau symudol sydd allan yna yn brechu hefyd, ond ein bod ni'n gallu canolbwyntio bellach ar fanylion ymarferol o'r math y mae Hefin David wedi tynnu sylw atyn nhw y prynhawn yma. Wrth gwrs, nid ydym ni eisiau gweld pobl oedrannus, yn arbennig, yn gorfod ciwio y tu allan yn nhywydd mis Ionawr a mis Chwefror, a gwneud yn siŵr bod cyfleoedd cludiant i bobl nad ydyn nhw'n gallu dibynnu ar eu ceir eu hunain pan fyddwn ni'n gofyn iddyn nhw fynd i leoliad penodol i gael brechiad, dyna'r mathau o fanylion yr ydym ni'n gallu mynd i'r afael â nhw nawr. Ac yn y gwaith sy'n cael ei arwain gan fy nghyd-Weinidog Vaughan Gething, ac rwy'n ymuno ag ef bob wythnos mewn cyfarfod gyda'r prif dîm sy'n gyfrifol am frechu ledled Cymru, byddwn yn gwneud yn siŵr ein bod ni'n codi'r materion y mae'r Aelod wedi eu codi heddiw fel y gallwn ni gynorthwyo ymdrechion Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Caerffili i wneud yn siŵr bod y rhaglen yn parhau i fod y llwyddiant ysgubol yr yw hi heddiw.

Dinasyddion yr Undeb Ewropeaidd
European Union Citizens

7. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am gymorth i ddinasyddion yr Undeb Ewropeaidd sy'n byw yng Nghymru? OQ56244

7. Will the First Minister provide an update on support for European Union citizens living in Wales? OQ56244

Llywydd, the Welsh Government continues to fund services that provide advice and assistance to EU citizens in Wales. This includes support with making applications for settled status, and other general and specialist advice, covering a wide range of issues, from social welfare benefits to employment and workplace matters.

Llywydd, mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i ariannu gwasanaethau sy'n rhoi cyngor a chymorth i ddinasyddion yr UE yng Nghymru. Mae hyn yn cynnwys cymorth i wneud ceisiadau am statws preswylydd sefydlog, a chyngor cyffredinol ac arbenigol arall, sy'n ymdrin ag amrywiaeth eang o faterion, o fudd-daliadau lles cymdeithasol i faterion cyflogaeth a gweithle.

Thank you for that answer, First Minister. As you know, Wales is home, and has been for some time, to people from right across the EU; they've established their families here, brought their families up, they've rooted themselves in our culture in Wales, and, I have to say, have enriched it with theirs as well. Many of them have worked throughout this pandemic to keep our key services running, and yet—and yet—we know that there are still too many who've not yet applied for settled status. So, with the slightly worrying development last week that the UK Government is offering, bizarrely, financial incentives to EU citizens to leave the UK, will you ensure that we are doing all that we can in Wales and all that you can as a Welsh Government to ensure that EU citizens living here are aware of their rights, aware of how to secure settled status, and, crucially, are told clearly that this is their home and they're very, very welcome here?

Diolch am yr ateb yna, Prif Weinidog. Fel y gwyddoch chi, mae Cymru yn gartref, ac wedi bod ers cryn amser, i bobl o bob rhan o'r UE; maen nhw wedi sefydlu eu teuluoedd yma, wedi magu eu teuluoedd, maen nhw wedi gwreiddio eu hunain yn ein diwylliant yng Nghymru, ac, mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud, wedi ei gyfoethogi gyda'u diwylliant hwythau hefyd. Mae llawer ohonyn nhw wedi gweithio drwy gydol y pandemig hwn i gadw ein gwasanaethau allweddol yn rhedeg, ac eto—ac eto—rydym ni'n gwybod bod gormod o hyd nad ydyn nhw wedi gwneud cais am statws preswylydd sefydlog hyd yn hyn. Felly, gyda'r datblygiad sy'n peri pryder braidd yr wythnos diwethaf bod Llywodraeth y DU yn cynnig, yn rhyfedd iawn, cymhellion ariannol i ddinasyddion yr UE adael y DU, a wnewch chi sicrhau ein bod ni'n gwneud popeth o fewn ein gallu yng Nghymru a phopeth o fewn eich gallu chi fel Llywodraeth Cymru i sicrhau bod dinasyddion yr UE sy'n byw yma yn ymwybodol o'u hawliau, yn ymwybodol o sut i sicrhau statws preswylydd sefydlog, ac, yn hollbwysig, y dywedir wrthyn nhw yn glir mai dyma eu cartref a bod croeso mawr iawn iddyn nhw yma?

14:25

Well, Llywydd, I completely agree with Huw Irranca-Davies. It has surely been one of our great success stories that we have persuaded people from other parts of the world to come and make their future part of our future here in Wales. And they bring with them, as Huw Irranca-Davies said, not simply the skills that they bring and the economic opportunities that they help us to create, but they bring that cultural richness that comes from having people from other parts of the world part of Welsh society and Welsh communities. And it is a mixed message, to put it at its politest, that the UK Government, while on the one hand claiming to encourage EU nationals to stay here in Wales, quietly slips out the fact that those people are now to be treated within the UK Government's voluntary return scheme. Well, we can't have it both ways, Llywydd. Either we are all working hard to encourage them to stay, or we're putting in arrangements to help them to leave. And here in Wales, we want to encourage them to stay, for all the reasons that Huw Irranca-Davies has said. It's why we have put £2 million of Welsh Government money into specialist advice to help people with settled status applications; it's why we've extended the contract with the Citizens Advice bureaux to the end of June to make sure that they're there right up to the last minute, helping people with what they need.

And my view is that the date by which settled status can be applied for should be extended beyond 30 June. What we are learning is that, in the coronavirus context, for people who have language challenges, trying to do it remotely, trying to do it over the phone, trying to do it by filling in forms—it is putting barriers in the paths of people who want to stay and whom we want to stay, but where face-to-face advice has been much more difficult to organise. Just more time to allow those people to complete the process in the way that the UK Government says they would wish to see would be to everybody's benefit, and we continue to make sure that we make that case to the UK Government, because we want to see those people who make such a positive contribution to Welsh life able to go on doing so.

Wel, Llywydd, rwy'n cytuno yn llwyr â Huw Irranca-Davies. Mae'n sicr wedi bod yn un o'n llwyddiannau mawr ein bod ni wedi perswadio pobl o rannau eraill o'r byd i ddod i wneud eu dyfodol nhw yn rhan o'n dyfodol ni yma yng Nghymru. Ac maen nhw'n dod gyda nhw, fel y dywedodd Huw Irranca-Davies, nid yn unig y sgiliau y maen nhw'n eu cynnig a'r cyfleoedd economaidd y maen nhw'n ein helpu ni i'w creu, ond maen nhw'n dod â'r cyfoeth diwylliannol hwnnw sy'n dod o gael pobl o rannau eraill o'r byd yn rhan o gymdeithas Cymru a chymunedau Cymru. Ac mae'n neges gymysg, i'w roi yn y ffordd fwyaf cwrtais, bod Llywodraeth y DU, tra ar y naill law yn honni ei bod yn annog gwladolion yr UE i aros yma yng Nghymru, yn cyhoeddi yn dawel y ffaith bod y bobl hynny yn cael eu trin bellach yn unol â chynllun dychwelyd gwirfoddol Llywodraeth y DU. Wel, allwn ni ddim ei chael hi bob ffordd, Llywydd. Naill ai rydym ni i gyd yn gweithio'n galed i'w hannog i aros, neu rydym ni'n gwneud trefniadau i'w helpu i adael. Ac yma yng Nghymru, rydym ni eisiau eu hannog nhw i aros, am yr holl resymau y mae Huw Irranca-Davies wedi eu dweud. Dyna pam yr ydym ni wedi cyfrannu £2 filiwn o arian Llywodraeth Cymru at gyngor arbenigol i helpu pobl gyda cheisiadau statws preswylydd sefydlog; dyna pam yr ydym ni wedi ymestyn y contract gyda'r canolfannau Cyngor ar Bopeth hyd at ddiwedd mis Mehefin i wneud yn siŵr eu bod nhw yno hyd at y funud olaf, yn helpu pobl gyda'r hyn sydd ei angen arnyn nhw.

Ac fy marn i yw y dylid ymestyn y dyddiad erbyn pryd y gellir gwneud cais am statws sefydlog y tu hwnt i 30 Mehefin. Yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ei ddysgu yw, yng nghyd-destun y coronafeirws, i bobl sydd â heriau ieithyddol, yn ceisio gwneud hynny o bell, yn ceisio gwneud hynny dros y ffôn, yn ceisio gwneud hynny drwy lenwi ffurflenni—mae'n gosod rhwystrau ar lwybrau pobl sydd eisiau aros ac yr ydym ni eisiau iddyn nhw aros, ond pan fo cyngor wyneb yn wyneb wedi bod yn llawer anoddach ei drefnu. Byddai dim ond rhoi mwy o amser i ganiatáu i'r bobl hynny gwblhau'r broses yn y ffordd y mae Llywodraeth y DU yn ei ddweud y bydden nhw eisiau ei gweld fyddai er budd pawb, ac rydym ni'n parhau i wneud yn siŵr ein bod ni'n gwneud y ddadl honno i Lywodraeth y DU, oherwydd rydym ni eisiau gweld y bobl hynny sy'n gwneud cyfraniad mor gadarnhaol at fywyd Cymru yn gallu parhau i wneud hynny.

Yn olaf, cwestiwn 8, Mandy Jones.

Finally, question 8, Mandy Jones.

Adfywio'r Stryd Fawr
The Regeneration of High Streets

8. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog amlinellu cynlluniau Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer adfywio'r stryd fawr yng Ngogledd Cymru? OQ56211

8. Will the First Minister outline the Welsh Government's plans for the regeneration of high streets in North Wales? OQ56211

Llywydd, our transforming towns programme in north Wales is focused on supporting the vibrancy of our town centres, making them fit for the twenty-first century, enabling job creation and improving community facilities. Working closely with local authority partners, projects worth over £39 million are being delivered over the period between 2018 and 2021.

Llywydd, mae ein rhaglen trawsnewid trefi yn y gogledd yn canolbwyntio ar gefnogi bywiogrwydd canol ein trefi, gan eu gwneud nhw'n addas ar gyfer yr unfed ganrif ar hugain, gan ganiatáu i swyddi gael eu creu a gwella cyfleusterau cymunedol. Gan weithio yn agos gyda phartneriaid awdurdodau lleol, mae prosiectau gwerth dros £39 miliwn yn cael eu cyflawni dros y cyfnod rhwng 2018 a 2021.

Thank you. First Minister, many high street shops have gone and they are unlikely to ever return. The loss of Debenhams and the Arcadia Group brands and the jobs attached to the physical stores is being felt very keenly across north Wales. The pandemic has resulted in a moratorium on business rates, which, in turn, will result in the lowering of tax revenue for local authorities. Is it now time for a radical rethink of a business rates regime that has been seen as a limiting influence on business start-ups and their sustainability, and to look at something that reflects modern shopping habits, like a small online sales tax?

Diolch. Prif Weinidog, mae llawer o siopau'r stryd fawr wedi diflannu ac maen nhw'n annhebygol o ddychwelyd byth. Mae colli Debenhams a brandiau Grŵp Arcadia a'r swyddi sy'n gysylltiedig â'r siopau ffisegol yn cael ei deimlo yn aruthrol ar draws y gogledd. Mae'r pandemig wedi arwain at foratoriwm ar ardrethi busnes, a fydd, yn ei dro, yn arwain at ostwng refeniw treth i awdurdodau lleol. A yw'n bryd bellach rhoi ailystyriaeth radical i gyfundrefn ardrethi busnes sydd wedi cael ei hystyried yn ddylanwad cyfyngol ar fusnesau newydd sbon a'u cynaliadwyedd, ac edrych ar rywbeth sy'n adlewyrchu arferion siopa modern, fel treth fach ar werthiannau ar-lein?

14:30

I thank the Member for that contribution. It follows on from the discussion that I was having with Adam Price earlier this afternoon. A sales tax is another option, Mandy Jones is right, that can be considered as part of a repertoire of things that could be introduced to replace the business rates system alongside the domestic council tax system. 

Our town centres will need real imagination in the way that they recover from the pandemic. They need to be supported in that by a UK tax regime that takes taxes from those who trade online, and who now largely escape that, whereas somebody on the high street has to make their contribution. In the short run, we go on providing our small business rate relief, which provides significant rate relief for a very large number of particularly small businesses here in Wales. There is a longer run programme of reform, both in terms of business rates, but also in the nature of the high street in the future, and I agree with the Member that thinking about that needs to begin now, and needs to include as many imaginative ideas as can be brought to the table.

Diolch i'r Aelod am y cyfraniad yna. Mae'n dilyn ymlaen o'r drafodaeth yr oeddwn i'n ei chael gydag Adam Price yn gynharach y prynhawn yma. Mae treth ar werthiant yn ddewis arall, mae Mandy Jones yn iawn, y gellir ei hystyried yn rhan o amrywiaeth o bethau y byddai modd eu cyflwyno i ddisodli'r system ardrethi busnes ochr yn ochr â system y dreth gyngor ddomestig.

Bydd wir angen dychymyg ar ganol ein trefi o ran y ffordd y maen nhw'n gwella o'r pandemig. Mae angen iddyn nhw gael eu cefnogi yn hynny o beth gan gyfundrefn dreth y DU sy'n cymryd trethi oddi wrth y rhai sy'n masnachu ar-lein, ac sydd, ar hyn o bryd, yn dianc rhag hynny i raddau helaeth, tra bod rhywun ar y stryd fawr yn gorfod gwneud ei gyfraniad. Yn y tymor byr, rydym ni'n parhau i ddarparu ein rhyddhad ardrethi i fusnesau bach, sy'n darparu rhyddhad ardrethi sylweddol i nifer fawr iawn o fusnesau bach yn arbennig yma yng Nghymru. Ceir rhaglen ddiwygio hirach, nid yn unig o ran ardrethi busnes, ond hefyd yn natur y stryd fawr yn y dyfodol, ac rwy'n cytuno â'r Aelod bod angen dechrau meddwl ynghylch hynny nawr, a bod angen i hynny gynnwys cynifer o syniadau llawn dychymyg y gellir eu cyflwyno.

Cwestiynau i'r Dirprwy Weinidog a'r Prif Chwip
Questions to the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip

Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r cwestiynau i'r Dirprwy Weinidog, a dwi'n galw ar Vikki Howells i ofyn y cwestiwn cyntaf. Vikki Howells. 

The next item is questions to the Deputy Minister, and I call on Vikki Howells to ask the first question. 

Diogelwch Cymunedol yng Nghwm Cynon
Community Safety in Cynon Valley

1. A wnaiff y Dirprwy Weinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am ymyriadau Llywodraeth Cymru i wella diogelwch cymunedol yng Nghwm Cynon? OQ56210

1. Will the Deputy Minister provide an update on Welsh Government interventions to improve community safety in Cynon Valley? OQ56210

The Welsh Government is committed to ensuring our communities are safe, strong and resilient.  We continue to work with our four police forces, local authorities, UK Government and other agencies to help ensure our people and our communities remain safe.

Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo i sicrhau bod ein cymunedau yn ddiogel, yn gryf ac yn gadarn. Rydym ni'n parhau i weithio gyda'n pedwar heddlu, awdurdodau lleol, Llywodraeth y DU ac asiantaethau eraill i helpu i sicrhau bod ein pobl a'n cymunedau yn parhau i fod yn ddiogel.

Thank you, Deputy Minister, and I'd like to extend my thanks to all those who work so hard to keep our communities safe in these very difficult times.

During the pandemic, my constituency has experienced a notable increase in anti-social and dangerous behaviour by off-road motorcycles illegally using popular walking paths and other public rights of way. The laudable work of Welsh Government to open up our walking paths and allow fully inclusive use has, with the removal of barriers, made it much easier for off-road motorcycles to use such paths, and more difficult for the police to enforce the law and keep residents safe. What discussions have you had with South Wales Police and with the police and crime commissioner about how this intractable problem can best be tackled?

Diolch, Dirprwy Weinidog, a hoffwn i  ddiolch i bawb sy'n gweithio mor galed i gadw ein cymunedau yn ddiogel yn y cyfnod anodd iawn hwn.

Yn ystod y pandemig, mae fy etholaeth i wedi gweld cynnydd sylweddol mewn ymddygiad gwrthgymdeithasol a pheryglus gan feiciau modur oddi ar y ffordd sydd yn anghyfreithlon yn defnyddio llwybrau cerdded poblogaidd a hawliau tramwy cyhoeddus eraill. Mae gwaith canmoladwy Llywodraeth Cymru i agor ein llwybrau cerdded a chaniatáu defnydd cwbl gynhwysol, drwy ddileu rhwystrau, wedi ei gwneud yn llawer haws i feiciau modur oddi ar y ffordd ddefnyddio llwybrau o'r fath, ac yn fwy anodd i'r heddlu orfodi'r gyfraith a chadw trigolion yn ddiogel. Pa drafodaethau ydych chi wedi eu cael gyda Heddlu De Cymru a gyda'r comisiynydd heddlu a throseddu ynghylch y ffordd orau o fynd i'r afael â'r broblem anhydrin hon?

Thank you very much, Vikki Howells, for that question, an important question about promoting community safety, and, as you say, thanking all of those in your constituency in the Cynon Valley, and across Wales, for the ways in which they have worked to ensure there is community safety.

But you've raised the issue of off-road biking. I'm very much aware, and obviously your evidence today shows that there's been an increase in reports of illegal activity during lockdowns, and, of course, that encroaches on all those important open spaces for walking and for taking exercise, which are so crucial for health and well-being. I do understand that South Wales Police have planned operations as part of an approach to tackle this issue. Because we have strong relationships with our police forces, I will raise the points the Member makes and ensure that we look at off-roading as an issue where we can make sure that they are not accessing routes that have no vehicle rights, or driving in an illegal manner, and that this will be an important issue in terms of community safety and well-being.

Diolch yn fawr iawn, Vikki Howells, am y cwestiwn yna, cwestiwn pwysig ynglŷn â hyrwyddo diogelwch cymunedol, ac, fel y dywedwch, diolch i bawb yn eich etholaeth yng Nghwm Cynon, a ledled Cymru, am y ffyrdd y maen nhw wedi gweithio i sicrhau bod diogelwch cymunedol yn bodoli.

Ond rydych chi wedi codi mater beicio oddi ar y ffordd. Rwy'n ymwybodol iawn, ac mae eich tystiolaeth chi heddiw yn amlwg yn dangos y bu cynnydd wedi bod mewn adroddiadau o weithgarwch anghyfreithlon yn ystod y cyfyngiadau symud, ac, wrth gwrs, sy'n tresmasu ar yr holl fannau agored pwysig hynny ar gyfer cerdded ac ar gyfer gwneud ymarfer corff, sydd mor hanfodol i iechyd a lles. Rwyf i yn deall bod Heddlu De Cymru wedi cynllunio gweithrediadau yn rhan o ddull o fynd i'r afael â'r mater hwn. Gan fod gennym ni berthynas gref â'n heddluoedd, byddaf i'n codi'r pwyntiau y mae'r Aelod yn eu gwneud a sicrhau ein bod ni'n ystyried gyrru oddi ar y ffordd fel mater lle gallwn ni sicrhau nad ydyn nhw'n defnyddio llwybrau lle nad oes hawliau i gerbydau, neu'n gyrru mewn modd anghyfreithlon, ac y bydd hwn yn fater pwysig o ran diogelwch cymunedol a lles.

Y Sector Gwirfoddol
The Voluntary Sector

2. Pa gymorth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei roi i'r sector gwirfoddol yng Nghymru? OQ56239

2. What support is the Welsh Government providing to the voluntary sector in Wales? OQ56239

The Welsh Government provides core funding to the Wales Council for Voluntary Action and county voluntary councils to enable them to support local voluntary organisations and volunteering groups across Wales. We have approved £26.5 million, with an additional £5.7 million for the voluntary sector—that final £5.7 million was approved this week—to support the sector during the pandemic.

Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn darparu cyllid craidd i Gyngor Gweithredu Gwirfoddol Cymru a chynghorau gwirfoddol sirol i'w galluogi i gefnogi mudiadau gwirfoddol lleol a grwpiau gwirfoddoli ledled Cymru. Rydym ni wedi cymeradwyo £26.5 miliwn, gyda £5.7 miliwn ychwanegol ar gyfer y sector gwirfoddol—cymeradwywyd y £5.7 miliwn olaf hwnnw yr wythnos hon—i gefnogi'r sector yn ystod y pandemig.

Thank you, Deputy Minister, for that answer. Voluntary groups and charities do exceptional work to support some of the most vulnerable in our society. One such group is the Sparkle Appeal, which supports children, young people and their families with disabilities and developmental difficulties, at the Serennu centre in Newport. Their work is crucial. However, they themselves have had an incredibly hard year, with COVID restrictions seeing their work and funding opportunities limited. They greatly appreciated the Welsh Government grant last year, which was aimed at covering six months of core costs; however, nine months in, their financial state is suffering. How are the Welsh Government supporting organisations such as this, to ensure that they can continue to support the most vulnerable through this period, because the work that they do is vital, and we can't afford to lose them?

Diolch am yr ateb yna, Dirprwy Weinidog. Mae grwpiau gwirfoddol ac elusennau yn gwneud gwaith eithriadol i gefnogi rhai o'r bobl fwyaf agored i niwed yn ein cymdeithas. Un grŵp o'r fath yw Apêl Sparkle, sy'n cefnogi plant, pobl ifanc a'u teuluoedd gydag anableddau ac anawsterau datblygu, yng nghanolfan Serennu yng Nghasnewydd. Mae eu gwaith yn hollbwysig. Fodd bynnag, maen nhw eu hunain wedi cael blwyddyn eithriadol o anodd, gyda chyfyngiadau COVID yn gweld eu gwaith a'u cyfleoedd ariannu wedi'u cyfyngu. Roedden nhw'n gwerthfawrogi'r grant Llywodraeth Cymru a gawsant y llynedd yn fawr iawn, a oedd â'r nod o dalu am chwe mis o gostau craidd; fodd bynnag, naw mis yn ddiweddarach, mae eu cyflwr ariannol yn dioddef. Sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi sefydliadau o'r fath, i sicrhau y gallan nhw barhau i gefnogi'r bobl fwyaf agored i niwed drwy'r cyfnod hwn, oherwydd mae'r gwaith y maen nhw'n ei wneud yn hanfodol, ac allwn ni ddim fforddio eu colli?

14:35

Thank you, Jayne Bryant, for bringing attention to this important charity in your constituency. In fact, inspirational work, as you've described, is done by charities like Sparkle. And, of course, all their volunteers in the Gwent area are particularly helping to support disabled children and young people and their families. So, as you say, Sparkle did benefit from the £90,000 grant from what was our voluntary services emergency fund, during the pandemic, and we'll be ensuring that these sources of support for third sector organisations continue during the pandemic. But it has been a great challenge for communities and groups of this kind, because of the coronavirus outbreak. Because so many of them, of course, have lost income, as well as having additional demands and expectations, and so many volunteers have engaged. But I am very pleased that, as I said in answer to your first question, we're making a further £5.7 million available to continue with this work through the pandemic, and I hope this will be able to support organisations such as yours.

Diolch, Jayne Bryant, am dynnu sylw at yr elusen bwysig hon yn eich etholaeth chi. Yn wir, mae gwaith ysbrydoledig, fel yr ydych chi wedi ei ddisgrifio, yn cael ei wneud gan elusennau fel Sparkle. Ac, wrth gwrs, mae eu holl wirfoddolwyr yn ardal Gwent yn helpu yn arbennig i gefnogi plant a phobl ifanc anabl a'u teuluoedd. Felly, fel yr ydych chi'n ei ddweud, fe wnaeth Sparkle elwa ar y grant o £90,000 o'r hyn oedd cronfa argyfwng ein gwasanaethau gwirfoddol, yn ystod y pandemig, a byddwn ni'n sicrhau bod y ffynonellau cymorth hyn i sefydliadau'r trydydd sector yn parhau yn ystod y pandemig. Ond mae hi wedi bod yn her fawr i gymunedau a grwpiau o'r math hwn, oherwydd yr achosion o goronafeirws. Oherwydd mae cynifer ohonyn nhw, wrth gwrs, wedi colli incwm, yn ogystal â chael galwadau a disgwyliadau ychwanegol arnyn nhw, ac mae cynifer o wirfoddolwyr wedi ymgysylltu. Ond rwyf i yn falch iawn ein bod ni, fel y dywedais i wrth ateb eich cwestiwn cyntaf, yn darparu £5.7 miliwn arall i barhau â'r gwaith hwn drwy'r pandemig, a gobeithio y bydd hyn yn gallu cefnogi sefydliadau fel eich un chi.

Tynnwyd cwestiwn 3 [OQ56230] nôl. Felly, cwestiwn 4, Delyth Jewell.

Question 3 [OQ56230] is withdrawn. Question 4, Delyth Jewell.

Goroeswyr Trais Domestig
Survivors of Domestic Violence

4. A wnaiff y Dirprwy Weinidog ddatganiad am rôl gwasanaethau cymorth arbenigol o ran cefnogi goroeswyr trais domestig yn ystod y pandemig? OQ56241

4. Will the Deputy Minister make a statement on the role of specialist support services in supporting survivors of domestic violence during the pandemic? OQ56241

I can't thank the specialist services enough for their responses to victims during the pandemic. They've been a crucial lifeline to so many, and they've shown resilience, strength and a great ability to adapt. My officials meet with the violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence strategic group regularly to discuss the impact on the sector in supporting survivors of domestic violence.

Ni allaf i ddiolch digon i'r gwasanaethau arbenigol am eu hymateb i ddioddefwyr yn ystod y pandemig. Maen nhw wedi bod yn achubiaeth hanfodol i gymaint o bobl, ac maen nhw wedi dangos cadernid, cryfder a gallu gwych i addasu. Mae fy swyddogion yn cyfarfod â'r grŵp strategol trais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol yn rheolaidd i drafod yr effaith ar y sector o ran cefnogi goroeswyr trais domestig.

Thank you for that answer. As you'll know, of course, this crisis and the associated lockdowns have led to an escalation of risk for women who are either in abusive relationships or are fleeing them. But there is an equal crisis looming that is related to the funding of the specialist support services that are literally, or figuratively then, a lifeline for these women. Funds were received later than expected and they are struggling to spend the money before the deadline in March. Organisations like Welsh Women's Aid are calling for flexibility in this spending deadline, as it's a particular problem in situations where the funding was earmarked for recruitment—organisations have had a very short time in which to recruit and train new staff to meet the continued demand for services. If that flexibility isn't introduced, Minister, or the funding commitment is made to match that after March, then many staff will be lost. Surely, Minister, no-one would want these organisations to have to re-bid for money after March, as this could be time and resource far better spent on protecting women. So, will the Government please address these concerns and consider this urgently?

Diolch i chi am yr ateb yna. Fel y gwyddoch chi, wrth gwrs, mae'r argyfwng hwn a'r cyfyngiadau symud cysylltiedig wedi arwain at gynnydd mewn risg i fenywod sydd naill ai mewn perthynas gamdriniol neu sy'n ffoi rhagddynt. Ond mae argyfwng cyn waethed ar y gorwel sy'n gysylltiedig ag ariannu'r gwasanaethau cymorth arbenigol sy'n darparu achubiaeth yn llythrennol, neu'n drosiadol i'r menywod hyn. Derbyniwyd yr arian yn ddiweddarach na'r disgwyl ac maen nhw'n ei chael hi'n anodd gwario'r arian cyn y dyddiad cau ym mis Mawrth. Mae sefydliadau fel Cymorth i Fenywod Cymru yn galw am hyblygrwydd yn y terfyn amser hwn ar wariant, gan fod hyn yn broblem benodol mewn sefyllfaoedd lle cafodd y cyllid ei glustnodi ar gyfer recriwtio—mae sefydliadau wedi cael amser byr iawn i recriwtio a hyfforddi staff newydd i ateb y galw parhaus am wasanaethau. Os na chaiff yr hyblygrwydd hwnnw ei gyflwyno, Gweinidog, neu os yw'r ymrwymiad ariannu'n cael ei wneud i gyfateb â hynny ar ôl mis Mawrth, yna bydd llawer o staff yn cael eu colli. Yn sicr, Gweinidog, ni fyddai neb eisiau i'r sefydliadau hyn ailgeisio am arian ar ôl mis Mawrth, gan y gallai hyn y golygu amser ac adnoddau y gellid eu defnyddio'n well  i amddiffyn menywod. Felly, a wnaiff y Llywodraeth fynd i'r afael â'r pryderon hyn os gwelwch yn dda ac ystyried hyn ar frys?

Thank you, Delyth Jewell, for raising that important question, because we must make sure that this money that's been allocated does actually reach those specialist services. Because the sector itself—and, as I said, my officials, and indeed myself, when I can, meet the sector regularly—have received over £4 million of additional funding this year; it's an extra 67 per cent compared with last year. And this is also about ensuring that we're investing in the needs of the sector, particularly, for example, in terms of accommodation, the dispersed community based accommodation—so capital as well as revenue. And it is important also that the extra revenue funding does respond to the needs that have been raised with us during the pandemic. I of course will talk to my officials about the ways in which we can ensure that that money not only reaches the specialist services, but that they can spend it and that there is that flexibility. Because it is crucial that the extra money that we've been able to raise in the budget as a result of the pandemic, and, indeed, through into the draft budget, does reach those victims and the women particularly who are escaping domestic violence and abuse, and that five years into our VAWDASV legislation—pioneering legislation—it actually is delivering at the sharp end.

Diolch, Delyth Jewell, am godi'r cwestiwn pwysig yna, oherwydd mae'n rhaid i ni sicrhau bod yr arian hwn sydd wedi ei neilltuo yn cyrraedd y gwasanaethau arbenigol hynny. Oherwydd bod y sector ei hun—ac, fel y dywedais i, mae fy swyddogion, ac yn wir fi fy hunan, pan rwy'n gallu, yn cwrdd â'r sector yn rheolaidd—wedi cael dros £4 miliwn o gyllid ychwanegol eleni; mae'n 67 y cant yn ychwanegol o'i gymharu â'r llynedd. Ac mae hyn hefyd yn ymwneud â sicrhau ein bod yn buddsoddi yn anghenion y sector, yn enwedig, er enghraifft, o ran llety, y llety cymunedol gwasgaredig—felly cyfalaf yn ogystal â refeniw. Ac mae'n bwysig hefyd bod y cyllid refeniw ychwanegol yn ymateb i'r anghenion sydd wedi eu codi gyda ni yn ystod y pandemig. Byddaf i, wrth gwrs, yn siarad â fy swyddogion o ran y ffyrdd y gallwn ni sicrhau bod yr arian hwnnw nid yn unig yn cyrraedd y gwasanaethau arbenigol, ond y gallan nhw ei wario a bod yna'r hyblygrwydd hwnnw. Oherwydd ei bod yn hanfodol bod yr arian ychwanegol yr ydym ni wedi gallu ei godi yn y gyllideb o ganlyniad i'r pandemig, ac, yn wir, drwodd i'r gyllideb ddrafft, yn cyrraedd y dioddefwyr hynny a'r menywod yn enwedig sy'n dianc rhag trais a cham-drin domestig, a phum mlynedd i mewn i'n deddfwriaeth Trais yn erbyn menywod, Cam-drin domestig a Thrais rhywiol—deddfwriaeth arloesol—ei bod wir yn cyflawni yn lle mae'n cyfrif.

14:40

Ac yn olaf, cwestiwn 5, Joyce Watson. 

And finally, question 5, Joyce Watson. 

Y Sector Gwirfoddol
The Voluntary Sector

5. A wnaiff y Dirprwy Weinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi'r sector gwirfoddol yn ystod y pandemig? OQ56220

5. Will the Deputy Minister provide an update on how the Welsh Government is supporting the voluntary sector during the pandemic? OQ56220

In April last year, I announced £24 million to support the third sector in Wales through the pandemic. This recognised the vital role the sector plays and has played in the response to COVID-19. In December, I announced a further £2.5 million to ensure this support continues until the end of March.

Ym mis Ebrill y llynedd, cyhoeddais £24 miliwn i gefnogi'r trydydd sector yng Nghymru drwy'r pandemig. Roedd hyn yn cydnabod y rhan hanfodol y mae'r sector yn ei chwarae ac y mae wedi ei chwarae yn yr ymateb i COVID-19. Ym mis Rhagfyr, cyhoeddais £2.5 miliwn arall i sicrhau bod y cymorth hwn yn parhau tan ddiwedd mis Mawrth.

I thank you very much for that commitment that is being shown by Government, but it is equally the commitment that voluntary sector organisations give to their communities, particularly in this time of great need. What I want to ask you today, Deputy Minister, is whether you would commit to thanking all of those individuals right across Wales, the charitable organisations that have given their time during the pandemic and have supported both individual people and families and communities from east to west and north to south?

Diolch yn fawr am yr ymrwymiad hwnnw sy'n cael ei ddangos gan y Llywodraeth, ond yr un yw'r ymrwymiad y mae mudiadau'r sector gwirfoddol yn ei roi i'w cymunedau, yn enwedig yn y cyfnod hwn o angen mawr. Yr hyn yr wyf i eisiau ei ofyn i chi heddiw, Dirprwy Weinidog, yw a fyddech chi'n ymrwymo i ddiolch i'r holl unigolion hynny ledled Cymru, y sefydliadau elusennol sydd wedi rhoi o'u hamser yn ystod y pandemig ac sydd wedi cefnogi pobl unigol a theuluoedd a chymunedau o'r dwyrain i'r gorllewin ac o'r gogledd i'r de?

I'd particularly like to thank Joyce Watson for giving me the opportunity to thank those who are volunteers, those third sector organisations that have risen to the challenge of the pandemic. I think everyone here in the Senedd, in all their constituencies, will have seen the results of that incredible volunteering response to the pandemic, in communities, neighbourhoods, and also new organisations are developing, as well as the existing ones, and making sure that they can reach out and support those who are coming forward. So, I'd like to give my thanks in that way, and just in terms of Pembrokeshire, in your community, to recognise the role of the Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services. They, of course, receive a grant from us on a regular basis. They receive their core funding from us and, also, they've received extra funding to respond to the pandemic.

Can I also just say, Llywydd, that is has been so heartening to see that Pembrokeshire is a county of sanctuary? And the response that the volunteers have given, as a result of being a county of sanctuary, to those who are residing in the Penally camp, I have to say, is extraordinary. I would like to take the opportunity to thank all those volunteers in Pembrokeshire and across Wales, but particularly focusing on those Pembrokeshire volunteers today, when we think of the contribution that they are making to make life bearable for the people residing in the Penally camp.

Hoffwn i ddiolch yn arbennig i Joyce Watson am roi'r cyfle imi ddiolch i'r rhai sy'n wirfoddolwyr, y sefydliadau trydydd sector hynny sydd wedi ymateb i her y pandemig. Rwy'n credu y bydd pawb yma yn y Senedd, yn eu hetholaethau i gyd, wedi gweld canlyniadau ymateb anhygoel y gwirfoddoli hwnnw i'r pandemig, mewn cymunedau, cymdogaethau, a hefyd mae sefydliadau newydd yn datblygu, yn ogystal â'r rhai presennol, ac yn sicrhau y gallan nhw estyn allan a chefnogi'r rhai sy'n dod ymlaen. Felly, hoffwn i ddiolch yn y ffordd honno, a dim ond o ran Sir Benfro, yn eich cymuned chi, i gydnabod swyddogaeth Cymdeithas Gwasanaethau Gwirfoddol Sir Benfro. Maen nhw, wrth gwrs, yn cael grant gennym ni yn rheolaidd. Maen nhw'n cael eu cyllid craidd gennym ni a hefyd, maen nhw wedi cael cyllid ychwanegol i ymateb i'r pandemig.

A gaf i ddweud hefyd, Llywydd, ei bod mor galonogol i weld bod sir Benfro yn sir noddfa? Ac mae'r ymateb y mae'r gwirfoddolwyr wedi'i roi, o ganlyniad i fod yn sir noddfa, i'r rhai sy'n byw yng ngwersyll Penalun, mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, yn rhyfeddol. Hoffwn i fanteisio ar y cyfle i ddiolch i'r holl wirfoddolwyr hynny yn sir Benfro a ledled Cymru, ond gan ganolbwyntio'n benodol ar y gwirfoddolwyr hynny yn sir Benfro heddiw, pan fyddwn ni'n meddwl am y cyfraniad y maen nhw'n ei wneud i wneud bywyd yn haws i'r bobl sy'n byw yng ngwersyll Penalun.

Diolch i'r Dirprwy Weinidog. 

Thank you, Deputy Minister. 

2. Datganiad a Chyhoeddiad Busnes
2. Business Statement and Announcement

Yr eitem nesaf felly yw'r datganiad 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 is one change to this week's business. The debate on the general principles and financial resolution in respect of the Welsh Elections (Coronavirus) Bill has been added as the last item of business before voting today. Draft business for the next three weeks is set out on the business statement and announcement, which is available to Members electronically. 

Diolch, Llywydd. Mae un newid i fusnes yr wythnos hon. Mae'r ddadl ar yr egwyddorion cyffredinol a'r penderfyniad ariannol o ran Bil Etholiadau Cymru (Coronafeirws) wedi'i hychwanegu fel yr eitem olaf o fusnes cyn pleidleisio heddiw. Mae'r busnes drafft ar gyfer y tair wythnos nesaf wedi'i nodi ar y datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes, sydd ar gael i'r Aelodau'n electronig.

I caught you there, didn't I?

Fe wnes i'ch dal chi yna, oni wnes i?

You did, Presiding Officer. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. Business manager, could I have a statement from the health Minister, please, in relation to the new variants that are currently being identified across the United Kingdom? I appreciate there's a vaccination statement later on this afternoon, but I don't think it is appropriate to mix the two up, to be honest with you, and a direct statement from the Minister would be beneficial for Members to understand what actions the Welsh Government is taking, along with other Governments across the UK, especially in relation to the new Kent variant, E484K, given the high incidence of the Kent variant in Wales, and, obviously, the travel restrictions that have been imposed in relation to the Brazilian variant.

Do, fe wnaethoch chi, Llywydd. Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd. Rheolwr busnes, a gawn ni ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog Iechyd, os gwelwch yn dda, ynglŷn â'r amrywiolion newydd sy'n cael eu nodi ar hyn o bryd ledled y Deyrnas Unedig? Rwy'n sylweddoli bod datganiad brechu yn ddiweddarach y prynhawn yma, ond nid wyf i'n credu ei bod yn briodol cymysgu'r ddau, a bod yn onest â chi, a byddai datganiad uniongyrchol gan y Gweinidog o fudd i'r Aelodau ddeall pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd, ynghyd â Llywodraethau eraill ledled y DU, yn enwedig o ran amrywiolyn newydd Caint, E484K, o ystyried yr achosion uchel o amrywiolyn Caint yng Nghymru, ac, yn amlwg, y cyfyngiadau teithio sydd wedi'u gosod o ran amrywiolyn Brasil.

14:45

Thank you to Andrew R.T. Davies for raising that particular issue, and I will speak to the health Minister to explore what is the best way to keep Members updated in terms of the emergence of new variants and, particularly, the variant of concern to which the Member refers. As we say, we do have a statement on vaccinations next today, but I will explore what further information might be provided usefully to Members.

Diolch i Andrew R.T. Davies am godi'r mater penodol hwnnw, a byddaf i'n siarad â'r Gweinidog Iechyd i archwilio beth yw'r ffordd orau o roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelodau o ran amrywiolion newydd yn ymddangos, ac yn benodol, yr amrywiolyn y mae'r Aelod yn cyfeirio ato sy'n peri pryder. Fel y dywedwn, mae gennym ddatganiad ynghylch brechiadau nesaf heddiw, ond byddaf yn edrych i weld pa wybodaeth ychwanegol y gellid ei darparu a fyddai'n ddefnyddiol i'r Aelodau.

A gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad llafar gan Weinidog yr Amgylchedd, Ynni a Materion Gwledig ar yr ymateb i'r llifogydd diweddar mewn cymunedau ar draws Cymru? Wrth gwrs, dwi'n croesawu'r ymrwymiad i gynnig cymorth ariannol i'r cartrefi a'r busnesau hynny a gafodd eu heffeithio. Mae angen sicrwydd bod hwnnw'n cael ei dalu'n syth, ac nid mewn dau fis, fel y digwyddodd mewn achosion tebyg y llynedd, wrth gwrs. Ond, hefyd, mae angen sicrhau bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio'n agos gydag awdurdodau lleol a Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru i sicrhau bod unrhyw wella sydd ei angen i'r isadeiledd atal llifogydd yn yr ardaloedd hynny a brofodd y trychinebau diweddar a bod y gwaith sydd ei angen yn fanna yn cael ei wneud y syth. Nawr, gwelliannau dros dro fyddai nhw—pethau yn y tymor byr—ond mae'n rhaid inni osgoi achosion pellach o lifogydd yn y llefydd hynny sydd wedi cael eu taro.

Hefyd, mae angen sicrhau bod y rheini a fuodd bron â chael eu taro gan lifogydd—a dwi'n gwybod am ddegau lawer o gartrefi a ddaeth o fewn modfeddi i gael eu difrodi—yn cael y cyngor a'r cyfarpar sydd ei angen i amddiffyn eu tai ar fyrder. Dwi'n sôn am bethau fel gatiau llifogydd, ac yn y blaen. Mae'r gofid am lifogydd yn cael effaith ddybryd ar iechyd meddwl pobl, wrth gwrs, heb sôn am y ffaith y byddai buddsoddi i osgoi llifogydd yn y lle cyntaf yn gwneud llawer mwy o synnwyr na gorfod delio gyda'r canlyniadau pan fydd hi'n rhy hwyr.

A gaf i hefyd ofyn am ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol yn sgil ateb cwbl annigonol y Prif Weinidog i fy nghwestiwn i ychydig yn ôl, ynglŷn â'r amcanestyniadau poblogaeth sy'n cael eu defnyddio gan Lywodraeth Cymru, a'r anghysondeb dybryd sydd wedi cael ei amlygu nawr rhwng yr amcanestyniadau sydd yn rhan o'r fformiwla ar gyfer pennu dyraniadau i awdurdodau lleol yn y gyllideb ar gyfer y flwyddyn nesaf, a'r amcanestyniadau sy'n cael eu defnyddio ar gyfer y cynlluniau datblygu lleol? Mae un yn Wrecsam yn dweud bod y boblogaeth yn mynd i fod yn statig, ac mae'r llall yn Wrecsam yn dweud bod y boblogaeth yn mynd i gynyddu'n sylweddol. Mi fyddwn i'n tybio bod hynny'n destun embaras i'r Llywodraeth yma ac yn rhywbeth y byddech chi a phob Gweinidog arall yn awyddus i'w sortio unwaith ac am byth.    

May I ask for an oral statement from the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs on the response to the recent flooding in communities across Wales? Of course, I welcome the commitment to provide financial support to the homes and businesses affected, and we need assurances that that will be paid immediately and not in two months' time, as happened in similar cases last year, of course. But, we also need to ensure that the Welsh Government does work closely with local authorities and NRW to ensure that any improvements necessary to the flood prevention infrastructure in those areas that experienced recent disasters and that the work needed there is done immediately. They might be temporary improvements in the short term, but we must avoid further cases of flooding in those areas that have already been hit.

Also, we need to ensure that those who were almost affected by flooding—and I know of many dozens of homes that came within inches of being flooded—are given the equipment and advice needed to protect their homes as a matter of urgency. I'm talking about things like floodgates here. The concern about flooding has a grave impact on people's mental health, never mind the fact that investing to avoid flooding in the first place would make much more sense than having to deal with the outcomes of flooding when it's already too late. 

May I also ask for a statement from the Minister for Housing and Local Government, given the totally inadequate response from the First Minister to my question a few moments ago on the population estimates used by the Welsh Government, and the grave inconsistency that's now been highlighted between the projections used as part of the local government funding formula for next year's budget, and the projections used for the LDPs? One in Wrexham says that the population will be static, and the other in Wrexham says that the population is going to increase substantially. I would assume that this is a cause for embarrassment for this Government and something that you and every other Minister would be eager to sort out once and for all.

Well, I think that the First Minister's response to the question raised during First Minister's questions today was quite clear. However, I will invite you to write to the Minister for Housing and Local Government, setting out your concerns, so that you can receive a written response in respect of that.

On the matter of flooding, I completely agree that it is important that individuals affected by flooding do get that financial assistance as quickly as possible, but then also the assistance in terms of information and advice as well. I do note that the order paper for tomorrow does have several questions to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs in relation to flooding, and particularly the recent impact of storm Christoph. So, that might be an early opportunity to hear from the Minister on these matters.   

Wel, rwy'n credu bod ymateb y Prif Weinidog i'r cwestiwn a godwyd yn ystod cwestiynau'r Prif Weinidog heddiw yn eithaf clir. Fodd bynnag, byddaf i'n eich gwahodd chi i ysgrifennu at y Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol, yn nodi eich pryderon, fel y gallwch chi gael ymateb ysgrifenedig ynglŷn â hynny.

O ran llifogydd, rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr ei bod yn bwysig bod unigolion y mae'r llifogydd wedi effeithio arnyn nhw'n cael y cymorth ariannol hwnnw cyn gynted â phosibl, ond yna hefyd y cymorth o ran gwybodaeth a chyngor hefyd. Sylwaf fod gan y papur trefn ar gyfer yfory nifer o gwestiynau i Weinidog yr Amgylchedd, Ynni a Materion Gwledig ynglŷn â llifogydd, ac yn enwedig effaith ddiweddar storm Christoph. Felly, gallai hynny fod yn gyfle cynnar i glywed gan y Gweinidog ynghylch y materion hyn.

I raised the issue of the differential economic impact of the coronavirus on deprived communities during First Minister's questions. I would like to ask for a Government debate on this matter. This is something that has been the subject of a number of different studies and reports and analyses over the last few months, and it will set the agenda for the Government's approach, I would hope, over the coming weeks and months to these matters. I think that it is important to have a debate in Government time on the differential economic impact of coronavirus on different communities.

The second issue that I would like to raise, Minister, is the reduction in time available on statements and debates, at present, to 30 minutes. This significantly reduces the opportunity for backbenchers to raise issues on behalf of their constituents. I recognise that we're all working under different constraints at the moment, but it is important that it remains a Parliament, and that means that all of us have an equal opportunity to raise matters that are important to our constituents and our constituencies. The reduction of time available for us to do that significantly impacts our ability to do so, and I would be grateful if that matter could be reviewed.   

Codais fater effaith economaidd wahaniaethol y coronafeirws ar gymunedau difreintiedig yn ystod cwestiynau'r Prif Weinidog. Hoffwn i ofyn am ddadl gan y Llywodraeth ar y mater hwn. Mae hyn yn rhywbeth sydd wedi bod yn destun nifer o wahanol astudiaethau ac adroddiadau a dadansoddiadau yn ystod y misoedd diwethaf, a bydd yn gosod yr agenda ar gyfer dull gweithredu'r Llywodraeth i'r materion hyn, gobeithio, yn ystod yr wythnosau a'r misoedd nesaf. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig cael dadl yn amser y Llywodraeth ar effaith economaidd wahaniaethol coronafeirws ar wahanol gymunedau.

Yr ail fater yr hoffwn i ei godi, Gweinidog, yw'r lleihad yn yr amser sydd ar gael ar gyfer datganiadau a dadleuon, ar hyn o bryd, i 30 munud. Mae hyn yn lleihau'n sylweddol y cyfle i feincwyr cefn godi materion ar ran eu hetholwyr. Rwy'n cydnabod ein bod ni i gyd yn gweithio dan gyfyngiadau gwahanol ar hyn o bryd, ond mae'n bwysig ei bod yn parhau'n Senedd, ac mae hynny'n golygu bod pob un ohonom ni'n cael cyfle cyfartal i godi materion sy'n bwysig i'n hetholwyr a'n hetholaethau. Mae lleihau'r amser sydd ar gael i ni wneud hynny'n effeithio'n sylweddol ar ein gallu ni i wneud hynny, a byddwn i'n ddiolchgar os byddai modd adolygu'r mater hwnnw.

14:50

So, on that second point, that matter is kept under review constantly within the Business Committee and, inevitably, we do have to make some difficult decisions in terms of both the business that we table and also the amount of time which we're able to give to it, given the constrained ways under which we are currently working. But as I said, we do keep this constantly under review because it's absolutely not the intention to curtail the opportunity for scrutiny. So, I do take that point very much on board.

And then the second point was regarding the differential impact of the coronavirus on communities across Wales and, absolutely, that will be important in terms of defining the way forward and the kind of recovery that we have, which has to be a green and fair recovery where nobody is left behind. And I know that colleagues will consider the best way to have that discussion.

Felly, ar yr ail bwynt hwnnw, mae'r mater hwnnw'n cael ei adolygu'n gyson yn y Pwyllgor Busnes ac, yn anochel, mae'n rhaid i ni wneud rhai penderfyniadau anodd o ran y busnes yr ydym ni'n ei gyflwyno a hefyd faint o amser y gallwn ni ei roi iddo, o ystyried y ffyrdd cyfyngedig yr ydym ni'n gweithio oddi tanyn nhw ar hyn o bryd. Ond fel y dywedais i, rydym ni'n parhau i adolygu hyn yn gyson gan nad yw'n fwriad o gwbl gwtogi ar y cyfle i graffu. Felly, rwy'n wirioneddol yn derbyn y pwynt hwnnw.

Ac yna roedd yr ail bwynt yn ymwneud ag effaith wahaniaethol y coronafeirws ar gymunedau ledled Cymru ac, yn sicr, bydd hynny'n bwysig o ran diffinio'r ffordd ymlaen a'r math o adferiad sydd gennym, y bydd rhaid iddo fod yn adferiad gwyrdd a theg lle nad oes neb yn cael ei adael ar ôl. Ac rwy'n gwybod y bydd cydweithwyr yn ystyried y ffordd orau o gynnal y drafodaeth honno.

I call for a Welsh Government statement on shopping arrangements for blind and partially sighted people. Welsh Government officials, I understand, are working with supermarkets to improve their coronavirus safety measures. Proposed measures include systems to manage the number of customers in store, more visible signage and hygiene stations, and increased social distancing markers. RNIB Cymru have been approached by a number of their members worried about what these new restrictions might mean for them. Social distancing is near impossible for blind and partially sighted people, and navigating queues and altered store layouts has been extremely challenging for them throughout the whole pandemic. RNIB Cymru are therefore calling for guidance to be issued through supermarkets and essential retailers to make staff aware of the types of assistance and adjustments they can offer to blind and partially sighted customers. Blind and partially sighted customers need to know both how the Welsh Government intends to address the issue of access to supermarkets for them, and what guidance it will be issuing to retailers to raise staff awareness and make sure vulnerable people are not disadvantaged even further. I call for a statement accordingly.

Rwy'n galw am ddatganiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar y trefniadau siopa i bobl ddall a rhannol ddall. Rwy'n deall bod swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio gydag archfarchnadoedd i wella eu mesurau diogelwch coronafeirws. Mae'r mesurau arfaethedig yn cynnwys systemau i reoli nifer y cwsmeriaid mewn siopau, arwyddion a hylendid mwy gweladwy, a mwy o arwyddion cadw pellter cymdeithasol. Mae nifer o'u haelodau wedi cysylltu ag RNIB Cymru yn poeni ynghylch yr hyn y gallai'r cyfyngiadau newydd ei olygu iddyn nhw. Mae cadw pellter cymdeithasol bron yn amhosibl i bobl ddall a rhannol ddall, ac mae ymdopi â chiwiau a chynlluniau siopau sydd wedi'u haddasu wedi bod yn heriol iawn iddyn nhw drwy gydol y pandemig cyfan. Felly, mae RNIB Cymru yn galw am gyhoeddi canllawiau drwy archfarchnadoedd a manwerthwyr hanfodol i sicrhau bod staff yn ymwybodol o'r mathau o gymorth ac addasiadau y gallan nhw eu cynnig i gwsmeriaid dall a rhannol ddall. Mae angen i gwsmeriaid dall a rhannol ddall wybod sut mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn bwriadu mynd i'r afael â mynediad i archfarchnadoedd ar eu cyfer, a pha ganllawiau y bydd yn eu rhoi i fanwerthwyr i godi ymwybyddiaeth staff a sicrhau nad yw pobl sy'n agored i niwed dan anfantais ychwanegol. Rwy'n galw am ddatganiad yn unol â hynny.

I'm grateful to Mark Isherwood for raising the important issue of the experience of blind and partially sighted people in supermarkets during the current restrictions. I know that it does make situations particularly difficult for them, especially when people don't always understand that blind and partially sighted people might find it more difficult to maintain that social distance, and so forth. I'm aware myself of the RNIB work, but I will ensure that the health Minister—although I'm sure he's already familiar with it—does review that, with a view to exploring what more we can say to ensure that people aren't disadvantaged and that awareness is heightened as much as possible.

Rwy'n ddiolchgar i Mark Isherwood am godi mater pwysig profiad pobl ddall a rhannol ddall mewn archfarchnadoedd yn ystod y cyfyngiadau presennol. Gwn ei fod yn gwneud sefyllfaoedd yn arbennig o anodd iddyn nhw, yn enwedig pan nad yw pobl bob amser yn deall y gallai pobl ddall a rhannol ddall ei chael yn fwy anodd cynnal y pellter cymdeithasol hwnnw, ac ati. Rwy'n ymwybodol fy hun o waith yr RNIB, ond byddaf i'n sicrhau bod y Gweinidog Iechyd—er fy mod yn siŵr ei fod eisoes yn gyfarwydd ag ef—yn adolygu hynny, gyda golwg ar archwilio beth arall y gallwn ni ei ddweud i sicrhau nad yw'r bobl hyn dan anfantais a bod cymaint â phosibl o ymwybyddiaeth yn cael ei chodi.

Can we have a statement on the number of pupils who are without either a device or internet access in order to do their home schooling? Does the Government have an idea of the number of children without the means to participate in online school lessons? Because if the Government is serious about eliminating the link between school attainment and poverty, then this issue should be a top priority. And the fact that there are children without the means to do online schooling nearly a year since we first went into lockdown means that that link between education attainment and poverty will be amplified. I've had parents and teachers approach me to say that this is still an issue in the Rhondda. In England, children without internet access in their homes have been promised free and unlimited data until the end of the academic year, and this scheme came about as a result of the Department for Education in England teaming up with internet providers. I hope we can have a similar scheme adopted in Wales soon, and I would like an indication from the Government if and when you are able to provide one.  

A gawn ni ddatganiad o ran nifer y disgyblion sydd heb ddyfais neu gyfle i ddefnyddio'r rhyngrwyd er mwyn gwneud eu gwaith addysg gartref? A oes gan y Llywodraeth syniad o nifer y plant sydd heb y modd i gymryd rhan mewn gwersi ysgol ar-lein? Oherwydd os yw'r Llywodraeth o ddifrif ynghylch dileu'r cysylltiad rhwng cyrhaeddiad ysgol a thlodi, yna dylai'r mater hwn fod yn brif flaenoriaeth. Ac mae'r ffaith bod yna blant heb y modd i gael eu haddysgu ar-lein bron flwyddyn ers inni fynd i'r cyfyngiadau symud am y tro cyntaf yn golygu y bydd y cysylltiad hwnnw rhwng cyrhaeddiad addysg a thlodi yn cael ei gynyddu. Rwyf wedi cael rhieni ac athrawon yn cysylltu â mi i ddweud bod hyn yn dal i fod yn broblem yn y Rhondda. Yn Lloegr, cafodd data di-dâl a diderfyn eu haddo i blant sydd heb y modd i fanteisio ar y rhyngrwyd yn eu cartrefi tan ddiwedd y flwyddyn academaidd, a chafodd y cynllun hwnnw ei weithredu o ganlyniad i'r Adran Addysg yn Lloegr yn gweithio gyda darparwyr rhyngrwyd. Gobeithio y gallwn ni gael cynllun tebyg wedi'i fabwysiadu yng Nghymru'n fuan, a hoffwn i gael syniad gan y Llywodraeth os a phryd y gall ddarparu cynllun o'r fath.

I'll certainly ask the education Minister to provide an update on that specific issue, but I can say that Welsh Government has been very proactive in terms of providing devices for children and young people to use in order to access the online and blended learning. Just before Christmas, we announced a further £11 million to purchase a number of devices—I think, at the time, it was 35,000 devices—which would take the number of devices distributed to children and young people across Wales to 133,000 during the course of the pandemic. I think that's quite a significant achievement. And we also recognise that it's difficult for some children to get online, so we've also distributed more than 11,000 Mi-Fi devices, so that children and young people who don't have that reliable connection at home can do so. Clearly, if there's more to do, then we would want to do it, so I will ensure that the education Minister provides the update to that specific question.

Yn sicr, byddaf i'n gofyn i'r Gweinidog Addysg roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf o ran y mater penodol hwnnw, ond gallaf ddweud bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn rhagweithiol iawn o ran darparu dyfeisiau i blant a phobl ifanc eu defnyddio er mwyn manteisio ar ddysgu ar-lein a dysgu cyfunol. Ychydig cyn y Nadolig, cyhoeddwyd £11 miliwn arall i brynu nifer o ddyfeisiau—rwy'n credu, ar y pryd, mai 35,000 o ddyfeisiau oedd hynny—a fyddai'n mynd â nifer y dyfeisiau wedi'u dosbarthu i blant a phobl ifanc ledled Cymru yn ystod y pandemig i 133,000. Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n gyflawniad eithaf sylweddol. Ac rydym  hefyd yn cydnabod ei bod yn anodd i rai plant fynd ar-lein, felly rydym hefyd wedi dosbarthu mwy na 11,000 o ddyfeisiau Mi-Fi, fel y gall plant a phobl ifanc nad oes ganddyn nhw'r cysylltiad dibynadwy hwnnw gartref wneud hynny. Yn amlwg, os oes modd gwneud rhagor, yna byddem eisiau gwneud hynny, a byddaf i'n sicrhau bod y Gweinidog Addysg yn rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf o ran y cwestiwn penodol hwnnw.

14:55

May I ask for an oral statement or a debate in Government time on nitrate vulnerable zones? I note that the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths is answering questions tomorrow and put out a written statement, but the timing of that written statement was such that there is no opportunity for ordinary Members of the Senedd to ask questions at that session tomorrow. The Minister said, back on 8 April last year, that she would bring in regulations only when the crisis comes to an end. Then, on 16 September last year, she said,

'What I have committed to is not bringing them forward whilst we're in the middle of a COVID-19 pandemic', 

and then, on 14 October,

'I have committed not to do anything while we are at the height of the pandemic.' 

Is it thus the Welsh Government position that we are past the height of the pandemic and no longer in its middle, and that it will come to an end by 1 April? If so, why are we debating emergency legislation later to potentially delay the election from 6 May? I think the Minister needs to give us an explanation on the matter of what she said before, and also an explanation of why the whole of Wales has been a nitrate vulnerable zone under her regulations, at great cost to farmers, many of whom aren't responsible for these problems and don't farm in areas of Wales where they're widespread. Why can't we have a similar system to that which the UK Government has for England, where areas only become NVZs where the incidence is high or where there is a particular problem?

A gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad llafar neu ddadl yn amser y Llywodraeth ar barthau perygl nitradau? Rwy'n sylwi bod Lesley Griffiths, Gweinidog yr Amgylchedd, Ynni a Materion Gwledig, yn ateb cwestiynau yfory ac yn cyflwyno datganiad ysgrifenedig, ond roedd amseriad y datganiad ysgrifenedig hwnnw'n golygu nad oes cyfle i Aelodau cyffredin y Senedd ofyn cwestiynau yn y sesiwn honno yfory. Dywedodd y Gweinidog, yn ôl ar 8 Ebrill y llynedd, y byddai'n cyflwyno rheoliadau dim ond pan fydd yr argyfwng yn dod i ben. Yna, ar 16 Medi y llynedd, dywedodd,

Yr hyn yr wyf i wedi ymrwymo iddo yw peidio â'u cyflwyno wrth inni fod yng nghanol pandemig COVID-19,

ac yna, ar 14 Hydref,

Rwyf wedi ymrwymo i beidio â gwneud dim pan mae'r pandemig yn ei anterth.

Felly, ai safbwynt Llywodraeth Cymru yw ein bod ni wedi mynd heibio i'r pandemig yn ei anterth ac nad ydym ni bellach yn ei ganol, ac y daw i ben erbyn 1 Ebrill? Os felly, pam ydym ni'n trafod deddfwriaeth frys yn nes ymlaen i ohirio'r etholiad o 6 Mai? Rwy'n credu bod angen i'r Gweinidog roi esboniad inni am yr hyn a ddywedodd o'r blaen, a hefyd esboniad pam mae Cymru gyfan wedi bod yn barth perygl nitradau o dan ei rheoliadau hi, ar gost fawr i'r ffermwyr, lawer ohonyn nhw nad ydyn nhw'n gyfrifol am y problemau hyn ac nad ydyn nhw'n ffermio mewn ardaloedd yng Nghymru lle maen nhw'n gyffredin. Pam na allwn ni gael system debyg i'r un sydd gan Lywodraeth y DU ar gyfer Lloegr, lle mae ardaloedd yn Barthau Perygl Nitradau dim ond pan mae nifer yr achosion yn uchel neu lle mae yna broblem benodol?

Well, the First Minister did answer some questions on this during First Minister's questions this afternoon, but it is the case that the Minister used the negative procedure to lay the regulations, because that is the system set out in law. However, the Business Committee has today agreed a debate on the annulment of the regulations, and that will be debated by the Senedd in due course.

Wel, fe atebodd y Prif Weinidog rai cwestiynau ar hyn yn ystod cwestiynau'r Prif Weinidog y prynhawn yma, ond mae'n wir fod y Gweinidog wedi defnyddio'r weithdrefn negyddol i osod y rheoliadau, oherwydd dyna'r system sydd wedi'i nodi yn y gyfraith. Fodd bynnag, mae'r Pwyllgor Busnes heddiw wedi cytuno ar ddadl ar ddirymu'r rheoliadau, a bydd y Senedd yn trafod hynny maes o law.

I wonder if I could ask for a statement from the health Minister on the continuation of telemedical abortion services? These have been absolutely vital during the pandemic lockdown to enable women to access early medical abortions without having to leave their homes. I wrote to the Minister in November on behalf of the women's health cross-party group, pointing out the discussion that we'd had, with the involvement of all seven health boards, about the transformational use of telemedicine to enable women to get that early consultation without risk and the safety and efficacy of it. Actually, for women living in rural areas, where they're some distance away from clinics that provide these services, it's been transformational, and I just wondered if we could have a statement to find out whether or not this excellent way of delivering prudent healthcare can be continued on a more permanent basis.

Tybed a gaf i ofyn am ddatganiad gan y Gweinidog Iechyd am barhad gwasanaethau erthylu telefeddygol? Mae'r rhain wedi bod yn gwbl hanfodol yn ystod cyfyngiadau symud y pandemig i alluogi menywod i gael erthyliadau meddygol cynnar heb orfod gadael eu cartrefi. Ysgrifennais i at y Gweinidog ym mis Tachwedd ar ran y grŵp trawsbleidiol ar iechyd menywod, gan dynnu sylw at y drafodaeth a gafwyd, gyda chyfranogiad pob un o'r saith bwrdd iechyd, ynghylch y defnydd trawsnewidiol o delefeddygaeth i alluogi menywod i gael yr ymgynghoriad cynnar hwnnw heb risg a diogelwch ac effeithiolrwydd y peth. Mewn gwirionedd, i fenywod sy'n byw mewn ardaloedd gwledig, lle maen nhw gryn bellter oddi wrth glinigau sy'n darparu'r gwasanaethau hyn, mae wedi bod yn drawsnewidiol, ac roeddwn i'n tybio a gawn ni ddatganiad i ganfod a fyddai modd parhau â'r ffordd ragorol hon o ddarparu gofal iechyd darbodus yn fwy parhaol ai peidio.

Well, the arrangement was put in place during the pandemic to reduce the transmission of COVID-19, and it's currently time limited for two years or until the pandemic is over, whichever is earliest. But, on 1 December, the Welsh Government did publish a consultation, seeking views on whether to make permanent the current temporary arrangements, and this consultation will run until 23 February. It's available on the Welsh Government website. So, when we have those responses to the consultation, a decision will be made. But, of course, I encourage Jenny Rathbone to make her submission to that.

Wel, cafodd y trefniant ei roi ar waith yn ystod y pandemig i leihau trosglwyddo COVID-19, ac ar hyn o bryd mae'n para am gyfnod penodol o ddwy flynedd neu nes bod y pandemig ar ben, pa un bynnag sydd gynharaf. Ond, ar 1 Rhagfyr, cyhoeddodd Llywodraeth Cymru ymgynghoriad, yn gofyn am sylwadau ynghylch a ddylai'r trefniadau dros dro presennol gael eu gwneud yn barhaol, a bydd yr ymgynghoriad hwn yn para tan 23 Chwefror. Mae ar gael ar wefan Llywodraeth Cymru. Felly, pan fydd yr ymatebion hynny i'r ymgynghoriad gennym ni, bydd penderfyniad yn cael ei wneud. Ond, wrth gwrs, rwy'n annog Jenny Rathbone i wneud ei chyflwyniad i hynny.

Trefnydd, can I call for a statement on vaccination and its potential to enabling earlier return to the classroom for students and pupils across Wales? I held a briefing last week, in conjunction with the Israeli embassay, from Dr Asher Salmon, who is the director of international relations at the Israeli ministry for health. The Israeli Government has a taken a conscious decision, because it wanted to get children and young people back into their education, to actually vaccinate teachers and other school staff in order to accelerate that opportunity to return them to the classroom. I think it would be useful to have a statement on whether this is something that the Welsh Government has considered, in order to help clarify the position of the Welsh Government in relation to this matter. Thank you.

Trefnydd, a gaf i alw am ddatganiad ar frechu a'i botensial i alluogi dychwelyd i'r ystafell ddosbarth yn gynharach i fyfyrwyr a disgyblion ledled Cymru? Cynhaliais sesiwn friffio yr wythnos ddiwethaf, ar y cyd â llysgenhadaeth Israel, gan Dr Asher Salmon, sy'n gyfarwyddwr cysylltiadau rhyngwladol yng ngweinyddiaeth iechyd Israel. Mae Llywodraeth Israel wedi gwneud penderfyniad ymwybodol, oherwydd ei bod yn dymuno gweld plant a phobl ifanc yn ôl yn cael eu haddysg, i frechu athrawon a staff eraill ysgolion er mwyn cyflymu'r cyfle hwnnw iddynt ddychwelyd i'r ystafell ddosbarth. Rwy'n credu y byddai'n ddefnyddiol cael datganiad ynghylch a yw hyn yn rhywbeth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i ystyried, er mwyn helpu i egluro sefyllfa Llywodraeth Cymru o ran y mater hwn. Diolch.

15:00

We do have the statement on vaccination as the next item of business this afternoon, so this might be a further opportunity to hear from the Minister in this regard. But it's been very much the case that the Welsh Government has been following the advice of the JCVI in terms of schedule that it has set out, in order to maintain the approach that we've taken throughout the pandemic of following the science and listening to what the experts tell us in terms of how to minimise the number of deaths for people across Wales. But, as I say, there's a statement next, so it might be a chance to hear a little bit more from the health Minister.

Yr eitem ynglŷn â brechu yw'r un nesaf ar gyfer busnes y prynhawn, ac fe allai fod yn gyfle pellach i ni glywed gan y Gweinidog am hyn. Ond mae'n wir dweud bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dilyn cyngor y JCVI o ran yr amserlen a nodwyd ganddi, er mwyn cadw at y dull yr ydym ni wedi bod yn ei ddefnyddio drwy gydol y pandemig sef cymryd ein harwain gan y wyddoniaeth a gwrando ar yr hyn y mae'r arbenigwyr yn ei ddweud wrthym ni o ran sut i leihau nifer y marwolaethau ymhlith pobl ledled Cymru. Ond, fel y dywedais i, mae yna ddatganiad nesaf, felly bydd hwnnw'n gyfle i glywed ychydig mwy gan y Gweinidog Iechyd.

Diolch, Llywydd. I'd like to ask for a statement, please, explaining why some care homes have been deprioritised for vaccines. I've been contacted by a small care home in Caerphilly county borough who are really upset that their residents are no longer due to be vaccinated in the first two priority groups. They were originally told that all care home residents would be vaccinated in the first group, but adults in some residential care settings have now been moved to group six. They assume that this is because they're small. They care for residents with learning disabilities, but the residents of this care home are all over 65. People working there feel that they've been treated unfairly because they're expected to follow the same guidelines and the same rules as every other care home, and there's not been any justification given as yet why their residents have been deprioritised. I know the council have been very helpful, and the home would want me to say that the council has helped them to make sure that all staff have been vaccinated, but they can't do the same for residents because of this change in prioritisation.

Trefnydd, very shortly before Plenary today, Members were sent a vaccination update by the health Minister, which talks about older people care homes. I'd like to know if this qualification means that care homes who are defined as caring for residents with learning disabilities are being neglected here, even if the residents are over 65. Has this change in prioritisation been done so that the Welsh Government can claim it has vaccinated all care homes for older people? Because this would clearly not be true. Yesterday, the Welsh Government claimed that all care homes were either being or had been vaccinated, when, in fact, small care homes like this haven't been. So, I would like a justification for what is published, please, so that it can be shown to the care homes. Because if this has been a retrospective change, I really worry that this could be discriminatory, because many of the residents of this home, because of their age, would have qualified for vaccines already if they didn't have the disabilities. 

Diolch, Llywydd. Fe hoffwn i ofyn am ddatganiad, os gwelwch chi'n dda, yn esbonio pam mae rhai cartrefi gofal wedi cael eu dadflaenoriaethu ar gyfer brechlynnau. Mae yna gartref gofal bach ym mwrdeistref sirol Caerffili sydd wedi cysylltu â mi ac sy'n gofidio llawer na chaiff eu preswylwyr nhw eu cynnwys erbyn hyn yn y ddau grŵp blaenoriaeth cyntaf ar gyfer eu brechu. Fe ddywedwyd wrthynt yn wreiddiol y byddai holl breswylwyr cartrefi gofal yn cael eu brechu yn y grŵp cyntaf, ond mae oedolion mewn rhai lleoliadau gofal preswyl wedi cael eu symud i grŵp rhif chwech erbyn hyn. Maen nhw'n tybio mai'r rheswm am hyn yw oherwydd bod y cartref yn un bach o ran maint. Maen nhw'n gofalu am breswylwyr ag anableddau dysgu, ond mae preswylwyr y cartref gofal hwn i gyd dros eu 65 oed. Mae pobl sy'n gweithio yno'n credu eu bod wedi cael eu trin yn annheg oherwydd bod disgwyl iddynt ddilyn yr un canllawiau a'r un rheolau â phob cartref gofal arall, ac ni roddwyd unrhyw gyfiawnhad hyd yn hyn dros y dadflaenoriaethu. Rwy'n gwybod i'r cyngor fod yn barod iawn i helpu, ac fe fyddai'r cartref yn awyddus imi ddweud bod y cyngor wedi helpu i sicrhau bod yr holl staff wedi cael eu brechu, ond ni allant wneud hynny i'r preswylwyr oherwydd y newid hwn o ran blaenoriaethu.

Trefnydd, ychydig cyn y Cyfarfod Llawn heddiw, fe anfonodd y Gweinidog Iechyd ddiweddariad at yr Aelodau ynglŷn â brechu, sy'n crybwyll cartrefi gofal i bobl hŷn. Fe hoffwn i wybod a yw'r amod hwn yn golygu bod cartrefi gofal sy'n cael eu diffinio fel rhai sy'n gofalu am breswylwyr ag anableddau dysgu yn cael eu hesgeuluso yn hyn o beth, hyd yn oed os yw'r preswylwyr dros eu 65 oed. A yw'r newid hwn o ran blaenoriaethu wedi digwydd fel y gall Llywodraeth Cymru honni ei bod wedi brechu ym mhob cartref gofal i bobl hŷn? Oherwydd mae'n amlwg na fyddai hynny'n wir. Ddoe, fe honnodd Llywodraeth Cymru fod pob cartref gofal naill ai wrthi'n cael eu brechiadau neu eisoes wedi eu cael nhw ond mewn gwirionedd nid yw hynny wedi digwydd mewn cartrefi gofal bach fel hyn. Felly, fe hoffwn i glywed cyfiawnhad o'r hyn a gyhoeddwyd, os gwelwch chi'n dda, fel y gellir dangos hwnnw i'r cartrefi gofal. Oherwydd os yw hwn wedi bod yn newid ôl-weithredol, rwy'n poeni'n wir y gallai hwnnw fod yn wahaniaethol, oherwydd fe fyddai llawer o breswylwyr y cartref hwn, oherwydd eu hoedran, wedi bod yn gymwys eisoes ar gyfer eu brechu pe na fyddai ganddyn nhw'r anableddau.

Thank you for raising this specific issue on behalf of that care home. The Minister will be making a statement on vaccinations and vaccines as the next item of business today, so there could be an opportunity to raise that then. But, if not, if you write to the health Minister or myself with the specific details of the care home to which you refer, we can look into this in further detail and provide that detailed answer that you're after.

Diolch i chi am godi'r mater penodol hwn ar ran y cartref gofal hwnnw. Fe fydd y Gweinidog yn gwneud datganiad ynglŷn â brechiadau a brechlynnau yn yr eitem sy'n dod nesaf ym musnes heddiw, felly bydd cyfle i godi hyn bryd hynny. Ond, os na, pe byddech chi'n ysgrifennu at y Gweinidog Iechyd neu ataf i gyda manylion penodol y cartref gofal yr ydych chi'n sôn amdano, fe allwn ni ymchwilio i hyn yn fwy manwl a rhoi'r ateb manwl hwnnw yr ydych chi'n ei geisio.

3. Datganiad gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol: Y Wybodaeth Ddiweddaraf am Frechiadau COVID-19
3. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Update on COVID-19 Vaccinations

Y datganiad, felly, ar frechiadau COVID-19. Dwi'n galw ar y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol i wneud y datganiad hwnnw—Vaughan Gething.

The next item is a statement on COVID-19 vaccinations. I call on the Minister for Health and Social Services to make the statement—Vaughan Gething.

Thank you, Llywydd. Today we have published the second of our reports summarising progress against our national COVID-19 vaccination strategy. These reports are published every Tuesday, in addition to the surveillance data being published by Public Health Wales that is published both daily and weekly, and the operational data that is being published by Welsh Government statisticians. According to the figures published at midday today, the NHS Wales-led programme has vaccinated more than 439,000 people across Wales. That is almost 14 per cent of the population. The latest information I have also shows that over 60 per cent of our first priority groups have now received their first dose of the vaccine. The pace is continuing to increase, and we are making strong progress. The effectiveness of our infrastructure and the growth in capacity are clear for all to see.

We have already hit two markers in our vaccine strategy. We have offered all front-line Welsh ambulance service staff their first dose of the vaccine. We also exceeded our end-of-January marker to have more than 250 GP practices deploying the vaccine. Last week’s report confirmed that this marker had been achieved ahead of schedule, with over 300 practices running clinics. The number has increased again to over 400 practice locations, demonstrating the high level of engagement across all parts of our health service to work together to deliver the COVID-19 vaccination programme as quickly and as safely as possible. Protecting the vulnerable has always been at the heart of our response to the pandemic and it remains at the forefront of our fight back against this terrible disease.

The final marker that we've been working towards is vaccinating the first priority group set by the UK’s independent expert Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation—people living in a care home for older adults and their staff carers. We set out to reach all those care homes that it was possible to reach by the end of January and to make sure that plans were in place for those care homes that have had COVID-19 outbreaks and incidents to be done as soon as possible. I am pleased to confirm again that we have achieved this marker, as confirmed yesterday by my colleague Eluned Morgan. Health boards have confirmed they have visited all older person care homes that it has been safe to send vaccination teams into. For those homes where it has not been safe, visits are planned during February, as soon as the public health advice allows.

As with our delivery model generally, a blended approach is in place for older person care homes. For some care homes, health boards are sending in vaccination teams to vaccinate both residents and staff. For other care homes, GP practices are organising vaccination for residents, often through a district nurse or small team, with staff being invited to attend mass centres. This mixed model ensures the right approach for the right home, given its context and location. With the three markers on the journey to milestone 1 having been achieved, our focus now is on completing vaccine offers for all those in the first four priority groups. In the last week, we have vaccinated more people as a percentage of our population than any of the other UK nations. We are moving through the priority cohorts and are on track to deliver against our first milestone by the middle of February.

We expect to sustain this level of progress and, in fact, expect to see an additional step up in the rate of vaccination this week. We've built a sustainable programme and are building pace and capacity within it all the time. This week, an additional military aid to civil authorities request has been agreed. This will see a further 90 military personnel brought in to support capacity in the vaccination programme across Wales. I am extremely grateful to our NHS colleagues across Wales whose continued hard work and dedication is making this incredible progress possible, and, of course, their partners in local government, the military and beyond, including the voluntary sector. I am very proud of what we are doing as a country with the vaccination roll-out. We still have a marathon ahead of us, but we can face the next stage with a real sense of confidence in our NHS-led programme here in Wales. Thank you, Llywydd.

Diolch, Llywydd. Heddiw fe wnaethom ni gyhoeddi'r ail o'n hadroddiadau ni sy'n crynhoi'r cynnydd yn erbyn ein cynllun brechu COVID-19 cenedlaethol. Fe gyhoeddir yr adroddiadau hyn bob dydd Mawrth, yn ogystal â'r data gwyliadwriaeth gan Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru a gyhoeddir yn ddyddiol ac yn wythnosol hefyd, a'r data gweithredol a gyhoeddir gan ystadegwyr Llywodraeth Cymru. Yn ôl y ffigurau a gyhoeddwyd ganol dydd heddiw, mae'r rhaglen a arweinir gan GIG Cymru wedi brechu mwy na 439,000 o bobl ledled Cymru. Hynny yw, bron 14 y cant o'r boblogaeth. Mae'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf sydd gennyf yn dangos hefyd bod dros 60 y cant o'n grwpiau blaenoriaeth cyntaf ni wedi cael eu dos cyntaf o'r brechlyn erbyn hyn. Mae pethau'n cyflymu trwy'r amser, ac rydym yn gwneud cynnydd mawr. Mae effeithiolrwydd ein seilwaith ni a'r twf o ran capasiti yn amlwg i bawb eu gweld.

Rydym wedi taro dau nod eisoes yn ein cynllun brechu. Rydym wedi cynnig dos cyntaf o'r brechlyn i holl staff rheng flaen y gwasanaeth ambiwlans yng Nghymru. Fe aethom y tu hwnt i'n nod ni ar gyfer diwedd mis Ionawr hefyd, sef bod mwy na 250 o bractisau meddygon teulu yn gweinyddu'r brechlyn. Roedd adroddiad yr wythnos diwethaf yn cadarnhau bod y nod hwn wedi ei gyrraedd yn gynt na'r disgwyl, gyda dros 300 o bractisau yn cynnal clinigau. Mae'r nifer wedi cynyddu eto hyd at dros 400 o feddygfeydd, gan amlygu'r gyfradd uchel o ymgysylltu ar draws pob rhan o'n gwasanaeth iechyd ni ar gyfer cydweithio i ddarparu rhaglen frechu cyn gynted ac mor ddiogel â phosibl yn erbyn COVID-19. Mae amddiffyn y rhai sy'n agored i niwed wedi bod wrth wraidd ein hymateb ni i'r pandemig bob amser ac mae hynny'n parhau i fod yn bwysig iawn  yn ein brwydr ni yn erbyn y clefyd brawychus hwn.

Y nod olaf yr ydym ni wedi bod yn gweithio tuag ato yw brechu'r grŵp blaenoriaeth cyntaf a bennwyd gan Gyd-bwyllgor arbenigol annibynnol y DU ar Frechu ac Imiwneiddio—pobl sy'n byw mewn cartrefi gofal ar gyfer oedolion hŷn a'r staff sy'n gofalu amdanyn nhw. Ein bwriadu oedd mynd i'r holl gartrefi gofal yr oedd yn bosibl mynd iddyn nhw erbyn diwedd mis Ionawr a sicrhau bod cynlluniau ar waith i'r cartrefi gofal hynny sydd wedi profi achosion o COVID-19 gael y brechiadau cyn gynted â phosibl. Rwy'n falch o gadarnhau unwaith eto ein bod ni wedi cyrraedd y nod hwn, fel y cadarnhaodd fy nghyd-Weinidog i, Eluned Morgan, ddoe. Mae'r byrddau iechyd wedi cadarnhau eu bod wedi ymweld â phob cartref gofal i bobl hŷn yr oedd yn ddiogel i anfon timau brechu yno. O ran y cartrefi hynny lle nad yw hynny wedi bod yn ddiogel, bwriedir ymweld â'r rheini yn ystod mis Chwefror, cyn gynted ag y bydd y cyngor iechyd cyhoeddus yn caniatáu hynny.

Fel sy'n gyffredin gyda'n model cyflenwi ni, mae dull cyfunol ar waith ar gyfer cartrefi gofal i bobl hŷn. Gyda rhai cartrefi gofal, mae'r byrddau iechyd yn anfon timau brechu i frechu preswylwyr a staff. Gyda chartrefi gofal eraill, mae practisau meddygon teulu yn trefnu'r brechiadau i breswylwyr, yn aml drwy anfon nyrs ardal neu dîm bach, a staff yn cael eu gwahodd i fynd i ganolfannau torfol. Mae'r model cymysg hwn yn sicrhau'r dull priodol ar gyfer pob cartref, gan ystyried y cyd-destun a'i leoliad. Gyda'r tri nod ar y daith hyd at garreg filltir 1 wedi eu cyrraedd, rydym yn canolbwyntio bellach ar gynnig brechlyn i bawb yn y pedwar grŵp blaenoriaeth cyntaf. Yn ystod yr wythnos ddiwethaf, rydym wedi brechu mwy o bobl yn ôl canran y boblogaeth nag unrhyw wlad arall yn y DU. Rydym yn symud trwy'r carfannau blaenoriaeth ac rydym ar y trywydd cywir i gyflawni yn erbyn ein carreg filltir gyntaf ganol mis Chwefror.

Rydym yn disgwyl gallu cynnal y lefel hon o gynnydd ac, mewn gwirionedd, rydym yn disgwyl gweld cynnydd ychwanegol yng nghyfraddau brechu'r wythnos hon. Rydym wedi llunio rhaglen sy'n gynaliadwy gan gynnwys cyflymder a chapasiti oddi mewn iddi'n barhaus. Yr wythnos hon, fe gytunwyd ar gymorth ychwanegol gan y lluoedd arfog ar gais awdurdodau sifil. Fe fydd hyn yn golygu 90 o bersonél milwrol arall yn cael eu dwyn i mewn i gefnogi'r capasiti yn y rhaglen frechu ledled Cymru. Rwy'n hynod ddiolchgar i'n cydweithwyr ni yn y GIG ledled Cymru sydd, oherwydd eu gwaith caled a'u hymroddiad parhaus, yn gwneud y cynnydd anhygoel hwn yn bosibl, ac, wrth gwrs, i'w partneriaid nhw mewn llywodraeth leol, y lluoedd arfog a thu hwnt, gan gynnwys y sector gwirfoddol. Rwy'n ymfalchïo'n fawr iawn yn yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ei wneud yn ein gwlad gyda gweinyddu'r brechiadau. Mae gennym ni farathon o'n blaen eto, ond fe allwn wynebu'r cam nesaf gydag ymdeimlad gwirioneddol o hyder yn ein rhaglen ni a arweinir gan y GIG yma yng Nghymru. Diolch, Llywydd.

15:05

Good afternoon, Minister. Thank you for your statement. Credit where credit's due, the situation has moved on enormously since last week, and I'd like to say well done to the whole effort, from Government down to those on the front line, for cracking on with the vaccines, especially as we were behind. It is really good to see that some of these priority groups have been picked up and are moving forward.

I do want to emphasise the importance of communication, because I have a lot in my constituency, and I know, in fact, in Hywel Dda, it's the same—we have a lot of those who are in their 80s plus who haven't yet been vaccinated, but have got appointments during the course of this coming week and next week. That is different from saying to everyone, 'You will be vaccinated by last weekend', which was the target, and I think that's caused some confusion. So, going forward, down all the other priority groups, I would urge that some more thought is given to the communication message. But it's really great to see that we are making strides to try to vaccinate the whole nation.

Unfortunately, the number of registered deaths, although they have decreased from 467 to 447, which is obviously very welcome—it's still the third highest of any point in the pandemic, which shows how very distressing and awful it is, and the fact that this disease is a killer. Are you able to update us on any more that you might be able to do to reach those hard-to-vaccinate groups, the people who are either refusing the vaccine or the groups, the cohorts of people, who we know are harder to persuade to take it up? And for those people who have been phoned up and offered a vaccine and are saying, 'No, I don't want it', what plans are in place to be able to perhaps follow up on them individually, by perhaps their local GP, to try to have a conversation? Because until more of us are vaccinated, we're still going to see these awful deaths occurring in hospitals and in our communities. So, any update that you can give us on that would be really welcome. 

Of course, the other concern that people are now beginning to flood inboxes with is whether or not the vaccines are efficient against all these new strains, especially the new UK strain that Andrew R.T. Davies mentioned on the business statement, and, of course, the South African strain. Perhaps you'd like to make some kind of public comment on that, because I think it would be really useful to try to reassure people and put minds to rest. 

You mentioned the very welcome work on reaching the care homes, but can you please tell us how many care homes have yet to be vaccinated, or how many residents and staff within certain care homes? I appreciate that some care homes were deemed red because they had some element of coronavirus; I know that different health boards have got different policies in place about whether or not they will go in and try to vaccinate in part of a care home, even if some of it has got the COVID virus in it. But I also would like to build on Delyth Jewell's question that she put to you during the business statement, or asked the Trefnydd to look at: are care homes being recategorised at all? Is there any plan that some care homes have perhaps been changed into different categories? Anything you can tell us on that, again, would be very useful.

Finally, I just want to raise the issue of pharmacists. We know that we have the mass vaccination centres, we know that GPs are doing it, we know that there's an awful lot of work going on within the hospital environment and within social care, but of course our pharmacists are still standing in the wings ready to help what is basically a national effort. Can you outline any plans to involve them? I have heard from the health boards throughout Wales that they are talking to pharmacists, but actually they've been talking to them for the last two, three or four weeks. Nothing yet is happening. There seems to be nothing really concrete on the ground.

As we go down those category groups and we start looking at vaccinating the sixties and the fifties, those groups are going to get bigger and bigger and bigger. We're going to need everybody. You've already talked today about deploying 90 members of the military—very welcome, but we have some 710 pharmacy operations waiting in the wings. So, any update you can give us on that—because I do think that they are a squandered resource and that we can really use them. They want to be used, they've said it very loudly, very clearly, they've put forward the proposals and, of course, if you are somebody who is perhaps less keen on travelling, going to your local pharmacy, a bit like going to your local GP, is a much easier option than travelling to a mass vaccination centre. So, any update on when they may be used and on what category of people the pharmacists may be involved in. Thank you very much.

Prynhawn da, Gweinidog. Diolch i chi am eich datganiad. Mae'n rhaid rhoi clod lle mae'n ddyledus, mae'r sefyllfa wedi symud ymlaen yn aruthrol ers yr wythnos diwethaf, ac fe hoffwn i ddweud da iawn wrth bawb a fu'n rhan o'r ymdrech hon, o'r Llywodraeth hyd at y rhai ar y rheng flaen, am fwrw ymlaen gyda'r brechiadau, yn arbennig felly am inni fod ar ei hôl hi. Braf iawn yw gweld bod y gwaith gyda'r grwpiau blaenoriaeth hyn wedi cyflymu a'i fod yn mynd rhagddo.

Rwy'n awyddus i bwysleisio pwysigrwydd cyfathrebu, oherwydd mae gennyf i lawer yn fy etholaeth i, ac fe wn i ei bod yn wir yn Hywel Dda, mewn gwirionedd—mae gennym lawer sydd yn eu 80au ac yn hŷn sydd heb gael eu brechu eto, ond sydd wedi cael apwyntiadau yn ystod yr wythnos hon ac wythnos nesaf. Mae hynny'n wahanol i ddweud wrth bawb, 'Fe gewch chi eich brechu erbyn y penwythnos diwethaf', a hwnnw oedd y targed, ac rwy'n credu bod hynny wedi achosi rhywfaint o ddryswch. Felly, wrth symud ymlaen, trwy'r holl grwpiau blaenoriaeth eraill, fe fyddwn i'n pwyso am roi mwy o ystyriaeth i'r neges a gaiff ei chyfathrebu. Ond mae'n wych gweld ein bod ni'n brasgamu tuag at geisio brechu'r genedl gyfan.

Yn anffodus, mae nifer y marwolaethau cofrestredig, er eu bod nhw wedi gostwng o 467 i 447, sydd i'w groesawu'n fawr, yn amlwg—mae'n dal i fod y trydydd uchaf o unrhyw bwynt yn y pandemig, sy'n dangos pa mor frawychus ac ofnadwy ydyw, a'r ffaith bod y clefyd hwn yn lladd. A wnewch chi roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf inni am ragor y gallech chi ei wneud i gyrraedd y grwpiau hynny sy'n anodd eu brechu, sef y bobl sydd naill ai'n gwrthod y brechlyn neu'r grwpiau, y carfannau hynny o bobl, y gwyddom ei bod yn fwy anodd eu perswadio i gael y brechlyn? Ac i'r bobl hynny sydd wedi cael yr alwad ffôn a'r cynnig o frechlyn ond sydd wedi dweud, 'Na dim diolch', pa gynlluniau sydd ar waith i allu mynd ar drywydd yr unigolion hyn, gan eu meddyg teulu lleol nhw efallai, i geisio cael sgwrs â nhw? Oherwydd hyd nes y bydd mwy ohonom yn cael ein brechu, fe fyddwn ni'n parhau i weld y marwolaethau echrydus hyn yn digwydd mewn ysbytai ac yn ein cymunedau ni. Felly, fe fyddai unrhyw ddiweddariad y gallwch chi ei roi inni am hynny i'w groesawu'n fawr.

Wrth gwrs, y pryder arall sydd gan bobl nawr ac y maen nhw'n dechrau llythyra llawer iawn yn ei gylch yw a yw'r brechlynnau hyn yn effeithlon yn erbyn yr holl amrywiadau newydd hyn ai peidio, yn enwedig y straen newydd o'r DU y soniodd Andrew R.T. Davies amdano yn ystod y datganiad busnes, ac, wrth gwrs, y straen o Dde Affrica. Efallai yr hoffech chi wneud rhyw fath o sylw cyhoeddus ynglŷn â hynny, oherwydd rwy'n credu y byddai hynny'n ddefnyddiol iawn wrth geisio cysuro a rhoi rhywfaint o dawelwch meddwl i bobl.

Roeddech chi'n sôn am y gwaith, sydd i'w groesawu'n fawr, o ran cyrraedd y cartrefi gofal, ond a wnewch chi ddweud wrthym ni faint o gartrefi gofal sydd heb gael eu brechiadau eto, neu faint o breswylwyr a staff mewn rhai cartrefi gofal? Rwy'n sylweddoli bod rhai cartrefi gofal yn cael eu hystyried dan rybudd coch oherwydd bod rhyw elfen o goronafeirws yn bresennol yno; fe wn i fod gan wahanol fyrddau iechyd bolisïau gwahanol o ran a fyddan nhw'n mynd i mewn i'r cartrefi gofal ai peidio a cheisio brechu'n rhannol, hyd yn oed os oes rhywfaint o feirws COVID yn bresennol yno. Ond fe hoffwn i ehangu hefyd ar gwestiwn Delyth Jewell a ofynnodd ichi yn ystod y datganiad busnes, neu a ofynnodd i'r Trefnydd edrych ar hynny: a oes yna gartrefi gofal yn cael eu hailgategoreiddio? A oes unrhyw gynllun bod rhai cartrefi gofal efallai wedi'u newid i wahanol gategorïau? Fe fyddai'n ddefnyddiol iawn inni gael clywed eto unrhyw beth y gallwch chi ei ddweud wrthym ni am hynny.

Yn olaf, fe hoffwn i godi mater y fferyllwyr. Fe wyddom fod gennym y canolfannau brechu torfol hyn, fe wyddom fod meddygon teulu â rhan yn hynny, ac fe wyddom fod llawer iawn o waith yn mynd rhagddo o fewn amgylchedd ysbytai a gofal cymdeithasol, ond wrth gwrs mae ein fferyllwyr ni'n dal i aros yn yr esgyll yn barod i helpu yn yr hyn sy'n ymdrech genedl gyfan. A allwch chi amlinellu unrhyw gynlluniau i'w cynnwys nhw? Rwyf wedi clywed gan y byrddau iechyd ledled Cymru eu bod nhw'n siarad â fferyllwyr, ond mewn gwirionedd maen nhw wedi bod yn siarad â nhw am y ddwy, neu'r tair neu'r pedair wythnos ddiwethaf. Nid oes dim wedi digwydd eto. Mae'n ymddangos nad oes unrhyw beth o sylwedd wedi digwydd ar lawr gwlad.

Wrth inni weithio i lawr y rhestr o'r grwpiau categorïau hynny a dechrau edrych ar frechu'r rhai yn eu chwedegau a'u pumdegau, mae'r grwpiau hynny'n mynd i gynyddu fwyfwy eto yn eu maint. Fe fydd angen pawb arnom ni. Rydych chi wedi sôn eisoes heddiw am ddefnyddio 90 aelod o'r lluoedd arfog—mae croeso mawr i hynny, ond mae gennym ni tua 710 o fferyllfeydd yn aros yn yr esgyll. Felly, unrhyw ddiweddariad y gallwch ei roi am hynny—oherwydd yn fy marn i mai hwn yn adnodd sy'n cael ei wastraffu ac mae eu hangen arnom ni. Maen nhw eisiau cael eu defnyddio, maen nhw wedi dweud hynny'n eglur iawn, yn hyglyw iawn, maen nhw wedi cyflwyno'r cynigion ac, wrth gwrs, os ydych chi'n rhywun sy'n llai awyddus i deithio, efallai, mae mynd i'ch fferyllfa leol, fel y mae mynd at eich meddyg teulu lleol, yn ddewis llawer haws na theithio i ganolfan frechu torfol. Felly, unrhyw ddiweddariad yn ymwneud â phryd y gellir defnyddio'r fferyllwyr ac ar gyfer pa gategori o bobl. Diolch yn fawr iawn.

15:10

Thank you for the comments and questions. In particular thank you for recognising the progress that is being made and the pace of what we're able to deliver in Wales with a joint team approach.

On the questions, with the death toll that we're still seeing, it's a reality that, as we're going in the right direction, we're still going to see relatively high numbers of people coming to harm, and we'll see that in the death figures. As we went through the first peak, when we were moving in the right direction, we still had to go through a number of weeks of quite large death tolls to report, I'm afraid. And given the numbers of people we still have in our hospitals, I'm afraid we are going to see more people losing their lives in the coming weeks ahead, even though the picture is improving. So, there'll be more families each week who will be mourning the loss of loved ones, and that is why it's important that we're positive about not just what we're doing in the vaccination programme, but the reassurance for people that they won't be forgotten or left behind. So, if there are people who are over 80 who have yet to have their jabs, they will get appointments and they will get covered; they will get protected in Wales just as in the rest of the United Kingdom.

Diolch am y sylwadau a'r cwestiynau. Yn benodol, diolch am gydnabod y cynnydd sy'n cael ei wneud a chyflymder yr hyn yr ydym ni'n gallu ei gyflawni yng Nghymru gyda dull cytûn o weithredu fel tîm.

Ar y cwestiynau, o ran cyfradd y marwolaethau a welwn ni o hyd, y gwir amdani yw, gan ein bod ni'n mynd i'r cyfeiriad iawn, ein bod ni'n dal i weld niferoedd cymharol uchel o bobl yn dod yn agored i niwed, ac fe fyddwn ni'n gweld hynny yn ffigurau'r marwolaethau. Pan welsom ni'r penllanw cyntaf, pan oeddem ni'n symud i'r cyfeiriad iawn, fe fu'n rhaid inni adrodd am  wythnosau lawer am gyfraddau uchel iawn o farwolaethau, rwy'n ofni. Ac o ystyried nifer y bobl yn ein hysbytai o hyd, rwy'n ofni y byddwn ni'n gweld mwy o bobl yn colli eu bywydau yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf, er bod y darlun yn gwella. Felly, fe fydd mwy o deuluoedd bob wythnos yn galaru oherwydd colli anwyliaid. A dyna pam mae'n bwysig ein bod ni'n gadarnhaol nid yn unig o ran yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ei wneud gyda'r rhaglen frechu, ond o ran y sicrwydd i bobl na fyddan nhw'n cael eu hanghofio a'u gadael ar ôl. Felly, os oes yna bobl dros 80 oed heb gael eu pigiadau eto, fe fyddan nhw'n cael eu hapwyntiadau ac fe fyddan nhw'n cael eu cynnwys; fe fyddan nhw'n cael eu hamddiffyn yng Nghymru yn union fel yng ngweddill y Deyrnas Unedig.

On progress on those people who are refusing, part of our challenge obviously is that the vaccination is voluntary, and so there are people who for different reasons are more or less anxious about what to do, and it builds on your point about communication, about the range of concerns that there are, so we are looking at, as we've gone through this, understanding more of the concerns that people have to be able to combat them, and these are issues that are not just here in Wales; they're common issues right across the UK and indeed across Europe.

So, we are doing some specific work, for example, on black and Asian-origin communities. I think it was a very positive step forward to see Members of Parliament from the Conservatives and the Labour Party who really don't like each other; you wouldn't normally see James Cleverly and Diane Abbott share a platform, but they were both in a joint video, encouraging people to have the vaccine. Now, I think that's really important. In amongst all of the difference of opinion we will have about what has happened or what will happen, it's really important to encourage people to take up the vaccine because it's safe and it's effective.

And I think that then goes into your point about vaccine efficacy and new strains. So, with both, if you like, the Kent-plus variant, and the South African variant, there is concern that there'll be a less effective response for vaccines. That does not mean that vaccines won't be effective at all; they will still offer a good level of protection, and in fact it reinforces the need to continue going with real pace in our vaccination programme. And as you heard the public health director for Public Health England in the press conference that he did with Matt Hancock yesterday, you'll hear exactly the same advice from all public-health agencies right across the UK about the fact that there is concern that the vaccines will be less effective but not ineffective; still safe, still effective, and still important that everyone does take up the opportunity when offered, and you can expect to see primary care clinicians in particular looking to follow-up those people who have yet to have their vaccine, but the real challenge is in getting through groups 1 to 9 as quickly as possible, where we know that 99 per cent of the deaths take place. However, there is still a high number of hospitalisations for people outside categories 1 to 9, so even after that, it's not quite as simple as taking a Ryanair approach, to then saying, 'Everything can start and go back to normal.' We're in this still for some time to come.

On your point about care homes; these have not been reclassified. There is no sleight of hand taking place here. There is no neglect of care home residents taking place. The target was about older person care homes, because that's where the highest risk is, and it's the ones where we're seeing the, at times, horrific results of coronavirus getting into those care homes. People with other susceptibilities to coronavirus will be covered by other priority groups, so if you expect to see people with, for example, a learning disability, then those that are older, over the age of 50, will be covered by their age cohort and those with other healthcare conditions, those people, for example, who can get the NHS flu jab, can expect to be covered in priority group 6 as well, and so we're moving progressively through not just groups 1 to 4, but at some point we'll be inviting in earnest groups of people from 5, 6, and others to come forward as well. So, the pace isn't going to slow up in terms of what we're able to do and we're certainly not forgetting people, either.

In terms of the care homes that we have, I was just looking at some figures earlier, and I'll provide a note back to this, so I'm not misremembering and misrecalling what's happened, but of the care homes that have not been completed, there are a range that have been partially completed, because we did issue guidance across Wales so there was a consistent approach. If there were a handful of cases as opposed to a wider outbreak, on a risk-assessed basis, teams were able to go in and test those people who had tested negative. So, they went in and they'd been able to vaccinate a number of people, so we have a range of care homes that are partially complete for staff and residents, and we have others where they weren't able to go in at all, and I think the numbers for those are in the low 30s, where that's because there's been an active outbreak. But given you've asked the question now, I'll send a note out to Members afterwards to confirm that position.FootnoteLink

And then, finally, on your point about pharmacists, we expect to make more use of pharmacists, both in our mass vaccination centres and those that are able to undertake vaccinations on their premises as we go through. And the limiting step—and you'd have pretty much the same answer from any health Minister within the UK—is vaccine supply, because I think in every nation in the UK, and certainly here in Wales, we could deliver more vaccines if we had more supply, especially if it was the AstraZeneca supplier, because it's easier to use. We haven't completely maxed out the ability of primary care to deliver against that, and as we have more vaccine coming on board, and we certainly hope we will have in the future, we should then be able to make even greater use of the well of goodwill as well as the physical ability to deliver more vaccines than exist in primary care.

O ran cynnydd gyda'r bobl hynny sy'n gwrthod, rhan amlwg o'n her ni yw mai rhywbeth gwirfoddol yw'r brechiad, ac felly mae yna bobl sydd, am wahanol resymau, yn fwy pryderus na'i gilydd ynghylch beth i'w wneud. Mae hynny'n ychwanegu at eich pwynt chi ynglŷn â chyfathrebu, o ran yr ystod o bryderon sy'n bodoli, felly, wrth fynd drwy hyn, rydym yn ceisio deall mwy am y pryderon y mae'n rhaid i bobl allu mynd i'r afael â nhw, ac nid materion sy'n unigryw i Gymru yw'r rhain; maen nhw'n faterion cyffredin ledled y DU ac yn wir ledled Ewrop.

Felly, rydym ni'n gwneud gwaith penodol, er enghraifft, ynglŷn â chymunedau pobl ddu ac o darddiad Asiaidd. Roeddwn i'n credu bod hwn yn gam cadarnhaol iawn ymlaen wrth weld Aelodau Seneddol o'r Ceidwadwyr a'r Blaid Lafur nad ydyn nhw'n hoffi ei gilydd mewn gwirionedd; ni fyddech fel arfer yn gweld James Cleverly a Diane Abbott yn rhannu llwyfan, ond roedd y ddau mewn fideo gyda'i gilydd, yn annog pobl i fynd am y brechlyn. Nawr, rwy'n credu bod hynny'n bwysig iawn. Er yr holl amrywiaeth barn sydd rhyngom ni o ran yr hyn sydd wedi digwydd neu'r hyn a fydd yn digwydd, mae'n bwysig iawn annog pobl i fanteisio ar y brechlyn oherwydd mae'n ddiogel ac yn effeithiol.

Ac rwy'n credu y bydd hynny'n dod at eich pwynt chi ynglŷn ag effeithiolrwydd brechlynnau a straenau newydd. Felly, gyda'r ddau, os hoffech chi, amrywiolyn Caint-plws, ac amrywiolyn De Affrica, ceir pryder y bydd ymateb llai effeithiol yn erbyn y brechlynnau. Nid yw hynny'n golygu na fydd brechlynnau yn effeithiol o gwbl; fe fydd cyfran dda o ddiogelwch yn cael ei chynnig ganddynt, ac mewn gwirionedd mae hynny'n atgyfnerthu'r angen i barhau i fod yn gyflym iawn wrth weinyddu ein rhaglen frechu ni. Ac fel y clywsoch chi gyfarwyddwr iechyd cyhoeddus Iechyd Cyhoeddus Lloegr yn dweud yn y gynhadledd i'r wasg ddoe, a gynhaliwyd gyda Matt Hancock, mae'r un cyngor yn union gan bob asiantaeth iechyd cyhoeddus ledled y DU ynglŷn â'r ffaith y ceir pryder y bydd y brechlynnau yn llai effeithiol ond nid yn aneffeithiol; maent yn parhau i fod yn ddiogel, yn parhau i fod yn effeithiol, ac mae'n parhau i fod yn bwysig bod pawb yn manteisio ar y cyfle pan ddaw'r cynnig. Ac fe allwch chi ddisgwyl gweld clinigwyr gofal sylfaenol, yn arbennig felly, yn ceisio mynd ar drywydd y bobl hynny sydd heb gael eu brechlyn nhw eto. Ond yr her wirioneddol yw mynd trwy grwpiau 1 i 9 cyn gynted â phosibl, lle gwyddom fod 99 y cant o'r marwolaethau yn digwydd. Serch hynny, mae yna nifer uchel o bobl y tu allan i gategorïau 1 i 9 yn parhau i fod yn yr ysbyty, felly hyd yn oed wedi hynny, ni fydd yn fater mor syml â mabwysiadu agwedd fel un Ryanair, a dweud 'Fe all bywyd fynd yn ôl i normal unwaith eto.' Fe fyddwn ni yn ei chanol hi am beth amser eto.

Ynglŷn â'ch pwynt chi am gartrefi gofal; ni chafodd y rhain eu hailgategoreiddio. Nid oes unrhyw dric yn cael ei chwarae yma. Nid yw preswylwyr cartrefi gofal yn cael eu hesgeuluso. Roedd y targed yn ymwneud â chartrefi gofal pobl hŷn, oherwydd dyna lle mae'r risg uchaf, ac yn y rhain y gwelwn y canlyniadau mwyaf erchyll o goronafeirws, wrth iddo gael mynediad i'r cartrefi gofal hynny. Fe fydd pobl sydd â materion eraill sy'n eu gwneud nhw'n fwy agored i goronafeirws yn cael eu cynnwys mewn grwpiau blaenoriaeth eraill. Felly os ydych chi'n disgwyl gweld cynnwys pobl ag anableddau dysgu, er enghraifft, yna fe fydd y rhai sy'n hŷn, dros 50 oed, yn cael eu cynnwys yn eu carfan oedran. A'r rhai â chyflyrau gofal iechyd eraill, fe all y bobl hynny, er enghraifft, y rhai sy'n gymwys i gael pigiad ffliw'r GIG, ddisgwyl cael eu cynnwys yng ngrŵp blaenoriaeth 6 hefyd. Felly rydym ni'n symud yn raddol nid yn unig drwy grwpiau 1 i 4, ond fe fyddwn ni rywbryd yn mynd ati o ddifrif i wahodd grwpiau o bobl o grwpiau 5, 6 ac eraill i ddod ymlaen hefyd. Felly, nid yw'r cyflymder yn mynd i arafu o ran yr hyn y gallwn ni ei gyflawni ac yn sicr nid ydym ni yn anghofio pobl chwaith.

O ran y cartrefi gofal, roeddwn i'n edrych ar rai ffigurau yn gynharach, ac fe fyddaf yn darparu nodyn yn cyfeirio nôl at hyn, felly nid wyf i'n ceisio anghofio neu gamddehongli'r hyn sydd wedi digwydd yn fwriadol, ond o ran y cartrefi gofal lle nad yw'r gwaith brechu wedi'i gwblhau, mae yna amrywiaeth ohonyn nhw wedi cael y brechlyn yn rhannol, oherwydd fe wnaethom ni gyhoeddi canllawiau ledled Cymru ac felly roedd cysondeb yn y dull. Pe byddai yna lond llaw o achosion yn hytrach nag un achos ehangach ar safle, ar sail asesu risg, roedd y timau'n gallu mynd i mewn a phrofi'r bobl hynny a oedd wedi cael canlyniad negyddol. Roedden nhw'n mynd i mewn ac yn gallu brechu nifer o bobl, felly mae gennym ni amrywiaeth o gartrefi gofal lle mae'r gwaith wedi'i gwblhau'n rhannol ar gyfer staff a phreswylwyr, ac mae gennym ni rai eraill lle nad oedden nhw'n gallu mynd i mewn o gwbl, ac rwy'n credu bod y niferoedd ar gyfer y rheini yn y 30au isel, a hynny o ganlyniad i achosion cyfredol yno. Ond gan eich bod wedi gofyn y cwestiwn hwn nawr, fe anfonaf nodyn at yr Aelodau wedi hyn i gadarnhau'r safbwynt hwnnw.FootnoteLink

Ac yna, yn olaf, o ran eich pwynt chi am fferyllwyr, rydym ni'n disgwyl defnyddio mwy ar fferyllwyr, wrth inni fwrw ymlaen â'r gwaith, yn ein canolfannau brechu torfol ni a'r rhai sy'n gallu gweinyddu brechiadau yn eu hadeiladau nhw. A'r hyn sy'n  cyfyngu arnom ni—ac fe fyddai unrhyw Weinidog Iechyd yn y DU yn rhoi'r un ateb i chi i raddau helaeth iawn—yw'r cyflenwad o frechlynnau, oherwydd rwy'n credu ym mhob gwlad yn y DU, ac yn sicr yma yng Nghymru, fe allem ni weinyddu mwy o frechlynnau pe byddai mwy o gyflenwadau gennym, yn enwedig gan AstraZeneca, oherwydd mae hwnnw'n haws ei ddefnyddio. Nid ydym wedi manteisio i'r eithaf ar allu gofal sylfaenol i gyflawni yn hyn o beth, ac wrth inni gael mwy o frechlynnau, ac rydym ni'n gobeithio y bydd gennym fwy yn y dyfodol, yn sicr, fe ddylem yn gallu gwneud hyd yn oed mwy o ddefnydd wedyn o ffynnon ewyllys da yn ogystal â'r gallu materol i ddarparu mwy o frechlynnau na'r hyn sy'n bodoli ym maes gofal sylfaenol.

15:20

Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd, a diolch am y datganiad. Dwi'n blês iawn i weld y tir sydd wedi cael ei ennill, yn sicr, o ran y broses frechu yng Nghymru. Mae yna dimau o frechwyr brwd iawn ym mhob cwr o'r wlad, ac dwi'n clywed adroddiadau positif iawn o'r profiad mae pobl yn ei gael wrth gael y brechiad yma. Mae hynny, wrth gwrs, i'w groesawu.

Gwnaf i ofyn cwestiwn cyntaf yn deillio o hynny. Efo pethau'n mynd yn dda ar hyn o bryd—ac dwi'n cytuno'n llwyr efo sylwadau'r Gweinidog mai supply ydy'r broblem, nid pobl i wneud y brechu ar hyn o bryd—o ystyried bod y Novavax a Janssen yn dod tuag atom ni'n fuan iawn, ydy o'n fwriad gan y Llywodraeth i symud ymlaen y targed ar gyfer brechu'r boblogaeth gyfan? Erbyn hyn, dwi'n meddwl y gallwn ni drio bod yn fwy uchelgeisiol, mewn difri, ac mae hynny'n nodyn positif, dwi'n meddwl, i'w daro yn fan hyn.

Er bod pethau'n mynd yn lled dda, mae yna bryderon o hyd—pryderon ynglŷn â'r mix o Pfizer ac AstraZeneca rydyn ni'n ei gael yma yng Nghymru. Wrth gwrs, mi fyddai'n haws pe bai gennym ni fwy o'r brechlyn sy'n haws i'w ddefnyddio. Felly, gaf i ofyn yr un cwestiwn â dwi'n gofyn bob wythnos? Plîs, gawn ni'r data ar faint o ba frechlyn sy'n cael ei rannu i bob gwlad a phob rhan o Gymru, yn ysbryd bod yn dryloyw, er mwyn gallu adnabod unrhyw broblemau yn y system? Dwi'n gwybod bod y Gweinidog wedi awgrymu'r wythnos diwethaf ei fod o rŵan yn cytuno y byddai'n ddefnyddiol cael hynny, a'i fod o am drio cael y data. Gawn ni ddiweddariad, os gwelwch yn dda?

Gaf i hefyd apelio ar y Llywodraeth i beidio gwahodd pobl i amau'r ffigyrau drwy fethu â bod yn gwbl agored yn y datganiadau rydych chi'n eu gwneud? Rydyn ni'n cofio'r Llywodraeth yn dweud eu bod nhw ychydig yn brin o'r targed o 70 y cant o bobl dros 80; wel, 52.8 y cant oedd y ffigwr, ac mae hynny'n dipyn mwy nag ychydig yn brin. Byddwch yn dryloyw yn y ffordd mae'r ffigyrau yn cael eu datgan.

Yn yr un ffordd eto, rydyn ni'n gweld y comisiynydd pobl hŷn, er enghraifft, yn gorfod pwyntio allan ei bod hi'n bryderus iawn bod chwarter y bobl mewn cartrefi gofal yn dal ddim wedi cael y brechiad. Dydy'r ffigyrau ynglŷn â lle rydyn ni arni ddim yn y datganiad, ddim yn yr wybodaeth sydd hawsaf i'w chanfod gan y cyhoedd, yn y diweddariad ar y broses frechu. Byddwch upfront ynglŷn â'r ffigyrau yma fel ein bod ni'n gallu gweld lle rydyn ni arni. Mae yna ddigon o newyddion da i ganolbwyntio arno fo. Gadewch i ni weld lle mae'r problemau hefyd, ac i bawb gael gweld lle mae'r problemau.

Un cwestiwn gen i, os gaf i, yn benodol ynglŷn â staff gwasanaeth ambiwlans ar y rheng flaen. Mae'n bryder bod yna nifer sylweddol, o bosibl, ddim wedi bod yn fodlon derbyn y brechiad. A gaf i eich sylwadau chi ynglŷn â'r pryderon sydd wedi cael eu codi bod hynny yn gallu rhoi'r cleifion mewn perygl? Beth ydy barn y Llywodraeth ar hynny?

A chwestiwn y gwnes i ofyn yr wythnos diwethaf, a ches i ddim ateb iddo fo: mae'r dechnoleg mRNA yn dechnoleg newydd. Mae'r gofynion storio ac ati yn golygu bod angen math newydd o isadeiledd. Mae'n bosib iawn y byddwn ni'n mynd yn fwy a mwy dibynnol ar y dechnoleg frechu newydd yma, o bosibl i ddelio efo variants newydd, ac yn y blaen. Beth ydy'r ystyriaeth sy'n cael ei rhoi rŵan i fuddsoddi mewn isadeiledd y bydd yn ei gwneud hi'n haws i handlo'r math yma o frechlyn? Achos, fel dwi'n dweud, mae'n bosibl iawn y byddwn ni'n dibynnu llawer mwy arno fo mewn blynyddoedd i ddod.

Thank you very much, Llywydd, and thank you for the statement. I'm also very pleased to see the ground that's been gained in terms of the vaccination process in Wales. There are enthusiastic teams of vaccinators in all parts of the country, and I hear very positive reports of the experience that people have in accessing the vaccine, and that's to be welcomed.

I will ask the first question emerging from that. Given that things are developing well at the moment, and I agree entirely with the Minister's comments that supply is the problem, not the number of vaccinators, but given that Novavax and Janssen are to come on stream soon, is it the Government's intention to move forward the target for vaccinating the whole population? I think we could now try and be more ambitious, if truth be told, and that's a very positive note.

Now, although things are developing well, there are still concerns—concerns about the mix of Pfizer and AstraZeneca that we receive here in Wales. Of course, it would be easier if we had more of the vaccine that's easier to administer, and I'll ask the same question that I ask every week: can we have the data on how much of each vaccination is distributed to all nations and to all parts of Wales, in the spirit of transparency, so that we can identify any systematic problems? I know that the Minister suggested last week that he now agrees that it would be useful to have that data, and that he is going to try and get that data, so can we have an update on that?

May I also make an appeal to the Government not to invite people to doubt the figures by failing to be entirely open in the statements that you make? We recall the Government saying that they were a little short of the target of 70 per cent of over-80s; well, that figure was 52.8 per cent, and that's a bit more than falling short. So, be transparent on the way that the figures are released.

Likewise, we are seeing the older people's commissioner having to point out that she is concerned that a quarter of people in care homes still haven't been vaccinated. The figures as to where we are aren't included in the statement, aren't included in that information that's easiest to access by the public. So, be upfront about these figures so that we can see where we are. There is plenty of good news to focus on. Let us see where the problems are, too, so that everyone can see where those problems are.

One question, if I may, specifically on the front-line ambulance service staff. It is a concern that a substantial number, perhaps, weren't willing to take the vaccination. So, could I have your comments on the concerns that that could put patients at risk? What's the Government's view on that?

And a question that I asked last week, which I didn't receive a response to: the mRNA technology is new technology. The storage requirements mean that we need a new kind of infrastructure. It's very possible that we will become more and more reliant on that new vaccination technology, possibly to deal with new variants and so on. So, what consideration is now being given to investing in infrastructure that will make it easier to handle that kind of vaccine? Because it's possible that we will be far more reliant on it in future years.

Thank you for the list of questions. I'll try to go through these quickly to allow time for other questions, Llywydd. In terms of whether we can move faster on completion, that is really a circular question, because it goes back to supply. If you have more supply of more vaccines, as long as they're approved as being safe and effective, then we can go faster, and I think we've demonstrated that over recent weeks. In terms of data on the vaccines for each UK nation, we continue to have these discussions with colleagues across the UK and all of us need to be responsible for what we're doing. You will no doubt have noticed the difficult public fall-out between the European Union and the UK Government and, indeed, vaccine manufacturers. I hope we're now in calmer waters on that front now, but there is understandable sensitivity about stocks on order and stocks held. I want to get to a position where we can publish the stocks that we have, and to be clear about what we have and how that's being used. We're publishing currently wastage rates, and we have very, very efficient use of vaccines here in Wales, which is another real bright mark for our vaccination programme here in Wales.

When we get to agreement on being able to have those figures openly, then we will certainly do so. I'm keen that we're able to do so, but I do understand the sensitivity, particularly at this point in time, on what we're able to publish, and it would be useful if all Government figures in all four nations could respond in the same way as we are trying to do as grown-ups across all four nations. 

On the openness on the figures, I think we are being remarkably open. We have daily figures, we have weekly figures published by Public Health Wales, we have additional weekly narratives that actually provide some of the information you're looking for in terms of the percentage within each of the cohorts. They're published on a daily basis now through Public Health Wales, so I don't really take the point that we're somehow hiding information; we are publishing a huge amount of information so that people can see openly what is happening. 

And I think the older persons' commissioner's concerns were rather unfair, if I may say. The older persons' commissioner has had a member of her staff taking part in the vaccine programme and on stakeholder groups since the summer. She's well aware of what we're doing within the programme. She's also well aware of her ability through regular meetings with Ministers and officials, and in dealing with the programme board, about how to raise concerns. And actually, we're going as fast as possible, and the only reason we haven't reached an even larger percentage of older people resident in care homes is for the entirely straightforward reason that Eluned Morgan explained yesterday, and I have re-explained again today about active outbreaks. 

When it comes to the potential for staff not to have the vaccine and what that means for the public, that is part of the conversation that peers have with each other, as well as at a leadership level, particularly given the amount of harm that is taking place. I'd like to be in a position where our front-line staff are taking a lead. I'll look again at the percentage of that, but there is a challenge and a choice about keeping that member of staff safe and, indeed, the public. 

And then on mRNA, we will, of course, need to look at the end of this at proposals on what we'll need to do, not just with our current storage facilities where we've been able to take on board significant amounts of the Pfizer vaccine—let's not forget we have accepted significant amounts of those—but then the infrastructure for the testing of each of those, and then the release of each of those, rather, for the vaccination programme. So, we'll of course look at lessons learned both during the time as well as lessons for the future. I just don't think I'm in a position now to confirm an amount of investment that we will definitely make in the future, but it's certainly all part of lessons learning and there'll be a need for essential honesty as well as openness about that now and in the months to come. 

Diolch am y rhestr o gwestiynau. Rwyf i am geisio mynd trwy'r rhain yn gyflym, Llywydd, i ganiatáu amser i gwestiynau eraill. O ran a allwn ni symud yn gyflymach wedi'r cyflawni, cwestiwn cylchol yw hwnnw mewn gwirionedd, oherwydd mae'n mynd â ni'n ôl at y cyflenwad. Os oes gennych chi gyflenwad mwy a rhagor o frechlynnau, cyn belled â'u bod nhw wedi cael eu cymeradwyo yn rhai sy'n ddiogel ac effeithiol, yna fe allwn ni fynd yn gyflymach, ac rwyf i o'r farn ein bod wedi dangos hynny dros yr wythnosau diwethaf. O ran data ar y brechlynnau ar gyfer pob gwlad yn y DU, rydym ni'n parhau i gael y trafodaethau hyn gyda chydweithwyr ledled y DU ac mae angen i bob un ohonom ni fod yn gyfrifol am yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ei wneud. Mae'n siŵr eich bod chi wedi gweld y ffrae gyhoeddus astrus a fu rhwng yr Undeb Ewropeaidd a Llywodraeth y DU ac, yn wir, â chynhyrchwyr y brechlynnau. Rwy'n gobeithio bod y storm honno wedi gostegu nawr, ond mae sensitifrwydd sy'n ddealladwy ynghylch stociau a archebwyd a stociau a ddelir. Rwy'n awyddus i gyrraedd sefyllfa lle gallwn ni gyhoeddi maint y stociau sydd gennym ni, a bod yn glir ynglŷn â'r hyn sydd gennym ni a sut mae hwnnw'n cael ei ddefnyddio. Rydym yn cyhoeddi cyfraddau gwastraff ar hyn o bryd, ac rydym yn defnyddio'r brechlynnau yn effeithlon iawn yma yng Nghymru, sy'n nod disglair iawn arall yn ein rhaglen frechu ni yma yng Nghymru.

Pan ddown ni i gytundeb ar allu cyhoeddi'r ffigurau hynny'n agored, yna fe fyddwn ni'n gwneud hynny yn sicr. Rwy'n awyddus i ni allu gwneud felly, ond rwy'n deall y sensitifrwydd, yn enwedig ar hyn o bryd, o ran yr hyn y gallwn ni ei gyhoeddi. Ac fe fyddai'n ddefnyddiol pe gallai holl ffigurau'r Llywodraeth ym mhob un o'r pedair gwlad ymateb yn yr un modd ag yr ydym ni'n ceisio ei wneud gydag aeddfedrwydd ledled y pedair gwlad.

O ran bod yn agored o ran y ffigurau, rwy'n credu ein bod ni'n hynod o agored. Mae gennym ffigurau dyddiol, mae gennym ffigurau wythnosol a gyhoeddir gan Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru, mae gennym naratifau wythnosol ychwanegol sy'n darparu rhywfaint o'r wybodaeth yr ydych chi'n chwilio amdani o ran y ganran ym mhob un o'r carfannau. Fe'u cyhoeddir nhw'n ddyddiol nawr drwy Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru, felly nid wyf yn derbyn y pwynt ein bod ni'n celu gwybodaeth; rydym ni'n cyhoeddi llawer iawn o wybodaeth fel y gall pobl weld yn agored beth sy'n digwydd. 

Ac rwy'n credu bod pryderon y comisiynydd pobl hŷn braidd yn annheg, os caf i ddweud. Mae gan y comisiynydd pobl hŷn aelod o'i staff hi'n cymryd rhan yn y rhaglen frechu ac yn y grwpiau o randdeiliaid ers yr haf. Mae hi'n ymwybodol iawn o'r hyn yr ydym ni'n ei wneud o fewn y rhaglen. Mae hi'n ymwybodol iawn hefyd o'i gallu hi drwy gyfarfodydd rheolaidd gyda Gweinidogion a swyddogion, ac wrth ymdrin â bwrdd y rhaglen, o ran sut i godi pryderon. Ac mewn gwirionedd, rydym ni'n mynd mor gyflym â phosibl, a'r unig reswm nad ydym wedi cyrraedd canran fwy byth o bobl hŷn sy'n byw mewn cartrefi gofal yw oherwydd y rheswm syml a eglurodd Eluned Morgan ddoe, ac rwyf i wedi esbonio hynny eto heddiw, oherwydd achosion cyfredol.

O ran y potensial i staff beidio â chael y brechlyn a'r hyn y mae hynny'n ei olygu i'r cyhoedd, dyna ran o'r sgwrs y mae cymheiriaid yn ei chael, yn ogystal ag ar lefel arweinwyr, yn arbennig felly o ystyried maint y niwed sy'n digwydd. Fe hoffwn i fod mewn sefyllfa lle bydd ein staff rheng flaen ni'n cymryd yr awenau. Fe fyddaf i'n edrych eto ar ganran hynny, ond mae yna her a dewis ynglŷn â chadw'r aelod staff hwnnw'n ddiogel a'r cyhoedd hefyd, yn wir. 

Ac yna o ran mRNA, wrth bwrs bydd angen inni edrych ar ddiwedd hyn i gyd ar gynigion am yr hyn y bydd angen inni ei wneud, nid yn unig gyda'n cyfleusterau storio presennol ni ar gyfer gallu derbyn symiau sylweddol o frechlyn Pfizer—ac ni ddylem anghofio ein bod wedi derbyn symiau sylweddol o'r rhain—ond y seilwaith wedyn i brofi pob un o'r rhain, ac yna ryddhau pob un o'r rhain, yn hytrach, i'r rhaglen frechu. Felly, wrth gwrs, fe fyddwn ni'n edrych ar y gwersi a ddysgwyd yn ystod y cyfnod yn ogystal â gwersi i'r dyfodol. Nid wyf i o'r farn fy mod i mewn sefyllfa nawr i gadarnhau swm o fuddsoddiad y byddwn ni'n bendant o'i wneud yn y dyfodol, ond mae hynny'n sicr yn rhan o ddysgu gwersi ac fe fydd angen gonestrwydd pur yn ogystal â bod yn agored am hynny nawr ac yn y misoedd i ddod.  

15:25

Minister, I'd like to take the opportunity to pass on the many positive comments that I've received from residents in the Cynon Valley, who have contacted me to express their relief and their jubilation at having received the vaccine, and their thanks to all those that made this possible. The Welsh Government's vaccination delivery plan explains that all vaccinations in Wales are recorded directly into the Welsh immunisation system, a bespoke software package developed by NHS Wales Informatics Service, and integrated into the GP record, which makes it easy to rapidly call people forward for the vaccine, in line with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation guidelines. What assessment, Minister, have you made to date about how well this digital recording and reporting system is operating? And what lessons can we learn from this innovation about how we can make use of digital technology at speed to enhance patient experience within the NHS in Wales? 

Gweinidog, fe hoffwn i achub ar y cyfle hwn i anfon y sylwadau calonogol niferus a ddaeth i law oddi wrth drigolion Cwm Cynon, sydd wedi cysylltu â mi i fynegi eu rhyddhad a'u gorfoledd am eu bod nhw wedi cael y brechlyn, a'u diolch nhw i bawb a wnaeth hynny'n bosibl. Mae cynllun cyflawni Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer brechu yn esbonio bod pob brechiad yng Nghymru yn cael ei gofnodi yn uniongyrchol yn system imiwneiddio Cymru, sef pecyn meddalwedd pwrpasol a ddatblygwyd gan Wasanaeth Gwybodeg GIG Cymru, a gaiff ei integreiddio i gofnod meddygon teulu, sy'n ei gwneud hi'n hawdd galw pobl ymlaen yn gyflym am y brechlyn, yn unol â chanllawiau'r Cydbwyllgor ar Frechu ac Imiwneiddio. Pa asesiad a wnaethoch chi hyd yma, Gweinidog, o ba mor effeithiol y mae'r system ddigidol hon o gofnodi ac adrodd yn gweithredu? A pha wersi y gallwn ni eu dysgu o'r arloesi hwn o ran sut y gallwn ni ddefnyddio technoleg ddigidol yn gyflym i wella profiad cleifion o fewn y GIG yng Nghymru?

Yes, thank you. I think that's one of the things that has been largely overlooked—the fact that NWIS, who at times have been criticised, have actually delivered a bespoke piece of software to really help us understand what we're doing, and to make sure, not just in terms of recording information, but that that information is then going to be used to make sure we're generating new appointments for those people when they need their second dose, but to make sure they get the right vaccine for their second dose as well. And again, it does show that a can-do approach from committed public servants really is making a huge difference throughout this crisis. And the fact that it's integrated into the GP record will be useful for the future as well.

So, I think the Welsh immunisation service is not just going to be useful for now, but on a longer-term basis in the future. And I think you'll see more of that innovation more broadly than the vaccination programme as well. So, in the software we're using, for example, Attend Anywhere, that was driven by necessity, because people had to have appointments on a remote basis. We rolled that out very rapidly. It would have taken years otherwise to have rolled out software like that across our NHS. And that will not just be a crisis-led response to the pandemic—that's going to be part of the way that our service works in the future. If you think about us as a group of not entirely typical workers, but, you know, politicians and others find it difficult to be at one place at one time, and to have a different set of appointments where you're required to physically attend a hospital premises, for example, for appointments you could do over the phone or on screen. So, more and more we're going to need to be responsive to the person, to the patient, but also in how that works for the member of staff as well. So, a lot done in terms of the digital innovation, and much more to do for the future that should benefit all of us. 

Ie wir, diolch i chi. Rwy'n credu mai dyna un o'r pethau a gafodd ei anwybyddu i raddau helaeth—y ffaith bod Gwasanaeth Gwybodeg GIG Cymru, a gafodd ei feirniadu ar adegau, wedi darparu darn pwrpasol o feddalwedd i'n helpu ni i ddeall yr hyn a wnawn ni, a sicrhau, nid o ran cofnodi gwybodaeth yn unig, ond y bydd yr wybodaeth honno'n cael ei defnyddio wedyn hefyd i wneud yn siŵr ein bod ni'n cynnig apwyntiadau newydd i'r bobl hynny pan fydd angen eu hail ddos arnyn nhw, ond i wneud yn siŵr, ar ben hynny, eu bod nhw'n cael y brechlyn cywir ar gyfer eu hail ddos. Ac eto, mae hyn yn dangos bod dull o weithredu gan weision cyhoeddus ymroddedig yn gallu gwneud gwahaniaeth enfawr drwy gydol yr argyfwng hwn. Ac fe fydd y ffaith fod hyn wedi ei integreiddio â chofnod meddygon teulu yn ddefnyddiol iawn i'r dyfodol hefyd.

Felly, rwyf i o'r farn y bydd gwasanaeth imiwneiddio Cymru nid yn unig yn ddefnyddiol am y tro, ond yn yr hirdymor i'r dyfodol. Ac rwy'n credu y byddwch chi'n gweld mwy o'r arloesi hwnnw'n ehangach na dim ond yn y rhaglen frechu. Felly, yn y feddalwedd yr ydym ni'n ei defnyddio, er enghraifft, Attend Anywhere, fe gafodd hwnnw ei ysgogi gan ei fod yn angenrheidiol, oherwydd fe fu'n rhaid i bobl gael eu hapwyntiadau nhw o bellter. Fe'i cyflwynwyd yn gyflym iawn. Fe fyddai wedi cymryd blynyddoedd fel arall i gyflwyno meddalwedd fel hwn ledled ein GIG. Ac nid ymateb a arweinir yn unig gan argyfwng i'r pandemig fydd hwnnw—fe fydd yn rhan o'r ffordd y bydd ein gwasanaeth ni'n gweithio yn y dyfodol. Os ydych chi'n meddwl amdanom ni fel grŵp o weithwyr sydd ddim yn hollol nodweddiadol, ond, wyddoch chi, mae gwleidyddion a phobl eraill yn ei chael hi'n anodd iawn bod mewn lle arbennig ar amser arbennig, ac yn cael cyfres wahanol o apwyntiadau lle mae gofyn ichi fynd i safle ysbyty yn bersonol, er enghraifft, ar gyfer apwyntiadau y gallech chi eu cael ar y ffôn neu ar y sgrin. Felly, yn fwyfwy fe fydd angen ymateb i'r unigolyn, i'r claf, ond hefyd o ran sut mae hynny'n gweithio ar gyfer yr aelod o staff. Felly, mae llawer wedi'i wneud o ran arloesi digidol, ac mae llawer mwy i'w wneud eto i'r dyfodol a ddylai fod o fudd i bob un ohonom ni. 

15:30

Can I thank the Minister for his statement, and also begin by saluting the terrific performance of all those involved in the vaccination programme? Truly heroic, epic, and every similar adjective applies. Can I also say that lockdowns actually work? I think it's important to emphasise that point. It may come as a shock to one or two of my regular correspondents online, but lockdowns do work, the figures show. And also can I pay tribute to the excellent genomic expertise we have here in Wales? The sequencing tech that we have is absolutely brilliant. And as regards that, and that expertise, which is how you pick up new variants, obviously we have the new South African variant, and we have this new variant, Kent plus, as the Minister implied, that allegedly could more easily evade the full effects of vaccination, and evade the full effects of our own immunity. 

The question that—. I hear what the Minister has said about that, and, obviously, I'm more than reassured. In terms of how we test for those new variants in Wales, though, how widespread is our ability to pick up on these new variants in the testing regime we have at present in Wales? And my final question, as regards testing in general, is: what is the progress in allowing individuals, i.e. ordinary members of the public, to request their own test when they have vague or non-classical symptoms of COVID? How can we deal with those non-typical, though important, situations? Diolch yn fawr. 

A gaf i ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am ei ddatganiad, a dechrau hefyd drwy ganmol perfformiad ardderchog pawb sy'n ymwneud â'r rhaglen frechu? Mae'n wirioneddol arwrol, epig, ac mae pob ansoddair o'r fath yn gwbl addas. Hefyd, a gaf i ddweud bod y cyfyngiadau symud yn gweithio mewn gwirionedd? Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig pwysleisio'r pwynt hwnnw. Fe all hynny fod yn sioc i un neu ddau o'r rhai sy'n cysylltu â mi'n rheolaidd ar-lein, ond mae'r cyfyngiadau symud yn gweithio, mae'r ffigurau'n dangos hynny. Ac a gaf i roi teyrnged i'r arbenigedd ardderchog o ran genomeg sydd gennym yma yng Nghymru? Mae'r dechnoleg dilyniant sydd gennym ni'n gwbl wych. Ac o ran hynny, a'r arbenigedd hwnnw, a dyna sut yr ydych chi'n darganfod amrywiolion newydd, mae'n amlwg bod gennym yr amrywiolyn newydd o Dde Affrica, a'r amrywiolyn newydd hwn, Caint-plws, fel yr awgrymodd y Gweinidog, a fyddai, yn honedig, yn ei chael hi'n haws osgoi holl effeithiau brechu, ac osgoi effeithiau llawn ein himiwnedd ni.

Y cwestiwn—. Rwy'n clywed yr hyn a ddywedodd y Gweinidog am hynny ac, yn amlwg, mae hynny wedi tawelu fy meddwl i'n fawr iawn. O ran sut y byddwn ni'n profi am yr amrywiolion newydd hynny yng Nghymru, fodd bynnag, pa mor eang yw ein gallu ni i ddarganfod yr amrywiolion newydd hyn yn y drefn brofi sydd gennym ni yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd? A'm cwestiwn olaf i, o ran profi yn gyffredinol, yw: beth yw'r cynnydd o ran caniatáu i unigolion, h.y. aelodau'r cyhoedd, ofyn am eu prawf nhw eu hunain pan fydd ganddyn nhw symptomau amwys neu rai nad ydynt yn arferol o ran COVID? Sut allwn ni ymdrin â'r sefyllfaoedd hynny nad ydyn nhw'n nodweddiadol, ond yn bwysig serch hynny? Diolch yn fawr.

If I deal with the last question first, because I think, actually, if people go to a testing centre with a range of symptoms that aren't classical, but they can explain how they feel, then most people are not going to be turned away. That isn't going to be the experience. And, actually, our bigger problem is that there are people who have symptoms but don't get a test. If you look at the technical advisory group reports that we have continued to publish every week, you'll see there's a regular feature in there, and one of the regular features that I certainly look at every week, even if others don't, is you look at the number of people who acknowledge they've had symptoms and then how many of them go on to have a test, and only about half of the people who have the classic symptoms, as was put in the question, actually go on to get themselves tested. So, there is a real issue there, and there's a divide in age ranges, and a divide between genders as well. Men, frankly, are much less likely to get tested, and, actually, we know that older men are one of the higher risk categories as well. So, it's really frustrating. We need to get the message out: if you've got the symptoms, get yourself a test. And there is plenty of testing capacity at this point in time, because—one of your earlier points was that the lockdowns have worked in driving down transmission rates. Transmission rates are falling, case rates are falling—we want to see that continue—and that means that fewer people are going to get tests. 

And in terms of the genomic expertise that we do have, we punch well above our weight here in Wales, and we should be really proud of what our genomic experts are delivering in terms of the overall effort, not just to Wales, the UK, but the wider world as well. The labs we have currently are in a position where we're able to pick up a range of new variants. We've had agreement about making sure that we have a representative sample of Welsh tests to go to lighthouse labs so they can pick up the new UK variant, the Kent variant. And we also have a range of testing in place to pick up where we might have the South African variant. That's why—. We have low numbers of the South African variant here—literally handfuls—as opposed to the much larger numbers that, unfortunately, have tested positive in England. And it'll be really important for us—we want that testing programme in England looking for the South African variant to succeed, because that will actually help to keep all of us safe as well. And some of the areas where they're testing are on the Welsh border, so it's really important that we keep close to each other across the UK to understand the knowledge that we're each acquiring, and then to share it openly. And that has been a really important feature in this pandemic. It will have to carry on for many months ahead into the future.

Os caf i ymdrin â'r cwestiwn olaf yn gyntaf, oherwydd rwy'n credu, mewn gwirionedd, os bydd pobl yn mynd i ganolfan brofi gydag ystod o symptomau nad ydyn nhw'n rhai arferol, ond yn gallu egluro sut maen nhw'n teimlo, yna ni fydd y rhan fwyaf o bobl yn cael eu gwrthod. Nid dyna fydd eu profiad nhw. Ac, mewn gwirionedd, y broblem fwyaf sydd gennym yw'r bobl sydd â symptomau ond nad ydyn nhw'n cael eu profi. Os edrychwch chi ar adroddiadau'r grŵp cynghori technegol yr ydym ni'n parhau i'w cyhoeddi bob wythnos, fe welwch chi fod nodwedd reolaidd yn y rhain, ac un o'r nodweddion rheolaidd yr wyf i'n sicr yn edrych arno bob wythnos, hyd yn oed os nad yw eraill yn gwneud hynny, yw edrych ar nifer y bobl sy'n cydnabod eu bod nhw wedi bod â symptomau ac yna faint ohonyn nhw sy'n mynd ymlaen i gael y prawf, a dim ond tua hanner y bobl sydd â'r symptomau arferol, fel y mynegwyd yn y cwestiwn, sy'n mynd ymlaen i gael eu prawf eu hunain. Felly, mae problem wirioneddol yma, ac mae yna raniad mewn ystod oedran a rhaniad rhwng y rhywiau hefyd. A dweud y gwir, mae dynion yn llawer llai tebygol o fynd am brawf, ac, mewn gwirionedd, fe wyddom ni mai dynion hŷn yw un o'r categorïau risg uwch hefyd. Felly, mae hyn yn achosi rhwystredigaeth fawr. Mae angen inni gyhoeddi'r neges: os oes gennych chi symptomau, ewch am brawf. Ac mae digon o adnoddau profi ar gael ar hyn o bryd, oherwydd—un o'ch pwyntiau cynharach chi oedd bod y cyfyngiadau symud wedi gweithio o ran gostwng cyfraddau trosglwyddo. Mae'r cyfraddau trosglwyddo yn gostwng, mae cyfraddau achosion yn gostwng—rydym yn dymuno gweld hynny'n parhau—ac mae hynny'n golygu y bydd llai o bobl yn cael profion.

Ac o ran yr arbenigedd sydd gennym o ran genomeg, rydym yn cyflawni llawer mwy na'r disgwyl yng Nghymru, ac fe ddylem fod yn falch iawn o'r hyn y mae ein harbenigwyr genomeg yn ei gyflawni o ran yr ymdrech gyffredinol, nid yn unig ar gyfer Cymru, a'r DU, ond yn fyd-eang hefyd. Mae'r labordai sydd gennym ni ar hyn o bryd mewn sefyllfa i allu darganfod amrywiaeth o amrywiolion newydd. Rydym ni wedi cytuno i sicrhau y bydd gennym ni sampl gynrychioliadol o brofion o Gymru i'w hanfon i labordai goleudy fel y gallan nhw ddarganfod amrywiolyn newydd y DU, amrywiolyn Caint. Ac mae gennym amrywiaeth o brofion ar waith hefyd i ddarganfod ymhle y gallem fod ag amrywiolyn De Affrica. Dyna pam—. Niferoedd isel o amrywiolyn De Affrica sydd gennym ni yma—dyrnaid yn llythrennol—yn hytrach na'r niferoedd llawer mwy sydd, yn anffodus, wedi eu profi yn gadarnhaol yn Lloegr. Ac fe fydd hyn yn bwysig iawn i ni—rydym yn awyddus i weld llwyddiant gyda'r rhaglen brofi honno yn Lloegr sy'n chwilio am amrywiolyn De Affrica, oherwydd fe fydd honno mewn gwirionedd yn helpu i gadw pob un ohonom yn ddiogel. Ac mae rhai o'r ardaloedd lle maen nhw'n cynnal profion ar y ffin â Chymru, felly mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod ni'n cadw'n agos at ein gilydd ledled y DU er mwyn deall yr wybodaeth yr ydym yn ei chaffael, a'i rhannu'n agored wedyn. Ac mae honno wedi bod yn nodwedd bwysig iawn drwy gydol y pandemig hwn. Fe fydd yn rhaid i hynny barhau am fisoedd lawer i ddod.

15:35

Thank you for your update, Minister, and a huge thanks to the army of people responsible for ensuring that over 13 per cent of the Welsh population have received a first dose of the vaccine, not forgetting the help we receive from our armed forces during this pandemic. Minister, in the next few weeks, we begin the roll-out of our second doses. What steps are you taking to ensure that the roll-out of first doses can continue apace without any drop in capacity? Over the past week, we have seen European Union bureaucrats threaten our vaccine supplies. So, what discussions have you held with the UK Government about how we can ensure the security of our supply? And whilst the EU can never actually be able to prevent the exports of our vaccine supplies, they can in fact delay them, and the debacle has highlighted the inherent risks of relying on imports. So, in light of this, could you tell me what discussions you've had about producing vaccines in Wales?

And finally, Minister, we have already seen the emergence of new variants, which appear to have some vaccine resistance. This could mean that we have to constantly keep adapting the vaccines to keep pace with the virus. When life returns to some semblance of normality, we won't be able to rely upon the current mass vaccination centres, so what steps have you taken to ensure that we have long-term vaccination capacity in all communities? And I'd like to thank the constituent who rang me, who was jubilant to say that, on his seventy-fifth birthday, he received his vaccination. He says a big 'thank you'. Diolch.

Diolch i chi am eich diweddariad, Gweinidog, a diolch o galon i'r lliaws o bobl sy'n gyfrifol am wneud yn siŵr bod dros 13 y cant o boblogaeth Cymru wedi cael eu dos cyntaf o'r brechlyn, heb anghofio'r cymorth a gawn ni gan ein lluoedd arfog yn ystod y pandemig hwn. Gweinidog, yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf, fe fyddwn ni'n dechrau gweinyddu ail ddosau. Pa gamau yr ydych chi'n eu cymryd i sicrhau y gall y dosau cyntaf barhau i gael eu cyflwyno ar frys heb unrhyw ostyngiad yn y niferoedd? Dros yr wythnos ddiwethaf, rydym ni wedi gweld biwrocratiaid yr Undeb Ewropeaidd yn bygwth ein cyflenwadau o frechlynnau. Felly, pa drafodaethau a gawsoch chi gyda Llywodraeth y DU ynghylch sut y gallwn ni sicrhau diogelwch ein cyflenwad ni? Ac er na all yr UE byth atal allforion o'n cyflenwadau ni o frechlynnau, fe allan nhw eu gohirio, ac mae'r ffradach wedi tynnu sylw at y risgiau cynhenid a ddaw o ddibynnu ar fewnforion. Felly, o ystyried hyn, a wnewch chi ddweud wrthyf i pa drafodaethau a gawsoch chi ynghylch cynhyrchu brechlynnau yng Nghymru?

Ac yn olaf, Gweinidog, rydym ni wedi gweld amrywiolion newydd eisoes yn dod i'r amlwg, ac mae'n ymddangos bod ganddyn nhw gyfradd o ymwrthedd i frechlynnau. Fe allai hyn olygu y bydd raid inni barhau i addasu'r brechlynnau yn gyson i gadw i fyny â'r feirws. Pan ddaw bywyd yn ôl at ryw fath o normalrwydd, ni allwn ddibynnu ar y canolfannau brechu torfol presennol, felly pa gamau yr ydych chi wedi eu cymryd i sicrhau y bydd gennym gapasiti hirdymor ar gyfer brechu ym mhob cymuned? Ac fe hoffwn i ddiolch i'r etholwr a'm ffoniodd i, a oedd yn gorfoleddu wrth ddweud ei fod ef, ar ei ben-blwydd yn saith deg a phum mlwydd oed, wedi cael ei frechu. Mae yntau'n dweud 'diolch yn fawr'. Diolch.

Thank you. On the second dose, without affecting the wider roll-out, we're already planning for the delivery of second doses, which—. In, literally, the coming few weeks we'll start to see more people getting their second dose, and those numbers will increase, because, as you'll know, in the first three to four weeks, we had lower numbers of people being vaccinated compared to what we're doing within this week. Our ability then to keep on going at the  first dose rate we're currently doing will be affected by the overall amount of supply. So, we're going to need to think about making sure we have the right vaccine available for the second dose—so people who have had Pfizer should get Pfizer for the second dose, fewer concerns and issues about AstraZeneca, and we'll then need to know what then is left for us to deliver in terms of new first doses. So, again, it's a matter of supply, as well as then, going back to Angela Burns's point, about making use of the wider primary care team—so, our pharmacists—and our ability to then deliver an even bigger programme. If we have the supply to do that, we'll need to make use of that wider team in primary care.

On the European Union and the vaccine, I think there's wide recognition, however you feel about the European Union, that the last week or two has not been great from an EU point of view. It was extraordinarily unhelpful in the way that issue was presented. I think common sense has now prevailed. Because we actually all need each other—both about travel, because, actually, coronavirus was largely imported to Wales when Brits went to Europe for holidays and came back in January, February last year; the February half-term was a significant importation event from travel directly from Europe, not from China. So, actually, those patterns of travel aren't going to be significantly different in the future, with future threats. It's also just the case that we are already getting vaccine from Europe, so we actually need good relationships with European partners to make sure that we're able to see vaccines cross international borders, just as the supply of AstraZeneca, some of which is already manufactured here in Wales.

And your question about vaccine production in Wales—of course, AstraZeneca supply and fill is in Wrexham already. So, we already have some of that manufacture, and one of the new candidate vaccines has a vaccination production base in Scotland. So, the UK already has vaccination production within it, but that in itself isn't going, I think, to deliver the sort of certainty that we'd want. So, we still need a very practical and grown-up relationship with European production centres, as well as pharmaceutical companies that have bases in more than one part of Europe. And, when it comes to vaccine resistance, it's one of the things that, I think, has come up before. So, it's certainly a part of what our scientists look at, as well as researchers in individual companies looking to develop the next vaccines.

And capacity—capacity has sprung up because of the way we've been able to move and use our primary care team. Vaccinations are normally undertaken primarily by primary care in any event. The thing about our highly successful immunisation programmes for children and young people around the flu campaign—well, it's primary care that does that, whether in a general practice or, indeed, in a pharmacy, or health visitors and others who will go and visit people at the earliest of ages. So, we're never going to have, if you like, a permanent structure of vaccination centres. If that were the case, then we'd be living with threats on a daily basis forever and a day. But, if we're needed to flex up again, I think what has been shown is that primary care is remarkably flexible and extraordinarily willing to protect people they care for on a regular basis, and I'm very grateful for all they've done. 

Diolch. O ran yr ail ddosau, heb effeithio ar y cyflwyno yn ehangach, rydym ni eisoes yn bwriadu darparu ail ddosau—. Yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf, yn llythrennol, fe fyddwn ni'n dechrau gweld mwy o bobl yn cael eu hail ddos nhw, ac fe fydd y niferoedd hynny'n cynyddu, oherwydd, fel y gwyddoch, yn ystod y tair i bedair wythnos gyntaf, fe gawsom ni niferoedd llai o bobl yn cael eu brechu o'i gymharu â'r wythnos hon. Fe fydd cyfanswm y cyflenwad yn effeithio ar ein gallu ni i barhau i fynd ar yr un gyfradd a'r dos cyntaf fel rydym ni'n gwneud ar hyn o bryd. Felly, fe fydd angen inni ystyried sicrhau bod y brechlyn cywir ar gael gennym ar gyfer yr ail ddos—felly fe ddylai pobl sydd wedi cael Pfizer gael Pfizer eto ar gyfer yr ail ddos. Mae llai o bryderon a chwestiynau am AstraZeneca, ac fe fydd angen inni wybod wedyn beth sydd ar ôl inni ar gyfer cyflawni o ran dosau cyntaf newydd. Felly, unwaith eto, mater o gyflenwad yw hyn, yn ogystal â dychwelyd at bwynt Angela Burns, ynghylch gwneud defnydd o'r tîm gofal sylfaenol ehangach—felly, ein fferyllwyr ni—a'n gallu ni i ddarparu rhaglen fwy byth wedi hynny. Os bydd y cyflenwad gennym i wneud hynny, fe fydd angen defnyddio'r tîm ehangach hwnnw ym maes gofal sylfaenol.

O ran yr Undeb Ewropeaidd a'r brechlyn, rwy'n credu bod yna gydnabyddiaeth eang, beth bynnag yw eich barn chi o'r Undeb Ewropeaidd, nad yw'r wythnos neu'r pythefnos ddiwethaf wedi bod yn rhagorol o safbwynt yr UE. Roedd y ffordd y cyflwynwyd y mater hwnnw'n eithriadol o ddi-fudd. Rwy'n credu bod synnwyr cyffredin wedi cario'r dydd erbyn hyn. Gan fod ar bawb angen ein gilydd—o ran teithio hefyd, oherwydd, mewn gwirionedd, fe gafodd y coronafeirws ei fewnforio i Gymru i raddau helaeth pan aeth pobl o Brydain i Ewrop am wyliau a dod adref ym mis Ionawr a mis Chwefror y llynedd; roedd hanner tymor mis Chwefror yn ddigwyddiad arwyddocaol o ran mewnforio oherwydd teithio uniongyrchol o Ewrop, ac nid o Tsieina. Felly, mewn gwirionedd, nid yw'r patrymau hynny o deithio am fod yn wahanol iawn yn y dyfodol, gyda bygythiadau yn y dyfodol. Mae hefyd yn wir ein bod ni eisoes yn cael brechlyn o Ewrop, felly mae angen perthynas dda â phartneriaid Ewropeaidd er mwyn sicrhau ein bod ni'n gallu gweld brechlynnau yn croesi ffiniau rhyngwladol, yn union fel mae cyflenwad AstraZeneca, y caiff rhywfaint ohono ei gynhyrchu yma yng Nghymru eisoes.

Ac mae eich cwestiwn chi am gynhyrchu brechlynnau yng Nghymru—wrth gwrs, mae gwaith cyflenwi a llenwi AstraZeneca yn Wrecsam yn barod. Felly, mae gennym ni rywfaint o'r gweithgynhyrchu hwnnw yma eisoes, ac mae gan un o'r darpar frechlynnau newydd sylfaen i gynhyrchu'r brechlyn yn yr Alban. Felly, mae'r DU eisoes yn cynhyrchu brechiadau ar ei thiriogaeth ei hun, ond nid yw hynny ynddo'i hun am roi'r math o sicrwydd y byddem ni'n dymuno ei gael yn fy marn i. Felly, fe fydd angen perthynas ymarferol ac aeddfed iawn arnom ni â chanolfannau cynhyrchu yn Ewrop, yn ogystal â chwmnïau fferyllol sydd â chanolfannau mewn mwy nag un rhan o Ewrop. Ac o ran ymwrthedd i frechlynnau, dyma un o'r pethau sydd wedi codi o'r blaen, rwy'n credu. Felly, mae hynny'n sicr yn rhan o'r hyn y mae ein gwyddonwyr ni'n ei ystyried, yn ogystal ag ymchwilwyr mewn cwmnïau unigol sy'n awyddus i ddatblygu'r brechlynnau nesaf.

A chapasiti—mae'r capasiti i frechu niferoedd mawr wedi cynyddu oherwydd y ffordd yr ydym wedi gallu symud a defnyddio ein tîm gofal sylfaenol ni. Fel rheol, caiff brechiadau eu gweinyddu gan ofal sylfaenol yn bennaf, beth bynnag. O ystyried ein rhaglenni imiwneiddio hynod lwyddiannus ni ar gyfer plant a phobl ifanc yn sgil yr ymgyrch ffliw—wel, gofal sylfaenol sy'n gweinyddu'r rhain, boed hynny mewn practis cyffredinol neu, yn wir, mewn fferyllfa, neu ymwelwyr iechyd ac eraill a fydd yn mynd i ymweld â phobl o oedran cynnar iawn. Felly, ni fydd gennym strwythur parhaol o ganolfannau brechu byth, os mynnwch chi. Os byddai hynny'n wir, fe fyddem yn byw gyda bygythiadau i dragwyddoldeb. Ond, pe byddai angen inni fod yn fwy ystwyth eto, rwy'n credu mai'r hyn a gafodd ei brofi yw bod gofal sylfaenol yn hynod o hyblyg ac yn hynod o barod i amddiffyn y bobl y maen nhw'n gofalu amdanyn nhw'n gyson, ac rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn am bopeth y maen nhw wedi ei wneud. 

15:40

Minister, we know that our ethnic minority communities are particularly susceptible to the ill-health effects of the virus, and Welsh Government and its working group have done some very good work in terms of illustrating and understanding and responding to that. There is some concern now that some in our ethnic minority communities might be more reluctant to have the vaccine than the general population. I wonder if Welsh Government has any sense as to whether that is the case in Wales, and, if so, to what extent it is an issue.

And, in terms of getting the right messages and the right communication to our ethnic minority populations, I know work is taking place with people in the community getting those messages across and, indeed, in having members of the ethnic minority community in appropriate positions of responsibility, perhaps health professionals, giving those messages and, of course, making sure that the appropriate languages are used. I just wonder if there is any more that Welsh Government is planning to do in terms of building on that work to date, given the potential problem that exists, and also whether consideration is being given to the use of mosques as vaccination centres, if we could identify buildings that have sufficient space and were suitable in terms of their physical nature. I'd be grateful if you could give us more of a picture of the work going on to address these issues, Minister, because they're obviously highly significant, given the greater ill-health effect that the virus has had on our black and Asian communities.  

Gweinidog, rydym ni'n gwybod bod ein cymunedau lleiafrifoedd ethnig yn arbennig o agored i salwch y feirws, ac mae Llywodraeth Cymru a'i gweithgor wedi gwneud gwaith da iawn yn esbonio a deall ac ymateb i hynny. Mae rhywfaint o bryder ar hyn o bryd y gallai rhai yn ein cymunedau lleiafrifoedd ethnig fod yn fwy cyndyn o gael y brechlyn na'r boblogaeth yn gyffredinol. Tybed a oes gan Lywodraeth Cymru unrhyw syniad a yw hynny'n wir yng Nghymru, ac, os felly, i ba raddau y mae honno'n broblem.

Ac, o ran cyfathrebu'r negeseuon cywir mewn modd priodol i'n poblogaethau lleiafrifoedd ethnig, gwn i fod gwaith yn cael ei wneud gyda phobl yn y gymuned i gyfleu'r negeseuon hynny, yn wir, ac o gael aelodau o'r gymuned leiafrifol ethnig mewn swyddi cyfrifol priodol, gweithwyr iechyd proffesiynol efallai, yn cyfathrebu'r negeseuon hynny ac, wrth gwrs, yn sicrhau bod yr ieithoedd priodol yn cael eu defnyddio. Tybed a yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn bwriadu gwneud rhagor i adeiladu ar y gwaith hwnnw, o ystyried y broblem bosibl sy'n bodoli, a hefyd tybed a roddir ystyriaeth i ddefnyddio mosgiau fel canolfannau brechu, pe gallem ddod o hyd i adeiladau sydd â digon o le ac sy'n addas o ran eu natur saernïol. Fe fyddwn i'n ddiolchgar pe gallech chi roi darlun mwy manwl inni o'r gwaith sy'n mynd rhagddo i fynd i'r afael â'r materion hyn, Gweinidog, oherwydd maen nhw'n arwyddocaol iawn, yn amlwg, o ystyried yr effaith fwy andwyol ar iechyd a gafodd y feirws ar ein cymunedau du ac Asiaidd ni.

Thank you. In terms of this, I refer back to what I said earlier about it was a good thing we had parliamentarians—none of whom were Welsh MPs, but parliamentarians from the Conservative Party and UK Labour, who are absolutely not on the same page on the great majority of issues—all agreeing to do a promotional message that encourages people to take up the vaccine. People recounting their own personal, family and friendship group experiences, hearing James Cleverly and David Lammy talk about people that they both know—from very different parts of politics, but they both have people they know and love and care for who they have lost through COVID. And I think that's a powerful message to then hear those same people encouraging everyone to take up the vaccine.

And we are already doing specific work with community groups here in Wales, and vaccine sceptism is not something that I think we should take a view that that doesn't exist here in Wales. It's about how we try to address it and how effectively we do so. I'll be doing some work specifically with that in talking to community leaders to build on work that's already been done. And we are already talking with the Muslim community here in Wales about whether we can use mosques, but also, though, I'm really encouraged by the message of faith leaders encouraging people to take up the vaccine as well. There is nothing incompatible with their religion in taking up the vaccine and there's also—[Inaudible.]—not just through mosques, but also through churches as well, in terms of a range of our communities. For many of them, faith is more central than, if you like, other parts of life here in Wales. So, we need to think about the different ways in which to have messages that are effective for people, have meaning for them and actually build on trust.

So, I'll be happy to give a further update after half term, because I'll have done more on that direct engagement to give you a feeling back about what we're able to do to encourage people to get themselves protected, because black and Asian-origin communities are at a higher risk than the rest of the country, because of their ethnic origin, from coronavirus.

Diolch. O ran hyn, rwy'n cyfeirio nôl at yr hyn a ddywedais i'n gynharach mai da o beth yw bod gennym ni seneddwyr—neb ohonyn nhw'n ASau o Gymru, ond seneddwyr o'r Blaid Geidwadol a Llafur y DU, nad ydyn nhw'n cytuno â'i gilydd o gwbl ar y mwyafrif llethol o faterion—a phob un ohonyn nhw'n cytuno i lunio neges sy'n hyrwyddo ac annog pobl i fanteisio ar y brechlyn. Pobl yn adrodd eu profiadau personol am eu teuluoedd a'u cyfeillion nhw, a chlywed James Cleverly a David Lammy yn siarad am bobl y mae'r ddau ohonyn nhw'n eu hadnabod—o dueddiadau gwleidyddol gwahanol iawn, ond y ddau ohonyn nhw wedi colli pobl, y maen nhw wedi eu hadnabod a'u caru a gofalu amdanyn nhw, oherwydd COVID. Ac rwy'n credu bod clywed pobl fel hyn yn annog pawb i fanteisio ar y brechlyn yn neges rymus iawn.

Ac rydym eisoes yn gwneud gwaith yn benodol gyda grwpiau cymunedol yma yng Nghymru, ac nid yw bod yn amheus o'r brechlyn yn rhywbeth y dylem ni gredu nad yw'n bodoli yma yng Nghymru. Mae'n ymwneud â sut rydym ni'n ceisio mynd i'r afael â hyn a pha mor effeithiol y byddwn ni'n gwneud hynny. Byddaf i'n gwneud rhywfaint o waith yn benodol gyda hynny drwy siarad ag arweinwyr cymunedol i adeiladu ar waith sydd wedi ei wneud yn barod. Ac rydym yn siarad â'r gymuned Fwslimaidd eisoes yma yng Nghymru ynghylch a allwn ni ddefnyddio mosgiau, ond yn ogystal â hynny, rwy'n cael fy nghalonogi'n fawr hefyd gan y neges sydd gan arweinwyr ffydd wrth annog pobl i fanteisio ar y brechlyn. Nid oes unrhyw beth sy'n anghydnaws â'u crefydd nhw i gael y brechlyn ac mae yna hefyd—[Anghlywadwy.] —nid yn unig drwy ddefnyddio mosgiau, ond drwy ddefnyddio eglwysi hefyd, o ran yr ystod o'n cymunedau ni. I lawer ohonyn nhw, mae ffydd yn fwy canolog na meysydd eraill o fywyd yma yng Nghymru. Felly, mae angen inni feddwl am y ffyrdd amrywiol o gyfleu negeseuon yn effeithiol i bobl, sy'n ystyrlon ac yn adeiladu'n wirioneddol ar ymddiriedaeth.

Felly, fe fyddaf i'n hapus i roi diweddariad pellach ar ôl hanner tymor, oherwydd fe fyddaf wedi gweithio mwy ar yr ymgysylltiad uniongyrchol hwnnw i roi ryw syniad i chi am yr hyn y gallwn ni ei wneud i annog pobl i'w hamddiffyn eu hunain, oherwydd mae cymunedau du ac Asiaidd mewn mwy o berygl o gael coronafeirws na gweddill y wlad, oherwydd eu tarddiad ethnig nhw.

15:45

Minister, this Sunday, Cwm Taf health board completed its vaccination of all the care homes and care home staff, and I think all the staff who contributed to that, in very difficult weather, sometimes, should actually really be congratulated for the effort that's been achieved there.

Can I raise just two points with you? One is the issue of home vaccinations. Obviously, there is a concern that there may be those who cannot get out of their home for whatever reason, et cetera, needing to be vaccinated at home. There appear to be some confused messages over that. I wonder if that could be looked at, just in terms of clarity, because obviously people do feel anxious about that. One further point is, of course, you'll have seen the Office for National Statistics data in respect of the death rate of taxi drivers and bus and coach drivers—for taxi drivers, 101 deaths per 100,000; bus and coach drivers, 83 per 100,000—and I was just wondering if there was any attention being given to either the safety aspects in respect of their work, or the work that they are doing particularly with the transportation of doctors and nurses, to whether it be vaccination centres, surgeries, hospitals and so on. Thank you, Minister.

Gweinidog, ddydd Sul diwethaf, fe weinyddodd bwrdd iechyd Cwm Taf frechiadau ym mhob un o'r cartrefi gofal ac i bob aelod o staff yn y cartrefi gofal, ac rwy'n credu y dylid llongyfarch pob un a gyfrannodd at hynny, mewn tywydd garw iawn, ar adegau, am yr ymdrech a wnaed yn y fan honno.

A gaf i godi dim ond dau bwynt gyda chi? Un ohonyn nhw yw brechu gartref. Yn amlwg, mae pryder y bydd angen brechu rhai nad ydyn nhw'n gallu mynd o'u tai am ba reswm bynnag, ac ati, yn eu cartrefi nhw eu hunain. Mae'n ymddangos bod peth o'r wybodaeth am hynny'n gymysglyd. Tybed a ellid edrych ar hynny, dim ond er eglurder, oherwydd mae'n amlwg bod pobl yn teimlo'n bryderus. Un pwynt arall, wrth gwrs, yw eich bod chi wedi gweld data gan y Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol ar gyfradd y marwolaethau ymhlith gyrwyr tacsis a bysiau—ymhlith gyrwyr tacsis, 101 o farwolaethau i bob 100,000; a gyrwyr bysiau, 83 i bob 100,000—ac roeddwn i'n meddwl tybed a oes unrhyw sylw'n cael ei roi naill ai i ystyriaethau diogelwch o ran eu gwaith nhw, neu i'r gwaith y maen nhw'n ei wneud yn enwedig wrth gludo meddygon a nyrsys, i ganolfannau brechu, i gymorthfeydd, neu ysbytai ac yn y blaen. Diolch i chi, Gweinidog.

I thank the Member for that question. On the issue of transport workers in particular, the recent ONS publication confirmed what we knew from the first wave, that transport workers, their occupation does mean they're more at risk compared to the wider population and there's a material difference. So, that's part of what the JCVI have been looking at when they're thinking about prioritisation outside groups 1 to 9. It's also why it's really important for all employers to think about what they're doing in terms of the increased need to risk assess what's happening as well. Some of these people, of course, will be self-employed. Most taxi drivers are self-employed. And we're thinking about whether there is a need, from our point of view, for further guidance on that to protect those workers from harm.

I take on board what you say about housebound members of the public. If you live in an older adult care home, then we are already going out to protect you. There is a range of other people in communities who are housebound for different reasons, and it's part of the reason why the link with primary care is so important. We do have mobile vaccine teams within each health board area, but it will need to be a conversation with general practice about where those housebound residents exist, because the NHS creating a central mobile team won't in itself mean they know who every person is. So, that's why it's really important to have the link-up and the points Vikki Howells made earlier about the link-up to the Welsh immunisation system, to make sure we understand who's doing what and who's going out to visit those people to make sure they're covered, as opposed to double-counted.

And finally, I should say I take on board the significant achievement that yourself, Vikki Howells, and others have mentioned, across parties, to congratulate our staff for what they're doing. It really is significant. On our pace in what we're doing, to give you an idea, in the last seven days the average number per 100,000 is 452 in Scotland for the vaccine, 469 in Northern Ireland, 609 in England, but 680 in Wales. That shows the pace that we're going at over this last week and I'm tremendously grateful for everyone who is playing their part in doing so.

Diolch i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn yna. O ran mater gweithwyr trafnidiaeth yn benodol, fe gadarnhaodd cyhoeddiad diweddar yr ONS yr hyn yr oeddem ni'n ei wybod o'r don gyntaf sef bod gweithwyr trafnidiaeth, y mae natur eu gwaith yn golygu eu bod mewn mwy o berygl o'i gymharu â'r boblogaeth yn fwy eang a bod y gwahaniaeth yn un sylweddol. Felly, mae hynny'n rhan o'r hyn y mae'r JCVI wedi bod yn edrych arno wrth roi ystyriaeth i flaenoriaethu'r tu allan i grwpiau 1 i 9. Dyna pam mae'n bwysig iawn hefyd i bob cyflogwr feddwl am yr hyn y mae'n ei wneud o ran yr angen cynyddol i asesu risg cyfredol. Mae rhai o'r bobl hyn yn hunangyflogedig, wrth gwrs. Hunangyflogedig yw'r rhan fwyaf o yrwyr tacsis. Ac rydym ni'n ystyried a oes angen, o'n safbwynt ni, ganllawiau pellach ynglŷn â hynny i amddiffyn y gweithwyr hynny rhag perygl.

Rwy'n cymryd i ystyriaeth yr hyn a ddywedwch am aelodau o'r cyhoedd sy'n gaeth i'r tŷ. Os ydych chi'n byw mewn cartref gofal i oedolion hŷn, yna rydym eisoes wedi bod yn mynd allan i'ch amddiffyn chi. Mae amrywiaeth o bobl eraill mewn cymunedau sy'n gaeth i'r tŷ am wahanol resymau, ac mae hynny'n rhan o'r rheswm pam mae cyswllt â gofal sylfaenol mor hanfodol. Mae gennym ni dimau brechu symudol ym mhob un ardal bwrdd iechyd, ond fe fydd angen i hyn fod yn destun sgwrs gydag ymarferwyr cyffredinol ynglŷn ag olrhain y bobl hynny sy'n gaeth i'w tai, oherwydd ni fydd llunio tîm symudol canolog gan y GIG yn golygu ynddo'i hun eu bod nhw'n gwybod pwy yw pob un o'r unigolion hyn. Felly, dyna pam mae'n bwysig iawn bod â'r cysylltiad hwn yn ogystal â'r pwyntiau a wnaeth Vikki Howells yn gynharach am y cysylltiad â system imiwneiddio Cymru, i sicrhau ein bod ni'n deall pwy sy'n gwneud beth a phwy sy'n mynd allan i ymweld â'r bobl hynny i wneud yn siwr eu bod wedi eu cynnwys, yn hytrach na'u cyfrif ddwy waith.

Ac yn olaf, fe ddylwn i ddweud fy mod i'n gwerthfawrogi'r gamp arwyddocaol yr ydych chi, Vikki Howells, ac eraill wedi ei chrybwyll, ar draws y pleidiau, a llongyfarch ein staff ni am yr hyn y maen nhw'n ei wneud. Mae'n arwyddocaol iawn. O ran ein cyflymder ni yn yr hyn rydym ni'n ei wneud, i roi syniad i chi, yn y saith diwrnod diwethaf y nifer cyfartalog fesul 100,000 ar gyfer y brechlyn yw 452 yn yr Alban, 469 yng Ngogledd Iwerddon, 609 yn Lloegr, ond 680 yng Nghymru. Mae hynny'n dangos ein cyflymder ni yn ystod yr wythnos ddiwethaf ac rwy'n hynod ddiolchgar i bawb sydd â rhan yn hynny.

Minister, for a number of weeks now, I've been speaking to Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board about setting up a central point of contact and a phone line for those who are concerned that they have not received their vaccine yet, and for a small number of 80-year-olds, that is obviously the case. I was particularly pleased this week when that phone line was delivered, and yesterday it was launched. I believe that is part of the answer that nobody misses out who wants the vaccine. As we work our way through the priority groups, Minister, will you have conversations with Betsi Cadwaladr health board, other health boards across Wales and Public Health Wales, to see this phone line extended throughout the pandemic?

Gweinidog, ers rhai wythnosau bellach, rwyf i wedi bod yn siarad â Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr am sefydlu pwynt cyswllt canolog a llinell ffôn i'r rhai sy'n pryderu nad ydyn nhw wedi cael eu brechlyn eto, ac i nifer fechan o bobl 80 oed, mae hynny'n amlwg yn wir. Roeddwn i'n arbennig o falch yr wythnos hon pan gafodd y llinell ffôn honno ei sefydlu, ac fe gafodd ei lansio ddoe. Yn fy marn i, bydd hyn yn rhan o'r ateb wrth sicrhau nad oes neb sy'n dymuno cael y brechlyn yn cael ei amddifadu ohono. Ac wrth inni weithio trwy'r grwpiau blaenoriaeth, Gweinidog, a wnewch chi drafod gyda bwrdd iechyd Betsi Cadwaladr, a byrddau iechyd eraill ledled Cymru, ac Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru, i sicrhau parhad y llinell ffôn hon drwy gydol y pandemig?

Yes, I think this is part of our challenge in managing people's expectations and in making sure, at the same time, that no-one gets left behind, because what we don't want is people generally ringing because they're concerned, and many people will be concerned in groups 1 to 4 at present, but then when we extend that, in groups 1 to 9, because I don't want primary care colleagues, especially general practice and pharmacists, to be overwhelmed. However, we do need to find a way to provide both that confidence and also to make sure that there is a check. So, I certainly will be looking to see what has taken place already within north Wales, to look at the good practice that Betsi Cadwaladr have been able to develop, and to see how we apply that in a more uniform way across Wales to make sure that no-one is left behind as we complete this national mission to ensure that we protect our people.

Gwnaf, rwy'n credu mai dyma ran o'n her ni o ran rheoli disgwyliadau pobl ac wrth sicrhau, ar yr un pryd, nad oes neb yn cael ei adael ar ôl. Nid ydym yn dymuno gweld pobl yn galw'r rhif oherwydd eu pryderon cyffredinol, ac fe fydd yna lawer o bobl yng ngrwpiau 1 i 4 yn bryderus ar hyn o bryd, ond pan fyddwn ni'n ymestyn hynny eto, i grwpiau 1 i 9, nid wyf i'n dymuno i gydweithwyr gofal sylfaenol, yn enwedig practisau cyffredinol a fferyllwyr, gael eu llethu gan alwadau. Serch hynny, mae angen dod o hyd i ffordd o ennyn hyder a sicrhau hefyd bod modd gwirio. Felly, fe fyddaf i'n sicr yn rhoi ystyriaeth i'r hyn sydd wedi digwydd eisoes yn y gogledd, i edrych ar yr arfer da y mae Betsi Cadwaladr wedi gallu ei ddatblygu, a gweld sut yr ydym ni'n cymhwyso hynny mewn ffordd fwy unffurf ledled Cymru fel na fydd unrhyw un yn cael ei adael ar ôl wrth inni gwblhau'r ymgyrch genedlaethol hon i sicrhau ein bod ni'n amddiffyn ein pobl.

15:50
4. Datganiad gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol: Diweddariad ar Adolygiad Clinigol Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Cwm Taf Morgannwg
4. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board Clinical Review Update

Felly, yr eitem nesaf yw datganiad gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol unwaith eto ar ddiweddariad ar adolygiad clinigol Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Cwm Taf Morgannwg. Felly, unwaith eto, Vaughan Gething.

The next item is a statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services, once again, and this time on the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board clinical review update. So, once again, I call Vaughan Gething.

Thank you, Llywydd. Last week, I published the first of three thematic reports setting out the emerging learning from the clinical review programme established by the independent maternity services oversight panel that I appointed. The programme is currently focused on reviewing around 160 episodes of care provided by the maternity and neonatal services of the former Cwm Taf University Health Board between 1 January 2016 and 30 September 2018. The first report focused on the care provided to mothers and specifically those who needed urgent care, which in the main resulted in an admission to intensive care.

As Members will have seen last week, overall the report's findings concur with those of the independent review that I commissioned by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Royal College of Midwives in 2018. It did not make for good reading when the findings confirmed that, in 27 out of the 28 pregnancies reviewed, factors were identified that contributed to the quality of care that women received. It is a significant concern that, in 19 of the reviews, factors were considered to be major. That means that different care may reasonably be expected to have altered the outcome.

I do not underestimate how distressing this report will have been for the women and their families who have been affected. While I hope it has provided answers to concerns they may have had, the report confirms that those concerns were very real. I remain very sorry for what went wrong and I know that nothing can change what happened for these women and their families. While it is important to be transparent about these findings, I also appreciate that it may well have caused further distress for those affected. It may have triggered those memories of their poor and, at times, traumatic experiences.

The report stresses the importance of listening to women when they know that something is not right. Poor communication is a key theme that underpins the factors identified in the report. I was pleased, however, that the panel recognised the open and compassionate way that the health board has responded and the support that it has put in place for women and families through this review process. I'd also like to thank the community health council advocacy service for the important role that they are playing in this work.

We should not underestimate how difficult this report will have been for staff and particularly at a time when the NHS, including maternity and neonatal services, has been under immense pressure. It is important to acknowledge, as the report does, that considerable improvements have been achieved over the past two years and which the panel has confirmed in its previous reports. This is very much down to the commitment and hard work of the staff and, indeed, the renewed leadership. The thematic report also confirms that those areas of improvement were the right ones to be focused on. 

Last week, I met with Mick Giannasi, who is the chair of the independent panel, and the health board chair, Marcus Longley, to review progress and consider the next steps. The panel will now be turning its attention to completing the reviews of the care of babies who were sadly stillborn. Once individual findings have been shared with women and families, they will produce a further report describing the thematic learning. Their oversight of the maternity aspects of the improvement programme will continue.

In tandem, the panel is increasing its focus on the neonatal aspects of care. The reviews of babies who needed specialist care or sadly died after birth are under way. This is the largest category, involving around 70 reviews. The panel needs to ensure that the immediate learning that emerges from these reviews is aligned to the neonatal aspects of the health board’s improvement programme. This is essential to determine if all required actions have already been addressed or are in progress. 

To ensure that this is as robust as possible, the panel has identified the need to enhance its membership to include neonatal expertise. They have recommended to me that a neonatologist and a neonatal nurse join the panel. In doing so, they propose to draw on the expertise that is already part of the clinical review programme. This will enable them to ensure that the same level of rigour is applied to providing assurance on the neonatal aspects of improvement, in tandem with the learning emerging from the individual clinical reviews.

In order to take stock, they propose to undertake a deep dive of the current service, and to ensure that any improvements needed are being addressed, and are fully picking up the recommendations identified in the royal colleges' review. I was pleased that Marcus Longley, as the chair, confirmed that the board would welcome this development, and the added level of external, independent oversight and advice that it will provide them. This will ensure that they can be fully assured with regard to the quality of neonatal care, and the improvements that they are making.

Women and families remain at the heart of this process. I hope that they can see that I, the independent panel and the health board are determined that we should leave no stone unturned in ensuring that we learn from the past. This, too, is equally important for our staff, as they deserve to work in an open, learning and supportive environment at all times.

I will, of course, continue to keep Members updated, and will issue a further statement once the additional panel members have been confirmed. Thank you.

Diolch, Llywydd. Yr wythnos diwethaf, cyhoeddais y cyntaf o dri adroddiad thematig yn nodi'r hyn sy'n dod i'r amlwg o'r rhaglen adolygu clinigol a sefydlwyd gan banel goruchwylio annibynnol y gwasanaethau mamolaeth a benodwyd gennyf. Ar hyn o bryd mae'r rhaglen yn canolbwyntio ar adolygu tua 160 o achlysuron gofal a ddarperir gan wasanaethau mamolaeth a newyddenedigol hen Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Cwm Taf rhwng 1 Ionawr 2016 a 30 Medi 2018. Roedd yr adroddiad cyntaf yn canolbwyntio ar y gofal a ddarperir i famau ac yn benodol y rhai yr oedd angen gofal brys arnyn nhw, a arweiniodd yn bennaf at dderbyn gofal dwys.

Fel y bydd yr Aelodau wedi'i weld yr wythnos diwethaf, yn gyffredinol mae canfyddiadau'r adroddiad yn cyd-fynd â chanfyddiadau'r adolygiad annibynnol a gomisiynais gan Goleg Brenhinol yr Obstetryddion a'r Gynaecolegwyr a Choleg Brenhinol y Bydwragedd yn 2018. Nid profiad braf oedd ei ddarllen pan gadarnhaodd y canfyddiadau, mewn 27 o'r 28 o'r achosion o feichiogrwydd a adolygwyd, canfuwyd ffactorau a gyfrannodd at ansawdd y gofal a gafodd menywod. Mae'n bryder sylweddol, mewn 19 o'r adolygiadau, yr ystyriwyd fod y ffactorau yn rhai pwysig. Mae hynny'n golygu y gellir disgwyl yn rhesymol i ofal gwahanol fod wedi newid y canlyniad.

Nid wyf yn bychanu pa mor drallodus y bu'r adroddiad hwn i'r menywod a'u teuluoedd yr effeithiwyd arnyn nhw. Er fy mod yn gobeithio ei fod wedi rhoi atebion i bryderon a oedd ganddyn nhw o bosib, mae'r adroddiad yn cadarnhau bod y pryderon hynny'n real iawn. Mae'n ddrwg iawn gennyf i o hyd am yr hyn a aeth o'i le ac rwy'n gwybod na all dim newid yr hyn a ddigwyddodd i'r menywod hyn a'u teuluoedd. Er ei bod hi'n bwysig bod yn dryloyw ynglŷn â'r canfyddiadau hyn, sylweddolaf hefyd ei bod hi'n ddigon posibl eu bod wedi achosi trallod pellach i'r rhai yr effeithiwyd arnyn nhw. Efallai ei fod wedi sbarduno'r atgofion hynny o'u profiadau gwael ac, ar adegau, trawmatig.

Mae'r adroddiad yn pwysleisio pwysigrwydd gwrando ar fenywod pan fyddant yn gwybod bod rhywbeth o'i le. Mae cyfathrebu gwael yn thema allweddol sy'n sail i'r ffactorau a nodwyd yn yr adroddiad. Roeddwn yn falch, fodd bynnag, fod y panel wedi cydnabod y ffordd agored a thosturiol y mae'r bwrdd iechyd wedi ymateb a'r gefnogaeth y mae wedi'i rhoi ar waith i fenywod a theuluoedd drwy'r broses adolygu hon. Hoffwn ddiolch hefyd i wasanaeth eirioli'r cyngor iechyd cymuned am ei swyddogaeth bwysig yn y gwaith hwn.

Ni ddylem ni danbrisio pa mor anodd y bydd yr adroddiad hwn wedi bod i staff ac yn enwedig ar adeg pan fo'r GIG, gan gynnwys gwasanaethau mamolaeth a newyddenedigol, wedi bod o dan bwysau aruthrol. Mae'n bwysig cydnabod, fel y mae'r adroddiad yn ei wneud, fod gwelliannau sylweddol wedi'u cyflawni dros y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf y mae'r panel wedi cadarnhau yn ei adroddiadau blaenorol. Mae hyn yn ymwneud i raddau helaeth ag ymrwymiad a gwaith caled y staff ac, yn wir, yr arweinyddiaeth newydd. Mae'r adroddiad thematig hefyd yn cadarnhau mai'r meysydd gwella hynny oedd y rhai cywir i ganolbwyntio arnyn nhw.

Yr wythnos diwethaf, cyfarfûm â Mick Giannasi, cadeirydd y panel annibynnol, a chadeirydd y bwrdd iechyd, Marcus Longley, i adolygu cynnydd ac ystyried y camau nesaf. Bydd y panel nawr yn troi ei sylw at gwblhau'r adolygiadau o ofal babanod a oedd yn farwanedig yn anffodus. Unwaith y bydd canfyddiadau unigol wedi'u rhannu â menywod a theuluoedd, byddant yn cynhyrchu adroddiad pellach yn disgrifio'r dysgu thematig. Byddant yn parhau i oruchwylio agweddau mamolaeth y rhaglen wella.

Ar y cyd, mae'r panel yn rhoi mwy o bwyslais ar ofal newyddenedigol. Mae'r adolygiadau o fabanod yr oedd angen gofal arbenigol arnyn nhw neu a fu farw yn anffodus ar ôl eu geni, ar y gweill. Dyma'r categori mwyaf, sy'n cynnwys tua 70 adolygiad. Mae angen i'r panel sicrhau bod y dysgu uniongyrchol sy'n deillio o'r adolygiadau hyn yn cyd-fynd ag agweddau newyddenedigol rhaglen wella'r bwrdd iechyd. Mae hyn yn hanfodol er mwyn penderfynu a yw'r holl gamau gofynnol eisoes wedi cael sylw neu ar y gweill.

Er mwyn sicrhau bod hyn mor gadarn â phosibl, mae'r panel wedi nodi'r angen i ehangu ei aelodaeth i gynnwys arbenigedd newyddenedigol. Maen nhw wedi argymell i mi fod neonatolegydd a nyrs newyddenedigol yn ymuno â'r panel. Wrth wneud hynny, maen nhw yn bwriadu defnyddio'r arbenigedd sydd eisoes yn rhan o'r rhaglen adolygiad clinigol. Bydd hyn yn eu galluogi i sicrhau y rhoddir manyldeb yr un mor drylwyr i roi sicrwydd ynghylch yr agweddau newyddenedigol ar wella, ochr yn ochr â'r dysgu sy'n deillio o'r adolygiadau clinigol unigol.

Er mwyn pwyso a mesur, maen nhw yn bwriadu cynnal archwiliad manwl o'r gwasanaeth presennol, a sicrhau yr eir i'r afael ag unrhyw welliannau sydd eu hangen, a'u bod yn derbyn yr argymhellion a nodwyd yn adolygiad y colegau brenhinol yn llawn. Roeddwn yn falch bod Marcus Longley, y cadeirydd, wedi cadarnhau y byddai'r bwrdd yn croesawu'r datblygiad hwn, a'r oruchwyliaeth a'r cyngor allanol, annibynnol ychwanegol y bydd yn eu darparu iddyn nhw. Bydd hyn yn sicrhau y gellir rhoi sicrwydd llwyr iddyn nhw o ran ansawdd gofal newyddenedigol, a'r gwelliannau y maen nhw yn eu gwneud.

Menywod a theuluoedd sydd wrth wraidd y broses hon o hyd. Gobeithio y gallant weld fy mod i, y panel annibynnol a'r bwrdd iechyd yn benderfynol y dylem ni wneud popeth posibl i sicrhau ein bod yn dysgu o'r gorffennol. Mae hyn hefyd yr un mor bwysig i'n staff, gan eu bod yn haeddu gweithio mewn amgylchedd agored a chefnogol bob amser lle mae pwyslais o hyd ar ddysgu.

Byddaf, wrth gwrs, yn parhau i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelodau, a byddaf yn cyhoeddi datganiad pellach unwaith y bydd aelodau ychwanegol y panel wedi'u cadarnhau. Diolch.

Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (Ann Jones) i’r Gadair.

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Ann Jones) took the Chair.

15:55