Y Cyfarfod Llawn - Y Bumed Senedd
Plenary - Fifth Senedd
16/03/2021Cynnwys
Contents
Yn y fersiwn ddwyieithog, mae’r golofn chwith yn cynnwys yr iaith a lefarwyd yn y cyfarfod. Mae’r golofn dde yn cynnwys cyfieithiad o’r areithiau hynny.
In the bilingual version, the left-hand column includes the language used during the meeting. The right-hand column includes a translation of those speeches.
Cyfarfu'r Senedd drwy gynhadledd fideo am 13:29 gyda'r Llywydd (Elin Jones) yn y Gadair.
The Senedd met by video-conference at 13:29 with the Llywydd (Elin Jones) in the Chair.
Prynhawn da. Croeso, bawb, i'r Cyfarfod Llawn y prynhawn yma. Cyn i ni ddechrau, dwi angen 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, ac mae'r rheini wedi'u nodi ar eich agenda chi. Dwi eisiau atgoffa'r Aelodau hefyd fod y Rheolau Sefydlog sy'n ymwneud â threfn yn y Cyfarfod Llawn yn berthnasol i'r cyfarfod yma, wrth gwrs.
Good afternoon. Welcome to this Plenary session. Before we begin, I want to set out a few points. A 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 those are set out on your agenda. I would also remind Members that Standing Orders relating to order in Plenary meetings apply to this meeting.
Felly, yr eitem gyntaf ar ein hagenda ni y prynhawn yma yw'r cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf y prynhawn yma gan Dai Lloyd.
So, the first item on our agenda this afternoon is questions to the First Minister, and the first question this afternoon is from Dai Lloyd.
1. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am rôl Llywodraeth Cymru yn natblygiad posibl morlyn llanw ym mae Abertawe? OQ56472
1. Will the First Minister make a statement on the role of the Welsh Government in the potential development of a Swansea bay tidal lagoon? OQ56472

Diolch am y cwestiwn, Llywydd. Ers i Lywodraeth y DU wrthod cefnogi'r prosiect, cefnogaeth Llywodraeth Cymru, yn ariannol ac yn wleidyddol, sydd wedi helpu’r tasglu lleol i gadw’r potensial ar gyfer datblygu morlyn llanw bae Abertawe yn fyw. Rydym yn parhau i weithio gydag eraill i ddatblygu’r achos o blaid ynni’r môr yng Nghymru.
Thank you for the question, Llywydd. Ever since the UK Government turned down the project, it's the support of Welsh Government, financially and politically, which has helped the local taskforce to keep alive the potential development of a Swansea bay tidal lagoon, and we continue to work with others to advance the case of Welsh marine energy.
Diolch yn fawr. First Minister, the lack of decision making on this issue is becoming a source of huge frustration locally. As you said, we know that the UK Government will not invest in this project, but what is disappointingly becoming apparent is that the Welsh Government has no plans to take ownership of this project either. There has been no detailed public response to the Swansea bay city region report of May 2019, and despite the Labour leader of Swansea Council claiming back in June 2020 that he hoped to see the Welsh Government back plans for the revised lagoon 'within the next few weeks', I quote, we have heard nothing. Are people in Swansea therefore right to conclude that the Welsh Government has given up on the tidal lagoon, and, if not, what evidence can you provide to show that you are working towards delivering the scheme?
Diolch yn fawr. Prif Weinidog, mae'r diffyg mewn gwneud penderfyniadau ar y mater hwn yn dod yn destun rhwystredigaeth enfawr yn lleol. Fel y dywedasoch, rydym ni'n gwybod na wnaiff Llywodraeth y DU fuddsoddi yn y prosiect hwn, ond yr hyn sy'n dod i'r amlwg yn anffodus yw nad oes gan Lywodraeth Cymru unrhyw gynlluniau i gymryd perchnogaeth o'r prosiect hwn ychwaith. Ni chafwyd ymateb cyhoeddus manwl i adroddiad dinas-ranbarth bae Abertawe ym mis Mai 2019, ac er i arweinydd Llafur Cyngor Abertawe honni yn ôl ym mis Mehefin 2020 ei fod yn gobeithio gweld Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi cynlluniau ar gyfer y morlyn diwygiedig 'o fewn yr wythnosau nesaf', dyfynnaf, nid ydym wedi clywed dim. A yw pobl yn Abertawe yn iawn i ddod i'r casgliad felly bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi troi ei chefn ar y morlyn llanw, ac, os nad ydych chi, pa dystiolaeth allwch chi ei darparu i ddangos eich bod chi'n gweithio tuag at ddarparu'r cynllun?

Well, many tens of thousands of pounds of evidence demonstrate that if it were not for the support of this Welsh Labour Government, there would be no scheme at all in Swansea to take forward in any way. When the UK Government stepped away from the investment that they had promised in the Swansea bay tidal lagoon, the Welsh Government intervened to support both the local authority and other local players with the funding they needed to be able to develop the Dragon Energy Island concept. Now, I know that the Secretary of State for Wales and the Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have been having discussions with the leadership of Swansea council about how this concept can be taken forward. Unfortunately, despite lots of warm words, there was no funding at all identified in last week's budget to be able to back up what the UK Government had been suggesting was their positive interest in the new set of proposals.
Now, I wrote to the Secretary of State for Wales on 20 October last, proposing a partnership approach, where the Welsh Government would be at the table alongside the UK Government and local interests. The Secretary of State replied to me very quickly—it was a positive reply—on 2 November, saying he was more than happy to meet. Unfortunately, no time has been available in the Secretary of State's diary since then for such a meeting. It was due to take place with my colleague Lee Waters, the Government's lead on the Swansea bay city deal. It was meant to happen last week on 10 March. Unfortunately, the Secretary of State was unable to keep that commitment. It's back in the diary for 23 March and, this time, let's hope that the meeting that the Secretary of State was more than happy to agree to months ago will take place, because we need the UK Government to be at that table if we are to match the support that the Welsh Government has provided and the local authority has provided, with the help that only the UK Government can bring to that table.
Wel, mae degau o filoedd o bunnoedd o dystiolaeth yn dangos, pe na byddai cefnogaeth oddi wrth y Llywodraeth Lafur hon yng Nghymru, na fyddai unrhyw gynllun o gwbl yn Abertawe i fwrw ymlaen ag ef mewn unrhyw ffordd. Pan gamodd Llywodraeth y DU yn ôl oddi wrth y buddsoddiad yr oedden nhw wedi ei addo yn morlyn llanw bae Abertawe, ymyrrodd Llywodraeth Cymru i gefnogi'r awdurdod lleol a buddiannau lleol eraill gyda'r cyllid yr oedd ei angen arnyn nhw i allu datblygu cysyniad Ynys Ynni'r Ddraig. Nawr, gwn fod Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru a'r Ysgrifennydd Gwladol yn yr Adran Busnes, Ynni a Strategaeth Ddiwydiannol wedi bod yn cynnal trafodaethau gydag arweinyddiaeth cyngor Abertawe ynghylch sut y gellir bwrw ymlaen â'r cysyniad hwn. Yn anffodus, er gwaethaf llawer o eiriau gwresog, ni nodwyd unrhyw gyllid o gwbl yng nghyllideb yr wythnos diwethaf i allu cefnogi'r hyn yr oedd Llywodraeth y DU wedi bod yn ei awgrymu oedd eu diddordeb cadarnhaol yn y gyfres newydd o gynigion.
Nawr, ysgrifennais at Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru ar 20 Hydref diwethaf, yn cynnig dull partneriaeth, lle byddai Llywodraeth Cymru wrth y bwrdd ochr yn ochr â Llywodraeth y DU a buddiannau lleol. Cefais ateb cyflym iawn gan yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol—roedd yn ateb cadarnhaol—ar 2 Tachwedd, yn dweud ei fod yn fwy na pharod i gyfarfod. Yn anffodus, ni fu unrhyw amser ar gael yn nyddiadur yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol ers hynny ar gyfer cyfarfod o'r fath. Roedd i fod i ddigwydd gyda'm cyd-Weinidog Lee Waters, arweinydd y Llywodraeth ar fargen ddinesig bae Abertawe. Roedd i fod i ddigwydd yr wythnos diwethaf ar 10 Mawrth. Yn anffodus, nid oedd yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol yn gallu cadw'r ymrwymiad hwnnw. Mae'n ôl yn y dyddiadur ar gyfer 23 Mawrth ac, y tro hwn, gadewch i ni obeithio y bydd y cyfarfod yr oedd yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol yn fwy na pharod i gytuno iddo fisoedd yn ôl yn digwydd, oherwydd mae angen i Lywodraeth y DU fod wrth y bwrdd hwnnw os ydym ni'n mynd i gyfateb y cymorth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ei ddarparu ac y mae'r awdurdod lleol wedi ei ddarparu, gyda'r cymorth y gall Llywodraeth y DU yn unig ddod ag ef at y bwrdd hwnnw.
Back in April 2019, First Minister, the Minister for Finance and Trefnydd at that point confirmed that Welsh Government continued to be an enthusiastic supporter of the proposal at that time and that funding was still on the table should 'a viable proposal come forward'—I'm just quoting her there. Do you think that the Dragon Island proposal is a viable one, and, if so, how much money has been ring-fenced in this year's budget as a contribution towards it moving forward, or are you in a position as a Welsh Government to say, 'Well, actually, it may not be for Swansea, this money; it could be for other tidal projects', as hinted by the Trefnydd in later contributions on this type of question? Is it for the lagoon or not?
Yn ôl ym mis Ebrill 2019, Prif Weinidog, cadarnhaodd y Gweinidog Cyllid a'r Trefnydd bryd hynny bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i fod yn gefnogwr brwd o'r cynnig bryd hynny a bod cyllid yn dal ar y bwrdd pe byddai 'cynnig hyfyw yn cael ei gyflwyno'—rwy'n ei dyfynnu hi yn y fan yna. A ydych chi'n credu bod cynnig Ynys y Ddraig yn un hyfyw, ac, os felly, faint o arian sydd wedi ei neilltuo yng nghyllideb eleni fel cyfraniad tuag ato wrth symud ymlaen, neu a ydych chi mewn sefyllfa fel Llywodraeth Cymru i ddweud, 'Wel, mewn gwirionedd, efallai nad yw ar gyfer Abertawe, yr arian hwn; gallai fod ar gyfer prosiectau llanw eraill', fel yr awgrymwyd gan y Trefnydd mewn cyfraniadau diweddarach ar y math hwn o gwestiwn? A yw ar gyfer y morlyn ai peidio?

Llywydd, I think the Welsh Government has been clear throughout—we are committed to tidal energy and to marine energy in Wales. The Swansea bay tidal lagoon was obviously the front-runner in all of that, because it had developed its proposals, and it believed it had the support of the UK Government in doing so. The Charles Hendry review, set up by the UK Government to advise it on the possibility, described it, as the Member will remember, as a no-regrets investment. The UK Government then took 18 months to reply to the Hendry review, before turning it down in June 2018. We need the UK Government to come to the table, to do it in a way that would make the Dragon Energy Island project a viable proposition, because it will only be a viable proposition if it is done on a partnership basis. If that happens, the Welsh Government will be there to play our part, as we have demonstrated. As I said, if it were not for the money that we put into the development of that alternative proposition, there wouldn't be anything to discuss. But it's there because of the work that we and, of course, Swansea Council and local players have put into it. If the UK Government will back up its warm words with some actual action and some hard cash, the Welsh Government will be there too.
Llywydd, rwy'n credu bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod yn eglur o'r cychwyn—rydym ni wedi ymrwymo i ynni'r llanw ac i ynni morol yng Nghymru. Mae'n amlwg mai morlyn llanw bae Abertawe oedd y cystadleuydd blaen yn hynny i gyd, gan ei fod wedi datblygu ei gynigion, ac roedd yn credu bod ganddo gefnogaeth Llywodraeth y DU i wneud hynny. Fe'i disgrifiwyd gan adolygiad Charles Hendry, a sefydlwyd gan Lywodraeth y DU i'w chynghori ar y posibilrwydd, fel y bydd yr Aelod yn cofio, fel buddsoddiad dim edifar. Yna cymerodd Llywodraeth y DU 18 mis i ymateb i adolygiad Hendry, cyn ei wrthod ym mis Mehefin 2018. Rydym ni angen i Lywodraeth y DU ddod at y bwrdd, ei wneud mewn ffordd a fyddai'n gwneud prosiect Ynys Ynni'r Ddraig yn gynnig hyfyw, oherwydd bydd yn gynnig hyfyw dim ond os caiff ei wneud ar sail partneriaeth. Os bydd hynny yn digwydd, bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yno i chwarae ein rhan, fel yr ydym ni wedi ei ddangos. Fel y dywedais, pe na byddai am yr arian a gyfrannwyd gennym ni at ddatblygu'r cynnig amgen hwnnw, ni fyddai unrhyw beth i'w drafod. Ond mae yno oherwydd y gwaith yr ydym ni ac, wrth gwrs, Cyngor Abertawe a buddiannau lleol wedi ei wneud arno. Os gwnaiff Llywodraeth y DU gefnogi ei geiriau gwresog gyda rhywfaint o weithredu pendant a rhywfaint o arian caled, bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yno hefyd.
Our major asset in terms of renewables is the tidal movement in the Severn estuary. It is the equivalent of hydropower and geothermal power in Iceland, and hydropower in China and Brazil. Welsh Government support has never been in doubt. Will the First Minister continue to press the Westminster Government on the production of electricity via tidal lagoon, obviously starting with Swansea?
Ein prif ased o ran ynni adnewyddadwy yw'r symudiad llanw yn aber afon Hafren. Mae'n cyfateb i ynni dŵr a phŵer geothermol yng Ngwlad yr Iâ, a phŵer dŵr yn Tsieina a Brasil. Ni fu amheuaeth erioed ynghylch cefnogaeth Llywodraeth Cymru. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog barhau i bwyso ar Lywodraeth San Steffan o ran cynhyrchu trydan drwy forlyn llanw, gan ddechrau gydag Abertawe yn amlwg?

Well, Llywydd, I think Mike Hedges has just set out just why the failure of the UK Government to act on this is so frustrating, and so frustrating for Wales. We have unique opportunities in Wales in marine energy, whether that is in the Menai straits, whether that is around Pembrokeshire, or whether it is with tidal lagoon technology, to capitalise on the groundbreaking work that has already been done in preparing for a demonstration project in Swansea. And of course the Welsh Government goes on explaining to the UK Government the unique opportunities that the tidal reach of the Severn estuary provides. Wales and the United Kingdom need to be at the cutting edge of the global energy revolution that will be needed in years to come. We have all the natural assets to allow us to be in that position, and I very much share Mike Hedges's frustration at the failure of the UK Government to recognise that potential and to act on it.
Wel, Llywydd, rwy'n credu bod Mike Hedges newydd nodi pam mae methiant Llywodraeth y DU i weithredu ar hyn mor rhwystredig, ac mor rhwystredig i Gymru. Mae gennym ni gyfleoedd unigryw yng Nghymru ym maes ynni morol, boed hynny yn y Fenai, boed hynny o gwmpas sir Benfro, neu gyda thechnoleg morlynnoedd llanw, i fanteisio ar y gwaith arloesol sydd eisoes wedi ei wneud i baratoi ar gyfer prosiect arddangos yn Abertawe. Ac wrth gwrs, mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i esbonio i Lywodraeth y DU y cyfleoedd unigryw y mae cyrhaeddiad llanw aber afon Hafren yn eu cynnig. Mae angen i Gymru a'r Deyrnas Unedig fod ar flaen y gad yn y chwyldro ynni byd-eang y bydd ei angen yn y blynyddoedd i ddod. Mae gennym ni'r holl asedau naturiol i ganiatáu i ni fod yn y sefyllfa honno, ac rwy'n sicr yn rhannu rhwystredigaeth Mike Hedges am fethiant Llywodraeth y DU i gydnabod y potensial hwnnw ac i weithredu arno.
2. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am statws y berthynas rynglywodraethol rhwng Llywodraeth Cymru a Llywodraeth y DU? OQ56457
2. Will the First Minister make a statement on the status of inter-governmental relationships between the Welsh Government and UK Government? OQ56457

Llywydd, the relationships continue to be, too often, unpredictable, ad hoc, disrupted by aggressively unilateral actions by the UK Government, and without the necessary underpinning of machinery for inter-governmental co-operation required to preserve the UK and enable it to prosper as a voluntary association of four nations.
Llywydd, mae'r berthynas yn parhau, yn rhy aml, i fod yn anrhagweladwy, yn ad hoc, wedi ei tharfu gan weithredoedd unochrog ymosodol gan Lywodraeth y DU, a heb y sylfaen angenrheidiol o weithdrefnau ar gyfer cydweithredu rhynglywodraethol sydd ei hangen i gynnal y DU a chaniatáu iddi ffynnu fel cymdeithas wirfoddol o bedair gwlad.
First Minister, you like to blame the UK Government for problems or aggression in the relationship, but shouldn't you take some responsibility? You chose to have yourself filmed saying the Prime Minister is really, really awful. How does that help bring the UK Government to the table? You've concluded the UK is over; you're running candidates who support independence at the coming election. This morning, one of your Ministers supported BBC Wales appointing an ex-chief executive of Plaid Cymru as its director of content. Wasn't the Secretary of State right to tell me last week that this is all about you palling up with Plaid Cymru with a view to a coalition after the election, and, so long as we have devolution, we will be on a slippery slope to independence?
Prif Weinidog, rydych chi'n hoffi rhoi'r bai ar Lywodraeth y DU am broblemau neu ymddygiad ymosodol yn y berthynas, ond oni ddylech chi gymryd rhywfaint o gyfrifoldeb? Fe wnaethoch chi ddewis cael eich hun wedi eich ffilmio yn dweud bod Prif Weinidog y DU yn wirioneddol ofnadwy. Sut mae hynny yn helpu i ddod â Llywodraeth y DU at y bwrdd? Rydych chi wedi dod i'r casgliad bod y DU ar ben; rydych chi'n defnyddio ymgeiswyr sy'n cefnogi annibyniaeth yn yr etholiad sydd i ddod. Y bore yma, cefnogodd un o'ch Gweinidogion benodiad BBC Cymru o gyn-brif weithredwr Plaid Cymru fel ei gyfarwyddwr cynnwys. Onid oedd yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol yn iawn i ddweud wrthyf i yr wythnos diwethaf bod hyn i gyd yn ymwneud â chi'n ymgyfeillio a Phlaid Cymru gyda golwg ar glymblaid ar ôl yr etholiad, a, chyhyd ag y bydd gennym ni ddatganoli, y byddwn ni ar lethr llithrig i annibyniaeth?

Well, Llywydd, the Welsh Government has, time after time, for a decade, under the leadership that my predecessor, Carwyn Jones, gave to this whole agenda, argued for a constitutional convention to put the United Kingdom on a footing that would allow it to prosper in the future, and that is my position and the position of my party. We believe that the United Kingdom is better off for having Wales in it and that Wales is better off for being in the United Kingdom. There's no ambiguity at all in our position. What we lack is a UK Government willing to act in a way that recognises that, 20 years into devolution, attempting to bring devolved Governments to heel rather than to bring us closer together, will ever be a recipe for securing the continuation of a successful United Kingdom.
Time after time, both Carwyn Jones and I have urged UK Ministers to enter into the serious conversations that are needed to establish inter-governmental machinery, to find independent means of resolving and avoiding disputes between the nations, to do that on the basis of a parity of participation and of respect. Instead, we face a UK Government that unilaterally and aggressively takes funding, takes powers away from devolved Governments across the United Kingdom and, in its everyday actions, feeds the forces that will lead to the United Kingdom's break-up, unless the United Kingdom Government is prepared to recognise the foolishness of its approach and instead to follow the sorts of arguments and constructive proposals that the Welsh Government has consistently brought to this debate.
Wel, Llywydd, mae Llywodraeth Cymru, dro ar ôl tro, ers degawd, o dan yr arweiniad a roddodd fy rhagflaenydd, Carwyn Jones, i'r holl agenda hon, wedi dadlau dros gonfensiwn cyfansoddiadol i roi'r Deyrnas Unedig ar sail a fyddai'n caniatáu iddi ffynnu yn y dyfodol, a dyna fy safbwynt i a safbwynt fy mhlaid. Rydym ni'n credu bod y Deyrnas Unedig yn well ei byd o fod â Chymru ynddi a bod Cymru yn well ei byd o fod yn y Deyrnas Unedig. Nid oes unrhyw amwysedd o gwbl yn ein safbwynt ni. Yr hyn nad oes gennym ni yw Llywodraeth y DU sy'n barod i weithredu mewn ffordd sy'n cydnabod, 20 mlynedd ers datganoli, na fydd ceisio gwneud i Lywodraethau datganoledig ufuddhau yn hytrach na dod â ni yn nes at ein gilydd, byth yn rysáit ar gyfer sicrhau parhad Teyrnas Unedig lwyddiannus.
Dro ar ôl tro, mae Carwyn Jones a minnau wedi annog Gweinidogion y DU i gynnal y sgyrsiau difrifol sydd eu hangen i sefydlu gweithdrefn rynglywodraethol, i ddod o hyd i ffyrdd annibynnol o ddatrys ac osgoi anghydfod rhwng y cenhedloedd, i wneud hynny ar sail cydraddoldeb cyfranogiad a pharch. Yn hytrach, rydym ni'n wynebu Llywodraeth y DU sy'n cymryd cyllid yn unochrog ac yn ymosodol, yn cymryd pwerau oddi wrth Lywodraethau datganoledig ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig ac, yn ei gweithredoedd bob dydd, yn bwydo'r grymoedd a fydd yn arwain at chwalu'r Deyrnas Unedig, oni bai bod Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig yn barod i gydnabod ffolineb ei dull gweithredu ac yn dilyn, yn hytrach, y mathau o ddadleuon a chynigion adeiladol y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi eu cyfrannu yn gyson at y ddadl hon.
First Minister, can I ask you about positive steps that you can take in working with the UK Government to make Wales a safer place for everyone? I, along with many other Members and people across Wales, lit up my doorstep on Saturday evening to support the Reclaim the Streets campaign, not just to pay my respects to Wenjing Lin and Sarah Everard, but also to show a commitment to making our communities across Wales a safer place. You've just mentioned communities. Much more action is needed now to help women and people feel safer in our communities. Can you confirm that the Welsh Government will do what it can to positively collaborate with the UK Government on this specific issue? And could you also tell us a little bit more about the steps that Welsh Government is taking to empower women and to reassure people that they are safe in communities across Wales?
Prif Weinidog, a gaf i eich holi am gamau cadarnhaol y gallwch chi eu cymryd gan weithio gyda Llywodraeth y DU i wneud Cymru yn lle mwy diogel i bawb? Goleuais i, ynghyd â llawer o Aelodau a phobl eraill ledled Cymru, fy stepen drws nos Sadwrn i gefnogi ymgyrch Reclaim the Streets, nid yn unig i dalu teyrnged i Wenjing Lin a Sarah Everard, ond hefyd i ddangos ymrwymiad i wneud ein cymunedau ledled Cymru yn lleoedd mwy diogel. Rydych chi newydd sôn am gymunedau. Mae angen llawer mwy o weithredu nawr i helpu menywod a phobl i deimlo yn fwy diogel yn ein cymunedau. A allwch chi gadarnhau y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwneud yr hyn a all i gydweithio yn gadarnhaol gyda Llywodraeth y DU ar y mater penodol hwn? Ac a allech chi ddweud ychydig mwy wrthym ni hefyd am y camau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i rymuso menywod ac i dawelu meddyliau pobl eu bod nhw'n ddiogel mewn cymunedau ledled Cymru?

Well, Llywydd, I thank Nick Ramsay for that very serious and pertinent question, and of course the Welsh Government will act positively and constructively with other Governments in the United Kingdom. Women in Wales and elsewhere in the United Kingdom must be safe and feel safe. And if that's to happen in Wales, then that can only be with a combination of services that are devolved and non-devolved. If the UK Government wants a constructive conversation and engagement on that issue, then, of course, they will find a ready partner for that here.
In terms of the actions that we can take, these were set out in the statement issued earlier today by my colleague Jane Hutt, the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip, who has dedicated her whole political career to advancing the causes of women and girls here in Wales. I commend the statement to Members of the Senedd. It sets out the actions that we, as a Welsh Government, will embark upon and, as I say, in answering Nick Ramsay, where others are willing to act with us in a genuinely collaborative fashion, we will always—we will always—be prepared to do that in the most constructive way.
Wel, Llywydd, diolchaf i Nick Ramsay am y cwestiwn difrifol a pherthnasol iawn yna, ac wrth gwrs bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithredu yn gadarnhaol ac yn adeiladol gyda Llywodraethau eraill yn y Deyrnas Unedig. Mae'n rhaid i fenywod yng Nghymru ac mewn mannau eraill yn y Deyrnas Unedig fod yn ddiogel a theimlo yn ddiogel. Ac os yw hynny yn mynd i ddigwydd yng Nghymru, yna dim ond gyda chyfuniad o wasanaethau sydd wedi eu datganoli ac nad ydyn nhw wedi eu datganoli y gall hynny fod. Os yw Llywodraeth y DU eisiau cael sgwrs ac ymgysylltiad adeiladol ar y mater hwnnw, yna, wrth gwrs, byddan nhw'n canfod partner parod ar gyfer hynny yn y fan yma.
O ran y camau y gallwn ni eu cymryd, nodwyd y rhain yn y datganiad a gyhoeddwyd yn gynharach heddiw gan fy nghyd-Weinidog Jane Hutt, y Dirprwy Weinidog a'r Prif Chwip, sydd wedi neilltuo ei gyrfa wleidyddol gyfan i hyrwyddo achosion menywod a merched yma yng Nghymru. Cymeradwyaf y datganiad i Aelodau'r Senedd. Mae'n nodi'r camau y byddwn ni, fel Llywodraeth Cymru, yn ymgymryd â nhw ac, fel y dywedais, wrth ateb Nick Ramsay, pan fo eraill yn barod i weithredu gyda ni mewn modd gwirioneddol gydweithredol, byddwn ni bob amser—byddwn ni bob amser—yn barod i wneud hynny yn y ffordd fwyaf adeiladol.
First Minister, I cannot over-emphasise how deeply I disagree with everything Mark Reckless now stands for. It seems to me that one of the main barriers to good inter-governmental relations between Wales and England is the largely defunct role of Secretary of State for Wales. The incumbent, Simon Hart, has said recently that the Welsh Government should
'stop fretting about their own little status in Cardiff and...look at the bigger picture'.
Would you agree with me that the bigger picture we need to look towards, before we achieve the independence that will empower us, is actually to abolish the role of Welsh Secretary, seeing as his Government and he are so intent on undermining the devolution that the people of Wales have voted for on no less than 14 occasions, through two referendums and delivering pro-devolution majorities in every election since 1997?
Prif Weinidog, ni allaf orbwysleisio pa mor ddwfn yr wyf i'n anghytuno â phopeth y mae Mark Reckless yn sefyll drosto erbyn hyn. Mae'n ymddangos i mi mai un o'r prif rwystrau i gysylltiadau rhynglywodraethol da rhwng Cymru a Lloegr yw swyddogaeth ddi-rym, i raddau helaeth, Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru. Mae'r deiliad, Simon Hart, wedi dweud yn ddiweddar y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru
roi'r gorau i ofidio am eu statws bach eu hunain yng Nghaerdydd ac...edrych ar y darlun ehangach.
A fyddech chi'n cytuno â mi mai'r darlun ehangach y mae angen i ni edrych tuag ato, cyn i ni sicrhau'r annibyniaeth a fydd yn ein grymuso, yw diddymu swyddogaeth Ysgrifennydd Cymru, o ystyried bod ei Lywodraeth ac yntau mor benderfynol o danseilio'r datganoli y mae pobl Cymru wedi pleidleisio drosto ar ddim llai na 14 achlysur, trwy ddau refferendwm a darparu mwyafrifoedd o blaid datganoli ym mhob etholiad ers 1997?

Well, Llywydd, I certainly agree with Delyth Jewell that I have no sympathy at all with what Mr Reckless stands for or proposes. I often feel, when that Member is asking me questions, that what he's really doing is he's accusing me of being Welsh. And it's an accusation, Llywydd, to which I plead guilty, of course—inside out, back to front, upside down; you name it, that's what I am. The Member, I'm afraid—Mr Reckless—will never understand that, and it leads to the misguided sets of ideas that he puts in front of us.
On the issue of the Secretary of State's office, I have long believed—I've believed for more than a decade, while there were Labour Governments as well as Conservative Governments—that the continued case for territorial Secretaries of State, as they are called, has diminished year by year. I think there is a case for a Whitehall ministry that takes a constructive responsibility for relationships between the nations of the United Kingdom. I think that's a proper ambition. But territorial Secretaries of State are a hangover from pre-devolution days and, as I say, I agree with Delyth Jewell that the case for them weakens all the time, and is certainly weakened when any incumbent of that office uses the sort of belittling and demeaning language that we've seen from the Secretary of State for Wales.
Wel, Llywydd, rwy'n sicr yn cytuno â Delyth Jewell nad oes gen i unrhyw gydymdeimlad o gwbl â'r hyn y mae Mr Reckless yn sefyll drosto nac yn ei gynnig. Rwy'n teimlo'n aml, pan fydd yr Aelod hwnnw yn gofyn cwestiynau i mi, mai'r hyn y mae'n ei wneud mewn gwirionedd yw fy nghyhuddo i o fod yn Gymro. Ac mae'n gyhuddiad, Llywydd, yr wyf i'n pledio yn euog iddo, wrth gwrs—y tu chwith allan, y tu ôl ymlaen, wyneb i waered; dywedwch chi ef, dyna'r hyn yr wyf. Ni fydd yr Aelod, mae arnaf i ofn—Mr Reckless—byth yn deall hynny, ac mae'n arwain at y gyfres gamsyniol o syniadau y mae'n eu rhoi ger ein bron.
O ran swyddfa'r Ysgrifennydd Gwladol, rwyf i wedi credu ers tro—rwyf i wedi credu ers dros ddegawd, tra'r oedd Llywodraethau Llafur yn ogystal â Llywodraethau Ceidwadol—bod y ddadl barhaus dros Ysgrifenyddion Gwladol tiriogaethol, fel y'u gelwir, wedi lleihau flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn. Rwy'n credu bod dadl dros weinyddiaeth yn Whitehall sy'n cymryd cyfrifoldeb adeiladol am y berthynas rhwng cenhedloedd y Deyrnas Unedig. Rwy'n credu bod hwnnw yn uchelgais priodol. Ond mae Ysgrifenyddion Gwladol tiriogaethol yn oroesiad o'r dyddiau cyn datganoli ac, fel y dywedais, rwy'n cytuno â Delyth Jewell bod y ddadl o'u plaid yn gwanhau drwy'r amser, ac yn sicr yn cael ei gwanhau pan fydd unrhyw un o ddeiliaid y swydd honno yn defnyddio'r math o iaith fychanol a diraddiol yr ydym ni wedi ei gweld gan Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru.
Cwestiynau nawr gan arweinwyr y pleidiau. Arweinydd Plaid Cymru, Adam Price.
Questions now from the party leaders. Plaid Cymru leader, Adam Price.

Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, today we mark the very sombre anniversary of the first recorded death as a result of COVID-19 in Wales. You've talked about the need for a future public inquiry that will seek to identify lessons from the last 12 months. Do you share the view, as I do, recently expressed by Sir Mansel Aylward, that one of the clear lessons is that there was a failure to properly plan and prepare for the pandemic? Specifically, do you think that the emphasis on influenza to the exclusion of coronaviruses like severe acute respiratory syndrome or middle east respiratory syndrome in the pandemic plan led to some of the early mistakes in the response? The science around a flu pandemic suggested it was very, very difficult, or even futile, to try and suppress community transmission once it's become endemic, which isn't the case, as we now know, with COVID. Does that explain the two principal mistakes early on—the failure to adopt lockdown restrictions sufficiently early and the abandonment of community test and trace, later readopted, of course?
Diolch, Llywydd. Prif Weinidog, heddiw rydym ni'n nodi pen-blwydd prudd iawn y farwolaeth gyntaf a gofnodwyd o ganlyniad i COVID-19 yng Nghymru. Rydych chi wedi sôn am yr angen am ymchwiliad cyhoeddus yn y dyfodol a fydd yn ceisio nodi gwersi o'r 12 mis diwethaf. A ydych chi'n rhannu'r farn, fel yr wyf i, a fynegwyd yn ddiweddar gan Syr Mansel Aylward, mai un o'r gwersi eglur yw y bu methiant i gynllunio a pharatoi yn iawn ar gyfer y pandemig? Yn benodol, a ydych chi'n credu bod y pwyslais ar y ffliw gan eithrio coronafeirysau fel syndrom anadlol acíwt difrifol neu syndrom anadlol y dwyrain canol yn y cynllun pandemig wedi arwain at rai o'r camgymeriadau cynnar yn yr ymateb? Awgrymodd yr wyddoniaeth o amgylch pandemig ffliw ei bod hi'n anodd dros ben, neu hyd yn oed yn ofer, ceisio atal trosglwyddiad cymunedol ar ôl iddo ddod yn endemig, nad yw'n wir, fel y gwyddom erbyn hyn, gyda COVID. A yw hynny'n esbonio'r ddau brif gamgymeriad yn gynnar—y methiant i fabwysiadu cyfyngiadau symud yn ddigon cynnar a chefnu ar brofi ac olrhain cymunedol, a ail-fabwysiadwyd yn ddiweddarach, wrth gwrs?

Well, Llywydd, let me thank Adam Price for drawing attention to the very sober and sombre day it is when we mark the anniversary of the first death from coronavirus here in Wales, an experience that has been repeated for far, far too many families. I was very glad today to be able to make the announcement of commemorative woodland, in both north and south Wales, where families who have experienced that loss will be able to have permanent memorial to that awful experience. Mr Price is right as well, Llywydd, to point to the fact that pandemic planning across the United Kingdom had largely focused on influenza, and the lessons that were drawn from earlier experiences of that.
I think it is too early to talk of mistakes and to attributing causes to things that could have been done differently. I'm quite sure that things would have been done differently if we knew then what we know now. So, that's not in any way to deny that things could have been done differently. Being able to say, 'It was because if this, or because of that, and, if we'd known, we'd have done something differently'—I think that's much harder to be definitive. There needs to be an inquiry. That inquiry needs to be on a UK basis, otherwise it will never make sense of the experience here in Wales in a full way, and it needs to be done at a time when the system—which is still focused, every single day, on dealing with the very real impacts of the public health emergency—has the space it needs to be able to think about and contribute to the questions that such an inquiry will rightly raise.
Wel, Llywydd, gadewch i mi ddiolch i Adam Price am dynnu sylw at y diwrnod difrifol a phrudd iawn yr ydyw pan fyddwn ni'n nodi pen-blwydd y farwolaeth gyntaf o coronafeirws yma yng Nghymru, profiad sydd wedi cael ei ailadrodd i lawer iawn gormod o deuluoedd. Roeddwn i'n falch iawn heddiw o allu gwneud y cyhoeddiad am goetir coffa, yn y gogledd ac yn y de, lle bydd teuluoedd sydd wedi dioddef y golled honno yn gallu cael cofeb barhaol i'r profiad ofnadwy hwnnw. Mae Mr Price yn iawn hefyd, Llywydd, i dynnu sylw at y ffaith bod cynllunio ar gyfer pandemig ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig wedi canolbwyntio i raddau helaeth ar y ffliw, a'r gwersi a ddysgwyd o brofiadau cynharach o hynny.
Rwy'n credu ei bod hi'n rhy gynnar i sôn am gamgymeriadau ac i briodoli achosion i bethau y gellid bod wedi eu gwneud yn wahanol. Rwy'n eithaf sicr y byddai pethau wedi cael eu gwneud yn wahanol pe byddem ni'n gwybod bryd hynny yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ei wybod nawr. Felly, nid yw hynny yn gwadu mewn unrhyw ffordd y gellid bod wedi gwneud pethau yn wahanol. Mae gallu dweud, 'Roedd oherwydd hyn, neu oherwydd hynna, a, phe byddem ni wedi gwybod, byddem ni wedi gwneud rhywbeth yn wahanol'—rwy'n credu bod hynny'n llawer anoddach i fod yn bendant. Mae angen cynnal ymchwiliad. Mae angen i'r ymchwiliad hwnnw fod ar sail y DU, neu ni fydd byth yn gwneud synnwyr o'r profiad yma yng Nghymru mewn ffordd lawn, ac mae angen ei wneud ar adeg pan fo gan y system—sy'n dal i ganolbwyntio, bob dydd, ar ymdrin ag effeithiau gwirioneddol argyfwng iechyd y cyhoedd—y lle sydd ei angen arni i allu meddwl amdano a chyfrannu at y cwestiynau y bydd ymchwiliad o'r fath yn eu codi yn briodol.
Many people, First Minister, are pointing to the way in which COVID-19 has highlighted and further exacerbated existing health inequalities that the Welsh health and social care policy forum, which draw together the leading organisations in the sector in Wales, have written to you, asking you to commit to a cross-Government strategy to reduce these inequalities, addressing the deeper social determinants of ill health, poor housing, gaps in educational opportunity and the prior pandemic of poverty that has scarred too many people in Wales for far too long.
The announcement that you just referred to—the creation of a living memorial to those who have lost their lives—I think is very thoughtful and very welcome, but would it not be an even greater memorial for us to resolve together to end child hunger and poverty, to end homelessness and poor housing, and end poverty pay, beginning with key workers, as a sign of our collective determination not to go back to how things were before?
Mae llawer o bobl, Prif Weinidog, yn tynnu sylw at y ffordd y mae COVID-19 wedi amlygu a gwaethygu ymhellach yr anghydraddoldebau iechyd presennol y mae fforwm polisi iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol Cymru, sy'n dod â'r sefydliadau blaenllaw yn y sector yng Nghymru ynghyd, wedi ysgrifennu atoch yn eu cylch, yn gofyn i chi ymrwymo i strategaeth draws-Lywodraethol i leihau'r anghydraddoldebau hyn, gan fynd i'r afael â phenderfynyddion cymdeithasol dyfnach afiechyd, tai gwael, bylchau mewn cyfleoedd addysgol a'r pandemig blaenorol o dlodi sydd wedi creithio gormod o bobl yng Nghymru am amser rhy hir o lawer.
Mae'r cyhoeddiad yr ydych chi newydd gyfeirio ato—creu cofeb fyw i'r rhai sydd wedi colli eu bywydau—yr wyf i'n credu sy'n feddylgar iawn ac i'w groesawu yn fawr, ond oni fyddai'n gofeb fwy fyth i ni benderfynu gyda'n gilydd i roi terfyn ar newyn a thlodi plant, i roi terfyn ar ddigartrefedd a thai gwael, a rhoi terfyn ar dâl tlodi, gan ddechrau gyda gweithwyr allweddol, fel arwydd o'n penderfyniad ar y cyd i beidio â dychwelyd i sut yr oedd pethau o'r blaen?

Well, Llywydd, those are also important points. I'm very glad the social care forum has been hard at work on this agenda. The work of the social partnership council, Llywydd, when we come to reflect on this extraordinary 12 months, I think will stand out as a way of working here in Wales that genuinely brings all interested parties around the table together. It's met every fortnight, it set up the social care forum as part of those arrangements, and I think they will be shown to have stood us in very good stead.
My ambition beyond coronavirus is absolutely to build back fairer, because if we don't build back fairer we certainly will not be building back better. And coronavirus has exposed—absolutely exposed—those deep, underlying unfairnesses and inequalities that are there in Welsh society and which have been exacerbated during a decade of deliberate austerity. What we now need to see is a Government at Westminster that is prepared, as we come out of all of this, not to heap the responsibility for it on the shoulders of those on whom we've relied the most during the last 12 months, and yet I fear very much that that is what we will see. And instead of inequalities being eroded, the Welsh Government will once again be faced with trying to do everything we can do to mitigate the impacts of a UK Government whose actions simply add to rather than address the structural impacts that we have seen drawn to the surface during the pandemic.
Wel, Llywydd, mae'r rheina yn bwyntiau pwysig hefyd. Rwy'n falch iawn bod y fforwm gofal cymdeithasol wedi bod yn gweithio'n galed ar yr agenda hon. Rwy'n credu y bydd gwaith cyngor y bartneriaeth gymdeithasol, Llywydd, pan fyddwn ni'n dod i fyfyrio ar y 12 mis eithriadol hwn, yn sefyll allan fel ffordd o weithio yma yng Nghymru sydd wir yn dod â phob parti â buddiant o amgylch y bwrdd at ei gilydd. Mae wedi cyfarfod bob pythefnos, mae wedi sefydlu'r fforwm gofal cymdeithasol yn rhan o'r trefniadau hynny, ac rwy'n credu y dangosir eu bod nhw wedi ein rhoi ni mewn sefyllfa dda iawn.
Fy uchelgais pendant y tu hwnt i coronafeirws yw adeiladu yn ôl yn decach, oherwydd os na wnawn ni adeiladu yn ôl yn decach, yn sicr ni fyddwn ni'n adeiladu yn ôl yn well. Ac mae coronafeirws wedi amlygu—yn gwbl eglur—yr annhegwch a'r anghydraddoldebau dwfn, sylfaenol hynny sydd yno yng nghymdeithas Cymru ac sydd wedi eu gwaethygu yn ystod degawd o gyni cyllidol bwriadol. Yr hyn y mae angen i ni ei weld nawr yw Llywodraeth yn San Steffan sy'n barod, wrth i ni ddod allan o hyn i gyd, i beidio â llwytho'r cyfrifoldeb amdano ar ysgwyddau y rhai yr ydym ni wedi dibynnu fwyaf arnyn nhw yn ystod y 12 mis diwethaf, ac eto rwy'n ofni'n fawr mai dyna fyddwn ni'n ei weld. Ac yn hytrach nag erydu anghydraddoldebau, bydd Llywodraeth Cymru unwaith eto yn wynebu ceisio gwneud popeth y gallwn ni ei wneud i liniaru effeithiau Llywodraeth y DU y mae ei gweithredoedd yn ychwanegu at yr effeithiau strwythurol yr ydym ni wedi eu gweld yn cael eu tynnu i'r wyneb yn ystod y pandemig yn hytrach na mynd i'r afael â nhw.
First Minister, you previously said that you share my party's ambition of paying care workers fairly, with a guaranteed minimum wage of £10 an hour, but that can only happen, you said, if your party at Westminster succeeds in persuading the UK Government to adopt such a policy. Surely we can't afford to outsource such a fundamental decision to a UK Tory Government—they're never going to build back fairer, are they? Twenty-five years ago, we used to talk about the devolution dividend as one of the core arguments for the creation of this institution, the Senedd. Isn't it time that that dividend was paid to this group of workers? So, will you commit to funding social care, First Minister, sufficiently, so that all care workers can at least receive the real living wage, as an embodiment of the new Wales we should endeavour to create as a positive legacy of this awful pandemic?
Prif Weinidog, dywedasoch yn y gorffennol eich bod chi'n rhannu uchelgais fy mhlaid i o dalu gweithwyr gofal yn deg, gydag isafswm cyflog gwarantedig o £10 yr awr, ond dywedasoch mai dim ond os bydd eich plaid yn San Steffan yn llwyddo i berswadio Llywodraeth y DU i fabwysiadu polisi o'r fath y gall hynny ddigwydd. Siawns na allwn ni fforddio i roi penderfyniad mor sylfaenol ar gontract allanol i Lywodraeth Dorïaidd y DU—nid ydyn nhw byth yn mynd i adeiladu yn ôl yn decach, ydyn nhw? Bum mlynedd ar hugain yn ôl, roeddem ni'n arfer sôn am y difidend datganoli fel un o'r dadleuon craidd dros greu'r sefydliad hwn, y Senedd. Onid yw hi'n bryd i'r difidend hwnnw gael ei dalu i'r grŵp hwn o weithwyr? Felly, a wnewch chi ymrwymo i ariannu gofal cymdeithasol, Prif Weinidog, yn ddigonol, fel y gall pob gweithiwr gofal gael y cyflog byw gwirioneddol o leiaf, fel ymgorfforiad o'r Gymru newydd y dylem ni ymdrechu i'w chreu fel etifeddiaeth gadarnhaol o'r pandemig ofnadwy hwn?

Well, first of all, Llywydd, let me say that the devolution dividend is there every day in the experience of Welsh citizens, and there in a way that directly addresses inequalities as well. People here in Wales who are in low pay don't pay for their prescriptions, whereas, across the border, they're paying nearly £9 for every item. There's no tax on sickness here in Wales, and that's a devolution dividend. In this Senedd term, we have created the most generous childcare offer anywhere in the United Kingdom, again so that working families know that they can go to work and deal with and have at their disposal quality childcare for young people as they are in those formative years. We still have free breakfasts in our primary schools—again, absolutely aimed at making sure that those children who came to school too hungry to learn have something in Wales that we know will prevent that from happening. The devolution dividend is there every single day in the lives of Welsh families. And as for social care workers, of course it's the ambition of this Government that our social care workers should be properly recognised and properly paid for the job they do. We were the first Government in the United Kingdom to pay £500 to social care workers in recognition of the extraordinary job they have done during the pandemic. Now that the Chancellor's budget is out of the way, then my colleague Rebecca Evans, with Julie Morgan and Vaughan Gething, are looking to see how we can use our budget to continue to advance our agenda of recognising and rewarding social care workers for the vital job they do here in Wales.
Wel, yn gyntaf oll, Llywydd, gadewch i mi ddweud bod y difidend datganoli yno bob dydd ym mhrofiad dinasyddion Cymru, ac yno mewn ffordd sy'n mynd i'r afael yn uniongyrchol ag anghydraddoldebau hefyd. Nid yw pobl yma yng Nghymru sy'n cael cyflog isel yn talu am eu presgripsiynau, ond, dros y ffin, maen nhw'n talu bron i £9 am bob eitem. Nid oes treth ar salwch yma yng Nghymru, ac mae hwnnw yn ddifidend datganoli. Yn nhymor y Senedd hon, rydym ni wedi creu'r cynnig gofal plant mwyaf hael yn unman yn y Deyrnas Unedig, unwaith eto fel bod teuluoedd sy'n gweithio yn gwybod y gallan nhw fynd i'r gwaith ac ymdrin â gofal plant o safon a'i fod ar gael iddyn nhw, ar gyfer pobl ifanc tra eu bod nhw yn y blynyddoedd ffurfiannol hynny. Mae gennym ni frecwastau am ddim yn ein hysgolion cynradd o hyd—unwaith eto, gyda'r nod pendant o wneud yn siŵr bod gan y plant hynny a oedd yn dod i'r ysgol yn rhy llwglyd i ddysgu, rywbeth yng Nghymru y gwyddom y bydd yn atal hynny rhag digwydd. Mae'r difidend datganoli yno bob un dydd ym mywydau teuluoedd Cymru. Ac o ran gweithwyr gofal cymdeithasol, wrth gwrs mai uchelgais y Llywodraeth hon yw y dylai ein gweithwyr gofal cymdeithasol gael eu cydnabod yn briodol a'u talu yn briodol am y gwaith y maen nhw'n ei wneud. Ni oedd y Llywodraeth gyntaf yn y Deyrnas Unedig i dalu £500 i weithwyr gofal cymdeithasol i gydnabod y gwaith eithriadol y maen nhw wedi ei wneud yn ystod y pandemig. Nawr bod cyllideb y Canghellor allan o'r ffordd, yna mae fy nghyd-Weinidog Rebecca Evans, gyda Julie Morgan a Vaughan Gething, yn edrych i weld sut y gallwn ni ddefnyddio ein cyllideb i barhau i ddatblygu ein hagenda o gydnabod a gwobrwyo gweithwyr gofal cymdeithasol am y gwaith hanfodol y maen nhw'n ei wneud yma yng Nghymru.
Arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew R.T. Davies.

Thank you, Presiding Officer, and I identify myself with the comments of other leaders here this afternoon in reflecting on the year's anniversary since the first COVID death in Wales. Who would have thought, 12 months later, we would still tragically be seeing more deaths being reported from COVID, and continuing to go through the restrictions that are placed on all our everyday lives? I'd also like to ask the First Minister—. Because, as we come out of the COVID crisis, with the vaccine programme in full swing across the whole of the United Kingdom, on the continent of Europe, many leaders are now turning their back on the AstraZeneca vaccine and putting comments in the press that are deeply unhelpful to the roll-out of the vaccine—. You've used the rostrum here, or the lectern, should I say, to pass a message to the leaders on the continent of Europe when the Brexit discussions were in full flow. First Minister, what's your message to President Macron and Chancellor Merkel when they're talking negatively about the AstraZeneca vaccine? Because, until we have society across the world vaccinated, it's going to be increasingly difficult for us to get back to our normal lives. And what impact have you had—? What impact and assessment have you had made of the comments on the roll-out of the vaccine here in Wales—of the comments made in Europe?
Diolch, Llywydd, ac rwy'n cysylltu fy hun â sylwadau arweinyddion eraill yn y fan yma y prynhawn yma wrth fyfyrio ar ben-blwydd y farwolaeth COVID gyntaf yng Nghymru. Pwy fyddai wedi meddwl, 12 mis yn ddiweddarach, y byddem ni'n dal i fod yn gweld mwy o farwolaethau trasig yn cael eu hadrodd o COVID, ac yn parhau i fynd drwy'r cyfyngiadau sy'n cael eu gosod ar ein bywydau bob dydd? Hoffwn ofyn i'r Prif Weinidog hefyd—. Oherwydd, wrth i ni ddod allan o argyfwng COVID, gyda'r rhaglen frechu yn ei hanterth ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig gyfan, ar gyfandir Ewrop, mae llawer o arweinyddion yn troi eu cefnau ar frechlyn AstraZeneca bellach ac yn rhoi sylwadau yn y wasg sy'n arbennig o annefnyddiol i gyflwyniad y brechlyn—. Rydych chi wedi defnyddio'r llwyfan yn y fan yma, neu'r darllenfwrdd, ddylwn i ddweud, i gyfleu neges i'r arweinyddion ar gyfandir Ewrop pan oedd trafodaethau Brexit yn eu hanterth. Prif Weinidog, beth yw eich neges i'r Arlywydd Macron a'r Canghellor Merkel pan fyddan nhw'n siarad yn negyddol am frechlyn AstraZeneca? Oherwydd, tan y byddwn ni wedi brechu cymdeithas ledled y byd, mae'n mynd i fod yn fwyfwy anodd i ni ddychwelyd i'n bywydau arferol. A pha effaith ydych chi wedi ei chael—? Pa effaith ac asesiad ydych chi wedi eu gwneud o'r sylwadau ar gyflwyniad y brechlyn yma yng Nghymru—o'r sylwadau a wnaed yn Ewrop?

Well, Llywydd, my message is to people here in Wales on this important issue, and my message to people in Wales is very simple: the Oxford vaccine is safe. The anxieties that have been expressed about it elsewhere are not shared by the medicines regulator here in Wales, they are not shared by the World Health Organization, they are not shared by the European Medicines Agency, and they are certainly not shared by our chief medical officer and our scientific advisers. The health Minister and I had an opportunity yesterday to test all this evidence directly with our chief medical officer, and we came away from that absolutely strengthened in our understanding that the blood clots that are talked about in newspapers—there is no more risk of a blood clot from having the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine than there would be in the population at large at any time. Blood clots occur all the time in the population, and the vaccine is not—is not—going to increase your risk of that. So, on the important point that Andrew R.T. Davies made, I don't want anybody in Wales who may be hesitant about the vaccine to become more hesitant because of the stories that they will have seen or heard.
The vaccination programme in Wales goes from strength to strength. We broke records twice in this last week, on Friday and on Saturday, in the reported numbers of people who were vaccinated in one day. Over 40,000 people in one day reported on Saturday—an extraordinary figure; over 1 per cent of the whole population of Wales coming forward for vaccination. That's what we need to see in the days and weeks ahead, and I know that that will be strongly supported by parties across this Chamber, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to have reinforced those messages again this afternoon.
Wel, Llywydd, mae fy neges i i bobl yma yng Nghymru ar y mater pwysig hwn, ac mae fy neges i bobl yng Nghymru yn syml iawn: mae brechlyn Rhydychen yn ddiogel. Nid yw'r pryderon a fynegwyd amdano mewn mannau eraill yn cael eu rhannu gan y rheoleiddiwr meddyginiaethau yma yng Nghymru, nid ydyn nhw'n cael eu rhannu gan Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd, nid ydyn nhw'n cael eu rhannu gan yr Asiantaeth Feddyginiaethau Ewropeaidd, ac yn sicr nid ydyn nhw'n cael eu rhannu gan ein prif swyddog meddygol a'n cynghorwyr gwyddonol. Cafodd y Gweinidog iechyd a minnau gyfle ddoe i brofi'r holl dystiolaeth hon yn uniongyrchol gyda'n prif swyddog meddygol, a daethom i ffwrdd o hynny yn gwbl gryfach yn ein dealltwriaeth bod y clotiau gwaed y sonnir amdanyn nhw mewn papurau newydd—nid oes dim mwy o berygl o glot gwaed o gael brechlyn AstraZeneca-Rhydychen nag a fyddai yn y boblogaeth yn gyffredinol ar unrhyw adeg. Mae clotiau gwaed yn digwydd drwy'r amser yn y boblogaeth, ac nid yw'r brechlyn—nid yw—yn mynd i gynyddu eich risg o hynny. Felly, o ran y pwynt pwysig a wnaeth Andrew R.T. Davies, nid wyf i eisiau i neb yng Nghymru a allai fod yn betrusgar am y brechlyn betruso mwy oherwydd y straeon y byddan nhw wedi eu gweld neu eu clywed.
Mae'r rhaglen frechu yng Nghymru yn mynd o nerth i nerth. Adroddwyd y niferoedd uchaf erioed ddwywaith yn ystod yr wythnos diwethaf, ddydd Gwener a dydd Sadwrn, o ran nifer y bobl a gafodd frechiad mewn un diwrnod. Adroddwyd dros 40,000 o bobl mewn un diwrnod ddydd Sadwrn—ffigur eithriadol; dros 1 y cant o boblogaeth gyfan Cymru yn dod ymlaen i gael eu brechu. Dyna'r hyn y mae angen i ni ei weld yn y dyddiau a'r wythnosau i ddod, a gwn y bydd hynny yn cael ei gefnogi yn gryf gan bleidiau ar draws y Siambr hon, ac rwy'n ddiolchgar am y cyfle i atgyfnerthu'r negeseuon hynny unwaith eto y prynhawn yma.
Thank you, First Minister. And I do welcome those positive comments, despite the negativity that is coming from other countries, and I hope that we can get back, in those countries, to a normal process of vaccination, because, as I said, unless we all adhere to the vaccination programme, we will all suffer lockdown measures going forward, as we're seeing in countries across Europe at the moment.
But I do want to bring you back to your own control plan, the coronavirus control plan, which you brought forward in December, and in particular that plan was predicated on the Kent variant being the dominant virus, which you identified on 21 December. The health Minister repeated this to me in January, when I was asking for a road map out of lockdown and, in particular, gateways of opportunity to open up the economy and open up society. You also repeated the importance of the coronavirus control plan to my colleague Laura Anne Jones in February, yet it is my understanding that the coronavirus control plan has now been put to one side and is awaiting an update. Why is it taking so long to update the coronavirus control plan, as it's been central to your thinking up until a few weeks ago? And can you, in the interest of transparency, publish all the updated guidelines that you're using when you're considering measures to unlock society as we go further into the spring and early summer?
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. Ac rwy'n croesawu'r sylwadau cadarnhaol hynny, er gwaethaf y negyddoldeb sy'n dod o wledydd eraill, a gobeithio y gallwn ni ddychwelyd, yn y gwledydd hynny, at broses frechu arferol, oherwydd, fel y dywedais, oni bai ein bod ni i gyd yn glynu wrth y rhaglen frechu, byddwn ni i gyd yn dioddef cyfyngiadau symud yn y dyfodol, fel yr ydym ni'n eu gweld mewn gwledydd ledled Ewrop ar hyn o bryd.
Ond fe hoffwn i ddod â chi yn ôl at eich cynllun rheoli eich hun, y cynllun rheoli coronafeirws, a gyhoeddwyd gennych chi ym mis Rhagfyr, ac yn arbennig, roedd y cynllun hwnnw wedi'i seilio ar amrywiolyn Caint fel y feirws amlycaf, a nodwyd gennych chi ar 21 Rhagfyr. Ailadroddodd y Gweinidog iechyd hyn wrthyf i ym mis Ionawr, pan oeddwn i'n gofyn am fap ffordd allan o'r cyfyngiadau symud ac, yn benodol, pyrth o gyfle i agor yr economi ac agor cymdeithas. Fe wnaethoch chi ailadrodd hefyd pwysigrwydd y cynllun rheoli coronafeirws i'm cyd-Aelod Laura Anne Jones ym mis Chwefror, ac eto fy nealltwriaeth i yw bod y cynllun rheoli coronafeirws wedi ei roi o'r neilltu erbyn hyn a'i fod yn aros am ddiweddariad. Pam mae'n cymryd cyhyd i ddiweddaru'r cynllun rheoli coronafeirws, gan ei fod wedi bod yn ganolog i'ch syniadau hyd at ychydig wythnosau yn ôl? Ac a allwch chi, i sicrhau tryloywder, gyhoeddi'r holl ganllawiau wedi'u diweddaru yr ydych chi'n eu defnyddio pan eich bod chi'n ystyried mesurau i ddatgloi cymdeithas wrth i ni fynd ymhellach i'r gwanwyn a dechrau'r haf?

Well, Llywydd, the control plan, the alert levels, were absolutely key to the announcement that I was able to make on Friday of last week: a very clear set of milestones for our education system, for our personal lives and in the business community, explaining how we hope to take advantage of the work that we have done together to suppress the virus here in Wales, to have more children back in school, more opportunities for people to meet, more businesses able to reopen again. I set out a series of dates, right up until 12 April, and indicated the issues that will be under consideration in the review period beyond that, provided conditions allow. All of that drew very heavily on the control plan.
We are in the process of updating some of the metrics in it to take full account of new variants and risks that still exist, because while numbers in Wales are currently falling, and the number of people in hospital is falling as well, none of us should turn our sight away from the risks that continue to be there. Three quarters of the countries of Europe reported rising coronavirus rates only last week, and here in Wales, we have some areas where numbers are not falling. So, while the position is, for the moment, and hopefully continuingly, heading in the right direction, it won't continue to do so if we don't attend to all the risks that continue to be there. The updated coronavirus plan will make sure that we have a properly balanced assessment, both of everything that has been achieved, of the positive impact that vaccination will continue to provide, but also that we do not put at risk everything that's been achieved by not being constantly vigilant about the risks that this virus can still pose to us all and to the lives of people here in Wales.
Wel, Llywydd, roedd y cynllun rheoli, y lefelau rhybudd, yn gwbl allweddol i'r cyhoeddiad yr oeddwn i'n gallu ei wneud ddydd Gwener yr wythnos diwethaf: cyfres eglur iawn o gerrig milltir i'n system addysg, i'n bywydau personol ac yn y gymuned fusnes, yn esbonio sut yr ydym ni'n gobeithio manteisio ar y gwaith yr ydym ni wedi ei wneud gyda'n gilydd i atal y feirws yma yng Nghymru, i gael mwy o blant yn ôl yn yr ysgol, mwy o gyfleoedd i bobl gyfarfod, mwy o fusnesau yn gallu ailagor unwaith eto. Nodais gyfres o ddyddiadau, hyd at 12 Ebrill, a nodais y materion a fydd yn cael eu hystyried yn ystod cyfnod yr adolygiad y tu hwnt i hynny, cyn belled ag y bo'r amodau yn caniatáu hynny. Roedd hynny i gyd yn manteisio yn drwm iawn ar y cynllun rheoli.
Rydym wrthi'n diweddaru rhai o'r metrigau sydd ynddo i roi ystyriaeth lawn i amrywiolion newydd a risgiau sy'n dal i fodoli, oherwydd er bod niferoedd yng Nghymru yn gostwng ar hyn o bryd, a bod nifer y bobl yn yr ysbyty yn gostwng hefyd, ni ddylai yr un ohonom ni droi ein golwg oddi wrth y risgiau sy'n parhau i fod yno. Adroddodd tri chwarter gwledydd Ewrop gyfraddau coronafeirws sy'n cynyddu dim ond yr wythnos diwethaf, ac yma yng Nghymru, mae gennym ni rai ardaloedd lle nad yw'r niferoedd yn gostwng. Felly, er bod y sefyllfa, am y tro, a gobeithio yn barhaus, yn mynd i'r cyfeiriad iawn, ni fydd yn parhau i wneud hynny os na fyddwn ni'n rhoi sylw i'r holl risgiau sy'n parhau i fod yno. Bydd y cynllun coronafeirws wedi'i ddiweddaru yn gwneud yn siŵr bod gennym ni asesiad cytbwys iawn, o bopeth sydd wedi ei gyflawni, o'r effaith gadarnhaol y bydd brechu yn parhau i'w darparu, ond hefyd nad ydym ni'n peryglu popeth sydd wedi ei gyflawni, drwy beidio â bod yn wyliadwrus yn barhaus ynghylch y risgiau y gall y feirws hwn ddal i'w hachosi i bob un ohonom ni ac i fywydau pobl yma yng Nghymru.
Thank you for that answer, First Minister. I am a little surprised at the importance you attached to the coronavirus control plan in last week's announcement, because the health Minister did confirm that the plan, as devised, was not being adhered to in the consideration of the plans you announced on Friday, and that update was alluded to by the Deputy Minister in his interview on the Politics Wales show on Sunday, which we're still waiting for. Can you confirm when that new plan will be available for us all to consider what matrix the Government are working to?
Importantly, when it comes to a public inquiry, you've made comments recently that you do not believe that a public inquiry would be appropriate to start before the pandemic has come to its natural conclusion, if indeed it ever does come to its conclusion. We've also learned from Carmarthenshire council, for example, that twice as many people died in care homes in the second wave of the coronavirus outbreak. So, it's really important that we do have an independent, thorough inquiry to look at all these aspects, so that we can plan for the future, learn the safety measures we need to put in place to save lives going forward. I know that we have an election on 6 May, and we'll all be fighting to take the job that you have, and you will be fighting to retain that job, but it's important that members of the public understand exactly who occupies that chair, what they will do in commissioning such a public inquiry. From my point of view, I want to see a public inquiry as soon as possible make progress, and, rather than lose it in a wider UK public inquiry, have a Wales-specific public inquiry. Could you clarify your remarks so that we can understand exactly when you believe that a public inquiry should start, and that you agree that it should be a stand-alone Welsh public inquiry, looking at the measures that Welsh Government have control over, rather than be submerged in a wider UK inquiry?
Diolch am yr ateb yna, Prif Weinidog. Rwy'n synnu braidd at y pwysigrwydd y gwnaethoch chi ei neilltuo i'r cynllun rheoli coronafeirws yn y cyhoeddiad yr wythnos diwethaf, oherwydd cadarnhaodd y Gweinidog iechyd nad oedd cydymffurfiad â'r cynllun, fel y'i lluniwyd, wrth ystyried y cynlluniau a gyhoeddwyd gennych chi ddydd Gwener, a chyfeiriodd y Dirprwy Weinidog at y diweddariad hwnnw, yr ydym ni'n dal i aros amdano, yn ei gyfweliad ar raglen Politics Wales ddydd Sul. A allwch chi gadarnhau pryd y bydd y cynllun newydd hwnnw ar gael i ni i gyd ystyried pa fatrics y mae'r Llywodraeth yn gweithio yn unol ag ef?
Yn bwysig, pan ddaw'n fater o ymchwiliad cyhoeddus, rydych chi wedi gwneud sylwadau yn ddiweddar nad ydych chi'n credu y byddai'n briodol cychwyn ymchwiliad cyhoeddus cyn i'r pandemig ddod i'w derfyn naturiol, os gwnaiff ddod i'w derfyn fyth, yn wir. Rydym ni hefyd wedi darganfod gan gyngor sir Gaerfyrddin, er enghraifft, bod dwywaith cymaint o bobl wedi marw mewn cartrefi gofal yn ail don yr achosion o goronafeirws. Felly, mae'n bwysig iawn bod gennym ni ein bod ni'n cael ymchwiliad annibynnol a thrylwyr i edrych ar yr holl agweddau hyn, fel y gallwn ni gynllunio ar gyfer y dyfodol, dysgu'r mesurau diogelwch y mae angen i ni eu rhoi ar waith i achub bywydau yn y dyfodol. Gwn fod gennym ni etholiad ar 6 Mai, a byddwn ni i gyd yn brwydro i gymryd y swydd sydd gennych chi, a byddwch chithau'n brwydro i gadw'r swydd honno, ond mae'n bwysig bod aelodau'r cyhoedd yn deall yn union pwy sydd yn y gadair yna, yr hyn y bydd yn ei wneud wrth gomisiynu ymchwiliad cyhoeddus o'r fath. O'm safbwynt i, rwyf i eisiau gweld ymchwiliad cyhoeddus cyn gynted â phosibl yn gwneud cynnydd, ac, yn hytrach na'i golli mewn ymchwiliad cyhoeddus ehangach yn y DU, cael ymchwiliad cyhoeddus sy'n benodol i Gymru. A allech chi egluro eich sylwadau fel y gallwn ni ddeall yn union pryd yr ydych chi'n credu y dylai ymchwiliad cyhoeddus ddechrau, a'ch bod chi'n cytuno y dylai fod yn ymchwiliad cyhoeddus annibynnol i Gymru yn unig, yn edrych ar y mesurau y mae gan Lywodraeth Cymru reolaeth drostyn nhw, yn hytrach na chael ei foddi mewn ymchwiliad ehangach yn y DU?
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd (Ann Jones) i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Ann Jones) took the Chair.

Well, Llywydd, I believe that an inquiry will be a necessary and important part of the way that we learn the lessons of the extraordinary 12 months that we have lived through. I did not say yesterday that I thought it should wait until coronavirus was over; I said I thought it should wait until we are all confident that coronavirus is in the rear-view mirror. So, we will still be dealing with coronavirus, and will be for some time to come, but when we are certain that we are moving out of it and we're not at risk of it re-emerging again, then there will be capacity in the system to do the thinking and the work of contributing to a public inquiry.
I don't agree with him about a Wales-only inquiry. I've lost count of the number of times he has urged on me a four-nation approach, but on this issue he appears to think it sensible to go it alone. A Wales-only inquiry would not be able to grapple with a long list of issues that will be fundamental to being able to draw the lessons from what has happened. It would not be able to look at issues of foreign travel and the importation of the virus into the United Kingdom, and yet the first cases we saw here in Wales were viruses that came from elsewhere in the world. It would not be able to deal with the decision making of COBRA and the way in which that has impacted on the course of the virus here in Wales. It would not be able to deal with the vaccination programme, because the vaccination programme relies heavily on the successful work of the UK Government in securing supplies of the vaccine. It wouldn't be able to deal with the testing programme, because again, for the testing programme, we rely on the lighthouse labs for a good part of the testing programme here in Wales, and those labs and the decisions about them are made by the UK Government. Llywydd, I could go on. There is a very long list of things that are absolutely central to understanding the way in which coronavirus has impacted here in Wales.
That will, absolutely properly, look at the decision making of the Welsh Government as well, but trying to do it in isolation from the decisions that have been made across the United Kingdom and by other Governments as well as decisions that have been made jointly, it wouldn't even begin to tell the picture of what has happened in the last 12 months, it would not be worth it as an endeavour. On this matter, I agree with the advice he normally gives me, that a UK-wide inquiry, in which the decision making of all layers of Government will be fundamental, that is the way to learn the lessons, in a way that is right, proper and effective. And that's something that I'm very committed to making sure happens.
Wel, Llywydd, rwy'n credu y bydd ymchwiliad yn rhan angenrheidiol a phwysig o'r ffordd yr ydym ni'n dysgu gwersi y 12 mis eithriadol yr ydym ni wedi byw drwyddyn nhw. Ni ddywedais ddoe fy mod i'n meddwl y dylai aros tan fod y coronafeirws ar ben; dywedais fy mod i'n meddwl y dylai aros tan ein bod ni i gyd yn ffyddiog fod y coronafeirws y tu ôl i ni. Felly, byddwn ni'n dal i ymdrin â coronafeirws, ac yn gwneud hynny am gryn amser i ddod, ond pan fyddwn ni'n sicr ein bod ni'n symud allan ohono ac nad ydym ni mewn perygl y bydd yn ailymddangos unwaith eto, yna bydd capasiti yn y system i wneud y meddwl a'r gwaith o gyfrannu at ymchwiliad cyhoeddus.
Nid wyf i'n cytuno ag ef ynglŷn ag ymchwiliad Cymru yn unig. Rwyf i wedi colli cyfrif o'r nifer o weithiau y mae wedi annog i mi ddilyn dull pedair gwlad, ond ar y mater hwn mae'n ymddangos ei fod yn credu ei bod hi'n synhwyrol ei wneud ar ein pen ein hunain. Ni fyddai ymchwiliad Cymru yn unig yn gallu mynd i'r afael â rhestr faith o faterion a fydd yn hanfodol i allu dysgu'r gwersi o'r hyn sydd wedi digwydd. Ni fyddai'n gallu edrych ar faterion teithio tramor a mewnforio'r feirws i'r Deyrnas Unedig, ac eto roedd yr achosion cyntaf a welsom ni yma yng Nghymru yn feirysau a ddaeth o fannau eraill yn y byd. Ni fyddai'n gallu ymdrin â phenderfyniadau COBRA a'r ffordd y mae hynny wedi effeithio ar hynt y feirws yma yng Nghymru. Ni fyddai'n gallu ymdrin â'r rhaglen frechu, oherwydd mae'r rhaglen frechu yn dibynnu'n helaeth ar waith llwyddiannus Llywodraeth y DU o ran sicrhau cyflenwadau o'r brechlyn. Ni fyddai'n gallu ymdrin â'r rhaglen brofi, oherwydd unwaith eto, ar gyfer y rhaglen brofi, rydym ni'n dibynnu ar y labordai goleudy am ran sylweddol o'r rhaglen brofi yma yng Nghymru, ac mae'r labordai hynny a'r penderfyniadau amdanyn nhw yn cael eu gwneud gan Lywodraeth y DU. Llywydd, fe allwn i barhau. Ceir rhestr faith iawn o bethau sy'n gwbl ganolog i ddeall y ffordd y mae coronafeirws wedi cael effaith yma yng Nghymru.
Bydd hynny, yn gwbl briodol, yn edrych ar benderfyniadau Llywodraeth Cymru hefyd, ond ni fyddai ceisio gwneud hynny ar wahân i'r penderfyniadau a wnaed ledled y Deyrnas Unedig a chan Lywodraethau eraill yn ogystal â phenderfyniadau a wnaed ar y cyd, hyd yn oed yn dechrau cyfleu darlun o'r hyn sydd wedi digwydd yn ystod y 12 mis diwethaf, ni fyddai'n werth chweil fel ymdrech. Ar y mater hwn, rwy'n cytuno â'r cyngor y mae'n ei roi i mi fel rheol, mai ymchwiliad y DU gyfan, lle bydd penderfyniadau pob haen o Lywodraeth yn sylfaenol, dyna'r ffordd i ddysgu'r gwersi, mewn ffordd sy'n iawn, yn briodol ac yn effeithiol. Ac mae hynny yn rhywbeth yr wyf i'n ymrwymedig iawn i wneud yn siŵr ei fod yn digwydd.
3. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i fynd i'r afael â'r cynnydd yn nifer y cŵn a gaiff eu dwyn yng Nghymru? OQ56467
3. What action is the Welsh Government taking to combat the rise in dog thefts in Wales? OQ56467

I thank the Member for the question, Llywydd. While dog theft is not a devolved matter, officials across the UK are working together to develop proposals to tackle pet theft. The Welsh Government will act with others to ensure any such proposals have an effective impact here in Wales.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn, Llywydd. Er nad yw dwyn cŵn yn fater sydd wedi ei ddatganoli, mae swyddogion ledled y DU yn cydweithio i ddatblygu cynigion i fynd i'r afael ag achosion o ddwyn anifeiliaid anwes. Bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithredu gydag eraill i sicrhau bod unrhyw gynigion o'r fath yn cael effaith effeithiol yma yng Nghymru.
Thank you, First Minister. For many people, their dog is not just a pet, they are a family member, and to have that family member violently ripped from you so someone can profit is unimaginable to me, and I'm sure every person with an ounce of compassion feels that way. I cannot imagine the heartache those people are going through. So, while I accept, First Minister, that crime and sentencing matters are reserved to the UK Government, we can take action to make these crimes more difficult to perpetrate. First Minister, will you consider imposing tougher restrictions on third-party sales of pets to ensure that not only stringent animal welfare standards are met but to cut off the black market in animal sales? Diolch.
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. I lawer o bobl, nid anifail anwes yn unig yw eu ci, maen nhw'n aelod o'r teulu, ac mae cael yr aelod hwnnw o'r teulu wedi ei rwygo yn ddisymwth oddi wrthych chi fel y gall rhywun wneud elw y tu hwnt i'm dychymyg i, ac rwy'n siŵr bod pob person sydd â gronyn o dosturi yn teimlo felly. Ni allaf ddychmygu y gofid calon y mae'r bobl hynny yn ei ddioddef. Felly, er fy mod i'n derbyn, Prif Weinidog, bod materion troseddu a dedfrydu wedi eu cadw yn ôl ar gyfer Llywodraeth y DU, gallwn ni gymryd camau i wneud y troseddau hyn yn fwy anodd eu cyflawni. Prif Weinidog, a wnewch chi ystyried gosod cyfyngiadau llymach ar werthiannau trydydd parti o anifeiliaid anwes i sicrhau nid yn unig bod safonau lles anifeiliaid llym yn cael eu bodloni ond i ddileu'r farchnad ddu mewn gwerthiannau anifeiliaid? Diolch.

Llywydd, can I thank Caroline Jones? I share her view of the impact that dog thefts have on families where the care of an animal is absolutely part of what that family revolves around. I vividly remember, Llywydd, an early conversation with a food bank that I visited about the importance of being able to provide food for animals as part of the service that they provided for those families who relied upon the companionship of the dog that they spent a lot of their time and a lot of their lives with, so to have a dog stolen will be devastating for so many families. And I'm very pleased to be able to say in relation to the supplementary question that, next week, the Welsh Government will bring forward for debate on 23 March Lucy's law proposals—as they are sometimes called—to ban third-party sales of pets here in Wales. I look forward to that debate and, I'm sure, to support from Members for that action in many parts of the Chamber.
Llywydd, a gaf i ddiolch i Caroline Jones? Rwy'n rhannu ei barn ar yr effaith y mae achosion o ddwyn cŵn yn ei chael ar deuluoedd pan fo gofalu am anifail yn rhan ganolog o'r hyn y mae'r teulu hwnnw yn ei wneud. Rwy'n cofio yn eglur, Llywydd, sgwrs gynnar gyda banc bwyd yr ymwelais ag ef am bwysigrwydd gallu darparu bwyd i anifeiliaid yn rhan o'r gwasanaeth yr oedden nhw'n ei ddarparu i'r teuluoedd hynny a oedd yn dibynnu ar gwmnïaeth y ci yr oedden nhw'n treulio llawer o'u hamser a llawer o'u bywydau gydag ef, felly bydd cael ci wedi ei ddwyn yn drychinebus i gynifer o deuluoedd. Ac rwy'n falch iawn o allu dweud o ran y cwestiwn atodol y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru, yr wythnos nesaf, yn cyflwyno dadl ar 23 Mawrth ar gynigion cyfraith Lucy—fel y'u gelwir weithiau—i wahardd gwerthiannau anifeiliaid anwes trydydd parti yma yng Nghymru. Edrychaf ymlaen at y ddadl honno ac, rwy'n siŵr, at gefnogaeth i'r camau hynny gan Aelodau mewn sawl rhan o'r Siambr.
First Minister, as a dog lover, I know that your dog is often your best friend and, as has been said already this afternoon, is very much a family member. Now, it's deeply disturbing to know that criminals are targeting dogs and other pets to steal. These people are an absolute disgrace, an absolute disgrace. First Minister, what conversations have Welsh Government Ministers had with the police and the Home Office to ensure that these criminals are brought to justice, and what conversations have you had about the impact of UK Conservative police cuts and their failure to deliver on the promised 62 extra police officers in Deeside?
Prif Weinidog, fel un sy'n hoff o gŵn, rwy'n gwybod mai eich ci yw eich ffrind gorau yn aml ac, fel y dywedwyd eisoes y prynhawn yma, mae'n sicr yn aelod o'r teulu. Nawr, mae'n peri pryder mawr i wybod bod troseddwyr yn targedu cŵn ac anifeiliaid anwes eraill i'w dwyn. Mae'r bobl hyn yn gwbl warthus, yn gwbl warthus. Prif Weinidog, pa sgyrsiau y mae Gweinidogion Llywodraeth Cymru wedi eu cael gyda'r heddlu a'r Swyddfa Gartref i sicrhau bod y troseddwyr hyn yn cael eu dwyn i gyfiawnder, a pha sgyrsiau ydych chi wedi eu cael am effaith toriadau heddlu Ceidwadwyr y DU a'u methiant i ddarparu'r 62 o heddweision ychwanegol a addawyd yng Nglannau Dyfrdwy?

Llywydd, I thank Jack Sargeant for that. We've been just discussing the pandemic's impact here in Wales, and this question is connected to it as well. We know that in the conditions of having to work from home and stay at home, many families have acquired pets, and that means that the opportunity for criminal action has arisen because the prices of dogs have risen very fast over the last 12 months. And it is disgraceful, I agree absolutely with Jack Sargeant, that people should seek to exploit people's vulnerabilities in that way.
We have conversations, of course, with our police and crime commissioners and police forces. It's very good to see that Dyfed-Powys Police has recently appointed a chief inspector to head their task force on this matter. But our police forces are stretched in all directions, and policing the pandemic and dealing with volumes of crimes that have not abated, in many ways, during it, create enormous pressures for them and those pressures are exacerbated by a decade of cuts, a decade of Tory cuts in police forces, numbers reduced year after year after year.
The Welsh Government stepped in—as Jack Sargeant will know, and his father was very much part of this—stepped in to fund 500 police community support officers here in Wales, to allow our local forces to have more people on the ground in communities able to deal with issues like dog theft and the impact that that has on families. I know that the Conservative Party has committed itself to ensuring that were they to have any part to play in the next Senedd Government, that no funding would be provided for non-devolved matters. Well, that's the end of 500 police support officers in Wales, because we have put our money in to protect communities where the Conservative Government has failed, and if we're returned to Government after 6 May, then people in Wales can know that those beat officers—the people they meet day in, day out in their communities—they will be safe with a Labour Government, even while the Tories here in Wales are determined to defund them.
Llywydd, diolchaf i Jack Sargeant am hynna. Rydym ni newydd fod yn trafod effaith y pandemig yma yng Nghymru, ac mae'r cwestiwn hwn yn gysylltiedig â hynny hefyd. Rydym ni'n gwybod bod llawer o deuluoedd, o dan amodau gorfod gweithio gartref ac aros gartref, wedi caffael anifeiliaid anwes, ac mae hynny'n golygu bod y cyfle ar gyfer ymddygiad troseddol wedi cynyddu gan fod prisiau cŵn wedi codi yn gyflym iawn dros y 12 mis diwethaf. Ac mae'n warthus, rwy'n cytuno yn llwyr â Jack Sargeant, y dylai pobl geisio manteisio ar agweddau agored i niwed pobl yn y ffordd honno.
Rydym ni'n cael sgyrsiau, wrth gwrs, gyda'n comisiynwyr heddlu a throseddu a'n heddluoedd. Mae'n dda iawn gweld bod Heddlu Dyfed-Powys wedi penodi prif arolygydd yn ddiweddar i arwain eu tasglu ar y mater hwn. Ond mae ein heddluoedd yn cael eu hymestyn i bob cyfeiriad, ac mae plismona'r pandemig ac ymdrin â niferoedd troseddu nad ydyn nhw wedi lleihau, mewn sawl ffordd, yn ystod y cyfnod hwnnw, yn creu pwysau enfawr iddyn nhw ac mae'r pwysau hynny yn cael eu gwaethygu gan ddegawd o doriadau, degawd o doriadau gan y Torïaid mewn heddluoedd, niferoedd yn gostwng flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn.
Camodd Llywodraeth Cymru i mewn—fel y bydd Jack Sargeant yn gwybod, ac roedd ei dad yn rhan fawr o hyn—camodd i mewn i ariannu 500 o swyddogion cymorth cymunedol yr heddlu yma yng Nghymru, i ganiatáu i'n heddluoedd lleol gael mwy o bobl ar lawr gwlad mewn cymunedau sy'n gallu ymdrin â materion fel dwyn cŵn a'r effaith y mae hynny yn ei chael ar deuluoedd. Gwn fod y Blaid Geidwadol wedi ymrwymo i sicrhau, pe byddai ganddyn nhw unrhyw ran i'w chwarae yn Llywodraeth nesaf y Senedd, na fyddai unrhyw gyllid yn cael ei ddarparu ar gyfer materion nad ydyn nhw wedi eu datganoli. Wel, dyna ddiwedd ar 500 o swyddogion cymorth yr heddlu yng Nghymru, oherwydd rydym ni wedi cyfrannu ein harian i ddiogelu cymunedau lle mae'r Llywodraeth Geidwadol wedi methu, ac os cawn ni ein dychwelyd i'r Llywodraeth ar ôl 6 Mai, yna gall pobl yng Nghymru wybod bod y plismyn rhawd hynny—y bobl y maen nhw'n eu cyfarfod ddydd ar ôl dydd yn eu cymunedau—yn ddiogel gyda Llywodraeth Lafur, hyd yn oed tra bod y Torïaid yma yng Nghymru yn benderfynol o ddiddymu eu cyllid.
4. Pa asesiad y mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi'i wneud o'r dyraniadau cyllid arfaethedig i Gymru o ganlyniad i gronfa ffyniant gyffredin Llywodraeth y DU? OQ56469
4. What assessment has the First Minister made of the proposed funding allocations to Wales resulting from the UK Government's shared prosperity fund? OQ56469

Dirprwy Lywydd, our assessment is clear: the UK shared prosperity fund fails to honour repeated public commitments made by the UK Government and 'leave' campaigners in Wales that exiting the European Union would mean not a penny less and no devolved powers lost to Wales.
Dirprwy Lywydd, mae ein hasesiad yn eglur: mae cronfa ffyniant gyffredin y DU yn methu ag anrhydeddu ymrwymiadau cyhoeddus mynych a wnaed gan Lywodraeth y DU ac ymgyrchwyr 'gadael' yng Nghymru na fyddai gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd yn golygu ceiniog yn llai ac na fyddai unrhyw bwerau datganoledig yn cael eu colli i Gymru.
Thank you, First Minister. We have heard much but seen little of either the shared prosperity fund or the levelling-up fund, both of which are becoming more and more like a publicly funded Conservative election fund than a serious attempt to share the prosperity of the United Kingdom. First Minister, do you share my concern that Wales will lose out, that investment funding in Wales will be cut, and that support for Welsh communities recovering from COVID will be cut by a UK Tory Government that has, over the last year, delivered more funds to its friends and donors than it has invested to sustain the Welsh economy? Therefore, do you agree with me that we can only trust the Welsh Government to deliver for Wales, and not a Tory UK Government that only looks at us with disdain from afar?
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. Rydym ni wedi clywed llawer ond wedi gweld ychydig iawn o naill ai'r gronfa ffyniant gyffredin na'r gronfa lefelu, y mae'r ddwy ohonyn nhw yn dod yn fwyfwy tebyg i gronfa etholiadol Geidwadol wedi'i hariannu gan y cyhoedd nag ymgais o ddifrif i rannu ffyniant y Deyrnas Unedig. Prif Weinidog, a ydych chi'n rhannu fy mhryder i y bydd Cymru ar ei cholled, y bydd cyllid buddsoddi yng Nghymru yn cael ei dorri, ac y bydd cymorth i gymunedau Cymru sy'n adfer yn sgil COVID yn cael ei dorri gan Lywodraeth Dorïaidd yn y DU sydd, dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, wedi darparu mwy o arian i'w ffrindiau a'i rhoddwyr nag y mae wedi ei fuddsoddi i gynnal economi Cymru? Felly, a ydych chi'n cytuno â mi mai dim ond Llywodraeth Cymru y gallwn ni ymddiried ynddi i gyflawni dros Gymru, ac nid Llywodraeth Dorïaidd y DU sy'n gwneud dim ond edrych arnom ni gyda dirmyg o bell?

Those cuts are already happening. Those cuts are guaranteed now by the way the UK Government has published its plans for a levelling-up fund, so called, and for the shared prosperity fund. Wales will miss out on millions and millions and millions of pounds, and communities like Blaenau Gwent will be at the sharp end of that—communities of which this Conservative Government knows little and cares less. In those practical decisions we are going to see, instead of the seven-year funding that we had under structural funds, instead of a partnership approach with players here in Wales at that local level, determining how that money should be spent—we are going to see a random, divisive, bureaucratic and wasteful set of arrangements imposed upon us.
I very much share the anxiety that Alun Davies expressed in his opening supplementary question. We are going to be in the hands of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, a ministry of which the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee said, in July 2019, on the local enterprise funds in England, that despite spending £12 billion, that ministry had no understanding of what impact that spending had on local economic growth. The same committee, commenting on the towns fund and decisions made by the Secretary of State Robert Jenrick, said that he had
'risked the Civil Service’s reputation for integrity and impartiality'
and that he had acted in ways that
'fuelled accusations of political bias'
when he picked a scheme that was 536 on the list of 541 ranked by his civil servants and decided to fund it. It's little wonder that the conclusions were drawn that that decision was driven by those narrow, partisan and politically motivated ways of conducting business. Now, Wales will be at the same mercy of a UK Government making decisions in Whitehall, bypassing people here in Wales. We will look every day at the way that those decisions are made to make sure that pork-barrel politics of the sort we see by this Tory Government in Whitehall—that we are not polluted by it here in Wales.
Mae'r toriadau hynny eisoes yn digwydd. Mae'r toriadau hynny wedi eu sicrhau nawr gan y ffordd y mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi cyhoeddi ei chynlluniau ar gyfer cronfa lefelu, fel y'i gelwir, ac ar gyfer y gronfa ffyniant gyffredin. Bydd Cymru yn colli miliynau ar filiynau ar filiynau o bunnoedd, a bydd cymunedau fel Blaenau Gwent yn dioddef fwyaf o hynny—cymunedau y mae'r Llywodraeth Geidwadol hon yn gwybod fawr ddim amdanyn nhw ac yn poeni llai. Yn y penderfyniadau ymarferol hynny yr ydym ni'n mynd i'w gweld, yn hytrach na'r cyllid saith mlynedd oedd gennym ni o dan gronfeydd strwythurol, yn hytrach na dull partneriaeth gyda buddiannau yma yng Nghymru ar y lefel leol honno, yn penderfynu sut y dylid gwario'r arian hwnnw—rydym ni'n mynd i weld cyfres ymrannol, biwrocrataidd, ar hap a gwastraffus o drefniadau yn cael eu gorfodi arnom ni.
Rwy'n rhannu'n fawr y pryder a fynegodd Alun Davies yn ei gwestiwn atodol agoriadol. Rydym ni'n mynd i fod yn nwylo'r Weinyddiaeth Tai, Cymunedau a Llywodraeth Leol, y dywedodd Pwyllgor Cyfrifon Cyhoeddus Tŷ'r Cyffredin amdano, ym mis Gorffennaf 2019, ar y cronfeydd menter lleol yn Lloegr, er gwaethaf gwario £12 biliwn, nad oedd gan y weinyddiaeth honno unrhyw ddealltwriaeth o ba effaith a gafodd y gwariant hwnnw ar dwf economaidd lleol. Dywedodd yr un pwyllgor, wrth sôn am y gronfa trefi a phenderfyniadau a wnaed gan yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Robert Jenrick, ei fod
wedi peryglu enw da y Gwasanaeth Sifil am onestrwydd a didueddrwydd
a'i fod wedi gweithredu mewn ffyrdd a oedd
yn cyfrannu at gyhuddiadau o duedd wleidyddol
pan ddewisodd gynllun a oedd yn rhif 536 ar y rhestr o 541 a luniwyd gan ei weision sifil a phenderfynu ei ariannu. Nid yw'n syndod y daethpwyd i'r casgliadau bod y penderfyniad hwnnw wedi'i ysgogi gan y ffyrdd cul, pleidiol a gwleidyddol hynny o gyflawni busnes. Nawr, bydd Cymru yn agored i'r un Llywodraeth y DU yn gwneud penderfyniadau yn Whitehall, gan ochrgamu pobl yma yng Nghymru. Byddwn yn edrych bob dydd ar y ffordd y mae'r penderfyniadau hynny yn cael eu gwneud i wneud yn siŵr bod gwleidyddiaeth pwrs y wlad o'r math a welwn gan y Llywodraeth Dorïaidd hon yn Whitehall—nad ydym ni'n cael ein llygru ganddi yma yng Nghymru.
Speaking in the House of Commons last month, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales said the amount of money that's going to be spent in Wales when the shared prosperity fund comes in
'will be identical to or higher than the amount of money that was spent in Wales that came from the European Union',
and that the UK will continue to engage with the Welsh Government as they develop the fund's investment framework for publication. Speaking in a joint meeting of the Senedd's finance and external affairs committees last week, the Secretary of State for Wales said the funding being made available to Wales, underpinned by the 'not a penny less' guarantee, will provide opportunities for Wales to do even better than it has previously done in terms of funding streams, and that they're asking local authorities to join with stakeholders, their MSs, Welsh Government officials and with MPs to come up with really innovative ideas either as individual authorities or jointly with other authorities, and bid for the money available, where the lessons learned from this year will form the basis of the actual shared prosperity fund, which is a much larger package of money from the end of 2021 onwards. How will you engage with that and avoid, as you say we must, narrow, partisan and politically motivated approaches?
Wrth siarad yn Nhŷ'r Cyffredin fis diwethaf, dywedodd Is-ysgrifennydd Gwladol Seneddol Cymru y bydd y swm o arian sy'n mynd i gael ei wario yng Nghymru pan gyflwynir y gronfa ffyniant gyffredin
yn union yr un faint neu'n fwy na'r swm o arian a wariwyd yng Nghymru a oedd yn dod oddi wrth yr Undeb Ewropeaidd,
ac y bydd y DU yn parhau i ymgysylltu â Llywodraeth Cymru wrth iddyn nhw ddatblygu fframwaith buddsoddi y gronfa i'w gyhoeddi. Wrth siarad mewn cyfarfod ar y cyd o bwyllgorau cyllid a materion allanol y Senedd yr wythnos diwethaf, dywedodd Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru y bydd yr arian sy'n cael ei ddarparu i Gymru, wedi'i ategu gan y sicrwydd 'dim ceiniog yn llai', yn rhoi cyfleoedd i Gymru wneud hyd yn oed yn well nag y mae hi wedi ei wneud o'r blaen o ran ffrydiau ariannu, a'u bod yn gofyn i awdurdodau lleol ymuno â rhanddeiliaid, eu Haelodau o'r Senedd, swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru a chydag Aelodau Seneddol i feddwl am syniadau gwirioneddol arloesol naill ai fel awdurdodau unigol neu ar y cyd ag awdurdodau eraill, a gwneud cais am yr arian sydd ar gael, lle bydd y gwersi a ddysgwyd eleni yn ffurfio sail i'r gronfa ffyniant gyffredin wirioneddol, sy'n becyn llawer mwy o arian o ddiwedd 2021 ymlaen. Sut gwnewch chi ymgysylltu â hynny ac yn sgil hynny osgoi, fel y dywedwch y mae'n rhaid i ni ei wneud, dulliau cul, pleidiol a chyda cymhelliant gwleidyddol?

The fact that nonsense is spoken on the floor of the House of Commons doesn't make it any less nonsensical. And it's plainly nonsensical. Next year, the community renewal fund—the latest rebadging of the shared prosperity fund—is worth £220 million for the whole of the United Kingdom. Wales alone had £375 million in structural funds. And we're not guaranteed—to use that word—a single penny of it. It is a UK fund on a bidding basis. There is no money in it that says 'Wales' on it at all. You'll be able to bid and then a Tory Minister in Whitehall will make decisions against the track record that I just set out for Members here. In what possible sense—in what possible sense—could anybody defend that as a way of treating Wales? We are being cheated out of money, we are being stolen from when it comes to our powers, and the unfolding record of the UK Government in Westminster short-changes Wales every single day.
Nid yw'r ffaith bod lol yn cael ei siarad ar lawr Tŷ'r Cyffredin yn ei wneud yn ddim llai disynnwyr. Ac mae'n amlwg yn ddisynnwyr. Y flwyddyn nesaf, mae'r gronfa adnewyddu cymunedol—yr enw diweddaraf ar y gronfa ffyniant gyffredin—werth £220 miliwn ar gyfer y Deyrnas Unedig gyfan. Roedd gan Gymru ar ei phen ei hun £375 miliwn mewn cronfeydd strwythurol. Ac nid oes yr un geiniog ohono wedi'i sicrhau—i ddefnyddio'r gair hwnnw. Mae'n gronfa y DU ar sail ceisiadau. Nid oes unrhyw arian ynddi sy'n dweud 'Cymru' arno o gwbl. Byddwch yn gallu gwneud cais ac yna bydd Gweinidog Torïaidd yn Whitehall yn gwneud penderfyniadau yn erbyn yr hanes yr wyf i newydd ei chyflwyno i'r Aelodau yn y fan yma. Ym mha ystyr posibl—ym mha ystyr posibl—y gallai unrhyw un amddiffyn hynny fel ffordd o drin Cymru? Rydym ni'n cael ein twyllo allan o arian, rydym ni'n dioddef lladrad pan ddaw i'n pwerau, ac mae hanes parhaus llywodraeth y DU yn San Steffan yn darparu cyllid annigonol i Gymru bob un dydd.
5. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am effeithiolrwydd gwasanaeth Profi, Olrhain, Diogelu GIG Cymru? OQ56440
5. Will the First Minister make a statement on the effectiveness of NHS Wales's Test, Trace, Protect service? OQ56440

Test, trace, protect is an essential mechanism to detect, control and protect people from the spread of the virus. The public service partnership approach that we have taken in Wales has safeguarded public funds, used them with probity and integrity, and has efficiently delivered a highly effective system for Wales.
Mae profi, olrhain, diogelu yn ddull hanfodol o ganfod, rheoli a diogelu pobl rhag lledaeniad y feirws. Mae'r dull partneriaeth gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yr ydym ni wedi ei fabwysiadu yng Nghymru wedi diogelu arian cyhoeddus, wedi ei ddefnyddio yn onest ac yn ddidwyll, ac wedi darparu system effeithiol iawn i Gymru mewn modd effeithlon.
First Minister, thank you for that answer. The reason I raise this question is because, shockingly, it was reported last week, and I quote, that 'there is no evidence to show that the UK Conservative Government’s multibillion-pound test and trace programme to combat COVID-19 in England contributed to a reduction in coronavirus infection levels.' But worse still, First Minister, the Chair of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee said that the enormous amount spent on this scheme leaves the impression that the public purse has been used like a cash point, totalling £37 billion over two years. This is in stark contrast to NHS Wales's test, trace and protect service, which as of the end of February I understand had reached 99.6 per cent of positive cases who were eligible, together with 95 per cent of their close contacts. Would you agree with me, First Minister, that it is definitely better to invest taxpayers' hard-earned money into tried-and-tested public services that have a strong track record of delivery, and that the £37 billion wasted by the UK Government frankly makes their offer of a below-inflation 1 per cent pay rise to nurses even more darn insulting?
Prif Weinidog, diolch am yr ateb yna. Y rheswm pam yr wyf i'n codi'r cwestiwn hwn yw oherwydd, yn frawychus, adroddwyd yr wythnos diwethaf, a dyfynnaf, 'nad oes unrhyw dystiolaeth i ddangos bod rhaglen profi ac olrhain gwerth biliynau o bunnoedd Llywodraeth Geidwadol y DU i fynd i'r afael â COVID-19 yn Lloegr wedi cyfrannu at ostyngiad i lefelau heintiad coronafeirws.' Ond yn waeth byth, Prif Weinidog, dywedodd Cadeirydd Pwyllgor Cyfrifon Cyhoeddus Tŷ'r Cyffredin bod y swm enfawr a wariwyd ar y cynllun hwn yn gadael yr argraff bod pwrs y wlad wedi cael ei ddefnyddio fel pwynt arian parod, gan ddod i gyfanswm o £37 biliwn dros ddwy flynedd. Mae hyn yn gwrthgyferbynnu'n llwyr â gwasanaeth profi, olrhain a diogelu GIG Cymru, a oedd, ddiwedd mis Chwefror, yn ôl yr hyn a ddeallaf, wedi cyrraedd 99.6 y cant o achosion positif a oedd yn gymwys, ynghyd â 95 y cant o'u cysylltiadau agos. A fyddech chi'n cytuno â mi, Prif Weinidog, ei bod hi'n sicr yn well buddsoddi arian y mae trethdalwyr yn gweithio yn galed i'w ennill mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus profedig sydd â hanes cadarn o gyflawni, a bod y £37 biliwn a wastraffwyd gan Lywodraeth y DU, a dweud y gwir, yn gwneud eu cynnig o godiad cyflog o 1 y cant yn is na chwyddiant i nyrsys hyd yn oed yn fwy sarhaus?

Huw Irranca-Davies is right; the £37 billion figure is eye-watering—£6 billion pounds handed out in contracts by direct award, with no competition for those contracts at all. We have made provision in our budget for next year to run our highly successful TTP system up until the end of September, and we've needed to put £60 million aside in order to do that. That's £60 million, the cost here in Wales, not the eye-watering sums criticised in that Public Accounts Committee report across the border. We've done it, as the Member knows, because we have relied upon the public service—no £1,100-a-day consultants here in Wales, no companies running the service in order to extract a private profit. We've relied on public service and public servants, and it's they who have delivered the outstandingly successful system we have. I agree with him; I go back to the answer I gave earlier about the way in which we can see the Conservative Government at Westminster manoeuvring to make sure that the consequences of this pandemic are heaped onto the shoulders of those least able to bear them. And when we say that it is our public service and public servants who have got us through this crisis, in the way that our TTP system demonstrates, those people are to have no increase at all next year. That's their reward from the UK Government. This Government, and a Labour Government at the UK level too, would have a very, very different set of priorities, and I believe that those priorities are shared by people here in Wales.
Mae Huw Irranca-Davies yn iawn; mae'r ffigur o £37 biliwn yn dyfrio'r llygad—dosbarthwyd £6 biliwn o bunnoedd mewn contractau drwy ddyfarniad uniongyrchol, heb gystadleuaeth am y contractau hynny o gwbl. Rydym ni wedi gwneud darpariaeth yn ein cyllideb ar gyfer y flwyddyn nesaf i redeg ein system profi, olrhain, diogelu hynod lwyddiannus hyd at ddiwedd mis Medi, a bu angen i ni roi £60 miliwn o'r neilltu er mwyn gwneud hynny. £60 miliwn yw hynny, y gost yma yng Nghymru, nid y symiau sy'n dyfrio'r llygad a feirniadwyd yn adroddiad y Pwyllgor Cyfrifon Cyhoeddus hwnnw dros y ffin. Rydym ni wedi gwneud hynny, fel y mae'r Aelod yn gwybod, gan ein bod ni wedi dibynnu ar y gwasanaeth cyhoeddus—dim ymgynghorwyr £1,100 y dydd yma yng Nghymru, dim cwmnïau yn rhedeg y gwasanaeth er mwyn gwneud elw preifat. Rydym ni wedi dibynnu ar wasanaethau cyhoeddus a gweision cyhoeddus, a nhw sydd wedi darparu'r system hynod lwyddiannus sydd gennym ni. Rwy'n cytuno ag ef; dychwelaf at yr ateb a roddais yn gynharach ynglŷn â'r ffordd y gallwn ni weld y Llywodraeth Geidwadol yn San Steffan yn cymryd camau i wneud yn siŵr bod canlyniadau'r pandemig hwn yn cael eu llwytho ar ysgwyddau'r rhai lleiaf abl i'w hysgwyddo. A phan fyddwn ni'n dweud mai ein gwasanaeth cyhoeddus a'n gweision cyhoeddus sydd wedi ein harwain ni drwy'r argyfwng hwn, yn y ffordd y mae ein system profi, olrhain, diogelu yn ei ddangos, ni fydd y bobl hynny yn cael unrhyw godiad cyflog o gwbl y flwyddyn nesaf. Dyna eu gwobr gan Lywodraeth y DU. Byddai gan y Llywodraeth hon, a Llywodraeth Lafur ar lefel y DU hefyd, gyfres wahanol iawn, iawn o flaenoriaethau, ac rwy'n credu bod y blaenoriaethau hynny yn cael eu rhannu gan bobl yma yng Nghymru.
Daeth y Llywydd i’r Gadair.
The Llywydd took the Chair.
Nice try to the previous speaker for a general 'doing the evil Tory Government in Westminster down'. First Minister, I did hear your response about private versus public, but of course we all know it was privately employed Kate Bingham who actually very, very successfully protected the United Kingdom, including Wales, on the vaccines, by buying, investing and supporting all of those amazing scientists. So, let's hear it for the private sector as well. When you talk about having a highly effective test, trace and protect system for Wales, that's exactly what I want, but let's be clear: the World Health Organization says that a successful contact tracing system is marked by being able to trace 80 per cent of contacts within three days. Your test, trace and protect system reaches 90 per cent of contacts—well done—but within nine days after that initial contact. There is a lot of spreading within that nine-day window, significantly more than the world health authority's recommendation that it should be three days. So, can you please tell us what actions you will be taking to try to cut that lag from nine days to the WHO's recommended three days, in order to ensure that here in Wales we have the most effective test, trace and protect system?
Cynnig da gan y siaradwr blaenorol i 'redeg ar y Llywodraeth Dorïaidd ddrwg yn San Steffan'. Prif Weinidog, clywais eich ymateb ynglŷn â phreifat yn erbyn cyhoeddus, ond rydym ni i gyd yn gwybod, wrth gwrs, mai Kate Bingham a gyflogwyd yn breifat a wnaeth ddiogelu'r Deyrnas Unedig, gan gynnwys Cymru, mewn gwirionedd, yn llwyddiannus dros ben, o ran y brechlynnau, trwy brynu, buddsoddi a chefnogi'r holl wyddonwyr rhyfeddol hynny. Felly, gadewch i ni glywed clod i'r sector preifat hefyd. Pan fyddwch chi'n sôn am gael system profi, olrhain a diogelu hynod effeithiol i Gymru, dyna'n union yr wyf i ei eisiau, ond gadewch i ni fod yn eglur: mae Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd yn dweud mai system olrhain cysylltiadau lwyddiannus yw un sy'n gallu olrhain 80 y cant o gysylltiadau o fewn tri diwrnod. Mae eich system profi, olrhain a diogelu chi yn cyrraedd 90 y cant o gysylltiadau—da iawn—ond o fewn naw diwrnod ar ôl y cyswllt cychwynnol hwnnw. Mae llawer o ledaenu yn ystod y cyfnod hwnnw o naw diwrnod, sy'n llawer mwy nag argymhelliad awdurdod iechyd y byd mai tri diwrnod y dylai fod. Felly, a allwch chi ddweud wrthym ni pa gamau y byddwch chi'n eu cymryd i geisio torri'r bwlch hwnnw o naw diwrnod i'r tri diwrnod a argymhellir gan Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd, er mwyn sicrhau bod gennym ni'r system profi, olrhain a diogelu fwyaf effeithiol yma yng Nghymru?

I don't recognise the nine-day figure at all. The Member will be very pleased to know, given her concerns, that 90 per cent of close contacts last week were reached within 24 hours, and that 93 per cent of index cases were reached within 24 hours. So, where the nine days comes from, I do not know, but last week those were the figures that were reported. That's a good deal better than the three days that the WHO has identified, and I think demonstrates once again the success of the system we have here in Wales.
Nid wyf i'n cydnabod y ffigur naw diwrnod o gwbl. Bydd yr Aelod yn falch iawn o wybod, o ystyried ei phryderon, y cyrhaeddwyd 90 y cant o gysylltiadau agos yr wythnos diwethaf o fewn 24 awr, ac y cyrhaeddwyd 93 y cant o achosion mynegai o fewn 24 awr. Felly, o ble mae'r naw diwrnod yn dod, wn i ddim, ond yr wythnos diwethaf dyna'r ffigurau a adroddwyd. Mae hynny yn llawer iawn gwell na'r tridiau y mae Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd wedi ei nodi, ac rwy'n credu bod hynny yn dangos unwaith eto lwyddiant y system sydd gennym ni yma yng Nghymru.
6. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am fynediad at wasanaethau gofal sylfaenol yng Nghanolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru yn ystod pandemig COVID-19? OQ56449
6. Will the First Minister make a statement on access to primary care services in Mid and West Wales during the COVID-19 pandemic? OQ56449

I thank the Member for that, Llywydd. Access to primary care services has changed rapidly across Wales over the past year. Services have had to adapt so that patients can access primary care in a safe and effective manner. Many are using digital technology to do so.
Diolchaf i'r Aelod am hynna, Llywydd. Mae mynediad at wasanaethau gofal sylfaenol wedi newid yn gyflym ledled Cymru yn ystod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf. Bu'n rhaid i wasanaethau addasu fel bod cleifion yn gallu cael mynediad at ofal sylfaenol mewn modd diogel ac effeithiol. Mae llawer ohonyn nhw'n defnyddio technoleg ddigidol i wneud hynny.
I'm grateful to the First Minister for his answer. Of course health boards have had to make changes in the provision of primary care. One instance in my region is that the surgery in the village of Trimsaran has had to be temporarily closed so that that is kept as a space that can be used for treating COVID patients if necessary. The community has accepted this, but they are concerned with the immediate situation, because they have to travel now to Kidwelly, and at the same time the bus services have been cut because of COVID—a perfect storm, but perhaps unavoidable. But there is a suspicion that the health board may use the COVID crisis to permanently close that surgery. Obviously, I think we'd want to congratulate the health board on how they've handled the crisis, and these operational matters are not matters for the First Minister, but can I ask the First Minister today if he can reassure my constituents in Trimsaran that the Welsh Government does not expect any changes to primary care services that have been made because of the COVID crisis to be extended beyond the pandemic without proper assessment and consultation?
Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Prif Weinidog am ei ateb. Wrth gwrs, bu'n rhaid i fyrddau iechyd wneud newidiadau i'r ddarpariaeth o ofal sylfaenol. Un enghraifft yn fy rhanbarth i yw y bu'n rhaid cau'r feddygfa ym mhentref Trimsaran dros dro fel ei bod yn cael ei chadw fel lle y gellir ei ddefnyddio i drin cleifion COVID os oes angen. Mae'r gymuned wedi derbyn hyn, ond maen nhw'n bryderus am y sefyllfa uniongyrchol, oherwydd mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw deithio i Gydweli nawr, ac ar yr un pryd mae'r gwasanaethau bysiau wedi cael eu cwtogi oherwydd COVID—storm berffaith, ond efallai na ellir ei hosgoi. Ond mae amheuaeth y gallai'r bwrdd iechyd ddefnyddio argyfwng COVID i gau'r feddygfa honno yn barhaol. Yn amlwg, rwy'n credu y byddem ni eisiau llongyfarch y bwrdd iechyd ar sut y mae wedi ymdrin â'r argyfwng, ac nid yw'r materion gweithredol hyn yn faterion i'r Prif Weinidog, ond a gaf i ofyn i'r Prif Weinidog heddiw a allai ef dawelu meddyliau fy etholwyr i yn Nhrimsaran nad yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn disgwyl i unrhyw newidiadau i wasanaethau gofal sylfaenol sydd wedi eu gwneud oherwydd argyfwng COVID gael eu hymestyn y tu hwnt i'r pandemig heb asesiad ac ymgynghoriad priodol?

Well, let me just emphasise the last part of what the Member said, because, on that basis, then I could sign up to what she just said, because I was about to say to her before she'd made that final point, that, of course, many of the changes that have happened during the pandemic we will want to see them continue afterwards. But they need to be properly consulted upon, and they need to be properly understood. But, the fact that we have thousands of video consultations happening every day, and people no longer having to travel inconvenient distances, and do things that were difficult for them to do, we'll want to preserve those things as well.
The specific point that Helen Mary Jones makes points to a dilemma. I've been asked a number of times on the floor of the Senedd to think about having COVID-only hospitals, and, therefore, other hospitals that deal with all the non-COVID things. But when you do that, it's inevitable, as you see in Trimsaran, that the things you would normally go to a hospital for will no longer be available to you, and you have to travel an even longer distance to find them. So, dealing with the pandemic and trying to keep people safe, and trying to make sure that people who need the health service for non-COVID reasons don't run the risk of contracting the disease is genuinely challenging. And it's been felt in our primary care, as well as in our hospital services.
As we move beyond the pandemic, I am very keen that we learn the positive lessons, the astonishing rate of change that the health service has managed to accommodate over the last 12 months, but of course, those are things that need to be done in consultation with local populations, and to make sure that patients are taken on that journey.
Wel, gadewch i mi bwysleisio rhan olaf yr hyn a ddywedodd yr Aelod, oherwydd, ar y sail honno, yna gallwn ymrwymo i'r hyn y mae hi newydd ei ddweud, oherwydd roeddwn i ar fin dweud wrthi cyn iddi wneud y pwynt olaf yna, wrth gwrs, o ran llawer o'r newidiadau sydd wedi digwydd yn ystod y pandemig, y byddwn ni eisiau eu gweld yn parhau wedyn. Ond mae angen ymgynghori yn briodol arnyn nhw, ac mae angen eu deall yn iawn. Ond, mae'r ffaith bod gennym ni filoedd o ymgynghoriadau fideo yn digwydd bob dydd, ac nad yw pobl bellach yn gorfod teithio pellteroedd anghyfleus, a gwneud pethau a oedd yn anodd iddyn nhw eu gwneud, byddwn ni eisiau cadw'r pethau hynny hefyd.
Mae'r pwynt penodol y mae Helen Mary Jones yn ei wneud yn tynnu sylw at gyfyng-gyngor. Gofynnwyd i mi nifer o weithiau ar lawr y Senedd feddwl am gael ysbytai COVID yn unig, ac, felly, ysbytai eraill sy'n ymdrin â'r holl bethau nad ydyn nhw'n rhai COVID. Ond pan fyddwch chi'n gwneud hynny, mae'n anochel, fel y gwelwch chi yn Nhrimsaran, na fydd y pethau y byddech chi'n mynd i'r ysbyty ynglŷn â nhw fel rheol ar gael i chi mwyach, ac mae'n rhaid i chi deithio pellter hirach fyth i ddod o hyd iddyn nhw. Felly, mae ymdrin â'r pandemig a cheisio cadw pobl yn ddiogel, a cheisio gwneud yn siŵr nad yw pobl sydd angen y gwasanaeth iechyd am resymau nad ydyn nhw'n rhai COVID yn wynebu'r risg o ddal y clefyd yn wirioneddol anodd. Ac mae wedi ei deimlo yn ein gofal sylfaenol, yn ogystal ag yn ein gwasanaethau ysbyty.
Wrth i ni symud y tu hwnt i'r pandemig, rwy'n awyddus iawn i ni ddysgu'r gwersi cadarnhaol, y gyfradd syfrdanol o newid y mae'r gwasanaeth iechyd wedi llwyddo i'w hwyluso yn ystod y 12 mis diwethaf, ond wrth gwrs, mae'r rheini yn bethau y mae angen eu gwneud mewn ymgynghoriad â phoblogaethau lleol, ac i wneud yn siŵr bod cleifion yn cael eu cynnwys ar y daith honno.
7. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'u cymryd i gefnogi economi Sir Benfro drwy gydol pandemig COVID-19? OQ56435
7. What steps has the Welsh Government taken to support the Pembrokeshire economy throughout the COVID-19 pandemic? OQ56435

Llywydd, over 4,000 businesses in Pembrokeshire have received more than £91 million in grants since the start of the pandemic in order to support that local economy.
Llywydd, mae dros 4,000 o fusnesau yn Sir Benfro wedi cael mwy na £91 miliwn mewn grantiau ers dechrau'r pandemig er mwyn cefnogi yr economi leol honno.
Thank you for that response, First Minister. Now, the Welsh Government's announcement on Friday was met with particular frustration from non-essential local businesses in Pembrokeshire, some of whom had planned for potential reopening this week and incurred costs to do so. You previously suggested that businesses selling non-essential products should look to reopen from next Monday, and now that's been put back until 12 April. In light of this change in direction from the Welsh Government, can you confirm exactly what scientific evidence was used to continue to prohibit the reopening of non-essential retail outlets until 12 April, and can you confirm that the Welsh Government will recoup the costs that have been made by businesses, so that, at the very least, those businesses are not further disadvantaged financially as a result of the delay in reopening non-essential retail outlets?
Diolch am yr ymateb yna, Prif Weinidog. Nawr, cafodd cyhoeddiad Llywodraeth Cymru ddydd Gwener ymateb o rwystredigaeth arbennig ymhlith busnesau lleol nad ydyn nhw'n rhai hanfodol yn Sir Benfro, yr oedd rhai ohonyn nhw wedi cynllunio ar gyfer ailagor posibl yr wythnos hon ac wedi mynd i gostau i wneud hynny. Awgrymwyd gennych chi yn y gorffennol y dylai busnesau sy'n gwerthu cynhyrchion nad ydyn nhw'n hanfodol geisio ailagor o ddydd Llun nesaf, ac mae hynny wedi ei oedi hyd at 12 Ebrill erbyn hyn. Yng ngoleuni'r newid cyfeiriad hwn gan Lywodraeth Cymru, a allwch chi gadarnhau yn union pa dystiolaeth wyddonol a ddefnyddiwyd i barhau i atal ailagor siopau manwerthu nad ydyn nhw'n hanfodol tan 12 Ebrill, ac a allwch chi gadarnhau y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn digolledu busnesau am y costau yr aethpwyd iddynt, fel na fydd y busnesau hynny, o leiaf, o dan anfantais ariannol ychwanegol o ganlyniad i'r oedi cyn ailagor siopau manwerthu nad ydyn nhw'n hanfodol?

Well, Llywydd, I've taken the precaution of bringing with me what I actually said on 19 February when looking forward to the current three-week review. It's not what Mr Davies has suggested at all. So, let's look at what was actually said. Here it is. I said, 'We will then look'—and I was talking about this three weeks—'at whether'—so, 'whether'—'we can start'—so, 'start'—'to reopen some'—some—'non-essential retail.'
That's what I said. That we would consider whether we could begin to reopen some non-essential retail. And, actually, Llywydd, that is exactly what we have done, and is exactly what we will do, because, from 22 March, those shops that are already open selling essential goods will be able to sell the full range of goods that they would normally have on offer, and that will include all those non-essential items as well. It is safe to do that because those shops are already open. They already comply with the strengthened regulations that we put on the statute book here in Wales in January, to take account of the Kent variant. Other non-essential retailers now know that on 12 April, the same day as in England—remember that four-nation approach that the Conservative Party was keen to advocate—on the same day as in England, all other non-essential retail in Wales will reopen. In the meantime, the sector will be supported by £150 million of additional assistance that I was also able to announce last Friday, to take account of the fact that, of course, those businesses would rather be open. They'd rather be opening, they'd rather be trading than waiting for a grant from the Welsh Government—I completely understand that. And as soon as it is safe to do so, and as soon as they are able to take account of the next few weeks to make themselves safe, then, on 12 April, they will all be able to reopen as well.
Wel, Llywydd, rwyf i wedi cymryd y rhagofal o ddod gyda mi yr hyn a ddywedais mewn gwirionedd ar 19 Chwefror wrth edrych ymlaen at yr adolygiad tair wythnos presennol. Ni ddywedais yr hyn y mae Mr Davies wedi ei awgrymu o gwbl. Felly, gadewch i ni edrych ar yr hyn a ddywedwyd mewn gwirionedd. Dyma fe. Dywedais, 'Byddwn wedyn yn edrych'—ac roeddwn i'n sôn am y tair wythnos hon—'i weld pa un a'—felly, 'pa un a'—'y gallwn ni ddechrau'—felly, 'dechrau'—'ailagor rhai'—rhai—'siopau manwerthu nad ydyn nhw'n hanfodol.'
Dyna'r hyn a ddywedais i. Y byddem ni'n ystyried pa un a allem ni ddechrau ailagor rhai siopau manwerthu nad ydyn nhw'n rhai hanfodol. Ac, mewn gwirionedd, Llywydd, dyna'n union yr ydym ni wedi ei wneud, a dyna'n union y byddwn ni'n ei wneud, oherwydd, o 22 Mawrth ymlaen, bydd y siopau hynny sydd eisoes ar agor yn gwerthu nwyddau hanfodol yn cael gwerthu'r ystod lawn o nwyddau y bydden nhw'n eu cynnig fel arfer, a bydd hynny hefyd yn cynnwys yr holl eitemau hynny nad ydyn nhw'n hanfodol. Mae'n ddiogel gwneud hynny oherwydd bod y siopau hynny eisoes ar agor. Maen nhw eisoes yn cydymffurfio â'r rheoliadau cryfach a roddwyd ar y llyfr statud gennym ni yma yng Nghymru ym mis Ionawr, i gymryd amrywiolyn Caint i ystyriaeth. Mae manwerthwyr eraill nad ydyn nhw'n rhai hanfodol yn gwybod erbyn hyn, ar 12 Ebrill, yr un diwrnod ag yn Lloegr—cofiwch y dull pedair gwlad hwnnw yr oedd y Blaid Geidwadol yn awyddus i'w hyrwyddo—ar yr un diwrnod ag yn Lloegr, bydd yr holl siopau manwerthu eraill nad ydyn nhw'n rhai hanfodol yng Nghymru yn ailagor. Yn y cyfamser, bydd y sector yn cael ei gynorthwyo gan £150 miliwn o gymorth ychwanegol yr oeddwn i hefyd yn gallu ei gyhoeddi ddydd Gwener diwethaf, i gymryd i ystyriaeth y ffaith y byddai'n well gan y busnesau hynny, wrth gwrs, fod ar agor. Byddai'n well ganddyn nhw fod yn agor, byddai'n well ganddyn nhw fod yn masnachu nag yn aros am grant gan Lywodraeth Cymru—rwy'n deall hynny yn llwyr. A chyn gynted ag y bydd hi'n ddiogel i wneud hynny, a chyn gynted ag y gallan nhw gymryd yr wythnosau nesaf i ystyriaeth i wneud eu hunain yn ddiogel, yna, ar 12 Ebrill, byddant hwythau nhw i gyd yn cael ailagor hefyd.
Ac yn olaf, cwestiwn 8, Laura Jones.
And finally, question 8, Laura Jones.
8. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i wella trafnidiaeth yn ne-ddwyrain Cymru? OQ56468
8. What action is the Welsh Government taking to improve transport in south-east Wales? OQ56468

Llywydd, we are already taking forward many of the suggestions made by the Burns commission. Its ambitious set of recommendations will lead to significant transport improvements for the region. The interim report of the Hendy review highlights the case for improvements to the south Wales main line, as proposed by the commission.
Llywydd, rydym ni eisoes yn bwrw ymlaen â llawer o'r awgrymiadau a wnaed gan gomisiwn Burns. Bydd ei gyfres uchelgeisiol o argymhellion yn arwain at welliannau trafnidiaeth sylweddol i'r rhanbarth. Mae adroddiad dros dro adolygiad Hendy yn tynnu sylw at yr achos dros welliannau i brif reilffordd de Cymru, fel y cynigiwyd gan y comisiwn.
Thank you. First Minister, last week, in response to my question on Newport City Council's support for a referendum for an M4 relief road, the Minister for Housing and Local Government said,
'If there is a call for a local referendum, then we're certainly happy to work with Newport council to see how that might be accomplished.'
Julie James then went on to say she was all in favour of local people having a large say in what happens in their region or area. You've told us today how important local democracy is to you, First Minister. So, therefore, would you hold a referendum on an M4 relief road, as called for by Newport council?
Diolch. Prif Weinidog, yr wythnos diwethaf, mewn ymateb i'm cwestiwn am gefnogaeth Cyngor Dinas Casnewydd i refferendwm ar ffordd liniaru'r M4, dywedodd y Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol,
Os oes galw am refferendwm lleol, yna rydym yn sicr yn hapus i weithio gyda chyngor Casnewydd i weld sut y gellid cyflawni hynny.
Aeth Julie James ymlaen wedyn i ddweud ei bod hi o blaid pobl leol yn cael cyfle sylweddol i leisio barn ar yr hyn sy'n digwydd yn eu rhanbarth neu eu hardal. Rydych chi wedi dweud wrthym ni heddiw pa mor bwysig yw democratiaeth leol i chi, Prif Weinidog. Felly, o ganlyniad, a fyddech chi'n cynnal refferendwm ar ffordd liniaru'r M4, fel y galwyd amdano gan gyngor Casnewydd?

Llywydd, I don't have anything to add to what my colleague has already told the Member on that matter. I'm very glad though to hear her conversion to local decision making. She will feel as aggrieved as I do, therefore, that Ministers in her Government in London continually pretend that they have powers to make decisions in relation to an M4 relief road—they don't. Those decisions are properly made here, and the Member's conversion to that is very welcome.
Llywydd, nid oes gennyf ddim i'w ychwanegu at yr hyn y mae fy nghyd-Aelod eisoes wedi'i ddweud wrth yr Aelod am y mater hwnnw. Rwy'n falch iawn serch hynny o'i chlywed yn troi at benderfyniadau lleol. Bydd yn teimlo mor ddig â mi, felly, fod Gweinidogion yn ei Llywodraeth yn Llundain yn esgus yn barhaus fod ganddyn nhw bwerau i wneud penderfyniadau yn gysylltiedig â ffordd liniaru'r M4—does ganddyn nhw ddim. Gwneir y penderfyniadau hynny'n briodol yn y fan yma, ac mae croeso mawr i dröedigaeth yr Aelod at hynny.
Diolch i'r Prif Weinidog.
Thank you, First Minister.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r cwestiynau i'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol a'r Gweinidog Pontio Ewropeaidd, yn rhinwedd ei gyfrifoldebau fel swyddog cyfreithiol. Ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Huw Irranca-Davies.
The next item is questions to the Counsel General and Minister for European Transition, in respect of his law officer responsibilities. And the first question is from Huw Irranca-Davies.
1. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol wedi'u cael gyda swyddogion eraill y gyfraith ynghylch goblygiadau cyfansoddiadol cynigion Llywodraeth y DU ar gyfer y gronfa ffyniant gyffredin? OQ56434
1. What discussions has the Counsel General had with other law officers regarding the constitutional implications of the UK Government's proposals for the shared prosperity fund? OQ56434

The implications are clear: this is an attempt to take things back to decades ago, when Westminster supposedly knew best. Bypassing the elected institutions of Wales is not just an insult to the people of Wales, it will clearly result in worse outcomes for Wales as well.
Mae'r goblygiadau'n glir: mae hon yn ymgais i fynd â phethau'n ôl i ddegawdau yn ôl, pan oedd San Steffan yn gwybod orau. Nid sarhad ar bobl Cymru yn unig yw anwybyddu sefydliadau etholedig Cymru, a bydd yn amlwg yn arwain at ganlyniadau gwaeth i Gymru hefyd.
I thank the Counsel General for that response. And I draw his attention to the Secretary of State's appearance last week in front of the External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee, where it was made very, very clear that there is no intention from the UK Government to engage with Welsh Government, and that the Secretary of State for Wales's interpretation of devolution—and of subsidiarity and decision making—does not include Welsh Government, nor does it include regional economic partnerships either. But moreover, there was a worrying ignorance—intentional or otherwise—of the policy framework in Wales, including the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 framework. Now, surely, Counsel General, this has not only financial implications for Wales, but real constitutional implications for our current devolution settlement.
Diolch i'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol am yr ymateb yna. A thynnaf ei sylw at ymddangosiad yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol yr wythnos diwethaf o flaen y Pwyllgor Materion Allanol a Deddfwriaeth Ychwanegol, lle y'i gwnaed hi'n glir iawn, iawn nad oes bwriad gan Lywodraeth y DU i ymgysylltu â Llywodraeth Cymru, ac nad yw dehongliad Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru o ddatganoli—a sybsidiaredd a gwneud penderfyniadau—yn cynnwys Llywodraeth Cymru, ac nid yw yn cynnwys partneriaethau economaidd rhanbarthol ychwaith. Ond ar ben hynny, roedd anwybodaeth bryderus—bwriadol neu fel arall—o'r fframwaith polisi yng Nghymru, gan gynnwys fframwaith Deddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015. Nawr, siawns, Cwnsler Cyffredinol, nid yn unig fod gan hyn oblygiadau ariannol i Gymru, ond goblygiadau cyfansoddiadol gwirioneddol i'n setliad datganoli presennol.
I thank Huw Irranca-Davies for that supplementary question. Through the shared prosperity fund, it is certainly the case that the UK Government seeks to be delivering in devolved areas with no input from the Welsh Government on its plans, and without any stakeholder engagement or public consultation. And in practice, that would mean that the UK Government is taking decisions on devolved matters in Wales without being answerable to the Senedd on behalf of the people of Wales. That, obviously, defies the constitutional settlement. And, whilst I note the comments of the Secretary of State for Wales in another context, which highlighted the little status, I think, which he thought the Welsh Government was concerned about, I would encourage him to remember that this is a constitutional settlement, which people in Wales have voted for democratically, and that the decision to proceed in defiance of the constitutional arrangements in Wales is a grave matter from a democratic point of view, but also is ineffective in terms of delivering benefits to people in Wales. And the grievance that we have, and people right across Wales have, yes, it's constitutional, but it's also about a fund that is not going to be effective, has not been consulted upon, does not reflect the priorities of businesses in Wales, cannot be integrated and, where decisions will be taken by a UK Government department whose mismanagement of the towns fund has already been criticised severely in Parliament. And, at a recent meeting, with both the relevant Secretary of State for Wales and the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, it was absolutely clear that the intention is for MHCLG to make these decisions, including on the basis of officials appointed in Wales to do so. This Government regards that as fundamentally unacceptable constitutionally and, also, not in the interests of the economy of Wales.
Diolch i Huw Irranca-Davies am y cwestiwn atodol yna. Drwy'r gronfa ffyniant gyffredin, mae'n sicr yn wir bod Llywodraeth y DU yn ceisio cyflawni mewn meysydd datganoledig heb unrhyw fewnbwn gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar ei chynlluniau, a heb unrhyw ymgysylltu â rhanddeiliaid nac ymgynghori â'r cyhoedd. Ac yn ymarferol, byddai hynny'n golygu bod Llywodraeth y DU yn gwneud penderfyniadau ar faterion datganoledig yng Nghymru heb fod yn atebol i'r Senedd ar ran pobl Cymru. Mae hynny, yn amlwg, yn groes i'r setliad cyfansoddiadol. Ac, er fy mod yn cydnabod sylwadau Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru mewn cyd-destun arall, a dynnodd sylw at y diffyg statws, rwy'n credu, yr oedd yn credu bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn pryderu amdano, byddwn yn ei annog i gofio mai setliad cyfansoddiadol yw hwn, y mae pobl yng Nghymru wedi pleidleisio drosto'n ddemocrataidd, a bod y penderfyniad i fwrw ymlaen yn groes i'r trefniadau cyfansoddiadol yng Nghymru yn fater difrifol o safbwynt democrataidd, ond mae hefyd yn aneffeithiol o ran sicrhau manteision i bobl yng Nghymru. Ac mae'r achwyniad sydd gennym ni, a sydd gan bobl ledled Cymru, ydy, mae'n gyfansoddiadol, ond mae hefyd yn ymwneud â chronfa nad yw'n mynd i fod yn effeithiol, nad ymgynghorwyd arni, nad yw'n adlewyrchu blaenoriaethau busnesau yng Nghymru, na ellir ei hintegreiddio a, lle caiff penderfyniadau eu gwneud gan adran o Lywodraeth y DU y mae ei chamreoli o'r gronfa drefi eisoes wedi'i beirniadu'n ddifrifol yn y Senedd. Ac, mewn cyfarfod diweddar, gydag Ysgrifennydd Gwladol perthnasol Cymru ac Ysgrifennydd Gwladol y Weinyddiaeth Tai, Cymunedau a Llywodraeth Leol, roedd hi'n gwbl glir mai'r bwriad yw i'r Weinyddiaeth Tai, Cymunedau a Llywodraeth Leol wneud y penderfyniadau hyn, gan gynnwys ar sail swyddogion a benodir yng Nghymru i wneud hynny. Mae'r Llywodraeth hon o'r farn bod hynny'n gwbl annerbyniol yn gyfansoddiadol a, hefyd, nad yw er budd economi Cymru.
2. Pa gyngor y mae'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol wedi ei roi i Lywodraeth Cymru ynghylch y pwerau cyfreithiol sydd ar gael i gryfhau'r gallu i ddiogelu da byw rhag ymosodiadau gan gŵn yng Nghymru? OQ56443
2. What advice has the Counsel General given to the Welsh Government regarding the legal powers available to strengthen the ability to protect livestock from dog attacks in Wales? OQ56443
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wrthi’n gweithio’n agos gyda lluoedd yr heddlu, gyda Llywodraeth y DU, y llywodraethau datganoledig eraill a rhanddeiliaid i ystyried beth yw’r ffyrdd gorau o fynd i’r afael â’r mater difrifol hwn o ymosodiadau gan gŵn ar dda byw ac atal effeithiau dinistriol hyn.
The Welsh Government is currently working closely with police forces, the UK Government, other devolved administrations and stakeholders to explore how best to address the serious issue of dog attacks on livestock and prevent its devastating effects.
Ond dŷn ni'n gwybod, wrth gwrs, Gwnsler, bod gan yr Alban y pwerau sydd eu hangen arnyn nhw i weithredu i daclo'r broblem yma, ac mae yna Fil eisoes wedi, wrth gwrs, ei osod a'i gyflwyno yn y Senedd yn fanna. Yn anffodus, rydym ni, ar y cyfan, yng Nghymru, yn ddibynnol ar Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig i weithredu, ond maen nhw wedi gwrthod gwneud hynny. Maen nhw wedi gwrthod rhoi mwy o hawliau i'r heddlu gymryd samplau DNA, er enghraifft, gan gŵn sy'n cael eu hamau o ymosod, mwy o hawliau i atalfaelu cŵn mewn rhai achosion, cryfhau dirwyon, digolledu perchnogion da byw am eu colledion ac yn y blaen.
Felly, rydym ni wedi bod mewn trafodaethau gyda Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig ers blynyddoedd. Gwnes i godi hyn dros ddwy flynedd yn ôl. Onid yw hi'n amser nawr i chi ymuno â fi ac eraill i alw ar Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig, gan nad ydyn nhw, yn amlwg, yn bwriadu gweithredu ar y mater yma—. A wnewch chi ymuno â ni i alw am ddatganoli'r pwerau angenrheidiol i ni fan hyn, yn y Senedd, fel sydd wedi digwydd yn yr Alban, wrth gwrs, er mwyn i ni allu taclo'r broblem yma unwaith ac am byth?
But we know, of course, Counsel General, that Scotland has the powers that they need to take action to tackle this problem, and that there's already been a Bill laid in Parliament there. Unfortunately, generally speaking, we, in Wales, are reliant on the UK Government to take action, but they've refused to do that. They've refused to give police more powers to take DNA samples from dogs suspected of attacks, more rights to seize dogs in certain areas, strengthening fines, compensating livestock owners for their losses and so on and so forth.
So, we've been in negotiations with the UK Government for many years. I raised this over two years ago. Isn't it now time for you to join with me and others in calling on the UK Government, as they clearly don't intend to take action on this issue—. Will you join with me in calling for the devolution of the necessary powers to us, in the Senedd, as has happened in Scotland, so that we can tackle this problem once and for all?
Wel, mae'r Aelod yn gwybod mai fy swyddogaeth i yw sicrhau bod Llywodraeth Cymru'n gweithio o fewn ei phwerau cyfansoddiadol, ond hefyd sicrhau ein bod ni'n gallu gweithio i'r eithaf pellaf o'n pwerau datganoledig, a hefyd yn ymchwilio am bob cyfle i sicrhau bod y setliad datganoli yn cael ei ddiwygio mewn ffordd sydd yn gweithredu er budd pobl Cymru. Mae'r Gweinidog dros yr amgylchedd wedi ysgrifennu'n ddiweddar at y Llywodraeth yn San Steffan i ofyn am newidiadau yn y maes hwn o ran deddfwriaeth yn seiliedig ar y math o feirniadaethau roedd yr Aelod yn sôn yn ei gwestiwn. Ac rŷn ni'n sicr, fel Llywodraeth, yn cefnogi'n gryf diwygio'r ddeddfwriaeth yn San Steffan, sydd yn ein galluogi ni, felly, yn y dyfodol i wneud mwy nag sydd yn bosibl ar hyn o bryd.
Well, the Member knows that my function is to ensure that the Welsh Government works within its constitutional powers, but also to ensure that we can work to the furthest boundaries of our devolved powers, and that we seek all possible opportunities to ensure that the devolution settlement is reformed in a way that benefits the people of Wales. The Minister for environment has recently written to the UK Government to ask for changes in this area in terms of legislation based on the kind of criticism that the Member referred to in his question. And we, as a Government, certainly strongly agree with a need to reform legislation in Westminster, which would enable us to do more than is possible at the moment.
3. Pa gyngor cyfreithiol y mae'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol wedi'i roi i'w gyd-weinidogion ar gynorthwyo lesddeiliaid sy'n wynebu rhwymedigaethau ariannol wrth fynd i'r afael â diffygion mewn adeiladau uchel yng Nghymru? OQ56446
3. What legal advice has the Counsel General provided to ministerial colleagues on assisting leaseholders who face financial liabilities in addressing defects in high-rise buildings in Wales? OQ56446
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru’n edrych ar ddewisiadau i ddiogelu lesddalwyr rhag gorfod talu costau llawn unioni materion diogelwch adeiladau. Mae’n hollbwysig, wrth gwrs, ein bod ni’n sicrhau bod yr holl opsiynau’n cael eu hystyried yn briodol, y cynhelir asesiadau risg ar yr opsiynau a’n bod ni’n deall yr effeithiau’n llawn cyn cyhoeddi modelau ariannu penodol.
Welsh Government are exploring options to protect leaseholders from bearing the full brunt of costs to remediate building safety issues. It's imperative, of course, that we ensure that all options are properly scoped, risk assessed and that their consequences are fully understood before funding models are announced.
Diolch yn fawr, Weinidog. Now, in these post-Grenfell times, Counsel General, you may be aware of the issues facing leaseholders at Meridian Quay in Swansea, where the construction company and the insurers have both gone into liquidation. This has left leaseholders in a position where they feel trapped, their apartments are seen as worthless and they are unable to sell. Now, hopefully, attempts to gain compensation through the Financial Services Compensation Scheme will bear fruit, and I have written to the Minister for Housing and Local Government on this matter.
I would be grateful, however, if you could outline what discussions you are having within Government on the £3.5 billion funding announced by the UK Government recently, and whether you feel that it would be possible for the Welsh Government to offer an indemnity to leaseholders in situations such as Meridian Quay, particularly for consequential costs, such as rising insurance and rising legal costs.
Diolch yn fawr, Gweinidog. Nawr, yn y cyfnod ôl-Grenfell hwn, Cwnsler Cyffredinol, efallai eich bod yn ymwybodol o'r materion sy'n wynebu lesddeiliaid yng Nghei Meridian yn Abertawe, lle mae'r cwmni adeiladu a'r yswirwyr ill dau wedi cael eu diddymu. Mae hyn wedi gadael lesddeiliaid mewn sefyllfa lle maent yn teimlo eu bod yn gaeth, ystyrir bod eu fflatiau'n ddiwerth ac ni allan nhw werthu. Nawr, gobeithio, bydd ymdrechion i gael iawndal drwy Gynllun Iawndal y Gwasanaethau Ariannol yn dwyn ffrwyth, ac rwyf wedi ysgrifennu at y Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol ar y mater hwn.
Byddwn yn ddiolchgar, fodd bynnag, pe gallech amlinellu pa drafodaethau rydych chi'n eu cael yn y Llywodraeth ar y £3.5 biliwn o gyllid a gyhoeddwyd gan Lywodraeth y DU yn ddiweddar, ac a ydych chi'n teimlo y byddai'n bosibl i Lywodraeth Cymru gynnig indemniad i lesddeiliaid mewn sefyllfaoedd fel yr honno yng Nghei Meridian, yn enwedig ar gyfer costau canlyniadol, megis yswiriant cynyddol a chostau cyfreithiol cynyddol.
Well, we certainly expect for Wales to receive its fair share of funding, as a result of the spending commitments recently announced in England, and that will, of course enable us to prepare a response to leaseholders who are in this position. The White Paper that the Minister has published is open for consultation until 12 April, and I'll take this opportunity to encourage people to respond to that consultation. But our position as a Government is very, very clear: we do not believe leaseholders should have to pay to rectify issues that constitute failure to build to appropriate quality standards. We've announced already £10.5 million in this year and a further £32 million-worth of capital funding for the next financial year, and our intention, I can reassure the Member, is to establish a funding offer for Wales that goes even further than that which is being considered in other parts of the UK, which looks at the holistic remediation of buildings, beyond cladding, to include some of the other sorts of aspects that he mentioned in his question and others have been calling for as well. I know that the Minister for Housing and Local Government will be making an announcement in due course about how that kind of funding can be accessed.
Wel, rydym ni yn sicr yn disgwyl i Gymru gael ei chyfran deg o gyllid, o ganlyniad i'r ymrwymiadau gwario a gyhoeddwyd yn ddiweddar yn Lloegr, a bydd hynny, wrth gwrs, yn ein galluogi i baratoi ymateb i lesddeiliaid sydd yn y sefyllfa hon. Mae cyfnod o ymgynghori ar y Papur Gwyn y mae'r Gweinidog wedi'i gyhoeddi tan 12 Ebrill, a byddaf yn manteisio ar y cyfle hwn i annog pobl i ymateb i'r ymgynghoriad hwnnw. Ond mae ein safbwynt fel Llywodraeth yn glir iawn, iawn: nid ydym yn credu y dylai lesddeiliaid orfod talu i unioni materion sy'n gyfystyr â methiant i adeiladu i safonau ansawdd priodol. Rydym ni eisoes wedi cyhoeddi £10.5 miliwn eleni a gwerth £32 miliwn pellach o gyllid cyfalaf ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol nesaf, a'n bwriad, gallaf dawelu meddwl yr Aelod, yw sefydlu cynnig cyllid i Gymru sy'n mynd ymhellach fyth na'r hyn sy'n cael ei ystyried mewn rhannau eraill o'r DU, sy'n edrych ar adfer adeiladau yn eu cyfanrwydd, y tu hwnt i gladin, i gynnwys rhai o'r mathau eraill o agweddau y soniodd amdanynt yn ei gwestiwn ac mae eraill wedi bod yn galw amdanynt hefyd. Gwn y bydd y Gweinidog Tai a Llywodraeth Leol yn gwneud cyhoeddiad maes o law ynghylch sut y gellir cael gafael ar y math hwnnw o gyllid.
4. Pa gamau y mae'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol wedi'u cymryd i annog gwell ymwybyddiaeth o reolaeth y gyfraith ymhlith oedolion ifanc yng Nghymru? OQ56447
4. What action has the Counsel General taken to encourage an improved awareness of the rule of law amongst young adults in Wales? OQ56447
Awareness of the rule of law is integral to our work as a Government and to our efforts to make Welsh law more accessible. A number of initiatives are under way that will be brought together in a formal programme, in accordance with the legislation passed in this Senedd, at the start of the next Senedd term.
Mae ymwybyddiaeth o reolaeth y gyfraith yn rhan annatod o'n gwaith fel Llywodraeth ac i'n hymdrechion i wneud cyfraith Cymru yn fwy hygyrch. Mae nifer o fentrau ar y gweill a fydd yn cael eu dwyn ynghyd mewn rhaglen ffurfiol, yn unol â'r ddeddfwriaeth a basiwyd yn y Senedd hon, ar ddechrau tymor nesaf y Senedd.
Thank you. Of course, you'll be aware that Justice Week 2021 took place from 1 March to 5 March against the context of COVID-19. Justice Week provided an opportunity for a vital health check on our rights, our justice system and, ultimately, on the rule of law. As an article on the Law Society website outlined, children have been affected heavily by coronavirus through school closures, and most young people are never consulted on decisions. The Law Society supports public legal education and highlighted the Big Legal Lesson during Justice Week. This is a classroom resource initiative designed by teachers to introduce children and young people to the rule of law. The resources help familiarise young people with subjects such as why we have laws, what a Bill is and how a law is created. Seven hundred and thirty two schools are now taking part this year. Will you liaise with Kirsty Williams MS to establish what steps can be taken to see all schools in Wales participate in BLL next year?
Diolch. Wrth gwrs, byddwch yn ymwybodol y cynhaliwyd Wythnos Cyfiawnder 2021 rhwng 1 Mawrth a 5 Mawrth gyda COVID-19 yn gefndir. Roedd yr Wythnos Gyfiawnder yn gyfle pwysig i ddysgu am ein hawliau, ein system gyfiawnder ac, yn y pen draw, rheolaeth y gyfraith. Fel yr amlinellwyd mewn erthygl ar wefan Cymdeithas y Cyfreithwyr, mae'r coronafeirws wedi effeithio'n drwm ar blant drwy gau ysgolion, ac ni ymgynghorwyd â'r rhan fwyaf o bobl ifanc erioed ar y penderfyniadau. Mae Cymdeithas y Cyfreithwyr yn cefnogi addysg gyfreithiol gyhoeddus ac yn tynnu sylw at y Wers Gyfreithiol Fawr yn ystod yr Wythnos Gyfiawnder. Menter adnoddau ystafell ddosbarth yw hon a gynlluniwyd gan athrawon i gyflwyno plant a phobl ifanc i reolaeth y gyfraith. Mae'r adnoddau'n helpu i ymgyfarwyddo pobl ifanc â phynciau fel pam mae gennym ni gyfreithiau, beth yw Bil a sut mae cyfraith yn cael ei chreu. Mae saith cant a thri deg dau o ysgolion bellach yn cymryd rhan eleni. A wnewch chi gysylltu â Kirsty Williams AS i weld beth y gellir ei wneud i geisio sicrhau bod pob ysgol yng Nghymru yn cymryd rhan yn y Wers Gyfreithiol Fawr y flwyddyn nesaf?
I thank Janet Finch-Saunders for that supplementary, and I was delighted, in the interests of discussing questions about the rule of law with young people, to have participated recently with some students from the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol in their law and criminology conference, to discuss this very sort of issue. And in the way that she was implying in her question, much of that discussion related to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Of course, in Wales, we have worked with the children's commissioner to seek to ascertain the views of children and young people very specifically about the impact of COVID on their lives in particular. But, as she says, there is always more to do in relation to making sure that pupils in schools get a very good appreciation of the issues in relation to the rule of law, democratic accountability, and so on. I'm very confident that the new curriculum Bill, when it becomes an Act, will facilitate that kind of education, and it's a matter of regret that her party didn't choose to support that.
Diolch i Janet Finch-Saunders am y cwestiwn atodol yna, ac roeddwn wrth fy modd, er mwyn trafod cwestiynau am reolaeth y gyfraith gyda phobl ifanc, i fod wedi cymryd rhan yn ddiweddar gyda rhai myfyrwyr o'r Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol yn eu cynhadledd cyfraith a throseddeg, i drafod yr union fath hwn o fater. Ac yn y ffordd yr oedd hi'n awgrymu yn ei chwestiwn, roedd llawer o'r drafodaeth honno'n ymwneud ag effaith pandemig y coronafeirws.
Wrth gwrs, yng Nghymru, rydym ni wedi gweithio gyda'r comisiynydd plant i geisio canfod barn plant a phobl ifanc yn benodol iawn am effaith COVID ar eu bywydau yn benodol. Ond, fel mae hi'n dweud, mae mwy i'w wneud bob amser o ran sicrhau bod disgyblion mewn ysgolion yn meithrin dealltwriaeth drylwyr o'r materion sy'n ymwneud â rheolaeth y gyfraith, atebolrwydd democrataidd, ac yn y blaen. Rwy'n ffyddiog iawn y bydd y Bil cwricwlwm newydd, pan ddaw'n Ddeddf, yn hwyluso'r math hwnnw o addysg, ac mae'n destun gofid na ddewisodd ei phlaid gefnogi hynny.
5. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol wedi'u cael gyda swyddogion y gyfraith yn Llywodraeth y DU ynghylch cyflwyno mesurau cyfreithiol i fynd i'r afael â throseddau gwledig? OQ56448
5. What discussions has the Counsel General had with law officers in the UK Government regarding the introduction of legal measures to tackle rural crime? OQ56448
We take rural crime very seriously, which is why we established the Wales wildlife and rural crime group. Whilst policing, of course, is sadly not a devolved matter, we will continue to work with the UK Government and the Welsh police forces to ensure that public safety needs are met right across Wales.
Rydym ni'n cymryd troseddau gwledig o ddifrif, a dyna pam y gwnaethom ni sefydlu grŵp bywyd gwyllt a throseddau gwledig Cymru. Er nad yw plismona, wrth gwrs, yn fater datganoledig yn anffodus, byddwn yn parhau i weithio gyda Llywodraeth y DU a heddluoedd Cymru i sicrhau bod anghenion diogelwch y cyhoedd yn cael eu diwallu ledled Cymru.
Thank you. From previous scrutiny that I've laid before you, you will be aware of my view that the Welsh Government certainly does have a role to play in tackling rural crime. I would like to highlight an article in a recent Farmers Guardian publication. The headline reads:
'Organised gangs target farm quad bikes'.
So, we're not talking about the odd quad bike being stolen, but we're talking now about organised gangs, and that is far more ramped up in terms of criminal behaviour. Data from NFU Mutual shows that thefts are continuing to rise year on year, up from 1.8 million in 2015 to 2.6 million in just three years. Detective Constable Chris Piggott, rural vehicle crime intelligence officer at the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service, has advised that several gangs now seem to be moving across force borders and that, at the moment, most of Wales is being targeted. Lesley Griffiths MS recently sent me a letter explaining that she is in correspondence with Lord Goldsmith, the north Wales rural crime team and DEFRA colleagues. I welcome that, but I'm just wondering whether you've had more discussions with the Minister about supporting the calls for the formation of a national rural crime taskforce for Wales. Will you support such a proposal, to bring Welsh stakeholders together to work on a suitable Welsh Government response so as to protect our rural communities and, of course, so as to create a platform from which key correspondence can be sent from Wales to the UK Government and that we can have better collaborative working on rural crime, going forward? Thank you.
Diolch. O waith craffu blaenorol yr wyf wedi ei gyflwyno ger eich bron, byddwch yn ymwybodol o'm barn fod gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn sicr ran i'w chwarae wrth fynd i'r afael â throseddau gwledig. Hoffwn dynnu sylw at erthygl mewn cyhoeddiad diweddar gan Farmers Guardian. Mae'r pennawd yn darllen:
Mae gangiau cyfundrefnol yn targedu beiciau cwad.
Felly, nid ydym yn sôn am ambell feic cwad yn cael ei ddwyn, ond rydym yn sôn nawr am gangiau cyfundrefnol, ac mae hynny'n llawer mwy sylweddol o ran ymddygiad troseddol. Mae data gan NFU Mutual yn dangos bod lladradau'n parhau i gynyddu o flwyddyn i flwyddyn, i fyny o 1.8 miliwn yn 2015 i 2.6 miliwn mewn tair blynedd yn unig. Mae'r Ditectif Gwnstabl Chris Piggott, swyddog cudd-wybodaeth troseddau cerbydau gwledig yn y Gwasanaeth Cenedlaethol Gwybodaeth am Droseddau Cerbydau, wedi dweud ei bod hi'n ymddangos bod sawl gang bellach yn symud ar draws ffiniau'r heddlu a bod y rhan fwyaf o Gymru, ar hyn o bryd, yn cael ei thargedu. Anfonodd Lesley Griffiths AS lythyr ataf yn ddiweddar yn esbonio ei bod yn gohebu â'r Arglwydd Goldsmith, tîm troseddau gwledig gogledd Cymru a chydweithwyr yn DEFRA. Rwy'n croesawu hynny, ond dim ond meddwl ydw i tybed a ydych chi wedi cael mwy o drafodaethau gyda'r Gweinidog ynglŷn â chefnogi'r galwadau am ffurfio tasglu troseddau gwledig cenedlaethol i Gymru. A wnewch chi gefnogi cynnig o'r fath, i ddod â rhanddeiliaid o Gymru at ei gilydd i weithio ar ymateb addas gan Lywodraeth Cymru er mwyn diogelu ein cymunedau gwledig ac, wrth gwrs, er mwyn creu llwyfan ar gyfer anfon gohebiaeth allweddol o Gymru at Lywodraeth y DU ac y gallwn ni gael gwell cydweithio ar droseddau gwledig, wrth symud ymlaen? Diolch.
I thank the Member for raising this matter again. She has, of course, as she mentioned in the question, raised it before with me, and it's obviously a very, very important matter both in her constituency and right across Wales. I think there is very good evidence of joint working between the relevant agencies in Wales, which I do think—and I know she would acknowledge this—has been regarded elsewhere as best practice. The point she makes in particular around vehicle theft, I think, is very, very important. It's certainly one of the priorities in terms of the current range, unfortunately, of rural and wildlife crime in Wales. This, principally, of course, is a matter for the Minister in the relevant portfolio, and I'm aware that she is currently considering a specific proposal to increase the focus on rural and wildlife crime in Wales, and we can expect an announcement from her on that matter in the coming days.
Diolch i'r Aelod am godi'r mater hwn eto. Mae hi wedi, wrth gwrs, fel y gwnaeth hi sôn yn y cwestiwn, dod â hyn at fy sylw o'r blaen, ac mae'n amlwg yn fater pwysig iawn, iawn yn ei hetholaeth ac ar draws Cymru. Rwy'n credu bod tystiolaeth dda iawn o gydweithio rhwng yr asiantaethau perthnasol yng Nghymru, sydd, rwy'n credu—ac rwy'n gwybod y byddai hi'n cydnabod hyn—wedi cael ei ystyried yn arfer gorau mewn mannau eraill. Mae'r sylw y mae hi'n ei wneud yn benodol ynghylch dwyn cerbydau, rwy'n credu, yn bwysig iawn. Mae'n sicr yn un o'r blaenoriaethau o blith yr amrywiaeth bresennol, yn anffodus, o droseddau gwledig a bywyd gwyllt yng Nghymru. Mater i'r Gweinidog yn y portffolio perthnasol yw hyn, yn bennaf, wrth gwrs, ac rwy'n ymwybodol ei bod hi wrthi'n ystyried cynnig penodol i gynyddu'r pwyslais ar droseddau cefn gwlad a bywyd gwyllt yng Nghymru, ac fe allwn ddisgwyl cyhoeddiad ganddi ar y mater hwnnw yn ystod y dyddiau nesaf.
Helen Mary Jones.
Helen Mary Jones.
Apologies, Llywydd, I thought we'd withdrawn that request. I do apologise.
Ymddiheuriadau, Llywydd, roeddwn i'n credu ein bod ni wedi tynnu'r cais hwnnw'n ôl. Ymddiheuraf.
Okay. That's fine.
O'r gorau. Mae hynny'n iawn.
Dim problem.
No problem.
Okay, that concludes that question session.
Iawn, mae hynny'n dod â'r sesiwn gwestiynau honno i ben.
Felly, yr eitem nesaf yw'r datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes. Galwaf ar y Trefnydd i wneud y datganiad hynny. Rebecca Evans.
So, our next item of business 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 today's agenda. The motion to approve the Agricultural Support (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) (EU Exit) Regulations 2021 has been postponed until next week. Draft business for the last week of term is set out on the business statement and announcement, which can be found amongst the meeting papers available to Members electronically.
Diolch, Llywydd. Mae un newid i'r agenda heddiw. Mae'r cynnig i gymeradwyo Rheoliadau Cymorth Amaethyddol (Diwygiadau Amrywiol) (Cymru) (Ymadael â'r UE) 2021 wedi'i ohirio tan yr wythnos nesaf. Mae'r busnes drafft ar gyfer wythnos olaf y tymor wedi'i nodi ar y datganiad a'r cyhoeddiad busnes, sydd i'w gweld ymhlith papurau'r cyfarfod sydd ar gael i'r Aelodau'n electronig.
Trefnydd, can I call for two statements this week, please, the first from the Minister for Education regarding antisemitism in Welsh universities? The Welsh Government and many public bodies across Wales have adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, but it's of great regret, I think, that some Welsh universities are yet to adopt that definition. As you will be aware, the UK Government has actively encouraged universities in England to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism, and I think that it would be very good for the people of Wales to know whether the Welsh Government is taking some similar action to tackle the scourge of antisemitism in some parts of our higher education sector here in Wales.
The second statement that I'd like is one on clarity for the leisure industry on whether gyms and swimming pools will be able to reopen in Wales. I've had a number of constituents who've been in touch with me regarding the adverse impact of the closure of their local gym and swimming pool on their physical and mental health, and, of course, many people don't realise that this is actually something that affects people of all ages, not just young people. I've had students, of course, living alone, fitness instructors who are without an income, and cardiac patients who've been unable to do their rehab, who've been in touch with me in recent weeks. The evidence that I've seen, Trefnydd, suggests that the risks of harm from infection associated with gyms and swimming pools is very low, while the consequences of not taking adequate exercise, such as obesity, are very significant. So, I think it would be prudent to have a statement on a timetable for the reopening of gyms and swimming pools as soon as possible.
Trefnydd, a gaf i alw am ddau ddatganiad yr wythnos hon, os gwelwch chi'n dda, y cyntaf gan y Gweinidog Addysg ynglŷn â gwrthsemitiaeth ym mhrifysgolion Cymru? Mae Llywodraeth Cymru a llawer o gyrff cyhoeddus ledled Cymru wedi mabwysiadu diffiniad Cynghrair Rhyngwladol Cofio'r Holocost o wrthsemitiaeth, ond mae'n destun gofid mawr, rwy'n credu, nad yw rhai prifysgolion yng Nghymru wedi mabwysiadu'r diffiniad hwnnw eto. Fel yr ydych chi'n ymwybodol, mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi mynd ati i annog prifysgolion yn Lloegr i fabwysiadu diffiniad Cynghrair Rhyngwladol Cofio'r Holocost o wrthsemitiaeth, ac rwy'n credu y byddai'n dda iawn i bobl Cymru wybod a yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn cymryd camau tebyg i fynd i'r afael â phla gwrthsemitiaeth mewn rhai rhannau o'n sector addysg uwch yma yng Nghymru.
Yr ail ddatganiad yr hoffwn i ei gael yw un sy'n rhoi eglurder i'r diwydiant hamdden ynghylch a fydd campfeydd a phyllau nofio yn gallu ailagor yng Nghymru. Rwyf wedi cael nifer o etholwyr sydd wedi bod mewn cysylltiad â mi ynglŷn ag effaith niweidiol cau eu campfa leol a'u pwll nofio ar eu hiechyd corfforol a meddyliol, ac, wrth gwrs, nid yw llawer o bobl yn sylweddoli bod hyn wirioneddol yn rhywbeth sy'n effeithio ar bobl o bob oedran, nid pobl ifanc yn unig. Rwyf wedi cael myfyrwyr, wrth gwrs, yn byw ar eu pen eu hunain, hyfforddwyr ffitrwydd sydd heb incwm, a chleifion cardiaidd nad ydyn nhw wedi gallu gwneud eu hymarferion adfer, sydd wedi bod mewn cysylltiad â mi yn ystod yr wythnosau diwethaf. Mae'r dystiolaeth yr wyf i wedi'i gweld, Trefnydd, yn awgrymu bod y risgiau o niwed drwy haint sy'n gysylltiedig â champfeydd a phyllau nofio yn isel iawn, a bod canlyniadau peidio â gwneud ymarfer corff digonol, fel gordewdra, yn sylweddol iawn. Felly, rwy'n credu y byddai'n ddoeth cael datganiad ynglŷn ag amserlen ar gyfer ailagor campfeydd a phyllau nofio cyn gynted â phosibl.
Thank you to Darren Millar for raising both of those issues. Clearly, there's absolutely no place for antisemitism anywhere in Wales, and I'd be pleased to ask the Minister for Education to write to you on that specific issue that you raised, regarding the adoption of the IHRA definition.
And, on the issue of gyms and swimming pools, I'm afraid I don't have anything further that I can add to what the First Minister said at his statement on Friday in terms of the next steps and providing a specific date. But, clearly, all of these matters are under constant review, and we do recognise the important physical and also mental health and well-being contribution that both gyms and swimming pools can make to people of all ages, as you set out, and we're very, very aware of the impact that the restrictions are having on people and their lives. So, as soon as we are able to provide a date, I know that we would be keen to do so.
Diolch i Darren Millar am godi'r ddau fater hynny. Yn amlwg, nid oes lle o gwbl i wrthsemitiaeth yn unman yng Nghymru, a byddwn i'n falch o ofyn i'r Gweinidog Addysg ysgrifennu atoch ar y mater penodol hwnnw a godwyd gennych, ynghylch mabwysiadu diffiniad Cynghrair Rhyngwladol Cofio'r Holocost
Ac, o ran campfeydd a phyllau nofio, mae arnaf i ofn nad oes gennyf i unrhyw beth arall y gallaf ei ychwanegu at yr hyn a ddywedodd y Prif Weinidog yn ei ddatganiad ddydd Gwener o ran y camau nesaf a darparu dyddiad penodol. Ond, yn amlwg, mae'r holl faterion hyn yn cael eu hadolygu'n gyson, ac rydym ni'n cydnabod y cyfraniad pwysig i iechyd a lles corfforol a meddyliol y gall campfeydd a phyllau nofio ei wneud i bobl o bob oedran, fel y dywedwch chi, ac rydym yn ymwybodol iawn, iawn o effaith y cyfyngiadau ar bobl a'u bywydau. Felly, cyn gynted ag y gallwn ni ddarparu dyddiad, gwn y byddem yn awyddus i wneud hynny.
I'd like a statement from the Government, please, about the vital importance of helping young people recover from the crisis, particularly their mental health and well-being. I've spoken in the Senedd before about the fantastic work that the Senghenydd Youth Drop In Centre—or SYDIC—does to provide activities and opportunities for young people. I've spoken to Dave Brunton, who does excellent work for the centre, and I know of the concerns felt by him and so many others about the effects that lockdowns have had on young people whose access to extended family and friends, and the support they receive from groups like SYDIC, has been curtailed. More and more young people have come to feel depressed, lonely and isolated. Surely youth activities and support need to be central to how we rebuild after COVID; they're a cornerstone. Because of so many cuts to funding over the years, they are too often fighting for their own survival, but young people are going to need meaningful contact, targeted interventions to help overcome the social isolation and the mental health issues that have come about because of the pandemic. So, I'd like a statement, please, setting out what will be done to make young people's well-being a central tenet of COVID recovery. Thank you.
Hoffwn i gael datganiad gan y Llywodraeth, os gwelwch chi'n dda, ynghylch pwysigrwydd hanfodol helpu pobl ifanc i ymadfer o'r argyfwng, yn enwedig eu hiechyd meddwl a'u lles. Rwyf wedi siarad yn y Senedd o'r blaen am y gwaith gwych y mae Canolfan Galw Heibio Ieuenctid Senghennydd—neu SYDIC—yn ei wneud i ddarparu gweithgareddau a chyfleoedd i bobl ifanc. Rwyf wedi siarad â Dave Brunton, sy'n gwneud gwaith rhagorol i'r ganolfan, ac rwy'n ymwybodol o'i bryderon ef a nifer o bobl eraill am yr effeithiau y mae'r cyfyngiadau symud wedi'u cael ar bobl ifanc gan fod eu cyfle i weld teulu estynedig a ffrindiau, a'r gefnogaeth y maen nhw'n ei gael gan grwpiau fel Canolfan Galw Heibio Ieuenctid Senghennydd, wedi'u lleihau. Mae mwy a mwy o bobl ifanc wedi mynd i deimlo'n isel, yn unig ac yn ynysig. Siawns nad oes angen i weithgareddau a chymorth ieuenctid fod yn ganolog i'r ffordd yr ydym ni'n adfer ar ôl COVID; y nhw sy'n gonglfaen. Oherwydd cynifer o doriadau i gyllid yn ystod y blynyddoedd, maen nhw’n brwydro i oroesi, ond bydd angen cyswllt ystyrlon ar bobl ifanc, ymyriadau wedi'u targedu i helpu i oresgyn yr ynysigrwydd cymdeithasol a'r materion iechyd meddwl sydd wedi digwydd oherwydd y pandemig. Felly, hoffwn i gael datganiad, os gwelwch chi'n dda, yn nodi'r hyn fydd yn cael ei wneud i sicrhau bod llesiant pobl ifanc yn egwyddor ganolog o'r adferiad o COVID. Diolch.
Thank you for raising the issue. As you were talking, I was looking at the questions for the Minister for Education tomorrow, and there is an opportunity specifically to address young people's and children's well-being there. But I know that you'd be keen to have a wider statement, and the Minister will have heard everything that you've had to say.
I've been pleased, in the budget for next year, to provide an uplift to the funding for mental health for young people, in recognition of the very, very difficult time that they've had, and also we've provided significant additional funding to our colleges and universities for them to also support the mental health needs of the people who they provide the educational services to. But I'm grateful to you for raising that, and for also giving the opportunity to say 'thank you' to everybody at the Senghenydd drop-in centre for the work that they have done over a long period, and I know that they're very keen to be able to get back to the fullness of their role in due course.
Diolch am godi'r mater. Wrth ichi siarad, roeddwn i'n edrych ar y cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Addysg yfory, ac mae cyfle penodol i ymdrin â llesiant plant a phobl ifanc yno. Ond rwy'n gwybod y byddech chi'n awyddus i gael datganiad ehangach, a bydd y Gweinidog wedi clywed popeth yr oedd gennych chi i'w ddweud.
Rwyf i wedi bod yn falch, yn y gyllideb ar gyfer y flwyddyn nesaf, o ddarparu cynnydd yn y cyllid ar gyfer iechyd meddwl i bobl ifanc, i gydnabod yr amser anodd iawn y maen nhw wedi'i gael. Hefyd rydym wedi darparu cyllid ychwanegol sylweddol i'n colegau a'n prifysgolion er mwyn iddyn nhw hefyd gefnogi anghenion iechyd meddwl y bobl y maen nhw'n darparu'r gwasanaethau addysgol ar eu cyfer. Ond rwy'n ddiolchgar i chi am godi hynny, ac am roi'r cyfle hefyd i ddweud 'diolch' i bawb yng nghanolfan galw heibio Senghennydd am y gwaith y maen nhw wedi'i wneud dros gyfnod hir, ac rwy'n gwybod eu bod yn awyddus iawn i allu dychwelyd at eu swyddogaeth lawn maes o law.
At Westminster and at local councils, the budget and the budget debate are major events, even when there is no doubt the budget will be passed with a large majority. At the Senedd, it's considered only worthy of a one-hour debate. The debate on the budget is not part of scrutiny, which I think is something that some members of the Government—and I don't mean Ministers, I mean civil servants—haven't quite grasped. We're not scrutinising the budget, we are setting the budget, and I think that is an entirely different position. It is a binding vote on Government expenditure; try losing one and you'll find out how important it is. Surely it is worthy of a full afternoon's debate. Will the Welsh Government consider this request and report back to the Senedd?
Yn San Steffan ac mewn cynghorau lleol, mae'r gyllideb a'r ddadl ar y gyllideb yn ddigwyddiadau mawr, hyd yn oed pan nad oes unrhyw amheuaeth y caiff y gyllideb ei phasio gyda mwyafrif mawr. Yn y Senedd, mae'n cael ei hystyried yn deilwng o ddadl awr yn unig. Nid yw'r ddadl ar y gyllideb yn rhan o waith craffu, sydd, yn fy marn i, yn rhywbeth nad yw rhai aelodau o'r Llywodraeth—ac nid wyf i'n golygu'r Gweinidogion, ond y gweision sifil—wedi'i deall yn iawn. Nid ydym yn craffu ar y gyllideb, rydym yn pennu'r gyllideb, ac rwy'n credu bod honno'n sefyllfa gwbl wahanol. Mae'n bleidlais rwymol ar wariant y Llywodraeth; meiddiwch chi golli un a byddwch chi'n darganfod pa mor bwysig ydyw. Siawns nad yw'n deilwng o ddadl brynhawn llawn. A wnaiff Llywodraeth Cymru ystyried y cais hwn ac adrodd yn ôl i'r Senedd?
Yes, thank you to Mike Hedges for raising the budget. Of course, we do have four opportunities to debate the budget on the floor of the Senedd: we have the early budget debate, which, over the last two years, has been brought forward and led by the Finance Committee, so that we can reflect on the work that the Finance Committee has done in terms of its engagement work; then we have the statement on the debate of the draft budget; and then the debate on the draft budget; and then the final budget debate further on in the year. I do recognise that there is keenness to have longer debates, and it will be for the next Government now to determine the length of those debates. I'm sure that there will be opportunities to have discussions, potentially, within Government and within the Business Committee in terms of tabling those future debates, but I think that's a matter for the next administration now.
Ie, diolch i Mike Hedges am godi'r gyllideb. Wrth gwrs, mae gennym ni bedwar cyfle i drafod y gyllideb ar lawr y Senedd: mae gennym ni'r ddadl gynnar ar y gyllideb sydd, yn ystod y ddwy flynedd diwethaf, wedi'i chyflwyno a'i harwain gan y Pwyllgor Cyllid, fel y gallwn ni fyfyrio ar y gwaith y mae'r Pwyllgor Cyllid wedi'i wneud o ran ei waith ymgysylltu; yna mae'r datganiad ar ddadl y gyllideb ddrafft; ac yna'r ddadl ar y gyllideb ddrafft; ac yna'r ddadl derfynol ar y gyllideb yn ddiweddarach yn ystod y flwyddyn. Rwy'n cydnabod bod yna awydd am ddadleuon hwy, a mater i'r Llywodraeth nesaf nawr fydd penderfynu ar hyd y dadleuon hynny. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd cyfleoedd i gael trafodaethau, o bosibl, o fewn y Llywodraeth ac o fewn y Pwyllgor Busnes, ar gyflwyno'r dadleuon hynny yn y dyfodol, ond rwy'n credu mai mater i'r weinyddiaeth nesaf yw hynny nawr.
Can I just add my support to the request made by Darren Millar regarding a statement on antisemitism within our universities? I'd have asked that myself as well, but I've got two other requests, if I may. One is for the education Minister, seeking a statement setting out some guidance to schools on graffiti on school walls, and the speed at which that should be dealt with. It's been brought to my attention that Ysgol Bro Hyddgen in the Dyfi valley has been sporting a 'Cofiwch Dryweryn' sign for some months now, and, while that is a valid commemoration of an important event in Welsh history, we all know it's become associated with a particular political movement now, and therefore I would say that it's inappropriate for a school to still be sporting that.
And then, finally, could I have a statement, please, from the environment Minister? I repeat a call to her to advise Members on any changes to guidance that help public bodies balance competing priorities when they have to make decisions that stem from Welsh Government policy decisions. Trefnydd, you'll know yourself about the dilemmas that certainly my constituents in Mayals have been facing in choosing between an active travel route and chopping down trees, but, even when there's enthusiasm for an active travel route, how do we ensure that wildlife, habitat and biodiversity aren't trashed in the process of creating an active travel route? You'll probably know about this because of the Clyne section in Gower. It just strikes me as slightly odd that we have a policy that's intended to improve health and reduce pollution, but that can be implemented in a way that destroys significantly important local habitat. So, I'm wondering if you could request a statement on what guidance is currently available to help with that decision, and what remedies are available to constituents who believe that consultation processes haven't been followed adequately. I'm sure that Members would agree with me when I say that judicial review is no remedy at all for the average constituent, because of the cost of this. Thank you.
A gaf i ychwanegu fy nghefnogaeth i'r cais a gafodd ei wneud gan Darren Millar ynghylch datganiad ar wrthsemitiaeth yn ein prifysgolion? Byddwn i wedi gofyn hynny fy hun hefyd, ond mae gennyf i ddau gais arall, os caf i. Mae un i'r Gweinidog Addysg, yn gofyn am ddatganiad sy'n nodi rhai canllawiau i ysgolion ar graffiti ar waliau ysgolion, a pha mor gyflym y dylid ymdrin â hynny. Tynnwyd fy sylw at y ffaith bod arwydd 'Cofiwch Dryweryn' wedi bod yn Ysgol Bro Hyddgen yn Nyffryn Dyfi ers rhai misoedd bellach ac er bod hynny'n coffáu'n ddilys ddigwyddiad pwysig yn hanes Cymru, rydym ni i gyd yn gwybod ei fod wedi dod yn gysylltiedig â mudiad gwleidyddol penodol nawr, ac felly fe fyddwn i'n dweud ei bod yn amhriodol fod ysgol yn ymwneud â hynny.
Ac yna, yn olaf, a gaf i ddatganiad, os gwelwch yn dda, gan Weinidog yr Amgylchedd? Rwy'n ailadrodd yr alwad arni i gynghori'r Aelodau ar unrhyw newidiadau i ganllawiau sy'n helpu cyrff cyhoeddus i gydbwyso blaenoriaethau sy'n cystadlu pan fydd yn rhaid iddyn nhw wneud penderfyniadau sy'n deillio o benderfyniadau polisi Llywodraeth Cymru. Trefnydd, fe fyddwch chi'n gwybod eich hun am y cyfyng-gyngor y mae fy etholwyr i ym Mayals yn sicr wedi bod yn ei wynebu wrth ddewis rhwng llwybr teithio llesol a thorri coed i lawr. Ond, hyd yn oed pan fydd brwdfrydedd dros lwybr teithio llesol, sut mae sicrhau nad yw bywyd gwyllt, cynefin a bioamrywiaeth yn cael eu sathru yn y broses o greu llwybr teithio llesol? Mae'n debyg y byddwch chi'n ymwybodol o hyn oherwydd adran Clun yng Ngŵyr. Mae'n fy nharo i braidd yn rhyfedd fod gennym bolisi sydd â'r bwriad o wella iechyd a lleihau llygredd, ond mae'r modd o weithredu hynny yn golygu dinistrio cynefin lleol o bwysigrwydd sylweddol. Felly, tybed a oes modd gofyn am ddatganiad ynghylch pa ganllawiau sydd ar gael ar hyn o bryd i helpu gyda'r penderfyniad hwnnw, a pha atebion sydd ar gael i etholwyr sy'n credu na chafodd y prosesau ymgynghori eu dilyn yn ddigonol. Rwy'n siŵr y byddai'r Aelodau'n cytuno â mi pan ddywedaf nad yw adolygiad barnwrol yn ateb o gwbl i'r etholwr cyffredin, oherwydd cost hyn. Diolch.
Thank you for raising both those issues, and I'll ensure that the correspondence to which I referred in my answer to Darren Millar is also sent to you as well. In terms of the first question, regarding the speed at which graffiti should be removed, could I ask you to write to the Minister on that issue, and I'm sure that they will be able to provide some more information and point you to any guidance that might be available? And then on the issue of the changes to guidance and the difficult way in which various priorities have to be balanced, I will ask the Minister to write to you. I know that there are some specific issues regarding the active travel route at Mayals, and my understanding, from discussions with the council, is that those trees would have had to have come down in the near future anyway, but I think that those are detailed discussions, perhaps not for the business statement, but I'll be sure that you do get the information that you're looking for.
Diolch am godi'r ddau fater hynny, a byddaf yn gwneud yn siŵr fod yr ohebiaeth yr oeddwn i wedi cyfeirio ati yn fy ateb i Darren Millar yn cael ei hanfon atoch chi hefyd. O ran y cwestiwn cyntaf, ynglŷn â pha mor gyflym y dylid dileu graffiti, a gaf i ofyn i chi ysgrifennu at y Gweinidog ar y mater hwnnw, ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd yn gallu darparu rhagor o wybodaeth a'ch cyfeirio at unrhyw ganllawiau a allai fod ar gael? Ac yna ar fater y newidiadau i ganllawiau a'r ffordd anodd y mae'n rhaid cydbwyso blaenoriaethau amrywiol, byddaf yn gofyn i'r Gweinidog ysgrifennu atoch. Rwy'n gwybod bod rhai materion penodol ynglŷn â'r llwybr teithio llesol ym Mayals. Fy nealltwriaeth i, o drafodaethau gyda'r cyngor, yw y byddai'r coed hynny wedi gorfod dod i lawr yn y dyfodol agos beth bynnag, ond rwy'n credu bod y rheini'n drafodaethau manwl, efallai nid ar gyfer y datganiad busnes, ond gwnaf i'n siŵr eich bod yn cael yr wybodaeth yr ydych chi'n chwilio amdani.
Over the last week, I've been inundated with complaints from parents in the Rhondda who've been unable to secure a place for their child or children at the school's breakfast club. Now, this is an issue that came to my attention towards the end of last year, when the last round of breakfast places were all snapped up very quickly, leaving many parents not just disappointed but in despair. At the time, I wrote to Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council and your Government calling for breakfast club places to be prioritised for vulnerable children and those of key workers, and I was told that this couldn't be done, as it's not permitted by the legislation. While that was disappointing to hear, that would only have been a temporary solution anyway. We need major investment in breakfast clubs in schools across Wales in order to increase the capacity so that supply can meet the demand that's out there. So, can we have a Government statement about the current breakfast club situation in Wales, and could you let us know if your Government intends to do anything about this problem, which keeps cropping up each time there's a new round of applications?
Yn ystod yr wythnos diwethaf, rwyf wedi cael pentwr o gwynion gan rieni yn y Rhondda sydd heb lwyddo i sicrhau lle i'w plentyn neu eu plant yng nghlwb brecwast yr ysgol. Nawr, mae hwn yn fater a ddaeth i fy sylw tua diwedd y llynedd, pan gafodd y cylch diwethaf o leoedd brecwast eu llenwi'n gyflym iawn, gan adael llawer o rieni nid yn unig yn siomedig ond mewn anobaith. Ar y pryd, ysgrifennais at Gyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Rhondda Cynon Taf ac at eich Llywodraeth chi yn galw am flaenoriaethu lleoedd clybiau brecwast ar gyfer plant sy'n agored i niwed a phlant gweithwyr allweddol. Cefais wybod nad oes modd gwneud hyn, gan nad yw'r ddeddfwriaeth yn caniatáu hynny. Er bod hynny'n siomedig i'w glywed, dim ond ateb dros dro fyddai wedi bod beth bynnag. Mae angen buddsoddiad mawr mewn clybiau brecwast mewn ysgolion ledled Cymru er mwyn cynyddu'r capasiti fel y gall y cyflenwad fodloni'r galw sydd ar gael. Felly, a gaf i ddatganiad gan y Llywodraeth ynghylch sefyllfa bresennol y clybiau brecwast yng Nghymru, ac a allech chi roi gwybod inni a yw eich Llywodraeth yn bwriadu gwneud unrhyw beth ynghylch y broblem hon, sy'n dal i godi bob tro y bydd cylch newydd o geisiadau?
I will speak to the Minister for Education about the issue of breakfast clubs to understand how widespread the issue of capacity is, with a view to exploring what more a future Welsh Government can do in this area, but, if you could send me some more information about the level of the additional demand that you're aware of, that would be very useful. I know that we'll also want to pick it up with Rhondda Cynon Taf council as well.
Byddaf i'n siarad â'r Gweinidog Addysg am fater clybiau brecwast i ddeall pa mor eang yw'r broblem o ran capasiti, gyda golwg ar archwilio beth arall y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud yn y maes hwn yn y dyfodol. Ond os gallech chi anfon rhagor o wybodaeth ataf am lefel y galw ychwanegol yr ydych chi'n ymwybodol ohono, byddai hynny'n ddefnyddiol iawn. Gwn y byddwn ni hefyd eisiau ei godi gyda chyngor Rhondda Cynon Taf.
Just in relation to the call by Darren Millar and Suzy Davies for a statement on how we combat antisemitism in our universities, could that statement clarify that, whether or not universities are signatories to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, all universities must abide by the Equality Act 2010, which, obviously, protects Jewish people as people of protected characteristics? I think that would be an important thing to clarify. The Equality Act was passed by the last Labour Government in the UK.
Secondly, I bicycled down to the Angel Hotel in the centre of Cardiff at lunchtime to congratulate them on their offer of a place of safety to all women and girls who think they are at risk, and that's a very important contribution to ensure that people feel safe to be out in Cardiff once we resume nightlife. But, clearly, the murders of Sarah Everard and Wenjing Xu spotlight the daily violence that all women are threatened with, sadly, every day of the week. I note the Deputy Minister's statement on International Women's Day highlighting the extra funding that's been given for the free helpline, and we also have the new relationship and values education in the curriculum, which I think are both very important contributions to combating misogyny that, unfortunately, they still haven't got round to in England. I just wondered if there's anything further the Welsh Government might be able to do to make women feel less anxious in relation to these two murders.
And lastly, I was very disappointed to read that Bridgend council seems to be hostile to the idea of locating the new residential women's centre there. Therefore, I wonder if the Government's able to clarify what work has been done with the UK Government to identify Cardiff as a potential alternative, where I'm sure we would want very much to host such an important centre so that women who have offended don't need to be sent to prisons in England, and can instead be rehabilitated closer to home.
O ran yr alwad gan Darren Millar a Suzy Davies am ddatganiad ar sut yr ydym ni'n mynd i'r afael â gwrthsemitiaeth yn ein prifysgolion, a allai'r datganiad hwnnw egluro a yw'r prifysgolion wedi llofnodi Cynghrair Cofio Rhyngwladol yr Holocost neu beidio? Mae'n rhaid i bob prifysgol gadw at Ddeddf Cydraddoldeb 2010, sydd, yn amlwg, yn amddiffyn pobl Iddewig fel pobl sydd â nodweddion gwarchodedig. Rwy'n credu y byddai'n bwysig egluro hynny. Cafodd y Ddeddf Cydraddoldeb ei phasio gan Lywodraeth Lafur ddiwethaf y DU.
Yn ail, es ar fy meic i lawr i Westy'r Angel yng nghanol Caerdydd amser cinio i'w llongyfarch ar eu cynnig o le diogel i bob menyw a merch sy'n ystyried eu bod mewn perygl, ac mae hynny'n gyfraniad pwysig iawn i sicrhau bod pobl yn teimlo'n ddiogel i fod allan yng Nghaerdydd unwaith y bydd y bywyd nos yn ailddechrau. Ond, yn amlwg, mae llofruddiaethau Sarah Everard a Wenjing Xu yn tynnu sylw at y trais beunyddiol sy'n bygwth pob menyw, yn anffodus, bob dydd o'r wythnos. Rwy'n nodi datganiad y Dirprwy Weinidog ar Ddiwrnod Rhyngwladol y Menywod yn tynnu sylw at y cyllid ychwanegol sydd wedi'i roi ar gyfer y llinell gymorth am ddim. Ac mae gennym ni hefyd yr addysg cydberthynas a gwerthoedd newydd yn y cwricwlwm, sydd, yn fy marn i, yn gyfraniadau pwysig iawn i ymdrin â chasineb at fenywod. Yn anffodus, nid yw Lloegr wedi llwyddo i wneud hyn eto. Tybed a oes unrhyw beth arall y gallai Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud i sicrhau bod menywod yn teimlo'n llai pryderus ynghylch y ddwy lofruddiaeth hyn.
Ac yn olaf, roeddwn i'n siomedig iawn o ddarllen bod cyngor Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr, yn ôl pob tebyg, yn elyniaethus i'r syniad o leoli'r ganolfan breswyl newydd i fenywod yno. Felly, tybed a yw'r Llywodraeth yn gallu egluro pa waith sydd wedi'i wneud gyda Llywodraeth y DU i nodi Caerdydd fel dewis amgen posibl, lle rwy'n siŵr y byddem eisiau cynnal canolfan mor bwysig fel nad oes angen anfon menywod sydd wedi troseddu i garchardai yn Lloegr, ac y bydd modd eu hailsefydlu'n nes at gartref y menywod.
Thank you for raising both of those really important issues, and I'm pleased that you highlighted the statement that the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip has issued just today, reflecting on the recent tragic events that have, I think, reminded us how often women feel unsafe. I think it's really, really positive that businesses such as the Angel Hotel in Cardiff, but also hotels and shops across Wales and across the United Kingdom, now are coming forward to say that they will be a safe place for women who need them. I think that that demonstrates that this isn't just a role for Welsh Government, despite all of the good work that we're doing, which was encapsulated in the written statement of today, but actually there's a role for all of us as individual citizens and as people in our professional roles and working roles, regardless of where that might be. So, I think that the intervention of individuals and shops and so on has been really, really helpful in this regard.
In terms of the residential women's centre, it is a key commitment in the female offending blueprint that will provide intensive rehabilitative support for women as part of a community sentence, where they would otherwise have served a short custodial sentence. I'm not aware of discussions that the Ministry of Justice has had with the Welsh Government in terms of identifying a site; that doesn't mean those discussions haven't taken place, but I haven't had them come across my desk. But I will ask the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip to provide you with an update on that. I do understand the Ministry of Justice has said that they're looking at three sites and are currently looking at submitting a planning application. That's all the information that I have currently, but I will ensure that you have some further detail.
Diolch am godi'r ddau fater pwysig iawn hynny, ac rwy'n falch eich bod chi wedi tynnu sylw at y datganiad y mae'r Dirprwy Weinidog a'r Prif Chwip wedi'i gyhoeddi heddiw, yn myfyrio ar y digwyddiadau trasig diweddar sydd, rwy'n credu, wedi ein hatgoffa ni pa mor aml y mae menywod yn teimlo'n anniogel. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bositif iawn bod busnesau fel Gwesty'r Angel yng Nghaerdydd, ond hefyd westai a siopau ledled Cymru a ledled y Deyrnas Unedig, bellach yn camu ymlaen i ddweud y byddan nhw'n lle diogel i fenywod sydd eu hangen. Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n dangos nad swyddogaeth i Lywodraeth Cymru yn unig yw hon, er gwaethaf yr holl waith da a wnawn ni, a gafodd ei grynhoi yn y datganiad ysgrifenedig heddiw, ond mewn gwirionedd mae gan bob un ohonom ni ein rhan i'w chwarae fel dinasyddion unigol ac fel pobl yn ein swyddi proffesiynol a'n swyddi gwaith, waeth ble y gallai hynny fod. Felly, rwy'n credu bod ymyrraeth gan unigolion a siopau ac ati wedi bod yn ddefnyddiol iawn yn hyn o beth.
O ran y ganolfan breswyl i fenywod, mae'n ymrwymiad allweddol yn y glasbrint troseddu menywod a fydd yn darparu cymorth adsefydlu dwys i fenywod fel rhan o ddedfryd gymunedol, lle bydden nhw fel arall wedi cyflawni dedfryd fer o garchar. Nid wyf i'n ymwybodol o drafodaethau y mae'r Weinyddiaeth Gyfiawnder wedi'u cael â Llywodraeth Cymru o ran nodi safle; nid yw hynny'n golygu nad yw'r trafodaethau wedi digwydd, ond nid ydynt wedi cyrraedd fy nesg i. Ond gofynnaf i'r Dirprwy Weinidog a'r Prif Chwip roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf ichi ynghylch hynny. Rwy'n deall bod y Weinyddiaeth Gyfiawnder wedi dweud eu bod yn ystyried tri safle a'u bod wrthi'n ystyried cyflwyno cais cynllunio. Dyna'r holl wybodaeth sydd gennyf i ar hyn o bryd, ond byddaf i'n sicrhau y bydd gennych chi ragor o fanylion.
I call for an urgent Welsh Government statement on support for outdoor education providers in Wales. A sector representative e-mailed me yesterday stating, quote, 'I wanted to make you aware of this issue that is affecting rural Wales and, indeed, north Wales most severely. I ask that you take the matter forward to the Welsh Government. The situation has reached a critical point and, quite frankly, the way this sector is being treated by the Welsh Government is nothing less than shambolic. I'm appalled that most recently an open letter sent to both economy Minister Ken Skates and First Minister Mark Drakeford, signed by 49 companies and organisations across Wales, was only seen fit to receive a cut-and-paste stock response with the reply that Ministers were too busy to respond in person.' 'The way that this sector is being treated', they said, 'is awful, and the Welsh Government's attention to rural Wales is again very poor.' 'Furthermore', they said, 'I've become increasingly concerned for the mental health of those working within this sector, which has not been able to trade for a full 12 months and seemingly has no way of making their voice heard to the Welsh Government. It does also beg the question of why run a business in Wales at all.'
As the open letter referred to states, 'On 16 March 2020, residential education centres closed their doors to children and young people on school trips from across the UK. Unlike many sectors of the economy, Welsh Government regulations have prevented us from reopening at any stage since.' And as the open letter concluded, 'Will the Welsh Government recognise the essential role the sector will play as a part of the post-COVID recovery solution, or will it allow the decline of quality educational provision for this and future generations?' The sector desperately needs both targeted financial support and constructive dialogue with Welsh Government to enable it to survive the coming months and years. I call for a statement accordingly.
Rwy'n galw am ddatganiad brys gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar gymorth i ddarparwyr addysg awyr agored yng Nghymru. Anfonodd cynrychiolydd o'r sector e-bost ataf i ddoe yn dweud, ac rwy'n dyfynnu, 'Roeddwn i eisiau eich gwneud chi'n ymwybodol o'r mater hwn sy'n effeithio ar y Gymru wledig ac, yn wir, y gogledd yn ddifrifol iawn. Rwy'n gofyn ichi fynd â'r mater i Lywodraeth Cymru. Mae'r sefyllfa wedi cyrraedd pwynt tyngedfennol ac, a dweud y gwir, mae'r ffordd y mae'r sector hwn yn cael ei drin gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn anhrefnus iawn. Pan gafodd llythyr agored, wedi'i lofnodi gan 49 o gwmnïau a sefydliadau ledled Cymru, ei anfon at Weinidog yr Economi Ken Skates a'r Prif Weinidog Mark Drakeford, roeddwn i'n gandryll pan gafwyd ateb cyffredinol torri a gludo yn ôl yn dweud bod y Gweinidogion yn rhy brysur i ymateb yn bersonol.' Mae'n mynd ymlaen i ddweud: 'Mae'r ffordd y mae'r sector hwn yn cael ei drin yn ofnadwy, ac mae sylw Llywodraeth Cymru i Gymru Gefn gwlad unwaith eto'n wael iawn.' 'At hynny', meddai, 'Rwy'n pryderu'n fwyfwy am iechyd meddwl y rhai sy'n gweithio yn y sector hwn, nad ydynt wedi gallu masnachu am 12 mis llawn ac mae'n ymddangos nad oes ganddyn nhw unrhyw ffordd o leisio eu barn i Lywodraeth Cymru. Mae hefyd yn codi'r cwestiwn pam y dylid rhedeg busnes yng Nghymru o gwbl.'
Ac mae'r llythyr agored y cyfeirir ato yn datgan: 'Ar 16 Mawrth 2020, caeodd canolfannau addysg preswyl eu drysau i blant a phobl ifanc ar deithiau ysgol o bob rhan o'r DU. Yn wahanol i lawer o sectorau'r economi, mae rheoliadau Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ein hatal ni rhag ailagor ar unrhyw adeg ers hynny.' Ac fel y mae'r llythyr agored yn dod i'r casgliad, 'A wnaiff Llywodraeth Cymru gydnabod y rhan hanfodol y bydd y sector yn ei chwarae fel rhan o'r ateb adfer ar ôl COVID, neu a fydd yn caniatáu dirywiad yn y ddarpariaeth addysgol o safon ar gyfer y genhedlaeth hon a chenedlaethau'r dyfodol?' Mae taer angen am gymorth ariannol wedi'i dargedu a deialog adeiladol â Llywodraeth Cymru ar y sector i'w alluogi i oroesi'r misoedd a'r blynyddoedd nesaf. Rwy'n galw am ddatganiad yn unol â hynny.
Well, we've all received the same correspondence and I know that I've asked for a copy of the response that the Welsh Government issued in the first instance regarding outdoor education, because of course we recognise the important role that outdoor education plays both in children and young people's learning experience but also in terms of building their self-esteem, their confidence and those other skills that you just can't learn in the classroom. So, when I do see a copy of that, I'll explore what more we can do in terms of understanding what, if any, support has been applied for by those particular businesses, because our approach has been not to provide individualised, very, very narrow support, but to provide packages of support through the economic resilience fund to capture as wide a base as possible. But, when I have had the chance to review that letter, I'm sure we will respond further.
Wel, rydym ni i gyd wedi cael yr un ohebiaeth ac rwy'n gwybod fy mod i wedi gofyn am gopi o'r ymateb a gyhoeddodd Llywodraeth Cymru yn y lle cyntaf o ran addysg awyr agored. Wrth gwrs rydym ni'n cydnabod y rhan bwysig y mae addysg awyr agored yn ei chwarae ym mhrofiad dysgu plant a phobl ifanc ond hefyd o ran meithrin eu hunan-barch, eu hyder a'r sgiliau eraill hynny na allwch eu dysgu yn yr ystafell ddosbarth. Felly, pan welaf i gopi o hynny, byddaf yn edrych i weld beth arall y gallwn ni ei wneud i ddeall pa gymorth, os o gwbl, y mae'r busnesau penodol hynny wedi gwneud cais amdano. Ein dull ni o weithredu fu peidio â darparu cymorth unigol, cul iawn, ond darparu pecynnau cymorth drwy'r gronfa cadernid economaidd i gynnwys sylfaen mor eang â phosibl. Ond, pan fyddaf i wedi cael cyfle i adolygu'r llythyr hwnnw, rwy'n siŵr y byddwn ni'n ymateb ymhellach.
Ni wnaeth llawer o'r materion a nodwyd yn y gwaith yn arwain at y Bil Senedd ac Etholiadau (Cymru), yn anffodus, gael eu datblygu fel rhan o'r Bil terfynol, yn benodol nifer yr Aelodau yn y Siambr hon. Un ffordd o wella llwyth gwaith a chraffu, problemau a nodwyd yn glir dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf, byddai ystyried o ddifrif y mater o rannu swyddi. Mae hyn yn dod yn fwy cyffredin ym myd busnes nawr, ac mae'n caniatau i fenywod, yn enwedig menywod â theuluoedd a grwpiau heb gynrychiolaeth ddigonol, ddychwelyd i'r gwaith mewn ffordd sy'n gweddu i'w ffordd nhw o fyw ac yn gallu datrys materion rydyn ni'n gwybod sy'n bodoli yn ein cymdeithas, fel cydbwysedd gwaith a hyblygrwydd. A allwn ni gael datganiad ar hyn, ac a all y Trefnydd wneud sylwadau ynghylch a fyddai hi'n hoffi gweld unrhyw Lywodraeth sy'n rheoli ym mis Mai yn cymryd y materion hyn o ddifrif yn y Senedd nesaf?
Many of the issues that were set out in the lead up to the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Bill unfortunately didn't become part of the final Bill, specifically the number of Members in this Chamber. Now, one way of improving the workload and scrutiny problems that have been clearly set out in the past few years would be to really consider the issue of job sharing. This is becoming more common in business now and it allows women, particularly women with families and underrepresented groups, to return to work in a way that's appropriate to their way of life and can resolve issues that we know exist within our societies, such as work-life balance and flexibility. So, can we have a statement on this, and could the Trefnydd comment on whether she would like to see any future Government in May taking these issues seriously in the next Senedd?
The second request for a statement I'd like to make is: many of us will have seen distressing developments in the case of Mohamud Hassan, a black man, as you'll be aware, who died following a stay in police custody earlier this year. We know today from the family lawyer, Lee Jasper, that four police officers now face a formal investigation in this case, and developments since suggest police actions were completely at odds with initial statements made by South Wales Police. Yet South Wales Police are still communicating via press release, they have still not released body cam footage, and it's my understanding that the officers involved have still not been suspended while this investigation is carried out. This is all completely unacceptable. A family and a community are not being treated fairly or in a just way. So, would I be able to have a statement from the Welsh Government as to their communications with South Wales Police on this particular case and be able to assure us that this investigation is being conducted in a fair and impartial way?
Yr ail gais am ddatganiad yr hoffwn i ei wneud yw hwn: bydd llawer ohonom ni wedi gweld datblygiadau gofidus yn achos y dyn croenddu Mohamud Hassan, fel y gwyddoch chi, a bu farw yn dilyn arhosiad yn nalfa'r heddlu yn gynharach eleni. Cawsom wybod heddiw gan y cyfreithiwr teuluol, Lee Jasper, fod pedwar o swyddogion yr heddlu bellach yn wynebu ymchwiliad ffurfiol yn yr achos hwn, ac mae datblygiadau ers hynny'n awgrymu bod gweithredoedd yr heddlu yn gwbl groes i'r datganiadau cychwynnol a gafodd eu gwneud gan Heddlu De Cymru. Ac eto i gyd, mae Heddlu De Cymru yn dal i gyfathrebu drwy ddatganiad i'r wasg, nid ydynt eto wedi rhyddhau lluniau camera corff, ac rwy'n deall nad yw'r swyddogion dan sylw wedi'u gwahardd wrth i'r ymchwiliad hwn gael ei gynnal. Mae hyn i gyd yn gwbl annerbyniol. Nid yw'r teulu a'r gymuned yn cael eu trin yn deg nac mewn ffordd gyfiawn. Felly, a fyddwn ni'n gallu cael datganiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru ynghylch eu cyfathrebu â Heddlu De Cymru ar yr achos penodol hwn ac a oes modd ein sicrhau ni bod yr ymchwiliad hwn yn cael ei gynnal mewn ffordd deg a diduedd?
Thank you for raising that issue, and we've said previously that it's really important that that investigation was undertaken very quickly and came to its conclusions quickly, given the real sensitivities that there are and the hurt that's been felt within the community. So, the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip has our main role in terms of liaison with the police and I know that she'll be raising this issue particularly with them.
And on the issue of how we can encourage a more diverse group of people into politics, I think that that is something that is going to be really important to take forward in the next Senedd. We've had lots of good cross-party work, I think, undertaken in terms of shaping ideas to ensure that the future Senedd is one where all people can play their part. Clearly, we're not in a place where we'll be making changes with the elections coming up just a few weeks from now, but certainly, you would hope that these are discussions that will be continued in the next Senedd with a view to ensuring that the Senedd is a more accessible place for everybody.
Diolch i chi am godi'r mater yna. Rydym wedi dweud o'r blaen ei bod yn bwysig iawn cynnal yr ymchwiliad hwnnw'n gyflym iawn a'i fod yn dod i'w gasgliadau'n ddi-oed, o ystyried sensitifrwydd gwirioneddol y sefyllfa a'r dolur a oedd i'w deimlo yn y gymuned. Felly, y Dirprwy Weinidog a'r Prif Chwip sydd â'r brif swyddogaeth o ran cysylltu â'r heddlu ac fe wn i y bydd hi'n codi'r mater hwn yn arbennig gyda nhw.
Ac o ran sut y gallwn ni ddenu grŵp mwy amrywiol o bobl i mewn i wleidyddiaeth, rwyf i o'r farn fod hynny'n rhywbeth a fydd yn bwysig iawn i'w ddatblygu yn y Senedd nesaf. Rydym wedi gweld llawer o waith trawsbleidiol da, rwy'n credu, o ran llunio syniadau i sicrhau y bydd Senedd y dyfodol yn un lle y gall pawb chwarae eu rhan. Yn amlwg, nid ydym mewn sefyllfa i wneud newidiadau gyda'r etholiadau'n digwydd ymhen ychydig wythnosau, ond yn sicr, fe fyddech chi'n gobeithio mai trafodaethau yw'r rhain a fydd yn parhau yn y Senedd nesaf gyda'r nod o sicrhau bod y Senedd yn lle sy'n fwy hygyrch i bawb.
Diolch i'r Trefnydd.
I thank the Trefnydd.
Yr eitem nesaf felly yw'r datganiad gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol ar y wybodaeth ddiweddaraf ar frechiadau COVID-19. Dwi'n galw ar y Gweinidog iechyd i wneud ei ddatganiad.
The next item is a statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services, an update on COVID-19 vaccinations, and I call on the Minister for health to make that statement.

Thank you, Llywydd. The hard work of all those involved in our COVID-19 vaccination programme has continued yet again this week. We are maintaining the best vaccination rate within the UK and a greater proportion of people in Wales have had both doses of the vaccine compared to any other part of the UK.
There is just one month to go now until the mid-April target date for achieving milestone two in our strategy. We are progressing with confidence and pace towards this next key milestone of offering a first vaccination to all those in the current nine priority groups. With increased vaccine supply at present, we expect to see higher numbers of first doses administered whilst also maintaining the pace of our second dose programme at the same time. We have flexed our delivery capacity upwards in response to the increase in supplies. It remains the case that if supplies are provided, then we will deliver.
More than 90 per cent of people between the ages of 65 and 69 have already received their first dose of the vaccine, and people between the ages of 50 and 64 are beginning to be called for their appointments. We are making strong progress.
Our second dose programme has been running for around a month now, and already over 0.25 million people here in Wales have had their full course of the vaccine, which is of course encouraging news. This includes more than one third of care home residents and over half of their care staff. The second dose is essential for longer term protection, so it's really important that second dose offers are taken up.
Thank you to everyone who has taken up their offer of the second dose so far. And I encourage everyone to take up the offer of a vaccine and to encourage your friends and family to do the same. I received my first dose on Sunday, and I look forward to getting my second dose in due course.
And I want to reassure Members that people's safety will always come first. We continually and closely review vaccine safety reports and the independent regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, continues to review the evidence on safety. I recognise reports about some European countries pausing AstraZeneca delivery because of concerns around blood clots. Across the UK, over 12 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine have now been delivered and the MHRA state:
'Reports of blood clots received so far are not greater than the number that would have occurred naturally in the vaccinated population.'
'People should still go and get their COVID-19 vaccine when asked to do so.'
The World Health Organization, the European Medicines Agency, Thrombosis UK and all four UK chief medical officers all support the MHRA position on the safety of our vaccines, and the alternative risk of not receiving the protection that the vaccines provide. The alternative risk from COVID includes, amongst others, an increased risk of blood clots, lasting organ damage and, of course, mortality.
We are confident in our vaccines and certain that we must keep up the momentum. Over the weekend we recorded delivery of more than 40,000 vaccines in a single day—that is comfortably more than 1 per cent of the population vaccinated in one day. We still have more to achieve to keep Wales safe. However, I am grateful for the support from all political sides and the public for our successful vaccination delivery programme. I will of course continue to keep Members and the public updated.
Diolch, Llywydd. Mae gwaith caled pob un sy'n cymryd rhan yn rhaglen frechu COVID-19 wedi parhau unwaith eto'r wythnos hon. Y ni sydd yn cynnal y gyfradd frechu orau yn y DU ac mae cyfran uwch o bobl yng Nghymru wedi cael dau ddos o'r brechlyn o'i chymharu ag unrhyw ran arall yn y DU.
Dim ond mis arall sydd i fynd tan ganol mis Ebrill sef y dyddiad targed ar gyfer cyrraedd carreg filltir dau yn ein strategaeth ni. Rydym ni'n symud ymlaen yn hyderus ac yn gyflym tuag at y garreg filltir allweddol nesaf hon o gynnig brechiad cyntaf i bawb yn y naw grŵp blaenoriaeth presennol. Gyda mwy o gyflenwad o frechlynnau erbyn hyn, rydym yn disgwyl gweld niferoedd uwch o ddosau cyntaf yn cael eu gweinyddu gan gadw at gyflymder ein rhaglen ni ar gyfer yr ail ddos hefyd. Rydym wedi cynyddu ein capasiti i weinyddu hynny'n unol â'r cynnydd o ran cyflenwadau. Y sefyllfa o hyd yw, os caiff y cyflenwadau eu darparu, yna fe fyddwn ni'n eu gweinyddu nhw.
Mae mwy na 90 y cant o bobl rhwng 65 a 69 oed wedi cael eu dos cyntaf o'r brechlyn eisoes, ac mae pobl rhwng 50 a 64 oed yn dechrau cael eu galw am eu hapwyntiadau nhw. Rydym ni'n gwneud cynnydd mawr.
Mae ein rhaglen ni ar gyfer ail ddosau wedi bod ar waith ers tua mis erbyn hyn, ac mae dros 0.25 miliwn o bobl yma yng Nghymru wedi cael eu cwrs llawn o'r brechlyn eisoes, sy'n newyddion calonogol iawn, wrth gwrs. Mae hyn yn cynnwys mwy na thraean y preswylwyr mewn cartrefi gofal a thros hanner eu staff gofal nhw. Mae'r ail ddos yn hanfodol ar gyfer amddiffyniad yn y tymor hwy, felly mae'n bwysig iawn bod pobl yn derbyn y cynigion o ail ddos.
Diolch i bawb sydd wedi derbyn eu cynnig o ail ddos hyd yn hyn. Ac rwy'n annog pawb i fanteisio ar y cynnig o frechlyn ac yn annog eich ffrindiau chi a'ch teulu chi i wneud yr un fath. Fe gefais i fy nos cyntaf i ddydd Sul, ac rwy'n edrych ymlaen at gael fy ail ddos maes o law.
Ac rwy'n awyddus i sicrhau'r Aelodau mai diogelwch pobl fydd yn dod gyntaf bob amser. Rydym yn adolygu'r adroddiadau ynglŷn â diogelwch y brechlynnau yn ofalus trwy'r amser ac mae'r rheoleiddiwr annibynnol, yr Asiantaeth Rheoleiddio Meddyginiaethau a Chynhyrchion Gofal Iechyd, yn parhau i adolygu'r dystiolaeth ynglŷn â diogelwch. Rwy'n ymwybodol o'r adroddiadau am rai gwledydd yn Ewrop sy'n gohirio gweinyddu brechlynnau AstraZeneca am y tro oherwydd pryderon ynghylch clotiau gwaed. Ledled y DU, mae dros 12 miliwn dos o'r brechlyn AstraZeneca wedi eu gweinyddu erbyn hyn ac mae'r MHRA yn datgan:
Nid yw'r adroddiadau a fu am glotiau gwaed hyd yn hyn yn fwy na'r nifer a fyddai wedi digwydd yn naturiol yn y boblogaeth a frechwyd.
Fe ddylai pobl barhau i fynd i gael eu brechlyn COVID-19 pan ofynnir iddyn nhw wneud hynny.
Mae Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd, yr Asiantaeth Feddyginiaethau Ewropeaidd, Thrombosis UK a phob un o bedwar prif swyddog meddygol y DU i gyd yn cefnogi safbwynt yr MHRA ynglŷn â diogelwch ein brechlynnau ni, a'r risg a fyddai fel arall o beidio â bod â'r amddiffyniad a ddarperir gan y brechlynnau. Mae'r risg fel arall oherwydd COVID yn cynnwys, ymysg pethau eraill, mwy o berygl o glotiau gwaed, difrod parhaol i organau ac, wrth gwrs, marwolaeth.
Mae gennym hyder yn ein brechlynnau ni ac rydym yn sicr bod yn rhaid inni barhau â'r momentwm. Dros y penwythnos, fe gofnodwyd bod mwy na 40,000 o frechlynnau wedi'u gweinyddu mewn un diwrnod—mae hynny'n gyfforddus fwy nag 1 y cant o'r boblogaeth yn cael ei brechu mewn un diwrnod. Mae gennym fwy i'w gyflawni eto i gadw Cymru'n ddiogel. Eto i gyd, rwy'n ddiolchgar am y gefnogaeth o bob ochr wleidyddol a chan y cyhoedd i'n rhaglen lwyddiannus ni o ddarparu brechiadau. Wrth gwrs, fe fyddaf i'n parhau i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelodau ac i'r cyhoedd.
Thank you, Minister, for your statement. I'm very pleased to hear you say so unequivocally that people must go out and get their vaccine, whether it is a Pfizer vaccine or an AstraZeneca, and I join with you in saying that the risk of blood clots from any potential vaccine is far, far less than anything else. Given that, what public message—? And I've heard your message, and I've said it, and the First Minister's said it, and I'm sure every single Member here will cleave to this, but how do we get that message out to the areas of Wales where people are very concerned, perhaps already slightly anti-vaccine for various reasons, and this will help to compound it? I really urge you to look at a very strong public health campaign, and ask what your thoughts might be on that.
In terms of care home residents, there's no doubt that the statistics outlining the uptake of the first doses of the vaccine are impressive, but I do have some concerns surrounding the data that is shown in them, namely the group size of care home residents. Now, between 1 and 2 March this group size fell from 17,630 to 15,398, a drop of 2,232. The statistics published today show the number of care home residents at 13,780, so a drop between 17,630 and 13,780 over the space of 16 days is a decrease in the care home population in Wales of 3,850 in less than half a month. Minister, as I've consistently said, data is king and, across the UK, Governments are being driven by data, not dates. Therefore, we need to have huge confidence that the data we have is reliable. When your data shows that over 95 per cent of care home residents have been vaccinated, it is essential that we can trust, and you know, that that data is correct. Now, while I accept that some care home residents have sadly passed away, are you able to explain why there is a 21.9 per cent drop in the number of care home residents over the course of half a month?
I just want to turn briefly to the difficulties in altering the dates of tests. I'm still getting so many e-mails about the difficulties people are having in rearranging tests that were arranged through mass vaccination centres. I am concerned that we run the risk of seeing doses wasted if we do not get to grips with this problem, especially as we move into vaccinating the working-age population who may have more constraints on their time, and thus may be unable to drop everything and attend a date given to them because of work or childcare issues. Are you able to tell us what might be able to be done to help address this?
Finally, I'd just like to touch on the study published by Public Health Wales yesterday, following the mass testing in November and December in the Merthyr Tydfil and Cynon Valley areas, which shows that household contact was the most significant source of transmission. With lockdown rules being in place for close to four months now, and Merthyr once again just showing a bump in the number of cases in Wales, what extra resources and safeguards can you put in place on a local basis to dampen localised outbreaks such as the one that we're seeing in Merthyr? And what community messaging can we put out there about the need to not only address our hygiene measures, but to uptake the vaccine, to ensure that we don't have any further peaks? Thank you.
Diolch, Gweinidog, am eich datganiad. Rwy'n falch iawn o'ch clywed chi'n dweud mor ddiamwys fod yn rhaid i bobl fynd allan a chael eu brechlyn nhw, boed hwnnw'n frechlyn Pfizer neu un AstraZeneca, ac rwy'n ymuno â chi i ddweud bod y risg o glotiau gwaed oherwydd unrhyw frechlyn o bosibl yn llawer iawn llai nag unrhyw beth arall. O gofio hynny, pa neges gyhoeddus—? Ac rwyf i wedi clywed eich neges chi, ac rwyf innau wedi dweud hynny, ac mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi dweud hynny, ac rwy'n siŵr y bydd pob Aelod yma'n arddel hynny, ond sut mae cyfleu'r neges honno i'r ardaloedd yng Nghymru lle mae pobl yn bryderus iawn, ac efallai wedi cymryd yn erbyn y brechlyn ryw gymaint am wahanol resymau, ac fe fydd hyn wedi ategu'r safbwynt hwnnw? Rwy'n crefu arnoch i ystyried ymgyrch iechyd cyhoeddus gadarn iawn, ac rwy'n holi beth allai eich barn chi fod am hynny.
O ran preswylwyr mewn cartrefi gofal, nid oes amheuaeth nad yw'r ystadegau sy'n amlinellu'r nifer sydd wedi manteisio ar y dosau cyntaf o'r brechlyn yn drawiadol, ond mae gennyf i rai pryderon ynghylch y data ynddyn nhw, sef maint y grŵp o breswylwyr mewn cartrefi gofal. Nawr, rhwng 1 a 2 Mawrth fe ostyngodd maint y grŵp hwn o 17,630 i 15,398, sef gostyngiad o 2,232. Mae'r ystadegau a gyhoeddwyd heddiw yn dangos bod nifer y preswylwyr mewn cartrefi gofal yn 13,780. Felly mae gostyngiad wedi bod o 17,630 i 13,780 mewn cyfnod o 16 diwrnod, sef gostyngiad o 3,850 ym mhoblogaeth cartrefi gofal Cymru mewn llai na hanner mis. Gweinidog, fel rwyf i wedi dweud yn gyson, y data sy'n ben arnom ni, ledled y DU, y data sy'n ysgogi camau'r Llywodraethau, ac nid dyddiadau. Felly, mae angen inni fod yn hyderus iawn fod y data sydd gennym ni'n ddibynadwy. Pan fo eich data chi'n dangos bod dros 95 y cant o breswylwyr cartrefi gofal wedi cael eu brechu, mae'n hanfodol ein bod yn gallu ymddiried yn hynny, wyddoch chi, sef bod y data hynny'n gywir. Nawr, er fy mod i'n derbyn y gallai rhai preswylwyr mewn cartrefi gofal yn anffodus fod wedi marw, a wnewch chi egluro pam mae gostyngiad o 21.9 y cant wedi bod yn nifer y preswylwyr mewn cartrefi gofal dros gyfnod o hanner mis?
Fe hoffwn i droi'n fyr at yr anawsterau wrth newid dyddiadau profion. Rwy'n parhau i gael llawer iawn o negeseuon e-bost am yr anawsterau y mae pobl yn eu cael wrth aildrefnu profion a drefnwyd drwy ganolfannau brechu torfol. Rwy'n pryderu ein bod ni'n wynebu'r risg o weld dosau'n cael eu gwastraffu os na fyddwn ni'n mynd i'r afael â'r broblem hon, yn enwedig wrth inni symud tuag at frechu'r boblogaeth o oedran gweithio sydd, o bosib, â mwy o gyfyngiadau ar eu hamser nhw, ac yn methu â gollwng popeth a bod yn bresennol ar yr amser a roddwyd iddynt oherwydd materion gwaith neu ofal plant. A wnewch chi ddweud wrthym ni beth y gellir ei wneud i helpu i fynd i'r afael â hyn?
Yn olaf, fe hoffwn i sôn am yr astudiaeth a gyhoeddwyd gan Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru ddoe, yn dilyn y profion torfol ym mis Tachwedd a mis Rhagfyr yn ardaloedd Merthyr Tudful a Chwm Cynon, sy'n dangos mai cyswllt agos ar aelwydydd oedd y ffynhonnell fwyaf arwyddocaol o ran trosglwyddiad. Gyda rheolau'r cyfyngiadau symud ar waith ers bron pedwar mis erbyn hyn, a Merthyr unwaith eto'n dangos cynnydd bach yn nifer yr achosion yng Nghymru, pa adnoddau a mesurau diogelu ychwanegol y gallwch chi eu rhoi ar waith yn lleol i liniaru achosion lleol fel yr un yr ydym ni'n eu gweld ym Merthyr? A pha negeseuon cymunedol y gallwn ni eu rhoi ar goedd ynglŷn â'r angen, nid yn unig i fynd i'r afael â'n mesurau ni o ran hylendid, ond i fanteisio ar y brechlyn hefyd, i sicrhau nad ydym ni'n gweld unrhyw frig arall mewn achosion eto? Diolch.
Thank you for those questions. I think, on your point about the size of the denominator in care home residents—the Scottish terrier has now left the building—then I'll make sure that, in terms of not just the explanation about data cleansing, I will not only provide it to you, Angela, but to Members as well; I'm sure there'll be some wider interest. And I think that that either may be a written statement or, in a sense, the next version of the narrative provided on a Tuesday or a Thursday to provide a proper explanation as to how that number has been arrived at, and the change that has been made in the number progressively.
Diolch i chi am y cwestiynau yna. Rwy'n credu, o ran eich pwynt chi am nifer y preswylwyr mewn cartrefi gofal—mae daeargi'r Alban wedi gadael yr adeilad erbyn hyn—yna fe fyddaf i'n sicrhau y byddaf i'n darparu esboniad am lanhau data nid yn unig i chi, Angela, ond i'r Aelodau hefyd; rwy'n siŵr y bydd yna rywfaint o ddiddordeb ehangach. Ac rwy'n credu y gallai hynny naill ai fod yn ddatganiad ysgrifenedig neu, ar un ystyr, yn fersiwn nesaf o'r naratif a ddarperir ar ddydd Mawrth neu ddydd Iau i roi esboniad priodol o ran sut y daethpwyd i'r ffigur hwnnw, a'r newid sydd wedi'i wneud i'r ffigur dros amser.
On your point about rearranging appointments, it's an extraordinary endeavour to organise the whole programme. That does mean there's a lot of interest and there are people who are worried and getting hold of numbers to ring when they don't need to ring. There's a lot of public expectation and demand. When I had to rearrange my mother's appointment, I rang later in the day and I was able to do so, because I found that during the middle of the day and early in the day that it wasn't easy to get through. So, there's a point there about persevering and wanting to rearrange, but, actually, the starting point is wanting people to attend when they're offered the appointment.
And this is something we discussed at the shadow social partnership council, where trade unions were keen to have an understanding of encouragement from the Government for employers to be understanding and to release people from their time, because it isn't always straightforward for people to attend a vaccination if their employer isn't understanding. The employers' representatives on the social partnership council were positive about wanting people to get vaccinated, because they could see there was a benefit for those individuals, but more than that, for their business and for the people that they work alongside as well. The greater the proportion of people that we protect with vaccination, the more that we can do to provide a safer Wales for us all, and the environment for those businesses to improve from their own prospects as well.
So, we are looking to have not just a public message about that, but messaging within both sides of the employment relationship about wanting to be positive and enable people to have their vaccines without a cost to them, rather than simply saying people need to do it in their own time, which will actually hamper our efforts. And this will be even more important as we go through each age cohort. Once we get to the under-50s, more and more people of working age will need to have an approach that is consistent and enables vaccination rates to carry on at the pace that we have already set.
On household contact, and you were particularly talking about Merthyr, I understand it's around Gellideg in particular, a couple of streets having a very high number of cases and extended family and relationships where social distancing appears to have broken down, and there does appear to have been household contact. This highlights the fact that the extra household mixing—the indoor mixing—is the way in which coronavirus is still most likely to spread, and to spread very quickly, as we've seen with this particular cluster. And it highlights why we asked the public to do the right thing, not for my sake, but actually because you can otherwise see a real cluster that will interrupt the way people are able to live their lives, and some of those people could fall seriously ill; some of those people could lose their lives as well. So, there is a price to pay, unfortunately, if the public don't continue to support this very difficult—. And I know it's not a pleasant way to have to live our lives, even as we're exiting lockdown, but there is a proper point and purpose to it in keeping us all safe. And I hope that the Merthyr outbreak reinforces positive behaviours for others, not just in Merthyr but across the country about the risks that are still there to be run, especially with the Kent variant.
And on your starting point about the vaccine safety and the public messaging on blood clots, I'm expecting to have an opportunity to talk about this again. The chief medical officer has been talking about this today as well in the media. It's very high-profile reporting across all media platforms, radio and television, and I know that BBC, ITV and Sky have all had significant packages on this, particularly as the European Medicines Agency this afternoon have said that they've reiterated their firm belief that the vaccines are safe, and the balance of risk is absolutely on the side of taking the vaccine with the additional protection that that provides. I think, actually, what will be most helpful is if those European countries that have made this decision at present, if they're going to revisit their choices and, again, restart the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
It's a case in point that we're further along on vaccinating our populations than most other European countries, of course, so they're still vaccinating in many European countries their over-70s where the risk of harm is even higher. So, there's a real point for us all to see the AstraZeneca vaccination programme put back on track, and that will help people who may otherwise be really concerned here to go ahead and get the protection that the vaccination offers. And I should make clear that the AstraZeneca vaccine is the one that I myself had on the weekend.
O ran eich pwynt chi ynglŷn ag aildrefnu apwyntiadau, mae trefnu'r rhaglen yn ei chyfanrwydd yn ymdrech aruthrol. Mae hynny'n golygu fod yna lawer o ddiddordeb ac mae yna bobl sy'n poeni ac yn cael gafael ar rifau ffôn ac yn ffonio pan nad oes angen iddyn nhw ffonio. Mae yna lawer o ddisgwyliadau a galw mawr o du'r cyhoedd. Pan fu'n rhaid i mi aildrefnu apwyntiad fy mam, fe ffoniais i'n ddiweddarach yn ystod y dydd ac roeddwn i'n gallu gwneud hynny, oherwydd fe sylwais i nad oedd hi'n hawdd cael drwodd ganol dydd nac yn y bore. Felly, y pwynt yw bod angen dyfalbarhau a bod yn awyddus i aildrefnu ond, mewn gwirionedd, y man cychwyn yw'r awydd i gael pobl yn bresennol ar yr amser y cynigir apwyntiad iddyn nhw.
Ac mae hwnnw'n rhywbeth y gwnaethom ni ei drafod yng nghyngor partneriaeth gymdeithasol yr wrthblaid, lle'r oedd undebau llafur yn awyddus i gael dealltwriaeth o anogaeth gan y Llywodraeth i gyflogwyr ddangos cydymdeimlad a rhyddhau pobl o'u hamser, oherwydd nid yw bob amser yn hawdd mynd i gael y brechiad os nad yw'r cyflogwr yn cydymdeimlo. Roedd cynrychiolwyr y cyflogwyr ar y cyngor partneriaeth gymdeithasol yn gadarnhaol ynghylch dymuno i bobl gael eu brechu, gan eu bod nhw yn gallu gweld bod budd i'r unigolion hynny, ond yn fwy, i'w busnesau ac i'r bobl y maen nhw'n gweithio ochr yn ochr â nhw hefyd. Po fwyaf y gwnawn ni frechu pobl a'u hamddiffyn, y mwyaf y byddwn ni'n ei wneud i greu Cymru sy'n fwy diogel i bob un ohonom ni, yn ogystal â chreu amgylchedd i'r busnesau hyn wella eu rhagolygon eu hunain hefyd.
Ac felly, rydym yn ystyried nid yn unig roi neges gyhoeddus am hynny, ond negeseuon hefyd ar ddwy ochr y berthynas gyflogaeth, am geisio bod yn gadarnhaol a galluogi pobl i gael eu brechlynnau heb fod cost bersonol iddyn nhw, yn hytrach na dweud bod angen i bobl wneud hynny yn eu hamser nhw eu hunain. Byddai hynny'n llesteirio ein hymdrechion ni, mewn gwirionedd. Ac fe fydd hyn yn bwysicach byth wrth inni fynd drwy bob carfan o oedran. Pan fyddwn ni'n cyrraedd y rheini dan 50 oed, fe fydd angen i fwy a mwy o bobl o oedran gweithio fod â dull sy'n gyson ac sy'n galluogi cyfraddau brechu i barhau ar y cyflymder a welsom hyd yn hyn.
O ran cyswllt rhwng aelwydydd, ac roeddech chi'n sôn am Ferthyr Tudful yn benodol, ac rwy'n deall mai o gwmpas Gellideg yn benodol y digwyddodd hyn, gydag ychydig o strydoedd a oedd â nifer uchel iawn o achosion. Roedd teuluoedd estynedig a chyswllt wedi digwydd lle mae'n ymddangos bod cadw pellter cymdeithasol wedi mynd yn angof, ac mae'n ymddangos bod cyswllt wedi bod rhwng aelwydydd. Mae hynny'n amlygu'r ffaith mai'r cymysgu rhwng aelwydydd eraill—cymysgu dan do—yw'r ffordd y mae coronafeirws yn fwyaf tebygol o ymledu o hyd, ac ymledu'n gyflym iawn, fel rydym ni wedi gweld gyda'r clwstwr arbennig hwn. Ac mae'n pwysleisio pam y gwnaethom ni ofyn i'r cyhoedd wneud y peth iawn, nid er fy mwyn i'n bersonol, ond gan eich bod yn gallu gweld clwstwr gwirioneddol o achosion a fydd yn rhwystr mawr i ffordd pobl o fyw, ac fe allai rhai o'r bobl hynny fynd yn ddifrifol wael; ac fe allai rhai golli eu bywydau hefyd. Felly, mae yna bris i'w dalu, yn anffodus, os na wnaiff y cyhoedd barhau i gefnogi'r hyn sy'n anodd iawn—. Ac fe wn i nad yw'n ffordd ddymunol o fyw, hyd yn oed wrth inni ddod allan o'r cyfyngiadau symud, ond mae yna ystyr a diben priodol i hyn er mwyn ein cadw ni i gyd yn ddiogel. Ac rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yr achosion ym Merthyr yn atgyfnerthu ymddygiadau cadarnhaol pobl eraill, nid yn unig ym Merthyr ond ledled y wlad ynglŷn â'r peryglon sy'n bresennol o hyd, yn enwedig o ran amrywiolyn swydd Caint.
Ac o ran eich pwynt dechreuol chi ynglŷn â diogelwch y brechlyn a'r negeseuon cyhoeddus ynglŷn â chlotiau gwaed, rwy'n disgwyl cael cyfle i siarad am hyn eto. Mae'r prif swyddog meddygol wedi bod yn siarad am hyn heddiw ar y cyfryngau hefyd. Fe geir adroddiadau cyson ac amlwg iawn ar bob un o lwyfannau'r cyfryngau, radio a theledu, ac fe wn i fod y BBC, ITV a Sky i gyd wedi darlledu yn sylweddol ar y pwnc hwn, yn arbennig felly gan fod yr Asiantaeth Feddyginiaethau Ewropeaidd y prynhawn yma wedi dweud eu bod nhw'n ailddatgan eu ffydd gadarn yn niogelwch y brechlynnau, ac mae balans y risg yn bendant yn ochri gyda chymryd y brechlyn a'r amddiffyniad ychwanegol y mae hwnnw'n ei roi. Yn fy marn i, yr hyn a wnaiff fwyaf o les fyddai i'r gwledydd Ewropeaidd hynny sydd wedi gwneud y penderfyniad hwn ar hyn o bryd, y bydden nhw'n ailfeddwl am eu dewisiadau ac yn ailgychwyn defnyddio'r brechlyn AstraZeneca.
Wrth gwrs, rydyn ni wedi llwyddo i frechu mwy o'n poblogaethau ni na'r rhan fwyaf o wledydd eraill yn Ewrop, ac maen nhw'n parhau i fod wrthi'n brechu pobl dros 70 oed lle mae'r risg o niwed yn uwch, hyd yn oed. Felly, mae yna achos gwirioneddol dros allu gweld rhaglen frechu sy'n cynnwys y brechlyn AstraZeneca yn cael ei rhoi ar y trywydd iawn unwaith eto, ac fe fydd hynny'n helpu pobl a allai fod fel arall yn bryderus iawn yn y wlad hon i fynd am yr amddiffyniad y mae'r brechiad yn ei gynnig. Ac fe ddylwn i egluro hefyd mai brechlyn AstraZeneca oedd yr un a gefais innau dros y penwythnos.
Daeth y Dirprwy Lywydd i’r Gadair.
The Deputy Presiding Officer took the Chair.
Rhyw ddau gwestiwn a dau bwynt sydd gennyf fi i'w gwneud, Weinidog. Mae'r ddau gwestiwn yn ymwneud â chwestiynau sy'n cael eu codi efo fi gan fy etholwyr i, a dwi'n siŵr efo Aelodau eraill gan eu hetholwyr nhw, ynglŷn â'r broses. Dwi eisiau dechrau, wrth gwrs, drwy ddiolch i bawb sy'n rhan o'r broses frechu. Mae'n dal yn gweithio'n dda. Rydyn ni'n amlwg ar y trywydd iawn.
Un o'r cwestiynau ydy beth sy'n digwydd ar ddiwedd y dydd. Mae pobl yn clywed o bosib o hyd am bobl yn cael i mewn drwy'r drws cefn achos eu bod nhw'n adnabod rhywun ac yn y blaen. Mae strategaeth ar gyfer defnyddio dosys sy'n mynd i fod ar ôl pan mae pobl yn peidio â throi fyny ar ddiwedd y dydd yn bwysig iawn. Rydych chi'n gwybod fy mod i'n eiddgar i weld pobl mewn swyddi penodol yn gallu cael eu blaenoriaethu. Rydych chi'n anghytuno efo fi ar hynny, ond a ddylid bod rŵan ymgais yn cael ei wneud i ddod â'r rheini i mewn mewn strategaeth gadarn iawn, hyd yn oed os mai dim ond i ddefnyddio'r dosys sbâr ar ddiwedd y dydd yw hynny?
Yn ail, rydych chi'n gwybod fel mae pobl yn dilyn data yn ofalus iawn, ac yn gweld beth sy'n digwydd o fewn eu bwrdd iechyd a gweddill Cymru ar hyn o bryd. Mae pobl yn gweld weithiau, ac yn anecdotaidd, o bosib, teimlad bod eu hardal nhw yn disgyn ar ei hôl hi. Dwi'n grediniol ein bod ni yn debyg o gyrraedd at y pwynt yn y pen draw rydyn ni i gyd eisiau ei gyrraedd tua'r un pryd. Ond pa fonitro ydych chi'n ei wneud fel Llywodraeth i sicrhau cysondeb ar draws Cymru, ac o fewn byrddau iechyd, ar gyflymder y broses frechu, i sicrhau nad oes yna wahaniaethau mawr o ardal i ardal?
Rŵan y ddau bwynt sydd gennyf i i'w gwneud. Mae fy etholaeth i, fy sir i, yn un o'r llefydd lle mae yna nifer ystyfnig o uchel o achosion o hyd. Dwi'n apelio arnoch chi i barhau i chwilio am ffyrdd arloesol a newydd o gyfathrebu peryg y feirws o hyd iddyn nhw, ac hefyd i chwilio am fwy o ffyrdd o gefnogi pobl. Mae yna bobl sy'n dal yn dewis peidio â mynd am brawf, neu sydd yn dewis peidio hunanynysu, oherwydd eu bod nhw'n poeni am oblygiadau hynny; o bosib pobl ar gyflogau isel sydd yn poeni am yr effaith ariannol arnyn nhw. Parhewch i chwilio, fel dwi wedi galw arno fo o'r dechrau, am ffyrdd o gefnogi'r rheini, a sicrhau bod pobl yn cael yr help sydd ei angen arnyn nhw i hunanynysu ac i fynd am brawf.
Mae'r llall o gwmpas AstraZeneca. Jest i wneud y pwynt fy hun, rydw innau'n meddwl ei bod hi'n hollol iawn bod pobl yn cymryd diddordeb mawr ac yn gofyn cwestiynau ynglŷn â diogelwch y brechlyn, ond mae'n rhaid atgoffa ein hunain, os oes yna brawf o gysylltiad efo ceulad gwaed—a does yna ddim eto—rydyn ni'n sôn am, o bosib, un mewn hanner miliwn o bobl sy'n cael y brechiad, fel yr eglurwyd inni mewn briefing y bore yma. Roeddwn i'n sbio ar adroddiad heddiw a oedd yn dweud bod un o bob pump sydd â COVID yn gallu cael math o geulad gwaed, ac un o bob tri o bobl sydd mewn adran gofal dwys. Felly, dyna'r realiti o ran lle mae'r risg go iawn.
I have two questions and two points, Minister. The two questions relate to questions that are raised with me by constituents, and I'm sure with other Members, on the process. I want to start, of course, by thanking everyone involved in the vaccination process. It's still working well, and we're clearly on the right track.
One of the questions is about what happens at the end of the day. People hear about people getting in through the back door because they might know somebody and so on. A strategy for using up the leftover doses when people don't turn up is very important. You know that I'm eager to see people in particular roles being prioritised. You disagree with me on that, but should an effort be made now to bring those into a robust strategy, even if it's just for using up those spare doses at the end of the day?
Secondly, you know how people follow the data very carefully, and look at what's happening within their health boards and the rest of Wales at the moment. And they do occasionally see and hear anecdotally a feeling that their area might be falling behind. Now, I'm convinced that we're likely to reach a point ultimately that we all want to get to, but what monitoring do you do as a Government to ensure consistency across Wales, and within health boards, on the pace of the vaccination process, to ensure that there aren't major differences from one area to another?
Now the two points I want to make. My constituency, my county, is one of those areas where there's a stubbornly high number of cases still. I appeal to you to continue to seek innovative and new ways of communicating the danger of the virus, and also to find more ways of supporting people. There are still people who choose not to go for a test, or choose not to self-isolate because they are concerned of the implications of that. They may be on low wages, and they may be concerned about the financial impact on them. So, continue, as I've constantly called for, to look for ways of supporting those people, so that they get the help that they need to self-isolate and to go for a test.
The other is around AstraZeneca. Just to make the point myself, I believe it's quite right that people take an interest and ask questions about the safety of the vaccination, but we must remind ourselves, if there is a proven risk with blood clots—and there isn't as of yet—we're talking about one in half a million people who are vaccinated, as was explained to us in a briefing this morning. I was looking at a report this morning that says that one in five people with COVID can experience some sort of blood clot, and one in three people in an intensive care department. So, that's the reality in terms of where the risk really lies.
In terms of your comment about a strategy for end-of-day vaccinations, given the cohort we're currently working through of everyone 50 years and above, and running our second dose programme, at this point of time we really shouldn't have difficulty in using the supplies that we've got. We're largely directing the Pfizer jabs at present for the second dose programme, because that's the stage that we're still working through from the earliest doses before AstraZeneca came on board and was delivered more widely. But in terms of our use of AstraZeneca, it's not the case that we expect to see large amounts of wastage, and that's one of the good things, I think, we've been doing from an early point; we've been publishing our figures on waste, which is showing that the programme in Wales is not just going through at a very fast pace, but it's highly efficient, with very, very low wastage rates. That, again, is to the credit of the programme and the deliberate time we took at the outset to get everything right in the way we set up the programme. As we get towards the end of the cohort, and as we're looking to roll out and go into the next age range, we may face a time where there is a more realistic prospect of needing an end-of-day plan in reality. We've already written out and given guidance to the service on doing that, so we certainly don't want to see vaccines wasted. We've had a range of conversations with emergency services workers and others—but I don't think that's going to be a present problem for us now, given the scale and the numbers of people that we have to do and the cohorts that are still available.
I've got to work too with officials on when we'll be moving into the under-50s age group. You'll recall that we were at the point of practical completion when we had essentially delivered 80 per cent of groups 1 to 4, with others then having had invites to their appointments. We were able then to start inviting as a matter of course people in the next ages, for the next part of the roll-out. So, we need to look again and confirm as soon as possible the approach we'll take for the next stage of the vaccination programme. And we do look at the speed across Wales; it's a conversation we have at the vaccination board each week. So, that is a conversation, and it's an open conversation, in a positively competitive way. Each part of Wales wants to see how quickly it can make progress. In every part of Wales, I think the vaccination programme is in a good place, and it's a good problem to have about how fast can we go, rather than having people who are lagging and outliers. And again, when you compare us to other European countries, we're doing extraordinarily well.
I want to reiterate that people should get a test and seek help. TTP includes the contact tracers, but also the supportive part of it, the 'protect' element of it. There are regular calls to people who are isolating—to make sure they are isolating, but also, and primarily, to make sure that there's a well-being check, there's an opportunity to talk to someone, to make sure they are aware of where they can get help and support practically to manage with isolation. Self-isolating is still really important in protecting people around you. It's one of the most effective things we can do to halt the spread of the virus, and that will be even more important as we go through each stage of unlocking more measures.
And finally, on blood clots, it is a matter of fact that, at present, the risk of blood clots is higher, in fact, from the evidence as we understand it, in the unvaccinated population, compared to people who have had the AstraZeneca vaccine. The figures show it's actually slightly lower. And there is no evidence linking blood clots to the AstraZeneca vaccine itself. I appreciate that other countries want to work that through. But I am definitely confident in the evidence we have across the UK, having delivered more than 12 million doses of AstraZeneca. The numbers of people who reported having a blood clot without there being any evidence that's come from the vaccine is lower than in the rest of the population. So, it's a concern. We hope people will look at the evidence, and act on the evidence, to protect themselves and encourage others to get that protection. Because having COVID means you're much more likely to get a blood clot and much more likely to suffer serious harm.
O ran eich sylw chi ynglŷn â strategaeth ar gyfer brechiadau ar derfyn dydd, o ystyried y garfan oedran yr ydym yn gweithio drwyddi ar hyn o bryd, sef pawb 50 oed ac yn hŷn, a'n bod ni'n cynnal ein rhaglen i roi ail ddos i bobl, fe fyddwn yn gallu defnyddio'r cyflenwadau sydd gennym ni nawr heb unrhyw anhawster. Rydym yn cyfeirio pigiadau Pfizer, i raddau helaeth iawn, ar hyn o bryd tuag at y rhaglen i roi'r ail ddos, oherwydd dyna'r cam yr ydym ni'n parhau i weithio drwyddo o ran y dosau cyntaf a gawsom ni cyn i bigiadau AstraZeneca fod ar gael a'u cyflwyno'n ehangach. Ond o ran ein defnydd ni o AstraZeneca, nid yw'n wir ein bod ni'n disgwyl gweld llawer iawn o wastraff, a dyna un o'r pethau gorau, yn fy marn i, yr ydym wedi'i wneud gam cynnar; rydym wedi bod yn cyhoeddi ein ffigurau o ran gwastraff, sy'n dangos bod y rhaglen yng Nghymru nid yn unig yn mynd rhagddi'n gyflym iawn, ond yn effeithlon iawn hefyd, gyda chyfraddau isel iawn o wastraff. Mae hynny, unwaith eto, er clod i'r rhaglen a'r amser a gymerwyd yn fwriadol ar y dechrau i drefnu popeth yn iawn yn y ffordd y gwnaethom sefydlu'r rhaglen. Wrth inni nesáu at ddiwedd y garfan hon, ac wrth inni geisio dechrau arni gyda'r ystod oedran nesaf, efallai y byddwn ni'n gweld amser pan fydd yr angen am gynllun terfyn dydd yn mynd yn fwy tebygol. Rydym wedi paratoi canllawiau ysgrifenedig a'u rhoi i'r gwasanaeth ynglŷn â gwneud hynny, felly nid ydym yn dymuno gweld unrhyw frechlyn yn cael ei wastraffu, mae hynny'n bendant. Rydym wedi cael amrywiaeth o sgyrsiau gyda gweithwyr yn y gwasanaethau brys ac eraill—ond nid wyf i o'r farn fod honno'n broblem i ni ar hyn o bryd, o ystyried maint y gwaith a niferoedd y bobl y mae'n rhaid inni eu brechu a'r carfannau sy'n dal i fod ar gael.
Fe fydd yn rhaid imi drafod gyda swyddogion ynghylch symud at y grŵp oedran dan 50 oed hefyd. Fe gofiwch ein bod ni fwy neu lai wedi cwblhau pan oeddem wedi gweinyddu 80 y cant o grwpiau 1 i 4 i bob pwrpas, a'r lleill wedyn yn cael eu gwahodd i'w hapwyntiadau nhw. Bryd hynny, roeddem ni'n gallu dechrau gwahodd pobl yn yr ystodau oedran nesaf fel mater o drefn, ar gyfer rhan nesaf y broses gyflwyno. Felly, mae angen inni edrych eto ar y dull y byddwn yn ei gymryd a chadarnhau cyn gynted â phosibl yr hyn fydd yn digwydd ar gam nesaf y rhaglen frechu. Ac rydym yn edrych ar y cyflymder ledled Cymru; mae honno'n sgwrs yr ydym ni'n ei chael yn wythnosol yn y bwrdd brechu. Felly, mae honno'n sgwrs, ac mae'n sgwrs agored, mewn ffordd gystadleuol bendant. Mae pob rhan o Gymru yn eiddgar i weld pa mor gyflym y gellir gwneud cynnydd. Ym mhob rhan o Gymru, rwy'n credu bod y rhaglen frechu mewn sefyllfa dda, ac mae honno'n broblem dda i'w chael o ran pa mor gyflym y gallwn ni fynd, yn hytrach na chael pobl ar ei hôl hi neu'n eithriadau. Ac eto, pan gymharwch chi ni â gwledydd eraill yn Ewrop, rydym ni'n gwneud yn arbennig o dda.
Fe hoffwn i ailadrodd y dylai pobl gael prawf a cheisio cymorth. Mae profi, olrhain a diogelu yn cynnwys olrhain cysylltiadau, ond hefyd y rhan gefnogol o'r drefn hon, sef yr elfen honno o 'ddiogelu'. Mae pobl sy'n ynysu'n cael galwadau rheolaidd—i sicrhau eu bod nhw'n ynysu, ond hefyd, ac yn bennaf, i sicrhau bod yna wiriad o'u llesiant nhw, bod cyfle i siarad â rhywun, a sicrhau eu bod nhw'n ymwybodol o ble y gallan nhw gael cymorth a chefnogaeth ymarferol i ymdopi ag unigedd. Mae hunanynysu yn parhau i fod yn bwysig iawn er mwyn amddiffyn y bobl o'ch cwmpas chi. Dyma un o'r pethau mwyaf effeithiol y gallwn ni ei wneud i atal lledaeniad y feirws, ac fe fydd hynny'n bwysicach byth wrth inni fynd trwy bob cam o ddatgloi rhagor o gyfyngiadau.
Ac yn olaf, o ran clotiau gwaed, mae'n fater o ffaith bod y perygl o glotiau gwaed ar hyn o bryd yn fwy, yn ôl y dystiolaeth fel yr ydym ni'n ei deall hi, yn y boblogaeth sydd heb ei brechu, o'i chymharu â'r boblogaeth sydd wedi cael brechlyn AstraZeneca. Mae'r ffigurau hyn yn dangos bod y cyfraddau ychydig yn llai mewn gwirionedd. Ac nid oes unrhyw dystiolaeth yn cysylltu clotiau gwaed â'r brechlyn AstraZeneca ynddo'i hun. Rwy'n sylweddoli bod gwledydd eraill yn dymuno gweithio eu ffordd drwy hyn. Ond rwyf i'n bendant yn hyderus yn y dystiolaeth sydd gennym ni ledled y DU, ar ôl gweinyddu mwy na 12 miliwn o ddosau o'r brechlyn AstraZeneca. Mae niferoedd y bobl sydd wedi cael clot gwaed heb unrhyw dystiolaeth fod hynny wedi digwydd oherwydd y brechlyn yn is nag yng ngweddill y boblogaeth. Felly, mae hyn yn ofid. Gadwech inni obeithio y bydd pobl yn edrych ar y dystiolaeth, ac yn gweithredu yn ôl y dystiolaeth, er mwyn eu hamddiffyn nhw eu hunain ac annog pobl eraill i gael yr amddiffyniad hwnnw. Oherwydd mae cael COVID yn golygu eich bod chi'n llawer mwy tebygol o gael clot gwaed ac yn llawer mwy tebygol o ddioddef niwed difrifol.
Thank you very much, Minister.
Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi, Gweinidog.
Item 5 on the agenda this afternoon is a statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services—an update on the work of the inter-ministerial group on paying for social care. I call on the Minister for Health and Social Services, Vaughan Gething.
Eitem 5 ar yr agenda'r prynhawn yma yw datganiad gan y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol—yr wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am waith y grŵp rhyngweinidogol ar dalu am ofal cymdeithasol. Rwy'n galw ar y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol, Vaughan Gething.

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, for the opportunity to update Members on the work of the inter-ministerial group on paying for social care. Since my last update, our work to explore the implications for social care services of increasing population need, and the development of practical options to address this, has continued. Inevitably, the pandemic has had an impact on our plans. Unfortunately, the national conversation that I announced in my previous statement could not take place, for reasons that I’m sure Members will understand. The pandemic has shown both the importance and the fragility of the sector. The long-term challenges remain, and, once we come through the pandemic, they will still need to be addressed.
The demand for care and support in the population means that already stretched services will not meet future needs unless action is taken. The Health Foundation has used work by the London School of Economics to project the cost of publicly funded adult social care in Wales. This shows that costs could increase by 80 per cent in real terms between 2015 and 2030, and these estimates complement shorter term analysis by Wales Public Services 2025. Whilst ageing is a positive trend, and something to be celebrated, grappling with paying for care is something that many Governments are striving to address. We believe that a UK-wide answer to social care funding is preferable, as it could take account properly of the important interlinking with the tax and benefits system. However, given that a UK-wide answer is unlikely for some time to come, we need to develop sustainable long-term solutions for Wales, which will require some cross-party consensus.
The inter-ministerial group is keen to share the knowledge acquired on these challenging issues. To underpin our work we commissioned, prior to the pandemic, analysis about cost pressures within the sector, and I have made this report available to Members today. Analysis of recently published data has shown net current expenditure on social services rising in line with the high-cost scenario described by the analysis. Should this trend continue, net current expenditure on social services could be up to £400 million higher in 2022-23 than it was in 2019-20, and this implies that growing cost pressures lie ahead for maintaining the existing level of provision alone. We also commissioned LE Wales to provide detailed analysis and costing of some options for a social care promise. I have also shared this report today. Potential revisions to the current charging mechanism were considered, and the three options considered in more detail were: providing fully funded personal care, both at home and in residential care; fully funded non-residential care; and a contribution towards residential costs.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, am y cyfle i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelodau am waith y grŵp rhyngweinidogol ar dalu am ofal cymdeithasol. Ers fy niweddariad diwethaf i, mae ein gwaith ni i archwilio goblygiadau anghenion cynyddol y boblogaeth i wasanaethau gofal cymdeithasol, a datblygu dewisiadau ymarferol i fynd i'r afael â hyn, wedi parhau. Yn anochel, mae'r pandemig wedi effeithio ar ein cynlluniau ni. Yn anffodus, nid oedd modd cynnal y sgwrs genedlaethol a gyhoeddais i yn fy natganiad blaenorol, am resymau yr wyf i'n siŵr y bydd yr Aelodau yn eu deall. Mae'r pandemig wedi amlygu pwysigrwydd a breuder y sector. Mae'r heriau hirdymor yn parhau, a phan fyddwn ni wedi dod trwy'r pandemig, fe fydd angen mynd i'r afael â nhw eto.
Mae'r galw am ofal a chymorth yn y boblogaeth yn golygu na fydd gwasanaethau sydd dan bwysau eisoes yn ateb anghenion y dyfodol heb i gamau gael eu cymryd. Mae'r Sefydliad Iechyd wedi defnyddio gwaith gan Ysgol Economeg Llundain i ragweld costau gofal cymdeithasol i oedolion a ariennir yn gyhoeddus yng Nghymru. Mae hwnnw'n dangos y gallai costau gynyddu 80 y cant mewn termau gwirioneddol rhwng 2015 a 2030, ac mae'r amcangyfrifon hyn yn ategu dadansoddiad byrdymor gan Wasanaethau Cyhoeddus Cymru 2025. Er mai da o beth ar ryw ystyr yw poblogaeth sy'n heneiddio, ac yn rhywbeth i'w ddathlu, mae ymgodymu â thalu am ofal yn ymdrech enfawr i lawer o Lywodraethau. Rydym ni o'r farn y byddai'n well cael datrysiad i gyllid gofal cymdeithasol sy'n cynnwys y DU gyfan, oherwydd fe allai hynny roi ystyriaeth briodol i'r cysylltiad pwysig rhwng y system dreth a budd-daliadau. Eto i gyd, o gofio bod datrysiad ledled y DU yn annhebygol iawn am beth amser i ddod, mae angen inni ddatblygu atebion hirdymor sy'n gynaliadwy i Gymru, a fydd yn gofyn am rywfaint o gytundeb ar draws y pleidiau.
Mae'r grŵp rhyngweinidogol yn awyddus i rannu'r wybodaeth a gafwyd am y materion heriol hyn. I ategu ein gwaith ni, fe gafodd dadansoddiad ei gomisiynu gennym, cyn y pandemig, ynglŷn â phwysau'r gost o fewn y sector, ac rwyf i wedi gwneud yn siŵr bod yr adroddiad hwn ar gael i'r Aelodau heddiw. Mae dadansoddiad o ddata a gyhoeddwyd yn ddiweddar wedi dangos gwariant cyfredol net ar wasanaethau cymdeithasol yn codi yn unol â'r senario cost uchel a ddisgrifiwyd yn y dadansoddiad. Pe byddai'r duedd honno'n parhau, fe allai gwariant cyfredol net ar wasanaethau cymdeithasol fod hyd at £400 miliwn yn uwch yn 2022-23 nag yr oedd yn 2019-20, ac mae hyn yn awgrymu bod pwysau cost cynyddol o'n blaenau ni er mwyn cynnal y gyfradd bresennol o ddarpariaeth yn unig. Fe wnaethom ni hefyd gomisiynu LE Wales i ddarparu dadansoddiad a chostau manwl o rai opsiynau ar gyfer addewid o ofal cymdeithasol. Rwyf wedi rhannu'r adroddiad hwn heddiw hefyd. Fe ystyriwyd diwygiadau posibl i'r mecanwaith presennol o godi tâl, a'r tri opsiwn a ystyriwyd yn fanylach oedd: darparu gofal personol a ariennir yn llawn, yn y cartref ac mewn gofal preswyl; gofal dibreswyl a ariennir yn llawn; a chyfraniad tuag at gostau preswyl.
Workforce options on improvements to pay, terms and conditions were also considered. These include paying the real living wage and fully implementing the equivalent NHS Agenda for Change pay and terms and conditions, amongst others. In addition to these options, we recognise the important role of housing in accelerating the shift to new models of care. The 'housing with care' option, considered outside of the LE Wales report, looks to build on the existing integrated care fund capital programme. It provides a number of options for capital investment to strengthen the housing and social care infrastructure.
It is evident from the analysis that the potential costs associated with each of the options, as we expected, are very high. This leads to our considerations around how the social care promise could be funded. We explored some tax design principles, building on a number of concepts set out in Professor Holtham’s report, and these included identifying how much funding would need to be raised annually and on a recurring basis to fund a social care promise; the importance of hypothecation compared with budgetary flexibility; whether the benefit may only be available based on a contribution; and opportunities to address intergenerational fairness. In addition, we considered the collection and administration of any tax option, as well as the appetite of the UK Government for further tax devolution.
The pandemic and the actions to contain it have led to a sharp increase in UK Government borrowing and debt. In this challenging fiscal environment, the outlook for economic activity and public sector finances in Wales remains highly uncertain. Any decision about whether, how and when to use tax policy levers in Wales would need to consider the possibility of the UK Government implementing other fiscal measures that would impact in Wales, and the need to support economic recovery in Wales to generate the tax revenues to pay for Welsh public services.
Taking account of the impact of the pandemic and the challenging economic and fiscal climate, our conclusion is that a tax solution for raising funds for social care is now more of a longer term potential solution and not a likely solution in the near future. The implication of not increasing taxes is that we cannot raise or redirect resources to improve social care in the way we would have liked to have done through the social care promise. I want to stress that we are not avoiding addressing these issues, but we have taken what I believe is an honest and pragmatic approach given the fiscal environment we find ourselves in.
This brings me to measures we have identified through our work that could, subject to budget prioritisation by an incoming government, be implemented more quickly and therefore be a bridge to other more wide-ranging reform in the medium to long term. These measures, which could be started in the shorter term, and implemented as quickly as is affordable, include working towards introducing a real living wage for the workforce. LE Wales estimated this to be an extra £19 million above the projected national minimum wage uplift for year 1, and some capital investment to enable better housing solutions, estimated at £70 million to £80 million a year over a five-year programme.
Support for the real living wage would be consistent with our fair work agenda. We are working, as part of the social care fair work forum, to consider what else can be done to help make social care a more attractive place to work. This would also be enhanced through proposals in our recent 'Rebalancing care and support' White Paper, which advocates a national commissioning framework through which any additional workforce investment could be guided. Fundamentally, the demographic challenge facing Wales means matters explored by the group cannot be left unaddressed. The next Government will need to retain this as a key area of focus. We have developed a whole body of evidence, providing a strong foundation for future work. And finally, Deputy Presiding Officer, I'd like to thank all of the Welsh Government officials and external groups who are supporting the work of the inter-ministerial group, and thank my fellow Ministers and, in particular, the former chair, Huw Irranca-Davies, for the work he did in leading off on this work initially.
Rhoddwyd ystyriaeth hefyd i opsiynau'r gweithlu ynglŷn â gwelliannau i gyflogau, telerau ac amodau. Mae'r rhain yn cynnwys talu'r cyflog byw gwirioneddol a gweithredu'n llawn ar gyflog a thelerau ac amodau sy'n cyfateb i Agenda ar gyfer Newid y GIG, ymhlith pethau eraill. Yn ogystal â'r opsiynau hyn, rydym ni'n cydnabod swyddogaeth bwysig tai o ran cyflymu'r newid i fodelau newydd o ran gofal. Mae'r opsiwn 'tai â gofal', sy'n cael ei ystyried y tu hwnt i adroddiad LE Wales, yn ceisio adeiladu ar raglen gyfalaf bresennol y gronfa gofal integredig. Mae'r opsiwn hwn yn cynnig nifer o opsiynau ar gyfer buddsoddi cyfalaf i gryfhau'r seilwaith tai a gofal cymdeithasol.
Mae'n amlwg o'r dadansoddiad bod y costau posibl sy'n gysylltiedig â phob un o'r opsiynau, fel yr oeddem ni'n disgwyl, yn uchel iawn. Mae hyn yn arwain at ein hystyriaethau ni ynghylch sut y gellid ariannu'r addewid o ofal cymdeithasol. Fe fuom ni'n archwilio rhai egwyddorion o ran dylunio treth, gan adeiladu ar nifer o gysyniadau a nodir yn adroddiad Athro Holtham, ac roedd y rhain yn cynnwys nodi faint o arian y byddai angen ei godi bob blwyddyn ac yn rheolaidd i ariannu addewid o ofal cymdeithasol; pwysigrwydd neilltuo cyllideb o'i gymharu â hyblygrwydd cyllidebol; a allai'r budd fod ar gael yn unig ar sail cyfraniad; a chyfleoedd i fynd i'r afael â thegwch rhwng y cenedlaethau. Yn ogystal â hynny, fe wnaethom ni ystyried casglu a gweinyddu unrhyw opsiwn o ran trethiant, yn ogystal ag unrhyw awydd gan Lywodraeth y DU i ddatganoli trethiant ymhellach.
Mae'r pandemig a'r camau i'w reoli wedi arwain at gynnydd sydyn ym menthyca a dyled Llywodraeth y DU. Yn yr amgylchedd cyllidol heriol hwn, mae'r rhagolygon ar gyfer gweithgarwch economaidd a chyllid y sector cyhoeddus yng Nghymru yn parhau i fod yn ansicr iawn. Fe fyddai'n rhaid i unrhyw benderfyniad ynghylch yr angen i Lywodraeth y DU ddefnyddio ysgogiadau o ran polisi treth yng Nghymru, yn ogystal â dull ac amseriad hynny, ystyried y posibilrwydd y gallai Llywodraeth y DU weithredu mesurau cyllidol eraill a fyddai'n effeithiol yng Nghymru, a'r angen i gefnogi adferiad economaidd yng Nghymru wrth gynhyrchu'r refeniw treth i dalu am wasanaethau cyhoeddus Cymru.
Gan ystyried effaith y pandemig a'r hinsawdd economaidd ac ariannol heriol, ein casgliad ni yw bod datrysiad o ran trethiant ar gyfer codi arian ar gyfer gofal cymdeithasol bellach yn fwy o ateb posibl yn y tymor hwy ac nid ateb sy'n debygol yn y dyfodol agos. Fe fyddai peidio â chynyddu trethiant yn golygu na allwn ni gynyddu nac ailgyfeirio adnoddau i wella gofal cymdeithasol yn y ffordd y byddem ni wedi hoffi gwneud hynny drwy'r addewid o ofal cymdeithasol. Rwy'n awyddus i bwysleisio nad ydym yn osgoi mynd i'r afael â'r materion hyn, ond rydym wedi mabwysiadu'r hyn sydd, yn fy marn i, yn ddull gonest a phragmataidd o ystyried yr amgylchedd cyllidol yr ydym ni ynddo.
Mae hyn yn fy arwain i at fesurau a nodwyd yn sgil ein gwaith ni a allai, yn amodol ar flaenoriaethu cyllideb gan Lywodraeth newydd, gael eu gweithredu ar fwy o gyflymder ac felly fod yn bont i ddiwygiadau eraill mwy eang yn y tymor canolig i'r hirdymor. Mae'r mesurau hyn, y gellid cychwyn arnyn nhw yn y tymor byr, a'u gweithredu cyn gynted ag y bo hynny'n fforddiadwy, yn cynnwys gweithio tuag at gyflwyno cyflog byw gwirioneddol i'r gweithlu. Roedd LE Wales yn amcangyfrif y byddai hyn £19 miliwn yn ychwanegol uwchlaw'r codiad isafswm cyflog cenedlaethol rhagamcanol ar gyfer blwyddyn 1, a rhywfaint o fuddsoddiad cyfalaf i alluogi gwell datrysiadau o ran tai, tua £70 miliwn i £80 miliwn y flwyddyn am raglen o bum mlynedd.
Fe fyddai cefnogaeth i'r cyflog byw gwirioneddol yn gyson â'n hagenda gwaith teg ni. Rydym ni'n gweithio, yn rhan o'r fforwm gwaith teg gofal cymdeithasol, i ystyried beth arall y gellir ei wneud i helpu i sicrhau bod gofal cymdeithasol yn weithle mwy deniadol i fod ynddo. Fe fyddai hyn yn cael ei wella hefyd drwy gynigion yn ein Papur Gwyn diweddar ni, 'Ailgydbwyso gofal a chymorth', sy'n argymell fframwaith comisiynu cenedlaethol ar gyfer arwain unrhyw fuddsoddiad ychwanegol gan y gweithlu. Yn y bôn, mae'r her sy'n wynebu Cymru o ran demograffeg yn golygu na ellir peidio â rhoi sylw i'r materion a archwiliwyd gan y grŵp. Fe fydd angen i'r Llywodraeth nesaf barhau i ganolbwyntio ar y maes allweddol hwn. Rydym ni wedi datblygu corff cyfan o dystiolaeth, gan osod sylfaen gref ar gyfer gwaith yn y dyfodol. Ac yn olaf, Dirprwy Lywydd, fe hoffwn i ddiolch i holl swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru a grwpiau allanol eraill sy'n cefnogi gwaith y grŵp rhyngweinidogol, a diolch i'm cyd-Weinidogion i ac, yn benodol, i'r cyn-gadeirydd, Huw Irranca-Davies, am y gwaith a wnaeth ef wrth arwain y gwaith hwn ar y cychwyn.
Thank you, Minister, for your statement. Anybody would think there was an election brewing, because this statement very, very clearly puts your ideas of having a social care tax into the long grass, and I'm not surprised at all that you've kicked it there. However, looking back at the inter-ministerial group report, it has most certainly laid the foundations for a Labour social care tax through their workings, and I'm here to say that the Welsh Conservatives will not tax the elderly to provide for social care.
We believe it is the right of elderly people to be provided with the care that they need and deserve, and we know there is money in the system, but it's just not the clear-sighted planning and drive to solve this issue. So, I cannot agree with your other comment that you've buried in that statement about introducing a levy in the longer term. However, I do agree that the social care sector is fragile, and swift action must be taken, and I do agree that we are facing a demographic challenge. It's a welcome challenge—a long life is to be celebrated—but it is a challenge nonetheless.
I have read the LE report, and it's really interesting, and I think that there's an awful lot there that we should take away from it and use to build on a potential solution. But what I would like to know and understand is, over the past workings of the inter-ministerial group, how much time have they looked at the 'how' and the potential cost of directing us all to healthier lifestyles. We've talked a lot about the fact that poverty, obesity, substance dependency, smoking, alcohol, lack of exercise, during our lives, from child to older adult, will actually be the influences that influence the quality of our later years, and those are where we need to spend time and tackle, rather than just saying, when you get there and you're not in great shape, 'You're going to have to pay for your care.' So, I'd be really interested to know what they've looked at in those terms.
Do you also, I'd like to know, agree with the principle that paying for social care should be a shared risk across our nation in the same way that we pay for our NHS, because if we're only going to say, 'We're just going to make you when you get older to pay for social care', I just believe that fairness is going out of the window?
You also speak of the need to improve care staff terms of pay. I totally agree, and the Welsh Conservatives have an aggressive plan to recruit and empower care staff, to pay them an absolute minimum of £10 an hour, and more with training and responsibilities. So, how will you in the short term look to recruit and empower care staff, because you say that this is a short-term problem as well as a long-term plan?
When looking at the proposals put together by Gerry Holtham, they effectively meant that you could end up paying more tax just as you were retiring and your income drops. Did the ministerial group look at the issues that would affect Holtham's calculations, such as unemployment, because I think that's actually a really key plank, and I'd be really interested to know if LE also reviewed that?
You mention a need for cross-party involvement in order to be able to bring this forward over the longer term, and I don't necessarily disagree with that, but please could you also outline how older people and a broad range of their representatives will be able to be involved in true co-production of any new policy?
Finally, in my view, until budgets are totally pooled within social care and healthcare, you are having an uphill battle for the true integration of health and social care, and, in my view, at some point somebody has absolutely got to bite that bullet and make that happen, because that is what will drive it, because money is king in public services and that's what will drive that integration and make this kind of decision making and decision planning much, much easier and far more cohesive. Thank you, Minister.
Diolch, Gweinidog, am eich datganiad chi. Fe fyddai unrhyw un yn meddwl fod yna etholiad ar droed, oherwydd mae'r datganiad hwn yn amlwg iawn yn gohirio eich syniadau chi am fod â threth gofal cymdeithasol ac yn ceisio anghofio amdanyn nhw, ac nid wyf i'n synnu o gwbl eich bod chi wedi gwneud felly. Serch hynny, wrth edrych yn ôl ar adroddiad y grŵp rhyngweinidogol, mae hwn yn sicr, drwy eu gwaith nhw, wedi gosod sylfaen ar gyfer treth gofal cymdeithasol y Blaid Lafur, ac rwyf i yma i ddweud na fydd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig yn trethu'r henoed i ddarparu am ofal cymdeithasol.
Rydym ni'n credu mai hawl pobl oedrannus yw cael y gofal haeddiannol sydd ei angen arnyn nhw, ac fe wyddom ni fod yna arian yn y system, ond ni cheir yma'r cynllunio clir na'r ymdrech ddigonol i ddatrys y broblem hon. Felly, nid wyf i'n gallu cytuno â'r sylw arall y gwnaethoch chi ei gelu'n ddwfn yn y datganiad hwn ynglŷn â chyflwyno ardoll yn y tymor hwy. Eto i gyd, rwy'n cytuno bod y sector gofal cymdeithasol yn fregus, ac mae'n rhaid cymryd camau'n fuan, ac rwy'n cytuno ein bod ni'n wynebu her ddemograffig. Mae honno'n her i'w chroesawu—mae oes hir yn rhywbeth i'w ddathlu—ond mae'n her serch hynny.
Rwyf wedi darllen yr adroddiad gan LE, ac mae hwnnw'n ddiddorol iawn, ac rwyf i o'r farn fod llawer iawn ynddo y dylem ni ddysgu oddi wrtho a'i ddefnyddio ar gyfer llunio datrysiad posibl. Ond yr hyn yr hoffwn i ei wybod a'i ddeall yw, yn ystod gwaith y grŵp rhyngweinidogol yn y gorffennol, faint o amser a roddwyd i edrych ar y 'sut' a'r gost bosibl wrth ein cyfeirio ni i gyd tuag at ffyrdd o fyw sy'n fwy iach. Rydym ni wedi siarad llawer am y ffaith mai tlodi, gordewdra, dibyniaeth ar sylweddau, ysmygu, alcohol, diffyg ymarfer corff, yng nghwrs ein bywydau ni, o oedran plentyn hyd at yr oedolyn hŷn, fydd y dylanwadau sylweddol ar ansawdd ein blynyddoedd diweddarach ni. Dyna'r maes y mae angen inni dreulio amser yn mynd i'r afael ag ef, yn hytrach na dim ond dweud, pan fyddwch chi wedi cyrraedd oedran teg ac nid ydych chi mewn cyflwr da dros ben, 'Mae'n rhaid ichi dalu am eich gofal.' Felly, fe fyddai'n dda iawn gennyf i glywed beth maen nhw wedi bod yn edrych arno o ran hynny.
A ydych chi hefyd, hoffwn i wybod, yn cytuno â'r egwyddor y dylai talu am ofal cymdeithasol fod yn risg a rennir ledled ein cenedl ni yn yr un modd ag yr ydym ni'n talu am ein GIG? Oherwydd os ydym yn dweud, 'Rydym ni am wneud ichi dalu am eich gofal cymdeithasol pan fyddwch chi'n hyn', dyna ddiwedd ar unrhyw degwch yn fy marn i.
Rydych chi'n sôn hefyd am yr angen i wella telerau cyflog staff gofal. Rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr, ac mae gan y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig gynllun cadarn iawn i recriwtio a grymuso staff gofal, i dalu isafswm absoliwt o £10 yr awr iddyn nhw, a mwy gyda hyfforddiant a chyfrifoldebau. Felly, a ydych chi am geisio recriwtio a grymuso staff gofal yn y byrdymor, oherwydd rydych chi'n dweud mai problem fyrdymor yw hon yn ogystal â bod yn gynllun i'r hirdymor?
Wrth edrych ar y cynigion a gyflwynodd Gerry Holtham, roedden nhw i bob pwrpas yn golygu y gallech fod yn talu mwy o dreth yn syth ar ôl ichi ymddeol ac fe fyddai eich incwm chi'n lleihau. A edrychodd y grŵp gweinidogol ar y materion a fyddai'n effeithio ar gyfrifiadau Holtham, megis diweithdra, oherwydd rwyf i o'r farn fod honno'n elfen wirioneddol allweddol, mewn gwirionedd, ac fe fyddai hi'n dda iawn gennyf gael gwybod a wnaeth LE adolygu hynny hefyd?
Rydych chi'n sôn am yr angen i gynnwys cytundeb trawsbleidiol i allu cyflwyno hyn dros y tymor hwy, ac nid wyf i'n anghytuno â hynny o reidrwydd. Ond a wnewch chi amlinellu hefyd sut y bydd pobl hŷn, ac ystod eang o'u cynrychiolwyr nhw, yn gallu bod â rhan wrth gynhyrchu unrhyw bolisi newydd ar y cyd mewn ffordd sydd o werth gwirioneddol?
Yn olaf, yn fy marn i, hyd nes y caiff y cyllidebau eu cyfuno'n llwyr o fewn gofal cymdeithasol a gofal iechyd, fe fydd yna frwydr galed i integreiddio gofal iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol ac, yn fy marn i, fe fydd yn rhaid i rywun wynebu'r ffaith honno er mwyn i hynny ddigwydd. Dyna wnaiff ysgogi hynny oherwydd yr arian sydd yn ben ar wasanaethau cyhoeddus a dyna fydd yn ysgogi'r integreiddio hwnnw ac yn gwneud y dull hwn o wneud penderfyniadau a chynllunio penderfyniadau yn llawer, llawer haws ac yn llawer iawn mwy cydlynol. Diolch, Gweinidog.
Thank you for the comments and the series of questions. Curiously, there are some that I would agree with—some of the comments made—and others that I simply don't agree with as well. I shall miss Angela when she's no longer in the Chamber, although, that's her choice, and I'm down to the whim of the voters at the forthcoming election.
But I do think there's a real challenge for the Welsh Conservatives and their attitude to the future. I think it's a welcome step for a Welsh Conservative Party to be talking about raising pay for people in the social care sector—that's, I think, good news. But I think there's a real challenge about how that's achieved, because that will require prioritisation in budgetary terms. And in terms of the challenge for where we are, I just don't think it's going to be possible to lever in the sort of money to increase what we're able to do within social care without thinking about more significant financial support for that. And I just don't think the clear-sighted planning to release money is going to get you there—that sort of magic-hat approach to make things more efficient and you'll squeeze, magically, huge sums of money out. If we were speaking with local government of every political shade and background, including Conservative-run or coalition authorities, I don't think they'd say that there are huge untapped resources within the system just waiting to be found and put into the pockets of workers. I think it will take more than that. And as I said in my statement, the current trend shows that we could need to spend up to £400 million by 2022-23, and that's just to deliver what we have, not to deliver better care but to deliver the same care; not to raise the wages of staff, but on the same rates of pay and the same sort of care. And that shows the level of challenge that we face.
So, there is, of course, a challenge, and at this point in the economic cycle—it's classic Keynes—this is not a time to raise taxes. So, it isn't about putting something into the long grass; it's being honest about where we are. And the context changed during the course of the work of the inter-ministerial group, of course, because we were at the point of wanting to start a national conversation, to talk about what all this meant and how we could lever in significant amounts of extra resource into the social care sector. The pandemic has fundamentally changed not just our ability to have the conversation, but the context in which we're operating.
So, yes, we are considering a range of other areas. I've already mentioned the housing options. And the challenge we have I don't think is going to be resolved by lifestyle change. We do know that we have a broader public health challenge and that's work that Eluned Morgan is now leading on. Our ‘Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales’ programme is important for people of all ages to make sure that we live well. But actually, when you think about our challenges on housing, we've estimated that we're going to need a significant increase in extra care units. Well, we've only delivered about 500 extra care units across the whole of Wales in the last five years. So, actually, there needs to be a real step-up in what we're doing to be able to meet the challenge, in addition to wanting to improve the public health outcomes for the whole population.
On your point about paying for social care with a shared risk, like the NHS, well, that will require some consensus to do so. And part of the challenge in doing that is the way that we're currently structured and the lack of a UK-wide answer is part of what inhibits us, because there's going to be a limit to what we can do before we potentially start intervening and having unintended consequences around the wider tax and benefits system. In fact, the cross-party select committee in the House of Commons, before the last election, produced a report in which they advocated raising tax revenues to be able to deliver much more significantly, and that would then have been something that we shared across the whole of the UK, with significant sums of money that would've come to each devolved national Government. They also advocated an age-related form of taxation much like what takes place in Japan. So, there is still an open debate that is not concluded about what the future might bring. This is the current position: the ability to make a difference in taking forward the work on integration that the Member refers to on improving the rates of pay and the quality of care that is delivered and how we have a motivated workforce in a system that, with the reforms that are set out in the White Paper for consultation on 6 April, could significantly change social care, but we recognise that there will still be more to do for the next Government. But I do believe, as I've said in the statement, that this provides a strong foundation for any future Government to take that work forward.
Diolch i chi am y sylwadau a'r gyfres yna o gwestiynau. Yn rhyfedd iawn, mi fyddwn i'n cytuno â rhai ohonyn nhw—rhai o'r sylwadau a wnaethoch chi—ac mae yna eraill nad wyf i'n cytuno â nhw. Fe fyddaf i'n gweld eisiau Angela pan na fydd hi yn y Siambr mwyach, er mai ei dewis hi yw hynny, a'r pleidleiswyr fydd yn pennu fy nhynged i yn yr etholiad sydd i ddod.
Ond rwyf i yn credu fod yno her wirioneddol i'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig a'u hagwedd tuag at y dyfodol. Rwy'n credu bod clywed y Blaid Geidwadol yn sôn yng Nghymru am godi tâl i bobl yn y sector gofal cymdeithasol yn rhywbeth i'w groesawu—mae hwnnw'n newydd da yn fy marn i. Ond rwy'n credu y ceir her wirioneddol ynglŷn â'r dull o gyflawni hynny, oherwydd fe fydd hynny'n gofyn am flaenoriaethu mewn termau cyllidebol. Ac o ran her ein sefyllfa ni, nid wyf i'n credu y bydd modd ysgogi'r symiau o arian i gynyddu'r hyn y gallwn ni ei wneud o fewn gofal cymdeithasol heb ystyried cymorth ariannol mwy sylweddol ar gyfer hynny. Ac nid wyf i'n credu y bydd y cynllunio clir i ryddhau arian yn eich galluogi chi i gyflawni hynny—dull y consuriwr yn tynnu rhywbeth o'i het i wneud pethau'n fwy effeithlon ac y gallwch chi dynnu symiau enfawr o arian o'ch het hudol. Pe byddem ni'n siarad â llywodraeth leol o bob lliw a llun gwleidyddol, gan gynnwys awdurdodau Ceidwadol neu glymblaid, nid wyf i'n credu y bydden nhw'n dweud bod adnoddau enfawr heb eu defnyddio ar gael o fewn y system yn aros i rywun eu canfod a'u rhoi ym mhocedi'r gweithwyr. Rwy'n credu y bydd yn cymryd mwy na hynny. Ac fel y dywedais i yn fy natganiad, mae'r duedd bresennol yn dangos y gallai fod angen inni wario hyd at £400 miliwn erbyn 2022-23, a hynny ddim ond er mwyn darparu'r hyn sydd gennym ni eisoes, ac nid i ddarparu gwell gofal ond i ddarparu'r un gofal; a pheidio â chodi cyflogau'r staff, ond eu cadw nhw ar yr un cyfraddau cyflog a'r un math o ofal. Ac mae hynny'n dangos lefel yr her sy'n ein hwynebu ni.
Felly, wrth gwrs, mae hon yn her, ac ar hyn o bryd yn y cylch economaidd—economeg Keynes clasurol yw hyn—nid dyma'r amser i godi trethi. Felly, nid yw'n golygu gohirio ac anghofio; mae'n golygu ymateb i'r sefyllfa bresennol. Ac fe newidiodd y cyd-destun yn ystod gwaith y grŵp rhyngweinidogol, wrth gwrs, oherwydd roeddem ni ar fin dymuno dechrau sgwrs genedlaethol, i siarad am hyn yr oeddem ni'n ei olygu a sut y gallem ddenu symiau sylweddol o adnoddau ychwanegol i'r sector gofal cymdeithasol. Mae'r pandemig wedi newid nid yn unig ein gallu ni i gael y sgwrs, ond y cyd-destun yr ydym yn gweithredu ynddo, a hynny'n gwbl sylfaenol.
Felly, ydym, rydym ni'n ystyried amrywiaeth o feysydd eraill. Rwyf wedi sôn am yr opsiynau tai eisoes. Ac ni chaiff yr her sydd gennym ni ei datrys drwy newid ein ffordd ni o fyw, yn fy marn i. Fe wyddom fod gennym her ehangach o ran iechyd y cyhoedd a dyna'r gwaith y mae Eluned Morgan yn arwain arno ar hyn o bryd. Mae ein rhaglen 'Pwysau Iach: Cymru Iach' yn bwysig i bobl o bob oed ar gyfer gwneud yn siŵr ein bod ni'n byw'n iach. Ond mewn gwirionedd, pan fyddwch chi'n meddwl am ein heriau ni o ran tai, rydym wedi amcangyfrif y bydd angen cynnydd sylweddol mewn unedau gofal ychwanegol arnom ni. Wel, dim ond tua 500 o unedau gofal ychwanegol a ddarparwyd ledled Cymru yn ystod y pum mlynedd diwethaf. Felly, mewn gwirionedd, mae angen cymryd cam bras ymlaen o ran yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ei wneud i allu ymateb i'r her, yn ogystal â dymuno gwella canlyniadau iechyd y cyhoedd i'r boblogaeth gyfan.
O ran eich pwynt chi ynglŷn â thalu am ofal cymdeithasol sydd â risg a rennir, fel y GIG, wel, fe fydd hynny'n gofyn am rywfaint o gytundeb. A rhan o'r her wrth wneud hynny yw'r ffordd yr ydym ni wedi ein strwythuro ar hyn o bryd ac mae'r diffyg o ran datrysiad i'r DU gyfan yn rhan o'r hyn sy'n ein rhwystro ni. Fe fydd yna derfyn ar yr hyn y gallwn ni ei wneud cyn y gallwn ddechrau ymyrryd a gweld canlyniadau anfwriadol o bosibl yn y system dreth a budd-daliadau ehangach. Yn wir, fe gynhyrchodd y pwyllgor dethol trawsbleidiol yn Nhŷ'r Cyffredin, cyn yr etholiad diwethaf, adroddiad yn mynegi safbwynt o blaid codi refeniw treth ar gyfer gallu cyflawni ar raddfa llawer mwy sylweddol. Ac fe fyddai hynny wedyn wedi bod yn rhywbeth y byddem ni'n ei rannu ledled y DU gyfan, gyda symiau sylweddol o arian a fyddai wedi dod i bob Llywodraeth genedlaethol ddatganoledig. Roedden nhw'n cefnogi math o drethiant hefyd sy'n gysylltiedig ag oedran, yn debyg iawn i'r hyn sy'n digwydd yn Japan. Felly, mae yna ddadl agored anorffenedig a pharhaus ynglŷn â'r hyn y gallai'r dyfodol ei gyflwyno inni. Dyma'r sefyllfa ar hyn o bryd: y gallu i wneud gwahaniaeth drwy fwrw ymlaen â'r gwaith ar integreiddio y cyfeiria'r Aelod ato, o ran gwella'r cyfraddau cyflog ac ansawdd y gofal a ddarperir, ac mae gennym weithlu brwdfrydig mewn system a allai, gyda'r diwygiadau a nodir yn y Papur Gwyn yr ymgynghorir arno ar 6 Ebrill, newid gofal cymdeithasol yn sylweddol, ond rydym ni'n cydnabod y bydd mwy gan y Llywodraeth nesaf i'w wneud eto. Ond rwy'n credu, fel y dywedais i yn y datganiad, fod hon yn sylfaen gref ar gyfer datblygu'r gwaith hwnnw ar gyfer unrhyw Lywodraeth yn y dyfodol.
Yn ysbryd bod yn bositif, mi ddywedaf i, i ddechrau, fy mod i'n cydymdeimlo, yn sicr, efo'r Gweinidog, i'r graddau bod y pandemig, wrth gwrs, wedi cael impact dwys iawn ar y cyd-destun ehangach ac ar ein capasiti ni i gyd i bwyso a mesur yr hirdymor ar gyfer iechyd a gofal. Ac mae'r pwysau yna ar gapasiti, wrth gwrs, yn bwysau go iawn. Rydym ni yn ei weld o ym mlinder ein staff ni. Rydym ni'n ei weld o yn y pwysau ariannol digynsail sydd yna ar y coffrau cyhoeddus yn y cyfnod acíwt yma o hyd o ymateb i'r pandemig. Ond i mi, rhoi mwy o reswm i ni weithredu, nid llai, mae profiad y flwyddyn ddiwethaf. Rydym ni wedi gweld yn blaenach nag erioed y diffyg statws, y diffyg sylw a buddsoddiad sydd wedi mynd i mewn i ofal cymdeithasol. Rydym ni wedi gweld y diffyg parch oedd yna i staff gofal. Rydym ni wedi cael prawf cliriach nag erioed bod ein gwasanaethau iechyd ni'n anghynaliadwy, yn or-ddibynnol ar ewyllys da staff, mewn cyflwr o reoli crisis yn llawer rhy aml, ac efo prinder staffio ddylai fod wedi cael ei ddatrys ers blynyddoedd. Felly, tra buasai Llywodraeth Plaid Cymru yn sicr eisiau rhoi cynllun gweithredu brys mewn lle i adfer gwasanaethau ar ôl COVID, nid dod yn ôl i normal fyddai'r nod, ond trawsnewid gwasanaethau ar gyfer yr hirdymor, ac mae hynny yn yr hinsawdd yma, wrth gwrs, yn anferth o her.
Wrth galon ein cynlluniau ni, mae creu gwasanaeth iechyd a gofal newydd sy'n cynnig fframweithiau clir, fel rydym ni'n eu gweld nhw, ar gyfer sut mae byrddau iechyd a Llywodraeth leol yn delifro iechyd a gofal mewn ffordd unedig, seamless, efo cyllidebau wedi'u huno, ac ati. Mae hynny'n golygu trin y gweithlu iechyd a gofal ar yr un lefel, yr un amodau a graddfeydd cyflogau, p'un ai ydyn nhw'n weithwyr gofal neu iechyd.
A'r rhan arall cwbl allweddol i hyn wedyn, wrth gwrs, ydy beth sydd gennym ni o'n blaenau ni heddiw yma, sef dyfodol gofal cymdeithasol a sut rydym ni'n talu amdano fo. Yn syml iawn, mae'n rhaid i ni symud rŵan at ddarparu gofal am ddim lle mae ei angen o, fel mae gofal iechyd. Sut mae hi'n gwneud synnwyr o hyd bod rhywun efo dementia yn gorfod talu, a rhywun efo salwch arall, fel canser, ddim? A dwi ddim am eiliad yn dweud bod hyn am fod yn hawdd, neu buasai o wedi'i wneud ers talwm, mae'n siŵr. Yn wir, mae'r Gweinidog wedi nodi ei hun rhai o'r heriau sydd gennym ni, yn cynnwys, wrth gwrs, y damcaniaethau ar gyfer y cynnydd mawr mewn costau gofal mewn blynyddoedd i ddod. Ond cofiwch mai cynnydd ar y raddfa yna os ydym ni'n cadw pethau fel maen nhw ydy hynny. Ac mae'n rhaid i ni gynnwys, fel rhan o'r hafaliad ar gostau, yr hyn ddylem ni fod yn anelu i'w arbed drwy chwyldroi'r ffordd rydym ni'n meddwl am yr ataliol, yn cadw pobl i fyw yn fwy ffit, yn fwy annibynnol yn hirach.
Dwi'n ddiolchgar iawn i Age Cymru am grynhoi'n dda iawn beth ydy eu gweledigaeth nhw mewn datganiad wnaeth ymddangos yn fy inbox i heddiw. Mae o'n ddrych o beth dwi eisiau ei weld, mewn difrif. Mae hyn yn gwestiwn o degwch cwbl sylfaenol, medden nhw. Mae eisiau tegwch o ran pwy sy'n talu a sut rydym ni'n talu, ac maen nhw'n nodi, ymhlith eu hegwyddorion craidd nhw, bod rhaid rhannu'r risg ar draws cymdeithas. Wrth gwrs, mae yna fwy nag un ffordd o rannu risg. Dwi'n dal yn grediniol bod modd cynnwys hwn o dan y drefn trethiant gyffredinol os ydym ni'n edrych arno fo fel rhan o dirwedd iechyd a gofal sydd wedi ei thrawsnewid, a dyna sut dwi eisiau gwireddu hyn. Ond, wrth gwrs, mi edrychwn ni ar bod opsiwn mewn Llywodraeth. Fy nghwestiwn i'n syml: ydy'r Gweinidog yn cytuno efo fi bod yr amser wedi dod rŵan, o'r diwedd, i weithredu ar hyn, a bod heriau yna i'w goresgyn, nid i'n stopio ni?
In the spirit of positivity, I will say at the outset that I sympathise with the Minister, to the extent that the pandemic, of course, has had a very great impact on the broader context and on all of our capacity to look at health and care in the longer term. And that pressure on capacity, of course, is very real. We see it in the fatigue of our staff, in the financial pressures, the unprecedented pressures on public coffers in this acute period of responding to the pandemic. But, for me, that gives us even more reason to act. That’s what the experience of the last year has done: we have seen more plainly than ever the lack of status, attention and investment that there’s been in social care. We have seen the lack of respect to care staff. We’ve had clear evidence that our health services are unsustainable and are overly reliant on the goodwill of staff. They’re far too often in crisis management mode and facing staffing problems that should have been resolved years ago. So, whilst a Plaid Cymru Government would want to put an urgent action plan in place to restore services post COVID, we wouldn’t want to come back to the situation we were in, but to transform services for the longer term, and that in the current climate is a huge challenge.
Now, at the heart of our plans is the creation of new health and care services, providing clear frameworks as to how health boards and local authorities deliver health and care in a seamless way with integrated budgeting, and that means treating health and care staff at the same level, the same conditions and wage grades, whether they are care or health workers.
And the other key part of this, of course, is what we have before us today, namely the future of social care and how we pay for it. Quite simply, we must now move to providing free care where it’s required, just as healthcare is provided. How does it still make sense that someone with dementia has to pay, but somebody with another illness, such as cancer, doesn't? And I'm not for one minute saying this is going to be easy, or it would have been done many years ago, I'm sure. Indeed, the Minister himself has outlined some of the challenges that we face, including, of course, the expected increases in the cost of care in years to come. But do bear in mind that that's an increase at that rate if we keep things as they are today. And we do have to include, as part of the equation on costs, what we should be aiming to save through revolutionising the way we think about the preventative agenda, keeping people fitter, living more independently for longer.
I'm very grateful to Age Cymru for summarising very well what their vision is in a statement that appeared in my inbox today. It's a mirror of what I want to see. This is a question of fairness at a fundamental level. We need fairness as to who pays and how we pay, and they note, among their core principles, that the risk must be shared across society. Of course, there's more than one way of sharing that risk. I am still convinced that this could be included in the general taxation system if we look at it as part of a health and care landscape that is transformed, and that's how I want to deliver this. But, of course, we will consider all options in Government. My question simply is: does the Minister agree with me that the time has now come at last to take action in this area, and that there are challenges to overcome, not to ignore?
Well, I think in my statement I've indicated that there is action that we propose to take. There is action to take, but there are challenges that you can't avoid or ignore. If we're not going to have a UK-wide answer, we need to think about the resources we have available, how we use them, and how we set out what are achievable objectives to take matters forward. Now, we've indicated the cost for the real living wage. We've indicated that we would want, as a further immediate priority, to see progress made on housing. And it's worth pointing out that I think, in the conclusion that we reached, we thought we'd need at least an extra 1,500 care facilities in Wales by 2025, against a backdrop where we delivered 500 across Wales in the last five years. So, it would be a significant scaling up to deliver improved housing options that would deliver better care, and again allow people to stay within their own homes. That would help us on the broader preventative and well-being agenda, and actually this is not something that is instead of making progress on the preventative agenda, it's not something instead of the transformation in the way that we deliver health and care. This is not something instead of moving to a genuinely sustainable healthcare system that works alongside as a proper integrated partner with social care.
And I just turn my mind back to the meeting that I had with Welsh Local Government Association social care cabinet members, and the briefing that I gave them, with WLGA officials, literally just before we then had to start to take extraordinary measures in last spring, because we were just on the cusp of publishing the national conversation documents, and I was telling them when that was likely to happen and what they could expect to see within them. And then all of that had to be paused and stopped. So, the work has been stopped. This isn't a deliberate choice of leaving this right up until the cusp of an election; it's the reality of where we are. But I was keen, as indeed were ministerial colleagues, to make sure we published and made available this information, so it's available before people make their final choices, and helps, I think, to guide whoever the next Government is, although I don't share the Member's view that that will be a Plaid Cymru Government—I think that's one of the less likely options—but let us see what the voters decide.
When it comes to the potential challenges, though, we do know that, the things that we'd like to do, there's a cost attached to each of those. So, we know that—and this comes from the work that's been done by civil servants and external advice as well—free care and support in the style of the NHS would cost about £700 million a year. Moving to all the same terms and conditions as 'Agenda for Change' will be likely to cost about £135 million in addition to that £700 million as well. So, there are big price tags to improve conditions in this area, and those conditions don't then deal with some of those other challenges we have as well. So, that's why, I think, the cross-party consensus we'll need will need to be pragmatic and honest about what's achievable, how we stage each of those improvements, and how we continue to move the dial further forward.
So, I look forward to a conversation with the public, and, indeed, however the next Senedd is made up, I look forward to being part of a conversation, and, hopefully, decision making, about how we do exactly what I think all of us would say we want to do, which is to improve the quality of care, about outcomes for people and, indeed, the way in which our staff are rewarded and recognised.
Wel, rwy'n credu fy mod wedi nodi yn fy natganiad fod yna gamau yr ydym ni'n bwriadu eu cymryd. Mae yna gamau i'w cymryd, ond mae yna heriau na allwch chi eu hosgoi na'u hanwybyddu. Os na chawn ni ateb ledled y DU, mae angen inni feddwl am yr adnoddau sydd ar gael i ni, sut rydy